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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
CDC Forecast: 2,000+ Will Die Of COVID Per Day Through December 19; Trump Rants Against Election Results, Pardons Michael Flynn; Americans Traveling For Holiday Despite CDC Advising Against It. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired November 26, 2020 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:32:09]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good Thanksgiving morning, this is EARLY START. I'm Boris Sanchez in for Christine Romans. Great to see you as always, Laura.
LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Great to have you, Boris. I'm Laura Jarrett. About 32 minutes past the hour here in New York.
And on this day of thanks the pandemic does not take a holiday and overnight, the Supreme Court may have just laid the groundwork to make the situation that much worse. More than 2,000 lives lost for the second day in a row, the first time that's happened since April.
And the CDC suggests that the number -- well, it's here to stay. A collective forecast projects up to 321,000 Americans dead by December 19th. That's an average of 2,500 people per day.
SANCHEZ: And the sad reality is that many of those people are already struggling in the hospital. A new record of hospitalizations for the 16th straight day approaching 90,000 patients.
And yesterday, the country's two most populous states, California and Texas, set new records for cases. Both states had more cases than all of the continent of Africa.
Remember, past surges have followed holidays, including Memorial Day and Labor Day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: I worry that the Thanksgiving Day surge will then just add into what will become the Christmas surge, which will then make this one seem as if it wasn't so bad. So we have to understand we're in a very dangerous place. People have to stop swapping air. It's just that simple.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: And despite all of the medical advice to avoid indoor crowds, breaking news overnight. A divided U.S. Supreme Court siding with religious groups who had sued New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his COVID-19 restrictions. Now, he tried to cap the number of people who can attend religious services in the state, but the justices found that violated the First Amendment of the Constitution.
The five-four decision highlighting the impact of the newest member of the court, Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Last night's ruling was completely at odds with the court's earlier decisions this year that had upheld COVID restrictions in other states when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was on the bench. So watch for other states to recognize the shift to the right on the court.
Justice Gorsuch explains the justices' position most frankly, writing, quote, "It is time -- past time -- to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques."
The court's decision also came hours after President Trump gave his blessing for more indoor gatherings in his Thanksgiving proclamation, encouraging, quote, "all Americans to gather in homes and places of worship to offer a prayer of thanks."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JAMES PHILLIPS, CHIEF OF DISASTER MEDICINE, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: It's a slap in the face. How dare him, in that same statement, give credit and say thanks to the doctors and nurses who have been working tirelessly over the last nine months to try to save lives.
[05:35:07]
And then at the very end to just make a statement that flies in the face of science and medicine and tell people the exact opposite of what everybody with a qualifying degree of education has been saying for the last few months to stay home and not gather.
People are going to die because they are choosing to go home for Thanksgiving and that's insane to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: And yet, another lawmaker is facing scrutiny. The mayor of Denver now forced to apologize after heading to Mississippi to spend the holiday with family -- leaving town for Thanksgiving after asking residents in Denver to stay home.
Mayor Michael Hancock just one of several Democratic government officials to face criticism for hypocrisy over COVID rules, including the governors of New York and California.
JARRETT: The rules are not different for Democratic governors.
Well, President-elect Biden -- he's -- his Thanksgiving message to the nation starkly different than his predecessor's.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN (D), U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: There's real hope -- tangible hope -- so hang on. Don't let yourself surrender to the fatigue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: MJ Lee is with the Biden transition team in Delaware.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Good morning, Laura and Boris.
President-elect Joe Biden addressing the nation yesterday, the day before Thanksgiving, urging all Americans to act responsibly as we head into the holiday season. He said that everybody has a patriotic duty to be responsible so that we can all try to contain the virus. And he said yes, he knows that this has been a very rough stretch for the country but that if everybody does the right thing life will return to normal here in the United States.
Here's what he said.
BIDEN: For those who have lost a loved one, I know that this time of year can be especially difficult. Believe me, I know. I remember that first Thanksgiving -- the empty chair, the silence. It takes your breath away.
I know the country's grown weary of the fight. We need to remember we're at war with a virus, not with one another. Not with each other.
LEE (on camera): Now, as you know, President Trump still has not conceded this race to Joe Biden and the two men have not spoken. But, Biden transition officials continue to say it is not important for the two to speak in order for their transition efforts to remain successful. They are also saying that things are moving along here in Delaware as he prepares to form his own government.
They said that the first presidential daily briefing that Biden will receive will take place on Monday and that they are now having access to classified information that they weren't privy to before, as well.
And we also expect that the Biden transition team will be unveiling some members of his economic team come next week. One of those people could be former Federal Reserve chairwoman, Janet Yellen.
Now, as for Thanksgiving and the Biden family, Biden saying yesterday that his family is also impacted as well. That for many years, his family has always traveled so that they could have a big family gathering, but not this year. He says that he and his wife are going to stay put here in Delaware and that they are only going to be having a small family gathering this time around.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: MJ Lee reporting from Delaware.
So you heard there Biden is planning his small family gathering. Again, Trump is urging otherwise.
And if yesterday is any indication, the final eight weeks of the Trump presidency will go a lot like his entire term with the president ranting against his rivals and rewarding allies, starting with a full pardon of one-time national security adviser Michael Flynn.
JARRETT: Now, that pardon could just be the tip of the iceberg. President Trump shared a tweet from Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, of Florida, suggesting that the president should pardon himself. Now, CNN has reported in the past that the president often asks about pardons for himself and his family members and whether he could issue them preemptively.
We know the president faces exposure from investigations in the Southern District of New York. But, of course, remember, a presidential pardon does not offer any protection against state prosecution, so keep your eye on that space.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
Looking overseas, South Korea earned a lot of credit as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded for keeping its number of outbreaks low, but the country just reported its highest case count in eight months. So how are leaders there responding?
CNN reporters are covering the pandemic around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Paula Hancocks in Seoul.
New coronavirus cases have hit an eight-month high here in South Korea, the vast majority of cases in the capital of Seoul. Now, officials say that this third wave could actually be far worse than the previous two as this time around there are lots of smaller outbreaks across the city making contact tracing that much harder.
Now, there have been increased social distancing rules brought in this week, but officials warn the numbers will still rise over the coming days. And potentially, by next week, they hope that these restrictions will start having an impact.
[05:40:09]
ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): I'm Angus Watson in Sydney, Australia.
Six members of the Pakistan cricket team have tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in New Zealand. The positive tests come despite each player testing negative four times before leaving Pakistan on Monday. The team has been in managed isolation since arriving but will now not be allowed to practice while undergoing that 14 days mandatory quarantine.
The positive tests have put the upcoming cricket matches in jeopardy and raised questions over the safety of hosting international sport during the pandemic.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Jomana Karadsheh in Istanbul.
For months, the Turkish government has only been making public the number of what it calls COVID-19 patients. That's people who test positive and show symptoms. Asymptomatic cases were not part of the public data. By doing that the government is accused of concealing the real extent of the outbreak.
Now, under much public pressure on Wednesday, the health minister saying they will now make public all positive cases. This, as the country faces a new vicious wave of the pandemic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Thanks to all of our correspondents around the world for those reports.
Don't go anywhere. EARLY START comes back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:45:32]
SANCHEZ: Will the weather give us something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend? Here is meteorologist Karen Maginnis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST (on camera): Well, happy Thanksgiving, Boris and Laura, to you and your families. This weather report brought to you by Ninja Foodi. Be proud of what you make.
We're looking at a marginal risk of severe weather all the way from Houston towards Baton Rouge and Lafayette. About nine million people expecting the potential for some gusty winds and hail. Now, it's a marginal risk and it's going to remain a threat across this region, even going into Friday.
Along the frontal system, eastern seaboard -- that will trigger some showers and maybe an isolated storm or two. New York City, Washington, D.C, you're looking at some passing showers moving through.
The weather will be fairly mild, at least in the short-term, before those temperatures really start to plunge in the next three or four days. Chicago, a high temperature of 48 degrees. Los Angeles, blustery, 69. Atlanta should see 72.
Enjoy your holiday. Back to you guys.
(END VIDEOTAPE) JARRETT: Karen, thank you so much for that report.
Well, everything, it seems, is different this Thanksgiving and that includes holiday travel. Amtrak says ridership is down so significantly they did not run the usual extra trains on Thanksgiving eve. Still, millions are not heeding the CDC's advice that Americans stay home for this holiday.
CNN's Pete Muntean is at Reagan National Airport in D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Boris and Laura, remember travel is down overall so this holiday rush does not look like even a year ago. But what's so interesting is that people are traveling even in spite of the CDC telling them not to.
The TSA says about 900,000 people passed through security at America's airports on Tuesday. That means nearly five million people have flown since the CDC first issued that warning last week. And, Wednesday's TSA numbers could add another million people on top of that.
I've been talking to fliers here at Reagan National Airport and their rationale really varies. Some are not afraid of the virus while others tell me they will not do this again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I won't do it again. This is it. It's my last time traveling during a pandemic. It was -- it's something that I have to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not really afraid of it? I mean, you take normal precautions and you get on with your life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) and be careful out there because this coronavirus is real and it's not a joke, you know. I know people that have lost their life with this.
MUNTEAN (on camera): The TSA tells me its numbers show that people are not canceling their flights. The TSA expects Wednesday's numbers -- when they do finally come out -- to be big, but Sunday to be even bigger. That's when everybody who left for the holiday could be coming home all at once -- Boris, Laura.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Pete Muntean, thanks for that.
The latest surge in coronavirus cases driving home, once again, just how vulnerable senior citizens are. Many forced to spend the holidays alone in nursing homes after already spending months in isolation this spring.
CNN's Brynn Gingras visited a senior home to see how those folks are coping.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CATHY COREY, RESIDENT, BEECHWOOD LONG TERM CARE: (INAUDIBLE) at my sister-in-law's house.
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since the pandemic began, it's the physical connection with family Cathy Corey and other residents at this Connecticut nursing home ache for.
COREY: It's like my heart gets ripped out sometimes.
GRACE BARNUM, RESIDENT, BEECHWOOD LONG TERM CARE: I'm just waiting.
GINGRAS (on camera): Waiting for what?
BARNUM: Yes, to be able to hug again.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Especially, this time of year.
COREY: The holidays are all about memories of the family and it's hard enough not being with your family. But when they can't even come up and eat a meal with you or anything or visit, it's hard.
GINGRAS (voice-over): In the spring, the coronavirus ravaged the northeast. Nursing homes may have paid the heftiest price. To date, residents in long-term care facilities make up eight percent of all cases in the U.S., but nearly half of the country's total deaths.
BILL WHITE, OWNER, BEECHWOOD LONG-TERM CARE: It's like being in a battle. It's the same -- it's the same mentality.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Bill White is the owner of Beechwood long-term care in Connecticut.
WHITE: What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
GINGRAS (voice-over): To keep residents safe, White put in place a strict multilayer system of checks to prevent COVID-19 from infiltrating these walls --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you been to a hotspot in the last 14 days?
GINGRAS (voice-over): -- a health questionnaire and testing requirement for visitors.
Beechwood has gone through periods of denying visitations outright to allowing them with restrictions.
WHITE: You don't know what works. And at the end, no one is going to care if you keep it out.
[05:50:01]
GINGRAS (voice-over): So far, Beechwood's had just 14 cases since March -- three of them residents, the rest staff -- a success by all accounts.
BARNUM: We are really lucky to have such precautions taken. We didn't see that everywhere and the people really paid the price.
GINGRAS (voice-over): In the last week alone, Connecticut saw 306 confirmed coronavirus cases of nursing home residents. Thirty-nine people have died.
A sign of where the state may be headed, last week, this once- abandoned nursing home became fully operational again. It's reserved for COVID-19-positive long-term care residents. They're moved here to mitigate the virus spreading like a brushfire inside their home facilities.
NICOLE SHEEHEY, DIRECTOR OF NURSING, WESTFIELD CARE AND REHAB: The amount of referrals that we're getting and people calling asking can we take patients, it's been very consistent since the day that we opened. I mean, we haven't really had a slow moment.
GINGRAS (voice-over): With help from the National Guard, the state first opened this facility in April. It was one of four like it needed in the spring to get control of cases. It closed in the summer when the numbers went down. For now, the state is relying on just this building but it hasn't ruled out the possibility of needing more space as cases surge.
On this day, eight sick, elderly patients were expected to arrive.
We talked to Charles Miller, who was one of the first patients admitted. He's a Beechwood resident who tested COVID-positive while recovering from a stroke at the hospital.
CHARLES MILLER, LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENT: It's tough on the elderly, but I think it's tough on everybody.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Miller tries to keep a good spirit --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You look good.
MILLER: I feel great.
GINGRAS (voice-over): -- because this Thanksgiving will be the first away from his wife and family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have next year.
MILLER: Yes, we sure do.
SHEEHEY: Seeing their loved one's face, even if it's just via a Facetime visit, is sometimes a critical piece in their care.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Miller's goal is to fight the virus --
MILLER: We're going to do our part.
GINGRAS (voice-over): -- and get back to Beechwood and join the family these residents have become as they stick together and stay healthy, all anxiously waiting for that one thing.
GINGRAS (on camera): You'll give him a hug after this is all over?
COREY: I will, indeed -- a lot of hugs.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Brynn Gingras, CNN, New London, Connecticut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And the wait will make that hug that much sweeter. Brynn Gingras with a terrific report.
Another big change this Thanksgiving, the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will go on but there will be no crowd. The signature character balloons, animated floats, and of course, Santa Claus -- hopefully, in a mask but purely for symbolic reasons -- Dr. Anthony Fauci has made it known that Santa's actually immune to coronavirus -- they are all back. The normal route, though, in Manhattan has been shortened and there will be far fewer participants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: It will be different. It will be smaller. It will be made for T.V. It is not a spectator event in-person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: It usually takes 80 to 100 people to fly just one of those big balloons. But this year, a specially-rigged group of cars is going to do much of the work.
JARRETT: Well, that's pretty cool.
And finally this morning, a good example of how to handle a rough 2020. When the pandemic canceled their traditional Thanksgiving celebration, one Texas couple got creative because sometimes saying hi over Zoom just doesn't cut it.
Missy and Barry Buchanan sent life-sized cardboard cutouts of themselves to their daughter in California and their son in Texas, and the grandkids who they haven't been able to hug since March. So not only will the larger-than-life grandparents be at the Thanksgiving table today, they will also be by the tree at Christmas.
I've got to say, Boris, obviously, it's a good role model but those cutouts look pretty good.
SANCHEZ: They look pretty great, yes. That's an awesome, awesome idea.
And, of course, we have to acknowledge that a lot of people are missing loved ones. There's a lot of uncertainty out there. A lot of folks not sure where things are going to go in the near year either.
In moments like these, I think of the gratitude that I have for the idea that chaos breeds change. The opportunity for change and perhaps a realignment of priorities. I'm grateful for another breath and I'm grateful that we get to join
forces to do this and have fun with you, Christine, L.J., Jamie -- the entire team. So thank you so much for having me.
JARRETT: Yes, so lucky to have such a great team. So lucky to have the privilege to be able to do this.
I've got to say, are you cooking today?
SANCHEZ: I can't cook Pop-Tarts, Laura. I'm not -- I'm not getting anywhere near a kitchen. But, you know, I'll find something to eat.
JARRETT: All right. Well, lucky for your family then, in that case. All right.
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Boris Sanchez in for Christine Romans.
JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone. Please enjoy it safely. "NEW DAY" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:59:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: People are going to die because they are choosing to go home for Thanksgiving and that's insane to me.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: For the second day in a row, the U.S. death toll has topped 2,000.
BIDEN: I know we can and we will beat this virus. America is not going to lose this war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're finally hearing a consistent message from our incoming leadership about what we need to do to stay safe.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Biden issuing a call for unity after a divisive election at a time when President Trump continues to cast doubt about the election and its results.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This election was rigged and we can't let that happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know how he could believe that unless he's completely and utterly delusional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Thursday, November 26th, 6:00 here in New York. Welcome to a special edition of NEW DAY. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
John Berman is off this morning. Erica Hill joins me. Great to have you here.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Nice to be with you. Happy Thanksgiving.
CAMEROTA: Happy Thanksgiving.
