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Trump Urges Republicans To Vote By Mail Despite Years Of Opposition; Part Of Recorded Phone Call Between Jane Doe And Fraternity Member After Alleged Assault Released; Christa Pike Still On Ventilator After Execution Attempts. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired October 05, 2026 - 11:00   ET

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

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: -- means so much to me and to see your name hanging up there in the rafters with other legends. It's absolutely awesome. So happy for you and go Sabers, go Bills. As you say, Wolf, that's awesome stuff.

[11:00:12]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: You look so happy, Wolf. You were right in your element, weren't you?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: I just wish my Buffalo Bills would have won the game.

BROWN: They could still go all the way though, right?

BLITZER: We could go all the way. I say that every year.

BROWN: Every season. Happy for you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coy, thank you very, very much.

BROWN: All right. By the way, you look very comfortably in a sports announcer.

BLITZER: Yes, I could.

WIRE: Don't come get my job, Wolf. Do not take my job. You're doing just fine where you are.

BLITZER: They were really nice. It was a great interview. I enjoyed it a lot.

And the next hour, The Situation Room starts right now.

BROWN: Happening now, countdown to November 3rd. Democrats and Republicans are on the stump. New information about an important voting bloc that could impact the outcome of the midterms. Plus --

BLITZER: Plus, brand new information in the Cornell University rape investigation. CNN has new audio from a phone call between Jane Doe and one of her alleged assaulters. Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in The Situation Room.

We begin this hour with Republicans' urgent battle for the political map, with the midterm elections now less, less than one month away. President Trump is back out there on the campaign trail today, trying to shore up support in red states, red states where Republicans are in unexpectedly very tight races. And this comes amid major warning signs for the White House.

New NBC polling shows Democrats with significant gains among Latino voters. You'll recall that voting bloc was key to putting Trump back in office.

BROWN: Right now, 59 percent of Latino voters say that they prefer Democrats to win control of Congress. And with midterms fast approaching, President Trump is telling his base not to abandon the party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've defeated every hoax, we've overcome every threat, and now we are on the cusp of beating the communists, socialists, radicalized lunatics and villains once and for all we're going to put them down, once and for all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: All right, let's go to CNN senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak. Kevin, with Election Day less than a month out now, the President is clearly changing his message on early and mail-in voting. What's the latest?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, he's encouraging his supporters to do both of those things, despite saying in the past that they were rife with fraud, which I think gives you a sense of how Republicans are coming to recognize that they will need to find votes wherever they can get them if this November's election is not to turn into a bloodbath, as many polls are now predicting. Listen to what the President told his supporters about mail-in voting over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: If your state has early voting, do not wait. Go out and vote. Vote early, vote by mail, or vote in person on Election Day, November 3rd.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIPTAK: Now, that sounds a lot different from what the President has been saying over the last several years about mail-in voting. Remember, he tried to change the rules for how mail-in voting could occur before he was stymied by the Supreme Court. Here's just a sample of what he's been saying about it before this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary.

Mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt.

Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating. I call it mail-in cheating.

You can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots.

Mail-in ballots are a big fraud.

It gives people more time to vote illegally, let's say.

We, as a Republican Party, are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail-in ballots.

Anytime you have mail-in voting, you have corrupt elections.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIPTAK: So this has been a complete reversal, and I think it gives you a sense of the anxiety here at the White House and in the Republican Party that the President's supporters will just not go out and vote in November. That's part of the reason you see the President now hitting the campaign trail in earnest. But the places he's going, you know, Ohio, Alabama, Texas, today he's in Nebraska, these are all places that he won by double digits in 2024.

And so he's really trying to shore up enthusiasm among his own supporters, just as Republicans and as polls paint an increasingly grim picture for that party in November, Pamela.

BROWN: All right, Kevin Liptak, thanks so much.

BLITZER: And with the midterm elections just four weeks from tomorrow, we have a lot of ground to cover. So let's continue this conversation. Joining us now, Maria Cardona, the CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist. She's here in The Situation Room with us, along with Liam Donovan, a former aide at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

[11:05:11]

Maria, Latino voters, as you know, could hold incredible sway in these upcoming midterm elections on November 3rd. This NBC/Telemundo poll shows 59 percent right now prefer Democratic control of Congress to 35 percent who prefer Republican control. Do you believe Latino voters are motivated enough right now to turn out in very strong numbers?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I absolutely do, Wolf. And I have been, as you know, working on the Latino vote for many, many years in politics. And what I am seeing this year, and interestingly enough, it didn't just start this year, it started last year, is a huge movement from supporting Donald Trump and Republicans to supporting Democrats. And there's two reasons why. Latino voters feel a deep-seated betrayal on behalf of Trump and Republicans on two issues.

The first one, the economy. They heard during the '24 elections that Trump and Republicans were going to focus on bringing down the cost of groceries, gas, and rent, bringing down inflation, helping their families make ends meet. That's why so many, and in my view, way too many Latinos, went and voted for Trump. They trusted him on that.

On immigration, they trusted him when he said, we're going to go after the criminals, we're going to go after the most violent. And what they're seeing is they're going after their family. So many Latino families know someone, even people in their own family, who have either been detained or deported. To them, those are two issues on which they feel completely betrayed. So they are focusing on coming out to vote, protesting Trump and Republicans, and focusing on what Democrats are saying, which is they are the ones that are going to help them make ends meet and come up with a fair and humane way on carrying out immigration enforcement.

BROWN: So William, is it too late for Republicans to win back some Latino voters?

LIAM DONOVAN, FORMER AIDE, NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL CMTE.: We're in crunch time here. I think the reality is, whether you're talking about Latino voters or just voters at large, they are tuning in right now. So the good news is there is still time. We haven't gone to the polls yet. The bad news is it is not good. The facts are not great. I think, to Maria's point, affordability and cost of living is top of mind for all voters, Latino or otherwise.

The reason it hurts with Latino voters is the significant gains that Republicans have made, particularly in the Trump era, and Donald Trump himself has made. So I think the key there is convincing them that you have used this power that you've given over the last two years, reminding them of the accomplishments you've made, but pivoting hard to look at the Democrats and who they've put up. The candidates are at a step with what Hispanic voters are looking for, what they've tried to reward over the last several cycles.

I think that's the key is you tell them about what you've done. You don't try to fool them into thinking things are better than they are. But you have to say, look, the alternative is worse. The alternative is the, you know, progressive left, the DSA, the, you know, out-of- step, out-of-the-mainstream candidates that they're putting up.

CARDONA: You know what interesting about what Liam is saying. He's right. Republicans are really trying to smear Democrats, especially in Latino communities, with communism, socialism, but it's not working. We are seeing in polls that that message is completely falling flat because what these voters care about is when they are at the kitchen table, they can't afford their groceries, they can't afford to put gas in their cars to go to work.

There are Latino businesses that are falling apart because there are no customers. Why are there no customers? Because in Latino communities, people are afraid to even come out of their house because of the thug ICE agents that have come out to terrorize the communities. And so I think it's way too late for Republicans to try to fix this with Latinos.

What I will say to my own party is that once we win the House, hopefully the Senate as well, we have to demonstrate, not just to Latino voters, but to the American electorate in general, that we will know how to govern and meet the promises that we're talking about now.

BROWN: Every vote counts, right? There's been already a lot of early voting and now you have President Trump flip-flopping on mail-in ballots, Liam. I mean, he had been bashing this voting option as fraudulent. Now he's telling his supporters go out and vote early by mail. I mean, do you think his supporters will listen to him after he has so vigorously discredited mail-in ballots?

DONOVAN: I welcome this kind of flip-flop. This is exactly the kind of flip-flop that every Republican strategist wants.

BROWN: But like, is it going to work?

DONOVAN: It is the kind of thing where you always, I mean, the President is not burdened by the things he had said yesterday. If it advantages him and his party, he is going to say it. He's willing to do it. That is a good thing. It might be overdue, but this is the moment. I think we talk about Latino voters or any sort of swing voters. Right now, if you think about where the map is and where the majorities run through, it is red turf. So you need to get out the base. You need to go out.

[11:09:57]

The people that otherwise do want to vote Republican, do want to put that jersey on, you need to tell them, whatever mode is, it's safe, it is reliable. And, you know, if that means contradicting yourself, I don't think that's something that bothers him too much. We'll have to see. But they need every single vote they can get. This is a coalition that needs high turnout to win. That's the party that Republicans have turned into. You need to motivate these low propensity voters and get them to do it.

BLITZER: But I think it's fair to say that this flip-flop on mail-in ballots by the President of the United States indicates how worried he is right now. What will happen on November 3rd?

DONOVAN: Certainly, I think he's getting counsel from his political team who know how this works. And actually, they understand. Historically, Republicans, particularly in the states where they've figured it out, are very, very good at voting by mail. I also think the flip side is there's an asymmetry here. I've heard among Democrats, there's actually concerns because Donald Trump and his administration control the mail that maybe they're concerned. This is actually a place where Republicans could have an advantage that we haven't seen in recent cycles.

BLITZER: Quickly, before we let you go, this $90 check that the President says he's going to send to millions of Americans right now, what do you think? CARDONA: You know, that's interesting because we talk about how Trump is losing support among Latino voters. He's actually losing support among so many blocs of voters, including seniors. That used to be a reliable Republican bloc. He's losing support among seniors, which is now he's trying to bribe them with his $90 check. I'm still waiting for all of the other checks that he promised so many people since the moment that he took office.

BROWN: Ninety dollar checks to 20 million senior Americans enrolled in Medicare. Very quickly, as we wrap up, Liam, which traditionally red states are you most worried about for the midterms?

DONOVAN: I think the ones you need to be concerned about are in the Midwest, where they're feeling the pain of the tariffs and diesel costs are high.

BROWN: And how worried are you of Kansas, the race with Roger Marshall?

DONOVAN: I don't worry about Kansas. I think the moves into Kansas, you have to remember, are diminishing returns. There's been so much money spent on the states we knew were going to be competitive. To spend a few million in a cheap market like Kansas, that's a good, smart, efficient use of resources. But I'm looking at the middle of the country. You're looking at Iowa. You're looking at Ohio. Those are places where Republicans should win, and I feel good about it if they can run through the tape, but that is the place where the mood is sour and frustrations abound when it comes to cost of living.

CARDONA: The fact that we're even talking about those red, red, ruby red states, red is my blazer, shows you just what big trouble Trump and Republicans are in.

BROWN: All right, Maria Cardona, Liam Donovan, great to have you both on.

CARDONA: Thank you.

BLITZER: And happening now, growing anger toward Cornell University over the way it handled an alleged gang rape some two years ago. The accuser's attorney now says his client Jane Doe is getting threats if she doesn't drop her civil lawsuit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With that, per the temporary suspension, she is barred from any of the grounds owned, operated, or maintained by Cornell University.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: And breaking news, portions of a recorded phone call between Jane Doe and a fraternity member are surfacing this morning, and I think our Jason Carroll is standing by, hopefully, to bring us the latest on all different kinds of fronts here in the Cornell case. Jason? JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, what you were talking about, of course, is coming from "ABC News," which this morning reported that they have a phone conversation that took place between Jane Doe and one of the accused fraternity members. This call, secretly recorded, and in addition to that, took place about three weeks after the alleged attack took place at the house that night back in 2024.

And I want to just read some of it to you, some of this conversation. Apparently, Jane Doe said during this conversation, there's so much damage on my body and brain. At another point saying, if I wanted to take this somewhere, what you all did would be classified as gang rape. You already knew when I came in, I was 10 shots deep. Of course, referring to allegations that she had been drinking heavily that night. In addition to that, had been given the drug ketamine and also marijuana.

I also want to let you take a quick listen to some of the other recorded conversation. Again, this coming from "ABC News" this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You did tell me you were sober, by the way. You did. You said you hadn't been anywhere.

I have wrecked my brain for this mystery. But, you know, it's possible that both of us like remember this and it's not true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: And again, in addition to the recorded conversation that you just heard there, Pamela, in addition to that, at one point, another part of the conversation went like this. I remember looking up and being like, that is too many people. Again, this coming from Jane Doe also saying, do you remember how many of these guys walked into the room?

So again, this audio coming from and these transcripts coming to us from "ABC News," as you know, throughout this case, there's been, you know, a lot of criticism coming from the Cornell community, directed at the university, directed at the district attorney, the Tompkins County District Attorney for his initial handling of the case. Much of that criticism saying there has not been a lot of transparency in terms of how this investigation has gone forward.

[11:15:21]

And now it seems as if in terms of transparency, you're getting some of these leaks that are coming out about some of what was said and some of what was recorded. Pamela?

BROWN: All right.

BLITZER: And Jason, it's Wolf, thank you very much, Jason Carroll reporting for us. Still ahead, the U.S. is pulling its bombers from a key base in the United Kingdom after an unspecified threat. So what could this mean for the war with Iran? We'll speak with Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer, who's standing by.

BROWN: And Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike is still in a ventilator after a failed attempt to put her to death. We'll talk with one of the people who witnessed this botched execution. You're in The Situation Room and we'll be right back.

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[11:20:29]

BROWN: Happening now, Tennessee's head of corrections is resigning after the botched execution of Christa Pike last week. Pike was given two doses of a drug meant to kill her. She survived and is now in the hospital on a ventilator. Here's what her lawyer told CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN FERRELL, CHRISTA PIKE'S LAWYER: At the very least the governor should commute Ms. Pike's death sentence to a life sentence at the very least. We had already asked that the governor commute her for many good reasons. I think she's spent over 30 years in prison, most of that in solitary confinement, only to be taken out and not executed but tried to execute her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: CNN has learned that Frank Strada from the State's Department of Correction had a history of execution missteps before Christa Pike. With us now is Tori Gessner. She is the state capital reporter for WKRN-TV in Nashville. She was also one of the media witnesses at the attempted execution. Thanks for being here with us. If you would just bring us up to speed first off on how Christa Pike is doing. What's the with her?

TORI GESSNER, STATE CAPITOL REPORTER, WKRN: Well, thanks for having me and really we don't know much about her condition other than she was rushed to the hospital after that failed execution, put on a ventilator, she was unconscious. Her attorneys say she's in critical condition but really that is all we know up to this point.

BROWN: And you are one of the witnesses to the execution. Can you take us through what that experience was like?

GESSNER: Yes I mean where do I begin? In the morning the execution was supposed to start at 10:00. Then we got word about an hour before that that there was a stay issued in the court. So we were waiting inside the prison without our phones, without anything, four hours until up until about 6:00 p.m. local time we got word that the execution would go through. So we're taken into the chamber about an hour later and we are sitting there with the curtains closed. We can only here a little bit. There was like a little whimper maybe once or twice but at that time my understanding is the medical team is trying to insert the I.V. The media does not get to see that part so. Normally that takes 10 to 15 minutes. It took almost an hour. The curtains finally open. We see Christa Pike lying there with her spiritual advisor. She is singing, smiling at times. She says her last words. She talks about how she spent her life in love and that's how she'll go out and she mentioned her haters and then the process gets underway and typically it takes about 20 minutes and then, you know, the death time is pronounced and 30 minutes pass and I'm kind of looking around at other media witnesses who have seen executions in the past and we are just whispering this is taking a while.

Then the curtains close when she is very much still breathing. She's making that snoring noise and a lot of people have said it's agonal breathing. I'm not a medical expert but to me it sounded like consistent snoring. The curtains open about three minutes later and they start the process again which is very rare. I mean pentobarbital given in this dose is should be lethal and we understand she got two doses. The curtains close again and she is consistently snoring. We're sitting there in the room with the curtains closed at this point for almost an hour until 8:53 then we're escorted out.

BROWN: Wow. So much to process for you as a journalist who is there witnessing part of this. Do you have any idea of what the state plans to do now?

GESSNER: Well, Governor Lee has issued a pause on all executions for the rest of the year. There was just one scheduled for December. He's also called a third-party review. The former U.S. attorney Ed Stanton out of the western Tennessee district will be conducting that investigation to figure out exactly what went wrong. But as far as a future execution date for Christa Pike or for any of the inmates on death row that is to be determined.

BROWN: And Strada was brought in to actually reform the state's execution system right? How much is a -- is this a problem for the governor there who brought him in?

GESSNER: Well, Tennessee has had a history of some issues with the execution and the lethal injection. Back in 2023 I believe the state was caught not testing the lethal drugs before administering them and there was an inmate said to be executed. I mean he was on the gurney ready to go and the governor hit pause. The state took years to rewrite their death penalty protocol and they came out very confident with this pentobarbital protocol saying that this is consistent, it works, it's essentially foolproof and this will be a good way moving forward to execute inmates.

[11:25:10]

And then back in May you have what some people call another botched execution in Tennessee with Tony Carruthers, medical staff could not find his vein. So that execution was called off. And then you have Christa Pike in late September. There are a history of issues and then of course that TDOC commissioner resigning but yes he was brought on to repair all of this.

BROWN: All right Tori Gessner thank you for coming on.

GESSNER: Thank you.

BROWN: Wolf?

BLITZER: Well she knows her stuff.

Up next, what's next for Caleb Flynn the former American Idol contestant who's now a convicted murderer. We'll have the latest on the sentencing just ahead.

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