Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Tennessee Botches Lethal Injection; Trump and Vance Campaign in Red States; Doctor Shortage at VA?; Flydubai Attack Investigation. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired October 01, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:00:24]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Search for a motive. As investigators try to figure out why a Flydubai pilot allegedly attacked the captain mid- flight, we're learning new details about the heroic people on board who saved the plane from going down.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And President Trump's GPS is taking him to GOP-friendly states. What it says about how Republicans are feeling right now.

And Tennessee botches an execution. Two lethal injections failed to kill Christa Pike, who would have been the first woman executed in that state in 200 years. What happened?

We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: We start this hour with new details in the investigation into that attempted hijacking of a Flydubai jet bound for Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain underwent radical Islamist indoctrination. He says the suspect is now being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where the plane ultimately landed.

The pilot, who is from India, was severely injured. He's now been moved to Abu Dhabi for treatment, according to the Indian government. Today, Netanyahu meeting with passengers, praising what he calls their Israeli heroism for subduing the suspect.

Others are describing the chaotic moments when the cockpit door opened, including this man who sat down with CNN's Jeremy Diamond.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When the when the door of the cockpit flung open, you saw that moment?

ZVIKA MARES, FLYDUBAI PASSENGER: No, my wife.

DIAMOND: Your wife saw that.

MARES: My wife saw this moment. Then she was shouting like crazy: "Someone is killing the pilot. They are stabbing the pilot."

And then the guys from the back starting moving forward. I took my daughter back, and there were descending of like a couple of minutes, the descended. We were falling. And like a couple of minutes -- seconds afterwards, the secure -- the -- stabilizing the airplane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is in Jerusalem for us as we learn more about the investigation.

So, Nic, have officials nailed down a motive.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: They seem to be moving in that direction, don't they?

We have heard from the Israeli prime minister today saying that he expects the UAE to be leading the investigation, for Israel to be part of that investigation. In fact, he called it an interrogation. He expected that attacker to end up in the UAE, and that's where they would expect to question him.

So, yes, things do seem to be being learned about this attacker, who is from Oman, had been with Flydubai for about eight months. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu really seems to have what he believes is looking likely, giving us a type of scenario that could have led to this.

Here is what he had to say about this attacker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we're gathering from the information, his personal information. He's lying there now. He's -- this attacker, and he calls out to the air crew: "Kill me. Kill me," all right?

So it's clear he was suicidal. That's not a question. It was clear he was going to down that plane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Yes, and this also seems to be the direction that the attorney general in the UAE is going. Of course, the UAE is the place that Flydubai was based out of, so they're proceeding with the beginnings of an investigation.

They're going to investigate terror activity, and they're going to investigate, was their planning, was their direction? So, was he working alone? Were there other people? What were the influences? So I think we're -- the narrative is beginning to be shaped here. But, again, we don't have the name yet. There's a lot we don't know about him.

But we do know, and I think we got an idea from the Israeli prime minister there, that -- where this information is coming from, very likely his social media feeds, other places he's put forward his views over the past years.

SANCHEZ: Nic, Israeli authorities themselves, though, they have not been able to talk to the alleged attacker yet. Why not?

ROBERTSON: Yes, because he was injured and taken off the plane in Saudi Arabia. He stayed there for treatment, along with the captain who so courageously held open the cockpit door, who we do understand has had treatment in Saudi and is now out of danger.

[13:05:10]

But the attacker, as far as we know, he is still in Saudi Arabia. And, of course, Israel does not have direct diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. I think a lot of people suspect that there are levels of conversations that are had.

But in terms of diplomatic relations, particularly when it would come to a law enforcement issue like this, might be difficult. But this I think gets the root of what the Israeli prime minister said. He expects Saudi Arabia to extradite to the UAE the attacker, and that's something that should be relatively easier because, of course, Saudi and the UAE have for the most part good relations.

SANCHEZ: Nic Robertson live for us in Jerusalem, thank you so much -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Today, President Trump and Vice President Vance are hitting the campaign trail, making a string of stops in typically deep red states.

With the midterms just weeks away and Republicans facing headwinds, the president goes to Texas and Oklahoma to rally the base, while the vice president is making a midterm push in Florida. Any moment, Vance is expected to speak at a rally in Lakeland to boost support for GOP candidates in the state.

Let's go to CNN's Betsy Klein, who's live for us at the White House.

So, Betsy, what more are you learning about the president's strategy to energize his party?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Brianna, President Trump's mind is on the midterms, and specifically this idea that both he personally and his party are not doing a good enough job of explaining to voters and convincing them that things are going well on his watch.

That is a theme that has come up repeatedly, including three times yesterday during an event that was ostensibly focused on honoring Hispanic American Heritage Month and again just moments ago as he prepared to depart the White House for Texas.

And, of course, it comes as the president is facing some dismal polling numbers. About 33 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the job in the latest CNN polling, and we are starting to see some Republican candidates place some strategic distance between themselves and the president and his policies.

But the president is about to kick off what will be a travel blitz in these 33 days heading up to the midterms. He's going to Texas and Oklahoma today. And that is part of a strategy to boost turnout amongst his MAGA base.

The goal here -- he was asked, why are you going to these red states a few moments ago, and he said he's there to thank his supporters. And it's also part of that strategy to explain what he is doing and why it is going well, in his view. He was also asked about Ken Paxton, the Texas Senate candidate, who privately said at a fund-raiser, according to "The New York Times," that the president's Republican Convention actually led to a drop in polling for his candidacy.

The president said he had not yet spoken to Paxton. So, that will be an interesting dynamic to watch today. The president also addressing the Iran war. He was asked if that was going to impact the midterms. He said it's possible, he doesn't know, but went on to say that he believes Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.

Of course, privately, we are learning. That Trump officials are conceding that it is increasingly unlikely that Republicans maintain control of the House of Representatives. There are also mounting concerns about maintaining control of the Senate, and all of this as, again, we are 33 days away and we are starting to get a clearer picture of that early voting data.

More than 700,000 Americans have cast their ballots so far. It's still early, but so far Democrats having a bit of an advantage there, Boris and Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Betsy, thank you so much for that report.

And still to come: the latest on a botched execution in Tennessee. A woman on death row survives not one, but two attempts to execute her by lethal injection.

Plus: midterm momentum. A new analysis shows Democrats with an advantage in early voting. We will break down the numbers in several key swing states coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:13:27]

SANCHEZ: At this hour, death row murderer Christa Pike is still alive, even after the state of Tennessee tried to execute her last night. Pike did not die, despite receiving not just the first dose of pentobarbital, but a second injection, provided the first one didn't work. The mother of Pike's victim, Colleen Slemmer was among the

eyewitnesses at the botched execution. Pike and her boyfriend were found guilty of torturing and murdering Slemmer 31 years ago. Tennessee has now halted executions for the rest of the year.

CNN senior national correspondent Ryan Young joins us now with the latest.

Ryan, what more are you learning about what happened?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boris, there's so many pieces of this case that I almost don't even know where to start.

We were having a sidebar about this yesterday. Let's take this for the first part of it. Back in 1995, she's convicted of this brutal murder where they used a piece of asphalt to bash in the victim's head. So you think about the pain this family's been feeling for quite some time.

And then they believe this execution's going to take place, and then, at 10:00 yesterday, they decide, well, there's a stay of execution. Well, then, finally, they move forward at 7:00. She's wheeled into the room. Witnesses are sitting there, and then they apply the two sets of drugs because the first attempt didn't work, and then they applied the second attempt.

This is actually the first known case in history where the second drug was used and the person did not die. So this is so baffling. The people in the room were astonished by what was going on. And right now we still don't know her condition. Of course, she was rushed to the hospital.

We believe there's going to be a news conference within the next two hours or so where her attorneys are going to be talking about maybe her condition and the steps moving forward. But let's not lose focus about people in that room witnessed last night.

[13:15:02]

Let's take a listen to them, because what they saw was quite shocking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE SWEENEY, MEDIA WITNESS: She said that there was a spot that was burning and hurting, and asked if that was normal. I covered all the executions last year and most of the ones this year. We haven't seen anything like it. It went really poorly.

TORI GESSNER, MEDIA WITNESS: When the curtains were opened, she was kind of inconsistently going in and out of snores and silence. When the curtains closed the final time at 8:05, we could consistently hear her snoring, and then it kind of developed into a snore-squeak.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Yes, Pike's attorneys now have released this statement. "We take no pleasure in being right, but the concern raised by Ms.

Pike proved to be true, difficult vein access, blown veins, degraded."

So -- and you see the rest here. And I want to highlight this a little bit, Boris. The fact of the matter is, before she went in for this execution, her attorneys were basically saying she had very small veins. They thought that was going to be an issue because earlier this year there was an issue killing another inmate in the state of Tennessee, and they believed that was going to play a role in her case.

The protocols here didn't work because, apparently, after the second attempt, they didn't know where to go with this. So now we don't know her condition. We know that the state has basically suspended executions for the rest of the year.

But what is this investigation going to bring forward? And in this news conference that should happen in the next hour or two, do we find out what her condition is at this point? And is she still suffering? So many questions. And then to think about the victim's mom 30 years later sitting in that room watching all this take place, so many questions left unanswered at this point.

Of course, we're still trying to get more details for you.

SANCHEZ: Yes, we will be watching for any details that are revealed at that news conference.

Ryan Young, thank you so much for watching that story for us.

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: Up next, new CNN reporting on how the Veterans Administration built dozens of new health clinics, but apparently can't find enough personnel to staff them.

And, later, a terrifying near miss with a semitruck caught on camera. We have got some wild video coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:21:40]

SANCHEZ: So the VA has spent years saying it wants to give veterans more access to health care, and opening dozens of new facilities across the country became a priority, though, a new CNN report finds that many of those centers are struggling to hire enough doctors, nurses, and medical staff.

KEILAR: Yes, some veterans and providers say that it's making it harder for vets to get appointments. It's leading to long waits for them to get care.

CNN's Brian Todd is with us now on this story.

Brian, tell us what you're learning. BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, Boris, we have new reporting

on some of these clinics and their struggles, especially one in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a new VA clinic, which was supposed to be a real crown jewel.

It cost more than $350 million to build. The VA tattered it as the largest VA health care clinic in the U.S., spanning more than 470,000 square feet, completely state-of-the-art. But now, 19 months after the ribbon cutting at that facility, the VA is struggling to staff the place, according to our sources, and some veterans are telling us their care has suffered as a result.

According to VA data obtained by CNN, the Fredericksburg clinic has a staffing vacancy rate of nearly 40 percent, which means more than 350 positions have not been filled. The VA says it's opened 41 new clinics across the U.S.

That same data that we obtained shows that roughly half of those new facilities had double-digit vacancy rates as of July. Now, at Fredericksburg, that's translated into hardship for some veterans.

I spoke with one veteran of the Marines, Mike Dunlap, who sought treatment there. He told me he's gone through four primary care doctors in the span of a year-and-a-half at the Fredericksburg clinic. They have all quit, he says, just sending him a form letter, saying they wouldn't be there anymore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE DUNLAP, U.S. MARINE VETERAN: You have to start over every time. They can look at your records, but until they talk to you and know you, it slows everything down.

And you build up a rapport with a doctor, and now you lose a little bit of confidence because now you have got to explain everything all over again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Other veterans told us they had problems getting in for initial appointments at Fredericksburg, and one veteran was turned down for urgent care visits, all, they say, because of staffing shortages.

Those veterans describe going to a gleaming and very clean facility without many people in it, and with a huge parking lot, much of it very empty, as these pictures that I took recently can show you.

One health care provider at Fredericksburg who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution told us doctors and other providers at Fredericksburg are burned out, exhausted, and that that's why they're leaving. This provider likened the work atmosphere there to -- quote -- "a car production line."

That was reiterated to us by Congressman Eugene Vindman, a Democrat, a veteran himself, who represents that district where the Fredericksburg VA clinic is located. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. EUGENE VINDMAN (D-VA): It is the fact that they can't keep staff, that they can't hire staff, that it's taking too long. That's making wait times too long. That's making it impossible for veterans to actually get in the door. And that's what needs to get fixed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Now, the VA is staunchly defending its operations at Fredericksburg.

VA Press Secretary Quinn Slaven said in a statement to CNN -- quote -- "The Fredericksburg VA clinic is opening in phases. It met its hiring goals in the first three phases and is now in phase four. In less than two years since opening, the clinic has already completed more than 245,000 appointments and is ahead of schedule for enrolling new patients" -- end quote.

Outside analysts tell us some of this is really not the VA's fault. They say the VA opened all of these clinics as the entire country is experiencing a shortage of doctors, nurses, and other providers, with even greater shortages projected in the next decade. It's going to get pretty bad.

[13:25:11]

And they say the VA has to deal with an unwieldy bureaucracy and often cannot pay doctors the same salaries that they would make in the private sector, guys.

SANCHEZ: And like pro sports leagues, the VA has to deal with a salary cap.

(CROSSTALK)

TODD: A salary cap, of all things. You wouldn't think that they would, but, yes, there is a salary cap for doctors at the VA.

They're not allowed to make more than the president of the United States, $400,000 a year. Now, the VA, through an act of Congress, has been granted 300 waivers. They can pay 300 doctors above that amount. They have used up most of those waivers, not all of them, but both VA officials and outside analysts tell us 300 waivers not nearly enough.

There's so many doctors at the VA. They need to pay them more, and they're having trouble competing with private sector salaries.

KEILAR: Yes, certainly.

Brian, thank you so much for that excellent reporting. Really appreciate it.

TODD: Thanks.

KEILAR: Still to come: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the man accused of attacking his fellow pilot and trying to crash that Flydubai airliner underwent what he called radical Islamist indoctrination.

We will talk about that and have the latest on the investigation next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)