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Two Days Until the Midterms; Nurse Nina Pham and Dog Bentley Reunited; Searching for an Ebola Vaccine ; The Battle Against ISIS Continues; Flowing Lava on Hawaii Has Slowed to a Crawl

Aired November 02, 2014 - 17:00   ET

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


DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN HOST: Thanks, Fredricka. And hello everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Deborah Feyerick in New York.

We are just two days away from nationwide election that could change the way Washington does business. Pollster, the Republicans stand a very strong chance of winning a majority of U.S. Senate seats giving them complete control on Capitol Hill. That would have a huge impact on President Obama's final two years in office. A handful of tight races could decide it all.

We have complete coverage of what you need to know as you count down to Election Day.

CNN's Erin McPike is at the White House, our Nick Valencia is tracking the candidates in the tight Georgia Senate race and Mark Preston is man in Washington desk. He is he executive editor of CNN politics.

So Erin, I'm going to begin with you because a lot of folks inside that White House looking to see what's going on. This could be the president's sort of last trip around the campaign trail, but he hasn't really hit the campaigns that might matter most in this election.

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Deb, that's right. He is in Connecticut today. He is later tonight, heading to Philadelphia. He's been campaigning for gubernatorial candidates in blue states, should be slam dunk to the Democrats. Some of those have tighten in the last few days. But tonight will be just his seventh campaign rally for the entire election season. That's it and he won't be campaigning on Monday or Tuesday.

As you know, for the last decade or so, he has been a campaign king, but this is then very rare and it's because Republicans are making what they say is his incompetence, his failed leadership, the key issue this year, Deb.

FEYERICK: But you know, look. The president has a knack for raising a lot of money and he has been giving some of that money away to other campaigns. Are these campaigns basically saying, look, it actually would help us if you use the money to get out the vote, to maybe help us with ads, but perhaps the best thing is not to sort of stand next to us, not at this point anyway?

MCPIKE: That's right. And in our latest poll, he is polling at 45 percent in terms of his job approval rating. A lot of Republican Senate candidates are using him in his ad saying that or in their ads saying that it's his policies that are on the ballot. And we're seeing a lot of ISIS, Ebola, and the most recent campaign ads again, they are using President Obama as the wedge to drive out Republican votes.

FEYERICK: All right. Erin McPike, thank you so much.

Nick Valencia is in Atlanta.

And Nick, you have been watching the Georgia race there. Is voter turnout going to be key in that close Senate race between Republican David Purdue and Democrat Michelle Nunn?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this Baptist church that we were at earlier today is any indication voter outreach is the main message. And while early voting in Georgia ended on Friday, that hasn't stopped the Democrats from continuing to sort of rally their base who are going after young voters, single women, of course the minority voter. That's made them competitive especially in this Senate race between Democrat Michelle Nunn and Republican David Purdue.

It could mean the difference of who controls the Senate going forward in the last two years of President Obama's administration. It's a tight race here so far between Nunn and Perdue. And the hey number in all of this is this 50 percent plus one threshold, Deb. Neither candidate, Nunn or Perdue has polled at that number and that could mean a run-off on January 6th. So this is a race that we could be talking about well into next year -- Deb.

FEYERICK: All right. And Mark, is it fair to say that voters there and thank you, Nick Valencia. We are going to turn to Mark Preston.

And Mark, is it fair to say that voters really haven't sort of fallen in love with Republicans so much as lost confidence in Democrats, perhaps?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, I think you are right about that. I mean, if you are to look across the whole landscape right now, we've spent so much time talking about Washington and dissatisfaction with the U.S. Senate, but there's dissatisfaction at government. There's certainly dissatisfaction with President Obama.

But if you look at the map beyond the United States Senate, we're looking at seven Republican governors who could also lose on elect night. But it's really a situation for Democrats at this point, Deb, where you look at the map. It's not a good map for Democrats. They are trying to defend seats in Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alaska. These are states that are not traditionally democratic strongholds. These are Republican strongholds and that's working much against Democrats trying to hold on to the majority.

FEYERICK: You know, it's always so interesting as somebody who doesn't follow politics as sort of the knitty-gritty of politics to see how people predict which way the races are going to go and how many seats are going to go to who and all that kinds of stuff. And you know, I watch it and I think, OK, well there is that sort of that wild card of either voter turnout, whether in fact the Democrats may be able to mobilize more than the Republicans, you know, we've seen that happen before. So is there a wild card here where perhaps the Democrats could sort of squeak it out or is it a done deal?

PRESTON: Well, there's no question, there's a wild card that Democrats could potentially hold on to the Senate. There's many mathematical scenarios you could play out. One of them being is that the Senate goes 50-50. That Democrats are able to hold off Republicans. The Senate goes 50-50 and the person who would then preside over the Senate is vice president Joe Biden.

So, if you can imagine that Joe Biden, the last few years of the Obama presidency would be spending the mount of his time on Capitol Hill, not even from the Senate. That would be quite the scene.

But really, when it really comes down to, when you talk about wild cards, perhaps it doesn't come to that. Perhaps it happens in Georgia where Nick was talking about the race down there between David Perdue and Michelle Nunn or in Louisiana, where Mary Landrieu and seven other candidates are running right now down there. We might not know who controls the Senate until January 6th, 2015 because of potential run- offs in both of those states, Deb.

FEYERICK: And last question. And you got to look at the White House. Erin is standing outside of that. You have to wonder what people are thinking inside, because if they lose control of the Senate, and if they the Republicans get more seats in the House, then effectively the Democrats would have minority status for the first time in 1948.

Erin, are you sensing any fear?

MCPIKE: Well, Deb, we have been hearing all morning long from people on both sides of aisle who are really expecting Republicans to take Senate control. As Mark said, we still don't know.

President Obama will not be campaigning on Monday or Tuesday. Certainly the White House is preparing. Minority leader Mitch McConnell is preparing as well to become majority leader on Wednesday.

I would point out, though, that the really important thing here is that if Republicans take control, it's President Obama's nominations. He hasn't really been able to get many through in recent years as he's wanted, at least not as liberal the nominations. If there's a vacancy on the Supreme Court and Republicans control the Senate, that's going to be a legacy issue for Obama. As you know, he is searching now for a new attorney general since Eric Holder announced that he would be stepping down. The then legislatively, if Republicans control both houses of Congress, there won't be a lot of action. Obviously, President Obama would have to sign whatever that Congress is able to pass. But it may be that something is done on immigration reform, very smaller scale but Republicans may like to do that ahead of the 2016 elections to help them with Latino vote that they have not done well within past cycles, Deb. FEYERICK: All right. That's why races like that one that Nick

Valencia is there covering in Georgia are going to be crucial to see how this sway.

Erin McPike, Nick Valencia and Mark Preston, thank you to all of you.

PRESTON: Thanks, Deb.

FEYERICK: And all of you out there watching, stay with CNN for election night coverage hosted by Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer, that's Tuesday night beginning at 5:00 p.m. eastern.

So what's it going to take to win these races? My next guest gives his view on who will win Tuesday.

Plus, a health worker with Ebola rushed to France.

And in Switzerland, doctors are rushing to find a cure. What's next in the fight against Ebola coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, Tuesday's midterm elections could turn on a small handful of tight Senate races around the country. Both parties are pushing to get their strongest supporters to the polls.

Let's talk about it with Mickey Kaus who is a columnist with "the Daily Caller."

And Mickey, there's been plenty of talk how President Obama has been a bit of a drag for some Democratic candidates. And how the map have really shapes up perfectly for Republicans? Is there perhaps an overlooked issue that's driving these voters?

MICKEY KAUS, COLUMNIST, THE DAILY CALLER: Well, I think the overlooked issue is immigration. All the Republican candidates who have been in trouble 90 percent of them have used immigration. And Scott Brown in New Hampshire raised a very interesting issue that's been under covered which this is this polio like virus, it is not Ebola, it's another virus that's turn up all across the United States and the argument he makes is it comes from these migrant kids that came from Central America inadvertently spreading a virus that we don't happen to be immune to.

If Obama is responsible for that by letting them stay across the country? It seems to be a legitimate issue. This race (INAUDIBLE) late in the race. I think we will hear more about it after the election. But it seems to me that's sort of the most under covered surprise issue and we'll see how he does in New Hampshire.

FEYERICK: So and you are referring to the enterovirus, if I read you correctly.

KAUS: Right. Yes.

FEYERICK: OK. The one that sends a lot of kids to the hospital and it is kids who really has the respiratory illnesses. But he is suggesting that it's immigrant children who are passing this on to kids at school?

KAUS: Yes. He did in a debate and he was ridiculed for it. But in "the Daily Caller," we have a pretty good article marshaling the evidence and it's circumstantial and not conclusive but very suggestive that it did coincide with the arrival of these immigrants. It is multiple strains all at once all across the country, very odd. And so, yes, that is his argument and 50 kids are paralyzed. That's, you know, ordinarily something that the media would focus on. It's a very gripping human story.

FEYERICK: So that -- Mitt Romney said today that a Republican takeover of the Senate could lead to an immigration bill finally passing. But based on what you just said, are the Republicans in favor of some sort of holistic immigration bill or would it be something much more tailored?

KAUS: Well, the Republican elite is all in favor of immigration bill. And immigration is all in the details. It is do you put the border security first or do you put the legalization first. And I think any immigration bill we're going to get out of the combination of the Republican elite and the Democrats is going to be legalization first bill. That's why I think it was pretty irresponsible of Romney to make that comment.

He is sort of putting his own reputation before, you know, the national message that Republicans want to send. Even if you wanted an immigration bill, why would you say now, yes, we're going to have an immigration bill. That's just muddying the national message. I think he's still refighting the 2012 election where he's reading his press clips.

FEYERICK: And maybe sort of dangling an artificial courage.

All right, I want to get your call very quickly on three crucial races. First of all Iowa. Republican Joni Ernst, Democrat Bruce Braley, who wins, Democrat or Republican?

KAUS: Joni Ernst. Don't mess with the Des Moines Register polls. It is usually pretty accurate. It shows her ahead.

FEYERICK: OK. That's the Republican. Kansas, incumbent Pat Roberts or independent Greg Orman, who wins there?

KAUS: I think Greg Orman wins. You hear horrible rumors about how bad Robertson's polls are. I don't pretty like Orman, but I think he wins.

FEYERICK: OK. So there you got independent. He could go either way. Arkansas, Republican --

KAUS: I think in Arkansas, Cotton wins. He's made immigration a big issue. Pryor I subtle with the bunch of Obama votes. I think Cottons wins by a decisive margin. The thing with Orman is, he might hold the balance of power because he hasn't committed which way he's going to go.

FEYERICK: All right. It's so fascinating to watch. Thank you, Mickey Kaus.

And stay with us. Ebola has had a big impact on this election and you had an interesting idea. Mickey, on how to impose a quarantine that people might actually like. So stay with us. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Chief Congressional correspondent Dana Bash, let's watch this piece.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Republican Scott Brown is relentlessly making Ebola an issue in his Senate race.

SCOTT BROWN (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATE CANDIDATE: As I speak to citizens in New Hampshire, there's a rational fear that this and other types of diseases will commend to our country.

BASH: His strategy is succeeding. Down double digits just a few months ago, he is now in the hunt against incumbent Democrat Jean Shaheen, jumping on rip from the headline's crisis, ISIS, immigration, and now Ebola.

People look at it say, you know what, Scott Brown is fear mongering in order to win a Senate seat again.

BROWN: Well, what is hear is that people are deeply concern about it.

BASH: Brown is hardly alone in seizing on the Ebola crisis. In dramatic too close to call Senate races in coast to coast, there are ten of them going into election day, Republicans see Ebola as exhibit a in a narrative they were already pushing. Government incompetence that President Obama at the helm.

Republican Joni Ernst in Iowa.

JONI ERNST (R), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: I think we are being very reactive as a federal government. I think our president really should have taken the lead on these issue.

BASH: Her democratic opponent is a sitting house member who bends over backwards to be part of the solution.

REP. BRUCE BRALEY (D), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: I went back to Washington for the Ebola oversight hearing. And I sat there and I asked tough questions of the head of the centers for disease control, the national institutes of health, FDA, custom and border patrol agents.

BASH: In fact, despite the GOP Ebola strategy, a majority of Americans, 54 percent believe the federal government is doing a good job in dealing with the Ebola crisis, according to a CNN ORC poll out this week. And a whopping 71 percent say they are very or somewhat confident in the government's abilities to prevent a nationwide epidemic. But Republicans are still convinced that the Ebola crisis feeds into a broader voter concern about Washington.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you trust President Obama and the Washington politicians?

BASH: Georgia Republican David Purdue is closing ad in his tight race.

DAVID PERDUE (R), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: If you are frustrated as I am by the dysfunction in Washington and believe we can do better, then I really appreciate your trust.

BASH: Voters are so disgusted with Washington, the ultimate weapon is trashing both parties. It helped independent Greg Orman tie up his race in ruby red Kansas against the Republican.

GREG ORMAN (I), KANSAS SENATE CANDIDATE: Both Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid had been far too partisan for far too long.

BASH: But many voters are so turned off, it's hard for any candidate to break through. In South Dakota, Democrat Rick Weiland got creative, turning to song.

Dana Bash, CNN reporting from battle ground states across the country.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: So "Daily Caller" columnist Mickey Kaus has a very unique day for a 21-day Ebola quarantines.

First of all, Mickey, before we get to your solution, I want to ask you is it fair game to use sort of the fear of Ebola to try to win voters, to sway voters, especially since so many think that the government does have it under control when it comes to preventing an epidemic.

KAUS: I think it's fair game because it's not just a question of competency. There was a fear that the Obama administration was sort of influenced by a general internationalist open borders philosophy. They didn't want to really use the border to protect America. They make sort of arguments of well, they are going to get it anyway, so we might as well let them in. And there was sort of ideology, a hidden ideology there and there's also a hidden, you know, policy which is we want to send our doctors over abroad and have them be able to come back. But there's a legitimate policy issue underlying it.

FEYERICK: So what are the things that you suggest is that perhaps it makes sense for returning health care workers to, as someone who will be rewarded and perhaps quarantine them together in a camp. Explain that?

KAUS: Well, a camp -- camp is the not the right word. I think a luxury resort. We don't want to discourage people by going abroad, by telling them when you come back, you are going to be confined for 21 days at home or in a tent in New Jersey. We want to reward them. They are stigmatized. They are just have to quarantine. They are heroes. So we want to make it a positive experience.

Why not have a luxury hotel, stock it with the finest foods, have continuing education courses, entertainment, they can do whatever they want for 21 days. They can network. It would be a positive experience and a lot better than staying at home and that way you get rid of this policy issue which is we're dysincentivising (ph) people from going over there.

No, we'll reward them from going over. They will have a 21 day luxury vacation. They want to do it, fine. But many of them I think would find it's a positive thing and it would eliminate that policy issue from the issue of quarantine.

FEYERICK: All right. Well, Mickey Kaus, thank you so much. We'll think about that.

And I'm sure of you will watch CNN's election night coverage on Tuesday beginning at 5:00 eastern, join hosts Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer for all the results and some terrific analysis.

Well, an Ebola survivor had a joyful reunion with her best friend. Watch this heartwarming video. Nurse Nina Pham and her dog, Bentley shared hugs and kisses when they reunited yesterday in Dallas. Nine days ago, nurse Pham won her Ebola battle and was released from the hospital, but not her precious dog. Bentley remained in quarantine while doctors in hazmat suits run more tests. When his final tests showed he was Ebola-free, Pham tweeted the happy news. Quote "I may be negative for #Ebola, but #Bentley is positive for adorable."

Now, Pham is busy selecting presents for her dog's 2nd birthday later this month.

And the Ebola discoveries give people hope. But with the death toll still rising in West Africa, the race to find a cure is moving faster than ever. Could that cure be inside these boxes? An exclusive behind the scenes look at what the experts are doing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Health officials in France today announced a new case of Ebola. The patient controlled the deadly virus while working for the United Nations in Sierra Leone. That person is now being treated at a hospital near Paris.

Dr. Craig Spencer, the only Ebola patient still being treated here in the U.S. at a New York hospital, well, he has been upgraded to stable condition.

Finding for a cure for Ebola could be the medical breakthrough of our time. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson got an inside look on the largest clinical trial on a vaccine for human and spoke to brave volunteer who is putting her life on the line to save others. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Long awaited, finally here, an Ebola vaccine arrives deep underground beneath a Swiss hospital. The potential cure stored way below freezing. This tiny pouch containing the core of the world health organization's WHO's largest clinical trial on humans to date.

Upstairs, one of the 120 volunteers to test the vaccine prepares for the trial.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel very safe about this. A lot of people told me that there's so many risk. Don't you feel like you could get sick because of the vaccine, but this is not how I feel. And there are a lot of people who could benefit from it.

ROBERTSON: First, a blood sample taken to make sure she is in good health. Trial confidentiality means we can't reveal the volunteer's name, but we can show her on TV, and she can talk about the experience. Checking for fever and rashes and blood tests.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not afraid of blood tests or anything like that, being a med school student. I think the hard part to me is not knowing whether I'm getting the vaccine or a placebo.

ROBERTSON: Her blood rushed through this 1,400 bed hospital to a state of the art lab. Over the next few months, thousands of volunteer samples will pass through here. Tests in this phase one trial made for safety of the vaccine and dosage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are measuring antibodies and asking the question does this protein that we inject elicit an immunological reaction.

ROBERTSON: Doctors hope to have the first results as early as December this year. Their biggest surprise so far, way more volunteers than they needed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We told these students, the population for clinical research and also the sense of urgency but still a sense we can do something for Africa.

ROBERTSON: If these trials are successful, the WHO plans to quickly scale up and test vaccines on thousands of people in Sierra Leone and Liberia as early as January next year. If those tests are successful, they could begin a wide scale vaccination campaign as early as next April.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Luzon, Switzerland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Well, having a vaccine ready to go by April is, in fact, an ambitious plan. And is it possible?

I want to bring in my guest Dr. Celine Gounder who is an infectious diseases and public health specialist and Dr. Alexander Garza is a former assistant secretary for health affairs and the chief medical officer for the homeland security department.

So Dr. Gounder, I want to start with you. You have worked in Africa. How would a vaccine be a game changer with what's going on there?

DR. CELINE GOUNDER, INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALIST: Well, vaccine would allow us prevent people from getting infected. Right now, we're really dealing with trying to deal those who have gotten the infection, trying to provide them with treatment and giving them reason to come forward for treatment. So a lot of problem we've had is people not coming forward because they are afraid of being stigmatized. A vaccine changes things because all of a sudden you can shield yourself against the infection to begin with.

FEYERICK: So, and follow to that, though. You've got a culture where Ebola has claimed so many different lives. And do you think that people would actually be amenable to getting a vaccine if they are told this is an Ebola vaccine and knowing how vaccines work. It means a small amount of Ebola is injected as part of that vaccine.

GOUNDER: Well, it is important to understand these vaccines deliver a small amount of protein. That's Ebola protein, but it's not the virus itself. You cannot get Ebola from the vaccine. But I do think you bring up a good point which is the trust issue. A lot of what's been driving the epidemic in West Africa, as well as quite frankly a problem here, is lack of trust in government officials and the science. And so, you know, you are going to have to convince people this is still an experimental vaccine, will they be willing to take it?

FEYERICK: And Dr. Garza, if a vaccine were created, you know, one of the things that's very interesting, is when Ebola effectively came to the western countries, to stay in to the United States, all of a sudden you have this acceleration of the FDA and other agencies getting potential products to treat Ebola out to market. Are we seeing this sort of rapid development of things to cure this epidemic that's hit West Africa?

DR. ALEXANDER GARZA, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS: Right. Well, it's certainly taken on another degree of urgency, right? And so, typically, you know, vaccines are made by private corporations and so they have to have a return on their investment. And so, for some of those reasons, it's why these vaccines aren't developed more readily. When you are looking at them when disease isn't present.

But clearly this is a very important disease. It's a public health emergency that involves the entire world, and therefore it takes on this added measure of importance and that's why you are seeing this added push to get vaccine out the door.

FEYERICK: And the interesting thing also is that, you know, Ebola here in the United States is hit a couple of people. Obviously, somebody who came from West Africa, who then contaminated a couple of nurses in Dallas, and then we've seen these other cases of workers coming back. But the interesting thing is that when you look at the pictures of West Africa, you see these people who are outdoors. They are getting water. They are in conditions that are so drastic, but here in the United States -- and you see that little girl being treated, she's outdoors. She's not in a hospital, whereas here in the United States and other western countries they are being treated in hospitals. How do you try to balance that inequity?

GARZA: Right, and so I think that's why we need the vaccine. So the challenges of treating these patients are just as you've explained. It's a logistics nightmare. The infrastructure isn't there. And as we've come to learn from treating patients here in the United States, it take a high degree of attention to treating these patients and that's measuring their electrolytes, making sure that they are staying hydrated and doing various other procedures that you just can't do in these very poor countries.

And so, it is a big mismatch when you compare the treatment that goes on in Africa compared to the treatment that goes on in the United States and that may explain why the majority of patients being treated in the U.S. survive whereas a substantial number in Africa do not.

FEYERICK: And very quickly, Dr. Garza, quarantine, voluntary or mandatory?

GARZA: I think it's somewhere in between.

FEYERICK: OK. And Dr. Gounder, I'm going to ask Dr. Gounder also. Voluntary, mandatory quarantine for people coming back?

GOUNDER: Voluntary based on the CDC guidelines.

FEYERICK: OK. All right. Thank you both, Dr. Celine Gounder and Alexander Garza. We really appreciate both you being here today. Appreciate it.

GARZA: Sure.

FEYERICK: And in the fight against ISIS, the reinforcements have arrived. They are heavily armed and trying to save the Syrian town. But the problems run even deeper in the country torn apart by civil war. What's happening on the ground and the role that the United States plays coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Now the battle against ISIS. U.S. and coalition war planes took out more militant targets this weekend in both Syria and Iraq. But the ground fighting, particularly on Syria's border with Turkey has been mostly the responsibility of Kurdish military forces who have so far managed to keep the city of Kobani from falling to ISIS.

New this weekend, the Kurdish forces got a big boost when reinforcements arrived. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Days of bickering delay in driving but clear about where they are headed to fight. Heavy weapons, the Syrian Kurdish fighting for Kobani urgently need along the bed of solidarity from the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga.

One local fighter said he didn't know whether to cry or grin when he saw them arrive. You can see now how complex the crossing must have been for this sort of hardware. The official border point molted (ph), they crept through a hole in the western fence Friday night.

Now Kobani's defenders have mortars of their own to fire back at ISIS whose tenacity in the city's east even coalition airstrikes are not shaken.

To fight the Kobani has taken on a significant far grace of it in size. For ISIS, the chance to hold 100 kilometer stretch of border. For the coalition to use the cameras on these hills to send a message about their fire power. Kurds in Paris and across the world will felt million of them stood up for Kobani, the same in Berlin.

The Kurds finding their decades long struggle thrust in the spotlight in this month closer in the fight against ISIS. Now the reinforcements are here, the fight will intensify. The outcome still certain. The stakes growing.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And historically, Turkey and Kurds have had a very tense relationship. So far, as we know, this marks the first time new that Turkey is allowed Kurdish group in outside Syria to help the side of Kobani. This new group came from Iraq. And I want to bring in Jamie Dettmer, a foreign correspondent and contributor to "the Daily Beast."

And Jamie, there's been so much attention on Kobani, why do you think it took reinforcements so long to get there. Do you think these additional fighters can tip the battle?

JAMIE DETTMER, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, THE DAILY BEAST: Well, I'm not too sure they can tip it. It took so long to get fighters there because the Turks were blocking any reinforcements going across. They were also blocking any arms supplies going across. Hence we had to have the air drop by the U.S. military, some of which went astray, of course.

There are only 150 Kurdish peshmerga fighters from Iraq who have gone across. I'm not sure if that's enough to tip the balance. It is enough, though, to boost the morale of the defenders in Kobani who have being quite remarkable in holding out for six weeks.

FEYERICK: And as you have been covering and reporting, it's not just about Kobani, this week was really almost a critical week for the rebels that are backed by the U.S. and they didn't fare very well. Tell me what's going on. DETTMER: Well, you know, Nick himself said about Kobani being a

microcosm. And it is microcosm who wider issues are very, very alarming. The strategy of the U.S. is to build up the Syrian rebels to be a credible force not only to fight against ISIS, but a credible force that can compel the Assad regime to the negotiating table.

But there are very little signs that the force is credible. It's disintegrating, it is demoralized, it is fragmenting. This week, we saw some key groups like (INAUDIBLE) which is a favorite brigade if the U.S. lose a very, very fierce battle of seven key strong hold towns and it live to the Jabhat al-Nusra (ph), the rival jihadist group to ISIS. And what was alarming about that defeat isn't only that U.S. weapons had just been supplied to (INAUDIBLE) are now in the hands of the Jabhat al-Nusra, but some Islamic state fighters from the east came over and joined in with the rivals, the Al-Qaeda affiliate which dos raise a possibility of a battled field who first want more broadly between these two jihadist groups.

In other words, we're seeing disintegration constantly of these more moderate and secular forces. Last week I talked with CNN with the colleague of your about Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, with a supply line to the rebels is about to be broken by Assad forces. So the time is running out on the Obama strategy and it doesn't seem to be really anchored in reality in what's unfolding on the --

DETTMER: Because also what you are saying then, if I understand correctly, is that ISIS and this Al-Qaeda group, the Jabhat al-Nusra, they are now look as if they are aligning. That the divisions that once sort of kept them apart now perhaps they might form this sort (INAUDIBLE), if I understand you correctly, which means they get stronger.

DETTMER: They get stronger and there is a dangerous of that. I mean, you know, we've seen some battle field cooperation between these two jihadist groups and one of problems has been al-Nusra which has been fighting with moderates and other Islamist groups have becoming increasingly worried about what the American intentions and objectives are and have been falling out with these other rebel groups, (INAUDIBLE) and Jabhat al-Nusra. I mean, having a series of negotiation in the last few weeks. So yes, as the rebel start disintegrating, the Jihadist gets stronger.

FEYERICK: An interesting thing also is that Syria right now has launched more airstrikes than the U.S. and its coalition partners.

All right, Jamie Dettmer, thank you. We appreciate your insights on that.

DETTMER: Thank you.

FEYERICK: And it's been 35 years since Americans were held hostage inside an embassy in Iran. Coming up next, we're going to look at Iran then and now.

Also Anthony Bourdani goes into Iran into tonight's episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN." It took him years to get access. When he finally got there, he was very surprised by what he found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, "PARTS UNKNOWN": I am so confused. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Of all the places, of all the countries, all the years of traveling, it's here in Iran that I'm greeted most warmly by total strangers. The other stuff is there, the Iran we've read about, heard about, seen in the news. But this, this I wasn't prepared for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Be sure to watch an unforgettable "PARTS UNKNOWN" tonight at 9:00 eastern on only on CNN.

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FEYERICK: Flowing lava on Hawaii's big island has slowed to a crawl but it still poses a great threat to the town of Pahoa. For now, the leading edge has installed right next to the town but behind it. Branches of lava continue to push their way across the countryside, burning up everything in its path.

CNN's Martin Savidge has been monitoring the lava from the ground and also from the skies.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Deb, it appears that the lava front really hasn't moved that much in the last 24 hours. However, there are some outbreaks farther up slope, in other words, lava is moving from them. Those are farther away from town. They are going to keep a close watch on them.

Hawaii, of course, has a long history of volcanoes and lavas and unfortunately, that doesn't bode well for this town.

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SAVIDGE (voice-over): In the town Pahoa, it's another day of worrying about what the lava will do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The evacuation advisory for those residents that are still with 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 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 (INAUDIBLE) volcano ran over Kalapana, burning then burying it.

In his kitchen, as his grandson made dinner, 75-year-old Uncle Robert, as he is known, counted the number of homes spared.

ROBERT, 75-YEAR-OLD: Five house.

SAVIDGE: You are the only survivors?

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.

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, actually 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 of the same fate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be premature for us to say that right now because things can happen with the magna supply, maybe starve this.

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

ROBERT: I would say be open, understanding.

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SAVIDGE: Back in Kalapana, there are signs of life. As new residents have begun building new homes on the old town that lies buried under 85 feet of lava.

When it comes to the lava, there is really two types of mind-sets you will find here. One is more modern, which is you've got to do whatever you can to stop it, block it, divert it. The other, old, native idea, is that no, lava has to do what the lava will do. In other words, as they say, go with the flow -- Deborah.

FEYERICK: All right. Martin Savidge in Hawaii, thank you. Appreciate that.

And next, CNN is taking a look into the world of strippers. That's right. You heard, strippers.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Went music plays you go. And you know, you become an animal.

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FEYERICK: In her opinion, it's not degrading, it is simply business, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) FEYERICK: Tonight here on CNN, Lisa Ling profiles women who travel from city to city making a living working in strip clubs, with thousands of dollars to be made every night, they're a new breed of business traveler. Don't judge them. They're shrewd businesswomen earning a good living.

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LISA LING, CNN HOST, "THIS IS LIFE WITH LISA LING": Antonia has hit the penthouse floor. She has no idea how much money she'll bring in or what surprises the night holds. It's like the world of a gambler.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's different every night. One night I can go into work and feel like I can't go wrong and another night I'll go and people grab me and are awful.

LING: She starts every night the same way, attracting attention by working the pole at the center stage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Literally, it is a sexy dance. And you just kind of get into the mode when the music play as you go, and you know, you become an animal. You become part of that world, like a sensual world of heat and sleaze.

LING: What do you think it is that propels women to want to take their clothes off for money?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's hot and empowering. I think that our culture tells us that it's bad and it's inherently degrading but I don't subscribe to that.

Have you ever taken your clothes off?

LING: Not for money.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our bodies are gorgeous and your sexuality is beautiful, something to be celebrated. Is it more degrading to work and not be able to pay for your kid's diapers?

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FEYERICK: Get an up close look at lives of traveling strippers in "THIS IS LIFE WITH LISA LING". That's tonight, 10:00 Eastern, only here on CNN.

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