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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

CNN Calls Arizona for President-Elect Joe Biden; "Dejected" Trump Waffles Over Pushing Baseless Election Fight; U.S. Surpasses Record 150K New Cases, Most Ever Hospitalizations; Tiger Woods Starts Strong in First Fall Masters. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 13, 2020 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:16]

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, November 13th. Happy Friday, 5:00 a.m. in New York.

And, breaking overnight, CNN now projecting President-elect Joe Biden will win Arizona, a long time Republican stronghold and the home state of the late GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

President Trump has repeatedly attacked the Republican senator even after his death in 2018, furious that McCain voted against repealing Obamacare. Last night, his widow, Cindy McCain, talked to Wolf Blitzer about what her husband might think of Trump blocking access to federal agencies, funds and security briefings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY MCCAIN, WIDOW OF SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: We are a country that passes peaceful transitions between administrations. That's the way it's always been. And I'm quite certain my husband would be yelling at the top of his lungs at his colleagues and with his colleagues to help stop this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: We are also hearing from Joe Biden's newly named chief of staff for the first time since the election. MJ Lee is live for us this morning from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

And, MJ, this projection for Arizona, a week and a half later, shows you how tight some of these states are, how they're carefully counting these votes and now statistically, the math just is undeniable.

MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christine, and I think we should be emphatic about just what a remarkable political feat this is for Joe Biden. Remember, this is a state that a Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won since 1996. This was Bill Clinton, and it speaks so much to the growing and changing demographics in the state of Arizona over the last few years including, of course, and we have reported on this a lot, a growing Hispanic population across the state, and we saw Biden's campaign really try to harness the fact that those demographics have been changing and really went all in in trying to flip this state, and now overnight, we have learned that he, in fact, has.

Now, this, of course, means in the bigger picture that it only further cements Biden's declared victory in the 2020 race, even despite the sitting president continuing to not concede this race, which really just continues to be a remarkable story. Eleven electoral votes from the state of Arizona now going into the Biden column and in terms of the popular vote, he is well over now 5 million votes ahead of President Trump.

Now, you mentioned Biden's newly named chief of staff, Ron Klain. He is sort of trying to signal that they are moving full steam ahead with this transition process, and of course a part of their bigger focus is what they're going to do starting on day one, in trying to contain COVID-19.

Klain gave a new interview where he talked about this COVID coordinator for President-elect Biden. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON KLAIN, CHIEF OF STAFF TO PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN: And he will have a COVID coordinator who works in the White House who has direct access to him, and will be briefing him daily. That official will have a team of people that he works with, someone coordinating, he or she works with, someone coordinating vaccine distribution, someone coordinating fixing the supply chain problems we're having. Someone coordinating fixing the testing problems we're having.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: I think we might also want to take a beat to take stock of everything Biden still does not have access to because President Trump is refusing to concede the race. He isn't able to get the presidential daily briefings. These are important classified briefings that a president-elect at this moment in the transition would typically have access to.

A lot of folks saying this is very important for national security reasons. He can not tap into transition funding yet, and we have of course talked about messages from the State Department from foreign leaders, that are simply being held up and not being passed on to the president-elect, because he does not yet have access to State Department resources.

So, all of these things are still going on. Again, I just want to emphasize that Biden's transition team is continuing to press that they are moving full steam ahead, regardless of what kind of noise the Trump team might be making.

ROMANS: Remarkable that four years ago, you know, the president-elect had already been to the White House, the transition was well underway, and the president-elect had lost the popular vote even this time around very different story.

All right. MJ Lee, thank you so much.

JARRETT: All right. Sources say President Trump meanwhile is still going back and forth with his advisers over whether to keep fighting to contest this election or admit that he lost to Joe Biden.

[05:05:01]

One adviser telling CNN the president is, quote, dejected by the ordeal as he remains hunkered down largely out of sight at the White House. No aides or advisers say they think a concession is imminent, but an internal debate is raging right now within his own team over the wisdom of continuing this fight.

One adviser says Trump could be seen as losing twice as each challenge fails. CNN's Kaitlan Collins has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, yesterday was one week since we had seen the president actually speak directly to reporters. Possibly one of the first times in his presidency that he has gone that long without talking to the media. But it came as on Twitter he was continuing to contest the outcome of the election, alleging there were fraudulent votes even though as we have noted many times, there is no evidence to back up the president's claims.

But what was remarkable that we saw yesterday was this rebuke from his own administration, the Department of Homeland Security over the president's claims. We saw the cyber security and infrastructure security agency put out a statement from a high ranking official saying this was the most secure election and that none of these votes were fraudulent in the way that the president has alleged. They actually said making clear there is no evidence that any voting system was compromised in any way.

Of course that comes after the president was retweeting articles from fringe web sites and fringe news channels, alleging that there was this fraud using this system that was used across the country, just has no evidence to back up what the president is saying. So, the question is how much longer is the president going to continue this, because we have seen a crack in support among Republicans on Capitol Hill who are coming out saying that Joe Biden does deserve to have those classified intelligence briefings that typically a president- elect would get immediately, but so far, the Trump administration has blocked.

So the question really in the president's circle is not what the end of this is going to look like, because they know the president is not going to be in office past January. The question is, how long does he continue to drag this out? And right now, they believe it's still going to go on for at least a few more days.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ROMANS: All right. As Kaitlan mentioned, the GOP wall of support for President Trump is showing a few cracks. Most Republicans seem to believe they found a middle ground, suggesting the president can continue legal challenges or demand recounts but also allowing President-elect Biden to receive classified briefings.

Among the Republican senators taking that route are close allies like Lindsey Graham, as well as James Lankford of Oklahoma and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MIKE ROUNDS (R-SD): At this point, just as a matter of protecting our nation's interests, I do think that both the president and his competition here, the vice president Biden should have access to those classified reports.

SEN. JAMES LANKFORD (R-OK): We should be in the same posture that we were in throughout the whole campaign, with of them both receiving briefings as they're both trying to be able to prepare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Former President Barack Obama, meantime, says playing to the president's wounded ego has a cost. Obama tells "60 Minutes" that condoning President Trump's false claims of election fraud poses a threat that all should take seriously.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT: They appear to be motivated, in part, because the president doesn't like to lose and never admits loss. I'm more troubled by the fact that other Republican officials who clearly know better are going along with this, are humoring him in this fashion. It is one more step in delegitimizing, not just the incoming Biden administration, but democracy generally, and that's a dangerous path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Still, the hunt for ballot fraud goes on. More than half of all the counties in Arizona conducted post-election audits and here's what they found, no fraud. The audits were conducted in Arizona's four largest counties which make up 86 percent of all the votes for president in that state, yet election officials say three GOP leaning counties, Yuma, Gila and La Paz did not conduct audits.

JARRETT: In Georgia, the Trump campaign claims that the identities of four deceased people were used to vote illegally. Now, election officials have already debunked two of the claims and are looking into the other two. Georgia's full hand recount of presidential ballots begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

Meanwhile, Georgia's secretary of state is now in quarantine after his wife tested positive for coronavirus. He and his staff have all undergone testing. Thos those results, though, have not been released. ROMANS: Add Corey Lewandowski to the growing list of Trump aides who

have contracted coronavirus. Lewandowski is senior adviser to the Trump reelection campaign tested positive this week. He tells CNN he is feeling fine. He will stay home as a precaution. Lewandowski is one of at least six people close to the president who contracted the virus after attending campaign events, including a packed largely maskless election night party at the White House.

[05:10:02]

JARRETT: Yeah, another super spreader there.

Well, now that Pfizer says its vaccine is more than 90 percent effective, everyone wants to know how long before people can actually get vaccinated. We will have more on the timeline for that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JARRETT: The coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is worsening every day. Overnight, new cases exceeded 150,000 for the first time. A record number of people are also hospitalized for the third day in a row. One widely used model projects deaths will reach at least 438,000 by March.

However, that doesn't factor in a possible vaccine. Now, if Pfizer's vaccine gets fast emergency approval, the Trump administration now says that people could get it by early next year.

[05:15:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX AZAR, HHS SECRETARY: Initially in December and January, we're going to be having very targeted vaccinations, also helped in large part by some of our largest chains like Walgreens and CVS, by the end of March to early April. We think across all of the vaccines that we have invested and we have enough for all Americans who wish to get vaccinated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: But remember, others in the administration have put that time line closer to September, for vaccinating the general public.

CNN's Nick Watt has more from Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: We know these informal gatherings of family and friends are contributing to this latest surge. I don't know how much more we can sound the alarm about what's going on here.

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since November 1st, more than 1 million Americans have been infected. Hospitalizations now at an all time high.

DR. MEGAN RANNEY, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY: I admitted more patients with COVID-19 on my last shift than I ever have.

WATT: And the death toll is climbing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked at us, he smiled and he gave us the thumbs up, and that was the last memory I have of dad.

WATT: This wave dwarfs the spring and summer surges.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: I doubt we're going to eradicate this. I think we need to plan that this is something we may need to maintain control over chronically. Certainly, it's not going to be pandemic for a lot longer because I believe the vaccines are going to turn that around.

WATT: And in the meantime, a national lockdown, but less than half of Americans are very likely to comply to stay home a month, according to a new Gallup poll, down from 67 percent in the spring.

FAUCI: There is no appetite for locking down in the American public but I believe that we can do it without a lockdown.

WATT: We used to talk a lot about hot spots, now almost the entire country is hot. Average case counts rising in 44 states.

GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R), OHIO: We have seen huge spreads from funerals, weddings, just people getting together to watch football.

WATT: All of these colleges were supposed to play Saturday, now they're not, because some lineups are just so depleted by COVID-19. There's also a surge up in Canada sparked in part by their Thanksgiving held in early October. The CDC now says the best way for Americans to give thanks this year is online.

DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: The good news is that next thanksgiving is going to be fabulous. It's going to be the best ever. This Thanksgiving is going to suck a bit.

WATT (on camera): So, here in the U.S., unlikely, there will be a national lock down, but certain places are reintroducing restrictions. The city of Chicago has just announced a stay home advisory. Ohio, which has had a mask mandate since July says that it will now actually send agents out to enforce that mandate, and in New York City, the mayor says he is preparing to close schools down again if the positivity rate in that city keeps on rising.

Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: And sobering comments from the Fed Chief Jerome Powell Thursday. The economy as we know it might be over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEROME POWELL, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL RESERVE: We're not going back to the same economy. We're recovering, but to a different economy, and it will be one that is more leveraged to technology, and I worry that that is going to be make it even more difficult than it was for many workers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Yeah, we're still down 10 million jobs since the crisis began, and while technological advances are generally positive over the long-term economists say, Powell noted they create disruption in the short-term. As the market adjusts to the new normal, the pain is not evenly shared. Who gets hit? Lower paid workers and many people who work in face-to-face jobs in the restaurant and retail industry. They will most likely struggle to get back to work.

Powell also said the post-pandemic economy is at risk of being less productive. Women have been forced to quit their jobs to take care of their children or family members, their parents, and many children reason getting the education they deserve.

Powell once again said the economy will need more stimulus from Congress and the central bank to get through this crisis.

Really sobering stuff there, Laura.

JARRETT: Yeah. It seems like through all of this, he has sort of been the voice of reality, even as hard as it might be to swallow, he seems to always be willing to speak the truth on this stuff.

All right. Still ahead, the pandemic means a whole new backdrop for one of golf's biggest events. We've got the "Bleacher Report" for you, next.

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[05:23:57]

ROMANS: All right. Tiger Woods in the first fall Masters providing a welcome distraction from the global pandemic and disputed presidential election.

Coy Wire has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report".

I still can't get used to the fall foliage.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: No azaleas, Christine, and you're like many of us, this pandemic forcing the match will be played in November instead of April is odd. There's no doubt about it, but players after the opening round are saying this is still special.

The biggest story line this year, can Tiger Woods defend his title, win a 6th green jacket? So far, looks like it. Tiger shooting a 68 for the day, bogey free. That's the first time he has done that in the opening round of the Masters and tied his best round at Augusta.

But Tiger says things are definitely different this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TIGER WOODS, PRO-GOLFER: No patrons, no roars, we're asking the few of the camera guys, where did the ball end up because we just didn't know. So, that's -- it's very different. A lot of firsts today, and this is kind of the way this entire year has been.

[05:25:04]

And the fact that we're able to compete for a Masters this year, considering all that has been going on, it's a great opportunity for all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Tiger starts second round three shots behind leader Paul Casey, but the first round isn't finished yet for 44 golfers. Thunderstorms caused a three-hour delay yesterday.

Let's go to the Titans hosting the Colts, in a battle with divisional foes in primetime, and an emotion that Tennessee received at Corey Davis, playing a day after his old brother Titus died at age 27 from a rare form of kidney cancer. Corey making his brother proud, a time high five catches, 67 yards.

Davis's effort courageous, but wouldn't be enough. Indy Running back Myheim Hines scoring two touchdowns on his 24th birthday, carrying his team to a big win on the road, 34-17. Indy is now in first place in the AFC South.

The Ivy League, the first division one conference this year to cancel all winter sports, including men's and women's basketball, two weeks before the season was set to begin. The Ivy League has been a trail blazer in the fight against coronavirus. It was the first conference to call off the postseason basketball tournament and all major college and pro sports leagues, remember halted play as well within days.

JARRETT: Right.

WIRE: The Ivy League also announcing there are already postponing a start of spring sports and not going to make up any other fall sports, Laura. So, school presidents are saying, look, rising coronavirus transmission rates are factoring in, and they're committed to doing their part to limit the spread of it.

JARRETT: Yeah, given the way the virus is just raging around the country it seems hard to go forward with sports right now on the college level.

All right. Coy, nice to see you. Have a good weekend. Appreciate it.

WIRE: You too.

JARRETT: All right. America's allies lining up to congratulate President-elect Biden and now, one of its global rivals has too. We have a live report for you next.

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