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More Arrests as Police Try to "Contain" Network Behind Manchester Suicide Bombing; Lawmakers Wants Answers from Mueller on Investigation Targets; Tillerson: U.K. Relationship Will "Withstand" U.S. Leaks; Hillary Clinton Commencement Speech at Wellesley. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired May 26, 2017 - 11:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: New details just in on the deadly ambush of children and parents at a concert in Manchester, England. Authorities say that the suicide bomber -- we're going to show you here at left of your screen -- yeah, on the left part of your screen -- that he spoke to his brother in Libya just 15 minutes before the attack. Then he, of course, went on to kill 22 people. Police have since arrested the bomber's brother as well as his father, and eight more people are also in custody now in connection with the attack.

Meantime, British authorities tell CNN they are trying to contain -- those were their words -- the network behind the suicide bombing.

Let's begin right there and bring in CNN Europe editor, Nina dos Santos, joining me now.

Nina, what does trying to contain the network look like? What are they saying here?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN EUROPE EDITOR: Hi there, Kate. Well, trying to contain the network means more raids. We've had raids over the last three days since this attack took place on Monday evening. We had more raids this morning, not in Manchester, but in another city in the northwest as well. And we've had another arrest this morning. So, in total, ten people have been arrested. Two of them have been released without charge, which means, as you said, there are still eight people who currently remain in custody. But what is crucial here is that authorities are saying that inside of some of these raids, they have managed to find vital pieces of evidence. Now, does that mean they found evidence of potentially bomb-making activity, a bomb-making factory in some of these apartments and properties that they've been raiding? We just don't know that level of detail.

But what we do know is that they've seemed to have veered away from the idea that Salman Abedi may have just been a mule carrying the device and there may be a master bombmaker on the loose towards the fact instead that he may have made this bomb himself because he was trained outside of this country, somewhere else, and given the expertise to do so. He spent about a month in Libya about a month before returning to this country to go on and commit this attack. It's emerged, as you pointed out, that he had been in contact with his brother just 15 minutes before this attack took place. His brother said that he knew he was radicalized, that he was planning something, but he didn't know exactly what. Until authorities can piece together whether there was anybody else who was part of this network who may have been under the similar device that could have been made at the hands of Salman Abedi, or indeed, somewhere else, someone else, this country still remains under a critical state of alert as we head into what is an important bank holiday weekend where key sporting events will see many people coming together, and the national election campaign also resumes -- Kate?

BOLDUAN: Exactly. Doesn't get any easier.

Nina, thank you very, very much. I really appreciate it.

Coming ahead for us, could Michael Flynn already be talking to the Justice Department? What does that mean? A growing number of lawmakers say they do not know, but they surely would like to know. The new concerns on Capitol Hill about where the Russia investigation stands and where it's going and what that means for them.

Plus, any moment, Hillary Clinton will be giving the commencement speech at her alma mater. She'll be starting any moment. Stand by for that.

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[11:37:21] BOLDUAN: Lawmakers want answers. Despite continuing their own probes into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Lawmakers also want Robert Mueller, the newly appointed special counsel, to fill them in on what his targets are in his new investigation.

Listen to the theory from one top Democrat right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, (D), RHODE ISLAND: There is at least a reasonable hypothesis that Mike Flynn is already cooperating with the Department of Justice investigation, and perhaps even has been for some time. All the reporting indicates that they've got him dead to rights on a false statement felony for what he told the FBI when they interviewed him in the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: All right, let me bring in congressional correspondent, Phil Mattingly, for much more on this.

Phil, what answers are lawmakers looking for here?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think a couple things. One, they want to make sure their investigations can keep moving forward. That was the question. Even with lawmakers happy with the appointment of Mueller as the special counsel, very happy the special counsel was appointed, made clear they are moving forward with their investigations. The primary answers they want from Robert Mueller where is your investigation going and how can we avoid running into each other? An example of this yesterday, the FBI responded to oversight chairman Jason Chaffetz saying, no, we will not at this time turn over any documents, any recordings, any transcripts of the James Comey memos, the reported memos that James Comey was keeping, also noting turning over documents of conversations with the White House and Justice Department officials on this investigation. Their rationale is as Robert Mueller gets up and running in this investigation, they want to make sure everything is clear with him before anything moves forward. Now, Jason Chaffetz immediately responded with a letter saying we have our own constitutional prerogative to conduct investigations. We plan on complementing your investigation, and he put on a new dead line and said we want answers by June 8th. So, what you're seeing is really lawmakers and the folks doing the investigation trying to figure out how to work with one another, how to complement one another, how to, in the terminology they use, deconflict with one another. But as you know, Kate, there's a lot of frustration in this. There are a lot of people who are ambitious, who really want these investigations to go forward, and they don't want to be road-blocked or face hurdles as they move forward in that process.

BOLDUAN: I do love that people are using the word deconfliction with how members of are trying to deconflict with an FBI investigation. That says so much.

Great to see you, Phil. Thank you.

MATTINGLY: Thanks.

[11:39:54] BOLDUAN: Coming up next, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, he's visiting the U.K. this morning doing his best to smooth over the damage caused by intelligence leaks in the Manchester bombing. Is the relationship broken? What did Tillerson do to try to make amends?

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BOLDUAN: An olive branch from one government to another, it appears. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made his first official visit to the U.K. amid frustrations spilling out in public over intelligence leaks following Monday's deadly terror attack in Manchester. So, where do things stand now?

Let's go to Michelle Kosinski, following all this from London.

Michelle, it seems first step in his mea culpa was saying it's all on us. What are you hearing?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, exactly. This was extraordinary to hear because we're all gathered there for them to jointly sign letters of condolence over Manchester. You know, it was a chance for them to meet, to smooth things over in private. Then during this very brief question-and-answer session, Secretary of State Tillerson just launched into what amounted to an apology. He didn't say we're sorry, but that's essentially what he was saying. I mean, he said that the U.S. regrets it, that the U.S. takes full responsibility, and he went a step further by saying that they're committed to try to find the source of these leaks that made the British government so upset that they actually stopped access, they stopped sharing with the U.S. for at least, I think it was, what, a day or two there, and that they would prosecute, if necessary, people who are leaking.

And I think what makes this even more impactful is to think it was just a matter of weeks ago that Britain again was upset with the U.S., and the U.S. said what amounted to an apology again but in private when the Trump administration said that it was the equivalent of the NSA in Britain that might have been wiretapping the White House. I mean, the GCHQ was so upset over this, they put out a rare statement, calling it utter nonsense.

So, again, here we are with the two closest allies, you could say in the world, and the U.S. having to apologize.

[11:46:04] BOLDUAN: Yeah, so, it's this spilling over in public, this happening in this meeting in London between secretary of state and his counterpart, but also reaching to the presidential level. The president and Theresa May, they met on the sidelines today. Did we hear what went on in that meeting? What was discussed?

KOSINSKI: Yeah, I mean -- yeah, again, this is a way to try to smooth things over. There's a lot to discuss. I mean, the U.S. And the U.K. cooperate extremely closely on so many issues, and it really raised eyebrows yesterday after his address at NATO that he launched right into reprimands over countries that aren't paying in as much as the U.S. And the fact that he didn't really hit Russia. I mean, Russia's threat, Russia's taking over part of Ukraine is the reason why NATO over the past two years has been beefing up its defenses. So, the White House defended Trump and the way he presented this by saying, well, he was indirectly addressing Russia by trying to get people to pay more. That is essentially addressing what Russia's been doing, its behavior that NATO's trying to stop and avert in the future. But that didn't stop the reactions. I mean, when you look at "The New York Times'" op-ed over this, calling it a failure, Joe Scarborough calling Trump's words a love note to Vladimir Putin, it made headlines around the world. And now I think this is one more area where the White House is going to do some mitigation and try to make up for this.

BOLDUAN: Michelle, you're all over it. Great to see you. Thank you so much. Michelle Kosinski's in London for us right now.

Any moment now, Hillary Clinton will be taking to the microphone. She'll be giving the commencement speech at her alma mate mater, Wellesley college, in Massachusetts. We will bring you those remarks live. Will she dip her toe into politic politics? How far will she go? We will see.

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]11:50:52] BOLDUAN: We are standing by right now. You're taking a live look at Wellesley College in Massachusetts where Paula Johnson is giving her introductory remarks. She is introducing Hillary Clinton, who will be taking to the microphone. We'll bring that to you as soon as it begins.

With that in mind, let's discuss Hillary Clinton back in the game.

Keith Boykin is with me, former Clinton White House aide.

What do you want to hear from Hillary Clinton today when she takes the microphone? This is a unique opportunity.

KEITH BOYKIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I just want to hear that she's still engaged. I feel like she's been unduly criticized after the election. Donald Trump have been attacking her. People on the left have been attacking her for not winning. I want to have her voice. She doesn't have to get into an attack to Donald Trump. But she does offer a unique perspective where she can speak about rebuilding our country and have a leadership that brings us together. We haven't I think seen that much recently. People are clearly dissatisfied as you can see from the poll numbers of Donald Trump.

BOLDUAN: Let me jump in.

Keith, thank you so much.

Hillary Clinton now set to give her commencement speech, her alma mater. First in 1969, she's back at the microphone right now. Let's listen in.

(CHEERING)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE & FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: Thank you so much for that warm welcome. I am happy to be back here at Wellesley, especially for President Johnson's first commencement.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: And to thank her, the trustees, families and friends, faculty, staff, and guests for understanding and perpetuating the importance of this college, what it stands for, what it has meant and what it will do in the years ahead.

And most importantly, it's wonderful to be here with another green class to say congratulations to the class of 2017.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: Now, I have some of my dear friends here from my class. A green class of 1969. And I assume or at least you can tell me later unlike us, you actually have a class cheer.

(LAUGHTER) 1969 Wellesley.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Yet another year with no class cheer.

(LAUGHTER)

But it is such an honor to join with the college and all who have come to celebrate this day with you and to recognize the amazing futures that await you. You know, four years ago maybe a little more or less for some of you -- just a minute. I've got to get a lozenge. Thank you.

I told the trustees I was sitting with after hearing Paula's speech I didn't think I could get through it.

(LAUGHTER)

[11:55:01] So we'll blame allergy instead of emotion.

(LAUGHTER)

But you know, you arrived at this campus --

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: You arrived from all over. You joined students from 49 states and 58 countries. Now, maybe you felt like you belonged right away. I doubt it. But maybe some of you did and you've never wavered. But maybe you changed your major three times and your hair style twice as many as that. Or maybe after your first month of classes you made a frantic collect call. Ask your parents what that was.

(LAUGHTER)

Back to Illinois to tell your mother and father you weren't smart enough to be here. My father said, OK, come home.

(LAUGHTER)

My mother said you have to stick it out. That's what happened to me.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: But whatever your path, you dream big. You probably in true Wellesley fashion planned your academic and extracurricular schedule right down to the minute.

(LAUGHTER)

So this day that you're been waiting for and maybe dreading a little is finally here. As President Johnson said, I spoke at my commencement 48 years ago. I

came back 25 years ago to speak at another commencement. I couldn't think of anyplace I'd rather be this year than right here.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: You may have heard that things didn't exactly go the way I planned.

(LAUGHTER)

But you know what? I'm doing OK.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: I've gotten to spend time with my family, especially my amazing grandchildren. I was going to give the entire commencement speech about them but was talked out of it.

(LAUGHTER)

Long walks in the woods.

(LAUGHTER)

Organizing my closets, right?

(LAUGHTER)

I won't lie. Chardonnay helped a little, too.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: Here's what helped most of all. Remembering who I am, where I come from, and what I believe. And that is what Wellesley means to me. This college gave me so much. It launched me on a life of service and provided friends that I still treasure. So wherever your life takes you, I hope that Wellesley serves as that kind of touchstone for you.

Now, if any of you are nervous about what you'll be walking into when you leave the campus, I know that feeling. I do remember my commencement. I'd been asked by my classmates to speak. I stayed up all night with my friends, the third floor of Davis.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: Writing and editing the speech. By the time we gathered in the academic quad, I was exhausted. My hair was a wreck.

(LAUGHTER)

The mortar board made it even worse.

(LAUGHTER) But I was pretty oblivious to all of that, because what my friends asked me to do was to talk about our worries and about our ability and responsibility to do something about them. We didn't trust government, authority figures, or really anyone over 30.

(LAUGHTER)

In large part, thanks to years of heavy casualties and dishonest official statements about Vietnam and deep differences over civil rights and poverty here at home, we were asking urgent questions about --