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Zelenskyy: Russian Withdrawal from Kherson Might Be Strategic Regroup; Iranian Actress Appears in Photo without Headscarf; Interview with U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry; U.S. House and Senate Balance Too Close to Call; Biden Intends to Run for Second Term; Musk Pleads with Twitter Advertisers; Artemis I Launch Date Scheduled for November 16. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired November 10, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Based on what we know as of today, we have lost very few seats, for certain. We still have a
possibility of keeping the House.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Too close to call. Votes still being counted in the critical U.S. House and Senate
races.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): You asked whether I thought this war would last so long. No, because I did not start
this war.
KINKADE (voice-over): CNN's chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour sat down with the president of Ukraine. Hear what he had to say.
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JOHN KERRY, U.S. SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE: China and the United States really need to cooperate on this.
KINKADE (voice-over): And can the world's two largest economies see eye to eye on climate targets?
David McKenzie meets with U.S. climate envoy John Kerry.
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KINKADE: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Lynda Kinkade, good to have you with us.
Two days after polls closed in the U.S., ballots are still being counted. The balance of power in Washington is in a state of limbo. In the House of
Representatives, the Republicans need nine more states to clinch a majority while the Senate has come down to just three states.
Arizona is too close to call, so is Nevada and it could be several days until the final results are in. And the race in Georgia was so close that
the candidates will face a runoff next month. The outcome between the incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger, Herschel Walker could
determine which party controls the Senate. CNN's Eva McKend joins us live now from Atlanta.
Eva, good to have you with us, Georgia going into a runoff for the Senate.
What exactly does that entail?
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, this means that Senator Warnock, Herschel Walker, neither of them crossed that
critical above 50 percent threshold.
So essentially they will have to campaign for another four weeks, continue to make their case to voters. You know, this rule in Georgia is not unique
to this state, it happens in a few other states. It is a holdover of the Jim Crow era, a time when an ugly part of American history, to keep African
American candidates from being able to succeed.
Of course, now we have a historic matchup, with two Black men running for the United States Senate but this is why they have to engage in this
process of essentially imploring their voters to vote again.
KINKADE: And the outcomes in Arizona and Nevada, where the votes are obviously still being counted, Georgia could certainly decide which party
controls the Senate, right?
MCKEND: It certainly can. That is why this race could potentially be so consequential. You know, who serves or who leads in the United States
Senate is really key to whether President Biden's domestic policy agenda moves forward. That is why it's so pivotal when you think about voting for
Supreme Court judges.
That boils down to who is in control of the Senate. Georgia was in this position just two years ago. Senator Warnock won in a runoff, that is why
his camp is feeling strong and well positioned going into this runoff.
They said, hey, look, senator Warnock won a runoff just two years ago. We know how to do this. But yes, Lynda, this runoff could potentially be very
consequential, not only for the estate but before the entire nation.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly a crucial run to watch, Eva, good to have you with us, thanks so much and welcome on board.
Russia's war on Ukraine is taking a huge toll and soldiers on both sides of the conflict. A top U.S. general is revealing pretty stark numbers. The
Joint Chiefs chair general Mike Milley says at least 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded in the war and that Ukraine is
probably looking at similar numbers.
Meanwhile, Ukraine says its forces have reclaimed towns in the southern Kherson region, including this one, where the Ukrainian flag is flying once
more. It comes after Moscow ordered its forces to withdraw from the strategic city of Kherson and other cities west of the Dnipro River.
[10:05:00]
KINKADE: On Thursday liberated a town on the main road to Kherson city. Russia says its troops are maneuvering to prepared positions on the eastern
bank of the Dnipro River.
And while Ukrainian commanders say Moscow had no option but to flee, they are also skeptical about Russia's biggest military shift in months.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also wary.
In an exclusive CNN interview he says Russia could be making a strategic move to regroup forces. Moscow's move out of Kherson could cost Russia the
only Ukrainian regional capital it's captured since its February invasion. CNN's Nic Robertson reports.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Without acknowledging failure, Russia's top general in Ukraine announced an
apparent retreat from Kherson.
SERGEI SUROVIKIN, COMMANDER OF RUSSIAN OPERATION IN UKRAINE (through translator): This is a very difficult decision. At the same time, we will
save most importantly the lives of our troops and the overall combat effectiveness of the troops.
ROBERTSON: An admission of defeat that has been foreshadowed for several weeks. Civilians forced to evacuate east across the strategic Dnipro River.
The Russian flag gone from Kherson's main administrative building. Fewer troops on city streets, Russian checkpoints in the city gone.
And significantly Tuesday night, blowing several key bridges on front lines to slow Ukraine's advance, all indicative they're readying for retreat.
Ukrainian officials remain cautious. Presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak tweeting, actions speak louder than words. We see no signs Russia
is leaving Kherson without a fight. Ukraine is liberating territories based on intelligence data, not staged TV statements.
Complicating their assessment, the sudden death Wednesday of a senior Russian installed official Kirill Stremousov in a road traffic accident,
according to Russian state media. Precise details or the implication still unclear.
Regardless the retreat, immediate some troops to stay close fight from the east bank of the Dnipro River, others to bolster other fronts.
SUROVIKIN (through translator): Part of the forces and means will be released, which will be used for active operations, including offensive
ones in other directions in the operation zone.
ROBERTSON: Losing Kherson is a huge blow to Putin, captured in the opening days of the war it will be the first regional capital to be retaken by
Ukraine less than six weeks since Putin illegally annexed it and declared it part of Russia.
Ukrainian forces have been readying to retake Kherson for months and finally appear poised to do so if it's not a trap -- Nic Roberson, CNN,
Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
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KINKADE: Chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour sat down for an exclusive interview with the Ukrainian president and the first lady in
Kyiv. She joins us now live from the Ukrainian capital.
Great to see you, Christiane, and a fascinating sit-down exclusive interview. You asked the president about this battle in the Kherson region.
What did he tell you?
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he basically told us don't believe it. He was telling us and telegraphing that
don't believe these stories from the Russians. They may say one thing publicly.
We have not watched or observed them in a retreat. So this may be a regroup. That's coming from this side. We will see what happens.
But I also asked him about the status of Kherson and whether they were going to do the much anticipated counteroffensive to liberate it. I asked
him that, inasmuch as I also asked him about how he and the first lady are coping with, now, nearly nine months of this war, which they had obviously
never expected. This is part of our conversation.
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ZELENSKYY (through translator): You asked whatever I thought this war would last so long. No, because, I did not start this war. And I am sure
there is not a single Ukrainian who knew what this would be and what tragedy this would bring to every home in our country.
Because, I repeat, we did not start this war. But Ukrainian society united and showed that it was ready for what, unfortunately, was such a tragedy,
showed that it was ready for these challenges.
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ZELENSKYY (through translator): I was really impressed by the power of one nation and was impressed by that swiftness of the response of Europe, the
whole world and the whole international community that rallied around Ukraine for this challenge.
AMANPOUR: First Lady, what motivates you to get up in the morning?
How do you feel that you have endured this war?
OLENA ZELENSKA, FIRST LADY OF UKRAINE (through translator): Well, thank you, it is a big question. It covers many spheres of my life. And what
helps me get up in the morning, surely, as you said, is my husband's example. I know that if he endures then I have to endure.
If the day has begun, then we have to keep fighting. That keeps me going.
AMANPOUR: Mr. President, what is the status of Kherson and the impending battle to retake Kherson?
ZELENSKYY (through translator): That is a very serious question. And I will be frank with you. I will try to answer it in a way that does not give
you an answer, to be honest, because, these planned military actions, they are discussed in a small circle. But then they are executed in silence.
And I really want to have an unpleasant surprise for the enemy and not something they are prepared for. So I'd like to apologize. But at any rate,
people and our public needs to know that we are working on some very serious steps with a positive outcome for the citizens of Ukraine and all
those communities that support peace in Ukraine.
AMANPOUR: Is it true that you said to President Biden, when they offered to evacuate you at the beginning, that you said, "I do not need a ride, I
need ammunition"?
ZELENSKYY (through translator): Yes, that's right. Nothing changed. You know, my answer is still the same.
AMANPOUR: What strength do you get from each other?
ZELENSKYY: If I can.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
ZELENSKYY: That is my love and that is my best friend, so, that is my energy. I wanted to answer your question at the very beginning, where Olena
told you like she prepared breakfast for the children in the morning and prepared clothes and et cetera.
And what I wanted to tell you, that I have no such possibility. So nobody gives me breakfast in the morning.
(LAUGHTER)
ZELENSKYY: I mean that is such difficult period.
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AMANPOUR: So a little humor and humanity there, referring to the president, obviously, the fact that security reasons means that he and the
first lady and their children do not actually all live together.
And he was talking about that. You heard him deflect my question; he obviously was not going to reveal any military secrets or battlefield plans
for Kherson. But again, they warned that they are digging in.
He said the Russians, that's what they have observed, and they are waiting to see how this transpires.
He also said, given the fact that we are in the midst of the returns from the midterms, that he hoped that the balance of power, whichever way it
settles down in the United States, does not affect or alter the very strong support that Ukraine has received from the United States.
And I believe he has received a lot of assurances that support for Ukraine is a bipartisan pledge in the United States -- Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, Christiane, that support from the U.S. and from the West has been crucial in the last nine months of this war.
What else did the president tell you about what support he needs going forward?
AMANPOUR: Well, we heard a little bit in that amusing question or not so amusing, about whether he wanted ammunition rather than a ride out. He said
it is still the same. So they still do want and need more weaponry.
We put this to NATO secretary general, who said it is coming. What they need, really, right now, is sophisticated anti aircraft and anti missile
defenses, which are coming in, very highly sophisticated ones from the United States and Europe.
They are getting all sorts of repurposed tanks and armored vehicles and other such things. But they need that to come in, to prevent the kind of
thing that we saw the last 10 days, which was a war on the city's infrastructure.
Whether it was cruise missiles or the Iranian supplied kamikaze drones, that needs a proper shield to defend against. And we are sure that is
coming. But again, they also need a lot of winterized kit for the battle ahead, through the very, very cold and hard ground that the winter will
bring with it.
So that is mostly what he talked to us about. He also talked to us about standing firm in the face of Russian provocations, Russian action in this
country, and also compared how they, quote-unquote, poked the bear, so to speak.
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AMANPOUR: And were not afraid of Russia. He said, perhaps, we know Russia better than the rest of the world. We know that we have to stand up right
to the very end. If we do not stand up to this and do not stop it now, there is no telling where Russia's plan and aggression may lead in the
future.
KINKADE: An interesting discussion. And good to see that the president and first lady still have their sense of humor despite what they're facing.
Christiane Amanpour thanks, to you.
Of course our viewers can see Christiane's full exclusive interview with Zelenskyy on her program later today. That is at 8 pm in the evening in
Kyiv, 10 pm in Abu Dhabi, right here on CNN.
You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD live today from the CNN Center here in Atlanta. Still ahead, a protest with a picture.
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KINKADE (voice-over): This famous Iranian actress is on your country in the world about the fight for women's rights.
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KINKADE (voice-over): Also U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has been speaking exclusively to CNN about what he says Beijing and Washington need to do
about the climate crisis. We'll have that story next.
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
A top Iranian actress has posted an image of herself on Instagram without a head scarf to show solidarity with anti government protesters. Taraneh
Alidoosti also holds up a sign that says "Women, life, freedom" in Kurdish.
Protests started in September after the death of a young woman detained by the country's morality police for allegedly violating Islamic dress code.
Rights groups say hundreds of people have been killed in Iran's crackdown on protesters. Jomana Karadsheh's been covering the story and joins us now
from London.
Good to have you with us. This well-known Iranian actress poses with this poster in solidarity with the protesters on her Instagram page, to some 8
million followers.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Such a significant move, Lynda. I woke up this morning to this storm on social media. All these Iranians
around the world, who are posting and sharing this photo of Taraneh Alidoosti, not only without a mandatory headscarf but, as you mentioned,
she's standing there holding up the sign that says -- (speaking foreign language).
That's "Women, life, freedom" in Kurdish. That has been, of course, the slogan of these protests turned into a national uprising. She's a very
well-known figure. She is a popular actress. She is -- was part of the movie "The Salesman" that won an Oscar.
She's also an outspoken critic of the government. She's criticized the regime in the past. She's a defender of human rights in recent days.
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KARADSHEH: She has come out in support of the protest, saying that she's not going to leave the country, that she is going to stay there. She's
going to defend the prisoners. She's going to defend those who are being killed.
Lynda, this is the latest in a series of these acts of defiance these, statements that are being made by really high profile Iranians. Whether
it's actors, whether it's athletes who are coming out in support of the protest movement.
And this is something that's potentially really embarrassing for the government that has really been pushing this narrative, that this is all
some sort of a foreign conspiracy to try and destabilize the Islamic Republic.
When you have all these figures from within the country, coming out and showing their support and solidarity with the protesters. But of course,
there's always a concern about repercussions, what might happen to her and others when they do this sort of thing.
Because according to the U.N., 14,000 people have been arrested since September. They include many, many journalists, actors, directors, artists,
so many people, anyone who shown support for the protest movement in any way or has criticized the government has been imprisoned.
So I think everyone is going to wait and see if anything happens to Taraneh Alidoosti after this.
KINKADE: No doubt. Hugh concerns for her. But also I want to ask you about some other arrests that have happened, other relatives. The sister and
niece of a well-known wrestler, who was executed back in September, have now been arrested for protesting.
What can you tell us about that case?
KARADSHEH: A very disturbing development, Lynda. This morning, the Iranian state media announcing that the ministry of intelligence had arrested Elham
Afkari. She is the sister of Navid Afkari. He's a well-known wrestler who was executed in 2020 after so many allegations of torture while he was in
custody.
Before he was executed, he was accused of killing a security officer during the 2018 protests. What is really significant right now is they arrested
her, accusing her of being an agent, working with the television network, the opposition TV network, Iran International that's based here in London.
They say that she has been monitored for years and that she has been a key player. They say that she has worked with, cooperated with counter
revolutionary agents. And she has been one of the main creators of organizing these riots in the country, they say.
Iran International says they have absolutely nothing to do with her. She is not an agent there. She is not a journalist who's worked with them. But of
course, Lynda, this is coming just a couple of days after the government announced that Iran International right now is a terrorist organization, a
terrorist entity really.
They warned anyone who works with them that they will be considered as going into the terrorist domain, as they put it. So a lot of concern that
they're going after people right now to try and send this message that they will not tolerate any more of these videos, these images.
The information that has been coming out to the world from citizen journalists. We don't know that Ilhan Afkari was doing this in any way. But
I think this is really partly a message from them, saying that anyone who might cooperate with Iran International will face serious consequences.
KINKADE: The crackdown continues. But clearly protesters undeterred. Jomana Karadsheh, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
The world's two largest economies need to work together to tackle the climate crisis. That's the declaration from U.S. climate envoy John Kerry,
speaking exclusively to our David McKenzie at the COP27 summit in Egypt.
Mr. Kerry says, in his words, China and the U.S. really need to cooperate on reaching climate targets. The relationship between Beijing and
Washington is pretty frosty these days. Our David McKenzie joins us now live from the climate summit in Sharm El Sheikh.
Good to have you with us. Good that you could have that interview with John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy.
What did he say about the action that the U.S. should take or will take going forward?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, you described that as frosty. In fact, it's a deep freeze between the two
countries since Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
But you did get a defense of cooperation from the climate envoy, John Kerry telling me that the two biggest emitters need to be talking to show
leadership.
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JOHN KERRY, U.S. CLIMATE ENVOY: We're not formulating and negotiating at this point.
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KERRY: But our hope is that within a short span of time, it will become possible for us to really get together again in full measure and do the
things we need to be doing as the two leading emitters in the world and as the two largest economies in the world.
China and the United States really need to cooperate on this. And without China, even if the U.S is as we are moving toward a 1.5 degree program,
which we are. If we don't have China, nobody else can make to that goal and we blow through 1.5 and it will cost citizens around the world trillions of
more dollars.
MCKENZIE: Politically there is a sense that the U.S. and China will be competing in the years ahead and some hawkish attitudes toward China.
Do you think the cooperation on climate change will be accepted?
KERRY: Well, there's not any competition is a pretty normal thing in the world business. Businesses always compete for market share for product line
and so forth. What President Biden has said is we can compete but we don't have to be confrontational. We don't have to be in conflict.
And I think that's what is critical here is that we deal with the issues and there are real differences between our countries. Obviously, the
climate should not fit into that bilateral pattern of those issues.
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MCKENZIE: If they don't talk at this meeting, it certainly will be a missed opportunity for many. And it might not actually happen. We will
potentially have to wait until the G20 meetings in Bali next week to see if maybe President Biden and president Xi can break the ice.
But the secretary -- former secretary of state did tell me that in fact they do need to talk. He also said that their new public private
partnership plan to allow companies to offset their carbon is one of the ways that they are can be financial instruments flooded into the zone to
try to help climate change.
That plan has come under some criticism for potentially greenwashing. But there is a sense that the climate envoy wants to push these plans and to
really show leadership at the summit and in future meetings, Lynda.
KINKADE: David, developing countries, who are least responsible for the climate crisis but are dealing with the impact, want compensation for
adaptation and climate mitigation.
What sort of reaction are you hearing to that proposal?
MCKENZIE: That is now officially on the table for this caution. I put the question to Kerry about that. I said many critics have said that the U.S.
was dragged through the finish line on putting that officially on the talks, this loss and damage, trying to give money to countries that are
being impacted by the vagaries of climate change but don't have the money to actually help.
He said that's an unfair representation. The U.S. is wanting to have these discussions but he said it can't be some kind of open-ended liability and
endless court cases. There need to be cooperation in his view that allows rich countries to help up poorer countries to deal with the impacts of
these catastrophes, these floods, these hurricanes, droughts, that we're seeing.
KINKADE: David McKenzie for us in Sharm el-Sheikh, thank you very much.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD.
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JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: While the press and the pundits are predicting a giant red wave, it didn't happen.
KINKADE (voice-over): A midterm election victory lap at the White House.
But is Joe Biden celebrating too soon?
We will have a live report next.
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KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN Center. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Good to have you with us.
Two day's since elections in the U.S. and we still don't know which party will control the House and the Senate. According to CNN's latest estimate,
there are 35 seats in the House of Representatives, where the race is still too close to call. It looks like Republicans are likely to control that
chamber. The margin will be very thin.
Things are not much clearer in the Senate, more votes need to counted to know which party will win in Nevada and Arizona. The Georgia Senate seat is
headed to a runoff, which will be held in early December.
The midterm results are seen as a victory for U.S. President Joe Biden. His Democratic allies had a better than expected performance. MJ Lee is at the
White House.
Good to have you with us, MJ. So the red wave did not happen.
Is the president taking a bit of a victory lap?
MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: He definitely is. A number of President Biden's predecessors in the past, after their first midterm
elections, had to really show a great amount of humility and promise the country a course correction for the future, because they got beaten so bad
in the elections.
And that is not really what we saw from President Biden yesterday. He sort of laid out a roadmap for the next two years and also addressed his own
political future. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: My intention is that I will run again. But I am a great respecter of fate. And this is ultimately a family decision.
LEE (voice-over): President Biden looking ahead to a possible reelection bid in 2024, after better than expected results for Democrats in Tuesday's
midterm elections.
BIDEN: It was a good day, I think, for democracy.
LEE (voice-over): Biden taking a victory lap at a rare press conference on Wednesday.
BIDEN: While the press and the pundits are predicting a giant red wave, it did not happen. Democrats had a strong night. And we lost fewer seats in
the House of Representatives that any Democratic president's first midterm election in the last 40 years.
LEE (voice-over): The president touting his administration's accomplishments during the last two years but also conceding that many
Americans are still worried about the economy.
BIDEN: The voters were also clear that they are still frustrated. I get it. I understand it has been a really tough few years for this country for
so many people.
LEE (voice-over): Biden vowing he will not change course on his agenda and also saying, if Republicans do take control of Congress, he plans to hold
firm on a number of issues.
BIDEN: Under no circumstances will I support what was put forward by senator Johnson and the one in Florida to cut and make changes to Social
Security and Medicare. That is not on the table. I will not do that. I will veto any attempt to pass a national ban on abortion.
LEE (voice-over): With the balance of power still uncertain in both the House and Senate, Biden speaking with house minority leader Kevin McCarthy,
who was hoping to be the next Speaker. The White House saying it is prepared for possible investigations into Biden's administration and his
family and even ready for impeachment efforts.
BIDEN: I think the American people will look at all that for what it is. It is almost comedy but I can't control what they're going to do.
RON KLAIN, BIDEN WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I think one reason why Republicans faded at the end of this campaign is they stopped talking about
what they could do for families and started talking about what they were going to do to the president's family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:35:00]
LEE: So after a huge week for President Biden on the domestic front, tonight he heads abroad, in part to attend the G20 summit in Indonesia. And
he was saying yesterday that foreign leaders often ask him these days, when are things in the U.S. going to go back to normal?
Are things stable in the U.S.?
He said one of the best ways to reassure them is to show them that if former president Donald Trump makes another run, we can stop him from being
elected a second time -- Lynda.
KINKADE: MJ Lee, outside the White House, good to have you there for us today, thank you so much.
LEE: Thank you.
KINKADE: We are going to stay on the story. Joining us now is political commentator, Karen Finney. She has been an adviser and a spokesperson for
several high-profile Democrats, including Hillary Clinton.
Good to see you, Karen.
KAREN FINNEY, FORMER SENIOR SPOKESPERSON, HILLARY FOR AMERICA: Good to be with you.
The House and Senate, we still do not know who is going to hold power and generally we know in the past the power typically flips for at least one of
those during midterm elections.
Does that mean this is a win for Democrats?
FINNEY: Well, it is a win for Democrats on a political context. But I also think that what we also saw from these elections, many candidates, over
300, ran on election denialism, meaning, denying the results of the 2020 election.
And fairly extremist policies. The vast majority of those candidates lost. The American people are tired of talking about the past. They want to focus
on the future and their own lives. I think the message is one that both Republicans and Democrats have to take very seriously. I think that's part
of what the president was talking about yesterday.
KINKADE: Speaking, Karen, about the past and its influence on the president, I want to get your take on Pennsylvania because Democrats took
back the Senate seat there. Fetterman defeated the former TV host Dr. Oz.
It is interesting, when you look at that recent rally last weekend, when Trump turned up to support Dr. Oz and people left that rally.
In certain areas has Trump hurt the Republicans?
FINNEY: You know, that is the conversation many of my Republican colleagues were having leading up to the election and certainly yesterday,
recognizing they are at a real crossroads.
You know, Trump and his candidates lost, by and large. And I think there's a real feeling in the Republican Party that the only way forward for them
is to try to put Trump and his extremism to the side.
You saw Trump making it about himself in those appearances. It certainly seems to have harmed those candidates. Meanwhile President Biden did an
event with John Fetterman and came out, as you mentioned, victorious.
So there's a lot going on the Republican Party about how to sideline Donald Trump and how to move forward and what that might look like for them.
KINKADE: And speaking of issues, abortion was on the ballot in a number of areas in a big way.
Given when you look at the polls, the majority of Americans want the right to make those sort of decisions with their health care providers, was that
an issue that pushed people more toward the Democratic vote?
FINNEY: Yes, 100 percent. What we saw following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court was just a huge outpouring, an uptick of increase
in voter registration, particularly among women and young voters.
Early polls suggest it was the number two issue motivating people's votes. This is an place where also we have to give our vice president, Kamala
Harris, a tremendous amount of credit.
She was traveling the country pretty much every week, talking to local organizations on the front lines of protecting reproductive freedom and
helping to make sure that that issue stayed front and center.
And for women, I have said to folks, you know, I am 55 years old. That means that they took away a right that I have had for the majority of my
life. And what that meant for women was just this feeling that that was a slide backward we were just not willing to let that happen without a fight.
KINKADE: Now President Biden says he plans to run for reelection in 2024 but he will make a final decision on that next year.
If he does, do you think he will be challenged by another Democrat or will he get the green light to go alone?
FINNEY: You know, considering the momentum that the president has had in the last several months between passing the Inflation Reduction Act and the
infrastructure bill and gun safety legislation.
[10:40:00]
FINNEY: Particularly in a tough environment and now being able to truly buck history, if you will, those historic trends in the midterm elections,
I think most feel like he has the space and the time to decide.
I do not see him being challenged if he decides to run because, again, I think he has a very strong record to run on. But I think part of what you
heard from the president yesterday was giving himself a little bit of time to see how things shake out before he makes a final decision.
KINKADE: Karen Finney, former senior spokesperson of Hillary for America, good to have you on the program, thank you so much.
FINNEY: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, I want to get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right now.
In China they are facing their highest number of daily new COVID cases since late April. More than 8,800 cases nationwide were reported Wednesday.
And hardhit schools have suspended in-person learning. Most flights in and out of that province have been canceled.
Pakistan's former prime minister says the political march that was stopped last week by an alleged assassination attempt is now resuming. Imran Khan
was wounded, another person killed in that shooting last Thursday. He plans to address the crowd via videolink.
An Australian man already sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing children has been given an additional 129 years in prison by a Filipino
court. He raped and trafficked children as young as 18 months old. This case has thrown a spotlight on sexual exploitation of children in the
Philippines.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, Twitter is battling a deluge of fake accounts, just after unveiling its new paid verification feature. We will
take a look at the platform's latest crisis.
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
Dubai is on track to launch a fleet of driverless taxis next year. But before they hit the road, they need a 3D map of the city. Anna Stewart gets
behind the wheel for our "Decoded" series to see how AI is being used to map Dubai.
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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Traffic congestion, road rage, hours stuck behind the wheel of a car. Before long, all this could be
a thing of the past.
The city of Dubai made a commitment that, in 2023, it will launch a fleet of a driverless taxis. They will look something like this. To make sure
this service runs smoothly in Dubai, a 3D digital map of the region is required in meticulous detail.
[10:45:00]
STEWART (voice-over): This provides the AI on board the data to navigate.
STEWART: This is where the magic happens.
Would autonomous driving be possible without AI?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think so. It is really important to (INAUDIBLE) the right target capture the assets of the streets in order to
make sure that they are safely driving on the streets of Dubai, especially as Dubai is changing a lot.
STEWART (voice-over): These high precision replicas of the city filter only the details that the cars of the future will need.
So the AI will say bridge, yes. Data points we need. The AI will say car, car, car, lose that information.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So imagine going through each and every street behind the desk and connecting those information. The AI is doing it
automatically.
STEWART (voice-over): To gather those data points, we have to hit the road.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can start our mission.
STEWART (voice-over): Start our mission, I like it.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The laser is a (INAUDIBLE) device that collects around 2 million points in a second.
STEWART (voice-over): So if the street changes, you will keep mapping.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will be mapping forever.
STEWART (voice-over): The task is mammoth and needs constant updating. But thanks to artificial intelligence, it's achievable. The Dubai municipality
says that soon it will be driverless cars themselves that are able to do this job without anyone present at all.
Imagine a fleet of autonomous data gatherers updating the very system that they themselves run on. Research has shown that driverless cars will help
to ease traffic by braking less and choosing paths of less congestion. Good news for Dubai and the other cities embracing this tech.
How do you feel when you see the first driverless car?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll be very proud. We started that in Dubai. Especially with a complex street network.
STEWART (voice-over): I'd be really happy if there was less traffic in Dubai. Early in the morning, fine. Rush hour? Not so good -- Anna Stewart,
CNN, Dubai.
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KINKADE: The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange is pulling out of a deal to save its main rival. Finance called off the deal for FTX, saying
the financial problems are beyond Finance's ability to help.
It's stunning for the founder of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, who's trying to bring crypto into the mainstream. Without a bailout, FTX is on the brink of
collapse. The turmoil caused bitcoin to sink to its lowest level in two years.
Twitter appears to be battling a wave of fake celebrity and corporate accounts hours after it launched its new paid verification system. Multiple
verified fake accounts have been suspended after tweeting misleading content under well-known names, including former U.S. President Donald
Trump, basketball star LeBron James and even Nintendo.
The verification mess comes as Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, pleads with advertisers to keep spending money on his platform.
We want to bring in CNN's Paul La Monica for more on all of this.
Paul good, to see you. Several more battles for Elon Musk and Twitter. Not long after Elon Musk sacked about half of Twitter's staff. Take us through
the issues with this new verification system.
PAUL LA MONICA, CNNMONEY DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Lynda, it has obviously been a challenge now that Twitter has opened up this verification
system so that you just pay $8 to get the coveted blue check mark instead of going through a process where you need to be confirmed by Twitter as
someone that deserves verification status.
We have seen all of these spoof accounts and now it's a game of Whac-a- Mole, where Twitter really has to try and suspend, get rid of these fake accounts that are impersonating people like, as you pointed out, former
president Donald Trump and LeBron James.
It's not good for Twitter to have even more false information and fake news, to use a Trumpism, out on the platform.
KINKADE: He obviously is pleading with advertisers to return to Twitter.
Which ones, which companies have already cut ties?
LA MONICA: We have seen several high-profile companies not maybe cut ties entirely just yet. But they are pausing, suspending advertising until we
see how this shakes out. That includes giants like Volkswagen; the cereal company General Mills; auto rival for Volkswagen GM; Pfizer; Mondelez, the
big snack company that owns Oreo.
So there are big blue chip firms that are basically saying hey, you know what?
We're not sure we want to advertise here right now until Elon sorts this out.
[10:50:00]
LA MONICA: Obviously they have plenty of other places with Google and Facebook and TikTok, where they can put their ad dollars from a social
media digital standpoint. They don't necessarily have to be on Twitter.
Briefly, bitcoin dropped to its lowest level in two years after the near collapse of one of the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. Bring us
up to speed on where that's that right now.
LA MONICA: Yes, FTX, which is a giant crypto exchange, there were hopes that it was going to get bailed out by a rival, Finance. That fell apart.
And bitcoin prices, which were already in freefall this year, as the dollar has strengthened and the Fed has raised interest rates, tumbled even more,
going to as low as the 16,000 range.
That's down from about 20,000 just a week ago and well above 40,000 at the end of 2021. So spectacular crash for crypto. FTX appears to be in a lot of
trouble. We don't know what's next.
If this is a company that will be able to survive, get another white knight or not. But billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried is not as much of a billionaire
anymore, the founder of FTX. His net worth has plunged along with many other bitcoin evangelists.
KINKADE: Paul La Monica, good have you with us. Thanks so much.
Still ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, still waiting. How an unusual, late season hurricane is impacting the schedule for NASA's Artemis I moon
mission.
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KINKADE: An update now on tropical storm Nicole. The storm is churning northward through Florida after lashing the state's East Coast as a
category 1 hurricane. It knocked out power to more than 320,000 homes and businesses. Warnings remains posted in Florida and parts of Georgia as well
as South Carolina.
The hurricane has delayed the Artemis I mission yet again. NASA aims to send an uncrewed spacecraft on a test mission around the moon. The rocket
has remained on its launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center throughout the storm. I want to bring in Kristin Fisher with more on the delay and the
decision to keep the rocket on that launchpad.
Good to see you. Firstly, this launch was meant to happen Monday. But because of storm Nicole, Mother Nature had other plans. NASA forced to
delay it again.
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, this is the second time in about six weeks that a hurricane has delayed the launch of
the most powerful rocket ever built.
Lynda, a lot of people are starting to wonder if this rocket really is cursed because of all the bad things that have happened to it. NASA
managers had to make this really difficult decision. They had just rolled the rocket back out to the launchpad after hurricane Ian forced them to
roll it back at the end of September.
They just gotten back to the launchpad when Nicole started threatening it. So NASA managers had to make a very difficult decision of roll it back to
the garage, which could also create more problems for the rocket, or keep it out there. They rolled the dice. They kept it out there.
[10:55:00]
FISHER: NASA officials said that this rocket is designed to withstand winds of about 85 miles per hour at 60 feet, 60 foot level.
But Lynda, based on the National Weather Center sensors that are on that launchpad -- there's three lightning towers with data on each one -- I have
to say, those sensors have already reported some gusts that are well above that threshold, maximum gusts at 100 miles per hour, sustained speeds at
75, gusts at 89.
That, of course, above the 85 mile per hour threshold that NASA had said that this rocket was designed to endure. So we still have not heard from
NASA. We don't know anything more about the condition of this rocket except for the fact that it is -- you can see it, it is still standing in vertical
on the launchpad.
But just imagine all of the little things that could go wrong with all of that rain and all of that wind that's been pummeling it for hours now, all
of the very delicate seals and nuts and bolts.
The chance this delays Artemis yet again still very high. NASA says they still need to get their technicians actually out on the launchpad to assess
the damage, see for themselves once the storm passes, Lynda.
KINKADE: This is all part of NASA's program to return humans to the moon.
When this launch finally does happen, hopefully next Wednesday, what are they hoping to achieve?
FISHER: They're hoping to return the first American astronauts, the first people back to the moon since the 1960s and '70s, the first woman and the
first person of color on the moon with the Artemis III.
This would be Artemis I, the one that they're trying to launch, with Artemis III. But Lynda, it has taken billions of dollars, more than a
decade to get to this point. I should point out that this rocket, the Artemis rocket, there is only one of them in the world.
You can't just -- if something happens to this rocket, you can't just go back and get a new one. So right now, you have this $4.1 billion worth of
taxpayer dollars just sitting on this launchpad, totally exposed to the elements, just a few feet away from the Atlantic Ocean.
And so you have to imagine that NASA managers and the people that are in charge of this program are just -- they have to be so nervous as they wait
to see just how this is going to impact, not just this first test flight but as you were saying, this entire program, which is designed to get
astronauts back on the moon for the first time in about half a century.
KINKADE: No doubt some sweaty palms indeed. Watching that hurricane approaching Florida. Good to have you with us, Kristin Fisher. We will
check you again soon. Thank you so much.
I'm Lynda Kinkade. CONNECT THE WORLD continues after a short break. Stay with us.
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