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U.S. Coronavirus Cases Rise; Election Fraud Claims; Russia Recalls Ambassador; Newly Discovered Dead Sea Scroll Fragments. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 18, 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]

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the U.S. are fully vaccinated.

DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: We're vaccinating really fast now. We're averaging about 2.5 million shots per day, 113 million Americans have gotten at least one shot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROADDUS: And back here in Michigan, state data shows people between the ages of 10 and 19 have the highest number of COVID cases across the state of Michigan. And as you mentioned, Erica and John, next week Ford Field, home of the Lions, becomes a mass vaccination site.

Back to you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Adrianne Broaddus, thank you very much for that report.

So joining us now, Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Dr. Khan, thanks for being with us.

Look, you see the map where the states -- with states now showing an increase in cases. We wish we didn't see any orange or particularly red states. That's of concern.

Why do you think this is happening? I mean, yes, there are some states that have lifted their mask mandates, but it's not a one for one correlation. It's not, if you've lifted your mask mandate you've got an increase in cases.

What's going on here?

DR. ALI KHAN, DEAN, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER'S COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Good morning, John. Always a pleasure. And nice to meet you, Erica.

So you're correct, John. So there's a couple of different factors going on. So there are 17 states that have canceled the pandemic and don't have a mask mandate. But I think the real issue is that we're in a race in time against vaccination, which is a great thing and these new variants and pandemic fatigue.

So travel, for example, has picked up almost to pre-pandemic levels. Mask wearing isn't as common. People are hopeful about the vaccines, so they're not taking precautions. And then there's specific things in individual states. So Michigan, for example, which is the highest number of cases, has a large outbreak within their incarcerated population with this new variant. So it's a combination of factors.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: You know, and a study that was really interesting to John and I that was published in "The Lancet" yesterday was this look at re-infections, which found that those 65 and older, it was much more common for them to be re-infected. So we know your immune system can sort of wane a bit as you get older. What else, though, should we take from these numbers?

KHAN: So I think the most important thing to take away from this is that there actually was robust protection for six to nine months of this study. And only less than 1 percent of people got re-infected. So good news, nine months, only less than 1 percent got re-infected. But what to take away is that the 65 years and older were more likely to get re-infected, which means get them vaccinated and still keep those individuals protected. So it's really important to get disease down in our community with wearing a mask, social distancing and hygiene, even after they're vaccinated.

BERMAN: I want you to make this point again, the vacs -- because people think when they get it, they get antibodies and there is some protection from having survived a bout of COVID, but the protection you get from a vaccine, how does it compare to the antibodies there?

KHAN: So, absolutely, you get excellent protection after vaccination and I'm recommending everybody get vaccinated with the first vaccine they can get as soon as it's their turn.

However, we're delighted that cases are going down in the United States, but they're still higher than they were in the summer. So there's, you know, 56,000 cases a day, 1,200 dead. So there's a lot of disease in communities. So Even after you're vaccinated, please keep yourself protected. Because there's no 100 percent protection.

HILL: And those people who have, and we heard this, right, we have heard this, but also just reinforcing the point, that even if you have had the virus, you still want to get vaccinated.

KHAN: Oh, absolutely. Even if you've had the virus, please, continue to get vaccinated. You likely only need one dose. But the data is pretty clear that the vaccine provides a really robust immune response.

BERMAN: All right, AstraZeneca. Obviously, this is the vaccine that's being used in many parts of the world, right now suspended in some European countries, under review. Francis Collins says he thinks it's likely that AstraZeneca is fine and not causing the clotting that some European nations are concerned about. What do you think is going to happen over the next few days with that

vaccine, particularly in Europe?

KHAN: So, John, I think the first thing is to remind people that there's a difference between these reported serious adverse events and being associated with the vaccine. So over 400 million people have been vaccinated worldwide and we didn't cancel their heart attacks and their strokes and their car accidents or their cancers. Those diseases are still going to occur. So the question here is whether the less than 40 cases of clotting that they've seen amongst 17 million people who have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca, is that really associated with the virus -- with the vaccine or not? And the U.K. and the European FDA equivalent have said, no, the background rate is just the same, if not less, in -- the background rate is the same if not more then people who are getting vaccinated.

So I'm disappointed that they paused the vaccination, but I'm super excited that they paused the vaccination because this gets to the really important message that there's significant safety monitoring that continues after you're vaccinated and reassures Americans that the vaccine not only works but is safe that we're using here.

[06:35:17]

BERMAN: Dr. Ali Khan, how do you feel about wearing masks?

KHAN: Masks on.

BERMAN: Dr. Khan, always a pleasure. Thank you so much for being with us. All the best to you.

KHAN: Thank you very much.

BERMAN: So the intelligence community warning that false claims about election fraud almost certain to spark new rounds of violence. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: At this point in time, domestic violent extremism, the lone wolf, the lose affiliation of individuals following ideologies of hate and other ideologies of extremism that are willing and able to take those ideologies and execute on them in unlawful, illegal, violent ways is our greatest threat in the homeland right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:40:06]

HILL: Domestic, violent extremism, the greatest threat in the homeland right now.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warning lawmakers about that threat.

And this comes a new intelligence report states that election fraud claims will almost certainly spur more violence.

Joining us now, CNN political analyst Seung Min Kim. She's a White House reporter for "The Washington Post."

You know, Seung Min, as we look at this -- as we look at this intel report, it specifically points out narratives of fraud in the recent general election, the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol, conditions related to the pandemic and conspiracy theories promoting violence.

In some ways it's not a surprise, but to see it there, I just wonder, is there a sense in Washington of what the impact will be of this report?

SEUNG MIN KIM, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, certainly there's a couple of things. First of all, it underscores just how important it is for lawmakers, Democratic and Republican, to tell voters, to tell the public that there was no systemic fraud in the election and try to do -- try to stamp out that claim as much as possible. Clearly something that many in the Republican Party have been resistant to do.

But I think another impact of this report is that it really is going to re-ignite again this debate over how to properly and fully investigate that January 6th insurrection at the Capitol because what we're seeing right now is a little bit concerning, that as the further that we get from January 6th and the impact that had on the Capitol, the more and more it seemed that lawmakers are kind of going to their partisan corners and arguing, for example, over the scope of this 9/11 style commission that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has proposed but, frankly has gone nowhere so far in the Capitol over, you know, the disputes about the scope of the commission and the partisan balance of the commission.

So I think maybe what this report does is kind of reset everyone. Maybe it brings lawmakers together to try to, you know, figure out a path forward to investigate the insurrection. But we'll -- it will definitely be gauging the impact of that later today.

BERMAN: So, Seung Min, Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader, has an op-ed in "The Washington Post" today where he basically warns against doing away with the filibuster. No one loves a good filibuster discussion more than I do or you do probably, but we're weird like that. So I want to actually ask this in a way that I think people will think is more important relating to their lives.

The question is, to change the Senate rules to make it easier for Democrats to pass their legislation. As we sit here this morning, how far do you think Democrats are willing to push this notion? Do you think this is something that they will fight for over the coming months?

KIM: It's certainly something that some Democrats will fight for over the next several months. But the problem for Democrats in changing these long-standing filibuster rules are frankly Democrats -- other Democrats themselves. And it's not just the people that we hear over and over. For example, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has been so vocal in his support for keeping the Senate the way it is virtually intact, as well as Kyrsten Sinema. You know, I talked to some aides about this and we've talked to a lot of senators who are, you know, you know, much more than just those two, perhaps at least a half a dozen, even more, who are really nervous about changing the filibuster rules for many reasons. And I think one point that McConnell has made over the last several days and one that certainly some veteran Democrats are afraid of is what Republicans would do with that power, with the lack of the filibuster, if and when they regain power in the Senate and in the White House, because we know politics is cyclical. Democrats are not going to be in power forever. You know, the Senate is 50-50 and Republicans are -- could win back the majority as soon as then.

So if the filibuster is eliminated, what happens to issues such as, for example, limiting abortion that Republicans have wanted to do? And that's certainly a question and a concern in some Democrats' minds. And that is an obstacle that these proponents of changing the filibuster will have to make on their own Democratic colleagues.

HILL: And that's specifically, of course, what Mitch McConnell is laying out, right, in that op-ed. Here's exactly what we could do.

Really quickly, in response to the horrific shootings in Atlanta, former President Obama was tweeting about, you know, gun reform and perhaps this is something that may finally spur some action. I'm not sure that this is the action it will spur, but if gun reform isn't it, do you think it will, at a minimum, hopefully, raise more awareness and perhaps action when it comes to anti-Asian hate?

[06:45:00]

KIM: I think -- yes, you raise a really interesting point because that was a lot of the political reaction that we saw yesterday. You know, you know, time and time again, after these mass shootings and these tragedies, we see these renewed calls for gun control and gun overhaul legislation. We didn't see that too much today or yesterday aside from former President Obama. Really the focus from Democratic lawmakers was calling out anti-Asian rhetoric. Even as law enforcement officials continue to assess what really drove -- what was the motive for the shooter, Democrats are pointing to the rhetoric by the former president that really -- that they say really drove this rise of anti- Asian harassment and violence in the last year. And there going to be a really important hearing later today in the House Judiciary Committee at 10:00 a.m. on discrimination and harassment in the Asian- American community. So certainly Democrats are trying to bring more of a light to this very important issue.

BERMAN: Seung Min Kim, thank you, as always, for being with us this morning.

HILL: Tensions rising between the U.S. and Russia. The Russian ambassador recalled after President Biden calls Vladimir Putin a killer. Now Russian leaders are calling out the new U.S. president. We are live in Moscow, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:21]

BERMAN: So, major developments this morning in the U.S. relationship with Russia. Russia has recalled its ambassador to the United States for consultations after President Biden said this about Russian's interference in the 2020 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He will pay a price. I -- we had a long talk, he and I, when we've -- I know him relatively well. And I -- the conversation started off, I said, I know you and you know me. If I establish this occurred, then be prepared.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS CHIEF ANCHOR: So you know Vladimir Putin. Do you think he's a killer?

BIDEN: Uh-huh, I do.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So what price must he pay?

BIDEN: The price he's going to pay, well, you'll see shortly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The uh-huh, I do think he is a killer, is now the subject of serious diplomatic back and forth between the new (ph) nations. Russia speaking out over just the last few minutes.

CNN's Matthew Chance live in Moscow.

Matthew, what's the very latest?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, the Kremlin is not happy at all with those remarks and that grunt by President Biden saying that he thinks that President Putin of Russia is a killer.

This is what the Kremlin's spokesman had to say about it just a few minutes ago. He said, these are very bad statements by the president of the United States. He definitely does not want to improve relations with us and we will continue to proceed from this point.

So quite tough word there from the Kremlin spokesman, Vladimir Putin's spokesman, has been accompanied with actions as well because last night, as you mentioned, Russia recalled the ambassador to the United States. A move that hasn't been taken in decades, that brought him back -- or bringing him back to Moscow for consultations about, according to my sources, those presidential comments, Biden's comments, but also about the whole range of strains and issues in that fraught relationship with the United States. They want to decide, we're told, how to proceed, how to get the relationship with the U.S. back on the correct footing, or on a better footing because, of course, there are sanctions against Russia from the United States and other countries as well. They are crippling the Russian economy. They know there are more sanctions on their way. And the big concern in Moscow right now is that this situation is spiraling downwards. What are they going to do to try and get those sanctions alleviated, John?

BERMAN: You could tell he was crystal clear by the actions of the Kremlin that they noticed a change of tone coming from the U.S. administration. I mean these are actions that were not taken over the last four years or words from the U.S. administration they hadn't heard in the last four years. So we will watch this very closely over the next several hours.

Matthew Chance, thank you.

HILL: A historic find by archeologists in Israel. New pieces of a Dead Sea scroll, 1,900 years old. That discovery shedding new light on our ancient past.

CNN's Hadas Gold has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAIM COHEN, ARCHAEOLOGIST, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY: It's the most amazing thing I encountered, I found, I seen in my life.

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In these remote caves near the Dead Sea, Israeli researchers found dozens of fragments of a Dead Sea scroll baring biblical text. Written in Greek and dating back nearly 2,000 years, these new pieces of a biblical book have been unearthed for the first time in over 60 years.

OREN ABLEMAN, SCROLLS RESEARCHER, ISRAELI ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY: What we found is new parts of the puzzle of this rather large manuscript. The manuscript is of a translation into Greek of the 12 minor prophets from the -- from the Bible.

GOLD: Archaeologists have been working in these caves and cliffs of the Judean Desert since 2017 to prevent the looting of antiquities.

EITAN KLEIN, DEPUTY HEAD OF THE THEFT-PREVENTION UNIT, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY: A survey on this scale was never conducted in the Judean Desert. We surveyed more than 100 kilometers of the cliffs of the Judean Desert and you can see the results.

GOLD: More historic elements were found. A 6,000-year-old skeleton of a child, rare coins, and a complete basket thought to be the biggest and oldest intact basket in the world.

COHEN: We're looking at a basket which is about 10,500 years old. And it's kind of huge. It's -- it contains about between 90 to 100 liters. And it's all intact.

GOLD: Centuries of a hot and dry climate means this basket made from plant material may yield new information on how products were stored before pottery was invented. From just a few millimeters to a thumb nail in size, these fragments may look small, but experts say they could provide a huge insight into the history before and after the time of Jesus.

Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: All right, break out your brackets. March Madness begins today. We're going to take you live to Indianapolis, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:59:20]

BERMAN: So, let the madness begin. The good kind. The Men's NCAA Tournament tips off later today, a year after being canceled because of the pandemic.

Andy Scholes with more in the "Bleacher Report" from Indianapolis.

Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, John.

So this isn't a bubble like the NBA had at Disney. The NCAA is calling this a controlled environment. All 68 teams are staying here in downtown Indianapolis and the hotels they're staying that, they're on lockdown. You can't get anywhere near them. They also closed off all of the skywalks to the public so that the teams would be the only ones using them to get to and from the Convention Center in order to practice.

The teams and NCAA officials are being tested daily for COVID-19.

[07:00:03]

And, yesterday, eighth seeded Oklahoma confirmed that guard De'Vion Harmon will miss the team's first two games after testing.