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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Duffy: Up To 20 Percent Of Flights Could Be Canceled If Shutdown Lingers; Trump Insists Inflation Is Down Amid Rising Grocery Costs; Tim Tebow Reflects On His Identity & Purpose In New Memoir. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired November 07, 2025 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUKE BRYAN, AMERICAN SINGER AND SONGWRITER: --dropped down on my knees, and just -- just did the best job I could, did the best job I could, in that moment, to help that young man. And I said, Buddy, you talk to your sister like she is still here. You treat her, you treat her, like she is here, every day of your life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: It's a great conversation about grief, faith and music. Once again, Saturday, 10:00 p.m. Eastern, on CNN.
The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now.
ERICA HILL, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: Tonight. From Reagan National Airport in Washington, further evidence, the impact of this shutdown is intensifying on air travel. And we're told, it could get worse.
And yet, look at what we're seeing just tonight. Of the 70 flights on this board, only two are on time, nearly half, 34, canceled. All the rest are delayed.
I'm Erica Hill, in for Kaitlan Collins. And this is THE SOURCE.
Good evening from Reagan National Airport, in Washington.
Tonight, for the first time, many Americans find themselves feeling the effects of the longest government shutdown on record. The scene playing out repeat at airports, across the country today, hundreds of planes grounded, thousands of flights delayed or canceled, leaving travelers frustrated and concerned.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's absurd. I think it's a complete failure of government, and there's -- the government's serving itself and not the people. It's driving me nuts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Terrible. It's just terrible. I feel like the American people are being held hostage, right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Planned to come back next Thursday, and I'm very concerned, because I need to be back. I need to be back home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming back might be a little bit crazy. Might be a tad bit crazy. But got to get early. Hopefully, I'm not stuck.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And across the whole board, there were so many cancelations, so. So, we're going to just rent a car and drive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The anxiety from it was crazy, like all morning, just like seeing if we were going to be good to go, you know? So, I don't know, it kind of sucks. But I think it's just going to get worse, at this rate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Well, in fact, it could get worse. The Trump administration's order to start shrinking the number of flights at 40 major airports, forcing airlines to scramble like a nationwide blizzard just rolled in.
If you were flying here, to Reagan National, the average inbound wait time for flights that didn't get canceled hit four hours, on Friday. Going to Phoenix? 90-minute delays. Flying into Chicago's O'Hare? You're talking about over an hour. And for Houston Hobby? Nearly three hours.
And the air traffic control shortage this was intended to address? That's only getting worse. During the course of the day, various air traffic control facilities were short-staffed, 32 times today. And remember, this is just the start.
Today's chaos is the result of cutting just 4 percent of flights. That is a number, though, that will gradually increase in the coming days. It's set to hit 10 percent, by this time next week.
And, of course, with Thanksgiving, three weeks away, the Transportation Secretary is already warning, looking ahead, warning that these cuts may need to go even further.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN DUFFY, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: So if this shutdown doesn't end relatively soon, the consequence of that is going to be more controllers don't come to work, and then we're going to have to continue to assess the pressure in the airspace and make decisions that may, again, move us from 10 percent to 15 percent, maybe to 20.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: So that fix, though, has to begin about five miles from here at the Capitol.
The President, who flew to Florida for the weekend, demanding on social media, that the Senate stay in town until there is a deal to end the shutdown.
Senate Democratic Leader, Chuck Schumer, taking to the floor today, with what he called a unified offer from his party.
Senate Republican Leader, John Thune, calling that plan a non-starter.
While in the House, this happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hereby designate the period from Monday, November 10th, 2025, through Sunday, November 16th, 2025, as a district work period, under clause 13 of Rule I. Signed sincerely, Mike Johnson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: So, just try to wrap your head around this. The House has been in session for just 20 days, over the course of the last five months.
Meantime, earlier at the White House, before jetting off to Florida, the President continued to insist that despite what you see, when you go to the store, or maybe when you pay a bill, he says, things are getting cheaper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I will say this. If you look at affordability, which they campaigned on, they lied. Because they talked about, Oh, prices are up.
No, no. Prices are down under the Trump administration, and they're down substantially.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[21:05:00]
HILL: Late tonight, the White House still trying to avoid paying full benefits to SNAP recipients, some 42 million Americans who rely on food assistance to feed their families. The administration making an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, asking the court to rule by 09:30 p.m. We're going to bring you that decision, as soon as it comes down.
CNN's Pete Muntean is here with me at Reagan National Airport in Washington.
I feel like you live here now, Pete. I know you do too.
You have sources all over the aviation world. What are they telling you tonight?
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the big thing here is that this is causing a lot of pain for airlines, and they feel that the Trump administration is forcing airlines to inflict this travel pain on passengers for political gain.
But the big thing that's emerging right now is that there are still a lot of delays, on top of the cancelations that were mandated by the Trump administration. In fact, Reagan National Airport just went under a ground stop until 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time because of low air traffic control staffing here in the tower, not to mention the delays that exist for flights coming into DCA, which are four hours long. We saw about 32 facilities today with short air traffic control staffing.
So, it essentially means that these Trump-mandated cancelations are really not working. The issues are still persisting in the air traffic control system, and controllers are continuing to call out sick, or continuing to not show up, simply because they continue to not get paid.
HILL: So, if this is what it looks like, with a 4 percent cut in the number of flights out there.
We have Secretary Duffy saying, Hey, listen, if we don't get -- this isn't -- don't get our act together here? We may have to go up to a 20 percent cut in flights.
What would that look like?
MUNTEAN: It's a pretty big threat. And so, we're talking -- if it was a 10 percent flight -- cut in flights, let's say--
HILL: Which it will be, next Friday.
MUNTEAN: --and that will happen next week. So, 45,000 flights in the U.S. on an average day. So, if we're cutting those flights, it's 4,500 flights? That's worse than the worst day for cancelations we have seen in the last year, over and over again until this shutdown ends. So, this is having a huge impact.
And by the way, airlines are a huge economic driver. We're not talking about just people and travel, but things and packages and deliveries, the supply chain. So, this is a really, really big impact.
And it's having a huge impact on airlines, and they are really not happy about this, and they're not buying the safety excuse from the Trump administration, to say that they need to siphon off these flights, shed these flights, cut these flights, from their schedules, to help air traffic controllers and maintain safety in the U.S. airspaces though.
HILL: They say this is not the way to do it, to make things safer?
MUNTEAN: Exactly.
HILL: All right. Pete, appreciate it. I know that you'll be with us throughout the hour.
My next source is Sara Nelson. She's the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants.
Sara, it's good to talk to you.
And I want to pick up where actually Pete just left off. The Trump administration has been saying these cuts are about keeping the airspace safe. We just heard from Pete. Airlines are not buying that, in terms of this being a safety measure.
What are you hearing in terms of safety concerns from your members?
SARA NELSON, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS-CWA, AFL-CIO: Since the beginning of this shutdown, we have concerns about our safety and our security, because while the government is requiring air traffic controllers, and transportation security officers, to come to work, deemed essential workers, all of the people who support them are on furlough.
So, we already have an introduced amount of risk, right from day one. Then you layer on top of that, not paying these people. They've already missed a paycheck and a half. They're about to miss their second full paycheck. These are heroes who have kept our system going this long, 38 days. But they're human beings, and they will break. And they have to pay their bills, they have to take care of their own families, when they've been working so hard to take care of all of us.
So, we're very concerned about our safety and security, because we know there is absolutely introduced risk into the system, and we have been saying that the system will break. Because ultimately, the system is human. And so, we're concerned about that.
But what I would also say, Erica, is that these are professionals. The air traffic controllers are professionals who slow things down on a regular basis, based on the safety situation, based on the potential risks of continuing. So, this is a (inaudible) move to cut this capacity in the system, but it's going to break anyway. Because, at the end of the day, people cannot go on without getting paid.
HILL: Do you think your concerns are being heard by the administration?
NELSON: It seems that the administration wants this shutdown. It seems that they have done this on purpose, like they did in 2019, trying to create an argument for privatizing everything. There has been a dismantling of the government since January. There has been an attempt to demoralize federal workers, to get them to walk away. This is all about trying to break everything.
[21:10:00]
So, we need some -- we need some leadership here. We need Senator John Thune to step up and be the leader that he should be.
Stop these two manufactured crises. Both, the government shutdown, people not getting paid, being forced to come to work without pay, stranding people everywhere, leaving us in a less safe condition. And the collapse of our health care system, if we don't extend these subsidies. Those are two crises that can be taken care of with one vote. That vote can happen, tomorrow. We've been saying that for a long time. And it is time to get this over with and done.
And this administration needs to stop playing games with American safety, health and economic stability.
HILL: Sara Nelson, appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.
NELSON: Thank you.
HILL: My next source is one of the few House Republicans who has -- who has not spent the entire last month and a half at home in his district. Congressman Kevin Kiley of California is with me.
You have been going back and forth, you told me. I know you're meeting with constituents.
But you said, early on, I'm staying here. My door is open. I want to talk to my fellow lawmakers, Republican and Democrats.
I'm just curious, how's that going? How much response have you had?
REP. KEVIN KILEY (R-CA): It's going all right. I mean, it'd be a lot better if the House is actually here in session, and we can legislate, and we should -- could play a role in actually trying to get the country out of this mess. But I've been doing whatever I can, under the circumstances.
HILL: You hear from Sara Nelson. You just heard there. She is visibly angry. She is upset. She's calling on the Speaker, right, to do something in this moment.
What have your conversations been? Have you been able to have conversations with the Speaker?
KILEY: I have had conversations with the Speaker, although he has not given me any explanation that makes any sense at all, as to why we would cancel.
It's not just that we're not here. It's that we were supposed to be here. We were supposed to have session each of the last six weeks. We had hearings lined up for oversight, for marking up legislation, and everything else. And so, all of that has been canceled, and the House of Representatives as an institution has essentially been sidelined. And all of the action is over in the Senate, in trying to actually negotiate a path out of the shutdown.
HILL: There is, I'm sure you've heard some of it -- but I just want to play a little bit of what some travelers were telling -- were telling us today, in terms of how they look at all of this. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump and the Republicans need to get off their butt and start negotiating with the Democrats.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, our whole system of government's set up for negotiations. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are really hurting out here. And it's not just the traveling public. But it's affecting the whole economy, and you people are to blame.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: He said, You people. He's talking to you and your fellow -- and your fellow lawmakers. How do you respond to those concerns?
KILEY: I mean, I think he's right, like it puts in such sharp relief, you have such pain right now in this country, with air traffic controllers who are trying to figure out how to feed their families, and now millions and millions of people being affected by flight delays and cancelations, all because politicians in Washington, D.C., are not doing the most basic part of our job, which is to keep the government, that the taxpayers are paying for, open.
HILL: So, I've heard this. You've been sounding this alarm, right, for a number of weeks now. I feel like we keep hearing the same things from lawmakers, right, no matter which party it's from.
We did see from Senator Schumer today, came and said, OK, I'm presenting this unified offer. We'll reopen the government. Extend the subsidies for a year.
That did not happen, right? We're not -- that's not happening.
Senator Thune is keeping senators here for the weekend.
But when you see an offer like that, knowing that we heard from Speaker Johnson, earlier this week, that even if this happened, that there would not be a vote in the House. What does that tell you about how he wants this to end?
KILEY: Well, I think it's a major problem, because that's actually part of what might be prolonging the shutdown, is that the Senate, it's harder for them to negotiate, not knowing what the House would then do, even if they were able to reach a deal, because the House isn't here to really participate in that in any way.
And the fundamental problem here is that a lot of the strategy, right now, seems to be about who's winning, or who's more to blame, trying to blame the other side, like that -- all that stuff doesn't matter to the folks that you just talked to, in that video, who are so frustrated with what the government is doing.
What matters is that we actually find a solution to get the government open, and get the country on the right track.
HILL: How hopeful are you that that's going to happen? We're staring down Thanksgiving, right?
KILEY: Yes.
HILL: You're seeing the pain. You're seeing more than 40 million Americans going without food assistance. KILEY: Right.
HILL: What is it going to take?
KILEY: That's a good question. I had thought there was a little bit of hope, over the last couple of days. But now, it seems like things are a little further apart.
And with all these problems we're seeing, with the flight delays, we're here at the airport, they're going to get much worse as Thanksgiving comes up. Right now is actually a low-travel period, we're in the weeks before Thanksgiving. But as we get close to Thanksgiving, if we don't have the government open, if we don't have paychecks going to air traffic controllers, it's going to be a very bad state of affairs.
HILL: You just heard Sara Nelson say that she thinks, I'm paraphrasing here, but she was saying she thinks, in some ways, this is maybe intentional, that this is a goal to break the government, to maybe privatize things.
How do you respond to that? Do you think that could be behind some of this?
KILEY: I don't really think so. I think that everyone wants the government to get back open. It's just that political considerations on both sides and excessive partisanship are preventing that from happening.
[21:15:00]
And so, I think that everyone wants that to happen -- no one wants this chaos at our airports that we're going to see. No one wants people to go without their SNAP benefits. And that's why there should be enough political will here to find a solution.
HILL: When you talk about political will. As I noted, you've stayed, mostly -- mostly stayed in Washington, despite the Speaker not calling in the House.
Is it also a little bit easier for you? I mean, you firsthand know what it's like, what's happening with redistricting, based on Proposition 50 in California, and what that means for your seat. Does that also give you a little bit more freedom to call him out?
KILEY: Well, I don't know about that. I mean, I've certainly been sort of an independent voice ever since I got here. I was elected in 2022. And I specifically said, when I ran, that I'm going to be an independent voice for my district. And so, when that means standing up for my own party leadership, I'm willing to do that.
And unfortunately, when it comes to redistricting, and when it comes to this government shutdown, I've strongly disagreed with how our leadership has handled it.
And, by the way, I think both of these episodes really underscore the extent to which political division and partisanship is actually one of the biggest challenges facing our country, right now.
HILL: Oh, and a lot of Americans would agree with that.
When it comes to your political future, you said you would run again. What does that -- what does that look like? Where are you running?
KILEY: Yes, good question. So, I am going to run again. I think I do have a strong path to reelection. The problem is that my district has been cut into six different pieces. And so, I'm in this kind of impossible dilemma, where it's like I can only continue to represent part of my existing constituency. And so, which one do I go with?
And so, I haven't made any decisions, and I'm not really in any rush to do so. We have until March of next year to figure out where to file. So, I'm going to be talking with folks, throughout my district, to figure out what the best -- best path forward is going to be.
HILL: All right. Well we look forward to you telling us.
KILEY: All right.
HILL: Congressman, appreciate you coming to the airport tonight. Thank you.
KILEY: I appreciate you having me back.
HILL: Up next here. The Trump administration's emergency appeal tonight to the Supreme Court, to avoid providing the full payout of SNAP benefits for the more than 40 million Americans who rely on the food program. They have asked the court to rule within the next 15 minutes.
Plus, a surprise pardon from the President today for a major league legend, and it just might be his biggest play.
Tim Tebow widely known for his exceptional football career, but, as he tells Kaitlan, he has something else, which he says defines his true legacy.
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TIM TEBOW, AUTHOR, "LOOK AGAIN," COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST: Was chasing an MVP, chasing to make a team, chasing a championship, chasing a trophy, and my heart really had to be broken. And God really convicted me to say, I have a more important MVP for you to chase.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[21:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Affordability, they call it, was a con job by the Democrats.
They lied. Because they talked about, Oh, prices are up.
No, no. Prices are down under the Trump administration.
Energy prices are down by 30, 35, 40 percent. Gasoline is way down. And the other big thing is we saw that inflation is way down.
The reason I don't want to talk about affordability is because everybody knows that it's far less expensive under Trump than it was under sleepy Joe Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: President Trump there, continuing to rail against Democrats' affordability message, after Republicans lost major elections on Tuesday, attempting to portray a version of reality that, frankly, doesn't line up with the numbers, nor does it line up with how everyday Americans feel.
Even the New York Post, which the President has called his favorite newspaper, acknowledging the issue, writing in their latest editorial, Affordability is an urgent and burning issue, Mr. President - Americans want action.
So, here are the numbers. Gas prices, rising by more than 4 percent from August to September. A closer look at grocery prices, across the board, from January to September, shows the cost of everything from meat, poultry, eggs, to cereal, fruits, vegetables, they are all up. It's only dairy-related products that are down.
Let's discuss with my political sources.
Democratic congressman, Ro Khanna of California.
And David Urban, Republican strategist and a former Trump campaign adviser.
Gentlemen, nice to see both of you, on this Friday evening.
So David, tens of millions of Americans, as we know, rely on SNAP, these food assistance benefits, formerly known as food stamps. And that is, of course, even further exacerbated by the affordability crisis.
Instead of funding SNAP, which the President had said he would do, if that's how the judge ruled, the Trump administration tonight is asking the Supreme Court to block this lower court judge who ordered that the officials do fund SNAP.
Why do you think the administration is pushing so hard on this, David?
DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Erica, I think it's because there's a very easy solution for this to be resolved. And Representative, this very smart gentleman from California, knows this as well. It's for Senator Chuck Schumer, and his colleagues in the Senate, to simply vote yes, on the CR that's been put in front of them for many, many months now. They can vote yes, this all goes away. SNAP benefits stuff -- start flowing tomorrow. Everything gets better tomorrow. Instead of holding your breath until things turn -- everybody turns blue and trying to blame the President for this, the President for that, just vote yes.
Look, senator -- my favorite senator from Pennsylvania, not Dave McCormick today, but John Fetterman has acknowledged many times that his party is to blame for this shutdown, because they're not moving it forward. They can move it forward at any second, Erica.
So, it's a little bit right to try to blame -- to blame Donald Trump on this, when it solely sits in Chuck Schumer's lap.
HILL: There is, though, a legitimate question about the moves by this administration, David, when we look at what has happened in court this week, right? You had the President saying that he would -- I believe he had said it would be his honor to follow that direction from a judge, if they said, you have to fully fund SNAP. That's what happened.
[21:25:00]
We are now, literally waiting, minutes away, from hearing from the Supreme Court, as the administration pushes back. And the judge was very clear, the money is there.
URBAN: So Erica, I would say this. If they get ordered by the court to move forward, then they're going to have to move forward.
The easier way, though, is for Senator Schumer to just vote yes. Everything goes away. Everything starts funding. The TSA workers that are showing up at the airport there, at Reagan National, behind you, they get funded. The people who work, who've been going to work in the government, get funded. It all goes away, if Chuck Schumer, and his fellow Democrats in the Senate, vote yes, it's very easy.
Look, if there's been -- there's been widely reported that Republicans are offering a date certain to talk about ACA subsidies. There's lots of things going. But Bernie Sanders and some others in the party have been emboldened by the wins on Tuesday, and are holding out to see what more they can get. It's just not fair to hold the American people hostage.
HILL: Congressman, there was a GOP-led bill to pay federal workers that Senate Democrats, as we talk about these different issues, Senate Democrats blocking that bill this afternoon.
How do you explain Democrats voting against funding for workers during this shutdown?
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Look, Erica, if Speaker Johnson would call the House of Representatives in session, I would vote for funding for federal workers. I would vote to pay our troops. I would vote to pay our air traffic controllers. I would vote for Josh Hawley's bill to extend SNAP benefits.
The Speaker hasn't had Congress work for five weeks. It's outrageous.
And look, David knows Pennsylvania. I watched his commentary. He knows the state. But he also knows I grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The burgers there are costing too much. Electricity prices are up.
And the President is exporting our natural gas to China, instead of having the natural gas from Pennsylvania be used for Pennsylvania factories and Pennsylvanians. So, their energy policy has led to utility prices going up, and the food prices are up, and folks just want those prices down.
HILL: I do want to let you know, we are just getting word into us, here at CNN, that the Supreme Court has now weighed in, granting President Trump's emergency appeal, so to temporarily halt the judge's order that the administration pay full SNAP benefits.
David, we heard from you on that one. You said that they should follow.
Congressman, what do you make of this from the court?
KHANNA: Well, look, I think those SNAP benefits--
URBAN: Yes, so, listen -- oh.
KHANNA: I think those SNAP benefits--
URBAN: I'm sorry. Go ahead, Congressman.
KHANNA: Well, I think those SNAP benefits need to be paid. I mean, the Supreme Court is weighing in that the -- the reality is, there's 16 million kids who are hungry. There are -- 40 million Americans are hungry. My district, we're producing $18 trillion of wealth, five companies over a trillion dollars, we can't feed our kids.
And look, I give credit to Josh Hawley, Republican senator. He's saying, Extend those benefits. I don't understand why this is a political issue.
URBAN: I couldn't agree with--
HILL: When we look at the affordability--
URBAN: I couldn't agree with the Congressman more. I don't understand why it's a political issue. I don't understand why Democratic senators simply don't vote for the CR.
It's an easy, clean CR. Gets things done. They're going to bring up the ACA subsidies. Just vote for the CR. You don't have to worry about the Supreme Court. We don't have to litigate any further. The people in Bucks County can get their -- get their SNAP benefits. It is not a hard problem to solve, Erica. Not hard.
HILL: Here's a -- here's a problem that I want you to weigh in on. I've been struck by what we're hearing from the President, when it comes to the affordability crisis that so many Americans are clearly facing. I'm sure you too, go to the grocery store. I certainly go to the grocery store. I see it, when I go to buy things. I see it in my electric bill.
The fact that we're hearing from the President, what you're seeing and hearing and experience isn't really happening. David, how do you address an affordability crisis if the President doesn't admit that it exists?
URBAN: Listen, Erica. I think the President, and the Republican Congress, and the Congress writ large, needs to focus on this issue, because people are hurting in America.
You're correct. It doesn't matter what -- you know, what the polls -- excuse me, it doesn't matter what economists say. It matters what people at home feel in their pocketbooks. And when you go to the grocery store, and people go to Stop & Shop, or Giant Eagle in Pittsburgh, and they're paying more money than they used to pay? They feel it. They know it.
They know when milk goes up. They know when the gallon of gas goes up. People track that, because they have budgets. They live -- people live paycheck to paycheck in most places. And so, grocery costs, fuel costs, for your home heating oil, for your car, when those things go up, people feel in their pocketbooks directly.
So, the administration, I think, needs to tackle it. The Congress needs to get together, and work, and get back in session, and start working on some of these things that make life better for average Americans.
[21:30:00]
HILL: Congressman, you mentioned hamburgers in Bucks County.
The price of beef, in all seriousness, is very high. Many Americans know that. The President acknowledging that, and also talking about his plan to take action. Take a listen.
Oh, sorry. I'm going to read it for you here.
The President saying, I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the Meat Packing Companies who are driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation.
The President goes on to blame, quote, "Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers."
So, in terms of this investigation, and in terms of action from the President, Congressman? What could that do? Is this enough?
KHANNA: Well, look, Erica, I support him going after the meat packers. But there have also been blanket tariffs on food products that are increasing our prices. I mean, he's got a tariff on coffee. We don't grow coffee in the United States. 1 percent in Puerto Rico and in Hawaii. Why do we have that? I am all for protecting steel and aluminum. But he has had blanket tariffs that have raised prices, and then rents are up.
Look, I agree with David. Look, what David was saying, when we lost, last election, he was saying, The Democrats are talking about things being good, but people are still hurting, and we didn't pay enough attention to those prices.
I think the President risks making the same mistake. Rents are up. Groceries are up. And people's incomes aren't supporting their families. And it would be smart for him, frankly, to listen to David's advice, and focus on what he got elected to do, which was lower prices and create good jobs. That's what the American people want.
HILL: Congressman Ro Khanna. David Urban.
URBAN: Look, Congressman and I are in radical agreement, Erica.
HILL: Proof that you can find some common ground.
URBAN: We're in radical agreement here.
HILL: We have to leave it there. Thank you both. It's a beautiful thing on a Friday night. Thank you, gentlemen. Good to see you.
Up next here. As we continue to follow the coast-to-coast air travel disruptions, as the FAA slashes flights, due to the government shutdown and staffing shortages. Could it be the outraged passengers who finally push Congress to cut a deal?
Plus, we take you behind the scenes at the White House, as another consequential week ends in Washington.
[21:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: We are back now with the breaking news tonight, coming to you from Reagan National Airport. Over a 1,000 commercial flights canceled today, according to FlightAware. Hundreds of flights are already canceled for tomorrow.
And one senior lawmaker, on the House Transportation Committee, is slamming the Trump administration for potentially excluding private jets from the flight cuts, in his words.
CNN's Pete Muntean is back with me now.
So Pete, when we look at this, the Trump administration is cutting commercial air traffic, right? 4 percent cut today. It's going to continue to build, hitting 10 percent, next Friday.
Congressman John Garamendi says the White House should also be including private flights in these cuts.
So, that raises a question for me, is just how much of an impact would this make? If this is about, as the administration says, the strain on air traffic controllers and about safety in the skies, should there also be a cut to those private flights?
MUNTEAN: I think there's a bit of an apples and oranges comparison here, because airlines transport about 900 million, about a billion, people every year on U.S. airline flights. General aviation, which is essentially everything that's not the airlines or the military, transports about a 100 million people. Although the number of those flights is a bit higher, they account for the most amount of hours. So, it gets a little hard, and you get kind of in the weeds here, on what is general aviation and what isn't.
But the big thing here is that it's also very hard to pinpoint what are private jet flights. And so, that is where this gets really difficult.
And air traffic controllers have said, even this amount of flights, off of their radar screens, doesn't make that big of an impact for them. It's kind of de minimis. And so, when you take 4 percent of airline flights out at a certain airport, we're talking only a few flights per hour. So, that's the big thing here.
And so, you have to remember, this is also meant to inflict the most pain on the most amount of people, for there to be an end to this logjam, an end to this shutdown. And most people take the commercial airlines.
HILL: Yes.
MUNTEAN: And those are the big economic drivers as well. So, you sort of have to kind of look through the looking glass here, and see that this is really so much meant to be about making it, so that people experience this on the airline side of things, and the average person starts to feel the pain.
HILL: Yes, it is something that it doesn't -- does make you think. You know, it is important--
MUNTEAN: It does make you think. And it's--
HILL: It is important to point out, though it is not -- it is a little bit apples and oranges.
MUNTEAN: Totally.
HILL: And the numbers are different.
MUNTEAN: Yes.
HILL: Pete Muntean, always appreciate it.
MUNTEAN: Anytime.
HILL: Thank you.
Well, as lawmakers try to find a way to end this shutdown, we have a look for you behind the scenes, at this very busy week in Washington, with our source, Kaitlan Collins. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: Last night, it was not expected to be a victory. I don't think it was good for Republicans. I'm not sure it was good for anybody.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): He ran a brilliant campaign.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Monday, November 3.
[21:40:00]
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: The President seemed to kind of give Zohran Mamdani, a bit of a gift, yesterday, by saying that if he had to choose between essentially Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo in this race, he said that he would choose the Democrat every time.
How was the Mamdani campaign feeling about that moment?
Voice of GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That was really a gift for the Mamdani campaign, and they are certainly using it in these last hours of the campaign.
COLLINS: If I had put us in a time machine and told you five years ago that Donald Trump was endorsing Andrew Cuomo, over the Republican candidate for mayor in New York City, you might not have believed me. But that is exactly what Donald Trump has just done.
The President also said that if Zohran Mamdani wins the New York mayor's race, he will not be contributing federal funds to his former home. He added a caveat there, saying, other than the minimum amount required.
Here, on Capitol Hill, the government shutdown is now hurtling towards a record-tying 35th day.
Do you feel like there's progress here that is going to end this government shutdown?
SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R-OK): This has all been about politics.
I think this ends, because the elections are over tomorrow night.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Tuesday, November 4.
COLLINS: The White House is not casting it as a test of President Trump's first nine months in office and what voters think of that. Instead, they're more in wait-and-see mode to see what the results are tonight, and whether or not they want to tie it anywhere near the President.
(CHEERING)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NEW YORK MAYOR-ELECT: Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up.
(CHEERING)
COLLINS: In President Trump's first response to Tuesday night's elections, he said that he bears no blame for those Republican losses and Democratic victories. And instead, said he believes the fact that he was not on the ballot and the government shutdown are what's to blame.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Wednesday, November 5.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I thought we'd have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented, and what we should do about it, and also about the shutdown.
COLLINS: Mr. President, you sound very frustrated by last night's elections. What are the takeaways from people in this room?
TRUMP: Thank you very much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Press.
COLLINS: The President was very clearly frustrated with his party. This is the first time we have this explicitly, heard the President say that he believes this shutdown is hurting Republicans.
And called on his party to eliminate the filibuster today.
Both you and President Trump have touted how much money has come from the tariffs.
So is it the argument that John Sauer made in court today, that they are not designed to really generate revenue?
SCOTT BESSENT, TREASURY SECRETARY: Tariffs are a shrinking ice cube. You begin with the tariff income, because you put up the tariff wall. The ultimate goal is balance.
COLLINS: After seeing the results of last night's election. Do you think Zohran Mamdani is a leader in the Democratic Party now?
SANDERS: Well, of course, he is. He's going to be the Mayor of the City of New York.
60 percent of the people, live paycheck to paycheck. Ordinary people can't afford health care. They can't afford child care. They can't afford the food in the grocery store.
That's what Zohran campaigned on. It resonated with people. It will resonate with people in every state in this country.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Thursday, November 6.
COLLINS: This is quite a ruling from this judge, ordering the federal government to make these payments in full, when it comes to these SNAP benefits, for 42 million Americans who have kind of been left in the middle, in the lurch of all of this.
When it comes to the government shutdown. Do you agree with the President that Republicans are bearing more of the blame than Democrats?
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I put blame on both Republicans and Democrats for basically, Kaitlan -- can't say it on CNN, but it's basically a, You know what, measuring contest between the men in leadership. And I think the country is sick and tired of it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Up next. Kaitlan sits down with two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner, and Author, Tim Tebow, to discuss his new book that he says, recognizes the real, the real MVPs of the world.
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Nearly two decades after he electrified the college football world with two national titles and a Heisman Trophy, and in the years since Tebowing became a viral sensation, taking the relationship between sports and faith to different heights. Tim Tebow has found perhaps his greatest play yet. Throwing himself into advocacy work, on behalf of what he calls the real MVPs, the Most Vulnerable People, combating human trafficking, child exploitation, and also helping children who have special needs.
Now, his new book, "Look Again," is ready to bring a message of hope, faith, and love, to readers everywhere.
And Tim Tebow is my source tonight.
It's so great to have you here. And thank you for being here.
Because on this book, you open it with a question that you said, challenged you, actually, for 15 years. And that question was, How do you see people? What was it about that question that challenged you?
TEBOW: Well, Kaitlan, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it, and looking forward to this conversation.
Yes, that question has challenged me for a long time, because I also know that I've missed the mark on it so many times.
[21:50:00]
I really think in our society, we should ask ourselves this question. How do we see people? But before we ask that question, we should challenge ourselves, How do we see ourself? And do we really recognize the worth and the value that every human being is created with? That, do we really believe we're created in God's image? And then if we are, then how should we treat people? And I believe that we should treat people with the infinite worth and value, because we're made in God's image. But the challenge is, will we really look inside, and we really do the work to see ourselves that way? And if we do see people that way, then how could we then walk past or look around, or look beyond?
See, more than just a book, I hope this is a wake-up call for myself first, but all of us, that we would stop comparing ourselves to people and putting some up and others down. But we would look at everybody and say, Everybody has innate worth and value, and we are going to treat them that way. And we're not just going to look past the ones that we dislike or disagree with, but we're going to see all people as equal, and we're going to treat them that way.
COLLINS: One thing that you're very open about in this new book is the struggles that you personally had, when it came to -- when you left the NFL. That's something we've heard a lot of people who played, even just college football and then all of a sudden, didn't have this, this thing that consumed them for so long in their life, every day, or people who were in the NFL.
That is a question, I think, a lot of people might have about how you overcame challenges like that after you left the NFL.
TEBOW: Well, I think there are so many days that I let a game define me, and I found my worth in a game, rather than finding my worth in who I am, and who as I am, and the calling that I have.
And a big part of that for me was that I really believed that one of the biggest parts, if not the biggest part of my heart, was chasing an MVP, chasing to make a team, chasing a championship, chasing a trophy, and my heart really had to be broken. And God really convicted me to say, I have a more important MVP for you to chase. It's not the Most Valuable Player award, but the Most Vulnerable People. But which one are you going to care about more?
It's not that the game is wrong, Kaitlan. It's, you can pursue it. But if I care and would be willing to suffer or sacrifice, or give up so much time, energy, effort, focus and determination, to be able to make a team, or score a touchdown, or win a game, how much more so should I be willing to give to those image beings of our Creator that are suffering, that are being exploited, or trafficked, or treated as less than, or insignificant, or devalued.
If I'm willing to give up so much for a game, what should I be willing to do for something that truly, really matters?
COLLINS: I mean, when you just look at college football now. I mean, this is my favorite season. I love it so much. It's so crazy, right now, though, in terms of coaching and the search that's underway right now. Auburn just fired their head coach, over the weekend, after they lost to Kentucky.
What would you -- I mean, what do you make of the search that's underway between LSU, Florida, your alma mater, obviously, now Auburn? It feels like everybody is looking for a head coach right now. TEBOW: Well, first of all, I'd say, Kaitlan, it's easy for you to love it, because y'all have been on top for such a long time, as an Alabama fan, in winning so many championships, and now having another really good team with the Heisman favorite in Ty Simpson, and things are going really well. So, it's easy for you to sit back and say how much you love it.
COLLINS: True. Yes.
TEBOW: But for the rest of us, there are a lot of big decisions to make, a lot of head coaching vacancies. And I think one of the things that I've been trying to encourage and really speak out about is I think there's so many A.D.s and presidents and universities that want to make the splash higher. And one of the things that I've encouraged them is, Don't give up what you want most for what you want now. Listen, the splash higher isn't going to win you football games next fall, right?
COLLINS: Yes.
TEBOW: And so, to think about what you want long-term, what you want your program to mean, what you want the culture to represent.
COLLINS: Is head coaching in your future?
TEBOW: I love the game. And if you cut me open, I'd definitely bleed a little orange and blue. And so, I'll always be a Gator, and support Gator Nation.
But I'm so grateful for what we get to do, right now, with the foundation, and serving the most vulnerable, in just over a 115 countries around the world. And I ultimately do believe that it's one of my greatest callings in life. And so, as much as I would love to coach, I love doing this and find more fulfillment, even more.
COLLINS: I had to ask.
Tim Tebow, congrats on the new book. And thank you so much for joining us tonight.
TEBOW: Thank you so--
COLLINS: Great to have you.
TEBOW: Thank you so much. And Go Gators.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Up next. President Trump calls former Mets legend Darryl Strawberry. What they talked about? That's next.
[21:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: A pardon for former baseball star, Darryl Strawberry, who pled guilty to tax evasion in 1995. He, of course, played for 17 years in the big leagues, including seven All-Star seasons with the Mets. A White House official pointed to his sobriety, his Christian faith, and his efforts to start a Recovery Center in Florida as reasons for clemency.
Strawberry thanked President Trump in an Instagram post, noting the President called him yesterday, and writing, President Trump spoke warmly about my baseball days in NYC, praising me as one the greatest player of the '80s and celebrating the Mets. Then, he told me he was granting me a full pardon from my past.
[22:00:00]
Strawberry is now the second contestant from "The Celebrity Apprentice" to receive a pardon.
The President also pardoned former Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, in February.
Thanks so much for joining me tonight on THE SOURCE.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP" starts right now.
