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Soon: Senators Sworn In For Trump's Second Impeachment Trial; Soon: Senate Votes On Biden's Secretary Of State Nominee; Biden Raises Vaccination Target To 1.5 Million Doses Per Day; Interview With Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN). Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired January 26, 2021 - 11:00   ET

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


[11:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan. Thank you so much for joining us this hour.

It is another historic day on Capitol Hill. Senators will be sworn in as jurors this afternoon for the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump. That moment happens in just a few hours from now. Yesterday evening, the Democratic lawmakers who will be serving as the prosecutors in this trial delivered the single article of impeachment against Trump to the Senate. As you could see in a very somber, somber move.

Sources are now telling CNN that the former president is scrambling to put together his legal team. And the trial is set to begin in just two weeks from now.

Also happening today, the Senate will be voting shortly on more of President Biden's cabinet picks. His nominee for secretary of state, Tony Blinken. He is expected to be confirmed after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee gave very strong endorsement of his appointment.

And at the White House, President Biden is wielding his executive powers again. He will be unveiling executive actions today focused on policing, police reforms and racial equity.

We're going to have much more on that in just a moment. But let's start with the very latest on the impeachment trial.

For that, let's get over to the Capitol. Manu Raju is standing by for us there. Manu, you're learning new details about what this trial is going to or could look like. What can you tell us?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We don't expect it to go as long as the 2020 trial, in which lasted about three weeks, 21 days. But we do expect it to take a little bit of time as Democrats, the impeachment managers in the House lay out their case.

One of the things that they plan on doing is present video evidence of what occurred on January 6th. The president's remarks, what was said that the crowd interpreted and how they reacted afterwards. There is going to be an extensive video collection of evidence to show what they saw, what a lot of people saw and that led to the deadly riot here on Capitol Hill that day.

Of course, all trying to prove the case that Donald Trump incited an insurrection in that deadly riot that day. The question, too, is whether or not the Democrats plan to bring forward witnesses. There is still an ongoing discussion about whether they could bring in witnesses, potentially people who could shine the light into Donald Trump's thinking at the time as he made remarks to that crowd and as he, for weeks, tried to subvert the will of voters but overturning Joe Biden's victory.

So, there is outstanding questions about. That the Trump legal team also questioned about how they plan to present this. And we also have a sense on how the senators plan to view these proceedings. On one side Democrats, most of them, are on the side of they believe Donald Trump should be convicted and barred from ever holding office again. But increasingly, Republicans are arguing that this is an unconstitutional proceeding, to go after a former president.

Of course, it is unprecedented to do that. But there is a debate over its constitutionality which will be a central argument in this case. And today, Kate, in the sign of where things are headed among Senate Republicans, they are having lunch with someone who is expected to argue against the constitutionality of these proceedings. So, it's a sign of how it is unlikely to get to that 67-vote threshold or 17 Republicans who have to break ranks to convict Donald Trump. Kate?

BOLDUAN: And Manu, after days of gridlock, Mitch McConnell, he relented and he's now -- he and Schumer now have reached a power sharing agreement. But I think the is, what exactly happened, though?

RAJU: You know, each side is saying a little bit different. Democrats say as nothing. This is a status quo arrangement in the sense that there will be no changes to the Senate rules in giving the power of the minority to filibuster any Senate legislation that requires 60 votes to overcome. There are some Democrats who wanted to lower that threshold to 51 votes.

Mitch McConnell wanted assurances from the Democrats - from the Democratic leaders that they would not touch the filibuster. Chuck Schumer, the Dem majority leader, said he would not give those assurances but two Democratic senators who have long opposed trying to gut the filibuster, Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, have said in recent days, they would -- they restated their opposition to gutting the filibuster and that was enough for Mitch McConnell to say, OK, let's move forward.

The reality hear, Kate, was that they were in a position where they have to come to some sort of agreement because otherwise the Senate would not be able to function. The committees will not be able to organize, move on legislation, move on nominations and at the end, both sides decided it is time to move forward. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Not a moment too soon. Thanks, Manu. Appreciate it.

So, as I mentioned just a moment ago, Donald Trump is scrambling to put together his team ahead of the impeachment trial. CNN's Jeff Zeleny, he is joining me now because he has details on that. Jeff, is the former president struggling to find counsel?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, he's certainly asking a lot of lawyers and many of them, as Manu was just saying there, are coming through the correction of Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. That's why all eyes today are on Columbia, South Carolina and other parts of the state, looking for lawyers. There is a scramble underway, we're told, just two weeks before this impeachment trial begins.

[11:05:03]

Now, we do that the president has secured Butch Bowers. He is a long- time well-respected lawyer in South Carolina. He's a former Bush administration Department of Justice Civil Division lawyer. He's represented really every Republican governor in South Carolina in recent years. If you're a Republican office holder in South Carolina, you get into some trouble, you call Butch Bowers.

So that is what is happening here. And Lindsey Graham connected him to the former president. But he's also looking for other lawyers. We're hearing that there certainly are some other people who are on cusp of signing on.

But Kate, there are also some questions over payment. Of course, the former president has a long history and record of not paying his bills. Anything from lawyers to contractors to others. So, there are some people from big firms who are saying, no thank you.

We are not going to sign on this because there are some worries about all the controversy that comes with this. but first and foremost, also paying the bill. So, we think by the end of this week, we're told, there will be more of a defense team in place. But right there, there is still a help wanted sign being hung out by the former president.

BOLDUAN: And President Biden, he is weighing in on impeachment for the first time speaking to CNN. What did he say?

ZELENY: Really interesting here. He said, look, we've always known he's not had the appetite for impeachment, but my colleague Kaitlan Collins ran into the president last evening in the West Wing of the White House and he said this, I think it has to happen.

Let's unpack those six words. I think it has to happen, impeachment trial because the Senate Democrats and House Democrats, of course, just could not move on with their business without this impeachment trial actually happening. So, he does think it has to go through with this. He thinks there should be consequences for the president but at the same time, he does not believe he'll be convicted.

He said for the first time that he does not believe that there is 17 Republicans who will join on to convict the former president. That does not mean what is going to happen in the proceedings is not going to be damaging, perhaps, to the former president. But even Joe Biden, the president, does not believe there will be a conviction here. They want to move on from this as quickly as possible to get on with their agenda. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Jeff, thank you very much.

Joining me right now for much more on this is one of the senators who is about to be sworn in as a juror in the impeachment trial. Democratic Senator Tina Smith. Senator, thank you for coming in.

SEN. TINA SMITH (D-MN): Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, President Biden, as Jeff Zeleny was just reporting, is saying that President Biden telling our colleague Kaitlan Collins that he thinks that when it comes to the impeachment trial, that this has to happen but he also said that -- acknowledged that he doesn't think that 17 Republicans are going to be voting to convict Donald Trump. Do you agree with him? Do you think this is a foregone conclusion?

SMITH: Well, I don't think anything is a foregone conclusion. But I do agree with him that this has to happen. It is our responsibility. The whole world saw what happened with this attack on our Capitol on January 6th. And for that to happen, to be incited by the president of the United States, and for there to be no consequences, I think goes against the core principles of our democracy.

Now what my Republican colleagues decide to be remains to be seen. I will, of course, admit it is an uphill climb to get 17 of them to agree to convict the president of these impeachable offenses. But, you know, sometimes I wonder, aren't they looking at this and going, why can't we just - let's just make a clear statement that what he did is wrong, we will not stand by it. He committed high crimes and misdemeanors and maybe it would help them to move on and get the unity that I think we actually need in our country.

BOLDUAN: Let me read for you something that Trump's former National Security Adviser John Bolton, who is now quite critical of Donald Trump said about the trial. I'm just curious as your take. He wrote, "There is no doubt that the Senate trial will only provide more oxygen to Trump to garner attention. Attention is what Trump lives for. If his foes really wanted to punish him, if they wanted to inflict the most terrible fate possible, they would simply ignore him."

Do you see that, Senator?

SMITH: You know, I'm 63 years old, almost, a grandmother and I have never seen that if you ignore your problems, they just go away. And that has clearly not been the case for Donald Trump, right?

I mean, how many times have we heard people say, oh, those are just words. That is just what he says. That's just what he does. And look at what happened. We had a violent attack on our Capitol with lives lost. An insurrection happened because he incited it.

I mean, I think we've learned that you can't just ignore him and hope that he'll go away.

BOLDUAN: You have said that you will vote to convict when the trial plays out. Do you want to hear from witnesses? Do you think it is necessary?

SMITH: Well, you know I'm open to hearing from witnesses. When I voted to convict the president a year ago, almost exactly, I felt that it was important that we hear witnesses. This is a different situation. So, I think we need to see how this plays out.

I mean, as I said a minute ago, the whole world saw what happened.

[11:10:00]

The whole world watched the president's speech on the ellipse and we've all been listening to his telling this big lie that the election was stolen from him and stolen from his supporters and we've seen the results of that.

So, it is a different situation. I think we've seen a lot more, but I think we have to see how the trial unfolds.

BOLDUAN: And you, yourself, and the other members of Congress are witnesses to the violence that played out and witnessed, you know, the president's remarks during it and afterwards. How long do you think this trial is going to be?

SMITH: Well, it is hard to say. I agree with what we heard a little earlier. I don't think it needs to take 20 days. But it is important that each side has an opportunity to present their case and their president -- the former president also certainly has that right to present his case.

So, I hope that it doesn't drag out for a long time, but it is important that Americans see this as being a fair trial. And you know, meanwhile, we have so much work to do for Americans. We need to get the vaccination program up and running. We need to help those 10 million Americans that are out of work. We need to help kids get back in school. So, I think that we have a full plate of work in the Senate.

BOLDUAN: You absolutely do. But on that front, on the COVID relief package, Republicans are really largely bulking at the scope and price of the package as the Biden team has proposed and has been asking for. What would you like to see here? Would you support a smaller more targeted bill in order to get Republican support, Senator?

SMITH: I believe that we are not going to look back on this moment a year from now, five years from now, and say oh, we did too much. We try too hard. We helped too much. We are in a public health and an economic crisis, the likes of which we have never seen all at once in our country. And the need for strong action is so clear to me. And that --

BOLDUAN: So, that is really interesting. Because when you think about looking back, will you look back and will it matter if it was a bipartisan bill that was approved or if it was approved just by Democrats?

SMITH: Well, I think if we do the right thing and we do a big bold, ambitious plan, that everybody will want to be part of that. And they won't remember so much whether it was bipartisan. They will remember whether we helped people and that is what is on my mind right now.

BOLDUAN: Senator, thank you for your time. Thanks for coming on.

SMITH: Thanks so much, Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, President Biden, he once again is turning to executive action to fulfill campaign promises. Today, new orders are coming that the White House says will be tackling racial inequality and police reform. The details on that is ahead.

Plus, a deadly tornado rips through Alabama. We're going to have an update on the damage, next.

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[11:17:00]

BOLDUAN: President Biden taking on an issue that became central to the 2020 election and to his campaign, racial inequality. Biden today, will be signing -- will soon be signing a new set of executive actions focusing on police and prison reforms and quite a bit more. CNN's Jeremy diamond is tracking all of this. He is joining us right now.

Jeremy, what is the president pushing for here?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, 2020 wasn't just dominated by the coronavirus pandemic but also by the police shootings of several unarmed black men and the ensuing reckoning on racism that followed with a groundswell of protests across the country.

The last president really didn't address these issues of racism and police brutality at all during his time in office. But President Biden is now coming in and trying to start this conversation and trying to implement several reforms.

We're going to see him take several actions today, executive actions, to address this issue of racial equity in the United States.

He's going to start with creating a police commission to review the practices of police departments across the country and promote best practices.

He's also going to reinstate this Obama-era provision prohibiting the transfer of military equipment to police departments.

And also takes steps to improve prison conditions and ultimately, seek to eliminate the use of private prisons here in the United States.

He will also in one executive action, disavow discrimination against Asian American and Pacific Islanders here in the United States in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic.

So, these are some of the steps that we're going to see President Biden take today. Of course, many of these are modest steps or process steps that will kind of seek to start the process of more change down the line. But it is the beginning of his focus on this issue, which as you said, Kate, was also central to his message during the 2020 campaign.

BOLDUAN: And Jeremy, we're also just learning there is new reporting on new climate actions that the president's set to be announcing.

DIAMOND: That is right. When President Biden came into office on his first day actually, he signed a 60-day moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal land. He's now going to expand that moratorium indefinitely in one of his executive actions tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the day that we will see the president focus on the climate crisis in the United States. And so, that is what we'll see as this indefinite moratorium on oil and gas leases on federal land and waters. This will not impact existing leases, but it will impact those going forward and create a new review process to address that.

BOLDUAN: Jeremy, thank you so much for tracking that for us. We really appreciate it.

We are also following the aftermath of some really terrible weather across the country today. At least one person is dead, more than two dozen injured after a powerful tornado ripped through Alabama.

Look at these pictures from Alabama this morning. Rescue crews are still conducting search and rescue operations this morning. The powerful tornado ripped through, barreled through the Birmingham area, late last night and it caused damage, knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses. Can't even tell what was standing in the place of that rubble when you look at these images this morning.

[11:20:07]

The tornado was part of one of two large systems that has more than 100 million people under a winter weather alert this morning. So unfortunately, it seems much more to come with that.

Coming up still for us, President Biden is now - now says that he hopes the country will soon be able to vaccinate one and a half million people per day. Is that setting the bar high enough. We'll be right back.

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[11:25:07]

BOLDUAN: Another new COVID variant is now detected in the United States. It was first seen in Brazil and just identified now in Minnesota. This one is especially concerning to scientists as it is spreading at alarming rates in Brazil, we're told.

But it is just one of four variants that is being monitored now by the CDC. And with many questions still about whether these variants are more deadly or more resistant to the vaccines that are out and available. And they come as President Biden is setting new targets for vaccine distribution. Eyeing a more ambitious rollout now. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think we may be able to get to that 150 - 1.5 million a day rather than 1 million a day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: A question facing the country now, what is going to take hold first, the variants or the vaccine.

Joining me right now is Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC, and president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is good to see you again, Doctor.

We have -- on the variants, we've heard so much about these variants, but it still does feel like there is still so much unknown. How worried are you about this?

DR. RICHARD BESSER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION: Well, Kate, you know one thing that we know about viruses is that they continually mutate. What is concerning here is the rate of mutation in how it seems in some countries new strains of the virus have been able to take hold, that spread easier, that may be more severe.

That is very concerning and it puts a lot of pressure on us to try and do everything we can do to get the rate of transmission down, to flatten the curve, that phrase that we talked about all spring. And vaccines are part of that.

But the biggest part of that is trying to come together as a nation and see can we get those people who aren't wearing masks to do so. Can we get people to social distance and avoid crown in indoor places? If we can do those things, we could blunt the impact of this pandemic this winter until there is a time when everyone could be vaccinated.

BOLDUAN: And what do you think of these goals now in terms of the vaccine? The goals and targets that are coming from the Biden administration. First, it was laid out as 100 million shots in the first 100 days. Now, the president is saying that he believes they hope he can get to 1.5 million shots per day. And this is of course after just facing the reality that they hit that target even if nothing would improve. Do you think they're setting the targets too low?

BESSER: I think that we're having the wrong conversation. One of the biggest challenges is the amount of vaccine that is being manufactured. And what I want to know, isn't the total number of people being vaccinated but are the right people being vaccinated.

When we think about this pandemic, it is not hitting everyone the same. We know that people in long-term care facilities are at one of the highest risks for dying from this. But we also know that Black Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans, people would are essential workers, are at the greatest risk of exposure and have hospitalization and death rates that far surpass the proportion of the population.

I want to know how states are doing there and if there is such pressure on number, how many people do you have? What is your through- put? You're going to be seeing those people with connection, those people with privilege getting vaccinated ahead of those who were keeping our society going.

I'm looking forward to getting vaccinated when my turn comes but I don't want to get vaccinated ahead of someone who's working in my supermarket, some who's working in a poultry processing plant or someone who is driving a bus. They need to get vaccinated first and it is hard to do that. And the pressure on numbers may make some states move away from the importance of reaching those people at the greatest risk in favor of getting as many arms vaccinated as possible.

BOLDUAN: That is very interesting, Dr. Besser, I must say. Because you know, you've heard Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new CDC director, she said that one of the things that they were up against in -- getting into office is that they don't know how many vaccines are actually out there. She doesn't know that. If she doesn't know that she can't tell governors how many to expect and you kind of see the trickle down from there.

I do wonder. How long do you think from your experience, although this is so unusual, how long should it take for them to get their arms around this? More than a week?

BESSER: Well, you know, it depends how much transparency there is from these various companies. Are the companies being honest in terms of how much is being produced and how much will come to the U.S. supply, versus contracts to other countries.

You know I'll be eagerly awaiting the news from Johnson & Johnson in terms of their studies because adding another vaccine if it is safe and effective and approved by FDA, will do something to increase that supply. But we need to ensure that we're aligning people's expectations that it is not just getting the systems right in each state, we definitely need to do that.