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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Source: Israel's Plan To Strike Iran Is Ready; Book: Blinken, Biden Spoke About Legacy Before Biden Dropped Out; Liam Payne, Former One Direction Member, Dead At 31. Trump Calls Himself "The Father Of IVF"; Trump: Some State Abortion Restrictions Are "Too High"; New Polls: Trump Up In Georgia, No Clear Leader In North Carolina; Rep. Pat Ryan, (D-NY), IS Interviewed About J.D. Vance, Overseas Voting; Vance says "No" Trump Did Not Lose The 2020 Election, "Not By The Words That I Would Use"; GOP-Led Lawsuits Target Overseas Voting. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired October 16, 2024 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Kamala Harris. Timmy Carter's grandson is going to join us live to describe what this moment meant for the entire Carter family.
Plus, a Democratic congressman and veteran is blasting his Republican colleagues over a lawsuit that he says could impact the ability of service members overseas to vote. New York Congressman Pat Ryan says, quote, "I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bunch of traitors stop our troops from voting." He's here live in minutes to talk about that.
And leading this hour, with 20 days until Election Day, the Trump vision for his second term is being spelled out in very clear terms. You might remember that a couple days ago, we walked through comments Trump made over the weekend about using the National Guard or the military to go after his political opponents. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they're the -- and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary by the military, because they can't let that happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Now Trump went on to name drop Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of California, who's running for the Senate, labeling Schiff one of those so called enemies from within. Now, when we presented all of this to Virginia's Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin on Monday, he refused to accept that Trump said what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: I am talking about Donald -- GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN, (R) VIRGINIA: So, Jake, I would --
TAPPER: But I'm talking about Donald Trump saying that he wants to use the National Guard in the military to go after the left. That's what he's saying.
YOUNGKIN: I don't believe that's what he's saying. But listen, you and I are going to argue about that. But I would suggest, if you would also --
TAPPER: I played the quote and I read it to you.
YOUNGKIN: -- if you would also balance that.
TAPPER: I mean, you can then wish that he weren't saying that, but that's what he's saying.
YOUNGKIN: Jake, all the time people, people are taking little snippets of contact and turning it into a big narrative.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: It was not taken out of context. As often happens when Mr. Trump makes claims that seem to push the boundaries of traditional discourse and obviously using the military to go after your political rivals qualifies, Mr. Trump continued to make it clear that the rather creative interpretations from Governor Youngkin and other Trump surrogates of his remarks were incorrect, and then, in fact, he was saying exactly what he seemed to be saying. Here's what Trump said today when asked about his enemy from within remarks during a town hall on Fox.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They're very, very different, and it is the enemy from within, and they're very dangerous. They're dangerous for our country. We have China, we have Russia, we have all these countries. If you have a smart president, they can all be handled. The more difficult are, you know, the Pelosis, these people, they're so sick and they're so evil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: This is obviously unprecedented in American life, mainstream American life, anyway, for nominee to be talking about using the military against their political opponents, domestic political opponents. And obviously doing so would significantly change the nature of the United States.
Recall that someone who had already heard horrific and baseless conspiracy theories about Democrats and the Pelosis actually broke into the home of the Pelosis and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull, leaving him with severe problems. And there's more, Trump not only says that the Nancy Pelosis and the Adam Schiffs should be, quote, "handled," he also said this about what a second Trump term would mean for the free press.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The news is really fake. That's the one we really have to straighten it. We have to straighten out our press because we have a corrupt press.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Now I don't know what it means that the press needs to be straightened out. I do know that the only media organizations that Trump regularly praises and appears on for interviews are ones that seem to support him. And by the way, ones that in the past have parroted right wing lies, especially about the 2020 election, which incidentally ended with both Fox and the far right conspiracy website Gateway Pundit settling defamation lawsuits because they were telling lies. Trump's media reform push does not seem to be about ushering in better journalistic standards and practices, which I would applaud, better journalistic standards and practices. This push does seem more focused on the news media that would avoid scrutiny and criticism of him.
And on that subject of media regulation, we should also look to recent comments from Trump's running mate, Senator J.D. Vance. I want you to pay attention to what Vance said just moments ago after he refused to say that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I think there are serious problems in 2020. So did Donald Trump lose the election? Not by the words that I would use. OK? So, look, we could -- but look, I really couldn't care less if you agree or disagree with me on this issue. And here's the thing that I that I focus on, because what the media will do, they'll focus on the court cases or they'll focus on some crazy conspiracy theory. What I know, what verifiably I know happened, is that in 2020 large technology companies censored Americans from talking about things like the Hunter Biden laptop story and that had a major, major consequence on the election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[17:05:09]
TAPPER: Now that seems to be a reference to the factual matter that both Facebook and Twitter temporarily suppressed an October 2020, New York Post story regarding Hunter Biden's laptop. And to be clear, we do not support that kind of suppression of information here at The Lead. But Senator Vance also cited the laptop story when asked by the "New York Times" if he, if he had been in the Senate at the time, would have voted to certify the 2020 election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: I would have voted against certification because of the concern that I just raised. I think that when you have technology companies --
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" HOST: The answer is no. VANCE: When you have technology companies censoring Americans at a mass scale in a way that, again, independent studies have suggested affect the vote, I think that it's right to protest against that, to criticize that, and that's a totally reasonable thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: So I just have to say this is a pretty slippery slope. Unfair media or unfair social media coverage is a completely subjective standard. And the idea that that is reason enough to vote to throw away the votes of millions of Americans? I mean, let's extrapolate that for one second, what that reasoning would mean. I mean, right now, Twitter or X is run by Elon Musk, who's very much on record supporting the election of Donald Trump. He gave nearly $75 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC, and he tweets in favor of Trump all the time, which is his right.
And we should note, Musk's changes to Twitter have, by many studies, created an explosion of false information, much of which, by the way, is amplified by Musk himself and algorithmically force fed to millions of users. So going back to J.D. Vance's logic on election certification, if Vice President Kamala Harris loses to Trump, which could happen, would Vance be OK with her refusing to certify the election on January 6 as vice president, as Mike Pence was in that position four years ago, simply because she doesn't like how X handled her candidacy or refused to allow the dossier hacked by Iranian hackers into J.D. Vance that was stolen from the Trump team, like that has been suppressed on X, and I'm not saying it shouldn't have been, but that's, you know, a subjective determination. She could say it wasn't fair. So obviously, if she were to do so, that would be checks constitution, not how this should ever work, which is, frankly, of a piece with using the military to go after your political rivals or the government, quote, unquote, "straightening out the free press." And here we are.
Now to Trump's attempt to cut into his opponent's lead with women voters. Today, Mr. Trump participated in a Fox town hall with an all- female audience. One issue he was pressed on is fertility treatment access and how he would protect it if elected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question. And we really are the party for IVF. We want fertilization, and it's all the way, and the Democrats tried to attack us on it, and we're out there on IVF even more than them. So, we're totally in favor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: So let's bring in my panel to talk about this. So Maya, Mr. Trump claiming to be the father of IVF, I'm sure you don't agree, but do you think that the Harris campaign has done everything it needs to do to fight that argument from the Republicans that they are completely supportive of IVF.
MAYA WILEY, PRESIDENT & CEO, THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS: Well, yes, because it starts with the fact that and the campaign has been reminding the American public of this, and Kamala Harris herself that it is in fact, Donald Trump who both ran in 2016 on a platform of overruling Roe v Wade, which opens the floodgates for exactly what we saw in Alabama, which was the wakeup call for a lot of people, that even the ability to try to be a parent could be under attack when Roe v Wade is gone.
But also, you know, make it very clear exactly what as a campaign and as a president, this vice president would do, which is ensuring that there's access to the health care that is reproductive rights that is getting the government out of the bedrooms of so many Americans. And Donald Trump himself has not actually made clear, and Republicans themselves, whether or not they'd actually support legislation nationally that would ensure that there would be IVF for families.
TAPPER: Bryan?
BRYAN LANZA, SENIOR ADVISOR, TRUMP 2024 CAMPAIGN: I think he's abundant -- he's been abundantly clear. He's been on television say that he would either support some federal intervention with respect to IVF, or that he'd force insurance companies to backstop the funding. And so when he makes this statement, he's sort of the father of IVF. It's in gist. But if you look at what he's done with the Republican Party, he's moved into a position where it was sort of moving further and further to the right. And President Trump said, wait a second, I believe in sending it to the states, and as we send it to the states, we should have the states have the opportunity of what they need to do. Some states are going to ask for -- you know, some states going to be more restrictive than others, but at the federal level, we're going to fund IDF, and we're going to make sure the insurance companies backs up. But that seems like a clear policy that's appealing to --
TAPPER: Maya is giggling. So I want to let her --
WILEY: Well, I'm giggling because it's complete revisionist history. I mean, first of all, you have to start with the perspective that sending a fundamental right back to the States is saying there isn't a fundamental right. He's actually made very clear, and as has the Supreme Court he created, that they think they should go after contraception next, if that's what Clarence Thomas --
[17:10:16]
TAPPER: Right.
WILEY: -- frankly said. But remember that what we are talking about is sending a fundamental right back to the States when we have undermined the very voting rights protections of people to make choices about who is making those decisions in state house.
TAPPER: So let's talk about his answer on abortion access, which he also was asked about today. Again, this is at the Fox Town Hall, so don't accuse me of, you know, picking issues, having to do -- the Democrats like, this is what the Fox people put up there. Let's run that clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The states are now voting for it, and honestly, some of them are going much more liberal, like in Ohio. I would have thought it might --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some of them are not.
TRUMP: -- different. And some of them are not but it's going to be redone. It's going to be redone. They're going to -- you're going to -- you end up with a vote of the people. And some of might agree that they're too tough, too tough. And those are going to be redone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: So I have seen some conservative commentators, anti-abortion, pro-life, commentators saying that Donald Trump moderating his position on this, as Bryan you were kind of talking about just a second ago, actually risks alienating people who are anti-abortion? What do you think?
ASHLEE RICH STEPHENSON, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Look, I think that he said the same thing that he said during the June 27 debate versus President Biden. He's been consistent that this is an issue that's gone back to the States, Jake. I don't think that this is a late going to alienate any of the Trump base at this point in time. We're three weeks out from the election. This has become a race all about the gender gap.
President Trump needs to do everything within his capacity to close the gap as much as possible with women. And this is a campaign issue for Harris. The only chance for her to win at this point is to really run up the score with women. That's why it's a conversation we continue to have.
Last point, this was in Georgia. Trump said 52 in the latest Quinnipiac poll.
TAPPER: Let's talk about that. I want to bring this up right now, Maria, there are new swings poll -- swing state polls out today from Quinnipiac University. Their survey shows Trump maintaining a lead in Georgia, 52-45, in North Carolina, the race is still tight, 49-47, no real leader that's in -- within the margin of error. That's not where she wants to be in Georgia or North Carolina.
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Sure. And the smart thing is for the campaign to be worried, to be anxious, because that's the only way you win. Because I can show you polls where she's actually ahead in every single swing state. So, the swing state polls are not all, all of that. You know, you can't hang your hat on them, and I hope that they don't, because they should act like they're 10 points behind, both nationally as well as in the swing states.
But let's go back to this reproductive rights issue. It's clearly not the only issue that the Harris campaign is focused on. But --
TAPPER: The big one. CARDONA: -- it is a huge one. And it is a huge one because it affects so many families in this country. And let's talk about this. This is not just an esoteric issue of whether it should go to the States, whether it should have stayed in the Supreme Court. This is an issue that should go to the women.
TAPPER: Yes.
CARDONA: Women should be the only ones to decide. Last time I heard, states don't get pregnant, it's women who get pregnant, and they should be the ones to decide.
STEPHENSON: This is the Harris chance to win. She is no longer leading in any of the seven swing states. The bottom line, and we see it in all of the data.
CARDONA: Which is up. We just -- he just showed a poll --
STEPHENSON: The average is --
CARDONA: -- in Pennsylvania (inaudible).
STEPHENSON: The Real Clear Politics averages to be clear, they're tied or Trump is ahead in all seven. The stories this morning about the NBC poll, there's a fresh Wall Street Journal article this morning by Catherine Lucey, the gender gap is real. Harris's only chance to win at this point is she must run up the score with women, especially college educated women, the other demographic groups that she need are walking with.
TAPPER: All right, thanks to our panel. We could talk all day.
Opponents say a new lawsuit could make it harder for troops overseas to vote in the upcoming election. My next guest is a veteran and a member of Congress. He's fighting to make sure that does not happen. Plus, sources telling CNN that Israel's plan to respond to Iran's attack is ready and it is expected to happen before the U.S. presidential election. The promises Israeli officials are reportedly making to the U.S. behind the scenes, that's coming up as well. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:18:18]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: I think there are serious problems in 2020. So did Donald Trump lose the election? Not by the words that I would use.
Here's the thing that I that I focus on, because what the media will do, they'll focus on the court cases or they'll focus on some crazy conspiracy theory. What I know, what verifiably I know happened, is that in 2020, large technology companies censored Americans from talking about things like the Hunter Biden laptop story and that had a major, major consequence on the election. (END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Joe Biden won the election in 2020, period full stop. Republican Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance this afternoon telling a rally crowd what you heard him say there about Trump not losing the 2020 election or not in the words he would use. Of course, we know the facts. Trump lost in 2020 and the moon is not made of green cheese. Let's get reaction now from Democratic Congressman Pat Ryan of New York.
Congressman, I know you want to talk about something else, but before we get to that topic, what do you make of these comments from J.D. Vance.
REP. PAT RYAN (D-NY): Well, we're going to talk about threats to our veterans and military service members overseas voting. And I couldn't actually think of a more apropos way to think about this. This is a direct slap in the face to people literally risking their life for our country, that the vice presidential candidate and a sitting U.S. senator would so freely throw around conspiracy theories that undercut the very democracy that I put my life on the line for for 27 months, and that folks are putting their life on the line for right now. And the good news is I think the American people see through it. I really do think that they will see through it.
[17:20:00]
TAPPER: So, let's talk about why you're here, which is Republican lawmakers in my home Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have filed a federal lawsuit targeting the ways that ballots are processed when they're sent by U.S. citizens from overseas to their home states that would include U.S. service members and their families who are stationed abroad. These lawmakers, these Pennsylvania lawmakers, claim that election officials are not doing enough to vet those voters and that their ballots should be set aside for further verification. You posted on Twitter or X, quote, "I voted from Iraq in 2008. It was during my second combat tour. I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bunch of traitors stop our troops from voting."
Before we get into the substance of this, who are these traitors you're talking about?
RYAN: Well, we need to name them and shame them. This is six Republican House members, one of whom is actually a veteran himself, who filed a completely baseless conspiracy theory laced lawsuit to directly disenfranchise military service members overseas, their families and many, many other Americans who are absolutely constitutionally allowed the right and provided the right to vote. And there's a bunch of technical jargon in all the legalese of this, but this is a direct threat to the voting rights of the people who are literally risking their lives to protect voting rights for their fellow Americans. And every single person across the country needs to know this, and we have to stop this kind of really dangerous action. And it's unprecedented.
This is never -- this challenge has never been presented, and to do it three weeks out here is -- it's beyond the pale.
TAPPER: When you voted when you were deployed, what kind of processes were in place to verify your identity?
RYAN: Well, I was in a -- in Mosul, Iraq, in one of the most dangerous parts of the country at one of the most dangerous times of the war. So it's not like folks were just showing up there. The fact that I was army captain at the time, assigned to my unit, there's actually a voting officer assigned to each unit who processes all those absentee ballots, who make sure that all the rules and procedures are followed. This has been happening, actually going back to the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln fought to ensure that those fighting for the union could actually vote as citizens of the union. And so this is something that's a well-worn path, and to challenge it at this time, I think it's clear what they're doing here, which is laying the groundwork for election denial efforts 2.0 on steroids.
And to do it on the back of my fellow veterans and military service members is just -- it's disgraceful.
TAPPER: I should know this is one of several lawsuits. There are others in North Carolina and Michigan as well, also targeting overseas voters. The Republican National Committee says these suits are not seeking to jeopardize votes by military members, but instead the challenge ballots cast by overseas citizens who have never lived in the States that they're voting in. What's your reaction to that?
RYAN: We have seen them now, since the emergence of Trump, find lawyers -- fly by night lawyers from Giuliani and the rest of the crew who will make up just straight up false accusations to make up the law and then to present these cases, and that's exactly what they're doing here. And now we've seen Donald Trump co-opt what used to be the Republican Party. Not that I agreed with everything they stood for, but it was a party grounded in a common agreement of our democracy and that every American has the right to vote. This has never been challenged before, and I'm confident the courts will overturn this.
TAPPER: The six members of the House from Pennsylvania, if they're the six I'm thinking of, I believe they also voted to not count the ballots of their own citizens in Pennsylvania because they voted to not in January 2021, they didn't even -- I mean, so if they're not even -- if they don't even want the ballots of their own constituents counted, what -- you know, why would they want those of overseas Americans, veterans are not counted?
RYAN: Yes, and look, you used a word that's a serious word that I don't throw around lightly, which is the word traitor. All six of them were part of this election denial effort on January 6 of 2021. Something that I think, again, is an insult to all who have served, especially those that gave their lives, my brothers and sisters in arms. And the fact that they're still members of Congress after that, by the way, I think is deeply problematic, and there's more of them now. And then they're going to escalate even further here. We are not going to let them get away with this, though.
And I think, and I appreciate you covering it, Jake, because the American people need to know this kind of stuff is happening. Because when I talk to folks and veterans in my district have raised this concern to me, rightly so. It's almost -- it's shocking that they would be so brazen in this attempt to disenfranchise service members.
[17:25:06]
TAPPER: Democratic Congressman Pat Ryan of New York, good to see you, sir. Thanks for joining us and thank you for your service as always.
RYAN: Thanks, Jake.
TAPPER: And don't miss out, CNN is going to hold our own presidential town hall with Vice President Kamala Harris. That's next Wednesday night at 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
Coming up, Israel's plan to strike Iran, the Israelis say that their plan is ready, and then it might come before the U.S. elections. It's what sources are telling CNN today. Coming up next, we're live in both Israel and at the White House to break down exactly what this could look like.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TAPPER: In our world lead, you are watching just some of the dozens of intercepted rockets launched by Hezbollah considered a terrorist group by the United States at Northern Israel today. Also today, Lebanon's health ministry says Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed 16 people including a city mayor. All of these coming as a source tells CNN that Israel's plans are ready for its response to Iran's largest ever missile barrage against Israel earlier this month.
[17:30:25]
Let's go right to CNN's Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv and MJ Lee at the White House. And MJ you're hearing from U.S. Officials that this strike will happen before Election Day in the United States, why?
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, sources are telling us, Jake, that U.S. Officials are currently expecting this retaliation to take place sometime before November 5th even though sources say the timing is not directly related to the U.S. election. What it does mean, is that there could really be a focus on the volatility in the Middle East just within days of the presidential election.
We are also told that U.S. officials do believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is very sensitive to the potential political ramifications of his own actions here in the U.S. As you know the Biden White House has been in a wait and see mode since October 1st since some 200 ballistic missiles rained down on Israel. And there have been serious consultations between Israeli and American officials on what exactly comes next.
What we did report is that the Prime Minister did inform President Biden in a recent conversation that one thing he is not going to do is hit Iran's nuclear and oil facilities. Something that was a relief to the White House given that this is something President Biden made very clear that he did not want to see happen -- goes without saying that this has been an incredibly politically fraught issue here in the U.S. both for President Biden and of course now, for Vice President Kamala Harris.
It is not a coincidence that she is going to campaigning three days just this week in a state like Michigan. Of course, home to a very sizable Arab-American population where this kind of issue and the administration's handling of particularly the Gaza conflict could end up being particularly decisive, Jake.
TAPPER: And Jeremy, as the U.S. election approaches beyond Iran, what is the Biden administration doing to push Israel when it comes to the Humanitarian situation in Gaza?
JERREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well as MJ was laying out, we have seen the U.S. try and rein in the types of strikes that Israel would -- would carry out against Iran in retaliation for that ballistic missile barrage. But right now, this week the focus has been on the devastating and worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, in particular, in northern Gaza.
The United States sending a letter earlier this week to top Israeli officials telling them that they have 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation or risk losing key U.S. military aid. And we are seeing the Israelis seeming to take this quite seriously. I -- I've been told the private conversation -- in private conversations, Israeli officials have been looking for things that they can do to start improving the situation.
And already today, we heard the State Department spokesman saying that the Israelis has reopened the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza. They've also kind of streamlined some of the processes for humanitarian organizations to get into Gaza and this week, we've seen COGAT the agency in charge of allowing aid in, talking about a number of steps that they are taking in the amount of aid getting in.
So at least, on the messaging front they're trying to show that they're serious. But let's be clear, they are nowhere close to reaching the target of 350 aid trucks per day that the United States says that Israel needs to hit within 30 days. And we know that the situation in northern Gaza right now is dire.
It's been describe -- described as catastrophic by the United Nations. Hundreds of thousands of people either at risk of -- of being displaced from northern Gaza or trapped in their homes as the Israel's bombardment continues and as the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas intensifies, in particular in the city of Jabalia.
And -- and so for now the question is will the Israeli's take all the steps that the United States has said they need to take within the next month and will that quickly improve the situation in northern Gaza, Jake.
TAPPER: All right, Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv and MJ Lee at the White House, thanks to both of you.
[17:34:16]
Coming up next, Bob Woodward brings us behind the scenes as Trump's former top general approached the legendary journalist with a dire warning about his former boss.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TAPPER: In our 2024 Lead, a new book by journalist Bob Woodward hit shelves yesterday and former President Donald Trump already has a review. Here's Mr. Trump responding to Woodward's reporting that Trump has had seven personal calls with Russian leader Vladimir Putin after leaving office.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well I don't comment to that but I will tell you that, if I did it's a smart thing. If I'm friendly with people, if I have a relationship with people, that's a good thing not a bad thing.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
TAPPER: And the legendary Bob Woodward joins us now. His new book "War" is out in stores and it's quite a read. Bob thanks for joining us. So you --
BOB WOODWARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, THE WASHINGTON POST: Thank you.
TAPPER: -- you're so many scoops in the book but let's just focus on a few. You write in your book, that the CIA Director Bill Burns says that Putin is a master manipulator and, quote, playing Donald Trump. You've interviewed Trump a lot of times. I'm wondering what do you think is at the core of Trump's desire to be friendly with dictators and his willingness to be manipulated at least in the view of the CIA director.
WOODWARD: He assembles what's real that will serve him and so it's not really real but for Trump it's real.
TAPPER: You also write about this moment in 2023 at a reception at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C., General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff in the Trump administration said he had to talk to you. He said, quote, we have got to stop him, Milley said. You have got stop him. By you, he meant the press broadly. Quote, he is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he's a total fascist. A fascist to the core. Milley repeated to me. I will never the intensity of his worry, unquote.
[17:40:33]
This is the first time we've heard this really strong language from General Milley on the record. What do you make of -- of him allowing this conversation with you to be published and -- and just weeks before the election? WOODWARD: Well, I mean, he -- he approached me and that's what he said. And so, my presumption is he knows I'm a reporter and writing books that this is going to be used literally. And it -- it captures not just the language but the emotions of it. That somebody in that key military position, somebody who's done -- generally a very respected figure in the military and -- and national security circles.
And here it is, this is -- this is the real judgment on Trump. And as Milley said, I talked to him earlier about some instability that he had seen in Trump but this went the full length of the field.
TAPPER: You report also how frustrated President Biden was with his Attorney General Merrick Garland allowing the prosecution of his son, Hunter Biden, to go forward which weighed heavily on President Biden. He said he should have never picked Garland and, quote, that's all on me. None of this would be happening to Hunter if I weren't President. This is never going to effing go away, unquote.
Now Trump, of course fired his Attorney General when he wasn't doing what he wanted to do. What -- when he wasn't protecting him. Biden notably did not. What does that say about Biden do you think?
WOODWARD: Well, that -- this -- this is his son, Hunter. And there's some quotes in the book of what Biden said to close friends namely that this whole thing is essentially not only derailed Hunter's life but Biden's life. And it, you know, is plague on him and he's -- he's quite emotional about it and he reaches that very stark conclusion.
The conclusion about appointing Garland is appointing him and of course what Garland did is appointed an independent counsel to look into the President's son. Garland had to do that, there was no way to -- for the regular attorneys and the Justice Department to handle that. But emotionally, Biden is so upset. He says to a very close associate, I never should have never appointed Garland.
TAPPER: Your profile of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's close relations with the President that is also fascinating. You report that Blinken's sat down with Biden after that disastrous June 27th debate on July 4th to discuss the Biden legacy before Biden had decided to drop out.
You add, quote, this idea that the staff was hiding Biden's cognitive decline was ridiculous, unquote. People still have a lot of questions about who knew what, when -- why do you say that those questions are ridiculous?
WOODWARD: Well, the ridiculous from Blinken's point of view, Blinken has -- is close to a relationship with Biden as anyone. He's the Secretary of State. He is -- he is someone who on July 4th as I report in the book very -- very interesting point it seemed, I think.
Taking Biden off to lunch privately and asking the question, do you really want to do this for another four years? He was at this point, Biden was running and asking, may we all have a friend like Tony Blinken, when we get at that pivot point in our lives, who can give us some guidance and say these are some of the questions that you need -- need to ask.
[17:45:07]
I think it's a -- it's a lesson in friendship. It's a -- it's a lesson in the necessity to pull your friends from the edge or at least give them the opportunity to not jump.
TAPPER: The -- the -- the author is Bob Woodward, the legend. The new book is "War" out now. Thanks so much Bob.
WOODWARD: Thank you.
TAPPER: And we have some breaking news for you now, Liam Payne, member of the former boy band, One Direction, has died, according to police in Argentina. We're going to warn that breaking news in just a moment.
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TAPPER: And we have some breaking news, just in to CNN. Liam Payne, one of the stars of the former boy band, One Direction, has died at the age of 31. Let's get straight to CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister. Elizabeth this is shocking news. I'm sure his fans are devastated. Tell us more.
[17:50:14]
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is shocking news. We are just confirming with police in Buenos Aires that Liam Payne has died at the age of 31. Police say in a statement that he fell from the third floor in a hotel. I want to read you part of the statement that we have obtained from police in Argentina, Jake. They say in the afternoon that police personnel were directed to the hotel after a 911 call where they were informed about a, quote, aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Those are all the details that we have now, obviously this coming as a huge shock. This is not somebody who was sick or who there were any concerns that -- that fans were aware of. As you hear from the police statement and from these limited details that we have, this obviously sounds like a horror that he fell from the third floor in a hotel when they found him.
As you said Jake, millions of fans are going to be devastated about this news. Liam Payne was one of the members of One Direction, which was founded after the boy banders met on the reality show The X Factor and went on to be one of the most successful boy bands of all time.
Liam Payne along with Harry Styles is, you know, of course a name that everybody knows. And this band has been broken up for quite a few years but his millions and millions of fans around the world have remained.
TAPPER: What had he been doing, Liam Payne, in the years since One Direction broke up?
WAGMEISTER: He launched a solo career like many bands that end up going their separate ways. The individual members will have a solo career. And in fact, Jake, he just launched his most recent single earlier this year. A -- a few weeks ago he was also seen at a concert of one of the other former One Direction member, supporting him at the show.
So, he is been around, you know, he has continued to work as a musician since this band broke up. And as I said, millions and millions of fans around the world, it is hard to state, how big of a deal One Direction was and Liam Payne, I mean 31 years old. This is just a life loss in -- incredibly too soon, Jake.
TAPPER: Elizabeth Wagmeister thank you so much for that tragic news.
A new twist in the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted of murdering their parents more than 30 years ago. Now some of the Menendez relatives are calling for them to be released from prison as possible new evidence emerges. Stay with us.
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[17:57:26]
TAPPER: We are back with our National Lead. The harrowing story of Erik and Lyle Menendez who killed their parents is back in the news. Just moments ago, more than 20 members of the Menendez family held the news conference, delivering emotional appeals for their re-sentencing and announcing a new coalition for the release of the brothers from prison.
The case is getting renewed attention thanks to a popular Ryan Murphy Netflix series and also, the advocacy of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian. The question gripping everyone now, will the District Attorney hear the family's pleas. CNN's Veronica Miracle is following the story joins us live from Los Angeles. Veronica, what did the family have to say?
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Jake, those dozens of family members who showed up today in support of the Menendez brothers say that the brothers have served their time. That they were victims of themselves and that they should be released from prison. And these are family members from both sides, from Jose and Kitty Menendez's family -- families who were -- they were both killed more than 35 years ago.
So pretty standing that both sides of the family in present today. Cousin after cousin spoke about how evidence of their abuse should have been allowed in their trial years ago. And notably, the 93-year- old sister of Kitty Menendez spoke today, pleading the release of her nephews. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOAN ANDERSEN VANDERMOLEN, SISTER OF KITTY MENENDEZ: In their case, if it were tried today, the evidence of their father's abuse would not only be admitted in court, it would provide essential context for why they acted as they did. No jury today would issue such a harsh pretense -- sentence without taking their trauma into account. Lyle and Erik have already paid a heavy price.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MIRACLE: District Attorney George Gascon will take into consideration the family's pleas. He's also reviewing new evidence brought forward by the Menendez's attorneys. Including a letter that attorney say proves that Jose Menendez was sexually abusing his son, Erik. And that there was documented evidence of this before the murders took place.
This letter apparently written from Erik to a cousin and reading in part, I've been trying to avoid dad. It's still happening Andy but it's worse for me now. I never know when it's going to happen and it's driving me crazy. Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.
This is an important piece of evidence because back when the Menendez brothers were on trial together, prosecutors said that there was no evidence of sexual abuse. And that their -- that they were going after their parent's multi-million-dollar estate. Gascon will have to make a decision by the end of November. Jake?
[18:00:05]
TAPPER: All right. Veronica Miracle, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, formerly known as Twitter, and on the TikTok at JakeTapper. You can follow the show on X at TheLeadCNN. If you ever miss an episode of The Lead, you could listen to the show whence you get your podcasts. The news continues on CNN with Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room. I'll see you tomorrow.
