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Remembering Dick Cheney; Test for Second Trump Term; Voters Head to the Polls in New York; Voters Head to the Polls in New Jersey; Voters Head to the Polls in Virginia. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired November 04, 2025 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

LAMONT BAGBY (D), VIRGINIA STATE SENATOR: A lot of folks, wonder why individuals don't vote all early. Some people just enjoy voting on Election Day. My mom, my daughter have both gone to vote today on Election Day. But those basic needs are what -- what's driving individuals to the voting blocks today. And those things are things that we talk around the kitchen table about housing, education, healthcare, the affordability of all of those things are under attack. I mean even if you think about fertilizer. Who would ever -- who would have ever thought that we would be having a conversation about fertilizer because of these tariffs?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: That and quite a lot more. The good news is, is there will be answers and no more projecting and guessing and predicting very soon coming out of Virginia.

Lamont Bagby, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, thank you so much for your time.

BAGBY: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: It is Election Day in America. Lots of big races that we're watching. And we're going to take you live to the polls.

But first, our breaking news. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84. And President George W. Bush just released this statement honoring him, saying in part, "Dick was a calm and steady presence in the White House amid great national challenges. I counted on him for his honest, forthright counsel, and he never failed to give his best. He held to held to his convictions and prioritized the freedom and security of the American people. For those two terms in office, and throughout his remarkable career, Dick Cheney's service always reflected credit on the country he loved. Dick's love for America was second only to his family."

Bush also releasing this photo of himself and Dick Cheney. Cheney considered the most powerful vice president, really, in American history. He was also the chief architect of the post-9/11 war on terrorism, and a driving force behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

His family says he died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: There's that photo right there that you were just talking about.

SIDNER: There it is, the photo that we were speaking about.

Joining us now, CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Jamie Gangel.

Wolf, we'll start with you. You covered this administration. You covered Dick Cheney throughout his many years in office and beyond. What can you tell us today that you are learning about his passing?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's very, very sad because I always had a very, very strong relationship with him going back to my days as CNN's Pentagon correspondent in the early 1990s, before the first Gulf War. And I remember those days very vividly because he was always so helpful to me and to CNN. CNN was a relatively new news organization, but he was always there to give us important information about what was going on.

A few months after I became the Pentagon correspondent, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Operation Desert Shield started. Then Operation Desert Storm. And it was Dick Cheney, the defense secretary, and Colin Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at that time, who helped us tremendously in making sure we had the news factually, accurately and that we could get it on the air. And they were both, especially Dick Cheney, very sensitive to the fact that everyone seemed to be watching CNN, the first 24/7 television news organization, not only in the United States, but maybe even sometimes, more importantly, around the world. They were very sensitive to that. And that's why they wanted to make sure we had the latest developments. And I remember those days very vividly.

So, it was an important start to my relationship with Dick Cheney over the years, which continued for many years afterwards.

BERMAN: And, Jamie, you've covered the Cheney family for so long as well. What are you hearing from them this morning?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, I have not spoken to the family this morning, but I have been speaking to Liz Cheney over the last couple of weeks. And I think one of the most important things she would like people to remember about her father is something that happened actually in the last decade, and that is, she said, you know, the way she was raised by her father gave her the courage of her convictions. And of course, that leads to standing up to Donald Trump, voting to impeach him on January 6th.

And then, you know, people may not remember this, but both Liz and her father then endorsed Kamala Harris and voted for her for president. I think it's fair to say, neither one of them ever imagined that they would vote for a Democrat for president. But, you know, Liz knows that, and the family knows that, you know, many people will remember her father for being a powerful and controversial vice president because of the Iraq War and 9/11.

[09:05:08]

But she hopes people will also remember that, as she says, he chose country over party.

SIDNER: Wolf, now to you. You know, Jamie's bringing up the controversy that surrounded the vice president. He was certainly a lightning rod, both when he was in office during the Iraq War, and afterwards with his stance on Donald Trump and the way that his party views him now. Do you remember how he responded to sort of tough questions by reporters, like you, who were questioning him about some of the decisions made?

BLITZER: I think he always appreciated those tough questions. He expected them. He was a very, very fervent believer in a free press, and he wanted to make sure that the press stayed free, because that's one of the first elements of democracy, to have a free press. And I remember very vividly when Operation Desert Shield, leading up to the first gulf war, became Operation Desert Storm, and the U.S. was going to launch the counterattack to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. Dick Cheney, then defense secretary, and General Colin Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, both separately called me at the Pentagon to tell me this war is about to take a new step. The war is about to begin for real. I know you have reporters in Baghdad watching all of this. And they both said the same thing to me. Tell your bosses. Tell Ted Turner. Tell all the others. Get them out of there. Get them out right away. Because I know they're staying. They both said to me at the al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad, and that was the main hotel in Baghdad. But the main floor, they both said, had a lot of Iraqi military intelligence operatives there, and they were going to bomb that al-Rashid Hotel. Get them out of there.

And I, of course, passed along that message to the leadership of CNN. And there was a joint decision by Bernie Shaw and John Holliman, Peter Arnett, our correspondents who were then in Baghdad. They said they wanted to stay. They would take their chances. The photo journalists wanted to stay. The producers wanted to stay. They stayed. And we wound up being the only television news network that had live coverage of when the war actually started.

And they both, Cheney and Colin Powell, appreciated what we were doing. And, of course, like everyone else in the U.S. and indeed around the world, they were all watching CNN as those bombs were coming in. And, fortunately, all of our correspondents and producers and photojournalists were OK. But it was a very, very tense moment indeed.

I was grateful to Dick Cheney and Colin Powell for calling us and giving us a heads up and letting us know what was about to happen. It was just a very sensitive moment in my career.

SIDNER: The seminal moment for CNN, certainly. And thank you for bringing us that memory. Wow.

BERMAN: Jamie Gangel, Wolf Blitzer, our thanks to both of you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: And we are continuing to cover a lot of breaking news this hour, including that polls are open across -- open and opening across the country. It is Election Day in America for key races, mayor of New York City, governors in New Jersey and Virginia, ballot measures out west in California. A lot to get to.

Joining us right now is CNN senior political commentators Van Jones and Scott Jennings.

Let's get to the races at hand in a second.

But, Scott, you worked on the Bush campaigns. You worked in the Bush White House. What are you thinking about when it comes to Dick Cheney, his passing and his brand of conservatism today?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. Well, thanks for asking.

He will be missed. He was a legend of the Republican Party. I mean, you look at his resume. Youngest White House chief of staff ever. His time in the House was extremely consequential. Rose up in the leadership ranks. He was the most powerful vice president.

He was a good campaigner. You know, he wasn't known for being the big, gregarious personality that George W. Bush was, but he was an excellent campaigner. I worked on both Bush-Cheney campaigns. And having him out on the campaign trail, you know, he was witty. He was wry. And he was a really good campaigner.

And when I worked in the White House in the second term, we would often go up to his office and brief him on the political races of the day. And those were special moments for me. I have some great photos from those times. And he will be missed.

He was a legend of the Republican Party. And the thing I remember most about him is that he and his people knew how to get things done inside of government. These people knew how to turn the bureaucracy towards outcomes. And sometimes outcomes in politics these days are hard to find. So, he'll be missed.

You know, regarding his stand in the Republican Party today, obviously he's been at odds from the current president. And that's OK. You know, not everybody has to get along or agree all the time for us to all mourn the loss of Dick Cheney and understand what a consequential legend that he was inside the Republican Party.

[09:10:02]

BOLDUAN: Yes.

Van, your reflection today? VAN JONES, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, you know, if you

stick to principle long enough, sometimes your friends become your enemies and your enemies become your friends. I couldn't have been madder at him during the Iraq War and couldn't have been more awe- inspired by him during his strong stand for liberty and for the Constitution dealing with Donald Trump. And I think that's something I hope people will pay attention to is that, you know, politics is not personal. It's not about following an individual leader. It's about following your individual conscience. It's about sticking to your principles, whether people like them or not. And I think that, you know, at the end of the day, that's what he'll be most known for.

BOLDUAN: Yes, you guys are -- thank you for that, guys.

Let's turn now to the politics of the day. To Election Day. Polls are open. Voters are voting.

Looking just -- I'm focusing in really on Virginia and New Jersey and the governors races there. You know, Scott, a lot of people saying, a lot of talk around, it is a testing ground for both parties one year ahead of the national midterm elections. If it is a testing ground, what's it testing, in your view?

JENNINGS: Well, Virginia hasn't actually all -- been all that reliable of a bellwether. And, you know, it's been kind of a purplish to Democratic state. It's unusual for there to be a Republican governor. There is one now. And there was a specific set of issues four years ago that helped elect Glenn Youngkin. So, I would think Democrats came into this favored.

And, you know, what I'm looking for is, you know, you're always looking for little things. You know, what kinds of people turned out? What kinds of people stayed home? You know, were there pockets or counties that produce more votes for one party or the other? You know, you're looking for little nuggets. But I think, in all of this, it's always possible to overread it.

In New Jersey, you know, Ciattarelli lost, the Republican, by three points four years ago. Can he improve on that? Can he pull off a little bit of an upset there? New Jersey, for Republicans, has been trending a little bit. You know, Bush -- I'm sorry, Trump got a little closer in '24 than some people might have thought. So, you know, you're kind of -- you're kind of looking for pockets and slivers of the voting population.

I will just say this. Democrats have gotten good at turning out reliable voters in off year elections, and Republicans have faltered at this. A lot of people who vote for Donald Trump in presidential years haven't been turning out for other elections. So, we'll pay attention to that as well.

BOLDUAN: Van, to borrow from Scott's language, what's the little nugget that you're looking for in the elections today and tonight?

JONES: I want to see where the independents go. That's the most important thing. Look, Democrats should win everything today. And if that doesn't happen, that's going to be a bigger message and a bigger shock to the system than if they -- than if we do win.

But, you know, I think that you will see that there were independents that gave Donald Trump a chance, that now don't like what they're seeing when it comes to the economy, don't like what they're seeing when it comes to these ICE raids, don't like what they're seeing across the board. And that's where you're going to watch Republicans' eyebrows pop up tonight. Yes, Democrats are going to win, but we're going to win, I think, independents in numbers that are going to surprise people.

BOLDUAN: I think the control room is telling me, do we have live pictures, guys? Let's show some live pictures now. As we were saying, the candidates themselves turning out to -- turning out to probably vote. That's Mikie Sherrill. She's the Democratic candidate in -- running for governor in New Jersey, meeting with probably reporters and probably casting her ballot this morning. We're following that this morning.

Let's talk about New York City briefly, Scott. What is Donald Trump trying to do, endorsing Andrew Cuomo last night?

JENNINGS: Well, you know, I think the president cares more about New York City than almost any other city because it's his hometown. And I don't think he wants to see a, you know, at best a socialist or at worst a communist become mayor of New York City. He thinks it would be terrible. And now he's aligning himself with Cuomo.

It's interesting. Cuomo is such a flawed candidate, especially for Republicans. I'm not sure Cuomo has done anything in this campaign to reach out to Republicans. The best endorsement for Republicans he could have is Donald Trump. But will it be enough? I don't know. It's a fragmented field. There is a Republican on the ballot, Sliwa. The fragmentation probably protects Mamdani and propels him to victory.

So, you know, I'll be looking at the margins tonight to see if Cuomo can make this a little closer than people think.

BOLDUAN: What are you thinking about it, Van?

JONES: Look, I -- there must have been some kind of handshake deal between Mamdani and Trump, for Trump to come out and endorse in New York City.

BOLDUAN: A multifaceted endorsement and non-endorsement.

JONES: I was like, I can't think of a worse thing to happen to Cuomo than for Donald Trump to come out last night in this town and say what he said.

I think these young voters are hurting. And their voices are going to be heard if people don't like who they vote for. I think Democrats and people -- establishment Democrats, don't scold the voters. Listen to their pain and come up with better answers. If you don't like Mamdani, don't make the mistake of attacking his voters. Those young people out there are hurting, and they're going to be hurt today.

[09:15:02]

BOLDUAN: What are we going to be talking about tomorrow, that gets decided today and tonight, to listen to those voters.

Van and Scott, you can be sure, are going to have a long day and night ahead of them. Thanks, guys. It's really good to see you. Thank you so much.

Still ahead for us, the defense rests in the civil trial. The $40 million lawsuit that was filed by a former teacher shot by her own six-year-old student. It's been a very emotional trial. We're going to continue to cover that and bring that to you now.

And thrills turn to terror on a roller coaster after a girl says her seatbelt suddenly pops loose.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: It is Election Day in America. Polls are open in several high- stakes races. The first major test of public sentiment since Trump's second term. There has been some disruption in New Jersey this morning. Threats for several polling sites to temporarily close but were later deemed not credible.

[09:20:03]

CNN is at polling sites in many races across the country. Jason Carroll is in New York for us for the mayoral race that the nation is watching, and Danny Freeman is in New Jersey.

We just got word about the disruptions there. What are you hearing from voters there?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, first I can tell you that a number of voters that we've been speaking to are really echoing what we've been hearing from the candidates. When you hear from those who support Mamdani, they're saying -- what they've been saying is they like his energy. They like his fresh ideas. When you hear from the voters who support Cuomo, who we've -- who we've been speaking to, they say what they like about him is the experience, the way that he knows the state, the way that he knows New York City.

This particular polling place has been busy ever since we got here early this morning at 6:00 a.m. It's one of the busiest polling places in New York City. More than 16,000 people cast their votes here at this particular spot. So that gives you an idea of just how busy it's been. We've seen lines of folks who've been coming in here.

And, Sara, we've been talking to them about who they're casting their vote for.

I want to introduce you to Glory, yes?

GLORY MISSAN, VOTER: Yes.

CARROLL: Glory, you are 91 years old. MISSAN: Yes.

CARROLL: Ninety-one-years old.

MISSAN: Yes, sir.

CARROLL: And tell me who you decided to cast a vote for.

MISSAN: Well, I hope I'm not in danger in any way because --

CARROLL: Not in any danger from us, that's for sure.

MISSAN: Mamdani.

CARROLL: And tell me why.

MISSAN: Well, I'm a lifelong liberal and I --

CARROLL: Lifelong liberal.

MISSAN: Yes. And I love his ideas for education, for housing, for bussing. All his -- all his concepts and his feeling for humanity.

CARROLL: You know, when you hear about Mamdani, you know, you hear a lot from a lot of young people who support him. And what we don't hear from are a number of older New Yorkers who actually support him as well.

MISSAN: Right.

CARROLL: Do you find yourself, among your peers, the only one who supports him, or do you find others who feel as you do?

MISSAN: No, no. I have breakfast around the corner at this place called Joe's? I'm giving them a plug.

CARROLL: Give them the plug.

MISSAN: And we're all from Mamdani, all ages. There's a whole group of us. And so, a lot of Jews are, unfortunately, are sort of anti. But I am Jewish, but I don't buy that. I don't buy his --

CARROLL: What do you think about those who --some of those who are uncertain about him and worry about his experience and worry about how he would handle President Trump?

MISSAN: I think he would be great. He's the most articulate. I just heard an amazing interview with Remnick (ph) from "New Yorker" and everybody should hear that. I was jumping through the roof, it was so inspiring. Every aspect of the conversation. So, the people who are just concerned about Israel, I think are very narrow minded and don't see the whole picture.

CARROLL: OK. Ninety-one years in New York City, born and raised.

MISSAN: Hallelujah. CARROLL: Hallelujah. We thank you very much, Glory.

MISSAN: And, you know what, my mother was a Rockette.

CARROLL: Oh, you're kidding. Well, see, this is New York, ladies and gentlemen. Her mother was a Rockette. She's 91-years-old. She's out here voting.

Thank you very much. Really appreciate your time and your effort.

MISSAN: It's been a pleasure. I'll go put my teeth in now.

CARROLL: OK. Oh, you're going to put your teeth in. OK, that's -- that's great. Just go put your teeth in.

BOLDUAN: Oh, my.

SIDNER: You know what, Jason?

CARROLL: Yes. You know, welcome to New York City, ladies and gentlemen. She's going to get her teeth, and she's cast her vote.

SIDNER: We have to address this. Glory is glorious, OK. She is as New York as New York can be. Her mother was a Rockette. She's going to put her teeth in.

CARROLL: That's right.

SIDNER: She has -- she doesn't care what you think.

CARROLL: That's right.

SIDNER: She's doing what she thinks is right.

CARROLL: That's right.

SIDNER: And, boy, that was excellent.

CARROLL: And there you go.

SIDNER: Thank you so much, Jason. You have had some of the best characters, because it is New York. This is what we expect. Really appreciate it, to you and your crew, thanks so much to Sarah Boxer as well.

CARROLL: And thank you.

SIDNER: All right, let's go now live to Danny Freeman.

I guess the question is, can you top that?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes, Jason has this great story of the daughter of a Rockette. Unfortunately, I do have some business to attend to, though, because it's been a very busy and eventful morning here in New Jersey, specifically because they've been facing threats throughout the duration of the morning. So, I do have to get to that particular story just because it was impacting voters.

Thankfully, these threats were non-credible, but per state officials, earlier this morning, there were a number of emailed threats to several polling places really across the state to more than half a dozen counties, including where we are in Passaic County. Thankfully, this particular polling place was not impacted by these threats. But law enforcement, they rapidly responded. We saw videos online of heavy police presence at certain polling sites as well.

But the lieutenant governor, she came out with a statement just within the past hour or so, a little more than, saying that law enforcement, they have investigated. They've deemed that these threats were not credible.

[09:25:04]

But again, some polling locations were temporarily closed throughout the morning. And the attorney general of New Jersey said that while some of those polling locations have already reopened to the public, at others, voters have been directed to other polling spots to make sure that their votes are able to be cast.

So, again, definitely wish that I was talking about the daughter of a Rockette at this moment. But that's been what's happening in New Jersey so far as this contentious race really unfolds throughout the day.

And I'll just remind viewers, we're here in Passaic County, New Jersey. It is incredibly important because it had the biggest swing of voters from Biden to Trump between 2020 and 2024. It was a Biden plus 26 spot in 2020, becoming a Trump plus seven spot last election cycle. So, this is going to be a crucial battleground for Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican, and for Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. If they hope to carry New Jersey, it very well may run through these areas of Passaic.

But again, the main headline for the moment out of New Jersey is that we're glad that these threats from earlier this morning, at this moment, deemed not credible.

Sara.

SIDNER: Danny Freeman, sticking to business. We do appreciate it. But we also so appreciate what happened with Jason Carroll and Miss Glory of New York. The New Yorkiest (ph) New Yorker of all time. Thank you so much.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: From New York to Virginia now. All eyes are on the race for governor there, where voters will elect the first woman to hold the office no matter who is elected. Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, is facing off with the Republican, Winsome Earle-Sears. In this final push, in really the last minute, President Trump got involved but did not -- notably did not fully endorse Earle- Sears, failing to even mention her name during a tele rally last night.

CNN's Brian Todd is in Loudoun County, Virginia, for us this morning.

Brian, what have you been seeing throughout the morning?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, this is one of the busiest polling places in a very busy county for voting in northern Virginia. Loudoun County, the fourth largest county in the state as far as voting population and all of that dynamic at play here at Arcola Elementary School. My photojournalist Manny Crisostomo (ph) and I, are going to take you from the outside of the polling place. This is the entrance. We're going to go inside and show you how the process works here. People come in and check in here.

You mentioned, Kate, the historic nature of this race where Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears, one of them is going to become Virginia's first female governor. That's historic. Also, Ghazala Hashmi, if she wins the lieutenant governor's race, will become the first Muslim to hold statewide office in Virginia. So. you mentioned that, Kate, historic nature of this vote.

This is a sample ballot. It' all done by paper. People are -- people check in here at this desk to make sure that they are registered. You can only vote -- in Virginia you can only vote at the precinct where you register. In some other states, you can vote wherever you want. In Virginia, they're very strict about it. So, that check in place is crucial.

Then you get your paper ballot over here and you vote over here.

I'm going to talk to Belinda Matengo --

BELINDA MATINGOU, PRECINCT CHIEF, PRECINCT 119: Matingou.

TODD: Matingou, sorry. Belinda is the precinct chief here.

MATINGOU: Right here.

TODD: And she is actually ushering people in as we go and directing them. See, you're seeing this in real time. That's what's really cool about covering voting in a place like this.

MATINGOU: We may have our first --

TODD: We may have our first set of -- first -- a first bit of confusion here.

MATINGOU: We may have a new time -- first time voter, yes.

TODD: OK, well, she's going to try to direct these people and she may have to leave us in a second to do that. But --

MATINGOU: No, no, no, they're good, as you can see.

TODD: No. OK, they're good.

All right, tell us how it's going.

MATINGOU: Yes.

TODD: You did something interesting a short time ago.

MATINGOU: Yes.

TODD: You're a full service precinct captain.

MATINGOU: That's correct.

TODD: Meaning, you went to the curb to help a handicapped voter in their car. Talk about --

MATINGOU: That is correct. She had knee surgery and she was going to -- she had knee surgery recently. She was going to struggle if she tried to come inside. And so she saw that we have a curbside voter set up with a doorbell outside so that we can know that someone needs assistance at the curb. Virginia law allows for an election officer to take her a ballot after getting her I.D. confirmed. And then we are able to vote the ballot for her and give her her "I voted" sticker.

TODD: So, this is one of the busiest precincts in the entire county. And it's a busy, busy county for voting. What's your biggest challenge here logistically, getting people in and out quickly, answering questions, doing things like you just did?

MATINGOU: We really find that we've got great voters here. They're very accommodating if we have to, you know, make sure that the rules are being properly followed so that their votes can be properly cast. So, the only thing that, you know, sometimes happens is, people might have to wait for a few minutes at a help desk while their special cases being resolved. But in general, we work very smoothly. It operates very smoothly. As you said, we're a very active district in terms of voting. So, a lot of people have been here before. They know the routine. And they're here at 6:00 a.m. sharp when the polls open.

TODD: All right.

MATINGOU: We had, you know, a line already. And so -- and we expect that we'll have a line later on in the day as well.

TODD: I'm sure you will. Good luck, Belinda.

MATINGOU: Thank you.

TODD: It's a long day for you. Thanks for talking to us.

[09:30:01]

So, there you have it, guys. The polls close at 7:00 p.m. tonight. Lots of people coming in and out of this polling place in Loudoun County.

One interesting thing to tell you guys