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New Day Saturday
Doctors Warn of Unprecedented Surge in Respiratory Illness; Children's Hospital Overwhelmed by Unprecedented Levels Of RSV; Health Officials Urge Vaccinations Ahead of Flu Season; Georgia Senate Race Between Warnock, Walker Enters the Home Stretch. Aired 7-8a ET
Aired October 22, 2022 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[07:00:00]
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. I'm Amara Walker.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Amara. I'm Boris Sanchez. On edge and on high alert, an alarming surge as a respiratory virus in kids overwhelming pediatric wards across the country. Now, some beds are running low and health officials are bracing for what could be a rough winter. We're going to hear from a medical expert about what's behind the spike.
WALKER: Plus, it is a race to the finish line as Election Day nears, nearly six million ballots have already been cast as President Biden and candidates make their final pitch to voters. We're going to have the latest as Republicans and Democrats vie for the balance of power.
SANCHEZ: And the January 6th Committee issuing a formal subpoena and calling on former President Trump to testify before Congress. Will he comply, and what could the next legal fight look like?
WALKER: And storms getting ready to roll in, possibly bringing severe weather to several parts of the country. What to expect in which states could see the first significant snow, yes, we're talking snow of the season.
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Saturday, October 22nd. Boris, good to be with you. How are you feeling?
SANCHEZ: I'm doing all right, Amara. Trying to summon up the energy to be up bright and early with you. You always --
WALKER: You got it.
SANCHEZ: You always bring forth such a pleasant presentation. I'm just trying to keep up.
WALKER: Well, you know, if you were here next to me, I'd be poking you to, to keep up. SANCHEZ: To wake me up, yes. So, we start this morning with a growing concern for parents as doctors are warning about this unprecedented surge in a respiratory illness among kids that's beginning to overwhelm hospitals. The CDC says that cases of the respiratory virus known as RSV are rising fast, with 74 percent of pediatric hospital beds currently full across the country. That marks the highest capacity level in the last two years including at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic.
WALKER (voiceover): Yes, it is so concerning. In Illinois, only six percent of pediatric ICU beds remain open. In Connecticut, the surge is so bad, the state's Children's Medical Center is considering the use of a mobile field hospital as RSV cases have surpassed COVID cases so far this month.
And before flu season gets into flu swing, health officials are urging people to get vaccinated against preventable respiratory infections like COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. RSV does not have a vaccine, by the way. CNN's Brynn Gingrass is in Connecticut with more on the surge there.
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BRYNN GINGRASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT Yes, this is a very common virus among children. What's not common, is this surge that many hospitals all across this country but particularly this one here in Connecticut is seeing.
Now, this hospital records, on average, each night, 15 to 25 borders as they call them for the past two weeks. That means, children who are coming into the hospital are having to stay in beds that are typically used for triage just because they can't get into the hospital because they are at full capacity.
They have turned playrooms into hospital beds. They are taking drastic measures to deal with the surge that they're seeing. We also got reports from this hospital that October is the first time since June that the number of RSV cases has outnumbered COVID cases among children. So, extremely alarming, extremely overwhelming for these doctors, nurses, and hospital staff.
Now, to prepare for, really, another surge possibly of the flu, on top of RSV, what this hospital has done is coordinated with the governor of the state, the Department of Public Health, even the National Guard to kind of possibly set up a field hospital in this area where I'm standing right now if it comes to that that they just need help and room for an influx of patients.
[07:05:07]
They haven't pulled the trigger on that just yet but that's certainly possible in the near future. And again, the CDC saying this is a surge that they are seeing all across the country. Any doctor will say, make sure you get your kids vaccinated with the flu vaccine to help prevent sort of the race in the flu, because RSV numbers are so bad as well.
I'm Brynn Gingrass, CNN, in Hartford, Connecticut.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Oh, gosh. Well, here with now to discuss this further is primary care physician: Dr. Saju Mathew. I have to tell you, Dr. Saju, I mean, I've been, I have so many friends with children, and I feel like all of us have been through RSV or some kind of respiratory illness that really got us concerned in the middle of the night. Health officials say this spike that we're seeing for this time of year is unusual. What is behind the surge? Is it because COVID-19 kept so many people indoors and immunity levels are just that low?
DR. SAJU MATHEW, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Yes, good morning, Amara. Listen, I was up the other night, a pediatric resident, one of the big hospitals here in Atlanta, told me that he was intubating kids with RSV, guess where? In the hallway, not even in a bed in the emergency room because of the overflow.
So many kids are presenting with RSV, but just to calm parents down with no one about RSV, as you mentioned, it's a very common virus in children, those children actually do just fine. Over 90-95 percent of children do well. But if you are below the age of two years, especially below the age of six months, those are the kids that are highest risk.
Also, kids with lung problems, cardiac problems, premature babies, and you've got to watch out for signs and symptoms that are worrisome, like increased work of breathing and dehydration. But really, to answer your general question, America has opened up, we're largely unmasked, a lot of us are unprotected, and that's why we're seeing the surges like we have in the last couple of years.
WALKER: I need to ask you about the threshold on when we should be taking our children to the E.R., right, because I have a friend who has twins, the kids, I think are about 1 years old, and it was a friend who was a nurse who noticed on a walk how her daughter was breathing.
And she said, I really think you should take her to the E.R. and she ended up being admitted to the ICU, and she was in there for four days. And this mother, I mean, thankfully, she had a friend who was like, look, you really got to go, what do we need to know as parents? What should we be looking out for? And when do we say, all right, it's three in the morning, but you are going to the E.R. now.
MATHEW: Right. So, two things, increased work of breathing. Just like that nurse noted, if you observe children that are struggling to breathe, Amara, you'll see their chest almost cave in and out. You might even use shoulder muscles to kind of get oxygen into your system. So, watch out for kids with these very uncomfortable, almost grunting noises.
Secondly, with the increased work of breathing, you're going to be dehydrated. So, kids that are not eating well, that are not feeding well, maybe not putting out enough wet diapers, these are the children that you want to pay the closest attention to. What I tell parents of kids that I treat, Amara, is listen, there is no harm in always calling your family doctor or pediatrician if you are concerned.
But early treatment is the key with RSV, just like any other illnesses. And as you mentioned to the open, we don't have a vaccine. So, it's all supportive care.
WALKER: OK, so, look, this is concerning, right? Because winter -- it's getting cold, it is cold in many parts of the country. We're all moving indoors. And you've, you're contending with COVID-19, flu, and now RSV, I mean, what can we do effectively to keep our little kids safe, who, you know, my daughter loves to lick her hand and wipe off. I won't tell you why, but you know, she's constantly licking her hand. I mean, what do you do?
MATHEW: Yes, I mean, you can't change the way children behave. I mean, children behave the way they do because they're cute. Adults behave very differently. But that's also why you can imagine in one class, masses of kids can get infected within days and weeks. But I think the most important thing is making sure that, you know, kids wash their hands, teaching them to basically blow their nose into a tissue or the elbow and not into their hands, and also trying to avoid sick context.
But most importantly, if your child is sick, or you're sick, is staying away so that you're not spreading the virus rapidly. But again, to reassure parents like yourself, and most parents, children with RSV generally do well, but it's the extremes of ages that young, young kids. And by the way, also elderly adults can also suffer from complications with RSV.
WALKER: A really important stuff. And I know a lot of parents and loved ones are paying attention to this conversation. Dr. Saju Mathew, thank you so much. My daughter is like a cat, like she, she licks her hand to wash her face. And I just can't get her to stop doing that. Anyway, Boris, to you now. Thanks, Saju.
SANCHEZ: I like, I like -- thank you, Doctor. I like to lick my hand too, sometimes to be sure, especially if there's like chocolate on it or something delicious.
WALKER: Well, that's different, but do you use -- I mean, my daughter will like lick her hand and then like, like, wipe it off.
SANCHEZ: I wonder where she learned that. All right --
WALKER: Not me. Boris, not me.
[07:10:34]
SANCHEZ: Let's get to some important news about the federal appeals court that put a temporary hold on President Biden student loan forgiveness program because the Democrats were counting on this thing for midterm elections.
WALKER: Yes, they were and appeal is part of a lawsuit brought by six Republican-led states earlier this week, a district court dismissed the case. And this effort is separate from a lawsuit brought by a Wisconsin taxpayers' group. That case was rejected by the Supreme Court. Now, the White House says, nearly 22 million Americans have already applied to have their student loans forgiven.
SANCHEZ: And speaking of the midterm elections, states across the country have seen a surge in early voting. New numbers show nearly six million ballots have been cast in 39 states, potentially pointing to another election cycle with high voter turnout. With over half a million votes cast, Georgia is just one of many states that could tip the balance of power in the Senate. CNN's Eva McKend reports.
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EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris, Amara, Senator Raphael, Warnock campaigning in Peachtree City, really focusing his remarks on health care, telling his supporters there that he worked hard to pass the Inflation Reduction Act -- a key provision he authored aimed to lower the cost of insulin. Meanwhile, Herschel Walker campaigning in South Georgia making his case to voters in Americus and Columbus.
HERSCHEL WALKER (R-GA), SENATE CANDIDATE: You want to ask me why I'm running? A lot of people are campaigning for you. They're telling you lies. They've been telling you this is a new normal. Now, I'm going to tell you this: this is not the new normal. But what we need right now, we don't need politician we need warriors.
Warriors that's ready to go to Washington and tell people that right now you're not going to separate my people, not going to tell us because you're Black, you're White, that you know this or that? Because I remember Dr. King and I'm running against a wolf in sheep's clothing, and he tried to tell you because of your color your skin, you're no good, you're, your oppressor, or you're a victim? I'm here to tell you victorious.
SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): My work in the Senate really is an extension of that lifelong commitment to service. Fighting for health care. Which is why I'm glad that I was able to get something done on that front. You know, I believe in healthcare so much, I've gotten arrested a couple of times fighting for healthcare. Got arrested in the governor's office. I got arrested in the United States Capitol in the rotunda fighting for health care. Now, I pass through that rotunda nowadays on my way to my office where I write the Medicaid legislation.
MCKEND: Peachtree City a really unique city, many of the residents traveled by golf cart much of the city accessible by card. It is in Fayette County and that is a county that has become increasingly competitive in recent years. Democrats at that rally with Warnock feeling confident that they can flip that county blue. Boris, Amara.
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SANCHEZ: Thanks to Eva McKend for that report. Still ahead, a demand for documents and in order to testify. The January 6th committee hitting former President Trump with a formal subpoena. The question of course, will he comply and what does it mean for his other looming legal trouble?
WALKER (voiceover): Plus, the EPA launches a federal civil rights investigation into the Jackson, Mississippi water crisis was racial discrimination used against black residents when it came to treatments? We'll tell you what the agency is looking at and how long the probe could take.
[07:14:23]
SANCHEZ: Plus, Latino voters could play a major role on Election Day and the issue of immigration is going to play a major role when they head to the ballot box. But you might be surprised the community is more divided than you expect. You'll hear from voters in just moments.
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SANCHEZ: We saw a historic moment yesterday when the January 6th Committee officially subpoenaed Donald Trump and a wide-ranging document, the panel is calling on the former president to not only testify, but also to produce an extensive list of documents and communications and the lead up to the riot.
This steps up, or rather sets up, what is likely to be a contentious legal fight over whether Trump will comply with a request by next month's deadlines. Joining us now to share his insights: Defense Attorney and Former Federal Prosecutor Shan Wu.
Shan, always great to see you on a Saturday. Thanks for being with us. What stood out to you about the evidence the committee's demanding
SHAN WU, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: That it's such a comprehensive and sweeping detailed demand. And although, as you said, there's going to be a lot of litigation over this, the delay is going to stretch into the future. I think the significance of such a detailed demand is it also sends a message both to the public as to just how much valuable information Donald Trump has. And it also provides a guideline for the Justice Department just in case they've missed any of the details they should be asking about or working for.
SANCHEZ: So, there's a message to the DOJ here. How do you think the Attorney General sees it?
[07:20:01]
WU: I think DOJ at this point, they relate to dance, but they are fully engaged and doing their own investigation. I think they'll take any help that they can get. I mean, we understand that they may have been watching the hearings, of course, they'll want transcripts. So, I think this is all helpful to them. I don't think the mere fact of the criminal referral if it comes is going to be dispositive for DOJ, but all this evidence is really a goldmine for them in the roadmap.
SANCHEZ: Yes. So, you alluded to a potential upcoming legal battle, walk us through what happens if Trump doesn't comply with the committee's subpoena?
WU: Well, the first thing will happen is he'll spend a lot of time not complying but trying to avoid saying that he's not complying. So, he can't get to the contempt issue just yet. I understand he's added a, I think a new attorney onto the team. Sounds like he just keeps looking for attorneys that will agree with him rather than actually try and counsel him or guide the case.
So, they'll seek all -- this is not very heavy lifting for the defense attorney, you just invoke all sorts of things, executive privilege, attorney-client privilege, separation of powers. And since it's an unprecedented situation, subpoenaing a former president, they'll have lots of legal arguments to raise and the name of the game is going to be a delay, I doubt that we'll actually ever see him testify.
SANCHEZ: Let's pivot now because there are new developments in the Department of Justice's case on the classified documents that were found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. There's a new court filing that reveals Trump is claiming 15 of the recovered records, or his personal property, we're talking about things like clemency requests. Do you think that argument is going to hold up?
WU: No, I don't think those arguments are going to hold up. Once Trump's team finally decides what they're really arguing on that versus his public statements, I don't think any of that's going to hold up. And I think that what you're seeing now is a sort of a narrowing of the options for Trump as his team. The closer they get to actually having to respond in court pleadings, the harder it gets, and those are all going to be rulings against if I think if you ask me to predict.
SANCHEZ: And Shan, the special master in that case, he was appointed to review those documents. Apparently, he's expressed frustration, because he's getting limited information from DOJ and Trump's legal team. What did you make of that?
WU: Well, I think for Trump's team, this is not the special master that they dreamed of having. He's actually being very rigorous holding their feet to the fire and expressing skepticism when they don't back up their assertions. DOJ's reaction is interesting.
DOJ, from its filings, its opposition to the special master, they rightfully so don't want this ancillary civil proceeding and looking at their criminal investigation. So, I think that's why they're trying to be very minimalist in terms of their cooperation with the special master.
Her, Cannon, having appointed one is just enormously intrusive into the criminal investigation. I think DOJ is reacting to that.
SANCHEZ: And Shan, there's new CNN reporting that, that surprised me that Trump is reportedly considering allowing investigators to search Mar-a-Lago again, how could that legally help his case?
WU: It could legally help his case, because if DOJ, genuinely is negotiating, which I think would be a terrible idea, they're giving him plenty of notice to basically clean up the crime scene. So, it's like, come on in look for evidence, you don't find any -- and that helps my case, I'm actually innocent. Now, I don't think DOJ is that naive. They've been burned once, twice, three times before. Their kind of dialog that are engaging in here could actually give
them some tidbits of new information and possibly even give them comfort in searching other residences in terms of probable cause. Personally, I think they could have done that to begin with. But if they're being cautious and want more specific evidence, this kind of exchange with Trump's legal team might provide them that.
SANCHEZ: All right. Shan Wu, as always, appreciate your expertise.
WU: Good to see you, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, Shan.
WALKER: Well, Senator Lindsey Graham is taking his fight to avoid a subpoena from an Atlanta grand jury to the Supreme Court. This obviously is a separate case. The South Carolina Republican has asked the High Court to intervene which would require him to testify about efforts to overturn the 2020 election, presidential election in the state of Georgia. CNNs Ariane de Vogue has more.
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ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris and Amara, Senator Lindsey Graham has gone to the Supreme Court with an emergency request to halt a subpoena for him to appear before a Georgia Grand Jury. That's the grand jury that is currently looking into former President Trump's election loss there.
A lower court has said that Graham has to answer some questions, but his lawyers are coming to the Supreme Court saying that he shouldn't have to answer any questions. They point to the speech of Debate Clause of the Constitution that they say was put in place to protect the speech of Senators particularly from harassment, but a lower court here said that while some of his speech is protected, that kind of speech that has to do with his legislative duties, not all speech is protected.
And in this instance, the Lower Court said communications and coordination with Trump officials about post-election activities is not protected. This was filed with Justice Clarence Thomas, because he has jurisdiction on the Lower Court here. Thomas is likely to refer it to the full court. Boris, Amara.
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[07:25:38]
WALKER: All right. Ariane, thank you for that. Up next, a city in crisis and the civil rights investigation underway. The EPA is investigating if state officials discriminated against the majority black population of Jackson Mississippi over its water infrastructure. We're going to have the latest on that investigation.
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[07:30:13] BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR We want to get a quick check on some of the tough stories we're following this morning.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): A Texas State Trooper, among the first to respond to the Uvalde school shooting has been fired. The Public Safety Department did not disclose on what grounds Sergeant Julian -- Juan Maldonado was let go.
But CNN was first to report, he was seen on body camera video less than five minutes after the shooter entered the school.
His firing comes after public outcry over the extreme delay in law enforcement's response to the massacre.
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Authorities in Michigan are searching for a family of four who disappeared nearly a week ago. Investigators say, the father, Anthony Cirigliano called 911, asking for help Sunday.
Later that day, his family left their home unexpectedly. And authorities say the family was seen again the next day about five hours from their home getting gas and food.
According to investigators, the two sons are autistic, and the family left an elderly relative with dementia home alone before their disappearance.
SANCHEZ: And in Mississippi, a life-sized statue of Emmett Till was unveiled yesterday in the town of Greenwood. It was 40 miles from where the 14-year-old was brutally murdered in a race motivated attack in 1955.
The statue stands tall and was created from the famous image of Till, in a dress, shirt, and tie, with one hand on the brim of his hat.
The murder of Emmett Till is widely recognized as the spark that helped ignite the civil rights movement.
SANCHEZ The Environmental Protection Agency is launching an investigation into the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.
WALKER And official with the EPA tells CNN that its civil rights office is looking into the state's spending on its water supply, and whether two state agencies discriminated against the majority black population.
CNN's Nadia Romero has more.
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Good morning, Boris and Amara.
ROMERO (voice-over): One official with the EPA, telling CNN that they expect this investigation to take about 120 days. And that they've already received acknowledgement of the EPA's letter about this probe for the two departments in question. The two state departments: the Department of Health, and the Department of Quality. Now, this is a big win for the NAACP, who filed a discrimination complaint just last month. And all of this boils down to whether or not racial discrimination was used against the majority black population of the city of Jackson as it relates to its water infrastructure and treatments.
Take a look at part of the statement released by the NAACP, saying that the "decision by the EPA is a significant first step and holding the state accountable for its role and exacerbating the Jackson water crisis. For far too long, residents of Jackson, like Black communities across the country have had water access weaponized against them."
ROMERO Now, along with the EPA investigation, there are also investigations being done by two congressional committees. And they -- two of those Congress people, one from New York, one of Mississippi, sent a joint letter to the governor of Mississippi to Tate Reeves, asking questions about how federal funds have been allocated in use and the treatment of people in Jackson as it relates to the water crisis?
ROMERO (voice-over): Now, here at CNN, we have yet to hear back from the governor of Mississippi or the state departments: the Department of Health or Department of Environmental Quality, but I was able to speak with the leader of the Mississippi Urban League. This is one organization that has been handing out bottled water and set up a large distribution network, even before the governor and the National Guard got involved this summer.
And the leader there tells me that people in Jackson, many of them are still seeing a discolored water coming out of their faucets. They are complaining about an odor from that water as well.
ROMERO And so, many people are still so concerned about the water quality that many organizations and local churches are still handing out bottled water. Boris Amara?
WALKER: All right, Nadia, thank you.
And much more still ahead this morning, including the president's decision to tap another 15 million barrels from U.S. oil reserves.
[07:34:23]
This, as he looks to lower gas prices ahead of the crucial Midterm Elections.
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to continue to stabilize markets and decrease the prices at a time when the actions of other countries have caused such volatility.
And I've told my team behind me here to be prepared to look further -- look for further releases in the months ahead if needed. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Another move from the White House this week to show that it is trying to keep gas affordable for all Americans. President Biden announcing the sale of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. emergency stockpile.
The government has been tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for six months now as it tries to slow spiking energy prices.
Joining me now is Tobin Marcus. He is a former Biden adviser and current Senior Policy and Politics strategist at the investment bank Evercore ISI. A pleasure to have you on, Tobin.
So, look, as you know, gas costs on average, around $3.82 right now.
(CROSSTALK)
TOBIN MARCUS, SENIOR POLICY AND POLITICS STRATEGIST, EVERCORE ISI, RESEARCH DIVISION: Good evening.
[07:40:03]
WALKER (voice-over): That's up $0.14 from a month ago. And in more than a dozen states, gas is now over $4 a gallon.
WALKER Obviously, that doesn't quite fit with the Democrats midterm sales pitch that the economy is getting better, right?
But for Biden to say and insist that selling the 50 million barrels of oil from the SPR is not political. I mean, that's disingenuous, isn't it?
MARCUS: So, the reality is that the motivation for this kind of action, always has it be the case that the political motivation and the substantive public policy motivations are intertwined.
The reason why this is the number one political problem facing the White House is because it's causing so much economic pain to American households. So, I don't think that you can cleanly separate the two.
The other interesting thing about the announcement that they made this week that I think it's been a little bit underappreciated is that these 15 million barrels, as you mentioned, is part of the 180 million barrels that they -- they're releasing way back in March.
(CROSSTALK)
WALKER: Right.
MARCUS: So, they didn't really add new oil supply to the market beyond what was already planned. So, I think that the view of this is kind of a last-minute gambit to drive down gas prices in advance for the midterms, I think a little bit overstate how much action that actually took this week. WALKER: Right. And I do want you to listen, by the way, to what some critics on the right are saying, and I'd like to hear your response to that. Starting with this from Senator Jerry Moran, the Republican from Kansas who tweeted this. "Draining oil from the strategic reserve is a short sighted and dangerous choice that imperils our energy security at a time of global uncertainty."
And another one from Wyoming Republican Senator John Barrasso, who says, "The SPR was built for a national energy crisis, not a Democrat election crisis."
Do you think they have a point?
MARCUS: I think this is the question, is, you know, what the SPR really is for? I do think, we are in an energy crisis, not just in the U.S. globally. And certainly, at the time that they made the declaration of a severe energy supply interruption to unlock this emergency SPR released way back in March, you know, at that time, we were in the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, oil prices had spiked over $120 a barrel. On -- so, I think that the crisis designation at that time certainly made sense.
The question now as to how much of our powder we should be keeping dry, for the possibility of, you know, really severe acute disruptions going forward, particularly if Russia does respond to the Western efforts to cap the global price of Russian oil by cutting off supply at all.
You know, it is very understandable to see criticisms on that dimension. And I think that question of exactly how, you know, where does emergency end? Where does an emergency begin? That, that is an interesting and important set of questions.
WALKER: You know, President Biden, as you know, isn't exactly quite popular right now. His approval ratings are underwater but hovering around the 40 percent mark.
I mean, how would you be advising him politically and economically right now, just, you know, a little over two weeks before the midterm elections?
MARCUS: Yes, I mean, politically, this is obviously a really tough issue, they have been hurt really badly by inflation. And most of all, by gas prices. You know, the sort of one price in the economy that's displayed on 20-foot-high billboards everywhere that you go, you know, obviously drives perceptions of inflation overall.
So, you know, it's not lost on them, but this is their biggest political problem. I think that they knew that they were going to take the political pain of high gas prices and high inflation no matter what they did. And so, they made every effort that they could to try and take the corresponding political benefit from gas prices coming down over the summer, and now we're making the best of what is obviously not the situation that they want to have heading into the midterms. So, I mean, look, you know, they have to kind of do their best of showing focus on this issue. You know, again, I think that the announcement this week was more about kind of demonstrating that intensive focus, trying to show voters that this is something that they are prioritizing, that they are going to try and keep the market stable going forward, rather than I think, you know, sort of really out there efforts to sort of pull out all the stops and actually drive down prices, I don't think that you can really read that as the goal.
But certainly, you know, they are in a serious need to show that they are doing something about the situation and are you know, they are -- they are doing what they can.
WALKER: Yes, in a short period of time. That is left now. Tobin Marcus, appreciate you. Thank you very much.
MARCUS: Thanks for having me.
SANCHEZ: An heir prepares to rule an empire. But not before a family's most notorious scandal shakes up the dynasty forever.
"THE MURDOCHS: EMPIRE OF INFLUENCE" airs tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. on CNN. Here is a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lachlan tells James that he's going to be the co- executive chairman of a company with Rupert and that James will be working for him. James hears this and he is furious.
Not only is his brother jumping over him taking his job, but their father, Rupert didn't even deliver the news himself.
[07:45:02]
James feels like his father has basically just stabbed him in the back.
James storms out of the restaurant, threatens to quit, gets on an airplane, and flies to Indonesia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a very tenuous moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: The real-life succession. Be sure to catch the new episode tomorrow night right here on CNN.
Still to come on NEW DAY, immigration is a critical issue ahead of the midterms, especially among Latino and Hispanic voters.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): But is either party doing enough to address the situation? We talked to voters about the state of immigration and the battle leading up to the midterms next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SANCHEZ As another busload of migrants from the southern border arrives in New York City this weekend, roughly 21,000 in total since the spring, the issue of immigration will undoubtedly play a major role in the upcoming midterm elections.
And, so, could Latino voters. The fastest growing voting bloc in the country, Latinos make up about a fifth have registered voters in some key battleground states.
[07:50:03]
And recently, there is been a shift in communities all over the country with more Latinos voting Republican. And as I heard directly from some voters, immigration policy is a big part of the reason why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABRAHAM ENRIQUEZ, GRANDSON OF MEXICAN MIGRANTS: If America is so bad, if America is so -- is such a terrible country to live in, why did 50 migrants die suffocated in a trailer to come seek a better life in this country?
SANCHEZ (voice-over): The grandson of Mexican migrants Abraham Enriquez, says Democrats are losing support among Latino voters because their rhetoric is out of touch, and that their policies allow for what he calls unrestricted immigration.
He says hardline policies like those pursued by former President Donald Trump, resonate with many voters like him.
ENRIQUEZ: I think Latinos, we don't care really much of what you say, it's -- what you're going to do? Right? A lot of some -- so many people are tired of politicians that just speak, but don't act. And for the first time, we had this political outsider that came in and spoke a lot but acted even more.
SANCHEZ: Do you feel like either party is addressing that issue?
CARLOS GOMEZ, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: No, no. Neither party is addressing the issue well.
SANCHEZ: Immigration attorney Carlos Gomez says a sensible, balanced approach is sorely needed, but missing.
GOMEZ: And either they talk to their base, they talk to the right or they talk to the left, that -- but they don't come and talk to us. They don't see what we're doing on a daily basis.
Justin Stubbs, an independent who supported Bernie Sanders in 2016 says it's the GOP that seems to be paying most attention to the border crisis.
JUSTIN STUBBS, IINDEPENDENT VOTER: It just seems like the Republicans care and talk about more. They talk about the border issue a lot more.
SANCHEZ Well, the immediate impact of immigration might be felt most strongly by voters here in Texas at the southern border. It's an issue that resonates all over the map.
Including here in Florida, where there's also a large Hispanic population, and a Republican governor that's taken a hard-line stance.
MARIA CORINA VEGAS, DEPUTY STATE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN BUSINESS IMMIGRATION COALITION: Like, that this is not a policy, that's a stunt. I'm sorry, that is a stunt.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Local pro-immigration advocate Maria Corina Vegas, says leaders like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, try to win votes by demonizing outsiders.
VEGAS: And that's what populists do, effectively.
SANCHEZ: But the Venezuelan American warns the long term cost could be devastating.
VEGAS: I never thought I would see that in this country. I saw that in my country. It toured my country apart. And it doesn't matter if it comes from the right or from the left. It's anti-democratic.
JULIO CABRERA, CUBAN-BORN ENTREPRENEUR (text): My aunt, my grandmother, my grandfather, my cousin.
SANCHEZ: For Cuban-born entrepreneur Julio Cabrera, the issue of immigration is tied to the economy.
CABRERA: This country moves because the immigrants and Latinos.
SANCHEZ: 16 years ago, Cabrera says he was robbed at gunpoint by criminals in Mexico, while trying to seek asylum at the southern border with his daughter. Today, he is a successful restauranteur in Miami.
The American Dream, Cabrera says would be impossible without immigrants. So, he is turned off by what he calls incendiary rhetoric.
CABRERA: Everybody is immigrant here, and we have done something remarkable for the community.
SANCHEZ: Younger voters like Marvin Tapia, a Colombian American who lives in Miami's Little Havana, argue that demographic change is a blessing that more politicians should embrace.
MARVIN TAPIA, COMMUNITY LEADER: We're sharing a country built on immigrants, and we should kind of be proud of that, that we evolve, and we grow, and we change.
You know, things can't change -- can't stay the same forever. I believe that growth is pivotal to the growth of a country. Especially like the U.S. We should learn from it instead of run from it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ With early voting already underway in many states, turnout in the Hispanic community could prove pivotal in Florida, nearly a million ballots have already been cast.
The question, of course, remains whether a recent uptick in support for Republicans among Latinos will continue.
WALKER: All right. Still ahead, the Pacific Northwest, facing an early round of winter weather with high winds and what snow in the weekend forecast.
[07:54:11]
WALKER (voice-over): We're going to take a closer look at what you can expect when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALKER A powerful storm system is threatening to bring cold wind, significant snow, and rain to parts of the U.S.
SANCHEZ: Let's get straight to Allison Chinchar. She's live for us in the CNN Weather Center. Allison, we're talking about a foot of snow in some parts.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST I was going to say, this is significant snow, especially when we're talking about October.
Take a look at all these places where you have the winter weather alerts. Winter weather advisories in purple, winter storm warnings in pink. A lot of those mountains both the Northern Rockies, the Central Rockies, looking at pretty significant snow.
But it's also some pretty substantial rain as well for a lot of the states just in the lower elevations, and they need it. And that's going to be the key. When we talk about snow, yes, some of these areas likely to pick up over a foot, even though most widespread areas likely to pick up about six to 10 inches.
Rainfall likely only about one to two inches, but still that's significant to this area, especially the Northwest. Where just Thursday, we have over 50 wildfires. That number now down to just 30. So, we're already starting to see some improvement from the rain that has already fallen in just the last 24 hours. And likely we'll continue to see some improvement in the coming days.
Then, that system begins to make its way off towards the central portion of the U.S. where we have the chance for some showers and even some thunderstorms stretching from Minnesota all the way down into Texas.
And then, it continues off into areas of the Midwest and the areas of the Mississippi river basin which desperately need some rain right now.
[08:00:07]
So, the good news is we'll see that shift. But also, we do have the potential for some strong to severe thunderstorms.
