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New Day

Diana and Meghan's Similarities; Texas Ends Mask Mandate; FBI Released Video of Bomb Suspect; Jury Selection in Chauvin Murder Trial; Morgan Blasts Markle. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 10, 2021 - 06:30   ET

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


[06:30:00]

MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Feels because right now I could not feel lonelier.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The sense of loneliness and isolation leading to a deterioration of their mental health. Diana opening up about bulimia and self-harm. Meghan to thoughts of suicide, leading to one overarching feeling for both, shame.

PRINCESS DIANA, PRINCESS OF WHALES: I didn't like myself. I was ashamed that I couldn't cope with the pressures.

MARKLE: And I just said I was ashamed. I'm supposed to be stronger than that.

FOSTER: At their darkest moments, detailing a lack of support from the firm.

PRINCESS DIANA: When no one listens to you or you feel no one's listening to you, all sorts of things start to happen.

MARKLE: I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I've never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn't. That it wouldn't be good for the institution.

FOSTER: Both interviews noting a curiously specific similarity, that the women's tours of Australia led to a rise of jealousy within the royal family. Even more alarming, the accusation from both women that the institution was not only not helping, but actively working behind the scenes to hurt them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you really believe that a campaign was being waged against you?

PRINCESS DIANA: Yes, I did. Absolutely. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?

PRINCESS DIANA: I was the separated wife's of the Prince of wales. I was a problem, full stop. Never happened before. What do we do with her? MARKLE: The narrative about, you know, Meghan can't cry I think was

the beginning of a real character assassination. And they knew it wasn't true. And I thought, well, if they're not going to kill things like that, then what are we going to do?

FOSTER: And, yet, both women ending on a note of optimism, despite the turmoil.

PRINCESS DIANA: I sit here with hope, because there's a future ahead, a future for my husband, a future more myself and a future for the monarchy.

MARKLE: We've actually not just survived, but are thriving. You know, this -- I mean, just miracles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: I think it's quite telling, Alisyn and John, that one of Meghan's closest confidants has become -- has become one of -- well, one of Diana's closest friends has become one of Meghan's closest confidants. So hopefully one of the legacies from this, really, is that Meghan might be able to heal the rift with the royal family that Diana was never able to do, just by having knowledge of her story.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Max Foster at Windsor, thank you so much for being with us. We'll let you get back to reporting. Keep us posted as to what you hear.

So, today, Texas ending its state-wide mask mandate. What are the fears inside the medical community there? We're going to speak to one Houston doctor who's worked for 355 days straight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:36:43]

BERMAN: So it's happening today. Texas lifting its statewide mask mandate and allowing businesses to open at 100 percent capacity. That's despite health experts' warning that it is too soon to relax these restrictions. Some cities in Texas say they do plan to keep mask requirements in place.

Joining us now is Dr. Joseph Varon. He is the chief of staff at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston. This will be his 355th straight day on the job.

And Dr. Varon, first of all, as always, hats off to you. Your work ethic and your concern here is incredible.

The mask mandate gone as of now. How worried are you?

DR. JOSEPH VARON, CHIEF OF STAFF, UNITED MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER: You know, I'm worried. I'm worried that the understanding of Texans as to what is the meaning of a no-mask mandate is. As you know, you know, last week, they were talking about even having today a mask-off party. That finally was -- was canceled. But, you know, there were people that were going to have giant parties of people without masks.

Of course I am concerned. I'm concerned that the interpretation that people have of it is not mandatory means I can go anywhere I want without a mask. And, remember, for masks to work, you and me have to have it. When I wear my mask, I do so to protect you, not to protect me. So for it to work, need to both have a mask.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, I'm not sure that everybody has canceled the party. We have this flyer. This is from the Dallas Jewish Conservatives group, supposedly, and they say Texas is open, party, exclamation point. Feel free to bring a mask for our celebratory burn that mask bonfire towards the end of the evening.

I mean this is, obviously -- we talked yesterday to a Houston police chief who said this is a law enforcement problem as well. I mean, obviously, a medical problem.

And, Dr. Varon, I was so hoping that on the anniversary of your year at work, so ten days from now, the -- on day 365, that you would be able to take the day off -- I've noticed you haven't been following my instructions heretofore -- but is this going to ruin it for you? Do you fear that the lack of masks and the new variants are going to push that day off for you much further out?

VARON: Absolutely. I mean that -- that was -- you know, when I -- when I heard about this, it's like, all my hopes of having time off, they were gone. I mean, I'm serious.

And you're very correct on that other point, you know, I know we're vaccinating people, however, we have not vaccinated to the point of -- that we want. Texas is at around 8 percent vaccination rate. Our positivity rates are still over 10 percent. I mean it's probably not the time to tell people, it's OK not to wear a mask. We're not there yet. And, yes, the fact that we're opening the state today probably is going to delay my so-needed day of rest.

BERMAN: One of the things nationally is that, what, 60 percent of seniors have received at least one dose of the vaccine. And the numbers are much, much higher in nursing homes. And these are the people most prone to serious illness and death. And I am worried, even as you are concerned about what lifting the mask mandate will do, if you are seeing a consistent reduction in your hospital in serious illness and death from coronavirus?

[06:40:03]

VARON: We saw a significant decrease in the number of patients. However, the severity of illness continues to be high regardless of age. Just overnight, unfortunately, we had a couple of patients that expired. One was 78 years of age, the other was 53 years of age. So that tells you that it's not, you know -- yes, I know that we keep on telling people that, you know, age, you know, obesity, hypertension, diabetes tend to be bad things, but as of today we don't know who is going to get sick, who's not going to get sick. That's why I keep on asking people to continue to wear your mask. Let us have better understanding of this illness. We are doing much better in, what, within a year ago, but we're still having issues.

CAMEROTA: Yes, we hear you.

Dr. Joseph Varon, thank you for all you do. We always appreciate you making time for us and we'll check back in with you soon.

VARON: My pleasure.

BERMAN: All right, coming up in just a few minutes, we are going to speak to Dr. Anthony Fauci on what he sees for the next few weeks at this crucial, perhaps, turning point in the battle in this pandemic.

So the FBI has released new video of a man suspected of placing pipe bombs around Washington, D.C., the night before the Capitol insurrection. The details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:21]

CAMEROTA: Developing this morning, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approving a request to keep nearly 2,300 National Guard troops around the U.S. Capitol through May 23rd. That would be a nearly 50 percent reduction from the number of troops currently guarding the Capitol.

Meanwhile, the FBI has released this new surveillance video. Take a look at your screen. This is the suspect they believe planted pipe bombs at the RNC and the DNC headquarters ahead of the insurrection.

CNN's Whitney Wild is live in Washington with more.

What's the latest, Whitney?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is really is clearest look we're getting at the person federal officials think planted these pipe bombs. This is so critical because what we know is that this was only at a quarter to 8:00 at night, the night before the insurrection, Alisyn.

So the video shows this person sort of casually walking around the neighborhood. At one point, actually passes someone walking a dog. There that person is, just out in the neighborhood, like I said, a quarter till 8:00 at night.

There's other video from multiple angles showing this person sitting on a bench in the area. There it is. And you know federal officials have gone through frame by frame analyzing this video.

The other video that's really important here is this video of the suspect walking in the alley between the RNC and the DNC. Again, right at the time federal officials think that those pipe bombs were planted.

Now, the hope here is that somebody knows this person. Someone recognizes, perhaps, the clothing, the mannerisms. Someone out there saw this person at this time. Federal officials have had a really difficult time generating very strong leads in this case. But the reality is, they have to find this person because these bombs could have detonated, Alisyn. They had the right components to do so. They didn't go off, fortunately, until law enforcement went out there and detonated them on their own. Federal officials are now offering a $100,000 reward for this case.

John.

BERMAN: Hard to make out any identifying features there. Obviously, they're better at this than I am, but it's going to be hard to tell with that sweatshirt, that hood pulled up and the facemask on. Very interesting to see the video, though.

Whitney, thank you very much.

New this morning, three jurors have been chosen in the murder trial of the former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, accused of killing George Floyd. Jury selection does continue this morning.

CNN's Omar Jimenez live in Minneapolis with the latest here.

It's been very interesting to watch this process, Omar.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John.

So three jurors seated out of the 14 total that are going to be necessary, including two alternates. And while the identities of the jurors aren't being released, here's what we know about them so far.

So the first juror seated appears to be a white man in his 20s or 30s. He told the court he can be fair and impartial. And he said he's an advocate for community policing.

The second juror seated appears to be a biracial woman in her 20s or 30s. She described herself as open-minded. And based on the now- infamous cell phone video of George Floyd and Derek Chauvin has a somewhat negative impression of Chauvin.

The third juror seated is a white man in his 30s. He told the court he supports Black Lives Matter generally, but not everything that's been done in its name. He also described George Floyd's past as checkered.

Now, what they'll be deciding is whether Derek Chauvin is guilty of what he's been charged with, second-degree unintentional murder, second-degree manslaughter.

A Minnesota appeals judge ruled that the court should reconsider reinstates a third-degree murder charge, but Chauvin's attorneys have petitioned the Minnesota State Supreme Court to review that decision.

Separately, we're still waiting on a decision from the Minnesota Court of Appeals on whether jury selection can even continue until a decision is made on that third-degree charge.

But, until then, day two of jury selection and day three of this trial continues later this morning. If everything stays on track timeline wise, jury selection will wrap by March 26th. Opening statements on the 29th for what is expected to be a complicated but three to four- week trial in total.

John.

BERMAN: And we know you'll be there reporting on it.

Omar, thanks for keeping us posted. Appreciate it.

So, high drama. A television anchor, a major TV personality, storms off the set. Piers Morgan splits from his show. And, this morning, he fires a new salvo. That's next.

CAMEROTA: Look at how long their set is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:53:53]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERS MORGAN, FORMER HOST, "GOOD MORNING BRITAIN": If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that's entirely their right. I don't believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth. And I think the damage she's done to the British monarchy and to the queen at a time when Prince Phillip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible.

So, if I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly-held opinion that Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That's talk show host Piers Morgan blasting Meghan Markle again this morning. This is after he stormed off his morning show on Tuesday amid a very heated discussion that he keeps having about Meghan Markle.

CNN's chief media correspondent, Brian Stelter, joins us now.

What is his problem, Brian? What is it -- who is he to say whether or not she's having mental health issues?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Well, they do have a past and maybe he's jealous of all of Meghan's fame. Pier has a habit of always sticking himself in every story, getting lots of attention. And now there's speculation this morning among media insiders that he might be lining up a new job with Rupert Murdoch.

[06:55:00]

Meanwhile, his old network, ITV, could be in some trouble with British regulators.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STELTER (voice over): Royals, move over, there's a new drama engulfing the U.K.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Piers spouts off on a regular basis.

STELTER: Piers Morgan stormed off the set of "Good Morning Britain" on Tuesday when confronted by co-host Alex Beresford for trashing the Duchess of Sussex.

ALEX BERESFORD: I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle. You've made it so clear a number of times on this program.

STELTER: Morgan had enough.

BERESFORD: You continue to trash her.

MORGAN: OK. I'm done with this.

BERESFORD: No, no --

MORGAN: Sorry. Sorry. Can't do this.

BERESFORD: This is --

STELTER: Morgan came back and finished his shift, but later in the day the show's broadcaster, ITV, said he's off the show effective immediately. Now it's a morning TV mystery fronting the British papers this morning. "Metro" calling it the end of the Piers show and "The Sun" dubbing it Morgxit. The former newspaper editor and CNN host --

MORGAN: Good evening. There's no better person --

STELTER: Has long been a lightning rod. The type of megawatt media figure people love to hate. After CNN axed "Piers Morgan Live" --

ANNOUNCER: This is "Good Morning Britain."

STELTER: He joined ITV and lifted the network's AM ratings, often with provocative chats and interviews.

One of his go-tos was defending the queen and ridiculing the Sussexes, especially Meghan, vowing not to let her, quote, destroy our royal family.

After Oprah Winfrey's special --

MORGAN: This is a two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family.

STELTER: He even questioned whether Meghan was being truthful about having suicidal thoughts.

MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: I just didn't want to be alive anymore.

STELTER: ITV stepped in and he tried to walk it back. The network said the program was balanced by Morgan's co-stars, like Beresford, who raised the strained history between Morgan and Markle.

BERESFORD: And I understand that you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off.

STELTER: Morgan once wrote that he started a friendship with Meghan through Twitter, chatting about life and work, but claimed that she ghosted him right after he met Harry.

MORGAN: We've now seen dozens of other people say that too got ghosted. We all got frozen out. She had reached a loftier -- a loftier place. And there was no room for people like us.

To me it raised a few alarm bells that she was prepared to just cut people.

STELTER: On Tuesday, he kind of ghosted his show.

MORGAN: See you later.

STELTER: Leaving his colleagues stunned.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we need to just all take a break.

STELTER: Shortly after 5:00 p.m. in London, U.K. media regulator Ofcom said it had received more than 41,000 complaints about the program and was launching a probe of Monday's episode under its harm and offense rules. Tick tock, Morgan posted on Twitter an hour later. And minutes later, ITV said, Morgan has decided now is the time to leave the show.

So they're saying he wasn't pushed out, he jumped. But they're suggesting that they didn't try to talk him out of it, either. Quote, ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STELTER: Now, this morning, Morgan's vowing to reemerge. And men like Morgan always seem to land on their feet, finding a new job thanks to powerful friends like Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch is about to launch a new network in the U.K.

Alisyn, I know you would never walk off a set the way Piers Morgan did.

CAMEROTA: Even when John upsets me in the morning. I mean, John and I host a breakfast show --

STELTER: That's right.

CAMEROTA: As it's called in Britain.

STELTER: Indeed.

CAMEROTA: And, yes, it can be stressful. But can you imagine waltzing off the set? What would I have to do to make you waltz off the set?

BERMAN: We'll find -- well find out over the next two hours if you -- I actually have three things to say about this.

Number one, like imagine a television anchor trying to make the story more about him or her. That never happens.

STELTER: No.

CAMEROTA: Appalling.

BERMAN: That never happens.

The second thing is, I think you know how I feel about the existence of the royal family in general, right?

CAMEROTA: Yes.

BERMAN: But why are regulators looking at -- what's the -- this speaks to the problem with the whole British system. The monarchy is one part of it, but why investigate for a television anchor expressing his opinion?

CAMEROTA: Well --

BERMAN: They don't have the same free speech laws that we have in the United States. I find what he said reprehensible and I disagree with it fundamentally, but I'm not sure why there's an investigation.

CAMEROTA: OK. That's fair.

Brian, maybe you know the answer.

But I think that the larger issue is, who is he -- who is he to say that he doesn't believe her mental health issues?

STELTER: Right.

CAMEROTA: And, by the way, that does have a corrosive effect on the culture, because people are having mental health issues and so when he diss it, that's not helpful.

STELTER: And there's always a right to an opinion, but it's about how you say it. And Morgan's out there saying he doesn't believe a word Meghan says. He always takes the most extreme position. That's why some people love him but others hate him.

BERMAN: Yes.

STELTER: And in this culture, that sometimes works in media.

BERMAN: Look, it may make him a jerk, absolutely, but I don't understand why it means there needs to be a government action taken.

CAMEROTA: I'm sure that --

STELTER: Well, on that, the U.S. wins. The U.S. wins. The U.K. does not. We are luckier in the U.S. not to have those regulators.

[07:00:00]

BERMAN: Yes. We don't have a king or queen and we also don't have these weird speech rules.

CAMEROTA: I wouldn't worry about Piers Morgan. I'm guessing he's going to land on his feet --

STELTER: I think so.