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Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) On Harris Campaigning For Dems Amid Speculation Over Her 2028 Plans; Soon: Murder Trial Of Former "American Idol" Contestant Resumes; Mayors Across America Deal With AI Data Center Boom. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired September 22, 2026 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:30:03]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: In a few hours former vice president and potential presidential candidate Kamala Harris hits the campaign trail in Michigan for Democratic candidate for Senate Abdul El-Sayed.

And although Kamala Harris is campaigning for November's midterm elections her appearance, of course, on the trail is fueling further speculation about what she might want to be doing come 2028. Harris is seen by some as possible frontrunner for Democrats but new reporting from Axios suggests several of her former aides are betting against another White House run with one putting the odds at 50-50 right now.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is in Detroit. Arlette, what are you hearing about this?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kate, it's 2026 for the midterms right now but already there is speculation about what will happen in 2028 and whether Vice President Kamala Harris will decide to run for president once again.

She is hitting the campaign trail for the first time this fall today here in Michigan, a state that she lost back in 2024. But there are supporters of hers that believe she still holds a lot of sway with Democratic voters here.

She is teaming up with Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who hails from the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party. And a lot of what they will be focused on today will be making a pitch to the Black community, a constituency that El-Sayed still needs to do some work with after that bruising primary in August. Now Harris and El Sayed will team up to hold a roundtable focusing on Black maternal health care. That is something that she really promoted while she was vice president.

And then later in the evening, Harris will be speaking with a group of religious leaders really focused on trying to turn out voters, including Black voters in the November election.

Yesterday we spoke with one of those faith leaders who she will be meeting with. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. WENDELL ANTHONY, PRESIDENT, NAACP DETROIT BRANCH: People like her. People like the fact that this African American woman who was vice president for the first time in the nation's history is coming back to the D to talk to us about the importance of voting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now it -- now it comes as many are wondering whether Harris will, in fact, decide to jump into that 2028 race, which we expect to begin very soon after the midterm elections. Harris so far has said that she's undecided. She said that her focus right now is on the midterms.

But there are a slew of other Democratic candidates who are also waiting in the wings to potentially run. Just think about that interview the California Gov. Gavin Newsom did with our colleague Jake Tapper a bit earlier, where he talked about how he may not run if Kamala Harris decides to run in this campaign.

Now Harris -- in addition to the stop here in Michigan, she has just a few other stops planned over the course of the fall. As of right now, she will be campaigning at some point in Nevada for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee Aaron Ford, and then also in Ossoff -- in Georgia with Sen. Jon Ossoff.

One thing that is common between Michigan, Georgia and Nevada -- these are all purple states but also states that would be critical in a 2028 general election. And Michigan and Nevada will be very early in the Democratic nominating contest.

So a lot of things to watch here in Michigan as she is trying to turn out support for El-Sayed while also people will be watching what clues she might give about 2028.

BOLDUAN: Yeah. sure thing.

It's good to see you, Arlette. Thank you so much for your reporting -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with us now, Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw from Virginia. He's on the House Homeland Security and Oversight Committees. Congressman, thank you so much for being with us.

The former vice president going to early presidential primary states. Do you hope she runs for president again? Yes or no?

REP. JAMES WALKINSHAW (D-VA): Well, look, anyone who wants to run should run. The vice president is an historic figure and would be a very strong candidate, probably the strongest at the starting gate.

Personally, I'm going to be looking for someone who can kind of turn the page on the past and lead us forward, so I'll probably be looking for a different candidate. But if she wants to run, she absolutely should run.

BERMAN: I want to play for you an ad from a Senate candidate and it's a Republican, Mike Rogers, in Michigan. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATE CANDIDATE MIKE ROGERS (R) CAMPAIGN AD: Michigan families are struggling with the price of everyday life. Groceries cost too much. We have to bring prices down. The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: "The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly."

Then Congresswoman Hinson, who's running for Senate in Iowa, she wrote, "Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn't have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran. The war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end."

[07:35:00]

These are two Republican Senate candidates calling for an end to the war in Iran, blaming it for higher prices.

What do you hear there?

WALKINSHAW: Well, I hear too little, too late. Both of them could have and should have said those very same things months ago. We're more than six months into this failed, catastrophic war in Iran, and it's just now that we have Republicans like this reading the polls and deciding they're against it. They should have stood with us months ago in opposing this war. They'd be in a stronger political position today had they done that.

BERMAN: One other bit of news from a Republican senator in this case, it has to do with Utah Sen. Curtis, the Republican who has written a letter to the Judiciary Committee -- the Senate Judiciary Committee -- basically asking them to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. This has to do with the reports that a Russian oligarch paid for parties at Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding.

It says -- the letter says, "I therefore respectfully request the Senate Judiciary Committee launch an investigation into the use of presidential family relationships for financial benefit, preferential treatment, or access by domestic and foreign interests." And then he says he wants to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. Also Hunter Biden there.

You're on the oversight committee in the House. First of all, what do you think of this call from Sen. Curtis, and what do you want to see the oversight committee doing?

WALKINSHAW: Well, I agree with it. And Democrats on the Oversight Committee have for months now been calling for an investigation into the Trump family's corrupt dealings around the world. And what's become clear, I think, is that there's two different

economies in this country. Hardworking Americans are struggling to make ends meet while prices rise and their paychecks don't keep pace. And the Trump family has their weddings paid for by a Russian oligarch, has taxpayer funding for their tungsten mining investments in Kazakhstan, and continues to rack up dollar after dollar after dollar trading on the fact that their father is the president of the United States.

So I hope this is an opening for some bipartisan support for our calls to seriously investigate this corruption that's taking place in and around this White House administration.

BERMAN: One of your Democratic House colleagues, Jared Golden from Maine, has endorsed Republican Congressman Mike Lawler in his bid for re-election here in New York.

How do you feel about that endorsement?

WALKINSHAW: Frustrated. Look, Mike Lawler has aided and abetted the Trump administration's policies, voted for the big, ugly bill that slashing health care, including for Congressman Golden's constituents. So it's frustrating.

I think at the end of the day, voters in New York are going to make a decision based on how the Republican policies have impacted them, not on what one member of Congress from hundreds of miles away in Maine might think.

BERMAN: Congressman, the president is getting ready to speak at the United Nations today. Also in town are some leaders from Iran, including the Iranian president.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said just a short time ago and CNN has got reporting on this, too, that the administration -- the president's open to meeting with the Iranians on the sidelines of the United Nations.

What do you think that would accomplish? Would you support such a meeting?

WALKINSHAW: Well, look, I support any meeting or conversation that can bring this war to an end. It might be Sec. Rubio is recognizing that now even Republicans are speaking out against their failed war in Iran. I'd love to see an end to it that opens the Strait of Hormuz, brings down gas prices, and brings our service members home.

Unfortunately, the strategic position that the United States is in today is weaker than we were in when the war started. It's been a catastrophic failure on every level strategically. We're in a weak position, but I would love to see a conversation and negotiation and agreement to bring it to an end.

BERMAN: All right, Congressman James Walkinshaw from Virginia. We appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much for joining us and answering our questions. And if you out there have any questions for us, the anchors of CNN

NEWS CENTRAL, join us Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. for "OFFICE HOURS." This is your chance to ask us anything. Ask us about the midterms. Ask us what it's like to wake up so early. Ask us --

BOLDUAN: What's our favorite breakfast?

BERMAN: Exactly. You can ask us anything.

My guests on "OFFICE HOURS" will be Kate Baldwin and Sara Sidner. It's going to be awesome. So join us at 7:00 Wednesday night. We'll look at the right camera -- and you can post your questions anytime, including right now --

BOLDUAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- on cnn.com/office hours.

[07:40:00]

BOLDUAN: And I may decide whether or not I'm going to answer them. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. We're required contractually to answer all of your questions.

All right, let's move to this. The murder trial of a former American Idol contestant picks up again today. Caleb Flynn is accused of killing his wife. He was emotional in court yesterday as jurors were shown graphic crime scene photos and also autopsy photos. Flynn claims that someone broke into their home in Ohio and shot his wife Ashley while she was in their bed. Prosecutors say Flynn's lying. He's pleaded not guilty.

CNN's Jean Casarez is following this one. Very clearly emotional in court. What's going to happen today?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Well, they're doing crime scene investigation right now -- that's the point -- and there's so much to go in this trial.

But yesterday -- and they'll pick it up again today.

BOLDUAN: Yeah.

CASAREZ: His theory went from the 911 call -- said it was an intruder. An intruder broke into the home, came through the door from the garage, shot my wife two times. I didn't see the person.

So when the Ohio State criminalist arrived that early morning, they went around the outside of the house to make sure there were not broken windows -- any entry there. Didn't find anything. They searched -- they looked for -- they did testing for DNA, footprint impressions. They did fingerprint powder. Anything to show an intruder. But the door between the garage and the home had a lot of damage to it, so they assessed that very carefully and listen to their conclusions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID HAMMOND, AGENT, OHIO BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION: The damage was just inconsistent with any of the other burglaries that I've worked on as a crime scene investigator. The damage on the inside of the frame around that locking -- that deadbolt lock procedure -- there was pieces of wood that was chipped away, but there was no corresponding damage on the frame. There was no corresponding damage on the door itself. As I stood there inside of the garage, it looked to me like the damage had happened with the door open.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: So they assessed all the damage to the door was done when the door was actually open.

Now the defense said why did you listen to him? He -- he's not a law enforcement person. He was making a 911 call. Maybe somebody had the garage code. Maybe someone got in another way. So they're trying to show that this is an intruder, but you couldn't find it.

Now they'll go on today. Oh, by the way, his passport -- Caleb Flynn's passport was found in the glove compartment of his wife's car.

BOLDUAN: Um.

CASAREZ: Don't know why. Defense says they could have been taking an international trip -- don't know -- but a passport found in the wife's car.

Going on, they've got so many texts that are going to come before the jury. But the star witness is going to be the mistress because there was a mistress. He was texting to her constantly that he hated his wife, wanted to get out of his marriage, wanted to kill her, but was concerned to go to jail or go to hell. And this is a former pastor, "AMERICAN IDOL" contestant, went to Hollywood, but he was a man of God.

BOLDUAN: Um. Much more to come on this, especially starting today.

It's good to see you, Jean. Thank you so very much -- John.

BERMAN: All right. This morning, operations back up and running at five major airports after huge technical failures called a travel meltdown. A construction crew accidentally severed a fiber optic cable in New Jersey while working on a project for New Jersey Transit. Then an aging circuit and its backup system failed. That impacted a facility in Philadelphia that integrates the radar approach control and air traffic control operations. The failures then triggered ground stops at Newark Airport, Teterboro, Philadelphia, LaGuardia and JFK. The FAA administrator said the circuit that failed had been slated to be replaced.

So an AI bot went job hunting. Why? To keep itself alive.

And then a 6-year-old broke the Rubik's Cube world record, then she waited two days and did it again.

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[07:48:32]

BOLDUAN: We are just six weeks from the midterms and one issue that has been, as we've seen, cutting across party lines, is data centers and concerns around them.

Yesterday in Texas, the Republican governor there halted all state issued permits for data centers until they conduct an audit on the power grid for its impacts. The very same day the California -- in California, the Democratic governor signed a data center oversight bill to regulate the industry's electric and water usage.

The United States has more than 5,400 data centers at the end of last year. Plans for new ones -- with plans for new ones, that number could double.

One city at the center of the boom, Phoenix, Arizona. The Wall Street Journal put it in June that "Phoenix Is A Data Center Mecca -- and Test Case for How to Pay for AI's Power Needs."

The Phoenix mayor has been leading the charge on regulating that boom. Mayor Kate Gallego is now helping also to lead a Global Urban Data Centres PAC as they're calling it, which has been endorsed by dozens of mayors and from major cities around the world.

Gallego writing this. "The principles are straightforward: data centers should not increase energy bills, strain water supplies or undermine climate targets. When planned well, they can support the transition to clean energy, create good local jobs and strengthen urban infrastructure."

But how to do it? Mayor Gallego here with me now. Thanks for being here.

MAYOR KATE GALLEGO, (D) PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Thanks for having me.

BOLDUAN: John and I keep saying this is one of the many good things about U.N. week is we get to meet all you guys in person, so thanks for being here.

[07:50:00]

You are talking about how to do this the right way. What do you think that is when very clearly, other state and local leaders think that there is not a way -- right way to do it right now?

GALLEGO: I want the United States to lead in technology and innovation. Phoenix makes chips for data centers, the most advanced ones anywhere in our country, but we have to do it right.

As you mentioned, Phoenix has one of the largest concentrations of data centers and so many of the providers have not been good partners. They'll put data centers in the middle of residential neighborhoods, and they'll fight us on landscaping and noise. So often a data center in our community tells people we don't want to

be known that we're here. We're very secretive and so they don't give back to the community. They don't invest in our schools or our construction workforce. They're not involved philanthropically.

Data centers have to be a win for the communities where they're located. They have to give back. So many of the data centers that want to come into our communities just care about speed to market --

BOLDUAN: Um-hum.

GALLEGO: -- and they don't take the time to invest and be involved in our local community.

Data centers put off a huge amount of heat and that's a challenge for us, particularly in our summers where we have more than enough already.

BOLDUAN: You have -- you are the definition of a huge amount of heat.

But in the face of that the attorney general of the state is now calling for a statewide pause on data center construction and the estimates that she's putting out is that there would be a 450 percent jump in water demand if all of the planned Phoenix area projects are built.

So I'm curious if you agree with that. If you think that until there is a better assessment of electric environmental impacts and how to get your hands around it as a locality or state that there should be a pause here or there's a way to do this in tandem.

GALLEGO: I'm not calling for that pause. I think we understand what makes a successful data center project. We want them to go where they belong, which is industrial areas, not people's neighborhoods. We want them to use clean energy that uses less water and to bring their own energy.

BOLDUAN: So you think it's known now? It's not like -- because, you know, the Texas governor is saying we need an audit before any moves happen. He's up for re-election. That should be noted. Before we -- on the impacts before we can say yes on this, this seems to be what the attorney general is also saying is like this is -- they don't -- we don't currently have a way to do it the right way, so we should pause on it.

You think there is -- it exists?

GALLEGO: I do. I've been working on this issue for years. I understand you can have data centers that are good partners that bring new solar energy projects onto the grid in our community and create good jobs, but we do have so many that are still using fossil energy.

We were about to retire coal plants in Arizona --

BOLDUAN: Um-hum. GALLEGO: -- and the utility said we're keeping them online because of data centers. Those use a significant amount of water in my desert community and obviously the emissions are very problematic.

But if the data centers were willing to work with us -- to partner with mayors and local communities and make investments that make sense and pay their fair share of taxes, then we can find out a way that this works in a path forward. I appreciate some of the companies are now saying we're not going to ask for tax breaks. They are the wealthiest companies in the world, and they can afford to support our firefighters and other --

BOLDUAN: So what needs to happen there? Is it you need act -- you need state level action. You need your legislature or federal action, if you will, but you need act -- you need -- can you do it from a citywide ordinance or do you need the state to act to require these companies to not give them the tax breaks? Like, what's the -- what's the one thing to get this right while it's -- you're in the middle of it?

GALLEGO: Well, some of it needs to be global. What -- we want a race to the top. We want to push for cleaner energy and more sustainable investments. We don't want these companies just going to whoever has the lowest standards.

But for us that the tax credits came from the state and they would particularly hit our first responders because of the way they put it together. Data centers and some of these lithium batteries, these on- site diesels have very significant safety implications, and so they should pay their fair share for fire response and more the way it's worked in Arizona for years. Your local coffee shop plays a -- pays a higher tax rate than data centers owned by the wealthiest entities in the world. That's not smart, that's not sustainable, and it has to change.

BOLDUAN: What have you learned from -- you've been working with mayors from around the world. You put out a piece with the mayor of Melbourne and other mayors on kind of around all of this. What have you learned that works elsewhere that you -- or you'd like to see applied here or maybe vice versa?

GALLEGO: So in Europe we're seeing data centers that put off all this heat -- use it to reduce people's heating costs so they capture it and use it for their local residents. We need more thinking like that locally where it really benefits the people in the community.

[07:55:07]

Right now it's been more costs. We'll have data centers go into residential neighborhoods and then jam through transmission lines. I'll have a local church come and say the power transmission line took out the playground at my church. Will the city build us a new playground? You know, that particular one was built by one of the largest private equity funds in the world. They have a lot more money to build playgrounds than the city of Phoenix. We want to be good partners, but it needs to be a two-way street. So

many of these data centers make promises to make community investments and they don't. We had one promise a park in 2017. In 2024 they came back to us and said could we put more power generation equipment on the park site that we haven't built yet?

BOLDUAN: Hmm.

GALLEGO: So if you're investing in data centers community investment is not optional. It is a business cost. Your data center must help the community where you're building it.

BOLDUAN: This is really interesting -- kind of the collaboration you've learned from mayors around the world and also you have been working on this for a while. We've talked about this kind of for some time. It's very interesting that there is these two -- it doesn't need to be two different paths, which you're saying is. You can -- there is known -- there are known ways to get this right now; not push a pause button maybe for political purposes that people say push a pause button now and try to talk about it later. It's a really interesting thing.

Thank you so much for coming in.

GALLEGO: Thanks for having me.

BOLDUAN: It's good to see you -- John.

BERMAN: All right. Two crew members, including the pilot on board a helicopter fighting California wildfires, were killed when their aircraft crashed in Yosemite National Park. So far, the fire has burned more than 3,400 acres. It is just 15 percent contained. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

In California, a horrifying head-on crash. The driver of an Acura slammed right into a truck carrying gravel. You can see the impact there sent the car off the road and the truck on its side. Both drivers suffered injuries, but they are expected to recover.

In China, a 6-year-old is solving Rubik's Cubes faster than most people can blink. She broke the women's world record twice in just three days, posting an average solve time of 4.27 seconds -- the first female cuber ever to average under 4 1/2 seconds, which seems pretty impressive.

Okay, I turned on "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" about five minutes into the game and quarterback Jaxson Dart was already out. So Jaxson Dart, James Daniels, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold -- I might be forgetting someone else, but so many quarterbacks falling.

Coy Wire with us now. Not a great start to the season for the NFL I would say.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: It's wild. Not many teams have a Tom Brady waiting when their Drew Bledsoe goes down, right, John? And as you mentioned all those names, now it's the Giants fans who are their latest to hold their breaths.

The first drive of the game, five minutes in -- like John said, Jaxson Dart takes that hit right there and that's his night. He would limp to the locker room. Believed to be a sprained MCL. An MRI still to come.

From there, John, welcome to old man strength night for the Rams. Aaron Donald hadn't played in more than 2 1/2 years. The 3-time defensive Player of the Year out of retirement immediately reckoned things again. Three tackles, including that tackle for the loss.

And 38-year-old Matthew Stafford, four touchdown passes. He's now sixth all time. Favorite target? The youngster of the group, almost 34-year-old Davante Adams -- 195 yards, two touchdowns, and his 16 receiving touchdowns since the start of last season are the most in the NFL, did you know?

The team that got blown out by San Francisco in week one after that much discussed last-minute travel plan to Australia dominate 28-6.

So Coach McVay, what exactly happened in week one, bro?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN MCVAY, HEAD COACH, LOS ANGELES RAMS: Sometimes you -- you know, sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. And, you know, sometimes you have a dumbass coach that, you know, makes travel plans that puts you in a bad spot. There you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, to the WNBA. The Liberty hosting the Atlanta Dream, playoff seeding on the line. And Atlanta's Angel Reese came to work -- 18 points, 10 rebounds, and some late drama. Fourth-quarter, the game is tight. Reese trips star Breanna Stewart. No foul called. Stewart doesn't love it and fouls Reese in frustration then gives the official an earful. She gets her first technical in nine years, John. Atlanta wins it 95-84. And guess what? These two play again on Wednesday.

In Baltimore, postseason hopes hanging by a thread and Pete Alonso understands the assignment. The polar bear -- two home runs against Toronto powering Baltimore to the comeback win 4-3. That's his fourth 40-homer season, tying him for most among active players. Six games -- essentially six must-wins, John -- one down. Keep the defibrillator nearby Orioles fans.

Finally, we now know the inspiration behind one of week two's greatest celebrations. Vikings Isaiah Rodgers breaks out the hot dog -- hot dog's diggity dog, and apparently, we have his son to thank for this masterpiece.