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Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA) Discusses Congress Barreling Toward Government Shutdown & Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dead At 90; Heavy Rains Flood NYC's Roads And Subways; State Dept: China Expanding Efforts To Control Information; AI Implants Help Paralyzed Patient Move Arms, Hands. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 29, 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]

REP. TONY CARDENAS (D-CA): What we need to realize is in the United States Senate they have been working on a bipartisan bill, and they actually are going to be advancing it as soon as the Sunday.

So that's what we should be doing in the House and is not happening. You got Speaker McCarthy being led by the most extreme members of his party. And, unfortunately, they brought us to the point where there is going to be a shutdown.

There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the procedure process to make sure it doesn't happen effective tomorrow night at midnight.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Congressman, I want to give you an opportunity to answer whether you would be willing to withhold pay. There's a lot of federal workers that are going to be missing paychecks.

CARDENAS: Let me tell you. I think that every federal worker that will continue to work, and I will, I will definitely be there to do everything I can to make sure I do my job. I think every federal worker doing their job should get paid.

I am the main breadwinner in my family. And let me tell you, this paycheck, just like many federal workers, is what we need to make sure we pay our bills.

But again, we're showing up to work, we should get paid. Republicans need to show up to the House and negotiate with us to make sure we don't shut the government down for one day, two, three, or weeks at a time.

SANCHEZ: Are you concerned that House Speaker McCarthy perhaps has underestimated the stubbornness or unwillingness of hardliners to work with him?

He's in danger of losing his job because of them. And if he turns and works with Democrats, there's the potential of surrendering.

CARDENAS: Let's not forget that as recently as June of this year President (sic) McCarthy sat down with the Senate Republican leader and the Democratic leader in the Senate and they all agreed to a spending limit etc.

That is what was agreed. McCarthy is reneging on that. He's reneging on that, I believe, mainly because I believe, too many of the members in his House or unwilling to allow him to keep his word to the American people.

SANCHEZ: There is concern that some hardliners, Matt Gaetz specifically, have floated potential replacements for him if they vote to remove him.

Is there a scenario in which we wind up without a speaker in the middle of a government shutdown?

CARDENAS: It is possible if the Republicans try to follow through on the threats to McCarthy. But what I would like to see Republicans do is just be reasonable and negotiate with us, negotiate with the speaker. Don't threaten him.

They have tremendous responsibilities. One of the fundamental things is to make sure that the federal government continues to serve the people of our country.

SANCHEZ: Congressman, I also want to give you an opportunity to reflect on the passing of a titan in the Senate, Senator Dianne Feinstein, from your state.

CARDENAS: Yes. First, I'd like to say my heart goes out to Catherine, her daughter, and the Feinstein family and her beautiful, amazing team that served her so well.

We were there on the floor today at 10:00. It was very emotional to see a black cloth draped over her desk. But wonderful words were spoken about this trailblazer.

She's the longest-serving United States Senate woman ever in the history of the country. I had the honor to call her my Senator and my friend.

My roommate, Senator Alex Padilla, this morning, when we woke up, we heard about the news, and we were both heartbroken.

And there are many, many people in this country were heartbroken as well, because she did so many wonderful and amazing things that are too long to list.

SANCHEZ: She obviously leaves behind a towering legacy and big shoes to fill as well. Looking forward, as Governor Gavin Newsom decides on a potential replacement to fill her vacancy, what qualifications are most important?

CARDENAS: I think the qualifications should be someone who is thoughtful, who has a servant's heart, like Dianne Feinstein did.

And like the other appointments that Gavin Newsom has had the honor to make, such as United States Senator Alex Padilla, appointed by Gavin Newsom. A tremendous fit not only for California but for this country. I believe that Gavin Newsom will do the right thing and think very thoughtfully and quickly and appoint somebody who will fill the shoes for the remainder of her term.

SANCHEZ: Congressman Cardenas, of Florida, look forward to having you again.

CARDENAS: Thank you, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Parts of New York are just getting slammed by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia. Excessive rain has brought severe flooding to New York City roads and subways.

This morning, Central Park saw nearly two inches of rain in one hour. And a month's-worth of rain, more than four inches, fell over parts of Brooklyn in just three hours.

The governor has declared a state of emergency because of all of this.

We have CNN's Polo Sandoval with a closer look at some of the areas that have been impacted.

And is this right, Polo, that water was literally coming out of some of the walls in some subway stations?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We've seen this firsthand, Brianna, all morning long. And the problem is the rain has not stopped, especially in some of the areas that saw a months' worth of rain in only a few hours. The result is a whole bunch of water with few places to go.

[14:35:06]

This is actually what looks like the mouth of a river. It's actually the entrance to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. You see an individual that's just walking into the park right now.

What's interesting is we've seen no shortage of people walking and driving in the weather, even though officials have recommended that folks, if they can -- apologies for some of the emergency responders going past.

The problem, Brianna, is that they are trying to get the infrastructure back up and running. This is a storm that has deeply affected mass transit, certainly getting around, as you can see in these pictures here, it's extremely challenging in the conditions.

And it's possibly only going to get worse in parts of New York City that have already seen half a foot of rain, potentially, at least another two to three inches on top of that.

The good thing perhaps is it is Friday, so it is perhaps a lighter commute than we saw this morning.

What officials in New York City are really focusing on is issuing a warning to those people who live in basement apartments, specifically in Queens and Brooklyn. That is a situation that has proved deadly in previous storms.

Good news to report, according to authorities, they have not received any reports thus far of any fatalities. But that will be a concern into the night as we continue to see rain fall.

Tell you what, though, there is no shortage of food couriers you will see in the storm, Brianna. If you're in Brooklyn, ordering food, it's one of those days where you'll probably have to tip.

KEILAR: Yes. And tip big. Look at what they're going through here.

What about air travel? What's going on at the airports, Polo?

SANDOVAL: We did receive some confirmed reports of flights being affected at one of the terminals at LaGuardia.

This is why we've heard from airlines that are encouraging passengers that will be traveling out this weekend, out of any of the tri-state airports, to call in or at least check the status of your flights.

Some flights have been either canceled or delayed. And as this rain keeps coming down, there's the possibility that will continue to expand.

But for now, though, there are other airports in Newark and JFK that we haven't seen any significant delays reported. But that could change at any moment, right?

KEILAR: All right, Polo.

Hey, whoever has the pizza that guys delivering, I hope they see this. They know what he's gone through and they compensate him accordingly.

Polo Sandoval, thank you. We appreciate it.

Still to come, the U.S. State Department issues a warning about China's control over information and disinformation around the world. We'll have details just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:41:55]

KEILAR: A stark warning from the U.S. State Department, accusing the Chinese government of digital authoritarianism. Experts say China's efforts when it comes to controlling information and spreading disinformation are going further than ever before.

Joining us now, CNN chief national security correspondent, Alex Marquardt.

Alex, tell us what is happening and how the U.S. government is responding?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, they are sounding the alarm with this new report they are calling the first of its kind.

They're certainly hoping that countries around the world, that individuals around the world take notice of what China is doing.

What the U.S. now is accusing China of is devoting unprecedented resources, they say billions of dollars every year to control information, to disseminate propaganda and disinformation.

And sensor to intimidate, to track, to carry out what the State Department calls "digital authoritarianism" both in China and all around the world, with a particular focus, this report says, on Asia, on South America, and on Africa.

They say that the efforts by China are both overt and covert.

And James Rubin, who is the coordinator of this center that put out the report, The Global Engagement Center, it's called, talked about China's breathtaking ambition in an issue this morning.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES RUBIN, SPECIAL ENVOY & COORDINATOR, GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER: This is the dark side of globalization. If we don't change course, steady, often imperceptible changes will occur that poison the information space that is crucial for our societies to function.

We don't want to see an Orwellian mix of fact and fiction in our world that will destroy the secure world of rules and rights that the United States and much of the world relies upon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: Brianna, the comment about the dark side of globalization, Rubin said, with a reference to the fact that when there was 24-hour news in the beginning and the Internet and the dawn of social media, they thought more information would be a good thing for freedom and democracy.

Now they're recognizing that it certainly has a negative side -- Brianna?

KEILAR: What about TikTok? The report specifically mentions it.

MARQUARDT: There are a number of striking examples in this report.

What they're saying is the company, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, ByteDance, actually looks to restrict people that are potentially critical of Beijing.

That they have maintained a list of people who could be critical of Beijing for raising awareness or pushing, advocating for causes like the independence of Uighurs.

They also talk about another case in Africa. A digital cable company that services some 90 percent of the continent, that offers only Chinese entertainment and news channels.

So it's not always just about propaganda and disinformation. It might be their soft power, like entertainment. But they don't offer the Western equivalent. So that is how China is trying to control that information space.

And finally, Brianna, they emphasize, the State Department emphasizes that China has been pushing and echoing the rhetoric and the lies we heard out of their ally, Russia, when it comes to the war in Ukraine -- Brianna?

[14:45:08]

KEILAR: Very interesting stuff.

Alex Marquardt, thank you for that report.

Boris?

SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we are watching this hour.

A judge ruling today that school shooter, Ethan Crumley, can be sentenced to life without parole. That's the harshest possible punishment in Michigan.

Remember, Crumley was 15 years old when he shot and killed four students at Oxford High School, also wounding seven others back in November 2021.

In France, prosecutors are investigating the billionaire owner of Louis Vuitton for possible money laundering for a Russian businessman in the sale of a ski resort in the French Alps.

Bernard Arnault owns the French luxury umpire, LVMH. He's the second- richest man in the world after Elon Musk, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index.

And a night for stargazing. The last super moon of 2023 will be fully illuminated tonight. So get outside, if you get a chance, and it's clear obviously.

Super moons, also known as Harvest Moons, are slightly larger and brighter than most full moons because they are closer to earth.

It won't be the only spectacular sight to see tonight. Saturn and Jupiter set to also make an appearance.

Still to come on CNN, a medical breakthrough thanks to artificial intelligence. How that technology is helping paralyzed patients move once again.

Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:50:54]

SANCHEZ: New technology is creating life-chaining hope for those who suffer from paralysis.

A Swiss man who was paralyzed has now miraculously regained some of his movement using a brain implant that applies artificial intelligence to read his thoughts and ultimately stimulate the correct muscles in his body to make them move.

CNN's Nick Watt joins us live from Los Angeles.

So, Nick, how was this possible?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is pretty stunning, Boris. A 46-year-old Swiss man who slipped on ice, ended up paralyzed, regaining some of his movement.

It is possible through the intelligence and determination of the scientists and doctors involved, also the bravery of people like this Swiss man willing to undergo what is still experimental surgery.

And crucially, artificial intelligence. Something distinctly nonhuman now helping humans move again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVE MARVER, CEO, ONWARD: If you talk to people with paralysis, it's their number-one priority. They want to restore hand and arm function even above -- they prioritize that above the ability to stand and walk again.

WATT (voice-over): Here's how it works. An implant is placed on the brain above the motor cortex. AI in that implant deciphers intent to move arms, hands, fingers.

It then relays that information wirelessly to another implant in the body, so bypassing the damaged spine.

AI, in that implant, triggers the right muscles to actually make those movements. They call this thought-driven movement.

Dr. Jocelyne Bloch performed the surgery.

DR. JOCELYNE BLOCH, NEUROSURGEON, LAUSANNE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: We removed a little bit of bone. We replace this piece of bone by this set of electrodes. And then close the skin.

This implant is going to work wirelessly and activate the spinal cord stimulation.

WATT: Her partner, a neuroscientist, first had this sci-fi idea years ago, then waited for tech to catch up. GREGOIRE COURTINE, NEUROSCIENTIST: If you are paralyzed with your hand

and you can just open and close, it's a new change. So then you can eat. You are gaining independence.

The change in the activity of daily living is dramatic. This is why this new product is so exciting.

WATT: We met Bloch and Gregoire Courtine in July to discuss their previous project, another world first, fitting a similar device to this man, who lost the use of his legs after a bicycle accident.

GERT-JAN OSKAM, PARALYZED IN A CYCLING ACCIDENT: Now the implants are able to capture my -- my thoughts of walking, and able to transfer it to the -- to the stimulator in my lower back.

WATT: But, they say, restoring arm and hand function is actually harder.

MARVER: It's more refined, especially if you want to extend the restoration of movement to the fingers and not just the arms. So, help them grasp something, or help them use individual digits.

WATT: "While it is still too early to provide full results," Onward told us, "We were pleased to report that the technology works as expected and appears to successfully reanimate his paralyzed arms, hands and fingers."

MARVER: We'll learn a lot from that first person. Then we'll expand to four or five people. And then, if that goes well, we'll conduct a global pivotal trial and hopefully get FDA approval and make it available.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATT: And it could help a lot of people. There are about a quarter of million Americans who suffer some kind of paralysis after a spinal cord injury.

But then, of course, there are those people who say, yes, that's a benefit but a potential danger here with bad actors using this tech to get inside peoples' brains and maybe take away the final sliver of privacy we have left.

We looked into all of this, the benefits, the potential pitfalls of artificial intelligence in an episode of "THE WHOLE STORY," airing here on CNN, Boris, next month.

SANCHEZ: I can't wait to watch that. It is really a fascinating new frontier and potentially scary as you described it.

[14:54:59]

Nick, what other aspects of the medical field could use this kind of technology?

WATT: Experts we speak to say that the medical field and environment, those are the two massive areas for real benefits from AI.

One man, who is actually the godfathers of deep learning, which underpins all this tech, he said it is possible that, within 20 years, we have figured out cures for every single disease.

Possible, he says. It's not definite, but possible. That is the kind of revolution that we're looking at.

Every field of human existence, medical particularly, this could be, to use a cliche, an absolute gamechanger -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: A "Brave New World."

Nick Watt, thank you so much for that report.

Still to come, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he has other ideas after a funding bill vote fails, pushing the government one step closer to a shutdown. We'll take you live to Capitol Hill in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)