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Coronavirus Crisis: 430-Plus Cases Of Coronavirus, 19 Deaths Reported; At Least 21 People Aboard Grand Princess Test Positive; CDC Reports Completing Fewer Than 6,000 Tests; CDC Advises Older Americans To Stay Home As Much As Possible; Cruise Industry Along With Airlines And Hotels Are Taking Major Hit From Coronavirus Outbreak; Sanders Cancels Mississippi Rally, Shifting Focus To Michigan; Sanders Versus Biden In Super Tuesday II; Six Former Ohio State Wrestlers Say Rep. Jordan Knew About Abusive Team Doctor Richard Strauss; Dozens Trapped As Coronavirus Quarantine Hotel Collapses In China. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired March 07, 2020 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:00]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Boris Sanchez in New York for Ana Cabrera. Thank you so much for joining us on this Saturday night.
We start with the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, as top U.S. officials from the FDA to the White House, provide new updates on how they're fighting this virus. All of these states now reporting active cases of coronavirus, more than 430 in all. On the West Coast, most of them in Washington State; on the East Coast, most of them are in New York.
And in just the past couple of hours, Massachusetts and Florida both adding to their number of infected patients. 19 people in the U.S. have died of the illness triggered by the virus since last weekend. President Trump's designated front man on the crisis, Vice President Mike Pence, met today with leaders from the very end cruise line industry and his message to them was move faster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So the President had me gathered together today leaders of the cruise line industry to ask them to step up their efforts to protect the health and safety of their passengers, their crews and the communities to which they all return.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Also there are cruise ships still waiting about 50 miles off the California coast with more than 3,500 passengers and crew members on board. 21 of them have tested positive for the coronavirus. CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in San Francisco. Lucy you're in touch with one of the passengers What are they telling you?
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in touch with several passengers, Boris. And the consensus among them, all the frustration at the lack of information coming from the Trump administration, the CDC, as well as the cruise company. Nobody knows when this ship is going to dock.
We know that Vice President Mike Pence said it will be taken to a noncommercial port. The cruise was supposed to formally come to an end today. They are still out at sea with very little information. Here's the message and announcement that the captain made to the crew just a few hours earlier. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 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: So what's interesting there is that the case that this cruise company is pushing to get everyone on shore, because the plan that the Trump administration announced on Friday, according to Vice President Mike Pence, is to bring, it to keep the 1,100 or so crew members on that ship. They will not be allowed to disembark. The rest of the people will be taken to military bases, screened, possibly quarantined. And that's a terrifying prospect for a lot of the passengers there, because they don't know how widespread that disease is.
So far 21 confirmed positive tests. But this is a small cruise ship. People on the previous cruise line confirmed cases of coronavirus. One fatality on that same ship. One passenger I spoke to, she says, she doesn't know how it's possible not to get the virus. Take a listen to her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERESA DUNCAN JOHNSON, PASSENGER N GRAND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP: There is almost no way you can't have come in contact with someone. I mean, I don't see how it would be possible to have avoided that, simply by handrails going down the stairwells, going into your dining areas, going into your bars, or your entertainment areas. I mean, it's almost impossible--
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAFANOV: The biggest question on everyone's mind, are they in for another 14-day quarantine like the passengers who were onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan? They simply don't have those clear answers right. Boris.
SANCHEZ: All right, Lucy Kafanov reporting from San Francisco, thanks so much for that. We have a special guest tonight joining me right now by phone Melissa Fuller. Her grandmother and great aunt are aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship right now.
Melissa, thank you so much for joining us. I understand you're especially concerned about your grandmother, because medication that she takes is set to run out. Help us understand what's happening. MELISSA FULLER, GRANDMOTHER & GREAT AUNT ON QUARANTINED CRUISE SHIP: Yes. Well, about four days ago when we found out that there was a possible coronavirus outbreak on the ship, my aunt started reaching out about her medication and making sure that they would refill her prescriptions. And we just got nowhere.
My mom got involved. And - I mean, they have worked tirelessly for the past four days to get in touch with a doctor and to connect the ship doctor with my grandmother's doctor to make sure that this - that her prescriptions are fulfilled and that she doesn't not run out of medicine.
And then once the coronavirus was confirmed on the ship, I mean, it's just been harder and harder to get any information. So today, I mean my family just took it to the next level and just try to reach out, you know, to friends of friends, that we could to get this information to that doctor or the doctors, to staff on the ship to make sure that they were going to fulfill her prescription.
[19:05:00]
SANCHEZ: Yes, we certainly hope that this gets their attention too. We know that 19 of the 21 people infected on board our crew members. You may have just heard a passenger say that it's impossible not to come into contact with a virus. How concerned are you that your family might be exposed to this virus?
FULLER: I mean, we're terrified. They are the elderly, immune compromised, at risk population. They should never have been allowed to board this boat in the first place, if I'm being honest. And I mean, it's you know, I don't understand why it's so complicated for the ship to just get her her medicine. But I definitely don't trust them to handle any kind of a quarantine.
SANCHEZ: Wow. The President has said that his preference would be to keep all the passengers on board the ship quarantined for a period of time. He said, I don't need to have the number of cases double because of one ship that wasn't our fault. How does that approach make you feel?
FULLER: I mean, I just think that it's misinformed. And I hope that by now that the President and his team have been given more information about patients or people like my grandmother that are on the ship that are going to be best cared for off the ship.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and tell me what their life is like on board the ship right now. Are they being taken care of? Is there food coming regularly, medical staff perhaps?
FULLER: Well, the medical staff piece is one were I'm unsure of. But yes, they they've been served their meals in their rooms. They've been quarantined to their rooms for two days now. But my grandma - and she's so sweet and they're just smiling and trying to stay positive and watch movies and do things.
But seeing there's a masked man sitting at a desk, down the hall and making sure that people are not getting out of their rooms. So, yes, that's the point now where they're scared and they're not getting any information from the cruise line. And they don't you know, have answers and know what's happening.
SANCHEZ: All right, Melissa Fuller, we're holding on to hope for your grandmother and great aunt. We appreciate the time on this Saturday evening.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today reporting that in the entire country, they've only completed fewer than 6,000 tests for coronavirus. CDC officials don't know how many tests have been completed by private labs or commercial testing centers.
Elizabeth Cohen, is our Senior Medical Correspondent. Elizabeth that number of tests done by the CDC, is that low, is that the number that you would hope that they would have reached?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Boris, I think that experts will tell you that they wish that that number were higher. And that number, it's around 5,800-5,900. That's not the number of people who've been tested in the U.S. That's the number of tests being done. And since more than one test might be done on someone, the number of people is actually probably significantly lower.
And what infectious disease experts will tell you is that if you don't do sufficient testing, you don't have a great picture of where you're at with this outbreak, how many people really are infected. And if you don't have a good picture, it's hard - it makes it a lot harder to control it.
Now, in a press briefing just this afternoon, federal officials said, look, by Monday, we will have shipped out enough tests to test 850,000 people in the United States, and that's certainly good news and certainly that's welcome news. But you know, some people wonder is that even enough with Dr. Fauci at the NIH has said we need to have millions and millions of tests out there for us. Boris.
SANCHEZ: Yes, Elizabeth, the CDC has recently issued advice to the people with the highest risk of getting very sick from coronavirus. What was that advice?
COHEN: You know, it's very succinct actually. The CDC on its website - this is just on Thursday said if you are elderly, and/or if you have underlying severe medical conditions, stay home as much as possible. That was their sentence. Stay home as much as possible.
Now, what infectious disease experts who have close ties to the government tell me is, look, people who are 60 and over should avoid concerts, they should avoid movies, they should avoid going to worship at a service this weekend. You know, I asked, is that like 100 percent, you know, you shouldn't go to any of these things?
And they said, look, if your grandchild is getting married. It's a once in a lifetime thing, for example, go, but stay to the side. You know, don't get in the crowd and don't shake anyone's hand and don't kiss or hug anyone certainly. But those are the kinds of measures that experts say they should be taking.
I talked to doctors who are over 60 and they said they're doing that. They're not talking on planes like they used to, they're not going to conferences like they used to. They've really changed their lives.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And there's been some ambiguity over the treatment protocol. Right. Let's say, someone test positive, what do they do? Has the CDC put on any guidance on what might help them?
[19:10:00]
COHEN: You know, there has been some guidance put out and it's interesting. Because, first of all, many people won't need a hospital. Many people would might test positive, but they have only mild to moderate symptoms. That's often the case with people who are young and healthy. And so they can often isolate at home, they monitor themselves, they report back if they've got a temperature or a cough. People who are more severely ill, of course, will have to be isolated in a hospital.
There is no specific treatment for coronavirus. It's called supportive care, Boris. And what that means is, for example, if you start developing, you know, certain kinds of symptoms, they try to control those symptoms as much as possible, but there's nothing to cure in really the corona virus. It's just to care for the person as best you can.
But, there has been criticism of the CDC and that there have been many people who've recovered from coronavirus in this country, they've been hospitalized, doctors have cared for them. But a lot of the information about what worked and what didn't, has not been released. And doctors saying, look, I think I'm going to see one of these patients in my hospital pretty soon and they have reason to think that where's the guidance from the doctors who have gone before me and taking care of coronavirus patients.
SANCHEZ: Right. And that's why this is so dangerous, so many unanswered questions and so much misinformation out there. Elizabeth Cohen, we hope you - we thank you for helping us clarify some of it.
We spent a lot of time talking about the health impacts of the coronavirus. But how could this impact your pocketbook, from your 401(k) to your job potentially at risk. We'll take a look next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:15:00]
SANCHEZ: Today, Vice President Mike Pence met with executives from the cruise ship industry who've been taking a hit as concerns about coronavirus lead to a last minute rush of cancellations. But it's hardly the only industry facing billions of dollars in losses. CNN is Brian Todd takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With passengers now
abandoning bookings in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, cruise lines are feeling the pinch. Three major companies seeing their stock values drop around 20 percent last week.
ANDREW COGGINS, TRAVEL INDUSTRY ANALYST, PACE UNIVERSITY: The cruise industry is in uncharted territory. The impact of the COVID-19 will probably be quite similar to that of 9/11, however, the recovery may be a bit more difficult.
TODD (voice-over): The airlines are being punished as well. United Airlines says it will cut its international schedule by 20 percent next month, its domestic flights by 10 percent. JetBlue is cutting it scheduled by 5 percent and Southwest Airlines says it may have to follow suit. Its CEO calling the hit two airline bookings, quote "a gut punch."
Airline CEOs met with President Trump at the White House to try to find ways to reassure the public that planes are being clean. The President, a well-known germaphobe himself, assuring that flying is safe.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Large portions of the world are very safe to fly. So we don't want to say anything other than that.
TODD (voice-over): But one air travel lobby says the airline industry worldwide could lose between $63 billion and $113 billion in 2020. Analysts say the hotel industry will feel the ripple effect.
COGGINS: They resort areas, if people decide they don't want to travel, the occupancy will plunge in those areas.
TODD (voice-over): As for the companies who aren't hurting Clorox, Purell, the makers of cleaning products and hand sanitizers. Their market value has spiked and chains like CVS and Walgreens can't keep their products on the shelves. Companies that make pantry goods like peanut butter are benefiting. Peloton, the maker of home exercise bikes, has also seen sales go up.
JACOB KIRKEGAARD, PETERSON INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS: You actually work out at home rather than go to the gym. And you basically avoid, you know areas where you have interaction with other people, which is what you need to do with an airborne virus like this.
TODD (voice-over): Meanwhile, the decision makers in the film industry have some tough calls to make. The makers of the new "James Bond" film "No Time to Die" have delayed the release of the movie for seven months from April to November. They didn't specify that coronavirus was the reason, but cited their quote "evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: History is kind two men who play God.
TODD (voice-over): Is that an overreaction? KIRKEGAARD: Once you release the film, it's out there, it's over. You don't get the first crucial two to three weeks of box office revenue from it in a given large market. If you have a movie that has the word die in the title, it may not be so smart in the middle of potential pandemic.
TODD (on camera): Experts say this outbreak has the potential to change the world economy, if not forever, then maybe at least years or even decades. How? Well, they say this is a shock to mobility that from now on companies are going to have a different mindset about the countries they do business with, who they outsource to, where they send their employees to live or conduct transactions, always mindful of where the coronavirus hit the hardest. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: All right, Brian, thank you for that. In the meantime, companies around the world are taking extra precautions. They're issuing hiring freezes, restricting employee travel, closing down offices, encouraging people to work from home and canceling events involving big crowds.
Joining us now is Ken Rogoff. He's an Economics Professor at Harvard University. Ken, thanks so much for joining us this Saturday night.
KEN ROGOFF, ECONOMICS PROFESSOR, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: How do you think the U.S. economy is going to be impacted compared to the rest of the world and what's the biggest risk facing the U.S. economy right now?
ROGOFF: Well, the good news is the economy was solid going into this compared to a lot of countries in the world were slowing down already. But this is, you know, a gut punch. I mean, it's going to, in the best case scenario, lead to a pretty sharp slowdown. We don't know how the virus is unfolding. We don't know how the human panic is unfolding. It's a little hard to predict. But this isn't good.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and I'm curious what specific indicators, what the signals are you looking for in the economy that are going to indicate that this might be something more long term?
[19:20:00]
ROGOFF: Well, I mean, the way - I think, precisely the way it's hitting the whole world, for example, it's conceivable that this will bring an end to the Chinese growth story, or at least a big slowdown that much as we've been fighting them, we've been benefiting from it.
This is racing through Europe. Italy is in trouble. It's hitting Germany and France. So it can lead to a pullback from global trade from exchange of people and ideas, which I think has benefited everybody. So absolutely long term effects from this, we hope, it turns out to be milder, more manageable, and then we could get a pretty strong recovery, but not till there's a downturn. SANCHEZ: Yes, you mentioned that one of the good things about the situation is that the economy has been doing extremely well. It added 273,000 jobs last month, a red hot jobs report. Obviously, with coronavirus, how do you think this month is going to compare? And should people at home be worried that with less demand and less profit, there may be fewer jobs out there?
ROGOFF: I mean, the last job market report for February was a blowout. It looked great. March is going to look awful. And you know, you've been telling your viewers, restaurants, hotels - but a lot of people will stay at home if they're afraid that they're going to get sick. We've seen this all around the world. It's not just the service industries, it's everything.
You get a very unusual effect. It's going to be pretty profound. Again, maybe summer will hit the virus will pass. They'll, you know, have progress. It could snap back, but we're still holding our breath. That's for sure.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and President Trump is certainly hoping that his prediction that when things warm up, you know, the virus will just miraculously go away, especially because it's a reelection campaign. Right. He signed this $8.3 billion emergency spending bill yesterday. Do you think we're going to reach a point where there's going to have to be a larger fiscal response to safeguard the economy?
ROGOFF: For sure, I mean, that's a drop in the bucket. So you know, at first you have to address the health sector, protect people. But I think there's limits to what the Federal Reserve can do, because interest rates are already super low and--
SANCHEZ: And they already could raise--
ROGOFF: --I mean, there's going to have to be some kind of stimulus, some kind of tax transfers to the lower income people or something.
SANCHEZ: Politically speaking, do you think it's realistic to expect that Democrats in the context of an election year are going to vote for a stimulus package that may boost this President going into November?
ROGOFF: Boy, you know, that's a tough call. But we are in a crisis, one would hope. But you're absolutely right. The worst thing is when you get hit with something and you're politically paralyzed, that's when countries really run into trouble.
SANCHEZ: And Ken, one final question for you. I've seen videos of people running with toilet paper and hand sanitizer off the shelves. Given that some of these systems and chains that produce goods for us that put them on store shelves are at risk now because of coronavirus. Should we expect shortages in any goods that people might need?
ROGOFF: Well, I don't know everything going on, but it for sure that China sends a lot of stuff, not just consumer goods, but they send a lot of parts that are used in production all over the world. We are going to see shortages. I think it's really a mistake to panic and in your life you should exercise do caution. You should listen to what the authorities are saying. I don't think you can call that if I have this one thing on hand I'm going to be fine. I wish it were so.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Ken Rogoff from Harvard University. Thank you so much for the time, sir. We appreciate it.
ROGOFF: Thank you for having me.
SANCHEZ: Of course, and we're taking a look at live pictures now of a town hall that senator Bernie Sanders is holding in Flint, Michigan, making a last minute change to his schedule, canceling a planned rally in Mississippi deciding to stay in Michigan. He's trying to appeal to African-American voters tonight. Both states Mississippi and Michigan have primaries Tuesday. So why is Michigan so important for Sanders? We'll break it down next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:25:00]
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. With less than 72 hours before his rematch with Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders is scrambling to gain momentum in Michigan. There are 125 delegates at stake there. It is the biggest prize on Tuesday night.
Sanders scrapped an event in Jackson, Mississippi and brought the Mayor of Jackson up to Detroit to help him campaign there for the second night in a row. Four other states also in play that week, but the numbers show this is where Sanders can gain the most ground quickly.
Fortunately, we have an expert in democratic politics in Michigan. Lavora Barnes, the Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, she joins us this evening from Ann Arbor. Thanks so much for joining us, Lavora.
LAVORA BARNES, MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR: Great being here.
SANCHEZ: We have to ask about Bernie Sanders in 2016. He narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in your state's primary, but Donald Trump won it in the general election. So what do Biden and Sanders need to know about where Michigan Democrats are right now in 2020, and they're thinking
[19:30:00]
BARNES: Michigan Democrats are excited and fired up and ready for change.
I think the way they win these voters is to come here, just like they're doing now and have conversations with these voters about the issues that matter to them and the matter to the Midwest, frankly.
SANCHEZ: Yes, something Hillary Clinton really didn't do at the end there, right?
Now, I want to play --
BARNES: That's correct.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I want to play a clip for you from a new Sanders campaign ad. It's clearly designed to appeal to blue collar workers. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN CRAWFORD, UNION WORKER: I've been a union auto workers since 2008. The community has been decimated by trade deals. Only one candidate for President has consistently opposed every disastrous trade deal, and that candidate is Bernie Sanders.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now, these blue collar workers are a big part of Michigan, a big part of the voting bloc. Biden supporters are going to remind people that he was part of the White House that bailed out automakers who were in trouble back in 2008-2009.
So which of these things? The trade deals versus the auto bailout will Michigan voters be thinking about more?
BARNES: We're going to remind Michigan voters over and over again about who bailed out the auto industry and the broken promises that Donald Trump has made around trade, around manufacturing and around jobs.
He stood in Michigan and talked about bringing jobs back and instead has put forth policies that actually moved jobs out of the state.
So we are encouraged by the excitement that's on the ground and we're going to continue to have conversations with the voters about the broken promises of Donald Trump.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and we have to talk about African-American voters, too. Joe Biden won in South Carolina, regained a lot of momentum that he had lost in large part because of black voters, a base that candidly Senator Sanders has struggled to really mobilize and reach.
Your state is home to the 12th largest population of African- Americans. Do you think Sanders has the time to convince black voters that he is the better choice than Biden with such a short time frame from Super Tuesday to now?
BARNES: I think what's going to happen tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday because folks can vote -- of course, we're open all weekend and then they can vote on Monday and Tuesday -- is that large numbers of folks are going to come out to be heard and there will be folks from the African-American community and from communities all over the state.
And the reason they're coming out now is because this is the first stop on the long road to November, and the goal here is to win in November and to beat Donald Trump. And either of these two gentlemen, whichever one is our nominee is going to beat Donald Trump.
SANCHEZ: I like how very diplomatic about this, Lavora, but I have to ask you if you've made your choice, and if so, can you share it? Who are you going to be voting for?
BARNES: I voted today and I am not going to tell you who I voted for.
SANCHEZ: Oh, okay. Well, how about this? What are you hearing from these candidates that gives you confidence that either of them is going to beat President Trump this time around in Michigan because he won that state for Republicans in a way that the G.O.P. just hadn't done in decades?
BARNES: He did, but both of these candidates and frankly, all the candidates who were on the Democratic side, came to Michigan and talked about the issues that matter to Michigan. They talked about the kitchen table issues that we talk about.
That's healthcare. That's jobs and the economy. That's infrastructure, meaning clean water, fresh water, you know, the things that the Democrats will make sure are taken care of for our families that Donald Trump and the Republicans have ignored.
SANCHEZ: Lavora Barnes, thank you so much from Ann Arbor. We appreciate the time. Have a good Saturday night.
BARNES: My pleasure. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Thanks. And don't forget this, friends turned to enemies, a party divided in an epic four-way race. The election of 1912 shows just how far some will go to get what they want in the race for the White House. Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: October the 14th, 1912, Theodore Roosevelt is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to give a speech at a big political rally there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the road, giving speeches at a breakneck pace, and of course he is exhausted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But keep in mind, Theodore Roosevelt was always promoting virile manhood.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He believed in physical exercise and the strenuous life and building himself up, and he believed in being a man's man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roosevelt's doctor warns him, he is overdoing it. But Teddy won't let anyone stand between him and his adoring public.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is coming out of this hotel, he is on his way to deliver a speech. He gets into his car. He waves to the crowd, and then somebody comes out of the crowd and shoots him straight in the chest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Teddy Roosevelt, an all-new episode of "Race for the White House" airs tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN. President Trump just named one of his most loyal supporters in
Congress his new White House Chief of Staff, but what kind of an impact can Mark Meadows have on the Trump administration, especially with coronavirus opening that chapter in his political career? We will take a look, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:39:06]
SANCHEZ: We've been following explosive new accusations against Republican Congressman Jim Jordan.
Six former wrestlers at Ohio State University tell CNN that they directly told Jordan about sexual abuse at the hands of Dr. Richard Strauss.
Jordan has staunchly and consistently denied knowing about the allegations while he was employed at Ohio State.
CNN's Drew Griffin caught up with the Congressman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): He calls them all liars, but more and more, former Ohio State University wrestlers are coming forward to say their former assistant coach, Congressman Jim Jordan, knew student athletes were being sexually abused and are dumbfounded to understand how Jordan can deny it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a lie. He's lying.
GRIFFIN (on camera): Period.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Period. He's a liar.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): Tito Vasquez is the latest, a walk-on wrestler in 1989 who took an elbow to the nose sent to team doctor, Richard Strauss to stop a nosebleed. The doctor fondled his genitals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TITO VASQUEZ, FORMER OSU WRESTLER: There were some wrestlers with Jordan over to my left hand side and I said something to the effect that the doc's hands are freezing.
And that he, you know, he examined me thoroughly -- extremely thoroughly, you know, my private parts and everybody was just like, you know, kind of snickering.
Jordan said, I have nothing to do with this.
GRIFFIN (on camera): But Jordan heard what you said?
VASQUEZ: Oh, he heard what I said.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): Vasquez, a public school teacher for the past 27 years is the sixth former Ohio State wrestler to tell CNN, they directly told Jim Jordan of the abuse or Jim Jordan was present when someone was recalling abuse by the team's doctor.
Eight more former wrestlers tell CNN the abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss was such a routine topic of conversation that it's inconceivable Jordan did not know.
Yet Jordan, now a powerful Republican Congressman refuses to budge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (on camera): You've got six former Ohio State wrestlers who absolutely say you knew about Dr. Strauss because they even told you at the time, or you were there. You heard it.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): You guys are still asking about this? After --
GRIFFIN: Yes.
JORDAN: The Perkins Coie -- Clinton's law firm investigated this and didn't even mention my name once.
GRIFFIN: Well, they didn't mention your name, but they mentioned that 22 coaches knew about it.
JORDAN: That we did nothing -- that we did nothing wrong. Every single coach has said the same thing I have. All kinds of athletes have said the same thing I have. And the reason they've all said that is because it's the truth.
Look, if I had known there was some kind of problem, some kind of abuse, I would have helped out our athletes. What you're saying is just not true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): Richard Strauss killed himself in 2005. Last year, an independent investigation concluded while Dr. Strauss worked at OSU over two decades, he sexually abused at least 177 male student patients.
Jim Jordan called the report a vindication because it did not name him.
The report did not name any wrestling coach at Ohio State. it did not find documentary evidence coaches were aware of complaints against Strauss, but 22 coaches confirmed to the investigative team that they were aware of rumors and/or complaints about Strauss.
Former OSU wrestler, Dunyasha Yetts, says Jordan is one of the coaches who knew because he told him in January of 1993.
Yetts went to see Strauss for a thumb sprain, and the doctor tried to pull down his pants. Yetts says he kicked open the doctor's door to escape. Jordan was right outside next to an ice machine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUNYASHA YETTS, FORMER OSU WRESTLER: He jumped up, like what's going on? I said -- I said, coach, he just tried to give me a physical exam for my thumb injury. Look, it looks like a baseball. It is swelled up.
And he was like, man, if he ever tried that, I would kill him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): Jordan supporters say Yetts can't be trusted because of a past conviction for fraud, but two other wrestlers told CNN they witnessed the encounter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN RITCHIE, FORMER OSU WRESTLER: What Dr. Strauss took from me that day was my dignity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): Last year, former wrestlers, Dan Ritchie and Mike Flusche told the Ohio legislature that among athletes and coaches, Strauss's sexual abuse was an open discussion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RITCHIE: I do recall somebody bringing up something to one of the assistant coaches and his response was simply well, if he ever tried that with me, I'd snap his neck like a stick of dry balsawood.
MIKE FLUSCHE, FORMER OSU WRESTER: And I remember the exact phrase about, you know, if that happened to me, I'd break his neck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (voice over): The coach who talked about breaking Strauss's neck was Jim Jordan, according to both Richie and Flusche, who didn't name him in front of the legislature, but have since confirmed it to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORDAN: And what they're saying now is just not accurate.
GRIFFIN (on camera): Mike Flusche, Dan Ritchie -- you don't remember telling them you'd break the guy's neck if he did that to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN (on camera): What is odd to the wrestlers we spoke with is that almost to a man, they liked and admired Jordan as a coach, a friend and even a mentor, but tell us they could not keep silent and allow Congressman to lie about what was an open secret at Ohio State.
Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Drew Griffin with an excellent report as usual.
Looking overseas, we're keeping tabs on a developing story out of China tonight where a hotel that was being used as a coronavirus quarantine center has collapsed.
Heartbreaking video coming in of an infant being rescued from the rubble. We will take you live to China, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:48:49]
SANCHEZ: We're continuing to follow developments out of China tonight where a hotel that was being used as a coronavirus quarantine center has collapsed. Forty three of the 70 people trapped have now been rescued from the debris, including this baby boy who was pulled from the rubble.
It happened about 600 miles away from the City of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Search and rescue operations are underway right now, while 27 people remain unaccounted for.
Let's get right to CNN's Steven Jiang. He is following this force in Beijing. Steven, is there any word yet on what might have caused this collapse?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR BUREAU PRODUCER: Well, Boris, no official word yet, but there have been local media reports citing former tenants of the building as saying that the building's structural integrity may have been compromised a few years ago when it was being converted to this 80-room hotel.
And there are also reports saying there was construction and renovation that were going on the first and second floors of this building before it collapsed.
But the authorities' focus, of course, very much remains on the search and rescue effort you just mentioned with more than 700 firefighters and other emergency responders on the scene digging through concrete and steel, sometimes with their bare hands trying to find more survivors.
[09:50:07]
JIANG: Now, they're not using heavy equipment there in order to not to endanger those who are still trapped beneath the rubble.
But of course these rescuers are facing this added challenge because of this hotel being used as a quarantine center, so they are wearing masks and goggles trying to protect themselves and also disinfecting the site as they continue their search and rescue effort -- Boris.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I can't even imagine the biohazard, the thinking that goes into those rescuers if they hesitate helping anyone. A very difficult situation. Steven Jiang reporting from Beijing. Thank you very much.
Coming up, Bill Clinton opens up about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Everybody's life has pressures and disappointments and terrors.
I'm a different -- a totally different person than I was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:55:32]
SANCHEZ: Though she may not be in the middle of the action the way that she was in 2016, Hillary Clinton is taking center stage once again.
In a new four-hour no holds barred documentary, the former First Lady and Secretary of State is opening up -- and so is her husband.
Former President Bill Clinton telling filmmakers about his affair with then White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, saying the affair was a way to manage his anxiety.
CNN's Tom Foreman looks at some of the most intimate details in this new film.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I was just devastated. I could not believe it.
I was so, you know, personally just hurt, and you know, I can't believe this. I can't believe you lied.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): More than 20 years after the sordid revelations about President Bill Clinton and White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, here is the former first couple laying bare they're painful personal details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. CLINTON: It's just that I have no defenses. It is inexcusable what I did.
H. CLINTON: I said, if this is going to be public, then you have got to go tell Chelsea.
B. CLINTON: And so I did that, which was awful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): An explanation he says this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. CLINTON: Everybody's life has pressures and disappointments and terrors, fears of whatever. Things I did to manage my anxiety for years.
I'm a different -- a totally different person than I was.
I feel terrible about the fact that Monica Lewinsky's life was defined by it, unfairly, I think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): There is of course much more to that story and many others in the docu-series, "Hillary." Four hours tracing Hillary Clinton's decades' long journey with her husband through the Arkansas State House into the White House, the Senate, the State Department, and presidential bids of her own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She doesn't look presidential. She has got to be blue, white and red. That's what they all are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): Battling stereotypes, mistrust and her own limitations, she is at times, on the attack. For example, when she sums up the senate record of her challenger for the Democratic nod, Bernie Sanders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H. CLINTON: Honestly, Bernie just drove me crazy. Nobody likes him. Nobody wants to work with him. He got nothing done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): Even more so when she discusses her Republican challenger, Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H. CLINTON: Nobody was going to hold him accountable, except for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): Fans will take such comments as simple truths. Foes will take others as glib denials. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H. CLINTON: I am the most investigated innocent person in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (voice over): And anyone can see her final defeat on election night, 2016 was crushing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H. CLINTON: Obama called me. And he said, you know, I'm really sorry. And he said, but you know, you probably should concede. I said, I'm not going to concede until the morning. I said, I can't. I said -- he said, well, you need to call Trump. I said, oh, brother. I was totally emotionally wrecked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN (on camera): In some ways, this really is an epic about what the nation has been going through about changing views on morality and sexuality and truth and partisanship and women.
It probably won't change anyone's view about any of that, but then these days, what does?
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: It is just about 8:00 p.m. on the East Coast. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Boris Sanchez in New York. Thank you so much for joining us tonight.
Health Emergency officials in the United States are facing a coronavirus death toll that jumped again today and an infection rate that rises nearly every hour.
In just the past few minutes, California officials identified eight new cases of the virus. New York, Florida and Arizona all raising their numbers of infected patients this afternoon as well, and the worst news of all, 19 people have now died in the U.S., their illnesses blamed on the coronavirus.
The Governor of New York declared a state of emergency today as well warning businesses to stop taking advantage of people's fear of the virus.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said that he's heard stories of people charging astronomical amounts for products like hand sanitizer.
Vice President Mike Pence tapped by the White House to head up coronavirus prevention and awareness told leaders of the cruise line industry today to work harder to keep vacationing passengers and crews of ships safer at sea.
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