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CNN International: Balance of Power in Limbo with Key Races Too Close to Call; Russia Orders Troops to Withdraw from Key City of Kherson; Kerry: U.S. Open to Resuming Climate Talks with China; Momentum Builds for Expected DeSantis Presidential Run; Hurricane Nicole Hits Florida, Weakens to a Tropical Storm. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 10, 2022 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, HOST, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead counting and waiting, counting and waiting. The U.S. President takes a victory lap in while control of Congress remains up for grabs. Ukraine's President talk's strategy and direction in a CNN exclusive interview, then Chinese President Xi Jinping warns the military devote all your energy in preparation to fighting wars. We begin with the unfinished business in the United States. Two days after American voters did their part ballots are still being counted and the nation's balance of power remains in a state of limbo. In the House of Representatives the Republican Party needs nine more seats to win a majority, while the senate has come down to three states, Arizona is still too close to call, as is Nevada, it could be several days until the final results are known there.

And the margin between candidates in Georgia was so close. It was so close that they will face off again in a run-off election next month. CNN's Melanie Zanona joins us live from Capitol Hill in Washington and Melanie, while all this is being sorted out in the states, the top Republican in Congress trying to nail down enough support to become the next speaker.

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Yes, that's right. Kevin McCarthy, he is the House GOP leader. I actually sat down with him right before the election, he was confident at that point that they would win the majority and that he would have the votes to become speaker. But after Tuesday with a disappointing night for Republicans, it's a whole new ballgame here.

So there is a group of far right Republicans who are close to Donald Trump, who are threatening to vote against him. They want to demand some concessions out of Kevin McCarthy if they're going to vote for him for speaker. They want things like more power, better committee assignments; they want to be able to have influence in a House GOP majority.

And because it looks like the margins are going to be slim, that means they're going to have leverage both in this upcoming speakers race and also in a GOP majority in terms of governing. But Kevin McCarthy, he has been working behind the scenes to lock down votes for speaker. He's been making calls asking members what they want asking for their support, arguing that under his watch two cycles in a row Republicans did pick up seats that they are on the verge of winning the majority. He has also tapped a team of allies to start making those calls on his behalf.

And the Republicans that I've talked to say it's likely that McCarthy will eventually get there. They're confident that he'll be able to lock down the votes. There is no serious, credible challenger at this point. However, it's going to be a messy process because Kevin McCarthy even though he doesn't want to make a lot of concessions and given to some of these demands, he might not have a choice in the matter, Max.

FOSTER: Melanie Zanona, thank you for joining us from Capitol Hill. Now inflation was definitely on the minds of U.S. voters. And a report coming later this hour is expected to show that inflation slightly cooled last month, but still remains stubbornly high. The report could impact the Federal Reserve's decision on how much to raise interest rates next month.

Ukraine says its forces have reclaimed towns in the southern Kherson region after Moscow ordered its forces to withdraw from the strategically important city of Kherson and other areas west of the Dnipro River. This video shows the Ukrainian flag flying once again over a recently reclaimed village.

On Thursday, Ukraine liberated a town that lies on the main road to Kherson city. Ukrainian commanders are skeptical though, about Russia's biggest military shift in months and warned that Moscow may be setting a trap. Moscow's move out of Kherson could cost Russia the only Ukrainian regional capital is captured since its invasion in February. CNN's Nic Robertson reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice over): Without acknowledging failure, Russia's top general in Ukraine announced an apparent retreat from Kherson.

GEN. SERGEI SUROVIKIN, COMMANDER OF RUSSIAN FORCES IN UKRAINE: This is a very difficult decision. At the same time, we will save most importantly, the lives of our troops and the overall combat effectiveness of the troops.

ROBERTSON (voice over): An admission of defeat that has been foreshadowed for several weeks, civilians forced to evacuate east across the strategic Dnipro River. The Russian flag is gone from Kherson's main administrative building. [08:05:00]

ROBERTSON (voice over): Fewer troops on city streets, Russian checkpoints in the city gone and significantly Tuesday night, blowing several key bridges on front lines to slow Ukraine's advance. All indicative they're readying for a treat. Ukrainian officials remain cautious. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeting actions speak louder than words. We see no signs Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight. Ukraine is liberating territories based on intelligence data, not stage TV statements complicating their assessment.

The sudden death Wednesday of a senior Russian installed official Kirill Stremousov in a road traffic accident according to Russian state media, precise details or the implication still unclear. Regardless, the retreat immediate some troops to stay close fight from the east bank of the Dnipro River, others to bolster other fronts.

GEN. SUROVIKIN: Part of the forces and means will be released, which will be used for active operations including offensive ones in other directions in the operation zone.

ROBERTSON (voice over): Losing Kherson is a huge blow to Putin. Captured in the opening days of the war, it will be the first regional capital to be retaken by Ukraine. Less than six weeks since Putin illegally annexed it and declared it part of Russia.

Ukrainian forces have been readying to retake Kherson for months and finally appear poised to do so, if it's not a trap. Nic Robertson, CNN Kramatorsk Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia could be making a strategic move to regroup forces and he still expects a battle for Kherson. He spoke to CNN's Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv. And here's part of that exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: So they're ready to defend this region and they're not ready to leave the city. And the fact that they are in these homes means that they are seriously preparing. But we are also seriously prepared for these developments. But we're not considering this as just one single operation. We have a strategy and different directions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Where you can see Christiane's full exclusive interview with Mr. Zelenskyy and Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska on her show on Thursday at six in the evening in London 8 p.m. in Kyiv right here on CNN. Another note on Russia, President Vladimir Putin will not attend in person a summit of leaders from the group of 20 nations according to the Russian Embassy in Indonesia.

The G20 meeting takes place in Bali next week. There's no word yet on whether Mr. Putin will join virtually, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend in person. Now, later today, U.S. President Joe Biden heads off to Egypt. Well, he'll speak at this year's Global Climate Conference. His posture is likely emboldened by this week's mid-term election results. Democrats fared far better than pundits have predicted but doggie Mr. Biden is America's leading role in fueling the climate crisis. And the fact that right now, the U.S. isn't negotiating how to fix the problem with the world's other biggest emitter, which is China.

Let's bring in CNN's David McKenzie, who's at the summit in Sharm el- Sheikh Egypt and has been speaking to the U.S. climate envoy. So what do you expect the conference to get out of this visit? We will go to David in a moment. But first of all, let's speak to well, let's hear from John Kerry, who is the U.S. climate envoy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. CLIMATE ENVOY: We're not formulating and negotiating at this point. But our hope is that within a short span of time, it will become possible for us to really get together again in full measure and do the things we need to be doing as the two leading emitters in the world and as the two largest economies in the world. China and the United States really need to cooperate on this.

And without China, even if the U.S is as we are moving towards a 1.5 degree program, which we are. If we don't have China, nobody else can make to that goal and we blow through 1.5 and it will cost citizens around the world trillions of more dollars.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Politically there is a sense that the U.S. and China will be competing in the years ahead and some hawkish attitudes towards China. Do you think the cooperation on climate change will be accepted?

[08:10:00]

KERRY: Well, there's not any competition is a pretty normal thing in the world business. Businesses always compete for market share for product line and so forth. What President Biden have said, is we can compete, but we don't have to be confrontational. We don't have to be in conflict.

And I think that's what is critical here is that we deal with the issues and there are real differences between our countries, obviously, the climate should not fit into that bilateral pattern of those issues.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: David, hopefully can join me now. David, for President Biden, one of the big challenges he's going to face there is that developing nations are going to be asking him to pay for a lot of this and America is struggling economically. And that's something that's going to be very difficult for him to square.

MCKENZIE: Well, that's right, Max. I actually put that question to Secretary Kerry. I said that critics had told me that the U.S. was basically dragged over the line when it came to this issue of loss and damage funding poorer nations for the damage they get over climate change. He disputed that characterization.

He said that the U.S. has in fact been leading in terms of getting that onto the table. I do think you're right that when President Biden comes here on Friday, there will be pressure building on the U.S. on the European Union and other rich nations around the world to pony up the cash when it comes to this.

But I think it's very significant that the climate envoy of the U.S. is very pushing hard for these negotiations with China to resume that will obviously put in the deep freeze after Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August.

And significant as well, that he's saying that the discussions over climate change should be separated from the overall bilateral, competitive relationship between the U.S. and China. And I've certainly have heard similar things from delegates here, that the two biggest polluters need to show leadership on this issue, from the point of view of inspiration and practical moves to cut emissions if we are to survive the worst of this climate crisis, Max.

FOSTER: David McKenzie thanks for joining us from Sharm el-Sheikh. Now Chinese President Xi Jinping is further signaling a change in direction for his country away from climate. Now during a visit to the Joint Operations Command Center, Mr. Xi told the military to devote all its energy to preparing to fight wars. That's according to the Chinese state media. This change in language seemingly expands on his recent speeches, which analysts say may indicate the priority is military strength over economic growth.

Let's get some perspective on what's behind Xi's statements. Ivan Watson joins us from Hong Kong and obviously Taiwan, at the forefront of everyone's minds.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. I mean, Xi Jinping is fresh from the Communist Party Congress of October where he secured a president breaking third term that that sets him up to, to basically become China's leader for life. And it's worth-noting that he went and made this impersonal inspection, wearing combat fatigues.

And he expanded on his views that he believes that China is basically a threat. He told the top brass there that he believes that the instability and uncertainty of China's security situation has increased. And therefore his assignment for the military is to prepare, make itself a world class military and be ready to fight wars. And one of the obvious potential flashpoints is Taiwan, a region, self-governing island for decades that China views as essentially a breakaway province. And it is at odds with the U.S. government over this because U.S. President Joe Biden has said that the U.S. would defend Taiwan, if China were to attack there have been senior U.S. officials who have made visits to Taiwan, which has infuriated Beijing, which has stepped up military flights around the self-governing island, for example.

So this is an area of potential tension. President Biden at a press conference on Wednesday, he spilled the beans basically saying that he would be meeting face to face with Xi Jinping next week at the G20 summit in Bali. This hasn't been formally announced by the U.S. or the Chinese governments yet.

He has said that on the table for discussion are certainly economics between the world's two biggest economies trade. He would not go further about what he would say about Taiwan. But he did say that this would be an important moment for both leaders to kind of define their red lines. Max.

[08:15:00]

FOSTER: Ivan Watson in Hong Kong, thank you. Major cities in China are battling a COVID rebound. More than 8800 cases were reported across China on Wednesday the highest numbers since late April. Guangzhou accounts for about 3000 of those most flights into and out of the city were canceled today and eight districts in Guangzhou province have suspended in person learning for students. A top Iranian actress has posted an image of herself on Instagram without a headscarf to show solidarity with anti-government protesters. Taraneh Alidoosti also holds up a sign in the post that says women life freedom. Protests started in September after the death of a young woman detained by the country's morality police for allegedly violating Islamic dress code.

Still to come after his landslide victory in the U.S. state of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appears primed to take on Donald Trump as the Republican Party pacesetter, we'll discuss next.

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FOSTER: Welcome back. Now who is the man who is suddenly appearing on front pages all around the world? This is the telegraph, for example here in the UK. Well, here is Ron DeSantis, he's the Governor of Florida and he's just won reelection, but his election was so resounding.

The result was so re-sounding; he's now being seen as the one Republican who can take on Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election. Here is the time as well, you can see but the most interesting front page is probably this one. It is "The New York Post". Not just because of the headline there the future, but because of who owns it.

It is Rupert Murdoch, who was seen as a key backer of Donald Trump, he appears to have switched allegiances to none other than DeSantis. Let's hear from the man himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DESANTIS, FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Thanks to the overwhelming support of the people of Florida, we not only won election, we have rewritten the political map. This election, we will have garnered a significant number of votes from people who may not have voted for me four years ago. And I just want to let you know, I am honored to have earned your trust and your support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: So for many Republicans, this is the image of a potential new party leader, a new first family potentially, but who is he? We're going to ask CNN Reporter Steven Contorno. He joins me from St. Petersburg in Florida. Thank you so much for joining us. Just give us a bit of a background to know who this politician is and how he came to prominence.

STEVEN CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Yes, well, Ron DeSantis wasn't even that well known in Florida four years ago when he first ran for governor. And in fact it took an endorsement from Donald Trump to really jumpstart his campaign, helping him beat an establishment Republican figure here winning eventually an election in a recount. [08:20:00]

CONTORNO: And now, four years later, he has won by 20 points. And along the way, he has become one of the Republican Party's rising stars, mostly because of how he handled the pandemic. Unlike other states that listen to medical experts, DeSantis was someone who kind of skewed medical advice.

He reopened schools before those other states; he lifted restrictions on businesses ahead of most of the country. He banned mask mandates and said that vaccines could not be required to get into businesses here. And that made him a really a rising figure among Republicans.

And even before election night he was someone who they were talking about as a person who could potentially run against Donald Trump. Now, his people have always said they wanted to make a statement when first before they would look ahead to 2024. Well, Max, they certainly made a statement on Tuesday night. FOSTER: Yes, it was an incredible result for him, wasn't it? And it is clearly under the Trump camp as well. We know about his local politics, perhaps his national politics. We know nothing, though. Do we really about his foreign policy? What can you tell us about that and how the world should receive him?

Well, Ron DeSantis is someone who actually served in our military in Florida, he was a Navy jag lawyer, so he has experienced, you know, firsthand and United States' efforts abroad. And mostly he has focused though in Florida on domestic issues and he has been sort of a cultural warrior on a lot of those issues, including LGBTQ issues and restricting abortion here.

But what has Republicans really excited about him is his background is kind of straight out of central casting. In addition to that, you know, that military experience he you know, he grew up in a very middle class family. He was the star of his local baseball team.

He went to Yale, actually on a baseball scholarship and then followed it up by going to Harvard Law School. And he has this beautiful young family led by his wife, Casey DeSantis, who is someone who is his closest political advisor and someone who actually went through breast cancer during their first term together as governor.

And she cut a really compelling ad during the campaign where she, you know, opened up about what that experience was like and how Ron DeSantis helped, was with her every step of the way. And that really helps soften his image because he is someone who is very much in the Trump style. He has been very brash; he enjoys confrontations with other politicians and with the media. So she helped sort of broaden his appeal beyond those hard charging Republicans who like him for that style. But as far as moving ahead and looking ahead to 2024, I'm talking to a lot of his advisers who are saying they are encouraged by Tuesday night and they expect him to give a very strong consideration to running even challenging Trump in 2024.

FOSTER: Steven Contorno thank you so much for joining us from Florida. We're going to learn a lot more about DeSantis in the future months. Now ----- hurricane Nicole has been downgraded to a tropical storm. Now Florida is bracing for more flooding and even tornadoes, a lot going on there, details coming up.

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[08:25:00]

FOSTER: This hour more than 240,000 homes in Florida are reportedly without power after what was a hurricane Nicole made landfall there. Right now, Nicole is a tropical storm and weakening as it makes its way through Florida, North through Florida.

The storm struck the state's East Coast early on Thursday as a hurricane or a category one storm bringing those power outages and some flooding as well. This is the first hurricane to hit the U.S. in November in nearly 40 years. Chad Myers joins us now with the details. It is incredibly late, isn't it, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It sure is. Because normally, in a non- climate changed world, the water would be cool enough that the storm would not have grown like it did. But the Gulf Stream is still very warm two or three degrees C above where we should be now. So the ocean still thinks it's October.

Right now the center of the storm is very close to Walt Disney World, which is in Orlando, Florida right in the center of the state quite a bit of damage though along the coast from coastal erosion. Now the maximum wind speed was about 120 kilometers per hour.

But the problem is the storm surge was six feet two meters high, higher than it should have been along the coast. So there are homes that are condo buildings that are being literally washed away or at least the beach along they're being washed away. I've seen a few things that actually have fallen into the ocean at this hour.

So it's still going right now down significantly from that 120 Kph, but it's still blowing quite a bit along the coast, pushing that storm surge into the oceans from the ocean into the dunes into those sand dunes. And then obviously, that's where people build their homes.

Now this is going to add up the east coast all the way from Savannah all the way on up to the north and even in toward New York City, not as a hurricane, but so we're still going to see winds probably 50 or 60 miles per hour, so somewhere around 70 kilometers per hour. That could be still significant, especially when you get into big city centers, but also the threat of a tornado or two today, smaller tornadoes what we call waterspouts. They come on shore as the storms roll onshore to. And then later on this week it moves to the north and moves away from the southeast coast.

But so much damage occurring right now in Florida in a place that's fragile because we had a category four hurricane just about a month ago.

FOSTER: OK, Chad, thank you very much indeed. I know you'll be watching it. Thanks for joining me here as well on CNN Newsroom. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN's coverage of the U.S. mid-term elections continues after this short break.

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