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Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi Freed from Mexican Jail; NTSB Investigating Space Plane Accident; GOP Takes Aim at Obama as Election Nears; Lava Flow Threatens Hawaiian Town; Marine Reservist Freed By Mexico Is Back Home; Maine Nurse Freed From Quarantine; Cops On Alert For Potential Ax Attacks

Aired November 01, 2014 - 11:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is the 11:00 Eastern hour of the NEWSROOM which begins right now.

A U.S. Marine reservist held in Mexico for months is now free. Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi landed in the United States for the first time in seven months. And in 15 minutes the family spokesman holds a news conference in Westin, Florida. We'll take you there live.

And in California, a spaceship breaks up in the sky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Space is hard. And today was a tough day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The pieces plummeted to the ground. We're live in the Mojave Desert straight ahead.

And it is the frenzied last weekend of campaigning before the midterm elections. Candidates across the country are calling in the big names. And we dig in to the key races that are so close.

All that, coming up.

All right. Let's begin this hour with a long-awaited moment of freedom. After seven months in a Mexican prison a U.S. Marine Corps reservist is free. Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi touched down in his home state of Florida just hours ago after an early morning flight from San Diego.

The Afghanistan war veteran was arrested March 31st after he crossed into Tijuana with three guns in his truck. He told authorities he took a wrong turn near the border.

Nick Valencia joining me now. So Nick, you have been following this story from the very beginning. A Mexican court official says he was released on psychological grounds. Is this related to the PTSD allegations, et cetera?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. They've been trying to get his release on humanitarian grounds. We know in the last couple weeks, very high levels in the Mexican government, the wheels were in motion to try to find a way to get him. On the Mexican national side, a lot of people don't believe his story. They say it doesn't add up. So there was a lot of pressure on the Mexican government to keep him in jail and not cave to the pressure from United States and his supporters here in the U.S.

But officially Fred, you talk about PTSD, officially it is not treated in Mexican prison so the Mexican attorney-general's office deciding on humanitarian grounds to withdraw those allegations, those weapon charges and that led to his release. You see him there earlier this morning, getting off a plane, private jet flanked by former U.N ambassador and governor -- former governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson. A lot of people played a part in getting his release -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That's incredible. So now, what do we know about his condition -- physically, mentally?

VALENCIA: Well, you know, we've done a lot of reporting on this show and other platforms at CNN. We've spoken to him several times. His condition every time I've spoken to him over the phone was getting worse and worse. His family --

WHITFIELD: In what way?

VALENCIA: Well -- mental health. He was becoming more withdrawn. He was becoming more introverted. He was already sort of a quiet individual and because he was suffering from this clinically diagnosed posttraumatic stress. His family says that this time in prison, this seven months in confinement just added up. There's allegations of torture, allegations of abuse on the Mexican side that the Mexican government denied.

The family says he was tortured, shackled by all fours at one point, naked in his cell. He at one point admits he tried to take his own life by cutting his neck with a light bulb. His family has maintained all along that he's not mentally well. And they've tried to secure his release again on this humanitarian ground. Now the Mexican side saying we simply don't have the resources to treat PTSD so we've got let him go.

WHITFIELD: Some interesting players involved here.

VALENCIA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Bill Richardson we saw, you know, Montel Williams coming off the plane as well. What is the story behind this conglomeration of people and how they were able to use their power and their status to try and win his freedom?

VALENCIA: It is a myriad of players in it. Bill Richardson recently got involved. He's been involved at (inaudible) negotiations in North Korea. He's got a good relationship with the Mexican side.

Montel Williams, former lieutenant commander for the U.S. Coast Guard does a lot of work with veterans, does a lot of work with mental health issues. He felt like it was his job to get involved. He reached out to the family. And it's actually -- you know, it's worked out very well. He testified in front of Congress on October 1st, very passionate speech that he gave there in front of Congress on Capitol Hill.

And then you also saw Chairman Ed Royce of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as well as Congressman Matt Salmon from Arizona. All of them played a part very early on visiting Andrew Tahmooressi in prison when he was in Tijuana and he got transferred to Tecate, Mexico at El Longo Penitentiary.

So much work has gone into this. And it may seem that this sort of came out of nowhere but according to the family they tell me that the wheels have really been in motion the last ten days. And they thought that they were going to get the release on Tuesday. It ends up that they got this release on Friday.

We're waiting for this press conference to happen to happen in about 15 minutes where the family will come out. Not Tahmooressi or his mother Jill, but a family spokesman will come out can talk about what happened, what led to this release. What was behind it? And also share some materials there. I just got off the phone with --

WHITFIELD: What kind of materials? What do you mean by that?

VALENCIA: We don't know. We know that his car, his truck that seized along with his possessions still in Mexico. They are going talk about that at the press conference I'm told as well as other documents that they have. Some from the Mexican government I'm told as well. We just don't know the specific or the details of what's going to be shown but a lot of people waiting to see if Andrew will be there. We're told he's not going to be there but a lot of people waiting to see his first interview.

WHITFIELD: All right. Fascinating stuff. Thank you so much Nick Valencia for bringing that us to. Of course 15 minutes from now when the family spokesperson does take to the microphones -- you saw the live shot, there it is right there out of South Florida -- we will take that live and bring to it you from Westin, Florida. And thanks again nick.

All right. Today, Virgin Galactic CEO Richard Branson is expected to arrive at site of that Spaceship Two accident. The space plane fell apart just two minutes after Friday's launch over the Mojave Desert. One pilot was killed, the other parachuted to the ground and remains hospitalized.

It is the second private space disaster this week. Earlier a rocket exploded on the launch pad.

Our Stephanie Elam is live for us near the launch site. Stephanie, there are questions about the fuel mixture apparently used in yesterday's launch. What more are you learning?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, there are a lot of questions about what went wrong. And from what we can gather about that fuel mixture, it is something that had been ground tested but perhaps not necessarily tested in flight. We also know that according to people here on the ground that it did not look out of the ordinary, what happened when Spaceship Two as it was known took off as part of the White Knight Two which is the aircraft that lifts it up to 50,000 feet and then allows Spaceship Two to disconnect and then head into that low area of space.

Well from what we can gather everything looked normal. It is what didn't happen about two minutes into the flight that seemed to be a problem there. We're still waiting to get more information on exactly what that meant.

But you are talking about a vehicle that is supposed to go 62 miles above earth. That's very hard to even fathom how far up that is to allow just regular common people to experience what it is like going into space and having about six minutes of weightlessness in that time.

At this point though we know that this spaceship cost about half a billion dollars to build. And they were hoping to get people up into the skies as early as next year. Obviously all of that has to be reevaluated when you look at the loss of life and the loss of machinery -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Stephanie, what more can you tell us about the pilots? We know that one perished, the other remains hospitalized. What more can you tell us about their expertise, their commitment to this project?

ELAM: We do know that they -- from what I can gather from some of the information that we've seen that they have been in this community in this space exploration aeronautics community for a long time. Who these two people are, we still don't know. We've reached out to see if we can get clarity on that today. We do not know.

We do know that the injuries sustained by the person who lived are very serious. He parachuted out but it doesn't sound like it was just completely without injury situation for him or her at this point. So when you look at the situation it still seems very scary and we're still waiting to get more details on that hopefully as the day continues to go on here -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Stephanie Elam, thanks so much in Mojave Desert there.

And now to some sad news coming out of Washington State. A third teenager has died after last week's high school shooting north of Seattle. 14-year-old Shaylee Chuckulnaskit was gunned down near her school cafeteria. Her parents described Shaylee as a radiant light in their lives. One other student was killed on the scene and another died Sunday night. Authorities say shooter, Jaylen Fryberg invited his victims to the same lunch table by texting them and then he took his own life at that school that same day.

A woman in Portland, Oregon who recently traveled from West Africa is now hospitalized and quarantined. She had been self-monitoring for ebola symptoms and discovered she had a fever Friday morning. According to our affiliate KOIN, she is 21 years old and moved from Liberia to Portland on Tuesday. Oregon health officials say she did not have any known exposure to ebola.

Meantime in Maine, a nurse who had treated ebola patients and refused to quarantine herself back in the U.S. has reached a deal with a judge. He ruled that Kaci Hickox does not need to quarantine herself as long as she submits to direct active monitoring.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KACI HICKOX, NURSE: I'm very happy with the decision the judge made. We're on the right track. I think now we're discussing as a nation and individual communities about this disease that has been wreaking havoc in West Africa for months now and no longer can we ignore this outbreak.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Hickox must let officials know if she wants to travel or she shows any more symptoms.

Here we go, Election Day just three days away now. So candidates are out in force this final weekend to win over voters and they're bringing out the big guns as well.

At this hour, Hillary Clinton is expected to speak on the campaign trail for Kentucky Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. Well, Grimes is trying to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

And while big names stump for Democrats, McConnell and other Republican candidates aren't just blasting their opponents on the campaign trail. They are also taking aim at President Barack Obama.

CNN's Erin McPike explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Obama making a last ditch effort to push women to the poles hoping to keep Republicans from controlling the Senate.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have to raise our voices to basically do away with policies and politicians that who belong in a "Madmen" episode. "Madmen" is a good show but that's not who we want making decisions about our work places these days.

MCPIKE: But he made those remarks in Rhode Island where there is no senate election Tuesday. He hasn't campaigned in the eight states with the most competitive senate races. With an approval rating of 45 percent Republicans are using him to drag down Democrats.

OBAMA: I'm not on the ballot this fall. Michelle is pretty happy about that. But make no mistake these policies are on the battle.

MCPIKE: In an election with no overriding single issue Republicans say it is President Obama's incompetence on those policies, mostly recently on ebola and the ISIS threat driving women away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In January, President Obama refers to the Islamic state as a JV team. Days later the Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on new global threats.

Senator Kay Hagan passed it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark Begich pretty much voted with the President on just about everything.

MCPIKE: These four Democratic women who've spent months distancing themselves from the President could be key to his last two years in office especially if Michelle Nunn in Georgia pulls off an upset.

But this Republican woman in Iowa.

JONI ERNST (R), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm Joni Ernst. I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm.

MCPIKE: The state that catapulted Barack Obama to the White House and kept him there could give the GOP the upper hand in the final chapter if his presidency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Erin McPike now joining us live from the White House. So Erin is the President making any campaign appearances himself this weekend?

MCPIKE: Fred, just a few. Today he is heading to Detroit and he will campaign for two Democrats there in Michigan who are really running in very safe races for them. And then tomorrow he'll head to Connecticut and then later to Philadelphia. Again he's going to be campaigning for some Democrats who really don't have much of a Republican threat. He is not making appearances in those really tight states with tight senate races -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Erin McPike, thanks so much for keeping us posted this weekend.

All right. Be sure to tune in to CNN for all of your election night coverage. It starts this Tuesday evening. Midterm elections, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.

But next we take you into some of the critical races that could change potentially the balance of power -- which states the political pros suggest you need to watch. Right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Can Republicans capture the U.S. Senate? That will be the key question as votes are counted Tuesday. And we may not get an answer even then. Some of these races may end up in runoffs that won't be decided for months.

Here's where we stand right now. Democrats control the senate with 53 members and two Independents who vote the Dems most of the time. Republicans need to pick up six seats to regain power for the first time since 2007.

So joining me right now to talk about the chances David Gergen, CNN senior political analyst and former advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton so; CNN political commentator Sally Kohn; and Doug Heye, former deputy chief of staff to Eric Cantor. Good to see all of you.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Thank you.

SALLY KOHN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Nice to see you Fred.

WHITFIELD: Ok. So David, you first, what is at stake here?

GERGEN: What is at stake here?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

GERGEN: A lot. The next two years are at stake and that is a wrap-up of course to the big enchilada in 2016. So governing over the next two years -- people forget that Barack Obama has more than two years left in office. And it is a big issue whether we attack the underlying problems of the country over the next two years or whether we have two more years of paralysis. The longer the paralysis goes on the tougher it is to fix these problems.

And the big, big issue there is if the Republicans take the Senate and if you were playing poker today you would much rather have the Republican hand than the Democratic hand. They have more high cards going in to this final countdown.

But if they win the Senate then the question becomes how do they govern? Can they get together? That would be the optimistic scenario. Or are we going to just have more gridlock and a lot of unilateral actions controversial coming out of the White House.

WHITFIELD: So Doug, how optimistic should voters be that perhaps there will be more of this sense of people working together post midterm elections because of so many lessons learned already. Or whether indeed, you know, the balance of power will mean it will be more gridlock out of Washington.

DOUG HEYE, FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO ERIC CANTOR: Well honestly, I think the answer is both, you know. It's going to be difficult to get some of the really large things done -- wholesale tax reform, immigration reform. But a Republican Senate can do something that a Democratic Senate hasn't done something in two years and that's govern.

Working in the House of Representatives the past two years, we passed several appropriations bills, we passed a budget. These are things the United States Senate couldn't do. If a Republican Senate is in place, we'll have a Republican House and a Republican Senate that will pass appropriations bill, will pass budgets and could do the small things of governing that just hasn't happened in Washington in a long time.

WHITFIELD: And sally.

KOHN: Look, it's funny. If there is anything more unpopular than President Obama right now it is Republicans in Congress. And this is the funny phenomenon. People say well then, why are they doing so well in these elections. First in a sixth year of a presidential election term usually the other party does much better than they are doing now first of all.

Second of all, you know, Republicans fair well in these local races and at red states but nationwide the American people are unhappy with this gridlock and they largely blame it on Republicans today. Want to see more of it -- no they don't. And I think the problem is if Republicans take the Senate there is going to be more pressure on them to -- I don't know, when the President puts conservative ideas on the table actually work with him to pass them as opposed to continuing to obstruct and obstruct and obstruct.

WHITFIELD: You know, what's interesting here Sally because if that seems to be kind of the conventional wisdom that, you know, people are very frustrated with the gridlock, people are very angry at the Republicans then you know, David, it's perplexing why so many Republicans would then use President Obama as their opponent. Because that I guess is a continuation of the criticism that people are articulating. That there is frustration, that there is this, you know, Republicans versus the President. But then that seems to be directing the campaigns in all of these states in order to win those additional six seats in the senate.

GERGEN: Well, I must say I think it is contradictory to argue that in a year if Republicans are likely to win back the seat maybe pick up six or more senate seats that that really reveals underlying frustration and anger with Republicans. I think what we see right now, there has been frustration with Republicans. This is a lot of anti-voting not pro-voting for Republicans. But at the moment the Obama presidency is much more in the forefront of people's minds and that's driving -- apparently driving some of these really contentious races.

We'll have to see how they come out. But there's no question that as in the past and Sally is right about that, usually in the sixth year the in-party loses some seats and that is because the in-party president has become more sour taste in the mouth of voters. And with the President down in the mid 40s and much lower in some of these contentious races that is what's driving these Republican victories.

WHITFIELD: So Doug, is this anger at the Republicans vote or anger at the President vote?

HEYE: Well, I'll agree with the President that his policies are on the ballot this year. And that's why it's not just red states but we're seeing also in blue and purple states. My home state of North Carolina has gone for Obama and against him. That's a tight race. New Hampshire is certainly not a red state. And also, Cory Gardner a great Republican member of Congress is going to win in Colorado, also not a red state.

WHITFIELD: Ok. And Sally -- you laughed.

KOHN: I think it's an anti-incumbency year -- right. And you look at well, why is Michelle Nunn in the very red state of Georgia doing so well? That's an undercut to Mr. Heye's argument here. But look, the reality is the policies are on the table and when the American people actually all vote, they support Democratic policies. This is a truism time and time again.

The issue again is look as Reince Priebus, the head of the Republican Party said, this is a party that can't lose a midterm and can't win a presidential election and these red places, they're very popular at the margins, they're very popular but you know look, future elections especially as more young people and people of color start voting, you know, there is not much hope for the Republicans.

WHITFIELD: All right. All fascinating stuff. We'll see how it all turns out on Tuesday. Thanks you guys.

GERGEN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: David Gergen, Sally Kohn, Doug Heye -- thanks to all of you, appreciate it.

KOHN: Thanks everyone.

HEYE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Of course CNN will have all of your election night coverage. That is Tuesday starting at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Ok. So it has been a very nervous waiting game in Hawaii, as lava creeps along getting even closer to homes -- just a football field away from many of those houses. The latest from Hawaii, next.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Heavy rains in Ventura County, California led to dangerous mud slides early this morning. Police evacuated residents from eleven homes as a precaution. And a man was briefly trapped in one of the homes but he was later found safe. There are no reports of any injuries. The same area of the mud slide was burned by a wild fire last year.

All right. Many people in Hawaii are still on edge. Lava continues to slowly flow out of a volcanic crater and it hasn't taken any homes yet but it is now less than 100 yards away. And Our Martin Savidge is on the big island of Hawaii and says history shows people are right to be concerned about their homes there.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the lava that is now flowing towards the town is now coming out of a vent that is called the Pu'u O'o (ph) vent. It's actually about 13 miles up slope and it's been flowing this way ever since the month June. The problem is it kind of flows and then stops and it flows and stops. And authorities admit if you are that town that in its path or someone who's evacuated, that can be painfully frustrating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: In the town Pahoa it is another day of worrying about what the lava will do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Evacuation advisory for those residents (inaudible) the flow will continue --

SAVIDGE: But if residents really want a glimpse of their possible future they only need to go about nine miles to the end of the road.

This is where the road ends and I brought you here because there's something to see just up this way.

This was the town of Kalapana; hundreds of people lived here. Between 1986 and 1991 lava from the Kilauea Volcano ran over Kalapana, burning then burying it. In his kitchen, as his grandson made dinner, 75- year-old Uncle Robert as he's known, counted the number of homes spared.

UNCLE ROBERT: Five house.

SAVIDGE: They're the only survivors.

UNCLE ROBERT: Yes. From -- in this area.

SAVIDGE: Just as in Pahoa now, in Kalapana then he says when the lava first came many thought it would miss them. They were wrong.

UNCLE ROBERT: No place is safe. No place is safe.

SAVIDGE: Before the lava stopped more than 150 homes were destroyed. This is a postcard of the Kalapana Beach back then -- absolutely gorgeous. No wonder people lived here. And where I'm standing now is where the water line used to be.

The lava pushed the beach a quarter of a mile away. So is Pahoa now doomed to the same fate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it would be premature for us to say that right now because things can happen up with the magma supply maybe to starve this.

SAVIDGE: But if the worst does happen, Uncle Robert offers this advice.

UNCLE ROBERT: I would say just accept. Be open. Understanding that we have no control.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Back in Kalipaana there are signs of life. A as new residents are begun building new homes on the old town that lies buried under 85 feet of lava.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SAVIDGE: There are two types of lava in Hawaii. There is the Pohoehoe and there is the Aa. The lava that is flowing towards this town is the Pohoehoe, which geologists say has the kind of trademark of the flowing and then stopping and starting again -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Incredible. Martin Savidge, thanks so much for joining us there from Hawaii.

Coming up in our 1:00 hour, I'm going to talk to a resident whose home is being threatened by the lava and I'll ask what he and his neighbors are doing to get ready.

And a U.S. Marine reservist is back on American soil after being held for months in Mexico. Next, the reaction from a former U.S. ambassador who was instrumental in his release and how Andrew Tahmooressi is doing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's a look at the top stories we're following. Federal officials are investigating that Virgin Galactic spaceship accident. The space plane broke apart and fell just 2 minutes after yesterday's launch over the Mojave Desert in California.

One pilot is dead and another seriously injured after parachuting to the ground. A new fuel mixture used in the test flight is being investigated.

And a former Florida A&M band member has been found guilty of manslaughter in a hazing case. Prosecutors say Dante Martin known as the president of Bus C organized the hazing rituals. A student from Georgia, Robert Champion, died after being hazed on a bus in 2011. Martin could be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.

And U.S. Marine Reservist Andrew Tahmooressi is free today and back home with his family in Florida. He was released late last night after spending seven months in a Mexican prison on gun charges.

Among those instrumental in Tahmooressi's release was former ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson, who spoke to cell body's Nick Valencia last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL RICHARDSON, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (via telephone): We thought he was going to be released Tuesday several days ago. And I went down there with a congressman, a bipartisan effort, with Montel. And it became very agonizing because there was a delay on the part of the judge, who I think in the end made the right decision based on humanitarian grounds, PTSD, to proceed with the release.

But we were working the phones, we were working -- not pressuring the -- but diplomacy with the Mexican government. The State Department helped, but it was a really a combined effort. I went to visit Sgt. Tahmooressi last week in his prison. I told him I thought the release was imminent, but I think it was a combination of factors and the recognition that the Mexican government was not pressured.

But they made the right correct judicial decision, which is based on PTSD, which they don't have much experience with in Mexico that they made this release.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You talked about the diplomacy, Governor Richardson. President Obama never spoke about this case and that was really a thorn in the side of Tahmooressi supporters. The highest federal official who ever weighed in was Secretary of State John Kerry. Should the president have gotten involved in your opinion?

RICHARDSON: Well, I think the president deployed his people. Like for instance, the Assistant Secretary of State Roberto Jacobson, who hails Latin America, she was in constant contact with me. You know, you have to be careful that you don't overpressure the Mexicans. They are very sensitive.

They are our neighbors and they emerging as a major economic power with their energy reform and a new president that's strong. So you can't just blunder bus them. And I think we used to correct mix of diplomacy and legal strategy and patience.

I know that Andrew suffered because, you know, I visited him in prison and obviously he has medical treatment that needs to happen. But, you know, I think this is a good story amidst all the gridlock and bad news. An American comes home. We stand behind our veterans when they are at war and in civilian life.

So, you know, we had an ecstatic ride back from San Diego, Tijuana. Tonight, we just got back. He is with his mother. He is spending time decompressing with his family. He wants to get some steak and stone crabs. He is good young man.

You know, he is a war hero and we have to stand behind him. Maybe a mistake was made on the weapons, I think he took a wrong turn coming into the Mexico maybe because of the confusion or the PTSD, but he is a good young man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And just moments ago a family spokesman addressed the media about Tahmooressi's release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are now together as that family and I think will remain so for some time and I think at the appropriate time and place he will speak for himself. And I don't want to -- I think there have been far too much projecting opinions and whether you want to call it ideological predispositions upon him. And, you know, he's perfectly capable of speaking for himself and after he has some time, I think he will speak for himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And we'll continue following the story today coming up at 2:00 Eastern Hour of the NEWSROOM. I'll talk to Congressman Ed Royce from California, who was also a key player in Tahmooressi's release.

A court order releases a nurse in Maine from her Ebola quarantine since she tested negative for Ebola and then what was the danger in the first place. I'll ask a former CDC disease detective.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A nurse many Maine remains free from her quarantine today. A judge ruled Nurse Kaci Hickox can leave her house, but she does have travel restrictions and must take her temperature twice a day.

Hickox defied a mandatory 21-day quarantine imposed on her after returning from her aide work in Sierra Leone, she tested negative twice for the Ebola virus.

Let's bring in our CNN medical analyst, Dr. Seema Yasmin. She is a former disease detective for the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All right, good to see you, Dr. Yasmin. Is Kaci not playing it safe or was the quarantine in Maine unnecessary?

DR. SEEMA YASMIN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: The Maine judge has ruled against the quarantine order saying that local public health officials didn't provide a strong enough public health argument as to why this nurse should be quarantined.

So really it's another argument for saying that the policy should really align the defiance and the science is saying that somebody like this nurse is not a danger to the public health until they have symptoms.

And one of the safe ways of checking for that is making sure that they have active monitoring. They are taking their temperature twice a day, every day for 21 days. That is really the key here. Before any symptoms, nobody can transmit the Ebola virus.

WHITFIELD: And she says, Kaci Hickox, that you know, this really is a victory. And if anything this should send a strong message that everyone needs to be better educated about Ebola, about being asymptomatic, being symptomatic, all of those things. Would you agree with her?

HICKOX: Absolutely. When there is fear sometimes that really over rides the facts and sometimes the politics and the policy are based more on the fear than the science. And we're seeing this has a very definite impact, Fredricka.

Just today there is about to be a very big international meeting of Ebola experts right in New Orleans and Louisiana, and Louisiana State has said they will quarantine anybody coming from West Africa and those three countries in particular. And of course, that's where all the Ebola experts have been in the last few weeks. So they are now not able to meet and share their expertise, and that could be detrimental to stopping this outbreak.

WHITFIELD: Is it your opinion, though, that there remains some configuration because there are perhaps some mixed messages being sent by the U.S. military being quarantined even though they don't have direct contact with Ebola patients while they are overseas setting up these clinics. And federal authorities who are discouraging civilians, you know, without symptoms from being quarantined?

YASMIN: Inconsistencies in the policies can really breed insecurity among the public, Fredricka. So we have members of the public saying New Jersey is weighing one thing. New York is saying another. Illinois is saying one thing. The military is doing something and the CDC is saying this.

So who am I supposed to believe? Who is doing the right thing? So because there is so much inconsistency that can actually make the public more anxious, it would be helpful if we had more clear communication, more clear messaging that was consistent across the board.

WHITFIELD: And now we understand that Dr. Craig Spencer, who is at Bellevue hospital in New York, he is in stable condition. What do you read into that if anything about how he is being treated, what his condition is, how this speaks to Americans who are being treated in the U.S. who have contracted Ebola whether it be overseas or from contact here in the states?

YASMIN: We know that quick diagnosis and quick treatment can make all the difference with Ebola. It can cause such a high temperature and severe diarrhea and vomiting and having the kind of medical treatment in place that you can give people good fluids intravenously.

And make sure their electrolytes, things like sodium and potassium stay balanced that can make all the difference. We also know that with Ebola the time that you really worry about patients is particularly day 7 to 10 after they get sick.

That is when they can become the most ill and you have to be really, really careful. So it is reassuring to hear that he is stable and we really hope that he makes it through and has a quick recovery.

WHITFIELD: Dr. Seema Yasmin, thanks so much. Appreciate it you joining us.

YASMIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, control of both chambers of Congress hangs in the balance on Tuesday. Our executive political editor breaks down what states are game changers and why you should care.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Tuesday's elections could change the balance of power in the Senate. Republicans could become the majority party for the first time in nearly a decade and it could all come down to a few key races that are razor close.

CNN's executive editor of "Politics," Mark Preston joining us live from Washington. Good to see you, Mark. So just how close is the GOP from taking over the U.S. Senate?

MARK PRESTON, CNN EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "POLITICS": Well, very close, Fred. In fact, let's go through these numbers for you just to show you how close the Republicans are at taking back the Senate majority. Let's look at this first number right here, look at these first three races.

Republicans right now are expected to win these races. They include Montana, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Now, if Republicans win those races, the magic number is no longer six, it's really three.

Let's look at these next couple of races right now. These are Republican seats, Georgia, Kansas and Kentucky. Let's assume Republicans actually hold on to these seats. We're still at the number three at this point.

But look at where Democratic could potentially have problems. Look at these races right now. Seven races, six of them are incumbent Democratic senators, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.

In order for Democrats to maintain the Senate majority, they would need to win five of seven of those races. All told, all Republicans need is a net gain of six seats on Election night.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That's an incredible outlook. If Republicans do take over the Senate, how likely is it that this will kind of set up the momentum into the next election, the 2016 election cycle?

PRESTON: Well, the momentum could be short lived in fact because when we're looking at races that are on the board in 2016, Republicans need to defend 23 seats in 2016. However, Democrats only need to defend nine.

So if Democrats lose the Senate majority by one or two races, you are looking ahead at 2016, you can see the chambers switch right back, and let's not forget that's a presidential election year. You will see a higher turnout and you might even see a higher turnout among Democratic voters -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, yes, traditionally midterm elections turn out very well, but it will be very interesting to see if that changes, if some history will be made this go around. You never know. All right, thank so much. Mark Preston, appreciate that.

All right, CNN will have all of your election night coverage beginning Tuesday evening 5:00 Eastern Time. Do join us.

And another violent attack on police with an ax, this time in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., how close it came to hitting the officer right after this.

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WHITFIELD: All right, police in New York and Washington, D.C. are on alert for potential criminals wielding axes now. In the last two weeks, there were two separate attacks on officers. This photo you're about to see shows an ax lodged into the window of a D.C. police car. It was into the way from the officer who was sitting behind the wheel there. CNN's Rene Marsh has more.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Fred, these attacks have prompted an immediate increase in security for officers in New York and now D.C. is on high alert. The question remains was this latest attack a copycat incident or is there a terror connection?

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MARSH (voice-over): A large ax lodged inches from a D.C. police officer's head as he sat in the driver's seat. It was another attack on a uniformed officer. This time it happened overnight in a residential D.C. neighborhood.

CHIEF CATHY LANIER, WASHINGTON, DC POLICE: He was ambushed. He did not see the person coming, and he was ambushed by the ax. He was able to get out of the car and actually chase and tackle the suspect.

MARSH: The ax missed the officer, but he dislocated his shoulder in a scuffle with the suspect who is still on the run. It's the second attack on an officer in a matter of days. Just last week in New York City, an ax wielding man was caught on camera charging towards police officers, striking one in the arm, the other in the head. Before being shot and killed. The bloody weapon left behind, NYPD called it an act of terrorism.

MATT HORACE, FORMER ATF AGENT: Certainly is alarming. Hard to say at this point whether it's a trend, obviously, there's been two incidents and two incidents is even too many in any situation where we're having people take the liberty to attack police officers.

MARSH: This comes at a time when radical jihadists have threatened attacks against uniformed officers in the west. A man in Canada with jihadist connections shot and killed a guard at Canada's National War Memorial.

Before opening fire in parliament just two days after a Canadian soldier was run over and killed by a man police say had been radicalized. This week, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson ordered increased security at more than 9,500 federal buildings across the U.S.

HORACE: Any time you have these things happen, it makes it very easy to -- for the environment to produce copy cats. Hopefully the one today was a random act and the police will have this person in custody relatively soon.

MARSH: Police in the nation's capital don't have a motive for this morning's ax attack, but at this point nothing has been ruled out.

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MARSH: When we talk about high alert in New York City, officers have been told they must travel in pairs, a buddy system. And in D.C., the police chief says she's been sending two to three messages a day to officers reminding them to remain on alert -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much, Rene Marsh for that. We'll have much more in the NEWSROOM starting right now.