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Progress on Hostage Negotiations with Hamas; Campbell McKendry is Interviewed about Sheltering in Place at College; Dean Phillips Launches Presidential Bid. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired October 27, 2023 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:30:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: I have some breaking news to share with you from here in Tel Aviv.

Diplomatic sources are telling our Becky Anderson and Alex Marquardt that there have been significant progress made on negotiations to release hostages held by Hamas. But the negotiators say that there are still issues that remain.

CNN's Becky Anderson is joining me now.

Becky, what are you hearing at this point as far as what the sticking points are, and where they are in these negotiations?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, that's difficult to say because diplomatic sources who are familiar with these negotiations have specifically said to me that the talks are ongoing. They remain very positive. They say that they have had a breakthrough. And while there are still outstanding issues talks are ongoing and we remain hopeful.

You make a very good point, we do not have the details, the parameters of what is being discussed specifically, nor what those outstanding issues are. What we do know is that one of the Hamas leadership in Beirut yesterday, in an interview with "The Washington Post," suggested that the group was proposing that all foreign nationals were released in return for a five-day cease-fire. The Hamas leader went on to say to "The Washington Post" that Israel - that Israeli civilians would be released if Israel, in turn, agreed to the release of Palestinian women and teenagers in Israeli prisons. And they want the Rafah border open for injured civilians to get into Egypt. And Hamas says, as part of these negotiations, they have demanded that more fuel and aid be allowed to cross through into Egypt. We can't confirm those as the parameters, but they are close to the conversations that we've been having behind the scenes with those who are familiar with these negotiations.

Look, bottom line, here it stands, 220 hostages at least still being held in Gaza. And not necessarily only by Hamas. We do know that around 40, we don't know the specific number, but around 40 of those are foreign nationals. We also know that there are women, children, and the elderly Israelis being held, as well.

We do know that this pause certainly is being discussed. We do know that the Rafah border crossing is in play as far as both parties are concerned.

Let's remember, the backdrop to this today is a discussion and a vote ultimately being held in the U.N. General Assembly. A motion -- a resolution tabled by Jordan, which calls for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors. It's non-binding, but given that there's been two failures of resolutions now through the Security Council, this is important to note as we continue to press for more details on these negotiations. My sense is, speaking to people familiar with these negotiations, that we are now talking hours and days, not days and weeks.

[09:35:09]

Sara.

SIDNER: Well, that is some news that at least the families can hang onto. I know everyone - every one of those families are watching and waiting for their loved ones to be released.

Becky Anderson, thank you so much for that reporting and breaking news for us, that the negotiations are going well, and they are ongoing. Appreciate it.

I want to go ahead and bring in retired U.S. Major General James "Spider" Marks. We're going to talk about a couple of things that have happened.

First of all, the breaking news that we've gotten from Becky Anderson's reporting, talking about that these negotiations are on a good footing right now. What does that tell you about what they're asking? Because Hamas is basically asking for a humanitarian corridor, which has been asked for by the rest of the world. But how does this play out in the middle of an official war that Israel is in?

MAJ. GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, you can do both. You need to be able to provide for the humanitarian requirements of the Palestinians that are in Gaza. You've got to be able to have a release valve. Rafah should be open. Egypt should acknowledge they can be part of the solution, just like Jordan should acknowledge they can be part of the solution. And, at the same time, Israel can continue its prep tasks for what looks like a ground invasion that will take place.

Now, all of this, with the hostages, means it might be on pause as we've seen. We're -- let's be frank, it is on pause. And I think what that really means is, let's go slow to go fast. Let's take a pause right now, breathe through our nose, figure out if we can get as many of these hostages back, because that's all that Hamas has for leverage. Other than a wild Arab streak that wants to support the Palestinian cause, yet has wrapped it up in terms of support for Hamas, which is bizarre and should really be decoupled completely. But it's OK to take a pause, figure out -- have Israel figure out

additionally what task they need to take and put in place because they still reserve the right to conduct this operation. And I wouldn't - I would not put it past them to go ahead and execute some form of that. But it's great to see what - what can happen with those hostages in terms of their release.

SIDNER: Yes, and many of the hostages being held, as we understand it, in those tunnels. That's what we heard from one of the hostages who was let out. Four have been let out, two who area American citizens, and two who are Israeli citizens.

I do want to ask you about the ongoing war because this -- for a second night in a row, the Israeli military went in on the ground in a -- what they called a targeted raid in Gaza. But they did go in on the ground. What kind of complication does this create? Because, obviously, if you have hostages, up to 220 who are still underground, this has to be a very, very difficult scenario as Israel tries to do a ground operation.

MARKS: Yes, absolutely. I mean you are walking a very, very tight line. But what Israel is doing right now is very deliberate preparations for the entrance and the, you know, the bringing forward the forces that are going to conduct this ground operation, in whatever - whatever color, whatever size, whatever type of force structure they want to do. But they are taking the time now to prep for that. In their mind it's an inevitability. It's mission number one and it has to be done. So, that's number one.

Number two is, by doing that you also give yourself, at least the Israelis have an opportunity to do some very good intelligence collection. To refine their plan. To get some environmentals. Do some gathering. Maybe even go after some ambush sites that they know exist. They've already located. And you can do some very pin-point targeting from the ground.

And then the third thing might be, might be deception. Get Hamas to focus in on where they're conducting these operations, and that's where they're going to put most of the bulk of their effort, and then you go someplace else. I mean, frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if the Israelis start doing prep tasks in a whole bunch of locations to try to confuse Hamas.

SIDNER: I want to lastly ask you, what - you know, you've got a lot of people who have been killed there, a lot of civilians killed. What is Hamas' endgame with the hostages? Because if they release all the hostages, they know that the possibility of a full-scale ground incursion is more likely to happen.

MARKS: You bet. Their leverage is hostages. That's why you have to take an incredible, large dose of skepticism about how this goes. Because if they give up the hostages, they give up that point of leverage that they have right now that prohibits the Israelis, or at least gives the Israelis pause in terms of conducting a very aggressive operation.

[09:40:13]

SIDNER: Major General James "Spider" Marks, thank you so much for all that analysis. I appreciate it.

John, I'm going to send it back to you in Maine.

BERMAN: Yes, from Tel Aviv to Lewiston, Maine, where we're just learning that there will be a news conference from law enforcement in just a few minutes. It will be an update on the manhunt for the suspect who murdered some 18 people here. This as we're learning that investigators found a cell phone and a note.

We'll be right back.

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[09:45:06]

BERMAN: All right, you're looking at live pictures from Lewiston, Maine. You can see, they are setting up for a news conference that will begin in just minutes.

This is the first update we will have had in nearly 24 hours on the status of this huge manhunt for the man suspected of killing 18 people in two locations. A shelter in place order still very much in effect for some 700 square miles in this area. Lewiston, of course, is where the shootings took place. It is home to Bates College, a wonderful liberal arts institution. Classes canceled there once again today. The shelter in place order in effect.

Campbell McKendry is a student at Bates and also an intern with Every Town for Gun Safety, joins us now.

Campbell, thanks so much for being with us.

You're going on 39 hours of this shelter in place order inside your dorm at Bates. Can you just tell me what that's been like for the last couple days?

CAMPBELL MCKENDRY, BATES COLLEGE STUDENT: Hi, John.

Yes, it's been pretty tough. I know people here are really scared. People are shocked at what's happening. I feel very lucky to be in my room, safe and sound. I know that I had friends that weren't so lucky and had to spend the night in the library or the dining hall on Wednesday night. So, I know that it's been incredibly traumatic for people.

BERMAN: And I know the Just-In-Time Recreation center, the bowling alley, it's somewhere where you've been. It's somewhere where students go. So, when you heard that that's where this shooting began, I'm wondering what went through your mind?

MCKENDRY: I think everyone was just devastated that this killer of the Lewiston community and the Bates community has been marred by this tragic act of gun violence by -- committed by one person. I mean it's just devastated and it's almost hard to comprehend. And I think that this extended lockdown has really prevented people from processing this tragedy.

BERMAN: You know, that's a really good point. You almost don't have time to grieve. You don't have time to process everything that's going on because you're so focused on the now. And for you that's, you know, being careful, sheltering in place.

Look, Bates is wonderful. It's also a college. You know, you guys are students. It's got to be hard to stay in your dorm. Just what -- what have the discussions been like?

MCKENDRY: I think people are frustrated. And I think specifically young people are extremely frustrated seeing thing time and time again. I mean, we've been referred to as the school shooting generation for a reason. We've been brought up amidst all this gun violence and I think people are fed up. I think people are confused.

Obviously, it's an unfolding situation, but from what we know, I mean the suspect had multiple, multiple issues that would have prevented him from owning a gun. And I think that's where common sense gun safety laws come into play. And I just think it's really important to emphasize that.

BERMAN: You know, Campbell, it just occurred to me, I was about to ask you, you know, you have been part of Every Town for Gun Safety. And now you're living in a town where there has been a shooting. I can't even presume that you haven't been directly impacted by some kind of mass shooting before. That's what it's come to. So, let me ask this in a different way. You've been part of Every Town for Gun Safety. I don't know why you joined initially. But now you're in this community that's seen all these killings in the last 48 hours. What's that feel like?

MCKENDRY: It honestly feels surreal. I mean you think that we're - I've been with Every Town since June. So about five months. And you think that seeing and being exposed to these senseless tragedies every day, that you would understand the pain. But I think when it comes to your own community, I think it - it just hits home differently. And I - I know that the people of Lewiston are devastated. And I know that the Bates community is holding them in their hearts. And I know this is a really rough time for everyone.

BERMAN: Well, Campbell, we are thinking about you. We know that in the next few days you can get back to class, get back to being a student, get back to what you're supposed to be doing instead of, like so many others around this country have had to deal with the last several years, recovering from a mass shooting.

Campbell McKendry, thank you very much.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: We're going to be getting back to John very soon. We're standing by for that press conference and update from police, the first in 24 hours really. And also this is ahead for us. I will not sit still. I will not be quiet. That's the message today from the new primary challenger taking on President Biden.

[09:49:56]

Why Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips says he's launching his bid against the incumbent president, and what impact it could have on 2024.

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BOLDUAN: This morning, there is a new candidate jumping into the presidential race. A sitting Democratic congressman who is now taking on and challenging the sitting Democratic president. Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips launched his primary challenge against Joe Biden today and also launched his first TV ad targeting voters in New Hampshire.

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REP. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm Dean Phillips and I'm running for president of the United States of American. And I'm coming to New Hampshire to answer your questions. I love New Hampshire. I spent my summers as a kid in the White Mountains going to camp, got to canoe the Saco River, learned how to fish, learned how to shoot a gun, got to -

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BOLDUAN: So, w hat is driving this long-shot bid?

Let me bring in CNN's Eva McKend, live in New Hampshire for us on this.

Eva, a longshot but still the most real threat yet to Joe Biden from inside his party.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate, I'm just getting off the campaign bus, and Congressman Phillips is essentially leaning on Biden to pass the torch.

[09:55:02]

He argues that Biden is a weak general election candidate due to his age, due to where the polling is right now. I asked him, why get into this race so late. He's already missed the deadline for Nevada. And he's really entering this race in the final hour. And he says he's all but been begging folks in the Democratic Party to challenge the incumbent president. And now that no one else has, here he is.

Let's listen.

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REP. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It appears the president, Joe Biden, is going to lose the next election. The numbers are horrific. And if you're a Democratic voter, and you care about 2024, it matters. And the absence of any competition, any alternative is antithetical to democracy. And I think it's important that Americans have choices at a time like this and there's an exhausted majority who absolutely wants change. And I'll make my case.

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MCKEND: Phillips says he knows that the beltway will laugh at him, but there is a real appetite for Democratic voters for an alternative.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: We will see. Glad to have you there, Eva. Great to see you. Thank you so much.

I want to now go back to Maine. John Berman is standing by.

John.

BERMAN: Yes, we're just minutes away now, Kate, from a news conference here in Maine. We have some live pictures. They are setting up there. They've got some kind of an easel. Clearly they intend to draw some diagram, let us know the current status of this manhunt with shelter in place orders for some 700 square miles.

Stay with us.

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