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Texas, Mississippi Lifting Mask Mandates Despite CDC Warnings; Senate Prepares to Take Up Rescue Plan; Rocket Attack on Iraqi Base Hosting U.S. Forces; Jeremy Lin Speaks Out About Attacks on Asian Americans. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired March 03, 2021 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:26]
LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Real progress in real jeopardy. Several states pulling back basic pandemic restrictions. The president hopes a historic partnership will get vaccines out the door faster.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The Senate could begin debate on the landmark coronavirus relief bill today, why two more big ticket items, though, are being stripped out.
JARRETT: And breaking moments ago, a rocket attack on an Iraqi base hosting American troops, almost undoubtedly an escalation from Iranian proxies. And we'll have more on that soon.
Welcome to our viewers in the United States, and all around the world. This is EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It's Wednesday, March 3rd. It's exactly 5:00 a.m. in New York.
And the finish line of this marathon pandemic is in sight. But some states have stopped short. They're now reversing course in baffling ways. Core pandemic restrictions lifted by two Republican governors just a day after warnings, dire warnings from the CDC.
Texas and its 29 million Americans effectively restriction-free. Governor Greg Abbott announcing business will reopen in full. Texas and Mississippi also ending mandatory mask wearing. Iowa and Montana also ended theirs. They all now join 14 other states that have no mask requirements.
One Texas ICU nurse says this all comes way too early.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITTANY SMART, TEXAS ICU NURSE: It's a little nerve racking to see that, you know, we're going to take away the masks. I don't think it's safe to do that right now. We don't have people in the hallways anymore in stretchers. We're not putting dead bodies into rooms at this point. So, the breathing is a little better, it's not better.
(END VIDEO CLIP) JARRETT: Remember, mask mandates were a huge part of the reason that businesses were able to open in the first place, take those away and the virus can spread unchecked, undoing months of gains.
Meantime, the first shots of Johnson & Johnson one and done vaccines are in people's arms. And President Biden is trying to expedite across the country now, brokering a rare partnership between two big pharma arrivals.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more now from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Laura.
President Biden expressing new optimism about the supply of COVID-19 vaccinations with the combination of forces from Johnson & Johnson and Merck, rivals coming together for the vaccine. It's one of the reasons the White House believe that all Americans will have vaccination by the end of May.
Now, of course, that does not mean all Americans will be vaccinated. It still is a challenge to get the supplies out in parts of the country, as well as easing some Americans' concerns about this. But President Biden speaking very optimistically on Tuesday at the White House.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is light at the end of the tunnel. But we cannot let our guard down now, or assure that victory is inevitable. We can't assume that. We must remain vigilant, act fast and aggressively and look out for one another. That's how we're going to get ahead of this virus, get our economy going again and get back to our loved ones.
ZELENY: Now, the president also calling for teachers to receive at least one dose of the vaccination before the end of March. He said teachers are front line workers and he's trying to make the case that teachers should also be moved up to the front of the line.
Now, all of this coming as the White House is trying to push its COVID bill, the relief bill through the Senate. The White House realizes it's a heavy lift for Senate to pass but they hope it passes by the end of the week -- Christine and Laura.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JARRETT: Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much.
The Senate could begin debating the president's COVID relief bill today. The $15 minimum wage increase is already out of the deal and two big infrastructure projects also now being pulled.
CNN's Daniella Diaz joins us live from Capitol Hill this morning.
Daniella, break it all down. What's out of the bill now and why? DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN REPORTER: That's exactly right, Laura. You
mentioned those infrastructure projects, they are now being stripped from the Senate version of this legislation the House passed these two provisions when they voted on this last week. This included a $1.4 billion for a transit line in California, as well as an international bridge in Upstate New York. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that these projects could not be included because they were pilot projects.
And Republicans, it was a huge point of contention for them because they didn't want to support the legislation and argue because the project has nothing to do in their opinion with COVID-19, they shouldn't be included in this massive $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill.
[05:05:14]
And like I said, the Senate parliamentarian ruled against this. And Democrats argued that they should be included since this is a pandemic and lots of people have lost their jobs, these would provide funding to these communities that needed it and jobs to these communities that needed it in California and in New York.
But now that we know this is going to be stripped from the Senate version, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's spokesperson is arguing now that this is stripped, Republicans should get behind this legislation and support this legislation since this was a major argument for them for why they didn't vote to support this -- Laura.
JARRETT: All right. Daniella Diaz, thank you so much.
ROMANS: All right. Wall Street worried about bubbles developing in financial markets. Cryptocurrency, SPACs, Reddit meme stocks, are these individual wild markets hinting at overheating in the larger economy? The bond market, too. The bond markets rout lately suggest a rapidly improving economy later this year, fueled by vaccine success, trillions in stimulus and a Fed that's been providing its own fire power to support the economy.
The former New York Fed President Bill Dudley think there's a good chance for recovery but he told CNN's Matt Eagan he's worried the bond market might be a bubble.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL DUDLEY, FORMER PRESIDENT, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK: I think they claim because people are more optimistic about the economic recovery. And they see that monetary policy and fiscal policy is going to be very stimulative. Do I think these yields are sustainable? Absolutely not.
So if you define a bubble that yields are far away from where they're going to be in the long run, then I guess it's a bubble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So is there a risk of overheating? Well, yes, there's always a risk but also a greater risk of millions of Americans not making it across the chasm to that better economy. That's why more relief is needed for real Americans.
Eleven million people are severely behind in mortgage payments, 18 million people rely on the government for income replacement, and those jobless claims and jobless checks, and we're still down 10 million jobs since this crisis began.
JARRETT: The White House pulling the nomination of Neera Tanden to lead its budget office. Tanden had come under fire for her past criticism of lawmakers really on both sides of the aisle. A senior official says after Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski told the White House she was a no on Tanden, it was clear there was no path forward after at least one Democrat defected.
Biden she praised Tanden and said she will still serve in his administration.
ROMANS: All right. Breaking this morning, the Iraqi military says several missiles have landed at an air base hosting U.S. coalition and Iraqi forces. The base west of Baghdad is the same air base that Iran attacked last year in retaliation for that U.S. airstrike that killed the country's top military commander. This is almost undoubtedly a response and escalation steaming from last week's U.S. air strike on Iranian proxies in Syria. No reports so far of casualties or damage.
JARRETT: Still ahead for you, what persistent problem at nursing homes made them such a big driver of COVID-19? Well, it wasn't just the patients. We have new details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:12:23]
JARRETT: Welcome back.
Israel is just weeks from its fourth election in two years. Embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has overseen the world's leading COVID vaccination effort but facing a string of other problems. He's looking for votes in some controversial places.
Sam Kiley reports from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His government has run a world-beating COVID vaccination program, heralding a vigorous return to near normality. But it's done little to guarantee electoral success for Benjamin Netanyahu.
So, he's scraping for ballots from voters he's shunned in the past, Israeli Arabs.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It is a chance to start a new era in the relations between Jews and Arabs.
KILEY: And extremist parties peddling racism and homophobia. Some using fake messages including a Holocaust joke, an admiration for Hitler.
For Netanyahu's Likud party, courting the far right has become a political necessity.
ELI HAZAN, LIKUD SPOKESPERSON: It looks the election is going to be very tight. And we need to maximize the potential to win the election.
KILEY: The arithmetic of opinion polls is dangerous to Israel's longest serving prime minister.
There is very unlikely to be a decisive result in the March elections which means there will be coalition horse trading just as Benjamin Netanyahu heads back into court on corruption charges.
If convicted, he could face several years in jail. Even in such jeopardy, he still dominates Israel's political landscape.
EYAL ARAD, POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that what would, eventually, happen is that the criminal process would decide the fate of the political process.
KILEY: In the meantime, he's determined to win at everything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Listen, if I was in gym clothes, we could have a competition.
NETANYAHU (through translator): No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): And I am sure I would win.
NETANYAHU (through translator): At what? I am very competitive. Don't bet on it. Thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY (on camera): Laura, Christine, the latest-opinion polls, still, give the Arab joint list one of the main roles is kingmaker but they would be anathema to anybody on the center-right. And then, of course, Naftali Bennett party and he is to the right of Benjamin Netanyahu. But, so far, has been very coy as to whether or not he would join a coalition. Things remain, as ever here, politically uncertain.
JARRETT: All right. Sam Kiley, thanks so much for covering this for us.
ROMANS: All right. A year into the COVID crisis, it's clear, nursing homes were a breeding ground for COVID-19. High-staff turnover may be the culprit.
[05:15:01]
A new study in the journal "Health Affairs" found some nursing homes, get this, had 300 percent annual turnover. Now, those tended to be for-profit or facilities with more Medicaid patients. The study suggests lower turnover, means nurses and caregivers were more familiar with infection-control protocols. That limits the spread. The CDC says nursing homes account for one in five COVID deaths, nationwide.
And, Laura, I am just looking at statistics, you know. There are thousands and thousands of these nursing home jobs for caregivers and health care aides. The pay is $24,000, $25,000 a year. It's one of those reminders that the American economy really runs on low-paid workers, right, and when there is a job that pays more down the road. You are going to lose that worker. So, retention, attracting, and retaining workers is important. And in this case, it is, literally, your health.
JARRETT: Lifesaving. Yeah.
ROMANS: Lifesaving, it is so important to the country.
JARRETT: Yeah. Such a great -- really important step there.
ROMANS: All right.
Fifteen minutes past the hour. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans on the rise during the pandemic. What one basketball player says happened to him on the court, while he was playing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:20:35]
ROMANS: Welcome back.
Basketball star, Jeremy Lin, speaks out about the rise in attacks against Asian-Americans.
Coy Wire has this morning's "Bleacher Report".
Hey, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christine.
Hate crimes against the Asian-American community have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic began and NBA veteran, Jeremy Lin, who now plays for the G-league affiliate, says he's experienced it firsthand.
In a recent Facebook post, he wrote, in part, quote: Being an Asian- American doesn't mean we don't experience poverty and racism. Being a nine-year NBA veteran doesn't protect me from being called coronavirus on the court. Being a man of faith doesn't mean I don't fight for justice for myself and for others. So here we are, again, sharing how we feel. Is anyone listening? Unquote.
Lin spoke about the issue with CNN's Don Lemon, just last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY LIN, 9-YEAR NBA VETERAN: It had been something that's been on my heart for a long time, since it first started happening a year ago. And so, I was vocal about it then. And -- and now, I want to continue to try to build awareness because these are things that are actually happening. And I think, in a lot of ways, sometimes, the -- when people -- or when we talk about a lot of these Asian-American issues, they are kind of silenced when they hit mainstream media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: All right.
Now, San Antonio Spurs coach ripping Gregg Popovich ripping Texas Governor Greg Abbott's decision to lift health-and-safety measures, including a mask mandate around the state. Popovich is 72 years old. He's the NBA's oldest cost, and he is vaccinated but he says he is mystified by the decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGG POPOVICH, SAN ANTONIO SPURS HEAD COACH: In all honesty, I am worried about the people in our state. It is a mystifying decision. I think, it puts a lot of businesses in a tough spot, I think. You know, they are trying to do a good job of keeping everybody safe. Of course, they want to open up. But getting rid of masks just seems ignorant to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Finally, remember when Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady tossed the Lombardi trophy across the water from his boat to another? Well, he explained what he was thinking or not thinking to James Corden just last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, BUCCANEERS QUARTERBACK: Okay. First of all, I was not thinking, at that moment. There was not a thought. It was, this seems, like, really fun to do.
JAMES CORDEN, TV HOST: Somebody shouts, no, don't do it.
BRADY: That's my little, 8-year-old daughter. The daddy, no!
Who could imagine that an 8-year-old girl would have the most sense of anybody in that whole area at the time? Like, you know, she is the voice of reason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Laura, isn't that often the case, though? Our kids reminding us what's best?
JARRETT: Yes, don't knock the 8-year-old. She knew.
All right.
WIRE: Just the other day. Laura, after watching the movie "Frozen", my 2-year-old daughter said, Princess Daddy, don't forget your coat. And I said, thank you very much.
JARRETT: All right. That's what we are calling you, from now on, Coy. You got a new nickname.
Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
All right. Still ahead, the CDC said, don't let your guard down. Some states across the country, doing the exact opposite. Lifting mask mandates and other restrictions, just when real progress was being made.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:28:17]
JARRETT: Military leaders in the hot seat, today, prepared to defend the pentagon's response to the U.S. Capitol riot. The commander of the D.C. National Guard will be among the witnesses at today's Senate hearing. Last week, several former top security officials blamed the Defense Department for not responding fast enough to requests for help. But military leaders have maintained there was no delay. They have reiterated that the National Guard is not a first-responder unit capable of sending armed troops into a hostile situation with minimal planning.
In his first public comments regarding those riots, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the military action was, quote, at sprint speed.
ROMANS: The key questions for defense officials today, when was the National Guard activated? Who made the call? And why were they not invited ahead of time?
Yesterday, FBI director, Christopher Wray, answered for his agency's response. While some Trump supporters have been trying to, you know, rewrite the history of what happened when the mob stormed the Capitol. Wray was having none of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: We have not, to date, seen any evidence of -- of anarchist-violent extremists or people subscribing to Antifa in connection with the 6th. January 6th was not an isolated event. The problem of domestic terrorism has been metastasizing across the country for a long time now and it's not going away, anytime soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Using a cancer metaphor in the U.S.
The U.S. Capitol Police now say they are stepping up security because of concerning intelligence pertaining to March 4th. Online chatter among QAnon supporters suggest they believe former President Trump could still be inaugurated tomorrow.
EARLY START continues right now. (MUSIC)
ROMANS: Good morning, everybody. It's Wednesday. This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett. Almost 30 minutes past the hour, here, in New York.
