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Tonight, Harris to Focus on Reproductive Rights at Houston Rally; Trump Says, U.S. is Like a Garbage Can for the World; L.A. District Attorney Recommends Resentencing for Menendez Brothers. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired October 25, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

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[10:00:00]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the presidential campaigns. Today, both candidates are descending on the Lone Star State, but highlighting two very different issues. Vice President Kamala Harris will focus on reproductive rights with both Beyonce and Willie Nelson joining her. For former President Donald Trump, it's all about immigration today as he is escalating his anti-immigrant rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We're a dumping ground. We're like a garbage can for the world. That's what's happened. That's what's happened to our -- we're like a garbage can.

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ACOSTA: Good morning, you are live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

All right, let's get right to it. CNN's Eva McKend is in Washington with me. What do we know about Kamala Harris's rally in Houston tonight? It's a big, deep red state, obviously, perhaps not in play for the vice president, but it is a message she wants to get across there with some big stars.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Jim, they're traveling to what they describe as the epicenter of abortion bans. The event will feature a Texas couple who led a lawsuit against the state's abortion bans after suffering life threatening pregnancy complications.

Shanette Williams, she is the mother of Amber Nicole Thurman, who died in 2022 from a treatable infection due to delays to her medical care stemming from Georgia's abortion law. She will be in attendance as well.

And the campaign thinks that this is a compelling argument. They are leaning on women to tell their own stories, to illustrate the tragedies abortion restrictions have led to and then having some fun as well with the star-studded lineup of Texas natives, like Beyonce and Willie Nelson, Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes. And she had that big rally in Georgia last night, also some stars in attendance at that rally as well.

MCKEND: Yes. Spike Lee was in the mix, Tyler Perry as well, former President Barack Obama, the most popular Democrat in the party. He had a strong message about the former president. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: We do not need four years of a wannabe king, a wannabe dictator running around trying to punish his enemies. That's not what you need in your life. America's ready to turn the page. I want to explain that in politics a good rule of thumb is don't say you want to do anything like Hitler?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: And, Jim, we should get used to hearing this message from the Harris campaign. They are going to emphasize that the former president, in their view, is principally concerned about an enemies list while the vice president is concerned about her to-do list for the American people.

Now, after today's event in Texas, the vice president getting a boost from another Obama, Michelle Obama will join Harris in an event in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right. Eva McKend, thank you very much. We'll be watching. We appreciate it.

Former President Donald Trump, for his part, is trying out a new line about his view of America. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're a dumping ground. We're like a garbage can for the world. That's what's happened. That's what's happened to our -- we're like a garbage can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: It is a far cry from Ronald Reagan's vision of America.

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RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I've thought a bit of the shining city upon a hill.

In my mind, it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds, living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hung with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: All right. CNN's Kristen Holmes joins us now as well. Kristen, I mean that that is a choice, going out there making a statement like America is a garbage can as a closing argument.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think you're going to hear more versions of that as we head into the final days here. Donald Trump has been ramping up his rhetoric, particularly around immigration and crime as it gets darker and darker. And, Jim, one thing you know very well is that Donald Trump believes that this rhetoric around immigration, particularly the fear-based rhetoric, helped propel him to the White House in 2016, and it could do it again.

And when we're looking at all of the recent polling, particularly some polling that even shows Donald Trump chipping away at any lead Kamala Harris had, you have to think that he believes that this is working, because those polls are so close.

[10:05:10]

And he's going to continue this kind of rhetoric as we hang in -- as we approach the election.

And one other thing to point out here, there's all this conversation around Donald Trump really going off the rails, but a lot of what he is saying now publicly is stuff we know he has said in private, the cursing, the denigrating remarks, all of that has been reported as how Donald Trump talks. Now, he's just taking it to the campaign trail.

ACOSTA: And, Kristen, I did want to ask you about Trump's comment to a CNN reporter, our Kate Sullivan, I believe, who asked Trump to respond to Stacey Williams' allegations, that he groped her in the 1990s. CNN reported this yesterday. What did he have to say about that?

HOLMES: Well, long story short, Jim, he didn't say anything at all. It was actually our Steve Contorno. Kate Sullivan was there. She asked another question asking him to respond to John Kelly. Steve Contorno asked him what his response would have been to Stacey Williams. And I'll let you take a listen to this.

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STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Do you have a response to Stacey Williams' accusations? Do you have a response to Stacey Williams' accusations?

TRUMP: I can't hear you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: I can't hear you. Now, he did end up hearing a question from Kate that was about ten feet away, and you can see how close our Steve Contorno was to him right there, but I wasn't in the room, so I can't testify as to what he heard or didn't hear. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right. He was awfully close, and he heard the other questions, Kate Sullivan. All right, interesting. All right, Kristen Holmes. Thank you very much.

Let's bring in Pete Seat, former White House spokesperson for President George W. Bush. Pete, I want to go back to -- I hope you were listening into the beginning of the program and everything that we aired since, because a few moments ago, we aired Donald Trump's comment that he sees America as a garbage can and also Ronald Reagan's, you know, shining city on the hill. I mean, that is a pretty startling contrast to go from the shining city on the hill, Reagan's view of America, and Donald Trump's.

PETE SEAT, V.P., BOSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS GROUP: It's a forgotten time in America, Jim, and a lot of voters who will be headed to the polls or who have voted already were not around for the days of Ronald Reagan, when leadership meant something very different than it means today. At least in Donald Trump's thinking, leadership is about being strong and projecting that strength all across the world.

I think those comments -- look, I've said this dozens of times on this network and elsewhere. I wish he did not speak like this, but this is Trump being Trump. This is Stephen Miller's dream. This is what he wants. He wants Trump to be authentically himself and to speak in a way that garners coverage and attention. And as was mentioned, fear is part of the closing argument of this campaign.

But I would point out, fear is part of the closing argument for both campaigns. Trump is running on the fear of illegal immigration. Kamala Harris is running on the fear of Trump. And it's because fear motivates. Fear is how you get people to show up to the polls. And they're both trying to reach those low propensity voters who may show up because they're fearful of the alternative candidate winning.

ACOSTA: And, Pete, there's this stunning new polling out this morning from ABC showing just about half of the country, there it is right there, sees Donald Trump as a fascist. Less than half, as many 22 percent say Kamala Harris is that way. That is pretty startling. Some of this polling was obviously done before the revelations coming from the former White House chief of staff, John Kelly, and the comments that he made. What do you make of that?

SEAT: This country remains divided, equally split, 50-50. That's why none of us knows when the election results will be available because they could be incredibly close. They could be litigated, and, again, why the campaigns are focusing on those low propensity voters, people who are not reliably Democrat, not reliably Republican. They need to get them to show up because a literal handful of votes and a very small number of states is going to determine this. And those polling results reflect that. ACOSTA: And I guess it's just a stunning number to see about half of Americans vewi Donald Trump in this fashion. You and I are fairly long in the tooth. We've been around cover -- I've covered politics. You've been in politics. I don't recall there ever being a time where a major presidential candidate was viewed by half the country as a fascist.

[10:10:01]

I mean, that is stunning.

SEAT: Our rhetoric has increased. It's become more heated. It's become more volatile all across the spectrum. So, I'm not trying to downplay the poll. I'm just looking at it as this -- this is an equally divided country. And I haven't seen any numbers recently, but I'm sure if you ask the question, is Kamala Harris, a socialist, you'd probably get pretty darn close to 50 percent.

ACOSTA: Yes. Well, we don't have that number available, so we can't really state that emphatically.

But, you know, Pete, a lot of Trump's vitriol is about immigration. The former president pledged at that same rally to rid communities that he says have been invaded. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I will launch the largest deportation program in American history.

I will rescue every town across America that's been invaded and conquered. These towns have been conquered. And we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, or we'll kick them the hell out of our country as fast as we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Yes. Pete, I mean, Kristen was saying earlier, you know, some of this rhetoric worked for Donald Trump in 2016, but it didn't work in 2018. I covered those midterms, didn't work for Trump in 2020, didn't work in 2022. I mean, I hate to just break it down in, in terms of strategic terms because, obviously, I mean there's a factual thing to deal with and that communities have not been conquered. Obviously, that has not taken place. But, I mean, do you, do you think that this is an effective strategy, that this is going to work? It has not always worked for him.

SEAT: Well, it does remind me of 2016 and the famous analysis that opponents of Trump took him literally but not seriously, and supporters took him seriously but not literally. And if you look at the record, remember things that Donald Trump said during that campaign. He said that the United States would leave NATO. He said that he would eliminate the Department of Education. He said that he would appoint a special prosecutor to go after Hillary Clinton. None of those things happened.

And that's why you've seen in recent polling Latinos, for example, they don't believe his rhetoric on this. A lot of Americans think he's full of it when he stands behind a podium at a rally and says the things he says, and they look at the record of how the administration impacted their lives positively, and that's how they're casting their vote for him.

ACOSTA: Yes. And he did do a, quote/unquote, Muslim ban in the beginning of his administration. He did do a family separation policy during his administration. I mean, some things that he says out on the campaign trail, he does. He vowed to crack down on the press. He did do that.

But, Pete, I want to ask you J.D. Vance, the vice presidential candidate, was at a town hall hosted by news nation last night. He was asked about his handling of the debunked claims that Haitian migrants were eating people's pets in Ohio. Let's listen to that.

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SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Do I think that the media certainly got distracted on the housing crisis and the health crisis and the crisis in the public schools by focusing on the eating the dogs and the cats things? Yes, I do. And do I wish that I had been better in that moment? Maybe, but it's also people in my community, people that I represent are coming to me and saying this thing is happening. What am I supposed to do, hang up the phone and tell them they're a liar because the media doesn't want me to talk about it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: I mean, that sounds like a walk back. It sounds like he's admitting that they're not doing that, finally admitting it, that they're not doing that in Springfield, Ohio.

SEAT: Yes, he obviously felt it was politically advantageous several weeks ago to not walk it back, but to now walk it back. And what you do when you receive news like that or reports such as that is you try to corroborate them. You know, in the news business, you try to get two sources that can tell you what happened or confirm a story for you. It doesn't seem like that was the case for J.D. Vance. He doesn't believe in double sourcing his news before speaking about it.

But I do want to point out that on this very program, a couple weeks ago, Jim, we talked about this issue right around the time Donald Trump said he was going to go to Springfield, Ohio, and he never did. That tells you a lot.

ACOSTA: Yes. And we're still waiting to see if he's going to do that.

All right, Pete Seat, we'll be watching for that, good reminder. Thanks so much. I really appreciate it.

SEAT: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Coming up. Will the Menendez Brothers soon walk free? I'll talk to someone who was in the district attorney's office at the time of the murders, next.

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ACOSTA: Two of the most notorious killers in Los Angeles history may soon walk free. 35 years after Erik and Lyle Menendez gunned down their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion, the L.A. County district attorney says he will recommend re sentencing for the brothers. That could mean their sentences of life without parole could turn into a path leading to their potential release.

The case came under review after defense attorneys announced new evidence, including a letter that Erik allegedly wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders that alludes to his father raping him. The brothers were also praised as model inmates, even though they face no possibility of being released.

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GEORGE GASCON, LOS ANGELES DISTRICT ATTORNEY: They have been in prison for 35 years. They have been model prisoners by all accounts. Not only have they worked on their own self-improvement but they have done a lot of work to better the life of those around them, which is -- that part is unusual.

MARK GERAGOS, ATTORNEY FOR MENENDEZ BROTHERS: In their C files, which is what the D.A. has been waiting for and what they reviewed today, and why they recommended resentencing, in their C files were letters by high ranking correction officers, something I've never seen in 40 years, who said, I would not only recommend that Lyle or Erik be resentenced, I would also welcome them as a neighbor in my neighborhood.

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I've never seen that before.

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ACOSTA: Joining me now is Loni Coombs. She served as criminal trial prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for 20 years. She was there at the time of the murders, the arrest and prosecution of the two brothers. She also serves as a legal commentator for Dr. Phil and an anchor for Merritt Street Media.

Loni, first of all, I do want to ask you just your reaction to this recommendation of a resentencing. We lost your shot there. Can you hear me? Go ahead.

LONI COOMBS, FORMER LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Okay, I'm sorry. Can you ask the question again? I couldn't hear you.

ACOSTA: What was your reaction to this recommendation -- your reaction to the recommendation of resentencing? COOMBS: Yes. You know, Jim, it was not a surprise at all. The D.A. had sort of been signaling this all along the way from his very first press conference about ten days ago. He said right off the bat, I'm going to review this new evidence, but I'm a big believer in resentencing. I've already resentenced 300 defendants and I think that it's a good thing to do.

And then and further statements that he was making to the press over the last few days, he said, you know, I think if they've been good in prison these last 35 years, that's probably enough time, you know, that it would be fair and appropriate to give them a chance to get out of prison before they die. And he even went so far as to say, I believe the allegations of molestation, which is very different, I will tell you, from what the prosecutors who tried the case at the time felt about this case.

So, it was not a surprise that he ended up saying he was going to recommend resentencing.

ACOSTA: And do you think the judge is going to go for this?

COOMBS: Jim, this is a big question because it goes to a hearing next. In about 30 to 45 days, it goes to a hearing. Now, usually, you'll have the prosecutor arguing one thing and the defense arguing one thing and then the judge decides.

This hearing is going to be very different. I hope there's cameras in the courtroom. You're going to have on one side the prosecutor and the defense arguing for the same thing along with some family members, but on the other side, you're actually going to have some of the family members who are against this as well as some D.A.s from Gascon's own office.

In the press conference, he said, very transparently, there's a huge division in my office. There are a number of deputies who are adamantly opposed to this and think that the brothers should stay in prison for the rest of their lives, and they can voice that opinion in the hearings. So, we'll have to see what the judge -- this is not a done deal. The judge can make the decision.

ACOSTA: That's fascinating. I mean, is it because they don't believe the allegations of the sexual abuse? Because if you believe the allegations of the sexual abuse, one has to think the judge is going to take this very seriously.

COOMBS: Well, here's the thing. It can be because they don't believe the abuse, which was really the position of the D.A.s back at the time, right? Or even if you do believe the abuse, the question is still, did they feel that they were in imminent harm, imminent danger at the time that they killed their parents?

And this was a very clear premeditated murder where they planned it out. They drove all the way to San Diego to get the guns. They planned how they're going to do it. They went in, surprised their parents who were just sitting there watching T.V., eating ice cream, you know, and shot them, shooting 16 shots, and then went out, reloaded to make sure that they killed their mother, you know, shooting her in the cheek. It was a very horrific crime. So, even if you accept the sexual abuse, there are still people who say this is a premeditated first-degree murder that they confessed to and the punishment that they were given is appropriate in this case.

But, remember, resentencing kind of looks beyond that. Resentencing looks at other factors as well. It's more in the, in the interest of justice. So, you look at how they've done in prison, you look at how much time they've served, you look at if there was trauma in their background, you look at if there are things that have changed the situation since the time of sentencing. So, there's more leeway for the judge to look at.

ACOSTA: Yes. And, I mean, one of the folks who have chimed in on this is Kim Kardashian. She is focusing in on the sexual abuse claims and she says. This society's understanding of child abuse has evolved and social media empowers us to question the systems in place. This case highlights the importance of challenging decisions and seeking truth, even when guilt is not in question.

And, I mean, you and I were talking about the sexual abuse component in all of this. Yes, they drove to San Diego. It was premeditated and so on. But if you were in that kind of a situation and you're feeling that level of desperation, I mean, it is not a stretch to think they may have felt that this was their only way out of an abusive situation.

COOMBS: And that's what the D.A. said yesterday, right. He said, look, we don't believe that you should ever kill somebody, you know, because you're being sexually abused. But sometimes people get pushed to the point where you're so desperate. And he talked about sometimes these, you know, battered wives who are in an abusive situation and they feel like they can't leave. So, at some point they end up killing their abuser.

So, there's definitely understanding and consideration of that.

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And what they're saying is that we don't think you should get away scot free, but look at the brothers. They spent 35 years in prison. They've been model prisoners while they've been in prison. Is that enough? In the interest of justice, have they paid their dues at this point?

ACOSTA: Fascinating. All right, Loni Coombs, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

COOMBS: You bet.

ACOSTA: All right, you as well.

Still ahead, Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin are reportedly in, quote, regular contact. Details on what all of that means, what they talk about, that's next.

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ACOSTA: New this morning, Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2022, this according to new reporting from The Wall Street Journal. Talks between the billionaire and Russia.