Return to Transcripts main page
First Move with Julia Chatterley
VP Harris Agrees To Debate Donald Trump; Harris Challenges Trump To Debate Next Month; PM Netanyahu Meets President Biden And Vice President Harris; Netanyahu Meeting With Biden, Harris, And Trump; Renewed Risk To The West From ISIS- Linked Groups; U.S. Growth Beats Expectations; Paris Prepared For The Olympic Summer Games; Countdown To The Olympics Opening Ceremony. Aired 6- 7p ET
Aired July 25, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: -- because of her condition she is not seeking re-election. You can follow me on FaceboOK. Instagram, Threads, X,
formerly known as Twitter, and on the TikTok @jaketapper, you can follow the show on X @TheLeadCNN. If you ever miss an episode of "The Lead," you
can listen to the show whence you get your podcast, all two hours, just sitting right there.
The news continues on CNN. Pamela Brown is in for Wolf Blitzer, right next door in a place I like to call "The Situation Room."
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: -- Paris, 8:00 a.m. in Sydney, and 6:00 p.m. right here in New York. I'm Paula Newton in for Julia Chatterley.
And wherever you are in the world, this is your "First Move."
Welcome to "First Move." And here's today's need to know. I'm ready. Let's go. Kamala Harris throws down the gauntlet to Donald Trump, agreeing to a
debate with him on September 10th as he ramps up his attacks against her.
The VP coming face-to-face now with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The PM also meeting President Biden, thanking him for 50 years
of support for Israel.
Key parts of the U.S. economy grew in the last quarter ahead of expectations. Is it proof positive of a soft landing? We will break down
the numbers for you.
Plus, on the eve of the Olympics opening ceremony, we look at the massive security operation as the city makes its final preparations. That
conversation coming up.
First now, a short time ago, the presumptive U.S. Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, just finished meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, testing the Vice President's foreign policy credentials.
Now, while on the campaign trail, she's challenging Donald Trump to debate with her next month after Joe Biden pulled out of the race. She's accusing
Trump of Now, backpedaling on his promises. Kayla Tausche has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: We choose freedom.
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kamala Harris ready to bring it on.
HARRIS: That's right, bring it on.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): Rallying teachers and releasing her first campaign ad less than a week after Trump's call for unity, the gloves are off.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I get a kick out of one thing, they say, sir, you just got hit with a
bullet. Maybe he's changed. Be nice. And I'd love to be nice, but I'm dealing against real garbage.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): And four days into her presidential campaign, Harris refining her case.
HARRIS: So, Project 2025 is a plan to return America to a dark past. Donald Trump and his extreme allies want to take our nation back to failed trickle
down economic policies, back to union busting, back to tax breaks for billionaires. Trump and his allies want to cut Medicare and Social
Security.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): Harris sounding eager to confront Trump on the debate stage.
HARRIS: And I'll tell you, I'm ready to debate Donald Trump. I have agreed to the previously agreed upon September 10th debate. He agreed to that
previously. Now, it appears he's backpedaling, but I'm ready.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): Now, Harris faces her first foreign policy test since rising to the top of the ticket, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. tries to clinch a ceasefire deal, a position she was early to stake out.
HARRIS: So, before I begin today, I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating. And given the
immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): On a private call Wednesday, sources tell CNN her campaign telling major donors her stance may differ from Biden's, and it
may take a few more days to figure that out.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I want to thank President Trump.
TAUSCHE (voice-over): On Capitol Hill this week, Netanyahu praising Trump before meeting him at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Trump is also, calling for a
truce.
TRUMP: I want him to finish up and get it done quickly. You got to get it done quickly because they are getting decimated with this publicity. And
you know, Israel is not very good at public relations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Our thanks to Kayla Tausche there. And we will have more on the vice president's meeting with Netanyahu in a moment, but first, joining me
now is Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky.
Thanks so much for being here with us as we continue through this extraordinary run that the vice president is having. It is prime time for
her already and arguably U.S. foreign policy now, not necessarily one of her strengths. How do you think she will come through this?
JULIE ROGINSKY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, she's got a tremendous amount of landmines to navigate, right, between Gaza and Israel, certainly, the
larger Middle East picture, and of course, what's happening in Ukraine and in China. It's a lot for any person, including the vice president.
[18:05:00]
But look, she has been in the Situation Room with Joe Biden. She's got the president's daily brief every single day, apparently according to the White
House that he's received it. So, she is as well read into what's happening in the world as he is. And she has to make sure that she navigates,
especially the Middle Eastern conflict, in a very delicate way because you've got a tremendous amount of different political -- frankly, from a
political perspective, a different amount of political constituencies that she has to worry about who are on both sides of this issue.
NEWTON: Yes, and you're absolutely right there, it is very delicate, given, as you said, within her own party, but also, within those independents and
moderates that she's hoping to win over. You know, this hasn't been an extraordinary pivot for the vice president. She certainly has momentum
among Democrats.
But to that point, how can she make inroads with those independents, those undecided voters? I mean, this is a group that will not be easily
persuaded, as you know, especially if she continues to lean into what some people say is a very left leaning agenda.
ROGINSKY: Well, I don't understand where this left leaning agenda is coming from, because the reality is that she's had the same agenda that Joe Biden
has had. She's been part of this administration for the last three and a half years, So, we know, what her agenda is.
And ultimately, people's dissatisfaction with Biden had really not as much to do with his agenda. The economy is going gangbusters, unemployment rate
is low, crime is at historic lows, but with his age. And now that he is not running again, she can pick up the mantle there and she has the ability to
communicate her message and the message of the last three and a half years in ways that, unfortunately, Joe Biden, who I deeply love and have known
for 30 years, is not capable of doing any longer.
And so, I think part of the problem for Democrats has been a problem of messaging. And she has the ability -- and she's shown that over the last
four days or so, that she has the ability to message in a phenomenal way that energizes not just the Democratic base but also people who might be
taking a second look at this ticket.
Look, I mean, this is -- she -- this is the kind of enthusiasm that I frankly have not seen since Obama in 2008. I've been seeing it again. And I
think if she continues, she's going to be in a very good position to win this November.
NEWTON: And I take your point, that the enthusiasm is there at the moment, but is this a honeymoon period? I want you to listen now to Nikki Haley in
an interview with our Jake Tapper today. She put it quite succinctly, and you'll recognize the fact that this will be a challenge for her. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FMR. GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R-SC): Look. the Democrats are very smart to put in a younger candidate. I think that that's what America has craved. But I
think what you look at is they put in the weakest candidate they could put in. You look at the fact that Kamala, I mean, she had one job, that was to
deal with illegal immigration and the border. She didn't do it. She was the most progressive senator that we had next to Bernie Sanders.
You can see it playing out, whether it's the fact that she didn't show up at Bibi's speech yesterday, whether it's the fact that she pushed for all
this government spending, whether it's the fact that when she was in California, the most liberal state, there was no tax she didn't propose. It
was nothing that she didn't want to see.
All of her -- the things she's doing from not wanting fracking to not wanting oil drilling, all of these things are incredibly liberal. And she
is much more progressive than Joe Biden ever was. So, the fact that they put in Kamala Harris, kudos for putting in someone younger. The fact that
you put in one of the most liberal politicians you probably could have put in, it's going to be an issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Julie, look, she isn't even stumping for Donald Trump. And in that clip, you hear what Kamala Harris is going to be up against in
constituencies that she needs to win over.
ROGINSKY: Well, look. she's stumping for herself because the most interesting part of that interview was that she didn't rule out running
again. Nobody's praying harder that Donald Trump loses so she could run against Kamala Harris in four years. The Nikki Haley -- and I think what
you just heard right now is the beginning of a Nikki Haley 2028 stump speech.
I'm not so worried about Nikki Haley's views on this. Nikki Haley came out strongly for Donald Trump last week at the Republican Convention. Nikki
Haley, who swore up and down that she would never support Donald Trump fell right in line and bent the knee to him as soon as she could. So, Nikki
Haley is not exactly somebody that I think Democrats are worried about.
NEWTON: But Kamala Harris will need Nikki Haley voters, that's the bottom line.
ROGINSKY: But Nikki Haley's -- Nikki Haley voters were Nikki Haley voters because they were never Trump Republican voters, right? I don't know that
they were so enamored with Nikki Haley. They were just enamored with not voting for Donald Trump. And those voters are up for grabs. And I don't
think necessarily that something like Kamala Harris being from California is going to deter them.
Look, a lot of Republican women in the collar counties of Philadelphia, for example, in the suburbs of Michigan, in places like Ann Arbor, in places
like Suburban Atlanta, they are women -- they are white women and college educated women who typically have voted Republican but cannot vote for
somebody who believes in taking away a woman's right to choose, cannot vote for somebody who denigrates single women who have no children as cat --
crazy cat ladies.
[18:10:00]
They can't vote for somebody who opposes IVF, which so many people have used to be able to have children. I mean, this is the kind of thing that
they will refuse to support. And ultimately, that's how Joe Biden won four years ago. And I believe Kamala Harris is in a very strong position to win
us in the same way this time around.
NEWTON: And I'm sure that's the kind of granular analysis that her campaign is doing right now when you point out exactly those counties that she has a
chance of winning over. Julie, really appreciate your insights there. Thanks so much.
ROGINSKY: Thank you so much.
NEWTON: Now, vice president -- as we were saying, Vice President Harris just met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their meeting
comes as she becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee for the president - - for president. And amid a flurry of high stakes meetings with the prime minister there, and you see them in a photo opportunity.
Now, in the span of the day, the Israeli leader has been meeting with Harris. In fact, her Republican rival, Donald Trump, she will meet with
tomorrow. And now, with outgoing President Joe Biden, whom he thanked, you will hear here, for years of support. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Mr. President, we've known each other for 40 years, and you've known every Israeli prime minister for 50
years, from Golda Meir. So, from a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50
years of support for the State of Israel. And I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead on the great issues
before us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, of course, Mr. Netanyahu is facing pressure to agree to a ceasefire deal, a point underscored by families of hostages who visited the
White House today, and we're in a meeting with both the president and the prime minister. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON POLIN, FATHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: We've got a rare moment now where the current president of the United States and anybody who might
become president of the United States, both Vice President Harris and Donald Trump, are all aligned in saying this deal must get done now. So,
anybody on any side who makes the mistaken political calculus that there's benefit in waiting will find out that that logic is wrong. The deal must
happen now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt is with me to discuss just the events today. Alex, I have to tell you, every time I hear
from the families of the hostages, it just sends chills up my spine. I do not know how they have the fortitude to sit in these meetings and they have
week after week after week, hoping, struggling to get the ceasefire that they need. I mean, what more are you learning about those very
consequential meetings today?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It's such a helpful reminder, Paula, of what we're talking about. You and I have spoken
for months about the ins and outs of the deal, the concessions being made by both sides, what each of them are pushing for. But of course, at the end
of the day, you have so many people's lives who hang in the balance and who are understandably very, very impatient with the process and want to see it
come to fruition as soon as possible.
A number of those hostage families we're disappointed that Netanyahu didn't get up in front of Congress yesterday and announced that a deal was done.
But this was the focus for the Biden administration, I'm told, to try to get Netanyahu to a point where they can eventually cross that finish line.
There's been so much back and forth. My colleagues and I have been told that now they -- the mediators are waiting on an Israeli response. The
administration had hoped to get Netanyahu in a room and really put the pressure on. And my colleague, MJ Lee, at the White House was told that
President Biden was going to be more forceful with Prime Minister Netanyahu than he's ever been before, because they believe that the deal is as close
as it could possibly be, closer than it has been since the last pause in the fighting ended in late November and early December.
We do know that there's a plan in the works for another round of meetings with the mediators early next week. But the focus here really is on
Netanyahu. And there's been so much criticism in Israel from the population, from his opposition saying that he doesn't actually want a
deal. He wants the military campaign to continue. He wants to drag this out.
And the White House's John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, was asked about this earlier today, whether they believe that Netanyahu
wants a deal. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON: He has said so publicly himself that he wants to get the hostages home. And the Israelis,
the government, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been working with us to try to get that deal over the finish line.
That said, as I mentioned at the top, there's still some gaps that remain, and we're going to be talking to the prime minister today about closing
those gaps.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: So, Kirby saying they're talking to the prime minister about closing those gaps, use diplomatic, saying both Hamas and Israel need to
make compromises. But again, we are told behind the scenes the administration believes that the ball is in Israel's court.
[18:15:00]
And, Paula, finally, it's no mistake that there was this meeting with the hostage families, the families of the Israeli American hostages held by
Hamas. American officials do believe that adds pressure on Netanyahu. When you get them in the room -- get him in the room with those families, he
feels that pressure more. And hopefully, they believe it will get him closer to agreeing to a ceasefire. Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. And, Alex, can you characterize exactly what is happening here given the meetings that have gone on? So, it was early afternoon, a meeting
with President Biden. Then you've got Kamala Harris, who we are told would perhaps be a bit more strident in the meeting with the prime minister. And
then, tomorrow, crucially, you have the former president, who may yet be the future president. How do you expect all of this to play out in the
sense that, will he be getting variations of the same message from all three?
MARQUARDT: Well, not from Trump, that will differ slightly, but certainly from Harris and from Biden, he'll be getting a similar message. And in
these hours after these meetings, that's when we all go to work and we try to figure out what happened behind the scenes.
I mean, I think it -- first of all, you kind of look at the different approach. Biden and Netanyahu were kind of all smiles. It was all
platitudes in the Oval Office. You know, from what we saw with Harris and Netanyahu, it was a little bit stiffer. And Harris is very much on the same
page as Biden when it comes to policy towards Israel and Gaza, they have been in lockstep.
But Harris has been much more forceful in terms of her messaging tonally, her emphasis on the plight of the Palestinians, on the suffering of
Palestinians, on the need for an immediate ceasefire. She has been more forward leaning than President Biden has.
And so, it's going to be very interesting to see going forward as she becomes this presidential candidate, whether she decides to strike out on
her own and create a little bit of daylight between herself and President Biden, who has been very unpopular with the Democratic base because of his
Gaza positions.
Kayla Tausche, in her piece, referenced the fact that they're basically trying to figure out where she's going to stake out her ground in terms of
Israel-Gaza policy. And then, when it comes to Donald Trump, that meeting tomorrow, of course, you know, Netanyahu, like other world leaders, hedging
his bets and basically making nice with everybody because we don't know who's going to be the next U.S. president.
Donald Trump was an extremely pro-Israel president during his term, whether it was moving the embassy to Jerusalem or recognizing the Golan Heights as
Israel or striking those Abraham Accords. But that relationship kind of fell apart once President Biden was elected. Netanyahu congratulated Biden
early on, President Trump thought it was too early and that relationship kind of frayed.
And so, here you have Netanyahu trying to rebuild that relationship, meeting with all three of these characters who are obviously extremely
important. It's really underscoring how critical a time it is, not just in Israel and of course Gaza, but here in the United States as well.
NEWTON: Yes, you also, have to wonder how the Former President Trump will handle the meeting. He definitely would like gratitude from Prime Minister
Netanyahu, but if he has any kind of leverage in order to persuade him to do that ceasefire now. Alex, I just want to remind you and our viewers that
we do expect now the vice president to address the media very soon. You see the podium set up there in terms of her meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and
how it went.
I mean, look. Alex, it's significant already that they're not going to leave this to a paper statement, right? They want her to come out and
articulate exactly what happened in that meeting.
MARQUARDT: Yes, it really is. Normally, what we get from these meetings are what we call readouts. They're kind of bland, as you say, paper statements,
that say -- it would say something like Harris emphasized the fact that the U.S. is committed to Israel's security in an ironclad way, that they talked
about the situation in Gaza, that they talked about the need for a ceasefire right now.
But this is really going to be our first main opportunity to hear from Harris directly, not just about the conflict in Gaza, which is almost, you
know, 10 months old, but also, on the heels of this very important meeting with Netanyahu how she -- you know, she's obviously going to be asked that
question that we were discussing before, whether she believes that Netanyahu actually wants a ceasefire deal. So, these are some very
important remarks, and here she is at the podium.
HARRIS: So, I just had a frank and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that I will always ensure that Israel is able to
defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
From when I was a young girl, collecting funds to plant trees for Israel to my time in the United States Senate and now at the White House, I have had
an unwavering commitment to the existence of the State of Israel, to its security and to the people of Israel.
[18:20:00]
I've said it many times, but it bears repeating, Israel has a right to defend itself and how it does so matters. Hamas is a brutal terrorist
organization. On October 7, Hamas triggered this war when it massacred 1,200 innocent people, including 44 Americans. Hamas has committed horrific
acts of sexual violence and took 250 hostages. There are American citizens who remain captive in Gaza. Sagui Dekel-Chen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Idan
Alexander, Keith Siegel, Omer Neutra, and the remains of American citizens Judy Weinstein, Gadi Haggai, and Itay Hen are still being held in Gaza.
I have met with the families of these American hostages multiple times now, and I've told them each time they are not alone and I stand with them. And
President Biden and I are working every day to bring them home.
I also, expressed with the prime minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many
innocent civilians. And I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there, with over 2 million people facing high levels
of food insecurity and half a million people facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity.
What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating. The images of dead children and desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety,
sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies, we cannot allow ourselves to become
numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.
Thanks to the leadership of our president, Joe Biden, there is a deal on the table for a ceasefire and a hostage deal. And it is important that we
recall what the deal involves. The first phase of the deal would bring about a full ceasefire, including a withdrawal of the Israeli military from
population centers in Gaza. In the second phase, the Israeli military withdraw from Gaza entirely, and it would lead to a permanent end to the
hostilities.
It is time for this war to end and end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends and
the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination.
There has been hopeful movement in the talks to secure an agreement on this deal. And as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this
deal done.
So, to everyone who has been calling for a ceasefire and to everyone who yearns for peace, I see you and I hear you. Let's get the deal done so we
can get a ceasefire to end the war. Let's bring the hostages home and let's provide much needed relief to the Palestinian people.
And ultimately, I remain committed to a path forward that can lead to a two-state solution. And I know, right now it is hard to conceive of that
prospect, but a two-state solution is the only path that ensures Israel remains a secure Jewish and democratic state and one that ensures
Palestinians can finally realize the freedom, security, and prosperity that they rightly deserve.
And I will close with this then, it is important for the American people to remember, the war in Gaza is not a binary issue. However, too often, the
conversation is binary, when the reality is anything but. So, I ask my fellow Americans to help encourage efforts, to acknowledge the complexity,
the nuance, and the history of the region.
[18:25:00]
Let us all condemn terrorism and violence. Let us all do what we can to prevent the suffering of innocent civilians. And let us condemn
antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate of any kind. And let us work to unite our country. I thank you.
NEWTON: The vice president there, Kamala Harris, saying she had a frank and constructive discussion with the prime minister of Israel and saying that
she told him categorically it is time to get a deal done.
Alex Marquardt joins us now again. Grateful for you standing by for us. I mean, look, she was quite forthcoming or forthright, I should say, in that
statement. But also, made it clear that the message is coming time and again to Netanyahu, that they're expecting this ceasefire will get done, if
not in the coming days and in the coming weeks.
MARQUARDT: And, Paula, these were remarks that were scripted. This was not something that was off the cuff. These were not answers to questions from
reporters. She didn't take any there. And so, that really drives home the point that this was a message that she really wanted to deliver and make
understood.
And I am struck by several parts of it. Not in terms of any kind of shift in policy. There were some rather predictable parts of it. She started off,
as I noted before, probably that she was going to mention the ironclad commitment to Israeli security, which she did. But then, she went on to
talk in very strong and sympathetic, empathetic terms to what the Palestinian population of Gaza has been going through for the past nine
months.
She talked about the situation being catastrophic. She expressed serious concern twice. She said that it is devastating. She talked about desperate
hungry people. And then, said very clearly, I will not be silent. This is stronger language, I believe, than we have heard from President Biden over
the past few months.
And then, she spoke to the electorate. Certainly, the voters who have been upset by the Biden administration's policies, many of whom have said they
will not vote for him. Certainly, there's going to be an effort to try to bring them back into the fold. She said, I see you and I hear you.
And then, she went on, Paula, to lay out some of the specifics in this ceasefire deal, which again, you and I have talked about a bunch, but she
also talked about things that are not the first two or three items that we generally highlight. She highlighted the fact that in the first phase of a
ceasefire, the IDF will withdraw from population centers. That has been a major Palestinian demand. That has been a major Hamas demand. That is a
sticking point that is on the table right now, particularly when it comes to Southern Gaza. And then she went on to say in the second phase that the
IDF will withdraw from Gaza entirely.
To highlight the fact that the Israeli military needs to pull back from these cities and then eventually pull out of Gaza completely, I think it's
really striking. She -- these are interesting things for her to really hone in on, particularly because yesterday in Congress, Netanyahu said that the
Israelis are going to have to maintain a security presence in Gaza for quite some time to come.
So, this was a really interesting set of quite strong remarks from the vice president. And I will be very interested to hear what Netanyahu's reaction
is to all this. Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, you kind of get the sense that his speech in Congress, which we say she didn't -- she chose not to attend, is literally ringing in her
ears. And she wanted to put counterpoints to that speech entirely. Alex, as always, so grateful that yet again you are at our side to guide us through
this and really fill in the outlines of what, as I said, was a very forthright statement there after her meeting. Alex Marquardt for us. Thanks
so much. Really appreciate it.
Now, after this short break, more on the high stakes meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that we were just discussing and his
differing approaches to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and, of course, Former President Donald Trump. We'll have that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:32:22]
NEWTON: And welcome back to "First Move." We have a look at more international headlines this hour. Dozens of protesters in the U.K. are
demanding changes for a violent confrontation at Manchester Airport. We have to warn you now that the video is very disturbing to watch.
Here you can see officers beating at least three people and one officer kicking and stomping on the head of one man when he was already on the
ground. Greater Manchester Police say they were, in fact, attacked after responding to a reported assault. We cannot independently verify what
happened before or after this video that you see here was taken. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he understands the public concern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, I have seen the footage. And for that reason, I do understand the public concern. Obviously, action has
now been taken in relation to the suspension of an officer and the home secretary is already having those discussions with the mayor of Manchester.
I think they've already happened or they've -- they're taking place as we speak, and she has made sure that she's kept updated on developments ever
since the incident. And so, obviously there's a process now that will go into place. But I completely understand the public concern having seen the
footage myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Two astronauts piloting Boeing's Starliner spacecraft remain stuck in space after 50 days now. Boeing and NASA might have found the root cause
of their troubles we're now told. Engineers have been troubleshooting for weeks to try and figure out if the Starliner is safe enough to bring the
two astronauts back home. Officials, however, are still not ready to name a return date.
Actor Jennifer Aniston is criticizing Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee J. D. Vance for comments he made in his past about women and children --
women without children. In a 2021 appearance on Tucker Carlson's former Fox News show, Vance, who was then a candidate for the Ohio Senate, told
Carlson that the United States was being run by "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives." Aniston shared a screenshot
of Vance's appearance on her Instagram stories and wrote, I truly can't believe this is coming from a potential VP of the United States."
Now, as you've heard, it's a series of high stakes meetings in Washington for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He just met with Vice
President Kamala Harris for the first time since she became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Earlier Thursday, Mr. Biden met with President Biden, whom he thanked for his years of support. On Friday, Netanyahu will then meet with Republican
presidential nominee Donald Trump in Florida.
Now, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said Netanyahu needs to end the war in Gaza quickly.
[18:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He's coming to see me. I want him to finish up and get it done quickly. You got to get it done quickly because they are getting decimated
with this publicity. And, you know, Israel is not very good at public relations, I'll tell you that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Joining me now is Khaled Elgindy. He is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and author of "Blindspot: America and the
Palestinians from Balfour to Trump." And we thank you for being here to give us your insights on really would have been some news making events
just in the last hour.
You heard Kamala Harris saying that she had a frank and constructive discussion. Do you think that will make an impression on Benjamin Netanyahu
himself to really get this deal done?
KHALED ELGINDY, AUTHOR: I think it has to leave an impression. If for no other reason than Kamala Harris could very well be the next president in a
matter of several months. So, he has to take it into consideration.
And I mean, more importantly -- or at least as importantly, if you remember, we've been repeatedly told by U.S. administration officials that
the current ceasefire proposal that is on the table is an Israeli proposal. And so, it's a bit odd for the Israeli prime minister to come to
Washington, say nothing at all about his own government's ceasefire proposal, and instead, actually do the opposite, to make the case for
continuing the war.
The speech was quite fiery and I would say even belligerent. But I do think the message from Kamala Harris as well as others in the administration was
probably received.
NEWTON: In terms of it being received, we've asked many, many times why the United States can't bring more pressure to bear. The conventional wisdom
now says that Biden is weakened, right, because he's dropped out of the race. And yet, could the opposite be true, that he may now become a more
effective peace broker because he's unshackled, right, he's not running for president?
ELGINDY: Right. So, conventionalism is that as a lame duck president, he has a bit more space to maneuver. He's unencumbered by an election. He
doesn't need to worry about donors and voting blocks and all of that. At the same time -- and so, he theoretically has, more space to put that kind
of pressure, but that assumes that he's inclined to do that.
And I think everything that we've seen from Joe Biden over the past almost 10 months has been he's simply not inclined. I think the message that he's
sent to Israel is, look, I don't like what you're doing. It's not good. It's not even good for Israel, but it's certainly not good for Palestinians
and we'd rather you didn't do it. But even if you do, we're still going to support you regardless. And that's the message that Netanyahu has received.
And he's repeatedly kind of blown through any red lines that President Biden has put up. And he's defied the administration at every stage. So,
there hasn't been much incentive for Israel to go along. So -- and I think a lot of that comes down to the person of Joe Biden. I think he's just not
-- it's not something that he loses sleep over. I think that the contrast with Kamala Harris is pretty stark. You know, she talked about nuances and
she --
NEWTON: But just to pick up on that point, right, if you're Kamala Harris, you can go to President Joe Biden and say, look, I need this ceasefire. We
need this ceasefire if I'm to take this issue off the table. As we all know, this issue has so divided the Democratic Party.
ELGINDY: Yes, absolutely. I mean, there's no question that a ceasefire now would be in everyone's interest. It would be in Biden's interest for his
legacy or what remains of it. For Kamala Harris, if she were to become president, it would be -- make her job much easier. And even for -- if
Donald Trump becomes president. I mean, no one wants this looming horror show to continue on their watch.
And so, I think that's the message that people are hearing. I'm just not sure that's the message that Netanyahu is delivering particularly to his
allies in the Republican Party.
NEWTON: You know, we've all been so consumed with trying to get a ceasefire here. I don't think people have really taken in how this whole region has
been transformed. The terror attack, the ensuing war.
[18:40:00]
I mean, are you beginning to see the outlines of what this looks like when this war does end? Because as I say, it has been dramatically
transformative for the entire region.
ELGINDY: Yes, it has. I mean, we've now -- we're still really on the brink of a wider regional war that could still happen on many different fronts.
But, you know, what is becoming clear is that the -- and I think this will become even clearer once the guns fall silent, once we have a ceasefire and
there's an ability for journalists, foreign journalists to come into Gaza and report on the devastation for humanitarian aid.
I think we don't even have a full picture of the scale of devastation in Gaza. But I think one thing that is clear is that the long-term
repercussions of this war will reverberate, I think, for not just years, but decades, generations. You don't inflict this kind of death and
destruction in such a short amount of time without creating massive generational trauma.
And I think we've -- you know, we're only seeing a limited picture of what is actually happening. There's almost 40,000 killed, but health experts say
that number is probably much, much higher.
NEWTON: Yes. If you even just take the point that children in Gaza have not gone to school now, it will be nearly a year. Khaled, thank you so much.
Really appreciate your insights there.
Now, you are watching CNN. Coming up for us now, terror is on the rise in the west once more. Shocking new statistics reveal a spike in arrests of
teenagers radicalized on social media.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: So, a disturbing new statistic from a study launched by King's College in London. The report says nearly two-thirds of ISIS-linked arrests
in Europe in the last nine months have been of teenagers. And that is right as the Summer Games are getting underway in Paris. As CNN's Nick Paton
Walsh explains, ISIS is making a resurgence with the help of social media.
[18:45:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Once battered but now flourishing in the shadows, ISIS seemed
crushed in Syria. But ahead of the French Olympics, extremism experts are seeing a troubling resurgence.
One disturbingly targeting teenagers using social media platforms like TikTok to recruit. According to a landmark study by researcher Peter
Neumann, nearly two-thirds of ISIS related arrests in Europe in the past nine months have been of teenagers.
PETER NEUMANN, PROFESSOR OF SECURITY STUDIES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: We're also seeing groups like ISK, Islamic State Khorasan, specifically targeting
young teenagers and a lot of these young teenagers, they may not be very useful. They may mess up. They may change their mind. But at the end of the
day, some of them may actually be quite useful, not least because they are less suspicious. Who would think of a 13-year-old as a terrorist?
WALSH (voice-over): This study collates public data on the arrests, some startling. Two teens, age 16 and 18, arrested in April and May for plots on
the Olympics, one with a bomb belt. A 14-year-old on a mall, a 15-year-old on a synagogue and a 15- and 18-year-old plotting together.
Germany, too, made arrests of an 18-year-old for a knife attack plot and also three teens, age 15, 15 and 16, for an ISIS-inspired plot.
NEUMANN: So, ISK is by far the most ambitious and aggressive part of ISIS right now. They are trying to target young people on the internet with a
lot of social media outrage that we've seen.
A lot of platforms like TikTok especially attracting younger people, teenagers, young teenagers, almost through algorithmic amplification,
drawing them into bubbles.
WALSH (voice-over): TikTok said they stand against violent extremism and take down 98 percent of terror promoting content before it's reported to
them.
The new reach of ISIS' remnants emerges as their latest offshoot, ISIS-K, originally based in Afghanistan, becomes increasingly focused on the west
and powerful in nearby Turkey. A U.K. security source telling CNN the so- called directed terror threat plots instructed by remote from afar have become a greater concern over the last 18 months with ISIS-K, the most
potent group under scrutiny.
ISIS-K reappeared violently in Istanbul earlier this year with this brutal attack on a Catholic Church. And Turkish court documents seen by CNN
portray a vast network of ISIS-K radicals in the city. Some detainees from a plot to attack the Swedish consulate describe how they got orders from
ISIS-K's external operations chief, known only as Rustam, hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.
One said how Rustam deletes his Telegram messaging accounts every 15 to 20 days as a precaution after he would contact me with another username.
Turkish police have launched a vast wave of raids against ISIS-K, one shown here last year. Alone saying 426 ISIS suspects were arrested in 122
operations. Yet ISIS-K's ambition grows with experts fearing they seek to make their brutal name and that the red lights of terror are blinking
again.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: OK. Still to come for us, the final preparations for Friday's opening ceremony at the Summer Olympic Games. Organizers say it will be a
celebration like no other. We will have that when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:48]
NEWTON: So, what a treat we get to look ahead to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris Which is set to be apparently unlike any we've
seen before. For the first time, the opening spectacle won't be held inside a stadium. Instead, athletes parading down the River Seine on boats. I
really can't wait. And that's not all, Don Riddell is here to tell us what we should expect. And apparently, the weather is got to cooperate as well.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, fingers crossed. I mean, honestly, Paula, I don't know, what they're going to do if it rains because I'm not
sure there is a Plan B. Remember, Paris last hosted the Olympics exactly a century ago and everything is just so different now. An outdoor opening
ceremony on the River Seine, it's the first time that has been tried at the Olympics and it will be an absolute spectacular.
I mean, we're talking about 206 competing countries, over 10,000 athletes on the river, making their way along the parade route in boats, 10,000 --
sorry, 100,000 people watching on the banks of the river, an audience of a billion people watching on television. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion
performing. It really should be amazing. Let's just hope the weather cooperates as you say.
So, that is the opening ceremony to come on Friday. But actually, there's been quite a lot of action already. Four different sports were being played
on Thursday. Paula, you might be interested in one of them because the women's soccer team was underway. Canada are the defending champions. They
have been embroiled in a bit of controversy, though, accused of spying on first opponents, New Zealand, in the build up to the game with a drone
camera. That led to two members of the Canadian soccer delegation being sent home.
The Canadian coach decided that she couldn't, in good conscience, be a part of this opening game against New Zealand. And you can only imagine when we
show you the highlights just how the New Zealand football team felt about playing in this game. They took the lead in the game. They went a goal up
quite early on, but Canada, the Olympic champions, ended up winning the game by two goals to one. So, a good start for them, but of course, there
is still going to be so much fall out to come from this drone spying incident.
Also, a great start for the Spanish team. Remember, up until last year the Spanish women had never won a major football tournament, but they are an
absolutely brilliant team now. They won the World Cup last year. They're the world's number one ranked team. They also fell a goal behind in their
opening game against Japan, but thanks to the Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who scored and got an assist, La Roca came back to win their
opening game against Japan, 2-1 as well. Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, I'll be certainly one of the Olympic fans saying that we want to see competition, not controversy from these Olympics. Before I go, I
want to talk to you about athletes who've gone to some extraordinary lengths just to compete in these games.
RIDDELL: Yes. Look, I mean, everybody that makes it to the Olympics has had to make some kind of sacrifice. Often, it's the only focus for these
athletes. And when you've put in all that time and effort and energy you don't want to miss them, especially because they only come along every four
years. You might not get another chance.
So, we're going to be talking about the Australian field hockey player, Matt Dawson. Just a couple of weeks ago, he suffered an absolutely gruesome
injury to his finger. And he went to the doctor and they said, all right, you've got two choices. We can do reconstructive surgery. We can put some
wire in it. We can sew it back together. But your recovery is going to take six months and you can't play any sport in that time or we can just cut it
off and then you can play in the Olympics.
So, I think you know, what he did. He opted for the amputation of the top end of his finger. And that means he can be in Paris playing in his third
Olympics. He was a silver medalist with the Aussies in Tokyo three years ago. But yes, that just goes to show these guys will do what it takes, and
it can be pretty extreme at times.
NEWTON: It is quite a sacrifice. I certainly hope the games turn out the way he wants them to.
RIDDELL: Yes.
NEWTON: Don Riddell for us, thanks so much, and we'll look forward to your reporting in the weeks to come.
RIDDELL: All right.
NEWTON: Now, join CNN in Paris for the start of the Summer Olympics. That's Friday, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. in Paris. Amanda Davies, Melissa Bell,
and Coy Wire will share with us the excitement of the opening ceremony and introduce you to the inspirational athletes competing in these games.
[18:55:00]
And finally, on "First Move," Gaza may seem like a world away from Paris, unfortunately, and the Summer Olympics, but some Palestinian young people
are bringing it a little closer. These children sheltering in a Gaza school, organized a football tournament to provide a much-needed
distraction from the devastation all around them.
Now, one of the organizers says all the stadiums and clubs, of course, are destroyed. So, they hope their tournament, the one you see there, will send
a message to the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSTAFA ABU HASHISH, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): We are trying to hold sports activities in this school. We are trying to change
the reality of life that we are in and entertain people and children as much as possible. We are also trying to convey a message to the world that
we are people who deserve to live and are looking for their rights in life, the rights of their children.
Our message is very simple. We are a nation that is subjected to injustice and we want people to see us and know, everything that happens to us
through sports.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, the group had to play with an old ball, but they did find a trophy to give to the winning team.
That does it for "First Move" today. Thanks for joining us. I'll see you right back here tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
