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President Biden Joins Auto Workers' Historic Strike in Michigan; Hunter Biden Sues Rudy Giuliani, Alleging Digital Privacy Violations; Growing Calls For Senator Bob Menendez's Resignation Amid Bribery Charges; Democratic Presidential Candidates Participate In Second Debate, With Trump As Main Attraction; Donald Trump Fights Gag Order In Federal Election Interference Trial; Migrant Surge Overwhelming U.S. Border Cities And Courts. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired September 26, 2023 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:01:07]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: A historic show of solidarity President Biden joining the picket line with auto workers as they strike against the big three automakers. We'll take you live to Michigan for the latest.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And Hunter strikes back. The president's son files a lawsuit against Trump's former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of trying to hack his devices. Why Hunter Biden is making this legal maneuver just ahead. And pressure is mounting on Senator Bob Menendez as more of his fellow Democrats call for his resignation amid bribery charges. We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN News Central.

SANCHEZ: President Biden has made labor history. He just became the first sitting American president to walk the picket line. Biden joining auto workers in Wayne County, Michigan, who are part of an unprecedented, simultaneous nationwide strike against the big three automakers. UAW leader, Shawn Fain, thanked President Biden for showing his support for workers in person.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN FAIN, PRESIDENT UNITED AUTO WORKERS: Thank you for coming to stand up with us in our generation's defining moment. And we know the president will do right by the working class. And when we do right by the working class, you can leave the rest to us because we're going to take care of this business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN's Arlette Saenz is in Wayne County with President Biden and CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich is with UAW members in Warren, Michigan, less than an hour away. So Arlette, what was President Biden's message to these striking workers?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, President Biden made his most public support for the United Auto Workers as these negotiations and strike continue, as he appeared side by side with them outside of a GM facility here in Wayne County, Michigan. The president put on that UAW hat, spoke from a bullhorn, and offered his full-throated support for these auto workers, saying that they deserve significant raises and other benefits as well. And he talked about the need for these workers to have better benefits and pay as auto companies are experiencing these record profits. Take a listen to what he had to say a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BIDEN, PRESIDENT The fact of the matter is that you guys, UAW, you saved the automobile industry back in 2008 and before. Made a lot of sacrifices. You gave up a lot, and the companies were in trouble. But now they're doing incredibly well. And guess what? You should be doing incredibly well, too. It's a simple problem.

UNKNOWN: Yeah!

UNKNOWN: Yes, sir! Yeah!

(CROSSTALK)

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: You deserve the significant raise you need and other benefits.

UNKNOWN: Let's get it!

BIDEN: We're gonna get back who we lost, okay?

(CROSSTALK)

BIDEN: We say yeah, but it's about time they would step up for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, after those remarks, the president, as he was shaking hands with people, he was asked by a reporter whether he specifically supports the UAW's calls for a 40% increase in pay. And President Biden appeared to say yes to that answer. That goes further than anything the president has said.

They've really been quite careful on weighing in on any specific demands that the UAW has been making. But the president's mission, while he has been here in Michigan, is trying to court those working- class voters. And his visit comes just one day before former President Donald Trump is also expected to descend upon the state, where he is hoping to also speak with union members. Now, Biden's invitation to come to Michigan came directly from the UAW president, Shawn Fain, who was on hand with him there today.

[14:05:00]

One thing that's noteworthy is that the UAW has yet to endorse in the 2024 election, even as many labor groups have thrown their backing behind President Biden. Now, today, Biden said he's not worried about trying to earn that endorsement at this moment. What he's been focused on is trying to show his support for those striking workers. And he did today. He took that step, becoming the first sitting president to appear on a picket line with those workers and telling them to stick with it.

SANCHEZ: And Vanessa, obviously, as Arlette pointed out, this comes one day before former President Trump is supposed to go there. This underscores the importance of working class voters in 2024. I'm wondering what you've heard from workers where you are about President Biden's message.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: The message on his visit is slowly making its way to these folks here on the picket line, just outside of a Stellantis facility. This is one of the 38 facilities that was just authorized to go on strike on Friday. I want to bring in Martez Hardy. He's been working for Stellantis for 11 years now. We talked a little bit about the president's message. You've kind of read a little bit about what he had to say. Your reaction to the president coming here to Wayne County?

MARTEZ HARDY, STRIKING STELLANTIS AUTO WORKER: Well, I'm all for the president coming to walk through and join us on the picket lines, as long as it helps our bottom line out, as long as we can get what we need and deserve.

YURKEVICH: Do you think that the president's message and what he had to say here today will help with negotiations between Stellantis and the union?

HARDY: I hope so. I hope so.

YURKEVICH: What do you want to see in this contract from Stellantis and the union? What is important to you?

HARDY: Fairness.

YURKEVICH: And what does fairness mean?

HARDY: Uh, equal wages, eliminating tiers, stop, overusing our temp -- temporary workers, because they are people too. And, you know, we just trying to make it, we all got families, bills. We just trying to survive.

YURKEVICH: Is it enough right now? What you have on the table or no? Not at all.

HARDY: Not at all.

YURKEVICH: Thank you so much, Martez Hardy. Appreciate your time. So guys, as president Biden has come to town, as you mentioned, former president Trump will be in Detroit tomorrow. A source telling me that the union did not formally invite president Trump and they're not participating in his event, but negotiations between the big three and the union still continue.

We know that the union has said that they've been making progress with Ford, not so much progress with GM and Stellantis, but in the meantime, 24 seven, these UAW members will be on the picket line here and throughout the country for us. Boris.

SANCHEZ: We'll see if president Biden's visit and tacit endorsement of the workers position, perhaps moves negotiations. Vanessa Kavish, Arlott science. Thank you so much, Brianna.

KEILAR: As president Biden stands with union workers in Michigan, let's take a look at just how important those workers are to Biden's reelection campaign in 2020 Biden. Well outperformed Trump when it came to union households in Michigan, specifically exit polling shows Biden carried 62% to Trump's 37% and facts are union households vote. Even though just 10% of American workers are unionized, they make up 20% of voters. They made up 20% of voters in 2020.

Joining us now to talk more about this. We have Bob King. He is a former UAW president and also Douglas Brinkley. He is a presidential historian. Bob, to you first, the UAW has not endorsed Biden. They did in 2020 and Shawn Fain has harshly rebuked Trump. But let's talk about the rank and file here. Trump thinks that he can peel off more than he did in 2020. Is he right?

BOB KING, FORMER UAW PRESIDENT: I think he's absolutely wrong. Workers saw that he didn't do anything for workers and UAW members mind probably a statements in Lordstown, where he said, don't sell your home, don't move this. I'm going to save this plant. And he did nothing to save that plant. And he did many things to hurt workers, workers rights to organize. Federal workers. I mean, there's just a long, long list of ways that he just helped the wealthiest and did not help workers at all.

KEILAR: So Doug, tell us why these visits to Michigan, to striking workers matter so much when it comes to presidential politics.

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: I really think it's the opening salvo of the 2024 presidential campaign. And you see how President Biden and former President Trump are beelining it there, because we spent a lot of time Brianna talking about AI and technology of tomorrow. And this election very well might be about the Midwest working class union workers and how they vote. And both Biden and Trump understand that. And I think it's an epic moment when you have a sitting President Biden who's posted that he's pro-labor, but to be there symbolically today, wearing the cap, being with the with and who's going to go down in history, like Walter Reuther, there's one of the great modern labor leaders of our time. It's a good move for Biden. It's one that he had to do. He modeled himself in politics as lunchbucket Joe Amtrak, Joe, I'm just a working class kid from Scranton. And if he was absent from this strike, or try to sit on the sidelines, I think it would have cost him even more hemorrhaging with union voters than the statistic you just said.

[14:10:33]

KEILAR: Bob, how much does this mean for union workers that Biden is there, but also considering how this may be good for the president? I mean, these union workers, specifically these auto workers have overwhelming support in polls. It's not that this is particularly risky for President Biden.

KING: No, I agree. I think it's very important. I think it means a tremendous amount to workers that he publicly came out and was on the picket line along with President Fain of the UAW. I think it means a lot. You know, we hope that he also follows it up with action. There are ways to make US companies more competitive. The three auto companies spend $9 an hour in health care, they should be supporting President Biden, the UAW and getting national health care.

The public support is so great because people are tired of corporations blaming workers and then hoarding all the profits to themselves. I think the UAW has done an amazing job. I've never seen UAW members this engaged in this involved in a contract fight. It's great to see.

KEILAR: And Doug, we heard Sean Fain sort of talking about this, that this isn't just about auto workers. I mean, historically, the middle class has looked to auto workers. He was sending a message out to nurses, to Starbucks workers. I mean, he was talking to other people in his comments today. How -- worried should Biden be about the middle class when he's having a difficult time selling his economic message? And you're seeing 4 out of 10 Americans saying they're worse off financially, since he took office? Well, Biden should be paying attention to that.

BRINKLEY: I mean, he has to sell the green economy also, Joe Biden. I mean, he is with his biggest accomplishment, that's infrastructure package, so much for climate, and companies like Ford Motor are really starting to build the EVs, you know, to meet this green revolution, but the workers are going to have to get paid a fair wage. So Biden has a lot of triangular work to do environmental community of tomorrow, climate activists, labor unions, and why I mentioned the name Walter Reuther quite forgotten today, but in the 1960s, Reuther created an environmentalist labor alliance.

It's Walter Reuther, who funded the first Earth Day in 1970. And you have an opportunity here for buying to use Michigan as a laboratory to try and convince working Americans that turning green or going to electric vehicles isn't going to hurt their pocketbooks. So I think a lot's at stake, like the entire Biden economic agenda. And we also instead of just applying UAW, we're so proud that as Americans to have these big three automakers, they often do the right things. Let's hope they'll negotiate in good spirit. And we can resolve this in the coming weeks. And everybody could become a winner out of this.

KEILAR: Yeah, it is a battle that we are watching and so important to have the historic perspective from both of you, Bob and Doug. Thank you.

KING: Thank you.

BRINKLEY: Thank you.

KEILAR: Boris.

SANCHEZ: As the president hits the picket line in Michigan, his son Hunter filing a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of trying to hack his devices. You have details on that filing. Also, Donald Trump's fight over a gag order. His legal team says the special counsel is trying to censor the former president at a critical time in the 2024 race. And more Democrats in Congress calling on Senator Bob Menendez to resign after his indictment on bribery charges. You're watching CNN News Central. We're back in just moments.

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[14:18:05]

SANCHEZ: Now to yet another federal indictment with major ramifications in Washington. We're talking about the bribery charges facing Democratic Senator Bob Menendez and the now tidal wave of senators from his own party calling on him to resign. More than a dozen have now stated publicly that he has to go.

Notably, the chorus has only grown since his announcement yesterday that he is not stepping down. Let's bring in someone who knows Bob Menendez well, CNN political commentator Ana Navarro. Ana, a pleasure to see you as always. So now 18 Democratic senators calling on him to resign. Do you think he should?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Whether I think he should or not, I think is a moot point because I don't think he won't, he will. I think 99 senators would come out and ask him to resign and he wouldn't. The one that probably does sting a lot is Cory Booker. Cory Booker stood by Menendez in the last indictment, the last trial proceedings, testified, was a character witness for Menendez, and I know that they have a very strong bond.

I don't think that Bob Menendez sees resigning. And I've known the guy for 30 years. He's tough. He hails from one of the toughest districts in America, Hudson County, New Jersey. These people eat nails for breakfast. And so I don't think he sees resigning as anything but giving up and an admission of guilt. Also, it would tie his hands and it would severely limit his ability to raise funds. Remember, being in the Senate allows him to continue fundraising and having a legal defense fund. That becomes much more difficult if he resigns.

SANCHEZ: Sure. Ana, there was something he said yesterday that I think hit close to home for both of us. I want to play it now for our viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-NJ): For 30 years, I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, which I have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing confiscation in Cuba. Now this may seem old-fashioned but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account based on the income that I have lawfully derived over those thirty years. I look forward to addressing other issues at trial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:20:25]

SANCHEZ: Both of our families fled communist regimes where on at any given moment someone can come to your home and take what you've earned. Does that resonate with you his explanation for keeping so much money and gold bars in his home.

NAVARRO: Well a couple of things on that first of all, I think Bob was born in the United States and I think his family fled Cuba before the Revolution but what he's talking about is real and is a real kind of mentality for many exiles. I as an eight-year-old, one day we lost everything we had and I can tell you that today as an adult sometimes I look up and I think Daniela Ortega (ph) is going to come down from the mountain and take everything I have.

Mind you there are no mountains in florida so that's helpful. I don't have gold bars in my house but I do have those feelings. When I heard bob menendez say that yesterday I thought to myself well if you have been withdrawing cash from your accounts for years there's a record of that. So there's evidence of that, right? There's a paper trail and so if that's the case that'd be great but I'm you know I really -- I'm hoping against hope that that's the case. And I'm hoping that he's able to provide that evidence. I'm hoping that he's able to lead us because look Boris, Bob Menendez is such a champion for the latino community.

He's such a champion for the cuban-american community for the nicaraguan-american community. There's not one issue affecting our communities that the first person you go to is not is Bob Menendez for the last thirty years. Losing him is going to be a great leave us with a great void. That being said you haven't heard any latino organization any latino leaders any cuban-americans go out there and say that the DOJ has politicized, that this is a witch hunt. All the things that you hear republicans say about Donald Trump and and those indictments. People here are saying is the guy deserves a fair shot he deserves the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and let's see how this plays out.

SANCHEZ: That was my next question you read my mind so you see a double standard there in the way that people are treating Bob Menendez saying that he -- he gets a fair shot at trial but in order for him not to be a distraction to the senate he should step aside whereas with Donald Trump folks are saying the entire system is rigged.

NAVARRO: Well, but there's always double standards right when it comes to politics for some reason. Democrats like to hold themselves up to a higher standard. When you look at Al Franken, when you look at what's happening with Bob Menendez. On the other side you've got Donald Trump who's 40 points ahead in the republican primaries and is indicted in four different cases and with very serious counts about national security and classified material.

SANCHEZ: On the note about the other side and Donald Trump's advantage, there is a second republican presidential debate scheduled for tomorrow night. Is that anything but a race for second place? What are you going to be watching for. NAVARRO: I'm not gonna be watching anything. I'm gonna be at the

Beyonce concert but I will watch it afterwards on -- on replay. But I will look up CNN afterwards. This feels like the undercard, right? Like when you go to the boxing matches and you're waiting for the main attraction. These are the under matches. I don't think it's a competition for vice president because I don't think out of the -- the lot that is there. I don't think we see Donald Trump's vice president standing there. Certainly it won't be Mike Pence, certainly it won't be Ron DeSantis. Certainly, you know, maybe Nicky Haley if -- if he forgives her for calling him old every other day. I think it's also but I think it's probably the last time if there's still a last time available for Ron DeSantis to execute one of his many reboots and try to rescue his campaign from the doldrums and, you know, bottom of the barrel where it has fallen. If he doesn't do it tomorrow night, I think he's cooked just put a fork in him.

SANCHEZ: Yeah a lot of donors may also feel the same way.

NAVARRO: Oh, they've already said that. His biggest donors have already said, you know, we're --we're walking away. We're waiting and seeing but that's got everything to do with the fact that he decided to take on culture wars instead of promoting the Florida economic story. It all became about drag queens and Mickey Mouse. When going after a company a private company for expressing their opinion is anything but conservative.

SANCHEZ: Ana Navarro, siempre un placer amiga.

NAVARRO: Gracias.

SANCHEZ: Great to be with you. Brianna.

KEILAR: Hunter Biden is taking on Rudy Giuliani in a new lawsuit. President Biden's son suing Donald Trump's former attorney alleging Giuliani violated his digital privacy, tried to hack his electronic devices and manipulated data. Hunter Biden filed a similar lawsuit earlier this month against a former Trump White House aide. These lawsuits come as he faces federal gun charges.

[14:25:17]

We have CNN's Paula Reid tracking this. All right, some pretty explosive claims in this lawsuit.

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDNET: Yeah, this is part of the more aggressive strategy that Hunter and his lawyers have been pursuing against his detractors since earlier this year. Here he is suing Rudy Giuliani and Giuliani's longtime former lawyer, Rob Costello, alleging that these men hacked his personal data and then disseminated it. And that was a violation of state and federal law, according to their allegations.

Now, as you know, Costello and Giuliani, they have played a very public role in sharing data from a laptop that Hunter is said to have left at a Delaware repair shop. Costello, we were told, received this data and then Giuliani helped to publicize this. Hunter's lawyers described this as, quote, an annihilation of Hunter Biden's digital privacy. And even though Hunter Biden is now facing a criminal case of his own in Delaware, a lawyer on his team told me earlier today that anyone who is involved in sharing his data should be hearing, quote, footsteps.

Now, Giuliani shot back in a statement today from his spokesman, saying that he was surprised that he would be accused of manipulating any of this data that was on this laptop and also suggested there were evidence of crimes on that laptop. But it's clear, even though Hunter Biden is facing criminal charges now and this more aggressive strategy began when they thought that whole investigation was going to be put behind them, it's going to be resolved with a plea deal. It's clear they are not leaning back from becoming more litigious and more aggressive when it comes to his detractors.

KEILAR: So, let's switch gears a little bit here and talk about Donald Trump's federal election interference trial. He's fighting a gag order that has been requested by the special counsel. What's at issue here?

REID: So, we're talking about the January 6th case here in Washington. The special counsel, Jack Smith, is seeking a limited gag order on the former president, saying, look, this is someone who is trying to disrupt the orderly administration of justice, try to intimidate people. But his lawyers have said the former president's lawyers have said, look, this is unconstitutional. He is trying to campaign. And this is all part of an effort to disrupt his ability to run for the White House. Again, they're asking the judge to deny this.

And the former president is already subject to some restrictions. He can't intimidate witnesses or discuss the case with him. But this has been the central tension in many of these cases. Right. Of course, there have to be some limitations on defendants. Right. If they try to disrupt the process. But he is raising some really unique concerns here because he is running once again for the White House.

KEILAR: All right, Paula, thank you so much for taking us through that. We appreciate it. Boris.

SANCHEZ: A surge in migrant crossings is overwhelming border cities and adding to a huge backlog in immigration court. But Mexico is overwhelmed as well. We have a live report from the southern border straight ahead.

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