Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

New Iowa Poll Released After Pence Drops Out; U.S. Forces Have Been Attacked At Least 23 Times In Iraq And Syria Since Hamas Attack; Medical Examiner: Additional Investigation Needed In Death Of "Friends" Star Matthew Perry. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired October 30, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Stand with real integrity that defended the Constitution on January 6, and the other one propagated the lie, which has now brought him to the speakership. And so, John Avlon calls it a litmus test in the Republican Party.

I don't know if it's -- if that -- if it's -- that's totally fair because half of -- half of the base in Iowa is supporting somebody other than Trump. But what it does, just I suggest is that there was no respect amongst huge portions of the base for the fact that Mike Pence, and --

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes.

HOOVER: In a -- in a -- in a -- in a religious -- evangelical tradition of truth and honesty stood up for the Constitution. And he didn't -- he has not gotten the respect more -- just more he deserves.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Maybe Pence has more impact out of the race than he had in.

AVLON: I don't know about that. But I think this is what's important is to -- look. Inside the Republican conference, clearly, I mean, Tom Emmer was knocked out because he voted to certify the election, he voted for gay rights, those things were apparently a bridge too far. And their conference rallied around Mike Johnson instead, who had opposed both those things.

But you know, where -- I think very often in the chaos of politics, we forget a sense of perspective. Mike Pence will be viewed by history, whatever policy disagreements you may have with them, as someone who heroically stood up for our Constitution at a time when he was under enormous direct pressure and threats. And the fact that he was repudiated --

HOOVER: But it's nothing for him.

AVLON: But the fact that he's been repudiated by the Republican Party is a stain on them.

HOOVER: Yes.

AVLON: Not Mike Pence's legacy.

HOOVER: Absolutely.

AVLON: And I think that's the larger perspective we now have in our politics. We can have all kinds of interesting differences, and we should. But if people stand up when it counts for the Constitution, and particularly in this case, that's being on the right side of history.

And the folks who were opposing it or shouting down a reporter who asked Johnson and other members of the Republican Party the night he won that nomination is designate, whether or not -- whether he's still supported -- you know, whether it was still an election denier, they shouted that reporter down. That to me is sinister. That kind of defiant, no, nothing is that election-like litmus test that is still in place.

So, put Mike Pence on the lever -- on the -- on the -- on the ledger is history, and he's going to look pretty good. And that's important. That matters.

BOLDUAN: It's good to see you, guys. Thank you.

HOOVER: Thanks.

AVLON: Thank you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's a question that John Avlon is going to love because we've been talking about this for years now.

AVLON: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Could the 14th Amendment keep Donald Trump from running for office again, or more specifically here, couldn't get him kicked off the presidential battle?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:36:57]

BERMAN: All right, happening now. In Denver, court proceedings are underway. You're looking at live pictures right now, to determine if section three of the 14th Amendment should keep Donald Trump off the presidential ballot.

Let me read you this pretty much in full because you need to understand it. It says. No person shall be a senator or representative in Congress or elector of president and vice president or hold any office civil or military under the United States or under any state who having previously taken an oath as a member of Congress or as an officer of the United States or as a member of any state legislature or as an executive or judicial officer of any state to support the Constitution of the United States shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. With me now is Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. Thank you so much for being with us. You say you are watching these court proceedings that are underway right now. For a kind of guidance, what do you mean?

JENA GRISWOLD, (D) SECRETARY OF STATE, COLORADO: That's right. And good morning, John. We are hoping that this court case gives guidance to the state of Colorado, to myself in certifying the ballot, but also guidance to election officials across the nation. We've never had this type of situation occur where a sitting president incites the insurrection and then has the audacity to run again. So, there are real questions about whether Section Three of the 14th Amendment disqualifies him. And I look forward to the judge giving guidance on that topic.

BERMAN: Because one of the key questions that we've noticed is, you know, did Donald Trump engage in insurrection? Was it an insurrection? Your view to that question is yes?

GRISWOLD: My view is that I will follow what other -- whatever court determination is in place by the time I certify the ballot. I do believe that Donald Trump incited the insurrection in terms of what insight means to you and me and the majority of Americans right now.

BERMAN: So, you think --

GRISWOLD: (INAUDIBLE) that reaches engage in insurrection. There are some folks -- go ahead.

BERMAN: OK, I'm sorry. But -- so shall have engaged in insurrection -- sorry, I had the wrong -- I need for the highlighter on. Shall have engaged in interaction is the actual language inside the Constitution. You say he incited in interaction. Is that the same thing?

GRISWOLD: That's exactly why we're going to court. So, there are big constitutional questions. Did his actions rise to the level of disqualification? Who gets to determine that? Is it me? Is it the court? Would it bar him from ballot access or just from being seated in office if he was disqualified?

And there's disagreement. That's exactly why it's appropriate for a court to weigh in right now. And like I said, my job is to follow the law and uphold the Constitution. And when there are these big questions, and also an apparatus under state law for a court to weigh in, well, then it's appropriate to wait and see what the court determines.

[11:40:08]

BERMAN: Where do you see this going? Do you see this going all the way to the Supreme Court?

GRISWOLD: I think it's pretty mature. You know, I think it's a big case for the nation, especially because we're barreling very quickly to next year with the presidential primary and the general election. But ultimately, we just have to see what the district courts do. And then if it's appealed, of course, in Colorado's case, it would go to the Colorado Supreme Court first, and then it would be up to the U.S. Supreme Court if there was an appeal to take the case.

BERMAN: What are your concerns about the possibility that this could be seen as political?

GRISWOLD: Well, the first thing I'd say is, you know, I am a democratic Secretary of State, and I did not bring this case. I'm actually a party as a defendants because I certify the ballot. And I would just say, look. Colorado, Republican, and unaffiliated voters brought this case.

I think it is very reasonable to determine whether the U.S. Constitution is in play. We should as a nation follow the rule of law. We should be following what the Constitution says and what state laws say.

And if there's something unclear, it's an appropriate mechanism to file a lawsuit. What is inappropriate is trying to steal an election from the American people, inciting an insurrection, having a scheme of fake electors, having conversations about stealing or seizing voting equipment, those things are unreasonable. A court case like we're seeing play out here, I think is just fine.

BERMAN: Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it. Kate?

GRISWOLD: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us. A U.S. Marine rapid response force is moving toward the Eastern Mediterranean. And new reporting also about how many times U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been attacked since the Hamas terror attack. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:46:29]

BOLDUAN: This just into CNN. We are learning that U.S. forces have been attacked at least 23 times in Iraq and Syria. This is since the Hamas terror attack on October 7 in Israel. This comes as a U.S. Marine rapid response force is making its way toward the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Let's get to the Pentagon right now. CNN's Oren Liebermann is standing by for us. Oren, what are you learning about all this?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kate, the U.S. is trying to keep the conflict in Gaza separate from the rest of the Middle East. But I think given the situation we're looking at, it's clear that they're not entirely successful in doing so since October 17. So, 10 days after the Hamas terror attack in Israel, the U.S. has tracked a total of 23 attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.

Now, although they haven't given specific attribution individually for each of these attacks, the U.S., broadly speaking, holds Iranian- backed groups and groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for those attacks. What's important to note here is that the U.S. carried out strikes in eastern Syria, a pair of them on facilities they say, are used by groups affiliated with Iran in an attempt to first deter those groups from continuing to attack U.S. forces in the region, but also as a broader message to Iran.

And you can see here with at least six more attacks since the U.S. carried out those strikes, that message of deterrence certainly hasn't had yet its intended effect. And that opens up the question, will the U.S. carry out more strikes? Is that better at getting the deterrence, or does that simply escalate the situation? That's part of what the U.S. has to figure out.

And as it's working on those problems, we've heard from two U.S. officials, the U.S. is moving a marine rapid response force towards the Eastern Mediterranean towards the coast of Israel and Lebanon there. And that's important because that's a unit whose -- one of its mission -- missing -- mission essential tasks includes a noncombatant evacuation operation. The U.S. has said it's not executing that yet. But as it worries about a broader regional conflict, that's one of the contingencies it has to look at, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Great information. Oren, thank you so much for your reporting as always. John.

BERMAN: Kate, new information from the medical examiner investigating the death of Matthew Perry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:53:03]

BOLDUAN: So, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office is saying further investigation is needed to determine the cause of Matthew Perry's death. They are awaiting toxicology results to help in doing that. There's no timeline yet for when those would come back in. Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his home over the -- over the weekend.

CNN's Camila Bernal is in Los Angeles on this. Camila, what more are you learning?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kate. So, sources telling CNN that there is no foul play suspected in this case. So, we are waiting for the medical examiner's office right now. They listed his death as deferred. And that just means that more is needed.

Sources telling us that they are waiting for that toxicology report. And normally, to get those, it takes several weeks. So, we may need more time before we really learn the cause of death and what happened. It is the Los Angeles Police Department that was investigating the death.

In the meantime, though his family responding and reacting and saying to People Magazine that they were heartbroken by the tragic loss of a brother and a son. And also saying that he brought joy to the world with his acting but also as a friend. So many here in Hollywood reacting, and among them Morgan Fairchild who played his mother on "Friends." here's what she said on "CNN THIS MORNING."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN FAIRCHILD, PLAYED MATTHEW PERRY'S MOM ON "FRIENDS": Right from the first, there was just that ebullience, that joy, that kind of friendly and wonderful acerbic, but puppy dog kind of feel about Matthew. And he was such a warm and wonderful and funny and creative young man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And just so many others expressing how much he made them laugh and how friendly and funny he was off-screen and on screen. But I do want to point out that he wanted to be remembered as someone who helped people. And it's part of the reason why he shared his struggles with addiction.

[11:55:04]

He was very open, and candid. He spoke emotionally in a number of interviews, saying that he wanted to help people feel relatable, feel in the same place, and also understand that he was able to overcome this. He also said he wanted to be remembered as someone who lived well and loved well and a seeker. And so, that was really the biggest thing.

But, of course, so many of us know him from his character on "Friends." Chandler was extremely memorable. He was funny, he was sarcastic, he delivered the jokes, the one-liners, and of course, thankfully that is left for all of us to keep enjoying, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Camila, thank you so much for that.

BERMAN: And thank you all for joining us. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL. A lot of news.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

BERMAN: "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:00]