This is a rush transcript of "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on September 27, 2022. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Get out before Hurricane Ian closes in, the message from Florida's officials, as this monster storm barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast.

Here is what we know right now. You're looking live at Key West, Florida, where rough surf from Ian has already churned up. Soon, the National Hurricane Center will provide an update on Ian's strength and path. It does seem to be changing.

Right now, it's projected to hit Florida as at least a Category 3 storm. Major airports are closing. Tampa International will suspend operations in about an hour. Orlando will be doing the same at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. And the city of Tampa will be issuing a curfew soon and suspending emergency operations when winds hit at least 40 miles an hour.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will be here joining us live.

Welcome, everybody. I'm Neil Cavuto.

And they are battening down the hatches, as they say, and preparing for the worst, hoping that it won't be that bad. But, right now, this storm, well, it looks very bad.

And doesn't Max Gorden know it, of course, from the FOX Weather Center.

He's in Saint Petersburg, Florida, with more -- Max.

MAX GORDEN, FOX WEATHER CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Neil.

Well, mandatory evacuations are under way here in Pinellas County. We're talking about Zones A, B, C, and for folks living in mobile homes. All those people need to get out as soon as they can. Right now, we're standing in Evacuation Zone A. So, the scene behind us is expected to change very drastically over the next day or so.

Now, all of Florida is under a state of emergency, all 67 counties. And thousands of National Guard members are here in the state ready to respond when this storm makes landfall; 26 school districts have announced school closures across the state. And, in some cases, schools will be used as shelters in the Tampa area.

Food, water, generators and pumps are all being staged before landfall. Power outages will be likely when this storm hits. And Governor Ron DeSantis says that restoring power is going to be a top priority. Here in Pinellas County, Duke Energy says they're staging crews. And they updated their power grid with new technology that reroutes power around problem areas to prevent mass outages, though trees falling into lines with high winds and floodwaters are all going to be big concerns.

As this storm draws near, people have been scrambling for supplies. Some gas stations have run out of fuel, and drinking water has been snatched off of store shelves. Hardware stores are packed with people buying generators and plywood to board up their homes.

And many people told us, after they cover their windows, they are going to get out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're actually going to evacuate. We're going to go to Orlando to stay with some family. But we do want to board up the house as much as possible and protect whatever belongings we have just in case. It should help. We don't even know if it's going to help.

We're still, like, in a panic mode. Like, I can't even, like, dwell on anything right now. It's just go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORDEN: And as all these people evacuate, roads in the Tampa and Saint Petersburg area are starting to get congested with these evacuees.

And just within the hour, one other evacuation route is going to be closing off. Tampa International Airport will be closing at 5:00 -- Neil, back to you.

CAVUTO: All right, Max, thank you very much. Stay safe, my friend.

All right, let's go to Adam Klotz. He saw this one coming and the fact and the possibility it could constantly change its direction, its path. That appears to be happening, although incrementally.

Adam, what can you tell us?

ADAM KLOTZ, FOX NEWS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Neil, very small changes, and there's time that there still will likely be some of those small changes.

But it's holding steady and holding strong as far as the strength goes, still a Category 3 hurricane, 120-mile-an-hour winds lifting closer and closer up to Florida. You still see the strongest right to the north end of this and off to the northeastern side of the storm, but those outer bands really beginning to fall, yes, across Key West and then lifting into portions of Southern Florida.

Those red polygons are tornado warned storms. We got a tornado watch across this entire region. This typically happens on this side of the storm, and this will likely live to the north as the hurricane itself continues to work its way up the coast.

Even if you're not right along the western coast, you're going to be dealing with this system. Pretty much the entire state has some sort of tropical storm or hurricane advisory currently in place besides the Panhandle, as this is going to be slowly drifting that direction.

Here is our current hurricane track. And what you have noticed is perhaps just a slight drop to the south or to the east with this potential model. There you are Wednesday morning getting close to the shore. And then, by Thursday morning, you certainly have run onshore, bringing some of those very strong winds.

You can pay attention to the time stamp in the corner. This is taking to landfall, a little south now of Tampa, again, just a forecast model. But that's getting into tomorrow evening, taking you into tomorrow morning, a lot of really powerful winds there. The system really slows down. So you see those winds for a very long time.

Obviously, that's going to take out a ton of power. When you talk about the ground being absolutely saturated, trees fall down a little bit easier. And then I think probably still the biggest concern is going to be the storm surge. And wherever this storm ultimately makes landfall, it's going to be just to the south of that, where the storm surge is at the worst, because those are where the winds are at the strongest.

So, currently, we're looking at Naples, Fort Myers, up to Sarasota, perhaps as much as 10 feet of water, Neil, going to be pushed up on shore, and that could very likely be the most devastating impact of this system. Of course, we will be watching it as it makes those little moves to the north or south in the next day.

CAVUTO: Thank you, Adam, very much for that.

Want to go to Phil Keating right now in Pass-a-Grille, Florida, how they're getting ready for this, with gas a prized commodity.

Phil, what's the latest there?

PHIL KEATING, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Neil.

I went to two gas stations this morning. One had no gas. The other one fortunately did. About three million Floridians in 10 counties up and down the state are now under a mandatory evacuation. And here in Pass-a-Grille, which is in southern Pinellas County, that's certainly one of the places.

This is Zone A right on the Gulf of Mexico. And this is exactly what leaders of the state and the counties want to see, most people heeding the advice, leaving town, heading inland to higher ground for safety.

To do that, of course, you do need that gasoline, gold these days. And for the past few days, they have seen a surge of demand at all gas stations, long lines of cars and trucks. And, often, you will find there's no gasoline left at that spot, so you go looking for another one.

The governor says, so far, there's been no supply chain issues and fuel trucks are basically driving 24/7 at this point. He's also waived all tolls to encourage people to drive to safety. And as hurricane --hardened Floridians expect to loss power, with everything closed and nothing open, they have been hitting their grocery stores, stocking up on all the essentials, nonperishable foods and plenty of water.

The longstanding advice in Florida is have a hurricane kit with enough supplies to last you a week. Utilities like Florida Power and Light are also prepositioning fleets of bucket trucks to restore power as fast as they can.

In Pass-a-Grille night and this morning, last-minute shuttering went up here to protect these businesses in this quaint beach town, everyone well aware that today's your last chance before the deluge of rain and winds intensify all day Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to do what we can do. You know what I'm saying? All we can do is just get stuff in here, protect our building, and then go from there. Only God is in control of what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEATING: In Clearwater, Florida, Robert Franks repurposed his plywood protection, changed the name from 2017's Hurricane Irma now to Ian.

Plywood is up on most of these buildings here in the little downtown east section of Pass-a-Grille. Sandbags are also on the ground, storm surge of 10 to 15 feet just may exceed anything those could do to protect the businesses and homes.

Now, keep in mind Category 3 Ian is expected to intensify, possibly reaching a Category 4, but it is expected to make landfall somewhere on the West Coast of Florida, probably late Wednesday as a Cat 3 -- Neil.

CAVUTO: Yikes. All right, thank you, Phil Keating.

Doesn't my next guest know that and worry about that and try to make sure her citizens are prepared for that.

I'm talking about the mayor of Tampa, Florida, Jane Castor, kind enough to join us.

Mayor, thank you for being with us.

What are things like there, Mayor? How are you sort of battening down those proverbial hatches?

JANE CASTOR (D), MAYOR OF TAMPA, FLORIDA: Well, first of all, thank you, Neil, for having us here.

We are clearly in preparation mode for the last several days. And, as you see here, we have advised everyone to get away from the water, to evacuate in the Zone A, Zone B. We have over 120 miles of coastline just in the city of Tampa. And people are heeding that warning.

They are getting out of town. They're going to higher ground. We have the adage, which you have heard over and over, is, hide from the wind and run from the water. And our citizens are doing just that.

CAVUTO: Yes, you could end up having both, Mayor.

I'm just wondering. These are voluntary evacuations now? When do you up the call beyond voluntary?

CASTOR: No, it's mandatory.

CAVUTO: Oh, OK.

CASTOR: Mandatory for Zone A, Zone B, yes.

And it's been that way, Zone A, since Sunday. And so we have seen people getting out of the area early on. We also have -- our police officers, Tampa Police Department, has literally gone door to door in the mobile home, manufactured home sections to make sure that we are letting people know that they need to get out.

We're providing the transportation to 49 shelters we have here in Hillsborough County, many of which accept pets. We have got special needs shelters. A lot of people are just going out to stay with friends, relatives, or in area hotels away from the wind and water.

CAVUTO: Mayor, you have seen a lot of change in your town and the state, so many drawn to Florida, and not only the beautiful weather, for the most part, but the low-tax, low-crime environment.

And now you have a whole bunch of folks who've never been through something like this, even in your state. It's been five years since Irma. They might be getting a little rusty dealing with this.

How's that going?

CASTOR: Well, I don't -- I don't think so.

I think the people who are new to the state probably heed the warnings more so than the individuals that are my age.

(LAUGHTER)

CASTOR: I have been here 62 years. I have been through a lot of hurricanes. And so that -- it's that apathy that we don't want to settle in.

When you talk about 10-to-15-foot surges, that should get everyone's attention. No one is safe from that. And we really feel that that has resonated. Look at the last couple of years, the increased intensity in these hurricanes.

CAVUTO: Right.

CASTOR: I think we have people's attention, and they're getting out while they can.

CAVUTO: Well, Mayor, you have a lot of work on your hands. And you have been doing yeoman's work trying to protect your folks and make sure they get out of harm's way.

We wish you well. Thank you very much, Mayor.

CASTOR: Thank you. Thanks, Neil.

CAVUTO: All right.

In the meantime, I do want to update you on a couple of things. Of course, you hear about the Tampa International Airport. It's going to close in about 50 minutes from now. Also, Port Tampa Bay, that is expected to close as well. All attractions in the state, while not entirely closed, are going to be pushed back.

For example, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. Discovery Cove is also scheduled to close and will reschedule, refund reservations for those who might have booked online and don't know where they're going to go now. And Disney's Fort Wilderness resort and campground and a variety of the Disney locations, from the Villas at Disney to Disney Saratoga Springs Resort, spa, bungalows, Disney's Polynesian Village resort, will temporarily close Wednesday through Friday.

Even though not in the direct path of the storm, they're taking no chances. That's probably a good idea.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, you're getting a peek right now inside Tampa International Airport, which is about 40 minutes or so from shutting all operations.

The head of the airport will be joining us in just a moment.

I'm going to first go to Katie Byrne, who's at Orlando International Airport, and what our FOX Weather multimedia journalist is seeing there -- Katie.

KATIE BYRNE, FOX MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST: Hi, Neil.

Yes, you can see it's busy right now. There are still some flights tonight and tomorrow morning, but at 10:30 in the morning tomorrow, that's when things are going to shut down here at Orlando International Airport. And then this airport is actually going to be set up to potentially assist in air aid outside, depending on how bad this storm gets.

So, they're following in the footsteps of Tampa's international airport. That's going to close. Less than an hour from now, at 5:00 tonight. And I'm told Jacksonville Airport officials are going to be discussing their next move probably right now. Southwest Florida International Airport and Fort Myers, though, still operating as normal.

Meanwhile, on the roads, there's traffic building. When you look around, millions of people in the state are preparing for what's to come. No rain here in Orlando yet, but things will look a lot different in 24 hours. There are mandatory evacuation orders in more than a dozen counties in the state.

And people who live in Tampa today waited hours to get some free sandbags to try and help them protect their homes from that floodwater damage we have been talking about.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis talks about the biggest threats of this storm in a news conference earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DESANTIS: By and large, we're looking at really, really major storm surge up and down the west coast of Florida. You could see inland flooding.

There's going to be interruptions in things like power. There are going to be interruptions and fuel, maybe interruptions in communication. Just get to the higher ground. Get into a safe structure. We have shelters open. We can't unring the bell if you stay and you end up getting washed away with a historic storm surge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BYRNE: Now, Orlando is becoming a bit of a safe haven for people who are evacuating in other parts of the state, because we are more inland here. I'm told some hotels are selling out. The one in the airport, in fact, already has sold out.

And a lot of people I have been talking to in the airport tell me they're either extending their business trips or their vacation plans, although they might not make it into the pool this week -- guys.

CAVUTO: I like that. Katie, thank you very much.

Katie Byrne at Orlando International Airport. Of course, that's the home of Disney World and SeaWorld, so many other great tourist places that are all now seeing their activities curtailed as the week ensues here. We will keep you posted on that.

But, of course, the story of the moment is what's going on in Tampa, since that seems to have the proverbial bullseye on it right now.

Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano back with us.

Joe, it seems we always talk under these types of circumstances. But what can you tell us right now? I don't see a lot of activity behind you. That's not surprising, but tell us what's going on there.

LOPANO: Yes, Neil, thanks for having me on the show.

Yes, we're closing down at 5:00. So, airplanes have been leaving all day. The final flight will be at 4:45. It's a Delta flight to Atlanta. So, the airport is getting really quiet over time. And it'll be very, very quiet tonight.

CAVUTO: All right, now, you have to wait to see how this storm fares. But the people who are leaving and were able to -- lucky enough to get out and find a destination, what's the plan right now for those who might still be stuck there?

I mean, if the airport closes, where do they go?

LOPANO: If people are stranded here, Neil, we will provide them transportation to one of the county shelters that the mayor was talking about earlier.

CAVUTO: I see.

LOPANO: And so that's our plan for those that are stranded.

CAVUTO: All right, so we are looking live at some who are still there, I guess waiting to get out. And they likely will get out in the next 40 minutes or so?

LOPANO: Yes. They are probably going out on that last flight to Atlanta on Delta Air Lines.

CAVUTO: Now, I noticed a number of -- you're obviously in charge of this airport. It is a big one, an important one. But we're also seeing abbreviated schedules in airports in the area, those that might shut down early as well.

Do you get a sense that Florida itself is going to be tough to fly into or out of it in the next couple of days, at a minimum?

LOPANO: I would say that that's a -- that's a true statement, yes.

The storm, based on whatever track that you're believing right now, is heading a bit east. So it could have impacts on Orlando. It could have impacts on Jacksonville, Sarasota, certainly. So, definitely, the state of Florida is going to be impacted. I would recommend that your viewers stay tuned and look very carefully. Call their airlines. Get online. Watch our Twitter feed and stay informed.

CAVUTO: All right, Joe, thank you very, very much. I know you're busy guy, today particularly.

Joe Lopano, the Tampa International Airport CEO.

And just letting you know, there are some other airports in the area that are adjusting their schedules here. For example, officials at Clearwater- Saint Petersburg Airport have already shut down operations earlier today, not nearly as big as Tampa, of course. And Port Tampa Bay, of course, a popular shipping destination, already has closed its maritime interest and anything having to do with that.

And this is happening as we roll through the state and it prepares for whatever is down the pike.

Also letting you know that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay closing tomorrow and Thursday, a lot of Disney facilities, we have told you, from Disney Cove, to Disney Fort Wilderness,and so many other Disney destinations, shutting down or limiting hours from tomorrow right through Friday.

We will keep you posted on that and some incredible views we're getting of this hurricane from space. It's a monster, all right -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, Ian has already prompted the Artemis rocket that now will have to go back to the vehicle assembly building at NASA.

This is showing it sped up a little bit. It actually normally moves about a mile-an-hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, this is new video coming into us from the International Space Station, giving us a pretty good view of Hurricane Ian, massive, widespread, right now, a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center is set to provide an update on Ian's strength and path, hasn't really been changed that much, might be pivoting slightly to the right, the reason why Miami-Dade County now is under these emergency orders as well.

But, as you can see, it is a massive storm. And Floridians who have not seen something like this since 2017 back with Irma, this is a relatively new sight for them as well, to say nothing of the millions who have come to Florida and made it the third most populous state in the country, certainly behind California and Texas.

But those 22 million residents are all under the eye of this -- of this storm. So we will keep you posted on that.

Keeping you posted on some developments half-a-world away amid some unusual developments with a pipeline that connects Germany and Russia and a host of other players, the Nord Stream pipeline that some say is spilling a leak, but it might be more. Well, it looks curious, to put it mildly, that it might be sabotage.

General Jack Keane joins us right now, what he makes of these developments.

Out of nowhere, this gas leak has prompted talk that there was nothing wrong with it until this friction with Russia built over what was shut down and how long it was shut down, and now this. What do you make of it, General?

GEN. JACK KEANE (RET.), FOX NEWS SENIOR STRATEGIC ANALYST: Well, certainly, Nord Stream 2 never really got started, though it's capable, and 1 got shut down by the Russians.

But now they're supposedly a couple of leaks, particularly in No. 1 in the Danish and Swedish area. And the people who have looked at it are quite suspicious of it, thinking it may indeed be sabotage. We'd probably be dismissive of something like that if Mr. Putin wasn't a player here.

And given he -- the fact that he is, and certainly that he wants to put pressure on Europe as the winter's coming, he wants them to get shut down in terms of energy supplies, and certainly his intent is to sort of break their will somewhat because of the suffering of their people and curb their support for the Ukrainians. That's what this is about.

That's why he's brandishing nuclear weapons, likely for the same reason, to reduce and minimize the support that the Ukrainians are receiving from arms and munitions, but also economic support and enforcing the sanctions. He's always -- Putin has always been of the mind, Neil, that, at some point, the Europeans will buckle, their self-interest will prevail, as they have in the past, and they will cut off to some degree the support for Ukraine.

He's counting on that to happen. It's part of his strategy. But, listen, surprisingly, the E.U. has held together here, NATO, writ large, has pretty much held together. Of course, the United States and Britain have provided 75 percent of the support word, but, nonetheless, the Europeans have shown some resolve and determination, the exception being the Germans and French.

CAVUTO: Yes.

And we should stress -- and you're quite right to point out the difference between Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2. And, of course, it's this Nord Stream 1 that's the one in question here, and over European lands, not Russian lands, this leak occurred that raised these first concerns.

And I'm just wondering. You raised a very good point. If not for some of the Eastern European -- so-called Eastern European old bloc countries, support among the traditional Western powers, like Germany and France, they talk a good game, but they haven't delivered a good game.

What do you make of that?

KEANE: Well, I think the former Soviet republics, which make up largely Eastern Europe today, many of them part of NATO, they have lived in this communist rule.

They don't want any part of it. And they certainly feel that, at some point, Putin may indeed threaten them, particularly the Baltic states, the three of them, and Poland.

I have spoken to the director of Poland's national security bureau here in Washington, D.C. He's from Poland. But he wanted to talk to me about it. And I was really -- he inspired me. He said: "General, I just want you to know that we're fighting a war, as far as we're concerned, with Russia that we thought we're going to fight a number of years down the road.

"And Ukrainians are doing -- fighting the war, and we're giving them tanks and fighting vehicles from our operational units. We're depleting our units, because we have the opportunity to defeat the Russian army in Ukraine. And that is why we're all in and we're taking the risks that we are taking, because, if the Ukrainians are able to win this war with our help, we will not have to fight the Russians later."

That is their point. And I believe that is absolutely the right answer when it comes to supporting the Ukrainians.

CAVUTO: General, thank you. Very good catching up with you on this and these latest bizarre developments, but they keep piling up.

Thank you for that.

Real quickly, want to give you a peek, not only above looking at Hurricane Ian, but inside it, which we will do. We're getting more details of things that have changed certainly in the Sunshine State as a result, all the schools that are closing out of an abundance of caution and all the colleges that are doing the same, including the State College of Florida, the New College of Florida, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida.

Let's just put it this way. If your school has a Florida in its name, you're shutting down.

We'll have more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, kind of calm before the storm in Delray Beach, Florida. It is about to get a lot rougher certainly in the next few hours, of course, as Ian is scheduled to make landfall sometime tomorrow morning, a Category 3 storm.

It's not out of the realm of possibility it rockets up to a Category 4 storm, with storm surges of anywhere from eight to 10 feet. This thing will be dumping a lot of rain on the state, to say nothing of the 12 inches just around the 12 -- or -- I'm sorry -- around the Tampa area. Pretty much the whole state is in for a soaking here.

But, of course, the clarion call seems to be, everyone, stay safe, evacuation orders in effect around Tampa and Hillsborough County in Florida. That includes a Tampa and rolling evacuations as necessary for other parts of the state that might be in the path of this. We will keep an eye on that.

In the meantime, back to Washington and this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: He's spending an inordinate amount of time complimenting what a great Senator Kyrsten Sinema is of Arizona, one of the best first-term senators he's ever seen.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: They seem to be having, I don't know -- you can call it a bro- Senate-romance. I don't know what you call it, but he never mentions your name anymore.

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): Oh, well, you can be a hero one day and a villain the next within the 24-hour period or even shorter. I understand that.

Kyrsten Sinema is a good senator, and I enjoy working with her. And I enjoy working with Mitch in many times. I don't hold this -- when we have disagreements, it's over, and it's not personal. And he's been here long enough to hopefully know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: All right, we were getting to this back-and-forth of what happened to Joe Manchin and what seemed to be a cozy relationship, or at least a budding friendship, with Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, the fact that he was pushing for this energy permitting measure that had him getting some angry responses, not only from Republicans, but from Democrats.

It failed, by the way. But since it was attached to a measure to keep the government open, it's still anyone's guess as to whether we can avoid a shutdown of late Friday. Too soon to tell. And, of course, they always work these things out. We pray they do.

But Lee Carter with us right now, Republican pollster, on what happened here, because I know allegiances vary by the day and maybe the polls, Lee, but this is a quick turnaround here, some friction that right now Senator Manchin is getting from both sides. What do you make of it?

LEE CARTER, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Yes, it sure is. And I think it's probably surprising to him on who's on his side and who isn't, although I do think that it's interesting that Mitch McConnell is choosing to cozy up with Senator Sinema, because it's very clear right now what he's trying to do.

He is trying to move a little bit more to the middle. And we're seeing with Republicans right now, they're trying to talk more about their Commitment to America. They're putting forward a much more clear plan. I think they're going to try to say -- and one of the things they say is, hold us accountable. They're going to work across the aisle to get things done.

So I think there needs to be evidence the they're going to do that with more people than just the one that they have often -- they have often gone to, which is Joe Manchin. So maybe he's trying to broaden the reach that he seems to have or the embrace, so to speak.

CAVUTO: Yes.

CARTER: But he could also be snubbing him, for sure. I mean, this is a really controversial issue.

CAVUTO: I'm just admiring the fact that people can be so petty. I admire that quality.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: But, Lee, in all seriousness, I'm just wondering, the wooing of Kyrsten Sinema, I'm wondering if it's McConnell's way of saying, hey, become a Republican, regardless of how the race turns out weeks from now, that that could change the dynamics.

CARTER: It certainly could.

And, look, about a third of Americans right now identify as moderates. They're not one or the other. Most people do resonate with a moderate message. Most Americans, whether they're on the right or the left, want Republicans and Democrats to work together.

So I think this is just something that people want to see more of, perhaps we're going to see more of. Maybe that's naive of me. But I do think that the Republicans are starting to get the message right now. That's enough talking about how bad the Democrats are. It's time for our people to come together in favor of Americans, rather than against each other.

And so perhaps this is the first step, or perhaps it's a big snub to Joe Manchin. I think we will know over the next several days what that's going to look like.

CAVUTO: Right.

I am curious what you make of where this race stands. As you said, the House might be close, or maybe not so close, but Republicans have a good shot of winning that back. The Senate is a little dicey. Maybe this Kabuki theater around Manchin is a signal of how Republicans plan to play that, but the economy has begun to emerge as a big issue, even these market falls. We were down another 125 points today, Lee, and that, even though the president likes to insist that he doesn't obsess over the markets, even those in his party urge him now and then to give them a peek, and that that is going to be an issue for Democrats to deal with in the midterms.

What do you think?

CARTER: The economy is a nightmare for the Democrats right now, not only because of the way people feel about the economy, when you look at the consumer confidence index, when you look at people's optimism about the future, when you look at the stock markets.

All around us, no matter what it is, Americans are feeling like the economy is terrible. And 90 percent of Americans are saying they feel it in their pocketbook, and something needs to be done.

Now, the flip side of that is, 65 percent of women are concerned about the rights of women, not just because of Roe vs. Wade, but because that has now become one of the mantras. So what is going to galvanize voters? And I think we have got to look at this state by state, because that's really how this is going to be played out in the midterms.

We don't really have a huge swoop like we did in 2018. Everybody was rallied around health care as the issue we needed to address. We have a split here. Is it going to be about the pocketbook, or is it going to be about women's rights? And I think the Democrats are trying to make this very much about women's rights.

Republicans are trying to make it about the economy, but they are rightfully trying to make it about more than that. They have a four -- they have a four-pronged policy. We're going to see how much that plays out. Is it going to get enough play? And is it going to be enough?

Because we're getting close now. We're in the homestretch here, with just a few weeks to go until those midterms happen. So the Republicans should have had this message months ago, not in the last final weeks, and so we will see if it's going to be enough.

CAVUTO: All right, we will see who resonates last. That's what matters.

Lee Carter, thank you very, very much.

I want to take you back to the Sunshine State, which will not be very sunny for long, if it is now, a lot of people trying to get out of town on I-4 by Tampa, Florida, where evacuation orders are in effect. And this could spread to other parts of the state. Of course, they are releasing you of any tolls, and you don't have to bother with them as part of a way to make it easy for folks to get on the road.

And, right now, it doesn't appear to be too crazy. But, of course, this -- this one is, the hurricane itself -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, it's beyond the southern tip of Florida, and Key West is already taking in the waves, the rain and the storm surge, as Floridians prepare for their first serious hurricane in the better part of five years.

And for a lot of people in that state, it's the first time. Think of all the millions who have moved to Florida, buoyed by the nice weather, of course, the low-tax, low-crime environment. Now they're getting a test of the flip side of Florida that a lot of people can deal with. But this time of year, it gets a little scary, just like it is right now. By the way, Ian is expected to make landfall sometime tomorrow morning.

In the meantime, there is this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY SIEGEL, WHARTON BUSINESS SCHOOL: I have been angry at the Fed for two years.

I mean, the excessive monetary growth in 2020 and 2021 was inexcusable, in my opinion, and it's caused all the inflation. And now they caused all this inflation. And I think they're moving too far in the other direction. And the Fed saying we got to be tighter for longer, I think, can drive this country into a recession, a deep recession.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: He's an iconic name in the financial world. Jeremy Siegel is economics and finance professor over at the Wharton School, very influential.

And he essentially was telling me earlier on FOX Business that, you know what, he thinks the Fed should apologize to the American people for overdoing these rate increases when they're not necessary. And, of course, it depends on your point of view. But the good professor is saying that the good chairman of the Federal Reserve is botching it and going to drive this country into a recession.

Want to talk to Charlie Gasparino about that.

He's not alone, Charlie. As you know, Elon Musk is saying that that seems to be where we're going, and that this is what the Fed wants to beat inflation. That's what they're going to do. A number of Chinese central bankers have been mouthing off that the Fed is leading a worldwide recession. What do you think of all this?

CHARLIE GASPARINO, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's -- listen, Jeremy Siegel's a really smart guy. And I'm not an economist. He is.

But there's a non sequitur involved in some of what he's saying. I mean, he initially says that the Fed engaged in massive monetary stimulus, the likes that he's never seen, and he was very critical of it. And now he's convinced that doing the opposite is not the remedy. It's actually the only remedy because of this.

Now, I think he's right to point out that the Fed went way too much on the stimulus -- I mean, in terms of stimulus, printing money. We all know that. It was coupled by massive amounts of fiscal spending too, particularly by the Biden administration, in the face of all this. That no doubt created inflation.

But there's nothing -- listen, if your job is to get rid of inflation and you have a sort of restrictive fiscal policy out of the Biden administration, in the sense that it's raising taxes, trying to raise taxes on rich people, it's spending a ton of money, but, on top of that, it's not really -- it's not loosening up on regulations, there's only one game in town to get rid of inflation. And that's the Fed.

It's got to tighten, and it's going to -- and it's kind of -- it's...

CAVUTO: And that is what bums investors out, right. That's why we keep going down, down, down in the markets here.

GASPARINO: Tough luck.

CAVUTO: Because what? They're concerned that the Fed is going to keep hiking rates and hiking rates. And we're deep into bear market territory on all the averages.

Some look at it, Charlie, and say it's got to be overdone, right? What do you think?

GASPARINO: Right. Well, maybe.

But remember that the Fed pumped up these markets tremendously.

CAVUTO: They did, indeed. They did, indeed.

GASPARINO: I mean, all these guys, they thought they were brilliant Warren Buffett investors: Oh, I'm making a lot of money. I'm buying AMC. This is going up -- Bitcoin is that -- I'm the next Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger.

And they forgot that Jerome Powell was their daddy. That's the only reason why they were so smart. They were creating monetary stimulus on...

CAVUTO: Well, it actually goes back to Ben Bernanke, right?

GASPARINO: Right.

CAVUTO: There were years and years and years, right?

GASPARINO: But this was even -- but this was even...

CAVUTO: So, that party is over, and now this is how you unwind it, right?

GASPARINO: But this was even worse.

CAVUTO: Right.

GASPARINO: So, all these people that thought they were brilliant were not brilliant. They were just riding on Powell's coattails.

And now the bill is coming due, and they're crying. Oh, boo-hoo. By the way, the stock market could use a little bit of correction. People can -- people would be smart to be a little bit defensive. And remember one thing. Poor people and working-class people don't have money to invest in stocks. They just got to buy food. And food prices are going through the roof with inflation.

So, cry me a river.

CAVUTO: That's well put. That's well put.

All right, I'm going to put you down as a maybe on the good professor.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: Charlie, thank you very much. You are our one-man hurricane yourself.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: All right, Charlie Gasparino on that.

Speaking of that hurricane, we're keeping a big eye on it for it. We're going to get an update from state officials on how they're preparing for this, as we wait maybe just hours from now for a storm that Floridians have not seen the likes of which in the better part of five years, and so many new residents in that hottest of hot states experiencing it for the very first time -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, still keeping track of what's going on with the big hurricane right now.

At Tampa International Airport, we're told that the last passengers there have made it to flights out of the airport, as it closes in just a few minutes.

On the far right of your screen, you're getting a good view of Key West, of course, as the -- by far, the southern, southernmost point of Florida. It's already dealing with this storm surge that we're told by day's end tomorrow could be anywhere from eight to 10 feet, depending where you are on the state, and you work your way up the Gulf side of the coast, where this storm will likely hug.

Let's get the latest on where things stand with Kevin Guthrie, the Florida Division of Emergency Management director.

Director, thank you very much for taking the time.

How do things look?

GUTHRIE: Neil, thanks for having us on there.

We're -- this thing keeps changing track. We're getting locked in really close down, probably less than about 30 hours out. So we know we're going to have a Southwest Florida strike. So we're moving some resources around the state that we were expecting maybe a North Central Florida kind of strike.

So we're moving some resources around while we still have the time to do so. We have got plenty of FEMA, urban search-and-rescue teams in the state, our own state of Florida urban search-and-rescue teams. We got about 30,000 personnel; 25,000 of those are linemen ready to restore power.

So we're looking real good. We're feeling very confident where we're at right now. Plenty of fuel in the state to get to market after the storm hits. So we're looking -- we're looking and feeling really good right now.

CAVUTO: We are hearing reports, Director, that, at least the way things stand, this could be a Category 3 storm hitting you with the possibility of getting up to a 4.

What can you tell us?

GUTHRIE: Yes, we're preparing for a 4. We have three full-time meteorologists here at the Division of Emergency Management in Tallahassee.

Everybody's leaning towards it's going to be right at a Cat 4 on landfall. We're also seeing some modeling that puts potentially 10 to 12, maybe even as high as 15-foot storm surge into some areas of Southwest Florida.

CAVUTO: Wow.

GUTHRIE: So we're -- we're preparing for the Cat 4. We're preparing for that 12 to 15 foot of storm surge. We're preparing for some portions of the state of Florida to have as many as 20 inches of rain, especially through Central Florida, maybe even up into the Orlando area that's looking at 15 to 20 inches of rain.

CAVUTO: Wow.

GUTHRIE: So, we're preparing for all of that.

CAVUTO: That could explain, to your -- I'm sorry, Director.

To your point, that could explain all these cutbacks in operations at Disney World and SeaWorld. So, at first, I was wondering. That seemed odd, that far north, that they were doing what they were doing in the middle of the state. Now I understand.

We're also hearing, sir, that FPL, Florida Power and Light, is looking at a lot of folks in the state, and maybe up to half, who could be without power. That makes it even tougher to deal with the aftermath, right?

GUTHRIE: Yes, Neil, one of the things we have been dealing with for probably about the last three months here in Florida is just, every day, it's been rainfall.

I think here, in Tallahassee, we went like 40-something days straight with rainfall. So the entire state is super saturated right now. So it is not going to take but maybe 50-, 60 mile-an-hour winds to bring down oak trees and other types of foliage around the state.

Those trees coming down are going to cause power lines to go down. We are preparing for -- and we want to communicate to your viewers there will be widespread power outages throughout the state. It is going to take us time to get that power back on, as much as three to seven days.

So, again, we're trying to manage expectations, let people know, the further away you live from critical infrastructure, like power stations, substations, it may take longer to get your power back on.

CAVUTO: So what's your best advice for residents?

GUTHRIE: Right now, if you live in an evacuation zone, you need to be leaving.

If you have been asked to evacuate, you need to leave. As I said earlier today, I can guarantee you 100 percent you will not be a fatality statistic from storm surge if you evacuate. But you cannot expect to be able to survive very well eight-to-12-foot storm surge.

So, if you're in an evacuation area that's been asked to leave because of storm surge, evacuate now. I beg you, evacuate now.

CAVUTO: Message heard. I hope people follow through.

Kevin Guthrie, I know you have been missing a lot of sleep the last couple of days, likely more.

Kevin Guthrie is the Florida Division of Emergency Management director.

I hope you in the Sunshine State heed those warnings. We want you safe. We want you well. You will get through this. We're here for you.

Here's "The Five."

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