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Biden Considers Republican for Cabinet; Airlines Set Records Despite Warnings; Markle Reveals Miscarriage. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired November 25, 2020 - 08:30   ET

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


[08:30:00]

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first, thank you for asking me if I was going to join the Biden administration cabinet. I've given it a lot of consideration, but first I'm trying to at least get "senior" before political commentator on CNN before I make it up to the cabinet level position. But thanks for asking.

No, I firmly believe that many of us wouldn't have a problem. He will get some blowback from my colleagues on the far left, but many people won't have a problem if he puts a Republican in the cabinet.

The fact is, if that person is best suited for the job, then so be it. I mean if it's the best person for the job, then do it. Barack Obama had a Republican in his cabinet and I am someone who's willing to allow Joe Biden, who was not my first horse in the Democratic primary, I was a Kamala Harris supporter, but somebody I got on board with, somebody who's come this far, somebody whose strategy has actually prevailed up to this point. I'm willing to give him the rope to lead. And I think that many of us are. I mean this is something that we have to trust his wisdom on and I believe having a Republican, it may bite for a little while, but if that person is best suited for the job, then so be it.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, Rick Santorum, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, still hasn't called President-elect Joe Biden, still hasn't made any public statement congratulating him. I get that Mitch McConnell wants the Georgia Senate races. I get that. But he's a guy who knows Joe Biden. I mean they have a relationship.

At what point isn't it just a matter of human decency, not to mention bringing America together, at least a little bit, call him and say you're going to do everything you can to defeat every proposal he makes to America, but congratulations. Why not, at a minimum, do that at this point?

RICK SANTORUM, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, again, you know, this election has not been certified and the president is still contesting it and I think Senator McConnell is giving the president the leeway that he deserves to contest this election until -- until it is certified. And I think he's going to -- he's going to play -- he's not out there cheerleading for Donald Trump and going out there accusing states of election irregularities. He's taking a measured approach and allowing this process to work. And I think that's the appropriate thing to do.

BERMAN: You don't think a phone call would be a human thing to do at this point? Hey, congratulations. I know it's not certified yet, but nice job.

SANTORUM: Well, no, I think, you know, there's plenty of time. I mean he's going to -- you know, if Biden is successful, it looks likely he will be, there will be plenty of time for conversations. I think this is a time for diplomacy in the case of Mitch McConnell in managing the current affairs, which is Donald Trump is still president and there's still things that they'd like to do, you know, with this administration, as well as transitioning to the next.

BERMAN: I think the if game is over, frankly, Senator, at this point now that Pennsylvania and Michigan have certified, Nevada has certified.

SANTORUM: Well, (INAUDIBLE) --

BERMAN: No, no, no, I'm going to go to Bakari on this. I mean, at this point, it's all but done. The president is going to the commonwealth today, I guess, with a continued effort to overturn the election results there. But it's not going to work.

And there's a "Politico" article today by Tim Albert which includes a quote which I think gets to the president's failure of imagination perhaps on this. Tim delves into Michigan and talks about the fact that if nor for Aaron Van Langevelde, this one state canvasser, you know, we'd have a constitutional crisis. So thank you for him. Thank you to Brad Raffensperger in Georgia.

But he quotes the president inside a meeting talking about his loss. He says, quote, I don't get it, the president said, venting confusion and frustration. All these other Republicans all over the country, they all win their races and I'm the only guy that loses.

Bakari, that's quite a statement and I think it's pretty revealing.

SELLERS: Well, it is revealing and this was a referendum on Donald Trump. I mean this was a flawed strategy on his part. I even think that Senator Santorum would agree with that. I mean he had to make this about him versus Joe Biden, not a referendum election on Donald Trump, which is what it was.

And to get to your point about the Michigan Board of Canvassers and the secretary of state in Georgia, I am not as concerned with Mitch McConnell calling and congratulating Joe Biden. We remember Mitch McConnell even told Barack Obama he was going to be a one-term president or that was his goal, although he failed at that.

I'm more concerned that Republicans are not speaking up at the way that Donald Trump is truly testing the guardrails of our democracy. Now, it with understood Donald Trump this go around, but will it withstand the next individual next time? Because right now we had to depend on one Republican here and one Republican there to put democracy over party. I'm not sure I want to have to have that faith moving forward.

BERMAN: Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger of Georgia, Senator Santorum, wrote an op-ed in "USA Today" today and he's pretty upset with how this has all gone down. I mean this is a guy who wanted Donald Trump to win. He's a loyal Republican in the state of Georgia for a long time. He writes, quote, my family voted for him, donated to him and are now being thrown under the bus by him.

[08:35:02] What do you say to the secretary of state?

SANTORUM: I would say to the secretary of state that, you know, there are things that Republicans in Georgia are upset about with respect to how mail-in ballots were tabulated, whether the signature verification was accurate or not, and they're looking for some sort of audit to determine it.

You know, Georgia's a funny state. It's one of the few states in the union where if there are enough votes that are irregular, the election is actually nullified. I mean it happens actually with some frequency in Georgia where if you have a very close election and let's say it's a 20-vote election, by 25 ballots that, you know, someone wasn't there correctly or the signature didn't match, actually the election's nullified. So unlike Pennsylvania and many other states, Georgia is still a state that, you know, is still in play because of irregularities that could nullify the election.

Now, what that means, I don't know, but that's still a possibility in Georgia.

BERMAN: Yes. Look, there was a hand audit recount. I know they're doing the automatic one.

SANTORUM: But it's -- it -- it's the signature --

BERMAN: You've won a really close election. You've won a really close election, Senator. This one wasn't close. And it's been certified in many states and will continue to be. The Electoral College meets on December 14th. I'm sure Republicans then will say, well, this doesn't really count. It counts when it goes to Congress on January 6th. Then you'll say, oh, this doesn't count, it only counts at noon on January 20th. It's over. But, thank you --

SANTORUM: No, look, I -- I don't think that's what Republicans are --

BERMAN: Thank you for -- thank you for being with us.

SANTORUM: I don't think that's what Republicans are going to say, John, but go ahead.

BERMAN: At this point it's been -- it's been this long, so who knows.

I appreciate you being with us. Really, have a Happy Thanksgiving, Senator.

SANTORUM: You, too. BERMAN: Bakari, Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

SELLERS: Thank you. Same to you.

BERMAN: Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what else to watch today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ON SCREEN TEXT: 2:00 p.m. ET, President-elect Biden delivers Thanksgiving address.

3:00 p.m. ET, California Governor Newsom coronavirus briefing.

5:30 p.m. ET, Washington state health officials briefing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Well, millions of Americans are traveling right now despite health officials warning against it. More on how that's going, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:17]

CAMEROTA: Breaking news, unemployment claims remain stubbornly high as the jobs crisis drags on. Another 778,000 people filed for first time benefits last week. That is the second week of increases, John.

On top of those state benefits, another 311,000 filed for special pandemic relief programs. Those programs end the day after Christmas.

Altogether, 20 million people are getting some sort of jobless assistance and yet still no sign of any new stimulus from lawmakers in Washington.

BERMAN: Yes, that trend line in the new jobless claims heading in the wrong direction as we are heading into an even worse period in the pandemic.

Also this morning, it doesn't seem that a lot of Americans are heeding warnings from health officials to stay home for Thanksgiving. We are seeing very high numbers of people traveling this week compared to the previous few months.

CNN's Pete Muntean live at Reagan National Airport in Washington with what you're seeing, Pete, hey.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John.

You know, things are just getting going here at Reagan National Airport and at airports across the country. About 900,000 people passed through security at America's airports yesterday. That means about 4.8 million people have flown since the CDC said do not travel. A number that could be pushed up by a million more today. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (voice over): Caroline Osler says she could not stay home anymore, so she took a coronavirus test and boarded a flight home to Kentucky for Thanksgiving.

CAROLINE OSLER, TRAVELING TO KENTUCKY: I think at some point it just -- it's too hard to stay away from family, especially for the holidays.

MUNTEAN: It is the rationale of 50 million Americans according to AAA who will travel by plane, train or car this week. The new forecast is only a 10 percent decrease from last year's pre-pandemic levels, but AAA thinks the actual number could be even lower as coronavirus cases surge. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control said to cancel holiday travel.

YASMINE DEHGHANI, TRAVELING TO CONNECTICUT: I understand the risk that I'm taking, but I want to see my family.

MUNTEAN: Passenger levels are already starting to rise again and set a new record of the pandemic on Sunday. This past weekend was the busiest three days at airports since travel cratered. Major airlines are gearing up for more passengers and adding new flights for the first time since March. Airline industry groups say they are not encouraging travel, but they're not discouraging it either.

NICK CALIO, AIRLINES FOR AMERICA: I think it's perfectly ethical. We would not fly people if it were not safe.

MUNTEAN (on camera): Airlines feel empowered by new research that says cleaning like this plus heavily filtered air on board an airplane and everyone wearing masks keeps virus transmission rates low.

DR. LEONARD MARCUS, HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: It's a layered approach.

MUNTEAN (voice over): Dr. Leonard Marcus is on the team of Harvard virologists who studied the air inside airliners. Their findings that being in a passenger cabin is maybe safer than a grocery store. But Marcus cautions travelers to plan every step of their trip to reduce risk door to door.

MARCUS: Everyone has to make a decision about their own personal risk. It's a very personal decision.

MUNTEAN: Airlines are starting programs to test passengers for coronavirus, but only on limited international routes.

For Caroline Osler, that means taking another coronavirus test before gathering around the table for a Thanksgiving like no other.

OSLER: I think it reaches the point where you have to decide what's best for yourself and how you can best protect yourself and those around you as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN: The TSA thinks not many people are canceling their trips. That means today could be big, but Sunday could be even bigger.

[08:45:03]

That's when the TSA thinks everybody who left for the holiday could be coming home all at once.

John.

BERMAN: I hope they're careful, Pete.

Listen, terrific reporting. Thanks so much for being there for us. Stay safe.

Pete Muntean, thanks very much.

So, overnight, Meghan Markle with a very personal revelation. We'll tell you all about it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Developing this morning, Meghan Markle, the duchess of Sussex, revealing for the first time that she suffered a miscarriage this summer. In a new op-ed in "The New York Times," Markle says it happened while she was with her son Archie. Markle writes, after changing his diaper, I felt a sharp cramp. I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune is stark contrast to my sense that something was not write. I knew as I clutched my firstborn child that I was losing my second.

[08:50:00]

Joining us now is Dr. Jessica Shepherd. She's an OB/GYN who founded an online women's health forum called Her Viewpoint that focuses on addressing taboo topics.

Doctor, it's great to have you here to talk about this, what is often a taboo topic. And so I'm wondering, as someone who deals with women's health every day, what did you think when you read Meghan Markle's op- ed?

DR. JESSICA SHEPHERD, OB/GYN: Good morning, and thank you for having me.

You know, as you said, this is considered a taboo topic. But when we look really at the rate of miscarriage, which goes anywhere from 15 percent to 20 percent, we know that it's much more common than we think. Now, the issue really comes is the trauma and grief that comes thereafter and what women have to endure and couples have to endure for that time of grieving thereafter.

CAMEROTA: But you bring up such an interesting point and I think that it is the kind of cruel paradox of miscarriage, which is, many women suffer from it. More than you ever know. If you were in a room, there would be many more women than you suspect have gone through miscarriage and yet it is a taboo topic that very, very few talk about. So why is that?

SHEPHERD: You know, it's that kind of paradox, as you mentioned earlier, where women, when we think historically are thought of as really the fertility and having to conceive and bringing children into the world and many times that was thought of their only duty. And so now compounding that with the loss of a child, the grieving process that comes with that, it's almost as if the psychological portion of childbearing and particularly when we think of loss is completely out the door. And that really doesn't create an atmosphere in which one would feel comfortable or this is something that women would feel that they, too, have a part and have people also helping them through the process when they go through loss.

CAMEROTA: You make an interesting point there, that if you think that that's sort of your identity or your purpose, I guess, you're saying, I mean as it has historically -- had historically been, then if you're not fulfilling it, if you're failing at that, it's really hard to talk about.

And one of the things that I think you point out on your website is the mental health issues that happen after a woman suffers a miscarriage. I mean a large chunk of women have some sort of traumatic aftermath mentally.

SHEPHERD: Absolutely. You know, as I said before, it's society that places kind of these statutes and titles and what we're supposed to accomplish and how we're supposed to accomplish these goals. And many times those are so flawed. And so when a woman does go through a miscarriage or a loss if it's later in pregnancy, a lot of times they feel alone, they feel isolated. And when we think actually, like you said, the mental component of that and the mental wellness of that, there are a lot of different psychological components of grief which are going to be loss, change and control.

And when you're not able to discuss that with many people, that, again, creates this atmosphere that feels very isolated and the inability for people to discuss this on a broader scale, and I'm so glad that she used this op-ed to show even in her grief that she could share that with others so others might get help from what she's discussing.

CAMEROTA: Oh, absolutely. I know it will help so many women.

You know, I've had personal experience with this and with infertility and anytime a public figure of any kind spoke out on television, I clung to it. I mean I clung to it as though she were a best friend, somebody high profile speaking. It just -- it's so healing for all of the people who are suffering in silence.

SHEPHERD: Exactly. It allows that connectivity. It allows the ability for one who might be having some trauma or emotional -- you know, there is a study that actually showed a month after a loss up to 34 percent of women felt some posttraumatic stress disorder and up to 20 percent had some type of depressive episodes and symptoms. And that's remarkable. Those are a large amount of women who are experiencing some type of emotional inability to process and find out where they fit into this whole loss.

CAMEROTA: Well, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, thank you very much for talking about all of this. And, again, people can check out your online women's health forum called Her Viewpoint.

Great to see you.

SHEPHERD: Thanks so much.

CAMEROTA: John.

BERMAN: All right, time now for "The Good Stuff."

People in Texas giving meals to families in need while, at the same time, supporting local businesses like this bagel deli in Fort Worth struggling to stay afloat in the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLLY PILS, OWNER OF BOOPA'S BAGEL DELI: I've been blessed beyond belief in my life and, you know, if somebody's hungry, I want to make sure that they get -- get fed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: You can buy a meal at one of the restaurants taking part in the Holiday Comfort Food Care Package Program. That meal is then delivered to a family in need.

[08:55:03]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNA TAUZIN, TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION: So even though it is a win- win for restaurants and those families who need the food, it's also kind of a win-win-win because the people that are donating also feel good about where their money is going.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It's a great effort. It helps a lot of people all at once. The program expected to continue into the new year.

CAMEROTA: Yes, have a great Thanksgiving.

BERMAN: I'm thankful to you.

CAMEROTA: Oh, thank you. I'm thankful for you.

BERMAN: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: I'm thankful --

BERMAN: Thanks for being you. I'm not going to be here tomorrow. I'll be thankful without you.

CAMEROTA: I was wondering why you were feeling suddenly so loving.

BERMAN: I'm thankful for you being here when I'm not tomorrow.

CAMEROTA: Always.

BERMAN: All right, CNN's coverage continues, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:00:06]