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Companies Now Cloning CEOs as AI Chatbots for Easier Access; Interview with Mayor Craig Greenberg, Louisville, Kentucky: At Least 9 Dead, 11 Injured in Louisville UPS Plane Crash; Democrats Sweep Major Races as Voters Send Message to Trump. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 05, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: ... into the public, and it says since June, 3,000 people have contacted the A.I. version of its CEO to ask questions about how the app works or how to get refunds. And this is an idea that's come from some of the top tech and business leaders who are involved in Silicon Valley. Everyone from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, tech investor Keith Rabois, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, the investor Ray Dali are all creating these A.I. clones of themselves to interact with their companies that they're invested in or interact with the public.

But of course, this does sort of raise, again, these questions about A.I. taking on human work. We asked the A.I. chatbot -- the Klarna A.I. chatbot, whether it will replace staff with A.I. And it responded, that's a very thoughtful question, and it's something many people are considering. At Klarna, we see A.I. as a tool to enhance what we do, not to replace our human teams entirely.

I think it remains to be seen whether the human CEO is going to agree with A.I. CEO on that.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it says not to replace them entirely. The operative word is entirely. There are lots of questions about this that we will probably be talking to you about for a very long time.

Clare Duffy, thank you so much.

DUFFY: Thank you.

SIDNER: I do appreciate it.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, breaking news this hour, a special team of investigators is headed to Kentucky to figure out what happened and what caused that devastating UPS plane crash outside the Louisville Airport. Seven people were killed, 11 others injured and warnings that it could -- that death toll could rise. We are live near the scene.

Plus, we are standing by to hear from President Trump this hour, speaking at a breakfast with Senate Democrats -- Senate Republicans. His first appearance, though, since last night's big election night for Democrats.

And cameras catch a terrifying moment. A high speed train hits a semitruck. Authorities putting this out and hoping this video serves as a very big lesson.

I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we're going to get to the huge Democratic sweep in just a moment.

First happening now, a search and rescue mission is underway in Louisville, where a UPS cargo plane crashed right after takeoff. And we are getting some new information, brand new information from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who now says at least 16 families have reported loved ones unaccounted for.

16 families say they can't find their loved ones. Now, before the governor said that we knew at least seven people were believed dead. But the governor now says that death toll will likely rise.

The plane tore through multiple businesses near the airport, among them a petroleum recycling plant that had tanks full of propane and oil. The plane itself was carrying more than 38,000 gallons of fuel, enough to last the eight hour flight to Hawaii, where it was headed. The flames and smoke could be seen from miles away.

A new photo appears to show the plane's debris scattered on the ground, including that which is believed to be one of the plane's engines. Let's get right to Louisville.

CNN's Isabel Rosales is at the scene. Good morning to you. What's the latest?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. That piece of new and heartbreaking information, really, from the governor, Andy Beshear, that 16 families had loved ones who did not return home last night. The governor describing this as a significant search and rescue mission that is currently underway.

now as that mission is happening, so too, is this investigation here at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport with an NTSB go team set to arrive today. These are the people that are going to be in charge of conducting this investigation of finding a reason for this crash. And they've got a lot of work ahead of them, John, from looking at forensic evidence on the ground, including pieces of the covering of the engine that we saw from aerial footage from our affiliate WLKY sprawled out across the runway. Two new overnight images where we saw, as you mentioned, there a whole entire engine seemingly there on the ground.

Another critical piece here is all of this footage that's coming in from surveillance footage -- surveillance cameras, including this critical piece of footage showing the moment that this UPS plane is taking off, struggling to take off. And then we see that fire starting to spew from what appears to be the left engine. Now, that plane was likely full of fuel getting ready for this eight plus hour trip to Hawaii.

And then there's also this security surveillance footage from Kentucky Truck Parts and Service showing the moment of impact, just stunning footage, horrible to see of that giant fireball and the trail of devastation that this crash leaves behind.

[08:05:00]

And this really industrial area surrounding the airport, several businesses impacting, including Kentucky Petroleum Recycling that looks to have been directly hit. This business, by the way, kept storage tanks of oil and propane. Listen now to Governor Andy Beshear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDY BESHEAR, (D) KENTUCKY: Do not go to the crash site. You will put people in danger. You will put yourself in danger.

There may be people that still need to be rescued. Do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them. There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive at the site.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: And John, they're advising anyone if they find debris, don't touch it, take a picture, report it to Louisville Metro government -- John.

BERMAN: It feels like we're just beginning to understand the beginnings of the scope of this disaster. Isabel Rosales, great to have you there. Please keep us posted as to what you learn -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Joining us now is the mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg. Thank you so much for being here. I know this is a very hard time for you in the community.

We were just, you know, hearing from the governor about the 16 families that are reporting that their loved ones did not show up last night. And of course, it wasn't just the plane, but the businesses that were engulfed in this explosion.

What is the latest on the search for those family members? What are you learning?

MAYOR CRAIG GREENBERG, (D) LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: The latest of about two minutes ago is I can now confirm we have found nine victims of the crash. Again, we expect that number will continue to rise. But nine victims have been found so far.

That died as a result of this horrible tragedy. We have first responders are on the scene now that it's daylight again. The coroner is has been working through the night and is there.

NTSB will be arriving shortly in Louisville. SIDNER: Wow. All right. So, we started this morning knowing that seven people had perished in this crash. You are now telling us the latest is that you have found nine people, nine families who will be mourning this morning. Thank you for that. That devastating information this morning.

Is there still a dangerous situation at the site, at the airport and surrounding areas due to the fact that this also included, you know, Kentucky Petroleum and Recycling, which had some explosive materials that blew up as well?

GREENBERG: So, we have reduced -- we had a larger shelter in place warning last night. It started large.

We continue to shrink it through the evening. It's now down to a quarter mile radius around the crash site. We're doing lots of air monitoring and will continue to shrink that as it becomes safe for people to be out outdoors.

Additionally, the airport has reopened. So, there is a runway, not the runway that the plane took off from the UPS plane. But the airport has reopened this morning and so flights will be resuming.

SIDNER: Wow. OK, so that's another big piece of news that the airport has reopened and that more victims have been found so far. That leaves, I think, something like, you know, nine -- eight or nine other victims who are still unaccounted for.

I do want to ask you about what you're learning, if anything, from the NTSB, which, of course, investigates any kind of aircraft issue. Are you hearing anything from them as to the cause of this particular disturbing crash?

GREENBERG: Not yet. I don't have any information on the cause yet. I was in touch with NTSB officials last night, have already been this morning.

They're on their way here. And so as soon as they land, I'll be meeting them and look forward to learning more. My guess is it takes a while for them to do that investigation.

And we, of course, want accurate information. And that's what there will be on the scene here working towards.

SIDNER: That's fair enough. We've seen an image of an entire engine that was pretty much intact that was on the ground there. I'm sure they'll be looking at that very closely.

I do want to ask you about the fact that UPS is a hub there at Louisville, Muhammad Ali International Airport, and they have a huge number of square footage. They have 12,000 employees there. They have an impact on the economy of of your great city.

Are you learning anything about the impact on UPS, its staff and its business this morning? GREENBERG: Well, I've been praying for everybody that's part of the UPS family. UPS is such an important part of our city. There are 20 plus thousand employees that call Louisville home.

Their involvement in all aspects of the community. This is a tragedy for the victims that we've lost. It's a horrible event for everyone that's part of the UPS family in our entire city.

So, I've been speaking with UPS officials. They are heartbroken. They are going to be supporting all of the victims and their families.

[08:10:00]

They're going to be cooperating fully with the investigation. They will be doing everything they can as a result of this tragedy that occurred. But UPS is so important to us in so many different ways here in Louisville.

SIDNER: Mayor Craig Greenberg, I do thank you for taking the time this morning. I know you've had a long night dealing with this tragedy. And just to recap the new information that you brought us, nine people have now been discovered killed because of this crash and explosion.

And at the same time, the airport is back open. Not obviously the runway where this crash happened, but a different runway that is currently running and open this morning. I do thank you for your time, Mayor. Please take care of yourself -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Still ahead for us, Democrats are dominating on election night, voters sending a message in the first major election since President Donald Trump returned to office. So, what now for Republicans and what now for Democrats in the path forward?

Plus, we were just hours from a key case at the Supreme Court. Justices set to take up the battle over global tariffs. Does Donald Trump have the power and authority to do what he did?

And right now, crews are digging through ice and snow, searching for victims of a deadly avalanche.

We'll be back.

[08:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: The big news this morning, what now, really, what now after last night, voters delivering a rebuke to President Trump as Democrats scored sweeping election victories. We are expecting to hear from the President this morning as he is hosting a breakfast for Senate Democrats. It'll be the first time that we hear him speak since his party fell short in the key races that we have been tracking.

His only take so far on social, seeming to blame the election losses on the fact that he is not on the ballot and also blaming it on the now record 36-day government shutdown. And then you saw that projection. Let's get to that.

In one of the races closely watched, CNN projects Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist, will become the first Muslim mayor of New York City. In his victory speech, he took the challenge directly to the President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NEW YORK MAYOR-ELECT: So hear me, President Trump, when I say this, to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: And I've been informed I misspoke. Donald Trump is having breakfast with Senate Republicans, not Senate Democrats. My apologies.

Moving on. And another pair of historic victories for Democrats. CNN projects that Abigail Spanberger, the former Democratic congresswoman and CIA officer, will become Virginia's first ever female governor.

And Mikie Sherrill has won in New Jersey to become the first female Democratic governor of that state.

Out in California, voters approved the redistricting plan pushed by the Governor, Gavin Newsom, giving him the green light to redraw congressional maps to try and pick up more Democratic seats in response to Republican efforts to do the same in Texas and elsewhere.

Let's get to it. Joining me now, CNN political commentator, former New York mayor Bill de Blasio, and Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence. And I get you in the flesh, gentlemen. It's good to see you.

Mayor, was last night game-changing, earth-shattering, or just a good night?

BILL DE BLASIO, (D) FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: No, more than just a good night. Because what happened here was Trump was on the ballot basically everywhere. He couldn't campaign anywhere for even the candidates he wanted to because his approval is really tanking.

He says the shutdown in his comment, well, guess what? The voters are blaming him for the shutdown also. So what this is, is a reset, really.

It's an opening, a huge opening for Democrats all over the country. And also, let's be blunt, as a Democrat, we were kind of in the wilderness in the first few months of the Trump era. We were stumbling about.

BOLDUAN: Kinda.

DE BLASIO: Kinda. And we were stumbling about. But this is not only a shot in the arm, it's literally the evidence that we can now go on the offensive, that we have a message that works. And I think Zohran, in particular, this was a kitchen table campaign. It's so funny. There was no identity politics.

There was no social issues. It was the rent. It was how you pay for food.

It was how you get to work. It was all these really basic things that I think are going to help Democrats get back to working class and middle class voters all over the country.

BOLDUAN: Marc.

MARC SHORT, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: Well, look, it was a big night for Democrats. And I think that for Democrats elected from a socialist candidate who is sympathetic to a mosque in New York to a candidate in Virginia who has called for a political assassination of his opponents and their families.

I think that'll create a big foil for Republicans. But if that's the only lesson for Republicans, it's a mistake. I think it was clear to the mayor's point that voters across the country were talking about cost of living.

And in many cases, they elected Donald Trump to try to defeat the inflation that was caused by Joe Biden. And instead, they continue to face challenges with cost of living. And Republicans have marched lockstep in support of this 15th century trade policy that the administration continues to push.

And if they're going to walk in the midterms on that same platform, it's going to be a big challenge for Republicans. So at some point, they're going to need to stand up and say Congress has the ability to tax the American people, not the administration, through tariff policy.

BOLDUAN: And the Supreme Court may have a say in that. And we'll get a little bit of that.

SHORT: The Supreme Court will. But the administration will pivot and say, even if we can't use IEPA, they're going to use 232 or 301. The administration is committed to the same protectionist trade policy.

BOLDUAN: And as you -- and you have been very clear on this from jump, that this is the wrong way for Republicans to be pushing and you think also not even not even possible and taking away power from Congress. I digress. Let's talk about --

[08:20:00]

DE BLASIO: All those things.

BOLDUAN: All those things. I hang out too much with him. I know exactly what his thought bubble and where he is going. You have been clear, Mayor, on your support for Zohran Mamdani as mayor.

Now a question is, is what is the message from his win? You say it's the message for Democrats is that it's about affordability. It's about kitchen table issues.

But there -- it has been raised throughout and remains today, is he the leader, the new leader of -- represents the new leader of the Democratic Party, the direction that Democrats need to go? Or is it part of something bigger?

AOC last night said that Mamdani is putting folks in the party on notice. When it comes to party unity, quote, "We're either going to do that together or you're going to be left behind." Is she right?

DE BLASIO: She's right in the sense that if Democrats cling to what we did in 2024, they'll be left behind electorally. In 2024, and I'm sad to say this, we appeared to be a Washington-based consultant-driven elitist party. Didn't seem to be in touch with what people are going through.

I have to say -- I hate saying it, but Donald Trump seemed angrier at the status quo in America than Kamala Harris did. Now, I think what AOC is saying is Democrats have to be on the side of working people, middle class people saying, you know what? You shouldn't have to struggle this much to pay the bills.

There's got to be a better way to do this in the richest country in the world. And if they have that kind of energy, like we're not going to accept things the way they are, I think we can prevail going forward. But a Democrat tries to explain things away and says everything's OK is going to lose.

Fascinating reality, Kate. It's kind of flipping now. Now you have Trump supporters saying, well, look at all these great economic indicators.

But people, when they try and pay the bills, it doesn't feel so great. It's almost like Bidenomics all over again, right? Biden made that huge mistake.

Oh, the economy, the indicators are great, but people were hurting. That's kind of flipping now. Democrats have the opportunity to say people are hurting. We're going to fight for them.

BOLDUAN: Can Republicans or does it -- does it hinder Republicans capitalizing on, because I've heard you say you would love nothing more than for Zohran Mamdani to be the leader of the Democratic Party. Does it hinder Republicans' ability to push that message if the conversation is he is a leader of part of the Democratic Party, it is a big tent party, because you have examples in Mikie Sherrill, in Abigail Spanberger in Virginia.

SHORT: I think that the energy of the Democratic Party is in the Mamdani, AOC, Bernie camp. That's where their energy is. And I think Donald Trump was really affected by bringing blue collar workers into the Republican Party.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

SHORT: But I think that the answer is not going to be more government's ownership. If you have government owning grocery stores, government interfering in businesses, you're going to have people flee New York City, you're going to have businesses leave the Democratic Party. And so, I think that the challenge for Republicans, though, is to offer an alternative and not be offering the same proposals of more government and a bigger government in the economic policy.

BOLDUAN: So just on that, we're going to hear -- the president's going to speak to Senate Republicans in just a few minutes. What do you, if you're giving advice to him, Marc, what would you hope that he hits on when we would expect he inevitably comments on last night?

SHORT: Well, I think what he's going to comment on, I think as you know, you've already seen, he's going to say they weren't close enough to me, they didn't stick with me, these are not MAGA candidates, and he's going to be hammering the Republicans to kill it with filibuster. I think that's all inside baseball. There's been no administration that has ever seen a president more willing to engage in primaries.

So it's hard to sit here and say these weren't my candidates. But I think that the message, I think, has to be to say that we're going to lower prices, but we're going to do that by allowing actually trade. I think that the policies they're pursuing are the ones that are going to continue to drive up prices.

DE BLASIO: And the people in this country have come to their own verdict on tariffs. It's abundantly clear from the polling that's been talked about on CNN. People think tariffs equal higher prices for them in their lives.

Trump won't move off tariffs. We know this. And so, he's digging, bluntly, he's digging the Republicans' grave even more looking forward to this.

(CROSSTALK)

SHORT: It's amazing that Trump is making Democrats free traders. It's unbelievable.

BOLDUAN: I was going to say, and I've seen something I never thought I would see, and I'm either passing out or I'm having a hallucination, Bill de Blasio and Marc Short coming together and agreeing on this topic.

DE BLASIO: It's a good day.

BOLDUAN: It's a good day.

DE BLASIO: It's a good day.

BOLDUAN: It's a great day. Nice to see you. Thank you so much -- Sara.

SIDNER: I'm not sure you noticed, but they're playing you off with the music. Just saying.

BOLDUAN: That means they want me to go longer. SIDNER: I think that, no, is that, oh, I never knew that. I'll have to take that into consideration. Thank you, gentlemen. And thank you, Kate.

All right. Could those wildly popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic become a lot cheaper? The plan that President Trump says he's working on to make that so. We have the tales coming up.

And two pets trapped inside a burning home watch as their hero arrives and saves them.

[08:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: I want to take you to the White House now, where moments ago, President Trump began speaking to a gathering that he is holding with Republican Senators, and he's talking about the elections last night, which he admitted did not go very well for Republicans, a rare admission like that from President Trump. And he's also talking about the shutdown in interesting ways. I want to play you what he said from the beginning.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We talk about exactly one year ago, we had that big, beautiful victory. Exactly one year.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Last night, it was, you know, not expected to be a victory. I don't think it was good for Republicans. I don't think it was good. I'm not sure it was good for anybody.

But we had an interesting evening and we learned a lot. And we're going to talk about that. And I'll say a few remarks and then after that I'll the press to leave.

The Press has been very, very nice to us the last couple of months. They were great to us in terms of the foreign visits with China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia. And they were actually terrific.

So I want to thank you for that. I'm sure you'll get back to your normal ways soon. But we did a great job over in China, and we've done a great job in turning ....

[08:30:00]