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Erin Burnett Outfront

CNN Team Witnesses Two More Blasts Over Tel Aviv; New Filing Shows Campaign Operative Told Trump: "Make Them Riot"; Harris Seizes On Vance's "Non-Answer" On 2020 Election In New Ad; Helene Deaths Rise To 189, Second Deadliest Hurricane In 50 Years. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired October 02, 2024 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:44]

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

Live from Tel Aviv, breaking news, massive explosions just heard in Beirut as Israel vows payback, an attack that could come at any moment. And we did just see some explosions here over Tel Aviv. And President Biden tonight warning Israel.

Also breaking, quote, make them riot. Never-before-seen evidence against Trump and his campaign in the special counsel's election case breaking this hour.

A Giuliani endorsing Harris. Rudy Giuliani's daughter backing Vice President Harris, and tonight, she has a dire warning about the former president. She's my guest.

Let's go OUTFRONT.

(MUSIC)

BURNETT: And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. Welcome to a special edition of OUTFRONT live from Tel Aviv, where there is breaking news at this hour as Israel vows to retaliate against the largest scale attack ever from Iran. A response that could come at any moment.

Our crew in Beirut witnessing a number of massive blasts. So I'm going to show you those new images of explosions lighting up the sky. That's over Beirut, those coming after Israel said it was conducting a precise strike there.

And our team here, we were just standing here in capturing two more blasts near where we're standing. Of course, we're on the coast of Tel Aviv, explosions that perhaps could have been interceptions that look to be right over the water just north of here and then also hearing those blasts and jets. So we're keeping an eye on that right now as we are following this breaking news.

It has been a day of fast moving developments. President Biden drawing and its supposed red line as concerns grow that the United States may be losing control of this growing war.

Tonight, Biden in no uncertain terms, saying the United States would not back Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Would you support an attack on Iran's nuclear sites by Israel?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The answer is no. They have a right to respond. They should respond proportionally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: No. I mean, he was very clear there, but let's also be clear on this. What we have all heard over these past hours is that a disproportionate strike by Israel is a very possible base case scenario. And tonight, Biden is trying to put an end to Israeli threats like these.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. JONATHAN CONRICUS (RET.), FORMER IDF SPOKESPERSON: I think that there's a big, big opportunity here to perhaps do more regarding Iran's nuclear program that the world has failed to do.

NAFTALI BENNETT, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: This is a once in a 50-year opportunity. What Israel needs to do immediately. We need to take out Iran's nuclear program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Earlier today, I spoke to the former deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman. She told me that she believes will see a very, quote, severe, and disproportionate response by Israel. Again, those crucial words.

And we want to show you some of the sites that could be targets because if Israel strikes one or some number of these facilities, it would unleash a chain reaction of events that could be transformational and would endanger American assets and troops in the region.

As of tonight, there are some 40,000 U.S. forces in the Middle East arrayed in areas around where we are. And these details on the map where many of them are stationed, many of them, of course, were on ships at sea they could be at risk, especially as Iran is now vowing to hit back even harder when Israel retaliates saying, quote, if Israel wants to react, we will have a stronger response. This is what the Islamic Republic is committed to.

And here in Tel Aviv, I'm with Nic Robertson and Jim Sciutto, who are here with me and just obviously seconds ago, we were standing just off where were sitting now and watching what it appeared to be, Nic, some sort of an interception, but almost over the water, hard to ascertain where it was coming from.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It did seem to be going out over the water. These intercepts were going quite low. They weren't going high, which tends to indicate that they're not going to high incoming missiles. That's how the intercepts normally look when they're targeting so it makes a crazy impression. It's a drone.

The last group to fire a drone and get it to Tel Aviv with the Houthis from this direction down here in Yemen. But they fluid up the coast, and it impacted just a few hundred meters from the U.S. embassy just down the coast us consulate, just down the coast from here.

So, were that -- were those Houthi drone so to intercept tonight with heard fast jets out there now heard the explosions, heard helicopters a couple minutes ago?

BURNETT: Yes, we did. And I mean, it all happened very quickly, right? Jim, explosion after explosion than we did hear those imperial fighter jets. So as we're trying to figure out exactly what that is here -- I mean, the tension is on a knife's edge.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: No question. To be clear, different direction from last night, last night, given Iran this direction, that's what the missiles were coming from. That's where we saw most of the intercepts up here. This one the interceptors flew this way towards the -- towards the west and then striking seeing some target over the Eastern Med. And I think I counted four actually, that time period.

So it could be the Houthis have a hearing history of flying them up the coastline. It's also possible that they came from the north from Lebanon, where, of course, Hezbollah is another possibility. We've asked the IDF to get more details as to who exactly his firing them and what they think they shot down.

ROBERTSON: And if it's four intercepts, that's four drones, and that's a number we haven't seen here before either, right?

BURNETT: Right, if it really were fortunate, right. I mean, just and that's the situation that were in. If you have that right now, were trying to understand exactly what that is that were in the midst of right now.

Nic, also, Hamas staging the largest terror attack in Israel since October 7, Hamas, which Israel had said it had decimated the leadership of, are their operational capacity of, the front line to the north, where we just obviously not that far up where we saw those interceptions, but to the north of here is under incredible pressure.

ROBERTSON: Eight soldiers killed today, 47 injured. Hezbollah saying that they're going face to face with IDF troops are on the ground walking into just over the border, into Lebanon, trying to clear houses where Hezbollah I believe to use as bases to fire into Israel. But this is a massive bad blow for the IDF, but political blow for the prime minister.

And also many ways, the Hamas strike yesterday here, just down the coast here, will reflect badly on the prime ministers policies and the way that his handling the war fronts at the moment and at the moment is multiplying up those war fronts. BURNETT: All of that, Jim, puts incredible pressure on him to seize the moment, to seize the moment to do what he's going to do. And obviously the context here is we showed that map, you have 40,000 U.S. troops in this region at the ready.

And all of that right now, the U.S. president is making quite clear as U.S. officials have made clear for months now, right? That the U.S. does not want a regional war and had each instance of escalation and to be clear escalation, certainly by Iran, by Hezbollah, but also by Israel, the U.S. has attempted, it, attempted ceasefires. They've attempted to get back Iran, that back Israel rather to defend itself, but also say, don't go too far as we heard from the U.S. president today saying, do not attack the nuclear facilities. And yet the war expands.

I mean, we've been talking for weeks and months about the danger of a regional war. This is already a multiple, multiple front war. The war continues in Gaza. The war is expanding in Lebanon with boots on the ground. The Houthis, Israel struck the Houthi is just a couple of days ago you were on that flight Israel, Iran struck Israel last night. This is a multi-front regional war already.

BURNETT: And going on moment by moment, right? I mean, were awaiting an Israeli but whatever we just saw moments ago, right, Nic, we are in this moment is, you know, it's a kinetic situation. Biden has said he will not support Prime Minister Netanyahu going ahead with a strike on Iran finance nuclear facilities. The question is, does that matter to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

ROBERTSON: It's very hard to predict right now for all the pressures we've just explained, he really needs to show that he's has a deterrent capability. And this is an opportunity to strike as you -- your guest was saying, a guest have been saying over the past day or so, this is perhaps a moment of weakness where with Hezbollah who can't strike hard at Israel, there has held Israel back before from striking deep into Iran.

This is a moment of opportunity. And if you let this go now it may not come back. And the Iranian nuclear threat is not one that goes away. And that's -- and that's the level of pressure. And I think the pressure United States was able to put on prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu last April, not to go massive on his retaliation, on his deterrence strike back down when Iran struck here, that's -- I don't think its going to work the same this time.

BURNETT: Yeah, and here we are. I mean, do you have an even bigger response from Iran? They're vowing bigger than they just did yesterday when Israel does, of course --

ROBERTSON: And Iran is vowing to double down on that.

BURNETT: They did.

SCIUTTO: And, by the way, Israel expanded this war while the U.S. was pursuing this other ceasefire, right? So you've had multiple instances where the U.S. has expressed reservations and Netanyahu's pushed forward.

BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Nic and Jim, as we cover -- as we cover this situation and these developments here in the early hours of the morning with those explosions which appear to be interceptions, perhaps of drones as Nic was saying, perhaps up to four, which would be new, and what we just saw a few moments ago.

Let's go OUTFRONT now to the Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, he joins me now. He's a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

And, Senator Murphy, as I'm sitting here with Nic and Jim, you know, and we have -- we're witnessing -- we're seeing in a very fast-moving situation, where an Israeli formal response could come at any moment, Biden says to Prime Minister Netanyahu, do not strike Iran's nuclear facilities. It's a hard no.

Do you think that Prime Minister Netanyahu will listen to President Biden?

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Well, let's be clear, Iran is Israel's enemy. Iran is our enemy. These attacks are unconscionable and there must be a decisive response. That's important for Israel security, but that's important for the security of the U.S. as well.

Obviously, we have thousands of troops in the region. We've got thousands of Americans inside Israel, but we also know that Iran has designed to continue its attacks on the United States and U.S. assets. So there's no doubt that the United States is going to work with Israel to deliver a response to these attacks.

Now I agree with President Biden, I do not believe that it is, frankly, possible for a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities to eliminate their ability to produce nuclear material. The fact of the matter is we had a diplomatic agreement with Iran that assured Iran would not be able to, again, a nuclear weapon within 12 months of making the decision to move towards that objective. Today, they are perhaps weeks away.

You can set them back, perhaps months, perhaps over a year, but you can't bomb knowledge out of existence. So there needs to be a response here. I just think it is a true statement that there's limited efficacy in trying to eliminate scientific knowledge, which is what Iran possesses right now with respect to their nuclear program.

BURNETT: Yeah. Senator, I am curious though, you know, were in a moment where we sit here and there's been a surge of us troops into this region. You're in an incredibly fraught moment.

You are now a multi-front war. It is a war, it is bigger, it is -- it is here. It's not a matter of when. That's the reality of the situation that we're in.

And you've got 40,000 us troops arrayed around this region. What happens could impact them, could impact the United States.

So how much control does the U.S. -- does President Biden have over this situation right now?

MURPHY: Well, listen, I think this is, you know, been an open question in part because Prime Minister Netanyahu is pursuing multiple objectives all at once. I don't doubt that he cares about the security of Israel, but he seems to be guided on many days by his own political survival.

We obviously thought we had the ability to obtain a ceasefire with Hamas. Hamas stood in the way of that agreement, but Prime Minister Netanyahu also seemed to believe that it would hurt his political interests to enter into that ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

What has to happen now is, first, a response by Israel and the United States. But second, we have to get on a path towards de-escalation. I don't think that these attacks on Israel can go without a response, but there already was a diplomatic process in place with Hezbollah.

We have the opportunity after these limited ground incursions that Israel is making to get us on a path to peace perhaps by achieving a ceasefire in the north with Hezbollah, that might be able to stimulate further talks to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

BURNETT: Do you worry though, Senator, that -- do you worry though that that's wishful thinking? I mean, there's not -- de-escalation is not what were seeing happened here. I mean, that's just the reality of it, is that is that just wishful thinking?

MURPHY: Yeah, listen, I certainly worry that Prime Minister Netanyahu is watching the American election as he makes decisions about his military campaigns in the north end in Gaza. I hope this is not true, but it is certainly a possibility that the Israeli government is not going to sign any diplomatic agreement prior to the American election, as a means potentially to try to influence the result.

I hope I'm wrong about that, but I don't think you have to be a hopeless cynic to read some of Israel's actions, as some of Prime Minister Netanyahu's actions as connected to the American election.

BURNETT: Well, important words and heard loud and clear.

Senator Chris Murphy, thank you very much. We appreciate your time as we cover this breaking news.

And we have more breaking news developing and that is never before seen evidence that Trumps legal team did not want release, but we now have it and it reveals Trump's reaction to pence when he was in danger on that day on January 6, the mob swarmed that stormed the capitol is life was dangerous what did Trump do? Well, that we now have the quote. So what? And there's more.

Plus, Rudy Giuliani's daughter speaking out tonight OUTFRONT. She's tearing into Trump for destroying her father's life, throwing her support behind Harris.

[19:15:01]

She's our guest.

And the death toll is growing tonight as President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visit North Carolina, ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Tonight, in a CNN exclusive, we'll take you to the ground with the FEMA rescue workers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: Breaking news and I quote, make them riot. Those are the exact words of a Trump campaign operative in the days after the 2020 election. And that is according to a new 165-page detailed filing by the special counsel, Jack Smith, it paints the fullest picture yet of the evidence the prosecutors have against Trump.

Now we learned a lot in this document and among the new allegations is that Trump told his wife, Melania, his daughter, Ivanka, and son-in- law, Jared Kushner, quote, it doesn't matter if you won or lost the election.

[19:20:06]

You still have to fight like hell.

Evan Perez is OUTFRONT.

And, Evan, lots of new revelations in this filing. I mean, even that, that sentence alone says so much. It doesn't matter if you won or lost. It's whether you're going to fight to get the outcome that you want is very clearly what's being said there. What else is in here?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, this 165- page document is really the attempt by the special counsel to get over the very high hurdles that the Supreme Court put up to try to protect the former president, essentially shielding him from prosecution because of his immunity as president. And I'll read you just a part of what the case that Jack Smith, the special counsel, is making. He says that when the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted the crimes to try to stay in office.

And then he's -- they continue to say that the defendant launched a series of increasingly desperate plans to overturn the legitimate election results in seven states and list those seven states. And among them things we learned. Erin is the fact that, you know, prosecutors say they have evidence that Donald Trump himself sent that now infamous to 2:24 tweet, if you remember, on January 6, where he told his supporters that Mike Pence didn't have the courage to essentially go along with his claims that there was fraud in the election and essentially put the former the former vice president, then vice president in danger.

What prosecutors lay out there, they say that they know there were only two people who could have sent that tweet and they know that the other person, obviously, it have witnesses that person did not send a tweet, therefore, it was Donald Trump, who himself sent that tweet.

And, of course, as a result of that, the former vice president was put in danger. They had to evacuate them, and in this document, we learned that one of the things that happens is the former president is sitting there for hours, hearing about the evacuation at the U.S. Capitol, and he is told that the vice president essentially is in danger and his response is, "So what?"

Again, part of what prosecutors are doing here, Erin, is to try to get over this hurdle from -- from the Supreme Court to prove, they say, that what Donald Trump did is not protected by immunity -- Erin.

BURNETT: Pretty incredible to get -- to get to the detail of the two people who could have tweeted and how you can prove that it wasn't one. So then, therefore, it was the other. I mean, this is a level of detail that we simply have not seen before.

All right. Evan Perez, thank you very much.

So I want to go straight to the Harvard Constitutional Law Professor Laurence Tribe.

And, Professor, you know you hear Evan going through what is -- what's in this document, incredibly detailed, 165 pages these are new details that we're getting from Jack Smith, what stands out the most to you.

LAURENCE TRIBE, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: What stands out most clearly is the Supreme Court, despite its effort to protect the former president and to erect a hurdle that was almost sky-high, made clear that it is possible to overcome that hurdle by specific proof that the former president in his capacity as office seeker, private capacity rather than office holder, a governmental capacity sought to overturn an election that he knew he had lost.

What we have here is a mountain of evidence, a mountain taller than the highest hurdle, directed by the court, making it very clear that Jack Smith has the goods. He has the receipts. The evidence is overwhelming and to the extent that there is any overlap between public and private, it occurs in the very limited context of communications between the president and the vice president.

Those communications, if they deal with the vice president's executive role are within the sphere of immunity that can be overcome by proof that the evidence used would not endanger the presidency. But most of this doesn't even reach that area because most of it is communications with the vice president or about the vice president in his role as president of the Senate, which is not subject to this executive immunity.

Now I'm getting deeply into the weeds, but the point is that I cannot imagine a clearer case that meets the court's standard. And all we have to do is wait until after the election.

[19:25:01]

If Donald Trump does not take the oath as president next January, this guarantees that he will go to trial. If he does take the oath, it doesn't matter how good a job Jack Smith has done because Donald Trump will either pardon himself or pick an attorney general who will dismiss the charges.

So this filing focuses our attention as it should be focused anyway on the forthcoming election.

BURNETT: It is incredible when you hear the words, you know, so what? Referring to the fact that at the time, vice presidents, Vice Presidents Pence's life was in danger, that that was what Donald Trump said at that moment. I guess the question to you, professor, when you read through this and I know you say that the mountain of evidence here is as high as it can possible, your Mount Everest.

But could this case go to the Supreme Court again or do you view it as simply so black and white at this point that you know, you know, that it will get over the finish line?

TRIBE: No, it may well go to the Supreme Court again, but now, since it will go to the Supreme Court, one way or another after the election rather than before. The clock will no longer be ticking, it will no longer matter that the court might drag it out the way it dragged out the original immunity case because the speedy trial right will apply. They can't drag it out indefinitely and there's no longer a looming election to worry about. That's the whole difference.

Earlier, the Supreme Court was in a position to schedule a late argument to render a late decision to make sure that sending it back to Judge Chutkan would create still further delay and that there would be no full trial before the November 5 election. That was imperative and the court did Trump's bidding by stretching it out as far as humanly could.

Now, that is behind us and it no longer matters whether the trial occurs in April of next year or on October of next year or even in perhaps 2026, this man is going to face justice unless he evades it by managing to get himself into the presidency again. That's what it's all about.

BURNETT: Professor Tribe, just one quick thing to you. Is there anything that just sort of made your jaw -- your draw drop when you read this? I mean, you know, you know so much of this, but this actually, you know, it put quotes on things, it put actual interactions, it put names on it in ways that we had not seen before.

Did that sort of even, after everything you've seen and known, was there anything that you sort of said, wow, when you looked at it?

TRIBE: I said, wow about 25 times than a quick reading of this document. I bet there another 25 that I will encounter when I read it without the pressure of having to get ready to talk to you at 7:20 Eastern Time.

There are lots of jaw dropping things. You've named some of them, you know. So what if the vice president is hung, it doesn't matter whether we won or lost. That's just a sampling. It's the tip of a horribly large and scary iceberg.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Professor Tribe, I appreciate it so much. I'm so glad you did you did get through it and join me for this conversation. So thanks so much and well speak, of course, very soon.

Next, Tim Walz has a new strategy after last nights debate, and we've got some new reporting on that for you.

Plus, Rudy Giuliani's daughter is my guest. She is now endorsing Kamala Harris, blaming Trump for destroying her father's life. She'll share it with you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:33:18]

BURNETT: Tonight, the Harris campaign seizing on this debate moment from last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's really rich for Democratic leaders to say that Donald Trump is a unique threat to democracy when he peaceful gave over power.

GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He is still saying he didn't lose the election.

I would just ask that. Did he lose the 2020 election?

VANCE: Tim, I'm focused on the future.

WALTZ: That is a damning non-answer.

SUBTITLE: If we elect Donald Trump, the past will be the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: The new ad slamming Vance over his answer to the question about January 6 and a moment that the campaign considers to be what they want to be seen as the highlight of the vice presidential debate.

OUTFRONT now, Priscilla Alvarez, who covers the Harris campaign.

And, Priscilla, I know what this hour, you've got some new reporting on Walz shifting in his strategy after last night's debate. He spent the day on some cleanup after what happened. But what are you learning?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a strategy that ultimately boils down to ramped up media appearances because the reality, Erin, is that this is the final stretch of this campaign and allies to the campaign want to see more of Walz on the campaign trail, but also in media appearances because they believe that his likability is what resonates with voters.

Now, more media appearances means answering questions from reporters, and that was something that he did today during his bus tour in Pennsylvania, trying to clarify his previous comments about when or rather what he has said about the Tiananmen Square protests. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALZ: Look, I have my dates wrong. I was in Hong Kong, in China in 1989, August of '89 into Hong Kong, into China.

[19:35:00]

I need to be clear. I will tell you that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, of course, this also came up over the course of the debate last night. So he's still doing some cleanup there. But certainly an indication of what more will see from him on the campaign trail.

And he has a lot of travel coming up. He heads to Ohio, as well as the -- well as a West Coast swing. Over the course of all of that, he's expected to make a late night TV debut according to the campaign, as well as participate in what they're calling a high profile pop culture podcasts. And they haven't said what these outlets are, when they're happening, but certainly an indication of what will be getting from Tim Walz over the next few weeks, again, as both he and the vice president hit the trail in earnest -- Erin.

BURNETT: Priscilla, thank you so much for that new reporting.

Priscilla's new reporting comes said is Giuliani endorses Harris. Caroline Rose Giuliani, that is. She is the daughter of Rudy Giuliani, who, of course, was former President Donald Trump's personal attorney, and breaking publicly from her father now, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president, calling Trump destructive calamitous and a dark force, all quotes from Caroline Rose, blaming Trump for destroying her father's life.

She writes in "Vanity Fair" and I quote from her: I've been grieving the loss of my dad to Trump. I cannot bear to lose our country to him too.

Caroline Rose Giuliani is OUTFRONT now. She's a writer, a filmmaker, and obviously the daughter of the former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

And, Caroline Rose, I know this is your first television interview since your endorsement.

So I appreciate very much you're taking the time.

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to -- to have made that decision to do it publicly. Can you share what you went through, Caroline Rose? What made you make this decision?

CAROLINE ROSE GIULIANI, DAUGHTER OF RUDY GIULIANI, ENDORSED HARRIS: Yeah, it was definitely not a decision I came to lightly, figuring out how to articulate these feelings with the storm that I've been experiencing over the last couple of years, the emotional storm was really hard and also figuring out if I had the fortitude to share it, knowing that it could definitely damage my relationship with my dad in the last years of his life was really, really painful.

But at a certain point earlier in this election, I think it all felt kind of surreal when Donald Trump became the candidate. It was like I can't believe this is really happening after everything that he's done to our country, after being the first president to not participate in the peaceful transfer of power, like it didn't feel real.

And then, you know, I'm recently engaged. I'm thinking about having children. I very much want to have children. And one day, I just thought about what I would say to my children in the future and in that moment and everything just became incredibly real.

Like I want to live in a country, if I have a little girl, I want her to have autonomy over her body. And if she becomes a boy, I want her to feel safe and respected in this country. And no matter the gender of my children, I want them to live on a planet that's habitable, and I would really also like them to live in a democracy.

So it just the stakes all hit me at once and I knew I had to use every resource at my disposal to get this message out there, that we need to elect Kamala Harris if they want a future.

BURNETT: And for you -- for you, you have you have a voice and you had to decide whether to use it, but that's what's got to be so hard. I mean, I know -- I can only imagine how complicated your relationship was with your father is, Caroline Rose, but as you say, it's the final years of his life, you love him. He is your father.

Have you talked to him about this endorsement? Has it been anything where the two of you have been able to have a -- a heart to heart or even a face-to-face conversation?

GIULIANI: I didn't let him know I was writing this specific article, but along the way, I've always made my opinions clear and he does know that I was raised to speak my truth. So I don't think any of it will come as a surprise to him. I still worry that it will hurt him and I do hope he knows that I love him. I hope that was clear.

But yeah, we haven't spoken about it yet and probably won't for a while.

BURNETT: Yeah, there's so many people whose families have been hurt and damaged and broken by what we've seen in this, you know, what this country has gone through politically. Is it possible for you, Carolina Rose, to put words around to how you can feel the way you feel and be speaking out, but also love someone so much?

GIULIANI: Absolutely. I think, you know, people asked me a lot what happened to your dad? And well, I'm sure some people are looking for some kind of salacious answer. I really think the reason I get asked that so much is because my situation is so, so relatable. It's a little bit on steroids and very public, but like I don't know anybody who hasn't lost a close friend or family member over there -- over an allegiance to Trump.

And okay, politics have always been divisive from the beginning of time. There's been jokes about that forever. But this is different because if you are a woman, a trans person, a gay person, a person of color, a person with disabilities, Trump's actions and rhetoric threatened your very existence.

[19:40:09]

So when someone you love supports them, it's really, really hard to reconcile. I still believe that we should be trying to find the common humanity with those we disagree with, even in this time. But I also see that if Trump but becomes the president, that is going to become an impossible task for a lot of people and the only way our families and our country can have healing is if we all get out there and vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. I really believe that.

BURNETT: So, Caroline Rose, you know, you -- your father was, of course, had many extraordinary moments as mayor of New York City. You know, he was a true leader. He was a hero in America after 9/11.

You know, you lived in Gracie Mansion, you were growing up there. And now what you've seen, I mean, just to go through this and I'm -- it's not that you don't know this. I'm sorry. It's painful to listed off, but this is what's happened. He's been disbarred in New York and Washington, facing election interference cases in Georgia and Arizona, filing for bankruptcy, owes two election workers in Georgia $148 millions of -- dollars. He's being forced to sell your family home in New York City to pay a small amount of money for those debts.

So, Caroline Rose, how much do you blame Trump for all of this?

GIULIANI: You know, as I said in my article, I think everyone does need to be accountable for their own actions and I -- there was some coverage of my article saying, I'm blaming Trump and I want to be clear that I do believe that everyone needs to be accountable for their own actions.

But right now, the big guess threat to our country is Trump. So I think it's important to look at the culture that he has created and the peep -- the way in which he has refused to accept that he lost the 2020 election and get everybody to compromise their values. Do anything just to keep him in power and attack citizens like Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, like he's willing to hurt his own people just to have power.

And Kamala Harris would never do that. She is a -- she's fought for the people her whole career. We need to elect her.

BURNETT: So, so -- and obviously, you mentioned Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the Georgia election workers. Caroline Rose, do you fear your dad will ultimately go to prison?

GIULIANI: I mean, of course, that's a terrible thing to think about and I -- it is a fear and I'm -- I don't like to think about it. I tried to focus on the future and I know that we don't have a future as a country, at least not in any recognizable -- recognizable form if we do not vote for Kamala Harris because Trump has already made it very clear he's going to try to do the exact same thing in 2024, he is going to try to steal -- to say that he won this election no matter what the actual result is.

So we need to get out there and vote so that it is indisputable.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Caroline Rose, I appreciate your time and I know it's got to be a very complicated and difficult decision for you to speak out, but thank you very much. I appreciate it.

GIULIANI: Thank you for having me.

BURNETT: And next, the death toll growing in North Carolina and dozen still missing after Hurricane Helene tore through the state in a CNN exclusive, you will see in just a moment. Isabel Rosales takes you on the ground with FEMA rescue workers. You'll see what she witnessed.

Plus, the breaking news massive explosions rocking Beirut. And we just saw flashes here, interceptions, just around Tel Aviv, moments ago. We'll be here live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:48:23]

BURNETT: Tonight, Vice President Harris touring the devastation in Georgia after Hurricane Helene as the death toll has risen, we understand now to at least 189 killed across six states.

It is now the second deadliest hurricane in the past 50 years. That means second only to Hurricane Katrina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are here for the long haul. There's a lot of work that's going to need to happen over the coming days, weeks, and months, and the coordination that we have dedicated ourselves to will be long lasting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: More than 1.3 million homes and businesses are still without power this many days after. People are struggling to find food and water. This is six days after the storm, the United States.

And tonight CNN is on the ground with FEMA rescue workers. Our Isabel Rosales getting an exclusive look at what is left behind. You can see now her incredible report OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rare and exclusive access, CNN guided up the Blue Ridge Mountains by one of FEMA's 24- deployed urban search and rescue teams. We're deep in hard-hit Avery County, North Carolina.

Just collapsed --

Portions of Beech Mountain, a remote ski resort town, left unrecognizable by Helene's wrath.

Signs of just washed off.

These winding mountain roads made further difficult to navigate by obstacle.

We are entering an area that's closed off to regular people. Only first responders are allowed, and it is because it's so treacherous. We're seeing it for ourselves. Like thick mud all over the place, trees are down, portions of the road has crumbled down.

[19:50:04]

So I'm really concentrating here. This is difficult to drive.

And even when debris and fallen trees are cleared by chainsaw and manpower to make way for rescuers, another major barrier.

As FEMA supervisor who's been on his cell phone trying to get in touch with his team to figure out where they're at.

Division group supervisor, Colin Burress, pulls us over.

Can't get a signal?

We're seeing for ourselves everything that the governor has been talking about.

COLIN BURRESS, FEMA, DIVISION GROUP SUPERVISOR: Right.

ROSALES: Issues had been talking about. How big of a challenge communication is, not just for civilians, but you guys trying to do these rescue operations.

BURRESS: It is, you know, when you don't have cell service, email, text, all of that come the challenge and it kind of slows things down.

ROSALES: Then, by pure luck, a few of his men spot us. They found him just out of the blue. So this is great. We're being reunited and here's a command post right here.

This 80-member FEMA team assisting the North Carolina National Guard now on day six of rescuing survivors stranded and cut off from help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, we're trying to find live people and Crush (ph) is trying to find human remains.

ROSALES: They huddle over maps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beech Mountain (INAUDIBLE) kind of authority.

ROSALES: Working out the next day's urgent search.

How does this work? You guys are doing grids. I see this black, black line, right there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, it's just easier for us to keep up. So, we'll send squads. We'll say, you know, grid one or grid two, grid three, grid four.

ROSALES: Before sunset, we roll out.

We came up about three miles, but honestly, it feels like ten.

Back down the mountain, a second look at what Helene laid to waste. Before we can make it down, another danger, getting through these torn and treacherous roads.

JASON STUART, TASK FORCE LEADER, TENNESSEE TASK FORCE: This is a special case. Typically, the roads washed out in a mountain atmosphere like this, you know, hurricanes usually happen towards the coast, but this is definitely more challenges for us I know we haven't faced before. Regardless, first responders across the state push on. More than 400 people rescued so far says the governor's office. But the work nowhere near done until all the missing are found.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURNETT: Isabel, you know, I understand. You just got an update about the situation in Asheville, North Carolina, where you are. I mean, after you have seen such devastation, unprecedented devastation in North Carolina, where you are.

What are you learning?

ROSALES: Erin, Asheville officials are trying to make contact with 26 people that are unaccounted for. That number of days ago was 155 people. And in Buncombe County where Asheville is situated, they once had less of 300 to 400 people that they had to do welfare checks on. That number has dwindled down to four. So, clearly, amazing progress.

Here in the last hour at Biltmore Village, police officers have actually opened up this business district, allowing people to walk and they are in are seeing sites like this, like this semi-truck. Look at this, the floodwaters, the raging floodwaters, bringing it over into McDonald's parking lot in tipping it over into the train tracks? Buildings all around me, businesses have been completely gutted.

This -- this town is not ready for the season of tourism here -- Erin.

BURNETT: It's just unbelievable and just to look at what's even behind you there.

Isabel, thank you so much. Her incredible reporting continues on the scene, there.

And next, we do have more breaking news with new strikes adjust moments ago where we are and also in Beirut. The city being marked by massive explosions.

As this war continues to escalate, we will take you there live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:58:32]

BURNETT: Breaking news, new explosions over Israel tonight. As we told you, as we came to air, we witnessed several explosions here in Tel Aviv. We counted four of them right off the horizon where we are in Tel Aviv and the IDF is now confirming that it did intercept an aerial target off the coast.

Just moments ago, there have been fresh -- fresh blasts in Beirut north of here, explosions have been rocking Lebanon tonight, massive ones, in fact, lighting up the sky.

And Ben Wedeman is OUTFRONT in Beirut tonight.

And, Ben, you are able to witness these strikes taking place moments ago. What did you see?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, just as you were speaking, I heard a thud behind me in Beirut's southern suburbs. But the most significant strike this evening was about an hour-and-a- half ago in an area which is not the southern suburbs where Hezbollah has a large presence, Erin, it was in the heart of Beirut.

In fact, just about 200 meters up the road from CNN's bureau here in Beirut. And we understand that at least six people have been killed in that strike, seven injured. This is an area to which many people who had fled other parts of Beirut and other parts of Lebanon had gone to thinking because its center of Beirut --

BURNETT: What is that?

WEDEMAN: -- that they might be safe. But apparently they were wrong and what we've seen in addition to that is a variety of strikes in almost -- there's only been one strike where the Arabic spokesman for the Israeli military put out a specific warning on a specific location.

Only one warning this evening and we've had six, seven, eight strikes, perhaps where there has been no warning whatsoever, and particularly that strike on the central part of Beirut is a very crowded working class neighborhood, even before this war, jam-packed with people -- Erin.

BURNETT: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you very much in Beirut, as we are watching the skyline here right now as the situation continues.

Thank you so much for joining us.

"AC360" begins right now.