Skip to main content

tv   Smerconish  CNN  June 22, 2019 6:00am-7:00am PDT

6:00 am
i'm michael smerconish in philadelphia. might democrats increase their popular vote margin over donald trump in 2020, but still lose the white house? let me give you some background. later today, 21 presidential candidates are expected to speak at the south carolina democratic convention. and much of the attention will probably focus on the final two, former vice president joe biden, new jersey senator cory booker who disagreed this week as to whether biden needed to apologize after speaking for the need for civility and citing his past ability to reach across the aisle even to segregationists. on the surface it would appear
6:01 am
that the party and its candidates are in a robust position. democrats are coming off a strong showing in the midterm election chairman democrats picked up 40 seats in en route to the house of representatives. and despite a strong economy, the president's approval rating according to gallup is stuck at 43%. he's the only president in the history of gallup to ever crack 50%. headed into the first democratic debates next week, joe biden is atop the democratic polls but he's not the democratic candidate who beads donald trump head to head. quinnipiac poll released on march 11th shows vice president bideth ahead of president trump 53-40. vermont senator bernie sand over trump, 51/42. kamala harris leads 49/41. massachusetts senator elizabeth warren 49/42. south bend mayor pete buttigieg.
6:02 am
47/42. and new jersey senator cory booker he also wins over trump 47/42. in the face of these odds, the president said something very interesting to "time" this week, when asked about whether he should reach out to swing voters, the president said i think my base is so strong i'm not sure that i have to do that. well, he's not alone in thinking that such narrow casting is possible. but there's a very small margin for error if the frump plan is to rely entirely on turnout, as not turn-about among must some voter opinions. in 2016 trump lost by almost 3 million by winning the electoral college by 74. that same margin signaled to upsets in michigan, pennsylvania, wisconsin, trump won by a combined total of 77,
6:03 am
744. axios is reporting that democratic strategists are predicting that trump might lose the popular vote but might still win the electoral college. one scenario has democrats winning the popular vote by as many as 5 million votes and taking back michigan and pennsylvania in the trump, while trump narrowly holds north carolina, florida and wisconsin. in that scenario, trump wins the white house by one electoral vote. that is a democratic nightmare scenario tweeted out by david wasserman of the coke political report who joins me now. david, what is the swing 0matic? it sounds like something that ron popeeil invented? >> it's actually something invented in 2015 it allows the users to adjust the turnout level to see the impacts that
6:04 am
would have on the electoral college. what i was trying to show before the 2016 election which is possible that donald trump could win the white house while losing the popular vote. now, that ended up happening by 3 million votes, donald trump fell short to hillary clinton nationally. but still won the electoral college quite comfortably by 306 he could lose by 5 million votes in the popular vote in 2020 and still win. and the reason is his demographic groups where he's uniquely unpopular send to be concentrated in states that are in the electoral college. asian, rich white people trending towards democrats are concentrating on the coast. hispanics who are growing in numbers, they are concentrated, a majority of hispanics live in just three states, california, texas and new york. mormons with whom trump was ewe leakly unpopular, in the mountain west in states where are remotely electoral college.
6:05 am
where donald trump gets his mojo, wisconsin and pennsylvania, the states where working class shares are really, really high. >> you tweeted on this subject. why would trump in 2020 be able to win, even if he can't sustain victory in pennsylvania, why could he hold wisconsin and not p.a.? because so many of us tend to put those two states and a handful of others in the same category. >> that's right, michael. look, i think the six decisive states in 2020 are going to be the rust belt trio of wisconsin, michigan and pennsylvania. and the sunbelt trio of north carolina, arizona and florida. and if i had to pick two states that will be, i think, the most decisive or tipping point states in this election, i would think wisconsin and arizona. the reason that wisconsin is a bit different from michigan and pennsylvania, if you look at the ratio of working class white voters to african-americans who are the most reliable part of democratic base, well in
6:06 am
pennsylvania, it's 50 to 10. in michigan, it's 53 to 13. but ins with with, it's 57 to 6. so wisconsin has the highest share of voters who se s who te moving away from democrats. >> so it sounds like david wasserman is actually buying into what some of what the president said to "time," that perhaps he can get it done with his base alone? >> well, look, he's delusional if he thinks he can compete in oregon and new mexico which he and his advisers are touting. he does have narrow route to re-election that involves very much the same path that he won in 2014. he can afford to lose michigan and pennsylvania, trending away from democrats at the moment because of the midwestern retirees migrating along i-75
6:07 am
gulf coast panhandle corridor. but his chance of winning re-election is much better than approval ratings would demonstrate or have you believe. >> i was eager to have you on the program, in the outset, as we get through the next 17 months or so to disabuse us to the notion. and one other observation and i'll let you respond to this. you flow was a hue and cry last time with the disagreement over the 3 million vote for hillary and then donald trump in the electric trooral college. it gives rise to the states who they they're no longer committed to the electoral college. you can imagine where it bob for 5 million for someone over donald trump and he wins the white house? >> look, it's an electoral rallying cry for democratic.
6:08 am
it's not going to change anymore soon. the reason is democrats still control in states necessary to block the natural vote from taking effect. so democrats have to play under the rules that exist. and they have to find a candidate who is broadly appealing beyond the coast. and right now, that looks very challenging for the democrats, especially considering you have a couple of contenders, kamala harris, elizabeth warren, for example, who come from places like massachusetts and san francisco. >> final question, one word answer, if i gave you a crystal ball and allowed you to see the outcome of one state in 2020, what do you want to know, what state? >> arizona. >> arizona. interesting. i thought you'd go with wisconsin. okay. david, thank you. we appreciate your expertise. >> thanks a lot, michael. i want to know what you think. go to my websit
6:09 am
website @smerconish.com. at this hour, here's the survey question, can president trump be re-elected in 2020 without expanding his base? what do we have from facebook. i think it would be hilarious if trump lost the popular vote by 5 million and still won the electoral college, says joel. it would. once again, demonstrate why the founders create -- boy, this is hard for me to read. keep flipping. electoral college, states like california and new york can't determine an election simply because -- look, bottom line, i get joel asse's point. if it the number were 5 million to would give rise to this movement, it could give heft to this movement even wonbeyond th electoral college. make sure you're tweeting me. still to come, there's been a flurry of recent reports about
6:10 am
a surge of number of americans dying at resorts in the dominican republic. is this a genuine troubling trend or just a self-perpetuating news? just this week, iran shot down a drone. president trump ordered a retaliatory attack and then called off at the last minute. who is responsible for where we're headed? >> i'm not looking for war and if there is it will be obliteration like you've never seen before. but i'm not looking to do that. at the end of your first year. you'll match my miles? yeah! mile for mile! and no blackout dates or annual fee. nice! i was thinking about taking a scuba diving trip! i love that. or maybe go surfing... or not. ok. maybe somewhere else. maybe a petting zoo. can't go wrong. can't get eaten. earn miles. we'll match 'em at the end of your first year. plus no annual fee or blackouts. the discover it® miles card. ♪
6:11 am
there are roadside attractions. and then there's our world-famous on-road attraction. the 2019 glc. lease the glc 300 suv for just $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. it's a revolution in sleep. the sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during our lowest prices of the season. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it even helps with this. so you wake up ready to hit the ground running. only at a sleep number store. it's the lowest prices of the season. the queen sleep number 360 c4 smart bed is now $1,299. save $400. only for a limited time. sleep number. proven, quality sleep.
6:12 am
but prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered... in jellyfish. in clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve short-term memory. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. another wireless ad. great. so many of them are full of this complicated, tricky language about their network and offers and blah blah blah. look. sprint's going to do things differently. and let you decide for yourself. they're offering a new 100% total satisfaction guarantee. try it out and see the savings. if you don't love it, get your money back. see? simple. now sprint's unlimited plan comes with one of the newest phones included for just $35 a month. so switch now. for people with hearing loss, visit sprintrelay.com get 2 medium, every day at marco's, 1-topping pizzas for just $6.99 each. because it takes two... to make a great everyday value. every store. every day. the italian way. hello primo.
6:13 am
you should be mad they gave this guy a promotion. you should be mad at forced camaraderie. and you should be mad at tech that makes things worse. but you're not mad, because you have e*trade, who's tech makes life easier by automatically adding technical patterns on charts and helping you understand what they mean. don't get mad. get e*trade's simplified technical analysis.
6:14 am
it's dominaed headlines over the past few weeks, american tourists dieing in t i dominican republic, and some dying what they're families saying were unknown circumstances. it's lead to the belief there's a sudden uptick of american deaths in the d.r. here's the thing that perception doesn't match the data. so far, seven americans have died in the d.r. this calendar year. some from natural causes, some may be not. investigators are still trying to determine the cause for some of those deaths.
6:15 am
but if you look at the raw numbers, these deaths, while tragic, are not out of the ordinary. according to the state department, 13 americans died in the d.r. last year. that's from nonnatural causes. meaning the total number could be higher. in 2017, the state department said 17 americans died in the country from nonnatural causes. in 2016, that number was 18. there may be suspicious circumstances around some of the recent deaths. the fbi confirmed that it is sending investigators to the d.r. to help local authorities there investigate the american deaths. but the state department released a statement. and said this, we do not publish statistics regarding natural death as broad. however, speaking generally, over 2.7 million u.s. citizens visit the dominican republic each year. and we have not seen an uptick in the number of u.s. citizen deaths reported to the department. bottom line, american deaths in the d.r. are not on the rise.
6:16 am
this reminds me of the summer of 2001. when a perfect storm of circumstances led to a shark attack hysteria. a few high-profile attacks paired with a slow news summer led to attacks. anybody remember the name jesse aborghast? "time" magazine dominated sharks. indicating that shark attacks were on the rise. turns out it was more hype than fact. according to the shark attack file there were 76 unprovoked attacks in 2001, nine fewer than the year before. death from sharks dropped by seven to the year prior. steven pinker points out is the world getting better or worse? is the nature of the media to report on crimes, the attacks, and human nature to be pessimistist or fatalistic
6:17 am
causing us to think the world is getting more violent, less safe, when the numbers actually prove otherwise. up ahead, with hundreds of visitors even tour buses 3 visitivisit ing columbine high school each year, the district is thinking about knocking down the building where so many died in 1999 and replacing it. i'll ask the man who was the school's principal on that fateful day. plus, tensions in the middle east, as president trump came minutes away from attacking iran for downing our surveillance drone. but who started it?
6:18 am
our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition... for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with 9 grams of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. ensure, for strength and energy. look for savings in your weekly paper. "csaid alice.d curiouser," "the rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way." "i've seen a cat without a gri, but a grin without a cat." hey, mercedes, end audio. change lighting to soft blue. the completely reimagined 2020 gle. with intelligent voice control and available third row. your adventure awaits. visit your local mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional lease and financing offers. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.
6:19 am
today's senior living communities have never been better, with amazing amenities like movie theaters, exercise rooms and swimming pools, public cafes, bars and bistros even pet care services. and there's never been an easier way to get great advice. a place for mom is a free service that pairs you with a local advisor to help you sort through your options and find a perfect place. a place for mom. you know your family we know senior living. together we'll make the right choice.
6:20 am
mno kidding.rd. but moving your internet and tv? that's easy. easy?! easy? easy. because now xfinity lets you transfer your service online in just about a minute with a few simple steps. really? really. that was easy. yup. plus, with two-hour appointment windows, it's all on your schedule. awesome. now all you have to do is move...that thing. [ sigh ] introducing an easier way to move with xfinity. it's just another way we're working to make your life simple, easy, awesome. go to xfinity.com/moving to get started. this week after iran shot
6:21 am
down an unmanned drone, president trump ordered a retaliatory attack and then rescinded it with only minutes to spare saying that the projected 150 deaths would, quote, not be proportionate. this followed the u.s. ending the nuclear treaty and imposing new sanctions. so who's to blame for the escalation and where are we headed next? joining me now is laura rosen. and adam turn, former counsel for the senate judiciary committee and currently general counsel. he wrote a piece entitled trump must collapse the iranian regime by continuing maximum pressure." >> lawyura, let me begin with y. how did we get to this series of events? >> a couple months ago, president trump basically removed all of the waivers for the countries buying small groups of oil. since then we've seen the iranian aggression increase to
6:22 am
the region where we almost saw military conflict this week. president trump says he wants to get to the table with iran. he's worried about their nuclear program. he needs to get his team how to get them to table with iran and they've not been able to deliver so far. >> adam, i was on the air yesterday, in realtime, the president tweeted. i had to react. katherine, put that tweet up about the 150 casualty. on monday, they thought down an unmanned drone flying in international waters. we were cocked and loaded to retaliate last night on three different sights. when i asked how many people will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a general. adam, it was a phone caller of mine going through the events saying wait a minute, isn't that the sort of information he would have known before ten minutes out? wouldn't he asked that or been a part of his briefing.
6:23 am
a great question he asks, right? >> i wouldn't know what he would know, i assume he would. he may just be saying that because he wants iran to think its skating on thin ice. >> do you think he's intentionally portraying volatility, i don't want to put words in your mouth? >> well, he may not know exactly what it is he intends to do and he's very unpredictable and he seems like to be unpredictable. >> right, but how can our allies -- how can our opponents rely on him if there's volatility to every one of this responses to such a serious situation? >> well, i'm not sure we want our enemy in this case, iran, to snow exactly what's happening. >> laura, do you want in on this? i'm confused. >> i think trump, you know, has made clear he's not interested
6:24 am
in getting involved in another big middle eastern war. he's worried that his base, a lot of his base doesn't want another big military commitment. so in some ways maybe he's trying to telegraph the reason that he didn't want to go and trying to look compassionate like there would have been an escalation. we saw in reports overnight that the chairman of joint chiefs of staff, dunford, general dunford, was very worried about potential iranian retaliation if the u.s. had done a military strike. we have 5,000 u.s. forces in iraq and throughout the region. and force protection is a big issue. so this could have led to another escalation that i think trump is eager to avoid. >> as things stand now, adam, we've done nothing. i mean, that status quo, i think everybody could agree is unacceptable. what do you think should happen next? >> well, i would hope that the president would continue with the maximum pressure on iran. i think it's working. i think there are lots of protests in iran.
6:25 am
and the people there are very much upset with the iranian government. and we should continue doing that. >> meaning economic sanctions, not military action? >> that's correct. except if iran attacks a u.s. -- whether it's a ship or a plane, where there are americans inside of it, i think that merits -- that merits an attack on iranian -- excuse me, on iranian -- whether it's naval ships or iranian forces anywhere. >> in other words the fact, and this apparently was significant to the president that this was an unmanned drone. that made a difference. if there were loss of human life, he would have had a different reaction, and you think that's the appropriate standard? >> i can see why he did it. i'm not sure that is going to matter because i have a feeling that iran is going to continue to escalate things. so, it was his call. and i can understand why he did
6:26 am
it. i'm not sure i would have made the same call because i think attacking a drone is dangerous, too, for the u.s., because it encourages more violence if we do nothing. >> laura, i see a lot of comparison to the media today, to president obama and the red line in syria. it occurs to me if there's one way to prompt this president to take action is to make a comparison to barack obama? >> you know, it's interesting because trump very much on the mill east does seem to have some of the same instincts on obama, but very much considers himself less popular. and continually says he doesn't want to recommit u.s. forces to the middle east. it looks to other countries to bear more of the burden and thinks we can get a great deal with iran. if he'd like to do that, i think he can take a couple small steps to though the iranians he would like to be at the table. they've taken more than 1.5
6:27 am
million barrels of oil off the table every day. they're hurting iran. the economic sanctions, agency adam says have been very tough. maybe too tough in the latest calibration. the point in and of itself is to achieve other goals. they have a long list -- secretary pompeo has 12 goals they want to achieve with iran. you just don't send iran a list. you have to get to the table and talk to them. i think now they have to work to get to the table and that might require letting india and japan, for instance, maybe buy a small amount of iran oil. and would allow iran to come to the table and talk about the other problems with iran, including supporting hezbollah. its support of terrorist groups. there are significant problems that the u.s. should be talking to iran about. i think the goal should be to have diplomatic engagement along with maximum pressure. >> laura, adam, thank you. let's check in on your facebook
6:28 am
and tweets. not taking us to war will be well received. the media tries to make him appear erratic, but potus has been entirely consistent about not going to war with iran. andrea, he has been consistent about not wanting to get us further immeshed in the middle east. but the volatility by the report by him that this things was minutes to go, just doesn't wash. that's the kind of information that would be provided to a commander in chief. take your pick of the front page stories today, "washington post," "the new york times," a variety of other outlets they all say he was told that earlier in the day. i'm not criticizing him for not bombing iran. i just think the explanation, the time line is questionable. i want to remind everybody to answer today's survey question at my website smerconish.com. can president trump be re-elected in 2020 without expanding his base? still to come, more than 20 years after the notorious
6:29 am
shooting, columbine high school has become a morbid mecca. so the school district is thinking of spending $70 million to tear it down and put up a new one. will that work? i will ask its former principal. plus, 72, the number is 72 police officers taken off the streets here in philadelphia. another 60 banned from testifying at trials in st. louis. all because of their inflammatory facebook posts. i'll talk to the founder of the profit that led to their exposure. an autonomous-thinking vehicle protecting those inside and out. and it's the mercedes-benz of today that will help us get there. the 2019 e-class, with innovations that will change the way we drive from this day forward. visit your local mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional lease and financing offers. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.
6:30 am
so chantix can help you quit slow turkey.rkey. along with support, chantix is proven to help you quit. with chantix you can keep smoking at first and ease into quitting. chantix reduces the urge so when the day arrives, you'll be more ready to kiss cigarettes goodbye. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. stop chantix and get help right away if you have changes in behavior or thinking, aggression, hostility, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions, seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking, or life-threatening allergic and skin reactions. decrease alcohol use. use caution driving or operating machinery. tell your doctor if you've had mental health problems. the most common side effect is nausea. quit smoking slow turkey. talk to your doctor about chantix. welcome to our lounge. enjoy your stay.
6:31 am
thanks very much. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ find calm in over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. it's another way we've got your back. the business platinum card from american express. don't do business without it. metastatic breast cancer is relentless, but i'm relentless too. mbc doesn't take a day off, and neither will i. and i treat my mbc with everyday verzenio- the only one of its kind that can be taken every day. in fact, verzenio is a cdk4 & 6 inhibitor for postmenopausal women with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer, approved, with hormonal therapy, as an everyday treatment for a relentless disease. verzenio + an ai is proven to help women have significantly more time without disease progression,
6:32 am
and more than half of women saw their tumors shrink vs an ai. diarrhea is common, may be severe, and may cause dehydration or infection. before taking verzenio, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection. verzenio may cause low white blood cell counts, which may cause serious infection that can lead to death. serious liver problems can occur. symptoms may include tiredness, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and bleeding or bruising more easily than normal. blood clots that can lead to death have also occurred. talk to your doctor right away if you notice pain or swelling in your arms or legs, shortness of breath, chest pain or rapid breathing or heart rate. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant. common side effects include nausea, infections, low red and white blood cells and platelets, decreased appetite, headache, abdominal pain, tiredness, vomiting, and hair thinning or loss. i'm relentless. and my doctor and i choose to treat my metastatic breast cancer with verzenio. be relentless. ask your doctor about everyday verzenio.
6:33 am
on april 20, 1999, 12 students and one teacher were killed at columbine high school at a massacre that shocked the nation. now more than 20 years later, the school district is considering demolishing the school as it has become a source of infatuation for a subculture that idolizes students. this has played out at others. sandy hook torn down, less than a year after 20 and 6 adults killed there. and oye project this summer ton building 12 of marjory stoneman douglas high school where 17 were killed.
6:34 am
the pus niglse nightclub in orl still stands. a similar debate underway at columbine according to school officials, tour buses stop outside the school and tourists try to enter the building or are caught trespassing. this year's numbers, the highest on record. in a letter to the community, the superintendent wrote today school safety experts recommend tearing down buildings where shootings take place since the morbid fascination with columbine has been increasing over the years, rather than dissipating, we believe it's time for our community to consider this option for the existing columbine building. joining me now as the man who served as principal on that day,
6:35 am
dpra frank dejaangeles. mr. d., you recite the name of the 13 as you tell in the memoir, the number would have been higher but for you able to find the magic key. tell that story. >> it truly is remarkable and thank you so much for having me on this morning. i was in my office, talking to a teacher, i was getting ready to offer him a continuing contract when my secretary came in a state of panic and said, frank, there's been a report of gunfire. the first thing that crossed my mind, this has to be a senior prank. i've been at columbine for 20 years prior. i taught, i did coaching and was in my third year as principal. when i ran out of my office, my worst nightmare was a coming to me. i went into fight, flight or freeze and had this sensory stimulation. all of a sudden i saw girls or
6:36 am
students coming out of a locker room to go towards a physical education class. i ran towards the gunfire. i had police officers tell me, frank, why did you do that. as educators that's what we do, we want to protect our kids. i ran towards them. the gunman was coming towards us, i got them down a hallway, i felt if we could get in the gymnasium, we could shut the doors behind them and exit doors to get outside once i surveyed the area. well, the plan was coming forth as we anticipated until i came upon the gym door and it was locked. we were in a state of panic. we could hear the sounds getting closer. all of a sudden, i reached into my pocket. i had a set of keys. i reached into my pocket, the first key i pulled out i put in the door and it opened in on the first try. we were so fortunate, if i would
6:37 am
have fumbled around and didn't find that key there's a good chance that the girls and i would not have survived that day. it was interesting this past april, the 20-year remembrance, i had several of those girls with me that day, they came back, as we had kind of a reunion with the girls. they came up and they were crying. i started crying. i said what's wrong? they introduced me to their daughters and saying, mr. d., if it wasn't for you i wouldn't have that these three lovely kids. very emotion. >> wow. mr. d., on the issue of today, whether columbine high school should be razed, what are your thoughts? >> it's interesting, you know, if you were to ask us 20 years ago when we made that decision, and i did not make it in isolation. we contacted the parents who lost their children. the injured students and their parents, community members. and at the time, we felt strongly that if we did not go back into that building then the
6:38 am
two killers had won. but in our wildest dreams we didn't anticipate that 20 years later, the fascination with columbine high school will continue. or is still continuing. and one of the things that we've seen over the years, some of the other shooters involved be it be sandy hook, virginia tech, they've made mention of the two shooters. they really glorified those two. what i saw because i stayed 15 years after the shooting is the increased number of people that would come to columbine that wanted to get inside the building. many as tourists wanted to see the building but we did have others that were fascinated with the two killers. as you stated earlier in the opening these numbers increased. so when dr. glass approached me and others to discuss this to see whether we wanted to explore the opportunity to go out there. he shared there were fbi profilers, criminologists, who felt by changing the site, they
6:39 am
eliminate the numbers that continue to make this trek to columbine high school. >> you would not be opposed if the decision were to tear it down? >> no. the statement i made after, and i can say this in good conscious, you know, i've been a part of columbine for 40 years. i started in 1979 as a social studies teacher. and to me, what makes columbine so special, and we joined a phrase when i became principal that we are columbine. and what makes us columbine is not the bricks and mortar, but it's really the people that have walked through those doors since they opened back in 1973. and we have been through three major renovations since the opening back in 1973. going back to 1995, we had a major renovation, owe the building is different than it was for the students of 1973 to 1995. then after the tragedy in '99,
6:40 am
we remodeled the existing library where ten of our students lost their lives is no longer there. and we now have an at trerium. so it has been different. one of the things that was so important, so adamant about in getting the information, we wanted to keep the name columbine, we wanted to keep the mascot rebels but we also realized if this plan was to take place, then there were many things that we would want to incorporate into the new building as a part of all of the history of columbine high school. >> of course, no easy answer. your memoir is terrific. and i wish you good things. "they call me mr. d." thank you. >> thank you. >> let's check on your tweets and facebook comments. from twitter, we got this, are you kidding me, tour busses to
6:41 am
columbine. what is wrong with people in this country. that was a lane u.s. crime, tour busses to see this. disgusted. totally disgusted tear it down. i'm not sure about the tear it down for this reason, those people that have such a macabre that would want to go as a tourist would stop even if the school were removed. just no easy solution. up next, police officers around the country are getting in trouble for hate-filled facebook posts-some are removed from active duty or banned from testifying in court. i'll speak to the lawyer who launched the plain view project that found these postings. of y. you'll match my miles? yeah! mile for mile! and no blackout dates or annual fee. nice! i was thinking about taking a scuba diving trip! i love that. or maybe go surfing... or not. ok. maybe somewhere else. maybe a petting zoo. can't go wrong. can't get eaten. earn miles. we'll match 'em at the end of your first year.
6:42 am
plus no annual fee or blackouts. the discover it® miles card. ♪ there are roadside attractions. and then there's our world-famous on-road attraction. the 2019 glc. lease the glc 300 suv for just $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. hi. maria ramirez! mom! maria! maria ramirez... mcdonald's is committing 150 million dollars in tuition assistance, education, and career advising programs... prof: maria ramirez mom and dad: maria ramirez!!!
6:43 am
to help more employees achieve their dreams. another wireless ad. great. mom and dad: maria ramirez!!! so many of them are full of this complicated, tricky language about their network and offers and blah blah blah. look. sprint's going to do things differently. and let you decide for yourself. they're offering a new 100% total satisfaction guarantee. try it out and see the savings. if you don't love it, get your money back. see? simple. now sprint's unlimited plan comes with one of the newest phones included for just $35 a month.
6:44 am
so switch now. for people with hearing loss, visit sprintrelay.com monitor their blood glucose every day. which means they have to stop. and stick their fingers. repeatedly. today, life-changing technology from abbott makes it possible to track glucose levels. without drawing a drop of blood, again and again. the most personal technology, is technology with the power to change your life. life. to the fullest.
6:45 am
the controversy over police officers who have made inflammatory and hateful social media posts now ramping up around the country. here in philadelphia, 72 officers are off the street and on administrative duty, pending an internal investigation. st. louis, the circuit attorney has barred 60 officers from bringing their cases to her office. that's 5% of the city's force. and law enforcement agencies in dallas and lake county, florida, now investigating similar allegations. this is all the fallout from the work of the plain view project,
6:46 am
launched to look at whether social media eroded public trust in policing. it has identified thousands of facebook posts an comments by more than 3500 current and former police officers in eight jurisdictions around the country. here's one that they found from an officer in philadelphia, quote, here's your miranda rights. you have the right to shut the f up, anything you say will cause me to f'ing throat punch you. another from dallas. just another savage that needs to internexterminated. and you can read it. and means, white privilege is perpetrated by those who hate white people. in philadelphia alone, out of 130 studied have such posts. and in a statement, john mcnesby says our officers are entitled to due process just like any
6:47 am
other citizens. the founder of the project emily baker-white. emily, what was your standard for inclusion in the database? >> thank you, michael. it's good to be with you. so, we asked one question to determine whether she should be in the database. and that question was, is it possible this post, this comment, this statement, this meme could have an effect on civilian trust in policing. >> so, i have some additional posts. in fact, put the next one up on the screen, katherine, and we'll use that standard and take a look at this. looks like an antifa-type protest. whether these people in masks show up they should be greeted with these people, a s.w.a.t. people. who should then send them to meet these people in mask, a surgical team. that meets your standard why? >> this indicates to me that police officers think they should do violence against protesters. police officers are actually
6:48 am
dispatched to protest to protect protesters. and if they're not willing to do that, and if they think that protesters should be the victims of violence by police officers that's the problem. >> is it possible that the police officer, if it were a police officer who posted this, thinks it's funny, it's off-color, it's in bad taste? it may be discriminatory in some sense, but, hey, that's their morbid sense of humor, but that's not the way they conduct themselves on the job? >> you know, police officers have incredibly hard jobs and we all say things that we might regret later on. but in this case, if i am a person who wants to go to a protest and i'm viewing this image. that could make me think that the police officer who responds to protect me isn't in my corner because i am a protester. and this gets to my biggest fear about this entire group of posts, right? my fear is that someone is going to see this and think that
6:49 am
because they are protesting on the street, or because they look different or pray differently, than an officer, that if they need help, if they need to call 911, they're worried that the person who responds not be in their corner because they are different than that officer. >> here's another one, go ahead and run. he likes fast food. talk to me about this image. >> this is the image that i saw that first encouraged me to start the project and to think is there more out there. than just this meme. and this is obviously a troubling image. i found this image first when i was investigating a police brutality claim during my time as an attorney at the community defender office in philadelphia. i was investigating whether officers in a person jurisdiction might have indicated hostility against my client and my client's family. and if i see an image like that, it seems to encourage, endorse,
6:50 am
glorify, police brutality or violence by police dogs against citizens. and suspects. and it may be that police officers need to use a dog in a certain situation. bit i would hope if hurts the suspect. people no matter what they're accused of have the right not to be subject to excessive force by police officers, not to be subject to excessive violence by police officers, and this image seems to be encouraging that. >> it's very difficult to define the standard, right? isn't this potter stewart discussing pornography, you know it when you see it? maybe. there's some very difficult legal issues to be determined as to whether firing police officers or disciplining them for some of these posts would infringe on their first amendment rights. i posit that at the end because i want people to think about it. emily, thank you so much for being here. appreciate it.
6:51 am
>> thank you very much. still to come, your best and worst tweets and facebook comments and we'll give you the final results of the survey question, can president trump be reelected in 2020 without expanding his base. go vote. sure you do. that's why it's on us. 2. unlimited data. use as much as you want, when you want. 3. no surprises on your bill. taxes and fees included. still think you have a better deal? bring in your discount, and we'll match it. that's right. t-mobile will match your discount.
6:52 am
"csaid alice.d curiouser," "the rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way." "i've seen a cat without a gri, but a grin without a cat." hey, mercedes, end audio. change lighting to soft blue. the completely reimagined 2020 gle. with intelligent voice control and available third row. your adventure awaits. visit your local mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional lease and financing offers. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it senses your movement and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. and now the queen sleep number 360® c4 smart bed is now $1,299. save $400. only for a limited time .
6:53 am
play it cool and escape heartburn fast with new tums chewy bites cooling sensation. ♪ tum tum tum tums
6:54 am
time to see how you responded to the survey question, can president trump be reelected in 2020 without expanding his base? he suggested that to "time" magazine. the noes, nice even divide, 60, 40. the noes have it. the correct answer is it all comes down to passion and enthusiasm. he was able to get it done with
6:55 am
his base alone in 2016. it remains to be seen whether he can do that in 2020. what else do we have from social media reaction? i can see trump winning again because of your exact point. the electoral college is the decider, not popularity. his base is rooted in the smaller counties controlling the electoral. that was david wasserman's point i think is to discuss the map and to draw attention to the fact that there's a scenario where the president could actually lose the popular vote by 5 million, 3 million last time, 5 million this time, and still pull off an electoral college victory, maybe by as thin a margin as one vote. don't get sucked in by the national polls that show the head to head matchups is the point for all of us on both sides of the aisle. what else came in? i think democrats are making it too easy for president trump to be reelected with far left agenda. they are catering to states that were already going to vote democratic regardless. forget trump expanding. dems need to expand.
6:56 am
i think a good point of what you're discussing was what happened this week with joe biden. joe biden is being asked to apologize because of a point that he made about civility. was it made in an awkward manner? yeah, it was, but it's a story that he's been telling. his ability to deal can talmage or jesse helms or eastland. it's a story joe biden has been telling for years but in the view of 2019 going into 2020 lens all of a sudden it seems out of touch. i think there's nothing wrong with saying civility's a good thing and we need to reach across the aisle. i'll be in denver, parker colorado, actually tomorrow night. you can catch up with us anytime on cnn go and on demand. we'll see you next week. p and it really shows. with all that usaa offers why go with anybody else? we know their rates are good, we know that they're always going to take care of us. it was an instant savings and i should have changed a long time ago. it was funny because when we would call another insurance company,
6:57 am
hey would say "oh we can't beat usaa" we're the webber family. we're the tenney's we're the hayles, and we're usaa members for life. ♪ get your usaa auto insurance quote today. that's ensure max protein, ♪ with high protein and 1 gram sugar. it's a sit-up, banana! bend at the waist! i'm tryin'! keep it up. you'll get there. whoa-hoa-hoa! 30 grams of protein, and one gram of sugar. ensure max protein. din this clif bar isst brown rice syrup? which is just another name for sugar. this kind bar's first ingredient is almonds. which is just another name for... almonds. look inside this kind wrapper and you'll see wholesome ingredients like heart healthy nuts. with the taste of delicious dark chocolate. and only 5 grams of sugar... that's 75% less sugar than the leading clif bar. so you can be kinder to yourself... and others. be kind to yourself.
6:58 am
will transform not just the automobile, but mobility itself. an autonomous-thinking vehicle protecting those inside and out. and it's the mercedes-benz of today that will help us get there. the 2019 e-class, with innovations that will change the way we drive from this day forward. visit your local mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional lease and financing offers. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. so chantix can help you quit slow turkey.rkey. along with support, chantix is proven to help you quit. with chantix you can keep smoking at first and ease into quitting. chantix reduces the urge so when the day arrives, you'll be more ready to kiss cigarettes goodbye. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. stop chantix and get help right away if you have changes in behavior or thinking,
6:59 am
aggression, hostility, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions, seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking, or life-threatening allergic and skin reactions. decrease alcohol use. use caution driving or operating machinery. tell your doctor if you've had mental health problems. the most common side effect is nausea. quit smoking slow turkey. talk to your doctor about chantix.
7:00 am
hello to the best part of the day.... with italian quality pizza. get two medium, one-topping pizzas for just $6.99 each. every store. every day. the italian way. hello primo. blackwel good saturday morning to you. it is june 22nd. i'm victor blackwell. >> good morning, i'm jessica dean, and you're in the cnn newsroom. >> let's start with the top stories this morning, first any minute now president trump will be leaving the white house for camp david after telling nbc news that he is not looking for war, but he says if it comes to that, iran will be obliterated. also happening this morning, president trump denying a new accusation of sexual assault after a writer says he attacked her in a dressing room two decades ago. plus, a senior immigration official says i.c.e. is set to start rounding up thousands of undocumented