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Twenty People Are Dead After A Crash Involving A Limousine In Upstate New York; Justice Brett Kavanaugh Will Sit On The Bench Starting This Tuesday After Being Sworn In; White House Pushing For Another Summit With Kim Jong-Un As Soon As Possible; Mysterious Disappearance Of Saudi Journalist, Jamal Khashoggi; Congressman John Delaney Is The First Democrat To Announce That He Is Running For President In 2020; A Mass Killer Remains On The Loose In Chicago. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired October 07, 2018 - 14:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:16] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you very much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin with breaking news. Twenty people are dead after a crash involving a limousine in upstate New York. The accident happened in the town of Schoharie, just 40 minutes outside of Schenectady.

Here is what we know, according to investigators, the limo collided with another vehicle yesterday afternoon and the NTSB has launched a go team to investigate.

CNN correspondent Christina Alesci is joining me right now with more on this. So we are also waiting for a 3:00 p.m. eastern new conference, right.

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. The tragedy happened about an hour away from Albany in a town called Schoharie.

Here's what we know. Twenty people are dead after a crash involving just two vehicles and that happened about 24 hours ago. The National Transportation Safety Board which as you said launched a go team to investigate is describing the deadly collision as a limo crash. And that may account for the high death toll here.

Multiple agency crews are responding to the scene, including the American Red Cross, the local sheriff's office and the New York state police. We also know where this tragedy happened. Right outside a local business called the Apple Barrel County Store. That's according to New York state police. A witness described the scene here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIDEEN FINEGAN, WITNESS: I heard this loud bang. I came out and I saw a lot of people up here at the apple barrel. Out in the parking lot and then I heard screaming. I walked up and I could see this large van, very unusual looking vehicle for out here in Schoharie in the bushes and really wrecked. Hit a tree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALESCI: Now, on its Facebook page, the story says it is collecting donations for local volunteer emergency service.

Here's what we are still reporting out. What caused the crash and the names of the victims. Authorities are not releasing those until they notify next of kin. And we should have more details when authorities hold that press conference at 3:00 p.m. Also, my colleague Polo is on his way over to the scene. And we will probably have more details from the ground there - Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Cristina Alesci. Thank you so much. And we look forward to more updates.

Meantime, joining me on the phone is Peter Barber, a photographer for the "Daily Gazette." He was on the scene shortly after it happened.

And so, from what you can tell, Peter, what do you know about these two vehicles and how it was that they collided?

PETER BARBER, PHOTOGRAPHER, DAILY GAZETTE (on the phone): Yes. The intersection in question is route 30 and 30A, very rural area in Schoharie County. And come basically 30 runs into a T with 38. And there is a one-way stop sign so people in 30A have the right of way. There is boulevard stop at - on route 30. So apparently what happened was I'm going off just what I heard is just one of those vehicles was going down 30 and either failed to stop at the stop sign and then collided with the van at the intersection right out in front of the cafe.

WHITFIELD: And what about the time of day? We are told yesterday afternoon. What can you tell us about the conditions, you know, of that afternoon? Whether if any of those things might play a role.

BARBER: No, I don't think so. It was a cloudy overcast day bur warm, no wind, clear. The pavement was dry. It's just one of the things that happened. It's just a tragedy that is, you know, so many, the first responders that have to deal with this firsthand.

WHITFIELD: Twenty reported dead for these two vehicles colliding. Do we know anything about the vehicles? How many people were traveling in each?

BARBER: As far as I know, 18 were in the van. Two people were killed in the parking lot on the vehicle slid into them. And I'm not sure about the condition of the people in the SUV. The whole wreck is kind of ended up in the just off the shoulder in a kind of a bushy area.

WHITFIELD: Do you know anything about, you know, the destinations of these vehicles, where they were going?

BARBER: Np, none whatsoever. The state police is being very, you know, tight lipped about things until next of kin are notified and they can get their ducks in a row. WHITFIELD: Do you know anything about whether the people involved

were locals? Were they people who were going through the area on their way somewhere else?

BARBER: Yes. No idea. Like I said, I got to the scene about an hour and a half after the call. I was actually in the area covering a football game and then, you know, took the 30-minute ride over to 30 and 30A. And you know, by that time, the whole scene was pretty much shut down. One that anybody really (INAUDIBLE). And you know, and just swarming with investigators and volunteer firefighters and ambulance personnel.

[14:05:24] WHITFIELD: Is there a way in which to describe the scene today, you know, the morning after this accident yesterday?

BARBER: Hard to say. I haven't, you know. I am actually in New York right now covering the Jets game so I haven't been back to the scene yet. But from what I understand, they were there all night long and extrication of the people didn't happen until late last night, early this morning.

WHITFIELD: All right, tragic situation. Peter Barber still in the infancy of the investigation.

Again, we expect to hear from police and authorities there next hour on this deadly crash there in Schoharie, New York. We will bring that to you live as it happens.

All right. And now to the final push to the midterms now. Barely a month away. President Trump back in Washington today, riding a high after his victory lap in Kansas to tout his remarkable week with just 30 days until the November elections. We now officially have a complete Supreme Court.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh will sit on the bench starting this Tuesday after being sworn in last night. Senators from both sides are facing fallout from Kavanaugh's confirmation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: I found Dr. Ford's testimony to be heart wrenching, painful, compelling. And I believe that she believes what she testified to.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Can you lose a seat over your vote?

COLLINS: You know, I have to do what I think is right. And over the years, the people of Maine trusted me to exercise my best judgment. That's what I did in this case.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D), HAWAII: She said that she thinks that Dr. Ford thinks that she was assaulted which is each more insulting than saying that she gave a very credible account. I certainly believe Dr. Ford as a senator so making these confirmation decisions are the people who are elected by their voters. And so as voter, they have a role to play.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And with control of Congress down the line, the President's base is hoping to ride this waive of victory to the polls, but fired up Democrats are vowing revenge in November.

CNN White House reporter Sarah Westwood joining us right now.

So President Trump is getting ready for another busy week. What is expected?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Fred, Trump spent the weekend basking in the success of Republican efforts to put Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. And there are no signs he will be letting up heading into this jam packed week of events across the country.

Trump spent that rally in Kansas on Saturday night touting not just the Kavanaugh confirmation, but also other some other big wins of his administration notched over the past week including the negotiation of his trade terms with Canada and Mexico and the release of some eye popping jobs numbers on Friday.

Now in Kansas, Trump previewed what could be a central theme to his political messaging heading into November and that's using the example of the bitter confirmation battle for Brett Kavanaugh as a warning to Republican voters about what could happen if Democrats retake Congress in November and using that narrow margin of victory to motivate Republican voters who might be complacent in November.

Now top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway today echoed Trump's criticism of the way Democrats handled sexual conduct allegations against Kavanaugh. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: They wanted America to look out and see Brett Kavanaugh as a gang rapist. And a lot of women including me in America looked up and saw a man who was a political, political character assassination and also we looked up and saw in him possibly our husbands, our sons, our cousins, our coworkers, our brothers. And this was unfair. Had they shown Brett Kavanaugh the grace and dignity that his 10-year-old daughter showed Dr. Ford, that we all showed her in her testimony, in the FBI supplemental investigation. And I think there should be soul searching, but it's not the Supreme Court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WESTWOOD: Now Trump will have several opportunities this week to try to keep the enthusiasm of the base up after the string of victories as some Republicans are concerned that that energy on the right could dissipate before Election Day on Monday. He has an official event in Orlando. And later in the week, they will hold campaign rallies in Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky on Saturday. So it's likely we will hear a lot more about this victory lap from President Trump this week - Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Sarah Westwood at the White House. Thanks so much.

Republican senator Susan Collins is defending her decision to confirm Kavanaugh. She was one of the key vote that helped Republicans secure just enough votes to make it official. Listen to what she told CNN's Dana Bash about Kavanaugh's role on the U.S. Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[14:10:10] DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I want to ask you and you know this because you are witnessing this happening at your home, at your offices in Washington and in Maine. Women are saying that you betrayed women all across the country. Planned Parenthood gave you an award last November for your work on protecting reproductive rights. Here's what their political arm had to say about your vote.

This is not just another vote. Senator Collins made it clear she can no longer call herself a women's rights champion. She sided with those who disbelieved, disrespected and even mocked survivors. We deserve better. Women won't forget.

COLLINS: Well, first of all, I have never disregarded, disrespected or mocked survivors. That is just plain untrue. And I would know that Planned Parenthood opposed three pro-choice justices just because they were nominated by Republican Presidents -- David Souter, Sandra Day O'Connor and Justice Kennedy. They said the same thing. Women will die. And this is just outrageous. I work to preserve funding for Planned Parenthood over and over again and I'm going to continue to do so.

BASH: And I understand that you are upset. I can see that about Planned Parenthood, but just generally to women who are saying this, who have no connection to Planned Parenthood that feel that you betrayed them, what do you say to them?

COLLINS: I have met with so many groups of survivors. I talked to friends that with one exception who confided in me years ago. I had no idea that they had been sexually assaulted. So I have learned how pervasive this terrible problem is in our society.

And clearly, we need to step up and do something about it. And every survivor deserves to be heard and respected. This is a case where there is an incident that happened allegedly 36 years ago where there is no corroborating evidence. And it is not fair to Brett Kavanaugh for this to be disqualifying in the absence of evidence. But that does not mean that I don't believe that Dr. Ford was not a victim of sexual assault. I think she is a survivor.

BASH: Beyond the allegations, of course, are the questions about Roe vs. Wade. While you were giving your speech on the senate floor, your friend, a top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee Dianne Feinstein tweeted the following. When I asked Judge Kavanaugh about whether Roe and Casey were settled law and whether they were correct, they decided, he refused to answer. He would only said these cases are entitled to respect. How can you be sure or are you 100 percent certain without a doubt that Brett Kavanaugh will not overturn Roe v. Wade?

COLLINS: I do not believe that Brett Kavanaugh will overturn it.

BASH: It is President who overturned all the time.

COLLINS: They aren't overturn all the time. And listen to the standards that he put forth in his conversation with me. And also in the hearing, he said for a President a long established precedent like Roe to be overturned, it would have to been grievously wrong and deeply inconsistent. He noted that Roe had been reaffirmed 19 years later by Planned Parenthood versus Casey. And that it was precedent un-precedent. He said it should be extremely rare that it be overturned and it should be an example.

BASH: So you have obviously full confidence?

COLLINS: I do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk more about this.

Joining me right now presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. She is the author of a new book. "Leadership in Turbulent Times."

Good to see you. This is now - is this correct, your 7th book?

DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: That's correct.

WHITFIELD: All right. And in this one, you helped detail how four U.S. presidents handled crisis -- Abraham Lincoln, both Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. So, you know, from writing to reading to even entertaining and interacting with others. Those presidents dealt with big things from anti-slavery to civil war and to civil rights. So in your view, what should be learned about how these Presidents managed others or even themselves?

GOODWIN: You know, I think the most important thing is that once they got into office, and they all came in in very difficult times, their primary thing was to try and unify the people who were divided in different ways. I mean, think about when Lincoln came in, he had to unify all the factions in the north so that they could fight together to save the union and eventually emancipate slavery.

There was a lot of divisions even in the north when Teddy Roosevelt came in. He worried much like today that the country was divided between people in different sections, races, religions, who felt each other was the other rather than a common American citizen. So he ran on around the country not just stoking his base, but trying to expand that base so that people could have a square deal for the rich and the poor, the capitalist and the wage worker.

And when LBJ came in and the civil rights movement was really threatening to tear the country apart, he and civil rights movement work together to pass civil rights and voting rights with an overwhelming majority in the Senate, bipartisanship in the Senate and the House. So it is that desire among a president to unify a country and go beyond their base that we need to look for right now. We need healing in this country.

[14:15:43] WHITFIELD: You don't tackle today's President, but you know, there are varieties of polarization and turbulence today. Do you see Trump crafting a sort of presidential template of even dealing? Do you see him becoming that unifier as you just described some of these other presidents do in times of turbulence?

GOODWIN: You know, there are always moments when we think he is going to do that. I remember when he first came in, he gave a joint session of Congress speech that seem to talk about reconciliation. Even in the early days of this hearing when he said that Dr. Ford was credible and then somehow later he comes out, taking that (INAUDIBLE) or that spanx off and then attacks her and mocks her. And that desire to just satisfy the base and expand the people who voted for him just seems to come forefront rather than looking for the country as a whole. And I keep waiting for it to happen.

These Presidents grow in office. They grow and they acknowledge errors and learn from their mistakes. They grow and they realize that they are not all-important, that they need other people around them. You know, they grow to empathy. Empathy is the one thing I think that is most important in all our leaders today. And we didn't really see it in Washington in these last years much less in the presidency right now. It means understanding other people's point of view and using your leadership position to try to bring people together in some sort of compromise, collaboration, so that we can march together to have some common vision.

Where is that common vision for Americans today? That is what I keep waiting for somebody to provide.

WHITFIELD: And you just mentioned, you know, that moment that the President, you know, mocking of Dr. Ford and even he has, you know, praised Senator Collins in her recent vote in support of Kavanaugh. Yet at the same time, some criticism going to the only GOP female senator, Murkowski, who voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation. The President saying that she will never be able to recover, you know, from that kind of dissenting vote. So what is the overall message in your view that is being sent from this President to women?

GOODWIN: I mean, I think the overall message is that partisanship is more important than looking at the situation. There was no reason the timing had to be as short as it was. I mean, I think most people would wish that it was a fuller investigation. Most people would have wished that the way he handled mocking her -- and it wasn't the first time he mocked somebody. Remember when he mocked that disabled person when he was running from the presidency. He is a reporter. You would think he would learn from that. You think he would learn from that. And then know that it was hurtful to people.

When Lincoln was young, he mocked an opponent and the opponent started crying, and he felt so badly. He was good at mocking. He said I never going to do this again. I never want to plant a thorn in anyone's side. So you have to grow in this office and learn from your mistakes. And I guess, we keep waiting for that to happen.

WHITFIELD: And on that issue of Roe V. Wade, you heard Senator Collins there who seems to be sending a message that she doesn't seem to be too worried after talking, you know, to judge Kavanaugh, now justice Kavanaugh. However, we are talking about a President who on the campaign trail made promise that he would be nominating justices that would potentially overturn Roe v. Wade. This so far has been a President who has lived up to his campaign promises. Do you believe it is his objective by way Kavanaugh to overturn Roe v. Wade?

GOODWIN: Well, I'm not sure what will happen, but there is no question that he has he kept to his promises, you know. He was able to get the huge tax cut through, the deregulation and now two Supreme Court justices. But the worry something I think it's not just what will happen to the settled law of Roe v. Wade, there is a lot happening behind the scenes right now on voting rights, on environmental law, on women's rights.

While we have been focused on everyday breaking news that we are not seeing in a lot of settled law in the last 50 years, Medicaid and Medicare are being slowly chipped away. And that's the narrative I think that if the Democrats want to provide a story for the country, it cannot simply be anti-Trump. And it can't even be simply anti-what happened in these Kavanaugh hearings. It has to be a fight with passion for restoring what the last 50 years has created in terms of social foundation and economic justice, opportunity for people. And if they can do that, then they can get people to the polls out of passion, not just out of anger. Because that is not going to help us to have more anger on one side and then the other.

[14:20:08] WHITFIELD: Doris Kearns Goodwin. And congratulation on your new book, "Leadership in Turbulent Times."

GOODWIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much.

All right. The President is attacking Democrats as too dangerous to govern. Could their opposition of Kavanaugh's confirmation backfire ahead of the midterms? Words of advice from one Democratic senator, forget impeachment. Focus on elections.

Plus, the White House pushing for another summit with Kim Jong-un as soon as possible after a key meeting between Secretary Pompeo and the North Korean leader. Is the Trump administration closer to a denuclearization deal?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:24:54] WHITFIELD: All right. The White House is expressing hope for a second summit with North Korea as soon as possible. President Trump just tweeted these pictures of secretary of state Mike Pompeo fresh off his visit with leader Kim Jong-un. They met for about two hours in what is now Pompeo's fourth trip to Pyongyang. The trip was aimed at breaking a gridlock in nuclear talks.

And here's how Pompeo described the progress after arriving in South Korea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:25:20] MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We had a good productive conversations (INAUDIBLE) steps along the way. And we took notice of it today. It is another step forward. So this is I think a good outcome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN global affairs correspondent Elise Labott joining me right now.

So, what has changed after this meeting and what could be next?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, it is unclear that anything has changed. I mean, you heard secretary Pompeo said that they took another step forward today, but officials, all officials, would say coming out of the meeting to reporters is that it went better than last time. And you remember last time secretary Pompeo did not meet with Kim Jong-un.

Some of the things on the table, particularly getting North Korea to take some steps towards denuclearization. The U.S. is really looking for some kind of accounting for the North Korean nuclear program. North Korea has said it would invite inspectors to investigate the test site. They also told the South Koreans that they would be willing to dismantle one of the test sites.

But the main thing that seems to be on the agenda is this summit between Kim Jong-un and President Trump. And there, you know, officials are saying look, the tone is great. The atmosphere is great. They acknowledge that they haven't seen those kinds of steps, Fred, that the U.S. needs to see.

The North Koreas are also looking for some steps from the U.S., perhaps a declaration of an end to the Korean War, officially end. But right now, all that really seems to be going on is heightened, you know, atmosphere, good feelings between the two. Lots of handshakes and smiles.

The U.S. really looking for those hard steps from North Korea. And it's very unclear that even if another summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un does take place, that North Korea is not reverting to its traditional playbook of dragging these negotiations out, trying to get as much as it can while giving very little, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elise Labott, thanks so much.

All right. Still ahead, a contributor to "the Washington Post" mysteriously disappears inside the Saudi Arabia consulate. And now unconfirmed reports suggest that reporter may have been murdered.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:32:09] WHITFIELD: Right now, we are following the mysterious disappearance of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. According to "the Washington Post" citing two sources familiar with the investigation, Khashoggi, a prominent journalist was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul last week by a Saudi teen sent, and quoting now, "specifically for the murder," end quote. CNN has not been able to confirm those reports. And Saudi Arabia is dismissing the reports, calling them, quoting now, "baseless allegations."

Khashoggi is a top journalist in Saudi Arabia and has been a prominent critic of the country's leadership. His editor at "the Washington Post" spoke earlier to CNN about the impact this disappearance is having across the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN ATTAH., GLOBAL OPINIONS EDITOR, THE WASHINGTON POST: Whoever may have wanted to do this to him recognized that he is an important voice not only for Saudi Arabia, but for the region and for the entire world. And so if anything, all they have done is just upped his profile.

To whoever has information, the Saudi Turks, the entire world is watching.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is following the story for us.

So Nic, what do we know about this, you know, reported disappearance? And why there is such conflicting accounts of what has or hasn't happened?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Fred, it's really not clear why these accounts are so conflicting, but they are coming from very senior positions in Turkey. You have the Turkish president saying that he is chasing this. That freedom-loving people and people who want the freedom of information are not going to stand by and let this go.

He is saying that they are investigating what took place at the consulate. They are examining who came and who went to the consulate. He is also saying that his security services were examining who came and went to nearby airports that day as well. Because according at least, that seems to be a reference to a report by one Turkish media outlet that says Turkish police are investigating 15 Saudi nationals who arrived on a flight the same day that Khashoggi disappeared and then left that same day.

That's the language that we are hearing from the Turkish President. A senior adviser to the President's political party goes further, saying that they have concrete information that this will not go unsolved. And that they have evidence that Khashoggi did not leave and they use his quote devices here. They did not leave the consulate in a normal way.

So what the Turkish officials up to the President here are essentially alleging. It is huge misdeeds by the Saudi government. And of course, the division in the Saudi cited they are pushing back. They are saying that he left. They are saying that this isn't possible.

I have talked people in Saudi today and they tell me they think this is Turkey trying to score points, political points against Saudi Arabia.

[14:35:20] WHITFIELD: All right. Lots of ripples being, you know, emerged here. And then of course lots of peaked concern.

Nic Robertson, thank you so much.

All right. An angry left wing mob. President Trump lambasted Democrats after the most successful week of his presidency, telling conservative voters liberals are, I'm quoting now, "too dangerous to govern."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:40:27] WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court comes 30 days before Election Day. And President Trump used images of Kavanaugh protesters to help his case against Democrats. Listen to what he said to supporters at his rally in Kansas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You don't hand matches to an arsonist and you don't give power to an angry left wing mob. And that's what they have become. The Democrats have become too extreme and too dangerous to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law, not the rule of the mob.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Joining me now is Congressman John Delaney of Maryland who has been traveling the nation, fund-raising for Democratic candidates. He is also the first Democrat to announce that he is running for President in 2020.

Congressman, good to see you. So how do you combat this language, left wing mob, extreme, and dangerous? Because that is how the President is painting you and your colleagues.

REP. JOHN DELANEY (D), MARYLAND: Well, obviously his rhetoric is terrible. What the President doesn't realize is what has happened in the last few weeks is much bigger than even judge Kavanaugh's nomination. I mean, there is a huge number of women and survivors in our country who are still enduring terrible pain from what they went through and were wrestling with this as a society. And we still haven't, obviously, gone far enough. And that's really what this is about. And I don't think the President understands that at all. WHITFIELD: So I want you to listen to one of your, you know, senators

today speaking on whether Democrats should try to even impeach Kavanaugh. There are those who are already saying they are ready to launch that campaign. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Should Brett Kavanaugh be impeached if Democrats take control?

HIRONO: I'm much more focused on the here and now which is we have an election coming up. I said to the women who are justifiably angry but determined, and I said they should be just focused like a laser beam on the elections because they have connected the dots. They know that the senators are making these confirmation decisions are the people who are elected by their voters. And so as voters, they have a role to play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Senator Hirono didn't answer that question about, you know, whether impeachment is on the horizon or not. Do you think it is even wise to talk about impeachment amongst yourself, even if not publicly.

DELANEY: No. I think the senator was right. We need to focus on the next 30 days and what the Democratic Party is going to do for voters. I mean, the problem that our party has had is that we have lost the Senate. We have lost the White House. We have lost the House of Representatives.

We have to focus on winning elections. And that's how the values that we stand for in a party can actually be made into laws and change the direction of our country. So the real focus is on this election and what we are going to do for people.

I think Judge Kavanaugh is on the bench. You know, I think this is now over. And I think we need to focus ongoing forward and telling the American people what we are going to do for them.

WHITFIELD: So what are will be the issues that you and your colleagues would want to focus on?

DELANEY: Well, what I am focusing on when I talk to voters is basic pocketbook issues, things that realty affect their lives, their families, the futures for their kids, healthcare, education, wages, their benefits at work, the things we are doing to help prepare for them for a world that is changing tremendously because of technology and global interconnections.

So I'm really focused on issues that really matter to most Americans. A lot of people call them pocketbook issues. But the basic things around their pay and their wages or jobs being created in their communities. Can their kids stay in their communities and have a job? What are we doing for the healthcare? What are we doing to keep pharmaceutical prices down? What are we doing to improve education so that people can get the skills they need to get a job? These are the issues that really matter. The issues that affect

working families and their kids. I mean, most Americans are dreaming better things for their kids and they want their kids to come into a society where the debt that they are being left, they can manage, where they have opportunities, where they have jobs if they want to stay in their communities. That's what most Americans are focused on. And that's what I focus on when I'm talking to Americans all around this country.

WHITFIELD: The President in Kansas yesterday took jabs at three of your possible competitors to be the Democratic Presidential nominee -- Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, vice president Joe Biden. Officially, none have announced a run. You have. Who are you most concerned about?

[14:45:04] DELANEY: I'm concerned about what I'm talking to voters about. I'm not really worried about what other people were doing. You know, I was an entrepreneur before I ran for office. I started two companies. I took them public to the New York stock exchange. So I have always really focused on what I'm doing and making sure that I'm doing what's right for my constituents and for the country.

And I think my message which is focused on the future, talking to Americans about how the world is changing and the things we need to be doing together, working together to get things done. How we have to take this terribly divided nation where America has been pitted against American which is what the President spends a lot of his time doing. How do we turn the chapter on this kind of decade of that kind of hyper partisan politics? And how do we get back to some notion of functioning in our government so that we can get real things done for our people.

That is what I'm focused on. I'm not really worried about who else is going to run. Because my message which is focused on the needs of the American people and focused on the future and focused on bringing this country together is what I think our country needs to do. I think it's really what the Democratic Party needs to do. We need to become a big ten party and being embracing of people and really try to get things done.

WHITFIELD: Is it an uphill battle for the Democratic Party? Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the Democrats' fight, you know, against Kavanaugh has been, you know, a great and I'm quoting now, "a great political gift to us. The tactics have energized our base." He told "the Washington Post" that. And he said it again on CBS' "Face the Nation."

DELANEY: You know, look, and a lot of people like to draw conclusions about what happened. The only thing that is going to really matter is what happens in 30 days. I think Democrats are doing great around this country. I was in Texas for two days. Now, I'm here. I'm going to Arizona tomorrow. I have another half dozen states that I'm going to be traveling to. There is a lot of energy for the terrific Democratic candidates that are running. Some of the candidates that are running for Congress this year in the Democratic Party are some of the best candidates that I have ever seen. There is a lot of energy. We have a lot of veterans running. We have a lot of women running. We have a lot of people with a lot of private sector experience like I had running. So we have really good candidates. There is a lot of energy in the party. And if we stay focused on the issues that matter to most Americans, again, these kind of pocketbook issues, I think we are going to do really well in about a month. And I don't think Mitch McConnell really has any idea how things are actually unfolding out on the ground.

WHITFIELD: All right. We are got to leave it there for now.

Congressman John Delaney, thanks for being with us from Las Vegas today.

All right. Still ahead, the hunt is on for this man who Chicago police say is the masked gunman who shot and killed two people at random.

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[14:52:15] WHITFIELD: A mass killer remains on the loose in Chicago. A reward of $16,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest of this man wanted in two recent shooting deaths. They say two men were killed by the same gun. And those killings appear to be completely random.

Here now is CNN's Scott McLean.

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SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With quiet tree-lined streets, a direct link to downtown and sweeping views of Lake Michigan, Chicago's Rogers Park is a safe desirable neighborhood by almost every measure. But lately, people here have been on high alert after two separate murders in a span of just 36 hours. The victim seemingly chosen at random.

The first happened in broad daylight. Neighbors heard the shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't believe that was happening.

MCLEAN: 73-year-old Douglas Watts was out walking his dogs when a masked man in a dark track suit shot him in the head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guy was such a nice guy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was a sweet old man. He could barely walk. I mean, what kind of enemies could he have?

MCLEAN: Surveillance footage cop possessed that taken off down in a nearby alley. But the video reveals almost nothing identifiable except, police say, for a distinctive walk. His feet point noticeably outward.

Ladi Ogunnubi says he saw the suspect moments before the shooting.

LADI OGUNNUBI, WITNESS: As I was stepping out, my complex, he started to walk further away from me. But I forgot something in the house on my way to church and so I went -- I ran back in to go get that. And when I had come back out, within a minute or two, I started to see cops and a bit of chaos. It could have been me.

MCLEAN: Just a day later, this 24-year-old (INAUDIBLE) was killed along the lake front path just a few blocks away, also shot in the head.

CLEVELAND HUGHES, AREA RESIDENT: It made me really sad.

MCLEAN: Did it make you think twice to even jog down here today?

HUGHES: Yes. It definitely makes me think twice. And if you guys saw me running, I'm trying to get it in and out as fast as I can.

MCLEAN: This week, police held a packed community meeting to calm fears and also advise caution. Some people wondered if these were hate crimes. The first victim was gay. The second, an orthodox Jew. Others think that white people were the target. Police are not talking about potential motives, but they are stepping up patrols. They think the suspect is a local.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is not a ghost. He shops in stores around there. He walks the neighborhood around there.

MCLEAN: Police have dozens of leads, but still no suspects. Little comfort for a neighborhood praying he is caught before he kills again.

Scott McLean, CNN, Chicago.

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WHITFIELD: And still to come, more on that breaking news involving 20 people killed when a limousine crashed in upstate New York. Authorities are about to give an update. We will bring that update to you live as it happens.

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[14:59:45] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today's scavenger hunt is about finding clues, solving puzzles and performing challenges. We are going around the north beach area of San Francisco.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scavenger hunts are great exercise. You run around a big area. And it gets you out into a new environment. It gets you to play and play as known to be really great for health. It is great for stress. They are also great for the mind. You have to like solve puzzles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to think quickly on your feet. You have to navigate through compass --

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