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CNN This Morning
Harris Touts "Opportunity Economy" Ahead Of Debate; Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) On Pro-Palestinian Protesters Return To Campuses; Chiefs Begin Quest For 3-Peat Tonight Against Ravens. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired September 05, 2024 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:32:45]
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: All right, 5:32 a.m. here on the East Coast. A live look at Chicago, Illinois on this Thursday morning. Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us.
Democratic strategist James Carville, of course, famously said "It's the economy, stupid." And that, of course, is the thing that both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have been focused on. The polling tells the story because the economy is the top issue for at least a third of all likely voters in six critical swing states.
And that's why the former president is planning a big economic speech today at the Economic Club of New York one day after Vice President Harris tried to sharpen her economic message at a rally in New Hampshire.
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KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And my vision of an opportunity economy is one where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed. Where everyone, regardless of who they are or where they start, can build wealth, including intergenerational wealth, where workers are treated with dignity and everyone has the freedom to join a union if they choose.
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HUNT: All right, here to talk more about this, Sabrina Rodriguez, national political reporter for The Washington Post. And Kevin Frey, Washington reporter for Spectrum News NY1. Welcome to both of you. Wonderful to see you.
Sabrina, let me start with you because part of what we saw from Harris here was an attempt, at least, to break with President Biden on some of her economic policies. It's still not clear how there would be kind of major shifts from the way Biden has been doing it. But it seemed clear that they wanted to send a message that they were willing to, at least, in some small ways ahead of the debate, no? SABRINA RODRIGUEZ, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Absolutely. I mean, we've seen she has this, like, delicate balancing act not just on the economy but overall on policy issues where she is showing that she supports President Biden -- that she backs this administration that she has been a part of.
But the big question for a lot of voters is OK, but if I'm not happy with how things are right now -- if I'm not happy with where the economy is right now how are you going to change my life? How are you going to make things different?
We know, again, the polling always shows the economy stupid, you know? That's what people care about. And I think really, a lot of this election is going to hinge on who people believe is going to help them in terms of the economy. Who is going to help their bottom line.
[05:35:05]
And Harris really needs to show OK, you might feel the inflation today. You might feel the increase in prices today. This is what I'm going to do to change that.
And that's what a lot of people are asking, just talking to voters out in some of these key battleground states. They might like her, and they might say they don't necessarily love Donald Trump's rhetoric and the way he speaks, but for them it's a question of OK, but my family and my finances -- how is that going to work out?
HUNT: Yeah.
And Kevin, one of the things we learned from our battleground state poll out yesterday is that this issue for Republicans in particular is very high on the list. It is the number one issue. It's not the number one issue for Democrats in those swing state --
KEVIN FREY, WASHINGTON REPORTER, SPECTRUM NY1: Yeah.
HUNT: -- polls.
But here was what Donald Trump had to say to this town hall with Sean Hannity in Pennsylvania yesterday, basically trying to scare voters, honestly, about what a Harris presidency would look like for the economy, talking about a depression. Take a look.
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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This country will end up in a depression, if she becomes president, like 1929. This will be a 1929 depression. She has no idea what the hell she's doing.
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HUNT: So just say, Kevin, Goldman Sachs seems to --
FREY: Yeah.
HUNT: -- disagree with that assessment.
They were out yesterday with this warning, "U.S. economic growth would likely get the biggest boost in the coming two years from the Democrats, headed by Kamala Harris, winning the White House and Congress in this November elections. Under a Republican sweep, or even with a divided government led by Donald Trump, economic output would take a hit." And they say this would be "mostly from increased tariffs on imports and tighter immigration policies."
This is their -- the Goldman Sachs economic analyst.
So clearly, Trump wants to look at it one way. There are some signs perhaps the other -- another way may actually be the case.
FREY: Yeah. I mean, a noted socialist organization, Goldman Sachs, if you will, involved here.
The -- I will say -- look, I mean, she's kind of trying to do -- it seems Kamala Harris is trying to 1) make the case to those middle- class voters who, as you were just noting, feel a bit uneasy. But at the same time she's also kind of trying to hit back on this 'Comrade Kamala' rift that Trump has tried to parlay her way through, for example, a lower capital gains lift proposal that she's kind of parting with Biden on. At least it's a very small proposal but arguably some separation there.
HUNT: Basically that people should pay lower taxes on capital gains, which is --
FREY: Correct.
HUNT: -- less progressive than where Biden is.
FREY: Exactly.
HUNT: Continue.
FREY: While at the same time also trying to make those entreaties to lower-income folks and middle-income folks with the proposal to help people buy houses, and also produce more housing stock, and also help small businesses. So she's kind of trying to play both sides here.
HUNT: Yeah, very interesting.
All right, let's switch to this topic. Liz Cheney -- you all know here -- going further than just opposing Donald Trump. On Wednesday night Cheney endorsed Kamala Harris for president. She said she's voting for her during this talk that she gave at Duke University.
Cheney, of course, a former House Republican leader, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. And she co-chaired the January 6 House Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack. This move ultimately ended her career in Congress.
And now she's warning fellow Republicans that writing in a protest vote this November -- it's not enough to stop Trump -- watch. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIZ CHENEY, (R) FORMER WYOMING REPRESENTATIVE: I don't believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates' names, particularly in swing states. And as a conservative -- as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris in this election.
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HUNT: So, Sabrina, this is something that Republicans have used to kind of thread this needle, right -- those who are opposed to Donald Trump. And there's a significant contingent in what was the Republican Party of old, I suppose, of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, for example.
They have -- there have been a lot of people who have said well, I can't vote for the Democrat. I disagree with the Democrats' policies. I'm going to write in someone else's name. I'm going to do something else other than vote for Donald Trump. I just thought it was interesting that Cheney is now arguing that's not good enough. We can't go that route.
What do make of it, and what kind of impact do you think it has?
RODRIGUEZ: I mean, I think this does create a permission structure for some of the more moderate Republicans -- the George Bushes of the world, the Mitt Romneys, and for folks that went out and voted for them -- to say OK, maybe I do need to give this a better look.
I mean, is this a question of does an endorsement suddenly mean that oh, thousands and thousands of people are now going to change their minds? Not necessarily, especially with how we've seen Donald Trump take hold of the Republican Party. But it does create this permission structure. It does create this conversation.
We also saw John McCain's son this week announce not just that he was switching from Independent but -- not just that he was voting for Kamala Harris but that he was switching from Independent to Democrat and voting for Kamala Harris.
[05:40:04]
And we saw this effort of courting Republicans and courting those people who are anti-Trump at the DNC.
So I think is all part of a bigger strategy to create that structure to say you know, you can vote -- you can vote for Republicans down- ballot but with the stakes so high in this election really give a look to Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.
HUNT: I mean, it's not a surprise, Kevin, that she's doing this.
FREY: No.
HUNT: But she also has been -- she's hung back further in this process than I think some people perhaps expected her to.
Why do you think she's doing this now?
FREY: Right. I mean, look, she wasn't at the convention like we saw some other notable names, including Adam Kinzinger speaking, for example.
Is this the way that she wanted to announce this? I'm a little confounded that there was kind of this, like, closed-door event at Duke University and then it kind of leaked out in some tweets. And then all of a sudden it went -- you know, made -- started making headlines.
But I think it's kind of like this slow trickle effect that over time if you continue to release names it provides, as she was saying, a permission structure and a bit of confidence for people that OK, maybe I feel comfortable doing this.
I mean, I spoke to one of the Republicans for Harris a couple of weeks ago and she basically said that look, at the end of the day Harris is smart, she's strong, and she used the word "not crazy." And this is a woman from a Republican family on Staten Island, so this is not some moderate --
HUNT: Right.
FREY: -- Democratic-leaning Republican.
HUNT: Well, and that's the argument that Harris' team is really also trying to push -- like, hey, it's weird and crazy over there.
FREY: Yep.
HUNT: It's not weird, not crazy, more normal over here. We'll see what prevails.
Sabrina Rodriguez, Kevin Frey, thank you, guys.
FREY: Thank you.
HUNT: I really appreciate having you.
All right. Straight ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, pro-Palestinian protesters returning to U.S. college campuses. We're going to talk to Democratic Congressman Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts about how colleges should be preparing.
Plus, are you ready for football? The NFL season kicks off tonight. I'm excited. The Bleacher Report up next.
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[05:46:30]
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PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS: From the river to the sea. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Palestine will be free.
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HUNT: As college students return to campuses this week, pro- Palestinian demonstrators also coming back. While at the moment, the protests seem unlikely to reach the same scale as intensity -- in intensity as those that we saw in the spring, there is fresh anger over universities new safety policies and the Biden-Harris administration's approach to Israel.
Joining us now, a Democrat from Massachusetts, Congressman Jake Auchincloss. Congressman, always wonderful to have you on the program.
You obviously say those protests re-escalating or at least coming back as students return to campus. The students in that video were chanting "From the river to the sea." And that phrase has also been in the news because Meta's board recently said that phrase does not constitute hate speech.
I'm wondering your reaction to the students but also to that decision from Meta. How do you view that phrase and should it be considered hate speech?
REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Thanks for having me on, Kasie. Good morning.
I personally find that phrase reprehensible because it calls for the extinction of Israel. And that's why I think that most of those protesters who were chanting it -- they really shouldn't be described as pro-Palestinian protesters. I mean, Kasie, I am pro-Palestinian. I want to see the Palestinian people have security, dignity, and prosperity. That is anti-Israel protests.
However, I always bend towards free speech and protests and speech are sacrosanct in this country. It's one of the reasons I voted against a misguided policy in Congress that I thought might chill speech even though I agreed with its intentions, which was to help colleges uphold a suitable learning environment on campus.
But if I was a university president right now, Kasie, what I would be doing is really three things.
One, I would be very closely attentive to my Title VI obligations. That means protecting students on campus from targeted harassment. If you are walking to class and people who are not showing their face or banging drums and shouting epithets at you day after day, that is targeted harassment and that's not acceptable. University presidents do need to prevent that.
Number two, I'd be trying to model better behavior. I'd be bringing faculty together to have tough conversations -- critical debate about complicated issues -- and show students what civic engagement is meant to be.
And then finally, I think these college presidents also should regain the conversation at the national level and lead a conversation about how do we do a better job of civic education and making sure that our young people in this country really know how to engage with one another across lines of sharp ideological disagreement.
HUNT: Congressman, we also, of course, saw the incredibly tragic execution, frankly, of these six hostages, including an American, by Hamas, right, as they were -- right before they were potentially to be rescued by Israeli forces.
There's now considerable pressure from hostage families to get a deal to get their loved ones out, including some who are saying, according to reporting in NBC News, that say that the Biden administration should try to cut a deal without Israel. And I know some families have also raised concerns that the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, is moving the goal post in these negotiations.
[05:50:08]
How do you look at this, and what do you say to these families who are raising questions about how the Israeli government is operating in this space?
AUCHINCLOSS: I've met with these families on numerous occasions, including the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Rachel and Jon. And they're living every parent's worst nightmare. It's really -- it's inconceivable. And the courage that they are demonstrating in the midst of these last 11 months should be an example for the rest of America in how we are resolved to return these hostages.
These hostage families have expressed to me a diversity of opinions about the right path forward and their voice is critically important.
I think that the prime pressure needs to be applied on Hamas to get this deal done. Remember, Hamas had these six young hostages record videos to their family members and then shot them execution-style.
This is not an organization that can be negotiated with absent supreme military leverage. And I worry that if we get into a dynamic where every time Hamas executes a hostage Israel is pressured to provide a concession, we are creating a downward spiral and an incentive structure whereby Hamas executes more hostages for more concessions.
HUNT: Sir, I also want to ask you -- I know you wrote an opinion piece recently focused on aid to Ukraine for The Wall Street Journal. And this morning there is news -- yesterday we learned that the Department of Justice believes there's been a Russian influence operation going on to try to fund some right-wing -- a right-wing media consortium. And that part of that effort is related to changing public opinion here in the U.S. around the issue of Ukraine.
What was your reaction to that news, and what impact do you think it's having on the election?
AUCHINCLOSS: The Russian intelligence services clearly think that Donald Trump would be more sympathetic to their aims in Ukraine than President Harris would be, although Kasie I don't know why they need their intelligence services. They could just literally listen to Donald Trump. He's been very clear about that. He would be happily acquiescent to Vladimir Putin's brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine.
The critical thing is for 1) the United States electoral system to be immunized against any foreign interference. Whether it's Russian or Iranian, whether it's for a Democrat or Republican, it's all unacceptable and we need to make sure that American voters decide American elections.
But 2) we've got to help Ukraine win. And Ukraine can't win if they are being handcuffed in their use of American-made weapons. F-16s, ATACMS have got to be unleashed against Russian targets inside Russian territory -- in particular, their oil refining capacity because they are funding this war by exporting oil.
HUNT: Very briefly, sir, we heard from Vladimir Putin, actually, earlier this morning who says that he is supporting Kamala Harris. It was something that he said in Russian, and we translated.
Do you believe that?
AUCHINCLOSS: No. I think it's classic, sort of, double speak and disinformation. It's very clear that the Russians have always thought that Donald Trump would be more amenable to their ends because Donald Trump is a Putin fan boy. He always has been, and he's said that.
I mean, in 2018 in Helsinki, he sat -- stood next to Putin and said I trust this guy more than I trust my own intelligence agencies. Of course, the Russians want a guy like that. He's going to be a stooge for them.
HUNT: All right, Congressman Jake Auchincloss for us this morning. Always grateful to have you on the program, sir. I hope to see you soon.
AUCHINCLOSS: Be well.
HUNT: All right, time now for sports.
We are just hours away from the start of the NFL season with the Chiefs hosting the Ravens in primetime tonight.
Andy Scholes has this morning's Bleacher Report. Andy, good morning.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Kasie, we made it. We made it. It's 207 days since the Super Bowl in Las Vegas but tonight the NFL returns with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs hosting the Ravens. This is a rematch of last season's AFC Championship.
Now, the Chiefs once again the favorites to win it all, but no team has ever won three Super Bowls in a row. And Mahomes -- well, he said right after winning in February they want to be the first-ever to 3- peat, but he knows it's going to be a long journey starting with tonight.
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PATRICK MAHOMES, QUARTERBACK, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Obviously, you want to play in the Super Bowl at the end of the year, but this is a big stage as well. And so to be able to get that experience to play a great football team -- I'm excited for these guys to get out there and the guys that haven't been here to see what it's like to be on that type of stage.
TRAVIS KELCE, TIGHT END, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: It's exciting. It's the first game of the season and everybody wants to come out and show how explosive they are and show how great they -- or how much better they got from last year. And it's just a great opportunity to be going up against such a great team.
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SCHOLES: All right. For the first time since 2003, we have four Americans in the semifinals in the U.S. Open.
Jessica Pegula punching her ticket to the semis last night with a big upset over world number one Iga Swiatek. Pegula taking her out in straight sets to reach her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal. She had been 0-6 in her career in Major quarterfinals.
[05:55:07]
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JESSICA PEGULA, ADVANCES TO FIRST CAREER MAJOR SEMIFINAL: I have been so many freaking times, and I just kept losing -- but to great players. I mean, to girls that went on to win the tournament. So, I mean, I know everyone keeps asking me about it, but I was, like, I don't know what else to do. I just need to get there again and, like, win the match. So thank God I was able to do it and finally I can say semifinalist.
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SCHOLES: Yeah. The women's semis are tonight in New York.
And Caitlin Clark, meanwhile, putting on a show once again last night. The Fever star had it all going against the Sparks. She was hitting step-back threes. Then look at the pass she makes in the fourth quarter, running the break behind the back to Aliyah Boston. Clark finishing with her second triple-double of her career -- 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
The Fever win their fifth in a row 93-86.
And Kasie, I mean, it has just been amazing to see Caitlin Clark just figure it all out in her rookie season, and she's playing just as good as anybody right now.
And, you know, the Fever -- they're going to make the playoffs. They're at the bottom of those standings of making the playoffs but they are going to be a dangerous team. It's going to be fun to watch. HUNT: Yeah, it is going to be fun to watch. It's been great to see her kind of evolve over the course of the season and really pulling it all together here.
SCHOLES: Yeah.
HUNT: Thanks, Andy. I really appreciate it. See you tomorrow.
Ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING --
SCHOLES: All right.
HUNT: -- tragedy strikes at a Georgia school. It was just the first month of class. We're going to have to the latest on the investigation into four deaths. What we know about the 14-year-old suspect who is in custody.
Plus, candidates kicking it into high gear with just five days to go until the next presidential debate.
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TRUMP: You can't take the chance. You have no choice. You've got to vote for me. You've got to vote for me even if you don't like me, you know?
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