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Sources Say, Rep. Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) Husband Attacked with Hammer in Couple's Home; Elong Musk Closes Twitter Deal, Fires CEO and Two Other Top Executives; Ukraine Says, Russia Sending Around 1,000 Military Personnel to Defend Kherson. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired October 28, 2022 - 10:00   ET

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

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: So were maybe running up against their duty time, how much time they could stay on the clock.

[10:00:03]

It will be a really interesting investigation here, Erica, about why these passengers were put through such a horrible experience.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it is such an interesting point that you make there, Pete, given the information that is available. I always appreciate it. Thank you.

Top of the hour here on CNN, I'm Erica Hill.

The breaking news we are following this morning. Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, hospitalized at this hour after being attacked with a hammer at the couple's home in San Francisco overnight. We do have our correspondents and analysts standing by.

I want to begin with CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju. Manu, we are hearing from the speaker's office about this incident. What more do we know about the attack?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We are still learning more about the stunning attack at the speaker's home in San Francisco. She was not there at the time but her husband, Paul Pelosi, who was 82 years old, was at the time. And what we're learning from law enforcement sources is that an assailant came in, broke into the couple's home and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer.

Now, the speaker's office put out a statement about what is happening -- what they understand has happened here. They said in a statement, early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi. The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation.

Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery. The speaker was not in San Francisco at the time.

Now, we have learned that the speaker was in D.C. at the time. She has been traveling across the country, raising money, appearing in campaign stops as we head into the critical midterm elections. Sometimes Paul Pelosi travels with her and oftentimes he does not. He has his own company, a financial leasing services company. He's 82 years old.

He was in the news recently, has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in August. But this comes also as threats of political violence and actual political violence have been playing out in all across the country as we head into these midterm elections, fears over election workers' safety alike.

We don't know the motivation of what exactly why this assailant broke into the Pelosi home. Whether it was politically motivated or not, that is something that is still under investigation. We will learn more and report that when we learn more about it. But a staggering and scary moment at the Pelosi home as the speaker's husband attacked by a hammer. Erica?

HILL: Absolutely. Manu, I appreciate. We'll continue to stay in touch with you as you have the developments.

Also joining me now, CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller and CNN Law Enforcement Analyst, former D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone. Gentlemen, good to see you both this morning.

So, John, if I start with you, we look at what we do know and what we don't know. There is still a lot we don't know but we know but there is a suspect in custody. This is what was referred to as a violently assaulted, according to that statement from the speaker's office, and we've learned from law enforcement that a hammer was used. As you're putting all these pieces together, what are some of the first questions that you're asking?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, I mean, what we're see right now is you have got a 32-year-old man in custody. He comes into the home after 2:00 A.M. with a hammer and attacks the residence there, who happens to be Mr. Pelosi. So, you start off your questions with where was he taken into custody? Was he taken into custody in the home, at which point identification becomes much stronger, or based on the description outside the home in the area picked up by police? We don't know that yet. What statements did he make before or during this attack or after it to police? Are they politically statements, irrational statements or was he there for something else?

This is -- this is a day after we did extensive reporting on a threat assessment based on the political climate. We still don't know if this has anything to do with that. But the speaker of the House is an enormously powerful official in the scope of the U.S. government, in the line of succession and receives 24-hour protection from the Capitol police when she travels to places, like New York, she sees additional protection from the NYPD and the same in San Francisco. But family members, as we see here, can be vulnerable. So, there is a lot to ask still.

HILL: And in terms of security, I'm curious, your time there in Washington, to see, we've talked over the last couple of years about how the different law enforcement agencies within the district work together and how specifically that come into play when it is about security for a lawmaker. It was John's pointing out, the family is a little bit different. Would Paul Pelosi have had extra security, especially if he was home in California versus being in Washington, D.C. with the speaker?

[10:05:00]

MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: It is doubtful. U.S. Capitol police, I think, is wholly unprepared, understaffed to take on the rise in substantiated threats against members of Congress. I think they're just simply understaffed.

HILL: So, if they're simply understaffed and we look at the rise that we have seen in rhetoric, the rise in threats, and, again, it is important to point out, as both Manu and John have said, that we've been saying all morning, we don't know the motivation of this attack. We don't know if there is anything political behind it but we can't ignore the warnings that we've seen from the NYPD here in New York City and really across the country about violent rhetoric. And, Michael Fanone, of all people sitting here right now, unfortunately, you know better than anyone what that can translate to, when you look at what we do know, what is your major concern this morning?

FANONE: I mean, my major concern is that the rhetoric that inspired the attack on the Capitol and the rhetoric that continues to inspire individuals to commit acts of violence for political reasons continues, unchecked, and that, unfortunately, it seems as though our appetite for the inspiration of January 6 has waned. It hasn't been a major part of the conversation going into the midterms. And those responsible have yet to be held accountable.

And that being said, I know that from the many members of Congress that I speak to, just like myself, have had to seek private contractors to provide security. Them, because U.S. Capitol police is unequipped, and me, because I have no other alternative. But for those of us that continue to speak out against Donald Trump, those threats are an everyday reality.

HILL: John, when we look at how this is going to come together, in terms of the Capitol police, Whitney Wild was reporting earlier they have a number of field offices. There is a field office in San Francisco. How close -- how quickly does, for example, the SFPD, Capitol police in that field office, potentially, the FBI, I don't know, will also be involved, how quickly are they working together?

MILLER: So, that is all happen right now. And, I mean, this is -- the game-changer here is there is a suspect in custody. That speeds this up enormously, which is -- and we're doing the same thing right now. We're looking at his name, we're looking at his background, we're looking at his social media, because that is going to tell us potentially a little bit.

But the FBI will come into this right away. Is this an act of terrorism? Who is this guy? What is his background? They have jurisdiction for assault on government officials or an assault on the family member of a government official if that is meant to intimidate a government official.

The Capitol police is primary for the protection of Nancy Pelosi, for threats against members of Congress. They'll be in there right now assessing what does this attack mean, who is this guy, where is he from, was it politically motivated?

HILL: Was the Pelosi only intended target.

MILLER: That's right.

HILL: We still don't know that, for sure.

MILLER: Right. Does that radiate out that threat to other members of Congress or to the speaker? So, they're assessment machine is just beginning to churn now as they start to dig into the background of the offender, any statements he made and so on. And then, of course, primary here, because, as we say in the police business, they have the collar, is the San Francisco Police Department. This is their arrest. It could be superseded federally but those state charges are what they are going to be able to hold this individual on. And they are probably the first people other than the victim, Mr. Pelosi, to have spoken to this individual, and what he said in those statements is going to be key.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. John Miller, Michael Fanone, Manu Raju, I appreciate it. Thank you all.

Also with us this morning, CNN Commentator S.E. Cupp and CNN Senior Political Analyst Nia-Malika Henderson. Good to see you both this morning.

I know we had planned to talk midterms and we're going to do that, but I just do think it is interesting -- not even interesting, I would say, important to just take a beat on what we are learning this morning.

Nia-Malika, you brought up earlier those really disturbing comments from Senator Collins not too long ago to The New York Times over her concerns about violent rhetoric. And, again, I do want to stress, we do not know the motivation, we do not know that the Pelosi home and/or Paul Pelosi were targets here. But you can't help but think about the rise in violence and the rise in rhetoric and very real concerns we have heard about, Nia-Malika, now for months, if not, years.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that is right. Listen, America is a country that has, in some ways, been steeped in political violence.

[10:10:03]

We've seen assassinations of presidents We've seen assassinations of people running for president. We've seen attempted assassinations and assassinations of political leaders and activists as well. So, that is in this country's history. I think we're seeing a bit of that now. We've heard from lawmakers about their fear for their own safety and security in their need to ramp up the people around them, the bodyguards and the safety and the security around them because they're getting these threats, whether they're on Twitter or in a D.M. or in phone calls to their office. And so that is the environment we unfortunately live in. And we also, unfortunately, have leaders who use violent language, violent rhetoric, either obliquely or directly, in talking about a politics in their opponents.

And so, listen, we don't know what happened here but we do know where we are in this country. We saw what happened on January 6 and we can hear the fears from political leaders in some of the violent rhetoric from them as well.

HILL: We continue to see those posts on a daily basis on social media, as you pointed out. S.E., I can't help but think, as I hear the word, Twitter, come out of Nia-Malika's mouth, what could potentially change in the coming hours or days now that Elon Musk is in control of Twitter. There has been a major push for people to get back on who have been banned, including the former president, and what potentially that could mean in terms of more heated rhetoric online.

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. Twitter is a big platform for this kind of rhetoric. And you can say it is just talk. But it is not always just talk. It is a very dangerous time to be a lawmaker, to be an election worker, to be a journalist. I did a story a year ago in COVID that it was very dangerous for public health and safety administrators, really low level rank and file public servants who were enforcing things, like mask mandates. They were being targeted with violent rhetoric and violence.

This is not a third world country. It shouldn't be dangerous to be any of those things, a journalist, a lawmaker, and yet here we are. And I think to pretend that words don't have a direct implication and chasing conspiracy theories and really sort of out there whacky ideas and platforming anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism is unrelated or doesn't have real consequences. It can and it does.

HILL: S.E., stick with me for a minute on the Twitter question because there is also a question about whether -- if Donald Trump is back before the midterms, how much of an impact do you think he could potentially have if he is out there posting on Twitter again?

CUPP: Listen, it is a mixed bag. He hasn't needed Twitter to platform his ideas and to get folks to a rally for him and to maintain a stronghold over the GOP. Twitter, I think, certainly, reaches more -- you know, more bots and more fringe elements, I guess, but he hasn't really needed it. So, I'm not sure it will have as big an actual impact as it will sort of like a, you know, false victory for him and MAGA movement and sort of a hooray moment for him and Musk. I don't really know, though.

HILL: Yes. Looking at where we sit right now, some interesting hot mic moments, Senator Schumer caught, Nia-Malika, talking about the races, the Senate races in Georgia and Pennsylvania, saying he was a little surprised at how things are going in Georgia and how well Herschel Walker is doing, which I have to say left me scratching my head a little bit. It is almost surprising that he's this surprised based on what we've been watching for the last several months, Nia- Malika.

HENDERSON: Yes. Listen, thank God for hot mics. I love this unvarnished political analysis from Schumer. Listen, we always knew that Georgia was going to be close. I think some Democrats thought that some of the revelations, allegations that have come out about Herschel Walker, including very recently, would be damaging and maybe permanently damaging to him. And you see him essentially hanging in there. The cavalry has come in, he's gotten a lot of Republicans to rally around him. And I think Democrats think at this point that it will probably go to a runoff, which means we won't actually find out who is going to win this seat and possibly the Senate overall until December.

But, listen, we all know polls, to the extent that we believe any the polls, they tighten as races get down to the wire, as people make up their minds.

[10:15:01]

Probably 90 percent to 95 percent of people have made up their minds already, made up their minds a year ago, two years ago, three years ago because they are Republicans and they're Democrats, and that is how they vote. But now you have sort of the swing, the independent voters, 5 percent to 10 percent of the electorate kind of making up their mind based on debates, based on how they feel about the different candidates.

HILL: Yes. We'll see if all the big guns, the big names that each side is polling out in these final few days, whether they'll have an impact as well.

Unfortunately, we're out of time, my friends, but always good to see you both, I appreciate your insight. S.E., Nia-Malika, thank you.

Just ahead here, Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, some big questions about what this means. The richest man in the world, what does he have in store for the company especially on the heels of cryptic tweets this morning like let the good times roll?

And a bit later, an update on the eight-year-old getting ever closer to being the youngest to climb El Capitan alongside his dad. Look at that face. Oh my gosh, he's so much braver than me. We are hoping to check in with them live this morning as they near the summit. You do not want to miss this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're definitely past the half way point on El Capitan. Still have a long way to go, but the adventure awaits.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [10:20:00]

HILL: This just into CNN, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen plan to file for divorce today. That is a according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. That source telling CNN they will mutually petition for the dissolution of their marriage in Florida.

Well, right now, Elon Musk, the world's richest man, is officially in charge of Twitter, one of the most influential social media platforms in the world. Following his takeover yesterday, Musk fired several top executives yesterday. And this morning, he's perhaps previewing some changes that could come with this cryptic tweet among others, let the good times roll. Concert, I don't know.

CNN Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans joins us now. I mean, maybe a concert for employees would be a good way to build a little equity with them.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, he fired the top three employees, right? So, he's already cleaning house. He is in now definitely in charge. We know that he was at Twitter headquarters yesterday hanging around one of the coffee bars, talking to people there.

So, he is now the boss. In fact, his Twitter profile calls himself the chief twit of Twitter. Look, a lot of people say that he way overpaid for twitter and he sent this note to advertisers, this sort of statement to advertisers, saying he didn't do this for the money, he's doing this because he believes in humanity, and that he wants to try to provide a place where there can be free and fair discourse, right, that you don't have people just on the right and the left in their own echo chambers.

So he is going to take over this pretty important platform here. And the question is we know that he has been against permanent banning before. Is he going to let former President Donald Trump back on the site? Would he let people like conspiracy theorist and provocateur Alex Jones on this site as well? What are his plans for Twitter, we just don't know.

We do know that when he said he would buy this for $44 billion and he turned around and spent months trying not to buy it. So, this has been really one of the strangest takeovers I have ever covered, and now the company is in private hands. It is not publicly traded any more. It belongs to Elon Musk. Erica?

HILL: Yes. And we wait to see what the real meaning is behind the cryptic tweets. Christine Romans, I appreciate it, thank you.

ROMANS: Nice to see you.

HILL: Still to come here, CNN on the frontlines. We're going to take you there to the fighting in a key region of Ukraine, as Ukrainian forces say the Russians are sending a new wave military personnel to Kherson in an attempt to hold on to that key city.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:25:00]

HILL: We're continuing to follow breaking news in the violent attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, inside of their San Francisco home. CNN's Whitney Wild is with us now.

Whitney, you have some new details about where the suspect reportedly entered that home in San Francisco. What more have you learned?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Erica, multiple sources are telling us that the suspect entered through the back of the home. Making this a little bit easier for police to investigate is the fact that our sources say that Capitol police very likely has video of this incident.

We are also getting the first details from the San Francisco Police Department. That was the initial response saying -- responding police department, here is what they say. Approximately 2:27 A.M., San Francisco police officers responded to the area where their home was and it was during this incident that an 82-year-old male victim was attacked. They do not specifically say that it was Paul Pelosi. But, again, our sources saying that it was Paul Pelosi. Further, the speaker's office is putting out a statement about the attack a few hours ago.

We're continuing to collect more details, Erica, but right now, again, I think the main details are the suspect came in through the back of the home and then further that there is video of this incident, Erica.

HILL: Yes, which is going to be so important moving forward. Whitney, I appreciate the update. Thank you.

This morning's Ukraine's military says Russia has sent up to a thousand mobilized personnel to the west bank of Dnipro River as part of its bid to defend the city of Kherson. The region has become a focal point in this war after weeks of steady gains by Ukrainian fighters raise the possibility of retaking the regional capital.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen visited the frontlines there and got a firsthand look at how Ukrainians troops are now leading the charge into Russian-controlled territory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL: Hi, there, Erica. Well, some of the toughest fighting here in Ukraine is currently going on in the area towards that city of Kherson. And the Ukrainians have said that they want to take that city back before the end of the year.

We were on the frontlines, in the trenches with Ukrainian troops there, and they say right now the going there is extremely tough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice over): Across these fields are the Russians. That means we need to get into the trenches that snake their way through this battle space in Southern Ukraine.

So, this is the actual frontline between the Russians and the Ukrainians.

[10:30:02]

They say that the Russians are only a couple of kilometers in that direction and obviously there is a lot of shelling that goes on here almost all of the time.