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As Coronavirus Spreads Across U.S. At Record Levels, President- Elect Biden Lays Out Pandemic Control Plan; Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris Makes History; U.S. Allies Congratulate Biden, Some World Leaders Silent. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired November 09, 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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[05:30:21]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, the coronavirus pandemic is spreading across America at record-breaking levels. Nearly 106,000 new coronavirus cases were reported yesterday. That's the fifth- highest day since the pandemic began.

The trend map shows cases rising in 43 states. No states are in green, meaning headed in the right direction this morning. Nineteen states are seeing record hospitalizations.

Joining us now is CNN political commentator, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. He's an epidemiologist and Detroit's former health director. Doctor, great to have you here.

I don't know if you were listening but we just had breaking news moments ago where the Biden-Harris administration has announced their, roughly, dozen experts that will be on their coronavirus task force that they will be relying on. And it's also some names that we already know -- Zeke Emanuel, Celine Gounder, Rick Bright -- all of these doctors.

What will change as a result of that?

DR. ABDUL EL-SAYED, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT (via Cisco Webex): Well, you're going to see leadership that starts with science and then ends with public policy and allows the transition in the administration to take the politics from there.

This science and evidence-based leadership is what we've been missing since the beginning of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has asked what is politically ideal for Donald Trump and then tried to maneuver and massage the science to match that.

And so, having scientists who are credible, who are thoughtful, who are leaders in their field who will not in any way take the science and try and massage it into a message, but rather take that science and ask what it tells us about what we ought to be doing in our public policy, that's what we've needed from the beginning. And so, I think this is a reset button if you will, and the opportunity to watch as over the next 71 days, the Biden transition puts together a real plan that they can execute on day one -- the day he swears that oath of office. And so this is just a real big change in the kind of leadership we'll see.

That doesn't mean that COVID will go away. That does mean, however, that we will have the tools and the opportunity to take it on and take down this pandemic in a thoughtful, evidence-driven direction. And so, I think this is a really important refresh.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Dr. El-Sayed, I have to say, a lot of people's focus over the last week, understandably, was on the election. But while they were looking at numbers coming in from vote returns, the numbers on the pandemic were just ghastly. I mean, really horrifying stuff.

We had more than 100,000 new cases on a Sunday. Sundays are supposed to be the slow days. You're seeing the beginning of what does appear to be exponential growth in the case numbers. The hospitalizations are almost back at their height from the summer.

I am concerned and I'm wondering what your concerns are about when this will stop. I mean, how -- this steep rise we're on right now, what's going to turn it around, and when?

EL-SAYED: Yes, that's right, John. This is something that epidemiologists and scientists have been foretelling for a long time that once we got into the colder months in the fall that we would see an increase in cases, largely because people are going indoors.

What people can do, though, is wear masks. What they can do is make sure that they're washing and sanitizing their hands. What they can do is forego those extra-added non-necessary interactions, and that they can stay socially distant.

Those things work. We know they do. And it's the fact that we have to keep focusing on them and keep insisting upon them that is our best shot.

Look, at the end of the day, this task force is going to be critical to turning the page on COVID-19, but it doesn't mean that COVID-19 is all of a sudden going away. There are 71 days before that task force is actually advising an administration that's really in power. And for right now, we've got to insist upon holding ourselves accountable to what we can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our families.

And so, you know, just because the election turned out in one direction and we've got evidence-based and science-based leadership doesn't take us off the hook of doing the things that we need to do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. And we've got to hold that case growth down, even as we've got an administration on its way that really can bring in the kinds of resources and evidence-based leadership that we've lacked for a long time.

CAMEROTA: Dr. El-Sayed, thank you very much. EL-SAYED: Thank you.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris making history. We will discuss this glass-shattering moment, next.

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[05:39:30]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.

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BERMAN: Sen. Kamala Harris making all kinds of history this morning. She is the first woman to be a vice president-elect, the first black woman to be a vice president-elect, the first South Asian woman to be a vice president-elect of the United States. So all kinds of history going on here all at once.

[05:40:09]

Joining us now is CNN political commentator Karen Finney. She's a former senior spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.

Karen, if you will, just reflect on this moment.

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER SENIOR SPOKESPERSON, CLINTON 2016 CAMPAIGN (via Cisco Webex): Whoo, I have to tell you, it is -- I'm going to get -- I'm going to get emotional because it is emotional. You know, it was emotional.

And there was a point -- and we've had this conversation -- where so many -- many of us believed we -- it should be a black woman. And there was questions about could it be a black woman. And then it became why wouldn't it be a black woman. And then it was Kamala.

And I guess the thing I would say -- you know, this is a new chapter in the history of black women in this country and if you think about the arc of history of the fact that black people came to this country and we were slaves. And she will walk into the White House, a house built by slaves, as the first black woman vice president, the first woman president of Indian descent.

So there aren't even enough adequate words to express. But looking at little girls, I think, in little t-shirts that say "My vice president looks like me" I think is the best way to express it.

CAMEROTA: And, Karen, you were part of a small group that met with Joe Biden before this election, as well as his selection committee, to make the case for having a black woman as a running mate. And at the time when you met with him was that considered a big risk? Did you think -- I mean, was there a feeling among the campaign or other advisers that would scuttle his chances? Like, how hard of a sell was that?

FINNEY: It was a tough sell because at that point in time there was a lot of the conventional thinking about -- and this is not to denigrate any of the other fantastic women who were being considered, but the idea was well, maybe it should be a safer choice. Someone who would help in the Midwest or some -- you know, we tend to play that game.

And our argument -- we focused on the math, we focused on the message, and we focused on the money when we made our case.

And we pointed out the math. If you look at the way that -- where black women and where black voters have their strength -- Detroit, for Michigan; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and areas where we fell short in 2016 but where black people, like women in particular, could make the difference.

And we talked about this moment in history and what this meant having been (audio gap) for so long to saying this is our moment to be leaders in this party and to -- and for you to light that history. And then -- and then -- and then we talked about this is someone who will help bring enthusiasm and energy and broaden the base of support and deepen the support for the ticket.

And it's my understanding that conversation sat with the vice president and it -- and I guess we started to help change some minds. And then other black women around the country started adding in -- coming into that conversation and adding their -- lending their names to that conversation. So it was a -- it was a -- not an obvious conclusion when we started back in April and May.

BERMAN: Well, Kamala Harris is the personification of shattering all kinds of glass ceilings in this case, right? And she's also the personification of the diversity of America.

But, Karen, you personally worked so hard to get Hillary Clinton elected president and she was not able --

FINNEY: Yes.

BERMAN: -- to shatter that glass ceiling. Not able to go that final just little distance.

Sarah Palin, as John McCain's running mate, not able to get into the White House or to the administration this way.

This is a significant step. As far as the United States has come, it's mind-blowing to sit here and think that in 2020 that no woman has ever been president or vice president, and that's going to change now on January 20th.

FINNEY: Yes.

BERMAN: I mean, that is a huge difference.

FINNEY: Oh -- BERMAN: And I think -- look, Kamala Harris, when she sat there -- or stood there on the stage and made the statement I'm not the last woman who was going to be here wasn't just talking about vice -- the vice presidency either. She was talking about this next really way too long in coming step in American history.

FINNEY: Yes. Well, and think about this, John. We had our first black president. We had the first woman become the nominee of a party and win with -- by the popular vote -- almost come just this close to winning the presidency. And now, we have a black woman vice president.

And one of the things I want young people to take from this is this is how progress works. You work hard and you keep at it. And it's not just you come out and vote one time, but you keep voting and you stay engaged. And that's how we make change happen.

[05:45:00]

And we are going to make sure that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are successful. She is so important to so many women.

But most importantly, I think she's going to be such a wonderful governing partner to Vice President Biden because she brings such a unique-lived experience -- an experience of people who look like me. People who look different and look like this country, who have -- you know, maybe have immigrant parents and came to this country. So she has this -- all this wealth of a different type of experience that will be at the top decision-making tables of our country.

It's -- I mean, you're right, John, January 21st -- it's going to be such a celebration on so many levels and so exciting.

BERMAN: Karen Finney, thanks for being with us this morning, sharing this moment. Really appreciate it.

FINNEY: Thank you.

BERMAN: Talking about 2020, talk about news. Breaking overnight, a dangerous tropical storm making landfall in the Florida Keys. Heavy rain, flooding in all of South Florida. We have Chad Myers tracking this for us, next.

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[05:50:15]

CAMEROTA: Breaking overnight, South Florida is getting drenched by a tropical storm that made landfall in the Florida Keys early this morning. So where is it heading next? CNN meteorologist Chad Myers joins us now. What are you seeing, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's a great question. This thing is just going to hang out in the Gulf of Mexico for days, maybe making landfall on Friday or Saturday.

This is a very slow-moving storm. The storm is 65 miles per hour. It moved through the Middle Keys overnight. That's where the bulk of the precip was.

We are still seeing, though, Miami-Dade right now with the worst of it at this point in time -- even to regional Southwest Airport around Fort Myers. That's where the biggest weather is today.

And it's going to be a 65 mile per hour storm for a while and then actually turn into a 75 mile per hour hurricane back out here in the Gulf of Mexico. Wander around for days and finally make landfall, I guess, up in the northern part of Florida or maybe over toward coastal Louisiana, Mississippi over the weekend. It's just going to hang out there for days and days and days, not really going anywhere.

This started before Halloween and then made landfall down in Nicaragua and also into Guatemala. Very bad flooding in Panama as well. It worked its way around Cuba, back into the Florida Straits yesterday, and then across the Keys late last night.

So it's just going to be a weather maker. Even the potential for some water spouts coming onshore in South Florida, down through here. Every time one of these bands comes onshore we'll have to watch that -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: It sounds miserable, Chad. Thank you very much.

MYERS: Yes, you're welcome.

CAMEROTA: So, leaders around the world are reacting to Joe Biden's victory. What they're saying and who remains silent this morning.

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[05:56:16]

BERMAN: This morning, leaders from all around the world congratulating President-elect Joe Biden, but a few have remained silent as President Trump refuses to concede.

CNN's Nic Robertson live at 10 Downing Street in London with the very latest -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, good morning, John.

Well, from the Kremlin in Russia, we hear that they're not going to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden until the legal wrangling over who actually won the election is over. Hearing roughly the same thing from China as well. They're saying, however, that they do believe there can be a better relationship going forward or the possibility of it with Joe Biden.

Interesting here in Europe. We've heard today from Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, saying the transatlantic alliance hugely important between Europe and the United States and really hopes that under Joe Biden's leadership that can be strengthened. That Europe, she said, recognizes it needs to play a bigger role. Of course, Angela Merkel had such a tough time at the end of, sort of, some of President Trump's statements about their commitment to NATO, about Russia's gas pipeline as well. So the Germans really looking to firm up that relationship.

We've heard it from the European Union. The commission president there today saying that the transatlantic partnership hugely important -- important right now for combating coronavirus and the economic fallout from it.

Indeed, you have E.U. trade ministers today meeting to discuss precisely how they can get rid of some of the damaging tariffs and trade war between the United States and Europe at the moment. That's important.

We've heard today from the Irish foreign minister talking about Joe Biden's deep Irish roots and how that will be important to protect Ireland and the European Union and the Brexit negotiations that are going on.

And that affects the prime minister, Boris Johnson, right here, because the Irish foreign minister was noting that Joe Biden has told Boris Johnson, in your Brexit talks, if you damage the Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland, which is so important in Ireland right now -- if you damage that, then forget getting a good trade deal with the United States -- which, of course, Boris Johnson had hoped to get with President Trump. He's not going to get that. He's got to reframe now his posture towards the White House.

So everyone is looking at that change, but positively for the greatest part -- John.

BERMAN: There will be big differences. That is for sure.

Nic Robertson at 10 Downing Street. Nic, thanks so much.

NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the very first days of President-elect Joe Biden's team, he is going to hone in on the coronavirus pandemic.

KATE BEDINGFIELD, BIDEN DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: The work starts right away. He's going to launch the coronavirus task force.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House apparently planning this messaging blitz --

PROTESTERS: Stop the steal!

ACOSTA: -- this argument from President Trump that the election was stolen from him, a claim that at this point, is unsupported by any evidence whatsoever.

GOV. KRISTI NOEM (R), SOUTH DAKOTA: We should give President Trump his day in court and let the process unfold.

SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): It's destructive to the cause of democracy to suggest widespread fraud or corruption.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Monday, November ninth, 6:00 here in New York.

Our special coverage of this remarkable moment in history continues. And we do have breaking news from the presidential transition.

Just a few minutes ago, President-elect Joe Biden appointed the members of his Coronavirus Advisory Board. The chairs are former surgeon general, Vivek Murthy; former FDA commissioner, David Kessler; Yale doctor, Marcella Nunez-Smith.

Other interesting names on the list include Zeke Emanuel, Dr. Celine Gounder, Michael Osterholm, all of whom you've seen a great deal here on CNN. And, Dr. Rick Bright, the whistleblower who sounded.