Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

First Known Military Action Ordered Under President Biden; Senate Parliamentarian Rules Against Minimum Wage in Relief Bill; White House Plans to Work with Congress to Find Best Path Forward; FDA to Consider Emergency Use Authorization for J&J Vaccine; More and More Children Arriving at Southern Border Alone. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired February 26, 2021 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:24]

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. We have reports, this morning, from the Pentagon, Iraq, South Korea, Capitol Hill, London, the White House, and more, as only CNN can.

This is EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A very busy Friday, and we are around the world.

I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, February 26th. Happy Friday, everybody. It is 5:00 a.m., exactly, in New York.

Breaking overnight. The first-known military action under commander- in-chief, Joe Biden, against an Iranian-backed target in Syria -- retaliation we're told for recent attempted attacks targeting U.S. troops.

CNN's Oren Liebermann starts us off this morning, at the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The strikes against the position in eastern Syria along the Syria-Iraq border were the first- known strikes under the administration of President Joe Biden. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says he recommended the strikes and Biden himself gave the authorization on Thursday morning. A U.S. defense official says up to a handful of militants were killed in these strikes.

And the strikes, themselves, come, after recent-rocket attacks against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq in Irbil, north of Baghdad and in the Green Zone in Baghdad, itself.

LLOYD AUSTIN, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We're confident that that target was being used by the same Shia militia that -- that conducted the -- the strikes. We allowed and encouraged the Iraqis to investigate and develop intelligence, and that was very helpful to us in refining the target. LIEBERMANN: But it's important to note the messaging here. This was

not a strike against a major site. It was proportional, said pentagon spokesman, John Kirby, and meant to send a message. There will be a response for future rocket attacks so this is a deterrent against any future rocket attacks and it was a response to previous rocket attacks that we have seen over the last few weeks here.

It comes at a critical time for the Biden administration, as the administration tries to figure out positioning as it seeks to work out some sort of agreement with Iran over oh the nuclear program. So it comes at a very sensitive time -- Christine and Laura.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Oren Liebermann, thank you so much for that.

Well, the strike against this Iranian-backed militia came on the same day that Mr. Biden spoke for the first time as president with the king of Saudi Arabia.

Our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, joins us live in London.

Nic, the Saudis and Iran are known rivals, the timing of the strikes and the president's talk with the king of Saudi Arabia. That just can't be a coincidence.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, you know, the Saudis will always judge an ally by not just their words but their actions. And here, we have the readout from both the White House and from the -- the royal court in Saudi Arabia saying that the conversation between President Biden and -- and King Salman was about several things. But Iran was -- Iran was a big part of it.

The United States saying that they will support Saudi Arabia, as it faces attacks from Iranian-backed groups. The Saudis saying that they want to help promote regional security and stability with the United States, and they see Iran as a destabilizing influence in the region backing different terrorist groups.

So the language was aligned there on Iran, a clear message to Iran. And the actions, right after, I mean, look, the Saudis really liked President Trump because he was very anti-Iran. President Biden, in that context, has big shoes to fill with the Saudis. These actions will go -- filling it.

What we don't understand or at least wasn't publicly released in that conversation was any talk about Jamal Khashoggi and his murder. The CIA assessment that it was done by the king's son, it was authorized by the king's son. A report on that expected to come out later today. Not expecting a smoking gun implicating the king's son.

However, that didn't come up as we know in the conversation. But we do know that President Biden did praise the -- the Saudi king for releasing some American-Saudi activists and -- and the female rights activist, Loujain Al Hathloul. Transparency and accountability seems to be the watch word in that

relationship going forward.

JARRETT: All right, Nic. Always great to get your perspective own all of this. Thanks so much.

ROMANS: All right. Back here, the House will vote today on a landmark piece of legislation. The president's coronavirus relief bill but it will not include one of the most polarizing issues, that minimum-wage hike, a gradual-wage hike to $15 an hour by the year 2025.

CNN's Daniella Diaz live for us on Capitol Hill.

You know, what happened to that minimum-wage proposal? I mean, I think the White House had been hinting for some time they didn't think it would make it into the final bill. But, boy, Bernie Sanders and progressives really wanted to use this moment to give poor, working Americans, a pay raise.

DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: That's right, Christine.

Look, the Senate parliamentarian ruled last night that this $15 minimum wage increase wouldn't be included in this package that is going to be passed by the House today. This is bad news for progressive Democrats, who really wanted to see this legislation included or this proposal included in this legislation. But good news for moderate Democrats, such as Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, who weren't going to support this package if it included this $15 minimum wage increase. So what happens now, right?

So the House is going to vote on this today. It's likely to pass. After that, it will go to the Senate, who will now likely pass it as well with this -- the removal of this $15 minimum-wage increase proposal.

And then, they are trying to get this on Biden's desk by mid-March, before millions of Americans are set to lose their unemployment benefits. And I want to note that progressive Democrats are already having conversations about introducing separate legislation to increase the $15 -- the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And we're just going to keep an eye on all that and see how it plays out.

ROMANS: All right, Daniella Diaz, thank you so much for that. We continue to watch the ins and outs of this massive COVID relief -- Laura.

JARRETT: So budget rules may not support a minimum wage hike but the majority of Americans do. A recent Quinnipiac poll found 61 percent of Americans said they would like to see an increase. White House chief of staff, Ron Klain, has said there are no plans for the vice president to override the parliamentarian's ruling.

Jasmine Wright is live for us, at the White House, this morning.

Jasmine, the official line is disappointment. But behind the scenes, White House officials have been counting, as Christine said, on this minimum-wage provision being stripped out of the bill. So, in reality, this really gives the White House an easier road to pass the bill. But they get to look like they tried.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That is exactly right. That is the tone that we see. Look. In a -- in a statement released last night, White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said that Biden was disappointed.

Let me read that for you. Let me read this language. She says in the statement that President Biden is disappointed in this outcome, as he has proposed having the $15 minimum wage as a part of the American rescue plan. He respects the parliamentarian's decision, and the Senate's process. He will work with leaders and Congress to determine the best path forward.

So, that is the public stance from the White House. But look. Privately, there have to be some folks in that building behind me that are breathing a sigh of relief. Because they know that this minimum- wage increase and this reconciliation bill is divisive. It did not have the support of all 50 Democrats.

So instead of having to negotiate this bill, and potentially having those two moderate Democrats sink this bill. This $1.9 trillion COVID- relief bill that Biden has been pushing for quite some time now is off the table. They don't have to worry about if and as my colleague Daniella said, it makes it more likely this bill can pass with 50 Senate votes, with Vice President Harris doing that tie-breaking vote.

And CNN had learned that White House officials were really counting on it being taken so that they could have this outcome. Now, President Biden has said that he wanted this provision in. But he also was cognizant, as a creature of the Senate, that it may not make it in.

Now, of course, President Biden has said that he would be looking possibly if it didn't get in, to proposing it in another bill. So we will see if that happens. But again, this is a good thing for the White House and a good thing for this bill.

JARRETT: All right. Jasmine, see you back in little bit. Thanks so much.

ROMANS: You have been hearing so much about the politics of this COVID relief bill. But important rye minder of what's actually in it. Lifelines for millions of Americans. Stimulus checks, $1,400 with checks phasing out for people who earn $75,000 a year or more. There is $400 a month in extra jobless benefits until September.

And expanded child-tax credit that is designed, here, to put money, every month, right into the hands of poor families. How much? $250, a month, for children 7 and older. $300, a month, for 6 and younger.

There is money for schools, more aid for those facing eviction, funding for state and local aid, a national-vaccine program that's critical to fighting the virus. And more support for small business.

Now, benefits for millions of Americans end March 14th. So, we're looming here on another deadline. Just at a time when we know the jobs crisis is still very difficult.

Another 730,000 people filed for first-time jobless benefits last week. That is a huge number. It's an improvement as you can see from that chart there. But maybe that's because of bad weather holding back filings for the week. So it might be an improvement for the wrong reason.

Context here. For 49 weeks in a row, layoffs have exceeded the worst on record. Now, on top of those state benefits, another 451,000 people filed for special-pandemic-relief programs.

[05:10:01]

Put it all together. That's about 1.2 million people, in just one week, saying they need wage support from the government. Important, new guidance for the millions collecting these benefits. New, government rules say you can keep collecting jobless benefits, even if you turn down a job because of the pandemic.

Okay. So, that means parents who quit their jobs to take care of kids, to qualify for benefits, even after schools reopen, can still qualify for those benefits. So really important here.

States won't be able to implement the new rules until the end of March, at the earliest. Those benefits will be paid, Laura, retroactively.

JARRETT: Yeah. I think that's a really important note there. You might have to turn down a job for a whole variety of reasons even if you want to work.

ROMANS: Right.

JARRETT: All right. Still ahead. A third coronavirus vaccine, inching closer to reality, today. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:15:14]

ROMANS: All right. Good morning, again.

In a matter of hours, a third coronavirus vaccine could be approved for emergency use in the United States. The FDA will meet to consider Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine.

The timing here is critical. New COVID cases are ticking up slightly, again, after weeks of sharp declines.

Now, it's too soon to well whether that is a result of COVID variants which seem more contagious.

Meanwhile, President Biden just commemorated 50 million vaccine doses dispensed under his watch. But he cautions there is a long way to go.

We get more this morning from CNN's Erica Hill. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, good morning.

It's a big day for Johnson & Johnson. The FDA-advisory panel, meeting today, to evaluate its single-dose vaccine. You will recall, earlier this week, the agency said Johnson & Johnson's trial data showed the vaccine is safe and effective.

Johnson & Johnson says, if the panel grants emergency use authorization, it has nearly 4 million doses ready to go. That J&J vaccine can also be stored at more conventional temperatures. Meantime, FDA just okayed Pfizer's request to transport and store its vaccine, undiluted, at normal-freezer temperatures. That avoids the need for those special, ultra-cold freezers, which have been a hurdle to more widespread distribution for Pfizer.

Meantime, eligibility continuing to expand. Iowa's governor announcing, Thursday, all residents 16 and over may be able to get the vaccine by early April. And here, in New York City, the mayor adding some overnight appointments, including at Citi Field, thanks to an increase in supply.

Christine, Laura, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Erica Hill, thank you.

Comfort levels with COVID vaccines are growing. According to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 55 percent of adults polled now say they want to get vaccinated as soon as possible or they have already received a shot. That's up eight points since mid-January, and 21 points since early December.

Now, black and Hispanic adults and those under 30 are most likely to say they want to, quote, wait and see how the vaccine works before they get it. Side effects remain a big concern, here. Twenty-two percent say they will definitely not get vaccinated or will only get the vaccine, if they are required to do so.

ROMANS: It's remarkable, Laura. On one hand, you have the hunger games for getting available vaccines from people who are competing trying to find -- online all night trying to find a slot. On the other hand, you still have some vaccine deniers. It's remarkable two Americas we see in almost everything.

JARRETT: Yeah, but access really the big issue.

ROMANS: Yeah, exactly.

All right. A growing number of young children, hundreds a day, crossing the southern border into the U.S. How the administration is scrambling, now, for a solution. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:17]

JARRETT: Officials at the southern border scrambling to find enough space to shelter the growing number of children crossing into the United States without their parents. And the pandemic is making things even more complex.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us with more this morning.

Priscilla, it seems like this is one of the situations where the Biden administration's progressive ideals are rubbing up against some of just the pure realities of the border. And they are trying to figure out what to do, how to reconcile this.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: That's right.

Now, to put this into perspective. Customs and Border Protection is arresting around 300 children, a day, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Now, these are children who have arrived to the border alone, without a parent or a relative.

Now, it's a very vulnerable population to manage. And there is a process for them. So after they are taken into CBP custody, they are then transferred to the health and human services which has a shelter for them, until they can be relocated with family in the United States. But the challenge the administration is facing is there is a growing number of children arriving and just not enough space for them.

So, the reason for that is in part because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year and over the course of the year, shelters have drawn down their capacity to comply with CDC guidelines, like social distancing. Meaning, there's simply less space for children who are arriving.

Now, the administration has opened an overflow facility for these children where they can work with case managers to be relocated to family in the United States. But in the interim, federal officials are scrambling behind the scenes. They are sharing concerns with Capitol Hill about the limited capacity.

And again, Laura, this is an administration, who is working to find solutions for what is still an increasing trend of unaccompanied kids coming to the U.S.-Mexico border.

JARRETT: All right. Priscilla, thank you so much. Always great to get your expertise on this.

ROMANS: And this just in, former U.S. Olympics coach, John Geddert, died by suicide, Thursday. Hours after being charged with human trafficking, criminal-sexual conduct, and other crimes in connection with the abuse of young gymnasts. He had been expected to turn himself in, yesterday. He took his own life, first.

Geddert was the former owner of a Jim where convicted U.S. gymnastics abuser, Larry Nassar, committed many of his crimes. One athlete who said she was a victim of Geddert's, Sarah Klein, calls his death, quote, an escape from justice.

JARRETT: House lawmakers passing a landmark LGBTQ rights bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On this vote, the yeas are 224 and the nays are 206. The bill is passed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: The bill amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment, housing, and education.

[05:25:04]

However, the Equality Act has drawn some opposition from conservative members of Congress and it now head to the Senate where 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster.

Well, hurdles for president Biden both foreign and domestic. His COVID-relief bill missing a key-progressive priority, and the first- known military action of his presidency. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: All right. Good Friday morning. This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett. About 30 minutes past the hour here, in New York.

The House will vote, today, on a landmark piece of legislation. The president's coronavirus-relief bill. But it will not include one of the most polarizing issues, the minimum-wage hike.

CNN's Daniella Diaz is live for us on Capitol Hill.