Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Louisiana Bracing for Fourth Hurricane of the Year; Biden Takes His Campaign Messaging on the Road to Nevada; Europe Leads U.S. in Single Day Infection Surge. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired October 09, 2020 - 11:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

JOHN KING, CNN INSIDE POLITICS: We are just hours away now from another powerful hurricane hitting the storm-weary gulf coast. A massive sandbagging effort now underway to help protect against Hurricane Delta and a possible life-threatening storm surge and flash floods. Delta expected to bring those elements along rain bands from the storm already reaching parts of Louisiana and Texas.

Kevin Gilmore is a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Slidell, Louisiana. Kevin, thank you for your time today.

What is the latest and when are we expecting to see more significant impacts?

KEVIN GILMORE, METEOROLOGIST, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: The latest from the National Hurricane Center as of 10:00 central daylight time is now maximum winds of 15 miles per hour. That makes it still a Category 3 hurricane and that is a major hurricane.

Now, it's still down about 5 miles per hour from the 7:00 A.M. intermediate advisory and we did see the intensity of the storm peak overnight. However, we do not want people to let their guard down with the storm, although some slight weakening could be possible, especially by the time it makes landfall later today, around 5:00 to 7:00 central daylight time.

We are still expecting to have a significant impact, especially across Southwest Louisiana even spanning well to Southeast Louisiana, as well. This includes life-threatening storm surge, heavy rain and flash flooding, as well as isolated tornadoes and damaging winds.

[11:35:00]

KING: And so, Kevin, I want you to listen here to the lieutenant governor of Louisiana, who I met years ago back in the Katrina/Rita days when he was a local official. This is Billy Nungesser saying this is the fourth hurricane to make landfall in Louisiana. He says it's just exasperating when they keep coming and the power. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GOV. BILLY NUNGESSER (R-LA): You've got sea rise, coastal erosion. So they're stronger. We're seeing more of them. And they're having a greater impact because of all three of those things on the complete coast, not just Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama. So we're going to continue to see more hurricanes, stronger, and have greater impact on the people living along the coast.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Why is the question many ask, is this just a horrible, unlucky season, unlucky year, or is this the storms are more frequent, they're more powerful because of climate change and other factors?

GILMORE: Well, this was already forecast to be an above-average year due to La Nina and La Nina causes lower shear across the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf Basins. Because of that, we forecasted this to be an active season and we saw that. We reached the Greek alphabet with names which we haven't done since 2005.

And this was already forecast to be an active season already. We can't attribute one single storm to climate change. We do admit that climate change is real. However, we as meteorologists can't really can make that connection between the two. We just know with one storm particularly, this was just unlucky for this case to be heading north.

We do typically see these storms in this area, climatologically speaking, moving north, which just so happens based out of the geography with Louisiana, that it juts out a little bit towards the Mississippi delta region. And just, typically, we see a little bit more impacts across the northern gulf coast, especially this time of year.

KING: Kevin Gilmore, grateful for your time today and we hope people keep listening to you and listen to their local officials as well, as Delta makes it way for the coast. Kevin, thank you very much.

Up next for us, a return to the campaign trail. Joe Biden and President Trump fighting it out in many states, one of them, Nevada.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:40:00]

KING: Joe Biden is on the trail in Nevada today, two stops in the Vegas area. Nevada, of course, always a battleground state in presidential politics. Joe Biden trying to take advantage now. The president still isolated at the White House with the coronavirus.

If you look at the map, you see we have Nevada leaning blue. It is part of the advantage for Joe Biden right now. Our electoral outlet has him at 290 electoral votes. The dark blue, strong for Biden, the light blue, leaning Biden. It takes 270 to win. Nevada right now is in Joe Biden's column. The president would like to turn it his way. If he's going to make a comeback, he has to find states to do that. Nevada is a tough one because of the Latino population, but the president hopes to change it back. Let's leave it where it is right now, as leaning Biden.

And just take a look. This is one state where both campaigns are on television right now. In many states, because Biden has more money, he's up on the air and Trump is not. Let's take a look at the ads side by side here.

First, on the Biden ads that are up right now, pro-Biden, anti-Trump, you expect that. But what are the issues they're talking about? Health care and coronavirus, this is important. Voters over the age of 50, Joe Biden right now has an advantage with seniors and voters close to being seniors, usually a Republican advantage, Joe Biden trying to press it.

If you look at the president's ads right now up in Nevada, you see a different -- pro-Trump includes jobs and unemployment. He is trying to convince seniors he's on their sides when it comes to prescription drugs, international affairs and some coronavirus ads.

It's a big battleground state, Biden believing being there helps generate turnout. Again, both campaigns spending a fair amount on television.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: My son, Beau, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, given months to live. I can't fathom what would have happened if the insurance companies had the power to say, the last few months, you're on your own.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Donald Trump delivered on the impossible in his first term. And in his second term, he will continue to fight for you. President Trump will end our reliance on China, eradicate the coronavirus and make our medicines and supplies here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: CNN's Arlette Saenz and Alex Burns from The New York Times join our conversation.

Arlette, I want to start with you, because health care is the issue the Democrats believe is critical, especially in the middle of this pandemic. And if you listen to the ads, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, a different approach when it comes to health care. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Trump's plan would wipe out social security. If I'm your president, we're going to protect social security and Medicare. You have my word.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump is protecting pre-existing conditions, prescription drugs are more affordable, the cost of insulin is going down. Under President Trump, our benefits and our health care are safe and secure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, there's a lie in that Trump ad. The president is at the Supreme Court right now asking it to throw out Obamacare. So he's not protecting you from pre-existing conditions or protecting your coverage. But the Biden ad especially aiming at older voters, believing if Joe Biden can hold the lead, he has right now among older voters, game over.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And Joe Biden has made this pitch about health care really a central focus of his campaign. One, due to the coronavirus pandemic and his people are using health care as they potentially become infected and contract the virus.

You're also hearing Biden lay out the stakes of health care when it comes to that Supreme Court nomination, you know, pointing to the fact that President Trump, that the Supreme Court, just a week after the election, is going to hear oral arguments in a case relating to Obamacare.

And the Biden campaign really trying to lean into the popular provisions of Obamacare when it comes to protecting pre-existing conditions.

[11:45:4]

You hear them over and over stress that on the campaign trail in that debate that Kamala Harris had with Mike Pence just two days ago. That was also one of her more forceful lines during that debate, warning that the president doesn't have any plans at this point for protecting pre-existing conditions.

So this is an appeal that they're making, not just to older voters, but voters really across the spectrum. But particularly here in Nevada, you know, voters over the age of 65 make up about a fifth of the electorate, from back in 2016. So that's a critical group that Biden is doing quite well with right now. And he's hoping that those messages about health care, about social security, about Medicare, will appeal to voters here in these types of states.

KING: And, alex, if you use Nevada as an example, if you go back several cycles, a very competitive state, a yellow state, even maybe a purple state. Back when I first started, it was a red state. Now, we lean it blue in large part because of the Latino population, a growing suburban population around Las Vegas.

You write about this in the context of Arizona and other growing Sun Belt states in the newspaper today. I just want to read this from your piece. I found it really fascinating. This is from David Holt. This is the Republican mayor of Oklahoma City.

Cities and states like Arizona and Texas are attracting young people, highly educated people and people of color, all groups the National Republican Party has walked away from the last four years. This losing demographic bet against big cities and their residents by putting Sun Belt states in play.

It is fascinating, and we saw it happen in Nevada. We'll see if the president can turn it back this time. But now Arizona, Democrats have Texas. And if you think about it, especially thinking about Vegas, it used to be a desert town with casinos. No, it's a giant suburb now. If you think about Phoenix, you used to drive five minutes, 20 minutes outside of Phoenix and you have the desert. Now, it is suburbs, and that is what's changing American politics.

ALEX BURNS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That's exactly right, John. And Nevada is a great example of where this has happened in such a dramatic way over the last few election cycles, where at this point, if a Democratic candidate runs up their vote score in Las Vegas and Reno and Byron, that's pretty much game over at this point.

And when you see the president trying in his ads, in his rhetoric, trying to drive up turnout and enthusiasm among the considerable population in Nevada of rural white voters and white voters without college degrees, even if he accomplishes that, it's probably not enough anymore.

These other states you just mentioned, like Arizona, like Texas, have not yet reached the same tipping point as Nevada on part because, up until now, they're affluent suburbs and particularly white voters in the affluent suburbs have been pretty loyally Republican.

What Arlette was talking about with regard to voters over age 65, senior voters, really important constituency, especially in Arizona, where there's a large community of retirees. President Trump has put those constituencies in play for the Democrats in a way that no previous Republican candidate has.

And the question now is, first, can Joe Biden capitalize on that weakness? It seems like the answer in Arizona is that he's doing a pretty good job of it. Texas is a bigger reach. And then for the longer term, you know, is this a moment that Democrats are managing to bring a bunch of unique forces together to flip some of these states or does this herald a real turning point where the party has figured how to put together a durable, winning coalition in the Sun Belt.

KING: And so, in part, when you watch the Trump campaign, it is a race against demographics, if you will. And the question is whether the president can pull it off again.

And, Arlette, if you go to Vegas right now and you watch the president's ads, the tone is a little different. One of these ads is from Vegas, the other one is from the northwest corner up in Reno, but the issue, immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: If you elect me, your taxes are going to be raised, not cut.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does that mean for you? You compete with illegal immigrants to keep your job, an economy in ruins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: There has been some criticism from Latino groups that Joe Biden is not working hard enough to make sure that population turns out in a place like Nevada to counter the Trump base. What are you going to see on the ground today from the former vice president?

SAENZ: Well, Joe Biden will be here a little bit later this afternoon, holding two events, including a drive-in rally right behind me here in Las Vegas. And I'm told that Biden is expected to lean into his argument about President Trump walking away, his willingness to walk away from stimulus negotiations earlier this week.

We have heard Biden in some of his speeches criticize the president for not actually getting more involved in these negotiations to offer coronavirus relief for Americans across the country. And Biden will be here in Vegas kind of reinforcing that. When the president earlier in the week talked about halting negotiations, Biden said that the president was turning his back on the very Americans who are in need of that kind of relief.

[11:50:07]

And this just goes back to the central argument that the Biden campaign has been making when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic and the president's, what they believe, is a mishandling of the situation. You've heard them over the course of the summer months and especially now heading into the final weeks before the election really making that the central focus as they believe that it's something that's really hitting home with voters heading into November.

KING: Arlette Saenz on the ground for us in Vegas, Alex Burns, as well, I appreciate the reporting and the insights.

And still ahead, for us, coronavirus rising around the globe, cases surging in Europe to levels that right now surpass the U.S. daily case count.

First though, I want to highlight 2012 CNN Hero Scott Strode. His non- profit provides free athletic activities and a sober sports community for thousands. When COVID-19 forced the organization to close its gyms, they found ways to stay connected online.

Our CNN Congressional Correspondent Phil Mattingly decided to skip the Capitol, joined a Phoenix class to see how they've kept this interaction going strong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Keep moving, everyone. Let's try to get two or three more. You've got 20 seconds. Nice job, Phil.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What was your thought when coronavirus first started to spread and lockdowns really started to kick into gear?

SCOTT STRODE, CNN HERO: I just knew that social isolation was going to be a big risk for relapse for a lot of people. So, pretty quickly, we pivoted to offering virtual programs. We knew we had to keep people connected in this sort of uncertain and stressful time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, one, and down for the sit-up.

STRODE: It just always lifts my heart to log into a Phoenix virtual class and meet somebody in recovery who is doing the workout in their basement somewhere in Tennessee, where we don't even have in-person programs but they can come to the phoenix anyway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice job, everyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: To learn more about Scott's programs and see Phil Mattingly try his burpees, go to cnnheroes.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

KING: It is a time sadly of new records for COVID cases worldwide, and Europe is leading the pack with nearly 98,000 new COVID cases on Thursday alone. That is more than the United States, which, of course, has the most cumulative infections around the world. France, Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic all reporting new case highs this week.

Our CNN Correspondents around the world with more of the global headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Melissa Bell in Paris. Here in France, four extra cities will enter the maximum alert category in which the greater Paris and the greater Masse (ph) regions are already. That would mean the sorts of restrictions we have here in the French capital already, things like bars and cafes having to shut, smaller sizes for social gatherings and things like gyms being closed as well.

And, yes, figures here in the French capital continue to worsen for the time being. The greater Paris region, the number of ICU beds taken up by COVID-19 patients is at 40 percent. According to projections of local health authorities, that could reach 80 percent before the end of the month. And that's one of the criteria for taking an area into the next category, which would be a state of sanitary emergency.

So, those figures in Paris continue to worsen nationally as well. For two days in a row now, we've had the number of new coronavirus cases announced at above 18,000 after that fresh record was set on Wednesday.

SALMA AABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: I am Salma Aabdelaziz in London. Scottish government will be imposing tougher new coronavirus restrictions starting today, Friday, at 6:00 P.M. local time. In Central Scotland, all bars, pubs and restaurants have been ordered closed for the next 16 days, through to October 25th.

Now, other parts of Scotland, venues can open but they cannot serve alcohol inside, it must be served outside, and they must close their doors by 6:00 P.M. in the evening. That is the curfew.

Now, the government announcement does come with an economic relief package of $52 million to help those businesses that have to close their doors. All of this as Scotland tries to battle a rise in infections in one 24 hour period. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 1,000, leaving First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to say, hard and painful measures needed to be put in place to protect people's health.

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I am Fred Pleitgen in Berlin. As Germany has seen another major jump in new coronavirus infections, German Center for Disease Control, the Robert Koch Institute, recorded more than 4,500 new infections in a span of 24 hours. That's more than 500 more than the previous days increase.

Now, the German government says it's extremely concerned about all of this, it's especially concerned about the situation in larger German cities, like, for instance, here in Berlin or in Frankfurt, as well, and is urging people to abide by the coronavirus measures.

[12:00:07]