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CNN This Morning

Pence Campaign's Struggling Poll Numbers; U.S. Economy Grew at a Robust 4.9 Percent in the Third Quarter; Survey Conducted before Hamas Terror Attack Showed Low Palestinian Support for the Group; Investigation Underway after Matthew Perry Found Dead in Hot Tub; Remembering "Friends" Star Matthew Perry. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 30, 2023 - 08:30   ET

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

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COLIN JOST, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" HOST: Earlier today Mike Pence officially ended his presidential campaign he made the decision after he consulted with God and God said, dude, you're embarrassing both of us.

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POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Ah, that's fine.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: But the third Republican presidential debate coming up next week the field. So narrowing a little bit this morning over the weekend, Former Vice President Mike Pence suspended his campaign for the White House. His campaign was lagging in the polls facing serious financial challenges.

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DONALD TRUMP, 45TH PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Here's how the GOP front runner Donald Trump reacted to the news of his Former Vice President. Everybody that leaves seem to be endorsing me, you know, people are leaving now. And they're all endorsing me. I don't know about Mike Pence, you should endorse me.

I chose him, made him Vice President but people in politics can be very disloyal. I've never seen anything like it. You know, they asked me a question. They asked me -- , but he could have done what he could have done, right?

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MATTINGLY: Yes. Joining us now is CNN Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten. Harry, how bad was it at the end? I knew some about some of his financial stress, but also why didn't he resonate? He ran a traditional Republican campaign -- .

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes. What exactly happened to Mike Pence? Normally, you would expect a Former VP to do pretty decently. Let's just look how bad it was at the end of this campaign. Mike Pence is GOP primary sport. Nationally, he was at 4 percent, quite big.

You get into those early primary caucus states the First Nation contest Iowa 3 percent, New Hampshire, he was down to just 1 percent of the vote for a Former VP, no Former VP has done this bad since Dan Quayle during the 2000 GOP primary cycle. Why did it get so bad? I think this question tells it to you all.

Among Republicans was Biden's 2021 legitimate 60 percent said no, just 23 percent said yes. So Pence is roll on January 6, certifying those votes overseeing the certification. Those votes in Congress, I think at the end of the day were just something he could not overcome.

HARLOW: What does this do for Trump?

ENTEN: Yes, I think the real question is what does this do for Donald Trump? What are we looking at now? And look, Donald Trump is right now the runaway frontrunner. Look at this. He's at 60 percent of the GOP primary vote. If Pence isn't in the race, no one is anywhere close from DeSantis at 18 percent, Haley at 9, Ramaswamy at 4.

Here's the thing I want you to keep in mind. Where have people in Trump's position in the past what have they gone on and done? So look at this primary poll leaders at 50 percent plus at this point, all before Trump won a nomination. Gore in 2000, Bush in 2000, Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Will Donald Trump repeat in 2024? We'll just have to wait and see. But no one should be under any illusions. At this point, Donald Trump is the clear front runner and no one in his position has ever watched a primary before.

MATTINGLY: It's good to see you, buddy.

ENTEN: It's nice to see you as well. It's nice to be back.

MATTINGLY: Thanks Harry.

ENTEN: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: We appreciate.

HARLOW: Busy week ahead for the U.S. economy that is for sure. We're going to get a lot of key economic indicators a ton of earnings reports Fed Chair Jerome Powell will announce an interest rate decision Wednesday, and then the jobs report is Friday.

MATTINGLY: Joining us now is Rona Foroohar CNN Global Economic Analyst and Columnist and Associate Editor at the Financial Times. She's also the Author of the book Homecoming path to prosperity in a post global world, which is now out in paperback. We're going to get into the book in a great piece you haven't Washington Monthly in a second, but in terms of the week that we have ahead?

RANA FOROOHAR, CNN GLOBAL ECONOMIC ANALYST: Yes.

MATTINGLY: I'm looking primarily at Jerome Powell. What are we thinking right now, based on the data we've seen in the last couple of weeks?

FOROOHAR: Oh, man, it is going to be such a tough decision for him. It's a tight rope. Because on the one hand, look, the economy's in a great place. We've just gotten an incredible growth number, you know, GDP is soaring, the jobs market is great, this all sounds really good.

But what it means is do, is inflation getting out of control, do rates need to go up again? And that's the big decision. Because right now, there's a lot of worries that if we see another rate hike, that we may see a precipitous slowdown in the economy that you know, maybe we're at that cooling point, maybe we don't need another rate hike.

The Fed has got an incredibly tough job to do. And, you know, I think it could go either way to be honest with you.

HARLOW: You're a big fan of Bidenomics, love Bidenomics.

FOROOHAR: I love -- do in Washington Monthly piece, you also make the case in homecoming that basically, we are seeing a sea change in how this economy is run more focused on Main Street than Wall Street. A lot of Americans don't feel that way at all. They don't have confidence in the President on the economy I think it's 30 percent, 36 percent.

HARLOW: Yes.

FOROOHAR: In the most recent polling, and we all feel it when we're buying groceries or trying to pay rent.

HARLOW: That's right. What makes the case?

FOROOHAR: So inflation is a thing. It's a real thing. But this President is trying to make a sea change in the way our economy operates.

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And that's not something that happens in a quarter. It's not something that maybe even happens in one year it's something that's going to play out over years over decades that's a tough thing to message but what I would say is this if you look at how the U.S. is doing post pandemic, post war in Ukraine.

Now with the conflict in Gaza, decoupling with China, we're actually doing really well, you know, nobody thought this economy was going to be in the place that it's in, you know, that we were not going to have a hard landing that we were, you know, a lot of people including me, thought we were going to be in a recession by now.

HARLOW: Yes, OK, we may not technically be in a recession yet, but Jamie Dimon --

FOROOHAR: Oh were 100 percent not.

HARLOW: Person who thinks there are a number of issues. If you obviously read their third quarter earnings, and he talked about consumer spending down there excess cash buffers, he talked about persistently tight labor markets, high government debt levels, we have the largest peacetime deficit ever right now.

He also talked about we don't know what quantitative tightening is going to do. And then he talked about the wars that are ongoing.

FOROOHAR: Yes.

HARLOW: And how dangerous is makes that time?

FOROOHAR: Yes.

HARLOW: Doesn't that throw into question your argument at least somewhat?

FOROOHAR: No, I don't think it does. It's a matter of fact I think that my argument is stronger because of all these things. And I'll tell you why. We have had for honestly, half century, Poppy, really, since the Reagan-Thatcher Revolution. We've had an economy that's run primarily by the Fed.

Primarily on the basis of easing money, low interest rates, all the things that have kept stock prices high, but frankly, have kept incomes until recently pretty low and income still, if you factor in the cost of living, the inflationary pressures that you just mentioned, they're really not up that much.

That's why folks aren't feeling on Main Street. This President came in on a campaign of work, not wealth. Now, what that fundamentally means is we are using fiscal stimulus, we're using things like, you know, the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act. We are building things, there's a manufacturing resurgence in this country.

I think that we're about to start really seeing the job impact of that. We're at a major turning point here we're at a precipice and I think it's important to keep going the direction that we've been going to get to a better place.

MATTINGLY: The words, the President always uses paradigm shift use them in this piece as well. The pieces the great reordering in Washington Monthly if you want to understand the why read the piece. It's a very, very whether you like Bidenomics or not the why is very well done.

FOROOHAR: And I appreciate it.

MATTINGLY: Thanks for your time.

FOROOHAR: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

MATTINGLY: Well, survey taken before Hamas is October 7 terror attack on Israel showing a lack of support for Hamas on the ground. Where does that support stand now? We're going to discuss it, stay with us.

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MATTINGLY: We want to show you some new video just into CNN and Israeli tank was filmed apparently opening fire on a passenger vehicle as it was turning around on the main road running through Gaza. Take a look CNN, see it right there geo located the video which was filmed by a Palestinian freelance journalist Yousif Al Saifi.

It shows a key crossroads to the south of Gaza City. Also it said the tank was "standing there and targeting anyone who came close to it". And we don't know who is driving the vehicle and don't know their condition after the incident. Israeli army has not publicly commented on the incident.

HARLOW: This all comes as a new survey reveals before Hamas's October 7 terror attack on Israel the group was deeply unpopular among Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank. This survey conducted by Arab barometer on the eve of the latest conflict found 44 percent of people in Gaza had no trust at all in the Hamas led government.

It also found that a majority of Gazans favor a two state solution. Arab Barometer is a research group that measures attitudes and sentiment across the Arab world. Joining us now is the group's Director Michael Robbins and its Co-Founder Amaney Jamal, who is the Dean of Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Thank you both. This is really important because we have consistently said the administration continues to say you cannot group Hamas a terror organization with the Palestinian people they govern, yes, but the distinction is so important. Talk, if you could first, Amaney about what this 44 percent tells us.

AMANEY JAMAL, CO-FOUNDER & CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR OF ARAB BAROMETER: Well, what this tells us is that the support for Hamas does not enjoy popular opinion in Gaza. In fact, most Gazans on the eve of the October 7 atrocious attacks, two thirds of Gazans do not have trust or a great deal of trust with the Hamas government.

So in other words, the citizens themselves are not necessarily supporting Hamas as a governing authority, nor are they supporting Hamas, with its tactics to annihilate the State of Israel. So in other words, as citizens now are bearing the brunt of the Israeli retaliation, they too have not supported Hamas. So it is really a catastrophe.

MATTINGLY: Michael, if I read it correctly, past crackdowns on Hamas or in the Gaza Strip, by the IDF have driven public sentiment towards Hamas to some degree, do we think the same thing is going to happen here?

MICHAEL ROBBINS, DIRECTOR & CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR OF ARAB BAROMETER: We think that is most likely, in the past, we've looked at the effect of Israel taking harsher approaches towards the Gaza Strip. We found is that when the economic blockade has been strengthened, support from loss has gone up.

In some sense, Palestinians are responding to I think the anger and frustration about this situation from either the economic blockade or military actions. They're responding with a positive view towards Hamas, who is in a sense, resisting this and so in a way it's striving people into greatest support for Hamas, given the actions of Israel.

HARLOW: Amaney, I was also really struck by the support among those that you polled for a two state solution. What did you find?

JAMAL: Yes, when we asked respondents which of the following options they would support in terms of their future relationship with the State of Israel, about 80 percent of Palestinians, or Gazans chose a solution that basically had them living side by side in a peaceful solution with the State of Israel.

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The two state solutions received by far the majority opinion among Palestinians in Gaza. So again, the population in Gaza does not show support for Hamas, support for the tactics of Hamas or support for the goals of Hamas.

MATTINGLY: Michael, this -- a little bit with my last question to you, but you guys was, I think out of the field by October 8. Do you think the last two weeks have changed anything? Perhaps they support Hamas more because of the resistance, because of past precedent, in crackdowns, but in terms of the pathway forward, do you think this has changed sentiment?

ROBBINS: Certainly, it's difficult to say we unfortunately cannot go in given the terrible conditions on Gaza today. However, if we were to go in I do think that certainly the anger towards Israel, the anger towards the destruction. The Economist has recorded before the weekend that 10 percent of buildings in Gaza were destroyed.

This is really a dire and horrific situation for civilians living in Gaza, who, again, didn't support Hamas before this and are now suffering from this. But certainly, given that they're being bombed, given the horrific nature of what's happening, I would certainly expect there to be significant changes, and that there's significantly greater anger towards Israel.

I think certainly blaming them and not so much a focus on Hamas, and that this likely, when this does end, in a Palestinian public opinion in Gaza, is likely to be very, very different than it was worse off, and certainly, I think, much angrier than it was, you know, in terms of thinking about this as being Israeli caused, as opposed to really looking at the domestic government of Gaza as it was before the attacks.

HARLOW: Yes, it's crucial perspective to have in all of this Michael Robbins and Dean, Amaney Jamal. Thank you very much.

JAMAL: Thank you for having.

ROBBINS: Thank you so much.

MATTINGLY: Well, Matthew Perry cemented himself as a television icon playing Chandler Bing of "Friends" his TV mom Morgan Fairchild joins us to remember the actor next.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How would you like to be remembered?

LATE MATTHEW PERRY, ACTOR: I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well was a seeker. And is paramount thing is that he wants to help people.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to tell you I have read everything you've ever written.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I mean it. I mean, when I read you for you at midnight, all I wanted to do was become a writer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh please Honey, listen if I can do it, anybody can you just start with half a dozen European cities throw in 30 euphemisms for male genitalia and you have got yourself a book.

PERRY: My mother, ladies and gentlemen.

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HARLOW: That was actor Matthew Perry and his iconic role is Chandler Bing of "Friends". The beloved actor was found dead in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday. A law enforcement source tells CNN there's no foul play suspected Perry's death is under investigation.

MATTINGLY: Perry landed several high profile TV roles in movies and TV shows like Beverly Hills 90210 throughout his career. But it was his unforgettable role as Chandler Bing that made him a household name. The creators of "Friends" released a statement saying, "he was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart."

Joining us now from Kansas City, Missouri, where she's been appearing in Always a Bridesmaid at the new theatre is actress Morgan Fairchild, who you just saw played Matthews Perry's TV, mom and "Friends". Thanks so much for joining us. There are an unlimited number of clips you want to show and you want to laugh at and you want to be a part of it.

But I want to start with how will you remember, you said you were heartbroken? Oh, you remember working with Matthew? MORGAN FAIRCHILD, ACTRESS: You know, I just always remember Matthew as from the first day on the set. And the show was not a huge hit yet when I started working on it. And he came bounding over to me and I literally bounding like a big puppy and said, oh, you won't remember me.

But I used to visit you on the set of Flamingo Road and Falcon Crest with my dad. And I said, oh, who is your dad? He said John Bennett Perry. I said, oh my God, you're that little kid. Like, oh, OK. And so right from the first, there was just that bullion. That joy, that kind of friendly and wonderful, acerbic.

But puppy dog kind of feel about Matthew, and he was such a warm and wonderful and funny and creative, young man. You know, I was looking at some of the pictures over the weekend of us and realized, my God, this is almost 30 years ago.

HARLOW: Yes.

FAIRCHILD: So we've all grown up together, the audience has grown up with Matt, as their best friend, the person they wanted to be the person they wanted to meet, to know and have as a friend. And we all kind of grew up together with me being his fake mom.

HARLOW: It's so interesting. We, for years watching "Friends" saw what he showed the world right? How funny he was what a great actor he was, but then later in life, when he wrote his book, and he came out to talk about his addiction and his struggles. We also saw his reality and his humanity and everything that he has dealt with it so many people could relate to.

And I just was moved Morgan, when he said, you know, I want to be someone who people can come up on the street and ask for help, and I can help them. And he wanted his legacy to be a lot about that, and not just acting.

FAIRCHILD: Well, and I think that was one of the very, very special things about Matthew. I watched him go from a young man when he was 23, 24, when we started working together, and obviously had some issues during the time he was on France. I never saw it on the set, he was always very professional.

But then when you started hearing about some of the things he had gone through, I think one of the bravest things that he did in his career. And his life was to go public, to write this book to reach out to other people to try to be of help to other people. And that was one of the most endearing things about him is that, as they said in the intro, not only was he always the funniest guy in the room.

And the quickest, wet, and the most happy and up seemingly, but also one of the kindest, and having had friends and family with addiction problems in my life. People that I cared about, I know how hard that is for the addict and also for the people who love them.

And I thought it was terribly brave of him to want that to be part of his legacy as a human being is not only the joy that he brought to people, the great acting, the great fun parts, but also the reaching out to trying to help other people that being honest about what he was facing in life because to me, that's what we're all really here for is to help each other get through this and he was doing that big time.

HARLOW: That's really beautifully said it would mean a lot to him. Morgan, I'm sure.

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MATTINGLY: Can I ask before we let you go what made him so good at his job. You mentioned that you never saw any issues on set. He was always the funniest guy in the room his delivery. I don't think he could mimic it if you tried to study it for years, what made him so great?

FAIRCHILD: Well, you know, I mean, I've gotten worked with a few wonderful comics, you know, Robin Williams being one of them. And he had that magnificent quality of just being so quick, so smart, so quick, and that quick turn. And he could just pop up with something that you were not expecting out of the blue.

And it made it work, especially when we're working together with this sort of weird mother-son relationship that Chandler and -- being had, where he was always so embarrassed by her and part of his neurosis trying to deal with his parents, which I think a lot of kids could identify with it.

But he was just always so quick, just so quick. And in real life too, very funny, very witty, and it affected his acting. His acting showed that quick turn that caught you off guard that that made you laugh, because he was just a very endearing, fun, wonderful, wonderful guy, and I send my love and condolences to his family.

I just felt that I should do something because for millions of people who watch the show, they sometimes think of me as his mom, is Chandler's mom. And I just wanted to reach out because I've gotten lots of condolences on social media from all over the world who realized how many people this show touched?

How many people felt that it helped them grow up? That they identified with this character wanting to be the character, be the best friend and just as his fake mom, I just want to say how much I loved him. And how special he was and thank, you and let his family know all the condolences I have gotten to pass on to them.

HARLOW: So glad you joined us Morgan this morning for all those great memories. Thanks very much.

FAIRCHILD: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: And CNN News Central starts after this break. But as we go to break here's Charlie Puth paying a tribute to Matthew Perry last night at a show in Australia, remember?

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