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The Race for Senate in Maine; ICE-Involved Shooting in Maine; Author Scott Reich is Interviewed about His New Book "One Day in September." Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired July 13, 2026 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC): For us as a nation, frankly, to reflect on why we mourn Lindsey Graham and the kind of friend, the kind of statesman, frankly, the kind of American that he was that would bring both sides together, as he did through the legislation.

But he also built a bridge for the Senate to the White House. People have called him the Trump whisperer. And it's because he found a way to find common ground with the president of the United States. And as a result of that, South Carolina and the nation is better because Republicans and Democrats were able to come together because of Lindsey's leadership on important issues from foreign policy, and as the Budget chair, we were able to use the Budget tools to make sure that we had the national apparatus around this country to keep us safer.

There are so many ways to talk about Lindsey Graham. I like to talk about him as my friend, as a guy who went through hard, hard times, losing his parents at a young age. But he took that misery and he created a miracle for others. And that's one of the reasons why you were never in a room with Lindsey Graham, and you were not seen.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I certainly respect this period of mourning for you, losing a friend. But you also do know that there are a lot of things in politics that honestly wait for nothing.

SCOTT: Absolutely.

BERMAN: And one of the things now is how to replace the senator, fill that seat. And "Politico" is reading the playbook this morning. And I'm just going to read a quote, "Playbook has learned that former representative Trey Gowdy briefly surfaced last night as a possible short term pick to finish out Graham's term for multiple Republican sources. Senator Tim Scott made a round of calls supporting Gowdy." That reporting from "Politico." Just talked to us about what you've been involved in.

SCOTT: Well, there's no doubt that I believe the governor, at least I've encouraged the governor to find a placeholder so that the voters get to decide really next month who the Republican primary nominee will be. Trey Gowdy would be a fantastic placeholder. There are other names that are in the mix. But certainly Trey is a guy who served this state already, a well-known person from the president to Democrats. People find him as a man of integrity, a man of character, a man of discipline. He would be a very focused candidate on the right issues. The governor will make a good decision in the next -- in the upcoming hours. But there's no doubt in my mind, or at least a day or so, that Trey would serve well. But there are a couple of other names that the governor would have to consider to do the good job.

BERMAN: And as you know, Senator Graham was a fervent supporter of President Trump's war on Iran. And you also know that over the weekend there's an escalating exchange of fire between the United States and Iran in the region. President Trump was on TV this morning talking about what seems like a new stage in this conflict.

Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So, we're just going to hit them very hard. And we're going to -- we're going to keep the Strait and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the Strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the Strait. And we should be reimbursed for that. When we do that, we're going to be reimbursed because the other nations are very wealthy. They're on our side. And we can't be expected to do that for nothing, unlike we had for many years. You know --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So, Senator, how excited would you be for the United States to become, as the president put it, the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz, running it?

SCOTT: Well, there's no doubt that one of the ways that we can honor Lindsey Graham's legacy is to think about, blessed are the peacemakers. And if we have an opportunity to make peace in the Strait of Hormuz, that's a good thing as well.

Frankly, there's no doubt that we want to make sure that the global commerce continues through the Strait of Hormuz and President Trump, echoing his words on a consistent basis that he believes and understands that commerce is an important part of the equation for global peace. And frankly, if we're going to have the resources around the world, we're going to have the Strait of Hormuz will be open.

I continue to think through the legacy of Lindsey Graham and the impact that he had on the Iran conflict. Here's a guy who decided that he would not only be a champion of the -- of solving the problem as quickly as possible. He also championed the cause that we've heard from President Trump all the way back to Ronald Reagan, that peace through strength actually works. Having the kinetic option on the table and using it when necessary has always been a part of the equation of finding a way to peace.

What we need from the Iranians and, frankly, from the Iranian regime is to realize that President Trump is deadly serious about solving problems and making a commitment to keep the Strait of Hormuz open means it will be open.

BERMAN: Senator Tim Scott, again, we really do appreciate you being with us this morning. And I know it's going to be a difficult week as you head back to Capitol Hill. I also know how much Senator Graham valued your friendship. May his memory be a blessing. Thank you, Senator Scott.

SCOTT: Thank you.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A massive fire -- just look at these images -- rips through a nightclub and pub, leaving more than two dozen people dead. Other -- many, many others in critical condition this morning. We have an update on what they think happened here.

[09:35:01]

And a new warning today about a popular toy and a social media trend that is leaving some children with serious burns.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, this morning we have the results of a very important, informative reporting trip from one of our best at CNN. Chief data analyst Harry Enten spent five days in Maine --

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: That's right.

BERMAN: Doing nothing --

ENTEN: That's right.

BERMAN: But working and poring over data.

ENTEN: Uh-huh.

BERMAN: There was absolutely no lobster and --

ENTEN: No, not at all. The beach was never seen at all.

BERMAN: And no -- the beach was never seen.

Harry Enten is here to talk about Maine. And the situation in Maine --

[09:40:02]

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: Kind of has changed a little bit. And not just because you went there.

ENTEN: No, not just because I went there. You know, Graham Platner officially out of the race in Maine. And you know what? Dems from an electoral perspective, even before the latest accusation, they're, simply put, better off.

Why do I say that? Well, first off, you can take a look at the prediction market odds. Look at this, chance Dem win the -- chance that Democrats win the Maine Senate race. You know, you go back to July 2nd, which was before the latest accusations. Look at this, they were at a 50/50 chance. Look at where they were up to now according to the Kalshi prediction markets. Their chances, up like a rocket. Up as far north as Maine. Up to a 64 percent chance. So, Democratic chances of winning the Maine Senate race, which, of course, would be so key into gaining back that Senate majority, are up, not just compared to where Platner was at the latest accusation, but even before it. Democrats, simply put, are better off.

BERMAN: How does the idea of a Democratic candidate fare against Susan Collins right now?

ENTEN: This is, I think, what is so key. And that was Graham Platner, simply put, was underperforming the fundamentals. He was underperforming the fundamentals. And you can see it right here, the Maine Senate polling, again prior to the latest accusation against Platner, Platner versus Collins, Collins was actually up by a point in the average poll. Compare that to the generic Senate ballot. Look at this, Democrats had a 12-point advantage. That is 12 points more of Mainers want Democrats to control the Senate than Republicans.

But Graham Platner, simply put, because he was such a weak candidate, could not take advantage of this urge of those in Maine, those voters in Maine, to actually want a Democratic Senate majority.

BERMAN: That's a huge gap. It is worth noting, sometimes when you say generic, there are a specific candidate who will do better than that, but oftentimes a specific candidate will do worse than a generic.

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: But 12 points is still very big. How are politicians in general seen in Maine right now?

ENTEN: Yes. I think one of the key reasons why that Susan Collins is outperforming the generic Senate ballot lead that you might expect for a Republican is, simply put, not because she's popular, not because she's popular, it was because Graham Platner, simply put, was unpopular. Susan Collins is at her lowest point, going back many cycles in terms of her popularity in Maine. Normally, she's on the plus side of the ledger when it comes to the net popularity rating. But look at this, Platner was so far underwater at minus eight points he, simply put, could not take advantage of Trump being 23 points underwater or Collins being three points under water.

BERMAN: There's also a lesson in history here, too.

ENTEN: There is also a lesson in history here. You know, I think Democrats are in the catbird seat at this point because, just look at history, the presidential party in midterm Senate races, when, in fact, they last won in a state that they have lost in the preceding presidential election, and Donald Trump lost in 2024, the last time they were actually able to win in a midterm election was all the way back in 2010. Now Democrats are able to rewrite the script, get a new candidate in there, might actually be able to take advantage of Susan Collins' historic unpopularity and Donald Trump's great unpopularity in the great state of Maine.

BERMAN: A glimmer of hope in Maine for Democrats right now after what was a dark period.

Harry Enten, thank you very much for the analysis (ph).

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: A lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:47:34]

BERMAN: All right, we do have breaking news out of Maine.

We're just hearing from a state official that one person was killed in an ICE-involved shooting in the city of Biddeford, which is just south of Portland.

I want to get to CNN's Rafael Romo, who's got the latest on this.

Rafael, what are you learning here?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John, good morning.

The shooting apparently happened in Biddeford, a city of 22,000 in York County, located about 18 miles southwest of Portland, the largest and most populous city in the state of Maine. We reached out to Biddeford Police and they confirmed there was an incident, but would not confirm if it was a shooting or the number of people injured. One thing they said, though, was that there is no current threat to the public.

We later heard from Maine's house speaker, Ryan Fecteau, who posted the following statement on his personal Facebook page. And here I quote, "this morning," he said, "a shooting occurred in Biddeford. A person was killed. ICE was involved. State Police and the Department of Public Safety are now on scene to gather details and would expect the FBI to investigate as well. These are the details that I have at this time," he said. "I will provide further updates as they are relayed to me."

Also, John, CNN affiliate WGME is reporting that the shooting happened around 8:00 Eastern Time near Pool Street, and that Maine state police are on the scene.

The shooting happened less than a week after an ICE agent fatally shot an immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston, sparking mass protests and demands for transparency. And, of course, this is only the very beginning, John, of this new investigation.

Now back to you.

BERMAN: All right, we stand to learn much more on this over the next few hours.

Rafael, keep us posted. Thank you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right, it was an absolute tragedy, but, honestly, still playing out in Thailand. At least 27 people are now dead. A massive fire that tore through, it was a pub, it was a nightclub. Just look at these flames. This happened early Monday morning local time. Video, you can just see it shooting from the front of the -- front door as people were trying to find escape. Investigators are now searching for the cause. Thailand's prime minister apparently visited the scene hours after the fire was put out, and said a musician was playing and saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage just before the power went out. And that's when they heard an explosion. Witnesses say the lights also then went out. Explosions followed and thick smoke quickly filled the nightclub as people tried to find escape. Officials say, in addition to those who were killed, 22 people remain in critical condition, with many victims found trapped in the restrooms at the back of the building.

[09:50:09]

There's also a new warning out from doctors and health officials alike about a dangerous social media trend involving a popular children's toy. Health officials are saying that kids have been showing up in the E.R. after microwaving NeeDoh, the squishy, gel-filled toys that honestly kids cannot get enough of these days. Apparently this is happening after they've seen on social media that putting them in the microwave can make them softer, but the gel can dramatically overheat, causing the toys to explode and causing serious burns apparently.

And then there is also this very scary video coming out of a man being launched several feet into the air by a bison at Yellowstone National Park. Truly troubling. We're told the man suffered significant injuries from this. According to a person who took the video Friday, the man and his grandson, they were taking pictures about 100 yards from the bison when it suddenly got up and charged the man. An you see what happened as the man tried to run away. He remains in the hospital.

John.

BERMAN: All right, tomorrow is the all-star game in Philadelphia. This is officially the 96th version of the game, pitting the stars from the National League against the stars from the American League. But what if I told you that a version of an all-star game actually happened 16 years before the first official one in 1933?

With me now is historian Scott Reich, the author of the new book, "One Day in September: Baseball, Brotherhood and the Birth of the All-Star Game," about a type of an all-star game that happened in 1917. I spent a wonderful weekend just now with this book. It combines two of my favorite things, the Red Sox and journalism in its own way.

So, thanks for being here, and thanks for your work on this.

Just, in brief, what was this game in September of 1917 exactly and why?

SCOTT REICH, AUTHOR, "ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER": Well, let me paint the picture for you, John. The world is at war and the league baseball writer in America, Tim Murnane, the godfather of early baseball journalism, has died unexpectedly of a heart attack. And with people looking to build community, Boston says, let's pay it forward and help this guy's family. He has young kids. They don't have a lot of money. And they say, let's have a benefit game. Both leagues get behind it and players on their own dime, on overnight trains, decide they're going to come to Fenway Park during a pennant race, September of '17, the greatest stars of the day, to play a game to raise money for Tim Murnane's family.

BERMAN: And this is like at the end of September. Like weeks before the end of the season. It's not like there's an all-star break. They just get up and go. And it's these all-stars against the Red Sox, which is awesome. But just some of the all-stars, the outfield for the other team was Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker, basically three of the best outfielders ever against the Red Sox, who starting pitcher was --

REICH: Babe Ruth.

BERMAN: So, the starting pitcher was Babe Ruth.

So, just talk to me about the national sensation this was in that moment.

REICH: Well, over 17,000 people came, and over $15,000 was raised, which was remarkable, some three times more than the average home in Boston at that time. People decided that this was a reason to show up. And this is what's remarkable about it, John. People felt that this was unremarkable. This was a normal thing to do when tragedy struck, it was to gather and to say, let's agree to care about the same thing for a few hours in the same place.

And so, before the game, and this is some of the best stuff, is that they had great contests. They had a home run derby. They had a race around the bases, most accurate throw, and they had the great celebrities of the day, Will Rogers, if you can believe this, rode a horse around the field on the field at Fenway Park, lassoing the players with a rope. You had Fanny Brice selling programs in the stands. John L. Sullivan, the original boxing champ, is coaching first base. It's a who's who of everybody of that era.

BERMAN: And the book is -- and all around us, and this is why it's great to be in the studio for this, we've got some pictures that are all in your book here. Some of the records and archives you have in here are just stunning. And you can spend, if you're a baseball fan, like hours going through them. And kind of an esoteric sense, though, this is a book that's an appreciation of journalism here. It's hard to imagine, I'm sorry to say in this day and age, like an entire sport playing an exhibition game to benefit the family of a journalist. Just talk to me about the significance of that.

REICH: It wouldn't happen. There had been a couple of benefit games prior to this game but they were for players who had fallen unexpectedly. This is the first time, and frankly the only time that I know of where a major journalist was celebrated in this way. We've certainly moved quite a bit as a society, and obviously the commercial nature of the game has changed dramatically. But I think this is something that's important about the civic reflex and why this guy, Tim Murnane, is important to remember today. Journalists today and journalists then recognized the relationship between people and society. And he is somebody who projected a sense of character and virtue and saw in baseball much more than a sport. What he saw was the values necessary to build the civic infrastructure of the nation.

BERMAN: So, this game was in 1917. The first official all-star game -- there had been barnstorming things.

REICH: Yes.

BERMAN: People say, but wait a second, all the barnstorming stuff, that was for the players to make some money for themselves. This was different. This was not making any money.

REICH: Sure.

[09:55:03]

BERMAN: The first official all-star game was 1933. To what extent was this the prototype for what ultimately happened in 1933?

REICH: Well, 1933 happened, not because it was all of a sudden the first official game, it was because Chicago was hosting the World's Fair and they wanted to have an entertainment event. So essentially the guys that were part of the 1917 game were still around. Babe Ruth, we just mentioned, was the pitcher for the Red Sox. He hit the game winning home run in 1933. So, this was on their minds, and it was a blueprint for what became the normal tradition.

BERMAN: I will say, I used to like organize my summers when I was a kid around the all-star game. It was the biggest thing. Now, it stinks. I mean, let's just be honest, there's no drama surrounding it except for the home run derby because of interleague play.

How much do you lament the loss of the all-star game being a summer event?

REICH: I do lament it. But let me say this, John, it still creates an opportunity for us to pause and recognize greatness and offer this sense of public gratitude. There are so many people behind the scenes that shape the careers of what becomes stars, the scouts, the parents, the family members who go to all these practices for years. So, it -- baseball is a game of reflection. And even if it's different from what it was, it still gives us an opportunity to think, where have we been intergenerationally? Where are we going?

BERMAN: Glass half full.

Scott Risch, thank you so much for being with us. Wonderful book. "One Day in September." Go read it. You have the all-star break to get through it, everyone out there. Thank you.

REICH: Thank you, John.

BOLDUAN: I've never been more -- felt more inadequate to be a member of the segment because of -- because of John's baseball love, but have appreciated it.

BERMAN: You love Fenway Park.

BOLDUAN: I love all things that John Berman loves, let's just put it that way.

BERMAN: You love legendary Boston Red Sox Babe Ruth.

BOLDUAN: Of course. All the things.

BERMAN: I mean, this is a great book. Go get it.

Thank you all for joining us.

BOLDUAN: Great. Thanks for coming in.

BERMAN: Yes. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.

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