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CNN This Morning
Pentagon Will Livestream Execution; Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate is Interviewed about Hurricane Preparedness; Trump Donor Accuses Guilfoyle of Quid Pro Quo; Michigan Debate Gets Personal. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired October 09, 2026 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00]
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: When he did it and it's going to be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad. It hadn't been since World War II since we've done that. Well, I kind of like the mentality we had in World War II, which was when.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3rd. He was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting.
CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Elliot Williams joins the group chat.
So first, help me understand the legal of this, because all of this is within the military, right?
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes. Yes.
CORNISH: We're not dealing with a random state and a federal trial.
WILLIAMS: Right. This is fascinating, Audie. It's under the uniform code of military justice, not state or federal law. And the UCMJ actually bars cruel or unusual punishment. That's actually different than the Constitution. And there's a broader range of things that might raise flags under the UCMJ, right? This idea of a live streaming actually can happen. The secretary can call for it. They can lift the rules. But the question is, would Hasan actually try to challenge it? He may just wish to accept martyrdom and say that I want to die and not file --
CORNISH: Because we should say, I think in that case of the woman who was injected and that failed --
WILLIAMS: Right.
CORNISH: She had asked for the firing squad, and they didn't do it.
WILLIAMS: Right. CORNISH: But you -- so there is some world where they have a say.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
CORNISH: In the meantime, a lot of people online are wondering why this is happening, in particular the live stream. I just want to play some of them for you.
WILLIAMS: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why would anybody want to live in a society that allows this? Hegseth needs to be impeached 1,000 percent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They want to have a holy war happen. It serves his goals. It serves Trump's goals. It serves the Heritage Foundation's goals. And that's all this is. But it's also (EXPLETIVE DELETED) insane. Like, can we just have like a normal -- like, can't things be normal?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are the same people who think that watching a drag queen read to children will turn the kids gay. So, I don't know what they think watching someone get shot to death will do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: So, it's a lot of progressive voices there, but I want to lean into what they're implying about the symbolism, because I think legally there's an aspect to that as well.
WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes. So, look, whether you should do something, whether you can do something are two different questions. And these people are focused on the should right now.
The idea of deterring people from committing crimes is itself an entirely valid penological reason for executing or for any sort of punishment. It is one of the first things you learn in law school.
Now, that actually cuts both ways here. Because of the fact that Secretary Hegseth wants to make an example out of this defendant, or this inmate, he can make the argument that this is adding onto the punishment I'm getting and is, in effect, trying to embarrass or shame or compound the sentence in some way. It's just a legal argument he can make.
CORNISH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: But -- yes, but, it's the weird execution or punishment that that deterrence question cuts both ways. It actually might like help him.
CORNISH: To that point --
WILLIAMS: Yes.
CORNISH: Here's what Hegseth was asked about why he's doing it this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: He's going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be. And we'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand that this is a -- there are serious consequence for these types of things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORBIN TRENT, FORMER COMM. DIRECTOR FOR REP. OCASIO-CORTEZ: Yes, I couldn't agree more with that. I think absolutely it needs to be -- I was listening to the people responding to this, saying, who wants to live in a country that does this? I mean, I think we need to come to terms with what it is that we do. I mean, whether or not there's cameras there, we're still going to shoot that guy to death with guns, right? That's going to happen. Just like we took the woman in Tennessee and injected her arm multiple times with drugs that eventually didn't even kill her. We did it twice. The execution before that in Tennessee didn't go well. I think if we'd had had to watch that, if we'd had to see that process, that painful process that ultimately didn't result in her death, then I think it would be something that we're less comfortable doing. You know, I --
CORNISH: Meaning supporting the death penalty rite large as a society.
TRENT: Supporting the death penalty and doing that at all. I think it's a universal thing.
JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I mean, I have very complicated views on this because I think the anti-death penalty lobby is one of the parties that's responsible for why, like, Christa Pike's execution went so badly.
I know people who are very much -- who are very much opposed to capital punishment, who are in favor of public executions. And I know people who are very much against capital punishment. Their -- the argument -- I think there are good arguments on both sides.
I'm in favor of capital punishment when it's justified. My problem with this is that, you know, secretary chesty (ph) mcbrosif (ph) is just trying to show off how macho he is.
CORNISH: Did you say chesty mcbrosif?
GOLDBERG: Yes.
WILLIAMS: He did.
CORNISH: He is very online, I would say.
GOLDBERG: Yes, he's -- look, he's very, you know, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you for, you know, kind of guy.
CORNISH: Yes.
TRENT: So you think it's just a max tea (ph) thing?
GOLDBERG: I think its a max tea (ph) thing. I think this is signaling and I think it is feeding a constituency that Hegseth has that he's -- he's competing with Vance for of the extremely online, extremely --
[06:35:12]
CORNISH: Male.
GOLDBERG: Male, look how -- what an alpha I am. And there's a difference between a public execution and a livestreamed execution.
CORNISH: Right. Right.
WILLIAMS: Yes, that's exactly right.
CORNISH: And he won't be doing it. He's going to draw from the -- what soldiers are going to be signed up for this?
WILLIAMS: Well, it will be -- it would be whoever would carry out an execution. Anyway, that -- that's not alarming. I just think all of these points that Jonah is making about how the secretary wishes to make an example of the -- of the defendant are the kinds of things that were he to try to file a habeas suit to challenge the execution, these are all things he can put in. The secretary's out, you know, beating his chest about how great this is and how, you know -- and it goes beyond, are we simply punishing this person for the act that he committed, right? We are adding on or compounding what -- and again, it's not my words, what the law would say, humiliation, which technically isn't part of why you would simply deter.
CORNISH: But to your point, legally, some of these symbolism questions have been adjudicated, so to speak. Being a --
WILLIAMS: Well, not a lot of -- adjudicated, because we don't --
CORNISH: We don't do this?
WILLIAMS: We have publicly executed somebody or haven't done this type of execution since 1942, I believe. And so, a lot of this is new. These are just the arguments that were this person to try to challenge, he could probably bring up.
TRENT: The last public execution was '36, and it was well attended with 10,000 to 20,000 people in attendance. So, they will have their ratings.
I wonder if the ban on CNN and NBC would stay in place for this.
WILLIAMS: Well, there's all kinds of questions. You know, where would you livestream it. Would it just be the Defense Department's website, or would you have to get a Netflix subscription in order to --
CORNISH: There's -- there is always Trump TV.
WILLIAMS: There's always that. TRENT: Pay-per-view, that's where they're going to --
CORNISH: That is exactly something they're holding on to.
TRENT: Yes, you're right.
GOLDBERG: I think the last guillotine was in the 1970s.
CORNISH: This is the most depressing conversation I'll have today. And we're talking about a hurricane.
So, next on CNN, FEMA has lost more than 5,000 workers, just as a major hurricane threatens the gulf. And we're going to ask a former administrator if the agency is ready for the storm.
Plus, there's this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He says to me, I need $100,000 to pay off my American Express card.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: President Trump's ambassador to Greece allegedly asked a donor to pay her credit card bill. Will the president stand by her?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:41:44]
CORNISH: So, federal agencies are preparing to assist with response efforts as Hurricane Isaias moves its way through the gulf coast. Reminder, it's now a category two storm that is strengthening by the hour.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency say they are closely monitoring the storm ahead of expected landfall. They're also warning residents to take it seriously and to prepare. And, yes, people are listening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Part of it, right? Best place ever to live. But with that comes with a few storms every now and again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really don't know. And it could all change. And I don't -- I don't want to sit here on Friday night going, ah, we should have -- we should have went.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: But is FEMA ready? The agency has lost more than 4,000 staffers since last year.
Joining me now, former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate. And, bottom line, is the agency prepared? I mean, after all, this is
the first storm over this long hurricane season.
CRAIG FUGATE, FORMER FEMA ADMINISTRATOR: Yes, I'm not worried about it. People always focus on how many people FEMA's got. It's really more of the states and local governments. They're going to handle this response. FEMA is going to play basically a supporting role. And if there's any shortfalls, it will show up in recovery.
What's most important right now is that people focus on taking immediate action. This storm is getting close. It's going to worsen today. Time is running out. So, really, the message today is, evacuate, shelter, be ready for this. Don't focus on where the storm's coming ashore, because it's going to have impacts well away from the center of circulation.
And then as far as FEMA goes, look, I ran FEMA in the Obama administration. We didn't have that much many -- that many more people than they do today. It's really about relocating resources and personnel from other parts of the country. We're kind of fortunate right now. We haven't had any major, big disasters that have pulled in a lot of FEMA resources. So, I don't see any impacts to the response.
I think the real question is going to be, is the lack of experience and numbers when it comes to some of the recovery efforts. And that's going to be mainly financial impacts to states and local governments trying to get reimbursed from this disaster.
CORNISH: Craig, can I talk to you about that for a second, though? Again, I'm biased. You know, for those of us who covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where it did matter what FEMA was able to do or not do. Does this new reformed FEMA feel like it's better positioned in the aftermath? Because you're giving me two answers here. It may not make a difference, but in the recovery it might. So, what, in the recovery, will it make -- will it make a difference?
FUGATE: It's all about the money. It's about reimbursing the cost of the response. I think we got to distinguish between the rescue, search and rescue, the immediate response operations. And again, this is not Katrina. It's not hitting Louisiana. And Louisiana is much better prepared today than it was during Katrina.
Alabama and Florida have been through this. This storm track is not much different than Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Not quite as strong yet. So, this is a state -- and states that have been well prepared and have responded to numerous hurricanes.
And I think that's what people forget. Everybody talks about FEMA. And look, I was at FEMA. But I was also state director of Florida. The primary response is going to be local and state governments, with the federal government supporting it. That's going to be urban search and rescue teams, commodities, supplies.
[06:45:04]
FEMA's already got teams in these state emergency operations centers. They're working side by side. That's what we do. And that's how FEMA responds.
The challenge usually comes in is, not in the days to weeks after the disaster of these days, it's in the months later when you're trying to recover from this and you don't have the experienced staff. And FEMA's having to pull people from other disasters to come into these areas to help them with recovery. That's where I think that may be seen.
But for the public itself, the initial response, you don't see FEMA on the beach this time. You'll see, you know, the state, you'll see the search and rescue teams, you'll see the local fire department, the sheriff's office. That's the response. FEMA is a support to the governors.
CORNISH: And for now, from what you're seeing from governors, how are you feeling about how they're positioning themselves ahead of the storm?
FUGATE: They're doing what needs to be done. I mean, the governors have declared emergencies. Those emergency operations centers in the state are fully activated. The local counties and cities are fully activated. They're doing everything to get ready.
Here's the problem. No matter what they do, no matter what FEMA does, this will all come down to people evacuating, moving to higher ground, and staying safe. We're not going to be able to prevent the damages, but we hopefully will keep the loss of life down if people heed those local officials and move to higher ground, don't wait, don't delay.
This storm is going to be getting in there and you're already seeing the outer bands getting on the coast. The waves are up. It's going to get worse as the day goes, and time is running out.
CORNISH: OK, that's Craig Fugate. Thank you so much for being with us.
Now, I want to turn to this. It is yet another corruption scandal hanging over the White House. Here's what happened this time. A donor to President Trump accusing Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, of offering access to top Trump officials in exchange for cash.
So, you have this former lawyer, a conservative media personality, who is saying that Guilfoyle asked him to pay off her $100,000 credit card bill in July of 2025, and this was days before her Senate confirmation hearing. In a text to him, Guilfoyle writes, "honey, please, I need you to get this done for me today."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC DETERS, FORMER TRUMP DONOR: Right before Senate confirmation she says to me, I need $100,000 to pay off my American Express card, or I'm not going to become Greek ambassador.
And I said, Kimberly, why should I do this for you? And she told me, it's in the text messages, I'll be your ride or die forever in a Trump administration.
There was no question it was a quid pro quo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Group chat is back.
Jonah, why are we hearing about this now?
GOLDBERG: Because it's awesome and we deserve some fun.
CORNISH: Thank you for that. Thank you for that.
But, I mean, he's talking as though he's outraged, but like, he paid this bill a long time ago. Someone helped me understand the relationships here.
GOLDBERG: Well, so, he -- look, he threatened last week, as I -- as I understand it, the White House, give me some help with this thing. He represents some horrible Pakistani -- allegedly horrible Pakistani doctor who fled the country that he wants to sue because he represents some clients. And he says, you need to help me out with this. You also need to get my lyrics to Kid Rock and a bunch of --
CORNISH: A lot of requests. A lot of requests.
GOLDBERG: Yes, he has a laundry list of things and he's paid a lot of money and he wants some ROI. And so, he threatened, apparently last week, he sent an email saying, deliver all my deliverables or I'm going to do something you don't like. And he threatened to do this. And then he did it. And now he's explaining it. And it's awesome.
CORNISH: OK. Well, let me toss (ph) one other thing.
TRENT: Well, at least somebody has followed through on their promises, right?
GOLDBERG: Yes, yes, yes.
CORNISH: Let me mention, a lawyer, I think for Guilfoyle -- for Guilfoyle is disputing the kind of, the texts, I guess the authenticity of the texts.
GOLDBERG: Uh-huh.
CORNISH: Here's J.D. Vance --
GOLDBERG: Blass your heart.
CORNISH: Responding to a question about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Do you have any reaction to a U.S. government official, in this case a U.S. ambassador, asking someone to pay off debt in exchange for access to other government officials?
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, so, with that hypothetical, Jen, obviously, I don't love that, but I, you know, I don't know exactly who you're talking about. I don't know the full details.
Of course, I don't like anybody selling access to another government official, certainly a high-level government official.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SABRINA RODRIGUEZ, POLITICS REPORTER, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL": This is also not the only unfavorable story that has come out for Guilfoyle in recent weeks.
CORNISH: For Guilfoyle specifically.
RODRIGUEZ: For her specifically.
CORNISH: Yes.
RODRIGUEZ: Just a few weeks ago, "The Wall Street Journal" also reported about how she had been taking this Greek energy lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings. And you already had Senate and House Democrats asking for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department to look into those allegations and question of misconduct in office from her when it comes to her behavior.
[06:50:01]
CORNISH: Yes. There's also -- she's the former fiancee of Don Jr., no? And I feel like it's interesting coming after his own wedding headlines about a Russian oligarch being the donor benefactor.
TRENT: I'm just -- I'm surprised to see so much coming out about this administration having open corruption. I really never expected this.
CORNISH: So, you haven't seen this headline group batch that we put together then?
GOLDBERG: They promised transparency. What do you want?
TRENT: I just want -- I just want an in (ph) to the White House.
CORNISH: Trump reports 2.2 billion -- I mean, here's the thing. We're laughing. But it's not funny.
TRENT: It's not funny.
CORNISH: Because, sadly, the share of people polling, Gallup polls, showing the share of people who basically believe that corruption is widespread in U.S. government, it spiked. It's always been high. But look at that little spike at the end going up at 2024. So, even though it feels like a vague issue to voters, corruption, capital c, it feels like they're having a clearer picture.
WILLIAMS: They are. And I think this is exactly what the world hates about Washington, this idea that it is rife with these people who might or might not be hot messes wiring 100s of thousands of dollars to each other to pay off their bills and so on.
GOLDBERG: Well, look, in 26 days, I think, before the midterms --
WILLIAMS: Yes.
GOLDBERG: And add the main topic is affordability, having your -- shaking down a donor for paying off your $100,000 AMEX bill is not perfect messaging is just --
WILLIAMS: Is generally not good, right?
CORNISH: So, let's see what the candidates are talking about.
TRENT: A lot of us have credit card bills, though. I would love to have somebody to --
CORNISH: Here's what the candidates are talking about on the debate stages. Personal insults flying late last night in the Senate debates across the country.
So, we're going to start with Michigan. The moderator says that Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers basically kept arguing during the commercial breaks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDUL EL-SAYED (D), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: The reason he's flip flopping has nothing to do with policy, has nothing to do with your costs, has everything to do with his sagging poll numbers.
Weak, cowardly, won't stand up until his poll numbers drop.
MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: You're bought off by Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, those people who are supporting you, pour that money into your campaign. Let's opens up this can of worms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll give you an --
ROGERS: I'll tell you what my mother did. She was a small --
El-SAYED: You going after my mom?
ROGERS: I'm not going after your mom.
EL-SAYED: That's exactly what you're doing.
ROGERS: What I -- what your mom was working at --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: OK. So --
WILLIAMS: Wow.
CORNISH: Are you talking about my mother?
WILLIAMS: Well, I -- you know, we've reached the mom jokes era. Your mom jokes era.
CORNISH: In fairness, it wasn't a joke. He was accusing his mother of being connected to terrorist groups. So --
WILLIAMS: We've -- OK, we've reached the mom comments discourse in American politics, and I think it's a dark place for us to be right now.
CORNISH: How about you guys? What are you hearing out of these debates that you find fascinating?
TRENT: I mean, for one of -- the thing for me that really is sort of grating and irritating is how much islamophobia is taking over the Republican Party cycle right now and the -- how much of a focus it is for them. They seem to really be dedicated to vilifying, you know, anybody who's Muslim in this country, whether it's Mamdani, Abdul El- Sayed, you know, and using that and I guess Hasan Piker occasionally as their way to distract people from the fact that they've got a war that's driving up prices that nobody wanted, that they've got food that's basically getting inaccessible, unlike Guilfoyle --
CORNISH: But that's not a surprise when you get close. I mean, not to be a cynic, although I'm definitely born a cynic, the closer you get to a campaign, the nastier it gets.
GOLDBERG: For sure.
CORNISH: The more mudslinging there is. And we are close. And these races are close.
I just want to show the most recent poll for Michigan choice for Senate among likely voters. And its 50 to 49 percent.
GOLDBERG: Yes. We should also say -- I mean, I agree with you, there's a problem on the right with some -- with islamophobia and a lot of other problems like it.
Abdul El-Sayed, Hasan Piker and Zohran Mamdani, they have some agency here. They say things that are worthy of criticism and disagreement that are not islamophobia if you disagree with them. And, you know, Abdul El-Sayed's inability to explain his relationship to Hasan Piker is absolutely fair game. If a Republican had a relationship with David Duke, and I don't think the comparison is unfair --
CORNISH: Yes. Yes.
GOLDBERG: It would be --
CORNISH: Well, there's Nick Fuentes now if you want to do it --
GOLDBERG: Yes. Well, fine. Any politician should not be playing footsie with Nick Fuentes, should be condemned and have him --
CORNISH: Jonah, that's a lot.
(CROSS TALK) GOLDBERG: Yes, I agree.
CORNISH: That's a lot of people.
GOLDBERG: What do you think I do on air all the time?
TRENT: Nick Fuentes is actually sympathetic of, like, you know, racial disparities --
GOLDBERG: Yes, Nick Fuentes.
TRENT: You know, and Hitler. Like, he's kind of --
GOLDBERG: Yes, Nick Fuentes is a terrible human being.
CORNISH: This is -- OK.
GOLDBERG: He's a gargoyle and so is Hasan Piker, who's in favor of Mao, who's in --
CORNISH: It's -- this dark chasm isn't going where you guys think it is.
GOLDBERG: Who's in favor of Hamas. Who is -- who has said America deserved 9/11? I mean, look -- like, Hasan Piker --
TRENT: What he said was America brought 9/11 on itself.
GOLDBERG: Hasan Piker is a horrible person and so is Nick Fuentes. And an association with either of them is terrible.
CORNISH: All right, let me let my reporter in here. Hold on, let me let -- let me let my reporter in, because despite what you two are saying, again, let me put up those poll numbers 50 percent to 49 percent, OK. So, arguing at the tables in Washington is not adjusting things.
GOLDBERG: Yes.
CORNISH: The reality for voters on the ground.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, I will say one of the things that surprised me in hearing the two of you talk about it now is the fact that Hasan Piker was actually not mentioned last night in --
CORNISH: Weirdly, yes.
RODRIGUEZ: Like, for as much of the coverage that there has been around him, he was actually not asked about him in the debate last night.
[06:55:04]
CORNISH: Which means the Republican didn't bring it up as well, right?
RODRIGUEZ: And he didn't bring it up as well. CORNISH: Yes.
RODRIGUEZ: I mean, he certainly talked about sort of ties to terrorist groups and tried to make that connection, but did not, by name, mention Hasan Piker. But I think what's interesting here is the framing in Michigan and in the other senate debates that took place last night is really this framing against Republicans having to sort of explain their relationship to Trump, their relationship to the Trump administration, and them sort of having to answer for, are you going to put distance between yourself or are you going to stand close.
CORNISH: OK. Or this. Let me play you one more because it ties into what you're saying, the debate between Ossoff and his Republican opponent, Mike Collins, where he was linked to white nationalist figures, like Collins' son-in-law. Ossoff said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): If John Lewis were marching today from Selma to Montgomery, Mike Collins would be grabbing a billy club. His office has been in cahoots with some of the most notorious white supremacists on the country. He himself has amplified neo-Nazi propaganda. He's never apologized for it, and he should tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congressman Collins, you have 60 seconds.
REP. MIKE COLLINS (R), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: Yes, you know, I'll say this, voters need confidence. They need to know -- y'all we live in the best country in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: OK.
CORNISH: No response?
GOLDBERG: No, look, and I don't know if the -- I think Collins is a jabroni (ph) and I got no use for him, but like --
CORNISH: Did you just say jabroni?
WILLIAMS: Yes, he did. He did.
GOLDBERG: I did.
CORNISH: Yes.
GOLDBERG: But I -- at the same time, like, I don't know the specific allegations that Ossoff has receipts for, but I believe them. Like --
WILLIAMS: The staff, I guess.
GOLDBERG: Yes. Yes. I think there's -- totally fair game. If you play footsie with Nazis --
CORNISH: (INAUDIBLE) of any kind --
GOLDBERG: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
GOLDBERG: It's totally fair game to say, like you didn't denounce it, and then bringing -- bring the receipts.
CORNISH: I think the voters are finally going to have a say on that, even though candidates clearly have not figured out the answer.
GOLDBERG: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Your point's well taken that, you know, this might be -- these questions about Hasan Piker might be debated at the cocktail parties in Washington, D.C., but I will say that that 50 to 49 --
CORNISH: Again, he didn't come up at the debate.
WILLIAMS: Sure. Right. But I just mean --
GOLDBERG: But he has come up in town halls. There are Jewish voters who actually care about this.
WILLIAMS: But I just think -- I mean the whole -- the whole fight you all were having, I -- were it not for these associations, that would not be a 50/49 race. It would be --
GOLDBERG: Sure.
WILLIAMS: The Democrat would be running away with that race. And it's the baggage that Abdul El-Sayed has that is draining him, bringing --
GOLDBERG: If his primary opponent had won, she would be winning right now.
WILLIAMS: She would be running away with it.
Sorry.
CORNISH: OK, what's your excuse for Ossoff then? What's going on in Georgia then why Ossoff would be in the position he's in?
GOLDBERG: He's a really good politician and his opponent sucks.
CORNISH: OK.
WILLIAMS: Right.
CORNISH: I want to talk group chats.
Corbin, you're new. What did you bring us?
TRENT: Ah, yes. So, basically I'm been waiting now, after seeing the debate performances the last couple days, I'm assuming that the next ban we get from President Trump is going to be on debates. I think he'll just want to stop the -- stop the flow of any debates. His Republicans are not performing well in those debates. And so the next ban --
CORNISH: Or advise not to, maybe. We do know there is a state where that's not happening. Is it Texas?
RODRIGUEZ: Texas does not having any debates. Yes.
CORNISH: Talarico is like, come at me, bro. And no one's -- no takers.
OK, Jonah, what's in your group chat?
GOLDBERG: Yesterday, J.D. Vance said that he doesn't know what socialism means anymore, and he thinks it only means in America wanting foreign workers to take American jobs and letting boys play in girl's sports. And this is --
CORNISH: So, he said a true fact, that he doesn't know what socialism means anymore.
GOLDBERG: Well, that -- sort of. And the so far as he favors a kind of economic policy that if it came out of the mouth of a Democrat, Republicans and conservatives would call it socialism. And he wants to take the sting out of socialism as an economic doctrine because he wants to embrace it himself.
CORNISH: So, all the people who are in your group chats, who argue about whether or not the economic populism of the right is socialism are lit. It's like fire emojis.
GOLDBERG: I have -- I have a lot of that in my group chats.
CORNISH: I believe it, Jonah. That's why I'm saying that.
OK, Sabrina, what's in your group chat?
RODRIGUEZ: In my group chat, I have to say, some levity to this conversation.
CORNISH: Thank you.
RODRIGUEZ: Fantasy football, guys.
CORNISH: Hey.
RODRIGUEZ: I ave never participated in a league. This had never happened. I got roped into it this year. And now I'm the person that's obsessively, like, looking to see, wait, my player might be out this week. I got to check who. So, and I got the --
CORNISH: And you've got the bug.
RODRIGUEZ: And I got the first draft pick. So, I have Jahmyr Gibbs on my team. So, I'm really hopeful that I do well this year.
CORNISH: Last word. WILLIAMS: A guy -- a guy who was adopted found out this week -- made a
-- I kind of look like Michael McDonald. And it turns out, Michael McDonald --
CORNISH: Is his --
WILLIAMS: From the Doobie Boys was his dad, as you can see right here. Now, it's actually a very poignant story in that Michael McDonald had gotten someone pregnant when he was in eighth grade and had been pressured to give the baby up. Well, ultimately, they found each other. How is it a shock to anyone that this man was not Michael McDonald's son?
CORNISH: I know. Oh, come on, that's a -- you listen to yacht rock, you're not like, is that my dad? Like, it's a little --
[07:00:01]
WILLIAMS: Yes. I mean, yes, the songs -- well, I think the song would be yah mo b your dad.
CORNISH: Oh, gosh.
WILLIAMS: So --
CORNISH: Why did I put you in the group chat?
GOLDBERG: Wow.
WILLIAMS: Well, because --
CORNISH: This is the person in the group chat where you just leave like three dots. You're just like, OK.
WILLIAMS: What, what a fool believes what Elliot's going to say on air. You just don't know.
CORNISH: Thank you for waking up with us. Being with us on a Friday. You can be anywhere and you chose to be with us. I'm Audie Cornish, and "CNN NEWS CENTRAL' has the headlines next.
