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NOAA Says 2026 Summer Heat Tops Dust Bowl Era; Trump Departs D.C. For GOP Midterm Convention in Texas; Appeals Court Hears Louisiana's Push to Restrict Abortion Pill Access. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 09, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:32:31]

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: -- just the basic laws of thermodynamics. The more of this carbon we burn and put in the sky, the hotter it is going to get, and then we will see what that means in terms of our day to day lives. And if this is just an opening attraction, the summer of '26, it is time to thinking about the future a lot differently.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Yeah. Bill Weir, thank you so much.

Up next, brand new CNN polling from two states that could decide who controls the Senate next year. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Here in a few hours, the first-ever Republican Midterm Convention will be getting underway. President Trump headlining both nights, but as the president's approval hits historic lows, multiple Republicans in tight races are opting out. And it's building up to be a letdown according to insiders.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": One person close to the White House told Politico, quote, "My only hope is that no one watches it since it's competing versus NFL opening games. Hopefully, nobody notices the embarrassing show. I don't think it'll matter.

[13:35:00]

No one knows about it. No enthusiasm. Only D.C. people care," that person said.

Joining us now to discuss Ashley Davis, a White House official in the George W. Bush administration, and CNN Political Commentator, Karen Finney, who was a Senior Adviser to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Ladies, thank you both for being with us.

Ashley, first to you, do you think this convention is enough to move the needle and move voters toward Republicans and help them potentially buck historic trends when it comes to incumbent parties during midterms?

ASHLEY DAVIS, WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL IN GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION: I don't think the convention is going to move the needle at all, but what it's doing is, listen, the Democrats are going to be running against Trump no matter what. So he's on the ballot because of policies, he owns the White House right now. And so he is now going to own the midterms 100 percent after this, and a good way it will be because he has almost $1 billion to spend with all the different dynamics.

You have the RNC, you've got SLF in regards to Senate Republicans, you have MAGA, Inc., then you have Elon of $200 million, so there is a lot of money for him to spend, and he's going to have to spend it now. But I don't know -- listen, we have to get away from talking about trying to message just on gas prices, which obviously is impacting every single American. We have to talk about some of the tax breaks and we're not doing a good job on that right now.

KEILAR: Democrats are still going to Texas, or in Texas --

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah.

KEILAR: -- to bracket this, to counter-program. They're still seeing an opportunity, is it much of an opportunity for them, Karen?

FINNEY: Absolutely. Look, remember, Trump is a mobilizer for our base too, so --

(LAUGH)

FINNEY: You know, so -- probably more so at this point. I mean, look, I was looking at his numbers in Texas, Trump is underwater in Texas. People are upset about costs and actually having him there could have a depressive impact on particularly moderate Republican voters or independents, so who may say, I'm not sure I can vote for the Democrat, but I'm not voting for more of this guy.

And Ken Paxton, you know, Talarico just has a new ad out today featuring a gentleman who was, I think he was a Texas Ranger, who was a whistleblower against Paxton in the corruption case. So, you know, they're trying to remind folks not just what's at stake, but who -- make character an issue, who is at the top of the ticket, who is it that you would be electing, and are they going to be for you, or are they going to be for themselves and/or for Trump?

DAVIS: The only thing counter to that, which I think is that the only way in some of these red states only that you have a chance of winning. So if we keep Texas, for example, is to get out the base, and I don't think a lot of them that are pure MAGA Trump voters are real excited about the midterms, and so is this the only way to get them out? And I don't know.

FINNEY: Yeah, and I think to that point, I mean, the talent, the challenge that Talarico has is really, it's a bit of what Trump did, it's a bit of what Obama did. You've got to reshape the electorate, you've got to get more young voters out, you've got to get more Latino voters out, more African-American voters out, so that you are, you know, not just getting our normal base, but you've really got to make up that difference and try to accommodate for places where we're not going to be as strong in Texas, but I think we have a good chance.

SANCHEZ: To Ashley's previous point about finances, there's been a big disparity, and I think we have a graphic to share with our viewers. Ashley cited $1 billion when you account for Elon Musk, et cetera.

DAVIS: Yeah.

SANCHEZ: How are Democrats feeling given that at least as far as cash on hand goes, they're lagging more than a hundred and -- my math is terrible --

(LAUGH)

SANCHEZ: $115 million?

FINNEY: $114 million.

(LAUGH)

DAVIS: It's a lot.

FINNEY: You were close.

(LAUGH)

SANCHEZ: How much does money make a difference (inaudible)?

FINNEY: It makes a difference, although I will say, I think we are also at this tipping point where so much money is being spent on television and people are turning it off because they're so sick of wall-to-wall ads, so it's how you spend that money that really matters.

Are you spending it knocking on doors, having conversations with people, or are you having -- or are you spending that money -- sorry to my friends who do T.V. ads, I know it's (inaudible).

(LAUGH)

FINNEY: Sorry, but you know, digital spaces, obviously connected cable, I mean there are other more creative ways to try to reach people. You always want to have more money, let's be clear, no question. But also remember, we've got to start thinking about this as an ecosystem, I think to what Ashley was saying. It's not just what the party has, you've also got the DGA, the DSCC, you've got the outside super PACs.

So in terms of the ecosystem, I think we're in decent shape, but more money is more money.

KEILAR: Let's take a quick look at Maine before we go here, because it's really interesting. New polling, finding no clear leader in the Maine Senate race, new CNN polling. But when you ask Maine likely voters what -- who their vote is for, 29 percent for Jackson, 71 percent against Collins, 74 percent for Collins, 25 percent against Jackson. I mean, it's really interesting here.

[13:40:00]

And we have another graphic showing how people think about what Collins is going to do here, and this is interesting, not try to change very much, 55 percent. The atmosphere right now is people wanting a lot of change, but I wonder, Ashley, how you think that's going to play in this race?

DAVIS: Yeah, and I think, listen, here's the thing about Susan, I also -- I actually think what's impacting her race the most is what's happening with the Canadian fight and the tariffs in Canada, and she's been talking about that. I think what Jackson's done really well, since he's kind of been the new candidate, is just keep his head down and not be as controversial as the previous candidate.

(CROSSTALK)

DAVIS: But Susan, you know, I think Susan is just probably knocking on every single door in Maine, and she really, if anyone knows her in Washington, no matter what side the aisle is on, the only thing she cares about is Maine, so she -- if she wins, she'll win on just purely that.

I -- it's not like she direct, she votes with Trump all the time, but she is a Republican.

FINNEY: Well, but in talking to Mainers, I think, you know, she tries to represent herself as an Independent. And I've talked to folks who say, yeah, that's what she says, that's not how it always feels. Like, they see her as somebody who is actually voting, I think it's like 96 percent of time, with Trump, and that is driving a lot of those numbers we were just looking at, that frustration in terms of voting against her.

So the question is, does that intensity hold? Does that get you to vote early, vote by mail, go stand in line, and make your voice heard? Hopefully -- hopefully, it does.

DAVIS: I actually think there's other states, like Alaska and Iowa, I mean, I think North Carolina's already assumed to go to Democrats, that are more winnable for Democrats, even Maine's going to be close -- it's always close.

FINNEY: Yeah.

DAVIS: But, so I think, like, you see in Alaska and Iowa that are really could be in a Democrat, in their win, and then I also see, like, New Hampshire and Michigan as maybe a potential pickup for -- I'm big on New Hampshire, like, I think Sununu is a good candidate.

(LAUGH)

DAVIS: I'm the only one, I mean, not that he's not a good candidate --

(LAUGH)

DAVIS: I'm the only one that's been talking about it, I should say.

KEILAR: That you think it's really --

DAVIS: I think it's a potential, I mean, listen, I think it's better there than it is in any other state. I mean, Michigan, obviously, too.

SANCHEZ: Ashley and Karen, thank you so much for the perspective.

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: Thanks.

SANCHEZ: Still plenty more news to come, the fight over abortion access now back in court today, Louisiana making its case to limit access to medication abortion. We're going to speak with one of the Maine attorneys in this case when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:46:50]

KEILAR: Abortion rights once again before a federal court. Issue the availability of the medication that keeps abortion accessible even in states where the procedure is banned. Today, a panel of judges is considering whether to make those pills harder to get nationwide.

The case centers on Mifepristone, which is a key drug and the most common method of abortion in the U.S. Louisiana is seeking to roll back FDA rules allowing women to obtain Mifepristone by male without an in-person doctor's appointment.

This is one of several legal efforts to restrict abortion access four years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. We're joined now by Erin Hawley. She is Of Counsel at the conservative Christian Advocacy Group Alliance defending freedom and one of the lead attorneys in this case.

Erin, thank you so much for being with us. How did you think today's hearing went?

ERIN HAWLEY, OF COUNSEL, ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM: So I felt like today's hearing was much as expected and thanks for having me. Today in court, I think one of the key takeaways was that the FDA refused to defend the Biden administration's removal of that last remaining safeguard for women who take Mifepristone.

This is a drug that has a black box warning. It's a drug that sends at best estimate, like best-case scenario, roughly one in 25 women to the emergency room. It's not something that should be handed out like candy or Tylenol.

And I think we heard the court grappling with those issues as well as other issues. And again, the FDA refusing to defend the Biden administration's removal of that safeguard. KEILAR: I know you're citing one study, but the FDA has approved it, long approved it as safe. There are a number of studies on it. You mentioned that the FDA and the defense of the Biden-era policy. Almost a year ago, the FDA actually said that it's going to do its own review of the safety and efficacy of Mifepristone.

The review actually has not yet been released at this point, but I'm wondering if you're expecting that review is going to find anything different than what the FDA data already shows about its safety, because the data is pretty extensive on that.

HAWLEY: So one thing, Brianna, that one in 25 number, that comes from the current FDA label. It's not a pro-life study at all. That is on the current Mifepristone label. It sends roughly one in 25 women to the emergency room. And that's before the Biden administration took away that safeguard that a woman at least get to see a doctor to check for things like ectopic pregnancy, to make sure she knows how far along she is in gestation before she takes this high-risk black box drug.

Yes, as you mentioned, the FDA, because it admitted that the Biden administration's removal of that safeguard was not supported by adequate science. And you just have to go back to that 2023 decisional document by the Biden FDA, where they say that the studies are, quote, "not adequate to support the safety of Mifepristone without that in- person doctor visit."

So the Trump FDA has recognized that and is currently studying the safety and effectiveness of Mifepristone. I think they owe the judge in Louisiana a status report in a few weeks.

[13:50:00]

KEILAR: Have you received indications from the administration that it could be tightening those rules for the drug after the midterms? Is that the timing you're expecting?

HAWLEY: So we don't have any indication as to what the administration is thinking. We do know that they have committed to review the safety of Mifepristone. We know that the data that the Biden administration relied on in removing that last remaining safeguard was inadequate in the Biden administration's own words.

Again, if you look at the facts that Louisiana presented in this case, nearly 1,000 abortions are occurring every month in Louisiana when that number should be close to zero. And unquestionably, that sends tens of hundreds of women to the emergency room every single year. One of the craziest things about the oral argument today came from the drug manufacturers. And the drug manufacturers didn't dispute that a large number of women go to the emergency room.

Instead, they simply blamed the woman and said they are merely going there for reassurance.

(CROSSTALK) KEILAR: Can we be clear about that? You're talking about incomplete abortions, basically, right? Women who are going to the ER because they don't have a complete termination with the drug. Is that the statistic that you're citing?

HAWLEY: No. So there are a number of reasons women go to the emergency room. They could have sepsis, they could have a life- threatening infection, they could have an incomplete abortion, they could be hemorrhaging. They could be really scared by the amount of blood loss because the --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: But you're taking as well -- but you're mentioning the incomplete abortions where they might end up seeking another type of abortion besides the medical abortion. I just want to be very clear about the facts here.

HAWLEY: So the facts are that roughly 11 percent of women who take this drug end up in the emergency room for a whole host of reasons. The drug manufacturers tried to blame women today. They said they go to the emergency room for reassurance. With respect, most women I know don't go to the emergency room for reassurance.

KEILAR: Yeah. I mean, they are going for a number of reasons, some of which you mentioned. Let me ask you this. Should residents in states where abortion is still legal be able to receive Mifepristone via telehealth and mail? What if this restricts their legal access? And I hear what you were stating, and obviously there was a debate in court today, but this is a drug that has been shown in studies to be safe and it is FDA-approved. What if this restricts their legal access to this safe FDA-approved drug?

HAWLEY: So to quibble with that question just a bit, again, I'm an attorney, but the question is whether it is safe for women to take this drug without ever having seen a doctor. The question is whether the FDA in 2023 relied on good scientific data to do that, or if instead that data was, quote, "inadequate" as the Biden administration admitted when they took it away.

Now to go to the second question you had there about other states, what Louisiana is seeking to do here with this lawsuit is to protect its own democratically-enacted state pro-life law. What it is doing is protecting itself from the flood of a thousand Mifepristone-induced abortions every month.

California and New York can make different choices, but what they can't do is have doctors hide behind shield laws and mail drugs into pro-life states. That violates the promise of Dobbs.

KEILAR: Why can't Louisiana -- well, I mean that is assuming of course that as this happens, I mean I think there are some assumptions on that and there could be multiple ways obviously to enforce this.

Certain states, Louisiana obviously, you are not permitted to get an abortion under the law. Why can't Louisiana police Louisianans without infringing on the rights of people in other states?

HAWLEY: That's the exact argument at the heart of this case, Brianna, and the reason they can't is because doctors in New York and California are mailing drugs across state lines in violation of Louisiana law to the tune of a thousand abortions a month.

KEILAR: But it goes both ways, right? It goes both ways.

HAWLEY: Absolutely not.

KEILAR: Do you see it as a zero-sum game?

(CROSSTALK)

HAWLEY: No, no. No, that's not true. No, if you're in California, you can get an abortion under California law, but what you shouldn't be able to do is violate Louisiana law and democratically-enacted laws protecting life by having out-of-state doctors mail unlawful drugs into that state.

[13:55:00]

It's like another state wanting to ship cocaine into Louisiana. We would all say that's a bad idea. The same thing is true here. Louisiana has chosen to protect life that doesn't give California or New York the right to ship those drugs into that state even if they disagree on a policy level.

KEILAR: This could place restrictions that don't exist in some of those other states. We just have to be very clear about this. Erin Hawley, thank you so much for being with us. We really do appreciate it and we hope to continue the conversation going forward.

HAWLEY: Thanks for having me.

KEILAR: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)