RNC Special Live Coverage Day 3; Live: Laura Storm Coverage; Monster Hurricane, Unrest over Police Shootings and COVID-19 Death Toll Rising as RNC Wraps Night Three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: All right. We got special coverage for you. Multiple breaking stories on our watch, tonight. You got this monster hurricane, Laura. You got unrest over police shootings. You've got the coronavirus death toll, now, nearing 180,000 while, at the Republican National Convention, they're saying the pandemic is over, essentially. All going on during the convention but certainly on the watch of this president who wants your vote.</s>DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And don't forget, you got NBA players saying, you know what, we're not going to play in the playoffs. We've got a lot going on. We're tracking all of it and especially, we are tracking Hurricane Laura. All night. The dangerous category 4 storm. Look at your screen now. It is barreling toward the Gulf Coast. Up to 150-mile-per-hour winds. Here's what the National Weather Center is warning of. OK? And I quote here. Pay attention. "Unsurvivable" storm surge. More than 4 million people are in this hurricane's path. Landfall getting closer and closer and closer, Chris. And CNN is on the ground covering all of this for you. It's happening, right now, as we're on the air. We're going to take you through it.</s>CUOMO: Yes. We'll be keeping up, on our watch, with what's happening with Laura and this breaking news of what's happening on our watch in Kenosha after the police shooting of another Black man, Jacob Blake. But the story is, now, bigger than that because you now have this second set of shootings, allegedly, by white militia people, who may have been getting comfort from the police, not for the shooting but for their presence. One of them actually walked down the street, towards the police, after the shootings.</s>LEMON: Yes.</s>CUOMO: With hands raised but with a long gun across his chest. And they just drove right by.</s>LEMON: Well, we got -- let's show this because we have a -- this is what it shows. The social media accounts believed to be from the suspect in last night's shooting that left, as you said, two people dead, another injured. Look it. That's him on your screen. It shows 17-year-old white teen who posted about guns.</s>CUOMO: "4doorsmorewhores."</s>LEMON: Yes. Well, there you go. Again, and he posted about his support for police, posting, Chris, about his support for President Trump. Social media revealing that he attended a Trump rally. This was back in January. And then, this is the thing that we have been talking about because there is this new video that is out. Now it's believed to be from the suspect's Snapchat account, places him at the protests in Kenosha, last night, Chris.</s>CUOMO: Yes. All of that, coming as the vice president looked very earnest, into the camera, and said, Joe Biden doesn't want to talk about what is happening on our streets. Well, he didn't mention this. Is it because it's one of his supporters? Is it because he is white? Or is it because, even though it is happening on his watch, he has no answer for this division? And nothing about Jacob Blake, either, who is now paralyzed from the waist down, or the protesters, who were shot to death last night. But he did bring up that the riots, as if they were the problem, not a symptom of a problem that he still refuses to acknowledge. And, in fact, says doesn't exist. There is no systemic racism in America.</s>LEMON: And every single one of them have been critical of the former Vice President Joe Biden, saying that he hasn't mentioned, you know, about what's happening in American cities and the rioting and the unrest, that he hasn't mentioned it.</s>LEMON: He -- he has mentioned it. Again, today, putting out more of a message, which we encouraged him to do on this very program last night. But you can't be hypocritical and say, well, the former vice president didn't mention it during the Democratic convention last week. And then, you don't do it at -- at -- as well and you are the current vice president? Hypocrisy, at its finest. So let's -- let's talk more about this Hurricane Laura. Just making landfall in southwestern Louisiana, Chris. So that's very important. And that's where we'll find CNN's Martin Savidge. Just across the border from Beaumont, Texas, right now. He is in Lake Charles and there -- oh. What do you have, Martin? What's going on? OK. So listen. We lost -- we lost the IFB. Martin, did we get it back?</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you did. We got it back.</s>LEMON: What you got? What you got?</s>SAVIDGE: So this is probably the last time we're going to be down here. But it's always a challenge in the night to try to show you what this storm is doing. So take a look at where I am. And now, we can ask Stuart (ph) to sort of pan the camera off into the parking lot here. And that's really where you get a sense of the volume of water and the amount of wind load that is blasting across the landscape here. And again, we are in a sheltered area so we're not getting the full blast of this storm. But the eyewall's really close to us now. You can tell that -- you can hear a lot of things banging around in the darkness. And we've had the power go off and on. They say it never goes out here. We'll see. Tonight is really going to be a test. But you know, this storm is clearly roaring. And you're reaching that critical moment here. For anybody who is hunkered inside their home, you have a dual worry here. It's, of course, the wind. But it's the storm surge is the other one you've got to worry about. Plus, the tremendous volume of rain that's now falling down. You know, we have slight damage on the property here. But in the exposed areas, especially right down at the coast, they would be getting hammered by all of this. And it's going to continue for some time now. But the blast does sting. It's hard to stay standing and it's definitely a lot of wind and rain that is coming down. It's going to continue like this for the next hour to two here. In fact, I think I'm going to get out of it and send it back to the two of you.</s>LEMON: I got to say, Martin, keep walking. We'll keep the shot up as we talk about this, Chris. You -- we've both been in these situations. And you know, right now, once it starts to make landfall, this is just the beginning. And something that you have never heard, I've never heard and I'm sure Martin Savidge and our meteorologist who we're going to get to never heard, "unsurvivable" storm surge -- surges.</s>CUOMO: Yes. I mean, look, they were trying to encourage evacuation. And, look, you know, growing up there, you know. People, when they're not in that lifestyle, they are like, why would you not leave? People are afraid they won't be able to get back. People don't have places to go. They don't have money.</s>LEMON: You got COVID this time.</s>CUOMO: And now, you got COVID. People are afraid of it. And you know, the vice president, tonight, said we're in a time of testing. Yes, but we don't have the tests. During this time of testing, we don't have the rapid tests so that people, like your family down in Baton Rouge, can have the confidence that they'd be able to get quick feedback about where they're going and if they're --</s>LEMON: Who wants to go to a shelter when you may become exposed to a deadly virus?</s>CUOMO: So the idea the pandemic is over, no, it's actually affecting people's choices, in real time. But we got to say. You know, Martin Savidge has preternatural calm in that situation. This shot from his photographer that they're working with, this is the perfect shot. Look at the wind through the light. And that is what is going to change the surrounding there, even in somewhat of a sheltered area. Don't let his calm belie a sense of calm in the situation. You know, it takes a real seasoned pro to be that calm in that kind of situation. And that shot really shows, even on the outer bounds of a storm, does not mean you're out of trouble and often the duration is longer in the outer bands.</s>LEMON: Hey, real quick before we get to Tom Sater. I know that Martin is there because I hear him talking. Martin, can you still hear me?</s>SAVIDGE: Yes, I'm here. Yes, I can.</s>LEMON: Even in just the couple of minutes that we've had you on the air here, have you noticed the winds pick up in just that small amount of time?</s>SAVIDGE: Oh, yes. No, no, it's -- I mean, with every gust that you get, you can tell that it's much more violent. You can actually sense it. And you guys know all of this. You've been out here. But you feel the pressure, which is the indication that a big blow is coming. So it's sort of a -- the whole body senses this storm. And then comes a huge blast. And then, you see the trees bend and snap. And just to watch that water go by the lights. That's why we had to come up here. Most of the area around us is black. So it's clear, you've been watching transformers blow.</s>SAVIDGE: And you've been watching sort of the electrical grid around us begin to dissolve, hopefully, just temporarily. But it has stayed on here, which is -- that's what gives you this tremendous view. Otherwise, you would be in the dark. And that's what's terrifying about these storms. If you can't see it and all you can do is hear it, your mind goes to its darkest and worst places. The visual isn't too far from that, either. This is why you need to leave. Of course, you can't now. But it's a stunning thing to watch.</s>LEMON: Hey, Martin. I want you to stand by. Chris, as we keep Martin and this shot up, what do you say we bring our meteorologist in?</s>CUOMO: Tom Sater. He is in the Weather Center.</s>LEMON: Tom, I want you to stand by because we've got Martin Savidge who is there, on the ground. We got Tom giving us the deal here. He's the expert. But I also want to get back to the ground. Chris, help me out with this and bring in the storm chaser who is out there tonight, and that is --</s>CUOMO: Aaron Jayjack.</s>LEMON: He joins us now. He's a MyRadar Storm Chaser in Sulphur, Louisiana. Aaron, you're familiar to both of us here. You're in Sulphur. What's the play? What's up?</s>AARON JAYJACK, MYRADAR STORM CHASER: It's a big-time storm's coming through right now in Sulphur. We've been getting battered. Hurricane force winds now for probably the last hour, at least. I was up on the fourth floor of this hotel and it's a very harrowing ride up there on the fourth floor. So I'm down here on the ground level. Behind me, here, you can see power flashes going off. Power's already out here in Sulphur. It's only going to get worse. We're not even in the worst of it, yet.</s>CUOMO: What have you been seeing in terms of what you have been posting tonight?</s>JAYJACK: Mostly, it's been a lot of strong winds and rain. I don't think the winds have gotten quite that strong, yet. Where the damage is happening but those winds are just a few miles out. And it's really starting to roar out there. Just a few miles, now, to my south. Coming this way. The eye's already made its way on shore. It's moving toward Sulphur here. We're about 30 miles inland. So it's quite a ways inland. So it takes a little bit once it crosses shore to get here but it's going to be a wild night, tonight.</s>LEMON: Storm surge. Anything you can tell us about it?</s>JAYJACK: I haven't seen any surge here, yet. But I talked to some folks earlier today, talked to some sheriffs and they were referencing Rita and whatnot. And I was trying to do some recon about the surge so I could simply ride this out. And they're saying the surge hasn't really come up here in the past, with past hurricanes. But this is a different -- you know, every hurricane's different. This is a different beast right now. This might be the strongest one to hit this location, ever. So you -- you got to be -- you got to play it safe. And I've got some options here. I've got the interstate if I have to, I can get up on that. That's pretty well above sea level. I think we're about 60 feet above sea level here in Sulphur. Power flash. I'm not too worried about the surge, here. But there could get, you know, a couple feet of water in the parking lots here and around this area.</s>LEMON: Aaron, be safe. Aaron's out there all the time for these, Chris, and has helped us out many times. But he is showing you the danger and why people should be evacuated and heed the warnings.</s>CUOMO: Right. Look. I mean, it's good to have eyes on the ground. It's just so dangerous. I know he and guys like him and their teams, they're ready for this. But you can only prepare for so much. But it is a valuable service so people can understand what's happening to their communities. And sometimes, it makes it easier for them to evacuate. All right. Let's add to the mix, now. Let's bring in Tony Guillory. He is the jury president of Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana. How are you doing there, sir?</s>TONY GUILLORY, JURY PRESIDENT, CALCASIEU PARISH, LA: Oh, we fighting this -- we fighting this hurricane out here. Very big one.</s>CUOMO: What are you seeing, so far, where you are?</s>GUILLORY: A lot of winds. A lot of big, heavy winds. It is blowing really hard, right now. The building that we are in, you can hear it outside. Sounding like a train is coming.</s>CUOMO: Were you able to get the people out and get people to safety that you needed to? What do you know about who got out and who stayed?</s>GUILLORY: We called a mandatory evacuation, yesterday. Most of the people got out. But a lot of 'em did not. We, also, had a bus bringing them to another area in Louisiana for their safety. But some people did not get out. They're -- we are getting calls in today -- tonight, I mean -- we're getting calls in, saying people that are out there. So there are some people still out there.</s>LEMON: It's too late now, though, Tony, right?</s>GUILLORY: It's too late. It's too late. Only thing we can tell them is find a place in their house where they could go to a good safety place.</s>LEMON: Tony, let me ask you because I know COVID is a big concern. Did you get a lot of people -- and I know Calcasieu Parish is vulnerable for hurricanes, all the time, any sort of storm. Were people concerned about COVID or going to shelters and any of that?</s>GUILLORY: Yes. We're doing -- on the bus, they only allow like 30 on the bus. The bus will seat 50 but they will space them out. So we were looking at COVID concerns, also, in that. Over here, in the building, everybody's walking around with their mask on. So that's one big thing also because Louisiana was high at one time for</s>COVID. LEMON: Wow. Tony Guillory, thank you, sir.</s>GUILLORY: Thank you, all, for everything you do. Thank you all.</s>LEMON: We really appreciate you joining us. Be safe.</s>CUOMO: Also, as you figure out what you need there, Mr. Guillory, know that if it's on our watch for the next hour or so, we're here and for days to come. What you need, let us know; we can get word out. OK?</s>LEMON: Yes.</s>GUILLORY: Thank you all. Thank you.</s>LEMON: Here we are, Chris. Monster Hurricane. We've got unrest in Wisconsin. Unrest in the Midwest. A deadly pandemic. All of that, hanging over the third night of the Republican convention. A night full of misleading claims. It's fact-check time. It's a very serious time in this country and we've got to fact check it. We're going to do it all for you, next. Don't go anywhere.