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Biden: I Believe I Can Beat Donald Trump Again; Key Republicans Stump for Walker Amid Abortion Scandal; Tropical Storm Karl Forms in Gulf of Mexico; Security Forces Chased by Protesters in Sanandaj, Iran. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired October 12, 2022 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.
Russian state media reporting eight people have been detained in connection to the Crimea Bridge explosion over the weekend. Russia's FSB claims it was a terrorist attack organized by the main intelligence department of Ukraine's defense ministry. Ukraine hasn't responded to those claims.
And the U.S. Justice Department is urging the Supreme Court not to intervene in a dispute over classified documents seized from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The high court could act on the matter in the next couple of days. We'll have much more ahead on the stories in "EARLY START."
More now though from CNN's exclusive interview with the U.S. President Joe Biden. He sat down with our Jake Tapper to talk about Ukraine, Russia, his son Hunter and his own political future. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Big question, of course, is when you're going to make an official announcement about whether or not you're going to run for 2024 for re-election. Do you think you'll make a decision before the end of the year?
BIDEN: Well, look, I'm not going to make this about my decision. I'm going to make this off-year election. After that's done, in November, and then I'm going to be in the process of deciding.
TAPPER: Is one of the calculations that you think you're the only one who can beat Donald Trump?
BIDEN: I believe I can beat Donald Trump again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Mr. Biden turns 80 next month. And the CNN poll from July shows a vast majority of Democrats and Democratic leaning voters want the party to nominate someone else in 2024. The president says he has proven he can get things done.
[04:35:00]
Mitch McConnell says he has the votes to be reelected as Senate Republican leader in the next Congress making him the longest serving party leader in U.S. history. The record has stood for more than four decades. McConnell spoke with CNN about his party's battle for control of the Senate and he brushed aside recent comments from President Trump who said McConnell had a death wish. He also refused to respond to Trump's racist insults about his wife, former transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Now in Georgia a new denial from embattled U.S. Senate nominee Herschel Walker. The Republican claims the woman who says he paid her for an abortion -- for her abortion is lying. This comes as to prominent Senators rallied behind him on Tuesday on the campaign trail. CNN's Eva McKend reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever have a conversation with this woman at any time about an abortion?
HERSCHEL WALKER (R), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever, to your knowledge, give money to pay for the cost of an abortion?
WALKER: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is she lying?
WALKER: Yes, she's lying.
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER (voice-over): Herschel walker now striking a more aggressive approach in his push back to claims he paid for a woman to have an abortion.
WALKER: I know nothing about an abortion. And I knew it's a lie. And I said it was a lie. And I just move on. That's why I say it's sad that people say I'm totally surprised but you're destroying families.
MCKEND: His new comments coming in a day that saw the head of the GOP committee, tasked with regaining control of the Senate, Florida Senator Rick Scott and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton hitting the trail for the candidate outside Atlanta.
SEN. RICK SCOTT (R-FL): There's way too many reasons that each one of you should vote for Herschel Walker.
SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): People get tired of television ads and the lies they tell about Herschel Walker.
MCKEND (voice-over): CNN has not independently confirmed the allegations. WALKER: You can see what they're doing. They'll do whatever it takes,
will say whatever they have to say because they want this seat right here but I don't think they know that they woke up a bear.
MCKEND (voice-over): As a candidate, Walker has said he supports a national abortion ban with no exceptions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have any evidence on the charges against you?
MCKEND (voice-over): Supporters of Walker say they question the timing of the stories in the final weeks of the campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I probably am doubtful with some of the allegations that they've come out so late into the game.
ARLENE CHARLES, GEORGIA VOTER: I feel like if that did happen, which I don't think it did, why now? Why do you have to go to the news? Why not have worked that out with him?
MCKEND (voice-over): But some Georgia conservatives suggest there'll be split ticket voters. Supporting Republican Governor Brian Kemp and Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock. The latest allegations a bridge too far.
BILL KECSKES, GEORGIA VOTER: if he would just own up to them, you know, NOT telling the truth about them, that's not good.
MCKEND (voice-over): The Georgia Senate race, which could determine control of the U.S. Senate, is seen crucial for both parties. Warnock criticized today's event and sought to tie Walker to Scott's policy agenda writing in a statement --
Herschel Walker is campaigning with Rick Scott who's fighting to cut Social Security for the than 1.9 million Georgians who rely on it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He threatened to kill us and had us move six times in six months.
MCKEND: While Warnock's campaign has been careful not to directly attack Walker over the allegations, a Democratic outside group launched a new TV ad Tuesday highlighting accusations from Walker's adult son Christian an outspoken conservative. And a Republican super PAC is up with a new TV ad highlighting a March 2020 incident in which Walker's ex-wife told police he ran over her foot with his car.
RAPHAEL WARNOCK'S EX-WIFE: I tried to keep the way he acts under wraps for a long time and today he crossed the line.
MCKEND (voice-over): Warnock denied the accusation, was not charged and a police report stated that an officer and medical personnel at the scene did not find any visible signs of injury.
MCKEND: Not in the mix at the rally, Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp. He held his own campaign events today. Now when asked about this scandal Kemp said he continues to support the entire Republican ticket. But this is notable because we haven't seen Georgia's Republican establishment rally around Walker in the same way as national Republicans expressly concerned about the future of Georgia's Senate seat.
Eva McKend, CNN, Carrollton, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Hollywood megastar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said he's blown away by calls for him to launch a run for the White House. "People" magazines sexiest man alive in 2016, describes himself as a political independent and centrist. He has voted for both parties. In 2020 Johnson endorsed President Joe Biden and what he called arguably the most critical U.S. election in decades. The Rock says that for now he's focused on raising his family but he's leaving the door open.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON, ACTOR: And this idea and the question continues to pop up on whether or not I would run be for president, would I seriously consider it, and I have seriously considered it. You have to. When you start looking at some of these polls and these numbers creep up into the 46 percent, 50 percent, the country would vote for me should I run.
[04:40:00]
And I've been really moved by that. I mean, truly it sat me down. I'm just really grounded and humbled by the interest on both sides but the number one job and my number one title that I love right now, is daddy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Johnson who is 50, is father of three. He's currently promoting his new movie "Black Adam" which is part of the DC comics extended universe. DC and CNN share a parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Now still ahead, our weather team is following scattered storms and showers in the U.S. southeast and the return of cooler temperatures for the U.S. Northeast
BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Tropical storm watches are in effect for eastern Mexico thanks to tropical storm Karl. When we'll start to feel the impacts and when they'll make landfall in just a few minutes.
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FOSTER: New video from Arkansas shows a massive dust devil whipping around debris and dirt as it moves. The man who shot this video says is one of the largest he's ever seen. These funnels are usually smaller and less intense than tornadoes. Still, you can see a person wisely backing away from it after getting a little too close.
Meanwhile, in Florida, temporary repairs to the Sanibel causeway allowed a convoy of 350 trucks to cross over to the Sanibel Island which has been cut off from the mainland since hurricane Ian hit the state nearly 2 weeks ago. Florida's governor says the convoy consisted of first responders and other workers who would help restore power to the island and expedite other affairs as well.
The flooding from hurricane Ian is still causing problems in Florida. Officials tell CNN the St. John's River has been overflowing into the town of Geneva making more than 400 homes inaccessible. One forecaster says it's the worst flooding the area has seen for the last 70 years.
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Officials expect the water to flow into another town in the coming days. But the National Weather Service says the river could stay above flood stage through late November, would you believe.
Meanwhile, we're keeping an eye on tropical storm Karl in the Gulf of Mexico, where a tropical storm watch has been issued for portions of Mexico's coast. CNN's meteorologist Britley Ritz is in Atlanta following the path of this storm. Hi, Britley.
RITZ: Hi, Max. Yes, we do have a tropical storm Karl now on our hands with, Max, sustained winds around a very unorganized center. A 40 miles per hour, gusts of 50 taking a slow track up to the north. But expected to get pushed back down into Mexico over the upcoming few days. Landfall sometime late Wednesday into Thursday.
And as that area of high pressure pushes the system back down, heavy rains, one of the bigger concerns. Veracruz, bull's-eye there, 4 to 6 inches of rain expected, isolated higher amounts are possible. And keep in mind, we have a mountain range here that's roughly 12,000 feet tall and that is what's going to help destroy the system.
But regardless of the storm weakening, heavy rain, flash flooding and of course mudslides as a result of all of that, some of the bigger concerns.
Now on the contrary, we're dealing with drought across the lower Mississippi Valley. This is the Arkansas drought monitor back in January. Where 29 percent of the state was under some sort of drought. Then we get a lot of rain and then of course that down get to about 13 percent back in July. However, we've had a nice dry spell. Not a good situation here. Because now 78 percent of the state is back up to drought and thankfully, we have some relief in sight with the next front that's trying to work its way through here. About 2 to possibly 4 inches of rain at most expected in the upcoming days.
Which of course brings us potential for flooding. So, we'll watch that closely here. And not only flooding but also the threat for severe weather. A slight risk from the SPC gives us damaging winds and hail across the lower Mississippi Valley stretching up to the Ohio Valley here in the next 24 hours. So, there's that front pushing through. You will see that rain -- much needed. And then that slides on over into the mid-Atlantic and New England by the end of the week. Which is going to bring us back the fall weather. Now we try to warm up for a second time here. Temperatures back into
the upper 60s for Pittsburgh and 70s back into the mid-Atlantic, like DC. But the colder weather will stretch back in the coming week as that front passes through. And by the weekend, some of us could wind up in the 40s for highs -- Max.
FOSTER: OK, Britley, thank you.
Now we're tracking video out to Iran showing protesters chasing away security forces in the Kurdistan province. Clashes between antigovernment groups and authorities have intensified and spread showing little sign of letting up despite a deadly government crackdown that you see here. Iran's latest protests began in response to the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by morality police last month.
Nada Bashir joins me now. We were talking yesterday about how gunfire was being used. It seems to be getting more intense.
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. And it really appears to be no focusing on the northwestern Kurdish region where we are seeing that intense crackdown by the Iranian security force.
And we had heard yesterday from Iran's interior minister laying the blame on this violence or since described as riots on separatist terrorist organizations, foreign backed terrorist organizations as he's described it. And he spoke according to state media at a meeting in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj, where we've seen a lot of this fighting taking place. And he said that these riots were planned, supported and led by separatist terror groups. But he also issued a stark warning.
He said: Whoever disturbs the tranquility of the people is the enemy of the Iranian state. And added that Iran's army and law enforcement officials would continue to deal with protestors firmly to -- in his words -- neutralize their fruitless efforts.
So of course, we are expecting that crackdown to continue and to intensify. We've already heard from human rights organizations detailing the use of lethal force -- as you mentioned there. Live fire ammunition being used against protesters. At least five people in this Kurdish region already killed since the weekend. So, there is growing concern and this crackdown is continuing to intensify. But we are still seeing these protesters taking to the streets, defying the crackdown.
FOSTER: These are almost jubilant crowds. Obviously, that's not quite the right word but it's this sign of defiance that you see from a lot of the scenes. They're not just grim scenes. They're actually quite motivated scenes like this one.
BASHIR: Yes, absolutely. These people are deeply motivated. Not only anymore just by defying the regime's severe restrictions on women's rights and how women choose to dress. But also know on a number of other grievances. We're talking about the economy, we're talking about other human rights violations, the marginalization of ethnic minority groups and a number of grievances are really no coming to a head. And people are simply fed up with the restrictions in place by the Iranian regime taking part in demonstrations up and down the country.
[04:50:03]
We've been seeing oil and gas workers now protesting. That is of course a key pillar of the Iranian economy. They've enchanting antiregime slogans. So, that could certainly be a significant turning point if that escalates.
FOSTER: OK, Nada, thank you. We'll keep watching it for us every day.
Still ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, protecting the earth from as asteroids. NASA celebrates what it calls a watershed moment for the defense of humanity.
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FOSTER: Some good news for New York tourists. The crown of the Statue of Liberty is once again open to the public. It had been closed since March of 2020 due to the pandemic. The crown reopened just ahead of the 136th anniversary of the statue's dedication in 1886. And visitors can now book advanced reservations online.
NASA says the world's first ever mission to change an asteroid's motion in space has been a success. The double asteroid redirection test or DART happened late last month when NASA slammed a spacecraft into an asteroid altering its orbit around a larger asteroid by 32 minutes.
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This image taken by the Hubble telescope on Saturday shows the debris which broke off the smaller asteroid. While no asteroids are currently threatening earth, NASA calls the test a watershed moment for planetary defense and all of mankind.
The band that describes itself as making crappy punk rock since 1992 is getting back together.
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BLINK-182: All the small things, true care, true things, I'll take one ...
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FOSTER: While they sing about the small things but the fans of Blink- 182, this reunion is a very big deal. They're dropping a new single on Friday and will start touring again next year. This is the first time the original trio will be together since 2015 when original lead guitarist Tom DeLonge left the group.
In the past few years DeLong has actually been making headlines for something else. He has a side gig hunting UFOs and even forming a company called "To The Stars" that released U.S. Navy videos showing unidentified ariel phenomenon.
Now there's a new Fat Bear Week Champion at one of Alaska's national Parks. Meet Bear 747 weighing in around 1,400 pounds or more than 630 kilograms. Fans voted in the annual competition which started when the park's bears returned to a salmon packed river while they come out of hibernation. 747 claims its title after the voting scandal in fact where officials found thousands of unverified spam votes for another bear. His online profile says he keeps his status by his size alone not needing to turn aggressive. It proves nice bears don't always finish last.
Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. "EARLY START" with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett is next here on CNN.
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