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Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) is Interviewed about Israel and Iran; Patrick Fitzsimmons is Interviewed about Helene's Devastation; Abortion Comments at VP Debate; Americans are Living Past 100. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 02, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): Scenarios. We have engaged in chartering flights. We have actually had assets go and pick up personnel. And so I think that all operations would be on the table in this situation.

Obviously, the situation is very fraught, as you know.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: So, Congressman, just to understand, you know, what you know about the situation, right. We know there was - there was - warning was not given yesterday. Last time, in the spring, when Iran struck Israel with missiles and, obviously, many fewer missiles than yesterday. But there had - there was - this was known. It had been telegraphed. This was different.

So, what's the level of intelligence right now as you see it?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I think that, you know, Israel is going to respond. Obviously, we stand with Israel in - in this particular hour where they are contemplating their response.

I think that nobody wants an all-out war with Iran. And so their choice of targets is going to matter. And I think that they are going to be coordinating with Americans. and in discussions with the Biden ministration about the path forward.

BURNETT: Yes.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: But our ironclad commitment remains to help Israel. But at the same time, nobody, neither here nor in Israel, would want an all-out war with Iran.

BURNETT: Right. And - but to that point, of course, nobody wants that, but - but often, if you look at history, people don't want horrific wars that happen. You kind of get there without realizing it. And then eventually we look back and you say the shot heard round the world with Archduke Ferdinand. But, of course, in the moment it was - it was a culmination of many things.

In this moment, what does supporting Israel to you mean, Congressman? And I just - and I just put out there the three options that if they target energy, you know, bomb energy around Iran, or they bomb nuclear facilities, or they go out and take out Iranian leadership and engage in regime change, would you support all of those things?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I think that someone like myself and others would be very concerned about, you know, each of those particular - potentially triggering an escalation that would go out of control. So, there are different types of responses. The one that they made back in the spring with regard to a radar installation outside a nuclear facility was one thing, but targeting, you know, oil refineries, nuclear facilities, or even military installations would be another.

I think that the United States would be involved in terms of logistics because, at the end of the day, any kind of response could trigger another response from the Iranians and, therefore, we would have to be coordinating with them to defend Israel in that instance as well. So, that's why it's going to be very important to have close discussions and make sure that this thing does not get to a point where we can't control the outcome, and then the whole region would be embroiled in - in conflict.

BURNETT: Yes.

Do you believe that right now the U.S. can control the outcome? And I guess what I'm asking you, just to be very direct here, Congressman, is, do you think Prime Minister Netanyahu is actually going to listen to what President Biden has to say, if he says, here is a red line, this is where we are not comfortable with you going?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: I think there will be close consultations, Erin. I think that, remember, at the end of the day, you know, Israel - first Israel and the U.S. share intelligence. Secondly, the U.S. helps to provide munitions. So, to the extent that munitions are extended, they'll have to be, you know, kind of made up again. They'll have to be reprovisioned. And so the U.S. is going to be in close consultations with the Israelis about what they plan to do.

I don't think this is a situation where we're going to say, look, if you do x, we're going to do y and we're going to prevent you from doing this. Our relationship is one of friendship.

BURNETT: Yes.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: And also we can't be in a situation where we would expect Israelis not to respond given this attack by Iranians brazenly last night.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Congressman, I appreciate your time. I'm glad to speak with you.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Thank you, Erin.

BURNETT: Congressman Krishnamoorthi there joining us.

John, back to you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, thanks so much, Erin. New and contentious comments by Donald Trump, calling the brain injuries of more than 100 U.S. service members, quote, "headaches."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:39:22]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, the death toll from Hurricane Helene has now risen to 166 across six states, making Helene now the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina.

We also just heard from Duke Energy, the region's major power provider, saying that Helene caused, quote, "unprecedented destruction," saying this morning, this, quote, "major portions of the power grid were simply wiped away."

Today, President Biden is set to travel to the Carolinas to see the devastation firsthand. He's going to be getting an aerial tour to see the scope and scale of the damage in Buncombe County in western North Carolina. And one of the communities in that county hit so hard by the storm is Weaverville, North Carolina.

[08:40:04]

The mayor of Weaverville, Patrick Fitzsimmons, is back with us.

And we're going to, as I said in the break, we're going to pray that the wi-fi gods, as hard as it is to get any communication out, work in our favor, Mayor. It is wonderful to see you.

When we spoke on Monday, you had mentioned that your area was essentially cut off, that people just could not access the area. What's the update from there?

MAYOR PATRICK FITZSIMMONS, WEAVERVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: I'm afraid the communications remain really challenging. In fact, I'm speaking to you from the front of a grocery store, which is the only wi-fi spot in our town. So, therefore, there's a lot of people here trying to do their work, trying to contact their families, and reduce the bandwidth. So, communication is still remaining a big challenge for us.

BOLDUAN: What - in terms of - do you still feel cut off? Do you think that that's still the case today? You know, are - can people get in? Can people get out?

FITZSIMMONS: Yes, things are slowly improving. For example, the interstates now, at least in three directions, are open. So, relief supplies can get in and people who have the opportunity to self- evacuating can get out.

Yesterday, we were very pleased that we were able to tap into the water supply of the town next to us, which wasn't nearly as bad damaged. And so we have water coming out of faucets this morning. This is a huge way to reduce anxiety in our community. If you have water, you feel a lot safer. We also were able to set up water distribution points and are setting

up feeding sites today. So, things are improving, but they're still pretty rough.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Because I know when we spoke that getting clean water was the biggest concern because the one water treatment plant, if that's the right terminology, that you had in the town was flooded and basically just ruined.

Mayor, when you hear that Duke Energy is now saying that major portions of the power grid was just wiped away, what do you think that is going to mean for you all?

FITZSIMMONS: I think it can - means that we're going to be without power for an extended period of time. And here in Weaverville, there are a couple roads that had been - had electricity come back on. But in most neighborhoods, the whole infrastructure has been destroyed. Polls have been knocked over, lines were all down. So, they're going to have to rebuild the whole system. This is not going to be a quick fix.

BOLDUAN: The president's going to be coming to town (INAUDIBLE) she's (ph) going to be taking an aerial tour to see some of the damage. I wanted to ask you, in your county, in Buncombe County, the last estimate that we heard was that there were 600 people still missing. To your knowledge, is that the still - is that still the number of people estimated to be missing?

FITZSIMMONS: Yes. From yesterday's report, that is correct. And we have now 57 confirmed deaths in our county. And, unfortunately, we know that that is going to go higher.

BOLDUAN: Wow.

FITZSIMMONS: Luckily, I am pleased that we have no deaths in Weaverville, but all around us it was really - it was - it's really tragic.

BOLDUAN: Seeing you and seeing just, you know, the parking lot behind you, how are, I mean, how are you doing? How are your loved ones doing? How is the community doing? There's this level of shock that happens after something so horrendous that really people, I think, may not still be able to wrap their minds around. I can't wrap my mind around just seeing the images still. How are doing?

FITZSIMMONS: I'm doing OK. And, you know, and it's really been an opportunity for neighbors to get to know their neighbors better than ever. I've had more sidewalk conversations in the past five days than I've had in the past five years, I think. But just like, you know, neighbors getting together, helping clear roads, cut down trees. You know, last night, my - some of my neighbors, we all brought the different weird foods we had, and we had a potluck on my front porch. It was a little strange mixture of foods, but, hey, it was great - it was great fellowship.

BOLDUAN: Food nonetheless. Real quick, if President Biden is flying over Weaverville at any point, what do you hope he sees? What do you hope - what is your message to him?

FITZSIMMONS: One, thanks for the federal assistance. It was slow getting in, but that's because all of our roads were cut off. But it's really arriving now. And so, thanks for doing the right thing and helping out the people of western North Carolina.

BOLDUAN: Mayor, it is really good to see your face. We'll stay in very close touch and help in any way we can in getting the message out for Weaverville and everyone you're trying to help.

Thank you.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, ahead. J.D. Vance said in the debate, Republicans have to gain back the trust of the American people on the issue of abortion. Donald Trump is trying to, once again, make clear what his stance is. Trump stated plainly on his social media site that he would veto a federal abortion ban if it were to be passed by Congress. He dodged answering a question about that while debating Kamala Harris, however.

CNN's Steve Contorno is joining us now.

Steve, how will this resonate with his supporters? He did face criticism from those who are very conservative and believe that abortion should be banned.

[08:45:03]

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Sara. And the fact that we are a month out from the election and he still feels the need to clarify his stance on abortion shows you just how much his campaign is concerned about his current standing among women. As you said, just a month ago at his debate, he wouldn't answer this very question. But yesterday on Truth Social he wrote, quote, "everyone knows I would not support a federal abortion ban under any circumstances and would, in fact, veto it because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters."

Now, that is his position today. I should point out, he has been on every side of this issue over his time in the public eye. And even since the fall of Roe v. Wade a couple years ago, in fact, he has criticized states for going too far to protect abortion rights and, Sara, he has criticized them for not going far enough. And, of course, he has the ability to weigh in himself and he is choosing in Florida to support - or to not support a measure that would expand abortion access in Florida and leaving the six-week ban there in place.

SIDNER: Yes, there are a lot of questions still, which is why he's having to clarify and why J.D. Vance had to make those comments last night during the debate.

Steve Contorno, thank you so much, live there from New York for us.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with us now, Christine Quinn, president and CEO of Win, and executive committee chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, and Scott Jennings, CNN's senior political commentator and former special assistant to President George W. Bush.

No one got much sleep last night, so I appreciate you both being with us.

Let me just start with what Steve just cover right there with Donald Trump's comments on abortion, saying he would veto a national ban. Jeff Zeleny was on before saying that he thought one of the things that J.D. Vance might have been trying to do was to improve his position with female voters, which actually had been quite bad.

I mean how do you think he did on that front, combined with this statement now from Donald Trump on abortion?

CHRISTINE QUINN, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, NEW YORK STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE: Well, I'm still waiting for the real J.D. Vance to get on the stage and participate in the debate. Because what we saw last night was a very sanitized J.D. Vance and someone who, on critical issues like abortion, like the transfer of power, like all of that, didn't really tell the truth and stepped away from many other things on - that he has said on the record, like being for a national ban against abortion.

The number of positions that Vance and Trump are taking on - or - and have taken on abortion, it's head spinning. And when someone is inconsistent on a critical values issue like that, you know you can't believe them and you know they're just pivoting to try to - and I agree with you, get women in that case -

BERMAN: Well, do you think - it sounds like maybe you think he was successful in it if he muddied the waters.

QUINN: I don't think so. I think the American women know - are too smart. They know what his position really is. And notwithstanding, he tried to change it. I don't think he fooled anyone.

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, just to make sure I understand correctly, if a candidate for president or vice president changes a position on a critical issue or a critical values matter, even one position, this calls into question, for you, their fitness to serve? Because let me introduce you to Kamala Harris, who has changed every single position she took when she ran for president and 2020, although -

QUINN: It doesn't mean -

JENNINGS: 2019. I want to be fair to 2020, which she didn't make it to.

Look, J.D. -

QUINN: It did - it doesn't mean that. But when you won't admit your -

JENNINGS: You just said it did.

QUINN: No. Then let me add something. When you won't admit you're changing. Kamala Harris has admitted she's changed her position. And there is nothing wrong with getting more info and changing a position. I think it's actually a strength in a candidate.

JENNINGS: Wait, what info?

QUINN: But Vance is trying to pretend, as is Trump, that he always had a position against a national abortion ban, and that is not true. Change, converts are often your best supporters, but that's not what's happening.

JENNINGS: On abortion, I thought J.D. Vance had a stellar moment. I thought he talked about it with compassion. And I thought he, and Trump too, has laid out a very moderate position. And it's a position that's not dissimilar to what the party has had going back to Ronald Reagan. They are for some limits, reasonable limits. They are for rape, incest, and life of the mother exceptions. They are supporters of IVF. The Democrats have totally lied about what they want to do on IVF and other issues.

The issue here is, is that Democrats, through Walz last night, could not articulate a single limit that they would be for. And Walz also did not tell the truth about his record on this as governor of Minnesota. I thought Vance had a great moment on that. And I don't know how many women voters are going to rally. I mean VP debates typically don't move polling needles as much as presidential debates, but I thought J.D. did a terrific job on that.

BERMAN: I wonder how much Donald Trump likes or dislikes people like you pointing out how great J.D. Vance did in comparison to him.

JENNINGS: Well, I'll tell you -

BERMAN: I understand. It's a serious question.

JENNINGS: Yes.

BERMAN: Do you think he did - because I don't know if he's going to take it in the next few days.

JENNINGS: Yes. Here's why he should love it. Because since he picked Vance, he has been pilloried by the political media for making a terrible choice, while Harris has been alowded (ph) for making some supposed inspired choice.

[08:50:06]

And J.D. Vance drug Walz around the stage last night. It must have made the head coach, Trump, feel good that he was vindicated and validated on his choice.

BERMAN: We'll see.

Quick answer on that.

QUINN: First of all, that is not what happened in the debate.

I will say, I think Vance did well, but there was no knock down, honestly, on either side.

And let's just sum up the abortion issue. We believe women, we believe doctors. That's what Governor Walz said. And that's where the Democratic Party stands. And it's very different. The exceptions you mentioned are not what the states are doing. The states are doing, with Republican leadership, full, no rape, no incest, and women, because of that, are dying in emergency room.

BERMAN: I want to talk quickly about the issue of communication, because Donald Trump was asked, and I think it was by Alayna Treene yesterday before this debate about his policy toward Iran and responding to Iranian attacks. There was a missile attack on a U.S. base by Iran when he was president.

Listen to this exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you believe that you should have been tougher on Iran after they had launched ballistic missiles in 2020 on U.S. forces in Iraq, leaving more than 100 U.S. soldiers injured.

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, first of all, injured. What does injured mean? Injured means - you mean because they had a headache, because the bombs never hit the fort. So, just so you understand, there was nobody ever tougher on (ph) Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, he meant Iran, I think. But what did you think of that response, Christine?

QUINN: It seems like a classic response from someone who never went into battle, to say they have a headache after they had been bombed, seems the height of insensitivity. But it's yet again Donald Trump trying to get away from actually answering yes or no on a substantive issue.

JENNINGS: Iran answer last night, and the Middle East answer was the first question. Tim Walz did a horrific job on it last night. Clearly out of his depth on it. And I'm not going to take any criticism on Trump from a party and from a vice president that sent 13 soldiers to die in Afghanistan and has never given them the time of day.

BERMAN: All right, Scott, Christine, thank you both very much. Appreciate you both being here. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Jimmy Carter is now the first U.S. president to celebrate his 100th birthday, but he is joining one growing club. Sanjay Gupta takes a deep dive into why we are living longer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:57:00]

SIDNER: Former President Jimmy Carter turned 100-years-old yesterday, becoming the first American president to reach triple digits. It's a milestone many of us hope to reach.

And CNN chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is on call to tell us how we can make that happen.

Although, I mean, not everybody wants to live to 100. I don't know if I do. But I'm just saying.

Let's look at the numbers. How common is it for people to reach 100 years of age?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is really interesting. I love this topic, Sara.

You know, over the past few years life expectancy overall in the United States has trended down just a little bit. But at the same time, the number of centenarians has continued to increase. So, it's gone up, you know, sort of incrementally over the last 50 years or so.

What is interesting is if you project the next 30 years, you're going to see a quadrupling in the number of centenarians in the United States.

SIDNER: Wow.

GUPTA: So, all those conversations we're having about longevity, that's what the impact is going to be is what you're seeing on the screen there over the next few decades.

Across the world, if you look at the countries where the most centenarians live, the United States actually fares pretty well. Japan is the top of the list there. But then - and after - then the United States, then China, India, Thailand. So, the United States does OK.

Overall, in the United States, Hawaii is the state where you have the highest percentage overall of centenarians.

So, numbers are sort of trending in the right direction for people living over the age of 100.

SIDNER: All right, so, from a scientific standpoint, how do we define aging? It's not just the numbers, right?

GUPTA: Yes. I mean, you know, you know, how planets revolve around the sun, right, the number of years, that's how we typically think about it. But the way scientists think about it gives you some insight into how they're actually extending lifespan. What is aging from a scientific perspective? It's changes in your metabolism. It's when cells don't replicate as quickly or as effectively as they used to. Stem cells are exhausted, meaning they're not replenishing old cells. And your immunity starts to decline.

And the reason it's important to look at it this way, again, from a scientific perspective, each one of those hallmarks of aging, as they're called, is a potential area or intervention where you could actually extend lifespan by focusing on those things.

SIDNER: I can tell you right now, I'm going to use this excuse, my stem cells are exhausted. I am not coming to work today. I can't wait -

GUPTA: I think you should. I think you should.

SIDNER: You always give me something good, Dr. Gupta.

Is this all happening gradually or are you seeing something else?

GUPTA: Yes, this, I think, is the most fascinating part of it all. We think about aging sort of linearly. You know, every day you - you age a little bit. And that's true. But what we have found recently, fascinating studies, is that there's probably a few different bursts of molecular changes that actually accelerate aging. And when do they occur? Around 44-years-old and again around 60-years-old.

Your body composition starts to change. Your immunity starts to change. Many of the things that I was just referencing in the last question, those things start to change primarily at those ages.

[09:00:06]