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Harris Lands in Philadelphia on Eve of Pivotal Debate With Trump; Trump Camp Previews Attacks on Harris, Hints at Debate Surprises; Memorable Harris and Trump Debate Moments Ahead of Their Face-Off. Princess Catherine: Focus Now Is To "Stay Cancer-Free"; Actor James Earl James Jones Dies At Age 93. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired September 09, 2024 - 18:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[18:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news, Kamala Harris just landed in Philadelphia on this, the eve of her high-stakes debate with Donald Trump. The vice president predicting that Trump will lie and insult her on stage and declaring she's ready to respond to what she calls his tired playbook. A top Harris campaign adviser joins us live this hour.

Also tonight, the Trump team is previewing the former president's attack strategy during the debate, a top spokesman arguing that Harris must own everything from the Biden administration and suggesting that Trump may be planning some surprises.

As we count down to the Trump-Harris showdown we're studying their past debates against other opponents and we're getting clues about how they may handle their historic clash against one another.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in The Situation Room.

And we begin with the breaking news, Vice President Kamala Harris landing moments ago in the city that will host her first and potentially only debate against former President Donald Trump.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez and CNN's Kristen Holmes are both in Philadelphia at the site of tomorrow night's pivotal debate.

Let's go to Priscilla first. She's covering the Harris campaign for us. Priscilla, Harris shared some insight into how she's preparing to face off against Trump.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Wolf. The vice president's team has been preparing her for potential derogatory comments, insults, and name-calling on the debate stage tomorrow night. And she said in a radio interview earlier today that she is keenly aware of the strategies that the former president might employ. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He plays from this really old and tired playbook, right, where he -- there's no floor for him in terms of, you know, how low he will go. And we should be prepared for that. We should be prepared for the fact that he is not burdened by telling the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, a close Harris ally also telling me that the vice president is also preparing to try to reach persuadable voters by outlining a vision and policies, especially on the economy. Of course, the campaign has been spending the last week putting out ads on the economy, trying to establish or illustrate a stark contrast with the former president, including lowering housing costs and the drug costs.

And so her allies and aides tell me that they also want her to stay focused on that and not get too pulled into how the former president may try to insult her on the debate stage.

Now, of course, all of this will bookend what was days of preparation in Pittsburgh, the vice president doing mock sessions there and also working very closely with her team to also identify areas in which the former president may have flip-flopped on policies. That's something that we may expect to hear from her on the debate stage tomorrow. But, again, all aides and allies that I've spoken with say that they want her to focus on her policies while also trying to dodge some of those insults.

BLITZER: Kristen's with us as well. Kristen, earlier today, the Trump campaign previewed some of the attacks the former president will likely use on Kamala Harris. Tell us about that.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, if they held a campaign called, we heard from Jason Miller, a senior adviser, as well as from Tulsi Gabbard, Matt Gaetz, all people that we were told were part of the debate preparations that Donald Trump had, even though, of course, he himself and his team do not call it preparation. And they really previewed some of what we are likely to hear from Donald Trump when he takes the stage tomorrow. Here's Jason Miller earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON MILLER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN: It's very clear that Kamala Harris is the one who's been running the country the entire time.

Another opening that I do want to point out here that Harris is clearly created with all the flip flops within the ill-fated interview with Dana Bash is, Kamala said that her values haven't changed, which really opens the door to talking about what are those values, what has Kamala Harris stood for over the years going all the way back to the beginning and with the point being that these are dangerously liberal policy positions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, that he also said, as you mentioned, that there might be some surprises. Unclear what that would be. Remember, there's no live audience.

[18:05:00]

There's not a lot of room here for surprises, but it's something they said. And when they were asked about how Donald Trump was preparing, they said something that we've been told time and time again by senior advisers, that, essentially, they view everything that Donald Trump does as some view of preparation. That includes holding town halls, like he did in Pennsylvania, or speaking to the New York Economic Club, taking questions that he's not prepared for.

But regardless of this preparation, I spoke to a number of allies who told me they're still very concerned about his tone and temperament. You heard Priscilla there talking about how Harris is preparing for those personal attacks. He has been personally told Donald Trump by people close to him not to engage in these personal attacks, that they don't believe that they're going to be successful. But, of course, Wolf, as we know, Donald Trump is going to do what Donald Trump wants to do when he takes that stage tomorrow night.

BLITZER: He certainly will. Kristen Holmes and Priscilla Alvarez, thank you very much. I want to get some more on all of these developments. Joining us, our political experts. And, Kristen Soltis Anderson, let me go to you first. The Harris team is hoping to use the debate as an opportunity to introduce her to undecided voters who are still out there. What should her strategy be to do that?

KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Her strategy needs to be to speak to that very small, but very important slice of voters who already doesn't like Donald Trump. They already have decided that they don't think that he's a good guy, but they think he's good on policy.

And they're looking to her to say, okay, we know what we would get with him. We know that we like the economy we had when he was president. We know that we liked the way he handled things like the southern border. What are you going to do?

These are not voters that love Donald Trump and are with him forever. But they're looking for permission to give Harris a chance. And to do that, they need to see that she is credibly the sort of moderate, especially on economic issues, that she's trying to paint herself as in the last couple of weeks.

BLITZER: Ana Navarro's with us as well. Ana, what does a successful debate look like for Kamala Harris?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think it's one where she comes across looking presidential. She does not allow herself to be bothered or rattled by the attacks that we all expect Donald Trump to wage. She is exact about her policies. And, frankly, if she has a couple of good moments, that's a good debate stage. Look, it's a debate night. It's about binary choices, right? So, Kamala Harris needs to make sure also to fact-check Donald Trump. Donald Trump rarely gets fact-checked. He certainly didn't get fact-checked in the CNN debate because Joe Biden just couldn't do it that night. So, I think we're all waiting to see Donald Trump get called out on his lies, get corrected, and for her to hold her place and not let him rattle her at all.

BLITZER: Let's see if she does that. Ashley Etienne's with us as well. Ashley, Kamala Harris, as you know, she has been fully preparing for a range of derogatory statements and comments, insults, coming from Trump. How do you think she's going to handle that? I want to play a clip from a radio interview that aired earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: I think he's going to lie, and, you know, he has a playbook that he has used in the past, be it, you know, his attacks on President Obama or Hillary Clinton. So, we should expect that some of that might come out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: How do you think the Vice President should respond to Trump's derogatory comments, maybe about her race, her agenda, and other issues?

ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, I think she's got it ignored and she's got to rise above it. And she's very clear just in that statement that she understands who Donald Trump is and that he's going to try to bait her into these arguments.

But, you know, I think the fact that the mic is going to be turned off works to her advantage. It reminds me of my favorite Mark Twain quote. You can't argue with a fool because an independent person won't be able to tell the difference. So, what she's got to do is stick to her own game. It's laying out this vision to her key audience, which is those undecided, disaffected voters. She's got to -- as Ana said, she's got to hold Donald Trump accountable to his record. He oversaw the worst economy in modern history. He had the highest rate of racial violence when he was president, net negative job growth. She's got to remind people of those days and tell them what she will do, that they don't want to go back.

BLITZER: Shermichael Singleton is with us as well. As you know, Shermichael, Trump's advisers are encouraging him to be more restrained while he's on stage. This is what a senior Trump adviser told CNN about their strategy heading into the debate. Let me read it to you. The most important part is finding pivots, finding ways to be critical of her, deflecting attacks from her. What do you make of that?

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, I think they're right. Focus on policy and not personality. Focus on the fact that after three and a half years, the economy and costs are still driving concerns for the average American person. Bring up the fact that most Americans can't afford a $500 emergency, Wolf, let alone $1,000 emergency. Bring up the fact that Americans are concerned about immigration. Bring up the fact that Americans are worried if the United States will find itself in another prolonged, expensive, and deadly conflict in the Middle East.

[18:10:06]

These are all issues that our polling data, including recent CNN poll. The recent New York Times/Siena poll showcases the former president is strong on. People know who he is. They may not like some of his pronouncements and his personality, yet they still believe he's a stronger person on those points. Focus on that, and I think you'll have a good debate.

BLITZER: You know, it's interesting, Kristen. Several new polls have been released in the lead up to this debate. This is what Nate Cohn of The New York Times writes about that. Let me put it up on the screen. The polls today aren't just close. In the era of modern polling, there's never been an election when the final polls showed the race, as close as it is today. And in our CNN poll of polls, the average of all the major polls, Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck, 49 percent to 48 percent. So, what does this say to you about how critical this debate tomorrow night will be for both of these campaigns?

ANDERSON: It's unbelievably critical because in a normal race where you have one candidate who's maybe ahead by three, four, or five points, then you need something pretty big to shake up the race enough to make it decisively go in one direction or the other.

Here, even if you just have a very small number of voters who are truly persuadable, you know, you've got about 28 percent of voters in that Siena poll that Shermichael mentioned that say they really haven't heard enough yet about Kamala Harris to make up their minds. And that 28 percent, they may know in their hearts which way they're leaning right now, but that's a relatively small group of voters in the end that are going to actually change their minds to moving even just a couple thousand in a couple of the key swing states. That could be enough in an election that might be as close as the one we're looking at.

BLITZER: It's certainly looking like it's neck-and-neck right now, clearly within the margin of error among all these polls.

Ana, which candidate do you think has more at stake tomorrow night?

NAVARRO: I think they both do. I think you know, I don't think there's one that has more at stake than the other. Certainly, it's a chance for Kamala Harris to introduce herself to this country, to have the country see her, because we all know who Donald Trump is. We all expect him to act like Donald Trump has acted since he's been on the public stage, basically obnoxious, braggadocious, throwing ad hominem attacks. We all expect that. What we want to see is how Kamala Harris, who has never been in a debate stage at this level, how she performs.

And as far as the polls, Wolf, I got to tell you, I'm old enough to remember when polls told me Hillary Clinton was going to win in 2016. And I'm old enough to remember when polls told me that there was going to be a big red wave in 2022. So, I think voters are onto this now. And Kamala Harris says, I consider myself the underdog. I am fighting. I am campaigning like an underdog. I think we have to learn the lessons of not focusing so much on polls but focusing on voting.

BLITZER: You know, it's interesting, Shermichael. Trump spent the last rally before this all important debate tomorrow night, once again, lying about the 2020 election and making threats of political revenge. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime, and I will sign their pardons on day one.

With your vote this election, their lying, cheating, thieving, hoaxing, and plotting will come to an end.

We got to stop the cheating. If we stop that cheating, if we don't let them cheat, I don't even have to campaign anymore. We're going to win by so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Shermichael, is this what Republicans want to hear from him on the debate stage?

SINGLETON: No. Let's take the state of Pennsylvania, for example, Wolf. It's a must-win state for either Vice President Harris or the former president, I would argue, in order to get to 270. About 16 percent of the voters in that state have said that they're sort of undecided, they're still on the fence. Those independents, those moderates, you need those voters, at least a quarter of them, in order to potentially win the state.

And I'm not convinced that this is the type of rhetoric that they're most concerned with. And so my advice would be the same advice that every Republican has given the former president. Stop talking about the past. Stop talking about nonsense and focus on what people really care about, and this isn't it.

ETIENNE: But here's the thing, the reason why he won't focus on policy is, A, he's not interested in policy, that's not who he is at his very core, but the reality is that she's got an advantage on each one of these issues. The more what we've seen is Harris take a different strategy and a different approach than Democrats typically have. She's leaning into the economy, the positive story, she's leaning into the positive story about the border. And what we've seen in the polls is when she does have positive correlation, she increases. There's polls that show that people trust her more than Donald Trump on the economy.

So, what I think she's going to do is she's going to say she's going to bring on the debate, say, bring it on. I'm ready to talk about my record versus your record.

BLITZER: I'm anxious to see if she fact checks Trump too when he says something that clearly isn't true, if she's going to correct it. ETIENNE: Absolutely.

BLITZER: We'll see that. Well, that'll be significant indeed. All right, guys, thank you very, very much.

Just ahead, a key adviser to the Harris campaign will join us to discuss the stakes of tomorrow night's debate.

[18:15:04]

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is standing by live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're back with breaking news, Kamala Harris landing just a short while ago in Philadelphia, where final preparations are underway for her historic presidential debate tomorrow night with Donald Trump.

Joining us now here in The Situation Room, a key member of the Harris- Walz National Advisory Board, the New Mexico governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. Governor, thank you very much for coming in.

This is a historically tight presidential election right now. In our CNN poll of polls, we put these numbers up there, this is the average of all the major polls, Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck, 49 percent to 48 percent, Kamala Harris 49 percent, 48 percent for Trump. That's clearly within the margin of error. What does Kamala Harris need to do tomorrow night to turn this race in her favor.

GOV. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM (D-NM): Wolf, well, first of all, thank you for having me on your show tonight.

[18:20:02]

And she needs to do what she's been doing, right? The debate's critical and I'm expecting her to be exactly who she is, thoughtful, well-prepared. She knows these policies. She's been executing on them and is a very effective leader. But she's been doing it for the last two months, hitting the campaign trail hard, reintroducing herself. People want it to be personal and making sure that she's meeting voters where they are. And when she talks about these economic policies that lift up the middle class, I think that's really going to resonate with a number of voters.

BLITZER: It's interesting because the Harris campaign has painted Trump's policies as extreme as well as his behavior on January 6th, as we all remember. But in the new poll from The New York Times, more voters say they think Harris is too liberal than those that say Trump is too conservative. And more say Trump is not too far either way -- that more say Trump is not too far either way than for Harris. So, why do you think Trump is seen as the more moderate, reasonable candidate?

GRISHAM: I frankly can't wrap my head around that, but let's maybe do a little bit of dissecting here. We are seeing more folks be more extreme on both sides of the political equations. He panders and plays to that side. He also lies. So, what you hear from Donald Trump and his campaign is never the same thing. It's never the truth. And so depending upon when and what you've heard today, that might be where you end up.

If any of those folks who answered that question in that poll read Project 2025 or listened to him for just three different events at a time, I don't think they would reach that same conclusion, which is why tomorrow night, to your point, we get a consistent, clear, thoughtful message about the right kind of work to move America forward. And she's got room to grow. He does not. This is pivotal.

BLITZER: And if he does lie tomorrow night, she's got to fact-check him right away.

GRISHAM: She does, and so does everybody else. It's hard, isn't it, given that he lies so much and so often that you can't keep up. But I think that viewers should expect her to fact-check him. And to do what she does well, hold him accountable.

BLITZER: Because, you know, he's going to do that to her as well during the course of this debate.

So, why do you think -- I mean, it's interesting, that, that Trump is seen as more moderate, a more moderate. It's hard to believe that.

GRISHAM: Well, it is. I just said wrapping my head around that. Look, I served in Congress when he was in the White House, never told us the truth, never acted at all as someone who was moderate candidates work to broker deals. If he was a moderate, we'd have immigration reform. He is only interested in extreme issues, breaking deals, breaking his word, lying to America. He cannot be returned to the White House. And she's going to make the case for our fundamental freedoms and talk about the things that she does to move the country forward. And I do think people are ready to hear it again and that's what's going to happen tomorrow night.

BLITZER: Trump is threatening to jail his political opponents, as you know, he just said it the other day, and to jail election officials if he wins the presidency. Does Harris need to address directly these threats coming from Trump?

GRISHAM: Well, I expect that she will. And, I think that in that context, she'll be able to do the policy work, hold him accountable. But you said it very effectively. He is operating like a dictator. He did it before. He always has. He's been operating in these sort of lying, contextual aspects since the 90s. We need to hold him accountable and people need to see that is not a moderate position. He's not really even a Republican. He is an individual who wants unchecked power at every American's expense. He cannot be returned to the White House.

BLITZER: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, thanks very much for coming in.

GRISHAM: Wolf, thank you for having me.

BLITZER: See you in Philadelphia tomorrow. GRISHAM: See you there.

BLITZER: Coming up, the Trump campaign focusing in on a key part of the vice president's exclusive interview with CNN ahead of tomorrow's showdown. Our own Dana Bash, the only T.V. journalist who interviewed the vice president since she became the Democratic nominee, is standing by live. She'll join us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:25:00]

BLITZER: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump take the stage for their historic presidential debate a little over 24 hours from now. We're getting clues about how they may handle their first and potentially only face-off before Election Day in November.

CNN's Brian Todd has been looking back at Harris and Trump's past debate performances. Brian, what stood out to you?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What stood out, Wolf, is that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both seasoned debaters who can give as good as they get. But how they deal with each other on stage will be fascinating, since this will be their first ever in person encounter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice over): There were some of Kamala Harris most memorable moments in her debates.

HARRIS: Susan, this is important. And I want to --

MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Susan, I can't hear you.

HARRIS: Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking.

PENCE: I have to weigh in.

HARRIS: I'm speaking.

TODD: October 2020, Harris repeatedly admonished then Vice President Mike Pence to stop talking over her. Former President Donald Trump probably won't have the chance to speak over the vice president at Tuesday's debate because each candidate's microphone will be muted while the other is speaking, much like CNN's debate on June 27th, when Joe Biden's disastrous performance led to his exit from the race.

[18:30:00]

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Look, if -- we finally beat Medicare.

TODD: That means fewer moments like this.

BIDEN: The question is --

TRUMP: Radical left. BIDEN: Will you shut up, man?

TODD: And the rules for Tuesday's debate say each candidate has to stay at their podium so Trump can't physically loom over Harris as he did with Hillary Clinton at a town hall debate in 2016.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He was literally breathing down my neck. My skin crawled.

TODD: On Tuesday, Trump could go on offense in other ways, like the personal attacks he leveled at Clinton.

TRUMP: Putin, from everything I see, has no respect for this person.

CLINTON: Well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States. And it's pretty clear --

TRUMP: You're the puppet.

TODD: This will be the first ever in-person encounter between Harris and Trump.

MOLLY BALL, SESNIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: We've never seen her go up against Donald Trump, who is himself such a unique force on the debate stage and elsewhere.

TODD: And CNN has learned that in debate prep sessions, Harris has had Philippe Reines act as a stand in for Trump, with Reines even wearing a red tie. Reines was a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton who helped her prepare for the antics Trump would present on stage.

Trump has no stand in for his debate preps, CNN sources say, but has recruited former Democratic Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard to help him prepare. Gabbard, known for a sharp, effective attack on Harris in a 2019 debate.

FMR. REP. TULSI GABBARD (D-HI): She blocked that woodsman from death row until the courts forced her to do so.

TODD: But Harris has given as good as she's gotten, like at a Democratic primary debate in 2019, when she challenged Joe Biden for working with segregationist senators in the past.

HARRIS: You also worked with them to oppose busing. And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): Now, one advantage Kamala Harris has benefited from is advice from the only two Democrats who have gone up against Donald Trump in debates, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Harris is said to have good relationships with both Biden and Clinton, and both of them have counseled her since she became the nominee. Wolf? BLITZER: It's going to be a fascinating debate. Brian Todd, thank you very, very much. I want to bring in my colleague and good friend, Dana Bash, right now. Dana's out with a brand new book, an excellent must- read new book on an election over a century ago that offers a warning about today's divided politics here in the United States. The book is entitled America's Deadliest Election, the Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History. And Dana's with us right now.

We'll talk about the book in a little while. But give us your perspective right now on what we should anticipate going into tomorrow night's debate, because you have unique perspective.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, first of all, that was such a great piece by Brian because it did jog all of our collective memories about all of these moments that both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have had in recent years, really, in the past, you know, five years, even though they haven't debated one another.

It is, I think we cannot talk enough about the fact that this debate is going to be like the one that we did in June, really different from some of those that gave us those moments where they were interacting. And it is because the Harris campaign lost their attempt to change the rules and take away that muted mic rule that was put in place by the Biden campaign. I mean, they're the ones who came up with that because they were afraid that Donald Trump would walk all over -- would talk all over, not walk all over, talk all over Joe Biden like he had in a couple of debates in 2020. And it turned out that the muted mic provided some guardrails for Donald Trump that his campaign immediately saw as beneficial to him. It made him more disciplined. And so that's why it's going to be hard to get those moments.

But that is something that both the Harris campaign and the Trump campaign, particularly Kamala Harris with Philippe and others who are in this sort of debate camp have been practicing.

BLITZER: Good practice, indeed. You spoke with Kamala Harris for that exclusive interview with CNN, during which he repeatedly used a phrase that the Trump team wants him to seize on during the course of the debate. First, let's play part of your interview with Kamala Harris. I'll play this clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: My values have not changed.

We can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.

My value around what we need to do to secure our border, that value is not changing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller says that about -- he says this about that line just ahead of the debate tomorrow night. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILLER: In other openings, I do want to point out here that Harris has clearly created with all the flip flops, but then the ill fated interview with Dana Bash, is Kamala said that her values haven't changed, which really opens the door to talking about what our values, what has Kamala Harris stood for over the years going all the way back to the beginning.

[18:35:15]

The point being that these are dangerously liberal policy positions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So, what does this signal to you, Dana?

BASH: That the former president is going to be going after her on some of these changes. And some of them are genuine changes, like fracking, which she explained after I asked her why. Some of them are changes because she was running and then she became part of President Biden's campaign and then his administration. And, you know this, Wolf, when you're the vice president, you don't really get to make your own policy. That happens when you're at the top of the ticket, which she is doing now.

I would imagine in talking to people in and around the Harris campaign, that when Donald Trump does that, she's got a whole host of options to come back at him with not the least of which is that he used to be self-described as pro-choice, and then he became anti- abortion, and he appointed three justices to the Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade.

So, two can play at that game, and I'm guessing that is -- well, my informed guess is that is something that she is practicing.

BLITZER: I'm sure it's going to be a very lively debate tomorrow night. I want to talk about your brand new book, America's Deadliest Election. Here it is right here, the Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History. You're the author together with David Fisher, a really terrific book. I've gone through it. Tell us a little bit about why you decided to write this book.

BASH: Well, David, my co-author came to me with the idea, and it was a part of history. I don't know about you, Wolf. I mean, you're a history lover. I am too. And I'm embarrassed that I knew like nothing about the 1872 election in Louisiana, which you might say, well, why would you? And the reason is because this is what led to the end of Reconstruction, the tumult, the chaos, the violence and led to the Jim Crow laws that we saw in this country for a century in the south.

And what I learned from this is something that I wish that I knew more about before I covered the 2020 election, and certainly the beginning of 2021, January 6th, is that when there is fraud, when there is corruption, back then it was real fraud and real corruption, not alleged fraud and corruption that there wasn't evidence for. At least the courts didn't get any when Donald Trump was claiming it. But what it does is it sows such doubt in the electorate that people don't know what to believe and really, really bad things can happen. And in this case, there was just one example of many things that happened. There was a massacre. 150 black men were killed.

And there were two governors sworn in, two legislature sworn in. Nobody could figure out who was actually in charge. And now you hear Donald Trump making claims about state election officials that are starting to so doubt about the 2024 election without evidence yet.

BLITZER: And what's really important is that there are lessons to be learned from what happened then to what's going on in our country today.

BASH: Which is what history is all about. You got to know it so you don't repeat it.

BLITZER: Dana, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks for all the terrific work. Thanks for writing this important book. Congratulations. America's Deadliest Election, the Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent election in American History, and Dana has done an excellent job.

We'll be right back with more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00]

BLITZER: There's breaking news on a deadly school shooting in Georgia. CNN's Isabel Rosales has an update.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): We've heard the audio, but now, for the first time, we're seeing this May 2023 exchange between law enforcement and the suspected shooter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, did your dad kind of explain everything to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said something about the shooting --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shooting up a school.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you say something about school shooting?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never. I just told him. I don't know what -- maybe they misheard somebody else. I don't remember saying that.

ROSALES: The then 13-year-old and his father questioned after anonymous tips to the FBI regarding online threats to commit a school shooting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I want you to talk to him and just tell him, like I don't know anything about him saying shit like that. And I'm going to be mad as hell if he did. And then all the guns will go away and they won't be accessible. You know, I'm trying to be honest with you. I'm trying to teach him about firearms and safety and how to do it all and get him interested in the outdoors.

ROSALES: At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest.

CNN also obtained text messages, Colt Gray's mother, Marcee Grey, wrote to family members after the shooting. I was the one who notified the school counselor, she wrote. I told them it was an extreme emergency and for them to go and immediately find Colt to check on him.

According to a phone log also obtained by CNN, Marcee Gray urgently reached out to Apalachee High multiple times the morning of the shooting. One call lasted ten minutes and came in a full half hour before the shooting. I don't understand what took them so long because the first shots weren't fired until 10:30, Marcee Gray texted.

Gray told The Washington Post and a family member confirmed to CNN that her son sent her an alarming text the morning of the shooting and read only, I'm sorry, Mom. Students inside the alleged shooters classroom confirmed to CNN that an administrator came looking for the 14-year-old but mistook him for another student with a similar name.

LYELA SAYARATH, WAS IN CLASS WITH THE ALLEGED GUNMAN: An administrator comes looking for that kid and my friend with like almost the same name is in the bathroom at the time as well.

Eventually, they realized like they take my friend's bag and soon he comes back in with his bag and he was like, I don't know why they had me, like I don't know what's happening.

[18:45:01]

ROSALES: 30 minutes later at 10:20 A.M., law enforcement received reports of shots fired. In a panic, Rebecca Sayarath raced to the school after her daughter Lyela called.

REBECCA SAYARATH, MOTHER OF STUDENT WHO WAS IN SHOOTER'S CLASS: I'm furious. I believe it all could have been prevented.

ROSALES: Now, knowing that the suspect's mother had called the school that morning, Sayarath is even more angry.

SAYARATH: Knowing now that it was her that had called and the fact that they had been telling the school for an entire week at least beforehand that he was homicidal and suicidal and had access to guns just -- should have been in police's hand from the moment they got that call that morning.

ROSALES: The older sister of Christian Angulo, one of the four victims, tells CNN their family believes this was 100 percent preventable, saying in part: They knew of the situation beforehand and didn't take the proper action to prevent this tragedy from happening.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Our thanks to Isabel Rosales for that report.

Coming up, a big update today from the British royal family on the health of Princess Catherine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:50:11]

BLITZER: A significant announcement from the British royal family tonight about Princess Catherine.

CNN royal correspondent Max Foster has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After months of uncertainty, Catherine, the princess of Wales, at last shared a feeling of relief whilst announcing that she has completed her chemotherapy.

CATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES: As the summer comes to an end. I cannot tell you what a relief it is to finally complete my chemotherapy treatment. The last nine months been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant. And we've had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.

FOSTER: In a heartfelt video released by Kensington Palace, Catherine said she was entering a new phase of recovery and will gradually return to public duties over the coming months. But she noted that the road to full recovery is still a long one.

PRINCESS CATHERINE: The cancer journey is complex, scary, an unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face-to-face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you've never considered before. And with that, a new perspective on everything -- doing what I can to stay he cancer-free is now my focus.

FOSTER: In March, Catherine announced that she had an unspecified form of cancer and it started preventative chemotherapy.

PRINCESS CATHERINE: And I'm now in the early stages of that treatment.

FOSTER: The news came after widespread speculation over her extended absence from public events.

Since then, updates on the princess's condition have been sparse. She's largely avoided the spotlight, making only two public appearances. Joining her family on the balcony of Buckingham palace for the trooping the colour ceremony in June and in the following month, accompanied by her daughter to the men's singles final at Wimbledon, where she received a standing ovation. Catherine expressed profound gratitude for the love and support that she felt whilst receiving treatment from both her family and the public.

PRINCESS CATHERINE: This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, that so many of us often take for granted as simply loving and being loved.

FOSTER: As she moves forward with how recovery, Catherine has declared her desire to be a beacon of hope and light for those facing that in battle with the disease. Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And our thanks to Max Foster for that report, and we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:57:29]

BLITZER: Finally, tonight, a loss for Hollywood and for this network. Actor James Earl Jones has died at age 93.

CNN's Richard Roth has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): James Earl Jones was a physically imposing actor.

JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR: I take it back. You're not in trouble. You are dead, where you stand.

ROTH: But it will be Jones's voice that audiences will long remember. Luke Skywalker learned that in the "Star Wars" series.

DARTH VADER: Luke, I am your father.

JONES: Then it became a big mystery, who is that? Who is that in inside the mask?

ROTH: A different actor played Vader, but director George Lucas realized he needed a villain with a more sinister voice.

JONES: He called me and said, do you want to do this work? I said, yeah.

LARRY KING, FORMER CNN HOST: A day's work?

JONES: Two-and-a-half hours. Yeah.

KING: That's all - all the Darth Vader languages and two-and-a-half- hours?

JONES: Yeah, few thousand dollars, then I went home.

DARTH VADER: A city destroyed the key.

JONES: The key to Darth Vader is narrow band of expression, no inflections. He's not human.

ROTH: Jones return to the role of the imperial villain throughout his career, even at age 91. And the Disney Plus series "Obi-Wan Kenobi".

DARTH VADER: You will suffer.

ROTH: Iin another memorable voice only role, Jones said just three words.

JONES: This is CNN.

What happened was that I did the Goodwill Games, they said, well, now can we do a CNN logo? And I came back with a supposition. It was so short. I mean, it took five minutes, right? And I forgot it.

ROTH: What is unforgettable is that this powerful actor with the deep authoritative voice had a speaking disability.

JONES: Starting with so embarrassing and really painful.

I went mute from the age of 8 to 14.

ROTH: Jones said a great teacher in high school who loved poetry helped him.

JONES: He discovered I wrote poetry and he got me to read my poetry in front the class. And when I did, it didn't stutter.

ROTH: As a teenager, Jones wanted to be a military officer. He eventually ended up in an American nuclear bomber in his first movie role. The instructions, attack the Soviet Union in "Dr. Strangelove"

A long list of screen roles would follow, including "Roots", "Coming to America", "Field of Dreams", "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", and "The Lion King".

The stage though, was his first love. Jones won a Tony Award in 1969 for "The Great White Hope", nominated too for an Oscar in the movie version.

Jones was part of an elite acting group. He won an Oscar, a Grammy, three Emmys, and three Tonys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, had he done it all in life?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Our thanks to Richard Roth for that report.

May James Earl Jones rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing?

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.