Transcripts For CNNW The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer 20

Million confirmed cases, and more than 112,000 confirmed deaths. And the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute now tells cnn the u. S. Can expect that another 100,000 people will die from coronavirus, another 100,000 by september. Lets start our coverage this hour in minneapolis right now still reeling from the death of george floyd. Lucy, the citys police chief is promising to regain the publics trust. Reporter well, the message from the chief today is that hes listening, but perhaps more importantly, that he is taking action. He acknowledged that there are parts of Police Agencies across the country that are broken. That was in his words. But he is vowing a new paradigm in peacekeeping right here in minneapolis. Race is inextricably a part of the american policing system. We will never evolve in this profession if we do not address it head on. Communities of color have paid the heaviest of costs. And that is with their lives. Reporter Minneapolis Police chief Medaria Arradondo in the harsh national spotlight, tonight laying out a plan to reform his department in the wake of the death of george floyd. History is being written now. And im determined to make sure that we are on the right side of history. Reporter the first move, withdrawing from Police Union Contract negotiations, calling for new policies on disciplining officers, the use of force, and other matters he suggested the Union Contract has prevented from changing in the past. The chief is also launching a Warning System to weed out bad Police Officers early on. So for the first time in the history of policing, we here in minneapolis will have an opportunity to use Realtime Data and automation to intervene with officers who are engaged in problematic behavior. Reporter minneapolis mayor jacob frey tonight stepping firmly behind the chiefs plan. We need a new compact with the police, one that centers around compassion and accountability. One that recognizes that the way things have been done for decades and decades is not acceptable. We need change. I want to be very clear that i have chief arradondos back. Reporter also tonight, revelations that former Minneapolis Police officer derek chauvin, seen with his knee on George Floyds neck, was negotiating a possible plea deal with prosecutors before he was arrested and charged, but the Hennepin Prosecutors Office did not say why. That plea deal ultimately fell through for reasons unknown. All four former officers at the center of the floyd case remain in jail. This as protests continue to spread across the nation with calls for Police Reform now leading to action. At least 12 cities and municipalities moving to ban police from using neck restraints or chokeholds. The techniques controversial long before floyds death. And chief arradondo also rejected the idea that the two rookie officers were somehow less culpable, saying that floyd was expecting humanity that day. And we are just learning that nascar is prohibiting the display of the Confederate Flag at its events. Thats a new development coming up today. Certainly is. Thats significant. Thank you, lucy. Were also following other breaking news emerging right now, this time over at the white house. Lets go to our White House Correspondent jeremy diamond. Jeremy, the president just weighed in on the potential renaming of some key u. S. Military bases. Reporter he certainly did, wolf. Earlier this week the u. S. Army said that defense secretary mark esper was open to having a bipartisan conversation about renaming military bases named after confederate commanders. Today, wolf, the president is rejecting that conversation outright, saying that those bases are part of the Great American heritage and saying my administration will not even consider renaming those bases. Wolf, while the president is weighing in on that issue, we still dont know whether or not he supports these policing reforms that are being discussed on capitol hill. But today, wolf, powerful testimony there is certainly racheting up the pressure. Reporter tonight an emotional plea on capitol hill. George wasnt hurting anyone that day. He didnt deserve to die over 20. I am asking you is that what a black mans worth, 20 . This is 2020. Enough is enough. The people marching in the streets are telling you enough is enough. Reporter George Floyds brother intensifying the pressure on President Trump and congress to reform policing in america. Im here to ask you to make it stop. Stop the pain, stop us from being tired. Reporter House Democrats unveiled an ambitious reform package this week, and Senate Republicans are also drafting legislation. But two weeks after george floyd was killed, President Trump is still silent about what kinds of reforms he will support. We do believe that we will have proactive policy prescriptions, whether that means legislation or an executive order. Reporter white house officials have sought proposals from criminal Justice Reform advocates and are now drafting an executive order. The white house also keeping tabs on legislation being drafted by republican senator tim scott. But the draft gop legislation doesnt include a provision to Ban Police Chokeholds or change the qualified immunity legal doctrine to make it easier to sue cops. It also requires states maintain a database of uses of police force that result in death or lose federal funds. Democrats want to mandate a federal database. And on body cameras, the republican proposal is to mandate police wear them when arresting and detaining people. Democrats would require federal uniformed officers to wear them at all times. Scott said he expects to release his legislation on friday, but will trump support it . If history is a teacher, the president has been receptive for the last three years on the priorities try to make sure that theyre sensible and directed towards the American People and not towards partisan and or politics at all. Hopefully he will have the same approach. Reporter tonight, the president s top economic adviser became the latest trump official to deny the existence of systemic racism in the u. S. I dont believe there is systemic racism in the u. S. Reporter meanwhile, trumps aides are still answering for the controversies that are leaving Senate Republicans squirming like trumps baseless claim that a 75yearold man who was severely injured after police pushed him was an antifa provocateur. The president was asking questions about an interaction in a vippoclip he saw. The president does not regret standing up for Law Enforcement. The president to have facts . The president did have facts before he tweeted out that undergirded his question. Its not a baseless Conspiracy Theory. I wont acknowledge that. Reporter the president also rejecting a proposal by his defense secretary to have a, quote, bipartisan conversation about renaming military bases named after confederate commanders, tweeting my administration will not even consider the renaming of these magnificent and fabled military installations. And, wolf, just moments ago, the president was in a meeting with some conservative black republicans who he discussed various issues with. But we didnt actually hear the president express what kinds of policing reforms he would actually support even as we know his white house has been drafting those proposals. What we did hear about from him is this notion of restarting campaign rallies. The president announcing that he will be having a rally in tulsa, oklahoma, next friday. Forging ahead despite the fact that this coronavirus pandemic is still here. A lot of people dying around the world. All right, jeremy, thank you very much. Joining us now the cofounder and ceo of the center for policing equity. And were going to get to him in a moment. But look at these pictures we are just getting in right now. This as protests continuing in boston and new york city right now. A 16th night of protests underway over George Floyds death. We will watch these protests over the next several hours as they unfold. Once again, phillip goff is joining us right now. He testified earlier today before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight and policing and Law Enforcement accountability. Also with us is the host of cnns united shades of america. Thanks to both of you joining us. Professor goff, you testified today and you said this, and let me read the quote that you said. You said, what were seeing on the streets of the United States is a past due notice for the unpaid debts owed to black people for 400 plus years. What do you hope members of congress will take away from your testimony today . Well, on that element, specifically, we have to have an honest accounting of the ways in which this country has erased and abused some of the people who are citizens. It would just be disingenuous for me to come back and say even if we got policing correct, yeah, that would fix it. Thats not the case. Part of the conversation that were hearing right now when people are talking about defund Law Enforcement, what theyre really talking about for many of them is giving social programs the communities that have lacked them so that they have the resources that they dont have to call police in the first place. Thats not just a policing issue. Thats a disinvestment. Like, really its a theft from communities. And if were not able to account for that, if were not able to address that, were just going to keep paying these bills over and over and over again. 16 nights is nothing compared to the amount of time that some of these communities have waited for actual equal justice. As you know, George Floyds younger brother philonise also testified today. And he urged congress to make sure his brother is more than another name on a list, in his words, that wont stop growing. How can congress do that . What do you think the country, the legislature, the executive branch, what do they need to do . Well, to sort of tag team with what phillip said, i think that its not going to be 16 nights. We dont have an administration right now who is going to be open to any of this. So this is a battle that we have to wage from here Going Forward into the next administration, whether thats in a few months or whether thats in four more years. I think that, you know, when i look at his brother testifying, how sad is it that the state of this nation exists that he cant even take time to mourn. Hes got to go testify about his dead brother . I mean, i think it shows how messed up our priorities have to be in america when black people dont get a chance to mourn. They have to become professional witnesses. Professor goff, i know you were involved in an effort that started back in 2015 to study the Minneapolis Police department and improve Police Community relations. How is it that minneapolis was the subject of this intensive reform effort . Yet, we still saw the death, the killing of george floyd . Its a great question. I really wish that the efforts were more intensive. The price tag that was on what youre talking about is the National Initiative for Building Community trust and justice. It looks like it was a lot of money. It looks like it was close to 5 million. When you spread that out across six cities and four years, thats one College Graduate with hopefully some health benefits. Thats not nearly proportional to what we need to fix whats been broken in Law Enforcement since the very, very beginning. That said, what we were there to do was to add science to chiefs that wanted to make change. So that meant that we were going to do some training. Thats okay. We could create some new policies. Thats pretty good. But the goal is always to shift culture because culture eats poli policy training for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And we didnt have the kind of intensity to move there. So now where we are as a nation is saying we need to do that, plus, reimagine whats possible in terms of producing public safety. I was going to say you can still see these very large crowds in new york and boston that have gathered for the 16th night of protests around the country. Let me follow up, professor goff. 12 cities now, clearly minneapolis, have moved to ban chokeholds since George Floyds death. And today the Minneapolis Police chief ended contract negotiations with the police union there. How far will that go in addressing some of these problems . New york had beened a chokehold when eric garner was killed with a chokehold. There were restrictions on how to use force in cleveland when tamir rice was shot. Policies are great, especially in places like minneapolis where you have a chief who says im going to fire you the next day, as soon as i see evidence. That i know it is insufficient for the life of george floyd, but that is an improvement. Policies are not sufficient. Law enforcement policy, if it doesnt change Law Enforcement culture, isnt going to get us where we need to go. None of it is sufficient community is the authority and the resources to say we wont need police because we can take care of ourselves the way theyve been doing in the suburbs for generations. In terms of the broader Cultural Impact that were seeing unfold here in the United States right now, nascar you just heard now banning the display of Confederate Flags. The Reality Tv Show cops has now been canceled. Hbo max, our sister company, has pulled gone with the wind, from its briar. Many businesses are cutting ties with racist employees and pledging more diverse hiring. What do you make of these waves being made right now beyond just policing . I mean, i think some of this stuff is window dressing. Until we change the culture, until we change the structure and institutions of america, its still a system of white supremacy. So i think that, like, if you want to see gone with the wind, then go see gone with the wind. And they got a lot of money out of cops before they pulled it. What does it mean in a year if we still arent if were still not well represented among the top levels of companies, then all of this is window dressing. Thanks very much for joining us. Up next the white house under lots of pressure when it comes to Police Reform as it works on its own proposals. Plus, the growing push to remove confederate monuments across the United States. Well update you on that, much more when we come back. Lete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. Whoohoo great tasting ensure with 9 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and nutrients to support immune health. And right now, is a time for action. So, for a second time were giving members a credit on their auto insurance. Because its the right thing to do. Were also giving Payment Relief options to eligible members so they can take care of things like groceries before they worry about their insurance or credit card bills. Right now is the time to take care of what matters most. Like weve done together, so many times before. Discover all the ways were helping members at usaa. Com coronavirus take a look at this now. You can see the protests still continuing here in the United States. In boston, large numbers of people are marching right now in the streets of boston and new york city. Similarly, theyre marching in new york. They are protesting, this is the 16th night of protests underway right now here in the United States. We will stay on top of those protests. But right now i want to dig deeper into the mixed signals coming from the white house today as the Trump Administration is clearly struggling to come up with some consistent messaging on Police Reform and fighting racism. Lets discuss with our chief political analyst and our cnn White House Correspondent. John, the white house is working, we are told, on its own Police Reform measures. But today the president weighed in to say he wont support renaming u. S. Military bases that were named after confederate commanders. Does he see this moment potentially more as a culture war than a real problem in American Society . Wolf, donald trump sees every moment as a culture war. This was precisely the complaint that general mattis leveled against him last week that his instincts all run toward division rather than unity to an extreme extent that jim mattis said it was unamerican. We know that throughout his life in particular, Racial Division has been a consistent theme of his life, sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination, central park 5, the birther racist Harvard Global<\/a> Health Institute<\/a> now tells cnn the u. S. Can expect that another 100,000 people will die from coronavirus, another 100,000 by september. Lets start our coverage this hour in minneapolis right now still reeling from the death of george floyd. Lucy, the citys police chief is promising to regain the publics trust. Reporter well, the message from the chief today is that hes listening, but perhaps more importantly, that he is taking action. He acknowledged that there are parts of Police Agencies<\/a> across the country that are broken. That was in his words. But he is vowing a new paradigm in peacekeeping right here in minneapolis. Race is inextricably a part of the american policing system. We will never evolve in this profession if we do not address it head on. Communities of color have paid the heaviest of costs. And that is with their lives. Reporter Minneapolis Police<\/a> chief Medaria Arradondo<\/a> in the harsh national spotlight, tonight laying out a plan to reform his department in the wake of the death of george floyd. History is being written now. And im determined to make sure that we are on the right side of history. Reporter the first move, withdrawing from Police Union Contract<\/a> negotiations, calling for new policies on disciplining officers, the use of force, and other matters he suggested the Union Contract<\/a> has prevented from changing in the past. The chief is also launching a Warning System<\/a> to weed out bad Police Officers<\/a> early on. So for the first time in the history of policing, we here in minneapolis will have an opportunity to use Realtime Data<\/a> and automation to intervene with officers who are engaged in problematic behavior. Reporter minneapolis mayor jacob frey tonight stepping firmly behind the chiefs plan. We need a new compact with the police, one that centers around compassion and accountability. One that recognizes that the way things have been done for decades and decades is not acceptable. We need change. I want to be very clear that i have chief arradondos back. Reporter also tonight, revelations that former Minneapolis Police<\/a> officer derek chauvin, seen with his knee on George Floyds<\/a> neck, was negotiating a possible plea deal with prosecutors before he was arrested and charged, but the Hennepin Prosecutors Office<\/a> did not say why. That plea deal ultimately fell through for reasons unknown. All four former officers at the center of the floyd case remain in jail. This as protests continue to spread across the nation with calls for Police Reform<\/a> now leading to action. At least 12 cities and municipalities moving to ban police from using neck restraints or chokeholds. The techniques controversial long before floyds death. And chief arradondo also rejected the idea that the two rookie officers were somehow less culpable, saying that floyd was expecting humanity that day. And we are just learning that nascar is prohibiting the display of the Confederate Flag<\/a> at its events. Thats a new development coming up today. Certainly is. Thats significant. Thank you, lucy. Were also following other breaking news emerging right now, this time over at the white house. Lets go to our White House Correspondent<\/a> jeremy diamond. Jeremy, the president just weighed in on the potential renaming of some key u. S. Military bases. Reporter he certainly did, wolf. Earlier this week the u. S. Army said that defense secretary mark esper was open to having a bipartisan conversation about renaming military bases named after confederate commanders. Today, wolf, the president is rejecting that conversation outright, saying that those bases are part of the Great American<\/a> heritage and saying my administration will not even consider renaming those bases. Wolf, while the president is weighing in on that issue, we still dont know whether or not he supports these policing reforms that are being discussed on capitol hill. But today, wolf, powerful testimony there is certainly racheting up the pressure. Reporter tonight an emotional plea on capitol hill. George wasnt hurting anyone that day. He didnt deserve to die over 20. I am asking you is that what a black mans worth, 20 . This is 2020. Enough is enough. The people marching in the streets are telling you enough is enough. Reporter George Floyds<\/a> brother intensifying the pressure on President Trump<\/a> and congress to reform policing in america. Im here to ask you to make it stop. Stop the pain, stop us from being tired. Reporter House Democrats<\/a> unveiled an ambitious reform package this week, and Senate Republicans<\/a> are also drafting legislation. But two weeks after george floyd was killed, President Trump<\/a> is still silent about what kinds of reforms he will support. We do believe that we will have proactive policy prescriptions, whether that means legislation or an executive order. Reporter white house officials have sought proposals from criminal Justice Reform<\/a> advocates and are now drafting an executive order. The white house also keeping tabs on legislation being drafted by republican senator tim scott. But the draft gop legislation doesnt include a provision to Ban Police Chokeholds<\/a> or change the qualified immunity legal doctrine to make it easier to sue cops. It also requires states maintain a database of uses of police force that result in death or lose federal funds. Democrats want to mandate a federal database. And on body cameras, the republican proposal is to mandate police wear them when arresting and detaining people. Democrats would require federal uniformed officers to wear them at all times. Scott said he expects to release his legislation on friday, but will trump support it . If history is a teacher, the president has been receptive for the last three years on the priorities try to make sure that theyre sensible and directed towards the American People<\/a> and not towards partisan and or politics at all. Hopefully he will have the same approach. Reporter tonight, the president s top economic adviser became the latest trump official to deny the existence of systemic racism in the u. S. I dont believe there is systemic racism in the u. S. Reporter meanwhile, trumps aides are still answering for the controversies that are leaving Senate Republicans<\/a> squirming like trumps baseless claim that a 75yearold man who was severely injured after police pushed him was an antifa provocateur. The president was asking questions about an interaction in a vippoclip he saw. The president does not regret standing up for Law Enforcement<\/a>. The president to have facts . The president did have facts before he tweeted out that undergirded his question. Its not a baseless Conspiracy Theory<\/a>. I wont acknowledge that. Reporter the president also rejecting a proposal by his defense secretary to have a, quote, bipartisan conversation about renaming military bases named after confederate commanders, tweeting my administration will not even consider the renaming of these magnificent and fabled military installations. And, wolf, just moments ago, the president was in a meeting with some conservative black republicans who he discussed various issues with. But we didnt actually hear the president express what kinds of policing reforms he would actually support even as we know his white house has been drafting those proposals. What we did hear about from him is this notion of restarting campaign rallies. The president announcing that he will be having a rally in tulsa, oklahoma, next friday. Forging ahead despite the fact that this coronavirus pandemic is still here. A lot of people dying around the world. All right, jeremy, thank you very much. Joining us now the cofounder and ceo of the center for policing equity. And were going to get to him in a moment. But look at these pictures we are just getting in right now. This as protests continuing in boston and new york city right now. A 16th night of protests underway over George Floyds<\/a> death. We will watch these protests over the next several hours as they unfold. Once again, phillip goff is joining us right now. He testified earlier today before the House Judiciary Committee<\/a> hearing on oversight and policing and Law Enforcement<\/a> accountability. Also with us is the host of cnns united shades of america. Thanks to both of you joining us. Professor goff, you testified today and you said this, and let me read the quote that you said. You said, what were seeing on the streets of the United States<\/a> is a past due notice for the unpaid debts owed to black people for 400 plus years. What do you hope members of congress will take away from your testimony today . Well, on that element, specifically, we have to have an honest accounting of the ways in which this country has erased and abused some of the people who are citizens. It would just be disingenuous for me to come back and say even if we got policing correct, yeah, that would fix it. Thats not the case. Part of the conversation that were hearing right now when people are talking about defund Law Enforcement<\/a>, what theyre really talking about for many of them is giving social programs the communities that have lacked them so that they have the resources that they dont have to call police in the first place. Thats not just a policing issue. Thats a disinvestment. Like, really its a theft from communities. And if were not able to account for that, if were not able to address that, were just going to keep paying these bills over and over and over again. 16 nights is nothing compared to the amount of time that some of these communities have waited for actual equal justice. As you know, George Floyds<\/a> younger brother philonise also testified today. And he urged congress to make sure his brother is more than another name on a list, in his words, that wont stop growing. How can congress do that . What do you think the country, the legislature, the executive branch, what do they need to do . Well, to sort of tag team with what phillip said, i think that its not going to be 16 nights. We dont have an administration right now who is going to be open to any of this. So this is a battle that we have to wage from here Going Forward<\/a> into the next administration, whether thats in a few months or whether thats in four more years. I think that, you know, when i look at his brother testifying, how sad is it that the state of this nation exists that he cant even take time to mourn. Hes got to go testify about his dead brother . I mean, i think it shows how messed up our priorities have to be in america when black people dont get a chance to mourn. They have to become professional witnesses. Professor goff, i know you were involved in an effort that started back in 2015 to study the Minneapolis Police<\/a> department and improve Police Community<\/a> relations. How is it that minneapolis was the subject of this intensive reform effort . Yet, we still saw the death, the killing of george floyd . Its a great question. I really wish that the efforts were more intensive. The price tag that was on what youre talking about is the National Initiative<\/a> for Building Community<\/a> trust and justice. It looks like it was a lot of money. It looks like it was close to 5 million. When you spread that out across six cities and four years, thats one College Graduate<\/a> with hopefully some health benefits. Thats not nearly proportional to what we need to fix whats been broken in Law Enforcement<\/a> since the very, very beginning. That said, what we were there to do was to add science to chiefs that wanted to make change. So that meant that we were going to do some training. Thats okay. We could create some new policies. Thats pretty good. But the goal is always to shift culture because culture eats poli policy training for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And we didnt have the kind of intensity to move there. So now where we are as a nation is saying we need to do that, plus, reimagine whats possible in terms of producing public safety. I was going to say you can still see these very large crowds in new york and boston that have gathered for the 16th night of protests around the country. Let me follow up, professor goff. 12 cities now, clearly minneapolis, have moved to ban chokeholds since George Floyds<\/a> death. And today the Minneapolis Police<\/a> chief ended contract negotiations with the police union there. How far will that go in addressing some of these problems . New york had beened a chokehold when eric garner was killed with a chokehold. There were restrictions on how to use force in cleveland when tamir rice was shot. Policies are great, especially in places like minneapolis where you have a chief who says im going to fire you the next day, as soon as i see evidence. That i know it is insufficient for the life of george floyd, but that is an improvement. Policies are not sufficient. Law enforcement policy, if it doesnt change Law Enforcement<\/a> culture, isnt going to get us where we need to go. None of it is sufficient community is the authority and the resources to say we wont need police because we can take care of ourselves the way theyve been doing in the suburbs for generations. In terms of the broader Cultural Impact<\/a> that were seeing unfold here in the United States<\/a> right now, nascar you just heard now banning the display of Confederate Flag<\/a>s. The Reality Tv Show<\/a> cops has now been canceled. Hbo max, our sister company, has pulled gone with the wind, from its briar. Many businesses are cutting ties with racist employees and pledging more diverse hiring. What do you make of these waves being made right now beyond just policing . I mean, i think some of this stuff is window dressing. Until we change the culture, until we change the structure and institutions of america, its still a system of white supremacy. So i think that, like, if you want to see gone with the wind, then go see gone with the wind. And they got a lot of money out of cops before they pulled it. What does it mean in a year if we still arent if were still not well represented among the top levels of companies, then all of this is window dressing. Thanks very much for joining us. Up next the white house under lots of pressure when it comes to Police Reform<\/a> as it works on its own proposals. Plus, the growing push to remove confederate monuments across the United States<\/a>. Well update you on that, much more when we come back. Lete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. Whoohoo great tasting ensure with 9 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and nutrients to support immune health. And right now, is a time for action. So, for a second time were giving members a credit on their auto insurance. Because its the right thing to do. Were also giving Payment Relief<\/a> options to eligible members so they can take care of things like groceries before they worry about their insurance or credit card bills. Right now is the time to take care of what matters most. Like weve done together, so many times before. Discover all the ways were helping members at usaa. Com coronavirus take a look at this now. You can see the protests still continuing here in the United States<\/a>. In boston, large numbers of people are marching right now in the streets of boston and new york city. Similarly, theyre marching in new york. They are protesting, this is the 16th night of protests underway right now here in the United States<\/a>. We will stay on top of those protests. But right now i want to dig deeper into the mixed signals coming from the white house today as the Trump Administration<\/a> is clearly struggling to come up with some consistent messaging on Police Reform<\/a> and fighting racism. Lets discuss with our chief political analyst and our cnn White House Correspondent<\/a>. John, the white house is working, we are told, on its own Police Reform<\/a> measures. But today the president weighed in to say he wont support renaming u. S. Military bases that were named after confederate commanders. Does he see this moment potentially more as a culture war than a real problem in American Society<\/a> . Wolf, donald trump sees every moment as a culture war. This was precisely the complaint that general mattis leveled against him last week that his instincts all run toward division rather than unity to an extreme extent that jim mattis said it was unamerican. We know that throughout his life in particular, Racial Division<\/a> has been a consistent theme of his life, sued by the Justice Department<\/a> for racial discrimination, central park 5, the birther racist Conspiracy Theory<\/a> about president obama. And its been shot through his entire campaign, what hes had to say about immigrants. The very theme make America Great<\/a> again is a backward looking theme that views social change through the prism of Political Correctness<\/a> and wants to go back to the way things were. So even though the military has got a lot of interest in this moment, highly diverse u. S. Military, successfully integrated, a racially integrated u. S. Military, racing ahead with things like considering changes to those military bases named after confederate generals. The president says no, which is why the idea of him giving a unity speech is not likely to produce anything that matters very much. Gloria, the White House Press<\/a> secretary today defended the president for putting out that totally baseless Conspiracy Theory<\/a> accusing a peaceful protester in buffalo, new york, of faking his injury at the hands of police. 75yearold individual, Kayleigh Mcenany<\/a> saying that the president was just raising questions. Whats your reaction to that . Come on. Of course. He wasnt just raising questions. First of all youre the president of the United States<\/a>. You dont have to raise questions in a tweet. You can go to the fbi privately and say if you have some real concerns about whether this person is a member of antifa, which we know is a Conspiracy Theory<\/a>. But lets say the u. S. President had a question had about that. You go to the fbi and you ask the fbi. You are the president of the United States<\/a>. Secondly, in response to Kayleigh Mcenany<\/a>, he wasnt just asking questions in that tweet. What he was doing was saying that the protester could be a provocateur. So he wasnt raising questions. He was making outrageous, conspiratororal statements. Those were not questions in that tweet. John, ill be anxious to get your thoughts because a lot of people think its simply dangerous for the president of the United States<\/a> to amplify a Conspiracy Theory<\/a> like that with no basis in fact. Well, of course its dangerous, and not only is it a baseless Conspiracy Theory<\/a>. It was one advocated by a kremlin propagandist. The first person who gave this information also worked for sputnik, which is a kremlin propaganda outless. Yes, it is dangerous. Now, what makes it less dangerous is that people are used to this from President Trump<\/a>. People dont believe President Trump<\/a>. A majority of americans at every point in his presidency have said they believe donald trump is dishonest. So you have to discount for the fact that most americans dont Pay Attention<\/a> to what he says. There is a minority who do that will be inclined to believe that stuff. But the effect of every incremental crazy thing he tweets im not sure is all that great. Also today go ahead, gloria. If finish your thought. Go ahead, wolf. Thats fine. We want to hear from you. Go ahead. Its just that it is inflammatory. This is a president whos pouring gasoline on a fire here. And when you talk about a president potentially giving a uniting speech, there is questions inside the white house about whether this president can actually do that. I spoke with a former white house staffer yesterday who said they cannot even agree on whether to give a unity speech, and this staffer called it a farce. And the reason its a farce is because they dont know whether they can trust the president to actually unite the country because its what most president s try and do at times like this. But this president has never reached out beyond his base. And there is little certainty that he can do that now. You know, gloria, another one of the president s top advisers, the white house chief economic adviser, lady custorry kudlow s doesnt believe there is systemic racism in the United States<\/a>. How divided are white house staffers on the president s response . Well, i think they are divided. And it is highly ironic that on a speech that has to do with unity, there is a divided group inside the white house trying to figure out whether the president of the United States<\/a> can actually give a good unifying speech that would matter. Think about that. There is division over whether he can unify. And i think thats very telling in and of itself, wolf. Go ahead, john. I wanted to say that, yes, there is division in the white house. But its important to look at the unanimity. Weve heard that from the National Security<\/a> adviser. Weve heard that from the Homeland Security<\/a> adviser and larry kudlow, very consistent position among top Trump Administration<\/a> aides. On that point, there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of division. Coming up, a disturbing surge in coronavirus cases here in the United States<\/a> as the National Death<\/a> toll now surpasses 112,000. Plus, more astonishing fallout in the cultural shift taking place before our eyes in the wake of George Floyds<\/a> death. Nascar just announcing its going to prohibit the display of Confederate Flag<\/a>s. Well be right back. They will, but with accident forgiveness allstate wont raise your rates just because of an accident, even if its your fault. Cut sonny. Was that good . Line the desert never lies. Isnt that what i said . No you were talking about allstate and insurance. I just. When i. Lets try again. Everybody back to one. Accident forgiveness from allstate. Click or call for a quote today. In this world where people are staying at home, many of lifes moments are being put on hold. At carvana, we understand that for some getting a car just cant wait. Thats why the new way to buy and sell a car is also the safer way. At carvana, you can do it all 100 online from home with a touchless delivery and pickup process to keep you safe. 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Protesting on the streets of new york city right now. The protests continue on the 16th night of protests underway as a result of the George Floyd Death<\/a> in minneapolis. Well continue to watch all of these developments regarding the george floyd case, the protests underway across the country right now. But theres other Important News<\/a> including some breaking news we are following in the coronavirus pandemic. The director of the Harvard Global<\/a> Health Institute<\/a> now tells cnn the u. S. Can expect another 100,000 americans will die from the virus by september. Already at 112,000 americans over the past three months have already died. Another 100,000, harvard is now the Harvard Global<\/a> Health Center<\/a> is now projecting by september. Very disturbing numbers. Cnns vick watt is joining us from los angeles. A grim new projection as the country approaches 2 million confirmed cases. Reporter wolf, dr. Anthony fauci calls this virus his Worst Nightmare<\/a> and stresses that it is not over. Down in arkansas where they are continuing to open as the case numbers climb, today the governor said that americans are on the move, they cant be tied down, they cant be restrained. And he also put it rather poetically like this. He says but were not out of the woods. We are still in the heart of those woods. This morning, miamis beaches reopened. In new jersey, up to 100 people can now gather outdoors. And this weekend nascar will allow some fans back in the stands. Nationally, our daily new case count is falling, but is there devil in the detail . If youre going to get into trouble, you will see it in the numbers. You will see them starting to increase. And as we sit here today, states are getting into trouble. Reporter hospitalizations are up in at least a dozen states since memorial day, and in 19 states the average daily new case count is rising as is concern that this coronavirus is making a comeback. And it worries me because there is no obvious way to stop it without shutting down or without really aggressively increasing our testing capacity. Reporter arizonas average daily case count has doubled in just the past ten days. Hospitals across the state now being told if they havent already to fully activate your facility emergency plan. It is prudent to start looking at the Surge Capacity<\/a> because unless there is an intervention that comes in the next few days, i think were on a railroad to overcapacity in early july. Reporter in North Carolina<\/a> there are now people in the hospital with covid19 than at any time since this pandemic began. You still need to wash your hands as often as you possibly can and avoid congregation in large numbers. Reporter the d. C. National guard deployed to quell protests sparked by George Floyds<\/a> killing says some members have since tested positive. The report of the National Guardsmen<\/a> being infected is certainly disturbing, but is not surprising. Its the kinds of things that we were concerned about. And unfortunately we are seeing it come true right now. Reporter meanwhile the u. S. Government announced it will fund and conduct studies on three possible vaccines with moderna, astrazeneca, and johnson johnson, which just accelerated its schedule. Human testing was slated for september, just moved up to july. Now, a sliver of good news. Major League Soccer<\/a> say they will be back july 8th. But some worrying news from College Campuses<\/a> where athletes have been returning these past couple of weeks. Arkansas states says seven athletes now tested positive for the coronavirus. University of Central Florida<\/a> has three positive football players. And texas tech has an unknown number of people on the mens basketball who have also now tested positive. Wolf . Thats very disturbing indeed. Nick watt in l. A. For us. And were going to have a lot more. Stay with us. Were going to be following whats ahead for the United States<\/a> as the coronavirus cases continue to rise, and states continue to keep on reopening. Look, this isnt my first rodeo. And let me tell you something, i wouldnt be here if i thought reverse mortgages took advantage of any american senior, or worse, that it was some way to take your home. Its just a loan designed for older homeowners, and, its helped over a million americans. A reverse Mortgage Loan<\/a> isnt some kind of trick to take your home. Its a loan, like any other. Big difference is how you pay it back. Find out how reverse mortgages really work with aags free, noobligation reverse mortgage guide. Eliminate monthly mortgage payments, pay bills, medical costs, and more. 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Trust aag for the best reverse mortgage solutions. So you can. Retire better. Ibut nothing makes me feel like pnew always discreet boutique. Outside, its soft like underwear. Inside, it turns liquid to gel. For incredible protection, that feels like nothing but my underwear. New always discreet boutique. Were back with more on the breaking news right now as the u. S. Coronavirus death toll now surpasses 112,000. A harvard doctor is predicting another 100,000 deaths here in the United States<\/a> by this september. Joining us here in the situation room, baltimores former City Health Commissioner<\/a> dr. Lena wen who is also an expert on this. And a doctor from the Global Health<\/a> institute will be joining us, says another 100,000 people will die from coronavirus by september. Thats clearly a shocking number, especially when the country is continuing to reopen big time. Its also, wolf, that we knew what we had to do to prevent the next 100,000 deaths. Initially, we could have said, well, maybe we didnt know, we didnt know about the importance of testing, we didnt know about how early action with social distancing can save lives. Now we do. We have plenty of studies to show this. We are reopening despite the advice from Many Public Health<\/a> experts saying that were just not ready to do that. There were multiple states that were reopening despite seeing an increase in the number of cases that went against the coronavirus the White House Coronavirus<\/a> task forces own guidelines and now we are seeing the consequences. We are seeing the surge that really couldve been predicted. And unfortunately that surge is only going to get worse. This is a very contagious virus. We all need to be keeping our guard up just because you can now do something, doesnt mean that you should. So we should keep on practicing that social distancing, wash our hands, wear masks and do all these Public Health<\/a> hygiene practices to the best of our abilities while we also urge our policymakers to prepare for this upcoming surge. And a lot of people out there apparently think its over. Its clearly not over. Its practice billion going to g probably going to get a whole lot worse. A number of cases have seen their numbers go up since memorial day weekend. And the daily death toll is still very high. So do parts of the country need to do a 180 right now, reimplement some of those Safety Measures<\/a> that we saw originally in the form of lockdowns . Its going to be really hard, i think, for anyone to tolerate these lockdowns. But i think we need a combination of things. First of all, we have to have the early surveillance systems. That way we can pick up on new infections before they become outbreaks, and outbreaks before they become full scale pandemics. We also have to be preparing our hospitals. We cannot have a situation like we did last time where Health Care Workers<\/a> on the front lines did not have basic things like masks to protect themselves. This time we do have the warning. We know that its going to happen. And i think that policymakers also have to do their part to think about at what point are they going to pull back. At what point are they going to now say we will remove or reimpose some of these restrictions that have been removed if schools are open, Daycare Centers<\/a> are open, and we get new evidence that children are vectors, are we able to be able to pull the plug and say lets impose these restrictions again . I hope that that messaging will be clear, and in the meantime, everybody should keep up their guard. Because as we are reopening, as people are going back to work, that virus is going to be transmitted more. So we do should even more ourselves to reduce personal risk. Hundreds of americans are dying every day. Yesterday 983 americans died from coronavirus. Earlier in the week, leana, an official with the World Health Organization<\/a> confused a lot of people by saying that its rare for people without symptoms to actually spread the virus. She later clarified saying not enough research has been done on asymptomatic spread. Update our viewers. What really is going on here . Yes. So the comments by the World Health Organization<\/a> were confusing, and actually really unfortunate because they made the situation muddy when it shouldnt be. The bottom line is that asymptomatic transmission occurs, meaning that you could be transmitting you could be carrying covid19 and transmitting it before you have any symptoms. And, in fact, according to the cdc, up to 40 of cases of covid19 are from asymptomatic transmission. So be very careful even if you have no symptoms. Good advice from dr. Lea dr. Leana wen. Coming up, cops canceled, gone with the wind. Popular culture is changing right before our eyes. And amid concerns about george floyd, racism and police tactics, cnn speaks with the Minneapolis Police<\/a> chief. Lots of news. Well be right back. Indistinct talking on tv ] hey. You fell asleep with your sign again. You fell asleep with your sign again. No, i didnt. Okay. Switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. You know, like the sign says. Breaking news were following nascar just announcing it is prohibiting displays of the Confederate Flag<\/a>, and it is just one of the many shifts suddenly taking place in Popular American<\/a> culture. Lets go to cnns brian todd working the story for us. Brian, tell us more. Reporter wolf, the Cultural Impact<\/a> of George Floyds<\/a> death and the protest is striking starting with the abrupt cancellation of one of the most popular tv shows in cable history. Keep your hand where i can see it. Reporter for more than three decades the show cops was lauded as a real life, unfiltered, intimate look at the daily lives of Law Enforcement<\/a> officers. Tonight cops has been dumped from the cable tv universe canceled by the paramount network saying it has no plans for the show to return. Worldwide protests after the Police Killing<\/a> of george floyd have drawn new scrutiny on shows like cops and the similar popular a e show live pd which has been postponed. A live pd crew was filming when Javier Ambler<\/a> an africanamerican man died in Police Custody<\/a> in austin, texas last year. He can be seen in newly released video saying i cant breathe, a plea also made by george floyd. A critic who investigated the show cops said the program often led off with crimes committed by africanamericans at a disproportionate rate and showed generally a distorted picture of police as the good guys. Those shows are made to scare people and make people believe the only thing between them and the violence theyre seeing is the thin, blue line. Reporter Police Reality<\/a> shows are not the only showbiz icons under the microscope after George Floyds<\/a> killing. You just got to go on being brave. Reporter hbo max owned bite same company as cnn has removed the classic film gone with the wind from its catalog. The 1939 movie which romanticizes the south during the civil war will be brought back, hbo says, but will include a discussion of the Historical Context<\/a> and a denuns yags of racism. Yes, indeed, it does glorify the antebellum south and it does white wash slavery. I think the movie does have a place in history but it definitely is a problematic movie in a lot of ways and i think having a conversation about that is appropriate. Reporter audiences are also seeking out films and shows about the black experience and racial justice, movies like just mercy and the hate you give. Documentaries like 13th and tv shows like blackish and of the top five best selling books on amazon four of them are about race including titles like white fragility and how to be an antiracist. This is a real, big cultural shift. All of these very powerful players throughout society from hollywood to city hall are now responding to the protesters after just a couple weeks of action and they are able to do what electoral politics has largely failed to do. Reporter the cultural shift has also made its way to the race track following pleas by africanamerican nascar driver Bubba Wallace<\/a> nascar has Just Announced<\/a> it is banning fans from bringing Confederate Flag<\/a>s to races. As for the cop reality shows, some critics have called for them to be completely purged from tv, but analysts say that is unlikely and say several Cable Networks<\/a> have already committed their lineups to true crime shows and reruns of the show cops can still be seen on some cable stations. Interesting. Brian todd reporting. Thank you. Coming up the Minneapolis Police<\/a> chief goes oneonone with cnn to talk about his plan to turn around his department thats been rocked by the death of george floyd. Incomparable design makes it beautiful. Stateoftheart Technology Makes<\/a> it brilliant. The lexus nx, with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, and amazon alexa compatibility, standard. Experience the crossover in its most visionary form. Experience amazing at your lexus dealer. Lets be honest. Quitting smoking is hard. Like, quitting every monday hard. Quitting feels so big. So try making it smaller, and youll be surprised at how easily starting small can lead to something big. Start stopping with nicorette. Can i find an Investment Firm<\/a> with a truly longterm view thats been through multiple market cycles for over 85 years . With capital group, i can. Talk to your financial professional or consultant for investment risks and information. And right now, is a time for action. So, for a second time were giving members a credit on their auto insurance. Because its the right thing to do. Were also giving Payment Relief<\/a> options to eligible members so they can take care of things like groceries before they worry about their insurance or credit card bills. Right now is the time to take care of what matters most. Like weve done together, so many times before. Discover all the ways were helping members at usaa. Com coronavirus discover all the ways were helping members and get way more. Ith wso you can bring yours vision to life and save in more ways than one. For small prices, you can build big dreams. Spend less, get way more. Shop everything home at wayfair today. The xfinity voice remote will find exactly that. For, happy stuff. If the groups happy, im happy. You can even say a famous movie quote and it will know the right movie. Thatll do, donkey youre expecting prince charming . You can learn something new any time. Education. And if youre not sure what youre looking for, say. Surprise me. Just ask what can i say . To find more of what you love with the xfinity voice remote. This is cnn breaking news. We welcome our viewers in the United States<\/a> and around the world. Im wolf blitzer in the situation room following breaking news. You are looking at live pictures from new york city, new protests against Racial Injustice<\/a> under way this hour as George Floyds<\/a> death continues to strike a raw nerve in this country, this on the 16th night after his death. The fight is continuing in washington as well, as individuals are pleading with lawmakers to stop the pain and listen to calls for Police Reform<\/a>. And just moments from now well bring you a oneonone interview with the Minneapolis Police<\/a> chief revealing key elements of his plan to stop brutality in his tarnished department. We are also following breaking news on the coronavirus pandemic. 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