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Candidates Make Final Push With Elections Just Three Days Away; Oprah Winfrey Endorses Fetterman Over Oz In Pennsylvania Senate Race; Multiple Tornadoes Rip Through Three States; South Korea: Four Short- range Missiles Detected From North Korea; Candidates Make Final Campaign Pushes In Tight WI Races; Jan 6 Committee Gives Trump More Time To Turn Over Documents; Obama Rallies Dems In Pennsylvania. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired November 05, 2022 - 11:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:00:42]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

It is the last weekend on the campaign trail for the 2022 midterm elections. Election day now just three days away and candidates are blanketing their states making their final pitches to voters. Several key races to watch.

Today many eyes are on Pennsylvania which could play a pivotal role for control of the U.S. Senate. Democrat John Fetterman taking on Republican Mehmet Oz in a neck-and-neck contest and they are pulling out all of the firepower. A total of three presidents holding events across that state today.

President Biden and former President Obama holding a campaign stop for Fetterman. While former President Trump is stumping for Oz.

CNN's Jessica Dean is in Pittsburgh for all of the action on the campaign trail. Jessica, this is a critical stretch for both Senate candidates. And it looks like you've got a pretty good turnout behind you right now.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, Fredricka. This is it where it all matters. This is the next three days and election day for this very tight race that could determine who controls the U.S. Senate.

So behind me this is going to be a rally for John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to appear here not too long from now and there is a line stretched all the way around the block here to my right, people waiting to get in to hear from the former president and John Fetterman.

He is, of course, running against, as you mentioned, Mehmet Oz, who will be seen with former President Donald Trump about an hour from here. We are expecting a big crowd there as well. And then President Biden will appear with Obama later today in

Philadelphia. It is no coincidence that we have three presidents in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This is a race that is absolutely critical. It is the most expensive Senate race in the country.

It is incredibly tight and they are trying to fire up the base in both respective parties and then they are both after these Pennsylvania swing voters, Independents, people who are willing to vote for different parties and that happens here in Pennsylvania. They've got a lot of Independent and swing voters.

Both candidates are looking for any edge that they can possibly get and they certainly are hoping that these last-minute rallies are going to fire up the base and get them where they want to go.

One more thing to keep in mind Fredricka, as we head into the next couple of days. Both candidates heading back to the suburbs of Philadelphia. That's where a lot of those Independent voters are. Keep an eye on that on election night. That's going to be very pivotal for both of these campaigns.

WHITFIELD: All right. It will indeed. Jessica Dean, we'll check back with you throughout the day -- pretty busy state today.

All right. So for more on this very important race -- races in Pennsylvania, let's turn to John Micek. He is the editor-in-chief for the "Pennsylvania Capital-Star". So good so see you.

So we are seeing a lot of presidential firepower in your state in these final days before the election. Trump, Obama, Biden all making stops there today. Biden just barely eked out a win there in 2020.

So what kind of impact do you think those campaign rallies will be making on this very tight race for Senate?

John Micek, editor-in-chief, "Pennsylvania Capital-Star": Fredricka, I'm actually -- I'm in Bucks County today. This is a must-win county for John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz. One of the most populous counties, a swing county. It's elected Republican Brian Fitzpatrick to Congress. But has Democratic members of the state legislature.

This is a place where you really need to turn out the votes with big rallies like this going into the final stretch. The Democrats are exciting the base, trying to get their voters all keyed up to go to the polls on Tuesday.

I mean, this is a one or two-point race at most. So every vote for them is going to matter.

WHITFIELD: Another way in which perhaps Democrats have been exciting the base is some other star power, not just Biden and the former President Obama weighing in, but Oprah Winfrey also weighing in on the Pennsylvania Senate race. Just take a listen for those of you who haven't seen it already.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OPRAH WINFREY, TV HOST: I will tell you all this. If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:04:52]

WHITFIELD: Ok. So, you know, she's always had quite the following. She's always been very influential, whether it's marketing a product or you know, back in the day Mehmet Oz, a person.

So how influential might she be on this campaign stage? How much does this potentially help Fetterman in what has become a neck-and-neck race with Oz?

JOHN MICEK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "PENNSYLVANIA CAPITAL-STAR: Sure. I mean again, every good word is going to help. When that Oprah endorsement came down the other evening, the Fetterman campaign blasted it out immediately to journalists, pulling out all the stops, putting it on social right away.

I mean, that's something that hits Mehmet Oz directly where he lives. He basically owes his television existence to Oprah Winfrey. So the Fetterman people are seeing that as a big get.

And again, if this is something that moves, you know, a couple of thousand voters, I mean half a percentage point, every little bit helps.

WHITFIELD: She was also kind of encouraging the power of that early vote, you know, if I lived in Pennsylvania I would have already voted, by the way --

MICEK: Exactly right.

WHITFIELD: -- when she did threw her support to Fetterman. So a lot is being made about the enthusiasm -- overall enthusiasm of this race. We have already seen more than a million early votes cast in Pennsylvania.

But if you break it down by party, Democrats hold a wide margin. Is that being measured as a good sign for Democrats? Or is it just simply too early to tell?

MICEK: I think it's a bit early to tell at this point. The one thing that we do know, Fredricka, is it's going to be a couple of days here in Pennsylvania before we know that final result. Republicans tend to vote more in person. So you can see that so-called red mirage when we go to bed on Tuesday night.

But when counties start processing those mail-in ballots after 8:00 p.m. on election day and they finish that final count, that is going to be the real tale of the tape on how effective the Democratic time- out effort has been. WHITFIELD: And of course, that was the case in 2020 when it took days to get the full election results because of all the mail-in ballots and early voting. So how likely do you think there might be a replay, you know, a replay on the outcome of this race?

MICEK: Sure. I mean the secretary of state Leigh Chapman has already hung a lantern, so to speak, on this, warning people to be patient, asking them to be patient as they are processing these ballots.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano who, like Oz, has the Trump endorsement, is already planting the seeds for claims of election fraud and they are going to use that delay no doubt to try to further that argument.

So that's why it's really important for the messaging from the department of state, which oversees elections, to urge patience. And we have seen that from voting rights activists as well.

It doesn't mean anything untoward is happening. It just means it simply takes time to count the ballots.

WHITFIELD: Right. We are hearing already that same kind of jargon in other places, not just Pennsylvania.

John Micek, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

MICEK: Yes, you bet.

WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, in Pennsylvania at any moment now President Biden will rally Democrats in the Chicago area on the campaign trail. The president has been keeping his focus on the economy and the importance of protecting democracy. He is all over the map. He will be in Pennsylvania again later.

But right now in Illinois more than 1 million people have already cast their ballots.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is traveling with the president as he campaigns across the country, very selectively however, Arlette.

So what do we expect the president might focus on during today's events there?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, with three days to go President Biden is set to talk about how Democrats are trying to offer some economic relief to Americans as he has continued to try to present this contrast between the GOP and the Democrats saying that this election is a choice and not necessarily a referendum on the Democratic agenda and his time in office.

Now, here in Joliet, Illinois the president will be focusing on the Democrats' efforts to try to lower prescription drug costs and also protect Social Security and Medicare. Areas that he says are under threat if Republicans take control of the House and Senate.

The White House has really been trying to key in into economic issues in the closing days of this campaign as they are keenly aware that the economy and inflation are top of mind for voters and as voter discontent over the economy could jeopardize Democrats' chances of holding on to power in the House and Senate.

Now, last night speaking at a fundraiser nearby in Chicago, Illinois the president warned that the next two years would be horrible if Republicans gained control of Congress.

But even as he is issuing these types of warnings, he is also striking an optimistic tone about Democrats' prospects come Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I know you always ask me how are we doing. We're going to win this time around, I think. I feel really good about our chances. I haven't been in all the House races, but I think we are going to keep the Senate, pick up a seat.

I think you have a chance to win in the House. I don't think we are going to not win, keeping the House. So I'm optimistic. I really am.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:09:57]

SAENZ: Now, in addition to his event here in Illinois, it's an official event, there will be a -- Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, who is in a competitive House race, she will be here on hand at the event with him.

But after this the president heads over to Pennsylvania where he will link up with his former boss, President Obama, to campaign for John Fetterman. It's one of the few competitive Senate races that the president has gone into in the closing days of this election.

And tomorrow, it's also important to note, he will be out on the campaign trail for a last-minute stop in New York where the Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul is running in a much closer than expected race. President Biden trying to help her there across the finish line.

One thing, in addition to the House and Senate, the White House has also been focusing on these Democratic governor seats across the country as those governors would be key to enacting so much of the president's agenda.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz, we'll keep tabs with you as you travel with the president there. Thank you so much.

And of course, don't forget on election night join CNN for special coverage starting Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. We will have up- to-the-minute results on what's happening all across the country, particularly in the key races in your state and around the country.

Still ahead, we're live in Georgia where the race for U.S. Senate could determine the balance of power in Washington. Republican Herschel Walker and Democrat Raphael Warnock both holding rallies this hour. We'll take you there straight ahead.

Plus, search and rescue efforts underway after multiple tornadoes swept across three states overnight. The latest on the severe storms we're watching next.

[11:11:29]

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WHITFIELD: Welcome back.

The central U.S. getting hit hard this weekend with severe weather. More than a dozen tornadoes were reported Friday in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas causing widespread damage and power outages.

This video was taken as the tornado touched down near Sulphur Springs, Texas. Officials in nearby Lamar County, Texas declared a disaster after at least ten people were hurt, including a first responder. The sheriff's department there says at least 50 homes were damaged or destroyed.

And then in Oklahoma a freight truck flipping over right there following severe storms in that state. In nearby McCurtain County, at least one person was killed and multiple people remain missing. Officials say search and rescue efforts are now underway.

Let's bring in CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. Chad, good to see you. What is the latest and what's in store for today?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, people don't think about fall being a severe weather season but there is a mini season that we have. And yes, we are kind of in it right now, Fred.

Good to see you and good morning.

18 reports of tornadoes on the ground yesterday. They could be plus or minus a few when the weather service goes out and sees whether one skipped around or not. That's irrelevant.

There was an awful lot of damage with very large tornadoes, certainly some of the damage that I have seen and some of the video live these were EF-3 or more tornadoes. These are big tornadoes. 150 miles per hour spinning around for a long time for many miles on end.

And talk about miles. There was golf ball-sized hail in Madison, Wisconsin yesterday. And there was severe weather all the way down to the Gulf Coast in the same line of weather. That's how big this storm was. And it was even snowing in parts of Kansas this morning.

Now, what I'm worried about today is the lightning that's going to be out there. Also some wind that's going to be rolling towards Chicago here, some warnings to your west, Chicago. Wind gusts 50, 60 miles per hour. But it's the lightning and people outside that really have me concerned because so many football games will be going on.

I mean the Breeders' Cup is in Lexington, the horse racing there, and winds here across parts of the Great Lakes will be 40 to 60 miles an hour. That could bring down power lines. That could bring down some trees.

So if you're going to be out and about today, it would be a good idea to have an app on your phone or even be able to look at the radar because here is 2:00. The rain all the way from the Great Lakes right on down to the gulf. Move you ahead until tomorrow morning, there are a few showers to the east there.

Now, if you are going to get into the New York City marathon or even watch it, there could be a few showers around but not much. I think most of that will be drying out by the time this weather gets to New York City.

Most of the rain will be down to the south. That's where the humidity is. It's a little bit humid down here across parts of the Gulf Coast and that's where the heaviest rain will be.

One more thing for our viewers out to the west. There is one heck of a good snowstorm coming down especially in higher elevations. And I say good snowstorm because places that really need it. We had over 50 large fires a few weeks ago in the Pacific Northwest, that number is down significantly. We will take the rain. We'll take the snow. We'll take that snow that will melt next, I mean -- really next summer. That will be into the drinking water supplies of some of these people out there.

WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness. Well, my hair will tell you the story of humidity. So yes, it's a factor. It's out there.

But then, you know, I kind of wonder if one of the big aggravators here of the kind of severe weather that we have been seeing in the last, you know, 24 hours is because we have had such a clash of -- it wasn't that long ago we were talking about how unseasonably cold it was and brace for a really cold winter. And now it's seemingly very mild.

MYERS: You know, this is what springtime does. When you get full winter and all of a sudden the warm air wants to come up from the south, that clash between the warm and the cold, the warm wants to move the cold out of the way, then all of a sudden -- now, the cold wants to move the warm out of the way. It's the same clash. It's just a smaller, little severe weather season in the fall compared to the big one that we have, obviously, in the spring.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. Chad, thanks so much. We'll talk again soon.

MYERS: You bet.

WHITFIELD: All right. Straight ahead, to battleground Georgia where U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker returns to home turf. The former University of Georgia running back's final pitch to voters next.

[11:19:48]

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WHITFIELD: We're watching some key races with the midterms now just three days away in the battleground state of Georgia. A razor close race for U.S. Senate could determine the balance of power in Washington.

Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker scrambling to gain those last-minute votes.

CNN's Eva McKend is on the trail in Athens, Georgia. So Eva, a big college football game there today and familiar ground for Herschel Walker he is considering this home base, home turf.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATION POLITICS REPORTER: Fred, it's game day here in Georgia. It's a homecoming for Herschel Walker of sorts. He, of course, where Wrightsville, Georgia. But it's here in Athens where his football career launched.

[11:24:58]

MCKEND: He's actually taking pictures with fans right now. He just wrapped up his rally here, mostly visiting familiar themes. He talked about his opponent, Democratic senator Raphael Warnock, and how Warnock is too aligned with Biden, how if elected he would bring conservative Christian values back to the state of Georgia.

And that is something that really resonated with his supporters here. They too, say that it is time for new leadership.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE IRVIN, GEORGIA VOTER: He is Georgia. Meaning that, is that he comes from south Georgia. He has businesses in Atlanta. And he just represents me. And so because not only do I love football and not only do I love the state of Georgia, I want to see Georgia progress.

I think he'll bring a more conservative values back to the government. I think Warnock is too liberal for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: Senator Warnock holding rallies today, too, on his bus tour. He will be in his hometown of Savannah tomorrow. He has argued that Herschel Walker is not ready to lead in the United States Senate, not fit to serve, and really has fashioned himself as a bridge builder, willing to work with Republicans in service of Georgians, often talks about health care on the campaign trail.

These two, Fred, can't get any more different. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Eva McKend, thank you so much there in Athens, Georgia.

Republicans are so confident that they will take back the House in the upcoming midterms that CNN has learned that GOP House leaders are already planning to launch investigations of President Biden's son Hunter. Sources say Republicans are planning to make probes into Hunter Biden's business dealings a top priority.

It's just one of several investigations the GOP plans to launch if they take control of congress.

For more on all this let's bring in CNN's Annie Grayer. Annie, so good to see you. So the GOP really needs just five additional seats in the House in order to take control, right? So what more are you learning about these investigations they would want to launch?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well, Fredricka, we know that Republicans are planning a wide array of investigations if they reclaim the House on Tuesday, and Hunter Biden will be their top target.

We know that James Comer, who's the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee, is planning on resending a letter to the Department of Treasury the day after the election asking for all of the suspicious bank activity reports on Hunter Biden, that he was unable to get while in the minority.

Comer, as well as Jim Jordan, who's the top Republican on House Judiciary, are also planning a press conference for shortly after the election to talk about everything that Republicans have learned so far about Hunter Biden.

Now, federal prosecutors have been investigating Hunter Biden for potential tax crimes and misleading statements, but no charges have been made and Hunter Biden has denied any wrongdoing.

In addition, Jim Jordan has said its his mission to investigate the politicization of the FBI and DOJ. He released a more than thousand- page report this week making all of those claims, and he even sent letters to the top officials from DOJ, FBI -- basically putting them on notice for what a House Republican-led Judiciary Committee would be investigating of their agencies and how they should prepare.

But more broadly, Republicans are looking into the U.S./Mexico border, the origins of COVID, and even the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Some Republicans on the right are already saying that some of these investigations should lead to impeachment proceedings, Fredricka, but House Republican leadership so far has talked down any impeachment talk.

WHITFIELD: All right. Annie Grayer, thanks so much for that.

All right. Meantime, tensions with North Korea are intensifying after it launched four more test missiles. We will hear why it's got some experts concerned that another nuclear test could be imminent.

[11:29:25]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. North Korea launching another round of short-range missiles today

according to South Korea's military. It comes after North Korea launched almost two dozen missiles earlier this week.

As CNN's Selina Wang explains, North Korea says military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea are a threat.

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, North Korea launched four short-range ballistic missiles on Saturday. By CNN's count this is North Korea's 31st series of missile launches just this year. It's part of an unprecedented barrage of weapons testing this week.

So the question is why is North Korea doing this right now? Well, the dramatic escalation started after the U.S./South Korean joint military drills on Monday. This involved thousands of military personnel from both countries. It involved hundreds of aircraft.

In response, on Wednesday North Korea fired 23 missiles, the most ever fired in a single day. Then the following day there was the failed launch of a suspected ballistic missile. And then on Friday South Korean fighter jets were scrambling in response to the detection of a large number of North Korean warplanes.

[11:34:46]

WANG: But the big question here is what comes next? Last week the U.N. nuclear watchdog warned that North Korea could be preparing for a nuclear test, its first since 2017. But there is no unified agreement within the U.N. Security Council about how to respond to North Korea.

At a U.N. Security Council meeting this week, the United States accused Russia and China for providing blanket protection to North Korea, protecting them from further U.N. sanctions. The U.S. accused those two countries of bending over backwards to try and justify the North Korean missile launches.

Experts say that North Korea right now is trying to coerce the U.S. into accepting it as a nuclear power. The key context here is that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un views nuclear and missile power force as critical to regime stability and to giving him more leverage in any future potential discussions with the United States, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Selina Wang, thanks so much, in Beijing.

WHITFIELD: All right. More than 4.5 million Ukrainians are without power following Russian attacks on the country's infrastructure. That's according to Ukraine's President Zelenskyy who also added that the attacks also knocked out water supply to almost half the residents in the capital of Kyiv.

Meanwhile, focus is turning to the strategic city of Kherson where Russian fighters may be pulling back from the front lines as Ukrainian fighters advance.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz, joining us now from Kyiv. So Salma, before we get into the battle for Kherson, we are also getting a new admission from Iran about drones being sent to Russia. What are they saying?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a startling new admission from Tehran. Today Iran's foreign minister saying in a press conference that yes, Iran did provide a limited number of drones to Russia but, and this is a big but, Fredricka. They say it was in the months prior to the conflict and that Iran has no knowledge that those drones were being used here in the conflict in Ukraine.

Instead, Iran's foreign minister saying he is in touch with his counterpart, the Ukrainian foreign minister, that he has requested he provide evidence that Iranian-made drones have been used here. And that if Iran receives that evidence, they will not be indifferent about it. That was the quote. Very vague terms there.

Let me just give you a bit of context. First of all, we do know that Iranian-made drones are being used right here in Ukraine, including here in Kyiv really to terrorize civilians. Ukrainian officials have found the remnants of those drones after attacks here and have been able to show them even to journalists.

And the other thing to remember is not only is Iran providing weapons or has provided weapons, rather, to Russia, it's preparing to send even more, including ballistic missiles. That's according to western sources that are familiar with Iran's weapons program. And important to note here that there could potentially be consequences for Tehran in this.

The United States, other allies has said if Iran continues to give weapons to Russia, continues to bolster Moscow in this fight, they could face even tougher sanctions, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Salma Abdelaziz, thanks so much. Keep us posted on that.

Coming up, in this country former President Trump missing a critical deadline to hand over subpoenaed documents now. The January 6th Committee is giving him more time. More on the investigation next.

[11:38:13]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Live pictures right now to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You are looking at the state's second lady, Gisele Fetterman, the wife of the Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman who is running for U.S. Senate. She is speaking now, stumping for her husband in a very tightly watched race right now. Much later you will also see and hear from the former President Barack Obama who will be stumping for Fetterman there in Pittsburgh.

We'll keep an eye on the races there in that state.

: So it is the final weekend before midterm elections and candidates are hitting the trails hard to get their last messages out to voters.

One of the most closely divided states, Biden flipped Wisconsin blue in 2020 by less than a point after Trump narrowly won the state back in 2016. And now the pressure is on for Republican Senator Ron Johnson and Democratic governor Tony Evers, both running competitive reelection campaigns.

CNN's Omar Jimenez joining me live now from the campaign trail in Wisconsin. So Omar, what are you seeing out there today?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well one, we have been just about all over this state, and there is a constant joke that elections here in Wisconsin are close. Now, I have a feeling come three days from now that joke is going to become a reality here in Wisconsin.

Both of these candidates at the Senate level, Ron Johnson and Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes have been hitting the streets in this final weekend to try and secure as many last-minute votes or at least as many last-minute commitments to votes as they can because the margins are likely going to be that close.

We just finished up a canvassing event here for Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes where supporters of his, along with volunteers launched out into the neighborhoods to knock some of those doors. But I mentioned they are on these final stretch bus tours. And earlier this week Senator Ron Johnson, we caught up with him in a town called (INAUDIBLE), Wisconsin. We're learning about a lot of places here in the state of Wisconsin.

But while we were there he was asked point blank if he would accept the result of Tuesday's elections and did not right say yes. Instead, he said I sure hope I can. I don't know what the Democrat will have planned.

[11:44:54]

JIMENEZ: Now, he didn't elaborate what he meant by that in particular. But part of what he alluded to in that answer was a case out of nearby Milwaukee here where a now former election official was criminally charged after she allegedly obtained military ballots for fake voters and then sent them to a Republican state lawmaker allegedly because she wanted to prove a point.

Now, many people jumped on that say look, here's fraud, it's happening, while the Wisconsin Election Commission, which is the state election body here, said hold on a second. The system worked exactly as it should have. It caught an attempt like this and, of course, they emphasize that the November 8th election was affected in no way.

We'll see how that translates to the campaign trail. But as to this point, polls have shown no clear leader in this race. It's been the same result at the Senate level and also at the governor's race between Democratic incumbent Tony Evers and the Trump-backed Republican Tim Michels.

And all of that is likely going to come down to what happens in these final few days to likely secure the margins that might end up securing victory for these folks or send them packing.

WHITFIELD: All right. Watching very closely. Omar Jimenez, thank you so much.

The January 6th committee says it is giving former President Trump more time to turn over documents that it subpoenaed. The statement offered little explanation for the extension, but says he has no later than next week to begin producing the records.

The panel subpoenaed Trump last month seeking a wide array of documents and for Trump to sit for an interview under oath beginning Monday, November 14th.

The 14th is also of interest as a possible launch date for another Trump presidential run.

CNN's Gabby Orr has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GABBY ORR, CNN REPORTER: We are days away from the U.S. midterm elections but former president Donald Trump is already thinking about 2024, including one, he could announce another campaign for the White House.

Sources tell CNN that Trump and his aides have recently discussed the third week of November as their ideal launch point and they claim that it would give him an opportunity to capitalize on what they believe will be a red wave for Republicans next Tuesday with major gains in the House and a possible takeover of the Senate.

Now, the former president has not yet decided on a firm date, but one possibility that's been floated in his orbit is the Monday after the midterm elections or November 14th.

We do not know where he will make his announcement or what exactly it will look like, but he has shown an eagerness about running again in his recent campaign appearances for midterm candidates.

At his Thursday night rally in Sioux City, Iowa, Trump told the crowd to, quote, "get ready" because he will, quote, "very, very, very probably run again in 2024".

Of course, this all comes as the former president and some of his associates face several ongoing investigations that could lead to indictments after the midterm elections. That remains on the mind of his aides as he plots his next chapter and it could lead to changes in his 2024 timeline. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Gabby Orr, thank you so much.

Very soon President Biden will be appearing in Illinois and ahead of his appearance he is stumping for Democratic support there. You are seeing a member of congress there, Tammy Duckworth, who is warming up the crowd there as they watch this very critical midterm election in Illinois and beyond.

We are just three days away from election day, midterm elections. We'll take you there when the president begins. Plus, Lebron James weighing in on the Kyrie Irving controversy as Nike

suspends a major shoe deal over his anti-Semitic social media posts. The latest fallout next.

[11:48:42]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. One of the tightest races for the U.S. Senate is there in Pennsylvania. Just moments ago, the lieutenant governor, John Fetterman was there speaking before the crowd. Right now he's out kind of shaking hands now with the people there too. But the crowd remains in place because they are waiting for the former president, Barack Obama, who will also be stumping for Fetterman in a highly watched -- and there he is, he heard my cue. There's the former president there taking to the stage right now, stumping for Fetterman in a very closely watched, tight U.S. Senate race there. There in Pittsburgh.

John Fetterman also enjoying a recent boost and endorsement from Oprah Winfrey.

Let's listen in now to the former president Barack Obama there in Pittsburgh.

{LIVE EVENT)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED: It's great to be in Steelers Country.

Even if like the Bears, we're both doing a little rebuilding right now. It's ok. You know, these things kind of go in waves.

Pittsburgh, I am here to ask you to vote for your next members of congress, Chris DeLuzio and Summer Lee. Vote for them.

For your next governor, Josh Shapiro.

[11:54:50]

OBAMA: And for your next great senator, John Fetterman.

In case you don't know, you can vote at your polling place on November 8th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. And if you need more information, just go to iowavote.com, find out where to go. Make a plan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you.

OBAMA: I love you back. But you got to vote. If you have a ballot in your hand, get it to a drop box or your county clerk's office as soon as possible before 8:00 p.m. on election day. And then you need to get your friends and family to vote, because we all have, you know, Cousin Pookie. We all have Uncle Joe. They're sitting on the couch. Right now as we speak, they're watching college football.

And that's ok, except they've forgotten that they're supposed to vote, so you have to remind them. Take them with you when you go, because this election requires every single one of us to do our part. It's that important.

Now, I think it's fair to say that this whole country has gone through some tough times these past few years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We miss you.

OBAMA: We've been through some stuff. We're just now coming out of a historic pandemic that wreaked havoc on families and schools and businesses and communities. Everybody was impacted. Some were impacted more. We have a new phrase, essential workers. That means workers actually who work.

And then some folks lost somebody they love. Probably some people in this crowd lost somebody they loved. And the pandemic also highlighted and in some cases made worse problems we've been struggling with for years, an economy that works for folks at the very top but not so much for ordinary people. Communities where too many kids are out of school and out of work and out of hope, and that sometimes leads them to violence and despair.

And then just an erosion of civility and basic democratic norms. And you have got politicians who work not to bring people together but to stir up division and to make us angry and afraid of one another just for their own advantage so they can take power.

And all of this gets hiked up and amped up by 24/7 social media that decided it's more popular to promote controversy and conflicts and conspiracies rather than facts and truth.

You know, it was just a few days ago that a friend of mine, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in his own home. Somebody breaks into his house looking for his wife, Nancy, the speaker of the house.

And thankfully he's back home now and we're going to let investigators do their job. but here's what's clear, Pittsburgh. This habit we have of demonizing political opponents, of saying crazy stuff, it creates a dangerous climate. And when you have people who are in leadership positions who promote or ignore over-the-top rhetoric, and then when there's an attack like this, they make light of it, they joke about it, then more people are going to get hurt.

And more than that, we violate the spirit of our democracy, the spirit of who we are as Americans. And by the way, it's not just politicians, whether it's out of malice or ignorance, we've seen recently big celebrities reposting vile, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories online.

And you don't have to be a student of history to understand how dangerous that is and how unacceptable that is. And I don't know when we decided that we were just going to believe everything we read on the Internet.

[11:59:40]

OBAMA: Here's a tip for you. If you read or see something online that has some grand theory about how some particular group, whether it's black folks or white folks or Jews or Catholics or immigrants or gays, if you read or see something that says they're the cause of all your problems, then it's safe to say it is garbage, it is a lie, it is dangerous poison.

We have to call it out and put an end to that kind of mindset.