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Coronavirus In The U.S.; Grand Princess Passengers Test Positive; Interview With Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD); Dr. Rimoin Speaks On Coronavirus; Biden Launches $12 Million Ad Buy In Upcoming Primary States; Biden Warns Donors Of Bernie Bros' Negative Attacks; Author, Steven Levingston, Discusses Biden & Obama's Complicated History; This Week's Episode of "The Windsors" Looks At Prince Charles' Choice Between Duty And Love. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired March 07, 2020 - 17:00   ET

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

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Massachusetts now adding to the latest number of people confirmed to have the virus; 13 now in that state. That's up from eight just this morning. And the total number of confirmed cases in the U.S. topped 400 earlier today. Nineteen people here are dead, almost most of them at least in Washington State.

Now, President Trump's designated front man on the crisis, Vice President Mike Pence, met today with leaders from the very anxious cruise line industry. Let's listen to him taking questions during a press conference in Florida this afternoon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- to California with similar issues of fears of Coronavirus on the ship. Is that -- I mean, is there anything you can tell us about that? And, if not, are there any other ships of concern out there right now?

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're tracking -- we are tracking, at this point, a ship that may have shared crew with the Diamond Princess or the Grand Princess. And we've taken decisive action to hold until we do a full medical assessment of the crew on that ship.

And we'll just continue to lean into this effort. But it really does underscore how important today's meeting was. That there are unique challenges for cruise lines with regard to the Coronavirus or the spread of other infectious diseases.

And let me say, we're -- I know -- when I meet with the president in just a little while, I know he's going to be very grateful for the spirit that I saw in the meeting today. We have an industry that has agreed to work with CDC. To work with DHS and establish a whole new level of protocols to enhance entry and exit screening, to establish ship-board testing for the Coronavirus, establish quarantining procedures. And also, to have in place an existing plan, funded by the industry, for getting sick people off the ships and back into an environment where they can receive the care that they need on land.

But we're -- that -- today's developments, and we're still developing the facts, underscore just how important this meeting was.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE.)

PENCE: Please.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Are you considering meetings with executive of the parks, Disney and Orlando, soon? And if you can say something about the meeting today between Donald Trump and the president of Brazil related to the Venezuelan crisis? Thank you.

PENCE: Well, let me stick -- I'm going to -- I'm going to ask the head of CDC to speak about whether it be Disney World or theme parks and what guidance might you give the public with regard to that? And let me emphasize again. It -- one of our favorite places to go, when my children were young and even before my children came, is in Orlando. And we want to be clear that it is safe for healthy Americans to travel. It's a good time to use common sense and be careful.

But one of the things that we've been working with your governor on, and other leaders across the country, is to make it clear that, whether it be Disney world, whether it be other destinations, whether it be cruise ships, as Dr. Redfield just said, that those most at risk are seniors with serious or chronic underlying health conditions.

Otherwise, Americans can confidently travel in this country, confidently enjoy all the benefits of this country. And, frankly, other than the advisories that we have put in place, in Italy and in South Korea and, of course, other countries where we've suspended any travel, the American people -- the American people can continue to go about their business.

But maybe you'd speak to that.

DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, DIRECTOR, CDC: Thank you, Mr. Vice president. I want to echo what the vice president said. You know, at this time, the risk to the American people is low in most areas of the United States. We do have a few areas of significant community transmission. One thing we can all take pride in is that this nation has the best public health infrastructure, really driven by the backbone of the local and state health departments.

And Florida is no exception to being prepared. We are tracking to see where these cases are confirmed. And when we see evidence of sustained community transition, then that tips us into recommending mitigation strategies.

I would encourage people to go after their regular daily lives. I did say, I want people to all use common sense and do their role and responsibility in basic hygiene products that we talked about. But I would not encourage anyone to change their plans, at this point, based on what the epidemiology is here in Florida.

[17:05:00]

And they should enjoy Disneyland. They should enjoy the rest of Florida. (CROSSTALK)

PENCE: Thank you. How about -- how about one more?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First of all, did you -- did you have to get tested for COVID-19 after having been at the (INAUDIBLE) conference? This is the first one. And the second one is to China. Two weeks before their emergency to the world health organization, and another 10 days before, they could implement flight restrictions. How do you -- or how do we really know, precisely, who is infected where they are and how many people they were in contact with?

PENCE: The answer to your first question is, no. I have not been tested for the Coronavirus. And, in fact, we were able to confirm that I had not come into contact with that young person. And we wish them and their family a swift recovery.

With regard to China. It's important -- it's important the American people know that when President Trump suspended all travel from the United States to China, he did what no president in American history had ever done. And not only did we take that step, but the president also directed that Americans, who were returning from China or those who were returning from the Diamond Princess that had been in the Asian-Pacific, were all quarantined as they returned to the United States.

We're establishing the exact same measures with the Grand Princess, which we announced a plan yesterday. Will be -- people will be -- people will be getting off that ship in the days ahead. And all those -- all those Americans will be fully tested and quarantined, as necessary. We're going to put their health, and the health and safety and well-being of the communities they return to and the nation as a whole, first.

Now, we continue to be informed that the number of new cases in China today is lower than new cases in the balance of the world. And President Trump has a strong relationship with President Xi. We've had CDC personnel on the ground in China. We'll continue to offer assistance to them and to any country in the world that deals with the Coronavirus.

But the steps that the president took in late January, to suspend all travel, to quarantine returning Americans, every health expert that I've spoken to has told me -- has measurably added to our ability to mitigate the impact of this virus in our country. As Dr. Fauci said not long ago, it bought us considerable time to work at every level to respond to the Coronavirus crisis. And we'll continue to lean into it with the same urgency.

Thank you all very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in San Francisco, not far from where a cruise ship, the Grand Princess, is still waiting offshore with more than 20 infected passengers and crew members onboard. We heard the vice president there, Lucy, say, today, they are making plans to get people off that ship. What are you hearing from the people onboard about what they know of their future?

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, everyone onboard had been waiting for the results of this meeting, for the announcement by the vice president. But quite a few questions, in regards to what the vice president just said.

For example, he said that they're going to be implementing the same exact protocols that they put in place with Americans returning from China, as well as Americans returning from the Diamond Princess, the ship that was quarantined off the coast of Japan. Well, every single one of those Americans was forced into quarantine for 14 days. It is not clear that the Americans aboard this ship, the thousands of passengers on the Grand Princess, will be forced to quarantine. They are still waiting to get answers on that.

The other question, what is going to happen to the 1,100 or so crew members? Because, remember, on Friday, the vice president said they will not be allowed to get off the ship. They will have to remain onboard the ship under quarantine. Here's an announcement that the captain made just before the vice president spoke. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That our leadership is strongly advocating for all of the guests and crew currently onboard Grand Princess and urging the government to help us get our guests safely ashore as quickly as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: Now, it's not clear whether they are pushing back against the crew to keep all of the crew members on the ship. Remember, in the case of the Diamond Princess, it served as almost a petri dish. The disease spread widely. So many people were infected. It looks like they're hoping to avoid the same thing on the Grand Princess -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK, Lucy Kafanov, thank you for your great reporting. Do keep us posted on new developments there.

I want to bring in CNN's Polo Sandoval now in New York which just declared a state of emergency today. Polo, what more can you tell us?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that declare -- that declaration of emergency from earlier today, Ana, just certainly adding to that sense of urgency from authorities. Particularly after yet another significant increase in the number of Coronavirus cases in the state of New York, now standing at 76. We should note that 11 of those here in New York City.

But a vast majority of them, a total of 57 in nearby Westchester County just north of New York city, and a majority of those cases have been linked to one particular case here, which was a 50-year-old attorney. Many of those cases, his family, his friends, his neighbors. So, that certainly speaks to the level of testing that we've seen here.

And as we heard from Andrew Cuomo today, it certainly suggests that the process is working, because they're able to confirm a case and then identify anybody who may have made contact with that individual. And then, of course, test them.

Another issue that's certainly front and center for authorities right now is also this issue of price gouging. There have been multiple reports that the governor's office has received of this significant increase in the price of cleaning equipment. And, as we heard from the governor today, some of those businesses that may be doing it, according to the governor, they will be investigated and could face potential consequences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: We have reports of stores selling hand sanitizer for $80 a bottle. It is not worth it to the store owner. You can lose your license. And we are very serious about this. For the few dollars that you're going to make during this situation, it's not worth your while.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And, Ana, quickly, just a little bit more on that emergency declaration. What does that do? It, essentially, expedites the purchase of supplies and also the hiring of healthcare workers to try to continue with that testing that we've heard from authorities is key in trying to contain this -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK. Polo Sandoval in New York. Thanks.

Maryland is one of states where health insurers are being ordered to waive costs for Coronavirus testing. Governor Larry Hogan issued that directive Friday as part of a state of emergency that he declared. And with us now is Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, who represents Maryland. Senator, you visited the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center just yesterday. Tell us about the work they're doing there.

SEN. BEN CARDIN (D-MD): Well, Ana, it's good to be with you. And we're very proud of the work that's being done at NIH in Maryland. They are well along on their research of Coronaviruses. But, before this outbroke, as a result, they will have a record pace on going to clinical trials on a vaccine.

Now, it will not be available this year, but they will accelerate the process quite dramatically and have a vaccine, hopefully, in 2021. They're also working on therapeutic drugs, for those who are infected, and that's also in trial.

So, they're moving along very aggressively to -- on a very fast pace, to give the type of help that this nation needs, and, quite frankly, leading in the international community.

CABRERA: At least three people in your home state of Maryland have tested positive for Coronavirus. What can you tell us about them and how are they doing?

CARDIN: Well, the three that were infected were on a cruise ship. So, it was -- it was because of travel that they contracted the virus. They are being isolated. They are -- they are quarantined at home. We understand they're doing well. Expect to recover. But, obviously, there's a privacy issue. So, I don't have the complete update information, but we believe they'll recover.

CABRERA: Sending best wishes to them, of course.

You had some kind words for Vice President Mike Pence this week on Tuesday. You said that you had confidence he was surrounding himself with the right people, the right experts, and that was he energizing the private sector to provide what's needed. But the messaging from the administration has been inconsistent, at best. Here is just some of what we heard yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KUDLOW, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECEONOMIC COUNCIL: Regarding the containment issue, I would still argue to you that this is contained.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: It is being contained. And do you not think it's being contained?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Anybody that wants a test can get a test. Anybody that needs a test gets a test. We -- they're there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Senator, let's be clear, the coronavirus is not contained. A number of cases and deaths is growing almost by the hour. The vice president said, just a couple of days ago, there aren't enough test kits yet to keep up with the demand. They still say that is coming. There are plans of actions. But what is the impact of this sort of misinformation?

CARDIN: Well, it -- clearly, the president's comments are not helpful. It's extremely important that we let the American people know the facts. And they'll handle the facts. But if you tell them things that are just not accurate, that doesn't help.

No, it's not contained. It's still spreading. We have community transmission, as we know.

[17:15:00]

CARDIN: No, not everyone can get a test today. We know that. We are -- we are late in getting those kits out. They are getting out. We are developing a private lab capacity, but it's going to take some time.

So, it's good to get the right information out to the public and not to mislead the public. And we've seen, from the Trump administration, time and time again, where the president says things that are just not accurate. CABRERA: Do you believe the president knows the facts and is

intentionally misleading?

CARDIN: You know, I never want to try and say why the president says what he says. I can tell you that, in speaking to the medical experts, I have a pretty firm grip as to the nature of this virus and how it spreads. And the fact that we have community transmission, and we're likely to have more community transmission.

We have to be smart. Those who are vulnerable have to take particular precaution. But all of us have to be smart to try to contain the spread of this virus. And that's what we need to say. We need to underscore that message.

CABRERA: Let me talk about that issue, precautions. There are more than 400 cases of Coronavirus across 29 states now in the U.S. And we are starting to see state and local officials taking more of these precautionary measures. As we've reported, universities are moving classes online. Sporting events are happening without fans. Big festivals and conferences have now been canceled.

And, yet, we're in the heart of the campaign, right, season. We still have these rallies for candidates on both sides of the aisle, jam- packed with people in tight places. Where do you stand, right now, on whether those type of political events should be canceled?

CARDIN: Well, I think in communities where you don't have community transaction -- transmission of the disease, where it's not an international gathering where you have a pretty good understanding as to who's in the audience, I think there's a minimal risk there of the infection.

Having said that, I think everyone has to exercise their own judgment. And, clearly, if you are vulnerable, if you have a serious medical respiratory issue, you've got to be particularly cautious. We have to be very cautious about our nursing homes and our assisted living facilities. So, I think we have to exercise caution, but I don't think we can just put a bubble over our lives. We have to continue to live our lives but do it in a smart way.

CABRERA: Senator Ben Cardin, I really appreciate your time. Thanks for bringing us the facts and your additional information and your learning, given the resources you have. Thank you.

CARDIN: Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: Coronavirus fears setting off panic around the globe. Coming up, we are debunking some of the myths surrounding the virus. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[17:17:44]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Just a short time ago, we got a White House coronavirus update, with the current number of tests completed, near 6,000, and when the FDA expects many more tests to become available. Also today, we heard from the vice president, Mike Pence, calling the risk of, quote, "average Americans contracting the virus low." Now, these regular briefings are crucial in a crisis like this. Without them, people start operating on bad information. And the HBO program "Last Week Tonight" put together a few examples of that. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN OLIVER, HOST OF "LAST WEEK TONIGHT", HBO: Many Americans have questions about how to stay safe.

Joy Johnson emailed us, asking, can I get Coronavirus from a package being delivered from China?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a great question.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, HOST, FOX NEWS: Talk about these masks. Do we get them or don't we?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people are wondering if you can protect yourself from the virus by gargling with bleach or taking steroids.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you get the Coronavirus by eating Chinese food?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. No, you can't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: I want to get Dr. Anne Rimoin in here. She is an epidemiologist and heads the Center for Global and Immigrant Health at UCLA. Doctor, that clip I just played, kind of funny. But it shows what happens when myths and, you know, guesswork just turn up in something as serious as this virus outbreak. What sort of left-field questions about this virus have you heard? And bust some of those myths for us.

DR. ANNE RIMOIN, DIRECTOR, UCLA CENTER FOR GLOBAL AND IMMIGRANT HEALTH: Well, I've gotten a lot of different questions from people, all sorts of questions. And what I'm telling everybody is you have to follow the data and the science, not the political rhetoric and you -- not the misinformation that's being spread all over.

We need to be thinking about things like, how many people are infected? How many people are getting tested? And where and when people will be taking measures to start social distancing.

CABRERA: What was -- what was your reaction to hearing some of what we just listened to?

RIMOIN: Well, I think that the -- it just brings to mind that people are very confused. That there's -- the messages are very mixed. And the people have a lot of questions that are just not being answered right now. Questions that I've been getting are whether or not people should be stocking up on medicines. Those things are true, yes. You should be doing whatever you need to do so you're ready, in case there is an emergency. But you should be doing that anyway.

Other questions that I've been getting have been related to whether or not Corona -- you know, people should be going on cruises or taking vacations. Those are, really, the kind of questions that I've been getting recently. You know, and my answer is that people really need to rethink what they're going to be doing based on their risk.

CABRERA: OK. So, let's answer some of the questions I've been getting. Because I put that question, what do you have, what do you want to know, out to my Twitter followers. And here are some of what they sent me. First one is about travel. And this is, is travel within the U.S. safe right now if you are going to states with multiple cases?

RIMOIN: Well, you know, the thing is that coronavirus has likely spread to many states here in the United States. We know that it's -- that it's in many places right now. And we know this even though the testing isn't up and running yet in a -- in a large way.

[17:25:03]

So, I would say that people need to think very carefully about what their risk is. Who they're in contact with. And use that information accordingly. You know, this virus can be spread asymptomatically. So, even if people around you may not feel ill or look ill, it's very possible that they are spreading the virus. And people need to be very careful thinking about whether or not they are coming in contact with people who may or may not be infected. They won't know. And who they may spread it to themselves.

CABRERA: I actually have a question about that, specifically. Guys, it's question number six. How can someone pass along the coronavirus when asymptomatic? If they're not sneezing or coughing, how can they infect others?

RIMOIN: Well, there are lots of questions about how this asymptomatic infection is actually happening. Certainly, when you speak, sometimes you'll spit a little bit. You'll -- you know, you'll rub your nose. You'll touch your mouth. You'll rub your eyes. And then, you'll touch other surfaces, and then you will be spreading virus, if you are infected and shedding asymptomatically.

And then, there are also questions about whether or not this can be spread through the fecal route as well. So, you know, I mean, that's ways that -- that is the same way that something like norovirus would be spread. You know, there are a lot of questions about how spread is currently happening. We don't have all the answers. But there are a lot of questions.

CABRERA: Are we at the point where we should avoid large crowds, another person asks?

RIMOIN: Well, yes, I think that we know that the coronavirus is spreading in the community. And so, my advice to people is that you really need to rethink going into large crowds and that social distancing is a smart thing to do. It's not because people need to panic, but it's because we're really trying to slow down the spread of this virus.

And we need to slow down the spread of this virus, because our health system is not yet prepared for an onslaught of ill people coming in and needing to be hospitalized.

CABRERA: When is a person who's had coronavirus and recovers no longer a danger of infecting others?

RIMOIN: Well, this is one of the questions that we still don't have answers to, at this point. We don't know how long the people are able to shed virus. And, in fact, there are questions about whether or not you can relapse or not, that are not yet answered. There's a lot of information that still needs to be under -- that needs to be vetted and needs to be understood. And that's why we need to be doing research at the same time that we're doing response.

CABRERA: What does worst-case scenario look like?

RIMOIN: Well, there are a variety of different scenarios. But the worst-case scenario is that the mortality rates are as high as we saw in China. If that mortality rate of 2.3 percent bears to be true, then you're going to see a lot of people very, very sick and ill.

Now, then, again, because we don't have testing up right now, we do not know what the denominator is. We don't know how many people are sick, asymptomatically or mildly. They think they just have a regular cold. And that could dramatically reduce the mortality right.

But, either way, this is something that is very infectious and needs to -- and people need to do the best that they can, as citizens and as families, as friends, to slow the spread of the virus. Whether or not somebody thinks that they are at increased risk or not for a poor outcome, they probably know people that will be. Anybody who is older is at great risk.

And, frankly, when you look at the data, what you see is that all age groups are at greater risk for poor outcomes than influenza, for example, with the exception of the very young.

CABRERA: OK. Doctor Anne Rimoin, thank you very much for bringing us that great information.

RIMOIN: My pleasure.

CABRERA: Coming up, Bernie Sanders canceling a planned rally in Mississippi to head to Michigan, instead. Does he view the state as a must-win for his campaign come Tuesday?

[17:29:17]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:33:41]

CABRERA: Just a few days to go until the next all-important voting day, Super Tuesday, part two. And among the six states set to vote is the delegate-rich state of Michigan, with 125 delegates up for grabs.

In total, Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden will be vying for 352 delegates across the country this coming Tuesday.

And in the lead-up, Biden is launching an aggressive ad buy, to the tune of $12 million, thanks to his recent boost in fundraising.

CNN Political Correspondent, Arlette Saenz, joins us now.

Arlette, tell us Biden's latest fundraising haul and this major ad buy.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Joe Biden earlier today in St. Louis said, what a difference a week makes. And you can say that relates to his wins on Super Tuesday, but also to his fundraising haul.

Yesterday, he called into a fundraiser and told donors that his campaign raised $22 million over five days.

To put that into perspective, in February, Biden said he raised for the entire month of February, $18 million. And in the fourth quarter of fundraising in 2019, Biden raised a little over $22 million, which is on par for what he raised in that five-day period.

So, it's a pretty significant increase for Biden when it comes to fundraising, particularly when he has struggled at times to raise the money to fund his campaign.

[17:35:06]

Now, the campaign is rolling out that $12 million ad buy in states that are going to vote in both March 10th and March 17th contests. And that is something that the Biden campaign hasn't necessarily been able to do in the past, put all that money towards television ads.

But today, he's going to be here in Kansas City, as he is trying to court voters here in Missouri, ahead of the primary here on Tuesday.

CABRERA: OK, Arlette Saenz, I wanted to just quickly ask you about Senator Sanders and what Biden is saying to him and his supporters today.

SAENZ: Well, Biden yesterday, in that phone call with donors, he warned of a negative blood bath occurring during the primary. He talked about the Bernie Brothers, which was a reference to the Bernie Bros, some of Senator Sanders supporters.

And take a listen to what Biden had to say at his rally earlier today in St. Louis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Folks, you're all part of a movement, a movement that has a backbone, the backbone of the Democratic Party, a movement that's going to defeat Donald Trump and restore this nation.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: If you want a nominee who will bring the party together, who will run a positive, progressive vision for the future, not turn this primary into a campaign of negative attacks, because that will only re-elect Donald Trump if we go that route.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, Senator Sanders today said the differences between him and Biden are much smaller than those differences with President Trump. But he continued to point out the contrasts and differences they have with each other.

CABRERA: Arlette, thank you very much, reporting in Kansas City, Missouri, with Team Biden.

From political partners to personal friends. As questions swirl about an Obama endorsement, a look back at his complicated history with Joe Biden.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[17:40:57]

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Is it time, though, for President Obama to get off the sideline and make an endorsement and put his finger on this scale?

BIDEN: No, I don't think so. Imagine having endorsed me and we won at big as we did yesterday. You'd all be saying I won because of Barack. I'm winning because of me. I'm going to earn this on my own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Democratic frontrunner and former vice president, Joe Biden, insisting he wants to earn this nomination on his own, without the endorsement of former President Obama.

We know Obama did call Biden last week after his big victory in South Carolina to offer congratulations, but he also made it clear he was planning to stay on the sidelines through the primaries. A source telling CNN the former president still sees his role as someone that can unify the party at the end of all of this.

Yet, questions still keep coming up considering his close relationship with Biden over eight years in the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Which you like better, these or these?

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Joe, they're the same.

BIDEN: They capture different moods.

OBAMA: The fact is I feel more loose and relaxed than ever.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: Those Joe Biden shoulder massages, they're like magic.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: I tease Joe sometimes, but he has been at my side for seven years. I love that man.

BIDEN: I don't like him. I love him. It's a mutual thing.

OBAMA: I chose Joe to be my vice president. There has not been a single moment since that time that I have doubted the wisdom of that decision. He was the best possible choice and not just for me, but for the American people. This is an extraordinary man.

BIDEN: I just hope that the asterisks in history that is attached to my name when they talk about this presidency is that I can say I was part of -- part of the journey of a remarkable man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining us now is Steven Levingston, the author of "Barack and Joe: The Making of an Extraordinary Partnership."

Steven, when people look back at those clips, it's easy to see why they would ask, why wouldn't why wouldn't he just endorse Biden.

STEVEN LEVINGSTON, AUTHOR: You know, in 2016, Biden was thinking about making a pitch for the presidency and Obama really didn't want him to do it. His candidate was Hillary Clinton.

And even while Biden was still mourning the loss of his son, Beau, and considering possibly he could pull himself out and make that run, he talked to Obama about it and Obama was just not very encouraging, until finally Joe just kind of gave up.

CABRERA: Now, over a week ago, Joe Biden was on the ropes. He was fighting for his political survival. And yet, there was not a lifeline from Obama. What has their relationship been like since leaving the White House? Do you know?

LEVINGSTON: Well, it's kind of hard to measure, because they don't talk about it much. But as you just mentioned a moment ago, I believe that, you know, after Biden had his great run in South Carolina, on Super Tuesday, Obama did give him a call and congratulate him and told him that, you know, he was happy for him. But that doesn't translate into an endorsement.

Before I came on the air here, I contacted a source close to Obama and asked him that question again, when or if Obama is going to endorse his old buddy. And I got pretty much the same -- the same idea that Obama's put out before. He's going to go by the same game plan.

He believes the primaries are important. The primaries should play themselves out. He shouldn't put his finger on the scale to do anything. And he really needs to be a strong voice once the nominee emerges.

[17:44:58]

And in some ways, that's kind of smart, because if it does turn out that Biden is the nominee in the end, we're going to need someone with the authority and the prestige of someone like Obama to speak to the Democrats and speak to Bernie Sanders voters, in particular, and try to bring them into the Democratic Party and coalesce for a run against Trump.

And it may be the make-or-break thing in the fall.

CABRERA: So, on that idea of uniting the party and President Obama's role there, he remains enormously popular among Democrats. But does anything you know about their relationship suggest that Biden may hold resentment toward Obama for twice urging him not to run, to the point where he may be reluctant to share the spotlight?

LEVINGSTON: Oh, I don't believe he would be reluctant to share any spotlight. I think he's a very generous man. And, you know, if and when, if he does get the nomination and Obama does come out in favor of him, you know, you can sort of see how excited Biden would be to be strolling across the stage with Obama at his own campaign appearances.

And it would almost be kind of the thing for the Democratic Party to see a re-do of the Obama/Biden years, where it was Obama who was on top and Biden who was below him. So there would be that effort and that fact of kind of coalescing around what everyone sort of loved about the Obama/Biden years.

CABRERA: If Joe Biden does become the nominee and were to defeat Donald Trump in November, what are the chances Biden offers the former president a position in his administration? I don't know, cabinet position maybe or Supreme Court justice?

LEVINGSTON: Yes, we've heard a lot about that. But, I think, that is totally up to Obama. And everything I see from Obama at this point is he's pretty happy doing what he's doing as a post-president and outside the administration. And maybe he could do more outside of it than he can inside in some ways.

CABRERA: Michelle Obama's name has also been thrown around --

LEVINGSTON: Yes.

CABRERA: -- as a wishful V.P. pick among Democrats. She's always batted down any suggestion of a political future for herself.

But do you think she and Biden have the kind of relationship that could lend itself to a potential partnership? LEVINGSTON: Well, they've had a relationship. And Biden used to go to

her during the White House years with Obama and talk to her about Obama and try to get a better read on who the man was, if he was confused or he needed to do something with him.

But I don't think that translates into Michelle ever agreeing to be on the ticket or even in the administration. She's said it so many times and I think you do have to believe her.

CABRERA: All right, Steven Levingston, thank you for your insights.

LEVINGSTON: Thank you.

CABRERA: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:52:10]

CABRERA: It's an age-old conflict, love or duty? This week's episode of "THE WINDSORS" looks back at the pressure on Prince Charles to marry the future Princess Diana and the difficult decision he makes between following the crown or following his heart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As Diana walks down the aisle with her father, she sees Camilla.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is the stuff of which fairytales are made. The prince and princess on their wedding day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There she is on this magical day and the one thing that she is focusing on is the image of Camilla.

UNIDENTIFIED BISHOP: Charles Philip Arthur George, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife?

CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES & DUKE OF CORNWALL: I will.

UNIDENTIFIED BISHOP: Diana Frances, wilt thou have this man thy wedded husband?

DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES: I will.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Charles persuaded himself that he could be in love with Diana, at least enough in love to get married.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Prince Charles, Lady Diana and the marriage that will change the Windsors forever. "THE WINDSORS, INSIDE THE ROYAL DYNASTY," airs tomorrow night at 10:00 Eastern on CNN.

This afternoon, we want to introduce you to the first "CNN Hero" of 2020. Lynda Doughty so loved the Maine coast and it's wildlife she became a marine biologist. When state and government funding vanished and local wildlife organizations closed their doors, she dove in to fill the gap and care.

Meet the seal rescuer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LYNDA DOUGHTY, CNN HERO: Rescuing the seals is really bittersweet. As much as I'm excited to see that animal be released, it's also hard in the sense of seeing that animal gone.

Do you guys know you're going back to the ocean?

So any seal that we rescue, the ultimate goal is for that animal to be released back into the ocean.

Ah.

I feel this intense responsibility to help these animals, and really, this is what I was put on this earth to do.

Yay!

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: You can watch Anderson Cooper's full update and nominate someone you think should be a "CNN Hero" by logging on to CNNheroes.com.

I'm Ana Cabrera, in New York. Thank you so much for joining me.

My colleague, S.E. Cupp, continues our coverage of the news continues after this quick break.

[17:54:48]

But first, one other programming note for you. And this is very important. CNN has a brand-new podcast answering your questions on the coronavirus and what to do, what to avoid, and when to see a doctor. Join Dr. Sanjay Gupta for "CORONAVIRUS, FACT VERSUS FICTION." You can listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Be safe and stay healthy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:00:04]

S.E. CUPP, CNN HOST: Welcome to "UNFILTERED." I'm S.E. Cupp. Here's tonight's headline.

Panic attack. The coronavirus has unleashed a wave of panic across the country, evidenced by runs on hand sanitizer and face masks.