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New Day
Growing Caravan Of Migrants Pushes Into Mexico; Florida Governor Candidates Face Off In Contentious Debate; The Forecast: Democrats Lead In Florida Governor And Senate Races; Photographer Searches For Couple In Yosemite Proposal Picture. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired October 22, 2018 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: This is a legal process. You can come to --
MATT SCHLAPP, CHAIRMAN, AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION, FORMER GEORGE W. BUSH POLITICAL DIRECTOR: We have a broken process.
CAMEROTA: You can come to the United States and seek asylum. That's legal. In fact, there used to be a time --
SCHLAPP: No.
CAMEROTA: -- that we opened our arms to people who wanted to come.
SCHLAPP: We still do.
CAMEROTA: But, Matt, you keep --
SCHLAPP: We still do.
CAMEROTA: Hold on one second, Matt.
You keep framing them as these sort of opportunists who are trying to take advantage of our system. Do you have any --
SCHLAPP: They want to be --
CAMEROTA: -- sympathy for the conditions --
SCHLAPP: They want to be in America. America -- yes.
CAMEROTA: -- in their country?
SCHLAPP: Absolutely.
CAMEROTA: Do you?
SCHLAPP: Look, I -- come on, my last name is Schlapp, Alisyn. Where the heck do you think I come from?
I mean, all kinds of people throughout generations want to be Americans. It's one of the things I love about my country.
And we're the most tolerant country on the face of the earth when it comes to accepting immigrants. We are still that way.
What we cannot do is allow people to come here in a way where they get temporary protective status that allows them to stay in the country forever. We have millions of people in this country --
CAMEROTA: But, Matt, you know that there is a process for asylum seekers. I mean --
SCHLAPP: We have millions of people who have come to this country this way. Alisyn, it's the wrong way to come.
CAMEROTA: Matt --
SCHLAPP: The right way to come is the legal system.
CAMEROTA: You're lumping everything into one. You know that there's a process for asylum seekers and you know that's legal.
SCHLAPP: I do.
CAMEROTA: And so here we are.
SCHLAPP: And, Alisyn, answer me this question. When you get your temporary status in this country, what are the consequences if you don't go to your hearing and go back to report about your status? What happens to you?
CAMEROTA: Matt, you know what? My producers are yelling at me.
SCHLAPP: Did you answer that because -- I'm not yelling.
CAMEROTA: Matt, I know what you're talking about --
SCHLAPP: I'm not yelling.
CAMEROTA: -- with this catch and release. That's what I believe you're referring to. And I believe that lots of people think that there is a problem with catch and release and that that's what they're trying to fix.
SCHLAPP: I agree with you.
CAMEROTA: But drumming up fear right (audio gap) --
SCHLAPP: It's truth.
CAMEROTA: -- thousands of marauding people --
SCHLAPP: There are thousands -- there are 5,000 -- 4,000.
CAMEROTA: -- at the southern border of Mexico. And by the time -- you know the attrition that happens by the time they get here -- it won't be. And then they're going to follow a legal process --
SCHLAPP: So, Alisyn --
CAMEROTA: -- for seeking asylum and a fraction of them will get asylum.
SCHLAPP: Alisyn, you agree. You and I agree. They shouldn't be able to come into our country.
It sounds like you and I agree. Let's shake hands on it.
I agree. They should follow the law and you're saying --
CAMEROTA: Matt, everybody agrees that --
SCHLAPP: -- that they're not going to be able to get here.
CAMEROTA: -- people should follow the law.
But listen, I like what you're saying.
SCHLAPP: So let's --
CAMEROTA: You and I will find out the exact number --
SCHLAPP: Please, because I know I didn't use the right number --
CAMEROTA: Fair enough.
SCHLAPP: -- because I didn't look at it --
CAMEROTA: Fair enough.
SCHLAPP: -- before I went on the air.
CAMEROTA: Got it.
SCHLAPP: Let's look at it.
CAMEROTA: Let's be fact-based.
SCHLAPP: Every month people come into --
CAMEROTA: Let's be fact-based.
SCHLAPP: -- this country in this way --
CAMEROTA: Yes.
SCHLAPP: -- that allows them to come temporarily. They overstay --
CAMEROTA: I like your adherence of facts --
SCHLAPP: OK.
CAMEROTA: -- and when you come on later this week we will both be armed with the same facts and we'll have this discussion.
SCHLAPP: And I might be wrong because you know what, Alisyn? I'm wrong a lot --
CAMEROTA: I don't believe that.
SCHLAPP: -- but it doesn't mean I'm lying.
And the president's wrong --
CAMEROTA: You're never wrong.
SCHLAPP: -- sometimes. It doesn't mean he's lying. Actually, when it comes this question of immigration he's been more right --
CAMEROTA: Matt, the president isn't even trying.
SCHLAPP: -- he's been more right than any politician we've seen recently.
CAMEROTA: Matt, the president isn't even trying to use sense (ph).
And by the way, we have still not gotten the answer on where all that rioting in California was this weekend, but we'll continue to look at the facts. We look forward to talking to you about it --
SCHLAPP: OK.
CAMEROTA: -- later this week.
Thanks, Matt.
SCHLAPP: Thanks.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I just want to see the handshake that was promised there.
CAMEROTA: I was wondering how we were going to do that.
BERMAN: All right.
Overnight, an explosive debate in a key swing state, plus a big poll number for a rising star in the Democratic Party. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:36:56] BERMAN: All right. It's on -- early voting. It's on in Florida.
Just hours after the first fiery debate between the state's gubernatorial candidates, a new CNN poll finds that the Democratic candidate, Andrew Gillum, has a 12-point lead over Republican Ron DeSantis. That's among likely voters.
Our Ryan Nobles live in Tampa in the debate aftermath -- Ryan.
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. Just 15 days to go before voters cast their ballots in this election. As you mentioned, voters already starting to cast ballots.
And last night was the first time for these two candidates to face off in a debate and it happened on CNN. And there were some fireworks, for sure.
After that poll showed Andrew Gillum with a wide lead, both campaigns believe the race is much closer and will only get tighter as we get closer to Election Day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NOBLES (voice-over): Republican Ron DeSantis coming out swinging against Democrat Andrew Gillum from the start of Sunday's debate.
RON DESANTIS (R), CANDIDATE FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Andrew's a failed mayor. He's presided over a crime-ridden city. He's involved in corruption. He's not the guy to lead our state.
ANDREW GILLUM (D), CANDIDATE FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Well, indeed, that was a mouthful.
NOBLES: Gillum, the first African-American nominee of either major party for governor in Florida, touting his life story and dismissing DeSantis's attacks.
GILLUM: Ron is being Don -- and that's Donald Trump -- neglecting all sense of reason and facts. No matter of restatement of what he has to say is going to change the facts. This is CNN, not Fox. You have to bring facts to the conversation.
NOBLES: President Trump has become a key focus in this race that greatly resembles the national political divide.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You have a great candidate in Florida. It's called the Republican candidate, Ron DeSantis.
NOBLES: And, DeSantis has repeatedly touted the president's endorsement on the campaign trail and in ads.
CAMPAIGN AD: He's teaching Madison to talk.
DESANTIS: Make America great again.
NOBLES: On Sunday night, DeSantis keeping some distance, quickly pivoting when asked if President Trump is a good role model for children.
DESANTIS: I don't actually read "The Art of the Deal" to my son, Mason. He's a -- he's a great kid. He smiles at anything. But that's not necessarily his cup of tea.
So here's what I know. I was very passionate about moving our American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
GILLUM: Donald Trump is weak and he performs as all weak people do. They become bullies. And, Mr. DeSantis is his acolyte. He's trying out to be the Trump apprentice.
NOBLES: The debate highlighting the stark differences between the candidates on issues like health care, immigration, gun control, and climate change after Hurricane Michael ravaged Florida's Panhandle and as the coasts continue to grapple with toxic algae.
DESANTIS: I don't want to be an alarmist. I mean, I want to look at this and do what makes sense for Florida.
GILLUM: He is an election year environmentalist --
DESANTIS: Oh, yes, right.
GILLUM: -- but his record is going to come to bear in the race.
NOBLES: DeSantis hammering Gillum over an FBI investigation into possible corruption at Tallahassee City Hall.
GILLUM: Let me be very clear about what the record is. I am not under FBI investigation.
I'm a hardworking person. I know that may not fit your description of what you think people like me do.
NOBLES: DeSantis forced to address accusations of racism and explained this remark on "FOX NEWS."
[07:40:00] DESANTIS: The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda.
When we were down range in Iraq, it didn't matter your race. We all wore the same uniform.
Floridians can know that I'll be a governor for all Floridians.
GILLUM: He has only continued in the course of his campaign to draw all the attention he can to the color of my skin. And the truth is, you know what, I'm black. I've been black all my life. So far as I know, I will die black.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBLES: Of course, President Trump does have a home here in Florida but he doesn't -- can't vote here -- not registered to vote here.
But he was still watching. He immediately tweeted that the thought Ron DeSantis was the winner last night and attacked Andrew Gillum. Gillum responded immediately, calling the president weak and a bully, and insisting the country deserves better.
As we said, early voting starting in many counties here. Almost a million absentee votes have already been cast in this very tight race, which the entire country is watching -- John.
BERMAN: All right, Ryan Nobles in Tampa. Ryan, our thanks to you.
We talked about the fall (ph) for Andrew Gillum -- the gubernatorial race.
On the Senate side, this CNN poll has the Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson with a 5-point edge over the Republican challenger Rick Scott.
Let's get the forecast on what this all means. There's something about Harry. Harry Enten is with us right now.
Talk to us about this Florida poll, and it's like a tale of two races.
HARRY ENTEN, SENIOR WRITER AND ANALYST, CNN POLITICS: Yes.
So, let's go first to the gov numbers, right? Obviously, a huge lead, 54-42. That's 12 points. Senate race much tighter, only 50 to 45.
BERMAN: Peter Brady comes in with a cameo here.
ENTEN: I know, right. I mean, my voice goes up and down. Maybe I could perform my bar mitzvah portion later on for everybody here.
So I guess the question is what exactly is going on? Why is -- why -- we'll start with the gov numbers. What's going on here?
Well, look at this breakdown by race. We see a 27-point lead for Gillum among those voters under the age of 45 in our poll. Versus among those over the age 45, it's only a 4-point advantage.
CAMEROTA: But the people over age 45 are the ones who vote.
ENTEN: They are the ones who make up the most numbers of voters. But still, Gillum is leading among both groups but it's a significantly larger gap among those under the age of 45.
Now, take a look at these Senate numbers, right? Now, what we see here is three versus four. Nelson's up by three among those over the age of 45, which is still right in the same neighborhood. That's not bad.
But then, look at those under the age of 45. It's only an 11-point advantage.
BERMAN: Eleven versus 30.
ENTEN: Right, 11 versus 27. That's a significantly large gap and that helps to explain why Gillum is up much more in the poll than Nelson is. It's because those under the age of 45 are much more likely to back Gillum than they are to back Nelson, and that has allowed him to jump to such a large advantage.
BERMAN: What's your forecast, long-term, for this race?
ENTEN: So let's talk about the gov race. Both the gov race and the Senate race, I -- whoops, that's not a forecast, is it? No, but this is a forecast.
We have Gillum winning, but only by five. That's a significantly smaller gap than what we saw in our CNN poll and that's a reflection of the fact that most of the polls in this race have Gillum up by a significantly smaller portion than our CNN poll does. Now, is our CNN poll right? It could be right. It's the first one taken after the hurricane -- at least the first high-quality poll. But I should also point out that sometimes you do have outliers.
BERMAN: Yes.
ENTEN: So at the end of the day, we do think that Gillum's ahead. He has led in every single poll since the primary, but we think it's a smaller gap.
But I'll point this out. There hasn't been a Democrat elected governor in the state of Florida since 1994.
We were talking before we went on. Lawton Chiles walked across that entire state. Jeb Bush in 1994.
So this would be a huge win for that reason for Democrats. It would also be a huge win because he'd be only the third elected African- American governor in the history of the United States.
CAMEROTA: Do you have a forecast for the Senate?
ENTEN: We do have a forecast for the Senate and that -- we have, again, a smaller margin. We have Bill Nelson winning by two percentage points. So again, a smaller win. This would still be a win.
I should point out that the polls are more mixed in this -- in this race, so there have been some polls that have Nelson ahead, there have been some polls that have Scott ahead. But on average, they have Nelson ahead.
And this is not that great of a victory for a long-term incumbent like Bill Nelson. Rick Scott's turned out, I think, to be a stronger candidate than a lot of Democrats --
BERMAN: He may benefit from Andrew Gillum. If Andrew Gillum turns out younger voters, which is always a problem for Democrats across the country -- if he turns them out even at a fraction of the rate that he showed there will help Bill Nelson as well.
Let's get the overall House forecast because you -- every day, you give us a different number here.
ENTEN: We do give you a different number and this -- there's no change since yesterday. But it is a change since we last spoke on Friday, and that is Democrats have lost a little bit of ground, once again.
CAMEROTA: Two seats?
ENTEN: They've lost two seats in our forecast. But again -- and this time I'm actually just going to walk over -- I'm not going to reach. I feel like hello, how are you?
Two twenty-six -- CAMEROTA: Too close.
ENTEN: Two twenty -- a little too close. Well, you know, these day and age, at least I didn't touch them. Two twenty-six to 209. So again, close but Democrats have a clear edge.
The one thing that I do want to point out though that I think is very important, and that is I want to look at the best-case Dem in the House versus the best-case GOP in the House.
[07:45:04] Notice how if you take that 226 number and you go to 260, that's a gap of 34 seats.
BERMAN: Yes.
ENTEN: Now, if you take the number for the GOP and you go from 232 and up into a nine, that's only --
BERMAN: Yes.
ENTEN: Can we do the math together?
BERMAN: Sixteen?
ENTEN: That's 23 seats. The two on -- the two on -- 23.
BERMAN: (INAUDIBLE).
CAMEROTA: I was told there'd be no math.
BERMAN: I was just grabbing a number.
ENTEN: Twenty-three versus what we just spoke about, which was that 34 gap. So what I'm saying here is there's a much longer tail. The Democrats can do significantly better than Republicans can do, even in their best-case scenario. That is that it's not like oh, it's plus or minus 14 --
BERMAN: Right.
ENTEN: -- just on the edge.
Democrats have a much longer tail and that's because there are a lot of close races that were projecting Democrats to lose on Election Day. But if they end up winning a lot of them, they may end up with a very large majority.
BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you for the education. Appreciate it.
ENTEN: Thank you, sir.
CAMEROTA: Harry's forecast is available each day by 9:00 a.m. at cnn.com/forecast.
BERMAN: All right.
Who is the couple in this picture-perfect proposal? The photographer who snapped this picture is looking for them. He joins us next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAMEROTA: OK, we need you to help solve a mystery, OK? Take a look at this photo. Last week, a photographer named Matthew Dippel was in Yosemite National Park and he snapped this stunning photo of a man who appears to be proposing while on a breathtaking cliffside.
[07:50:07] Since then, the photographer has been trying to find this mystery couple. The picture has gone viral but so far, no luck finding them. Maybe we can this morning.
And, Matthew Dippel joins me now. Good morning, Matt.
MATTHEW DIPPEL, PHOTOGRAPHER: Good morning, Alisyn. How are you?
CAMEROTA: I'm well.
Matt, that's a beautiful shot. I mean, the wide shot there with the sun streaming in at the beautiful angle and the sort of golden hue and that -- you captured that moment.
How did you get this shot?
DIPPEL: So, anyone who's been up to Taft Point kind of knows that it's quite a popular spot and it's a very easy hike to get up there, so this is definitely not an uncommon shot. But there's -- that point is maybe about 200 feet away and it's kind of a short jaunt over to where that couple was posing at.
So I was waiting for my buddy Josh to walk out onto the point, so I had already had all -- everything in my camera ready to go so --
CAMEROTA: Oh, so you were going to take a picture of Josh on that very point --
DIPPEL: Correct.
CAMEROTA: -- but you happened --
DIPPEL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: -- to catch this moment.
DIPPEL: Right.
So before -- obviously, before Josh walked out, the couple walked out and they were hugging, initially. So I just kind of thought it was cute and snapped a few photos of them hugging.
The next thing you know, the gentleman got down on one knee and I snapped about three photos and kind of checked my surroundings to make sure that I wasn't encroaching on a -- on another photographer's work.
And there was no other photographer around me that I could see, so I snapped the photos and kind of quickly ran over to where they were to try to figure out who they were. And I asked maybe 20-25 people and came up short because there was at least three or four other bride and groom couples doing like post-wedding photos and there was like 12 photographers up there. So it was kind of a chaotic place up at Taft Point at sunset.
CAMEROTA: Yes, OK. So you want to find the couple, I assume to share this beautiful photo with them.
DIPPEL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: And so -- I mean, that -- is that your goal? You want to find them to what end?
DIPPEL: Honestly, I just want -- I just want them to kind of have this moment from a different perspective and just kind of be able to cherish it through a massive photo print.
I've been contacted through a company that offered a giant enhanced large HD resolution metal print for them if I find them, so I guess that's kind of waiting for them if we do find them.
CAMEROTA: OK. So, you put it out on Twitter and have you gotten any leads?
DIPPEL: There's a lot of people that have reached out to me showing me different people's work -- kind of similar. Like I said, Taft Point is a really popular point for proposals and weddings and engagements, and things of that nature.
So there's a lot of similar shots but none that have quite matched up because the gentleman in my photo appears to be wearing a hat. And most of the time when people send me a photo from that point it is of people in like proper wedding attire with a suit and an actual formal dress.
CAMEROTA: OK, so listen, we have millions of eyeballs that can help you. So give us the exact --
DIPPEL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: -- time and date that this was and we'll try to find this couple. So when was this?
DIPPEL: Sure. So this was taken on October sixth and it was around sunset. It was probably around 6:20-ish --
CAMEROTA: OK.
DIPPEL: -- p.m.
CAMEROTA: And if anybody was being proposed to or proposing on that point at that date how can they find you?
DIPPEL: I mean, just reach out to me directly -- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. You can e-mail me. It's on all my social media platforms. So I guess just kind of find me on the Internet and reach out to me directly.
There have been a lot of people that have said they know who it is and then I ask for proof and it kind of comes up short. Just things don't quite match up. But --
CAMEROTA: All right. Well, we hope that after this appearance on NEW DAY that we can find this couple for you because they have a beautiful engagement shot waiting for them, courtesy of you.
Matthew Dippel, thank you very much for sharing the photo with us.
DIPPEL: Thank you, Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: John --
BERMAN: You're assuming she said yes. Everyone's assuming she said yes.
CAMEROTA: Oh, gosh. You know what? I wish I knew what happened next, but he did go around to try to find them and he couldn't find them, so we really don't know.
BERMAN: We assume she said yes.
CAMEROTA: Maybe there's a whole nother chapter to this --
BERMAN: I'm just saying.
CAMEROTA: -- that we need to find out.
BERMAN: I'm just saying.
All right, our thanks for that.
We do have this major breaking news this morning. Exclusive video that shows how the Saudis tried to cover up the "Washington Post" journalist's murder. We have this bombshell exclusive, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:58:54] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
BERMAN: All right, good morning and welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Monday, October 22nd, 8:00 in the east.
And we do have major breaking news this morning. A CNN exclusive of a murder of "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi. New footage that really is just shocking.
Now, the official Saudi explanation that Khashoggi's death was the result of a fist fight gone bad -- it's been deemed laughable by people around the world, not to mention Democrats and Republicans alike.
President Trump now admits there's been deception and lies, even as he still does not question the Saudi claim that the crown prince had no knowledge of the killing.
But we have this new footage that shows the incredible extent to which the Saudis tried to cover up the murder and it adds to the already existing mountain of evidence that it was all premeditated.
CAMEROTA: So we'll get to all of that in one moment.
But here at home, it is the final stretch of the midterm election campaigns. They are just 15 days away. Early voting begins today in two battleground states, Texas and Florida.
A new CNN poll reveals a major advantage for Democrats in key races in one battleground state -- we'll get to that -- while another new poll gives the Dems the edge in November. And it also shows President Trump's approval ratings hitting a new high.
So what does that mean? Who will control Congress?
Let's begin with CNN's chief international correspondence Clarissa Ward and our exclusive report on Khashoggi.
