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Don Lemon Tonight

United States Records Highest Single Day of New COVID-19 Cases; President Race 2020: The Path to 270 for Biden and Trump; One-on-One Interview with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; El Paso County Judge Orders Shutdown of All Non-Essential Businesses; GOP Senator Perdue to Skip Next Debate After Heated Clash with Democratic Challenger Ossoff; Polls Show Huge Numbers of Young Voters Turnout in Early Voting; Families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake Speak to CNN. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired October 29, 2020 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Less than 100 hours until Election Day. You heard me. And the United States is reaching a terrible milestone tonight as COVID-19 rages out of control. More than 87,000 cases, the highest single day of new cases since this pandemic began.

President Trump and Joe Biden are both campaigning today in Florida, a crucial state, with 29 electoral votes at stake. Trump is holding a packed rally, downplaying the virus. Biden is slamming Trump for holding a potential super spreader event and confidently telling supporters if Florida goes blue, it is game over for Trump.

I want to go to the candidates' path for 270 electoral votes. John King is at the magic wall to lay it all out for us. John?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, five nights out, a lot of new numbers from the battleground states. Let's start in Florida. Why? Joe Biden and the president are both there campaigning today.

And for all the new normal in our life, here we go. Florida, the end of a campaign, this is normal, a poll, relatively close. Joe Biden is on top in this new poll, 50 percent to 45 percent in the New Monmouth poll. When you average that in with some other recent polls out of Florida, Joe Biden is still on top, on average with 49, President Trump at 46.

What does that tell you? Democratic advantage. But Florida is tight. Donald Trump absolutely needs it like he had it in 2016. Let's go back to this map and look. President Trump needs these 29. Joe Biden would love them, and as he said today, game over if he gets them, but he doesn't need them close at the end.

Let's move back out and look at the 2016 map. Take a look at some other battleground polls today. The 2016 map helps give them context. Number one, Ohio, Joe Biden with a five-point lead in Ohio, if Joe Biden can win Ohio, forgot about it. No Republican has won the White House in modern times without Ohio.

That is really interesting, especially given Biden's strength, we know, in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. In a new poll in Pennsylvania backs that up, a seven-point Biden lead there. That's been pretty stable and consistent for some time.

In Iowa, 47 Trump, 46 Biden in Quinnipiac poll. Very close in Iowa. That is a must win for the president. Again, North Carolina, still close, 48-45, a new poll backs it up, two or three-point edge even when you average about in North Carolina, and I mentioned the Florida poll here.

So, the question, especially if you're a Democrat is, if you're viewing this glass half empty or glass half full, here's what I mean by that, Don. If we switch maps and go to the race to 270, let's go through the states I just went through.

Look, we already have Joe Biden at 290. He already, if nothing changed, will be the next president of the United States. But five days left. Things can change. If Joe Biden won, if that Ohio poll was right and he won, if he came back to win in Iowa where that poll shows in down one, well, just forget about it. We don't even have to worry about Florida, Georgia, or North Carolina. It would be game over. Joe Biden would be above 300.

But what if it is 2016 all over again? That close poll in Iowa, Joe Biden was ahead, but the president comes back, president gets Iowa back, president gets North Carolina back. He is down three now. He was down three around this time last time. Let's say he holds Georgia.

Again, Democrats are confident in all these places and let's say the president gets Florida. Democrats, they have a chance in all these places. Doesn't mean they win them all. But what if it did break late for the president like it did four years ago? Then, we are in a very interesting ballgame, 290 to 247.

That would make this giant. The president would still need more. Pennsylvania is 20, wouldn't be enough. But if he could come back in these states in the final days, it would be a big fight there, and then a little bit more.

[23:05:00]

KING: That's why we wait five days, Don.

LEMON: Thank you, John. Does that make you feel any better?

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: It's going to be all right. It's going to be all right. So, again, our thanks to John King.

Michigan is one of those battleground states that John just mentioned. President Trump won the state's 16 electoral votes in 2016, and he is fighting hard to win them again. Yet, with just five days to go, CNN rates the Wolverine State-leaning democratic. Vice President Biden is taking no chances. He's heading there this weekend with former President Barack Obama.

Joining me now is Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Governor, thank you. I am so happy to have you here. I know it's a very busy time for you, so I appreciate you joining us more than ever.

Vice President Joe Biden is leading in CNN's poll of polls in your state, Michigan. Former President Barack Obama is expected to join Biden on the trail there this Saturday. Are you confident voters there can deliver your state to Joe Biden after going for Trump in 2016?

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): Well, I'll say I feel good about the prospects. But we leave nothing to chance. We're working really hard. We've got a great organization. Donald Trump won Michigan in 2016 by just under 11,000 votes.

I won two years later by over 400,000 votes. That tells me, when people turn out, it is good for candidates like me and good for candidates like Joe Biden who want to make some real improvements in our nation that -- the benefit of every working person in this country.

LEMON: Mm-hmm. Governor, I have to ask you about this Michigan judge that struck down the secretary of state's ban on the open and carry firearm at polling places on Election Day. The attorney general is expected to appeal. Are you concerned about people there bringing guns to the polls?

WHITMER: Well, I think one of the low points of what's been an incredibly challenging eight months is, of course, the depictions of people with arms at our state capitol. I know a lot of people around the country were scratching their heads, wondering why on earth can we bring weapons into our capital, and you can't at most. I think it's a legitimate question.

The fact of the matter is voting is a fundamental right. It's core to our democracy. We have a duty to make sure that every voter can go in a convenient way and cast their ballot and know that they're going to be safe in doing that. So, the secretary of state and attorney general are pursuing that.

But I think it's important to recognize that we have laws on the books right now that say you cannot intimidate someone as they go to the polls. We will make sure that the law is upheld.

LEMON: So, intimidation, a form of suppression. Are you concerned about any attempts to challenge the vote counting or the legitimacy of ballots and is your state prepared for that?

WHITMER: It certainly would lead you to conclude that the president and his supporters are laying that groundwork. The fact of the matter is we have run elections since the beginning of this country and even more challenging times than we have right now. They have had integrity and we can be confident in the outcome that the will of the people is respected, and a peaceful transfer of power. We're going make sure that happens in this one, as well.

LEMON: I want to talk to you about the pandemic. I'm going to put this chart up because this chart shows COVID cases surging in Michigan. Listen, I know you're very aware of this. The state is recording its highest seven-day average for new daily cases. What steps are you taking, governor, to stop it?

WHITMER: Well, Don, I have been working incredibly hard here in Michigan even though the federal government, eight months, and still does not have a national strategy. We in Michigan pushed our curve down dramatically. It was because we took aggressive action. We followed the science. We did what we needed to do.

But, of course, when Donald Trump started taking aim at me, my legislature started suing to undermine my powers. While I won in the first two courts, they won in the Supreme Court on a party line vote. That ruling has created a lot of confusion. We have seen people drop their guard. We have seen people use it as an excuse not to mask up, even though we still have a statewide law that we do need to mask up.

This confusion and the mixed messages coming from the Trump administration and the lack of a national strategy has made it harder for governors like me to try to contain this virus that is ravaging our nation and having dire consequences on our lives and our livelihoods.

LEMON: Let's talk about the possibility of people coming after you. You said the president is taking aim at you in a verbal sense. But two men have been charged in the Michigan relating to their alleged involvement in a white supremacist group called The Base.

Just weeks after 13 men were charged for domestic terrorism for what law enforcement calls a plot to kidnap you, is there an extremism problem in Michigan? What's going on there?

[23:09:55]

WHITMER: Well, I think sadly what we are seeing is something that's been there for a long time and not just unique to Michigan. We know that this is a problem in our country where there are our fellow Americans who are intent on terrorizing and hurting their fellow Americans. We need to call it domestic terrorism, which is exactly what it is.

I think that it's an important moment that we need people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle to take this on. When the plot was announced against me, I did make a statement shortly thereafter and I quoted Ronald Reagan, because I do think that it is important for us all to acknowledge that domestic terrorism threatens the fabric of our democracy and we need leaders on both sides of the aisle to take it on.

You know, Ronald Reagan gave a speech at NAACP when he was president that called it out, called it what it was, and said that it is not acceptable in the United States of America. It's time that leaders on both sides of aisle do that, as well, right now.

LEMON: Listen, I want to be honest with you. I know these are really tense and emotional times for almost everyone in this country and having spoken about what you just spoke about, I know there's only so much you want to speak about.

You may not want to address this at all. But how are you feeling as we are leading up to this very momentous day about your safety, having had that plot against you, what law enforcement calls a plot to kidnap you?

WHITMER: You know what, Don, I have a job to do, and I take my job seriously. This should not be a part of it, having to worry about my personal safety. Dr. Fauci shouldn't have to worry about whether or not he's safe. Lesley Stahl shouldn't have to.

In fact, all of the people that dedicate themselves to either reporting the news or saving lives by following the science and counselling, people like me, none of us should have to deal with that, and we deserve better as a nation.

I've never lost sleep based on worry about my personal safety because I've got the Michigan state police, thankfully, but the fact of the matter is, what I do lose sleep over is we have an administration in Washington, D.C. that has never gotten their arms around COVID-19. There are 225,000 Americans who have died, tens of millions who are unemployed, people in food lines who never imagined that they would have to do that.

We are in crisis as a nation. It is my hope that we elect an incredibly decent person with some expertise and some empathy who has got a plan to get us out of this mess and get us back to work, and that's Joe Biden.

LEMON: Governor, be safe and well. Thank you so much.

WHITMER: Thank you.

LEMON: Now, I want to get to the breaking news in El Paso, Texas where the county judge is ordering a two-week shutdown of all nonessential businesses due to a massive spike in coronavirus cases. Here we go. As of today, there are more than 14,350 cases and the COVID hospitalization rate is at a staggering 44 percent.

Let's discuss now. Judge Ricardo Samaniego of El Paso County joins us now. Judge, I really appreciate you joining us. I know it's a very busy time for you. Your county has never seen this level of infections. You're warning that if the community doesn't respond, there will be unprecedented levels of deaths.

So tell us about the stay-at-home order that's going to go into place and what you guys are doing there.

RICARDO SAMANIEGO, JUDGE, EL PASO COUNTY: Thank you, Don. Appreciate being at CNN and really appreciate the opportunity to highlight a better image of El Paso. You know, we're a community that's coming out of a tragedy of -- the Walmart tragedy and going through a healing process. We were able to accommodate almost 150,000 refugees coming through our community. We started the pandemic on the right foot.

You know, when we focused on public health as being the most important and then minimizing the economy, that's the way we were able to get into opening the economy.

For some reason, you know, I have been sort of fighting with the governor trying to have a buffer, trying to see us as a unique community. We were just -- we were almost symbiotic with great neighbors to the south. We're right up against New Mexico, a very unique situation. And there's this tendency to believe that what happens in San Antonio and Houston is what happens in El Paso.

You know, they're almost like El Paso blind. Like, we know what you need. What I have been fighting is that opportunity to give our community leaders the advantage of saying, we live here, we live with this situation, and we know what to do. But it's been very difficult, Don, to really have that kind of an alignment with the governor.

He's been exceptionally generous in providing the sources for, you know, testing and contact tracing, all of these things. So there's two buckets. One is fighting the people that already have to virus, and then there's this other bucket as to what do we need to do to prevent the virus.

[23:15:03]

SAMANIEGO: And I think that's where we're having our differences.

LEMON: All of this is happening, as you know, in the middle of a very consequential election or elections. They're considered essential services, right? But are you concerned people who plan to vote in person will be reluctant to go to the polls, judge?

SAMANIEGO: One of the things that very important is the timeliness. People say, why not wait until Wednesday?

When I approached the medical community and I said that, you know, I was very concerned about elections, although our election director has done an amazing job, we feel very prepared. We feel there's not going to be any barriers and the stay-at-home order doesn't trigger any problems or issues for the people that are voting. I did consider that.

But we're at such a crisis, Don, that we have been saying that we're going to wait five to six days, would put us in a very critical situation.

Right now, we have to come up with tents with negative pressure there at the hospitals. We're looking at possibilities of flying people out to places like Phoenix. We're looking at the convention center as a possibility to repurpose it for a hospital. And then the medical profession tells me that with this trend, in about -- from five to 10 days, we would have exhausted those resources and we'd be right back to the same situation. So that's pretty alarming to be in that situation.

I have been looking for collaboration from the governor and it's been difficult. It's been difficult that he does understand this uniqueness. I try to focus on the fact that we have great dynamics between Mexico and us, and this is one -- it's the same dynamics. We're just dealing with a different phenomenon.

And what they want to do is say, let's focus on what has been the issue or focus on El Paso, and I'm trying to be a lot more collaborative and not as simplistic about the approach.

LEMON: Well, we hope that your approach works, because, I mean, this is just really staggering information.

SAMANIEGO: It is.

LEMON: Judge, best of luck. Take care of yourself. Be safe. We hope to have you back with much better news in the coming days.

SAMANIEGO: Oh, thank you very much. I appreciate it. You do a great job, Don. Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

So like I said, less than 100 hours to go until Election Day. Can you believe that? The president and Joe Biden are making their closing arguments in the days -- the hours, I should say, winding down, and their strategies couldn't be more different.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to defeat the Marxists and the socialists and the rioters and the flag burners and the left-wing extremists.

(CHEERING)

JOE BIDEN (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: On November 3rd, we're going to unite this country and show the world who America really is.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[23:20:00]

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LEMON: So, Election Day is just five days away. What did i say? Less than 100 hours away. Coronavirus cases are surging all across this country. More than 87,000 cases reported just today. That is the highest single day of cases in the U.S. since the pandemic began. So hearing the candidates talk about the virus, they really sums up this race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We locked down.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: We understood the disease. And now we're open for business.

BIDEN: He's doing nothing! We're learning to die with it. Donald Trump has waved the white flag. Abandon our families and surrendered to the virus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So let's discuss now. Kirsten Powers is here, CNN's senior political analyst, and Mike Shields, former chief of staff to Reince Priebus at the RNC. It is so good to see both of you. Look at you. You're in Florida? Mike, you're in D.C.?

MIKE SHIELDS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER RNC CHIEF OF STAFF: I am.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: So Mike has got his finger on the polls. But I am going to start with Kirsten, anyways. So Kirsten, coronavirus cases are at a record high in the U.S. It's as if President Trump has two opponents right now, Joe Biden and himself, the way that he's handled this virus. No? Am I wrong about that?

KIRSTEN POWERS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, yeah. I mean, I think the coronavirus is obviously something that has impacted this race. I mean, I guess we'll never really know what would have happened had the pandemic not happened.

But we've seen since the pandemic started and really got out of control, we've seen voters moving from Trump, in particular seniors who are very important to his election the last time around, and a lot of them are citing concerns about how the pandemic has been handled.

So I think that, you know, he has kind of double down on this strategy of painting America as this kind of -- it's going to turn into this apocalyptic, communist, you know, Antifa kind of rioting place if Joe Biden takes over. You know, we'll see if the strategy works, but that seems to be where he is.

LEMON: I want to you weigh in here, Mike, because, as I said, you're in Florida. Florida is crucial to the president's path to 270. I have been speaking with you over the last couple of two weeks. You're pretty confident about his chances in Florida. But that alone is not going to be enough. Am I wrong there?

SHIELDS: Well, of course, he has to have a path to 270. It includes Florida. Republicans feel very good about how things are going in Florida, particularly with the early vote numbers that are now succeeding very well for Republicans, especially in South Florida where Democrats are complaining that they really have no ground operation whatsoever in South Florida, and Republicans have a larger lead in South Florida at this point than they did in 2016.

And so Republican feels good about Florida. Look, on the issue of COVID, as Kirsten was talking about, first of all, you got to remember what the president is doing now is turnout stuff. He's casting everything in these big, stark things because it's all about turning voters out, which is what we're talking about.

He has made the case that we need to open up the economy, have a balance approach, and he managed to cast Joe Biden in the last debate as kind of a shutdown guy.

[23:25:02]

SHIELDS: They see that as an advantage for them heading into the fall because the country doesn't want to get into a shutdown again.

LEMON: Mm-hmm. Even with the rallies, though, Mike, that -- with the -- you know, very little social -- no social distancing but very few masks --

SHIELDS: Yeah, but --

LEMON: Go on.

SHIELDS: Look, they hand out masks. They have testing there. People are coming. At this point, people understand the dangers of COVID and coming to an outdoor event, and they're doing that themselves.

And this is kind of the point of the president, sort of a freedom -- let us open up the economy, let us make sure people get their jobs back as opposed to let's shut everything down and be afraid all the time. And look, the voters are going to decide how they feel about that, but there is a tremendous number of Americans.

The thing, Don, I will tell you is, it really splits along income lines. When you have lower income, you're more likely to one of say open things up, let me go back to work, let me understand this. When you can afford to do Zooms like this at home because you have a white collar job, you're more likely to say shut everything down.

Just like every other issue in the country, it becomes incredibly polarized, and President Trump has managed to say, you know, these are my voters and I am going to represent them.

LEMON: OK. I was laughing at Kirsten's face, as you were saying that, not what you were saying. You had this pained look on your face, Kirsten Go on.

POWERS: Well, I don't think that, you know, it is not like Democrats or Joe Biden or doctors, you know, support shutting down the economy out of like it is some gleeful, fun thing that people are doing. I mean, people want to stop the pandemic and they want to stop people from dying.

LEMON: He has said he doesn't want to shut down the economy, Kirsten, by the way. I am just saying --

POWERS: No. I mean, nobody wants to shut down the economy. That is the point. What people want is for us to be able to get past this and the way to get past this is if everybody would just do what they're supposed to do, which is wear their masks and social distance, then we could get past it.

I don't disagree. This does disproportionately affect working class people, and that's a real problem. I think that's something that Joe Biden is very concerned about.

Look, if Trump wants to double down on that message, that's fine. I mean, I think, you know, Mike is right in the sense that it is right now -- everything is about turning out your voters. And if that's what's going to turn out Trump voters, you know, he's welcome to make that argument. It's not going to help us get past the pandemic.

LEMON: Yeah. But it is also very dangerous. We have to be honest about that. Listen, I think Mike is right, it's all about turnout, but what he's doing, encouraging people -- people can't have concerts now. They're forbidden, right? Yet he can have these mass rallies. It is what it is, as they say.

Thank you both. I appreciate it. See you soon.

More than 81 million people have already cast their votes this year. We're going to tell you who could be driving that huge turnout. Plus, a dead heat for Georgia Senate seat, turns, well, even more heated. I'm going to speak with the Democrat looking to unseat Republican Senator Perdue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON OSSOFF, DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: Perhaps Senator Perdue would have been able to respond properly to the COVID-19 pandemic if you hadn't been fending up multiple federal investigations for insider trading.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:30:00]

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LEMON: So, major developments over the last 24 hours in the hard- fought state race in Georgia between Republican incumbent David Perdue and his Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. Tonight, Senator Perdue announcing he is not going to show up at the final debate with his challenger. He'd rather go to a big rally with President Trump. Why would Senator Perdue prefer playing to the crowd or friendly Trump rally over a chance to debate his challenger? Maybe win some folks over. Maybe this moment from last night's debate between the two explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSSOFF: Well, perhaps Senator Perdue would have been able to respond properly to the COVID-19 pandemic if you hadn't been fending off multiple federal investigations for insider trading.

It's not just that you're a crook, senator. It's that you're attacking the health of the people that you represent. You did say COVID-19 was no deadlier than the flu. You did say there would be no significant uptick in cases. All the while you were looking after your own assets, in your own portfolio, and you did vote four times to end protections for pre-existing conditions. Four times.

And the legislation that you tout, the Protect Act, it includes loopholes that specifically allow insurance companies to deny policies to Georgians with pre-existing conditions. Can you look now in the camera and tell the people of this state why you voted four times to allow insurance companies to deny us health coverage because we may suffer from diabetes or heart disease or asthma or have cancer in remission? Why, senator?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Joining me now is Senate candidate for Georgia, Jon Ossoff. Jon, I really appreciate you joining us. What a debate that was. Is this -- do you think this is -- do you think this is good or bad news that Senator Perdue is cancelling your final debate?

OSSOFF: Last night didn't go well for the senator, and this is not a guy accustomed to being asked tough questions. He has not held a single public town hall meeting in six years. He is notorious for selling access. The guy sells lavish private island retreats to lobbyists for $7,500 corporate tax checks.

By the way, this whole I to go to a Trump rally thing is a pretext. The local station offered multiple other times to debate. I'm available to debate Senator Perdue anytime, anywhere.

He just doesn't want to answer tough questions about his personal financial misconduct, about his disastrous performance during this COVID-19 pandemic, assuring us this was no deadlier than the ordinary flu.

[23:35:03]

OSSOFF: He rearranged his stock portfolio to profit, and his record on health care, trying to take health care away from his own constituents in the middle of a pandemic. LEMON: Listen, as we noted, you're in the midst of a very tight Senate race. What is the impact of having two contested Senate seats where Democrats are competitive and a competitive presidential race in red state Georgia?

OSSOFF: Well, Georgia is the most competitive state in the country. And as you mentioned, we're the only state with two Senate races at once. I'm running alongside Reverend Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor of a Baptist church, a democrat, in the other Senate race.

We have all of the momentum here. But we have got to turbo charge our turnout efforts in these final days, especially because we still see that black voters are being made to wait outrageous durations in lines at the polls to vote. Our voter protection efforts need support.

We can defeat Senator David Perdue in Georgia, and he deserves to be defeated. But in order to do that, we need the resources to protect ballot access. I'm asking folks to visit electjon.com. Chip in a dollar to help us finish the job in Georgia, protect voting rights, and win these two crucial Senate races.

LEMON: Jon, I just want to put this up for our viewers. This is a spokesman from Senator Perdue's office. This is his statement. It says, as lovely as another debate listening to Ossoff lie to the people of Georgia sounds, Senator Perdue will not be participating in the WSB-TV debate but will instead join the 45th, Donald J. Trump, for a huge Get-Out-The-Vote rally in Northwest Georgia.

That was their official response. Jon, thank you. I appreciate it. Best of luck. We'll see you soon. Also, I want to say that Senator Perdue -- we asked Senator Perdue to join us here tonight, but he was not available. We will continue to follow up on all of these races happening around the country.

I just want to make sure you know about my podcast, "Silence is Not an Option," taking on hard conversations about being black in America. This week, we're talking about Blaxit. Blaxit. B-L-A-X-I-T. Blaxit. Black Americans moving overseas to escape racism. So you can find it on Apple podcast or your favorite podcast app. Here is a sneak peek. Oh, OK. Well, no sneak peek. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Voter turnout, it's the key, and it's soaring in this election, and it's a major driver -- the major driver is young voters. Can you believe that? I know that every election, we talk about young voters and how they could make a difference. In almost every election, they just don't show up. Are you hearing me, nieces?

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: It's like our conversation almost every day, our texts. They make them so mad at me. But I want you to look at what they're telling us this time, meaning the young folks. It said 90= percent of the registered voters under the age 40 say that they are certain to vote. Compare that with 75 percent during the same time period in 2016. And who are they supporting? You might ask.

Well, according to an average of recent CNN polling, 62 percent of likely voters under 40 say Joe Biden is their choice for president while 34 percent say it is Donald Trump. But these are just polls, OK? What about the votes?

Let's bring in now CNN's senior political writer and analyst Harry Enten. Harry, OK, I hear it every time --

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: I'll believe it when I see it. Look, I would love to see it. Honestly, I would. But I've been around a long time, as you, and they just don't show -- eh, a little bit. So, those are the polls. But there are 81 million votes that have already been cast. What can you tell us about this youth turnout so far in this election?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN POLITICS SENIOR WRITER AND ANALYST: Sure. I mean, if you look nationally, what you're seeing amongst those early voters is that those under the age of 40 are making seven or eight points more of the early electorate than they were at a similar point in the 2016 cycle.

LEMON: Mm-hmm.

ENTEN: You're seeing it nationally, but you're also seeing it in the state of Texas, right? That's a state that I'm really looking towards to understand the early vote. What you see there in the state of Texas is that those voters under the age of 40, specifically those 18 to 29, are making up a much larger share of the early vote than they did four years ago. It's 13 percent this year.

And if you compare that to 2016, what you see is in that particular year, it was only a little less than eight percent. So, you're seeing that climb in the early vote both nationally and in a key state like Texas.

LEMON: OK. So 90 percent of registered young voters under the age of 40 say that they're certain to vote, all right. Compare that to 75 percent during the same time. Seventy-five percent said that they were, but that doesn't mean that they voted last time. Ninety percent this time are saying that they're going to vote, but that doesn't mean they're going to vote this time. Am I correct?

ENTEN: Of course, right. These are polls, right?

LEMON: Yeah.

ENTEN: But we do see it in the early vote. But, of course, the thing is there is no reason to believe this time that they're perhaps lying more than they did last time, right? That's why I always like the pre- election poll comparison. That is something -- LEMON: Last time, they had more distractions. This time, you know, nothing. They can't go to the theater. They can't -- you know, there are a lot of things. So maybe they will actually take some time --

ENTEN: I think that's exactly right. That's what you saw in the 2018 midterms, right? You saw that younger voters made up a larger share of the electorate in 2018 compared to 2014. This strikes me as a trend line that we're seeing from 2018 right through the early vote and the polls are reflecting that.

[23:45:00]

LEMON: OK. So, Harry, then what happens to the dynamic of this race? We always say, you know, if young people vote, they could really make a difference and they can change things in this country, right? What happens to the dynamic of this race if the youth vote actually ends up becoming a bigger percentage of the electorate even by just a few points?

ENTEN: Right. I mean, nationally, the age differences are not as large as they were, say, four years ago. You do see that Joe Biden is doing better with seniors. So let's say 18 to 29-year-olds or 18 to 39-year- olds made up, say, five percentage more of the electorate, that might only change the race by a point.

Now, a point can make a big difference, right? But go to a state like Texas, which we brought up earlier where there's a much bigger difference between how those younger folks are voting and how those older folks are voting, then you could be talking one, two, depending how much larger that youth folk makes up the electorate. In a state like Texas, that could make a huge difference at the end of the ball game.

LEMON: You heard it from Harry Enten's mouth. There it is. Now, it is law. Thank you, Harry.

(LAUGHTER)

ENTEN: Maybe it's law, but whatever it is, it is.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: It is what it is. That's all I'll say about it and you. Thank you so much. See you next time.

ENTEN: See you later, buddy.

LEMON: Vote like your life depends on it. That's what George Floyd's brother wants you to hear. He's speaking out to CNN along with the families of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake, and that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Three American families, victims of tragedy, joining together to urge all Americans to get out and vote. Their lives have been changed forever by violence.

And now, their message is this. If Americans want justice in their communities and their country, they have to go to the polls, have their voices heard, and demand change.

Tonight, the story from CNN's Sara Sidner.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILONISE FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake became household names for the most tragic of reasons.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One by one, an impassioned plea.

FLOYD: Now, get out and go vote, like your life depends on it.

SIDNER: Is that something that you all feel at this time?

TAMIKA PALMER, MOTHER OF BREONNA TAYLOR: Absolutely. For me, it means, if we don't get out here and change the people that are in these positions, they are going to continue to kill us.

SIDNER: So, it's literal?

PALMER: It's literal, absolutely.

CROWD: (INAUDIBLE).

SIDNER (voice-over): The world knows their names. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets because of the police encounters that killed or maimed their loved ones.

GEORGE FLOYD, KILLED UNDER ARREST: I can't move!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting the whole day, man!

(SCREAMING)

G. FLOYD: Mama!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just get up and get in the car!

G. FLOYD: Mama --

P. FLOYD: My brother narrated his death. It was just like a cinema movie. The whole entire time they were killing him.

JACOB BLAKE, FATHER OF JACOB BLAKE: My son didn't harm anyone, and got shot seven times in the back.

SIDNER (voice-over): The families of Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are sitting down for the first time together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unfortunately, we're all in a fraternity that we didn't ask to be in.

BLAKE: Everyone sitting in front of you right now love that person unconditionally.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Yes.

BLAKE: There was no question how we felt about the person that got the atrocity committed upon them. I feel everyone's pain right here.

SIDNER (voice-over): But they all say their collective sorrow has created a source of strength.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your vote is worthy, and most of all, we are worthy of justice.

SIDNER (voice-over): Their purpose is singular: Getting justice simple, casting a ballot, and helping others do the same.

PALMER: Protesting, it's amazing, but unless you take it to the polls, it will be all for nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good afternoon, Chicago.

SIDNER (voice-over): That is why they're all gathered here in Chicago, speaking up, even though they must be masked up due to the dangerous rise of coronavirus cases.

SIDNER: Is the most consequential election that we have had in your lifetime, 2008, 2016, or 2020?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely, 2020.

SIDNER: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing's changed for us.

BLAKE: So this becomes the most important because we have a misogynist, racist person in the highest job in the land.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

SIDNER (voice-over): President Trump has repeatedly called himself the least racist person in the room. For them, too ludicrous, but the families are focused not just on the presidential race but local.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see the chain that one can have if you pick the right one.

SIDNER (voice-over): They are also laser focused on racial tension, they say, has heightened during the Trump era.

SIDNER: Is race or racism on the ballot in 2020?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been on the ballot.

P. FLOYD: Hey, when this leader we have, when he stepped in office, it seemed like everybody got emboldened, and they really showed who they really are. People just started doing anything and getting away with it.

SIDNER (voice-over): As for policing, the issue that changed their lives in an instant, they want bad police rooted out, but they don't want to abolish the police.

SIDNER: Should the police be abolished as a whole?

RODNEY FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: No, they shouldn't be abolished as a whole. It just you got to taste, that they are bad apples, just point out these bad apples.

[23:55:00]

PALMER: They definitely need to be dismantled and put back together. It's not that we don't need them.

BLAKE: You heard what she just said, right?

PALMER: They have to be.

BLAKE: Dismantled and put back together.

SIDNER: They say their own lives have been dismantled, and they're trying to put them back together. And to these families of the movement against police brutality, voting for change is everything.

P. FLOYD: If you don't get out and vote, you gonna just be back, looking at the same people who did the same things, horrific things, all over again, and you will never (INAUDIBLE). Your life depends on it.

SIDNER (voice-over): Sara Sidner, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Sara, thank you so much. And thank you for watching. Our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)