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New Hezbollah Attacks Striking Deeper Inside Israel; US Urging Israel To De-escalate Tensions With Hezbollah; Police: Four Dead, 17 Injured In Birmingham, Alabama Mass Shooting. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired September 22, 2024 - 15:00   ET

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

RYAN LONG, PRESIDENT, XCEL ENERGY MINNESOTA: That helps us move through this transition while bringing customer bills down compared to what they otherwise would be.

We are extracting about $300 million of IRA benefits for our customers with this project alone.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: He says their customers will eventually reap billions in tax incentives as Xcel winds down dozens of fossil plants, all part of a quiet industrial revolution steadily spreading nationwide.

Bill Weir, CNN, Becker, Minnesota.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right, the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories is an issue plaguing both the right and the left.

Tonight, in a new episode on "The Whole Story," CNN's Donie O'Sullivan witnesses a confrontation involving a pro pro-Russia, pro-China so- called MAGA communist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is one thing when you talk about it, I just want to -- I want to make sure I understand. When you go into things about China or Russia, Iran especially China, you omit so much about them.

I am from Texas --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you been in China?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the things that you omitted -- I have been in China, I want to Xinghua University.

You don't say that a hundred, six hundred million people in the country still all go on less than $1.40 a day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you have to --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you say those things?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay. Okay. You're very, very emotional. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am, yes.

DONIE O' SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jackson quickly realized that he wasn't talking to just another fan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, CNN propaganda. CNN propaganda. This guy is a CNN agent, a hundred percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think CNN is the worst outlet in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Time to get out, buddy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Danny, Danny -- get this guy out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't answer the questions, did he? But thanks, y'all. Put that on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, be sure to tune in for an all new episode of "The Whole Story" with Anderson Cooper. That's airing tonight at 8:00 PM only on CNN.

[15:01:45]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone.

Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, we begin this hour with Israel and Hezbollah exchanging pressingly intense strikes, Hezbollah rockets today hitting even deeper into Israel while Israel says it hit hundreds of targets across Southern Lebanon in the last day.

And in Beirut, a funeral was held for Ibrahim Aqil, one of Hezbollah's most senior military figures. He was killed in an Israeli missile strike on Friday that also killed several other Hezbollah commanders and fighters.

CNN senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman is in Beirut for us. So, Ben, take us through today's events.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they started basically Fredricka just after midnight when Hezbollah fired the first of three salvos of rockets deep inside Israel, deeper than any rockets they've fired since the beginning getting of hostilities last October.

Now, Hezbollah came out with statements saying that they were targeting the Ramat David Israel Air Base and a weapons factory in the Haifa area, but what actually hit the ground apart from what was intercepted by the Iron Dome and other Israeli defense systems were a scattered missiles in a few areas causing some people to have to be taken to a hospital, causing some damage to houses and cars and other civilian infrastructure. But it does appear that Hezbollah was trying to send a message that they can reach that far into Israel without actually hitting targets that might precipitate a massive Israeli retaliation.

Nonetheless, Israel in a 24 hour period between Saturday and Sunday, launched around 300 airstrikes on Southern Lebanon and also Eastern Lebanon as well.

Now, Hezbollah said its rocket strikes on Israel of were in revenge for a series of Israeli attacks, including the pager attacks the walkie-talkie attacks, and last Friday's Israeli airstrike on Southern Beirut, which as you mentioned killed 16 Hezbollah members including Ibrahim Aqil, that senior Hezbollah military commander other commanders, as well as foot soldiers for Hezbollah.

But also many, many civilians. The death toll for that strike is 50. They're still digging under the rubble and it is believed that around 10 people are actually still missing.

Now we went to the funeral of Ibrahim Aqil today where we saw a Naim Qassem, who is the number two leader in Hezbollah after Hassan Nasrallah and there he was giving a speech at the funeral where he said that what happened last night, meaning the rocket strikes, three salvos was really just the beginning of what he called a battle without limits and also this evening, we heard from Herzi Halevi, who is the chief-of-staff of the Israeli military, who came out and said that our strikes will intensify.

[15:05:07]

So certainly the stage is set for a continuation and intensification of this exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ben Wedeman in Beirut, thank you.

CNN correspondent, Julia Benbrook is joining us now from the White House. Julia, officials say the White House has been pursuing extensive diplomatic efforts following Israel's cross-border strikes with Hezbollah, urging Israel to de-escalate, so what else are you learning?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well just in the last few moments, we heard more from President Joe Biden as he arrived back here at the White House. He was asked specifically if he is concerned about the rising tensions in the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Mr. President, are you worried about rising tensions in the Middle East?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes, I am, but we are going to do everything we can to keep a wider war from breaking out, and we are still pushing hard.

Thank you. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: White House National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby has said that it is the White House's view that military escalation does not help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government reach its goal of returning to a sense of normality.

In fact, with an, in an interview with ABC News, Kirby stressed that it is the US' goal to make sure that the conflict does not broaden, and said that US officials are urging Israel to de-escalate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: We are watching with concern the escalating tensions in the region and across that border here in the last week or so, and we don't believe -- continue to not believe that kinetic action, military action by either side is really in either side's best interests, certainly not in the interest of what the prime minister says he wants to do, which is get families back to their homes.

There is a better way forward here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: Kirby emphasized that they are still trying to secure a hostage and ceasefire agreement. They are not giving up on that, but he does acknowledge that the Hamas leader is a big obstacle when it comes to finding an agreement.

Now, Biden was asked about this just a few days ago about those ceasefire talks and here is what he said. I think it tells us a lot about this process going forward. He says: "A lot of things don't look realistic until we get them done. We have to keep at it."

WHITFIELD: And Julia, Biden, you know, he is very focused on foreign policy in the final months of his presidency.

The United Nations General Assembly is happening this week in New York, so what is on the agenda for the White House?

BENBROOK: You're exactly right. He has a lot of foreign policy goals in these final months of his presidency and tomorrow on Monday, both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to meet with the United Arab Emirates president here in Washington and they are expected to speak about tensions in the Middle East, the crisis in Sudan, and a number of other bilateral and regional topics.

Then after that, Biden is traveling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. He is expected to address that group on Tuesday, and then throughout that time, meet with leaders on a wide range of topics, including international peace talks.

But it is important to keep in mind that some of these leaders are already focusing their attention on what is next for the United States and some of them looking to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump while they are here and making those visits.

Now, so far only one leader appears to be set to meet with both Harris and Trump, and that is Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He is speaking with them and Biden as he tries to get sustained help in combating Russia's war.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook, thank you so much.

I want to bring in now, David Sanger, he is a CNN political and National Security analyst and author of the book, "The New Cold Wars." Congratulations on your book.

So David, I wonder, you know, to Julia's point there, while many of the leaders, while here in New York for the UN General Assembly meeting, will be meeting with Harris and Biden; only Zelenskyy, is scheduled to also meet or talk with Trump. What are the conversations like? What kind of reassurances or people looking for or countries looking for with Biden closing out his administration and potentially, Harris beginning her own.

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, look, as Julia was suggesting there, whatever assurances President Biden wants to give them, of course, they have to measure that against the fact that come January 20th at noon, he will no longer be president.

So they're trying to measure out Vice President Harris' foreign policy views, which aren't all that well-known at this point. And of course, what they do know about former President Trump, much of which has the traditional American allies deeply on edge and no one more on edge than Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who as you said, would be meeting or is planning to meet former President Trump, but let's face it, their history is not a good one.

[15:10:13]

The first Trump impeachment was all about his interactions with President Zelenskyy as he tried to get Mr. Zelenskyy to give him dirt on then candidate Joe Biden, and threatened to withhold aid to Ukraine in return.

WHITFIELD: And then there is the Middle East region and concerns about Hezbollah, Israel. The US is urging Israel to de-escalate with Hezbollah. Can anyone really influence Israel to do that, even the US?

SANGER: The history since October 7th is that the American leverage over Prime Minister Netanyahu is a lot less than Americans would have thought a year ago. President Biden urged Prime Minister Netanyahu not to commit some of the activities and actions that the US itself came to regret after 9/11, he was rejected on that.

There has been a constant argument back-and-forth about the use of pretty high-powered American supplied bombs in crowded, populated areas of Gaza as Israel has gone after terrorists who have hidden amongst civilians. The US has made little progress on that issue. And then of course, there were the cell phone and walkie-talkie attacks of the past few days and the bombings. Now, the administration says and rightly so, let's remember how the conflict with Hezbollah began. It began with Hezbollah attacks that started right after the October 7th terror attack from Hamas. But for the administration to say, we are seeking both sides to step back here, I mean, how many times have we heard that?

WHITFIELD: All right, David Sanger, we will leave it there for now. Thank you so much.

SANGER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, we are also following breaking news of a mass shooting at Birmingham, Alabama. Four people dead, 17 others injured with no suspects in custody. We have the latest on the investigation straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:16]

WHITFIELD: All right, an urgent search is now underway for suspects in a mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama. Police say multiple shooters opened fire overnight on a group of people in one of the city's popular entertainment districts. Four people are dead, 17 others injured, and so far, no one is in custody.

Police believe it was a targeted hit on one person and the other victims were caught in the crossfire.

CNN's Rafael Romo is in Birmingham for us.

So, Rafael what is this investigation focusing in on?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is focusing on the fact that police found more than 100 shell casings here and they are trying to determine how an individual or a number of them were able to shoot so many bullets in just a short period of time, and there has been several mass shootings here in Alabama this year, Fredricka, and people are not only deeply concerned, but also very frustrated, especially after what happened last night here at this area where we are known as Five-Point South.

CNN has obtained video showing what the scene was like here last night, just moments after the shooting. Before we go to the video, we need to warn our viewers that it may be disturbing for some people.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

ROMO: And able to see, the video captures a scene of panic and shows at least three people lying on the ground as police lights flash in the background.

Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond says a group of individuals arrived here at Five Points South just after 11 last night. They got out of their car and opened fire, then fled in the same vehicle. Police say three of the victims, two men and one woman, were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds at the scene.

The fourth victim, a man was pronounced dead at the University of Alabama Hospital. At least 17 other people were shot, including four who suffered life life-threatening injuries, and police say 100 shell casings were found at the site of the shooting.

Chief Thurmond is calling the shooting a targeted hit. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT THURMOND, BIRMINGHAM POLICE CHIEF: We believe the individual that was targeted is among the deceased. We believe that there was a hit, if you will, on that particular parson, as far as you know, someone who is willing to pay money to have that person killed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And Fred, this has been a very violent year for the city of Birmingham. A shooting at a nightclub in July left four people dead and 10 the others injured; in February, four men were shot and killed outside a public library. A Birmingham resident says this situation is very sad not only for this area, but for the entire city.

[15:20:06]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAJON SINGLETON, LIVES IN BIRMINGHAM: It was very devastating, very sad just -- my heart just goes out to the family and friends that was injured or lost a loved one. Dudes just trying to have a good time. This is very sad for Five Points area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Unfortunately, the gunfire extends the list of at least 403 mass shootings in the United States so far this year. This is according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The Archive, like CNN defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: And Rafael, what more can you tell us about this partnership now between local police and the FBI as it relates to this investigation?

ROMO: Yes, that's right, Fred. The local police department, Birmingham Police feel that this is serious enough that they have asked the federal partners for help in this and we know and the police chief says so earlier today that they are getting help from the FBI, the ATF. They are going to take a deep look into what happened here and as the mayor said earlier, they are trying to take those shooters away from Birmingham streets -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rafael Romo, thanks so much, in Birmingham.

All alright, so far, former President Donald Trump is RSVP-ing no to a second debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. He says it is too late in the campaign season, but could certain factors change his mind? More on that straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:06]

WHITFIELD: All right, with 44 days until the election, former President Donald Trump now says, it is "too late" to have another debate with Vice President Kamala Harris since early voting is underway already in some states.

Harris accepted CNN's invitation yesterday for an October 23rd debate, but Trump rejected the planned rematch during a rally in North Carolina yesterday.

I am joined now by Katie Frost, she is a Republican strategist. Great to see you again.

So Trump says, it is simply too late in the game, although he did do a debate with Hillary Clinton back in the day in October. But in this case, he says since voting is already underway, it is too late.

Yesterday when you and I spoke, you said you would recommend to him that he should take CNN up on the offer and do the debate. Why?

KATIE FROST, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, CNN debates are fantastic for President Trump. The last time he did a debate here on CNN, his opponent dropped out of the race. So he does excellent when he has a debate here on CNN. I can see why his argument about the timing, yes, early voting will have started and early voting is becoming increasingly popular across the country.

So there are a lot of ways you can take this, but he's going to be in a good position.

WHITFIELD: Do you think he might change his mind?

FROST: Well, I do not make any predictions when it comes to this race. This has been an unprecedented cycle in so many ways. So who knows what will happen?

I could see there being a second debate. So, there will be some jockeying back and forth. You know, this is how it is. There was question would the first debate even happen? And then it did. So, we'd still could see another debate.

WHITFIELD: So October 1, there will be the vice presidential nominee debate and if that becomes the last word for the Trump-Vance ticket, why would Trump see that as advantageous?

FROST: Well, not as many people are going to pay attention to a vice presidential debate, very candidly. WHITFIELD: Really? This one?

FROST: Even this one, I don't see it being as big of a draw as the presidential debate will be and you only get the last word with President Trump if he wants you to have the last word. So, he definitely will be making that decision.

WHITFIELD: Okay, 44 days, I mean, that's pretty critical. A lot can happen. It is not a whole lot of time, but at the same time, it is a lot of time.

I mean, each of the candidates, all the candidates have to capitalize on this time. What do you see the focus of the Trump-Vance campaign trying to be?

FROST: Well, that is part of the reason. You know, this is a very unique cycle and one of the questions I've heard people saying is, is one debate enough? Will that be enough? But we are looking at, where we have a former president running against the sitting vice president. These are both people that the American people have gotten to see for many years.

President Trump is arguably the most famous man to ever be president of the United states, so he is going to continue with this focus of tying Vice President Harris to the current administration, focusing on the economy, security. Those are his sweet spots. And if he continues in that, I believe is going to be in a good position.

WHITFIELD: Although, he has not been focusing on the economy if that is his sweet spot; instead, I mean, he said, interesting things yesterday about how to appeal to women with me in the White House, your life is going to be better. I mean, poor women.

I mean, is that appealing to the female electorate?

FROST: The female electorate when you go anywhere that you have to buy groceries, buy gas, you're paying rent, everyone across this country is suffering economically, it has been very hard for us.

WHITFIELD: But he hasn't been focusing on those issues.

FROST: You know, I think that that is really the sweet spot for him in many ways and I do think we are going to see more and more of that and you know, he is willing to go out there and have those conversations. I hope that Vice President Harris will do more of what you and I are doing right now, sit down and discuss things because she has not been as clear in some of her positions, so it has been a little confusing for the American people.

WHITFIELD: CNN just released its latest Poll of Polls today. It shows the vice president extending her lead over Trump since the ABC debate back in September 10. She led by one point back then, but now she is ahead nationally by three points at 50 percent to 47 percent, and we should note that it is close enough that there is no clear leader.

Do you think Trump's drop in the polls since that debate is factoring into why he doesn't want to debate her again?

FROST: I actually don't. You know, I ran campaigns in the state of Georgia, and typically the position is, if you think you're winning, you don't want to debate.

President Trump didn't do debates in the primary cycle because he knew he was in a strong position and he didn't need to unnecessarily go out on the debate stage and give his opponent an opportunity to take a shot at him.

Vice President Harris had a very clear plan when she went into that debate. She was looking to recreate the viral moment of her "I'm speaking." She was looking for that moment and it didn't really happen.

[15:30:38]

WHITFIELD: Every candidate is looking for a moment.

FROST: Everyone wants a break out moment.

WHITFIELD: That goes viral, that is why you do a debate, right? It is not that your viewership is going to remember everything, but you want them to remember something in particular.

FROST: I mean, we still talk about some moments, right?

WHITFIELD: What did people -- right. So you just underscored what people might remember about Kamala Harris. What do they remember about Donald Trump from that debate?

FROST: From that debate mean, what did we talk about in the days after that? We talked about Springfield, Ohio. That was pretty much -- for me, that was the takeaway. That was the most people were talking about after that debate.

WHITFIELD: Is that influential?

FROST: If it goes back to the immigration and how we frame it and is talking about the border is not secure. Vice President Harris was in charge of helping secure the border and it hasn't happened. That's the way it needs to be framed in order to bring it back home to one of those key issues that President Trump is focusing on.

WHITFIELD: Another debate might allow influence to happen, right?

FROST: It very well could, but also you have to ask yourself, who is going to be watching? I know you and I will be watching, millions of Americans will be watching, but will the voters in those key swing states be watching? The people who haven't made up their minds yet? The people we have to win over? Maybe not.

WHITFIELD: All right.

FROST: So it's a tossup.

WHITFIELD: Katie Frost, good to see you.

FROST: Wonderful to see you.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you in person. Thanks so much.

FROST: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, CNN goes on board a MAGA boat parade. Have you ever been on one of those?

FROST: Yes.

WHITFIELD: You have?

FROST: I have.

WHITFIELD: You may want to stick around. Let's talk a little bit about it.

What is top of mind for those boaters and voters and their reaction to Trump's baseless claims about Haitian immigrants.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:36:49]

WHITFIELD: All right, since 2015, we've seen plenty of Donald Trump rallies, large crowds, lots of flags, and Make America Great Again hats and his airplane often parked in the background, but not all Trump rallies are the same.

CNN's Elle Reeve takes us to Panama City, Florida and aboard the MAGA Boat Parade.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARLENA IBANEZ, TRUMP SUPPORTER: We're at the MAGA Boat Parade at Shell Island, which I've never been to. So this is my first time coming. We were in the middle of the parade following the lead boat well decorated with all the flags.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fight, fight, fight.

DELORES MACE, TRUMP SUPPORTER: There's a contest who could be the most Trumpian, and I want to win first place.

ALICIA BADGER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: It's a weed eater motor. It's a 21- horsepower. It makes a very frozen mudslide quick.

(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES singing.)

IBANEZ: Trump is pro-America. He loves America, for one. I love America. I served this country. I love America. We're from the same place in Queens, New York. So that's my homie.

JOE HARNER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I live in Latitude Margaritaville. ELLE REEVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What's your most important issue?

HARNER: The economy, getting the interest rates down, getting it where we can afford to live in America. Right now, it's too expensive.

REEVE: Okay. Now, let me maybe ask like a slightly impolite question. But, you know, if you can afford a boat, you're not hurting so bad, right? Because a boat costs a lot of money and it is a lot of upkeep.

HARNER: Listen, nobody gave me shit. I earned everything that I've got. I'm retired military, retired power plant, and I am successful and retired and with boats, jet skis because I did it right. And everybody has that chance. Whether they choose or not, that's up to them.

REEVE: I would never try to take anything away from you in that way. But what I'm asking is, groceries are probably a smaller part of your budget than say, you know, someone who is like a little worse off.

I think it's interesting that people who are a little bit more comfortable are still so concerned about the economy. Do you see what I'm saying?

HARNER: Because I want my money to go further. I want inflation to go down. I want interest rates go back down. I want all that. But that covers everybody in the economy, not just me, not just the poor, not just the rich. It covers everybody.

REEVE: Now, something I've heard from some people, tell me if this applies to you, is like they are worried their kids aren't able to afford a house or a car.

HARNER: Well, I trained my kids and taught my kids properly. They have great educations and they're both successful in their careers. Actually, they're doing better than me.

REEVE (voice over): Another woman told us that she had a good retirement, but she is worried about others who are having a hard time with higher prices.

Whether they are locals or on vacation, everyone we spoke to at the boat parade was in a good mood. But underneath, there was anger about immigration.

MARY ZAHASKY, TRUMP SUPPORTER: We need to secure our border. We need to do it right. And I like letting people in the right way.

REEVE: Can you give me some specifics on that? Like, how do you see immigration affecting you and your life in Texas?

MARY PROCTOR, TRUMP SUPPORTER: So I'm recently retired, but I was in the multi-family business which was managing and owning apartments. And I see the effects of illegal immigration at my properties.

REEVE: So, you're telling me there have been incidents at your apartment building that you've had to call the cops and talk about it? [15:40:09]

PROCTOR: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. So, I've seen it firsthand.

REEVE (voice over): Most said Trump didn't do well at the presidential debate, though they didn't think it was his fault.

And while they were ambivalent about his false claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating pets, they tended to defend Trump for saying it.

DIANE CHUDOBA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: No, I'm not saying they're eating cats and dogs. I think that's a little cuckoo, but they do have a different belief system. They're polite, they're nice, they're not hurting anything or anybody, but it's just -- I can see the change in the demographics and not every town can absorb a big influx of population.

JASON MORGAN, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Do I believe that actually happened or not? I have no evidence of it. Do I doubt it? I don't know. I can't say -- I can't say thumbs up or thumbs down.

REEVE: Do you think it shows good judgment on Trump's part to talk just about it if it's not confirmed?

MORGAN: I think it shows good judgment for every one of us on every side to look into it. I dare all of us to investigate it. And I live there, so I will.

REEVE: Well, the police said they don't have any record of it and the city manager says they don't have a record of it, and the governor has now said, they're not --

MORGAN: Not my governor. My governor.

REEVE: Governor DeWine.

MORGAN: No.

REEVE: DeWine has said something about it --

MORGAN: I don't believe you.

REEVE: You want me to look it up?

MORGAN: I'm happy to look it up all by myself.

REEVE: Oh, no. We'll just Google it, if I have service.

KYLE BROWN, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Google, that's right.

REEVE: Okay. Ohio, DeWine, Haitian, cats. This is something that came up on the internet and the internet can be quite crazy sometimes. DeWine told CBS News. DeWine says he trusts city officials who have said they do not -- they have not received any credible reports of such conduct. Mayor Rue of Springfield says no, there's no truth in that. They have no evidence of that at all. So, I think we go with what the mayor says. He knows the city, DeWine said.

MORGAN: Sure. That's a great way to pass the buck.

REEVE: You think Trump's going to win?

MORGAN: I do.

REEVE: What do you think?

BROWN: I think we will be in the middle of a civil war either way, it doesn't matter who wins. Like he says, just stop polarizing on both sides.

REEVE (voice over): Elle Reeve, CNN, Panama City Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:47:00]

WHITFIELD: All right, this week, the inauguration of Major League Baseball's 50-50 Club. The only member, Dodgers' superstar, Shohei Ohtani.

This week he became the first player to score 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season, and then over the weekend delivering an incredible encore for fans, breaking his own record over the weekend against the Colorado Rockies, adding two more homeruns and three stolen bases for a new record of 52-53.

CNN's Natasha Chen has more on the rise and impact of Shohei Ohtani.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There's a new 50-50 Club and it's got one member. Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani is the first to ever hit more than 50 home runs and steal more than 50 bases in one season. It's a rare feat of power and speed.

SALVADOR REYES, DODGERS FAN: I always wanted to see something special again with the Dodgers and what we're witnessing right now is the Babe Ruth of this era.

CHEN (voice over): And like Babe Ruth, Ohtani is a two-way talent who can both pitch and hit. Kazuo Imai is a local tour guide witnessing the incredible wave of Japanese tourists who have flooded Los Angeles holding tickets to Dodger Stadium.

KAZUO IMAI, TOUR GUIDE: Maybe 80 percent. Japanese tourists are coming to see Ohtani.

STAN KASTEN, DODGERS PRESIDENT AND CEO: They have always been supportive of us, but nothing like this.

CHEN (voice over): The team has a dozen new Japanese sponsors this year. Japanese language tours four days a week. Stadium food now goes beyond the Dodger Dog to the Kurobuta Pork Sausage Dog. Sushi, chicken katsu, and Takoyaki, which are round fritters filled with octopus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: American taste.

CHEN (voice over): It's America's pastime, and there's nothing more American than bringing together a melting pot of people.

REYES: It's a global game now. It is super important, and it's super important that we recognize a foreign-born player who does his interviews in Japanese, and we are humbled by it. We take it in and we say, you know what, this is the way baseball should be played.

CHEN (voice over): The Ohtani effect has energized LA's Little Tokyo. At Farbar, customers get a free Shohei shot every time Ohtani hits a homerun.

CHEN (on camera): Did you ever think you had to buy this much sake for this season?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not at all.

CHEN (voice over): Gary Lee is the owner of Dodgers Nation, an online fan and news site with a YouTube show, just looking at clicks he's getting from Japan.

GARY LEE, OWNER AND CEO OF DODGERS NATION: I know our traffic increased 1,250 percent from Japan.

CHEN (voice over): But he says the most gratifying part is not the number of followers.

LEE: I'm so proud because growing up I didn't have an Asian American or Asian person to really look up to. And that's my initial reaction. It's just like I'm so happy for this generation of Asian American kids. They're allowed to dream like he broke that barrier to dream.

CHEN (voice over): The larger-than-life role model is now depicted in a 150-foot painting that moves with augmented reality when fans scan a QR code on their phones and raise them to the wall.

[15:50:09]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time for Dodgers baseball.

CHEN (voice over): Artist Robert Vargas says he painted this mural to bring everyone together in the city's crossroads of Asian and Latin American communities.

ROBERT VARGAS, ARTIST: I definitely had a premonition that he was going to do something amazing. To see him actually not only meet those expectations but exceed them is just incredible.

CHEN (voice over): Natasha Chen, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Man, this is so fun to watch.

Joining me right now to talk more about this historic feat, Bob Nightingale, he is a Major League Baseball columnist for "USA Today."

Bob, great to see you.

BOB NIGHTINGALE, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COLUMNIST, "USA TODAY": Yes, my pleasure. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: This is so fun to be on board the Ohtani fan club ride. I mean, it is amazing.

I mean, prior to Ohtani, the players closest to achieving a 50-50 season were the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna, Jr. he stole 73 bases and hit 41 homeruns in 2023 and then Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 homeruns and stole 46 bases with the Seattle Mariners in 1998.

So what does Ohtani becoming the first player to reach this 50-50 club classification mean for baseball?

NIGHTINGALE: Well just a wonderful story. I mean, he is the face of baseball right now. I was coming to Dodgers when Hideo Nomo broke in 1995. He was the first Japanese player in 30 years. He kind of opened the door for everybody.

And now Ohtani has just busted it wide open and kind of defies imagination that a guy with this kind of power and speed, you kind of got to go back with Rickey Henderson, what he used to do, then he just broke Rickey Henderson's record the other night by 14 games now where he has had a homerun and a stolen base in the same game.

WHITFIELD: Wow. I mean, the power and speed, it is phenomenal.

Our Natasha Chen, I mean, she also sat down with Dodgers' manager, Dave Roberts after the game, Friday night and listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE ROBERTS, LA DODGERS GENERAL MANAGER: I don't know if I am going to give him an off day before the postseason because I do think that if I do give him an off day, I think there is going to be a lot of visiting fans, very disappointed and very upset with me, but I am going to have those conversations.

But I think you know, where is he at now? Fifty-two, fifty-one, something like that. I think 60-60 is sort of on the radar a little bit, but we will see.

CHEN: Isn't that crazy just to talk about it? Just to say it out loud?

ROBERTS: It is bananas. It is bananas. I sound like an idiot even saying that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I mean, it is out of this world, but already he is like Superman.

So, you know, they still have what -- the Dodgers have seven games left in the regular season. Do you see 60-60 Club on the horizon for Ohtani?

NIGHTINGALE: I don't. There is just not enough time, but the double deck holes, I see 55-55 for sure.

WHITFIELD: Okay.

NIGHTINGALE: And every time he steals a base, every time he hits a homerun is to record. The intriguing part is he plans to pitch next year so we may not see this kind of offensive outburst again like Dave Roberts has said, when you're pitching, you can't see the stolen bases at this rate.

WHITFIELD: Yes, so I mean, who can forget that, you know, all of this is coming just months after that huge scandal involving Ohtani's longtime interpreter and friend who pleaded guilty in June to fraud and tax charges for stealing almost $17 million from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts.

So has Ohtani been able to move on and completely distance himself from that?

NIGHTINGALE: He really has just a complete focus unlike anything we've ever seen. You know, when he played for the Angels, he kind of lived almost on the edge of the parking lot there, you know, apartment and all he did was, you know, eat, drink and think and sleep of baseball.

You know, it is the same type of thing now. He has got a place, goes to Dodgers Stadium, you know, got married and all he is thinking about is baseball.

You know, it is like you would never know that a guy just lost almost $17 million and almost, you know, ruined his reputation. All of that is almost forgotten and forgiven now.

WHITFIELD: Oh, incredible. I mean, and the $17 million does, that's sizable, but it is really a drop in the bucket when you look at, you know, his kind of record breaking price tag that he joined the Dodgers with $700 million 10-year contract, but he is actually differing nearly all of it under the end of the 10-year contract.

So help people understand that one.

NIGHTINGALE: Well, I have a history with California taxes. This way, he is only making $2 million a year for the next 10 years. And then he will be making $68 million a year after that.

If he moves out of the state of California, it won't be taxable, and you know, it also helps the Dodgers. Instead of being on the ledger (ph) tax for $700 million, but actually on a ledger (ph) tax $460 million because that contract is going to be valued with that great deferred money.

[15:55:11]

And he makes so much money, I mean, by far more than any baseball player who has ever lived. Now, he is starting to -- you know, talk about the Michael Jordan type of endorsements that you get off the field.

So I don't think, you know, maybe Derek Jeter might have made close to $10 million off the field. I mean Ohtani may make forty, fifty million dollars off that field easily.

WHITFIELD: Crazy on so many levels.

All right, Bob Nightingale, great to talk to you. Thank you so much.

NIGHTINGALE: Sure. My pleasure. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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