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Poll Shows Majority of Israeli Population Favors Donald Trump to Become President of United States; Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Visit Battleground States on Last Day before Election Day; Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) Interviewed on Kamala Harris's Closing Arguments in Her Presidential Campaign. Georgia Election Officials Fighting Misinformation; Poll Margins Remain Razor Thin Day Before Election. Aired 8-8:30a ET.
Aired November 04, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- been vast plans here in Europe to make the continent more strategically independent from its historic partner. Eight years on there are fears that Europe hasn't gone far enough in that direction, not helped, of course, by the war in Ukraine. So, a lot more attention to what's happening in the nicest this week than any other election cycle in recent history.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Matthew Chance in Jerusalem. And here in Jerusalem, the U.S. presidential election is being closely watched with the outcome seen as having a direct impact on this country, too, which is, of course, fighting in Gaza and Lebanon and engaged in a spiraling confrontation with Iran. Once recent opinion poll her suggests a clear majority of Israelis favor Trump over Harris to become the leader of Israel's most important ally. Trump is remembered for a series of pro-Israel moves when he was president, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, and taking a tougher stance on Iran, while the Biden administration, including Vice President Harris, is seen by many here as having sought to restrain Israel's tough military response in the year since the October 7th attacks.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: We have less than 24 hours to go before polls open across America. Both candidates are on the trail in key battleground states. Harris vowing unity as Trump lashes out over a new Iowa poll, a poll that predicted his two wins in that state.
Plus, Georgia election officials speaking out against disinformation as Donald Trump continues to sow seeds of uncertainty in the voting system.
And is politics bad for business? Major companies are slashing their get-out-the-vote campaigns amid a divisive election cycle.
I'm Sara Sidner with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is election eve, friends. Less than 24 hours from now polls begin to open and votes will start to be counted, which means today is the final day for the campaigns to have their say before voters have their say. Kamala Harris is blitzing Pennsylvania. Donald Trump is hitting three battleground states, both pushing their final messages to convince people to not stay home tomorrow. Harris over the weekend striking an optimistic tone in her rallies and making a pointed decision to not mention Donald Trump by name. At a rally in Michigan, Donald Trump was in Pennsylvania, and he sharpened his focus on a dark and dangerous message that we've seen in his closing argument.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have this piece of glass here, but all we have, really, over here is the fake news. Right?
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: And I don't mind that so much, because -- I don't mind. I don't mind that.
We had the safest border in the history of our country the day that I left. I shouldn't have left. I mean, honestly, as we did, we did so well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: CNN political director David Chalian starts us off with "One Big Thing." It's good to see you, David, what is the one big thing you think people should thinking about now one day out?
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Happy election eve, Kate. Clearly, the contrast is on display in the close here, right? I mean, the tone and tenure of Trumps events this weekend could not be more different than what Kamala Harris is trying to present to voters at the end here. He is clearly still in his grievance mode, still peddling the 2020 election lie. He is obviously still in this sort of violence kind of moment, talking about shooting through reporters just a few days after talking about having barrels of a gun pointing at Liz Cheney's face.
So it just couldn't be more different. and just to give you an example, listen to what Kamala Harris did last night in East Lansing, Michigan, where, by the way, in her closing rally there, she didn't even mention Donald Trump at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAMALA HARRIS, (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: From the very start, our campaign has not been about being against something. It is about being for something.
(CHEERING)
[08:05:00]
HARRIS: A fight for a future with freedom, opportunity, and dignity for all Americans. And so in these final hours let us remember that there is power in knowing that we are together, and let us remember that your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHALIAN: Now, the difference in tone and tenure in the close doesn't mean that the race is somehow different than a toss-up. It is a toss- up and tied. It's just instructive to see how each candidate presents themselves at the end here in their appeal to any voters remaining to make a decision here and get out and vote, Kate.
BOLDUAN: Yes. And where the president -- candidates, the presidential candidates are spending this final day says a lot about what their campaigns are focused on in the final moments, or where they, what they, or where they think their campaign is, or maybe what their campaign needs in this final day.
CHALIAN: Exactly. I think it's the last one, Kate, because what they need is to get to 270 electoral votes. And I think the schedule tells us where they see they need to put that final muscle in. Donald Trump, today will be his third consecutive day in North Carolina. Of the seven battles ground states, it's the only one he actually won in 2020. It was his narrowest margin of victory. And he spent three days in a row there. I don't think they ever thought that at the end of the campaign they'd need to spend three days in a row in a state that was in his corner four years ago.
But look also at Pennsylvania. The fact both candidates, Kate, not just are in the state that many people think is the tipping point state, and obviously it's the biggest electoral prize. Look at where in Pennsylvania they are. These two candidates on this last day of full campaigning will both in Pittsburgh at one point and be in Reading, Pennsylvania. So, obviously, Harris trying to drive up Democratic turnout in Pittsburgh. But Reading, Pennsylvania, is in Berks County, Pennsylvania. This is a county that Donald Trump won twice, in 2016 and 2020, although he won it by less in 2020. So Democrats were able to make a little bit of inroads in that county. But Reading itself is a Latino population in Reading inside Berks County. Donald Trump didn't win a single precinct in Reading there four years ago. So he is clearly going there to try and see if he can make more inroads with Latinos, and Harris is going there to try to capitalize on the fallout from the Madison Square Garden rally and the comments about Puerto Rico and seeing if she can further slow his momentum with Latinos in a critical battleground state. BOLDUAN: It's good to see, David. Thanks for kicking us off.
CHALIAN: You, too.
BOLDUAN: John?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: With us now is Congressman Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat from the glorious commonwealth of Massachusetts and a Harris campaign surrogate. Congresswoman, thanks so much for being with us. A lot being made of the fact that Vice President Harris did not mention Donald Trump by name in her final rally in Michigan overnight. But in the past week she's agreed that he's a fascist. She's said that he's made statements that are disqualifying for the White House. So how much does it really matter if she says his name or not?
REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY, (D-MA) HARRIS CAMPAIGN SURROGATE: Well, I think the vice president said it best in her closing argument at the Ellipse that evening. We already know who Donald Trump is. And this moment, this is about affirming who we are, who we are as a people and who we want to be as a nation. And I believe people want a country that is more just and that is more inclusive. And under Kamala Harris and Tim Walz we'll have that. People who center the humanity and the dignity of every worker, of every family model, and every person that calls this country home.
BERMAN: So we had Van Jones on just a few minutes ago, and he said he was nervous about Philadelphia, not so much that the numbers are going to go to Donald Trump, but that voters there will stay home. You're there right now. What are you seeing? What are your concerns about the vote in that city?
PRESSLEY: That's definitely not what I'm seeing, John. I'm seeing, first of all, people who for the very first time are phone banking, are canvassing, are traveling to other states, that are donating. The enthusiasm, the unprecedented enthusiasm that we've seen in those early days has translated into organizing into the field. I've been in places where people have not seen a coordinated campaign in 30 years. We've been in more remote counties and places that Democrats don't normally go to and we are picking up those votes.
For people that are late breaking in their decision, this is a binary choice, they are breaking for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, because they are concerned about the Affordable Care Act, their access to health care. They're concerned about our bodily autonomy. They're concerned about childcare and paid leave, and they don't want a president that wants to normalize school shootings and a politics of revenge and retribution. People are ready to turn the page. And I have been so inspired by the people that I've seen from every walk of life who have been motivated, understanding how high the stakes are and how stark the contrast.
[08:10:05]
BERMAN: The vice president opened one of her speeches in Michigan, which has a relatively high Muslim and Arab population there, speaking about the war in Gaza. I want to listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As president I will do everything in my power to end the war in Gaza, to bring home the hostages, and the suffering in Gaza, ensure Israel is secure, and ensure the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, security, and self-determination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So what exactly do you think the vice president will do differently than President Biden did vis-a-vis Gaza? And what do you think she should do differently?
PRESSLEY: Well, you know, the grief, the trauma, the loss of it all, it's unimaginable, and it is real. And we have got to save lives. As she said in Michigan, we need a ceasefire. We have to stop the bombs. And what I have found is that Vice President Harris is -- you know, she's not one to shy away from hard conversations. She's a compassionate leader and she's also a partner. And part of partnership is accountability.
John, perfection is never on the ballot, but progress is. And so I want to just make this appeal to people. You deserve to have a president where you live rent-free in their mind and not that of their enemies, that they are staying up late at night thinking about how to lighten your load, how to make your life easier, how to make your aspirations real, how to lower costs for housing and grocery and prescription drugs. You deserve to live in a country where you're not under the fear of gun violence, a country where every child has a future, from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania to Haiti to Gaza to Israel. You deserve to live in a country where you're humanity and your dignity are centered, and you have automatically over your body.
So the stakes are high, the contrast could not be clearer. Vote as if lives depend on it, because they do. Vote for yourself, your neighbor, our democracy. It is all on the line.
BERMAN: Yes or no. Do you think the Harris policy towards Gaza would be different than the Biden policy?
PRESSLEY: Again, I have found Kamala Harris to be a moral and empathetic leader who will sit at the table with us. This is about partnership. And as she said, she recognizes that the destiny of Israel and Palestine, they are tied, and it's important we center the humanity of all involved and save lives. But the real point here is that we have got to stop sending bombs, and we need humanitarian aid to get in there. We have got to save lives. We need a permanent cease- fire, and she called for that, and she has been consistent. And she again has been consistent in centering the self-determination and the humanity of the Palestinian people. So I know she will be a committed partner.
BERMAN: Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, thank you so much for your time this morning. I do appreciate it. Sara?
SIDNER: All right, ahead, this morning, did anyone see this coming? A shift towards Kamala Harris in Iowa. What the latest poll out of Iowa shows is driving that shift.
And Harris harnessing more star power on the campaign trail, the stars stumping for her in these final hours to Election Day.
Plus, breaking overnight, an icon in the music industry has died. We look at his unparalleled career and legacy. Legendary music producer Quincy Jones, who worked his magic with almost every major star in music from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:03:12]
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: In just a few hours here, Georgia officials are set to hold a news conference on Election Day preparations. It comes as Georgia's Republican Secretary of State's Office is fighting a slew of cheating allegations from within their own party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GABRIEL STERLING (R) CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE: People have to have faith in the outcomes and for 200 some odd years we had to have the acceptance of the person who came in second, or lost, to say, you know what, I lost. I will come back again and fight in two years.
The reason we have ballots is avoid bullets. And if you say ballots don't matter anymore, there's only one logical direction to go and that's not healthy in any democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: CNN's Nick Valencia is in Georgia this morning. Nick, what are we expecting to hear today after these allegations have surfaced and Donald Trump continues to say things aren't going to be fair?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sara.
We're likely to hear a message that has been repeated in the weeks leading up to the election and that's that Georgia elections are safe and secure. The problem is that there are many people here in the state and beyond that don't believe that.
It's something that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger talked about with CBS' "60 Minutes" over the weekend. The deep mistrust among MAGA loyalists between towards Republican election officials and how that's making the effort to stop the flow of disinformation that much more difficult.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRAD RAFFENSPERGER (R) GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE: They said there were 66,000 under-aged voters, there were zero. Then they said that there were 2,423 non-registered voters, there were zero.
SCOTT PELLY, "60 MINUTES" CORRESPONDENT: But you're a republican he was your president. You're a Republican. He was your president.
RAFFENSPERGER: I work for the people of Georgia. I respond and I work for the voters of Georgia. My job is to run a fair, honest, accurate election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Last week we saw the state targeted by Russian disinformation. A video reported of a Haitian migrant who said he's only been in the country six months and yet already cast a vote for Kamala Harris. That video was knocked down, obviously, fake and knocked down by Georgia election officials.
But just an example, a microcosm really of what the state is dealing with here ahead of the biggest political day of the year -- Sara.
[08:20:10]
SIDNER: All right, Nick, what is the latest on the pre-election legal fights that we've been seeing in Georgia?
VALENCIA: So, there's some anticipation that Georgia could be a hotbed of litigation and we caught a glimpse of that over the weekend. The RNC and the Georgia GOP filing a federal lawsuit over hand delivery of absentee ballots.
The interesting caveat though of all this is that they're only challenging seven Democratic-leaning counties, even though that similar service was being done in Republican-leaning counties. This election goes without saying was very, very close, under 12,000 votes in 2020 and there are people here that are preparing for a similar scenario here in 2024 -- Sara.
SIDNER: All right, Nick Valencia, there's going to be a lot to do in Georgia. Thank you so much for your reporting from there -- Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Removing fluoride in water and vaccine bans. Donald Trump previewing the potential agenda under -- if RFK, Jr. gets to do what Donald Trump said he's going to let him do, which is, "go wild" on America's public health agencies.
And a new CNN poll shows the latest projection across key battleground states. Spoiler alert, its tight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:25:26]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: We don't have any time for small talk here. Let's get right to senior data reporter, Harry Enten. How close is this race?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: It's Historically tight and we have no clue who's going to win. I'm going to take you through the numbers here. I mean look, here's the situation we've been talking about the seven battleground states. Arizona three, Georgia one for Trump, less than a point in North Carolina, less than a point in Nevada.
And then along your Great Lake battleground states, less than a point lead for Harris in Pennsylvania, less than a point in Wisconsin, less than a point in Michigan. And if of course you put it, this is how tight it is. If you put the polls to the electoral map Kamala Harris carries these great lake battleground states despite losing all Sun Belt battleground states.
I'm coming to John's side of the screen, you get to 270 electoral votes. That is as tight as it can possibly be, Mr. Berman. And if you look it up historically speaking, and I basically took the poll leader's electoral votes based upon polls at the end of each campaign, right now 270 in 2024. That is the tightest that the polls have ever been projected on the electoral map even tighter than 2000 when Al Gore was projected to get 281 electoral votes since 1972.
The bottom line is, Mr. Berman, it is historically tight at the end of this campaign.
BERMAN: All right, and the point, though, that you keep making, Harry, and it's such an important point to make here. Everyone says the race is tied, the race is tied. It very well may be, but that doesn't mean there's not a possibility, maybe even a big possibility, maybe even a majority possibility that one candidate wins by a lot.
ENTEN: That's exactly right. So, you know, if you are basically to model this out as a bunch of folks do. Will the 2024 winner get 320 plus electoral votes? A majority chance of, yes. They will get at least 300 electoral votes. A relative blowout in today's day and age. The minority is at 40 percent, no, that the winner will get less than 300 electoral votes. How the heck is that possible? Well, essentially, if you look back at swing state polling averages since 1972, the average error in the swing states is 3.4 points.
And of course, all of the seven closest battleground states are within three points. So if you get an average error and it all goes in one direction, well then, lo and behold you will in fact get a blowout in the electoral college of the winner getting at least 300 electoral votes.
BERMAN: All right, what does that look like?
ENTEN: What does that look like? Well, if the margin of error benefits Kamala Harris, she got an average poll miss that benefits Kamala Harris. Of course, she wins all these Great Lake battleground states but she also wins down on the southeast and she wins in the southwest as well. She gets up to 319 electoral votes. A huge, big blowout by today's standards. Of course, it could go in the other direction. If the polling error benefits Donald Trump, he actually wins all of these Great Lake battleground states, he wins in the Southeast are and of course wins in the Southwest and gets up to 312 electoral votes.
The bottom line is this, I have been coming to you day after day, after day, with numbers. The only takeaway at this point, it's historically tight but basically any scenario is on the table.
BERMAN: Because one tilt, one way or the other, Trump could do better than he did in 2016.
ENTEN: Correct.
BERMAN: But tilts the other way, Harris could do better than Joe Biden did.
ENTEN: Exactly right.
BERMAN: All right, so buckle up.
ENTEN: Buckle up, put the seatbelt on. We're going to be in this ride perhaps for a while but maybe not.
BERMAN: Kate.
BOLDUAN: Perhaps for a while -- or not, is exactly, that could sum up everything when it comes to this election including this. Donald Trump is still talking about 2020 as his closing message in the 2024 election. Now, telling a crowd he should not have left the White House after he lost.
Another very 2020 aspect of this 2024 close, trying to stoke voter fraud fears without evidence.
And, what's going on in Iowa? The new poll out there that is turning heads and why Des Moines is telling the rest -- why Des Moines is telling the rest of the country this is worth looking at.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
