Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
President Donald Trump Rally Moves Forward As COVID-19 Cases Rise In Oklahoma; Two British Institutions Apologize For Ties To Slave Trade; Portugal Doctors Tout Steroid For COVID-19 Patients; Poll: Trump's Rating Drop To An All Time-Low; Liverpool To Resume Quest For EPL Title. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired June 19, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to another hour of coverage. I'm Hala Gorani. Coming up, many Americans will be out marching for Juneteenth
today. We'll discuss why the holiday commemorating the end of slavery has found a new meaning following weeks of protests also ahead concerning
numbers of corona virus cases in the U.S., where nearly half of the states across the nation are seeing an increase in new infections.
And as Venice reopens to tourists, it's anything but back to normal. A live report from Italy's floating city. It is June 19th today, also known as
Juneteenth. Many people around the world and in the United States are learning about this day for the first time.
It marks the day enslaved people in America in the U.S. State of Texas found out that the civil war was over and that they were effectively free
from slavery. And it has just been announced that Juneteenth will be an official holiday for New York City and its schools.
But the recognition and all the recent Google searches for details about Juneteenth are not necessarily a reason for celebration. The death of
George Floyd, an African American man in Minneapolis at the hands of a white police officer has shined a harsh light on racism and inequality in
the U.S. and beyond.
And crowded streets from London to New York to Tokyo, people of all races are demanding a sea change in the discrimination that black people and
people of color face, in law enforcement, jobs and just living their lives.
A quick history lesson now for you Juneteenth marks June 19th, 1865. That's when a Union General arrived in Galveston, Texas to let African Americans
there know that the civil war was over and that they were free.
Another reason for the day's prominence this year, President Donald Trump had scheduled a campaign rally for today in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the date
was changed, because Tulsa was the site of a massacre of hundreds of black Americans 99 years ago, and their businesses were set on fire, and it's not
as, we were mentioning with many of our guests, something that Americans were taught necessarily in school.
Tulsa's Mayor is putting parts of this city on curfew, just ahead of the Trump campaign rally and counter protests are scheduled for tomorrow. Mr.
Trump supporters have been lining up for days now in anticipation of the big event, but with a recent spike in corona virus cases in the area,
health officials are worried that those supporters are at greater risk of getting sick.
CNN's Abby Phillip joins me live from Tulsa, Oklahoma, from part of the city I understand that is marking Juneteenth and also the victims of racial
inequality and violence.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN POLITIAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Hala. I am standing right now in what we call the Greenwood district. This is the part
of the city that 100 years ago was a blooming district for black people in Tulsa. It was a prosperous place. Today it is a lot smaller, but it is the
place where annually this city marks Juneteenth.
Today, as you noted, because of President Trump's presence here in Tulsa, it has taken on a different tone. The folks here are back here celebrating
Juneteenth, but I want to show you what has popped up just this morning as we were coming in.
A new black lives matter, a mural that has been painted onto the middle of the street in this main part of Greenwood. This is the same kind of mural
that we've seen in Washington, D.C. And in cities all across the country as a result of these George Floyd protests. It is a very clear statement that
this community is making about what Juneteenth is about, this year in particular.
And it is coming at a time when, as you noted, just a few blocks from here, President Trump supporters are lining up getting ready to go into the BOK
arena for his rally tomorrow night. The city is preparing for over 100,000 people to be in Tulsa, coming in from all over the country, to attend both
the Juneteenth celebration and also President Trump's rally.
And then we have President Trump's tweet just about an hour ago. He sent this tweet that says any protesters, anarchist, agitators, looters or low
lives, who are going to be on Oklahoma, please understand you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle or Minneapolis. It will be
a much different scene.
That seems to be a warning, that's a threat, adverse it's not clear what the President is referring to, but we do know he has been urging local
lawmakers, governors, to be much more firm and harsh with protesters as they have broken out across the country.
Some of those protests have turned violent, but it was notable to me, Hala, that the President included protesters in that tweet. Typically he has said
he is a friend of peaceful protesters. This time he seems to be lumping them in with looters and people perpetrating violence.
[11:05:00]
PHILLIP: I'll tell you, Juneteenth is typically as supposed to be a kind of joyful celebration. We're expecting to have music and a kind of fair-like
atmosphere here in Greenwood. The organizers that I've spoken to say they have been urging folks to keep it peaceful. That is what we expect.
But, of course, with so many people converging on this city and the tensions in this country so high, it is not clear what we're going to see
later tonight. And it's fair to say a lot of people are bracing for the unknown, hoping for the best, though, Hala.
GORANI: Yes, sure, and when the President essentially tweets what sounds like a threat at worst, as you're saying, mentioning protesters as well as
looters and agitators, is there concern among those who plan on demonstrating tomorrow?
PHILLIPS: You know there has been a concern all along. One of the reasons that a lot of the black residents in particular here in Tulsa did not want
President Trump to come here, is because they have been so angry by his response to the protests all across the country, particularly that scene
that played out in Lafayette Square that actually prompted the D.C. Mayor to put up their black lives matter mural on the street right in front of
the White House.
So, yes, protesters are concerned that there will be a kind of harsh crackdown here. But, you know, nobody really knows what to expect. And I
think that from their perspective, they are hoping that the people that they bring out to this area will stay focused on really what is the true
meaning of Juneteenth.
That was a day that black Americans, slaves at the time, celebrated their freedom. It is supposed to be a celebration. This has taken on a different
tone as a little bit of an anti-trump demonstration, but at the same time they want to celebrate that important holiday for the black community here,
Hala.
GORANI: All right. Abby Phillip, thanks very much, live in Tulsa. An event called the "Freedom Day March" is expected to get underway in Washington,
D.C. It's to mark the ongoing fight against racism and also celebrate Juneteenth. Correspondent Pete Muntean is live from the capitol one arena
the starting point for the march. What are the situation and the mood where you are? Can you hear me?
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can hear you now. Can you hear me?
GORANI: Hi, Pete. Pete?
MUNTEAN: Hala, I'm hoping you can hear me now. We're in front of the capitol one arena, which is so interesting, because in 22 strike days of
demonstrations here in Washington D.C. and the nation's capitol, this is the time a demonstration has begun. Here this arena which is typically used
for basketball practice and games where they're watching some wizards and they're watching their mystics.
And those players are now using their big platform, typically 18,000 people here, about 200 days of the year. And they hold on their press conference
right now talking about the inequities that black people face in the country. They're calling for defunding the police, and they're using their
platform not only as players but also on social media, to say that folks need to get out and vote on November 3rd.
Natasha Cloud is one of the Washington mystic's players speaking right now. And she has said that this is a crucially important time for all athletes
who are now coming together. We're all familiar with the case of Colin Kaepernick who took a knee at NFL games. Now more and more black athletes
are joining that call for a structural, significant change when it comes to racial inequity here in the United States.
This is just the start of this march. It will be a confluence of marches that go from here, capitol one arena, which is in the heart of downtown
Washington, down to the national mall, Constitution Avenue, all the way by the national museum of African American history and culture.
And then to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, about two and a half miles of walking today, which really underscores the significance of what is
happening here in Washington. More and more people are joining the call for serious change here on Juneteenth, a holiday that is commemorated after it
took two years for the word of emancipation to reach slaves in Texas. They're saying that the change here this go-round has to be much, much
faster. Hala?
GORANI: All right, Pete, thanks very much, live in Washington. Several marches and rallies are planned across New York. The first one is getting
underway at the city's Washington Square Park. Demonstrators there will be marching toward police headquarters.
[11:10:00]
GORANI: Our CNN Correspondent Alexandra Field is there, and she joins me now live. Have people started to gather in bigger numbers, Alexandra?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Hala, they are turning out here. They are also hearing the news this morning that New York city Mayor Bill
de Blasio have said, the Juneteenth will be a holiday in New York city starting next year, and also for New York city schools. That of course is
welcome news here, but we are also taking to people who are still calling for Juneteenth to be a federal holiday in the future.
You're seeing some preparations that are getting on board with the idea of giving employees the day off as well. This is certainly something that has
been much discussed this last week across the country. Is this a sign of progress?
The people here in this crowd say yes, it is a sign of coming together, uniting behind a common cause. But really, there is intensity here and the
desire to keep the focus on creating and improving racial justice, racial equality in this country. You've got people here who are marching down to
NYPD police headquarters in New York City.
This march comes on the heels of the city council passing a package of sweeping reforms that would do things like ban police chokeholds. But these
are measures that people in this city have been calling for years, specifically since 2014 with the death of Eric Garner, when we first heard
those chants that are now rallying cry of "I can't breathe".
I asked people here what they think about these reforms, what they think about the actions that are being taken by the city at this time. They say,
again Hala, that these are steps forward, this is progress. But they say that lasting change takes time. They want to keep the pressure on. Hala?
GORANI: All right. And are demonstrators and those who are coming out today, and those who've demonstrated and protested over the last several
weeks saying they'll keep at it. What are their plans for the coming weeks and months to continue to put pressure on authorities to continue to put
pressure on authorities to change the status quo?
FIELD: Yes, there is absolutely no indication from anyone who's been out in these streets that they are ready to pull back or sit down. This isn't the
only gathering that we're going to see in the city today. We are expecting a very large gathering in Brooklyn today, so not just in Manhattan, but
also over the bridge, and not just in New York City, but really across the country.
People are fueling one another's momentum here, and there is absolutely a commitment to stay out here, to stay in the streets, to continue to send
this message. You can see it in the signs across this crowd here, black lives matter. People now are gathering to stop and listen to the organizers
of this march, Hala.
GORANI: All right, thanks so much, Alexandra Field, in New York. I'm really happy to see - it looks like pretty much everyone is wearing a mask there.
Here in the U.K., institutions are coming forward about their ties to their former slave trade.
The bank of England apologized saying its connections were inexcusable and promise to take down any images showing former Governors who were involved
in slavery. CNN's Anna Stewart is joining us now from London with more. Anna?
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: It's a real moment for introspection really for British companies, for institutions like the Bank of England, also the
church of England, we're said today the links to slavery in its history, our source of shame.
In terms of action as to how these institutions see themselves - saying now to remedy their past. Both the Church of England, they say, they will
continue to have initiatives to come back modern day slavery.
And they also spoke about monuments to those happenings to slavery in the various dioceses up and down the country. This has been a real source of
contention in recent weeks. Now they've said it's not possible to provide a single position which could apply to all circumstances here on the
monuments.
They do say that dialogue needs to take place within communities, and in certain cases, monuments should be removed, but legally and safely. Let me
come to the bank of England, which you mentioned, an institution that is over 300 years old, says that has no direct links to the slave trade, but
many of its directors and governors in the past have.
And as you said, their action that they are speaking about today is simply reviewing their history and taking down photos and artwork related to those
individuals. They're really changing the way they present their history, Hala?
GORANI: All right. And I guess the question is will this all go far enough? These apologies and some of these donations to charities, because I was
speaking to a Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham University, Kehinde Andrews who was saying that's all well and good, but you really need
fundamental change.
STEWART: Yes, and we have seen some compensation as you mentioned from some companies yesterday like there was a pop chain, Greene King also Lloyd's of
London a big insurance group, they are making some financial contributions here. Many are just apologizing.
[11:15:00]
STEWART: What some of the business groups are saying is they really welcome this introspection from businesses, but what they want to see is change
going forwards, not just looking back, particularly when it comes to representation on company boards, the latest review we've had showed that
on the 3100, the main index here, there were only six CEO's from ethnic minorities, and 37 percent of all the board rooms foresee 100 don't have a
single member from a minority group. So that needs to change. This is the moment for the boards to really look at this very hardly.
GORANI: All right. Anna Stewart thanks very much for that ahead. The U.S. Vice President claims the spread of COVID-19 that has slowed. That's not
what the data suggest. Several states saw a record week and new cases. We'll set things - with Dr. Sanjay Gupta plus could steroids are for a
lifeline to corona virus patients. Doctors in Portugal say, yes in some cases. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Ten U.S. states have seen a record number of new corona virus cases this week. Johns Hopkins University is reporting that nationwide more than
2.1 million people have been infected since the pandemic began, and in America over 118,000 people have died.
On Thursday the U.S. Vice President Pence said, he was proud to announce that we slowed the spread of COVID-19 in his words. But CNN's latest
projections show cases, in fact, increasing in at least 23 states. Obviously that's almost half the country. So where is the disconnect
between this administration and the facts?
Here with more is CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And Sanjay, I want to start with Florida, which is seeing a very sharp uptick
in cases this week, and there are new projections that suggest it could become the new epicenter. And we were speaking with Rosa Flores in Miami
who was saying that some hospital ICU beds are filling up very fast.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: yes, that's the big concern. We know that Florida is one of these states that shut down later
than other states they opened earlier than other states, so we've been keeping an eye on Florida for some time. It's obviously a place where a lot
of people travel to as well here, as for vacations and things like that, so it's been a concern.
There's no mandatory mask policy, just basic public health, things like that, there is no mandatory policies across the state so it's been a
concern and you can never say for sure when you're going to start seeing these spikes. But I think it was pretty clear to public health experts we
would see spikes in Florida, which we are.
Two points to make, Hala. First of all, while there is increased testing across the country, Florida's testing overall has been a little bit higher
but mostly flat, so you can't say the more testing is sort of accounting for this increase in cases. The second thing, and Rosa mentioned this, is
that, when it comes to potentially being particularly problematic, who are the people that are living in this state? They tend to be elderly.
[11:20:00]
A lot of people who are retired move down there. They tend to have more preexisting conditions as a result, so not only do they have more people
getting infected but more people who are likely to get sick as well.
Remember, Hala, most people who get this infection, 80 percent are going to have minimal or no symptoms. But elderly people, people with preexisting
conditions, are more likely to get sick. So Florida is a real concern right now in the United States.
GORANI: And there are other states as well, Texas, Arizona, the Carolinas all seeing a record high 7-day average of new cases, and we've been told
that we needed to flatten the curve. But this doesn't look like these curves are flattening.
GUPTA: Well, you know, I sort of regret in some ways that flattening the curve became the sole metric of success. Flattening the curve, if you had
to put that in medical terms, is sort of like we need to stop the bleeding, right? But it was never supposed to be about really reducing case numbers
as we've seen in other places around the world into the teens or hundreds like we've seen in places like Italy.
We have remained around 20 to 25,000 cases a day. And at that point we're reopening, which means the case numbers are going to go up without
question. So it's almost like we stopped the bleeding for a period of time, but we're then going to let bleeding occur and then hopefully try and stop
it again.
It's really no way to take care of a patient, or in this case, no way to take care of a country. So, it's concerning. Flatten the curve was just a
situation to not overrun hospitals. But if you truly wanted to try and bring this virus down into submission, you needed to actually do that, and
we haven't done that in this country.
GORANI: And President Trump is still holding his rally tomorrow in Tulsa, even though the city just reported its highest number of new cases to date.
In fact, even the President said some attendees may catch the virus, adding, it's a very small percentage. He's made people attending sign a
form promising they won't sue if they get sick.
GUPTA: Yes. It's pretty remarkable, right, to think that you would attend a rally; you have to sign a form about this. But one thing I found
interesting, Hala, it's hard to convey risk. What is the risk? Okay, we know it's riskier if you're indoors. We know it's riskier if you can't
physically distance, we know it's riskier if you're not wearing a mask.
I think people generally get that. But still how risky is it? I sat down with one of my analyst yesterday to try and put that into some context.
What we learn is that, even before the rally even starts, there's probably in a gathering of 20,000 people in Tulsa, about 100 people who are likely
to show up, who are already carrying the infection.
They may not know it, they may not have any symptoms, but they're carrying the infection. Now in a situation like this, what we find is because of the
crowding without masks and stuff like that, 20 of them are likely to be the biggest shedders of the virus. So 20 out of the 100. And they're likely to
spread it to 40 or 50 more people.
I know this is a lot of numbers here, but pay attention to these numbers because they make a difference. So, 20 people, 20 percent are likely to
really significantly spread it to 40 or 50 people. So, what does that mean? That means 800 to 1,000 new infections now out of those 20,000 people.
That's significant.
Those people then go home to their communities they go to their families and potentially spread it even more. That is the anatomy of a potential
outbreak. That's how these outbreaks, these clusters, occur, and that's exactly why public health officials are so nervous. You can't even predict
who those 20 people are likely to spread it.
You're not going to know that they're spreading it to their community or family until weeks after the fact. And then if people do get sick, it may
be another few weeks after that. So, it's very challenging to control it, which is why people advocate not having large indoor unmasked gatherings
where you can't physically distance in situations like this.
GORANI: Right, absolutely. And as you say, Dr. Sanjay, they'll go back to their communities all over the U.S., presumably.
GUPTA: That's right.
GORANI: It's not just a local thing. Thank you very much, Sanjay Gupta, as always. The World Health Organization calls it a potential breakthrough, a
new study showing that steroids may give a fighting chance to hospitalized COVID patients who are very sick.
Doctors in Portugal say one particular steroid contributed to their very low death toll, their relatively low death toll there. Fred Pleitgen is
live in Lisbon. Fred?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: hi there, Hala, and all those says, many people predicted that the pandemic would hit
Portugal extremely hard. Just to put this in perspective when the pandemic started Germany was the country that had the most ICU beds per 100,000
people in the European Union with about 29.2.
Portugal only had 4.2. So, there certainly seem to be a really bad shape. But they did a lot of measures to try and clamp down on the pandemic, they
shut down very early, they did mass testing. But they're also very early on using these Corticosteroids especially on people who are on ventilators in
the ICU. And they say that two things happen.
[11:25:00]
PLEITGEN: On the one hand, they kept people alive. But they also got them often latest and out of the ICU quicker. Here's what we're finding out.
Francisco Francesca is doing some heavy lifting. Building his new beach bar. A miracle he believes since he only recently recovered from corona
virus including 7 days on a ventilator in a medically-induced coma.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANCISCO FONSECA, COVID-19 SURVIVOR: It was really painful, not the breathing itself, but the skin. And I knew it was not the skin itself, it
was like the lungs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Portugal seems to set up to be devastated by COVID-19 with among the fewest intensive care beds per capita in the entire European Union. But
so far, the opposite is true. Portugal seems to have been very successful in dealing with the corona virus pandemic. And they say, key points of
their strategy were, they closed down very, very early, and then they also did mass testing to try to mitigate the pressure on their medical system.
One possible reason doctors in corona virus wards, like here at Lisbon's Central University Hospital, have for months been treating patients with
steroids to combat inflammation in the lungs, the head of the ICU, Dr. Nuno Germano who tells me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. NUNO GERMANO, HEAD OF ICU, LISBON CENTRAL UNIV. HOSPITAL CENTER: What we've seen with critical therapy is that, we're been able to reduce the
inflammation and greatly improve their respiratory function of the patients.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: About 60 percent of ventilated patients here are treated with steroids, including the 63 year old woman who was able to leave the ICU
just one day after we filmed. A new Oxford study has now found this type of treatment can reduce the risk of death for hospitalized patients. And the
World Health Organization calls it's a potential breakthrough.
Dr. Germano says, it's an effective tool that help, keep the death toll for ICU patients at around 16 percent, but that's not all they're doing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERMANO: We have a team that does outreach that goes out of the ICU and observes patients. And what we do is we do early incubation and ventilation
to the patients. So any patient which has signs of difficulty breathing and criteria that needs ventilation, we don't delay the intervention and
ventilation of the patient. And we admit them early to the ICU.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: While some other experts around the world say patients should only be placed on ventilators as a last resort, the medical professionals
here say early ventilation in certain circumstances has been working. And it certainly worked for Francisco Francesca. He hopes that now that his
health has come back, tourists will come back to Portugal as well and help him jump-start his business.
So, it's obviously not only important for that gentleman that we had in that report, but for this country as a whole. And one of the things of
course Hala that Portugal's is doing is it's actively saying, look, we managed to keep this pandemic under control, we still have it under
control. And therefore tourists can now come back with confidence as the European Union is opening up many of the borders.
However, the authorities here now also of course continuing to take a look at the situation. You have seen a bit of an uptick in new corona virus
infections, especially here in the Lisbon area. And so, certainly, while the authorities here have managed to keep the virus under control, keep the
situation under control, they do still have to look very, very carefully as they open up the country to make sure that there is not a new spike in
infections, Hala.
GORANI: Fred Pleitgen in Lisbon. Coming up, black voters are promising to show up at the polls in November to vote against Donald Trump. Their
motivation is the renewal of these anti-racist protests. And the U.S. President fights himself at odds with the social media giants. What they
say he did that violated their policies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We've been really for many years, I would say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
GORANI: Well, we're less than 5 months away now from the Presidential Election in the U.S. and with racial tensions rising a lot is at stake for
black Americans. In 2016 President Trump narrowly won the State of Wisconsin by nearly 20 3000 votes while some black voters stayed on the
sidelines in that election 4 years ago many now tells CNN's Jeff Zeleny that this November they are planning on making their voices heard.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Mariah Smith has been marching and come November she will be voting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIAH SMITH, TEEACHER'S AIDE: if you don't go out and vote you're voting for Trump. That's it there is no other there's no other way around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: With tributes to George Floyd and Brianna Taylor painted across Milwaukee along with murals and signs calling for peace and justice. The
soundtrack of American politics is now animated by protests with anger toward President Trump resonating far louder than adoration for Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRENTICE MCKINNEY, MILWAUKEE, ACTIVIST: There's a time and. When you go to the polls to vote for something and then there's a time when you go in you
take a stand against something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Prentice McKinney has been watching these demonstrations closely storing memories from 1967 when he helped lead the fight for fair housing
in 200 straight days of marches. These images seared into his mind like coming face to face with 2 policemen outside the Mayor's Office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICKINNEY: I came in love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: In today's protest he sees broader diversity with a unifying purpose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICKINNEY: Part of the universal appeal of this movement is because of Donald Trump because people realize who and what he is?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Here in one of the nation's most segregated cities a summer of unrest is now part of the Presidential Race that will test whether
protesters have awakened a political movement well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA LANG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BLACK LEADERS ORGANIZING FOR COMMUNITIES: There are people that are like I don't know Trump was racists. What do you
mean he's racist pointed to something very clear and specific? We can point to this moment just a few months ahead of the Presidential Election about
how he's treating our community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Angela Lang founded a group to mobilize African Americans after Trump narrowly carried Wisconsin in 2016. When turnout among black voters
and others substantially fell since then there are some signs of change. In April David Crowley was elected as the first African American Milwaukee
County Executive a seat once held by Republican Former Governor Scott Walker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This election matters because people know that we have to change the.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: The Trump Campaign isn't seating black voters opening a Republican field office here on Martin Luther King Junior drive with a quote from the
slain Civil Rights Leader in the window. David Bowen a Democratic State Representative said voters should not be fooled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BOWEN, WISCONSIN ASSEMBLY DEMOCRAT: It's very offensive to the standpoint that nothing is in this administration or that he's done really
lines up with those words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Protests in Milwaukee are approaching the third straight week organized by Frank Sensabaugh who said he intentionally didn't vote 4 years
ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANK SENSABAUGH, MILWAUKEE PROTESTS ORGANIZER: The November, yes, I actually do plan to vote. This November I think theirs is going to be more
serious of a vote.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: And that gives hope to McKinney that these young demonstrators will keep their eye on November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKINNEY: I think they'll be there. I think that's what Trump is afraid of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Milwaukee.
GORANI: The latest polling numbers are not good for the President Donald Trump. They show his recent comments on race are likely to turn most black
voters away. He already had really very, very low approval ratings with black Americans and you can see here nationwide here's a poll conducted
between June 2nd and 5th.
[11:35:00]
GORANI: Joe Biden nationwide leading Donald Trump 55 to 41 percent. Political Commentator Tara Setmayer joins me now live from Washington. In
just a few months before the November 2016 election there were polls that predicted that Hillary Clinton would win easily and comfortably in
November. We obviously know now that those polls were wrong should we trust the numbers today?
TARA SETMAYER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think that we need to take them for what they are? We have to remember that holes are just snapshots in
time. And when you're in a Presidential Election year like we are now we are 20 plus weeks away almost from the Presidential Election that is an
absolute eternity.
Anything can happen between now and then. So what's a little or if you need to look at trends and you also need to look at what's going on in the
states? National polls sound wonderful but we don't have a national election in the U.S. It is actually it matters what goes on in each state
Electoral College.
And even with the metrics looking breaking it down in the most important battleground states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida and
Arizona Trump is losing to Joe Biden. So that it - those are the polls that you would need to pay attention to and we need to look at the trends.
It's clear at 2020 it's a different dynamic in 2016. Joe Biden is not Hillary Clinton. He's not revile the way she was and also there is Donald
Trump had no legislative record. No record of governing. We now see what it's like the Donald Trump as President and the American people have a
clear contrast between Trump and Biden.
GORANI: Yes, that being said with everything that's happened in the Trump Administration and everything that the President has tweeted and all the
very unpopular pronouncements on race even though his favorability is edging lower its still close to 40 percent.
So it seems like and you see those lines of people waiting outside the venue in Tulsa, Oklahoma days before his campaign event tomorrow Saturday?
So anecdotally at least it seems like his base is still very fired up?
SETMAYER: Yes. His base is certainly fired up but we've seen that throughout his Presidency Trump has never broken 50 percent that's unheard
of. He's not that where most other Presidents have been at this point as far as popularity in his Presidency.
A Gallup poll showed that he lost 19 percent net approval in the last month and a lot of that is because we've seen his leadership or lack there off
has been put to the test not only over the COVID-19 a pandemic but also over the way he's handled the racial protests and the demand the righteous
anger of the American people for change when it comes to racial equality.
These are motivating factors for people and that's something that you need. In 2016 there were a lot of folks that stayed home that were in the
Obama/Biden coalition for the Democrats. You're seeing that there is a renewed enthusiasm unlike 2016 particularly in communities of color.
Georgia for example just had a primary where they had record turnout for primary. Turnout that was higher that when Obama and Hillary Clinton were
competitive in 2008. That's for a primary. So the enthusiasm is there.
Trump has not expanded his base. So that's where the challenge is going to be for Trump. Can he expand his base only one by 77,000 votes in 3 states
that are not a lot?
GORANI: Yes. He tweeted just a few minutes ago that he's got 96 percent approval rating among Republicans. You define yourself still as a
Republican?
SETMAYER: Barely but yes. I am very dismayed by where the Republican Party has gone and what Trumpism has turned the Republican Party into. But I am
still trying to make sure that the same Republicans like myself and those of us who were in the Lincoln projects trying to show that there are -
there is an alternatives to those Republicans out there to don't feel as though the party represents them anymore who feel politically homeless that
there are those of us who will try to restore what Trump has burned to the ground thus far.
But if he wins again in November then I would disassociate with the Republican Party permanently if that happens.
GORANI: I mean, sure - I mean so people like you and others who've been members and to define themselves as representative member of the Republican
Party some of them are disassociating themselves with Trump.
But if you look at the politicians on Capitol Hill you have almost not a single one apart from Mitt Romney that is allowing any daylight between
them and the President regardless of what he says or does? So the party itself is still very much behind him.
[11:40:00]
SETMAYER: Yes that's true and it takes people like myself and others who are familiar with the with the hypocrisy of the party to call them out.
They need to be held accountable. I question whether that number is 96 percent?
Trump makes numbers up all the time. We have seen there are - so if there is some movement with traditional Republicans no longer supporting Donald
Trump and looking for alternatives. And we only need a couple of percentage points to change that.
So yes that's true. It's a sad state of affairs that the Republican Party has become so hypocritical to pledge fealty to a failed President who is
dragging the party down with him. The Senate is actually in play given the numbers that we see in individual states with Donald Trump.
In places like Mitch McConnell's job as Senate Majority Leader as the person who's been in the Pretoria Guard for the President and all the
things he's done his job is in jeopardy. So the party is going to have to decide as we move closer to the election if they want to continue to hitch
their wagon to the albatross of the Trump Presidency is not only been for the Senate but for the Republican Party overall. It's not sustainable in
the long term.
All right, Tara Setmayer. I love your background by the way I've seen my fair share of COVID lockdown backgrounds and yours is a 10 out of 10,
thanks very.
SETMAYER: Thank you.
GORANI: Yes, thank you have a good day. President Trump is struggling to get his social media campaigning going as he clashes with Twitter and
Facebook over their policies. Facebook took down a reelection campaign ad for violating the policy against organized hate groups.
It's over the use of this upside down red triangle the anti defamation league says it's practically identical to the triangle use by the Nazi
regime to classify political prisoners in concentration camps. Not the symbol you want to use lately or at all.
Twitter has also been feuding with President Trump the company labeled yet another posted to tweeted by the President as manipulated media are
misleading. It is the third time Twitter has taken action on his tweets in a month.
Our reporter Donie O'Sullivan joins me now from New York with more. So let's take those in order Facebook first.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN REPORTER: Sure, Hala. Yes, as you mentioned Facebook who we've seen in the past been pretty slowly to take action against Trump
like last month when he tweeted that losing would lead to a shooting. Twitter took action on that post saying that glorified violence whereas the
same post on Facebook took no action on.
Well yesterday as you mentioned the ADL said that that red triangle that was in those Trump ads resembled a Nazi symbol and that is basically what
Facebook agreed with that assessment. They told us that they remove the ads because it was against their policy on organized hate and their policy
prohibits band a group symbols to identify political prisoners without the context or could that condemns or discusses the symbol.
Now the Trump campaign for its part said that it did nothing wrong. It said it wasn't gas lighting. It said that you know the left wing groups here use
that red symbol but the ADL the Anti Defamation League protects these sort of thing says that that red symbol really isn't very commonly used at all
here by groups, Hala.
GORANI: And Twitter as well flagging another presidential tweet what was this one about?
O'SULLIVAN: Yes, this is the third time in less than a month that Twitter has flagged some Trump tweets. A lot of us will remember this heartwarming
viral video from last year. I think we can show on screen of 2 toddlers excitingly running to give each other a hug.
CNN at the time actually covered that video for what it was a heartwarming video the parents who posted this at the time said you know that there's a
black kid in a white kid in there and so they wanted to post it to show you know it props us a good example, a lesson to us adults the racism in the
world.
But Trump last night posted a version of that video along with some fake CNN graphics suggesting that CNN would spin a video like that to make it
look like the kids were running away from each other rather than running towards one another.
So Twitter labeled that video as manipulated media, that's a new policy they have for misleading pictures and videos and deep-fakes. And I should
note that this video the Trump video is still on Facebook. It has about 4 million views. Facebook has taken no action on it and it has declined to
say if it is or is not against their rules.
Trump supporters last night as soon as Twitter labeled this they immediately began defending the video saying that it was a parity, satire
you know not gas lighting and that you know we all need to have a better sense of humor.
[11:45:00]
O'SULLIVAN: Obviously, one person that did not find this funny was that the father of one of the children in the video who said on Facebook last night
that Trump will - should not turn this loving beautiful video to further his hate agenda, Hala.
GORANI: And they were showing the original video which was lovely and put a smile on everyone's face and the President is the one accusing and media
organization of fake news. But he's the one posting the fake manipulated video. Thank you very much Donie O'Sullivan appreciate it.
O'SULLIVAN: Thank you.
GORANI: Ahead on this show Venice, Italy is welcoming tourists after weeks of lockdown. How tourist hubs in Europe are planning to operate during
COVID-19? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back. For months we've been reporting on how the pandemic has nearly crushed local economies in Europe that rely on tourism? After
weeks of locked down a few European tourists are trickling back to Venice, Italy after the city saw 30 million visitors last year and this is where we
find our Ben Wedeman.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hello Hala. Well, yes definitely this city has been in the past overwhelmed by terrorism but
now of course the tourism sector which is so important to the economy Venice is struggling because of the disappearance for about 7 weeks of any
visitors what so ever.
They are back but many residents are hoping that not too many come back because Venice may be the envy of other tourist spots given the normal
number of tourists who come here. But in the case of this city it really is too much of a good thing.
The tourists a few of them are back in Venice's Piazza San Marco. Many of the hotels and shops are still shuttered the Gondola Yeti Idle. The cafe's
host more Siegel's clients.
We find it fabulous says Marie-Caroline Croset from France. There are no wait at the museums. The churches are all open you could take your time.
But the economy of Venice highly dependent upon tourism can't wait.
Around 30 million visitors flock to the city last year. Venice before Coronavirus team with tourists and this is now. This shop has been in
Mario's family for generations. It couldn't be worse than this he says. We reopened May 23rd and since then we've made around 100 euro that's just
over $110 in almost a month.
[11:50:00]
WEDEMAN: Residents have become accustomed to life without the madding crowds the prospect of an eventual return to a semblance of normalcy is
bitter sweet. Veteran tour guide Caterina Sopradassi misses the tourists but savored the silver lining.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATERINA SOPRADASSI, VICE PRESIDENT, ASSOCIAZIONE SAN MARICO: Sad, in a certain way it's also really marvelous because we can enjoy our city. And
we hope we hope we are restarting little by little step by step.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: Visitors to the sites must have their temperatures checked, wear masks inside and maintain social distance. With the rebirth of terrorism
many residents hope the city will be destroyed in the process.
Environmental scientist Jane Da Mosto warns that Venice already threatened by rising waters can ill afford a renewed flood of tourists.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANE DA MOSTO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: It's not just a question of the impact of 30 million people on a very fragile set of Islands in the middle of a
delicate lagoon system. It's also a question of should all those people be traveling across the world across the country for such short holidays with-
-
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: The government of Venice is considering a city tax to try to hold back the dilution of spendthrift day-trippers. Lorenza Lain manages a hotel
in a 500 year old Palazzo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORENZA LAIN, PRESIDENT, VENICE HOTEL ASSOCIATION: Let's be very respectful I think of all the guests coming to Venice but also people that come to
Venice should be educated to respect the city.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: The city navigating between the need to make a living and preserving a unique way of life. For the period this point that the number
of terrorists that will come to Venice this year will anywhere approach the 30 million plus that came in the previous year. It's hoped that perhaps in
2021 when Venice will celebrate its 1600 years since its founding that things might get sort of back to normal, Hala.
GORANI: All right, thanks very much Ben Wedeman in Venice. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Just a couple of days ago the English Premier League returned. It is arguably the finest most powerful football league it's taking center
stage without spectators and I know Patrick Snell for Liverpool fans the wait is almost over.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It really is. Yes Hala, we've already seen some really powerful storylines have to say as far as the Premier League is
concerned having resumed now. The support and the solidarity for the black lives matter movement the tributes to the National Health Service.
Well all very powerful and resonating out worldwide too. But when it comes to pure footballing issues there is much still to be resolved and that
applies especially to Liverpool supporters. That club it's a massive global brand is a huge financial resources as well.
They have one of the sport's most popular manages Jurgen Klopp at the helm you know the rates of nothing I have never ever won the Coveted Premier
League title. In fact their last top flight title that was 30 years ago when it was the old first division.
All of the fact that was about to change barring the most unthinkable of circumstances that lead look at this over outgoing champs Man City 22
points right now.
[11:55:00]
SNELL: So the question now is when will this true juggernauts of the game clinch? We know it can't be Sunday when they play local rivals Everton but
depending on the results it could be Monday or more likely I feel Wednesday of next week we shall see.
I mention Klopp there, in fact to say that German manager has been through the right emotional roller coaster especially during the times. It wasn't
even certain this season was going to be completed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JURGEN KLOPP, LIVERPOOL MANAGER: I became worried in the moment when people started talking about Dylan White this season because of a high mile. And
reads out physically really and that it does look - that would have been really, really, really hard. We don't expect to get it as a present so we
didn't want to - didn't want to have it on part of the game things were really happy I mean - when it was decided that we can play again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Jurgen Klopp spelling it all out force there and just too really highlight this. This one just be Liverpool's first even Premier League
Title. It'll also be the Reds first top flight title got the date here the year 1990 that was before the Premier League even came into existence,
Hala.
GORANI: All right. Thank you and we have time to talk about Manchester United? Let's talk about the spotlight these last few days on Manchester
United's footballer who's been making a huge statement off of the field of play. Tell us about him.
SNELL: Yes, no apology at all Hala for - just continue the conversation about all things Marcus Rashford. Today's English Premier League fixture
between Spurs and United that's a huge match in its own right but the build up to it all is being dominated by Rashford who, let's be honest he really
has become a national treasure over there in the U. K.
Really using his platform to great effect full perspective here it's just such a powerful stories isn't it? He's just 22; he plays for united one of
the biggest and most successful clubs in the world. Already a multi millionaire but he's never ever forgotten his past Hala, after his
heartfelt and determine campaign we saw in the last few days very publicly getting the UK government to extend free school meals right through the
many weeks of the summer break why?
It's simple he gets it. He cares. He's well aware of his own childhood struggles the sacrifices made by his mother Melanie in bringing him and his
siblings up. When putting food on the table you know it was just never - you could never take that for granted as far as his family was concerned.
A local Manchester lad too is being with the club since 2005. 64 goals for United and 10 goals as well for England and something else that really,
really struck home with me Hala, early this year Rashford had already helped raise some $25 million to supply millions of meals to people needing
them during the crisis really powerful story Hala, back to you.
GORANI: I really love it just giving back to the community and forcing that change as well. Good for him. Great story Patrick, we'll see you soon. I'm
Hala Gorani; I'll see you next time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
