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Harris and Trump Face Off in Critical Debate Tomorrow; Manhunt for Kentucky Shooting Suspect Enters Third Day; House GOP Slams Biden Over Afghanistan Withdrawal in New Report. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired September 09, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: New for you this morning, neck and neck. New polling shows no clear leader in the race for the White House. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump prepare to come face to face for the first time and debate. Details on the polls and how the candidates are preparing for tomorrow's big showdown.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, a manhunt underway for a suspect accused of shooting five people on a busy highway in what is being called a planned attack.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And football season officially in full swing and the Super Bowl Halftime Show just revealed. What Kendrick Lamar is saying about his big moment in New Orleans.

I'm Kate Baldwin with John Berman and Sarah Sidner. This is CNN News Central.

SIDNER: All right, it's going to be one of the most critical moments in the presidential election so far, the first debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and preparations are already in full swing this morning, all while new numbers from a New York Times/Siena College poll show just how critical tomorrow night is going to be among likely voters. Right now, there is no clear leader.

And while those numbers are too close to call, 28 percent of likely voters say they feel they need to learn more about Kamala Harris, while only 9 percent say that about Donald Trump.

CNN's Eva McKend is in Pittsburgh this morning starting us off. How has the vice president been preparing for the debate, noting that she is in the state that is the most crucial for the two of them?

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, they have watched the former president's six past debate performances closely. She's been poring over briefing books with his past comments, with his insults against her. She has also been in conversation with Hillary Clinton and President Biden, who have both debated the former president multiple times. She's also been engaged in these intense mock debate prep sessions with a Trump stand in. Ultimately, her goal here is to not only forcefully take on the former president, but to also convey that it is time to move on from the Trump era of politics. Now, we have seen a bunch of polling recently. I can tell you that the campaign is largely swatting away those polls, arguing that they have always run as the underdog and will continue to do so 50-plus days out from this election.

SIDNER: So, I understood there's some post debate plans put in place before all of this happens in the next, I don't know, 30-something hours. What are those plans?

MCKEND: Yes. Sara, they are already building out the week. They have this campaign tour that they're branding as the new way forward. So, the vice president is going to be campaigning here in Pennsylvania and also in North Carolina while Governor Walz will take on the Midwest and be in Michigan as well as Wisconsin.

You know, that idea of a new way forward, Republicans have poked holes in that, arguing that she can't credibly claim this, given that she is currently in the administration. But it's certainly an argument that they are trying to make. We have polling that speaks to this. The New York Times says among likely voters that 55 percent view her as more of the same. So, they understand that they have to overcome that challenge in the crucial coming days. Sara?

SIDNER: Eva McKend, thank you so much for reporting there on the trail in Pittsburgh.

John Berman, are you happy this morning?

BERMAN: The New England Patriots are tied for first place.

SIDNER: Exactly.

BERMAN: As we wake up, the Patriots are poised for an undefeated season.

And this morning, new lies from Donald Trump about the 2020 election and new threats that have some election workers alarmed, promising to throw people in jail, he says, if he wins.

Let's get right to CNN's Steve Contorno, this is part of the issues only preparation the Trump team has been touting for the debate. / STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Sure, John, that's what we're getting out of the former president over the last few days. If you look at the last four years, he's spent so much time attacking the 2020 election.

[07:05:02]

Well, now he is escalating his attacks on the 2024 election before it has even taken place.

Over the weekend, he posted on Truth Social that if he were to win the election, he will, quote, prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the individuals that he believes cheated in this election. And in case you think he's just talking about the small amount of people who fraudulently cast ballots, he went on to say that it includes, quote, lawyers, political operatives, donors, and even election officials. He said they will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, quote, never seen before.

Also this weekend, he continued his attacks on mail-in voting, saying that the FBI should investigate mail-in voting in Pennsylvania over unspecified claims about of election fraud there. Notably, his campaign has been working very hard to get his own supporters to Cast mail in ballots, vote absentee, vote early, even as he continues to attack that method.

And I'll also point out on Friday, I was attending an event with Trump with police in North Carolina, where he told the police there that they should get out and start looking for voter fraud now, saying they're afraid of the badge, they're afraid of you people.

So, obviously, this is coming just days before this key moment in this election, where you're going to see these candidates debate, and Trump over the weekend talking a little bit about that as well. Take a listen to what he said about his upcoming debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We're run by stupid people, stupid, stupid people. And we found that out at the debate with Joe. How did that work out? And we're going to find that out again on Tuesday night. Is anybody going to be watching?

She's a defunder of police. You know, when somebody on the far left is in charge of defund the police for 12 years, and then they switched, you know, three weeks ago or something --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Perhaps a preview there, John, of one of the lines of attack we can expect to see from Donald Trump this weekend, or excuse me, tomorrow.

BERMAN: Yes, tomorrow. It's now, you know, 24 hours away or so. Steve Contorno, great to see you, thanks so much.

CONTORNO: It's early, John.

BERMAN: Yes, believe me. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Never too early to talk about the debate, though.

Coming up for us, schools are shut down today across Central Kentucky as police are searching for the man that they say shot and seriously injured five people on a busy highway and attack police say was definitely not road rage.

Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill handcuffed and detained by police just before yesterday's game. Hill's agent is our guest.

And the scary new detail coming out on the message that the Georgia school shooter sent his mother the morning of the deadly attack and her emergency call to the school.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:10:00]

BOLDUAN: This morning, classes are canceled for students across central Kentucky as police are still searching for the man that they consider armed and dangerous. Police say Joseph Couch opened fire. This is a picture of him. They say he opened fire on 12 different cars Saturday on a busy highway, seriously shooting and injuring five people.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is following all of this. Gloria, what is the latest on this man?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're going on day three of this, so they have not been able to locate the suspect, but they do believe they have an area where they've been focused over the last several days. Now, there're several pieces of evidence that the police have been able to secure so far, which led them to decide that Joseph Couch was the man that they are looking for.

They found his vehicle and importantly, they found a weapon, which they believe was used in the shooting, Kate. It's an AR-15 style rifle. They say they're still processing those items for now, they're still looking for him. But what's making this extremely challenging for them is the terrain in which they're searching.

This happened off of the highway on a very wooded area, rugged terrain, not easy to navigate, And when they lose the sunlight there, they have to pull back for safety reasons. So, this community remains on edge. It is Monday morning, schools are closed and people are not going to be able to go about their regular business without feeling like they have to look over their shoulder. In fact, that's part of what the Kentucky State Police said yesterday, asking people to remain vigilant. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TROOPER SCOTTIE PENNDINGTON, KENTUCKY STATE POLICE SPOKESMAN: And you need to lock your doors. You need to -- if you have security cameras, make sure you're constantly watching them. Maybe keep your porch lights on. Have communication. Have your cell phone and make sure your phones are charged up, because you never know when you might have to contact somebody or law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: There's not much that we know about Joseph Couch yet. We do know that his family has been located to live not in the specific area, but they are cooperating. Law enforcement has been in touch with them. And we know that so far this event appears to have been planned, according to law enforcement, although he was not shooting at anyone in sight. BOLDUAN: I mean, just super unsettling advice coming from state police and they're just like, you need to keep your porch lights on and your cell phones charged. That's what we need your help with. What are you learning about the victims?

PAZMINO: So, five people were shot and we have spoken to some of them, including a woman who was driving her car yesterday with her husband and her four-year-old son, had her window shot out, was shot in the arm.

And we also heard from a witness who described this whole situation, not being sure of what was happening.

[07:15:00]

Imagine you're driving at full speed down the highway, and all of a sudden you think you hear gunshots. Take a listen to her describing what that moment was like.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINA DINOTO, SHOOTING WITNESS: It sounded a rock smashed through the back window and my ear was ringing, my right ear. And it happened on the passenger side of my vehicle and I was in the driver's side. So, it was just a very loud -- and I know what a tire blowout sounds like. And it didn't sound like that. It was much louder. And we both looked at each other and said, was that a gunshot?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: So now we're going into another day of this, Kate. Police have left open the possibility that Joseph Couch is no longer alive and that he may have moved to another area. But for now, they're still focused on this area, not far from the shooting.

BOLDUAN: Just terrifying. You hear something like that when it says, what are you supposed to do about it, right? You're going down a highway at that moment. Thank you, Gloria. Much more to come on this. Sarah?

SIDNER: All right. Breaking overnight, House Republicans and Democrats releasing dueling reports on the Afghanistan withdrawal, who they say was to blame for the mistakes that were made.

And Miami-Dade police detained an NFL star. A superstar was on his way to the stadium this weekend. They put him in handcuffs. And you see him there on the ground. We will speak with Tyreek Hill's agent ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:20:00]

BOLDUAN: Several schools are closed this morning in California, and mandatory evacuations are also underway in the face of multiple wildfires that have already destroyed homes and burned thousands of acres. The line fire exploded in really just a matter of hours overnight. It's so far burned more than 20,000 acres and is currently 0 percent contained. Thousands of homes and other structures are under threat now.

The fires burning so intensely, it's creating its own weather pattern. We're going to show you a photo of lightning hitting the ground. This is striking the ground coming from storm clouds formed from the burning fires. Much more to come on this. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, new this morning for you. House Republicans and Democrats releasing dually reports on who is to blame for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan that ended in so much death. 13 U.S. service members were killed in an ambush and thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S. during the war were left behind. Republicans have wasted no time placing the blame squarely on President Biden and Vice President Harris in their report.

CNN's Kylie Atwood has all of the details. Obviously, the Biden-Harris team was in place when all of this happened. What are you learning about these dueling reports?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, the Republican report, led by the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mike McCaul, basically focuses in on the fact that they claim that the Biden administration, throughout the course of this withdrawal, was focused on optics over the security of the personnel on the ground. And one of the things that they do in the report is they cite some of the public comments that were made by folks like White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki at the time, which contradicted some of the private conclusions that the administration found in terms of what was actually happening on the ground to make their point that they were trying to knowingly mislead the American people.

I want to read you a quote from the report saying, quote, the Biden- Harris administration misled and in some instances directly lied to the American people at every stage of the withdrawal, from before, the go to zero order until today.

They also focus in on one character, Zalmay Khalilzad. He was the lead negotiator with the Taliban. We know that he was negotiating a power sharing agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. They learned in their interview with him that actually got to the point where it was 70-30 in favor of the Taliban at the end of those conversations. Obviously, that power sharing agreement never came to fruition, Sara, because we saw the Taliban take over Kabul, take over the country. But they have concerns about the conduct of how this was carried out throughout the course of the Biden administration.

Now, we should note, of course, that this is being injected into the conversation at a very specific moment when politics are really ramping up. Chairman McCaul was on CBS yesterday, and he claimed that this report has nothing to do with politics, they're not releasing it now because the election is in its final stages. He says that, effectively, it just took them this long to get all the information that they need.

But the ranking member on the Democratic side, with their memo out today, focusing in on the changes -- excuse me, the decisions that were made during the Trump administration is saying that they are putting this out at this time because they want to put the feet at the fire of Vice President Harris, even though she's not really mentioned in the report at all as being a critical decision-maker when it came to this withdrawal. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. Kylie Atwood there, thank you so much for your reporting on those dueling reports, John?

BERMAN: All right. Brand new from the Harris-Walz campaign with just a day before the first big debate, what they rolled out just now designed to take away a key talking point from Donald Trump.

And one person's junk is another person's 17th century masterpiece. New reporting on a painting found in an attic that could be a long lost work by Rembrandt.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:25:00]

BERMAN: All right. New this morning, the Harris-Walz campaign has made some updates to its website ahead of debate day adding an issues page for the first time laying out specifics on the web page about their policies.

With us now, Democratic strategist, former spokesperson for the Al Gore 2000 campaign, Christy Setzer, and former Republican strategist Lee Carter.

Christy, I want to start with you. Just the fact of this issues page showing up on the website, you know, 48 hours before the debate, is this the Harris campaign sort of acknowledging that they had to get this out of the way? You know, you have The New York Times poll. People were asked, do you feel like you need to learn more about the candidates? And 28 percent said they needed to learn more about Vice President Harris.

[07:30:01]

CHRISTY SETZER, FORMER SPOKESPERSON, AL GORE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Yes, I think it is. I think they're taking that talking point off the table by saying, look, not only does she have a record, obviously as vice.