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Zelenskyy Speaks At U.N. Security Council, Will Address General Assembly Wednesday; New CNN National Poll: Race Virtually Tied With 6 Weeks To Go; Wisconsin Political Experts Analyze State Of The Race. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired September 24, 2024 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:37]
ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Top of the hour here, 8:00 p.m. in London, 10:00 p.m. in Kyiv and 3:00 p.m. here in New York. I'm Erica Hill. Thanks for joining me today on CNN NEWSROOM.
As world leaders gather in New York, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is working to put Ukraine back on the global stage once. He's set to address the U.N. Security Council, this hour. We're going to bring that to you as it happens.
This, of course, coming ahead of his address to the United Nations general assembly tomorrow. Later this week, Zelenskyy will travel to Washington where he'll meet with President Biden, also unveil his long awaited victory plan.
Biden, who addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the final time as president earlier today, urged for continued support for Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The world now has another choice to make: will we sustain our support to help Ukraine win this war and preserve its freedom, or walk away and let aggression be renewed and a nation be destroyed? I know my answer. We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away and we will not let up on our support for Ukraine, not until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace based on the U.S. Charter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen is in Kyiv, chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt is at the United Nations.
Alex, I want to begin with you. So this will be the first of these two big speeches for Zelenskyy at the U.N. What can he do to move the needle, to push for that little bit of extra support that Ukraine is talking about, that it needs to win the war?
ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think what he's going to end up meeting to do now that we are two- and-a-half years into this war is to continue to convince the international community that Ukraine's effort is one that is worth supporting to show progress, to show that the aid that has been poured into Ukraine over the past two-and-a-half years is being put to good use.
He will argue that it certainly is, that they have managed to hold Russia at bay for the most part, that Russia has not managed to make massive inroads. So they have pushed forward in the east of late. You will probably point to the incursion into Russia itself, into the Kursk region as evidenced that the aid is working.
He will probably echo what we heard from President Biden earlier on, which is to not grow weary, that even though this war is dragging on, that this, this, that it is one that is worth supporting continuing to support. He will reiterate, I imagine what he has said in the past that we are essentially fighting on behalf of the West. We not asking you to contribute soldiers as long as you can send -- continue to send us aid.
But he really has a big task ahead of him, Erica, because he is going to be presenting this plan for victory as he's been calling it, to the Biden administration later this week. We don't have too many details. Certainly, the administration is going to be wanting a lot of those details and it will be a question of convincing them that this is a valid plan and what we understand so far is that it will be designed to essentially tell the U.S. and therefore the allies that if you continue to strengthen Ukraine, that we can get Russia to a point where there can be a diplomatic solution.
But we are quite a ways from there. So there's a lot for Zelenskyy to do at the U.N., and then later on this week at the White House, Erica.
HILL: Yes, in both -- in both areas, as you point out, Alex.
Fred, when it comes to Ukraine, the country still can't use U.S. made weapons to strike deeper into Russia. This is expected to be, of course, something that Zelenskyy is going to continue to push for in his meeting with President Biden this week. What is the sense that there will be some and how important is it at this point in the war?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think for the Ukrainians and something that they say is extremely important, I think at this point in time, they're not sure whether or not there's going to be any movement from the Biden administration. I think one of the things that was actually pretty big disappointment for the Ukrainians is about two weeks ago, Secretary of State Blinken was on the ground here in Ukraine.
The Ukrainians really thought that at that point in time, the U.S. might say, look, yes, they can use -- use U.S. supplied weapons like for instance, those surface to surface ATACMS missiles, that, of course, could cover a pretty long distance to strike right directly into Russian territory, and also then the flip side of that, British- made Storm Shadow cruise missiles as well.
[15:05:02]
That at that point in time didn't happen.
So this, right now, really is as Alex very correctly put it, he is -- President Zelenskyy of Ukraine going to the Biden administration really trying to make a strong case to allow Ukraine to use those Western weapons, those U.S. made weapons to strike deep into Russian territory essentially what the Ukrainians are saying is that they believe that it could make a big difference on the ground. They say that they've identified hundreds of targets. They've already told the U.S. that they could strike with those missiles that would make a big difference for them moving forward, not only to try a, for instance support that offensive into Russian territory, into the Kursk region, but also to keep their troops safer than they have been so far in some of those areas where the Russians have been pushing forward, like for instance, the Donbass area where the Russians really have made some significant gains over the past couple of months.
But Ukrainian say that for them, that is something that would be absolutely key. They say that they hope it will happen and they also say that it could make a big difference for them on the ground as well if they are able to use those capabilities in that way.
But I also think that there's other things that President Zelenskyy of Ukraine is going to try and convey to the Biden administration on the one hand, they have said that part of their plan as they call it for victory, is that they hope to be able to force the Russians into negotiations. That could be ones that are positive for Ukraine to try and get to point where the Ukrainians can negotiate from a point of strength and they have said that their incursion into Russian territory, into the Kursk region will be part of that is a key part of that possibly to exchange that territory for territory that the Russians have taken, but definitely also being able to use those Western made weapons to strike Russian territory they believe weaken the Russians to a point where the Russians would be more willing to negotiate than they are right now.
And we have seen, Erica, over the past couple of days, really the Ukrainians also display some of the capabilities that they already have with their own drone program to strike deep into Russian territory. They have hit some pretty sensitive areas like weapons depots over the past couple of days. But the Ukrainians are saying they were able to do that with western weapons. They would be a lot more effective than they are right now, Erica.
HILL: Certainly, to help to help make their argument.
Fred, Alex, appreciate it. Thank you both.
Also with me this hour, William Taylor, vice president for Europe and Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and, of course, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
It's good to see you this afternoon. You're picking up on what both Fred and Alex were talking about there. As we wait for this victory plan later this week and we wait to hear from President Zelenskyy just a few moments from now, the way that this is being laid out by the Ukrainians, if you give us the okay right to strike deeper into Russia, we believe then that this will put Russia in such a place that we can negotiate. Is he right?
WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: He's probably right there, but no one really knows and you have to test it. And then we'll have to put a lot of pressure on the Russians. Putin will have to understand, will have to come to understand that he cannot win. He undoubtedly recognizes and the people around him undoubtedly recognize that it was a mistake to invade Ukraine in the first place, and he's probably looking for, probably thinks he can wait us out and wait the Europeans out and wait for the Ukrainians out.
But the victory plan that President Zelenskyy presents to President Biden is adopted and President Biden and Europeans say and commit to being there for -- not for as long as it takes, but until they prevail, until the Ukrainians win. You heard -- you quoted President Biden, there are a couple of times where he says, when this is an important change.
And if Putin realized that, when Putin realizes that we're in it until the Ukrainian win, then he'll look for a way out. That's what President Zelenskyy is going to try to make the case.
HILL: Which as we know where its truly matter in each instance, but especially as we're looking at where things could go in this moment. And speaking of that, what does -President Zelenskyy need to do at this point to not only ensure continued support, but perhaps to renew it in some ways, to remind much of the world that Ukraine is still in this war two-and-a-half years later.
TAYLOR: Putin is in this war two and a half years later, and you're right, I keep track. It's 943 days, Erica, that they've been fighting, 943 days, but they have held off, and in many cases pushed back successfully, the Russian army. So they are tired and they are fighting. Despite of that, they are fighting for their lives, for their existence, for their families, for their territory, for their land. But they're also fighting for values that we believe in.
So that's what he asked to, because this gets to remind us that they are fighting for our values and our security. To keep the Russians away from the NATO flank, where U.S. soldiers will be right there. So, Ukraine's success brings victory, it will be ours.
[15:10:07]
HILL: When Secretary Blinken was in Kyiv and I know you yourself just returned from Kyiv, I think about a week ago. When Secretary Blinken was there a couple of weeks ago, the fact that there was not this okay given, right, to strike deeper into Russia with U.S. made weapons, what do you see when you were there that you believe could impact that decision moving forward, didn't get the okay with Secretary Blinken. But have you seen anything in your most recent trip there that you believe could convince President Biden?
TAYLOR: Well, I think so. And you remember, when your reporters just a minute ago referenced these long range ATACMS that were subject as to whether to give the Ukrainians these ATACMS and --
HILL: Ambassador, I'm going to stop you there just because President Zelenskyy has just come into the room there.
Of course, you're looking at live pictures here of the Security Council. So we I believe we should see him start to speak in just a moment.
TAYLOR: They're good.
HILL: I'll let you finish that thought while we wait here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of (INAUDIBLE) of the agenda
(INAUDIBLE)
HILL: I lost you for a second there, Ambassador Taylor, my apologies for that. You were talking about what you have seen in Kyiv that perhaps may be some of what Secretary Blinken saw also could be passed on it, that you think may perhaps influenced President Biden when President Zelenskyy comes again with that asked for the okay to strike deeper into Russia.
What was it that you saw?
TAYLOR: So, I saw a determination to win at any cost and you've already reported how they're using their own weapons to strike deep into Russia. They would be able to be more effective at those strikes if they have the ATACMS and the permission to use those. And last time this happened, they -- we gave them permission and all of a sudden, (INAUDIBLE) started blowing up. That's how we like to give them greenlight to use the ATACMS. It may be the case this time as well.
That is the authority, the greenlight may already have been given. It'll be announced at some point. But this is undoubtedly --
HILL: It seems that oftentimes when we talk about this moment, anytime the President Zelenskyy makes himself to -- or is at an important event, makes his way to the United States. There is the sense of it's now or never. That is part of the challenge for him, that for two-and-a-half years, it has been this way.
What do you expect to hear from him today that shows this is a war still worth supporting? You mentioned the similar values. How much do you expect that to figure into his remarks today and tomorrow?
TAYLOR: I think we will hear a lot about defending values that we believe every democracy (INAUDIBLE) for people to make their own decisions. There's also a moral aspect that he will probably have mentioned, Erica, and that is the Ukrainians have been the subject of the (INAUDIBLE). The horrible nature of this attack, the atrocities, the kidnapping of children, this is a moral issue as well and the Russians need to be accountable. I suspect President Zelenskyy will make -- make that case as well.
HILL: We will be listening.
Former Ambassador Taylor, always great to have you and have you share your insight. Thank you.
We are, of course, continuing to monitor this meeting there of the Security Council and we are going to bring you those remarks from President Zelenskyy when they do happen.
But we are also very closely monitoring, of course, the situation in the Middle East. Israel's military now vowing to speed up the offensive operations in Lebanon after launching what it is calling targeted airstrikes in Beirut for a second straight day. The IDF claiming a senior Hezbollah commander was in fact killed today.
Monday was Lebanon's deadly day in nearly 20 -- deadliest day, rather, in nearly in 20 years, 588 people killed. Women, children, teachers, U.N. staff among them. And just to put that death toll from yesterday and perspective, it's roughly half the number of the Lebanese who were killed over the course of Israel and Hezbollah's 34-day war in 2006.
CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson joining us now from Tel Aviv.
So, Netanyahu holding security briefing with his cabinet and senior security officials. We keep hearing a ground operation has not been ruled out. Is there a sense that we are closer to that at this point, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think there is. Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesman, was asked that question again this evening and he didn't give an answer. He says we'll do whatever it takes to make the lives of our citizens along the northern border secure.
[15:20:01]
But I think there was a strong sort of visual signaling of it when the defense minister went to the border to see IDF troops practicing, rehearsing what an on the ground battle or fight would look like and be like for them if they went across the border inside Lebanon and he was telling -- the defense minister was telling the troops there, look, Hezbollah is not the Hezbollah of last week. We've degraded their command and control system.
We've taken out a number of commanders, their morale is low. But he said rest assured, if you come in contact with them, I'm confident that you can defeat them. However, they are also going to be determined to attack Israel. And, you know, looking at the statistics from today, because we can only really look at measure Hezbollah's capability and intent by statistics 250 missiles fired at Israel yesterday, Monday, 300 today, that's more today.
The IDF saying that just a couple of soldiers were lightly injured when those missiles came down or were intercepted over Israel.
So the casualties on the Israeli side of the border have been low, but that signaling about a cross border on the ground operation really does seem to be there. And the idea that we got from the chief of staff of the army, General Herzi Halevi earlier in the day as well saying, look, there'll be no reprieve for Hezbollah.
We're going to ramp up the speed of the operations. We're going to keep going at full force. We're going to be vigorous. We've got to be for action in all areas.
So, the verbal messaging is that this is a long way from being done.
HILL: It certainly is.
Nic, thank you.
I also want to take us back now, live, President Zelenskyy speaking there at the U.N. Security Council.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: -- with Putin. Russia's war against Ukraine will end because the U.N. Charter will work. It must work. Our Ukrainian right to self-defense must prevail. Our cooperation with nations of the world who value life as we do. Our territorial integrity. Our sovereignty, the independence of our country. We are defending what every nation would surely want to protect for itself. And what the U.N. Charter grants to all.
And it is Russia that always has to lie to justify its war. Not us. Russia cannot refer to the U.N. Charter to explain what it is doing against us, against Ukraine, Ukrainian people. In fact, in Russia's perverted way, in its crooked world, it does refer to the Charter -- but that's simply insane.
Russia stayed silent because it couldn't explain why a Russian missile recently struck a grain ship bound for an Egyptian port through the Black Sea. Russia either stays silent or lies about why its drones and missiles are found in the airspace of Poland, Moldova, Romania.
Every day, Ukrainians are wounded and killed. Every day. Today, once again Russian bombs hit residential buildings. Even an ordinary bread factory became a target.
What's so threatening to Russia about making bread? Putin has no answer. And Russia never has an honest answer when asked why its army kills children in Ukraine, "defeats" schools and hospitals, and fights not for justice, but for a blackout for a neighboring nation.
Putin has nothing to say if you ask him why he tries to drag Belarus into the war, why his propagandists threaten nations in the Caucasus or Central Asia, or why Russia invests the most not in human development, but in hatred. Russia has no legitimate reason -- none at all -- for making Iran and North Korea de-facto accomplices in its criminal war in Europe, with their weapons killing us, killing Ukrainians and helping Putin steal our land from our people.
We know - some in the world want to talk to Putin. We know it. To meet, to talk, to speak. But what could they possibly hear from him? That he's upset because we're exercising our right to defend our people? Or that he wants to keep the war and terror going just so no one thinks he was wrong? It's insane too. From the very first second of this war, Russia has been doing things that cannot possibly be justified under the U.N. Charter. Every destroyed Ukrainian city, every burned village, and there are already hundreds and hundreds, serves as proof that Russia is committing an international crime.
[15:20:13]
And that's why this war can't simply "fade away." That's why this war can't be calmed by talks. Action is needed. And I am grateful to all the nations that are truly helping, in ways that save the lives of our people.
Putin has broken so many international norms and rules that he won't stop on his own. Russia can only be forced into peace. And that is exactly what's needed -- forcing Russia into peace as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the U.N. Charter.
Now, as we near the third winter of this war, Russia is once again trying to destroy our energy system, and this fall, they're being even more cynical. They're preparing to target our nuclear power plants, three of them -- we have this information, and we have proof of this. If Russia is ready to go that far, it means -- nothing you value matters to Moscow. This kind of Russian cynicism will keep striking if it's given any room in the world.
The U.N. Charter leaves no room for that. And that's why the Peace Formula leaves no room either.
In 2022, in the midst of the war, when I proposed the Peace Formula, I was proposing to uphold the UN Charter -- to make effective everything that this institution was created for. Every point of the Peace Formula is rooted in the principles and purposes and norms of the U.N. Charter -- in the rights it grants nations, and in the resolutions of the General Assembly that have already been supported by the majority of nations.
And we do not have different versions of the UN Charter for different parts of the world. We do not have regional "quasi-charters". There is no separate UN Charter for BRICS or for the G7. There is no separate Russian-Iranian UN Charter, or no separate Chinese-Brazilian UN Charter. There is one UN Charter, which unites everyone -- must unite everyone.
The path to a just peace is the same -- clear steps that everyone understands equally, and this is reflected in the Peace Formula. It is the fulfillment of the UN Charter. And we all know what needs to be done if we honestly look at the situation and truly want to stop Russia's war. And most importantly -- act. Together, of course. Of course, in unity. Without creating new and unnecessary divisions of the world into blocs or regional groups. Unity always works for peace.
We have to prepare the second Peace Summit to end the war. All together. And I invite all of you -- all principled nations -- to join us in this process. All who truly respect the U.N. Charter. We invite China. We invite Brazil. I have already invited India. We are working with African nations, with all of Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, the Pacific region, North America. All are equally important for peace. All. Without exceptions. Just as the U.N. Charter must work without exceptions.
This is the process that will lead us to peace. To a just peace. A real peace. A peace that will last. All of us already know how to achieve it. We have the Peace Formula. We have the UN Charter. And we have all the strength needed to make it happen.
What's needed is determination.
Thank you so much.
Slava Ukraini!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Thank you, his Excellency, Mr. Zelenskyy, for his statements.
HILL: You're just listening there to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, talking about what needs to be done in his country, noting that this needs to be done because the U.N. charter, the new U.N. charter must and will work talking about, of course, the showers shared values, and what this means to be a part of the U.N., that there are not separate charters for separate nations, specifically calling out Russia, calling out Iran, saying there is one solely, one U.N. Charter, and it needs to unite everyone to find a path for peace that the steps to that or simply found in fulfilling that U.N. Charter, noting that unity always works for peace.
[15:25:16]
I want to bring in my colleague, Alex Marquardt, chief national security correspondent, who's there at the United Nations.
He also, I thought it was interesting the fact that he called out. He said, look, we have proof that Russia is targeting three nuclear power plants in Ukraine and if Russia is ready to go that far, he said it means nothing -- that your values don't matter to Moscow. He did try to get specific there, Alex.
MARQUARDT: Yeah, Erica, certainly trying to galvanize the international community in the third year of this war, trying to highlight, not what Russia has done in the past, what they plan to do when the future, saying that in this third winter of the war, they plan to yet again go after Ukraine's energy sector and ramping it up and go after Ukrainian nuclear energy as well.
Of course, that will scare a lot of people and get the world's attention. This was truly a speech that was designed for the international community. I mean, this was very much in the context of the United Nations. First of all, he's speaking in English so clearly, he is trying to speak to the world and not just a domestic audience, but then consistently bringing it back to the U.N. Charter. This kind of echoes what we heard from President Joe Biden earlier
today when he said that the support that the U.S. has given for Ukraine reflects the U.N. Charter, the values of the United Nations, as you mentioned, Erica, President Zelenskyy saying there that there are not multiple U.N. Charters and there really is just one that has universal values and Russia has breached the U.N. charter in a variety of ways.
But then he also sought to give his audience a sense that there is an end in sight, that he does have a plan for an end to this war, that this isn't just a war that's going to go on forever. He talked about a peace summit a second peace summit to end this war. Or they're already was a peace summit. A couple of months ago in Geneva, at where he brought a number of countries together to talk about the future of the war in Ukraine.
Here he was talking about the number of countries from around the world, Brazil, India, Russia, countries from the Middle East that will come together to end this war. But, of course, the most important country I would argue on that needs to be there aside from Ukraine, of course, is Russia. And right now, there is no sense from anybody who talked to you that Russia wants to come to the table to negotiate a diplomatic end to this war.
And so, what we're going to hear from President Zelenskyy later on in the week tomorrow, I imagine at the general assembly, but then when he goes to Washington to meet with president Biden, is please continue this, support ratchet up the military support so that Ukraine can make military gains to put that pressure on Russia in order to force them to the table.
It is going to be a diplomatic solution the U.S. believes and Ukraine believes that is going to end this war. But for now, President Zelenskyy's goal is to generate continued and increased support from the U.S. from countries around the world for their fight against Russia, in order to get to a place where there can be some kind of diplomatic solution to finally end this war, Erica.
HILL: Yeah, Alex, appreciate it. Thank you.
Still to come here, breaking down CNN's new polling out just today, which shows no clear leader in the U.S. presidential election nationally, just six weeks out now until Election Day
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:31:43]
HILL: Six weeks now until Election Day in America and poll after poll is showing this as it extremely close race. CNN's new national poll of likely voters out today shows, in fact, no clear leader you seeing on your screen there. Harris at 48 percent, Trump at 47.
So what else should we need to know about these numbers? Let's talk politics with our great panel, Democratic strategist, Chuck Rocha, and Republican strategist Sarah Chamberlain. Good to see both of you today.
So this poll, as I noted, consistent of what we are seeing nationally. There is no clear leader at this moment, which means perhaps there's some -- there's room for opportunity, although there are only two 2 percent who say they haven't chosen a candidate yet, and only 12 percent say they could actually change their minds.
So, Chuck, do you see where or should I say where do you see a window here?
CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: In these battleground states, there are folks who it really becomes, who's going to show up more so than who's going to be persuaded as you just said in this poll, indicates, most folks have made up their mind. They either love Donald Trump or they hate Donald Trump.
And there's some folks out there that are still trying to figure out if they know exactly who Kamala Harris is. But when they hear about are they like her. But the main thing they know is that she's not Donald Trump, which is the biggest motivator for most Democrats.
But what we're not talking about is the thing that Donald Trump has taken advantage of over two different cycles, which is getting new people that are not in any poll to show up and vote. And Democrats are also expecting a lot of new people who have registered to vote since the last presidential election, young people who are moving more towards the Democrats now, expecting them to show up to vote because as you just said, every little small minute piece of this really matters.
And then the last thing is, is in an election this close, field operation and infrastructure really matters. It can make up a point or two points and whoever has the best motive actually turn out their vote is normally best position to win.
HILL: I want to pick up on something you said because you're talking about every little vote count, Sarah, I was struck by the fact that what you really noticing you really picked up on the gender gap here of what were seeing in this poll, Harris is up by ten points with women. For Donald Trump, he leads by nine points with men.
I know you've said that where you really see some potential here is suburban women, a ground game with women. But then you have Donald Trump yesterday in Pennsylvania with a message like this for women, take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I always thought women like me. I never thought I had a problem. But the fake news saying women don't like me. I don't believe it.
I am your protector. I want maybe your protector. As president, I have to be your protector. I hope you don't make too much of it.
I hope the fake news go, he wants to be there protector. Well, I am as president. I have to be to protector.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Do you think that plays with women, Sarah?
SARAH CHAMBERLAIN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: You know, that's just former President Trump. I mean, it's not unexpected. I think what the women are really focused on is the economy and the pocketbook issues. I think you're going to see that. And every one of the swing districts and I think that's what they're going to vote at.
The comments that Trump makes, the comments he's been making for all the years that he has come onto the political scene. So there's nothing at this point. He says that that I find shocking.
[15:35:00]
I mean, I just -- I just don't. So suburban women in Philadelphia, in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the suburbs of Charlotte. But those are going to make up who depend, who becomes the next president and what's missing is Harris is not doing interviews.
And if I was advising her, I tell her to do many more interviews, so that women can get to know who she is.
HILL: So, to that point, we know that she is expected to reveal in a speech this week, drill down a little bit more, I should say they on her economic plan, offer more specifics. What do the women you're talking to need to hear in terms of specifics from the vice president?
Sorry, Sarah, that was for you.
ROCHA: So, the women --
(CROSSTALK)
CHAMBERLAIN: That's out there. Childcare --
HILL: Go ahead, Sarah.
CHAMBERLAIN: OK. So, the childcare is huge, the expense of childcare. They only want to know what her plan is around that and really dive down into it.
She's -- she's hit the surface area, but they want to know more in depth. The grocery store, they're really intrigued by that. But they want to know more in-depth on that as well. And really, you know, what is she really going to do for the economy?
You know, there's a lot of suburban women, there's still think her as pretty far left when she ran pretty far left when she ran for president. And they want to know how she has changed her views and some of the economic issues, fracking for one of them, price of oil, price of gas. That's a big concern to them.
HILL: Chuck, when we look at what is also on deck for the vice president this week, she's expected to visit the southern border on a campaign stop in Arizona.
Now, she did visit the border in 2021. Border crossings are now at the lowest level since 2020, following that executive order from President Biden when we look at this though, we know Chuck that New York Times poll published over the weekend shows Trump with a five-point lead in Arizona, closing that gap. The fact that she's going here how much do you think a border visit, Chuck, at this point is actually going to do for the vice president.
ROCHA: I think it's good symbolism. What we -- I run campaigns every day and I would disagree with my friend here that women in the suburbs, the reason they're being targeted is because they're sick and tired of losing a fundamental right that they had for 53 years. And the reason Republicans use the immigration bill, and use doing away with Dobbs and use all the things that they're using is to try to scare especially white women in the suburbs back to the Republican Party because they know, Donald Trump knows, anybody who's run campaigns for 30 seconds knows Republicans have a problem with the Dobbs decisions and taking things away from women who have had a right to choose on whatever they want to do with their own body.
Go into the border is just a hat tip to folks and look I'm taking this series, we're going down here. The way that she's run on immigration and border security has been much different than any Democrat. I've been doing this for 34 years, I'm just not some idiot and a cowboy hat. I've been watching us do this thing, and its very different. I think it's very smart.
And you can look to Ruben Gallego in Arizona, former marine, former congressman, single father, all these things, he somebody else has really been leading into it and he's leading Kari Lake by eight points right now in Arizona.
HILL: One question to you both before we go, we have about a minute left and Chuck, I'll give this to you and Sara onto you. Where is your focus this week? What do you think is the most important place for each candidate?
ROCHA: Well, I think these suburbs, the suburbs are important. Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Arizona, that's where my focus will really be then also on the safe Latino districts in the inner city that usually doesn't have very good turnout to get that turnout up.
HILL: Sarah, how about you?
CHAMBERLAIN: So, suburbs of Philadelphia and actually the suburbs from Charlotte. I think North Carolina with what's going on with a governors race is a problem for Republicans. We need to go down there and make sure we shore that up and makes sure that Donald Trump can win North Carolina.
HILL: Great to have both of you here this afternoon. Thank you.
ROCHA: Thank you.
CHAMBERLAIN: Thanks, Erica. HILL: Just ahead here, you heard it mentioned of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, of course, a must win. We're going to dive into just what Vice President Harris and former President Trump each need to do to win the Badger State.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:42:38]
HILL: Welcome back.
It is Tuesday and that means on this show, it is time for a little battleground break down. This nail-biter of a presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will almost certainly be won and lost through the seven swing states.
You probably know them by heart by now, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. And every week from now through November 5th, we're talking to experts in each of those states for their take on how to win.
On deck today, the Badger State. A new poll out this week shows Harris with a narrow lead there, 51 to 45 percent. As you can see, that's just outside the margin of error. But lets remember, four years ago, election polls showed in the state, showed Biden up by nine, only to have him win by less than a percentage point, making this Midwestern battleground one of the closest states in that 2020 election.
Joining me now, two of Wisconsin's leading political operatives, Melissa Baldauff of GPS Impact Democratic strategy firm. She's worked for Governor Tony Evers and also for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, excuse me.
And Brian Relsinger, he's the president of platform communications and also served as a senior adviser to former Republican Governor Scott Walker, and also worked on Senator Ron Johnson's 2016 campaign.
It's good to have both of you with us. As I mentioned we know that the polling was a little bit off four years ago. The race itself, the outcome was, of course, much, much closer.
Brian, this time around, where do you think things stand?
BRIAN RELSINGER, FORMER WISCONSIN GOP STRATEGIST: Well, currently right now, Vice President Kamala Harris is up. I think the race is tightening. I think its going to continue to tighten. Ultimately, I think that this race is going to pivot on who is able to best appeal to the economic angst of key voters in battleground states like Wisconsin.
And both parties honestly have some work to do on that. Again, Vice President Harris is up. It is tightening and this is partially going to continue to tighten because the Wisconsin electric just balances on a knife's edge. So, it's natural going to continue to tighten between now and Election Day.
HILL: I heard, Melissa, you are agreeing to that comment about the knife's edge.
MELISSA BALDAUFF, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes, absolutely. I think that Wisconsin is always going to be -- it's a close state where we have close elections here.
One of the things we do best along with beer and cheese and sports, we do close elections here. And I agree that it's going to be about the economy and it's also going to be about, it's about our rights, too.
[15:45:00]
It's not just about the economy. It's going to be about who is speaking to people and their concerns about protecting our rights. It's about women's rights to choose what we do with our own bodies. It's about protecting our democracy. It's about people who understand that we cannot afford another term of Donald Trump in office.
And people who want a new vision and a way to move forward. So people are really -- they're craving that opportunity to move forward and they don't want to go back.
HILL: Brian, you live in a farm as I understand it, in Rural Wisconsin, I know you published a book, "Land Rich, Cash Poor", about the plight of American farmers, talking about your own family farm, your county swung for Trump in 2016.
Biden won it in 2020. I thought it was interesting that over the weekend, Tammy Baldwin, who's in -- who's in a race, of course, herself, there, brought in Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who tends to do fairly well with independents, with Republicans, brought him in as she was waiting with voters in more rural counties rather. How helpful are surrogates like that and how much of an impact do you think that they could have specifically on rural voters?
RELSINGER: Well, something that you're seeing is the Democrats are paying a bigger focus to rural voters. And ever before you see that what the selection of Governor Tim Walz as vice presidential nominee on the Democratic ticket, and you see that with Tammy Baldwin's campaign, I think one of the big things that challenger Eric Hovde is facing is just that the Democrats have been spending millions of dollars nationally to come into this state of Wisconsin and define him early.
Now, whether or not the Democrats are able to pull off a change in terms of the trends in rural Wisconsin is yet to be seen. The reality is that things have trended toward the GOP because they've been able to connect with them on some those economic issues, whether or not that continues is what we're going to see on Election Day.
And this chew of the disappearing farms in our country is something that evolves voters by both parties over the decades. And so, this is something where there is an opportunity for people who will vote for Republicans might also vote for a blue collar Democrat. It depends.
HILL: I just want to love on one point there, Donald Trump yesterday telling farmers in Pennsylvania they, quote, won't have a farm anymore if they don't vote for him.
Is that a winning strategy to get farmers to vote for you? That fear card, Brian?
RELSINGER: Well, there is certainly a fear about our farms slipping land. There's certainly a lot of fear about that. There's a sense -- there's a deep sense, just like with Rust Belt areas, there's a sense in farm communities that our economy has been left behind. And so that's a very real thing.
The question is, which party can articulate a policy to deal with the issue in a deeper way.
HILL: Melissa, when we talk about -- go ahead.
BALDAUFF: I agree with that, but I also think that it's a concern when you have people like Eric Hovde insulting Wisconsinites and calling our farmers lazy, and we want to make sure that -- Wisconsinites want to make sure that the people they are putting an office are going we working for them, and our farmers are working families, our seniors.
They want to make sure that the folks that are being elected are going to protect Medicare, protect Social Security. They're going to advocate for a farm bill that's going to work for our farmers. And they are going to protect the Affordable Care Act. They are going to lower prescription drug prices says and those are all things that are going to be at risk with another Donald Trump presidency. And that we have seen time and time again, Republicans in -- in the Senate and Congress fail to -- fail to protect.
HILL: Let me ask you about, it's fascinating as we drill down on each state, right? Black voter turnout soared under Obama in and around Milwaukee, Melissa, but then dropped in 2016, Hillary Clinton lost their. Black organizers on the ground, have said they do really see a boost and enthusiasm for Harris, especially when compared with Biden.
Do you agree with that? Is that what you are seeing? And if that's the case, what do you think that could translate to?
BALDAUFF: Definitely seeing that enthusiasm in Milwaukee. But I would say us in Milwaukee, we're seeing it in Milwaukee and Madison, which are the typical Democratic strongholds.
But we are seeing it all over the state. We are seeing it on college campuses. We are seeing it in even for all communities. We are seeing it in suburban communities. We are seeing it in places with Republican and swing and independent voters, people who are really turned off by the MAGA extremism of Donald Trump.
But definitely, I think we are seeing that enthusiasm growing in Milwaukee in some of those areas that you expect to see it, but in some of those unexpected areas, too. And we've seen enthusiasm from voters in Wisconsin, you know, now, but we saw it last year. And really important election in Wisconsin, folks show up in droves to turn out and vote when reproductive freedom was on the ballot in our Supreme Court election, level of turnout for an election like that.
[15:50:15]
I think we're going to see it again. We saw young people show up and you're going to see young people show up in droves again in this election as well, when they know their rights and freedoms are under attack.
HILL: Real quickly before I let you go, I think what's so important in speaking with people in the actual states is that you know your state much better than someone like myself sitting in New York.
So, just quickly to each of you, and Brian, I'll start with you. What do you think maybe we're missing on a national level when it comes to Wisconsin?
RELSINGER: Yeah. You know, I appreciate that question. I think it's important to ask it regardless of how these elections go, the important thing is to figure out what's going on in these states.
The reality is that in states like Wisconsin, there's a need to revitalize communities all over the state, rural areas, small town areas, a lot of areas that feel like they've been left behind in a very, very deep way. And that gets to policies that increase innovation and our rural economy. It gets to policies that help with a fair playing field for small businesses. It gets to policies that talk about new entrepreneurial opportunity and some of these places that have been left behind.
I think that's something that our political conversation still doesn't catch up on. And as I suggested, I think that both parties work to do around that type of thing.
HILL: Melissa, how about you?
BALDAUFF: You know, I actually -- I really agree with Ryan on that and I think that one of the ways we get there and can connect the dots on that is by having fair maps in the legislature and seeing some of that policy happen at the state level.
And unfortunately, Wisconsin has had some of the most gerrymandered maps in the country for years because of what Republicans did when they had control of the legislative map drawing process, and because of Governor Tony Evers, we now have fair maps in Wisconsin and voters will get to go and cast their -- cast their votes with fair maps. And we'll have the opportunity to really have a legislature that represents the will of the people and can make some progress there.
So I think that will lead to a much better policy. Democrats actually have the opportunity to take back the majority and the state assembly this cycle and make some gains and the state Senate, and either way, there are going to be much more competitive seats throughout the state legislature, which I think just makes for -- for better policy all around when voters get to choose their elected officials instead of the other way around, most of all that.
HILL: Melissa Baldauff, Brian Relsinger, great to have both of you with us. Thank you.
RELSINGER: Thank you.
HILL: We'll be right back.
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[15:55:49]
HILL: Afghan activists are calling on the global community to support their efforts to protect women's rights, the inclusion of women in the future event held during the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday, was an opportunity for activists who want the international community to pressure the Taliban over their, quote, ignorant policies. Now, this comes, of course, after a Taliban leaders instituted harsh new morality laws which restrict women's dress and conduct and public even further than before.
Actor Meryl Streep adding her voice to that call for world leaders to address the treatment of women under Taliban rule.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERYL STREEP, ACTOR: The way that this culture, this society, has been upended is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world. In the '70s, most of the civil servants were women over half the teachers, doctors, a bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not. And a woman may not in public.
This is extraordinary. This is a suppression of the natural law. This is odd.
I feel that the Taliban, since they've issued over 100 edicts in Afghanistan stripping women and girls of their education and employment their freedom of expression and movement, they have effectively incarcerated half -- half their population.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Meryl Streep speaking there.
Thanks so much for joining me this hour. I'm Erica Hill.
Stay tuned. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
