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Republican "Red Wave" Fails To Materialize; Trump And Republicans Blame Each Other In Midterm Flop; Russia Orders Troops To Withdraw From Ukraine's Kherson; Hurricane Nicole Bears Down On Florida's Atlantic Coast. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired November 10, 2022 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:30]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm John Vause. Welcome to our viewers in the United States, Canada and around the world. What I am here in Atlanta, Georgia, where election officials are now preparing for a runoff election next month between incumbent senator Raphael Warnock and Republican hopeful Herschel Walker.

Counting is still underway in a number of close races for both the Senate and the Lower House, which means we still don't know which party will control the U.S. Congress.

Republicans were expecting a huge red wave of support, easily taking control of the Senate and in the Lower House picking up 30 maybe more seats. While the GOP is on track to win the House, the majority will be razor thin. Results from Senate races in three states are yet to be called leaving Democrats holding 48 seats in the upper chamber. Republicans 49.

In Arizona, incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly is leading Republican Blake Masters with hundreds of thousands of votes to be counted. In Nevada, Republican Adam Laxalt is leading the incumbent Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto. State officials there say final results not expected before next Thursday.

Now the poor showing by Republicans means President Biden can breathe a little easier, even though GOP control of either house of Congress will be getting anything done over the next two years could be next to impossible. So, Biden now reaching out to moderate Republicans to work with his administration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't think we're going to break the fever for the super mega MAGA Republicans. I mean, but I think they're a minority of the Republican Party. I think the vast majority of the members of the Republican Party we disagree strongly on issues but they're decent, honorable people.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: More now from CNN senior White House correspondent Phil Mattingly.

(BEGIN VIDOE TAPE)

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Less than 24 hours after election results rolled in that made the White House feel far better than they thought they were going to going into President Biden's first midterm election. The President spoke laying out in detail a kind of calibrated approach to recognition. And Washington is about to be reshaped.

Republicans are very likely to take the majority in the House and that voters are still largely not happy. There's still real problems, obviously with inflation that remains sky high and just a general discontent in the wake of the worst pandemic in more than a century. But the President also making clear that there was a little bit of vindication in those results. Take a listen.

BIDEN: While we don't know all the results yet. Least I don't know all them yet. Here's what we do know. While the press and the pundits are predicting a giant red wave, it didn't happen.

MATTINGLY: President Biden spoke in a wide ranging news conference really his first formal news conference, and almost 10 months walking into foreign policy issues detailing how his White House is going to view the next several months with Republican leaders that he's going to have to work with more than he did in the past.

One in particular, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, the likely next speaker, he and Biden don't have much of a relationship, they know each other somewhat, but not a lot, that is probably going to have to change. In fact, the President and McCarthy spoke by phone on Wednesday night and underscored the dynamics of what's to come and dynamics that are going to be far different than most Republicans thought heading into election day.

In fact, that Republicans are going to have a majority that was never really a question that they're only going to have at this point what looks like a few seat majority that could be potentially very problematic for McCarthy and for Republicans and an advantageous issue for the White House.

One, Biden alluded to saying he believed with a very small majority, that perhaps there were efforts or at least options and peeling off Republicans for some types of bipartisan legislation. Overall, though, as the President gets set to head to Asia for a two-week long foreign trip, things are simply better than White House officials thought they were going to be in this moment.

There's no denying that. The vindication they feel is very real validation. The President said he feels based on his agenda and how it channeled into the results. Also very real, what this means going forward. Well, Washington will most certainly be different, and not nearly as different as White House officials and just about everybody else thought heading in to Election Day. Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

VAUSE: For more joining me now from Los Angeles, Caroline Heldman, Democratic strategist and political scientist at Occidental College and former New York Republican Congressman Charlie Dent.

[01:05:01]

Thank you both for staying up late being with us. It's appreciate it.

CAROLINE HELDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Great to see you, John.

CHARLIE DENT, FORMER NEW YORK REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN: Good to be here.

VAUSE: Great. Thanks, guys. Look, we all have it wrong. Apparently because Donald Trump did not have a bad night. It was a good night. That's what he says. Even though more than 14 of his handpicked candidates actually lost. And those decisions by Melania I believe the Republican nominees they probably cost the Republicans a big majority in both houses. But after the midterm elections, Donald Trump may have a bigger political problem, like this guy here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R) FLORIDA: Florida was a refuge of sanity when the world went mad. We stood as the citadel of freedom for people across this country and indeed, across the world. We will never ever surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where whoa, goes to die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The Republican man of the moment Ron DeSantis, reelected governor of Florida clearly not thinking about a run for the White House there at all. But Charlie, first to you, is DeSantis or (INAUDIBLE) says Trump called him recently. Is he on the way to winning the Republican nomination now for 2024?

DENT: Well, I think Donald Trump is clearly diminished by what happened last night around the country. Former President Trump, you know, endorse a number of candidates who were either problematic for a variety of reasons or election deniers.

Just in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania alone, he endorsed Doug Mastriano, who was just wiped out and caused problems down ballot for Republicans and this happened in other places around the country as well. So Donald Trump is going to take a lot of the blame for what happened because of his unhelpful interventions in the primary. Talking about the past constantly the insurrection in 2020 and his election denialism that hurt him.

And of course, you know, Ron DeSantis had a terrific night, you know, winning Florida by 20 points. He's ascendant, you know, he's setting himself up as the future. And, you know, the better part of the Republican Party as opposed to Donald Trump in the past. So I think that Trump's got a problem on his hands. In fact, I would even argue that Donald Trump is probably regretting the day that he endorsed Ron DeSantis in the 2018 gubernatorial primary in Florida, over Adam Putnam, who was on his way to victory in the primary until Trump interceded, so Trump only has himself to blame.

VAUSE: Well, Donald Trump is not just a former one term president. He's also a resident of Florida. So when he went to vote, the question was did he vote for the man who could be his main rival for the Republican Party's nomination for president? Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you vote for Governor DeSantis?

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Yes I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Caroline, he did not vote DeSantis. Actually, believe it or not. I mean, DeSantis --

HELDMAN: He didn't vote for DeSantis. But who the heck knows. I mean, he is trying to show that he is still a, you know, a loyal Republican Party member. But I couldn't agree with Charlie more that the Republican Party is having a reckoning right now. Right? Because it's strange to me, because why wasn't the violent insurrection of January 6 enough to marginalize Trump and the party? Why wasn't the big lie enough to marginalize him? Why wasn't his endorsement of rising fascism right and one in three Republicans thinking that violence might be necessary in order to save the country? That wasn't enough. His mishandling of classified documents, not to mention all the scandals, that's not enough to distance the party from Trump.

But I do think that him costing elections will be enough. And as Charlie pointed out, and as you know, pundits across the political spectrum are noting his candidates did not do well. And in fact, Mitch McConnell knew that Donald Trump had put the Senate in the balance with his endorsements and pushing Dr. Oz and Herschel Walker and some other weak candidates.

VAUSE: I just wanted to pick up and saying that Charlie said about DeSantis being from the better part of the Republican Party. That's one view. Others see DeSantis as Trump, but without the drama, sort of a smart version of Donald Trump. Caroline?

HELDMAN: I would agree. I think, John, if you look at DeSantis, his positions are not much different than Donald Trump's. I think if you look at what he's done with critical race theory and transgender policies, and a variety of other kind of hot button cultural war issues, which are pretty trumped up, he -- he's just a kinder, gentler version and he's won the party can get behind, because they can still appeal to their Donald Trump base, while not actually having Donald Trump in the White House, because, you know, those were four years of chaos for everyone, including Republicans. VAUSE: But now the incoming Congress will see more than likely hard right Republicans endorsed by Donald Trump, many want to impeach President Joe Biden for whatever they can probably think of. Here is the President Joe Biden. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Many times that Republicans are saying and the former president said how many times you're going to impeach Biden, you know, impeachment proceedings against by, I mean, I think the -- I think the American people will look at all of that for what it is. It's just almost comedy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:10:00]

VAUSE: Charlie, even if there were legitimate grounds for impeachment we've seen that in the past, it's a political loser. But the question will be, you know, how will this hard right flank in Congress be reined in?

DENT: Well, that's really the function of leadership in the House Republican Conference, it's their job to stand up and tell the herd where it needs to go from time to time, rather than the be directed by an angry herd that will take them in -- into easily foreseeable dishes, that will lead to no good.

You know, impeachment is a very serious matter. And I suspect, with a very small majority, this may actually temper some of the most overzealous oversight initiatives of Republicans, I mean, if they want to focus their time on and obsess over Hunter Biden's laptop, and impeaching Joe Biden, that means they're not going to be doing the necessary oversight. They should be doing maybe the withdrawal from Afghanistan, how monies are being spent from all this money that the Biden administration has push forward, that's where they should be spending their time. That would be useful.

But they will not help themselves politically, you know, embarking on impeachments, just for pure political reasons. The American people will see through that, but it's really up to the leadership to, you know, be the adults in the room to try to force the members to stay on a more solid, sustainable political path. And we'll see if that happens, but it'd be a mistake for them to go down this unnecessary path of impeachment without cause.

VAUSE: So Caroline, consider a way, could you see the Democrats here losing the House. So there's very slim majority with so many hard right Republicans now, you know, being seated. Is this an opening, a political opening for the White House and for the Biden administration to run against Congress if you'd like to use it to their advantage?

HELDMAN: I think that's probably going to be the strategy. I think Charlie's right, that it would be a waste of time. And, you know, on dereliction of duty to be putting all of this energy into partisan oversight when there are actual things that need accountability. However, I think that's exactly what will happen. I think Kevin McCarthy has proven himself to be hyper partisan, and a Trump loyalists even given, you know, I guess his flip position on January 6, where he was critical of Trump and then again in the Trump camp.

So, I actually do think that what we will see is a massive waste of time, with a lot of partisan investigations. I think unfortunately, we will immediately see the cessation of the January 6 committee so that investigatory work will cease.

I think what we will have is an incredibly hyper partisan moment of gridlock for the next two years. And Biden knew this. That's why he pushed through the stimulus package, build back better, the infrastructure bill, they were rushing these things through because they knew they had limited time to do it. And they did it.

VAUSE: Absolutely. Caroline, thank you so much, Charlie Dent, as well. We appreciate you both staying up for the late hours hanging with us here on CNN.

HELDMAN: Thank you.

VAUSE: Charlie, thank you.

DENT: Thank you.

VAUSE: Take care guys. Appreciate it.

We'll take a short break. When we come back, coastal cities in Florida on alert as Hurricane Nicole closes in, the danger they face even before this storm makes landfall.

Also, a dramatic setback for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Russia intends to withdraw from a key city captured in the early days of the war.

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VAUSE: Russian forces have been ordered to withdraw from the strategic Ukrainian city of Kherson as well as other areas west of the Dnipro River as the Ukrainian offensive approaches on two fronts.

On the way, Ukrainian villages and towns have been liberated. In this instance, Ukrainian flag is being raised by the soldiers there was many asking how long will it be before the Ukrainian flag once again flies over Kherson and how many will die before it does. Nic Robertson has our report.

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

GEN. SERGEI SUROVIKIN, COMMANDER OF RUSSIAN FORCES IN UKRAINE (through translator): 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: An admission of defeat that has been foreshadowed for several weeks. Civilians forced to evacuate east across the strategic Dnipro River. The Russian flag gone from Kherson's main administrative building. 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 retreat.

Ukrainian officials remain cautious. Presidential Advisor 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.

SUROVIKIN (through translator): 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: 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.

[01:20:00]

Less than six weeks since Putin illegally annexed it and declared it part of Russia, Ukrainian forces had 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 VIDEO TAPE)

VAUSE: Volodymyr Zelenskyy is one of those who doubt the Russian forces plan to retreat from Kherson anytime soon. Ukraine's President and First Lady Olena Zelenska sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. Zelenskyy said his troops will proceed with caution take no unnecessary risks when it comes to Kherson. He also told Christiane, Russia has been sending mixed messages about his real attentions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): 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)

VAUSE: The full interview with the Zelenskyy on Amanpour, that's 6:00 in the evening in London, 8:00 p.m. in Kyiv, right here with Christiane Amanpour on CNN.

Also live down to Kyiv for more, Salma Abdelaziz is joining us with the very latest. So, we're expecting this sort of battle for Kherson anytime soon at any moment. It does appear that the Russians are sending in their elite forces, if any, if anything, and the officials have been withdrawing.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's really a startling admission of defeat that we're seeing John announced yesterday in this press conference with Russia's defense minister standing alongside Sergei Surovikin, the top general in charge of Russia's military operation here and they made the argument in this press conference that they could no longer supply Russian troops in Kherson that they needed to pull back to the east side of the Dnipro River to fortify their positions there.

President Zelenskyy commented on this and his nightly address, saying the enemy does not give us gifts, essentially saying he will proceed with caution that there might be a trap and attempt to lure Ukrainian forces. But already Ukrainian officials say they're seeing Russian troops withdraw from these frontline villages that they're blowing up bridges all along the Dnipro River, you would assume, of course in anticipation of a Ukrainian advance in, yes, a huge blow to President Putin but in some ways not surprising, John, we have for days now heard these reports that there is a lessened Russian presence in Kherson, less checkpoints.

Also, civilians of families have been evacuated forced out of their homes, essentially over the last few weeks forced to the east side of the Dnipro River as well. So yes, Ukrainian forces proceeding with caution here asking the question, What state will they leave Kherson City in? Will it be booby trapped? Will there be mind set? How realistic is this announcement? But again, just a startling blowback. I mean, John, just six weeks ago, President Putin was illegally annexing this territory in a very glitzy ceremony to now admit defeat pull back. It's massive, John.

VAUSE: Yes, it makes you wonder what's going on, doesn't it. Selma, thank you. Salma Abdelaziz in Kyiv. The other bands (ph) of hurricane Nicole are battering Florida right now. There's already been shoreline erosion ahead of landfall which is now just hours away. Already homes have been left teetering over the edge dangerously close to crashing into the water below.

Some residents along the coast have been evacuated shelters once their homes were deemed unsafe. (INAUDIBLE) coast is still vulnerable and recovering after Hurricane Ian swept through six weeks ago.

CNN's Chris Nguyen is live in Cocoa Florida beach in Florida. And he joins us now live. So, last time we saw you the rain was coming down and seems to beat up a little bit. What's the latest in there? CHRIS NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, high winds, heavy rains and significant flooding expected throughout the night. You can see the conditions here in Cocoa Beach have deteriorated in the past hours so. Public officials are really urging folks to stay home, especially as the hurricane inches closer to landfall.

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NGUYEN (voiceover): Florida is bracing for a rare November hurricane the strong winds already causing damage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The weather is quickly deteriorating.

NGUYEN: Hurricane Nicole churning toward the sunshine states eastern coast. It's expected to bring torrential rain, strong winds and storm surge that could trigger coastal flooding and widespread power outages.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're expecting more damage to occur from this high water.

NGUYEN: More than 5 million Floridians are under a hurricane warning. Evacuation orders are already underway for some communities along the eastern coast.

LENNY CURRY, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA MAYOR: This combined with bands of rain and strong winds throughout the storm makes flooding and low lying areas the biggest concern.

NGUYEN: This latest system comes less than two months after hurricane Ian slammed the western side of the state as a category four hurricane, many communities in western and central Florida are still dealing with the damage and now residents are preparing for another storm.

[01:25:07]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've lived in this house and in this neighborhood for 30 years, and we've been through quite a few hurricanes here. We've never seen anything like what Ian did to think about water getting back in our house now.

NGUYEN: The last time a hurricane hit the U.S. this late in the season was 37 years ago.

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NGUYEN: John, around 16,000 utility workers are currently on standby to help with power restoration efforts. Governor Ron DeSantis says 600 Florida National Guard troops are also ready to assist with search and rescue efforts if and when necessary. Here in Brevard County, the situation right now, conditions are expected to be the worst between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Eastern, wind gusts could be up to 70 miles per hour with several inches of rain expected to fall overnight. John.

VAUSE: Chris, thank you very much for that. Chris Nguyen there live in some terrible conditions and we'll have continuing coverage of the hurricane as it makes ways towards Florida. These are live images right now we can see in Brevard County. It's dark obviously there because see the images of these palm trees better my sideways at right angles is that strong, powerful wind blows across the area bringing heavy rain that we saw that Chris was reporting on just moments ago. Again, we'll continue to watch the story as Nicole moves closer.

In the meantime, we'll take a short break. When we come back, here they go again, voters in Georgia heading off to a Senate runoff election about three weeks from now, four weeks from now, what this election runoff will actually mean for which party controls the U.S. Senate. That's next.

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[01:31:03]

VAUSE: Welcome back everyone. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Republicans are widely expected to take control of the House of Representatives, the U.S. House rather, according to Tuesdays midterm elections but their (INAUDIBLE) red wave of Republican victories never materialized.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said this and (INAUDIBLE) for some Republicans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Regardless of what the final tally in these election shows and there's still some counting going on. I'm prepared to work with my Republican colleagues.

The American people have made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans be prepared to work with me as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Control of the Senate comes down to three undecided races. Democrats now hold 48 seats in the upper chamber, the Republicans holding 49.

While the GOP is on track to win the House, it won't be by a lot. It could actually complicate Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy's desire to become House Speaker. Hardliners are starting to oppose him. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have the votes for both the majority and the speaker, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about the Freedom Caucus? Having spoke to President Biden today?

Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Meantime, it's a case of deja vu all over again, with Georgia heading for a run off that might decide control of the Senate. Less than a month from now Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock will face off against his Republican challenger Herschel Walker. Neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday. That means they head to this runoff. Here's how the candidates reacted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): We know that once again the people Georgia showed up and said loud and clear, that you want to senator who is going to do the work for Georgia. You want someone who everyday is going to wake up and work for all of Georgia.

HERSCHEL WALKER (R), GA SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm not wrecked by this. I don't come to lose. If you can hang in, hang in there a little bit longer. Just hang in there a little bit longer, it's all something good. It takes a while for it to get better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN's Nick Valencia has more now from Atlanta.

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NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the election has come and gone and with neither candidate getting 50 percent of the vote, this Senate race is headed for a runoff. The runoff here in Georgia will look different than it has in years past, because of the 2021 law that cut the length of the runoffs from nine weeks to 4 weeks. That's significant, because anyone that wants to register that didn't vote in the midterm election that wants to vote in this runoff, has already missed a deadline. There's no telling how that will impact the final outcome of this race, but it will no doubt have an impact.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, the secretary of state's office held a press, conference during which they said by Wednesday afternoon there was about 10,000 ballots remaining but that number not significant enough to get either candidate over the threshold to avoid the runoff.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger did say that there office is already making preparations for that run-off election on December 6th, prepping ballots to be sent out to counties, for them to get signed off on by November 14th.

Additionally, the absentee portal for anyone that wants to go that way has been opened. Early voting could begin as early as November 26.

If there's one thing that is clear here, is that for the 2nd consecutive election cycle, Georgia will continue to be at the center of the political universe, at least for the next four weeks.

Nick Valencia, CNN -- Atlanta. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Larry Sabato is not just a political scientist, not just a political analyst, he's also professor of politics at the University of Virginia and it's great for you to stay up and be with us. Appreciate it. Good to see you.

LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Nice to see you too, John.

VAUSE: Ok. Let's get back in time, let's start with the flux capacitor, we'll prop up the seat to 88 miles an around and here we are, November 7th, 2022, also known as last Monday.

[01:34:49]

VAUSE: Your prediction for the midterms, your crystal ball -- Senate 51 - 49 Republicans, net Republican gain of 1 seat. For the House, 237 to 198 Republican majority net Republican gain of 24 seats.

To be fair, everyone got it wrong. How did you get it wrong?

SABATO: Well, now in the Senate, we haven't decided that yet. We've still got three outstanding races, so it's either going to be 50/50, status quo, or it's going to be a 51-49, so we don't know about that one yet. We were close, you know.

As far as the House ratings were concerned, the main blowback we got was from Republican leadership, furious that we didn't validate their minimum of 30 seats gained, or 35, or 40 depending on you were talking to.

Look, when you make predictions like that you're only as good as the day that you can collect. And the polling, as I'm sure you know, was really off. Usually, it's off in a Democratic direction. This time it was off in a Republican direction, which reminds us since the polling was off in 2016, and then 2018, and then 2020, now 2022 maybe we should just stop using it entirely.

VAUSE: The midterms did see a return to congress of the representative of Georgia's 14th district, Marjorie Taylor Greene for those who need a reminder, here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): The so-called plane that crashed into the Pentagon, it's odd there's never any evidence shown for a plane in the Pentagon.

This earth warming and carbon is actually healthy for us.

There is no comparison to the Holocaust. And there are words that I've said and remarks that I've made that I know are offensive and for that I want to apologize.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: At least she apologized. Greene is a mega MAGA Trump supporter, she's now back in congress. She want to impeach President Biden. She want so target the traitors (ph). Also cut aid to Ukraine.

Even with narrow control of the lower house what can Republicans unleash now over the coming two years?

SABATO: Relatively little. Because in the Senate to do most things, you need 60 votes. And Republicans aren't going to be anywhere near it. At most they'd be 51 -- could easily be 50/50 where they won't control it. So not much is going to happen.

The new house speaker, assuming it is Kevin McCarthy, or early anybody, since it's going to be a relatively narrow margin, I wouldn't want to put a number on it but, you know, if it's 5 or 10, or whatever it is, it means that just a handful of far right, pretty extreme Republicans can cause major heartburn for the speaker of the house.

McCarthy should talk to Pelosi about how difficult it is to run the House of Representatives, as she did five-seats, we may have something similar.

So in a way, he's going to be cornered by the far right. In order to have their votes on things that he really cares about, he may have to put on the floor items that make the Republican Party look out of touch, or in orbit around Mars.

VAUSE: One of the problems for the Republicans, for the candidates that they put up -- all of the candidates were backed by the former President Donald Trump and they just really weren't up for the job. But it's also sort of 2010-ish, the only time an American politician running for office, in this case the Senate, had to reassure voters that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL, FORMER REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm not a witch. I'm nothing you've heard. I'm you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Yes, Christine O'Donnell not a witch but a Tea Party favorite, nominated by the Republicans to the open Delaware Senate seat. That was a long time ago.

There's also Sharron Angle of Nevada, health care plan including paying doctors in chicken if they made house calls.

My point is Republicans have been to crazy town before, nominated guaranteed losers, and they've done it again it seems, it can't all be Donald Trump's fault.

SABATO: No. And you're correct to note, it started way before Donald Trump. 2010 is a good example. It's not the only example.

And Mitch McConnell, who wants to be the majority leader again, got discouraged during this campaign because he kept pointing back to 2010 and saying, I've been through this nightmare before. If we don't pick good, strong candidates in the primaries, we won't win the generals.

Of course, Republican activists didn't listen to him and in a number of states they nominated really weak, way-out there candidates.

VAUSE: It was a mixed result though for the election deniers last night, although I imagine they would deny that. The (INAUDIBLE) there was fears, you know, that vote could determine the fate of American democracy in many days. Where do we stand now?

SABATO: We're in better shape than most of us feared, at least most of us who believe that the election was fairly decided in 2020, and that this is undermining American democracy.

A fair number of the people running for secretary of state lost. Some of the people running for other high offices like governor and U.S. senator lost. But not enough.

[01:39:54]

SABATO: I would say we can see a little bit more sunlight on good days when there is no clouds. But not every day is like that.

VAUSE: Yes. Maybe the pulse is getting a little stronger but still in intensive care now.

Larry, thank you so much, always good to see you. Always great to have you with us. We appreciate it.

SABATO: Thanks a lot appreciate it.

VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN, Hurricane Nicole, still hours away from making landfall in Florida but already these live images as you see, the storm's outer bands are being felt across the state.

We'll have the very latest in just a moment.

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VAUSE: About a month or so ago, we (INAUDIBLE) to the story on bi- acoustic pioneer Michel Andre during our Call to Earth Theme Week, "LISTENING TO OUR PLANET".

[01:44:52]

VAUSE: Not long after that segment, the Rolex Awards Laureate traveled to the Patagonia region of Southern Chile to take part in an event 30 years in the making. And CNN was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About 1,200 kilometers south of the Chilean capital of Santiago, sits the quaint waterfront city of Castro. The area is known both for its cultural and natural splendor. And this group from around the world comes filled with anticipation.

But they are here as tourists, they've come to mark a milestone of creation. Barcelona based professor Michel Andre is among them.

MICHEL ANDRE, PROFESSOR: These blue (ph) bodies that we progress as such was many years ago. And now we require a lot of effort from many people. So today is a total satisfaction, of course, and a great joy to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The day's main event involves a 4-hour round trip, into the gulf of Corcovado, to witness the installation of the blue boat initiative -- first smart buoy.

Part of an effort to protect endangered whales, and monitor marine ecosystems.

ANDRE: This is a very important area for the whales, they come, they breed, they feed for a few months a year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's also an area with a lot of human activity. And a very busy shipping route.

Data collected by the -- Marry Foundation, a nonprofit focused on scientific research environmental education, shows an alarming trend, prompting them to reach out to Michel for help.

SONIA ESPANOL-JIMENEZ: In the year 2020, and 2021, at least 8 whales died for my condition, that's only in Chile. And in the world, we know that between thousand and 2019, at least 1,200 whales died from a collision.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the early 90s, the bio-acoustics expert discovered that human-made noise pollution was drowning out the whales own sounds, likely leading to deadly collision. In response, he developed a whale anti-collision system, a first of its kind technology designed to alert ships of a whale's presence. And for the past 30 years, he has continued improving on the idea.

ANDRE: Great (ph) whales play a fundamental role in the ocean, and not on the ocean, on the planet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Growing scientific evidence shows that protecting whales can benefit global climate.

And their bodies act as a carbon sink. Each great whale sequestering on average 33 tons of CO2.

ANDREW: This is why we need to take the (INAUDIBLE) as a natural laboratory, where we can show you the waves and combine the interest of human activities with the conservation of the ecosystems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Smart Buoy works by using software called "Listening to the deep ocean environment" or LIDO for short. It is a network with more than 150 acoustic observatories all over the world, developed by Michel and his team. Named Sijae (ph) which means hope in the local Makuche (ph) language,

this buoy is now connected to the vast network. In addition to collecting other scientific data, it will use its artificial intelligence software to identify the type and location of sea mammals, alert the authorities who can, in turn, notify nearby vessels to slow down or change course, thus avoiding impact.

ANDRE: This is a historic day, because after many years of developing the technology, this is the first time it is applied to this waters to prevent collision, to improve the quality of the habitat where the whales leads to preserve the natural environment.

This is just a step now, this is not the end. It is the start over another long process to replicate the same approach along the Pacific Coast, where we know that there are the same challenges that the whales face with human activities.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Please let us know what you're doing to answer the call, with hashtag "Call to Earth".

Back in a moment.

[01:49:13]

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VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. We're coming to 7 minutes before the top of the hour.

And Florida on high alert, awaiting Hurricane Nicole's landfall due in just a couple of hours from now.

These are live pictures right now from Lake Monroe, it's north of the city of Orlando. You see the choppy water there in waves crashing over the rail there which show on the shoreline.

Nicole will make history as the first hurricane to make a November landfall in the U.S. close to 40 years.

Let's go to Pedram Javaheri, meteorologist, who is following all the developments first in the CNN's weather center.

So it's a category one, but still is quite late in the season.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is. Very late in the season, the 2nd latest we've ever seen, John, a tropical system or hurricane make landfall anywhere in the United States, and of course, you noted Hurricane Kate, I should say that occurred back in 1985, that was in October, November 21st of 1985.

This particular one comes in here on the 10th of November landfall. We think within the next 90 or so minutes, notice the compact offenders terms here not the most organized, not the well -- best presented on satellite depiction here. But what's impressive about the storm system is just a wide reaching impacts. Notice the storm surge threat typically the most impactful aspect of the tropical system, 3 to 5 foot storm surge possible, from West Palm Beach as far north as Jacksonville and the coast around this region going to see the impact, of course.

And notice even of course, the Carolina coastline, storm surge that could exceed four feet.

So wide reaching impact, there it comes, notice 60 mile diameter of the eye here. Landfall again, we think some time round 2:30 to 3:00 in the morning local time, should be coming ashore, just north of Fort Pearce, (ph) Florida and that's where that's what we do have hurricane watches and warnings that have been prompted across this region of Florida.

But what's most impressive about the storm compared to the most recent storm we had with this Hurricane Ian 43 days ago, is the wide reaching impact of these tropical storm force winds.

[01:54:57]

JAVEHERI: Ian was a category 4 feature, the tropical storm force winds extended about 300 miles from the center.

This is a category one feature, but these tropical storm force winds extend 500 miles from the center, nearly twice as wide reaching when it comes to those strong winds.

And notice, again landfall will happen down here across the southern tier of Florida, will feel winds of 30, maybe 40 miles per hour as far north as Albany, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina as well.

And you'll notice, once it's interacts with land, of course, it shrinks, we lose quite a bit of intensity and in the system weakens rapidly as well and the wind field drops as a result.

But these flood watches they've have been prompted nearly for the entire Eastern Coast of Florida. This is one of the driest times of the year when it comes to November into December. So not often you see a tropical system but this particular one will open those records like John and bring with it these winds -- you know, up to 90 miles an hours. tonight miles an hour for the strongest gusts.

VAUSE: The record books keep getting rewritten each week it seems.

Pedram, thank you.

JAVAHERI: Thanks.

VAUSE: Thank you for joining us. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us here on CNN. My colleague Kim Brunhuber will have much more coverage of the U.S. Midterm elections after a very short break. I hope to see you right back here tomorrow.

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