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Harris to Campaign Today in North Carolina; Trump to Campaign this Week in Arizona and Nevada; Gaza Officials: Israeli Strike on U.N. School Kills at Least 18; Pope Francis in Singapore; Taylor Swift Endorses Kamala Harris for President. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 12, 2024 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us here are some of our top stories today.

Less than two hours from now, history will be made in space. The SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew will attempt the first commercial spacewalk after leaving the safety of the Dragon capsule. They'll also test out a brand new spacesuit design.

In Vietnam, nearly 200 people have died from the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi. According to state media, at least 128 more are missing. Hundreds have been injured. Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades.

Peru's controversial former president, Alberto Fujimori, has died at the age of 86 after a long battle with cancer, according to his daughter. His supporters hailed him as a hero for saving Peru from economic collapse in the 1990s and for taking on rebel groups. But he was later convicted for corruption and human rights violations, including civilian deaths, after leaving office.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are hitting the campaign trail after their contentious debate. Trump will be in the western swing states of Arizona and Nevada this week.

Harris heads to North Carolina today, then back to Pennsylvania on Friday. Running mate Tim Walz will visit Michigan and Wisconsin. Harris' campaign and Democratic lawmakers warn she's still the underdog in this race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): This race is going to come down to, you know, just a few thousand votes, probably.

Everybody is all hands on deck. Everybody is. We have a campaign that's not taking any vote for granted.

SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): I'm very concerned. And I tell people all the time, you know, somebody asked me in Chicago, what'd you learn from 2016? And I said, you can't win by a little, you got to win by a lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: More now, then, from CNN's Jeff Zeleny.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: With their first and potentially only debate in the rearview mirror, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are returning to the campaign trail on Thursday.

Harris is going to North Carolina with two stops, one in Greensboro, one in Charlotte. North Carolina has emerged as a key battleground state. And here is why. There are 16 electoral votes in North Carolina. Think as an insurance plan, if you will, if Pennsylvania does not go her way.

But she would need one more state in addition to North Carolina to reach the number of electoral votes that Pennsylvania has, of course, which are 19. But North Carolina is shaping up to be a very competitive race throughout the campaign and other races as well. A very competitive governor's race there is also making it more appealing to Harris.

Now, it's been since 2008 since a Democratic presidential candidate has carried the state. Barack Obama was the last one. But I talked to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper after the debate and he said that he believes that Harris's answer on abortion and health care really will resonate in the state and help her win.

The question, of course, is if Donald Trump is able to also show strength there. But he is going to be campaigning on Thursday in Arizona and then off to Nevada, a West Coast swing campaigning as well as fundraising.

Now heading into the final 54 odd days or so of this election campaign, there is no doubt this is as close of a race as it can get. Both sides realize that. So winning the debate, as most observers agree that Harris did, does not guarantee winning an election.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Congress will get increased security when lawmakers meet to certify the U.S. presidential election results in early January. The Department of Homeland Security has formally designated the certification process a national special security event. This comes after requests from multiple government officials following the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump.

The designation means that the Secret Service and FBI will have greater resources available and more officers on the ground when lawmakers convene at Capitol Hill next year.

U.N. officials are condemning a deadly Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school that had been sheltering displaced Palestinians in central Gaza. Gaza civil defense says at least 18 people, including six U.N. staff, were killed and 44 others wounded. Israel claims Hamas terrorists were using the location to plan and execute attacks.

[04:35:00]

UNRWA says more than 12,000 displaced Palestinians have been sheltering at the defunct school.

CNN's Paula Hancocks joins me now. Paula, this isn't the first time a school's been hit, of course.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, Max, this is the fifth time that this particular school has been hit this year alone. Now, we know from UNRWA that there were some 12,000 people, those Palestinians who have been displaced, evacuated from other areas, moved on from their homes that were sheltering in this particular area. It's been used as a shelter really since October last year. It hasn't been used as a school for some time.

So what we know from those on the ground, from the Gaza civil defense and also from the U.N. unit is that two airstrikes hit in this particular facility. We know, according to local officials, that some 18 died and about 44 or more were injured.

Now, we do know that also UNRWA staff were among those killed, at least six, according to the U.N. group. They say that the head of the shelter with UNRWA was killed. Also, those who were trying to give out humanitarian aid to those in the area.

Now, we have been seeing this on a number of occasions, strikes hitting schools, in particular UNRWA schools. And Israel has consistently said that that is because Hamas is using them to shelter behind civilians and to plan attacks against Israel. They say that there was -- the target for them was a Hamas command and control center within that facility itself.

Now, neither side, Israeli or Palestinian, has given any indication of the balance of deaths compared to militants, compared to civilians at this point. But we have heard widespread condemnation that once again, a U.N.-backed school where displaced Palestinians are sheltering has been hit. We heard from the U.N. spokesperson, for example, saying U.N. premises need to be protected, respected by all parties to any conflict. This is something that has happened repeatedly over recent months -- Max.

FOSTER: OK. And in terms of the ceasefire talks, is there any update there?

HANCOCKS: Well, at this point, we've heard from one diplomat who's briefed on the situation, saying that they are waiting now for that so-called final proposal, as the Biden administration puts it, from the U.S., like a final offer to be able to try and bridge the final gaps between Israel and Hamas.

Now, we also heard from the Israeli coordinator for hostages and missing families, Gal Hirsch, suggesting that they could actually offer Yahya Sinwar, the head of Gaza, who's expected and believed to be holed up in a tunnel in Gaza somewhere, a safe passage out of Gaza once all the hostages are released, believing that could potentially bring and help bring an end to the war.

The diplomat, though, that we spoke to has also said that that's unlikely to be something that Sinwar would want, believing he would be safer in Gaza than the likes of Iran or Lebanon, for example, where we have seen Israel has taken out and assassinated Hamas and also Hezbollah commanders and chiefs over recent months.

So at this point, there really is a wait to see what exactly this final bridging proposal would be from the United States that could convince both sides to sign up -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Paula, thank you so much for that.

We are continuing to follow developments across the Southeast U.S. where Francine is still bringing heavy rain and wind hours after making landfall in Louisiana as a category two hurricane. It's now weakened to a tropical storm as it pushes further inland.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Louisiana governor's office told us what officials will be doing in the hours ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE STEELE, LOUISIANA HOMELAND SECURITY, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: There were some issues in New Orleans with the rainfall totals and some of the pumps around that city because it sits below sea level trying to keep up with the rainfall totals and everything in those areas. We're seeing some of the higher winds kind of push up into the North Shore area north of Lake Pontchartrain approaching southwest Mississippi. And so we're starting to see impacts in those areas as well.

We're going to be working with our emergency partners at the local level to determine what state assets they may need to start the recovery process from this event. We're going to, you know, start collecting those damage assessment reports from our local officials. Right now, the biggest message for the public would be just to hunker down and stay indoors.

[04:40:03]

There's really no reason to be out in these areas where the storm is still passing through. There's a lot of dangerous conditions on a lot of the roadways. When you're talking about storms hitting in the overnight hours like this, you know, there's a whole secondary list of problems that could develop.

So the best thing for the public to do right now is just to continue to ride this out and give those first responders and utility crews a chance to get out and start that recovery process.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FOSTER: A completely different scenario in California, where there's not enough water to battle three wildfires that have burned dozens of homes in towns and cities across or just east of Los Angeles.

Relatives of a family of seven say they are devastated after the home they lived in for more than 30 years was burned to the ground in the Airport Fire in Orange County. The family had less than 10 minutes to grab what they could, including their pets, before the fire engulfed the house.

And take a look at this video, a woman being rescued by fire officials right after she had escaped the tremendous flames that crossed over a highway in that Airport Fire.

Still to come, Pope Francis nears the end of his Southeast Asian tour. Why his stop in Singapore is about more than just meeting the faithful.

Plus, what Donald Trump and his running mate are now saying about Taylor Swift.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAYLOR SWIFT, VIDEO OF THE YEAR WINNER: So thank you to MTV for giving me this opportunity to thank the fans. So thank you for what you've done.

(APPLAUSE)

(CHEERING)

SWIFT: And the fact that this is a fan voted award and you voted for this. I appreciate it so much and if you're over 18 please register to vote for something else that's very important to me.

(CHEERING)

SWIFT: This is an essential presidential election.

(CHEERING)

SWIFT: I love you all so, so much. Thank you for this moment.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Taylor Swift celebrating a big night at the MTV Video Music Awards.

[04:45:00]

She won Video of the Year for Fortnite with Post Malone and Artist of the Year. She's following up on her endorsement of Kamala Harris as well there for President with an appeal for fans to register to vote. Swift's endorsement appears to have had an immediate effect as well. Google searches for voter registration spiked after she posted her endorsement on Instagram. Close to 10 million Instagram users have liked Swift's endorsement posts. According to the General Services Administration, more than 330,000 people have been redirected from Swift's Instagram account to the voter registration site, vote.gov. All this is not sitting well with Donald Trump, though or his running mate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of time. She's a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat.

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), U.S. REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We admire Taylor Swift's music, but I don't think most Americans, whether they like her music or fans of hers or not, are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who I think is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans.

FOSTER: More now on Taylor Swift's endorsement and its potential impact from CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SWIFT: Are you ready for it?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The celebrity endorsement so many had been anticipating has landed. Pop superstar Taylor Swift has thrown her support behind Vice President Kamala Harris on Instagram, where she has over 280 million followers.

Swift writes of Harris, quote, She fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady handed, gifted leader. She also mentions LGBTQ plus rights, IVF and a woman's right to her own body.

She signs it childless cat lady, a rebuttal to Senator J.D. Vance's criticism of Democrats without children.

Swift also slammed Donald Trump for reposting these fake images, implying she and her fans support him. So what impact could Swift's endorsement have on Harris's campaign in a race where young voters and women voters are crucial?

MARIANNE LEVINE, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Many of Taylor Swift's fans are women, young women, and those are votes that she definitely needs and wants to get. And so I think that it could potentially play into that gender gap dynamic that we're seeing in 2024.

TODD (voice-over): Kamala Harris is running mate Tim Walz, who was in the middle of an interview when he learned of the endorsement, immediately asked Swift's fans to volunteer for the campaign.

GOV. TIM WALZ, D-MN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: This would be the opportunity, Swifties. KamalaHarris.com. Get on over there. Give us a hand. Get things going.

TODD (voice-over): A year ago, when Swift urged her fans on Instagram to register to vote, registration saw a surge of over 35,000 in just one day, according to the group Vote.org.

LEVINE: Maybe what the role shall play is helping with voter turnout, maybe not necessarily swaying people, but encouraging more people to come out to vote who might not otherwise vote.

TODD (voice-over): For years, analysts say Swift was reluctant to get into politics.

MARC MALKIN, SENIOR EDITOR, VARIETY: Her dad was really scared for her to, you know, step into the political arena because we know that comes with a lot of backlash, no matter which side you're on.

TODD (voice-over): In 2018, Swift finally jumped in, endorsing two Democratic congressional candidates in Tennessee, where she owns property. In a Netflix documentary about her, Swift is captured in an argument with her father about getting involved in politics. She was critical of Republican Marshall Blackburn, who ended up winning that Senate race in Tennessee.

SWIFT: He votes against, against fair pay for women. She votes against the reauthorization of the of the Violence Against Women Act, which is just basically protecting us from domestic abuse and stalking, stalking.

TODD (voice-over): Harris has gotten a bump of new energy among young people with a wave of online memes and jokes this summer. Her campaign song is Beyonce's Freedom. Swift's music is also often played at Harris's rallies, including the one after last night's debate.

TODD: Donald Trump responded to Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris by saying he was not a Taylor Swift fan and that she would probably pay a price for this in the marketplace.

A Trump campaign spokeswoman sent CNN a statement saying this is more evidence that the Democrats have become the party of the wealthy elite.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Friendship bracelets inspired by Taylor Swift has been selling beyond the Harris campaign's wildest dreams. A pack of two cost twenty dollars. The website says they're currently sold out, but still taking preorders. The next release date is expected on September the 24th.

Rock star Jon Bon Jovi found himself in the right place at the right time and helped someone in crisis. That place was a pedestrian bridge in Nashville, Tennessee, where a woman was standing on the other side of the railing, appearing ready to jump.

Bon Jovi was filming a music video when he noticed the woman. The singer and another unidentified person helped lift the woman to safety and gave her a hug.

[04:50:00]

Police say the woman was taken to hospital and they thanked the singer for coming to her aid.

Now Pope Francis scheduled to celebrate mass in Singapore a short time from now. It's the pontiff's last stop on his 12 day tour of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and the first time any Pope has visited Singapore since the 1980s.

Earlier Thursday, the Pope praised the country's action on climate change and fostering healthy international relations but also called for local migrant workers to be paid more fairly. The trip comes as the Vatican attempts to rebuild diplomatic ties with Beijing, which currently has a strong relationship with Singapore.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill got peeved when a photographer pulled his cigar right out of his mouth. Ahead, how it resulted in one of the most famous photos in history and how the stolen portrait is now on its way home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The New Zealand women's rugby team getting a rare treat from King Charles -- a group hug.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE CHARLES: A hug?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

PRINCE CHARLES: Why not?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:55:00]

FOSTER: That's what happened when the team met with the King at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday ahead of their match against England.

But that wasn't all. The Black Ferns, as the team is known, returned the favor by singing for the King. He told them he regrets he won't be able to visit New Zealand later this year, which he said is on doctor's orders.

One of the world's most famous photo portraits is heading back to its owner after being stolen more than two years ago. Nicknamed the Roaring Lion, it shows Winston Churchill in 1941 scowling after Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh snatched the trademark cigar from the British Prime Minister's mouth. The portrait was displayed inside the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, Canada, where Karsh once lived. It was stolen and replaced with a fake. Now, police say they've recovered it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENEVIEVE DUMAS, GENERAL MANAGER, FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAURIER HOTEL: We've been waiting for this day for over two years now, and I'm beyond excited. I can guarantee you that once the portrait is back, it's going to be very secured, armed, and it's not going to move from the wall. That's for sure.

We've learned our lesson. We're not specialists in art, but we're becoming so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Police say the photo was trafficked to Italy and sold, with neither the auction house nor the buyer knowing its history. A man in Canada is facing multiple charges. The photo will be handed over to Canadian officials later this month.

Now, a farmer in North Dakota wrote his marriage proposal in a field of soybeans. He planted soybeans last year to spell marry me using technology and precision planting. Look at that. His girlfriend thought they were taking an aerial crop tour when he asked a pilot friend to fly them over the field to pop the question. And of course, she said yes.

Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up after a break.

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