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Trump Urges Supporters To Go To Polls & "Watch Very Carefully"; Biden To Far-Right Extremist Group: Cease And Desist; Trump Dismisses Biden's Tribute To Late Son; Debate Commission Mulls Structural Changes After Debacle; Suspect Arrested In Ambush Shooting Of Two Sheriff's Deputies. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired September 30, 2020 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In Philadelphia, they went in to watch. They're called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They weren't allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: No, that's not why.
These are the facts. Pennsylvania state laws only allow poll watchers from either party to observe voting at in-person sites on Election Day.
And according to the "Philadelphia Enquirer," those Trump supporters actually went to satellite election offices, places that don't offer poll watchers the rights they have at traditional polling places on Election Day.
Terry McAuliffe is with us. He's the former chair of the DNC. He's also the former governor of Virginia. And we have Mia Love as well. She's is a former Republican congresswoman from Utah.
Thank you to both of you for coming on.
TERRY MCAULIFFE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you.
MIA LOVE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you.
KEILAR: And you've saw the president refuse to say he would accept the election results.
First to you, Governor.
What is your reaction to that and what we just witnessed about poll watchers?
MCAULIFFE: Listen, he's trying to run down the vote, run down and disenfranchise the voters. He's trying to set up a predicate for after the election.
Brianna, it's not going to work. I can tell you, in Virginia today, we just went over 1.1 million early votes, in person as well as absentee. That is now 101 percent higher of all of 2016.
So I think the end result is more people are saying, you know what, I'm going to go vote. I'm not going to let my vote be taken away from me.
The one - the best for Joe Biden last night was when he looked in the camera, this election is about you. Go vote. I don't care, Democrat or Republican, just go vote.
Congresswoman, what do you think? Because historically, there-when you see these kinds of squads of people monitoring voting, we realize that's voter intimidation. I mean, that's historically where this kind of behavior lies.
What do you say to the president calling for his supporters to carry that out?
LOVE: Well, I would say, first of all, you can't send a mob of people to the polls.
There are some pollsters that are there that go through a process. They absolutely have to be there by a campaign so they can actually watch the polls. Those are poll watchers. They go through a process and they're supposed to be there.
But you can't send a mob of people into an election area or place where they're counting ballots to just attack or to watch. That's not how it works.
If there's a specific problem, any real leader would say, there is a problem in this area, here is the problem. Let's work with local officials to identify what the issues are and make sure there's transparency and every vote actually counts.
But that's not -- what I was hearing actually what incredibly frustrating. I think on both sides of the aisle. But especially for somebody who is looking for leadership and all you see is just destruction, interruption and, frankly, anger.
KEILAR: On leadership, Congresswoman, the president did not condemn white supremacists. That's not a hard call.
What did you think about that?
LOVE: That absolutely is not a hard call. It's an easy call. And to say to stand back or not even - stand by, that would have been an easy call for him. And that actually is pretty disheartening.
Again, Republicans who are looking for leaders to go out and support black Republicans want to know the president actually cares about them.
One of the things I would have liked to have seen is for the president to at least say I condemn white supremacy.
And when you're a leader, you can turn around to Vice President Joe Biden and say, OK, I said what I needed to do, I am leading. Do you support Antifa? Are you willing to do that?
But that's not what happened. He skirted the issue and refused to even say he condemned white supremacy. That doesn't look good for him. It certainly doesn't look good for the Republican Party.
KEILAR: What do you think, Governor?
MCAULIFFE: I wasn't surprised that President Trump wouldn't come out and condemn white supremacists. I was governor during Charlottesville.
I talked to President Trump that day on the phone. I explained, I have Neo-Nazis, I've got white supremacists screaming the most vile things against African-Americans, against members of the Jewish faith, against women.
I begged the president that day. I said we've got to stop the hate speech. I need you, as president, to come out and condemn these folks.
He told me he would. Four hours, he came out. He didn't use the word white supremacy or the world Neo-Nazi. He said there were good people on both sides.
Heather Heyer was 32 years old. She was killed that day. She was protesting against hatred.
[13:35:58]
So this is symptomatic of Donald Trump's America. He's trying to divide. He's trying to create race wars. We need someone who will bring this country back together again.
Then when he said to the Proud Boys, "stand by," that is a signal to them, let's do what we can to disrupt the election.
All it is doing is getting our vote turned out. People will not be denied this year.
KEILAR: Yes. And that rally, the Unite the Right rally, was organized by a Proud Boy.
Finally, I want to ask you, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are refusing to say whether they would expand the Supreme Court.
Governor, to you first, why?
MCAULIFFE: Look, Brianna, it's a hypothetical on a hypothetical. The first thing I would say is we should not be --
(CROSSTALK)
KEILAR: How is that a hypothetical?
MCAULIFFE: First of all, Barrett isn't in yet. So we know if we're going to win the election. So we don't know today.
But the issue is: Why are we appointing a Supreme Court justice --
(CROSSTALK)
KEILAR: Every question Joe Biden gets asked is a hypothetical then, if we're not sure of him winning the election. I mean, come on.
MCAULIFFE: Well, he hasn't won the election yet. We'll see what happens.
But the bigger issues is: Why are we putting a justice in 32 days before an election? And a million and one people have already voted in Virginia. And you're going to put a justice in now that's going to be a lifetime appointment? That's the issue I'd like to talk about.
KEILAR: Congresswoman?
LOVE: I think you're absolutely right. You have to be asked the hard questions. And to skirt away from a complete change in our judicial system is not leadership either.
That is an area where, again, Joe Biden is actually missing his mark in even getting middle-of-the-road Republicans by not leading out on this issue.
It is simply, yes, I support the Supreme Court justice the way it is and I don't think that Republicans should nominate another justice to fill in that seat. Or you want to change up the makeup.
You have to make sure you're out there and you're leading. And I'll tell you know, this not an area -- the reason they don't want to answer the question is because they lose on this issue. To completely change up the makeup is something that Americans don't want.
Everybody lives by the same rules no each side. And you have to deal with the situation that you're in. And the president is going to nominate somebody to fill in that seat.
KEILAR: Congresswoman --
(CROSSTALK)
MCAULIFFE: -- they plan. I don't Americans think both sides play by the same rules. That's not true.
Merritt Garland was 300 days ahead and didn't even have a primary winner on either side. And they denied Merritt Garland even --
(CROSSTALK)
LOVE: Listen, both parties behave the same way in the same situation. Both parties behave the same way in the same situation.
The problem is, you had Mitch McConnell -- the problem for Democrats is you had Mitch McConnell that was like, I am blocking this Supreme Court justice. So it's blame on both sides. Both parties play by the same rules here.
MCAULIFFE: Fair is fair.
KEILAR: Governor, Congresswoman, thank you so much to both of you.
MCAULIFFE: Great to be with you.
(CROSSTALK)
KEILAR: Great to see you both.
MCAULIFFE: Thank you.
LOVE: Thank you.
KEILAR: A friend of Beau and Hunter Biden will join me next to respond to the president's attacks on the former vice president's son.
Plus, just in, the debate Commission now says it's considering changes to the format after last night's -- what else do you call it but a debacle.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:40:17]
KEILAR: In the midst of this chaotic debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, one exchange took a very personal term as Biden referenced a report that Trump has disparaged dead and wounded American troops.
Biden spoke of his late son's military service and then this happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: My son was in Iraq. He spent a year there. He got the Bronze Star. He got the service Medal. He was not a loser. He was a patriot. And the people left behind there were heroes.
TRUMP: Are you talking about Hunter?
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Are you talking about Hunter?
BIDEN: I'm talking about my son, Beau Biden. You're talking --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I don't know Beau. I know Hunter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: I want to bring in Jim Mowrer. He's an Iraq War veteran. He was a good friend of Beau Biden. He knows Hunter Biden as well. He served as the veterans outreach director for Biden's 2008 presidential campaign.
Jim, thank you for coming on.
I want to know how you felt watching that exchange.
JIM MOWRER, IRAQ WAR VETERAN & FRIEND OF BEAU AND HUNTER BIDEN: Well, it was very person for me. To put it lightly, I was angry and really pissed off that the president of the United States, the commander-in- chief, was attacking a veteran. He was attacking Vice President Biden's other son, Hunter.
It really showed his character. It's beneath of the office of the president and completely uncalled for.
KEILAR: I wonder, he made a false claim about Hunter Biden and his military record. He said he was dishonorably discharged. He was not.
We've done a lot of reporting with veterans. There's also a lot of nuance around these discharges, especially in the age of PTSD. There are a number of people who have even successfully challenged dishonorable discharges because, in a way, they're service-related in many cases.
[13:45:07]
I just wonder, the falseness of this, and also weaponizing that, what you thought of that line.
MOWRER: Well, again, I think it was really unfortunate. Vice President Biden took the high road. He could have easily talked about Donald Trump's children, who are playing a role in his administration, in his business.
He could have easily talked about those things but, instead, focused on the positives and didn't want to engage in that kind of personal attack.
But it shows that the president of the United States doesn't understand the nuances of service and clearly does not respect the service of our men and women in uniform.
KEILAR: You knew Beau Biden very well. I know you're a civilian but you spent time in Iraq with him at the time. And you spent a lot of time with him. That down time that servicemembers get to have meals and get to know each other in kind of off hours.
You know, knowing that and knowing the kind of character that Beau Biden had, what did you think about how the former vice president handled that moment and what it must have felt like to have the president essentially try to hurt him over what must be a very soft spot?
MOWRER: Well, when I first got back from Iraq the first time -- I had served in Iraq in uniform. And I was working on veterans policy and outreach in Iraq veteran and he introduced me to Beau. When I returned to Iraq as a civilian, I happened to be basically at the same exact spot as Beau. So we did get to spend a lot of time together. I saw the character of Beau firsthand, how committed he was.
He spent on the last years of his life serving his country in a war zone instead of spending that time with his family.
Joe Biden has lost a daughter, a wife. He's lost a son. And that's an incredible amount for any individual person to bear.
He's persevered through that. And on this debate stage, the person holding the office, the highest office we have, personally attacked him about those things. And I think he was disgraceful.
I think it's going to be clear to voters that that's not the right person to be president of the United States.
KEILAR: Jim Mowrer, thank you for talking to us.
MOWRER: Thank you very much.
KEILAR: Just in, changes are coming to the next debate format. How the commission is shaking things up. We'll talk about that.
And this as "Homeland" actor, Mandy Patinkin, gives a passionate plea for Biden not to debate Trump again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANDY PATINKIN, ACTOR: Do not put the American people through any more of this. This is not a debate. It was a cluster (EXPLETIVE DELETED.)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:52:23]
KEILAR: In the aftermath of last night's off-the rails debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement that it's mulling structural changes moving forward.
I'm joined now by CNN's Brian Stelter.
So, what is that going to look like, Brian?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT & CNN HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": That's a great question. The Debate Commission is not saying yet. They say they're working on this and will announce new measures soon, Brianna.
They're defending Chris Wallace, who allowed the debate to go off the rails in the first few minutes.
The moderator problem was this. He didn't show he was in command in the first few minutes and he spent the rest of the time trying to catch up.
They're defending the moderator, Chris Wallace, and saying they will come up with additional tools to make sure there's order on the stage next time.
What does additional tools mean? Brianna, the first thing that comes to mind, cutting off the microphones of the candidates. If it is the other man's turn to speak, it's the other man's turn to speak, cut off the mics.
The viewers are wondering, why didn't that happen last night. The answer is every single part of these debates are negotiated ahead of time. Candidates would have to agree to those restrictions.
Here's the question: Will the commission try to cut the mics of the candidates in the future? And if so, will President Trump be willing to show up for debate where his mic might be cut off?
Those are the kinds of conversation now happening behind the scenes to figure out how to have an orderly debate.
KEILAR: Because that would not work in his favor, obviously.
STELTER: Right.
KEILAR: Are there any other things that they are talking about when it comes to changes, or we don't know?
STELTER: Well, they say additional structure for the debates. Maybe that means making the rules more obvious, more clear to viewers ahead of time. I'm not sure what else this commission can do.
Keep in mind, the next debate between Biden and Trump is a town-hall format. It will be different. It may be harder for Trump to run roughshod over the moderator when there are Americans in the audience asking questions.
The commission has never had this structural problem before. Trump is the reason they're having to revisit the rules in the middle of the debate season. That is a wild situation.
By the way, Brianna, the ratings are likely down from 2016. I think some were turned off by all the nonsense on stage.
KEILAR: Yes.
Brian, thank you. Good to see you.
The president contradicting his own medical experts on the debate stage about the coronavirus.
[13:54:40]
Plus, Republican allies struggle to defend why the president did not outright condemn white supremacy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Just into CNN, a suspect has been arrested in the ambush shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies earlier this month in Compton. The Los Angeles County sheriff made this announcement moments ago.
I want to get to CNN's Stephanie Elam, who is there in L.A.
What are you learning, Stephanie?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, I'm going it give you a bit of a timeline to understand how this came together.
On September 1st, they are saying the suspect carjacked a black Mercedes Benz from the owner in Compton and also shot that individual who owned the car. That happened on September 1st, they're saying.
And then the sheriff's department said, on the 12th is when we saw that video of those two deputies being ambushed by this one person and being shot. Miraculously, both are out of the hospital and expected to recover. That's the good news on that part.
However, three days later, on September 15th, that is when there's this arrest of this suspect. His name is Deonte Lee Murray, a 36-year- old man.
There was a lot of a questions from the media, asking, is this a person you believe is responsible for the shooting of those two deputies. And at the time, they said, no, they didn't think this was the person and they were directing attention away from that.
We now know that is the person they do believe carried out that shooting. The question was: Why was it not connected earlier?
They're saying it's because the driver of this vehicle, the suspect in this case, threw a pistol out the window during the pursuit. When they arrested him, they recovered it.
They said forensics showed it belonged to this person who was connected to him. It was a ghost gun. But the forensics in it.
When you listen to what they said, they can say that it was too early for them to connect the two and that's why they didn't do it.
But obviously, a lot of people with more questions on why he was arrested then but we're just learning about it now -- Brianna?
KEILAR: A lot of questions.
Stephanie Elam, thank you for the update.
[14:00:00]
Top of the hour now. I'm Brianna Keilar. Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, today, calling his debate with President Trump an embarrassment.
