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U.S. Sets Another Record For Hospitalizations, More Than 100,000; Monday Vaccination Underway For Health Care Workers Across U.S.; Many In GOP Refuse To Admit Biden's Win. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired December 15, 2020 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: It will also include a reimagined parade. That's how they describe it.

Thank you so much for joining us. Brianna Keilar picks up our coverage right now.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Hello, I am Brianna Keilar and I want to welcome viewers here in the United States and around the world.

There is a feeling of hope and optimism now even as the country sets deadly coronavirus records. Thousands of health care workers are being vaccinated. This started yesterday, it continues today. And these frontline heroes are getting their shots, of course, so that they can help others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARITZA BENIQUEZ, E.R. NURSE AND FIRST COVID VACCINE RECIPIENT IN NEW JERSEY: It is -- it's almost hard to put in words, right, to tell you what my deepest soul feels having received this shot. This to me -- this is a life line. This to me, I don't have to be afraid. I know that in another month-and-a-half, I will not have to be afraid to touch people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Meanwhile, the United States set another record for hospitalizations, more than 100,000 Monday. And that came as the U.S. crossed another troubling milestone of 300,000 people dead.

This week, the FDA's advisory board will review data on the Moderna vaccine as they consider emergency authorization for a second vaccine. Pardon me. Today though, they released a statement on what they have seen so far, saying that they don't see any specific safety concerns that could derail giving Moderna the green light to distribute the vaccine.

And while it is the health care workers and nursing home residents who are the first wave that will be vaccinated, Dr. Anthony Fauci is urging President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to also get vaccinated as soon as possible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: For security reasons, I really feel strongly that we should get them vaccinated as soon as we possibly can. You want him fully protected as he enters into the presidency in January.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, the Biden transition team says an announcement is coming, quote, soon on plans for the president-elect and the vice president- elect to get vaccinated. Dr. Fauci says 75 to 80 percent of people need to be vaccinated to get the U.S. closer to achieving herd immunity.

But a new survey from Kaiser Family Foundation found 71 percent will say they will definitely or probably get the vaccine, and that falls short of the goal to protect all of us.

Miami-Dade County in Florida has been among the hardest hit in the country since the pandemic began. Today, health care workers at the Jackson Health System in Miami are about to be the first in the facility to get the vaccine.

Our Rosa Flores is joining me now on the phone to talk about this. Rosa, tell us what you're seeing, tell us how many people and who are being vaccinated this hour.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Brianna, it is a historic and emotional day for the health care workers. We learned from Miami Jackson Health that seven frontline health workers are getting vaccinated today. We've got the live pictures for you. These are three physicians, two nurses, one respiratory therapist and also environmental service worker. They're all getting their vaccines right now, as we speak.

Now, as you mentioned, Miami-Dade was hard hit during the pandemic, dubbed, at one point, the epicenter of the crisis. And this particular hospital, like summer surge, with more than 2,000 patients at one time. The state had to send in nurses to meet demand because there were so many COVID-19 patients at one time.

Now, that hospital had to convert regular beds to ICU beds to meet demands. And even though there has been a lull -- there was a lull after the summer surge, right now, we're seeing another surge of COVID-19 cases here in Miami-Dade County. They're reporting 950 patients total for this county.

So this is historic and also emotional, Brianna, for all of these frontline workers, again, seven frontline workers getting the vaccine today. And there is a press conference scheduled within the hour where these health care workers will be sharing their thoughts, their feelings with the public, what it means to them. And we, of course, have heard emotional accounts from other health care workers around the country.

But, again, the live pictures here showing us that nurses, doctors here in Miami-Dade County getting the first vaccines that arrived in Miami Jackson Health for the first time, an emotional and historic moment for the county. Brianna?

KEILAR: Yes, and for the country. Rosa, thank you so much, Rosa Flores live for us from Miami.

There's another major milestone today. The Food and Drug Administration says it has given emergency authorization to the first coronavirus test that people can take home and that they can read at home.

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CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard is with us now to talk about the details of this.

I have so many questions, and I am sure that our viewers do too, Jacqueline. How does it work, how accurate is it, and when can we get it?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, this is an antigen test. So, how it works, it looks for traces of the virus in your nose, nasal samples. And so when you do get this test at home, it requires you to take a nasal swab and then you do get those results at home and the test kit connects with a software app on your phone that helps you interpret those results.

So there have been at home tests before, but the difference with this test is you get results at home. Previous tests required you to send your nasal swab sample into a lab to then get the test done.

So the plan here, Brianna, we're hearing from the FDA that these tests will be available in drug stores. The company, Ellume Health, has said that it plans to produce about 3 million tests in January and the estimated cost is up to $30.

So, the big difference, again, is that you can get the test done at home and you can read the results at home. And FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said in an announcement earlier today that this was a milestone in COVID-19 testing.

KEILAR: Yes, it certainly is. Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for those details.

I want to talk to someone who was among the first people to get the vaccine. We have Helen Cordova, who is with us now. She's an ICU nurse at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. She was the first person at that facility to get the shot.

Welcome. Thank you for coming on. And tell us how you're feeling.

HELEN CORDOVA, FIRST HEALTH CARE WORKER AT HER HOSPITAL TO GET VACCINE: Hi, good morning. Thank you for the opportunity.

Today, physically feeling all right, just a little arm soreness which was to be expected, mentally, emotional, still processing the magnitude of it all, but definitely encouraged and hopeful.

KEILAR: And you said to the person who administered the vaccine for you protect me. So, you're an ICU nurse, you are face-to-face with COVID patients every day. Is this something that's going to give you more confidence now that you can do your job and be safe while doing it?

CORDOVA: Definitely. We have all the proper PPE and we know how to use it. But there's still that level of like fear and uncertainty that like you can pick it up and still take it home. And so having the vaccine is just another form of PPE for us. And it's just encouraging because I have a mom at home and she has got medical history. So the last thing I want to do is bring her this virus home.

And so this is just really comforting and this helps ease our anxieties in a great way.

KEILAR: Does this change anything, Helen? Does it change the way that you prepare for your day, that you conduct your duties or that you donned off PPE or anything like that?

CORDOVA: Not at this moment just yet because it is just the first shot, so I still have to complete the series. Overall, I'll still be putting on my PPE as normal and conducting my social distancing, wearing my mask, washing my hands. I think once I get the second dose, maybe things will change. Bur for now, out of safety and precaution, I am definitely encouraged knowing that I have just another layer of PPE being built within.

KEILAR: Certainly. And it's a good way to think of it, as you just describe it there.

We saw a survey where 30 percent of people say that they will probably not or they will definitely not get the vaccine. I wonder what your message is to them.

CORDOVA: Okay. I was on that same boat. I was definitely like, nope, no way, not me, no, thank you, bye, then here we are. And so I encourage all of those folks that are hesitant or are definitely on the no train to do research, do your own informed research, which is what I did. I sought out information, I spoke to fellow co-workers, physicians, anyone that was an expert in the field within my access and tried to really get more information on the vaccine to make that decision.

And so I encourage those people if you have the chance, educate yourself as much as possible so that you can make that decision for yourself. Because up until this point, the science is what's guided us to keep us ourselves safe, and so we have to trust the science and keep going, you know?

KEILAR: Keep going, trust the science. Helen, thank you so much and congratulations.

CORDOVA: Thank you very much. Thank you for the opportunity.

KEILAR: Of course, Helen Cordova, Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles.

And moments from now, President-elect Joe Biden is set to campaign for the first time in the Georgia runoff races that will determine the balance of power in the Senate.

Plus, I ask a Republican congressman to react to sources saying that President Trump is now looking to Congress to challenge the election.

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And the Senate majority leader finally acknowledging Biden's win 42 days later. Will his Republican colleagues follow suit?

This is CNN special live coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: It is December 15th, one day after the Electoral College made it official that Joe Biden is the next president of the United States. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on the Senate floor today and finally accepted the long determined outcome of the election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): The Electoral College has spoken. So, today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Of course, the outcome of the election had been determined and reaffirmed dozens of times before the Electoral College spoke through projections based on votes through actual vote counts in key states, through recounts in key states, through certifications of the vote in key states, through dozens of court challenges lost by President Trump and allies in key states.

[13:15:17]

But the Electoral College and its 538 electors, that was the final step that Planet Trump was clinging to as it procrastinated on accepting the outcome of the election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARA TRUMP, SENIOR ADVISER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN: The certifications are really just a procedural step. The reality is the electors do not vote in each state until December 14th. The state legislatures each have the opportunity to delegate where they want those electoral votes headed.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSEL TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Electoral Colleges how you do or don't win.

JASON MILLER, SENIOR ADVISER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN: So when the Electoral College gets together to certify this election, the American people can have full confidence in its outcome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Trump aides and confidants said it over and over and so did Republicans in Congress who clumsily dodged questions about who the next president is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R-TN): Everything before Monday is really a projection.

SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): I think we've got a threshold coming on December 14th that when the Electoral College meets.

MCCONNELL: The Electoral College will determine the winner and that person will be sworn in on January 20th.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: While some Republicans in the Senate grappled with the obvious and acknowledged Biden's win, others are trailing Russian President Vladimir Putin in acknowledging the president-elect, like the Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, who announced if Biden won the election, said, quote, it is certainly walking down that path, isn't it? It is not walking, it walked a month ago.

The only thing going down a path is Senator Johnson and it appears he is being dragged. Johnson cited, quote, a large percentage of the American population that just don't view this as a legitimate result for a host of reasons, reasons like the senators that won't acknowledge the result of an election, Johnson's fellow Republican colleague, Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, was asked if he will accept the result of the election. He said, quote, I am not going to comment on that.

Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee wouldn't say if Biden was president-elect once he crosses 270 electoral votes. Quote, we're going to be watching it, thanks.

Senator Chuck Grassley, who is longest serving Republican currently in the Senate, was asked if it's time to acknowledge Biden as president- elect, which he respond, quote, I don't have to, the Constitution does. The follow-up was, do you acknowledge him as president-elect. Quote, I follow the Constitution.

Senator John Barrasso calls the topic of whether Biden is president- elect a gotcha question. It's only a gotcha question if you think the job of reporters is to participate in the alternate reality that Senator Barrasso is currently navigating in.

Senator Lindsey Graham said, quote, it is a very, very narrow path for the president. I don't see how he gets there given what the Supreme Court did. But having said that, I think we'll let those legal challenges play out, end quote. Narrow path? There's no path for Trump. It is a brick wall made of more than 7 million votes and 74 electoral votes.

But the one that takes the cake is North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, and bear with me because this is a long, meandering flow trip on a river to voided facts (ph) to a dark canyon speared by logic and reality.

Senator Cramer said this, quote, well, it seems to me that being elected by the Electoral College is a threshold where a title like that is probably most appropriate and I suppose you can say official if there is such a thing as official president-elect or anything else- elect. And there's an inauguration that will swear somebody in, that person will be the president of the United States.

But whether you call it that or not, you know there are legal challenges that are ongoing, and not very many, probably not a remedy that would change the outcome, but so I don't -- again, I don't know how a politician refers to another politician, but it does look to me like the big race is really between the inaugural committee and Justice Department at this point, so we'll see how the emails turn out, end quote.

KEILAR: It is nonsensical word salad from a politician who knows that when you're elected to an office, it should be acknowledged.

This is from an appearance of Cramer's in 2018 after winning his Senate seat, this is what he was called after he won that seat in 2018.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRISH REGAN, FORMER FOX BUSINESS NETWORK HOST: Here with reaction to all of it, I have on the phone right now North Dakota Senator-elect Republican Kevin Cramer. Good to have you, sir.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Kevin Cramer, that's another one we worked hard on together, right? Great job, Kevin, senator, senator- elect, very shortly senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Very shortly, in just 36 days, President-elect Biden will be President Biden.

Still, many Republicans continue to enable the president's cries of a rigged election that wasn't. All of the things they have said to pacify Trump and his supporters, whose votes they rely on, they now define the Republican Party.

[13:20:05]

Because when they're done fist bumping Senator Harris congratulations in one moment, only to cast doubt on the result of the election in the next, they may find what a slippery slope they're on, a path as Senator Johnson might say, where the party that doesn't believe in science, the party that promotes conspiracy theories, the party that undermines public health, which kills people, and the party that promotes racist extremism becomes the party that opposes the most American of things, democratic elections.

Somewhere on this slippery slope is a point of no return and Republicans may just find it is in the rearview. In the meantime, the country will experience another last ditch effort backed by Trump to overturn the election, and this is expected to come in the form of a floor fight in Congress on July -- or, pardon me, January 6th.

This is when the House and the Senate must officially count that Electoral College vote, 306 for Biden to 232 for Trump. And some of the president's staunchest supporters reportedly led by Congressman Mo Brooks may contest the results. This is an attempt that is doomed from the start, among multiple reasons, the Democrats are the majority and they control the House.

Joining me now is Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman of Virginia. Sir, thank you so much for coming on to talk about this. You won't be there January 6th after losing your primary, but what is your reaction to this plan?

REP. DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R-VA): It is stupendously ridiculous. When you're looking at this, and, listen, I know Mo, but this is just ridiculous. There's something you were saying a little bit earlier about those who -- they seem to say all the voters don't think this was a fair election and they're actually pushing that information.

There's a term that we look use in the military when confirmation bias got exploded, where we were trying to fit the conclusions right. You're trying to -- you have a conclusion, you're trying to fit the narrative to it, and that's itself like an ice cream cone.

And I'm not quite sure what people are looking at right now, but when you look at court cases, you look at the source of these court cases, you look at people pushing these conspiracy theorists, I'm not quite sure what you gain from this unless you have a base that's demanding this or you're pandering to that set of voters and knowing that you're going to lose. So I really think it is damaging to democracy.

And when you look at the baseline of this, all of this is conspiracy theories. And I think conspiracy theories harm democracy, it is that simple.

KEILAR: It is very simple. I do want to listen to something that White House Adviser Stephen Miller said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: As we speak today, an alternate slate of electors in the contested states is going to vote and we're going to send those results to Congress. This will ensure that all of our legal remedies remain open.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: He says, alternate electors, legal remedies remaining open. What do you think he is talking about? RIGGLEMAN: I think he's talking about people trying to keep loyal to the tribe. I think he is talking about people that are doing things that really don't matter to keep some sort of constituency happy that we don't think needs to stay happy right now.

I hate being so blunt on this, but what are we doing right now? Why are we doing this when we know the election has been decided, we know that we're going to have a new president? Transition is not something that's foreign to American politics. I don't know about you, I don't remember it being foreign to American politics where people recognized the winner of a duly elected winner. I just don't remember that happening.

So, what you're seeing right now, that's just rhetoric for fundraising. That's a grift and I call a griftocracy. And that's what they're doing, Brianna. They're just simply trying to continue to fundraise and let's see what those numbers look like come January 6th. I bet they're going to be staggering. And I think you have individuals who are afraid of running against that kind of financial power.

You've got remember, we're stepping into it right now. People who are in the Republican Party are saying that this isn't something that we should be doing, it is ridiculous, it's nonsensical tripe. We're saying these type of things, it is based on conspiracy theories, we're running up against a very powerful Republican establishment who can fund you out of office or fund you in if that's what you're worried about, just your career. That's what you're seeing right now. This is just a continuing fundraising pitch from certain individuals who want to stay in the grift.

KEILAR: We saw the Senate majority leader on the Senate floor today acknowledging that Joe Biden will be the next president. I just wonder how you view that. Does he get credit for that coming here several weeks later and finally admitting what we've known since the election or thereabouts?

RIGGLEMAN: Senator McConnell is a calculating guy. I think he should have done this much earlier. It's that simple. I don't know. Again, he should have done this much earlier. People should respect the decision not only of the voters but the electors. We knew this was going to happen. I don't know anybody, it is like, well, Denver, my goodness, you were right time, they're 1 in 59 court cases. How are you right? How is that possible? Well, when you look at the sources and the facts, it is very possible.

And the source is Ron Watkins from QAnon or some weirdo posting about NSA taking over the elections.

[13:25:00]

Once you see the sources of that happened a few weeks ago, not tough to think that maybe the information should be called in question, not a huge stretch.

And I think that's the issue that we're having is why again we are fighting in the rabbit hole. It's not that we were going down the rabbit hole, there's a war in the rabbit hole. And I've got to tell you, I want to pop into the sunlight, I don't want to stay down there with that ridiculousness.

KEILAR: So what is your message then, your direct message to President Trump at this point?

RIGGLEMAN: Accept the election, have integrity, move on.

KEILAR: You were just censured by Appomattox County in your district for among other things officiating a same-sex marriage, calling out voter fraud claims as false and for openly considering voting for Joe Biden over President Trump. I want you to listen, if you would, to a friend of yours, Michigan Congressman Paul Mitchell, who left the Republican Party officially yesterday. He is protesting the Republican resistance to acknowledge Biden's win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL MITCHELL (R-MI): This party has to stand up for democracy first, for our Constitution first, and not political considerations, that's just a (INAUDIBLE), not simply for raw political power. And that's what I feel is going on, I have had enough.

Yes, I will take abuse from both the far left and the far right. In my opinion, the extremes of both parties are dragging their parties and this country off a cliff. The majority of Americans are in the middle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I know that you've said that you thought about leaving the GOP. Do you agree with Mitchell about the extremes of the parties?

RIGGLEMAN: Yes. Paul is a friend of mine. We've had this discussion. You know what our discussions were, Brianna? Do we attack from the inside or the outside? That's been my biggest decision that I've had to make, do I try to stay in the Republican Party and change it because, unfortunately, we have a two party system, or do I do it from the outside. It is an intelligence decision.

And part of that, what you mentioned, was a censorship yesterday. Here is what I was censured for. I was censured for individual liberty and marriage equality. I was censured for having opinion to think we should have open mind to vote. And I was censured for going against conspiracy theories and QAnon.

That's what I was censured for, that everything that I would thinking normal people would say, you know what, Denver, good on you, man, way to go. But I was censured for things that are nonsensical because it is tribal. And the fringes have taken over sort of dialogue of these parties. And Paul and I have had these discussions so often. And what an incredible guy Paul Mitchell is, and he is taking abuse.

And, of course, I know what it is like to take abuse from the fringes, Brianna. I have taken abuse from the far left and far right so much that I'm used to it. You actually put the censures that I've had on the room around him, I have a beautiful framed set of censorships. I might have broke the record for censorships of the Republican Party. I am the MVP. And that $2, that censorship, it gets me a cup of coffee. I couldn't care less. What I care about is that people are buying into that. I don't buy into that but other people do.

KEILAR: So that's what I want to know. To you, what is the road out of that tribalism that you're talking about?

RIGGLEMAN: Almost like a COVID vaccine. I think we need a vaccine to inoculate against disinformation. And I am now on the board of the Network Contagion Research Institute. We just released a massive anti- conspiracy screen on anti-Semitism and how that is actually the baseline.

So how do we do it? I think you have to use three things, I believe. We have to use big data, we have to use facts-based analysis, right, we have got to use those. But, really, what we have to use is compassion for the American people and empirical quantitative analysis to make sure that we can maybe have another line of facts that people can look at rather than the echo chambers that they're getting in these bizarre social media platforms. And that's where I am going to try to fight right now.

And if I've got to do it from the inside, I will but it's very difficult not to want to go to the outside to become willingly tribalist and attack hard from there too. And it's been one of the hardest decisions I had to try to make, Brianna, and I just don't know the right way to go on that.

RIGGLEMAN: Sir, thank you so much for joining us and for being so candid, as you always are. Congressman Denver Riggleman, we appreciate it.

RIGGLEMAN: Thank you, ma'am.

KEILAR: Joe Biden's presidency would be a lot easier if he has control of the Senate. And moments from now, he is going to tell voters in Georgia that they can make that happen.

Plus, the Pfizer vaccine rollout begins, news from the FDA on the Moderna vaccine, hear what is different about these two vaccines.

And the president is still silent about the suspected Russian attack on the U.S. government, one of the most sophisticated hacks in history, according to experts. So what's next?

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