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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
All Three Mamdani-Backed Democrats Win House Primaries; Marco Rubio in Middle East to Discuss Iran Agreement in Gulf Allies; Savannah Guthrie Reacts to Reports of Mother's Death; Multiple European Nations Sweltering in Major Heat Wave; Trump Backs Both GOP Candidates in South Carolina Gubernatorial Run-off; U.S. Senate Votes to Restrict Trump's War Powers in Iran; Congress Passes Bipartisan Housing Bill; Cuba Tourism Dips Under Tensions with U.S. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired June 24, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: You know, it would really be the Dallas Texas great some great streak. I mean, there's a lot of great options all around the country.
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Little known fact about me, you know, I'm a certified Kansas City Barbecue judge. I'm just saying.
MICHAELSON: Are you?
COATES: I mean, some things about me are just surprisingly wonderful.
MICHAELSON: Yes. And so what -- to end with this, what is the key to great Kansas City barbecue?
COATES: You feed it to me. Have a great show, Elex. Thank you. Bye.
MICHAELSON: Thank you, Laura.
Let's get started with election night here on THE STORY IS.
And welcome to THE STORY IS. Once again it is election night in America. Zohran Mamdani winning big. All three of his candidates sweeping with victories. We'll talk about that.
We're also talking about what's going on in Washington. President Trump rebuked by the Congress, including some Republicans. Tonight the president is pushing back.
And THE STORY IS in Cuba, where there is a change when it comes to the tourism crisis. CNN's Patrick Oppmann is there as a special election night edition of THE STORY IS starts right now.
It is another election night in America. Four states across the U.S. are casting ballots in primaries or runoffs. And the big story is a clean sweep for New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani. All three candidates that he endorsed won their House Democratic primaries, including Brad Lander, who upset incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman. In New York's 12th House District, CNN projects that state assembly member Michael Lasher will advance to the general election.
Eight candidates were vying for the chance to replace Representative Jerry Nadler after 17 terms. This race featured bids from JFK's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway, a longtime Republican and ex-husband of Trump's 2016 campaign manager Kellyanne Conway.
In South Carolina, CNN can project the winner in the Republican governors runoff. State Attorney General Alan Wilson will defeat Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, who gained the first endorsement from President Trump. But in a rare occurrence, the president also endorsed Wilson last week, saying, you can't go wrong by backing both candidates. So Trump couldn't go wrong because one of them was going to win, and he backed them both.
More now on all this from CNN's chief U.S. national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny in New York tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: A remarkable primary night in New York for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, performing a clean sweep of all the competitive congressional races here in New York. Two Democratic incumbent members of Congress falling to defeat by leftist candidates backed by Mayor Mamdani.
Now, this is just six months after him taking office, making the decision to inject himself into these races, and it clearly paid off. A seismic primary day in New York without question. Also, a Kennedy family member, Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, falling to defeat, a distant third place in a separate congressional primary to fill the seat of longtime Congressman Jerry Nadler. But he said Democrats should take lessons from this race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK SCHLOSSBERG, NEW YORK DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: We need to do things differently. We don't just need younger candidates. We need different leaders. We need different voices. We need different instincts and different styles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Now, supporters of Schlossberg gathered here in Midtown Manhattan. They clearly were not expecting someone with his family name and his strength to fall so considerably. But there's no doubt that this is an anti-establishment moment in this Democratic Party.
A bigger question going forward is Mayor Mamdani clearly got his candidates across the finish line. What does that mean for Hakeem Jeffries? He's, of course, the Democratic House leader. If Democrats win control of Congress in November, he could be the House speaker. Clearly, the leftist candidates here will impact the makeup of that.
But for all of the discussions of this primary, it has very little to do with the outcome of the midterm elections in November because in deep blue New York, these seats are almost sure to be Democratic. But what it does do is send a clear message that the Democratic socialists are alive and well, at least in blue cities in Democratic primaries.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Jeff, thank you.
Let's talk more about this with our panel. Melanie Mason is the California Bureau Chief for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO's California Playbook. And Michael Genovese is a political analyst, president of Loyola Marymount University's Global Policy Institute, and author of the "Modern Presidency."
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Welcome back to both of you.
Melanie, let's start with you. As Jeff was just pointing out there, big night for Zohran Mamdani and not a great night for Hakeem Jeffries, who wants to be the next speaker of the House.
MELANIE MASON, CALIFORNIA BUREAU CHIEF, POLITICO: I mean, I think, first of all, I think we do really need to recognize just how much this says about Zohran Mamdani's sort of political brand. I think there was a lot of conversation when he won last year.
You know, look, he was running against Andrew Cuomo. He was running against Eric Adams, were these flawed opponents. I think that this sort of unambiguously says that he has a brand. He can lift these candidates up and therefore he's, you know, a formidable force in Democratic politics to come.
MICHAELSON: And Michael, he has built up political capital. He's very popular in New York right now. And he spent some of this capital, risked some of this capital, and seems to have won that bet.
MICHAEL GENOVESE, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, forget the Knicks. Mamdani owns New York City.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Well, he used the Knicks to help him own New York City. He literally used the Knicks as an ad campaign with these three candidates.
GENOVESE: He swept the board, and that was a bit of a surprise. And as Melanie said, it's the Mamdani brand. It just has staying power. We didn't know if it would. And there's the whole question of that Democratic socialists in America. They're winning a lot of local races, in Los Angeles, in New York. Is that the future of the Democratic Party? Younger, more progressive?
And you mentioned Hakeem Jeffries. It's a bad night for the old guard. The old guard really took a beating. Now, is this just New York or does this translate nationally? That's going to be a tough question.
MICHAELSON: Well, and part of what Mamdani has done is he's used the issue of Israel and frankly a lot of young folks' frustration with Israel as a political weapon. How important is that as an issue, especially amongst younger voters right now on the Democratic camp, especially Democratic socialists?
GENOVESE: I have been actually shocked at the extent to which my students are very much suspicious of Israeli power, and especially Bibi. They are much more sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians than they were 10 years ago even. And so there's a whole new orientation with younger voters. And so they're going to find the old Mamdani values very appealing. The message is going to be strong. And Israel used to be, without question, the issue that Democrats backed. They're split right now.
MICHAELSON: I mean, and this seems like a real issue. I mean, it's a voting issue for a lot of these younger voters. And this could be a big litmus test for the 2028 presidential race as well.
MASON: Exactly. I mean, I think that tonight is a real flashing warning sign for any Democrat that's thinking of running for president, that they have to figure out how to thread this needle. And we've seen already some potential 2028 contenders stumble on this. I mean, California Governor Gavin Newsom sort of on both sides of the issue, seemed to alienate folks with what he was saying.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker would run into this issue on podcasts and stuff. You know, they're -- they have two years to figure out how they're going to talk about this issue. And I think particularly older guard Democratic politicians are so used to reflexively standing with Israel and clearly that is not what the what the mood and momentum is in the Democratic Party right now.
MICHAELSON: So there were four congressional races in New York. Mamdani endorsed in three of them. The one he did not endorse in is this race to succeed Jerry Nadler, who's been in that seat for 34 years. And there were some very high, you know, big named people, Jack Schlossberg, JFK's grandson, in that race, Alex Bores, who ran with a lot of attention on the A.I. issue. George Conway, who's been on cable news for years talking about Donald Trump.
But yet the establishment candidate in that race, Micah Lasher, who is endorsed by Nadler, ends up winning.
MASON: Well, I think this is also a great cautionary tale for us as political journalists that, you know, these trends may be sweeping, but they are not a monolith. And so, yes, it was a good night for insurgents. It was also in this race a good night for the establishment. I think that this speaks so much to candidate quality and the nature of these individual races. And as much as we're trying to look for trends, we also have to realize that each race sort of varies on its own.
MICHAELSON: Yes. And a lot of this also is about constituent relations, right? I mean, for somebody who's been an assemblyman for a long time, you go to a lot of barbecues, go to a lot of bar mitzvahs and kiss a lot of babies. Right?
MASON: A New York source told me that he's been running for this seat for 30 years. He has had his eye on the prize, and he has been visiting every Democratic club for years now. And so those relationships really do matter, particularly in a high propensity voting district like this one.
MICHAELSON: And Michael, let's talk about the Kennedy name. I mean, we just saw Caroline Kennedy, one of the most beloved figures in Democratic Party politics in Jeff's story there, sitting in the front row, and watching her son, you know, lose pretty badly. What -- why do you think that is?
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GENOVESE: Well, maybe the magic is gone. The Kennedy name used to, just for Democrats, be just the greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe Robert Kennedy, Jr. diminished that for Democrats. Maybe it's just the distance between John and Robert Kennedy and today. And maybe it's just that he was a bad candidate. I mean, he had a nice splash at the beginning and people were looking at him, and then he just fizzled. He fizzled pretty quickly.
He's not was not a great campaigner. Certainly wasn't no fault of his own. A seasoned campaigner. Just never was able to sell himself.
MICHAELSON: I'm hearing that President Trump just posted something on Truth Social which I have not seen yet, so let's read it together. It said, "Many communists running in badly failing blue states. The votes seem to have them doing quite well against each other. The bad news is that history has conclusively shown that the downtrodden states that they will soon be running will only get worse. Make America great again. President Donald J. Trump."
Of course, people that are democratic socialists say there is a difference between communists and democratic socialists. Some on the right don't see it that way, but the way the presidents spinning this.
MASON: Well, this is the sneak preview of what the Republican messaging is going to be as we get closer to the midterms. I think that every Republican strategist is going to want to make Zohran Mamdani and these recently elected, you know, likely members of Congress, the face of the Democratic Party because that may play well in New York City. But does it play well in these purple districts or even these slightly red districts? I think that is obviously a huge question going forward.
MICHAELSON: And that's part of the reason, Michael, why Hakeem Jeffries wanted the more moderate members, because that's less of a problem for him in some of the other districts that he needs to win.
GENOVESE: You know, this may be a generational thing where people my age remember communism and remember the Soviet Union, but people who are under 40 have no memory of that. It doesn't resonate. The word socialism used to be a dirty word in when I was a young man. It's not anymore. But you're right. Donald Trump is going to try to make it into communism. The Democrats will try to make it into socialism, which is a very different thing.
Donald Trump has the bully pulpit. He'll be able to shout his way through that. Is it going to be convincing? If you want change, the Democratic socialists of America might be offering you an opportunity.
MICHAELSON: Well, we're grateful that you guys aren't leaving us. You'll be with us throughout the next two hours. We've got a lot more to talk about with you, including this interesting battle between President Trump and Congress, which is happening. Historic day on that front. So we'll see you guys in a bit.
But we want to get to some other news right now. And President Trump is firing back at the Senate after they voted to limit his war powers in Iran. He posted on social media, saying in part, quote, "The U.S. Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Power Act vote, telling the number one sponsor of terror in the world that the United States doesn't like what I am doing to them. And I must stop. And by doing so has provided aid and comfort to the enemy."
President Trump also blasted members of his party who voted in favor of this resolution. The measure, which passed on Tuesday, directs the president to remove military forces from the conflict with Iran. President Trump's top diplomat is in the Middle East right now to hear what Gulf allies are saying about the U.S. Iran agreement. Right now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Abu Dhabi. He will then travel to Kuwait and Bahrain.
This as the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are taking place in Washington, D.C.. Although Tehran insists the issues are linked to negotiations with Iran, Rubio says the Lebanon talks are separate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: It's separate because Lebanon is a sovereign country. Now there's an Iranian issue with regard to Lebanon, and that is their support and sponsorship of Hezbollah. And so that factor will be discussed as part of our conversations with the Iranians. But as far as the future of Lebanon, the future of Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese people through their sovereign elected government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: We could see Rubio out and about this hour. If that happens, we'll bring that to you live.
We're also hearing conflicting statements about the U.S.-Iran agreement. Iran's president says the country's missiles are not and never will be in the agreement with the U.S.. Also, despite Tehran's denial, President Trump claims that Iran has agreed to new nuclear inspections.
CNN's Will Ripley live in Taipei to try to clear some of this up.
Will, we've seen the secretary of state. What is his main goal? What is he trying to accomplish in the next few hours?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, look, see, I think Rubio's biggest challenge is going to be convincing Gulf allies that this is going to reduce the war risk, this deal, this MOU, without actually strengthening Iran in the process. So he's trying to reassure these Gulf allies, sell the framework of this, which is still quite nebulous to the rest of the world in terms of what's actually in this memorandum of understanding.
Rubio calling this not just, you know, a sales pitch, but also a listening tour, stressing that this agreement is still a work in progress, wanting to hear input from other key stakeholders in the Gulf and trying to make this case that diplomacy is really the best option when compared to the prospect of yet another regional war.
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And as you mentioned a moment ago, he's really trying to separate the Israel-Lebanon issue from the Iran nuclear issue, even though there's big concern in the Gulf. As, you know, Elex, that Iran would still retain a lot of control over Hezbollah and therefore a lot of influence in Lebanon.
MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, what's going on with the Strait of Hormuz?
RIPLEY: Yes. So this is really interesting because Oman and Iran actually released a joint statement alluding to costs associated with transit through the Strait of Hormuz. They're not saying that there's a plan in place to toll the oil tankers that are passing through. No formal tolling proposal announced, but there are real questions that are being raised about the future management of the waterway.
Obviously, Gulf allies oppose tolling the strait as do the key stakeholders here in Asia who receive the vast majority of their oil through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly China, but also here in Taiwan, Japan, nations around Asia and Indo-Pacific region. Freedom of navigation continues to be a major issue, and this is a -- this is probably the biggest Trump card that Iran holds.
And ironic here that they didn't even really know that they held this leverage until the war started. But now they're definitely going to use it. They're going to use it in these negotiations and use it moving forward for sure.
MICHAELSON: Yes, it's quite a bit of leverage.
Will Ripley, live for us in Taipei. Will, thank you so much.
Back here in Southern California, jury deliberations begin in a few hours in the trial of the Palisades Fire suspect. Federal prosecutors argue that Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 30-year-old former Uber driver, was angry at the world when he allegedly started a fire near the Pacific Palisades community on New Year's Day last year. Then, a few days later, that fire reignited. That fire killed a dozen people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. The defense says there's no evidence that Rinderknecht started the
fire, and that he actually called 911 multiple times, pleading for help. He could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie is responding to reports of the death of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. It comes after new details were released about a ransom note sent days after Nancy Guthrie was taken from her Arizona home on February 1st. Police believe the note came from whoever abducted her.
CNN's Brian Abel has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, DAUGHTER OF NANCY GUTHRIE: Somebody knows something.
BRIAN ABEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Savannah Guthrie Tuesday morning publicly reacting on the "Today" show to the news that a ransom note investigators believe is from the kidnapers of her mother Nancy said that she had died.
GUTHRIE: This is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day. And we are in agony.
ABEL (voice-over): The note sent to media outlets said. Nancy Guthrie died shortly after the February 1st kidnaping from her Tucson, Arizona, home and that the abductors didn't mean to kill her. A week after the kidnaping, Savannah, seemingly responding to that note on Instagram.
GUTHRIE: We received your message and we understand.
ABEL (voice-over): If true, some experts suggest the timing of her death would match the evidence of the case.
ANDREW MCCABE, FORMER FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR: We know that her cardiac monitor stopped reading any sort of a signal on that evening.
ABEL (voice-over): Details of the note were not reported at the request of law enforcement authorities in an effort to protect the investigation.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: The criminals were trying to, in real time, create a defense that they didn't mean for her -- it doesn't matter, but that they didn't mean for her to die.
ABEL (voice-over): The Pima County Sheriff's Department, the lead agency on the investigation, told CNN only that it remains active and ongoing.
GUTHRIE: We cannot be at peace. So no matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy, and I will, I promise I will, this is the moment to tell you that we need your help. We're begging for your help. ABEL (voice-over): In Washington, Brian Abel reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: I hope she's able to get that peace.
Coming up, it is do or die time at the World Cup with a number of teams hoping to punch their ticket to the knockout rounds. Plus FIFA's big plans for President Trump at the World Cup Final. Also ahead, temperatures soaring in France and much of Europe. We'll tell you what people are doing to stay cool.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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MICHAELSON: France has seen its hottest day on record, and Wednesday could be even hotter. In one southwestern town temperatures soared past 111 degrees Fahrenheit or 44 degree Celsius.
CNN's Melissa Bell tells us people in other European nations, from Greece to the U.K., are also sweltering in the heat wave.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's already proving a devastating heat wave, with firefighters battling wildfires in Greece and in France, and temperature records being shattered across Europe like in Cognac in southwestern France, where they rose above 106 degrees on Monday.
It's the second heat wave in Europe in as many months, with schools closing like here in Pithiviers, where all nursery and primary schools will remain closed for the week according to CNN's affiliate BFM TV. Trains too have been canceled and public services across France are under pressure as the heat turns deadly. Beyond the heat-related deaths, authorities in France say that 40 people have drowned since the extreme heat began last week.
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In Germany, two people are doing all they can to stay cool with red heat alerts affecting several parts of the country and even London is bracing for even more heat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I find it quite unbearable and I think it is a sign of climate change, and I just think that London is not a city that's meant to be hot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The weather is really hot, but ultimately it's not good for a lot of people. And I think we need to be more aware. It looks like we're all having fun here, but there's lots of people living in homes which are overheating.
BELL (voice-over): The U.K. has also issued a rare heat alert and closed some of its schools. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, there's only so much that can be done,
especially as schools haven't got the funding to, you know, to cover the cost of adaptation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do feel a lot more hot, and it's harder to go to the park and have a nice time outside.
BELL (voice-over): Few European homes are equipped with air- conditioning, making heat waves even more dangerous. In Paris, parks normally closed in the evening were left open to allow Parisians some respite as Monday into Tuesday proved the hottest night on record. Also a better place to watch France's World Cup match against Iraq than stifling apartments.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The park also offers some privacy for sleeping. And I think it's quieter, so I think it should stay open like this all year round for homeless people as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): And today I think it's a reality that we can no longer deny. Even on an individual level, like when we come to a park at 11:00 p.m. to find a bit of cool air. The fact is, global warming is very much here.
BELL (voice-over): People are being urged to stay out of the sun to stay cool and to stay hydrated as Europeans brave one of the worst heat waves on record.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIANNI INFANTINO, FIFA PRESIDENT: We will be together with the president, enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner of course, together.
BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS HOST: Together, you'll be doing it.
INFANTINO: Of course. We are together all the time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: That was FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirming plans to include U.S. President Donald Trump in this year's trophy presentation at the World Cup final. While FIFA's president is usually the one giving the winners their trophy, heads of state have presented the prize in the past. President Trump has yet to attend a World Cup match in this tournament. The final will be held in New Jersey on July 19th.
For now, teams remain laser focused on the upcoming knockout round as group stage rankings start taking shape. A short time ago, Colombia won their match against the Democratic Republic of Congo one-nil in a critical game for Group K. In other action on Tuesday, Ghana held England to a nil-nil draw in
Boston. A missed header late in the game gave English striker Harry Kane a chance to score, but he skied the rebound shot out of play. Meanwhile, in Houston, Texas, Portugal steamrolled Uzbekistan despite a slow start to the tournament. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo got hot in this one, scoring two goals in Portugal's five-nil blowout.
Ronaldo now has scored a goal in six separate World Cups, setting a new record. We know that Messi had two goals yesterday, so we speculated last night that Ronaldo would have two goals today and he delivered. Portugal fans are beyond excited. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRENDA SILVA, PORTUGAL FAN: I'm so proud of him because he's like such an example to the young kids and I see it every day with the little -- with the kids, like how they look up to him.
AAMNA KHALID, PORTUGAL FAN: This was the best day of my life. I'm so happy I got to see Ronaldo scored two goals. I've waited so long to see this in real life, and I think the whole team worked so well together. Portugal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So Ronaldo, Mbappe and Messi, all with two goals in the last 24 hours. Starting Wednesday, the group stages will now hold six matches per day in the lead up to the knockout round. Some of the most highly anticipated games include Scotland showdown against Brazil in Miami, followed by Mexico playing on home soil against Chechnya.
The next class of the NBA stars are getting a glimpse into their future. The Washington Wizards selected BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the number one pick in tonight's draft. He played one season for the Cougars, averaging more than 25 points per game. The Utah Jazz selected Kansas guard Darren Peterson, the second overall pick. The Jayhawks freshman average just over 20 points a game.
Still to come, more on the primary and runoff elections across the U.S. and the role President Trump played in some of those races. Our panel is back to break it down next. Plus, a big, big day on Capitol Hill, passing some historic legislation while also fighting with President Trump.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. Let's take a look at today's top stories.
The U.S. Senate has adopted a resolution directing President Trump to remove military forces from the conflict with Iran. Four Republicans joined Democrats in voting for that resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it.
[00:35:07]
This as President Trump insists that Americans would support his plan to ask for another $80 billion to cover the cost of the war with Iran.
President Trump says he plans to sign a new landmark Housing Affordability Bill in Congress tomorrow. The measure was approved by Congress tonight in a bipartisan effort aimed at lowering the cost of homeownership nationwide.
Potential solutions include boosting the supply of homes; reforming local zoning and permitting restrictions; and limiting large investors from buying up single-family homes.
Polls are closed, and projections are being made for primary elections and runoffs across the U.S. At stake are precious seats in Congress, which could determine which party gets control of either chamber come November.
President Trump offering his endorsement to Republican candidates he feels can help him influence throughout the country.
Our political panel is back with us: Melanie Mason and Michael Genovese.
Welcome back. I guess we can start there with President Trump's endorsements.
So, he had a situation in South Carolina where he endorsed one candidate. And then it looked like the candidate was going to lose. So, then he endorsed the other candidate, offering a joint endorsement.
I mean, I guess you can't lose that way, right? I mean, that's one way to look at it.
MICHAEL GENOVESE, POLITICAL ANALYST: It's just a little bit cheesy. And it's so un-Trump-like.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
GENOVESE: I mean, usually he -- he has his candidate and he -- he wants and needs that person to do well. But when you're playing both sides of the game, it's just -- nobody wins in that. And so, it seems --
MICHAELSON: Well, he wins.
GENOVESE: -- just an odd thing.
MICHAELSON: He wins either way. Right?
GENOVESE: You can't lose when you're endorsing everyone.
MELANIE MASON, CALIFORNIA BUREAU CHIEF, "POLITICO": Yes. Well, and it got him out of a -- of a jam. I mean, he did do this one time before in that Missouri Senate race where there was Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt, and he did a social media post that was genuinely funny, saying that he endorses Eric.
And I think that that was partially because you did have divides within the Republican caucus.
MICHAELSON: Right.
MASON: And so, it was, you know -- again, he can't lose. And he's able to sort of thread that needle.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Interesting sort of test of his power.
And big test of his power, though, on -- on the floor of Congress. I mean, this was a major moment, especially for these four Republicans to come together and vote against the president with all the Democrats, with this war power resolution.
What do you make of this from a political perspective, and what do you make of it from a substantive perspective also, Professor?
GENOVESE: Well, you know, no one plans to have a disaster, but this was a botched job. And the Republicans are starting to recognize that.
And that opened the door for pushback by the Republicans. They don't want to have to be attached to this any more than anyone else does.
Will it matter? Probably not. We have a runaway presidency. And this was true under Obama. It's true under Trump. We have a runaway presidency. And especially where the war powers are concerned, we are constitutional scofflaws.
And Congress, the only way they can really stand up is through the budget process. That's how Vietnam was ended. I don't think they've got the political courage to do that, though.
So, I think they'll go -- make some ruffles and make some noise, and it'll lead nowhere.
MICHAELSON: And it'll be interesting, Melanie. Tomorrow, President Trump is going to Capitol Hill for a meeting with the Republican Caucus right after this happened.
He's very fired up about what he calls the SAVE America Act. He wants a bill to sort of change the way voting is done around the country.
A lot of the Republicans in the caucus have said, we don't have the votes for this, Mr. President. Sorry. We know you want this.
He's trying to do all sorts of things, but this meeting could be very uncomfortable tomorrow.
MASON: Yes, my -- my colleagues at "Politico" are reporting that it's going to be this reality check that I think that Senate Republicans want to deliver him.
I mean, we know that Leader Thune is even unenthusiastic about about this prospect. And look, he's coming into a meeting with -- with sitting senators
who, you know, lost their primaries because of endorsements that he made. People like Senator John Cornyn of Texas. And so, this is not going to be a universally friendly room.
And so, I think that because of that, some of these senators who perhaps otherwise would have been happy to fall in line, now they have found their voice a little bit more. And we are seeing some of these senators push back against some of these plays, like the SAVE America Act.
MICHAELSON: That being said, before he goes into that meeting, he's going to sign a piece of legislation which is a housing bill, which was passed by both the House and the Senate in a rare bipartisan win where both sides work together. We don't talk about that very much in Washington.
We know that Maxine Waters, who is a very progressive Democrat from Southern California, got a shout-out from Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House.
Let's put this statement up on the screen: "Maxine Waters helped to lead this bill. We are grateful. Chairman Hill" -- who's a Republican -- "Ranking Member Waters, and our counterparts in the Senate for rolling up their sleeves, negotiating, and achieve a bipartisan, bicameral bill that will now head to President Trump's desk."
And in this moment of so much division, how were they able to pull this off on an issue that is the number one issue for a lot of voters around this country: housing affordability.
MASON: Well, but that's exactly right. For a lot of voters around this country.
[00:40:06]
I think for a long time, the question about housing -- housing supply, housing prices -- was seen as sort of a coastal issue or a problem for the cities.
And I think what we've seen is, as these affordability concerns have spread into the suburbs, into the more rural areas, then that sort of loses its partisan sheen. Just, you know, that it's just a Democrats' issue.
And so, I think the fact that Republicans, looking at the midterms that may not be particularly favorable to them, see this as an opportunity to champion an issue. I
think it just speaks to how acute this crisis has gone for so many people across the country.
MICHAELSON: You almost forget, Michael, that Congress has the ability to pass things. Right?
GENOVESE: Well, they've been -- they've been reluctant to -- to go a step ahead of Donald Trump. They're always waiting for Donald Trump. What is the president going to do? What is he willing to put up with?
And so, they're basically just sitting back instead of being aggressive. And there are so many bills in the pipeline: Democratic and Republican bills.
And I think with the housing bill, the good news is that it didn't make headline news. Had it been in the headlines, I think it would have been a political hot potato, and then the sides might have been drawn.
And so, because it was in the background, and because it is so popular and because it is so important, both sides were able to do what they rarely do nowadays work together.
And so, it shows they can do it, but it shows you also how they can do it.
MICHAELSON: But, you know, let's give credit where credit is due. A lot of the analysts of this say this is the most significant housing bill in 36 years. This isn't just some box checking to get the issue off there. And so, that's a significant thing.
MASON: It is significant, but I think it also speaks to how absent Congress has been for so long. I mean, if the last significant legislation was in 1990, in some ways there is, I think I don't want to call it low hanging fruit, because these are really significant reforms.
But there was a lot of time for them to accumulate these policies that had to be enacted. And so, I think that you can give credit where credit is due. You can also say maybe it took a little bit too long to get there. Both of those things can be true.
MICHAELSON: So, we've seen President Trump sort of weighing in on the elections of tonight. Where do you see this moment in political history? Sort of what is the message do you think that voters are sending?
GENOVESE: I think voters are confused. I think they're not sure what direction they want to go in.
And if you look at the Democratic Party, the confusion is reflected in that party. Do you go with the establishment? Do you go to the center? Do you go to the left? Do you go with the young and progressive voters?
What are the Republicans going to be, post-Donald Trump? So, everybody's sort of trying to figure out where each party is going to go. And no one has a good answer to that.
MICHAELSON: And some of that is it's a different answer in different places.
GENOVESE: Yes.
MICHAELSON: So, in areas that are really progressive, in the most progressive parts of New York, it's one thing. In areas that are more conservative or more moderate, it's different. The challenge will be for a potential Democratic nominee to try to unite all of those factions and to be able to win over people in all those different groups.
You guys are sticking around. We're going to talk more about what's happening in New York, including one of the most interesting congressional races, I think, in years, and especially the role that A.I. has played in this or not played in this. We'll have that at the top of the hour.
Also coming up here on THE STORY IS, talking about this.
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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: Cuba's tourism sector is enduring the worst moment in years, if not decades. We've come to an area that should be absolutely full of tourists to see how bad it's gotten.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: We'll take you down those bare streets to see how U.S. Sanctions and an oil blockade are crippling the island's tourism industry. Patrick Oppmann in Havana, next.
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[00:48:14]
MICHAELSON: Cuba's once robust tourism industry has been gutted by U.S. sanctions and an oil blockade. And as the Trump administration tries to pressure the Cuban government, that's not helping, either.
The sharp decline in visitors has wiped out a key source of revenue for Cuba's hospitality workers. And now, many residents fear even harder times are ahead.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann is in Havana.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): You can look for tourists in Cuba, but good luck finding any these days. The colonial streets and plazas in Old Havana, one of the island's main attractions for foreign visitors, are strikingly empty.
OPPMANN: Cuba's tourism sector is enduring the worst moment in years, if not decades. We've come to an area that should be absolutely full of tourists to see how bad it's gotten.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Rolando is trying to promote the restaurant where he works, but there's hardly anyone to make his pitch to. You don't see any tourists.
ROLANDO, TOURISM WORKER: Maybe in this moment, 10 persons. Ten persons, tourists in -- in this square. That is the best square, is Plaza Vieja and the other square in Havana. Maybe 10 persons. It's nothing.
OPPMANN (voice-over): The oil blockade placed by the Trump administration on Cuba earlier this year has contributed to rolling blackouts and a scarcity of jet fuel for airlines carrying tourists from Europe or Canada, which have canceled flights.
Threats of increased U.S. economic sanctions on international hotel chains is forcing many companies to abandon the island and remove the brands off hotels they used to manage for the Cuban government.
According to official statistics, only 360,000 tourists visited the island in the first five months of 2026, a more than 58 percent drop from the previous year.
[00:50:04]
The Trump administration says it is pressuring the island's communist rulers to open the tightly controlled economy and political system.
But people like Elio and Andres (ph), who have been playing traditional Cuban music on the street corner for nearly 30 years, are among those feeling the squeeze.
When we meet them, the guitar duo had earned less than a dollar in tips that day. They told me the economy has never been this bad, even during the pandemic.
ELIO, MUSICIAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
OPPMANN (voice-over): "There are no tourists," Elio says. "Maybe they are at home. One comes by only every half hour or hour."
Even the famed Hemingway trail -- the bars where the American writer drank his way across Havana -- has gone cold.
OPPMANN: This is one of the most famous bars in Havana. You can see Hemingway's signature there on the wall. This is one of the many places he drank. He said he came here for his mojito.
I've never been able to come here without there being just a crush of tourists. We're the first customers of the day. It's a tourist trap without any tourists.
OPPMANN (voice-over): For the first time, Cuban officials say they may allow Cuban exiles or Cubans still living on the island to manage hotels. But full ownership, so far, at least, is still not permitted.
The collapse of the tourism economy is a disaster for a government that spent years pouring scant resources into building hotels.
OPPMANN: This is not only Cuba's largest hotel, it's the tallest building on this island. This is one of the most expensive things this government here has ever built.
Architects who worked on this project told me it cost more than $200 million to build this hotel, which is now empty and closed.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Still, construction continues on even more hotels that are unlikely to see paying customers anytime soon.
Cubans who work in tourism are trying anything to make ends meet.
Alexander tells us he lowered prices to take a carriage ride with his horse, Napoleon, so that Cubans could afford a city tour. He still barely makes enough money to pay for his government license to work as a guide.
More reforms urgently need to take place, he says.
ALEXANDER, TOURISM WORKER: If we don't change our system, if we don't change our economic model, we'll never survive like a human being.
Because every day, daily, there are problems and problems and problems. And if we don't solve, if we don't change those things, you will never have a real future.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Cuba's tourism industry has already collapsed under increased U.S. pressure. Now, the fear is the rest of the island's teetering economy could soon follow.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Just ahead, pop star Olivia Rodrigo talks about her inspiration for Daisy Chain Fields, a new music festival she's launching later this summer.
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[00:57:48]
MICHAELSON: Finnish tech company Oura is expected to go public on U.S. stock markets later this year. The company confidentially filed for an IPO in May.
Its top product, the Oura Ring, is a smart device that tracks users' health metrics. "Business Wire" reports Oura is on pace to surpass 5 million paid subscribers this quarter.
CEO Tom Sale -- Hale spoke with CNN about the company's goals ahead of the expected IPO.
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TOM HALE, CEO, OURA: Our -- our philosophy of the product is actually not to overwhelm you with data. In fact, we call ourselves calm tech. We try and disappear invisibly into your life. That's actually part and parcel of the form factor.
I mean, this is -- this is the Ring. And the size of it is there to -- to really make it fit into your life, like a piece of jewelry that you don't even have to think about.
What we want to do is we want to tell you things that you might not otherwise know. So, for example, one of the kind of compelling experiences of Oura is that you might receive an alert that says, you know, it looks like you might be getting sick.
And you're like, no, but I feel fine. I feel great. And then three days later, you're lying on the couch, watching Netflix, surrounded by Kleenex.
And kind of giving you information that you might not know is actually -- that's the real power of it, this sort of predictive thing.
The other side of it, of course, is that we want to help people build healthy habits.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: I've definitely had that experience with the Kleenex with the Oura Ring.
A new music festival is launching with a mission to celebrate and support women and girls, and it's being led by Grammy-winning artist Olivia Rodrigo.
In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Rodrigo said her inspiration to launch the Daisy Chain Fields event in August comes from the Lilith Fair, the iconic festival founded by Sarah McLaughlin back in the 1990s.
Here's more from Rodrigo with Diane Sawyer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLIVIA RODRIGO, POP STAR/FOUNDER OF DAISY CHAIN FIELDS: When I pictured this festival, I had an image in my head of girls sitting underneath a tree, like making --
DIANE SAWYER, ABC: Making their little bracelets and --
RODRIGO: -- like, little daisy chain. Yes. Or like flower crowns or friendship bracelets. And so, I came up with the name Daisy Chain Fields.
And I also just like the idea of a daisy chain: how we can all be individual links in this chain that is, like, larger than the individual.
SAWYER: And surprisingly strong.
RODRIGO: Surprisingly strong, yes. And beautiful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: The festival includes an all-star cast of female musicians, including Sarah McLaughlin and Stevie Nicks. Organizers say proceeds from Rodrigo's event will go towards nonprofit
groups focused on supporting women and girls.
Thanks for watching the first hour of THE STORY IS.
