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Isa Soares Tonight
U.S. Inflation Cools Off Again; Trump Rallies in New Mexico; Heightened Level of Stress During Election Period; Trump Courts Latino Voters; Rolls Royce Creates One of a Kind Car. Aired 2:00-3p ET
Aired October 31, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Lynda Kinkade in for ISA SOARES TONIGHT. Donald Trump says
he'll protect women whether they like it or not. Kamala Harris slamming those comments as the race for the presidency enters the home stretch.
Plus, the death toll is rising in Spain following those devastating floods. A year's worth of rain fell in a single day, leaving a path of destruction
in Valencia. And to renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon as Hamas officials reject a temporary ceasefire and say they need a permanent
withdrawal.
Well, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making their final push for votes with just five days left in this race. While
they're also engaging in tit-for-tat over those garbage comments related to Latinos and protections for women. Trump is expected to speak shortly at a
rally in New Mexico before making campaign stops in Arizona and Nevada.
Wednesday in Wisconsin, he tried to seize on the garbage remark made by President Joe Biden, donning an orange reflective vest and riding in a
garbage truck. Later at a rally, he made these comments despite he says the objections of his advisors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: About four weeks ago, I would say no, I want to protect the people. I want to protect the women
of our country. I want to protect the women -- sure, please, don't say that why? They said we think it's -- we think it's very inappropriate for you to
say so, why?
I'm President, I want to protect the women of our country. Well I'm going to do it whether the women like it or not, I've got to protect them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, Vice President Harris will also be in Nevada and Arizona today. She'll be joined in Las Vegas by among others, superstar Jennifer
Lopez. J-Lo is one of a number of stars of Puerto Rican descent, who are now backing Harris following an offensive remark made by a speaker at a
Trump rally last weekend.
Today, Harris fired back at Trump over his comments about protecting women whether they like it or not.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: It actually is, I think very offensive to women in
terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own
bodies.
And this is just the latest on a series of reveals by the former President of how he thinks about women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, fresh scene in polling shows the race remains a virtual tie in swing states like Georgia and North Carolina. We are on the trail with
both candidates in Nevada with CNN's Alayna Treene and Priscilla Alvarez. Good to have you both with us. I'll start with you, Alayna, because you
know, we heard those comments from Donald Trump saying, I will protect women whether they like it or not.
And he said that after telling people that his advisors said those sort of comments are inappropriate, clearly, as usual, he'll say what he wants,
even if it risks offending about half the electorate.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: That's right, and I'll tell you this, Lynda, I mean, a huge issue that the Trump campaign has faced particularly once
Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee is that gender gap. There's a wide gender gap. They know that she performs better with women than Donald
Trump does.
And that has been a struggle for them over the last several weeks and months now, trying to close that gender gap and they haven't been able to
do so. And that's why comments like this, they really have urged Donald Trump against doing, particularly also when you take into -- when you keep
in mind that, you know, Donald Trump himself has a series of allegations against him of sexually harassing and assaulting women.
He was convicted in one charge for defaming someone who claimed he had assaulted her in a dressing room. But then you also have the fact that --
and this is something Trump advisors tell me all the time that you know, one thing about Donald Trump that women do not like about him is his
rhetoric, is the language that he uses.
And we've actually seen Donald Trump ramp up that dark rhetoric and even over the weekend at Madison Square Garden, you heard some of the speakers
that they gave this big platform to, saying some really sexist, vulgar and racist things. That is not -- they recognize a strategy that is going to
help further bring women over to his side.
[14:05:00]
Instead, they tell him to focus on the issues like the economy, on immigration, the policies, this idea of, do you think you are better four
years ago than you are now? But that is not what Donald Trump is doing when he gets on stage at these events in this final stretch.
Now, I'll also say, Lynda, I think to take a step back, given that we are five days now until election day -- when I talked to Donald Trump's team,
they really argue that this last stretch is about turning voters out. They recognize that it's going to be very hard to deploy some sort of new
strategy or anything that they think will change a lot of people's minds this close to election day.
Instead, they are really encouraging people to actually come out and vote for them. They need that turnout to help them, particularly in an election
that they recognize is going to be so incredibly close. That's why today, I'm here in Nevada later, I'm going to Arizona where he's speaking, Donald
Trump starting his day off in New Mexico, this is his last day on the west coast.
And then you're really seeing him over this next period, hit every single battleground state, at least once if not multiple times, to try and deliver
that message and really turnout as many voters as they can. Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And of course, to you, Priscilla, because just days ago we heard from former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley
saying that Trump's messaging is turning away women voters. We heard from Harris just a short time ago saying that his comments are highly offensive.
What else did she have to say?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, and certainly not the first time that the Vice President has said that. Recall that one of the key
issues for the Harris campaign over the course of the last several weeks and months is reproductive rights, and part of the reason for that is
because they believe it's a galvanizing issue for voters and especially women.
And so, that is what they are banking on to bring them out to the polls, and to capitalize on what you heard there from Alayna, that gender gap that
the Vice President has been able to lead in when it comes to women. So, certainly, the campaign is leaning in on this issue, I've spoken with
multiple advisors of hers who tell me to expect this to be front and center in these last closing days of the election.
And you can already see it in their television ads where they are continuing to push out ads on reproductive rights and trying to illustrate
the consequences of that. And you mentioned Nikki Haley, this is also an issue that they think can appeal to those disaffected Republicans.
Republicans who are tired of former President Donald Trump, or simply concerned about reproductive rights.
And so, that is the hope that the campaign is clinging onto right now, that they can continue to attract voters by using this very issue by
highlighting the former President's remarks and essentially casting him as someone who does not have women's rights top of mind the way the Vice
President does.
KINKADE: And to you, Alayna, RFK Jr. has, of course, endorsed Trump, but there are concerns right now that his involvement in the Trump campaign is
actually hurting them. Take us through those concerns and what else is on the agenda today for Donald Trump?
TREENE: Yes, behind the scenes, Lynda, there's actually kind of a mix and divide on RFK Jr. Some people aren't sure that he's actually helping that
much, but I would actually argue if the majority of people I talked to behind the scenes, Donald Trump's most senior advisors, those who are very
close to the former President, even on the outskirts of the campaign, they actually think RFK Jr. helps, we were just talking about the gender gap.
They actually think he helps with that. They argue that some of the policies that he's been pushing, particularly when it comes to healthcare,
he's talked a lot about the kinds of processed foods that he wants to ban if he were to have a position of power after the election in a potential
Trump administration as well as seed oils.
I'm getting into the weeds here, but they think that is the type of rhetoric that actually does well with women. That's why you've actually
seen Donald Trump showcasing RFK Jr. in a huge way. Over the last week or so, he's been bringing up RFK Jr. to the stage at a number of his rallies,
saying that he's going to ensure that he is in control of healthcare.
So, that's one side of it. When I -- when you ask about the concerns -- so, I think some of the concerns about RFK Jr. is one he has a lot of
controversial stories that have been written about him over the last year or so, including stories about relationships with women. They think that
could be potentially a concern about him.
And also just recognizing that there's a lot of policy areas where RFK Jr. is not in the same place as Donald Trump. You know, when he was still
running as an independent candidate against Donald Trump, they differed on a lot of things. The Trump campaign had actually framed him as someone who
was a liberal in conservatives closing -- clothing.
They went after him very hard on his environmental policies, so, that could potentially be a detraction from having him be such a big part of this
campaign.
KINKADE: All right, Alayna Treene, Priscilla Alvarez, great to have you both with us, thanks so much. Well, I want to turn to Spain now where some
survivors of the devastating flooding there, claim they were given next to no warning to evacuate.
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The number of people killed has now risen to 155 according to local authorities, and that could rise much further with more people feared
trapped. Now, more than one year's worth of rain fell in just a few hours on Tuesday into Wednesday. Emergency workers and soldiers are racing
against the clock to search for those still missing.
Many residents, especially those in the worst struck region of Valencia were caught off guard and trapped in the lower floors of buildings. Some
taking to social media, claiming they received the emergency alerts too late. Spain's Prime Minister visited the affected areas, urging residents
to remain vigilant and declaring three days of mourning. Atika Shubert has traveled to the affected areas and filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, JOURNALIST (voice-over): A dramatic rescue in Spain's Valencia region, a young baby hoisted to safety from the floodwaters below.
With the country still reeling from the worst flooding in decades, emergency services are still battling to find survivors. As the water
subsides, the scale of the damage here is only starting to be revealed.
The littered vehicles piled up like garbage, an indication of the ferocity of the flood water that tore through these streets. A massive cleanup
operation now underway as many remain without power or water. Many roads are totally blocked, hampering relief efforts. As residents pick their way
through what is left of their towns now slick with mud, one question remains, how could this happen? So much water so fast with seemingly very
little warning from authorities.
(on camera): Now, this area, La Torre is actually very close to Valencia city, and it is also very close to the river. The waters just swept right
through here. And many people here feel that they didn't get the alert until it was too late.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The problem is the alarm on the phone came really late at night, and I saw on the TV the cars floating on a
nearby street, and I thought the water must be coming my way. I went out onto the balcony and I saw the wave coming.
SHUBERT (voice-over): The death toll here is expected to rise as recovery teams scour for bodies. Many like this woman searching the streets for
their loved ones. The Spanish Prime Minister visiting the region Thursday, warned the threat from the storm was not over yet.
PEDRO SANCHEZ, PRIME MINISTER, SPAIN (through translator): To the citizens who live in the provinces of Valencia and also Castellon, please, the
damage continues, and please, stay home.
SHUBERT: The severity of the floods seem to catch everyone out with a year's worth of rain falling in just a few hours in some places, according
to Spain's meteorological office, but many still asking why in a developed and advanced country like this one could more people be saved?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Atika Shubert for that report. Well, Typhoon Kong- rey has made landfall across Taiwan's southeast coast. Winds were approaching 200 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a category three
Atlantic hurricane when it made landfall. One person has died.
This is the largest typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan since 1996. Offices and schools have been ordered by local authorities to temporarily close.
This is the third land typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan this year. Well, still to come tonight, Israel's military leaders signal their work in Gaza
and Lebanon is done, handing the baton to the politicians as the U.S. makes a new diplomatic push for peace.
We'll have more on those ceasefire talks when we come back, plus North Korea fires its longest intercontinental ballistic missile ever recorded,
while South Korea warns that its neighbor might make demands to Moscow in exchange for deploying its troops to help with its invasion of Ukraine.
That story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:15:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. Israel's military leaders are increasingly signaling that the country has achieved all it can in Lebanon and Gaza, and
it's time for politicians to strike a deal. This comes as two U.S. envoys are in Israel making a push for ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza. Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the convoys that Israel must have the ability to enforce a potential agreement with Lebanon to thwart threats
from Hezbollah.
Well, CIA Director Bill Burns and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met to discuss the ceasefire efforts. A Hamas official said the group would
reject any deal that doesn't lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as the withdrawal of the Israeli soldiers. Our Matthew Chance is following
the developments and joins us now live from Jerusalem.
Good to have you with us, Matthew. So, U.S. officials as well as other regional leaders certainly working hard to achieve a ceasefire deal both in
Gaza and Lebanon. What sort of progress are you seeing?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, they're talking which is -- which is something -- and the Biden administration has
sent these high-level figures, including the director of the CIA and other White House officials to the region to discuss the sort of possibility of a
ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, ceasefire in Gaza, the possibility of a hostage release as well.
Look, there's been some optimism expressed, you know, on the Lebanese side, for example, the Lebanese government side, that is. But there's been
nothing in terms of concrete progress made to actually securing on the one hand a ceasefire in Lebanon or a withdrawal of Israeli forces there.
There are some proposals on the table, but you know, the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister making it clear
that any agreement would necessitate Israel having the ability to enforce a Hezbollah withdrawal, for instance, a peace agreement in southern Lebanon.
Which is something that Hezbollah may not be willing to sign up to, well, we'll have to wait and see. And in terms of a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli
military operations still continuing there, intensifying there, and Hamas basically rejecting any idea at the moment of a ceasefire without a full
withdrawal of Israeli forces and a permanent ceasefire.
Not just a short-term one being agreed to by the Israeli authorities. And so, yes, there are talks underway, there are possibilities out there, but
there's nothing concrete yet in terms of this fighting, this bloodshed coming to an end.
KINKADE: And Matthew, it was interesting listening to Israel's Defense Minister saying that Hamas and Hezbollah are now being rendered totally
ineffective as Iranian proxies. Yet, we're still seeing these deadly strikes on a daily basis. What's the latest on the strikes?
CHANCE: Well, they're continuing, and look, it's not so much they've been rendered totally defunct and useless. I mean, there are still thousands for
instance, of people inside Gaza. Militants inside Gaza, this coming to us from the briefings that I've been having with senior figures here, you
know, who are regrouping in Hamas, who are striking against Israeli soldiers.
[14:20:00]
Yes, there are still military objectives that could be achieved. It's just a question of whether, you know, the price for achieving those military
objectives is worth paying. There are still hostages inside Gaza as well. They could still be released through military means. It's just a question
of whether it will be more efficient to forge a diplomatic agreement to agree diplomatic solution to get those hostages out.
The same in southern Lebanon. Look, there are still massive caches of Lebanese weapons that have not yet been destroyed, that could ultimately be
fired at Israel, that could be sought out by the Israeli military. But you know, would it be better for a ceasefire agreement to see those weapons
removed diplomatically.
And so, look, you know, while all that is being discussed, the fighting in Lebanon, the fighting in Gaza is continuing a pace and the bloodshed in
both those places is continuing. Lynda.
KINKADE: And of course, Matthew, Netanyahu has been talking about the prospects of just a short-term ceasefire in exchange for hostages. Why
short term given that, you know, Hamas officials say they won't even consider that?
CHANCE: Well, because -- I mean, if it's a -- if it's just a short-term, you know, kind of hiatus in the military operation to allow for some
hostages to come out. I mean, of course, the Israeli Prime Minister would want to take that, and then resume the conflict afterwards, whereas, you
know, Hamas, on the other hand, if it is going to give up, it's, you know, arguably, it's only bargaining chips.
The remaining hostages of 101 people it's still holding, that it wants that to be worth a ceasefire that's going to last for a long period of time. A
permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. That's what Hamas say that they want. Look, I mean, part of the
problem in Israel is that, you know, whether or not to go for a ceasefire is a -- it's not a military decision, it's a political decision.
And Benjamin Netanyahu has right-wing parties as part of his coalition, who want the war in Gaza, for example, to continue. They want the war in
Lebanon to continue, they want the war against Iran to be escalated. And if he doesn't do those things, or if he agrees to a ceasefire on any of those
fronts, then it's possible that those right-wing parties could withdraw their support from his coalition and collapse his government.
And so, that's why it is very difficult for Benjamin Netanyahu right now to agree any kind of ceasefire because it would risk his own political
survival.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly, a lot on the table to consider. Matthew Chance for us in Jerusalem, great to have you there for us, thanks so much. Well,
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is strongly condemning the latest ballistic missile test by North Korea, which is believed to achieve the
longest flight time yet for an ICBM.
Japan's Defense Ministry says it flew for nearly an hour and a half, and then fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. It comes as South
Korea's Defense Minister who's on a visit to the U.S. warns that there is a high possibility that North Korea will ask Russia for advanced technology
relating to north --nuclear weapons in exchange for the deployment of troops to assist Russia in its war in Ukraine.
Well, Russia is fining Google -- and you won't believe how much, $20 decillion, that's around $20 billion, trillion-trillion, far larger than
the global economy. Now, this number is a result of Google refusing to pay after a Russian court asked them to restore pro-Russian YouTube channels
that had been blocked on the platform.
The tech company itself is only worth around $2 trillion. But the fine will double every day that it's not paid within nine months. Well, still to
come, it's a well-worn phrase we've heard for years. It's the economy, stupid. It's just a pivotal -- it's just as pivotal now as it ever was. And
today, we are getting another round of good news. So, stay with us for that. Plus, mixed emotions towards the presidential election. We're going
to take a deep dive on why stress levels are rising.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade. Well, it is hands down, one of the top issues, if not the top issue for voters in this presidential
election. For the second straight day, we are getting good news about the American economy. The inflation gauge is closely-watched by the Federal
Reserve and it's fallen to its lowest level in three and a half years.
The Commerce Department reports that prices rose just 2.1 percent from a year ago, and that's just a whisper away from the Fed's 2 percent inflation
target, and it will likely solidify more rate cuts. Well, on Wednesday, we learned that the U.S. GDP expanded by an annual rate of 2.8 percent, and
that's another sign that America may be approaching the so-called soft- landing where inflation is tamed without a recession. John King has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Sunrise in the suburbs, Palwaukee on the red side of a critical dividing line in battleground Wisconsin. Octane
coffee is a startup, your morning jolt here prepared by a robot. Adrian Deasy is the founder and CEO.
ADRIAN DEASY, WISCONSIN RESIDENT: This is all of the robotics.
KING: He grew up in a Democratic household, voted twice for Barack Obama, moved to the Milwaukee suburbs a decade ago.
DEASY: Toppings, cold foams --
KING: A self-described moderate ready to vote a third time for Donald Trump.
DEASY: I just see that Donald Trump from a business-minded standpoint, from let's make a deal standpoint and from an economics and financing
perspective, I think he's got the right mindset for how the country should be run, how to support small and medium-sized businesses.
KING: Are there downsides to him in your view?
DEASY: Does he have some character or personality things that go on? For sure. But I will say, you have to separate the message from the messenger
some time.
KING: Trump won suburban Waukesha County in both 2016 and 2020, but his margin was smaller the second time, and Wisconsin flipped back to blue.
Deasy believes Trump is stronger this time.
DEASY: I will say over the last, say, 6 to 12 months, definitely a large Trump bump if you want to call it that.
KING: Waukesha is a key test of whether Trump can reverse his suburban slide, and across the county line in Milwaukee, a pivotal test for Kamala
Harris too. This is the Tricklebee Cafe on Milwaukee's north side, pay what you can is the motto here. We found a lot of apathy on our first visit to
these predominantly black neighborhoods a year ago.
Chef Zakiya Courtney says the switch to Harris ended that.
[14:30:00]
ZAKIYA COURTNEY, WISCONSIN RESIDENT: You know, you got somebody that's younger, you have somebody that's in a gender, we got somebody that's
relatable, you know, you got somebody who understands the issues.
KING: Courtney here talk more black men are for Trump this time. She doesn't believe it's a big number.
COURTNEY: And I've heard what it is that people have said. I've heard people talk about the fact that she's been a prosecutor and she's put, you
know, black men in jail and things like that. Well, you know, you have to look at that closer. You know, if you've done a crime, you deserve to go to
jail. And there's nothing that shows that she has a track record of targeting black men and putting them in jail.
KING (voice-over): This line for early voting is in Sherman Park, one of the north side neighborhoods where Harris needs high turnout and giant
margins.
COURTNEY: What I'm seeing right now it is an enthusiasm and excitement that's even bigger than when Obama won.
KING: The vice president's chances here depend on Zakiya Courtney being right, or at least close to right about that level of enthusiasm in the
black community. Joe Biden won only 13 of Wisconsin's 72 counties en route to his victory here in 2020. How did he do it? Running up big in the
Democratic areas like Milwaukee and hold your own in the suburbs.
John King, CNN, Milwaukee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: I want to take you to some live pictures right now. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump has just touched down in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is a blue state. He's not expected to win it, but he is speaking there, trying to win over any voters he can.
I want to talk about the economy right now, and we'll come back to some of Trump's comments in just a moment. I want to welcome Vanessa Yurkevich to
talk about one of the top issues we have this election, of course. Vanessa, good to have you with us.
So, I mean, the economy really couldn't be doing better at this stage. It's really good news for the Biden-Harris camp. Just take us through the
numbers we're getting today.
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. The U.S. economy is really enviable right now by many nations across the world. The U.S.
economy is incredibly strong. Of course, there are some Americans that still don't feel like it is working for them.
But this morning we got new inflation data. It's called PCE. And it showed that year over year, inflation cooled to 2.1 percent. That is very close to
the Federal Reserve's target 2 percent. And essentially, when it hits 2 percent, we can sort of declare victory and say, we have nailed that soft
landing, taming inflation while not sending the U.S. economy into a recession.
The Federal Reserve will look at today's data, the look at the jobs report that's coming out tomorrow. And they will likely cut rates again at their
next meeting, though, Lynda, their next meeting is right After the election. So, no one's going to get a bump from that rate cut.
But this is important data, as you said, for the Biden and Harris campaign, showing that they have in their time in office been able to get inflation
under control. Of course, the Trump campaign will probably point out that the cost of living is still too high for many Americans, which it is in
some cases, wages have risen in line with inflation, but not for everyone. And there are still many Americans, Lynda, that are hurting out there.
KINKADE: That is true. And it is interesting listening to the talking points from Donald Trump. I mean, even just yesterday, he was talking about
the bleak, miserable economy that had been obliterated by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. And speaking about runaway inflation, which just isn't the case.
I mean, it just doesn't add up to the reality we're seeing with the numbers, right?
YURKEVICH: Right. I mean, we look at numbers. We look at facts. We look at what the numbers are, and the numbers paint a picture of a very healthy
economy. And we've seen strong job numbers. Just today, we got unemployment claims. First time claims dropped this week. So, that means fewer people
are filing for unemployment. GDP growth here in the U.S. in the third quarter, 2.8 percent. That means people are spending. The unemployment rate
holding pretty steady.
The only thing I would note is that some folks who are spending are putting that on credit cards. And here in the U.S. we have a debt credit card debt
of $1.4 trillion. That is a record here. But you can see there, inflation cooling, wages have caught up. The problem is, many people may be reminded
of what was happening in May 2020 when inflation was so high and wages were not keeping up, and that may be a lot of what they're holding on to, not
feeling so great about where they are right now, Lynda.
KINKADE: I mean, perception is everything in this election. Vanessa Yurkevich, great to have you with us from New York. Thanks so much.
YURKEVICH: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, with so much uncertainty, election season can often bring elevated levels of stress and anxiety. Well, around seven in 10 Americans
report feeling anxious or frustrated about the 2024 presidential campaign, and that's according to a poll from AP/NORC. Some people are more anxious
now than they were four years ago, even though the last election took place during the global pandemic.
Well, concerns about post-election violence of far reaching. Three quarters of registered voters say they are at least somewhat worried about the
possibility of violence aimed at the overturning of the election results.
[14:35:00]
For more now, I want to welcome Molly Ball, who is Wall Street Journal's senior political correspondent. Great to have you with us.
MOLLY BALL, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Great to be here. Thanks for having me.
KINKADE: So, you wrote an interesting article titled "America is Having a Panic Attack Over the Election." I mean, we just showed that poll that
showed that almost 70 percent of voters are anxious or frustrated. What worries voters most?
BALL: Well, I think the main source of anxiety is just the uncertainty of not knowing how it's going to turn out. I mean, this is potentially going
to be the closest election in American history. If you are someone who watches polls, you see poll after poll coming out showing a tide race, both
at the national level and in all the swing states. Normally at this time, just a few days before Election Day, we would have some sense of which way
things were likely to go, and we really do not this time.
Then you combine that with the fact that people really feel that the stakes are very, very high in this election. I talk to so many voters both at
political events and just rank and file voters who were coming in and out of an early voting site outside Atlanta. So, this doesn't -- isn't just the
political junkies that are feeling this.
And over and over people said to me that this does not feels like a normal election. It feels like something bigger. It feels like a hinge point in
history. It feels like our very democracy is at stake. And you have both candidates really echoing that sort of dire rhetoric.
And in our own poll, at The Wall Street Journal, when we asked the question, 87 percent of voters said they believe that the country will
sustain permanent damage if their candidate does not win. So, there's this very widespread sense that the nation is in mortal peril and that a lot
rides on this election.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And I want to bring up those findings that you mentioned from that Wall Street Journal poll. 87 percent believe that
America will suffer permanent damage if their candidate loses. But interestingly, 57 percent of Harris voters say they would feel frightened
if Trump is elected. 47 percent of Trump voters feel the same way should Harris win. What does that tell you?
BALL: Again, it just tells you that people feel that the stakes are very, very high in this election. You know, there were various options for people
to choose for that question. There were sort of milder, more normal reactions that people might feel after an election, like disappointment or
even anger. But the plurality of supporters of both candidates chose frightened.
And so, people really do have this sense that, you know, speaking with Harris voters in particular, they've really internalized this idea that
Trump is a threat to democracy and that our very system of government could come to an end if he is elected once again, that he will do various things
that undermine the constitution.
On the part of Trump voters, it's a little bit of a different vibe. After all, they are already living under what they consider a hostile regime. So,
it's not as if that's going to just start to be the case if he loses an election again. But it -- but broadly, they are also quite fearful that,
you know, they believe that the last election was stolen. They are afraid - - that, of course, is not true, but they falsely believe that that is likely to happen again.
And you know, you have Trump and others going around saying that Kamala Harris is going to destroy America, going to destroy our democracy. And so,
a lot of Trump voters have internalized that message as well, and really are fearful of what they think could happen if Trump is not elected
president.
KINKADE: And speaking of that threat to democracy and the potential outcome of what could happen in the days after the election. The poll that
we were just referencing also found that at least half of all voters think violence is likely no matter who wins. And, of course, we know there are
dozens and dozens of lawsuits right now already calling into question the integrity of this election. The RNC is certainly pushing this aggressive
court strategy to cast doubt on the results. Are voters mentioning to you their fear of the likelihood of another insurrection?
BALL: That or something like it. I think people certainly look back on the aftermath of the 2020 election when, you know, the votes being counted and
certified and a winner being declared was not the end of the process as it normally is and as it should be. And so, they fear that kind of drawn-out
process again.
Also, there are fears of vigilantism on both sides. The idea that because supporters of one -- of either candidate might be so angry after the
results that they could take to the streets. I had people on both sides of the aisle telling me that they fear that some kind of civil war or at the
very least sort of violent clashes in the streets could happen after the election in part because of these doubts being sown in parts because of
the, you know, attacks on the legitimacy of the process that Trump and his allies have falsely seated.
[14:40:00]
KINKADE: And so, is it likely that this heightened anxiety will lead to a greater turnout at the ballot box?
BALL: I don't know. I mean, what we're seeing so far is pretty high turnout, about along the lines of the 2020 election. Just looking at the
enthusiasm that people report and the turnout we're seeing in early voting so far, although you can't really compare that to 2020 because the
circumstances were so different.
It does seem that people on both sides are pretty in -- are pretty excited to turn out and vote, whether that's out of excitement or fear, right,
positive excitement or negative excitement, one way or the other, the campaigns just want to get their supporters to the polls. So, they don't
really care whether it's because people are hopeful or because they are fearful. And I think there's a bit of a mix of both on both sides in this
campaign.
KINKADE: And, Molly, if you can just stand by for us, Donald Trump is speaking in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We're just going to listen in for a
moment.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, I came here. You know, we could be nice to each other or we can talk
turkey. Let's talk turkey. OK. First of all, Hispanics love Trump. True. I like them. They're smart. You're a lot smarter than the person running for
president on the Democrat side. You could say a lot smarter than Biden too, I can tell you.
They're smart. They're entrepreneurial as hell. They're great entrepreneurs, actually great small business owners and big business owners
too. But they're great. They work their asses off. That's right. They don't want to get anything for nothing. They want it. They just want a fair, nice
level playing table. And that's what's going to happen.
But you know what? No, but did you hear? I'm at the highest point of any Republican in history. Now, we're going to -- OK, that's one step. Now,
we're going to make it of any Democrat also, because I treat you much better than the Democrats. The Democrats, they're destroying your --
KINKADE: Well, you've just been listening there to Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, certainly making a plea for the Hispanic vote, certainly
coming after those comments from a speaker at his New York Madison Square Garden rally last week, which described Puerto Rico as an island of
garbage. He was just saying that Hispanics love Trump and that they're smart and they work their butt off, essentially.
I want to bring Molly back in, because we also saw in recent days, Donald Trump losing some key endorsements. Harris gaining some. Certainly,
Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger -- or former Republican governor, I should say, and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, through his support behind
Harris. He's not one to typically endorse any candidate, but he is Republican.
We know the two Puerto Rican superstars, Jennifer Lopez, who's going to perform tonight, and also rapper Bad Bunny, also supporting Harris. Trump
still is maintaining some support from the likes of astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Hulk Hogan. Molly, how much sway do you think these celebrities have
with voters?
BALL: I've always thought that celebrity endorsements were not super important, particularly if they're sort of predictable, right? We generally
see a lot of liberal Hollywood stars coming out for Democrats, for example, and that's sort of to be expected. So, I don't know if they're really
moving anyone.
But when they're unexpected, whether it's, you know, a Republican endorsing a Democrat or someone who doesn't usually weigh in on politics, or when
they really have a lot of clout with a particular group, like someone like Bad Bunny, who I think is obviously deeply beloved in the Puerto Rican
community and who is pointing to that specific joke as being the reason that he came in off the sidelines, I think that does have the potential to
be powerful.
We have seen reporting that this racist joke has reverberated quite broadly within the Puerto Rican community and potentially the larger Hispanic
community.
Look, Trump is not lying there. It is true that he is on pace to rack up a historic share of the Latino vote, at least the most of any Republican in
the last 20 years. But it's clear that they are worried that this joke has put a damper on that and that they may be in trouble with this growing
segment of the electorate that has seemed to be somewhat receptive to Trump in the past.
[14:45:00]
Now, we're talking about margins here. We -- there's little doubt that Kamala Harris will win the majority of the Hispanic vote, but if Trump can
cut into that margin, as we expect him to do, that could be a powerful asset for him. So, you do hear him making this overt appeal to the Hispanic
community, I think because the campaign fears that they may have really put their foot in it with that joke.
KINKADE: Yes, time would tell how much that joke may backfire for the Trump campaign. Molly Ball, good to have you with us, thanks so much.
BALL: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, still to come tonight, in 2017, gymnastics great Simone Biles said if she could talk her to her younger self, she would say, stop
being so stubborn. With all that she's been through now, has that changed? Well, listen to her next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, this week we've been spotlighting pioneers of business, sport and tech as part of a new CNN series, Visionaries. Olympic
legends Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles are trailblazers in the sport of gymnastics, and they've been telling CNN's Coy Wire the advice they'd share
with their younger selves if they could do it all over again, with a little help from the archives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR (voice-over): By now, you likely know the story as young girls, Simone and her sister, Adria, spent time in foster
care before being adopted by their grandparents, Nelly and Ron Biles, whom they now call mom and dad.
Simone began gymnastics at six years old, bursting onto the world scene in 2013 before making her Olympic debut three years later in Rio at the age of
19.
WIRE: All right. Speaking of youngsters, I had to spin through the old CNN archives, 2017. And, Simone, you shared what you would have told your
younger self. You said, if I could say anything to my younger self, it stopped being so stubborn.
SIMONE BILES, SEVEN-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: And because I was a very stubborn kid. Very crazy too. So --
WIRE: So, I think that kind of halted a bit of stuff. But I think it turned out for the best with everything that's happened since then.
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: Seven years later here.
BILES: Yes.
WIRE: What would you tell yourself now?
[14:50:00]
BILES: Still, I feel like there are times where we give a lot of pushback because we're so afraid of what's going to happen. So, to just not be
anxious and to relax a little bit, obviously, there's more that goes on behind that, but we are so grateful to be in a position where we have
amazing resources to help us. So, it's just like for me now, it's just being vulnerable and asking for help.
KING (voice-over): Simone's close friend and teammate Jordan Chiles is a two-time Olympian in Tokyo in Paris. Now, at the age of 23, she's found
herself center stage like never before, including beside Simone on the Gold Over America Tour post Paris.
WIRE: Jordan, what would you tell your younger self?
JORDAN CHILES, 2024 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: My younger self? I definitely could say just to understand the word no. I did have a lot of times where I
would just say yes to everything and being able just to follow the path that you wanted to go in and not really what everybody is creating for you.
And always just let people in. I think that's where the help comes into play because I've -- when I was younger, I did not want to help from
anybody.
But just, you know, to really look back and be like, OK, your journey and your path is something that you should write for yourself and kind of just
let it ride in the way that you wanted to ride. And, you know, I look at my life as puzzle. Just put the puzzle pieces in the right spot and just let
it all create itself.
So, I'm happy that now where I am now, I'm able to actually say that because when I was younger, I think that was something I -- you know, I was
silent. So, I couldn't really speak how I wanted to speak.
WIRE: That's powerful stuff.
CHILES: Yes. The vulnerability comes into play, for sure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: We can see more of Coy's interview with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles on Visionaries, premiering on CNN this weekend.
Well, still to come tonight, the car that might actually be worth its weight in gold, at least to some James Bond fans. We'll take a look after
the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Well, even with November just around the corner, Mount Fuji remains snowless. This is the latest date in
the year it has gone without snow being -- since records began back more than 130 years ago. It follows Japan's hottest summer on record with record
high temperatures continuing right into early October. Studies show that the unusually warm weather is likely due to the climate crisis.
Well, it's literally a rite of passage in New York, and it will soon be legal again after decades of pretty lax enforcement. We're talking about
jaywalking, a tradition in the city where people cross the street mid-block against traffic light rules.
[14:55:00]
Well, New Yorkers will be able to legally strut wherever they want with total disregard for tickets and marked crosswalks. The violation had
received a fine of up to $300, but it was rarely enforced.
Well, the Great Pyramids of Giza are one of the famed seven wonders of the world, and skydivers are gliding over the top of them to celebrate the Jump
Like a Pharaoh Festival. The event, now in its seventh year, attracts almost 200 thrill seekers from more than 34 countries.
And finally, here's a treat for car enthusiasts and film buffs alike. Rolls Royce has designed a one-of-a-kind car to mark the 60th anniversary of the
James Bond movie "Goldfinger." The vehicle is packed with nods to the original film for eagle eyed fans and has even has a solid gold detail
including an 18-carat miniature hidden in the central console. But don't get too excited. The car has already been snapped up by one lucky wealthy
client.
Thanks so much for watching tonight. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Stick around. CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
