Anderson Cooper 360

Kyle Rittenhouse, the armed Illinois teenager who killed two people and wounded another during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, testified in his own defense during his trial on homicide charges. At one point, the 18-year-old broke down while describing the night of the shooting. He said under oath that he didn’t intend to kill anyone but agrees he used “deadly force.” Paul Callan is a criminal defense attorney and a former homicide prosecutor. He joins Anderson Cooper to discuss the defense’s decision to put Rittenhouse on the stand and says he was “very surprised at how remarkably effective he was as a witness.”  Plus, sources tell CNN the House committee investigating January 6 is interested in gathering information from at least five members of former Vice President Mike Pence’s inner circle. Jamie Gangel tells Anderson who the committee hopes to speak to and whether or not some Pence aides would be willing to cooperate. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection issued ten more subpoenas to Trump allies, including Stephen Miller and Kayleigh McEnany. Robert Costa is a national political reporter for the Washington Post and the co-author of “Peril.” He joins Anderson Cooper to discuss the new batch of subpoenas and says it shows the committee is “casting a wide net.”  Plus, investigators are working to determine the causes of death of the eight people killed in a crowd at the Astroworld Festival in Houston. 18-year-old Ayden Cruz was at the concert where he climbed a camera platform and pleaded to stop the show. He tells Anderson about the moment he knew something was wrong and people were in serious danger. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol issued six additional subpoenas to top Trump campaign associates, including Michael Flynn, John Eastman and Jason Miller. Republican Rep. Fred Upton voted to impeach then-President Trump following the January 6 riot and voted to hold Trump loyalist Steve Bannon in contempt. He tells Anderson Cooper why he thinks it’s important for people to cooperate with the select committee if they’re subpoenaed. Plus, a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival in Houston killed eight people and injured dozens more. Concertgoers were crushed and trampled as waves of people moved toward the stage while headliner Travis Scott performed. Authorities say the criminal investigation could take weeks. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña joins AC360 to explain how something like this could happen and says “actions weren’t taken quickly enough.” To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A vote is expected soon on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill even though sources tell CNN roughly 20 progressives have said they will vote no.  Plus, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed he is unvaccinated against Covid-19 despite telling reporters in August that he was “immunized.”To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Democratic leaders were hoping for a vote on President Biden’s social safety net plan, but as of now a vote doesn’t seem imminent. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer joins Anderson Cooper to discuss how close House Democrats are to a vote.  Plus, the chair of the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 told reporters that he signed about 20 subpoenas and they are going out “soon.”    To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's elections and months of in-fighting over President Biden’s legislative agenda showed the divisions in the Democratic party. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, joins Anderson Cooper to discuss what — and who — is to blame for the Democrats losing Virginia.  Plus, children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to get Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy tells Anderson that now “many parents can take a sigh of relief.”   To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tomorrow's election for the governor of Virginia could be one of the most consequential since the last presidential election, especially because of the implications it could have for the midterms next year. What could tomorrow mean for future elections?  Plus, two key conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court signaled today that they would allow abortion providers to challenge a Texas law that has virtually ended abortion in the state after six weeks of pregnancy. That would represent an important shift from a 5-to-4 ruling in September that allowed the law to go into effect. The justices must decide whether abortion providers in Texas and the Justice Department have the legal right to challenge the law which encourages citizens to sue anyone involved in an abortion.    To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Virginia governor's race has potentially national implications. It is a dead heat between Democrat Terry McCauliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former governor versus the uneasy recipient of a Trump endorsement, with the former president a wildcard in the wings. CNN Senior Political Commentator David Axelrod and CNN Political Analyst and Axios Managing Editor Margaret Talev talk about the significance being attached to the race by Democrats for what it could foretell about next year's midterms. Plus, Pope Francis and President Biden, the world's two most powerful members of the Catholic faith, met today at the Vatican. After, Biden said Francis had told him he was pleased he was a "good Catholic," and that he should continue receiving communion, despite opposition from some conservative American bishops over his support for abortion. CNN Political Commentator and Former Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Joe Kennedy talks about the President's visit with the Pope.  Airdate: October 29, 2021 Guests: David Axelrod, Margaret Talev and Joe Kennedy.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Late today, House Democratic leaders pushed back a vote on the already Senate-approved infrastructure bill. Progressives are refusing to support it until Senate moderates sign off on the President's “Build Back Better” social and environmental legislation. White House Domestic Policy advisor and former UN Ambassador Susan Rice joins Anderson to talk about President Biden's agenda. Plus, Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Carl Cameron, the former chief political correspondent for Fox News, join Anderson to talk about Rupert Murdoch letting his media empire spread myths about the January 6 Capitol insurrection and election conspiracy theories. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Santa Fe County Sheriff said a “live round” killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.” District attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said the investigation is ongoing, and prosecution will be initiated if facts and documents support charges. The DA and Sheriff Adan Mendoza both join AC360 to discuss the latest with the investigation. Plus, Democrats are expected to scrap paid family and medical leave from their economic and climate package. Rep. Pramila Jayapal is the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She tells Anderson Cooper “we haven’t drawn red lines but I just think that we need to be really thinking about what we are saying about the United States’ leadership with this bill.”To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices