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NC Senate Candidate On Why National Democrats Aren't Spending More In Race; Concerns Over MAGA-Influenced "Poll Watchers" On Election Day; Libertarian Quits Arizona Senate Race, Endorses GOP Candidate. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired November 04, 2022 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
CHERI BEASLEY, (D) NORTH CAROLINA SENATE CANDIDATE: What we're doing in this race. I mean, the fact that Republicans have to spend so much money and we're still extremely competitive in this race. I'm just really excited about where we are. There's a lot of enthusiasm.
And folks across this country know what North Carolina means to this country -- what it means for our democracy -- that we have to win this. That there are people in this state who are just sick of the pettiness of partisan politics. They really want to know that as a senator I'm going to fight hard for the issues that people here care about.
Folks are feeling everything from pain at the pump to the cost of prescription drugs and everything in between.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
BEASLEY: And in the greatest country in the world, folks should not have to be worried about buying groceries, or school supplies, or high-priced medications.
My opponent has been in Congress for six years. He's had every opportunity to fight for North Carolina and he has failed to do so.
HARLOW: So this is your closing message -- it's the economy and it's prices.
And I thought it was interesting that a few days ago you told NPR people want to know what I'm going to do when I get to the Senate to bring prices down. So can you just lay out for our viewers what are you actually going to do? I know you supported the Inflation Reduction Act but that is not in the near term -- something that brings prices down.
BEASLEY: Well, I -- you know, there are a couple of things.
We pay more in this country for prescription drugs than any other country in the world and Congress can fix that. We also know that corporations are seeing 70-year record profits and using the cover of inflation to jack up prices on things that we need. Congress can fix that.
And Ted Budd has been in Congress for six years. Rather than fixing it, he's been helping it. He's taking thousands of dollars from big pharma and voting against lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Taking thousands of dollars from big oil while voting against lowering the cost of prescription drugs and big oil.
So we can do better than that. I'd ask for your viewers to please go to cheribeasley.com for more information.
HARLOW: I would just say that both the Commerce secretary and the Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen and Gina Raimondo, said in the last few months that actually, what has been deemed by a lot of Democrats is price gouging or corporate greed has not been the main driver of inflation.
BEASLEY: Well, there are lots of drivers. I mean -- and we know that the supply chain issue is huge. We haven't had another time in our country's history where we shut down the economy during the pandemic. It's taking some time to get back from that.
And Congress really can help this country and people here in North Carolina get through this crisis, and I -- and that's exactly what I'm going to be fighting for.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I want to ask you about -- listen, Republicans are running on crime, largely -- the economy, inflation, and crime. You mentioned -- you said, look, I'm a judge, right, and you talked about what you have done when it comes to criminal justice.
There were -- this whole idea and messaging around defund the police -- the police have now endorsed your opponent. You are not -- you don't support defund the police. I'm wondering, though, if that messaging you believe has hurt you. What do you say about the defund the police campaign, and slogan, and messaging around it?
BEASLEY: You know, I have served as a judge for over two decades and as chief justice. I have worked closely with law enforcement officers to keep our community safe, held violent offenders accountable, and created the first human trafficking court in North Carolina. And I know that we must fund police officers to make sure that we're keeping our communities and themselves safe. And we also need to invest in community-based violence intervention programs to stop the cycle of violence.
Congressman Budd has had an opportunity to fund police on four separate occasions and failed to do. He voted against it. And he voted against addressing our opioid crisis here.
LEMON: But is it hurting you? Pardon the interruption, but is that hurting you? Do you think it's hurting?
BEASLEY: You know, we're doing well in this race.
LEMON: OK.
BEASLEY: We're doing so well in this race. Folks know my record. I've -- I mean, I've been an elected official here for over a decade.
LEMON: And --
BEASLEY: And so, I'm really excited about where -- I mean, folks are going to say what they're going to say because they're working so hard in this race. Ted Budd is so worried about attacking my own record because he can't defend his own.
And we are doing very well in this race. I'm excited about getting around and meeting people. People want a senator who is going to fight for North Carolina, who is going to serve with integrity, put people first, and not put corporations and special interests before us.
LEMON: But one last thing -- and this is not me, so I'm not being disrespectful -- but sister Beasley, we didn't talk that Oprah said I would be -- I support sister Beasley. I mean, that has to -- do you think that's -- look, I'm sure -- who doesn't want an Oprah endorsement, but what do you make of that?
BEASLEY: Well, Oprah rocks, right?
We have four days until election. We're going to keep fighting hard and talking with folks here in North Carolina. And people are struggling. This is serious business. We've got to get this right and I'm asking people to support me.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Cheri Beasley, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We'll be watching your race closely on Tuesday.
LEMON: Thank you.
BEASLEY: Thank you, all. Thank you.
LEMON: That was very good because it's -- as you said, it's not really getting the attention that the other races are getting -- yes.
COLLINS: I am telling you, I've talked to Democrats. They are very frustrated that national Democrats are not putting more money behind her because they basically think that they're ignoring the grassroots efforts. That's really how she's been running her race. And they think she's being ignored. They think they're close -- they're closer there than they are in other states.
[07:35:02]
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: Yes.
COLLINS: And they think it's going to potentially be a mistake by Tuesday.
HARLOW: And it would be --
LEMON: That's -- HARLOW: -- history-making, right? She'd be the first Black senator from the state. And she had said that if she wins it would just be 57 years since her mom got the right to vote.
LEMON: That's what you get --
COLLINS: Yes.
LEMON: -- here on CNN THIS MORNING. I thought that was great.
COLLINS: It was a really good conversation.
LEMON: I really enjoyed speaking with her.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARLOW: All right, new this morning, provocation from North Korea causing the South to scramble fighter jets. We'll tell you why.
LEMON: And election deniers turned self-proclaimed poll watchers. The lies and the conspiracies driving this very troubling movement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLE REEVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Are you sure about that?
JOHN P. CHILD, GOP PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN, RADNOR, PA: Yes. Look it up -- sure.
REEVE: Can we Google it?
CHILD: Google -- I wouldn't -- yes, you --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL)
HARLOW: Wait until you see this next piece. They are inspired by lies and baseless claims of election fraud. And now, just days before the midterms, new concerns about self-proclaimed poll watchers and fears they could intimate voters. Some already are.
Our Elle Reeve reports.
[07:40:03]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REEVE (on camera): So what are they training you to do then when you're watching --
CHILD: Observe.
REEVE (on camera): Well, what are you looking for exactly?
CHILD: Observing. We're looking for oddball stuff, I guess.
REEVE (voice-over): John P. Child is training to be a poll watcher, part of a wave of organizing among people who believe the 2020 election was stolen.
CLETA MITCHELL, TRAINS TRUMP SUPPORTERS AS POLL WATCHERS: All over the country, we're deploying people to be poll watchers -- to watch everything that's happening.
REEVE (voice-over): Generally, it's a good thing when more people get engaged in their local government, but some of this engagement is motivated by lies.
CHILD: Especially the mail-in ballots. That's where the big issue was in 2020 because in Pennsylvania, there were 1.8 million mail-in ballots that went out; 2 1/2 million come back. There's a question, maybe?
REEVE (on camera): Are you sure about that?
CHILD: Yes. Look it up -- sure.
REEVE (on camera): Can we Google it?
CHILD: Google -- I wouldn't -- yes, you --
REEVE (on camera): You --
CHILD: It's everywhere.
REEVE (on camera): OK. So, the first result is from the A.P.
CHILD: There you go.
REEVE (on camera): A.P.'s assessment, false. In the weeks before the November 2020 election more than three million Pennsylvania voters requested vote by mail.
REEVE (voice-over): We met John at a poll watcher training put on by Delaware Country conservatives. The organizer wouldn't let us in but John agreed to an interview, and he brought the training materials.
CHILD: My head was spinning at the end of it. I -- it's a rabbit hole.
REEVE (on camera): Well -- so tell me about --
CHILD: I liked it better when I didn't know any of this, honestly.
REEVE (on camera): Tell me about what was so mind-blowing in this.
CHILD: Well, the whole chain of custody thing of vitrons (PH) -- that was astounding.
REEVE (voice-over): The documents go through many technical and procedural details of how votes are counted after polls close, and question whether each is an avenue for cheating. It casts an enormous cloud of suspicion over the vote without any proof.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: And we're going to prove it to you on --
REEVE (voice-over): It's part of a real nationwide movement led by MAGA influencers who circulate false information of election fraud in podcasts and in tours across the country.
DAVID CLEMENTS, FORMER PROFESSOR: And notice how mail-in votes will occasionally switch with in-person votes.
REEVE (voice-over): They've inspired citizens to get involved at the local level to hunt for proof of fraud and to prevent it from happening on Election Day. They have not found proof of fraudsters.
What election officials are worried about is that these efforts could intimidate voters.
CLEMENTS: You have to get into the ring. You cannot fight this on social media.
REEVE (on camera): I have watched, like, many of these different presentations -- Steve Bannon, like this guy who calls himself the professor presenting this evidence. But none of that stuff adds up to the millions of votes between Trump and Biden.
CHILD: So, you're not convinced and we're a -- we're a bunch of --
REEVE (on camera): I'm not convinced.
CHILD: -- crazy people then?
REEVE (on camera): I didn't say you were crazy.
CHILD: Well, sure you are. It's --
REEVE (on camera): I didn't say you were crazy.
CHILD: No. We're deluded. We're misled.
REEVE (on camera): Maybe misled.
CHILD: I don't see it that way, but --
REEVE (on camera): I know you don't see that. I know you don't see --
CHILD: But that's OK.
REEVE (on camera): -- it that way. But I guess one of the reasons why it's important to talk to people like you is to see if there's a place where there could be reconciliation.
CHILD: Yes. Go back to same-day voting and paper ballots.
CHRISTINE REUTHER, COUNTY COUNCILWOMAN, DELAWARE COUNTY, PA: We get these comments. People come to us at county council meetings and say we need to use paper ballots. I'm like, we do use paper ballots. Do you understand? We use paper ballots.
REEVE (voice-over): Dealing with election misinformation has become a big part of the county council's job.
REUTHER: So the votes are cast on a paper ballot and then they are scanned, and the results of that vote are tabulated on the scanner. But you're not really voting on the scanner, you're voting on the paper ballot. And that paper ballot is maintained as a record of the voter's vote.
REEVE (voice-over): Delaware County, in Pennsylvania, has fought 15 election lawsuits against 2020 election deniers and won all of them, but it cost more than $250,000. And officials are worried about how much more time and money this movement will drain with the midterms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud and --
REEVE (voice-over): At the biweekly county council meeting, most of the public comments falsely suggested that something sketchy is going on with elections.
REUTHER: Somebody can stand up at one of our meetings and they get three minutes to say whatever they want and spout off lies about the election. There's not much I can do about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're talking about electronic digital devices. Every one of those is providing a gateway for outside intervention or in-house intervention as it may be.
REUTHER: I guess I would just say to them, do you really think all of us want to go to jail? Do you really think everybody in government and everybody who works in our election department wants to go to jail? Because we'd be doing something really illegal. And I'll tell you something. If I thought somebody was doing that, they should go to jail.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There has to be some degree of trust in those who serve the public that they are doing something for the public good -- and that, we have lost. I don't know our way out but this is the world we live in right now.
REUTHER: There's some kind of cognitive dissidence out there where people are saying well, we've got to save democracy by overturning an election. That's more of a dictatorship than it is democracy.
[07:45:00]
CHILD: I'm open to putting my eyes on things.
REEVE (on camera): Will you accept the results of these midterm elections even if it's not the results you want?
CHILD: Accept it?
REEVE (on camera): Yes.
CHILD: Well, what, am I going to start a revolt? No. Accept it?
REEVE (on camera): Yes.
CHILD: I have to accept it. What else are you going to do?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARLOW: Wow.
LEMON: My goodness.
HARLOW: You were just saying that -- Elle, you have a way of reporting these stories that really helps us understand it, not judge people but ask them why. Like you said, Don --
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: -- be curious, not judgmental. And that --
LEMON: But it's so frustrating. It is so frustrating --
HARLOW: It's so frustrating.
LEMON: -- when you get -- when you hear people -- their facts are wrong. Nothing -- there's been no proof at all and yet, these people have been co-opted. They believe what they're -- they believe in what's happening and they've been given false information about all this.
HARLOW: They are.
LEMON: None of it is right.
HARLOW: But did you get the sense -- that councilmember said, Elle, at the end of the piece, I don't know the way out but there has to be a way out. Speaking with these people, being with them reporting, did you feel like their minds can be changed back to truth?
REEVE: Oh, gosh, I'm not sure. I -- actually, John was really nice. We went round and round with me fact-checking his stuff and sending emails like this long. He was very gracious in accepting that.
But the overall sense that something has gone wrong and, sort of, the government is kind of plotting against them, tricking them. Fooling people for years with voting machines. That's not true but they really believe that and I'm not sure how to pierce that.
COLLINS: It's like a firmly-held belief that people have. Even if you present them with all the evidence that it's not true, they'll still say it's true anyway because they feel internally that they believe it.
LEMON: But it doesn't help that you have leaders -- even the biggest leader in the -- in the world -- who are feeding them misinformation and who keep pounding it home every single day. They're being lied to as constituents. They are being and they are voting and acting against their own interests.
I don't know what the answer is but it is not coddling. I don't know if it's tough love. I have no idea. I mean, that's a lot to ask you what the answer is but your report is just startling.
REEVE: There's a whole ecosystem on these alternate social media sites where they make documentaries that are very convincing. They're very convincing. And everyone I talked to, they don't watch CNN. A lot of them say they don't watch Fox News anymore. I mean, we got booed at the meeting, mildly, when we asked to watch it. So there's nothing coming in from the outside to pierce that bubble.
And when I was talking with John, sometimes I tried to push a little further -- like, who do you think is doing this? Like, who is plotting? And he didn't really have an answer for me. And I think that's indicative of there's just -- no one is coming in to question this.
LEMON: Yes. It's like a kid. There's a boogeyman under the bed, you know?
HARLOW: Thank you. Bring us more, OK?
COLLINS: Great reporting.
HARLOW: Keep going.
LEMON: Thank you, Elle.
HARLOW: Great reporting.
LEMON: Up next, we had to -- we head, I should say, to the battleground state of Arizona. The Senate candidates' final message to voters in the last few days of the election season.
COLLINS: Also this morning, Twitter staffers are bracing to potentially be fired by email as Elon Musk's memo about the future of the company was out last night and said check your email.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:52:29]
COLLINS: Arizona's Senate race is tied considerably in the campaign's final days. Republican Blake Masters -- his chances of defeating Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly have received a boost when a third- party candidate dropped out of the race putting his support behind Masters. The question is, is it a difference-maker?
Let's go live to CNN's Kyung Lah who is on the campaign trail in Scottsdale. Kyung, that is the question. Does this make a difference?
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A minuscule difference, Kaitlan. I'm hearing from both campaigns that they don't necessarily see this as a very big factor that the person who dropped out really had very low single digits. But everything in this race matters. That's how close it is.
The campaigns tell me that with control of the U.S. Senate still running through the state of Arizona, it is going to be a nail-biter until the very end.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLAKE MASTERS, (R) ARIZONA SENATE CANDIDATE: Thank you for being the tip of the spear. Let's go manufacture this red wave.
LAH (voice-over): A Republican resurgence pledges Senate nominee Blake Masters in the final stretch, closing with this message.
MASTERS: They've made life in America and life in Arizona more dangerous, less affordable.
LAH (voice-over): That resonates with Evelyn Tinsley, small business owner, mom of four.
EVELYN TINSLEY, REPUBLICAN VOTER: A lot of things have changed since Biden has gone into office. Food has definitely gone up. It's crazy, especially with how many people we have --
LAH (voice-over): What Tinsley does not worry about is Donald Trump --
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Blake Masters has my complete and total endorsement.
LAH (voice-over): -- urging Masters to lie about the election like Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake.
TRUMP: Look at Kari. Kari is winning with very little money. And if they say how is your family, she says the election was rigged and stolen. You'll lose if you go soft. You're going to lose that base.
MASTERS: I'm not going soft.
LAH (on camera): What do you say to moderates who are concerned about the economy but they're also concerned about what you're saying about the 2020 election -- the election denials?
MASTERS: I don't think they're concerned about what I say about 2020. I think the most important things by far, right now, to voters are inflation, crime, and the border.
LAH (voice-over): Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly will test that belief with a message of his own, labeling Masters as extreme on abortion, Social Security, and democracy.
SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): Blake Masters has some beliefs that are just dangerous for Arizonans. Somebody who thinks they know better than everyone about everything -- letting them make decisions for you is dangerous.
[07:55:00] KEITH GREENBERG, REPUBLICAN NOW VOTING DEMOCRAT: I am a registered Republican.
LAH (voice-over): Election deniers at the top of the Republican ticket is why Keith Greenberg is at the Democrats' rally.
GREENBERG: The Republicans have some momentum but I think Arizonans are smart enough to know how to vote properly and protect democracy.
LAH (voice-over): The husband of former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Kelly is leaning into his experience as an astronaut and his service as a Navy combat veteran --
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He is actually a top gun.
LAH (voice-over): -- propelled in these last hours by a Democratic powerhouse.
OBAMA: And if you've got an election denier serving as your governor, as your senator, as your secretary of state, as your attorney general, then democracy as we know it may not survive in Arizona. That's not an exaggeration, that is a fact.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: And the national forces are continuing to come into Arizona. This weekend, Dr. Jill Biden will be in Arizona supporting Sen. Kelly. Notably, though, not the president -- Kaitlan.
COLLINS: Yes. I'm sure Blake Masters' campaign will still point out there is a Biden in the state for him.
Kyung Lah, thank you for that report.
HARLOW: All right. So we are waiting -- just a few minutes away from a big economic report -- the last major report on the U.S. economy before the midterm election. What is the White House anticipating? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL)
