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DNC Announcing "Largest Ever" Investment In Virginia Amid Tight Governor Race; DNC Chair, Jaime Harrison, Discusses The Virginia Governor's Race & Stalled Infrastructure And Social Safety Net Bills; Police: Norway Bow-And-Arrow Attack Being Treated As Terrorism; Trump: Don't Vote Next Time If GOP Doesn't Fix 2000 "Fraud"; Trump Ally Herschel Walker Cancels Fundraiser Hosted By Supporter Over Swastika On Her Twitter Profile. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired October 14, 2021 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:32:50]
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Virginia's race for governor seems to be getting a little too close for comfort for some Democrats.
The Democratic National Committee announced a major ad buy today. They say that it's part of their largest ever investment in the state.
Now, the GOP candidate, Glenn Youngkin, has been walking a really fine line between major Trump supporters and Independent voters.
Youngkin stayed away from a Trump-backed rally yesterday where the former president called in.
But this morning, Democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe, blasted the event. He claims that attendees pledged allegiance to a flag that was allegedly flown at the January 6th Trump rally just before the capitol riot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRY MCAULIFFE, (D), VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: People died. Law enforcement died. And they use a flag that they want to destroy -- the flag of the symbol of democracy.
They were pledging allegiance to a flag that they wanted to use to destroy our democracy.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN ANCHOR: Let me ask you --
MCAULIFFE: Glenn Youngkin is unfit to be governor. It is -- he needs to come out today and say it was wrong to pledge allegiance to that flag. And I want him to come out and say the January 6th insurrection was wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Joining me now is Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Mr. Chairman, good to see you.
First --
JAIME HARRISON, CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Good to see you.
BLACKWELL: -- you've been spending a lot of money in Virginia. Are you nervous about the Virginia governor's race?
HARRISON: Well, we spent money in California. We spent money in New Jersey. We're spending money in Virginia.
Because bottom line is this. We need to make sure that these states remain in the Democratic column so that we can continue to deliver for the people who live in those communities. And so, it's really, really important.
Terry McAuliffe has a proven record of being able to deliver for the people of Virginia. And so we want to make sure that all of the voters in that state know what that record is.
And they also understand the Trump acolyte they have in Glenn Youngkin and how dangerous he will be if he's given the keys to be the governor of the next -- the next governor of the great state of -- the Commonwealth of Virginia.
BLACKWELL: So, you cast him as a Trump acolyte.
And I have talked about how he's trying to walk this fine line. Earlier in the race, he was backing some of the Big Lie, and now he's trying to keep the moderates happy and those in the Trump fold.
[14:35:02]
But if he is as much of a Trump acolyte as you say he is, why isn't Terry McAuliffe walking away with this?
Less than a year ago, President Biden beat former President Trump by 10 points, the largest victory for a Democrat since 1944 in Virginia. If he's a Trump acolyte, this shouldn't be a concern, should it?
HARRISON: Well, listen, every race you have to walk in. You can't take anything for granted in politics. You have to go in and make your case to the voters in the state.
And Youngkin has been able to bankroll his campaign and so he's been able to get out a message and try to be moderate on television.
But in -- behind closed doors, we hear that he wants to get rid of a woman's right to choose how to control her own body.
We know that he wants to get rid of protections for voting rights. He's already putting out messages that, you know, the machines may -- something may be wrong with the machines. Every aspect of Donald Trump, this is a guy who mimics that. And
Donald Trump even has said that when -- if Youngkin's elected governor, he's going to do all the things that we want a governor to do.
Well, we know that Donald Trump said that in the same breath as he said that the 2020 election was a Big Lie. So, what is it? Are you for Trump or are you against Trump?
BLACKWELL: Mr. Chairman --
HARRISON: We know who he is.
BLACKWELL: Mr. Chairman, you have said Donald Trump more than you have said Glenn Youngkin, and Glenn Youngkin more than you have said Terry McAuliffe here.
Let me focus on the candidate, Terry McAuliffe.
He says the problem for Virginia voters, the frustration for Democrats is what's happening in Washington, and the infighting and the stall of the two major bills, the infrastructure bill and the social safety net bill.
How much is what's happening in Washington impacting, deflating potentially the votes that you need to get out to get Terry McAuliffe back into the governor's office?
HARRISON: Well, I can tell you, at the end of the day, we're going to get the votes out to get Terry McAuliffe and Mark Herring and then the Democrats in the legislature re-elected. I know that we're going to be able to do that.
And listen, I know, as my days working as the Florida in the whip's office, the legislating process, the sausage-making process on Capitol Hill ain't always pretty.
Sometimes it's convoluted. Sometimes it's a little difficult and hard.
But at the end of the day, we're going to get a bill passed that delivers for the American people and delivers for the folks in Virginia.
BLACKWELL: Why should Democrats believe that? Because every Democrat we have had on this show has said, we're going to get this done. We're going to pass both bills.
You know what else all Democrats came on this show and said we're going to pass? Voting reform. Democrats also came on this show and said, we're going to pass police reform. And you haven't done that either.
So, for the people who voted all of you into the White House, the majorities in both chambers, why should they believe this promise when you didn't come through on the other two? HARRISON: Didn't we come through with the American Rescue Plan? A plan
that has cut child poverty -- three million kids who are not in poverty right now because of that.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: It is one out of six.
HARRISON: But listen --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Is one out of six a record you want to take back to the voters in 2022?
HARRISON: It's not one out of six. Think of how large that bill was and how much it did in order to help the American people. You can't just say, it's one thing that we're ticking off the list.
It was significant in terms of securing the economy of this country, getting shots back -- shots in the arms of folks who were scared of whether or not they were going to get vaccinations when we inherited the White House from the Trump administration.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Yes. You did get that done.
HARRISON: -- actually delivered and secured for the American people.
It even funded police forces that they --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: I get that. I get that.
Mr. Chairman, I get, Mr. Chairman, you want us to focus on the one bill you got passed.
The question is, why should voters believe --
(CROSSTALK)
HARRISON: It was one heck of a bill because it was significant.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Still, quantitatively, it is one bill.
The question is --
(CROSSTALK)
HARRISON: No, no, it's about the impact. It's not about one bill.
BLACKWELL: OK, well -- HARRISON: One bill to pay the post office. The post office is a bill that passes the House all the time.
BLACKWELL: I get it.
HARRISON: That is not as significant as the American Rescue Plan.
BLACKWELL: All right, so, let's talk about significance. Let's talk about what's in these bills because, obviously, the Democratic Party is not making the sale on the message.
The latest CNN polling shows that only 25 percent of the respondents said that these bills would help them personally. And 32 percent say they would be worse off if they're passed, 43 percent say about the same.
When it comes down to the demographics that got the Democrats back into power in all three elements here, the White House and both chambers of Congress, you look at Independent women, six out of 10 say that it wouldn't help them personally.
Nearly 60 percent of blacks, 54 percent of people under 35, half of Latinos, half of moderates.
What's the disconnect? You listed off all the things accomplished in the Rescue Plan.
Is there a challenge, a problem that the party is having selling this massive legislation that they're trying to get passed to the people who you need if you want to maintain the majorities in 2022?
[14:40:09]
HARRISON: Well, I know recently, a poll that you guys had at CNN showed how popular the plan was with the American people.
So, this is the thing. Bottom line is this. We got to get this done.
We have to deliver for the American people because the things that are in this plan, from climate change to increasing new jobs to having childcare to expanding Medicaid and Medicare, are all popular with the American people.
And then it's going to be our job, once we get this done, making sure that the people understand who actually passed this and who actually worked for them and who sat on the sidelines trying to gum up the works.
And that's the real contrast in this race. You got one party that is fighting for the American people each and every day.
And, yes, we will debate about it and we will argue about it and argue about the size and the scope. But we are at least trying to do stuff to improve the lives of the American people.
The Republicans just don't give a damn. They aren't doing anything. They tried to destroy the economy by bringing down the -- not even voting for the debt ceiling increase.
BLACKWELL: All right.
HARRISON: When Democrats have done it time and time again. So, one party fighting for folks and delivering.
BLACKWELL: Got it. Got it. Got it.
HARRISON: One party sitting on the sidelines.
BLACKWELL: Jaime Harrison, always good to see you, sir. Thank you.
HARRISON: Always good.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: That was lively.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Spicy, as my son would say.
BLACKWELL: Spicy. I like that. We'll go with that.
CAMEROTA: That was great.
BLACKWELL: All right.
CAMEROTA: All right, now to this shocking story. There was a bow-and- arrow attack that left five people dead in Norway. It appears to be an act of terror. What we know about the suspect and the motive, next.
BLACKWELL: All right, here's what else to watch.
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[14:45:51]
BLACKWELL: Five people are dead and three others are injured in Norway after police say a man started randomly shooting people with a bow and arrow last night. Authorities now say the attack was terrorism.
CAMEROTA: At first, witnesses thought they were watching a police exercise until employees began crawling out of the store and were told to take cover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARKUS KULTIMA, KONGSBERG PRESIDENT & WITNESS (through translator): I saw a man walking with an arrow in his back.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A man with an arrow in his back?
KULTIMA (through translator): Yes, that was the off-duty officer who had been in there. And he told me to head home.
He came from here, and he stood there. And I had to walk here. So, I had to walk in the direction that the guy came from. That was very heavy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: CNN's Melissa Bell is in Oslo for us.
That's scary. What do we know about the suspect and the motive?
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've headed out of Oslo to Kongsberg and this is the very supermarket where that rampage began just over 24 hours ago, just after 6:00 p.m. local time.
That man, a suspect we now know a great deal more about, a 37-year-old man, Espen Andersen Brathen. We know he is a Danish national who grew up in Norway.
Also that he had been known to police services for his radicalization before the events of yesterday.
The attack began here. An unarmed police officer wounded. And from here, Brathen headed off for what lasted more than half an hour with that bow and arrow.
Five dead, as you say, in what the country's now saying was a terror attack.
The very latest, Alisyn, is that we've been hearing from the prosecutor. He was due at his first trial, his arraignment trial tomorrow.
In fact, we're hearing from the prosecutor that he may not appear at all since it is a psychiatric evaluation that is going on this evening in order to allow authorities to decide whether it is in hospital that he belongs.
But here, for the time being, an extremely shocked community. I cannot tell you just how quiet and sleepy this very suburban town is. It's exactly the kind of place you really wouldn't expect this sort of thing to happen.
And people keep coming by to have a look for themselves to say they simply can't believe it happened here -- Alisyn?
CAMEROTA: It turns out that violence can happen anywhere.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Melissa Bell, thank you very much for that update.
So, politicians typically encourage their supporters to vote, OK? That's usually how the strategy works.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: But not former President Donald Trump.
BLACKWELL: Oh, no. CAMEROTA: He's telling Republicans not to vote. And, well, they might
just listen.
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[14:52:46]
CAMEROTA: Former President Trump, as you know, is still trying to convince people that he did not lose the 2020 presidential election, though he lost by millions and millions of votes.
He issued this curious statement last night:
Quote, "If we don't solve the presidential election fraud of 2020, which we have thoroughly and conclusively documented, Republicans will not be voting in '22 or '24. It's the single most-important thing for Republicans to do.
BLACKWELL: Astead Herndon is a CNN political analyst and national political reporter for "The New York Times."
Astead, I just moved here from Georgia. This didn't really work out for Republicans when the former president tried to decrease confidence --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: -- in mail-in voting there among Republicans.
ASTEAD HERNDON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I mean, yes, this is exactly what happened in Georgia. We were down there for those races.
And the central question was not whether Democrats were going to come out. We knew that was going to be true. The question was whether Republicans were.
Because they had the same type of mixed messaging. You had the Republican candidates down in Georgia encouraging people, pleading for them to come out and vote early.
Then you had a president so focused on his own grievances from the 2020 election that he had foregone the party's own goals in order to win that one. He's doing this again.
But I think it's important for us to see the larger picture here. It is a bad strategy for the kind of electoral gang, for winning the 2022 midterms for 2024.
But Republicans are also focused on this kind of larger question, about how to reshape the very tenets that structure democracy, focusing on the rules of the game itself.
And for that, he is reorienting the party around those goals, and that can be just as important.
(CROSSTALK) BLACKWELL: He's wanting to be on the ballot for 2024, too, right?
CAMEROTA: Well, it sounds like it. All signs point to that.
But if you're changing the rules of the game, and if you're installing loyalists, as the so-called guardrails all cross the state --
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: -- maybe you don't need Republicans to turn out to vote.
If it's not about actual votes, since we know Donald Trump lost by seven million of those.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CAMEROTA: That's really interesting, Astead, that maybe he doesn't think he needs actual real voters to vote because they're trying to rig the game.
But when he says something like this and puts out a statement likes this, what happens inside Congressman Kevin McCarthy's head?
[14:55:04]
HERNDON: Yes, this is the tough spot for all of the Republican leaders in Congress, right? They are the ones contending with this. But they are not in a position of strength with Donald Trump.
I was at that rally in Virginia last night where the president called in to a rally that started off with folks pledging allegiance to a flag that was brought to the capitol on January 6th.
The energy of the party, the enthusiasm of the party is still with that base.
And so while I'm sure that Kevin McCarthys, the Mitch McConnells, the Republican kind of apparatus looks at that statement and groans, they also know they need Donald Trump and that kind of energy to be able to bring folks out.
Look, what binds Republicans together is different than what binds Democrats together.
They have a shared agreement on the enemy. They have the shared agreement on Democrats being a non-equal partner in the kind of democracy experiment.
That is what is motivating folks, not that necessarily affirmative political message. It is a negative, more partisan message, but it still binds people and still brings them to the ballot box.
BLACKWELL: Let me take you back to Georgia and the Republican candidate for Senate, Herschel Walker.
His fundraiser was canceled last night because a host featured a swastika made of syringes on her Twitter profile. The Walker campaign says that he opposes anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds.
But this is a really terrible start for a first-time candidate who the party infrastructure, party leadership has been concerned about --
HERNDON: Yes.
BLACKWELL: -- making mistakes just like this.
HERNDON: This is the exact reason when you talk to kind of the professional Republican class being uneasiness about Herschel Walker as a candidate.
But again, to the last point, the reason why Herschel Walker has become kind of the dominant Republican candidate in that race is purely because of Donald Trump. And that is where he found that power.
But I think it's important to also note the Walker campaign initially defended going to that event, saying it was not a swastika but an anti-vaccine image.
That stretched beyond, I think, anyone's ability to buy that and they potentially pull out.
But that speaks to the level of power, this side the grassroots has on the Republican candidates right now.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
HERNDON: They know that's where the money is. They know that's where the energy is. So much so that something that looks so obviously like a swastika cannot be immediately denounced.
It shows you what that campaign is thinking. And I think that should be illuminating to us all.
BLACKWELL: All right, Astead Herndon, always good to have your insight. Thank you.
HERNDON: Thank you.
BLACKWELL: So any minute now, the mayor of Chicago is expected to address the intense standoff over the city's vaccine mandate. The head of the police union warns of mass walkouts by the city's force.
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