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Epstein Files on National Tour; Best-Selling Author Harlan Coben is Interviewed about his Books and Netflix Shows. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired September 08, 2026 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: For him the last few months?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: How bad has it been for him? You know, I said historically awful. And the reason I say historically awful is, just count up the individual polls. The president's net approval rating on inflation. The worst 11 polls of all time, they all belong to Donald John Trump since April. He's the first president ever to hit minus 50 points or worse on inflation. And he has been doing it in poll after poll after poll and month after month after month. He is stuck in a place that no other president, simply put, has ever been on inflation, 50 points underwater in poll after poll after poll.

BERMAN: No other president. You're telling me this is worse than it was for Joe Biden in 2022?

ENTEN: Exactly right. You know, you take a look, you know, Joe Biden, oh, inflation sunk the Joe Biden presidency, right? Led to a Republican-led United States House of Representatives after the 2022 election. But take a look here. Net approval rating on inflation. Trump is averaging 50 points underwater. That is 12 points worse than Joe Biden was averaging back in August of 2022. He was 38 points underwater. And I will note, Biden's net approval rating on inflation was actually improving by this point. There is no sign of improvement on this issue of inflation. The issue that got Donald Trump reelected to the White House and is still the number one issue in the minds of the American electorate, and he's stuck 50 points underwater in a place that no other president has ever been before.

BERMAN: When you look at the prediction markets, what are people thinking about where it will go, at least with some key commodities?

ENTEN: Yes, I mean, how about the price of diesel, right? The price of diesel, a gallon of diesel. Take a look here. Chance that diesel rises above $6 a gallon this week, 63 percent chance according to the Kalshi prediction market. And I was looking it up, Johnny B. I don't believe the price of diesel has ever risen above $6 a gallon. At this point, the people who are putting their money where their mouths are think there's a majority chance it could happen by the end of this week.

BERMAN: Look at where it was.

ENTEN: Look at where it was. It was under $4 a gallon at the start of the Iran War. This is a crisis of Trump's own making.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: A lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:36:42]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: In Dallas, as President Trump takes part in the first ever Republican midterm convention this week, the Epstein files will follow him there. The 3.5 million documents released online have been put together and displayed in binders in what is being called the Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room. It's being carted around the country in a bookmobile created by two -- several people, actually.

Joining me now are two of the people behind this effort, Epstein survivor and anti-trafficking advocate Liz Stein, and David Garrett, executive director of the Institute for Primary Facts.

Thank you both for being here so much.

Elizabeth, let me start with you.

As a victim of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, what message are you trying to send through this bookmobile?

LIZ STEIN, ANTI-TRAFFICKING ADVOCATE; EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: I think that, you know, for most Americans, when you think about 3.5 million files, it's a really abstract concept. And looking at something online is very different from seeing it in person. And this exhibit is a really amazing visual representation of the magnitude of these files. It's very -- it's very -- the reading room is very impactful when people walk through it. You know, when you go online and you look at the files, it's a completely different experience from looking at them bound.

SIDNER: I'm curious what you experienced as all of this has been happening and things were sort of put out there, names were not redacted. There were all sorts of issues once they did start to release these. What have you been through, and what do you see as you look at these documents, when you can just see just how many there are and you know what's in them?

STEIN: Well, I think that it's been really difficult. The release of our identifying information is something that should have never happened. I can tell you that just in my personal experience, my name was left unredacted, my address, part of where I worked, where I went to school. These are breadcrumbs that, you know, people can use to put pieces of the puzzle together.

I think that we -- I think that when we speak to the American public, it's really -- it's really interesting to them to understand that although we're hearing from the Department of Justice that there are no investigative leads in this case, there are leads all over these files. And the American public needs to really ask why they aren't being pursued. And I think that this bookmobile and reading room tour really shows that in a way that is hard to -- for anyone to ignore.

SIDNER: David, what have been the reactions to the bookmobile so far? Because you have taken it to different places and now you're taking it sort of into the heartland. You're taking it into Dallas, for example, during what became a midterm convention, the first ever.

[09:40:04]

DAVID GARRETT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR PRIMARY FACTS: Sure. So, you know, the reaction -- we didn't know what the reaction would be. When we opened in New York back in May, we were in a little gallery in Tribeca, about three blocks away from the prison where Jeffrey Epstein died. And, you know, the day we opened, I think we had six reservations. But by the end of two weeks, more than 10,000 people had come through. We were fully booked. And people -- with a long line down the street.

And then the same thing happened in Washington, D.C. We had about 5,000 people come through in six days. Long lines down the street. And the reaction has really been, it's really been very satisfying because I think as people come through, you know, maybe they show up because of the funny name or because of the spectacle of seeing 17,000 pounds of evidence. But once they're in there, I think they really understand that this case needs to be investigated. We need to find, you know, justice for the survivors. And there needs to be real consequences for the perpetrators and the enablers.

SIDNER: This is, to you and David, whoever wants to respond to this. The bookmobile is sponsored by your organization, David, which is listed as a nonpartisan organization, but it's also backed by the defiance.org, which talked about the bookmobile this way, and the name, obviously, having a lot of people look at it. "The Epstein files," it said, "exposed Donald Trump for who he really is. He tried to suppress them and hide his corruption, but we won't let him."

Do you worry that this might be brushed off by some and will hurt the cause because someone sees this as, with the naming of it and these comments as partisan?

STEIN: I don't think that -- I think that what we're seeing is, there's been so much political emotion infused into this case where it really shouldn't be. Trump is in the Epstein files. And we know that they had a relationship. And I think that if we were talking about people who didn't have these positions of power, we would be using their names. And whoever is involved in Epstein's crimes really should be treated with the way that any other perpetrator of a crime would be treated and shouldn't be given a pass just because they are someone who holds position of power.

SIDNER: That's a really interesting idea.

GARRETT: Yes, I don't think child sex trafficking is a partisan issue. SIDNER: Go ahead, David.

GARRETT: Oh, I was saying, I don't think that child sex trafficking is a partisan issue, right? I think -- I think that's a 90/10 issue, right? Most people, whether you're Republican or Democrat or Green Party or independent, I think everyone needs to demand that these -- that this case be fully investigated, that we find justice for the survivors. And again, there needs to be accountability for the perpetrators and enablers.

You know, a lot of the people that were mentioned in the files, they're still out there. And I don't think there's any reason to believe that they're not still committing these crimes. I think we need to get to the bottom of this if we want to have a safe society for our daughters and granddaughters.

SIDNER: Liz Stein and David Garrett, you, along with many of the survivors of this, just simply do not believe justice has been done yet. This is another maneuver to perhaps, you have said, try and to get it and to let the public in on all that has happened.

Thank you both so much for taking the time this morning and coming on our show. I do appreciate your time.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, it was his first shift on the job and it ended with him saving sleeping residents from an early morning fire. Wild video of a rookie police officer's very heroic first day.

And major plot twists, cliffhangers and some of the most binge worthy Netflix shows ever. Author Harlan Coben, the man behind it all, joins us live.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How can a dead man appear on a secret camera?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, my dead son, whom we buried? Stop this.

I think you should get help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want answers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:49:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, if crime thrillers are your thing -- take a look around me -- I'm willing to bet you know the name Harlan Coben. The best-selling author's page turners have become some of Netflix's biggest shows, racking up more than 450 million views since 2023. The biggest one so far, this summer's hit series, "I Will Find You." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been five years. What are you doing here, Rachel?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I need to show you something. Tell me what you see. Look closer, David.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looks like Matthew.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know. And I know how insane that sounds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just as insane as people thinking I killed my little boy in the first place.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But if there's a chance, no matter how impossible, that he is somehow still alive.

[09:50:01]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then there's someone very dangerous behind this. If he's out there, I'm going to find him and bring him home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Oh, my goodness.

And today, the man behind that, Harlan Coben, is throwing you another plot twist. His new book titled just that, "Plot Twist: Life, Craft and the Messy First Draft," a memoir on writing. And Harlan Coben is here with me.

This is fun. Thank you for being here.

HARLAN COBEN, NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR: Thank you. Oh, well, I just love watching the clip again. It's always great to relive that.

BOLDUAN: It's fun -- it's fun to see it all kind of come back.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Let's just start there and then -- and then end here maybe to put an outline to it perhaps.

COBEN: Sure. Yes. There we go. Part of what you learn.

BOLDUAN: Exactly.

Why do you think this, "I Will Find You," has just captivated so many people? What is it about it you see?

COBEN: Well, I mean, when you open up with a story of a father who's in prison for murdering his own son, and how do you find redemption for that man? The way is, maybe your son is still alive. It's one thing if he was just trying to prove his innocence. But, no, he has a chance of finding his child again. I think it stirs all our hearts. And Sam Worthington, Lower and the whole team on this show was just great to work with. And Netflix was great too. So, it just -- things come together. I'm so happy with how everybody has responded to this little book. This little idea I had in New Jersey, and now it's all this -- all over the world. It's fun.

BOLDUAN: I mean it's , its really kind of all of it. And so, to this. One of the things that you told "The New York Times" is what drove you to write this was that you want people to create more.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Is that -- do you think that's lacking? Like, are we no longer creating?

COBEN: I think we -- you know, I think we consume too much and don't think enough. We're not critically thinking. We're not using our brains as much. We're all meant to create, right? I mean all of us can create in some way. So, if I can help -- you know, and also, everybody keeps asking me, where do you get your ideas? How do you come up with them?

BOLDUAN: Yes.

COBEN: I really go into strong detail, including "I Will Find You." Like, what was the first spark. And maybe you'll recognize it in your own life. And I'm hoping that's what's going on with what will happen when you read (INAUDIBLE).

BOLDUAN: I really enjoy how you write because it's kind of a study in contradictions, in part. Like, you're like, every memoir is fiction. All fiction is based on real life.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: And I really like how you kind of tackle it. What is this kind of tension that I -- it seems almost like a fun personality quirk of yours is like studying contradictions.

COBEN: I want to be contrarian a little bit. A lot of the advice that I've seen given to people who want to create. And again, if you want to write music, if you want to write books, you want to -- whatever, I hope this this will help you. So, I want to take them on, head on. And a lot of it is that we think it has to be one way. It really doesn't. Just relax. Today you have a pen at home and a piece of paper, start writing something. Write your weirdest moment in your life. Just write it down. It's good for you. I mean, it gives us empathy.

BOLDUAN: But this idea wasn't something you've been like ruminating on. The idea of writing this came from the BBC asked you to do something of a masterclass, if you will.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: And then it came to you.

COBEN: Yes. BOLDUAN: Like, what did you discover in this process?

COBEN: So, you know, BBC masterclass or BBC maestro masterclass.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

COBEN: I did it. And as I was doing that, I was realizing, I kind of got it wrong. Like, I thought I did it one way and I did it another way. And I like to pretend -- I grew up in suburban New Jersey. I had a very seemingly normal life. It's really not when you read this book. But how everything in your life really does lead to what you can do with fiction by turning things around, by twisting ideas. And I want other people to think about it their own way, too. Like, what happened in your life that you could sort of just twist and turn to make something creative.

BOLDUAN: You make it sound so easy.

COBEN: Oh, no.

BOLDUAN: Exactly.

COBEN: No.

BOLDUAN: It's the struggle.

COBEN: Yes, that's the fun part.

BOLDUAN: It's the struggle that makes you the best.

You -- you've said something to the effect of, "every book you write at some point you think it's not working, that you suck, that you're never going to finish." But can that -- that really can't be true at this point.

COBEN: Oh, it's absolutely --

BOLDUAN: No.

COBEN: With every book.

BOLDUAN: I mean, I -- let me write -- it's superlatives.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Seventy-five books, 13 adapted series on Netflix. You know, number one here, number one there, and you still think you suck?

COBEN: It never -- every time I'm writing a book it's always like, oh my God, this is crap. I was so good before and what happened to me? Then five minutes later, this is genius. No one's going to read this, you know, and you go through this -- this is part of the process. You have to -- it never goes away. I think only bad writers think they're good. So, if you don't have that insecurity --

BOLDUAN: You actually wrote that. I love that. COBEN: If you don't have that insecurity, I think you're in a little bit of trouble. It's good. It's good for you.

BOLDUAN: It's the humility of the process.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Because you also write about something that I is always a piece of -- not like I would ever compare the two of us or put us on the same level is, some of the best things that will happen to you are you getting fired.

COBEN: Yes, getting fired.

BOLDUAN: Like --

COBEN: Not going to the -- to the law school I was going to. The changes in your life. The plot twists in your life that have led you to where you are.

BOLDUAN: Here's another fascinating for everyone out there as I researched you. To this day, you do not track book sales.

COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I mean the marker of so many authors and publishers is like, how many did you sell in the first week? I mean, I see that over and over, especially on the socials of people talking about. You really don't?

COBEN: I just -- I'm competitive in terms of, OK, where did I land on the list? OK, now I'm done. I don't want to know anything else because I'm on a need to know basis. And actually, I really recommend this.

When I was first starting out, we didn't have like websites where we could look things up.

[09:55:00]

So, even though I was like a pimple on the ass of publishing, I thought I was the cat's pajamas. You know, I thought I was doing great. Now everybody's all depressed because they're looking and they're ranked 3,758,000. I didn't know any of that. I just kept writing and kept working at it. So, just enjoy it.

BOLDUAN: Ignorance is something of bliss. Yes. Yes.

COBEN: Yes. Naivety is not a bad thing sometimes.

BOLDUAN: Not at all (ph).

COBEN: Just focus on -- just focus on your book. Don't focus as much on (INAUDIBLE).

BOLDUAN: Not -- and not like you've not done enough. Now, Netflix has announced that you're doing a podcast. COBEN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Why?

COBEN: I just felt the world didn't have enough podcasts. We kid.

BOLDUAN: Or enough Harlan Coben. Here comes the friends.

BERMAN: Or more pimples, apparently, (INAUDIBLE). I didn't know we were talking dermatology.

BOLDUAN: Thoughts.

BERMAN: Yes, I have to say.

BOLDUAN: Thoughts on all?

BERMAN: The patches work really well.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, J.B.

BOLDUAN: Harlan, it's really wonderful meet you.

COBEN: Thank you. It was great meeting you guys. Thanks.

BOLDUAN: Congrats on this book and so many --

(CROSS TALK)

BOLDUAN: And I love the messy first draft. We always call, you know, what we do the first draft of history.

COBEN: It is (ph).

BOLDUAN: So, it's definitely a messy first draft of history.

COBEN: Thanks, guys.

BOLDUAN: Thank you so much.

SIDNER: (INAUDIBLE). Can't wait to read it. It was awesome.

All right, thank you for joining us. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)