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NEW DAY SUNDAY

Mall Shooting: Too Early To Rule Out Terrorism; Videos of Fatal Encounter Leave Questions Unanswered; New Clinton Ad Attacks Trump's Business Ties; Police Investigating Triple Homicide in California; First Clinton-Trump Showdown Set for Tomorrow. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired September 25, 2016 - 07:00   ET

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


[07:00:08] CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, 7:00. Early on a Sunday morning, but thanks for keeping us company here. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you. We are now into the final countdown until the first presidential debate airing on CNN at 9:00.m.

This morning, the Clinton campaign is introducing a scathing new ad on Donald Trump's business ties abroad.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is live at Hofstra University. So, tell us about the prep and what about this ad.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a new ad really laying the groundwork, Victor, from likely a new argument that we'll hear from Hillary Clinton here at Hofstra University where the debate stage is getting ready, is being set. And the candidates today are spending their time behind closed doors with the first face-off. I'll have all the details coming up next.

PAUL: All right. Sunlen, thank you.

But we do want to let you know the man accused of shooting five people in a Seattle area mall has been captured. Police say 20-year-old Arcan Cetin surrendered quietly. So far, authority say they see no evidence of a link to terrorism here, but they say contend that it's just too early in the investigation to rule anything out.

CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam is live in Burlington, Washington, for us.

Stephanie, what have you learned about how they were able to find this man and take him into custody?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. That's been the big question, Christi. It was almost 24 hours after the shooting occurred right here in the Macy's behind me here in Burlington. What we do know is after he shot those five people killing them, he ran out and headed to the interstate 5 here. At that point he disappeared.

But police started tapping into surveillance video and looking for other leads. Take a listen to what they said helped track him down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. CHRIS CAMMOCK, MOUNT VERNON POLICE: We began interviewing acquaintances, family members associated with the tip and it grew a stronger connection for us. In addition to that, the investigators had been able to pull down all of the security video footage outside the Cascade Mall from area businesses, and in reviewing the footage, we were able to identify a suspect vehicle which we didn't have earlier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And now, Arcan Cetin was apprehended in Oak Harbor, which is about 20 miles away from here. That's also where he lives. What's interesting about this though is that one police had said he was looking at his computer, looking at images of this man when he saw him walking down the street. He did a quick U-turn and went up to arrest him.

He said he was almost zombie like. He didn't resist. We know the weapon was recovered inside the Macy's. It was very uneventful. So, a different change here.

But what we don't know, Christi, at this point, is why he did this, if he had any connection to the victims. Police don't believe there's any terrorism connection here, but people are wanting to know more because we have learned that he is a legal resident here but he immigrated from Turkey.

So, there's a lot of questions here that people want to have answered but still more to discover in a very, very quiet town that doesn't see anything like this.

PAUL: Sure. I know they don't know when he immigrated from Turkey. Let's point that out. That's one of the questions that is still out there.

Thank you so much, Stephanie Elam. Appreciate it.

BLACKWELL: Charlotte police have answered the public outcry and released dash cam video of their fatal encounter with Keith Scott. But the videos really don't answer some of the most significant questions about the shootings. Investigators released only two pieces of video, short snippets although we know that there were several other recording.

The police chief says these are the most relevant recordings and more video evidence will be released once the investigation is complete.

Our Brynn Gingras joins me now from Charlotte.

Brynn, so what we've know that we've learned from these tapes, we've learned the police recordings and also from the family.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, remember, Victor, the family saw these tapes before they were released publicly. So, once they sort of reiterated the fact that they don't think Keith Scott was acting aggressively towards police.

Now, police are pretty much reiterating the fact that they say this is only one piece of the big puzzle under investigation, also saying that as you can see in the videos, Keith Scott was not obeying their commands.

So, we're still hearing the same narrative, but certainly, these two new videos are giving the public another, two additional perspective of those final moments of Keith Scott's life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the gun.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He doesn't have a gun.

GINGRAS (voice-over): The tapes became public one day after a video recorded by Keith Scott's video was released publicly.

[07:05:03] Her video shows that moment leading up to the killing of her husband by a Charlotte police officer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't shoot him.

GINGRAS: The dashcam video provided by the police department shows a patrol car approaching the scene where one plain clothes officer with his weapon drawn is visible. Moments later, a uniformed officer joins the first officer's position behind a truck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the gun.

GINGRAS: Someone shouts, "drop the gun", several times before Scott exists his SUV. While walking backwards, Scott is shot at four times by Officer Brentley Vinson who is off camera throughout both videos.

(GUNFIRE)

JUSTIN BAMBERG, FAMILY ATTORNEY: What we see when we look at this dash cam video is Mr. Scott vehicle, he doesn't appear to be acting aggressive towards any of the law enforcement officers on the scene. He doesn't appear to be making gestures or motions as though he's arguing with anybody. He doesn't lunge at the officers, appears he has his hands by his side.

Again, there is no definitive evidence in this video as to whether or not there is an object in his hand, and if there is, what that object is.

GINGRAS: Meanwhile, the body camera video worn by a uniformed police officer shows that man running up toward the encounter. The officer moves beside a white truck and pauses next to a plain clothes officer before running around to his left to the other side of the vehicles. As the officer passes a gap between cars, Scott is visible with his right arm beside his side. The next time he is seen he is lying on the ground with five officers converging on him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Handcuffs, handcuffs, handcuffs.

Neither video appears to show Scott pointing a gun at police officers and neither seems to answer some of the most significant questions in the shooting. Police say the released videos are just a sampling of their evidence which will show the shooting was justified.

CHIEF KERR PUTNEY, CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE: I stand behind the truth. People can interpret anything they want based on one piece of evidence. I can tell you, I suspect they will based often the video footage.

But what you have to say, you have to put all pieces together. We've interviewed a lot of people. We've interviewed all of our officers involved. The consistent themes were the facts and that's what I stand behind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Still so many questions even after the release of those two snippets of video.

Our Brynn Gingras there for us in Charlotte. Brynn, thank so much.

Let's try to get some answers through analysis and bring in senior law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes back for a quick discussion on what we see in the video, Tom. Chief Kerr Putney has said that he doesn't see Keith Scott lunge at the officers, point a gun at the officers in the video.

But I want you to hear what Todd Walther, the spokesman or the local chapter, the Fraternal Order of Police told our Nick Valencia earlier in the week, what he saw in the dash cam and body cam videos. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD WALTHER, CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE: He was armed when he exited the vehicle. Didn't listen to commands from the officers and drop the weapon and he made a -- he made an obvious threat to the officers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Made an obvious threat to the officers. We again heard what the chief said. What is this officer describing, something that is not there or are we looking at this from the wrong perspective?

TOM FUENTES, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, Victor, I don't know. Maybe he saw a different video or something like that, but you have to have a clear view of his hands. If the gun is in his hand and the police officer sees that, even the fact that it stays in his hand throughout the time that they yell eight or ten times at him loudly, "drop the gun", and he doesn't drop it, and so the fact that it stays in his hand means in a tenth of a second, he can pull it up and shoot.

An officer, even with his own gun out and aimed at him might not have enough time to pull his own trigger and react. That's even assuming that he would hit him on the first shot.

So, this is a very dangerous situation and I think people are making very much light of this when you hear discussions about more training. The more training will tell you, you know, if that gun remains in his hand, he's a lethal threat the entire time, even if that gun is pointed downward most of the time. You just don't know.

BLACKWELL: And, see, the ambiguity here of made an obvious threat, one could say or ask is he referring to a lunge or pointing that we don't see in this video. If so, why not release that? Or is he simply talking about a man with a gun when he's being told to put it down. But it highlights the problem with having too many voices talking from the department about what's in this video before you see it.

[07:10:00] FUENTES: Well, listen to all the voices. You know, if you're pro-police, you think -- you know, that's what you see. If you're anti-police that you see something different, that he didn't have a gun. He was going backwards. You know, he wasn't a threat.

So, I think much of this is, you know, in the eye of the beholder, but the other thing I'd like to add is I think the chief being so definitive about the information, it makes me wonder if there weren't on the street witnesses whose faces may be shown and they've asked for their identity to be protected if they've backed up the police officer.

They said they saw a gun. They saw the whole incident. He didn't comply then, you know, that might be part of what's being protected.

BLACKWELL: All right. Tom Fuentes, again, we just received a few seconds -- a little more than a minute of this video and still did not answer the most pertinent questions. Tom Fuentes, thank you for your analysis.

FUENTES: You're welcome.

PAUL: There's a frantic search going on for a missing 17-year-old girl after three people were found dead inside her home. What police know right now.

BLACKWELL: Also, the first presidential debate coming up. Sunlen Serfaty is live where it's going down.

Sunlen?

SERFATY: That's right, Victor. The candidates are quiet today preparing behind closed doors for this big face-off. There's a dramatic dust up over who is going to be in the audience. All of those details coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: All righty. First presidential debate tomorrow airing right here on CNN, 9:00 p.m., and new this morning, Hillary Clinton is already attacking Donald Trump with a new ad. [07:15:06] It's a scathing ad that tries to link his business ties to

Russia. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, HILLARY FOR AMERICA)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I'm Hillary Clinton and I approve this message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An ABC News investigation has found his real estate fortunes have benefitted greatly from Russian investors putting a get tough policy with Russia in direct conflict with his bottom line.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perhaps one more reason why we're not seeing his tax returns because he is deeply involved with Russian oligarchs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't want his tax returns out there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do Trump's taxes tell us? A lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Well, we're seeing this as both sides seem to be now playing with the opponent. Billionaire Mark Cuban tweeted that Hillary Clinton, her campaign, has offered him a front row seat and he's taking it. Trump responded with a tweet saying that he should potentially invite Gennifer Flowers, the woman with whom Bill Clinton admitted to having a sexual encounter with decades ago. According to "The New York Times", Flowers told them via tweet that she's going to be there.

PAUL: So, let's bring in CNN correspondent Sunlen Serfaty, who is there, by the way.

What have you learned first of all, about this ad? And also, new numbers, new poll numbers out this morning?

SERFATY: That's right, Christi. This new poll out from "The Washington Post" shows that this race has tightened and it is now in a deadlock.

I want to show you some live pictures now of inside the debate hall where preps are underway, of course. This should emphasize how important Monday night's debate is. That poll also revealing that eight in ten people will tune in to Monday night's debate.

So, the candidates know they have a big message and big platform to get out that message to potentially a lot of undecided voters out there. We saw today the Clinton campaign release a new ad likely previewing a line of argument that we'll see up there on the debate stage questioning Donald Trump's business practices and links to Russia and really putting a spotlight on his refusal so far to release his tax returns -- Christi. PAUL: All righty. So, let's talk about Gennifer Flowers and this

potential invitation. Do we know if Trump camp reached out to her or as Scottie Nell Hughes said earlier on this show, she believes, she's a Trump supporter, that this was just fodder?

SERFATY: Yes, we've reached out to the Trump campaign many times to find out if this was a serious invitation or not, and they haven't responded yet and really decline to respond. But regardless, if it is serious or not, this certainly introduces a specter of the possibility that Donald Trump will bring up Bill Clinton's past indiscretions, you know, certainly and taunting and teasing that out.

You know, the Clinton response has been to downplay it, brush it off. This already shows that their invitation of Mark Cuban has set off Donald Trump already trying to paint this that Donald Trump is being impulsive. And as Clinton prepares for the debate, this is certainly something that aides say she has factored in, not knowing what sort of Donald Trump will show up, will it be the more reserved Donald Trump that we've seen in recent weeks, reading off a teleprompter, so to speak, more on message, or will it be the Donald Trump that really was from the primary campaign, more shoot off the hip?

So, this is certainly this is something that they're factoring in and aides say she has prepared to face those questions about Bill Clinton's past indiscretions. But certainly interesting backdrop for Monday.

PAUL: Everybody just take a nice deep breath.

BLACKWELL: Sometimes you just have to exhale.

PAUL: Sometimes you just have to exhale, yes. Sunlen Serfaty, whew, what a job you have. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

And, again, a reminder here, first presidential debate tomorrow night here at CNN 9:00 p.m. Eastern. And, you know, we'll be doing some fact checking as well.

BLACKWELL: Certainly will be. Yes.

So many people also talking about this silent act of protest that has taken the fight against police brutality to the football field. You know, Colin Kaepernick and his kneeling during the national anthem. Well, now, he's on the cover of "TIME Magazine." We're going to show the cover and we'll talk with the writer behind that big story.

PAUL: Also, a very bizarre story out of California. Police find three people dead inside a home and please look at your screen there, because that 17-year-old girl is now missing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:23:03] BLACKWELL: Well, it's a simple act of protest. Now the symbol of a growing movement.

I want you to take a look at the cover of "TIME Magazine" this week. It shows Colin Kaepernick taking a knee along with the words there you see at the bottom of your screen, "The Perilous Fight", taken of course from the national anthem.

The 49ers quarterback has been kneeling during the anthem during every game since the preseason. Now, this is a silent but many say powerful protest against police violence and racial inequality. And across the nation, it's gaining some traction.

Joining me now is the writer of the "TIME" story, Sean Gregory.

Sean, good morning to you.

SEAN GREGORY, TIME MAGAZINE: Good morning.

BLACKWELL: First tell me about -- you know, this isn't "Sports Illustrated", right? This is "TIME Magazine." How and why did Colin Kaepernick end up on the cover?

GREGORY: Because he started a movement. I mean, in August 26th, he first sat for the national anthem. You saw NFL players follow in the first regular season game and after that we saw high school teams in football, volleyball, we even spoke to a middle school team in Texas where 11 around 12-year-olds took a knee. Unfortunately some of the reaction to that was very, very negative.

We've seen this around the country. It's a divisive issue. It's a sweet spot for "TIME" to kind of explore all sides of it.

BLACKWELL: You've talked about negative reaction and there have been some pretty extreme accusations and claims made in response to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee. I want to play what Congressman Steve King said suggesting why potentially Kaepernick is doing this.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

STEVE KING, UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: He's undermining patriotism. I understand that he has an Islamic girlfriend that is his fiance and that this has changed him, he's taken on some different political views along the way. This is activism that's sympathetic to ISIS.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

[07:25:03] BLACKWELL: Sympathetic to ISIS. I mean, do we know how Kaepernick is responding to these claims?

GREGORY: I think he's taking everything in stride. You know, the interesting thing about this discussion is when it first happened in late august there was a lot of comments like that. Then you saw Colin Kaepernick, for example, engage with the military, engage with a former Green Beret named Nate Bowyer, they had a casual talk, talked about all sides of the issues before the second preseason game in which Kaepernick protested. He changed it -- he went from sitting to kneeling. I think the

kneeling gesture which is more of a sign of respect. They will tell you when a player gets hurt on the field, everybody kneels, has shift the discussion, made a little less extreme, although you're still seeing some pretty hateful reaction to the folks who are doing this.

BLACKWELL: Yes, not only sitting to kneeling, but from street clothes to doing it while in his 49ers uniform which, of course, is an important distinction. Do we know how long this will go on, for the rest of the season, for the rest of his career?

GREGORY: We don't know. We don't know. You know, the recent incidents this week involving police shootings of unarmed African- Americans will probably propel the protests further. The NBA season is coming up and a few players have said they expect this kind of thing to happen as that season kicks off as we go into November. It will be interesting to see if this continues. I don't think it's stopping any time soon.

BLACKWELL: Before we go the to the basketball season, we have wakes today in the events of Terence Crutcher and Keith Scott, I guess the expectation is, we'll see more people in the NFL join this movement.

GREGORY: I think that's a fair expectation. Three players from Nebraska took a knee in a college game yesterday. So -- and the Niners play the Seattle Seahawks, and the Seahawks are a team that have explored this. They've linked arms as a form of unity, but they have players on this team who have spoken out against what's going on. So, that would be one game to look at today, would be Seattle and San Francisco later this afternoon.

BLACKWELL: Sean Gregory, it is a compelling cover and amazing cover story. Thanks so much for talking with us this morning.

GREGORY: I do. Thanks a lot.

BLACKWELL: Sure.

Christi?

PAUL: Well, city officials in Charlotte say today's Panthers game will go on as planned. There's going to have to be some changes after several days of protest in that city. What that means for players, for fans. We'll break it down for you.

Also, this was our story. There's a call to 911 from a child telling police that her parents are dead. That leads to three bodies being found and this 17-year-old girl missing. We have details on what is an active search this morning.

Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:20] CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to Sunday. We're always grateful to see you. I'm Christi Paul. VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with

you.

PAUL: Yes, I want to tell you right about police in southern California and their search for a teenage girl after three people were found dead in her home. Now, police say they rushed to this home after a child called saying her parents had died. Investigators found the bodies of two men and a woman inside that home in Fullerton, which is half an hour southeast of Los Angeles.

Take a look at your screen if you would, please?

Police are trying desperately to find 17-year-old Katlynn Goodwill Yost who lives in that house and is now missing. You can see she has strawberry blond hair, dark colored eyes. Authorities say two other children were found in the home. They were unharmed.

Senior law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes back with us now.

So, Tom, what do you make of the situation when you see it at its surface?

TOM FUENTES, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I don't know, Christi. You know, the police are not releasing enough information to get a good picture of this. They're ruling out that it's a double murder/suicide.

So, they're saying it's a triple murder, which means that there's another person who committed that murder, and, you know, who that person is we don't know. Whether the 17-year-old girl is suspected or not, they're not saying. They're saying that she's missing and they fear for her safety.

We also don't know what the children said, you know? One of the children apparently called 911.

But when the police came and two children were found at the residence unharmed, you know, what did they say? What did they see? What did they know? Do they know the other person that may be involved in the homicide? Do they know where the 17-year-old girl might have gone or if she was with someone or if she was involved?

There are still too many questions to really assess it.

PAUL: No doubt. And one of the things that I was asking first thing this morning was how old these children are, we don't even know -- we don't even have that information. But what do you make, Tom, of the fact that there were two children found alive in the midst of the home where adults had died?

FUENTES: Well, you know, at first glance you might think that whoever killed the adults had some type of grievance against one or all of them and that it was more along those lines, a personal issue with them, but we don't know. We don't know.

And we don't know if the children were in another room, in the basement, heard a commotion and came up and discovered the three adults dead. So we don't know the circumstances of what they saw, where they were, and how long the three adults had been dead and all of those type of issues. We don't know. F

PAUL: Where does the investigation go, Tom, from here? Especially, OK, we're talking about Fullerton, 30 minutes outside of Los Angeles. Los Angeles, obviously, a very large community. What are their next steps?

FUENTES: Well, the first steps are going to be to -- after identifying the three adults, examining any and all communications they may have had, their cell phone information, social media information if that's out there to see if someone had posed a threat to them or if they had posted something on social media that may have resulted in someone becoming angry and come after them. They'll do the same thing on behalf of the 17-year-old girl on the assumption that she may have social media accounts, email accounts, cell phone information, that type of thing, and be trying to look at that.

So, they're going to be trying to analyze the three adults and the missing girl for sure to see what, if anything, comes up in their background.

[07:35:02] PAUL: You fear for those two kids that were in the home as well. You don't know what they saw, what they experienced, what they're going through now.

Tom Fuentes, thank you so much.

FUENTES: You're welcome.

BLACKWELL: All right. It is expected to be the most watched presidential debate in television history. 100 million viewers potentially. Looking live now. The podium's there on the stage at Hofstra University. So most watched, but will it also take the title for the nastiest in history? We've got a presidential historian coming up next to tell us what it's up against. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: All right. New this morning, you are looking now, now you are, at the pictures of the debate podiums there at Hofstra University where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will face off for the first presidential debate airing right here on CNN, 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

And this morning, the Clinton campaign has released an attacking Donald Trump's businesses and his ties to potentially Russia.

A new "Washington Post"/ABC News poll has, though, the two candidates neck and neck. Clinton at 46, Trump at 44, within the margin of error here. Very close.

PAUL: So let's discuss the debate and more. Douglas Brinkley, CNN presidential historian, with us, and Brian Stelter, CNN's senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES."

Thank you, gentlemen, for being here. We appreciate it.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

PAUL: Douglas, I understand you said this is an unprecedented debate, that there is more at stake than at any other time. Why?

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, 1980 Ronald Regan and Jimmy Carter, they only had one debate.

[07:40:03] And that was -- they got an audience of 80 million people. We're easily looking I think at 100 million viewers. I mean, we are a polarized country. But we're all coming together to watch the spectacle really.

I mean, television companies -- television is going to be running ads specific to super bowl. People introducing new products. And also you just showed, this is a dead heat.

So, we've never had a candidate like Donald Trump who is known for zingers, insults. We just watched him go through his GOP opponents and kind of knock them over demolition derby style. So, everybody is going to be tuning in to this.

It's the one big chance Donald Trump has to condense the 8 percent of undecided registered voters that he's fit to be president. It's a big night that he is to lure, I think, some people that believe he's more than a reality star.

PAUL: So, Brian, when we look at what has broken today we've got the Gennifer Flowers supposed invitation. We don't flow if they are reaching out, the Trump camp, to invite her. We've got Hillary Clinton's Trump ad trying to link Russia to him.

How much policy do we believe it's going to be talked about in this 90 minutes?

STELTER: I think Lester Holt, the moderator will try to keep it on policy, try to keep it focus on issues, because that's what viewers care. But, already, as we've seen, there are mind games going on.

The Clinton campaign bringing in Mark Cuban, putting him in the front row, putting another billionaire there in the audience, a billionaire who has insulted Trump every chance Cuban has had. Now, Trump responding with this idea involving Gennifer Flowers.

Let's be clear about the difference, though. If the Hillary Clinton campaign were to invite one of Donald Trump's ex-wives to sit in the audience, even that would not be as ugly as potentially inviting an ex-lover of Bill Clinton. That is -- that is a really, really ugly. I doubt it will happen.

I don't think that Trump campaign is actually going to invite Gennifer Flowers. I do think Bill Clinton's and his infidelity in the past will come up. Trump will work it into the conversation.

PAUL: Which a lot of people say is hypocritical, Douglas, because his reputation with infidelity is not squeaky clean, or with fidelity I guess I should say. When you hear what we've heard about the Gennifer Flowers angle, alleged Russian links to his business concerns. I'm fascinated to know a man with your mind who has studied this so well, what do you think of these elements that are coming to play here?

BRINKLEY: Well, I think we've become a Jerry Springer society. I think the fact that this is being elevated, this kind of nonsense, to these debates is quite sad. I look at Kennedy/Nixon, when they debated each other, people would kind of step back, and try to think about what they said. There was some decorum. Well, now, it's chairs flying across the stage.

I don't believe that Trump -- I don't believe it would be smart for Trump to have Gennifer Flowers there. The very fact that he's raised the specter tells that he's -- you know, there are no holes barred. There's no such thing as the low road or in the mud with Donald Trump. He's wallowing there all the time, I'm afraid that's part of how our society is now become. We're seeing a decline in civility, unfortunately.

PAUL: Brian, I read a debate can't win an election for somebody but it certainly can lose an election for somebody? What are you hearing in the TV world because this is a TV forum?

STELTER: Oh, yes.

PAUL: When you listen to what's happening on the radio, that might be a very different reception than what you actually see via TV on the stage.

STELTER: Yes, we should keep in mind as we head into Monday night that Donald Trump is a TV star. We've never had a TV star run for president like this before.

The closest is Ronald Regan who was an actor, of course, before running for president. Donald Trump knows how to command a room, knows how to play to the cameras. I' sure he will do that on Monday night.

Here's a crazy idea. Maybe we all turn off our phones, we don't all read Twitter and Facebook, we don't read the instant reactions. We just make up our eyes for ourselves.

Now, I admit I can't do it. I want to see the reactions in real time. But that's why -- you know, it's important to keep in mind, there are going to be snap judgments and I think the first 15 minutes are going to matter more than the rest of the debate because people are going to wonder right away what kind of tone is struck by Trump and Clinton. I'm sure that's what Clinton and Trump know. They're preparing for that. And both these campaigns know it's the most important night of the election.

PAUL: We've gotten word that Hillary Clinton was prepping well into the night for this debate.

STELTER: Yes. [07:45:00] PAUL: Douglas, real quickly. There are a couple of firsts here we see, too, as well. First, Donald Trump has not been in a debate setting where it's just him and one other person. And, secondly, as adroit as Hillary Clinton can be at debate, she has never debated an opponent from the other party. So, how do you see that dynamic going?

BRINKLEY: Both great points and important for us to remember. I mean, look, it's one thing, you know, for Donald Trump to be on a stage with ten people. He can get his barbs in, he could mug it up, and do facial gestures, and kind of steal the after glow.

But here, he's going to have to get into substance. He's got 90 minutes here. They have to deeply get into the issues on NAFTA and terrorism. He's not going to speak wholly on platitudes or in the false wishes, so everybody is going to be fact checking everything he says and it will be done very quickly. It's going to come flooding at him.

However, Hillary Clinton feels she's been a veteran of debates. But when you really go and look at it, I mean, she had Barack Obama. They went at each other some. Bernie Sanders, for example, said, I'm tired of hearing about the e-mails.

Donald Trump is not tired about hearing about the e-mails. He's going to be putting it in their face over and over again.

So, it's a very different setting for Hillary Clinton. It's one that I don't think she's ever been in except she weathered the Benghazi hearings and she spent hours being grilled and did quite well. That's promising for Hillary Clinton and her supporters.

PAUL: All right. Well, we'll wait and see of course, a debate like none other. I think we're all quite certain of that.

Douglas Brinkley and Brian Stelter, we so appreciate both of you talking to us this morning. Thank you.

STELTER: Thank you.

BRINKLEY: Thank you.

PAUL: Absolutely.

Brian, by the way, don't forget, he is back at 11:00 a.m. Eastern with "RELIABLE SOURCES."

BLACKWELL: And Brian suggested putting away the phones and getting off Facebook. Don't do that. Don't do that, because there are going to be so many fact checks.

We want you actually right now to go to social media and tell us what you want to hear and see from the candidates. We put the call out a little earlier and here's what we heard from some folks so far.

Colleen says via Twitter that she wants facts not fiction, policy, no theatrics. D So Natural, I like that handle, "the ones positions on education and preparing workers now for future skills." And Brain Shales on Facebook, "Climate change, haven't heard anything from either of them regarding this issue". And Juan Wiseman, "Stay on issues, there are actual solutions, how they will be funded."

And again, we want you to go to Facebook, go Twitter, share you thoughts. Tell us what you want to hear and see @NewDay Twitter handle and Facebook.com/NewDay.

All right. Let's talk sports, and not just sports but broadcasting history. A hall of fame broadcaster is signing off. We'll have in just a moment. Kristina Fitzpatrick will join us with more of the legendary voice of the Dodgers. That's coming up next in sports. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:51:42] BLACKWELL: Well, today's Panthers-Vikings game in Charlotte will go on as scheduling. Of course, this is happening though as the city is coping with the unrest after this week's police shooting.

PAUL: Yes.

Kristina Fitzpatrick has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report".

Good morning.

KRISTINA FITZPATRICK, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you guys as well.

Yes, the show must go on in the NFL in Charlotte today, but the game has been declared an extraordinary event by the city manager. Now, that means the game will kick off as planned but there will be extra security on hand. The declaration gives city more authority to search fans near the stadium and in surrounding parking lots.

There have been protests since Tuesday night when a Charlotte police officer shot and killed a man about 15 minutes from Bank of America stadium where the game will be played today.

In college football, the Wisconsin Badgers improved 4-0 for the first time since 2011. Yesterday, they routed eighth ranked Michigan State 30-6 in East Lansing something they haven't done in 14 years. After upsetting LSU in the season opener, Wisconsin has now beaten two top ten teams for the first time in school history. Next week they will go on the big house to face number four, Michigan.

Finally, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully will call his last game today with the Dodgers this afternoon. He's been the team's play by play announcer, dating all the way back to their days in Brooklyn. Scully's amazing 67 seasons with the Dodgers is the longest time any broadcasters has been for the single team in professional sports history. The hall of famer says he's enjoyed every minute of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VIN SCULLY, BROADCASTER: Will I miss the games? Well, yes. But I can turn on the radio or the TV. I can catch the game. The people, that's what I will miss. The people who have made me feel so much at home. I think I carry that right out on to the air.

FITZPATRICK: Vin Scully has called about 10,000 games in his career. His last one will come on the road in San Francisco next Sunday, if you home viewer heard him call a game, go online and listen to him. It is an absolute treat.

PAUL: Sixty-seven seasons. Wow.

All right. Kristina, thank you. So good to have you here today.

FITZPATRICK: Thank you, guys.

PAUL: Absolutely.

So coming up on "STATE OF THE UNION", Jake Tapper talking to both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's campaign managers.

BLACKWELL: All right. Big show there.

I tried to get the inside scoop how they are preparing for Monday's first presidential debate. We'll talk with Jake after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:57:36] BLACKWELL: This election season Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump on the same stage. That stage for the first face off of the campaign. It could be the most watched U.S. political event ever.

Let's go now to Jake Tapper, host of CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION", in Washington.

Jake, a lot is at stake here and you have the campaign managers on today.

TAPPER: That's right. We have Robby Mook, campaign manager of the Hillary Clinton campaign and Kellyanne Conway for the Donald Trump campaign. And, really, you can't overstate the importance of Monday night's debate. A lot of pollsters will tell you what's key is not necessarily where the numbers are but where they are headed.

Right now, Hillary Clinton appears to have a very, very narrow lead nationally and in key battleground states within the margin of error. Donald Trump as a general rule his numbers have been going in the right way, and as a general note, her numbers are going in the wrong way.

Can she stem the tide of his momentum? Can she preserve her lead as it is? Or can he have a great debate performance that somehow gets him over that bubble if people think done have the temperament to be president?

It's a very, very high stakes evening tomorrow night. Cannot be overstated. We'll talk to the campaign managers next.

BLACKWELL: All right. Looking forward to it. Thank you, Jake.

TAPPER: Thank you.

BLACKKWELL: And again, you can catch Jake one hour from now, "STATE OF THE UNION," 9:00 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

PAUL: And we just want to wish a happy birthday to the one and only Victor Blackwell.

BLACKWELL: Thank you so much.

PAUL: Are you going to reveal your age?

BLACKWELL: Yes, I'm 35. Proud of it.

PAUL: I hate you.

(LAUGHTER)

BLACKWELL: Yes, 35.

PAUL: Oh my goodness. Well, we're just so grateful to have you every morning, every weekend morning on this show.

BLACKWELL: Christie brought in the best cake. It's beautiful. It's delicious.

PAUL: We'll tweet a picture out, because I didn't make it.

BLACKWELL: Yes, lemon pandan with citrus cake. It's delicious. I'm on it.

PAUL: He's high maintenance. I said what kind of cake do you want, I get it? I want a lemon pandan with citrus cake.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I mean, you know?

PAUL: You know what? He's got goal and our goal is to please him. Happy Birthday.

BLACKWELL: I was going to say carrot.

Thanks so much for being with us.

PAUL: We're grateful you are.

BLACKWELL: Oh thank you.

PAUL: Thank you so much.

"INSIDE POLITICS" with John King stars right now.