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Inside Politics
One-On-One With Senate Candidate Angela Alsobrooks; Georgia Election Board To Consider New Rules Less With Less Than Two Months Until Election Day; Melania Trump Narrates New Video As She Promotes New Book; Democrats' Fight To Hold Senate Runs Through Pennsylvania; Catherine, Princess Of Wales, Says She Completed Chemotherapy. Aired 12:30-1p ET
Aired September 09, 2024 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:30:00]
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: -- Hogan to the larger Republican Party, particularly Mitch McConnell and the leadership in the Senate. But you are running against somebody who is very well known, really pretty popular, moderate, and made a national name for himself, opposing Donald Trump. So how hard is the battle that you're waging to just sort of connect him with all of the other Republicans?
ANGELA ALSOBROOKS (D), MARYLAND SENATE CANDIDATE: You know, I mean, I think it's very clear that Mitch McConnell did, in fact, invite Larry Hogan into the race. He recruited him. He said that it was the recruit of the year. We know as well that Donald Trump endorsed Larry Hogan, but not because the three of them necessarily want to have beer together, but it is because they share something in common, and that is that they want the Republicans to have the majority in the Senate and to control the Senate.
What we also know is that his mere election would empower Mitch McConnell. We think about Ted Cruz, you think about Lindsey Graham over the judiciary. These are all facts. And we recognize that in so doing, we would put issues like choice squarely on the ballot.
It is no secret that a Republican majority in the Senate has already declared war on women's reproductive rights and freedoms. And Larry Hogan would be a tool for that Republican caucus to be able to to be able to control the agenda.
BASH: Let me drill down on abortion because you have been very critical of Governor Hogan's stance on abortion. He joined me on this program about a month ago and I asked him about that. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY HOGAN (R), MARYLAND SENATE CANDIDATE: I also promise to sponsor and vote for restoring Roe. And so she -- her entire campaign is based on lies. They continue to repeat it. My victory speech on the same night, I talked about, I was going to continue to keep my promise of protecting women's right and access to abortion, not just Maryland, but everywhere. BASH: Just to underscore one of the things you just said, that if you are elected to the U.S. Senate, you will sponsor, co-sponsor a bill to codify Roe v. Wade.
HOGAN: Absolutely.
BASH: No question.
HOGAN: No question.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: He's pretty adamant about that.
ALSOBROOKS: Well, you know, what the fact is, just two years ago, in 2022, then Governor Larry Hogan vetoed abortion care legislation in the state of Maryland when he was overridden by our legislature. He refused to release the funding to train the abortion care providers in the state of Maryland.
We also know that very recently just this year when he was questioned directly about whether or not he would vote to codify in federal law woman's right to choose. He said he refused to speculate. We also know that after Roe was overturned in 2022, he was quoted saying that Donald Trump deserved credit for his accomplishments in office, including the, quote, "incredible Supreme Court justices" that he impaneled. The same Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe.
And so we know that, as a matter of fact, as of, you know, for at least the last 68.5 years, he has not been a pro-choice. And it's so cynical to say that he would then vote to codify in federal law, understanding that if we gave the Republicans the majority in the Senate, there would be no vote because they've already made it very clear that this Republican Party, that they wish to have a national ban on abortion.
And so empowering him to give the majority to the Republicans in the Senate means no vote would ever happen. Mitch McConnell would never bring it to a vote, or whether it's Ted Cruz or Rick Scott and having Lindsey Graham over the judiciary tells us the kind of Supreme Court justices that would be further confirmed, the same ones that Larry Hogan said were incredible Supreme Court justices.
BASH: You are clearly running a race that is one bigger than yourself. I mean, you're making the argument that this is about the balance of power and everything that goes along with that. You're also running a race with -- in a presidential year with Kamala Harris at the top of your ticket. How does that affect what you are doing in terms of your ability to keep your seat blue and to win your seat?
ALSOBROOKS: Well, you know, when you say that it is bigger than me, it's so true. I'm the mother of a 19-year-old daughter. And what we recognize about this election is it's about the future. It is about women like my young -- my daughter who are facing a country where they have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. It is also at a time where many of our daughters and sons are concerned also about gun violence. My daughter's on a college campus. And so these issues are very personal issues. But what I can tell you is that Vice President Harris as the nominee in our party has just brought so much joy and excitement.
For example, in Maryland, we have seen 50,000 new volunteers who have signed up through our Democratic coalition there since just July 21st.
BASH: So you see a difference between when Joe Biden was on the ticket and now with Kamala Harris?
[12:35:02]
ALSOBROOKS: You know, and all of us love Joe Biden. We are very, very grateful to him. I think the excitement is palpable. Again, 50,000 new volunteers through our coordinated campaign in Maryland just since July 21st and that excitement continues to grow in his cross generational.
I've been on college campuses. They are fired up to vote young to old. They can see the future in this election and they understand what the stakes are. And the majority in the Senate will control the agenda for our country. We have to give President, soon to be President Kamala Harris a majority in the Senate in order to get anything done.
BASH: County Executive Alsobrooks, thank you so much for coming in. Nice to see you.
ALSOBROOKS: Good to see you. Thank you for having me.
BASH: Appreciate it.
And the Republican looking to turn Marilyn Reid will be on CNN later today. You can catch Larry Hogan on The Lead with Jake Tapper. That's at 5:00 right here on CNN.
And coming up, incredibly rare comments from Melania Trump. Why is she speaking out now? We will have the details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:40:37]
BASH: Welcome back. I want to get to some new reporting on the all- important battleground state of Georgia. My colleagues Sara Murray and Jason Morris are learning three Republican members of Georgia's state election board are pushing through new rules that could jeopardize the state's election certification.
CNN's Sara Murray is here with me now. Sara, what are you learning?
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, the big rules that they're concerned about are around this election certification issue. The board is now allowing local election boards to conduct what they call a reasonable inquiry before certification. But they don't describe what that is.
They're letting them demand all kinds of election related documents that they can examine before they hit this certification deadline. You know, there's also a part of these rules that says if they find discrepancies, if they find things that are wrong with the count, that they have to figure out how to remedy the count.
So all of this has people concerned that these local election boards are not actually going to certify the results on time and if that could throw the state into chaos, that could throw the broader certification of the election into chaos. And, you know, state election boards are usually very boring and things have changed a lot on Georgia's election board and that's because of these three Republican members who have really taken this activist turn.
Rick Jeffares, Janelle King, Janice Johnston, they've formed this majority on the board to push forward these rules. You know, you have election officials in the state basically begging them to stop changing rules ahead of the election. You have ethics complaints.
I actually asked Janelle King if she was concerned about any of this blowback that they have been getting. Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANELLE KING, GEORGIA STATE ELECTION BOARD: This is a method of, you know, trying to weaken the Republican side by making it seem like we're out here trying to steal elections. I have -- there's no win for me to steal an election for anybody. It makes no sense. But I sleep well at night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: So, she's unconcerned. She and the other Republicans have said we need to make these changes to ensure that the vote count is accurate. And they're not done. They have another meeting coming up September 20th where they're set to consider almost a dozen additional rules, Dana.
BASH: Cannot underscore how important that reporting is because we know state election boards are anything but mundane anymore. And the fact that Donald Trump has called them out by name thanking them is another thing to keep in mind.
So we're going to continue to follow that reporting very different. I'm going to make a really hard turn with you --
MURRAY: Let's do it.
BASH: -- because I want to sort of dive into your experience covering Donald Trump and Melania Trump back in 2016. Melania Trump has a new book coming out and as a teaser to that, here's what she did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIA TRUMP, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: The 2020 election results changed our lives forever. It impacted our quality of life, cost of food, gasoline, safety, and even the geopolitical landscape. America is more divided today than ever before. It has become increasingly apparent that there are significant challenges to free speech as demonstrated by the efforts to silence my husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: OK, lots of things to unpack there. I don't know that her husband was silenced, but you see, excuse me, you hear her, you don't see her. We know she's trying to do a marketing campaign to sell a book, but do you think this indicates she'll be back on the campaign trail because she's been virtually absent?
MURRAY: Oh, she has been. I mean, aside from what we've seen of her at the convention, and there's always this intrigue around Melania Trump because people always want to know, is she thinking the same thing her husband is thinking? Is she mad at him? Are they fighting? And I think that kind of drives people's interest around anything that she does.
But, look, the fact that she was there, she was prominent at the convention, but she's basically been missing in everything else, I think, drives some of this interest around this video and why you would do it. Just kind of the voice and the text there without her actually on camera is super fascinating.
BASH: Yes, it really is. So we'll see if she actually goes out there. I mean, we have every other candidate with their family members --
MURRAY: Yes.
BASH: -- out there.
MURRAY: Yes, she's conspicuously absent.
BASH: Yes. I mean, Donald Trump has his kids, which is actually -- they're big players.
Thank you so much, Sara. I appreciate it. Such great reporting.
MURRAY: Thank you.
BASH: And coming up, Pennsylvania isn't just key to the race to the White House. It also could determine which party controls the Senate. Plus, a big update on the Princess of Wales cancer treatment. We're going to bring you details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:49:21
BASH: ?Pennsylvania holds the key to the White House, but that isn't the only crucial race playing out in the Commonwealth this election cycle. Incumbent Democrat Bob Casey is fighting to hold on to his Senate seat in the narrowly divided chamber, facing a formidable challenge from Republican Dave McCormick.
CNN's Manu Raju was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. BOB CASEY (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Hello, Pittsburgh.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Bob Casey is sounding the alarm.
CASEY: I need your help in this race.
RAJU (voice-over): As a three-term Democrat campaigns with Vice President Kamala Harris, Casey is locked in a dead heat against Republican David McCormick.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, how are you?
[12:50:00]
RAJU (voice-over): And about to get swamped by a GOP bombardment on the airwaves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the border was secure, chances are my son will be alive today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Harris and Casey, dangerous radicals.
RAJU (voice-over): McCormick and his allies are preparing to spend more than $100 million on air in just the final two months of the campaign. More than half from an outside group designed solely to help the Republican.
All giving Republicans a roughly $40 million on air advantage over Democrats. An edge bigger than any other Senate race.
CASEY: I think I'm the answer to talk about. I don't have a personal Super PAC funded by Wall Street billionaires. I don't care what they spend, I'm going to win this race. But it's going to be a really difficult race.
RAJU (voice-over): With the West Virginia seat almost certain to turn red, Democrats must hang on to Pennsylvania and seven other seats simply to keep the Senate at 50-50.
KAMALA HARRIS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Bob Casey will help us do that.
RAJU (voice-over): But a new CNN SSRS poll finds the Casey-McCormick race at a 46-46 tie. And since 2016, the GOP has cut into Democrats voter registration advantage in the state.
DAVE MCCORMICK (R), PENNSYLVANIA SENATE CANDIDATE: So I'm the underdog, there's no doubt about that. But the reason the race is closing is that Senator Casey is just out of touch with Pennsylvania. He's been a weak senator.
RAJU (voice-over): As he stumped in rural Pennsylvania last week, McCormick aligned himself with Donald Trump, up to a point.
RAJU: Trump had said that he won Pennsylvania in 2020, that it was stolen from him. Do you agree with him?
MCCORMICK: I don't believe the election was stolen. So President Trump and I don't agree on everything, but we agree on a lot of things.
RAJU: Do you consider yourself a MAGA Republican?
MCCORMICK: You know, I consider myself a Dave McCormick Republican. My positions are very much in line with what President Trump has said on policies. I'm a guy that's put America first his whole life.
RAJU (voice-over): After serving in the military and then working in the Bush administration, McCormick ran a major hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates. Now fodder for Democratic attack ads like this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dave McCormick got rich.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really rich.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By investing in China.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: China.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China.
RAJU (voice-over): McCormick defended his tenure.
MCCORMICK: When you're one of the biggest global investors in the world, 3 percent of its holdings were in China.
RAJU: That's a lot of money though.
MCCORMICK: That's what we're talking about. There's no global firm in the world that doesn't have exposure to China.
RAJU (voice-over): As Casey attacks McCormick's character, the Republican turning his attention to Casey's ties to Harris.
MCCORMICK: He's voted 98 percent of the time for Biden-Harris.
RAJU: Why are you aligning yourself with her?
CASEY: Well, look, in this state, her campaign already has brought a real lift to the turnout dynamics.
RAJU: Would you consider yourself a Biden-Harris Democrat?
CASEY: Oh, I don't put a label on it.
RAJU: And what issues do you break from there on?
CASEY: Oh, I'm not going to try to itemize issues that we might have not have total agreement on.
RAJU (voice-over): In 2022, McCormick lost the Senate primary to a Trump-backed opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Dr. Oz is running against the liberal Wall Street Republican named David McCormick, who I've known.
RAJU (voice-over): But now McCormick has been stumping with Trump and was about to go on stage at the July rally where Trump was nearly killed.
RAJU: Did you ever think back to that day and think that could have been you?
MCCORMICK: Yes. I didn't think that at the time. Then I got home that night and talked to all six of my daughters and they were freaked out.
RAJU (voice-over): But McCormick's positions in 2022 are inviting fresh scrutiny. Including comments at a debate when he did not mention his support of abortion exceptions for rape or incest.
MCCORMICK: I believe in the very rare instances there should be exceptions for life of the mother.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dave McCormick praised the Supreme Court.
RAJU (voice-over): Now turned into a series of attack ads.
RAJU: You only talk about life of the mother. Why did you only talk about that?
MCCORMICK: Well, I said before the debate, after the debate over and over again that I support all three exceptions. In the debate I didn't say I was against the other exceptions, I simply said that I was for that exception.
RAJU: You wouldn't codify Roe v. Wade if you had a chance to vote for him, would you?
MCCORMICK: You know, my position is very clear. I think the state should decide, voters should decide.
RAJU (voice-over): Casey had previously harbored anti-abortion views, including saying this in 2002.
CASEY: My position has always been a pro-life position. My position has always been the favoring the one exception for the life of the mother.
RAJU (voice-over): Now Casey says the Dobbs decision overturning Roe has changed the dynamic.
RAJU: But do you still consider yourself pro-life?
CASEY: I don't think those terms mean much anymore. I really think the choice now before the American people is if you support a ban, which means you support the overturning of Roe and all that comes with it, or you support this right, and I do. (END VIDEOTAPE)
RAJU (on-camera): And what Bob Casey is trying to do, which is very similar to what other Senate candidates across the country, Democratic candidates in particular, make this a race about character, try to expose flaws of the Republican candidate. We're seeing that happen in Montana, in Ohio, and the like.
Republicans running a very standard playbook, tying to the top of the ticket, immigration and crime and the like. The question is, who will succeed in that effort?
[12:55:03]
BASH: Such a good report. I learned so much about what's going on in that race. And we are in for a very long night, or days, or week on Election Day.
Thanks, Manu.
RAJU (on-camera): Thanks, Dana.
BASH: Good to see you.
And now breaking news out of Kensington Palace, Princess Catherine says she has completed chemotherapy treatment. The princess shared the health update in an intimate video released earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE MIDDLETON, PRINCESS OF WALES: Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes. I am, however, looking forward to being back at work. To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Princess of Wales also revealed that she, excuse me, she revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer in March. We are glad she is feeling better.
Thank you so much for joining Inside Politics. CNN News Central starts after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
