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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Senate Impeachment Trial Starts Tomorrow; White House: Biden Focused on Pushing COVID Relief Bill; Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs Win Super Bowl LV. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired February 08, 2021 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00]
LAURA JARRETT, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is EARLY START, I'm Laura Jarrett.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: Good Monday morning, nice to see you, I'm Christine Romans. It's February 8th, and it's exactly 5:00 a.m. in New York. And former President Trump's historic second impeachment trial set to kick off tomorrow. At the moment, several key questions remain unanswered like where -- will there be any witnesses and how long will this trial go? There's widespread agreement that Trump will almost certainly be acquitted this time just as he was in his first impeachment trial. That does not mean these proceedings will lack drama with impeachment managers making the case for former president of the United States incited rioters to ransack the Capitol on January 6th. CNN's Joe Johns starts us off this morning on Capitol Hill.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, some members of the United States Senate say they are reserving judgment until all the evidence, and some compare themselves to members of a jury, but for whatever reason, many Republicans over the weekend said they were reluctant to convict Donald Trump in this trial that is expected to begin on Tuesday. They are well aware of all of the support the former president has out in the country, even though some of the latest polling suggests quite the opposite. An "ABC News" poll says 56 percent of respondents believe the former president should be convicted and barred from holding office while only 43 percent say he should not be. But it's not up to the respondent's polling, it's up to the Senate, and here's what some of them said over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): If you believe he committed a crime, he can be prosecuted like any other citizen. Impeachment is a political process. We've never impeached a president once they're out of office. I think this is a very bad idea.
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Zero chance of conviction. Forty five Republicans have said it's not even legitimate proceedings. So, it's really over before it starts. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think the outcome is predetermined?
SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Do I interpret?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CASSIDY: You know, I -- everybody -- no, I don't. I think it depends upon that which is presented. Let's face it, the house today did an incredibly poor job of building a case before their impeachment vote. If -- the president wasn't there. He wasn't allowed counsel. They didn't amass evidence.
SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA): I think it is constitutional. I think it's clearly constitutional to conduct a Senate trial with respect to an impeachment. In this case, the impeachment occurred prior to the president leaving office. But you know, my job is going to be to listen to both sides of this, evaluate the arguments and make a decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: So, the leadership watch continues here on Capitol Hill. All eyes on Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell to release the perimeters of this upcoming trial, how long they expect it to last? Whether there will be witnesses or not, how long the impeachment managers as well as the former president's lawyers will get to address the members of the United States Senate and make their cases. Christine and Laura, back to you.
JARRETT: Joe Johns, thank you so much for that. Well, President Biden is determined not to be distracted by the impeachment trial. The White House says he remains focused on pushing Congress to pass his coronavirus relief bill and help millions of struggling Americans. CNN's Jasmine Wright is live for us at the White House this morning. Jasmine, nice to see you. There is so much going on other than impeachment when it comes to the vaccine. Of course, the COVID relief bill. What's happening with schools. So, what all is on the president's plate this week?
JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN REPORTER: Well, Congress' focus is shifting from the president's COVID relief bill to the Senate as it turns to that Senate impeachment trial starting on Tuesday. Now, the White House is planning to go along with business as usual as they are in the middle of these COVID relief negotiations. Now, one White House official tells me that President Biden will keep a busy schedule focused on pushing the message of the pandemic and of his COVID relief bill. And that's instead of getting pulled into this impeachment process. Now, one part of the pandemic as you said, Laura, is how to open schools safely and when to do that. That is a question that is being debated across the country. Now, President Biden really weighed in on this issue yesterday in one of those very traditional Super Bowl interviews on "CBS". Take a listen.
[05:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think it's time for schools to reopen?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's time for schools to reopen safely. Safely. You have to have fewer people in a classroom. You have to have ventilation systems that had been reworked. Our CDC commissioner is going to be coming out with science- based judgment within I think as early as Wednesday as what the minimum requirements are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WRIGHT: Now, President Biden has said that he wants to open most K- through-12 schools in his first 100 days. Now, of course, he's going to adhere to the science, he says, but it is also a part of funding. And that funding is what he asked for in that $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. But again, it is an open question of when exactly that can get done as the Senate will turn to impeachment starting Tuesday afternoon. Laura?
JARRETT: The funding for schools certainly a huge issue. Now, Jasmine, the president has essentially doubled down on his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. But a single -- not a single Republican has signed on right now. So, are Democrats going to go this alone?
WRIGHT: Well, it's looking increasingly likely. Look, the president -- President Biden made clear in his most direct criticisms of Republicans to date showing that he is ready to go along with or without them. Last week, we saw him use those very sluggish job numbers to defend both the size of that COVID relief bill, that $1.9 trillion, but also the speed in which he wants to get past. He said he's not coming down off of that $1,400 number for direct payments to Americans, those direct checks. But he did say he would be open to negotiating who exactly can qualify. But again, President Biden said that if the choice was between getting tied up in lengthy negotiations with Republicans, that could still end up in them not supporting the bill and passing -- or passing this bill quickly and getting relief to Americans.
He said that choice was easy, that he would go the quickest route. So, Democrats do seem like they are ready to go it alone. But again, Laura, if they do go it alone, if they do go forward without any Republican support, they are going to have to stay united, but because of their slim majority, they cannot lose a single vote.
JARRETT: All right, Jasmine, thank you so much for all your reporting. We'll see you back in a little bit.
ROMANS: All right, seven minutes past the hour, a bold effort to take on child poverty. House Democrats set to unveil their plan for monthly direct payments to tens of millions of American families. It's part of President Biden's coronavirus relief, this enhanced child tax credit would give parents with children under the age of six, $3,600 per child each year and $3,000 per child, ages 6 through 17. Now, the full benefit phases out for Americans earning more than $75,000 and couples earning $150,000. Key here, direct monthly payments, making it easier to pay bills instead of getting a lump sum at tax time. If made permanent, this has huge implications for hunger and child poverty. Democrats say the bill could catch child poverty by nearly 45 percent. Some Republicans also support increasing the child tax credit. Last week, Senator Mitt Romney unveiled proposal that would give monthly cash benefits to families, his measure would also eliminate several existing government assistance programs in exchange, Laura.
JARRETT: All right, Tom Brady leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl LV, cementing his place as one of the greatest of all time. Coy Wire has more on their dominating win over the Chiefs in this morning's "BLEACHER REPORT" from Tampa. Coy, you have covered a lot of Super Bowls in your time, but none during a pandemic.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: The most unusual by far, Laura, good morning to you. This was billed as the greatest quarterback match-up in Super Bowl history. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs going for back-to-back titles, but 43-year-old Tom Brady wins a historic seventh title in his first season with a new team. Brady throwing the first touchdown of the night to none other than former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski who came out of retirement to play with Tom and Tampa. And the two would connect again for a score. They surpassed Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for the most TDs by any QB receiver combo in post-season history. If Super Bowl MVP could go to a coach though, it might have to go to Tampa's defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, pressuring star QB Patrick Mahomes, a Super Bowl record 29 times, three sacks, two interceptions including Devin White as the Chiefs were marching for a score.
The Bucs "D" holding the high-powered Chiefs to 9 points, zero touchdowns. But the MVP, Brady, for a fifth time finishing 21-29, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, his seventh Super Bowl win giving him more than any franchise in NFL history. If there was any ever doubt before, no debate needed. Tom Brady is the greatest of all time.
[05:10:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: I think they're all special and they're all are. It's been an amazing year. Amazing year. I'm just blessed, grateful for my teammates. All the people that have supported us all year, my boy Alex, you know, it's been a great year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: And what do you know? Hot off the digital presses, the cover of the "Tampa Bay Times" already simply "Bucs Win". Now, Super Bowl LV and Tampa not only the first team to ever make it to a Super Bowl being played in their home stadium, they win it. Just absolutely incredible. You know, I talked to the wife of Ryan Jensen; she was sitting right in front of me, he is the center for the Bucs, spends more time with Brady than probably anyone on the team, and she said, you know what? He has just lifted this entire team. He's held everyone accountable not just to doing their jobs, Laura and Christine, but doing it at a level they didn't know is possible. He outworks everyone every single day, he's infused life into this entire organization, and here they are --
JARRETT: What a story --
WIRE: Champions of the world.
ROMANS: What a story. And you know, when they had that moment of silence, Coy, before the game, I was just really struck by that moment where, you know, remembering 400,000 people who have died with the coronavirus. A year ago, if you had told me this is what the Super Bowl would be like, and this is what America had lived through, I never would have believed it. Remarkable, the resilience to have the Super Bowl on at all, let alone such a great game. Coy, nice to see you, thank you --
JARRETT: Thanks, Coy.
ROMANS: All right, the race to vaccinate Americans against coronavirus comes down to supply and demand. Where we are now and when that could change next.
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[05:15:00]
JARRETT: Excited fans crowded the streets and bars of Tampa celebrating their Buccaneers victory while they were supposed to be wearing masks. CNN's Randi Kaye reports many did not.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was quite a game and a certainly quite a crowd here in Tampa. There is a mask mandate for people who are in the entertainment zones and the entertainment areas. You have to wear a mask if you can't safely social distance or face a fine up to $500. But a lot of people are ignoring that mask mandate. In fact, we have a video of an area known as Ybor City where hundreds of people were lining the streets, they were going to bars and restaurants, many of them maskless, they were inside the clubs. Certainly, the city is being asked why they didn't do more to enforce the mask mandate.
We called the mayor's office today which sent me to the police in Tampa. And when I asked them, they said -- the spokesperson said that they are very disappointed certainly about one gathering, one event at a bar and grill at a hotel here in Tampa. They're very concerned about that. The spokesman for the police telling me that they have a level of responsibility that must be followed or risk being shut down. Now, that particular event was supposed to have a mask mandate and temperature checks in place, but it's unclear if any of that was followed. In terms of citations or fines that were issued, the Tampa police would not say how many, if any at all, were issued here in the city. Randi Kaye, CNN, Tampa.
ROMANS: All right, the White House sounding optimistic about vaccines becoming available on a much wider scale by the Spring. Just over 9 million Americans are now fully vaccinated. And while Dr. Fauci admits the pace needs to pick up, he sees encouraging signs that vaccine supply is catching up to demand. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: The demand clearly outstrips the supply right now. If you look at the escalation of availability of doses, purely on the ability and the capability of manufacturing that, it's going to escalate and will continue to escalate as we go from February to March to April and beyond.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: That escalation expected to get a big boost this week. CNN has reporters covering the pandemic from coast to coast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Natasha Chen in Atlanta. The federal government will begin shipping COVID-19 vaccines directly to pharmacies this week, starting with 1 million doses of Moderna's vaccine. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores says pharmacies in the U.S. have the capacity to administer 100 million doses in 30 days, but will need the supply to do so. The allocation of doses for this pharmacy program will come straight from the federal government, not from a supply given to states. Pharmacies will still need to follow the state eligibility guidelines.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am Polo Sandoval in New York City where unvaccinated hospital workers are being given this week to use the COVID-19 vaccines that are set aside for them or they risk losing it. As of this weekend, 75 percent of New York State hospital workers were vaccinated. Governor Andrew Cuomo asking healthcare facilities to appeal one last time to their unvaccinated employees and clear up any kind of hesitancy about the vaccine. The facilities can only offer healthcare workers priority to get the shot that they can mandate. Starting next Monday, unused doses that were set aside for hospital workers will be reallocated for people with underlying conditions.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN REPORTER & PRODUCER: I'm Paul Vercammen in Los Angeles County, California where we are seeing a drop in the number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations. But the county health director says we are not going to see indoor dining any time soon. We saw Dr. Ferrer(ph), this was at a max vaccination site in Englewood, and she was extremely disappointed because she says this site could vaccinate 4,000 people a day. They were only able to administer 1,100 doses Saturday because they just did not have enough vaccine.
EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Evan McMorris-Santoro. A new study finds cases of a coronavirus variant first discovered in the U.K. are spreading rapidly in the U.S., suggesting there's already significant community spread here. The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed, but the authors say their study requires Americans to take immediate action to curb the spread or else the U.K. variant which is more contagious could have a devastating impact on U.S. death rate.
[05:20:00] Experts have said the continued social distancing, wearing masks, and
more people getting vaccinated are the best ways to prevent the spread of any coronavirus variant.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JARRETT: All right, thanks to all of our correspondents for those updates. A vaccine rollout now facing a setback in South Africa. We'll tell you what happened and what it can mean for other countries next.
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[05:25:00]
ROMANS: South African health officials are pausing the country's rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine after a study showed disappointing results against the variant first identified there. CNN's Eleni Giokos has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: South Africa has halted the rolling out of the AstraZeneca vaccination in South Africa after results showed that it offers minimal protection against mild and moderate COVID-19 cases, specifically from the variant that was first identified in the country. The variant B1351 is a lot more transmissible but very little was known about the trials that have been conducted for many months now. And now, the AstraZeneca vaccination showed to be 75 percent viable against COVID-19 until the end of October 2020. When the variant started becoming a lot more dominant in South Africa, researchers say that they weren't able to replicate those results. Where we're sitting right now, 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have arrived in the country. The government now is halting that rolling out. Take a listen to what the Health Minister Zweli Mkhize had to say.
ZWELI MKHIZE, HEALTH MINISTER OF SOUTH AFRICA: So it's a temporary issue that we have to hold on to AstraZeneca. It is temporary until we figure out these issues, what are the next steps supposed to be. When we know those steps, then of course, we bring it back.
GIOKOS: They have also voiced their disappointment at these latest results. The hope was that AstraZeneca vaccination and the aggressive rollout which was planned over the next month would have a significant impact for essential workers, for health workers and the country. Right now, the hope is that they would expedite the use and the trials of the Johnson & Johnson vaccination and also looking at other vaccine options that perhaps will be able to target the variant. The variant now has moved beyond South African borders and found another African countries and around the world. And the big question plaguing many people and of course researchers and countries is just how viable these vaccines will be against the mutations that we're seeing taking hold of the world. Eleni Giokos, Saint Francis Bay, South Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE) JARRETT: Eleni, thank you for that. Republican Congresswoman Liz
Cheney refusing to be bullied even after getting censured by her own party in her own state. You'll hear from her next.
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