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Inflation Rose in September; Midterm Election Races Heat Up; Cornell Sexual Assault Allegations; New Polls for Senate Race in Texas. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired October 14, 2026 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: After years of criticism from animal rights advocates. A tourist also died in an accident this year after being thrown from a runaway horse.

Off of Greece, a cruise passenger rescued after nearly 24 hours floating at sea. Officials say the 44-year-old woman went overboard during a Royal Caribbean cruise. A local emergency plan was activated, and teams began searching the area. She was found conscious by a cargo ship and pulled on board and then ultimately taken to a hospital.

A brand-new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: New polling out in one of the most closely watched races in the country today. The Texas Senate battle between James Talarico and Ken Paxton. And CNN is there for a town hall event tonight.

And we're digging deeper into the new inflation numbers just out. This report showing everything from gas prices to airfares, surging.

And gourd on the lam. A massive inflatable pumpkin wreaking havoc. Everyone grab your children and protect them.

I'm Kate Bolduan, with John Berman and Sara Sidner.

BERMAN: Mayday (ph).

BOLDUAN: This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BERMAN: And the breaking news, numbers, numbers everywhere. A brand- new inflation report just came in, and it came in hotter than expected. This is the last report on inflation before the midterms. And on an annual basis, inflation was at 3.7 percent in September. That's up from 3.4 the month before. As I noted, worse than expected and higher than wages. Inflation eating into people's salary increases.

And this as Americans say the top issue for them in this election is the economy and the cost of living. It is sure to be discussed at the CNN Jubilee town hall in Texas tonight with James Talarico. The Senate race in Texas so tight. A brand-new poll from Marist shows no clear leader, just two points

separating Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton. Paxton, of course, endorsed by President Trump. A new, different poll by the University of Texas and Texas Politics Projects has Talarico up three. That, too, still within the margin of error. So, very close.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, 20 days left to the midterms.

With us now, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent Dana Bash.

We've just gotten these new inflation numbers in, so let's talk about those. They mean prices are going up even faster than the market predicted. So, it really is bad news for Americans who are already struggling financially.

Look, this latest report has the effects of the Iran war all over it, with the gas prices spiking more than 30 percent. Look, we are 20 days before the midterm. Is this just another one of those data points that Democrats will use to beat over the heads of their Republican opponents?

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Sara.

Yes, it is, but most importantly, most negatively for Republicans, Democrats almost don't need to do anything. Republican candidates across the country are already feeling this because their voters are already feeling this. This -- their incumbents, their constituents are feeling it, which is why they're looking around to see who else can we put in the halls of Congress?

And look, the bottom line is, Republican after Republican after Republican I talked to, strategists, members of Congress, and even those who are just sort of advising from afar, they say over and over again, it is just a very depressing landscape for Republicans. And what we see in this new data, the CPI data, is an underscore, a highlight, and putting it in bold of why it is so bad.

As you heard from Matt Egan just before the top of the hour, he was explaining it. It's because of energy prices. And sometimes, Sara, we're in a political environment where the economy kind of happens to the party in charge. This is not that environment. This is an environment where the president's policies are the things that are affecting these energy prices, that are, in turn, really hurting people at the pump, at the grocery store, trying to heat their home, all of the above.

And so that is the sort of key thing that is different heading into this election cycle. People and even those who have voted for President Trump before understand that it is tariffs to some degree, but more recently it is the way that Iran has retaliated in the war by closing off the Strait of Hormuz, which is what is making gas prices, and for farmers and others who rely on diesel, I mean, the average cost of diesel is $6.20 a gallon.

[09:05:08]

I mean that is just mind blowing for people who really rely on it.

SIDNER: And going up. And it's not just, you know, those who rely on it who are hurting, it has a huge trickle-down effect for the prices of things.

BASH: Totally.

SIDNER: Because it fuels our economy. Diesel fuels the economy with all the truckers bringing goods to stores, et cetera.

Let's quickly go over just a couple of the debates that we saw that are being closely watched.

BASH: Yes.

SIDNER: Look, you had this debate between Senator Jon Ossoff and Representative Mike Collins in Georgia. It was pretty fiery. The Epstein files came up this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE COLLINS (R), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: You know, Jon, one of your largest donors is Reid Hoffman. He slept on the Epstein island. He stayed at his Manhattan townhouse. Will you condemn Reid Hoffman and apologize for your hypocrisy tonight?

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): Mike, who on your team advised you to raise the Epstein files? You voted to cover up the evidence, Mike.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: The issue was a big one earlier this year, but it does kind of pale in comparison to how people are feeling about the economy and potentially immigration and corruption. What stood out to you here?

BASH: Yes, what stands out to me is that Georgia, I mean they're -- they are, obviously, going through the motions. They are debating, which is a great thing. But Georgia, North Carolina as well, but just sticking with Georgia, was supposed to be going into this election cycle, the one that everybody was watching, because it has been so close for so many elections. And right now, poll after poll show that Jon Ossoff is running away with it. Republicans aren't really engaging financially there as much.

One of the things -- the main reasons is because of what we've been talking about, is just the economic climate. The other is that candidates matter. And Jon Ossoff is showing himself to be a formidable candidate and Mike Collins, not so much.

SIDNER: Dana Bash, it is so good to have you here this morning, and we'll check you out on "POLITICS" at noon. Appreciate you.

BASH: Thank you. SIDNER: "INSIDE POLITICS" coming up. There it is. All right, you will speak to Democratic Michigan Governor candidate Jocelyn Benson. Should be a good one. Appreciate you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about where things are right now with this wild midterm. Joining me now, Axe and Urban, CNN senior political commentator, former senior advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod, and CNN political commentator and former Trump campaign adviser David Urban.

David and David.

David Urban, from his travel schedule to his tactics, the president in Alaska last night. Not only is he promising $5,000 to people if Republicans win House and Senate, he's now pardoning people from the stage. Two diesel mechanics that he pardoned and signed the pardons from stage -- from the stage in Alaska. Do you think President Trump is helping that Senate race?

DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, so, listen, last night I had the good fortune to speak with my friend Dan Sullivan after that rally. And, you know, you focus on that part. I think there's some interesting snippets you can always take away from any Trump rally.

But what I think was important is that Dan Sullivan, and I'm going to read this because I don't want to butcher it. He reminded voters in Alaska of the following. Ladies and gentlemen, the conflict in the Middle East is temporary. The true forever war is the national Democrat's war against Alaskan oil and gas and jobs in Alaska." That's something that really resonates, Kate, because the war is going to end at some point. I don't know what Hakeem Jeffries is going to do differently with the IRGC to bring it to an end.

But Republicans will remember, if they're reminded, of the EV mandate, of the green new deal, of what Democrats tried to do in Alaska in terms of turning it into a national park versus a place where people actually live and work. And that message resonates across the state of Alaska. And I think that message would resonate across America if it would honed in on by many other Republicans.

Democrats aren't the party that's going to drive down gas prices immediately. I don't know what Hakeem Jeffries would do. I'd ask, Axe, what is Hakeem Jeffries going to do to end the war in the Middle East?

BOLDUAN: What I'm getting from you, David Urban, is make it local. Run your race. Don't run what -- don't necessarily go along with what the president is saying from the thing (ph).

URBAN: Well, that -- listen -- Kate. Yes, Kate, when I -- when I traveled with President Trump in 2016 and 2020, and 2024, sometimes he would -- he would say, you know, some of these members would run exactly opposite of Trump and opposed to Trump. And I'd tell the president, each of these individual members has to run their own race.

BOLDUAN: Right.

URBAN: They have to get elected on their own, with or without you. They need to -- their responsive (ph) to their electorate, and they're going to make their case one way or the other. They've got to do it. Axe knows this. When people are unpopular, you run the other direction.

[09:10:03]

And so, I think it's incumbent on each of these members to do so. Some places, the president's wildly popular. He's popular in Alaska. Some places not so popular. You're not going to see him campaigning in Pennsylvania for folks because his numbers aren't so great there.

BOLDUAN: Right.

Axe, I want to play for you -- because then you've got the take -- he's talking a lot about Hakeem Jeffries, but Mike Johnson is out talking about how he says he's confident that the Republicans are going to hold the majority in the House.

DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. Yes.

BOLDUAN: He was on Fox yesterday. Let me play this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Don't buy it. I'm telling you, I'm on the ground in the swing districts. I am seeing huge energy in crowds. It feels like 2024 to me. That's not registering in the polls. And we're fired up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: He says he does not believe the polls.

AXELROD: Yes, I didn't see him connected to a lie detector when he gave that answer. But I think, in candid moments, any Republican would tell you that the House -- that it's probably a matter of margin as to how big the Democratic majority will be, not a matter of whether Republicans win it or not. They are pulling out of the districts of incumbent Republicans. Now they're pulling their money out of those races.

Listen, midterm elections are always about the president. Dave Urban is valiantly trying to do what -- I know a lot about this. I was -- worked for a president during a wave when I was on the other side. I'm still toweling myself off from 2010, which was a devastating loss. And what you do at this point is, you try and you look at what is obvious and try and explain why it's not going to happen.

I mean, the biggest numbers and the most important numbers in this race are the ones that you talked about at the top of the hour. You know, presidents tell stories. Political operatives tell stories. But the pump, the gas pump, doesn't lie. The cash register doesn't lie. Your bills at the end of the month don't lie. And Dave asks, you know, what are Democrats going to do about that?

But the thing people know is why these numbers are the way they are. And that's what makes this different. They can point to the president and say, he launched a war of choice and we are paying the price for it. He engaged in tariff wars and we are paying the price for it. And it's cut a swathe through many of these red states that have put seats in play that no one thought would be in play.

So, you know, I think Johnson is saying what he has to say. I think he's also wondering about packing up his stuff and moving to another office and all the arrangements he's going to have to make after November 3rd.

BOLDUAN: There's the money you mentioned. You know, where money moves at the end is important and can be telling or indicative of something. Also, the tactics that anyone takes on and how they're talking about other candidates towards the end is -- can be indicative of something.

I want to play with J.D. Vance said yesterday about the Texas Senate race, about James Talarico, this closely watched race in Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Before we get started -- I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear, I'm the vice president, not James Talarico.

The best part about this guy is, you know, he was asked what he loves in life besides his own family and friends, and he responded, without skipping a beat, and I quote, "trans children." Now, you got to wonder what the internet search history of a man like that looks like.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Axe, what do you think he's trying to do here?

AXELROD: I think it's about as subtle as a zipper on a submarine. He is trying to infer that Talarico is culturally out of step with the state of Texas. He's not manly enough and so on.

They have a big problem in Texas. Ken Paxton is maybe the worst candidate that I've ever seen. He's corrupt. He's lazy. And he's unpopular. And he won't debate this guy, this guy who is chiding -- they're chiding the other candidate as not being manly. He won't show up for a debate.

They have a problem in Texas, and they're having to spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. It's what John Cornyn warned them about in the primary. So, he is trying.

But that is so unbecoming and so, you know, I don't think it helps Paxton. It kind of reminds people that Paxton's not a very likable character.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

AXELROD: And it doesn't help the VP. I think he's auditioning to be Trump lite, and he's not doing very well with it.

BOLDUAN: Urban, would you advise this tactic on the final days?

URBAN: Yes, no. Listen, I think you talk about issues.

[09:15:01]

The Texas race is a very, very difficult race, as Axe points out. I think Republicans widely acknowledged that John Cornyn would have walked, could have slept walked to a victory in this seat. And it's unfortunate that we are where we are in Texas.

But no, I -- and I think what -- I think the vice president is a gentleman who shouldn't be kind of lowering himself to the lowest common denominator like that.

To Axe's point. I think, you know, James -- Mr. Talarico is -- it's self-evident that he's kind of a low t, not a Texas -- he's not a land man kind of Tyler Sheridan (ph) character. And I think that's what sells in Texas.

At the end of the day, this race is very close. I think Republicans still squeak it out in lots of these races. If you listen to our own Harry Enten, you know, Democrats have a reason to be optimistic, like you said earlier, lots of states in play. Georgia should never be in play. North Carolina shouldn't be in play. Democrats should be happy they've expanded the map greatly. But at the end of the day, I think Republicans will come home in a lot of these states and these very narrow races, Texas, Maine, Alaska, Iowa will all go down in the Republican column.

I still remain optimistic. The House, a little -- I agree with Axe. You know, Speaker Johnson's moving to a different office. Senate, I still like our chances.

BOLDUAN: All right, James Talarico and Ken Paxton both invited to a town hall event. James Talarico, the only one to agree. That town hall event tonight, 8 p.m. Eastern. As you see, live pictures right there.

John.

BERMAN: We will be watching.

Some new reporting on how Cornell University handles cases of sexual assault. The university president is set to address faculty today.

And new details this morning on the events surrounding the death of a teacher on a Six Flags roller coaster.

And then pumpkin on the lam. Hide the kids lest they be swallowed by a giant inflatable wreaking havoc on the streets. Inflatables are scary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:21:35] BERMAN: New information this morning about how Cornell University handles cases of sexual assault reported on campus. A CNN analysis now shows the Jane Doe case that came to light last month is not the only time students accused of sexual misconduct received relatively lax punishments.

CNN's Isabelle Chapman has been looking into this.

Isabelle, thanks for being with us.

What did you learn here?

ISABELLE CHAPMAN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: We learned that Cornell has a pattern of punishing students found responsible for sexual assault with extra study programs and written reprimands, similar to several of the men involved in Jane Doe's case, rather than expulsion.

So, between 2020 and 2024, Cornell had roughly 50 formal complaints about sexual assault. The university found students responsible in 16 cases, but only expelled two of those students and seven received written reprimands, probation, directed studies or reflection papers. And I should note, six were suspended.

BERMAN: And you spoke with a former Cornell student who said she was assaulted. What did she say to you?

CHAPMAN: We spoke with Kacey Lee, who told us she was raped while at Cornell in 2022. She went through the university's Title IX's process, and Cornell officials found her fellow student responsible for sexual assault. They said his actions caused significant harm, but that he didn't act maliciously. His punishment included a reflection paper, a written reprimand and probation. She told us that she felt betrayed by the university and the process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KACEY LEE, CORNELL UNIVERSITY RAPE SURVIVOR: I know I never would have done that if I knew that he could have just received an essay if he was found guilty. An essay is just an extra homework assignment, like, oh, you raped someone, here's homework.

CHAPMAN: What did you hope was going to happen?

LEE: I was hoping that if they found him responsible for sexual assault, that he would have been suspended or expelled.

CHAPMAN: When Jane Doe's case became public, what was your reaction?

LEE: I was so sure they were going to get expelled, because that's insane.

CHAPMAN: What made you decide to come forward?

LEE: I didn't want people to think of her case and just think that it was a one off, you know, because it's so clearly not just her. There's this very strange default to a assign essays to rapists on campus. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAPMAN: A Cornell spokesperson gave us a statement saying that the university, "takes sexual misconduct allegations extremely seriously." They told us that the university "investigates reports through established processes, providing support and resources to those who have come forward."

BERMAN: That's a pretty remarkable interview you had there.

Isabelle Chapman, thank you so much for being with us and sharing your reporting.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John.

Ahead, the Vatican revealing Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung cancer. How he's doing this morning after part of his lung was removed.

And new polling is revealing the Senate race in Texas is tighter than ever. Tonight, what to expect when the CNN town hall goes to Texas, where Democrat James Talarico takes questions from constituents.

Those stories and more, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:29:14]

BOLDUAN: Tonight, CNN's special town hall with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, in partnership with Jubilee. The event will be moderated by our colleague Erin Burnett and will feature questions from a live audience of Texas voters. Democrats are looking to flip this seat to try to flip this seat for the first time in over 30 years.

And a new Marist poll is out offering a new look at where this race could stand and just how close it may be. No clear leader, well within the margin of error.

Another poll from University of Texas and Texas Politics Project has the race also within the margin of error.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny live in Texas for us.

What can we expect tonight, Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kate, good morning.

[09:30:00]

I mean the fact that this race here in Texas is at the center of the fight for control of the Senate really is a metaphor for this entire year for Republicans as they are scrambling