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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Senate Candidates Debate In Maine And Georgia; New Press Secretary's First Briefing Lasts About 15 Minutes; Vance On Stumping In Texas: Paxton Obviously In A "Tight Race." Aired 9-10p ET
Aired October 13, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: And thank you to everyone on the panel.
And then this quick reminder. It is happening here tomorrow night. At 08:00 p.m. Eastern, Erin Burnett moderates the CNN and Jubilee Media Town Hall in Texas, with Senate candidate, James Talarico. That's here on CNN and streaming live with an All Access subscription.
The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: With the midterms just 21 days away, the President is campaigning in Alaska, as critical debates are underway in key battleground states tonight.
I'm Kaitlan Collins. And this is a special edition of THE SOURCE. Countdown To The Midterms.
And as we come on the air tonight, you're hearing that music because the midterm elections are just three weeks away. And the President is spending his evening in Wasilla, Alaska. Yes, the city which once had Sarah Palin as its mayor, and also where she launched her political career.
Now the President hasn't been in Alaska since his summit that he held with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. But tonight he's in the state for a very different reason, as he's attempting to rescue Republicans in red states, yet at risk of losing their seats in three weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And nobody's done more for Alaska than Donald J. Trump. That I can tell you.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Well, we don't have to be in certain places. Here I have to be because we have to make sure that Dan gets in. We have to make sure that Nick Begich gets in.
(CHEERING) (END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: By taking a look at the President's travel schedule just this week, you can see that he and his team are focused almost entirely on states that he won two years ago.
The Vice President, JD Vance, is also in what has traditionally been Trump country, and now has a Senate race in Texas that has drawn an eye-popping $500 million in ad spending.
As a closing message to voters there in Texas, the Vice President implied that the Democrat in that race is -- I'll just let you listen for yourself to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JD VANCE (R), U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Well, he's just a guy who shows a weird focus on transgender kids and drag queens, and you know, I think he -- he said something to the effect of an 11-year-old in drag was a great side or a very beautiful thing. It just, he says a lot of weird stuff, and I think typically people who say stuff like that tend to have some pretty unusual search histories. Maybe he doesn't, just guessing, but I wouldn't want to see it.
I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear.
I'm the Vice President, not James Talarico.
He was asked what he loves in life, besides his own family and friends, and he responded, without skipping a beat, and I quote, Trans children. Now you got to wonder what the internet search history of a man like that looks like. Ladies and gentlemen, you don't want to find out. Neither do I.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: So, he repeated that comment twice. Whatever the comment -- whatever the insinuation that the Vice President was trying to make there, he did not offer any evidence beyond speculating about James Talarico's search history.
And this comes tonight, as we're not just only watching a critical race that's playing out in Texas. Senate candidates in the battlegrounds of Maine and Georgia are also debating this evening.
In Maine, it was the third time this week that Republican, Senator Susan Collins, and the Democrat in that race, Troy Jackson, have debated, and it turned almost immediately to the Iran war, before things got personal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TROY JACKSON, (D) MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE: Because Donald Trump wanted to play war games, and when Susan Collins had the chance to stop him because she's Chair of Appropriations, she would not do that. SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): I agree that the President did not have a good plan. He should have anticipated the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which part of the world's oil travels. And I don't feel that that was well-anticipated, although it should have been.
Troy has repeatedly insulted my integrity all evening long. He claims that I do what the so-called billionaires want to do. He lied when he said that I was under investigation and found to have committed fraud by the FBI. And I just cannot continue to ignore these attacks on my integrity.
JACKSON: Senator Collins says she's offended, but I think the people of Maine ought to be offended.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[21:05:00]
K. COLLINS: In Georgia, voters were lined up outside of polling sites today as early voting started in that state. And it's also tonight, where Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is running against Republican congressman Mike Collins, debated him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE COLLINS, (R) GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: You know, when I was in your ask -- in your office, I asked you to help our shared constituent Laken Riley, to get justice, and you just stared at me. We could have passed her bill under President Biden, but you wouldn't lift a finger. I mean, were you too cowardly to stand up for what's right, or was it -- or was it just politically convenient to wait until it was going to pass anyway?
SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): Mike, you know I voted for the bill. You're not just lying about my record. You're lying about a young woman's death because your campaign is in collapse, and your campaign is in collapse because the whole state knows that you're currently under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: And on that note, my sources tonight are:
CNN Chief Data Analyst, Harry Enten.
The former Mayor of New Orleans, Democrat Mitch Landrieu.
And CNN Political Commentator, and Republican strategist, Shermichael Singleton.
And it's great to have all of you here tonight because we're watching all of these remarkable moments that are taking place, from Alaska, to Texas, to Georgia, even.
And Harry, when you look at where the President is tonight, what do you make of where he is making that campaign stop? HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes, I can see Russia from Wasilla, Alaska. Look, the bottom line is the--
MITCH LANDRIEU, CO-CHAIR, AMERICAN BRIDGE 21ST CENTURY, (D) FORMER MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS, SENIOR ADVISER, HARRIS-WALZ 2024 CAMPAIGN: Yes, sure.
ENTEN: --the bottom line is this.
K. COLLINS: Shermichael, don't laugh at that joke.
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: No, that actually wasn't me this time. That was the Mayor.
(LAUGHTER)
K. COLLINS: Oh? Ha-ha. Mayor, don't give Harry an incurrent of a bad joke.
ENTEN: Yes.
K. COLLINS: All right, Harry, continue.
ENTEN: You know, I make my living off of bad jokes.
Look, I would say this: no Democrat has won a midterm Senate election, I think, since Mike Gravel in Alaska since 1974. And so, we have to go all the way back then to understand the trouble that Dan Sullivan is in right now. And the fact that that is where Donald Trump has to spend his time, I think says a lot about the political map right now.
What strikes me in all the states that you point out is how diverse geographically they are. We're talking Maine. We're talking Georgia. We're talking Alaska. I think that is one of the strengths right now that put Democrats at least to be favored, even if they're not overwhelming favorites, in the Senate right now to take back control, is because they have such a diversity of options in which they are playing on Republican ground.
K. COLLINS: Shermichael, as the Republican, how do you see this?
SINGLETON: Yes, look, I think there is diversity of options. I'm just not convinced that that diversity of options gets them to the five Senate seats that's necessary to regain control.
Now, look, the President -- in my opinion, there are very few persuadable voters left at this point, Kaitlan. I think this is all about turnout fundamentally. And when you look at the change in delta from the public polling data that's available, there are certainly subgroups that fall within the Republican umbrella.
But I think the President has to maximize turnout. Evangelicals happen to be one. Blue-collar workers, another low-propensity subgroup happens to be one. And so, I think statistically, when you look at modeling, if you turn those individuals out, I absolutely see a pathway for Republicans to maintain Maine, for us to maintain Alaska, for us to maintain Texas. Albeit two, three, four points, yes, that's not a significant margin, but it is enough to keep the majority.
K. COLLINS: Mayor. What do you make of that?
LANDRIEU: Well, I'll let them do the Xs and Os. Basically, this election is going to be a referendum on Trump's failed presidency. People in America have said enough is enough of his chaos, of the corruption, of the rising costs. And of course, you see these three candidates in debates talking about everything except those issues.
The Vice President's discussions about Talarico were just disgusting. And you would think that he would want to defend the President's record before attacking somebody else's character like he did, and he should -- he should know better.
But Susan Collins is doing it in Maine. And of course, you see in the Georgia debate. They want to talk about everything except for the rising costs that are a direct result of Donald Trump's chaotic presidency.
And I think they're going to issue a referendum, and I think it's going to be a good day for the Democrats. But we still have a long way to go. They have a lot of money. They've got the map that's in their favor. And so, this is -- we're not at the end. We're just at the beginning of the end right now, and we have to fight hard and we have to stay at it.
K. COLLINS: Shermichael, what did you make of the Vice President's comments about James Talarico today?
SINGLETON: No, look, the Vice President can defend himself. He's a Yale graduate.
That said, I'm looking at that Senate seat, and I'm looking at Governor Greg Abbott, who has 92 percent approval among all Republicans in the State of Texas. Now, Ken Paxton certainly has his share of issues. But the expectation is that the robust operations that the Governor currently has on the ground will help pull those Republican voters over across the finish line to vote for Ken Paxton.
I just find it very difficult to believe that 92 percent of Republicans will vote for the governor, and then what, 75 percent will not vote for Ken Paxton? I just don't see that math playing out.
[21:10:00]
And so, yes, Talarico's running a very competitive race, but does he ultimately get to the number of votes that are necessary to regain that seat? A 30-year-plus victory that Democrats have been yearning for? I just don't see it, Kaitlan. The math is not on their side, albeit how competitive they may be.
ENTEN: I would just add right here, Kaitlan, is that what Shermichael is talking about in terms of the fact that you know, look, they need a two or three point swing from where they are currently. If I'm understanding, Shermichael, currently. And that's certainly possible. But what we are talking about, if the polling is correct, and the election were held today, and obviously it isn't, Democrats should be favored. That doesn't mean that the polling won't underestimate Republicans. It certainly has in the past in certain states.
SINGLETON: Yes.
ENTEN: But where we are right now, I would rather be the Democrats and not be reliant on a polling error, like the Republicans currently are, which could, of course, happen.
K. COLLINS: Well, and to that point--
SINGLETON: Oh, Harry.
K. COLLINS: Well, but to that point, Shermichael. I mean, the House Speaker Mike Johnson, he was also in Texas today. Here's what he said about the polling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): It feels like 2024 to me. I'm telling you, the polling is not reflecting this. The polling is not letting everyone know what's really happening. They're under-sampling Republicans. They're over-sampling Democrats. How many of you have answered a political poll in the last six months? No, nobody. I'm telling you, I go to airplane hangars and big arenas like this, all over the country. I can't find anybody who's coming to our events who's actually answered a poll.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: Mayor Landrieu, how do you hear that?
LANDRIEU: I've been to 21 states. I've done -- been involved in huge numbers of focus groups. People that voted for Donald Trump three times are frustrated with his chaos, his corruption, and the costs, and they're frustrated with congressmen and senators who did nothing to stop this debacle from happening, and they're going to vote.
Now, I would just caution Shermichael. He knows this. Six months ago, the wisdom was that that Texas would not even be in play. And now, Talarico's in a spot where he's actually favored to win. Whether he does or not, we'll see.
But guess what's not in play? Georgia. Ossoff's going to clean the clock in Georgia. You're going to see the same thing in North Carolina. We've expanded the field. Democrats are clearly on offense.
I just want to caution everybody. You know the election is the election, so we just have to keep working at it. We put our shoulder to the wheel, and we're in a better position. You'd rather be us today than the Republicans.
K. COLLINS: Well, and Shermichael, another state that we're looking at that typically we would not, this close to the election, is what's happening in Kansas. And the Republican senator there, Roger Marshall. Our audience is familiar with him. He's been on the show many times defending the President, defending the Iran war.
Manu Raju was out there today. Was trying to ask him about the impact that war is having on his race, and this is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you think that, given the impact that it's having on fuel prices, that it's time for the President to end the war in Iran?
SEN. ROGER MARSHALL (R-KS): You know, I think what you should be talking about is my opponent, that he's a child sex predator protector, that he's protected a predator.
Kids--
RAJU: He denies that.
MARSHALL: It absolutely happened. No, I think you guys need to talk about something that Kansans want to be talking about right now. I've given -- I've given--
RAJU: You don't want to talk about the Iran war? Iran war?
MARSHALL: I've given you my comments on Iran before. Look, I want this war to be over as quickly as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: Adam Hamilton, I should note, has denied the allegations that Senator Marshall was leveling there.
But Shermichael, I mean, what did you make of that response? What did it tell you about--
SINGLETON: Yes.
K. COLLINS: --how at least the Republican is viewing this race?
SINGLETON: Well, look, I want to put the emphasis on the latter part of Senator Marshall's statements. I want the war to end. He's looking at the same data that we're currently debating on this program.
Now, look, this goes back to the initial assessment I was given, at the top, about this, this sort of delta movement in the math, right? In terms of what will some of these low-propensity Republican voters who don't typically turn out to vote, they are hard to predict and model. And Harry's sitting right next to you, he can confirm this.
So, the reason a senator is campaigning with the president is because you want to get those folks out. Now look, it is a legitimate critique and point to raise. Do you run the risk of isolating some of those independents? My counterpoint to that, however, would be some of them may not necessarily move back to the Democratic side. They may decide to stay home. Going back to my initial point, turnout, turnout, turnout. Who can drive out turnout the most? I'm hopeful that we will and ultimately keep that seat.
K. COLLINS: Initial point, counterpoint, counterpoint. I like it.
(LAUGHTER)
K. COLLINS: Harry, you actually get name-dropped at the President's rallies.
ENTEN: I do?
K. COLLINS: A bunch.
ENTEN: Huh?
K. COLLINS: I don't know how much. I mean, I've watched--
SINGLETON: We love you, Harry, on the Republican side.
ENTEN: Oh, that's--
K. COLLINS: Well they like--
ENTEN: Everybody loves Harry.
(LAUGHTER)
K. COLLINS: They like when Harry says certain things.
This is just for people who don't watch the rallies as much as we do. This is a little bit of what the President has said about Harry Enten.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ENTEN: A majority of Republicans say, 53 percent say, he is the Republican president they most admire. Ronald Reagan, who traditionally has won that much, Donald Trump nearly triples up on this. Reagan at just 18 percent.
[21:15:00]
And then Abraham Lincoln, who by most historic accounts is the greatest president of all time. But Republicans say that the president that they most admire by what is, is -- this is six, seven times as many, Donald John Trump at 53 percent, easily crushing Abe Lincoln at 8 percent. And the Elon poll showed that he was the greatest president as well, Donald Trump.
BERMAN: Feel like this slide might end up on a printout at his desk.
TRUMP: Thank you very much. CNN, thank you, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: John Berman. John Berman with the prediction. ENTEN: He got it.
K. COLLINS: He was correct.
ENTEN: He got it, Kaitlan. He got it.
K. COLLINS: I mean, but is that everything that you -- I mean, I think the question is: Is that the full picture of what you actually report on when you say about those?
ENTEN: No, I mean, look, Donald Trump, especially among the MAGA base, is historically strong, right? Obviously, non-MAGAs don't like him nearly as much. And independents, he's at a historically low level among independents.
I think the question ultimately is: Are some of those low-propensity voters, as Shermichael is pointing out, do they in fact show up on Election Day?
Democrats in the certain-to-vote category in a stronger position they've been in any midterm this century. If that turns out to be the case, Republicans are in for real pain.
If in fact it turns out that Shermichael is right, and some of those low-propensity voters do show up, well then maybe the polling will be underestimating Republicans yet again.
SINGLETON: Yes.
ENTEN: We'll find out in three weeks, folks.
K. COLLINS: And we will have Harry on to talk about it. Don't worry.
ENTEN: We will.
K. COLLINS: Harry Enten.
SINGLETON: Always spot on, Harry.
(LAUGHTER)
ENTEN: Yes.
K. COLLINS: Shermichael Singleton.
Mitch Landrieu.
Great to have all three of you here tonight. That was fun.
LANDRIEU: Thank you.
SINGLETON: Thank you.
K. COLLINS: Up next. If you blinked this morning during Katie Zacharia's first briefing, you might have missed it. It only lasted 14 minutes. One White House official described it as a brutal start to me. We'll give you our full thoughts on what happened inside the White House Press Briefing Room, this morning, with our insiders, next.
[21:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
K. COLLINS: Tonight, our sources say that several White House officials are already questioning how long Katie Zacharia will remain in her job, as the White House press secretary, following her first briefing.
It wasn't long after she had left the podium that officials started texting me about her fleeting first appearance in the Briefing Room, describing it as unusual, awkward, and in the words of one person who described what played out in less than 15 minutes total, brutal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE ZACHARIA, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Good morning.
I am so honored to work for President Trump and the American people as the new White House Press Secretary.
And, thanks to President Trump, we are once again bringing back American energy dominance because energy security is national security.
He had a historic one-day war, and now we are -- have a booming economy and a great relationship with Venezuela.
This includes as much as a $120 billion to build eight -- to build eight large-scale nuclear power plants, something we've needed as the United States, and something President Trump promised on the campaign trail, and something President Trump is delivering on, just like he delivers on every promise.
In addition to that, we will be -- we will be -- there is $54 billion tied to the Alaska LNG pipeline and terminal to service the Pacific Rim.
Above all, President Trump is working to secure the Western Hemisphere, for centuries to come. President Trump signed an unprecedented agreement, giving the United States lasting control over security interests in Greenland.
And with that, I will take your questions.
Here in our new media seat, we have Nick Gilbertson from Breitbart.
NICK GILBERTSON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, BREITBART NEWS: Hi, Katie. Welcome to the Briefing Room, and congrats on the new position.
Can you tell us what you plan to do to continue to ensure that new media voices continue to be heard, here at the White House?
ZACHARIA: Yes. Well, firstly, my predecessor Karoline Leavitt did an incredible job. And I completely agree with, the choice of new media seat.
Hello. We will take Peter Doocy.
PETER DOOCY, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, FOX NEWS CHANNEL: Thanks, Katie.
ZACHARIA: Yes.
DOOCY: Nice to meet you.
I want to ask you a policy question. Has the U.S. stopped sharing intel with Ukraine?
ZACHARIA: I'll have to get back to you on that.
REPORTER: Katie--
ZACHARIA: Elina Shirazi.
REPORTER: Katie -- Katie--
ZACHARIA: Yes.
REPORTER: Katie -- Katie--
ZACHARIA: Elina Shirazi.
ELINA SHIRAZI, U.S. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, DAILY MAIL: Katie. Hi. Congrats on the job, first of all.
ZACHARIA: Thank you.
SHIRAZI: And I have two questions for you, if you can.
ZACHARIA: Yes.
SHIRAZI: First of all, on Kimberly Guilfoyle. The Daily Mail has been reporting on her since last year. The President said yesterday to reporters that he is considering firing her. Do you know a timeline for that, and also potentially who could be on the shortlist to replace her if he does?
ZACHARIA: We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.
SHIRAZI: OK. Second question for you, if I may, a personal question. Your family is in California. Your husband. You have four children. I'm wondering how you manage -- how are you going to manage that?
ZACHARIA: I love being with my kids. The idea of not spending evenings with my kids are -- is completely unacceptable. So, my President -- excuse me, my husband -- that's a -- that's a good one.
In fact, I am going to end it because President Trump is heading out to Marine One for our historic trip to Alaska, and we can ask him all of the questions out there. So, thank you so much.
[21:25:00]
REPORTER: Katie. Did the President speak with Ambassador Guilfoyle--
ZACHARIA: The -- the -- to the question on the -- the President will be back on Thursday, and that's what I will answer. I'll leave it there.
REPORTER: Can you take a few more questions, Katie?
ZACHARIA: He will -- he will answer those questions out in Marine One.
REPORTER: Can you take a few more questions since it's a press briefing?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: There were audible gasps inside the room, given Zacharia only called on three reporters total, before ending her first briefing entirely after five and a half minutes of those questions.
About an hour later, she appeared with President Trump, as he departed the White House for Alaska, where he was asked what he thought about her first performance, and she raised even more questions about her claims that she is an attorney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I thought she was excellent. I thought she was very good. I thought she was very good.
SHAWN MCCREESH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: What state did she pass the bar exam in? You said she's an attorney. Where did she pass the bar exam? Which state?
TRUMP: Which state?
MCCREESH: Could you tell us?
ZACHARIA: When I moved to China.
REPORTER: Where did you pass the bar exam?
MCCREESH: Where did you pass the bar exam?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: And that was The New York Times' Shawn McCreesh, asking that last question there. He is my source tonight.
Along with the former Trump White House Deputy Press Secretary, Sarah Matthews.
And Shawn, I want to talk about Katie Zacharia's resume in a second, what she said previously. But as a fellow White House reporter who was in that room today, what were your thoughts on the briefing?
MCCREESH: Yes, I was sitting there right behind you. I think, well, we were all stunned when she just sort of walked out of there after five and a half minutes.
But I think that, to be blunt, I think that you could smell the fear. She seemed extremely nervous. I think that leaving the warm bath of Fox News and actually coming into a Briefing Room where anything can happen, you can get any question, is just a totally different environment.
And I have to say, the Ukraine question, the fact that she couldn't even answer that, was really telling. That was basically the only question of any actual substance that she got in the five and a half minutes she was up there, and it was one that she should have totally had an answer for because it was really predictable she was going to get that. It's sort of the main storyline in the Capitol this week.
K. COLLINS: Yes, and I mean to that point, Sarah Matthews, you're someone who has been involved in the briefing prep that under -- that goes -- is underway before a press secretary comes out to the Briefing Room. You worked in the press office. How did you think that she did?
SARAH MATTHEWS, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, needless to say, I think that reporters like you and Shawn who came to the Briefing Room, hungry for answers today, left severely malnourished, and I think that that's the fault on Katie Zacharia and the White House team for not prepping her adequately.
And I don't know why they rushed her to the podium. I know that for Kayleigh, she spent like a week or two prepping before she actually did her first briefing. And say what you want about her predecessors, love them or hate them, Kayleigh McEnany and Karoline Leavitt came out swinging at their first briefings. They came out sharp, confident, and prepared, and they showed that they had the chops to do the job.
I don't think you can say the same about Katie Zacharia. Now, maybe if she had had more prep time, she would have been prepped for a question like the Ukraine question. But to flub an easily predictable question at her first briefing, and then only take questions from three reporters who I will point out come from friendly conservative outlets, I feel like it just -- it didn't set the right tone for her.
And one of my biggest roles in my job, as deputy press secretary, was helping doing the briefing prep. And I will say, that 99 percent of the time, we anticipated every single question we were asked, and we had a binder of notes for the press secretary to reference, and I think that it just showed a lack of preparation on her part.
And I don't know if President Trump was maybe forcing her to go to the podium before she was really ready. Maybe that's what happened because he wants a spokesperson out there and defending him, and he wanted her to do it quickly. But I think that it was a real misstep, on their part, for rushing her to the podium because she was not in command of that Briefing Room. K. COLLINS: Yes, and Shawn, I mentioned the question that you were asked -- that you were asking when she was out there with the President. This was first raised about her argument and what she said before, that she's an attorney. Judd Legum and the Popular Information blog had also raised this and said basically, they couldn't find any evidence of her taking or passing the bar exam.
And afterward, after this came up and you asked that question, the California State Bar, where she's from, they told my colleague, Kit Maher, The State Bar of California has no record of Kate Sharon Zacharia or Kate Sharon Black -- her maiden name -- having been licensed to practice law in California. Due to confidentiality requirements, the State Bar can only confirm whether someone passed it, not whether they took it.
What did you make of that?
[21:30:00]
MCCREESH: Yes, that guy Judd had a great report that I looked at just before the briefing began, and I figured it -- simple enough question to ask, and it was interesting to ask it of her when they were together.
And I looked at the President and asked that, and he just sort of looked back at her like, Well, you know, which state? Where'd you -- where'd you pass the bar exam?
And when she said, China, it was just such a spectacularly absurd response.
And I would love to know what the President made of it. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in that helicopter and the plane when they went all the way to Alaska together after that. And I think that reporters have a lot more to do about her background.
K. COLLINS: Yes, I think that's safe to say, especially, or maybe the White House does. It wasn't even clear to me if they knew because they were putting out statements today, talking about her moving to China and his job at an American private equity firm. But they didn't really respond, or they didn't respond at all to whether or not she had passed the bar exam, which anyone who has, knows that's a key distinction, obviously. I certainly haven't.
Sarah. The other thing that she did make news on, though, was about Kimberly Guilfoyle. She came out today. She has now formally resigned her post, as the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, after those reports alleging misconduct, which she's denied.
What did you make of the way that that -- that that happened? Given you've witnessed obviously previous ousters from the Trump administration in the first term.
MATTHEWS: Yes, we're obviously used to the President usually being the one to announce this type of news. But I think that this was actually a strategic move by the press team, that they knew that they were going to keep the briefing short because they knew she wasn't adequately prepared, or they may be saw how nervous she was, so they gave her a handful of reporters, call on these folks and then cut the briefing short. But they wanted her to drop one newsy nugget, so at least there was some news to come out of the briefing, and they gave her obviously this little tidbit of news.
But it was interesting to see then in the aftermath, the President tried to distance himself from Kimberly Guilfoyle and claimed he barely knew her. This was someone who was engaged to his son for four years. She was in the innermost circle of the family, and that's the issue: is that when that engagement ended, they wanted to keep her happy because she knows where the bodies are buried. So, that's why she got this ambassadorship to begin with.
And now that obviously because of all the corruption and scandal that seems to be coming out of her tenure there, and they're forcing her out, I think that they -- they're going to have to find a way to make sure that she leaves on good terms. Obviously, them asking her to resign rather than firing her is one way of them doing that.
But I think that -- I wouldn't rule out the possibility that they end up giving her a pardon, ultimately. Because, we know that this is someone who clearly, it sounds like, maybe has some financial issues when she's paying -- asking a Trump donor to pay off $100,000 in credit card debt. They don't want her to go write a tell-all book and get millions of dollars to sign a book deal and tell all their family secrets. So, I think that there could be something else in the works to make sure that Kimberly Guilfoyle keeps her mouth shut.
K. COLLINS: Yes. I talked to a Trump ally today who was saying exactly that. That, she knows a lot about the Trump family and what's happened in the inner circle. She saw a lot, has been there for a lot. We'll see what happens.
Sarah Matthews. Shawn McCreesh. Great to have both of you here tonight.
Up next. Do Democrats actually have a chance in Mississippi? That's a question a lot of people are asking. My Democratic source tonight believes the answer is yes. He's running for Senate there. He was just endorsed by former President Barack Obama. And he'll join me right after this.
[21:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
K. COLLINS: And this is a special edition of THE SOURCE. With just 21 days to go until the midterm elections. And Republicans, in the last few weeks, are racing to protect seats that were once considered by the GOP to be safe.
It's a panic that has given Democrats hope in races that are deep inside Trump country, places that were once unthinkable for Democrats to win, including in ruby red Mississippi. Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith there is running against the District Attorney Scott Colom, who is getting a boost from prominent Democrats dreaming about a potentially monumental upset.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, 44TH U.S. PRESIDENT: Mississippi, it's time for a change, and that's why you need to send Scott Colom to the U.S. Senate. Now he's running for Senate to raise wages, lower costs, and save your health care and hospitals. Mississippi, your vote matters. Let's get this done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: And my source tonight is Mississippi's Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, Scott Colom.
And thank you, sir, for being here.
I don't have to tell you, the last time a Democrat won a Senate race in Mississippi was 1982, I believe I read. That was before you were actually born.
SCOTT COLOM, (D) MISSISSIPPI SENATE CANDIDATE: It's true.
K. COLLINS: Some people might look at those numbers and say, Why would this be any different this year?
COLOM: Well, I'll tell you, it's because Mississippians have been betrayed on every issue that matter.
On cost of living, they were promised lower grocery prices and lower gas prices. Well, that was a lie. Everything's higher.
On no more conflicts overseas. We're back in another endless war that's costing Mississippians.
On concepts of a health care plan. Listen, the concept is 400,000 Mississippians don't have health insurance. And next year is going to be even worse. Another 100,000 at least are going to lose health insurance.
But the thing we have been getting is corruption. We've been getting corruption from our president. And we've been getting corruption from our junior senator. She's selling us out to data centers and to big lobbyists and corporations.
[21:40:00]
K. COLLINS: When you look at this race and how you just laid it out there, the argument you've been making, you got a huge boost from that campaign ad from former President Obama.
The Washington Post says that the most recent filing from the campaign wing though, for Senate Democrats, entered this month without committing any new funds to your campaign. Do you think that the National Party, the National Democratic Party has overlooked your race?
COLOM: Well, what I'll say is this: It's the people of Mississippi built this campaign. We did the grassroots level. I've done over 60 town halls. I've been to the music festival, the housing projects. Our junior senator, she hasn't done one town hall in six years. She refuses to debate me.
But because I had the courage to get out there and fight for Mississippi values and vision, we were able to get the polling within the margin of error. If you look at the primary, we increased turnout by 90 percent, the gap between Republicans and Democratic voters was only 8,000.
And so, what the National Party has to understand is that when you don't respect Mississippi, you're not respecting our country because, this country is never going to reach its potential if Mississippians don't have good jobs, good education, and good health care.
K. COLLINS: And do you think national Democrats are respecting Mississippi?
COLOM: Well, I think some are. You know, Senator Warnock is going to be down here tomorrow. I'm honored to have President Obama's support. And I think you know Pete Buttigieg -- Mayor Pete Buttigieg is coming.
People are starting to wake up to the reality that first off, it's a math case. I mean, the math in Mississippi makes sense. 38 percent of the population is African American. They vote 90 to 95 percent Democrat. There's a lot of white rural Democrats that are being ignored. But also, it's our moral case. Our country will never reach its potential until we realize places like Mississippi have to matter.
K. COLLINS: You mentioned Senator Warnock and Pete Buttigieg. What about Chuck Schumer?
COLOM: You know, the thing about -- I worry about the people of Mississippi, you know. I don't know -- he's -- he doesn't have the -- he doesn't -- I want to focus on the people who the people of Mississippi like and gets attention to the issues that matter.
Think about Pete Buttigieg. He was Transportation Secretary, and he brought a lot of infrastructure to the State of Mississippi, infrastructure that our junior senator voted against, like Jackson Water and fixing that crisis. He helped fix that. Our junior senator didn't care enough about it.
K. COLLINS: One of the biggest issues -- and I mean, I was home in Alabama, last weekend. This was a big thing that a lot of people were asking me about -- is the Iran war and what it means for what people in Alabama and Mississippi are paying, and all over the United States, for gas?
What are you hearing? What do you hear the most when you're out on the campaign trail at these town halls, at these music festivals, when you're talking to voters about this?
COLOM: That people are struggling, farmers are struggling.
Look at -- look at our farmers in Mississippi. They were told the tariffs were necessary, even though it cost them a customer in the selling of soybeans. Then they were told the war in Iran was necessary, even though it has diesel through the roof. But the final straw was when the President imported cheap beef. It looks like a corrupt deal that caused them to do it. And our junior senator did not stand up for the Mississippi farmers. She totally sold them out.
So, on every issue, Mississippians feel betrayed, and they look like it's all about the people in D.C. and their families, and not Mississippi families.
K. COLLINS: Scott Colom, we will obviously see what plays out three weeks from today. Thank you for joining us tonight, and I really appreciate your time.
COLOM: Thank you for having me. God bless.
K. COLLINS: Up next. From Mississippi, we're going to Texas. More than half a billion dollars has been spent there. That is wild.
And tonight, Ken Paxton is facing another controversial report. My colleague, Jeff Zeleny, is live on the ground in Fort Worth, and he'll join us with the campaign's response, next.
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
K. COLLINS: You're watching a special edition of THE SOURCE, as we are counting down to the 2026 midterms and getting closer every day.
With just those three weeks to go, the Vice President, JD Vance, was defending and campaigning for the Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas, a state that I should note has not elected any Democrats statewide since 1994.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: We're campaigning in red states. We're campaigning in some blue states. We're also campaigning in some purple states. I mean, it's the nature of a midterm election where you don't really know how things are going to go.
Ken is obviously in a tight -- a tight race. He's a new senator, a guy -- or a new candidate for Senate, a guy where the far-left has spent well over $100 million trying to destroy him, and so we're trying to build him back up a little bit.
I think he's ultimately going to win, but you know, I know from -- from personal history, when a lot of money comes against you, that can have an effect even in a red state.
(END VIDEO CLIP) K. COLLINS: A lot of money, probably an understatement there. Because, new data shows ad spending in the Texas Senate race has now surpassed half a billion dollars, with Republicans accounting for $368 million of that. As polls have been showing, James Talarico, the Democrat, locked in that tight race with Ken Paxton.
Overnight, The Wall Street Journal also reported that less than two years ago, Paxton was partying in Dubai with two U.S. fugitives, alongside his girlfriend, despite the fact that he was still married at the time.
The Journal obtained video of a New Year's Eve party in 2024. Ken Paxton was there, alongside his girlfriend, according to The Journal, and also a man who was indicted that same year for embezzling millions from a Chicago hospital. Now, according to court filings and The Journal's reporting, the other fugitive at that party donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Ken Paxton's campaign, including $25,000, after he was indicted.
Both men are now back in the U.S. to face charges. And of course, a reminder: Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General, making him the state's top law enforcement officer.
[21:50:00]
My source tonight is Jeff Zeleny, who is just outside Fort Worth, Texas.
And Jeff. Obviously, this report came out. The big question is how is the Paxton campaign responding to these allegations?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kaitlan, this is just one of the many things that the President and the White House were aware of before the President issued that endorsement back in May. That critical endorsement, which of course led to Ken Paxton beating John Cornyn in the primary, and the rest is unfolded in one of the most expensive races in the country.
But the Paxton campaign is saying this tonight, in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. It says, Like President Trump, Ken Paxton has been politically persecuted for years, and every time, voters have seen through it and sent him back to office because they know he has always fought for Texas.
But Kaitlan, again, this is one of the things that is really giving so many Republican officials in Washington who are concerned about the Senate majority, pause, about the state of his race.
K. COLLINS: Jeff, what are Republicans in Texas saying on the ground about this race?
ZELENY: Well, look, I mean, they are just flabbergasted, in some respect, that it has come down to this. We're here three weeks before Election Night, and there is so much worry and concern about what is going to happen here in Texas. I mean, it's playing out in other red states as well, in Kansas, in Ohio, in Iowa. But here in Texas. Some Republicans believe that it shouldn't have come to this. If Ken Paxton hadn't been the nominee, this race likely would not be competitive.
However, it's one of the reasons that the President is coming in, the Vice President is coming in, to try and fire up their supporters, their voters in rural Texas, in places throughout the state. The Vice President was in East Texas today, to remind them the importance of this vote. But they are nervous. There's no doubt.
And for all the talk of the Vice President saying that Ken Paxton has a lot of money being thrown against him. Well, the reality here is that Republicans, between September 1st and Election Day, are spending about three and a half times more, trying to rescue Paxton and define Talarico as too liberal for the state. So, the money is on the Republican side. That's one of their advantages here. We'll see if it's the only one.
K. COLLINS: Jeff, when you look at this race. And we hear a lot about James Talarico. And Ken Paxton's troubles that he's had, that even Republicans acknowledge. Some people might say, is there -- is it the optimism that's behind Talarico's campaign more about him as a candidate and what he is bringing, and this rare Democrat in Texas who's surging in this way? Or is it because of stories like the one tonight from The Wall Street Journal that are so bad about Ken Paxton and what they allege?
ZELENY: There's no doubt that Talarico's path to victory requires both of those to be true. I mean, there is excitement and optimism for James Talarico, a young state lawmaker here, elected at age 29 to the Texas legislature. He was not even born the last time that a Democratic Senate candidate was re-elected here in Texas. That was Lloyd Bentsen in 1988. So, there is hope and optimism in here. There's no doubt about it. But there also is the weakness of Paxton that makes this different from so many other years.
And for all the President's sort of attacks, when he comes here, the Vice President as well. We talked to a lot of voters about what they think of these comments from the White House, the President, and the Vice President, the name-calling. And it's not going over well with at least some Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE NODECKER, LIFELONG REPUBLICAN VOTER: The name-calling, the slurs about implying that he's a homosexual, which, if he is, who cares? Implying that he doesn't eat meat. You know, things that just doesn't matter.
ZELENY: Like Trump called him a vegan and all the other things.
NODECKER: Yes, and it's like who cares? I mean, it just literally doesn't matter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: Wow.
ZELENY: And that was Pete Nodecker, a lifelong Republican, voted for President Trump twice, was turned off by the attacks on the Capitol of January 6th.
But he said that every time the President visits Texas, he is more enthused to vote for Talarico, and he believes he's not alone on that score, Kaitlan.
K. COLLINS: Yes, lifelong Republican voter. That was really interesting.
Jeff Zeleny, on the ground in Texas. Thank you for joining us here on THE SOURCE tonight.
And a note for all of our viewers. Tomorrow, you can watch, as Erin Burnett is going to moderate our CNN and Jubilee Town Hall with James Talarico at 08:00 p.m. Eastern. We will be hosting the post-show coverage at 09:30 p.m. Eastern, after we hear from the voters themselves, questioning James Talarico. You can watch it here on CNN, and also stream it live with our All Access subscription.
Up next. It is time for Source Code. Tonight, it is 3,889,199. OK. We'll be back with the story.
[21:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
K. COLLINS: Tonight's Source Code is 3,889,199. Because that is how many ballots have actually already been cast, with 21 days still to go before Election Day.
I noted earlier, polls opened in Georgia today. It was the first day of early voting there. The Secretary of State's office says tonight that more than a 188,000 ballots were cast in person today. That's about 50,000 more than this point in the 2022 midterm elections.
And my colleague, Ryan Young, spoke to several voters who were lining up about the issues that are driving them to the polls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BONITA GWYNN, GEORGIA VOTER: Because of the economy, the prices of the food, and everything. And this needs to stop. And we can't -- there's a lot of people that's actually struggling to even make it.
[22:00:00]
ROBERT TUCKER, GEORGIA VOTER: Mainly, gas prices is crazy. Food prices are really ridiculous. You know, we just trying to make a change.
RICKY STEELE, GEORGIA VOTER: I want to make sure that the right guys get my vote. And I hope that each and every one of them win. They probably won't. But that's what's called America. That's how we do it here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
K. COLLINS: And on that note, thank you so much for joining us tonight.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT" with its countdown to Election Night starts now.
