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Israel Gives Sign of Lebanon Ground Incursion; Patrick Fitzsimmons is Interviewed about Storm Damage; Potential Health Risks Amid Flooding; Trump Insults Harris; Historic Union Support. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired September 30, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:31:17]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: We are standing by to see what will come out of the White House after President Biden said he would speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The conversation would happen on the heels, of course, of Israel striking Beirut and amid new signs of a potentially imminent ground incursion. All of this leading the Pentagon to adjust its military posture.

CNN's Natasha Bertrand has more on this story.

Natasha, what are you learning that officials are doing and what is changing in the region as they prepare for potentially a ground invasion into Lebanon by Israel?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, according to the Pentagon, what the secretary of defense has ordered is for the U.S. to bolster its air support capabilities in the region in the coming days. And that will likely involve sending additional fighter aircraft to the region. There are already squadrons of F-15's, F-16's, F-22s, eight-tens (ph), all in the region there prepared for the possibility that this is going to escalate even further.

The secretary has also ordered that U.S. troops increased their preparedness to deploy really at a moment's notice, if necessary. So, what does that mean? That means, for example, if troops were previously supposed to only be prepared to deploy within a matter of 72 hours, for example, now they have to be ready within 24 hours or even less.

So, all of this is in preparation for the possibility, we are told, that this conflict escalates to the point where Iran actually gets involved. That is the biggest concern right now for U.S. officials.

And the Pentagon actually noted this in their statement. They said, quote, "should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measures to defend our people."

Now, a U.S. official did tell me that if Iran does fear that Hezbollah is going to be completely dismantled by all of these Israeli airstrikes, by a possible ground incursion into southern Lebanon, than Iran might indeed feel compelled to intervene in the conflict because Hezbollah, of course, is Iran's most important proxy militia in the region.

But the U.S. now saying that they are prepared for every possible contingency here. We should note that the secretary of defense also ordered that the Lincoln carrier strike groups stay in a region. It's currently in the Arabian Sea. As well as the Wasp amphibious ready group, which is in the eastern Mediterranean. That is equipped with thousands of Marines who are prepared to help in a potential evacuation operation, again, if this conflict escalates further, and if one becomes necessary, Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, it certainly appears that is certainly moved to a new front, Lebanon and Israel.

Thank you so much, Natasha Bertrand. Appreciate it.

All right, ahead, in the wake of Helene's terrible flooding and landslides, families are struggling with a lack of power and water, and they're now also facing brand new challenges in trying to protect their health. We'll talk about that in a bit.

And in the middle of a deadly disaster in Nepal. Signs of hope as a young child is pulled from the rubble of a landslide there.

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[08:38:21]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: The breaking new coming in as the death toll from Hurricane Helene is going up. It was at 95 people killed when we woke up and it has now increased to 102 deaths.

The full toll from this storm is very obviously not yet clear. Last hour we had North Carolina's governor on the show, and he described entire towns being wiped out and washed away in western North Carolina.

In Buncombe County alone, there have been over 600 people reported unaccounted for with dozens of confirmed deaths. One of the towns hit hard in that county, Weaverville.

And joining us on the phone right now is the mayor of Weaverville, Mayor Patrick Fitzsimmons.

Mayor, can you hear me?

MAYOR PATRICK FITZSIMMONS, WEAVERVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA (via telephone): I can.

BOLDUAN: Oh, thank you so much. And I know cell phone service is a luxury right now for all of you.

As of yesterday, I saw - FITZSIMMONS: It is a luxury - it's a -

BOLDUAN: Go ahead.

FITZSIMMONS: It is a luxury and I'm glad I've got a connection right now. I just want to warn you, it could drop at any minute.

BOLDUAN: Well, while we have you, tell me what is - what has happened and is happening in Weaverville.

FITZSIMMONS: You know, we expected a really bad storm, but nothing like this. It's really been incredible. I live in a very forested city, and we have just hundreds and hundreds of huge trees that have come down. Destroyed the power infrastructure. We're not expecting to have power, water, or, quite frankly, even cell service, which amazing I have right now, for at least for a week, probably longer.

And, you know, there's been - there's a town next to me, Swannanoa, has essentially been washed away. We now are confirming 30 deaths in this county, but, unfortunately, we're expecting that to go much higher.

BOLDUAN: Oh, that makes me - that gives me chills. I'm so, so sorry to hear that.

[08:40:01]

It's now been five days, Mayor, since the storm hit. And hearing you say that no water, no fuel, no power is expected maybe for another week, is the response five days later and you're still looking at this, do you think the response has been too slow from the state?

FITZSIMMONS: No, we think the state has done a great job. The reality for us is that roads are washed out, the interstates are closed because of bridge repairs and sinkholes, et cetera. So, literally, you can't get into our area still even today.

We did get some supplies in by helicopter yesterday. So, we hope to have water distribution sites set up. And we believe that we're getting generators as well to help - try and restart our water plant so we can get water to our citizens.

BOLDUAN: How many people are still unaccounted for?

FITZSIMMONS: You know, we don't - we have - we have had - 6,000 people have responded to a website we have where you can request to be, you know, hooked up with your missing family. Some of those are probably duplicates. But nonetheless, there's a lot of folks and communication is so disrupted that people can't get calls out to their friends and family and let then know that they're alive.

BOLDUAN: Geez. What do people in Weaverville need first and most immediately, Mayor?

FITZSIMMONS: Water is our greatest concern. And we're working feverishly on trying to solve that problem. Power, you can deal with a little better. Water is really essential. And there is not only no - not only is our water plant down, there is no commercial or retail water available in our - in our city.

BOLDUAN: Oh, my goodness. You know, I was just looking, you were the regional head for the Red Cross in western North Carolina for a time. How do you describe what you have seen so far from this storm in terms of damage considering all the natural disasters that you've responded to over the years?

FITZSIMMONS: This is really bad. I was - I was around for the hurricanes that hit our area and was managing the disaster operation in 2004. This is far worse.

Not only did we get, you know, just historical flooding, we had hurricane force winds this far inland from the coast. A huge oak tree in my backyard came down on my house as well. I'm going to miss that old oak tree. That was a great tree.

BOLDUAN: It's the small things and the big things all added up together to what you all are really dealing with.

FITZSIMMONS: It is.

BOLDUAN: Mayor, thank you so much. I'm so thankful for cell phone service that we could hear from you. We spoke to the mayor. He's going to be heading out to the area in a helicopter with the FEMA director today. Thank you so much for jumping on. We will stay in close touch with trying to help with whatever we can for the people in your city.

FITZSIMMONS: All right.

BOLDUAN: Thank you very much.

FITZSIMMONS: Thank you. Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Kate.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, public health risks are a major concern, especially in areas still saturated by floodwater. You heard the mayor there saying water is a huge concern.

Let's bring in CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard.

Tell us what the potential - potential problems with water are right now.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yes, Sara. Well, what we know about this floodwater, it's not just rainwater. The public health risks are because this is water contaminated by sewage, chemicals. It also may have sharp objects, like glass and metal in it. And for those reasons, that's why there are health risks, like if you encounter this floodwater, you come - it comes with the risk of wound infection possibly, other types of bacterial infection. Harmful bacterias are also in this water. You could experience other gastrointestinal illnesses after you encounter floodwater like this. And we also know that tetanus is a big risk as well.

And that's why it's so important for people to avoid walking through this floodwater, avoid driving through it. We don't know how deep it may be in some places. If you do have to encounter floodwater because you're part of rescue efforts or you're part of safety efforts, then you want to definitely make sure to wear tall rubber boots, make sure these boots are snake proof. There could be snakes or other wildlife in the water. Wear rubber gloves, wear goggles, because, Sara, again, the risks here are high.

And we also know that floodwater can attract swarms of mosquitoes. So also wearing mosquito repellent as well.

Now, if you're someone who's already been exposed to floodwater, after the fact you want to definitely make sure to clean any area that was exposed thoroughly, wash your - yourself. Disinfect clothing. Wash clothing in hot water. Check yourself for open wounds. Your wound could have been infected. If that's the case, talk to your doctor, seek medical attention, and also determined whether you might need a tetanus shot. But these are definitely things to do after the fact and to be aware of during this now aftermath, Sara.

SIDNER: Yes. And the big problem here, though, is there's - most people, a lot of people, especially in this - in this region don't have access to clean water and they are having to go places to try to find it.

[08:45:08]

So, it is one of those things that they're really struggling with at this hour.

HOWARD: Exactly. Right.

SIDNER: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for that.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this morning, rescue teams in Nepal are scrambling to free people trapped by landslides from heavy rain there. A two-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble. You can see that right there. His parents and brother were killed. The floodwaters and mudslides have destroyed hundreds of homes and cut off highways. Remarkable images.

This morning, an evacuation order is in effect for nearly 17,000 people following a fire at a chemical facility outside Atlanta. The fire is now out, but there is still smoke. It began when water from a malfunctioning sprinkler came in contact with a chemical, and that created as plume of toxic chlorine smoke. The plant makes pool and spa treatments. Officials say this is the third incident at the plant in seven years. The SpaceX crew Dragon capsule that will bring two astronauts stuck in

space back to earth, it has docked at the International Space Station. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded at the station since June because of mechanical issues with the Boeing Starliner they were supposed to ride back to earth. They still have to wait until February to come home.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: That's still crazy to think about that this - that they still have that much long - longer to go.

Ahead for us, Donald Trump's latest crime and justice strategy, calling for an hour of violence. Why?

And breaking overnight, new Israeli airstrikes as new signs emerge that Israel could be preparing for a ground invasion of Lebanon.

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[08:50:30]

BERMAN: All right, this morning, some critics are saying Donald Trump held some of his most unhinged rallies over the weekend. Even some Republican allies think the baseless attacks on Vice President Harris, baseless and personal, could backfire.

Let's get right to CNN's Alayna Treene for the latest on this.

Alayna, what are you hearing from the Trump side?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, this is definitely not a strategy that they want Donald Trump to be taking. And we've been very clear in this in reporting this for several months now, that Donald Trump continues to lob personal attacks at Kamala Harris, even though people within his own campaign, his allies are saying that is not the right path forward, particularly now that we're in such a close stretch to the November 5th election.

We heard from Senator Lindsey Graham saying that he doesn't think that Harris is crazy, but perhaps her policies are. We heard Tom Emmer, who is helping Senator J.D. Vance prepare for the vice presidential debate tomorrow, say that he needs to be talking about the issues, not personal attacks.

But this is something we've seen from Donald Trump. And look, he - these comments came in a string of speeches that he gave where he really was painting a very dark picture of America. And it came shortly after Harris visited the border on Friday. And we know that Donald Trump has been fixated on that visit. He believes that she's really fighting on turf that he considers his own.

Now, I do also, though, want to talk to you about something we also heard Donald Trump say yesterday while in Erie, Pennsylvania. He appeared to call for an hour of violence when discussing what he argued was a major problem with shoplifting. He also claimed that progressive policies are putting constraints on police and having them struggle with cracking down on this. But really his solution for it was quite jarring. I want you to take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, if you had one day like one real rough, nasty day with the drugstores as an example.

All these stores go out of business, right? They don't pay rent. The city does have much - the whole - it's a chain of events. It's so bad.

One rough hour, and I mean real rough, the word will get out and it will end immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: So again, pretty jarring remarks from Donald Trump where he seems to be almost calling for police brutality to respond to this.

And I do want to be very clear, John, that despite some of these viral videos we've seen of mobs shoplifting and ransacking stores, we know that nationwide this type of crime has not gone up meaningfully. So, I keep that in mind.

But this is a frequent line of attack we hear from Donald Trump, particularly when he tries to focus on whether it be the border or crime. These are issues we know that Donald Trump is trying to prioritize. He is polling better than Harris on these issues. However, the ways in which he is trying to frame this rhetoric, a lot of Republicans are not on board with it.

John.

BERMAN: Alayna Treene, for us in Washington, thank you very much.

Sara.

SIDNER: I'm here, John.

All right, the 2024 presidential election may be the tightest election that we have ever seen. Every voting bloc will have an impact. So today our senior data reporter, Harry Enten, looked at a very specific vote, the union vote. What are you seeing?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: One of many elements that we'll be looking at this morning. You know, sometimes there are data points that just jump off the screen, should set off sirens. All right, this is union households. This is democratic margin and presidential election. It ain't what it used to be. You know, you go back to 1992. Bill Clinton won that union vote by 30 points. Hillary Clinton only won it by 12 points back in 2016. That was the lowest mark for a Democrat since 1984, Mondale versus Reagan. But look at where Kamala Harris is today. She is only leading by nine points. That would be the worst Democratic performance in a generation. Ten points off the mark of Joe Biden, who, of course, won four years ago. He was sort of that union guy, union Joe, right? Won it up by 19 point. She's ten points off his mark. And the worst in a generation if this, in fact, holds, Sara.

SIDNER: It is interesting to note that the difference between this and this - and Biden still won.

ENTEN: Still won.

SIDNER: But those numbers are significantly down.

All right, talk to me about manual labor. Those folks who went to trade schools.

ENTEN: Yes, those folks who use their hands. I think a lot of people oftentimes conflate the union vote with those who use their hands. Mike Rowe, of course, has been arguing more people should go to trade schools, more people should get a vocational degree.

Look at this margin.

SIDNER: Wow.

ENTEN: This, to me, oh boy does this tell you about the state of our politics now versus back in the early 1990s. Margin among vocational and trade school grads in pre-election polling. Bill Clinton was leading that vote over George H.W. Bush by seven points.

[08:55:05]

Look at where Donald Trump is today over Kamala Harris, a 31-point advantage. When I think people think of the working class, they think of people who use their hands. And we know that Donald Trump has been going after that vote, and he is in a very, very strong position, more so perhaps than any other bloc. The folks who go to trade school, vocational school, that has moved from being a core Democratic group to now being a core group of Donald Trump's massive amount of support among the working class.

SIDNER: All right, let's move on to voters of color. And there's a very specific group that you looked at. What are you seeing with that?

ENTEN: Yes, you know, we have been noting on this program, right, that Donald Trump seems to have been having some real impact among voters of color, getting into that traditional democratic support. And I was very interested to see this, because we're talking about the working class, right? So, this is the margin among non-college graduates, all right, the voters of color. You go back four years ago. Look at that, Joe Biden won that group by 45 points. Look at where Kamala Harris' support is today. She's still leading amongst that group, but that lead is down 17 points to just 28 points.

And I will note that the margin among voters of color who actually graduate college has only been changed by five points. Five points compared to four years ago. The reason Donald Trump is doing so well amongst voters of color is because he has really gone in and grabbed a lot of voters that he didn't previously have among those who didn't graduate college. And this is part of a larger trend that we're seeing throughout our politics, Sara, in which Republicans, specifically Donald Trump, is doing very, very well among working class voters whether they were in unions, whether they went to trade school, or whether they're voters of color. The fact is, Donald Trump seems to have gone into a hotbed of traditional Democratic support and made a lot of movement in ways I don't think a lot of people would have thought when he went down that escalator just back in 2015.

SIDNER: All right, Harry Enten, bringing us the numbers as they look right now. Really appreciate it.

ENTEN: Thank you, Sara.

SIDNER: Kate.

ENTEN: And throwback to the escalator that no one could ever forget.

Joining us right now is CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp.

Let's focus in on what Alayna Treene was talking about in terms of, as she's been following the Trump campaign and gone to so many Trump rallies, the dark picture that he is painting continues to paint about the world today. And in part also falling back on targeting Kamala Harris with personal attacks, even though Republican after Republican continues to say, don't. Let's - let me play this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Joe Biden became mentally impaired. Sad. But lyin' Kamala Harris, honestly, I believe she was born that way. There's something wrong with Kamala. And I just don't know what it is, but there is definitely something missing. And you know what, everybody knows it.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): No, I just think she's a crazy liberal. I don't question her -

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: But what - what - what do you think about that rhetoric?

GRAHAM: I just think the better course to take is to prosecute the case that her policies are destroying the country. They're crazy liberal.

I'm not saying she's crazy, I'm saying your party - your policies are bat (EXPLETIVE DELETED) crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Lindsey Graham's take on - on the messaging and staying on or not on the message.

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

BOLDUAN: IT's not a strategy, it's just - it is Donald Trump.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: The impact as it's fallen back on kind of the old tendencies as we're entering - as we're - this late in the game.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: What do you think of this?

CUPP: It's not a good idea. And Republicans who are worried about the health of the party down ballot know it's not a good idea. Swing-state voters, undecided voters tell us they don't want this kind of language. They don't want her race questions. They don't want to hear that she's crazy. They don't want to hear that she's dumb. They don't want the personal attacks.

More than that though, there's some other stuff he's been saying, that, you know, we're going to prosecutor her, we're going to impeach her. A lot of swing state voters and undecided voters are also telling us they don't want the chaos that defined a lot of the Trump administration and they don't want all the oversight, the investigations, the nonsense clogging up Congress. So, they're worried that if Republicans keep the House, all they're going to do is impeached and investigate and oversight. They don't want that either.

So, a lot of this stuff that he's saying is playing to the base, but it is not playing to the voters that he needs in this final stretch.

BOLDUAN: You're getting at something that's really - it's like two things existing at the same time and it's like, which one is going to win out, right?

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Because one of the reasons - and one of the things we heard from voters ahead of the 2020 election when he lost was, they are tired of the chaos.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: They were tired of the nonsense. But now in the - ahead of the '24 election, we heard from a lot of voters, we really like the policies.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I remember the good - those good old days.

CUPP: But you can't separate the two. And it's a shame because two of the top issues for voters really inert (ph) to the benefit of Donald Trump. That's immigration and the economy. If he could stick on those issues, I have no doubt he would win. But he can't. He's talking too much about issues that inert to the benefit of Harris, like abortion and women's reproductive rights.

[09:00:03]

He's doing that in a way that does not appeal to these moderate voters. Certainly doesn't appeal to the suburban women.