Transcripts For CNNW Wolf 20180710 : comparemela.com

Crews safely pulling all of the boys and their coach from a cave just before heavy rains move in. Hear about how theyre doing now. But we begin with battle lines both here in the u. S. And the world stage. Senate democrats are gearing up to fight President Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court. Brett kavanaugh started making the rounds on capitol hill today, and President Trump arrives in brussels soon for what is expected to be a contentious nato summit. The president accusing the alliance of failing to pay its fair share when it comes to defense spending. He sounded off on that and more before leaving for brussels. Nato has not treated us fairly, but i think well work something out. We have a long, beautiful week. I have nato. I have the uk, which is in somewhat turmoil. And i have putin. Frankly, putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think . Boris johnsons a friend of mine. Hes been very, very nice to me, very supportive. I get along with him very well, have a very good relationship. Thats certainly up to the people, not up to me. Brett kavanaughs gotten rave reviews. I think its going to be a beautiful thing to watch over the next month. I actually do have a little gift for him, but youll find out what that gift is when i give it. Well, i have a solution. Tell people not to come to our country illegally. The people that are fighting i. C. E. , its a disgrace. There is nobody under greater danger than the people from i. C. E. Democrats want open borders, and they dont mind crime. There you go. A long list there. Cnn White House Correspondent Katelyn Collins is at the site of the nato summit in brussels. The president says that Vladimir Putin could be the easiest meeting that he will have this week. A remarkable thing to say when the president is about to meet with americas closest allies for decades. What exactly is he saying about putin compared to what hes saying about u. S. Allies . Reporter well, its a stunning contrast there, jim. You see the president talking so friendly about Vladimir Putin while saying, foreshadowing that nato could be a very testy summit, which is exactly what these european leaders who are awaiting the president when he arrives in brussels have feared, that the president is going to come here, have a very testy summit with them, and then at the end of the week wrap up with this very friendly oneonone with the russian president Vladimir Putin. You can hear it in the president s language when he talks about what the week is going to look like. Listen to what he said as he headed for brussels just this morning. Its going to be an interesting time in the uk, and its certainly going to be an interesting time with nato. Nato has not treated us fairly, but i think well work something out. We pay far too much, and they pay far too little. But we will work it out, and all countries will be happy. Reporter so once again, you can see there, jim, the president being very combative when discussing nato. He seems like hes ready to come here and get into a fight about defense spending. We heard the eu chief donald tusk actually fire back, telling the president he needed to appreciate his allies because according to danonald tusk, he doesnt have that many. And its worth reminding people that the u. S. And its nato allies, theyre fighting and dying in places like afghanistan, together on the battlefield. The president was asked about Vladimir Putin, of course, and whether he considers putin a friend or a foe. Heres how he responded to that question. As far as im concerned, a competitor. Hes a competitor. I think that getting along with russia, getting along with china, getting along with others is a good thing, not a bad thing. You know, particularly at a time when it is believed its russia behind possibly another murder on uk soil with a nerve agent, how is a Statement Like that, a position like that from the u. S. President likely to go over with nato allies . Reporter well, jim, it likely wont go over well. These are european leaders who are ready to call Vladimir Putin a foe for what hes done. Consider the United States, meddling in the election, invading crimea, the poisoning of the former russian spy. There are so many things they could easily rule out that Vladimir Putin is not a friend, that he is a foe, but the president wouldnt even go as far as that there. Once again, we are seeing how the president is praising his adversaries while battling his allies here, and were expecting more of that in the coming days when the president does finally arrive here in brussels tonight. Yeah, not seeing many republicans call him out for that either. Thanks very much. For democrats back in the states, the battle is on as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh made the rounds capitol hill. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee were making their case against him. Outside the Supreme Court, they took aim at kavanaughs views on president ial power, abortion, and more. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer issuing a rallying cry. For every american who cares about womens health, about protections for people with preexisting conditions, about civil rights, labor rights, lgbtq rights, environmental rights, now is the time to fight. Now. Now is the time for American People to make their voices heard loudly, clearly, from one end of this country to the other. Cnn congressional reporter lauren fox is on capitol hill now. So lauren, do democrats well, they dont have the numbers, of course. Minorities have to get at least one republican to come over to their side. What does the math look like right now . Reporter well, part of the issue for democrats is the fact that majority leader mitch mcchrystal co mcdonald does not need a single democrat to vote for this nominee to push him forward. This is an issue that mobilizes the democratic base, but the issue for redstate democrats, lawmakers who are facing reelection in a couple of months in states that President Trump won easily in 2016, those folks are going to have a hard road ahead. Senators like Heidi Heitkamp of north dakota, senator joe donnelly of indiana, or senator joe manchin of west virginia. Watch closely as those members move forward over the next few weeks. They all said they want to look over kavanaughs record. They want to meet with him. And they want to see where he stands on the issue of health care and what he would do about people with preexisting conditions. That is a clear issue for redstate democrats, but all eyes are on them in the next few weeks anticipate months ahead as they move forward with this nomination. Okay. So thats the democrats. How about on the republican side . Who are the republicans to watch there . Reporter well, there are a few moderate republicans we have our eye on. One of them, senator Lisa Murkowski of actiolaska. Shes voted on issues like abortion rights and health care with democrats. She told me she has questions about kavanaughs history and experience. Heres what she said specifically about the issue of roe v. Wade and whether shes confident kavanaugh would uphold that decision. I dont have an impression on judge kavanaugh as to where he may fall on the issue of abortion, as well as the many other issues that i will weigh as we move forward with this process. So again, thats why i think all of us need to be doing our due diligence. Reporter senators on both sides of the aisle here clearly have their work cut out for them as they try to hold their caucuses together. A lot to watch for over the next couple weeks, jim. Lauren fox on the hill, thanks very much. Were joined now by vermont senator patrick leahy. Hes a democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Senator leahy, thanks so much for joining us this morning. Kbro youve been around the block on Supreme Court nominations before. Youve been involved in, i believe, every one for a number of years. Tell us what Brett Kavanaugh go ahead, senator. I was going to say, ive been involved in 17 of them. Ill answer your question in a second, but i was listening to the earlier part and what the president was saying about nato. I wish he would read even one or two history books and realize that nato has been a ball work against his friends, the russians. He praises putin and criticizes, for example, the Prime Minister of canada, one of the closest allies we have. Thats not good diplomacy. I was going to ask you about that, but since you brought up russia, let me ask you this. As you know, some of jyour senae colleagues went to russia last week. In fact, they were in moscow on july 4th, of all times. Some came back with conciliatory words about russia, particularly in light of the number of the ways that russia has tried to undermine the u. S. And nato. Were you disappointed by their visit and their statements on their return . They have a right to go where they want. I was in vermont meeting with constituents on fourth of july. I heard a lot of people, republicans and democrats alike, expressing grave concerns about russia, grave concerns about what russia has done to try to influence our elections. Okay. So thats russia. Set that aside for a moment, if we can. Go back to the Supreme Court nominee. As youve said, youve been involved with 17 nominees before. Tell us what Brett Kavanaugh on this court would mean, particularly for the issues people back home care about, whether its a womans right to choose or on gun control. Where do you see him on the ideological spectrum and how he would move this court . Hes obviously the most political nominee weve seen sent up for the Supreme Court in decades. What bothers me is the Supreme Court is supposed to be an independent branch of government. Its not supposed to be there for liberals or conservatives, republicans or democrats, but for all americans. The white house is trying to make it an arm of the white house for a minority of americans. And thats wrong. Its spoesupposed to be an independent branch of government. Certainly hes going to have to answer to a lot of the things he wrote when he was with the republican administration, things he said about the president being exempt from our criminal laws, things he said about guantanamo, torture, and so forth. I think its unfortunate to politicize the Supreme Court. I voted for both republican and democratic nominees in the past and voted against some in the past. I voted for those who i thought would keep the Supreme Court out of politics. Will you vote against Brett Kavanaugh . Im going to go through all his writings and then i will decide. But if his writings and if his statements indicate hes going to continue the same very narrow political view and that the white house thinks hes going to carry out a white house agenda, y i dont know how anybody could vote for him. Democrats have two head winds. One, if the republicans can keep their caucus together, they get the 50 votes. Plus, you have some redstate democrats, as my colleague was explaining, who might feel some political pressure at home to also vote for this nomination. In light of that, do democrats have the numbers to hold this up . Lets have the hearings. You know, i was a prosecutor. I always believed in having the trial and then see what the jury does rather than the other way around. So lets see what he does. I know the republicans have rubber stamped some judges that they never would have allowed through under other administrations, and thats disappointing. I also see republicans that say the president should have nominated Merrick Garland back when democrats were in the majority. Well, when president obama did nominate Merrick Garland, they said, oh, wait a minute, we cant vote for somebody nominated by barack obama. And for the first time in the history of this country, they refused to have a vote. Final question, just quickly. If you cant reject his nomination, do democrats will democrats attempt to delay the vote until after the midterm elections . I have no idea. Lets we need to have time for a thorough hearing as required. Hes got thousands of pages of memos he wrote when he was in a republican white house. He certainly has his other writings. We should review that. Obviously the lobbying group thats for him has reviewed it because they basically told President Trump youve got to nominate this person because among other things, hell repeal roe versus wade. Senator patrick leahy, thanks for taking the time. Thank you. Well, under way right now, some of the imMigrant Children separated from their parents at the border are being reunited, but the Trump Administration likely will miss a key deadline, which is just hours away. Plus, new pardons from the president. Why hes giving passes to the oregon ranchers at the center of a standoff between the u. S. Government and a sometimes violent militia. And take a look at the heroes. These divers here, they were among those who just pulled out all of those trapped boys and their soccer coach from that cave in thailand. Hear what happened in the very final moments of that rescue. High protein to help get us moving. And help you feel more Strength Energy in just 2 weeks. Ill take that. Ensure high protein, with 16 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar. Ensure® thats a good thing, but it doesnt cover everything. Only about 80 of your part b medical expenses. The rest is up to you. 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Call now for your Free Smart Home consultation. Get a free smart lighting control bundle with your smart shade purchase happening right now, the reunions of some of the youngest Migrant Children separated from the their parents at the u. S. Border, a justice apartment attorney said just about half of the nearly 100 children under 5 will rejoin their parents today. These are pictures of some of those kids being transferred from government care, a lastditch attempt by the Trump Administration to extend todays deadline, which it looks like it will fail to meet. Cnn correspondent scott mclain is following the story in phoenix, arizona, where reunifications are happening. What can you tell us about the reunions happening there and how many do you expect to see today . Reporter hey, jim. So we are outside one of those childrens shelters here in the phoenix area, where some of those kids separated from their parents have been living for the last weeks and months. According to a source with knowledge of this situation, these white vans you see behind me here, they are being prepped to move some of these kids to be reunited with their parents. We havent seen any kids just yet, but we have seen an infant child car seat being loaded into one of those vans. We were here a couple hours ago as well early this morning, where about five kids we saw being loaded into those vans. My colleague saw a similar scene at a separate shelter where about half a dozen kids were loaded into a van along with their backpacks and at least one teddy bear. There may be some older kids involved as well, who are going to be reunited with their parents today. Those kids are ones that have younger siblings. So the family can be together as one unit. Now, southwest key, theyre the operator of these childrens shelters. They put out a Statement Today saying their staff, they were in early this morning to get these kids prepped and ready to go, to pack their backpacks, give them a hug. They said all the staff got a hug back from these kids. They said the kids were excited to be reunited with their families. Of course, the staff, they were excited to see them go as well. Now, two of the vans from this morning, from those two separate shelters that i mentioned, jim, they ended up at an i. C. E. Facility not far from here, just north of downtown phoenix. It is an i. C. E. Enforcement and removal operation center. The big question in all of this, of course, is how many kids will b