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Any Moment, Trump Speaks After Attack On Harris' Racial Heritage; Harris Campaign Slams Trump's Tirade And Show Of Hostility; Iran Vows Revenge Against Israel After Hamas Political Leader Killed; Celebs Taking Starring Roles In The Race For The White House; New Study Suggest Millennials And Gen Xers Face Higher Risk Of 17 Cancers Than Previous Generations. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired July 31, 2024 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:35]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now, Donald Trump is about to speak at a rally in Pennsylvania just hours after attacking Kamala Harris and questioning her racial heritage, claiming the vice president suddenly, quote, happened to be black. We're getting reaction this hour from the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

And tonight, as Vice President Harris heads to a fundraiser in Texas, her campaign is firing back at Trump, saying he went on a, quote, tirade during his appearance at a convention of black journalists that, quoting now, showed exactly who he is.

Plus, Iran is vowing revenge against Israel after an airstrike in Tehran killed the political leader of Hamas. CNN is live in the region as fears of a wider war are growing and hopes for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal may be fading.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Pamela Brown and you're in The Situation Room.

We're standing by now to hear from Donald Trump himself at any moment as he rallies voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. He has already ignited a new firestorm today by making false accusations about Kamala Harris and her racial identity.

CNN's Kristen Holmes is traveling with the former president in Pennsylvania and has more on his remarks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A combative former president Donald Trump clashing with reporters during an appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals, from Nikki Haley to former President Barack Obama, saying that they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told four congresswomen of color who were American citizens to go back to where they came from. Why should black voters trust you after you have used language like that?

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, first of all, I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner. I think it's disgraceful that I came here in good spirit. I love the black population of this country.

HOLMES: The half hour long question and answer session was marked by several pointed exchanges right from the start with Trump falsely questioning vice president Kamala Harris's heritage after being asked if he felt attacks by his allies calling her a DEI hire were appropriate.

TRUMP: And I really don't know. It could be. I didn't know she was black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn black, and now she wants to be known as black. So, I don't know. Is she Indian, or is she black?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She is always identified as a black woman. She went to a historically black college.

TRUMP: I respect either one, but she obviously doesn't, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn, and she went -- she became a black person.

HOLMES: The Republican nominee also pressed on past comments by his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, about childless Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you know that he had these views?

TRUMP: I know this. He is very family-oriented.

But I know people with great families, I know people with not great families, that don't have a family. And the people without the family are far better. They're superior in many cases.

HOLMES: Amid criticism of Vance, Trump asked if he believed his running mate was ready to serve on day one.

TRUMP: Historically, the choice of a vice president makes no difference. You're voting for the president and you can have a vice president who's outstanding in every way, and I think J.D. is. I think that all of them would have been. But you're not voting that way. You're voting for the president. You're voting for me. If you like me, I'm going to win. If you don't like me, I'm not going to win.

HOLMES: The former president was also asked whether he stood by his pledge to pardon rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, likening the events of that day to recent protests in Washington over Israel's war in Gaza.

TRUMP: Like about five days ago, we had an attack on the Capitol, a horrible attack on the Capitol, red spray paint that will never actually come off, especially on the limestone. It will never -- I'm a builder. I know about this stuff. They fought with police. They fought with them much more openly than I saw on January 6th. What's going to happen to those people? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you pardon those people?

TRUMP: What's going to happen -- oh, absolutely I would.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You would pardon those --

TRUMP: If they're innocent, I would pardon them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've been convicted.

TRUMP: And, by the way, they were convicted by a very tough system.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:05:00]

HOLMES (on camera): And, Pamela, just so you know, in case there was any question of whether or not Donald Trump was going to stick by the remarks that he had questioning Kamala Harris' heritage, the answer is yes. In fact, he is doubling down. There's a jumbotron behind me that has been circulating headlines for roughly the last two hours since Donald Trump left Chicago that says Kamala Harris elected first Indian-American senator. So, clearly, these remarks are going to be part of his campaign moving forward. Pamela?

BROWN: All right. Kristen, stand by as we bring in CNN's Arlette Saenz covering the vice president in Houston. Arlette, what is the Harris campaign saying about Trump's remarks?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, Vice President Kamala Harris arrived here in Houston, Texas, just moments ago. She is currently on her way to a fundraiser. But all eyes will be on whether she decides to address former President Donald Trump's comments, questioning her heritage as a black woman head on potentially in a speech here at the convention center right behind me later tonight.

Now, the Harris campaign has pushed back on Trump's entire appearance at the NABJ convention, portraying it as divisive and chaotic. Michael Tyler, the campaign's communications director, said in a statement, quote, Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency while he failed black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in. He added, Donald Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us.

Now, this statement did not explicitly reference Trump's comments questioning Harris identity as a black woman. Instead, so far, the pushback has fallen to Harris' allies. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked to about Trump's comments in real time today in the White House press briefing. Here is how she responded to those comments from Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: As a person of color, as a black woman who is in this position that is standing before you at this podium behind this lectern, what he just said, what you just read out to me is repulsive, it's insulting, and no one has any right to tell someone who they are, how they identify. That is no one's right. It is someone's own decisions.

She is the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. We have to put some respect on her name, period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, Harris this evening will be speaking at a boule for Sigma Gamma Rho. That is a black sorority that is part of the so-called Divine Nine. Harris herself is a member of one of those Divine Nine sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha, really highlighting her ties to the group heading into this election. Part of her focus here is really trying to mobilize black female voters as they are approaching this election in November.

The divine nine really does not endorse political candidates, but their vast alumni network, which Harris is a part of, could help mobilize black men and black female voters in this election. But many will be watching tonight to see whether Vice President Kamala Harris decides to use this venue this evening to take on former President Donald Trump directly over his comments questioning her heritage.

BROWN: All right. Arlette Saenz live in Houston, thanks so much.

Now, let's get to the reaction from all of this from the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Steven Horsford of Nevada. Thanks for coming on.

So, you heard former President Trump say Harris, quote, Vice President Harris, quote, happened to turn black, suggests that she could be a DEI hire, and repeat the claim that he has been the best president for black Americans since Abraham Lincoln. What is your reaction to that?

REP. STEVEN HORSFORD (D-NV): Well, first, thank you for having me on. Tomorrow, the vice president, Kamala Harris, will join members of the Congressional Black Caucus in Houston to lay one of our colleagues to rest, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, after a lifetime of public service and legacy.

And what I have to say to the former president is he just doesn't get it. His remarks are offensive. They're insulting. They're racist. The vice president is a lifetime member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She participated when she was in the United States Senate. She is a graduate of Howard University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. But more important than that, she has been a governing partner with President Biden on legislative achievements that have driven down black unemployment to historic lows, created 3 million black new businesses in the last three years, lifted 50 percent of black children out of poverty into the middle class through the child tax credit, and so many other achievements, including $16 billion for HBCUs, and they just announced another $2 billion for black farmers.

[18:10:03]

But Donald Trump can't talk about policies because he has no ideas. The only ideas he has are those of the Trump Project 2025, which will devastate black families and black communities across this country.

BROWN: Yes. And we've seen Trump and his campaign really try to distance themselves from Project 2025, but as we know at least 140 members who work for him worked on that project.

When it comes, though, to the rhetoric we heard from Trump today, right, and what he said after, really doubling down on it, as Kristen just laid out there, and saying that he crushed it, what are you bracing for as we wait to hear from him at this rally? Are you afraid it's going to get uglier from here?

HORSFORD: Well, Donald Trump has always had disregard for black people. He asked black America when he was running the last time, what do you have to lose, and then appointed the most extreme Supreme Court justices, which have taken away our fundamental rights. Trump's Project 2025 would eliminate funding for the Department of Education. It would roll back benefits under Medicare and Social Security. It would deny black women going through birth care, access to care, as he's trying to do for all women in this country.

The vice president, by contrast, is about protecting our freedoms. She's working to protect a woman's right to make her own health care choices. She's protecting our freedom to learn and the freedom for black-owned businesses to thrive. These are the issues, though, that Donald Trump doesn't want to talk about because he has a failed record when it comes to black America compared to that of the vice president.

BROWN: But I do want to follow up on that, because these remarks today, you know, are nothing new coming from Donald Trump. He has a history of making racist remarks, going back to promoting the birtherism lies against former President Obama, and yet the presidential race is still in a dead heat. I mean, tens of millions of Americans continue to support him. What does that say to you about the current state of the country?

HORSFORD: Well, this is more of a reflection unfortunately of the times. There are some people who want to take us back. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans in Congress reflect that. It's Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats in Congress, led by Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who are focused on moving us forward.

There's actually a ton of energy, excitement and enthusiasm in my home state of Nevada, which is a battleground state. We've had thousands of people signing up to volunteer because they understand the stakes of this election and what it means to them. Yes, Donald Trump has no regard for the vice president, but guess what, it's the American people who will have the power on the, on election to determine our future, not Donald Trump.

BROWN: Just a very quick follow-up, though, because in our recent CNN polling, 15 percent of black people in this poll support Trump. What do you say to them, given what you just laid out? HORSFORD: Well, to be clear, a certain segment of black voters have always supported the Republican Party. That's their choice. 85 percent of black Americans and an even greater number of black women and black men, particularly in key battleground states, like Nevada, like Wisconsin, like Pennsylvania, like Georgia, understand the stakes about our future, our economic well being. The fact that Vice President Harris has talked about how we're going to empower families to work wages and wealth, to help lift families so that we can become the owners of our homes and owners of our businesses because we want to thrive. It's Donald Trump who wants to take us backward. It's Vice President Harris who wants to move us forward.

BROWN: All right. Congressman Steven Horsford, thank you so much for your time today. We really appreciate it to be here.

HORSFORD: Honored to be here.

BROWN: And just ahead, we have some breaking news actually just coming in tonight. CNN confirming the U.S. has reached a plea deal with one of the masterminds of 9/11. The details, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:18:12]

BROWN: Well, there is a major breaking story right now, the U.S. reaching a plea deal with some of the accused plotters of the 9/11 attacks on America over two decades ago.

Let's bring in CNN Pentagon correspondent Oren Liebermann. This is quite a surprise, Oren, right?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A major announcement coming from the Defense Department.

We have known for some time now that they were working on the possibility of a plea deal with the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, more commonly known as KSM. But to see that announcement is still a major moment here.

KSM has been charged or was charged back in 2008 with a number of different charges related to his alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks, including conspiracy, murder, and violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, and much more.

Now, DOD doesn't give the details of the plea agreement itself, but according to The New York Times, he and two of his co-defendants have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges and serve a life sentence instead of the death penalty that the U.S. had been pursuing.

Now, this process has been years in the making. KSM was captured in Pakistan back in 2003. He was arraigned in 2008. But the process from there dragged out and moved very slowly. His long, delayed trial was set to begin. There were several pre-trial hearings, Over the course of the past couple of years, and then the news back two years ago that the U.S. was considering the possibility of a plea deal here for a guilty plea from KSM. DOD again, not announcing that guilty plea, but coming from New York Times reporting that he has agreed to plead guilty with several others.

A key question here, Pam, where does he serve out that life sentence, because for years now, the Biden administration has been trying to close Gitmo.

[18:20:00]

BROWN: Yes, I mean, that's where he's been. So, that is a key question. Oren, thank you.

Let's talk about all of this with CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen and CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig.

Peter, I want to start with you. I mean, you are an expert on al Qaeda and counterterrorism. How significant is this? Put this into context for us.

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Elie can correct me, but I think it's pretty unusual for somebody to be captured in 2003 and only plead guilty so many years later. This trial, everything that could go wrong with this trial did go wrong. KSM was waterboarded 183 times. He was subjected to various other forms of coercive interrogation. That greatly clouded the case against him. The fact that we were still in pre-trial hearings more than two decades after he was captured I think speaks for itself.

So, this plea deal is probably the least bad thing that -- you know, the least bad case for the prosecution. Some of the families, I'm sure, wanted the death penalty. But at the end of the day, plea deals happen and the side, KSM's side, I think they were very concerned about being put in super max, which is like being buried alive in Florence, Colorado. In fact, KSM's nephew, Ramzi Youssef, who bombed the Trade Center in '93, is there. And we still don't -- as Oren said, we don't know the details of what the life sentence incarceration will be, but it seems from New York Times reporting that they are very keen not to have solitary confinement.

This is the photograph of KSM when he was arrested. The CIA released it. It was a very unflattering picture, intentionally so. But that was back in 2003 in Pakistan. So, it's been a very long time coming. Hopefully, this will provide some measure of justice to the families and the victims.

BROWN: Yes. And, Elie, I want to get your perspective on this. As Peter just said, this was 2003 he was captured. Now it's 2024. How common is it for prosecutors to reach a type of plea deal with a terrorist like this and with this many years that have lapsed too?

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Yes. Pam, this is one of the most difficult decisions that any prosecutor ever has to make. Do you take a plea deal in a murder case, especially a case where capital punishment could be a remedy, and especially in a case like this where Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is one of the most serious villains in United States' history. He's responsible for the death of nearly 3,000 people. That's what he's charged with.

Now, from the prosecutor's perspective, the benefit of a deal like this, number one, is you get certainty. You lock in a conviction. You ensure that KSM, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and the two other individuals here will spend the rest of their life behind bars. You spare yourself the need, the resources, perhaps the uncertainty of a trial.

But there's also risk and downside involved. On the one hand, is it true justice to allow somebody who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans to avoid the death penalty himself? And, second of all, I anticipate that the victims here, the surviving family members of the people who were killed, I imagine, there's going to be some resistance, some rejection, some pushback on this.

Ultimately, though, it is the prosecutor's call and the prosecutor will have to face judgment from the families for this decision.

BROWN: All right. Elie Honig, Peter Bergen, thank you.

And coming up, more on Donald Trump's comments today and how Republicans are and aren't reacting to the former president's attacks on Kamala Harris' racial heritage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:27:51]

BROWN: And we're back with our team breaking down Donald Trump's combative appearance at a convention for black journalists and his mocking attack on Kamala Harris's racial heritage.

Shermichael, let's go to you. As we continue to process what we saw today, I want to play Trump's racist attack on Harris again for us to absorb.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I've known her a long time indirectly, not directly, very much. And she was always of Indian heritage. And she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn black. And now she wants to be known as black. So, I don't know, is she Indian or is she black?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She is always identified as a black woman. She went to a historically black college.

TRUMP: I respect either one, but she obviously doesn't. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went -- she became a black person.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just to be clear, sir, do you believe that she's --

TRUMP: I think somebody should look into that too when you ask, continue in a very hostile, nasty tone. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a direct question, sir. Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is a DEI hire, as some Republicans have said?

TRUMP: I really don't know. I mean, I really don't know. It could be. There are some and there are plenty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: I'm just wondering, what was your visceral reaction to that?

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Look, I did not look a great moment for the former president. This has been a recurring issue for him since his first campaign and ultimate ascension to the White House. It's been an issue for the Republican Party for as long as I've been involved in Republican politics. And that is the belief by a whole host of Americans who happen to look like myself and Alencia, that the Republican Party is very hostile to people of color because of race.

And I think with that moment showcase for a lot of people who are skeptical already, that, yes, what we believe is true. I think the former president had an opportunity, I would argue, to showcase a different side of himself on the issues. I think if you talk about the economy, inflation, cost of living, immigration, I think, generally speaking, the conservative message on those issues are far better than the liberal message or the Democratic message.

But the problem is, Pam, voters who are watching that may be expecting to see some, I guess, regulation of their plight in terms of making those things better.

[18:30:05]

They didn't get that. They didn't see that. And so, as a strategist, I'm looking at this and I'm thinking, did my candidate add something of value? And I'm not sure I would walk away saying that he did.

BROWN: It struck me, Alencia, that he said she can only be black or Indian. I personally am dumbfounded by that and that many people, millions, I think it's 33 million Americans have two or more racial identities, right?

ALENCIA JOHNSON, FORMER SENIOR ADVISER, BIDEN 2020 CAMPAIGN: I mean, and that's like self-identifying. I would say a lot more. I look at the history and the founding of this company, quite a bit more 33 million have multiple racial identities, whether or not they subscribe to them. But Kamala Harris has, from day one, always acknowledged both sides of her heritage. She also went to an HBCU and pledged the black sorority. She has said herself, I am a black woman.

But, listen, I was really disgusted with this entire interview, this show today. I got a shout out Rachel Scott at ABC News who held her own and asked the tough questions, which is why there were so many black journalists frustrated with the decision for him to come because of his disrespect for a lot of black journalists, including the one on this network, Abby Phillip, right?

And for him to talk over her, be combative, it actually showed me the reason that he is so scared to debate Vice President Kamala Harris, because she is going to be very clear, much like Rachel, was stating the facts to him, pushing him where he gets very frazzled and just starts to throwing insults. And so he's actually scared to go up against a black woman who has all the facts and can challenge him on all of his extremely harmful positions.

And so I think it was more than a bad moment for him. I think it was a horrible moment for him, especially as he wants to continue to act like he has been a great president for black America when he's done nothing but promote even more harm to our communities.

BROWN: I want to bring you in, Sarah, for your perspective, because the reality is it's not shocking in that we've heard similar rhetoric from Trump over many years, right? Millions of Americans continue to support him. This probably won't change that. CNN poll shows that 15 percent of black Americans support him.

And also it is worth pointing out, he did not have to accept this invitation to take tough questions in front of a tough audience. What do you make of it? Why do you think he did this?

SARAH LONGWELL, PUBLISHER, THE BULWARK: Well, I'm not sure why he did it, but I think part of it is that Kamala Harris is really under his skin. I think the contours of this race changing has really unnerved him. And the fact is, though, I'm really glad he accepted it. Because one of the things that's always been true about Donald Trump is that when voters see less of him, his approval ratings tend to go up. When voters see more of him his approval ratings tend to go down.

And so I think that what we have been seeing now for a long time is Trump has been protected almost by being kicked off Twitter, when they cut off his mic at a debate, just when you don't see him, not --

BROWN: (INAUDIBLE) on Kamala Harris.

LONGWELL: Or on Joe Biden's age, whatever it is that sort of distracts people from who Donald Trump is. A lot of it's baked in, it's true, but when Donald Trump gets back in people's faces and they see him again and they see him behaving like this, they are reminded of how much they dislike him.

I talk to these swing voters all the time. We were talking about, for a long time, double haters. And the thing was, they didn't hate Joe Biden, they just thought he was too old to do the job. But they really do dislike Trump. And when you raise the salience of Trump and who Trump is in voters' minds, people's interest in him go down. And that's what I think we saw today, people remembering why this guy is so toxic for our country.

BROWN: I checked before the show and I hadn't seen anything from the Republican leadership on this, so I don't know if that has changed. But what are we hearing from Republicans on Capitol Hill, especially after there were the initial comments about -- the offensive comments about Vice President Kamala Harris saying she was a DEI hire, then they seem to step away and try to distance themselves from that? What do you make of this?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL, EARLY 202 CO-AUTHOR, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, this is another one of those instances where like, oh, I haven't seen the interview yet. I haven't seen the tweet yet. This is something that Republicans on Capitol Hill don't want to respond to. This is not part of the messaging. They do not think that this wins elections.

But this has been a challenge for Donald Trump and for the Republican Party. As you mentioned, Sarah, he has been unable to land an effective message against Kamala Harris. And so he keeps throwing spaghetti on the wall until he maybe find something that works.

Republicans on Capitol Hill want to talk about the border. They want to talk about the economy. They want to talk about crime and all the issues that are doing -- that poll better for Republicans at this moment. But this is really flummoxed Donald Trump and he's been unable to stay on message.

BROWN: And he was also asked about, immigration and what's going on the border.

[18:35:01]

And he repeated his false claim that migrants are taking what he called, quote/unquote black jobs. Let's watch that exchange again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Coming up from the border are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking black jobs. You had the best --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What exactly is a black job, sir?

TRUMP: A black job is anybody that has a job. That's what it is, anybody that has a job.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Mr. President, can I --

TRUMP: And they're taking the employment away from black people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So, you've been talking with black voters. You have a radio show. How offensive do they find comments like that?

SINGLETON: I mean, clearly, there's probably not too many black people you're going to find, Pamela, who aren't offended by that. I think if the conversation is about do we have a significant percent of black people who work in low wage jobs, and what are the implications of that economically by allowing new people into the country, a significant number of them, who are now competing for those same jobs, I don't think that's an illogical argument to make. The president, I don't think, is artfully making that case but I think in terms of offending people, sure people are going to be offended by that. But I do think we should have a conversation about competitiveness in the job market and ensuring that African-Americans can not only compete at any level, but assuring that those who do rely on those jobs have access to those jobs.

BROWN: And go ahead.

LONGWELL: And because of how racist many of the things he said were, this is going to get a lot of attention. But what people might miss is just how crazy he sounded, in general. I mean, for a long time, because Biden was so not a particularly good communicator, the split screen between him and Donald Trump didn't make Donald Trump look as old and as -- he's not just inarticulate. He was all over the place. It was word salad city. He couldn't string thoughts together.

He looked old. He looked unable to sort of parry in the conversation, unable to grab a thread and talk about it effectively, drive a message. I mean, that was one of the worst performances I've seen just in an objective, like, hey, I'm able to make a case for my own candidacy.

I mean, when he was asked about J.D. Vance there, it was almost -- I mean, it was sort of horrifying. He said, can J.D. Vance do the job?

JOHNSON: Can I jump in really quickly?

BROWN: You're going to have trouble hearing that. I think -- right, I take your point. I do and also know, to be fair, he did complain about not being able to --

LONGWELL: But he couldn't make a case on why J.D. Vance was a good pick.

BROWN: Right, and that is true. I mean, he was asked, can he do the job one day. Now, the vice president normally does it.

JOHNSON: I think I want to go back to this conversation about race, right? Like there is a very real conversation about race that's going to happen that's going to get very dirty and dark and ugly to the likes that we have seen when Donald Trump first got into politics, when he started with the Obama and the birtherism.

It is going to get extremely dangerous and scary, which has emboldened some people who have white nationalist beliefs to move forward with those racist ideologies. And at the same time, though, what he did today actually riles up our base that wants a future that can have a woman like Vice President Harris become the first black woman president in the country.

And so this today shows that contrast between the two different campaigns, one that wants to go back to 1776 and one that wants to take us into 2025.

BROWN: All right. We have to stop there. Leigh Ann, I will get you on the other end. Okay. I promise I didn't give you a chance to go again.

All right, just ahead on The Situation Room, leaders in Iran promising revenge against Israel after a top leader of Hamas is killed in Tehran. A live report from Tel Aviv with the region now on heightened alert.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:42:39]

BROWN: We are following rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East after an airstrike inside of Iran killed the political leader of Hamas. And tonight, Iran and Hamas are blaming Israel and vowing retaliation. Israel has not confirmed or denied responsibility, but a defiant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is ready for anything and has delivered crushing blows to his enemies.

CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward joins us live from Tel Aviv. Clarissa, what impact could this have in the region and on the current Israeli-Hamas war?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's no question, Pamela, the entire region is really right now on a knife's edge. Iran has said quite clearly that it intends to respond. We've seen reporting from The New York Times that the order has already been given by the ayatollah to engage in a direct attack on Israel.

Now, here in Tel Aviv and throughout much of the country of Israel, life feels more or less like it's going on as normal. We did hear Netanyahu telling people that they need to be patient in the face of threats. But when you talk to people and scratch beneath the surface, Pamela, it's very clear that there's a lot of anxiety, that there is an expectation that a strike either from Iran and more likely or most likely as well from Hezbollah could be very severe.

Hezbollah in particular has different weapons to the types of rockets that we have seen coming from Hamas across the southern border. So, a very real expectation that a serious strike is potentially imminent and very real questions about what that means for this conflict, whether it spreads, what, of course, this all does in terms of the hostage negotiations, ceasefire talks a lot of very, very anxious people across this region tonight, Pamela.

BROWN: Right. Again, to remind our viewers, this Hamas leader was one of the key negotiators for any hostage release, right? And you've spoken to families of Israeli hostages. What are they saying?

WARD: Well, a lot of these families have tried not to take a very political stance, but when you talk to them, it's clear that for so many, there is a lot of frustration.

[18:45:01]

WARD: They don't feel that the actions that the government has taken have really been the best things to try to get those hostages home safely as quickly as possible.

We spoke to one woman, Yifat Zailar. She is the cousin of Shiri Bibas, who is the mother of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. You may well remember those two very little red-headed boys who were abducted on October 7. And she had some words to say about her very real concerns about what this moment portends. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD: Given the strike on Hezbollah and the strike on Haniyeh, are you scared?

YIFAT ZAILAR, COUSIN OF SHIRI BIBAS: I'm terrified. I'm terrified, surely. I know it will have an effect on the talks, but I don't know.

WARD: Do you worry that it could jeopardize the talks?

ZAILAR: Of course. The talks and jeopardize the hostages as well. My worst fear is to find out that 115 hostages are all dead because, you know, they decided to have nothing to gain out of them, and they're just -- okay, they just kill them all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD: Yifat also said that she's very concerned for the civilians of Gaza, more than 2 million who have been trapped inside this hellscape since October 7. Of course, if the ceasefire talks fall apart, it's not just the hostages who will be impacted. It's everybody inside Gaza as well, Pamela.

BROWN: Clarissa Ward, thank you.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:50:56]

BROWN: Well, tonight, NBC announcing Maya Rudolph will be back to portraying Kamala Harris on Saturday night live this season.

Brian Todd has more on the intersection of politics of celebrity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She's won an Emmy award for her portrayal of Kamala Harris on NBC's "Saturday Night Live".

And now, according to a source with knowledge of her plans, comedian Maya Rudolph is returning to the show this fall to reprise the role.

MAYA RUDOLPH AS VP KAMALA HARRIS: You see, this is what they do, Susan. They avoid taking any responsibility --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not.

RUDOLPH: Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking.

TODD: Rudolph, the latest in an iconic line of comedians who have done impersonations of famous politicians on the show, like Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump.

ALEC BALDWIN AS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP: I'm going to set my alarm for 3:20 a.m. I go sit on my golden toilet bowl and tweet about it until completion.

TODD: And Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton.

KATE MCKINNON AS FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: Bartender, keep them coming.

TODD: And there are other indications tonight that the celebrity buzz around Harris is ramping up on the campaign trail.

Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, performed last night at Harris rally in Atlanta, part of a pattern of celebrity endorsements analysts say that the Harris campaign has embraced to court young voters.

MICHAEL WARREN, SENIOR EDITOR, THE DISPATCH: She did a TikTok with Megan Thee Stallion after her rally. That's the sort of thing where she's -- Kamala Harris is going to be able to reach people that might otherwise again, now be tuning in until maybe the last few days before the election, if that.

TODD: A source tells CNN, Beyonce has allowed Harris to use her hit song, "Freedom" at campaign events.

(MUSIC)

TODD: After Harris's event with Megan Thee Stallion, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, quote, I don't need concerts or entertainers.

But Trump's campaign did have country and hip hop star Kid Rock and wrestler Hulk Hogan make big appearances at the Republican National Convention, and one analyst says, Trump may have a strategy in mind by bringing those celebrities into his camp.

WARREN: These may not be, you know, the most popular with Gen Z, particularly girls, college girls. But men, that's a big part of Donald Trump's coalition and that's who he's trying to tap into with those celebrities. He does need those celebrities to validate him.

TODD: And there's still the celebrity who many political observers are watching for, pop superstar Taylor Swift. She endorsed Biden in 2020. Last year, Swift urged her fans on Instagram to register to vote. The group vote.org reported its saw a surge of about 35,000 registrations in just one day in response.

BRYAN WEST, TAYLOR SWIFT REPORTER, USA TODAY: With Taylor, it's not just about her influence, it's her power, it's her ability to speak to a massive fandom. And what everyone is wondering with her massive power and massive appeal is if she's going to speak out this election.

(END VIDEOTAPE) TODD (on camera): The analysts we spoke to say the candidates could actually move more voters if they go beyond just getting the celebrities endorsements and actually have them appear at campaign events as much as they can.

It's very vibrant when they do that, Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Thanks so much, Brian Todd. Much appreciate it.

Just ahead, major health news coming in this hour, what a new study the saying, its that cancer is actually becoming more common in younger adults, certain types. We're going to talk about that right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:58:40]

BROWN: Well, this hour, a new study is out on the rising cancer among younger adults, and it suggests that Gen-Xers and millennials and the U.S. have a higher risk of developing 17 cancers compared with older generations.

CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard is here.

So, Jacqueline, you read through this study. What can explain this increased risk?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Oh, there's so many different factors at play here, Pamela. We know that the diets of Gen-Xers and millennials growing up were different than what we saw in previous generations. There's differences in environmental exposures. There's also we have better diagnostic tools today to diagnose cancer as compared with previous generations.

But what really stood out to me in this study, Pamela, 10 out of those 17 cancers are obesity-related. And that could be a sign of how the obesity epidemic may be playing a role here as well. And what the researchers did, they looked at 34 different types of cancer from people born in the 1920s all the way through people born in 1990. And that's where they identified 17 cancers that appear to be more common among Gen-Xers and millennials, among those younger generations.

The cancer risks: small intestine, kidney and pancreatic cancers, as well as liver cancer in women, those incidents rates for those cancers were like two to three times higher among people born in 1990 compared with people born in 1955.

So the takeaway here, researchers say is for doctors to be aware of this, and for Gen-Xers and millennials to be aware of cancer risk factors, cancer symptoms, and to do better at just eating healthy, limiting alcohol and not smoking, Pamela.

BROWN: Yeah, those are the basics for healthy lifestyle.

Jacqueline Howard, thanks so much. HOWARD: Exactly.

BROWN: Well, I'm Pamela Brown in THE SITUATION ROOM. I'll be back here tomorrow. Thank you very much for watching.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.