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Coronavirus Cases Surging Everywhere, Especially In South Dakota; Dustin Johnson Wins The Masters. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired November 16, 2020 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:31:50]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, NEW DAY HOST: The worst place for coronavirus this morning is South Dakota. It is experiencing record cases, deaths, and hospital levels. The positivity rate there is the highest in the nation at almost 60 percent. The state has taken a hands-off approach to public health protocols recommended by the CDC. Back in July, President Trump hosted an Independence Day celebration. As you can see on your screen this was in a packed amphitheater at Mount Rushmore. A month later, nearly a half million bikers flooded into the town of Sturgis for an annual motorcycle rally. South Dakota's Republican Governor, Kristi Noem, supported both events and refuses to issue public safety directives such as wearing masks. Here's what she said a couple of weeks ago at a Trump rally.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

GOV. KRISTI NOEM (R), S.D.: The only reason you know who I am today is because the liberals have been busy kicking me in the head for all the decisions I've made for my people in South Dakota. But let me tell you my people are happy. They're happy because they're free.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CAMEROTA: We invited Governor Noem to join us this morning, but she declined, but here to describe what she's seeing on the front lines in South Dakota is Jodi Doering. She's a registered nurse who has called the coronavirus crisis in her state, quote, "a horror movie that never ends." Nurse Doering, thank you so much for being here. When I read some of your tweets, my jaw dropped. You said that even now that the hospitals being overrun with COVID patients, they come in, they're horribly ill, they're gasping for breath, and yet they don't believe they have COVID?

JODI DOERING, REGISTERED EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE: Yes, I think the hardest thing to watch is that people are still looking for something else and they want a magic answer and they don't want to believe that COVID is real. And the reason I tweeted what I did is it isn't one particular patient. It's just a culmination of so many people, and their last, dying words are this can't be happening. It's not real. And when they should be spending time face timing their families they're filled with anger and hatred, and it just made me really sad the other night. And I just can't believe that those are going to be their last thoughts and words.

CAMEROTA: Anger and hatred towards you?

DOERING: You know, I think it's just a belief that it's not real and nursing happens to be on the receiving end of that, and that's OK. We can take that. That's what you're there for. It's just in the bigger picture when you try to reason with people of can I call your family, your kids, your wife, your friend, your brother and they say no because I'm going to be fine and you're watching their oxygen levels, you know, maxed out on what we call Vapotherm at a 100 percent and their oxygen level might be 75. that's not really that compatible with life and we know where that's going to head, and it just makes you sad and mad and frustrated, and then you know that you're just going to come back and do it all over again. And so, yes. That's kind of where that stemmed from.

[07:35:00]

CAMEROTA: How could it not make your own head explode? They're gasping for breath. Their oxygen levels are dropping. What do they think is wrong with them?

DOERING: You know, I think people look for anything. People want it to be influenza. They want it to be pneumonia. They want it to be - I mean, we've even had people say, well, I think it may be lung cancer. I mean, something so far fetched, and the reality is since day one when COVID started in this area in March, you've kind of been able to say if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's a duck. Like I hate to tell you that you have COVID, but that's what you have. You know, even after positive results come back some people just don't believe it. Now, that's not everybody. We have a lot of patients who are very, very grateful for their care and very thankful for what you do, but unfortunately that's not what I'm remembering right now, and as my nursing career that's not what I want to be remembered - be remembering for. I want to remember the saves and the happy situations, and what I was remembering chilling on the couch the other night was not that.

CAMEROTA: Of course not. I mean, of course not, and it's just so mind blowing to think that -

(CROSSTALK)

DOERING: Yes.

CAMEROTA: -- they would rather have lung cancer. They'd rather a diagnosis -

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

DOERING: Yes.

CAMEROTA: -- of cancer than of coronavirus.

DOERING: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And so, I mean, you've said that - just I mean if I quote you from morning television that it's and effing horror movie that you live every day. And so, what toll is this taking on you?

DOERING: Yes. Hindsight I didn't realize that this was going to go viral. I probably could have left the f-bomb out of there, but the reality is that's how you feel. And so, it is like it's just a move where the credits never roll. You just do it all over again, and it's hard and sad because ever hospital, every nurse, every doctor in this state is seeing the same things. These people get sick in the same way. You treat them in the same way. They die in the same way, and then you do it over again. And we're so thankful for the lessons we've learned along the way and we're doing a good job of taking care of the people that come in. And we're managing our patient loads here right now. Sometimes it's day-to-day. Sometimes it's hour-to-hour, but the reality is that right now it's not getting better. You said just as you started the show, you know, 50 to 60 percent positivity rate. I mean, our entire state has 880,000 people. It doesn't take much to do the math on that for how many of us are sick.

CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh. When you hear your governor, Kristi Noem, say, "My people are happy. They're happy because they're free," what's your response?

DOERING: You know, I think it's frustrating as a healthcare provider because the last thing that we ask anyone when they seek care is how they voted or if they're a Democrat or Republican. The last thing we ever think about is that. What we think about is how can I help you? And so, anybody that uses any chance to make this political makes any healthcare provider want to scream because at the end of the day we just want to help, and if we don't get some help from the public as far as mask wearing and social distancing, you know, there's a thing on the internet right now that says I'm not your first line of defense. I'm your last, and that actually is true in South Dakota that by the time you get to me and the team that we work with it might be too late for some, and that is heartbreaking because the reality is we're a small state. The town I live in has 650 people and we have 680 deaths right now. I mean, that's my entire town wiped off the map. We know these people. We go to school with them, church, grocery store. It's every small town story you've every heard.

CAMEROTA: But just so I understand, Nurse Doering, you have more deaths than you have people in your town?

DOERING: Yes. In the state of South Dakota - I haven't looked in the last few hours - I think we had 683. Don't quote me on that, but the town I live in has 650 people. So when you put in perspective and people have listened to me talk about this for the last nine months, that's every single person in our town gone. That's pretty mind blowing. If we had a tornado that came through and killed 20 people, we would stop and look and the national news would be there. And so, the fact that we have this many deaths in a town - or in a state this size is mind blowing to me, and it's not currently getting better.

CAMEROTA: Nurse Jodi Doering, thank you very much for sounding the alarm. Thank you for all the you do for your patients even when they scream at you, and we just -

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

DOERING: Yes.

CAMEROTA: -- we just really appreciate you and that you go back in every day and do that all over again.

DOERING: You bet. Thanks a lot. I appreciate, you know, my five minute of Twitter fame can bring a little bit of positivity to this state. I'm going to take it and run with it, so thank you.

CAMEROTA: We hope so. Thank you, Nurse. We'll check back with you. John -

JOHN BERMAN, NEW DAY HOST: Look, she says it's not getting better. It's getting decidedly worse. We have more deaths reported on Sunday than any Sunday since May.

[07:40:00]

We want to remember some of the more than 246,000 Americans now lost to coronavirus. Indiana college student, Bethany Nesbitt, was just 20- years-old. 20. She died of a blood clot in her lungs partially caused by coronavirus. Grace College says the psychology major from Michigan was one of the youngest - was the youngest of nine children and was laser-focused on helping ill and disabled children.

97-year-old Allen Baird was former Chair of Mrs. Baird's Bakery at Texas Institution started by his grandmother in the 20s. He rose through the ranks of the family business starting in high school after a stint flying bombers in World War II. Baird helped open factories across the state. May their memories be a blessing. We'll be right back.

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[07:45:00]

Newsflash - Joe Biden is the president-elect and will become President of the United States on January 20, and those who at this point denied or are telling you otherwise are going from just lying to perhaps something more worrisome. John Avlon here with the reality check.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right. Look, we all know that the first of the five stages of grief is denial, but this is ridiculous.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

PETER NAVARRO, DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND MANUFACTURING POLICY: We're moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term. AINSLEY EARHARDT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: President Trump believes he will be President Trump, have a second term. I think the president will attend his own inauguration. He would have to be there in fact.

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.

LOU DOBBS, LOU DOBBS TONIGHT HOST: What I'd like to know is what in the hell is the Republican Party doing to defend and to - I mean, why not just say we're not going to accept the results of this election? It's outrageous.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

AVLON: All right, let's be clear. What we're watching is far more dangerous than Republicans simply coddling President Trump's ego until he accepts losing the election. It reveals a discomfort with democracy itself because after losing eight lawsuits on Friday alone, Republicans are enabling an autocratic strain in our politics that sees any election loss by their side as illegitimate. Now, the dictionary definition of democracy is government by the people, especially rule of the majority, and rule of the majority is apparently where the problem comes in. Listen to Ken Starr's stake.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

KEN STARR, FORMER UNITED STATES SOLICITOR GENERAL: To count every vote may be a crime. It may even be a crime under federal law. If that is then (ph) here's the key word. Illegal ballot (ph).

(END VIDEOCLIP)

AVLON: He's saying the quiet part out loud again, but the fact is that Republicans have gotten very comfortable winning without a majority of votes. Get this. Republicans have lost the popular vote in five of the last six elections but won the presidency in 12 of the last 20 years. In the Senate, the current Republican majority represents 15 million fewer Americans than the Democratic minority, and that margin's only expected to grow. In the House, Republicans have benefited from the rigged system of redistricting, which led Democrats winning more congressional votes but fewer House seats in battleground states. Yes, Republicans have gotten used to minority rule, and they rationalize their actions by demonizing Democrats. And that's why you hear people like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis float the idea of Republican state legislatures overturning the popular vote to keep Donald Trump in power. Thankfully Republicans who run battleground state legislatures say they won't do this, but why the hell are we even having this conversation? The idea of overturning the popular vote should be repellant to anyone who claims to value our democracy, but even democracy itself seems suspect to some Republicans. With Utah Senator Mike Lee tweeting before the election, "Democracy isn't the objective. Liberty, peace, and prosperity are." Here's the thing, Senator. We're not going to have liberty, peace, and prosperity without a functioning representative democracy, and I'd like to think that Senator Lee knows better. After all, he saw this coming four years ago saying, "I would like some assurances that Trump is not going to be an autocrat. That he's not going to be an authoritarian. That's not an unreasonable demand." It's not, and that's exactly why Senator Lee and his allegedly constitutional conservative colleagues should tell Donald Trump to stop acting like an autocrat and accept the results of this free and fair election. And that's your reality check. Ali -

CAMEROTA: Going back into the archives always really helps these, John.

AVLON: Perspective. The thing we have least of in our politics.

CAMEROTA: Thank you very much for all of that. All right, just a month after battling coronavirus, golfer, Dustin Johnson, makes history with a record-setting win at the Masters. Andy Scholes has more on this morning's Bleacher Report from August. Andy -

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. This first ever November Masters certainly was one of a kind. We had no fans here in Augusta, and the tournament finishing up early because for the first time ever we had a Master Sunday and NFL football on the Sunday. And fittingly in 2020, Dustin Johnson running way with this tournament, winning with a Master's record score 20 under par. And D.J., he was actually 0 for 4 when converting 54 whole leads into wins at majors but was able to fight through those nerves on Sunday and get it done to win his second major. D.J.'s little brother, Austin, who caddies for him tearing up on 18 as they were finishing up. Then D.J.'s fiance, Paulina Gretzky, running over to give him a big hug and a kiss to congratulate him. D.J. actually grew up about an hour from here in Columbia, South Carolina. Always dreamed of winning this tournament when he was a kid, and he was very emotional when speaking about finally winning his first Masters.

(BEGIN VIDETAPE)

DUSTIN JOHNSON, 2020 MASTERS CHAMPION: You know, just growing up so close to here, you know, it's always been, you know -

[07:50:00]

-- a tournament that, you know, since I've been on tour that, you know, since I played my first Masters, it's been, you know, the tournament I wanted to win the most. As a kid, you know, you dream of playing in the Masters and, you know, you dream about putting on a green jacket. I couldn't be more happy and, you know, I think I look pretty good in green, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHOLES: Defending Champion, Tiger Woods, putting that green jacket on Dustin Johnson. Tiger, meanwhile, had himself a wild day. Hit it in the water on 12 not once, not twice, but three times, and last year, you know, Tiger survived 12 on Sunday while the others found the water, which helped him with the tournament. This time around he was not so lucky. Tiger a 10 on a hole for the first time in his career. Actually fought back after that with birdies in five of his last six holes. Take away that 10, actually had a decent tournament, but Alisyn, not going to have to wait much longer for the next Masters. It's now just five months away. This tournament certainly was odd not having all the fans there on the course. Didn't have those big roars that we're accustomed to at a final round at a Masters. Here's to hoping the fans are able to return in 2021.

CAMEROTA: Yes, it's hard when golf gets even quieter. Thank you very much for all of that, Andy. All right, coronavirus. Of course it's taking a toll on all of our mental health. Up next the emotional toll on families as we enter this holiday season.

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[07:55:45]

CAMEROTA: The coronavirus pandemic is not only taking a physical toll. It's taking a massive toll on our mental health. And as the holidays approach, it's getting worse. Millions of Americans will be forced to be isolated from their families this year. Joining us now is child psychiatrist and Medical Director of the Young Child Clinic at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We have Dr. Wanjku Njoroge. Dr. Njoroge, thank you so much for being here. Before we get to children, can we just talk about the perfect storm that is also hitting adults because when you combine everything that's happening between the seasonal depression - OK, it's getting darker and colder right now - the holidays they're often a time of anxiety even on good years. There's so much political division in our country, in our culture right now. We are physically isolated from our friends and from our loved ones, and then we're dealing with a deadly pandemic. And so, where do we even begin trying to get our mental health in order?

DR. WANJIKU NJOROGE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, YOUNG CHILD CLINIC, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: Yes. Good morning, Alisyn, and thanks for having me. And the other thing is that people are trying to work from home where kids may be trying to go to school from home, so there are absolutely an incredible amount of stressors right now in all of us, and I think the things that we've been recommending since all of this started are the same things now. That's people need to do as much as they can in keeping their routines, sleeping well, and taking time for themselves. This goes for parents as well as the rest of us.

CAMEROTA: Yes. I think that that's really important because it sounds so basic and it sounds so easy, but the making sure you eat healthfully, making sure you get enough sleep, making sure you continue to exercise, those are just more important. You just can't skimp on those things right now because they do obviously effect mental health. So let's talk about what you suggest in terms of families and with kids, OK? So you have these mental health tips that people should be doing right now. Number one, share holiday plans with children as soon as possible. Why is that so important?

NJOROGE: Well we know for children that they need to know what's going on and that if they particularly now with just everything that you've just sort of laid out for us, there are a lot of stressors that they recognize that we're in the midst of. So by not telling them, by not sharing, they're going to worry about what's going on, what they think is going on. So the easiest thing to do is to very clearly sit them down and tell them in the developmentally appropriate way, of course, of what the plan is and why that's the current plan.

CAMEROTA: Yes. I think that that is really important. Next, retain as many holiday traditions as possible. Number three, keep up with existing routines, and then you say, number four, create new traditions. So tell us about those tips.

NJOROGE: Well as we know we're recommending that people stay at home. And so, many times families gather together and they, you know, cook together. And so, what we're saying is is that - since that can't happen this year safely what are some things that families can do that are old traditions that they can make new? So whether that's people are doing sort of these Zoom cooking classes together, so families can be all across the country and still maybe cook their grandmothers dressing or still make their favorite sweet potato or maybe it's a pumpkin pie. So I think that there are ways in which families can become creative, and by having children join in and trying to come up with these suggestions, it again helps to dampen down their anxiety, make things a little bit more fun, and still try to have the best holidays that we possibly can underneath all of these circumstances.

CAMEROTA: And in terms of preserving old traditions, I think that obviously those are comforting as well. That's why we have traditions. Just yesterday my mom was suggesting, you know, you might want to mix up your stuffing recipe this year, you know, try something different. I was like are you kidding me? I'm not doing anything different. I'm doing exactly the same stuffing recipe as always.

(LAUGHTER)

NJOROGE: So there's two ways to look at it. Your mom's way seems to be a little bit new and innovative, and the other great thing I was reading actually just this morning was about having like a drop off - a pot luck drop off so you can still have your favorite dishes and maybe, Alisyn, you can make your mom a twist on your stuffing, and if she lives closely drop it off on her front porch, and that's another way where you can still have some shard meals and some shared traditions, but again you're adhering to all of the safety parameters to keep everyone as safe as possible.

CAMEROTA: She will really appreciate

[08:00:00]