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Ocasio-Cortez campaigns with Dem Senate Hopeful in Michigan; Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) Discusses About Israel and Iran; El-Sayed Tells NBC Israel and Iran Both a Threat to U.S.; FBI Investigates Mail with Suspicious Substances Sent to Capitol Hill; Killed Woman and Child Found Still Holding Hands in Rubble; Source: Ukraine Runs out of Patriot Defense Missiles, Leaving it More Vulnerable to Russian Ballistic Attacks 3-3:30p ET

Aired October 15, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ... has two big pluses. One, it's gorgeous. And on election night, it gives us a giant early test of the midterm blue wave debate.

John King, CNN, Morehead City, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: All eyes on Michigan, both Democrats and Republicans making a major push as they battle for a key Senate seat. The candidates getting a little help from their friends with 19 days left in the election.

Plus, Ukraine running out of the Patriot missiles needed to prevent Russian strikes as President Zelenskyy and President Trump clash over attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.

And then later, the so-called Doomsday Glacier is in trouble. Scientists find it is melting at a much faster pace than previously thought.

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

KEILAR: Just 19 days to go till Election Day, a key race taking Michigan by storm. Earlier today, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez was out campaigning with Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El- Sayed, the pair making multiple stops together in the Upper Peninsula.

And in the meantime, Vice President J.D. Vance, also there in Michigan, arriving at a rally for Republicans just last hour.

Today, El-Sayed's Republican challenger Mike Rogers launching a new seven-figure add-by in the closing stretch of that race.

As for President Trump, he is off the trail today, mulling a possible return to Texas. CNN's Kristen Holmes live for us at the White House.

Kristen, if he goes back to Texas, that would actually be his fourth time in just a matter of weeks. KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A matter of

weeks, we're just 19 days out from the midterms. And he's going back to this deep red state of Texas. And it just goes to show you how desperate Republicans are. They are trying to hold on to this seat, the Senate seat, in any way that they possibly can. So, President Trump was talking about going back to Texas. It seems likely. Here's what he actually said about making yet another trip down there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, Ken Paxton's a guy that, whether you like Ken or not, honestly, I mean, I understand some people are controversial, et cetera. I don't happen to be a controversial person, so I'm pretty happy. But Ken is a little bit controversial.

The one thing about him, he may have been the best attorney general in this country for many, many years. I'd say they -- they pulled a pretty even now. And we had a great rally in Texas. I'll go back, if it's necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, there are a lot of Republicans who think it is necessary. That is why they are spending over a hundred million dollars to try and secure this seat. So, obviously, the question is, why keep sending Trump there? Well, the idea behind it is this idea that they have more Republicans registered to vote, that Trump has won by huge margins every time, and that the real issue here is that people aren't enthusiastic about Ken Paxton.

They aren't enthusiastic about leaving their house and going out to vote. And that's where Donald Trump comes in, trying to raise that enthusiasm level here to get people out to the polls, make it about him because he has won this state twice. And that's really what you're seeing across the board.

Now, that's obviously not going to work everywhere, because I want to show you the most recent polling from Fox News on how President Trump is handling this job and various issues. I mean, this is their approval versus disapproval rating. When it comes to the economy, only 29 percent of people are actually approving of the way he's handling it. This is the overall one that you're looking at right here. But this is the one broken down by issue: Economy, inflation, border security.

I mean, those are such low numbers, 29 percent, 22 percent. Fifty percent on border security, President Trump's top issue with only 50 percent of people approve of the way he's doing it. Foreign policy, trade wars, the Iran war, only 35 percent.

So, obviously, this strategy is not going to work everywhere when you're talking to voters who don't actually approve of the way President Trump is doing things. And I want to show you one other part of what voters do care about, what is driving them to the polls. Again, this is a Fox News poll showing that corruption in government, 88 percent of voters care about that. Inflation and high prices, another 85 percent of voters care about that. And gas prices, 83 percent of voters care about that.

And when you look at those three things, those are three things that President Trump has directly impacted. They are talking about corruption in government in his administration. They are talking about inflation and the economy and gas prices, all of which many Americans link to the war in Iran.

So, whether or not this tactic is successful, it's really unclear. But there is an entire set of mind space in the political operation that this will help drive out voters, and they're willing to do whatever they can to get people to the polls.

[15:05:09]

KEILAR: And -- and Kristen, we're also hearing from the new Press Secretary about questions around her legal credentials.

HOLMES: That's right. So, this has been an ongoing question. She has referred to herself as an attorney, as a lawyer. She's presented that way on television. President Trump, when he announced that she would be the press secretary, he said that she was an attorney.

Looking back now, having done a deep dive into her background, sources have told us that she never took the bar, or that -- sorry, that she did take the bar, but she didn't pass the bar. And there are many people who believe that that is what it takes to actually make you an attorney. So, there have been a lot of questions about what her actual legal credentials are.

So, she did address this in her first interview that she gave since becoming press secretary. She said essentially that she had signed up to take the bar. She was dating her husband long distance. He was already living in China. And they decided they were going to get married. And so, she wasn't really focused on it, that she knew that it wouldn't matter what -- how she did on the bar because she'd be moving to China. Those credentials don't really matter in China.

And that, essentially for all intents and purposes, she considers herself a lawyer. She got her JD. And that she consulted a number of advisors, mentors, and other lawyers on whether or not she could call herself a lawyer. And they said that that was fine.

I also want to note, she did say something that's going to be very relatable to a lot of women. She was asked why she didn't come back to the U.S. and then take her bar again. And she said because she had gotten pregnant and she wanted to focus on her kids at that time.

KEILAR: All right, Kristen Holmes, thank you very much. Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Let's discuss the midterms and the competitive race in Michigan with Democratic Congresswoman of Michigan, Debbie Dingell.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for being with us. I specifically want to ask you about the Senate race in your state. During a back and forth with NBC yesterday Abdul El-Sayed, the Democrat in the race, told Tom Llamas that he believes that Iran and Israel are both threats to the United States because the U.S. went to war with Iran at Israel's behest in his words, adding that Israel had, quote, "very clear war aims." They wanted the annexation of Southern Lebanon.

Do you see Israel as a threat?

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-MI): Boris, I -- it's good to be with you this afternoon. And I am counting like you are 19 days till this election is over. I think that the Netanyahu government is not been a government that has acted. We've seen what's happened in Gaza and I'm watching the election results in Israel these next couple of weeks very closely.

I distinctly believe that a nuclear Iran is one of the biggest threats that there is to world peace. And I believe Israel has a right to exist. So, there are tweaks probably to where the Senate candidate is and I am definitively. But for me, this election is about healthcare. It's about the number of people that -- millions of people who can no longer go to the doctor. I am now home seeing people that are hungry, mothers that don't know how they're going to feed their kids, seniors that are scared to death. That's what this election is about for me.

It is about whether we're going to have someone that is going to be willing to stand up to the President and what he's done to our economy, what he's done to working families, what he's done to single mothers. And that's what this election is about.

SANCHEZ: Of course, to do that Democrats would want to win control of Congress. And on the question of messaging, I -- I wonder as CNN recently reported last week, the Jewish leaders in Michigan had warned that El Sayed should do more outreach to the Jewish community, whether you think referring to Israel as a threat might potentially cost him Jewish voters.

DINGELL: Look, I'm going to say this to you, I was married to a very great man who told everybody you run two ways, you run scared or you run uncommitted. I encourage any candidate out there, they need to be meeting with everybody. Abdul has got to -- he's talking to Jewish voters, he's got to take on their concerns.

I have always met with the -- before I ever got elected, I went and met with the Jewish community because I wanted them to know me. And I lived in Dearborn and I knew people of Muslim faith. I -- what I don't like right now is the hate and division that is in this country, the people that are trying to pit faiths against each other.

So, I -- I have always -- the person I am, I meet with everybody, I talk to everybody and I encourage everybody that's running for office, but those in my party keep doing exactly the same.

[15:10:00]

SANCHEZ: And -- and do you think Abdul El-Sayed is doing that enough? DINGELL: I think he's got to keep doing it until Election Day. I

think, you know, people -- look, you want it -- everybody wants to pit everybody against each other. He needs to tell people, he hears them. I believe Israel's got a right to insist. And I've been very, very clear on that.

And I'm -- I'm going to tell you what else I am seeing. I am seeing -- the -- the Jewish community is really afraid. They are seeing the rise of anti-Semitism in this country.

But my Muslim friends are seeing the same thing. People are being -- I can tell you just the hate stories in both communities of the last couple of weeks in Michigan. And quite frankly, the Senate race, the amount of money that is being spent on horrible, horrific division ads on television is contributing to too many people being afraid, period. I don't like it. And I am counting every second until this election is over and then trying to figure out how we're going to try to bring people together after the hate that has been silent in this campaign.

SANCHEZ: To your point, Congresswoman, about reaching others who may disagree with you and talking to every community, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is visiting Michigan today. She was in the Upper Peninsula with Abdul El-Sayed campaigning. And she spoke to Republican voters saying, quote, "I want to welcome you here. I want to thank you for keeping an open mind and open ear. Really what we want to say is that we're better together than we are apart."

At the same time, you have Abdul El-Sayed's opponent, former Congressman Mike Rogers, making the case that Democrats are out of step with moderate voters. I wonder whether you think having AOC there, who has been more closely aligned with the Bernie Sanders wing of your party, the sort of Democratic socialist model, whether that may alienate some of the more moderate voters that fundamentally your party will need to win.

DINGELL: Look, our party needs everybody. And I -- I have said to you many, many times, I hate labels. I actually ...

SANCHEZ: It's true.

DINGELL: ... I have watched Alex talk to people. People judge her. And, you know, she's very good at just talking straightforwardly. You know, what -- what label do people put on me? I worked for General Motors for 30 years. I was a business executive. But I believe that if you're sick in this country, you should be able to go to the doctor when you need to go to the doctor, and people should be able to afford their medicine. I think labels get people thinking different ways.

She's in Northern Michigan. She's talking straight with people. She'll listen to them, and they need to hear her. And you can have a give and take. Democracy means people can disagree with each other, listen to each other, find common ground. People have different perspectives, different experiences, and maybe the common ground that we need to be doing a lot more in our democracy is instead of labeling people, listening to people that might have a different perspective than you. SANCHEZ: Before we go, The New York Times reported that it obtained an

audio recording from a recent closed-door fundraiser that AOC attended. And The New York Times quotes her as saying, quote, "If Abdul can win in Michigan, anybody can win anywhere." She described that race as part of a generational project for the progressive movement.

I -- I hope you don't think I'm cynical, but it sounds like she believes that a progressive could be the Democratic nominee for president in '28, potentially her. How would you feel about that?

DINGELL: Look, I don't know who's going to be candidate. I am one of the people that has fought for 30 years to actually have a presidential-nominated system that is going to have more people able to participate, test these candidates, ask them to answer tough questions, and that the issues are going to determine the election outcome in October of the election year will actually be discussed early in the process.

I am going to listen to every single presidential candidate. I'm going to ask them tough questions. I'm going to be at events where they're answering questions, and then I'll decide who I'm going to support. I want to support a winner that's going to fight for the American people and the values I hold.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, appreciate the conversation. Thanks for your perspective.

DINGELL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Still to come, the FBI investigating after election offices in multiple states reported receiving suspicious letters containing a powdery white substance. We'll explain.

Plus, exclusive reporting on Ukraine running out of the Patriot missiles it uses to defend attacks by Russia. We'll talk about the numbers there.

And later, a breakthrough medical device allowing parents to hold their premature babies skin to skin while they're still connected to vital, life-saving equipment. That and much more coming up on CNN.

[15:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:19:27]

KEILAR: New today, federal authorities are investigating suspicious mail with Election Day just 19 days away. These are letters containing mystery substances that have been sent to election offices in multiple states and some congressional offices. So far, there are no reports of anyone being harmed. CNN Cybersecurity Reporter Sean Lyngaas is on top of the story for us.

So, Sean, maybe no reports of anyone being harmed, but this is incredibly, incredibly concerning. Now, let's start with the suspect mail that's been sent to Capitol Hill.

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Yes, we just learned today, Brianna, that the Senate Sergeant of Arms warned Capitol Hill offices that they've received multiple letters containing -- containing a suspicious white substance.

[15:20:10]

And that matches what we've seen across the country at election offices. We don't know who's doing this, but the U.S. Postal Services is investigating, as is the FBI and Capitol Police. They're asking -- they're sort of crowdsourcing the investigation. In the -- in the -- in the case that we saw, the memo to Capitol Hill say -- said, here's a -- a picture of a sample letter. If you see something like this, let us know. They will probably find this person, but I don't know how long it'll take. We're 19 days away from elections. This doesn't prevent people from voting, nor is it that disruptive. I say that disruptive because yesterday, two election offices had to evacuate temporarily because of this, just to make sure everything was okay.

So, election officials are used to dealing with this, but it's -- it's sort of a grim reminder of the -- the threat environment that we're in right now, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, so they're used to dealing with this, but I mean, what do they do at this point in time?

LYNGAAS: They're -- they're usually in -- in lockstep with the Postal Service because they've had to -- I had a lot of conversations with the -- with the Postal Service about voting by mail, making sure that those ballots are going out on time. So, this is kind of an extension of that conversation, but they have to be really careful.

You know, that -- you're -- you're dealing with optics, too, right? We are in an environment with -- with its, you know, very fertile for conspiracy theories. So, when people see offices being evacuated, and they say, whoa, is my ballot being unattended? So, they have to work with them. It's about messaging that everything's okay, that this is under control. But also, they're having to look over their shoulder because, again, of the environment that we're in. Because there is so much questioning of the integrity of elections, then you have these threats that often follow.

KEILAR: Yes, very scary stuff. Sean, thank you so much for the latest on that. We appreciate it.

Ahead, exclusive CNN reporting on Ukraine running out of Patriot air defense missiles, leaving its people more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks. We have that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:40]

KEILAR: For more than four years, Russia has been waging war on Ukraine, and we have been reporting about it. And today, it is at a critical moment, as one image is communicating the true level of tragedy better than any words can. This photo comes from the State Emergency Services of Ukraine. And it was taken in Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine after a Russian aerial bomb struck a residential building.

You see there, found in the rubble, the bodies of a woman, her nails appearing to be recently painted, along with a small child, their hands still intertwined, evidence that the woman was there, likely comforting that child, holding onto them in their final moments. And in the days since this attack, President Zelenskyy says Russia has hit Ukraine with more than a hundred different weapons, including jet- powered drones, loitering munitions, and ballistic missiles.

Amid these strikes, Ukraine says the U.S. has stopped sharing intel about incoming attacks and placed restrictions on its satellite network. Boris?

SANCHEZ: And, Brianna, now this, a source tells CNN that Ukraine has run out of missiles for its U.S.-made Patriot air defense system, leaving it more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks. On Wednesday, Russia struck three power plants in the capital of Kyiv that also damaged residential buildings, killing four people and injuring more than two dozen others.

A source tells CNN that almost all the ballistic missiles in this latest strike got through because Ukraine lacked the interceptor missiles needed to shoot them down. Chances of Ukraine getting more U.S. supplies appear slim amid a new clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump.

Zelenskyy's saying he feels betrayed by Trump's deal with Russia to import its diesel fuel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you feel betrayed by what has been happening?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Really, yes. Really, between us. But, I mean -- it's a little bit more complicated than just my emotions or my feelings. Yes, it depends not on my -- not on me. I mean, this -- our country has to survive. And we count on our real partners, strategic partners, United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)]

SANCHEZ: CNN Chief National Security Analyst Jim Sciutto joins us now.

Jim, of course, this is not the first time that Ukraine's Patriot missile supplies have been depleted. What does it mean now that it's confirmed that they don't have more?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Listen, to go to zero is really bad, right? And they've been warning about this for some time. They've been very low, to the point where they can't intercept all the missiles coming in. They can only intercept some. And you've seen some of these nights, right, where just most get through and a lot of people die.

I mean, there's a direct connection between not having those interceptors and people dying on the ground. This happens in the midst of a further dissolution, really, of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. Ukraine has been asking -- Zelenskyy's been asking Trump specifically for help on this. The prospect that he's going to say yes now, I think we can reasonably guess, not so great.

There are other Patriot interceptors out there, including in Europe. And you hear some sniping from Europeans saying, well, there are countries in Europe who have stockpiles. I've heard Greece mentioned. So, there are other countries that you will hear from Europe are not stepping up either, including in Asia. But again, they -- they have to think about their own defensive needs. And the U.S. has this other problem, that they have depleted so much of its own stockpile due to the war in Iran, and not just for Patriots, but also for attack missiles, cruise -- cruise missiles, et cetera.

[15:30:08]

SANCHEZ: There's also the -- the question of ...