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Jennifer Lopez Speaks at Harris Rally; Harris Speaks at Las Vegas Rally; Growing Starvation in Gaza after More Than a Year of War; Trump vs Harris: What's at Stake for the Economy; Teams in Spain Rescue Those Trapped by Floodwaters; Typhoon Kong-Rey Makes Landfall in Taiwan. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired November 01, 2024 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes coming to you live in Atlanta. Appreciate your company.
[00:00:42]
Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM, more star power coming out in support of Kamala Harris as Jennifer Lopez joins in a rally for the Democratic nominee in Las Vegas.
Donald Trump out West, as well, hoping he can still attract Latino support, despite his anti-migrant rhetoric.
And later, new deadly bombings in the Middle East, amid new efforts to try to pause the violence.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: Well, with just four days ago in the race for the White House, more than 60 million Americans have already cast their ballots in early voting.
Both candidates barnstorming the battleground states, working to drum up last-minute support wherever they can find it. Right now, Kamala Harris is holding a rally in Las Vegas with the actress and singer, Jennifer Lopez. Live pictures coming to you from the venue, yet neither Lopez nor the vice president has spoken yet. We will bring that to you live when it happens.
The Puerto Rican superstar's appearance comes just days, of course, after a comedian at Donald Trump's rally sparked outrage by describing Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage.
Earlier, Harris campaigned in Arizona and in Reno, Nevada. She promised to focus on a host of domestic policies, including passing a middle-class tax cut and lowering consumer prices.
Harris drew a contrast between her plans and what she says will happen if Trump becomes president again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: And look, we know who Donald Trump is. Because we all know he is not someone who is thinking about how to make your life better. And this is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and he's out for unchecked power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Donald Trump hit three key battleground states on Thursday with stops in Arizona and New Mexico and Nevada. Trump urging Hispanic and Latino voters to turn out for him in this razor-thin election.
He spent much of his time on stage, though, attacking Kamala Harris and other Democrats while defending his supporters and making untrue claims about the state of U.S. cities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Look at how they've treated you. They treat you -- they do treat you like garbage. They really do.
For the last nine years, Kamala and her party have called us racists, bigots, fascists, deplorables, irredeemables, even Nazis.
And now I'm being accused of being Hitler by these lunatics out there that have lost control of our country. Our country is a --we're riddled with crime. Every city you take a look at it, it's falling apart. They smell. They're dirty. They're criminal-ridden.
You take a look at what's happened to our great cities. It's a -- it's a shame.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, let's take you now live to Las Vegas, Nevada. That's where Jennifer Lopez has just taken the stage. Let's listen in for a bit.
JENNIFER LOPEZ, SINGER/ACTRESS: -- people who dream. For the parents working overtime, the kids studying by streetlight, the teenagers practicing in the basements. She's the only candidate that wants to raise the minimum wage and make college more affordable; keep the Department of Education; and even put a teacher in the vice president's job.
On the other hand, her opponent wants to kill the Affordable Care Act and eliminate the Department of Education.
Right now, we are on the brink of an election that demands a choice. A choice between backwards and forwards. A choice between the past and the future. A choice between divided and united.
[00:05:04]
And if you are anything like me, and you value the idea that, in this country, any child from any background can not only work their ass off to bring their dreams to life and be able to do so with dignity and respect for their neighbors, then it isn't much of a choice at all.
Whether you're from Castle Hill in the Bronx -- yes, baby! Or Sunrise Manor in East Las Vegas, we all want a world where our kids feel safe and free and valued by their presidents, because whoever leads this country matters. That's how we make the greatest America.
Because I remember -- I remember growing up thinking my president cared about me, cared about my parents, cared about my neighbors and my community. Not just some Americans, but all Americans.
I believe that our kids, and this wonderfully progressive, innovative, and inclusive young generation deserve that, too. And it is in our hands. It's -- it's our responsibility to provide that for them.
You know, when I started in TV and film, I could get roles playing the maid or the loud-mouthed Latina. But I knew I had more to offer. And I think there are a lot of people in this country who feel the same way, who know that they are capable of more, and we all just want a chance to prove it.
And elections are about choosing leaders who support that. Not one who stands in the way.
Kamala Harris gets it. Raised by a hard-working mother in Oakland, California, working long hours, strict budget, made rent every month until they could buy a home surrounded by a community of firefighters and teachers, nurses, construction workers, small business owners. I don't know. That sounds a lot like my upbringing and probably many of yours.
Kamala Harris gets it. I know as president of the United States, Kamala will fight for our freedom, the freedom of immigrants and immigrant families to chase the American dream; the freedom of workers to afford housing, education, food, and life's essentials; and the freedom of women to choose what we do with our bodies.
I believe in the power of women. Ladies -- where are my ladies at? Let me hear you. I believe that women -- women have the power to make the difference in this election.
I believe in the power of Latinos. Where are my Latinos at?
I believe in the power of our community. I believe in the power of all our votes. I believe that together, we are the difference in this election. I know that together we are the difference in this election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jenny from the Block, I got you!
LOPEZ: Kamala Harris chose a career in law to fight for middle-class families like her own. From her start as a courtroom prosecutor to becoming the district attorney, then California's attorney general, then a U.S. senator, and now as vice president, she -- she has only ever had one client, you, the people. And in each of those roles, she took on scammers who ripped off their
customers; predators who abused women; and cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. There is no candidate in the history of the presidency that is more qualified. And there is no job that Kamala Harris can't do.
Kamala Harris gets it. And that's what her policies are about. She will put forward an actual plan to make housing more affordable. To cut taxes for middle-class families to help small businesses get a foothold to expand the child tax credit, to fight inflation by cracking down on grocery monopolies, to take on those who rip off consumers.
And what's that all about at the end of the day? It's about helping you get ahead. It's about you, and you, and you, and you, and you. It's about us. All of us.
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No matter what we look like, who we love or who we worship, or where we're from.
Her opponent, on the other hand, doesn't see it that way. He has consistently worked to divide us. At Madison Square Garden, he reminded us who he really is and how he really feels. It wasn't just Puerto Ricans that were offended that day. It was every Latino in this country. It was humanity and anyone of decent character.
Look, you -- I'm a lover, OK? You guys know that about me. I'm a lover. I am not a fighter. I am not here to trash anyone or bring them down. I know what that can feel like, and I wouldn't do it to my worst enemy, or even when facing the biggest adversary I think America has internally ever had.
But over Kamala Harris's entire career, she has proven us -- to us who she is. She has shown up for us every day, for the people. And it's time for us to show up for her. It's time for us. It's time for us to all answer (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
I am an American woman. I am the daughter of Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez, a proud daughter and son of Puerto Rico.
I am Puerto Rican. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) And yes, I was born here, and we are Americans. I am a mother. I am a mother. I am a sister. I'm an actor and an entertainer, and I like Hollywood endings. I like when the good guy or, in this case, the good girl wins.
And with an understanding of our past and a faith in our future, I will be casting my ballot for Kamala Harris for president of the United States.
You can't even spell American without Rican. This is our country, too, and we -- we must exercise our right to vote on November 5. Please. And remember -- (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
Let's get loud! Let's get loud! I promised myself I wouldn't get emotional, but you know what? You know what? We should be emotional. We should be upset.
We should be scared and outraged. We should. Our pain matters. We matter. You matter. Your voice and your vote matters. And look, don't be afraid to make people around you uncomfortable.
Invite people around you to be the change, to go out there and boat. Nobody likes having tough conversations or talking about politics. But trust me, I've been in some of these rooms. I see the way power works in this country.
They love it when you do nothing. OK? A non-vote is an agreement. It just makes it easier and easier for them to do whatever they want. Whatever serves them.
And this election is about your life. It's about you and me and my kids and your kids. Don't make it easy. Make them pay attention to you. That's your power. That's your power.
Your vote is your power. Make a plan to vote early. OK? If you -- if you have a mail ballot, sign the envelope, return it to any drop box in your county. It is too late to put it in the mail. OK.
Tomorrow, Friday, November 1 is the last day to vote early in person. If you can't vote early, make a plan to vote on election day, November 5. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find the vote center or ballot drop box near you at WillVote.com/NV.
I will vote. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I will vote. You are absolutely right. I'm sorry. I got carried away.
Let's do this, Las Vegas!
I am so proud of all of you for showing up today. Thank you so much. And it is my deep honor to introduce a woman who has the opportunity, in just a few days, to make history. The next president of the United States, Kamala Harris.
HARRIS: Hello, Nevada! Can we hear it for Jennifer Lopez?
Happy Nevada Day, everybody! Happy Nevada Day. It is good to be back. Hello, Nevada. Good evening, good evening. Good evening. And happy Diwali to everyone celebrating.
So, listen, Las Vegas, are we ready to do this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
HARRIS: Are we ready to vote?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes! UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes!
HARRIS: Are we ready to win?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
HARRIS: All right. All right. It is good to be back and to be with so many incredible leaders, including of course -- and for anybody who has a seat, please do feel like sitting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
HARRIS: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
I want to thank Senator Jacky Rosen, who we must reelect to the United States Senate. And while we're at it, let's reelect Representatives Horsford, Titus and Lee. Can we please applaud Mana?
We also have my dear husband, the second gentleman, with us this evening. And we are joined by tribal leaders from across the country here, with the National Conference of American Indians. And I have to say, I strongly believe that the relationship between tribal nations in the United States is sacred, and that we must honor tribal sovereignty always and embrace our trust and treaty obligations and ensure tribal self-determination. And as president, I will defend these principles always.
All right. So, Nevada, tomorrow, Friday, November 1 is the last day to vote early in-person. And Nevada, if you are voting by mail, please do not wait. Sign the envelope and return your ballot as soon as possible. Your ballot must be returned to a drop box or postmarked by election day next Tuesday, November 5.
Go to IWillVote.com. And to all the leaders here, please help get the word out.
And we ask you to vote, Nevada, because we have just five days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and we have work to do. But we like hard work. Hard work is good work. Hard work is joyful work. And make no mistake. We will win. We will win. We will win. We will win.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will win! We will win! We will win!
HARRIS: Because we will win, we will win because here's what I believe. When you know what to stand for, you know what to fight for. And we all know we have an opportunity in this election to turn the
page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other. We're done with that. We're done. We're exhausted with it.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not going back!
HARRIS: And we know that is who he is. That is who he is. But Las Vegas, that is not who we are. That is not who we are. And it is time for a new generation of leadership in America. And I am ready to offer that leadership as the next president of the United States.
And Nevada, you know me. I'm not afraid of tough fights. For decades as a prosecutor, and the top law enforcement officer of our biggest state, the first cousin to Nevada, I won fights against the big banks that ripped off homeowners. I won fights against for-profit colleges that scam veterans and students; against predators who abused women and children. I won fights against cartels that trafficked in guns and drugs and human beings.
And I pledge to you, if you give me the chance to fight on your behalf as president, there is nothing in the world that will stand in my way.
And look, we all know who Donald -- Donald Trump is. This is not someone who is thinking about how to make your life better. This is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance. And he's out for unchecked power.
And look, in less than 90 days, it's either going to be him or me in the Oval Office.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
HARRIS: And here's the thing we know. And this is part of what we're fighting for, because we can -- we have the image of what it could be -- It won't be -- but what it could be if he was elected.
If he were reelected, on day one, Donald Trump would walk into that office with an enemies list. When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list on behalf of you. On behalf of you.
And at the top of my list is bringing down the cost of your living. That will be my focus every single day as president. I will give a middle-class tax cut to over 100 million Americans. I will enact the first ever federal ban on corporate price gouging on groceries.
I will make housing more affordable by building more homes and by taking on those corporate landlords who unfairly buy up all those properties and then jack up your rent.
And we will fight for working families by raising the minimum wage and eliminating taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers.
And if you are caring for an elderly parent -- you know, I took care of my mother when she was sick. If you are taking care of an elderly parent -- this is personal for me -- my plan will cover the cost of home care for your elderly parents under Medicare. So, you don't have to spend down your savings in order to qualify for Medicaid. So, seniors can get the help and care they need to stay in their homes. And this is just a matter of dignity. Dignity.
Dignity is why I will lower the cost of childcare, because we know families are struggling right now. And folks just need a little bit to not just be able to get by but get ahead. It's about dignity, and it's about values that you bring to your position of leadership. And as far as I'm concerned, we're done with the idea that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down, when we know the real measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up!
HOLMES: All right. We'll dip out there as Kamala Harris continues to speak in Las Vegas. I will be monitoring and bring you anything notable.
By and large, her spunk [SIC] -- stump speech, really. But she did describe Donald Trump as increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power.
[00:25:01]
Earlier, the actress and singer Jennifer Lopez tapping into Latino anger at Trump saying, quote, "At Madison Square Garden, he reminded us who he is and how we really feels."
She said it wasn't just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day. It was every Latino in this country. It was humanity and anyone of decent character.
All right. Well, let's go now to Los Angeles and political analyst Luis Alvarado.
Thanks for being with us, Luis.
The final push. More star power there for Kamala Harris: J. Lo there.
I'm curious what you think; how much the Latino celebrity endorsements of Harris of late -- and there have been many of them, particularly in the wake of the Puerto Rico garbage comments at the Trump rally -- do they really help?
LUIS ALVARADO, POLITICAL ANALYST: Absolutely. And when it comes to J. Lo, she has complicity, because besides being Puerto Rican, she played Selena in the movie. And that endeared her with the Mexican American community, which is the majority of Las Vegas.
And she also happened to have Los Tigres del Norte, which is Mexican folk music, you know, our version of country. And she had Mana, which is Spanish rock. So, you have the universe of Latino conglomerates, of all the
different frequencies, supporting Kamala Harris. And then you look at the other side, the contrast. You see Donald Trump is only Donald Trump.
HOLMES: You know, yes, let's talk about that. When -- you know, when it comes to those comments by that comedian about Puerto Rico being a floating island of garbage and Trump's own comments about migrants throughout this camp, how much has he hurt himself at a time when he had been trying to successfully court so many Latinos?
ALVARADO: He hurts himself greatly. As we all know, it's the swing states that everybody is looking at. And when you come to one of the biggest swing states, which is Pennsylvania, 50 percent of all the Latinos in Pennsylvania come from Puerto Rico.
So, when you insult Puerto Rico, you do two things. Obviously, you influence those who really didn't care about the election that much.
And then for those that do support Kamala Harris, you -- you light a fire behind them, and you create effervescency. And you get people to come out and vote. It doesn't matter if it's two standing in line or six hours standing in line. They're going to have that energy behind them to ensure that their vote counts.
HOLMES: Yes, because there's been a lot of talk about, you know, the apparent split of the Latino vote between Harris and Trump. I mean, when you look at Trump in the fullness of everything, he's promised to deport perhaps millions of mainly Latino migrants and so on. How do you see that split now? And the motivation of those who do support Donald Trump?
ALVARADO: You know, when we look at the demographics and the polling, what we're seeing is that the Latinos that are supporting Donald Trump usually come from Cuban descent, Miami-type, Colombian types that are people who feel that they want an authoritarian president, which is mostly un-college-educated males in the blue-collar industries who really just want to see the system go down in flames. They want to send a bullet to the china shop.
And they really don't understand the process, or they don't understand how it's going to affect them.
When you see the Democrats, that Latinos that are supporting Kamala Harris, which you have to remind you, she's still for Latinos very new onto the scene. To most Americans. And that includes Latinos, because she's actually never been someone who grasped the headlines, right? She's always been in the story. But we haven't known who she is until now.
And Donald Trump, everybody knows who Donald Trump is for the last 20- plus years.
HOLMES: Yes.
ALVARADO: So, we're still trying to understand what we want, and Latinos, specifically who are going to Donald Trump, are pretty much stuck there. And that needle doesn't move that much.
Kamala Harris -- Harris had to move that needle a lot. And I think she's done a great job of doing that. Not to the point where Democrats feel comfortable, because we all see the polls are very close to each other.
And that's why everybody is fighting for every Latino vote right now, because they still are one of the most persuadable voters in the United States.
HOLMES: Yes, half the battle is not just winning them over but getting people to get to the polls. It's that whole enthusiasm factor. And Donald Trump's behavior might just push a lot of enthusiasm for [SIC] Trump to people to actually get out and stand in line, as you said, for 16 -- for six hours, if necessary.
Latinos who do support Trump have -- have often pointed to the economy, which I find fascinating because the economy is, by all major metrics, in great shape, the healthiest in the world.
[00:30:05]
Why has Harris not been able to get that message across to Latinos who feel it is not?
ALVARADO: Well, I would -- I would say that those -- there may be a great number of Latinos that feel that the economy was prosperous or seemed prosperous during the Trump years.
But that's because the U.S. government was dumping billions of dollars onto the economy to ensure that it didn't stop shortly after COVID.
But they can't make that distinction. They just remember there were good times, and there were tax credits, and everybody was happy.
But that's not going to happen if Donald Trump gets elected. And that's why you see people on Wall Street a little nervous about Donald Trump winning. That's why you see the international economic -- countries that are connected to our economy a little bit nervous if Donald Trump gets elected.
And most -- most male non-college educated voters don't see that parallel and still just are feeling with their hearts and not much of their consciousness.
HOLMES: All right. We're -- we're right out of time. We've got to leave it there but thank you for jumping in and helping us out with some great context. Luis Alvarado, thank you so much.
ALVARADO: It's always a pleasure being with you. Have a great night.
HOLMES: Thank you.
We'll take a quick break here on the program. When we come back, a new bombardment in Lebanon and the growing push for a ceasefire.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: To the Middle East and new attacks in Lebanon. The latest Israeli attacks hitting near the Eastern city of Baalbek for a second consecutive day, as well as in Southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese caretaker prime minister says a deal to end the cross- border violence between Israel and Hezbollah could be in the final stages this week. U.S. officials making a big diplomatic push to halt the regional violence.
The CIA director has been attending peace talks in Cairo where it's believed they're discussing a new proposal from Qatar, Israel, and the U.S., which calls for a monthlong ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of some hostages.
But sources say the U.S. doubts there will be any pause in fighting in Gaza before Tuesday's election, as Israel wants to see who the next president will be.
Michael Fakhri is the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, and a professor at the University of Oregon. He joins me now from Eugene, Oregon. And thanks for doing so.
You said recently, and I'll quote you. You said, "We have never seen in modern history this speed of starvation as we see in Gaza."
[00:35:08]
How would you describe what you've seen in terms of hunger and Israel's impact on that hunger?
MICHAEL FAKHRI, U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD: Thank you, Michael.
What we're seeing in Gaza today is nothing less than horror and devastation.
Israel announced its starvation campaign on October 9, 2023. It's continued for over a year now, starving the Palestinian people.
Not only does it deny and restrict humanitarian aid, Israeli forces have attacked humanitarian convoys and killed civilians seeking humanitarian aid.
More so, Israel is destroying the food system in Gaza, so that over 90 percent of the local food system has been destroyed over the last year.
HOLMES: Israel, of course -- and I know you've spoken about this, as well. Israel has had a profound, pretty much complete control of what gets into Gaza.
But the thing he is, it's not new. Israel has long controlled -- and some say in a very calculated way -- how much food is let in well before this war, right?
FAKHRI: Indeed. So, Israel first started restricting the movement of goods and people in 1991, and starting in 2000, imposed a blockade. And so, it's -- it's controlled very closely what goes in.
Starting around 2007, what Israel started to do was actually count the number of calories it would allow into Gaza. And then measure that against the number of adults and children in Gaza. And what Israel wanted to do was to make sure everyone was hungry but just hungry enough, but not so hungry as to raise international humanitarian alarm bells.
Such that by 2023, October 6, 50 percent of Palestinians in Gaza were hungry, and over 80 percent relied on humanitarian aid. This was all closely calculated by Israel for years.
HOLMES: And when we get to today now, what we see all throughout Gaza, and particularly in the North at the moment, in your position as rapporteur on the right to food, as you watch what's happening in Gaza when it comes to food, and the apparent lack of influence the outside world has had on changing that, I mean, how frustrated are you?
FAKHRI: There's nothing left to say. I mean, we raised the alarm of starvation and genocide over a year ago. And we, me and other independent human rights experts in the U.N. system, have appeared before the General Assembly. We've appeared before the World Committee on Food Security, before the Security Council, before the Human Rights Council.
We've brought loads of evidence, reporting. We've received witness testimony. We're watching children die from malnutrition and dehydration. We're watching the complete obliteration of Gaza.
And yet, nothing is stopping Israel, because its allies are allowing it to continue. Namely, the United States continues to send money and weapons to Israel. So, Israel has no incentive to stop.
HOLMES: You touched on something that I want to come back to, because it's a very important issue. And I've been to Gaza several times. Food getting in is one thing, but talk more about the impact of the level of destruction by Israel of Gaza's agricultural lands.
I mean, what will be left after this war in terms of Gaza's ability to feed itself, given the massive destruction? We're talking greenhouses, orchards, olive groves, and so on, right?
FAKHRI: Indeed. And this is the main concern. If the -- if there was a ceasefire today, the effects of starvation would continue for decades to come.
More people are going to die from hunger, from disease and from their inability of feeding themselves, than from bullets and bombs.
And of course, what people need is their land. They need access to their water. But not only are the orchards destroyed, not only are the fishing boats destroyed, but the land is being poisoned by the weapons used --
HOLMES: Yes.
FAKHRI: -- such as white phosphorus. So, the reconstruction is going to be the largest reconstruction project, more so than World War II required in Europe.
HOLMES: That's a very important point. The poisoning of the land, as well.
I mean, we're almost out of time, but I did want to ask you about Israel voting to ban the main U.N. agency to help Palestinians, UNRWA. What's going to be the impact of that, the loss of what is a vital organization and the crucial work that it does?
FAKHRI: This is a guaranteed death sentence for the remaining survivors of Palestinians in Gaza.
And what this indicates is that this is not just Israel attacking Gaza. This is an Israeli attack against the Palestinian people.
UNRWA serves the refugees, of course, in Gaza. It's the main lifeline that remains for all Palestinians in Gaza. But it is also the U.N. agency. It is given its authority from the General Assembly.
[00:40:02]
Israel's attacking the United Nations itself by banning UNRWA; by shooting at peacekeepers in Lebanon; by -- by naming the secretary- general himself persona non grata.
So, Israel is both attacking the Palestinian people in the West Bank, in Gaza, in refugee camps; undermining their right to food; and it's attacking United Nations systems across the -- across the world.
HOLMES: An important conversation to have. Michael Fakhri, U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food. Appreciate you making the time.
FAKHRI: Thank you very much, Michael.
HOLMES: All right. We'll take another break. When we come back, only days, of course, left until the election. New data showing the U.S. economy is strong. But will that make a difference in the voting booth? We'll have that after the break.
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[00:42:57]
HOLMES: Now, one of the top issues on voters' minds is the economy. And we are seeing more positive signs that that economy is strengthening, getting better and better on multiple fronts.
New data showing inflation continues to slow and has almost reached the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target. Incomes are growing. And Americans are spending money, fueling economic growth in the third quarter, according to Wednesday's GDP report.
But despite all of that, the majority of voters say they're not happy with the state of the economy. A recent CNN poll shows that likely voters still trust Trump more than Harris to handle the economy, as healthy as it is right now, with the vice president getting 37 percent compared to 50 percent for the former president.
For more, I'm joined by Justin Wolfers. He's a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan.
Good to see you, Professor.
A lot -- a lot of talk in this election about the economy. Trump of course, arguing it's terrible, and he'll fix it. But based on the actual data, the metrics -- and that's what you look at -- how healthy or otherwise is the U.S. economy right now? Are people worse off than four years ago, as Donald Trump claims?
JUSTIN WOLFERS, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: The economy is healthy. It's fight and fit, and it's going great.
Look, let's just go through the key metrics that matter for people's lives. The unemployment, right? Really important. It's just a couple of tenths above its 50-year low.
Inflation. It's been something we've been worried about a lot for the past couple of years. It went up during COVID as global supply chains got snarled.
It's now all the way back down to two point something percent, which in English means just normal.
And we've had the latest GDP numbers. The American economy produced more in the last quarter than it ever has in its history.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLFERS: So, all those things are happening. And for the first time in a long time, inequality's been falling. So, not only is the pie growing, it's going to those who need it most.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. Yes, it's true. I mean, even the -- even the conservative "Wall Street Journal" headline, one of their recent pieces -- I saw it -- it said, quote, you know, "The Next President Inherits a Remarkable Economy." And that's "The Wall Street Journal."
[00:45:12]
So, what would Trump's policies, his stated, on the record plans, do to that remarkable economy, potentially?
WOLFERS: Well, this is where we have to take that leap of faith and take him seriously at his word.
So, the first thing is if you introduce ten or 20 percent across-the- board tariffs. That's one-third of all the stuff people buy is going to get bumped right up in price straightaway. So that's going to be an inflation resurge right there.
He also is out on the -- on the hustings making promises like a drunken sailor. There's not a person he meets he doesn't offer either a tax cut, or more government spending to. He's not even pretending to try to balance the books.
And as a result, you have the biggest fiscal giveaway, I think, in American political history.
So, if he actually followed through on that, you would see absolute budget-busting moves, which by the way, we actually saw in the first Trump term, as well.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLFERS: And then the real one that I think is going to hit people's pocketbooks is you look closely at the Trump tax plan. Basically, he wants to trade off a little bit less in income taxes for a whole lot more in tariffs.
Now, that sounds like it's a swap. But the thing about it is the tax cuts all go to the rich. Tariffs -- tariffs are a tax on all of this. Pretty much like a flat tax.
And so, what you get is tax cuts for the rich, paid for by higher tariffs, or import taxes, on the working and middle classes. And as a result, it could be that he cuts taxes on average. It still raises taxes for 95 percent of American families.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes, and you're right. You've got to take him at his word. These are the things he's saying.
And he's also indicated Elon Musk will have a major role in a Trump 2.0 administration. Musk is on the record saying, basically, he wants to intentionally break the system and, I think, quote, "start from scratch." And that there -- quoting again -- "will be pain."
What -- what are your concerns about what you're hearing on that front?
WOLFERS: Well, I -- one thing you could do is look at what Musk did to Twitter, which is fired everyone. The system's degraded. He inserted his own political preferences deeply into it, disgusted a lot of people with his racism. And they left to go and do business elsewhere.
And by jingo, I hope that's not a metaphor for the United States. But really, it could be.
A different answer is that Musk is a bullshit artist. He says he'll cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, but he doesn't understand the federal budget well enough to know that that's essentially impossible. It's easy to talk about cutting waste and fraud, but actually, most of
what the federal government does is not pay people to do nothing.
It's actually send out checks to people. It's Social Security and the like.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLFERS: And so, if you want to cut $2 trillion, that means you're going to be sending a whole lot more people -- whole lot fewer people their checks. If that's what he's got in mind, he should be really up front with people about it.
HOLMES: Yes. Even Larry Summers, the former treasury secretary, said much the same thing.
I want to ask you this, too, and I know you're an economist, not a -- not a politician. But there is this sense and polling among voters that Trump will somehow be better for the economy, despite nearly two dozen Nobel Prize-winning economists saying Harris will be way better. A hundred other economists wrote in "The Wall Street Journal," again, that Trump's plans, the ones you've been talking about -- tariffs, budget cuts, deportation -- will hurt the economy.
Why do you think there is this perception among some that Trump would be better than Harris on the economy? And what should Harris be doing to change that perception?
WOLFERS: Well, it's very interesting, because it's important to put this in context. The context is that, historically, Republicans were the party of business. So, historically, for better or worse, whether it's true or not, American voters have tended to think that Republicans will be better for the economy than Democrats.
What's striking, actually, is how narrow that differential is in this election.
So, another way of saying the exact same statistics is that Harris has done a far better job in closing that Republican confidence on the economy lead than any previous Democrat.
And I think part of what's happening here is people are listening to what Trump's policies are. It's absurd to be running for president having been on the -- on the national political stage for nine years, and your health care policy is quote, "concepts of a plan."
It's crazy to be running on a tariff plan, and from one speech to next, say it's 10 percent tariffs, and the next, say that it's 20 percent tariffs. This isn't a plan. This isn't someone who takes the economy seriously.
HOLMES: All right. Always great to get your analysis. Terrific stuff. Justin Wolfers, thanks, mate.
WOLFERS: Great pleasure. HOLMES: Still to come on the program, Spain hit with one of its worst weather disasters in decades. We'll get an update from Valencia on the deadly, unprecedented flooding there.
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[00:51:44] HOLMES: More than 150 people are now confirmed dead in Spain from heavy rains and flash flooding. Just have a look at those images.
They are just staggering images coming out of Spain.
This coming after a year's worth of rainfall came down in just a matter of hours early this week, causing rivers to overflow and course through entire towns, doing the type of damage you just saw.
Emergency workers are working to rescue people who are still trapped while operations are underway, also, to recover bodies and clear that enormous amount of debris.
Atika Shubert reports -- reports from the worst-hit region.
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ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A dramatic rescue in Spain's Valencia region. A young baby hoisted to safety from the floodwaters below.
With the country still reeling from the worst flooding in decades, emergency services are still battling to find survivors.
As the water subsides, the scale of the damage here is only starting to be revealed.
The littered vehicles piled up like garbage, an indication of the ferocity of the floodwater that tore through these streets. A massive cleanup operation now underway as many remain without power or water.
Many roads are totally blocked, hampering relief efforts.
As residents pick their way through what is left of their towns, now slick with mud, one question remains: how could this happen? So much water, so fast with seemingly very little warning from authorities.
SHUBERT: Now, this area, La Torre, is actually very close to Valencia City, and it is also very close to the river. The water just right through here. And many people here told us they didn't get the alert until it was too late.
ADAN, RESIDENT OF LA TORRE (through translator): The problem is, the alarm on the phone came really late at night. And I saw on the TV the cars floating on a nearby street. And I thought the water must be coming my way. I went out onto the balcony, and I saw the wave coming.
SHUBERT (voice-over): The death toll here is expected to rise as recovery teams scour for bodies. Many, like this woman, searching the streets for their loved ones.
The Spanish prime minister, visiting the region Thursday, warned the threat from the storm was not over yet.
PEDRO SANCHEZ, PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN (through translator): To the citizens who live in the provinces of Valencia and also Castellon, please. The damage continues and please stay home.
SHUBERT (voice-over): The severity of the flood seemed to catch everyone out, with a year's worth of rain falling in just a few hours in some places, according to Spain's meteorological office.
But many still asking why, in a developed and advanced country like this one, couldn't more people be saved.
Atika Shubert, CNN, in La Torre, Valencia, Spain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, the deadly flooding was so intense that satellite imagery now shows parts of Valencia almost disappearing into the sea.
CNN meteorologist Chad Myers looks at how it happened, what's next, and also tells us about a monster typhoon that just hit Taiwan.
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CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely devastating pictures there out of Spain. Some spots in Spain picked up more rainfall in one day than they usually get in a year.
[00:55:06]
It was a cutoff low, a low-pressure system that just sat over Spain and did not move.
And if we had a desert over here, instead of the Mediterranean Sea, that would not have been a problem. This happens all the time in California, but we don't have a warm Mediterranean Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, to move all of that moisture from the water onto the land.
And boy, was there moisture. Almost 500 millimeters in just eight hours. So, a half of a meter, 18 to 19 inches, of rainfall in eight hours.
The before and the after. Closer to the cities here, you'll see what is normally a dry river. It was certainly not a dry river. This was where the water was just pouring out of the mountains.
Closer in here, you can see the grass. Sometimes there's not any water in it at all, but then there was just a couple of days ago. This water came roaring down.
And here, you've seen the roads with the cars that have been clogged. Here's the road here. A little bit farther to the North is where all those cars were parked.
And the river finally going down a little bit. But all of that mud where those people were stranded.
Now we will get a little bit of rain. We're still going to get 50 to 100 millimeters more of rain, maybe an inch and a half, some spots, maybe up to two to three. But not really centered on where the flooding was down here a little bit farther to the North, maybe closer to Barcelona.
A little bit to the East of there, all the way around the globe as we go to Taiwan. Here's Kong-Rey, a 200-kilometer-per-hour wind event that slammed into the East coast of Taiwan during the day.
The rainfall came down. The eye came right over. The wind speeds were somewhere around 200 kph.
Now, the thing is dying off. As it hit the land, obviously, we've lost a lot of humidity, lost a lot of moisture and a lot of spin.
But we talk about 500 millimeters in Spain. One point two meters already reported from this storm in parts of Taiwan. Now, it will move away from Taiwan. It'll even give a little bit of rain to Shanghai, maybe even some more rain on up toward Kyushu and toward, I would even say, Tokyo. Could pick up a couple of hundred millimeters, mainly on the West side of Japan.
But certainly, not out of the question of more rainfall to come, even if the wind is only tropical-storm-force, maybe even 50 kilometers per hour. It will still be a rain event.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right, our thanks to Chad Myers there.
Typhoon Kong-Rey is the largest storm to hit the island of Taiwan in nearly three decades.
Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM, spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. Do stick around. I'll be back with more news right after this.
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