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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Biden Addresses U.S. Tonight On Newly-Passed COVID Relief Bill; NASA Site Being Eyed As Possible Shelter For Migrant Children; U.S. Designates Two African Groups As Foreign Terror Organizations. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired March 11, 2021 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:30:09]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, good Thursday morning. This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Laura Jarrett. Almost 30 minutes past the hour here in New York.

President Biden gives his first prime time address to the nation tonight. His COVID relief bill, the American Rescue Plan, becomes law when he signs it tomorrow. Biden calls the measure a historic victory for the American people with stimulus checks, unemployment help, tax credits to lift kids out of poverty, money for schools and state and local governments, support for restaurants, and small businesses.

ROMANS: There's more. There's help with rent, there's money for vaccines, there's food assistance, Internet for children stuck learning remotely. Bottom line, a lot of help for the poorest Americans.

Biden is now armed with his first major legislative achievement.

CNN has new information about what we will hear from the president tonight. Congressional reporter Daniella Diaz is live on Capitol Hill. Good morning, Daniella.

And this is -- this is a law. When signed, it will be the most progressive effort we've seen in a really long time. Supporters call it transformative and so do opponents. They call it progressive and transformative, and not in a good way. It's all temporary.

Are we expecting this president, though, to really try to sell it to the American public better than, say, stimulus was sold a dozen years ago?

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

President Joe Biden is planning to speak to Americans directly tonight in a prime time address, marking the one-year anniversary since this COVID-19 shutdown. He will speak about the sacrifices Americans have had to make since this pandemic began. He will also speak about the more than 500,000 Americans that have died as a result of this virus. And he will speak about the things that Americans need to do to combat this virus.

This will mark, as I said, the one-year anniversary since the shutdown began and he will speak about how this is the greatest operational challenge the country has ever faced. He will lay out the next steps that his administration plans to take to defeat this virus and level with Americans about what they need to do personally to combat this virus.

Here's what he had to say about his speech tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm going on prime time and address the American people and talk about what we've been through as a nation this past year. But more importantly, I'm going to talk about what comes next. I'm going to launch the next phase of the COVID response and explain what we will do as a government and what we will ask of the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: Biden also plans to tout how his administration has improved vaccine distribution. And he is planning to convince Americans, as you mentioned Christine, about how -- these changes in this legislation -- how it will reshape the economy and should be made permanent because these changes shaping the economy -- the economy are just temporary.

He plans to jump on Air Force One and travel across the country to meet with Americans directly to convince them that this legislation, despite its large price tag, will affect and improve Americans' lives directly.

And he is not the only one that is planning to travel around the country. We're expecting others in his administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, to also travel and meet with Americans to convince them that this legislation was just -- again, despite the large price tag, will help Americans directly.

ROMANS: All right, Daniella Diaz for us on Capitol Hill. Thank you so much -- Laura.

JARRETT: All right.

One year to the day since coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic, there are more signs of reopening and vaccinations are expanding. An average of two million vaccine doses a day have been given in the past week. And because of Johnson & Johnson -- just one shot -- more people are getting fully-protected faster.

Now, four former presidents have a message for the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've lost enough people and we've suffered enough damage.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And if we're going to get rid of this pandemic it's important for our fellow citizens to get vaccinated.

JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm getting vaccinated because we want this pandemic to end as soon as possible.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So we urge you to get vaccinated when it's available to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: CNN is covering the pandemic coast-to-coast.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Erica Hill.

A boost for New York City restaurants starting March 19th. They can increase indoor capacity on that date to 50 percent. That's up from 35 percent. And on that same day, the rest of New York State, which is already at 50 percent for indoor dining, can bump up to 75 percent capacity.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST (on camera): I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced that the state's roughly 400,000 teachers, childcare workers, and school staff will be eligible to sign up for vaccine appointments as soon as today. To help facilitate, the state's seven mass vaccination sites will designate four days where first doses will only be offered to those K through 12 employees.

[05:35:03]

Teachers' unions have been pushing for vaccinations prior to the resumption of in-person learning, while the governor has pressured elementary schools to reopen by April.

As of next Monday, teachers will be eligible for vaccines in all 50 states.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER (on camera): I'm Jacqueline Howard in Atlanta.

The pandemic has taken a serious toll on the mental health of medical workers and a new study reveals just how much of a toll.

The study published in the journal "PLOS One" finds that in data on more than 97,000 healthcare workers across 21 countries, about 22 percent showed signs of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. And that's much higher than the prevalence typically seen in the general population during regular times, which is usually around four to five percent.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks to all of our reporters for those reports.

To the situation at the border now. The Biden administration is considering a vacant NASA site in California as a temporary housing site for unaccompanied migrant children. A surge at the U.S.-Mexico border has officials scrambling to find shelter space. Many children are being held for longer than current rules allow for facilities not fit for kids.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us now. Priscilla, help us separate fact from fiction here about what's actually happening at that border and also, why is this surge happening now.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Now, the reason the Trump (sic) administration is tapping other federal agencies, like NASA, for space is because the number of children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border alone is outpacing shelter availabilities.

So we learned that there are now more than 3,400 children in border patrol custody. These are facilities that are intended for adults -- they are not designed to care for children -- but it is where these kids have to stay until officials can identify shelter for them.

Now, what's happening here is that there's simply not enough space. And so the number tells us that the administration is really just having a hard time keeping up and having to look across the board to find shelter space. So happening now, in February, this is concerning on its own because the spring and summer months tell us that this is only going to increase and we're already at record highs.

So, Christine, an evolving situation at the border and one that the administration is racing to address.

ROMANS: Yes, scrambling to find the space. If history is a guide, when an economy starts to open up and improve and when there's a change of leadership in Washington, sometimes you can start to see bigger numbers at the border. We will continue to watch this.

Priscilla, thank you so much for that -- Laura.

JARRETT: Well, new this morning, the U.S. taking steps to fight a growing terror threat overseas.

CNN's David McKenzie is live in Johannesburg for us. David, this could be a real issue for the White House in the coming months. Tell us what's going on here.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that certainly is the case. Good morning.

These terror designations coming from the State Department have very practical steps. They've been targeted of two -- targeting two groups, both in the eastern DLC and the northern part of Mozambique, that the State Department say are both ISIS-affiliated. Now, there's some debate about that. But what there isn't any debate about is how these two groups have caused chaos in these regions of this country, killing civilians, using brutal tactics that we saw from ISIS central some time ago.

And it is going to provide a headache for the Biden administration as they try to develop an adjusted Africa strategy. There are now several parts of the continent under the sway of these insurgent groups.

I spoke to a senior State Department official who said particularly, in Mozambique, the level of violence and the dramatic escalation of that violence, and the combat tactics are evolving to become more sophisticated. That State Department official told me it really shows evidence, in the view of the U.S. government, that ISIS is directly linked to these groups. And what it could mean is an escalation of violence here in Southern Africa that hasn't been seen, compared to parts of the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.

Now, regional actors are already involved in this and at play, not just the civilian impact. Hundreds of thousands of people have been pushed out of their homes, some brutally beheaded by this insurgent group now designated an ISIS affiliate.

But also, there's a major natural gas find in the northern part of Mozambique that is just hugely significant to the move for potentially clean energy in this region and in Asia in the coming year. So this will be an important geostrategic mission of the Biden administration.

And there are certainly worries, I can tell you from talking to State Department officials, that these insurgencies could get further out of control -- Christine and Laura.

JARRETT: All right, David McKenzie for us. Thank you so much.

[05:40:01]

ROMANS: All right.

The pandemic really highlighted inequality in the American economy and now, Goldman Sachs says it will take action to address it. Goldman says, for example, Black women own nearly 90 percent less wealth than white men in America. The bank will invest $10 billion in areas that will affect the lives of one million Black women by 2030.

There are disparities in every stage of a Black woman's life, from education to housing and health, and the wealth gap is stunning. Black women currently make 15 percent less than white women and 35 percent less than white men.

Goldman's study found an improving economy for Black women and men could add to 1.7 million jobs. Women, of course, make a disproportionate number of jobs in the service and hospitality sectors -- sectors devastated by the pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund estimates fully closing the participation gap would boost GDP by five percent.

We'll be right back.

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[05:45:09]

JARRETT: Welcome back.

Thousands of Texans set to lose their healthcare provider after a Texas judge ruled that the state can drop Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program. Texas has been trying for years to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and many other services not related to abortion at all. Currently, federal funds cannot be used for abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, or to save the mother's life.

ROMANS: Five Oklahoma City police officers charged with first-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of a 15-year-old in November. These officers were responding to an armed robbery call at a gas station in November. According to police reports, the store clerk fled during the robbery and locked the suspect inside.

Surveillance video shows the suspect, Stavian Rodriguez, climbing out of the drive-thru window and pulling a gun from his waistband as officers yelled for him to drop the gun. He then appears to put his hand down to his left side and officers opened fire, killing him.

No comment yet from those officers.

JARRETT: The judge in Derek Chauvin's case now cleared to consider reinstating an additional murder charge after a ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Chauvin already faces a more serious second-degree murder charge, along with manslaughter, for the killing of George Floyd.

The judge says the pending new charge will be addressed before jury selection resumes this morning. So far, five of the 14 jurors have now been seated for that trial.

ROMANS: Idaho could cost itself millions in funding for public education when it stops participating in the Powerball lottery after 32 years. Why? State lawmakers from both parties are concerned about other countries taking part because their governments could use revenue for causes they oppose. Powerball is expanding to include Australia this year and Britain in 2022.

The last drawing in Idaho will be in August.

JARRETT: Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has his eye on a new role, governor of Texas. Appearing on a podcast this week, McConaughey talked about his efforts to help his fellow Texans recover from last month's disastrous winter storm and whether a run for governor could be his next move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ACTOR: I'm looking into now, again, what is -- what is my leadership role because I do -- I do think I have some things to teach and share. And what is my -- what is my -- what is my role? What's my category in my next chapter of life that I'm going into?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is up for reelection next year.

ROMANS: All right, let's get a check on CNN Business this Thursday morning.

Looking at markets around the world you can see Asian shares closed higher. Europe has opened narrowly mixed here.

And on Wall Street, looking toward the morning when -- the opening bell in a few hours -- slightly higher here. Nasdaq, though, looks like it could have a good pop here.

Look, you saw gains on Wall Street Wednesday after the relief bill was passed. The Dow hit a record high. Look at that -- the first time above 32,000. The S&P 500 up slightly. The Nasdaq flat after its rally on Tuesday.

Another record high, another week of devastating jobless claims. Economists expect another 725,000 Americans filed for benefits last week. Claims -- look at that line there -- they have been higher than they were during the peak of the Great Recession for nearly a year.

All right, they flourished in the pandemic shutdowns. How will they fare when pandemic restrictions ease and people venture out again? Lowe's, Etsy, DoorDash, Dick's all preparing for a shift in consumer behavior.

DoorDash expects demand to slow down as people go to restaurants again. And Lowe's sales soared, remember, as homeowners spent more time and money to feather their nests. Lowe's now expects revenue to fall this year.

Another sign of pent-up demand, reservations for Disney World theme parks quickly filling up. Reservations completely booked next week. Reservations are required at all the parks because of pandemic restrictions.

The spike coming as CEO Bob Chapek said Disneyland in California is expected to reopen by late-April, adding with some luck, Disney Cruise Lines could set sail again this fall. Chapek said resumed trips will depend on the virus and the pace of vaccinations.

JARRETT: Well, as the earth gets hotter, natural surfaces for ice hockey are vanishing. So, Russian hockey legends -- well, they're playing in vulnerable locations to bring more attention to the problem.

As only CNN can, Fred Pleitgen is at one of those locations, Lake Baikal in Russia. Fred, I hear you got to lace up as well.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I certainly did and it was really an amazing thing to do. And I'm actually standing on Lake Baikal right now, which is the largest body of water in the entire world. It holds more water than all the Great Lakes combined. But it also is very much under threat by climate change.

And that's one of the reasons why those Russian all-stars put on that hockey game that I also got to play in as well. Let's have a look at what happened.

[05:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice-over): A power play to help save our planet. Russian hockey legends playing a match on the majestic Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater reservoir in the world, organized by all-time NHL great Slava Fetisov, who is now the U.N.'s patron for Polar Regions.

SLAVA FETISOV, HOCKEY ALL-STAR: We play on ice and, as you know, it's ice melting everywhere, not only on the North and South Pole. One doesn't need to be rocket scientists to see what's going on.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): I had the privilege of being allowed to play in the match on a rink made of ice blocks at this stunning venue.

The initiative is called the Last Game, which plays hockey places endangered by global warming around the world, endorsed by the U.N. and even blessed by Pope Francis.

PLEITGEN (on camera): Of course, the reason for this game is very serious. The warmer our earth gets, the less space there is for games like ice hockey and other winter sports as well.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Lake Baikal is one of those endangered areas. It's gigantic, holding more freshwater than all of America's Great Lakes combined -- a fifth of the world's unfrozen reserves.

But there are a lot of unresolved problems here, from unregulated tourism to harmful industries. The Russian government also recently relaxed regulations protecting the lake.

And Russia is one of the countries hardest-hit by global warming. Record temperatures for several years have led to a massive melt of its permafrost, leading to giant sinkholes and releasing even more greenhouse gases, as well as massive wildfires that further increase the world's temperatures.

FETISOV: This is a catastrophe (INAUDIBLE).

PLEITGEN (voice-over): And while hockey won't save the world's climate, at least the organizers hope it will cause some to take action to try and preserve the natural playing fields of the game that so many love so much. (END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: All right. I think we may have lost Fred, but thank you so much for that report. Just extraordinary. What a beautiful scene.

ROMANS: Really, and a frozen live shot. How ironic for Lake Baikal, the frozen lake to play hockey.

JARRETT: I know.

ROMANS: Thank you so much, Fred.

All right.

A FedEx driver being hailed a hero after he jumped into freezing water to save a woman who crashed her car. Brandon Alt saw the car in front of him veer off the road into the icy. Once he got the door open, the car flooded instantly. He was able to free this woman and call 911. After help arrived, Alt went back to his route, wet clothes and all.

The woman did not suffer any major injuries and is recovering at home.

Good for him.

JARRETT: Finally this morning, the CNN family is remembering a brave little girl on what would have been her first birthday. Francesca Kaczynski, lovingly called Beans, was the daughter of our colleague Andrew Kaczynski and his wife Rachel. She died of a rare form of brain cancer on this past Christmas Eve. She was nine months old.

ROMANS: In her memory, CNN launching the "Team Beans" beanie. All proceeds will go to fund research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That's where little Beans was treated.

Andrew and Rachel, please know that we're all thinking of you today and we are -- I am just so honored as the CNN family --

JARRETT: Here's the beanie.

ROMANS: Yes, here's the beanie. I'm going to wear it for the rest of the day -- Team Beans. Francesca would have been one today.

And I just think for cancer parents everywhere, this couple has been so eloquent and honest and brave in just the raw emotion of what has happened to them over the past year.

JARRETT: The amount of grace that they have shown over these past couple of months with just unspeakable tragedy is -- you know, Andrew has said this is the dividing line in our lives --

ROMANS: Yes.

JARRETT: -- and they are now just dedicated to fighting this cause and raising awareness about this rare form of cancer.

ROMANS: Cancer sucks. Childhood cancer is just -- it's just unbelievable what they've gone through. And we send you all of our love and we will help you raise money to make other parents maybe not have to go through this someday.

JARRETT: That's right.

ROMANS: Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.

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[05:58:57]

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JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: The House passing the sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan, and Biden planning to sign it into law on Friday.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Help is on the way. You will receive $1,400 checks by the end of March.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): We're doing damage to the future of this country by spending dramatically more money than we obviously need.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Health officials are urging caution as more than a dozen states are easing restrictions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The White House recruited some former presidents and first ladies to encourage Americans to get vaccinated.

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ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Thursday, March 11th, 6:00 here in New York.

And new details coming into CNN just now as to what President Biden will say tonight in his first White House prime time address to the nation. It comes as he readies to sign the $1.9 trillion relief bill into law.

This contains the largest relief payments to the American people in history. It funds extended unemployment benefits, increased child tax credits, additional money for vaccines and reopening schools, farms, healthcare, and the list goes on.

Now, this measure is already reaping benefits.