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Russia says no epidemic risk as WHO pushes for transparency; Donald Trump campaigns for Republican in Texas senate race; Donald Trump advisers worked for pro-Russian government; USS Abraham Lincoln To Return To U.S. After Nearly 11 Months At Sea; Democratic National Committee Sues Trump Administration Over Campaign Ads; Democrats Eye Midterm Gains Amid Trump's Unpopularity; Whistleblower Says Trump Wanted FBI Probe of Protesters in TikTok; CNN, MS Now, Politico Request White House Access Extension; Cornell Students Stage Sit-In in Solidarity With Jane Doe; Attorney Says Jane Doe Is Getting Death Threats in Cornell Case; SpaceX Crew-12 Heading Home From International Space Station; First Look at Giant Panda, Ping Ping. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired October 08, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:28]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to another special hour of THE STORY IS for international viewers. I'm Elex Michaelson, live in Los Angeles.

Coming up, THE STORY IS stonewalling, Russia facing pressure to give more information on the death of a plague lab worker. The Kremlin's latest response.

THE STORY IS protests, clashes, and unrest grow across Europe as people demand education and housing reform.

And THE STORY IS defending the stronghold. President Trump back from his third trip to Texas in less than a month. Why he's rallying for a candidate he's insulted over and over again.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.

MICHAELSON: Now we begin with this, Russia's health watchdog says there is no risk of an epidemic following the death of a lab worker at a research facility in Siberia that studies plague. That assessment comes as global health officials, including the World Health Organization, are calling for greater transparency from Moscow. World health officials say they do not have enough information from Russia to give an accurate assessment of the risks of the situation.

The Trump administration is also pushing for more answers, President Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that Russia has not disclosed many details so far, but he says he does not believe the incident is linked to a bioweapon, and that Russia claims to have the situation, "Under control." Moscow says it has kept the World Health Organization duly informed

following the death of the lab technician. The Kremlin dismissed reports of a second case involving a lab worker, and slammed what it called false media coverage. Officials are now lifting some public health restrictions after extensive testing. CNN's Sherrell Hubbard has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Moscow has been tight-lipped about details related to a Russian lab worker who died last week. Russia's Infectious Disease Agency said the 28-year-old woman who worked at a lab in Siberia that studies the plague died from a pneumonia of, "unknown origin." Now, both the Trump administration and the World Health Organization want to know more.

DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: On the lab tests conducted on the individual who died and the contacts, more detail on what prompted the public health measures, and details about the health status of the contacts.

HUBBARD (voice-over): The head of the World Health Organization says it has not yet been possible to fully assess the risk after the death, and said there needs to be more, "Transparent information."

In a statement Wednesday, Russia's health watchdog said there is no risk of an epidemic, and the Kremlin has dismissed concerns. But experts note that Russia health officials were concerned enough about the situation to quarantine dozens of people and impose anti-epidemic measures.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That indicates that the people there are very, very concerned.

HUBBARD (voice-over): The Trump administration is ratcheting up pressure on Moscow as well, sending a formal diplomatic communication Tuesday asking for more details, according to officials. President Donald Trump says he plans to speak directly to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the topic, "Very soon."

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you listen to them, it's under control.

HUBBARD (voice-over): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Russian authorities say the results of nearly 5,000 laboratory tests on individuals revealed no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms. I spoke with Anne Rimoin, professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health about the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNE RIMOIN, PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, UCLA FIELDING SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: We know that a young woman who was a lab tech working in a lab that really specialized in plague and other pathogens, dangerous pathogens, died from pneumonia.

Now, people die from pneumonia. You know, young people can die from pneumonia. But when you work in a lab that deals with dangerous pathogens, this is something that if you become sick, if you have any symptoms, you usually are reporting it to occupational health, and then you have an investigation, all a lot of understanding.

The problem here is that we just don't know what's going on. We don't know what's happened. We don't know what she died from. We don't know if it was something that came from that lab where people exposed. So, we just -- we're lacking a lot of information.

MICHAELSON: We do know though that there's been quite a response, quarantines, close contacts, all being monitored, which would indicate that this may be more than just typical pneumonia.

[02:05:08]

RIMOIN: Well, exactly. If this was something that pneumonic plague is treatable with antibiotics, and in this kind of situation, normally you would, you know, look to see who has potentially been exposed. There would be, you know, people would get treated with antibiotics prophylactically, but so it just it seemed disproportionate to what we -- what we saw as a, you know, a potential plague exposure, and I think that that's what's caused all of these questions, and that's what the World Health Organization is now asking about too. Everybody would like to have more information, and when you're dealing with high consequence pathogens, transparency and rapid assessment and risk assessment is critical.

MICHAELSON: Which is not something that the Russian government's always known for.

RIMOIN: Indeed.

MICHAELSON: Yes. All right, Dr. Anne Rimoin, thank you so much for coming in and for sharing your perspective on all this. We really appreciate it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: More student -- more student protests are expected in France in the day ahead over teacher shortages and a lack of resources in schools, the prime minister says that lawmakers will review the students' demands and then present proposals at the end of the month. Parliament will also debate a budget proposal on November 12th that includes more than $71 billion for education, a slight increase from last year. The French government is also changing its approach to the protest after its initial heavy-handed response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIEN LECORNU, FRENCH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Contrary to what some people say and repeat, law enforcement have not been instructed to confront high school students. Their mission is to protect property, but above all, people to enforce the law and to allow access to educational establishments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: In a video that has gone viral, the mayor of a French town stood facing police at a march in Paris on Tuesday, shielding young protesters and shouting, stop. He said he had been supporting the students in his working-class suburb and was asking the police not to charge, but the police did fire tear gas at the group, including that mayor.

Tensions have escalated in Belgium, where students are protesting the rising cost of education. Police used water cannons Wednesday to disperse protesters. Local media report more than 100 people have been arrested during the demonstration. Students say they are protesting higher tuition, overcrowded classrooms, and difficulty getting study materials.

Protesters in Spain are mourning the loss of an 87-year-old woman who became a symbol of the country's housing crisis. Madrid's tenants' union says about 950,000 people have joined mostly peaceful protests across the country in recent weeks. Crowds gathered on Wednesday to honor Maricarmen, as she was known. She was evicted from her home of more than 70 years after her rent increased by more than 400 percent. Her landlord was forced into reversing that decision later, but Maricarmen wasn't able to return home and spent her last days in a local hospital.

My favorite song. President of the United States is pulling out all the stops to make sure Republicans keep control of the Senate in the midterm elections. He campaigned in Texas on Wednesday for Ken Paxton, who was locked in a tight race with Democrat James Talarico. Remember, no Democrat has won any statewide race in Texas since 1994. This latest trip comes amid new reporting from Axios about an audio recording of Paxton saying that the Iran war and high gas prices are hurting his campaign. More now on all this from CNN senior White House court reporter Betsy Klein.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: This is a state that the president won by 13 points back in 2024. This is all part of an aggressive midterm campaign strategy that is bringing the president to some traditional Republican stronghold. The goal here is to bolster turnout among the president's MAGA base. We are seeing some signs of that with the content. The president putting a focus here on border security as he invited an Angel Mom up to the stage during this rally. There's also some signs of organization. There was information for rally goers about mail-in ballots as well as early voting key dates.

Now Paxton, meanwhile, continues to privately undermine Trump. We saw that with that New York Times audio where he said that the Republicans' midterm convention was unhelpful for his campaign, and then Axios reporting that he told a crowd of donors and lobbyists that the war with Iran and high gas prices have been a problem for him. [02:10:01]

The president, meanwhile, has repeatedly ribbed Paxton and taken aim at his physical appearance. But on Wednesday in San Antonio, very friendly relations between the two. Watch.

TRUMP: I'm very proud of him, and I think he's going to be an unbelievable senator.

KEN PAXTON, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: I am so grateful that you're here, and I'm so grateful that he here. Aren't you guys glad he came to San Antonio?

KLEIN: Now, I have talked to a number of Texas political operatives and asked them why is this race so close. The answer repeatedly was a combination of candidate quality as well as the president's overall unpopularity.

Now there were some other signs of discontent here in San Antonio. The president was interrupted repeatedly by protesters, by our count, more than 12, which is very unusual and something to keep an eye on going forward as he continues these red state stops.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in San Antonio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Betsy, thank you. President Trump is distancing himself from two of his own top political advisers, who reportedly did consulting work for a pro-Russian government in the Balkans. New York Times reports the consultants were paid hundreds of thousands of advising the leaders of a territory in Bosnia and Herzegovigonia. CNN anchor and chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think when you listen to the president as he was alternating today between downplaying this, considering firing them, and defending them, one thing that everyone knows: who has covered Trump, who has worked for Trump, who is any way associated with Trump, is he doesn't like when people make money off their connection to him. He doesn't like when people profit off of their visibility or association with him.

And so, obviously, hearing a report like this, you can see why that was the president's first reaction to this.

Now, I will say that they both still have a lot of allies in the president's orbit. Certainly, James Blair does as well, and a lot of people who work in the West Wing, which may be why the president tempered his comments when he was later asked while leaving the White House by my colleague Alayna Treene about this.

But it is a pretty remarkable report coming out, you know, just shortly before the elections, as it's kind of something everyone in Trump's orbit weighs. The people who do work outside of the White House, who do make money from these outside groups, what that looks like, and of course, what it means for their proximity to the president.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Residents along the Gulf Coast are now on alert as Isaias has rapidly intensified into the Atlantic season's first hurricane. That storm has sustained winds of 75 miles an hour, making it a Category One hurricane. The forecast track for landfall has narrowed to somewhere from the Mississippi coast to the Western Florida Panhandle, expected to arrive late Friday or early Saturday.

Already, hurricane and storm surge warnings are in effect along the northern Gulf Coast. The governors of Florida and Alabama have announced a state of emergency for dozens of counties ahead of that storm.

Still ahead this hour on THE STORY IS Ukraine says a major Russian attack has killed dozens of people across the country. The latest on the assault and rescue operation next.

Plus, after being deployed for nearly 11 months, the USS Abraham Lincoln will soon be home. What the crew is saying about their long- awaited return. CNN's Pam Brown aboard that ship right now.

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[02:17:48]

MICHAELSON: Ukrainian authorities say at least 27 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in what has been one of the largest aerial attacks by Russia in recent weeks. Ukraine's president says Russia used missiles, bombs, and drones in the combined assault across the country. The attack came after Zelenskyy warned on Tuesday that the latest Ukrainian intelligence suggested that Russia was preparing a massive attack. Rescuers and emergency teams responded in the capital of Kyiv and across Ukraine, pulling victims from destroyed residential buildings and putting out fires and clearing rubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Russia is waging a war against all the rules of life, so that there are no rules at all, only the will of the strong. Perhaps many in the West no longer believe that the Western world still exists, but Putin believes in it, and Russia believes in it. And what is happening in Ukraine is a rehearsal for what Russia wants to reserve for itself as the ability to do to any country, both in Europe and beyond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: America's top diplomat is in Europe, visiting several NATO allies. Marco Rubio expected to arrive in Lisbon, Portugal, in the hours ahead. On Wednesday, he was in Athens at the ruins of the Parthenon. As a backdrop, the U.S. Secretary of State encouraged Western powers to proudly put their national interests ahead of those of the global community. His high-profile speech ramping up speculation about a possible presidential bid.

After a record-setting deployment, the USS Abraham Lincoln is almost home. The carrier will dock in Coronado, California, in the day ahead. After nearly 11 months at sea, including more than eight months without a single port call, the. But that long deployment raised concerns about the morale and mental health of the crew. Here's what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said about those issues on Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. SECRETARY OF WAR: There were a few folks in the media who tried to turn the USS Abraham Lincoln into some sort of a symbol, a symbol of dysfunction, or a symbol of low morale, or a symbol of a failed mission, and what I look out at right here, and what I talk to your leadership, and I have had a chance to talk to a number of you, I know it's the exact opposite.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:20:01]

MICHAELSON: You see him there aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. There were also reports of issues with supplies and living conditions earlier in the year aboard the Lincoln, the ship had the second longest Navy aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam War.

CNN's Pamela Brown had reported on those concerns aboard the Lincoln earlier this year. She was on board again to report on their last day at sea. Here's what she had to say about the mood on the aircraft carrier right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We're back here on the USS Abraham Lincoln a day before it returns home for a very big homecoming. There's been so much anticipation for this because this aircraft carrier set a modern-day record for its deployment for the most consecutive days at sea, and you can see right here behind me, they're starting to decorate here. You see some of the sailors up there, they're putting up banners and other types of decorations. They know their family members are waiting for them to come home. This ship and its crew, they've really been pushed to the brink in this war.

Of course, you know there's been reporting about low morale. There was a man overboard here just this last August, and another attempted overboard and earlier. And the conditions have really been in the spotlight as well, with some of the sailors complaining of overflowing toilets and not having hot water, for example.

I've been talking to some of the sailors, and they say the biggest issue is just the uncertainty of just having this deployment delayed so many times. And so, the fact that they're going to be home tomorrow to reunite with their family is just giving them so much hope, so much to look forward to.

In fact, we're already seeing some of those reunions. Lieutenant Commander Jason Trost (ph) joined us, the media on the Osprey to come here to the ship to surprise his daughter Hannah (ph). It was her first deployment, and she told me that she was just -- didn't have words to talk about what it meant to her to see her father after being on this ship for her first deployment for so long. They both cried. It was very emotional. That's just a little preview of what's to come here

And we also have been talking to sailors who've had some very important jobs here, like you, sir. Tell us your name and what your job has been here on board.

LAWSON TYLER, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN CREW: I'm ABE3 Lawson Tyler (ph). My job here was working with the cat crews in the waste, and then handling our supply for our aviation department.

BROWN: What's it been like on this deployment? What have been the biggest challenges for you?

TYLER: Definitely not getting like showers, stuff like that. Working all day and night and not being clean was definitely probably the hardest part. So, I'm definitely looking forward to getting back and getting a hot shower.

BROWN: And you said that this was long overdue to be going home tomorrow.

TYLER: Definitely long overdue. Not knowing when we were going to come back definitely weighed heavily on us, both me and all the people that I know.

BROWN: What do you want Americans to know about your work out here and everyone else here on this ship and everything you've had to endure these last almost a year?

TYLER: That all of us are definitely resilient, whether we want to be or not, we definitely push through. And whether or not, if you agree with why we're out here, I'm still proud of every person that did it on this boat.

BROWN: What is the feeling like right now, just a day before seeing your family?

TYLER: Just honestly, all the tension coming off my shoulders. It's been feeling like they're carrying bags of bricks every day, trying to trudge up these stairwells and go back down them every day. It's tough.

BROWN: It's a lot. Even just being on here for a short time, I can -- I can understand that. Well, thank you for all of the work you did, all of your service and sacrifice. Really, really, really appreciate it.

So, you can just tell just from that one conversation, the tension is really lifting here on the ship. The live operations are done, and everyone is ready to go home.

Pamela Brown, CNN, USS Abraham Lincoln.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Pam will have more live reporting of that homecoming in the hours ahead. Now we go to New York, where prosecutors are expected to bring new charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Sources tell CNN those charges relate to alleged torture of Americans held in Venezuelan government custody in recent years. Maduro and his wife were captured by the U.S. military during a raid in January. They pleaded not guilty to charges including narcoterrorism conspiracy and more.

More than a dozen Americans were detained while Maduro was in power, and some have spoken out about the brutal conditions and alleged abuse they experienced. An announcement on those new charges could come as soon as Thursday.

Coming up next on THE STORY IS Democrats are taking the Trump administration to court over those taxpayer-funded ads, how the White House is defending the multi-million-dollar price tag.

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[02:29:31]

MICHAELSON: The Democratic National Committee is suing the Trump administration over its taxpayer-funded T.V. ads. Its complaint alleges the ads are illegal government-sponsored propaganda personally directed by the president. The ads have already cost $12 million to air. Department of Homeland Security has allocated $20 million for the campaign. The White House defends the ads as public service announcements, like previous administrations have produced, but there's no ads that quite look like that.

[02:30:00]

Joining me now here live in the studio is Senator Alex Padilla. He is the Senior Democratic Senator from California. He's also the Vice Chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, which means part of your job has been recruiting candidates, helping to strategize with candidates, fund these campaigns.

Welcome back to "The Story Is."

SEN. ALEX PADILLA, (D-CA): Thank you. Thank you. Good to be back in person.

MICHAELSON: So I spoke with you maybe two years ago about that job, and I said to you, there's really no way that the Democrats can win the Senate, just based off of the map. The whole map was all of these red states that President Trump won. It looked like it was impossible to imagine a scenario. That's changed quite a bit.

PADILLA: Right. It's changed from two years ago. It changed from a year ago. It's changed even from the last six months. But that's where the world is right now. You know, you played clips of what Trump was saying in Texas, what Paxton was saying in Texas. They're talking about everything but what people care about.

Most people that I talk to, most families I talk to are worried about the cost of gas. The health care is either too expensive or too expensive to afford. Cost of housing is going up. Cost of your electric bill is going up. And instead of coming forward with plans on how to address that, Donald Trump and their current Republican majorities in Congress are trying to change the subject, or they're trying to change the rules of how we register and vote or how we cast our ballots.

27 days left. I think this is bait. They're in for accountability from the voters, not just in California, not just in New York, but in places like Texas, in Iowa, and Kansas (ph).

MICHAELSON: I mean, did you really think this was possible a couple years ago?

PADILLA: Look, I always knew it was possible because we're sticking to our values and what really is impacting the American people. And for all the drama, for all the cruelty of the Trump administration, we've also seen the very real-world impact of his unauthorized war with Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, what it's meant for gas prices, what it's meant for food prices.

MICHAELSON: And Paxton himself said that in terms of a private conversation, suggesting that that was an issue.

PADILLA: Right. You should call up the clip where he's saying that when they had this midterm convention in Texas, his numbers went down.

MICHAELSON: Right. So in terms of now, in politics, you know, resources are finite. And so part of what you guys do is figure out where do we put our money right now? Where are our priorities? So from your perspective, sort of what's the one or two biggest priorities? What are the races that are most important to you all right now?

PADILLA: Yeah. Well, look, from the political talk of the Senate and trying to reclaim the majority, multiple pathways to get to the 51- seat majority in the Senate. So not revealing any strategy here tonight, but it is pretty telling.

MICHAELSON: Tell us something.

PADILLA: It is pretty telling that the Republican Party, A, is pulling their money out of North Carolina. Have they given up? Is that the white flag we see waving? You know, $50 million or more for Paxton, who continues to lag in the polls. He won't talk about his campaign. He won't talk about his vision. He'll have these false attacks and lies about Talarico.

MICHAELSON: So to me, that sounds like you're not going to give much money to North Carolina, but money is coming to Texas.

(LAUGH)

MICHAELSON: All right. Let's talk about -- PADILLA: Well, let's not forget Ohio and Maine and Alaska, Iowa, Kansas.

MICHAELSON: OK, there you go. Let's talk about California for a moment. The president, while in Texas, talked about California, the state that you represented. A couple nights ago, he made some comments about California and talked about the idea of Iran potentially bombing California, that got a lot of attention. You criticized him for that.

Tonight, he doubled down on the concept of what he was trying to say, tried to, I guess, clarify what he meant. Listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And I said it the other day, let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles on the way. Let them hit. You want to see a horror show? You want to see problems? Let them hit San Diego. Let them hit Los Angeles. And you want to see some bad things happen.

You want to see a country that would be in freefall. We're not going to let that happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: So his point there is we don't want to see this. We're not going to let that happen. Your response?

PADILLA: Well, I think two things. One, why go there to begin with? What kind of commander in chief says take out San Diego, wipe out Los Angeles? It's a small price to pay. That's what he said a couple of days ago.

MICHAELSON: Yeah.

PADILLA: Mind you, Los Angeles is home to the joint complex of the Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, the biggest engine of international trade and commerce for the United States. So you're going to do some economic damage there. San Diego, the largest naval base on the West Coast is in San Diego and Donald Trump is inviting attacks to those areas.

MICHAELSON: You really think that? That he's inviting attacks? I mean, maybe it was a not well said statement, but do you think he really wants a nuclear attack on Los Angeles?

PADILLA: I would like to think not. Poor taste and jokes, if that's what that was, but even his attempts to clean up, how can you believe this guy? One day he says we're this close to a deal with Iran, and the next day he threatens to annihilate, the next day we're this close to a deal again, and the next day he threatens to obliterate.

[02:35:00]

And by the way, didn't he supposedly eliminate their nuclear capabilities last year? But here we are in an unauthorized war that's gone months and months and months.

MICHAELSON: Let's talk about the issue of immigration. California in the news on that front. I want to put up a headline from CNN. A whistleblower says that Trump demanded FBI probe into protesters over a TikTok that he saw. The attorney for the whistleblower, her name is Dana Gold, is the attorney. She was on with Kaitlan Collins explaining this story. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA GOLD, ATTORNEY FOR FBI WHISTLEBLOWER JILL FIELDS: She was saying that in two instances, there were directives from the highest levels to investigate people engaging in peaceful protest with no predicate for national security threats, violence. There was no evidence of criminal activity, which are the conditions that allow investigations of people into those threats.

There was no evidence of that in either of these situations where she was -- basically, the FBI was directed at the highest levels to open these investigations. No evidence of violence, no evidence of national security threats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: That whistleblower named Jill Fields. This was the time of some of the ICE protests happening here in Southern California. The White House statement, put this up on the screen, these allegations are false. The First Amendment does not protect violent rioting, obstructing law enforcement, and assaulting law enforcement.

Assaulting and obstructing law enforcement is a crime. The administration has been clear. Anyone who assaults or obstructs law enforcement will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Your take on this story.

PADILLA: Well, look, we received that whistleblower report and it is absolutely alarming on so many levels. Number one, the activity that we're talking about here is protected. It's called freedom of speech. The report tells us there was zero evidence of any crimes being committed, but Donald Trump wanted people identified and investigated or even arrested because he didn't like what they had to say.

And even when questions of legality and constitutionality about these investigations were raised within the FBI, the leader said, do it anyway. So they knowingly knew there was legal and constitutional concerns and they went forward anyway.

God bless Ms. Fields and the DHS employee whistleblower from a couple weeks ago and any other career professional with the courage and integrity to come forward because they know bad things are happening throughout this administration.

MICHAELSON: Is this the kind of thing that if there's a Democratic Senate is investigated in a different way? PADILLA: Well, absolutely. We've already begun with the questions and the inquiries. How many people are they trying to investigate? Is there evidence of crimes that have been committed? This incident she's referring to is more than a year and a half ago. So how many other investigations have been opened up since then? Is it just protesters in Los Angeles?

There's been protests across the country. The department may not be completely responsive right now because our Republican majority is not making them accountable to Congress. When Democrats are in the majority, have gavels and the power to bring people with subpoenas and under oath, it's going to be a different day.

MICHAELSON: Yet another reminder of the major differences one way or another depending on your perspective if there is a Democratic Senate or not. Senator Alex Padilla has been working on that issue for many years now. Thanks so much for being with us. Great to see you.

PADILLA: Thank you, Alex.

MICHAELSON: In the coming day, a U.S. District Judge will once again hear arguments over President Trump's attempt to ban CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House. CNN and the other news organizations are asking that judge, who President Trump himself appointed, to extend his earlier order restoring their access.

The order expires on Thursday. Three outlets have long argued that the White House ban is unconstitutional, but the Trump team claims it's justified on the grounds of national security. Earlier, I spoke to CNN Media Analyst Sara Fischer about this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Sara, thanks so much for being here. I want you to break down the arguments of both sides. Let's start with CNN and the media organizations. What's their main argument?

SARA FISCHER, CNN MEDIA ANALYST: They argue that their First Amendment rights, Alex, were violated when the Trump administration unilaterally banned them and revoked their press badges. They also say that their Fifth Amendment rights to due process were violated because the White House did not provide them any notice.

They're going to ask this judge, Judge Timothy Kelly, tomorrow, to extend that temporary restraining order through a preliminary injunction that basically says, while this case is being litigated, you have to continue to order the White House to reinstate our access.

MICHAELSON: And in terms of the Trump administration, what's their main argument?

[02:40:00]

FISCHER: Well, they're arguing that the executive branch in the White House has the right to dictate which outlets get access to the White House and other aspects of the executive office, meaning the Oval Office and Air Force One. They've also made an argument through the Justice Department that there's a national security risk involved here, that these outlets are reporting things that they shouldn't have been reporting that risk the country's national security.

I think that's a weaker argument in court, but the former argument might hold up a little bit better just considering the fact that we're actually still litigating a case between the AP and the White House where that question of to what extent the White House is able to bar reporters from specific areas within the White House, how far that goes.

MICHAELSON: Right, and there's this question over who's going to be doing pool duty and whether CNN's included in that. That's not really a part of this particular case, right?

FISCHER: Well, I think one of the reasons that the outlets are asking this judge to do a preliminary injunction, meaning extending that temporary restraining order that forces the White House to reinstate access, is because the president has continued to block some of these reporters from accessing events, especially those that are a part of the pool.

The pool matters, Alex, because that's how everyday Americans like you and your viewers get access to the president's schedule, what he's doing, to see what's happening in the White House. And so, no, the pool is not directly related here, but it is a motivating factor for why these outlets want further protections from this judge.

MICHAELSON: And big picture, beyond our network and the other two, why does this case matter? What kind of legal precedents could come out of this?

FISCHER: Well, it will establish to what extent the government can restrict outlets that it doesn't like. It will, in some ways, test the First Amendment and how that applies to reporters that want access to the White House. And even broadly speaking, Alex, this administration has really tested the bounds of the executive power. And if they were to win this case, it would empower them even further as they look to continue to broaden that scope.

MICHAELSON: And potentially empower Democratic presidents to restrict conservative outlets, potentially, going forward. Because as we know, things don't always stay the same in Washington.

Sara Fischer from Axios, thank you for the preview of the day ahead. We appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Coming up on "The Story Is," students at Cornell University stage a sit-in over the school's handling of the investigation into an alleged gang rape, while Jane Doe's attorney says his client is now getting death threats.

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MICHAELSON: There are new developments in the investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University. The lawyer representing one of the accused students tells CNN that his client had engaged in consensual sex with the woman known anonymously as Jane Doe.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It ends here.

CROWD: It ends here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One in three.

CROWD: One in three.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It could be me.

CROWD: It could be me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's be clear.

CROWD: Let's be clear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It ends here.

CROWD: It ends here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seven hours.

CROWD: Seven hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Cornell students held a seven-hour sit-in on Wednesday to protest the school's handling of the case. Meanwhile, Jane Doe's lawyer says she's been receiving death threats. And he shared audio of a harassing phone call with CNN's Gloria Pazmino.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I -- I can hear you. I can like, can hear you breathing, and instead of speaking up, you're just sitting there quiet.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A chilling phone call, just one of the many threats sent to Jane Doe, and a swatting incident where Doe's attorney says police drew guns on her family and a friend. Doe's attorney tells CNN he is concerned for her and her family's safety.

THOMAS GIUFFRA, ATTORNEY FOR JANE DOE: Just before I got on with you, somebody called her, made a threat to shoot up her house, shoot her, her mother, her father. She's calling the police as we speak now.

PAZMINO (voice-over): This as calls grow for the Cornell University president to resign over the administration's response to sexual assault allegations by Doe in October 2024.

ARIANA KIM, FACULTY SENATE MEMBER, CORNELL UNIVERSITY: There are layers of concerns that need to be addressed, and I think the only way to begin that process is to see resignations and a turnover in our upper administration.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Faculty and Cornell administrators met during a Tuesday virtual staff meeting. In audio obtained by CNN, school officials acknowledge tensions are running high and emotions are raw.

MICHAEL KOTLIKOFF, PRESIDENT, CORNELL UNIVERSITY: This is just an enormously difficult time for our community. We all recognize it. A lot of serious questions and important questions that we need to answer.

PAZMINO (voice-over): For more than an hour, administrators read from prepared remarks and vetted questions. President Michael Kotlikoff addressing concerns about Greek life and party culture on campus.

KOTLIKOFF: This is obviously absolutely horrendous and inexcusable situation that occurred in a fraternity as part of a fraternity party. But I have to make the point that this doesn't only occur in fraternities. They worry about pushing this into the shadows into houses which we don't know, which are private houses which have parties in which things can occur beyond our purview.

[02:50:00]

PAZMINO (voice-over): Faculty members raised concerns about two accused students who remain on campus.

KAVITA BALA, PROVOST, CORNELL UNIVERSITY: We have our multiple vice provosts are working with the faculty who are running the classes that have two of the respondents in the classroom, and they're working on figuring out the dynamics.

PAZMINO (voice-over): As two separate investigations into the school get underway, video obtained by ABC News shows an interview between a Chi Phi member not involved in the alleged assault, but who was in the house that night, being interviewed by Cornell Police.

CHI PHI MEMBER: There is a consensual act that took place [redacted] and that's -- yeah, that's really what the general rumor that was going around was that it was a, yeah, it was a consensual thing.

CORNELL POLICE: In college, I wouldn't have been like, oh ,that was a sick consensual act last night, right? Like, I guess, where -- how do they know it was consensual?

CHI PHI MEMBER: I mean, I can't recall exactly what was said but, yeah, I mean, they -- they said that they had sex with her, I guess.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Protests have cropped up all over campus with students airing frustrations over what they say is a lack of response by the administration, including a seven-hour sit-in this afternoon held in solidarity with Jane Doe. PAZMINO: I've just gotten off the phone with an attorney for one of the seven accused Cornell University students. He tells me that his client describes a sexual activity between him and Jane Doe as consensual. He describes her role as an active participant.

That same attorney filing an Article 78 motion with the court to have New York State Attorney General, Letitia James removed as Special Prosecutor from this case. They're citing James' statements on social media where she expressed support for the victim prior to her appointment as Special Prosecutor.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, Ithaca, New York.

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MICHAELSON: There's much more to come this hour, including a sneak peek at one of the new giant pandas living at the zoo in Atlanta. That plus when the exhibit will open to the public, after the break.

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[02:55:00]

MICHAELSON: Billionaire businessman and investor, Ray Dalio tells CNN the real measure of artificial intelligence will be how humans interact with it. Our Will Ripley spoke with OceanX Co-Founder in Singapore about the future of that technology. Here's part of their conversation.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So do you think A.I. will be a net positive in your efforts to improve humanity? Do you think the benefits of this technology will outweigh all of the risks that have been discussed?

RAY DALIO, CO-FOUNDER, OCEANX: OK, for me and what we're doing, A.I. is going to be great, OK? No doubt. For humanity, you know what the greatest force is? Is human nature. So it's a human nature question.

So I think there are two questions regarding A.I. First, how will man deal with man, mankind, in terms of using this? Will it be a weapon that is used to do damage to people? Or can they work together to make a better humanity? That's a big question. And then the interesting question, of course, about it is it versus us. What will our relationship be with A.I. as it has an independent mind?

OK, it's practically a new species. So that new species, we don't know. This is a very interesting question. We don't know. But at the end of the day, it's going to be human nature that's going to be most valuable. Because what we do right now, for example, to deal with A.I., do we slow down? Do we study it? Or are we in a competitive race that doesn't allow us to slow down?

Because if the other side gets ahead of it quicker than we get ahead of it, that we are going so fast that we may cause great problems. That's a human nature question. So I think A.I., most importantly, will be really a test of human nature. To answer your question of what the future holds, it's really in humans' hands.

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MICHAELSON: After nearly 10 months in space, four astronauts are heading home. NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 is expected to splash down on Thursday. The crew includes two Americans, one European, and a Russian cosmonaut. The replacements, Crew-13, are already aboard the International Space Station, having arrived last week.

We're getting a first look at Ping Ping, the male half of the giant panda pair now in the United States on loan from the Chinese government. Last week, we saw the female panda for the first time. The public will be able to see them at Zoo Atlanta starting November 6th. That's opening day for the new giant panda habitat. It's been expanded and upgraded to include new climbing structures and a pool in each day room.

Thanks so much for watching this special edition of "The Story Is." We'll be back tomorrow in our regular time. The news continues after the break.

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