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CNN International: Blinken in Israel Pushing for new Ceasefire Talks; Obama Goes Back Out on the Campaign Trial for Harris; Russia Hosts Summit Intended to Challenge Western Dominance; Shares Fall on Market Debut after Record IPO; Lebanon Bronny James Set to Make NBA History. Aired 9- 9:45a ET

Aired October 22, 2024 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is the scene in Beirut just hours ago, the aftermath of an Israeli air strike near

Lebanon's largest public hospital. It's currently 04:00 p.m. in Beirut, it's 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching

"Connect the World".

And wherever you are watching, you are more than welcome, of course. Also coming up over the next two hours, with the U.S. election already well

underway. A look at the demographic shifts that could decide the outcome. Putin is welcoming more than a dozen world leaders today for the annual

BRICS Summit.

More on that this hour. And India's largest ever Initial Public Offering drops more than 7 percent on its market debut. Well, the stock market in

New York will open in about 30 minutes from now, and the futures markets are suggesting a slightly lower open. That's just an indication, of course

back there at 09:30 Eastern Time.

We start with the top U.S. Diplomat back in the Middle East for the 11th time since the October 7th terror attacks that set off the war in Gaza.

This time, the stakes could not be higher. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other

top officials as this region braces for an Israeli strike on Iran in retaliation for Iran's most recent attack on Israel.

Blinken's visit coming amid pessimism in Washington over the prospect of finding a diplomatic solution to stop the wars in Gaza and in Lebanon.

Well, Israel today defending its bombing near a hospital on the outskirts of Beirut, that officials say killed at least 13 people, including a child.

And inside Gaza, the health ministry reports more than 42,000 people have been killed and some 100,000 injured since the start of the war. The head

of the U.N. Agency for Palestinian refugees describes horrific conditions in Northern Gaza, where residents have been warned to evacuate.

He writes on the X platform. The smell of death is everywhere. Paula Hancocks has been reporting both Israel and Lebanon throughout this

conflict. She's joining me now here in the studio today. Good to have you. And Kylie Atwood is at the State Department. And Kylie, let me start with

you.

In your most recent reporting, you say that Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, will discuss the day after plans for Gaza on this trip,

but the fundamentals of the dead locked talks remain unchanged. Where are we as Blinken begins this tour?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well, with your point to the day after plans, they will be discussed, but a senior State

Department official said that even all of the regional allies that the U.S. has been talking about those plans aren't on the same page.

So, they can't even really get there until they actually solved the fundamentals here, the basic necessity for there to be cease fires, for

hostages to be released, and that even remains a question mark. We've heard from U.S. officials over the last few days after the death of Yahya Sinwar,

that they really felt that there could be an opportunity here to seize the -- to seize the moment, to bring forth an end to this conflict.

But even a senior State Department official on the way over to Israel with Blinken told reporters that the U.S. really doesn't actually know what the

next few weeks are going to look like with regard to the future of Gaza, these future potential hostages and cease fire talks.

And fundamentally, one of the reasons for that, this official pointed out, is the fact that the United States doesn't know who is going to lead Hamas,

and therefore they don't know when negotiations could get underway again. And that is a really big problem. It's also, you know, interesting that the

U.S. had said that the number one impediment was Sinwar, and he's gone.

So that creates opportunity. Now that he's gone, of course, there are more challenges ahead. And the U.S. is also hoping that they can make some

progress when it comes to pressuring Israel to allow more aid, to enable more aid to be going into Gaza. But as you said in that opening there,

there was a warning call just this morning from the top official of UNRWA with regard to the situation in Northern Gaza.

And while the U.S. has said that there has been some progress that the Israelis have made on this front, they haven't made enough. And time is of

the essence with this one, particularly because the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and his counterpart at the Defense Department.

[09:05:00]

Secretary Austin, sent a letter to Israel saying that they need to actually make specific steps on this front within 30 days, or else face the

possibility of reviewing laws in the United States that could jeopardize U.S. military support. So, this is one that will still will also be focused

on coming out of this trip.

ANDERSON: Yeah, it's good to have you. Thank you. That's Kylie Atwood at the State Department, and you are looking at pictures of Antony Blinken

arriving in region. Meanwhile, Paula, the IDF pounding both Gaza and Beirut in Lebanon. I want to start with Lebanon, where we've seen a strike on one

hospital already.

And we have just heard an ominous warning from the IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, that was earlier on Monday. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: This is the bunker. It contains rooms, beds and infrastructure for long stays and the ability to

direct combat from underground. Hezbollah built this bunker directly underneath this hospital. There are hundreds of millions of dollars in cash

and gold inside the bunker right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: What are we hearing from Lebanese officials about those allegations?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, there's an absolute pushback from Lebanese officials, from the directors within the hospital as

well, that what Hagari was saying is accurate. We've heard from one of the directors saying that it's a hospital that's been there for more than 40

years.

They have no political affiliation. He's actually been inviting journalists, U.N. members and Lebanese army into the hospital to try and

show them that there is no truth to this. One of his quotes says this, the Israeli allegations are baseless and are a pretext to justify attacks on

Lebanon and its institutions.

He also goes on to say, though, that they have started to do some kind of evacuations of patients and staff because they're concerned that if the IDF

believes that this does house Hezbollah infrastructure, that they will target at least nearby. We have seen that happen with another hospital, the

largest public hospital in Beirut.

And it comes just a day after we're seeing these financial institutions, which the IDF says is affiliated with Hezbollah, being targeted as well.

So, there is a real concern within these hospitals. And what we're hearing from officials is that this is how it happened in Gaza.

That IDF said this is affiliated with Hamas, and then they targeted these hospitals. So, there is a very serious pushback from officials in Beirut at

the moment.

ANDERSON: Well, that is Beirut. I want to get to Gaza, because we are seeing some pretty horrific images from the north of Gaza, where residents

have once again been told to evacuate. I mean, these are residents who have actually returned to Northern Gaza. What's the IDF saying about its targets

there?

HANCOCKS: So, the IDF actually provided us with some drone footage, which they say proves that they are safely evacuating civilians from out of the

area. This was Jabalya refugee camp. Specifically, it's where the Israeli military started in operation more than two weeks ago, saying that they

believe that Hamas was rebuilding, regrouping, and this was where they needed to target them.

But there have been thousands of civilians stuck there for days now, because they weren't able to evacuate as the military wanted them to. They

say that it was simply too dangerous. We're hearing from the Gaza civil defense that some 600 people have been killed just in the past couple of

weeks in these areas of Northern Gaza.

Now they don't give the breakdown of militants versus civilians, but the footage that we are seeing shows a lot of women and children in these

hospitals. And we're also hearing more concern from the U.N. on the ground saying that even their workers can't get food, they can't get water.

They have been denied the ability to send medical equipment into the few hospitals still working in the area by the Israeli military, something the

Israeli military denies, but they say it is an absolutely desperate situation in Northern Gaza at the moment.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. And folks, you are up to date on the current situation in both Lebanon then in Gaza, and

the fact that the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in region, once again, his 11th trip since October the seventh.

Well, two weeks, that is how long until America's Presidential Election Day. And both sides courting Republicans, Democrat Kamala Harris is

presenting the vote as a choice that transcends party with the very heart of Democracy at stake as Donald Trump raised, or perhaps lowered his anti-

Harris rhetoric to a new level.

[09:10:00]

Both candidates are focusing on those critical swing states like Wisconsin, for example, which has 10 electoral votes, and where the latest CNN poll of

poll indicates there is no clear leader. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez picks up the story there for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vice President Kamala Harris targeting a small but potentially decisive group of voters.

Republicans turned off by former President Donald Trump. Harris is focused on vote rich counties in the key swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and

Wisconsin.

Making an aggressive bid to win over independents and moderate Republicans with Liz Cheney by her side. Harris started her day in the Philadelphia

suburb of Chester County with a warning about the danger Trump poses.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S., (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are things that he says that will be the subject of skits and

laughter and jokes, but words have meaning, coming from someone who aspires to stand behind the seal of the President of the United States.

ALVAREZ (voice-over): The vice president swing includes populous suburban areas like Waukesha County, outside of Milwaukee, a long time GOP

stronghold, where the Harris team believes they can make inroads. Biden lost the county in 2020 but performed better than any Democrat in decades.

Harris is trying to appeal to those undecided and persuadable voters in places like Oakland County, Michigan, outside of Detroit, including those

who backed Nikki Haley in the Republican primary.

HARRIS: I hope and I pray that we, the American people, understand not only what is at stake for us in this election, but how much we mean to the rest

of the world.

ALVAREZ (voice-over): Monday's moderated conversations centered on a second Trump term, serving as a warning to voters. Harris has been sharpening her

attacks on Trump, frequently casting him as, quote, unstable and unhinged, including taking aim at what she described as Trump's off script moments.

HARRIS: Generally, for the life of him, cannot finish a thought. And he has called it the weave. But I think we here will call it nonsense.

ALVAREZ (voice-over): She's also resorted to near rapid response of her Republican rival, including his profane criticism of her time as vice

president.

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, you have to tell Kamala Harris that you've had enough that you just

can't take it anymore. We can't stand you. You're a shit vice president, the worst.

ALVAREZ (voice-over): Harris responding on MSNBC.

HARRIS: It demeans the office. And I have said, and I'm very clear about this, Donald Trump should never again stand behind the seal of the

President United States, he has not earned the right.

ALVAREZ (on camera): Now, the vice president and her team are hoping that this message resonates, especially with white college educated voters. That

is where they want to make more in -- to peel off votes from Former President Donald Trump, especially in the suburban areas in the key swing

states.

Now the vice president also indicating that reproductive freedom will also feature prominently in the following days, as that is another issue that

they think that they can capitalize on as they try to shore up support going into Election Day. Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Brookfield, Wisconsin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Priscilla was in Wisconsin, a swing state, has seen a democratic -- demographic shift that could be impactful. The whole profile

of the voting population across what's known as the rust belt looks slightly different than it did in 2020. CNN Contributor Ron Brownstein

wrote about that on our digital platform.

And you can go there to read more about what these changes mean for these candidates. But in terms of what's happening today, Former President Barack

Obama speaking to voters in two rust belt states that of Wisconsin and Michigan. Well, CNN's Evan McKend -- Eva McKend, I'm sorry, joins us now

from Washington with more on today's campaigning.

I want to drill down, Eva, if we can on how surrogates like Obama are trying to get the edge on that changing electorate in the rust belt. Just

provided some context here and what it is that Obama is likely to be saying today and who his target audience is, two weeks out from Election Day?

EVA MCKEND, CNN U.S. NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the former president, is perhaps one of the most popular figures in the

Democratic Party, and so we have seen Democrats use him cycle after cycle to great effect.

[09:15:00]

He has a way of boosting turnout, getting a lot of people to turn out to these events, and then also a plain-spoken comfortability with voters,

especially Democratic voters, that might be feeling precious or delicate about a whole set of issues. He will lean on them and say, listen, this is,

go time.

This is the time to turn out in a big way, the stakes are just too high. So, I suspect that is what we are going to hear from the former president,

as well as leaning on core coalitions. So, he had some tough talk for black men a few weeks ago on the campaign trail. Some people didn't like that.

They felt that it was a little too raw, and that black men should not be scolded. But certainly, we may hear from this, from the former president

again in places like Detroit, where the Harris campaign is really relying on black voter turnout. And Democrats are concerned that even a slight

erosion among black voters could spell doom for Democrats, because they rely on black voters to turn out over 80 percent over 90 percent.

And then, Becky. we also suspect to hear this country over party message. You heard that a little bit from Liz Cheney, but they are trying to appeal

to voters that may not necessarily agree with Harris on every single policy issue. Maybe they don't agree with her on tax policy or immigration.

But they're trying to argue that this election is not that, that this election is about preserving democracy and fidelity to the Constitution,

and you don't have to agree with her on everything, but you should be able to agree with her on that. That's what we're going to hear from Obama this

evening, Becky.

ANDERSON: And let me just -- I was struck by your assessment of Obama being able to talk in a sort of, you know, more comfortable manner with people,

very specific you said about precious or delicate issues or things that are precious or delicate for some of these voters about a whole host of issues.

It's those issues that I'm interested to get a little bit more substance on. What are we talking about here?

MCKEND: Well, there are certain Democrats that feel as though on the issue of reproductive rights, that Democrats are too little too late, that they

when they were in a position of power, they should have done more over the past decades to codify roe and they don't feel particularly swayed by this

argument.

I have met those voters. There are certain Democratic voters that feel as though the Biden-Harris Administration has tacked too far to the right on

the issue of immigration, and feel as though they are no longer making an affirmative, compassionate case for immigration, and sound way too much

like Republicans.

And may feel motivated to sit this election out as a result. And you know what Obama and Michelle Obama as well as saying is that this is not the

time for that. You may not be perfectly aligned on the policy issues, but ultimately the stakes are just too high here, and that the Former

President, Donald Trump, poses a much greater threat.

ANDERSON: Yeah, it's these voters who are potentially going to sit this one out that they are really sort of -- laser focused on at this point. And

it's so good to have you. Eva, always a pleasure. Thank you very much indeed. Donald Trump laser focused on battle ground.

The battle ground state of North Carolina now in its second week of early voting. The former president visited with hurricane relief workers in the

hard-hit Asheville area on Monday. Now, the latest CNN poll of polls shows no clear winner in that state among likely voters, Trump with 49 percent

Kamala Harris with 48.

Well, the southern state more of a must win for Donald Trump to regain his seat in the White House. Chances of winning the presidency without this

State of North Carolina just 8 percent for him. CNN's Steve Contorno is in Miami, Florida, where Trump will be hosting a round table of Latino

business leaders before he heads back to North Carolina later today.

You're there in Florida where Trump is this morning. What's his message to the demographic that he is speaking to today in what is, of course, another

must win state?

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Becky, his message to Latino voters really is not that much different than what he is telling black voters or white

voters or poor people or college educated people. It's essentially a message sent around the economy, inflation, crime and even illegal

immigration.

He has made the case that the people of Hispanic and Latino descent who are here legally are just as harmed by illegal immigration as anybody else.

[09:20:00]

And that is a message that he has delivered in Hispanic populations all across the country. Now he is in Miami today, which is an area that he won

by a larger than expected margin four years ago, in part because of the support he received here from the Cuban-American community, from the

Venezuelan-American community, and from Puerto Ricans as well.

And so, the hope is that they can build on that momentum in 2020 and outsource it to some of these other states that are going to hinge on the

Latino vote, states like Nevada and Arizona and potentially even Pennsylvania. So today, he'll be speaking, in just a few hours behind me,

delivering a message gear towards Latino business community, and he will be speaking with members of that community to try to carry that message home.

ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Thank you. Well, you're watching CNN. This is "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson for you. 20 past 5 here in Abu

Dhabi, 20 past 9, in the states on the East Coast. Still to come. BRICS summit leaders meeting in Russia as we speak, aiming to rebalance global

power away from Western countries. Should the West be alarmed or more on that is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: President Vladimir Putin is welcoming more than a dozen world leaders in Russia as his country hosts the latest BRICS summit in Kazan.

The three-day event kicking off today spotlights a growing convergence of nations with a desire to shift the global balance of power away from the

U.S. led West.

In 2009, the group was initially comprised of Brazil, Russia, India and China, and has expanded over the years to now include other nations such as

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE, where I am. I want to bring in CNN's Marc Stewart in Beijing. Marc, well, now 2.5 years into the war in Ukraine,

the West has been trying desperately to isolate Putin on the world stage.

But from the looks of what is this expanding Economic Alliance, piece by piece, it seems that has not worked out. What's your assessment of what we

are seeing here?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Becky. Let me follow up on that point, because we heard from one analyst who said, this whole summit,

in many ways, it's really a gift to Vladimir Putin to have all of these world leaders convene on his territory with this very precarious back drop

of the Russia, Ukraine war still underway.

As we enter the summit, Putin appears to be very confident. He talked to reporters last Friday, looking into this week. Let's take a listen to some

of his remarks, especially what he feels is the future for this conflict.

[09:25:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: The Russian army is undoubtedly becoming not only one of the most high-tech, but the most battle ready. And

until the NATO folks have had enough of fighting us, you will need to ask them about that. We are ready to continue this fight, and victory will be

ours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: So -- there's clearly this -- message of an alternative to the west. That's the message we're hearing from Putin, and one that we will

likely here in the days ahead from Chinese Leader Xi Jinping. Very interesting to look at the members of BRICS, as you mentioned, we have

Brazil, we have India.

But we also have Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which, as you know, Becky, from your seat at Abu Dhabi, are very big economic forces,

especially when it comes to oil exports. So that adds some diversity to the group of nations. There are so many different eclectic viewpoints.

Also interesting to note that there have been guests, not necessarily members of BRICS, but guests have been invited, including Palestinian

Leader Mahmoud Abbas. So, there is certainly a lot of symbolism taking place in, Becky, that may also contribute to any of the substance that we

see take place here.

ANDERSON: Yeah, and the view here is that any bloc group or alliance that serves the UAE's economic interests is fair play as far as this country is

concerned. They make no secret of that. It has been a policy now for years. Foreign Policy serves the country's economic interests.

That is a multi-polar system, if that's what it will be, as opposed to a multi-lateral system, were that not to serve its interests going forward.

STEWART: Sure.

ANDERSON: And you hear that frankly, across the narratives from these BRICS members, for example, including India, with its relationship with Russia.

Let's talk about China. What's its objective here?

STEWART: Well, first of all, I think it's important to point out that Xi Jinping, his arrival, is being very celebrated by Russia. In fact, when a

747 was approaching Kazan, he was he was escorted by Russian fighter jets. I think we're going to hear a lot of themes that we have heard in the past.

Especially this idea that the United States and its allies are kind of unfairly stacked in the world stage, and that there are other alternatives,

another world view, something that Putin also, to an extent, echo. So, I think we're going to hear that from Xi Jinping himself. He is expected to

address the delegates at this conference.

In addition, would not be surprised as Xi Jinping perhaps talks about the six-point peace plan concerning Ukraine along with Brazil. It's a plan that

was presented during the United Nations last month. It's something that Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has slammed.

But as China portrays itself as a neutral partner in this conflict, it's something it may want to do, although United States officials have

expressed reservations that it's truly an objective party here, Becky.

ANDERSON: Well, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Marc Stewart, out of Beijing, for you this evening. Well, a much-

anticipated debut in India's markets for car maker Hyundai. Coming up, a look at how its stock performed up to the country's largest IPO ever more.

Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:00]

ANDERSON: Right. This is the aftermath of what is an Israeli strike in Lebanon. This video just coming into us. So let me just bring it up, as I

say, the aftermath of a new Israeli air strike on the outskirts of Beirut city. It comes after Israel's military issued evacuation orders for the

area.

In fact, a very specific warning, evacuation warning just a couple of hours ago, those orders warning residents that the IDF is targeting Hezbollah

facilities in the area. This follows the Israeli air strike that damaged Lebanon's largest hospital and killed more than a dozen people, which

Israel claims houses an underground Hezbollah bunker.

More on that strike, of course, its impact and any casualties as and when we get that information in, but that video just into us here at CNN.

Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You're watching "Connect the World". Let's have a look at the markets. For you, the indications were

that they will be a lower these U.S. stock markets on the open.

And indeed, that is the story that we're seeing down between a third and two thirds of 1 percent. Hyundai Motor India made its public trade debut on

Tuesday after a record setting IPO, shares are closed down on the market after a tepid response from retail investors, this was India's largest ever

Initial Public Offering or IPO of $3.3 billion. CNN's Mike Valerio has more details for you.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a rocky road for the first few moments of this blockbuster IPO for Hyundai India, the largest IPO in

India history, the largest IPO for Asia this year. So, when we look at the numbers and take a look at the stock, how it traded throughout the day,

down about 6 percent in the first few moments of trading, and then recovering ever so slightly.

Now, despite these head winds, the story line of how this remains an important theme in India's economy, the amazing resurgence of India's

economy certainly remains true. So, to take you into the context of how we got here. Let's look at India's place in the world in terms of the

automotive industry.

India finding itself as the third ranking member of the top three nations when it comes to the largest automotive markets in the world, joining China

and the United States leap frogging ahead of Japan. So, analysts tell us Hyundai India what they're trying to do, and what the parent company of

Hyundai here in Seoul.

What it wants to do is try to make its bastion in India a much larger player in the region, to make it a greater exporter of EVs and SUVs

throughout the region. And you know, the question that many have brought up when we're talking about this IPO is, why not expand to China?

There's been a lot of analysis in the pages of the Financial Times. And analysts here in Seoul are saying that Hyundai is really trying to look for

an alternative to China, when we have Beijing and other regional governments within China, giving domestic Chinese automakers a lot of

subsidies, it's crowding out so many of the international car makers.

So, from Hyundai's point of view, it makes sense to expand their position in India, to turn out more of those EVs and SUVs. So, a rocky start. We're

going to watch this stock over the next couple days and weeks worthy of keeping in mind. Facebook and Uber also had some pretty rocky moments for

their IPO debuts, and they managed to recover in the short term. Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.

[09:35:00]

ANDERSON: It's a big market, world's most populist nation, of course. Well, Elon Musk's voter lottery scheme is drawing criticism from legal experts,

with some calling it illegal vote buying. Musk offering millions of dollars to get people to register and then to cast their ballots in swing states.

CNN's Donie O'Sullivan went to an event hosted by Musk in Pennsylvania to meet some of his followers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elon Musk is the smartest man in the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elon is a genius. This is a one-time opportunity to see him.

DAVE FOX, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I'm a Super Star Trek guy. When those rockets came down, I'm like, you've got to be kidding.

CHRISTINE, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I respect his opinion. I understand the way he thinks being an engineer myself. I can understand some of the quirky

things that maybe other people take the wrong way.

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Elon Musk is holding this town hall happening here in Harrisburg, trying to get the vote out for Former

President Donald Trump.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Musk is pouring tens of millions of dollars into getting Trump elected, even offering cash prizes to registered voters in

battle ground states.

ELON MUSK, TECH BILLIONAIRE: So, every day between now and the election, we'll be awarding a million dollars starting tonight.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): This expert say could be breaking election law.

O'SULLIVAN: So, you're a big Star Trek guy?

FOX: Yes.

O'SULLIVAN: I've been to a lot of Trump rallies, but this has the feel of like part comic --

FOX: Right.

O'SULLIVAN: Trump rally, right?

FOX: There are tons of young people, which I was, like, surprised. I think usually, you know, like, there's a lot of people like me at a Trump rally,

you know, getting ready to drop over. These are Elon Musk fans.

SHRAGA FEINBERG, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: He's so cool, man, why not? Right? I mean, he's just so inspirational. What an amazing guy. What I think he

offers is being able to use his platform to bring the truth to more people, people that may not otherwise even give a crap about politics.

DEVIN MOUSSO, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: With all the polarization that there is now. I feel like it's really tough to yank somebody out of their camp.

Everybody sees what the algorithms show them. I think most of the people that are big Elon Musk fans are probably on the side of Trump and all that

already.

FEINBERG: Yeah, I voted for Biden. You know, in 2020.

O'SULLIVAN: You did?

FEINBERG: I did.

O'SULLIVAN: And what changed?

FEINBERG: What changed is nothing like positive, that's for sure. So, you know, I know when Trump was in office, I saw more money on my paycheck.

MOUSSO: I was definitely a bit of a Trump hater, I guess --

O'SULLIVAN: So, in 2020, you weren't a Trump guy?

MOUSSO: I've known now. I think I was more on down the middle. Didn't really care about it. I felt everything is just too crazy.

O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.

MOUSSO: I don't want to get involved. And this, I guess, is the most involved I'm getting. I haven't gotten any other rallies, and I probably

won't, but --

O'SULLIVAN: So, you haven't been to any other political event?

MOUSSO: No --

O'SULLIVAN: And you either --

FEINBERG: -- I --

MUSK: This might be the very last election that's a real election.

O'SULLIVAN: At some of these town halls, Musk has just been repeating election conspiracy theories.

MUSK: Statistically, there are some very strange things that happen.

O'SULLIVAN: You're not worried about Musk's critics who say he's look up sharing conspiracy theory --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People make critics all the time. He's doing what is right for America and the people.

DONALD BICKEL, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I'm big in science. I do it for a living.

O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.

BICKEL: So, I'm here to see Elon. That's literally why I'm here.

O'SULLIVAN: We met Don Bickel, a Musk super fan and Pennsylvania State government employee.

BICKEL: My appeal for Elon is a lot of the way he likes to break inventions, working in government for as long I like to sometimes smash the

silos and just break everything down and build everything back up again. I had voted for Trump in the past, I traditionally vote Republican. I'm --

don't think I'm going to vote Republican this time.

O'SULLIVAN: You don't think Musk is going to change your mind?

BICKEL: I mean, a meteor could strike me. It's possible.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Don says Musk's debunked conspiracy theories are dangerous.

BICKEL: I think probably Elon's problem is he's so down the rabbit hole what he is in X now that it's really hard to know what's right and wrong.

MUSK: There's always a sort of question of like, say, the Dominion voting machines.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): At one town hall, Musk brought up Dominion voting machines a frequent subject of conspiracy theories.

MUSK: In my view, we should only do paper ballots, hand counted. That's it.

BICKEL: Here's the funny thing, even with dominion, there's still a paper trail.

O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.

BICKEL: So, you can still hand recount that I've been working for the state for many years. And I heck, my father before me, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, my

father before me, he worked for the state for many years. So, I grew up as a state kid, and I know how the state works, a lot of respect.

O'SULLIVAN: Yeah.

BICKEL: So yeah, it's kind of sad when you know people like me who are considered like the quote, enemy within or the deep state. We're just doing

our jobs.

O'SULLIVAN: But Musk is adding fuel to that fire, right, of the demonization of black officials.

BICKEL: Look the volume for this needs to be taken down.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Donie O'Sullivan speaking to folks there in Pennsylvania, we're going to be right back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:40:00]

ANDERSON: Right. We are talking NBA history in the making, and it is all set to play out in tonight's basketball season opener. What am I talking

about? Teasing you -- Amanda Davies is in the house. What is going on?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Talk about following in the footsteps of giants. I mean, wow, we what a prospect lies in wait for 20-year-old,

Bronny James, a name you think maybe sounds familiar? Yes, because he is the son of LeBron James, the NBA's all-time record points scorer, a four-

time champion.

And for the first time in NBA history, we could get a father and son playing on an NBA court for the same team at the same time. Bronny did say

yesterday he doesn't know whether or not he's definitely going to play this evening, but you suspect it will be happening, if not tonight, sometime

soon.

But I mean, what a lot of pressure on his shoulders. And we've got a look at what to expect coming up in just a couple of minutes.

ANDERSON: You really don't want to have a bad night on your dad's watch. Do you -- Good to have you Amanda, as "World Sport" coming up. We will be back

15 minutes. After that for the second hour of "Connect the World". Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

END