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Hillary Clinton Criticizes Donald Trump's Temperament; Vice Presidential Candidates Prepare for Upcoming Debate; Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Praises Hillary Clinton; Train Crashes in New Jersey; American Sisters Die on Vacation in African Hotel; Some Comedians' Take on Presidential Election Examined. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 01, 2016 - 10:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:00:45] DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do cherish women. I love women.

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Who gets up at 3:00 in the morning to engage in a Twitter attack against a former Miss Universe?

TRUMP: Working that microphone was a hell of a lot more difficult than working crooked Hillary Clinton.

CLINTON: And I'll say it again. A man who can be provoked by a tweet should not be anywhere near the nuclear codes.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Always good to see you. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. It's 10:00 here and you are in the CNN Newsroom.

Donald Trump is now in the battle ground state of Pennsylvania. He is statistically tied with Clinton according to the most recent CNN poll, hoping to sway voters his way. Now, Hillary Clinton, you see the map here, she is going to Charlotte, North Carolina, tomorrow to meet with community leaders.

Meanwhile, Trump is ramping up attacks on Clinton, telling "The New York Times" this, "She's nasty, but I can be nastier." Threatening to bring up the husband's sex scandals while ducking questions about his own infidelities.

PAUL: And then there's BuzzFeed this morning that dug up an adult "Playboy" video from 2000 and it includes an appearance by Donald Trump. All he is doing is pouring champagne on a "Playboy" limo. We want to make it very clear here, no sexual activity, no nudity involving Trump in the clip. But as Trump ramps up his attacks and her supporter, former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, Clinton firing back. CNN senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar live with us from Washington. Brianna, good to see you. What is the Clinton campaign saying this morning?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: She, or maybe not her, her team, Christi, tweeting overnight at 3:00 in the night, as well, sort of a retort to Donald Trump tweeting the night before at 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. where he was insulting Alicia Machado, the first Miss Universe after he had taken over the first Miss Universe Pageant. Hillary Clinton, she tweets, and it says "It's 3:20 a.m. as good a time as any to tweet about national service." Another one says "Remember, don't' believe the haters who describe Americans as hopeless and broken. We should lift each other up, not tear each other down."

You recall that Donald Trump's earliest tweet the night before last was about not trusting sources or unnamed sources. So that one sort of seems to answer that, "don't believe the haters." Hillary Clinton, her campaign, Christi, as you can imagine, they are thrilled about Donald Trump jumping on this Alicia Machado controversy. We're in day six now. And so any time that Donald Trump is talking about that, Hillary Clinton certainly is not talking about her vulnerabilities. And it gives her an opportunity to try to talk about something a little more positive, which is what you are seeing in the tweets here. She is trying to contrast a more positive vision against what they feel is Donald Trump's dark vision that really could turn off some voters in the middle of the political spectrum.

PAUL: You have to think, if he had not continued the conversation if we would still be having the conversation.

KEILAR: Exactly.

PAUL: And speaking of conversations, I know that the VPs are getting ready. There's three days left until the debate. I think I read somewhere, and correct me if I'm wrong, here, that Mike Pence has essentially been using at least one day a week to prep for this debate since he was brought onto the ticket?

KEILAR: And that is not surprising because that is a more traditional debate prep method. So that is maybe not surprising because we are expecting a much more traditional debate from Mike Pence and from Tim Kaine. And we are certainly expecting much more traditional preparation from Mike Pence than Donald Trump who has actually told "The New York Times" that he is not really going to be prepping any differently than he did for the first debate, much to the ire of many Republicans and those close to Donald Trump.

But Mike Pence is working with Scott Walker. He is the former Wisconsin -- sorry, he is the Wisconsin governor. He is a former presidential candidate and one of the few establishment Republicans who spoke at the RNC. So they have been working together.

We know that Mike Pence has been going through briefing binders. That's also pretty normal. And Tim Kaine for his part is holed up in Raleigh a little bit, prepping right now. He has been working with the team that helped Hillary Clinton prepare for her first debate. But I think what we are expecting Tuesday night is probably almost what you would expect more out of a presidential debate than what we saw last Monday night.

[10:05:02] PAUL: Although you wonder if their job might be a little harder because not only will they be talking about their views, they are also going to be trying to defend the other candidate, obviously, that's on the ticket with them. Brianna Keilar, good to see you. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Let's pick up on that point with the vice presidential candidates now just a couple of days from this big debate, preparing for their moment in the spotlight on Tuesday. Here is a preview of some of the messages you have heard from the VP candidates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The truth of the matter is, specifically to Hillary Clinton, it's important that we talk about the record. And I'm looking forward to that debate on Tuesday night.

(APPLAUSE)

TIM KAINE, (D) VICE PRESIDENT NOMINEE: Do you believe in immigration reform? If you do, Hillary and I are with you, and the other guys are against you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's bring in Larry Sabato, director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, author of "The Kennedy Half- Century." Let's bring you in, Larry. First let's start with what Brianna dropped off there at the end of the interview where she says what we are going to see Tuesday night is going to much more like a presidential debate than what we saw on Monday night. The first debate was really contentious and nasty. Do you expect that either candidate will adopt that tone going into Tuesday night?

LARRY SABATO, AUTHOR, "THE KENNEDY HALF CENTURY": Victor, I doubt it. Both Mike Pence and Tim Kaine are pretty reasonable people. They are relatively low key. Now, they can be tough debaters and both of them will be. They are not going to give any ground to the other side. But if you are looking for another Trump-like performance, you're not going to get it from either of those candidates. They've been through debates many times. Pence was in Congress for a decade and then he was elected governor of Indiana. He was used to debating. Tim Kaine, lieutenant governor, governor of Virginia and then elected U.S. senator, he had many debates at every stage of those campaigns.

BLACKWELL: You actually moderated one of the debates back in 2005 during his run as governor in 2005. What did you learn from that debate?

SABATO: I learned how sharp he is. He is a tough debater. And he can process a lot of information very quickly, and he can reformulate it in response to questions that he hadn't even expected. I remember that debate very well because I had not watched him debate before. And once it was over, I remember turning to him as we were leaving the studio and saying you're really good at this. And indeed he was.

BLACKWELL: So let's turn to Mike Pence. Most analysts say Hillary Clinton won the first debate on Monday night. Does Mike Pence go into this debate with that even as context in the back of his mind? Does he go in feeling he has to compensate for what the top of the ticket did on Monday?

SABATO: He may feel a little of that, but the stakes are a lot lower in a vice presidential debate. The audience is almost always many, many millions lower than it was for the presidential contest. The great exception of course was Sarah Palin versus Joe Biden. But this is not that kind of contest.

Now, I think voters can learn a lot by tuning in and I hope they do. But I don't think that either candidate given their experience in public office and in the world of debates will be unable to take on these challenges.

BLACKWELL: Do you expect that we'll stick to policy and not introduce some of the issues of race, of birtherism that we saw come up in the first debate?

SABATO: Well, it's 90 minutes, Victor. Something tells me there will be high points and there will be low points. So some of those issues will come up. Some people talked about Mike Pence introducing the personal issues against Bill Clinton, which would be very foolish, obviously, because all Tim Kaine would have to do is say pot, meet kettle, and talk about Trump's past. So I hope it doesn't happen. It may occasionally happen. But people like a good debate that is substantive. I bet that's what they see on Tuesday night between the two VP candidates.

BLACKWELL: What's a win for Mike Pence?

SABATO: A win for Mike Pence is to do better and probably much better than Donald Trump. And I think there's 100 percent chance of that.

BLACKWELL: And for Tim Kaine?

SABATO: Tim Kaine wants to continue the momentum that Hillary Clinton established in the first presidential debate. She clearly won it. Every survey that's actually random sample and solid has shown that. And I think Kaine would like to be judged the winner of the VP debate, too.

BLACKWELL: Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia, thanks so much.

SABATO: Thank you, Victor.

BLACKWELL: Christi?

PAUL: Donald Trump ready to unleash new attacks against Hillary Clinton, threatening to dredge up Bill Clinton's sex scandal at the next presidential debate. More members of his own party seem to be getting a little nervous.

[10:10:01] Also, a mystery in paradise, two American sisters found dead in their room at a luxury resort of the coast of Africa. Bizarre details coming up next here.

And also, "Saturday Night Live," it's back tonight with Kate McKinnon as Hillary and, yes, a new Donald Trump. Remember when Hillary Clinton herself stopped by?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATE MCKINNON, COMEDIAN: I'm just so darned bummed. All anyone wants to talk about is Donald Trump.

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump? Isn't he is the one that's like, "Uh, you're all losers"?

(LAUGHTER)

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PAUL: Donald Trump in attack mode today, telling "The New York Times" Hillary Clinton is, quote, "nasty, but I can be nastier," he says, full quote there. And trying to get inside Hillary Clinton's head by threatening to bring up her husband's past sex scandals. CNN's Chris Frates following that story. So, Chris, tell us more about what he said to "The Times."

CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a lot to unpack here, Christi. It has been a really bad week for Donald Trump. He had that lackluster debate performance. Then the allegations he called a former Miss Universe "Miss Piggy." That's all dogging him in these bad headlines. And he has very much been on the defensive.

But yesterday in this interview with "The New York Times" Trump really trying to get back on offense here, calling Hillary Clinton nasty, but adding he thinks he can be nastier. And he also indicated that he was rethinking supporting Clinton if she does in fact win the White House. Remember, at that debate on Monday he said he would absolutely support her. Now he's saying we're going to wait and see. We're going to have to see what happens here. So that was interesting as well.

Another thing that Trump said, he went back on this attack hitting Clinton for what he says was her role in her husband's sex scandal. I want to bring up this quote, Christi, he said this. He said, quote, "Hillary Clinton was married to the single greatest abuser of women in the history of politics. Hillary was an enabler and she attacked the women who Bill Clinton mistreated afterwards. I think it's a serious problem for them and it's something I'm considering talking about more in the near future."

[10:15:08] So after a bad debate performance and a week of what were really self-inflicted injuries, Trump here on the attack and trying to reverse some of those poll numbers we've seen come out after the debate which have him going in the wrong direction.

PAUL: The thing that's interesting is you know that his advisers and some of the people supporting him are probably trying to rein some things in behind the scenes, but even publicly now they're being critical of his tactics.

FRATES: Yes, that's right. It has been really interesting to watch this evolution because right after the debate, we heard from advisers, largely anonymously on background and different newspaper articles, say that they did not think Trump had prepped well enough for this debate, almost trying to goad or shame him into prepping for this second face-off with Hillary Clinton in a more comprehensive way. And some adviser even floating the idea that maybe Chris Christie should take the reins of the debate prep because he can speak brutally honestly to Donald Trump.

But that was all kind of behind the scenes. Now we've seen some supporters step out and publicly say what many have been saying behind the curtain there, that Trump did have a bad week. Let's take a listen to what Newt Gingrich had to say just recently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think what Trump has got to understand is he has either got to singer "I've got to be me," or he's got to go on a new song, "I've got to be president." They're not the same song. He has got to become much more disciplined. For a while there I thought he had really turned a corner. This last week I think has been, frankly, a lost week, a week which has hurt him, which has shaken his own supporters. And you can't tweet at 3:00 in the morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRATES: So a pretty blunt Newt Gingrich there saying he thinks this week hurt Trump not just with regular voters but with his own supporters. So we will see if he takes that message to heart, Christi, and if he can get back on message heading into this next week. He has a chance here with Mike Pence who is more conservative, more traditional candidate taking the spotlight. We'll see if maybe that helps get this Trump campaign back on track.

PAUL: We'll see. Chris Frates, always good to see you, thank you.

FRATES: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: The mystery behind a terrifying crash that killed one person and injured more than 100 could be solved with the help of this. Essentially this is the train's black box. But there's one problem. Authorities are having trouble accessing it.

Plus, Libertarian vice presidential nominee Bill Weld says he is not sure anyone is more qualified than Hillary Clinton, apparently not even his running mate. He clarified those comments last hour. We will have those remarks for you.

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[10:21:25] PAUL: It's a tough job as investigators are still looking for clues in that deadly New Jersey train crash. And they're using this to do it. Take a look here. They found one of the two data recorders. And that of course could shed light into what may have caused the train packed with passengers to burst through that barrier at the Hoboken terminal, killing a woman and injuring more than 100 people.

BLACKWELL: Here is the problem, though. Investigators are having trouble downloading critical information. And now they are reaching out to the recorder's manufacturer for help. Here is CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Investigators are looking at the train's event recorder to help explain what caused the fatal ash. There were two recorders on board, one on the front of the train in the cab which has yet to be recovered due to the extensive damage, and another in the locomotive. Which is now in the NTSB's hands and being examined on site.

BELLA DINH-ZARR, NTSB VICE CHAIR: We were unable to download the recorder here on scene. So the NTSB is working with the manufacturer of the recorder to perform a download at the manufacturer's facility.

TODD: Investigators say there were also outward facing video recorders on both ends of the train and questions to why this train and others like it weren't equipped with positive train control, an automated breaking system designed to control speed in emergency situations.

DINH-ZARR: As you know, the NTSB has been recommending positive train control or PTC for 40 years. So we will look at that. We will look at whether there is positive train control installed and all of the aspects related to that before we come to any conclusions.

TODD: Packed with passengers, the train came into the station too fast, crashed into a bumper and went airborne, killing a woman waiting on the platform and injuring more than 100 others. The train's engineer, 48-year-old Thomas Gallagher, was treated and released from a hospital. He has not yet spoken with National Transportation safety Board investigators. He has been with New Hampshire Transit system for 29 years. Could some sort of medical emergency have incapacitated Gallagher at a crucial moment? Experts say investigators will look at that and at whether alcohol or drugs could have been a factor. The investigation could even lead them to look into his personal life.

ALBERT GILL, FORMER CONDUCTOR, WORKED WITH ENGINEER: It is shame. It would probably put his life and his family life into a spin.

TODD: Albert Gill is a former conductor on the New Jersey transit line. He says he worked with Gallagher a couple of times.

What was he like compared to other engineers? GILL: He was just one of the guys to get the job done. Go out.

There was no friction, like I'm the engineer. You're really in charge the train, the conductor is always in charge of the train, there was no ego issue with him.

TODD: Gallagher's wife was under police escort when she made a stop at their home in northern New Jersey. Next door neighbor Tom Jones says Gallagher was working his dream job.

TOM JONES, NEIGHBOR OF ENGINEER THOMAS GALLAGHER: He told all of us, anyone he spoke with, yes, I've always wanted to do this since he was a child. He loved trains and always wanted to be an engineer.

TODD: Jones says Gallagher and his wife have two young daughters, describes them as wonderful, caring neighbors.

If you could see Thomas right now, what would you say to him right now?

JONES: I would hug him. I'd say we're here for you.

TODD: And a bit of irony -- Thomas Gallagher's father told WNBC that during his long career with New Jersey transit, his son had done some work as an accident investigator.

Brian Todd, CNN, Hoboken, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: All right, Brain, thanks so much.

[10:25:00] A peculiar end, let's call it, to a pretty painful week for the third party ticket, we're talking the Libertarians. First Gary Johnson blanked on naming his favorite world leader, and now his running mate is heaping praise on Hillary Clinton.

PAUL: All right, let's lighten it up a little bit, because "Saturday Night Live" is pulling out the big guns as it gets ready to kick off a new season. How another famous comedian got Alec Baldwin cast as the new fake Donald Trump. It makes you wonder. What does Ben Carson think of that?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that would be hella exciting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: All right, hope you are just sitting and relaxing a little bit today, get a chance to do that. And we're glad that you are with us to do it. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you. New this morning, Gary Johnson's running mate, former governor Bill Weld, is heaping praise on Hillary Clinton, saying she just might be the most qualified candidate in the race.

PAUL: He is also pushing back this morning, however, against reports that he may drop out of the race. Here is what he told our Michael Smerconish just last hour when he was asked about his praise of Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL WELD, LIBERTARIAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's where the rumor came from that I'm about to drop out because I have made no secret of the fact that I think more highly of Mrs. Clinton, her qualifications and her background, than I do of Mr. Trump's. Why would I jump off the platform that I love? I'm having the time of my life with Gary Johnson.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: All right, plenty to talk about this morning. Let's bring in our guest. We have with us Symone Sanders, CNN political commentator and a Hillary Clinton supporter. Symone, good morning to you again.

SYMONE SANDERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Victor. Hey, Christi.

PAUL: Hi.

BLACKWELL: Let's start with what we heard from Governor Weld. And really a difficult week for their ticket. How does the Clinton campaign try to bring back some of those millennials who have abandoned her campaign? How do they exploit, essentially, what happened this week? And we've got Matt Schlapp here with us as well, Donald Trump campaign surrogate. Symone, first to you.

[10:30:10] SANDERS: So, yes, I think the Clinton campaign can do what they've done best in this election is take Donald Trump's, or in this case, Bill Weld's words and turn them back on him. He is their best advocate right now. So going out there and talking to millennial voters, the Clinton campaign has a great millennial outreach team, and saying, look, this is what Bill Weld, Gary Johnson's running mate, is saying. The libertarians clearly think that Hillary Clinton is the best candidate in this race.

So along with all of Hillary Clinton's qualifications and her great proposals, even the folks that some of my millennial counterparts are going for are saying Hillary Clinton is the woman for the job.

BLACKWELL: Matt, can you bring back some of those essentially never- Trumpers who are supporting Gary Johnson, bring those back into the fold, and how do you do it?

MATT SCHLAPP, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN SURROGATE: Yes, Victor. Actually if you look at most polls, what it shows you is that Gary Johnson and Bill Weld are actually pulling from Democrats and liberals and Bernie Sanders supporters because they are number one, or at least Gary Johnson's signature issue is the legalization of drugs, something that Donald Trump completely agrees with. When you come to these never- Trump Republicans or conservatives, which was rather a big dynamic for a period of time in this race, the last poll was nine of 10 Romney voters are not solidly with Donald Trump, but only eight out of 10 Obama voters are with Clinton.

Actually, the question is can they solidify the coalition is on the Clinton case. Can she get these millennials? Can she get the same kind of African-American and Hispanic turnout as Barack Obama got? That is the real question in the race going forward.

BLACKWELL: Matt, there are some Republicans or some conservatives who have left the Trump camp to support Gary Johnson because of his views on gun rights, taxes as well. I had a person here who was a lifelong Republican who just said that and Gary Johnson was the only liberty minded candidate still in the race. But after these gaffes over the last couple of weeks, I'd imagine that the Trump campaign will try to get them. Is there a strategy to try to work to get those voters, especially in states that are so close like Pennsylvania where the candidate is today?

SCHLAPP: Victor, you are right. And as far as pulling back libertarians who might have been with Gary Johnson, Donald Trump is very strong on second amendment rights, on those basically constitutional protections, on reducing the role of government, on cutting taxes, cutting regulations, not running after a bunch of regulations on global warming. But he has to court these guys. That's what politics is all about. You don't just get to assume they will be in your camp. You have to go after them. On the left, Hillary Clinton just had a tape leaked of her saying that Bernie Sanders' supporters, most live in their parents' basements. That's not going to help her try to recruit those people that are voting libertarian from the left on those types of issues when she makes statements like that.

BLACKWELL: Let's listen to something that was, it was the very last question Donald Trump answered at Monday night's debate, and then compare that to something he told "The New York Times" just yesterday. Let's watch the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Here's the story. I want to make America great again. I'm going to be able to do it. I don't believe Hillary will. The answer is if she wins, I will absolutely support her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: OK. But Symone here, when he was asked by the reporters at "The New York Times" just yesterday if he would support Clinton if she wins, he said this, "We're going to have to see. We're going to have to see what happens. We're going to have to see." What do you make of what Donald Trump says on Friday versus what he said on Monday?

SANDERS: You know, Donald Trump has a pattern of forgetting things he has previously said or just saying things on a whim. So I have no doubt that what he told "The New York Times" last night is something that just popped into his head and spilled out of his mouth onto the pages written by Patrick Healey.

Donald Trump, again, the Clinton campaign is going to continue to make the case he is temperamentally unfit to be president. And spouts in bouts like this continue to underscore that. It is not presidential. Donald Trump is setting it up so that he can pull back to say things weren't fair or something happened. And I just don't think these tactics are going to work. I think moderate Republicans are turned off by this. I think Trump's own campaign manager all the way down to all of his surrogates wish that he would just get it together.

SCHLAPP: I'm a surrogate.

BLACKWELL: Matt, what about that? On Monday, he said he would support her if she wins, but on Friday, we'll have to see?

SCHLAPP: What he meant by those words is we're going to have to see what happens in the election. He thinks he's going to win. He doesn't want to talk about her being president. He wants to talk about Donald Trump being the president.

And the fact is this, when Hillary Clinton goes after people and calls them deplorable, people like me who support Donald Trump, it is a big mistake. She is trying to make Donald Trump unacceptable to voters because 70 percent of this country believes that we're on the wrong track, that our policies are bad, that the country is getting worse and not better. And her negatives are 10 points higher than Donald Trump. They don't think she's honest or trustworthy.

[10:35:00] She has to get the topic off the economy, off the war on terror, off changing Washington. She has to bring up these extraneous issues. It's her only path to victory. I would like to talk about the issues.

BLACKWELL: Matt Schlapp, Symone Sanders, thanks so much.

SANDERS: Thank you.

SCHLAPP: Thanks, Victor.

BLACKWELL: Christie?

PAUL: Two sisters on the African vacation of a lifetime found dead in their hotel room. Find out what autopsies are revealing now about their deaths.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: We are learning more about the death of two American sisters who were on vacation in Africa. Autopsies reveal now Robin and Annie Korkki both died of excess fluid in their lungs. They were found dead in their hotel room at the resort in Seychelles, but the family says they need more information from authorities. Our Rosa Flores has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Loving sisters, best friends who wanted to experience life to the fullest. That is how Robin and Annie Korkki are being described, two women who died in mysterious circumstances while on the vacation of a lifetime in Seychelles. Police on the tropical island paradise in the Indian Ocean say hotel workers at the Maia resort found the two Minnesota natives unresponsive in their luxury villa on September 22nd. Robin, 42, a commodities trader, and younger Annie, 37, an administrative assistant at JP Morgan Chase, arrived to Maia Seychelles on September 15th after site seeing in Kenya and Tanzania.

[10:40:08] Local police say the women appeared to be so intoxicated the night of before they died that hotel staff had to assist the pair to their villa. It would be the last time they were seen alive.

A preliminary autopsy report revealed both women's cause of death to be fluid in their lungs, a condition known as pulmonary edema. The autopsy for Annie Korkki showed fluid in the brain or cerebral edema, as a contributing factor in her death. Toxicology reports are pending and the police investigation is ongoing.

In a place known for its beauty and serenity, described by Annie Korkki as the best place ever, family members faced the somber task of bringing their loved ones back to the U.S. on their final journey home.

Rosa Flores, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: The National Hurricane Center is urging people in Florida to prepare as a powerful category four storm, nearing category five strength, barrels toward the Caribbean. It's packing dangerous winds as it moves through the Atlantic. We will have a live update from the CNN Weather Center. That's coming up for you.

PAUL: Also, Alec Baldwin, what do you think he's doing right now as he gets ready to debut his best Donald Trump impression in tonight's season premiere of "Saturday Night Live." And it was another famous comedian who helped Baldwin get the job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.

TINA FEY, COMEDIAN: And I can see Russia from my house.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Did you know more than 25 million senior citizens live in poverty? And a segment of this population is especially fragile, easily falling outside of any financial safety net into homelessness. This week's CNN hero is shining a light on this forgotten group. Meet Isha Desselle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISHA DESSELLE, CNN HERO: When you are older, living on the street, it is a very scary place. You are much more vulnerable. The people who are in between the ages of 50 and 62, society views them as too old for working and too young for Social Security. They need help. It's like, you don't exist. That's wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: You want to know how she is doing that? You can see how Isha is lifting the elderly out of homeless, giving them new beginnings here. Go to CNNHeroes.com to watch her full story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:46:32] PAUL: It is a category four hurricane that is barreling toward the Caribbean right now. Hurricane Matthew packing winds of 155 miles per hour.

BLACKWELL: And it has the potential to drop up to 25 inches of rain in certain areas. Right now, the storm is heading toward Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas. The question is, is Florida next? Let's go to meteorologist Allison Chinchar in the CNN Weather Center. How about it, Allison?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. All eyes are on where Matthew is going to head. We have a pretty good idea in the short term, say the next 48 hours, but it's after that that things really start to become a bit questionable. Here's a look. Winds right now are at about 155 miles per hour. That is a category four, but it is only two miles per hour off from being a five. So I still want to emphasize it's still a very strong system right now.

Movement is out of the west at seven miles per hour. It is going to make a sharp turn to the north in the next 24 hours. And that will help us pinpoint where it is going to go after it makes that big shift. Right now not too far off from Jamaica and also into Haiti as a category four hurricane.

So the ultimate question everybody really wants to know is where is it going to go now? Are we expecting it to go up toward the Bahamas and Bermuda or more towards Florida? Let's take a look at what the track has in store at least in the short-term. We know it is going to slide up towards Haiti and Jamaica and into Cuba. After that, it really begins to vary. And the reason for that is we've got two high pressures sitting on either side of this particular storm, providing a very narrow path for Matthew to go through.

The question is that high you see over into the Atlantic, as it begins to push away, that will allow that path to widen just a little bit and perhaps allow Matthew to go a little bit farther east. But it all depends on when Matthew shifts to the north. We expect it to happen at some point in the next 24 hours. But if it happens say earlier, say the next four to six hours, guys, it may end up taking more of an easterly track. If it slows down, that is when it becomes a concern for folks along the Florida coast. So certainly something we will have to keep a very close eye on over the next 48 hours.

BLACKWELL: We will do that. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

"Saturday Night Live" we are just hours away from the new season. And with Alec Baldwin getting named the new Donald Trump you can bet politics will play a big part. But how will they stack up against some of the other greats?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The field of Republicans out there is so messed up I figured it makes you miss me, doesn't it?

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's saying a lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Maz Jobrani, author of "I'm Not a Terrorist but I Played One on TV" says comedians like him have a duty to call out hypocrisy on the campaign trail. Maz is live with us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:52:56] PAUL: Late night comedy shows, getting the big guns out as we close in on Election Day here. "Saturday Night Live" unveiling Alec Baldwin as the new Donald Trump, their new Donald Trump, I should say. The idea coming from another "Saturday Night Live" alum, Tina Fey. Senior media correspondent and host of "Reliable Sources" Brian Stelter has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Live from New York, it's almost Saturday night as "SNL" prepares to raise the curtain on its 42n season, it is Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton versus Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. This year "SNL" actually pushed its season opener until after the first debate. Now the sketch everyone is waiting for could help shape the narrative of this election. Will there be Trump sniffles? A vigorous chugging of water? Jokes like that can break through in a powerful way.

DEAN OBEIDALLAH, "THE DAILY BEAST" CONTRIBUTOR: These things go to define people and inform them. So I think comedy could be the key to winning this election.

STELTER: As Election Day nears, left leaning late night hosts like Seth Meyers and Sam Bee are ratcheting up their anti-Trump jokes.

SETH MEYERS, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: Donald Trump supporters are claiming that Hillary Clinton used a secret device Monday night to boost her debate performance. We have a picture of it right here.

(LAUGHTER)

SAMANTHA BEE, LATE NIGHT SHOW HOST: Don't snort your way through the debate like Jean-Pierre's prized truffle pig.

(LAUGHTER)

STELTER: Pointed comedy can turn off some viewers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm aware that that probably happens.

STELTER: But it impresses other viewers, and during election years people need to laugh. Some past "SNL" impressions are unforgettable, like Tina Fey playing Sarah Palin.

TINA FEY, COMEDIAN: I can see Russia from my house.

STELTER: And Will Ferrell's George W. Bush.

WILL FARRELL, COMEDIAN: Strategery.

(LAUGHTER)

STELTER: The portrayal of Al Gore as sighing and stiff and devastating.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would put it in what I call a lockbox.

[10:55:02] STELTER: And who can forget Chevy Chase as a bumbling Gerald Ford?

CHEVY CHASE, COMEDIAN: No problem.

STELTER: Last year, McKinnon's Clinton impression helped win her an Emmy.

MCKINNON: I cannot wait to be your next president, if I'm elected, of course. I'm not getting ahead of myself in public. In private, I've been president for 15 years.

STELTER: And Darrell Hammond took on Trump.

DARRELL HAMMOND, COMEDIAN: Jeb, you're a nice guy, but you're a lightweight. And I know for a fact that you pee sitting down.

STELTER: Both candidates also appeared on the show, something we could see again later this season. But tonight, political junkies are eagerly awaiting "SNL's" take on the first debate to see if the not ready for primetime players can once again make their mark on the nation's psyche.

Brian Stelter, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: So we are preparing tonight for comedy and politics to collide again. But some critics say that a line should be drawn, especially when it comes to Donald Trump. Some comedians and late night hosts are coming under scrutiny for not holding Donald Trump accountable for what some call incendiary remarks. Is there a middle ground here?

Let's bring in Maz Jobrani. He is the co-founder of Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, also the author of "I'm not a terrorist, but I played one on TV." Welcome back to the show.

MAZ JOBRANI, CO-FOUNDER, AXIS OF EVIL COMEDY TOUR: Thanks for having me, guys. How are you?

BLACKWELL: So well. Also you're new comedy, "Jimmy Vestvood, American Hero" drops online October 4th. Let me get to this question of where to draw the line because after a day of watching the campaign coverage and the vitriol from the campaigns, there are some people who go to Fallon and to Kimmel just to laugh. What do tell those people who don't want politics on those shows?

JOBRANI: I think, first of all, there are certain late night shows that are not as political and that is just their flavor. That is what Fallon came under scrutiny for when he had Trump on recently. But if you watch his show, like Stephen Colbert recently has been going very hard against Donald Trump. I find it hilarious. I think a comedian's job is to not shy away from some of the serious issues that are out there. I think it is our job to expose hypocrisy. And when a guy like Donald Trump comes out and makes racist remarks or sexist remarks and just flat out lies, I'm home. And if a comedian can point that out and make me laugh, that's a winner. They win.

BLACKWELL: That's a really thin line to walk. And you do it in this new video that is on YouTube about extreme vetting. Let's watch a portion of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've come to our last question. Do you believe in eating pork?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me, but does the Trump administration actually believe in women's rights, sexual equality, and religious freedoms?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no! But we do love hot dogs. Welcome to America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: That's a portion of the video on YouTube now. And extreme vetting being the suggestion from Donald Trump on people coming into the country. Mike Pence is going to have to define or defend that on Tuesday night in the debate. How do you get, and we talked about it before we ran the clip. How do you walk that line of comedy and satire and education when you put these segments together?

JOBRANI: I think, again, as comedians, we have point of view. One of my biggest peeves is when I post something on Facebook or Twitter or somewhere on social media somebody will come back and make a comment and says stick to comedy. Stay out of politics. But the honest truth is I have an opinion. I am a political human being and I have an interest in doing these things. So as long as I can make it funny, then, again, I win.

If you look back at guys like Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, comedians have been doing this forever. Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, it's out there. And it is our job, because I was talking to the owner of the Laugh Factory here in Los Angeles, Jamie Masada last night. He brought up a good point. He said comedians speak the truth. That's our job, speaking the truth. This video about the extreme vetting came about because I was born in Iran. I grew up in America. But I became a citizen in America and I had to take the citizenship exam. And I remember they would ask you questions, 20 years ago they asked are you a member of the Fascist party? Are you a member of the Communist party? And so this idea of the extreme vetting just seems ridiculous to me. And I was trying to lampoon it in that video.

BLACKWELL: We'll see if we get a definition or defense on Tuesday night. First we are looking forward to "SNL." Max Jobrani, thanks so much for spending some time with us.

JOBRANI: Thanks for having me, guys.

BLACKWELL: Sure.

PAUL: Absolutely. And thank you for sharing your time with us this morning. We are always grateful.