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Senate To Hold Vote on U.S. Supreme Court Nominee, Brett Kavanaugh; Nobel Peace Prize Awardee Named; Beijing Lashes Out on U.S. Vice President Mike Pence After Speech; Spy Phobia Driving Espionage Allegation on Russia; Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Death Toll Increases; World Headlines; Senate Holds Critical Vote on Kavanaugh's Confirmation; Time Magazine Puts Christine Blasey Ford on Cover; Elon Musk Taunts SEC After Lawsuit Settlement; Ringing at the Wrong Moment. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired October 5, 2018 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNA COREN, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream. In or out, we are just hours away from the start of Senate voting
to see if the controversial nominee, Judge Kavanaugh, gets on the Supreme Court.
A stand against sexual violence, this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners are awarded today with their efforts to stop rape as a weapon of war.
And one week since the Indonesia quake and tsunami, search and rescue teams warn another thousand people are still missing.
At the end of a tumultuous week in Washington, we now are just hours away from the first Senate vote on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S.
Supreme court. If the Republicans have the numbers, we could be confirmed - - he could be confirmed by Saturday with thousands of protesters took to the streets of Washington on Thursday to demonstrate against Kavanaugh's
nomination.
Three women have accused him of various forms of sexual misconduct. More protests are expected on Friday. CNN's Abby Phillip is live at the White
House. Abby, let's start with the op-ed that Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the "Wall Street Journal." He clearly had some regrets about his performance
at the hearing. How is that being received in Washington?
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is really an extraordinary op-ed that any Supreme Court justice nominee would in the
final days before his confirmation write a document like this, basically apologizing for his demeanor in the hearing last week. Some Democrats and
even some Republicans were concerned that it made him seem overly partisan. He talked about his critics being motivated by revenge on behalf of the
Clintons, among other things.
And in this op-ed he write this, "I was a very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been. I might have been too emotional at times. I
know that my tone was sharp and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, a husband and a
dad."
So, in almost -- you know, pretty much an outright apology on Kavanaugh's part in an effort to shore up some last minute votes that are on the line
here. There are still four undecided senators and sources are telling us in the White House that the White House is concerned that this issue, the
issue of his temperament, of his perceived partisanship, could stand in the way of some of those senators like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voting
for him.
So, this has become a big issue and Kavanaugh trying to get ahead of it, but the White House is standing behind this decision to walk it back
because I think they believe that in these last moment it is worth it for him to show some contrition for, at least, some of his tone, especially in
the question-and-answer portion of his statement last week.
COREN: Yes, where he was quite aggressive. Abby, Retired Justice John Paul Stevens who happens to be a Republican, has changed his mind, claiming that
Kavanaugh's performance was disqualifying. How much weight does that carry?
PHILLIP: Well, again, in a week of really extraordinary things happening, that is also another thing that no one here can ever remember ever
happening. John Paul Stevens was giving a public address, a private address actually, in Florida and then he was asked about the confirmation process
and he said that he was a supporter of Judge Kavanaugh in the past, but after last week he had some concerns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PAUL STEVENS, RETIRED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: He is a fine federal judge and he should have been confirmed when he was a nominee, but I think
that his performance ring the hearings caused me to change my mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP: Now, it's important to remember that Stevens is a Republican -- a registered Republican. He has been a swing vote at times, but he's someone
-- he's 98 years old. He's long retired from the court. And him weighing in like this is so unusual, but it shows the degree to which this issue of
Kavanaugh's nomination, not just the allegations against him, but the way in which the whole situation has been handled has caused a lot of heartburn
on the part of court watchers, on the part of justices, and on the part of former justices who are concerned about the long-term impact of all of this
acrimony in Washington surrounding a Supreme Court justice.
Remember, Kavanaugh could be on the court if he is confirmed for 40 years. This is a lifetime appointment. There is no position in the United States
that is more significant than this. And for that reason, I think a lot of people want to me sure that there isn't a lasting taint from all of this
partisanship surrounding his confirmation.
COREN: Abby, we know you certainly have a busy day ahead. Abby Phillip, we appreciate your report. Thank you.
[08:05:00] Well, as we've been hearing, Brett Kavanaugh has been trying to help his (inaudible) an unprecedented op-ed in the "Wall Street Journal."
In it, he attempted to address concerns over his impartiality saying, "I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I'm not a pro-
plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I'm not a pro-prosecution or pro-defense judge. I am a pro-law judge."
Well, CNN's legal analyst and former sex (ph) crimes investigator, Shan Wu, is live for us in Washington. Shan, Kavanaugh claims that he is impartial
and nonpartisan, but can we take him at face value considering his performance last week?
SHAN WU, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: -- performance last week, granted he was under a tremendous amount of pressure, but under that pressure -- I mean as a
former prosecutor looking at a witness under that kind of pressure, he cracked and seemed reveal his roots, which is of course he was a very
skilled political operative, and that came through very, very strongly.
The op-ed this morning certainly unprecedented. I cannot ever imagine a Supreme Court nominee writing an op-ed on their own behalf on the eve of
the votes, essentially campaigning for the position. And I think that reflects the concern in his camp that he may have come across as being too
partisan and ill-tempered.
That's completely holding aside the question of the sexual misconduct allegations and I think that's what he's trying to correct in the op-ed is
trying to say, "Hey, remember, I had a reputation being impartial. I will be impartial. I'm not going to get on the bench and somehow punish the
Democrats who opposed me." So, it's a very odd situation, indeed very heavily politically charged.
COREN: Shan, his temperament certainly is being questioned. And we heard that from Retired Justice John Paul Stevens, who is we heard just
beforehand, plus 2,400 law professors who signed a letter saying he doesn't have the judicial temperament to any court, let alone the highest court in
the land. Is that a fair assessment?
WU: Yes. I have to say based on what we saw on -- at those hearings that seems a very fair assessment. I think to be fair to the judge you certainly
do have to measure it against the body of his work and his other reputation. However, you know, I have to say, if this was coming up at the
time that he was being first embedded by the White House Counsel's Office I think he would have been disqualified a long time ago.
But the timing is such that his back and the Republican's backs are against the wall. They have to go forward at this point. Just the sheer volume of
people who were coming forward and contradicting his testimony about his drinking, the multiple sexual misconduct allegations, again, holding aside
how much investigation is needed, you know, the weight of them, there's just so much smoke here that there is bound to be some fire. And normally,
you can't have any smoke around the Supreme Court nominee.
COREN: Now, you wouldn't so. Well, let's talk about the investigation because, you know, the FBI investigation, has it been thorough? Does it
strengthen the Republican's case for confirmation and exonerate Kavanaugh or are there holes considering that Ford and Kavanaugh weren't even
interviewed?
WU: Yes. There are big holes, but I do thing it strongly strengthens the Republican's position. This background investigation is important for
viewers to know is very different than a criminal investigation. Background investigations are typically much further ranging and broad than a criminal
investigation because their purpose is to find any areas of concern, a negative information, that the employer, in this case, the White House,
want to know.
However, here, the White House, the employer, does not really want to know any negative information. So, it sounds like that they have curtailed and
directed the investigation. We don't know that for sure. But it seems like they may have when you look at how many witnesses were not interviewed.
There are some 20 or 28 witnesses that were named by two of the complainants who have mot been interviewed.
And my take on that is, you know, if you allow me to control who you question, you essentially allow me to control the answers and arguably the
outcome of the investigation. I think that's what the concern is here that it was not a true wide-ranging background investigation, but really one
done very quickly to really offer some political cover for Republicans to vote in favor of the judge.
COREN: Shan, I want to ask you. As a former federal sex crimes prosecutor, if Kavanaugh is confirmed, what message does that send to women out there
who are victims of sexual assault who are considering coming forward?
WU: Unfortunately, I think it sends a very negative message. I think there's been a lot of reaction to this already. You saw when Senator Flake
was confronted on -- in the elevators by survivors. I think it basically is sending a message to them that, hey, things don't look like they changed
very much.
[08:10:03] When a survivor comes forward against a very powerful man that there's going to be a circling the wagons and they're not going to be
believed. The perception is going to be against them. I think it's very positive sign that there is so much dialogue about it. There's such a
strong pushback from advocacy groups.
But the overall message is going to be, gosh, you have a nominee with multiple allegations of misconduct. As a prosecutor if I look at that, I
would say, this really needs some serious investigation because there's a pattern here. There's the alcohol plus the misconduct and sort of forcing
the nomination through. I think that's the message to survivors and their advocates that things really haven't changed that much.
COREN: It is crazy to say, but this is climate considering we're almost a year into the Me Too Movement. Shan Wu, great to get your insights and
analysis. Many thanks.
WU: Nice to be here.
COREN: While talk of sexual assault lingers throughout the project in Washington, the Nobel Prize committee is focusing on how sexual violence is
used as a weapon of war, honoring two people in the fight against that with the Nobel Peace Prize. Denise Mukwege and Nadia Murad will share the 2018
award.
Murad is a Yazidi activist who has shown uncommon courage in speaking up for sex abuse victims from her community in Iraq. Meanwhile, Mukwege is a
Congolese surgeon who has spent years treating tens of thousands in sexual violence victims in his country.
David McKenzie is in Johannesburg. He met with Dennis Mukwege in 2009, but let's start with senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon, in
Instanbul. Arwa, tell us about what Nadia Murad has done in shining the spotlight, not only on her persecuted Yazidi community but other survivors
alike?
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think she has accomplished so much in shining that spotlight, Anna. But one of the
key things among that is perhaps moving towards trying to break the stigma that surrounds people that are survivors of rape and the types of horrific
experiences that she and other Yazidi women went or especially when it comes to certain cultures many women who we have spoken to, who have been
through similarly chilling experiences having been rounded up by ISIS by the thousands from their communities and then basically sold off like
animals and to sexual slavery have quite often then too afraid to speak out, too afraid to return to their families because of the stigma that
surrounds this horrific experience.
And it's also really allowed the international community to focus on what is a significant problem that doesn't just face Iraq's Yazidi community but
faces many of the victim's -- many of the women who ended up in ISIS' clutches, not to mention the broader global issue when it comes to the use
of sexual violence as a weapon of war because it is not just ISIS that uses this absolutely appalling tactic.
COREN: David, if I can now turn to you. You have spent time with Dr. Mukwege, who as we know has treated tens of thousands of girls and women,
these victims of sexual violence. Give us an insight into his work and what you witnessed?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a recognition of a life's work really, more than 20 years ago, Anna. He
started the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu in South Kivu in the Eastern Congo where there's been ongoing conflict for many years. And he really used his
skill as a gynecological surgeon to repair the women who were victims of just horrific incidents of rape on almost unimaginable scale.
As you said, he conducted -- has conducted more than 40,000 surgeries at this time to repair the awful physical damage, but then he really tried to
also repair the emotional damage with his staff, trying to give those women a voice. Like Arwa was saying, also in the Eastern Congo, many of these
victims were shy and stigmatized.
Mukwege and others in that region giving them the voice to demand action, to demand change. He even -- because of calling for change, he became a
possible victim himself. The attempted assassination in 2012, he has to flee the country the country but very soon came back to continue his work.
And he's always said that silence will just continue the torture of these women. And so, he's been speaking up. And this will give him even bigger
stage to put out his voice.
COREN: Yes. Such a champion of his people and of women's rights activist. Arwa, Nadia, as we know, she has told the story over and over again. And
she said she will keep telling it until sexual violence stops happening. This is an incredible mission for a young woman. She is only 25 years old.
DAMON: It is truly incredible and one can't just begin to imagine how difficult it is for her on a personal level to keep repeating that story
and just admire her courage and her determination to do so over and over and over again.
[08:15:11] Because the reality is that in the country where she is from, Iraq, there still isn't enough support for women who are victims or
survivors of sexual violence. There's especially not enough support for the Yazidi community and all of the women who at this stage have managed to
escape from the clutches of ISIS.
When you hear some of the stories that they tell Nadia own included about how they were sold off and how they were raped repeatedly by their so-
called ISIS husband, by how they were collectively raped as Nadia was as punishment for trying to escape, how some women were forced into sexual
slavery because then their children were threatened.
You really begin to realize in just this one corner of the earth the scope of the problem and how this one woman will perhaps serve as an example to
others who allow them to break the barrier of fear for them to come out and speak their story and demand in the future things really begin to change
because we should not be living in a world where this is something that is accepted.
COREN: And such deserving recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. Arwa Damon, David McKenzie, many thanks for your reporting.
Well, China is accusing U.S. Vice President of malicious slander. Just ahead, what Mike Pence said that has the Chinese government outraged (ph).
Plus the Kremlin is saying (ph) spy phobia is driving what some countries feel military intelligence of raising global fiber attacks. The allegation
and fresh indictments by the U.S., that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: (Inaudible) here in Hong Kong. Welcome back to News Stream. The U.S. Vice President is facing backlash after he launched the broad, full-
throttled blistering criticism of Beijing. China is accusing Mike Pence of slandering the country baseless allegations. In his speech Thursday to
conservatives, Pence accused China of undermining support for President Trump using predatory economic practices and harassing the U.S. military.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Beijing has mobilized covert actors, front groups and propaganda outlets to shift
American's perception of Chinese policy. As a senior career member of our intelligence community told me just this week what the Russians are doing
pales in comparison to what China is doing across this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, CNN's international correspondent, Sam Kiley, joins us here in Hong Kong. Sam, these are extraordinary allegations by Vice President
Pence, targeting the Chinese interfering in U.S. domestic policies. Where has this come from?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, neither the vice president of the United States nor indeed his boss, Donald Trump have
enlightened the world as to how exactly the Chinese are trying to interfere in the November midterms, Anna.
[08:20:09] But the reality is that this is an allegation that they keep repeating and is an allegation that the Chinese might have been expected to
brush off as a little local electioneering preferring perhaps to take the moral high ground.
But the Chinese have not taken these statements lightly and they have issued a statement partly, which are original (ph), and he says, "The
international community has already known full well who wantonly infringes upon others sovereignty into affairs and other's internal affairs and
undermines other's interest. Any malicious slander on China is futile." This is a time when China and the United States unlocks in an ever more
acrimonious trade war involving some 200 billion to 250 billion extra tariffs facing the Chinese imports to the United States.
And over the weekend, a near miss perhaps certainly nearly a shot across the bows between the two -- a Chinese and an American warship in the South
China Sea where the Americans were saying they were asserting their right to free passage and the Chinese once again said that this was a violation
of the maritime sovereignties.
So, amidst all of this, we are seeing a steady increase in tensions with China, which may be connected to the U.S. elections but are also a very
real diplomatic and trade and now military issue.
COREN: Sam Kiley, great to have you with us here in Hong Kong, many thanks for that report.
Well, Russia says hysteria and spy phobia are driving espionage allegations against Moscow. On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department charged seven
Russian intelligence officers with hacking and (inaudible) agencies and other organizations.
Earlier, western (ph) government said Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, is behind the series of global cyber attacks. The Kremlin
has repeatedly denied allegations of attempts to interfere in international affairs.
Well, CNN's international correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen, joins us from Moscow. Fred, this is very embarrassing for the Russians. What's been the
reaction of Moscow?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean you're absolutely right. I do think that they do feel that they're somewhat
on the defensive at this point in time. It's interesting because you do hear some of these official statements like, for instance, from the Foreign
Ministry where one spokesperson said, quote, "We arrive at the conclusion about another orchestrated act of propaganda with regard to our country."
But then we've actually also in the past couple of hours -- I know we've been talking a little bit today, Anna. We've been monitoring and watching
Russian state TV as well and some of those political talk shows that usually really blast the west. There were actually some talk show guests on
that talk show saying, "Look. At this point in time, we look really unprofessional."
The Russian Secret Service, there was even one person who said that he believes that Vladimir Putin was embarrassed by the way that all of this
had been handled. Obviously, others are prodding the line that we just saw on the screen there about this all being orchestrated and fabricated by the
west.
But of course, if you look at especially at some of the things that the Dutch government put forward after allegedly having caught those four
Russian spies in the Hague trying to spy on the OPCW with photos of them arriving at the airport with then setting up shop outside the OPCW with a
car full of technology an antenna pointed at the OPW then even having a taxi receipt from the military intelligence headquarters of the GRU here in
Moscow to share a metro (ph) airport here in Moscow.
Then certainly there are a lot of people here who do see this as a bit of a PR problem for the Russian Federation. At the same time, of course, you do
have a lot of those officials who are once again blasting the west and saying that there has no -- has been no evidence, the real evidence put
forward. One of the things the Russians keep saying is they want all this to be dealt between the countries in question rather than through the
media, Anna.
COREN: Yeah. I bet. Frederik Pleitgen, great to see you, many thanks.
While his country face accusations from the west, Russians President Vladimir Putin has just signed a $5 billion arms deal with India. India's
Foreign Ministry says they've finalized the purchase of Moscow's high-tech S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system. Russia is India's largest arm
supplier, but the country could face U.S. sanctions for doing business with Moscow. Last month, U.S. sanctioned China for purchasing the same system
from Russia.
Well, in Indonesia, more than 1,500 people are now confirmed dead and more than 1,000 are still missing in the island of Sulawesi. Officials say
there's a very slim shots of survivor for victims a week after an earthquake and tsunami struck. Aid is coming in, but much of it is focused
on the city of Palu. Many of the surrounding small towns are still cut off. For many people there, life has become a long waiting game. CNN's Matt
Rivers tells the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[08:25:10] MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's the particular agony waiting for news you need to know but dread getting.
Twenty or so people, all strangers, man this vigil outside the Mercure Hotel on Palu's ruined coastline. Their common causes lie in rubble, each
had someone they love buried when the hotel collapsed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): We just really want my daughter to be found says Martin Hamly (ph). My hope is to find her as fast as we can.
RIVERS: Hamly (ph)got to the hotel just after it went down. He was determined to get the 20-year-old Maryann (ph) who worked inside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): We entered the hotel again and again, shouting, "Maryann, Maryann, where are you? It's us."
RIVERS: So despite aftershocks threatening the crumble what is left, he kept going in with his son, Fret (ph), and they found six people holding
each one out and saved each life, but no Maryann.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): I'm so sad, he says, because when we got here me and my dad were able to save a couple of people while I couldn't
help my little sister.
RIVERS: That's up to the professionals now, including a French team, we watch take special sound detecting equipment inside. It's nearly a week
since the collapse and families like these are facing hard truths and that hard truth is that Maryann is probably dead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): It's probably impossible she's still alive, but we never stopped hoping, he says. At the least, we can get her
body. And if God grants our hope, then she is still alive.
RIVERS: But that just one family story. When the tsunami rolled in and destroyed entire communities like the one that was here, it created tragedy
on a massive scale. And the full six days after that event, many people still don't have basic services like electricity, food and water, or
shelter, and that breathes desperation.
At the Palu airport, here staying the vacuum these gather at a tarmac gate breathing from an unlivable place lives just beyond. There's always so many
seats on a plane. Some make it through, some don't. This family got separated. The grandmother made sure the soldiers knew. Eventually, they're
together again and it's a rush to the plane to make sure it stays that way.
All around, there's anger and frustration and everyone is just exhausted. The military says it's flying as many flight as it can. These people will
wait for the next one.
Far from the airports, sailors brought aid to remote places on the island where help hasn't reached yet. Villagers meet them on the water. They are
loud and demanding, feeling the pain and frustration of going a week without real meal. The ship then heads back to port where 250 evacuees are
about to sail 500 miles south to another town. The destination matters little as long as it's anywhere but here. By ship or plane though they can
leave because nothing holds them here.
Back along the coastline at the hotel, that's not an option. The families here know the likely hard truth. They're not naive. They know the odds. But
giving up, no, no way.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Palu, Indonesia.
COREN: And we have a very sad update in Matt Rivers' report. Maryann, the young woman whose family was holding a vigil for her in Palu, has been
found. The eldest sister tells CNN that rescue workers recovered Maryann's body in the collapsed hotel. They were waiting for news.
One family's tragedy is now part of an entire nation's grief. We'll be back after the break.
[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream." These are your world
headlines.
A Congolese surgeon and a Yazidi woman who was held as a sex slave by ISIS are the joint winners of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. The committee awarded
Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for their efforts in the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. Mukwege has worked for tens of thousands of
women and girls affected by rape and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hong Kong is refusing to renew a British journalist's visa. Victor Mallet is the "Financial Times" Asian news editor and vice president of the
Foreign Correspondent's Club. The organization drew Beijing's wrath and dozens of protesters by allowing a pro-independence activist to speak at
one of its events back in August.
The "Financial Times" says this is the first time they have encountered this situation in Hong Kong and was not given a reason for the rejection.
Hong Kong says it does not comment on individual cases.
Former South Korea president, Lee Myung-bak, has been found guilty or partially guilty of seven charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He
was found guilty of embezzling more than $21 million, fined $11.5 million, and ordered to pay restitution.
The U.S. Senate will soon hold a crucial procedural vote on Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. If he has enough support, the Senate
could confirm him as early as Saturday. Right now, it comes down to four senators, three Republicans and one Democrat. Protests are planned again
today.
If last week was any indication Capitol Hill is about to see a dramatic Senate showdown and a sign of just how contentious the confirmation has
become, Kavanaugh himself has taken a very unusual step. Sunlen Serfaty reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Judge Brett Kavanaugh making an unprecedented last minute pitch to secure support on the eve of today's
critical vote, penning "The Wall Street Journal" op-ed vowing to be nonpartisan and explaining his anger in last week's hearing.
BRETT KAVANAUGH, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: You're asking about blackout. I don't know. Have you?
SERFATY: Kavanaugh writing, I was very emotional last Thursday more so than I have ever been. I might have been to emotional at times. I know that
my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband, and dad.
The op-ed coming after these remarks from undecided Senator Jeff Flake on Tuesday.
SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R), ARIZONA: The interaction with the members were sharp and partisan. We can't have this on the court. We simply can't.
SERFATY: Kavanaugh's temperament prompting former Supreme Court justice, Jon Paul Stevens, to withdraw his support.
JOHN PAUL STEVENS, FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: He has demonstrated a potential bias involving enough potential litigants before the court that
he would not be able perform his full responsibilities.
SERFATY: This morning, all eyes are on the four senators who will likely decide Kavanaugh's fate. Senators Susan Collins and Flake signaling they
are satisfied with the FBI's probe.
FLAKE: I was a yes before this and now we're in the process of reviewing it, but thus far, we've seen no credible corroboration. No new
corroboration.
SERFATY: Collins telling reporters, it appears to be a very thorough investigation. Remaining tight lipped, red state Democrat Joe Manchin and
Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski.
Red state Democrat Heidi Heitkamp who is currently trailing in her bid for reelection announcing she will vote against Kavanaugh.
[08:35:05] HEIDI HEITKAMP (D), NORTH DAKOTA: If this were a political decision for me, I certainly would be deciding this the other way. I can't
get up in the morning and look at the life experience that I've had and say, yes to Judge Kavanaugh.
SERFATY: Senator Steve Daines also throwing a potential wrench into the confirmation process, telling Republican leadership that he will be in
Montana at his daughter's wedding on Saturday when the final vote is scheduled. Daines' spokeswoman telling CNN that the senator spoke with
Kavanaugh Thursday and assured him he has made arrangements to get him across the finish line as needed.
Meanwhile, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley releasing a one-page document, summarizing the FBI's probe, insisting it supports the
Republican majority's conclusion that there is no corroboration of the allegations made by Dr. Ford or Ms. Ramirez. But Democrats voicing concern
over the investigation's limited scope.
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: The most notable part of this report is what's not in it.
SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: If that's an investigation, it's a bullshit investigation. The reality is that is not a full and thorough
investigation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: That was Sunlen Serfaty reporting. "Time" magazine is spotlighting the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process by bringing the woman accusing him
of sexual assault on its cover. The illustration of Christine Blasey Ford is made up of words that she used during her testimony to the Senate when
she detailed the alleged sexual assault.
Quotes about Ford's memory were placed on her forehead and quotes about her wanting to help were placed on her hand. Phrases used include, I'm
terrified, agonized daily, and traumatic experience.
Well, there aren't many things more embarrassing than a cellphone ringing at the wrong time. Twice this week, they have interrupted some very serious
Senate speeches. For them, irritating. For us, it was pretty funny to watch.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Tesla CEO Elon Musk is taunting the Securities and Exchange Commission. He took a shot at SEC in a tweet, calling it the "shortseller
enrichment commission." Shortsellers are those who bet against the company. His taunt came after he reached a deal with the SEC to settle a lawsuit
regarding his prior tweets.
In August, he claimed on Twitter that he had secured funding to to take Tesla private at $420 a share. That caused the company's stock to soar. The
SEC said Musk had not gotten the funding.
Most probably, this happened to most of us by now, cellphone in our pocket going off at the worst possible time. In a meeting, at the movies or as
Jeanne Moos shows us, on live television.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We interrupt the endless breaking news for a ring tone that broke into a speech by Senator Mitch McConnell.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: On the D.C. circuit.
(PHONE RINGING)
MCCONNELL: And now senators will have the evidence collected --
MOOS: Not missing a beat, the senator ever so casually reached to silence the phone in his pocket.
(PHONE RINGING)
MCCONNELL: Members will have the opportunity to review investigators' records --
MOOS: When that didn't work, a disembodied hand reached out to relieve the senator of his pesky phone. A similar fate befell one of Judge Kavanaugh's
classmates.
CHAD LUDINGTON, FORMER YALE CLASSMATE OF BRETT KAVANAUGH: I was pulling --
(PHONE RINGING)
[08:40:02] LUDINGTON: I was pulling --
(PHONE RINGING)
MOOS: Chad Ludington tossed his phone like a live grenade.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could that be me?
MOOS: In a town where the transfer of information rules --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But why now?
(PHONE RINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because -- well, maybe that's somebody calling me to tell me that.
MOOS: An intrusive ring -- happened three times in a single White House briefing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four law enforcement -- give me the phone.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Robert Gibbs made the reporter hand it over. Less than a minute later --
(PHONE RINGING)
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: This time, the reporter answered and left talking. Senator Lindsey Graham probably had lots of unwanted calls back when then rival Donald
Trump gave out his phone number.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let's try it, 202.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: In response, Graham made a cellphone destroying video.
When it comes to dealing with an incessant cellphone, nobody does it better than Oprah.
(PHONE RINGING)
MOOS: Is that you, Oprah?
When an audience member's phone rang.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Elaine, this is not a good time to have coffee.
MOOS: Oprah personally scolded the caller.
OPRAH WINFREY, AMERICAN EXECUTIVE: Elaine, this is Oprah Winfrey and you called your friend while she is sitting in the middle of an Oprah Winfrey
show.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Better to take it out on the caller than the phone as this Vietnamese guest did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --
WINFREY: Where are you, Elaine?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm at home. Oh, my god.
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, U.S. jobs report for September has just been released. U.S. economy had 143,000 more jobs last month. The unemployment rate was 3.7
percent. That is a 49-year low. We will have much more on "First Move with Julia Chatterley" in about 15 minutes' time.
And keeping with a theme about animals, 12 bears in a national park in Alaska are in a competition they don't know about. It is "fat bear week"
along the state's southern coast. They call it "jiggly season." It's a competition to see which bear will be the fattest before hibernation.
Each day, two bears are matched against each other on Facebook, put in a tournament style bracket. The one to get the most likes is the day's winner
and advances to the next round. On Tuesday, one bear will be crowned the fattest for 2018.
That is "News Stream." I'm Anna Coren. Don't go anywhere. "World Sport" with Christina Macfarlane is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
END