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The Lead with Jake Tapper

President Obama Addresses Ebola Response; November Upsets?; Tracking Travelers from Ebola Zone; Ten Midterm Races Still Up for Grabs

Aired October 28, 2014 - 16:00   ET

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

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: President Obama cautioning the nation today that the U.S. will have to stay vigilant fighting Ebola here at home until the outbreak is stopped in West Africa.

I'm Jake Tapper. This is THE LEAD.

The national lead. He says the army agrees with him and not President with Obama on the best way to fight the battle against Ebola. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie not budging on his order of a mandatory quarantine for health care workers exposed to the virus.

The politics lead. No matter where you live, you better care, because these are races that could shape the country for the next two-plus years. With just one week until Election Day, CNN will break it all down for you.

Also in national news, trouble in paradise. A river of lava twice as hot as planet Mercury is now just a few feet from people's living rooms and there's apparently nothing we can do to stop it.

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

We're going to begin with the national lead. Just moments ago, we heard from President Obama. And although his remarks were couched as an update on efforts to fight the deadly virus, they really seemed more like a not-so-subtle attempt to scold certain states' leaders, such as, for instance, Republican Governor Chris Christie, who insists on a 21-day mandatory quarantine for health care workers who arrive in New Jersey treating Ebola patients after being in West Africa.

Here they are going head to head.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We don't want to discourage our health care workers from going to the front lines and dealing with this in an effective way.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: And this is common sense. The American public believes it's common sense. And we're not moving an inch. Our policy hasn't changed and our policy will not change.

OBAMA: And I want to make sure that every policy we put in place is supportive of their efforts, because if they are successful, then we're not going to have to work about Ebola here at home.

CHRISTIE: Governors ultimately have the responsibility to protect the public health and the public safety of the people within their borders when folks come in with this problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Medical experts have accused Christie and other governors of making up rules based on fear and not science.

But, today, Christie did not back down. In fact, he doubled down, saying health officials are just plain wrong on this. And as this debate rages on, some good news. Yet another health care worker has gone from Ebola patient to Ebola survivor.

Amber Vinson, the second nurse who contracted the disease from Texas patient Thomas Eric Duncan, walked out of Emory Hospital in Atlanta today, where she has been receiving treatment for nearly two weeks. But before leaving, she briefly addressed the media and expressed her gratitude for overcoming what has no doubt been an agonizing ordeal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMBER VINSON, EBOLA SURVIVOR: While the skill and dedication of the doctors, nurses and others who have taken care of me have obviously led to my recovery, it has been God's love that has truly carried my family and me through this difficult time and has played such an important role in giving me hope and the strength to fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: President Obama said he spoke with Amber Vinson upon her release from the hospital and he praised her efforts, along with those of other health care workers on the front lines of the Ebola fight, saying those workers deserve our thanks and our support.

CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta joins me now live with more.

Jim, the president seemed to be going directly at governors such as Chris Christie, who have chosen to come up with their own policies, instead of what the CDC is saying when it comes to Ebola monitoring.

In fact, in some ways, it seemed like a point-by-point refutation of Governor Christie.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It sure seemed that way, Jake.

The president didn't mention Governor Christie by name, but he seemed to be really responding to what he has seen over the last 48 hours. And what he has seen over the last 48 hours, Jake, is states going out on their own. And the White House has been very frank and up front about this, that states have the capacity to do that.

The CDC does not have enforcement authority, but the president wanted to come out today and say that the CDC's guidelines that came out about 24 hours ago are the sensible ones that he thinks the rest of the nation should follow, but it was very interesting at one point, Jake, when the president said that these health care workers coming back from West Africa should "be applauded, thanked and supported for their work," sort of a contrast he was drawing there from the treatment that was given to the nurse up in New Jersey, who was confined to a tent for 72 hours before she was ultimately released from that confinement.

The president going on to say during these remarks before leaving for this campaign event that is taking place in Wisconsin later on this evening that America is not defined by fear. This is something that will get fixed.

But there's a practical component to this, Jake, and that is the president and the White House, they are very much worried about the possibility that people could face a disincentive, that these health care workers will feel disincentivized if they are facing these really tight restrictions when they come back from West Africa. They want to make sure when people come back from West Africa, the they're welcomed with open arms and not with quarantines.

TAPPER: Jim Acosta at the White House, thank you so much.

As the president comes out to try and ease the nation's Ebola fears, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he has the public and even the United States military on his side when it comes to calling for a mandatory quarantine on workers who had contact with Ebola victims.

And in vintage Christie fashion, he's not backing down at all today.

CNN senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar joins us live now.

Brianna, Christie has taken heat. He's given some back, too.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he is.

And maybe the reason that he is giving it, Jake, is that Americans by and large want the government to take a more restrictive stance on health care workers who are coming back to the U.S. from West Africa. Chris Christie appears to be eying that opening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR (voice-over): Chris Christie standing by his decision to forcibly quarantine American nurse Kaci Hickox at a New Jersey hospital as she returned to the U.S. Friday.

CHRISTIE: Here's bottom line as governor. My first responsibility is to protect the public health and safety of the people of New Jersey, and I will not submit to any political pressure in doing anything less than I believe is necessary.

KEILAR: He's under fire from the medical community, from the left and on late-night TV.

JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART": Why does Christie have to be such a dick about everything?

(LAUGHTER)

STEWART: He can't just quarantine someone. He has to be like, hey, you are a doctor without borders? Not anymore. Get in the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) room.

KEILAR: Christie allowed Hickox to return home to Maine for monitoring Monday, citing her lack of symptoms and negative Ebola tests. Earlier, he said she was obviously ill after New Jersey health officials said Hickox had a fever, which she disputes.

He's trying to strike a contrast with the White House. And it comes two years after many in his own party skewered him for praising President Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy just days before the election. Now Christie's greater challenge as he is considering gearing up for the Republican presidential primaries is backlash from Rush Limbaugh.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: One week before the election, once again, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has caved and is seen as -- we need to quarantine Chris Christie is what needs to happen here, folks.

KEILAR: Critics point to Christie's calls over the weekend with HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell and top Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. But he insists he did not cave.

CHRISTIE: The members of the American public believe it's common sense and we're not moving an inch. Our policy hasn't changed and our policy will not change.

KEILAR: In Christie's corner, public opinion. Almost eight in 10 people surveyed in a recent CNN/ORC poll say the U.S. government should quarantine U.S. citizens returning from Ebola-affected West Africa if they show symptoms. Christie campaigning in Maryland today was definitive.

QUESTION: Do you have any regrets the way the Ebola situation in your state was handled?

CHRISTIE: No.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Now, Governor Christie, along with New York Governor Cuomo, who is a Democrat, clarified the restrictions on the quarantine on Sunday, basically saying that it can be served out at home.

But you're also seeing some of the federal guidelines become stricter. As you know, the CDC has become more conservative when it comes to these high-risk individuals on both using public transport and going to public gatherings and the military, which is what Christie cites -- you mentioned that -- is extremely restrictive. They have military personnel coming back from West Africa, they are stopping in Italy and they are keeping there for three weeks before they return to the U.S. TAPPER: And as Christie points out, actually more Democratic

governors than Republican governors are on board with this quarantine policy. It's just that he has really emerged as the public face of this.

KEILAR: And also the fact that the nurse was so vocal about it. You have also seen Governor Pat Quinn, for instance, of Illinois, someone who has been very restrictive when it comes to a quarantine, but I think certainly Christie got a lot of publicity because she was so upset, this nurse was. She felt that her constitutional rights were being infringed upon.

TAPPER: Also might have something to do with 2016. Brianna Keilar, thank you so much.

KEILAR: Yes, a little bit.

TAPPER: Thank you so much.

If these states want to put tougher rules in place in an effort to better protect the public or even just to make people feel safer, is there really any harm in that?

Well, joining me now is former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders.

Dr. Elders, thanks so much for joining us.

The federal government has called on health care workers to self- quarantine after being exposed to Ebola patients in West Africa. But one of the things informing Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie, as I have been told from sources close to them, is that they have seen in the case of Dr. Nancy Snyderman from NBC in New Jersey and Dr. Craig Spencer in New York, that there are questions about whether or not these individuals always stay inside and self-quarantine even after they say they will or they show some symptoms.

Can you see why state leaders might feel a need to take things a step further and make it mandatory?

JOCELYN ELDERS, FORMER U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: Well, I think that state leaders are trying to protect the people in their state. They do not want this to spread.

But, by the same token, I think we must make our decisions based on scientific evidence, as opposed to our reaction. And when we do not have the knowledge, sometimes we overreact and we -- and may overprotect.

And I think we jumped on the people in Texas because they sent the -- Mr. -- the man home.

TAPPER: Mr. Duncan. Yes.

ELDERS: Mr. Duncan home. But they sent him -- nobody would send him home today. But they sent

him home because they didn't know better. I think we have more knowledge and we can make far better decisions. And I think Governor Christie, when he has more information, he might change his mind and want to do something different than what he's doing.

But based on what he knows today, this is how he feels. But I certainly feel that the scientific information that we have say that until they have symptoms, or a fever or something, that we don't have to worry about people getting Ebola.

However, we're told that this nurse did have fever, but it was based on the way it was taken and many other things going on.

TAPPER: Dr. Elders, are you suggesting that Governor Malloy of Connecticut, Governor Cuomo of New York, Governor Christie, they are not -- they are acting because they have an absence of knowledge and that their actions are not based on science?

ELDERS: I would say that their actions are based on what they -- their knowledge as they see it today.

But it's not based on scientific evidence as put out by the scientists of the world. And I think, as they gain more knowledge, they may continue to do the exact same thing. As we gain more knowledge, we all might want to do exactly what they're doing. But we also may not want to do that.

TAPPER: Dr. Elders, is there any evidence that these quarantines would discourage health care workers from going to places like West Africa to fight Ebola?

You're a member of the medical community. Does it work like that? Do people say, oh, I want to go to West Africa to help stop the spread of this disease, but I'm not going to do the 21-day quarantine, so I'm not going to go?

ELDERS: I think that people usually who volunteer, they volunteer for four weeks or a month. And after you volunteered for a month, if when you come home, you are going to have to spend another month or three weeks on quarantine, I think that that would discourage people from going, because they just don't want to be away from their home, their family for that length of time.

But if it's necessary for them to be quarantined for three weeks, I don't think any of them would have any question about doing that. But the data that we have today that, if you don't have a fever, if you have no signs or symptoms of Ebola, you don't have to worry about being infectious.

TAPPER: All right, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former U.S. surgeon general, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Turning to our politics lead and some of the tightest Senate races in the country, several key states with polls so close, really, anybody could win. Democrats hoping a last-minute push will help them hold onto the Senate, while Republicans optimistic they will be able to pull off some major upsets.

That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Continuing with our national lead -- the latest move in the scramble to keep the next Ebola patient from popping up in the United States. Just minutes ago, President Obama said Americans need to remain vigilant here in the U.S. until the outbreak is contained in West Africa. Every three weeks, roughly 3,000 people arrive in the United States from Ebola hot zones.

With the new federal plan to track those thousands of passengers for the incubation period of the deadly disease, the question is, can U.S. health officials keep up?

CNN aviation correspondent Rene Marsh joins us now.

Rene, how does this monitoring work?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, we're talking about e-mail addresses. At least two phone numbers, a home address, a home address for the next 21 days. That is the personal information CDC and state health officials are using to track down passengers arriving from Ebola hot spots.

This tracking is happening as we speak in six specific states but it's what other states are doing that critics say may be doing more harm than good.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH (voice-over): Health officials are tracking passengers in six states. Roughly 150 travelers arrive in the U.S. from the Ebola hot zone every day, 70 percent arriving in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Georgia. State health officials are monitoring those passengers for 21 days getting daily temperature checks and travel is restricted for higher risk cases.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIR., NATL. INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: They are matching the degree of a particular risk of exposure of a person with the kind of monitoring that will be done and kind of restriction that would be put on that person. So, it actually is based on science of what we know how the virus is spread.

MARSH: Right now, Georgia is tracking 68 people, Pennsylvania more than 100. Maryland expects to monitor 10 to 20 passengers a day. Virginia will only say the number of people they're tracking is in the double digits. New York and New Jersey did not provide numbers to CNN.

ARTHUR CAPLAN, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Track them for 21 days. Let them know if they get any symptoms, any signs of problems, report to their health department. That will keep us safe. It's worked in the past with Ebola outbreaks.

MARSH: New CDC guidelines only require isolation for individuals showing symptoms of Ebola, yet some states are taking matters into their own hands. In Connecticut and Illinois, people can be quarantined even without showing any symptoms. It's a battle of federal guidelines versus individual state actions.

CAPLAN: It sends a message to the public we're not sure what we're doing. It makes people not believe that anyone is in charge or that anyone has the right answer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH: Well, the contact that the state officials will or state health officials will have with passengers will vary. Some will be face to face, some will be by telephone, some even possibly by Skype.

TAPPER: Patchwork of different rules and regulations.

Rene Marsh, thank you so much.

Coming up, he went into one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Our own Ivan Watson just out of Syria. What ISIS terrorists told him about how much they're paid, how they're recruited and what would happen to him if he were caught.

Plus, it could all come down to these key states, the Senate hangs in the balance. And a look at the polls show it's still anybody's game. Our politics lead coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD.

Hear the jazzy music? Election time is coming.

And now, we come to our politics lead, our countdown to the midterms, with just one week until votes are cast at the ballot boxes. The only certainty, in the immortal words of William Goldman, nobody knows nothing. Who will win power with control of the Senate hanging in the balance? Polls in several key states are still within the margins of error.

Here to break down some of the nail biters, CNN correspondent Tom Foreman -- Tom.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jake, 10 very close Senate races are still up for grabs and it appears that these states, the ones we have in color, some leaning Democrat, some a little Republican, some undecided, those are states that will decide which party controls the Senate.

Now, they are not all the same. Some of those states traditionally vote Republican, as we show, but we see a Democrat running strong. For example, Georgia, here Republican David Purdue is running a close race with Democrat Michelle Nunn. The latest poll show her within a small edge, but it's within the sampling error, so it still could go either way.

And important to note, if neither candidate gets more than 50 percent on election day, that race could even be decided by a runoff in January, Jake.

TAPPER: And, Tom, and some of these candidates that are running this time didn't have much of a fight six years ago. Mark Pryor in Arkansas, six years ago, he didn't have a Republican opponent there.

FOREMAN: Yes, absolutely. Arkansas appears to be showing two candidates in poll results. Arkansas is having this big change here. Incumbent senator Mark Pryor is in the political fight of his life against tom cotton who wants to take Pryor's seat.

The latest poll show Cotton with a slim advantage but again, it's within the sampling error. And you're right, big, big change from the climate just a few years ago when Barack Obama was very popular, Jake.

TAPPER: And none of those candidates that you're showing yet are above 50 percent, which is crucial.

One Democratic consultant told me about President Obama, Tom. "I love the guy but he's a real drag on candidates." How much is President Obama hurting those Democrats out there fighting for their political lives?

FOREMAN: Well, I'll tell you this, Republicans hope that he keeps hurting them a lot, because they are pounding that message in these battleground states. If you're out in one of these states, you're getting it all the time, on TV, on radio, the message of "a vote for a Democrat is a vote for Barack Obama again" and Republicans keep driving that home because they're saying, look at this, this is one of the other races we're looking at here.

Iowa, this is why Barack Obama got his first win on the way to the White House. A state he won again for reelection, and yet a place where the Democratic Senate candidate, Congressman Bruce Braley is almost dead even with his opponent, Republican Joni Ernst.

So, where does this lead all of the math? If Republicans hold three states where they have a chance of holding on while being challenged, of the remaining seven seats, they need to take only three of them, Jake, and they'll take the U.S. Senate.

TAPPER: All right. Tom Foreman, thanks so much. With one week to go, one thing that is obvious, it's getting ugly out there. How candidates in both parties are using racially charged ads to drive voters to the polls -- that's next.

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