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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

U.K. Becomes 1st Western Country to Approve Coronavirus Vaccine; First Shipments of Pfizer Vaccine in U.S. to be Delivered December 15; CNN: Trump Associates, Including Giuliani, Asking for Pardons; Biden Introduces Economic Team, Says "Help in on the Way"; NBA Coach Worried About Playing Outside the Bubble. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired December 02, 2020 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:15]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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 Wednesday, December 2nd. It's 5:00 a.m. in New York. Seven weeks now until Joe Biden's inauguration as 46th president.

And our breaking news this morning, the United Kingdom just became the first Western country to approve a coronavirus vaccine, leaping ahead of the U.S. The U.K. could start giving people shots as early as next week with a vaccine made by an American pharmaceutical company.

Let's get right to CNN's Max Foster. He's live in London with the breaking details.

What do we know, Max?

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Much excitement here. The health secretary saying the dawn appearing on the horizon at last. So, the regulator here in the U.K. is independent, very well-respected, has not only said this vaccine from Pfizer is effective, it's also safe. The government following up saying inoculations will start next week in hospitals. The first challenge is getting the first batch of doses over from Belgium to the U.K.

They do think they can get that done by next week, but there's this challenge that it has to be transported minus 70 degrees Celsius. So as a result of that, they're having to use the special boxes with dry ice in them. So, that's a big test.

I think the whole world will be seeing how that logistics process works. Once those doses were in the hospital, it will be a case of prioritizing who gets it first and they're saying that people in care homes and their workers there will be top of the list. Then it will be over 80s and those front line health and social workers as well. So, much excitement here. Lots of people are looking ahead to next year hoping this will become a mass vaccination of the general public as well.

That does seem likely, but that the health secretary saying that's a six-month process. And also warning that we shouldn't rest quite yet because Britain might be coming out of a national lockdown, but they're going to regional lockdowns. And in many cases, those are stricter than they were. People shouldn't relax just yet, Christine.

ROMANS: Yeah, mitigation efforts still necessary until everyone is vaccinated. That could take sometime.

Max Foster, thank you so much, Max. Talk to you again soon.

JARRETT: Also breaking overnight, the first shipments of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine here in the United States set to be delivered on December 15th. Now, that's according to internal government documents obtained by CNN. And we now know which Americans will get the first shots.

Here's our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: An advisory committee to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control made an historic decision on Tuesday. They decided to recommend two specific groups to be the first in line to get a COVID-19 vaccine once it comes on the mark. Those two groups are residents of nursing homes and other long- term care facilities and also health care workers.

Now, it's the thinking is that this vaccine could be available towards the end of this month and that then they would start to vaccinate those two groups.

After those two groups, it's expected that other high-risk people will be able to get the vaccine. Those groups include elderly people who are not in nursing homes, essential workers such as police officers and firefighters and other people with underlying medical conditions.

Now, for Americans who are not in any of those groups, Dr. Anthony Fauci at the NIH, he says that those folks, low risk folks likely will not be able to get a vaccine until the end of April.

There are two vaccines at play in the United States. One is Moderna, one is Pfizer. They use similar technology in their vaccines. Both have shown efficacy of about 95 percent.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Elizabeth, thank you for that.

Now, this vaccine news coming on one of the darkest days of the pandemic. Nearly 99,000 people are currently hospitalized with coronavirus. That is the highest number of COVID hospitalizations this country has ever seen, 2,597 Americans were reported dead Tuesday. That's the second highest single day death toll since the pandemic began.

JARRETT: All right. To politics now. Attorney General Bill Barr finally stating the obvious dealing a blow to President Trump's claims of widespread election fraud. He told the "Associated Press" on Monday, quote, to date, we have not seen fraud on the scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election.

Now, that's a factual seemingly straightforward perhaps even mild statement considering what's been out there, but it's noteworthy because it's coming from one of the president's fiercest defenders.

Before the election, Barr echoed Trump's claims that mail-in voting was not secure.

[05:05:01]

Now he says both the Justice Department and Homeland Security looked into some of the far-fetched claims that machines switched votes and they came up empty.

Meantime, sources tell CNN Trump associates have been lining up to request presidential pardons before he leaves office. Among them, Rudy Giuliani who has been leading the president's failed lawsuits to contest the election.

We get more now from CNN's Kaitlan Collins at the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Laura.

At a White House party on Monday night, President Trump talked about having another four more years in office, whether that's in January 2021 or January 2025, if he runs for a second term.

But, of course, the president's optimistic projections in front of his guests comes as one of his most loyal cabinet members is now acknowledging that, of course, the results of the election are not going to be changed from declaring Joe Biden the winner.

President Donald Trump himself seems to have recognized that as well, because he seems to understand his time in office is coming to end, and he's even discussed a potential preemptive pardon for his attorney Rudy Giuliani and several other people in his orbit as well. So, whether or not that happens over the next six or so weeks that the president has left in office remains to be seen, but it does come on the heels of unsealed court documents that had a lot of redactions but did reveal there is a Justice Department investigation into this alleged potential crime of funneling money into the White House or political action group in order to exchange for a presidential pardon.

Now, there are no names. We are not clear on the time line yet because all of that is redacted in these documents, but it does say that several people, including an attorney, had their communications seized over the summer, and an office was raided before the end of the summer.

So, a lot still remains to be seen like what happened here. But this does raise a lot of questions around this pardon process at the White House and what President Trump knew. Though, right now, the White House is not commenting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Kaitlan, thank you so much for that.

Well, as Barr threw cold water on conspiracy theories about this election, the attorney general also revealed for the first time that he's appointed a special counsel to investigate claims related to the 2016 election. Barr has had Connecticut U.S. attorney John Durham to look into whether the FBI broke the law during its investigation of then candidate Trump and his campaign associates.

Now, Durham's work has already been known for some time. It's been in the works for a while, but this new designation of special counsel, well, it leaves President-elect Biden's new attorney general in a delicate situation, to put it mildly. Durham will have a measure of protection to keep investigation going. Now, even though it's yielded no evidence to back the president's claims that the FBI was deliberately own to get him.

And, Christine, I find this appointment of special counsel interesting not just that he did it but the attorney general actually did this weeks ago. He did he it on October 19th and we're just now hearing about it, even though the attorney general has gone out of his way to talk about Durham's work for a long time. He said more would be coming yet he kept this quiet before the election.

ROMANS: And essentially I guess moves this issue into the next administration, right? It doesn't mean that this investigation ends here. It moves it into something that Joe Biden will have to deal with.

JARRETT: That's exactly right.

ROMANS: All right. Pressures on lawmakers right now to pass a new stimulus deal to help millions of struggling Americans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell working to get support for a new plan even as other Republicans are pushing for a different approach and then movement here as well.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, they spoke for the first time since late October in an effort to jump start talks. Now, it is just simply as murky as anything out there. If any proposals stand a chance at becoming law before President Trump leaves office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I think the one thing we all agree on is we don't have time for messaging games. We don't have time for lengthy negotiations. The issue is, we want to get a result and I like to remind everybody the way you get a result, you have to have a presidential signature.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: So McConnell's move there is seen as a rejection of $908 billion bipartisan Senate plan that includes money for state and local governments, an idea that the GOP has opposed.

Now, a draft of McConnell's plan includes money for small business and another round of paycheck protection program loans, one month extension of the pandemic emergency unemployment assistance program. Privately, Pelosi had said Chuck Schumer made a counter proposal on Monday. Schumer refused to provide deals of that plan.

This has been round and round and round, Laura.

JARRETT: Yeah.

ROMANS: I mean, you know, this is it, we're facing a financial cliff here. In just days, people are going to lose jobless benefits. They're going to lose their rent protections. They're going to have to start paying student loan bills again, at the very time that the virus is raging, the worst that we've seen. So really a critical moment here.

JARRETT: Well, as you've made the point so well so often, it's all happening at once.

[05:10:01]

ROMANS: Yeah.

JARRETT: It's not like any this have is staggered out. It's all hitting at once.

Well, we're also hearing for the first time some of the people President-elect Biden put in charge of helping American workers who are struggling in this pandemic.

That's next.

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ROMANS: All right. Today, President-elect Joe Biden will talk to small business owners and workers who have been hurt by the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. He has named part of the team he wants to rescue the coronavirus economy.

CNN's MJ Lee has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MJ LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, Joe Biden introducing key members of his economic team here in Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday. This is the team that is going to inherit not just the economic recession but the COVID-19 pandemic as well.

Among those that were nominated for key positions, of course, include Janet Yellen for treasury secretary.

[05:15:01]

She would be the first woman to serve in that role if she is confirmed. A couple other names worth mentioning, Neera Tanden, Cecilia Rouse, Wally Adeyemo.

Now, Biden's message to the nation yesterday what that help is on the way. And some of his nominees who spoke, emphasizing the most urgent help will go towards those who are underprivileged in communities of color. Take a listen.

JANET YELLEN, FORMER CHIEF OF THE FEDERLA RESERVE, TREASURY SECRETARY NOMINEE: So many people struggling to put food on the table and pay bills and rent. It's an American tragedy and it's essential that we move with urgency. Inaction will produce a self-reinforcing downturn, causing yet more devastation and we risk missing the obligation to address deeper structural problems, inequality, stagnant wages.

LEE: Now Biden also called on Congress to quickly pass a stimulus bill though he did say that anything that does get done during the lame duck session will likely only just be the beginning and not enough. He also interestingly told reporters that he still has not spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Of course, so much of what he can do legislatively next year will come down to the two Senate runoff races in Georgia.

Christine and Laura, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. MJ, thank you so much for that.

And a quick programming note, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will join Jake Tapper for their first joint interview since winning the White House. That special event airs tomorrow night, 9:00 p.m., only on CNN.

JARRETT: Definitely don't want to miss that.

Republican election official in Georgia is pleading with President Trump to stop inspiring potential violence against election workers. The official in the secretary of state's office Gabriel Sterling described how an election machine contractor was accused of treason and found a noose outside his house after wild claims spread online that he tampered with votes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GABRIEL STERLING, GEORGIA VOTING SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER: I can't begin to explain the level of anger I have right now over this. Every American, every Georgian, Republican and Democrat alike should have that same level of anger.

Mr. President, it looks like you likely lost the state of Georgia. We're investigating. There's always a possibility. I get it. You have the rights to go through the courts.

What you don't have the ability to do and you need to step up and say this is stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone's going to get hurt. Someone's going to get shot. Someone's going to get killed and it's not right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: The Trump campaign responded to that with this statement. Quote: The campaign is focused on ensuring that all legal votes are counted and all illegal votes are not. No one should engage in threats or violence, and if that has happened, we condemn that fully.

Sterling also pointed to remarks by Trump campaign lawyer who said that former cybersecurity official Chris Krebs should be killed for rejecting the unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JOE DIGENOVA, TRUMP CAMPAIGN LAWYER: Anybody who thinks that this election went well like that idiot Krebs who used to be the head of --

HOWIE CARR, RADIO HOST: Oh, the guy that was on "60 Minutes."

DIGENOVA: -- cybersecurity. That guy -- that guy is class A moron. He should be drawn and quartered, taken out at dawn and shot.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

JARRETT: Though Joe diGenova now says his remarks were sarcastic and then he wishes Krebs no harm. Tell that to his family.

As for Krebs, he's now out with a new op-ed this morning. The title says it all, "Trump fired me for saying this, but I'll say it again, the lection wasn't rigged.

ROMANS: You know, that sarcasm -- diGenova can say that sarcasm. I mean, there are people who take those comments literally. We have seen it and we have seen the threats against workers. It's just --

JARRETT: It's disgusting. It's irresponsible and it's disgusting.

ROMANS: It's -- all right. New coronavirus concerns with the start of the NBA season just a few weeks away there. The "Bleacher Report" next.

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[05:23:32]

ROMANS: All right. NBA training camps are now open, but one coach says he's worried about playing a bubble-free season.

Andy Scholes has more on this morning's "Bleacher Report".

Hi, Andy. ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRSPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

You know, not even two months after LeBron and the Lakers won the NBA championship, teams are now reporting to training camp. We've got preseason games coming your way next week.

And with all the problems that college football and the NFL are having, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, he's worried about how this is going to work outside of a bubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOC RIVERS, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS HEAD COACH: I'm very concerned if we can pull this off. If we miss three or four players, we're in trouble. Especially with the amount of games we're playing three and four games a week.

So, you know, if one of our guys or two of our key guys get the virus, they miss 10 days to 14 days. That could be eight games. In a 72-game season, that can knock you out of the playoffs. So that's a concern. Our guy's health is a concern.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Warriors, meanwhile, are delaying the start of individual workouts by a day after two of their players tested positive for the virus. The players were not named. But according to new league protocols, any player or team or staff member who tests positive will be sidelined for a minimum of 12 days.

The Warriors first investigation game is scheduled for Saturday, December 12, at home against the Denver Nuggets.

All right. Later today, we're going to be the second ever Wednesday NFL game.

[05:25:02]

The Ravens and Steelers set to take the field after being postponed three different times. According to multiple reports, the Ravens had two more positive tests on the team before traveling to Pittsburgh. One player and one equipment manager but the game is still on. The Ravens going to be without many key players including quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The game is at 3:40 Eastern this afternoon because NBC did not want to move the Rockefeller tree lighting ceremony that's going to air in primetime.

All right. Second ranked Notre Dame officially clinches the ACC title game. That's because the conference is shortening its season to nine games due to the pandemic. Clemson can secure the other spot in that game with a victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday. Notre Dame beat Clemson in a double overtime thriller. Tiger star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, though, did not play in that game. All right. Finally, some big-time college hoops yesterday. Rocket

Watts leading eighth ranked Michigan State to 75-69 win over sixth ranked Duke. Fans, you know, they are missing most sporting events but they are really missing Cameron Indoor. It was very quiet for this game. First win for Coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans at Cameron Indoor.

You know, Laura, Coach Izzo said he wasn't putting an asterisk next to the win because fans weren't there, but I certainly am.

JARRETT: Yes, weird to see that place quiet, right?

SCHOLES: Right. Those students at Cameron Indoor, one of the most intimidating atmospheres and it certainly was different watching it without him.

JARRETT: Yeah, different, but trying to keep them safe.

SCHOLES: Yeah.

JARRETT: All right, Andy. Thanks so much.

Huge breaking developments overnight on a coronavirus vaccine. The first shots could be rolled out next week, but not here in the U.S. That's next.

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