Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Governors to Work Together on Reopening U.S.; Outbreaks Shut Down Several Meat Plants Across U.S.; Bernie Sanders Endorses Joe Biden for President; Dozens Killed After System Rips Through Southern U.S. States; New Trump Panel to Focus on U.S. Economy; Dairy Farmers Dumping Milk as Demand Dries Up; Music Unifies Locked Down Communities. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired April 14, 2020 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church with a recap about our top story.
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus is quickly approaching 24,000 people with at least one death confirmed in every single state. In some areas the outbreak appears to be leveling off, and governors from several states are discussing plans to gradually lift travel restrictions and reopen the country. But the U.S. President insists only he can make that call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When somebody's the President of the United States, the authority is total and that's the way it's got to be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Total? The authority is total?
TRUMP: Total. It's total. The governors know that. The governors know that. You have a couple of bands of -- excuse me, excuse me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you rescind that order?
TRUMP: You have a couple of bands of Democrat governors, but they will agree to it. They will agree to it. But the authority of the President of the United States having to do with the subject we're talking about is total.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: And we get more now on the U.S. response from CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight, states across the country banding together to come up with their own coordinated plans to reopen the country in the regions. Governors from California, Washington and Oregon announce their plan to work together on an approach to reopen their economies.
This after governors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and Pennsylvania announce they're forming one working group to do the same.
ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK GOVERNOR: Because remember the federal government could have said I want to close down the economy. They didn't. They said we're going to leave it to the states. Now all of a sudden when it's time to open the economy, now it's back to the federal government has a responsibility.
CARROLL: Texas Governor Greg Abbott says later this week he will release a strategy for what he says will eventually be a slow reopening of businesses there.
GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS GOVERNOR: This is not going to be a rush the gates everybody is able to suddenly reopen all at once.
CARROLL: This as President Trump insists, he will be the one to decide when the country reopens despite never issuing a nationwide lock down and leaving that up to states.
For the first time in history every state is under a disaster declaration at the same time. The national death toll numbers are staggering, and yet, in New York the epicenter of the pandemic, there are indications the number of infected is leveling off.
CUOMO: Here's the good news. The curve continues to flatten.
CARROLL: Across the country the number of hospitalizations is down. The U.S. Surgeon General says it appears the nations hotspots places such as New York, New Jersey, Detroit and New Orleans are all showing some signs of improvement.
Dr. Jerome Adams tweeting this morning -- in the midst of tragedy there is hope. Social distancing and mitigation is working. There is a light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Health officials say reopening will likely have to happen section by section.
ROBERT REDFIELD, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL: This pandemic has affected different parts of the country differently. We're looking at a data very carefully county by county by county and we will be assessing that.
CARROLL: Still this morning Los Angeles County health officials reported seeing its highest number of COVID deaths in a 48-hour period. Thirty-one people died. The U.S. military says a sailor on board the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt has died from COVID-19. Today, more than 2,900 service members have tested positive for the virus.
[04:35:00]
In southern states ravaged by tornadoes over the weekend, social distancing a challenge. People in Alabama and Mississippi relied on community shelters.
And then there's the economic impact. Disney announce it will furlough 43,000 Walt Disney World employees starting April 19. And one of the nation's largest pork processing plants now closed until further notice.
This after 238 employees at Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota tested positive for the coronavirus. That number of infected accounts for more than half of the state's total.
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, with so much news surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, it may be easy to forget that there is a U.S. election campaign going on. But there is. And earlier Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden came together by video link for a big announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): We are in a terrible moment, an unprecedented moment. And I know we share the understanding that we've got to go forward. Right now and out of this in an unprecedented way to address the terrible pain that so many of our fellow Americans are feeling.
So today I'm asking all-Americans, I'm asking every Democrat, I'm asking independent, I'm asking a lot of Republicans to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy which I endorse to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe -- and I'm speaking just for myself now -- is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The quick endorsement comes as Democrats seek to unify and turn their focus towards November's election.
Well, residents from Texas to South Carolina continue to clean up after storms and tornadoes ripped apart homes and caused the deaths of at least 32 people. At least 40 tornadoes were reported Sunday and into Monday across southern states. And you can see here the damage left behind in one Alabama city. Meanwhile, in Georgia this house was blown right into the middle of a road. Martin Savage has the latest from Murray county.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The storm that struck in this part of Georgia came through around 9:30, 9:45. And here is just a sample of some of what it did. These are two mobile homes here. Might be hard to tell but there is the first one. You can see the base of it torn up there. And then beyond it, there is a second one all over this area there. There are volunteers, friends, family, people who have shown up now to help them try to go through the ruins of what we mains of their lives.
Amazingly, and the last trailer over here, there were actually people at home when the storm struck. They took shelter in the bathroom. And when they emerged everything that used to be their home had been completely wiped out. So the only example, you look just across the way here. And again, similar kind of story. People going through trying to recover what they can and what remains.
The death toll in Murray County is still a number that continues to fluctuate. It was at least five but it could go up from there. Across the state of Georgia, the governor had said this morning it was 6. The fears are that as more people return and as more searching is done, there could be more casualties found.
And again, all of this is continuing during a pandemic. And you can see people are close together. They're working here. They're trying to save things. The coronavirus may not be on their mind, but it will be a problem potentially several weeks from now after the storm.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Murray County, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And South Korean military says not long-ago North Korea fired what are thought to be short range cruise missiles towards the sea between South Korea and Japan. North Korea has carried out multiple launches in recent weeks.
In the coronavirus pandemic is starting to take its toll on America's food supply as one of the world's biggest pork plants shuts its doors, what that means for getting bacon on your plate.
[04:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Well, some of the poorest countries in the world are receiving some much-needed help in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The International Monetary Fund says it will immediately provide debt relief for 25 of its most economically vulnerable member countries. The move is intended to help these nations cover emergency medical efforts during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, here in the United States some states are forming their own regional pacts to work together on how to re-open the economy once it's safe to do so.
Alison Kosik is with us now from New York. Good to see you, Alison. So while those states work together, President Trump, on the other hand, is expected to reveal the counsel that he wants to work on reopening the country. What more are you learning about that? ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, so if you think
about this more broadly, now comes this pivot from an unprecedented forced closing of the economy to opening it up. And we heard on Friday that there is a federal government approach to this as we also hear about this regional approach through governors.
The White House has announced a council to focus on reopening as the council is called "The Opening Our Country Council." And the members of this are going to be officially announced today. Doesn't look like though there are any business leaders in it. It does look like it is filled with administration officials, including -- led by the White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. It includes Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, along with advisers like Larry Kudlow, Peter Navarro, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Yes, they will also be part of this coalition to reopen the country.
Now there are questions about how this council will work with the existing coronavirus task force. Not clear though on how they're going to interact. One official telling CNN that the reopening council would likely focus more on additional economic measures to stimulate the economy and less on the public health aspect -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes, hopefully we'll have more extensive COVID-19 tests before that happens, of course. And, Alison, earnings will start to show how much the pandemic has impacted major corporations. What are the implications?
[04:45:00]
KOSIK: Yes, so today we are going to get our first glimpse into how companies have been affected by the coronavirus crisis. First up, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson, they're all coming out with their earnings before the bell. We're really going to be focusing on the bank earnings though. And they are expected to post steep drops in earnings per share.
And the banks have had a lot to contend with the impact of this virus. They've got the, you know, interest rates being slashed here, credit concerns over their clients as well as the role of, you know, propping up the economy with these government-backed loans for small businesses. But we are looking to expect to see a big revenue drop for these banks. Once again, these earnings come out before the bell -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right, we'll be watching for those numbers. Alison Kosik, many thanks to you for joining us live from New York. Appreciate it.
Well, the coronavirus pandemic is already having an impact on the global food supply, and there's growing concern it could get worse. The world's biggest pork processor is closing until further notice after a number of employees became infected with the coronavirus. The company's CEO says these type of closures could have severe, perhaps disastrous repercussions. Dianne Gallagher has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Roughly 5 percent of all U.S. pork production happens here, at this Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That is until this week. The plant is closed indefinitely. The state's governor recommended it shut down this weekend after nearly 250 of its workers tested positive for the virus.
In a sobering statement the company's CEO pointing out that large plants shutting down are, quote, pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply. It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running. Now experts caution there's not an emergency yet but --
TOM VILSACK, FORMER AGRICULTURAL SECRETARY: The question is whether or not you're going to have more and more plants with sick workers and basically the decision to shut down those production facilities.
GALLAGHER: Still, it's not just South Dakota. There's a possible cluster in Tennessee and in Colorado, a plant in Greeley is temporarily closed after two workers died from the virus and at least 50 tested positive for the coronavirus according to the union. In Iowa and in Pennsylvania where multiple meat packing plants have shut down due to the pandemic.
WENDELL YOUNG IV, PRESIDENT, UFCW LOCAL 1776 KEYSTONE STATE: Our members are right there on those front lines in ways that they never imagined and they never signed up for.
GALLAGHER: Wendell Young whose union represents more than 8,000 food processing in Pennsylvania and Ohio, says keeping the food chain going is important, but the people actually doing it need protection. That there was a difference between being essential and sacrificial.
YOUNG: But they have a right to open. We have a right to (INAUDIBLE) responsibly. They have a right to make sure the people in those buildings are safe so when they go home at night to their families, we keep the community safe.
GALLAGHER: Young says plants have to mandate social distancing and make sure protective equipment is available for every employee. Now medical experts say that while the increase in sick plant workers could disrupt the food supply chain and add to community spread, it isn't making the food you eat unsafe.
DR. MARK RUPP, PROFESSOR AND CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: You aren't going to catch this from your food products. Again, cooking foods, washing them is going to minimize that risk dramatically.
GALLAGHER (on camera): Now the governor of Colorado said that he has been in close contact with the Vice President of the United States about that processing plant in Greeley. About testing the remaining workers before there's talk of reopening the facility after cleaning it. He said that they're going to be enlisting the National Guard to help with logistics in that particular area just to make sure everything has been handled before it's reopened.
Now one more point here, it sounds really scary to hear about stops in the food supply chain. That does not mean you should go out to a grocery store and buy all of the meat and put it in your freezer hoarding it away. If anything, that would create panic and exacerbate a situation that has not happened yet. This is simply experts and those who are in that community sounding the alarm. That this is something that could be a major problem if things don't change.
Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And another issue challenging the U.S. food supply, shrinking demand. Some dairy farmers say they are being forced to dump gallons of fresh milk because major customers like schools have closed. And these are tough images to watch as we know, of course, millions of Americans are in desperate need of food. But farmers say they aren't set up to redistribute.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VILSACK: So the question is, how can you get that milk to the food banks so it can be distributed to the people in need?
[04:50:00]
Here's the problem, because of the trade relief that the Trump administration provided because of the trade wars, the Department of Agriculture didn't have the capacity to purchase commodities until recently. That is to say, they didn't have the money to be able to do it. Congress passes that large stimulus bill, provides USDA resources, but now they have the question of, how do they distribute those resources? What commodities get the benefit of those resources.
They're doing it at a time when staff levels are low, either because staff positions haven't been filled, or because they have people who themselves who are sick or they can't even meet together. So it's a complicated situation that requires I think a tremendous effort by USDA to be creative. Minimize the regulation, maximize creativity so that you get product to people in need as quickly as possible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And it's not just milk that's being wasted. Farmers say they are also dumping pounds of fresh vegetables. The American Farm Bureau and Feeding America are currently working on a plan to connect agricultural producers with food banks across the country.
And you are watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still to come, a baseball legend says thank you. We will see how David Ortiz is showing his gratitude to medical workers on the front line.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:55:00] CHURCH: Music has long been a powerful social glue. And now when forced to stay apart, it's being used to bring communities closer. As CNN's Anna Stewart reports, the lockdown play list will be hard to forget.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Isolated at home but united by song. Led by a vicar determined to lift spirits on London's famous Portobello Road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amen.
STEWART: In Paris, from balconies, from streets, a city alive with music with singers dedicating their songs to health care workers. And from an empty Milan.
ANDREA BOCELLI, SINGER: Amazing grace --
Reporter: Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli stunned the world in his performance, Music for Hope.
BOCELLI: -- how sweet the sound.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Magnificent, and it might not be as musical, but some medical workers in Boston got a big surprise from baseball legend David Ortiz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID ORTIZ, BASEBALL LEGEND: I got to tell you guys from the very bottom of my heart how much I love you and respect you for what you guys are doing. Taking your lives, taking your time as something that goes beyond everything. So the Red Sox are going to donate four tickets for life.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: What?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: How about that? And the workers later headed to the ballpark. They threw out a ceremonial first pitch for a season like the rest of the sporting world is on hold now.
Thanks for your company. Stay home, stay safe, stay strong. I'm Rosemary Church. CNN NEWSROOM continues next with Robyn Curnow.
END
