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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Worst Day of Pandemic, Days Before 2020 Election; U.S. Futures Fall As Apple Shares Drop; Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence Tests Positive for COVID-19. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired October 30, 2020 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:21]
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: One new case per second, coronavirus reaching unprecedented levels just days before a national referendum on the handling of this pandemic.
(AUDIO GAP) around the world, this is EARLY START, good morning. I'm Christine Romans.
LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Laura Jarrett, it's Friday, October 30th. It's 5:00 a.m. in New York, just four days until the election, and early voting, in-person voting, I should say, ends today in Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and parts of Arizona.
ROMANS: All right. So we are heading into the last weekend before the election. And coronavirus is as out of control as it has ever been. Overnight, the U.S. recorded the highest single day of new cases since the pandemic began. Almost 89,000 cases reported yesterday alone. The four worst days of the pandemic, all came in the last week.
Now, the positive test rate is dangerously high in some states. In South Dakota, which has some of the weakest restrictions in the country, nearly half of the tests are coming back positive. Remember, first there are new cases, followed by hospitalizations, which are up nationwide in a month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, the bottom line, though, you're going to get better. You're going to get better. If I can get better, anybody can get better. And I've got better, folks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: The problem is tell that to the friends and the families of almost 229,000 Americans who did not get better. Nine hundred and seventy-one people died yesterday alone. New cases are up in 43 states. That's the most since the start of the pandemic.
That includes all sites CNN rates as competitive for this election. The 7-day average of new U.S. cases has doubled in just six weeks, the refusal by the White House to focus on science, is literally making people sick. A CNN investigation of 17 Trump campaign rallies finds that 82 percent of host counties had an increased rate of new cases after a Trump campaign rally, and a majority of counties rates had been falling until the president showed up.
These rallies were in August and September, so the figures don't even include recent events in states with big spikes in cases.
ROMANS: All right. In the waning days of the campaign, Joe Biden and president Trump are beefing up their travel schedules and their paths will cross. Both have three state on their itinerary today, and both will make stops in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
All the states they're visiting have seen spikes in coronavirus cases, especially Wisconsin where officials have been delivering dire warnings all week.
JARRETT: Biden and Trump were both in Florida yesterday, trying to shore up the Latino vote. The pandemic has spiked there since restrictions were lifted a few weeks ago. At competing rallies a few miles apart, Biden's events featured masks and social distancing, the president's rallies, however, just the opposite.
Jessica Dean is with the Biden campaign in Coconut Creek, Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Laura and Christine. Former Vice President Joe Biden traveling to the critical battleground state of Florida on Thursday where he delivered his closing argument to Floridians at two different drive-in rallies. He talked about the coronavirus pandemic, slamming President Trump for calling what he called super spreader events, these rallies, as President Trump was hosting a rally down the road in Tampa, while Joe Biden was here in Broward County.
He also talked a little bit about the importance of Florida, as a battleground state. He doesn't have to win it to get to 270 electoral votes but if he does it's going to be a sign of strength and could bring this contest to an early end.
BIDEN: This election is the most important one you've ever voted in, whether it's your first of 10th. Ladies and gentlemen, the heart and soul of this country is at stake, right here in Florida.
It's up to you. You hold the key. If Florida goes blue, it's over. It's over.
DEAN: He also talked about how health care is on the ballot, how important it is for millions of Americans in his view to maintain that coverage and expand that coverage which is what he said he wants to do if elected -- Laura and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Jessica, thank you. The Trump campaign announcing a 250-person limit for a rally later today in Minnesota. The campaign citing state guidelines. Remember, Minnesota reported three separate outbreaks related to Trump campaign events in September. The state is right now at record cases, and record hospitalization levels.
But the Trump campaign blames what it calls quote the free speech stifling dictates of Minnesota's governor and attorney general for the limited capacity today. In reality, the rules are about health and safety.
The president said this to another packed rally crowd in Florida.
[05:05:03]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We know the disease, we social distance. We do all of the things that you have to do. If you get close, wear a mask. Always controversial.
It's not controversial to me. You get close, you wear a mask. Social distance, social distance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: The people there are sitting close. He says that to a huge crowd of maskless supporters packed in like sardines at risk to everyone's health there.
Now, the president was in Florida where CNN has learned testing declined dramatically over the summer as Dr. Scott Atlas earned favor with the president. And urged officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis to limit testing to symptomatic people.
Now, Atlas is not an infectious disease expert, and Dr. Debra Birx has essentially abandoned the White House, instead taken the message on the road, visiting states to assess the situation on the ground.
ROMANS: All right. Minnesota voters won't have the week long grace period for mail-in ballots. A federal appeals court ruling absentee ballots must be received by Election Day to ensure they are counted. Just under 400,000 absentee ballots remain outstanding. The court said the extra week agreed to violates the lawsuit writing there's no pandemic exception to the Constitution.
That mirrors a Supreme Court ruling that shortened Wisconsin's deadline for receiving ballots as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: If you have an absentee ballot right now, drop it off in person. Go to iowavote.com, and that will give you the place you need to go. It speaks volumes when your goal is to make it more difficult to vote. ERIC HOLDER, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL: There's a lot (ph) of cheating
that Republicans are trying to do here, and they're trying to get courts to facilitate that cheating, and the way in which we get around that is by voting in person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So, even if you had requested an absentee ballot, you can vote in person on Election Day. If you don't want to vote in person again, the web site you can go to is iwillvote.com, and you can find the ballot drop-off sites, and deliver it yourself.
JARRETT: Meantime in Pennsylvania, thousands of voters in butler county say their mail-in ballots never arrived. Election officials tell CNN somewhere between the post office and the Pittsburgh sorting facility, something happened. The Post Office says it's unaware of any issues.
CNN has reporters across the battleground states.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jason Carroll in Dallas, Texas, where believe it or not, there's talk of Joe Biden's chances. Dallas's former mayor, a Republican, is voting for Biden, saying the former vice president has gone from having no shot to a long shot, to a medium shot of winning the state. Why? The state has seen a record number of early voting.
More than 8.4 million people have already cast ballots in the state, that's 94 percent of the total vote from 2016. Both sides are energized, but Democrats are feeling more encouraged than they have in decades, thanks to changing demographics, and with younger voters. The vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, is making three stops here later today.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Bill Weir in Madison, Wisconsin.
This state, this battleground state will see visits from both candidates and the president's daughter even as health officials worry of overflowing intensive care units. The infection rate at 27 percent in this state, and testing demand so high they had to shut down one location early in Madison.
Meanwhile, despite warnings of cyber attacks, the Wisconsin Republican Party say they fell victim to a phishing scam, and hackers made off with $2.3 million.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dianne Gallagher in Raleigh, North Carolina. More than 3.8 million voters have cast their ballots in the state already, most of those through the early in- person voting.
Now, the last days of that are Friday and Saturday. It's also the last time you'll be able to same-day register in this state. Those who requested mail-in ballots and haven't turned them in yet can still turn them into their county board of elections and they can mail them out, as long as it is postmarked by Election Day, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ballot receipt deadline of November 12th at 5:00 p.m.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Election coverage the way only CNN can bring it to you, understand (AUDIO GAP) across the country. "ELECTION NIGHT IN AMERICA", special live coverage (AUDIO GAP) 4:00 p.m. Eastern.
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[05:13:35]
ROMANS: All right. To business now, this Friday edition -- futures falling overnight, capping off a really rough week for stocks. Apple dropping about 4 percent after reporting a big drop in iPhone sales. Wall Street also concerned about stalled stimulus talks here.
Speaker Pelosi said Thursday that even with a Biden victory she wants a deal before inauguration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Why would we be talking to them if we didn't want a bill? First and foremost, the American people need help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: But the Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the White House's top negotiator, criticized Pelosi in a letter Thursday, telling her her all or known approach (AUDIO GAP)
While D.C. lawmakers squabble, there is no money coming to families and businesses that need it. Without aid, more small businesses will close, industries like travel and hospitality will shed thousands more jobs, and renters face eviction. According to the census, 9.9 million Americans are currently behind on rent or mortgages, almost 10 million people.
Moody's estimates outstanding rent payments alone could top $70 billion by the end of the year. That's more than $5,000 a person.
JARRETT: Yeah, the housing crisis is such an important story and that money is going to come due for rent in January.
Well, Georgia Republican Senator David Perdue opting out of the final scheduled debate with Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. Perdue will instead attend an event with President Trump.
Now, the debate this week between Perdue and Ossoff became heated and very personal.
[05:15:05]
Both Senate seats in Georgia are up for grabs right now.
In the other race, Republican incumbent, Kelly Loeffler is being met with let's call it skepticism for claiming she was not familiar with the infamous Trump Access Hollywood tape, a tape that was so widely covered back in 2016, the president even had to issue a rare apology so it seems unbelievable that she would not be familiar with it.
ROMANS: All right. Dan Coats says he has seen no evidence of widespread fraud despite President Trump's unfounded claim that the upcoming election is going to be corrupt. Coats gave his first TV interview since the president removed him as director of national intelligence last July, and he had a strong warning about election day and beyond. .
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN COATS, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: The nightmare scenario is that on election night, people will draw conclusions or days after will draw conclusions that their candidate has been denied a victory, and that public riots will result and violence might result from that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Coats told CBS's Norah O'Donnell that Russia is the New England Patriots of messing with elections. He says they do it better than anybody else. This came the same day twitter labeled a tweet from Russian state media that included a video implying widespread voter fraud. It's the first time Twitter tagged RT's account for manipulating elections.
JARRETT: All right. College football's biggest star sidelined by the pandemic. That's next.
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[05:21:04]
JARRETT: The biggest star in college football, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, has tested positive for coronavirus.
Coy Wire has this morning's "Bleacher Report".
Hey, Coy. So what's going to happen?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well, what remains to be seen, we do know some things, Laura. Listen, Lawrence took the college football world by storm, winning the national title as a freshman, and many believe he'll be the number one pick in the NFL draft.
Now, he's battling COVID-19. The Clemson star saying he has mild symptoms but is feeling well. Per ACC protocols, he'll have to isolate for at least ten days, so he's going to miss this weekend's game against Boston College and possibly next weekend's big showdown with Notre Dame. Lawrence taking to Twitter saying, quote: The only thing that hurts is
missing an opportunity to be with my teammates this weekend and play the game I love. I hate that I can't be there, but I'll be watching from isolation and pulling for our guys while I wait for the opportunity to rejoin the team. God bless and go Tigers.
Now, many schools feeling the economic strain of the pandemic, right, well, LSU, no exception, head football coach, Ed Orgeron, taking a 5 percent pay cut to reduce the athletic department's $80 million budget deficit. Orgeron reportedly makes $6 million a year. So, that would save about $300,000.
Several positions were also eliminated. The school says the moves will make the athletic department stronger in the years to come.
Thursday night football, last night, panthers hosting the Falcons, third quarter, Teddy Bridgewater gets trip up and drilled in the helmet by Charles Harris. Look at Teddy's teammates rushing to his defense right away. Harris gets ejected.
And then we'll go to the 4th quarter here. Todd Gurley giving the Falcons a lead with a touchdown run, and after losing three games this season, they hold on to win this one. Just over a minute to go. Falcons win 25-17, moving to two and six on the season.
As a former Atlanta Falcon myself, Laura, I say it was a good night and a good morning indeed.
JARRETT: Coy, before we let you go, I noticed we hadn't seen you in a few weeks, but it was for a good reason. Meet baby Ruby Jane Wire, look how cute she is.
She joins big sister Ren and mom Claire. Oh, my goodness, Coy, I know you're not getting any sleep, but how lucky are you?
WIRE: Yeah, we never get any sleep, right, but I am officially a girl dad, one of the greatest clubs on the planet. Those two bundles of love made me want to be a better man.
Laura, thank you so much to you and the team for taking the time to share this. My family is going to be so proud.
JARRETT: Congratulations. Oh, yeah, it's so exciting. Enjoy the special time, and no sleep.
WIRE: I will. Thank you.
ROMANS: All right. Congratulations, that is so awesome. I just want to bottle that up, and I'm going to need that for the whole next week.
All right. Thanks, Coy.
All right. At the rate we saw yesterday, there's a new case of coronavirus every second of the day. No end in sight to a pandemic that is defining the election.
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[05:28:45]
JARRETT: With coronavirus cases spiking across Europe and the United States right now, it's noteworthy that many countries in Latin America have managed to keep their numbers down, recently, although some are starting to tick up recently as well. There are 45 vaccines in human trials around the world. And now, Mexico is trying to enter the race.
CNN went inside a factory that's preparing for vaccine production.
Matt Rivers has more from Mexico City.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, CNN was recently given exclusive access to one of the vaccine trials currently underway here in Mexico. This will be a nationally developed and produced vaccine that researchers hope to get on the market here by the end of next year. They say they know that their vaccine will not be the first one to reach the marketplace.
But they say that doesn't matter. The more vaccines that exist in the world, they say the better because different populations can be affected differently by each vaccine. They also say we don't yet know how effective the first round of vaccines being developed in places like China and the United States will be.
Now, the foreign ministry of Mexico is actually funding at least six different vaccine trials here in Mexico. Through different purchase agreements, the foreign ministry has secured, they say, up to 116 million doses of foreign developed vaccines. But they say developing vaccines right here in Mexico is crucial because they're going to need a lot of vaccines.
