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The President Gave His News Conference From The City Where He Built His Empire, At His Own Trump Tower; Whatever Happens In The U.S. Can Have Implications Far Beyond Such As Here In Paris; Sierra Leone's Mass Burials Are Underway. Aired 11a-12n ET

Aired August 16, 2017 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:01] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Hello, I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to Connect The World live this week from Paris. Our focus right now though on the United

States.

Even for a president known for sharks, this was a big one. Donald Trump already under fire, what many saw as a late means sufficient reaction to

the racist rally in Virginia at the weekend, coming out on Tuesday and saying he blames both the white nationalists and counter protesters for the

violence. Here is just a selection of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think there is blame, I think there is blame on both sides. You look at both sides, I think there

is blame on both sides. And I have no doubt about it. And you don't have any doubt about it either.

Excuse me, what about the Alt-Left? They came charging at the -- as you say, the Alt-Right, do they have any semblance of guilt?

Let me ask you this, what about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs, do they have any problem? I think they do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: To be clear, the president equating those who came out for a racist march to those who came out to oppose bigotry and prejudice. Safe to

say, virtually no one than the far right is happy about Mr. Trump's behavior. His comments drawing disgust and outrage from all sides, from his

traditional opponents to his Republican allies in Congress, to figures abroad.

Well, it is worth remembering here that one of days counter protesters was killed on Saturday when a car was driven into a crowd. At this hour, the

victim, Heather Heyer is being mourned at a memorial service at the theater in Charlottesville, a marquee on that theater has a message of

togetherness, rather than division, united we stand, it reads.

The president gave his news conference from the city where he built his empire, at his own Trump Tower. White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond is

joining me now from New York. It wasn't supposed to be like this, Jeremy. Sources telling CNN that the president effectively went rogue, plunging

himself deep into race controversy. Was this a watershed moment in his presidency.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it certainly was and what we saw yesterday was not only the president going rogue, but the president really

showing how he really feels about these Charlottesville protests and these incidents that have taken place and kind of seize the national conversation

in the past few days. You know, we have the president on Monday come out and deliver a statement that you read from a teleprompter that did what his

critics and many of his allies had hoped that he would you, which was condemned white supremacist the Neo-Nazis directly by name.

And in the next day, as some of the criticism continued because of the fact that it took him two days to finally deliver that condemnation, the

president answering questions yesterday at Trump Tower went off the rails and truly showed how he feels about this, saying that many of the

protesters even those on the side of the Neo-Nazis in the white supremacist were good people, saying --equating offering some kind of moral equivalence

between those protesters fighting against the removal of this confederate statue on the side of white supremacist and Neo-Nazis, equating them to

essentially the counter protesters.

And all this is going to be very challenging for the president as he moves forward with his agenda. The president of course has struggled so far to

pass any major legislation and he is going to need the support of Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, if he wants to move his agenda

forward. And so far, not only is he facing widespread criticism from Democrats, but also Republicans yesterday, coming out to say that there

should be no moral ambiguity on the question of white supremacist the Neo- Nazis. And really as many of the president's allies and defenders who defend them daily on television are coming out and saying, listen, the

president was wrong here. All of this, of course, against the backdrop of international crises that the president has to deal with. And once again

this is, of course, raising questions about the president's temperament.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Jeremy. As Jeremy mentions, strong words even from Mr. Trump's own party. House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeting this, we must be

clear, white supremacy is repulsive. Its bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity. Then this from Senator

John McCain, standing up to defy hate and bigotry, the president of the United States should say so.

Washington Post senior editor Marc Fisher joining me now. Marc, could this be the moment that Republican leaders finally turn their backs from the

president?

[11:05:31] MARC FISHER, WASHINGTON POST: Well, not likely. I think rhetorically, they certainly have and will continue to make it clear that

they are opposed to white supremacy and that they wish the president would come along and join them in that very clear statement. But there has been a

lot of commentary about President Trump going off the rails with these comments. These are his rails. This is exactly what he has consistently

said throughout his life whether as a businessman or as a politician, he is taking great pride in being this kind of the truth teller who speaks

plainly about race in ways that are very discomforting for many Americans. And that obviously fly in the face of a bipartisan consensus that white

supremacy is a dangerous thing that needs to be spoken back against.

ANDERSON: I think what is very important was that even several members of the joint chiefs of staff have weighed in from the army chief via twit

saying the army doesn't tolerate racism, extremism, or hatred in our ranks. It against our values and everything that we stood for since 1775. Marc,

these guys typically stay out of politics altogether. This conversation was clearly important with for now to at least take part in it, what is the

significance in that?

FISHER: Well, it is very significant and what we're seeing is really, it is an unusual moment in this very divided, polarized American politics, where

we are seeing people from all parties, all ideologies coming together to say you know that this kind of extremism is beyond this and needs to be

confronted. The president is a real outlier here, but obviously, he has calculated, first of all, that this will do him some good with his base.

But more important to him, he is being true to himself.

This is the real Donald Trump, the guy was seen at the rallies last year, the guy who is comfortable with people being physically removed by force

from his rallies. That is where he is comfortable. It is in the statements like he made on Monday, the much stiffer, more formal kind of ritual

denunciation of racism, that is where he is uncomfortable. And so, we're seeing him basically reverting to form here.

ANDERSON: Marc, your paper, the Washington Post, in an editorial, declared, and I quote, Tuesday was a great day for David Duke and racists

everywhere. The president in the United States all but declared he has their backs. Now, the Washington Post is owned by the CEO of Amazon, the

day after that editor, the president twitted this, accusing the online retailer of killing jobs across the United States. Do you think this is

simply his was of retaliating?

FISHER: Sure, he loves to push back against the media. He loves to gloss over the facts that Amazon does not own the Washington Post. He personally

owns it. We have no connection to Amazon. But this is the kind of thing that he does with all of his critics when they are in the media or

elsewhere. He likes to think of himself as a street fighter who was going to have a brass knuckles approach and who is going to hit back 100 times

harder at anyone criticizes him.

So that is something that he has done consistently throughout his career. It served him well. He likes the idea that people think of him as a

fighter. And so, he will continue to do that. The media is an easy punching bag because we intend not to push back. So it is a nice, easy ploy for him.

It should be noted of course viewers know that at the same time he is bashing the media, he is also courting the media and seeking desperately to

get the respect and coverage from the media. So it is a game that he has always played. And he has played quite well.

ANDERSON: I appreciate your time, Marc, from Washington.

Today, let's get the social commentator, Segun Oduolowu, who is with us from Los Angeles. Segun, the president promised he would be unifier. And

his supporters, at least some of them today, saying that in calling out the white supremacists, the KKK, and the Neo-Nazis, in that second statement,

was the first step. You don't agree with that, why?

SEGUN ODUOLOWU, SOCIAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first and foremost, good morning to you, Becky, in Paris. No, I do not agree at all with anything that he

said. I mean, this man is a fraud, he is a charlatan. And I wish more people in my profession, in my business would call him out for what he

actually is.

If we go back, these students of history, five and a half years ago with the first black president, he challenged his birth certificate and wanted

to know where he was born. You go back to him as a business owner and the way he was sued for unfair practices in renting to African-Americans. So he

has a history of being bigoted and racist. He has been in his cabinet who is an Alt-Right supporter and edits an Alt-Right online website, Breitbart.

So as an African-American, as a person of color, as a minority in the United States, there is nothing that Trump has done, track record longer, a

mile-long that would speak to the contrary of a bigot and a fraud. And you see him there in his golden college Trump Towers in New York. And it is

like Nero in Rome. And if I am going to stay on the history, the generals and the politicians also need to wake up. That general who basically said

that the army does not stand for bigotry and racism, come on, there were segregated units in the army, as far back as World War II. So I do not

believe what I am hearing from the people that are supposed to lead.

And what is scary is that everything that is condemned as fake news when you speak out against them. It is basically GOP dictatorship where anyone

who speaks out against him is fake news, and not telling the truth. And the only real information that were getting from him is hatred with Nazis. I

mean, how hard is it to denounce, not this, Becky, how hard is it to say that those who perpetrate hatred and those who want to see separatism, how

hard is it to say that is not what America should be about?

[11:11:48] ANDERSON: What do you feel as a person of color, do you feel fear as an American today?

ODUOLOWU: I do feel fear as an American today because Trump has made hatred and racism fashionable. There were Ku Klux Klan five or six years ago,

would never take off their hoods. They marched the streets, but they would be covered up because they did not want people to know who they were. Now,

they marched through the streets of a college town boldly with no mask, no hoods.

David Duke is on TV saying that we support Trump. We got him elected. His values are our values. And the same man that can denounce a person on

Twitter within 15 seconds, if they say something that about him, took 48 hours to say anything about the Alt-Right, the KKK, Neo-Nazis, who are

saying that they support him. So, yes, as a person of color, fear and frustration would be my two overriding emotions.

ANDERSON: Fear and frustrations. Segun, a new poll shows that the president's rating continues to lag. Let's take a look at the numbers, only

41 percent in this poll approving of the job he is doing, 49 percent disapproved. What is interesting though is that a majority of Americans 53

percent say they cannot imagine anything that would make them change their mind about approving or disapproving of Mr. Trump. Does that concern you?

ODUOLOWU: It does. It does concern me because it shows, Becky, how deep the racism is rooted, not only in the GOP, but for those who voted for him. I

want to know why people like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell will not separate themselves from a known bigot. I want to know why there is

continued support by an American public that gave him his votes that keep telling people of color, keep telling minorities, I am a conservative, but

I do not believe in the hatred and the violence. I do not believe in the racism. Well, if you don't, then denounce them publicly.

Paul Ryan, don't give me a mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy type of response on Twitter. Be like the senator from Arizona, be like McCain, and say that the

President of the United States should not be saying these things, should not equate those that fight the Nazis and paint them with the same brush.

But they won't do that. And that's what is frightening that there 10 percent in that poll that say that they cannot imagine President Trump

doing anything.

And this is par for the course for minorities. This is the same man who said that he could go out on Central Avenue, New York, shoot a man, and his

numbers wouldn't drop. And people still voted for him. This is a man, during the campaign, who made fun of a handicapped reporter, and he still

won the election, who was disrespectful to women, disrespectful to minorities, disrespectful all the way around, even to people within the GOP

and still now, bashes senators, bashes anyone in that party, that says anything against him. And he is still being supported. It should not only

scare minorities, it should scare anybody who values common sense, who values of rationality, and honestly, is looking at America and wondering

where we're going for the future.

[11:15:00] ANDERSON: Segun Oduolowu live from Los Angeles today. I appreciate your thoughts and your analysis. The president's response to the

violence in Charlottesville, then being compared to his predecessors, Barack Obama. Mr. Obama's tweets from Saturday have received more than 3

million likes. That's the highest number ever in the history of Twitter. The former president tweeted this quote from Nelson Mandela's

autobiography, no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. Well, this is true and an

extraordinary moment in modern American history.

And as we know, whatever happens in the U.S. can have implications far beyond such as here in Paris. Well, for centuries, some of the world

greatest minds in our societies, and one of France's most prominent modern thinkers is offering a new perspective once again, likening the far-right

to radical extremist. In his book, Gilles Kepel explores these issues through the model of terror in France. But the lessons here are not just

limited to this country. And Gilles is here with me now more on this, the book, which is a fantastic read.

Before we talk about what is going on, here, sir, just talk about your thoughts and get your perspective on what we heard last night. One of the

papers here, Trump has trouble, trouble choosing his Klan, Klan with a capital K. You watched the press conference last night, your response.

GILLES KEPEL, AUTHOR: Well, this is one of a kind. We never saw that in American politics, as far as I remember. You know, it reminded me of this

novel I have read by Philip Roth, The Plot Against America, where there is this far-right president. It is a fiction, that becomes the president of

the U.S. And the whole country changes. We, in Europe, are really sort of stunned by that. And we just wonder what is going to happen.

ANDERSON: And what goes on in the state doesn't stay in the state, correct? Normally, we are talking about the economy when the U.S. economy

sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. When we're talking about cultural ideology, people's thoughts and notions about people of color and

minorities, and other religions, that's a big deal, right?

KEPEL: Of course.

ANDERSON: That's a really big deal.

KEPEL: Yes.

ANDERSON: Talk about your experience here just of late as the political platforms.

KEPEL: Definitely. Whether we like it or not, Americans gives the standards for the rest of the world and the West in general. And to some extent, this

issue of you know nativists being boosted reminds us of what happened in Europe where with some extent, some of the Brexiters, and the extreme right

rising in France, rising in Germany and other countries saying we are the real people of the ground. And the others are unwelcomed, whether because

of their religion, because of their creed, because of the color of their skins.

And simultaneously, we find ourselves badly hit by jihadist supremacists or jihadist nativist if you want. Consider that you know the known Radical

Islamist Europeans whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims should be ousted from the earth. And therefore, we have this strange sort of change in

Western policies, where you have the traditional right-wing divides, where people you know would fight in the parliament. It would you know you could

change, you could move from the left to the right.

ANDERSON: It is left and right.

KEPEL: Absolutely. And now, what we are seeing, is this sort of change which is boiling down to identity politics, you know. So you don't belong,

because you're a Jew, you're an Asian, because you're an Arab, because you're black, or I am a radical Islamist. So you don't belong because

you're a bad Muslim, because you're an infidel, so on and so forth.

And this is very, very bothering phenomena in our societies, I believe. And this is to some extent sort of a divide that President Macron must try to

overcome with this election.

ANDERSON: Can he succeed?

KEPEL: Well, he is working on it.

ANDERSON: We are only days in.

[11:19:57] KEPEL: We are going to see the results, definitely. What has been taken into account is that the usual parameters, through which we're

dealing with our political systems are now being put into question, and never, ever could I remember an American president who said that you know

who equates it. You know, the plan and the others on the one hand, and the processes against them.

ANDERSON: Terror in France: The Rise of Jihad in the West is your book. Terror in France and the rise of Jihad in the West, we are told worries the

life out of Donald Trump as the U.S. president. But can we agree that what we are seeing on the streets of the states and his lack of facility to out

rightly condemn that might feed exactly what you are talking about in your book here.

KEPEL: Well, to a large extent because you know Jihadists in France really want him to be elected because it will feed into them that everybody in

Europe and in France or wherever who is not with them is a racist, is a fascist, and that there was no common society they could live in. And to

some extent, when Donald Trump says what he has said, this is music to the ears of Jihadists.

ANDERSON: We must have been massively relieved as so many people were around Europe when we got through these elections. And actually, we didn't

see the rise of the Radical Right there, at the results of this election. There was this big talk about this rave crossing Europe, Alt-Right as it

were, relieved then that we have not seen that play out, and we are looking towards the German election which will be much of the same going forward.

But things can change on a dime, right?

KEPEL: Well, definitely because there is a lot that depends on the economy. One thing is to put the blame on the supremacists or Jihadists, but the

other is to try to understand how come such phenomenon occurred. And when you have a number of people, for instance in Europe, because of our social

system, our economy, a lagging economy, which are left out of the labor market, then they say neither left nor right can help us. And then, what is

important is that we sort of retract on our identity. And we are in a fight for that. And this is the sort of cleavage, the fracture in society, which

is very, very, very bothering.

ANDERSON: Do you believe that you have seen the KKK with their hoods off, we have seen the white supremacists, we have seen Neo-Nazis and their signs

on the streets of one city, one town in the states. And when you consider what the Europeans have been through, this is 2017 and we are seeing these

images play out today.

KEPEL: Absolutely. And I believe it is sort of distorted. You mentioned of what we have been through, particularly in France where we 239 deaths. And

you know I am struck that the supremacists used his car to rush into the crowd, and killed someone. And we just had the same in Paris.

ANDERSON: Right.

KEPEL: Two days ago, someone who was on drugs. But you know most of those things on TV did exactly the same. And a week before, another guy just

drove his car into a patrol. And this is something, this kind of violence, which is now in society at the lowest level. It is of course a major

problem for us.

ANDERSON: We really appreciate you coming on. Great book, thank you for joining us.

KEPEL: My pleasure.

ANDERSON: Next to get you up to speed on all the other big news today. Back in just two minutes. Do not go away, stay right where you are.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:26:05] ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect The World with me, Becky Anderson. If you are just joining us, you are very welcome.

To Sierra Leone for you now, where mass burials, I'm afraid, are underway. This is after Monday's deadly mudslides, devastating the West African

country, which is still recovering from the Ebola outbreak a few years ago. This is the moment it all unfolded. And you can see the scale of aftermath

right here, the official death toll now tops 300, a number sadly likely to rise, 600 people are still missing, and thousands more have been left

displaced.

For more on this, let's bring in CNN Farai Sevenzo. He is following the story very closely, joining me today out of Nairobi. And really how are

these rescue efforts going, are they getting enough assistance from those they need?

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm going to tell you, Becky, it is rescue to basically recovery. They are worrying about things the number of

homeless people, 2- to 5,000 people. At the moment, we know that their families have been asked to go to the center there, about two hours to go

to claim and identify their dead.

But the most shocking thing of all, of course, Becky, because this thing happened early in the morning when people were sleeping, is that about 109

died. That's the highest, more than the women, more than the men, as they were sleeping. And of course, the government told us that the bodies, some

of them, have been carried through. The natural progression of the mud slides wants to go to Sierra Leone and into the Atlantic Ocean.

At the moment, 12 o'clock, mid-day local time, there was a moment of silence for the dead and the bishop from a Methodist church says first, we

had war, and then we had Ebola, and now, this tragedy. Have mercy on Sierra Leone, Oh, Father.

So it is very, very gripping for the people on the ground. And I will tell you one more thing, Becky, that CNN Africa team is on site. We will get you

the latest and of course, I will gladly jump on the plane and go there for you, if that story ever develops.

ANDERSON: Thank you. All right, Farai, thank you for that. Terrible, terrible, terrible scene.

You are watching the world's best show, Connect The World.

Now, America helped invent the very world we are connecting, from the satellite we are beaming to you on, to the cars on the street. So, how

could ideas from 150 years ago, be strangling it today? We explore that right ahead.

[00:00:01] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Thanks for joining us. Connect The World right here on CNN. You know who I am of course, Becky Anderson. And you are very

welcome. We are of course here in Paris this week, where in a palace not all that far from here. Once upon a time, this country, France, became

America's best friend, sending soldiers with the British. With America, they consider itself a nation new.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WORDS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent,

a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Less than a hundred years later, America and another had another great war. This time, with itself, the civil war, the South wanting to keep

slavery lost, but not all of its ideas it seems were vanished. Monuments to one of its best known generals, this man, Robert E. Lee, still feel

hauntingly to some the American landscape like here. In Charlottesville, Virginia, a classic American town, and we are here to take his statute

down, turned into this, racist thugs, running riot, from their despicable actions. Take a listen to what are frankly despicable words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROWD CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Take a look at this, their hatred, burning their torches, marching forward of backwards' past. Let's break all this down with Tim

Naftali who knows so much about all of this. He can name every American president ever, right off at the top of his head, not just in the right

order. Still, that's why he is a CNN presidential historian. Tim, thank you for joining us.

A different scene overnight in Baltimore has to be said, which is a major U.S. city, which quietly removed full confederate monuments. The founding

fathers are very important in American culture. They are hardly off-limits to criticism, far from it. But it is not exactly the norm is it for

American presidents to go after them. For Donald Trump, take a listen, Tim.

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Slave owner? So will George Washington now loses status? Are we going to take down -- excuse me, are we

going to take down, are we going to take down statues of George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? You like

him? OK, good. Are we going to take down the statue because he was a major slave owner? Now, we are going to take down his statue? So, you know what,

it is fine. You're changing history, you're changing culture, and you had people, and I am not talking about the Neo-Nazis and the white nationalist

because they should be condemned totally. But you had many people in that group other than Neo-Nazis and white nationalists. OK. And the press has

treated them absolutely unfairly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Jefferson and Washington, Tim, in a complicated relationship with slavery, didn't they? They own slaves for instance, but they seem to

accept that it had to go one way or another. Is that fair to say, and what do you make of Donald Trump saying this is changing history?

[11:35:15] NAFTALI: OK. A couple of things that need to be said, the white supremacist, Neo-Nazi demonstration in Charlottesville was both an attempt

to terrorize and create fear in this country. And it was also in support of a statue of a general who led a rebellion against the United States. George

Washington built this country. Thomas Jefferson gave it some of its finest words and their moral failing was they were both slaveholders. Robert E.

Lee tried to destroy this country. He went to West Point and then with all the learning he had, nevertheless, he became the commander-in-chief of the

slavery, Pro-Slavery Confederate States of America.

There is a big difference between a traitor, Robert E. Lee, and founding fathers with moral failings. The fact that Donald Trump in either a cynical

political ploy or because he lacks any sense of American history, or both, decided to somehow get these two different ideas mixed together to defend

his position is outrageous. What we are seeing today is a fight between memory and history. No one doubts that Robert E. Lee is part of our

history. You cannot expunge them from her history, but you can expunge the ideas he stood for from our memory. You can expunge the defense of those

ideas from our memory.

And that is the issue today. That is why people want to take those statues down. Not to remove these people from history, but to stop celebrating

them, anyway.

ANDERSON: Sure. The issue of race of course in America is extraordinarily complex for a sense of what is this split. A take for our viewers, first,

Black Lives Matter supporter and then white nationalist protestors. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a lot of history. And I don't think history should be erased or removed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: What are the limits of historical preservation, Tim?

NAFTALI: I am historian. I want to preserve history, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I mean, I think that when you start to -- when you start to

eliminate history, people cannot learn from it, by definition, but there is a difference between revering bad moments in history and remembering them.

And the issue here, those people with the torches, they were not saying protect history. They were revering, the white supremacy, the under lay the

Confederate States of America.

Many of them were revering the white supremacy to underlay Nazi, Germany. That is very different. We should remember Nazi, Germany, lest we make that

or allow anyone to make that mistake again. But there is a difference between remembering history and revering it.

ANDERSON: So you said a little bit earlier, you're not sure whether what Trump has said over the last couple of days is a cynical ploy or he just

doesn't understand the history of the United States. Have you thought which of this yet?

NAFTALI: Well, Becky, here is the thing. You know, we, historians, -- we try to bring data together. The data so far suggests one of three

explanations. One, this is a cynical, desperate ploy by someone whose political support in this country has shrunk to about 35 percent, and his

dedicated supporters are the white supremacist, the white nationalists. That's one.

The other is that he is really, really deeply uninformed, doesn't really understand American history. Someone gave them a few bad ideas and he just

parroted them on in front of the folks at the press conference. And the third is that he actually shared some of the views of those people who were

marching in Charlottesville with torches.

ANDERSON: OK.

NAFTALI: Only those close to him will know the third answer. We didn't really know, for example, the lack of moral character in Richard Nixon,

really the extent of it until the tapes revealed it. Because on the Nixon tapes, he lets it all out, all of his hatred, all of his bigotries, anti-

Semitism. It is all there, you can't doubt it. You can't argue against it because you can hear with your own ears. We don't have that kind of

evidence about the contents of what Mr. Trump really believes, but his actions suggest a lack of moral core.

[11:40:31] ANDERSON: With that, we are going to leave it there. It is a pleasure having you on, Sir. We will do this again. Thank you.

NAFTALI: Thank you, Becky.

ANDERSON: We can't forget the tragic consequences of the violence in Charlottesville. And this is a human tragedy, remember, a public memorial

service is taking place this hour to honor on Heather Heyer, the counter protester killed when a car ran into a crowd. Her friend and former

manager, Alfred Wilson, is one of the mourners attending the service, sporting a bowtie and her favorite color which is purple. Have a listen to

this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALFRED WILSON, FRIEND AND FORMER MANAGER OF HEATHER HEYER: Heather would be proud to know that she has been recognized for such a fighter. One of the

things about Heather is she is a very humble young woman, a woman that would do anything for anyone, to help anyone and to see that anyone would

actually give a fair treatment. The fact that the country is standing behind this 32-year-old woman, it just amazes me. I am so proud of her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: We are hearing from the U.S. president. A short time ago, he twitted this, memorial service today, so beautiful, incredible Heather

Heyer, a truly special young woman. She will be long remembered by all! Kaylee Hartung joins me from outside the memorial. And if you can just set

up the scene for us, if you will.

KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Paramount Theater of those wanting to pay respect to Heather Heyer's life. You can see the streets are

as well as more people come out to show their support for the life gone too soon. Inside, the governor of the Commonwealth, one of state senators, as

well as the mayor of Charlottesville and a couple of the victims who survived the deadly attack that took Heather's life.

We first heard from her grandfather, who talked about how much Heather loved life and how much joy she brought to their family. We also heard from

her father, understandably emotional at the lectern. And cousin, Diana Ratcliff just read a letter in the service that she says she wishes she

could have given to her cousin saying, did I tell you that your smile was infectious, did I tell you that you come from a long line strong and

passionate women, did I ever tell you how much I admire you? Your patience was heroic, you never had a problem saying what needed to be said, and your

conviction, you didn't let other people tell you how you feel. Did I tell you how much I loved you? Those notes coming from our Rosa Flores inside

that memorial service.

Among the things her father said was that Heather wanted equality in the world. He looked out into the crowd before him. He was overwhelmed by the

rainbow of colors that he saw in the crowd there. But there was one commonality among all of the people gathered there, the color purple. You

mentioned Heather's favorite color is a symbol, the openness, the inclusiveness, the equality that Heather wanted so feel badly, and that she

risked her life with.

ANDERSON: Thank you for that. Charlottesville, Virginia this hour. You joined us in Paris. You're watching Connect The World.

Coming up, the world reacts, what public figures are saying about President Trump's Charlottesville remarks. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:46:21] ANDERSON: Well, we have seen plenty of condemnation for President Trump's remarks on the events in Charlottesville over the

weekend, not just the United States, Iran's supreme leader reacted Ayatollah Khamenei saying that the U.S. should fix its racial

discrimination, mind its own business rather than meddling other country's affairs. Here in Europe, U.S. allies are also criticizing him. Have a

listen to what Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May had to say earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN: No questions between those who prefer fascist views and those who oppose them. I think it is important for

all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, they weren't only the sharp words for the president. Let's get you to Beirut and to Jerusalem. They spoke to Fred Pleitgen and to Oren

Liebermann. Let's start with you, Oren. What has been said there?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are politicians here across the political spectrum have come out and slammed President Donald Trump, has

attempted to draw moral equivalency between Neo-Nazis and white supremacist, and those who oppose them. In fact, one politician said those

two are not opposite sides of the same coin, if you cannot equate those with hatred and racism and those who oppose hatred and racism.

Another politician said the Neo-Nazis should be brought to trial. Notably, there has been a relatively muted reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu, who only issued a response after Trump came out and condemned white supremacist. And that response was simply in a form of a tweet, not

mentioning Trump by name. Since Trump's further comments, drawing this moral equivalency, there has not been an updated comment from the Prime

Minister.

In fact, the Netanyahu who said the most was his son, Yair Netanyahu, who called Neo-Nazis a dying breed, and quote, dying breed, which is certainly

an interesting comment given that they just held a torch bearing, Nazi- swastika brandishing rally in Charlottesville. He said that the greater threat to the U.S. and the Israel is the Alt-Left, the so-called Black

Lives Matter. A source close to the Prime Minister said Yair Netanyahu is an adult and has his own views. Those views are not the views of the Prime

Minister.

We are waiting to see if Netanyahu, that is the Prime Minister, issues any further comment. We will keep you posted.

ANDERSON: And, Fred, you're in Beirut today, but reporting importantly in what is being said out of Germany, where you have been based for so much of

your career. Vocal condemnation from them, perhaps not unsurprisingly, what is being said?

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I have been based and also the country which I was born, in which I am a citizen of, it, and also one

of the countries of course that saw exactly the kind of things that you saw in Charlottesville about 70 years ago. Those scenes that you saw

Charlottesville were very much reality in my home country. And I have to tell you that to a lot of Germans, and certainly include me as well, a lot

of the scenes that we saw there in Charlottesville were absolutely shocking. I mean, the guys out there with the swastikas and that torch

march, it is certainly things that does evoke some pretty bad memories in that country.

And Germany, of course, is a country that has done a lot to confront its Nazi past and to deal with it in a way where they don't try to whitewash

anything, but they don't try changing the history. They just confronted head on. And that is certainly something I think a lot of Germans would

wish that President Trump would do as well. So there is a lot of shock, there is a lot condemnation.

I want to read you what the German Chancellor Angela Merkel had to say about this. She said it is racist, far right violent, and clear forceful

action must be taken against it, regardless of where in the world it happened. And that sort of speaks of the German creed these days. Where

they say look, when things like these happen, events like this happen, then Germany has an obligation to speak up against it, no matter where it

happened.

So there is less shock, a lot of condemnation. I think many people in Germany also, Becky, just feel that the people who go to rallies like this

and brandish the swastika flags do similar things, but they aren't aware of the gravity of what they are actually doing. But certainly, the Germans are

very aware of the gravity and they're speaking up against it. Becky.

[11:50:37] ANDERSON: To both of you, thank you.

Finally, this afternoon, we will look at a military milestone on a mammoth scale. A new British warship, we will look at what it can do and why it is

so important.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: We're back in the City of Lights. And I hope that it is as nice with you wherever you are. You are watching as it is today.

In Britain, a landmark new addition to the military has made its first public appearance. Queen Elizabeth, the country's biggest aircraft carrier

costing $3 billion. It is being designed for multiple purposes, from providing air power in future military campaigns to delivering humanitarian

aids. It has arrived in its home port of Portsmouth earlier on today.

We are right in the heart of it all, almost on board. CNN's Bianca Nobilo is there to tell us more about what is this momentous marathon occasion.

Bianca.

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Becky. It certainly feels momentous and myself and the rest of the team here has been at Portsmouth Harbor

before 7 a.m. We got to see Queen Elizabeth into Portsmouth Harbor for the very first time. All the crew lined to the top of the ship, and thousands

of people gathered to welcome her. There were marching bands and helicopters. So there is a lot of ceremony because it is a huge

achievement. This is a vessel which is two decades in the making. So it certainly has felt like a very significant day today here at Portsmouth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think it puts us right in the premier league of power capabilities, the likes which are already done by the United States

of America, France, Russia, and China. So it is right for the United Kingdom to also have a carrier, strike capability. I think it makes the

message that you mean business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: I'm sorry, Becky. I think I have lost you. I'm not sure if you can hear me, Becky, but I think we just heard from the captain of HMS Queen

Elizabeth talking about the message that the U.K. is trying to send by this new aircraft carrier. And it is an important one because with Brexit

leading some to question what the U.K.'s future position in global affairs is going to be, this enormous vessel sends a message that the U.K. intends

to be a player in world affairs and a global maritime power.

ANDERSON: All right. Bianca, thank you for that. I want to get us back to Charlottesville where Heather Heyer's mother is speaking now. Let's listen

in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:55:01] SUSAN BRO, HEATHER HEYER'S MOTHER: Let's do that. Let us find that spark of conviction. Let us find in ourselves that action. Let us

spread this. Let's have the uncomfortable dialogue. It ain't easy sitting down and saying why are you upset. It ain't easy sitting and going yeah,

well, I think this way, and I don't agree with you, but I am going to respectfully listen to what you have to say. We will not shake hands and go

Kumbaya. I am sorry, it is not all about forgiveness. I know it is not a popular chant.

But the truth is, we are going to have our differences. We are going to be angry with each other. But let us channel that anger not into hate, not

into violence, not into fear, but let's channel that difference, that anger into righteous action. Right now, there is a blood drive going on in

Heather's name. Right now, there are people who are here willing to listen to one another and talk to one another.

Last night in New England, they had a peaceful rally in Heather's name to have some difficult dialogues. If you ever want to see one of those

dialogues look like, look at her Facebook posts. I am telling you, they were rough sometimes. But they were dialogues. And the conversations have

to happen. That is the only way we're going to carry Heather.

So remember in your heart, if you are not outraged, you are not paying attention. And I want you to pay attention, find what is wrong, don't

ignore it, don't look the other way, you make a point to look at it and say to yourself what can I do to make a difference. And that's how you are

going to make my child's death worthwhile.

I would rather have my child, but by golly, if I got to give her up, we're going to make it.

(APPLAUSE)

END