CNN10 2024-08-19




CNN 10

Political Conventions in the U.S.; The Hunt For Burmese Pythons in the Florida Everglades; Simone Biles tells competing in Paris "Meant the World" After Struggles in Tokyo. Aired 4-4:10a ET

Aired August 19, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Welcome to another season of CNN 10, the best 10 minutes in news. I'm Coy Wire, and I'm so pumped to be back here with you.

We've got an awesome season lined up with some new surprises that I can't wait to share very soon. Now, if you're new to the show, welcome. CNN 10 is a 10-minute show where we break down complicated stories with an easy-to- understand explanation representing all sides of the stories equally. No opinion, no slant. I tell you the what, letting you decide what to think.

And we're going to have a little bit of fun along the way, too.

All right, let's start today with the latest news on politics. In the U.S., the Democratic National Convention kicks off today in Chicago, Illinois, and lasts through Thursday. Also known as the DNC, the convention is where the Democratic Party comes together to officially nominate their candidate for president of the United States.

This year, that candidate will be current Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris entered the race after current President Joe Biden decided not to seek reelection following pressure from within his own party over concerns about his age and health. President Biden is expected to pass the torch, so to speak, to Vice President Harris during his opening speech on Monday.

Now, for their part, the Republican Party held its national convention in Milwaukee back in July, where they officially nominated former President Donald Trump as their candidate. This year, security has been an increased focus for convention organizers. In Chicago, law enforcement will be in the air, on the ground, and in the water.

Protesters are expected during the DNC in response to war in the Middle East, and security is extra tight after an assassination attempt on former President Trump just earlier this summer. These conventions happen every four years, just a few months before the presidential election. At the convention, party leaders, delegates, and members gather to set the party's platform, their stances on major issues like health care, the economy, and climate change.

It's also a time for speeches from key party figures, rallying support and excitement for the campaign ahead. These events are key moments in the race for the White House, setting the stage for the final push to election day, November 5th of this year.

Ten-second trivia.

Which of these national parks is the largest wetland ecosystem in the U.S.? Badlands, Everglades, Joshua Tree, or Glacier Bay?

Sitting at 1.5 million acres at the southern tip of Florida, the Everglades is your answer here. We head now to the Florida Everglades, where this weekend, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosted its annual competition to draw attention to the threats of invasive species to the local ecology, specifically focused on Burmese pythons, not native to Florida.

They've slithered their way into the Everglades ecosystem and are putting a serious strain on the local wildlife. To tackle this issue, people in Florida participate in the Python Challenge, where both amateurs and pros compete for the thrill of the hunt and a cash prize. Supporters of this event celebrate the conservation efforts aimed at protecting the natural habitat, though some animal rights organizations have raised concerns about the methods used by some participants.

This year marks the 11th edition of the event, and CNN correspondent Carlos Suarez has all of the details on these enormous snakes, how they got there, and the effort it takes to capture them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Looking for snakes?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, but no luck. Welcome to how it is. These snakes are very powerful.

SUAREZ (voice-over): In the humid, sweltering summer deep in the Florida, Everglades, the hunt is on for the Burmese Python.

SUAREZ: So we're looking at about 30 pounds and about nine feet.

ZACHARY CHEJANOVSKI, FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Sounds about right.

SUAREZ: One of the larger ones?

CHEJANOVSKI: Yes. I say this is on average of what you're going to find out there.

SUAREZ (voice-over): Experts we spoke to have seen snakes as long as 19 feet, weighing 125 pounds. The invasive species of snakes have few natural predators and are known to consume prey as large as alligators.

For 10 days this month, hunters on trucks equipped with flood lights drive into the night. Their eyes trained on the flooded grassland for the slightest sign of a snake.

CODEY QUINTON, BURMESE PYTHON HUNTER: Typically you'll see like a little blue hue to it on it, but most of the time you're just looking for that breakup in the pattern. A lot of the times you'll just get just a little piece of a tail sticking out from behind a tree or something and you stop.

These things are very, very camouflaged.

Just relax.

SUAREZ (voice-over): Despite that, Codey Quinton captured a 10-foot Python last year. It's all part of Florida's annual Python Challenge where amateurs and professionals seek the thrill of a capture and cash prizes. The hunter who catches the most Burmese pythons can take home $10,000.

The snakes first showed up in Florida in 1979 brought here as pets and likely released into the wild by owners when the snakes grew too big to keep. They aren't picky eaters. Small mammals and birds are among their favorite meals.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, since 2000 more than 21,000 Burmese pythons have been captured and killed. But experts estimate tens of thousands of them are still thriving and threatening the Everglades ecosystem. And wildlife officials say the area has seen a decrease in the number of small mammals like raccoons and rabbits as a result. The challenge is intended to help solve that problem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: All right. If you follow me on social media, you may know that I just got back from Paris covering the Summer Olympics. And I was able to catch up with some of the biggest stars of the games.

And we're going to be sharing some of their stories with you all week long, including that of the greatest gymnast of all time, Simone Biles. She's now racked up seven Olympic gold medals, 11 medals in all. Simone shared why this year was so special for her and how she navigates not just her breathtaking flips in the air, but also the twists and turns of life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Why were these games so important to you?

SIMONE BILES, USA GYMNAST: Well, it was important to me because nobody forced me to be out there on that stage. I solely did it for myself and I'm in a really good spot mentally and physically. So doing this for just me, it meant the world.

WIRE: And you overcame a lot to get here. We all know that. Did you feel any of those demons start to come creeping in the mind again? And if so, how'd you deal with it?

BILES: Yes, I dealt with them in therapy. Obviously, you always have those thoughts coming in the back of your head, but just trying to stay as positive as possible, going back to what I know, thinking about my therapy tactics and it worked.

WIRE: That's so important.

BILES: Yes.

WIRE: Iconic moment, the podium bowing down to Rebeca there. Young girls out there today are getting torn apart left and right, torn down. How important was it for you to show the world it's OK to adjust each other's crowns?

BILES: No, absolutely. I think it was really important for that moment. Obviously, it was just me and Jordan being me and Jordan, but I know it was really special and it was very impactful for kids to see that. You win with grace, you lose with grace.

WIRE: Yeah. Now, this iconic moment out, these games, in my opinion, was when you clapped back at some people talking about your appearance. And young girls deal with that all the time, the stress to fit in. What is your message to those young girls out there who might be feeling like they're not enough or they're not fitting in?

BILES: You guys are beautiful, confident. You guys are so smart. Stand in your power, believe in yourself, and you guys are going to be just fine.

And I'll be here to support you every step of the way. I know it's hard, but you guys are going to do it and you're going to do big things.

WIRE: What would you say your spirit animal is or your spirit character that switch that flips when you have to go out there and dominate? And that thing has allowed you to win 11 Olympic medals.

BILES: Okay, so I think mine would actually be a honey badger. Like honey badger in the gym, sloth outside.

WIRE: Slothy Simone.

BILES: Yeah.

WIRE: I think you need a new chain. Now, that was pretty dope.

BILES: Thanks.

WIRE: All right. Now, you've got some time to enjoy your family, especially your husband, Jonathan Owens. You get to enjoy some football.

BILES: Yeah.

WIRE: He's been here supporting you. Are you going to be at his games being the hype, hype one for him?

BILES: Yes, absolutely. I feel like I'm his biggest supporter besides some of our other family that we have, but it's always exciting watching him play on that field.

WIRE: OK. If they play the Falcons or my Bills this year, please don't show up. We don't need any more cheers for them.

BILES: That's actually -- they played the Bills this weekend. So good luck.

WIRE: She said, good luck.

BILES: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: It's time to end with today's story getting a 10 out of 10, an unexpected prize at a family fun park in Pennsylvania, inside a claw machine where a groundhog was found getting cozy with all the stuffies. The little rascal created quite the comfy hideaway and earned the nickname Colonel Custard.

A state game warden was called in to evict the furry squatter. And of course, this all went down in Pennsylvania, the state famous for groundhogs because of the legendary Punxsutawney Phil, who pops up every year to, according to lore, give us a clue as to when spring will arrive.

All right, superstars. Now to my favorite part of the day, I'm giving a shout out to our friends up in Sandwich, Illinois. Sandwich High School, salute.

And I'm going to give you some motivation Monday from the great actor, Audrey Hepburn. Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, I'm possible.

Shine bright, y'all. Be that light that someone needs today. It's going to be an awesome year. And I am so pumped to be sharing it with you.

I'm Coy Wire. I'll see you right back here tomorrow on CNN 10.

END