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Erin Burnett Outfront

Train Resembling Kim Jong Un's Spotted Near Russian Border; Trump Asks Judge To Recuse From DOJ Election Case; Morocco Death Toll Tops 2,800 Amid Scramble For Survivors; Major Hurricane Growing, Northeast Could See "Significant Impacts"; Hunt For Escaped Murderer Intensifies As Reward Rises To $25K. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired September 11, 2023 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:26]

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next, Kim Jong-un making his way to Russia. A train resembling his top secret bulletproof caravan just spotted at the Russian border, all eyes on Kim's meeting with Vladimir Putin, as soon as a few hours from now.

Plus, Hurricane Lee growing even bigger, a new forecast showing Lee on track to get dangerously close to the Northeast. I'm going to talk to a long time storm chaser with a stark warning tonight for those living on the entire East Coast.

And police expanding the search for the escape killer who managed to sneak past hundreds of officers, steal a van, and alter his appearance, even showing up over the weekend at our former co-worker's house. A U.S. marshal overseeing that search is my guest tonight.

Let's go OUTFRONT.

And good evening, I'm Erin Burnett.

OUTFRONT tonight, Putin's cavalry is coming, led by Kim Jong-un. North Korea's reclusive leader is expected to arrive in just hours for a face to face meeting with Vladimir Putin in Russia, a meeting that Putin hopes will result in an arms deal that he badly needs to fight the war in Ukraine.

We've got some new video just shared by Russian state television. They say that this is the train carrying Kim Jong-un.

Now, it does closely resemble the green and gold highly armored slow- moving train that's used by Kim. It's pretty incredible to see this, it's right along the. Border you can see that it's moving incredibly slowly. In fact, the train as we understand it that he travels and is believed to move at a top speed of only 37 miles an hour in part because it so weighed down by heavy armor.

Well, Russian TV says the train was spotted, as I said, near that North Korean/Russian border that you are looking at right there. We can't independently confirm the authenticity of this video, but we do know Kim has used a train that looks just like that in the past. It also looks very similar to the train used by his father and grandfather who also ruled North Korea.

We've got a brief glimpse inside the train back in 2019, when North Korean state media released this photo. You can see the dark pink chairs, and according to a South Korean newspaper report about the train, the train included conference rooms and audience chambers, and event full bedrooms, and flat screen TVs.

Now, Kim and Putin are expected to meet for the first time since this visit. Now, this picture that you're looking at here is 2019, before the pandemic. So, this meeting now is hugely significant for both leaders. It's going to be Kim's first known trip outside North Korea in about four years. And, of course, this country is one of only six pariah states that voted this year at the U.N. to side to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

And Putin and Kim Jong Un are expected to meet at the Russian city of Vladivostok, which is a little over 80 miles from the North Korean border.

Here's how the Kremlin is describing the meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DMITRY PESKOV, PUTIN SPOKESMAN (through translator): Like with any neighbor, we consider ourselves obligated to establish good mutually beneficial relations. We will continue to strengthen our friendships.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov for Putin.

Russian state television is already playing up the visit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The future meeting of Putin and Kim makes Western leaders nervous. Kim has not done anything yet but the West is already trembling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Trembling -- obviously, a bit hyperbole, but the U.S. is deeply concerned.

The White House saying today, quote, as we have warned publicly, armed discussions between Russia and the DPRK are expected to continue during Kim Jong Un's trip to Russia. We urged the DPRK to abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia.

Well, obviously, they are saying that because they need to say, it but there is no warning from the U.S. that seems to have any impact on either dictator. Putin certainly has not heeded any warnings from the United States regarding the war.

We have new video into OUTFRONT meantime showing that that fierce fighting continues on the southern front.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

BURNETT: You hear that rapid gunfire. Ukraine says that it shows its troops capturing a Russian position. These Russian losses, of course, have made Putin so desperate, now in need of help from North Korea.

Will Ripley is tracking Kim's train, and is OUTFRONT.

And, of course, Will, you've seen it. And, of course, Will, you've seen it. You've spent a lot of time in North Korea as well, as, of course, in Ukraine. What is the latest you are learning tonight?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, this train, Erin, is essentially like a slow-moving fortress. It is bomb resistant. It has bulletproof windows, basically designed to keep Kim Jong-un as safe as possible when he leaves the confines of North Korea, his isolated country that he has not left, as you mentioned, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[19:05:03]

The reason why he's making this trip now, he stands a lot to gain from this meeting with Vladimir Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): A growing arsenal of ballistic missiles, but not a single bullet train. One of many contradictions, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slowly rolls towards Russia in Soviet-era armored train cars painted green, with glistening white interiors, gourmet meals, and live music, like the North Korean election train I rode in 2018, windows boarded shut to block our view of the destitute countryside.

Kim has made this journey before to the Russian city of Vladivostok, but this trip could have huge ramifications for Russia's war in Ukraine, for North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal. Kim is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, like Kim, a global pariah, and now potential partner.

U.S. officials warned last week of possible arms negotiations. Putin desperately needs, weapons and ammunition to fight his war in Ukraine. North Korea is sitting on a huge stockpile.

What could Kim get in return? Money and missile technology. So he can bypass sanctions to build more nuclear capable ballistic missiles. Moscow has a huge arsenal, and decades of know-how.

In July, Kim hosted the Russian defense minister in Pyongyang, showing off his latest ICBMs, and drones analysts bear striking resemblance to U.S. military models.

South Korea's spy agency warned last month of growing military cooperation, warning of the possible transfer of Russia's core nuclear, and missile technology to North Korea. Analysts fear a potential return to Cold War politics, a partnership giving Putin more firepower, and Kim more nuclear power. Two rogue nations, potentially teaming up to take on the free world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on camera): This would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, Erin, for Vladimir Putin to invite Kim Jong-un, and the two of them stand shoulder to shoulder. North Korea, bringing to the table something that Vladimir Putin desperately needs, and Putin returning with valuable information that will help North Korea grow it's already fast growing nuclear program, making it a very big challenge, a dire threat to the west, and particularly the United States.

BURNETT: All right. Will, thank you very much from Taipei tonight.

I want to go to Jean Lee, former Pyongyang bureau chief for "The Associated Press", along with General Mark Hertling, retired Army lieutenant general, former commanding general for Europe and the Seventh Army.

So, thanks very much to both of you.

And, General, let me start with you. You know, it's an unprecedented moment, and it's an important moment. How much military aid can North Korea actually supply Russia? And is there a way for you to try to gauge what it would mean for the Ukraine war?

LT. GENERAL MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: They can -- they can contribute quite a bit, but mostly in terms of ammunition. They have the same kind of ammunition that Putin has been using, especially in the artillery realm. That's what Putin needs in this stage of the war. It has been an artillery duel from the very beginning. He is running out of the kind of conventional munitions that he needs.

None of these munitions would be precision guided munitions, like the HIMARS, or some of the GMLRS that we have provided to Ukraine. So, area fire weapons, he -- Kim has a lot of them. But he does not have the kind of equipment to fire those kind of missiles, or artillery pieces, or the kind of army that you would need.

His army is fourth rate, much further behind Russia, not as good, but he can certainly provide a base of support in terms of conventional munitions.

BURNETT: And as you point out, those are crucial, and right now it has been sort of a duel, of just who can get more of that ammo. In that case, very significant.

Jean, you shared with us some photos that you took inside one of Kim Jong-un's special trains. So, now, that we understand it is -- watch that train going with Russian state television say is Kim Jong Un's train, going into Russia, what can you tell us about it having seen the trains up close yourself and how important the train is to come?

JEAN LEE, FORMER PYONGYANG BUREAU CHIEF, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Well, they're a lot -- they're are a lot more luxurious than the average train in North Korea. They are outfitted, the trains that the leaders have ridden, and I have seen not only one of the special, trains but also the trains that the leader Kim Jong Il, and Kim Il Sung road. They were completely outfitted to hilt. They have full out faces in those trains. They were moving apartments, they were moving palaces.

One thing that you realize when you're in North Korea, and you are taken to see these trains is how important the train is in the mythology of the North Korean leadership of the Kim family.

[19:10:02]

And so, when you wrap your head around why he's traveling around by train? Well, Kim Jong Il, his father was terrified, notoriously terrified of flying. And so, they embraced the train as his mode of transit, and built a whole mythology around it.

So I think that aside from the security, there is a lot of tradition and mythology that comes with traveling by train.

BURNETT: And the fact that it is being broadcast, General, so openly, right, shows that this is -- you know, Kim, is -- this is propaganda, and he needs it, right? He needs it. Well, what does he need? Will is reporting nuclear technology that could be transformative.

North Korea tested a new ICBM back in April. They say it's the most powerful missile yet. We saw the Russian Defense Minister Shoigu going there to see it that this summer. We understand that the missile was likely the result of cooperation with China -- I'm sorry, with, Russia, that's the Center for Strategic International Studies' conclusion on this.

So, could Putin truly help Kim at this point, General, on the nuclear front?

HERTLING: Oh, absolutely, on the nuclear and rocket front, Erin. You know, as we watched over the last two decades, Kim has attempted to build a rocket force, a ballistic missile force, a nuclear force because truthfully, he is spending all of his money in that arm of defense.

His standing army his air force is not very good. So, he will use these weapons as terror weapons, but he hasn't had the capability yet, as we've assessed in the West, to match the rockets with the nuclear weapons. That's critical.

You know, he throws off a missile every once in awhile over the Sea of Japan, or over to cross the continental land mass of Japan and it's impressive. But he still had difficulties in terms of mastering the techniques needed to use for ballistic missile weaponry. He wants to go, further and have a match between a nuclear weapon, a missile, and in some cases a submarine.

So, these are the kind of things that Russia can certainly help with because the Russian government has a great nuclear force.

BURNETT: And, Jean, this meeting is happening right on the far east of Russia, right? Vladivostok. How important is this meeting for Kim?

LEE: This is another coming out moment for him. He has been locked in self imposed isolation for more than four years. And he did use the COVID pandemic as an opportunity to steal the border, but I think the withdrawal came before that, with the breakdown of nuclear negotiations with the United States.

He wanted to retreat, recalibrate, come up with a new strategy, and reshaped the narrative, get his arsenal to a stronger position, and now he is ready to reemerge.

And Putin has provided him with this stage for propaganda that will help him, not only sent a message to his, first but also to his people saying it's been four years, we made a lot of sacrifices, but Russia hasn't forgotten about us. Look how important I am. So, hugely important propaganda moment in addition to the deliverables that are going to come out of any deal that they strike.

BURNETT: Yeah. We're going to see what we find out about that deal, but we do know there will be one.

Thank you both very much, Jean and General. Thank you both.

And next, former President Trump now asking the judge overseeing his 2020 federal election case to recuse herself. How come?

Plus, heartbreaking new images as rescue crews hit hardest by that Moroccan earthquake. They're raising against time now to find any survivors. We'll be live in the ground in Morocco.

And one Republican proposing an unlikely alliance to take down his leader in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:17:32]

BURNETT: Tonight, we are following several late developments in Trump's criminal cases.

First, the former president asking Judge Tanya Chutkan to recuse herself from the DOJ's 2020 election case brought by the special counsel. In new court filing, Trump points to several remarks the judge has made about January 6th, including that the rioters were there, quote, in loyalty to one man. Trump warning, quote, the public reasonably and understandably questioned whether Judge Chutkan arrive at all of her decisions in this matter and partially, or in fulfillment of her prior negative statements regarding President Trump.

Now, we also have a new filing from Trump in Fulton County, Georgia, where he is now asking a court to dismiss several criminal charges against him. There, of course, Fani Willis wants to try all 19 defendants next month.

OUTFRONT now, Gabe Sterling, the Republican chief operating officer for Georgia secretary of state. He testified in the Fulton County case. This is his first interview since Trump was indicted.

And, of, course I should say, Gabe, you know, and you will call 150 witnesses and you'll be -- you'll be one of those as well.

So, the special -- the special grand juries vote to recommend charges against Trump in your state was not unanimous. The newly released report shows that there was one no vote and 20 yes votes.

Now, you were in the room. You testified in front of the scope of your peers, Fulton County residents. Did you sense any doubt as you took their questions?

GABRIEL STERLING (R), CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE: Well, thanks, Erin. I just want to acknowledge that today is 9/11. And my heart and prayers go out to everybody who -- first responders, people who lost their lives and it reminds us that all these are serious things.

And when I was in that room, I took the responsibility seriously. And there were some people who had some deeper questions surrounding, you know, the potentials of the stop the steal type of questions you might expect. But nobody looked like they have their mind made up when I was there testifying. And also, that 20-1 vote was on some of the counts. There were also counts that were 9-9 that obviously didn't move forward with D.A. Willis' final indictment.

BURNETT: So, you know, on that front, right, if it was indeed the same person who voted no, you know, on so many of the actual recommendations for charges, and then you mentioned some of the charges, right, were split 9-9, right? The burden of proof here in the special grand jury was quite low. Trump is now heading for a jury trial. The burden of proof there will be higher than it was with the grand jury, in front of which you testified.

And you know the county well. So, it -- what's -- what's the chance here of a hung jury or of an acquittal when you get actually in front of a jury?

[19:20:03]

STERLING: Well, I'm not a lawyer, I'm not a judge, in this case I'm not a juror. I may likely be a witness. But juries do things. I mean, that's our system that we have. You go before a jury of your peers to make these kinds of decisions.

And I think, generally speaking, juries have historically pretty much done the right thing given the evidence they have. But my fear of this from the beginning and all the indictments especially of Bragg in New York, which is really kind of a stretch, is anything that's brought forward, if it's a hung jury or he's found innocent, will be viewed as a complete, you know, vindication, I did everything perfectly right.

And I don't think that's really the case. But our system isn't really designed to deal with some of these things in this kind of way.

BURNETT: Right. And now the whole country is looking at whatever -- you know, however many juries there are, however many of these things go to trial before the election, as determining what the -- what really happened. It's a precarious situation to be in.

And on that front, Gabe, I want to ask you about the movement that has been gaining steam, which is a movement to try to remove Trump from state ballots using the constitution, citing the Fourteenth Amendment specifically, and it's insurrection clause.

Now, Trump is trying to fight this. He's filing a motion to move a lawsuit, trying to do that in Colorado to federal court. But, you know, Gabe, it's interesting. I spoke to Professor Laurence Tribe about this. He supports it.

And specifically, I asked him about people who say look, why are you trying to do this? Why are you trying to take him off the ballot? Leave it up to the voters. And he said, you've got to respect the Constitution. It's that simple.

Here's his argument.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURENCE TRIBE, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR: Suppose Bill Clinton, or Barack Obama, or George W. Bush wanted to run and people supported them. They would not to be able to run because they're not eligible under the 22nd Amendment. Suppose a 30-year-old, wonderful, you know, charismatic character wanted to run, would it be under democratic to keep them off the ballot? No democracy is defined, partly by the rule of law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: It's an interesting point, Gabe. He's saying, you know, you're not going -- to everybody likes this, person we're going to allow him to run. He's saying the same thing. You cannot allow someone who incited a rebellion, or an insurrection to run that's in the Constitution.

Does he have a point?

STERLING: Well, I mean, the inverse of that argument is if a lot of people don't like him, you can't just keep him off the ballot. Who decides fundamental at the end of the day? If somebody's 30 years old, I can look at their birth certificate. That's binary. I know if they're 30 or not. They can't be qualified to be president.

You've been elected twice, I know that. You can't be on the ballot. Who is deciding this? Because right now, some people are saying this is, you know, any individual election official can say, I have decided he committed insurrection.

This is from Section Three of the 14th Amendment. Section One of the 14th Amendment also has to do with due process at the state level. They're asking state officials to make these decisions. There are processes in every state to look at this. But let me tell you something, if they go and they decided that they

are going to try to get somebody off of the ballot, do you think that the people who are angry at January 6, this will give them a whole new set of grievances, because at this point, they will say the system is rigged and he was right all along.

BURNETT: All right. Gabe, I appreciate it. Thank you very much and I'm glad to talk to you.

STERLING: Thanks. Have a great day.

BURNETT: All right. You too.

And next, Hurricane Lee getting bigger tonight. The latest forecast showing a coming dangerously close to the U.S. Northeast. And I'm going to talk to a long time storage chaser who has a warning for those on the East Coast.

Plus, searching for a miracle, who is racing to try to find people still alive after the devastating earthquake flattened entire villages and towns. At least 2,800 people are dead in Morocco. We are going to take you to the ground next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:27:15]

BURNETT: Tonight, two major stories we're following at this hour. Hurricane Lee growing in size as it heads towards the Northeast U.S.

Also, in Morocco, the intense search for survivors, rescue crews are just reaching some of the remote areas hit by the hardest -- the hardest by that devastating earthquake, and this is drone video you're looking at. I mean, it's just complete and utter devastation. The death toll rising more than 2,800 people tonight.

Nada Bashir is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Stone by stone, hour by hour, the desperate search for survivors pushes on.

The silence in this remote mountainous village punctured only by the whales of those who survive, now left two more. For the rescue team here, this is a race against time.

There is a woman in her 12-year-old document buried beneath the rubble, and their family waiting anxiously for the news of whether they have survived Friday's earthquake. They are quickly losing hope.

Raziqa has already buried 19 members of her family. Now, she fears she will soon have to bury her niece, Shima (ph).

On Saturday morning, we can still hear her voice, she tells me. She was alive, now we can't hear her. They took too long to get here, until now, we have been dogging digging through the rubble with our bare hands. If help had arrived sooner, we could have rescued them in time.

Though small in size, the village of Imi N'Tala was among the hardest hit by the earthquake, the deadliest Morocco has suffered in decades.

With three days on, rescue teams have only just arrived. The high mountainous range simply too remote, the roads up until now still obstructed by debris from the quake.

And with time running out, rescuers say this is now becoming a recovery operation.

SAAD ATTIA, INTERNATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEER: I think they are all working, working very hard, but until now, they don't need a dog (INAUDIBLE) for life. So they confirm all the victims in this rubble has already passed away.

BASHIR: Few lives in this close-knit community have been untouched by death. Each body recovered a gut-wrenching reminder of the climbing death toll already in the thousands. It's unclear just how many in this village are still missing.

But for those buried beneath the rubble, just like little Shima, rescuers fear it is already too late.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR (on camera): Look, Erin, this is just one of dozens of remote villages across the foothills of the Atlas Mountains that have been impacted, completely devastated by Friday's earthquake.

[19:30:09]

The government has vowed to provide compensation for those that have lost their homes. But for the many families, the countless families who have lost loved ones, who still have family members beneath the rubble, many still asking why the response has been so slow -- Erin.

BURNETT: Nada, thank you very much in Marrakech tonight.

And also this evening, Hurricane Lee moving across the Atlantic, swinging sharply to the right, expected to move north. At this hour lee is about 380 miles north of the leeward island. There is a growing risk that it will hit the east coast.

Maine and Massachusetts are now included in the northwestern edge of the forecast cone. Hurricane trackers are emphasizing Lee remains a major hurricane tonight, right now a category 3, expected to gain strength, and also expected to significantly increase in size.

This all coming after Lee already intensified once to a category 5, one of the fastest recorded rates in history.

OUTFRONT now, longtime Florida storm chaser Mike Boylan, also runs Mike's Weather Page that, popular hurricane tracker website. And, Mike, I'm glad to have you back with me.

You and I spoke about this the other day, and they been warning how badly this could hit the east coast. What are you seeing tonight?

MIKE BOYLAN, STORM CHASER: You're right. It's getting stronger tonight, and it's going to make that turn northward. And it's going to be growing in size. What I'm worried about is it's going to lose some strength.

We're going to hear downgraded a lot. I always hate that because people don't take it as serious. The system's going to be expanding a lot and it's going to be entering an area in the gulf of Maine, there hasn't been a lot of storms up there. Some of the wave maps I've been looking at is 20, 30-foot seas and still low pressure, which means wind. So the fact that it's a wide-ranging storm, I'm worried, even if it's not a direct landfall, it's going to impact a lot of folks.

And that means power outages inland as the winds are going to go way past the coast. So, they've already had a lot of rain up there and they're getting it right now. And it doesn't take a lot for winds and trees to start toppling and we get power outages. Storms get downgraded and everybody just stops watching them, and then they end up --

BURNETT: Well, you know, you think about sandy when it hit the mid- Atlantic. That was a category 2 when it hit. It was massive, they call it a super storm for a reason. There's power and there's size.

So you're saying even if something is not technically on a map looking like it's hitting, you could see wide-ranging repercussions on other areas of the East Coast?

BOYLAN: Oh, yeah. Well, we saw it with Irma down here in Florida. We have flooding on the East Coast, all the way to Jacksonville when it was down by Naples. So, a large system can have far-reaching effects.

We're turning into that little area, the Gulf of Maine. There hasn't really been a lot of storms up there. I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of coastal impacts that are going to be on the news. We have a new moon coming out on the 15th so that gets added to the surge levels.

So it will weaken, there is cooler water. But my biggest question is it's going to be going at a pretty good forward speed, it might not weaken that fast. And the wrong message might be that it's going to weaken. That's what happened with Ian. People thought it was going to weaken on the panhandle. It turned and it was still strong.

So, it's a serious storm and I think there's going to be a lot of people caught off guard on the effects.

BURNETT: One final question, you know, there are reports that NOAA, Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters, their aircraft have not even been able to penetrate the eyewall, right? At one point, it was just going so fast, wind gusts were 205, 208 miles an hour. The aircraft weren't actually even able to get in there. I mean, that's pretty incredible, right? I mean, that's incredible rare and pretty terrifying.

BOYLAN: Yeah. Well, you saw those lightning videos you showed when I was on last week. I don't recall seeing that much lightning in an eyewall and that's a sign of intensification. So, it went through that period where it was unbelievable. And there were two different missions that they chose not to go through the eye for the safety of the hurricane hunters. And I don't recall that happening very often, so it was intense.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Mike, I thank you very much for your time as we continue to watch this storm, and I know others now perhaps forming behind it. Thank you.

BOYLAN: Thank you.

BURNETT: And, next, Senator Joe Manchin joins me on the fight to keep the government running, Republican threats to impeach Biden, and when he will make a decision on whether he's running for the White House.

Plus, 12 days on the run. And now, officials upping the reward for the accused killer who showed up at a former co-worker's house over the weekend. His sister's now under arrest too. A U.S. marshal involved in the search, is OUTFRONT tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:38:33]

BURNETT: Tonight, backed in a corner. The House Speaker Kevin McCarthy facing mounting pressure from his own party on two major issues. The first is really basic, just reaching a deal to have the government stay open, to avoid a shutdown in 19 days. The far right insisting on deep spending cuts to Ukraine aid and domestic programs. The shutdown appears to be no problem for some.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): I can't just sit here and rubber-stamp the status quo. We are heading into a shutdown October 1st if you guys don't stand up and fight.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY (R), PRESIDNETIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not averse to government shutdowns. I think it's a legitimate portion of the negotiation around debt.

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH): I think it's totally reasonable for the House to use whatever leverage it can to try to get as much policy -- good policy made through this process as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: The second issue facing McCarthy is whether to call for impeachment hearings against Biden.

Matt Gaetz, who, of course, is one of many Republicans demanding impeachment, says he would work with Democrats to boot McCarthy if he doesn't do it, tweeting at Congressman Eric Swalwell, if I make a motion to remove Kevin, how many Democrat votes can I count on? Asking for a friend.

OUTFRONT now, the Democratic senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin.

And, Senator, you just heard two of your colleagues. They are not ruling out a shutdown. And we're reporting tonight that Speaker McCarthy and the Senate Majority Leader Schumer have not had direct talks about a government funding deal -- just checking again here -- since July. Here we are in the middle of September.

Do you have any confidence there will be a deal?

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): Well, first of all, no one should be talking about a shutdown because it's the average person out there trying to make it day to day who gets hurt the worst, and that shouldn't happen.

[19:40:03]

It's not our purpose of being here, not to fight and bicker and try to blame each other. We had a -- we had a Fiscal Responsibility Act that both the house and the Senate approved three months ago. That was after the president, Biden, and Kevin McCarthy sat down and came to an agreement and we voted on it.

And, Erin, back there -- back then, 314 members of the House voted in favor to approve it. And that's with almost a 50/50 split. In the Senate, 63 senators voted to approve it. And that's with 17 Republicans.

And now, you have people saying, well, that's too much, we're going to cut it back to the 2022 level. That wasn't what the deal was.

And we have on the Senate side, wanting to spend more with certain side deals and an extra $14 billion. That wasn't in the deal either. So can't we just get back to the deal that we had and vote it up or down any way you want to vote. We didn't get everybody there last time, we sure got enough to pass it, and I think it'll pass again.

BURNETT: All right. Well, I mean, certainly, everyone in this country should hope that a deal does pass. I mean, the White House tonight, Senator, threatened to veto a plan from the House GOP that the White House says would cut defense spending, education spending, healthcare, clean energy programs. That's what they say it would do.

But, look, the reality, of course, Senator, is that the United States is nearly $33 trillion in debt.

MANCHIN: Yeah.

BURNETT: It's going up by tens of billions of dollars a day. As you point out, often, the government spent more money than it has taken in every single year since the year 2001.

Is there any way out of this if President Biden does not agree to spending cuts? MANCHIN: Well, they've already made that deal. Now, if they're not

going to honor the deal, then that deal is not accurate so we'll go back to the table. If they want to fight for the deal they have, then fight for that deal. You already had a vote, a positive vote. Why they want to reinvent the wheel, I don't know.

And why people -- I assure the people who voted against it three months ago, Erin, they're probably going to be against it no matter what you do will never be good enough. And they let the perfect be the enemy of the good or give them a reason to vote against something.

The bottom line is we are starting to cap our spending. We've got to. Twenty-one years in a row, Erin, that we've spent more money than we've taken in. There's not a person listening and watching us tonight that can live that way.

They can't go 21 months. Some people can't go 21 days. You cannot continue to spend your way out of indebtedness. You can't do it. So we've got to make some tough choices.

It's not going to be quickly overnight. It can be gradual, but it has to be done. But you can't be throwing more fuel on the fire, and that's what they're doing.

BURNETT: So, Senator, you, of course, have not ruled out running as a third-party candidate for president in 2024. The latest CNN poll shows 67 percent of Democratic voters do not want President Biden to be the Democratic nominee in 2024. Those numbers are pretty stunning. And 76 percent of all voters have serious concerns that President Biden who is already 80, whether he would be able to serve another four years as president.

I know you saw the poll. You saw those members. You know you hear this from your constituents as well. Even if it's not you, and obviously you've considered it -- you are considering it. Even if it's not you, does someone else in the Democratic Party, does someone else need to jump in the race?

MANCHIN: Well, I'm not going to speak for anybody else. Bottom line is, is I understand the party system's the way it works. And with that on both sides, on President Trump, former President Trump, I mean, there's 60 percent of Republicans who don't want to see a repeat. People are tired and wore out.

The normal -- this is not normal. We did not become the country we are with this type of activity that you have between two major parties. And if it's going to take another movement to shake people back to reality, this is not how people live their lives. This is not what they expect.

We have one purpose and that's to keep our country united. And that's the American way. It's not the Democrat or Republican way. Basically, that's their two purposes are to find the pathway forward, not to just basically antagonize or villainize the other side.

I'm sick and tired of it. Americans are sick and tired of it. And we see what happens.

BURNETT: So, you know, Pat McCrory obviously, the North Carolina governor, he said in July, we will present a president and vice president candidate on a No Labels ticket, the No Labels group, if Biden and Trump are on track to win their parties' nominations.

When, Senator, will you make a final decision? Do you still think that you got runway if you were to make a decision to jump in, that you still have time?

MANCHIN: Yes, I do. Well, first of all, my state of West Virginia, the filing dates don't even start until January of next year. So there's no urgency for me.

And, as you know, the Democrats aren't as strong with the power that they had many years ago. So it's a whole different scenario in the state of West Virginia.

But I just -- I've got so much to do in front of me right now to get done, and to prevent bad things from happening.

[19:45:02]

And once you become an announced candidate for anything, you become a target. I might be a suspected target now on so many different arenas. But still, yet I have the ability to sit down with my Democrat and Republican friends and not be a threat to either one of them.

And that's what we need. We need people that can bring people together and work together and find a common cause. We've got a lot of challenges.

But the bottom line is for the United States to be the super power of the world and the beacon of hope, you've got to show leadership and you've got to bring it together. I can't just continue to start talking and point fingers and blaming everybody else.

People want us to work together. They want us to be the United States and quit being the divided states. They're wore out. I'm wore out. I don't like listening it any more than you have to report it.

BURNETT: Well, that's for sure. I know we share that.

You also -- you know, you could run for re-election in the senate. "The New York Times" this weekend reported that you could choose to do something totally different at this point in your life. You could run West Virginia University, your alma matter. Specifically, that's what they're reporting.

Is that a possibility? Do you truly have all these things on the table?

MANCHIN: I don't know where that came from. I am -- I'm a proud alumni of WVU. It's a very good school to me and gave me a good education. I would do anything I can to help President Gordon Gee and this administration be as successful as they can. And I'm there to help. I've always been there to assist and help and I'll be with them.

On all the other things, I want to be a voice. I want to be a voice to the middle. I think anyone who looks at my record and says Joe Manchin has always voted in the center. I tell me, I says, I am fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. I think most Americans are that way.

And all of this has got to be someone's fault, it can't be mine. Let me tell you -- I've never met the first person that's always wrong and I've surely never met the first person that's always right. And we've got to start working together for the main purpose of this country.

People are depending on us and I want to be that voice. So I've got some gas in the tank left however I can use it to best help my country, I'm going to do.

BURNETT: All right. Senator Manchin, thank you very much for your time tonight. I appreciate it, sir.

MANCHIN: Thanks, Erin. You take care. Thank you.

BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, police say the escaped murderer in Pennsylvania is now reaching out to former co-workers. His sister has now been arrested as well. Is he getting help from friends and family? The U.S. marshal helping with the manhunt is OUTFRONT next.

And live pictures from New York, to the city's powerful 9/11 tribute is now lighting up Lower Manhattan.

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[19:51:25]

BURNETT: Tonight, day 12, law enforcement officials increasing the reward and saying they have the upper hand in the search for the escaped killer, Danelo Cavalcante, as he is spotted again over the weekend. The man you see here is believed to be Cavalcante now sporting a clean-cut look, shaved the beard and mustache he had behind bars. He also managed to steal this delivery van, that one, the white van there in the back of the truck.

Police say he was caught on a doorbell camera more than 20 miles away from the original search parameter. Now his sister is in the custody of ICE, facing deportations, after she failed to cooperate with the investigation and is suspected of trying to help him.

OUTFRONT now, Robert Clark, supervisor deputy of the U.S. Marshal Service.

And, Deputy Clark, I very much appreciate your time.

You know, 12 days in here, in some sense is incredible that he has been able to evade capture this long. Do you have any idea where he may be tonight?

ROBERT CLARK, SUPERVISORY DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL, EASTERN PA DISTRICT: Good evening, Erin.

At this point, we're still investigating the area where that van was left in East Nantmeal Township.

We have no reason to believe he's left Pennsylvania. And until he gives us some evidence or we obtain evidence that he's left Pennsylvania, we're going to continue to look in that area where that van was left. So, right now, we have investigators following up every tip, every lead in that area.

And we continue to ask the public to be vigilant in that area, should he be walking around in the neighborhood or in that area in Chester County, please make sure you lock your doors. You notice any disturbances, and most importantly, you lock up your keys. Don't leave them in the vehicle. This could be easily avoided. It wasn't --

BURNETT: That's the question I was going to ask you. Yeah, I mean, I know he had taken the van you say now abandoned, but no evidence at this point that he's been able to get another vehicle, right?

CLARK: Correct. No evidence so far he's obtained another vehicle, Erin.

BURNETT: All right. So, I mean, gosh, when you look at this, deputy, have you ever seen anything like this in your career? And do you -- do you have full confidence at this point that you will get him?

CLARK: I have 100 percent confidence. We have seen these manhunts over the year, specifically in Pennsylvania. Colonel Bivens has actually run these manhunts, and that's why he's here, because he's the best in the business.

Woodland searches are a difficult thing for the Marshall Service, for investigators, because we had a large, large square mileage to keep a perimeter on. I believe, like I said earlier in the press conference, that was an advantage for Cavalcante. But when he came out of the woods and now he's in an urban setting, I believe the advantage shifts over to law enforcement because this is what we do every day in the U.S. Marshal Service. We conduct fugitive investigations.

And the only difference between a fugitive investigation and the manhunt is the amount of people and the amount of resources we're putting into this.

BURNETT: So, let me ask you about is anyone helping him. I know his sister is in ICE custody. There's suspicion she may have been trying to help him.

Was she, and do you know of anyone else that actually might have been helping him?

CLARK: We don't know of anyone else definitively that may be helping him. We're investigating a lot of different leads right now. His sister, she was detained on an immigration overstay. We believe that she was less than forthcoming with investigators, almost to the point of being criminal. And therefore, she was taken out of the equation. But as of people that are helping him right now, it's very, very

possible, because we have no definitive evidence.

BURNETT: And do you -- is there anything you're able to share about what she was doing or doing to help him? And, you say, you know, her lack of being forthcoming verged on criminal.

[19:55:02]

CLARK: Yeah, I don't exactly want to go into her statements or the details of why she was taken out of the equation. That's probably something we can discuss afterwards. But as of right now, I don't want to provide details on that. I can just tell you, she was less than forthcoming, and some of her statements and actions definitely bordered on criminal.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Deputy Clark, I appreciate you taking the time. I hope we will be able to speak soon when you have -- when you have caught him and we can talk more. Thank you so much.

CLARK: Thank you for having me, Erin. Appreciate it.

BURNETT: And next, the memorial lights shining in New York City where that World Trade Center once so proudly stood.

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BURNETT: Finally tonight, the remembrance. The nation marking 22 years since the September 11th attack that killed nearly 3,000 people. These lights in Manhattan you see on your screen, there's two of them side by side, every year on this day, from where the twin towers once stood. In the aftermath of the attacks, as horrible as they were, this nation did come together.

There was a time in October of 2001 when 60 percent of Americans said they could trust the government. George W. Bush had approval ratings north of 85 percent, numbers that now would be simply impossible for any leader.

President Biden, tonight, in Alaska, addressing the divide in this country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must not succumb to the poisonous politics of difference and division, must never allow ourselves to be pulled apart by petty manufactured grievances, and must continue to stand united.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Thanks so much for joining us.

"AC360" starts now.