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CNN This Morning

DeSantis Goes Off On Trump, Blames Ex-President For His Own Defeat; U.S. Economy Adds 336,000 Jobs In September; "Seeing Red: Running With Bulls" Airs Sunday At 8PM ET/PT; Estefania Rebellon Helps To Educate Migrant Children Living In Shelters; What The Betting Odds Say About The Race For House Speaker. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 06, 2023 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Will but the comments from the Florida Governor there who's 45. So, he does not qualify to be on the golden bachelor. But look at those comments get to something that he has been really talking about a lot, that this is not the same Donald Trump that you first elected, he's lost his edge. He said there he's lost his fastball. When you talk to voters who listen to that message. Some people agree with him that he is different.

So, there is a sense of the candidates are trying to go around the margins because they don't necessarily want to offend some of those Republican voters who like the former president.

But look, all of the candidates are going to be in Iowa this weekend, all the major candidates. Tomorrow marks 100 days until the Iowa caucuses open this Republican nominating contest. And Iowa is the place because it most -- it devotes a first to slow Trump's rise. But as we get closer and closer, even if someone does slow it there, can they slow it other places? Can his rise be slowed? Or is Donald Trump going to essentially march to the nomination? That is a question voters still of course have to vote. They have open minds.

But boy at this stage in October, DeSantis thought he would be in a far different spot.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: He certainly did. Its campaign actually moving a third of its off (ph) to Iowa.

Let's take a look at some of these --

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN HOST: Right.

HILL: -- most recent polls, very specifically comparing Trump and Biden, this new market loss of rippling, which I know Phil is really hot on as well.

MATTINGLY: I just think it's fascinating.

HILL: That we didn't -- no, but I'm agreeing with you. It is fascinating. When we look at where we're I mean, it's a -- it's a dead heat.

ZELENY: It absolutely is. And look, I mean, polls this far out general election polls, we have to put every degree of caveat on them. But this is why it matters. I mean, this is going to be a clutch race. If you look at the at the numbers here on inflation, economy, immigration, look at the immigration moves the White House made yesterday, the president's going to be talking about job creation later today.

Look, this is a divided country, this is going to be a close race. So that is one thing that the Democrats and the President's team are trying to wake folks up to the idea that, yes, this is going to be a close race.

Something very interesting happened yesterday, that could shape the dynamic of this as well not talked about a lot. But the Green Party candidate, a Cornell West decided to drop his Green Party affiliation and run as an independent. The reason that matters is he will not be on the ballot in as many states. So, one thing the White House is worried about is third party candidates. So that is a significant development a help for President Biden, perhaps.

But look, this is going to be a close race, the next year is going to be a closely divided. But one thing the former president weighing in on the speaker's race, which you guys have been talking about earlier this morning, that could have a perhaps a boomerang effect as well, not all Republicans are pleased by that. So, the divisions as we end this week on Friday, think of all that has happened just in the last week narrowly averting and government shutdown, one could be around the corner, in terms of governing versus not governing. That is something hanging over this race that voters of course will have to make their decisions on.

MATTINGLY: It's a reflection, Jeff, that makes me tired. First and foremost, the -- my fascination with the poll, and I need to defend myself to Jeff because it'd be like, dude, you can't just talk about one single national poll. It's the issues that you laid out. And the fact that Trump is plus 20, like the four most important issues, and yet, they are still neck and neck. And I think that underscores what a lot of Republicans are concerned about, but him being at the top of that ticket.

Jeff Zeleny, me we appreciate you my friend as always. Thank you.

ZELENY: You guys have a great day.

HILL: You too.

Just ahead here will the strikes across this country have an impact on the September jobs report. The Labor Department just releasing those numbers.

We're going to break them down for you on the other side of the screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:37:32]

MATTINGLY: We're following breaking news. That's right it is jobs day. The Labor Department just released September jobs report in the economy added 336,000 new jobs last month. Let's get straight to CNN business correspondent, Rahel Solomon to break down these numbers of wow, again.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Wow.

MATTINGLY: Of the last 15 months has been like that.

SOLOMON: Clearly coming in hot guys. Just to put this in perspective, this is about double what economists were expecting. So, Phil, as you said, 336,000 added in the month of September, the expectation was closer to 170, the unemployment rate remaining steady at 3.8 percent wages moderating just a bit that has an inflationary impact.

And let's take a look at where we saw some of the strongest job gains. Some of this is a continuation of what we have already seen. So, leisure and hospitality adding jobs there, healthcare adding jobs there. Guys, this is an interesting one, because all week we have been getting these conflicting reports about the state of the labor market. Is it cooling? Is it heating back up? This seems to suggest it's still pretty hot. Right?

So just to give you some perspective over the last month, last year, rather, we've seen an average monthly gain of about 271,000. And this is on top of that. Revisions very important here for the prior two months, we added an additional 120,000 jobs more than expected, 120,000 jobs more than expected.

So, it's still a strong labor market, which is great for the American worker in terms of what this means for the larger economy in terms of the Fed. Well, this seems to suggest that the next time they meet at the end of this month, October 31st to November 1st, the chances of another rate hike have increased.

HILL: Pretty strong.

SOLOMON: Yes, yes.

HILL: It is amazing. We look at those numbers and you put it in perspective to we have over the past 12 months and seeing what we're getting today. More revisions upward.

Also, with us this morning, CNN economics commentator, Catherine Rampell.

So, Catherine, when you look at this, it's fascinating because we are hearing from the President later today who will often speak understandably after a strong jobs report. There has been this consistent attempted push at Biden-nomics and selling how much this strong economy is due to the President's actions.

Do these continued jobs reports? Are they starting to chip away at that? Are they starting to help to make that case?

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS COMMENTATOR: They certainly don't hurt. I mean, these numbers are really, really strong. Now I would take all of them with a little bit of a grain of salt because there's like wacky seasonality happening here. The strikes probably are not included, are not accounted for. But even so these are very strong numbers. To what extent Biden to take -- can take credit for them, he's going to take credit no matter what.

[08:40:09]

You know, I think we are seeing a very hot economy here. And look, a lot of sectors are doing much better than many people expected food services, for example is back to its pre pandemic highs. Another thing that again, I don't know if it's exactly due to Biden versus other factors that's worth noting is that women's labor force participation, at least for prime working age women is at a record high today through this report.

So, there's a lot of good news to tout. And I think the President's attitude will be as if he's going to get blamed for bad stuff, you might as well take credit for good stuff too.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTINGLY: That's a terrible policy. I have to imagine what futures are doing right now. And I say that because this was like the week where I feel like every newspaper had the front-page story of like, rates are really going to start to bite finally over time, and market participants are starting to recognize that.

SOLOMON: Well, that tells the picture, right. So just to provide some perspective, just before the numbers cross, our team looked at futures and Dow was up slightly, just as soon as they crossed, they tanked about 180 points, they're now off, sell about 180 points. So, the reason why, I mean, this is good news for the American worker, this is good news about the labor market, except that it means the Federal Reserve that Jay Powell on that committee, it now sort of gives them a bit more push to increase rates further. And we have already seen 11 rate hikes since March of 2020 to 2021, let me get my (INAUDIBLE) plan in 2022. The year has gone by together.

(CROSSTALK)

SOLOMOM: Yes, exactly. So, we have already seen 11 rate hikes, they have already boosted rates 5 percent. And yet the recession that's so many people thought was inevitable, never materialized. But every time we see the Fed continue to raise rates, it makes borrowing more expensive. And it sort of increases that likelihood.

So that's why we're sort of in this period where good news is bad news. Good news is weird news. Like I mean, that is the (INAUDIBLE).

HILL: (INAUDIBLE) ultimate universe that we've been living in now for --

SOLOMON: It's our world (ph).

HILL: -- sometime, right? Where none of it makes sense. You mentioned Catherine the strikes, and likely not involved in these numbers. When will we have a real sense of that?

RAMPELL: It depends how long the strikes continue. One would imagine that the UAW strike, for example, might appear in next month's report. So, the rather the report that comes out for the month of October, that is released in early November, if the strikes continue through the week, where they conduct the survey. The difficulty with all of this is that even though these numbers are reported as being a monthly number, they're really focusing on a snapshot in time during that month.

So that's why you don't see them in these data, but you might see them in the following month's data. Same deal with for example, the riders (ph) strike ending, you might see a little bump in next month's report because all those people went back to work this month.

HILL: (INAUDIBLE).

MATTINGLY: Snapshot --

(CROSSTALK)

MATTINGLY: -- together and live in bizarro world, which has been you know, sometimes (INAUDIBLE).

HILL: You know what, there are a lot of great people here in bizarro world. So, I'm happy --

(CROSSTALK)

MATTINGLY: At least there's good company. Rahel and Catherine, thanks, guys very much.

Well, the annual Running With The Bulls in Pamplona, Spain is no place for journalists unless you're David Culver. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And you're holding your ground and I'm listening to Dennis's command.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Run! Run!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: David Culver joins us next to tell us why he did it and why maybe he wouldn't again, or maybe not, we'll see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:47:43] MATTINGLY: Well, this morning we're getting an up-close look at the world famous Running The Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. It's a tradition that dates back more than 400 years. But with it comes controversy danger, even death.

CNN's David Culver suited up in the traditional white garb and red scarf to capture the experience for the next episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER," and airs this Sunday. Here's a clip.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CULVER (voice-over): It's a bit terrifying, because you're starting to think all right, I'm committed. I'm on and I'm going to stay on.

As we gather as a group, we kind of find our positioning.

(CROSSTALK)

CULVER (voice-over): It's crazy to think that you're standing your ground after first the bells and then that rocket goes off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's rocket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, oh.

CULVER (voice-over): And you're holding your ground and I'm listening to Dennis's commands.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Run! Run!

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: And CNN's David Culver joins us now. David this looks like an awesome assignment for someone else but me to do. His -- oh my God you did it.

Can I ask, I can't wait to see this? But what did you learn not just from the running but for the whole process of reporting this out?

CULVER: Yes, that once is enough. That that's the big takeaway. No. Well, let me ask you guys this when you think of running of the bulls, what comes to mind?

MATTINGLY: You in a boot?

CULVER: Well. That's true. Probably. I think you know, honestly, for most advocates, it's perhaps intoxicated people who would you know, kind of flocked up Spain and do that -- that by the way is my boot.

HILL: Yes.

CULVER: I think it's people who perhaps have some sort of altered mindset in the moment and desire for a thrill like none other and there are those thrill seekers, you get a lot of foreigners that flock into Pamplona, Spain and this happens in July. Now we're telling this story now because bull running and bullfighting season because they're intertwined in many ways, run through October in Spain, and there's a lot of controversy mixed in this.

[08:50:01]

But I think for me it wasn't a decision ahead of time when I texted my family afterwards, they said, you did what? You're hurt. And there wasn't a lot, a lot of sympathy. And I think some of our bosses too, were kind of surprised that I decided to go forward with it. Because it was a game time decision. It was something that, you know, as I was talking to my team on the ground, Natalie Angley, and Jordan Cazardo (ph) and Joey Tean (ph), and Martin Burke, and I mentioned them because they literally carried me for the back half of this assignment after I got injured.

But it was wanting to know what that thrill is that people go after. And it's not just those who are foreigners, you've got local to do it year after year. It's deeply intertwined in their culture. And you've got folks who are foreigners who are Americans, who have just fallen in love with his culture, and who have made this an annual ritual, and we're very serious about it.

HILL: You know, to the controversy that is there. And I think every year --

CULVER: Yes.

HILL: -- we hear more and more of that it's being amplified, and not just by animal rights groups, but just in general, people look at this, and they say, wait a minute, why is this happening in 2023? I know you're getting into that as well on Sunday night.

CULVER: We do get into it a little bit, because when you think of the running with the bulls, you don't realize first of all, this is eight days straight, you have a set of six different bulls that run over eight days, the bulls are picked from the (INAUDIBLE) of the crop across Spain. And at the end of the day, those bulls that run in the morning are killed and they're killed in a bull fight and those are very disturbing, I mean to people and I didn't even go to one of those bullfights because they're difficult to watch.

So, I think a lot of folks are trying to reconcile that and yet you realize any criticism of that from outside the culture is taken as highly controversial as well. People take offense to it.

HILL: David, I'm really looking forward to seeing this tonight. We're all glad that you're OK. Because when we heard that you were injured during this, we were like.

So, I'm glad you're OK my friend.

CULVER: (INAUDIBLE) the boot.

HILL: I'm glad the boot is gone. And we look forward to Sunday night.

CULVER: Yes. Me too. Thanks guys. Me too.

HILL: You can catch David's full report this Sunday on "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER." right here on CNN at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

MATTINGLY: Now, amid the crisis at the southern border, this week CNN Hero is focusing on the children whose families are living in limbo at the shelters -- in shelters at the border waiting to enter the U.S. legally. When she learned that some children are out of school for months, even years. She decided to bring the classroom to them.

We meet the remarkable Estefania Rebellon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESTEFANIA REBELLON, CO-FOUNDER, YES WE CAN: I just kept feeling like the weight of this crisis was on my shoulders. Schools are the way to be able to help them feel. So, I thought, why don't we turn a bus into a mobile classroom. We currently have three mobile school buses and we have also opened fourth school locations along the border. We partner with shelters to provide bilingual educational programs for migrant children and refugee children at the U.S.-Mexico border.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

REBELLON: And a lot of them are always very surprised that I myself was a migrant child. I always want the kids to realize that being a migrant is not something they need to be ashamed of.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

REBELLON: I want our efforts to be something permanent. And that when it's all said and done that, we would be proud to look back and say that we were there when people needed us the most.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: And to see Estefania's work and action and learn about her -- more about her own journey, go to CNNHeroes.com.

HILL: The race for Speaker heating up overnight after for President Trump threw his support behind Jim Jordan. So how does that impact the Vegas odds? Well, there's only one man who give us that answer, the man with all the answers, Harry Enten who's going to break it down for us, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:58:04]

HILL: So, we know the House Speaker job is up for grabs this morning. There are already a couple of names in the hat. Perhaps you're a betting man or woman. So then at that point, you say what is the market telling you about? Who's going to get the gavel? That is when we turn to CNN senior data reporter, Harry Enten.

You're actually looking at the odds here --

MATTINGLY: We are with you.

HILL: -- to the next speaker.

MATTINGLY: We are.

HILL: How active is this in terms of a betting set?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: You know, there are a lot of people who like betting on politics, and at this particular point the betting jobs becoming the next speaker. We have a favorite here in Jim Jordan a 53 percent chance of becoming the next speaker, Steve Scalise at a 32 percent chance. Of course, last night there was some big movement for Mr. Jordan and why that was because Donald Trump endorsed him. And we can see the betting odds on Jim Jordan becoming the next speaker had been rising steadily, 16 percent on Wednesday, 30 percent before the Trump endorsement last night, and now at 53 percent.

So, at this particular point, Jim Jordan looks like the favorite. Of course, if you do the math very quickly here, 53 plus 32 doesn't get you to 100 percent. So maybe it could be somebody else as well.

MATTINGLY: I'm just doing the math.

ENTEN: Yes.

MATTINGLY: Yes, that's right. OK. That makes a good point. So, the Trump endorsement, clearly the race is over, right? To the base on every endorsement, he's ever given. Is that fair?

ENTEN: I don't think that that's particularly fair. So, GOP candidates endorsed by Trump and non-incumbent primaries in 2022 won, 84 percent of the time. So clearly, there's a big reason to think that Donald Trump will get -- will provide a boost to Jim Jordan, but still that leaves 16 percent chance that, you know, based upon past endorsements, it could be somebody else, so it's not a full-blown endorsement.

Donald Trump's chance to be coming next speaker, I know a lot of people have been talking about that just 2 percent according to the betting markets, but perhaps the biggest question is will this get finished by next Wednesday? Sixty percent in the betting market say yes, 39 percent say no. Please God be this 61 percent. I think we're all hoping on that. We can't go through another. What is it 15 ballots like last time?

MATTINGLY: Yes. Not going to happen. And also, the 2 percent like be better Harry, it's zero. It was always zero.

HILL: Wow.

(CROSSTALK)

HILL: It's a margin of error plus or minus two percent. MATTINGLY: I just loved here. I never saying never.

HILL: I can tell, I can tell --

(CROSSTALK)

ENTEN: By the way, I'm not way to dress like me today.

MATTINGLY: Obviously as my idol both in fashion and in life generally, Harry, I'm always trying to be.

ENTEN: It's so beautiful.

MATTINGLY: Harry Enten, thanks brother.

ENTEN: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: Appreciate it. It's great to see you.

HILL: Always a pleasure.

MATTINGLY: Have a great weekend. "CNN CENTRAL," starts right now.

[09:00:00]