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State of the Union

Interview With Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA); Interview With Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA); Interview With Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH). Aired 9-10a ET

Aired September 15, 2024 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:52]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN HOST (voice-over): Road map. After a fiery debate, Kamala Harris tries to press her advantage.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (D) AND U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We actually have a plan, not just concepts.

BASH: While Donald Trump doubles down on distractions.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (R) AND CURRENT U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I also heard she had something in the ear.

BASH: What is the Trump strategy? Vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance joins me.

And Keystone is key. With seven weeks to go, Trump's campaign lays out their must-win states, as Kamala Harris makes her own focus clear.

HARRIS: Good to be back in Pennsylvania.

BASH: But have Democrats lost ground there since the last election? I will ask Governor Josh Shapiro ahead.

Plus: at his word. As an Ohio city faces threats, Donald Trump spreads a rumor with no evidence...

TRUMP: They're eating the dogs.

BASH: ... and defends a far right conspiracy theorist.

TRUMP: She's a free spirit.

BASH: Will he listen as some in his own party object? Our panel of experts are here to break it down.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Hello. I'm Dana Bash in Washington, where the state of our union is doing the math.

We are 51 days from the election, and together with their running mates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are focusing on the states that will decide the next president, with the race apparently deadlocked after what could be the only Harris/Trump debate.

But Donald Trump is also doubling down on a baseless claim that he made at the debate, that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating people's pets. Local officials and the state's Republican governor say there is absolutely no evidence of that claim, and they are warning it is actually hurting their city.

Springfield, Ohio, is facing a fourth day of threats over the claims that have forced a college, hospitals, and schools to lock down. Meanwhile, Springfield police say they received two calls about Proud Boys marching through the city.

Here's how Donald Trump responded to the controversy over Haitians who, I want to note, are in the U.S. legally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I don't know what happened with the bomb threats. I know that it's been taken over by illegal migrants, and that's a terrible thing that happened.

Springfield was this beautiful town, and now they're going through hell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Here with me now is Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who represents Ohio in the U.S. Senate.

Thank you for being here, sir.

So the mayor of Springfield, Ohio, Rob Rue, said -- quote -- "All these federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they're hurting our city, and it was their words that did it."

Before Donald Trump talked about eating dogs and cats on a debate stage, it was you, Senator, who first elevated this baseless rumor. These are your constituents. So, why are you putting them at risk by continuing to spread claims about Haitian immigrants, despite officials in your state saying that there's no evidence and pleading for you to stop?

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Dana, first of all, what's putting the residents of Springfield at risk, which was a town completely ignored by the American media until Donald Trump and I started surfacing some of these concerns, is that they can't afford housing, they can't afford health care.

The schools have been overwhelmed. The hospitals have been overwhelmed. And they're overwhelmed because Kamala Harris allowed 20,000 Haitian migrants to get dropped into a small Ohio town of about 40,000 people, and it's completely overwhelmed the services. Now, you ask, why have I talked about some of the things that I have

been talking about? Let me just say this. My constituents have brought approximately a dozen separate concerns to me. Ten of them are verifiable and confirmable, and a couple of them I talk about because my constituents are telling me firsthand that they're seeing these things.

So I have two options, Dana. I could ignore them, which is what the American media has done for years to this community, or I can actually talk about what people are telling me. And, of course, many of the things that the media says are completely baseless have since been confirmed.

[09:05:04]

For example, I was told, Dana, that the American -- by the American media that it was baseless that migrants were capturing the geese from the local park pond and eating them. And yet there are 911 calls from well before this ever became a viral sensation of people complaining about that exact thing happening.

So my attitude is, listen to my constituents. Sometimes, they're going to say things that people don't like, but they're saying things that people don't like because their town has been overwhelmed, and it's my job to try to fight for them and to protect them.

Kamala Harris opened the border, and now these people are suffering. That's what I'm focused on, Dana.

BASH: Senator, I have to go through several things that you just said.

First of all, the Clark County sheriff and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reviewed 11 months of 911 calls. They only identified two instances of people alleging Haitians were taking geese out of parks. They found zero evidence to substantiate those claims.

Also, other evidence that you have talked about, even you have retweeted, alleged evidence, are unsourced social media videos from a different city, apparently no connection to Haitians. And this is from a conservative activist who offered a $5,000 reward for such things.

And then going just back to the schools and the hospitals and so forth being overwhelmed, nobody is disputing that the town of Springfield, Ohio, needs help.

But you're not just a bystander. You're the senator from Ohio. So instead of saying things that are wrong and actually causing the hospitals, the schools, the government buildings to be evacuated because of bomb threats because of the cats and dogs thing, why not actually be constructive and helping to better integrate them into the community?

Because there are a lot of employers there who say that the Haitian workers are helping fill jobs that they need desperately filled.

VANCE: Dana, first of all, let me just respond to a couple of things that you said.

But I want to start with something you said, which I think is, frankly, disgusting and is more appropriate for a Democratic propagandist than it is for an American journalist.

There is nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals. These hospitals, the bomb threats and so forth, it's disgusting. The violence is disgusting. We condemn it. We condemn all violence and threats of violence.

BASH: Senator, this happened after you and President Trump were on -- on the debate stage said that cats and dogs were being eaten.

VANCE: But to say -- no, no, no, Dana, no, Dana, to say -- Dana, no, you asked -- you asked a question, Dana. And I'm going to go ahead and answer it.

BASH: And after that -- after that, there were threats.

VANCE: And I'm going to go ahead and answer it.

What we have said is that this town has suffered terribly under the problem -- under the policies of Kamala Harris. Now, you just accused me of inciting violence against the community, when all that I have done is surface the complaints of my constituents, people who are suffering because of Kamala Harris' policies.

Are we not allowed to talk about these problems because some psychopaths are threatening violence? We can condemn the violence on the one hand, but also talk about the terrible consequences of Kamala Harris' open border on the other hand.

Now, let me just fact-check a couple of other things that you said, Dana, because it's important. You said that all of these migrants are in the country legally. They're in the country through what's called temporary protective status.

BASH: Right.

VANCE: That is when Kamala Harris waved a magic amnesty wand, taking people and giving them legal status. That is not a -- that is not to say that they're here legally. That is a terrible indictment of her amnesty policies that have further opened the border and further caused terrible migration into this country.

BASH: But they're not -- but it's not illegal. You might be -- you might not agree with the policy -- and, obviously you don't, which is totally fair and legitimate. There are policy disagreements all the time.

But the fact is it is the law because President Biden and Vice President Harris are...

VANCE: Dana -- the point is, Dana...

BASH: But I don't want to get -- I don't want to, frankly, go down this conversation about policy, because -- no.

VANCE: No, no, no, Dana, I -- I -- you made -- you made a point. You don't -- I agree, you don't want to talk about policy, Dana, which is why you're talking about other distractions, instead of about the fact that...

BASH: No, what I want to talk about -- what I want to talk about -- Senator, it was your distraction. You were the one who started talking about eating dogs and cats.

VANCE: ... Kamala Harris, Dana, granted amnesty at a mass level. She granted amnesty at a mass level.

BASH: You were the one who brought this up.

VANCE: Dana, my constituents were the ones who talked about eating dog and cats.

BASH: The president said it to 60 million people.

VANCE: And I talked about it because you were ignoring this community.

My constituents talked about it.

BASH: Have you been to Springfield?

VANCE: It is my responsibility to surface their concerns when the American media ignore them.

BASH: Have you been to Springfield?

VANCE: Dana, I have been to Springfield probably 100 times in my life.

BASH: How about recently, since you have heard this...

VANCE: I have taken my children to get ice cream at Young's Jersey Dairy.

BASH: Have you heard -- recently since you have gotten these calls?

VANCE: Have I been in the last four days?

BASH: No, I'm talking about...

VANCE: No, I haven't been in the last four days.

BASH: ... since you have gotten these calls from the constituents.

VANCE: But I have talked to a lot of people in Springfield, Dana, and they're telling me this stuff is happening.

Dana, would you like to ask me questions and then let me answer them, or would you like to debate me on these topics?

[09:10:05]

I noticed that when you had Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you gave them multiple choice answers to the questions that you asked and you allowed them to answer the questions. I'm happy to here -- to be here to talk about policy, but if you're going to interrupt me every single time that I open my mouth, then why am I even doing this?

So, please, ask a question and I'd ask you to be polite enough to let me answer it.

BASH: Yes. Yes, I am. And I think that if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were making unsubstantiated claims that had racist undertones about people eating dogs and cats, I would -- and they didn't answer the questions about that, then I would have similar interactions with them.

As you know, I am very grateful that you come on the show, as I am for other Republicans. But this is something that I -- you're hearing from constituents. I did a lot of reporting. I talked to people in Ohio over the weekend. And they're really worried about these claims.

The policies, yes, I am agreeing with you that what I heard is that there is concern that these migrants, there's a lot of them and the integration isn't being done fast enough and well enough. And that's a totally legitimate conversation.

But there are other conversations that are happening, like Aiden Clark, who is an 11-year-old boy who was killed in Springfield last year. It was a car accident involving a Haitian immigrant. You said that he was murdered. His father said that's not true. It was an accident.

Here's what he said to you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATHAN CLARK, FATHER OF ACCIDENT VICTIM: Politicians, Bernie Moreno, Chip Roy, J.D. Vance and Donald Trump, they have spoken my son's name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now. They are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio.

I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Senator, he's asking for you to apologize. Will you?

VANCE: Dana, first of all, my heart goes out to the Clark family, and I don't bring their son's name up because they have clearly expressed a preference for politicians to not bring their son's name up.

I wish them all the best. I can't believe what kind of a tragedy they have experienced, but I'm still going to keep on talking about what the migrants have done to Springfield, Ohio, and what Kamala Harris' open border has done to Springfield, Ohio. And, Dana, I think this illustrates the entire contrast between how

we're trying to go about this debate and how a lot of the Democrats are trying to go about this debate. They're talking about 12 Proud Boys marching in Springfield, Ohio.

They're talking about the, frankly, fake debunkings of a lot of these stories that are out there. I'm talking to my constituents and I'm hearing terrible things about what's going on in Springfield, and Kamala Harris' open border policies have caused these problems.

The hospitals are overwhelmed, Dana. The schools are overwhelmed. The local services are completely overwhelmed. You have people who can't afford housing. Homelessness has gone up. Murders are up by 81 percent because of what Kamala Harris has allowed to happen to this small community.

I'm going to keep on talking about that. Now, of course, we can criticize violence. We can also still talk about the problems that are happening in Springfield, and we should be able to do both those things simultaneously, Dana.

BASH: Just once and for all, you, again, started this in part by saying that -- which Donald Trump repeated on the debate stage, that -- and he didn't say anything about the policies that you're talking about. He just said, Haitians are eating dogs and cats.

Can you affirmatively say now that that is a rumor that has no basis with evidence?

VANCE: Dana, the evidence is the firsthand account of my constituents who are telling me that this happened.

And, by the way, I have been trying to talk about the problems in Springfield for months, and the American media ignored it. There was a congressional hearing just last week of Angel moms who lost children because Kamala Harris let criminal migrants into this country who then murdered their children.

The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes.

BASH: But it wasn't just a meme, sir.

VANCE: If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.

You had one interview with her. You talk about pushing back against me, Dana. You didn't push back against the fact that she cast the deciding vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which is why a lot of Americans can't afford food and housing.

BASH: You just said that you're creating a story.

VANCE: We ought to be talking about public policy. [09:15:05]

BASH: Sir, you just said that you're creating the story.

VANCE: What's that, Dana?

BASH: You just said that this is a story that you created...

VANCE: Yes.

BASH: So, the eating dogs and cats thing is not accurate.

VANCE: We are creating -- we are -- Dana, it comes from firsthand accounts from my constituents.

I say that we're creating a story, meaning we're creating the American media focusing on it. I didn't create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield, thanks to Kamala Harris' policies. Her policies did that, but yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris' policies.

BASH: Do you condemn the Proud Boys, even if it's just 12, even if it's just one marching in Springfield?

VANCE: Dana, I condemn all white supremacists. I'm obviously not -- I'm married to a non-white person. I don't like these people, but I think that we have to keep our focus, not on 12 marchers going down the street, but on the fact that thousands of residents have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris' policy.

I find this very unusual, Dana, that the American media is more interested in a bunch of losers marching down the street than they are in the fact that Kamala Harris has made these people's lives worse. I'm not talking about 12 Proud Boys. I'm talking about 40,000 residents, 40,000 constituents of mine, many of whom can't afford housing and food because of Kamala Harris' open border.

That is what I want to focus the media's attention on. We're going to keep on doing it,because I think the American people deserve a government that puts their interests first.

BASH: Just to...

VANCE: Can I make just one more final point about this, Dana?

You have heard a lot of the media focusing on every possible distraction from the story in Springfield. You have heard them focus on these Proud Boys marchers. You have heard just in this interview, Dana, the suggestion that because some psychopath is calling in a bomb threat, somehow, we have to then ignore 40,000 Springfieldians...

BASH: That's not what I suggested.

VANCE: ... who are having their lives worsened by Kamala Harris' policies. Well, what is the implication, Dana?

BASH: Yes.

VANCE: I would actually love to have this conversation right now live on air.

BASH: Right.

VANCE: What is the implication when you say you calling out these problems has caused a bomb threat? You accused me of causing a bomb threat.

Doesn't that mean you should shut up about the residents of Springfield? Don't you realize you're engaged in basic propaganda to silence the concerns of American citizens? Please.

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: I was quoting the actual mayor of Springfield, Ohio, begging after the -- he said after the bomb threats begging federal officials, you, to please stop putting negative attention on his city.

And I'm not talking about the policies. I'm not talking about the very real challenges that Springfield has. I'm talking about baseless rumors about Haitians eating dogs and cats. And that -- after that was said on a debate stage, that is when these bomb threats started. And that is a fact.

Senator, I just want to move on. I have two other quick issues separate from this that I want to talk to you about.

VANCE: Dana, again...

BASH: Go ahead. Please go ahead.

VANCE: I think this is actually -- I think this is an important conversation.

BASH: OK.

VANCE: Look, the Springfield mayor, he's dealing with a lot of terrible things. I certainly sympathize with the guy and we're going to try to help him out.

But he did not accuse me of inciting a bomb threat. He just didn't. And if we're going to take the firsthand accounts of people who are on the ground in Springfield, why don't you bring on some of the people on your program who say that the migrants are eating their pets?

You're applying a double standard here. You're saying if one person accuses J.D. Vance, I'm going to take that person's word as the gospel truth, even if you misrepresent it.

BASH: You have somebody who is named? VANCE: If you have another person who's saying they're eating the cats, you're going to completely ignore them, attack them, silence them and harass them.

That double standard is why that people don't trust the media and why we're not talking about public policy 51 days out from a presidential election.

BASH: OK. If you have somebody you want to tell us about who has proof that somebody ate their cat, of course, we want to hear that. We certainly have had no evidence that that is actually something that happened.

And I just want to say I have not accused you of anything. I am quoting the mayor, who said: "After these bomb threats, federal politicians are negatively spinning our city. They need to know they are hurting our city. It was their words that did it."

OK? That's -- I'm quoting him. And it is -- it seems to be a cause and effect.

VANCE: Dana, roll -- roll the tape. You just accused me of inciting a bomb threat. There is no evidence of this.

I condemn violence and threats of violence.

BASH: I'm glad.

VANCE: We should be able to do that and also still talk about what's going on in Springfield.

[09:20:02]

BASH: OK, I'm glad to hear that you condemn it. That is very important.

We had a lot of other issues to get to. But I really hope that you do come back, so we can talk about other issues.

VANCE: Sure.

BASH: Senator, thank you so much.

VANCE: Thanks, Dana.

BASH: Up next: a key state for both campaigns in the race to 270.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro will join me.

And who has a clearer path to victory with just 51 days to go? A pollster will join my panel ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to STATE OF THE UNION. Vice President Kamala Harris is headed back to Pennsylvania on Tuesday

after spending time in rural Republican areas there last week trying to expand her vote total in perhaps the most critical state this November.

Here with me now is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who is campaigning for Harris in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania later today. I have a lot to get to, but, first, your response to what you heard from Senator J.D. Vance.

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): I mean, Dana, that was bonkers.

Listen, the governor of Ohio, the mayor of that town in Ohio has said this is all made up, these are all lies, there is no truth to it.

And the United States senator from Ohio just came on your show and blamed his own constituents for his own lies.

This guy is so pathetic. But the thing is, it is dangerous. There is a causal connection between the B.S. that J.D. Vance and Donald Trump spew and the safety and security of the American people. When they go out and they lie about this stuff, they put their fellow Americans at risk.

J.D. Vance should be ashamed of himself. He knows better. I mean, this guy, whether he's on your show or he's in some sports bar, where -- I mean, by the way, a total pick me in that sports bar the other day -- he just doesn't understand the power of his words, the power of his lies.

And those lies are putting people at risk. This is dangerous stuff. I know it started because they wanted to just distract the American people from their failed policies and their chaos. But this has now taken on a life of its own because of what they incited. And people's lives are at risk because of J.D. Vance.

This guy should know better. It's shameful what he did.

BASH: Governor, I want to turn to what's happening in your state.

I want you to listen to what a voter who was undecided said to CNN after the debate there. And this voter is in Erie, Pennsylvania.

[09:25:08]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My life was better when Trump was in office. The economy was higher. Inflation was lower. Things were better overall, and now with Kamala's administration, things haven't been so fantastic.

And she's saying she can fix the problems that her administration has caused, but I just don't know if I can afford to take that risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BASH: What do you say to that voter and others like her in Pennsylvania, who just felt like they had more money in their pocket when Donald Trump was president?

SHAPIRO: Yes.

Look, I talk to folks in Erie and all across Pennsylvania every day who face challenges and feel as though they're struggling economically. It's, by the way, Dana, one of the reasons why we have cut taxes four times in Pennsylvania for seniors, for families who are trying to afford childcare, for small businesses.

We understand the importance of cutting costs and putting money back in Pennsylvanians' pockets. And I think if you listen to what the vice president laid out in her debate and in her commentary since and prior to that, she's got an economic plan to put money back in people's pockets as well.

She's talking about cutting the costs of childcare. She's talking about cutting taxes for small businesses. She's talking about opening up the doors of opportunity to more Pennsylvanians, more Americans by eliminating the college degree requirement that opens up the doors for more jobs to more people.

By the way, Dana, that was the first executive order I signed as governor here in Pennsylvania. And it's worked. It's created more opportunities for Pennsylvanians.

So, I think the vice president clearly understands the need to put money back in people's pockets, the need to cut costs, the economic anxieties people are facing. And she's put forth plans to do that. Donald Trump has put forth no plans to actually do that, except cutting taxes for people who are at the very top of our income brackets and actually increasing the burden through his tariff policies on the middle class.

So I don't blame my constituent in Erie County for raising those issues. But I think, if you examine the policies and plans put forth by the vice president, I think they're right on point.

BASH: You are leading a rally for Vice President Harris this morning on reproductive rights. She didn't give a direct answer during the debate on whether she supports any restrictions on abortion, only saying that she supports Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the right to an abortion up to fetal viability, but it didn't impose any limits.

Now, your home state, Pennsylvania, of course, as you know, bans abortions after 24 weeks. Should Kamala Harris support any legal limits on abortion?

SHAPIRO: Well, I think she makes clear she wants to codify Roe, which had some boundaries to it.

I think what's important to remember here is, under Donald Trump, freedom was ripped away from millions of women across this country. They lost the ability to simply make decisions over their own bodies. And while here in Pennsylvania, I'm continuing to defend that right and protect women across the commonwealth, we are seeing right here in Pennsylvania the effect of Trump's abortion bans.

We have seen a significant increase in the number of women coming from neighboring states, particularly West Virginia, where they have a ban into our clinics in Pittsburgh. And don't get me wrong, we're happy to provide reproductive health care and all forms of health care for women who come across the border from West Virginia into Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.

BASH: Governor...

SHAPIRO: But the reality is, Trump's abortion bans are hurting women across Pennsylvania.

BASH: Governor, I...

SHAPIRO: We need to codify Roe, and that's what Kamala Harris wants to do.

BASH: And I appreciate that you're talking about what Donald Trump did with Roe and what he -- I'm not really sure entirely what he wants to do now, but the question is what her position is and what it should be.

And it's -- do -- the question is, do you believe that it would be better for her or important for her to have any position that also includes limits on abortion?

SHAPIRO: Well, I think she will speak for herself as to what those limits ought to be.

But, remember, codifying Roe provides some of those limits, something that millions of women and Americans, I think, had accepted as settled law until Trump's Supreme Court went and ripped away those freedoms from women across this country.

And I think what most Pennsylvanians want, clearly, and what we have seen at the polling places over and over and over again with the number of candidates who are for obliterating Roe, as Donald Trump was, is loss after loss after loss.

What we're seeing is women want the freedom to be able to make decisions over their own bodies. Kamala Harris will bring back that freedom. Donald Trump wants to continue to rip away more of our freedoms.

[09:30:02]

BASH: Do you support the 24 -- I know it's the law of the land there, but do you support the 24-week limit?

SHAPIRO: I support Pennsylvania law. And I'm continuing to protect women's rights here in our commonwealth.

BASH: I want to ask about something that Democratic Senator Chris Murphy was saying. He said on CNN over the weekend, he said that a big part of the appeal of MAGA is that people feel connected to a community and that Democrats aren't really giving that kind of alternative.

Listen to a little bit more of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): But I think sometimes we get lost by thinking that our only job is to try to increase the health of the economy. Do you feel part of a community, something bigger than yourself?

And I think we have done a really bad job of delivering that kind of purpose and meaning to people, even as we have done a better job of making sure that people have rising wages.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Do you think he's right?

SHAPIRO: I mean, I have got a lot of respect for Senator Murphy. I'm not sure I understand the full context of where he was going with that.

I can tell you that I travel all across his commonwealth all the time, rural, urban, suburban communities. And Pennsylvanians are a large, diverse, wonderful community, but all basically want the same four things, right?

No matter where you go, they want good schools for their kids and grandkids. They want safe communities to live in. They want to make sure that they have got opportunity, particularly economic opportunity, in the communities that they love. They shouldn't have to move somewhere else to find that opportunity.

And they want their rights and their freedoms protected. I think those things bond us and bind us together. And those are the things I work on hard every day here in the commonwealth.

BASH: Last question. How likely is it at this point that Kamala Harris will win Pennsylvania?

SHAPIRO: Well, every election is close in Pennsylvania. 2016 was about 44,000 votes. 2020 was 80,000 votes. A point or less decided each of those elections.

I fully expect this to be a close election. I will tell you, I think the vice president has got some real wind at her back. And what I'm taking note of is in communities that are often ignored and left behind, Kamala Harris is showing up.

Just a couple of days ago, she was in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and then in Wilkes-Barre a few hours later. These are communities that oftentimes feel ignored by national Democrats. She's showing up and, by the way, getting great crowds. And I'm feeling real enthusiasm. There's something to be said for the person who not only votes for the

vice president, but is willing to put that sign on their lawn, willing to wear that T-shirt or maybe even that Taylor Swift friendship bracelet. It sends a message to their friends and neighbors that they're for Kamala Harris. They like her positions. They think she's the right person to lead us forward.

And so I think what I'm seeing more and more of is not just the folks who are lining up to vote for her, but those who are enthusiastic about her candidacy in communities that oftentimes are not enthusiastic about Democratic candidates and encouraging their neighbors to be for them as well.

So I'm really hopeful, I'm really optimistic, but it's going to be close here in the Keystone State.

BASH: Governor Josh Shapiro, thank you so much for being here. I appreciate it.

SHAPIRO: Great to be with you. Thanks, Dana.

BASH: And up next: She is attacking Kamala Harris' ethnicity. Donald Trump calls her a free spirit. Congressman Ro Khanna joins my panel to respond next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:38:08]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're taking the geese and even walking off with their pets. My dog's been taken.

Somebody's got to explain this one. There's a radical left Marxist, communist fascist.

HARRIS: I truly believe that America is ready to turn the page on the politics of division and hate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Welcome back to STATE OF THE UNION. My panel joins me now.

Scott Jennings, I'm going to have you kick it off with your assessment of where we are right now. And when I -- right now, I mean in this hour.

(LAUGHTER)

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: In this hour? Oh.

(LAUGHTER)

JENNINGS: Well, great question. Well, look, this immigration issue is important to the Trump campaign.

Brenda can probably tell us a little bit about it from the data that she sees. But it's vital that they win on this issue and that it becomes and remains one of the top topics.

And the truth of the matter, is we are dealing with immigration problems in towns along the border, in towns in Ohio and New York City, for goodness' sakes. So it's not like isolated to one part of the country. And I do think there are communities all over that want to have a legitimate conversation about, what are the impacts of a permissive immigration structure?

So the impulse to talk about it, I think is correct. I think we may be down a rabbit hole, or a cat hole here in this case, on the other story. But if they can't elevate and win on immigration, it's going to be hard to get there. So that's the impetus to do it.

ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Sure., Right. It's an issue that we need to talk about. And we have for some time.

I get nervous about how J.D. Vance and Donald Trump are talking about it right now, because their words are powerful. They are leaders of their party. And when people call in a bomb threat to a small town in Springfield, Ohio, why are they calling in a bomb threat? And what is behind that violent act, right?

[09:40:05]

It is to erase immigrants. And so let's solve the problem without trying to erase these human beings. Let's figure out how they can have pathways to citizenship. And I guess, at the debate night, you're right, they're not winning on this issue right now, because they're not talking about it like responsible adults.

And I hope the American people realize that we do need some solutions. But Donald Trump isn't trying to lead towards solutions. He's just doing what he always does, which is add fuel to the fire. And his running mate is joining along with it, rather than -- and killing bills, rather than trying to find solutions.

And they're using language that is rather dangerous.

BASH: Brenda, what are you seeing in the data? You're a pollster.

BRENDA GIANINY, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Yes.

So this obviously is an eye-rolling topic and very disturbing. But I think there's a clear reason that we're talking about it and why they're using this kind of language. I mean, immigration has fallen out of headlines. We're no longer seeing chaos at the border, throngs of immigrants trying to cross the southern border.

And this is a winning issue for Trump. If you look at the data, over half of Americans now say the level of immigration should be decreased, legal and illegal. You have 50 percent of Americans, including a third of Democrats. So this is a this is an issue where Donald Trump is winning. It will

really blow the mind of the Democrats. Half of America now supports Trump's border wall. That has changed dramatically over the last three years. So the more we're talking about immigration, the better it is for Donald Trump.

And Springfield is a good example of what's happened over the last three years. You have a town of 58,000 that has seen 15,000 new immigrants over the last three years. It's a good example. And it reminds voters what is happening to communities, to public services, to schools because of this influx.

And here we are talking about it on a Sunday morning. So I think Donald Trump has accomplished his -- or J.D. Vance, who I think, first floated this story, has accomplished the mission.

BASH: Well, I want you to weigh in, Congressman. And as you do, I just want to add another layer to this, because what -- again, just like I said to Senator Vance, what you said is true.

I spend a lot of time talking to people in your home state of Ohio. And they do have challenges when it comes to integrating an influx of people into the community, especially with language barriers and things like that.

But that -- the cat and dog thing really did put people at risk. Then, on top of that, it's the Laura Loomer of it all. She's a -- I wouldn't even call her necessarily a conservative activist. She's a conspiracist. And among the things that she tweeted was: "If Kamala Harris wins, the White House will smell like curry and White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center."

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Let me start with that Senator Vance interview.

Free advice to Senator Vance. Telling you to shut up is probably not going to help the gender gap he has. He's got all of Trump's anger without any of Trump's humor or charm, just in terms of presentation. There's a reason he's negative-15 in his favorabilities.

And the sad thing is, look, Springfield, Ohio, has real issues. you know what that issue is? That we hollowed out their manufacturing. Both parties did. We sent the jobs overseas. They don't have new industry. And let's talk about how we actually bring industry there, instead of blaming people in this country.

In terms of the tweet, I tweeted back and I said, I'm looking forward to having masala chai in the White House. It's actually really good. And whoever's president, I highly recommend it.

If Laura Loomer wants to come to Fremont, we can have some masala chai.

But this -- as a son of immigrants, this country is extraordinary because immigrants tend to be patriotic. My parents told me, go make good grades, work hard, of course, learn English, learn about the history. And that's what Ronald Reagan understood and celebrated.

BASH: Well, and just for the record, I'm a big girl. Anybody can tell me to shut up if they want to. I do want to try to be polite to my guests.

JENNINGS: Well, this Loomer issue, Trump started to try to put a little distance between him and her this week, and obviously in a statement.

But these are the kinds of distractions that -- again, that there's a way to win the race: I'm the candidate of change. I was better on the economy. I'm going to fix the border.

You win on those three things, you're going to win the race. Every day you're talking about something else or you're distracted by something else or someone else or some other issue is a lost day. You don't have that many days ago. We have got polling this morning. He is a little bit behind in the national...

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: Yes, let's show that. I'm glad you brought it up. This is a ABC News poll, national likely voters, Kamala Harris 52, Donald Trump 46.

ALLISON: Not a bad place to be right a couple weeks out from the race.

But here's what I will just say about the polling, that I have been saying for many years, is that it's a snapshot. I still think that Kamala Harris is an underdog, and there's a lot of work that she needs to do. When I am interacting with people who are on the campaign who are in battleground states, Congressional Black Caucus was this week.

Black Americans from all around the country were here, and I was talking those in battleground states. They still need money for the doors. They still need money for calls. They still need a massive ground game to ensure that her base shows up, that they don't pick the couch, that they actually show up, that they go vote, that they wait in line if they need to, that they vote early.

[09:45:14]

This race is still neck-and-neck, despite the snapshot this morning.

BASH: So you're talking about the sort of nuts and bolts on the ground.

ALLISON: Yes.

BASH: What do you want her to do that she -- more of that she isn't doing, in your view, enough of to try to win over swing voters?

KHANNA: I think she needs to do what Governor Shapiro did this morning, which is talk about the economy, talk about raising the minimum wage. There was just a voter in Pennsylvania who was saying she's still

making $7.25. Our party is actually going to put more money in their pocket and be productive, which is non-inflationary, unlike the corporate tax cuts that Donald Trump is talking about and the tax cuts to the very wealthy.

She should talk about strengthening Social Security, more money in the pockets for seniors, and lowering prices by having more competition. I think she's got a very compelling economic agenda.

JENNINGS: Now, why can't she do it, actually? Because she did a local interview. She started to try to do more interviews this week, and she did a local interview, which I'm sure you saw, and she got asked directly about inflation and the economy, and came up as empty as any presidential candidate in my lifetime has ever come up on any question of any substance -- substantive topic.

Why can't she find it?

KHANNA: But she was very good in the debate. You acknowledge that, Scott.

(CROSSTALK)

JENNINGS: In our snap, only Trump picked up a couple of points.

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: OK, real quick, because I want to get Brenda before we have to take a quick break.

GIANINY: Well, I think she reiterated in that interview what she did in yours. It was sort of a rehash of all the same answers.

But, actually, we agree on this. I think polls are a snapshot in time. I think the most important thing about that poll is, it shows consistency. It shows why I think nobody would argue that Donald Trump won the debate. He didn't lose any voters. His data is absolutely flat from their pre-debate poll to that poll, and we're seeing the same thing in our polling. He's not moving.

BASH: All right, everybody, thank you so much for coming. Appreciate it.

Don't go anywhere. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:51:19]

BASH: CNN's Donie O'Sullivan meets with former Bernie bros and others whose disillusionment with politics has led them to embrace far right extremism. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN BUSINESS POLITICS AND TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: What is it about some of these guys that has made them go from far left to far right?

HASAN PIKER, TWITCH STREAMER: Like, every young man, in a certain point of their lives, have had some kind of insecurity, whether it be about their sexuality or whether it be about their future prospects or whatever.

And I think that a lot of these guys take advantage of that and present this false narrative that in order to be a man you have got to be homophobic. It's like, no, a real man is going to want to protect people who are marginalized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Be sure to tune in to a new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER" tonight at 8:00 right here on CNN.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:55:52]

BASH: Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

Make sure to join us again at noon Eastern. I will speak with the mayor of Springfield, Ohio, Rob Rue, about what is happening in his city and his reaction to this morning's comments right here on the show from Senator J.D. Vance.

Stay with us.

Now Fareed Zakaria picks it up next.