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Trump to Meet with Xi; RFK on Hantavirus; Repainting the Reflecting Pool in D.C. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired May 12, 2026 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:33:00]
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish. And I want to thank you for joining me on CNN THIS MORNING.
It's half past the hour. And here's what's happening right now.
Sixteen passengers from that cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak quarantined in Nebraska. Two others in Atlanta. And this morning, just one American has tested positive. While health officials are working to downplay concerns, those questions remain about asymptomatic spread.
And President Trump says he intends to suspend the federal gas tax amid surging prices at the pump. But to do so, he would need congressional approval. It's something lawmakers have never done before. But if it's suspended, prices would fall, on average, of 13.2 cents per gallon, which equates to an average savings of about $35 per week. Right now, the national average for gas sits at $4.50 per gallon. That's according to AAA.
And the Supreme Court temporarily extended access to the abortion pill on Monday. This allows women to keep getting Mifepristone through telehealth visits. And this new order expires at five p.m. on Thursday, but the move blocks a lower court ruling that would have required in-person prescriptions as the justices weigh an emergency appeal.
And today, President Trump will leave for Beijing for a jam-packed, high-stakes summit with Chinese Leader Xi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, I have a great relationship with President Xi. We're doing a lot of business. But it's smart business.
I respect him a lot and hopefully he respects me.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CORNISH: That self-proclaimed great relationship will be put to the test because the two are going to discuss trade, tariffs and Taiwan. Could economic pressure from China and the war with Iran force a softer U.S. stance on Iran?
The group chat is back.
And joining us is Sabrina Singh, CNN global affairs commentator and former deputy Pentagon press secretary under President Biden.
I think we can safely say right now that the Iran War is sort of at a standstill.
[06:35:04]
You've got dueling blockades, dueling proposals, no movement. But now this meeting with China, I think, has even more stakes because China is a sort of patron to Iran, right, getting its oil and everything. What does -- what could Xi Jinping actually do in this situation?
SABRINA SINGH, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, the meeting with China right now kind of comes at a very interesting time in the war. As you mentioned, we're sort of at a stalemate. The ceasefire, in quotes, you know, remains in place but there's a blockade of the Strait. The president has not decided to, you know, resume kinetic action.
China is in this interesting position. It relies heavily on its energy resources through the Strait. And yet it's also completely fine with the United States being very preoccupied and moving its resources out of the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East.
CORNISH: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) yesterday in your chair --
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: Said that they're fine with letting the U.S. squirm.
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: Which I thought was interesting.
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: But the Taiwan thing is coming up. Is that a red flag for you, and why do you think it's coming up?
SINGH: That is always something that is looming over these conversations and something that, you know, the United States' stance traditionally are, to give you the talking point here, the Chinese -- the policy towards Taiwan is guided by the three joint communiques and the six assurances. You don't discuss our support for Taiwan and sort of our relationship with Taiwan with the Chinese president. And so, the fact that the president is sort of signaling this is -- could be a tremendous change to U.S. policy. And that's why you have many people concerned about this. CORNISH: Including Taiwan.
SINGH: Right. Yes.
CORNISH: The Taiwan Foreign Ministry said this today, "we will maintain close and constructive communication with the U.S. In fact, as you can see, since the Trump administration took office, they have consistently reiterated its support for Taiwan. Moreover, they have taken concrete actions to implement" this policy, they're saying, "including previously announced $11 billion arms sale."
They're worried because they've watched what the U.S. has done with Venezuela and said, OK, are we --
SINGH: Right.
CORNISH: Is the world about to be divvied up into these spheres where aggressive action can be taken?
SINGH: That's right. And, I mean, this administration has really taken its eye and resources off the ball when it comes to China. And certainly, you know, when I was at the Pentagon, when it came to Taiwan, we were very scripted in how we talked about Taiwan because we did not want to indicate any change to U.S. policy, because that does signal something to China.
CORNISH: But you hadn't started a trade war with China, right?
SINGH: Right.
CORNISH: I mean, I think -- have you noticed this? Like, the administration is not as aggressive in its conversation about China as the president was on the campaign trail now that the reality of their retaliation has hit our economy.
AARON BLAKE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes. And I think this is actually a trend that goes back to his first term in some ways. We remember when Covid first came along and President Trump was basically vouching for the Chinese government and their handling of the coronavirus. He's kind of -- he often seems torn in two directions. One is, he's got these very China hawkish people in his administration who are driving that side of things. But then there's the businessman side of him that always wants to cut deals with everybody, including, you know, people who are more powerful foreign leaders who are strong men. And I think that we're starting to see, in his second term, more of that latter approach. And I think that's part of this --
CORNISH: Right. Including, in terms of warriors, those on "The New York Times" opinion pages, where they had a headline that says, "is Trump about to invite in the biggest predator in the world?" "Mr. Trump and Xi Jinping are reportedly considering a deal to allow China to invest $1 trillion in the U.S. to build factories on American soil." And it said, "it would be an unforced error of world historic proportions."
I was surprised to see this even speculated about that. ASHLEY DAVIS, FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIAL: Yes. Yes. That's --
I'm not sure if that's correct, but I --
CORNISH: Yes, I'm not sure either. But just the idea that people are saying he's not going in to say, do this. He's going in maybe to say, what can you do?
CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: He does want to come back with a big headline. That's the only thing he wants to come back with. Some kind of big, super deal that he can say that he orchestrated and he's responsible for, because the American people and the electorate right now, in congressional races that I'm working in all over the country, they equate the early tariffs with why everything that they're buying costs more. Whether it's right or wrong, they equate that. And --
CORNISH: Oh, you -- as always, Chuck, you're giving me segues left and right.
ROCHA: I well take it back.
CORNISH: Look at you.
ROCHA: And they talk about the gas prices with this war.
CORNISH: Look at you because there is a new poll showing -- it's a CNN poll.
ROCHA: I'll be here all week, y'all. All week.
CORNISH: It show that Republicans are now breaking with President Trump over the skyrocketing gas prices.
Thank you, Chuck.
ROCHA: Ta-da.
CORNISH: Due to the war with Iran. So, you've got a Republican majority -- a majority of Republicans now disapprove of how Trump is handling gas prices. That number has swung eight points since March. And when it comes to the cost of living, 55 percent of Republicans say Trump policies have increased the cost of living. And that's up from 25 points from the same time a year ago.
So, back to your point. You joked during the break that I only care about independents. I care about Republicans in this case because those are big jumps.
DAVIS: Those are big moves.
ROCHA: Right. And I think you're seeing this in lots of different places. And there's one thing, this ain't just because of Trump.
[06:40:02]
When you're the party in power, you get a lot of responsibilities. You have a lot of responsibilities to the American people going, they don't know everything about the inner workings of the government, but they know you're in charge and things got more -- got more expensive.
CORNISH: Yes.
ROCHA: Sabrina's lived through this with Biden. It might not have been Biden's fault, but he got blamed because he was the president.
Guess who gets blamed now? Donald Trump. He's like the dog who caught the car.
CORNISH: Well, can I put in a shout-out to the voters? We're often told that, like, we just arbitrarily swing between elections because we just don't like the incumbent. It's like, you know, there's -- we voted for something.
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: And if we don't get it, we call the bluff.
I want to play for you one or two of the people that actually we spoke to who had done the poll.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Survival mode. And that's, that's a mode that I haven't been used to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For me, a financial stressor is groceries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Food prices are out of control.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything's gone up, from the beef to the eggs, gas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I definitely don't fill up the whole tank anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't had a full tank of gas in, like, months.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rent is always a concern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a junior, and I missed a whole semester of school because I couldn't afford housing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Ending with him because I remember those young black and brown male voters who voted for Trump because of the economy, who said, you know what, it's got to be better than this old guy. We're going to vote for him.
SINGH: Right.
CORNISH: And at the time we told them there was a vibe session and it was in their heads. What do -- what do Republicans do now? What's the advice from Biden era?
SINGH: Well, I think -- I think to Chuck's point, you know, Biden was blamed for so much for people not feeling like the economy was working for them. And Donald Trump came in on this promise that he was going to make it more affordable. And now I think Americans, and I think a lot of what Democrats are going to ask voters to ask themselves is, is your life better off today than it was two years ago or four years ago?
CORNISH: This is a question they're really going to ask, can the other party improve?
SINGH: Right. I mean, totally.
CORNISH: Not, is this guy failing?
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: But also, are they going to do any better?
BLAKE: And that's what's really interesting from this polling, I'm glad you brought that up, because, you know, even in tough economic times, even over the last year, Republicans have generally had a little bit of an advantage on the economy issue. As people compare Democrats, Republicans, they choose Republicans.
CORNISH: Yes.
BLAKE: Some of these polls, including this new CNN poll, are starting to choose --
CORNISH: But, you know, this one, you're referring on Trump's handling of the economy.
BLAKE: Narrowly starting to choose Democrats on the economy, which is something that really hadn't happened since Barack Obama was president.
And so, you know, is that going to mean that people are going to love voting for Democrats on this issue? Maybe not necessarily. But it's showing that the issue set is changing and that a Republican strength is maybe getting away from them.
DAVIS: But are Democrats have (ph) enough plans out there? I mean, like, you, obviously, they can probably win alone just by being anti- Trump. And this is probably the last election you can do that. This midterm is the last time you can run against Trump.
CORNISH: Well, theoretically, because he shouldn't be able to run again.
DAVIS: No, I'm just saying --
ROCHA: No, but again --
CORNISH: Yes.
DAVIS: Two years from now, if Democrats are just saying Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, I mean, like, you've got to say something new. He's not even going to be on the ballot.
SINGH: I think Democrats are putting forward proposals.
DAVIS: But what are the plans that they're -- how are they bringing down gas prices?
ROCHA: We're not going to be Donald Trump. That's how we're going to bring them down. Just (INAUDIBLE).
SINGH: No, I think -- I think part of the reason why is like, I think part of this is, so much of this is self-inflicted, from the tariffs, to the war. Democrats were never for some of those things. I think Democrats, across the board, have proposals, whether it's housing or affordability, to address some of it (ph).
DAVIS: Well, housing (ph) is going to pass the House this week, I think (ph).
CORNISH: Yes. I don't know if they can take advantage of it, but I do think there is something to her point. Unlike the vibe session, where it's like, oh, Covid quarantine, something mismanagement, people can be like, remember the day Trump came out with a big sign that said, here are the tariffs and the market went like this. Remember the day Trump launched strikes here and the market went like this? Remember the day -- they have specific, key, easy to digest points of origin.
DAVIS: But if they're going to look at the markets, they have to look at the like really good side of the market too.
CORNISH: They will, but we know they're not winning.
DAVIS: Yes. Yes.
CORNISH: If they were playing the market, they wouldn't be complaining about their gas.
DAVIS: Yes. But also --
CORNISH: But they're just running up their credit cards, which is different.
DAVIS: Can we talk about the funniest thing ever is now -- so Blumenthal and Kelly introduced this tax holiday -- gas tax holiday. Trump agreed with it yesterday. And now all the Democrats are saying, oh no, no, no, no, that's a bad idea.
CORNISH: Yes.
DAVIS: I'm like, this was a Democrat idea. How can you criticize?
CORNISH: Considering how little this Congress has passed, I'm not holding my breath.
DAVIS: I think --
CORNISH: But I also know the president has many times said, I'm going to give you $2,000.
DAVIS: Yes.
CORNISH: I'm going to give you $2,000. So, I'm wondering where this moves from float to exist.
But, Sabrina, thank you for coming.
SINGH: Yes.
CORNISH: Always good when you come to play.
Next on CNN THIS MORNING, we're going to talk about RFK Jr. because he is telling you all that the hantavirus threat is under control. The question is, there are a bunch of leadership roles that are vacant at our health agencies as a result of cuts. So, are Americans more vulnerable?
Plus, the D.C. makeover. Well, it's over budget. And the president is a real estate developer. So, we're going to ask why this keeps happening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:48:53]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HHS SECRETARY: We've had CDC teams on it from day one. I was speaking with the University of Nebraska since the second day of the outbreak. We have this under control and we're not worried about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: All right, so that's RFK Jr. saying this is all under control. But maybe some Americans have questions about when it -- what the government can do for us when it comes to health threats, because currently the U.S. has no surgeon general. The FDA's boss' job is in doubt. There is no head of the CDC, which is in chaos. Just to give you an example, at the CDC there have been staffing and budget cuts. There's been policy overhauls. There's been the dismantling of key vaccine recommendations, removing guidelines. The former director says all of that poses a much bigger risk to Americans than the hantavirus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM FRIEDEN, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR: Instead of being a leader in global health, we're on the sidelines.
When it comes to this hantavirus Andes outbreak, there is no danger to the general public. When it comes to the dismantling of the CDC, with firing thousands of staff, we still have a part-time director at CDC, most of the unit directors are acting or part-time or vacant.
[06:50:10] We are much less safe. We can't have a safe USA with a weak CDC
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: So, it's safe to say that prior to the Trump administration trust in the CDC had fallen. I'll show you a little graph there just so you can see it, because it fell among Democrats as well as Republicans. OK, the pandemic did a number on us all.
But I'm also looking at what's going on with RFK and his own supporters and the MAHA community. It's not clear how that's all going right now.
BLAKE: The administration seems torn between approaches. They seem to like the idea of having RFK Jr. in the administration and the people that he brings into the Trump coalition, but they also don't seem to like some of the things he's done on vaccines and some of the kinds of people that he wants to be stocking some of these federal agencies.
And so, what we've seen in recent months is, as some of these nominees have proven difficult to confirm, the Trump administration has gone in a different direction, trying to get more mainstream picks that aren't necessarily on board with that MAHA approach. It's been a very interesting balancing act that we've seen over the last year and a half.
CORNISH: And then there's also the cuts. I mean there's a lot of scientists and doctors and people out there who aren't working at these departments anymore.
DAVIS: But when it was full, remember, we had Fauci, who was telling us not to wear masks. I mean, so, like --
ROCHA: He told us to wear masks.
DAVIS: No, not at the beginning. He told us not to wear masks.
ROCHA: I hear --
DAVIS: My point is --
CORNISH: So, when RFK says it's nothing to worry about, what happens in our body --
DAVIS: Well, I hope not. But, I mean, I'm just hoping that we don't have an overreaction for no reason.
CORNISH: An overreaction in what way? Right now they're not -- they are taking care of it. There are folks in Nebraska. There's folks in Atlanta. But they're saying it's not a threat to the public.
DAVIS: What we need to do is not shut down the economy again.
CORNISH: The question is being raised, what's the safety net like?
DAVIS: Yes. I mean, I would assume that they know what they're doing right now. Maybe we shouldn't believe in the government with -- or the CDC with what happened with Covid. But, I mean, they're -- I'm going to take it at face value.
CORNISH: Chuck, where are you on this?
ROCHA: I think I'm where a lot of Americans are. We don't really understand what any of this is, even though we've lived through the coronavirus, which is the only point of contention or anxiety in our lives.
CORNISH: Yes.
ROCHA: And it freaks us all out a little bit. And we look to our government. We don't always look to our government to try to solve all the problems. But in these instances, when we have no idea what the hantavirus even means, they want some reassurance.
And I -- let me just say that Kennedy may not be the one you want to look to for assurances on viruses when he's been the one out there saying that certain things you shouldn't take.
CORNISH: Yes. Well, it's --
ROCHA: So, I'm just saying that, when you need stability, he may not be the most stable.
CORNISH: OK.
ROCHA: I'm being kind.
CORNISH: I want to turn to something else.
The ballroom, the buildings, the arch, and now the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. President Trump has -- says he's got to repaint the pool blue ahead of the 250th anniversary celebrations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We were getting complaints from people. For years it's been dirty and disgusting and rotting, rotting garbage in it. It's terrible. We took away 16 loads of garbage out of that only two feet deep pool.
It's basically, if you think of a swimming pool, a heavy swimming pool coating, and the pool person said, sir, we're going industrial. What is industrial? It's heavy duty. It can handle anything. And it's going to be beautiful. A beautiful color. I picked American flag.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: All right, so he's blowing past Congress and public review. And there is a non-profit group that has filed a lawsuit that is aiming to stop the project. Initially, the president said it was going to cost around $2 million. He has handpicked a Virginia firm to do the work, which means they have locked in a $13 million contract. So, does the real estate mogul in chief have a spending problem?
There's actually a lot of questions here.
First, I'll just show you the renovations that are being suggested. The ballroom, initial cost, $200 million. You pointed out the congressional proposals, like, actually, we need a billion because of security issues.
There's this arch he wants to build, which is bigger than the one in Paris, $100 million. And then there's the reflecting pool.
And it was funny. I didn't realize, buried under this, are like no bid contracts here and there.
BLAKE: And by the way, this is the president who also wants to have Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chairman, investigated for cost overruns at the Federal Reserve renovation.
CORNISH: Yes.
BLAKE: Like I was saying before, this is all kind of his hasty approach to trying to do these things. If he goes --
CORNISH: Is it hasty, or is it just the way they move in commercial real estate?
BLAKE: I think he wants -- I think he wants to do it and he's been dealing with red tape for his entire life as a real estate developer.
CORNISH: Yes.
BLAKE: He says, now I'm president. I can make these things happen immediately. That's not always how it works. And, you know, when you talk about something like a reflecting pool, the question is, should this thing be painted blue? Should you have a process that decides whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. And he just wants to do it right away.
CORNISH: The other weird thing, and maybe this is for Democrats to think about, is like, because you end up bickering over each particular renovation, again, I want to show people, like, the three things that he is doing that they -- there is a collective remaking of what Washington can and should look like.
[06:55:19]
It is being paid for by you, the taxpayer.
DAVIS: Yes.
CORNISH: It is not really being paid for by all private funding, et cetera, et cetera. Certainly not the overruns.
DAVIS: Not the overruns. But also we have to remember that this is coming out of the Interior budget. It's not like it's coming out of the general fund in regards to what could -- would government pay for. CORNISH: Yes. But where does the Interior get its money?
DAVIS: Well, from government. But I'm just saying it's not like --
CORNISH: From me. From taxpayers.
DAVIS: Yes. But I'm just saying it's not coming out of a budget that could help lower gas prices or something like that.
CORNISH: OK. We kind of wish it would, though. I think is the point.
DAVIS: Well, but it's not. That's just how it works.
CORNISH: Yes.
DAVIS: But, listen, as a D.C. resident, I think our city looks great. Mayor Bowser, dear friend, is so happy with how this city looks. So, I'm not going to complain about it.
ROCHA: Let me just say -- let me just say as somebody who's worked in construction, that I'll paint that pool for about $1 million if it's going to cost you 13, because it shouldn't cost that much. And I'm being cheeky now. But the real point here is that, as the American people sit at home right now and they see all of these things that you put up, whether it's this or the ballroom, remodeling the Kennedy Center. I'm not saying any of it doesn't need it. But folks right now can't make it. And this is gold for Democrats to run a TV commercial saying, while you can't pay for daycare this week, we're remodeling a swimming pool.
CORNISH: Yes. Or building that gold statue.
ROCHA: Whatever it is.
CORNISH: What's that gold statue? Is that (INAUDIBLE).
DAVIS: Are you going to wear that hat when you paint the reflecting pool?
ROCHA: I got a bigger hat to keep the sun off my face.
CORNISH: I do want to see you out there just with a bucket.
ROCHA: For $1 million.
CORNISH: Just --
ROCHA: My wife will tell you, I'll get out there.
DAVIS: Oh, it's going to be a million dollars.
CORNISH: Here's the statue. Here's another good example. It's like, do -- is this good for you?
ROCHA: (INAUDIBLE) Mar-a-Lago.
CORNISH: Great -- sure. Congrats.
ROCHA: The Bible said we won't have false god (ph).
CORNISH: I just played a bunch of people earlier in the show who are like, I can't put gas in my car.
ROCHA: That's right.
CORNISH: Maybe they don't want to see a gold idol image of you. Like, is that reading the room?
DAVIS: (INAUDIBLE).
CORNISH: I don't know. Why does it exist, Ashley? Like, I think it's the real thing.
BLAKE: This is Mar-a-Lago, I think.
CORNISH: It's supposed to be at Mar-a-Lago.
DAVIS: Oh, it's at Mar-a-Lago.
CORNISH: Which is the Florida white house.
ROCHA: Right. Yes.
DAVIS: Yes.
ROCHA: And I think that -- I mean we keep making the point over and over again. But as you keep putting out the polling numbers and we keep talking about my world, which is campaigns --
DAVIS: But taxpayer money did not pay for that statue.
ROCHA: Yes, but it don't matter if it did or if it didn't. I'll use it.
DAVIS: I get your point. I get your point. I'm just setting the record straight.
ROCHA: Right. I'm -- yes.
CORNISH: It's hard to picture Democrats -- like it's -- I don't -- there is no gold Obama statue anywhere, let me just put it that way.
DAVIS: We -- wait, we don't know. We haven't opened the library yet.
CORNISH: That feels -- that feels hard.
DAVIS: When does the library open? This week? Next week?
CORNISH: Also, was that taxpayer dollars?
DAVIS: No.
CORNISH: See, this is a thing. This is a thing. DAVIS: But (INAUDIBLE) that statue.
Can we talk about our group chats, because I've got a really cute one?
CORNISH: OK. Go to group chats. Make the thing. Here we go. Yes.
DAVIS: Oh my gosh, the new puppy. The new -- awe.
CORNISH: Palette. We have a timeline cleanse, everyone.
DAVIS: New Natty.
CORNISH: Cute.
DAVIS: Isn't he adorable?
CORNISH: Sure.
DAVIS: Do you think it's going to make the Nationals any better?
CORNISH: I don't know.
ROCHA: He's just like that Trump statute. You can put lipstick on a hog.
CORNISH: I'm just glad he's not gold plated. I'm -- honestly.
BLAKE: Is this one of those dogs that goes and retrieves the bat and brings it back.
ROCHA: If that dog can --
DAVIS: Oh, my God, that would be so great. Or run after the ball.
CORNISH: It looks a little small for all that.
ROCHA: Unless that dog -- unless that dog is a starting pitcher, he ain't going to help at all I'll promise you.
DAVIS: It's a baby. It's eight weeks old.
CORNISH: Oh, that's cute. I mean it's cuter because I'm not house training it.
But, Aaron, you, what's in your group chat?
BLAKE: We're talking, exactly right here, Victor Wembanyama on Sunday night -- I'm a Timberwolves fan -- decided to elbow Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Got ejected from the game.
CORNISH: Oh.
BLAKE: And what people should do is really look at the video of this because, if you see the angle from the baseline, you'll see his teammate right behind him, as this elbow is being swung, and he's got kind of this, oh, no, what did you just do look on his face. CORNISH: Yes.
BLAKE: So, check that out if you can.
DAVIS: What happened? So, he got thrown out?
BLAKE: He got thrown out of the game. He did not get suspended. He should be suspended for game five though.
DAVIS: Yes. Totally.
CORNISH: OK. Hot take. OK.
And for you?
ROCHA: This week --
CORNISH: Is it that you have been hired to paint the reflecting pool and --
ROCHA: That I am the -- yes. No, painters -- Rocha's painting.
CORNISH: Yes.
ROCHA: Anyway, I was at a wedding this weekend with some friends, and my wife and I were talking to a couple about, they wanted -- they were trying to get us to go on a cruise. And I have a rule that if you --
CORNISH: What?
ROCHA: If you go on a boat -- you can't go on a boat unless you're fishing.
CORNISH: Wait, were you arguing about the hantavirus cruise? And they said, no, no, they're great, or they --
ROCHA: No. They wanted me to go on a cruise. And I said, have y'all not been following CNN. When you get on a boat in the middle of the ocean, you can catch the hanta.
CORNISH: I should --
ROCHA: And you don't want the hanta and go back home and getting nobody sick.
DAVIS: You can go bird watching at a trash lake.
CORNISH: I mean you calling it the hanta.
ROCHA: The hanta. It even sounds spooky if you think about it, right?
CORNISH: This is like when people were saying the rona (ph). What was the other thing?
ROCHA: I'm not telling people they should go on a cruise.
BLAKE: Corona.
ROCHA: I don't want to be sued by the cruise line. I'm just saying --
BLAKE: The vid (ph).
ROCHA: I've got a rule in my house. You don't get on a boat that you can't fish on.
CORNISH: (INAUDIBLE).
DAVIS: Yes.
ROCHA: That's the rule.
CORNISH: I have family members who work for Carnival Cruise Line, so I'm not saying this.
ROCHA: Chuck Rocha, once again, has been proven a wise elder in my family.
CORNISH: Honestly.
ROCHA: I've never wanted to let anybody get on the cruise lines.
CORNISH: There is nothing that beats the optimism of the American consumer.
ROCHA: When you're sitting there going --
DAVIS: Sorry. I'm like listening in my ear. They're yelling at you.
ROCHA: When you're thinking about the cruise lines and you think about what we went through and, folks, we don't have any expendable income now.
[07:00:05]
Let's take some of that and figure out some of those cruise people can paint the swimming pool maybe.
CORNISH: Don't. That's --
DAVIS: Oh, my gosh.
CORNISH: You don't have to put your gas money into the cruise ship though.
ROCHA: That's what I'm --
CORNISH: That's not how it works. I feel like you're making a Mad Libs of the news. Like you're going to be like, send the hanta cruise over to the Strait of Hormuz.
ROCHA: This is (INAUDIBLE) prove to my wife that I was right. Can you just tell my wife that Chuck was right.
CORNISH: Like, what are we doing?
DAVIS: I just don't want to be around that many people.
ROCHA: All right.
CORNISH: That's fair. That's fair. But again, not something I think.
I'm Audie Cornish. Headlines are next.
