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New Day
Software Developer Builds A Simpler Vaccine Site For Massachusetts; Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win The Super Bowl; Biden: Trump Should No Longer Receive Classified Intelligence Briefings. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired February 08, 2021 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Can I just pull up what you did -- what you designed? Because I --
OLIVIA ADAMS, DEVELOPED VACCINE APPOINTMENT WEBSITE, CREATOR, MACOVIDVACCINES.COM (via Cisco Webex): Sure.
CAMEROTA: -- clicked on it yesterday. It is so easy. It is the simplest process in the world.
Here's what you did. You had -- so people just decide -- OK, where am I? Do I want to go to Fenway Park, for instance? Do I want to go to Gillette Stadium?
And then it tells you the exact dates and how many slots are left. And then a big button, click here to sign up. It's just the simplest process in the world.
How long did it take you to design this Web site?
ADAMS: So, as you mentioned, I'm taking care of my newborn right now and so when he's sleeping I work on this. I've been working on it for about three weeks. I'd say I've put in 40 hours total.
CAMEROTA: OK, and was it difficult to do this for you?
ADAMS: Yes. So even though I work in Web development -- and Athena makes electronic health records and things like that so I'm used to making complicated software that's hosted on the cloud -- this was my first time making a complicated Web site myself.
The hardest part about it is that every Web site that has availability information, I have to kind of tell my computer how to read that Web site like a human. And so that's where all of the man hours went in.
So for the -- all of the Massachusetts' sponsored sites I had to write something that said OK, here's how you read this Web site. And then for all of the grocery stores I had to write one for each one that said all right, here's how they display this information here. And so that's where most of the work went in. CAMEROTA: Someone asked Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker about you and about why the state hasn't been able to do it as well as you have. Here was that exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A software developer who works for a health care company has taken it upon herself to make a Web site where it shows all available appointments at a glance on one page. There -- she has the mass sites up now and she's working on more. I'm wondering if the state would consider implementing something like that.
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER (R), MASSACHUSETTS: Send us her name and we'll talk to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: Have they reached out to you or vice versa?
ADAMS: Not yet. So that happened on Friday and it's only Monday, so I'd love to hear from them. I hope to hear.
I reached out, actually, Friday morning as well before this kind of blew up. I e-mailed them through the state Web site. So they have my contact information and I hope to hear from them soon.
CAMEROTA: So you are standing by at the ready to help them make this statewide. Make it available for everyone in the commonwealth. Can you also do this for other states, just out of curiosity?
ADAMS: So initially, I didn't think anybody would know about this Web site. I spread it to some friends and family and it just kind of exploded from there.
So, you know, on Friday, I would have told you absolutely not. There's no way I have the time to do that. But now that the support has just been overwhelming and there's clearly such a need, I already have people e-mailing me from other states asking if this can be done where they're at. So I'd love to explore that and we'll just see how it goes.
CAMEROTA: I have a tip for you. Get compensated for this. Do not just do this out of the goodness of your heart Olivia because this is incredible.
I just want to give everybody the Web site again. It's macovidvaccines. So, Massachusetts COVID vaccines, but macovidvaccines.com. It's remarkable what you've done -- obviously, with a newborn and 2-year-old at home.
Olivia, thank you --
ADAMS: Thank you.
CAMEROTA: -- very much for showing everybody your DIY project and how easy -- ADAMS: Absolutely.
CAMEROTA: -- it should be for states. We really appreciate you.
ADAMS: Thanks for having me, Alisyn.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: First of all, a) Massachusetts rules; b) but like math and science rules.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
BERMAN: Good for her. I mean, that's what you can do with a STEM education right there.
CAMEROTA: It took her 40 hours and no state has done it as well as she has.
BERMAN: She probably -- I can't imagine the last time she slept.
CAMEROTA: I know, I --
BERMAN: Forty hours and no sleep --
CAMEROTA: I'm --
BERMAN: -- right, with a newborn. Good for her. Good for her.
We do want to remember some of the more than 463,000 Americans lost to coronavirus.
Alfonsia Jackson's wife says his little girls were his life. The Alabama man died last week from complications from the variant in the United Kingdom. His wife Ashley says her husband worked hard at his job, then came home to his daughters and played with them, playing dress-up and polishing their nails.
Sgt. Patricia Guillen served the city of Los Angeles as a member of the LAPD for nearly 23 years. She was one of two LAPD officers to die last week. The department says the 2,500 employees -- that 2,500 employees, in all, have tested positive.
Sixty-six-year-old Sue Braley fostered more than 300 children over 20 years and was taking care of nine when the ambulance came to take her to the hospital. Now her adult daughter and grandson are taking care of them.
Sue's husband is fighting for his life against the virus. Sue's daughter says she and her son will take care of the kids as long as is needed, however long that it.
[07:35:07]
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 1: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Tom Brady doesn't pass the torch quite yet to Mahomes, does he --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 1: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 2: -- even though --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 1: You're looking at the greatest right there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champs, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 31 to nine. Tom Brady at the helm, winning his seventh Super Bowl title, fifth MVP. But there were so many amazing storylines in that game.
My next guest -- we're going to show you him here, I think -- no? There we go. He's number 93 on your screen there -- the guy behind that just really, really tough hit there taking out Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. A 13-yard loss in the final drive.
[07:40:13]
Joining me now is Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle, Ndamukong Suh. Thank you so much for being with us. Congratulations to you.
As I said, so many great storylines. You've been in the league 11 years. This is your first Super Bowl title. How does it feel?
NDAMUKONG SUH, SUPER BOWL LV CHAMPION, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Truthfully, amazing. I was in the Super Bowl two years ago. Unfortunately, Tom stole that one from me. But I'm glad we're on the same team now and got a win today, and especially at home.
BERMAN: He owes you, right? I mean, he owed you after two years ago.
SUH: (Laughing) Yes, there's no question. I thought for sure being in L.A. two years ago and playing Atlanta, we were going to definitely take that trophy home. But, of course, his competitive edge and his wisdom willed himself to a win, so I had to get back on my horse and try to find another way to win. So I'm excited that I've got that Super Bowl win under my belt now and I'm ready to go after another one, hopefully.
BERMAN: As I said, there's so many sports storylines in last night's game, but what about just the life storyline we've all lived through this last year? This was a Super Bowl in the middle of a pandemic. This was a Super Bowl after a year of social and political turmoil.
I'm wondering how the significance --
SUH: Yes. BERMAN: -- of that impacted you.
SUH: Tremendously. I mean, just from the simple fact of being at home and not knowing whether we're going to have sports or not. Obviously, being from Portland, Oregon, a lot of turmoil in that city that I had to deal with -- even at my house, living with the mayor in the same building. So a lot of different things I had to deal with.
And then transitioning down here -- down to Tampa to prepare once we knew we were going to have a season. One hundred eighty days of COVID testing and more. So it's a ton of stuff that we dealt with and I think our team did a tremendous job to just deal with that adversity and continue to strive forward and be able to become Super Bowl champions.
BERMAN: What kind of a difference do you think sports can make in this environment?
SUH: I think sports is one of those unique things that allows people to come together. And I think you saw that in our stadium, as well as with our team. And just overall, it allows the communities and really, the world to kind of forget about the turmoil and things that are going on and have some enjoyment.
Some tears if you're a Kansas City fan, but a lot of joy for Tampa Bay fans. And really, just have some fun and then be able to get back to the real world, but know you had an exciting time and be able to cheer for something.
BERMAN: So, I'm a Patriots fan. I'm from New England. So I was -- I was rooting for you guys last night because of Brady and Gronk.
But you spent 10 years trying to destroy Tom Brady, right? I mean, honestly, looking across the line --
SUH: Yes.
BERMAN: -- from him. You're laughing, but really tough. You played him tough. So what's it like to go from spending 10 years trying to take the guy's head off to all of the sudden being his teammate?
SUH: You know, it's interesting because you're right. Every single year that -- it seems like I've been in this league, I've been going against him. And then we were in the same conference for three years when I was playing for Miami.
But then this year, to be able to meet him and actually have conversations and talk about how we can work together and do different things, especially during camp. Learning tips from him. Him asking me questions of how I did things.
And then really, last night before he went into his press conference and saying man, I loved the way you hit Mahomes. I remember those days when you hit me like that.
So truthfully, it's great to be able to have that comradery and that relationship with him, and I look forward to being able to continue that on.
BERMAN: Do you apologize for the previous 10 years of hitting him so many times?
SUH: Oh yes, of course, yes, because I feel bad. There's sometimes that I gave him some good lickings, especially when he was going in the playoff games and I know he was limping in there, but he still took care of business. So I've got a lot of pride for him and a lot of great credit for what he's done.
BERMAN: So, I can't imagine you slept much last night after a Super Bowl victory. But it turns out that a night of no sleep might be the perfect training for you because I understand that you have twins on the way. I'm the parent of twins so I have to warn you you've probably slept for the last time for three years.
SUH: Yes, I do have twins coming up here at the end of March. I'm excited for them. My lovely wife has been doing an amazing job. We're in our final trimester and really, just excited to bring those young kids into the life that we have here. So I'm ready to be a father and give them the Super Bowl ring.
BERMAN: We see you with your wife there and your future twins there. Is there something you said to them as you were -- as you were looking at the belly?
SUH: Oh, I just told them that they're champions and I'm super happy and ready for bringing them into this world. And really, my wife was telling me that they were kicking nonstop. So they're the main reason why I was going all season just thinking about them in the back of my head and make sure they could come into these world -- come into this world as champions.
[07:45:14]
BERMAN: Well, you're a champion, your wife is a champion. The twins, no doubt, will be champions as well.
Ndamukong Suh, congratulations to you. You've waited a long time for this. I'm very happy for your Super Bowl victory.
SUH: Thank you very much. Much appreciated.
BERMAN: To the White House backing off a statement from President Biden about whether to provide intelligence briefings to the former president. Who gets to make the decision? What's behind the decision? We're going to ask the former director of national intelligence, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NORA O'DONNELL, ANCHOR, "CBS EVENING NEWS": Well, let me ask you then something that you do have oversight of as president. Should former President Trump still receive intelligence briefings?
[07:50:02]
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think not.
O'DONNELL: Why not?
BIDEN: Because of his erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.
O'DONNELL: I mean, you've called him an existential threat. You've called him dangerous. You've called him reckless.
BIDEN: Yes, I have, and I believe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: President Joe Biden says former President Trump should no longer receive classified intelligence briefings. But over the weekend, the White House insisted the Intelligence Community would have to make that decision.
Joining us now is former director of National Intelligence, James Clapper. Director, great to see you.
President Trump -- oh, let me first say that you're the author of "Facts and Fears: Hard Truths From a Life in Intelligence" -- your book.
OK, President Trump, on at least three occasions that we know of, leaked highly-classified info to people who should not have gotten it -- the Russian foreign minister, the Philippines President Duterte, and journalist Bob Woodward. So why would any new administration ever give him access to more classified information?
JAMES CLAPPER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AUTHOR, "FACTS AND FEARS: HARD TRUTHS FROM A LIFE IN INTELLIGENCE" (via Cisco Webex): Well, exactly. I can't conceive of a situation where a circumstance would merit briefing former President Trump on intelligence matters. I just can't conceive it.
So I think, for me, what President Biden said was the right thing. It was almost a no-brainer. And I think it's probably a relief to DNI Haines that she really isn't -- doesn't have to make that decision because it is one that transcends the Intelligence Community and has all kinds of political implications. So he's provided her a much- needed top cover.
CAMEROTA: Well, yes, except that then over the weekend, the White House sort of shifted its feeling and said well, the Intelligence Community will have to make this decision -- we're not going to. But whose decision is it to make?
CLAPPER: Well, I believe it is probably the president's or perhaps the national security adviser. But I don't think it would be an exclusive decision to be made by, say, the director of national intelligence. And I think it's probably a relief to her and to the Intelligence Community, institutionally, that they don't have to worry about it.
CAMEROTA: What's your fear if Donald Trump were to get intelligence briefings still?
CLAPPER: Well, I think he's demonstrated a disdain for both the substance of intelligence as well as its protection. He's used it on occasion to weaponize it against political opponents. He's exposed it, as you indicated, in both the Oval Office with the Russians. Another example I can think of is his use of overhead reconnaissance satellite imagery to taunt the Iranians about a mishap they had in their space -- a rocket program.
And so, I just don't -- and plus, his potential financial entanglements -- his debt -- which to a normal person would be a real red flag for an adjudicator -- somebody deciding on whether someone should have access to classified information.
So for all of those reasons, I think this is absolutely the right decision.
CAMEROTA: I mean, just to remind everybody, it was May 10th, 2017 when he revealed highly-classified information to that Russian foreign minister and an ambassador in the White House meeting, OK? So that caused all sorts of shockwaves after he did that. But he didn't -- that wasn't the end of it.
He then -- December of 2020, he told Bob Woodward during one of the interviews for Bob Woodward's books, "I built a nuclear weapons system that nobody's ever heard of or had in this country. We have stuff that you haven't seen or heard about."
I mean, isn't --
CLAPPER: Well, those --
CAMEROTA: -- that alone enough reason to never trust him?
CLAPPER: Well, those are -- those are all examples of, as I indicated, his disdain for protection of classified information in general.
And -- I mean, the reason for granting a clearance to a former president is the -- so that the current president has the option of seeking advice and counsel from a prior president, or if that president is going to represent the United States, say, in a foreign engagement. Well, the likelihood of that ever happening is probably pretty remote given the relationship here.
So again, I think for all the reasons we've discussed here and the potential revelation or compromise of sources and methods, that this is the right decision.
Just bear in mind Alisyn that some of the information that is derived and presented in intelligence briefings is collected by people who are risking their lives to acquire it. So it's -- it is a heavy -- a heavy responsibility to protect classified information. And the president has shown be his behavior -- or the former president that he is not very mindful of that.
[07:55:17]
CAMEROTA: James Clapper, thank you very much. We always appreciate talking to you.
CLAPPER: Thanks, Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: John.
BERMAN: All right. Just one day until the former president's impeachment trial. What do we know about how his defense will prevent -- present its case? And what do we know about the merits of those arguments?
John Avlon with a reality check.
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: This week, for only the fourth time in our history, we'll see the impeachment trial of a president in the U.S. Senate. So don't get numb just because this is round two for Donald Trump. We're going to see a lot of evidence over the next few days and we're already getting a sense of some of the Trump team's defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID SCHOEN, DONALD TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT DEFENSE LAWYER: President Trump has condemned violence at all times. Read the words of his speech. He calls for peacefulness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Yes, it seems like defense lawyer David Schoen is referring to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, THEN-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Yes, he said peacefully once, but Trump said fight 16 times by comparison. Here's an example.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You have to get your people to fight. And if they don't fight, we have to primary the hell out of the ones that don't fight -- we primary them. We're going to let you know who they are. I can already tell you, bad people. And we're going to have to fight much harder.
Now we're out here fighting. We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: So the rally crowd was chanting "Fight for Trump."
And then listen to what some of the other speakers said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY: Let's have trial by combat.
DONALD TRUMP, JR., PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SON: If you're going to be the zero and not the hero, we're coming for you.
ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON: Have some backbone, show some fight, learn from Donald Trump. We need to march on the Capitol today.
REP. MO BROOKS (R-AL): Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Yes. So that peaceful defense argument is going to be tough, especially because so many of the rioters specifically said that Trump sent them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPITOL INSURRECTIONIST: There are (INAUDIBLE) out there and we are listening to Trump. He's our boss.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: And now, some lawyers for those charged are arguing Trump incited their clients. As the lawyer for the so-called QAnon Shaman told "The New York Times," "Does our president bear responsibility? Hell, yes, he does."
Of course, this is on the back of Trump and his allies promoting his big lie about election fraud and the Save America rally constantly in the weeks leading up to the attack. In an internal FBI document, and extremist tracking groups warned about online calls for violence at the Capitol among Trump supporters before the attack. And all of this was built on the foundation of Trump's histories of incitements -- this self-styled army for Trump -- and his refusal to unequivocally condemn right-wing violence and vigilantes.
Look the attack on our Capitol was designed to disrupt the counting of electoral votes just as Trump demanded. Stop the Steal was pure projection designed to steal the election. So don't believe the expected deflection from Trump's attorneys and apologists.
As Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): Incitement to insurrection is an impeachable offense. If not, what is?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: And that's your reality check.
BERMAN: An important reality check. Again, do not be numb to this. We are seeing history unfold and it all begins tomorrow.
John Avlon, thanks very much.
NEW DAY continues right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw what happened in real time. President Trump sent that angry mob to the Capitol.
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Zero chance of conviction. Forty-five Republicans have said it's not even a legitimate proceeding.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Health officials in South Africa say they are pausing the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a pretty big setback. This South African variant is in the U.K. It's not only in the United States.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Seven Super Bowl wins now for Tom Brady. That's more than any franchise in NFL history.
TOM BRADY, SUPER BOWL LV CHAMPION, QUARTERBACK, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: I think everyone should be celebrating them tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.
And we are one day until the impeachment trial of the former president and it really is surprising how much we still don't know about how the trial will proceed. There are some new details trickling out this morning about the length and whether witnesses will be called, and we're going to speak to a key Democratic leader about that in just seconds.
CAMEROTA: And it's a critical week for President Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package. Democrats also expected to unveil legislation today.