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Harris Courting Latino Vote In Western Battleground Blitz; Trump Campaign Stops In New Mexico, Nevada & Arizona; Judge Puts Elon Musk's Voter Giveaway Case On Hold; U.S. & South Korea Air Drills After North Korea Missile Launch; Jobs Report To Be Released Friday As Inflation Cools. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired October 31, 2024 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:36]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: It's 7:00 p.m. in London, 4:00 a.m. in Pyongyang, 3:00 p.m. here in Washington. I'm Jim Sciutto. Thanks so much for joining me today on CNN NEWSROOM.
And let's get right to the news. There's lots of it.
In a race this close, it is once again an election cycle that's all about the battlegrounds. Kamala Harris is closing out her campaign with stops in every swing state, as the clock ticks down to Tuesday's Election Day. Today, she's out west, courting the crucial Latino vote, Harris expected to land in Phoenix, Arizona, anytime now, after a rally there, she's going to head over to Nevada, ending the day in Las Vegas alongside, well, Jennifer Lopez.
Harris has been picking up support from Latin superstars. This after a comedian at a Trump rally in New York called Puerto Rico, quote, a floating island of garbage. Harris has also seizing on comments made by Trump himself that he would protect women, whether they, quote, like it or not.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It actually is I think very offensive to women in terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right, and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies. And this is just the latest on a series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: CNN's Eva McKend is live in Phoenix.
And, of course, appealing to women voters has been central to Kamala Harris's message from the beginning. Right now, though, it seems with these two latest chip trips, given there's no clear leader in either Arizona and Nevada, that the focus is on Latino voters. And while she has a clear advantage among them in Arizona and Nevada, she and Trump had running tied. They're very unusual for a Republican to be tied to the Democrat among Latinos. So how specifically is she trying to appeal to those voters today?
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Well, I think on a whole host of issues, Jim, I have to tell you that the mayor of Tucson just left the stage and had this place rocking, talking about the issue of immigration, saying that she was the product of immigrant parents and she's very proud of her family and that was a message that resonated with this entire arena.
And you hear Vice President Harris making a similar message. Yes, she's in support of border enforcement, but she also views this issue through a compassionate lens, being the daughter of an immigrant parents, so that, no doubt, is going to be part of the message here today in Phoenix, but she's also making the case to Latino voters talking about reproductive rights, talking about what he storing what was lost.
And then also she talks about the opportunity economy, doing all that she can to bring down the cost of living. She's even doing that adds to targeting Latinos, featuring Latino families around the kitchen table. And so, that really is a nod to the culture here that is so grounded and really rooted in the family. And, of course, she's trying to have a little fun as well.
A popular Mexican ban will perform at this rally later on in Vegas. The vice president will be joined by Jennifer Lopez and that really leaning on celebrity is aimed to drive turnout people excited about the election, and to get to the polls -- Jim.
SCIUTTO: Everyone says, this could be a turnout election at least decided by turnout.
Eva McKend, thanks so much.
Well, Donald Trump, he's expected to close out his campaign in a familiar city. A source tells CNN the former president's final stop on Monday will be in Grand Rapids, that in the battleground state of Michigan. That's where he held his last campaign stops both in 2016 and 2020.
When asked why specifically Grand Rapids, a senior adviser said superstition. On Election Day, he is planning to vote in Florida and host tele-rallies from his Mar-a-Lago home. Tonight, he's in Nevada and Arizona, just like the vice president.
Right now, he's an Albuquerque, New Mexico as well, where we find Lucy Kafanov.
And, Lucy, I wonder what his message has been there here.
Lucy, here Jim. Curious what you're hearing from --
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm having some issues.
SCIUTTO: No problem. You tell us what you're hearing.
[15:05:01]
KAFANOV: If you are able to me here, Donald Trump took to the podium about 30 minutes ago. There was something in the sounds, we're hearing music for some time, but she did start off this speech here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Not an obvious campaign destination in this state with Trump's kicking off the speech by falsely claiming that he won New Mexico in the previous election, a blatant lie. This is a state that he lost by 100,000 votes four years ago. He has only been here twice before in 2019 and 2016, both of those events were actually marked by violence and he still actually owes the city of Albuquerque $200,000 for the security measures in 2019.
But there are two very good reasons for Trump to stop here. The main one right now is trying to undo some of that fallout in the damage from that controversial -- the controversial remarks made in the Madison Square Garden rally, where could media he and referred to Puerto Ricans, the island of Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage. He talked at length about trying to appeal to Hispanic voters. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hispanics love Trump. They do. I like them. They're smart -- you're a lot smarter than the person running for president on the Democrat side. You could say a lot smarter than Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAFANOV: So, that was something he's continuing to talk about, migrants. New Mexico, of course, a border state and while it does come in largely Democratic, he is trying to boost his (INAUDIBLE).
The other reason for his presence here has to do with a down-ballot race, in the second congressional district, where an incumbent Democrat is fending off a challenge by Republican. One of -- if that seat is flipped, that could change control of the House -- Jim.
SCIUTTO: Lucy Kafanov there, thanks so much.
Let's bring in now, CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, and Republican strategist and former RNC communications director Doug Heye.
Doug, I want to start with you because you heard Trump there yet again, attack the intelligence of Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States, current candidate for president which has been a consistent thing for him. It's part of his message. It's not an outlier, it's locked in.
Who is he trying to appeal to with that kind of language and that kind of attack?
DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It's the people you saw at the audience. They loved that kind of rhetoric from Donald Trump. They view it as an obviously we may talk about this guy as well -- they view this as a stand-up comedy quite often. So what we saw on Saturday or excuse me, on Sunday at Madison Square Garden is consistent with that.
It's not going to win over undecided voters. It's not going to win over those Republicans who don't love Trump, but also don't have enough information or just don't like Kamala Harris and don't know what to do. It is aimed at the base and this is consistent with what we've seen for Donald Trump not just in this campaign, but honestly now going back nine years.
SCIUTTO: The criticism, Maria Cardona, I hear regarding Kamala Harris and I'm not going to listen to what Donald Trump says and the language he uses, but from folks covering this campaign closely, pollsters, et cetera, is that voters want to hear more specifics from her about policy, not so much about the things Donald Trump says or the threat she says he poses to democracy, but specific proposals.
Do you think she's made a mistake not being -- well, just more consistent and putting that at the top of her message more often?
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, not at all, because I don't think that's correct. Every single rally that she has had, every single interview that she has had, she actually really goes deep into policies.
She talks about how she wants to give businesses $50,000 to start one. She has -- she talks about how she wants to give new homeowners $25,000 so that they can buy a home. She talks about how she wants to give new parents $6,000 child tax credits. She talks about how she wants to continue and expand the $35 insulin, so that it is something that everyone has access to.
She talks about how she wants to help the sandwich generation. I'm in the sandwich generation. I'm taking care of my children. I'm taking care of my elderly mother.
So there's a lot of specifics there, but she also happens to make the very strong contrast about what this election means moving forward. You can vote for somebody like Kamala Harris, who wakes up every day and focuses on her to do list which are all the policies I just talked about, including things like giving 100 million Americans a tax cut
Or you can choose Donald Trump, who uses the language of an abuser to women, wanting to impose his will, whether we like it not, talking about Puerto Ricans and Latinos like we are trash, like we are vermin, like we poison the blood of the country.
[15:10:18]
They can choose somebody who's going to be obsessed with retribution and vengeance. Huddled over his desk and working on his enemies list. And I think that's a contrast that has become very clear in these last couple of days. There's no question that the election is very close.
But to your question to Doug just now about who does the things that Donald Trump is saying, who do they appeal to? They not only don't appeal to independents, but he is losing independence. He is losing Latino voters.
I can't tell you how many Puerto Ricans I have spoken to who have told me that they are now absolutely going to vote for Kamala Harris or if they were voting for Donald Trump, they're switching their vote because they were so offended by what he said.
SCIUTTO: Doug, the most popular Trump policy position, ill hear from folks who support him is just a sense. Hell cut taxes, you know, whatever often without specificity, but essential cut taxes. But there are other policy issues that he talks about a lot, one or sort of across the board tariffs which you and I know, economists know actually raise costs for American consumers, but also things now like this report that he and Johnson plan to repeal Obamacare, which has become popular even with Republican voters, or a point RFK Jr. as head of health agencies in this country.
Tell me about Trumps policy mix and who he's trying to appeal to with this. And does this sort of bring out the base kind of approach?
HEYE: It's exactly about bringing out the base. The Republican base, Obamacare remains still tremendously unpopular. The problem is, and I say this, having worked in --
(CROSSTALK)
SCIUTTO: I'm not sure that's true, though, Doug, actually --
HEYE: Within the Republican base, if you ask about Obamacare, Republicans are dead set against. That resonates to --
SCIUTTO: I hear you, although in a lot of red states, people use it, use it a lot. You know I'm saying? Like they might say that the pollsters, but in terms of what they depend on, that's -- there's some -- there's some contrast there.
HEYE: Sure if you're talking about red -- red meat for the base, they love this red meat. What I would say is as more of a cautionary tale is, you know, look at the history of house and Senate Republicans and trying to -- the repeal part is pretty easy, sort of the replace part is very, very difficult. I spent six months of 2014 working on replacement efforts and we couldn't even put a white paper together.
So it's a very difficult thing. It's not really based on reality. They won't be able to do this, but quite often politicians talk about things that aren't realistic in terms of getting it done in Washington.
SCIUTTO: Yeah. I want to give you both a chance because I know everybody watching here, they would ask you this if they were sit in my chair right down.
Maria, first to you just a brief sense. Where does the race stand? And, Doug, I'll get your view.
CARDONA: Like I mentioned before, I think it's very close, but I think that Democrats are in a better position to have the independents break for them, to have the rest of the base come out and to have even Republicans who have just had it with Donald Trump to have them.
And I've heard from many Republicans so as well, there are Republicans for Harris as, you know, come out and really put country before party and focus on turning the page, getting rid of the cruelty and the chaos and the crazy frankly, so that we can get on track in this country and they think that Kamala Harris is somebody that can bring people together, including listening to people that don't necessarily agree with her, which I think is a very smart closing message for her.
SCIUTTO: Doug, I heard you say last week, I think was on this broadcast that you'd rather be the Trump campaign and the Harris campaign right now. Do you still believe that?
HEYE: Yeah, maybe by -- maybe by the thickness of a sheet of paper. Look, it's obviously very, very close and I say that for two reasons. One, I think Maria's first answer to you, Jim, was a more articulate and detailed vision of where Kamala Harris wants to take the country than we've heard from Kamala Harris in interviews.
Two, we've talked a lot about Hispanics over the past week or so, not just because of the awful comments on Sunday, and both of these campaigns and the parties, I think the failed to really go after Hispanic voters and spend money on Hispanic media, especially in growing cities and growing markets the way they should have. That's been a failure by Republicans and Democrats, where those voters go, are going to be very interesting to see.
SCIUTTO: And it's a great point, right, because often you'll hear from voters and the various groups that we sort of arbitrarily divide them into hey, we don't, we don't vote like a giant bloc of folks, right? I mean, we have different issues that drive us and so on.
Doug Heye, Maria Cardona, good to have you on. I'm sure we'll be talking again not much time left until Tuesday.
CARDONA: Thank you, Jim.
HEYE: Thank God.
SCIUTTO: All right. So another big state, who will voters in Wisconsin choose in 2016, it was Trump, not by a lot.
[15:15:01]
In 2020, it was Joe Biden by a little bit more. Still ahead, a look at what Wisconsin voters think of Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris this time around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Welcome back.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making frequent visits, of course, to the swing state of Wisconsin. It went for Trump in 2016, then for Joe Biden in 2020.
John King takes a look at voter sentiment this time around.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunrise in the suburbs. Milwaukee on the red side of a critical dividing line in battleground Wisconsin. Octane Coffee is a startup. Your morning jolt here prepared by a robot. Adrian Deasy is the founder and CEO.
ADRIAN DEASY, WISCONSIN RESIDENT: This is all of the robotics.
KING: He grew up in a Democratic household, voted twice for Barack Obama, moved to the Milwaukee suburbs a decade ago.
DEASY: Toppings, cold foams.
KING: A self-described moderate ready to vote a third time for Donald Trump.
DEASY: I just see that Donald Trump from a business minded standpoint, from a let's make a deal standpoint, and from an economics and financing perspective, I think he's got the right mindset for how the country should be run, how to support small and medium-sized businesses.
KING: Are there downsides to him in your view?
DEASY: Does he have some character or personality, things that go on? For sure. But I would say you have to separate the message from the messenger sometimes.
KING: Trump won suburban Waukesha County in both 2016 and 2020, but his margin was smaller the second time, and Wisconsin flipped back to blue. Deasy believes Trump is stronger this time.
DEASY: I would say over the last say 6 to 12 months, definitely a large Trump bump if you'd want to call it that.
KING: Waukesha is a key test of whether Trump can reverse his suburban slide. And across the county line in Milwaukee, a pivotal test for Kamala Harris too. This is the Trickle B Cafe on Milwaukee's north side. Pay what you can is the motto here. We found a lot of apathy on our first visit to these predominantly Black neighborhoods a year ago.
[15:20:03]
Chef Zakiya Courtney says the switch to Harris ended that.
ZAKIYA COURTNEY, WISCONSIN RESIDENT: You know, you got somebody that's younger, you have somebody that's with an agenda, you got somebody that's relatable, you know, you got somebody who understands the issue.
KING: Courtney hears talk more Black men are for Trump this time. She doesn't believe it's a big number. COURTNEY: And I've heard what it is that people have said. I've heard people talk about the fact that she's been a prosecutor and she's put, you know, Black men in jail and things like that. Well, you know, you have to look at that closer. You know, if you've done a crime, you deserve to go to jail. And there's nothing that shows that she has a track record of targeting Black men and put them in jail.
KING: This line for early voting is in Sherman Park, one of the north side neighborhoods where Harris needs high turnout and giant margins.
COURTNEY: What I'm seeing right now is an enthusiasm and excitement that's even bigger than when Obama won.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING (on camera): The vice president's chances here depend on Zakiya Courtney being right or at least close to right about that level of enthusiasm in the Black community. Joe Biden won only 13 of Wisconsin's 72 counties en route to his victory here in 2020.
How did he do it? Run it up big in the Democratic areas like Milwaukee and hold your own in the suburbs.
John King, CNN, Milwaukee.
SCIUTTO: A familiar story in the states.
John King, thanks so much.
Well, Elon Musk is trying to move a lawsuit in which he was ordered to appear in a Pennsylvania courtroom. It's in connection with the Tesla CEO's decision to give away 1 million a day to voters through his super PAC, which is called America PAC. The Philadelphia district attorney filed the original suit arguing that this is an illegal lottery. Musk's attorneys say the case has nothing to do with the state laws, belongs in federal court.
Joining us now from Philadelphia, CNN's Marshall Cohen and perhaps Elon Musk is borrowing a lesson here from Donald Trump, delay, attempt to move, delay. Here we are a few days to the election. He's still given out those million dollars prizes.
So what's happening in court and can add this, stop this before the election?
MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Jim, that's literally the million dollar question here.
There was a short but needed court hearing behind me this morning in state court where you had on one side the Philadelphia district attorney's office, and on the other side Elon Musk's lawyers clashing on whether this case belonged in state court or federal court. A judge yesterday ordered him to show up, which is kind of remarkable move considering he is the richest man in the world. But in order to get out of that late last night, Jim, Elon Musk's lawyers filed a motion moving it into federal court, which basically put today's hearing on ice.
It was short, but it was tense because the district attorney's team said that Elon Musk was, quote, cowardly and irresponsible, trying to get out of the hearing -- avoid accountability for what they believe is an unlawful lottery that's operating way outside of state law. For their part, Musk's team said that this whole lawsuit was a big publicity stunt, conjured up by the district attorney here in Philly, who is a progressive Democrat, Larry Krasner.
So, no decisions today on whether or not this is legal, this entire battle will move on to federal court. Now, we're all waiting to see what a federal judge is going to do. This judge has not said anything yet in terms of the schedule, whether he's going to take this up tomorrow or Monday, but as you mentioned, every day matters, election day is Tuesday and without a court order to shut this thing down, Elon Musk's giveaway is continuing every day as he tries to get Donald Trump back in the White House, Jim.
SCIUTTO: It's remarkable, election day five days away, still handing out the million bucks, still deciding whether they're going to listen to the case.
Marshall Cohen in Philly, thanks so much.
Well, series of legal challenges as the election day approaches. In Pennsylvania, a judge has extended until Friday, the deadline for some voters to request a mail-in ballot after the Trump campaign reported that voters seeking ballots were turned away.
In Colorado, the Democratic secretary of state, Jenna Griswold, is being criticized by Republicans after her office posted a spreadsheet online that included passwords to state voting equipment.
In Michigan, Lara Trump, the co-chair of the Republican national committee. And of course, the former president's daughter-in-law posted a note on X about duplicate ballots in that state. So what's true?
Joining us now, CNN legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid.
Listen, I mean, folks got to watch this closely as I know, you are because, of course, the concern is one, voter access. Can people vote but also will some of these be used to challenge the results if one of the candidates doesn't like those results.
So tell us what are the most significant cases right now?
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I looked at Pennsylvania as really a microcosm of all the legal challenges that we're seeing in courts, and also the information that's being filed in the court of public opinion.
[15:25:06]
For example, in Pennsylvania, we saw Democrats filing a lawsuit over ballots that were maybe not delivered to up to 20,000 different voters. These are mail-in voters. They have sued demanding that the court do something to allow these people to vote. This is significant because most of the litigation we've seen has been from Republicans and Republican aligned groups and notable we're seeing the Democrats file a lawsuit over this issue, also seeing of course, the former president made these allegations of so-called fraud, but we know from our reporting is that there have been investigations into possible fraud in Lancaster and York counties.
This specifically stems from incidents of suspected voter registration fraud related to a mask canvassing effort. And they've received some registrations that has similar handwriting, unverifiable addresses. So, Jim, they're looking into whether there's fraud, but they haven't come to any conclusion on the state's governor is pointed to Trump's remarks about there having been cheating or fraud. It's an example of how he is potentially trying to sow confusion and doubt about whatever happens in Pennsylvania.
Now, I also want to say that were watching this Supreme Court very closely because they are considering a key case, really one of the most critical cases out of Pennsylvania and this has to do with mail- in ballots that if you don't put your ballot in the so-called secrecy envelopes, this is an additional layer that you have in Pennsylvania mail-in ballots that it shouldn't be counted and you shouldn't get a provisional ballot.
That is a key case that I'm watching, but you're going to see a lot more litigation, I think in and around Pennsylvania because both campaigns, quite frankly, are nervous about what's going to happen there.
SCIUTTO: No question. I mean, that case in particular, right, so not only would the mistake disqualify your ballot, but you couldn't get it just sort of second chance with a provisional ballot which legal cases are you expecting might be the first filed after the election or perhaps as the election is underway on Tuesday, to attempt to deny results.
REID: I think what you're going to see especially in the battleground states, are whoever thinks that they may not win that battleground state possibly revisiting some issues that they've already filed. Now remember, as we reported earlier this week, both sides, they have a network of lawyers in all of the states with the Harris team and the Trump team, they have local lawyers that they can you reach out to you, have jurisdictional expertise who can file whatever they need.
Until the Democrats, they already have thousands of pages of draft pleadings. So if they see an issue that can make a difference, especially in a battleground state. I think we can expect to see things fired off pretty quickly. I mean, this is what they trained for, Jim. They have been training for this for years and especially watching these battleground states and really anything that either side thinks will make a difference. But certainly Republicans and Republican line groups they have been filing most of the litigation here, but that is also not been successful in really changing the rules game. SCIUTTO: Yeah. And listen, it's one candidate in particular who's
denied the results of an election already in 2020. We saw before our eyes.
So, Paula Reid, thanks so much.
Well, coming up, the U.S. and South Korea, putting out a heavy response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Plus, a new warning about Kim Jong-un's troops. Now, on the way to fight in Ukraine, ready to deploy in combat.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:31:39]
SCIUTTO: The U.S. and South Korea held large scale joint military exercises involving more than 100 aircraft. This in response to North Korea's missile launch on Thursday morning.
Pyongyang says it conducted an ICBM test which is believed to be the longest flight time ever for a North Korean ballistic missile, and notably just days before the U.S. election. There is also concern that Kim Jong-un may request advanced nuclear weapons technology from Russia in exchange for his country's help with Russia in its war in Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a joint call with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. He said the U.S. expects North Korean troops to deploy into combat against Ukraine in the coming days, truly remarkable developments.
Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon.
I wonder this increased cooperation between North Korea and Russia certainly concerning, but also this ICBM test. Tell us how the level, the degree of alarm in the Pentagon.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.
What's also remarkable here is how quickly this has moved from just 3,000 North Korean troops training in Russia last week to suddenly 10,000 troops in Russia, 8,000 of whom are in Kursk. And now, we finally have clarity from the U.S. on what kind of training they have received combat training, infantry operations artillery, drones, everything you'd need to go into combat on behalf of Russian forces and essentially become more bodies for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the war in Ukraine.
And that according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken is exactly what the U.S. expects to see in the coming days. That is North Korean troops on the ground fighting on behalf of Russia and the U.S. has made clear for several days, if not weeks. Now, what that means is that North Korean troops may be the target of Ukrainian strikes, including with U.S. weaponry.
That's just a fact of the war they are entering here. And then, of course, you're right to point out, Jim, that there is this ballistic missile launch. It flew for nearly 90 minutes it is the longest North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile flight. Frankly, they shot it up, so it goes very high instead of out where it would cover great distances, including the distances necessary to reach the U.S. or other countries.
But the U.S. is clearly watching this very closely. And we have a better clarity on what it means. First, according to South Korea, may be a new type of missile they're testing one, they tested or at least experimented with about a year ago, the last time we saw a North Korean ICBM launch. And where's that help coming from? Well, South Korea says it is very likely now to come from Russia as the sort of quid pro quo that Russia gives back to Ukraine for the help of thousands of North Korean troops now, preparing trying to fight on their behalf.
Of course, one of the other key questions here is, what is Chinas role that was a question that South Korea was asked a short time ago in a press conference. And basically according to South Korea, China is watching and waiting to see how this North Korean deployment goes for North Korea, for Russia, they're waiting on the sidelines. Of course, Jim, the U.S. and South Korea would like to see China playing a more constructive role in trying to make sure this war in Ukraine doesn't spread to suddenly involve the Far East as well.
SCIUTTO: It seems already that it does.
Oren Liebermann, thanks so much.
So for more insight on this, I want to bring in Sydney Seiler he is the Korea chair senior advisor at the Center for Strategic International Studies. He was also the national intelligence officer for North Korea at the National Intelligence Council, this during the Obama administration.
Thanks so much for joining.
[15:35:01]
SYDNEY SEILER, CSIS KOREA CHAIR SENIOR ADVISER: Jim, thank you.
SCIUTTO: I want to start on the missile if I can. Does this show a significant new North Korean capability potentially? And does this bring us to a point that multiple presidents said they'd never allow, which is a nuclear North Korea being able to strike the United States, mainland?
SEILER: Yeah, the growth of the ICBM program of North Korea is somewhat fascinating. Because I remember working in the beginning the 1990s and through the 2000 and we've always looked at each and every launch establishing somehow that North Korea can put up a payload how far it would deliver, how it would perform. Not always certain, but they, they could hold us at risk for a number of years now.
And yet is a look at this. It's another lofted trajectory, which means it hasn't fully tested all the stresses that are re-entry vehicle, for example, would go through upon re-entry? It certainly is longer than the last one that was launched. So they will claim to have made some success in bringing more of particularly North America in the range. But I think the missile analysts will need some time to think about this and see, has this now definitively proven a capability, are we arguing a moot point?
SCIUTTO: Right? To do this several days before an election. Is that deliberate timing I imagined by Pyongyang?
SEILER: You know, it's interesting about looking at the timing motivation as we have these high level U.S.-ROK military talks going on. As you know, yesterday, the secretary of defense met with his counterpart in South Korea and today, there's a two plus two with the foreign minister and secretary meeting -- I mean, with the defense secretary and secretary of state, Tony Blinken, meeting with ROK counterparts.
So one could argue if it wasn't for the election that this launch was likely designed to respond to that Kim Jong-un actually in the readout of the launch alluded to these new clear alliance talks underway. But it certainly was taken into consideration the upcoming election and the fact that it would prove to both candidates are making progress is mirth. Korea is at once urgent, but also probably futile.
SCIUTTO: Okay. Let's talk about the idea of now 8,000 North Korean troops already Russia Kursk region right on the border with Ukraine. And now, Secretary Blinken saying that within days they expect them to go to war in Ukraine.
What's the significance of an Asian nuclear power? Joining a nuclear Russia in what is already the largest war in Europe since World War II.
SEILER: Well, that's why it's a great point. The strategic implications of an Asian nuclear power in North Korea been willing to, against international norms and standards and that the desperate request of Vladimir Putin sent troops to die on behalf of Russia, you know, as a disturbing evolvement of the state of balance of power in East Asia and Russia as attempt to create this new alternative world order, you know, we'll see ultimately how qualified these troops are. A lot of different reasons reporting malnourished, newly recruited, unlikely to make any impact to highly trained special operation forces.
Now we know a little bit of their mission. It seems within the realm of the possible and as we go forward, what will happen once North Korean bodies get start to get sent back home? And how many more soldiers does Kim Jong-un envision potentially sent him?
SCIUTTO: How concerned should we should our viewers be at this idea that North Korea is going to ask for something in return. And the South Korean prime minister said that may very well be nuclear technology. Further, by the way, Russia has already helped North Korea with its program. So to help it more, that would seem to be deeply unsettling. SEILER: Exactly. There was a laundry list that was issued at the time of the White House's initial declassification of intelligence ammunitions cooperation, and included help on the nuclear missile space and then conventional to include a nuclear powered submarine side and we can envision any of that being a kind of the quid, the price that Russia is ready to play.
I would be surprised. I know Russia expert, but that Vladimir Putin would give some state-of-the-art high-end technology. But certainly if North Korea is experiencing any difficulties in terms of the performance of these nuclear devices, performance so the re-entry vehicle, the airframes themselves that Russian scientists will be there to help him.
SCIUTTO: Tell me where China is in this because we've seen more and more evidence of China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran cooperating in a number of spheres. China has a long-term relationship with North Korea. China has seemed to calibrate its support for Russia and Ukraine short of providing military at least lethal military assistance, obviously so although there's evidence they provided technology which certainly helps them there, does China want North Korea to be fighting in Europe?
SEILER: Yeah, it's hard to let China off the hook in terms of their position towards not been more forward leaning in discouraging Vladimir Putin and his actions in Ukraine, not doing more to block this nascent restoration of the Russia DPRK relationship.
[15:40:10]
Certainly, if this relationship results in an emboldened and empowered Kim Jong-un and every indication it will. And he takes these new capabilities that the Russians are providing, as well as the insinuation some type of diplomatic support from Russia for North Koreas belligerent actions toward South Korea. It will upset northeast Asia in the way that China always has been reluctant to allow.
And so by their inaction, there enabling something that's directly against their national interests, our diplomatic goal needs to be to continue to work with China to convince them that is in their interests, both in Ukraine and in Northeast Asia, to roll back these actions by Moscow and Pyongyang.
SCIUTTO: Well, we should be clear, this election here in the U.S. has two presidential candidates with quite different views of America's position in the world, alliances, et cetera, with potential consequences as well.
Sydney Seiler, thanks so much.
SEILER: Thank you very much.
SCIUTTO: Appreciate it.
Still ahead this hour. A new U.S. jobs report is due out tomorrow. This on the heels of some good news about inflation. We're going to take a look at the numbers and what they all need.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCUTTO: Welcome back.
The latest jobs report is due out tomorrow. One big unknown is the impact of Hurricane Helene and Milton will have just yesterday. However, the private sector report published by ADP showed 233,000 jobs added, much higher than what economists had predicted. New data also shows that inflation has fallen, too, to just above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
Joining us now is the host of "FIRST MOVE", Julia Chatterley.
So, Julia, I wonder when you look at these inflation is going in the right direction. And you've maintained strong job numbers and strong GDP numbers as well.
[15:45:06]
Has the Fed managed to soft landing? Is that the view?
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN HOST, "FIRST MOVE": The economist in me, I get very nervous about professing anything with a definite conclusion, but the journalist in me says, yes, actually. I think anyone who looked back and thought that we were going to go through the fastest rate hike cycle from the Federal Reserve in, what, four decades, to them be talking about a growth rate around 3 percent, to be talking about tens and hundreds of thousands of jobs still being added every month and to have inflation now and this is the Fed's preferred inflation measure, just sitting around their target would say, job well done.
So to reiterate, I'd say this is a soft landing, no recession in sight, at least at this stage. And that jobs number was really great and not what we were expecting the last month given all the complications, Boeing and hurricanes.
SCIUTTO: Does that ADP report, does that give us a signal as to tomorrow's report as well?
CHATTERLEY: It probably doesn't. The way the ADP measures jobs is very different from the way that the Bureau of Labor statistics measures. I think the best thing I'm going to say about the report tomorrow is that there's only 35 days until the next one and that she that and well probably be more clear.
The problem is the way that the BLS, the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures it, Boeing strikes could knock 30,000 to 40,000 people off the job gains. We've also got the impact of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton that impacted North Carolina and Florida during the reference period. So the experts tension from average economist is that we lose around 100,000 jobs net, which could put us in the range of around 120,000 jobs added next, in the past month, Jim.
The danger that we're five days out from a presidential election these numbers are leapt on particularly by the Trump campaign to suggest one if they're week that actually this is a dramatic deterioration. The jobs market, it's not true. And the other thing of course is if its stronger than expected, that the data is fixed, that's not true either.
So we're going to have to watch this data very closely. But like I say, 35 days until the next one, which will probably be far less murky than the one we get tomorrow.
SCIUTTO: This is great point because not only did Trump falsely challenge an election, now he and many of supporters take any good economic news and just say the numbers are fake somehow based on nothing real. Before we go, do we expect, do economists expect more cuts by the Fed at its next meeting?
CHATTERLEY: Yeah, they have the luxury of sitting back and thinking that they have done a job well so far, but the expectation certainly from investors were fully priced for that quarter of a percentage point rate cut next week. I'll have the little caveat. We'll see what happens with the presidential election in any volatility, particularly in financial markets, perhaps that follows depending on what happens.
But for now, the expectation is a further quarter of a percent rate cut, and that's good news for borrowers, of course, Jim.
SCIUTTO: No question.
Julia Chatterley, thanks so much.
CHATTERLEY: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Coming up, a check on Trump's MAGA media machine. What they're saying about the election, much of it sadly, not true. And what happens next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:50:48]
SCIUTTO: The outcome of this presidential race is, of course, too close to call at this point. That is not the case though in the media universe dominated by supporters of former President Donald Trump. According to them, the outcomes already set in stone, and as Donie O'Sullivan reports, they appear to be laying the groundwork for Trump to potentially challenge election results he doesn't like.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN BUSINESS POLITICS AND TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: Good morning.
The reason you are here at my home at this godforsaken hour of the morning is because we are about to spend the day in the MAGA media universe.
(voice-over): Every day, millions of Americans get their news and information, not from newspapers or cable news... DANIEL BONGINO, HOST OF "THE DAN BONGINO SHOW": The momentum behind Donald Trump's campaign, ladies and gentlemen, it's almost tangible at this point.
O'SULLIVAN: ... but from a new world of online MAGA Media outlets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The secret ingredient to the COVID-19 injections has been found.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): Today is going to be a long day.
(voice-over): But you don't have to work too hard to get sucked into the MAGA Media universe.
(on camera): I have a Samsung television. As long as it's -- you're connected to the Internet, you got all these free channels. You have channels you'd recognize, but then you go down, Real America's Voice.
(voice-over): But Real America's Voice is anything but a normal news network.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: ... enemies, because we're going medieval on these people.
O'SULLIVAN: It's the home of Steve Bannon's "War Room."
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Where do people like that go to share the big line? MAGA media.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): I know that guy.
DAVID BOSSIE, AMERICAN POLITICAL ACTIVIST: Good morning, posse. This is Dave Bossie, sitting in for Steve Bannon.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Big part of what's happening on MAGA media is convincing their audience that there is absolutely no way that Trump can lose.
ALEX JONES, HOST, "THE ALEX JONES SHOW": There's a 99 percent chance we are facing total crazy town.
O'SULLIVAN: As the day went on...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If anyone believes that Kamala Harris is ahead in the polls, you need to have your brain checked.
O'SULLIVAN: ... it became clear that MAGA media is telling their audience to expect the election to be stolen.
MICHAEL LINDELL, CEO, MYPILLOW: Pennsylvania has done it three times in a row, three times in a row, three elections in a row. They had more votes than voters.
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): This is not true.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just voted in the (INAUDIBLE) election. I voted for one president, checked it on the video screen. When I got the paper ballot, it had the other candidate's name on it.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): This video was quickly going viral, with some saying it was proof of election fraud.
(on camera): This one has seven million views. "Voters in Tarrant County are reporting that the voting machines are flipping their votes from Trump to Harris."
(voice-over): Election officials had responded to the video.
(on camera): Now Tarrant County has put out a press release, 51 retweets, compared to millions of views for the video. "The original ballot was spoiled and the voter remarked a new ballot with his preferred choice reflected."
Essentially, what they're saying is, this guy made a mistake, and that's the whole point of having the paper receipt. You can make sure, and he was able to cast his vote correctly.
LINDELL: But I want to tell you guys about our final sheets that just came in.
SEAN SPICER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Before I do that, I want to tell you how I sleep every night.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): But MAGA media isn't all doom and gloom. There's also a lot of stuff you can buy.
SPICER: But I've got my Beam Dream Powder. Now, this...
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): It is kind of sad. You see Sean Spicer, once the White House press secretary.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: My own brand of organic specialty coffee, Rudy Coffee.
O'SULLIVAN: Rudy Giuliani, once America's mayor, selling sleeping pills and coffee.
(voice-over): The MAGA media universe is surreal, but also scary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The country's probably going to be in a state of whipped-up chaos. O'SULLIVAN: There are so many shows, so many influencers, so many people just posting all day long.
Clearly, one thing that is being pushed really, really hard is that Trump is definitely going to win, and, if he doesn't win, it is because of fraud, it is because the election was stolen.
Donie O'Sullivan, CNN, at my apartment in New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: And, of course, it's a strategy Trump has pursued before to great effect, even though it's false, Donie O'Sullivan, thanks so much. We are just five days away from finding out who wins this election.
[15:55:05]
But is the winner moving into a haunted house?
The Bush twins seem to think so.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA PIERCE BUSH, DAUGHTER OF GEORGE W. BUSH: Dozing off, falling asleep, and then, all of a sudden, there is 1920s jazz music coming out of the fire place.
JENNA BUSH HAGER, DAUGHTER OF GEORGE W. BUSH: Piano, piano.
BUSH: Scares the hell out of us.
HAGER: You're not supposed to say that.
BUSH: Scares us, dreadfully. Dreadfully scares us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: According to the White House historical association, ghost sightings are not uncommon.
President Ronald Reagan reportedly told dinner guest his dog Rex would go into any room in the White House except for the Lincoln bedroom, Rex would bark frantically at the door. Reagan believed it was Lincoln's presence that was frightening the dog.
Honest Abe is a common citing going back decades in the White House following his assassination in Washington in 1865. One of the more humorous encounters belongs to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who is staying in the Lincoln bedroom while visiting Franklin Roosevelt.
According to an account retold in "The Washington Post", Churchill had just stepped out of a hot bath in the Lincoln bedroom and was wearing nothing but a cigar the encountered Lincoln's ghost by the fireplace. "Good evening, Mr. President," Churchill reportedly said. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage." Churchill's legendary humor.
Thanks so much for joining me today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington.
"QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
