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Isa Soares Tonight
Trump-Harris Meet For The First Time In A Face-To-Face Debate; Israeli Attack On Gaza Leaves Vast Crater; Ukraine Strikes Moscow In Biggest Drone Attack Yet; Dozens Dead After Israeli Strikes "Safe Zone"; Israeli Military Release Gaza Tunnel Video; Demonstrators Gather In Spain In Support Of Venezuela's Gonzalez; Police Bodycam Video Of Tyreek Hill Incident; Australia's Minimum Age Limit for Social Media Use. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 10, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, it's debate night in America. Kamala
Harris will meet Donald Trump face-to-face and the stakes couldn't be higher. Also ahead tonight, you are looking at a crater in the middle of a
so-called safe zone in Gaza.
This was the scene of a massive Israeli strike. The IDF say they were targeting Hamas terrorists. And Ukraine hits the Moscow region with a
massive drone attack. We have a live report coming up for you. But first, tonight, the stage is set in Philadelphia, in just a few hours, Kamala
Harris and Donald Trump will come face-to-face for the first time in a presidential debate that could help put one candidate on the path to the
White House in what will be the biggest moment of Harris' political career.
The Vice President is expected to target Trump on reproductive rights. The former President on his part is trying to use the debate as a springboard
to complete a political comeback that seemed well, unimaginable after January the 6th. He is expected to try to portray Harris as soft on
immigration as well as on crime.
Our Priscilla Alvarez is in Philadelphia for the debate and joins us now. Priscilla, this is going to be critically a defining moment of the
campaign. Talk about the Vice President's mindset and the strategy going on -- going into this debate.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: Well, sources often describe the Vice President as someone who prepares extensively and intensively, and that's
exactly what has happened over the last several days. She was in Pittsburgh before arriving here in Philadelphia yesterday.
And that was where she was with her inner group of advisors where they were preparing day-in and day-out for what is, to your point, going to be a
crucial moment in this general election cycle. Now, the sources I've spoken with have said that it was a robust debate prep and part of it included
identifying where they could go to former President Donald Trump, particularly on the issue, for example, of reproductive rights.
The Vice President is expected to lean into that and also needle the former President on his muddled messaging on abortion. And of course, she has been
a key voice on this issue, an issue, by the way, that Democrats feel has galvanized voters, and one that they think gives the momentum going into
November.
So, expect to hear from her on that. Now, I will also note that the campaign has been trying to get under the former President's skin here in
Philadelphia through the airwaves. This week, they released two ads, one ad particularly trying or at least, highlighting former Trump administration
officials warning about a second Trump term.
And the other trying to make fun in a way of former President Donald Trump's obsession as the campaign says with crowd sizes. So, pair it all
together and what you see is a strategy by the Harris campaign to try to throw Trump off balance before they meet on the debate stage.
But once they're on there, Alex(ph), I've spoken with say that she needs to stay focused. That is going to be something that she particularly prepares
for. But another close Harris ally telling me that she, the Vice President is keenly aware that part of her task tonight is to introduce herself or
re-introduce herself to voters, especially those who are undecided or persuadable.
And so, all of that, it makes up for a big task for the Vice President, particularly in what has been a condensed race for her, but certainly, a
lot of preparation has been going into this moment, which will also be the first face-to-face encounter between the Vice President and former
President Donald Trump.
SOARES: Priscilla Alvarez there for us in Philadelphia, thanks very much, Priscilla. Well, the last time we saw Donald Trump in a debate, President
Joe Biden's performance took center stage, and he eventually stepped down. This time, Trump will face the new Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Will
their past debates be an indication for how they'll perform tonight? Our Randi Kaye looks at that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Share the date --
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wait a minute, Joe, let me shut you down for a second.
RANDI KAYE, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): When it comes to debates, Donald Trump is not afraid to go on offense. That aggressive approach can backfire
though, like it did in his first 2020 debate with Joe Biden. When Trump interrupted more than 100 times.
BIDEN: People out there need help --
TRUMP: But why didn't you do it over -- in the last 25 years?
BIDEN: His family is already --
TRUMP: My family --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, let me go --
TRUMP: My family lost a fortune by coming down and helping other --
[14:05:00]
BIDEN: Baghdad is a bad idea --
TRUMP: Did I tell you what --
BIDEN: You have no idea --
TRUMP: Antifa is a dangerous radical group --
UNIIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, gentlemen, we're now moving on to the Trump and Biden records.
KAYE: Trump doesn't always come out swinging, sometimes he's more restrained, staying out of the fray during some primary debates.
CHRIS CHRISTIE, FORMER NEW JERSERY GOVERNOR: Is to make sure that you use the system --
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Here's the problem governor --
CHRISTIE: The way it's supposed to work --
PAUL: Here's the problem, governor --
KAYE: Kamala Harris has a playbook for taking on interruptions, which she used during her 2020 Vice Presidential debate with Mike Pence.
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking --
MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have to weigh in --
HARRIS: I'm speaking.
KAYE: Harris' debate style is deliberate, mirroring her practice as a prosecutor, waiting for opportune moments, like when she sat back and
waited to rebuke her rivals during this 2019 primary debates.
HARRIS: Hey guys, you know what? America does not want to witness a food fight, they want to know how we're going to put food on their table.
(CHEERS)
KAYE: Harris leaned on that tactic, a pause, then quip on Joe Biden in one of the most memorable primary debate moments of the 2020 campaign. It had
to do with busing and desegregating schools.
HARRIS: You know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools. And she was bused to
school every day, and that little girl was me.
KAYE: Trump for his part is well-practiced at delivering zingers that don't feel rehearsed.
TRUMP: I really don't know what he said at the end of the sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Donald, relax.
TRUMP: Go ahead, I'm relaxed, you're the basket case --
CRUZ: I've said it before --
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: It's just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the
law in our country --
TRUMP: Yes, because you'll be in jail.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary --
KAYE: There's always plenty of bravado from Trump.
TRUMP: I think my strongest asset maybe by far is my temperament. I have a winning temperament. I know how to win.
KAYE: With Harris, it's more confidence.
HARRIS: We need someone on that stage who has the ability to go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump, and someone who has the ability to rebuild the Obama
coalition and bring the party and the nation together. I believe I am that candidate.
KAYE: While Trump usually sticks to broader themes and familiar talking points --
TRUMP: I want to be able to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator --
TRUMP: He will never be able to do it.
KAYE: Harris strikes more of a balance between shaping narratives and sharing specific data.
HARRIS: And women are paid 80 cents on a dollar, black women 61 cents, native American women, 58 cents, Latinas, 53 cents.
KAYE: But just because she's prepared doesn't mean she's always ready for incoming fire. During this 2020 primary debate, then candidate Tulsi
Gabbard had Harris defending her record as a California prosecutor.
TULSI GABBARD, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN: In the case of those who are on death row, innocent people, you actually blocked evidence from being revealed
that would have freed them until you were forced to do so.
(APPLAUSE)
GABBARD: There is no excuse for that.
KAYE: For this debate, Harris says she is prepared for Trump to deliver personal attacks, a strategy the former President has used in past debates.
TRUMP: Marco is not a negotiator. I watched him melt down, and I'll tell you, it was one of the saddest things I've ever seen --
CLINTON: Social Security just --
TRUMP: Such a nasty one --
KAYE: How the candidates perform could prove to be a consequential moment for the presidential race. Randi Kaye, CNN, Palm Beach County, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, for more insight on this, we welcome in Mark Alexander who helped former President Barack Obama prepare for debates, he's the Dean of
Villanova University's Law School just outside of Philadelphia. Mark, welcome to the show. This is going to be a --
MARK ALEXANDER, DEAN, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY CHARLES WIDGER SCHOOL OF LAW: Thank you --
SOARES: Crucial night for Kamala Harris, may in fact be the most important 90 minutes of her campaign. So, walking in as she walks in tonight, what do
you think Mark, should be focused on? What do you think she'll want to accomplish tonight?
ALEXANDER: Thank you. This is -- this is really the job interview of a life-time. She's got the opportunity now as the Vice President of the
United States, she's not as well-known as President Biden or as former President Trump. So, it's an interesting situation where she has to
introduce herself to the world as the presidential candidate and re- introduce herself as the Vice President.
Obviously, she was a candidate once before, but this is an entirely different role where she very recently became the nominee for the
Democratic Party. So, it's a time where Vice President Harris has to really step up and say, who am I? Let me give you a chance to get to know me some
and understand who I will be as President of the United States.
SOARES: So, let's flesh that out further then, Mark. I mean, we saw in the last poll -- latest poll, just I think it was 24 hours ago that about 28
percent of about third of Americans want to hear more about the Vice President. And I wonder, I mean, is that character -- is that policy --
what strategy in your view would work best here?
ALEXANDER: Well, I think she's going to have to combine things, and each of her answer should do several things. She'll talk about her record, she
may talk about being a prosecutor, as being the attorney general, being a senator, being the vice president.
[14:10:00]
But then combine that with examples of what she did in those positions.
SOARES: Yes --
ALEXANDER: Now, work -- and working with the banks and the major banks settlement to try and protect consumers, which is one thing she's talked
about before, that shows her policies in action, but then also shows her values and how she acts. That's one of the things where she would say how
she acted when interacting with major banks from her position of power.
So, every answer and the style really, I think will be weaving a lot of things to be a little bit bio, a little bit of history, a little bit of
temperament, and showing ultimately, trying to create an image, paint a picture of who she would be as president of the United States.
SOARES: And already we have heard Harris basically saying in an interview that she just in the last 24 hours, said that she's preparing for attacks
on her being a woman and a woman of color. Have a listen to this, Mark, and we can talk after that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
HARRIS: I think he's going to lie, and you know, he has a playbook that he has used in the past, be it, you know, his attacks on President Obama or
Hillary Clinton, so, we should expect some of that might come out.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SOARES: So, how do you think she will react to these attacks? I mean, will this knock her off her game? How does she respond to those attacks? I mean,
perhaps as a badge of honor for her, but how does she respond to that? How does she counter-attack?
ALEXANDER: Well, yes, no doubt if attacked. Any candidate in this context, vice president, would have to show both how she handles the attack itself,
the words, whether a personal attack, what she would say in response would be very important, whether she's saying like this is not how the president
should act or something like that, suggests what's proper temperament, but also show her temperament because ultimately, on the world stage, when
there's a negotiation with a foreign adversary or something like that, then there's going to be things happening.
When you're negotiating with the Senate leader or the speaker of the House, there's always back-and-forth. And so, in that context, it's not just, you
know, what you say, but how you say it and how you interact with people believe you'll be tough in responding and strong, advocating on behalf of
the people of the United States.
SOARES: And often, it's how you respond and the tone of your response that draws people in. And in the last few hours, we've been hearing that sources
say that Clinton has spoken with Harris over the phone and told the Vice President that baiting the former President is one of the best tactics she
could do tonight. Would you encourage that, Mark?
ALEXANDER: Well, I think the question of course is what the Vice President wants to achieve herself. The reality is that President -- you know, as
President Donald Trump was very aggressive often with other people with whom he disagreed. As a candidate, he'd be very aggressive.
You were showing clips before of him, you know, with ways in which she would get personal with his attacks, to the extent that the Vice President
thinks that's not a good look for him, then she would have to indeed, you know, bring that out. But at the same time, you don't know how he's going
to react. You don't know for sure what he's going to do.
So, I think that the Vice President needs to also focus on what she wants to do as her affirmative plan, not just assume Donald Trump will go one way
or another way. But ask, you know, what is the way she wants to go? And that's, I think one of the big challenges from both candidates, is you have
to define for yourself whether you know, former President Trump or Vice President Harris, define where you want to go, where you want to take this
debate, and not depend on somebody else's reactions.
SOARES: Mark Alexander, we could talk for hours, really appreciate it, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us. Thanks, Mark.
ALEXANDER: Great, thank you so much --
SOARES: I want to turn our attention -- thank you. I want to turn our attention now to southern Gaza and that massive Israeli airstrike on a
designated humanitarian safe zone. The overnight attack taking place in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. According to the Gaza Civil Defense, dozens
of people are now dead, wounded or maybe buried under the sand as you can see there in the debris.
The Israeli military says it was targeting Hamas terrorists who they claim operated a command center embedded in the humanitarian area. Hamas denies
its fighters were present. Our Matthew Chance spoke with some of the survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As rescue workers scramble for survivors, live witnesses say the Israeli
strikes targeted what was meant to be a safe zone in the southern Gaza Strip, ripping through tents and makeshift shelters, leaving deep craters
and dozens killed and injured.
"They told us this area was safe", says this man, "I swear the people here were just normal", he says, "not fighters". Like daylight, you can see the
extent of the destruction. Israel's military says it conducted a precise strike on Hamas terrorists operating a command and control center inside
this humanitarian zone.
[14:15:00]
An IDF statement says "prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians."
(WOMEN WAILING)
CHANCE: This was a heavily-populated area and civilians were caught up in the powerful blast. This man says his two daughters were completely buried
under the sand, only one survived. He says -- and he says he found the body parts of his neighbors strewn around. This 12-year-old girl is nursing a
broken shoulder suffered when her tent collapsed, she says, trapping her and her mother inside.
"I was scared because the strikes were so close", she says.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
CHANCE: Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, and insists the Israeli military takes extensive measures to enable civilians
in Gaza to avoid combat zone. But there's little real security in this brutal war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: That was Matthew Chance reporting and he joins us now live from Tel Aviv in Israel. And Matthew, the IDF's statement that appeared in your
report, that it was targeting Hamas terrorists operating a command center, and that it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians. Do we know what steps
they took to mitigate harm to civilians? Were civilians given a heads-up, for example?
CHANCE: They didn't say that in the statement, but they did say that they were monitoring the target site very closely from the air, presumably with
drones, and they said they took other measures which were unspecified in that statement, but yes, look, I mean, the Israelis have made it pretty
clear, and this underlines this, that if they see a target, they want to go for, even if there are civilians in the immediate vicinity, they're going
to do it.
In fact, this humanitarian area in the southern Gaza Strip, the same one was attacked back in July when the Israelis said that they identified the
military leader of Hamas Mohammed Deif; he's the head of the al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing. They said they thought he was there, and
they carried out strikes at that time, killing 90 people, which Palestinian health officials say, half of whom were women and children.
And so, look, yes, the Israelis say that they're doing everything they can to mitigate against civilian casualties. But I mean, the fact here is, it
is deeply insecure for Palestinian civilians on the ground during this war in Gaza.
SOARES: Yes, and we've heard from two weapons experts telling CNN, Matthew, that from the visual evidence and we're looking at -- we had saw
in your videos that the impact of the scene of Al-Mawasi strike that suggest 2,000-pound bombs were used. Just absolutely horrific, the picture
of the crater, I think we had -- here we go, we're looking at that.
I want to leave Gaza for just a second, Matthew, and just turn our attention to the West Bank because we heard today from Secretary of State
Antony Blinken, who was here in the U.K., and he described and spoke about the killing of the Turkish-American activist who died in the occupied West
Bank on Friday, he called that unacceptable, and said, the IDF must change how it operates in the West Bank.
What has been, if any, Matthew, hear the reaction from the IDF, and where are we on the investigation of the Turkish-American activist?
CHANCE: Well, I mean, I don't see any reaction yet to the Antony Blinken comments, but I expect it will be -- will be forthcoming. But in terms of
the investigation, the IDF say that they've embarked on one, they said that their preliminary findings suggest that this Turkish-American activists
were shot indirectly and inadvertently.
And that the real target of the gunfire with the perpetrators or the organizers of the Palestinian protests that was taking place in that West
Bank town, where people were throwing stones and lighting fires and burning tires and things like that in front of Israeli forces. The family members
of the Turkish-American activists have categorically rejected that, they've written an open letter, saying that this was a, you know, a targeted
strike, essentially, to paraphrase them against somebody who was protesting against the occupation in the West Bank.
SOARES: Matthew Chance there for us in Tel Aviv, thanks very much, Matthew, appreciate it. And still to come tonight, the elusive agreement
for a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war. I'll ask an expert if it's possible that we can get to that agreement. And Ukraine
launch its biggest drone attack on Russia to date, we are live in Kyiv with the very latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
SOARES: Well, Ukraine has struck Moscow overnight in what's believed to be its biggest drone attack yet on Russia. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(EXPLOSION)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Russia says it destroyed more than 120 Ukrainian drones, 20 of which were over the Moscow region. Russian officials say at least one
person was killed. Why the barrage forced three airports to close and dozens of flights to be diverted. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State
has accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia, speaking while -- a while back in London, just the last few hours or so, Antony Blinken
said Iran would face fresh sanctions. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: For some time, the United States has warned of an additional threat. The provision by Iran of
ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. We've warned Tehran publicly, we've warned Tehran privately, that taking this step would
constitute a dramatic escalation.
Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles, and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Our Fred Pleitgen is in Kyiv for us this hour. And Fred, we'll talk about Iran in just a moment, and those missiles to Russia in just --
in just a second. Let's start off though with the biggest drone attack it seems yet by Ukraine, making it quite frankly, pretty hard for Russians to
ignore this war. What more can you tell us about the attack and the strategy here, Fred, from the Ukrainians?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Isa, yes, absolutely impossible for the Russians to ignore the fact that large
parts of Moscow were at least threatened by long distance Ukrainian drones. And I think the Ukrainians definitely showed two things.
First of all, that they have pretty substantial long-distance strike drone capabilities, but also that they seem to have quite a lot of these strike
drones to actually hit Russia with. And if you look at some of the places that were targeted by these Ukrainian strike drones or -- some of them are
in the border area between Russia and Ukraine.
But a lot of it also was centered around Moscow. You were talking about the fact that the Russians say that 20 of these drones were shot down in the
Moscow region, and that one person actually was killed on the ground. And that area where that person was killed is a suburb of Moscow, it's called
Ramenskoye, and that is also the area where there is a large international airport in Moscow.
And certainly from what we've been seeing, it appears as though possibly one of the things that the Ukrainians had been maybe trying to do is
disrupt air traffic in the Moscow area, which of course, affects hundreds of thousands of people every day who fly from airports in the Moscow
region.
[14:25:00]
From what we heard, three airports in that region had to stop or cancel flights for several hours. There's one major airport in the north of the
city, Sheremetyevo, that apparently continued the flight operations. Nevertheless, this was a very big disruption that the Russians are -- that
citizens of Moscow were facing.
Now, all of this, of course, comes in the middle of a massive Russian aerial campaign against Ukrainian cities, against Ukrainian infrastructure,
of course, also against Ukrainian frontline troops as well. And the Ukrainians now showing that they are very capable of punching back, and one
of the things that the Ukrainians have said that they want to focus on, this was a big point for them, is more of these unmanned aerial vehicles,
not just in the tactical areas where they use them on the frontlines, but also especially these long distance strike capabilities to hit some of
Russia's critical infrastructure.
Like for instance, oil and gas installations to hit airfields, but then also apparently to also threaten Russia cities like for instance, the
capital city Moscow. After in the past weeks, Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital has again and again been targeted by Russian drones, and of course, also by
Russian cruise and ballistic missiles as well. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, you're taking me nice is my next question because, we played that little clip there as you heard from Secretary Blinken, who is I
believe traveling to Ukraine with Foreign Minister of the U.K., David Lammy, they had a press conference, they talked about Iran and how Iran
will be hit with new sanctions as early as today for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
Yet, we've heard from Andrii Yermak, who's the head of the Ukrainian President's office. He said these sanctions when they come are a positive
step, but then he added this, Fred, this is on Twitter. He said, we also need authorization to use western weapons against military targets on
Russian territory.
The provision of longer-range missiles and the enhancement of our air defense system. So, sanctions great, but we need more from our allies. We
need to hear more from them and to use as capabilities. Is that the message that you've been hearing from your contacts?
PLEITGEN: Yes, absolutely. And I think for the Ukrainians, the provision of these ballistic missiles, if indeed that is true to the Russians by the
Iranians, is definitely significant, another big threat for the Ukrainians. And Secretary of State Blinken himself said that this was a major step, and
this was a major escalation for several reasons.
And that first of all, of course, it gives the Russians more ballistic missiles at their disposal, but it also allows the Russians to use the
ballistic missiles that they do have. Like for instance, the medium-range Iskander missiles in totally different ways. They don't have to use them in
short distances anymore.
They can use them to hit longer targets that are far away like for instance, the Ukrainian capital. So, in every way, Secretary of State
Blinken had said that this was a big escalation on the part of the Iranians also because of course, he believes that the Iranians are going to get
technology from the Russians in return.
And for a very long time, the Ukrainians have said they need longer distance strike capabilities, but they also need the lifting of
restrictions on the longer distance weapons that they have received from the U.S. to strike deeper into Russian territory. Isa.
SOARES: Fred Pleitgen for us this evening in Kyiv, thanks very much, Fred. And still to come tonight, we return to our top story, the first debate
between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, we are live in Philadelphia with a preview and a look at what the candidates are hoping to accomplish tonight.
That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:31:23]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. In just a few hours, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris are set to face-off for their first
presidential debate, and this could be the only debate between the two candidates with less than 60 days until election day. For those of you
counting. Millions across the U.S. and around the world will be watching, as will our Kristen Holmes who is in Philadelphia.
Kristen, just talk us through how Trump is preparing. I heard yesterday he doesn't prepare. What are his priorities during tonight's debate?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I wouldn't say he doesn't prepare. I would say that his team doesn't really like using the word
preparation, and that's because Donald Trump himself likes to say that he's already prepared.
However, they are certainly getting ready for this debate. And they say that essentially everything that he does is a version of preparation. We
saw last week he spoke before the New York Economic Club and took questions. He also did a town hall with voters in Pennsylvania. They say
that is all part of this, quote/unquote, "debate preparation."
The other thing that we know is that he has time on his schedule that they call policy time or policy review sessions. And this is time he meets with
various lawmakers as well as some of his top advisers, Jason Miller, Stephen Miller, who advises him on immigration and goes over the different
policies and also how to pivot away from things he doesn't want to talk about.
For example, he does not want to be talking about abortion. They believe that this is not going to help him politically. So, how to pivot away from
topics like abortion, which they believe that Harris will bring up, and focus on other things like immigration, like crime, like the economy, all
things that they believe will help Donald Trump win in November.
But the big question now is how Donald Trump acts up on that stage. There's a lot of concern from his allies of how he will react to Kamala Harris.
Will he be incendiary? Will he let her get underneath their skin?
And one of the things that I've been told by some of his allies is they've actually instructed him not to say anything. If he has to react to make
facial expressions but not to actually say anything verbally in response because they worry about him launching this kind of personal attacks that
will look bad for him.
So, that's the big question tonight though because Donald Trump himself, he can be as prepared as one can be and still show up on that stage and be
reactionary. Something we've seen time and time again, and the only person who can control how he acts on that stage is Donald Trump himself, and
that's what we'll see tonight.
SOARES: Yes, and he's so unpredictable. Kristen Holmes, appreciate it. Thank you very much indeed. And now, back to one of our top stories. Dozens
are dead or injured after an overnight Israeli airstrike on a designated safe zone in Southern Gaza.
Now, Israel says Hamas was using the area as a command-and-control center. Hamas says it did not have fighters in the humanitarian zone. Survivors
have described the horror of looking for their loved ones in the middle of the night. One telling CNN, if this is life, we don't need it.
In the meantime, ceasefire and hostage release talks seem, well, at a standstill. Hamas is denying U.S. allegations that it changed the terms of
a draft agreement. So, there's plenty for us to talk about tonight. Joining us now is H. A. Hellyer. He's a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United
Services Institute Defense and Security Think Tank. Welcome to the show. Great to have you here.
H. A. HELLYER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE FELLOW IN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES, ROYAL UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTE: Thank you.
SOARES: There is so much for us to talk about, but I want to start off with the images that we brought our viewers just, what, 10, 15 minutes ago,
from this designated safe zone in al-Mawasi. IDF saying it was targeting Hamas operatives that were embedded there. Just give us your reaction when
we look at some of the images from there.
HELLYER: So, unfortunately, it's not surprising. There are no safe zones in Gaza. This has been stated time and again. By different U.N. agencies,
by different human rights groups. There are no safe places in Gaza for civilians as far as being targeted by the IDF.
[14:35:00]
They have been moved time and again. As you said, al-Mawasi was a designated safe zone. And people have been killed again. We are in month 11
of this. And I think, at some point, people have to recognize, you know, exactly what's happening, that civilians have been told, go from this place
to this place, you'll be safe there, but actually they're not safe.
SOARES: Yes, and this is what we've heard from aid organizations on the ground for months.
HELLYER: For months.
SOARES: For months on end. In fact, UNRWA said overnight that civilians had no way to escape, and this is just in the last 24 hours.
HELLYER: Indeed.
SOARES: The crater -- if I'm just going to ask my producer, Sarah, to bring the images of the crater back so -- if you don't mind. Because crater
was as deep as seven meters. I mean, these are not small munitions. We've had two weapons experts at CNN look at these images, the visual evidence
here, and they say that it suggests 2,000-pound bombs. Were used. I mean, we're almost -- H. A. Hellyer, we're almost a year into this conflict and
yet, we're still seeing horrific scenes like this.
HELLYER: So, I'd like to remind your viewers that Gaza is an occupied territory and the occupied power -- the occupying power is Israel. That
means that Israel actually has quite a few responsibilities as the occupying power to the civilian population in Gaza that it wouldn't
otherwise have if it was, for example, invading another territory or something. They are the occupying power.
So, using this sort of weaponry, it should be treated as them using it, for example, near Tel Aviv or the United States ordering the use of these sorts
of weapons and munitions on California. I mean, this is in flagrant disregard of international humanitarian law, but also, in specific, it's in
-- disregarding the responsibilities that they have as the occupying power.
SOARES: OK. So, we're almost a year now into this conflict.
HELLYER: Yes.
SOARES: Just help us, help me understand where we are in the negotiations. Because we keep hearing that, you know, we're closer than we've ever been.
This is something we've heard from President Biden. We're at 90 percent. We just need that, you know, 10 percent to -- you know, to get this deal done.
Where are we? I mean, it feels like it's stalled. Can you just bring us up to date on what the hurdles are here?
HELLYER: So, multiple times over the past, I'd say six or seven months, we've heard that, oh, the negotiations are very close.
SOARES: Yes.
HELLYER: We're almost there. It's just one more hurdle. They just need to be brave. But actually, this has not been the case. And I really think that
we all ought to be looking at Israeli media more closely because Israeli media has been very clear and frank about this, that at multiple times over
the past -- particularly the past eight months, there have been attempts at sabotage of the negotiations, leaks coming from the Israeli negotiators
themselves blaming not Hamas --
SOARES: Yes, we've heard of that. Yes.
HELLYER: -- they're blaming their own prime minister. And what we've seen over the last couple of weeks is this new emphasis on the Philadelphi
Corridor, which is the border zone between Egypt and Gaza, and the Israelis insisting that they need to have control over it.
And I need to emphasize this, the Philadelphi Corridor is governed -- in terms of what you can put there in terms of army personnel and so on, is
governed by the Camp David Accords, which is at the bedrock of regional security architecture. It's the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. And
what Netanyahu has been propounding as part of, quote/unquote, "a new condition" in the ceasefire negotiations, which again are badly named
because they're not negotiations for a ceasefire, they're negotiations for pause to get the hostages out, but then a continuation of hostilities.
So, this has just been going on again and again and again. So, this whole thing about 10 percent left, it's just not there.
SOARES: You don't buy it?
HELLYER: No, I don't buy it.
SOARES: OK. So, President Biden is coming to the end of his presence, you know, I mean, this whole conflict has engulfed. I think it's fair to say
his final year in office. Do you think he's capable of bringing this to an end, this war to an end? I mean, do you know -- do you think -- first of
all, H. A. Hellyer, do you think he has enough leverage with Netanyahu to bring this to a conclusion?
HELLYER: So, two things. One, in answer to your question, he is utterly capable of bringing this to an end. It's not about capable, it's about
whether he has the will to do so. But capacity? Yes, he does. Because, in answer to your second question, he completely has leverage over Netanyahu
in terms of protection of the U.N. Security Council, in terms of financial aid, and in terms of weapons transfers.
The question isn't whether or not he has that capacity, the question is whether or not he's willing to use it. And hitherto, he has not shown that.
He has laid down red lines for Netanyahu multiple times over the past nine months saying, don't do this, don't do this, don't do this. Netanyahu has
broken those red lines repeatedly.
[14:40:00]
There has been no consequence to that. And unfortunately, I expect that to remain until the end of his presidency.
SOARES: With legacy in mind, do you think he may press Netanyahu, or do you think we've seen everything there is to see when it comes to policy?
HELLYER: I really hope that I'm wrong about this, but so far, I've seen no indication that President Biden will change the pattern that he's followed
over the past nine months.
SOARES: H. A. Hellyer, great to see you. Thanks for coming on. Come back more often. Appreciate it. Thank you.
HELLYER: Thank you.
SOARES: Now, a short time ago, the Israeli military released video showing the tunnels in Gaza where six hostages were held before being killed. The
chief spokesperson for the Israeli military appeared in a prerecorded video showing the interior of the tunnels. He said the tunnel was located 20
meters below ground and wasn't high enough to stand up in. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the blood of Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Ori, Almog, and Alex. They were heroes, and they were here in this tunnel for weeks or
days, we will find out. But they were here in this tunnel in horrific conditions, where there is no air to breathe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And of course, the bodies of the six hostages were recovered, as you know, by the Israeli military on September the 1st.
And still to come tonight, our Pau Mosquera in Madrid, where demonstrators are gathered. We'll tell you what is happening after this short break.
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN EN ESPANOL SPAIN CORRESPONDENT: That's it. Hundreds of Venezuelans have demonstrated this afternoon here in Madrid to ask the
Spanish government the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as the elected president of Venezuela. We will be back with the details very soon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, Demonstrators gathered outside the Spanish Parliament today to support Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez.
Members of the Venezuelan diaspora came out in force in Madrid, urging Spain to join their fight and demanding freedom for their homeland.
Gonzalez arrived in Spain on Sunday to seek asylum. He came after Venezuela issued an arrest warrant, accusing him of terrorism, conspiracy, as well as
other crimes. Venezuela's attorney general says that case will be closed since Gonzalez fled the country.
All this as Spanish lawmakers consider a motion to recognize Gonzalez as a true winner of July's disputed election against President Nicolas Maduro.
Let's get more on all of this. Pau Mosquera, Spain correspondent for CNN en Espanol joins us now. Pau, good to see you. Just give us a sense of the
scene behind you and what you've been hearing from those in the streets.
MOSQUERA: Good night, Isa. Well, actually, here we are in front of the Spanish parliament. And over this afternoon, we have seen a thousand of
people of Venezuelans that have been demonstrating in order to ask both the Spain and the European Union to recognize Edmundo Gonzalez as the
legitimate and elected president of Venezuela.
[14:45:00]
Right now, from that thousand people that the delegation of the Spanish government in Madrid told us that they were here, there are just already a
few of them, because the police has already asked them to leave this square as they have no longer a permit to continue with this demonstration. A
demonstration is -- that is important to say it also has counted with the daughter of Edmundo Gonzalez, Carolina, who has been living in Madrid for
over a decade.
She has been able to read a statement from him, a very brief one, where he was saying that he will not let down to all the Venezuelans that have been
paying a lot of attention to all the work that he has been doing over the last week with Maria Corina Machado.
Actually, we have taken the chance this afternoon to ask a -- to feel of the demonstrators that were here, what were -- their thoughts about Edmundo
Gonzalez fleeing Venezuela to get here to Madrid, and that's what they told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): At the beginning, we questioned why he was here, but we know there is a reason behind it. Something good is
on the way, and I know that Venezuela will be free soon.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We were surprised. We couldn't imagine. But we think it's for the better. Our president is safer here than
there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Do you believe that the fact that he left Venezuela will hurt the efforts of the opposition to have the
International Community recognize their electoral results?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Particularly, I think it is a smart decision for him to seek shelter here in Spain. He will definitely be
more able to do more from here than under threats in Venezuela.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MOSQUERA: Important to say, Isa, as you highlighted at the starting of this live shot, the parliament has debated this afternoon about a motion to
make the Spanish government recognize Edmundo Gonzalez as the elected president of Venezuela. Today has been the debate, but the voting will be
tomorrow.
And it's important to say that even this voting goes on and it's approved, the Spanish government will not be binded by the result, Isa.
SOARES: Pau Mosquera there for us in Madrid. Thanks very much, Pau. And still to come tonight, the shocking police attention of Miami Dolphin star
Tyreek Hill. Police have released new body cam video. We'll show you that after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Well, just hours ago, two planes collided as they were taxing for takeoff from Atlanta's International Airport. Both planes were operated by
Delta Airlines as the world's big -- at the world's busiest airport.
A Delta spokesperson says the wingtip of an Airbus A350 came into contact with the regional jet and that nobody was injured in the collision. You can
see here that the tail of the regional flight got knocked off. Staying across that story for you.
Well, police in Miami, Florida have released the officer's body cam footage after making a traffic stop on NFL star Tyreek Hill that Miami Dolphins
wide receiver was on his way to the stadium for his first game of the season on Sunday when he was pulled over for a moving violation.
After a dispute with one officer about rolling down his window, Hill was dragged out of his car and handcuffed. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep your window down. Keep your window down or I'm going to get you out of the car. As a matter of fact, get out of the car.
Get out of the car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to break that -- window.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car. Get out of the car right now. We're not playing this game. Get out, get out. Get out.
TYREEK HILL, MIAMI DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVER: I'm getting out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out. What part about it don't you understand?
HILL: Hey, Drew, hey, Drew, I'm getting arrested, Drew. I'm getting arrested. I'm getting arrested, Drew. I'm getting out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we tell you to do something, you do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, the Miami Dolphins have released a statement saying they're, quote, "saddened by the overly aggressive as well as violent conduct
directed towards Hill."
I want to bring in our Carlos Suarez for more. And, Carlos, what more are we learning at this age about the reason -- the bodycam footage that we
played, a clip of there?
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, we now know that at least one of these officers involved in this incident has been placed on
administrative duties, pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation.
Now, Hill himself said that he was left shocked and embarrassed by this whole thing. His comments to CNN, they came hours after the Miami-Dade
Police Department released nearly two hours of body camera video showing the encounter between Hill and the other officers. Hill was pulled over
near the entrance at the stadium where the Miami Dolphins play here in South Florida.
And now, a second Miami Dolphins player who stopped to see what was going on, he was also detained and later let go. The police union, a rep here in
South Florida said that Hill was only detained because, in their words, he was not cooperative and they said that he was allowed to leave after he was
issued two traffic tickets.
Here now is Hill himself on just how things could have ended differently for him if not for his celebrity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: The crazy part about it is, I hate talking like this, man, but because I have a key of fan base. But the reality of it is, it's the truth.
If I wasn't Tyreek Hill, worst-case scenario, we would have had a different article, you know. Tyreek Hill, you know, got shot in front of Hard Rock
Stadium, you know, or -- that's worst-case scenario, or Tyreek Hill, you know, put in handcuffs and taken in and booked, you know. But it's crazy
that, you know, I -- you know, me and my family had to go through this, you know. So --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUAREZ: All right. So, the Miami Dolphins who pay for Miami-Dade Police to provide security at the stadium, well, they're backing Hill. In a
statement, the team said, in part, quote, "While we commend the Miami-Dade Police Department for taking the right and necessary action to quickly
release this footage, we also urge them to take equally swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior."
Again, Miami-Dade's police director said that one of the officers involved in this incident has been placed on administrative duties and that this
internal affairs investigation, Isa, is already underway.
SOARES: Carlos Suarez, appreciate it. Thanks, Carlos.
Now, children who are used to getting on social media in Australia will now have to be a certain age in order to do so. The government plans on setting
a minimum age for TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or even YouTube because of mental as well as physical health concerns. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a good thing because social media is like there's no really like rules or regulation right now in place with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a feeling that anybody who tries to tackle the social media owners or giants is going to fail because it's too widespread
and there's too many sets of rules internationally for one set of rules to apply. So, what they're going to do is break it down slowly so that they'll
-- if they can't restrict the media holders, they'll restrict the people who are trying to access the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:55:00]
SOARES: Well, according to the tech industry, four-fifths of the country's 26 million people are on social media. Digital rights groups believe the
new law could lead to underground online activity. The age limit will likely be getting -- be between 14 And 16 years old. This is just being
discussed. And of course, as soon as there any more developments, we will bring that to you.
The Polaris Dawn mission has now launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is the latest SpaceX mission and the first attempt at a
privately funded spacewalk. The four civilians on board are also on a bold as well as risky expedition into Earth's radiation belts. If everything
goes as planned, this space flight will be the highest that any human has flown since NASA's Apollo program ended more than 50 years ago. Pretty
something.
And that does it for us for this evening. Thanks very much for your company. Do stay right here. Newsroom with Jim Sciutto is up next, and I'll
be up at about an hour or so. Quest Means Business. Don't miss that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
