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Don Lemon Tonight
Coronavirus Gone Wild in U.S.; Testing Czar Says Data Don't Lie; Joe Biden with Clear Plan; Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) Was Interviewed About Biden's Next Itinerary in the Remaining days of Campaign Period; Over Two Million Ballots Already Cast Out in Pennsylvania; Donald Trump and Joe Biden Make Final Push in Battleground States; President Trump Holding Rallies in Pennsylvania, Joe Biden in Michigan; Texas 2020 Early Voting Passes Total Turnout in 2016 Election; President Trump Claims Doctors are Inflating Coronavirus Death Counts for Money. Aired 10-11p ET
Aired October 30, 2020 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[22:00:00]
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: The situation is heavy, I know. The key is always the same. We will get through it together, good, bad, and ugly.
Thank you for giving us an opportunity on Cuomo Prime Time. Time for the big show with the big star, CNN Tonight with D. Lemon right now. Look at that mask.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: I almost forgot it on because I was doing, you know, everybody right now is either should be in a dark room, you know, -- you know what I'm doing.
CUOMO: Listen.
LEMON: Meditating --
CUOMO: It sounds like most of what I hear you say every night.
LEMON: Every night every day I'm meditating. Because everyone is like, what's going to happen? What's going to happen? What's going to happen? What do you know, what's going to happen? And I don't know. We could have four more years of Trump, or we could have a new administration. But whatever it is, we're going to be all right, right?
CUOMO: Whatever it is on the fourth and fifth, and sixth, we're still in a pandemic. We still need more leadership. We still need more guidance. We still need better plans. If the president gets more, four more years, the mandate has to be --
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: -- to do more and not just more of the same. And if Biden comes in, he better hit the ground and run like his ass was on fire to get things done because there's no time for a victory lap. I mean, we are in a crisis. LEMON: Yes. I agree. I agree with you. And you think about -- when you
think about this president -- and I'm going to talk about it a little bit more. This president's closing argument is really he's sticking to the same thing that he did back in March and April that it's going to go away, it doesn't really exist, people aren't really dying, you can do this herd immunity, which is a bunch of B.S.
All of this stuff that he -- that has been proven to be wrong by all the experts, most of whom have backed away from him now, right, or doesn't even want to be in the room with his current czar or whomever, Dr. Scott Atlas. He is doubling down on this on the reality, on this alternate reality that the pandemic is not where it is, where every single place pretty much that he goes, these hot spots, the local papers, the local news recording record numbers of people who are becoming infected, people who are dying. Young people who are becoming sick. And it's just that's his closing argument is to double down on stupidity?
CUOMO: I'm telling you, if you ran a business, if you ran a school, if you ran anything and you deceived the people who you were in charge of about a danger the way this president is, it would be criminally negligent behavior.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: It is worse what's going on now than what he was impeached for. And as we know, you and I shared this, I was never a big fan of that impeachment process. I didn't think it was going to get anywhere that would be more satisfying for the American people.
I know right is right and wrong is wrong and you got to stand up for it. But how you do it matters also. This is worse because this is real.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: By anybody's definition. It's not how you feel about it.
LEMON: It's not.
CUOMO: It's bad.
LEMON: No, it's not real.
CUOMO: So, this thing is going to be -- I had this thing in the opening tonight you were getting for your show. I said we got to choose our hard. Being sick is hard, doing what it takes to be healthy is hard. Being divisive is hard. being unified is hard. We have to choose our hard because we're going to need work, no matter which direction we go. But the direction we take will make all the difference.
LEMON: Yes. I tell you what, but whatever happens on Tuesday --
CUOMO: And Wednesday. LEMON: And Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, we're going to be living
in -- no matter who is president, I think it's going to be a much different world after that. But I think it's going to be a world where we have to come to grips, again, regardless of who is president, come to grips with what's actually happening in this country because people can't no longer go around the country and pretend that it's not happening.
What's the reason, if he becomes president again, what's your reason for lying to people? The deaths will still be there. If Joe Biden becomes president, perhaps there will be more buy in and people will take it seriously. But let's hope that things change when it comes to this virus, at least people start to take it seriously before --
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: One thing is for sure --
LEMON: -- before we go into the dire winter season.
CUOMO: -- anything that happens on Tuesday, Wednesday --
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: -- maybe Thursday, they'll have the two of us.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: We will be with them --
LEMON: Yes, we're going to be here.
CUOMO: -- all night and morning.
LEMON: We sound that who is that. You guys tweet me and tell me, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday love, remember that? That was my jam back in the day.
CUOMO: Of course, it was.
LEMON: Yes. I got to go. I'll see you.
CUOMO: I love you, D. Lemon.
LEMON: You too, brother.
CUOMO: I have to see --
LEMON: Yes. Chris and I have the overnight shift so --
CUOMO: Happy Halloween.
LEMON: Good to see -- I'll see you, brother.
OK. So, this is CNN Tonight. It is Friday, by the way, everyone. So. And I mean that. I'm serious. Keep calm and carry on. Everybody, calm down. Nobody really knows what's going to happen. No one really knows. The only time we'll know what's going to happen is when it happens.
[22:05:00]
So, fasten your seat belts. You're going to be fine. We're all going to be fine.
I'm Don Lemon. Tonight, as we go on the air, as I come on the air right now, there are just three days left before election day. And we are seeing another record that we hoped we would never see. You know what that is? That is the highest single day of coronavirus cases since this pandemic began, more than 91,000, shattering the record set just yesterday.
We've now passed a total of nine million cases. The virus is out of control in this country. Yes, we have an election to deal with, but we have to deal with all the people who are becoming sick and the people who are dying. We're setting records now.
Today, every second today another person was diagnosed with COVID. Imagine that. Every second of this day. Another person diagnosed with COVID. Every two minutes another American died. The worst week of the pandemic with a top five COVID case days all in the past week, the top five days all this past week, the worst week for the stock market since March. Remember when the president said this in 2016?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to win so much. You are going to get so sick and tired of winning. You're going to come to me and say, please, please, we can't win anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: He sure got the sick part right, didn't he? The virus and the campaigns peaking in the upper Midwest today. The president and Joe Biden storming the battleground states as record numbers of voters have already gone to the polls. Biden ripping into the president for his negligence as the virus runs rampant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Imagine if he had told us in January how dangerous this was and took action? It's estimated there would be over 130,000 people still alive. And, by the way, we don't cower and nor do I, never will we. Unlike Donald Trump, we'll not surrender to this virus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Donald Trump's given up on the virus, but tonight he's going on the attack against those who try to save the lives of those the virus -- the virus wants to take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Our doctors get more money if somebody dies from COVID. You know that, right? I mean, our doctors are very smart people. So, what they do is they say, I'm sorry, but, you know, everybody dies of COVID.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: This might be one of the most revealing comments the president has ever made, OK? It reveals that he thinks anybody would exploit -- anybody would do it, exploit a crisis to put money in their pockets. We already know he thinks anybody who is willing to sacrifice for a higher purpose is a sucker and a loser, right?
Remember, he reportedly said that about our fallen troops. Remember when he said he didn't like war heroes like John McCain because, you know, John McCain got captured. It reveals again his stunning lack of empathy, lack of empathy for the parents who died and for the doctors who are the only ones -- the patients I should say, excuse me, who died and the doctors who were the only ones with them when they did.
Because their families were not allowed to be with them, doctors who couldn't even stay with the dying because they had to care for someone else dying in the next room or down the hall. How could the president lie about them without even caring about what they've seen and what they've been through? It's very revealing. It reveals again that the President of the United States well, like about anything, like anything, say anything to get reelected. How this awful comment helps him get elected is baffling to me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: The President of the United States is accusing the medical profession of making up COVID deaths so they make more money. Doctors and nurses go to work every day to save lives. They do their jobs. Donald Trump should start stop attacking them and do his job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: You watching your TV, I want you to see this one. Like father like son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, JR., DONALD TRUMP'S SON: The reality is this. If you look, I put it up on my Instagram a couple of days ago because I went through the CDC that I kept hearing about new infections. But I was like why aren't they talking about this? Because the number is almost nothing. Because we've gotten control of this thing. We understand how it works.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[22:10:03]
LEMON: If you -- if that's -- if that's all you're watching, one channel, you might believe that. But I know the people who are watching here watch every night, you're not going to be surprised to hear that there is not one word of truth to any of that. The very day that Junior said that, 971 Americans died of the virus.
Nine hundred ninety-four died the day before that. And he calls that almost nothing? The White House coronavirus testing czar says this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. BRETT GIROIR, U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Hospitalizations and ICU admissions don't lie. When those go up, that's real, that's tangible, that's people in the hospital that need care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: But the president does not care about any of that. He has no empathy for people in the hospital who are battling the virus, even though he was there himself just a few weeks ago. He thinks it's all just fun and games.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: When I got better, I got better quick.
(CROWD CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: He mocks one of his favorites, right, from state TV -- oops, I mean Fox News for wearing a mask at his rally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I do believe Laura Ingraham is here someplace. Where is Laura?
(CROWD CHEERING)
TRUMP: Where is she? Where is Laura? I can't recognize you. Is that a mask? No way. Are you wearing a mask? I've never seen her in a mask. Look at you. She's being very politically correct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Whoa. Whoops. It's not funny, though. And a president who seemed to be missing the energy of the crowd at his socially distanced so-called peaceful protest rally in Minnesota tonight, wrapped up after speaking for only 21 minutes but not before saying this about what he claims would happen if Joe Biden wins.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: There will be no school, no graduations, no weddings, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas, no 4th of July, no Easter, no nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Wow. Well, does he really think that he won't -- that we won't notice that every one of those dire predictions is taking place right now under President Donald J. Trump? This is happening under President Trump. Everything that he is calling -- saying that will happen under Joe Biden, Joe Biden is not president. Joe Biden is not in office. He's running to be president.
None of this is happening on Joe Biden's watch because Joe Biden is not president. You're the president. Everything that's happening right now, your watch. You have to own it. No school, no graduations, no weddings, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas, no 4th of July, no Easter.
Protests. All of that happening under your watch. I don't know if he just doesn't get it, he just doesn't care. Maybe it's both.
Sherrell and Alexander O'Neill, thank you very. Those of you who know, you know what I'm talking about. Thank you. I appreciate that.
Joe Biden and President Trump locked in a tight race in Florida, a state the president won by 1.2 percent, that was in 2016.
Senator Cory Booker is campaigning there for Biden tomorrow. He's here and he knows what I'm talking about. And he's next.
[22:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: This is the final weekend before election day. And the number of Americans who have already voted is stunning. It's record breaking as a matter of fact. More than 86 million have already cast their ballots.
President Trump and Joe Biden campaigning this weekend for every last vote. Trump planning to hold four rallies tomorrow in Pennsylvania, a state he won in 2016. But polls show Biden is leading there, and Biden holds two events in Michigan campaigning with former President Barack Obama.
So, let's bring in now Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey who is out on the trail tomorrow for Joe Biden. Senator, good to see you. How are you holding up?
SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): I'm upset that you were singing to Chris Cuomo but you're not singing me.
LEMON: Well, give me, what's your 80s jam. That was mine.
BOOKER: I told you what my 80s jam was off camera.
LEMON: It's like a jam listening times it makes me wonder how we keep from going under. That's it.
BOOKER: Don't push me --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Don't push me --
BOOKER: -- because I'm close to the edge.
LEMON: I think that is the sentiment for just about everyone in this country. I mean, listen, we only have three more days until, you know, this campaign is over. The election will be over. You are going to be in Florida tomorrow. You are going to be rallying voters. Where are you going and who will you be talking to? Because that will tell me something about the campaign's targets in the final days here.
BOOKER: Well, let's be clear, I've been to North Carolina, I've been to Pennsylvania, and I've been to -- I'm going to Florida tomorrow. These are in succession, simply because the Biden campaign is trying to get as many pathways open to 270 as possible.
They're really expanding the map and trying to make sure that every vote, every state from Texas to Michigan, from South -- North Carolina and South Carolina all the way to Florida. So they're covering map and trying to expand patthways. That's why every voters -- every voter is going to count for them.
And I'm impressed. And even on things like -- I have never seen this kind of voter protection operation going on. It's the biggest in history. They have folks covering polls, making sure people are safe and fighting to try to make sure we can expand people's opportunities to vote.
LEMON: Let's talk about some of the rhetoric going on out there. Not surprising the president is going back to his greatest hits of race baiting. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[22:20:03]
TRUMP: Omar is our secret weapon. Ilhan Omar, that's our secret weapon in Minnesota. No, she doesn't love our country, you know. I don't like people that don't love our country.
(CROWD CHEERING)
TRUMP: When they come out and they say they like Barack Hussein Obama much more than they like Trump, that means I'm doing my job.
The Biden-Harris. How about Harris? Kamala?
(CROWD BOOING)
TRUMP: Kamala. And you have to say her name right or she gets upset. Right? Even though she doesn't say it right, you know? But the Biden- Harris plan would end (Inaudible) bail releasing 400,000 dangerous criminals immediately on to your streets, murderers and rapists. This is what's going on is crazy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Wow. Wow. I mean, look, sometimes he throws in a line about you out there in the suburbs, because I'm not sure where that comes from as well. But do you think this is enough to motivate voters of colors to turn out?
BOOKER: I hope so. I mean, this is guy that is targeting with his rhetoric African-Americans, targeting African-American communities. I've seen the way he's talked about American cities in such -- with such vicious language. And he's targeted countries calling them s-hole countries.
If it's a place where there are black folks, he seems to be coming at them. It is sad because it's the pitching -- pitting of Americans against Americans, trying to whip of fear and hatred. And so, it's not just that he's targeting folks with his rhetoric. His policies.
You know, when he came into office, he and Jeff Sessions turned over what Obama was doing in the Justice Department about fair sentencing and he told every prosecutor, every U.S. attorney you have to charge for drug crimes the highest possible charges that you can actually put forth. And it was obviously these drug crimes are disproportionately enforced against African-Americans.
So, I could go through this guy's record to what he's done to black people to endanger their lives and wellbeing but the rhetoric on top of it all is outrageous.
LEMON: I want to get this reporting in. This is from Politico, reporting that Democrats and groups like the NAACP are spending millions in a final push to make sure black men turn out for Biden.
Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter put it this way. He said, this election is going to be close. We know this. Every vote literally counts and must be counted. And we are not b -- well, he said, bull, you know, ing you around.
BOOKER: Yes.
LEMON: Look, if this campaign loses a little ground with black men voters of color, have they expanded the vote enough in other areas to make up for that?
BOOKER: Well, I'm not sitting any ground. I mean, as a guy, as the only senator who lives in a black African-American community, I'm telling you the conversations we're seeing are this expansion, whether it's HBCU communities, whether it's black Greek communities.
I'm seeing it push to get the black vote out, men and women, in ways I have not seen even in the Obama era. So, I'm not sitting that terribly. But what's exciting to me is you see it expanding in other areas. The vote is up. Young people get it. You know, whether it's the Parkland youths, environmental activists we see people engaging in voting in ways that they haven't before.
And then you see he's losing dramatically amongst demographics that are the ones he's trying to scare, which is suburban Americans. So, I see his map shrinking, I see Biden's pathway to 270 expanding, that's why he is telling everyone, vote and we make sure your vote is safe. And we're going to make them in count. He's out there in court trying to restrict windows for people to vote
and do other things that make it more difficult. Well, in the spirit of John Lewis, who is up in heaven looking down, we have gone through obstacles before to vote. We've jumped over hurdles, crossed bridges. Our ancestors have bled red for the right to vote. We can be prepared to do what it takes no matter what the obstacle is. We've got to get out there and vote.
LEMON: Senator, always a pleasure. Be safe out there on the campaign trail. We'll be talking to you along the way. Thank you so much.
BOOKER: Listen, I'm grateful to you, Don. I hope you'll have me back on as we get closer on the other side of all this.
LEMON: Yes.
BOOKER: So that we can talk about who did the 80s better, you or me? Both of us had --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Don't push me.
BOOKER: -- probably sizable afros.
LEMON: Don't push me because I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my head. It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder. Thank you, Senator.
BOOKER: By the power.
LEMON: Thank you, Senator. Look, we got -- you got to laugh. You got to laugh because it is, again, very tense times.
BOOKER: Yes.
LEMON: So, everybody breathe, and be kind. OK. Thank you, Senator.
(CROSSTALK)
[22:25:02]
BOOKER: Yes, be kind.
LEMON: Yes. Absolutely.
LEMON: I'll see you soon. Yes.
BOOKER: Thank you.
LEMON: The big question is will we know who wins the White House on election night? We're going to tell you what you should expect. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Well, all eyes on Pennsylvania, a key state in the battle for the White House. More than two million votes cast there so far and two-thirds of those votes are from Democrats.
Some counties in the state planning to wait to start counting mail-in ballots until after -- after election day. That means the winner of the commonwealth's potentially game changing 20 electoral votes might not be decided for days.
So, let's break it down now. You know who can do that? CNN's senior political analyst, Mr. Mark Preston. Mark, Good Evening to you, how are you doing, sir?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good evening, Don. Good evening.
LEMON: Yes. Well --
PRESTON: We are almost there.
LEMON: Yes.
PRESTON: Maybe, maybe not.
[22:30:02]
LEMON: I think this is just the beginning, Mark, but you know.
PRESTON: Yes.
LEMON: Democrats are largely voting by mail in Pennsylvania. The Republicans will be voting in-person on Election Day. At least, the traditionally that's what happens.
So, 538 outlined a scenario where that could mean that a double-digit lead for Trump happens on election night but he could still lose the state. So, explain to audience please why some people are expecting that to happen.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it's very simple and I think folks should really tune in and focus on this. We'll be talking a lot about this over the next couple days, because a lot of people are going to expect immediate satisfaction. They're going to want to know who the winner is right away, but the way that our electoral system is set up now and of course with COVID everything is changed.
So, we're seeing this record number of mail-in votes, people have not been able to really understand how to take them out all in. Look, they have enough trouble Don, doing it the old-fashioned way. But what happens in Pennsylvania, is that they are not allowed to count any of these votes, until the morning, until 7:00 a.m. of Election Day. So they can't get ahead of the count.
So, what you could see happen over the day and as we get into the night, as they start reporting totals. Is that you are going to see rural counties, rural areas that are going to be heavily Trump, that are going to report quicker. They don't have to count as many, quite frankly. But it's going to be all over the place in Pennsylvania, so you could see that number increase.
And when that number is going to start to decrease, it is not only where they start to release the tallies of these absentee voters, or these in-person voters, who chose not to do it on Election Day. Later in the night, we'll see those added into the pile, but guess what, in addition to that, we are also going to see the metropolitan areas which we are all watching on election nights. They always report late.
So you could see Trump go way up and then you could see him plateau and go way down. But what makes it even more interesting is that if it gets really tight in Pennsylvania, you and I talk about, you know, will there be some kind of resolution? There may not be resolution for several days. Because, the Supreme Court has weighed in and ballots that are postmarked on Election Day can be counted up until Friday, but that doesn't mean that we are not (inaudible) challenges to those. So, here we go.
LEMON: Mark.
PRESTON: Sorry.
LEMON: You are not helping, so the red mirage again, this is a scenario that could happen. When they're counting people who voted in- person on Election Day and then it hits blue wave, possibly when the start to count the people who voted early, or who voted by mail. OK, so how is the state going to handle the counting of the votes releasing information to the public -- that's, well --
PRESTON: Well as quickly as possible, I mean, the idea of doing big dumps, I don't think election officials think that that's going to be a smart move. Because if you do big dumps, you're going to have emotional waves back and forth. You're going to have Republicans happy, Democrats un-happy above vice versa. So, what they are calling for is much information in transparency as possible throughout the evening when they start reporting in the subsequent days thereafter.
LEMON: Yes, I forget which election I was in Ohio for, I think it was 2012, I don't remember. And as soon as they called Ohio, I was like I got my one little life shot off for CNN, and then as soon as they called Ohio, they're like you're out here, go on the plane get back.
PRESTON: See you.
LEMON: I mean, it was over, really fast into the night. I live in Philadelphia. I've gone through elections there. And it's usually there's a lot going on, there's a lot to count. Yes, and then as you said they are going to be legal challenges. So, stay tuned get ready everybody.
Thank you, Mark. Mark, I will see you soon.
PRESTON: All right. LEMON: So early voting numbers exploding all across the country, as
President Trump and Joe Biden head into the final weekend before Election Day, a stunning 86 million people casting their votes, so far. That's 63 percent of all votes cast in 2016. Democrats showing, an overall advantage in the early vote across the key battleground states that have data for, that we have data for I should say.
But Republicans, closing the gap in those states. Without a clear picture of how in-person turnout will be on Election Day, no one knows how this race is going to go. Don't let them fool you. President Trump holding 70 potential superspreader rallies in these final days. Many of them in the Midwest, where the coronavirus is surging right now.
Joe Biden also campaigning in several swing states, holding drive-in events in Michigan tomorrow, brainstorming -- excuse me barnstorming across Pennsylvania and the days ahead.
Let's discuss now, Mr. Mark McKinnon is here the former adviser to George W. Bush, and John McCain and also CNN political analyst, Ron Brownstein. Hello gentlemen, Mark were you surprised to get my text in the middle of the night, in the wee hours the other night?
MARK MCKINNON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I love, that how I expect to hear from you.
LEMON: I was catching up on my DVR and watching your show. And I had a couple of comments.
MCKINNON: I'm just glad you're watching.
LEMON: Yeah, it's for your show, it's so great Mark. I got to tell you. What you've done with that show, it's really amazing. It takes you right inside and it's really smart.
[22:35:10]
So, listen, OK, let's talk about this. You say the battleground state of Pennsylvania, is flashing, is a flashing red light. Why is that?
MCKINNON: Well, it's the crown Jewel of the trifecta that Trump won the election with. It was the one with the most electoral states on his inside straight that he drew. So, when one smart thing that Trump did early on was recognize that Joe Biden was his greatest threat, A, because he's a centrist, practical, safe, secure Democrat that can build a coalition to win in November, but also because he's from Pennsylvania.
He grew up in Scranton until he was 10 years old, he lived there and so he's got -- and he's known as lunch bucket Joe in Pennsylvania and he's got a blue collar message that appeals to the middle class. So, that's problematic for Trump because if Joe Biden takes away Pennsylvania, then Trump has to find another road map to get there.
Because it is much more problematic, not that he can't do it. But it's just much harder and that's why we see, it's a flashing red light because of what you mentioned in the earlier segment with Mark, which is that it's a situation where you could have a bunch of votes that won't be counted until after election night and Donald Trump has already said that votes that aren't counted on Election Day are not legitimate.
So, you know that he's going to stand up on election night and if he has a bunch of Republicans voting on Election Day and a bunch of Democratic votes that haven't been counted, he's going to say I won.
LEMON: That's why he's doing it. That's why he's saying that. Right, I mean, there's no -- that's the plan, right. Ron, you want to get in, I know.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look, I mean, -- you know, Trump's problem, among the many problems that he's got in the final days, is that Biden can actually win without Pennsylvania or Florida. I mean, you know, he has totally plausible path with Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and the second district of Nebraska.
And we are seeing, as I said to you before, Don, if you look at the Rust Belt states, it is the incredibly similar pattern from state to state right now in the polling, understanding that the polling was off last time.
But nonetheless, if you look across the Rust Belt states, Joe Biden is winning 55 percent plus of college educated white voters. He's in the 80s among African-American voters and he's ticked up just to about 40 percent among non-college white voters where Hillary Clinton was at 35 percent or below in all of those states, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio Minnesota and Iowa.
LEMON: Can I ask you something? So, you just talked about something. Because there's a lot of hand wringing going on. Oh my gosh, he's not doing what Hillary Clinton did or Barack Obama did with black voters and the Obama coalition.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. You're right. Potentially not.
LEMON: But he's building his own coalition. I mean, he has more white voters and blue collar voters and more seniors then (inaudible).
BROWNSTEIN: He is, indeed. More white voters and more young people.
(CROSSTALK)
Right, exactly. Right. He is going to have the highest number ever among college educated white voters. He is going to come back to Obama -- as close to Obama's 2012 level among non-college white voters, he is going to exceed Obama's 2012 level probably among young voters. He's going to get somewhere between Obama's 08 and 12 levels in turnout among African-Americans.
And above all, Don, I mean, as I wrote today in the Atlantic. He is going to consolidate the emerging America. I mean, Donald Trump was 87 of the hundred largest counties in America. (Inaudible) combine 15 million votes. The odds are high that Biden is going to win over 90 of them. He may win them by several million more votes. I mean, look at Harris County in Houston and the turn out today that
exceeded the actual Election Day vote in 2016. He may win that by twice as month as Hillary Clinton did. He may win (inaudible) by three times, four times as much as Hillary Clinton did. It is indicative of what is happening. Trump has exiled the Republican Party from the fast-growing metros that are defining the America, the 21st century.
And there may be a path for him in just squeezing out enough rural votes. As our friend, you know, (inaudible) talks about, you know, getting everyone out the deer stand. But the long run here is that the parts of America that are kind of growing, that are dynamic economically. They're driving most of the economy, Trump is driving the Republicans to historic lows there and we're going to see that in pretty much in every state, from Texas to California.
LEMON: And this, Mark, this is indicative. This is what my late-night text to you was about. They know what's happening. We're talking about the voters you know, I texted to you about Dan Patrick and said interesting interview with Dan Patrick, blah, blah, blah. There's a method to why they are trying to limit the number of people who are eligible or able to vote and have access to the voting booth or to a ballot.
MCKINNON: It's stunning. You know, I mean, they're just doing everything but saying it out loud. If it walks like suppression and talks like suppression, it's suppression, man. And they just filed suit -- another lawsuit in Texas today to disqualify 110,000 votes that were motor voter votes. And that's simply people driving in their cars voting exactly like you would if you walk into polling place, same -- you know, you have to show the same authorization, same signature, same everything, you're just doing it in a car.
[22:40:08]
And now the Republicans are trying to disallow 110,000 votes of people who have already voted there. It's really shocking and it's embarrassing to me as a Republican, that the Republicans have so systematically done this. At a time when we really need to you know, to encourage people to be voting, anyway they can, in a COVID environment.
LEMON: Yes, look we talked too much I won't have time for the soundbite, but Mark, I just need to tell you the circus, I interviewed Jon Ossoff last night. And you know, at Purdue right his challenger pulled out of the debate, his no longer wants to be in it. He got creamed in the debate before.
MCKINNON: He did, he did.
LEMON: Democrats real quickly, because I am out of time here. Are Democrats really confident there, in Georgia? As far as this election goes?
MCKINNON: You know I got to say, Alex Wagner interviewed him for the show for this Sunday, and I'm watching that scene. I suddenly think that, all stock has a better chance to win the Senate, than a lot of other conventional wisdom Senate races around the country. I think he's a real legitimate shot now.
LEMON: Yeah, it's going to be on the circus this weekend, make sure you watch them Sunday night on ShowTime. Thank you gentlemen.
BROWNSTEIN: They're moving to metro Georgia, same as everywhere else, same story.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Do you really think Georgia has the possibility of going blue?
BROWNSTEIN: Yeah, I mean it's right on the tipping edge, but it's the same stories everywhere, Don, I mean, the metros are -- the drop the beltway around every big city in the country and inside of it, the Democrats are consolidating, and that is the price Trump has imposed on his party.
LEMON: As we used to call it when I lived in Atlanta, inside the perimeter and outside the perimeter to hold the -- tale of two cites, tale of two worlds. Thank you very much, I appreciated. Will be right back.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.
MCKINNON: Kick it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:45:00]
LEMON: So this is what's new tonight, more than 9 million people have voted in the key state of Texas, passing the states total turnout in the 2016 general election. And expect that number to grow. The last day of early voting, wrapping up tonight and Election Day voting still to come, next week.
CNN's Jason Carroll is on the ground for us in Texas tonight. Boy, good evening Jason, you've got your work cut out for you, I've been watching you working and working and working, wondering if you're getting any sleep? Early voting, just ending where you are. You are in Fort Bend County. You spoke with voters who came out tonight. What did they tell you?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, yes, yes, huge turnout here in the state of Texas. So, it's no wonder why we're working these hours, and you speak to some of those who are here in the grounds, some of these early voters and you get into their heads about why they felt so compelled, why there is so much enthusiasm here in the ground to early vote.
There are a couple of things at play here. One, some of those we spoke to say they wanted to make sure that their votes got counted. There are others who just felt motivated by the political climate that is at hand, and also still others in the area that were motivated by the extended hours in neighboring Harris County for example. They had eight polling sites that were open for 24 hours. And so some
folks, who in the past had to work, felt as if they could actually get to the poll and cast a vote. And we spoke to a lot of these folks who are a little earlier tonight, Don, here's a small sampling, of what they said about why they needed to cast their vote early.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Why so many coming out to vote early, in the state of Texas?
LIZETTE NEGRIN, TEXAS VOTER: So I came out early, because I like to see the trend, like what the polls are before November 3rd. Just kind of predict, more or less, what 2021 will look like. That's why I wanted to come early.
CARROLL: Sir, how about you?
DAMINA NEGRIN, TEXAS VOTER: I feel like people came out, because there is a lot of hot topics, and brought out more people to vote, obviously finding out that the record this year for how many people came out. Early, so.
MARIUM SHINWAN, TEXAS VOTER: I think just you really don't really have an excuse at this point for are not being able to vote, because I got up late, and I was like, should I go or not. I was able to check you know, the place, you work with the time and I was able to come today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: So again, I think it bears repeating, more than 9 million people, have already cast their vote, that already surpasses all of those who voted in 2016. And again, we're not even at Election Day at, Don.
LEMON: So Jason, Senator Kamala Harris making several stops in Texas today, she explained why she was there, here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Because there are people here, who matter, people who are working hard, people who love their country and we need to be here and be responsive to them. So, that's why we are here, because there are a lot of important people in south Texas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: I know they're hopeful, Jason, but do Democrats really think that they can flip Texas?
CARROLL: Look, there are some Democrats out there who certainly feel that way, it is a tall order, make no mistake about that. There are some folks here in the ground, you know, here in Texas, who feel as though not likely to happen, but I spoke to Dallas' former mayor, he's a Republican. He's actually endorsing Joe Biden, he says that Biden went from having no shot, to sort of a long shot, to a medium shot. There are several factors for that one being changing demographics
here in the state as you know. More Latino voters here in the state, they're seeing Democrats performing better, in the suburbs. So, there are a lot of sort of factors that are playing into here, but Republicans, you know, here in the ground are saying, this is just wishful thinking at best.
But again, Democrats are seeing some changing demographics here in the ground. So, what was once read, is now seeming a little bit more purple, but again, a tall order here in the state of Texas.
LEMON: No one to better to have on the ground than Jason Carroll. Jason, I appreciate your reporting. Thanks for joining us, get some rest my brother. I'll see you soon.
CARROLL: You bet.
LEMON: The U.S. hitting the highest daily case numbers for the second day in a row, but the president's -- well, he's attacking doctors?
[22:50:03]
The president of the American Medical Association response, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: The COVID-19 crisis is raging out of control on President Trump on the campaign trail today, repeating his ugly and baseless claims that doctors are using the pandemic to milk the system, accusing them of inflating the COVID death count for monetary gain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, our doctors get more money, if somebody dies from COVID, you know that, right? I mean, our doctors are very smart people, so what they do is they say, I'm sorry, but you know, everybody dies of COVID.
But in Germany and other places, if you have a heart attack, or you have cancer, if you are terminal ill, you catch COVID, they say you died of cancer. You died of heart attack. With us, when in doubt, choose COVID.
(LAUGHTER)
[22:55:07]
That's true. No, it's true. Now, they'll say, oh it's terrible what he said. But that's true. It's like $2,000 more. So you get more money, this could only happen to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Oh boy, let's talk about that with the president is saying with Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association. Doctor, I'm so glad you're here. I know this is particularly gulling to you to hear that. I just have to ask you, how do you respond to it?
SUSAN BAILEY, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: Well, Don, thanks for having me on. And doctors around the country, are really outraged at the that anyone would have the notion that we have a financial incentive to diagnose someone with COVID-19, much less put it on a death certificate.
It's patently false, that's not how doctors get paid. Hospital reimbursement systems are different, I don't want to get into that. But doctors go in putting their lives on the line to take care of patients every day, knowing that they're at risk. And thinking of their colleagues who have succumbed to the virus, we ought to be pulling together to fight this virus, asking for masks, and hand washing and distancing, pulling together and not pulling each other apart.
LEMON: Doctor, listen I have to run, I'm sorry for the short time that we have, and forgive me. How does this make medical professionals feel to hear the leader of the free world, talk about hospitals and medical workers in those terms?
BAILEY: Doctors and all health care providers, are really worn out, they've been working very hard for the past six months. They were called heroes six months ago, and now they're not too sure what to think. And we just want this pandemic to end. We want to work together to fight this virus. And we all need to work together in this.
LEMON: Joining us from the great state of Texas, Dr. Susan Bailey, thank you so much, I appreciate your time, be well.
BAILEY: Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
