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Hurricane Delta Takes Aim at Louisiana, 4th to Do So this Season; Update on Coronavirus Responses Around the Country; Jewish Journalist Assaulted, Called "Nazi" During Orthodox Protest; Another Wild, Consequential Week 25 Days Before the Election; Source: Trump Not Expected to Travel This Weekend After All. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 09, 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]

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let me show you what you've got. This stuff, aluminum siding which gets picked up in easy wind. And this is almost razor sharp. It has nails embedded in it. It is an example of some stuff that's out here.

But look down the street. The whole street is lined with piles of debris. The city moved about a million and a half yards of it to landfill, but there's more of that.

With the winds kicking up, this can all potentially become missiles. It is really bad. But it also acts as a battering ram on homes still standing in the neighborhood.

Let me show you drone shots of the blue tarps. They're almost synonymous. After every storm you see them. But they're not meant to take another storm immediately. And that's the problem now.

Tropical-storm-force winds or hurricane-force winds, those will be ripped off. It means more damage to those homes after the homeowners tried to fix them from the last storm.

Another thing, a remarkable scene in the middle of downtown Lake Charles. This high-rise office building that was so blasted by the storm six weeks ago, they finally got plywood up. It looks like a plywood skyscraper. How that holds up in these winds, no one is really sure.

Mandatory evacuation order is in place.

I should also point out they have what they call a radar pole here. That's a result of the National Weather Service radar in Lake Charles was knocked out by Hurricane Laura.

They'll still be able to monitor it from space. But where that radar would be crucial is any of those spin-off tornadoes you're likely to get as it comes ashore. It would give people a crucial warning, maybe just seconds, but enough.

They're trying to compensate for that using other radar in other places. We've still got a long way to go -- Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Martin, thank you so much, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for us.

I want to go to CNN meteorologist, Jennifer Gray, tracking the hurricane, Hurricane Delta from inside the CNN Severe Weather Center.

Tell us what you're seeing, Jennifer.

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Brianna, this is still a dangerous category three storm. It has winds of 115 miles per hour, gusts of 140.

It will likely make landfall as possibly a high-end category two. It will weaken some as it comes onshore. It is still going to be a very dangerous storm with very strong winds and one that we should not take lightly.

It's moving to the north at 13 miles per hour. Already feeling tropical-storm-force winds along the Louisiana coast, Texas as well.

Within the next couple hours, we'll feel hurricane-force-winds. And then you know conditions deteriorate from there, the closer eyewall gets to shore and on the back side.

Here's the high-res forecast radar. You can see rain pulling through. This would be completely out of here by tomorrow. That's the good news. It is not moving very slowly. It is going to pick up forward speed.

But you can still see 100-mile-per-hour winds along the coast for several hours. And we're talking about lots of rain as well. As it moves to the north, it will quickly weaken.

We're looking at anywhere from six to 10 inches of rain along that Louisiana coast, spilling well inland across the lower Mississippi River Valley, about the same.

Then it will be a wet and soggy southeast and mid-Atlantic as we get into the weekend and the beginning part of next week -- Brianna?

KEILAR: At least it is not moving slowly. We don't like hurricanes. We like the slow ones much less.

Jennifer, thank you so much for the update.

In another extraordinary move, Broadway is announcing it is going to extend its shutdown until next summer.

Plus, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham refusing to take a coronavirus test before his debate tonight. The question is why. Especially after his colleagues have become infect.

[13:34:00]

And I'll be speaking with a Jewish reporter who was attacked and called a Nazi during an Orthodox protest as the state is spreading the community for spreading coronavirus.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Broadway is dark tonight. It will remain that way for many more months than initially expected.

That is where we begin our look at coronavirus headlines from across the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Alison Kosik, in New York. The lights on Broadway aren't going back on anytime soon. Broadway shows in New York City are suspended until next summer according to the Broadway League, which is the national trade association for the Broadway industry.

The group has repeatedly extended the suspension of shows. Most recently, the league said won't be returning to the stage until at least January 2021.

Now they say ticket sales for Broadway performances will be suspended through May 30th next year.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Manu Raju on Capitol Hill. Jaime Harrison, a Democrat in South Carolina, running in a neck-and-neck race against Senator Lindsey Graham, is threatening to pull out of tonight's debate because he's demanding Graham take another test for COVID-19.

Graham did before their last debate on Saturday. But Harrison wants Graham to take another test before appearing in person. Graham says there's no need to do one right now. He criticized Harrison's conduct and says he is showing up regardless.

And of course, the stakes are enormous in that race, neck and neck. Suddenly, Lindsey Graham, one of the president's closest allies, is vulnerable in South Carolina.

[13:40:09]

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brynn Gingras, in New York. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is still in the hospital, under observation, recovering from coronavirus a source tells CNN. The same source saying no indication now that he is on a ventilator.

Last weekend, Christie, who suffers from asthma, checked himself into a New Jersey hospital as a precaution, he said in a tweet.

Of course, you may remember that Christie was part of the president's debate prep team for the first presidential debate. And he said then he tested positive for COVID-19 last Saturday.

The current governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, earlier this week said he wished his predecessor well and said that Christie is a quintessential Jersey fighter.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Carolyn Manno, in New York. And for the second straight week, the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots had to push their games back because of coronavirus.

The Patriots were originally scheduled to play the Denver Broncos Sunday afternoon. But that game was moved to Monday night at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Meantime, Sunday's Titans-Bills game will be played on Tuesday. Right now, Buffalo is scheduled to play the Chiefs two days later. If that game comes to fruition, the Bills-Chiefs game will be pushed back.

As the league's scheduling shuffle continues, the NFL telling CNN that, as of Thursday's round of testing, the Patriots, Chiefs and Titans all reporting no new cases, an encouraging sign as they try to move forward in their schedule.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Everyone, thank you for those reports.

Once again, the president falsely pushing a coronavirus cure.

Plus, students at Notre Dame take action to rebuke the university's president who tested positive after a White House visit.

And disturbing new details on the kidnapping plot against the Michigan governor by a group of alleged domestic terrorists.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:46:21]

KEILAR: New York's governor is reacting to dual lawsuits filed against him by Orthodox Jews and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn over the state's latest coronavirus restrictions.

Governor Cuomo's new crackdown effects several neighborhoods, red zones in Brooklyn and Queens where cases are rising. Most notably, it limits capacity inside of houses of worship to 10 people.

Well, that set off several days of protests within the area's Orthodox Jewish community who feel the -- they feel the crackdown unfairly targets them.

When asked if these groups are to blame for flouting the rules, Governor Cuomo said this on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): Blame. You know, blame will be done by a higher authority at one time.

They are not following the rules. We know what happens when you don't follow the rules. The infection rate goes up. And it just proves our point from the get-got.

We know how to control the virus. But you have to control the virus. You have to be disciplined. When you don't follow the rules, it goes up. That's what's happening in these very small clusters.

These are religious groups. It tends to get more complicated, frankly, because of some cultural aspects.

This is not a matter of religious freedom, right? I don't care if you're Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, atheist, you have to follow the rules of the state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: One reporter at the protests who has been covering the pandemic in that community was attacked by a mob on Wednesday night.

Jacob Kornbluh is a national politics reporter for the "Jewish Insider" who was assault. He is with us now.

Jacob, I do want to talk about what happened to you.

But first, just explain to viewers the setting for this. What's been happening in some neighborhoods in New York and the tension that there has been between them and the governor.

JACOB KORNBLUH, NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER, "JEWISH INSIDER," WHO WAS ATTACKED BY CROWDS PROTESTING STATE & CITY CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS: So the governor's restrictions came at a time when the Orthodox community is celebrating high holy days.

The uptick in cases in recent weeks prompted the governor to act. But those restrictions are being seen in the community as punitive measures, as measures that would restrict them from practicing their religion and conducting services.

That's where the clash is right now.

KEILAR: That's the clash.

Take us back to this night where you were attacked. What happened?

KORNBLUH: I was standing there, observing the scene, and the organizer of this group, a guy named Heshy Tischler, instigated this entire protest against Cuomo.

He approached me and called me an informer, a snitch, directed the crowd to actually come at me and scream at me.

And at that point, when I tried to walk away and go home, that's when they all ganged up on me, pinned me to the wall, and I got hit.

KEILAR: You got hit. And then what happened? How did this all end? And were you injured?

KORNBLUH: I didn't have any physical injuries. But after a few minutes, with help of police officers and members of the community, I was able to escape the scene.

KEILAR: So you were able to escape. Thank goodness.

I know you lived in this neighborhood for many years, right?

KORNBLUH: Right.

KEILAR: So you lived in this neighborhood for many years. Tell us, how is this community operating when it comes to masks, social distancing, compared to other New York communities?

KORNBLUH: Well, recent months, there was the rate of infection was really low, so businesses resumed, services resumed.

And there was a reopening process where people thought that either there's herd immunity or that the coronavirus has gone from the area. So they got used to a regular lifestyle.

[13:50:11]

And this uptick in cases put us all into a situation where people were not really informed about, you know, social distancing measures, about wearing masks.

And when they were advised to do that, it took just a few days until the governor took drastic measures, which resulted in some people calling for disobeying the law and for rejecting those measures, which actually, in my opinion, helps to save lives.

KEILAR: Which helped save lives.

Jacob Kornbluh, thank you so much for coming on and talking to us about the issues happening in New York City. We appreciate it.

KORNBLUH: Thank you.

KEILAR: Coming up, a look back at the wild week that was, that started with the president returning to the White House with coronavirus and is ending with a plot to kidnap a sitting U.S. governor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:44]

KEILAR: On Tuesday, we showed you the dizzying whirlwind of events that had happened over the previous 10 days in a segment we dubbed "What a Year This Has Been," from a Supreme Court nomination to the president's coronavirus infection.

But here we are, TGIF. And the consequential events haven't stopped.

In just the past four days, the U.S. sees its highest number of single-day coronavirus cases in nearly two months.

The president returns to the Oval Office, even though he's likely still shedding the virus. The president does a series of interviews and videos during which he falsely claims an antibody treatment is a cure.

He abruptly pulls the plug on stimulus talks, stocks plunge. And then he later says they're back on.

Speaking of the economy, America's debt is now predicted to be larger than the U.S. economy.

The FDA bucks the Trump administration, closing the door on vaccine makers getting authorization before Election Day.

And also on vaccines, the whistleblower, who was in charge of the federal vaccine effort, who says he was demoted because he opposed political pressure on scientists, resigns, saying he just can't take the administration's disregard for science.

The president attacks three of his cabinet members, in part, for not prosecuting his political opponents.

The first and only vice-presidential debate is held, after which the president launches sexist attacks against Senator Kamala Harris.

Then a fight erupts over the second presidential debate between the Biden and Trump campaigns after the president refuses to participate virtually.

Since Tuesday, the president has tweeted or retweeted more than 185 times.

Today, in a very obvious episode of political theater, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduces a bill involving the 25th Amendment and the president's mental capacity.

CNN reports that Walter Reed staffers were asked to sign nondisclosure agreements back in November during the president's mysterious unscheduled visit to the hospital.

A former top fundraiser for the president and Republicans is charged with conspiracy, accused of covertly lobbying the Trump administration for foreign entities, including China.

And the FBI says it thwarted a domestic terror plot to kidnap the Democratic governor of Michigan. Thirteen 13 men were charged with felonies. Governor Gretchen Whitmer calls out the president's rhetoric, and he hits back.

And we've still got 25 days to go until the election.

It is the top of the hour. I'm Brianna Keilar.

President Trump, frustrated by his confinement to the White House and eager to connect with supporters, took over "The Rush Limbaugh Show" today for the what the conservative talk radio host deemed the largest virtual rally in radio history.

And once again, the president downplayed the pandemic's threat to the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a cure. This is a therapeutic. Call it what you want. I can tell you it's a cure.

And I'm talking to you today because of it. Because, you know, I think I could have been a bad -- I could have been a bad victim. I fit certain categories that aren't so great, OK?

And you better be careful, too, OK? But you won't -- I'm tell you this is total gamechanger. It's so good.

And nobody else would have had it. You know, the FDA is approving things in one week that used to take three years. And that's only because I'm bugging them like crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The president is talking about Regeneron, the antibody cocktail that he claims cured him of coronavirus. We should note that Regeneron has not yet been approved by the FDA.

And the Trump administration is actually trying to block the science that it used. Regeneron's therapy indirectly relied on tissue taken from an abortion.

Although the Health and Human Services Department said today it's working to make it free to everyone.

There also is still no vaccine, something health secretary, Azar, said would not be widely available for another five months.

And the president is planning to resume his campaign rallies this weekend, specifically in Florida and Pennsylvania as the U.S. posts its highest number of new COVID cases in a single day in nearly two months. Twenty-eight states right now are going in the wrong direction.

CNN's Kaitlan Collins is at the White House with more.

And, Kaitlan, the White House press secretary says, logistically, pulling off a rally tomorrow could be tough, even though the president's doctor has cleared it.

[14:00:03]

So do you even think this will happen?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It doesn't seem like he's going to be on the road this weekend, per say.