Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Russia Pulls Out Of U.N.-Brokered Grain Export Deal With Ukraine; Suspect In Attack On Pelosi's Husband Facing Multiple Charges; G.M. Pauses Advertising On Twitter After Musk Takes Control; Officials: At Least 58 Killed, 150 Injured In Seoul Halloween Incident; Debris Still Lines Streets One Month After Hurricane Ian Hit; Interview With Rob Patterson, FEMA Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired October 29, 2022 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:00:34]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We begin with some breaking news on Ukraine. Russia says it will suspend its participation in the grain export deal it has with Ukraine. Ukraine's foreign minister reacting quickly telling Russia to stop its hunger games. CNN's Nic Robertson is in Kyiv. Nic, what's the significance of this move?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: This is very significant. Russia says it suspended the deal for an indefinite period. This was a deal that was struck by the U.N. Two parallel deals. One with Ukraine and one with Russia at the end of July. And it was struck. Because since Russia invaded Ukraine, all the grain that Ukraine produces and it produces a lot for the world was stuck in its ports on the Black Sea, piling up nowhere to go.

And the third world countries this grain was destined for desperately short of food, the prices were going up. So after that deal was struck, the anticipation was about 20 million tons of grain could be shipped out of Ukraine to these third world and other countries. Now, what we know has happened during this period, a barely half of that has been exported 9.1 million tons, about 403 ships have come in here.

And in recent weeks, Ukrainian officials have been saying that Russia has been slowing up the way that the grain deal is working. Russia has been complaining and saying that actually this grain is not going to the right places. It's not going to the third world, it's going to the first world. What's interesting about this deal in the first place is that the only or one of the only reasons Russia agreed to allow Ukraine to get the grain out of the country.

Remembering that Russia precipitated all of this by starting the war. One of the only reasons Russia agreed was because they were given some sanctions relief. What happened overnight last night, Russia is saying is the reason for the suspension. Russia is alleging that in occupied Crimea that they occupy in the port of Sevastopol. Some of their ships were blown up or damaged and they say that was done by the Ukrainian military with the help or led by British specialists.

Ukrainian officials are saying that's not true. That didn't happen. So now the deal has been suspended. The U.N. is asking Russia to hold fire on its decision.

WHITFIELD: A lot at stake. Nic Robertson in Kyiv. Thanks so much. Keep us posted.

And in this country, a brutal violent attack at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Her husband now recovering in a hospital with serious injuries. A spokesman says 82-year-old Paul Pelosi successfully went through surgery for a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm and hands. Police say a man broke into the Pelosi San Francisco home just after 2:00 early Friday morning and attacked Mr. Pelosi with a hammer.

Sources say Paul Pelosi was able to call 911 at the start of the attack and officers responded quickly taking the suspect into custody. The attack shining a spotlight on new security concerns. Federal agencies warning that violent extremists pose heightened threats to the midterm elections. CNN's Josh Campbell and Sunlen Serfaty are covering all the latest developments. Josh, to you first in San Francisco. What are we learning about this assault?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. San Francisco police are appealing to the public for tips about this suspect. He's been identified as 42 year old David DePape. He was taken into custody accused of coming here to the Pelosi home yesterday in the early morning hours engaging in a confrontation with Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

That then led to a brutal assault. We're learning from our colleague Jamie Gangel that it appears as though the house speaker herself was the intended target. The suspect was allegedly yelling, where's Nancy? Where's Nancy? He was ultimately tackled by responding police officers and taken into custody. But as we look into his social media footprint, Fred, it is really painting a portrait of someone who was troubled, who apparently believed in a host of conspiracy theories, including those about the 2020 election, about COVID vaccines.

About the January 6 insurrection. And we're hearing a lot from officials here in California condemning a lot of the hate speech that we've seen, condemning the attack that happened here. I spoke yesterday with Congress member Karen Bass who was in San Francisco.

[13:05:03]

She said in her view she can draw a direct line between the conspiracy theories that are being proffered by the former president. And the attack that happened here. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KAREN BASS (D-CA): The idea that he was violently attacked with a hammer. It's just frightening. The level of political discourse that our country is in right now. And it reminds me of January 6 because when the insurrection has broken the Capitol, one of the first places they went was to the speaker's office.

I think that we all thought on Election Day, when Trump was defeated, that the Trump era was over. Clearly it is not over and I put all of this at his doorstep because he is the one that sent our country in this direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: Now, finally, Fred that assailant, the 42-year-old David DePape remains in custody at this hour. Authorities say that he faces a host of charges including attempted murder, assault, and elder abuse. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much. Sunlen, to you now in Washington. This attack, you know, has sent shockwaves throughout the country and Capitol Hill. So what's the response that you're hearing?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. Certainly bipartisan condemnation of this violent attack. We heard from both Democrats and Republicans really across the board, mostly expressing their outrage over the attack and expressing their sympathies to Paul Pelosi and the Pelosi family, as Mr. Pelosi recovers in the hospital this weekend.

In the last hour, we heard out on the campaign trail, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer saying point blank, this is a dangerous time in America. And he said it's up to us to make sure that America survives this division in this hate and he said this is essentially why your vote is so important in the midterm election, just over a week away. We've heard from many Republicans, of course.

Former Vice President Mike Pence calling this an outrage and he said there should be no tolerance for this kind of -- kind of violence in America. Also heard from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who said he's horrified and disgusted by the attack. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Sunlen Serfaty, Josh Cambell, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.

Elon Musk's chaotic Twitter takeover may have a ripple effect on the tech company's revenue stream.

General Motors is already hitting the pause button on advertising while and evaluates its "new direction." Musk started cleaning house immediately after completing the $44 billion deal firing the CEO and two other top executives. And despite his attempts to reassure advertisers, many are worried about what's next for the company.

Joining me right now is Clare Duffy from CNN Business. Clare, good to see you. So advertising made up 92 percent of Twitter's revenue in the second quarter. What could happen if advertisers are scared off?

CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: It's a huge question, Fred, you know, I think Elon Musk is in his position of having to sort of walk a fine line right now. He's previously said he doesn't like advertising. He wants to move Twitter away from the advertising model. But these payments to his lenders for buying Twitter are going to come up quickly. And he's going to have to continue with relying on advertising for now.

You see him on Twitter saying he's going to start a content moderation council to make decisions about content moderation. You know, yesterday, he said that no major content moderation decisions had been made yet, despite previously promising to rollback some of these restrictions. And so -- but, you know, in the last 24 hours, we've also seen a lot of this sort of objectionable content, a lot of racist content, a lot of hate speech, starting to bubble up.

I think people are trying to test the limits now that there's a new leader involved. And so I think the big question at this point is, how soon is he going to act on some of that content. And in the meantime, commonly, more advertisers are going to follow G.M.'s lead and either pause their advertising on Twitter or decide they want to move to another platform altogether.

WHITFIELD: And preceding this, you know, total takeover by Elon Musk, you know, he had said that he really wants this to be an open platform for everybody. Donald Trump meantime, has said that he is very happy that Twitter is now in the same hands. And, you know, he has been relying on the Truth Social platform that he's designed to. Do you think Twitter will reinstate the account of the former president?

DUFFY: You know, Elon Musk has promised previously that he will return Trump's Twitter account, make it reactivated. And it's been one of the huge questions both ahead of the midterms and the upcoming presidential election, whether Trump will return to the platform. He says that he won't, he says he'll stay on Truth Social. But it's hard to deny the fact that prior to being removed from the platform, Trump had tens of millions more followers on Twitter than he does on Truth Social.

It seems like that would be a hard microphone for him to want to stay away from. So, you know, we'll see if this content moderation council that Elon Musk is putting together will have the same feelings that he does about restoring Trump's account. But I do you think Elon does want to do away with these permanent bans on Twitter.

[13:10:04]

WHITFIELD: Clare Duffy, thanks so much.

Still ahead. With just 10 days to go before the midterm elections early voting locations are open across the country today. We'll take a look at the turnout in the key states of Georgia, New York, Arizona, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Ten days to go before the midterm elections and election data shows more than 17 million Americans have already cast ballots in early voting. In Georgia where there are several competitive high- profile races voters have turned out in record numbers with more than 1.3 million ballots already in. [13:15:00]

High interest in the state's U.S. senate and governor races are driving voters to the polls. The governor's race in New York has also turned into a surprisingly close race. As polls show the Republican challenger Congressman Lee Zeldin has closed the gap on Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. We have reporters covering both of these states for us. Gloria Pazmino in New York and Nadia Romero in Georgia.

Let's begin with you, Nadia. So what are you seeing today?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, Fred, this is one of the busiest locations here in Fulton County, here at Ponce library. But we haven't seen too many people coming in. This is a first time, Fred, we've seen a little bit of a line accumulating all day since we've been out here. It's about 8:00 this morning. The poll worker here tells me that they've seen about 600 people so far at this location alone just today.

And this is the last weekend for early voting in Georgia. And when you look at those numbers, I mean, more than 1.3 million Georgians have already participated in the early voting process. That's impressive. But when you take a further look, and you look at the demographics, most of those people are between the ages of 30 and 65 and older. We're not seeing that younger age group 22 to 29.

They only make up about four percent of the ballots that have been casted. So we spoke with one man and asked him, he's only 19. Why did you participate in early voting? Why are you out there trying to get more people to vote? And he says, it's about paying homage to the older generations. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZOLA MARTIN, CIVIC INFLUENCER, MOOREHOUSE COLLEGE: Honestly, I say look at the history, look at how hard it was, you know, 60, 70 years ago for black people to vote and look at the opportunity that we have now. You know, our simple vote could -- that could change a whole election, really, you know, looking back at the 2016 election and how those went, you know, just looking at the history and understanding the power and the privilege that we have and that people died to fight for, you know, our voting rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROOMERO: So Fred, that student there, only 19, a Morehouse College student, a sophomore, and he's part of the civic engagement group to try to increase voter turnout for his age group. And you heard him there. He says it matters because of what other generations did sacrifice so that he would have this right to vote. Fred?

WHITFIELD: I bet his parents are oh, so proud of him, huh, Nadia. Thanks so much. Gloria Pazmino in New York. All right. So, what is going on with the New York's governor's race and what is that doing to turn out and early voting? GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NEWSOURCE NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred. Early voting is just getting started here in New York. Today is the first day we're in Suffolk County, standing outside of an early polling location. We've been watching a slow trickle of people come in since the poolside open at 10:00 this morning. And as you said this governor's rates suddenly extremely close causing a real headache for Democrats who haven't had to worry about New York going red for 20 years.

This is a Democratic stronghold. Usually the incumbent is expected to win. And Governor Kathy Hochul really facing some tough polling in the last couple of weeks. We wanted to speak with voters here in Suffolk County, asking them what they're worried about and why they decided to come out on the first day of early voting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID WESTFALL, EARLY VOTER: As far as being very close to New York being so democratic.

MARY BETH WESTFALL, EARLY VOTER: Right.

WESTFALL: It's good for me because my candidate has a very good chance of winning.

PAZMINO: What do you like about Zeldin?

M. WESTFALL: What do I like about him?

PAZMINO: Yes.

M. WESTALL: I feel on crime. He's going to bring back what we had. New York City streets are not safe. I'm afraid to go into New York City, and it's working its way out to Long Island.

ROSEANNE BRUNNEN, EARLY VOTER: I am a nervous wreck. I'm nervous for our democracy. I'm nervous for our country. In general, I'm nervous for my grandkids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: So public safety. You heard it from that woman there talking about Lee Zeldin. He has made that a key issue in his campaign. Governor Kathy Hochul for her part has tried to focus on issues of abortion and gun reform. That's what that last woman was talking about. She said that she is worried for the future of democracy. So you're really seeing a range of different opinions here.

Later today, Lee Zeldin will be campaigning alongside Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. So bringing a major, major Republican name into this area in order to get out the vote. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Gloria Pazmino, Nadia Romero, thanks to both of you ladies. Appreciate it.

All right. Let's talk more about the parts of the country Arizona. It's also home to competitive races for the U.S. senate governor and several statewide offices. Republican Liz Cheney's political action committee is now out with a campaign ad urging voters to reject the GOP candidate for governor and secretary of state in Arizona. The Wyoming Congresswoman is following through on a vow to do everything he can to prevent election deniers from winning in November.

[13:20:04]

With me now to talk more about all of this, Arizona's elections is Ronald Hansen. He is a national political reporter for The Arizona Republic. Good to see you, Ronald. So --

RONALD HANSEN, THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: Liz Cheney of Wyoming there in Arizona, how much sway might she have on voters in that state?

HANSEN: You know, that's an important question. And it's hard to answer. In earlier years, it would certainly be easy to see her having some influence when this state was more in the sway of John McCain. And that sort of vintage Republican, these days it feels harder to find those kinds of Republicans. And so, it feels like it's the kind of conversation that may give some comfort to Democrats but most of the Republican Party in Arizona has moved in a different direction, they are fully in the Trump fold.

WHITFIELD: And so, in that fold are the election deniers, and that is who Liz Cheney has vowed to, you know, try and target to keep them from getting office. So, it sounds like you're describing this would be an uphill battle for her to assuage voters.

HANSEN: Yes. I think that's fair. It's something that it's a -- again, it seems like it's a conversation that a lot of Democrats want to have when I'm out talking to voters and in various events, mostly senate related. That's not what Republicans are talking about. They are talking about the high price of gas, they are concerned about the border, they care about crime. These are all issues that Blake Masters has played up.

It's things that Kari Lake has talked about, of course, the election integrity issue is seen through a very different lens as framed by Mark Finchem. Republican voters, by and large have moved into that sort of mode. A lot of Democrats, a lot of independents still are holding on to things like the democratic issues of democracy and concerns about whether someone is even basically qualified in the governor's race.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh, those are democratic. I mean, those are -- the issues of democracy is, you know, specific to Democrats. I mean, that's how people are seeing it?

HANSEN: It has that feel, you know, there's a lot of enthusiasm on the Republican side of the issues these days that, again, they are focused on things like inflation, the unpopularity of President Biden here is very noticeable. The Democrats are trying to get people to think about the longer-term issues, it feels like they have done things to try and address inflation and such. But that's not the conversation seems to be breaking through with a lot of Republicans, for sure. And with independence, that's the million-dollar question.

WHITFIELD: All right. Another very recognizable name in Arizona and beyond Mark Kelly, a Democrat and former astronaut. And now in a very close race with Republican Blake Masters in the U.S. Senate race. How are these candidates trying to distinguish themselves or appeal to voters? Particularly, I guess, the independents, those who might be on the fence?

HANSEN: Yes. It's interesting, because Mark Kelly has sort of tailored his campaign from the outset really to having a conversation with the independent voters who are both a broad part of this the electorate here, and certainly figure to be decisive. There's just not enough Democrats in Arizona to win with just Democratic support. You have to have a fairly broad swath of independents as well.

He's always been talking to them. He is someone who talks about things like making sure that Washington remains a functional place. He's talked about steps that he has taken that he thinks will address things like inflation and is concerned about items like democracy itself. When you look at Blake Masters, it's really been a conversation held with Republicans and broadly pointed at the Trump base, talking about things like crime, especially on the border.

Now, drugs being ferried across the border. And of course, inflation, inflation, inflation.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ronald Hansen. We'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much.

HANSEN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. And we're also continuing to follow breaking news out of South Korea, where a South Korean news agency is saying dozens of people suffered cardiac arrest and Halloween festivities in Seoul. Emergency medical teams are responding to the scene. A live report straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:28:45]

WHITFIELD: We're staying on top of breaking news out of South Korea. Officials now say at least 59 people have been killed and some 150 others injured during the Halloween event in Seoul. CNN's Will Ripley is there now on the scene. Will, what are you learning?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fred, arriving here, we got the stunning news from the -- from the fire officials who have been responding out here about 900 or so police and firefighters here on the scene. And the news is just about as bad as we could have imagined. I was walking past people in Halloween costumes on the phone. Absolutely sobbing, calling their family members to let them know that they're OK.

You can see that there are stretchers out here waiting to see if there are any more people who need to be taken to the hospital. But the videos that have been appearing on social media combined with the emergency alerts, we knew that something really awful had happened here. This is to set the scene for you, Fred. This is the Itaewon. Oh, is it possible to go through here? CNN. Just through here. Thank you.

This is the Itaewon nightclub district in Seoul.

[13:30:00]

It is iconic for, among other major holidays, Halloween. People fly in from all over the region in Asia to come here to celebrate Halloween in Taiwan.

Come over here, Charlie, if we can.

I want to take you down this row of emergency vehicles here. You can see this line of stretchers.

So all of the hotels in this area are sold out. It was the Hamilton Hotel, which is right here to my left. There was a Halloween party. There was some sort of incident happened.

People fell down. It is being described in multimedia as a stampede. People essentially were crushed. They fell.

Let's get closer here. And people raced out into the street. A lot of the streets here are very densely packed. There were tens of thousands of people out here.

The videos on social media showed people in costume lying on the ground not moving. Suffered cardiac arrest. We now know 59 of those people at least did not make it.

So the videos that we saw and we were afraid people might be dead on the street there. It turns out they were. Others were taken to area hospitals. They have had to open up extra hospital beds.

You have the president of South Korea, he convened an emergency meeting of his disaster management team. They have a disaster management medical team on scene here now. This is a federal incident.

Undoubtedly got to be one of the worst that they have seen in Seoul for quite some time. I don't have the historical statistics to back that up yet.

But just the looks on people's faces out here, looks of disbelief at the scene of hundreds and hundreds of emergency medical personnel. And earlier, just rows of people's bodies on the street.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So will --

RIPLEY: -- there's some sort of media area here, Fred.

Yes, go ahead.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I'm wondering, I want to make sure I understand. You are saying the party was taking place inside the hotel. Something happened. Then there was a stampede.

And it was outside in which people would just start collapsing? Or were there people physically in trouble and had been taken out of the building? And then you saw what appeared to be bodies on the ground with sheets over?

RIPLEY: That's a very good question. One thing I will point out to you, if you look at -- we can give you a wide look.

If you look at the sidewalk -- pan around Charlie -- it's not a very, very narrow area here. And this is an area where earlier there were videos of people on the ground.

While we are still trying to piece together from authorities exactly how this all went down, what is clear is there were a lot of people crowded into a particular area.

At least 81 people called and said they couldn't breathe. They called emergency services saying they had trouble breathing.

You had cardiac arrest. Fifty-nine people dying were people who fell. Who they crushed, were they most from cardiac arrests? We're still waiting for specifics, Fred.

Clearly, there's a lot of questions that need to be answered here. This is an investigation just getting under way. And they have so much work to do. Not to mention notifying the family of those --

(CROSSTALK)

RIPLEY: -- who will not make it home from these Halloween parties.

WHITFIELD: It's heartbreaking.

Will Ripley, thank you so much.

Of course, still trying to figure out what may have induced cardiac arrest or suffocation, what led to the deaths of now 59 people there and so many others injured.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:38:15]

WHITFIELD: All right. It's been over a month since Hurricane Ian slammed into southwestern Florida as a category 4 hurricane. It nearly flattened entire communities. Even today, many residents are still trying to put their lives back together. Here now is CNN's Carlos Suarez.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's been four weeks since Hurricane Ian hit Florida. And the pile of garbage and debris around Kimberly Payano's neighborhood and outside her north Ft. Myers house grows by the day.

Most of what she owned is ruined. And most of the home she lived in for 17 years is gone.

We first met her last month just days after the storm.

KIMBERLY PAYANO, HOME DESTROYED BY HURRICANE IAN: This is my home.

SUAREZ: These days, she's living in a rented RV that's parked in her front yard.

PAYANO: All these areas that hug up to the river, you go back in there and there's -- nothing's been cleaned up.

SUAREZ: Across town, Kiana Tobler (ph) and her two kids are among the 512 people living at this shelter. It's their second shelter after Ian left them without a place to call home.

She says she turned down FEMA money to pay for a hotel over fears the financial help will not be there forever. Instead, she's hoping the Red Cross can find her a permanent place to stay.

SUAREZ (on camera): What happens if home isn't here in Ft. Myers?

KIANA TOBLER (ph), HOME DESTROYED BY HURRICANE IAN: I'm willing to relocate. I don't have to be here. Wherever I can go for me and my kids to be in a stable, safe situation and environment of our own, I'm all for that.

SUAREZ (voice-over): A month into the recovery efforts and parts of Lee County, including Ft. Myers Beach, still don't have power and running water.

Access across the Sanibel Causeway remains limited and not all schools have reopened.

According to FEMA, more than $1.2 billion in federal grants, disaster loans and flood insurance payments have been made to the state of Florida and households.

Now, whether the aid is enough or is being distributed fairly depends on who you ask.

[13:40:06]

MARK WEEKLY, HOME DESTROYED BY HURRICANE IAN: We've gotten some assistance from FEMA. I don't know what that assistance was, but they sent us a check for about $40,000, which included two months of lodging.

JUDY JONES, HOME DESTROYED BY HURRICANE IAN: This is home. Do you want to start over when you're 63-years-old?

SUAREZ: Judy Jones said she dropped her homeowner's insurance eight years ago when she could no longer afford it but kept her flood policy.

JONES: But yet, the people next door, who don't have insurance, FEMA came and cut them a large check already in three days. So it's like, if you don't have insurance, you seem to get more than if you do have insurance.

SUAREZ: She's relying on volunteers to help clear up the house she moved into 30 years ago.

JONES: Because you're starting over with everything in your life. Ninety-five percent of my stuff is gone. You have nowhere to turn as far as a guide to what you're supposed to do.

SUAREZ (on camera): So when folks say it's been too slow, what's your answer to that?

ASHLEY DUCKETT, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AGENT: Things take time. I feel confident that our carriers are going to do what they came here to do, and that's ensure and make people whole again and, you know, make it as less painful as possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Carlos Suarez, thank you so much.

With me right now, Rob Patterson. He is the deputy federal coordinating officer for FEMA's Hurricane Ian recovery.

So good to see you.

You have heard in some of the people in this piece. Notably, the woman who said people who didn't have insurance seemed to be getting assistance quicker in the form of FEMA money or some financial assistance than those who did have insurance.

What is your response to people trying to navigate what is very difficult?

ROB PATTERSON, DEPUTY FEDERAL COORDINATING OFFICER, FEMA: Well, there's no doubt it is very difficult. I would echo that everyone at FEMA is very empathetic and compassionate towards the kinds of experiences these folks are going through.

Really it is some of the most dramatic and the most difficult things you can go through as a human being. So that is not lost on us.

What I can tell you is we are here to support the state and local governments as they apply all their capabilities for folks like the ones you have interviewed. I can tell you, first and foremost, we support the state. We have a

unified group with the state. We are executing policy and process that executes protocols, if you will.

Embracing that is also legislation and other concerns that means we have to go through certain ways of getting people to the right place. That's where I'm going to go.

The good news, it's not 1.2. It is $1.6 billion that has been incumbered to both households and FEMA and also local and state governments to facilitate their emergency response.

There's the Small Business Administration, which is here as well, with significant hundreds and millions in loan amounts, as well as the insurance capacity. That is 1.6 as we speak. Obviously, money is great.

But there's also boots on the ground. Again, this is coordinated and unified with the state where we have our disaster response centers. Those are actual physical locations. There are places people can go and try to work through these issues.

Yes, every individual is different. And the components of how they live their life, where, the financial decisions they make are all part of how we have to assess both in their situation and apply it towards all the programs that we can bring to bear in partnership again with our state.

So I think there's a way to go at this. And that includes the online capability if they have the Internet. There's an app process with they have cellular capabilities and can put the app on their phone. There's also the 1-800 number, 621-FEMA.

All of those are ways to access. As well as we are backing that up with disaster servicemembers actually walking the streets. They are out in 22 different counties trying to facilitate every way to make contact with people. Not just one time but follow up again and again.

And we encourage people. I get that sometimes the line was too long. Certainly earlier on. Or whatever it was that hit their difficulty with persevering. We asked for patience. But we are getting better, faster stronger every day.

Now at the four-week mark, as I say, we have 22. And we hope to build out as many as 30 disaster relief centers. Those are co-located with the Small Business Administration, our state partners so we can get back in.

If anyone has given up, please don't. Please give us that extra chance to get back in. We have set up different ways we can get you to another name.

And sometimes, because of the way this works, it's not that you have to be rejected. But you have to show good intent. And I know everybody has. But don't give up on us. Go back in. If you had to leave the state for housing, go update your information

because we do have people that are reaching out and returning phone calls, returning apps as best we can.

That was a little long, I guess.

WHITFIELD: No --

(CROSSTALK)

[13:45:02]

PATTERSON: There's a lot of robust capability here.

WHITFIELD: Yes. No, it is very detailed and appreciated.

And you spell out, while there are a lot of markers of progress, you also heard from the one woman who said there's no guide.

When you have never been through this before, or perhaps you have but on a different scale, you don't know where to turn. You're at a loss.

And while -- oh, no, I hope we didn't lose the signal. OK, you're back.

And while there's money that's been dispensed. There's shelter that's been offered. There's still a lot of frustration one month after. And there are people who don't see any end to it.

And looking at the reminders of the debris everywhere, it just is symbolic of this monolithic, gigantic, gargantuan task.

So what can you do, how do you try to allay the concerns of people who just don't see an end, don't see the light at the end of the tunnel for them?

PATTERSON: Well, I hope that they're -- and we understand and a big effort of ours right now is housing and all the ways it can be brought to bear. I've heard other stories as well.

Hang in there with us. We're on the journey with them is the best way to put it.

I spent the morning with Kevin Guthrie, the emergency management director, and all of us are focused on the same thing. Give us another try.

If you get good cell phone coverage -- and I was on the islands this morning and the cell coverage is go. If you can get to the app and don't give us.

We are also driving hard to build more of the disaster relief centers. They should be at a scope and scale as we get into the next week where it won't be very long lines they experienced in week one or two.

Like I say, the capacity is there. The money is there. And I will tell you, FEMA prides themselves on core values of compassion, fairness, integrity and respect in everything we do.

And our strategic plan is instilling equity and responding to the effects of climate change, as well as readying the nation. We work with FEMA in Florida and they are good people here.

So don't give up on us. I know it's too long. It always feels that way. But if they can continue with us, continue to access the different ways, or be available out front.

I know debris is a very big part of --

WHITFIELD: Yes.

PATTERSON: -- what the state is trying to manage as well. We understand that. There are approvals for that. It is getting the right number in the right place. Even today we are reallocating some things. The state was.

So like I say, I don't want to get too long winded, but I understand we see this not unlike the emergencies we have had the last five years. So hang in there. Help is coming or is there. We have to get you to the right access point.

WHITFIELD: Right.

PATTERSON: We have redoubled staff with FEMA in coordination with the state to make sure that someone is there who isn't just compassionate but can execute on your issues and understand your unique circumstance.

WHITFIELD: Sure. I know that one month has felt like one year for a lot of people.

PATTERSON: I'm sure.

WHITFIELD: Rob Patterson, deputy federal coordinating officer for FEMA's Hurricane Ian recovery, we thank you for your time.

PATTERSON: Thank you very much. Take care.

WHITFIELD: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:52:25]

WHITFIELD: All right. A look at some top stories. The Philadelphia Phillies kicking off at the world series in dramatic fashion. The Phillies storming back after trailing by five runs, saving the Houston Astros an extra inning.

The final dagger, a solo home run by J.T. Realmuto sealing the win in the 10th inning. Your final score 6-5. Game two tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the founding fathers of rock and roll, has died at the age of 87. Lewis soared to stardom in the late 1950s with "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lot of Shaking Going On."

But his career took a nosedive after it was revealed that he married his 13-year-old cousin when he was 22. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer later made a comeback in country music and toured well into his 80s.

And turning now to this exciting update. Eight-year-old Sam "Adventure" Baker and his dad, Joe, prepared to make a record climb this of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

Well, late Friday night, they completed the rope descent, making Sam the youngest person to reach the summit. The Bakers started Tuesday as part of a four-person team and entered the history books Friday.

Congratulations. Elation there.

All right. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

The CNN NEWSROOM continues with Jim Acosta after this.

Oh, but first, a quick look at the new episode OF "STANLEY TUCCI: SEARCHING FOR ITALY." Join Stanley as he explores on of the most visited regions of Italy, the Italian Riviera, which is famous for the glitz and glamor of Portofino and stunning picture-perfect fishing villages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

STANLEY TUCCI, CNN HOST, "STANLEY TUCCI, SEARCHING FOR ITALY": Hi, boys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi.

TUCCI: Si. All right, let's do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(LAUGHTER)

[13:55:08] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

TUCCI: I can't drink that much oil.

(CROSSTALK)

TUCCI: It's --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

TUCCI: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

TUCCI: Fruity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Frutato.

TUCCI: Frutato.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

TUCCI: It's very creamy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow. In a wine glass. How elegant.

Don't miss all new episode of "STANLEY TUCCI: SEARCHING FOR ITALY," tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)