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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Collapse Of Global Air Travel Puts 46 Million Jobs At Risk; Trump Digs In As Aides Privately Worry About Debate Fallout; Presidential Debate Commission Says Ground Rules Must Change. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired October 01, 2020 - 05:30   ET

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


[05:30:00]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Jobs are at risk as funding from the CARES Act expires today.

Thirty-two thousand jobs are already being cut -- 19,000 at American Airlines, 13,000 at United. Both airlines said they will recall furloughed employees if Congress can reach a stimulus deal to save them soon.

Now, House Democrats held off on a vote on their $2.2 trillion proposal to allow more time for bipartisan negotiations in this last- ditch effort on Capitol Hill to reach a deal. Now, despite some optimistic words from the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin, sources briefed on the talks said they are still far apart.

Now, more stimulus desperately needed here. New data shows the collapse of global air travel could wipe out 46 million jobs. Remember, planes in the air prop up jobs on the ground like engineers, factory workers, air traffic controllers, car rentals, hotels, and other businesses that rely on the global supply chain and travel.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: We'll see if Washington can get its act together to reach a deal there.

While the political drama from the debate dominated Wednesday's headlines, another 946 Americans died from coronavirus yesterday. Their families grieving in a nation that has become all too numb to this tragedy.

Among the latest victims, 19-year-old Chad Dorrill, a sophomore at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. He was a healthy former high school basketball player highlighting the real danger of this virus for young people, something now underscored officially by a big new contact tracing study out of India, which shows young adults are the primary spreaders of the virus.

In the U.S., another day with more than 40,000 new cases. The country, so far, proving incapable of lowering this growth of cases in a sustained way, Christine. ROMANS: Overnight, CNN also learned all American cruises will remain docked through October. The CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield wanted to extend the no-sail order into next year but lost his fight with the White House. Barring cruises longer than just for the next month would have displeased the tourism industry in that crucial swing state of Florida.

One truly alarming trend, the number of Americans hospitalized with COVID is starting to creep up again. These are not asymptomatic people just staying home. These are people sick enough to be admitted.

JARRETT: Wisconsin is reporting its highest number of cases and hospitalizations. Just 18 percent of beds are available there.

And the president has scheduled campaign rallies in hotspot metro areas like La Crosse and Green Bay this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. TONY EVERS (D), WISCONSIN: Point number one, he could not come. The second thing that could be done is for him to insist that if people are there, they wear a mask. That can -- he can make that happen. He could wear one, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: In the absence of a national COVID plan of leadership, states are still giving mixed signals. The governor of Mississippi lifting a statewide mask mandate, except in schools. But in neighboring Alabama and Georgia, public health restrictions have been extended until after the election.

JARRETT: American families are paying a heavy price in this pandemic. A new survey shows the majority of families with children under 18 across racial and ethnic groups report serious financial hardship. And two-thirds of Americans have delayed or skipped scheduled cancer screenings because of the pandemic.

ROMANS: Even when it doesn't serve him, President Trump often sticks with his instincts when backed into a corner, and the fallout from Tuesday's debate, no different. Behind the scenes, several trusted aides say they think the president was too aggressive and likely turned off the moderate voters he so desperately needs.

One longtime Trump adviser claimed to be particularly furious at the president's refusal to condemn white supremacy. Quote, "F*** the Proud Boys. There, I said it. Not that hard."

GOP lawmakers, for the most part, doing what should be easy but so often they refuse to do -- distancing themselves from Trump's stance for the second time in two weeks. The last time equally worthy of condemnation after the president wouldn't commit to that peaceful transfer of power.

Listen to the only black Republican senator, Tim Scott.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC): I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wallace's comment where he's asking Chris what he wanted to say. I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: So given a chance to correct the record, the president picked option B.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know who the Proud Boys are. I mean, you'll have to give me a definition because I really don't know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work.

REPORTER: White supremacists, they clearly love you and support you. Do you welcome that?

TRUMP: I want law and order to be a very important part -- it's a very important part of my campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: "Do you welcome that" was the question.

So you have to imagine at a minimum, he learned who the Proud Boys are after that debate. But in case he wasn't informed, they're a far-right group whose members espouse misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic, anti-immigration, white supremacist, and anti-Semitic ideologies.

Now, less than two weeks to the next presidential debate, if his hopes of staying in the White House depend on a major change in tactics, the famously stubborn Mr. Trump is in deep trouble.

[05:35:07]

Both candidates are back on the campaign trail where the president still couldn't condemn hate.

We begin with chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta on the road with the president in Minnesota.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Laura and Christine, at a rally in Minnesota, President Trump tried to declare victory at Tuesday night's presidential debate despite the fact that some advisers inside his campaign say that he lost that matchup with Democrat Joe Biden for his failure to condemn white supremacy.

During one moment at this rally in Minnesota, the president falsely said that Joe Biden is going to cancel on the next two presidential debates. That is despite the fact that the Biden campaign says the former vice president will be there.

TRUMP: You know, Biden lost badly when his supporters are saying he should cancel the rest of the debates. Now I understand he's canceling the debates. Let's see what happens. I think that's not going to be a good move for him.

ACOSTA: And at this rally in Minnesota, the president falsely alleged that Joe Biden would flood this state with refugees. That is one night after he failed to condemn white supremacy at that face-off with Joe Biden. It's a different night but the same playbook for the president -- Laura and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right, Jim. Thanks for that.

Nice to see the fine people of Duluth wearing the masks there in that front row. Nice to see Duluth.

All right. It took a day but Joe Biden finally got a word in on a train tour of the Industrial Midwest. The Democratic nominee is trying to lure critical swing state voters back into the Democratic tent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He didn't speak to you all in that debate, he spoke about him. He didn't talk about the concerns of the American people one single time. Trump said he ran for office because he was concerned about the forgotten man. Well, as soon as he got elected and got inaugurated, he forgot the forgotten man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Political correspondent MJ Lee is on the road with Biden in Pennsylvania.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the day after a chaotic debate, Joe Biden spent almost all day on a train making stops in Ohio and Pennsylvania, clearly trying to win over voters, including rural, white, working-class voters in areas where Donald Trump performed very well back in 2016.

What the Biden campaign is signaling about how they feel like things went at this first debate is that they presented a clear contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump and they're emphasizing two things that they feel like Donald Trump failed to do on the debate stage.

First, is really talking in detail about the coronavirus pandemic and sort of addressing the pandemic's suffering and the suffering that people have seen across the country. And then the second thing, of course, is Donald Trump not saying on the debate stage that he disavowed the Proud Boys.

Here is what Joe Biden had to say yesterday as he campaigned across Pennsylvania.

BIDEN: My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is cease and desist. That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans.

The President of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was just a national embarrassment.

LEE: Now, one other thing that Joe Biden addressed was his hope that the debate commission can make sure that there are fewer interruptions in future debates. And clearly, the commission agrees with that sentiment. They announced that they are looking forward to making some changes to ensure that future debates are more orderly.

Christine and Laura, back to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: All right, MJ, thank you.

As for those changes MJ just mentioned, the debate commission is promising more structure for the remaining two face-offs. "The New York Times" reports it could include cutting microphones or time penalties.

The Biden campaign says it's looking forward to the candidates' next meeting in Miami. Biden's team says the president will have to choose between responding to voters or repeating, in their words, his, quote, "unhinged meltdown."

The Trump campaign claims that the bipartisan debate commission is helping Biden by moving the goalpost in the middle of the game.

Tuesday's moderator, Chris Wallace, reflecting on a mess of a night, tells "The New York Times" -- quote, "I'm just sad with the way it turned out. I never dreamt that it would go off the tracks the way it did. I'm a pro. I've never been through anything like this."

And, Christine, I'm not sure that anybody could have done better. But it's amazing that even after all this time, the expectations of what Trump will do --

ROMANS: Yes.

JARRETT: -- still don't match reality.

ROMANS: And one hopes, I guess, that the town hall format might be more easy to manage --

JARRETT: Right.

ROMANS: -- because you've got -- you know, you've got voters there who are going to be asking questions. Maybe it will be more respectful and maybe there will be a better -- a better turnout. We'll have to see.

JARRETT: We'll see.

ROMANS: All right.

Despite President Trump's grievances, federal judges in Montana and Alabama ruling in favor of mail-in and absentee voting. Montana expanded mail-in voting to safeguard against coronavirus. In Alabama, a judge put a hold on the state's plan requiring absentee ballots to be signed by a notary or two witnesses.

In both states, people have to request ballots by mail. Alabama has already started and Montana will begin tomorrow.

[05:40:08]

JARRETT: Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale stepped down as a senior adviser to the Trump campaign on Wednesday. He was hospitalized earlier this week after he talked of suicide at his home in Florida while holding a gun.

In a statement obtained by Politico, Parscale said he wants to focus on his family and, quote, "get help with dealing with overwhelming stress."

Parscale was demoted this summer after a sparsely-attended Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sources say he was rarely seen at campaign headquarters after that.

ROMANS: All right.

The pandemic is threatening to undo years of progress for women in the workplace. A new study from McKinsey & Company found the number of women in senior-level positions increased to 28 percent at the beginning of the year -- and that's progress -- up from 23 percent in 2015. That was before the pandemic.

But now, one in four women report they're considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce completely. Analysts say if that plays out it could result in $180 billion in annual potential earnings loss for women.

Now, the demand on working parents during the pandemic has made work- life balance even more elusive -- we all know that. This report found women are three times more likely to take on the majority of housework and childcare and they worry more about how they will affect their performance at work.

And, Laura, I can tell you anecdotally from people in my life, there's not a woman out there who doesn't feel she's doing both jobs great. You know? I mean, we're just spread so thin right now it's really frustrating.

JARRETT: You know what? This is really a story about money and about childcare. And right now, if you have the money to pay for childcare you're doing OK. You're still having a hard time but you're doing OK.

But the people who really need help because they can't do both -- ROMANS: Yes.

JARRETT: -- at the same time and don't have childcare.

ROMANS: Yes.

JARRETT: Well, speaking of changes, corporate boards in one state will have a different look. We have that story for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:46:08]

ROMANS: Forty-five minutes past the hour.

Twitter removed around 130 accounts linked to Iran that it says were trying to disrupt the public conversation around Tuesday's debate. Twitter says it took down the accounts based on FBI intelligence. It says the accounts had very low engagement and did not impact public conversation.

Meanwhile, Facebook says it will reject ads that cast doubt on the election results. The policy is narrowly focused on ads and does not address content created by users.

JARRETT: At least 41 people have now lost their lives to the historic wildfires ravaging the west coast.

California has had the most deaths with at least 30 people, including another Zogg Fire victim. That blaze has grown to more than 55,000 acres and is only nine percent contained. In wine country, the Glass Fire has scorched more than 50,000 acres and is just two percent contained.

The state is asking residents to conserve energy amid a heat wave, which is making it harder to control these fires.

ROMANS: Sad news overnight. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have lost their child due to pregnancy complications. The couple says we are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about -- the kind of pain we've never felt before.

With their first two pregnancies, the couple wanted to -- waited to name the baby until after delivering. She says but this time, they had already started to call him Jack.

The couple's children, Luna and Miles, were both conceived with in vitro fertilization. This pregnancy occurred naturally, something Teigen never thought was possible for her. Our thoughts are with them.

JARRETT: So, so heartbreaking -- yes, of course.

Well, California is set to ban police chokeholds and require independent probes of officer-involved shootings. This comes amid the wave of reform bills after the killing of George Floyd. Under the new law, the state attorney general will investigate

shooting deaths of unarmed people and post a written report online, although none of this is happening anytime soon. The law goes into effect in July of 2023.

ROMANS: Police have charged a man with that ambush shooting of two L.A. sheriff's deputies and it turns out he was already in custody in a separate carjacking case. Thirty-six-year-old Deonte Murray pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. He was arrested three days after the deputies were shot. And police say forensics found his weapon was the same one used in the ambush.

Surveillance video captured that attack, as well as one of the wounded deputies helping to save her partner's life.

JARRETT: Well, public companies with headquarters in California will have to have more diversity on their boards beginning in 2021. Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a law that will require companies to have at least one board member from an underrepresented community by the end of next year, and at least two or three, depending on the size of the board, by the end of 2022.

It's likely to establish a new threshold for corporate diversity nationwide, much like California's 2018 law requiring a minimum number of women directors.

And in Las Vegas, MGM opening two resorts with a first-of-its-kind policy for the strip -- no smoking. Smoking will not be allowed anywhere, including the casino, hotel, pools, and restaurant areas, except for a few outdoor areas.

The coronavirus death toll rises. The indoor smoking has become a make or break detail for travelers planning their vacations.

ROMANS: All right, let's take a look at markets around this world -- around the world on the first day of a new month in a new quarter. Tokyo Stock Exchange halted trading Thursday because of a technical glitch. European markets have opened higher here.

And on Wall Street, to start the new trading day, it looks like gains here. Stocks finished higher Wednesday but recorded their first month of losses since March. All three major averages did finish the quarter higher, though -- the second-straight quarter of gains.

Investors are watching for any signs of progress on stimulus as airlines face thousands of job cuts. We'll also get another look at weekly unemployment claims on the eve of the September jobs report. Economists expect another 850,000 Americans filed for the first time for jobless benefits last week.

More than six months into the pandemic, big companies are cutting jobs. Goldman Sachs will trim about 400 positions after pausing layoffs at the beginning of the pandemic. Disney announced 28,000 layoffs as pandemic -- as the pandemic hammers its theme parks. And, Shell said it will cut as many as 9,000 jobs as it shifts away from fossil fuels.

[05:50:14]

Economists warn layoffs could jump again as the pandemic devastates vulnerable sectors like travel, entertainment, energy. But eight in 10 jobs lost since February have been in the service sector.

The housing market still a bright spot in the economy. Pending home sales, a record high in August, up 8.8 percent. Buyers are rushing to lock in record-low mortgage rates.

Pending home sales even better than before the pandemic. The problem is there doesn't seem to be enough available homes for sale to meet demand, so that could hold back the recovery.

Google, meanwhile, getting out of the super-expensive smartphone race. Its new line of Pixel phones target more cost-conscious users during the pandemic. The phones are almost half the price of phones from Apple and Samsung. The Pixel 5 starts at $700. The Pixel 4A 5G is just $500. The Pixel 5 will launch in the U.S. October 29th.

JARRETT: Well, after being separated for months due to the coronavirus lockdowns, some families are finally seeing their loved ones in nursing homes again, face-to-face.

CNN's Rosa Flores has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK LEVENTHAL, VISITING STEPMOTHER IN SENIOR CARE CENTER: Arlene, it's me.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The anticipation is over.

LEVENTHAL: I love you.

ARLENE: I love you.

FLORES (voice-over): A heartwarming reunion after being separated for months by the COVID-19 lockdown of senior care centers in Florida.

Mark Leventhal and his 89-year-old stepmom, Arlene, had not embraced since Mark's father died in April.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please wear a mask.

FLORES (voice-over): Visiting rules are strict. Mark had to make an appointment in advance, get his temperature checked in the lobby, wear personal protective equipment, all before being escorted to Arlene's door.

Mark made a promise to his late father that he would find Arlene a comfortable assisted living facility.

ARLENE: He went so quickly and he was such a sweet man. LEVENTHAL: And he loved you.

FLORES (voice-over): But the comfort quickly turned to isolation as the lockdown stretched for months.

ARLENE: I first saw my sister yesterday. I couldn't see my friends. It was tough.

FLORES (voice-over): Early in the pandemic, some seniors could look out their windows to see posters and signs made by family or friends. Others are still spending most of their days alone.

FLORES (on camera): Many states, including Florida, are allowing limited visits to nursing homes. The visitation rules vary across the country and facilities in a handful of states remain closed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole situation is a real tragedy. We are not supposed to treat our older adults the way that they're being treated right now.

FLORES (on camera): What's the toughest part of advocating for senior citizens?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oftentimes, they don't have a voice.

FLORES (voice-over): Victoria Serone (ph) pushed to see her 85-year- old father, Vitorio, in person after being separated for months.

VICTORIA SERONE, TRIED TO VISIT FATHER IN NURSING HOME: It was absolutely excruciating.

FLORES (voice-over): Once a successful businessman traveling the world with his wife Elizabeth, Vitorio now lives in a memory care center, struggling with dementia.

SERONE: Time is precious right now.

FLORES (voice-over): Victoria says he became agitated, depressed, and confused when visits were allowed only through a window. Here's a picture of her 82-year-old mom waiting in 95-degree heat to see the love of her life, separated by glass.

SERONE: I think I noticed my mother and my father tried to kiss once. It was -- it was quite emotional.

FLORES (voice-over): Victoria's heartbreak only grew as time passed and her parents couldn't celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary, Father's Day, and Vitorio's birthday. It would take six months for this father and daughter to reunite.

SERONE: And I gave him a giant hug -- I didn't let go -- and I just told him I loved him.

FLORES (voice-over): Mark Leventhal is thinking about his father, too --

LEVENTHAL: My dad would be very, very happy.

FLORES (voice-over): -- and honoring his memory by keeping his promise.

Rosa Flores, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Oh, Rosa, thank you so much for bringing us that piece.

ROMANS: I know.

JARRETT: You know, the nursing homes were such a terrible hotspot for the virus so early on in the pandemic. It's so nice to see that now -- you know, people coming back together.

ROMANS: And all these families working so hard to try to make some kind of connection --

JARRETT: Yes.

ROMANS: -- in any way that they can. That's just so critical.

That's it for us this morning. Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:59:10]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: After refusing to explicitly condemn white supremacy and right-wing extremists, President Trump declined to denounce them once again.

TRUMP: I don't know who the Proud Boys are. I can only say they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work.

BIDEN: My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is cease and desist.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wisconsin just reported its highest daily number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

DR. PAUL CASEY, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, BELLIN HOSPITAL, GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN: For the first time 16 years, we've had to put patients in hallway beds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have got to put the brakes on this pandemic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman. JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Thursday, October what?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: First.

BERMAN: It's October.

CAMEROTA: How did that happen?

BERMAN: Yes, it's October first. It's 6:00 here in New York.

And this morning, white supremacy is bad. White supremacists are dangerous. I condemn white supremacy.