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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Hard-Hit North Carolina Towns Await Help After Widespread Damage; Trump Attacks Harris & Migrants In Speech He Called "Dark"; Israel: "Next Stage" Of Hezbollah War Will Start Soon. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired September 30, 2024 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And with that, dethroning, decade long record holder, France.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: I did not expect France to hold that record. I want you to look at who is in the crowd, though, late night talk show host Conan O'Brien can be seen practicing beforehand.

O'Brien says he just happened to have been in New Zealand filming a show when he found out about this. Of course, he could not resist.

Just for our viewers to let them in behind the scenes, Brianna practices one of these Haka dances right before the show to get geared up for it. It is intimidating.

Do want to share it with the viewers, Brianna?

KEILAR: Oh, you know what? It's just time right now for THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER, starts right now.

(MUSIC)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: At least 119 people killed by Helene. And that number is expected to rise.

THE LEAD starts right now. From Florida to Virginia and points in- between, tragedy worsening in the United States by the hour as rescuers reached areas hard hit by hurricane.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to see the destruction of our town -- of our community that we love so much, it is -- it is heartbreaking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: We're standing by for an update from authorities in western North Carolina, which seems to be among the areas hardest hit.

Plus, Donald Trump's weekend dystopian vision in a speech, even when he called, quote, dark. The Republican nominee takes campaign rhetoric to a new and horrifying place. His unprecedented comments this weekend on his Democratic opponent, on migrants and on what he wants to do to stop retail theft.

And one day before the vice presidential debate, CNN is learning one of the candidates is nervous and worried about how tomorrow night might go down.

(MUSIC)

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

Apocalyptic scenes in the southern Appalachians. Right now, Americans in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee remain in desperate need of help. The remnants of Hurricane Helene unleashed unfathomable flooding and landslides, rendering the beautiful mountain region unrecognizable, and killing at least 47 people in North Carolina alone, with a total of at least 119 storm-related deaths across the southeastern United States.

Now, that death toll in North Carolina is sadly expected to rise because some small towns are essentially gone. These are images, for example, from the Chimney Rock, Lake Lure area. This is east of Asheville. See the remnants of homes and buildings now, just lying across the lake.

We're going to take you live to Chimney Rock in just a moment. So many people in areas surrounding Asheville have been literally cut off from the rest of the world since Friday, not only physically, but including phone service and email, areas are inaccessible due to hundreds of roads being blocked by debris or in some cases completely washed away, including a part of I-40. The major highway connecting North Carolina and Tennessee.

All of this makes traditional rescues agonizingly complicated. Air rescues are underway today in multiple counties.

One man, Sam Perkins, took matters into his own hands. He hiked 11 miles over trees and landslides to check on his parents. And thankfully, Sam found them safe, but they were completely isolated. And now four days after Helene made landfall, the area is in dire need of critical resources, including food, drinking water, portable toilets, baby formula, medicines. This includes residents of Asheville, a destination city that was until Friday full of art and music and beer, and life.

FEMA trucks with supplies are on the way from Texas and FEMA is working with the Pentagon to set up airbridge locations, two air lift supplies into parts of the area not accessible by road. The Internet is full of posts from people desperate for news on their loved the ones, loved ones in those areas, not knowing whether the lack of contact is due to no Internet or no phone service or sadly, the worst- case scenario.

And while the full scope of the devastation in this part of the United States is still not quite clear, other states are grappling with dangerous Helene left behind, including Florida, where Helene came ashore as a category four hurricane last week. More than two people, 2 million people across the southeastern United

States remain without power. The majority are in South Carolina, plot in nearby Augusta, Georgia, where power, water and gas remains hard to come by, and residents do not know when those circumstances are going to change.

Georgia Power saying that Helene was the most destructive storm in its history.

Back in Asheville now and the decimated surrounding towns, CNN's Isabel Rosales is speaking with residents who have lost everything, illustrating why the word catastrophic just doesn't even begin to cover what's unfolding.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Line of cars in Asheville, North Carolina, waiting.

LEXI LINDSEY, ASHEVILLE RESIDENT: It's just rough. It's hard to seeing the city like this.

[16:05:02]

ROSALES: Some families tell CNN, they've run out of drinking water in hearted western area of the state. And without electricity, their food is rotting.

Gary O'Dell is sharing everything he's got. His home with his daughter who lost it all to the catastrophic floods and even life-saving oxygen tanks with his neighbor.

GARY O'DELL, SHARING OXYGEN TANKS WITH NEIGHBOR: My next-door neighbor ran out of oxygen. He's worse shape than I am. That's my problem. I've got lung cancer now, too.

And you don't, -- you know, you don't realize oxygen is -- is very important.

ROSALES: Non-profits teaming up to serve 2,000 residents in the first four hours.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you guys doing?

ROSALES: This is one of the first semi-trucks full of desperately needed supplies to arrive in Asheville.

MICHELLE COLEMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASHEVILLE DREAM CENTER: This is the most devastating thing I've ever seen her whole city. I think that the loss of life, the fact that if you don't have cash, you can't get anything. We've gone to stores, waters out, light is out. People slept overnight at gas stations like I feel like we've never seen this before.

ROSALES: Alejandre Fuerte forced to walk to get help. She needs baby diapers for her grandchild. We're not doing well, said Alejandre. It made me so heartbroken to see

everything so destroyed.

Outside of Asheville, it's even more waiting, hours just for gas at the few pumps that are still running.

CNN flew by helicopter with a non-profit surveying and accessible towns.

Heavy trees, and downed power lines are blocking major roadways, hampering the delivery of badly-needed supplies and overturn semi- truck lane upside down in the river and numerous landslides all spotted from above.

Black Mountain City Manager Josh Harrold says it could take years to get over this devastation.

JOSH JARROLD, BLACK MOUNTAIN CITY MANAGER: It is catastrophic. Black Mountain may never look the same again. It's just total destruction.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSALES (on camera): Jake, earlier today, I was able to actually go inside of Lake Lure over here, a town that's just so beautiful, normally would have so much to offer tourists, a gorgeous marina over there. Instead, the devastation was tremendous. I saw boats just piled on top of each other, showing the power of the floodwaters.

I also got to speak to the mayor of a nearby other town as well, who says that over 50 percent of the people in his very small town have lost their homes, his own business has partially collapsed. He says it's going to take years to recover.

And, Jake, I also was able to understand the challenges that these first responders are going through. I was in a helicopter. That helicopter you saw earlier today seeing all those roadways with down power lines, trees that landslides, just showing these roads washed out, how incredibly difficult it is to get into some of these regions in the mountains. There's a lot of work ahead for first responders and these communities to get past this moment -- Jake.

BURNETT: All right. Isabel Rosales in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, thank you so much for that report.

John Chase, the vice mayor of Weaverville, North Carolina, joins us now. Weaverville is a town of about 5,000 people. It's about ten miles north of Asheville, North Carolina.

Vice Mayor, thank you for joining us.

The storm has killed 35 people in your county alone, and the Weaverville mayor today said that number is expected to go much higher.

What are you seeing and hearing? Do you have a sense of how many people still may be unaccounted for, or even in need of rescue? JOSH CHASE, MAYOR OF WEAVERVILLE, NC (via telephone): Hey, I am unaware of the total unaccounted for. I think it's still coming in, but that has being handled by Buncombe County through the register of deeds. And so that is set up, but it is very, very sad situation here.

TAPPER: There's no power -- there's no power and Weaverville, as I don't need to tell you, the water treatment plant in your areas down. No commercial or retail water available in Weaverville. Three tractor trailers full of water did arrive earlier this morning, but that apparently is only enough for one days water supply for each resident.

Are you confident in whatever plan there is to get more water or should residents ration today's shipment?

CHASE: We definitely recommend conservation of any water that they have. We do have some limited power at public works. The water -- we really have this own water treatment plant that serves Weaverville in a few other areas. Repairs are in the process. We have invoked some emergency contingency plan and getting some water into the lines and the coming days.

We have generators been donated to us to increase capacity and get things going. And our staff and public works department and everybody is just working all hours to get going.

[16:10:03]

TAPPER: What else do you need right now, sir? What did -- and do you feel like the state and federal response has been adequate?

CHASE: I would say that the amount of destruction and the total in accessibility through the highway system, all major roads, the lack of any type of, you know, no water power or cell service has been isolating, but today were really starting to see just distribution happening. And that's all coordinated through Buncombe County and there's more coming. And were seeing a lot of volunteers from around the state and country coming in and were greatly appreciative.

TAPPER: So county officials on Thursday warned everyone in affected areas to get out before the rivers crested Friday night into Saturday, how many people do you think a rough total heeded that warning? And do you think that that warning sufficiently relayed the imminent danger, the degree of danger?

CHASE: That's really hard to say. We had an unprecedented rain on Wednesday from a cold front that brought inches and inches. So rivers and bodies of water were already very high. And we get many, many flash flood warnings here and most people that are low lying areas take heed -- heed those warnings. So when the hurricane came and normally we don't have a hurricane in the mountains. We have remnants of a hurricane, you know, most people were still reeling from Wednesdays heavy rains and trying to address those issues.

TAPPER: All right. Weaverville Vice Mayor John Chase, thank you so much. And we're sending our thoughts and prayers and best wishes for your area. As recovery efforts continue in North Carolina and beyond, you at home, you can help. CNN is compiling a list of vetted organizations that are pitching in to help hurricane victims. You can find that at CNN.com/impact. Again, that's at CNN.com CNN.com/impact.

Coming up, questions for state officials specifically in North Carolina, should we see a greater response given all the alerts well before the storm ever made landfall. Plus, a sharp rebuke from President Biden, urging Israel to stop conducting targeted raids across its border in Lebanon. A report from that region also coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:16:18]

TAPPER: And we're back with the breaking news in our national lead, thousands of U.S. national guardsmen have been activated to help in recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Many of them are supporting North Carolina communities that remain cut off from the world in need of rescues, water, food, you name it.

The very first warnings that this weather event might be unprecedented for the southern Appalachian region began on Wednesday evening. The weather service issued a dire warning at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday saying, quote, this has the potential to be an extremely rare event with catastrophic flash flooding that hasn't been seen in the modern era, unquote. On Thursday, county officials urge people in Asheville and the affected areas to evacuate.

Let's see if North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein signals -- there. There he is. Okay. We've been having problems with signal. He's also the Democratic candidate for governor in North Carolina, we should point out.

Attorney General Stein, given the urgency of the language issued Wednesday night. I have to ask where's the government response? I mean, people in Asheville and the surrounding areas are wondering we get at that. They get that the roads are washed out, et cetera. But there are still so many people in need of rescue and help and basic necessities. And we're days later here.

JOSH STEIN, NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yeah, it is desperate situation. It's the biggest, most unprecedented storm in western North Carolina history. It's exceptionally difficult to get the materiel, the water, the diapers, the food that folks desperately need because the roads are many times washed out entirely. There have been air lifts going on by the National Guard and the DOT crews are working day and night to clear roads and get them back in service. So that folks can get the stuff that they need to survive.

We're also still an active rescue up in the valleys of the mountain ranges. The roads are completely gone, where there are dozens and dozens of trees that have fallen across the road. And so they can't get -- get out. And those folks are having trouble with their power, the communications systems are down. But folks are doing everything in their power, whether it's the National Guard, whether its the department of transportation, whether its the power line crews, or the cell phone and cable providers.

Everybody is doing everything they can move mountains to try to help people who are suffering in the mountains.

TAPPER: I don't doubt that the people assigned to this are doing anything they can. But Asheville resident Mark Essig (ph) yesterday told CNN that the response from local officials in North Carolina has been inadequate. He says he understands the roads are impassable, that semis are having trouble getting in. But he said, quote, for god's sake, they have airplanes. This is coming up more for then two full days after the storm has passed and to not have water available to people who don't have water is astonishingly incompetent in my view, unquote.

I'm sure you've been hearing similar concerns from the western part of your state. Do you need more from the federal government to do you need more from the Pentagon. Do you need more from President Biden?

STEIN: Well, Governor Cooper declared a state of emergency before the storm even hit, so that we will be ready to get a declaration issued. And I thank President Biden for issuing that declaration FEMA is already on the ground the airport, for instance, and Asheville is now open but it is not open to commercial traffic. The only planes that are flying in and out are those to help people who are struggling with the consequences of this incredibly devastating storm.

[16:20:01]

TAPPER: More than 1,000 people have taken refuge in shelters. Governor Cooper said the state would be setting up mass feeding sites. In many communities where water systems were shut down, residents are being urged to boil water or use bottled water if they can find it. Has -- how much longer is this going to be the quality of life in western North Carolina?

STEIN: This is going to be a devastating event that's going to take us weeks, months, and years to recover. I mean, some of the water systems have been destroyed. You can't just create a new water system overnight. It takes time to build that infrastructure.

Some of the water systems need power in order to be an operation, you have to get the power lines back on. It is absolutely devastating. It's without precedent and everyone is doing all in their power to try to bring back a quality of life that the people of western North Carolina deserve.

We're, of course, trying to save lives like we're not in the recovery mode, we're still in rescue mode as we transition into recovery mode, and this is going to be an incredibly hard job. I want to thank you for carrying this story.

Part of the problem is, is TV hasn't been able to be on the ground to show America how devastating this is. And we need everyone in this country to come to our aid. We need Congress to meet and pass an emergency relief bill. It's going to be billions of dollars to bring western North Carolina back.

Folks can give at nc.gov/donate. Folks can give blood in their home communities and that will benefit all of us. We really need this entire nation to rally around the people of western North Carolina.

TAPPER: North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, thank you so much. Please don't be afraid to give a holler if you need more from the federal government and they are not providing it. Appreciate it, and our thoughts and prayers and best wishes go out to the good citizens of the Tar Heel State.

Coming up, the unprecedented language from Donald Trump in a weekend speech that even he called dark.

Plus, what Republican lawmakers have to say about it anything.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:26:35]

TAPPER: In our 2024 lead, some absolutely stunning remarks made by the Republican nominee for president over the weekend, bringing this nation's history of campaign rhetoric, even the particular field of harsh attacks into a whole new territory. It was, in fact, the century, believe it or not, when Republicans said they were offended, when then Senator Barack Obama used the term "putting lipstick on a pig" to discuss putting a nice face on what he deemed bad policy. It was last week when Republicans said they were offended because Democrats are saying Trump was a threat to democracy.

But all of that notwithstanding, here is Mr. Trump Saturday in Wisconsin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Joe Biden became mentally impaired. Kamala was born that way.

And if you think about it, only a mentally disabled person could have allowed this to happen to our country. Anybody would know this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Trump might have actually realized during his Wisconsin speech that he was dragging campaign rhetoric into a whole new place because he himself commented, quote, this is a dark speech.

And the next day, in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump dim the lights again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Crooked Joe Biden became mentally impaired, said, but lying, Kamala Harris honestly, I believe she was born that way. There's something wrong with Kamala, and I just don't know what it is, but there is definitely something missing. (END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Perhaps even more alarming is the terrifying image Mr. Trump is painting of migrants. He misreported a recent report from ICE, which is Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, claiming that Biden- Harris allowed 13,099 convicted murderers to walk freely in the United States. That is a lie. This list is over decades, so it includes killers that Trump let in. And as point of fact, many of these individuals are currently in federal, state, or local prisons where they belong.

And yet Mr. Trump is now campaigning on this falsehood, fueling fear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They make our criminals looked like babies. These are stone cold killers that walk into your kitchen. They'll cut your throat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Walk into your kitchen and cut your throat, again and again.

And beyond individual criminals walking into kitchens and cutting throats, Mr. Trump using stark and ugly language that evokes frankly, some of the worst anti-immigrant rhetoric in this nation's history. Also said this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You got to get these people back where they came from. You have no choice. You're going to lose your culture. You got to lose your country. You're going to have crime the likes of which nobody has ever seen before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: In addition to pushing mass deportations of millions of people, including those with otherwise clean and productive records.

At one point, Mr. Trump even proposed something that sounded pretty dystopian in order to cut down on shoplifting and theft.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: All these stores go out of business, right? They don't pay rent. The city does -have -- a whole, it's a chain of events. It's so bad.

One rough hour, and I mean real rough, the word will get out, and it will end immediately, end immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: I mean just trying to explain that. Is he suggesting that there'd be one hour were police are allowed to use excessive force on looters and shoplifters? [16:30:03]

By the way, this footnote on that topic, new FBI statistics released today show that crime is dropping in the first six months of this year compared to the same point last year. From January to June, murders dropped 23 percent, reported rapes down 18 percent, robbery saw 14 percent, aggravated assaults down 8 percent.

Be that as it may, Mr. Trump remains fixated on crime, even imaginary crimes, such as the ramp in election fraud that did not happen in 2020, that he says without evidence or fact is happening right now, again, and he is saying that just as he plans to free the criminals who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, he will prosecute the alleged defenders of these non-existing crimes that did not happen in that election, and as far as we can tell, are not happening in this one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And I told them, if we win and when we win, we're going to prosecute people that cheated in this election.

And if we can, we'll go back to the last one, too, if we're allowed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Trump keeps pushing new election lies. There are 12 according to CNN's resident fact checker, Daniel Dale, and our justice reporter, Marshall Cohen, 12 new ones. Just some of those claims.

He's falsely saying that Kamala Harris can only win through cheating. That's not true. It's a neck and neck race, either one of them could win it. He has falsely saying it was unconstitutional for the Democrats for replace Joe Biden with Kamala Harris. The constitution has nothing to do with party nominations, is falsely saying voting by noncitizens is a widespread problem in U.S. elections. I'm sure that is any, any non-citizen voting is a problem, but widespread? There's no statistics indicating its a widespread problem.

He's falsely saying there's no identity verification for overseas and military voters. It's not true. You can read all 12 of them yourself at CNN.com. I posted them on Twitter or X @JakeTapper.

So make no mistake, Mr. Trump says these things and he means them and he has at least a 50-50 chance of being president. We should be paying attention to what he says.

Let's jump in with our panel.

So these comments were so above so beyond the pale that Republicans were asked to comment on some of them. Here's a little sampling of Republican responses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Here's what I would tell President Trump: when people look at the state of play, they trust you on the economy the border, inflation and foreign policy by wide margins, focused on those issues.

REP. TOM EMMER (R-MN): I think we should stick to the issues. The issues are Donald Trump fixed it once. They broke it, he's going to fix it again.

KEVIN MCCARTHY, FORMRE HOUSE SPEAKER: Yes. If you were in charge in an administration, you allowed that to happen, I'm going to question your mental capacity.

LARRY HOGAN (R), MARYLAND SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, I think all of that is outrageous and unacceptable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Former. Governor Larry Hogan, the outlier there running for Senate in baby blue Maryland. But it does seem as though people are afraid.

What was your response?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The only person who did that without being cowardly was as you said, Larry Hogan. Everyone else danced around it and they went back to the same talking point that Republicans have when they know that Donald Trump is off the rails, which is frankly every day and every time he opens his mouth as you just showed. The only thing they can say as well when he focuses on the issues, well, he needs to focus on the issues.

The fact of the matter is that he doesn't have the ability to focus on the issues because I think this is what's going on. I think he's afraid of Vice President Kamala Harris because she represents everything that to him demonstrates -- a woman, a woman of color, daughter of immigrants, everything that he trashes is what she represents. And she eviscerated him in the debate.

And she has closed the gap on crime. She is close the gap on immigration. She has closed the gap on the economy and she is -- it is tied, but in a lot of those, she is now pulling ahead.

He is scared and this is what he does when he's scared. So what Democrats need to continue to underscore is how unfit he demonstrates himself to be every time he talks about these things.

TAPPER: Machalagh, I assume you agree with Lindsey Graham and Congressman Emmer that he should be sticking to issues. But one of the things I wonder about, it's such a -- it's such a jump ball election. I really like literally today if it happened, I have no idea who would win. It seems as though in the battlegrounds like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, it's like any -- either one of them could win it.

What advice would you give him? Just stick to the issues?

MACHALAGH, CARR, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF FOR HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Well, it is a jump ball. I think you're seeing both campaigns kind of placing bets here, right?

So the Trump campaign is focusing on the record that exists the last four years and that it was more -- a border that was more under control, crime that was more under control, inflation that was more under control. We had a better situation overseas. We had not seen the horrific and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. So he needs to be focusing on his record, which we have four years to compare.

[16:35:03]

The Harris campaign cannot do that. In fact, they are fleeing from her record. They're not talking to all about her record as vice president and they're not talking at all about her record as a senator because she was so radically.

TAPPER: Let me -- let -- I want -- you can pop it for me. I just want ask you one question that you can pop in, do you think this helps him? This kind of --

CARR: No.

TAPPER: No?

CARR: No, it helps to focus on what he did and that's where the focus is and should remain for the remainder of 36, 37 days.

TAPPER: So you think he should talk about the same issues, but not in this way. Like I don't understand what you're saying.

CARR: The issues that the American people trust Republicans are the issues that are -- what they're going to go to the voting polls?

TAPPER: But do you think this rhetoric has any impact on the race?

CARR: I do not believe the rhetoric has done impact on the rest. Donald Trump, whether you like him or don't like him, is the only man in the history of our country to be nominated by his party three times, but for a Republican will be nominated three times by the Republican Party.

The American people are showing us time and time again that they care about the policies more than the personalities. And that's what they're going to be deciding on when they go into the polls.

TAPPER: Do you the rhetoric matters?

CARDONA: Yes.

TAPPER: I mean, obviously, you make you think it matters theoretically, but do you think it matters in terms of like will have an impact on the election?

CARDONA: Absolutely. What we saw is actually that in 2016 when he used this kind of rhetoric and it really wasn't as crazy as this --

TAPPER: 2016 when he won? CARDONA: 2016 when he won, yes. It worked. It worked in 2016, Jake, because I think a lot of people who heard that rhetoric, as crazy as it was and not as bad as it is now, didn't think that he was going to be that way. We've heard so many Republicans say, oh, it back in 2016, oh, he's just -- this is all for show.

It turns out it wasn't for show. He ripped babies from the arms of their mother. He instituted families separation as a cadet is no, it was not. That is why Republicans lost in 2018.

That is why they lost in 2020. That is why they lost in 2022 when there was no red wave. He has used the anti-immigrant rhetoric and it didn't work in the years after, and it's not going to work this year either.

TAPPER: Well, I think you stick around. I want to get your thoughts on tomorrow's vice presidential debate.

CNN is reporting that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is nervous. He's worried. How might that translate on stage tomorrow? I'm going to ask somebody who knows the governor well. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:41:42]

TAPPER: Back with our 2024 lead, this time tomorrow, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance will be in the final, final minutes of preparation to take the stage at their vice presidential debate, likely the last of this unprecedented election cycle.

The Minnesota Democratic governors debate prep team is focused on keeping Mr. Walz true to character and, quote, not turning him into a slick debater like Vance, unquote, according to a source familiar with preparations.

While the Trump campaign is painting Walz as a seasoned politician and, quote, very good in debates.

Joining us now someone who knows Walz quite well, Minnesota Democratic Senator Tina Smith.

Senator, good to see you.

As someone who has spent a lot of time with Governor Walz, what do you hope the American people learn about him tomorrow night?

SEN. TINA SMITH (D-MN): Well, I think that Governor Walz, Tim, my friend, is, you know, he is relatable. He is warm, but I think he also has a lot of touch -- a toughness, and he can be quite competitive as well. Those are all the characteristics that I think that you want in a leader.

So what I think people are going to see tomorrow is Tim displaying all of those things and I expect him also to be talking directly to Americans about what's at stake in this election and not getting too caught up in the nonsense that J.D. Vance throws his way.

TAPPER: So you didn't see any reports at Walz has been openly telling people he's nervous and worried about letting Kamala Harris down. Meanwhile, we should note, J.D. Vance. He thrives on a fight. He seems to at least.

How do you think Walz should respond to potential personal attacks? I mean, J.D. Vance, Senator Vance has been quite critical about Walz not being accurate about his military record. One 100 percent of the time, I'll put it that way so we don't end up in a fight about this, and other things. I mean, he's been very, very, very critical of Governor Walz.

What would you tell Walz to do?

SMITH: Well, I would tell him to be himself and to be direct with the American people about what he and kamala accomplished together. And I mean, this is -- this is what J.D. Vance is, and this is what he does. He just throws the negativity and meanness and nastiness. And meanwhile, he's on a ticket where Donald Trump, I think according to "The Washington Post" lied or misled people 30,000 times in four years.

So the contrast there is pretty clear as well. Tim shouldn't get all caught up in all of that. He needs to be just focused on what matters to Americans in their lives. And I think that when people see him doing that, he doesn't need to be perfect. He needs to be real as what I think people are looking for.

TAPPER: Do you think he should address it? I mean, I find it impossible to believe that Senator Walz -- I mean, Senator Vance is not going to say to Governor Walz, you claim that you had been in war and you've never been in war, should he address it or explain it to the American people? Or should he just ignore it and move on?

SMITH: Well, look, so here's Governor Walz, who enlisted. He signed up for the National Guard when he was 17. He served for 24 years.

What I would expect him to say is that he's proud of his service and he has continued to serve the country and all the ways that he can. And I mean, meanwhile, you've got Donald Trump showing up at Arlington Cemetery and desecrating hallowed grounds.

So I don't think that they have a leg to stand on when it comes to accusing -- accusing Tim Walz of anything.

[16:45:01]

TAPPER: Let's listen to Republican Minnesota congressman, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who was on CNN this morning talking about Governor Walz. Let's roll that tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMER: It's going to be much like Minnesota where he's very unpopular. He lost his former congressional district both times he ran for governor and he lost it by almost ten points last time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So I don't know if Walz is unpopular in Minnesota but the idea that he lost his congressional district, that's kind of like famous conservative district that he held for years and years of Republican handed, he beat him, kept it for 12 years, I believe, and then ran for governor and its still fallen back into Republican hands.

So he obviously had the secret sauce for that Republican district but since he ran for governor he loses that district. I mean, that is an interesting note that Emmer is pointing out there. Is he -- is he losing the more moderate Democrats and independents that I think he was picked in part to speak to?

SMITH: You know, I really don't think so. I think when you look at the record of accomplishment of Tim Walz in Minnesota as governor over the last six years, you can see that he did things that Minnesota really wants him wanted him to do. And look at the economy of Minnesota. Here we have but I think the highest median family income of any state in the country. We have had had the one of the lower inflation rates of any state in the country.

So we have a record here of being a place where Republicans and Democrats can get together and to solve problems together and we are also in a partisan, highly partisan, and divisive time. And Tom Emmer can say all those things, but the reality is that Tim has been re- elected as governor of Minnesota twice and has gone -- been really just an outstanding governor.

TAPPER: I see that by the way, just a Minnesota Public Radio says a recent poll in Minnesota says, the Governor Walz has a 48 percent approval rating where they 47 percent disapproval rating. Take that -- take those numbers as you will.

Minnesota Democratic Senator Tina Smith, thank you so much. Always good to have you on the show.

SMITH: Thanks, Jake.

Tomorrow's vice presidential debate will be another CNN special event. We're going to simulcast the debate. It's hosted by CBS, our friends Norah and Margaret will be moderating. The debate is 9:00 Eastern. Our coverage starts at 7:00. Watch it all here on and CNN.

We have some breaking news here on THE LEAD. Brand-new reports of artillery fire from Israel into southern Lebanon. This is happening just in the last few minutes. A report from our CNN team in the region, that's next.

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TAPPER: And we're back with our world lead. U.S. troops have been told to prepare to deploy to the general region of the Middle East as Israel is laying the groundwork to invade Lebanon, this weekend, Israeli tanks lined up at Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Today, Israeli special forces conducted what the United States government characterizes as targeted range as Israel, which is still at war with Hamas to the southwest, tries to dismantled a severely weakened Hezbollah to the north. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that the U.S. considers to be terrorist clearly has been rattled after Israel assassinated many of its leaders, including the ultimate leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in northern Israel, right next to the Lebanon border.

And, Jeremy, what is this next stage of the war look like do you think?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, we are already hearing the sounds of that next phase of the war. We have been hearing the percussive boom of artillery and its firing into southern Lebanon every few minutes, the most intense artillery activity in this area. You just heard one go off as I was speaking, and we are hearing that quite consistently.

And these are of what you would anticipate to be the kinds of preparations a modern military would make before sending in a ground force of infantry units into enemy territory. And that does appear to be what the Israeli military is indeed preparing for at this moment. In addition to those artillery booms, we also saw on the highway leading up to northern Israel, a field with about 100 tanks and other armored vehicles. Another artillery piece firing off very, very close to our position.

And so, clearly, they are making all of these preparations. In addition to that, I've been told by two sources familiar with the matter that special forces, Israeli special forces have already been going into southern Lebanon to go after Hezbollah positions. Very close to the border.

They are gathering intelligence. They are destroying Hezbollah posts. All of this in anticipation of what is expected to be a larger scale ground operation.

And U.S. officials are characterizing what they expect to happen, perhaps imminently as a limited ground offensive. The question is, of course, how far will they actually go? One of the main objectives here as we understand it, will ultimately be to remove the threat of anti- tank guided missiles that Hezbollah has been firing.

Keep in mind, those can have a range of about three to six miles away. So how deep Israeli troops actually go into Lebanon is one of the major questions were asking now, Jake.

TAPPER: Jeremy, Lebanon's prime minister says that about 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced in the last few days because of these Israeli attacks. Where are they going? Where to 1 million people go?

DIAMOND: Well, some of those 1 million people are moving internally within Lebanon.

We have seen, of course, masses of people fleeing from southern Lebanon as well as from the Bekaa Valley in Eastern Lebanon. Others, of course, are fleeing within the capital well of Beirut itself. Those who are living in the southern suburbs of Dahieh in Beirut fleeing to other parts of that city.

But interestingly, Jake, one other thing that we have seen is about 100,000 people have crossed its from Lebanon into Syria, about 80 percent of those according to the United Nations, are Syrians themselves who had previously fled from Syria into Lebanon and are now being forced to flee again.

[16:55:11]

And so as we hear these sounds of artillery behind us, Jake, it is just a reminder of the impacts that all of this is having on the civilian population inside of Lebanon. And, of course, if there is a ground offensive, how much worse things could get -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Jeremy Diamond in northern Israel, stay safe. Thank you.

Another big story, the incredible damage reports after Hurricane Helene. Vice President Kamala Harris is at FEMA headquarters right now. We're expecting her to speak at any moment. We'll be right back

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

This hour, breaking news out of Georgia, where a judge has just struck down that state's six-week abortion ban. We're going to go to live --