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Inside Politics

Joe Biden: Virus no Longer Controls Our Lives; Partisan Fractures Over COVID-19 Response, Vaccines; Biden Faces Critical Decisions on Big Agenda Items; Rest of Surfside Condo Building Demolished as Storm Looms; Trump Election Lies Seeping Into GOP Midterm Message. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired July 05, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to the special holiday edition of "Inside Politics". I'm John King in Washington. Thank you for sharing your day with us.

Rescue crews are back at it after authorities demolished what was left standing of that Doom Surfside condo. Now a tropical storm is fast approaching as 118 families still wait on word from the rubble.

Plus Donald Trump testy. Everybody does it defense, the former president runs through the facts of the case against his namesake company and says so what? And President Biden narrowly misses his July 4th vaccination goal, but the president says this Independence Day offers special reasons to celebrate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Today, we're closer than ever, to declaring our independence from a deadly virus from silence treats to crowded parade routes lined with people waving American flags from empty stadiums and arenas to fans back in their seats cheering together again, from families, pressing hands against a window to grandparents hugging their grandchildren once again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: And we begin there with the president's optimism about the country's COVID future and the question of whether pandemic progress both on the public health and economic fronts will translate into any political momentum for the broader Biden agenda?

Barbecues and baseball with family and friends and fans did make this extended holiday July 4th feel normal, right? The president telling a crowd outside the White House Sunday the virus no longer controls our lives.

But there are new warning signs in the pandemic data and in some polling numbers that suggest getting over the final COVID hurdles will be a stubborn challenge with me today to share their reporting and their insights CNN's Lauren Fox NPR's Ayesha Rascoe CNN's Arlette Saenz and Molly Ball of Time.

There is no disputing thank you all for sharing your holiday by the way. I should say that upfront. There's no disputing the numbers. Let's just look at January 20th Inauguration Day and then July 4th; you're talking just a little over five months there. 194,000 cases the seven day average back on Inauguration Day. It's now down to 13,000 and change.

Number of partially vaccinated when Joe Biden took office 14.2 million 182 million adding up so the progress in the numbers is unmistakable. But even the president noting there are still some pockets of the country where the data lags the question is most of those areas tend to be red states.

Most of those areas not all most of those areas tend to be more conservative where a Democratic President named Joe Biden is not going to be followed when he says please go get your vaccine.

MOLLY BALL, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, TIME: That's right. And but the question I think is how much is the president going to lean into this optimism when there are always going to be caveats?

There are always going to be things that are not finished, whether you're talking about vaccinations, whether you're talking about new variants, whether you're talking about all of the different problems that we still have to deal with.

He is trying to create a hopeful and optimistic moment. And I have to say if you go out in the country, people are voting with their feet, people are out there having fun, people are not behaving as if this is still a batten down the hatches crisis.

So I think the president has an opportunity to lean into that public mood, but he does it have to contend with the situations that are still on his plate.

KING: Molly makes a great point in the sense that we're having a Washington conversation. We get paid to do this. So I'm going to talk in a minute about infrastructure, about the budget about police from about other pieces of the Biden agenda.

But to the part that people are out there at barbecues, at crowded baseball games, seeing family and friends, they have not seen in months, that's a much better standard to judge how people's mood? People's politics are affected by their mood, right? There's still polarization. But in that regard, the president should be happy on this July 4th

AYESHA RASCOE, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, NPR: He should be very happy. And that's the thing about you know, winning an election, you get to take credit as president for whatever happens under your watch, no matter you know how much you actually did get it done.

If that happened under your watch, you get to take credit for so he can take credit for he can take that victory lap and say, look; now you can see your grandparents. Now you can go on that trip, all of those things that you couldn't do you remember last Fourth of July that kind of sucked. This is much better. And I'm president - now look whose president now?

KING: Well put. Well put. And yet the question is more having this conversation six months from now or we're getting into the beginning of the midterm election year. Will any of these numbers change? Because it is fascinating and this was the case.

This has been the case for the past several presidencies. Republicans don't like things when there's a Democrat in the White House. Democrats don't like things when there's Republican in the White House. Do you approve of President Biden's handling of the pandemic?

95 percent of Democrats say yes, only a third of Republicans do. Have you received at least one shot of your vaccine nearly nine in 10 Democrats yes, fewer than half of Republicans that's a giant flag to the president?

Are you likely to get a vaccine? Or aren't likely to get a vaccine? Only 6 percent of Democrats say I'm not going to get a vaccine. Nearly half of Republicans say I'm not going to get a vaccine. So you're a democratic president.

We're going through the summer, in a month kids in Florida start going back to school six weeks a lot of kids across the country and then eight weeks most kids start to go back to school. If you don't improve the vaccine numbers there are going to be regional spikes.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They realize that this July 4th missed deadline was one deadline missed.

[12:05:00]

FOX: But it's going to be hard to make up for the progress that has been lost in part because how do you make the argument from Joe Biden who's not that popular with Republican or conservative voters, that he is telling you to do something that will keep you safe, the trust gap there is real.

And I think this is where lawmakers on Capitol Hill have an obligation. This is where, you know, folks at churches have an obligation to make the case to their congregants, to the people in their community getting vaccinated keeps you safe, because we don't know a lot about what happens with variants.

There are also people who can't protect themselves if they're already vulnerable. And I think that all of those factors are something that Biden is going to have to lean into, but it's going to be a fight. And I'm not sure that rhetoric gets you past some of the opposition.

KING: And it's a complicated fight in the sense that the president can only do so much especially in these red states. You have some Republican Governors who almost don't want to acknowledge COVID did exist but many Republican Governors who says it's over and it's gone. You have other Republican Governors who are trying really hard in

their state. Listen here this is the Governor of Arkansas, the Governor of West Virginia, West Virginia, especially was leading the pack early on in vaccinating its citizens now it has a giant leg. Listen to these Republicans trying to talk to their own people, please.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ASA HUTCHINSON (R-AR): We are under - if we stopped right here, we didn't get greater percent of our population vaccinated, they were going to have trouble in the next school year and over the winter.

GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R-WV): The red states probably have a lot of people that, you know, are very, very conservative in their thinking. And they think well, I don't have to do that. But they're not thinking right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The Biden COVID team the other day was talking about sending these surge teams into parts of the country where the Delta variant is taking root, it's everywhere. But it's really bad in some of the - some parts of the country.

Is there any hope at the Biden White House that Republican Governors like that will actually work hand in hand with the White House so that when we get to the August, September, it starts to get cooler kids are back in school, that those spikes are not as big as some people fear?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House certainly acknowledges that they have both that messaging work that they need to do. And just the logistical work, when you think of those response teams that they're going to be sending into these areas that might experience surges due to the Delta variant.

They're going to need cooperation from the governors on the ground from local officials, and also just getting that message across relying on those local people in the community to really make this case.

But the White House has said that they realize they need to send more resources, they need to really ramp up their outrage, as we progress through the summer to try to get more and more folks vaccinated.

KING: And they all need to work together to crack the code, the resistance. How do you get people, some most public health officials say family doctor, neighbor, friend, not a politician of either party to do it? So here's the question.

The president is right to celebrate July 4th. To your point, people are living with their feet living with their mood. They're out there, they're more active. They're doing things they couldn't do a year ago. Does it translate better pandemic numbers, better economic numbers? Does it translate? I'm going to go around the table, one of the big - the next six weeks or so huge for the questions you see on the screen right there. Worried about infrastructure? Is the president going to get his infrastructure plan? Will that get through the Congress Lauren Fox?

FOX: I think the big question is will something get through? I'm not sure it's something as big as Biden hopes gets through? Is something getting through perhaps?

KING: All right, I'm going to take your optimism. I'm going to take your optimism and put a check there. This, the Democrats think they get a modest let's say they get a modest infrastructure significant, but not as big as they want infrastructure package working with some Republicans.

Then Democrats want to have this giant, 3 trillion 4 trillion as big as 6 trillion. Some say reconciliation package that deals with climate that deals with home health care that deals with a whole bunch of other initiatives, the Democratic Party can't get 60 votes from the Senate. Yes, no, maybe.

RASCOE: I think they get something on reconciliation, likely. But I mean, but that's going to be connected to infrastructure. I don't think that Joe Manchin is going to - Senator Joe Manchin is going to stand in the way of getting something. It may not be as big as - it's not going to be $6 trillion, likely, but I think that they're going to want to get some of these priorities dealt with I don't think they'll stand in the way of that.

KING: Alright, so I'm going to give that one a quit - the question mark there. As to the size--

RASCOE: As to the size.

KING: We'll see that.

RASCOE: Absolutely.

KING: All right, somebody help me. Someone tell me why I shouldn't do that. And that the police reform talks will stall because it's really complicated. A lot of Republicans are saying we want to - a crime message into next year. Let's not give the president anything here and voting rights, same idea.

Republicans across the country trying to restrict voting rights is there any reason to believe that either - the either the Republicans will come on board for voting rights in Washington or that the Democrats will change the filibuster rules?

BALL: No, but that doesn't. Look, I don't make predictions. I think that this is an open question. And I think more to the point, we have a Senate in particular, but a Congress that is functioning in a way that it really hasn't for quite some time.

There actually are these bipartisan talks and deals being made. Now whether they go anywhere? Whether they end up in legislation? It is still the case that you have much more active legislating going on, on Capitol Hill and I think that creates an environment where any of these things are at least possible, which is not the way a lot of people on Capitol Hill have felt for a year.

KING: Which is why I want to close with you Arlette and your White House perspective, White House reporting perspective in close it with going back to where Molly started the beginning? People are happy.

[12:10:00]

KING: People do get to celebrate July 4th. The economy is getting better. The pandemic news is getting better. The president's party in Washington says we need this giant infrastructure plan. We have to be more we have to be bigger. We have to be bolder. Where's the president? Does the president think I'm actually fine being more in the middle if the country is in a good mood?

SAENZ: I think the president certainly wants to get that infrastructure package through in order to be able to show more economic progress to Americans that will impact them. But there are this other range of issues like when you talk about police reform, when you talk about voting rights that they are out there.

Specifically with voting rights he's really trying to portray that message and relay that message that there needs to be action on that too.

KING: We'll see if there's any action or whether that becomes part of the democratic political message in the midterm year? Everybody sit tight, appreciate your being here. I'm going to hold you longer. Up next, the rest of the condo building at Surfside comes down overnight. And new somber numbers; vary numbers in the search and rescue operation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:00]

KING: Just moments ago officials in Surfside saying they have recovered three additional victims that overnight bring in the confirmed death toll now to 27. 118 people are still unaccounted for. The search and rescue operations will continue safer now the authorities say now that the rest of the condo building was demolished overnight.

Officials say that dramatic demolition opened up additional areas to search teams at the site but another safety question that was looming right now. Tropical Storm Elsa, let's get to CNN's Natasha Chen she's live in Surfside. Natasha, what's the latest?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John that they were talking about the storm being a potential threat to the safety of the crew here picking up debris. But now that storm is looking like it's tracking away from here, which is good that there are other Florida task forces though that were working on this Surfside building collapse who had to go home and prepare for that storm in other parts of the state.

That's why task forces from other parts of the country are now assisting here. As you mentioned, three more people found overnight. Governor DeSantis was just giving a press conference in the tent behind us there and he was saying that it's unclear at this time whether those people were found in the newly opened up area that you described as a result of the demolition.

But overall officials are saying this is the right decision to have done that. Here's Mayor, Levine Cava talking about while that is difficult to watch emotionally, it was the right thing to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA: To collapse an entire apartment building is a devastating decision and the demolition was in no way a decision that I made lightly. Bringing the building down in a controlled manner was critical to expanding our scope of search.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: And the families of course have still 118 unaccounted people, they are nervously waiting to see if this search will be more productive? And what we found is that they are very grateful, according to Mayor Charlie Burkett that the search resumed so quickly after the demolition last night at 10:30 pm.

Mayor Burkett said within 20 minutes the search and rescue was back and ongoing on the site. Here is the Mayor talking about this relentless effort and they will not give up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR CHARLES BURKETT, SURFSIDE, FLORIDA: Search will continue for 24 hours a day, seven days a week until we pull everybody out of that rubble and reunite them with their family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: And of course, he and other officials have been very clear that the search teams have done multiple sweeps using technology like thermal imaging to make sure that there are absolutely no pets no animals left behind before that demolition happened.

He said there's also been frequent communication with those families so that they understand. While this was very difficult, perhaps to watch that this was the best thing to do for this process John.

KING: Natasha Chen live on the scene for us Natasha, thank you very much for the very latest there. Let's take a closer look now at just where Elsa is and whether it could disrupt Surfside search efforts? CNN's Chad Myers was tracking the storm. Chad what do we know?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: John, I think you're probably going to see lightning, thunder, maybe some wind of 30, heavy rainfall, not out of the question a waterspout there in the Surfside or Miami Beach area.

But the bulk of this storm is going to be on the west side of Florida. Right now it's about 20 miles south of the Coast of Cuba, the south coast, there is the visible picture looking down from satellite. Here's the radar seeing a few showers already pushing in to the lower keys. That'll be the story. It'll be very heavy rainfall.

But really the tropical storm force winds will only be on the west side of the state because that's where the storm has tracked. Now for a while when it was way back over by Barbados, there was a part of the line here on the East Coast. Now that line has really shifted off to the west.

This is what the radar thinks is going to happen. That computer model says hey, if we have this now, what's going to happen later? So we'll take you to six o'clock tomorrow morning the storm likely very close to key West. But here are the storms coming on shore that I've talked about with lightning thunder, maybe some wind to 30.

Over here, the wind could be 60. So all the way across the state it'll start to drop off the farther you go to the east potential for a tornado water land falling waterspout absolutely. Potential for eight inches of rainfall no question about that. And the wind pretty much stays on the west side of the state John.

KING: Chad Meyer is grateful for the update. We'll stay in touch over the next day or two to see where this tracks up. Appreciate it very much though today. Up next for us, Donald Trump holds a weekend rally and seems to admit to what prosecutors say was illegal conduct by his company and its top numbers guy.

[12:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Donald Trump had a weekend political rally in Florida and as you might expect he heaped scorn on New York prosecutors for filing tax charges against his company and it's Chief Financial Officer.

But his defense was not denial instead, the former president appeared to accept the facts of the prosecutor's case and argue the Trump Organization is being targeted for doing something he says every company does.

[12:25:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, 45TH U.S. PRESIDENT: They go after good, hard working people for not paying taxes on a company car. You didn't pay tax on the car, or a company apartment, you used an apartment because you need an apartment because you have to travel too far where your houses, you didn't pay tax, or education for your grandchildren. I don't even know. Do you have to put - does anybody know the answer to that stuff?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: I'm not a lawyer. But if I were a lawyer for the Trump Organization, or for Mr. Weisselberg, who had been charged in this case, I would think no, thanks, sir. He essentially just said, yes, companies do this stuff it is not a big deal.

RESCOE: Well, and then he was saying, well, companies do it, its fringe benefits. And you know who knows about the tax code? I don't think that's a defense. And I think normally, that's why lawyers say you should be quiet, especially when you're facing criminal charges. I'm not him, not a Former President Trump, but you know, a close associate of his.

KING: You make a very key point in the sense that it's trademark of Trump that he will say things today, assuming that we won't remember what he said yesterday. So let's listen to more of the former president on the "Who knows part".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This is the kind of persecution that they're doing as an example in New York, and they're doing it all over, that you would see in a third world nation. This isn't for us. Murders OK, human trafficking, no problem but fringe benefits you can't do that. Every abuse and by the way, every company and everybody who the hell that people don't even know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Well, this is Donald J. Trump over the years, I know more about taxes than any human being that God ever created. I think nobody's more about taxes than I do maybe in the history of the world. I know the details of taxes better than anybody better than the greatest CPA. Sometimes your words do come back to bite you in the - just I'll leave it at bite you?

BALL: Well, look, I think it is certainly possible to say to claim that the former president is speaking hypothetically, in this instance, and using hyperbole. I'm not a criminal defense lawyer. But I do think that you hear elements of what the defense actually is going to be, which not just that is oh, everybody does it. And there are more serious crimes that exist that could also be prosecuted at this time.

But you know, if Trump and his company and the people who led his company, were supposedly doing this for so many years before he became a political candidate, why are the prosecutors only now deciding to make it an issue?

And that I think is going to be at the heart of the more serious legal argument about whether this is a politically motivated prosecution saying, oh, it's only - when once he became, you know, a politician who coincidentally is quite unpopular in New York City and environs, and that is when they started going after him.

KING: I think you make an important point there in the sense that they're going to argue - they're going to argue - as he argues that he's a martyr all the time. But the idea being if this is all you got, why didn't you negotiate this out?

Most companies would negotiate some sort of a civil penalty for this, but it does the rally. And this case does raise questions. Will Republicans stay loyal to Trump, when he has these legal issues, or at least potential legal issues? This is "The Washington Post" I just found the number of fascinating.

Of the nearly 700 Republicans who have filed initial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run next year for either U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives, at least a third has embraced Trump's false claims about his defeat.

So the big lie continues in the next campaign, because Republicans a good number of Republicans making the calculation, it'll help me in the primary. I'm not getting on his bad side.

FOX: Well exactly. I mean, this legacy carries on every single day at the U.S. Capitol, the sight of the insurrection on January 6th. If it can live there, it can live anywhere. And clearly, people who are running across the country for Republican tickets realize that this is too difficult to run away from because so many voters believe the former president.

When Trump says something, people who follow him believe it and that makes it difficult. And you can argue whether or not it's moral, but it makes it difficult for a politician to really dig in and try to change anyone's mind at this point. They're moving forward with this and they continue to support the former president.

KING: The legal issues could impact that another thing that could emphasis on could impact that is this new Select Committee to look at the January 6th insurrection, including the question of what was Trump's role beforehand and what was his conduct that day?

The number three House Democrat Jim Clyburn and says it's possible, possible but committee will want to talk to Mr. Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): They should go wherever the facts need. They may be able to get what they want and need without him testifying. I would not want to see a former president testifying in such a situation as this. But if that's what--

(END VIDEO CLIP)