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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
U.S. Death Toll Climbs As President Trump Minimizes Crisis; U.S. Defense Officials Contract Trump Claim On Beirut Explosion; Trump Campaign Sues Nevada Over Mail-In Ballots. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired August 05, 2020 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:31:38]
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DAVID HART, LOST HUSBAND TO COVID-19: Get off your ass, drive 20 blocks, and spend 15 minutes in an ICU with a COVID patient who is dying.
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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. death toll at levels rarely seen since May, but the president remains disconnected from the magnitude of the crisis.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind.
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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, Trump making a very serious claim about a deadly blast in Beirut, though defense officials are contradicting that claim.
ROMANS: Good morning, everyone. This is EARLY START, this Wednesday morning. I'm Christine Romans. Hi, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Hi, Christine, I'm Boris Sanchez. We are 32 minutes past the hour. Thanks so much for having me this week, Christine.
ROMANS: Nice to see you, as always.
Let's begin here with the president. President Trump's 'it is what it is' approach to the pandemic is divorced from reality as the country struggles with any real progress containing the virus.
The president attended a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting yesterday and that's the first time since April. And, CNN has learned the level of concern in the task force doesn't match the president's rosy assessment. SANCHEZ: And the numbers are staggering. Fourteen hundred families lost loved ones just yesterday. That's the third-highest total since Memorial Day. The U.S. death count keeps trending upward. Nearly 157,000 Americans are now dead.
Just five states with a significant number of new cases reported week- over-week. That appears to be a positive trend but experts warn the backlog in testing may mean that we're not seeing the full extent of the problem.
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DR. LEANA WEN, FORMER BALTIMORE HEALTH COMMISSIONER: We don't have nearly enough testing, and so it's quite possible that the rest of the states that look like they're doing OK actually have ongoing community spread that we're just not picking up.
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SANCHEZ: As Arizona tries to turn the corner on the pandemic, a state judge has ruled that gyms must be given a chance to reopen under guidelines.
And Texas reporting nearly 9,200 new cases. The seven-day moving average there has dropped 10 days in a row, but now it's gone up for five straight days.
ROMANS: Louisiana is nearing levels from the spring. The state is now slowing its reopening for another three weeks, closing all bars and mandating mask-wearing.
Thirty-three states have seen increases in their rate of positive tests -- Mississippi, the nation's worst, at 23 percent. The state health officer has issued a mandate for those with the virus to self- isolate or face jail time. And Mississippi's governor finally ordering a two-week mask mandate and also delaying the start of in-person classes in some hotspots.
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GOV. TATE REEVES (R), MISSISSIPPI: We have seen over the last several weeks that when people participate and wear masks it helps. We must pump the brakes in hardest-hit areas.
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SANCHEZ: Schools across the country are facing difficult choices and a ticking clock. No country has successfully reopened its schools with the virus as widespread as it is in the United States right now.
A Georgia second-grader has tested positive after the first day of school. Now the student's classmates and teachers are going to have to quarantine for 14 days. In Chicago, public schools have announced they expect to start the year with fully-remote learning.
Nationwide, Clorox says consumers will continue to see a shortage of wipes and other disinfecting products into 2021 because of the overwhelming need.
[05:35:06]
And, New York City's iconic Rockettes have canceled their show this holiday season, the first time that has happened since the high- kicking Christmas tradition debuted in 1933.
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Explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.
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SANCHEZ: At least 100 people killed and 4,000 injured in a gigantic explosion in central Beirut. The blast so huge it caused a 3.3- magnitude earthquake and it could be felt hundreds of miles away.
President Trump says he has been briefed on the explosion by U.S. military intelligence.
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TRUMP: This was not a -- some kind of a manufacturing explosion-type of event. This was a -- seems to be, according to them -- they would know better than I would, but they seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind.
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SANCHEZ: One big problem here. Three Defense Department officials directly contradict that claim, telling CNN that they see no evidence at this point of an attack.
Look, this is a major, major national security issue when the commander in chief says that an attack is behind a vicious explosion in the Middle East.
Let's bring in CNN's Jomana Karadsheh. She's reporting from the region. Jomana, what are officials there saying? Are they confirming or contradicting what the president has said about the explosion?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, officials, Boris, in the region haven't come out publicly responding to President Trump's statement, which many would see as a very dangerous statement just a few hours -- really, early on after that blast when no one had said it was an attack at this point.
For the president to come out and say that, there are really a lot of concerns about the implications when you look at this region. It's like pouring gasoline on a fire. This region is already on edge -- tensions inside Lebanon and outside. It really is the last thing this region needs.
And we understand from State Department officials is that -- Lebanese officials have raised concerns about the president's use of the word "attack." Now, Lebanese authorities say they are investigating this incident --
this blast and what caused it -- what really triggered it. They believe that it is possibly -- what caused that huge blast was the storage facility where more than 2,000 metric tons of ammonium nitrate was being stored -- according to the Lebanese prime minister, had been stored there in the heart of Beirut for the past six years. This is a highly-explosive, flammable material used for fertilizers but also for bombs. So lots of questions here about why it was stored in the heart of the capital for so long.
But I can tell you that Beirut is a devastated city. The scenes that we are seeing are just unfathomable. The scale of the destruction across that city -- entire neighborhoods that have been decimated by this blast. You know, we might not really know the human toll of this incident for days to come.
According to health officials there, at least 100 people, so far, confirmed killed; more than 4,000 wounded. But they're warning that the numbers are going to rise. There are still hundreds of people missing; their loved ones frantically searching for them in hospitals and in posts on social media.
Lebanon -- really, this couldn't have happened at a worse time for that country, dealing with the COVID crisis, dealing with the financial crisis. It is stretched to its limits. It cannot deal with it on its own and they are asking for help from the international community, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Yes, it's just a heart-wrenching situation. You showed the video there of doctors trying to triage outside of hospitals. I was reading accounts about them trying to socially distance COVID patients who had been hurt during the explosion with other patients who were injured. Really, just a difficult, difficult situation.
Jomana Karadsheh reporting. Thank you so much.
ROMANS: All right.
Breaking overnight -- 39 minutes past the hour -- the Trump campaign making good on one of the president's tweets last week, filing a lawsuit against Nevada after the battleground state approved a plan to send absentee ballots to all active voters.
That represents a major expansion of mail-in voting meant to make voting easier, of course, during the pandemic -- but something this lawsuit calls problematic. It's all part of the Trump administration's attempt to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the upcoming election.
And now, after months of trying to undermine voting-by-mail, an epic rationalization from this president. He is now encouraging it, but only in one state where he thinks it will help him.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: Florida's got a great Republican governor and it had a great Republican governor. It's got Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott, two great governors. And over a long period of time, they've been able to get the absentee ballots done extremely professionally. Florida's different from other states.
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ROMANS: So one senior Republican aide tells CNN Florida Republicans have been telling the president a high vote-by-mail turnout is key to Republicans winning in November. President Trump, himself, has even voted absentee in Florida.
SANCHEZ: And other progressive upsets in the U.S. House.
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CORI BUSH SUPPORTERS: Cori, Cori, Cori, Cori!
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SANCHEZ: Cori Bush defeating 20-year incumbent, Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay. The St. Louis seat had been held by Clay or his father, William Clay Sr., since 1969.
In neighboring Kansas, top Republicans were concerned that far-right former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach would win the Senate primary there, endangering GOP-control of the entire Senate. But big money and endorsements helped his opponent, Congressman Roger Marshall, secure a victory.
ROMANS: From Michigan's 13th District where incumbent Rashida Tlaib faces Detroit City Council president, Brenda Jones. Absentee ballots made this same matchup a close race two years ago.
Not unlike the situation for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. She was just certified the winner of her primary by the New York City Board of Elections six weeks -- six weeks after the election.
SANCHEZ: New York City's health commissioner resigning after months of behind-the-scenes conflict with Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot stepping down from one of America's premier health agencies. "The New York Times" reporting her resignation voiced deep disappointment with de Blasio's handling of the pandemic, saying the health department's expertise was not used as well as it should have been.
Barbot's exit is renewing scrutiny of de Blasio's leadership just as New York faces tough choices on reopening schools and businesses.
ROMANS: All right. Several people test positive for the coronavirus after attending an event with the Florida governor. CNN has the pandemic covered across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Randi Kaye in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Lots of questions about Gov. Ron DeSantis' health after five people tested positive following a Florida Sheriff's Association meeting last week. They tested positive for the coronavirus. The governor spoke at that meeting.
His office says that he gets tested regularly and that he isn't showing any symptoms. And the governor also has said that he didn't have any contact with those who tested positive.
Meanwhile, the Volusia County sheriff is one of those who tested positive and he tweeted that he's experiencing terrible symptoms -- massive headaches, nausea, fever, and chills.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York.
With in-person classes scheduled to resume in just weeks, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statewide order Tuesday mandating that all K-12 students wear masks. DeWine announced that the state would be working with FEMA to help secure two million masks for schools.
The order follows the Ohio Children's Hospital Association and the Ohio-American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that students wear masks. Prior to the mandate, only teachers and staff were required to wear them.
In a press conference, DeWine defended his decision, saying that gives us the best shot to keep Ohio's kids and educators safe and physically in school.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Pete Muntean in Washington.
More tough news for those in the airline industry. Alaska Airlines and Frontier Airlines are sending notices to workers that they could be furloughed come October first. That is when layoff restrictions attached to a federal bailout expire.
Alaska Airlines is sending notices to 4,200 flight attendants, customer service agents, and maintenance techs. Pilots were spared because of a union deal.
More than 500 pilots are getting furlough notices at Frontier Airlines, and more than 900 flight attendants.
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SANCHEZ: Thanks to all of our reporters for those updates.
Hey, don't go anywhere. EARLY START continues after a quick break.
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[05:48:19] ROMANS: Four former Census Bureau directors are warning the Trump administration's plan to fast-track this year's census could result in seriously incomplete data. After testifying on Capitol Hill last week, they've now written an open letter urging the administration to collect data through Halloween, as originally planned. Of course, the new plan would wrap the collection in September.
The census, of course, is critical to deciding how much federal funding goes to cities and states for essential services.
SANCHEZ: HHS Sec. Alex Azar is preparing to lead a delegation to Taiwan this week. This will mark the highest-level visit by a U.S. cabinet official to Taiwan since 1979.
The visit, of course, stands to rattle Mainland China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory. It also comes as President Trump frequently bashes China for, in his words, giving the world coronavirus.
ROMANS: At least five people killed as Isaias rolled up the east coast, including an 83-year-old woman struck by a falling tree branch in Delaware. High winds tore off part of a roof of a Children's Village daycare at a Doylestown hospital in Pennsylvania. In New York City, howling winds knocked down scaffolding and street signs. Strong winds knocked a tree into a home in New Jersey.
Earlier, nothing was left after a tornado struck a mobile home park in Windsor, North Carolina.
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KEYARTA RYAN, TORNADO SURVIVOR: I'd say it lasted probably about 20 minutes but it was the longest, scariest 20 minutes I've ever, ever been in.
TENISHA THOMAS, TORNADO SURVIVOR: By the time we made it in the bathtub and I put my body over hers, that's when it hit. It's hard, but one day at a time.
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[05:50:02]
ROMANS: Widespread power outages remain. There are still about three million customers without power in the northeast.
SANCHEZ: The husband of Los Angeles County D.A. Jackie Lacey is facing charges for pulling a gun on Black Lives Matter protesters outside the couple's home in March. David Lacey faces three misdemeanor counts of assault with a firearm.
In March, protesters showed up at the Lacey home before dawn demanding a conversation about officer-involved shootings and accountability.
The U.S. Navy is cutting ties with a private Navy SEAL Museum after it posted these videos of military dogs attacking a man wearing a Colin Kaepernick jersey. The Navy says the inherent message in the video is, quote, "completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Forces and the U.S. Navy."
The videos have since been taken down.
ROMANS: Actor Harry Shearer is voicing displeasure with the decision by "THE SIMPSONS" to stop having white actors voice non-white characters.
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HARRY SHEARER, (DR. JULIUS HIBBERT, "THE SIMPSONS"): That's the morphine.
DAN CASTELLANETA (HOMER SIMPSON, "THE SIMPSONS"): Can you give me the morphine forever?
SHEARER: No way. A person on morphine all the time would constantly dissolve in inappropriate laughter. (Laughing)
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ROMANS: Shearer -- who voices black doctor Julius Hibbert, among other characters -- says he has a simple belief about acting. He says the job of an actor is to pay someone they're not.
The series announced the change in June shortly after Hank Azaria said he would no longer play South Asian quick-mart owner, Apu.
SANCHEZ: Police in Italy have identified a tourist who broke three toes off a 200-year-old statue while posing for a selfie. There it is, right there. You can see the man sprawling across Antonio Canova's plaster cast statue and casually just sort of walking away.
Right now, all museum visitors must leave personal information for contact tracing because of coronavirus. That's how they figured out who it was. He called what he did a stupid move -- yes. No word yet whether charges will be filed.
ROMANS: Woah.
All right, let's get a check on CNN Business this morning. On Wall Street, taking a look at futures -- you can see them there. They look a little bit higher here.
Stocks closed higher Tuesday. The Dow ended 164 points higher on the day. The S&P 500 climbed slightly. The Nasdaq hit a record high. The Nasdaq up 21 percent this year.
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Clip from Walt Disney Studio's "Mulan."
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ROMANS: After months of delays, audiences will finally be able to see Disney's live-action "Mulan" at home. The remake of the animated classic is heading to Disney+ on September fourth for an additional $30.00.
Disney also released its quarterly results showing just how the pandemic affected its business. Disney's loss, $5 billion -- first loss since 2001. Its parks and resorts unit lost $3.5 billion in the quarter. The unit's revenue down a staggering 85 percent from last year.
NBCUniversal is the latest media company to take cuts in the wake of the -- to make cuts in the wake of the pandemic. Company-wide layoffs are expected to affect less than 10 percent of the 35,000 full-time staff. Cuts extending across all of its divisions, including its broadcast network, movie studio, theme parks.
With advertising budgets slashed and film productions and releases on pause, many media companies are making cost-cutting measures.
Southwest Airlines cutting back on extra coronavirus cabin cleaning as flight schedules increase. A memo to flight attendants obtained by CNN says the changes, like no longer sanitizing seatbelts between the flights, will reduce turnaround time for planes.
The airline says that between-flight cleanings will now focus on tray tables, lavatories, and a few other items. Overnight deep-cleanings will continue.
All right. Clorox named Linda Rendell its new chief executive, bringing the number of female CEOs on the Fortune 500 list to a record 38. That's right, 38 out of 500. The new record shows just how slow the process has been at the highest levels of business.
Women have only been on the list for 48 years. Katharine Graham, former executive of "The Washington Post," made history as the first woman on that list in 1972.
Out of the 38 female CEOs, only three are women of color.
SANCHEZ: Boozy ice cream is now legal in New York State. Gov. Andrew Cuomo presiding over the marriage of liquor and ice cream, signing a measure permitting up to five percent alcohol by volume. His office says the law is meant to boost New York's dairy workers, liquor producers, restaurants, and retailers.
And that sound you hear is millions of New Yorkers asking where this was during the pandemic shutdown because it's the perfect thing --
ROMANS: I don't know.
SANCHEZ: -- ice cream, alcohol. You don't think so?
ROMANS: Ice cream is one thing. Don't mess up my ice cream and don't mess up my booze. These are two vices I want to enjoy separately.
SANCHEZ: Yes, it sounds like a great --
ROMANS: That's just me.
SANCHEZ: -- day to me. A great night, I should say.
ROMANS: A great day -- a great morning for you. It's 6:00, go ahead.
[05:55:00]
All right, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Get started the right way.
ROMANS: Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Boris Sanchez in for Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.
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RON KLAIN, FORMER EBOLA CZAR UNDER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: You are more likely as an American to die from COVID than you are in almost any other country.
TRUMP: We, proportionately, are lower than almost all countries. We're at the bottom of the list.
DR. JAY VARKEY, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Our national response to this pandemic should be a national embarrassment. There is uncontrolled spread in over 32 states in the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thousands injured, dozens dead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a blinding white flash, a huge noise. All the doors and windows were ripped off their hinges.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was a large amount of explosives stored in a building.
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