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USS Lincoln Returns to U.S. After Near-Record Deployment; USS Lincoln Strike Group Return to U.S. After 11 Months at Sea; Hurricane Isaias Strengthens as it Heads for Golf Coast; Nearly Two-Thirds of Gulf Oil Production Shut Down as Isaias Nears; CNN Polls: Dems Leading in Ohio & Iowa Races for Governor; Attorney for Accused Cornell Student: "No Crime Committed" Night of Jane Doe's Alleged Sexual Assault 3-3:30p ET

Aired October 08, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: ... airs Saturday at 10 P.M. Eastern and Pacific right here on CNN. It's also streaming the next day on the CNN app with an all-access subscription.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

SANCHEZ: Our breaking news this hour, in just moments we're going to see reunions almost a year in the making. Sailors on board the USS Abraham Lincoln finally will get to hug their family and friends. They're pulling into port in sunny Southern California as we speak. These are live images of sailors as you see lined up aboard the ship. They've been on a grueling near-record deployment at sea, 321 days to be exact. Who's counting right?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: That's right.

SANCHEZ: Yes, they certainly are. Their mission of course in support of the war with Iran saw them endure supply shortages and mental health struggles as well.

KEILAR: Now they begin a new mission making up for lost time with the people they love and among them more than 120 -- 122 to be exact, new babies who are meeting their dads for the very first time. CNN's Pamela Brown is on board the USS Lincoln as it's making the last leg of its nearly 11 month journey.

Pam, you've been talking with the crew. I mean, this is very exciting. They're coming home. There will be some tough business in the weeks ahead of reintegrating. This is some sweet -- these are some really sweet reunions though that we are about to see as they do adjust to life back on land and with their families.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR & CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: This is such a powerful moment on this ship, the USS Abraham Lincoln is of the (INAUDIBLE) and I wanted to show you right now you see service members right here they're manning the rails right here. And over -- you see how close they are to the port. You see thousands of their family members: moms, dads, kids, kids that have never met their parents, sisters, aunts, uncles, you name it they are all waiting.

We've been hearing so many cheers as the ship gets closer and closer to the port. And also, as this ship has been pulling in, there have been other smaller ships to show their support they -- they had the American flag, they were playing God bless America.

These service members are getting quite a homecoming after this grueling 10 and a half month deployment. You have to remember, Brianna and Boris, so many of these crew members are very young. The average age is around 23 years old. This was the first appointment for many of these sailors. And it started off as a typical deployment, and suddenly they found themselves in the front lines, in the war with Iran.

They were pushed to the brink with the Iranian blockades and mission after mission. Thousands of flight operations. They were asked to do so much in service of this country. And now, here they are to be embraced by those who love them so much.

I've been speaking to so many sailors asking them how they're feeling today and there's -- there's a mix of emotion. There is so much excitement. Many said we weren't sure this day was going to come. In fact, some of them were wearing a shirt that said someday on it, because the deployment got extended. And now, they -- they say oh my gosh I can't believe it's here but they're a little nervous too, what is reintegration going to be like talking to mom saying, okay I'm -- I have to go into mom mode now when I get back on to port and dad to have never met their children before becoming new dads.

I spoke to one sailor named Joey he had his first child while he was on deployment, Madeline Gray (ph), so he's been taking classes here on the ship to learn how to be a dad, changing diapers and so forth. So, some of these practicalities they haven't had to deal with on board they're now going to be doing once they get on land.

And you can just hear the excitement, Brianna and Boris. I mean,, the family members, so many of them, have been anxiously awaiting their return. And it's interesting, I spoke to Captain Keeler last night of the ship. He said one thing he would do differently next time is keep the family members more informed and try to communicate with them more.

As you know, there was a town hall in San Diego a while back with family members and Navy leadership where they expressed their concerns about the conditions on board and mental health struggles. And so, he told me that he recognized that. He recognized the toll it took and he recognized the need to make sure that families were kept in the loop more.

And there's been some other takeaways from this demanding deployment, too. Now, I'm told Navy leadership is telling ships like the USS George Washington that replaced the Abraham Lincoln, look it's going to be a long deployment. They're telling them that from the front end. They're setting those expectations. They're also making sure that the ships get more port visits.

So, support visits are so crucial. It helps the sailors relax, unplug.

[15:05:02]

This team here of around 5,000 sailors, they had very limited port visits, so that was another big takeaway. So much has been learned -- these sailors have had to endure so much and there's a lot of pride here. So many have told me they feel like a different person now. They are going to walk off this ship today a different person than when they walked on this ship last November. They say that they know they are tougher now, that they can overcome so much.

One told me, you know, if I could do this, I can do anything. Another telling me all the small things they don't matter. You know, I've been at war now. I can do anything. And so, there is just a sense of pride, and a sense of a newfound confidence from this crew that's about to be reunited so soon with their loved ones on land here in San Diego Bay, a day they have all been looking forward to, Brianna and Boris.

KEILAR: Pamela, thank you so much for that report. We're going to continue to monitor the situation there with you on board the USS Lincoln. We'll keep an eye on the scenes coming out of Coronado and these homecomings of these sailors we're going to bring you those moments later in the show.

Now to the Gulf Coast, where preparations for the first hurricane of the Atlantic season are underway. Isaias is currently a Category 1 hurricane. It's expected to become a Category 2 later today. In Florida, 25 counties are under a state of emergency. Portions of Walton and Okaloosa County have mandatory evacuation orders.

SANCHEZ: The mayor of Gulf Shores, Alabama meantime says he's asked the governor to declare mandatory evacuations. They're saying he's worried about storm surge. He does not want people to get stuck trying to get out.

Another impact of the storm we're watching, all those oil refineries along the Gulf Coast. Federal regulators say almost two-thirds of the current oil production in the Gulf is shut down as Isaias moves toward landfall. Workers have been evacuated from five of the 11 drilling rigs operating in the Gulf. Let's go to CNN's Derek Van Dam who's tracking the storm for us.

So, what's the latest on this hurricane?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: All right. Boris, so what we're looking at now is satellite imagery and just analyzing it as a meteorologist. This is not the healthiest of looking hurricanes and this is what we want to see, because dry air and shear -- wind shear are doing this part on this storm, kind of keeping it from rapidly intensifying. We have seen strengthening but not the rapid intensification that we feared.

So, we've got hurricane hunters currently flying and testing the environment. They're finding winds roughly about 85 miles per hour. So, that latest 2 P.M. update it came in still as a strong Category 1, but we have not moved on to Category 2 strength just yet. So, kind of an anemic looking storm but that doesn't mean it has -- doesn't have the time to get its act together, because it explicitly forecasts a hurricane that will reach near major strength peaking tonight and into early tomorrow morning before making landfall sometime late Friday evening into early Saturday.

But, of course, the big story that has been around hurricane Isaias has been this wind shear, right? And so, this is actually going to -- on its final approach -- help shear off the tops of the hurricane, but a result of that will actually or a bright byproduct of that is actually in expanding wind fields. So, we will see larger impacts away from the center of the storm. I mean, this is the tropical storm force you see in shades of yellow, that stretches from west of Biloxi all the way to Panama City, roughly 250 miles. There's a lot of pine trees in this part of the world. So, the likelihood here of taking down pines taking out power very likely, 110-mile-per-hour wind gusts possible in and around Pensacola and Mobile Bay.

Here's the timing, if you haven't left and you're asked to evacuate now is your moment into tomorrow morning first light because this storm is going to be racing northward and we'll start to see the worst conditions as we go through the course of the day and certainly into the overnight period. This is going to be a dark storm, meaning it's going to make landfall after dark and that is going to complicate the efforts here, so make sure you have candles flashlights available if the power does go out.

A tornado threat here cannot be overstated enough, that's a concern, so is the storm surge, flash flooding is also a concern. So many threats with an incoming hurricane in this vulnerable coastline, Boris, Brianna.

SANCHEZ: Yes, candles flashlight, the CNN Weather App, water, everything you need to endure a storm like this.

VAN DAM: That's -- hey, that's a great, great plug though, but it's real because you have you -- have connection to the -- the meteorologist guiding you through the storm at that moment when you don't have power.

SANCHEZ: No doubt. Derek Van Dam, thank you so much for that report. Still to come, new CNN polling in two red states where Democrats now see a prime opportunity to pick up a Senate seat.

Plus, the attorney for one of the seven accused Cornell University students tell CNN he does not believe a crime was committed the night Jane Doe alleges she was sexually assaulted. The details on that ahead.

KEILAR: And later, the housing affordability crisis deepens. Mortgage rates climbing for the seven straight week. We have that much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

[15:10:02]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:14:23]

SANCHEZ: We're now just 26 days to the midterms and we're getting a pulse of where voters are in two deep red states. According to new CNN polling in Ohio and Iowa, Democrats are leading in three out of four key races. The Ohio race for governor, Ohio Senate and the Iowa governor. As for the Iowa Senate, as you see, no clear leader right now.

KEILAR: Right now, Republican Ashley Hinson has a two-point advantage over Democrat Josh Turek, so no clear leader, too close to call. Trump carried the state though by 13 points in 2024. CNN Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny is with us.

All right, what do you think the biggest takeaways here are from these polls?

[15:15:04]

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I mean, I think one of the biggest just overwhelming number in this is that three- fourths of voters in both Iowa and Ohio say that Trump policies have caused the affordability crisis, the rising costs. You don't see three-fourths of voters agreeing on much of anything, so I think that is the most just striking there. Just look at those numbers, 76 percent in Ohio, 74 percent in Iowa.

So, that is a problem for Republicans because cost of living is seen as the top issue by about half of the electorate or so. So, those are pretty striking numbers there. Not that long ago that Trump won both states by campaigning on bringing prices down and now they're saying his policies have lift him up.

But there's also a lot going on in terms of the final chapter this race is playing out in red state America, we know that. But the types of Democrats who are running in both of these, the governor's race is so interesting. It's been a while, 20 years since the governor -- Democratic governor was elected in Iowa, so it obviously might take a different type of Democrat.

We caught up with Rob Sand, the state auditor, the only Democrat elected statewide. We went hunting with him over the weekend and he said this about the party's brand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB SAND, (D) IOWA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I think that the vast majority of voters understand that there's more than one kind of Democrat and more than one kind of Republican.

ZELENY: What kind are you?

SAND: I'm myself. Look, I say it on my town halls, I registered as an Independent when I first registered to vote. I don't know why we have to be Democrats or Republicans. I've never heard a compelling reason that we should only have two options on the ballot and I don't think either party is doing a great job of fixing problems. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So, that sounds like a candidate who's trying to win over independent voters. I mean, independent voters not surprisingly are the sweet spot here that all candidates are going after, but in both of these polls as well both states, they have an advantage for the Democratic candidate. So, that is one of the reasons that in the Senate race in Iowa it is too close to call but the top Republican Super PAC has invested $20 million more last week to try and keep that seat red.

So, the bottom line to all this, the math gets a little confusing, Democrats need to win four seats to win the Senate majority. Likely, two of those have to come from these red states. And the governor's races, we don't talk about quite as much but they are obviously very important in the long-term.

But this is another perhaps bright spot for Republicans. This was a very interesting question in our survey. When asked if you would like Republicans to be in control of the Senate or Democrats, a bit of a split. But in Iowa, Republicans won that.

So, again, just the idea of getting some of these Trump voters and independents over the hurdle of wanting a Democratic majority is tough. And, of course, Chuck Schumer has always asked, would you support Chuck Schumer as majority leader, a lot of senators run away from that question.

KEILAR: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Before the more serious question, what were you hunting? Duck? Deer? Any success?

ZELENY: The candidate ...

SANCHEZ: Voters?

ZELENY: I'm hunting voters. The candidate was hunting deer. It's bow hunting season and he's been a hunter all his life, so we went out with him. A bow hunting. And he did not get one during our time with him.

SANCHEZ: Next time. Next time. So, there's a tele-rally tonight that President Trump is going to be a part of. And then, he's headed to Alabama as well as other red states. How do you see this red state tour shaping up for these candidates? Is it helping them that the President is out there?

ZELENY: We'll see. I mean, it's definitely firing up Trump supporters, but most of them probably are already fired up and paying attention. The question is what's it doing for -- is he persuading anyone. And, when you look at the Alabama it is just a very interesting place. He's going there a second time. Also going to Tennessee.

But he's trying to remind you know loyal Republican voters to -- he's trying to make this a contrast election. It's not about me, we do not want to elect them. So, that's why he's doing this town hall tonight as well as traveling to one red state after another.

KEILAR: Deer are probably turned off by political talk or really any talk at all any talk, is that what we could say?

ZELENY: Any talk at all. We had to be quiet, which was kind of nice actually to be with the politician and be quiet.

KEILAR: Be quiet with a politician.

SANCHEZ: Jeff Zeleny, thanks so much.

ZELENY: You bet.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Coming up, the attorney for one of the accused Cornell students speaking with CNN. Why he says his client did not commit a crime. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:23:58]

KEILAR: And we are taking you back to Coronado, California and the homecoming for the USS Abraham Lincoln. You see the sailors on board. Some of them are -- a lot of them actually on cell phones as they are probably talking to family and friends. This aircraft carrier returning to its homeport near San Diego after 11 months at sea. They're just moments away, hopefully, in the coming minutes and hopefully not too many minutes, maybe hours here, from returning to see their loved ones after this deployment. Friends and family are on shore.

You see them waving there on the phone trying to connect with people and certainly look down to her friends and family are in the crowd to see where they are. Very excited to welcome them home. So, we're going to continue to monitor this, 122 new babies born while this aircraft carrier was underway.

More rallies in support of the former Cornell student Jane Doe are set for tonight.

[15:25:03]

Students, survivors and feminist groups plan to rally against sexual violence in New York City and Washington, D.C. Last night, the City of Ithaca's Common Council temporarily paused new event and noise permits for Cornell University and its student organizations through early November due to public safety concerns. In the meantime, an attorney for one of the men accused in the alleged 2024 gang rape at Chi Phi fraternity wants special prosecutor and New York State Attorney General Letitia James to recuse herself from the investigation. CNN's Gloria Pazmino is joining us now with more on this.

So, Gloria I know you spoke to this attorney. Is he also questioning whether a crime was committed against Jane Doe the night of the alleged assault? GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brianna. And -- and I first want to talk about who his client is. He's one of the seven students, Gillio Lopes. He is representing him in this case. And Lopes' his case is important because it's Lopes' room inside Chi Phi's fraternity house where the alleged incident takes place. But we have learned from Lopes' attorney that his client describes the sexual activity that he had with Jane Doe as being consensual. He describes her as being an active participant in that activity.

As we know, Jane Doe's a lawyer has said that she could not have possibly consented because of the state that she was in, having been drinking and consumed drugs that night. I want you to take a listen about what the attorney said to me specifically about whether or not he believes an actual crime was committed not just by his client, but everyone involved. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW MILTENBERG, ATTORNEY FOR GILLIO LOPES: I've seen all of the evidence in the Title IX file, there was no crime committed that I'm aware of. And to the extent, an investigator decides there was the possibility of a crime. It certainly wasn't Gillio.

PAZMINO: So, you don't believe a crime was committed at all not just with your clients involvement but with everyone.

MILTENBERG: Correct. And I certainly don't think a crime was committed by Gillio. I wasn't there for everybody. And because of FERPA and privacy issues, there are some things I haven't seen in some of the cases. But I do not think there's any civil liability. I do not think Gillio has any criminal liability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, Brianna, Lopes is one of two Cornell University students that remains on campus. We also learned the specifics of what disciplinary action the university took against him. He was suspended for one academic year and he was one of the students that was made to write a reflective statement about what happened.

We asked the attorney about how Lopes is doing how he has been handling his presence on campus because we know that faculty has raised concerns about the fact that he is there. It's upsetting to some of the other students and there's been even some social media videos circulating where one student appears to confront him. Here's what he told me about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Based on what we know so far, do you think that there was a crime that occurred here at any point?

MILTENBERG: I do not. I do not. I've seen all of the evidence in the Title IX file. There was no crime committed that I'm aware of and to the extent an investigator decides there was the possibility of a crime, it certainly wasn't Gillio. PAZMINO: How's your client doing, because he's back on campus. How is he handling all of that?

MILTENBERG: What has occurred in social media is devastating to his and everyone else involved in this, all of their reputations. It will be hard to outrun for the rest of their lives.

PAZMINO: Now, Brianna he also told us that so far he believes the large majority of the evidence in this case has not yet been seen by the public. He thinks that public perception is likely to change once all of the facts come out. We are likely long ways away from seeing that as both the criminal investigation that's being handled by the State Attorney General, a special prosecutor unfolds and also the investigation that is being conducted by the university. So, I think it's going to be a while before we see all of that information, but you hear him they are talking about the way that his client and these other seven students -- these other six students have been impacted by the fact that this is being widely talked about on social media.

KEILAR: Yes. Gloria, thank you so much for the latest from New York.

Homebuyers are not catching a break with mortgage rates now matching a three-year high. Up next, how the price of the American dream is going up, up and away, becoming even further out of reach for so many.

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