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Judges Reject Requests to Extend Voter Registration Deadlines; Presidential Race Tightens Even More; Harris Makes Appeal to Latino Voters; Immediate Relief Efforts Begins Across Florida; 22 People Killed in Beirut; Musk Unveils Tesla Robotaxis; DEA Warns About Illegal Online "Pharmacies". Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 11, 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]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, federal judges have rejected requests to reopen and extend voter registration deadlines in Florida and Georgia. Voting activists have been calling for an extension because so many people are dealing with hurricane damage, which they claim could have kept voters from registering in time. Let's get right to CNN's Nick Valencia for the latest on this. Good morning, Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, John. A federal judge here in Georgia ruling against civil rights groups saying that their arguments lack clarity and detail as to how specific individuals were harmed by the voter registration deadline not being extended.

Attorneys for the Georgia chapter of the NAACP as well as the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda brought testimony from individuals affiliated with their local chapters who said that they couldn't conduct voter registration drives because of the impacts of Hurricane Helene. They said they had no internet access and no power.

But attorneys for the state pushed back saying that not being able to conduct a voter registration drive much different than an individual not being able to register to vote. And a judge here, Elean Ross, an Obama appointee, agreed saying, quote, "We did not hear from anyone specifically who could not register to vote." She went on to say, harms to the state interest outweighs the interest of the plaintiffs.

Now, attorneys for the state had argued there would be a tremendous administrative burden on the elections offices throughout the state if the voter registration deadline was extended. Judge Elean Ross also saying that the attorneys for the plaintiffs did not point to any specific statute or authority that the governor or secretary of state had to make the authority to change the voter registration deadline.

Similarly, on Wednesday, a Florida judge there, a Bill Clinton appointee, ruled against civil rights groups, the local chapter of the NAACP trying to do the same thing, as well as the League of Women Voters in Florida. It's clear that these civil rights groups believe that every vote in their state could be consequential in the 2024 election, but these judges pushing back, saying procrastination and not registering before the deadline expired, not enough an excuse to extend the deadline. John.

BERMAN: It seems like just about a done deal. Nick Valencia, thank you. very much for that. So, just a few weeks to go until the election. Why are some Democrats starting to worry? We've got brand- new polling. And Vice President Harris likening Donald Trump to Latin American dictators in a new effort to sway Latino voters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:35:00]

BERMAN: All right. So, there is a question here on the screen that's kind of an eternal question. Why some Democrats worry? Now, it's a trope. A lot of people will say, they're always worried. But I will say, if you've been paying attention to social media or reporting on CNN, Democrats seem particularly worried now. Why? One man, as we say, has the answer, CNN's Chief Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten is here. So, why?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Why? Why? Why? What is with all of this bedwetting among Democrats? Maybe it's an eternal problem. But let's take a look here. These are, of course, the Great Lake Battleground states, the states we've been focusing in on. If Kamala Harris wins these three, she most likely gets to 270 electoral votes.

Take a look three weeks ago. Harris was ahead by two in Pennsylvania, two in Wisconsin, three in Michigan. Look at where we are today. The race is even tighter, even tighter than it was today. It's a one-point advantage in Pennsylvania, one in Wisconsin, one in Michigan. Look, that's limited movement. But in a year in which this race has been so static, we're talking one point movement, one point movement, two- point movements, and we see movements in all three. This is the type of thing that, at least in the public polling, makes Democrats worry.

And I think that the public polling, in this case, is reflected in some of that internal polling, some of that reporting that suggests that these Great Lake Battleground states have certainly tightened a lot where, at this point, they are way too close to call.

BERMAN: It is what you call a trend is a trend when you see --

ENTEN: It is a trend.

BERMAN: -- something like this over several states. When you compare this to four years ago, what does it look like?

ENTEN: Yes. So, let's take a look, and we're going to look at an average across these three states, right? Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, an average on October 11th. What do you see? Well, if you look eight years ago, Hillary Clinton was way out in front in an average of these three. She was up by eight. You go four years ago, Joe Biden was up by an average of seven points across these three Great Lake battleground states. You come today, it's just a one-point advantage for Kamala Harris across these three Great Lake battleground states. So, Kamala Harris, at least in the polling, is doing considerably worse than Biden or Clinton. And of course, Clinton lost in all three of these states, and Joe Biden barely won in all three of these states. So, when you see Harris up by just a point across these three, I think that this is really the type of thing that gets Democrats really to worry, John, because the simple fact is Kamala Harris, is doing considerably worse than either Biden or Clinton was.

BERMAN: Yes, at this number what you start hoping for is somehow that the polls --

ENTEN: Are actually right this time?

BERMAN: -- are right this time and doing a better job. I mean, that's a little bit of a thin reed to base your hope on. There may be some other reasons in general why Democrats are more worried.

[08:40:00]

ENTEN: Yes. So, I think it just comes down to the fact that Democrats are more worried about a Donald Trump presidency than Trump supporters are about a Kamala Harris presidency. So, angry if the opposing candidate wins. 52 percent of Harris voters say they'd be angry if Donald Trump won versus just 42 percent of Trump voters who say they'd be angry if Kamala Harris was. So, I think this is more of a bigger, larger picture. It's not just that the polls are tightening, I think it's just that Democrats, John, are more worried in general about a Donald Trump presidency than the reverse in this particular situation.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: Have a great weekend.

ENTEN: You as well.

BERMAN: Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, Kamala Harris is continuing her campaign media blitz, taking part in a town hall hosted by Univision for undecided Hispanic voters. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: When I am elected president, I will bring back that border security bill and I will sign it into law. And do the work of focusing on what we must do to have an orderly and humane pathway to earn citizenship for hardworking people. I think it is a false choice for people who would say you do one or the other. I believe we must do both. I believe we can do both.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining me right now is Gen Z activist, social media influencer, Carlos Eduardo Espina. He has 10 million followers on TikTok. I'm sure it's more than that when I check -- when I -- if I check back, you can correct me. And then, also to speaking slot at the DNC, which is the last time that we spoke was right before you had your big moment on stage at the DNC.

CARLOS EDUARDO ESPINA, GEN Z ACTIVIST AND SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Carlos, The New York Times headline on this event, on this town hall event with Univision was that Harris -- it was Harris walks fine line on immigration at Univision town hall, which is what you really kind of saw in that moment, in that soundbite that we just played. But in your experience and your view and what you hear in your interactions with your followers, is walking a fine line the right thing to do, do you think?

ESPINA: Well, in my personal experience, I actually believe it's not. I think the Harris campaign needs to be a lot more on the forefront of proposing a different vision than Donald Trump on immigration. You see it yesterday in the town hall of the 10 questions, three of them were in one way or another related to immigration. You had the daughter who lost her mother, the guy who has friends who are on DACA, and then you had other issues on immigration and they're all highlighting, right, the humane aspect of it, and I think that's something really important to lean on.

And obviously, border security is really important, and it needs to be addressed. But I would like to see a lot more of the leaning into the humane side. You know, DACA recipients, those who are married to U.S. citizens, those who have been here for decades, and really highlighting that contrast between Harris and Trump. And I think she's doing a good job at times, but I would like to see more of it, honestly.

BOLDUAN: That is interesting, because I was going to ask you, what you're getting at is, as it's been described, the shift that people have seen in Kamala Harris' position since she's gotten into the campaign. I mean, Harris is now pledging to impose even more restrictive immigration, asylum, and border policies than we've -- than seen, really, you know, before from Biden or that she's talked about before.

And in doing so, she's gone from framing herself as an advocate for undocumented immigrants to kind of touting herself as talking a lot about being a former border prosecutor and how she's going to be stronger on the border than then Donald Trump is. Do you think she's trying to win the middle? She's trying to not turn off, if you want to say, like Republican voters on this issue, if I'm going to say with broad strokes, but do you think that hurts her?

ESPINA: I'm not necessarily sure if it hurts her. I'm not a pollster. I can tell you what I see day in and day out in the community. And when I meet people, I mean, every single day that I'm out, people recognize me from social media, people comment on my videos, and it's very few of the people who are, you know, the forefront of immigration is the issue of the border for them. I mean, obviously people care about it. They're concerned about certain aspects, but I don't think they're concerned about it as much as they are, you know, an immigration status for their mother, like the lady we heard at the town hall yesterday, or for their spouses, or for their children, or whoever it may be that they really care about.

And that's why I believe, you know, it is really important for the Harris campaign to lean more into that pro-immigrant, especially focusing on those who are already here. And you can do that without necessarily, and I think she recognized that, compromising border security and all that narrative around it.

But yes, I would like to see more of, you know, talking about those who have been your 10, 15, 20 years working, paying taxes, contributing, what is the plan to help them and their families as well. I think that would really win her some points on people who maybe right now are undecided.

[08:45:00]

BOLDUAN: And what do you -- and it might be hard to kind of encapsulate quickly, but what do you think is the top issue? Is it immigration or maybe just beyond immigration that you are hearing from your, I mean, more than 10 million followers on TikTok? Many of whom you -- many of whom are -- you would assume are, Latino voters.

ESPINA: Yes. Well, obviously, immigration is a big topic, but there's more to it. There's the economy, you know, there's democracy. There's a lot of different aspects. And I think the biggest thing I've noticed is a lot of people are voting this time around not so much based on policy but more on personality. And, you know, the more they get to meet Kamala Harris the more they understand, you know, that she's a human, she's -- you know, she's compassionate. I think that's why that town hall yesterday was really passionate.

You are really important. You would never see, I think, Donald Trump gives such a compassionate answer really understand people's suffering. So, I think you know, one of the big skepticisms right now is people just don't know enough about her. So, doing these kinds of event, appearing more, you know, on Univision, Telemundo, on other platforms where Spanish speakers and Latinos in general are, I think can really help, you know, break that divide that people right now feel like they don't know who they are, and they do know who Trump is. And for some reason, a lot of people seem to be attracted to Donald Trump.

BOLDUAN: Yes. I mean, he is -- you know, he is -- she has less support among Latino voters in recent polling than Biden had four years ago. How that is going to pan out, come exit polls this time around, we'll see together. It's good to see you, Carlos. Again, thank you for coming in. John.

BERMAN: All right. Florida's governor says nearly 1,000 people have been rescued since Hurricane Milton tore through the state. CNN's Ryan Young on the heroic first responders who sprang to action in this week's Beyond the Call. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the hurricane pounded Central Florida with relentless winds, rain, and tornadoes, the real fear for many officials, what would happen to the people who couldn't or wouldn't evacuate?

CHIEF BARBARA TRIPP, TAMPA FIRE RESCUE: We actually had to cease all services because it's actually been too dangerous to put first responders out there on the road.

YOUNG (voice-over): Before the sun was up, Florida's first responders were already in action. In Clearwater, this apartment complex had hundreds of people in need of help as the strong winds and rising water rose as high as some people's chest.

JENNIFER POIRRIER, CITY MANAGER, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA: That was our most significant one for sure. We rescued over 500 people out of that apartment complex.

YOUNG (voice-over): In Hillsborough County, the sheriff tweeted this video of a 14-year-old boy they found floating on a piece of a fence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, I'm standing here by the flooded water. He was waving us down, flagging us down. Most people were saying hello. He was frantically wailing his arms. We went over. And it literally was like the scene of the "Cast Away" movie, how he's hanging on for dear life.

YOUNG (voice-over): Thursday our Isabel Rosales rode in an airboat with the Hillsborough County after dozens were rescued from an assistant living center. They talked about the emotional toll of this storm.

SHERIFF CHAD CHRONISTER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA: I'm getting emotional because of the men and women of the sheriff's office and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue that never stopped. I'm proud of them each and every day. But if you saw the way they jumped in water up to their chest, up to their neck, and rescuing people --

YOUNG (voice-over): In Tampa, police say 15 people, including multiple children needed to be evacuated after a tree fell into a single-story home. No injuries were reported and the victims were taken to a shelter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK.

YOUNG (voice-over): This is the moment Florida highway patrol troopers rescued a dog that was left tied to a pole in flood waters on the side of Interstate 75 in Tampa.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't blame you.

YOUNG (voice-over): Everyone helping where help is needed. Even the news crew that rescued Amber Henry and her children as floodwaters filled their house. AMBER HENRY, MOTHER RESCUED WITH HER FOUR SONS: The worst nightmare and I'm so glad that I'm actually able to talk about it.

YOUNG (voice-over): U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami rescued this man clinging to a cooler roughly 30 miles off Longboat Key. The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for care. In St. Lucie County, the search for victims is still ongoing after multiple tornadoes spun up in a 20-minute span.

SHERIFF KEITH PEARSON, ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA: We're going through the rubble trying to rescue as many people as we can, and we are actively searching and trying to save lives right now.

YOUNG (voice-over): Over and over again, first responders answered hundreds of calls --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you doing, man? You alright?

YOUNG (voice-over): -- as one of Florida's worst hurricanes ravaged an already battered state.

SUSAN CARLOS, FLORIDA RESIDENT: Never, never have I experienced damage or the amount of tornadoes that came to this area. And it was the most frightening thing I've ever lived through.

YOUNG (voice-over): Ryan Young, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: And our thanks to Ryan Young for that. We've got a new warning about ordering prescription drugs online. Why the DEA says it could be deadly.

And no steering wheel, no pedals, no driver. Is that like no shirt, no shoes, no dice? The new Robotaxi, ready to be unleashed on the roads.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:50:00]

BOLDUAN: This morning, Lebanon's health ministry says at least 22 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded in Israeli strikes in Central Beirut. It was the deadliest attack there in over a year of war. One source tells CNN a residential building collapsed from one of the strikes. The target was a senior Hezbollah leader, but a source tells CNN that leader survived.

And breaking moments ago, a key U.S. inflation gauge fell in September, another sign inflation slowed last month. The Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale prices, showed no change in September, flat for the month and up 1.8 percent from a year ago. All of this adding up to pointing to an easing -- continued easing in inflation.

[08:55:00] Fisher-Price is recalling more than 2 million infant swings because of a suffocation risk. Five babies have reportedly died while sleeping in the Snuga swings, as it's called, between 2012 and 2022. All of them were three months old or younger. If you keep the swing, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says that you should immediately remove the headrest and the body support insert. Fisher-Price is providing a $25 refund if you choose to keep it with that modification. There's a full list of the models, there's 21 of them involved in the recall on the CPSC website.

Elon Musk calls it his vision of a fun, exciting future. Unveiling Tesla's version of a self-driving Robotaxi. It is something he's long promised was coming, and it's exactly what it sounds like, a driverless car driving around passengers. It's Musk's answer to Uber and Lyft, only without an actual human behind the wheel. The car also doesn't even have a wheel or pedals.

Musk says it's going to cost less than $30,000. before the year and be available before 2027. But many experts doubt it's going to be hitting the road anytime soon. John.

BERMAN: What could possibly go wrong? All right. New this morning, the DEA has issued a new warning, beware of ordering medications from so-called online pharmacies because they could kill you. Federal investigators say there's been a rise in illegal online stores that appear to be targeting Americans with counterfeit medicine, which could be laced with deadly drugs. CNN's Josh Campbell is with us this morning. Some pretty stark language here, Josh.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, john. You know, when you walk into a brick-and-mortar pharmacy, you expect that the product you're getting is coming from a reputable pharmaceutical company. But what the DEA is now warning is that this rise in online so-called pharmacies is presenting a deadly challenge.

In many instances, they talk about one case where a woman had ordered online what she thought was oxycodone, the potent pain medication. What she actually got was something different, but it looked like the real pill. She ultimately died from it. And what they say, these aren't pharmacists that are actually fulfilling these orders. Oftentimes, these are drug traffickers.

And let's take a look here at some of the warning signs you should be looking out for. If a website is giving you a prescription without -- medication without requiring a prescription, that's an issue. If the prices seem too good to be true, really cut-rate prescription prices, that could be a warning sign. If you get the pill and it's in, you know, damaged packaging or the pill itself might be damaged, that is an issue to be looking out for. And if there's no expiration date on the pill, that is a giant red flag.

Here are some of the websites that DEA had pointed out that are fraudulent. You can see a list of them, often with generic names Cara Online Store, Pharmacy Stores Online. But what's interesting, if you go to these websites now, you're going to see this next image. This is a seizure order from the U.S. Justice Department. They've essentially taken over these websites where you can no longer buy from them. But so many of these websites continue to be out there, and that is obviously concerning for authorities.

And then finally, sort of pointing out that, you know, people have the question, well, why would a drug dealer sell you something like fentanyl that could kill you? I recently talked to an undercover LAPD narcotics detective about this very same issue, asking, you know, why is someone going to give you a product and then actually lose a customer? What he told me is these drug dealers don't care about the customer. At the end of the day, it comes down to money. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: If you look at these photos, the fake pill looks just like the real pill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They sure do. The dealer's main objective is to get you hooked, and if you don't die from it, then you're a customer for as long as you live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: A customer for as long as you live. Just really stark there. And it's also worth pointing out that as the DEA is making this public announcement, they've also been working behind the scenes. We just learned last month that the DEA and Homeland Security investigation charged 18 people who were running these so-called online pharmacies allegedly.

They say that millions of pills flooded the U.S. drug supply. Nine people died. At least nine people. And DEA Administrator Anne Milgram issued a statement essentially saying that this counterfeit ring sent fake pills to every state in the nation, including the District of Columbia. She said that the DEA and her partners will continue to relentlessly go after these deadly traffickers. John.

BERMAN: Again, yes, like stark warnings, stark action. Pretty interesting. All right. Josh Campbell, thank you very much for all that. Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, it's a light show that you do not want to miss, if you can see it, and tonight is your last chance to catch a glimpse. A severe geomagnetic storm has created an amazing display of the northern lights in the United States.

CNN's Derek Van Dam is looking at this. Just work with me, brother. We're talking about two very different things in the past couple days. It's beautiful and people are seeing it in all sorts of different places. Tell me more.

[09:00:00]