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Battle for Congress Up with 22 Days Until the Midterms; Trump Heads to Ohio as GOP Races to Limit Midterm Losses; Police Investigating After Officer Killed in Philadelphia; Pope Leo to Undergo Lung Surgery. Aired 8:00-8:30a ET

Aired October 12, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Solo shot off a two-time Cy Young winner, Tarek Skubal, to tie the game. Next inning, rookie Luis Lara delivers the go-ahead single. Kate, the Dodgers get to threaten in the ninth.

Mookie Betts goes deep, but it is caught. The Brewers win 2-1, snapping a seven-game postseason losing streak against LA. The Dodgers have a payroll that is more than the other three teams in the championship series combined, Kate.

So they're playing on this champagne budget, but the Brewers are like, hey, we can still party with a beer budget. Let's go bring it on.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: I don't even know what to do with you. I'm still stuck on Grand Theft Football. I cannot believe I've never heard that line before, and I absolutely love that one.

Coy, so much happened this weekend.

WIRE: It was an awesome day in sports, and we got game one tonight of the other NLCS series, the Dodgers and Brewers play again. We're just living in our glory days as sports fans.

BOLDUAN: Yes, just as I always say, every day with Coy Wire is our best day. Thank you, love. Grand Theft.

WIRE: You got it.

BOLDUAN: Grand Theft Football. A new hour, see the NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: A huge, excuse me, a huge shift to the Democrats in the early vote in a key Senate swing state, one the president just happens to be visiting today.

New potential flooding as the tropical storm bears down on a large swath of the country.

And then soaring to royal heights. A queen takes her first solo flight in a fighter jet.

I'm John Berman with Queens, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: The midterms racing ever closer, and there's a word for what's going on behind the scenes with Republicans, triage. Our new CNN reporting revealing they're scrambling to limit the damage with Election Day just three weeks from tomorrow.

President Trump is heading to Ohio today for the second time this month, the latest stop in his blitz through states that used to be really safe places for Republicans. It comes as new data suggests a surge in enthusiasm among Democrats. They are making up a much larger share of the early vote than they did two years ago.

Compared to this point in 2024, it is a 27-point shift towards Democrats statewide. In counties Trump won by 20 points or more, it's a 25-point shift towards the Democrats. In the counties Kamala Harris won by 20 points or more, it's a 25-point shift. Now a word of caution, these numbers show who's voting, not who they voted for, but they can offer some clues, and some in the GOP are really worried.

One House Republican tells CNN quote, "Trump's dragging the party down." CNN's Kevin Liptak is live this morning at the White House. What are you learning there when you're starting to hear more and more Republicans making this claim that, look, the president isn't helping us?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and I think when you talk to White House officials, they are clear-eyed about what the prospects are in three weeks when Election Day rolls around, but that isn't necessarily stopping the president from carrying out what is kind of a frenetic campaign schedule. Whether Republicans like it or not, he's on the road now virtually every day. In a lot of ways, this election has become what many Republicans hoped it wouldn't become, which is a referendum on his agenda in office.

But I think the president recognizes that whether Republicans do well or not in November, he will catch the blame. And so he is trying, I think, to prevent any accusations that he didn't do what he needed to do in terms of campaigning. You know, when he said some months ago that he would be out every day of October campaigning, there was a lot of skepticism.

But he is doing that, and he's trying to close the enthusiasm gap here. You know, Democrats very enthusiastic about their midterm prospects, Republicans less so. And the concern really is about the president's base of supporters, his hardcore supporters who may not go out and vote when he is not on the ballot.

What he's trying to do is go to places and say, pretend I'm on the ballot. And the story, I think, is clearest perhaps in Ohio, where the president will be today. This is a state he won by 11 points in 2024, now his approval rating completely underwater.

The CNN poll last week showed his approval at just 36 percent. And that is having the effect of dragging down the Republicans in the statewide races there. So, Jon Husted, who's the incumbent Republican, now trailing in the polls behind Sherrod Brown, who is trying to regain a Senate seat there.

[08:05:00]

Sherrod Brown at 49 percent, Jon Husted at 43 percent. The numbers are even starker in the gubernatorial race. The Democrat there, Amy Acton, now at 50 percent.

Vivek Ramaswamy, who's the Republican, at 42 percent. And so the president going there to try and give these Republicans a jolt of energy. And that story will play out again and again this week.

The president heading tomorrow to Alaska. On Wednesday, he will be in Arizona and Montana, again, all states where the president won handily in 2024, but where Republicans now trailing, now in much more competitive races than perhaps they would have expected. The president trying to drag them across the finish line -- Sara.

SIDNER: Kevin Liptak, thank you so much for your reporting there from the White House on this Monday morning. Appreciate it -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is Scott MacFarlane. He's the chief Washington correspondent for the MeidasTouch Network. Great to see you, Scott.

You talked to, speaking of Ohio, you talked to the former senator now running to be senator again, Sherrod Brown, kind of about the state of things in Ohio in that race. And you said he is openly predicting and making no bones about it that he's going to win. Is he manifesting or does he see something more?

Like, what are you hearing in that conversation you had?

SCOTT MACFARLANE, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, MEIDASTOUCH NETWORK: Kate, clearly, he's not superstitious, as he is declaratively saying, I'm going to win. We're going to win big. But Sherrod Brown, who served in Congress from 1993 to 2024, is trying to do is thread this needle, Kate, where he's trying to be a change agent, even though he did 31 years in Congress before losing in the last cycle.

He's arguing there are three-time Trump voters who are shifting, including in areas that Democrats have seen erosion in the last few years, Southeast Ohio, Northwest Ohio. What Brown is doing is what he's recommending other Democrats do, tying the Trump use of money for things like taxpayer-funded ads and vanity projects with affordability crises that we're all feeling. Trump's using money for this instead of using money for that.

That's a message that resonates not just in Ohio, Kate, but likely nationwide.

BOLDUAN: Look, I mean, and the new early voting data out in Ohio says something, right? There's been a 27-point shift towards Democrats in terms of who's voting early now compared to two years ago. But that, of course, is not necessarily does -- we don't know how they voted, but it can be indicative.

And then you have Trump's travel schedule. You've got -- he's there today. Then he's in Alaska, Arizona, Montana.

What do you see in this travel schedule then this week?

MACFARLANE: A couple notes. The Arizona and Ohio trips jump out at me because he's going there. You see Bullhead City and you see Youngstown.

That's not the site of battleground races. Those are not where the big fights are in those states. So it's somewhat curious he's choosing those cities in those states.

That being said, the early voting number in Ohio, I'm seeing it replicated in Virginia. In Virginia, listen to this number, Kate. Abigail Spanberger, the governor, says at this point in the calendar in 2022, 200,000 people had shown up to vote early, 200,000.

This year, it's 450,000 have shown up. That's a more than 100 percent increase. Something is happening with these early vote numbers indicating enthusiasms.

Remains to be seeing which party is getting the enthusiasm, but Sherrod Brown and Abigail Spanberger have a guess.

BOLDUAN: Yes, maybe what is driving why Sherrod Brown is not a superstitious man when it comes to the Senate race this time. You mentioned the taxpayer-funded ads. Last night, a federal judge ordered that the Trump administration cancel any further airings of these controversial taxpayer-funded ads that promoted Trump's agenda and Trump.

The Justice Department had said that this weekend the ad push was set to end on Sunday anyway, but still. DHS secretary asked just yesterday about this whole episode and if taxpayers will be reimbursed. Let me play what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARKWAYNE MULLIN, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Anytime we can do a public service announcement and brag about America, I'm all about it. We should be bragging about what's happening inside America. I commend the opportunity of President Trump to give us the opportunity to brag about America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: You say something interesting on how candidates are trying to kind of tie this into the affordability conversation. How is this going over in battleground districts and states you're traveling to?

MACFARLANE: This isn't chump change, Kate. This is tens of millions of taxpayer dollars just for the airtime for those ads during football games and cable news. What Abigail Spanberger, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, Sherrod Brown in Ohio are arguing is you got to synthesize these things.

Put that taxpayer expense side by side with the fact we're paying so much for diesel, so much for college health care and for food. They think that's a winning message. We'll find out in 22 days.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Also, your newsletter definitely worth a look all the time.

[08:10:00]

This morning was a really interesting take on just how R-rated and vulgar this campaign midterm cycle has really become. It's a really interesting take on it all. It's good to see you, Scott. Thanks for coming in -- John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, new details in the investigation of a deadly ambush of two Philadelphia police officers.

New airport attacks, key infrastructure in the Middle East targeted again. And now the president is considering getting more deeply involved.

And new forecasts just in as tropical weather threatens to inundate a big chunk of the country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:00]

BERMAN: This morning investigators are working to piece together the timeline of a deadly shooting that left a Philadelphia police officer dead and his partner wounded. The suspect is now in custody. I want to get right to CNN's Danny Freeman for all the latest on this.

Good morning, Danny.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, John. This story really has been horrible and has really shaken the city and a family here in Philadelphia who is in mourning after 40-year-old police officer Shane Seiber was shot and killed over the weekend by a gunman. His partner, as you noted, still in the hospital at this point recovering.

Seiber leaves behind a wife and two children, a seven-year-old and a three-year-old. A lot of people shaken by this violence over the weekend, John. Let me tell you what we know about what led up to this horrific shooting.

It all started just after midnight early on Saturday morning. Police say they got a call of a person with a gun on a porch in West Philadelphia. Seiber and his partner, they arrived at this residence.

They stepped on the porch and, according to police, almost immediately they started to take fire. Seiber, police officer Seiber, he was shot three times. John, his partner, was shot 12 times.

Other officers eventually arrived. Apparently, they also took fire as well. The SWAT team arrived.

They ultimately were able to find the suspect. He was hidden in a tree. He had several guns on him at the time, and they were able to take him into custody.

Initially, in the early morning hours of Saturday, Philadelphia police, they hoped that Seiber would be able to recover from his injuries. But then later on in the day, he did indeed pass away. I want you to take a listen to how the Philadelphia Police Commissioner broke the news to the public and to the community here in Philadelphia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COMMISSIONER KEVIN BETHEL, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today. I want to say I appreciate all of the calls and all of the support we received. Fortunately, his wife was able to be by his side before he passed, as well as his family, and we're grateful for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: So, John, let's talk now about the suspect in this case. His name is Eric Lewis. He's a 35-year-old man, and he is facing dozens of charges, including murder charges and attempted murder charges as well.

According to the Associated Press, John, he also was previously convicted for other criminal offenses, including assault, theft and other gun charges as well. Today, we're hoping to learn more, of course, about the condition of that officer who is still in the hospital, recovering from those 12 gunshot wounds, but also hopefully more information about what possibly could have led this suspect to open fire, allegedly, on these police officers on early Saturday morning -- John.

BERMAN: Just horrible for that family and that community. Danny Freeman, thank you so much for being with us this morning -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you so much, John. Coming up, Pope Leo announcing he will undergo lung surgery. The new details about his condition this morning.

And Texas Democrat Senate nominee James Talarico finally returning to the campaign trail after a long absence where his high-stakes race to flip Texas blue stands. Those stories and more ahead.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: So we've now learned that Pope Leo is set to undergo lung surgery. The pontiff is 71 years old and says that it is a nodule that was discovered during a routine health check. But what does this mean?

CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb is tracking this when he joins us now. Christopher, what are you learning about this?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: OK, I'm outside the Gemelli Hospital where Pope Leo will be admitted to hospital tomorrow morning, Rome time, Tuesday morning, ahead of surgery to remove a small growth on his lung. Now, the Pope made the announcement that this surgery would take place on Sunday. In front of the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square. It was a surprise announcement. The Pope is generally seen to be in good health. He keeps active.

He likes to play tennis. He swims. And although he's 71 years old, he is someone, as I say, seen in good health or not having any known underlying health condition.

But he will be coming into hospital here at the Gemelli in the northwest of Rome for this surgery. It's the first hospital appointment, the first time he's been admitted to hospital since his election as Pope in May 2025. And he has said that the doctors recommended that he come into hospital to have this surgery following routine checks, which detected this small growth on his lung.

BOLDUAN: Christopher Lamb, thank you so much. Christopher, much more to learn and much more to come from here.

Coming up for us in Michigan, fears of a possible serial killer after five men died from injuries along a popular trail.

And the number of families falling behind with debt is hitting the highest level in 16 years. What these new numbers now reveal.

[08:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: This Wednesday, a special CNN Town Hall with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. And Talarico is trying to pull off what Democrats have wished to do for ages but have not been able to pull off. To turn a long-held red Republican seat blue by beating Republican opponent Ken Paxton.

CNN's Harry Enten is running the numbers on this one and running into the shot.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Running into the picture. I was really far away. I was in New Jersey.

BOLDUAN: Further than usual. So, Harry, when it comes -- there's a lot. I mean, Texas is a big focus.

ENTEN: There's a lot.

BOLDUAN: Talarico and Paxton have been a big focus. Is it Talarico alone that you're seeing that polling is showing unusual strength for Democrats? Are you seeing something more?

ENTEN: Yes, I'm seeing something more, Kate Bolduan. Also, no, I love that music as it plays. It really gets you in the mood.

It's midterm time. It's election time. But no, it is not.

It's not just Talarico, in which we are seeing a very unusual pattern. [08:30:00]