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CNN NEWSROOM

Pilots Identified in Virgin Spaceflight Accident; Races to Watch on Tuesday; U.S. Marine Reservist Freed from Mexican Prison; Early Voting Flexing Midterm Election; Deadline for Iran Nuclear This Month; Three Americans Found Dead in Mexico

Aired November 1, 2014 - 19:00   ET

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


DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Deborah Feyerick in New York.

It was supposed to be an adventure in commercial space travel. But a billionaire's passenger spacecraft experienced a catastrophic failure over the Mojave Desert and fell to Earth.

Pilot Michael Alsbury was killed in the accident, another pilot was seriously injured. Alsbury was 39. He worked for a company named Scaled Composites and was hired by Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson to perform test flights on Virgin's SpaceShipTwo.

The goal: to make commercial space tourism safe and available to the public.

Our Stephanie Elam joins me now.

And, Stephanie, every pilot knows that risk is a part of space flight -- these brave pilots really pushing the bounds. What have you learned about the second pilot?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's so true, Deb.

And we now know the name of the second pilot. He's 43-year-old Peter Siebold, who is seriously injured. His injuries ranging from minor to major at this point. We don't know much more about him, but we do that he did survive this crash at this point.

It's a very close community obviously here. The people -- a lot of people, even if they're not here in the Mojave Desert, if they're part of the space community, they also know each other. So, the whole community seems to be mourning the loss and also the catastrophe that happened here yesterday, Deb.

FEYERICK: Yes. It's always when you have so much forward momentum, this kind of thing really sort of stops everyone in their tracks. Branson is not speaking about the NTSB investigation, but he did say engineers are going to look at everything to learn what went wrong.

You were at the news conference. What really jumped out? ELAM: Well, that's true. He did really talk about that and he made

it clear this investigation is a big part of figuring out of what happened to Virgin Galactic moving forward. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD BRANSON, FOUNDER, VIRGIN GALACTIC: Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the families of the brave, skilled pilots and all those who have been affected by this tragedy. The bravery of test pilots generally cannot be overstated. Nobody underestimates the risks involved in space travel. As I say, that we owe it to our test pilots to find out exactly what went wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And when you think about it, he talked about basically that these test pilots are pioneers, just as we saw pilots for commercial aviation the way we know it in that same fashion. And that these set backs happened.

But he clearly would like to see the program continue. But what the status will be when we were expect to go hear Virgin Galactic was going to take people up next year, that completely changes now in light of this. There are so many questions that need to be answered and they all begin with this investigation that began today, Deb.

FEYERICK: Yes, no question. You think about those pilots, the right stuff, just really the guts and the glory and also sometimes the tragedy.

Stephanie Elam, thank you.

And my next guest personally knew both pilots. Joining me on the phone, former "Washington Post" reporter Joel Glenn Brenner.

And, Joel, tell me, Michael Alsbury, you met him. What was he like?

JOEL GLENN BRENNER, THE WASHINGTON POST (via telephone): Michael was an incredible pilot. He had worked for Scaled Composites now for more than 14 years. He had a tremendous amount of flight experience. He had flown many of scales unique airplanes, designs that are like no other. And he was exceptional.

He was a tremendous Proteus pilot, one of the designs that goes up to 60,000 feet. It is not an easy airplane to fly. And Michael flew that plane often. And he also was a test pilot on another Scaled program called Eris (ph) in which he performed stunningly.

He has always been a go-to test pilot for Scaled since he came on board, and, you know, a tremendous tragedy here is that both he and Pete Siebold were very good friends. They lived in the same community, which is 30 miles north of Mojave. And their children actually attend the same school together. So, this is going to be a very, very, very difficult situation for both families going forward. And Mike, he really -- he loved what he did. He was dedicated to what

he did. He believed very strongly in what Burt started when he built and designed the SpaceShipOne spaceship back in the early 2000s. And it was really that spaceship design that sparked the beginnings of Virgin Galactic.

And when Mike was asked if he wanted to, you know, be a test pilot for the Virgin Galactic program known as SpaceShip Two, he didn't hesitate. You know, he absolutely wanted to be a part of that. During SpaceShipOne program, Mike was an integral part of mission control, where he was one of the engineers who had helped to design and build the SpaceShipOne mother ship White Knight One, and also the spaceship also and was invaluable in terms of being eyes and ears on everything that was going on during flight operations and guiding those test pilots to successful flight. So, he had a tremendous amount of experience.

FEYERICK: And so, Joel, that's the next question I just want to get very quickly. And that is, clearly, the way you describe him, he would have known what to do if something went wrong in that spacecraft as long as he was in position to bring it down is what I'm hearing you say, correct, based on all his skill, all his knowledge. If it had been survivable, he could have landed that. Is that what I'm hearing you say?

BRENNER: Well, hold on, hold on. There are two things that I think you're confusing. Whether the accident was survivable and whether you could have landed the aircraft, OK?

There was no way to land this aircraft. If you look at the pictures, which have posted just where everywhere online at this point, and those pictures were taken by an independent photographer who happened to be in the right place with the right time with his camera lens aimed directly at the spaceship as it flew apart, it is obvious that that spaceship blew up at 50,000 feet in the air. It was ripping into pieces. And there was no possibility to land that craft.

When the rocket motor lit, OK, something went horribly wrong. And within six seconds of that ignition, that spacecraft began to tear apart. OK? We don't know and I don't pretend to know what went wrong at 50,000 feet that caused that to happen. But there was no chance for anybody to try to land this spacecraft.

The question of whether it was survivable, in Pete's case, you know, miracle of miracle, and I truly believe that, you know, the hand of God came down and Pete was able to get himself untangled from the wreckage as it was being blown apart and deploy his parachute. OK?

Mike Alsbury for whatever reason, whether he was knocked cold from the blast, whether he was directly affected by the blast itself, whatever reason, he was unable to do the same.

FEYERICK: OK.

BRENNER: Now, these parachutes that they were both wearing were designed to automatically deploy at 10,000 feet. So, even if either pilot had been completely incapacitated let's say, their parachutes could have automatically deployed at 10,000 feet. And in the case of Mike Alsbury, his parachute unfortunately could not fully deploy because he was not even able to release himself from his seat. OK? So, he had no chance at all.

(CROSSTALK)

FEYERICK: Yes, incredible insights. And thank you so much for bringing that. That's really the first that we're hearing about how this happened. We really appreciate your knowledge and your comments about your friends Michael Alsbury and Pete Siebold. Thank you so much.

BRENNER: You're welcome.

FEYERICK: And just three days until Election Day, a lot of candidates are sweating. We're going to show you just how close some of these races are, and what could happen on Tuesday.

Also ahead, we're going to look at a former U.S. Marine, he was released from a Mexican prison.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, there are now just three days to go before the midterm elections. So, you better be thinking about your choices, a whole lot is at stakes.

CNN's Tom Foreman breaks it down for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN ANCHOR: There are key things we're watching in this midterm. And the first is right here in the U.S. Senate.

The Democrats have been in charge. We're showing them here in blue, along with the two independents who caucus with them in purple.

The Republicans are expected to gain some seats here. The Democrats are expected to lose some. But control of this chamber is going to come down to nine or 10 very close races and the Democrats have to win six or more of them if they want to remain in power here.

On the other side of the rotunda, the second thing we're looking at, which is the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republicans have had the majority here. That is not expected to change. The question is, will they lose some seats? Or more likely, will they pick up some? And if so, how?

If they do it with Tea Party help, that can set up divisions within the Republican Party that the Democrats might be able to exploit even from their minority position.

Which brings us to the third thing we're looking at, which is the White House reaction to all of this. If the president comes out swinging over a big loss and he completely alienates Republicans, they have a perfect excuse then to say, we're going to make you the lamest of lame duck presidents with control of both chambers. If, however, he's too conciliatory toward Republicans, he could dispirit his own party and that could make it very tough for any other Democrat who wants to win the White House in 2016.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And joining me now, David Chalian, CNN's political director. Mark Preston, executive director of CNN Politics.

David and Mark, you've been following this for a while. But I want to know what you each thing is really the thing to watch.

David, what's on your radar?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: The two states I'm watching most closely on Tuesday night, Deb, are Colorado and Iowa. They are both states that Barack Obama won twice in 2008 and 2012, and Democrats are in very vulnerable positions right there. If the Democrats were to lose both of those states, and they close later in the evening, that would be almost a blockade to the Democrats keeping their majority.

It just -- I just don't see the equation by which if those two states fall to the Republicans, how the Republicans don't get those six seats that they need that Tom Foreman is talking about.

FEYERICK: All right.

And, Mark Preston, you have your eye on the East Coast, what races are you hot on?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Well, Deb, let's just go back a couple of hours, as David saying. I mean, once it gets to Iowa, Colorado, and if Democrats lose those seats -- I mean, that could be devastating.

But what could be even more devastating is at the beginning of the night, we will see the polls close in North Carolina at 7:30, and then 8:00 in New Hampshire. You have two Democratic incumbents who are in danger of losing right now. Kay Hagan, the Democrat in North Carolina, is doing a little bit better than her Republican opponent Thom Tillis. Up in New Hampshire, we think Jeanne Shaheen is doing a little bit better than her Republican opponent Scott Brown.

But if you were to see those seats fall early, then that red wave which start going across the time zones, it would hit Iowa, it would roll into Colorado, it would go all way up to Alaska, perhaps and it could be a terrible night for Democrats. But as David said, there are six that they need to get, a net gain of six seats.

But we should really, in some ways, too, it is three seats because we think that Montana, West Virginia, South Dakota, are going to go Republicans. So, Democrats have some very difficult night ahead of them.

FEYERICK: All right. Everybody holding their breath. Mark Preston, David Chalian, thanks so much.

And don't forget all of you, Tuesday, CNN is your home for all things election. Coverage of the fight to control the Senate, along with the House, that's Tuesday night, beginning at 5:00 Eastern.

And another factor in Tuesday's elections, President Obama. Ahead, will his low approval rating actually drag the Democrats down?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: And a U.S. Marine reservist is home with his family tonight in Miami, after seven months in prison in Mexico. Andrew Tahmooressi was thrown in jail and says he was physically abused in the spring, when he was taken into custody to the Mexican border with weapons in his truck. He said it was a mistake, a wrong turn.

A few high profile people kept pressure on Mexico to get him out. Last night, Tahmooressi was free to leave.

Here's CNN's Nick Valencia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL REPORTER (voice-over): U.S. Marine Reservist Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi is back in United States after seven months in a Mexican prison. That's him hugging his mother Jill and friends at a San Diego airport after crossing the border.

And in an exclusive interview with CNN, the Tahmooressi family spokesman said a variety of factors led to the marine's release.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His mother, the congressman, the governor, Montel, everybody, has been in San Diego for the week, a lot of false starts along the way, and they took a fair amount of kind of work to get it to the point where it was.

VALENCIA: Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson pictured here, along with California Congressman Ed Royce and Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon, were among the group that helped get Tahmooressi out of jail.

Family friend Montel Williams who last month testified in front of Congress about the case said Tahmooressi has a long rebuilding process ahead.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, FAMILY FRIEND: This experience for him in the last seven months is in a lot of ways has re-traumatized him and this is almost like call it prison PTSD. So they really will need a break for just a little bit of time.

VALENCIA: Tahmooressi, an Afghan war vet, was held on weapons charges and faced more than 20 years in prison. On Friday, he was set free by a Mexican court order that officially withdrew the charges.

Congressman Royce said Tahmooressi was release because the Mexican prisons didn't have the resources to treat him. REP. ED ROYCE (R), CALIFORNIA: On that basis, to reunite him with his

family with the knowledge that now he's going to get the treatment he needs.

VALENCIA: Tahmooressi was arrested on March 31st at a Tijuana check point after Mexican customs agents found three firearms in his truck, a pistol, pump shotgun and semiautomatic rifle, along with 400 rounds of ammunition.

From the beginning, Tahmooressi said he took a wrong turn on the California side of the border, into Tijuana, and crossed by accident.

(on camera): Tahmooressi's mom said the marine parked in this lot, he made a left right out of here, completely missing that sign that says Mexico only, no USA return, straight into that on-ramp, right into Mexico.

How are you doing?

(voice-over): In May, I spoke to him on the phone from the Mexican prison where he was being held.

(on camera): What have things been like for you there in Mexico, Andrew?

SGT. ANDREW TAHMOORESSI, U.S. MARINE RESERVIST (via telephone): Not very good in the beginning for like the first month, things were not that -- not that good at all.

VALENCIA: And now with the ordeal behind him, after 214 days in prison, Tahmooressi is expected to resume his PTSD treatment in Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And that was Nick Valencia reporting for us. Thanks, Nick.

And next, back to politics. Why Iowa matters so much in these midterm elections.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: And one of the tight races in Tuesday's midterm elections is in Iowa, where Democratic Senator Tom Harkin is retiring. Republican Joni Ernst has small lead in the latest CNN/ORC poll, 49 percent to 47 percent. GOP heavyweights like John McCain are hoping to push her over the top. Not to be outdone, Democrats sent in Hillary Clinton to campaign for campaign Bruce Braley.

This one is going down to the wire.

Our Pam Brown is in Des Moines.

And, Pam, early voting, what is it suggesting? And what does that mean for voting day itself? PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, looking at the

numbers, Deborah, it suggests that a lot more people here in Iowa are voting early this midterm election compared to past midterm elections. In fact for both sides, for both Democrats and Republicans, there are record numbers we've seen.

I think that shows just how high the stakes are this midterm election and how much both camps have been focused on early voting because they know how crucial it is. In fact, for the Democrats, a victory for them hinges on early voting. At this point, they are ahead in the state but looking at numbers and talking to people, it appears that Republicans are narrowing the gap, Republicans have been very focused on their ground game this midterm election and so have Democrats.

It's an extremely tight race. We've been talking to voters today, and they understand how high the stakes are because we have for the first time in Iowa in decades, a Senate seat up for grabs. Whoever wins this midterm election could determine who controls the Senate.

So, it's really down to the wire. And in fact, we were just speaking to an auditor in the election office, he says he has teams ready to go for a recount because he believes it's going to be that tight come Tuesday -- Deborah.

FEYERICK: So interesting, the Democrats brought out the Clintons. They were in Iowa just a couple of weeks ago at the annual Harkin state fry. By them being there, is that a sign of confidence or are they really concerned that Democrats who continuously elected Tom Harkin in fact either may not show or may be sort of less motivated to come this time?

BROWN: I think it shows the Democrats are worried here because I think initially early on they thought that this was a race they weren't going to have to worry about. And then Joni Ernst, Republican candidate, really came from behind. And as we see, has a razor thin lead, in just a few days leading up to Election Day.

So I think that Democrats wanted on bring out the big guns. Speaking to one Democratic operative, you know, he said that if you're a Democrat, the best surrogate you want on your side is Bill Clinton. He knows how to gin up excitement for the Democrats. He knows how to get the crowd going.

So, I think the hope today was that by Bill Clinton making an appearance, that more people are going to want to vote early and there will be more volunteers to help out. But no doubt about it, Deborah, both sides at this point still think they can win this race. And I think that's what's sort of contributing to the amount of enthusiasm.

FEYERICK: Exactly. Hope springs eternal always until Election Day.

Pamela Brown, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

And Iowa is just one of the close races Republicans are hoping to win Tuesday. Let's bring in two political experts. Tara Setmayer is here in New

York. She's contributor to the real news on Blaze TV, and also a Republican strategist. Also, Cornell Belcher, joins us from Washington. He's a Democratic pollster and CNN political commentator.

So, Tara, first to you -- early voting has been huge this campaign season. Tens of millions have already turned out to the polls. Are these new voters, are these swing voters, are these people just who aren't going to be around on Tuesday?

TARA SETMAYER, BLAZE TV: Well, I think that the idea of early voting is something that has kind of come forth now as they realize the get out of vote efforts are so important. And I think Republicans are behind the curve a little bit on that in 2008, in 2012.

But you saw on 2010, they have learned their lesson and here in 2014 now, they have -- early voting has been crucial.

I mean, for example in Colorado, you have over 104,000 more Republicans who have voted early than Democrats in Colorado, which is a crucial state that Republicans really need to win. And that would mean that the Democratic opponent in Colorado would have to win 63 percent of independents to make up that gap. So, the early voting is being looking promising for Republicans there.

Now, in Georgia, places like that, where you need -- where voter turnout is very important, that's a tough race for Republicans right now. Competitive they didn't so. Democrats have reached their 30 percent target margin for black voters early voting, which is not good for Republicans in somewhere like Georgia. So early voting has been crucial.

Interesting. And so, Cornell, have Democrats capitalized on early voting more than Republicans or is it too soon to say? Are we still missing huge groups basically?

CORNELL BELCHER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I agree with Tara that it is something Democrats have done well, have done slightly better than Republicans. But as you know, with both parties, one party starts doing something while the other party figures out and they catch up. Republicans catching on this.

But I think, overall, early voting is such a crucial thing for our democracy overall. We want more people voting. We want to make the process easier for all voters. And what you see is time and time again when you open up the process and make it easier, you see more people in fact coming out and speaking and giving their voice to government.

But early vote -- but I also put a caution on some of these early vote members. You can't always tell what's going on early vote, although we want to sort of tell what is going on in an early vote because we actually don't know if these are what I'd call our Obama surge voters turning out right at higher numbers or are just tried and true regular voters turning out in higher numbers. And let's be clear. I mean, Democrats need for the electorate to look

more like it did in 2012 than it did in 2010. So who is actually turning out and voting earlier becomes a critical X factor.

FEYERICK: And, so, Tara, look, historical patterns, you've got a couple of factors that right now going on. You've got the president's low approval rating. You've also got these open seats. Sort of like a perfect storm.

SETMAYER: Right.

FEYERICK: How will all of this really seem to be helping the Republicans?

SETMAYER: Yes, absolutely. I mean, the enthusiasm gap is huge. And that matters. I mean, voter participation during midterms is always lower than in presidential races. It's usually around 40 percent. President election years it's 56. So enthusiasm is really crucial. And the Democrats are struggling with that because their core constituencies are usually minorities, single women and younger voters. And they don't turn out during midterm elections.

So that's why you see the whole -- I think intellectually dishonest war on women in certain places if you want to gin that up. The kind of despicable tactics that they're using in places Arkansas and Georgia, using Ferguson to gin up black voters or trying to say that voter I.D. laws in North Carolina, that's going to suppress your vote.

That's actually not true. Since -- in 2010, compared to -- or 2012 to 2010 and 2014, there was actually a larger increase in black voter, black participation in North Carolina since they instituted the voter I.D. law and the idea hasn't been implemented yet but it was voted on. There was a 29 percent increase from the last primary to this one.

So those things are actually -- intellectual dishonest. But their tactics the Democrats are using because they're desperate. They need those voters to come out. Cornell knows. He wrote a memo on it last month.

(LAUGHTER)

FEYERICK: Yes. Coming from a Republican here. And so do you think what happens, Cornell, if the Republicans do win the Senate? Is this just two years of absolutely nothing happening or do you think maybe it could motivate some of the politicians to kind of get the work done that needs to be done?

BELCHER: Let's be clear. Hopefully we'll talk a little about this further down the road here. But let's be clear. The Republicans should win the Senate. I mean, they should win the Senate. They should roll up large numbers in the House. When you look at historical patterns, presidents on average lose 29 seats in their second term in Houses races.

The perfect storm is set up, but nowhere across the board do you actually see Republicans running up the score here and that's got to be problematic to them. And up to a certain extent, you know, Rand Paul, Senator Ran Paul got in some trouble with his fellow Republicans but for speaking the truth. And that is the Republican brand is not in the best shape.

We spend a lot of time talking about President Obama's approval number, but President Obama's approval number is 20 points better than congressional Republicans. I think the perfect storm was set up for them. Right now. But I think they may not in fact reach it. Because they in fact do have some -- their own brand problems.

FEYERICK: All right.

BELCHER: They run the campaign this whole cycle basically about attacking the president.

FEYERICK: All right. Well, Tara, Cornell, we're going to have you stay exactly where you are because next we're going to talk about another factor in Tuesday's elections, and that is President Obama. Will his low approval rating be a drag on the Democrats?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: So let's get some more insight into these razor close midterm elections. Tara Setmayer is here, contributor to the Real News on Blaze TV and she's also a Republican strategist. And Cornell Belcher is a Democratic pollster and CNN political commentator.

So I want to start with the factors that are fueling the Republicans' high hopes for Tuesday. One reason can't ignore that the president's popularity is sagging. He is not campaigning in virtually any competitive races and he's spending a lot of time in states where frankly the Democratic candidate is in good shape.

So, Cornell, you're a pollster for then Barack Obama. Has he been a liability for Democrats this midterm season since saying hey, me and Obama are like right is not going to work for them?

BELCHER: Well, let's give your viewers some context. Regardless of the president, the second term whether Republican or Democrat, the president's party tends to lose office, lose seats. That is set up. And so you have three things working for Republicans right now. You have history, you have geography, you have -- geography meaning you have a map running through the heart of the south in a lot of red states.

And you have demographics, which Tara was talking about earlier. Look, you know, the midterm elections are usually older less diverse electorate. So you have three factors lining up which should in fact form a perfect storm.

And the president's job approval was 51 percent. It would mean absolutely nothing in a little red state like Kentucky. What is most interesting right now is how in a little red state like Kentucky with the most powerful Republican in the country on the ticket right now, you have toss-up race. That's not about the president, that's about the Republican brand. FEYERICK: All right. Well, I see Tara sort of shaking her head, kind

of -- I see the wheels turning.

SETMAYER: Yes.

FEYERICK: Tara, George Bush was kept away from Republican candidates back in 2006. He stayed away from the competitive races.

SETMAYER: Right.

FEYERICK: Do you agree with what Cornell is saying on this?

SETMAYER: Well, I applaud Cornell for the political gymnastics that he's trying to put forth. But a happy face on this.

Let's be honest here. Candidates have gone out of their way not to go anywhere near President Obama or have him anywhere near them. He has been toxic for the Democrats this midterm election.

Yes, it's true, historically that the sitting president in the sixth year -- they call it the six year itch.

FEYERICK: Right.

SETMAYER: You know, you lose seats. George Bush lost six seats in the Senate. But President Obama is poised to lose historic levels in the House and in the Senate potentially. I mean, if they -- if the Republicans reach 13 gained seats in the House, that will be more losses for a sitting president since Hoover in 1928.

So it does not look good for President Obama at all. I mean, he -- if you look where he's shown up, Rhode Island, Maryland, these are noncompetitive places. I mean, when he went to Maryland recently for the gubernatorial candidate there, Democrat, people were walking out of his speech. And that candidate lost eight points in the poll that came out after that.

FEYERICK: And so --

SETMAYER: So it is about President Obama's policies. He said it himself. And I know that Democrats were cringing saying, oh, god, please we don't want it to be about your policies because they failed us.

FEYERICK: OK. So now we need Cornell to respond to that because Cornell, I'm pretty sure you see this different.

BELCHER: No let's me rejoin. It's about his policies. What are exactly his policies. Gender equity, raising the minimum wage, college affordability for middle class families. I think every Democrat in the country is in fact running on that agenda. But, no, you don't see President Obama going into a state like Kentucky where it is traditionally red. It would be insane to do so.

And typically, no, Republicans want to nationalize election, the easiest way to nationalize election, whether you're talking about Republican president or Democrat president just basic campaign sense is that you make it about the president.

No, so absolutely, you know, the president shouldn't be out there trying to help the Republicans to nationalize the election. All these elections are local.

SETMAYER: But he did.

BELCHER: And these states from Georgia to Kentucky to Louisiana where Republicans should be running up the score, they are not running up the score right now.

FEYERICK: OK, but --

BELCHER: Because in fact they're not where they need to be on these issues from minimum wage to pay equity.

SETMAYER: All you need is 50 plus one.

FEYERICK: But then let me ask you --

SETMAYER: But all you need is 50 plus one.

FEYERICK: But, Tara, let me ask you this question. And that is, look, let's say the Republicans do take the Senate and then have the House as is expected. Will there be a spirit of cooperation as we saw, you know, sort of during the end of the Clinton presidency.

SETMAYER: Right.

FEYERICK: Or is it just going to become so much more entrenched that in fact there will be two more years of less than absolutely nothing?

SETMAYER: Yes, I am not optimistic. I mean, Barack Obama is no Bill Clinton by any means. He is not that level of politician. Bill Clinton was a genius and that he understood how to work with the other side of the aisle and he was a consummate politician.

Barack Obama lacks tremendously in that area. He does not have the same relationships and he is not -- he is intransigent. I think he's going to dig in further. You're going to see more executive orders. And you know, he's very narcissistic.

FEYERICK: OK.

SETMAYER: It's always about him. So by -- a miracle that there's going to be some cooperation? No way.

FEYERICK: All right.

SETMAYER: No way.

FEYERICK: Cornell, I will give you the last word but it's got to be a fast --

(CROSSTALK) BELCHER: He's narcissistic. Yes. They love President Clinton so much, they impeached him. No. Of course -- I mean, look, Mitch McConnell said very clearly --

SETMAYER: And they paid the price for it.

BELCHER: His number one job was to in fact make sure the president was a failed presidency. I'm taking him at his word. That's what they've been doing. That's why you see this unprecedented polarization right now because this is not Bill Clinton.

FEYERICK: All right. Let's -- we got to wrap it there. A great conversation. Thank you both to Tara Setmayer and Cornell Belcher. We appreciate your stopping by here on a Saturday night.

Stay with CNN for election night coverage, that is Tuesday night, just three days from now, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

And next, lower prices for gas here in the U.S. are having a very different impact on people in Iran. Will that play into nuclear talks? We're going to touch base on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, next week will mark the 35th anniversary of what many considers the first brush the United States had with political Islam. The Iran hostage crisis. It ignited November 4th, 1979. That day, students who followed the Ayatollah Khomeini stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage.

Don't miss our "CNN SPECIAL REPORT" tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. "WITNESSED: THE IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS."

So fast forward 35 years and Iran is approaching a crucial deadline this month. November 24th is the final day for Iran to reach agreement with the United States and five other nations on its nuclear program. A program that has led to years of sanctions. The sanctions have helped lead to analysts say a surge in inflation in Iran.

With me now, the author of "The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Super Power," CNN national security analyst Bob Baer.

So, Bob, you've looked at Iran 35 years ago and you look at it now. Is it just as conservative, is it more so?

ROBERT BAER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Deborah, you know, I've lived this history and I wrote a book about it. And I wrote in my book that one day we would actually have some sort of detente with Iran. I'm not sure I really believed it, but we've moved toward that. And let's not forget that it was Iran that attacked the Marines in 1983 in Beirut killing 241 service men.

FEYERICK: In the Khobar Tower.

BAER: Yes.

FEYERICK: Yes.

BAER: And so, yes, we've come a long way. The fact that we're in negotiations with them at times indirect is very important. But the world has changed, as well. Look at Iraq. We are essentially the ally of Iran and Iraq against ISIS. So I think we're closer to some sort of, you know, formal agreement we've been in all these 35 years.

FEYERICK: Well, it's interesting, I might dispute the use of the word ally when we talk about Iran, but some sanctions have eased that Iran is also dealing with very low oil prices. About $83 a gallon. When Iran is reportedly about $135 a barrel just to balance its budget.

So is Iran really suffering? Because by the looks of it, they don't seem to much care when you look at their political leaders.

BAER: Well, of course they don't appear to care. But it really does hurt the sanctions have worked. We put them in a corner. They have got a quickly growing population, high unemployment. They have a lot of subsidies they haven't gotten rid of. So, yes, the sanctions hurt them. If oil keeps on falling, there are going to be real problems in that country. So they have incentives to cooperate with us on a nuclear agreement.

And let's don't forget that Rouhani was at one time a radical himself, back in the '80s. And he's come a long way, too, and I'm hoping that he's going to be able to marshal the radicals to reach an agreement.

FEYERICK: So, first of all, describe to all of us what's at stake with the nuclear program and whether you think low oil prices will actually motivate Iran to accept a deal.

BAER: Well, I think they're going to agree to inspections at a certain level on the centrifuges. Lowering the -- you know, the purification of uranium. The rest of it. But things they're not going to do and we shouldn't push them on is take a look at the history of their development of a nuclear bomb.

I think they probably stopped according to the assessments in 2003. But I just don't see them opening up the files to either the United States or the United Nations on their previous programs. I think we should just be thankful that they've apparently stopped building a bomb.

FEYERICK: All right. Bob Baer, thank you so much. We're going to be talking a lot about Iran in the coming days. Thanks so much.

Up next, reunited and well, it feels so good. It's a reunion that has Ebola survivor saying a crucial piece of her life is now back with her. The happy story straight ahead.

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FEYERICK: Three Americans have been found dead in Mexico just across the Texas border in the town of El Control. Authorities say they're questioning members of an elite law enforcement tactical unit to see if they may have been involved in the murders. CNN's Rosa Flores is on the story.

And, Rosa, first of all who are the victims and how did they die?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Deb, imagine this, there's a father who has to identify his three children, except his children have been tied from their hands, their feet, they have a shot to the head, and authorities say that their bodies are so decomposed that they're having to use tattoos, clothing, and also shoes to identify the bodies.

So this is what this father had to do. And here's what we know from authorities. So four bodies were found in El Control, which is just south of the Texas border. One of them was a Mexican national. The other three, these three siblings that we've been talking about, ages 26 to 21, a woman and her two brothers.

Now here's what's so odd about this. So they're from a tiny town in south Texas of a few thousand people. That's the town that I grew up in, in South Texas. It's called Progresso. So I didn't go to high school at the same time that they did, but they went to my high school.

FEYERICK: The same high school.

FLORES: Yes.

FEYERICK: Wow.

FLORES: So I talked to one of their friends late last night, and they told me that the wake is today. I tried calling her today. She's not answering the phone. My guess is that she's in Mexico right now.

FEYERICK: Why -- first of all, how long were they missing? What were they doing in Mexico?

FLORES: So they've been missing for about two and a half weeks. And what authorities are saying is that they were visiting their father. So the father lives in Mexico, their mother lives in the United States. So they were visiting their father when they were allegedly kidnapped.

FEYERICK: Why are members of this law enforcement elite tactical unit under investigation right now? Why are they being questioned?

FLORES: Deb, this is fascinating because it's an elite group called Hercules, or Hercules, and this group was introduced not too long ago by the mayor of Matamoros, which is just east of El Control, south of Brownsville, Texas. And it's an elite group. She introduced it as a way to keep the community safe.

And the attorney general from this state says that they are being questioned because they are linked to the kidnappings in this particular case. And so they are interviewing them as witnesses or linking them to the kidnapping, and authorities are saying that if they have to question the mayor, that they'll do that as well. I actually talked to the FBI, Deb, and the FBI is assisting their

partners in Mexico in this particular case.

FEYERICK: And just quickly, is there some indication that perhaps this tactical unit had ties to any of the cartels?

FLORES: You know, that's a great question because this particular area is cartel territory. And so it's a very dangerous area. I grew up there. A lot of people that I know don't cross into Mexico anymore like we used to when we were growing up.

FEYERICK: Right.

FLORES: To buy food and trinkets or whatever.

FEYERICK: Yes.

FLORES: You just cross over to Mexico casually.

FEYERICK: But it's not happening.

FLORES: You don't do that anymore.

FEYERICK: All right, Rosa Flores, thank you. And stay on this story. It's going to be fascinating to see what happens ultimately. Appreciate it. Thank you.

FLORES: You're welcome.

FEYERICK: And here are the headlines at this hour.

Co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed when a billionaire's passenger spacecraft had a catastrophic failure during a test flight. Alsbury was 39 years old, a seasoned pilot. His body was discovered in California's Mojave Desert by this man. Pilot Peter Seabolt. He managed to parachute to the ground but he was seriously injured. The two men were friends. His employer says Seabolt is alert and talking with his family and doctors, both work for a company hired by Virgin Galacter founder Richard Branson to perform test flights on Virgin's Spaceship 2. Branson is determined to find out what caused the deadly accident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD BRANSON, VIRGIN CEO: We do understand the risks involved and we're not going to push on blindly. To do so would be an insult to all those affected by this tragedy. We're going to learn from what went wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And the NTSB is investigating the incident.

Good news in the fight against Ebola. The only person under treatment in the United States is improving. New York doctor Craig Spencer is no longer in serious condition, and Dallas nurse Nina Pham who recovered from the disease is now back with her dog Bentley. He'd been under quarantine as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NINA PHAM, RECOVERED FROM EBOLA VIRUS: I feel like Bentley reentering my life is yet another reminder of hope and encouragement for me moving forward and fulfilling my life to its fullest with my best friend at my side again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And finally, before you go to bed tonight, remember to set your clock back one hour. Daylight savings time ends officially at 2:00 a.m. The point is to make the best use of daylight hours. 70 nations follow daylight saving time.

Tonight on CNN, up next, a double shot of Mike Roe's "SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT." Then at 10:00 Eastern back-to-back episodes of "THIS IS LIFE WITH LISA LING."

As always, stay with CNN and CNN.com for breaking news. Any time. I'm Deborah Feyerick. Thanks for joining us. See you tomorrow.