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FDA Approves Johnson & Johnson's COVID Vaccine; Cuomo's Former Aide Accuses Him of Sexual Harassment; Biden's $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Bill Reaches Senate. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired March 01, 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]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: A third vaccine in the arsenal. How the Johnson & Johnson vaccine changes the fight against coronavirus.

LAURA JARRETT, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: An apology and a concession from New York's Governor. Investigation over harassment claims will include subpoena power.

ROMANS: And a plan to force companies to boost the minimum wage is tabled as the Senate prepares to take up the president's American rescue plan. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world, we have reports this morning from the White House, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and London, this is EARLY START, I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: Christine, good morning, I'm Laura Jarrett, it's Monday, March 1st, it's 5:00 a.m. here in New York. A new month bringing new hope in the fight against coronavirus. Johnson & Johnson new vaccine shipping out to health centers nationwide as we speak. The CDC director signing off on the vaccine, Sunday after the FDA gave it the green light. The J&J vaccine comes as a single shot and does not require storage at those ultra-cold temperatures like Pfizer and Moderna. Those advantages could dramatically speed up vaccinations. But right now, only about 4 million doses are ready. But Johnson & Johnson has pledged to have 20 million doses available by the end of March and a 100 million doses by Summer.

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PAUL OFFIT, DIRECTOR, VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: We'll see in the second half of the year whether there will be a second dose recommendation for this vaccine. But certainly, one dose will keep you out of the hospital, keep you out of the intensive care unit and keep you out of the morgue.

ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: If I were not vaccinated now, and I had a choice of getting a J&J vaccine now or waiting for another vaccine, I would take whatever vaccine would be available to me as quickly as possible for the simple reason of what I said a moment ago. We want to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Now, studies show that Johnson and Johnson vaccine is extremely effective against severe COVID cases. And the U.S. now has a real opportunity here, look at this, hospitalizations are plunging to fewer than 50,000 nationwide. The first time that's happened since early November and the holiday super surge there. Now almost 8 percent of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, 15 percent have received one dose and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will speed this process up since just one dose is all you need.

JARRETT: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo apologizing after a weekend of damage control. The Democrat faces mounting anger now after a second allegation of sexual harassment. And even his calls for an independent investigation, well, they proved less than straightforward. First, Cuomo said he was asking a former federal judge of his choosing, by the way, to investigate all of this. Then he called on the state's chief judge and the attorney general to pick someone, but that didn't go over so well with the AG who said her office had the authority to investigate, not the chief judge. By the end of the weekend, Cuomo relented asking the state AG to select a private lawyer to conduct an independent review of the sexual harassment allegations.

Bottom line for Governor Cuomo, will it be enough to keep his job? CNN's Brynn Gingras has more.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, an apology coming from Governor Cuomo, and I'm going to get to that in just a minute. But first the allegations. They're coming from a former aide, according to "The New York Times", 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett who says that she had a lot of interactions with Governor Cuomo, but one particularly made her concerned, and that was in June, is what she told "The New York Times" saying that she was being asked some very personal questions from Governor Cuomo. For example, had she ever been with an older man? Or she said that he said he was open to relationships with women in their 20s.

And she interpreted these questions as clear overtures for a sexual relationship. And "The Times" says they had a number of documents provided to them corroborating her allegations. And we received late yesterday evening a statement from Governor Cuomo, and in that statement, again, he apologized. He says that "at work sometimes I think I'm being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I do on occasion tease people in what I think is a good natured way. I do it in public and in private, you have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal, and that some of my comments given my position made others feel in ways I never intended.

I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation, to the extent anyone felt that way, I'm truly sorry about that. To be clear, I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody, and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

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But these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to." Now, we reached out to Bennett ourselves, we didn't receive any comment back. But this is the second time that we have gotten allegations of harassment against Governor Cuomo in just a week. Remember last Wednesday, they came from another former aide Lindsey Boylan who in a "Medium" post said that she received an unwanted kiss from Governor Cuomo when she was part of the administration back in 2018. She also did not comment to CNN. But you can imagine, this is just more bad headlines for the governor when his administration also is taking a lot of heat about its handling of the nursing home death data from the pandemic. So, this certainly is not the end of this. Christine and Laura?

ROMANS: All right, Brynn, thank you so much for that. To potentially legacy building legislation now, President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill heads to the Senate this week. It passed in the house, mostly along party lines early Saturday morning. Not a single Republican voted for it, a fact that has not escaped a White House that's been preaching bipartisanship.

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JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has been open to hearing good ideas. Hearing good ideas from Republicans and Democrats on how to make it better. And at this point in time though, what this proposal is going to address is how we're going to help people bridge through this period of time, get them direct checks, reopen schools, get more vaccines in the arms of Americans. We have not seen a substantive big proposal in response back from Republicans. This is the scope of the problem and the scope of the kind of package that needs -- we need to pass to address that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Really important to note here that Republicans are objecting to the maneuver Democrats are using. They use the very tactic, Republicans did, to pass the Trump tax cuts. Those cuts for the middle class expire in a few years so extra help goes a long way now. The tax cuts for corporations by the way, the budget busting deficit -- busting corporate tax cuts, they don't expire. Jasmine Wright joins us live from the White House. Jasmine, the story puts a spotlight on President Biden trying to find support from Republican senators he used to serve with.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, and listen, the name of the game in terms of his COVID relief bill is speed. We just heard from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki who made it clear that despite President Biden's efforts to reach across the aisle, he is not going to wait. He's not going to sacrifice this bill to get bipartisan support in terms of the urgent speed in which he wants to get it done. We know that Democrats want it to be passed by the middle of this month, of March, before those extended unemployment benefits run out. That means they have about two weeks to do that. Now, we have some details on how quickly this thing could come together in the Senate. Sources tell my colleague, CNN's Manu Raju that the bill could come up

for debate on the Senate floor as early as this Wednesday. And now also, we know that, that tax proposal to really penalize companies that don't pay their workers $15 an hour, that could -- excuse me, that is being dropped from the bill. Sources tell my colleague Manu Raju that it was difficult to draft in a time in which that Democrats want to get this passed. So, without that new proposal being in there, we know that the minimum wage provision is not going to be in this bill.

It is still an open question of what kind of rate hike we're going to see in this bill if any at all. And they may choose to not put it in here if they can't find a solution, and put it in another bill. But of course, that other bill that they could present in the future would require 50 votes -- excuse me, 60 votes unlike this bill that would go along with the simple majority underscoring the real leap and bounds that this Democratic Senate, this Democratic house is going to have to go through to get some type of rate hike for Americans, Christine?

ROMANS: Yes, a minimum wage rate hike, right? Jasmine, today is also a big day for the White House nominee for the Budget Director Neera Tanden. She's going to make her case directly to a Republican senator who could make a difference here. Tell us about that.

WRIGHT: That's right. All eyes are going to be on Republican Senator centrist Lisa Murkowski as she meets with Tanden this -- today, to really decide the fate. Tanden is looking for a live line on her not- yet-dead confirmation, but it's still very rocky, that's after she faced that public rejection from one Democrat Senator -- West Virginia's Joe Manchin as well as multiple Republican senators who said they won't vote for her because of her past dust-up with senators on both aisles, and sometimes -- excuse me, including Republicans in those tweets. So, again, we're going to be looking for Murkowski, she's not yet said how she's going to vote. Senate Democrats -- excuse me, all Senate's -- excuse me, all senators say that she's looking to put a shine on some of these Alaska issues.

But the idea is that if Tanden wins over Murkowski and gets her vote, that could potentially be that swing vote for Democrats --

ROMANS: Sure --

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WRIGHT: Looking to confirm Tanden with Vice President Harris making that tie-breaking vote, but of course, we still have to worry about centrist Democrat Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

ROMANS: All right, Jasmine Wright, so nice to see you this morning. Right now this Monday morning, first day of March, nice to see you. Laura?

JARRETT: Still ahead, a new mystery overnight in Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Why did three people implicated for killing the journalist have their names removed from the U.S. Intelligence report?

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ROMANS: Welcome back. CNN has learned that three people tied to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have their names quietly scrubbed from the U.S. Intelligence report shortly after it was released. Now, the big question this morning is why? One of the names removed from the report is the brother of a Saudi minister who oversees counter-terror for the kingdom. Now, the U.S. concluded Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was responsible for the killing of the "Washington Post" journalist. Nic Robertson live for us in London this Monday morning.

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Nic, there's been criticism of the Biden administration for failing to punish the Crown Prince, at least so far.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, and no explanation from the White House or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence why those three names were then scrubbed from the list which is causing, you know, again, concern about the way particularly from the Saudi perspective about the way this has all been handled. President Biden over the weekend has suggested that he would be revealing more details of how the United States is going to be dealing generally with Saudi Arabia going forward, a focus had been put on, you know, making sure there were no human rights abuses in the kingdom.

But speaking with Saudi officials over the weekend, I get the impression from them that they're not expecting anything major from the president. But again, this goes to their strong push back over the way that this intelligence has been handled. They say that the United States has got it wrong, that Bin Salman was not responsible for the killing despite the evidence that's been put forward. But it's been an unsettling weekend for the Saudis. They've been attacked by the Iranian-backed Houthis with ballistic missiles fired from Yemen 600 miles away. One of those missiles crashing through the roof of an apartment inside the capital Riyadh.

So, a concern for the Saudis that while President Biden says that he's going to support them diplomatically in Yemen, this -- the Saudis feel it's giving the Houthis a message so it's now -- they can now step up their attacks on Saudi. The United States over the weekend, again, declaring its support for defending Saudi Arabia, but it gives the impression over this weekend that the Iranian-backed Houthis and Iran are feeling less intimidated by President Biden indeed over the weekend. Iran pushed back on President Biden's offer to get back into talks about Iran's nuclear deal. Christine?

ROMANS: All right, Nic Robertson in London for us, thank you so much for that, Nic. Laura?

JARRETT: Now to a troubling trend across Asia. Pro-democracy demonstrators facing violent crackdown in several countries. Thailand, Hong Kong and Myanmar. This weekend, Myanmar's security forces launched their most deadly crackdown on peaceful demonstrators since the coup last month. The White House now preparing to take additional action against the regime we're told. Ivan Watson is live from Hong Kong for us. Ivan, what more are you learning?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right, this was the deadliest day since the coup a month ago in Myanmar, the military coup, where you had according to the United Nations Human Rights Office, at least 18 people killed, and it didn't just occur in one place, it wasn't an isolated incident. The U.N. Human Rights Office says it has credible information that the security forces used deadly force in at least six different towns and cities across the country on Sunday, which really suggests a turning point and an escalation in the level of violence that the security forces are willing to use against that protest movement, and opposition movement that really shows no signs of letting up. So, I've been talking to relatives of at least one of the victims.

You know, families ripped apart when apparently gunfire just released -- unleashed on crowds of -- as the U.N. has described it, peaceful demonstrators. Now, the deposed civilian leader of the elected government Aung San Suu Kyi who hasn't been seen or heard from since she was detained by the military coup on February 1st, she appeared in court we're learning from "Reuters" via video conference, and the authorities are adding a third charge against her right now for breaking a law that prohibits publishing information that may cause fear or alarm.

Again though, nobody's really heard from her since this began. There has been outrage coming from the U.N. Secretary General against the violence, from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken who tweeted, "we condemn the Burmese security forces abhorrent violence against the people of Burma, and will continue to promote accountability for those responsible in the military-controlled media."

The government has described the protestors as violent rioters and says the security forces were just trying to get law and order back in the streets. Laura?

JARRETT: All right, Ivan, thank you so much for that.

ROMANS: All right, 19 minutes past the hour. The golden Globes, why diversity was among the biggest winners and losers of the night.

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JARRETT: Streaming reigned supreme at the 78th annual Golden Globes last night, though the telecast itself, a bit glitchy. The night kicked off with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting from two different coasts and joking about technical mishaps from the start.

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AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: Now, Tina and I are hosting from two different cities tonight, but the technology is so great you're never going to be able to tell the difference. It's going to smooth sailing.

TINA FEY, ACTRESS: You won't even notice. (LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Actor Chadwick Boseman won his first Golden Globe last night for his role in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", Boseman never got to see the film before he died of colon cancer last August.

ROMANS: It's such a shame, Boseman's wife accepted the award on --

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMONE LEDWARD BOSEMAN, WIFE OF THE LATE CHADWICK BOSEMAN: He would say something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside all of us that tells you, you can, that tell you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Streaming shows like Netflix's "The Crown" and "The Queen's Gambit" dominated the night over Hulu, Andra Day became the second black woman to win the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama. Chloe Zhao became only the second woman and the first Asian woman to win the Golden Globe for directing "Nomadland".

JARRETT: Diversity and the lack thereof also front and center last night. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that doles out those awards coming under fire for not having a single black member.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POEHLER: Look, a lot of flashy garbage got nominated, but that happens, OK? That's like their thing. But a number of black actors and black-led projects were overlooked. And look, we all know that award shows are stupid.

FEY: Yes --

POEHLER: They're all a scam invented by big red carpet to sell more carpet. We know that.

(LAUGHTER)

FEY: We know that!

POEHLER: The point is, even with stupid things, inclusivity is important, and there are no black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press. I realize HFPA, maybe you guys didn't get the memo because your workplace is the back booth of a French McDonald's --

(LAUGHTER)

But you've got to change that. So, here's to changing it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: The association pledged to immediately work to bring in more members who are black or from under represented backgrounds.

ROMANS: L love Tina and Amy by the way, full disclosure, they are always good, aren't they? They're always good.

JARRETT: They have the perfect chemistry.

ROMANS: Even when they're sticking it to the place that is paying their bill to do that.

JARRETT: Yes, they're sticking it to them, ma'am.

ROMANS: All right, 26 minutes past the hour, a new coronavirus vaccine rolling out to help facilities nationwide. When will supply finally meet demand? And no third party but he's not going anywhere either. How Donald Trump re-emerged for the first time since leaving the White House.

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