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Global Markets Plunge; Kim Jong-un Visits China Again; Deaths after Hurricane Maria; England Beats Tunisia; A Boston Charity Helps Kids. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired June 19, 2018 - 08:30   ET

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


[08:30:00] CATHERINE RAMPELL, COLUMNIST, "WASHINGTON POST": Tariffs in other areas raise prices for consumers. We've seen it with washing machines. We've seen it with steel and aluminum tariffs, which have raised prices about 50 percent higher than they are in China and the E.U., which means that that's going to get passed through to consumers as well.

So we are going to see a lot of pain for consumers and it will likely, at least partly, offset whatever benefits they're getting from the tax cut.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And, clearly, the White House is trying to temper the impact for consumers, or at least the perceived impact. "The New York Times" is reporting this morning that somehow Apple products, iPhones, would be exempt from these tariffs. I'm not quite sure how that would happen. It's very complicated.

RAMPELL: Picking winners and losers.

But what's the likelihood that any of this makes China blink? Does China feel pressure here?

RAMPELL: I think, no, probably at this point. I think Trump has probably made a pretty big miscalculation. Remember, only one of our countries has a midterm coming up and China has been very strategic about what kinds of American products it puts tariffs on, you know, targeting Iowa pork and soy beans and other -- other products from politically sensitive areas. And China is at a point right now where, if it does anything to give into Trump, it looks like its caving. And the Chinese government is very sensitive to the idea of appearing strong and not looking like, at this point in geopolitics, that it is caving to Trump. So I think it's -- I think Trump has basically made a miscalculation here.

BERMAN: We will see. And, again, this is something the president has promised to do. I don't think it should come as a surprise to people with the level of which he's following through and the amounts he's talking about right now, obviously, a cause for concern in the markets.

David Sanger, I want to shift gears, if I can, although maybe not completely disconnected here. President Trump, on Friday, claimed that he was going to have a phone call over the weekend with his -- his new negotiating partner Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea. Apparently that phone call didn't happen. And now we wake up and Kim is in China. Two days of meetings with President Xi Jinping, the third time he's met with Xi in the last couple of months.

What are we supposed to make of Kim being in China today?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: You know, these two things really are related. Remember, it was just last summer that President Trump said, why would I get tough with China while they're helping me on North Korea. Well, now, he's getting tough on China with all of the effects that you just heard from Catherine.

What's likely to happen in the meeting with Kim? Kim's basically going to say, hey, look, I managed the problem for you. Your biggest fear, he would say to Xi Jinping, was that Donald Trump was going to come in, do something wild, bomb North Korea, destabilize my regime. Instead, I've gotten that calmed out for you.

The Chinese reaction has already been to lift a lot of the sanctions that they've had on North Korea. Well, the more that Kim has sanctions lifted by China, his main supplier, the less likely he is to speed up any form of disarmament. He's under less and less pain.

And for the president, there are twin problems here. There's the problem of the consumer reaction. There's the problem that he can't deliver on all those things he was telling us when you and I were in Singapore last week that he was going to get out of the North Koreans.

BERMAN: There's a long history of North Korean leaders, Kim's father and grandfather, playing great powers off of one another. For a long time it was playing the Soviet Union, the then Soviet Union, off of China to try to get more aid from communist leaders.

Is Kim now trying to play the United States off of China here?

SANGER: Absolutely. I mean Kim is much more dependent on the Chinese and their trade than he is on the United States. So whenever the president says I'm putting great sanctions on North Korea, we don't have much trade with North Korea since the Korean War ended in 1953.

So, you know, if your Kim, you've come out of this thing. You've made a vague promise to denuclearize. The same promise but less specific than his father and grandfather made. President Trump is already canceled the August exercises, military exercises. Good news for the Chinese, right?

And, on top of that, you've now got the question of the Chinese letting up some on North Korean imports and exports. So I don't think you're going to see Kim moving in the president's direction very fast.

BERMAN: All right, we've got about an hour till the markets open. We'll be watching it very closely.

David Sanger and Catherine Rampell, thanks so much for being with us.

Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, John.

As you know, CNN has been investigating the death toll ever since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. Well, we have an update for you and some new numbers of what our investigation is revealing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:38:21] CAMEROTA: The death toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria and its aftermath remains a source of controversy. The government's official number still stands at 64 people, but an investigation by CNN and a recent Harvard survey say the death toll could be thousands of people higher than that.

CNN's Leyla Santiago is live in San Juan with an update on what CNN has uncovered.

Leyla, you've been following this since before the hurricane hit. What have you uncovered?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, here's why this is so important, Alisyn. If you don't know who died when, where, if that number isn't accurate in what it reflects in the aftermath of the hurricane, then there's no way to prevent those deaths in the future.

On top of that, for these families who believe they've lost someone because of Hurricane Maria, they could be eligible for financial assistance from the government if they get that recognition. That's why they say it is so important, so important to be acknowledged in the government's Hurricane Maria death toll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANTIAGO (voice over): It's the first time he's pulling this box out of the shack behind his home, still wrapped up just as it was delivered. These are the ashes of his uncle, Miguel (INAUDIBLE).

SANTIAGO (on camera): You think you're holding him right now because of Maria?

GEOVANI LOPEZ, MIGUEL'S NEPHEW: Yes.

SANTIAGO (voice over): Geovani Lopez believes his uncle, a U.S. veteran, died because of this accident and Maria is to blame. A lack of power after the storm, he says, caused Miguel to drive off a wiped out bridge because he couldn't see without the lights at night.

[08:40:02] LOPEZ: He just went in the dark and flipped over.

SANTIAGO: He died three weeks later in the hospital.

The government's forensics office asked Geovani if his uncle's death was related to Hurricane Maria. LOPEZ: Common sense. I said yes. I said yes. When he asked me that

question., I said, yes.

SANTIAGO (on camera): And what did he say?

LOPEZ: And he typed it. He said, due to the Hurricane Maria. OK. He typed the info.

SANTIAGO (voice over): But, still, Miguel's name is not part of the government's official death toll of 64. We only learned of his case after suing the government for all of its death records in the months after Hurricane Maria. A judge ruled in favor of CNN and the Center for Investigative Journalism, ordering the release of government records, including all causes of death. In it, we found 38 deaths in which doctors indicated the person was a victim of a cataclysmic storm. Some of those are included on the government's official death toll. But we found these six, including Miguel, who were not on the government's official list.

SANTIAGO (on camera): No one has called you from the government to ask questions about the cataclysmic storm listed on the death certificate?

LOPEZ: Negative.

SANTIAGO (voice over): The family of Carmen Gonzalez told us the same thing. She's also not on the official list.

Her doctor, Jose Perez Valentino (ph), listed Hurricane Irma and Maria as a contributing factor in her death because she relied on electrical equipment for her health. One of the causes, pulmonary embolism, indicating her electric bed may not have been moved enough to prevent blood clots in Carmen's body.

SANTIAGO (on camera): He says he wrote Hurricane Irma and Maria because he was convinced that the death was collateral damage from the hurricanes.

SANTIAGO (voice over): But Perez says no one from the government ever followed up to look into adding Carmen to the official death toll.

So we went to the governor to ask about what we found.

SANTIAGO (on camera): We have found multiple cases in which doctors, forensic pathologists, your own pathologists have said this is storm related, and yet they're not on the government's official death toll. Why?

GOV. RICARDO ROSSELLO, PUERTO RICO: They weren't reconsillated (ph) with what forensic science had already done. So that was the reason. They were put to the GW investigation.

SANTIAGO (voice over): The GW investigation, that's a review by George Washington University of Maria's death toll commissioned by Puerto Rico's government. They're expecting the results in July and government officials tell us they flagged Miguel's case. It's under review as part of that investigation. The death toll, they say, will be updated only when it is complete.

LOPEZ: I have my hands tied.

SANTIAGO: But for Giovani, he's tired of waiting, waiting for recognition and for closure.

SANTIAGO (on camera): Do you feel like anyone cared?

LOPEZ: No. They didn't care. They didn't care.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANTIAGO: And, you know, we are now combing through thousands, more than 20,000 death records trying to get to the bottom of what exactly this death toll should be, what exactly happened after Hurricane Maria. And we're reaching out to our audience, reaching out to folks to help us out. You can go to cnn.com/puertorico. We have put a searchable database there where if you know someone you believe died as a result of Hurricane Maria, you can tell us their story.

Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Leyla, thank you very much for staying on that. We will get the answers, though it has obviously taken a long time for those families. Thank you very much.

BERMAN: Leyla just keeps on pushing.

CAMEROTA: I know.

BERMAN: Thank goodness she does.

All right, England stages this epic World Cup finish thanks to the heroic performance of the most important person named Harry in all of Britain.

Lindsay Czarniak has more in the "Bleacher Report."

CAMEROTA: I beg to differ.

LINDSAY CZARNIAK, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Why did you look at her like that? That was so bizarre.

CAMEROTA: Because John sometimes doesn't understand the love that we all have for Prince Harry.

CZARNIAK: How could you not?

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

CZARNIAK: Right?

But the Harry you're speaking of, this is a man --

BERMAN: Much more important. CZARNIAK: This is a man, his name is Harry Kane, he's the man who has modeled his work ethics and mindset after Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

BERMAN: Even better.

CZARNIAK: It's -- it's -- that is true. It is tough to believe that there was a time that Kane doubted he would make it on this stage. But there was. And a documentary he saw on Tom Brady changed his life.

In his first World Cup game as England's captain, Kane was the difference maker.

This "Bleacher Report" presented by Ford, going further so you can.

The Three Lions, Kane's team, got off to a flying start when he found the back of the net against Tunisia. But things went downhill fast for England and the score was tied at one when time about to expire when who else steps up but the team's youngest captain, Harry Kane. He pops in the header for that dramatic winner. And then check out the reaction back home in England. Fans watching there on the screens. I mean good things, right, definitely come to those who wait.

Kane, by the way, said, you know, he relied on inspiration from Tom Brady's story, the underdog who rose to become a future Hall of Famer. Kane has immersed himself in Brady history, also in his motivational tactics. He's such a big fan that he actually named his dog Brady.

[08:45:15] CAMEROTA: OK.

CZARNIAK: So there you have it.

CAMEROTA: OK. That's John Berman level love.

CZARNIAK: It is. I mean how giddy are you right now?

BERMAN: I'm so giddy. I got to watch the whole game too.

Lindsay Czarniak, thanks so much.

I only want to talk about this, but they're telling us we're out of time.

CAMEROTA: I know. I know that. But it's for a good cause, because we have to hear about your "Champions for Change" piece. I can't wait to hear about it.

BERMAN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All this week we highlight "Champions for Change," extraordinary people and organizations that are making such a difference.

Today a charity that is very close to my heart and really my extended family for 90 years, it's called the West End House in Boston. A place where kids and teens from immigrant and underserved communities can find support and a promising path forward.

[08:50:11] Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROLINA SHAW (ph): My name's Carolina Shaw and I am 16 years old. I attend Boston Arts Academy.

Today I'm performing (INAUDIBLE) by Mendelssohn.

I go to school from 8:00 to 4:00. And then I take the train to the Boys and Girls Club.

Hi, guys.

When I started going to the West End House, I was 10 years old. I remember taking my first singing lessons. I went from like being super shy to singing in front of 300 people.

Be a little bit louder. Be confident. Ready?

BERMAN (voice over): Kids like Carolina have been coming here since it was founded back in 1906 in the West End, a section of Boston that doesn't really even exist anymore.

BERMAN (on camera): In some ways the West End Houses is the story of Boston. It's been a place where the immigrants of Boston could come and get help over the decades. And, you know, 100 years ago that was my family.

My grandmother had five brothers. They were Jewish kids, grandchildren, and children of immigrants, and they were among the underserved then. And they came here to get off the streets.

My great uncle Allen, you can see him when he was a young teenager playing basketball.

How has the makeup of, you know, the kids who use this changed?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now we're supporting people from all over the world. It's a new need, but in reality it's the same need.

BERMAN (voice over): The West End House offers 1,600 kids and teens a home away from home, a place to learn new skills, succeed in school and create lasting friendships.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have four pillars to our programs, leadership and life skills, education and high school preparedness, performing and visual arts, and then fitness and nutrition.

BERMAN (on camera): The kids that we are playing four square with or the kids who run to get meals or play in the music room or doing the art, they all feel connected to this place. They all feel like it is part of them and they are a part of it. And that's a wonderful thing. SHAW: My parents are from the Dominican Republic. At home I speak a

mixture of English and Spanish

ALDEMIS OLIVO, CAROLINA'S MOTHER (through translator): I wanted Carolina and Cathy (ph), both my daughters, to have a better life here in the United States. The language (INAUDIBLE) also makes it very difficult.

SHAW: I am a Latino woman. You definitely can face many challenges. But I've been lucky enough to not face so many where I feel less than.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the organization is breaking stereotypes of what an afterschool program is. What we endeavor to do is have our young people shatter a stereotype of what it means to be an urban young person from a first generation family.

BERMAN (voice over): It's a cause close to my family's heart. My sister is on the board and this year she convinced me to help raise money, by running.

BERMAN (on camera): I started training in December for the Boston Marathon and I trained for four or five months. I hurt my knee about five weeks before the marathon, but I wasn't going to not do it. I figured, you know, what could possibly go wrong, which was before I saw the weather report.

I was soaked before I started the race. I didn't really train in the driving, pouring rain with 20 mile an hour wind gust in your face. This was the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life.

BERMAN (voice over): But worth it to support the work of volunteers, like Carl Ship.

How far did you drive? How long does it take you to get here?

CARL SHIP, VOLUNTEER, WEST END HOUSE: An hour and a half. My wife and I volunteer.

BERMAN: Why is it so important to you to do the 90 minute drive here to the West End House?

SHIP: I think I'd have to tell you a story for you to understand.

The story is about a kid, parents are poor, no money. The kid has had to trade off school for working. He had one thing going for him, and that was the West End House, a shining light, a place where he was treated with respect. I'm talking about Andy Ship (ph), my dad. And maybe that's why I'm here is to fulfill his destiny.

BERMAN: Your father needed this place.

SHIP: Big time.

SHAW: How are you, Carl?

BERMAN: Tell me about Carolina. So you help her in math? SHIP: In math. But in all sorts of subjects. She would have essays. My

favorite was the one about stereotyping.

BERMAN: Why?

SHIP: Because she taught me a lot.

BERMAN: So you're supposed to be tutoring her. It sounds like she was teaching you.

SHIP: Isn't that what life's all about?

BERMAN: How has your relationship sort of changed since you first me him?

SHAW: I think, in the beginning, I was kind of scared of him. As the relationship got, you know, bigger or whatever, we trusted each other more.

BERMAN: You know, people could look and say, you guys make kind of an odd couple.

[08:55:00] SHAW: No! I think we look different, but we're not different.

BERMAN: We should all be lucky enough to have someone like Carl. You get the sense that she's going to lean on him forever.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: OK, why didn't you warn me that that was a tear jerker and to get the tissues out? Oh, my gosh, John, that was a beautiful story.

BERMAN: It's such a special place. Generations of people in Boston helping each other going forward. And, again, the faces from 100 years ago are different than the faces from today, but the needs are exactly the same.

CAMEROTA: And, by the way, I also think that my flying to Borgata, Colombia, was easier than you running the Boston Marathon.

BERMAN: Nothing has ever been harder than me running the Boston Marathon, ever.

CAMEROTA: I know that.

BERMAN: All right, we're going to continue to share these inspirational stories all week on CNN. Don't forget to watch the "Champions for Change" one hour special this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

CAMEROTA: OK, CNN "NEWSROOM" with Poppy Harlow will pick up after this break. We'll see you tomorrow.