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New Day

New CNN Poll: Obama Approval Flat; Braley, Ernst Brace for Battle in Iowa; Inside the Minds of ISIS Fighters; Respiratory Virus Spreads to 40 States

Aired September 29, 2014 - 07:30   ET

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

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Chris, Michaela, Christine, good morning to you. Let's go INSIDE POLITICS. Five weeks to Election Day. With me to share their reporting and their insights this morning, Molly Ball of the Atlantic, Jackie Kucinich at "The Washington Post".

Let's start with our new brand-new CNN/ORC poll numbers looking at the president. In a midterm election year, especially, you watch and see how the president standing with the American people.

When it comes to these airstrikes against ISIS, look at this, 73 percent favor the airstrikes campaign now under way, 24 percent approve. Let just stop and start there for a second, Molly, in a sense that so often just about everything that happens becomes polarized.

Democrats and Republicans here, the president, as long as there are no ground troops involved is on very safe footing.

MOLLY BALL, "THE ATLANTIC": That's right. I mean, there is broad support. I think we saw this before he acted as well that there was very large, but qualified support for military action, right. People do support the specific action. They do not support any kind of broadening of the conflict.

They're worried that that's what this is going to lead to. You see in this same poll that a lot of people believe that this is going to lead to a wider war. They do believe that this is a war. They don't see it as a limited conflict. They're very leery of that.

KING: And so as we watch this play out. One of the interesting things, you try to scrub the poll to see where is the president moving. When it comes to how is he handling ISIS, remember the president himself just a couple of weeks back say we don't have a strategy yet and his numbers go in the tank.

If you see now the approval/disapproval numbers are getting better. Still disapprove, 45 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove. Those numbers are getting better, Jackie, his numbers on handling terrorism are getting better. His numbers on foreign policy are a little better.

But took his overall approval rating, which is very important in a midterm election year, how is the president handling his job, 44 percent approve of the president's job performance. It's up just a tiny bit, statistically unchanged from earlier in the month. Why won't that budge?

JACKIE KUCINICH, "THE WASHINGTON POST": People might think it's too little too late. There are so many other things going on in addition to what is going on with ISIS. They didn't approve how he handled things in Ukraine.

I think that is all playing into this at this point. This president hasn't been very popular and this rally around the commander-in-chief we're not seeing it this time.

KING: Not seeing it, but you do see evidence that Republicans support this action still aren't huge fans of the president. Independents support this action still skeptical of the president. Is there an out there on the campaign trail impact of this?

BALL: Well, I think what we have seen in a lot of polls for the past year the president lost the confidence, lost the trust of people. Even if he does what they want. Maybe people see it as too little too late. When you have the president out there saying he underestimated this threat.

That doesn't add to confidence, I don't think. There is a lot of talk on the campaign trail. There are a lot of Republican Senate candidates that are sort of bludgeoning their Democratic opponents saying there is terrorism out there. A lot of Republicans believe when people are scared, they vote Republican.

KUCINICH: I think that we'll see it that way reflected because when you look at this poll, people are still afraid of a terrorist attack. They think one is coming. So I think in that way --

KING: That anxiety. Something to keep an eye on obviously for the good of the country, but as we are in this election climate five weeks from tomorrow is the midterm election, one of the most fascinating Senate races this midterm year that Republicans have a chance in a blue state, Iowa.

Bruce Braley, a congressman, a Democratic candidate. Joni Ernst is the Republican candidate. This race is going down to the wire and the debate over the weekend. Here's one of the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPRESENTATIVE BRUCE BRALEY (D), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm a bridge builder, not a bridge burner. Senator Ernst would have voted to shut down the federal government with Ted Cruz. She has called President Obama a dictator and thinks impeachment should be on the table.

JONI ERNST (R), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: You threatened to sue a neighbor over a chicken that came on to your property. You are talking about bipartisanship. How do we expect as Iowans to believe that you will work across the aisle when you can't walk across your yard?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Interesting turn there on the all politics is local. He wants to make it about Washington and shutting the government. She wants to make about a dispute with the neighbor over chickens. Why this race matters so much?

Let's look at the new Des Moines Register poll, Joni Ernst is 44 percent. Bruce Braley 38 percent. We had a poll about three weeks ago that had this race tied.

Democrats say their internal show is tied. If those numbers are correct and this is breaking for the Republican, if they're going to win in Iowa, I would guess if they win that Iowa race then they are probably winning the sixth they need to get the United States Senate.

BALL: Maybe, maybe not. I think what we've seen in Joni Ernst is a very strong candidate, strong personality. She's made a very strong impression on voters largely with her personal characteristics. The race has hinged on so many of these little gasps that Braley has made.

He has had a terrible campaign. You know, my headline for that debate the other night would have been, "I know what you are, but what am I?" It's exciting back and forth. You'd almost think they were married.

It is an interesting irony that he is the one talking about Washington when she is trying to paint him as sort of a beltway insider.

KUCINICH: It's all about the middle. He keeps on going back to the Koch brothers, which I'm still not convince that people really care about outside of Washington. That's another nasty ad. If they're trying of this Washington centric narrative. Guys, it's not working. Stop trying to make that happen.

KING: You raised a legitimate question about my theory in a normal year that if they are winning Iowa, they are winning in a lot of places because there are a number of quirky races out there that are making this year so unpredictable with five weeks ago.

One of them is the Kansas Senate race, where Pat Roberts is the Republican incumbent. Greg Orman, an independent, is now his opponent because the Democrats have dropped off. You have a fascinating interview with Mr. Orman in "The Atlantic."

He's been an interesting guy. He says that he's an independent. He's given money to Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. He says if he wins, he'll decide after he wins whether he comes to Washington and talks with the Democrats or the Republicans.

I want to read one line from your article. Orman wouldn't say whether he would have voted for the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill or whether he favors cap and trade solution control scheme.

He laments the need for more highway construction funding, but when asked to raise the gas tax, he responds, we haven't come out with a position on that yet. Can he get away with that five weeks to the campaign on big issues saying I don't know? BALL: Well, we will see. He is evasive. Politicians are evasive. I don't think that's news for anyone. I sort of went to Kansas to see, is this guy for real? You got to Pat Roberts rallies and even a lot of people in the incumbent's audience don't support him.

That is not a good sign. So Orman is sort of in the right place at the right time. He is benefiting from the disillusionment of people with both political parties. From the incumbents on popularity, the fact that the Democrats dropped out of the race.

So is there anything to this guy or is he sort of the receptacle of all of these factors? He actually is a very substantive guy. He knows a lot about a lot of issues. He isn't taking positions on a lot of things, which politically may be smart.

But we'll see if voters let him get away with it because you do hear some voters, who support him, saying, well, he's kind of vague. I'd like to know a little more about where he stands.

KUCINICH: But it's pretty clear Republicans are worried. I mean, you have John McCain there. You had Sarah Palin there. This week, you have Jeb Bush. I think Paul Ryan is going there. So they're really sending in the heavy hitters to try to rally the base and get people out for Pat Roberts.

KING: Throwing in the kitchen sink, but the question is, as you make a good point. If Republicans at the event are mad about their own guy and midterm elections are about passion and energy of the base, it tells you something.

We could wake up or before we go to bed on election night with an independent from Kansas who won't say whether he's going to be with the Democrats or the Republicans being the key vote to decide control of the United States Senate. An unlikely scenario, but don't give up on it.

Molly, Jackie, thanks for coming in on a Monday morning. As we get back to you guys in New York, in case you haven't heard, folks, Chelsea Clinton had her baby. The baby's name is Charlotte. Well, late night comics can't resist. It is a beautiful picture. Now, let's have a laugh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN JOST, HOST, SNL WEEKEND UPDATE: Congratulations to Chelsea Clinton who gave birth to a baby girl on Friday. The new grandmother Hillary Clinton said she couldn't be happier unless the baby was a Latina in a swing state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Nothing I guess nothing is sacred, guys. Congratulations to Chelsea and more fodder for late night guys.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: If there is anything they can take jokes about right now, it will be this. I'm sure they are so happy. Nothing like a new baby coming into a family. John king, see you tomorrow, my friend.

KING: Take care, guys.

CUOMO: So here's a question that we keep asking, who would fight for a group like ISIS? Well, we have an answer for you. We have a rare look inside the terror organization. Two men speak exclusively to CNN about what it's like to be an ISIS fighter.

And parents out there. Put down the coffee for a second, listen to this, this scary respiratory virus is now an almost all 50 states. Officials are worried it can even cause paralysis in some kids. We will speak to a doctor and tell you what you need to know about the risks. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: A CNN exclusive now intriguing inside the minds of two ISIS fighters, one of them a recent defector from the ranks now living in Turkey. The other still fighting for ISIS. Both men giving us a look inside that terror organization.

They insisted that we hide their identities for their safety. Arwa Damon is live from the Turkey-Syria border. She spoke with both men. What a fascinating conversation.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is. It really does serve to provide a lot of information as to how ISIS manages to recruit individuals, but also why it is so far at least these coalition airstrikes have proven to be so ineffective.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON (voice-over): When coalition airstrikes blasted the ISIS strong hold of Raqqa, Abu Talha saw a target of opportunity. He called the only person he could trust.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He was a relative. He was always telling me to defect.

DAMON: Defect from ISIS. He shaved his beard and crossed into Turkey. Visibly anxious as we speak. Now wanted by all sides. The organization he refers to as the Islamic State he tells us relies heavily on foreign fighters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I don't see anything. The French, they have so much control. They're even more extreme than we are. They come from France, but it's as if they have been a part of the Islamic State for years.

DAMON: And he says ISIS was well prepared for coalition airstrikes, moving their fighters and equipment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They almost entirely emptied out the headquarters him some equipment they hid in civilian neighborhoods, some they hid underground. DAMON (on camera): We are interviewing him by Skype, he's ran ISIS fighter in Raqqa. But he won't speak directly to a woman so that's why (inaudible) is asking the questions.

(voice-over): Since the coalition airstrikes in Syria, he says, ISIS band all communications from Raqqa. With permission from his emir, Abu Talha travelled closer to the border with Iraq, to be able access the internet for this interview.

ABU TALHA, SYRIAN ISIS FIGHTER (through translator): We have been ready for this for some time. We now our bases are known because they're tracking us with radars and satellites. We have back-up locations. They thought they knew everything. Thank God, they don't know anything. God willing. We will defeat the infidels.

DAMON: He says he was with the fighters who overran Mosul and that they knew how easy it would be to push out the Iraqi army and sieze their weapons and armour, much of it American made.

TALHA: This thing was all planned and prepared. There was nothing by chance. It was all organized.

DAMON: Abu Talha scoffed at the coalition strikes on the oil installations and other targets.

TALHA: We, the Islamic State, we have revenue other than oil. We have other avenues and our finances are not going to stop just because of oil losses. They hit us in some areas. We advance in others. If we are pushed back if Iraq. We advance in Northern Syria. These strikes cannot stop us, our support or our fighters.

DAMON: For Abu Omar, the caliphate was a dream. One he still believes in, but not under ISIS. Not like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw a 70-year-old sheikh killed in front of me. Islamic state can't continue like this there are a lot of youth who are joining, 14, 15-years-old. Maybe my voice can make them think again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: Just to give you an idea of how brazen ISIS is, behind me is a village controlled by them. We heard an explosion. We are hearing that sporadically throughout the morning. ISIS moved into this village in the last 24 hours after there were U.S. airstrikes to the east of here.

All morning we have been watching ISIS fighters moving their weapons back and forth on motorcycles and vehicles, even though there are coalition aircraft overhead and the Turkish military has been firing into Syria after mortar rounds landed here yesterday in another position to the west today.

PEREIRA: Such a precarious situation, Arwa, and an intriguing look at two different sides of this battle. Thank you so much for that look. All right, a new warning as the CDC confirms that the enterovirus is spreading, affecting hundreds of kids in 40 states. Now officials are investigating whether this disease is causing paralysis. We will speak with the doctor in just a few moments time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back. The Centers for Disease Control trying to get a handle on the nationwide outbreak of enterovirus D68. It's a respiratory disease primarily affecting children.

I want to show you this map here. Few states are spared -- more than 270 confirmed cases last month in 40 states. Look at all that red. Officials are looking now into whether limb weakness and paralysis in nine children in Colorado could be connected.

So what could you be doing to make sure your children are protected? We want to ask Dr. Anthony Fauci. He is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

It's so nice to see you this morning. How concerned should people be? I mean, the CDC issuing this nationwide advisory about nine young patients in Colorado asking doctors to look for other similar symptoms. How concerned should parents to be?

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Again, obviously be alert. I wouldn't be fearful. Concerns, depends on what you mean by concerned. Parents are always concerned when they hear something like this.

This particular virus, the enterovirus D68, has a propensity to cause serious disease in children who have asthmatic predisposition like children who get asthmatic attacks when they get viral infections. Those are the ones that are most susceptible to serious consequences of the disease.

You just asked, what should parents do? If you have a child who does have a predisposition to asthma, make sure it's under control to minimize complications, but also to avoid interactions with children that are sick.

Wash your hands whenever you have a respiratory illness, wash your hands, manifest good what we call respiratory hygiene, stay away from people who are sneezing and coughing. Those are the things you have to be aware of, but particularly if you have a child who has an asthma predisposition.

ROMANS: And stay home if you're sick. A lot of schools around the country have been encouraging people to keep your kids home if they are sick.

The specific muscle weakness and paralysis, is that surprising? Could it be something that is tied to enterovirus D68 or could it be something else? FAUCI: It could be something else and there are circumstantial evidence. You mentioned the nine cases in Colorado. The CDC and others were able to investigate eight of those. In four of eight, they were able to isolate the enterovirus D68.

That doesn't prove cause and effect, but it's circumstantial evidence. Suffice to say they are still intensively looking into it and it still remains a puzzle.

CUOMO: Let's talk about the symptoms because it looks to me like you're right in the middle of flu-like symptoms at the very beginning. You got fever, running nose, sneezing, cough. What should parents be looking for?

FAUCI: Well, that's exactly right. That's the typical flu-like syndrome that you get, virtually indistinguishable from the common respiratory infections. The difficulty with this as I mentioned is that it can lead to significant respiratory distress and problems particularly in children who have what we call reactive air ways.

Which means you have an asthmatic predisposition either to environmental stimuli or to viral infections which often trigger respiratory problems in children who have a predisposition to asthma.

CUOMO: This hasn't been a problem for adults. It seems focused on kids under 18.

FAUCI: That's correct. It's very unusual, very rare that you would see an adult infected. It's likely the case as you get to be an adult, over your lifetime, leading up to adulthood, that you've been exposed to a greater or lesser degree to enterovirus and even enterovirus 68.

So that when you come into contact with a child who has no pre- existing immunity and you get exposed, an adult will unlikely get infected or sick. If they do get infected it would be subclinical where they really would not get sick. Mostly because you have a background immunity to it.

ROMANS: So this has now been seen in 40 states. You say wash your hands often with soap and water, avoid close contact like touching and shaking hands with people who are sick. Stay home from school, keep kids home from school if they're sick. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touch surfaces. Those are the most important things people can do about this enterovirus.

FAUCI: You said it. That's correct.

ROMANS: Let's talk about Ebola quickly because this is something that is a real concern from health officials. An American doctor who is exposed to Ebola has arrived at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. What more can you tell us about this particular situation? Someone exposed to Ebola, you want to get them in a place where if in fact they're infected, they can be treated quickly.

FAUCI: That's exactly correct. I can't give you details about this particular patient because of patient confidentiality. But yesterday, on Sunday, we admitted the individual to a special studies unit here on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

And just like you correctly said, the patient is a physician who had been volunteering services in Sierra Leon taking care of Ebola patients. The physician was exposed in a way that would be at risk for being infected.

When we say exposed, that does not necessarily mean a person is infected. When you have an exposed person, you put them under the right isolation situation where you can monitor them. And if they're exposed but not infected, then they're home free after a certain period of time.

The outer limit of that is usually about 21 days following exposure. If unfortunately a person does get infected, then you treat them appropriately under the proper infection control conditions.

ROMANS: That has been remarkable watching Ebola and what's happening in West Africa. We wish all of you the very best in working on a vaccine and helping those exposed and infected. Dr. Anthony Fauci, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

FAUCI: You're welcome.

ROMANS: All right, underestimated the enemy, President Obama on the record about the mistakes his administration made during the rise of ISIS. We have a live report from the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)