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Kamala Harris to Unveil New Economic Proposals; Interview With Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta; Biden Administration to Accuse Russia of 2024 Election Meddling. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired September 04, 2024 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:44]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington, and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're following breaking news out of Washington this morning, sources now telling us exclusively that the Biden administration is set to accuse publicly, accuse publicly, Russia of extensive and prolonged interference in the 2024 election.

CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood is here with me in the NEWSROOM.

Kylie, this is a major development. What are you learning?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so the U.S. government is preparing today to accuse Russia of a sustained effort to try and influence the 2024 elections.

And the tools that they are using to do so are Kremlin-run media and online platforms. We know that R.T., which is one of the Russian state run media TV outlets, is going to be a focus of the announcement today. So we will watch to see what they say about R.T. and those who have been working on behalf of R.T. here in the United States.

And what we're expecting is there's going to be law enforcement action taken today and also broad condemnation of these actions that are led by Russia. It's going to come from the White House, State Department, Department of Justice, really across the board.

And, obviously, this is something that we have seen Russia do in the past. R.T. was actually accused of being involved in meddling in the 2016 elections. And after that happened, the U.S. forced Russia, forced them to actually register R.T. as a foreign agent.

So there have been ramifications in the past. There have been changes made. But we see that this is still a very active effort on behalf of Russia to try and meddle in the U.S. elections.

And, Wolf, we have been talking a lot about Iran in recent weeks. Of course, they were accused of trying to break into the campaigns of the Trump campaign, the Biden/Harris campaign. They have really been trying to meddle in U.S. elections.

But this is going to remind folks that Russia remains a very prominent, prominent threat when it comes to meddling in U.S. elections. And U.S. officials are cognizant of it. They're watching it and they're trying to get ahead of it and do anything they can to damper those efforts from being successful.

BLITZER: And you're hearing, Kylie, that there will be a public statement to this effect by the Biden administration?

ATWOOD: That's right. We will probably hear from Attorney General Merrick Garland on this and also we will hear from spokespeople at the different agencies.

This is a really government-wide effort to try and highlight what Russia is attempting to do here.

BLITZER: And will they suggest that the Russians, by interfering allegedly in the U.S. election, are trying to help Kamala Harris or help Donald Trump?

ATWOOD: Well, in the past, ODNI has made an assessment that Russia is trying to interfere on behalf of former President Trump. They say that that assessment stands.

But what we don't know is if the meddling that they're going to actually focus in on today, the action that Russia is taking today, is really leading on one candidate or the other, or really just trying to sow confusion here in the United States, which is something that Russia and other actors, Iran and the like, have done a lot in recent years.

BLITZER: That's what I have heard. They want to just embarrass the United States and weaken the United States by doing this alleged interference in the U.S. election.

Kylie, thank you very much for that report, very important development indeed.

Let's discuss what's going on with Leon Panetta. He was defense secretary and CIA director under President Obama.

Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for joining us.

What does this tell you about Russia that they are allegedly once again trying to directly meddle in the U.S. presidential election, as we just heard from Kylie?

LEON PANETTA, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well, this is no surprise.

Going back to when Putin was KGB, his primary goal was to undermine the United States of America and weaken our democracy. And they are constantly focused on that goal. We saw what happened in 2016. They did the same thing with a very bold cyberattack on our election system. They did it in 2020 and they're now doing it in 2024. I'm glad the administration is bringing this to the attention of the

public, because it's happening and it is going to have an impact in terms of our election process.

[11:05:04]

BLITZER: So you think this is all pretty significant. How do you view these actions that the U.S. Justice Department, the Biden administration is about to take in dealing with these Russian operations?

PANETTA: Well, it's important that we develop a strong defense against these kinds of activities.

They're exploring every aspect of cyber, social media, whatever they can get their hands on to try to influence public attention to the race in their favor. And so what we have to do on the defense is to be able to counter that kind of disinformation campaign to make clear to the American people what the truth is and to make them aware of what the Russians are trying to do in order to make them more capable of discerning Russian influence in our election.

BLITZER: You're the former CIA director, the former secretary of defense.

Is it your assessment that the Russians are simply trying to undermine, weaken, embarrass the United States, or are they trying to bolster one of the presidential candidates?

PANETTA: They're probably trying to do both, Wolf.

I think there's no question that they would obviously hope to try and do what they can to elect Donald Trump as president. But at the same time, they're very pleased with basically disrupting our election system and creating chaos within our election processes. They have been working at this for a long time.

This is really nothing new. The intelligence community has been very aware of their efforts going back quite a way. And so I'm glad that the administration is taking the step of making the American people aware of the kind of interference that the Russians are involved with in terms of our election.

BLITZER: Were the Russians doing this when you were the CIA director?

PANETTA: Say that again. I'm sorry.

BLITZER: Were the Russians doing this when you were the CIA director?

PANETTA: Absolutely.

(LAUGHTER)

PANETTA: They were doing it before I was CIA director. As I said, this is a primary goal of the Russians. If you understand Putin, if you understand the Russians, you

understand that their primary goal is to weaken the United States of America. That's their goal. And they will do it any way they can. They will do it by obviously going after areas that, like Ukraine, and trying to weaken democracy there.

But, more importantly, they will do it directly against the United States through these cyber mechanisms and through this disinformation campaign that is really, really interfering with the election process that the United States needs to have in place if the American people are going to be able to cast a fair vote in this next election.

BLITZER: And do you believe that the Russians think that the U.S. would be weakened if Trump is elected president?

PANETTA: Well, I don't think there's any question. Putin has said that himself. Donald Trump has always reflected a very ambivalent attitude towards Putin.

After all, he stood next to Putin in Helsinki and said that he trusted Russian intelligence more than he trusted U.S. intelligence. That says an awful lot about where he's coming from.

BLITZER: And Trump, as you well know, has repeatedly said he would weaken U.S. support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion, what, two years ago-plus at this point.

PANETTA: Yes, there's no question that Trump has said he can end all of these conflicts that are taking place, and he ends them one way, by essentially giving tyrants what they want.

That's the way he approaches ending those conflicts.

BLITZER: Federal investigators, as you know, have also concluded that both China and Iran have also meddled in the most recent presidential elections here in the U.S.

Are they watching how the Biden administration handles this issue with Russia right now, and will it have an impact, do you believe, on them?

PANETTA: Well, there's no question that China is involved in interference with disinformation campaigns. Same thing is true for Iran.

They're not as sophisticated, frankly, as what Russia is doing. Russia has been at it a longer period of time. But, nevertheless, we have got to defend against that kind of disinformation as well. This is a time in our world where countries have the capability, because of technology, to be able to directly interfere in elections that are going on in other countries.

And that's what they're doing with the United States. We have got to be aware of it. The administration has to take all of the steps necessary to try to defend this country, so that we can have a free and fair election.

[11:10:12]

BLITZER: And the first and most immediate step is to inform the American people about what's going on, which is about to happen in the course of this day.

Leon Panetta, the former defense secretary, thanks very much for joining us.

PANETTA: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: And still ahead this hour: An Israeli newspaper is now reporting some of the hostages found dead over this most recent weekend in Gaza were due for release, but that Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, effectively scuttled a deal that could have freed them.

Up next, I will speak with the father of a man still being held in captivity, 333 days and counting.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:15:29]

BLITZER: We're getting breaking news out of Israel right now.

A newspaper in Israel is confirming what CNN had previously reported, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derailed a possible hostage and cease-fire deal back in July after he introduced a flurry of last- minute demands.

One Israeli source telling CNN these demands -- quote -- "were to blame" -- direct quote -- "were to blame" for the killings of six hostages last weekend. The report fuels critics' claims that the prime minister is prolonging the war for political gain, at the expense of Gaza and the hostages.

Joining us now is the father of a hostage still being held by Hamas. Jonathan Dekel-Chen's son Sagui was taken following the October 7 attack.

Jonathan, thank you so much for joining us. We spoke last year, as you probably remember.

How have you and your family been doing since then?

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN, FATHER OF HAMAS HOSTAGE: Well, it's been a living nightmare, quite honestly.

And there's only bad news overall for the families of hostages. Over the course of the last few weeks, 12 hostages, their bodies were returned to Israel. And all 12 of them, we know for a fact, were alive months after the massacre on October 7.

So what we had always feared that hostages simply would not survive for a prolonged period of time in Hamas captivity with an ongoing war above their heads, that has proven to be exactly the case. And it terrifies all of us.

BLITZER: When we spoke last year, you told me that you were -- quote -- "cautiously optimistic" for your son's release, Sagui's release. How do you feel now?

DEKEL-CHEN: Well, as Rachel Goldberg-Polin told us all, hope is mandatory.

I still have enormous faith in the Biden administration and its integrity and its desire to do everything it can to get the hostages home, all of them, not just the seven remaining American citizens. Like most, the vast majority of Israelis, I have little to no faith in my own government here in Benjamin Netanyahu for a variety of reasons.

When we spoke, I believe it was just after the release of about 100 hostages, women and children, in the first negotiated settlement with Hamas. That really -- it was kind of forced on the Israeli government by the U.S. administration.

And months have gone by, in which our government has sort of been selling this fantasy of the necessity of the inevitability of total victory over Hamas. These past few weeks have shown us and the Israeli senior military and intelligence officials are saying loudly that continued military action, while it may, may, may give some incremental improvements to the situation the ground, it is not worth the lives of the hostages, whoever still might be alive amongst the 101 that we believe are there.

BLITZER: I don't know if you heard, Jonathan, but the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which is an organization designed to help all the hostages and their families, that that forum has now demanded that the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stop wearing a yellow ribbon pin, which, of course, is an important symbol to express support for the return of all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

What's your reaction to that decision?

DEKEL-CHEN: Well, it's -- symbolically, of course, it's very important. It's powerful. I wasn't aware of it.

But, more importantly, there are hundreds of thousands of Israelis out in the street. That equate to tens of millions of Americans, if the situation were happening in the states, that are demanding of Netanyahu not just that he remove a pin of solidarity with us, but that he cease putting up obstructions and avoiding the process of negotiation that should bring our loved ones home.

And so he has a lot more to do as far, as the vast majority of Israelis are concerned, than simply remove a pin.

BLITZER: I know, Jonathan, you had a chance to meet with President Biden at the White House. You attended at the State of the Union address.

[11:20:04]

Are you satisfied with this administration, the Biden administration's efforts up to this point?

DEKEL-CHEN: Well, I think the administration itself would say that they will have done enough when all the hostages are home.

They have been working overtime, relentlessly, to try to get this through. I mean, we wouldn't -- right now, we seem to be on the precipice of getting an agreement, if, if the Israeli government doesn't torpedo it in the meantime and if the mass murderer Yahya Sinwar agrees to it.

The Biden administration only has so much control over that, of course. But what we need from the Biden administration is not a course reversal, rather just a little more to get over that finish line to pressure Israel alongside the mass demonstrations in Israel and through the intermediaries to pressure Hamas to yes.

BLITZER: Your son Sagui has two young daughters. How have they been dealing with their father's absence?

DEKEL-CHEN: Well, it's been a while since we have spoken, Wolf, and their third child was born. Their third daughter was born in mid- December.

His wife, Avital, and the two little girls, now 3 and 7 years old, miraculously survived the massacre on our kibbutz in their safe room. Part of it was luck. Part of it was Sagui and other people's bravery. They're doing the best they can under the circumstances.

Our community is traumatized. Our -- more than 50 people were murdered. There are still 29 of our people being held by Hamas amongst the 101. Our homes and property were completely destroyed. And, most importantly, our loved ones, those that we believe or hope are still alive, and the many that we know have already been murdered, they need to come home.

And until they come home, Israel as a country, not just the families, cannot heal. And Israeli society is really in danger right now of coming apart at the seams. And this is because of the government's or Prime Minister Netanyahu's attitude and behavior towards the return of hostages.

BLITZER: Very quickly, tell us something you think our viewers here in the United States and indeed around the world need to know about your son Sagui.

DEKEL-CHEN: Well, Sagui, he's my 36-year-old now little guy. He is a builder. He's a creator. He has dedicated his young life thus far to creating projects, physical things that are helpful to communities, underserved communities, here in Israel, both Jewish and bedouin.

We're from the south of the country, so the non-Jewish communities that are primarily bedouin. When he was taken hostage, he was working on a new project refurbishing four old airport buses into mobile technological classrooms for underserved communities here in the south.

It is tragic for our family, for Israel, and I believe for the region that Sagui and people just like him who are being held horrifically are there, instead of living the lives that they were living.

BLITZER: Jonathan Dekel-Chen, we hope Sagui, your son, and all the hostages, for that matter, come home, and come home soon.

Thanks so much for joining us and good luck.

DEKEL-CHEN: Thank you for having me.

BLITZER: And we will be right back with more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:28:28]

BLITZER: Happening today, Vice President Kamala Harris travels to New Hampshire to unveil a new set of economic policies aimed at helping American workers.

And it includes a goal of 25 million new small business applications in her first term, as well as tax relief, major tax relief.

Meanwhile, new CNN polling shows a very tight race across three must- win states. Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump in both Michigan and Wisconsin, just outside the margin of error. But the former president has the edge in Arizona. The battleground state of Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, all three states, are up for grabs with no clear leader, at least not yet.

There are now more than just 62 days until Election Day and less than a week until the two candidates meet on the debate stage in Philadelphia.

Joining us now is the senior spokesperson for the Harris/Walz campaign, Ian Sams.

Ian, thanks very much for joining us.

Kamala Harris will reveal more of her economic proposals -- these are major economic proposals -- later today. But it's an issue that she's struggled with among voters so far. New CNN polling shows her lagging behind Trump when it comes to who Americans trust to handle the U.S. economy.

How can the campaign, the Harris campaign, turn those numbers around?

IAN SAMS, HARRIS/WALZ CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: Well, I think that what you're going to hear from her today is a real contrast between these two candidates on the economy.

Donald Trump thinks that billionaires and big corporations rule the roost and that giving them more tax cuts and putting more money back in their pockets is somehow going to help the economy. We think that's wrong. The vice president thinks that's wrong.