Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Trump Falsely Claims FEMA Spent Relief Money on Migrants; Japan's Ruling Coalition Loses Majority for First Time in 15 Years; Georgia's President Calls for Peaceful Protests; LA Dodgers' Ohtani Expected to Play in Game 3 Despite Injury. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired October 28, 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]

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. Here are some of the top stories we're following today.

We're only eight days away from the U.S. election and Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remain statistically dead even with polls showing no clear leader.

More than 40 million Americans have already cast their ballots thanks to early voting. Both candidates are packing their schedules to amp up turnout and reach undecided voters.

Forecasts show tropical storm Kong Rey could reach typhoon strength today. The storm is expected to reach Taiwan later this week and could make landfall as the equivalent of a category 3 hurricane later this week.

And McDonald's Quarter Pounder will be back on the menu this week. The burger is at the center of the deadly E. Coli outbreak. Colorado's Department of Agriculture says beef patties tested negative for the bacteria. Federal agencies are still investigating the source of the deadly outbreak but the burgers will be sold without onions.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making their final pitches in battleground states this week including Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. That's where Harris met voters on Sunday saying the path to victory runs through Philadelphia.

Trump kicked off his final week of campaigning at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. He repeated many false claims including that the Biden administration spent hurricane relief money on migrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: To his and her egregious hurricane response, the worst response in North Carolina and other states since Katrina. But I think it was even worse than Katrina. They haven't even responded in North Carolina. They haven't even responded. There's nobody. They don't see any FEMA.

You know why? They spent their money on bringing in illegal migrants so they didn't have money for Georgia and North Carolina and Alabama and Tennessee and Florida and South Carolina. They didn't have any money for them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Now election results in Japan have plunged that country into political uncertainty with the ruling coalition losing its majority for the first time in 15 years. The new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is standing firm signaling he won't step down from his position.

FOSTER: He's vowing to work on internal party reforms after voters pushed his LDP over a funding scandal. CNN's Marc Stewart following the story live from Beijing. Just explained to the wider world what happened here -- Marc.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there Max, good morning Christina. Look the Japanese Prime Minister is bruised right now. He and his party got a big defeat in the election over the weekend in Japan.

But he has also been defiant and he has really two tasks ahead of him. One, the day-to-day governance of Japan. There are a long list of challenges.

But two, perhaps the bigger struggle is how to get work done when the support you had in the past from the legislator, the legislature in Japan known as the Diet, just isn't there. For the moment, the Prime Minister feels some introspection is needed, some reflection on what voters have said. Let's take a quick listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:35:00]

SHIGERU ISHIBA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I recognize that the biggest reason is because people's doubts, distrust and anger regarding politics and money have not gone away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: So the Prime Minister really has two challenges despite this lack of support. One, he has to build credibility. Japan saw a big political scandal in which some lawmakers are accused of taking kickbacks and not reporting their true income.

Obviously, that is a reason for the Japanese public not to feel so good about things to be unsettled, perhaps prompting this vote that we saw over the weekend.

And then two, he has to deal with the everyday problems of Japan, including the economy. The yen is weak, inflation is high, there's a lot of uncertainty about which direction the economy is going in.

However, I should say, the market, the Nikkei, the Nikkei index in Japan, it actually closed up nearly two percentage points today. So perhaps that's an indication that the Japanese public and the world feels that things are moving in the right direction.

And I should point out, the Prime Minister has a very strong relationship with the United States. He values the American relationship. The United States is a big ally to Japan, particularly when it comes to the economy, when it comes to diplomacy and when it comes to the military. And that is a relationship the Prime Minister would like to maintain and quite frankly perhaps other countries in the region, because this unity with the United States, also unity with South Korea and Japan, it's seen as almost a deterrent or a stand of support despite some of the political turbulence we've seen from here in Japan -- Max and Christina.

FOSTER: Marc, thank you so much for that.

Georgia's pro-Western president is calling for peaceful protest in the hours ahead. Over Saturday, he's disputed parliamentary election there, the former Soviet Republic's leader says the election was a, quote, complete falsification and alleges Russia was behind it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALOME ZOURABICHVILI, GEORGIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We were not just witnesses, but also victims of what can only be described as a Russian special operation, a new form of hybrid warfare waged against our people and our country.

As the last independent institution in this country, I must clearly state that I do not recognize these elections. Recognizing them would be tantamount to legitimizing Russia's takeover of Georgia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, the ruling Georgian Dream Party's leader claimed victory before all the votes were counted amid reports of voter intimidation, harassment, bribery and ballot stuffing. One former U.S. representative says there was an atmosphere of fear during the election.

Joining us now out of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi is Jill Dougherty. She's an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a former CNN Moscow bureau chief. Jill, great to have you with us.

Just explain to us first, Jill, why opposition leaders are calling this a democratic coup, where this evidence is coming from.

JILL DOUGHERTY, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Well, they would point, number one, to the pre-election period, where there was a lot of, they would call it propaganda, directed to the Georgian people by the government. And the government is pretty much controls the Georgian Dream Party. So that propaganda said that if you want to stay out of war, then you have to vote for us, because if the West, which they refer to as the party of war, has any influence and Georgia joins the West, it will be forced into a war.

So there was a lot of, I'd call it fear-mongering in the beginning, a propaganda campaign. And then they would also point to what we heard yesterday at a lot of briefings from international observers and Georgian observers at the polls, who showed that there was actual interference, there was violence, there were other incidents that were recorded, and according to the international community, should be investigated. So that's kind of where we are.

But I think, you know, Christina, the opposition now is trying to figure out what they do. So they've decided three things. They're not going to recognize the election. They will not participate in Parliament, because Parliament would be controlled by the ruling party, the Georgian Dream. And then they also will have this march tonight. And that will be taking place here in Tbilisi.

And as I think our viewers know, there have been many marches and protests here. But this could be a very important one for the opposition to show that they have some strength.

FOSTER: It's quite, it's a, it's a case point as well, isn't it? And what's going on in global geopolitics right now, exactly what's happening in that country.

[04:40:00]

And the sort of debates that's going on, you know, across many countries in the world, but particularly that region of Europe.

DOUGHERTY: Yes, I think it really, that's a good point, Max. I think that there is certainly a trend toward authoritarianism in many different countries.

And interestingly, the first guest in coming to Georgia after the election happens to be Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary. And as we know, you know, he's pretty much on the side of control and authoritarianism, and illiberalism, let's call it. So he's coming today, he'll be here this evening, and tomorrow.

And it's a sign of support for the Georgian Dream, sign of support for the government. And interestingly, Orban is the first person who congratulated the Georgian Dream on winning even before the votes were officially tabulated.

MACFARLANE: Jill, given you're in Tbilisi, what is the mood like there over this? And what do you feel is the appetite for people to come out and march as the President has requested of people this evening?

DOUGHERTY: Well, you know, Tbilisi is a big city, and you have, I would say, much more support for the opposition here, there's no question. When you get into the countryside, it can be very poor, it's a mountainous area, some remote areas. And that, interestingly, is where observers believe that most of the interference in the election took place in those poor areas.

So now downtown, I think the mood I've been on the street, it feels fine, you know, but I think there is a sense of disappointment, and wondering where they go among the opposition. So it's very important, as we saw last night, the President played that soundbite, the President, who is Western leaning, brought together the opposition and said, We have to unite, no more division. And that is what they've done.

So if they can keep that together, have a rally, and then hope, I think their hope is that the international community will support them and put pressure on the Georgian government.

MACFARLANE: Well, we'll continue to watch as this evolves in the hours ahead. But Jill, always great to have your expertise. Thanks very much.

DOUGHERTY: Thank you.

MACFARLANE: As we get closer to the U.S. election, voters in one congressional district in California are feeling the pressure. They could end up deciding which party takes control of the House. That's next.

FOSTER: Plus, a new documentary from the royal family features unseen photos of Prince William, his mother, Diana, why they're important to his new passion project just ahead.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: More than 14 million Americans have already cast their ballots with just eight days to go until Election Day. Early voting underway in most states, including California, where more than 4 million people have voted so far.

MACFARLANE: Voting centers open Saturday in 29 counties across the state where the race for the U.S. House and Senate is also heating up. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is in Orange County with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Voters here in Orange County saying that they are keenly aware of the importance of their votes this time around. Not something you hear often in California that usually goes blue. But here in the 45th Congressional District, this is one of the most watched races, one of the tightest races that could end up deciding if Democrats or Republicans end up taking control of the House of Representatives.

The incumbent, Michelle Steele, she's running for a third term and she's being challenged by Democrat Derek Tran. Bill Clinton was here on Saturday campaigning for Tran in this district that was redistricted in 2020, making now about 40 percent of the population Asian American, about 30 percent of the population here Hispanic. Now we spoke to one of those voters who told us a little bit about why they came to vote early and the issues they care the most about.

JONES: Why vote early versus coming here on Election Day?

ANSELMO FELCIANO, CALIFORNIA VOTER: Well, that was if anything happens on Election Day, like I have an accident or something, then I know my about my ballots going to be taken care of. I don't have to worry about it.

But now I'm retired. It's not as big a deal. But when you're working, it's a little bit bigger of a deal. I'm particularly worried about the Senate and the House to make sure that they get on the side I want. I'm a Democrat. And then I'm also, you know, the prep is prepositions. The propositions.

Democracy is probably the biggest one, and that kind of tells what I'm worried about.

JONES: California has 21 million registered voters, 1.8 million of those voters here in Orange County. At this polling station in Cyprus, there was about 300 people coming in to vote on the first day of early voting.

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Cyprus, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Bolivia's former President Evo Morales says he was the target of an assassination attempt on Sunday. Now, in this video, Morales is in the passenger seat of a car. He says he was headed to a radio station where he hosts a weekend program when four hooded officers opened fire.

You can see what appeared to be bullet holes in the car's windshield. Morales says 14 bullets hit the car. His driver was wounded in the head and arm. Morales was not hurt.

FOSTER: Morales was Bolivia's first indigenous president. He led the country for more than a decade before claiming he was forced out in a coup and fled to Mexico. He returned to Bolivia in 2020. He's now running for re-election against his former ally, Bolivia's current president, Luis Arce, and Morales blames him for Sunday's attack. He was not provided evidence, though, for that accusation.

A new documentary from Britain's Prince William features previously unseen photos of him with his late mother, Diana. The pair are shown visiting a British charity for the homeless called The Passage in the film. Prince William recounts how his mother cleaned, or rather calmed, his nerves during the visit by lightening the mood with jokes.

MACFARLANE: The documentary follows the start of Prince William's Homewards initiative, a program he hopes will showcase ways to end homelessness. It premieres this week over two nights on British television.

And the Mexico City Formula One Grand Prix had an unexpected finish. Just ahead, how driver penalties played into the race's final lap.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACFARLANE: Hi, welcome back. LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in game three of the World Series on Monday despite injuring his shoulder during game two on Saturday. Ohtani was hurt while trying to steal second base in the bottom of the seventh innings.

FOSTER: Team manager Dave Roberts says he doesn't see a reason to bench Ohtani if he can play through the pain. Here's what he had to say on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE ROBERTS, MANAGER, LOS ANGELES DODGERS: He's got to still go through the workout and swing the bat but again, today he feels better than yesterday and our assumption is tomorrow's going to feel better than today and so with that, you know, that's what I'm banking on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well the Dodgers currently have a two-nothing lead over the New York Yankees in the best of seven series.

MACFARLANE: Now, Mexico City's Formula One Grand Prix ended with a surprise victory. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won on Sunday. It came after Red Bull's leader Max Verstappen was penalized twice for aggressive driving. The Dutch driver forced driver Lando Norris off the track.

FOSTER: Norris who drives for McLaren came in second. It was Ferrari's first win in Mexico since 1990 and the fourth time Sainz has won there. Three-time world champ Verstappen finished sixth because of the two 10-second penalties.

MACFARLANE: Now, who saw this? Actor Timothee Chalamet crashed his own look-alike contest in New York City on Sunday.

[04:55:00]

Fans went absolutely nuts when Chalamet surprised his doppelgangers. Such a great idea. According to Variety, more than 2,500 people RSVP'd to the event.

And where is he? You can see him in amongst the crowd there. The winner was awarded $50. $50?

FOSTER: Yes.

MACFARLANE: Just $50?

FOSTER: Handsome reward.

MACFARLANE: In the form of a giant check made out to him. Best Tim.

FOSTER: It's not clear how the real Tim felt about it but he looks pretty -- I mean, it's genius. I mean, what must they have thought?

MACFARLANE: I think it's, well --

FOSTER: It's a good test.

MACFARLANE: It's good PR, isn't it?

FOSTER: Probably thought you look nothing like me. It's like that, isn't it?

MACFARLANE: Yes, protest, he went down there.

Now, there is a special guest in the crowd for Adele's Saturday night concert in Las Vegas. Check this out. An emotional hug between Adele and Celine Dion. Oh, it brought the two powerhouse singers to tears and it brought the crowd to its feet.

FOSTER: Adele's in the final weeks of her Las Vegas residency there. She's performing in the Caesars Palace venue that was specifically built more than two decades ago to host Dion's own residency.

MACFARLANE: Two legends.

FOSTER: Yes, coming together in that place.

MACFARLANE: And finally, kayakers in Belgium took part in an October tradition, jumping into giant pumpkins and paddling.

FOSTER: Of course. This is the annual pumpkin regatta in the town of Kasterlee. More than 300 gourd-loving boaters took to the water this year.

MACFARLANE: Those real pumpkins? They don't really get that big. Anyway, it happened in 2008 when local farmers realized they had too many giant pumpkins and needed to find a use for them. And this year's weighed in at 1160 kilograms. That's 2,500 pounds. What a great use for it.

FOSTER: I think so.

MACFARLANE: Yes. You get in the spirit.

FOSTER: Thanks for joining us on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster.

MACFARLANE: I'm Christina Macfarlane. Stay tuned CNN "THIS MORNING" up next.