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Trump To Order Meat Processing Plants To Stay Open; Mnuchin Angered By L.A. Lakers Taking Millions Meant For Small Businesses; Nurse Shares Her Fears, Describes Being On The Front Line Of An E.R.; Pence Criticized For Not Wearing Mask At Mayo Clinic; Dr. Fauci Gets Personal On Web Chat. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired April 28, 2020 - 14:30   ET

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


[14:30:00]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This isn't the only facility affected. It's one of four that's had to shut down. Two have reopened across the country.

This isn't the only company that's been infected, as we know as well. Smithfield and Tyson as well. Tyson taking out a full-page ad over the weekend in various newspapers saying that the food chain is breaking.

Obviously, that was a shocking statement to matter for so many people relying on grocery stores more than ever.

Not every industry expert agrees that the food supply is breaking. At the very least, they say it's vulnerable, Brooke.

Now with an executive order expected to compel these places to stay open, new guidance from the CDC on how to do so safely is going to be as important as ever, as many will have to weigh their safety as they try to go to work every day.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Omar, thank you for the update there in Wisconsin.

An estimated value of $4 billion, the Los Angeles Lakers are the second-most valuable team in the NBA. Yet, somehow, the storied basketball franchise managed to retain one of the emergency relief loans to help the nation's small businesses.

That news did no-go over well with the treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MNUCHIN, TREASURY SECRETARY (voice-over): I never expected in a million years the Los Angeles Lakers -- which I'm a big fan of the team, but not a big fan of the fact they took a $4.6 million loan. That's outrageous. And I'm glad they returned it or they would have had liability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's talk about this with CNN business anchor, Julia Chatterley.

Julia, nice to see you.

This is a statement from the Lakers e-mailed to CNN. They say, "The Lakes qualified for and received a loan under the Payroll Protection Program. However, once we found out the funds from the program had been depleted, we repaid the loan so financial support would be directed to those most in need. The Lakers remain completely committed to supporting our employees and our community."

So they're handing this money back, but the question is, you know -- they say they qualified for this loan. How did they qualify?

JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: This is the key. It may be outrageous, but to use a basketball terminology, there was no foul play here.

Congress basically put speed before specifics, Brooke. They kept the criteria really wide in order to get the money out there as fast as possible. In the end, the Lakers have less than 500 employees. They have around 300 full and part time. One of the most stringent metrics they qualify for.

But let's be clear, as the treasury secretary said, this program was not built for multibillion-dollar basketball franchises. It was supposed to do go to desperate small and medium-sized enter prices.

Now today, if they didn't give it back, they could be in violation if they could prove they could get it from somewhere else. All of these big businesses have until May 7th to pay the money back or decline it and just basically have no questions asked.

There will be more of these big businesses that give the money back. We've seen Shake Shack already. We've seen other names come up. AutoNation another one. There would be more.

BALDWIN: I'm sure there will. We'll have that conversation when that happens.

CHATTERLEY: Yes.

BALDWIN: Julia Chatterley, thank you.

Coming up next, a nurse working in the E.R. shares in this emotional video diary about her fears as she risks getting infected every day. She describes what it's like on the front lines right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:37:28]

BALDWIN: Day in and day out, there are courageous workers risking their own lives to save ours. We call them frontline workers. There's heroism associated with that title. There's also fear, which one Michigan nurse describes in a video diary she shared with the "Washington Post." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRITTANI HOLSBEKE, EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE: I did sign up to try to help save people, do my part. I want to make an impact. But I didn't sign up to die.

I mean -- I will remember (EXPLETIVE DELETED scared. I will do my best not to take -

That's little brother.

I don't want to say no to my child that I can't kiss him, but it means that I might be exposing him to something.

It's one thing when you're protecting yourself, but when you put your loved ones in jeopardy, that's a lot of weight to bear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Here she is. Brittani Holsbeke is with me. She works in Detroit, one of the areas hardest hit.

First and foremost thank you. Thank you to do what you're doing.

Your kids are precious. Your kids' curls are just adorable. We'll get to your children and what it's like for them.

Brittani, first, watching your videos. I know you told our producers it's been a roller coaster for you. Can talk about it, especially at the beginning when I'm sure it was shocking.

HOLSBEKE: Yes. First and foremost, Brooke, thank you for having me. I appreciate the opportunity.

Sure, the pandemic there's been a lot of phases of emotions. I shared a lot of really personal feelings in those videos, but that was the reality of what a lot of us were feeling and experiencing. That was my reality at the time. Ever-changing, and right now, I don't feel as anxious as I did in the videos, but those were real, raw emotions.

BALDWIN: Of course. Can you talk us through what you were feeling in those videos when you were feeling the feelings?

HOLSBEKE: Sure. Like I said, I think shock is probably one of the best ways to explain what I was feeling. It kind of felt like overnight I went from an E.R. nurse to having to learn in real time how to be an infectious disease nurse.

[14:40:09]

We had a limited amount of information. All we knew is there was a highly contagious respiratory novel coronavirus. We were trying to take care of our patients. We still had the fear and anxiety that not only were we exposing ourselves, but we had to go home with our loved ones and potentially expos them as well.

BALDWIN: When you talked about suddenly having to an expert, can you give us one exam of something you've had to suddenly have to do.

HOLSBEKE: I think first and foremost, we're used to rushing to people's bedsides if they're crashing. This was to reframe the mindset. First we need to protect ourselves and then enter our patients' rooms. We had to take the precautionary measures, get on the PPE. It just totally changed the mindset in what we had to do in practice.

BALDWIN: I imagine was it hard? Your instinct as a in your opinion is -- nurse is to run toward. You have to be mindful of your actions, because, yes, our instinct is to rush to our patients. We want to help and do everything we can, but we can't help anybody if we aren't protected first, and then we can help.

Yes, it's a hard process, and you have to be very mindful of your decision-making.

BALDWIN: What does a good day look like for you, Brittani?

HOLSBEKE: At work?

BALDWIN: Yes, at work.

HOLSBEKE: At work, a good day is patients are stable, families are updated, you know It. We want our patients to be healthy and happy. That's a good day. A good day is a low number of patients who are critically ill. We want to go home and know we made a difference. That's a good day for a nurse.

BALDWIN: We saw your two cute kids at home. In some of the more difficult moments, have you ever had the thought enough is enough, you don't want to risk it anymore because of your family?

HOLSBEKE: I would be lying to say those thoughts haven't crossed my mind. I'm human. There's nothing in the world that means more to me than my children.

So thoughts did cross my mind, but I never didn't show up to work. I will continue to show up. I city love being a nurse, but sure I had moments where I broke down, I don't know if I can do this anymore, but I think a lot of us did. We continue to show up and work through it. It still is a difficult time.

BALDWIN: I know everyone keeps calling you heroes, but you are also human. You have those moments. And it's entirely understandable and necessary.

To your children, am I correct in saying a 2 and 5-year-old? Is the 5- year-old old enough to understand, A, what you do all day, and, B, why he has to stay home?

HOLSBEKE: He's my kid and I'm biased, but I think he's really intelligent --

(CROSSTALK)

HOLSBEKE: I'm a mom.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLSBEKE: But I do. I really try to keep an open dialogue with him. I want him to be aware, but it's a fine balance. He's 5, and I want to maintain his innocence. I don't want him to be afraid of the world. I want him to experience things.

He does understand there's an illness. He can't see his grandparents, and that's been difficult, or his friends. I've had an open dialogue, but to be honest, I'm not trying to make him fearful. He knows mom is a nurse. He knows.

BALDWIN: He knows you're a stud already.

HOLSBEKE: Yes. My gosh.

Brittani Holsbeke, thank you. Just thank you. That's all I can offer.

HOLSBEKE: Thank you so much for your kind words and generosity.

BALDWIN: Of course. Of course.

We have news just in. Vice President Mike Pence is touring the Mayo Clinic, but he seems to be the only one not wearing a mask. Hear what the clinic said the vice president was told about its policy.

[14:44:42]

Plus, Dr. Anthony Fauci gets personal in his interview, talking about his own health and what caused that raspy voice we have become familiar with.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Right now, Vice President Mike Pence -- let me try that again. Vice President Mike Pence is touring the Mayo Clinic, speaking with health care workers, plasma donors and to see a coronavirus testing lab. But causing a stir because you could see what's is missing. He's not wearing a mask.

The policy is for everyone in the facility to wear a mask. And the hospital notes on the Twitter account that the vice president was made aware of the policy prior to his arrival today.

So let's go back to our CNN senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.

And, Elizabeth, where is his mask?

DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't get it, Brooke. This is really, very striking. Why is everyone else wearing a mask and he isn't.

[14:50:07] He is a living breathing human being like everybody else. He could get other people sick. Even if he's feeling fine. It is possible that he has coronavirus.

That is really one of the horrific things about coronavirus is that people can have it and be able to spread it and not feel sick at all. That is why the CDC in early April changed their policy.

They said the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. It's critical to emphasize also that maintaining six feet social distancing remaining important to spreading the slow of the virus.

So the CDC said two things, wear a mask out in public settings like these, and keep six feet away and he's doing neither.

I can't understand why he would do that. Is he scared of wearing a mask because he is scared it would send out some kind of message? I'm perplexed. I can't understand why he would do this and potentially putting other people in danger.

BALDWIN: Impossible to crawl into his head and understand. Maybe he's thinking the vice president, I want everyone to see my full face but is that irresponsible given their policy? I'm sure we'll learn more as the story progresses.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much.

Passengers seen packed on to planes. Many without wearing masks as well. Hear what airlines are doing and not doing as traveling starts to pick back up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:56:14]

BALDWIN: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the man who has become the nation's trusted expert on coronavirus, we've seen him in all of the White House coronavirus briefings.

But we're seeing a different side of him now. He opened IN a Web chat with the Economic Club of Washington today about everything from his raspy voice to Brad Pitt's portrayal of him on "Saturday Night Live."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Brad Pitt is one of my favorite actors. And I think he did a great job. He got the raspiness of my voice right, the hand movements right. And I think he has to work on the Brooklyn accent but I think he did a great job. He was really very funny.

(CROSSTALK)

FAUCI: I think what he did at the end was a class act. I thought when he took the wig off and thanked me and the health care workers the way you did. I've never met him but he seems like he is a classy guy.

DAVID RUBENSTEIN, PRESIDENT, ECONOMIC CLUB OF WASHINGTON: Did you know that was happening, by the way?

FAUCI: I didn't know until a few hours before.

RUBENSTEIN: What about your voice? People comment on it is raspy. Are you talking too much or what?

FAUCI: It is exactly that, David. In December, unfortunately for me, I got influenza A, H1N1 and I developed a tracheitis that was getting better.

And then came coronavirus, which had me briefing, at least in my mind, almost every congressman, every Senator, every governor and doing five, six, seven interviews a day. And that when you get your voices damaged a little -- I probably have a polyp there -- the only way to get it better is to keep your mouth shut.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

FAUCI: But that is not in the cards right now.

RUBENSTEIN: So you're 79 but in great shape. You power walk three miles a day. Power walking means you're walking fast, right?

FAUCI: Power walk means I'm trying to catch up with my wife who is walking faster than I am.

RUBENSTEIN: But your goal is to do this another 10 years or so? How much longer would you like to do this job.

FAUCI: David, that is a good question. You've been asking me that for decades.

I'm going to do it until I can't do it as effectively as I can and right now I'm as good as I've ever been because right now I have the energy and the experience.

RUBENSTEIN: Do you think, in hindsight, if you were a couple of inches taller, you could have been a one and done college basketball player. But aspire to go to the NBA or not?

FAUCI: Well, you know, the answer is every young kid in New York City who plays in the schoolyards and gets good at it and does well in high school always has aspirations and often the aspirations are not connected to the reality.

So I inherited a couple of things from my father. My father, interestingly, when he was in high school, was the New York City champion of the 220 and the 440-yard dash. So on a basketball court, you couldn't catch me on a fast break.

However, I also inherited his height. And I found out something that is the rule in basketball, that a very fast 5'7" point guard who is a good shooter will get crushed by a fast 6'3" point guard who is a good shooter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: So fun to see that part of him.

Dr. Fauci will be on with Jake Tapper on "THE LEAD" at 4:00 EASTERN today. Don't miss that conversation.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thanks for being with me. We'll be back tomorrow.

In the meantime, our special coverage continues now with my friend, Kate Baldwin.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[15:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan. Thank you so much for joining us.

The United States just hit a milestone that people may have seen coming.