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America Votes In The Midterms; Steffan Nero: The Record-Breaking Blind Cricketer. Aired 4-4:10 a ET

Aired November 09, 2022 - 04:00:00   ET

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

COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Wonderful Wednesday to you. I know we`re just halfway through the week, but we`re going to keep on

grinding and shining because that`s just what we do.

I`m Coy. This is CNN 10 and we`ve got a rendezvous with the news.

Yesterday was election day in America. Millions of adults all across the country went to the polls to cast their votes for representatives in

Congress, senators and state and local officials.

The results were still coming in when we produced this show for the latest info check out CNN.com where results are updated in real time.

But between early voting which shattered state records in Georgia and absentee ballots and the sheer volume of votes on election day it could be

a while before we know who the winners are all eyes are on the results in Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania, battleground states that

Biden flipped to Democratic states in the 2020 presidential election. But now, Republicans are hoping to gain control there.

Experts say the 2022 midterm results could foreshadow the 2024 presidential contest. Polls indicate that most voters rank the economy as the number one

issue on their minds, but women`s rights, guns and public safety as well as immigration and election security are also major issues that are important

to voters in this election.

Let`s hear now from chief national correspondent John King in the election center who explains the early signs he`s looking for as election results

come in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Let`s start in the House.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Four hundred thirty-five races in all, under new lines because of the census two years ago, the

redistricting process. As you know better than anybody, they`re not all competitive. So, what we`ve done is we`ve identified working with our

partners at inside elections, 82 competitive seats heading into election day.

And as you can see, they are coast to coast. Another way to look at it, look at this, just to understand Democrats are on defense. It`s a

Democratic president`s first midterm. It`s a tough climate, just look down here at the key to these seats.

BASH: Yeah.

KING: Fifty-seven of the competitive seats have Democratic incumbents almost three times as many, almost three times as many of Republicans.

There are three new seats here too as you look at the map. So Democrats are on their heels defending much more territory in a tough year. That`s one

way to look at it.

Now let`s bring it up, the big question is, who can get to 2018, right? And in our rankings right now, we already have Republicans favored in seats.

Now some of those are just barely favored you see the lighter red on the map. But Republicans have a huge advantage going into election day and if

you look down and, you know, the race is very well. These toss-up races go coast to coast.

BASH: Let`s look at the Senate. Obviously right now, 50-50.

KING: Right.

BASH: It could go so many different ways.

KING: The chess game here, you can game it out. Reasonably, Democrats winning here, Republicans winning there were elections in all. Again, you

work with -- we`ve worked with our partners here to identify the competitive seats. Eight elections of the Senate, we view as competitive.

It could be more. Republicans think they could surprise us in some places of these eight. They`re evenly divided now between held by Democrats or

held by Republicans. Best way to look at this is to come into the balance of power as you come into the control right now.

Again, Democrats enter the election, 50-50. The vice president United States breaks the ties. So Democrats can`t afford to lose essentially. And

so, you have the states on the map if you come in now to how we rank them, the goal or the toss-up states, one is a Republican held state right now,

no incumbent Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent in Georgia, the probably the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent you were just out there in Nevada.

BASH: Yeah.

KING: This is where the chess gets fascinating.

BASH: Yeah. And so many -- I mean, you`re saying that these yellow are maybe the tightest, but that might belie what we`re actually seeing on the

ground, which is a wider swath of really, really tight races.

KING: But it is possible, again, we know these races are competitive right. But we still tilt New Hampshire Democratic, Republicans think they

can pick up that seat. We still tilt Arizona Democratic; Republicans think that one is within their reach. They say watch, we still have -- this as

likely Dem up in Washington state, in Colorado, Republicans say keep an eye on everything.

So you could -- you conceivably could get Republicans to 52 or 53. You can also get the Democrats to 51 or stay status quo at 50.

Again, this race could decide the Senate. In the end, does anybody get above or are we going are we going another month?

BASH: Or are we going to be standing here in December?

KING: On December 6th, but you were just out here. This is what Democrats worry about most. They view Catherine Cortez Masto as the most vulnerable

Democrat and again think about the math, right? We won`t know that one because it`s out west, right?

The Democrats would love to pick up Pennsylvania as a safety valve an insurance policy against maybe losing out in Nevada.

BASH: It is going to be a long and very exciting night.

KING: Week.

BASH: Maybe week.

John King, thank you.

KING: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Ten-second trivia:

In what sport would you find a gully, sweeper and a wicket keeper?

Curling, bowling, cricket or lacrosse?

The answer here is cricket in which the only field are allowed to wear gloves is called the wicket keeper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Our next story involves the sport of cricket but it`s about so much more than the intricacies of the game. It showcases a much broader dynamic

of sports and highlights the importance of camaraderie, lifting each other up and setting aside differences to work together towards something greater

than ourselves.

Steffan Nero is visually impaired. He struggled to fit in, but his life changed when he found his squad, and he`s gone on to shatter records.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUBTITLE: Steffan Nero is not your average athlete.

Born with two visual impairments, he struggled at school, failing to find a place where he felt he fitted in.

After discovering visually impaired sports, Australian Nero started playing blind cricket and found new horizons.

STEFFAN NERO, BLIND CRICKETER: Sport is for me is such a big part of my life. like I can`t really understate it, to be honest. I never really

connected with other people my age regarding, you know, just obviously other people who didn`t have the same obviously sight condition as me. But

I usually felt quite lonely at high in high school.

Sport, I would say, really changed my life and really pushed me to realize that I do have a lot of potential. I`d say I`ve flourished in a way. I

became much more confident in myself.

Part of a family, you`re part of a group, you all dealt with the same experiences. You can speak to each other, and that`s something that I

really needed when I was growing up, because I think without it I`ve been a much more -- much different situation without those kinds of experiences.

SUBTITLE: Blind cricket differs from the able-bodied version in a number of ways.

Players of varying visual impairments bowl a ball with internal bearings underhanded, allowing it to be heard.

Nero etched his name into sporting history when he scored a record-breaking 309 not out innings against New Zealand.

NERO: Once I got the 300-mark, I was just like, okay, this is, you know, I can even make history here. When everyone was clapping as well, it was

amazing feeling to experience and something I could say I`ll never forget for the rest of my life.

Obviously, it wasn`t just me, but it was the team and my coaching staff, everyone, my parents, everyone. But still my name was said, Steffan Nero

has made 309. So still a very special moment.

SUBTITLE: Although the response was overwhelmingly positive, there were still some negative comments around the record.

NERO: Majority of people obviously very crisp of saying, oh, wow, didn`t realize this game that I think it can -- it helps to kind of change

people`s minds a bit about what disability means as well. I did hear a few comments saying oh you know it`s just disability cricket. You know that

kind of thing.

But like I said a lot of people just making jokes about it as well, which happens, you know, that`s the way it is on social media. After a while, I

stopped looking at the comments and stuff as well and just kind of just ignored it and said, you know what, this is something that I think is

really positive for blind cricket, for people with disabilities in Australia as well.

SUBTITLE: As well as furthering the sport, Nero wants to use his position to inspire the next generation.

NERO: I always say, if you try something, you don`t like it, then that`s fine. Unless you`ve tried it, you know, you`re taking that first step. It

probably will be the hardest thing you ever do, but once it happens and you`re involved in that kind of group and that community, I think things

get much easier and can be quite a really rewarding experience.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: Today`s 10 out of 10 story might cause an uproar, and I ain`t even lying. The Oklahoma City zoo needs names for its litter of African lion

cubs, and it`s asking the public to pick `em.

Born September 26 at the zoo`s lion overlook habitat, these cute baby lions are the zoo`s first in 15 years. Before the cubs are old enough to be put

in public display though, they need names. But before you toss out names like Santa Claws (ph), Empe-roar (ph), or Kitty Purrie (ph), you have to

cast your vote on a pre-approved name on a list on the zoo`s website.

Shout out time now. High five and a high 10 to Maclay Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida. Hope you all have a happy day.

And remember, happiness isn`t some idea that we have to chase or find or create. Happiness is right here, right now, whenever we choose to embrace

it. Much love and many blessings.

I`m Coy and this is CNN 10.

END