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Harris Increases with College Graduates; Harris Responds to GOP Attacks; Israel Fighting Multi-Front War; Anti-Semitism Surging One Year After October 7th; Harley Masters is Interviewed about Storm Impact on North Carolina. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 07, 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]

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: With a college degree. It's basically the same story. It's historically high support for a Democratic candidate. You see right now, Kamal Harris leads in the polls by 21 points. That's three points higher than Joe Biden did four years ago. At six points higher than Hillary Clinton did eight years ago.

The bottom line is this, Mr. Berman, the electorate is becoming more polarized along education and Democrats, at least among those with a college degree, are the beneficiaries of it. And Kamala Harris is doing historically well for a Democrat among voters with a college degree.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Better than ever among voters with a college degree. How many voters do have a college degree?

ENTEN: Right. So this is the second part, the key nugget here. An increasing share of the electorate, you know you go back 44 years ago, just 21 percent of the electorate had a college degree. You go back 24 years ago, 31 percent. You go back four years ago, you're up to 40 percent. This year it looks like a historically high proportion of the electorate, 41 percent will have a college degree.

You know who those voters are. They're in the suburbs of places like Philadelphia, of Detroit. You go, obviously, to Madison, Wisconsin, right? A rising tide. More and more voters with a college degree. It's what flipped the great state of - part of what flipped the great state of Georgia, right? Those voters with a college degree in the suburbs of Atlanta. This is a big reason Kamala Harris is still in the race right now because even though she is losing a little bit of support among voters without a college degree, she's gaining rapidly among those with a college degree, specifically white voters with a college degree.

Either way you look at it, historically high support at this particular moment.

BERMAN: So, put it in one sentence, more voters than ever with a college degree. She's doing better than ever with voters with a college degree. ENTEN: That's exactly right, Mr. Berman. That is the great thing we're going to be watching down the stretch of this campaign, does Donald Trump, the support that he's pulling among working class, counteract the support that Kamala Harris is gaining among those with a college degree? That's the battle going down the stretch. At this point, we're not sure which side's going to come out on top.

BERMAN: Major structural shifts -

ENTEN: You got it, my friend.

BERMAN: With an f in there, just to be clear.

Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thanks, buddy.

BERMAN: Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And joining us right now is Democratic strategist, former spokesperson for Al Gore's campaign, Christy Setzer, and the former press adviser to then-Speaker of the House John Boehner, Maura Gillespie.

It's good to see you both. Thank you so much.

Christy, in a race kind of - kind of going off of what the guys were just talking about. In a race that is this close this far along into the cycle, and a race that it seems nothing is moving voters in a significant way, changing their minds in a significant way, what does that mean for the last 29 days?

CHRISTY SETZER, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It means that she has to be everything, everywhere, all at once. She basically has to go on big legacy programs like "60 Minutes." She needs to go on mall outlets like, you know, that speak to a particular demographic. And she needs to go on podcasts, like "Call Her Daddy" and Howard Stern, right? That's what it means. She needs to both focus on her base and getting them out, and she also needs to go where potentially undecided voters are too.

So, that is why you see her doing this media blitz this week, as well as Tim Walz.

BOLDUAN: And let's talk about this media blitz this week, Maura, because starting with the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, it's Spotify's second biggest podcast last year. It has a huge viewership, listenership among women. She - during this very long conversation that she had with the host, Alex Cooper, Kamala Harris took on Donald Trump over saying that he would be the protector of women, and also took on the Arkansas governor over something that we've talked about in the past, her commentary that her kids keep her humble and, unfortunately, Kamala Harris, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn't have anything to keep her humble.

Let me play what Kamala Harris said in this podcast. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. (D) AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think she understands that there are a whole lot of women out here who, one, are not aspiring to be humble, two, a whole lot of women out here who have a lot of love in their life, family in their life, and children in their life. And I think it's really important for women to lift each other up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Maura, what impact do you think conversations like this will have or are having with voters?

MAURA GILLESPIE, FORMER PRESS ADVISER TO THEN-HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER: Well, we already know that Kamala Harris is doing very well with the women voter bloc. But I do think that the comments that Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas governor, made are important to hit on because it's not just about how she phrased it in saying, again, this attack that both she and J.D. Vance and others in the Republican Party fringes that have been attacking women across the board, but especially those who either don't have children, who are struggling to have children, comments about IVF and childless cat ladies, and, again, the humble comments of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, I think what's important here is that to say that our stake and our claim or our interests in what happens to the future of this country is only tied to our physical ability to have children is quite asinine to be honest.

[08:35:08]

It's a disparaging comment to women because there are plenty of reasons. But I think what Harris - Kamala Harris was saying there was, those who have love in their hearts and those who have love in their lives have things to look forward to and want to leave this world. I think any of us want to leave this world better than we found it. And I do - I do believe that the Republicans need to do better on messaging in - you know, in contrast to what Kamala Harris has been able to do with women and in speaking to them, meeting, like, you know, meeting voters, like Christy said, where they are. And that podcast gets a lot of views.

BOLDUAN: It gets a ton of views.

And, Christy, so from there then she - Kamala Harris is going to "The Howard Stern Show," a larger male audience. It just kind of gets at how important it is for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris to try to narrow the gender gap as much as they can.

SETZER: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I mean how important is narrowing that gender gap for whoever wins the White House?

SETZER: Yes, it's incredibly important. And you see sort of the same strategy when they are going to more rural areas as well, which is to say, we don't actually expect that they are going to win the rural vote, Harris and Walz, but we do expect that they'll be able to do slightly better than Democrats who went there before. They can't completely see the boat (ph).

And it's the same thing with men, right? We have definitely seen this historic gender gap. Women are fired up to vote for Harris and Walz. Men, for whatever reason, are slightly less so, right? Obviously, again, there's a bit of a divide between whether you're a college educated man, if you're non-college, that's always been Trump's base. But, again, you cannot completely seed the vote. So, that's why you see her going to somewhat friendly interviewers, like Howard Stern. He's definitely a, you know, Harris supporter. He does not like Donald Trump anymore. And he's got his number a little bit because he, you know, knows him from way back, from the '80s and '90s in New York City. So, that makes a lot of sense why she would show up on his program.

BOLDUAN: Yes, let's see what happens this week. Very interesting.

It's good to see you both. Thank you so much.

John.

BERMAN: All right, a record rise in anti-Semitic attacks in the last year. The new report out just this morning.

And the breaking news, Hurricane Milton now a category three storm. It is headed near category five strength And its path, taking it directly over huge population centers in Florida. Million of people need to watch this very closely.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:35]

BOLDUAN: Happening right now, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. One year ago today, Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people, kidnapped 250 others in what was the largest attack ever on Israeli soil. Twelve months later, 101 hostages, including Americans, are still being held hostage in Gaza. Health officials in Gaza say the subsequent war after that attack has left more than 41,000 Palestinians killed since the war began, though they do not make a distinction between civilians and combatants.

CNN's Erin Burnett is live in Tel Aviv, has been following all of this for us.

And, Erin, we have seen people gathering in the square behind you all throughout the morning. What are you hearing from them?

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, all throughout the morning, Kate. And there is a sense of sadness. There's somberness. There's grieving. There's also anger and outrage at the fact that some of - many of those hostages are still in Gaza. Ninety-seven of those hostages that you mentioned still known to be there who were actually taken on October 7th. And right now it's unclear. And, in fact, we're hearing that the Israeli government has less intelligence on the status of those hostages and where they are as every day passes. Up to a third or half of them may already be dead. That is what causes so much of the outrage here as Israel is on a knife's edge in this ongoing war. Now on multi-fronts.

Just moments ago, more explosions in Beirut. The IDF operating along that northern border. Also today saying that they are operating with, quote/unquote, great force in the area of northern Gaza, where they have been engaging in mass evacuations throughout the day.

You know, Kate, we were up along that northern border. And here, you know, they've already been alerts for incoming rockets today. That's - that's the life here that people are living. But look at what they're living in Beirut, the constant mass explosions. And we saw what appeared to be some sort of munitions depot exploding overnight.

And the Israeli soldiers on that border that we saw in the confrontation line, you hear the constant thud of artillery. You see outgoing Iron Dome perhaps defenses. And those soldiers who have come from Gaza up to the north now, tens of thousands of them, Kate, they are eager. There's really no other word to describe it. They are eager to go in. They made it very clear, they believe that this is a moment for them of destiny as they are fighting a war on so many fronts. And everyone is awaiting for when this decision will be in terms so what Israel will do on striking back.

It could come as soon as tonight. What we're hearing from U.S. sources, Kate, is that Israel has a target list that is - obviously, it seems to be much more aggressive when it comes to regime members and nuclear targets than the United States might like. But I think the key thing to emphasize is that Israel expects, and Israel will receive, complete U.S. backing after it does whatever it is going to do.

So, even if the U.S. doesn't like it, they're going to be there on the back end to defend Israel for the consequences of whatever this massive strike and this ongoing war will be, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Erin, thank you. It's very important that you're there. Thank you so much.

John.

BERMAN: All right, the Anti-Defamation League is out with a new report on anti-Semitic attacks in the United States over the last year. With us now is the CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, and former member of Congress, Jane Harman.

Thank you so much for being here, both of you.

What does the report say?

JONATHAN GREENBLATT, CEO, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: Look, in the last year ADL, which has been tracking anti-Semitic incidents since the 1970s, saw more anti-Jewish attacks - we're talking about assaults, vandalism, harassment - since 10-7.

[08:45:03]

Over 10,000 incidents than we've ever seen in our history. We're talking about 150 plus assaults,, we're talking about more than 1,800 acts of vandalism and over 8,000 incidents of harassment. We just haven't ever seen anything like this before.

And if you step back, this is a solemn anniversary, as just heard Erin talk about. And so, it's amazing to think that this moment of anti- Semitic hate, the dehumanization that led to the slaughter of those people triggered a wave of hate here in the United States and around the world. That's really unprecedented, John.

BERMAN: Just very quickly, is there a one or two sentence prescription for what you think should be done about it?

GREENBLATT: Well, it's hard. I mean, you'd get - you'd see these numbers, 10,000 acts, and then you step back and say, well, what's really happening? I went to synagogue last week. I had to walk through armed guards and metal detectors. And that happens at synagogues all over America. Jewish businesses have been boycotted. Jewish professionals have been shunned by their peers. And the campuses are crazy.

So, we really need to recognize, there's no silver bullet. We need a whole of society approach that looks at businesses, elected officials, and ultimately leaders need to lead.

BERMAN: I hear you agreeing.

JANE HARMAN (D), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I agree. This is a bittersweet day for me, John, as I mentioned to you, because 50 years ago October 7, last year, my - my youngest - my oldest son was born. He's 51 today. Happy birthday, Brian.

But what's so sad about today is that so many in that women's intelligence unit that you were just talking about, and others, will never see their 50th or 51st birthdays. And what happened in Israel was a total tragedy, a heinous act, and we cannot forget that as we think about some of the reactions here.

Today is going to be a tough day on college campuses.

GREENBLATT: Yes.

HARMAN: I think Jonathan would agree with that.

And, by the way, ADL is a fabulous institution and you're a great leader.

GREENBLATT: Thanks.

HARMAN: And the things you're talking about matter directly to everyone in the United States and the quality of life we lead here. BERMAN: So much of your congressional life, and then post

congressional life, focused on international relations and the world. As you see, and Erin was just reporting, Israel contemplating, maybe planning an imminent attack on Iran. What do you think that would do? If we wake up tomorrow morning in Israel has launched a strike on Iran, what would that mean?

HARMAN: Well, it depends what kind of strike on Iran. And we're all talking about not oil facilities, not nuclear facilities. Maybe this. Maybe that. I think Israel's shock and awe event in Lebanon should have served or should serve as a huge deterrent to Iran. And when Israel said it was going to continue a more modest operation there, I actually applaud it because I think there is a possibility that the Democratic state of Lebanon - Lebanon could reemerge.

But I think this kind of war of attrition worries me. I don't know what the day after strategy is. And if Israel attacks Iran again in Iran attacks back, where are we going? I would love Bibi Netanyahu to tell us more than just that we are in a state of war.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, since you brought up Netanyahu, you know, Tom Friedman has an op-ed out this morning to mark the one year anniversary. He says, this is about Israelis, "Israelis are being asked to send their sons and daughters to fight every day against Hamas and Hezbollah foes - yet cannot be sure if they are going to war to save the state of Israel or the political career of their prime minister."

HARMAN: Well, I'm all for saving the state of Israel, as a pluralist democracy. And its survival matters intensely to me personally as the daughter of a - of a refugee from Nazi Germany, but it matters to all of us. And it is part of the fabric of American life. We've grown up with Israel.

But I don't know what Bibi's specific intentions are. And I think Tom's worry is worth considering. I also think, however, that - that Israel is under attack, I'm not minimizing that, by Iran's proxies all around Israel, plus Iran. So, we have to take that seriously. But we need a strategy, not just tactics. A strategy for - and a definition of success so that Israel can live in peace. And I do think that definition needs to include a path to two states.

BERMAN: If it is a war of attrition between Israel and Iran or Israel and Hezbollah, or anyone else for that matter -

GREENBLATT: Yes.

BERMAN: Quickly, Jonathan, what will the impact be here in the United States on college campuses, on some of the anti-Semitic attacks we've seen, if this goes on indefinitely?

GREENBLATT: Well, there's no question that the conflict in the Middle East has stoked strong feelings here in the United States. But we should keep in mind that anti-Semitism was rising before 10-7. And we should keep in mind that you could have strong feelings about what's happening in the Ukraine, John. But I can't think of a single example of where a Russian orthodox church has been vandalized in America. You could have strong feelings about the Chinese government, but I don't think anyone thought it was OK when Chinese Americans were being attacked.

So, I worry about what's happening over there and the toll on people on all sides. But I also just don't think we should allow some to blame the victim. It's not the fault of American Jews or the Jewish state that anti-Semitism is rising, it's the fault of the racists and the anti-Semites. We need to hold them accountable.

[08:50:04]

BERMAN: Jonathan Greenblatt, Jane Harman, thank you both so much for being with us. Happy birthday, Brian.

All right, this morning, millions of people at risk as Hurricane Milton is gaining strength. Just look at that path over major population center in Florida. Millions and millions of people need to pay very close attention to where this is going. This could reach a category five storm in the next 25 hours - 24 hours.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is preparing to debut and launch a new spacecraft this morning if all goes according to plan. We know how these things can be. The RSS Karman has a new crew capsule and its first launch of this new crew capsule will not have any crew in it. It will, instead, fly 12 research payloads into space.

[08:55:01]

It will be the first mission for this particular vehicle and, if successful, will help Blue Origin reach its goal of becoming a real competitor to SpaceX.

Next hour the Supreme Court is back in session, starting a new nine- month term. The session's docket includes - well, all the cases before the Supreme Court are important ones, but cases including those on guns, pornography, and transgender medical care. The court's also preparing for some surprises. The presidential election could bring last-minute political fights to the high court, dragging the justices even deeper into politics. So, standby to standby on that.

An October heatwave is continuing to bring record-breaking temperatures to parts of the southwest and along the West Coast. Over 28 million people are under heat alerts in California, Nevada and Arizona today. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs all broke heat records on Sunday, and they could set new records even today. Relief may come later in the week for most of these areas except for Phoenix. Sorry, Phoenix.

John.

BERMAN: It's a dry heat.

All right, this morning, as Hurricane Milton gains strength, Hurricane Milton is now a dangerous category three storm. It could hit category five in the next 24 hours, and headed right to major population centers in Florida. While that's happening, the death toll from Hurricane Helene has now gone up 232. The majority of the deaths in North Carolina.

With us now is Harley Masters, commissioner of Mitchell County, North Carolina.

Commissioner, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

Just give me a sense of how many people still unaccounted for in your county.

HARLEY MASTERS, COMMISSIONER, MITCHELL COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA: So, I know that we have found that there are five confirmed deaths. And as far as the missing total right now, we would have to speak to the sheriff. They've got boots on the ground looking into that. But with the devastation that's hit in certain parts of our county, that number's still unaccounted for at this time.

BERMAN: One of the things that the county manager, Alan Cook (ph), said was that you're still responding to the disaster, not yet in the recovery phase. What does that mean?

MASTERS: So, right now we're responding in the sense of, there's still certain areas in our county that we cannot get too. And so we're trying to access those in a safe manner, not only for the citizens there, but the lineman and the DOT workers (INAUDIBLE) the boots on the ground. So, right now we're just in the recovery phase. (INAUDIBLE) -

BERMAN: What's been the most challenging -

MASTERS: Direction from him yet on what the next phase looks like. I just know that that - the cell phone service has been the most (INAUDIBLE), obviously, because my connection's not great.

The next issue, and my biggest concern right now is getting power to these communities. Hopefully power will be restored to Bakersville. And that municipality, I believe, parts of (INAUDIBLE) do have power right now. But we've got a cold front coming in and making sure that our citizens, not only here in Mitchell County, but in western North Carolina have ways to heat their houses and be able to cook food with this cold weather coming in. I think last night it was around 54 and it can get really cold in October. So, they're telling us sometimes - some people in the county right now may be without power from three to six months. I've not had an update on that in the past 48 hours. I hope that changes. But it's going to be a cold winter up here in western North Carolina.

BERMAN: How would you assess both the state and the federal response so far?

MASTERS: So, I've been mostly boots on the ground. I'm trying to connect with our citizens. I'm connecting with other commissioners throughout this state that have been sending resources. Our EOC and our emergency manager has been more in contact with state and federal resources. But as far as fellow commissioners in Brunswick County, in Chatham County, even other counties that have been hit hard, like in Watauga County, we're just trying to network and do what we can for each other.

BERMAN: What would make the biggest change the most quickly for you?

MASTERS: Getting power to the residents of western North Carolina.

BERMAN: Well, I certainly hope that happens and it happens soon.

Commissioner Harley Masters, thank you so much for being with us. Thank you for bearing with the tough cell phone connections. I know how hard it is to communicate from house to house at this point. So, thank you for filling us in on what you are seeing.

That was Mitchell County Commissioner Harley Masters.

We've got a lot of new information coming in on a new hurricane, a dangerous hurricane. Aa new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

BOLDUAN: Explosive growth. Hurricane Milton is now a major category three hurricane, on track to become a cat four storm in just hours. Evacuation orders are already in place as it is headed directly to Florida's west coast.

[09:00:05]

The governor is about to give a live update on how they are preparing. We've got all of that for you.