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New Day Saturday
Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker Debate in Georgia; Congressional Leaders Shelter and Call For Help During Capitol Attack; Parkland Families Devastated Gunman was Spared from Death Penalty; Student Loan Forgiveness Website Test Phase Now Open. Aired 6-7a ET
Aired October 15, 2022 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[06:00:25]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias. Good morning and welcome to your New Day. I'm Boris Sanchez.
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Boris. I'm Amara Walker. Georgia Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker square off in their one and only debate ahead of the midterm elections. What Walker had to say when he was pressed on claims that he pressured the mother of one of his children to get an abortion.
SANCHEZ: Plus, exclusive new CNN video showing what lawmakers were doing as the Capitol was being ransacked on January 6, and their determination to get back to the important work of certifying the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELODY VANOY, JUROR IN PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING TRIAL: It was like going to a museum that you never wanted to go to that you would never in your life buy tickets to go to, that's what the weather was like.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
We hear from a juror in the Nikolas Cruz trial about the horrors of seeing evidence from the Parkland shooting firsthand. And the heated debate, the tense moments in that jury room as he tried to decide whether or not to spare Cruz's life.
SANCHEZ: Welcome to the weekend. We are so grateful that you're starting with us this Saturday October 15. Amara, great to see you as always.
WALKER: Great to see you. You always sound so chipper and happy in the mornings. It's always good to be with you.
SANCHEZ: Got to get pumped up. It's -- these hours --
WALKER: I got you for that.
SANCHEZ: -- as you all know.
WALKER: I got you for that.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WALKER: I'm pumped up.
SANCHEZ: So up first this morning the midterm countdown, the 2022 midterm elections less than a month away, candidates across the country are working to lock down support.
WALKER: The balance of power and Congress is up for grabs and a handful of states could determine which party will take control. In Arizona, the race for U.S. senate is leaning toward the Democrat Senator Mark Kelly over Republican Blake Masters. And in Nevada, the race for the U.S. Senate is a toss-up. In Pennsylvania, the race between Mehmet Oz and Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman also a very similar situation a toss-up.
SANCHEZ: Another race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate is in Georgia, where the candidates met in a heated debate last night. Senator Raphael Warnock facing off against Herschel Walker after weeks of bombshell allegations leveled at the former Georgia football star. We get details now from CNN national politics reporter Eva McKend.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER (voice-over): Democratic senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker are in a contentious Georgia Senate race with U.S. Senate control at stake.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is time to get underway.
MCKEND: The Georgia candidates debated Friday night. Walker running on a family values platform currently involved in a scandal over allegedly pressuring the mother of one of his children to get an abortion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Week before this debate, a former girlfriend made public accusations saying you paid for an abortion and that you encouraged her to have another. In an ABC News interview this week you said that the accusations are quote, all lies. For the voters watching tonight, can you explain the circumstances surrounding these claims you have 60 seconds?
HERSCHEL WALKER (R-GA), SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, as I say that's a lie. And, you know, what most thing I put -- I put it in a book. One thing about my life is I've been very transparent, not like the Senator, he's hid things. But at the same time, I say that's a lie. And on abortion, you know I'm a Christian. I believe in life. And I tell people this. Georgia is a state that respects life. And I will be a senator that protects life. And I say that was a lie and I'm not biting down.
SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): The patient's room is too narrow and small and cramped a space for a woman, her doctor and the United States government. We are witnessing right now what happens when politicians most of them men, pile in the patient's rooms. You get what you're seeing right now. And the women of Georgia -- the women of Georgia deserve a senator who will stand with them. I trust women more than I trust politician.
WALKER: I heard about him. I heard he was neat talker. But did he not mention that there was a baby in that room as well? And they also did not mention that he asked him the taxpayer to pay for it. So he bringing the government back into the room.
MCKEND: CNN has not independently verified the allegations about Walker.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Herschel, please say a few words.
[06:05:00]
MCKEND: Walker was given the opportunity to distance himself from the former president on election denial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did President Biden defeat former President Donald Trump in 2020?
WALKER: President Biden won, and Senator Warnock won. That's the reason I decided to run because we need a change in Washington. We need leaders that's going to stand up to foreign leaders. We need people that's going to stand up for people in Georgia.
MCKEND: On Friday, both candidates said they would accept the results of this election. Walker was also asked about crime and took the opportunity to make a string of claims about Senator Warnock, accusing Warnock of not supporting the police who gave this rebuttal.
WARNOCK: We will see time and time again tonight, as we've already seen, that my opponent has a problem with the truth. Just because he says something doesn't mean it's true. I have supported our police officers. I've called them and I prayed with their families.
You can support police officers, as I've done through the COPS program, through the Invest to Protect Program, while at the same time holding police officers like all professions accountable. One thing I have not done, I've never pretended to be a police officer. And I've never threatened a shootout with the police.
WALKER: And I have to respond to that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Moving on, gentlemen.
WALKER: I have to respond to that. And you know what, so fun, I am with many police officers. And at the same time --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Walker, Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker. Excuse me, Mr. Walker, please out of respect. I need to let you know, Mr. Walker, you are very well aware of the rules tonight. WALKER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you have a prop.
WALKER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is not allowed, sir.
MCKEND: Early voting starts Monday in Georgia. Eva McKend, CNN, Savannah.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALKER: Yes, a lot of interesting moments there. Well, President Biden is hitting the campaign trail today and he will discuss lowering health care costs at an event in Portland, Oregon. The President on a Western campaign swing promoting accomplishments like the infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act, but he's taking a strategic approach when it comes to where he campaigns.
SANCHEZ: CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright joins us now with the details. Jasmine, walk us through the President's strategy here.
JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, Boris, Amara. Well, the President has spent the last four days mixing official policy and politics as he hits the West Coast. He's going to democratic strongholds. We saw him in Los Angeles. We saw him in Vail. We saw him in Irvine, California. Today we'll see him in Oregon again.
Portland, really tried to tout the accomplishments of this administration make the case for Democrats and also raise millions of dollars for Democratic candidates. Notably, though, where we have not seen him on the West Coast is in Nevada and Arizona. We just talked about a few minutes earlier how those two Senate races could determine who controls the Senate and of course, controls what the President is able to do for his -- for those two years in office that he has, unless he runs again for reelection.
So of course, that is reflective of his absence in those two states of where his poll numbers are, of course, officials do not prefer them to be a bit higher if they're lower, making him likely and an unpopular president despite the fact that Americans like some of the things that he passed, like the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
So, the President has told his advisers that he -- will he believes that he would be making the most contributions if he's on the road with the -- in those democratic strongholds making the case against his rivals, those who we have heard him call MAGA Republicans making the strong contrast between them, and Democrats and of course, laying out what the stakes are for the midterm election. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: This is, I think, the most important off year election that we've had in since Roosevelt's time, I mean that sincerely, because so much is at stake. If we are able to keep the House and keep the Senate, we can continue to do the things we've been doing which are really going to make change the country. We're at a real inflection point in this country. What happens in the next four to six years is going to determine what happens for the next three or four generations, not a joke.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WRIGHT: So we'll see the President making two stops today in Oregon, including for reception for democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek, who finds herself in a tight race before he heads back to the East Coast, spending a night at his home and Delaware. Amara. Boris.
SANCHEZ: Jasmine Wright in Washington, DC. Thank you so much, Jasmine.
Let's take a look at the big picture now. Just a few weeks out from the midterm elections with CNN political commentator and spectrum news political anchor, Errol Louis.
Errol, always appreciate you being up bright and early for us. Let's pick up where Jasmine left off. President Biden on this swing through the west coast on the campaign trail appearing to only visit territory that's more friendly.
[06:10:07]
SANCHEZ: Next week he is expected to go to Pennsylvania though campaigning for Senate candidate John Fetterman there. How do you think that factors into veterans' campaign against Dr. Mehmet Oz?
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, well, good morning, Boris. The reality for Joe Biden is that he's not that popular in a lot of the swing districts where he might otherwise make a difference. And because he's no newcomer when it comes to this. I think this might be his 20th midterm, a race that he's been involved in since he got into politics and got elected in the early 70s.
So he knows what he needs to do. And what he doesn't need to do is help in a key swing state, whereby the way he was born, and where by the way, he's going to need support when he runs for his own reelection. We have to assume that that's going to happen of starting a year out from now.
So, he's there to both to help himself to shore up his base in the working class, and also to help John Fetterman. John Fetterman is one of the Democrats who benefits from Joe Biden's presence. That's not the case in Nevada. That's not the case in Arizona, not necessarily even the case in Georgia.
And so he has wisely stayed away from places where he might hurt members of his party, and he's going to run to where the base is, and where he can actually make a positive difference, like Pennsylvania.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And part of the reason for the low approval ratings inevitably is inflation and the economy. And poll after poll shows that that issue remains a front and center for voters. In fact, polling from CNN this week shows just 22 percent of Americans feel good about the economy right now.
Do you think Democrats can still count on other issues like abortion rights? Or, you know, the anti-Trump sentiment that led to Joe Biden getting to the White House in 2020? Can they rely on these other issues to help them, you know, when in November?
LOUIS: Well, they are certainly trying to make sure that those issues are not forgotten, Boris, and so far, in particular, the defense of democracy, but it tends to pop up. It tends to pop up as one of the higher issues, you know, number two, in a lot of different races, where people are concerned about what the January 6 committee uncover. They're concerned about the drift toward violence in American politics. There's -- They're concerned about issues like the school shootings, and the massacres that continue to haunt the country.
And so to the extent that Democrats can maybe move the topic off of inflation, they have a better chance, but make no mistake about it inflation, meaning the economy always comes in first, because people deal with it every single day, number one. And number two, they tend to blame the party in power, if things are not going well. There are a lot of different things that are contributing to inflation from, you know, chip shortages in Asia, to the high price of gas because of the war going on between Ukraine and Russia.
But there are some things that people will look at and say, if things are not going well, for me, I will just ask for a change of who's in charge. It's that simple. It's that unforgiving. And it's not working in favor of the Democrats right now.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And speaking of inflation, I want to play for you some sound from the debate last night in Georgia, that Eva McKend covered for us. It -- There was a tense standoff between Warnock and Herschel Walker on that, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARNOCK: He said he would not have voted for the inflation Reduction Act. And I think he should tell the people of Georgia while he thinks they should have expensive insulin, and while the pharmaceutical companies should be able to charge us whatever they like.
WALKER: Well, first of all, may I respond. You know, I believe in reducing insulin, but at the same time, you got to eat right. Because he may not know and I know many people that own insulin, and unless you have an eating right, insulin is doing you no good. So you have to get food prices down. And you got to get gas down so they can go get insulin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Errol, your impressions of that debate last night.
LOUIS: Oh, I thought, look, Senator Warnock cleaned the floor with Herschel Walker. I mean, he didn't have it like that garbled answer you just play was how it went for an entire hour kind of difficult to listen to in a lot of ways. What Herschel Walker though did, on almost every occasion, was tried to tie Raphael Warnock to Joe Biden to say that the President and the senator, the President and the Senate, I'm running against both of them trying to play on the high negatives that the President has in parts of the country and in Georgia in particular.
This is what a lot of Democrats have done. They have not run with the President. They've kind of tried to put a little distance between themselves and Joe Biden because they know he's unpopular.
[06:15:00]
That might be the best strategy for Herschel Walker because the race is in fact very tight. If people remain very angry with Joe Biden, and Herschel Walker can benefit from it, that's to the extent that he has a path to victory. That's really what it's going to be. And he's not the only one. This is a phenomenon we're seeing from coast to coast, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Yes, Walker has recently been trailing in a number of different polls. We'll see how this debate ultimately hurts or helps his campaign. Errol Louis, got to leave it there. Thanks so much, as always.
LOUIS: Thank you.
WALKER: So the final public hearing of the January 6 committee have, at least before the midterm election, brought us a clearer understanding of the violence and confusion of that day. The House Select Committee used new testimony and evidence to demonstrate how former President Donald Trump knew he had lost the election, but still went forward to with efforts to overturn the results.
The committee also voted to subpoena the former president. And then in response, Trump issued a 14-page letter repeating false election claims and slamming the committee not really responding to that subpoena. CNNs Jessica Schneider has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The former president sent a 14-page letter to the January 6 Select Committee after members voted to issue him a subpoena for testimony and documents Thursday.
REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion.
SCHNEIDER: But Donald Trump made zero mention of the subpoena and let the question of whether he'll comply with it linger. Trump calling the whole investigation a charade and witch hunt while doubling down on his 2020 election lies. Committee members are leaving the door open to holding him in contempt if he ignores their subpoena.
REP. PETE AGUILAR (D-CA): A few of the former President's, you know, closest advisors who decided to snub the committee. There are consequences.
SCHNEIDER: All this as new revelations continue to emerge about what led to the January 6 insurrection.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to walk down to the Capitol.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With the moment he is not coming but that could change.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): If he comes, I'm going to punch him out. I've been waiting for this, for trespassing on the Capitol grounds. I'm going to punch him out, and I'm going to go to jail and I'm going to be happy.
SCHNEIDER: Including video exclusively obtained by CNN.
It shows never before seen moments when lawmakers fled violent writers rushing the capitol to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. And it gives the first up close look at how Speaker Nancy Pelosi is realization that the Hill was close to being shut down that day.
PELOSI: If they stop the proceedings, they will have succeeded in stopping the validation of the President of the United States. If they stop the proceedings, we will have totally failed.
SCHNEIDER: And it shows how she and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with House and Senate leadership from both sides of the aisle were desperately trying to regain control of the Capitol from a safe location a couple miles away.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Get the Attorney General. Why don't you get the president to tell them to leave the Capitol, Mr. Attorney General, and your law enforcement responsibility? Answer my question.
SCHNEIDER: They rallied resources from local state and federal agencies to clear the Capitol so certification could continue.
SCHUMER: OK. Well, DC has requested the National Guard and it's been denied by DoD. I'd like to know a good goddamn reason why it's been denied. Shots fired. We need a full National Guard component now.
SCHNEIDER: Eventually calling the Pentagon for more troops.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (D-KY): One hell of a hurry, you understand?
CHRISTOPHER MILLER, ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Nice, and loud and clear, leader.
SCHUMER: This cannot be just waiting for so and so. We need them there now, whoever you got.
PELOSI: Just pretend for a moment it was The Pentagon or the White House or some other entity that was under siege. You can logistically get people there as you make the plan. REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): Our staff locked up in and barricaded in their offices. So there's a critical situation and risk of loss of life.
SCHUMER: We have some senators who are still in their hideaways. They need massive personnel now. Can you get the Maryland National Guard to come to?
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SCHNEIDER: The next move from the committee will be to formally issue a subpoena to former President Trump. If he doesn't comply, the committee could pursue a legal fight to compel him to appear, or the full House could vote to hold him in contempt.
At that point, the Justice Department would have to decide whether or not to prosecute, and that's something that is unlikely since DOJ has not moved to criminally charged to top Trump aides, Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino, both of whom have refused to comply with the subpoenas from the committee. Boris and Amara.
WALKER: All right, Jessica, thank you. And there is much more of the very tense and telling video.
[06:20:04]
Coming up in our next our new video that shows a crucial conversation between Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence.
SANCHEZ: And also, still ahead on New Day, it got ugly. That's how one juror in the Parkland shooting trial describes what went on behind closed doors as that jury deliberated his sentence. You're going to hear from her in her own words, next.
WALKER: And big news for people hoping to get some relief on their college loans. The White House rolling out the early website for applications ahead of the official launch. We'll tell you everything you need to know.
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SANCHEZ: We have new details this morning about those tense jury deliberations and the Parkland School shooting trial that led the convicted gunman to being spared the death penalty.
WALKER: So the Sheriff's Office is now conducting an investigation after one juror said they felt threatened by another juror during the deliberations. CNN's Leyla Santiago spoke to one jury member who had more to say about the trial.
[06:25:06]
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Boris, Amara, we had a very insightful conversation with one of the 12 jurors that eventually recommended life without parole for the Parkland shooter. She told us that she doesn't regret the decision to make that recommendation but does have anxiety over it, especially when she thinks about the family's pain.
Ultimately, she felt that the system failed the Parkland shooter throughout his life and she pointed to the law to explain her decision making remember, in Florida, a jury must be unanimous for the death penalty. Here's how she described it.
VANOY: I was still on the side until the very, very end. And even though we could only a, you know, there was only one person who could vote for life that will give him like, I just didn't want to hide behind that person if that was my vote. It took a while. But at the last minute, I think when we went around the room and voted right before filling out the paperwork is when I went for like, it was surprising.
There were negative sarc, you know, sarcastic remarks. Like, oh, we're going to give him life, but he's sick. And in some of the small talk, I heard comments like we're going to let the families down. I heard comments like, oh, you know, we have to put a stance for Florida. In other words, you can't come here and do that and get away with it. But would you go back to the instructions, those were things that we could not consider.
SANTIAGO: She described very tense, heated conversations, a debate that at one point drove the jury to ask for time away out of that deliberation room to get fresh air to get outside. You know, having been in the courtroom, you could see the toll that this took not only on the families that will always deal with this trauma, but also the jurors that had to see here, and even at one point visit the school where the shooting took place February 14, 2018. She called it one of the toughest days of the trial before deliberation began. Here's how she described that part of it.
VANOY: It was horrific to say the least. It was like going to a museum that you never wanted to go to that you would never in your life buy tickets to go to, that's what it was like. And at that point, we had viewed so much video where you could walk through the school and know whose remains were there. It was -- it was one of the worst days of my life. I even -- when I got home, I even had glass stuck in my shoes for that day.
SANTIAGO: Again, she was one of the jurors recommending life without parole. We do know that another juror did report feeling threatened at one point that went before the judge and has now been turned over to local law enforcement for investigation. Boris. Amara.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALKER: Leyla, great interview. Thank you for that. So let's get our legal perspective now with CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson, good to be with you this morning.
So as you heard there from Leyla, the Broward County Sheriff's Office is now investigating that juror complaint that she felt threatened by another juror during deliberations is not something that you think about happens. But I guess when it gets that tense and emotional, you know, that can happen in deliberations. Do you think, Joey, that a potential investigation could impact the jury's decision to spare Nikolas Cruz's life?
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, Amara, good morning to you. I think we have to be very careful in investigating jurors and jury deliberations and the intensity of the process. The first thing you have to notice that getting 12 people to agree on anything, obviously is going to be very difficult. Something as somber is this as imposing death. Of course, there's going to be discord. Of course, there's going to be high emotions and disagreements.
The issue is is that rise to the level of a threat or a crime. People argue, people have debates, people have mass differences in a case like this, where the jury selection started in April, and the jurors get together all the time, there's going to be that.
But looking to criminalize that becomes problematic. The case for all purposes is now concluded. They have recommended, Amara, life because of the three jurors. We heard from one of them that could not reach that unanimous verdict. The judge has to impose life without parole.
So it won't alter that but the process moving forward we want to be cackled because we want to encourage your participation and not have it devolve into if I disagree, I'm going to get investigated. I'm going to go to jail. So I just think we have to approach it with caution.
WALKER: Yes, obviously a very difficult situation for the jurors because this is obviously their community as well and for them to have gone through so many days of seeing all that graphic testimony and video. And you have to feel for those parents and loved ones right. I mean, just seeing their reaction, their visceral reaction, their outrage the fact that many of them just don't feel like justice was served that Nikolas Cruz was spared the death penalty. Were you surprised by the decision by the jury?
[06:30:00]
JOEY JACKSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I was. You know, listen, it's hard to say we're surprised in as much as that's our system, right? You have 12 jurors and anyone could decide. And therefore, if they decide differently from the others, it's going to be what it is, which is life without parole.
Having said that, the nature of my surprise, Amara, is that, if ever there was a case that would warrant the death penalty or you would think would be appropriate for the death penalty, given all of the carnage that he exacted, and the manner and nature of which he did, it would seemingly have been this case.
Having said that, I think look, this is the process that we have. This is the system that we have. This is the system that we live with. And as a result of that, it has to be respected, and I get, and I think so many people understand why the families would react in the manner in which they did and they have and they are continuing to. Having said that, this is our system of justice, and that's a system that will remain in place.
WALKER: You know, the jury foreperson spoke with our CNN affiliate there in Florida who said that, so three jurors voted against the death penalty. One, he said, was a hard no because she believed that Nikolas Cruz had a quote, unquote, "mental illness". What are your thoughts on how, I guess, effective the defense was when they were, you know, arguing that the mitigating factors, trying to show that he does not deserve to get the death penalty?
JACKSON: Yes, so I think both sides tried a very significant case, and they did it with great professionalism. I think when you look at the prosecution and the aggravating factors, they were able to, the prosecutors, Amara, speak to the issue of coldness, of calculation of the heinousness or the premeditated nature of it.
And then to your question, when the defenses turn came, they spoke even before he was born, that is, the defendant in the case. You know, Mr. Cruz, the alcoholism of his parents, his mom, the fetal syndrome, the nature of her drug use, this broken system thereafter, the impairments in his life. the fact that he didn't stand the chance.
And apparently, one juror decided to say, hey, look, the system failed them and as a result of that, could not impose death, and then two others joined saying, you know what? We're just not going to do this. But last thing, you know, there are some who believe that serving life in jail is even worse, right? So, people have their opinions, we all will have our opinions, at the end of the day, it takes 12.
They didn't get 12, they got 9, and that's what we have to live with them, respect, if we're going to have a system moving forward that continues to work. Some will argue it doesn't work as effectively as it could, perhaps they're right. But this is what we have and this is what we have to put our trust and respect in.
WALKER: This is what the loved ones have to live with. Joey Jackson, appreciate you. Thank you. And we should mention later this morning, two family members who lost loved ones will join us to share their thoughts on the jury's decision.
Tony Montalto(ph) lost his 14-year-old daughter Gina(ph), and we'll also talk to Deborah Hixon(ph), her husband, Chris(ph), who was an athletic director at -- in that Parkland high school was also killed that day. Those interviews at 10 O'clock Eastern right here on CNN in the next few hours. Boris?
SANCHEZ: From high food prices to rising mortgages, it feels like inflation is hitting every part of the country, every part of the economy. Next, we're going to take a look at how Wall Street is reacting to the economic uncertainty. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:35:00] SANCHEZ: So you can now apply online for student loan forgiveness as
the Biden administration launches a test version of its new sign-up website. The Education Department's student debt cancellation site went live for beta-testing last night.
The site's official launch will be later this month. Remember, President Biden announced in August, the cancellation of up to $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year, or as much as $20,000 for borrowers who received Pell Grants.
WALKER: And a choppy day for the stock markets on Friday with investors looking for direction after more crucial data about the health of the economy. Here's Rahel Solomon with the wrap of the week on Wall Street and what's on the calendar in the coming days?
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Amara and Boris, good morning. Another week, another bumpy ride on Wall Street, the Dow closing lower Friday by more than 400 points, although, it ended the week higher, not so for the S&P and Nasdaq which both ended the week in the red. The week also brought with it too hotter-than-expected inflation reports.
Both the producer price index which measures factory or wholesale level inflation, and the consumer price index rose more than expected in the month of September. Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent monthly and are higher by 8.2 percent over the last year. Costs continue to rise in essential categories like shelter, medical care and food.
The report illustrating that inflation has spread beyond volatile categories like food and energy. Core inflation, which strips away those two categories rose 0.6 percent in September or 6.6 percent annually. That is a fresh 40-year high. The stubbornly high inflation also reflected in separate government data released on Friday.
According to the retail sales report, consumer spending in September was flat compared to the month prior. While Americans continue to spend in categories like restaurants, bars, and clothing stores, sales fell in other areas like electronics, appliances and furniture. The chief economist for the National Retail Federation saying in a statement in part, inflation is the main factor that is determining how much shoppers are willing to spend.
[06:40:00]
Households are tapping into savings, accessing credit and reducing their savings contributions as they meet higher prices head-on. Third quarter corporate earnings season also kicked off this week, we heard from a few of the major U.S. banks such as JPMorgan. The nation's largest bank beat Wall Street expectations for both revenue and earnings.
Also beating expectations, U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo. Next week, earnings season continues when we hear from other major companies like Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson and Netflix. Amara, Boris?
WALKER: Rahel, appreciate it, thank you. And a quick programming note, join Stanley Tucci as he explores the rugged terrain and unique delicacies of Sardinia, the wild west of Italy. Don't miss an all new episode of "STANLEY TUCCI SEARCHING FOR ITALY" tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN. Right back after this.
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[06:45:00]
SANCHEZ: Health officials are warning of an early increase in seasonal flu activity in some parts of the country.
WALKER: CNN's Jacqueline Howard has more now on where we are seeing those increases.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Amara and Boris, public health officials already are seeing some flu hospitalizations, possible cases within schools, and they are bracing for what could be a rough flu season ahead. Now, when you look at the numbers, it seems as if we're returning to flu levels that we saw before the COVID-19 pandemic.
When you look at the percentage of specimen from people going to the doctor's office with respiratory symptoms, that percentage that tested positive for flu was 3.1 percent in 2019 before COVID. Then in 2020, that percentage dropped to 0.2 percent, in 2021, it dropped to 0.1 percent. And now it's up again around 3.3 percent.
And Amara and Boris, that's likely because we're no longer following COVID measures like masking and social distancing. Those practices also helped prevent flu spread as well. And then number two, this could be because the past couple of flu seasons were very mild. So, we also might not have robust immunity right now.
And over in San Diego where high schools have many students out sick, county public health officers say they anticipate this will be a rough flu season. Quote, "we're coordinating with local school districts and are checking with other school campuses to try and figure out why so many students have been affected so suddenly.
Unfortunately, we anticipated this would be a rough influenza season and alongside COVID-19, other respiratory viruses are also making a rapid comeback", end quote. And of course, remember to protect yourself against flu, get your flu shot, stay home when you're sick and wash your hands often. Just overall, practice that good hygiene. Amara and Boris?
SANCHEZ: Thanks Jacqueline Howard for that report. It was a spike- worthy of Sundays with Rob Gronkowski, except it happened on a baseball field. A big hit and bigger bat for it that everybody in Philly is talking about this morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:50:00]
SANCHEZ: So this year's L.A. Dodgers were one of the best teams in baseball history, and the playoffs, not so much. WALKER: Andy Scholes joining us now. And Andy, now, the Dodgers
potentially one game away from heading home early.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, guys, I mean, it was upset Friday in baseball. The Dodgers, Yankees and Braves all losing and L.A. fans now very nervous as they are a loss away from seeing their 111-win season just go up in flames. And it was an electric atmosphere there in San Diego last night as they host their first playoff games since 2006.
Fourth inning, Trent Grisham giving the 45,000 fans a reason to go nuts. He homered to give them a 2-0 lead, and that's all the Padres needed as the Dodgers bat ice cold. Josh Hader getting save, Padres win 2-1. They now lead that series, two games to one, they closed out game four.
Tonight, Philly fans were also pumped for their first post-season game in 11 years. Third innings Rhys Hoskins, a no-doubter of Spencer Strider slams the bat to the ground. It's a three-run shot, the crowds just going absolutely bonkers. The floodgates open from there. Two batters later, Bryce Harper getting a hold of one. Phillies blowing out the Braves, 9-1, to take the 2-1 series lead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you were rounding the bases coming off crossing the plate, it looked like you and Bryce had a moment there. What did Bryce say to you?
BRYCE HARPER, RIGHT FIELDER, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: What did I say?
RHYS HOSKINS, FIRST BASEMAN, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: We ain't losing.
HARPER: Yes, I did say that.
HOSKINS: He said we ain't losing. He's been saying it all week. He's been saying it the first day in St. Louis. That's just the belief I think that he has in us, right? Like that's the belief that we have in each other. Do you want to do it again? Yes, let's do it again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, in the American league, the Yankees fans pulling their hair out yesterday after game two. Tied at two in the tenth, Jose Ramirez popped it up, but it dropped. Josh then throws it over second base, Ramirez gets all the way to the third. Oscar Gonzalez then comes up to the plate. He's going to bloop one into the right, this gave Cleveland the lead. They go on to win 4-2 to even that series at a game apiece.
And this was certainly another rough one for Aaron Judge, the Yankee's slugger 0 for 5, four strikeouts. We'll see if he's able to finally get it going as the series shifts to Cleveland tonight, that one is at 7:30 Eastern right after the Astros and Mariners, both of those on our sister channel, "TBS". Braves and Phillies getting things started at 2:00. And you know, guys, I think when the division series all started,
everyone kind of penciled in, oh, the Braves and Dodgers are going to win, the Yankees and Astros are going to win. Certainly not playing out that way so far. We'll wait --
SANCHEZ: Yes --
SCHOLES: And see what that happens, that's what makes baseball's post- season so great.
SANCHEZ: Yes, surprising, especially for the Padres doing it without arguably their best player.
SCHOLES: Yes, Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended right now, you know --
SANCHEZ: Yes --
SCHOLES: They're definitely -- you know, it's next man up mentality.
SANCHEZ: Right, Andy Scholes, thanks you so much.
SCHOLES: All right --
WALKER: Thanks, Andy --
SANCHEZ: Still ahead this morning, we have remarkable new footage from inside the Capitol showing the chaos of the January 6th riot as lawmakers scramble to try and certify the election. You're going to want to watch. Stay with us.
[06:55:00]
WALKER: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Over the last few years, there has been a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. This week's CNN Heroes salute Michelle Tran, a Chinese and Vietnamese American who is nonprofit, soar over hate, is trying to fight back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE TRAN, CO-FOUNDER, SOAR OVER HATE: The day of our distribution, the lines surpassed four blocks around the neighborhood where people waited almost two hours to obtain a personal safety device from us. To make the noise, you pull out the pin and it scares people away and alerts people around you.
