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Trump Stumps In Pennsylvania As Harris Preps For DNC; Israeli Negotiators Cautiously Optimistic On Ceasefire Deal; New Polls Show Key Sun Belt States Back In Play For Dems; CNN Witnesses Ukraine's Cross-Border Assault Into Russia; Global Protests Over Contested Election In Venezuela. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired August 17, 2024 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:49]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Jessica Dean in New York.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Jim Sciutto in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel tonight in yet another urgent push to finalize a potential ceasefire- hostage deal with Hamas. This as the Israeli prime minister's office says, it is cautiously optimistic about that possibility.

We're going to have much more on the Middle East ahead. So many questions remain, Jessica.

DEAN: All right. We'll see you soon, Jim. Thanks so much.

First up back here in the U.S., just moments ago, Donald Trump taking the stage at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The former president is stumping in the key swing state after weeks of his campaigns inability to kind of adapt to the new state of the race, or really his own inability. This as his allies and advisers are pushing him to focus on policy differences instead of personal attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris.

CNN's Danny Freeman is on the ground in Pennsylvania.

Danny, I believe the former president's speaking behind you. What are you hearing?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jessica. The former president is speaking behind me right now. He's been speaking for about 20 minutes at this point.

And listen if the big question was going to be will the former president stick to the script, stick to the message about hitting Vice President Kamala Harris on the economy, crime, immigration. There has been some of that, let's say. Former President Trump has been reading off the teleprompter for some parts of this speech, specifically when it comes to the economy but about ten minutes in, he then asked this crowd which has been adoring, do you mind if I go off teleprompter and from then we've seen a (INAUDIBLE) speech but perhaps a typical speech from former President Trump.

Since then, he was just speaking about the debate process at length. He has brought up President Joe Biden and lamenting that he was once his opponent as well. So we've drifted a bit off once again from that specific target message about Kamala Harris and the economy that his advisers and his allies had really wanted him to go on.

And it was specifically those ideas the idea of crowd size, the idea of again other issues that are not related to some of these core messages that he has drifted into over the past five to ten minutes or so.

But listen, Jessica, regardless of what the message is right here, he is in this area of Pennsylvania -- Luzerne County, Wilkes-Barre, specifically because he wants to gin up enthusiasm among what's really his base out here.

Remember in this particular area of Pennsylvania, former President Obama won this area and this county, specifically twice and then former president Trump flipped this area in 2016 and held onto it again in 2020.

This is part of his base, the white working*-class folks here in Pennsylvania. and he did mention issues of say fracking and some issues targeted to this Pennsylvania crowd.

But again, like I said, the messaging has veered a little bit off since that initial part (ph), Jessica.

DEAN: All right. Danny Freeman for us there in Wilkes-Barre with former President Donald Trump. Thank you so much for that.

Joining us now CNN senior political commentator and former Republican congressman of Illinois, Adam Kinzinger.

Congressman, great to see you as always. Thanks so much for being here.

ADAM KINZINGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You, too.

(CROSSTALK)

DEAN: You just heard Danny's report from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

He said that he -- kind of outlining how the former president is making his way through this rally. It sounds pretty, pretty status quo for how things have been going.

He stayed mostly off the campaign trail. He's done some press conferences at his properties. Now he's back on the campaign trail as we look toward the Democratic National Convention, which is coming up on Monday.

Do you get the sense that he -- it's clear from our reporting that his advisers and his allies are telling him ad nauseum -- talk about the issues, this is still a winnable race for you. It's tight enough that you can win if you will, just focus on what people want to hear.

Do you get the sense that he's capable of that?

[17:04:48]

KINZINGER: I think it's tough. Look, I mean, I think yes, if he could stick -- and here's the other thing. He like -- would benefit from low expectations.

So if he could give speeches and stick to his kind of script and his talking points, all the media would be saying, my goodness, he stuck to his talking points. Maybe this is a new Donald Trump.

But the problem is, is he's you know, he's really good actually at feeding off of a crowd that's a talent that he has you can kind of read the energy in a room. And so when he's giving a speech he knows they love it when he goes off the teleprompter, they love it.

It's like you know, Donald Trump unplugged. He can say whatever crazy stuff comes into his mind. And so he knows if -- I think in his mind if he feels he might be losing the crowd or he feels like it's not exciting enough, he just kind of goes off teleprompter and that's where he gets into trouble.

I think it's almost impossible for him not to do something like that in my mind.

DEAN: And so we are getting new polling. We've got this new "New York Times"/Siena College polling. It's showing a very tight race in four Sun Belt battleground states, and we see the numbers there that we're getting today.

You dig a little deeper and you look at Independent voters in this poll. She is polling at 47 percent to Trump's 44 percent. And in hearing what you were just saying, where he does feed on a crowd -- off a crowd and he loves that. We know that.

But that really does appeal to his base. And to win you really have to not just gin up your base, you've got to broaden out the coalition. So how do you think, you know, he does that, and how do you think she can continue to build on the momentum she's got with those voters.

KINZINGER: Well, how does he do it I mean, the answer is pretty simple. He sticks to a script. The problem is, he's -- I mean, he's honestly incapable of doing that. So I guess what the campaign's going to have to do, just putting on my analyst hat, is you know, try to go around him in their messaging.

They don't have a strong ground game and one of the things I'm hearing is they don't have field offices out there, whereas the Harris folks do have field offices. That is very important for day of voting and for getting people to early vote and stuff like that. So his campaign, I'm sure is sitting around obviously every time he goes and speaks, they kind of hold their breath but they're going to have to try to message around that.

What Kamala can do -- look, here's the amazing thing. I've always sensed that like there's just like in 2015, there was like this undercurrent of people that wanted to break the system. I think now there's this undercurrent of people that want to heal the system.

And I didn't think that was going to really come to fruition until like over the next four years. But it feels like Kamala's starting to really ride the early part of that wave where the country is recognizing like it's time to turn the page.

So for her, the thing I would continue to recommend is just obviously you've got to go after Donald Trump. There's, there's no -- there's no way to pretend like you can run just a positive campaign.

But continue to have that optimistic message because that future- focused and optimistic message has really been missing in this country for a long time. And even if you don't love her message, you don't agree with her politics. It is refreshing to hear somebody thinking about the future.

And I think that's how she's going to continue to build this broad coalition of Republicans for Harris, Evangelicals for Harris, People for Harris that you never thought would ever vote for in the first place that are now doing so.

DEAN: Like you. You're part of the Republicans for Harris --

KINZINGER: Yes.

DEAN: Just reminding all our viewers.

I also -- you're also a veteran and I want to ask you about this comment that Trump made while he was praising Republican megadonor, Miriam Adelson.

Here's the clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Miriam, I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom. That's the highest award you can get as a civilian. It's the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor but civilian version.

It's actually much better because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor. That soldiers -- they're either in very bad shape because they've been hit so many times by bullets or they're dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP) DEAN: So Veterans of Foreign Wars, that's one of the nation's -- and I see you shaking your head -- one of the nation's largest and oldest veterans advocacy organizations blasted this saying these asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation's highest award for valor, but also crassly characterize the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.

What are you hearing from your friends, your fellow veterans, people who are actively serving in the military and yourself on that issue.

KINZINGER: Look -- this is angry (ph) and I'm a proud VFW member today because I'm glad they spoke out.

It's much easier to stay quiet. I'm sure they're going to have some hard-core Trumpers in the VFW that are angry that they made a statement. But this is what they have to do to defend the honor of veterans and they'd be doing the same thing if Kamala said something like this. Of course, she wouldn't.

I think about that and I think of like a guy I know Captain Will Swenson (ph) who got the Medal of Honor and he did that in a battle, basically laying under a red marking for a helicopter to land as he kissed his best friend goodbye for the last time.

[17:09:49]

KINZINGER: And then he went off and continued to save other people in his battle, calling for fire, asking for fire, getting wounded in that process. And he got the Medal of Honor. He earned that by the worst day of his life.

To claim that there is an equivalency between that and the Medal of Freedom which sometimes goes to very good artists and very good Americans or people that are big donors to Trump's campaign. There is no equivalency.

And for Donald Trump to say, in fact, it's even much better because these people come in wounded and sometimes they're dead. It goes to show, Jessica -- and I hate to say this -- he literally has no ability to conceive of somebody sacrificing anything for anything but themselves.

And so to him, the people that win the Medal of Honor truly are suckers and losers because it is so foreign to how he is even able to think -- that's typical of a narcissist. They can't understand that.

And you see that in his words. And this should be like leading the front page of every fricking, you know, news thing in the world and all of space because of how terrible it is but we've just gotten used to it with him.

DEAN: is that what it is? Has it just become normalized.

KINZINGER: Yes. I mean look that's his -- that's his great power. He can just throw so much outrage at the wall that I mean, even if CNN lead with this and, you know, every front people would just kind of tune out because they're used to it. That's just human nature.

It's a double standard, but thank you for covering it, it's a double standard, but Kamala is just going to have to be better and she is better.

And I think people are figuring this out with Donald Trump and they're really getting tired. I do sense that -- a lot of Trump fatigue right now.

DEAN: All right. Congressman Adam Kinzinger, thank you so much. Good to see you.

KINZINGER: Any time. You bet.

DEAN: More to come in the CNN NEWSROOM, including Jim Sciutto, who is live in Tel Aviv, Jim.

SCIUTTO: That's right. Thank you, Jessica.

Talks to reach each a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage deal, they wrapped up for now until next week. President Biden says that Israel and Hamas are closer than ever to an agreement. The fact is there's still a long way to go.

We're going to talk about it ahead with a former Mideast negotiator.

And later, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh inside Russia with Ukrainian forces who've been letting Vladimir Putin know what it feels like to be invaded.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[17:13:05]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Cautiously optimistic -- that is the description we're hearing from Israeli negotiators as they and others try to reach a deal on a ceasefire with Hamas and the release of Israeli hostages.

Yesterday, President Biden said that mediators are as close as they have been to getting a deal done as ever.

And today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he is heading back to Israel. The hope that this week is the week these talks finally succeed and conclude. Is that warranted?

Joining us now, Aaron David Miller, former State Department Middle East negotiator. Good to have you on, sir.

You have made the point, I think quite wisely that oftentimes in negotiations like this Israel and the U.S. try to create a consensus and then try to bring Hamas across the finish line. Would you say that's the state of the talks right now? And therefore, what is holding Hamas from coming across the finish line? AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: I

mean I think that may be -- that may be the case, Jim, because you've got a lot of optimism from the president. You've got the prime minister's office issuing a rare statement that negotiators have briefed him and that he's cautiously optimistic.

The problem is it's not just two hands clapping, it's got to be three. And hearing nothing from Hamas, certainly nothing publicly that suggests that they feel under pressure and a degree of urgency to close this deal.

You might even argue that Yahya Sinwar from the beginning has wanted October 7 to turn into a regional war. It may well be that he is waiting to see what the impact of an Iranian and Hezbollah strike against Israel, what kind of consequences that suggests.

So I think we actually may be closer than ever but ever is going to prove in the next several days, the next week. I think it would be a very heavy lift.

And there's one other point, Jim. Even if you could get a deal it's really hard to imagine how we move beyond the first phase, which is a limited exchange of hostages for an asymmetrical number of prisoners, 50 to 1, I heard the ratio. And in six weeks ceasefire

That will be extraordinary. But the end state (ph) of Yahya Sinwar and Benjamin Netanyahu are not reconcilable. I mean, Hamas wants and will not give the hostages all of them back until he gets a permanent cessation of hostilities. And the Israeli government cannot agree to that.

SCIUTTO: Let me ask you this though, because you mentioned rightly so, reasonably so that Hamas -- there are questions about its incentive here to agree to a deal that Sinwar might calculate despite the enormous bloody cost of this war to his own people or the Palestinian people that continuing the hostilities is to his advantage.

[17:19:52]

SCIUTTO: But as you know, Benjamin Netanyahu is critical besides by some in this very country of the same of putting his own political fortunes ahead -- ahead, for instance, of the hostages here. Does Israel deserve similar criticism?

MILLER: I mean, you broke the code, I think. The organizing principle of Benjamin Netanyahu's world is to maintain himself in power. The magic numbers 64 (ph) and two of those ministers hold the key to his coalition surviving and both of them are adamantly opposed to this deal.

So I think I do not and I do not intend and do not want to put Yahya Sinwar the architect of the October 7 terror surge in the same category as Benjamin Netanyahu.

But when it comes to ticking clocks, Jim and a real sense of urgency, I think a fair argument can be made that neither Netanyahu nor Sinwar has yet to have the kind of urgency that would push this negotiation to close.

At the same time the Americans are not totally naive. The Qataris and the Egyptians who are fronting for Hamas in these negotiations must be telling the Americans that in fact, Sinwar is ready to deal and that the proposal the president has made is in the (INAUDIBLE).

SCIUTTO: Ok. So Secretary Blinken, he's going to be here. He is arriving tomorrow. He's going to meet with Netanyahu on Monday.

What is the carrot, what is the stick that he offers to Israel to get at least the Israeli side across the finish line.

MILLER: I mean with all due respect to the secretary, he's an extraordinary person, a humanist, he's incredibly caring, very talented. The reality is that the success or failure of this negotiation does not lie in the hands of Tony Blinken or the president.

I think it's wise for the secretary to come out. You've got a week before these negotiations are to resume in Cairo. I heard as early as Wednesday, maybe Friday. I think it's important that he come out, he'll make several stops.

He'll talk, reaffirm whatever commitments that the Israelis have made to the administration that has generated the kind of optimism that the administration seemed to suggest now characterizes the negotiations.

But like so many other things in this region, Jim, the influence of external parties when it comes to an existential -- and your existential conflict lies in the hands of the two combatants.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

MILLER: And I hope I'm wrong that their clocks are ticking much, much more slowly than the Biden administrations.

SCIUTTO: Ok, let's talk about the other potential combatants or well, existing frankly, based on some of their attacks so far, both Hezbollah and Iran.

There was for a time enormous expectation in this part of the world, but also in Washington, that Iran or perhaps Hezbollah as well, were about to strike perhaps within hours of whatever day you're talking about.

I will say being in Tel Aviv right now, you walk the streets, the level of concern seems to have markedly dropped. do you believe that is warranted that the fears of an imminent strike, expansion of this war have dissipated.

MILLER: I mean, it took two weeks, Jim, for the Iranians to respond to the Israeli strike against an annex of the Iranian embassy in Damascus where they killed a high-ranking Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps general. It took them two weeks to respond.

That was April 1. The rockets, 300 high-trajectory weapons came on April 13, 14. I do believe though that Iran is genuinely ambivalent about the nature of their response and that as much as these ceasefire negotiations, if you could get a deal, I think the Iranian response will come but there will be much lower, of much lower character than what would have been the case if you didn't -- you probably would have seen a response by now.

And Hezbollah's response as you know, is even more dangerous because it takes what, 12 minutes for a cruise missile.

SCIUTTO: Right.

Miller: The flight from Tehran to impact in Israeli airspace, it takes 90 seconds for any of (INAUDIBLE) trajectory weapons.

They can do the damage, but they're also vulnerable. I don't think Hezbollah or Iran wants a regional escalation, let alone a regional war.

Sinwar may want it. And I think all of this now with the administration, I think skillfully scheduling last -- the summit that just broke has bought time.

And let's hope against -- against the odds that in fact, we do get a deal sometime this week and implementation begins because I think that'll diffuse an enormous amount of the energy and the tensions and perhaps even the character of a Hezbollah or Iranian response.

[17:24:58]

SCIUTTO: Well, you know, to your point, Hezbollah has perhaps hundreds of missiles with a range to strike right here in Tel Aviv where we're sitting.

Aaron David Miller, thanks so much for joining.

MILLER: Thank you, too.

SCIUTTO: Well Jessica, the wait continues here for progress in those talks amidst, well genuine nervousness about what happens in the meantime.

DEAN: Absolutely. It certainly does.

Jim Sciutto, we will see you in just a little bit.

Still ahead here, new poll showing Trump and Harris locked in a dead heat in many battleground states. Key Sun Belt, Sun Belt states now seemingly back in play for the Democrats.

We're going to break down the numbers and how things could look on election day. It's now just 80 days away.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:30:13]

DEAN: New polling indicating a close race in the Sun Belt states. The "New York Times"/Sienna poll showing a neck-and-neck race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

Harris, leading in Arizona and North Carolina, while Trump holding leads in Nevada and Georgia. Although, it's worth noting, there's no clear leader because these all fall within the margin of error.

But it is a big change. Generally, the shift is big. Just weeks ago, Trump seemed well on his way to likely winning all of them.

Joining us now, Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster and president of Lake Research Partners, and Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster and president of North Star/Opinion Research.

Great to have both of you here with us this afternoon.

Celinda, let's start first with you.

Kamala Harris just releasing her economic plan yesterday. Do you think she can win, move the needle with some of these proposals? What are voters telling about what they want to hear from her on policy?

CELINDA LAKE, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER & PRESIDENT, LAKE RESEARCH PARTNERS: What they want to hear from her is some specifics. And I think she was very specific.

The top issue is the economy, particularly rising prices. And she hit it out of the park, in my opinion. She had very specific proposals. They've built on her record as attorney general. They're quite popular individually. And they fit her style of being a prosecutor, being energetic, being populous.

So it was a home run, I think, and will answer a lot of questions that voters have. I think it just needs to be repeated.

And it is in stark contrast to Donald Trump continuing to talk about nonsense and himself and make the most bizarre and the most disrespectful statements to everything, everyone from the vice president to veterans.

DEAN: And, Whit, that being what it may, Trump's still holds the edge when it comes to who Americans trust to lead on the economy.

And his advisers, his allies, telling him to lean into that, play to that strength, make the race about the economy, talk about these issues. But he said this week he's not so sure it's top of mind for voters.

Do you think he's wrong? And do you think he could be doing a more effective job of explaining to voters why he's best to lead the economy?

WHIT AYRES, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER & PRESIDENT, NORTH STAR/OPINION RESEARCH: Hello, Jessica, it's good to be with you. Always good to be with Celinda.

I think he's wrong about that. The fact is that most Americans believe the Trump economy was better for them than the Biden-Harris economy. Because it was.

Mortgage rates were about a third of what they are now, as were interest rates. Groceries cost $100 a basket versus $125 a basket now. And gas was about half of what it costs.

So the Biden -- the Trump economy was better for most Americans. And I think he's would do well to remind Americans of that.

DEAN: And so, Celinda, we're getting this new polling in these -- what we call the Sun Belt states. Those states I just listed. And previously, it did look like Republicans were -- it was getting further and further and further out of reach for Democrats. Let's put it that way.

And now it looks like it has been reset in a way. But this is a really, really tight race. What do you think is about Vice President Harris getting into the race that his move the needle in these specific states?

LAKE: In these specific states, it's her increase in support among young people, which is dramatic and polling young people from third parties and encouraging them to turn out.

It's her increase in support among Latino voters. She's now up to 54 percent support in these polls. And her energy among women.

And thank goodness that Donald Trump is not listening to Whit Ayres, one of my favorite Republicans, and respectful of women, always.

These statements that he and his vice president are making are just alienating more and more women who want to hear about the future. They want to hear about their lives. They want to hear about kitchen table economics.

And all they hear about are disrespectful comments about women day after day after day.

DEAN: And, Whit, do you agree that that that -- that type of support from those different groups that Celinda just laid out is what's driving Harris' momentum in those specific states?

AYRES: Well, so Celinda is right about the groups that have been energized.

But if we're honest about it, let's realize that this has a lot more to do with the absence of Joe Biden than with the presence of Kamala Harris.

Once you removed an 81-year-old aging president from the top of the Democratic ticket, the poll snapped back to normal. And normal in a polarized, evenly divided country is a dead heat nationally and dead heats in these seven swing states, which is exactly where we have the race right now.

[17:34:59]

DEAN: And, Whit, when you're talking to voters, one of the interesting dynamics you mentioned when Joe Biden was in this race, we're these people so-called double haters, the people that didn't support Biden or Trump that could potentially now be back in play.

What are you hearing from those types of voters? Where do you see the trend line with those types of voters who weren't ready to support Trump or Biden, but might be open to Harris?

AYRES: I think those people are back in play. Because what they did not want was a Trump/Biden rematch. But they're not yet sold on Kamala Harris.

Now, let's admit she has had an extraordinary four weeks with only one major blunder. Pennsylvania is an absolutely critical state for the Harris campaign.

And not putting Josh Shapiro, the incredibly popular governor, on the ticket, and instead putting a governor of a far left, hardcore Democrat state, that hasn't voted for a Republican in the last half century, I can't understand.

But other than that, she's had a fabulous four weeks and that's why we're back in an even race.

DEAN: And, Celinda, what are you hearing --

(CROSSTALK)

LAKE: If I can add to that, among -- we just polled among the double- haters and she has an 18-point advantage led by her lead among Independents, particularly Independent women. So people want change and she's going forward.

And now the contrast is going away -- going backwards, and going forward. And Americans always like to go forward.

DEAN: That is -- that is so interesting, specifically about those Independent women.

All right, Celinda Lake and Whit Ayres, I have so many more questions. You're really talking to the voters. And so interesting to hear what they're saying.

But thank you both for being here with us. We appreciate it.

AYRES: Thank you.

LAKE: Thank you for your great questions.

DEAN: Still ahead --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (EXPLOSION)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: You see the damage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Ukraine flipping the script in the war with Russia. We're going to have a report from a Russian town that's now been captured by Ukrainian forces.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:41:44]

SCIUTTO: Want to give you a look now at the aftermath of the ongoing Ukrainian cross-border assault inside Russia.

CNN was among the first news organizations to enter the part of Russia that is now controlled by Ukrainian forces. That is the area in blue at the center of your screen here. Really an unprecedented cross- border attack by Ukrainian forces.

We were accompanied by Ukraine's military, which reviewed the video you're about to see. They said, for operational security reasons. But the military did not hear the sound and had no editorial control.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATON WALSH (voice-over): This was never in Putin's plan. But still, into Russia, we cross with Ukrainian forces moving forward through the border posts they destroyed in their surprise assault 10 days ago.

(on camera): As we get closer towards Sudzha, we can see more smoke on the horizon. But still, it's bizarrely calm on this road.

(voice-over): We pause a moment in his open fields. And remember, this is the Cold War superpower unguarded, open, and never expecting when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war of choice two years ago to be invaded back.

A Russian dead soldier still in the road.

(EXPLOSION)

PATON WALSH: Ukraine only claimed here a day ago.

(on camera): Not even the statue of Lenin is unscathed here. This Ukrainian assault so persistent. And Russia, despite its sense of history, it's sort of classes being some impregnable, completely unable to push the Ukrainians out here.

The sound of small arms fire, we can still hear so clearly. There is a bid for the Russians to push back, but simply it isn't working.

A humiliation for Putin and (INAUDIBLE)

(GUNFIRE)

WALSH (voice-over): Days ago, locals had honored their war dead. But none since the Nazis led Russia to face occupation.

(GUNFIRE)

WALSH (on camera): You can see the damage that has been done to the street here from the intense fight there.

(GUNFIRE)

PATON WALSH: Still clearly active fighting happening here.

(voice-over): A sign in the basement, "Here live peaceful people, no soldiers." You know 68, says 60 civilians left.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): The Ukrainians brought a lot of boxes. There is food.

PATON WALSH: Just like we've seen in multiple Ukrainian towns over the last two years here, the locals trying to find some shelter from the war around them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

PATON WALSH: Dennis laughs and shows his gray.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

PATON WALSH: In the dark, handled like so many Ukrainians now, the infirmed isolated, begging for calm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know how it will end. At least a truce so we can live peacefully. We don't need anything. I have a crutch. I can't walk. It's very hard.

[17:45:01]

PATON WALSH: Day, night, light, dark news or blackout all blur into one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

PATON WALSH: He is over 90 and wants to leave Ukraine. But there is no route out, he says.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): You're the first to come here. My daughter, niece and grandkids are there. I'm Russian. But they are married to Ukrainians.

PATON WALSH: Ordinary streets that never guessed at their destruction or newfound fame days ago -- (EXPLOSION)

PATON WALSH: -- in the storm around them.

Normal life here vanished in a hurry, leaving store floors as barracks.

And Nina, 74, out looking for a pharmacy for her medication.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): If I wanted to leave, I would have. Why leave? I've lived here 50 years. My daughter and mother are buried here. What about Ukraine? I live on my own land. I don't know whose land this is.

PATON WALSH: This war keeps turning the world order on its head. Where wrecks line Ukaine's fields now forms Russia's.

Ukrainians learned to paint over their road signs to confuse the invaders. But still here, the signs ask God to protect and save Russia. That was Putin's job. It's not clear when he's coming back.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Sudzha, Ukraine and Russia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Victims of war on both sides of the border there.

Our thanks to Nick Paton Walsh.

Still ahead, protests over a contested election in Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: We are live as opposition leaders call for demonstrations against the government weeks after people went to the polls there.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:46:57]

DEAN: Today, people around the world protesting the contested presidential election in Venezuela.

Opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, joined a rally in Caracas after calling on demonstrators to remain firm and united against another term for long-time President Nicolas Maduro.

Machado accused the Maduro government of fraudulently claiming victory in the election held in late July. And the United States has said, "It is clear that President Maduro lost." Stefano Pozzebon is joining us now in neighboring Colombia, where

there have also been protests.

What's the latest there?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, Jessica, well, because almost eight million Venezuelans left their home countries since Maduro took power, today we have seen protests there pretty much all over the world.

We have seen early today that were protesting in Australia and New Zealand and all across Europe and all across South America.

Here, for example, we got protesters in Colombia, which one of the largest community of Venezuelans. And they are here to shout that they support Maria Corina Machado.

(SHOUTING)

POZZEBON: It's significant that Maria Corina's presence at that protest because, as you know, she has been hiding for the last week because they -- because she's up been in --

(SHOUTING)

POZZEBON: Today, marks a potential --

(SHOUTING)

POZZEBON: -- was declared the winner.

(SHOUTING)

POZZEBON: -- sympathetic with the Maduro government and have so far not presented evidence --

(SHOUTING)

(CHANTING)

POZZEBON: -- The enormous flow of migrants that over the last few years has left Venezuela to move to here in Colombia where I am, but also up north towards the United States.

I think that in December last year, then as well aware of the second largest group, but upper handed at the U.S. southern border to receive here how all --

(SHOUTING)

DEAN: Stafan Pozzebon, for us in Bogota, Colombia, thank you so much for that reporting.

This week's "CNN Hero," Venezuelan violinist and conductor, Ron Davis Alvarez, who now lives in Sweden. He and his dream orchestra, giving nearly 300 refugees, immigrants, and native Swedes of all ages the chance to learn an instrument and connect with each other and build better lives in the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DAVIS ALVAREZ, CNN HERO: One, two and three and four.

(MUSIC)

ALVAREZ: Dream Orchestra is open for anyone who wants to learn an instrument, especially families who are arriving to Sweden.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

[17:55:08]

CROWD: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

ALVAREZ: And it's an orchestra where the main language is music.

I need one more chair.

We have more than 300 people, kids, parents, youth, more than 20 languages and more than 25 nationalities, and kids who were born here.

We all need to learn from each other.

(MUSIC)

ALVAREZ: This orchestration offers more than you just notes. This orchestra offers something for your soul.

(MUSIC)

ALVAREZ: Music connects us. It's a dream. But it's a dream that can come true.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)