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Interview With Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY); American Soldier Travis King Back On U.S. Soil; Soon, Biden Remarks On Trump's Threat To Democracy. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 28, 2023 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY): We'll have at least 15,000 people who can go to the 460,000 jobs I have open right now in New York, including 5,000 farm jobs as we speak.

So I'm excited about this opportunity to help opening up the back door so people don't keep coming in the front door and staying for a year or longer. That they can be self-sustaining and be put to work as soon as possible.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Do you want, in order for these other people to work, the way the Venezuelans are working, they have this temporary protected status. Do you want that then for people from other countries?

HOCHUL: For people who are already here. There are specific countries. You have to be very careful not to open it up to the entire world. That's not our objective here.

A country where there's oppression and violence and political chaos, and certainly Venezuela fits that description. There are other countries in South and Central America that I believe fit that description.

So yes. It would be very helpful for us in New York State to have more people eligible to work sooner.

But in the meantime, those who are seeking asylum, they can work after 180 days. And our work is cut out for us to get them the applications, get them processed so they can also fill these jobs that are so desperate.

We have Republican businesses who are calling me saying, can you let some of these individuals come to my business, my farm, my restaurant, my hotel, my nursing home. There are so many opportunities.

But we have to be careful. Because our shelter system is overstressed right now. We

(CROSSTALK)

HOCHUL: -- a lot of credit for housing 125,000 people over the past year. KEILAR: You have this worker shortage. You also though have an

interesting sentiment, I think, among some New Yorkers.

There's a recent CNN college poll from last month that says New Yorkers overwhelmingly are saying the influx of migrants, eight out of 10. Democrats, it's everyone. Upstate, downstate, they're saying the migrants are a serious problem in the state.

But then you have a majority who say also that New Yorkers have done enough and that the flow of migrants should be slowed.

And this is the key point here, rather than accepting new migrants and working to assimilate them into New York, working to assimilate them into New York. They don't seem to want to work to assimilate them into New York.

Why do you think they're OK with getting these migrants working in New York communities? I know you're hearing that from some businesses. But there may be some other folks who are not OK with that.

HOCHUL: I'll be very clear about the values of New Yorkers. We have always been a place that has welcomed immigrants. All of us have come from another place, our families, our parents, our grandparents.

My grandparents were very poor immigrant, who found jobs working in the wheat fields of South Dakota. Migrant farm workers themselves. Domestic servants ultimately worked in the Bethlehem Steel Plant. And that worked in the circumstances of my family. We'll always be that place.

But it is also a question of capacity right now. We have been welcoming. We have been gracious. We have been supportive.

But we have to point out the fact and make sure people coming across the border, who think there are plentiful hotel rooms and services in New York City, we hit our capacity.

So we're asking other areas to embrace these individuals.

But we're not going to compromise who we are as a state with the Statue of Liberty in our harbor. So that's what I want to be clear about. That's important. We'll retain that.

We just need a slowing right now to help us manage the people who have already come and let people know it is not the way it was a year ago. We're at capacity.

But getting people out of the shelters is our number-one priority. Full stop. We have to get them out through legal status to get work. If they're Venezuelans, get the asylum process application underway if they're not.

And also, just the state of the workers who are -- the employers, help is on the way. I've had a twin crisis. A humanitarian crisis on the one hand. On the other hand, I have a worker shortage crisis. We can marry the

two together and take a challenge and turn it into an opportunity. That's what my administration has been laser focused on over the last year.

KEILAR: Governor Hochul, thank you so much for being with us. We really do appreciate your time.

I do want to ask you one quick question before I let you go. That is about this decision by a judge about this school on Staten Island.

Do you read this decision -- because New York has this Right to Shelter policy, which is part of why migrants come and they receive this shelter. There's been a decision that has said the school cannot be used, on Staten Island, to shelter.

[14:35:08]

Do you think the policy should be ended Do you read that as overturning Right to Shelter or no?

HOCHUL: It doesn't overturn Right to Shelter. And I support Mayor Adams and his efforts to appeal that decision.

There is a decision that, years ago, 40 years ago, that the Right to Shelter means people should not be living on the streets of New York. That they'll be given support and housing.

But again, the way this has been interpreted lately as an unlimited universal right and obligation to shelter the entire world. That is just not sustainable.

But on Staten Island, there have been other judges -- this keeps being litigated. Other judges have determined that they can't stop the city from using a vacant school to house some of these individuals. Especially women and children.

I know Staten Island well and I believe that there are many people who have good hearts, that are generous, and who know where their families came from.

So for a few individuals to challenge this and protest and make these individuals feel unwelcome, that's not the majority of people on Staten Island, it's not the majority of New York.

We have to make sure that those who are here have a place to stay temporarily. But immediately, as soon as possible, get them into the jobs. That is our number-one priority.

KEILAR: Governor Hochul, thank you so much for being so generous with your time. We appreciate it.

HOCHUL: Thank you.

Any moment now, here on CNN, President Biden will be delivering remarks. A key speech about the threats to democracy. We are looking at live pictures here as we await him. We will have CNN special coverage right after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:41:14]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: U.S. Army Private Travis King back in the United States two months he, on his own volition, ran across the DMZ and into North Korea.

The 23-year-old arrived in San Antonio, Texas, overnight. You see him there as he arrived as a result of what U.S. officials are calling, quote, "intense diplomacy."

CNN's Alex Marquardt joins us now with what King could be facing now that he's back in the United States.

Alex, what are you learning?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, the focus for Private Travis King is on his medical condition, both physical and emotional.

There are, of course, major questions about what he could be facing in terms of discipline and punishment. For now, U.S. officials are saying that they want to give Private King a chance to reacclimate to normal life.

As you say, he landed overnight at a military base in San Antonio. He was taken to the Brooke Army Medical Center, the biggest hospital in the Defense Department network.

In fact, there, Boris, they have a specialized program that helps people like returning U.S. prisoners get reacclimated to normal life.

This is the same facility where we saw Brittany Griner and several others go after their very long, very tough ordeals in Russia.

But that's not quite a fair comparison. Griner and Reid were prisoners who were held hostage by the Russian regime. They were declared wrongfully detained by the State Department.

That is not something that happened in Private King's case. This is someone who fled from the U.S. Army. He was supposed to go back and face discipline for assault charges from South Korea back in July.

Instead, he fled. He bolted across the border into North Korea where he was then held for more than two months. Intense diplomatic efforts to try to get him back involving both the Swedish and then the Chinese governments.

So there will eventually be those questions about what he could face because he went AWOL. Because of the assault charges. What kind of discipline, what kind of punishment could he face? A court-martial?

These are all questions that we have been asking. Right now, the Biden administration insisting they want to give Private King a chance to get back on his feet, to be reintegrated before those questions are addressed -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: Alex Marquardt, thank you so much for the latest.

Hey, stay with CNN as we take a look at live pictures of the stage in Tempe, Arizona, where President Biden is set to give an historic speech in just moments. Our special coverage is on the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:45:50]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Jake Tapper. Welcome to special coverage of President Biden's upcoming address on democracy.

In a remarkable sign of our times, Mr. Biden's speech will target his predecessor and future potential opponent, Donald Trump, and will make the case, or attempt to do so, that Mr. Trump poses a threat, an existential threat to American democracy itself.

The speech should get underway in a few minutes. He will be talking to us from Tempe, Arizona, where President Biden will also honor his friend, the late Republican Senator John McCain, who represented Arizona in the Senate.

The setting and the tribute are a nod to an era of bipartisanship that seems to have been long-gone from Washington. Although, truth be told, there is still a lot of bipartisan legislation being passed. Don't tell anyone though.

There's a lot to discuss with my experts here with me.

First, let's go to CNN's Arlette Saenz, who is in the Tempe Center for the Arts covering the speech.

Arlette, what are we expecting to hear?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, President Biden is expected to lay out his starkest warning yet about the threats posed to democracy by former President Donald Trump and his extreme MAGA movement, as the president has described it.

We've seen the president talk about the issue of democracy throughout the course of his presidency. But this will be the most heightened version of this speech that he is giving as the 2024 election is playing out.

We've seen Biden slowly, over the course of the past few weeks, really lay into trying to sharpen his criticism against the former president, saying Donald Trump and the MAGA movement pose a direct threat to American democracy.

This all comes at a time as the president could be ramping up toward a possible general election match-up against President Biden. These arguments about the threat -- against former President Trump.

These arguments about the threats posed to democracy by Trump and the MAGA movement are really what started as the bedrock as much of the general election argument.

Of course, this comes at a time when the president's own reelection is uncertain as he is facing concerns in polls about his age and the handling about jobs and also handling of the economy.

But the second part of this speech, it is taking place in the state of Arizona. This state will be critical in the next election. And it was one where former President Trump tried to overturn the election results.

Including trying to pressure the state's former governor, Doug Ducey, who is on hand here today. He is here in his capacity of support for the McCain Library.

He said he will listen to Biden's speech but he feels there are MAGA Republicans around this country who do love the country.

There are some notable figures who are in attendance for this speech, including John McCain's family. Ambassador Cindy McCain is expected to introduce President Biden. Some of his children are here as well.

And I'm told that President Biden, who is working and putting the finishing touches on this speech until the last minute, including the flight he took yesterday from California to Arizona.

This is a speech that be had planned for some time. The president has held strong views about how he wants to communicate this to the American public.

So in just a short while, we will be hearing more from the president as he could be laying out some of the general election arguments that could be -- he could be waging against former President Donald Trump if he, in fact, becomes the Republican nominee.

TAPPER: All right. Arlette Saenz, thank you so much.

Let's talk with my panel right now.

Scott Jennings, President Biden gave a speech on democracy last year. It didn't go over well with a number of Republicans.

Is there a Republican audience that will be open-minded about a speech about democracy and bipartisanship?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. And it doesn't have to be that many people to make a difference in a very close election. You think of it being decided in four states maybe. And thousands of people could tip the balance to Biden, or Trump, either one.

There were some Republicans or Republican-leaning vote here's voted for Biden in 2020. These are the people he's trying to hang on to and convince to stay with him.

[14:50:04]

Because those people, I imagine they're seeing in their research are really disillusioned with Biden and his job performance, specifically on the economy.

So this is the strategic issue for Biden. Focus people in on democracy, to a lesser extent for the Republican audience, maybe abortion. And get them to think less about the economy, and the speech is for them.

TAPPER: We were talking about this yesterday. One of the Republicans, Cassidy Hutchinson, former super loyal Trump aide, with him through the end. Even was going to go down to Mar-a-Lago with him until Meadows put an end to it.

Now she has a book out called "Enough," talking about how Trump is unfit for office, warning the country about how Donald Trump poses a threat to democracy.

She wants to vote Republican. She's looking for a Republican candidate. Not Trump.

I think in many ways she is who Joe Biden is speaking to today.

ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, absolutely. On the macro level, Arizona is a battleground state. It's going to be one that has trended more blue over the years because of the grassroots organizing.

TAPPER: Barely.

ALLISON: Barely. But in 2022, the Democratic, Katie Hobbs won the governorship and the secretary of state, a Democratic candidate won in that race, too.

The difference was that they were running against people who didn't believe the election results in 2020 were accurate.

So on the day after a Republican debate, when it wasn't really even discussed, if you thought the 2020 election results were accurate, in a moment like this, Joe Biden, our president, can go and deliver a speech and say, Democrats, we must turn out in high numbers this coming election to secure our democracy.

Independents, which Arizona has a large population, I need you to protect our democracy with a vote for me.

And those Republicans like Cassidy Hutchinson, there's a home for you here in the party.

TAPPER: And this happens, that happens on the same day Republicans in the House are holding their first hearing regarding --

ALLISON: Yes. TAPPER: -- their impeachment inquiry when it comes to President Biden.

And two Republican witnesses said that there wasn't enough evidence as of now to justifying impeachment.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. That's why the bar has been lowered, because they're starting an impeachment inquiry without evidence, which their own witnesses had to say, you know, this is not the time to do it.

I think what Biden is trying to do is to speak to those Republicans. And there have been Republicans who have said this is crazy, this impeachment inquiry.

He's in a battleground state. Very controversial. Arizona last time. He wants to talk to those undecided Republicans, who are potentially anti-Trump Republicans, Independent voters and say, look, these are the stakes in this election.

He's been out talking about Bidenomics. And the polls show that the public is not responding. That they believe he's not doing a good job on the economy.

This is something that is actually near and dear to his heart and very important. And so I think he wants to frame the election as something larger, and that's what he's trying to do today.

TAPPER: John King, I think it's fair to say that there are a lot of Democrats who worried Katie Hobbs, the governor of Arizona, ran a campaign in 2020 that was, shall we say, lackluster.

She won, nonetheless, but she won, I think it's also fair to say, I think, because her opponent, Republican Kari Lake, was a little bit nuts and anti-democracy. She was a big election liar.

Is that the card that Joe Biden is playing here?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That same Kari Lake, by the way, about to announce her candidacy for Senate next year, even though she says she was robbed last year, 2020, which she was not.

Arizona is your laboratory of democracy. It's the right place to give the speech.

You make a great point and Scott makes a great point. Why did Arizona go for Democrats, narrowly for governor, narrowly for Joe Biden? Because swing voters. I don't know if you can call it the middle anymore.

Swing voters decided, no, enough of Donald Trump and enough of that crazy stuff and they went for Democrats in that election.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Except the one Republican along state lines was the treasurer -- KING: Yes.

TAPPER: -- who was not an election liar.

KING: Correct.

TAPPER: Yes.

KING: So can -- can -- Biden wants to make the case normal adult leadership.

And he also wants to make the case, let's be honest, Arlette touch on this, I hope when you get to next November, you'll remember that might be bigger things than your anxiety about inflation.

There might be bigger things than your doubts about my age or stamina to do a second term.

He's the incumbent this time. That's what makes it different from 2020. Trump was the incumbent in the middle of a pandemic.

Now Joe Biden is the incumbent in the middle of people still believe -- I know the White House has statistics. And they're right, there are some great economic statistics right now.

People still feel inflation. Mortgage rates up again today. Gas prices up again today. The election not for 403 days. The president has time.

But he's trying to talk to the 75,000 voters in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, who have decided the last two presidential elections.

[14:55:05]

And say, look, you might be mad at me, you might still be tired from coronavirus and from inflation and everything else. This is a bigger threat. This is a -- can you make the case? That's the big challenge for the next 400 days.

TAPPER: Everyone stay with us. We're standing by for President Biden's speech on democracy. You're watching CNN's commercial coverage of this address.

We're going to squeeze in a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Welcome to CNN's special coverage of President Biden's address on democracy, said to happen at any moment out in Tempe, Arizona.

[15:00:00]

I have my team of experts with me.

Scott, let me play some of what we've heard from Donald Trump when it comes to accepting the results of the next presidential election.