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CNN NEWSROOM

Ticker Tape Parade for Women's Soccer Team. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired July 10, 2019 - 09:30   ET

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


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[09:31:08] POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York.

And this is what is happening this morning in New York. This is the start of the great ticker tape parading celebrating, honoring the women's national team World Cup champions.

Let's go to Dave Briggs. He is at the start of the parade.

Literally, Dave, revving up the engines.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, they are revving up the engines right behind me, Poppy. This are -- these are the Misfires who are leading this parade, an all-female very excited motorcycle club. I've got to tell you, this U.S. women's national team not just the best soccer team on the planet, they are extremely prompt. They are all out here loading up the floats ahead of 9:00, all ready to go for what looks like a 9:30 on time start.

It's the second straight ticker tape parade here in New York City for this team. The last time, of course, 2015. Only one other team has had consecutive parades in New York City, and that, of course, the New York Yankees. They have had six parades overall through the Canyon of Heroes that they are calling the Canyon of Sheroes (ph), of course, today. There have been more than 200 of these parades total. So it's really routine. They are very familiar with.

And I step back out of the shot. We get a look, again, at the Misfires getting ready to lead the troops through. We'll get a look at all of the players in just a couple of minutes. I know the head coach, Jill Ellis is leading this team on the front float, as well as Rose Lavelle and a couple other of the super stars. We'll get a look at them here in just a couple of minutes, Poppy.

HARLOW: I'm still pinching myself because I got lucky enough to get to sit next to Rose Lavelle and Kelley O'Hara on the set yesterday and they were beyond wonderful.

Brooke Baldwin, you are sort of mid-parade, right?

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. HARLOW: And last time you joined us, you were with these amazing young women talking about so much more than goals and sport. I mean when you look at what Tobin Heath said about equal pay, that this is the start of something massive and culture changing.

BALDWIN: Yes.

HARLOW: Does it feel like that to you there?

BALDWIN: It -- it feels -- I was at the Women's March, right, a couple of years ago --

HARLOW: Yes.

BALDWIN: And this feels reminiscent of that, only these ladies are half the size, many of them are of the ladies that I talked to in Washington, D.C., a couple of years ago. And so I want to introduce you to my whole new group of friends. We've got teammates, sisters, the lone brother.

And so, Sean (ph), my man, I'm starting with you. Why did you want to come?

SEAN: I wanted to come because it shows big women empowerment and it deserves -- it shows that the women deserve equal pay and are just as equal to the men.

BALDWIN: You really believe that?

SEAN: Yes.

BALDWIN: Your sister didn't just put you up to that?

SEAN: No.

BALDWIN: That's awesome, thank you.

Ladies, you got -- they're from Philadelphia. I was like, what time did you wake up? And you said, when my mom came in my bedroom, which was around, what, 4:30?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, 4:30.

BALDWIN: Who are -- who do the -- what do these women mean for you ladies?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're like inspiration because they're fighting for what's right on and off the field and --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. So they don't care. They are just trying to do the right thing and they will do that no matter what. And I think they're trying to sets us up for success and they're doing a great job.

BALDWIN: How about just the sheer soccer badassedry (ph). I'm sorry, can I say that on CNN? I mean, right, like, what -- what was your favorite play, goal, moment of the whole series?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, it was definitely the celebrations. When Alex Morgan was sipping the tea and --

BALDWIN: Do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And -- ,

BALDWIN: She was criticized for that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was like this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, she had her little pinky up.

BALDWIN: Why, ladies -- who are you most excited to see? And if you were to meet them for five seconds what would you say?

[09:35:05] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably Julie Ertz. And I would probably say that she's a big role model to me and I'd try to have my game like hers.

BALDWIN: Same question.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sure. Maybe all the players. And I would say thank you because -- for fighting for equal pay and working to get equal pay and women's rights.

BALDWIN: And all of those things, right? They feel like they play so many games, they win so many more and they want to make sure, Poppy, that they're paid the same.

Lastly, quickly, on three, go USA.

One, two, three.

CROWD: Go USA!

BALDWIN: Poppy, back to you.

HARLOW: Oh, my gosh, I love that. I love all of you.

And, Sean, I hope my son --

BALDWIN: Well done.

HARLOW: Grows up to be just like you, my friend.

Alisyn Camerota is with us as well.

Ali, did you hear that little boy?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: I did hear him. HARLOW: Oh.

CAMEROTA: And, you know, it reminded me so much of my daughters who just graduated eighth grade. And my daughter, for her final project, did the U.S. women's soccer team and equal pay.

HARLOW: Love that.

CAMEROTA: That is the issue that she wanted to do because it has trickled down to so many girls across the country, around the world. It has brought this issue to light.

And so that's what today represents. As much as their huge, stunning championship. So we're here in front of city hall. This is where the ticker tape parade will end and the mayor will give them a hero's welcome.

But I'm standing -- I'm sitting next to Briana Scurry and she, of course, made the iconic save in the 1999 World Cup.

And you've just been listening to all of this and watching the reaction to this team. I -- we should say it's exactly 20 years ago to the day --

BRIANA SCURRY, U.S. GOALKEEPER, 1999 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP CHAMPION: Yes.

CAMEROTA: That you had that moment.

SCURRY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And, you know, I think that this team has given you guys a lot of props. They've talked about the legacy that they inherited from trail blazers like you.

SCURRY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And what is that like to listen to them?

SCURRY: It's truly amazing. One of the stories that comes to mind for me is I saw a picture recently out on the Internet of Rose Lavelle, when she was like eight or nine years old dressed up like Mia Hamm for her school project. And now Rose Lavelle is in the front car of the parade, playing, do a fantastic job in the game, getting that second goal in the final. I mean if there is any other way to determine whether what you're doing is the right thing, is a good thing, is a positive thing, that's it for me. She went from being someone who watched and wanted it to now she's living it. And that's jute truly amazing to me.

CAMEROTA: And you're also being very humble because you blazed a trail for them.

SCURRY: Yes, we did.

CAMEROTA: And they give you props for that. You -- not only did you blaze a trail for them by being such an outstanding athlete, but by bringing these issue to the fore.

SCURRY: Yes. When we played in '99, we wanted to make sure that not only were we going to be great futbolers and do the job on the pitch, but we felt that we could be more. We could do more, we had a platform to perform on that we could really rise some issues and maybe move the bar closer to equality. And we did that. At that time we were more about resources that we didn't that the men had, even though we had the record and the championships that they didn't have. So we went towards U.S. Soccer and said, hey, we need, you know, we both need massage therapists The men have this kind of travel, We want that kind of travel. They stay in these kinds of hotels. We want those kinds of hotels. And so that began the fight, the battle that you're still seeing now decades later.

CAMEROTA: Megan Rapinoe was just talking about that last night on Anderson Cooper, the resource. It's one thing to ask for salary, and that's a big deal.

SCURRY: Right.

CAMEROTA: But it's also the publicity, the promos, everything that you're talking about.

SCURRY: Absolutely.

CAMEROTA: Are you surprised in some ways it's taken 20 years and we're still having this conversation.

SCURRY: Yes. It's unfortunate. It's unfortunate. But what the good news is about it is I think the social environment now for these women to get change is very different than it was 20 years ago to get change. And I think there really is no excuse anymore. Back in the day, U.S. Soccer used the two r's, that was rankings and revenue. So now we have the revenue that the women's team makes compared to the men is equal, if not a little bit better in the last seven years, and you also have the ratings and the rankings of TV broadcasting. So now you have -- those two things aren't an issue anymore. They're equal. So let's make the pay equal as well.

CAMEROTA: So there's no excuse any more whatsoever.

SCURRY: There really isn't.

CAMEROTA: And do you think that the Soccer Federation is going to do the right thing?

SCURRY: Oh, boy, I tell you what, I really hope so. I really hope so. It's time. I mean I know the women continuing to win is putting added pressure on them. Society, other companies are stepping in, like Luna bar and Nike and all these other companies, Coca-Cola.

CAMEROTA: Right, they're (INAUDIBLE) to supplement to the women's salaries.

SCURRY: Supplementing. Yes. And so you would think that would be a little bit embarrassing, if nothing else, for U.S. Soccer, that they should just step up, solve this issue, get it to equality, and let's just be able to talk about soccer and the beautiful game instead of all these other things.

[09:40:00] CAMEROTA: Yes, absolutely.

And so what do you think about the coach and what -- and just the platform that --

HARLOW: I --

CAMEROTA: Oh, Poppy, did you have a question?

OK. Got it. Got it.

So I wanted to ask you about the platform that all these women have.

SCURRY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Has -- have you welcomed the fight that Megan Rapinoe has had with the White House, or has it been a little uncomfortable to watch the lengths that they have had to go to -- well not have had to go to but they have seized at this moment of their platform?

SCURRY: Right.

CAMEROTA: Have you applauded it? Would you have done it that way?

SCURRY: I appreciate Megan's passion, her viewpoints and her opinion. And for me that's the amazing thing. It's not even so much what she's saying, it's the fact that she is saying it, the fact that she feels like she has a platform to right some things that in her mind she feels aren't fair. And the fact that she's able to do that and people are paying attention and listening I think right there just the fact that she's able to do that is really the true victory for me, in my opinion. And that's how she chooses to do it. And I think -- I support her. I support her ability to have an opinion and to state it very obviously and very clearly.

CAMEROTA: And, again, they give you all and your class of 1999 a lot of credit for making all of that possible.

SCURRY: Yes.

CAMEROTA: So, Briana, it's great to be able to watch all of this with you.

SCURRY: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Poppy, it's so exciting. We are just watching all the crowds gather. And as the parade makes its way here to city hall, we'll be covering it.

HARLOW: Good.

Guys, let's talk a little bit more about this because you have 12 of the players who were part of this ticker tape parade back in 2015 when they won the World Cup, this same team, who are there again today. So that in of itself is historical, Christine Brennan and Julie Stewart- Binks are with me here for some analysis.

What was interesting to me to hear from Briana there talking to Ali is that those two r's that, you know, the Soccer Federation used as sort of the excuses for not paying equal ratings and revenue. Now what is their argument for this inequality for the women's pay?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, "USA TODAY": Poppy, I don't know that they have one, other than they have a collective bargaining agreement and it's in place, so why would we go back in? I mean that would be the one -- one way to do that. Very technical. Very legal.

But there is no other argument for U.S. Soccer. I have predicted that the women will win equal pay, they will win this battle. I -- I absolutely think they will because look at those scenes That is America. People are tuning in around the country right now with their daughters and their sons to watch this. And U.S. Soccer has to see this. And, frankly, if you were going to devise a strategy on how to get to the bargaining table --

HARLOW: Yes.

BRENNAN: And have -- the monkey would have (INAUDIBLE) --

HARLOW: This would be the strategy.

BRENNAN: Including Donald Trump.

JULIE STEWART-BINKS, HOST, "CBS SPORTS HQ": Yes.

BRENNAN: Including Trump going at them. Include -- everything. They have nailed it on the field. They've nailed it off the field. Here they are. I think they win equal pay without a doubt.

HARLOW: We see -- we see the champions, second time champions in a row here, the U.S. women's national team on this float, on a picture perfect New York Day. Behind that globe, right, you see Mayor Bill de Blasio with one of their scarves around him. I know that the first lady, Chirlane McCray, is there as well. I'm not sure if she's up on the float.

Julie, I'll get to you in a moment.

Let's go to Dave Briggs.

They're passing by you right now, is that right, Dave?

BRIGGS: Here is the float with the stars of the show. Megan Rapinoe among the float passing us by. And there is the goaltender right there standing as she always does, Alyssa Naeher. And they are kind of out of the spotlight where she prefers it. But that was a star-studded float there with the golden boot, with the World Cup trophy all aboard that one.

And then there's a bit of a break as the fire department and a couple of others come by. The final float, a few minutes away. Most of the players have passed us by. Rose Lavelle, Megan Rapinoe, as we mentioned, the goaltender, Alyassa Naeher. And there are still probably a few more floats of players, if you can pan back to the left you'll see group in the black t-shirts with the USA float. That's the next group of players that will pass us by.

But, gain, the crowd really made up, as you guys have talked about, of young, aspiring soccer stars and their parents. No one down here talking much at all about the politics of this team, nor about what's going on with the flag or any protests by Megan Rapinoe. They are here to pay tribute to the best team in all of soccer that has now won four of eight World Cup titles.

And we'll get back to you guys and check back as the next group of players arrives.

HARLOW: It is remarkable what Dave just said, Julie. But this fight for true equality, I think the headlines are equal pay, but it's actually so much more than that as Megan Rapinoe described to Anderson last night. Even what they get to play on and the surface of the surface, AstroTurf versus grass.

STEWART-BINKS: Right.

[09:45:03] HARLOW: I mean there have just been so many, it seems, fundamental inequalities in sport for women, but especially in women's soccer, for so long. You heard Briana saying to Alisyn, they had to ask for two massage therapists to help them heal after games.

STEWART-BINKS: Well, yes, I mean even like dating back to their last World Cup that they were in, they were fighting just for the surfaces to not be artificial turf but to be grass because for the men, as Megan said on Anderson Cooper last night, they would roll out real grass for the men to play on but still have the women play on artificial turf, which is, you know, very dangerous.

And so they have already sort of had this DNA of fighting against inequality. An so the fact that they're doing this still, I mean, it's not surprising, but it is surprising to see Megan Rapinoe step into the spotlight.

And we were just talking off camera, Christine and Poppy, that Megan has shown she's unbreakable. The fact that she's going up against the president in a very tumultuous conversation, then still being able to go on the pitch, score two goals in multiple games and score the game winning goal in the final just is a testament to, you know, what kind of person she is and what kind of leader she is. An so this, you know, this is exciting to see just as a person in society.

HARLOW: You know what --

STEWART-BINKS: And I think that that's the biggest takeaway.

HARLOW: You know what it made me think, does this woman have a future in politics?

STEWART-BINKS: Definitely.

HARLOW: Like, what will her next chapter be? Christine Brennan?

BRENNAN: Well, and which candidate is she going to endorse?

STEWART-BINKS: Yes.

HARLOW: Oh, good point.

BRENNAN: That will not be an insignificant moments in this 2020 presidential campaign. You already see Senator Kamala Harris has been tweeting nonstop about this team. I -- others have as well, Elizabeth Warren.

So when does she decide to join and maybe with Alex Morgan and a few others be on the stage?

HARLOW: Yes.

BRENNAN: That will be a photo-op that any candidate would love to have.

STEWART-BINKS: Oh, yes.

HARLOW: She made it very clear, Megan, in her interview with Anderson last night, that they welcome and are excited to go to Washington to meet with Congress. A bipartisan group of members of Congress. Not so much to the White House if they get that invite.

Briana, if you're still with me, Briana Scurry, as you look at the political impact of this, the fight that you fought and are still fighting, but from your 1999 win on, what is the most important message that you think this -- these women, this team, could send to Congress when they do go to Washington and when they do meet with Congress? What's the big picture fight, their lawsuit aside, that they should message to our representatives in Washington?

SCURRY: I think it's interesting that the women of the, you know, Congress have invited this team there because it's truly two stories that are very much related to each other. Our women's team for soccer is fighting for equality and now we have so many more women in Congress at the exact same time. I don't think that's ironic and that's not lost on a lot of people that these two things are happening at the same time. I think the message is equality, the message is empowerment. And the two teams, if you will, have the exact same message.

HARLOW: They do.

We just saw New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. We see him there. He seems sort of in the middle of that float there. And what's interesting too is he has just put forward this women's equality act fighting not only for equal pay but an end to gender discrimination on so many levels for women. And this is representative of that, of course.

All right, everyone, stay with us. This is an exciting morning for us. We're going to take a quick break. We will be right back with the ticker tape parade honoring the women's World Cup champions live from New York in just a minute.

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[09:53:03] HARLOW: All right. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York.

We're back with our live coverage of this amazing moment. A ticker tape parade in New York City honoring the women's championship soccer team after their huge win, second in a row, at the World Cup.

Brooke Baldwin is there where the players are passing by her.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: All right, guys, they are passing us by right now. And all around me -- yes! Here they are. All around me I am feeling little girls' hearts absolutely bursting. Absolutely bursting. This is a moment. These girls, they woke up early, early in the morning, many of them taking the train to make sure they could catch a glimpse.

See, girls, there's -- there's more coming down that way.

So I've got -- I've got these three sisters who came in from Pennsylvania, who are craning their necks to try to catch a glimpse of some of their favorite players as the ticker tape has been falling from all the buildings above us.

Hi, girls. Are you so excited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

BALDWIN: Who are you most excited to see?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I -- the whole team.

BALDWIN: The whole team.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole team.

BALDWIN: What -- why did you want to come out? Why do you want to celebrate them?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it's their second World Cup victory in a row, and it's their fourth overall.

BALDWIN: You got it, fourth overall.

Here we go. We've got some more ladies coming on this float.

This is so incredibly exciting. This is the kind of thing that these girls are going to remember for a lifetime.

Yes!

And I talked to a number of people who have come out, mega soccer fans. They all sort of said, we were out here four years ago and that was a huge, huge deal. But everyone is saying this feels bigger.

As far as the eye can see, all the way down Broadway, I can see -- see, girls -- all the ticker tape flying through the city as we wait to see -- to catch a glimpse of really the most famous ladies on the planet at this very moment.

[09:55:03] And so, girls, what did you think of that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was really cool.

BALDWIN: Really cool?

Why do you --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was awesome.

BALDWIN: How old are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five.

BALDWIN: And you play soccer? What do you love about soccer?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just can't get up -- give up on your team.

BALDWIN: Can't give up on the team. Why -- why -- are they your idols? Is that fair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

BALDWIN: They're nodding, yes.

Do you -- do you have a favorite player?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like Crystal Dunn the most.

BALDWIN: Tell me why.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because she is really, truly a defender, and she really works hard on that left back. She really --

BALDWIN: Yes.

So I think, guys, that was it. I'm craning my neck down Broadway. Was that -- that was -- we saw them. We saw the ticker tape.

Thanks, girls. Thank you very much.

We'll send it -- what a day. What a most gorgeous, stupendous day here in downtown Manhattan.

We'll send it back to you guys.

HARLOW: Love it. I love every moment of it.

Brooke, thank you so much.

Let's go to Ali. She is with Briana Scurry.

Ali, just hearing from the little boys, the little girls, and how I mean seemingly life changing this could all be for them beyond the wins, right? I mean if this fight succeeds for equal pay, for equal treatment, it could change the future of all of these young women we're looking at right now.

CAMEROTA: How could it not? You know, how could it not in this moment? This is the national conversation that we're having. How could the Soccer Federation say no at this point after there's such a rallying cry for this? And that's what is adding to all of the excitement here.

I'm at the end of the parade route at city hall. This is where the mayor of New York City will give our soccer champions the keys to the city. Everyone here is so excited. I mean it's an electric day here. The last time there was a ticker tape parade was exactly four years ago when the U.S. women's soccer team defeated Japan. And it has been a real pleasure to be next to Briana Scurry here, who, of course, was in the 1999 game and remembers it so well. It was exactly 20 years ago today. And, Briana, did you get a ticker tape parade?

SCURRY: I have to honestly say no, we did not.

CAMEROTA: Why not?

SCURRY: We got a little parade at Disneyworld.

CAMEROTA: Why?

SCURRY: That was awesome. That's all we had back then, but we'll take it. This is amazing.

Can I just say that I am so excited right now, I'm trying to contain myself, because the roar of the crowd as the team is starting to come into the area where we are is just like really giving me chills. This is truly amazing.

CAMEROTA: That's so great.

SCURRY: It is.

CAMEROTA: Well, I love watching it next to you and seeing you beaming during all off this.

Poppy, everyone here is excited. We can't wait to bring you the rest of the parade.

HARLOW: We cannot wait either. OK, stay right there. Ali, Brianna, thank you.

Everyone stay right there. A quick break. We're back on the other side.

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