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New Day

Biden Expected to Nominate Vilsack; White House Proposes Stimulus; Biden to Introduce Defense Secretary Nominee; Pandemic Update from Around the World; Donald Trump and the Wolf's Dictionary; Ravens Player Test Positive. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 09, 2020 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, "POLITICO": We're seeing with a lot of these appointments from Biden, he's someone who is a carryover from the Obama administration. He was agriculture secretary for the full eight years under Obama and he was also the agricultural adviser and rural adviser for Biden on his campaign. So there's a lot of history there between Biden and Vilsack. And that's the case with a number of these appointments is that they have strong ties to Biden and he feels as though he has a good, personal relationship with them.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, Ohio state lottery winner Tom Vilsack. Won $150,000 in the state lottery. So a lucky guy.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: And then some. Very. That's great. I wonder -- I wonder how many times he played because there is a drawing tonight and I feel that I might win it.

BERMAN: And you may get a job in the cabinet after that, too.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

Alex, let's talk about the stimulus bill, speaking of needing money.

Where are we? I mean it sounds like there were more generous offers earlier in the year that were passed up and now, today, there's yet another hurdle. And so where are we with getting Americans relief?

ALEX BURNS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Alisyn, we're certainly closer than we've been in a number of weeks. There are some pretty significant hurdles remaining around business liability provisions that Senate Republicans are really focused on and aid to state and local governments that Democrats are really focused on.

I was talking to one lawmaker who's involved in those talks yesterday who was saying that it was really important that the administration came in with an offer that is in excess of a $900 billion. That is a close and, in fact, slightly larger, just the dollar figure, not identical in all the provisions, but slightly larger in the dollar figure than the bipartisan compromise package that has been negotiated between some House and Senate Democrats and Republicans. And, at the very least, what the administration coming in at that level does is it -- is it undercuts the position of Senate Republicans that the total size of an emergency spending bill ought to be closer to half a billion dollars, excuse me, half a trillion dollars than to a trillion dollars. That is significant progress in terms of nudging Republicans as a -- as a group in the direction of that compromise.

But we are not out of the woods yet. We have seen a whole number of times this year situations where it sure looks like everybody is close to being on a similar enough page to get to a deal, where something just collapses at the last minute. I do think there's a lot of pressure felt on all sides right now to just get something done.

BERMAN: The holdups on policy, Laura, are on aid to state and local governments where so far Republicans have publicly not been willing to budge, Republican leadership. Members of the bipartisan group putting this bill together obviously have agreed to that. That's what Democrats wanted. And Republicans are asking for liability protection for companies having to do with COVID. They don't want companies to be -- be able to be sued for opening up and if people get sick when they go back to work.

And there are people on -- there are Democrats who won't budge on liability protection and there are Republicans who don't seem to want to budge on aid to state and local governments. Compromise, do you think it's possible?

BARRON-LOPEZ: It's really hard to see --

BURNS: Well, I think that --

BERMAN: Go ahead, Laura.

BARRON-LOPEZ: It's really --

BURNS: Sorry.

BARRON-LOPEZ: It's really difficult to see the end here. Congress, again, has had to extend a continuing resolution. They're going to be doing that for the next week so that way they can try to get this done before the holidays. But they've been working on this, as Alex said, for months and they haven't reached a resolution. They, of course, feel as though the leaders keep saying that they think as though they're close, but they keep hitting similar roadblocks. This -- the business liability roadblock was one that they've been hitting for a long time and they don't appear anywhere near the end. So it's really difficult to say whether or not they're going to reach a resolution by the end of the month.

CAMEROTA: Laura, Alex, thank you both very much.

BERMAN: All right, House Republicans defying President Trump, joining with Democrats to pass a defense bill with a veto-proof majority. The president has threatened to veto this. What's going to happen next? Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [06:38:06]

BERMAN: Developing this morning, the House of Representatives approved a defense spending bill with a veto-proof majority. Now, President Trump has threatened to veto the measure because it doesn't contain action he wants to see on social media, which has nothing to do with defense. He also objects to the renaming of military bases that are named for disgraced confederate generals. Forty House Republicans broke with the president, joining Democrats to support the bill, and now heads to the Senate, where bipartisan support is also expected. Unclear if the president will still step in and try to veto this.

CAMEROTA: President-elect Joe Biden will formally introduce his nominee for defense secretary, retired Army General Lloyd Austin, but Democratic pushback is growing over a recently retired general leading the Pentagon.

CNN's Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with more for us.

Hi, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.

Well, in fact, the president-elect has written an article in "Atlantic" urgently defending his choice of General Austin, saying in part, and I quote, given the immense and urgent threats and challenges our nation faces, he should be confirmed swiftly.

But there is already political churn.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice over): Retired four-star General Lloyd Austin will be the first black secretary of defense if confirmed by the Senate. President-elect Joe Biden selecting a general he's known for years.

GEN. LLOYD AUSTIN, DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE (November 2011): Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and privilege to introduce to you the vice president of the United States, Mr. Joe Biden.

STARR: But Biden's first commander in chief decision to nominate Austin may run into a political buzz saw on Capitol Hill. Austin needs a congressional waiver, as required by law, because he's been out of the military less than seven years. The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee put his marker down in 2017 after a waiver was granted to James Mattis, President Trump's first defense secretary.

[06:40:10]

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): Let me be very, very clear. I will not support a waiver for any future nominees under the incoming administration or future administrations.

STARR: Now Reed says he would like to hear from Austin on why he should get a waiver. Concern also from other Democrats that civilian leadership of the

military remains the norm and there isn't an unexpected, cozy relationship with generals still on duty.

Senator Richard Blumenthal already opposes a waiver. Three other Democratic senators are uncertain.

Choosing another recently retired general to serve in a role that is designed for a civilian just feels off, said Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who knows Austin from her time at the Pentagon.

Austin is an historic choice for a military that for decades has struggled with diversity. Just 19 percent of the enlisted forces black, just over 8 percent of the force are officers, according to the Pentagon. Austin is a highly decorated combat veteran. Much of his recent career focused on Afghanistan and Iraq, where he led the 2011 withdrawal.

The deeply reserved one-time four-star now must become a public, political figure, dealing with Russia, China, and convincing Congress to cut defense spending. But a former battle buddy thinks he is very much up to the job.

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Lloyd is a very introverted, thoughtful, ethical and courageous soldier and individual. He's smart as a whip.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: And in the latest political developments, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, says she will not support a waiver for General Austin. This very reserved general, very much suddenly finding himself on the national, political stage.

Alisyn. John.

BERMAN: Barbara, there were very important discussions to be had about this waiver in general. And I think that General Austin's record also will be something that will be discussed and dissected over the coming weeks. Thank you so much for that reporting.

STARR: Sure.

BERMAN: It is an historic nomination, to be sure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he intends to be the first in his country to receive the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer. We have CNN's correspondents covering developments all around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem.

As the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrive in Israel, landing at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport onboard a DHL cargo flight, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was there to meet them. He said he would be the first in the state of Israel to take the vaccine to show Israeli citizens how important and how safe it is to get vaccinated. He said he hopes millions of Israelis take the vaccine.

He also said that the arrival of the vaccines was an important day and it showed there was a light at the end of the pandemic. He called it a holiday and said it was that significant, that a country the size of Israel was one of the first to get the Pfizer vaccine.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Fred Pleitgen in Berlin.

As Germany has recorded its highest-ever single-day COVID-19 death toll. Germany's centers for disease control recorded 590 deaths for Tuesday, shattering the previous record by more than 100. Now, put that into perspective, that's the equivalent of about 2,300 people dying in a single day in the United States. Several German states have said that they plan to tighten up their lockdown measures fast.

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm David Culver in Beijing.

Chinese health officials on high alert, responding to another cluster outbreak. This time it's in Chengdu. Only seven cases reported there, but state media already suggesting that imported cases or goods might be a possible cause. This has been a growing narrative here. It aims to challenge claims that the virus originated in Wuhan and it's led to imported cargo being tested for COVID-19. Both the World Health Organization and the U.S. CDC insists there is no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 from food or food packaging.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Our thanks to our reporters all around the world.

So, President Trump's supporters, including Lindsey Graham, throwing around the phrase "civil war" this morning to describe what happened in the election. This is dangerous. A "Reality Check," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:48:27]

CAMEROTA: So, what do President Trump's supporters and Wolf's dictionary have in common? John Avlon is going to tell us in his "Reality Check."

Hi, John.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Ali.

In the five weeks since Election Day, it often feels like we're having a debate in a hall of mirrors. President Trump trying to overturn an election while saying he's protecting election integrity. Death threats leveled at election officials by people who accuse them of doing violence to our democracy. And now an uptick in civil war rhetoric, chapters of what was once known as the party of Lincoln. Last weekend the Dane County GOP held a rally at the Wisconsin state

capital. They promoted by saying, our nation is on a path to civil war. Yesterday, the Arizona state GOP sent out a tweet asking followers if they're willing to die in the effort to overturn election results.

This is aggressive defensiveness and dangerous nonsense.

But what makes it worse is that so many of Donald Trump's supporters have bought into the big lie. They've been misled into believing they're fighting for the very virtues they're being used to attack.

And here's how it works, starting at the top of the disinformation chain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am determined to protect our election system, which is now under coordinated assault and siege.

We will restore honesty and integrity to our elections and we will restore trust in our system of government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: The opposite is true. Our election system is under siege, but from Trump and his league team.

[06:50:01]

And no president has done more to erode trust in our system of government than Trump with his refusal to respect the election.

But Trump's alternate reality gets amplified on hyper partisan media. Check out these graphics from "Hannity" the other night, "restoring election integrity," "demand transparency" and "fight for Trump!" Well, Lou Dobbs and Stephen Miller stoke each other's outrage over a banner which read, "Trump campaign fights for free and fair elections."

Now, if you only listen to right-wing echo chambers, you might believe it all. So you go to a Trump rally and hold a sign that says, "defend democracy," or "stop the steal," or "stand for truth." These are admirable emotions. They just don't fit the objective reality of what you're actually fighting for. Without knowing it, you've bought into what Abraham Lincoln once called the wolf's dictionary.

So back during the real civil war, Lincoln agonized that both sides believed they were fighting for liberty. Yes, even confederates were fighting for slavery under the cloak of state's rights. He addressed the problem in a parable saying that when the shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him as the destroyer of liberty, especially if the sheep was a black one. Get it? The wolf and the sheep have very different definitions of liberty. But as the war raged on and some border states voted to abolish slavery, Lincoln said that the wolf's dictionary has been repudiated.

We need to repudiate the wolf's dictionary today. That means insisting that facts matter and words have real meanings, or, to use a favorite conservative frame, facts don't care about your feeling. That means listening to the Trump appointed judges who have ruled his campaign cases have no basis in fact and law and are speculative accusations unsupported by evidence in a stunning string of more than 40 failed lawsuits that now extend all the way to the Supreme Court.

If you say you believe in the rule of law, you need to respect the rule of law. If you say you're a proud patriot, then put country over party. And then let's work together in good faith to reason together, because we are not as divided as the screamers say.

And that's your "Reality Check."

BERMAN: First of all, I love that Lincoln speech. I'm so glad you just put a spotlight on that.

John, I have two quick questions. Number one, the wolf, not Wolf Blitzer here, correct?

AVLON: Very important to distinguish, not, in fact, Wolf Blitzer, no.

CAMEROTA: Oh.

BERMAN: OK, second thing, you do have a shepherd costume?

AVLON: It's a -- you know, that's usually what I go for at Halloween is a shepherd.

BERMAN: All right.

AVLON: Yes.

BERMAN: Thank you. That was terrific.

CAMEROTA: Very fitting.

BERMAN: A very, very good "Reality Check." Thank, John.

CAMEROTA: All right, so, for the first time in more than a century, Michigan and Ohio State will not play a football game, John. And that leaves the Buckeye's playoffs status in jeopardy.

BERMAN: You were just telling me about this.

CAMEROTA: Yes, and I know which one of these is, the Buckeyes, also. The "Bleacher Report" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:57:08] BERMAN: Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson returning for the Ravens last night, but one of his teammates pulled off the field right before the game due to coronavirus.

Andy Scholes with more in the "Bleacher Report."

Good morning, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, John.

So Baltimore wide receiver Dez Bryant, you know, he played for Dallas for a long time. He was really looking forward to facing his former team. He was out there on the field warming up before the game, but 30 minutes prior to kickoff, he was pulled off the field to be tested because an earlier tests in the day came back inconclusive. And then Dez revealing the news on Twitter he tested positive. Dez tweeting a lot before and during the game, including this one, since I tested positive for COVID before the game, does the game stop or go on?

Well, the NFL did contact tracing and felt it was OK for the game to go on as planned. No other players tested positive yesterday. So the game started like normal, just without Dez on the field. Lamar Jackson, he was one of the Ravens who tested positive for COVID during the team's outbreak. And he said after the game he had flu-like symptoms. Still can't really taste or smell, but the reigning MVP looked great against the Cowboys, ran for that score right there, threw for two more. Baltimore beat Dallas 34-17. The last place Cowboys have lost six of their last seven games.

All right, for the first time in 102 years, Ohio State and Michigan won't be playing a football game. The Wolverines canceling the rivalry due to a rise in positive tests in the program. Big Ten had said before the season, you had to play six games in order to be eligible to play in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State right now has only played five games. According to EPSN, though, the Big Ten going to have a meeting today to maybe rethink that rule and let Ohio State play in that game.

And, John, you know, it's likely that they will do that, considering the Buckeyes are clearly the best team in the conference. And right now are ranked fourth in the college football playoff rankings.

BERMAN: Look, obviously the fact they're not playing, historic. There were a lot of people yesterday, Michigan and Ohio State fans saying what Michigan was doing was trying to sort of stick it to their rival by keeping them from being able to play in the game. They've got to figure out a way to work that out, assuming it is safe enough to play.

Andy Scholes, thanks so much for being with us.

SCHOLES: All right.

BERMAN: NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Too many Americans are sick or have lost loved ones. Too many have lost their jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These next few months, we can expect to see increasing numbers of infections and increasing deaths.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT FOR THE UNITED STATES: I'm absolutely convinced that in a hundred days we can change the course of the disease.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Supreme Court has rejected this attempt by Republicans to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just one more nail in the coffin of the continued efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we're seeing now in this litigation is cases that will undermine confidence, which is really dangerous for democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:00:01]

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

CAMEROTA: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.