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President Biden Campaigning For Democratic Candidates In Upcoming Midterm Elections Across U.S.; Former President Barack Obama Campaigns For Pennsylvania Democrat Senate Candidate John Fetterman; Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Apologizes For Growing Company Too Quickly After New Owner Elon Musk Orders Mass Layoffs; Skeptic Of Voter Election Integrity In U.S. Interviewed; Iranian Officials Admit To Sending Drones To Russia For Possible Use In Ukraine War; More Than 1,000 Absentee Ballots In Georgia Never Mailed According To Election Officials In Cobb County; NBA Star Kyrie Irving Suspended After Tweeting Link To Documentary Criticized As Antisemitic; New York Gubernatorial Race Surprisingly Close; Video Of Woman Attacked By Bison Goes Viral. Aired 2-3p ET.

Aired November 05, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:02]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, hello again, everyone. Thank you for much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And it all comes down to this. After months of campaigning, there are now just three more days until the midterm elections. The balance of power in Congress is on the line. President Biden hitting the campaign trail hard this weekend, putting his political weight into some of the most critical races, making campaign stops today in Illinois and Pennsylvania. CNN's Arlette Saenz is live for us in Illinois. So Arlette, what was Biden's message in these crucial final moments before voting?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, President Biden has tried to hammer away at his message that he believes Republicans would pose a greater threat to the economy if they take control of the House and Senate. All of this coming as Democrats' control of Congress could be in jeopardy over economic discontent among voters.

The president was here in Joliet, Illinois, on behalf, or appearing alongside a House Democrat in a competitive district, and he really zeroed in on his administration's plans to try to lower prescription drug costs and also preserve Social Security and Medicare, programs that the president has argued would be on the chopping block if Republicans get control of Congress.

And the president, as he talked about Social Security and Medicare, also had some choice words for protesters on the issue of those who say Democrats are part of socialism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Generations of Americans have counted on it, and it works. If we didn't have Social Security, the poverty rate for those over 65 would be four times what it is now, four times. I love those signs when I came in, socialism. Give me a break. What idiots.

(LAUGHTER)

BIDEN: Socialism.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, in this closing stretch of the election, President Biden has talked about the need to preserve democracy as well as deny -- or deny election -- reject election deniers in this campaign.

But one thing here on the campaign trail in Illinois, he really focused on the economy as the White House, when you talk to officials over there, they are very aware that the economy and inflation remain top concerns for American voters heading into Tuesday. You heard the president over the past few weeks really try to sharpen that economic message, especially as he has tried to draw that contrast with Republicans, often touting the things that his administration has done.

But one of the big questions is whether these efforts over the course of the past few weeks will really resonate with Americans as they are looking at their pocketbooks heading into Tuesday's election.

Now, the president departed just a short while ago. He is about to campaign over in Pennsylvania with former President Obama. That's one of the few competitive Senate races the president has been able to go into during this campaign. The White House has been aware that some campaigns have not necessarily wanted the president there due to his lower approval ratings, but they feel that Pennsylvania is an area where he could be helpful. Of course, it has personal significance to the president as well.

WHITFIELD: Arlette Saenz, for now, in Illinois, soon I'm sure traveling with the president to make it to Pennsylvania.

So like Arlette just mentioned, the president is heading to that state, a state that could determine which party takes control of Congress. CNN's Jessica Dean is in Pittsburgh. So Jessica, we have already seen some big names on the campaign trail there this morning.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, we sure have. President Barack Obama was on the stage just behind me not too long ago with the big crowd here in downtown Pittsburgh. He was here on behalf of Democratic candidates, and specifically the Senate nominee John Fetterman, the state's lieutenant governor.

He and Republican Mehmet Oz locked in an incredibly tight race that could very well determine who controls the U.S. Senate. So both parties very zeroed in on this, and not surprising that we're getting another rally from Obama and President Biden that Arlette just mentioned over in Philadelphia later today.

Now, here Obama really painted a stark contrast between Fetterman and Oz. I'll let you listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Listen, it's easy to joke about Dr. Oz, and all these quack remedies he's pushed on TV. But it matters. It says something about his character. If somebody is willing to pedal snake oil to make a buck, then he's probably willing to sell snake oil to get elected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: And that message really going hand in glove with Fetterman's closing message, his ads, what we've heard from him on the trail, which is essentially him pitching himself as one of the people and somebody who will stand up for them, somebody who has been in Pennsylvania and really trying to paint Oz as a phony and someone who can't be trusted, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then Jessica, former President Trump will also be in Pennsylvania tonight holding a rally for Dr. Mehmet Oz. What are you learning about that?

[14:05:01]

DEAN: That's right. We're going to go just outside of Pittsburgh, about an hour outside Pittsburgh where former President Donald Trump will be rallying for the Republican candidates, specifically Dr. Oz. And again, for the Oz campaign, it is this kind of a fine line that they need to walk between rallying up this Republican base.

If you'll remember, Trump really overperforming in rural parts of Pennsylvania that really drove him to his 2016 victory in part. But also, they also want to continue to pitch Oz as a moderate. So we're going to see, it's going to be interest to see what he says on the stage, and also what the former president says. We are traveling there next, Fred, and will bring that to you later today.

WHITFIELD: Jessica Dean, thank you so much. We've got a sitting president, former presidents out on the campaign trail. And at any moment, among the former presidents, we're going to seeing Bill Clinton hitting the campaign trail in New York. He will rally Democrats in Brooklyn for New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul is locked in a surprisingly close race with Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin. Tomorrow President Biden will make a last-minute swing through New York to support Hochul as well.

WHITFIELD: Ron Brownstein is a CNN senior political analyst and a senior editor for "The Atlantic." Ron, so good to see you. I mean, this is really remarkable, is it not? New York is usually a very blue state. So what do you make of this unexpected competitive race? How did this happen?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: When it rains this hard, Fred, everybody gets at least a little wet. You can forget back in 1994 Republicans elected a governor in New York in a year that was very bad for Democrats. In 2018, Democrats elected House members in Oklahoma City and Charleston in a year that was very bad for Republicans.

The core problem that the president's party faces in the midterm is usually differential turnout. The side on the out of power is more motivated to vote, and that can create a problem even in states with a strong Democratic lean. Having said that, the last public polling does have her back over 50 percent. But there's no question, you can vote with your feet kind of thing. Look where they are sending all this fire power. And it's a closer race than they want.

WHITFIELD: Yes. President Biden will be change for Kathy Hochul tomorrow. And it really is one of the few times Biden holds a rally with a Democratic candidate in a tight race. Yes, Pennsylvania. Yes, today he's been in Illinois. But what -- why has he been so particular about where he appears to campaign?

BROWNSTEIN: This really crystallizes one of the big problems Democrats face in this election, and that is the breadth of Biden's difficulties in terms of his declining approval and popularity. His national approval rating on election day may not be that different than Trump's was in 2018, somewhere around 45 percent.

The difference was there were states in 2018 where Donald Trump, competitive states, was still over 50 percent in approval. In fact, Republicans ousted Democratic incumbents even in a bad year in four states in 2018, Florida, Indiana, and Missouri among them, North Dakota, because Trump was popular, still popular in those states.

By contrast, this year's Biden's approval rating is pretty low almost everywhere, 45 percent or below, down 40 percent or below in some of the key swing states like Arizona and Georgia. There is not a lot of recent precedent for candidates from the president's own party winning in states where his approval rating is that low.

And so you see Biden being deployed mostly to places where he is closer to 50 percent. New York state, as you mentioned, being a strong Democratic state. And in many ways I think Biden is being used less to drive kind of enthusiasm in any particular state than to try to set a national message which largely they have been unable to breakthrough and do.

WHITFIELD: Yes. So if Kathy Hochul ends up losing the New York governor's race, what or who would be blamed?

BROWNSTEIN: I think if you lose in a state that leads so sharply to one party or another, I think the real cause is this idea of differential turnout, that Democratic voters simply were not motivated to come out in anywhere near the enthusiasm and the numbers that Republicans were. But I think the more immediate cause that people will focus on is crime, which has been rising in New York City this year as it has in a lot of cities, although nationwide murder is actually down compared to 2021. And I think the way that Republicans have been able to focus voter

attention on crime, particularly in suburban areas, which may lead to some House losses for Democrats as well, that will be, I think, the issue that people focus on. But if you have a very bad outcome in New York, a big part of it is this classic midterm problem where the president's party is just less motivated.

And that's the biggest uncertainty we have going into the election, who votes? Particularly whether younger people who are pretty heavily Democratic -- gains in 2018, they are not showing very much in the early voting. If their turnout remains low, it could be a --

[14:10:06]

WHITFIELD: Oh, darn. Wait a minute. That signal just froze up just as we were on the edge of our seat. That could mean, what, so -- and it looks like that signal is really gone. So we'll have to revisit Ron Brownstein's comments on that. Well, thanks so much, Ron, when and if you can hear me. Appreciate it.

All right, still ahead, Elon Musk lays off thousands of employees and dismantled multiple divisions at Twitter. What's next for the company?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Communities across the central U.S. are picking up the pieces after more than a dozen tornados tore through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

[14:15:00]

This video was taken near Sulfur Springs, Texas, in nearby Lamar County, Texas. Officials declared a disaster after at least 10 people were hurt. The sheriff's department says dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed.

In Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt toured some of the damage in McCurtain County, this morning. He says more than 100 homes and businesses were destroyed. Officials say one person was killed and multiple others are missing. Search and rescue efforts are still underway.

Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey is apologizing for growing the company, I'm quoting now, "too quickly," end quote, following a massive round of layoffs. On Friday, the company slashed thousands of employees, including 15 percent of its trust and safety workforce. The move comes a week after Twitter was acquired by billion Elon Musk. CNN tech reporter. Brian Fung is following the latest developments. Brian, what else is Dorsey saying about the cuts?

BRIAN FUNG, CNN TECH REPORTER: Yes. Dorsey is appearing very Apologetic here, addressing the layoffs that hit half of the company. Let me read you a little bit more about what he said. He said, "Folks at Twitter, past and present, are strong and resilient. They will always find a way no matter how difficult the moment. I realize many are angry with me. I own the responsibility for why everyone is in this situation. I grew the company size too quickly. I apologize for that."

What's interesting here is what he didn't say, which is the question everyone has, you know, going on right now around these layoffs is how will these layoffs end up affecting Twitter and its approach to the election? you have Twitter saying that its commitment to election security and election integrity hasn't changed, and neither has its content moderation policies.

But you have civil rights leaders who say they worry that these mass layoffs could harm Twitter's ability to enforce the policies that it has on the books even if they are still there.

So the question here going forward is how will Twitter be able to respond to misinformation or conspiracy theories that might arise while all of this internal chaos is happening all around it. And you also have lots of advertisers pulling their ad spend from Twitter, which is further putting pressure on the company to find revenue in a very sensitive time for the company and the country. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yes. And Brian, as it pertains to the layoffs, Elon Musk is defending his choice to carry off the layoffs, saying there was no choice since the company is losing so much money, as you just pointed out, $4 million a day, in fact. So what else are we hearing from him about answering to some of those queries about the future?

FUNG: Well, Musk says the people who were laid off were offered three months of severance. But he is continuing to go push forward his plan to change the company, saying that this is a move to restore what he describes as free speech.

And even though Musk has said the content moderation policies won't change until after the midterms, there are lots of questions about the post-election period and how discourse surrounding the elections may play out, especially when you have seen so many debates going on on social media about election results and whether election results can be trusted and whatnot.

So I think in talking to democracy experts, many say it's the post- election period that is going to be more critical to watch and for Twitter to be vigilant about for misinformation and conspiracy theories.

WHITFIELD: right, and potentially undermining the results. All right, Brian Fung, thanks so much.

All right, still ahead, a nationwide movement based on conspiracy theories and led by MAGA influencers, how self-proclaimed poll watchers are raising concerns over voter intimidation. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:23]

WHITFIELD: Right now, live pictures in Phoenix, Arizona, where you see right there the first lady is soon to take to the microphone, campaigning for Democrats across Arizona. Right now, it is Becky Pringles who is the president of the National Education Association who is speaking. Joe Biden is expected to also focus on the issue of education.

All right, meantime, they are inspired by baseless claims of election fraud, and now there are new concerns about self-proclaimed poll watchers just days before the midterms. CNN's Elle Reeve reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ELLE REEVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So what are they training you to do then when you're watching --

JOHN P. CHILD, GOP PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN, RADNOR, PENNSYLVANIA: Observe.

REEVE: But what are you looking for exactly?

CHILD: Observing. We're looking for oddball stuff, I guess.

REEVE: John P. Child is training to be a poll watcher, part of a wave of organizing among people who believe the 2020 election was stolen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All over the country we're deploying people to be poll watchers to watch everything that's happening.

REEVE: Generally, it's a good thing when more people get engaged in their local government. But some of this engagement is motivated by lies.

CHILD: Especially the mail-in ballots, that's what the big issue was in 2020. Because in Pennsylvania there were 1.8 million mail-in ballots went out, 2.5 million come back. There's, hello, a question maybe.

REEVE: Are you sure about that?

CHILD: Yes. Look it up. Sure.

REEVE: Can we Google it?

CHILD: Yes. You -- it's everywhere.

REEVE: So the first result is from the A.P.

CHILD: There you go.

A.P.'s assessment, false. In the weeks before the November, 2020 election, more than 3 million Pennsylvania voters requested vote by mail.

[14:25:04]

We met John at a poll watcher meeting put on by Delaware County conservatives. The organizer wouldn't let us in. But John agreed to an interview. And he brought the training materials.

CHILD: My head was spinning at the end of it. It's a rabbit hole.

REEVE: So tell me about --

CHILD: I liked it better when I didn't know any of this, honestly.

REEVE: Tell me what was so mind-blowing in this.

CHILD: Well, the whole chain of custody thing, that was astounding.

REEVE: The documents go through many technical and procedural details of how votes are counted after polls close and question whether each is an avenue for cheating. It casts an enormous cloud of suspicion over the vote without any proof. It's part of a real nationwide movement led by MAGA influencers who circulate false information of election fraud in podcasts and in tours across the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You notice how mail-in votes will occasionally switch with in-person votes.

REEVE: They have inspired citizens to get involved at the local level to hunt for proof of fraud and to prevent it from happening on Election Day. They have not found proof or fraudsters. What election officials are worried about is that the efforts could intimidate voters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to get into the ring. You cannot fight this on social media.

REEVE: I have watched many of these different presentations, Steve Bannon, this guy calls himself the professor presenting his evidence. But none of that stuff adds up to the millions of votes between Trump and Biden.

CHILD: So you're not convinced. And we're a bunch of crazy people then.

REEVE: I didn't say you're crazy.

CHILD: Well, sure you are.

REEVE: I didn't say you're crazy.

CHILD: No, we're deluded. We're misled.

REEVE: Maybe misled.

CHILD: I don't see it that way.

REEVE: I know you don't see that. I know.

CHILD: That's OK.

REEVE: But I guess one reason why it's important to talk to people like you is to see that there's a place where there could be reconciliation.

CHILD: Yes. Go back to same-day voting and paper ballots.

CHRISTINE REUTHER, COUNTY COUNCILWOMAN, DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: We get these comments. People come to us at county council meetings, we need to use paper ballots. We do use paper ballots. You understand we use paper ballots.

REEVE: Dealing with election misinformation has become a big part of the county council's job.

REUTHER: So the votes are cast on a paper ballot, and then they are scanned, and the results of that vote are tabulated on the scanner. But you're not really voting on the scanner. You're voting on the paper ballot. And that paper ballot is maintained as a record of the voter's vote.

REEVE: Delaware County in Pennsylvania has fought 15 election lawsuits against 2020 election deniers and won all of them. But it cost more than $250,000. And officials are worried about how much more time and money this movement will drain with the midterms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud --

REEVE: At the biweekly county council meeting, most of the public comments falsely suggested that something sketchy is going on with elections.

REUTHER: Somebody can stand up at one of our meetings, and they get three minutes to say whatever they want, spout off lies about the election. There's not much I can do about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are talking electronic digital devices. Every one of those is providing a gateway for outside intervention or in- house intervention as it may be.

REUTHER: I guess I would just say to them, do you really think all of us want to go to jail? Do you really think everybody in government and everybody who works in our election department wants to go to jail? Because we'd be doing something really illegal. And I'll tell you something, if I thought somebody was doing that, they should go to jail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There has to be some degree of trust in those who serve the public that they're doing something for the public good. And that we have lost. I don't know our way out, but this is the world we live in right now.

REUTHER: There's some kind of cognitive dissonance out there where people say we have got to save democracy by overturning an election. That is more of a dictatorship than it is a democracy.

CHILD: I'm open to put my eyes on things.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you accept the results of these midterm elections even if it's not the results you wanted.

CHILD: Accept it? What, am I going to start a revolt? No. Accept it? REEVE: Yes.

CHILD: I have to accept it. What else are you going to do?

REEVE: Elle Reeve, CNN, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, a new admission from Iran about drones sent to Russia to aid in their invasion of Ukraine. Details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:33:51]

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 said the strikes also knocked out water supply to almost half the residents of the capital of Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Iran is now commenting on claims that it has been supplying military drones to Russia, drones that are being used by Russia in the war. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Startling new admission from Tehran. Iran saying for the first time that they did provide a limited number of drones to Russia. But they say it was in the months leading up to the war. This admission coming from the foreign minister in a press conference on Saturday.

But, and here's the big but, he did not admit to Russia actually using those drones in the conflict here in Ukraine. And so the foreign minister said he is in touch with his Ukrainian counterpart, the Ukrainian foreign minister, and that he has requested that Kyiv provide evidence that these Iranian-made drones are being used by Russian forces here in Ukraine.

[14:35:00]

Now, for some context, we do know that Iranian-made drones have been used here in Ukraine because Ukrainian officials have found the remnants of those drones after they've exploded or bet set off in parts of the country. They found those remnants of those Iranian-made drones, although Iran's position up to this point had been deny, deny, deny.

And just to note, particularly these Shahed drones, these Iranian-made drones that self-detonate, have terrorized civilians, including here in Kyiv. And we also know according to western sources that are familiar with Iran's weapons preparing that Iran is preparing to provide even more weapons to Russia. More ballistic missiles and more drones are on the way. It's also important to note that this admission could potentially have

consequences for Iran. The United States, and other European allies have said they could potentially step up sanctions if Iran continues to provide weaponry to Russia in this war.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, Nike says it is suspending its relationship with NBA star Kyrie Irving. And LeBron James is weighing in on the controversy. More on the fallout next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:40:42]

WHITFIELD: At any moment now, former president Bill Clinton will hit the campaign trail in New York. He will rally Democrats in Brooklyn for New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul is locked in a surprisingly close race with Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin. Tomorrow President Biden will make a last minute swing through New York to support Hochul as well.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is covering this rally for us. So Gloria, Bill Clinton is just one of the big names Democrats flocking to New York for Governor Hochul. What does this say about the state of this race?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right, Fred. He's not the only Clinton that is going to rally on behalf of the governor. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also here earlier this week. And this is all about getting voters excited ahead of Election Day next week and during this last weekend of early voting.

Actor and activist Rosie Perez has just taken the stage here behind, and she is trying to rally the people here, talking about what could happen, according to her, should Republican challenger Lee Zeldin do well in this race and potentially beat the incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul.

New York has not elected a Republican governor in 20 years. And the last couple of days have been just a complete flurry of campaigning by Kathy Hochul, trying to get out and talk to voters, trying to increase enthusiasm, because we have seen in some of the polls that enthusiasm has decreased among the electorate ahead of these midterm elections.

Early voting, we have been talking about early voting and how it has broken records in other parts of the country. Early voting is still relatively new here in New York. And we have been looking at the numbers. More than 800,000 people have cast their ballots early across the entire state.

So Democrats hoping for big turnout, that's what's going to be key here in New York, a place where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one. But there has been acknowledgment from some Democrats, including from the governor herself, that there is definitely a lack of excitement and that people may not come out and vote. That is going to cause a problem for her.

So she will be here, as you said, rallying alongside former President Bill Clinton. And not just him, but tomorrow she will be joined by the current president, President Joe biden, they'll be out in Westchester trying to rally for votes there. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, lots of attention on that race. Gloria Pazmino, thanks so much.

And this just into CNN, more than 1,000 absentee ballots in Georgia were never sent in the mail, according to election officials in Cobb County. There was a, quote, critical mistake made where ballots were requested but not created. CNN's Nadia Romero is following these new developments for us. So Nadia, what are you learning?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, this is really awful for those people who requested their ballots, more than 1,000 people who have yet to receive them. The county says that they are now overnighting those absentee ballots. But this is terrible news for those voters for the county who is trying to instill voter integrity, that voter security back in our elections, because there were so many things that were called into question because of the election of 2020.

And so now to have this, to have more than 1,000 ballots that were requested but not mailed out, just adds fuel to those conspiracy theories that this may have been done intentionally. And that's what we heard from the county supervisor and from the elections board chair, that they are apologizing and saying that this was simply due to human error.

I want you to take at a part of the statement that was sent out by the county spokesperson, saying, "Again, our absentee supervisor failed to upload the daily file of accepted ballots into the machine or to have staff manually stuff the envelopes. It appears that she did not employ any process to check outgoing ballots against the daily accepted reports to verify that all ballots were created."

Fred, we are also hearing that that county election board chair says part of this is because of the law that was passed by the Republican- led legislature here in the state of Georgia that changed many things about the election process, about the voting process, and that included a shortening the time frame that you could request absentee ballots and to have them accepted and mailed out.

[14:45:05]

But again, they are saying there is really no excuse. This was an error that was made, and it was not done intentionally. Fred, now we are just days away from this midterm election that is so important, especially here in the state of Georgia. You have the gubernatorial race that's going on right now, and you also have a very important Senate race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.

That will likely be a big impact on the national scale, potentially changing the balance of power in the Senate. And so those people who didn't get their ballots are being told, we're overnighting your ballots to you. They are being contacted by phone and by email, and they're being told if you can come and vote in person to do so. Fred?

WHITFIELD: It's important and critical because many folks who are requesting these kinds of absentee ballots, they may be homebound. So getting to a polling staying was already going to be very complicated and still might remain the same. Nadia Romero, thank you so much.

So a controversy that is growing involves NBA star Kyrie Irving. Nike says it is suspending its relationship with the Brooklyn Nets point guard after he tweeted a link to a documentary many are calling antisemitic. Nike released a statement saying it's deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation. Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James also weighing in on the controversy last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: I believe what Kyrie did caused some harm to a lot of people. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, how tall you are, what position you're in. If you are promoting or soliciting or saying harmful things to any community that harm people, then I don't respect it. I don't condone it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Irving missed the first of at least five Brooklyn Nets games Friday after he was suspended for comments regarding the tweet. Hours later he issued an apology. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: NBA superstar Kyrie Irving at the center of growing controversy. Irving's team, the Brooklyn Nets, suspending him for at least five games without pay after he was asked at a news conference if he has antisemitic beliefs.

KYRIE IRVING, NBA PLAYER: I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life.

TODD: Then when pressed for a yes-or-no answer --

IRVING: I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.

TODD: The Nets issuing a statement saying, quote, "We were dismayed that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs. We were of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: This is a mess. It's a total mess. Why the NBA and the nets didn't handle this immediately and suspend him right away is beyond me.

TODD: Shortly after the suspension was announced Thursday night, the Anti-Defamation League said it's no longer interested in accepting Irving's money, $500,000 Irving had pledged along with another $500,000 from the Nets to work with the ADL to educate people on antisemitism. The ADL's leader saying in a tweet, quote, "After watching the press conference, it's clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions."

It was only hours later that Irving finally said this to the Jewish community on Instagram, quote, "I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize. I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against antisemitism by apologizing."

BRENNAN: I don't believe the apology goes far enough at all. He's only apologizing after he's suspended and called unfit by the Nets. He did not apologize for days when this was exploding.

TODD: The controversy was sparked more than a week ago when Irving tweeted a link to the film "Hebrews to Negroes, Wake Up Black America," which civil rights groups say is antisemitic.

JONATHAN GREENBLATT, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: And at a time in America when we are literally seeing the highest levels of antisemitic incidents that we've tracked at ADL in almost 45 years, it was incredibly stunning.

TODD: Pressed for days on that tweet, Kyrie Irving would only double down. The anti-vaxx flat-earther saying this in that Thursday news conference before the Nets suspended him.

IRVING: I didn't mean to cause any harm. I'm not the one who made the documentary.

BOB COSTAS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: If you or I or any of us provided a link to "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" or to "Mein Kampf" and then said, oh, I didn't write it. I'm just hoping to illuminate something. Shut the hell up.

TODD: Speaking of shutting up, or at least staying silent, some of the NBA'S biggest named superstars, players who speak out often on issues of social justice, have remained conspicuously quiet about Irving's tweet on that antisemitic film. One star player, Irving's teammate, Kevin Durant, told reporters he thought the Nets organization should have remained quiet about all this. Later Durant sought to clarify, tweeting that he doesn't condone antisemitism or hate speech.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

[14:50:07]

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, a woman is attacked by a wild bison in Texas, and the video goes viral. Hear what she says may have sparked the attack.

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WHITFIELD: This just into CNN, at least 38 people are injured after an apartment in Manhattan caught fire. The New York City Fire Department says the blaze was likely started with a lithium ion battery connect to a micro mobility device, which is a bike or scooter.

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The departments commissioner said in a press conference that at least two of those injured were considered critical and five others were in serious condition.

And a cautionary tale is caught on video when a hiker in a west Texas state park gets a little too close to mother nature. CNN's Ed Lavandera has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Walking under the vibrant sky and rustic cliffs of Caprock Canyons State Park feels like a journey into a lost age. In this corner of west Texas, this sprawling land is home to a herd of southern plains bison, a species that centuries ago dominated the landscape. Today it's a park where the bison and the humans roam.

REBECCA CLARK, HIKING ENTHUSIAST: So this is kind of just my memory wall.

LAVANDERA: Last month, Rebecca Clark visited the park for a week of solo hiking. She didn't think the experience it would end up immortalized on this wall.

CLARK: I want to remember that time and all the things that happened.

LAVANDERA: It's a story she's lucky to tell.

CLARK: Come on. Keep going. I just want to get by. OK?

LAVANDERA: Clark recorded on her phone as she crossed paths with bison roaming past a trail, much closer than the 50 yard minimum distance recommended.

At what point did you realize you were in trouble?

CLARK: I think it's when I used profanity in my video.

(LAUGHTER)

CLARK: Thank you. I appreciate it.

When I saw him turn, it's like instantly I knew he was going to come after me.

Oh -- Oh, my God.

LAVANDERA: The bison gored Clark in the back.

CLARK: It was so fast. He hit me in the back, rammed me, hooked me, and then flipped me face forward into mesquite bush.

LAVANDERA: What is going through your mind at the time? CLARK: I thought I was paralyzed.

LAVANDERA: You kept it intact?

CLARK: Oh, yes, this is my backpack. I might wash it eventually. I had to eat a lot of humble pie for this one.

LAVANDERA: The bison's horn cut a wide gash in her back.

CLARK: I still know that I was too close. I wasn't as diligent as I should have been.

LAVANDERA: Clark posted her video on TikTok. It went viral. And it also put the spotlight on this unique state park.

DONALD BEARD, SUPERINTENDENT, CAPROCK CANYONS STATE PARK: Bison are definitely the keystone species.

LAVANDERA: Donald Beard is the superintendent of Caprock Canyons State Park and a passionate advocate of growing bison herd populations across the country.

BEARD: It's really cool to be able to drive through this park and have bison walk across the road in front of you and see them and know the history of them.

LAVANDERA: In the 1870s, the Texas bison were decimated in the great slaughter. But famed ranchers Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight saved a few. The descendants of those bison were bred and kept on a private ranch for decades.

In 2011, the park released the bison to begin roaming freely through much of this 15,000 acre park. Since then, Beard says the herd grew from 80 animals to 350.

BEARD: The song, give me a home where the buffalo roam, that's where we live.

LAVANDERA: Visitors are warned repeatedly to keep their distance. Here, the bison are king.

BEARD: They are survivors. They survived our best attempt at trying to get rid of them. And they're making a comeback.

LAVANDERA: Has this changed your relationship with your animal?

CLARK: I'm sorry. I can't believe you did this to me. I'm trying to protect the opportunity to go experience nature.

LAVANDERA: This is what makes Rebecca Clark emotional. She would be devastated if her encounter prevents others from this bison experience.

You love the outdoors that much? Oh, I think that's --

CLARK: Yes. Wow. LAVANDERA: I am so sorry.

CLARK: It was an aha moment for me there. So yes. I hope I didn't keep somebody else from that.

LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, Caprock Canyons State Park, Texas.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WHITFIELD: Man, she is lucky to be alive.

Speaking of luck, do you have your tickets? Because in a matter of hours, luck could strike big in this way. The Jackpot for tonight's Powerball drawing has reached a record $1.6 billion. The cash value after taxes, more than $782 million. It beats the record set of 2016 of just over $1.5 billion. Hurry up. Go get your tickets.

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

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN Newsroom continues with Jim Acosta right now.