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New Day
First Lady Arrives in Africa; Indonesia Death Toll Jumps; Midterm Elections Five Weeks Away; Trump Touts Trade Tactics; Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired October 02, 2018 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00] BRIAN KAREM, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It was all about Brett Kavanaugh.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, yes, I hear you. I -- yesterday was, but I'm just saying, during the course of this he (INAUDIBLE) a little bit --
KAREM: Yes, you're right.
CAMEROTA: OK.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Brian --
CAMEROTA: Brian Karem.
BERMAN: Yes, Margaret, thank you --
CAMEROTA: Thanks.
BERMAN: As the president -- no, thank you, as the White House transcript --
KAREM: Thank you.
BERMAN: Thank you, as the White House transcript would say because, you know, they (INAUDIBLE).
CAMEROTA: I'm thanking you.
BERMAN: Thank you.
KAREM: Good to see you guys.
CAMEROTA: OK, you too.
We have breaking news right now. First Lady Melania Trump has just landed in Africa. This is her first solo international trip. The first stop is Ghana, followed by visits to Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. And CNN's Kate Bennett is traveling with the first lady. Not many reporters are. And she joins us live on the phone from Afri-Ghana (ph) with more.
Kate, tell us what the trip has been like thus far. KATE BENNETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we literally just touched down.
I'm about 15 feet from the first lady now as she's meeting the first lady of Ghana. I don't know if you can hear the drums playing in the background, but there's quite an arrival ceremony here in Accra, Ghana. Today we expect the first lady to go visit a hospital, visit with children, a children's hospital, something that she feels very strongly about on this trip, visiting with kids, making sure their well-being is safe, that USAID is working on programs for these countries.
But it was a lengthy flight to get here and she did come back to the press section of the plane, which is something she rarely does. It was off the record, but she welcomed us and said she was excited about the trip. You guys, I'm so sorry, I have to -- I'm being directed right past this amazing drum and dance troop, so it will get a little loud.
CAMEROTA: No problem.
BENNETT: But as we move forward in Ghana, I will keep everyone posted.
CAMEROTA: OK. All right. Well, you are right in the thick of it. Kate Bennett, thank you very much for bringing us all of the detail from the first lady's first solo international trip.
BERMAN: Interesting that the first lady did come back and speak to the reporters who are traveling with her, albeit it off the record, but perhaps an openness there with the people she is traveling with.
CAMEROTA: It will also be fascinating to just see what she wants to do there. You know, why did she choose Africa? Why did she want to go here? What's her goal and what will she accomplish there? So we'll be covering all of that.
BERMAN: The very first pictures we're getting back right now. That's interesting to see.
All right, about half past the hour right now. The death toll has jumped in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia. We are live on the ground. We are watching these desperate search and rescue and recovery efforts. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:36:46] BERMAN: New this morning, the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia has jumped to more than 1,200 people. And we only now are we really getting a sense of the scope of this disaster. We have one image we want to show you of before and after. You can see the devastation from, again, the earthquake and the tsunami. The tsunamis has just flattened the towns and the cities as they pass through.
Our Matt Rivers is live in Palu in Indonesia with the very latest.
Matt, I hope you can hear me. What are you seeing this morning?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John, I mean, that kind of devastation you're referencing is on display behind me. This was a shopping mall that had hundreds of people in it when it collapsed. Many people inside this mall died. And search and rescue efforts even going all throughout the day today were ongoing trying to find anyone who might still be trapped.
It's part of this ongoing government operation that's seen increased aid in the past couple of days. We've seen ships from other countries start making their way here, including from the Indian navy. More military aid flights from the Indonesian military landing at the airport here in Palu.
But, generally speaking, John, there is growing criticism of the Indonesian government by ordinary people on the street who are frustrated with what they call a slow response. We went to a refugee camp earlier today where people complain about lack of electricity, food, water, hygiene, health care and they blame the government response.
The other criticism that they're getting is over these mass burials. We went to see dozens of bodies that were placed in a hastily dug mass grave on a hillside earlier today. There was nothing dignified about this burial. They were just dragged in there and quickly covered up. The government says they have to do this with these corps because there is a risk of disease spreading. The World Health Organization would say that disease really isn't there. But that is the line from the Indonesian government at this point and it was unsettling to watch to say the least. Many of the people buried are not identified as of yet.
So it really is growing criticism of the Indonesian government. But, still, moving forward, more aid is need. Search and rescue operations continue. And people here in Palu, Indonesia, are growing increasingly desperate.
John.
CAMEROTA: Oh, I'll take it, Matt. What a horrible situation. Thank you for being on the ground for us to share your reporting.
Back here, we're just five weeks away from the midterms. New polls show tight races for sitting senators. So we get "The Forecast" with Harry Enten.
BERMAN: We've got a better name for it, though.
CAMEROTA: OK, we're going to trot out some new names for you. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:43:12] BERMAN: We are 35 days away from the midterm elections. What does that mean? It means it's time for a new NEW DAY segment we are calling --
CAMEROTA: "The Forecast."
BERMAN: But we have a better name, which is --
CAMEROTA: Oh, we have a million better names. We'll get to those. I mean we --
BERMAN: There's something about Harry.
CAMEROTA: There's something about Harry. There's some --
BERMAN: We're calling this, there's something about Harry.
CAMEROTA: But there's others. I like the trouble with Harry. Do you like that?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN POLITICS SENIOR WRITER AND ANALYST: I like all of them. You know, it just -- just -- come -- all the names, you know, if we could do, there's something about harry, or I'll have what he's having, or I'll have what she's having, or, I don't even know, but --
CAMEROTA: Do you like when Harry met Ali.
ENTEN: Well, that was where I was going.
CAMEROTA: I really like that. But that's a problem.
BERMAN: But that cuts -- yes, but that cuts -- yes, and I have questions about polls, which I'm going to get to now.
CNN's got new polls about Missouri and Nevada, the Senate races there. Harry, what do you got?
ENTEN: Well, we got Claire McCaskill leading in Missouri by I believe three percentage points. And then in Nevada we have Jacky Rosen, the Democratic challenger to Dean Heller, leading by four percentage points. Democrats need both of these races probably if they want to take back the United States Senate.
I should point out that in my own forecast that will be debuting on cnn.com probably next week, I have a little weaker numbers for both of them. Jacky Rosen, only up about by a percentage point, and Claire McCaskill only up by about two percentage points. But both of them do seem at the lead at this particular time.
CAMEROTA: OK, so you're going to be bringing us this daily segment of races that we should keep an eye on. So you think, to you, these are the big ones, Nevada and Missouri, because they are the ones that you think stand the best chance of being flipped?
ENTEN: Well, I would say that they -- well, Nevada would be flipped. Missouri they need a hold. Nevada probably not their best chance of flipping a seat, but it's probably the one that they most likely need to flip in order to take back the United States Senate. They need a net gain of two. Arizona is probably their best pick up opportunity. And then it's a question, OK, of whether they can pick up either Tennessee or Nevada. But if they then lose a race that they've already hold, they need both of those. And that's why it's a tricky hill for them. [06:45:04] BERMAN: For Nevada and Missouri, what that is, if you're
waking up this morning to this news if you're a Democrat, you're like, oh, that's OK news.
ENTEN: Yes.
BERMAN: But then if you want your coffee spoiled, you look maybe at New Jersey and certainly poisonous coffee in North Dakota.
ENTEN: Yes, and I would say -- I don't drink coffee. I prefer hot chocolate. But, you know, if you spill that, it still leaves a pretty bad stain.
Look, if you look at the polling in North Dakota that's been coming out, Heidi Heitkamp, Democratic incumbent, hasn't led in a single poll that has been released since, I believe, February. And if Democrats lose there, in this particular poll that came out from a local NBC station, down ten percentage points. If Democrats lose in North Dakota, it means they have to win the three races that I just described, Arizona, Nevada and Tennessee, and that's a very tall, tall task for them.
CAMEROTA: And tell us about New Jersey, what you're seeing.
ENTEN: In New Jersey, Bob Menendez, two term, running for a third term, Democratic incumbent. He was found not guilty in a corruption trial. But voters seem to maybe think he was a little bit more guilty, at least than that jury did. He's only up two in this -- in this particular poll. And, look, Democrats are probably going to win there. I still think he wins probably by low double digits. But the fact that Democrats may need to play in a state that has two major media markets, Philadelphia and New York, that's a place they don't want to be spending money.
BERMAN: And, again, as we are here, 35 days out, and we're going to bring you back for this segment, which I hope we're going to call, there's something about Harry --
CAMEROTA: OK. Is that your favorite, there's something about Harry?
BERMAN: I do love the movie "There's Something About Mary." A big Ben Stiller fan. So, you know.
CAMEROTA: What -- what does Twitter say?
BERMAN: The Twitter -- Twitter isn't paying attention right now because you're not on Twitter and they're protesting against me.
CAMEROTA: OK, but you also haven't asked the question. Ask (INAUDIBLE).
BERMAN: I will. I will.
But, Harry, trend-wise this morning, you know, as you follow this, it has been mostly good news for the Democrats over the last several weeks. ENTEN: Yes, I would say trend wise it's been mostly good, but some of
the polling that came in yesterday, not just on the Senate side, but on the House side as well, for instance, the average sort of Democratic pickup we were looking at, 35 seats, and the forecast that we would have put out on Sunday, the Democrats lost a lot of ground. In fact, they lost about one or two seats in the forecast that we might be putting out. And that's actually fairly significant because if you lose one or two seats a day, and you only have 35 days left until the midterms, that could spell major trouble.
CAMEROTA: And what's that about? Why are Democrats losing momentum?
ENTEN: They're losing momentum, I think, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is, President Trump's approval rating, as we pointed out a few weeks ago, was dropping. It does seem to be climbing back up, at least a little bit into the 40s.
BERMAN: All right, Harry Enten, great to have you with us. Thank you very much. We look forward to seeing you a lot.
ENTEN: I look forward to seeing you and I'm hoping we might be able to get some drinks on set. Maybe some crazy drinks. Maybe I'll drink some cream soda and you two can drink some coffee.
BERMAN: We've been trying for all of that. We've been trying for all of it.
CAMEROTA: I mean Harry's from a different era. He wants cream soda.
BERMAN: Serpico (ph) Einstein over here.
Thanks, Harry.
ENTEN: Thank you.
BERMAN: The president praising his new trade deal with Mexico and Canada. What is in it? What are the highlights? And what does it mean for you? We'll discuss, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:51:50] CAMEROTA: It's time for "CNN Money Now."
President Trump crediting his tough trade tactics for the successful renegotiation of NAFTA, but how different is this new NAFTA?
Chief business correspondent Christine Romans is in our Money Center with the answer.
New and improved?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, first, it has a new name. The president rebranding NAFTA as the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement, USMCA, and he says it never would have happened without his trade threats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By the way, without tariffs we wouldn't be talking about a deal, just for those babies out there that keep talking about tariffs. That includes Congress. Oh, please, don't charge tariffs. Without tariffs you wouldn't be -- we wouldn't be standing here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Trump promised to use tariffs to force other trade deals, like with China. The president calls the USMCA a brand-new deal, but it's really a NAFTA modernization. It addresses business that didn't exist in 1994, like digital businesses and biotech, it's stronger on intellectual property.
Other big changes, benefits for U.S. wheat farmers. More access to Canada's protected dairy market. That's a relatively small part of overall U.S./Canada trade, but that was a Trump campaign promise.
This whole thing expires in 16 years unless it's renegotiated. And there are higher labor, wage and environmental standards. Potentially good news for American auto workers. To stay duty-free, 40 to 45 percent of a car sold in North America must now be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour and 75 percent of car parts must be made in North America. In theory, that means higher wages and more domestic production.
But the deal does not kill steel and aluminum tariffs. That could raise costs for U.S. automakers and eventually car buyers.
John.
BERMAN: All right, Romans, thank you very, very much.
So, the late night comics at the center of the whole Brett Kavanaugh hearing. We saw it with "Saturday Night Live." What new do they have from last night? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:57:43] BERMAN: All right, the Brett Kavanaugh saga. We saw it on "Saturday Night Live. But that was Saturday. What's the new material? Here are your late night laughs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH MEYERS, HOST, "LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS"" While answering questions about Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his drinking habits, President Trump today praised himself for not drinking alcohol, adding, quote, can you imagine if I had, what a mess I'd be. I mean, yes, you'd be in and out of relationships, you'd miss work all the time, you'd slur your words and are you sure you don't drink?
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT": In the middle of the committee vote, Flake got up and left to huddle with Delaware Democrat Chris Coons and together they wanted to call for an FBI investigation. So to call the FBI, Coons and Flake squeezed into an oversized phone booth. Jeff Flake may have gone into that phone booth adds Clark Kent, but he came out as Clark Kent who is retiring from the Senate, so it's OK if he stands up to Donald Trump.
MEYERS: A college classmate of Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh has said that he often saw Kavanaugh, quote, starring from alcohol consumption. That's nothing. I saw him screaming and crying at a job interview while totally sober.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: I'm sorry, there was too much commotion in the studio for me to hear the final joke.
BERMAN: There was some great jokes there.
CAMEROTA: What did he say?
BERMAN: There were great -- they made a lot of jokes about Brett Kavanaugh and the hearing.
CAMEROTA: They did. And they were really good.
BERMAN: We're going to have to run it again.
CAMEROTA: All right. Let's do it again.
BERMAN: We're going to have to run it again.
CAMEROTA: Sometimes I get distracted during this show.
Thanks to our international viewers for watching. For you, CNN "TALK" is next. For our U.S. viewers, NEW DAY continues right now.
BERMAN: Make sure you watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MAJORITY LEADER: Their goal post keeps shifting. Mr. President, we'll be voting this week.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The FBI should interview anybody that they want within reason.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was a person who conducted himself in an aggressive way.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: What I saw was a guy whose life was ruined based on the flimsies allegations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In denying the possibility that he ever blacked out, Brett has not told the truth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard to tell at times what specifically is on trial.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: If these three senators stick together, they have enormous power.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), MINORITY LEADER: So the $64,000 question is this, is Judge Kavanaugh credible?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
[07:00:04] CAMEROTA: You're ready.
BERMAN: I'm ready.
CAMEROTA: I can tell.
BERMAN: I've been paying attention.
Good morning and welcome to your NEW DAY.
Two major, unresolved questions this morning, just what is the scope of
