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Laura Coates Live
Harris Goes After Trump Over The Border; Middle East Is On A Knife's Edge; Helene Roars Through The Southeast; New York City Mayor Defiant As Democrats Weighs His Ouster; Clark And Reese Speak Out On WNBA Controversy. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired September 27, 2024 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
UNKNOWN: Is that thrilling?
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The good, old general election candidate.
UNKNOWN: I'm just saying, these are funny.
PHILLIP: All right, Jemele.
UNKNOWN: You should vote for her.
JEMELE HILL, PODCAST HOST, CONTRIBUTING WRITER FOR THE ATLANTIC: All right, I'm going to use my high take time to draw attention to what I think is an incredible story. It's unfortunate that it's sad. Armorion Smith, who is a 21-year-old college student at Michigan State, also plays football. I'm a Michigan State grad. He's 21, his mother died of cancer last month, and he has legal custody of his four siblings. So, he's 21 years old, in college, taking care of his four siblings.
And a lot of times, we debate about the character of athletes. We know we see a lot of money in sports. And sometimes, you don't hear about the good stories.
And while this is not necessarily good because a young man lost his mother, I think the fact that he has taken on this responsibility, he does have a GoFundMe, so people go support it, says something about this young man's character.
And shout out to my man, Larry Lage, with the Associated Press, who brought this to everyone's attention.
PHILLIP: Thank you, Jemele. Everyone, thank you at home. "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Kamala Harris goes to the border and talks tough on immigration and Donald Trump. Will voters buy it? Plus, the Middle East on a knife's edge tonight. New fears of a ground invasion in Lebanon as Israel targets the leader of Hezbollah. Did they take him out? And is Iran about to step in? And a natural disaster unfolding in real time as Helene drowns parts of the southeast. The destruction and the stories of survival, tonight on "Laura Coates Live."
It's a trip Republicans have been shouting about for years. A Kamala Harris visit to the border. The place Donald Trump sees as his strength and key to his chances in November. So tonight, Harris went there. It was her first time at the U.S.-Mexico border since June of 2021. And it was also her first time as a Democratic nominee for president. Her mission, bridge the gap between how voters see her and Trump on immigration. Her message, a promise to up the ante on border security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will take further action to keep the border closed between ports of entry. Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from reentering for five years. We will pursue more severe criminal charges against repeat violators. And if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Now, she didn't just try to steal Trump's thunder by sounding tough on the border, she also went after him directly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: He separated families. He ripped toddlers out of their mothers' arms, put children in cages, and tried to end protections for dreamers. He made the challenges at the border worse. And he is still, and he is still fanning the flames of fear and division.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: She also called him out for tanking the bipartisan border deal earlier this year. Now, Harris didn't have much time to change a voter's mind on one of her major vulnerabilities. We're just 39 days out from election. And by the way, if you're in a state that has early voting, it's like "T" minus something for you. But the polls do show her slowly eroding the gap on immigration. It has repeatedly dog Democrats under the Biden-Harris administration. And the situation at the border has been chaotic over those four years. But crossings have fallen since Biden took executive action this very summer. They're now at their lowest point since 2020.
Now, Trump, for his part, is not taking any of this quietly. He is suggesting that Harris could pressure Biden to do more. He says they could have taken executive action years ago. And as for that border deal?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She wants to see if she can salvage, make up some lies, like she said about the border bill that Trump stopped. Let me tell you, number one, I didn't stop it, the senator stopped it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: He calls it a lie. But then there's this, from when it all went south.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: A lot of the senators are trying to say respectfully -- they're blaming it on me. I said, that's okay, please blame it on me, please, because they were getting ready to pass a very bad bill.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: They did blame it on you. People still are. Joining me now, Democratic strategist Meghan Hays, Republican strategist Liam Donovan, and the host of "The Clay Cane Show" on SiriusXM, Clay Cane.
[23:04:59]
Glad to have all of you here this evening on this Friday night. Liam, let me begin with you if I can because Harris is sounding a lot tougher on illegal immigration, trying -- she's trying to flip the script on immigration in terms of polling and how she is viewed. Will voters buy that?
LIAM DONOVAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, FORMER NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE AIDE: Well, there's a recognition of the weaknesses that she does have. She is -- this is the two areas that Trump has an edge on, immigration and economy. You've seen the 82-page economic plan she has come out on. They've been trying to press that. This is trying to do the other side, which is the immigration piece. It's interesting to see that split screen of Trump in the Rust Belt where Harris is ahead and Harris down in Arizona where Trump is ahead. These are on each other's turf.
I think immigration is obviously going to be an issue that Trump needs to push the advantage on. Harris is not going to win on that, but she can neutralize it, and she's on the cusp of doing just that. So, I think going there, sounding tough, that's trying to achieve the mission and, you know, she's off to a good start.
COATES: Well, Meghan, let me bring you in here because we've now seen Harris try and go on offense on the economy, Meghan, on immigration, all while hitting Trump on reproductive rights and abortion. Is that going to be their core strategy for this final, what, 39 days?
MEGHAN HAYS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Look, I think that each of these candidates are going to try to do whatever they can to just peel voters off from whatever topic they can. I think that's why she's down at the border and giving this speech today.
You know, she's not going to hit people who this is their number one issue. She's not going to ever convince those people that she's going to be tougher on the border than Trump, but she can convince other folks that this is -- they're soft on this issue. So, she did an excellent job doing that today. She had some really good salient points. She's drawing the contrast between her and Trump's leadership style as well. She's going to continue to also hit on the issues that Democrats are extremely popular on like abortion and women's reproductive rights. She's also closing the gap on the economy. So, all -- they're just -- each of them is just trying to peel voters away as, you know, we're getting closer and closer to November.
COATES: And closer we are, 39 days. Clay Cane, let me bring you in here, my SiriusXM buddy, how you doing? Look, Trump cannot seem to figure out which stance he wants to have on this bipartisan Senate border bill. Did he stop it? Did he not? Should we blame him? Should they not? I mean, he's saying it was the senators who did it. Is he feeling a little bit of the heat from Harris's attacks?
CLAY CANE, SIRIUSXM HOST: Oh, he certainly is. And here's what I like about Vice President Kamala Harris going to the border. It's all about the contrast, right? We have Vice President Kamala Harris at the border talking about the American people, talking about policies and plans, and we have Donald Trump this week in contrast, trying to sell watches for $100,000.
So, I think what we see is somebody who is presidential and somebody who is a grifter, somebody who obviously doesn't care about the border, doesn't care about immigrants who are here legally or -- quote, unquote -- "illegally" unless he believes they're eating cats and dogs. He only cares about himself. So, that is the stark contrast that I saw with Vice President Kamala Harris's speech.
COATES: Well, Trump was at a town hall tonight in Michigan, Liam, and he was promoting, to Clay's point, a better off with Trump message to voters. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Your energy bills will be 5-0, 50% lower, one year from January 20th.
(APPLAUSE)
They talk about what's at the checkout counter, the groceries, and we're going to get it all down.
I consider it one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The word "tariff," I love it. I think it's beautiful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: I mean, economists are finding some of these proposals a little bit head-scratching. I mean, I'm not going to judge what you find beautiful. He thinks the word "tariff" is beautiful. I have different criteria for beauty, but that's just me, Liam. Will they win him any votes, though, that he already doesn't have?
DONOVAN: Well, I think if you think back to how he won Michigan in the first place, which is cracking through that blue wall there in 2016, that was a big -- a big part of that pitch was him talking differently than standard Republicans on issues like trade. If he wants to reprise it again, he needs to talk to those same audiences using those same themes.
I think the interesting thing there is that having Robert F. Kennedy Jr. there before him speaking, actually saying, don't vote for me. Remember, Michigan is keeping RFK on the ballot. So, a lot of this is going to come down to really small margins there and trying to maximize his vote there and getting up to as high as he can with those messages, with those themes. I think RFK reinforces that.
But it's an interesting time. He needs to pick off one more state. I think that the Sun Belt states, he has. He needs to crack into Pennsylvania, Michigan or Wisconsin. I think Michigan is one of the ones that looks the best.
COATES: I mean, imagine that, Clay, someone saying, don't vote for me. I mean, I know I'm -- don't, don't vote. This is a new strategy on things. We obviously know the reasons why. He's maybe trying to get the administration.
But let's just go to that point about a different state. Let's go to North Carolina for a second, Clay, because there's some breaking news tonight that we are learning that North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is running for governor, he has been hospitalized tonight after an incident at a campaign event. No further details as of now, but this is another twist in an already tumultuous race.
[23:10:01]
How critical do you think Robinson's struggling campaign, Clay, will be in the presidential race? I mean, you wrote about him in your "New York Times" bestseller book.
CANE: Well, thoughts and prayers to Mark Robinson. I will say that Mark Robinson, I rang the alarm about him in my book, he is another grifter, he is a liar, he is shameful. And what's really sad, what's really sad, Laura, is that they knew exactly who he was. Even before the disgusting things that came out recently, they all knew who he was. And, you know, Trump said that he was Dr. King on steroids when really Mark Robinson is Herschel Walker on steroids.
But they didn't care. This is the kind of person that he elevated, a former factory worker who had no political experience but went viral for insulting Black Panther and Michelle Obama. So, he's bringing the ticket down.
And I want to say to all my friends out there who are Black Republicans or Black conservatives, this is what they think of you. They would rather have the likes of Mark Robinson in their party than the likes of Colin Powell. This is what they think of you. So, he is dragging down the ticket.
And I'm going to say this on the air with you, I predict a North Carolina win for Vice President Kamala Harris, the way President Obama won in 2008. Thank you, Mark Robinson.
COATES: Well, unsurprisingly, Meghan, you are nodding and there's a bit of a smile that I see touching across your face on that prospect. I mean, there's a new CNN poll that is showing Harris and Trump actually tied in North Carolina. Neither is really leading. It's a tie. You know, 48%. Obama did win the state in 2008, to Clay's point, but it has gone red in the past three presidential elections. And so, could this be Harris's most competitive Sun Belt state?
HAYS: She absolutely is in striking distance of winning in North Carolina. I think that the governor's race is not helpful to Republicans and just is more beneficial for the vice president to have an opportunity to play here.
Also, they have an incredible war chest of money that they are able to spend in North Carolina and an incredible organizing operation in the campaign that they are able to knock on doors and turn that on in North Carolina in a way that, you know, other campaigns that don't have the funds to do that cannot compete.
So, you know, it is within striking distance, and I wouldn't be surprised if you saw -- if you saw the vice president win North Carolina this time around.
COATES: Well I'm still really curious as to what has happened with Mark Robinson. We don't have any information as to what this incident is and why he has been hospitalized. And so, I'll be eager to learn more information and bring that to each of you when we know. Thank you all for joining.
HAYS: Thank you.
COATES: Breaking news tonight, new explosions rocking Beirut as Israel and Hezbollah inch closer to an all-out war. Up next, the new fears the situation is about to spiral out of control.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COATES: A sleepless night in bombardment in Beirut tonight. Israel conducting strikes throughout Lebanon, the majority hitting buildings in their capital of Beirut, but also a striking a valley in the north. The IDF alleges the buildings in Beirut are used as command facilities and weapon storage sites for Hezbollah, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist group. Now, Hezbollah denies that it stores weapons in these buildings. Some of these buildings are actually in residential neighborhoods, leaving a sea of people displaced, looking for somewhere safe to go.
CNN drove through the city and saw people laying on benches and on the ground, women cradling sleeping babies and toddlers, and children wandering through the streets. The Israeli military has been providing warnings an hour and a half before their strikes. But these people still have nowhere to go. One of these people telling AFP, they were only given 30 minutes to evacuate before the explosions. Israeli official telling CNN, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strike. Right now, his fate is still unknown.
I want to get right to CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger and CNN military analyst Colonel Cedric Leighton. Thank you both for being here as we're trying to unpack all that is happening in real time.
David, Hezbollah is backed by Iran as is Hamas, and this is right now a two-front war that we're all watching unfold. How fragile is this, particularly in the Middle East right now?
DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, WHITE HOUSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, it's fragile, it's escalating. And, of course, these attacks, Laura, came just a few hours after the speech that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave at the U.N. He then immediately returned to Israel. And during that, he dwelled on Iran at length and warned Iran, but also made it clear that he was rejecting the international calls led by the United States, Britain, France, the other G7 members, other nations, to do this 21-day ceasefire.
So, his response to that, which had been led by his largest ally, the United States, which has provided most of the weapons, was to basically say we're going to keep bombing and firing along the way here, and they were clearly aiming at decapitating the leadership. We just don't know whether they got Hassan Nasrallah, who has been the leader of --
COATES: Yeah.
SANGER: -- Hezbollah for -- since 1982.
COATES: I mean, David, we're looking at the screen right now.
[23:19:57]
We're seeing -- it's about six in the morning in Lebanon. You're seeing a big cloud of smoke over the area in Beirut. And Israel is saying that a lot of the strength of Hezbollah actually comes from their leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Now, we still don't know if he is safe or not, but what does it mean for Israel to be going after this person?
SANGER: Well, it's quite a remarkable thing that they are going right for the leader because you can imagine what the response is going to be. It was just a few days ago that we saw the first attacks on -- directly on Tel Aviv. The Hezbollah has a limited number of weapons that can reach Tel Aviv, but the fear here, obviously, is that if they are successful in getting Nasrallah, that the next thing would be a counterstrike against major Israeli cities.
COATES: We've already seen the pager attack, then there were the walkie-talkie explosions. Those were directed at Hezbollah leadership. I do wonder how much capability does the organization still have given there was already intention by them to disengage from the communications apparatus they used to use because of the fear of the explosions. And now, you've got their leader being targeted in this fashion. Is there a great deal of capability still?
SANGER: We're still trying to figure that out. The Israelis maintain that they have wiped out about half of the missiles that they believe were stored by this terrorist group, by Hezbollah, around Beirut, its surroundings. I don't know how you measure that. And, of course, it's not simply a question of what they have destroyed, but whether they've gotten the most capable weapons.
COATES: Colonel Leighton, I want to bring you in to this discussion because these strikes in Beirut, I mean, that's a massive population center. It has about two million residents. I mean, is it even conceivable that you could avoid civilian casualties in a situation like this?
CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST, RETIRED AIR FORCE COLONEL: No, it's not, Laura, and that's one of the things that's really critical to understand about this. The types of weapons that the Israelis are using are weapons that would normally be used on a battlefield. That's what they were designed for. And in this particular situation, you are using them, the Israelis are using them, in an urban area, in an urban setting.
And when you use 2,000-pound bombs, which is probably what was used in this case, that creates a lot of destruction, as we can see right here, and it also creates a great risk of civilian casualties. We've seen how they've done this in Gaza. We're seeing what they're doing in Beirut in this particular instance. It really shows not only the power of these weapons, but it also shows the risk to the civilian population.
COATES: Biden is ordering the Pentagon to assess their force posture, they're calling it. He's asking embassies to take protective measures. Is there a chance of Americans getting swept up into this conflict as this continues to seemingly grow?
LEIGHTON: Well, Lebanon has had a history of sweeping us into conflicts all the way back to the 1950s, and it's something that we have to be very careful of. Many of us remember what happened to the Marines in the early 1980s, and Hezbollah was behind that particular attack. So, it is very possible that we could get involved in this, and I think the administration is trying very hard to keep us out of something like that.
COATES: David Sanger, Colonel Cedric Leighton, both, thank you so much.
SANGER: Thank you.
LEIGHTON: You bet, Laura.
COATES: We've got an update to the breaking news we told you about the top of the hour. We've now learned that North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson is at a hospital being treated for burns. There was an incident at a rally earlier today, according to his campaign. His spokesperson did not elaborate, but does say that Robinson is in good spirits.
Well, Helene tearing a path of destruction across the southeast, plunging some areas in several feet of water. Ahead, the dramatic pictures and the stunning warnings from officials in North Carolina tonight. And later, some much needed levity. How does this Florida man make it out, and how has he made out? After riding out last night's storm on that purple kayak, we'll get an update from him, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COATES: The death toll from Hurricane Helene now stands at 45 people across five states. The monster storm hitting Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. And just 24 hours later, it is now a tropical depression.
After hitting Florida, the storm brought devastating effects as it moved north. In Tennessee, more than 50 people trapped on the roof of a hospital after rapidly rising waters made evacuations impossible. Some were trapped for hours. The hospital CEO telling CNN tonight that everyone was eventually rescued.
In Atlanta, double-digit rainfall totals -- it brought severe flooding, putting entire communities completely underwater, leaving water rescues as the only way to get folks out of their homes. In areas near and around Asheville, North Carolina, the flooding is so bad that entire neighborhoods were just washed away.
[23:30:00]
Here you see a roof floating in the water. The flooding, it is simply catastrophic. A row of apartments where the first storey was nearly entirely submerged. And tonight, the state's Department of Transportation warning everyone that all roads in the western part of the state should be considered closed. That's how bad it is right now.
Now, as the Southeast faces Helene's wrath tonight, Moody's estimates the property damage will be north, north of $20 billion. I mean, look at the destruction people faced in the Steinhatchee, Florida area today from devastating floodwaters.
And in Tampa, the water last night inundated the home of this man, Matt Heller. I spoke to him live at the height of the storm, and Matt was documenting the flooding in his Tampa house while paddling around on a kayak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW HELLER, TAMPA BAY RESIDENT: It was my escape plan. You know, in case stuff got too hairy, we could get out.
(LAUGHTER) So, we have the two kayaks. I didn't think I was going to need it in my living room.
(LAUGHTER)
Um, so yeah, I was floating around. The water is not going to recede until about 1:30 p.m. tomorrow. So --
COATES: Ahh.
HELLER: -- I'm sure it's still going to be up. I don't -- I don't know. I've never dealt with such a cleanup like this. Uh, can't say I'm looking forward to it, but again, we have our health.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Matt's positivity and humor in the face of a rough situation. I mean, it struck such a chord with so many of you. A viewer even tweeted to ask, Laura, could you do a follow up tomorrow night with the purple kayak Matt Heller? I sure can because Matt joins me once again. Matt, thank you for being here. Last night, when we spoke, your living room was flooded. Tell me about what the morning brought. Has the water receded?
HELLER: Hey, good evening, Laura. Yeah, I was actually -- luckily, I was wrong, and the water flew out of here really quick. I eventually called it a night at around 4 a.m. when the power went out. The power kicked back down about 5 a.m. I ran downstairs really quick because I wasn't able to film stuff with no light, and I was worried about conserving my battery. And all the water had rushed out within 45 minutes. Easy come, easy go, I suppose, you could say.
COATES: I mean, that's great news though, right? But look at what it left behind. Once the water moved away, you've got quite a cleanup right now. How about the people in your neighborhood? Is everyone even okay?
HELLER: It's a mess. My home is one of the lowest ones because it's one of the older homes. So, it definitely had the most damage. But everyone has been struggling with it. I had some sea creatures. I had an eel I found in my garage as well as a bunch of little fish and such.
COATES: Oh, my God.
HELLER: I tried to get everything back into the water. But yeah, it didn't work out so well for them. It's just super tragic, what I've seen with these other casualties and the property damage. So, I'm just really happy we kind of -- I kind of got by unscathed for the most part where it's just some, you know, financial stuff. But, you know, like I said last night, we still have our health, so that's great.
COATES: You have such an amazing attitude and spirit. But I understand that you also -- did I read you got electrocuted last night? What happened? HELLER: Yeah. Yeah, while I was on TikTok. I had these little security cameras around the home, and I have a status light on them. I saw that the light was off and the plug was actually under the water. While I was on the TikTok live, I went to just go unplug it so I could pull the memory card out of the camera to get the video, and I got a little bit of a shocking surprise there. The outlet was still energized.
So, super, super, super scary stuff because, again, I'm down there in the kayak thinking that oh, the breaker worked, the GFI tripped, and all the safety mechanisms work. But it was still on, so yeah, I got a little bit of a sap. Super, scary stuff.
COATES: For a second there, I thought you were going to tell me the eel did it, and I was going say --
(LAUGHTER)
-- okay, I don't know if I feel better about it being an eel or not an eel or this or what it is. And we also talked about, of course, you know, you were talking about your business. You were really concerned as many people in the area are. It's not just their homes, but also their livelihoods. Any updates?
HELLER: Sure. Yeah, my company, HornBlasters, had a ton of water in the warehouse as well. We had a couple little roof leaks. I went to work today at 9 a.m., cleaned up from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., went to work at 9, and it has just been an uphill battle. But, again, we didn't have any damaged product or anything. Most of my employees, everyone pretty much came to work today. So, that was good. It's business as usual.
COATES: That's unbelievable to me, thinking about what you have in front of you. Where's the kayak, though? I see that didn't get washed away. Did it?
HELLER: No, thank goodness. I still have it downstairs. And yeah, that was my chariot for the night.
[23:35:01]
(LAUGHTER)
COATES: I see. Well, I got to ask you, you mentioned to me last night being self-insured and thinking about the cleanup and everything else. How expensive is this going to be?
HELLER: I don't know. This is actually the third time that the house has flooded. Never this aggressively. So, I mean, I just wish I -- next time I remodel it, hopefully, it will be the last time. I want to use some stuff that I won't need to replace in the event that this happens again because I'm definitely seeing the trend here. It's just wearing me out, with all these repairs and work. I just want a nice, normal home.
COATES: You think you want to leave Florida? No. HELLER: No, I would never. I got my family here and my business. So, I mean, don't get me wrong. It gets really warm down here sometimes and these storms aren't the most fun thing to deal with, but I'm still just a Florida man through and through.
COATES: Well, you've got such a positive attitude. Everyone is looking forward to seeing the full recovery for you, your community, and everyone around you. So, thank you so much for giving us an update. Please, stay safe still. Okay?
HELLER: Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much, Laura.
COATES: Matt Heller, everyone. Well, let's go north, and I'm way up north right now, all the way to New York City, because Mayor Eric Adams is declaring in a court of law, I am not guilty. Adams defiant as pressure is growing on him to step down after his indictment on bribery charges. Can he really survive this? Can the city? Well, the man who would become mayor if Adams leaves joins me next.
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[23:40:00]
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COATES: Another day, another subpoena served to an aide of New York City, Mayor Eric Adams. Adams appeared in court today to plead not guilty to federal corruption charges.
Now, as that was happening, investigators with the Manhattan D.A.'s office searched the home of one of his closest advisors, Ingrid Lewis- Martin. They also seized two cell phones from her at the airport right when she landed from a vacation in Japan. It's not clear if this is related to the Adams case at all, and Ingrid Lewis-Martin denies any wrongdoing. But it does add to the growing list of people within the inner circle of Adams, who have now been searched by investigators.
Now, for his part, Adams denies any wrongdoing, and he is vowing to keep his job. Only a handful of prominent Democrats have even called on him to resign. But a source tells CNN, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering the possibility of removing Adams from office. She can do that, by the way, under state law. Now, publicly, of course, all she has said is that she hopes Adams will find -- quote -- "an appropriate path forward." Not really the ringing and door slam sure that Adams wants to hear.
But the question is, if Adams resigns or is even pushed out, then what? Who would become the mayor of New York? Well, the job would fall to my next guest, New York City public advocate, Jumaane Williams. Jumaane, thank you so much for being with us. What a turn of events this past few days. Jumaane, the mayor says that he's not going anywhere. Would you support Governor Hochul using her powers under state law to remove him from office?
JUMAANE WILLIAMS, NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC ADVOCATE: Well, peace and blessing, love and light to you. Thanks for having me. I think first and foremost, it's important to say this is a sad moment for folks in New York City. This is not an easy thing. It has been a painful time period.
I just have to say that we're clear that the right to defend yourself and the presumption of innocence before someone says you're guilty is really paramount in our system, and that doesn't change regardless of who's charged. That's a separate conversation than under the weight of what's happening.
Does the mayor have the ability to continue to govern effectively and to make sure that the trust that's being eroded is restored? And that's question that I think the mayor has to ask himself and really have soul-searching about whether he can do that. If he can, he should present a plan on how that's going to happen, and he should do it really quickly.
COATES: Do you think he can actually govern effectively with the weight and only the indictment, but also the people who have left the administration?
WILLIAMS: You know, from my vantage point, it's really difficult to see what that plan looks like. But again, he -- the -- you know, the federal government has the duty to prove his case. I think what he has a duty to is to provide that plan. So that's what we're asking, if this is the direction we're going to go, how are you going to do that? And those are legitimate questions.
And, you know, my job as public advocate is to really push forward to make sure that the people of the city know that there is a plan for every eventuality and that city government is going to continue. We shout out the hundreds of thousands of public sector workers who are making sure that happens even in a time of confusion.
COATES: You know, people are already thinking, in spite of the presumption of innocence, in spite of how you've articulated this just now, what the possibility could be if he were no longer to be in office as mayor for the duration of his term. And I said a special election would have to be held within 90 days and any number of people could run, including former governor, Andrew Cuomo. How do you keep it from becoming chaotic when the floodgates are undoubtedly going to open?
WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I think the former governor was talking about running even possibly if it was a primary, depending on the circumstances.
[23:45:00]
I think that's a particular concern and that's probably discussion for a different day. But again, I think most people want to know, is the garbage going to be picked up? Is 3-in-1, which is a service in the city, and 9-1-1 going to be answered if people call it? And thankfully, the constitution of the city provides for contingency plans that are going to make sure that happens. Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of public sector workers and my colleagues in government. And that's what we want to make sure, whatever eventual -- eventuality happens, there's a plan to make sure government services continue, and that's really what I'm focused on.
COATES: There's the government services, and then there's the integrity of the office, which is obviously very important to voters and those who would like to ensure that whoever is holding that position, knowing that it's a position of public trust, they can actually trust that person as well.
And, you know, there are people who are going to raise their hand, perhaps you will as well as being in the line of succession. Cuomo, for example, he resigned after a report from the A.G. accused him of sexual harassment of, I think, 11 women. Would that and should that disqualify him from even entering into the fray?
WILLIAMS: Well, I think there are legal barriers of what people can do to enter the fray, as you say. That's not necessarily one of them. I have concerns of who the governor was when he was governor. I have the same concerns for him running for mayor. I'll express that if that time comes. You know, being in the line of succession, I'm always making sure I'm very responsible with my words and how we speak, particularly in this time.
There's a lot of confusion and almost chaos for people who are in the city, particularly our workers. We want to make sure that they know that there will be a steady plan moving forward.
COATES: Uh-hmm.
WILLIAMS: And this is why we have to push the mayor to answer the questions. If he believes he can be that steady hand with the weight of everything that's going on, really, only he can answer that. But we need him to not only answer it, but to present the plan as quickly as possible. I think the window to do that is rapidly closing.
COATES: If Adams resigns or is forced out, you would become the mayor. Do the rules allow you to run for the office and would you consider doing that?
WILLIAMS: There are so many steps in between here and there. And thankfully, when you take this job, you know that this is a possibility. It's not something you're actually planning for and not something that you want because if it happens, that means something went wrong, and we want things to go right. And so, right now, we're really focused, again, on making sure that there is some kind of calm and steady hand for the people of the city.
COATES: Does that mean you're ruling out if you, in fact, do get the position that you would not run?
WILLIAMS: It's not -- for me, it's not really a ruling out, a ruling in right now. There's -- there's are so many steps between where we are right now and that being one of the eventualities, and it's only one of them, that it's really best to make sure you're prepared for all of the eventualities, because in all of the eventualities, you just want to make sure that you're prepared for them. And as public advocate in the line of succession, we're prepared for that as well.
COATES: Has the governor contacted you at all about that prospect?
WILLIAMS: I haven't spoken to the governor since the indictment has been unsealed.
COATES: We'll see what happens. As you say, there's a lot of steps in between. Everyone is eager to see what happens next, including how the government intends to try to make their case given the presumption of innocence. Jumaane Williams, thank you so much.
WILLIAMS: Thanks so much for having me. I'm one of those who's concerned as well.
COATES: Thank you. Well, Caitlin Clark's season is officially over. But the controversy around her just won't quit. Tonight, her message on the racism festering in the league's fan base, she says, as her top rival, Angel Reese, says she's had enough of being labeled the villain. The question tonight, where is the WNBA? Go from here. Cari Champion joins me next.
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[23:50:00]
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COATES: Tonight, the historic rookie season of Caitlin Clark gets a celebratory capstone. According to "The Athletic," she'll be named Rookie of the Year by the WNBA. She led the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade, averaged nearly 20 points per game, and helped fuel a record-breaking year for the WNBA. Now, Angel Reese and her star power also contributed to a banner year for the league.
And the Clark-Reese rivalry, well, it fueled ratings, it fueled debates, it fueled controversies all throughout the season. At times, the conversation turned ugly. And Reese alluded to it in a post on "X," writing last night, "For the past two years, the media has benefited from my pain and me being villainized to create a narrative." And you know what? It sounds like Clark has had enough, too, condemning hateful comments hurled at other players.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAITLIN CLARK, INDIANA FEVER GUARD: It's definitely upsetting. I don't think there's -- nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats. You know, those aren't fans, those are trolls, and it's a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization, the WNBA.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: With me now, CNN contributor Cari Champion, who's out with a new podcast, "The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark versus Angel Reese." Cari, so good to see you. I don't know how you find the time to do all that you do, but I'm so glad you're doing it with this new podcast.
[23:55:00]
You and I have talked about this a great deal. At the start of the season, Reese welcomed the role of the -- quote -- "bad guy," but hope that people would see the league as more than one person because it is. What do you make about her change of tune now that the season has ended?
CARI CHAMPION, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, I think that she had no choice. I talk about this in the doc you mentioned. She had no choice. She was always going to be the villain because of the optics.
Caitlin Clark was immediately America's darling because of what she looked like, where she came from. She was a great player. I'm taking nothing away from her.
But what Angel Reese did was just be herself unapologetically. And for so many people, it was really impossible to see it. And so, I think now she is fed up with being a villain because she knows that she's not and that people are putting that on her. So instead of accepting that role now, she's taking her power back in a very -- a very unique way, which I applaud.
But the best thing about these two ladies, and I'll say this, Laura, they really do enjoy one another. There's no -- there's no animosity towards them. So, when I say rivalry in the podcast, it's a good thing. The sport needs inertia, it needs the tension, it needs the back and forth. That's what propelled women's basketball and gave so many people the idea to pay attention because there was a storyline.
But now, these ladies are finding their voice. And when they really get comfortable, that's when things are going to get interesting.
COATES: It's true. America loves a Cinderella story, an underdog story. They love it all. They love a rivalry. But what we've love most of all is seeing the talent across the league. I mean, for people who had not been tuning in before, they may have been surprised. For those who've been watching all along, it has been wonderful to be able to see and watch everyone come into their own in this league.
We heard Caitlin Clark, though, denouncing some of what was said, the racist comments by who she calls trolls instead of fans. But her response has also shifted from the start of the season when she said -- quote -- "I can't control that." What do you think of is behind her evolution?
CHAMPION: I do believe that, especially with the -- I've been able to talk to some of her coaches, her high school coach, her college coach, and some of her friends and former teammates. She grew up in Iowa and they didn't have these issues. Caitlin Clark's number one priority has always been to play basketball. She is a baller, a very fierce competitor. This was never an issue for her.
And so, when you ask someone who is -- and let me just remind everyone, let's level set, these ladies are 21 and 22 years old, 22 years old, and they're still trying to find their way in terms of what they do in the WNBA. They weren't necessarily, Caitlin, more specifically, wasn't ready to talk about race, because it wasn't in her realm of knowledge. It wasn't something she had to deal with.
So, it wasn't necessarily fair for people to ask her to talk about that in a way that she could sound coherent and knowledgeable and comfortable. But she's getting there now. She's around her teammates. She has seen some things in the leagues. She has heard these fans be inappropriate.
And they've tried to co-opt her narrative, put their problems, their issues, their philosophies on her, and that's why they dug in and they went into that Caitlin Clark fan base. But she's like, hold on, I don't approve of you being a troll. You can like basketball, you can like me, but I will not approve of you being a racist. We have no room for that.
COATES: Hmm.
CHAMPION: And finally, WNBA is saying something and joining in for so long. These women in this league have felt like this has been ignored because misogyny has been an issue, racism has been an issue, and they've been dealing with this for so long. And now that we have all of this attention, they're going to try to change it or at least they're saying they're trying to change it in the W.
COATES: I'm glad you point that out. This did not start this season for so many people who have been dealing and watching all this. I mean, WNBA, the women of WNBA, they have been in the forefront and leaders on a number of controversies, on a number of social justice issues and beyond. You got to give them their credit. They do not keep just their -- they don't compartmentalize life with ball. They combine their passion in so many ways.
And despite the controversies, though, this has been a record-setting year for the WNBA with ratings and also, by the way, attendance, the highest in 22 years, the most regular season watched games in 24 years, 2 billion video views across social media. I mean, this -- this has been good for the games.
CHAMPION: It has been amazing for the game. You know, the league is young. It's 28 years young. And we think, well look, no one is watching. It's 28 years young.
You know, we have to understand this is when it's hitting -- it's just due. And what I mean by that is that with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, they come into the league, they bring their fan bases and they also bring an expectation, an expectation that we deserve and we want. That's this generation. And I'm so impressed by how these young ladies handle themselves and what they demand.
[23:59:58]
And so, everyone is paying attention. And so, the rivalry is a good thing. But also, it comes with the hecklers and the sycophants and the people who don't necessarily need to be here for the sport. COATES: Hmm.
CHAMPION: It happens in all sports. But these ladies are taking the momentum, and they're taking it all. It was already building, and they're just capitalizing off of it. There was this explosion, if you will --
COATES: Yeah.
CHAMPION: -- when Caitlin Clark came into the game because of how they played the college game. And now, everyone is watching women's basketball and thinking, oh, this is great. Well, the product has always been great. And so, now, you can see it in their respect.
I'm so excited for this because it's one of these things where you have this idea of what you thought basketball was or what you thought you should watch when you saw women play. But these ladies are like, no, I'm an athlete first before you start saying --
COATES: Yes.
CHAMPION: -- this is how women should play basketball. It's always a beautiful thing, Laura, and I'm excited for them.
COATES: They are all undeniable, as are you. Cari Champion, thank you so much.
CHAMPION: Thank you, friend.
COATES: Thank you all for watching. "Anderson Cooper 360" is next.
