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Running the Numbers on Trump; Today's Battlegrounds Could be Safe Next Year; Danai Gurira is Interviewed about Being a Harris Surrogate; Questions on Foodborne Illnesses; CNN Heros of the Year 2024; Chinese Hackers Target Eric Trump and Jared Kushner. Aired 8:30- 9a ET

Aired October 30, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:33:14]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this election really is almost over. And it's so close. We've been telling you that day after day. This race is basically tied. So, what we're going to do day and tomorrow is to give you the case for if each candidate wins what is behind their victory.

Today we're going to look at Donald Trump. If he wins, why will that have been. If you are a Harris supporter, don't throw stuff at Harry Enten. We're going to cover the flip side of it tomorrow.

CNN's senior data reporter Harry Enten is here and we're looking at the case for Donald - a Donald Trump victory, starting with what I do think has been long one of the most overlooked numbers of this election, but could be one of the most important.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes, all right. So, look, just 28 percent of Americans, voters, think the country is going in the right direction, is on the right track. And I want you to put that into a historical perspective for you. OK, what's the average percentage of the public that thinks that the country is on the right track when the incumbent party loses. It's 25 percent. That 25 percent looks an awful bit like - like that 28 percent up there. It doesn't look anything, anything like this. Forty-two percent doesn't look anything like this 28 percent.

So, the bottom line is, very few Americans think the country is on the right track at this particular point. It tracks much more with when the incumbent party loses than with it wins. In fact, I went back through history. There isn't a single time in which 28 percent of the American public thinks the country is going on the right track in which the incumbent party actually won. They always lose when just 28 percent of the country believes that the country is on the right track, John.

BERMAN: It is a hard - you are swimming upstream -

ENTEN: Uh-huh. BERMAN: If you're trying to win in this environment.

Also, President Biden.

[08:35:01]

On a micro level, a lot of the coverage today is over something President Biden said. On the macro level, what kind of a weight is he on the Harris camp?

ENTEN: Yes, so, you know, Joe Biden isn't on the ballot, but he's certainly in the minds of Americans, right? So, I went back and I looked, OK, was this successor of the same party when the president's net approval rating was negative at this point, which Joe Biden's most definitely is. He's 15 points underwater.

Now, we don't know if Kamala Harris is going to succeed Joe Biden. But we know back in 2008, George W. Bush, his approval rating was down in the 20s. Did a Republican succeed George W. Bush? No.

How about in 1968? Lyndon Baines Johnson. His net approval rating was negative. Did a Democrat succeed Lyndon Baines Johnson? No.

How about in '52, Harry S. Truman? His approval rating was in the 20s, if not the upper teens. Did a Democrat succeed Harry S. Truman in '52? My memory, no. No, as Kate Bolduan says. No.

BERMAN: (INAUDIBLE).

ENTEN: (INAUDIBLE).

BERMAN: Separate story.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well played.

ENTEN: Close. Wrong time of the year.

BERMAN: (INAUDIBLE).

BOLDUAN: Well played.

ENTEN: Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican, succeeded Harry S. Truman.

So, the bottom line is, for Kamala Harris to win, she'd have to break history, be a Democrat to succeed Joe Biden when Biden's approval rating is way under water at this point.

BERMAN: Again, it could happen, it just doesn't in - you know, in recent history for sure.

OK, registration numbers, Harry.

ENTEN: Yes. Republicans have been registering voters in big, huge numbers. They have been gaining in party registration versus the Democrats in the swing states with party registration. We're talking Arizona. I think it's a five-point - they've expanded their lead from five points from where it was back in 2020. How about Nevada? Big Republican registrations there. They like the early vote. How about North Carolina? Big Republican registration gains. How about Pennsylvania? We spoke about it before a few months ago, big Republican Party registration gains versus where - where - from where they were four years ago. So, Republicans are putting more Republicans in the electorate. The Democratic number versus the Republican number has shrunk. And so the bottom line is, if Republicans win, come next week, Donald Trump wins come next week. The signs all along will have been obvious. We would look at the right direction being very low, Joe Biden's approval rating being very low, and Republicans really registering numbers. You can't say you weren't warned.

BERMAN: Again, these - this is the data which supports the idea of a Trump victory. Tomorrow, viewers, you will get the other side.

ENTEN: Stay tuned.

BERMAN: Kate.

BOLDUAN: It's not even the content, but sometimes Harrys delivery is just very - it's very scary.

ENTEN: Oooooo.

BOLDUAN: You're just a very scary man. You're a very scary man.

Thank you, Harry.

Again, tomorrow, the other side.

They're talking about the swing states, as they were just laying out very aggressively. And so I - try this theory on for size. The swing states of today may not be the swing states in play four years from now.

Let us go to CNN's Zach Wolf for much more on this.

Zach, explain.

ZACHARY WOLF, CNN POLITICS SENIOR WRITER: Well, you know, to all the people, the vast majority of Americans who live in a state that is not a swing state, it might feel like you're a little left out of this presidential election because you're electoral votes, they're just counted for one side or the other. These states changed. So, rest assured.

And you don't have to go far - very far back in history to find a completely different group of swing states. So, if you go back to the last three or so elections, you frequently see Florida, you see Ohio, you see Arizona, but there's some other states that have kind of fallen off the map. And, you know what, Florida and Ohio are two of those that are very much not swing states, at least not right now if you look at a graphic of which states were most competitive in the most -in the most recent elections. And if you go back a little further - let's look at it right there.

So, you know, Arizona has kind of come on the map. Colorado, not so much a swing state anymore, but it had its time in the sun. Florida and Ohio were clearly, those were the main swing states. You look at Missouri in 2008, there were like 100 years of U.S. history where Missouri was considered the swing state. It was the one that people looked to as the bellwether for what was - what the country was going to do. Minnesota, not so much a swing state this year. It did - you know, 2004, most people's memory, that was - that was one of the big states.

If you go back even further, you know, Californians, it seems like they're so locked in for Democrats right now, and it seems like they're going to be locked in for some time in the future. But you go back 1988 to '92, they swung from Republican to Democrat and they haven't looked back.

And, you know, people have been talking, for instance, about Texas. If at some point that's like the great white whale for Democrats. If some - at some point it does start to turn blue, that would completely rearranged the electoral map. Some of these states change - their demography changes so much from year to year, especially with Covid. A lot of people died. The baby boomers are going to start aging out. Younger people are going to start, you know, becoming able to vote.

So, these states are going to change. They're going to change before our eyes.

[08:40:01]

And the entire point is, today's swing states might be very safe next year.

BOLDUAN: Zach, it would - kind of look at that - the look back and the graphic there is a fascinating thing that you've put together. Does it seem like battleground states are kind of dropping faster or, I guess, transitioning quicker to blue and red given just redistricting, gerrymandering, where the country is and the demographics of just what you've all explained?

WOLF: Yes, there are a lot fewer swing states, or battleground states, today than there used to be. If you look at some of those maps, you know, in particular, like 2000, one of the closest elections ever, there were so many states on that line that were very close.

You know, we all think about Florida with the hanging chads that decided it. New Mexico was extremely close that year. And so was New Hampshire. If New Hampshire had been a little bit different, the election would have been changed.

BOLDUAN: Fascinating. Great insight, Zach, as always. Thank you so much.

Zachary Wolf.

You can find more of his insights in CNN's "What Matters" newsletter. Get it today.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, joining me now, you know her from her standout roles in "Black Panther" and the hit show, "The Walking Dead," actress, activists and now surrogate for the Harris-Walz campaign, Danai Gurira.

Thank you so much for being here.

DANAI GURIRA, ACTRESS, ACTIVIST AND SURROGATE FOR HARRIS-WALZ CAMPAIGN: Thank you.

SIDNER: Let me ask you, you were very involved and you use your social media as a way also to reach people. What role has your life experience played in making you so passionate about trying to get people to get out and vote?

GURIRA: Yes, I was born in the great state of Iowa to African immigrants who are academics. My father was a professor in a small town there. And then we move to Zimbabwe when I was six-years-old, where my parents were from. I - they wanted to contribute to the new country. It had just come out of colonization. I think that's a part of it. I grew up in a country that was recently trying to recover cover from a colonizing system where people - black people could not vote. I grew up right next door to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela was still imprisoned. So, my growing up years were very defined by that and by wanting to see South Africa free and see apartheid ended.

And so - and I grew up with a parent who had met Martin Luther King and he'd signed a picture that was sitting in my living room my entire life. So, that understanding of, it comes at a cost, a democracy, a thriving democracy, and be able to participate in it.

I returned to the United States as a young adult very much with that inside of me, an understanding that looking at America my whole life from Zimbabwe, I really - we all admired aspects of how this country handled its democracy, how smoothly power was transitioned, time over time, and how everyone had a voice. And so I knew I had to come back and make sure I participant, because I knew it had come at a cost.

SIDNER: Judging what you saw - you talked about the peaceful transfer of power. Judging what you saw on January 6th, judging what you're hearing from Donald Trump, who is still not conceding the 2020 election, are you concerned about what may happen here during this election?

GURIRA: Absolutely. I'm - I'm concerned, but I also am very - I'm invigorated. I've really been out an around a lot of people in the electorate and it's really been an amazing experience. There are so many astounding Americans who want to participate in this democracy. Sometimes you're dealing with misinformation. T hen you engage people and they hear facts and appreciate them. Sometimes they're not getting their news from - they're getting their news from sources like social media or TikTok -

SIDNER: Right.

GURIRA: You know, and so it's very - and engaging with people has been really, really a powerful experience for me and really connecting with the American people.

So, I do have hope and I have a belief that people do want to keep - to preserve this democracy. And they understand that - to me it was - it seemed quite disqualifying to conduct January 6th and then come back and say, I want to be a leader of the free world again. It seems very incongruent. And I think that that's something that resonates with a lot of voters.

SIDNER: I do want to know, I know you're traveling with the Hometown Project to Wisconsin and I think North Carolina as well. And we were just looking at polling. And the polling saying that people - the vast majority of people are not happy with the way the country is going.

So, what will you say as part of this project to folks in the swing state of Wisconsin, for example, or North Carolina, to say, look, we know that Harris is part of this current administration. You may not be happy with the way things are going. What do you say to them as a pitch to vote for Harris?

GURIRA: I think there's - there's so many aspects of what she - what her plans are for this country that are so powerful and so about turning the page, moving forward, having a vision, thinking - having a to-do list for Americans every day, for their very, very key needs from - from things like buying a home, to having an opportunity economy, to actually be able to really invest in your small business in a way that has the government behind you and is investing with you.

So, there's so many aspects that she's looking at that are so specific to people's lives. And people want to - they want to live in a place that is - that is - that they're - where they're thriving and where there is a conscientious leader in charge who is looking at the specifics of their lives.

[08:45:07]

And the way she - health care issues, she has a plan and a specificity for everything. And her coming into the White House, into the Oval Office, which has not happened yet, it is - and we hope and pray that it does, but that - that transition is where she can enact her vision.

SIDNER: You played those roles beautifully. And now you are a surrogate and you're coming from such a rich history. It is fascinating to hear sort of how you saw America from Zimbabwe, but also having been born in Iowa it was almost made for you to - to be a part of the political world.

Thank you so much, Danai. I really, really appreciate you coming on.

GURIRA: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

SIDNER: Thank you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Foodborne illnesses are on the rise in the United States. And back in focus, of course, after the recent deadly outbreaks of E. Coli linking - linked to the McDonald's Quarter Pounder.

In today's segment with "Dr. Sanjay Gupta On Call," we asked you to submit your questions this week about how to protect yourself, questions you have about foodborne illnesses. And Dr. Gupta is back as promised to answer your questions.

OK, so, let's jump to the question, Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Melissa sent in a question, I think this is helpful for everybody, which is, how do you - no matter what's out there, how do you decrease your chance of getting a foodborne illness?

GUPTA: Well, you know, one thing to keep in mind, and we talked a little bit about this yesterday, is these are huge numbers. We're talking about tens of millions of people every year who develop these foodborne illnesses, hundreds of thousands who may be hospitalized. The basics really do apply. And as you look at this - this list of things that you should always think about every time you're cooking at home, keep in mind that just a small amount of these bacteria can actually lead to illness. And the longer that food is left out, that bacteria can multiply rapidly.

So, just sort of keep that in mind. I mean we're seeing more foodborne illnesses. Investing in a thermometer for your meet, making sure you're washing your hands and surfaces completely. And again, even a few hours of this food outside can cause that bacteria to really multiply.

There's something else I think is important, is that what we're learning, when you look at this data, Kate, is that most of the foodborne illnesses are actually occurring outside the home. So you're talking about restaurants and banquets and delis and things like that. There is a thing that food experts will refer to as the danger zone. That is sort of the temperature of food that is going to be the most dangerous. And you could take a look there.

So, you want your cold foods cool, 40 degrees or less. And you want your hot (INAUDIBLE) and your hot food, it should be actually steaming hot. That's a pretty good rule of thumb to try and prevent the foodborne illness when you're actually outside the house.

BOLDUAN: All right, Sanjay, this one is coming in from a viewer named Debbie. She asks - she's asking about an old wives tale that you should stay away from or avoid seafood in months that don't - is it months that don't end in "r." Is that what the old wives tale is? Or she's - basically what she says is on the four occasions that she did eat outside of this rule, she got sick every time.

GUPTA: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Is there something to it?

GUPTA: Yes, so I think this is - this is the tale that basically says, if the month has the letter "r" in it -

BOLDUAN: In it? OK.

GUPTA: So the months that don't have the letter "r," May, June, July, August, are the months that are - you should be avoiding. And it was specifically about oysters. That was the old wives tale, if you will. Not necessarily all seafood in general. Though it could apply.

And as you might guess, it just has to do with the seasons. So, May, June, July, August, summer, warmer months. That is a more dangerous time in the days before we had widespread refrigeration. So, it is - it is one of those things, just a reminder, I think more than anything else, to - to make sure you're refrigerating those foods, especially seafoods. And if you want to avoid it with oysters, make sure to cook them. Don't eat them raw.

BOLDUAN: I love like the dramatic pause there. Yes, this was a problem in the days before refrigeration,

GUPTA: I had to think about that, right?

BOLDUAN: he's so good.

It's good to see you, Sanjay. Thank you so much.

GUPTA: You got it.

BOLDUAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Kate.

An elite hacking group targeted the phones used by Eric Trump and Jared Kushner. What we know now about this cyber espionage operation.

Plus, everyday people changing our world. Who are the top five CNN Heroes of 2024? Our own Anderson Cooper here to tell us when we come back.

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[08:54:38]

SIDNER: We all need it. Get ready to feel hopeful this morning. CNN Heroes is back. For the last 18 years this campaign has shined a spotlight on everyday people changing their world and ours. CNN has been sharing these inspiring stories with you every week. Now here to announce the top five CNN Heroes of 2024, our own Anderson Cooper, the host of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute."

[08:55:03]

That, by the way, will air across CNN platforms on Sunday, December 8th. Don't miss it, 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Anderson, we're all, a lot of us, anxious. This is -

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You think people are interested in this?

SIDNER: Just a little -

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: Just a little bit. For many reasons, but also because we are in this time of election cycle and this is just - every year I look forward to it -

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: Because it brings you out of your worry -

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: And shows you people that are breaking through and making a difference.

COOPER: Yes, I mean these are people who don't, you know, get a lot of attention in normal times. They're not doing awful things that make news. They're actually doing really good things that often sadly people don't pay attention to.

We've been spotlighting these CNN Heroes all year long. We've been showing things on CNN throughout the days, just spotlighting remarkable people all around the world. Not people who had power or money, people who just saw a need in their community, rolled up their sleeves and started doing stuff.

So now we've selected the top five CNN Heroes. And we are announcing them today. And then it's up to viewers to decide who's going to be the CNN Hero of the Year. And you can go to cnnheroes.com starting now. You can vote up to ten times a day there for your favorite hero.

Let's take a look at the top five CNN Heroes of this year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice over): In Gothenburg, Sweden, conductor Ron Davis Alvarez and his Dream Orchestra give hundreds of refugees, immigrants, and native Swedes a chance to learn an instrument, connect with others, and build better lives.

From Dallas, Stephen Knight was in addiction recovery when he fostered a friend's dog so she could go to rehab. Today his program provides free pet care and peace of mind to help dog owners succeed with their sobriety.

Idaho native Payton McGriff is helping girls in the African country of Togo stay in school. Her non-profit provides tuition, tutoring, and an innovative uniform made by local women that's designed to grow with the students. From Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, immigration attorney Rachel Rutter is helping unaccompanied migrant children heal from trauma, start new lives in the U.S. Her non-profit provides free legal support and helps fill in gaps in housing, food, and education.

And in New York City, MIT graduate Yamilee Toussaint's unique program is using dance to empower an educate girls of color in science, technology, engineering, and math.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: I find myself going, no, that's the one. No, wait, that's the one.

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: It's like you cannot decide.

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: But if you have, where do people go and what do the winners get?

COOPER: Yes. cnnheroes.com, right now they can go. It's open up until I think December 3rd the voting is available. You can vote up to ten times a day. You can vote in your tablet, on your iPad, on your mobile device, whatever you want. You can vote for different people if you want to kind of share the love around. But it's at cnnheroes.com right now starting till December 3rd. Vote early, vote often.

But they're all - I mean they're all doing such amazing work and they are helping people in so many - in many different ways.

SIDNER: It's beautiful. I remember last year one of the winner - or the winner spread his winnings -

COOPER: Yes, he - right. So the - each of them, these five now have been awarded - will be awarded $10,000 to continue their work. They work with the Elevate Prize Foundation, which also helps them sort of expand their operational capacity and their knowledge of how to run organizations.

But the winner, who's the person who's selected the Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000 to continue their work. And last year the $100,000 winner divided it among all the heroes.

SIDNER: I was all tears -

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: But tears of joy.

COOPER: Yes.

SIDNER: Anderson Cooper, thank you.

COOPER: Thank you.

SIDNER: And thank you for doing - continuing to do this project. It really is something that we all need so much, especially now.

COOPER: Yes, Sara, thanks.

SIDNER: Appreciate it.

All right, five amazing individuals, as you know, all of whom prove that one person can make a difference. And you can help decide which one of them. Again, CNN Hero of the Year. Just go to cnnheroes.com. Vote every day for the hero that inspires you the most.

John Berman.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, sources tell CNN that hackers linked to the Chinese government targeted senior figures in both the Republican and Democratic parties in a large scale cyber espionage campaign. And obviously this is just days before the presidential election.

CNN cybersecurity reporter Sean Lyngaas has the details.

Sean.

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Yes, John, last week we reported that Donald Trump and J.D. Vance were among the targets of this hacking campaign. Now we can report that - that the targets include Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, and Eric Trump, the president's son. And like you said, this was a bipartisan spying operation that also targeting staffers with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's office.

[09:00:00]

And so this has officials here in Washington who focus on national security on edge just days before the election. This doesn't appear to be focused on influencing the election.