Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Abortion Rights A Central Issue in Key Races; Ohio Votes On Abortion Rights, Legalized Marijuana; Key Votes Today Could Signal Direction Of 2024 Race; Netanyahu: Gaza City Is "Encircled," IDF "Operating In It." Aired 3-3:30 ET

Aired November 07, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:49]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: It's the top of the hour. You're watching CNN NEWS CENTRAL and it is Election Day in the United States. We're closely watching several key races on major issues that could reverberate all the way into November 2024 even though Joe Biden and Donald Trump nor any other Republican presidential candidates are not on the ballot today, there are issues that fire up their party's respective bases and here they are: Number one; abortion.

Ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, Democrats have seen win after win in red states when it comes to protecting abortion rights. They hope to keep that streak going today in Ohio. But in Virginia, one Republican is leaning into the abortion fight convinced he can snap the Republican Party's losing streak on that issue. We're covering those votes and more.

Let's start with CNN Sunlen Serfaty tracking the Virginia race.

So Sunlen, abortion is not actually on the ballot in Virginia neither is Gov. Glenn Youngkin. But those two things weigh very heavily on the minds of voters in the commonwealth.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: That's right neither are on the ballot, Boris. The Governor himself, he has been really heavily involved in this race though and he has made his abortion proposal front and center in this campaign. He has a political operation. They have invested considerable time and money to rally Republicans around the messaging on this in their quest to flip the senate for the Republicans favor.

Now, he is pushing for a 15-week ban on abortions with exceptions for rape and incest and life of the mother, that's much more strict than the current law which allows abortions up to 26 weeks with some exceptions, of course.

Now, Youngkin, he's been trying to frame this on the campaign trail as the consensus solution to a very polarizing issue. Here's what he said this morning on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN, (R) VIRGINIA: We've been very, very clear about,

I think, one of the tough topics in Virginia and America, which is abortion. And what the other side has been saying is simply not true. We're very clear. I will support one bill, one bill that will protect life at 15 weeks.

A bill that will have exceptions for rape and incest and when the life of the mother is at risk. That's the bill will do. Anything anybody else says is an absolute lie. And to call it a ban is such a mistruth and disinformation and they should all be ashamed of what they've said over this campaign because none of it has been true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: Now, if Republicans hold the House and retake control of the Senate, that means Republicans would have full control of the state government in Virginia for the first time since 2013. Youngkin has been very clear if that happens, he intends to sign this into law. And, of course, for Youngkin, Boris, this is certainly a big, big test for him in his potential future on the national stage.

SANCHEZ: Yes, some presidential aspirations for the Virginia governor.

And Sunlen, there's a reason we started with Virginia. A lot of eyes on it because it could give us clues about 2024.

SERFATY: Yes. Potentially a lot of clues here and what happens in the commonwealth. Their off-year elections in Virginia typically over the last few cycles have been shown to correlate with what happens in the following year's national election. So a good showing for either Democrats and Republicans today would bode well for that party in the next year.

And we've seen both parties on the campaign trail really trying to test out messages, themes that potentially we will see on a much grander scale next year. Now, for Democrats, especially in Virginia, the key is coming out of tonight in - with, of course, their campaign focus so on abortion's right did that drive turnout tonight for Republicans were they able to neutralize that message from the Democrats so the results of tonight could provide a lot of key hints for what is a - portends for the future for both parties.

SANCHEZ: Sunlen, thank you so much. We want to take you out now live to Ohio because Kyung Lah has been tracking the fact that abortion is on the ballot there. She's at a polling location right now. Kyung, what does it look like?

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, when you talk to the people who are actually here at this polling location, and a reminder, this is just one snapshot. We don't know what the rest of the state looks like.

[15:05:01]

But here in this one polling location in Columbus, Ohio, these people who are in line, a lot of them are here because of issue one. We are seeing this throughout the day. People who have been lining up, it's a diverse voting base here in this particular polling location. They're picking up their ballots, and then they're heading over to vote in the voting place.

And so what they will tell you is that when you stop and chat with them is that it is issue one, enshrining abortion rights into the state constitution that has motivated them to come out here. And a lot of them are quite passionate about this issue.

I want you to listen to a couple of people we spoke with today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think people feel very strongly about people's choice, personal choices and the ability to make choices for their own. And so just really respecting each other and making sure that everyone has the ability to do that on their behalf is really important and speaks really highly of us as a community.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think from personal experience, sometimes you don't feel heard. I feel like we're all sort of kind of hoping that we can change things for the better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: And when you talk to the advocates on either side of issue one, what they will tell you is that neither is super confident as they head to the finish line until those polls close. Both sides are out there still knocking doors, Boris. They're still trying to get people out to these polls.

They truly believe when it comes to this particular issue, in a red state trying to enshrine those abortion rights into the constitution, something that would be the very first in this country for a Republican state to do that. They feel that it will take every single vote, Boris?

A big test for advocates on both sides of that issue.

Kyung Lah from Columbus, thank you so much.

There's another big race happening in Kentucky and Eva McKend joins us now live from Louisville.

Eva, this is a rare chance for Democrats to try to hold on to the governorship in a state that is as ruby red as they come.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: It is, Boris. And that's why we see sort of a careful, cautious optimism from Democrats. They are feeling good going into this evening. They think that Gov. Beshear is well-positioned, but they recognize the political realities of this state.

Listen, Gov. Beshear, he has been at the helm during several natural disasters, during the pandemic, through some tragedies here. And all the while, he has really branded those efforts as everyone being on the same team. And so that is why you even hear some Trump supporters in this state say that they like the governor.

Still, though, he has a very credible challenger in Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Cameron is endorsed by the former president that is very popular in this state. Cameron has also worked overtime to try to connect Gov. Beshear to President Biden, who is not popular in this state.

And what we have seen him also do is confront the governor on issues when it comes to public safety, education and the economy. To give you a sense of how close things were the last time, that was in 2019, just four years ago, Gov. Beshear only pulled off a victory here by 5,000 votes. So that is why we see Democrats have this cautious optimism.

Republicans, though, they tell me that they're feeling good as well. And I hope that Cameron can pull off an upset this evening, Boris?

SANCHEZ: Eva McKend live for us in Louisville, thank you so much for an update on that race.

We want to bring in CNN Senior Data Reporter, Harry Enten.

Harry, I know you've been watching that Kentucky race. There's a lot of others on your radar.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes, that's right, Boris. This is my - one of my favorite days, it's Election Day. My favorite day of the year. Maybe not necessarily my favorite of all the election days, but it still gets me up in the morning with a smile on my face.

Look, as Eva was saying down in Kentucky, very interesting race that we have, obviously, between, Andy Beshear, the Democratic candidate, the Democratic governor and Cameron, obviously, Daniel Cameron, a Republican attorney general there.

Eva noted Trump won Kentucky easily by 26 points back in 2020. But I should note that Kentucky has this incestual Democratic edge to it. In fact, there have only been three - count them - three Republican governors in the state in the last 75 years. So Andy Beshear is hoping to win back some of those Democrats who have perhaps stayed from the party, swayed from the party over the last few presidential election cycles.

Another governor's race that I'm watching is down in Mississippi, down in the Deep South. Tate Reeves, the incumbent Republican governor is taking on Brandon Presley, the Democratic candidate.

Look, unlike Kentucky, which has a lot of incestual Democrats, that's not the case in Mississippi. No Democrat has won the governorship in the state since 1999. Brandon Presley is hoping to break that streak. He might be aided by the fact that he's actually Elvis' second cousin.

[15:10:00]

He might also be aided by the fact that Democrats are trying to basically taint Tate Reeves with a welfare scandal in the state that also involves Brett Favre. So a lot of celebrities involved down in Mississippi. We'll see what happens tonight down there.

SANCHEZ: Yes, quite the allegations against Tate Reeves in Mississippi. Harry, obviously 2024, 360 plus days away, but it's kind of right around the corner when it comes to campaigning. So talk to us about what races you're watching that might give us implications toward the next presidential election.

ENTEN: It's interesting to me as I'm looking sort of towards what's going on. There are a few things I'm sort of noting. We spoke about Virginia. There's also, to me, a very interesting ballot measure that's going on in the state of Ohio, which concerns marijuana. And essentially, the reason I'm interested there is because, get this, it'd be the 24th state to legalize marijuana recreationally. All of these states have done so since 2012. They've done it in red states and blue states. Ohio, of course, being a red state. So it's not just blue states that it's happening.

And you noted, Boris, you noted, guess how many days we are now until the Iowa caucuses. We are, in fact - get this, we are very, very close to the Iowa caucuses. We are less than 365 days until the next presidential election cycle, just 68 days until the Iowa caucuses. So I am quite excited, Boris. If you couldn't tell from where I was going, this is my day. This is my jam. I can't wait to see those votes cast and counted tonight. We'll just have to see and wait what happens?

SANCHEZ: We will be watching closely. We know you will, too. Harry, I look forward to the coverage tonight. Thanks so much.

ENTEN: Thanks, buddy.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

So still to come, we're one month into the deadly war between Israel and Hamas. And Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has shared details about Israel's potential long-term plans to control Gaza. We're going to take you live to Tel Aviv in just moments.

And later, ramping on pressure on Sen. Tommy Tuberville. His fellow Republican senators meeting today trying to discuss a strategy to try to resolve his block on military promotions, that and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL in just minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:16:19]

SANCHEZ: One month ago today, Hamas unleashed terror on Israel. Candles in Tel Aviv memorialized the 1,400 people slain by the militants on October 7th. A short time ago, Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, gave an update on the nation's offensive against Hamas in Gaza, saying that Israel defense forces on the ground have encircled Gaza City and are now operating within it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER (through interpreter): So

far, we've eliminated thousands of Hamas above ground and underground, among them murderers who executed and planned the massacre on that black Saturday a month ago. We've eliminated many posts, bases and tunnels of Hamas. Hamas realizes that we reach places that it didn't think that we would reach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: We want to warn you now, some video we're about to show you is disturbing. Since Israel's airstrikes began, more than 10,000 people have been killed inside Gaza. Seventy percent of them have been children, women, and the elderly. That's according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, drawing from sources inside of Gaza. We should remind you, CNN is not able to independently verify those numbers.

Let's take you now to Tel Aviv with CNN's Jim Sciutto.

And Jim, Netanyahu talked about how Israel would maintain control of Gaza's security after the war for a "indefinite period." What has the response been to that?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: I think one clear message being here, Boris, is that this country, despite divisions that we saw politically before October 7th, including deep opposition to Netanyahu's government, is unified now in terms of its right, what it perceives as its right, to pursue Hamas to every end in Gaza, including with long-term military operations there and with the Prime Minister's statement tonight, with a long-term military presence inside Gaza.

We heard that from Netanyahu, but also from Benny Gantz, the defense minister, two political opponents, but who are on the same side, in effect. They've said they're putting aside their political divisions to fight what they see as a threat to Israel's very existence, very safety. The - one month into this, since those October 7th attacks, that was part of their message tonight as well, that this was an attack unlike any they'd ever seen, the state of Israel, and they're in a war now unlike any that they have waged.

And when you think politically here, when you speak to folks in the military, when you speak to Israelis from all ends of the political spectrum, what I hear from them is that they're unified in that. They have a tremendous amount of support for that military action inside Gaza, and perhaps even beyond.

Because another message we heard tonight was that this could very well be a multi-front war, not just in Gaza, but also in the north, southern Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah is present. And that's not an uncommon position either, because when I was up north, members of the public up there, the military, they would say openly that once military operations are done in Gaza, whenever that is, not clear, that they support military action inside southern Lebanon.

I just think that one thing that's clear being inside this country is that you have a tremendous amount of cross-political spectrum, public support and political support for ongoing military operations in Gaza and perhaps beyond. And even in ways, Boris, that there are differences between Israeli leaders and U.S. leaders, for instance, on questions about a humanitarian pause.

[15:20:03]

This is a country that feels it's got a battle to fight and a battle it's got to win.

SANCHEZ: Yes. As Prime Minister Netanyahu has put it, a battle for its very survival.

Jim Sciutto, live from Tel Aviv, thank you so much.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Let's pose some of those questions now to an international spokesman for the Israeli defense forces, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus joins us now.

Lieutenant Colonel, thank you so much for being with us.

I just want to repeat what the Defense Minister for Israel said today, that Israel would retain "complete freedom of action in Gaza after the war." You also had Prime Minister Netanyahu talking about an overall security responsibility for an indefinite period. What exactly do you think that would look like? Is there a distinction in your mind between security responsibility and an occupation?

LT. COL. JONATHAN CONRICUS, INTERNATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: Yes, the - I think that it's very clear - first of all, thank you for having me. But I think it's very clear that what we are focused on is security. Ever since October the 7th, we've come to the understanding - the hard, sad understanding - that we cannot allow a return to pre-existing conditions before October 7th and that we have to significantly change the entire security environment.

We're in the first stage of implementing that now by dismantling a steady and methodical dismantling of Hamas military infrastructure ongoing as we speak in Gaza now. And once we're finished doing that, and there is no more a military threat, then the process of rebuilding will start. And, of course, that'll be something that the national elected echelons will lead. We will implement it. But I think that the interest here is to make sure that everybody understands that we are not, again, going to allow any terrorist entity to establish itself and strike root inside the Gaza Strip after we've eradicated Hamas.

SANCHEZ: Well, I'm curious about how you measure that, because if it is for an indefinite period, that security responsibility, how do you then measure the elimination of Hamas? Isn't it likely that an extended period of Israeli troops being on the ground in Gaza would lead to more action against those troops by groups like Hamas?

CONRICUS: More action than the attack on October the 7th, you mean?

SANCHEZ: Well, more - potentially. I mean, Hamas has essentially said that they're going to carry out similar attacks over and over again until Israel is gone. I'm wondering how an extended stay for Israeli troops in Gaza doesn't lead to a situation where there is more action against Israel, perhaps not by Hamas, if you eradicate Hamas, but a group that then takes its place.

CONRICUS: Yes, I'm not following the logic, really. But what I want to say is that Hamas executed the worst terror action against Israel on October the 7th. We are responding to that and we are going to dismantle Hamas.

SANCHEZ: Sure.

CONRICUS: How could the dismantling and afterwards making sure that they won't rebuild be counter effective and not promote the needs of our security, I can't really understand. But I - what I will say is that we are not looking to establish long term control over Gaza. Those are not the directives given to the IDF. What the IDF has been tasked that doing is to dismantle Hamas and then once that is done and hopefully that will be done the fast - the fastest and best possible way with the minimal loss of life for our soldiers and the - and civilians included.

And once that is achieved, then I'm sure that the international community together with Israel and other important stakeholders will start looking for solutions for permanent stability. My business is security for Israeli civilians and our number one priority is to make sure that our civilians, our displaced Israeli civilians more than 250,000 of them today will be able to return to their homes and that the hostages are returned ...

SANCHEZ: Lieutenant ...

CONRICUS: ... that is the number one priority that we are ...

SANCHEZ: Lieutenant Colonel, let me rephrase the question because you're getting to sort of the issue that I'm bringing up. The idea is if the Israeli military is on the ground in Gaza for an indefinite period, there's going to be more insurgent action. We are likely going to see a reaction from groups like Hamas in the area.

What ultimately allows you ...

CONRICUS: Hamas wanting this ...

SANCHEZ: ... potentially ...

CONRICUS: ... Hamas wanted this, Boris.

SANCHEZ: ... potentially, but ...

CONRICUS: ... (inaudible), yes, but ...

SANCHEZ: What I'm getting at is what ultimately would let you feel as though the security of Israel is guaranteed if you have troops on the ground in Gaza that likely will be attacked by some sort of insurgency, you can call it Hamas or something else, but what's being set up is insurgent warfare is it not?

[15:25:09]

CONRICUS: No. First of all I would call it terrorism that is what exists and has been festering in Gaza for all too long ever since Hamas took control in 2007. We understand that we cannot allow that situation to return where Gaza is governed by any terror organization. And what we're going to do is first to dismantle Hamas and the other terrorist organizations that exist there and then make sure that they don't return.

But I think we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit, you know?

SANCHEZ: Sure.

CONRICUS: There's still intense fighting going on as we speak in Gaza. I know it's interesting to speak about the future and comments have been made by elected officials. What I can say is that we will execute whatever policy the government of Israel says that we need to do and the primary concern, the number one thing that we are concerned with is the safety of our civilians that they can go back to their homes in the communities around Gaza and live peacefully and prosperously in their homes that's what we are focused on.

SANCHEZ: Well, Lieutenant ...

CONRICUS: How that will be done? We will see. But I can assure you that we will do it while thinking of all of the international components and thinking long-term, not short term.

SANCHEZ: Lieutenant Colonel, to your point about the situation on the ground right now, Netanyahu has rejected calls for a general ceasefire. But he says he's opened to tactical little pauses up to an hour at a time. I'm wondering how would the IDF carry that out. How would you decide when and how to take those pauses?

CONRICUS: We already are and it's only regretful that I cannot see the visuals on CNN. But really, we already are. For the last four consecutive days, we have windows of transport of civilians, of safe zones, from 10 AM to 2 PM where the Palestinians are informed ahead of time by us that we are going to hold our fire in order to allow them to evacuate safely from the north, the combat areas, to relative safety in the south.

That is ongoing every day and there is footage that's coming out of Gaza, which you can see and show to the world. It's happening despite the fact that Hamas is trying to keep those civilians there in order to use them as human shields. But we are relentless in our plea and our demand, our advice to the Palestinians, the civilians, evacuate northern Gaza because it is an area of main combat operations, and you will be much safer in the south.

Many more, thousands are listening and heeding our warning, and that's a good thing. And without committing to it, I can anticipate that tomorrow again, we will open this humanitarian corridor, a brief - a few hours of opportunity for civilians to evacuate, not because it serves our tactical aims against Hamas. It means that we're not firing at the time. But it definitely serves the strategic aim of what we want to achieve.

We want to fight Hamas and Hamas only. The civilians are not our enemies and we and we would prefer for them to be out of the battlefield so that we can focus on getting the business done with Hamas. That is why we're doing it.

SANCHEZ: Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, we appreciate you answering our questions. Thanks for the time.

CONRICUS: Thank you, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

Still to come on News Central, Republican senators holding a special conference meeting right now trying to figure out a strategy on how to move forward with Sen. Tommy Tuberville's military holds. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)