Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Presidential Race In Virtual Tie On Eve Of Critical Debate; Burns, Moore Discuss Iranian Weapons Transfer To Russia; United Nations Polio Vaccine Campaign Moves To Northern Gaza. 14-Year-Old Colt Gray Faces Four Counts Of Murder; California Declares Emergency In Affluent Coastal Area; Strengthening Storm Could Hit U.S. Gulf Coast As Hurricane; Rising Temperatures, Eroding Beaches Put Sea Turtles At Risk; Former Evangelicals Come Together To Form New Congregations; Elon Musk: First Starships To Mars In 2026. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired September 09, 2024 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD WITH BECKY ANDERSON.
[10:00:53]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hi and welcome to the second hour of the show. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi, where the time is 6:00 in the
evening, just a day away from a critical presidential debate, and polls are showing that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, neck-and-neck.
Meanwhile, new insights on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza from the MI6 and CIA chiefs over the weekend, as both conflicts see further escalation.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken heading to the U.K. for what is known as the U.S.-U.K. strategic dialog.
And Venezuela's opposition leader fleeing to Spain, seeking asylum after his nation's highly contested election.
Well, they have never met face to face before, at least, but they will just one day from now in Philadelphia.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump set to square off in a hugely consequential U.S. presidential debate, happening just days before people in some states
can start casting ballots in early voting.
Well, the Democratic and Republican nominees are heading into the debate in a statistical tie. You can see it here in the latest CNN poll of polls, no
clear leader.
Harris has been spending the days leading up to the debate in Pittsburgh, in the western part of Pennsylvania, an area considered crucial for both
candidates if they want to win the battleground state that ultimately may decide this election.
Trump spent part of the weekend revisiting his false claims about the 2020 election and threatening on his Truth Social web site to imprison any
election officials who, in his words, cheat in counting this year's results.
So, I'm joined this hour by Eva McKend, who is in Pittsburgh covering the Harris campaign, and Steve Contorno watching the Trump campaign from St
Petersburg in Florida. Right.
Eva, let's start with you. How is Harris preparing for what is and I'm going to use the word again. This is a hugely consequential event, of
course, for both of them.
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the vice president, has closely gone over the former president's six past
presidential debate performances he's run many times, so they have the benefit of doing that. She is also engaged in these mock debate prep
sessions with an adviser standing in for the former president. She has a briefing book where she has reviewed his past comments and the past insults
that he has waged at her.
He's -- she is also been in conversation with Hillary Clinton as well as President Biden, who both have extensive experience debating the former
president.
Ultimately, her goal here is not only to forcefully take on Trump, but also to really underscore and emphasize that it is time to move on from the
Trump-era style of divisive politics. That is her goal going into this debate in Philadelphia tomorrow.
ANDERSON: Steve, what do we know of how Trump is preparing for this debate?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Quite differently from Vice President Harris. He is spending -- he spent the back half last week on the road,
campaigning, holding events where he was talking about the economy, where he's talking about crime, and meeting with his base at one of these rallies
that he holds in Wisconsin.
And this is really his approach to this debate prep. It's to get on the road, to talk through these issues, to work through his attacks, and that's
how he likes to prepare. You know the former president, he has a lot of tape out there for Vice President Harris to review, because he is the
candidate who has spent -- who has participated in more presidential debates than any individual in U.S. history.
But that also means that his people believe that he is incredibly practiced and ready for this moment, and they don't need formal debate to get through
this next few -- next hours and the debate tomorrow.
[10:05:10]
ANDERSON: All right. Well, what message, Steve, does Donald Trump have for election officials at this point, just before early voting is actually set
to begin?
CONTORNO: Yes. We've been hearing from Donald Trump for four years, attack the 2020 election. Well, now he's attacking the 2024 election. Before had
it has even taken place. Over the weekend, on Truth Social, he attacked anyone who he thinks will believe -- he believes will cheat in this
upcoming election, including, he said, lawyers, political operatives, donors, and election officials, and he said they all face the potential of
extended jail time if he believes they are engaged in any kind of election malfeasance.
Now, this is leaning heavily on the election lies that he used in 2020 and his expectations that they will -- these will -- this will happen again,
but more or less, he just sort of laying the groundwork to challenge the election results, no matter what happens in November.
ANDERSON: This is fascinating.
Eva, let me bring you back in. I want to share some polling numbers with our viewers. 53 percent of likely voters think Donald Trump represents,
quote, major change. Only half, as many think of Harris -- that -- think that of Harris. A majority think she represents more of the same.
So, that does beg the question in what is a statistical heat at the moment, just how Harris is planning to deal with that perception in tomorrow's
debate? I mean, it's clear how -- and we'll get Steve to weigh in here, but it's clear that Donald Trump for a long time, you know, the entire time
that we've been talking about him in U.S. election, you know, narratives that being 2016, that he is the change candidate, as far as he is
concerned.
MCKEND: Yes, this is going to be a persistent problem for the vice president. Now, given that she is currently in the administration. Still,
she is trying to maintain this argument that she is part of a new way forward. It's emblazoned on the side of her bus. She is going to take off
on a battleground blitz tour following the debate, leaning into that theme.
They know it's a challenge, but they have already outlined ways in which they are different from President Biden on economic policy, for instance.
And then, also, what we hear from her surrogates, at least, is that this is a new generation, right? The former president represents more of the same
on due in part to his age.
And so, that is something that they are going to continue to maintain, even though we see some voters are skeptical of this argument. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. And Steve, you know, the fact that she has been the vice president in this Biden administration, lends credence to the Donald Trump
narrative that she is just more of the same and that he is just the changed candidate, how effective is he likely to be in going after on that very
specific point?
CONTORNO: It's an interesting question, Becky, because, clearly, he has been trying to tie Joe Biden in the past four years to Vice President
Harris, and that has been a main point of his articulating his case against Harris.
However, it is also created this risk of him focusing too much on Joe Biden, who is no longer his candidate. When you watch him speak at rallies
and in media appearances and taking questions, he is often fixated on Joe Biden, in a way where he laments that Biden isn't still his opponents, in
ways that that sometimes seems like Biden is still his main rival in this race, and not necessarily focusing his efforts and attention on Harris.
So, certainly, the country is feeling the effects of the last four years in a way that the Trump campaign believes will be beneficial to him at the
ballot box. However, as far as articulating a case, he is still struggling to move on from Donald Trump, or, excuse me, from Joe Biden to Vice
President Harris.
ANDERSON: Good to have you both. Thank you so much. And tune in for special coverage of the ABC News presidential debate. It will be simulcast here on
CNN. It will air this Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. So, 35 hours, pretty much from now.
We'll replay that debate a couple of times. Wednesday, 2:00 a.m. Eastern. That is 7:00 a.m. in London. And again, 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday.
That is 10:00 p.m., if you're watching locally here in Abu Dhabi.
[10:10:07]
Well, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 16 people in central Syria on Sunday, according to Syria's state-run news agency. Dozens were injured in
several explosions and air defense engagements in the Masyaf countryside.
Meanwhile, Israel says it will reopen a key border crossing into Jordan on Tuesday. Three crossings were closed after a Jordanian gunman shot and
killed three Israeli civilians at the Allenby Crossing on Sunday.
Suspect's brother says he may have been motivated by anger over the war in Gaza.
This, as Israel's defense minister says, the military is ready to shift its focus to Israel's northern border. Yoav Gallant, spoke with Israeli troops
in Gaza on Sunday.
CNN's Matthew Chance has more from Tel Aviv for you.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: According to eyewitnesses who have spoken to CNN, one of the areas that was targeted was
a military installation that has previously been alleged to have been involved in chemical weapons production.
There's been no confirmation of that, obviously, from the Syrians. And the Israelis are not commenting either on what exactly took place.
But, you know, according to eyewitnesses, there were multiple strikes on, you know, throughout the -- throughout the evening, on Sunday night, local
time. And, you know, a number of casualties have been reported as well. At least 16 people dead and 36 injured, a number of them in critical
condition. It's not clear, you know, how many of those people are civilians, how many may have been military personnel.
But certainly, the Syrian state news agency says it was military sites that were targeted in these apparently Israeli airstrikes that took place in
Syria, again, late last night, local time. Becky.
ANDERSON: Today, is the third and final phase of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza. Has that campaign been a success, as far as the agencies
involved are concerned?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it has been. Yes.
I think despite the security problems, you can imagine in the Gaza Strip, with the sort of incessant Israeli attacks that are taking place, the
Palestinian health authorities have been, you know, pretty effective in getting the polio vaccination out there. Something like 450,000 children
have so far been vaccinated. But, you know, you have to remember that it's because of the poor health condition inside the Gaza Strip that this was
necessary in the first place.
It was just last month that the first case of polio was found in Gaza, the first one for 25 years in a 1-year-old baby that had been paralyzed by the
disease. And so, yes, there has been some significant progress made by Palestinian health officials to get people, particularly children,
vaccinated.
But, you know, obviously, the fact that that needed to be done at all is in itself, still, you know, pretty awful, pretty tragic.
ANDERSON: Well, Matthew Chance there on the ground. The CIA chief, Bill Burns and the head of the U.K.'s spy agency MI6 appear together in an
unprecedented public appearance over the weekend.
And Burns said he hoped to have a -- and I quote him, hear more detailed hostage and ceasefire proposals put before Israel and Hamas negotiators in
the coming days. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM BURNS DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: We're working very hard with the Egyptians and the Qataris, the two mediators right now to try
to refine that framework, add more details to it, and put it in a form, a good enough proposal, because in -- all my years of experience negotiating
the Middle East, perfect is never on the menu. But a good enough proposal that both leaderships will see the value of moving ahead.
I cannot sit here today with all of you and say that we're going to succeed in that. I cannot tell you how close we are right now. It is -- it is a
fact that if you look at the written text, 90 percent to the paragraphs have been agreed to. But in any negotiation, I've been involved in the last
10 percent, as the last 10 percent for a reason, because it's the hardest part to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I want to turn now to our Fred Pleitgen, who is in eastern Ukraine, because Fred, the pair had some very interesting things to say
about what's happening on the battlefield there as well.
They took on Russia's war in Ukraine, and their comments including praising Ukraine's offensive into the Kursk Region, something that we've reported
on, you know, at length, over the past month or so, since that started.
Fred, what did they say and what is the latest from the eastern front, where you are?
[10:15:00]
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, first of all, certainly some very interesting comments there for the --
from those two heads of those intelligence services.
I think one of the main messages that they had as far as the war here in Ukraine is concerned is that they believe that the offensive, the incursion
by the Ukrainians into Russian territory, to the Kursk Region, that, that has essentially been a success for the Ukrainians on many levels.
Obviously, one of the things the Ukrainians wanted to do is divert some of the Russian forces away from other areas to give some breathing room to the
Ukrainian forces there.
But they also said that they believe that the whole incursion, the Ukrainians remaining on Russian territory, really put a dent in Vladimir
Putin's narrative that Ukraine will, at some point, inevitably be ground down by the much larger country, by Russia with its much larger forces. And
also, that the West, at some point, will inevitably buckle as well, and that Russia will have its way.
I want to listen in to what some of what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: The Kursk offensive is a significant tactical achievement. It's not only been, you know, boost in Ukrainian morale, it has exposed some of the
vulnerabilities of Putin's Russia and of his military.
RICHARD MOORE, CHIEF, UNITED KINGDOM SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE: Putin pushing forward, grinding forward, village by village, and just having a
sort of mentality that I'll just hang on to what I grab. I'm not interested in negotiations. I'll just, you know, just gradually increase it.
The Ukrainians by going in and taking Kursk have really brought the war home to ordinary Russians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And Fred, sources have told CNN that Iran recently transferred short range ballistic missiles to Russia. This is what Burns and more had
to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Should Iran ship ballistic missiles of whatever kind, close range or other kinds. It would be a dramatic escalation of the nature of that
defense partnership --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But it hasn't yet.
BURNS: All I'll say is that it would be a dramatic escalation.
MOORE: It's really important to remind ourselves, isn't it? You know, with the drones that we definitely know are there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
MOORE: I mean, if stuff goes onto the battlefield, ruler, it will become very obvious very quickly. I mean, this stuff lands, it explodes, it kills
Ukrainians civilians. It destroys their electricity infrastructure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, in Tehran recently, and you were shown some of Iran's arsenal, Fred, are you seeing any obvious signs that Iran's short-range
missiles have been used on the battlefield in Ukraine?
PLEITGEN: Yes, Becky, we did actually see in Tehran a couple of weeks ago, a couple months ago, really, some of the arsenal that the Iranians have.
And the Iranians do say that it is substantial that is right after they obviously struck Israeli territory with some of their longer-range
missiles.
And the Iranians obviously say they have much more modern weapons at their disposal.
So far, we haven't seen any obvious signs that Iranian missiles would be used here. And the Iranians, of course, so far, are denying transferring
any sort of weapons to the Russians, at least officially.
But one of the things that we are indeed seeing is a massive uptick, or considerable uptick, in the amount of missiles that the Russians are firing
towards Ukrainian territory. Some of those are cruise missiles, which have been crime for a very long time.
But one of the things that really -- we have really picked up on is the notable increase in the use of ballistic missiles, and that, of course, is
something that the Iranians do produce in great quantities.
So far, there's nothing to indicate that any of the missiles that have been fired by the Russians are Iranian made missiles, or even missiles with
Iranian technology.
But certainly, the Russians do seem to be using a lot more cruise missiles in general, of their own making, and in parts, also, the Ukrainians say of
North Korean making on the battlefield.
One of the interesting things that we also got today, by the way, was the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. He was asked about all of this, and all
he said, Look, not all reports of such nature are true. But he also did say that there was deep cooperation between Iran and Russia in many fields. And
then, he said, including the most sensitive area. Of course, that's something that could mean missile technology. But of course, also something
that could mean drone technology as well.
Of course, the Ukrainians almost every night having to fend off drones that they say, the technology, at the very least, comes from Iran. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. Fred Pleitgen is on the ground. Fred, thank you.
Well, ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you.
More political turmoil in Venezuela, as an opposition figure claims asylum in Spain on grounds of coercion and threats. More on that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:21:45]
ANDERSON: You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez is currently seeking asylum
in Spain. He arrived there on Sunday, and he says that he is seeking asylum after receiving threats.
Now, Venezuela's Attorney General has confirmed an alleged terrorism case against Gonzalez is now closed due to his departure from the country.
CNN's Pau Mosquera, joining me now from Madrid. What do we know about where Gonzalez is right now in this asylum process, and how likely is it that we
will hear from him anytime soon?
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we should be hearing from him really soon. First of all, because some other Venezuelan opposition leaders
that are present here in Madrid told me yesterday that he is expected to offer a presser over the next day. So, this is going to be the opportunity
to get more details on this personal decision of moving to Madrid, and also about his future plans.
And on the other hand, the Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares, said yesterday in an interview with Television Espanola that he
will be meeting on Gonzalez Urrutia over the forthcoming days. There is a still no date for that, but it will most surely happen after the -- he
finishes the tweet that he is currently doing to China.
But besides of that, Becky, there is so little that we know about Gonzalez Urrutia after landing in Madrid. The only thing we know is via Albares, who
confirmed that he phone call Gonzalez Urrutia after landing in Madrid, and he said that he was tired after this long trip to Madrid. And actually, it
was a very long flight all the way from Venezuela, because it got -- it got to scale overs. One stop in the Dominican Republic and another one in the
Azores Islands.
But besides of that, a few hours ago, we also got another chance not to see him, but to listen to him, because his team shared an idea that he taped
one that he landed in Madrid, sharing the details on how was his departure from Venezuela.
Those were the words that he chose. Listen to it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDMUNDO GONZALEZ, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): I wanted to inform you that I arrived to Madrid today in the morning. My
departure from Caracas was surrounded by episodes of pressure, coercion, and threats that I wouldn't be allowed to leave. I trust that we'll soon
continue the fight for liberty and the return to democracy in Venezuela.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, it sounds as if he's going to still try to influence politics back home in Venezuela, Pau. Is it clear how?
MOSQUERA: Sure, he will try. Now, has the advantage that as being in Spain, he is closer to those European Union leaders that over the last weeks have
been pressing hard to the government of Nicolas Maduro to get those vote tallies that were the result of the presidential election that took place
the 28th of July.
But it is still unclear on how effective will be the work that we'll be doing now from Spain.
Maria Corina Machado, yesterday, confirmed that he will resume all his work soon, now from the exile, now from Spain., But everything will depend on
the communication that they both maintain on the daily basis, because it's obvious that from now on, Gonzalez Urrutia will be no more on the ground at
least, not in Venezuela. Becky.
[10:25:16]
ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Our correspondent on the ground there in Madrid in Spain. Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories
that are on our radar right now.
And dozens of people are dead in Vietnam following Typhoon Yagi, which hit the Philippines and southern China last week. The storm is losing power
now, as thousands of people return to find their homes flooded or destroyed.
Google is back in a U.S. Federal Court today in a massive antitrust trial. The company's dominance over the advertising market is being challenged.
Google's search engine was ruled to be an illegal monopoly earlier this summer, and the U.S. Justice Department's new case could change how
Internet advertising works.
Pope Francis is now in East Timor, which is the third stop of his 12-day tour of Southeast Asia. Pontiff was greeted earlier by large crowds and by
the country's president. East Timor has deep ties to the Catholic Church. About 97 percent of the population there identify as Catholic.
Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Time here, 25 pasts six in the evening.
Coming up, the text that apparently set off alarm bells with Colt Gray's family ahead of the deadly shooting at a Georgia High School. More on that
is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson, just before half past 6 in the evening here in Abu Dhabi, just
before half past 10 on the East Coast.
And new details are emerging about the Apalachee high school shooting last week. Family members say the suspected shooter's mother drove 200 miles to
Winder, Georgia after she got an alarming text from her son.
Marcee Gray also reached out to a school counselor before that attack. Her son, Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of murder. His dad, Colin
Gray is also facing charges.
Well, CNN's Rafael Romo is in Winder, in Georgia, and he joins us now. And new details, heartbreaking for the families, of course, of these victims.
Is it clear at this point, and I know this is an ongoing investigation, and there is a lot more to be done. But is it clear that more could have been
done based on the mother's warning. How are authorities reacting to that news?
[10:30:09]
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Becky, it's not clear at this point, but there's a very important question here that is going to have to be
answered about who knew what, when, because these new revelations are very significant. The family of the 14-year-old suspect has confirmed to CNN,
the boy's mother called to warn a school counsellor just before her son allegedly went on a shooting rampage that killed two of his classmates and
two teachers. This is according to Annie Brown, she's the suspect's aunt.
And Marcee Gray broke her silence over the weekend when she told The Washington Post she is so sorry for what she calls the absolutely horrific
shooting. This is what we know the teen suspect's grandfather Charles Polhamus confirmed to CNN that Colt Gray sent his mother an alarming text
message the morning of the shooting that simply said, I'm sorry, mom. That's when Marcee Gray, the suspect's mother decided to make a call to the
school that lasted 10 minutes after the call she placed at 9:50 in the morning, she decided to drive 200 miles from Fitzgerald, Georgia to here in
Winder, but by the time she arrived, the tragic shooting had already happened.
In other words, Becky, we're talking about a span of roughly 30 minutes from the moment the mother called the school to when the shooting here at
Apalachee High School was reported to police. We have spoken with many people here who still can't believe such a horrific shooting could have
happened in Winder.
ANDERSON: Yes, and it will take a long time for the community to come to terms with this. What are the next steps for those living there and in the
area, and do we know when the school is likely to reopen?
ROMO: Yes, today, some of the students are going to be allowed to return to pick up their belongings. Officials sent a letter, sent a message to
parents, telling them -- telling them from -- excuse me, from noon until 4:00 in the afternoon, students will be allowed to return, but we're not
talking about resuming classes yet. This is only to pick up their belongings.
Other schools in the Barrow County School System are resuming classes tomorrow. This school, however, we don't know yet when that's going to
happen.
As you can imagine, a lot of pain and sorrow here, many people who are very sad over the weekend, we witness how thousands of people, Becky, came over
to pay their respects, to bring flowers and to tell this community that they're not alone in this moment of crisis, that they are loved and
supported.
ANDERSON: Rafael, good to have you. Thank you, sir.
Well, a massive manhunt in Kentucky is now in its third day as authorities search for a suspect accused of opening fire on a busy interstate highway.
Police say 32-year-old Joseph Couch shot at 12 vehicles with an assault rifle from a cliff edge on Saturday, wounding five people. Here's how one
eyewitness described the experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA DINOTO, CAR STRUCK BY A BULLET ON I-75 IN KENTUCKY: It sounded like a rock smashed through the back window and my ear was ringing, my
right ear, and it happened on the passenger side of my vehicle, and I was in the driver's side.
So, there's just a very loud -- and I know what a tire blowout sounds like, and it didn't sound like that. It was much louder, and we both looked at
each other and said, is that -- was that a gunshot?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All schools across parts of Kentucky have canceled classes today, and residents are being urged to remain on high alert as the search
continues.
A local deputy sheriff said the attack appeared to be a, "Random act of violence," although the motive is still unknown.
You're watching, CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.
Still to come, record high temperatures, exploding wildfires, unpredictable landslides and that in front of another potential hurricane. A series of
climate extremes hits the United States this week, and we will investigate how, why, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:36:40]
ANDERSON: Well, more than 17 million people are under excessive heat warnings across southwestern California. Downtown Los Angeles setting a
record of 104 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, and is forecast to exceed a hundred.
Again, today, major fires being fueled by that heat and they continue to grow. Low humidity and gusting winds, hampering firefighting efforts as
thousands of acres of land continues to burn.
Meanwhile, California's Governor Gavin Newsom has stepped in to help communities near L.A. with another problem, landslides, which are ripping
homes apart, buckling roads and leaving hundreds without power.
Now, officials say the area has experienced slow land movement for decades. CNN's Stephanie Elam with this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's as if the earth is wiping away what's been built upon it.
TIM STEWART, RESIDENT: I'm no geologist, but when you see the road turning into a roller coaster, you know something's wrong.
ELAM (voice-over): Here in Rancho Palos Verdes, an affluent community coveted for its expansive Pacific Ocean vistas, the land is sliding,
dangerously.
BARBARA FERRARO, RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY, COUNCIL MEMBER: This is unprecedented. No one knows really in a way what to do.
ELAM (voice-over): While the land has always slowly shifted here, local leaders say it's accelerated tremendously. GREG MONTGOMERY, RESIDENT:
Unbelievable. In the last four months, it's constant. I mean, it's just, what do you do? We're sitting here on a keg of dynamite and we can't go
repair anything because the ground continues to move.
ELAM (voice-over): So much so, some residents had their natural gas service discontinued in July, with more shutoffs recently added. Then, in the last
week, more than 200 homes had their power cut indefinitely as the shifting ground threatens utility lines.
LARRY CHUNG, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON: On August 29th, the fire that occurred near Narcisa Drive, the land movement caused a power line to fall
to the ground and ignite a small fire.
ELAM (voice-over): That fire was quickly extinguished, officials say, but the incident exposed the threat posed to basic infrastructure, including
water and sewer lines.
MICHAEL CHEE, PIO, LA COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTS: We are dealing with incomprehensible amounts of earth with unimaginable movement, pulling our
infrastructure in ways that it is not designed or intended to move, or resist this level of dynamic activity.
ELAM (voice-over): Allowing officials to funnel resources toward the emergency response, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in
the city this week, noting the land movement accelerated significantly following the 2023 and '24 severe storm events, with the land now sliding
at an average of 9 to 12 inches per week.
JANICE HAHN, LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: I think we're all learning that there is no playbook for an emergency like this one. We don't have a
step-by-step guide to follow, but what we do know is that many families are struggling, are suffering, are feeling great anxiety about what is
happening. They are watching their homes, they're watching their streets crumble around them.
[10:40:01]
ELAM (voice-over): And for some residents, the only option is to remain in their damaged homes.
CRAIG CADWALLADER, RESIDENT: Everybody must assume that people who live in Rancho Palos Verdes are infinitely wealthy. That's not the case, especially
for me, and so I literally don't know where I'm going.
MONTGOMERY: We've lost our ability to live normal lives. I mean, we have plans to go places and we can't go. We have to stay here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ELAM (on camera): For some of the residents in these neighborhoods. It's not just their homes that are being impacted, but also their livelihoods as
well, which is making the situation even more dire for them.
Back to you.
ANDERSON: Well, meantime, a storm in the Gulf of Mexico is strengthening and may hit the U.S. Gulf Coast as a hurricane by Wednesday. A tropical
storm watch is already in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield in Texas, with heavy rain expected, and we are seeing the real
world effect of that weather already.
The price of oil jumped by about one percent on Monday, on the news of the potential hurricane. Prices do seem to have settled and indeed are now
slightly lower, continuing a recent trend for oil prices. In fact, WTI crude just popping into positive territory as we speak.
Well, CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam joins us now. Talk to us about this storm and the impact that it could have. This, of course, is an area full
of oil infrastructure, of course.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that's right, Becky, and it's got a lot of warm ocean water ahead of it. In fact, the Gulf of Mexico running
about 30 to 31 degrees Celsius over the western gulf. So, that is just primed to allow for the storm to strengthen.
You see those purples on the satellite imagery, that is just kind of bubbling thunderstorms. We have a color table in here that indicates the
coldest cloud types, meaning the highest of elevation of these clouds, and that is the purple.
So, we are seeing this storm strengthen as the thunderstorms bubble out from the middle of it, and it is poised to move over that warm water and
strengthen as it does.
So, right now, Weather Prediction Center, I should say, National Hurricane Center, actually forecasting a Category 1 landfall near the Louisiana
coastline Wednesday into Thursday, but could feel effects by Tuesday evening. In fact, will be a lot of rain associated with this system, and,
of course, the storm surge and wind threat as well.
Check out this photo. Different story. This is the fires that are ongoing over the Western U.S. This is a pyrocumulonimbus cloud. That is when the
updrafts associated with fire weather become so violent that they actually create their own clouds, their own weather, and often create showers and
thunderstorms, creating lightning and additional fires down the line.
So, that's what's happening over parts of the southern California state. In fact, we have had just this very warm summer from June to August. All these
red dots are actually the warmest locations on record for that summer period.
And if we look globally, we're talking about Copernicus, the European climate monitoring system, saying that we are on track to once again, the
warmest year on recorded history. That is really saying something after we come on August with 1.51 degrees above pre-industrial averages, Becky.
ANDERSON: So, briefly, what we're talking about here are extreme weather events exacerbated by climate crisis, correct?
VAN DAM: That's it. You draw the link together there, the warm oceans, the warm planets, and that fuels stronger storms.
ANDERSON: Always good to have you. Thank you, sir.
Let me get you to the State of Georgia, where scientists say sea turtles face mounting dangers from climate change.
CNN's meteorologist Elisa Raffa visited Jekyll Island, where scientists and researchers have a unique program in place to protect the turtles from
extinction. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice over): A trek from sand to sea.
RAFFA: Someone got stuck in a footprint, but he made it out.
RAFFA (voice over): Leaving behind their own tracks as they follow the glow of the moonlight.
RAFFA: We don't want to use any other type of white light that could disorient them or confuse them.
RAFFA (voice over): The red lights guide experts on nighttime patrols as they check on nest.
DAVIDE ZAILO, RESEARCH PROGRAM MANAGER, GEORGIA SEA TURTLE CENTER: All these little markings, these are all crabs.
RAFFA (voice over): And other signs in the sand.
ZAILO: We're looking for large turtles coming from the ocean, the tracks left by one as they emerged, or hatchling tracks, which are much, much
smaller.
We are just about to get on to Driftwood Beach.
RAFFA (voice over): Scientists and students have been monitoring the beaches of Jekyll Island, Georgia for more than 50 years.
Today, Davide Zailo and his research team continue that work on one of the most robust sea turtle conservation programs in the country.
[10:45:01]
RAFFA: Sea turtles really respond to temperature, so the experts here do a lot of patrols late at night and early in the morning, when those
temperatures are coolest.
RAFFA (voice over): More intense storms and higher seas could flood these nests more often, eroding habitats moms need to lay these eggs.
ZAILO: Let's get back down in there and confirm that we have eggs. And we do.
Here there's a lot of loggerhead sea turtle egg. We're going to let them safely excavate. Now that we know exactly where that egg chamber is, we'll
put a flag here. Grab some managed materials. And we're going to put this right center over this nest.
RAFFA (voice over): A mom can lay more than a hundred eggs at a time, but for every 1,000 eggs laid, only one hatchling makes it to adulthood, an
increasingly difficult feat due to climate change.
RAFFA: Are they coming up faster because it's getting warmer?
ZAILO: Yes, so you certainly see that, but there is -- there's an upper limit where it's going to be too hot, and that development is actually
going to arrest and halt.
RAFFA (voice over): Eggs incubating in an environment temperature cooler than 82 degrees hatch male, hotter than 88 degrees hatch female.
As our climate warms and many more eggs are hatching as female, creating an imbalanced gender ratio for an already endangered species.
ZAILO: We just have to be ready, prepare as best as we can, and learn as much as we can about these animals beforehand, so we can proactively try to
improve management and improve resiliency here across the coast.
RAFFA (voice over): Reducing plastic, regulating coastal development and paying attention while boating and fishing are huge steps that help these
little ones take more of these steps.
These tiny but mighty turtles waddled the Earth with the dinosaurs, now facing their toughest test of resilience against our warming climate and
changing coast to find their way back home.
Elisa Raffa, CNN, Jekyll Island, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Let's get you back to our top story, the race for the White House on this eve of the first face to face showdown of the two candidates, a
closer look at one group that tends to support Republicans like Donald Trump. That's evangelical Christians, but that group is becoming more
diverse. CNN's Dianne Gallagher explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARISSA MILLER, POST-EVANGELICAL COLLECTIVE CHURCH MEMBER: It was just like an exhale, like I can breathe here. I can -- I can be myself here. I'm
accepted.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a feeling Larissa Miller, a lesbian who was raised as a devout conservative
evangelical, wasn't sure she'd ever have.
MILLER: That belief system essentially says that you cannot be gay and be Christian at the same time, I knew that I had to figure it out because I
was just dying inside, and you start feeling like there's not an answer, there's no hope for you.
GALLAGHER: Her church today Watershed in Charlotte is full of Christians, former evangelicals like Miller seeking a place where their spirituality
can co-exist with their sexuality or even just progressive politics.
TOMMY GARVIN, WORSHIPER: If this the message resonating with groups of people today who are marginalized, who are oppressed, to me that's where we
find God.
GALLAGHER: Watershed is one of about 75 churches that belong to the post- evangelical collective.
MATT O'NEILL, PASTOR, WATERSHED: We would say that Jesus was incredibly political. But when you show up here, the goal isn't to have a political
conversation. This is a spiritual conversation.
[10:50:03]
GALLAGHER: But preaching a radical reimagining of Christianity and biblical doctrine often with a focus on inclusivity and social justice tends to
attract worshippers who align more with the Democratic Party.
In Nashville, it's setting up inside an elementary school auditorium, where Pastor Josh Scott and the Grace Point Church community gathered to examine
their own spiritual evolution.
JOSH SCOTT, PASTOR, GRACE POINTE: In the beginning, we would definitely have fallen in that evangelical orbit, but now we have firmly moved away
from that.
GALLAGHER: Why?
SCOTT: Because our values have grown and expanded and have become more inclusive, and it seems like evangelicalism's values have done the
opposite.
GALLAGHER (voice-over): Across the city, in a crowded sanctuary at Spero Dei, Reverend David Moses Perez preaches a modern and liberal message, the
opposite of what many in his congregation grew up hearing.
DAVID MOSES PEREZ, MINISTER, SPERO DEI: They did not want to let go of their faith, to practice being Christian, but they couldn't be in this
rigid box of American evangelicalism that was going to define them doctrinally, politically, theologically. GALLAGHER: Shedding their
evangelical upbringing and the conservative politics often attached to it.
SCOTT: For a lot of people, their shift really kicked into high gear in 2015, 2016 with the rise of Trump.
GALLAGHER: White evangelicals are a powerful voting bloc that generally supports Republicans. More than 75 percent of them voted for Donald Trump
in the past two elections and there's no indication their support has greatly shifted. But polling also shows that their numbers are shrinking,
from 23 percent in 2006 to just 13 percent last year.
SCOTT: When we think about evangelicalism, the first thought is not good news, but it is the Republican Party platform.
GALLAGHER: But conservative evangelical activists say that's not a fair assessment. For years, the Faith and Freedom Coalition has worked to
mobilize that white evangelical vote. And founder Ralph Reed says that political support is simply about values.
RALPH REED, FOUNDER, FAITH & FREEDOM COALITION: We want to make sure, for example, that they know where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump stand on
abortion, on the border, on Israel, on Iran, appointing judges, on religious freedom.
GALLAGHER: Recently, the smaller progressive evangelical wing has actively campaigned even cut ads for Kamala Harris. But post- evangelical leadership
insist they're not aiming to be the liberal version of their former church.
O'NEILL: It's really important that you make room for other folks who are showing up and they're being curious, so the tension is not to become the
rigid, judgmental reverse side of what you just left.
GALLAGHER: If you had someone who plans to vote for former president Trump in your church, they would still be OK?
SCOTT: Yes. They may be uncomfortable with how we talk about some things, right? Because we're going to talk about issues of justice and we're going
to point out issues that are dehumanizing.
MILLER: I hope that the word Christian can kind of be disentangled from evangelical and right-wing, and some of those other terms. I don't know if
evangelical will necessarily change or be something different, but I do hope that we can reclaim the word Christian.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Well, to space now. Elon Musk putting missions to Mars on the fast track. SpaceX plans to start launching starships to Mars
in two years. Let's get you to CNN's Space and Defense Correspondent Kristin Fisher.
This seems like a highly ambitious timely line to say the least. What's the plan here? What's he identified as the sort of you know, the serious
elements here?
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, if it sounds ambitious, Becky, that's because it is. And you know, Elon Musk, he doesn't
have the best track record in terms of sticking to the timelines and the deadlines that he has set forth.
I mean, take, for instance, at a news conference seven years ago, he said that the first crewed starship missions to Mars would be happening this
year in 2024 and we're nowhere near close to that.
But you know, NASA, Boeing, basically every other government or company that tries to do big things in space, they have a pretty bad time sticking
to set deadlines and time frames to others. So, this is nothing new for Elon Musk, but this is a putting a time stamp on something that is
potentially possible, and here's why there's so many steps to go Becky, but Elon Musk is saying he wants the first uncrewed mission to Mars on starship
to happen in two years. That is the same year that NASA is planning to land NASA astronauts on the surface of the moon, also using starship.
So, theoretically, if all of those things go according to plan, it's possible. But Becky, there is still so many hurdles and technical
difficulties that SpaceX has to work through before they can get there.
[10:55:05]
But if anybody can do it, it's SpaceX. They may not get the dates and the time frames right, but when they say that they're going to do something,
they've always done it, it may just take longer than they initially said.
ANDERSON: And SpaceX of course, also rescuing the Boeing starship astronauts who are stranded on the International Space Station. And I say
rescuing because that is the term that Donald Trump used for Elon Musk, rescuing these astronauts.
What does that whole sort of episode mean for Boeing in space, briefly?
FISHER: I mean, Becky without question, what happened was a huge black eye for Boeing's space program. There's no question about that.
But as you know, over the weekend, Boeing did successfully land its Starliner spacecraft back on Earth without those astronauts on board, and
we now know that if those astronauts had been on board, they would be OK.
And we also know that there's some real tension between NASA and Boeing. I mean, Becky at the post landing press conference, there were no Boeing
representatives in attendance. They only put out a statement.
So, it just kind of shows you the level of tension that there is between NASA and Boeing right now, and so now the big question is, what happens
with its Starliner program? It's really a big question mark. We don't know.
The NASA Administrator has said he's 100 percent confident that the program will continue, that NASA astronauts will someday fly on Starliner. But does
Starliner have to have another crude test flight before they get the official green light and go ahead from NASA to do this? It all remains to
be seen. A lot of big questions.
At least Starliner got back safe over the weekend, but a real shame that they weren't able to bring astronauts inside.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. It's all fascinating stuff, isn't it?
That's it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN NEWSROOM is up next for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
