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Quest Means Business
CNN Poll Shows Tied Race With Just 11 Days Until Election Day; Europe Preparing For Potential Second Trump Presidency; NASA Chief Calls For Investigation Into Elon Musk's Ties To Putin; NVIDIA Value Briefly Surpasses Apple Before Retreating; E. Coli Cases Linked To McDonald's Rises To 75; Founding Member Of Grateful Dead Phil Lesh Has Died. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired October 25, 2024 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:04]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Seconds away from the closing bell ringing on Wall Street and there it is, dong-dong-
dong. The day is weird, bifurcated across the markets. The Dow is down. It had been upfront sharply, but now we are almost at the lows of the session.
We will get to the reasons why and the what's and wherefores.
Once the nice lady -- one, two, three firm gavels bringing trading to a close. Those are the markets and these are the main events of the day.
A dead heat. CNN's final national poll before the election between Harris and Trump.
The head of NASA, calls for an investigation into reported contact between Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin.
And would you like the chicken or the beef? A history of British Airways cuisine from the high-end to the simple pleasures.
Live from New York on Friday, it is October 25th. I'm Richard Quest and I mean business.
Forty-seven-forty-seven: These are the numbers. The last poll that we take before the election and it has a dead heat between Kamala Harris and Donald
Trump. Both candidates struggling to make headway and to gain further traction across the country and in key states.
CNN poll finds that 85 percent of likely voters knew who they would vote throughout the election cycle.
Harry Enten is with me.
Harry, 47-47. Now, look, this is national. This is national. Don't you be giving me a bit of this and a bit of that. This is national.
If we break it down to the states that matter, does not change?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: No, not really. I mean, look, you can break them down. I think to the three most important key battleground
states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, right? That blue wall in the Great Lakes. I took an average just before we got on, each of those states
is within a percentage point. May be the slightest edge to Kamala Harris, but I've seen averages that looks lightly different and then they have
Donald Trump slightly ahead.
I think Trump is doing a little bit better in states like Arizona and Georgia, but for the most part, no matter how you break this down, whether
you look at the national polls, like we just conducted and I will also note "The New York Times" also had a tie out this morning or whether you look at
the state-level polls, there ain't no difference.
This is the same freaking thing that we've seen throughout this campaign between Harris and Trump, and that is, no clear leader, though I will note
when you're tied 47 to 47, I am not quite sure you need the banner up there. I am fairly sure it is clear that there is no leader.
QUEST: All right, now the -- who's got the momentum, do you think? If you take sort of -- and I know we are only going for a couple of weeks, but if
you look over the last month, who has pushed forward or pulled back?
ENTEN: I mean, I don't think that is really much of a question, Mr. Quest, because it is Donald Trump who has pulled forward and Kamala Harris has
pulled a little bit back, right? If you had asked me a month ago who was ahead in this race, I think the answer to be Kamala Harris, you saw that in
the national polling. Her average lead was about three percentage points.
Now if you take an average across the polls, its only about a point. It is the same thing in the swing states, right? I mentioned earlier around
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, she had an advantage there about two to three points last month. Now those races are all within a point and more
than that, her favorable ratings have declined.
She had a positive net favorability rating. That is her favorable was above her unfavorable. Now, its net negative while Donald Trump is more popular
at this point in this campaign than he was in either at this point of the campaigns of 2020 or 2016.
QUEST: So let's stay with this graphic, please, don't take that graphic away, because I want to talk about this.
ENTEN: Go ahead.
QUEST: Oh, that's very kind of you, sir, very kind.
The abortion and or -- and the handling of democracy, that's quite clearly and obviously towards her and obviously immigration seems to be the obvious
reason, but not one for the economy. She has made new ground there. He still has an overwhelming -- not overwhelming -- he still has a strong lead
on that issue.
ENTEN: Yes, he does. And this is the whole kit and caboodle, right? If the number one issue of this election campaign is the economy and he is ahead
on the economy, one might ask the question, how does Kamala Harris win?
Well, here is the little nugget that I will give to you ad that is sometimes we think about the economy, you know, who do you trust more on
the economy? But another way to think about is who is best for my family? Who will best provide -- provide the opportunities for my family.
And on that particular little nugget, Kamala Harris is much more competitive with Donald Trump. In some ways, it reminds me of 2012 when
Mitt Romney was ahead on the economy over Barack Obama.
[16:05:05]
But Richard, could you remind me who won that campaign in 2012? Was it that Romney or Barack Obama, my mind is a little shaky.
QUEST: Well, that's not the only thing that shaky when it comes to you.
Now, more importantly, more importantly, the why are we not seeing any maybe -- momentum based on all of these top people from the previous
administration who all basically say he is a fascist, he is a dictator. He isn't fit to lead.
We are talking about five-star or four-star generals, very senior people time and again, and it is not having the traction one might have expected.
Why do you put that as being?
ENTEN: I recall back in august of 2015, Donald Trump then a candidate for the Republican nomination went after John McCain and challenged his
patriotism. And that changed the polls not one iota, in fact, Trump actually went up in September and October of that year on his way to
capturing the Republican nomination.
The fact is, the people who support Donald Trump don't give one frickin' hoot about folks that they think of as elitist. Trump is a populist, he has
run populist campaigns and the idea that there is going to be these folks who have been in government coming out against Donald Trump and that
somehow is going to change the mind of Trump supporters to say, wait a minute, no, I shouldn't support him, I think the question itself belies a
fallacy that I think at this particular point, I have at least learned the lesson of which is when folks on the inside come out against Donald Trump,
if anything, it reaffirms the support for him among his supporters.
QUEST: Harry, thank you. Good to see you. Good Shabbat as always.
ENTEN: Good Shabbat, my dear friend. Be well.
QUEST: Thank you.
Both candidates are continuing to blitz the country with rallies as they try to pick up votes.
Kamala Harris is turning to star power. Yesterday we heard, of course, Bruce Springsteen. Now it is going to be Beyonce and Willie Nelson in
Houston.
Yes, it was great. They were able to bring loads of Springsteen, Samuel L. Jackson and other celebrities all spoke on her behalf.
Donald Trump is in Texas. He spoke about immigration. He described undocumented migrants as trash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are like a garbage can for the rest of the world to dump the people that they don't want.
Do you know what they save on that? Their mental institutions are being emptied out, their jails and prisons are being emptied out. And their gangs
and their drug dealers and everybody is being taken off the streets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Daniel Strauss is with me.
Daniel is in Washington. Those of us who have had to listen to both sides again and again, you get used to the stump speech and you hear him say
again and again. But the rhetoric from Donald Trump is certainly getting more virulent and vitriolic.
DANIEL STRAUSS, CNN REPORTER: Yes, it is getting more pointed and there is a reason for that. Trump and the Trump campaign want to close this out with
a message that is going to rally the base and they feel that focusing on immigration and his comments today is going to do just that.
QUEST: It is working. Just take what Harry Enten was saying. I know you were listening. What Harry is saying that this is working and that the
Trump is a fascist line that Kamala Harris and others have been saying is not.
STRAUSS: I think that is a little too simplistic an explanation of what is going on. There is also just a sect of the American electorate that is only
waking up now to voting and hasn't paid much attention until then.
There are multiple factors in play here. It is not simply that one message is working in one message is not resonating.
QUEST: Well, hang on a second. Then how do you -- to take that point then, how do you rally around the numbers that we've just been talking about?
What is it do you believe that has pushed Donald Trump or propelled him further forward in recent weeks to your very point of those people who are
just waking up now?
STRAUSS: I mean, this is a close election with the shadow of an unpopular president and an economy that Americans feel does not support them enough;
at the same time, you have to look at that Trump is unpopular in terms of personal favorability and despite surviving two assassination attempts, is
not running away with this.
This is a close election and it was going to be close regardless of the closing message of either campaign.
QUEST: Good to see you, sir. I am grateful. Thank you.
Europe is bracing for a potential second Trump presidency.
The EU has set up a task force to game out scenarios such as a cutoff of American aid to Ukraine or for example, a sharp increase in tariffs. These
issues are top of mind for the ministers who have been on QUEST MEANS BUSINESS over the course of the week. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLOS CUERPO, SPANISH ECONOMY MINISTER: Irrespective of the results of the elections, we can maintain the strategic alliance and these very close ties
with respect to the US.
[16:10:06]
Of course, going forward, the EU has to find its own way towards these economic security agenda, but we hope that it is going to be hand in hand
with the US, of course.
ANDRZEJ DOMANSKI, POLISH FINANCE MINISTER: We cannot ignore the threat from Russia. We have to invest in modernization of our army, and this is what we
are doing in Poland and this is what we are trying to convince our friends in Western European countries, just to spend more on defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Paschal Donahoe is the president of the Eurogroup. You' are of course familiar with the body of finance ministers from EU countries that
use the euro. He is with me now in Washington.
Good to see you as always, Paschal.
Now look, as we look at this, these preparations. President Lagarde of the ECB warned about this two years ago when she said, Europe -- never mind who
the US votes for. The US will do what the US will do. But Europe needs to be prepared in all eventualities.
PASCHAL DONOHOE, PRESIDENT, EUROGROUP: And that work is on the way. Overall, this is a relationship that continues, I believe, to be of great
value both to the US and to Europe. It is worth around 1.5 trillion euro, and so 40 percent of global GDP, a relationship like that offers and those
deliver benefit to both sides of the Atlantic.
We want to be in a position that we can engage in constructive, friendly relations with the US as we have throughout our history, but also make the
case for the value of that relationship and make the case for America having partners, having France, and having allies in a world, Richard, that
you well know that its increasingly volatile and full of challenges to us both.
QUEST: But I also know that behind-the-scenes, and I am not suggesting you in any shape or form, but behind-the-scenes, people are saying if Donald
Trump gets elected, get your battle weapons out, get your tin helmets out, the tariffs will becoming for Europe. Whether we like it or not, we are
going to get more of the same, we better be prepared.
How can you prepare for that?
DONOHOE: So the three things that we can do, number one, is to make the case for the economic value of the relationship to the US and to Europe,
for the jobs, for the income, for the profit that it creates for both of us.
Number two, after we've gone through that phase, is engage in negotiation constructively on the issues that matter to the US and therefore, will
matter to Europe.
And thirdly then, if we find ourselves in a situation where that doesn't work, of course we will be prepared and look at what action we may need to
take reactively.
But that is the last place we want to be. This is a relationship between both sides of the Atlantic of enormous economic benefit that is based in
shared values and a shared approach to the world. But of course we have to be prepared for what the future could bring.
QUEST: You see the difference this time is, you know what is highly likely. I am not saying it is going to happen. But you know, eight years ago, you
hoped for the best, Europe wasn't really prepared for the worst. Now, you've got no excuse. You know, if Donald Trump gets elected what is coming
your way.
DONOHOE: Of course, and I can listen and we are all listening very attentively to the kind of commitments that have been made in the campaign
trail as well and that is why I said that if the American people do decide to elect President Trump, we will make the argument, engage in negotiation.
But then look at what steps we may reactively need to take and that thinking, of course, has to be developed given what but the first
presidency of Donald Trump did look like and the additional commitments that he is now making.
QUEST: We had two ministers -- we had the Spanish minister and we had the Polish minister on the program this week, two very strong, growing
countries within the EU and the Euro group.
But we also had the IMF warning and others that the numbers show Europe is falling behind on competitiveness, on regulation. It is too bureaucratic
remaining. This is a concern of yours. I know, you and I have spoken about it on several occasions. How can you speed up the increased
competitiveness?
DONOHOE: So the first thing we have to do is make the case for what we've already achieved. When I've been on your program, Richard at other points
in recent years, there were so many forecasts for Europe moving into a prolonged recession due to the impact of the war in Ukraine, due to the
impact that COVID and inflation had in the euro in particular.
And we've avoided all those worst-case scenarios and we've managed to deliver economic stability, get inflation down, and have a record number of
people at work. But at the same time, we need to be realistic.
If we look at the change that is happening across the world, we can see other parts of the world growing quicker. We are aware of what that means
for us.
[16:15:02]
How do we deal with that? I would highlight two particular phases. Number one, we do have to have a credible budget framework because the foundation
of how we can grow more quickly in the future is stable and safe public finances and then secondly, we have to reignite a number of projects that
we've been making gradual progress on in the time ahead.
And of course that refers to how we can deepen our single market. It refers to how we can use the budget of the European Union to deepen the
competitive this of Europe overall. And of course, it refers to are financial sector and further steps that we really do have to take there
across 2025.
QUEST: We will talk more about that in the weeks and months and years ahead.
I swear, you look younger every time -- I don't know what you're doing. It is obviously good living or good healthy living.
DONOHOE: It is all the makeup you've to me here, Richard, in Washington has made the difference.
I should really say the same about you, but you beat me to it.
QUEST: Thank you very much. I am shameless over the makeup. Shameless here, I tell you.
Thank you very much. Good to see you. Have a safe journey back to Europe, sir.
DONOHOE: Thank you, Richard.
QUEST: Safe journey.
DONOHOE: Thank you.
QUEST: Thank you.
It is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS on a Friday. It is always good to have friends like Paschal with us on the program.
"The Wall Street Journal" says Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin had been in regular contact since 2022. Now, the head of NASA is calling for an
investigation. We will talk about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: The head of NASA wants an investigation into Elon Musk's ties to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The Wall Street Journal" is reporting
today that the two have been in regular contact since 2022.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was asked about it as an event hosted by Semafor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: I don't know that that story is true. I think it should be investigated, if the story is true that there have been
multiple conversations between Elon Musk and the president of Russia, then I think that would be concerning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
NELSON: Particularly for NASA, for the Department of Defense, for some of the intelligence agencies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now, Elon Musk -- here is the triangle. Elon Musk has that close relationship with Donald Trump and Donald Trump's ties to President Putin
are well-established. It is a triangle of sorts.
Nathan Hodge is with me.
Nathan, I am trying desperately hard not to sort of make one and one add up to five.
[16:20:10]
But it is really weird.
NATHAN HODGE, CNN FORMER MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: So Richard, you do have to wonder, yes. Is there a sort of a Trump-Putin-Musk mutual admiration
society here? But let's just start with what the NASA administrator had said. He said he didn't know if the story was true that "The Wall Street
Journal" ran with. But if in fact there were these contacts, it would be a subject of major concern.
You know, Elon Musk's SpaceX has classified contracts. Elon Musk has a security clearance. If you have a security clearance, Uncle Sam wants to
know about your foreign contacts, particularly those in hostile countries.
So this is certainly going to be something that's going to be at question of scrutiny, Richard.
QUEST: And I am glad you mentioned --
HODGE: But also, let's talk about --
QUEST: I am glad you're mentioning that because I kept trying to -- I spent most of the morning trying to think about, well, why is it of a concern?
Musk is a CEO of a major company, Starlink; he sends SpaceX up there, therefore, surely it is entirely reasonable that he would have
conversations with world leaders, but you're putting into context these security questions, which is interesting.
HODGE: Right, Richard and also, let's step back for a second and just say, you know, the Kremlin's response to this whole story, which was of course
to pooh-pooh it. The Kremlin spokesperson said that they've had one conversation. It was a telephone conversation.
Musk himself has acknowledged that he has had contact with Putin that preceded the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, but there
has been this very interesting sort of, again, to talk about this mutual admiration society that is going on.
Earlier this year, Trump -- I am sorry, Putin, in his interview with Tucker Carlson publicly praised Musk, praising his him as a capable and clever
individual and it was very reminiscent that moment to me, to the moment, like in December of 2015 before Donald Trump even security the Republican
presidential nomination and Trump was called clever and bright by Putin and that was again, a very flattering thing for Putin to do very cleverly, I
would say, Richard.
QUEST: Before we finish, I just want to get your take because you're an expert on the area, how much of a victory was at this week for Vladimir
Putin having the BRICS -- not just the BRICS, but the BRICS plus Egypt, Malaysia, and all of the other countries were there. Putin clearly standing
on the world stage, one or two difficult questions being asked. But by and large, certainly not persona non grata.
HODGE: Well, listen, that is Putin standing on the world stage in Kazan on his own home turf. Now, certainly part of the world did come to him with
BRICS and the optics of this were very important to the Kremlin, to show that they are not isolated; that after over two years after the full-scale
invasion of Ukraine, that Putin is not isolated, that he is standing shoulder to shoulder with other world leaders.
But then we could step back a little bit and pick apart what BRICS is, what it is not, what it does and does not deliver, but this is all happening at
a point in time where Russia wants to show a narrative to the rest of the world and domestically, that it is winning, it is prevailing and that is
important there, Richard.
QUEST: I am so grateful for you, Nathan. Thank you for putting it in perspective and you've taken -- and you made it made sense of it all. Thank
you, sir.
The IMF is warning that Europe's economy is falling behind even further to the US. We talked about it with Paschal a second ago.
If you talk about the growth forecasts, the Euro area's measly 1.2 percent. That is a full one percent behind the United States.
The fund says that Europe needs to get more productive. It also says there needs to be more cross-border activity in the Euro area.
The EBRD recently lowered its growth forecast for the nations it covers. We should note, it includes much more than Europe and the EBRD president is
with me now.
Odile, good to see you, ma'am. Youve been warning along the similar lines for some time and you heard Paschal a few moments ago talking about it.
I do wonder whether Europe is capable of increasing its competitiveness in productivity to reach potential?
ODILE RENAUD-BASSO, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Yes, I am convinced Europe can do it. It needs some reform, it
needs a clear strategy. I think that the Draghi Report provides a lot of input into that discussion, but I think that that can be done.
And it is important to also to see that in Europe, you have some nuances, some countries, showing a high level of growth, high level of convergence.
So I think that there is a thought also that this is possible if governments put in place the appropriate reform and if there is a right
that dynamics at the EU level, go deeper into market integration and support.
[16:25:09]
Because the big sectors of the EU, and when you see the situation of the new members, what is called the new member states of Eastern Europe,
catching up in the EU, it was really very much due to the convergence with the single market.
QUEST: The increase of the union, and the potential for new members. There are plenty of candidate country, some are moving further and faster than
others, but the reality is, it would be very dodgy for the EU to start bringing in too many new members. It is simply not able.
There is enough problems structurally within the existing countries without adding more.
RENAUD-BASSO: That was very much the logic a few years ago, I think there is really new impetus, a new dynamic on the enlargement discussion --
enlargement discussion are complex because it is for countries, candidates for accession. It is a huge endeavor to take into account older EU
regulation, address them and be able to enter the EU trade market.
But on the other hand, it is a great opportunity to focus on reform and to increase growth because of the convergence dynamics. The EU is willing to
do that with countries that are able to catch up. It is also very -- I think, the underlying reason, they are also very geopolitical to ensure
stability in the EU, it will take time, but I think there is a political impetus to do it.
QUEST: So I just want to finish with Ukraine because I know you and I have talked on several occasions. Ukraine is an enormous part of the EBRD's work
and you are roundly and firmly committed to continuing it.
But I do question the wisdom when Ukraine is not going to lose per se the whole country, but it is not -- but things are getting more difficult. Is
it wise for the EBRD to continue this level of financial support?
RENAUD-BASSO: Yes , I think it is wise because we have the backing of our shareholders. For our bank, it is always difficult to intervene in the war
situation, but we've got some support in the form of guarantees and now capital fees in order to be able to absorb the risk that represent
investing in Ukraine.
To be fair, now, our investment have been so -- what I mean, because we finance companies that are able to grow, that still have revenues,
activities, and so forth. So I think that our support is warranted. It is very important for the country in order to be able to sustain the war and
defend itself, but it is also why from a financial perspective, and you know, we are very strict in that way on our risk taking, but also, I mean
we have the support to do it and this was confirmed by rating agencies.
QUEST: I look forward to talking to you face-to-face the next time we meet. I am very grateful for you coming in today. Thank you so much.
RENAUD-BASSO: Thank you.
QUEST: Have a safe journey home. Thank you.
Now, to Iceland and the four-day work week. Well, in Iceland, it has become the new norm. The country spent years testing out four-day working week.
The economy is booming, productivity is up, and CNN's Anna Stewart should be in London with more.
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Sorry, Richard, I thought I told you. I downed tools and decided that I'd start the weekend early, apparently working a
four-day week is just as productive as a five-day week.
After successful trials in Iceland, dating back to 2015. Now, more than half of the country's workforce are working reduced hours, but for the same
pay.
How is it going? Well, Iceland's economy is actually outpacing much of Europe's; unemployment is low, but before everyone runs out the office to
start their weekend early, you may want to check with your employer and also it bears remembering that Iceland's economy is small and very focused
on things like tourism and the services sector.
Richard, I will probably see you on Monday, but I won't make any promises.
QUEST: Never knowingly done a full week's work. I digest.
QUEST MEANS BUSINESS Friday. I am with you.
The World Bank president says economic opportunity will help solve the migration crisis. Julia Chatterley's interview with Ajay Banga is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:32:38]
QUEST: Hello. I'm Richard Quest. Together we're going to have a lot more QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. You can hear from the World Bank President on his
plans to address the West's migration crisis.
Nile high meals don't tend to be memorable. A few flight menus have stayed me long after I've landed the story and history of airline food, but we'll
only deal with it after the news headlines. Been a busy day. We do need to update you, because this is CNN, and here the news always comes first.
The video briefly surpassed Apple as the world's most valuable company on Friday. It should make a touch $2.5 trillion and then retreated back a bit.
It's risen 18 percent in October. It follows open A.I.'s $6.6 billion funding round early this month.
Seventy-five people have now known to have been sick from the E. coli outbreak. It's been linked to McDonald's quarter pounders. U.S. authorities
say the source of the contamination is likely the onions or the beef patties in the sandwich. The fast food chains that use onions from the same
supplier like Taco Bell and Burger King have stopped serving the ingredients at some locations.
The former Abercrombie and Fitch chief executive Mike Jeffries has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and prostitution charges in a New York court.
If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison for the various offenses.
The battle of baseball superstars begins tonight in L.A. This year's World Series bits the L.A. Dodgers with the Japanese great Shohei Ohtani against
the New York Yankees and their slugger Aaron Judge. Looking for tickets? they are the most expensive on record.
Phil Lesh, the bassist and founding guitar member of the Grateful Dead has died. He was 84. After the death of his music partner Jerry Garcia in 1995.
Lech maintained the giant band's legacy and continued performing for whole new generations. A statement on his social media said he leaves behind a
legacy of music and love.
Our top story in CNN. Final election poll shows the candidates absolutely even-stevens. Even small voting groups now have the potential to tip the
balance one way or other.
[16:35:05]
Our John King has visited Berks County in Pennsylvania where he's been speaking to voters who previously supported Nikki Haley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Berks County is a bit more away from the city, more rural and more Republican. Yet not as
deep and reliably red as just a few years ago.
JOAN LONDON, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: This neighborhood is becoming a lot like the Philadelphia suburbs. This is a primarily Republican leaning borough
always has been, but when it comes to national elections, I do see more and more support for Democratic candidates.
KING (voice-over): Attorney Joan London switched her registration to independent after voting for Haley in the Republican primary. London was
asked to join this local political program not long after our first visit, five months ago, back then, she told us she would write in a conservative
because she viewed President Biden as too old. Later, she said she viewed Vice President Harris as too liberal and untested. But then she watched the
Harris-Trump debate.
LONDON: The last straw was what he said about the Ukraine where he said that we have to have a negotiated settlement for someone who claims to be a
conservative to say that was, in my opinion, outrageous, its appeasement.
KING (voice-over): So London is now voting Harris, voting Democrat for president for the first time because she believes Trump must lose because
she gets the battleground state math.
LONDON: I needed to vote against allowing him to become president again. I don't want it on my conscience that that I contributed in some way to that.
Sometimes you have to say American, first conservative second, Republican, third.
KING (voice-over): Media is in Delaware County, just outside Philly, reliably blue now,
but still a test of whether Harris can match or exceed Biden's 2020 math. It's also a big test for Trump. He lost the Philly suburbs in 2016 but
narrowly won statewide. But he lost these suburbs by a bit more in 2020 and he narrowly lost Pennsylvania.
KING (on camera): We're getting to the end here. Have you made up your mind?
CYNTHIA SABATINI, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: No.
KING (voice-over): Cynthia Sabatini is another never Trumper, another Haley primary voter, another Republican who won't vote for him but isn't sure
about her.
KING (on camera): Finish the sentence, Madam Vice President, if you want my vote here in the very important Philadelphia suburbs, you need to do.
SABATINI: You need to answer questions on point. You need to provide more details about your economic plan. You need to provide more details about
your vision also for this country. I'm, you know, I'm one bottom line person. I want details.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Our new poll shows that Donald Trump has a big lead on the question on immigration. 50 percent of vote -- likely voters trust him more to
handle it, compared to 34 percent of Vice President Harris. Donald Trump says the answer is mass deportations. The president of the World Bank has a
very different approach. Julia Chatterley sat down with Ajay Banga at the IMF, and he says, you've got to fix the problems that migrants face at
home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AJAY BANGA, PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK: I have a very simple logic here, Julia, 1.2 billion people, if you have one-third of them getting jobs, two-third
not. That's first of all, a huge opportunity lost with the opportunity with these young people to contribute to our economies, to contribute to
American firms, European firms, our intellectual property, all that. That's how economic growth benefits all of us.
The second part of it is the negative side of it, which is, if these young people don't get the dignity of a job or a job. What will they do? They
will migrate. They will become socially unstable, things that will eventually impact our national security as well, wherever you live. So my
view of this is, this is a near and present issue.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR: You're saying it's a good investment. Don't miss the fact that this money will go to good use, and it will be
beneficial for all. What about trade wars? How focused are you on again, the risk of that?
BANGA: You know, I think trade is already changing.
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
BANGA: It's changing so much in the last five, seven years. It's not that trade volumes have come down, the mix of goods and services are changing.
Data is going up, of course. But actually, what's really changing is, look at the floors, lot more bilateral, lot more regional, lot more, what we
call French shoring kind of trade.
CHATTERLEY: Can we talk about Gaza more serious subjects. I know the World Bank recently voted to increase by six-fold the amount of money that
they're providing to Gaza. I think it's $300 million. Do you know how that's going to be used and how quickly that money can be used?
BANGA: We used to provide 50 million from the board. This year, the board voted to make it 300 from our surplus of the year. And the idea is to put
it to work for the Palestinian authorities, wages and salaries and capabilities. But also, for humanitarian aid through people like world
central kitchen and others. And, you know, U.N. organizations that time.
[16:40:07]
BANGA: To me, this is still only the beginning. Beyond the obvious human suffering on both sides of this conflict, which is clear to everybody,
beyond the obvious deaths, the kidnappings, the murder, the rape, all that's going on on both sides. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm
talking about what happens next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: That's the president of the World Bank. Now, for decades, plane food, airline food has been a critical part of the flying experience. So, I
got to try some of British Airways classics with one of the airline's pilots and see the results.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL BRIDGER, BRITISH AIRWAYS PILOT: Across the entire history, the fabulous history of the airline (INAUDIBLE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Norway, now it's associated with some of the most pristine and untouched waters anywhere that you'll find in the world, which is why the
plastic pollution that's now coming prevalent is so serious. So today, on Call to Earth how a unique school is helping combat that rise in pollution
and the help of students from every corner of the globe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The Fjords of Western Norway provide a breathtaking backdrop to a unique international organization rooted in
Nordic culture.
JAMES CONNELL, STUDENT, UWX RED CROSS NORDIC: UWC Red Cross Nordic is an international school teaching students aged from 16 to 19 located on the
west coast of Norway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): With 200 students from 90 countries, UWC Red Cross Nordic offers a unique learning environment.
MAHDULIKA SINGH, TEACHER, UWC RED CROSS NORDIC: The college has environment of one of our base fillers. So, we focus a lot on environment and impact on
environment. So, this sort of comes in everything we do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Here we were lucky. We had a --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The school is supported by the Red Cross and encourages students to take action to protect people and places in
need. At the center of their education model is a project-based learning or PBL.
SINGH: Project-based learning basically implies that they are the ones who are part of the planning and they do the project and then they evaluate and
look into how things work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): A recent study found that Norway contributes an estimated 15,000 tons of plastic waste into the environment
annually.
[16:45:09]
And with almost 29,000 kilometers of coastline, plastic pollution poses a threat to marine ecosystems around the country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Norway has one of the longest coasts in the world. And that is why it makes it so complicated, right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): During the coastal cleanup PBL, the students are leaving their dorms and embracing Norwegian coastal culture.
DALMAS OREJE NGANYI, STUDENT, UWC RED CROSS NORDIC: We are leaving in the boats for five days. It's just enjoy being when you wake up and there's a
little bit of waves, you wake up to some rowing and it's certainly magnificent.
NORKIS VALERO MENDEZ, STUDENT, UWC RED CROSS NORDIC: It has been really great. I haven't been in a boat before. Sometimes it moves. Sometimes I'm
really scared but it's really, really cool.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The project has been running for the past four years. During this time, students have removed several tons of plastic
from coastal islands, significantly impacting both the environment and the participants.
CONNELL: Within the space of about six hours, we collected around 300 kilograms of plastic. And it was -- it was totally surprising.
ANA POL MAYORA, STUDENT, UWC RED CROSS NORDIC: It's been quite bittersweet. So just opening up and seeing like layers and layers and layers of plastic
where you take out one and there's even more and more.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crazy.
MENDEZ: I still really want to make something that, thanks to this experience, would allow me to inspire other people and to tell them that
this is going on, thanks to the fact that I saw it with my own eyes.
SINGH: It doesn't have to be changing the whole world. But if they can make an impact in their own little way in the spaces they are in, that little
drop in the ocean, probably many drops, will make a big difference.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One, two, three.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Coastal cleanup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coastal cleanup.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Coastal cleanup.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Now let us know what you're doing to answer the call with #CalltoEarth. I'll be back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: So, tomorrow I'm flying to London on my way to Saudi Arabia for, of course, FII next week. Now, one of the advantages of flying at the front,
I've been asked to choose my meal already. I've selected what I'm going to choose. And food has been FII next week.
[16:50:01]
Now, one of the advantages of flying at the front, I've been asked to choose my meal already. I've selected what I'm going to choose, and food
has become what, as you can see, one of the fighting grounds. So tomorrow in Polaris they've given me this week. Leave at 8:00 in the morning, land a
date at night. I go for the grilled tenderloin, I think, and I'll have it served later in the fight. Maybe the banana bread pudding.
Whatever. It is a fighting ground of good food. The menu tomorrow is a little different to that which hangs on the wall in my study. It's from the
last Concord flight. It's a memento, a souvenir signed by those like Joan Collins and Christie Brinkley, the celebrities who were with me on board.
There is lobster and truffle omelets and all sorts of magnificent foods. It doesn't matter. I also love curry-served in economy and the chicken or
beef. I actually love airline food.
Al Bridger shares my love of food, so much so even though he's a pilot, they didn't worry the most. He wrote a book of British Airways menus over
the years, and together in London, we attempted to create the recipes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIDGER: Every time I go flying, I get excited. And I still love the food. I try and try as much of it as I can from that -- from the different cabins
and it's fabulous.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: From my experience, I know that feeding people in the air has certain challenges of taste buds, isn't that, right?
BRIDGER: Yes. I mean, I've covered that in the book. So it's amazing, actually. If you look through the chapters of how we're continuously
developing to make the product better and better and better. And it was really around the 1970s that people started to think, yes, there's
something different with the palette in the air. And then in the sort of 2000s, we started to really understand the science.
And from then on, the science has got better and better and understanding that the palette is different in the air.
QUEST: I have a dirty little secret. I love airline food. It goes back to when I was a kid going on a on summer holiday. Go back to the old days.
Imperial airways. Empire airways. The grand days of Pan Am crossing the oceans and where it was beef off the trolley, soup out of the terrain and
never was as good again.
BRIDGER: Yes. I don't agree with you, Richard. I think if you look through the book in all the decades and how we forever, continually try to improve
and be the best we can. And you saw that in Imperial Airways with the old biplanes and stretching their legs and getting more and more food on board,
and then through the jet age all the way to current British Airways, where we're investing seven billion in making it a fantastic product.
So, if you -- if you go on board an aircraft now, they're amazing, but in each era, it was incredible.
QUEST: You talk about Concord, of course.
BRIDGER: Yes.
QUEST: The thing about the food on Concord was it was luxurious. It was the very much like this sort of thing. It was -- it was simple because the
galley was so small.
BRIDGER: Hmm. This was actually on the Concord.
QUEST: What is it?
BRIDGER: It's a caviar rafaci (ph). So, it's refresh, basically, as the name says. So, it's a little bit of Melba toast which is dead easy to make,
little bit of shallot, which is not too strong, creme fraiche, and then some caviar on top.
QUEST: That is excellent. Are your recipes easy to make?
BRIDGER: Very easy. I mean, the big thing for me is that I've wanted to recreate the history and take everyone on that journey and show all the
wonderful pictures, but also to get the proper taste of it. So, I'm home cooked, nothing more than that. And I just created these recipes, so
they're simple. So, if you've never cooked before, you should be able to pick the book up and recreate whatever meal you want all the way up to
modern times.
QUEST: What are we going to make here?
BRIDGER: Well, we can have a go at a Fruit Mille Feuille which --
(CROSSTALK)
BRIDGER: Yes. Which actually is probably the messiest recipe in the book. So, we start with a piece of puff pastry. Now, puff pastry, as you know,
you can be very clever and make puff pastry, or you can be even smarter and buy it. And this was pretty old. So, there we have a piece of that. Then we
need some jam.
QUEST: When was this on the -- when was this ever on a --
(CROSSTALK)
BRIDGER: Well, this was 1960s. So, there we are. So, we start off with some jam.
QUEST: Yes.
BRIDGER: We want some creme pat. This one over here.
QUEST: Yes.
BRIDGER: So, this hopefully has traveled OK. So --
QUEST: Oh, we've got to do dollops of it.
BRIDGER: I think so. So, we put a bit of that on, not too much. Otherwise, it will get messy.
QUEST: Of course. There we go. Look, oh, you're being parsimonious.
BRIDGER: I'm trying not to make a mess. I love it to look fabulous, like --
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: I'll tell Louise right next.
BRIDGER: Strawberries. So, quick layer of strawberry. So, we'll pop those on. So, there's one, and then we do exactly the same again. So, off we go.
After you, Rich.
QUEST: (INAUDIBLE)
BRIDGER: Thank you. So, grab another piece. Same again.
QUEST: I think the other thing that's interesting is the way airlines have realized passengers do value it, including B.A. in the way, of course, B.A.
has put food back in different class, in economy.
BRIDGER: Absolutely.
QUEST: Look, at the end of the day, it is hospitality.
BRIDGER: If you read through the book from the very earliest days of the biplane, you know that first day in 1919 with the biplane, Hounslow Heath
and food was on board. And ever since then, the airline has really tried harder and harder and harder to be as good as it can.
[16:55:07]
So, I think they're all golden ages and I think it's a golden age now with the understanding of food and the science behind it.
QUEST: How do I eat this thing?
BRIDGER: Well, I was going to say to you, this is the challenge, is how you eat it. So, I'll make up my final layer on you. Try and eat it. Good luck.
It's a fabulous, messy dessert. But there we go. So, I'll pop my last one on.
QUEST: I'm going ask the last question.
BRIDGER: Cool.
QUEST: You still fly?
BRIDGER: I am. And I adore it as much today as --
QUEST: Really?
BRIDGER: I am.
QUEST: Even slapping across the Atlantic the billions of times you still enjoy it.
BRIDGER: It's a huge privilege. A bit like writing this book, what a privilege to write about the food and drink of British Airways across the
entire history, the fabulous history of the airline. Well, that's (INAUDIBLE) so yes, I love flying, and I'm still flying today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: He looks horrified and I'm not surprised. As I went through me mil theory or whatever it's called. And I still love flying. I still love the
airline food. Next week I'll be in Saudi Arabia. It's the eighth edition of the Future Investment Initiative, FII. I'll be hosting the program from
Riyadh on Tuesday, same time as usual. Look forward to being there again, and you and I will have a profitable moment together just after the break.
QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Tonight's profitable moment as we come to the end of a very, very full week together. Markets a bit too long, but otherwise, all is well and
good. The story we brought you tonight about the four-day working week in Iceland. Everyone's always surprised by this, that the productivity goes
up. Employees are happy. Work doesn't suffer, et cetera, et cetera. Here's a dirty secret about it. We've known this before.
There have been numerous studies on the four-day working week, and they all prove the same thing. Properly planned, properly executed with the right
mindset and the correct policies, the four-day working week is usually a roaring success, which is why the one that was done in London, the massive
trial, 85 percent of those companies that went through that have still kept the four-day working week.
But still, we treat it as a novelty, as if it's some sort of weirdness, that you must be a slacker, lazy clearly don't want to put in the hours.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that when you know you've got this much work to cover, and it's been done, and you're away,
and you'll cover, and I'll do this, and you'll do that. And these are the projects. Everybody knows where they stand, and everybody benefits.
One of my producers made the point it's going to become much more important with A.I. when clearly the working week is going to change. How much
greater it will be when we have a four-day working week for everybody? Well, maybe not for me and you, because we'll be sitting here talking about
it, ad nauseam.
As for next week, I'm going to London tomorrow. I love airline food, and after that, on to Saudi and you and I, well, I will be and you'll join me
in Riyadh on Tuesday.
[17:00:05]
Because that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS for this week. I'm Richard Quest in New York. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable.
Four or five days a week.
END
