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Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Lead Lebanon; Feds Say Russia and Iran Have Interfered with the Presidential Election; Erratic Trump and Deliberate Biden Prepare for Debate; Europe Imposes Tougher COVID-19 Restrictions. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 22, 2020 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lebanon set to appoint former prime minister Saad Hariri to a new government.

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): I'm ashamed for your leaders. I'm ashamed for them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't feel victorious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The revolution did not die.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The regime doesn't change by protesting on the ground.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is going on against the backdrop of a failing economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: This hour, everything old, new again. At least in Lebanese politics. Saad Hariri set to become prime minister once again.

But will Donald Trump get set to run America for another four years?

He will collide with Joe Biden right on this stage at the final presidential debate just hours from now, with 12 days and counting before

what will be a historic U.S. election. More on that in a few minutes' time.

First up, though, to Lebanon. The country has a brand-new leader -- of sorts. There is nothing really new about Saad Hariri. He is not only old

guard, he's been here before. He is the prime minister who called it quits nearly a year ago at the height of Lebanon's popular protests to be rid of

its ruling elite.

Fast forward and people are still protesting, mostly because life is even tougher now. Lebanon's economy still on its knees, only now it has a COVID

surge as well to deal with. And the fallout from August's devastating blast, which ripped through the capital, Beirut, killing more than 200

people.

Now the new prime minister designate is just as caught up in the tragic mess of it all as everyone else. All Lebanon really wants is change for the

better.

But can a four-time prime minister deliver it?

And there is a question looming, where is the French president?

Not long ago, it looked like Emmanuel Macron was coming to the rescue after the Beirut blast in August. Mr. Macron did come up with reforms in an

initiative that Mr. Hariri has vowed to push through.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAAD HARIRI, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE (through translator): I will start by forming the government quickly because the time is running

out and this is our beloved country's last and only chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Let's get to Beirut, where I'm joined by Bel Trew, Middle East correspondent for "The Independent."

Good to have you. Hariri pledging to work to stop the collapse threatening the Lebanese economy, Lebanese society and indeed security. Time is running

out, he says. This is the country's last and only chance.

So what has changed to persuade anyone that, this time, Hariri is the man to turn the tide?

BEL TREW, "THE INDEPENDENT": In short, nothing has really changed. In fact, since he stepped down last year, the country has got progressively

worse in terms of pretty much everything.

The economy has completely collapsed,; according to the U.N. nearly 60 percent of the country is trapped in poverty, which is double last year's

rates. The currency has lost 80 percent of its value. Food prices are doubling. The government threatened it's going to have to cut subsidies,

which could see prices of things like fuel, electricity and bread quadruple in price.

People are poorer. There have been people back on the streets even as recently as the weekend because they are marking the anniversary of the

start of what was called the October revolution. So they don't really see it.

The protesters I've been speaking to don't see how he can make any difference whatsoever. And they see him really as part of the old guard

they have taken to the streets to fight against. One protester said that the whole point of the rallies was to stop this, what they called

generational politics because Hariri has not only been in power himself but his father was a prime minister as well.

So really people see this as rearranging the chairs on the deck of a ship that's sinking. What they want to see is key change. He has promised to

form a government of nonpartisan specialists. He said it's the last opportunity and he has pledged to push ahead with this French initiative.

But there's little hope here, unfortunately.

ANDERSON: I wonder who those members of his government will be and whether we will recognize any of the names as those evolve.

[10:05:00]

ANDERSON: Of course, Emmanuel Macron in the past month seemingly washing his hands of Lebanon, calling the action of the leadership there a betrayal

to him and the people of Lebanon.

Does Hariri have his support?

Because he sure is going to need support from across the international community, isn't he?

TREW: Absolutely. In terms of domestic support, he only won by a slim majority of 65 votes to 120, of those who voted in favor for him was his

own bloc, the future movement, the Shia movement.

But notably who withheld support with the president's Michel Aoun's party, the free patriotic movement and Hezbollah. Although we understand they do

implicitly support his return to politics.

In terms of the international community, it's still early days. I think they're going to be slightly galled like the rest of people here in Lebanon

that he's returning to politics, in that the situation is like it was before. That wasn't working.

But he has vowed to push forward with reforms, which may open up access to much needed international aid.

ANDERSON: I spoke to the head of the IMF recently, alongside Melinda Gates. We were having a wide ranging discussion, not least about the

equitable distribution of vaccines. But we did talk about Lebanon and it was an important conversation to have with the MD of the IMF.

And I asked Kristalina Georgieva for her take and this is what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, IMF: It is so sad to see Lebanon, a country of entrepreneurial people, very smart people, very generous

people, to be in such a dire situation.

And why is the country there?

Because of lack of political determination, unity of purpose. We are ready and very willing to help Lebanon. We need a partner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: She said we need a reliable partner as a follow-up.

Is Saad Hariri that reliable partner that the IMF and others want at this point?

TREW: I guess it depends who you speak to. Certainly in terms of the protesters, the answer is definitively no. And that's why they wanted him

to resign last year during massive protests.

If you were to speak to his supporters and people within the parliament, they would say that he is but he has got sort of cross-party support-ish.

He's obviously very experienced and he has promised to push ahead.

But really, just being here in Beirut, it's hard to see why no one is making any changes, why there hasn't been reform. There are millions of

euros' worth of financial support that countries have pledged to help Lebanon, specifically after the devastating August blast.

But it can't be unlocked until these political financial changes and reforms are made. In the interim, people are almost starving. It's

impossible to see how families are able to survive. And they have the winter coming up, when there will be shortages of electricity, fuel, food

and money.

And it's going to be hard to see how those changes can happen in that difficult environment.

ANDERSON: A year ago, I spoke to the former interior minister. I asked her at the time whether Lebanon was at a dead end. Just have a listen to what

she told me then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYA HAFTAR EL HASSAN, FORMER LEBANESE INTERIOR MINISTER: No, I don't think Lebanon has reached a dead end. Obviously business cannot run as

usual. So there has to be a change in the mindset of the politicians.

I think, by forming a technocratic government, that's a step in the right direction. It's a different ball game. Things have to change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: It almost seems positively naive to have asked her that back then. I mean, you know, you've talked about the word on the street. Let's

just also hear from some protesters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The revolution did not die. We can hold this corrupt authority to account. And the proof is that we brought

down two governments. They are arguing with each other about not being able to take a decision. They were exposed in front of the international

community and their corruption was exposed.

They were careless about the Lebanese people and careless about the Lebanese economy. So this whole corrupt leadership was exposed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: This as Saad Hariri is the country's "last and only chance." I wonder what you believe he means by that and, in the short term, what needs

to happen next.

[10:10:00]

TREW: I think what he means by that is they cannot afford to have another cabinet resign. They cannot afford to have no reforms being pushed through.

They cannot afford to not make changes that mean -- that unlocks the key, which is an IMF loan.

How that actually happens in practice is yet to be seen. As far as I can see, as far as people here in Lebanon can see, there doesn't seem to be any

willingness to actually change and push through reforms.

There will be some changes, for example, the lifting of subsidies. But that's happening not because of reform but because of financial necessity.

What he actually means, he's going to have to prove to the people -- because people are asking question themselves.

How is there going to be any difference?

How is he going to, as he failed before, make any changes whatsoever?

The situation has got worse since he was last in power. This is an almost unprecedented financial crisis. Swathes (sic) of Beirut are still

completely devastated. In my neighborhood, which was blown up, there is rubble everywhere, glass everywhere and, you know, buildings and homes

destroyed.

ANDERSON: Bel Trew is on the ground for us in Beirut in Lebanon, thank you for your insight and your analysis.

We stay on this story, of course, it is so important. Thank you.

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ANDERSON: It's been what would appear to be a stunning announcement from America's top intelligence official, just days out from the presidential

election there. At a last-minute news conference, pulled together on Wednesday night, the Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe,

alleging that both Russia and Iran got a hold of voter registration information and are now attempting to interfere in America's election. Have

a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN RATCLIFFE, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: We would like to alert the public that we have identified that two foreign actors, Iran and

Russia, have taken specific actions to influence public opinion relating to our elections.

We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest and damage President Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, let me show you one of those alleged emails from Iran, saying "Vote for Trump or else." Now we don't know how many emails like

this were sent out but Google tells CNN about 2,500 landed in users' inboxes.

The goal of all of this, Ratcliffe claims, is to damage the president.

Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee didn't seem to be buying it, going as far as calling Ratcliffe "a partisan hack" but deleting that

tweet soon after.

Russia and Iran denying all these accusations. From the capitals of both the United States and Russia, we are connecting this story for you from

every angle. Let's begin with Alex Marquardt, who is in Washington for you.

What do you make of what we have heard and seen?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: You're right; it was a surprising press conference. We had not been told that this was

going to happen. You look at the people, the men who were up there, these officials. These are the seniormost national security officials in charge

of safeguarding this election.

So what they say carries a lot of weight. This is the first time they have come out with an accusation like this, saying that voter registration data

has been obtained by foreign powers, implicating, attributing these actions to Russia and to Iran.

It's less about how they obtained that data; it's actually not that difficult to get that data. It's what they're doing with it.

And what Iran is doing, according to the Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, in part, is sending emails to voters, intimidating emails

to voters, making them look like they're coming from this pro-Trump far right group, the Proud Boys, which we have heard a lot about of late.

You read one of those emails; another one we saw said, "Vote for Trump or we will come after you."

Now Ratcliffe got himself into a little bit of hot water there because he said that this was done to damage President Trump.

Now there is no doubt that emails like this from Iran will intimidate voters, as he said, incite social unrest, as he said. It's not as clear how

those will damage President Trump.

So a lot of Democrats today are voicing their skepticism because Ratcliffe has been roundly accused of partisanship in the past few weeks. He has done

several things that were clearly meant to benefit President Trump politically.

So he is getting criticized today by Democrats. But what he has said is in line, in fact, with what the intelligence community has assessed.

[10:15:00]

MARQUARDT: For more than two months now, they have said that Iran is working to undermine President Trump. And this is an example that they are

giving of what they are doing.

The intelligence community has also said that Russia is working to denigrate Biden; so in favor of President Trump.

One thing we did not hear very much about last night, Becky, is Russia. They did mention it but they did not detail the lengths to which Russia is

going to meddle in this election.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Let's bring in someone who has spent years covering stories in Russia and Iran for CNN. Fred Pleitgen joining us from Moscow.

Fred, what are the Russians and, indeed, the Iranians saying in response to this news?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Becky. Alex is absolutely right. While there was some substance and details

about what the U.S. is accusing Iran of with those emails, under the Proud Boys' name, the Iranians they deny.

What the Russians were likely doing with that data, there was very little about that in that press statement from John Ratcliffe. Still, the Russians

came out today and denied the allegations, as they usually do in situations like this. There was a call earlier today with the spokesman of the

Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov.

He said, "It is with regret that we can comment on these accusations," as he put it, "accusations are being poured over us every day. They are all

absolutely unsubstantiated and not based on anything. More likely, it is a part of the internal political process in connection with the upcoming

elections."

It's one of the things that the Russians have been saying for a very long time, they believe that a lot of the -- or they say they believe --that a

lot of the accusations that are levied and thrown towards Moscow, that those have more to do with internal American political matters than with

Russia themselves.

And then you have the Iranians. And I think one of the things that was really key in this also, Becky, is that the Iranians came out very, very

quickly with an angry denial; in fact, they did so last night.

It was the spokesperson for their United Nations missions, who came out with a tweet.

I want to also read you part of that, because he says, "Unlike the U.S., Iran does not interfere in other countries' elections," obviously denying

the allegations. "The world has been witnessing," he tweeted, "U.S.' own desperate public attempts to question the outcome of its own election at

the highest level," seemingly referencing some of the things that President Trump may have been saying about the upcoming elections over the past

couple of weeks.

And then saying, quote, "These accusations are nothing more than another scenario to undermine voter confidence and are absurd. Iran has no interest

in interfering with the U.S. election and no preference for the outcomes."

That denial coming from the Iranians, quite a strong one coming from the Iranians. One of the things we have to keep in mind, Becky, relations

between the Trump administration -- and we have covered this many times -- and Iran have been at absolute rock bottom for a very long time.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Fred, thank you for that.

Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow for you this evening, Alex was in Washington.

Just ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, here is a live look at the U.S. presidential debate center. Donald Trump and Joe Biden will make their

final pleas to voters there a few hours from now. And one of the biggest talking points will be the pandemic, an issue, of course, not just in the

U.S. but globally.

Coming up, we get the picture from Europe, which is dealing with a surge of new cases.

Plus traffickers in India take advantage of economic desperation during COVID-19 lockdowns. Calls for action amid reports that children are being

sold by their own families.

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[10:20:00]

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: All you hear is COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID. COVID, COVID, COVID. That's all they put on because they want to scare the hell out of everyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: It's not just America, we're all thinking about COVID-19 all over the world. It's a pandemic, right?

It's scary. And it's perhaps nowhere more acute than in America, where more than 40 million Americans, who have already made their choice for who will

be their next president. Early and mail-in balloting shows voter interest in this election is simply off the charts.

In a few hours, the final live showdown between president Donald Trump and Joe Biden -- here is a look at the debate hall in Nashville, Tennessee,

where both will try to seal the deal for what few undecided voters may be left.

After the sound and fury of their first debate, President Trump running behind Biden in national polls but within striking range in several of what

are known as these key battleground states.

There will be one new tool tonight in the debate hall, a mute button designed to muzzle at least some of the outbursts that turned the first

showdown into a loud, ugly brawl. Our senior political analyst, John Avlon, is here with what is at stake.

You heard, John -- and thanks for joining us -- you heard the setup there with Donald Trump, bemoaning the fact that it's all about COVID. He says

it's nothing more. This is what Barack Obama had to say earlier on today. He is, of course, back on the campaign trail for Joe Biden. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just yesterday, when asked if he would do anything differently, Trump said, "Not much."

Really?

Not much?

Nothing you can think of that could have helped some people keep their loved ones alive?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: If he gets asked that question tonight, do you think it's likely that he will say "Not much?"

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Donald Trump is not going to change. He is Captain Chaos, he lives in a Trump-centric universe and

there is a 0 percent chance that he's going to change.

He may try to shade certain things to be slightly less offensive to, for example, suburban women, who he needs to court -- and knows it. The mute

button will be a duel, some of that reigning in for him.

And of course he's already railing against it, something about the way we have never needed before in a presidential debate, because people who are

running for president don't generally try to shout over each other and interrupt each other as a matter of strategy.

But the clip you played at the top is important. The president is mocking a disease, a pandemic, that has killed, at this point, more than 215,000

Americans on his watch.

Just this morning, Columbia University released a new study, saying that the Trump administration's response, its failed response, is attributable

for many of those deaths, really the delta that leads us to have the worst death rate in the world, 4 percent of the population, 20 percent of the

world's deaths to date.

That's serious stuff. And the president can try to distract and deflect and even dance at rallies. But that's a reality you can't spin your way out of.

ANDERSON: Is that mute button going to be a game changer tonight, John?

AVLON: Well, it will be a game restrainer. I mean, Trump -- Trump was railing against it from jump because his strategy is to try to get Joe

Biden off his center, off his base. And he intends to do that as he did in the first debate by instinct, by bullying and blustering and interrupting.

And at least for the first two minutes of every question, he is going to be unable to do that because of this mute button. After that, it's, you know,

all bets are off. And you can expect he will default to form. But, again, these guardrails have been accepted sort of as democratic norms.

[10:25:00]

AVLON: And it's a reminder that so many of our democratic norms in the Trump era have had to be reinforced by mechanisms, when previously it was

just reinforced by personal decency and honor.

ANDERSON: I want to hear a bit more from Barack Obama. It's good, actually, to have a listen to a man we haven't seen stumping for some time,

of course.

It takes you back, doesn't it?

AVLON: Yes.

ANDERSON: Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Look, I get that this president wants full credit for the economy he inherited and zero blame for the pandemic that he ignored.

But you know what?

The job doesn't work that way. Tweeting at the television doesn't fix things. Making stuff up doesn't make people's lives better. You've got to

have a plan. You've got to put in the work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: What will Donald Trump want to talk about tonight, John?

AVLON: He's going to want to attack Joe Biden about his son, Hunter, and a highly suspect scandal that's basically percolated solely among right-wing

media because he knows that Hunter Biden, being Joe Biden's only surviving son, it's a sore spot. Again, this is about the politics of personal

destruction.

That's not the game Joe Biden has tried to play. One of his closing argument, speeches but also an ad that aired during the World Series the

other night, "it's a morning again in America." It's a "we can all disagree but we only have to agree that we all love this country." It's a uniting

message.

But Trump is going to try as many low blows as he can get in because that's -- that's his arsenal. That's his instinct. Biden has to keep his cool and

stay focused on folks at home and what he could do for them as president.

The rhetorical equivalent of tweeting at the television is useless. It is about taking responsibility and solving other people's problems.

ANDERSON: I just ,wonder given that the conspiracy theories, these allegations around Hunter Biden, which so many people have put to bed,

wouldn't it be more sensible in some ways for Joe Biden just to, if it comes up -- and you're suggesting it's likely to -- why doesn't he just

take it on head-on and put it to bed?

AVLON: I think the question is, what aspect of it?

We have had 80 different former intelligence officials say it has all the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign. We have had the current

DNI, John Ratcliffe, say the opposite.

Unfortunately John Ratcliffe's credibility is compromised in fundamental ways because he said he wouldn't be political, witness at a hearing. And

he's fundamentally political and partisan about this stuff.

So there's always a danger of amplification (ph). You look at the different tributaries that run through it, it's like a super cut of all the

conspiracy theories Trump and right-wing media have been trying to foist with very little success outside their own ecochamber (sic), ecosystem.

So I think Trump's -- you always want to punch back but it's better to be a happy warrior and to focus on folks at home. Focus on how you're going to

make their lives better. Politics does not need to be a race to the bottom. That's important.

If you offer people a contrast between love and hate, truth and lies, hope and fear, generally, in American history, they go for the positive, not the

negative.

ANDERSON: We have one more fascinating debate.

AVLON: We will.

ANDERSON: To get through. Fascinating for a myriad of reasons, I'm sure.

AVLON: Yes.

ANDERSON: But let's keep an eye on it. We will let our viewers know how they can watch wherever they are watching around the world. John, always a

pleasure. Thank you for joining, as I know that this is a busy time for you.

Coming up, the Eternal City comes under new curfew, new restrictions in Rome and other parts of Europe, as they tackle staggering rises in COVID

cases.

And Real Madrid are looking, well, really sad. We will have "WORLD SPORT" on later to bring us updates from the Champions League.

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[10:30:00]

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ANDERSON: From Manchester to Milan, people are coming under new curfews and restrictions as they try to tackle a spike in these coronavirus cases.

Multiple countries reporting record daily cases, I'm afraid, including Poland, where daily deaths are four times higher than during the first wave

earlier this year.

The prime minister of the Czech Republic has apologized to his country for the way his government handled the outbreak, as a new lockdown begins

there.

France and Spain have now passed 1 million cases, while Italy has imposed curfews in the Lombardy and Rome regions.

And the English county of Greater Manchester is due to move to tier 3 on Friday, which indicates a very high level of alert. For more on the

situation across Europe and the U.K., let's turn now to Scott McLean who is with you -- with us for you in Berlin.

We will get to where you are in a moment.

But first what is the latest on Belgium's deputy prime minister, who, as I understand it, is in intensive care right now?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. We know that the Belgian deputy prime minister said that she had contracted the virus or

tested positive for the virus over the weekend. It was just last night she was admitted to the intensive care unit.

We don't have a ton of detail about her condition but her spokesperson told CNN she was conscious, stable and able to communicate with her team and her

condition is, quote, "not alarming."

She is not the only world leader to contract the virus. The deputy prime minister and cabinet prime minister, along with the German health minister,

all tested positive this week, Becky.

ANDERSON: Germany, where you are now, of course, hitting new records, as is next door to you in the Czech Republic.

How are people feeling about what happens next?

MCLEAN: Nervous for sure. We have seen this tsunami of different rules, restrictions, curfews and obviously lockdowns coming in other countries,

coming back in many cases, in most cases.

And perhaps it's not surprising we are seeing world leaders contracting the virus because the number of cases in Germany and across Europe continues to

surge. I want to show you a graph that illustrates the issue.

You can see things are especially bad in Belgium, in the Netherlands, in Czech Republic, which just reported a record high case count, smashing the

previous high water mark by 40 percent.

Germany has also reported a record number of cases today. But compared to the rest of Europe, you can see it there at the bottom of the graph, it's

doing much, much better. Despite the surge in cases in Western Europe, most countries, they have seen the first wave of the virus been more deadly than

the second wave.

And you can see, you know, that's certainly the case in France, Italy and Spain and the U.K.

But it's a different story in eastern Europe, where Poland recorded 168 new deaths. That's a record death toll for the second straight day. They are

now seeing four times more deaths than they saw at the peak of the first wave of infection.

You can see from this chart, it's a similar story in nearby countries, Croatia, Hungary and Romania to name a few. I want to show you one last

graph.

[10:35:00]

MCLEAN: And that's to show you in comparison how much worse things are in the Czech Republic right now, compared to even its neighbors, which, again,

are seeing higher death tolls on this second wave. It's really off the charts.

The Czech government is right now continuing to construct a field hospital which should be able to have 500 beds in it. The health system is in such

dire straits that hospitals are appealing to anyone with medical training to come forward to help.

The health minister is warning, if things don't turn around soon, that the health care system could completely collapse. He gave a very specific date

that he thinks that could happen; that's November 7th. The clock is certainly ticking.

And you can understand why the Czech Republic has opted to go back into something that looks like a lockdown, with restrictions on movement, only

essential shops and stores open today; the streets of Prague were absolutely deserted -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Amazing stuff. Thank you. That's a very cogent (ph) wrap on what is going on across the continent.

Ireland going into level 5 restrictions overnight, making it the first country into Europe to reenter lockdown, which it will stay now for the

next six weeks. CNN's Nic Robertson captures the mood of the country for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: In the hours before a nationwide six-week lockdown, shuttering pubs, bars and Dublin's fabled

drinking haunts were bustling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in the type of area there is a lot of young people out right now and we are having a few drinks before lockdown. It's a

bit of a crack at the end of the day but it's a necessary move to go into lockdown.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Sorrows being drowned but concerns about what next growing.

WILLIE AHERN, BAR OWNER: I really fear for the economy of the country and what comes with that, in terms of job losses, stress, mental health,

anxiety with people.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Bar owner Ahern expressing worries of many, is the government handling the pandemic well?

AHERN: We have had seven months now and I question, did we put the proper procedures in place, the test and trace?

Did we build up our hospital beds and our ICU beds?

As far as I can see, no, we didn't.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The answer, according to a leading scientist, not so much. Despite good testing, decades of underinvestment crippling

capacity.

SAMUEL MCCONKEY, ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND: Last weekend there were so many positive cases and so many contacts that our contact tracing

system actually was unable to keep up. And they are now trying to recruit 60 or 70 people a week.

My view is they probably need several hundred more people per week and to scale that up rapidly.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The new lockdown to combat rocketing infection rates closes all but essential retail, demands people must work from home

if they can, bans mixing of households and curbs all but essential travel to 5 kilometers. The prime minister confident, with compliance, it will

work.

MICHEAL MARTIN, IRISH TAOISEACH: If we pull together over the next six weeks, we will have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in a meaningful

way.

MCCONKEY: I think it will happen that we will achieve good control of our virus again over the next five, six weeks, based on the restrictions we

have adopted last night, because we did it back in March and April and May.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Many others, though, yet to be convinced.

VINNY DONNELLY, VIP TAXIS: A lot of people at this stage are resigned to it. I think as well a lot of people feel, if we got a vaccine, they're

really -- you know, it's -- on-off stuff is difficult for them.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): In Ireland, as everywhere, this will be a winter of worries.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson reporting for you.

Coming up at the top of the hour, former U.S. president Barack Obama hits the campaign trail for his former vice president and mate.

Will he be the factor that puts Joe Biden over the top?

We will take a look at that.

And the first presidential debate was something of a street brawl, wasn't it?

In a few hours, will a mute button be able to work any magic?

Because we preview the candidates' playbooks for what will be the last of the presidential debates this season. That at the top of the hour.

(WORLD SPORT)

[11:00:00]

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