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Quest Means Business
Two Earthquakes Strike Central Italy; Bloomberg Florida Poll: Trump Leads Clinton by 2 Points; 5.1 and 6.1 Earthquakes Strike Central Italy; Trump Cuts Ribbon at hotel in Washington; Presidential Campaign Impacting Trump's Brand; Branson: Trump is Very Unpredictable; Branson: Trump Talked About Destroying Five Individuals; Florida Result Could Hinge on Seniors;
Aired October 26, 2016 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:00] RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Very strong rousing cheers and the New York Stock Exchange, closing bell is ringing. We are continuing to be
in Florida where the election race -- go ahead and hit the gavel. Bring trading to a close. There we are. The election race just got a lot more
interesting. We'll explain why. Today as we move south through Florida, we are live in Miami. It's Wednesday. It's October 26th. I'm Richard
Quest, live in Miami, and I mean business.
Good evening from -- good evening from Florida. We have breaking news that we need to bring you. Paula's in New York with the details on two major
earthquakes in Italy, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, and Richard, unfortunately the news is not good. You can imagine the night of panic and fear that is unfolding in Italy at this
hour. Now as you just said, it was two separate earthquakes. One was the magnitude 5.5 and the other 6.0. It was 58 kilometers east of Perugia, and
no, you're not imagining things. It's exactly the same region where they had that terrible earthquake in August that claimed 300 lives and I can
tell you those aftershocks were felt as far away as Rome. We now turn to Tommaso Della Longa, who is of course, with the Italian Red Cross.
Tommaso, what can you tell us about what you know so far about these earthquakes?
TOMMASO DELLA LONGA, NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, RED CROSS ITALY: Hello, good evening. Actually, the situation is changing minute by minute. If we can
say fortunately after the first earth shock, all the people in the area by the earthquake here went out from their homes and then when the second
earth shock arrived, we think, I mean, almost no one was inside the houses. And now, we are receiving several news from our local volunteers Marche
region, from region called Visso. They are there. They are on the street. Everyone is now on the street. And there are several building collapsed.
On the other side, the area that was hit at the end of the August, like Amatrice or Arquata del Tronto. Also there were several building that
collapsed, but there were no inhabitants there because the earthquake at the end of August almost destroyed everything.
NEWTON: Yes, and unfortunately as you say, this is a very active area in terms of the seismic activity going on right now. What can you tell us
about trying to determine if there are any injured or unfortunately any deaths from this? From what I understand from the scene, it's quite
confused. Electricity keeps going on and off. People are complaining they don't have phone service. How long before you know exactly what you're
dealing with?
DELLA LONGA: The situation is very complex. This stage we're working with Italian civil protection and all the Italian emergency response systems.
The problem is that in those areas, hit by the last two earthquakes, at the moments there are problems as you said with the phone, with electricity and
it's also raining. And another time, as for Amatrice, we are speaking about more villages between mountains and valleys. So also, the entrance,
it's very difficult. For instance, we knew that the biggest road that is called the Via Salaria that is going in those areas is completely blocked.
On the other side from our area but also from office of the -- I mean of these small cities there saying that there are probably two more and at
this stage fortunately we don't have any news about dead people, but being the situation is changing minute by minute.
NEWTON: Again, as you say, and you can tell that people while they're outside are trying to point to places in their villages and towns that have
been damaged and trying to direct emergency personnel there. I can tell from Italian Twitter accounts they're saying that all schools will be
closed tomorrow in that area. But they're also telling people to stay off the roads and stay off their phones. I mean, do you worry about a region
that's been so traumatized already by the earthquake in August that really there is a sense of panic setting in?
DELLA LONGA: Yes, the psychological events happens every time during emergency situation. It's very important and it's a big point for the
people, the expedience themselves led them to -- I mean almost two months ago, a big earthquake.
[16:05:07] So, there is panic there. There will be a lot of work on several geological sites and support to the population. But in this
situation, our main concern is that no one must be alone and no one must be living alone there. So, we are trying to find everyone and to be sure that
everyone is safe and alive. And the thing that we are asking on these, not use roads, and don't use phones and even the wi-fi connection. Please open
them in this area because we need all the support. And all the system to know that people are alive and safe.
NEWTON: And one thing we to want make clear, aftershocks continue, some of them felt as far as you are there in Rome. I mean, is that your worst fear
right now? Because, as you said, thankfully people were already out in the street for the very strong one, the 6.0. But usually during these events,
do the aftershocks usually continue?
DELLA LONGA: Yes, unfortunately as you know, earthquake -- you cannot know when earthquake are coming. Earthquake is coming. This time, I mean, the
second one, earth struck was really stronger and right now in Rome and everyone in the city really felt it and even in Rome, there are people in
the streets. So, the situation, it's, I mean, it's quite bad. It's quite difficult, but we hope that it will not continue. But the main issue, the
main problem is that we cannot be sure that this will not continue. We need to be aware of about it.
NEWTON: Tommaso Della Longa from the Italian Red Cross, we thank you for this update as we continue to follow this developing story in Italy.
Again, two very strong earthquakes in quick succession striking Italy in the same area where they had that devastating earthquake in August.
Richard, we'll continue to keep an eye on this for you, but we'll throw it back to you in Florida.
QUEST: Right, and there's more to report, Paula, please do come back to us.
Tonight, in the U.S. presidential election, a new poll shows the race for the White House here in the crucial swing state of Florida is much tighter
than many had previously thought. According to the Bloomberg news agency, Donald Trump now has a two-point edge over Hillary Clinton in the Sunshine
State. Trump's on 45, Clinton's 43, that's well within the 3.2 percent point margin of error.
However, it has been, and that is if it's accurate and if it has followed through by other polls. It's a significant shift from polls earlier this
month, which have consistently and regularly showed Hillary Clinton in the lead. And the significance of course is Donald Trump must take Florida if
he is going to win the presidency. It's more of a nice to have an a good to have for Hillary Clinton. But if it was to extrapolate to other swing
states that it would be different. Now Donald Trump has been in Washington today campaigning after he was opening his hotel in Washington. He told
our Dana Bash that these numbers show he has the momentum in this race.
[16:10:00] (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: New polls are coming out. We're leading Florida. We're doing great in North Carolina. We're
doing great in Pennsylvania. We're doing great all over. Really well in New Hampshire, Ohio as you know, and Iowa are doing fantastically well.
I'm telling you, CNN doesn't stay, but I think we're going to win.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: But to do that, you have a pretty big bank account. You could -- and times running out. The clock is
ticking. Will you write a check --
TRUMP: I've already done it. I've already written a number of them.
BASH: but I mean specifically, specifically to get up on the air?
TRUMP: Sure.
BASH: To combat the ads that you say Hillary Clinton is running are against you?
TRUMP: Well in Florida, she has 50-1 against me. Fifty, you were the one to report it.
BASH: But you have the means to combat that?
TRUMP: In the meantime, sure I do. But in the meantime, 50-1 and I'm leading. How would you like to have spent -- you know, the old days you'd
give credit if you would spend less money and have victory. That would be a good thing. Today, they want you to spend money. I'll have over 100
million. I'm willing to spend much more than that if I have to. I'm seeing this. One of the other things we're seeing in Florida, we're seeing
in other places, the lines going into voting booths, going into voting areas are unbelievable. I mean, in Florida yesterday, we passed four of
them. The lines were three and four blocks long. Those are not her voters because her vote verse no enthusiasm --
BASH: Can you be specific? How much are you willing to --
TRUMP: I'm not.
BASH: -- put down in order to put up now ads?
TRUMP: No, I will have over 100 million in, and I'm willing to invest more than that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: So, Donald Trump remaining cautiously optimist there. Hillary Clinton is under no illusions as to Florida's importance. The secretary
held two campaign events in the Sunshine State as she has the map shows she has been in Lake Worth and she has been in Tampa trying to shore up the
support. Certainly, if it seems to be suggesting that it may be leaving her side. Donald Trump has left the state.
So, what is Hillary Clinton's message? How does she, particularly campaigning in the more northern part of the state, for example, around
Tampa. Phil Mattingly is in the west of Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton doubling down on the state her advisors see as the kill shot to Donald Trump's
campaign.
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can't take our foot off the gas even for a short time.
MATTINGLY: And as polling in the state continues to show a tight race, throwing a few jabs Trump's way.
CLINTON: Listening to Donald Trump's campaign, I truly doubt that he has ever read the constitution.
MATTINGLY: Her attacks including a dig, Trump's detour, his campaign scheduled today to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for his new hotel in
Washington D.C.
CLINTON: While the hotel may be new, it's the same old story. He relied on undocumented workers to make his project cheaper. And most of the
products in the rooms were made overseas, and he even sued to get his taxes lowered.
MATTINGLY: Clinton punctuating her two events in the state with two new ads.
CLINTON: Well kids and families have been the passion of my life and they will be the heart of my presidency.
MATTINGLY: But dual track closing argument accentuating the positive in the otherwise vicious campaign season. One, narrated by Democratic go-to,
Morgan Freeman.
MORGAN FREEMAN, ACTOR, CLINTON CAMPAIGN AD: Our children are looking to us. What example will we set? What kind of country will we be?
MATTINGLY: Clinton taking a rarely seen message of change to the trail.
CLINTON: On January 20th, we're going to have a new president. Right? So, things are going to change no matter what. The real question is what
kind of change are we going to have?
MATTINGLY: As her team continues to press state Democrats to vote early and give her campaign a crucial leg up come election day. The latest data
from catalyst provided exclusively to CNN showing more than 7 million votes have already been cast. Including more than 4.6 million in battleground
states like Florida. Numbers that underscore the importance of the moment. One where Clinton maintains a comfortable national lead including the
latest CNN poll of polls. This all coming on Clinton's 69th birthday. The moment celebrated with a surprise cake before heading straight back on to
the trail. One that in a year of the unbelievable continues to take bizarre turns, like this.
JOSEPH BIDEN, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: The press always ask me, don't I wish I were debating him? No, I wish we were in high school I could take him
behind the gym. That's what I wish.
TRUMP: you see where Biden wants to take me to the back of the barn, me. He wants it. I'd love that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Extraordinary comments from everybody concerned. And more extraordinary comments coming now from CNN's political director, David
Chalian. David, I am here in Miami, Florida.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I saw that little picture of you on the map.
CLINTON: Absolutely. We know -- and I'll show you the call later in the program. My Mustang that's driving me across the state. We know that
Florida remains important. But it's not just important for Donald Trump, it is vital. So, what do you make of this Bloomberg poll?
CHALIAN: You are right that it is vital. Without the 29 electoral votes, Donald Trump really has no other path to the presidency. In fact, his own
campaign manager admitted as such today. So, there's no doubt. Listen, this is one poll, Richard. And it shows a two-point edge here, the most
recent reliable poll that we saw prior to that was a couple of weeks ago. And it's showed a four-point edge for Hillary Clinton. We need to see some
more data and more polling out of Florida. It's never a good idea to hang your hat on a single poll.
But just look at their campaign schedules. Hillary Clinton is returning to Florida on Saturday. This is not done. They have visited the state
multiple, multiple times since the conventions this summer up on the air with a ads, both campaigns are clearly going to combat in Florida all the
way through November 8th.
[16:15:00] QUEST: And I can tell you having driven from Tallahassee to Claremont to to West Palm Beach, to Miami, you can't listen to a radio
station for more than five minutes without hearing a political commercial for one side or the other. But David, if this poll is accurate, how do we
extrapolate that to the rest of the swing states? The Ohio's, the Utah's, the Arizona's, the New Mexico's, all out West as well.
CHALIAN: Right, remember to think about those states for each candidate and their path to 270. As you were saying, Florida is vital for him and
sort of nice to have for her. Remember that Donald Trump can win all the states Mitt Romney won in 2012, plus Florida, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina,
Nevada, Utah, Arizona, he can win all of those and still not get to 270. He still needs to find some Democratic-leaning territory, like a
Pennsylvania, a New Hampshire, a Maine, to bring to his side.
QUEST: I want you to listen to this young chap that I met and interviewed just outside Tallahassee. Have a listen, and afterwards I'm going ask you,
how common do you think this view is that people are not really prepared to say this they are going to vote for Donald Trump. It's almost like I'll
vote for him, but I'm going to keep my views quiet. Have a listen to this chap.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARRETT WHITFIELD, FIRST-TIME FLORIDA VOTER: It's not that it's Trump. I don't like Trump any more than I do her, but that this point, I got to look
at the lesser of two evils. And I got to prefer him over here her.
QUEST: This is the first election that you'll have been able to vote at the presidential level. It's quite an election for it to be your first.
WHITFIELD: It is.
QUEST: Regardless of the candidates, will you still vote with a certain joy?
WHITFIELD: Not really, no. Not at all. To be completely honest be you, because I've even kept up with previous elections, this is just a freak
show in all honesty. This is probably the worst election in American history. It's just mudslinging after mudsling after mudsling. Just a
whole bunch of contractions. Neither side will have a fair discussion with each other. The debates are basically just mom and dad getting divorced,
deciding who gets the kids and we just to want go to grandmas is basically what this entire election has been.
QUEST: But you're still going to vote. Because that's your civic duty.
WHITFIELD: I am.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: So, mom and dad and the divorce and we just to want go to grandma seems to sum up quite nicely the view. But David, do you think there are a
large number of people who are quietly saying nothing but secretly intending to vote for Donald Trump?
CHALIAN: So, every Trump supporter I've every spoke to, Richard, out on the campaign trail, they are very vocal and proud of their support for
Donald Trump. I'm skeptical of this notion that there's this completely hidden Trump vote. Here's what I do think may exist. I think there is
such a hunger for change in the country because people are so frustrated with Washington's inability to function properly in a way that they could
feel it in their lives. That I believe that where we could see is that if Donald Trump closes out these last couple weeks without being mired in
controversy, he may pull over some people who were suspect of him, but just want dramatic change in the end.
QUEST: David, good to see you. We continue our American quest down towards Key West where we're going to see some extraordinary sights. We've
driven about four hours from yesterday. Using our phenomenally powerful Mustang. We're in Florida. We're in Miami Beach where you can see the
crews over there. Such an important part of the economy. We'll talk the economy after the break.
[16:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: American Quest, we are in Miami. Donald Trump's economic message is now the key driver of his support. Every time you look at the polls and
the latest ones confirm the trend. Voters think that Trump better for the economy. He it goes 51 percent to 47 percent. It is the only issue where
Trump leads over Hillary Clinton. But it has been a consistent lead right the way through the whole election process. More and more voters say the
economy's extremely important. More important in their vote than any other single issue. So, let's put this to our two guests. Thomas Wood is the,
Tom Wood Sr. is the chairman and founder of Thomas D. Wood and Company. And Jeff Berkowitz is the president and founder of the retail and
development fund, Berkowitz Development Group. Gentlemen, good see you.
Now, you have a problem, don't you? And it really is this, that Hillary Clinton loses out on the economic question to Donald Trump. And the
economy is becoming a more important issue.
JEFF BERKOWITZ, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, BERKOWITZ DEVELOPMENT GROUP: I think it's just one, one of many issues. But my sense is that Donald Trump
is uniquely unqualified to run the country and I think that he boasts of being able to make certain economic achievements, which in the reality of
politics in the United States will never happen.
QUEST: And what is your -- in terms of his economy -- economic message, Donald Trump fails to capitalize on this clear lead that he has on that
issue. By distracting himself with other issues.
THOMAS WOOD SR., CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER THOMAS D. WOOD AND COMPANY: I do think Donald's made a lot of mistakes. Especially with his language, his
actions. But I think if we're going to change this country, we need to get the professional politicians out of the way and we got to start new. And
we've got to get away from the far left and the far right running this country.
QUEST: You keep saying that. I've heard this again and again. Get the professional politicians out. Now, what's your business?
WOOD: I finance commercial real estate.
QUEST: Now you wouldn't want an amateur coming in and saying, oh, I think we should finance this, and I think we should finance that. Oh, and by the
way, let's finance something else, but I've really never done this before.
WOOD: Well I do what somebody who's been in business and Donald Trump has run companies.
QUEST: He's also had four bankruptcies.
WOOD: He has, he has. But a least he's run business, had employees. Hillary hasn't. She's been a professional politician for years, except
she's done a good job growing the Clinton foundation.
QUEST: He has a point. Your candidate is, has a serious transparency issue.
BERKOWITZ: She certainly has the issue, I'm not sure it's warranted. She and her husband were attacked back during the Clinton administration at a
point in time when the economy was booming at a point in time we had a balanced budget. We were not at war with anybody, and I think it's the
partisan nature of politics that makes that an issue today. And less so than the reality.
QUEST: You're both businessman of one description or another, in the real estate business. Now, real estate is crucially important here in Miami.
Over the 30 years that I've been coming here and longer than you gentlemen have seen this grow. What is it that southern Florida, because it looks a
lot differently, what do you want in southern Florida?
WOOD: I think the continued growth that we're having. What we're seeing in Florida in general is people that are being taxed at other states, New
York, Chicago, they're moving to Florida in rapid numbers and we're welcoming them in South Florida. Jeff, I know, has built a lot of projects
and he welcomes more people in South Florida.
QUEST: Why do you think Donald Trump is now eking a small gain in Florida and that must be worrying for you, if it translates to the rest of the
country of the swing states.
BERKOWITZ: Well Donald Trump cannot win unless he wins Florida.
QUEST: He may win Florida.
BERKOWITZ: He may lose Florida. I suspect he's going to lose Florida, but I'm sure it would be of concern to the Clinton campaign were he to be
leading in the polls. Although I don't know that the polls, today, are anything other than misleading.
WOOD: I would not believe the polls. Because I don't think anyone that's voting for Trump is telling anyone they're voting for Trump?
[16:25:00] QUEST: Gentlemen, you've known each other a year or two.
BERKOWITZ: Many, many years.
QUEST: You're a Democrat. You're a Republican. Will you be able after this election to get together and have a drink and bury the hatchet of this
bitter election?
BERKOWITZ: I think we're not going to limit it to one drink.
WOOD: I think it'll be a couple drinks, but if Hillary does win, I'm counting she's like Bill and goes to the center.
QUEST: We won't get to who's going to pay for the drinks.
BERKOWITZ: On me.
WOOD: Oh. Of course, he's a Democrat.
QUEST: I'm not going there. Gentlemen, good to see you.
BERKOWITZ: Thanks for having us.
QUEST: Thank you.
As we continue, we will return to the breaking news that we brought you early. Italy has had a second major earthquake of the day. And we're
going to have the details at the CNN World Weather Center and that's more. It is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS and we are in Florida.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Hello, I'm Richard Quest live in Miami, Florida, we're talking elections. And there's a lot more QUEST MEANS BUSINESS in just a moment.
NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Paula Newton in New York. We're following some breaking news as well as headlines this hour.
A second more powerful earthquake has struck central Italy in just a matter of hours. A 5.5 magnitude quake hit near the small town of Visso in
central Italy earlier today. This comes two months after a powerful quake killed nearly 300 people in the nearby town of Amatice.
Kurdish and Iraqi forces are gaining more ground against ISIS east and south of Mosul. Now Iraq's joint military command says counterterrorism
forces liberated another six villages Wednesday and destroyed a network of tunnels used by ISIS. We're told troops also freed more than 1,000
civilians.
France is set to bulldoze the migrant camp in Calais known as the "jungle". Officials say all of the migrants will be resettled. Some people have
torched tents, huts, and shipping containers as the camp was cleared. Four afghans have been arrested in connection with the fires.
In Venezuela, thousands of protesters demanding a nationwide vote to remove president Nicholas Maduro and again taken to the streets of Caracas as the
country's political crisis escalates. But across the city, the president held a rally of his own and he accuses the opposition of trying to stage a
coup.
Now, as we've been telling you, Italy has been struck by it's second earthquake of the day. These earthquakes were actually quite strong. To
take us through this Tom Sater is at the World Weather Center. Now Tom, what was interesting here the first one was 5.5.
[16:30:00] Correct.
NEWTON: That one was very shallow and yet you could hear a lot of people were live on TV as they felt that second one which really threw them.
TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That was just two hours later. The first one, this 5.5 was at 7:10 p.m. and the second was eight times stronger.
And it was just two months ago that we had the devastating 6.2 in the villages of central Italy such as Amatice. But, again, yes, extremely
shallow. And the majority of them are. And history has shown us that. This is a shape map for the 5.5, and I want to point out a couple things.
As far as strong, those population numbers who felt strong shaking 168,000 very strong is 7,000. Now, it was just two hours later that we had a 6.1.
Originally they thought it was a 6.4. But this is eight times stronger as mentioned. And this occurred at 9:18. Again, extremely shallow. So,
there's going to be more shaking going on.
And look what it has done to our numbers. In fact, instead of just 6,000 very strong, we've got 306. And you get up into the severe shaking. This
is when it becomes deadly. Now I want to show you a map, a Google area of what we're talking about. This is only 20 kilometers from the one two
months ago in Amatice. So, they felt it as well and there are still many in tent cities. And it is raining. So it's unfortunate. But when you get
in closer here and you'll see this. If we can get the graphics back. In between these two is the town of Visso. Visso has a population of about
400. Haven't heard any word of the devastation between these two. However, we did receive, Paula, word from a mayor in another neighboring
village of Lucita. This is Lucita. You can see it here. He put out information that his town has been destroyed.
So, we're waiting on damage assessments. We're waiting on words from the extreme damage infrastructure problems, communication, and injuries and
fatalities. Again, to give you an idea, just the terrain alone and the vicinity of how close this town was and so many of them are in this region.
Again, we to want back up a little bit and give you a little bit more of indication. According to the USGS, on the 6.1, there's a 34 percent
chance, based on their population there, that between 100 and 1,000 fatalities. They also do some data with the economy and the infrastructure
there pointing out that there's a 35 percent chance that economically they could have a billion to even $10 billion in losses here.
We've seen this happen time and time again. It's a very complex system in along the mountain chain as the plates come together and converge in Italy.
It's unfortunate, again, are talking about this just two months after the 6.2 earthquake that they had just two months ago. In the latter part of
august that took so many lives and devastated the entire region. Again, when we talk about the numbers, typically you're going to get a couple of
aftershocks. We could possibly call the first one at 7:10 at a 5.5, foreshock, but there's more aftershocks and we could see another one that's
above a 5.0, Paula.
NEWTON: Incredibly insightful seismic information you are there. And Tom, as you said, when you're looking at those cities and towns in those little
hamlets in the mountains, that's what's concerning everybody right now. Tom, I know you will continue to stay on top of this. Unfortunately, the
earth continues to shake in Italy as we speak.
Now a journalist, Barbie Nadeau, joins us now on the line from Rome. And Barbie, I know you felt it in Rome and I know that it was quite strong.
And yet, right now, what are officials dealing with, as I say again on the kind of terrain that's facing them and the kind of, you know, tremors that
are still happening in Italy and this just as we get our first pictures now of the devastation?
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're really battling against the weather right now. It's raining. It's been raining for several days.
These are small towns up on the mountains and a lot on dirt roads. Of course, you put that together, you have the potential for mudslide. You
got the potential for severely muddy roads. A the love roads are lined with stone. We saw this at the end of August as well. With so many of the
structures along the side of the roads blocked. And that really starts some of the heavy equipment from getting in there.
One of the bright sides, that you could even call it that in this particular situation, is the fact that the area has been largely evacuated
after that August deadly, deadly earthquake. A lot of people have moved down from the mountains because their houses were damaged or because they
were too afraid to stay there. So, you don't have the usual population that you would normally have in time of the year right now because of the
August incident.
[16:35:00] They've already cancelled school for tomorrow and then the day after the area so they're urging people who aren't affected to this to get
out, get to safety, go find a relative, go stay somewhere else so that they can try to understand who's missing. Who is in a house that could be
trapped in that house right now. But they are hampered by bad weather. They're hampered by difficult roads and conditions. But they are also
aided in part by the fact that there aren't just as many people as before, Paula.
NEWTON: Absolutely, and even if you can call it fortunate. The fact that they had the 5.5, a lot of people were already out in the street and not in
their homes when that second more powerful quake struck. You know, Barbie, when you're looking at the situation right now, you know, we had Tom Sater,
right now just tell us about this small town that was completely destroyed. I mean, if it's raining, if there's fog, give us a sense of what it's like
to get to these little hamlets and there can be quite a few impacted.
NADEAU: That's absolutely right. These towns are spread out in the rural areas. That's what draws people to that area. They like to get away from
it all. They are in small tiny hamlets, may they don't have a school or don't have a grocery store there. Where people kind of live in little
enclaves. Those are the places that are going to be the most difficult to reach because if electricity is out, phone lines are out. Cellular
services aren't working. Something we saw in the August earthquake as well. We had a lot of services that had gone down because the earthquake.
It's going to be hard who understand who's in those areas and who they need to get out.
Also, you know, it's 10:40 in the evening here right now. It's dark. And it's cold up there. This is, you know, Italy doesn't really suffer from
difficult winters. But, it's cold in the mountains and people are sleeping in their cars. They're sleeping in tents outside of the road. There's no
civil protection tent camp set up to this particular earthquake yet nor will there be until light of day tomorrow. Right now, they're just trying
to figure out if anyone needs help. If anyone needs to be dug out from under the rubble. If anyone needs medical attention.
We've seen now pictures that are coming into from the locals of churches collapsing, things we didn't see in the previous earthquake. You know, and
as you said, it's a good point. A lot of people ran out of their houses at that first earthquake, the 5.5 at ten minutes after 7:00, they were already
out on the street when that next one hit. And that's where a lot of damage happened. A lot of the houses that we're seeing now were still standing
after that first break that is now a pile of rubble according to pictures we're seeing coming out after the second quake, Paula.
QUEST: Yes, and Barbie and these pictures we continue to show and will continue to bring you more information on this earthquake as we get more
information. Again, aftershocks still continuing in that region of Italy.
QUEST: The Trump brand and his divisive race for president as Donald Trump cuts the ribbon on his latest high profile project. We're going to take a
look at whether he has irreparably damaged his own brand by running for the White House.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:40:00] QUEST: Welcome back to Miami and our American Quest. For the second time in as many days, Donald Trump is using one of his commercial
properties as a backdrop for his presidential campaign. Today, it was the official ribbon cutting for his Trump International Hotel in Washington.
It's a stone's throw from where he may be living from January 20 of next year. Mr. Trump said his redevelopment of the historic post office is a
preview of what'd he do for the United States if elected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We were dramatically ahead of schedule on this project, and underbudget. We turned a property that had been neglected for decades and
which was losing huge sums of money for the federal government, into a major revenue-producer and job creator. This is what I want to do for our
country and this is what we're working so hard to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now the Trump organization is denying a report that the hotel has been struggling since the soft opening last month. Still the presidential
campaign is having an impact on Mr. Trump's brand. Washington, D.C. wedding planners tells CNN they are not bothering to recommend the new
hotel for events.
And recent analysis finds the foot traffic at Trump properties has fallen 16 percent since last year. On the bright side of the equation, Susan G.
Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is refusing to move an annual fundraiser from Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago club here in Florida. So the negative news
would seem to fly in the face of those who think that Donald Trump is only running to bolster his brand.
One person who has that opinion is the Lord Alan Sugar, host of the U.K. version of "The Apprentice". Who spoke to us last week on QUEST MEANS
BUSINESS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORD ALAN SUGAR, HOST OF U.K. "THE APPRENTICE": If anything, this has been the greatest PR stunt pulled in the history, I think of America, really.
I'm not even sure he wants to be the president actually. I think he'd be quite happy to stop when you get to November 8th and say look what I've
done now. His Trump brand, I heard rumor of him maybe wanting to start a television channel himself. This is wonderful for him. He loves every
minute of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Joining me now from New York, Steve Halsey, the managing director at G&S business communications. Steve, your gut feeling, how damaging, if
damaging at all has it been for the Donald Trump brand the way this presidential campaign has gone?
STEVE HALSEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, G&S BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: Well, Richard, it's an absolute pleasure to be here. I'm not sure I want to take
on the wedding planners or not, but the actually answer is this is moving his brand forward significantly. Far too many people are trying to look at
Trump's brand as being one dimensional. Real estate developers, Celebrity Apprentice. What he's doing like a lot of disruptive brands like Apple,
like Lyft, like an Uber is to take the conversation and move it in a completely different direction as he evolves his own business model.
QUEST: When he does move that, until now it has been a luxury brand. But, he's clearly appealing to a group of people who could not afford many of
the luxury items of which he sells or puts his name from. So are you saying he is shifting his brand deliberately?
HALSEY: Absolutely, he is 100 percent shifting to be much more from real estate to tycoon, casino magnate to now he really is a significant force
driving a cultural shift. Whichever direction he goes, be it leader of the free world or be it turning this into an entertainment empire of his own.
He is significantly challenging status quo. And moving his brand forward.
QUEST: But there's -- I mean you say this with a certain confidence of what's happening, but there can be no confidence surely that it'll be
successful. There may be well be a tarnishing of the Trump name after this is over.
HALSEY: Absolutely. That is one of the risks you take when you shift a brand and you disrupt the status quo, but I also think there's a difference
between a brand which is what you're trying to sell and get people to buy and reputation as to whether I trust it or not. So, he has established a
very strong brand, a niche of individuals and like you said, it's this interesting dichotomy of his brand being all about wealth and aspiration
and that appealing to rank and file Americans.
[16:45:00] I think he's captured something really distinct in that dichotomy, whether it's good enough to get him in the White House is a
completely different story.
QUEST: Good see you, Steve, thank you for joining us.
HALSEY: Thank you.
QUEST: Paula, we are learning one of the things you learned very quickly about here in southern Florida, the clouds come in very fast, and before
long, you start getting wet. It is a short, sharp, shower, and it's completely unpredictable. And you may see umbrellas before the top of the
hour.
NEWTON: You're from London, right, Richard, you should be used to this. No excuses from your great programming there in Florida. Now listen --
QUEST: She's finally delighted that I'm getting rained on. You should be talking about Donald Trump.
NEWTON: That is absolutely not true that I am delighted you are being rained on, but I can tell you, Sir Richard, Sir Richard Branson who I know
you have interviewed many times. You know he wouldn't put up with any of this whining from you, but also he had some really interesting information
for us about having met Donald Trump for the first time and why he thinks he should not be president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIR RICHARD BRANSON, CEO, VIRGIN GROUP: I think he's a very unpredictable person. And I think he's shown that in his business dealings. He's shown
that in his whole run-up to the election. And he's shown it, you know, in the one, the very first experience I had with him, you know, which was a
lunch where, you know, he basically spent the whole lunch telling me how he was going to destroy five people who had not been willing to help him when
he was bankrupt.
I found it absolutely extraordinary, you know, we didn't even know each other, that that would be, you know, that would be the total of the lunch
that we had together. Whereas, you know, when I had lunch with Hillary Clinton, it was very different. She spoke about everything from, you know,
global warming issues to gun control to women's rights, to -- all the issues of the world and she was a good listener. Whereas Trump is a very
good listener to himself, but not to others.
NEWTON: Did you come away thinking that he was, could be put in that basket of deplorable along with his supporters? Racist, homophobic,
sexist?
BRANSON: I've seen a lot of that side of him since he's been running for the election. The particular lunch I had, he just stuck -- on he was stuck
on his life mission was to destroying these individuals. And, you know, obviously since then, I've watched him running and, you know, as somebody
who is a citizen of this world and has been very sad to hear this xenophobia he's been stirring up in America.
America's a country we all respect and, you know, we respect the fact that Americans love each other, they love their neighbors, and a lot of hate has
been stirred up in the last few months. And therefore, you know, I don't feel that we should have somebody full of hate in the White House.
NEWTON: But as somebody who does a lot of business in the United States, your job is to look out for your shareholders. When you are looking for
shareholders, can you say that Hillary Clinton would be better for business than Donald Trump? Because the impression is otherwise, especially because
since now questioning trade deals herself. And in terms of taxes both personal and corporate, she will increase them.
BRANSON: I know many, many, many entrepreneurs who live in America. I have not come across one who would want to see Trump in the White House.
I'm sure there must be some, but the vast majority are very frightened about the idea of him being there. They feel that -- with him will come
vast uncertainty, vast unpredictability, and somebody who will not get a great team of people around him.
Will not delegate well. Whereas I think with Hillary Clinton, you know, she's had 40-years' experience, she shows the best people to get around to
run the country, and I think you'll see, you know, you'll see enormously beneficial effects to the stock market, to the dollar, et cetera, if
Hillary Clinton gets into power whereas I think you'll see absolutely the reverse --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: That is Sir Richard Branson talking to Paula.
Florida of course well known for the Golden Girls and beyond. It's the home to more seniors than any other state. And seniors and retirees love
to vote. So, last night, I sat down with them -- it was late in the evening, they gauged their feelings on the candidates. It's the retirees
and dessert after this.
[16:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: The #throatyroar the Mustang has made its way down to Miami. Early voting is under way in Florida. And more than a million and a half people
have voted. Retirees are always near the front of the line.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUE SULTAN-DONNER, FLORIDA DEMOCRAT: Come on in. Thanks for being here.
MAXINE ADLER, FLORIDA DEMOCRAT: Hello.
SULTAN-DONNER: I'm so glad you could come and you're so prompt.
QUEST: Oh, I say.
Hands up for Hillary. Everybody. Hands up for Donald Trump. Did you never even think for a moment that you might like to flirt with Trump?
IRENE SCHERER, FLORIDA DEMOCRAT: Absolutely not. Never. Never. In his mind, I wouldn't have been pretty enough.
QUEST: Good answer. Could the Republicans have ever put up any candidate against Hillary that you would have found acceptable?
SULTAN-DONNER: No, no. Because she's so clearly reflects exactly what I want.
QUEST: Which is what?
SULTAN-DONNER: Social safety net. I want health care. I don't -- I not only protect the nation, I want to protect the people.
ADLER: I am very lucky to have great granddaughters, and I want women to be respected forever and always. So it's all about the supreme court.
LARRY BLUM, FLORIDA DEMOCRAT: I firmly believe that the election is not going to be close. I think the Republicans will be in such disarray that in order to maintain themselves
as the number two major party that they're going to have to rethink their arguments, their collaborations.
SULTAN-DONNER: I wish that I could be optimistic, I'm grateful that she's going to have the opportunity. I think the Republicans will be because of
recalcitrant. I don't think they're going to want in any way to make life easy for her.
QUEST: Oh. Look at that. You're not having any cake? When you voted today. What was in your head in your heart?
[16:55:00] SANDY BLUM, FLORIDA DEMOCRAT: When I voted? It was like a relief. I've been talking about it and talking about it for such a long
time, and now it's over.
QUEST: You've admitted you voted for Hillary Clinton. But did you do so enthusiastically?
BLUM: Enthusiastically. Lovingly.
QUEST: When you voted, what were you thinking today?
ALBERT DONNER, FLORIDA VOTER: I was thinking, look at this line. It's pretty large. How wonderful it seemed to me because for the simple reason
that we're mainly Democrats here. And I said boy, Hillary's going to do well.
QUEST: The cake is excellent. I might be tempted by another slice if I may.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: My hostess forced me to have two more pieces of cake. Profitable Moment after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Tonight's Profitable Moment from Miami, and once again you heard the different views, you've heard the old versus the young, you've heard
the business -- it all put it into perspective and we will continue as we move down to Miami Beach tomorrow for the design and the entertainment
industry and then it's on to Key West.
As #Floridaquest, American Quest, continues our election coverage in the sunshine state. And that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS for tonight, I'm Richard
Quest in Miami, Florida. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable. I'll see you in Miami Beach tomorrow.
END
END
