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Three Weeks to Go Before Election Day; Georgia Early Voting Begins; Harris Calls Trump "Unhinged"; Trump Attacks Harris' Intelligence; Harris Campaign Rolls Out New Ad of Trump's Former Aides; Vance Backing Up Trump's "Enemy from Within" Comments; Sean Combs Facing Six New Lawsuits; Harris Ramps Up Her Media Blitz; Harris' Opportunity Agenda. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired October 15, 2024 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Laid out in terms of which stores, but this represents about 3 percent of the convenience stores around the continent. And Dave listed a few reasons, including falling sales, inflationary pressure on the consumers, plunging cigarette sales, which is interesting, and shrinking store traffic.

7-Eleven said that their store traffic in August was down by 7 percent year over year. That was the sixth straight month of falling say -- of falling traffic. And so, now 7-Eleven, like Walgreens, they're pulling the plug on some of their weakest links.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Clearly, people do not share my love of a frozen cup from 7-Eleven.

EGAN: Clearly.

BOLDUAN: Just delicious. Thank you so much, Matt.

EGAN: Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: A new hour of CNN New Central starts now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New claims of unhinged fascism and allergic conjunctivitis, one of the darkest, strangest, but also most telling and most important 12 hours of campaigning we have seen.

Sean Combs facing an onslaught of new lawsuits, which he will have to fight from behind bars. The serious and disturbing new accusations.

And then a plane carrying two giant pandas now over the key battleground State of Michigan. Early voting begins for Panda Watch. It is possible I am mixing up stories.

I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. This is CNN News Central.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, the race for the White House hits the three-week mark. Exactly three weeks from today is Election Day. But in Georgia, early voting just began, which means for some Americans, last night was a final impression moment for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump before polls opened.

Harris called Trump unhinged. Trump, once again, attacked Harris' IQ and then abruptly ended his event after and he danced a lot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Go and vote. Let me hear that music, please.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone, let's thank President Trump.

TRUMP: Let me hear that music loud. Nice and loud.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

TRUMP: So, play "YMCA." Go ahead. Let's go. Nice and loud.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here we go, everybody.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: CNN's Isaac Dovere is with us now. All right. What the heck is going on here? Because this lasted for more than a half an hour. It's basically half of the Trump town hall there in the very important State of Pennsylvania.

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, Sara, the former president was there to answer questions about his campaign and what he would do as president again from voters. There were two medical incidents, two people who collapsed in the crowd, were getting treated by doctors or -- and the former president decided that the thing that he would do instead of continuing to answer questions would be to start calling out songs that he would want played and to dance.

As you say, the super clip that you did there -- or super cut was some of what happened, but it went on for 39 minutes of Donald Trump calling out songs and dancing, and people in the crowd seemed to be somewhat confused. I was noticing in the clip that you were just playing there, you can see one of the people who is standing on stage with him checking things on his phone while this is going on.

So, that's how the former president spent his night last night and then tweeting about Kamala Harris having allergies in her -- the medical report that she released over the -- last weekend and saying that that was a big problem for her. So, that's what he was doing.

Kamala Harris, meanwhile, was in Erie, Pennsylvania trying to call attention to other things that Donald Trump has been talking about, specifically what he said at two points over the weekend, one at a rally and then in an interview, talking about how there is an enemy within and that it's the radical left, and that in his opinion there might need to be the National Guard or military brought out against these people if they are causing some sort of chaos after Election Day. And Harris doing something that she has not done before, which is to pause in her own remarks in the rally that she was having, and just play clips of Trump saying that. This is part of Harris trying to focus people in these last three weeks here on the stark choice that is in front of people and to say that it, in part, is about Trump being unstable, calling him out again for not doing a second debate with her and not sitting for more interviews, like she has been doing, and also to say that he is part of -- that he would continue, if he came back to the White House in a kind of America, that she thinks Americans should not be standing for.

[09:05:00]

So, that's how we are, 21 days out here, as now the candidates continue over today to do more, Harris will be in Detroit trying to make her case to black voters, especially black men with an event with Charlamagne Tha God, the radio host, and Donald Trump on the campaign trail too. We're going to have a lot going on over these last three weeks.

SIDNER: Yes. We are in the final weeks right before the election. It is finally almost here. Isaac Dovere, thank you so much. Appreciate your reporting. John.

BERMAN: It's completely here in some places where they are voting, including Georgia early voting began today. Donald Trump has planned two stops there today. Let's go right to Nick Valencia in Atlanta at a polling site. What do you see, Nick?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John, the early voting was the big news of the day, but about 30 minutes ago, we got a ruling from the superior court that we've been waiting for related to the voting process here in 2024. Judge Robert McBurney had a couple lawsuits in front of him, one related to and being brought forward by a Fulton County elections official named Julie Adams, who made news this past spring by refusing to certify the results of the presidential primary.

But Judge Robert McBurney sending a clear message that saying that certification under Georgia law is mandatory. And here's what he's saying in part of his ruling saying, quote -- give me one second here to bring that ruling, "If election officials --" I'm sorry, "If election superintendents were, as plaintiff urges, free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge and so, because of a unilateral determination of error or fraud, refuse to certify election results, Georgia voters would be silenced. Our constitution and our election code do not allow for that to happen."

This really sends a major blow to conservatives who are trying to broaden their powers. And again, I mentioned that there's another ruling related to certification that is in front of Judge Robert McBurney as it stands right now, related to a reasonable inquiry, which Democrats fear could give powers to a rogue election official to refuse to certify election results.

Look, it goes without saying that there is an air of anxiety when it comes to the post-election tabulation process, but that's not really on voters' minds. The ones that we've spoken to today, so far. Polls opened up at 7:00 this morning, and there was already five people in line an hour before the doors open. That line ended up wrapping around this precinct we're in front of.

Fulton County was consequential in the 2020 election. We'll see if it has the similar fate here in 2024. John.

BERMAN: People showing up to vote. What they want to do is to cast their vote and to have it count. Nick Valencia in Atlanta, thank you very much. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania took a new approach in taking on Donald Trump, tossing to and playing clips of the former president in his own words to make her argument, she said, that he is a danger to the country, highlighting his repeated line recently about needing to fight the enemy within. And with that, the Harris campaign also rolled out a brand-new ad featuring Trump's former aides.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVIA TROYE, FORMER ADVISER TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: I do remember the day that he suggested that we shoot people on the streets.

KEVIN CARROLL, FORMER TRUMP HOMELAND OFFICIAL: The second term would be worse. There will be no one to stop his worst instincts. Unchecked power, no guardrails. If we elect Trump again, we're in terrible danger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: And joining us right now are two former Trump national security aides who you saw there in that ad. Former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye and Former Trump Homeland Security official Kevin Carroll. Thanks, guys, for being here.

Kevin, people supporting Donald Trump will say, you're hyperventilating. You're exaggerating. That the guardrails worked last time. Democracy didn't dissolve under his watch. Why do you think they are wrong?

CARROLL: Kate, I think they're wrong because it was a very close run thing last time around, and we won't have the same quality of people around a second time if it comes to pass. Repeatedly, during the first term, President Trump was just inching to misuse the military.

In 2017, he wanted to use the National Guard to conduct immigration investigations. Secretary John Kelly said no. In 2018, he wanted to use the military to shoot migrants, including women and children, crossing the Rio Grande, Secretary Mattis said no. In 2020, he wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act to use federal troops against protesters during the George Floyd demonstration, and Secretary Esper said no. And on January 6th, part of the plan was, again, to invoke the Insurrection Act to use federal troops if protests broke out after Mike Pence refused to certify the election, luckily, Vice President Pence did the right thing. So, it was very close thing last time around, but you won't have people, I think, the quality of John Kelly and General Mattis and Vice President Pence around.

BOLDUAN: I do want to ask you about John Kelly in just a moment as you worked under him when he was Secretary of Homeland Security. But Olivia, J. D. Vance backed up Trump and -- when asked by reporters for what he thinks Trump meant when he talked about the enemy within and using the National Guard or bringing in the military to fight against them. Let me play for you what J. D. Vance said.

[09:10:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JD VANCE (R-OH), REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Is it a justifiable use of those assets if they're rioting and looting and burning cities down to the ground? Of course, it is. If that happens, if you have a major reaction to an election in 2024, of course you ought to commit law enforcement resources to bring law and order back to our cities.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did Donald Trump mean by an enemy within? How do you interpret that?

VANCE: Well, I think one of the ways I interpret it is in the past three and a half years, Kamala Harris' open border has allowed at least hundreds and maybe thousands of people that we know are on the terrorism watch list.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Olivia, how do you react to that?

TROYE: Well, I think that's J. D. Vance tap dancing to cover up for Donald Trump as usual. But look, those of us who lived Donald Trump firsthand, who were in these meetings, when he was suggesting shooting migrants, shooting Americans, I'll tell you, I walked those grounds outside the White House the day that Donald Trump suggested we shoot protesters and Americans. And I had friends there in that square with their families. They were peacefully protesting and using their exercising their right to free speech. And so, I was there for some of the most horrifying conversations.

When Donald Trump is talking about these enemies from within internally here and using the military against them, he's really talking about Democrats per se, we can say that he is what he's really talking about is anyone who actually presents an existential threat against him, whether it's the media, whether it's Americans, whether it's protesters, it's really just authoritarian tendencies.

And honestly, the reason that so many of us are alarmed by this national security is when a lot of these people are no longer in the room, he will go to his worst instincts should he get elected again and he will incite the type of violence that we've seen, whether it came to January 6th or whether, you know, someone like in 2018. I worked on the case where the person was sending the pipe bombs to media entities, to Democratic leaders. It leads to actual real-world consequences when Donald Trump says these things, and that is what makes him so dangerous.

BOLDUAN: You know, Kevin, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs under Donald Trump, General Mark Milley, he's quoted in Bob Woodward's new book saying that Donald Trump is a fascist to the core. He also said that, you know, you need to -- we need to stop them. You need to stop them talking to the American media and to, I think, the American people.

You worked for another general under John Kelly when he was DHS secretary, and he has told his own troubling stories about Donald Trump. Why do you think comments from top people like Milley, Kelly, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and so on and so forth, that don't seem to have more impact, given where the polling stands, and I just looked at it, that Donald Trump still leads when it comes to the American people when they're asked, who do you trust to handle national security?

CARROLL: I wish people would pay more attention to them. I think perhaps people are treating the words of these retired general and flag officers as if they're the words of other politicians, and I would discourage people from doing that. These are people who have spent over 30, 40 and some years cases serving our country in uniform with repeated combat tours. They have served presidents of both parties. They are deeply conservative men, in my experience, but they're not partisan men. And I wish people would pay more attention to these dire warnings that they're given.

I think Chairman Milley was correct to finally say the F word, fascism, because that's what we're seeing in these past few weeks from Donald Trump with these just lurid stories about how immigrants will come into your kitchen and slit your throat, steal your pet and eat it. Just absolute lunacy coming from the mouth of a former president of the United States who's campaigning for George Washington's old job.

BOLDUAN: Thank you both for coming on. I appreciate your time. Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Ahead, Sean Diddy Combs faces six new sexual assault lawsuits, including one man who says he was a minor at the time.

And two giant pandas on their way from China to Washington's National Zoo. We're tracking the Panda Express until they touch down. John Berman is jumping for joy as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:15:00]

BERMAN: All right. This morning, Sean Combs facing a new round of serious allegations accused of sexual assault in six new lawsuits, all filed anonymously. One accuser says Combs assaulted him at a party when he was only 16. Combs allegedly told him it was a rite of passage saying, quote, "Don't you want to break into the business?"

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has been covering this from the beginning, is with us this morning with the latest. Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John. So, very disturbing and graphic allegations coming out in these six new lawsuits. These come from both men and women who all filed anonymously. There are four John Does, so male accusers, and two Jane Does.

As you said, one of the male accusers alleges that at the time that he was allegedly sexually assaulted by Combs in 1998, that he was a 16- year-old teenage boy. He says that he met Combs at one of his infamous white parties, and as you said, he was talking to Combs about his aspirations to break into show business when he alleges that he was assaulted.

Now, that was not the only thing. only alleged assault that occurred at one of these white parties. Another male accuser says that in 2006 when he was hired to work security at one of these white parties in the Hamptons that he alleges he was drugged and then assaulted by Combs.

[09:20:00]

Now, as I said, there are both male and female accusers. Both female accusers allege that they were raped by Combs. One of them says that in 1995 she was at a music video promotional party and that is where she alleges that she was raped by Combs.

I want to read you part of her complaint. One of the allegations says, quote, "When Plaintiff attempted to pull away, he violently struck her, slamming her head against the wall and causing her to fall to the floor. Disoriented and in pain, Plaintiff tried to escape, but Combs hit her again, making it nearly impossible for her to move." That is when she goes on to say in this complaint that she was sexually assaulted.

Now, you may remember that earlier this month, a Houston-based attorney named Tony Buzbee, he held a public press conference. He said that he was representing at least 120 new accusers of Combs, and that he planned to file lawsuits for all 120 of them. These six lawsuits are the first to come from him, and I interviewed him earlier this month, and he told me about some of the patterns of allegations that he came across with his clients.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BUZBEE, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING NEW ACCUSERS: The white party comes up quite often, but there's -- obviously, there's a lot of partying going on, album release parties, after parties, club parties, parties after club. I mean, you name it. These were people that were there, that were allegedly drugged and then allegedly raped, passed around, woke up the next morning with just completely clueless about what had happened to them. And just in utter shock and injured even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WAGMEISTER: Now, Combs is denying all of these lawsuits. He says that attorney is simply looking for publicity and his attorneys tell me that Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone. John.

BERMAN: All right. Elizabeth Wagmeister, disturbing new allegations. Thank you for your reporting on this. Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, Vice President Kamala Harris is working hard to lock in the support from black men voters. We're going to speak to one of the journalists who had a chance to sit down with her about all of this. And October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. CNN Correspondent Stephanie Elam sits down in marking this month for an intimate conversation with her two best friends, both battling breast cancer, one we know very well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:25:00]

SIDNER: With just three weeks to go until the election, Kamala Harris ramping up her media blitz. This week, she has been targeting black media outlets. She will appear today with Charlamagne Tha God in Detroit and did an interview with my next guest on the often-viral black content media site, The Shade Room.

Here's her response to being asked about whether or not black men will come out in strong support of her like they have done in the past for other Democratic presidents, although the polling shows they may not.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Let's be clear that your underlying premise is not an assumption that I'm supposed to have black men in my back pocket in terms of their vote and that I should be taking that for granted, because I don't. Black men are no different from anybody else. They expect that you have to earn their vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Joining me now host and investigative reporter for TSR, The Shade Room, as it's known, Justin Carter is with us. And you conducted that interview. You asked her a really interesting question about what happened with what President Obama said on the stump, where he talked to black men as he's standing there on a school campus saying to them basically that sexism might be a part of why she is not getting the support that he believes she deserves and certainly not the kind of support that he got. I'm curiously what -- curious what you are hearing from black men on what their feelings are on that.

JUSTIN CARTER, HOST/INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, THE SHADE ROOM AND HOST, THE SHADE ROOM'S "TSR INVESTIGATES": Sara, it's so good to see you and join you. Been watching you for years. Thank you for having me. Yes. You know, this hit close to home to me, Sara, too, because I am an alumni of the University of Pittsburgh. So, my eyes and ears were open when he did say those things. And I'm really challenging black men to think about that and think about a woman being president. And it did not land as well as he thought it was going to. And it kind of stirred the pot and ruffled a few feathers when it came to just, you know, people on the internet saying that, you know, why are you lecturing to black men. You know, black men, they have a seat at the table. You don't have to spoon feed them into leaning one way or another.

So, that was just a very interesting perspective. And, you know, a former Ohio senator, she went on on Twitter as well to express those sentiments as well. So, yes, the bottom line is, you know, I go to these barbershops, I have family members, you know, I was raised by black men, and yes, we do have a seat at the table. We do have a strong seat at the table. And really, at the end of the day, there is some truth in that, you know, we do not have to be lectured. We do not have to be spoon fed into believing one thing or the other. We do have a capability of doing our research, doing our homework, and ultimately, making the best decision.

SIDNER: You mentioned something there, it's a sort of do -- is it the sentiment that he said the quiet part out loud, but it's the way the message was handed over that didn't resonate?

CARTER: Yes, I think so. I really think so. And in fact, I got a message from the vice president's senior adviser who used to work for the Obama administration, and she just wanted to clear some things up, you know, he did say those things in a private setting. Of course, there were cell phones there, but the sentiment was not to, you know, put black men against the wall and make them feel bad for, you know, if they choose not to vote for the vice president for president.

Really, the message was, let's think about this. Let's think about, you know, supporting, you know, a black woman for president.

[09:30:00]