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One World with Zain Asher
Foreign Ministers From Islamic Nations Meet In Saudi Arabia; Russia: Ukraine Launched Land And Air Attack On Kursk Region; London Lawyer: "There's No Justification For Violence; Walz Goes On Attack Against Team Trump; Simone Biles Shares Inspiring Message; Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Vying For Women's Gold Medal; Man Steals Bluey Commemorative Coins; Aired 12:00-1:00p ET
Aired August 07, 2024 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:00:41]
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: Urging restraint. Right now, foreign ministers from Islamic nations are meeting to press for a ceasefire in Gaza. ONE
WORLD starts right now.
What will it take? Hopes of a ceasefire at a pivotal time for the region.
Unprecedented, Russia says Ukrainian forces have crossed the border to conduct a massive attack.
And later, one on one with the one and only, a conversation with Simone Biles.
Hello, everyone, live from New York. I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching ONE WORLD.
An extraordinary meeting is underway right now in Saudi Arabia. Foreign ministers from Islamic nations have gathered at Iran's request. Now this
comes as Tehran moles its response to the assassination of Hamas' top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh last week.
Among those in attendance at today's gathering in Jeddah is Jordan's foreign minister. He's been conducting a flurry of talks to try to diffuse
hostilities in the region. He stepped away from that meeting earlier to speak with CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AYMAN SAFADI, JORDANIAN DEPUTY PM AND FOREIGN MINISTER: We have two paths. A path that will drag the region further into the abyss of war or a path
that would say enough is enough and save the region from the devastation of an all-out war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Meanwhile, another potential complication, Hamas, has already placed a new chief in charge of its political unit. You may recall the
name, Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds behind the October 7th attack on Israel, has been named as Haniyeh's successor.
As the region watches for a threatened retaliation from Iran, America's top diplomat says the U.S. commitment to defend Israel is ironclad, but is
still appealing to both sides not to stoke tensions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: No one should escalate this conflict. We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and
partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel.
Everyone in the region should understand that further attacks only perpetuate conflict, instability, insecurity for everyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Now, all of this as Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vows that his group will also retaliate to avenge the killing of the group's top
commander a week ago. But he says keeping Israelis waiting for a response is, quote, part of the punishment.
We have full team coverage. CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, is in Jeddah, where that meeting is underway. And CNN's chief
international correspondent, Clarissa Ward, is in Tel Aviv.
Nic, let's start with you. What are we expecting out of today's meeting of the organization of Islamic cooperation?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. I think the best that we can expect, at the moment, is what we heard when Ayman Safadi, the
Jordanian foreign minister speak to CNN. And he outlined a scenario whereby if Israel moves for a ceasefire, then Iran won't retaliate and strike back
for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh.
That seems a deal that is fraught with difficulties. It's a bit heavy on hope and short on substance, but that appears to be the thrust of what Iran
has come here to Saudi Arabia, to Jeddah, to try to accomplish.
It's interesting, in diplomatic terms at least, that while the Iranians have their acting foreign minister there, the Jordanians have their foreign
minister, about 54 ministers in the room, the Saudis, who, you know, are hosting, this along with the OIC, their foreign minister wasn't in the
room, the deputy foreign minister was there.
And that's sort of quite a strong diplomatic signal. It doesn't mean that back channels aren't working, but it does sort of, I think, kind of lessen
the expectations.
Because really what's being said here is, what's been said all along that Israel, by the OIC, at least, Israel must move to a ceasefire. So that
position hasn't changed. They're just trying to get a more unified and stronger voice behind Iran on it.
And, of course, what Iran is offering here, if you can call it an offer, is not for that -- is not to take that retaliatory strike.
If what Secretary Blinken says is correct, that no side here wants to see an escalation, then maybe that does offer a path out of this.
[12:05:06]
But we're already seeing some of the delegations. And I stress some of them, because we don't know what's happening in the main room. Some of the
delegations leaving. Meeting's been underway for two and a half hours, and we haven't heard a final conclusion from it yet.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. And meantime, these warnings have our, I believe, entering now, day four or five as Israel anticipate some sort of response.
And this time, what differentiates this time from what we saw in April, obviously, is that it doesn't just limit response from Iran, as we noted,
Hezbollah also vowing to respond to this.
Clarissa, I want to turn to you now, because as we mentioned, Hamas has now named Sinwar as the new head of its political bureau.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the appointment of Sinwar as the political head of Hamas, quote, underscores that it really is on him
to decide whether to move forward with a ceasefire.
How are Israelis viewing this move and the fact that he's now been officially appointed ahead of the organization?
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've heard a couple of official reactions from the Israelis, both from the spokesperson
of the IDF and the foreign minister, basically saying that, you know, the only place Yahya Sinwar belongs is underground.
Foreign Minister Katz also went on to say that this really underscores how the Palestinian cause has kind of been hijacked by hardliners who are
aligned with Iran.
I think more broadly speaking, this did catch some people off-guard, because traditionally, the leader of Hamas' political faction is not based
in Gaza. They are outside of Gaza.
Now, some Hamas watchers are saying that's part of the problem in their eyes and that those who are outside in countries, such as Qatar, are too
vulnerable, if you will, to pressure from countries like Qatar who might be really trying to exercise all their might to try to pull together a
ceasefire agreement.
And everybody understood, Bianna, that behind the scenes Yahya Sinwar was always pulling the strings and calling the shots.
But there's definitely symbolism in naming him the official political leader because what you're essentially saying is, if you're going to
assassinate the more moderate force within the context of Hamas, then you're going to have to deal with the hardliner.
And so the question now is, how does this impact all these attempts that Nic has just been talking about to try to get to a ceasefire?
In the past, Sinwar has sought to prolong the conflict. He has sought to widen it to a regional conflict. He has closer ties to Iran than any
previous Hamas leader.
And so it does seem to dim any hope of trying to get all parties to the negotiating table.
And I should add as well that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although he did send some negotiators to Cairo last weekend, real questions within
Israel, even, about his ability to execute on a ceasefire and perhaps more importantly, whether he has any desire to do it whatsoever or whether he
has also been seeking to prolong this conflict for his own political experience, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. And there has been divisions that have made pretty public now between Netanyahu's own defense establishment and where they view the
movement towards a ceasefire where they think the IDF has accomplished enough of what is necessary to move at least to a temporary ceasefire to
get the hostages home. And obviously the position that appears to continue to be hardened by Netanyahu on this front.
CNN's Clarissa Ward in Tel Aviv, Nic Robertson in Jeddah, thank you so much.
Well, Russia's military chief says that the country's military stopped a Ukrainian assault on the Kursk's region. His comments came during a meeting
with President Vladimir Putin earlier.
It is the first time, since the two and a half-year-old war began that Ukraine has attacked this region, which is on Russia's southwestern border.
Despite the military leader's statement, there are reports that heavy shelling continues in the town of Sudzha, about 10 kilometers from the
Ukrainian border.
Nick Paton Walsh joins us live from London with the details.
Quite a bold incursion now entering its second day, Nick. What does this tell us about the military plans going forward for the Ukrainians?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, the Ukrainians have caught Russian forces off-guard here and
pushed up to Sudzha, which, as the crow flies, is about five kilometers from the Ukrainian border and has some significant, some analysts suggest
because, in fact, near the border area there, there's a key gas terminal that's behind. A lot of the gas flow from Russia through Ukraine to Europe.
Yes, that's still going on despite the war being in its third year.
Now, it's unclear if any impact on that transit has occurred, but certainly there are residents, possibly in their thousands, according to one local
Russian official evacuating that general area and the local official in Sudzha itself saying that the situation in there is quote, very tense.
[12:10:14]
Multiple videos suggesting a multiple pronged attack by what must be Ukrainian forces here.
We've heard nothing from Kyiv about their involvement in this at all. And previous incursions have mostly been by Russian citizens operating in a
kind of volunteer force under the banners of Ukraine.
But there are suggestions this might be a slightly more on the books Ukrainian move here despite a lack of comment from them.
But it has been effective, it seems, in certainly crossing Russia's own red lines. You saw Vladimir Putin there and the Kremlins are in Novo-Ogaryovo,
one of his residents outside of there, looking distinctly unhappy despite receiving the news from his chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, that they say
they've halted this Ukrainian advance, but it's caused significant damage and potentially to embarrassment as well, given the extent of the
penetration here.
What next, is there a strategic goal? Unclear at this point for Ukraine, but it comes after weeks of mounting concerns about Russian gains,
incremental but important on the Donetsk area towards Ukrainian military hubs.
Ukrainian forces often commanders vocally complaining about the lack of manpower and really a coherent strategy, some have even said, in some of
these more tense frontline areas.
And even today, Ukrainian observers wondering quite what the goal behind this investment of resources to push inside Russia is and whether or not
they should have been better deployed in Ukraine's hotspots where it's losing.
But all the same, Moscow, certainly embarrassed, certainly caught off- guard, whether this distracts them on the front line and gives Kyiv the upper hand in something strategic, we'll have to wait and see in the hours
ahead, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, definitely something a new direction this war is headed and that is for sure. And it shouldn't be lost on anyone that this is happening
as Ukraine continues to worry about what the outcome of a presidential election here in the United States in just a short period of time means for
the country and its aid from the West as well.
Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much.
CNN military analyst, Colonel Cedric Leighton, joins us now from Washington with a military perspective.
And I want to pick up Cedric where we heard Nick and that is that this this type of incursion has happened in the past, but with Russian soldiers who
had been fighting for Russian citizens who had been fighting for Ukraine.
This appears to be different. These are conventional Ukrainian forces that are part of this incursion. What do you make of this?
CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, Bianna, that's certainly what it looks like. And what I think this is, as Nick mentioned, this is kind of
an on the books type thing that the Ukrainians are doing. This means that the Ukrainians are owning this operation.
The other operations with a unit that is made up of Russians that is fighting for Ukraine, that is basically a paramilitary or an extra military
unit. This is part of a Ukrainian effort that belongs to the Ukrainian military.
And I think what it really means is that the Ukrainians have developed some kind of a strategy to not only distract the Russians from their operations
in the Donetsk Region, but it also means that they are willing and able to take the fight to the Russians into Russian territory.
And in some ways it's a warning to Russia, but it's also a diversionary tactic to make sure that the Russians realize that the Ukrainians can fight
back in places that the Russians might not expect.
GOLODRYGA: Tactic versus strategy. And this is a conversation we often have, especially when covering the war in the Middle East and in Gaza, in
particular.
But on this front, I think it bears asking the same question too. Was this just something to catch Russia off-guard perhaps at a moment where Ukraine
continues to struggle with inroads that Russia is making? Or do you think this speaks to a larger, perhaps, shift in strategy for the Ukrainians?
LEIGHTON: It might be a little bit of both. You know, certainly, you have a larger shift in strategy, but employ tactics that do what you suggest. In
other words, a diversionary type tactic.
And in this particular case, I think what the Ukrainians are trying to do is they're trying to relieve pressure on their front in the Donetsk Region.
Plus, we also have to remember that what they've been doing, over the course of the last few weeks, is going after Russian targets. Some of them
fairly deep inside Russia, for example, Russian airbase was struck where at least one Su-34 fighter was destroyed on the ground and two reportedly were
damaged. Then they also sunk a Russian submarine, the Rostov-on-Don, a kilo-class submarine that was getting maintained after getting refitted in
Sevastopol.
So they've been able to do some things the Ukrainians have to really limit Russia's effectiveness.
[12:15:01]
The Russians, while they have put pressure on the Ukrainians in the Donbas because of their goal being to take over at least the Donetsk and Luhansk
Oblast, what they've also been basically suffering from is a lack of the ability to advance.
In other words, the Russians aren't capable of advancing very far in these operations, and the Ukrainians are kind of telling them now that they can
be put into a bad situation in other parts of the front, in this case, across from the Sumy Oblast in the Ukraine.
GOLODRYGA: Are these operations that you believe were greenlit by the United States ahead of time? Should they be?
And we've made -- we've seen the trajectory of the U.S. in terms of not wanting to escalate and being concerned about U.S. weapons being used
inside of Russia and this coming from being even launched from Ukraine, deep penetrating deep into Russia.
We've crossed that Rubicon now. It appears the U.S. is OK with that.
Do you think these types of incursions or something the U.S. should agree to as well?
LEIGHTON: Yes. The U.S. has basically said the Ukrainians can do what they want with Ukrainian weapons, but they can't do what they want with U.S.
made or Western weapons.
So what the U.S. position is basically make sure that we don't get involved in a major escalation and keep that escalatory ladder kind of at the lower
rung, if you will.
In this particular case, it's hard to say if they really got permission from the U.S. I suspect they did not. But I think it would be who was (ph)
at this particular jump sure to allow the Ukrainians to do as much damage as possible to the Russian forces that are masked on the Ukrainian border.
And that also means all of the forces that are used in a standoff type fashion. In other words, those that use aircraft flying over the Black Sea
or inland Russia that can attack Ukraine by launching missiles like the caliber missiles and the various hypersonic missiles that the Russians
have.
So this is something where the Ukrainians need to be able to head back as much as possible. And we also have to, of course, keep in mind that the
Russians may respond in a way that is not seen at the present time. That's certainly what they're threatening to do. But so far, the Russians have not
done that.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. Possibly entering a new phase of the war here.
Colonel Cedric Leighton, thanks so much for joining us.
LEIGHTON: You bet.
GOLODRYGA: Well, up ahead on ONE WORLD. Police brace for more far-right protests planned across the U.K. What the prime minister and London mayor
are saying to would-be riders.
Also ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN): Like all regular people I grew up with in the heartland, J.D. studied at Yale.
(LAUGH)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are on the campaign trail again today. We're live in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
And despite controversy, Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif, stays focused and makes it through to the gold medal bout. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:20:42]
GOLODRYGA: Well, Britain's Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, is vowing to keep community safe as the U.K. braces for more potentially violent protests in
the coming hours.
British media reporting that more than 100 far-right rallies are planned. Now this comes as U.K. authorities say a Liverpool man who punched a police
officer has been sentenced to three years in jail.
That is the longest prison sentence, so far, over the violent unrest sweeping parts of Britain in the past week.
Some businesses, like this one in London, aren't taking any chances, boarding up their shop fronts ahead of the latest planned unrest.
London's mayor, meanwhile, has a warning for violent protesters. Sadiq Khan posted on X saying, quote, if you commit a crime, you will be arrested and
face the full force of the law.
CNN has been getting various news. Here's one Londoners take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no justification for violence, whatever people might think politically. And people have different views about immigration
and that sort of thing. But there's obviously no justification for threats and intimidation. The people who perpetrate that kind of thing are clearly
stupid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: And that's just one view.
I want to go to Sheffield, England now, and CNN's Nada Bashir is there. And you're speaking to residents.
And I know something that had been of concern and perhaps criticism in the past few days is that authorities had not been taking decisive enough
action.
What are you hearing right now?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That certainly was a concern, Bianna. We saw, over the weekend, a huge amount of violence across parts of the
country.
What we've been seeing here today in Sheffield, and what we've been hearing from authorities across the country, really, is that the police presence
has been stepped up.
Earlier today, we did see a small group of protesters supporting those far- right views.
But again, it was a small group. And in fact, they were certainly outnumbered by a counter protest being held here in the city center under
the banner of Refugees Welcome.
Now, there was a significant police presence here, riot police. There were a few people apprehended and detained in order to prevent any violence from
really taking place.
But so far, we haven't seen the kinds of violence that we've been seeing in other parts of the country, but there is a huge amount of concern for what
could take place this evening.
As you mentioned, there have been calls on social media from far-right groups, calling for supporters to take to the streets to mask up. Many
businesses are concerned. They've been boarding up their windows. We've certainly seen businesses here closing down for the day as a precautionary
measure.
And there has been concern, a huge amount of fear, in fact, amongst members of the minority and ethnic communities across the country for their safety
and security.
These riots have been racist, have been violent, and they have been directed and targeted towards the country's ethnic and minority
communities.
We also focus very much so on immigration over the weekend. We saw a hotel housing asylum seekers being surrounded in nearby Rotherham here in
Northern England.
At one point, protesters or rioters rather attempted to torch the building, actual hotels. So a huge amount of fear there.
Police have said they are stepping up their security measures. The prime minister, as you mentioned, has said that police officials will be
enforcing the full force of the law.
At this stage, at least 400 people are said to have been arrested for their involvement in those riots that we have seen. Around 100, at this stage,
have so far been charged. We've already seen people involved appearing in court.
But there is a huge amount of anticipation over what we might see this evening at any violence which could take place across the country,
particularly in the capital where we have seen a number of suggestions of riots being planned in different areas around London there as well. SO a
huge amount of concern.
But again, this is a really different concern around the social media activism as well. The call to protest from these far-right groups on these
online platforms. This has all really been centered around a huge disinformation campaign.
Of course, this comes after the killing of three young girls in Southport. And what we saw there is far-right group seizing on that disinformation
campaign which claimed falsely that the attacker was an immigrant. He was in fact a British citizen.
But, again, that has really triggered and sparked these protests as a result of those false claims.
Again, police are really out in full presence across parts of the country to try and quell these potential riots.
[12:25:05]
The prime minister has said, they will be taking tough action. The metropolitan police say that they will use every tactic at their disposal
in order to quell these riots, if indeed we do see that violence tonight.
Bianna?
GOLODRYGA: Yes. A big test in these early days of Keir Starmer's administration.
CNN's Nada Bashir, we'll continue to be covering this closely. Thank you so much for your reporting.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: Welcome back to ONE WORLD. I'm Bianna Golodryga.
Well, with just 90 days to go to the U.S. election, Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, are barnstorming across the Midwest today.
The energized democratic ticket is making fresh appeals to potential voters as they campaign against former President Donald Trump and his running mate
J.D. Vance.
We got a preview Tuesday of how Walz will attack the Republican ticket.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALZ: Like all regular people I grew up with in the heartland, J.D. studied at Yale. Had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires and then
wrote a bestseller trashing that community. Come on.
That's not what Middle America is. And I got to tell you, I can't wait to debate the guy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: I want to bring in CNN's Eva McKend. She's in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where Harris and Walz will campaign at an event in a couple of
hours.
[12:30:05]
And there, we could see last night a real sense of the chemistry between the two of them. Obviously bringing different strengths to this ticket and
also opportunities for Republicans and what they view as weaknesses as well to attack.
Eva, what more can we expect to see from this ticket as their campaigning? We heard their message to Trump and Vance. Are they going to be speaking to
voters though about specific policy concerns as well?
EVA MCKEND, CNN U.S. NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: They are expected to, Bianna. The crowd filling out here. You have veterans and teachers in this
audience and they are expected to really make their case to blue wall voters, voters here in Wisconsin, as well as neighboring Michigan and
Pennsylvania.
We hear chants in this audience of, we-will-not-go-back.
And they will argue that the former president, J.D. Vance, that they are principally concerned about the wealthy, that another Trump administration
would translate to tax cuts for the wealthy, that another Trump administration would weaken unions. And they will argue that Walz is just
like them, a mid-westerner, who's principally concerned about advancing social and economic policies that speak directly to this group.
And they will also argue that they have the infrastructure to pull this off in just a couple of months, 400 staff, 100 field offices.
Bianna, it's also instructive to look at some of the policies that the governor advanced in Minnesota.
Really progressive policies like a generous child tax credit, as well as free college for families making under $80,000 a year and expanding the
supply of affordable housing.
He was able to do that and make it palatable for swing state voters and they hoped that he can advance that message nationwide.
Meanwhile, after here in Wisconsin, this ticket is going to go on and continue to make their case in Michigan followed by Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Bianna?
GOLODRYGA: Eva McKend, thank you so much.
Well, one of the finalists to be Kamala Harris' running mate is throwing his full support behind the presumptive democratic presidential nominee,
despite not getting picked himself.
Pennsylvania Governor John Shapiro told a crowd in Pennsylvania Tuesday that Harris is, quote, battle tested and ready to go. Harris went with the
governor of Minnesota instead.
Donald Trump and others, we should note, are speaking out about what some believe to be a campaign by the far-left to smear Shapiro because he's a
practicing Jew.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Everyone thought it was going to be Shapiro, it turned out not to be Shapiro. I have very little
doubt that it was, you know, not for the reason we're talking about. It was because of the fact that he's Jewish. And they think they're going to
offend somebody else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Now, it is worth noting, when it comes to his policy on Israel and Gaza, Shapiro has been in line with mainstream Democrats. In fact, he's
been even harsher at times in terms of his views against Prime Minister Netanyahu.
And Shapiro didn't shy away from his faith while speaking at a rally last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): I lean on my family and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve. And I am proud of my faith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Time now for The Exchange. And joining me is Halie Soifer. She's the chief executive officer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
She also served as a senior policy advisor for the Obama administration and was a foreign policy and defense advisor to now retired U.S. Democratic
Senator Ted Kaufman.
Halie, welcome to the program. Thanks so much for joining us.
So we saw a real fired up Josh Shapiro last night. Obviously, you get a sense of his talent and his charisma and his appeal. And it was worth
noting that that was a really special moment that he took the time to talk about his faith and the fact that he doesn't shy away from it.
I'd like to read for you, though, what a reporter for the Jewish insider said in response to that statement from Josh Shapiro. He said, indeed, the
fact that Shapiro felt obligated to declare that he was proud of my faith at Tuesday's Harris-Walz rally in Philadelphia is a sign of the
increasingly inhospitable environment for proud Jewish politicians. This isn't Joe Lieberman's Democratic Party anymore.
What do you make of that statement? Is it a fair assessment?
HALIE SOIFER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JEWISH DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL OF AMERICA: Absolutely not. It was meaningful for Governor Shapiro to mention
the pride that he feels in his Jewish faith, just as it's meaningful for Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, to do that as well.
And he has said repeatedly that he lives openly and proudly as an American Jew and has encouraged others to do so as well.
This means a lot, as does the fact that the vice president and second gentleman have hung a mezuzah on their residence.
And the second gentleman has said that they intend to do so on the White House after they win in November.
[12:35:08]
The vice president, through marriage, is really a part of our community and has fully embraced and defended our community as we've faced rising anti-
Semitism.
So not only is the Democratic Party the political home for the vast majority of American Jews, but the Republican Party led by Donald Trump,
the most anti-Semitic presidential candidate of our lifetime, is absolutely the antithesis of that.
GOLODRYGA: I'd like to play more sound from the former president, specifically seizing on what he's characterizing. And by the way, it's not
just Republicans, there's concern within the Democratic Party too of a growing wing of anti-Semitism, specifically following the October 7th
attacks and the war then that followed in Gaza.
Here's what Donald Trump said on Fox News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They tell me that this Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, Mr. President, is Jewish. He's Jewish like Bernie Sanders is Jewish. Are you
kidding me? He's a crappy Jew. He's a horrible Jew.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Sorry. That was the WABC. Not on Fox News.
But how do you defend that? And also, it's one thing to say, well, listen, there are right-wing anti-Semites in the Republican Party. How does that
address the concern, though, within the Democratic Party itself?
SOIFER: Well, Donald Trump's accusation that the Second Gentleman is a so- called crappy Jew is just one of many disparaging things that he has said against the vast majority of American Jewish voters for the past five
years.
He continues to say, we hate our religion, we're disloyal, we're uninformed. He continues to send vitriol and hate toward the majority of
American Jews. This is consistent with who he is.
In 2017, he called neo-Nazis marching in Charlottesville very fine people. In 2020, he refused to condemn white supremacy from the presidential debate
stage. Instead, he incited right-wing extremists. He continues to traffic in vitriol targeting our community instead of speaking about the issues.
And you're right, there has been anti-Semitism that's emerged from the far- left as well. We condemn that. And there was anti-Semitism that originally fueled some of what we saw as this smear campaign against Governor Shapiro.
It appears that it was later fueled by Republicans, however, including Trump, who has commented on it. And that absolutely was not a reason that
Vice President Harris chose Governor Walz as her running mate.
In fact, Governor Walz, Vice President Harris, and Governor Shapiro all share the same views with regard to Israel.
Importantly, this is why the Democratic Party has become the home of the vast majority of American Jews, because the Republican Party, under Donald
Trump, has become the home for right-wing extremists and anti-Semites.
GOLODRYGA: So as you noted, Governor Walz and his views and policies towards Israel are pretty much in line with where Josh Shapiro's are and
where the Vice President and candidate Harris is as well.
So in terms of trying to appeal now to some of the undecided voters, particularly in swing states like Michigan and many Arab and Muslim voters
who perhaps haven't made up their mind now or quite upset about what they've seen play out in the war in Gaza.
How does that ticket and their policies help bring these voters back into the Democratic Party?
SOIFER: It's important to remember that American voters are making their decisions about which candidates support based on the range of issues.
For Jewish voters, for example, the number one issue is the defense of our democracy. The number two issue are reproductive rights. Number three is
the economy. After that, includes Israel.
But it's important to note that our community, just as others, are not one issue voters.
And on all those issues and more, it's the Vice President who aligns with our views and our values.
So my point is that no one community is voting solely on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. But even if they were, it's quite clear that the vice president's views, where she has repeatedly talked about, not only her
condemnation of the horrific terror that we saw on October 7th.
[12:40:04]
But the fact that there must be a ceasefire that allows the hostages to get out and aid to continue to get in, this is critically important. And I
would think that that message where she's demonstrated, not just alignment and support of Israel, but also empathy and calling for an end of the
suffering of innocent Palestinians, is critically important. This issue does not have to be binary.
GOLODRYGA: And you think we'll see more of that with the Harris-Walz campaign ticket?
SOIFER: I think they're going to continue to talk about the issues of importance to the American people, including defending our democracy,
defending our reproductive rights, standing with our allies, including Israel.
And, yes, demonstrating empathy and wanting to end suffering for innocent people no matter where they are.
GOLODRYGA: Halie Soifer, thank you so much for taking the time today. Appreciate it.
SOIFER: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: And still to come for us, swimming Sensation, Katie Ledecky, tells us why the Paris Games have been so special. We're live in Paris,
after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: Some call her the robot, because she can do just about anything on a skateboard, including win a gold medal.
14-year-old, Arisa Trew, became Australia's youngest Olympic champion ever when she clinched gold in the women's final on Tuesday.
After winning gold, the record-breaking skater asked her parents for one gift, not a new car, she's not old enough, or a new phone, but a pet duck.
Trew says she wants to take the duck on walks and, of course, to this skate park. Amazing.
Well, the most decorated American gymnast ever is crediting her stunning Paris performance to good mental health.
Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles credits self-care to balancing everyday life and her gymnastics career. Biles took home three
gold medals and one silver during the Paris Games.
CNN's Coy Wire caught up with the goat herself in Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMONE BILES, SEVEN-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Nobody forced me to be out there on that stage. I solely did it for myself. And I'm in a really good
spot mentally and physically.
So doing this for just me, it meant the world.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: And you overcame a lot to get here.
BILES: Mm-hmm.
WIRE: We all know that.
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: Did you feel any of those demons start to come creeping in the mind again? And if so --
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: -- how did you deal with that?
[12:45:01]
BILES: Yes. I dealt with them in therapy. Obviously, you always have those thoughts coming in the back of your head, but just trying to stay as
positive as possible. Going back to what I know, thinking about my therapy tactics, and it worked.
WIRE: This iconic moment out -- this game's, on my opinion, was when you clap back at some people talking about your appearance. And young guys deal
with that all the time to stress --
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: -- that to fit in. What is your message to those young girls out there who might be --
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: -- feeling like they're not enough or they're not fitting in?
BILES: You guys are beautiful, confident. You guys are so smart. Stand in your power, believe in yourself, and you guys are going to be just fine.
And I'll be here to support you every step of the way.
I know it's hard, but you guys are going to do it. And you're going to do big things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Joining us from Paris is CNN's Coy Wire. It's hard to believe she's actually a human person. When you watch what she's able to do, it
just -- it's unbelievable.
I don't even know how many words I can use to describe what she -- what she does and her talent.
And that having been said, Coy, it is so important to hear from her that she is, an average everyday person too, and so many regards, especially
when it comes to mental health, which is why it was so important that you had this conversation with her.
WIRE: Absolutely, Bianna. It was the one thing I wanted to talk to her about.
And she is not human. She's goat. And she's super goat, but she's using this platform. She called this a redemption tour. All the adversity made
her stronger.
And she didn't just become an Olympic champion, again, multiple times over here in Paris, she further became a champion for mental health awareness.
That redemption tour is complete.
Now, to someone else who knows all about winning Olympic golds, nine times over to be exact, Katie Ledecky, the swimming sensation, most dominant
female swimmer we've ever seen, joined us here at our WBD house studios this morning, beaming after not having family around, friends around to
celebrate at the last summer games in Tokyo. She says Paris has been incredible. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Nine gold medals, 14 overall. If these medals, from these games could talk, what would they say about how special these games have been?
KATIE LEDECKY, NINE-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: I think they would cheer. I think, you know, the energy here in Paris has been incredible. So I think
they would just join in on the cheering that all the Parisians have been giving to all the athletes here.
WIRE: Yes. One thing I noticed in our conversations, and anytime someone asks, what has it taken for you to be able to do what you do? And you say,
stuck to the process, I take one day at a time, I sacrifice, and that is true. It can be that simple, and it is.
But what are some of the things that maybe you take for granted that you do or have done over the years that other people might find fascinating?
LEDECKY: Well, I think I just try really hard to be consistent each year. You know, it's not just every four years for me. I'm competing at World
Championships in between Olympics and a lot of other meets as well.
So it's not just a few races every four years. It's a lot of -- a lot of training, a lot of races in between these big moments.
WIRE: Yes. Your beautiful family is here, finally. What is it like having them here this time after Tokyo?
LEDECKY: It's great to have family and friends back at the Olympics after not being there in Tokyo. It's just been a great environment, great
atmosphere, and very special to share the moments after competition with all of them get to celebrate, and soak in a little bit of Paris.
WIRE: Now, Simone Biles told me she would be a honey badger in the gym, a sloth at home, though. What was your spirit animal be to describe the aura
of Katie Ledecky?
LEDECKY: Well, I think I would have to say a porpoise, because my summer league swim team, we were the Palisades Porpoises. So that's my go-to
answer.
Yes, and obviously I love the water, so.
WIRE: That's really good. Do you do any porpoise sounds? Any dolphins sounds?
LEDECKY: I don't -- I don't know if you want to hear that.
WIRE: All right. One more fun thing before we go. When they build a statue of you someday, let's do, what's the pose going to be? What's the Katie
Ledecky pose?
LEDECKY: I don't know.
WIRE: Come on. Come on.
LEDECKY: I don't know.
WIRE: I've seen you do this.
LEDECKY: This?
WIRE: I've seen you do.
LEDECKY: Like a fist pump.
WIRE: Oh, there we go. Let's do that right there.
LEDECKY: Fist pump. Yes.
WIRE: That's the Katie Ledecky pose statue.
LEDECKY: Yes.
WIRE: Thanks for joining us.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Put the statue up, Bianna.
You know, it's incredible talk to Katie, because one thing we may forget is how much it took from their family to sacrifice to make it to where they
are. And they're now able to share these moments here at these Paris Games.
Her family sacrificed so much, waking up at 4:00 A.M., taking her middle school to the pool. And they, though, never made her feel like it was a
sacrifice.
Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Katie is a machine, literally. She finishes and can go grab a coffee before the second place swimmer comes in and touches the wall.
WIRE: Yes, that's right.
GOLODRYGA: It is incredible.
Coy Wire, thank you so much. Love that interview.
WIRE: You got it.
GOLODRYGA: Well, Algerian Boxer, Imane Khelif, has advanced to the gold medal bout in the women's welterweight division.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[12:50:05]
GOLODRYGA: Fans cheered Khelif in at an Algerian restaurant in Paris. She's been under scrutiny because of gender misconceptions.
CNN's Melissa Bell explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was the match that Imane Khelif get through to the women's welterweight boxing final.
The controversy surrounding the Algerian boxer appears to have done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds who turned out once again to cheer
her on.
On the contrary, as the row (ph) over her gender has grown so too apparently has her support, as it has for Lin Yu-ting, the Taiwanese boxer
who has also banned from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association.
Banned by the IOC after years of governance problems, the International Boxing Association weighed in on Monday with a chaotic and rambling
presser. It's Russian president continuing to make insensitive and misleading comments about the two women.
UMAR KREMLEV, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL BOXING ASSOCIATION (through translator): We have tests where the genetic tests show they are male. We
didn't check what's between their legs, that's for medical experts.
If anyone doubts it whether or not they were born that way, that's what medical experts are for.
BELL: Under the IOC's rules, and according to the athlete's passports, both are women.
After a presser that was short on facts but long on rants against the IOC and the games themselves, the response from the International Olympics
Committee was swift.
MARK ADAMS, IOC SPOKESPERSON: It clearly demonstrates that the sport of boxing needs a new federation to run boxing. If you ever needed any
evidence at all, the IBA is unfit to run boxing.
BELL: Khelif and Lin will now advance to the next round despite the eligibility test the IBA subjected them to in 2023.
MINKY WORDEN, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL INITIATIVES, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: It's based on how a female athlete looks and that's a completely unscientific,
degrading, undignified approach for the Olympics.
These Olympics should be about hope and about cheering athletes, not about tearing them down.
BELL: And whilst calling out her detractors and calling for an end to the bullying, Khelif is more determined than ever to win.
IMANE KHELIF, ALGEIRAN BOXER (through translator): God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal and that would be the best response.
BELL: A sentiment shared by those who came here to cheer her on, on Tuesday in Paris, unlikely to be shared by Lin, when she competes on Wednesday in
the featherweight semifinals.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:55:09]
GOLODRYGA: Bluey would never approve of theft. The Australian Kids TV show about a cartoon dog and her hilarious family is popular around the world.
Well, now an Australian man stole $400,000 worth of Bluey commemorative coins.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bluey, you'll have to sit in the front seat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? The front seat? Really? Is that allowed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Queensland road rules say that if all the seats are taken, a child older than 4 can sit in the front seat. Yes, it's allowed.
Come on. Get it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the best day of all my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: The dollar coins apparently sell for 10 times their face value. Police say the 47-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with taking
63,000 unreleased limited edition coins from a warehouse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DOUEIHI, NSW POLICE DETECTIVE SUPERINTENDENT: We certainly are now. I wasn't aware personally because I don't have kids of that age. But it's
certainly -- we are certainly aware of how popular Bluey is and the fact that these coins are -- the fact that these coins have deprived a lot of
young children and members of the community from having access to these coins.
So we're doing our absolute best to try to recover these coins and put them back into circulation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: That is just not cool.
Let's certainly hope more children can get their hands on the coins very soon.
Well, that does it for this hour of ONE WORLD. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Bianna Golodryga. I'll be right back in a few minutes with "AMANPOUR."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
