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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Meet with President Biden, Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris; Lebanese Health Officials Say 100 People Killed and More than 400 Wounded by Israeli Airstrikes in Lebanon; New Polls Shows Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump with Leads in Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina. Aired 8- 8:30a ET

Aired September 23, 2024 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: But the ask he's going to make is going to be of Joe Biden. It's going to be of Donald Trump. He's also going to be seeing and it's going to be of Kamala Harris, too. Unclear if all three are going to get the same kind of detailed requests for what Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to do with these longer-range weapons. But we've seen in the past the Biden administration under pressure over time, essentially conceding to Ukraine to have what it wants.

But Donald Trump, an entirely separate question. He has, according to Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, suggested he's not going to give any more money towards Ukraine. It's really him potentially that decides Kiev's fate moving forwards. And so a very fraught week for Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the U.S. now. He really needs to see U.S. assistance and progress fast to bring results in by November. John?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, huge stakes for Zelenskyy and all of Ukraine in the U.S. election. Nick Paton Walsh, thank you very much.

Brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

All right, new this morning, the closest election we have ever seen, at least for now. New polling from three key battleground states shows just how tight the race is.

At least 100 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon as the IDF says it is launching what it calls extensive, precise strikes against Hezbollah. And after more than 180 days in space and 3,000 orbits of earth. A U.S. astronaut heading back home. It is not, Kate Bolduan, though she is out today. I'm John Berman with Sara Sidner, and this is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, breaking moments ago, Lebanese health officials say at least 100 people have been killed and more than 400 wounded by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. As the IDF says, it is conducting an intense campaign against Hezbollah targets. Clashes have been suspended in several regions across Lebanon to protect students, and the Israeli military is warning civilians now to leave areas where the Iran-backed militant group is operating. CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is in Beirut with more details. What are you learning about these strikes that have been ongoing since overnight?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Sara, well, for all intents and purposes, war has begun between Hezbollah and Israel, with Lebanon caught in the middle. In addition to the at least 100 people reported killed by Israel in these its airstrikes, among them women and children according to the Lebanese ministry of health, more than 400 injured.

Now, what we're seeing now is at least 300 airstrikes so far by Israel on mostly southern Lebanon, but they've also struck other parts of the country. These are no doubt the most intense Israeli strikes since the 2006 war in July of that year. What we are seeing is a mass exodus of people from southern Lebanon. The roads coming out of the south are jammed with cars in both lanes going south and going north. Everybody is on their way out of that area.

I was in touch with one person down there who said it's just total chaos with everybody, with towns and cities just being totally evacuated. The Israeli military, for instance, broke into the voice of Lebanon radio station with a message for people who are in houses or near houses where Hezbollah has stored weapons, that they should leave immediately. As many as 80,000 people also received on their cell phones similar messages from the Israelis.

Now as you mentioned, the classes in many areas of south and eastern Lebanon have been canceled as a result of the tensions. The Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati has called on the U.N. and what he called influential countries to deter Israel from carrying on with this military offensive. He said that Israel is planning to destroy villages and towns in Lebanon.

So this is really the culmination building tensions between Israel and Hezbollah going back to last Tuesday when there were those pager blasts across the country that left more than a dozen dead, thousands injured. The following day, the walkie-talkie attacks, and then on Friday, the airstrike on Beirut that killed at least 50 people in that instance, including a senior Hezbollah commander. So as I said, for all intents and purposes, the long feared war between Lebanon and Israel has begun. Sara?

SIDNER: Ben Wedeman, you have been in the region for decades. You know it better than anyone. And to hear you say that war has begun between Lebanon and Israel sends chills down my spine. Thank you so much for all of your reporting out there this morning for us. John?

[08:05:00]

BERMAN: We've got brand new polls this morning from "The New York Times" and Siena College that shows that Donald Trump has a five-point lead in Arizona, that is outside the margin of error. Georgia -- margin of error -- in Georgia in North Carolina, you can see Trump with a lead there within the margin of error. Now the polling in North Carolina was mostly done before the storm

running CNN KFile report on North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson. And overnight top campaign staffers, his top campaign staffers resigned. This is as a result of the KFile reporting on his online history of inflammatory -- again, that's euphemistic -- inflammatory comments on a porn website forum. Now, Donald Trump has yet to publicly comment on Robinson, who is his pick for governor of North Carolina.

CNNs Alayna Treene is with us this morning. Trump, J.D. Vance, they're taking a wide berth. They are steering as clear as they can from Robinson right now.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: They are. And look, they've had an opportunity now to try and condemn the comments, weigh in on this, and they haven't. Remember, we saw Donald Trump in North Carolina on Saturday for a rally, really just stunning timing, I'd argue. But he did not address the Robinson scandal at all. Notably, of course, Robinson was not there, even though he had been at most, if not all, of Donald Trump's North Carolina events over the last several months. You can read between the lines there. I know that Donald Trump's team is trying to distance the former president from him.

They were already trying to do that before this CNN KFile reporting dropped given that this isn't the first time we have heard really inflammatory remarks from the Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson. But look, we're also going to see J.D. Vance travel to North Carolina today. So again, another opportunity to potentially see them weigh in on this.

But I think the big thing to keep in mind with North Carolina is that as much as Robinson was not really doing so great in his own governor's race already before this story dropped, the stakes are very high for Donald Trump. And we did see that in some of this polling today. Now, I do want to walk you through all of it. I mean, North Carolina shows that he has a slim lead over Kamala Harris. But again, this is a state that Republicans have won since 2008. A Democrat has not been successful there since Baraka Obama's first election.

And so we'll see if Harris can make up ground there. I know that she's been traveling there repeatedly, and Donald Trump's team has really been amping up their efforts, their spending, seeing him on the ground there as much as possible, knowing that that is a state that is very vital to his chances in November.

But I want to talk about the other polling as well. So Arizona and Georgia shows Donald Trump has this narrow lead there. These are some of the best polling numbers we have seen actually for the former president, I'd argue, in the sunbelt states. It's something I know that his campaign is celebrating. You saw some of his advisers today like Jason Miller posting about these results.

But one thing to keep in mind when we're looking and then walking through this "New York Times"-Siena College poll, is that about 15 percent of the electorate in Arizona, in Georgia, in North Carolina, all of them say that they are about there are, still 15 percent of them, are undecided, which means these states are still up for grabs. Even though we're just 43 days from Election Day, a lot of states have begun early voting and some of the mail-in voting process. There's still a chance to change minds. And so that's where a lot of this is settling. And that's why you're going to see Donald Trump continuing to ramp up his travel this week.

I also just want to take a step back and note for you, kind of take the pulse of where the Trump campaign is right now, because what I do you find notable, John, is that when they launched and when they first started getting their campaign together, the Trump campaign argued they were the most disciplined operation that he has had, really, in any election that he has run in so far.

But we are seeing some of that change now. The last few weeks have been very turbulent for the former president with some of his comments and the reaction to Harris, the debate, going against Taylor Swift online. All of these things are definitely having some -- leading to some concerns within the Trump camp. And so they're definitely trying to make this next push to November 5th be as strong as they can as they look at all these polls. John?

BERMAN: The campaign may be disciplined. He's not, like, not at all the last few weeks. That's clear, clearer every day. Alayna Treene, we're going to talk about that a little bit. Thank you so much for being with us this morning. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, we're just one week away from a government shutdown. Will deal be made to avoid it? House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his new plan to fund the government until December, including $230 million in additional funding for the Secret Service. Johnson also warns members of the serious consequences of shutting down the government now. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is joining us now. How close are they to a deal?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: They are close out there. This was the result of bipartisan negotiations that happened over the weekend.

[08:10:01]

And the House unveiled this deal that they have and a path to go forward. Now they have to get it done. The House is anticipated to vote on Wednesday, the first step of this process. Now, what's in the bill, it would avoid a gun government shutdown most importantly. They were staring down, looking into next week. And it would fund the government until December 20th. So a very short-term continuing resolution.

It does include $231 million for Secret Service protection. That's additional funding that many on Capitol Hill were asking for to help with coverage of the 2024 presidential campaign. It notably does not include that controversial provision that Speaker Johnson and President Trump pushed for originally, the SAVE Act, which was legislation to require proof of citizenship to register vote. That is not in this bill, most notably, and Speaker Johnson admitting that he says, in his words, this is a very narrow, bare-bones continuing resolution, only including what is necessary.

In a letter to colleagues over the weekend, he, quote, wrote, "While this is not a solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances. Shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice."

And Democrats over in the Senate, which is where this bill would go when and if it gets passed in the House on Wednesday, they're embracing it so far, saying that it is good, that is free, in their terms of poison pills, that they are pleased that this is something that's coming to their desk before a potential government shutdown. So potentially, Sara, they are working towards finishing up work potentially this week.

SIDNER: All right, Sunlen Serfaty, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Ahead, no clear leader with just 43 days to go. The bottom line and warning signs revealed in new polls as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump enter the final stretch to Election Day.

Plus, the man accused of planning an assassination attempt against Trump headed back to court today as prosecutors prepare to argue he is a danger to the community.

And moments ago, touch down on earth, the welcome home to America NASA astronaut Tracy Anderson (sic).

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[08:16:54]

SIDNER: Brand new this morning polls by "The New York Times" and Siena College has Donald Trump leading Kamala Harris among likely votes in Arizona, a closer margin in Georgia and in North Carolina where it is in the margin of error.

A grassroots network called "White Dudes for Harris" has launched a new $10 million campaign pitching Vice President Harris to male voters.

The ads will run in the critical blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NARRATOR (voice over): Hey, White dudes. So, I think we're all pretty sick of hearing how much we suck. Every time you go online, it's the same story. We're the problem and yes, some White dudes are.

Trump and all his MAGA buddies are. They're making it worse. So, I've been doing my own research and decided to check out Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

And before you jump down my throat, they're actually talking to guys like us. No lectures, no BS, just real solutions to protect our freedoms and

help us take care of the matter people who matter.

End of the day, you're your own man. It's your call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Joining us now to discuss is co-founder of "White Dudes for Harris" Ross Morales Rocketto. Thank you so much for being here.

First of all, what made you start this group, "White Dudes for Harris" and I suspect some of it has to do with the polling.

ROSS MORALES ROCKETTO, LEAD ORGANIZER, WHITE DUDES FOR HARRIS: Yes, for far too long the left has essentially seated White men to the MAGA right and a thing that we know is that most man especially most White men, aren't actually MAGA supporters.

And so, we decided that we wanted to create space for White men to be a part of electing Vice President Harris.

SIDNER: So, you know, there are many of these Zooms where it's like Cat Ladies for Harris and different groups that's how people have been getting together.

But now you're spending $10 million on ads. How did you do it?

ROCKETTO: We launched the ad last week. We are hoping to get them up on the air in the next couple of weeks and to be honest, just good old-fashioned organizing.

We're out there making sure that we have conversations with White men across the battlegrounds states, making sure that they understand that Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are really the only choice for them, especially when it comes to their pocketbook issues.

When it comes to supporting your family, when it comes to your health care, when it comes to your freedoms, there's really only one choice in this election.

SIDNER: What are you hearing as these phone calls are being made? What are you hearing from people and are you hearing pushback? Are you hearing people say, well, I'm not sure, we're dealing with -- she was in the administration and we have seen high prices and she's been there for three-plus years.

ROCKETTO: We're hearing from a lot of people that they're really excited about the sea change that we have that she honestly represents. We're hearing that people are really concerned about, as I said, their pocketbook issues.

We're also hearing that people are sick of Donald Trump's antics and they're sick of turning on television and seeing people scream about how horrible things are right now.

And people want a different kind of politics and I think that's what we're going to be able to get this election.

[08:20:26]

SIDNER: How do you think this ad might change the minds of -- or do you think it could change the minds of some Trump supporters? Are you going after folks who are on the fence or who are moderates that feel like they might be able to jump over?

ROCKETTO: Yes, we're going after folks who don't identify as being a part of the MAGA-right but aren't necessarily sure who they want to vote for this election cycle. So, folks who are undecided, folks in the middle.

It's really important that we create space in the Democratic Party for these folks because we just haven't in the past. And I think the top of the ad really talks to it pretty directly, which is, you know, there's large parts of the left who have gone out of their way to alienate white men over the last couple of years, and that's understandable in many ways.

And also, if we're going to win and if we're going to move this country in the direction that we really want to see it in. We have to be a big tent coalition.

SIDNER: All right, Ross Morales Rocketto, thank you so much. I appreciate you coming on for us this morning --John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, new fears of a wider war in the Middle East. They are growing as Israel launches this extensive air campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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[08:26:14]

BERMAN: All right, I'm just told, we do have some breaking news involving the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump.

He will be in a Florida court today, Ryan Routh, he's facing two gun crimes after the Secret Service as he pointed a rifle through the tree line at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, but we are now getting new information and some documents before this hearing.

Let's get right to CNN's Zach Cohen. So lay out all this new information, Zach.

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, John, in a pre- trial memo, prosecutors are laying out new details about what investigators have learned about Ryan Routh, that suspect in the second apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump.

One of the new piece of evidence laid out in this memo is what appears to be a handwritten letter by Routh. It's addressed to "the world" and it says, "This was an assassination attempt of Donald Trump, but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster". It goes on to ask if somebody else witnessed that the prosecution and the investigators talked to, could finish the job.

So this is really a key piece of evidence that's emerged so far as investigators continue to try to built an attempted assassination attempt against Ryan Routh, or an attempted assassination case against Routh.

We know that he only currently faces those two gun charges, the possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and a possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

But those charges were brought to keep Routh detained while investigators continued to try to find evidence of intent, and evidence of motive needed to prove those more serious charges and it appears this handwritten letter that is contained in his pre-trial memo filed by prosecutors does lend itself to that question of intent.

Now, we'll have to see if prosecutors ultimately do decide to bring more charges against Ryan Routh and more serious charges.

Today is just a detention hearing where they're going to argue that Routh should remain behind bars ahead of trial as he still only face those two gun charges.

They're going to argue that he's a flight risk and a danger to the community, but this evidence laid out in this pre-trial memo does suggest that investigation have uncovered new evidence that does at least point to Ryan Routh's motive and point to his intent to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump.

BERMAN: This is a really important point. You do a great job explaining why, Zach, because up until this point, the evidence that we knew about was that he had a gun that was pointed, though not at Donald Trump at the golf course and he hadn't fired it, so that in and of itself, it was conceivable, wouldn't lead to attempted assassination charges.

But now you have a note which basically according to your new reporting says, yes, this was an assassination attempt, right? So, with this changes the legal picture completely.

COHEN: It seems that way, John, and as you mentioned, look, the fact that Ryan Routh did not fire a shot when he was at Trump's golf courses, did not have a clear line of sight according to law enforcement, I was on the ground that day, almost complicated the case -- to bring a case -- an attempted assassination case from the outset that's why they brought these two gun charges initially.

Prosecutors have said that those are pretty cut and dry, right? Because of the fact that they found a gun on the property, the fact they found shell casings from the Secret Service agent that fired at Routh once they spotted him.

But the question of intent has really hung over this case and the more serious charges of an attempted assassination or attempted murder or something along those lines, that would require significantly more evidence that points to intent and motive, rather than the gun charges that are more simple in terms of putting the evidence forward.

BERMAN: All right, legally very important, of course, also very important, a guy writing about trying to kill a former president got very, very close to him.

All right, Zach Cohen, keep us posted. We'll let you keep digging, reading through these documents. We'll talk to you again very soon. Important new information there.

Just 42 days until election day. And this week, Vice President Harris, now, we're learning, is set to unveil new details of her economic policy.

This morning, the new controversial claim by Donald Trump, women "will no longer be thinking about abortion" if he wins.

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[08:30:24]