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New Coronavirus Cases on the Rise in 20 States, Deaths Up in 17 States; Interview with Kate Bedingfield about Biden's Press Conference; Texas Firefighters Help Dialysis Patients After Winter Storm. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired March 26, 2021 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: For example, obviously, there's been a significant downward trend since, sort of, early mid-January. But the numbers are going up a little bit now. A few reasons, obviously we've been talking about these variants. Some of the states are starting to loosen restrictions and people have had COVID fatigues so they're more likely to actually not abide by some of these public health restrictions.

What we're really trying to figure out, though, is, is this a proportional increase in deaths as to what we've seen in the past. We saw cases, a few weeks later a sort of expected proportion of hospitalizations, and then a few weeks after that an expected proportion of deaths. Is that going to happen here?

These next few weeks I think are really going to tell. We're probably loosening things up, you know, too early as so many people have said, and paying the price for that in some places. I think overall, overall trend lines still look favorable, but, you know, at least 17 states or so we're keeping a pretty close eye on.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Sanjay, much has been made about how President Biden didn't get a single coronavirus question at the press conference yesterday. Had you been there what is your burning question?

GUPTA: Yes. I mean, this -- that really surprised me. The biggest public health disaster of our lifetime, over 500,000 people have died, not a single question about that. I think there's really practical questions for people. I mean he talked about the fact that states are going to all open eligibility for the vaccine by May 1st. Is that going to happen or not? Because not all the states have sort of signed onto that.

What about schools? We talked about the fact that distancing could be shrunk from six feet to three feet. Teachers' unions are pushing back on that. Look, that has really pragmatic sort of influence on things. These variants, how are we doing in terms of actually finding them and sequencing them? And by the way, bigger questions like our U.S. hospital system has taken a significant hit over the last year? I mean, in places, it's really in shambles in terms of being able to

take care of patients for things other than COVID. How are we going to address that? How are we going to sort of prepare for the next pandemic? This is not -- you know, people are looking at this as if it's totally in the rearview mirror. It's not. And I know that the administration still very focused on that, but I think the fact that not a single question was asked about this may get some reflection of just how much attention people are paying or not paying to this.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: One of the things that was announced, he wasn't asked about it, but he volunteered is that he is setting a new goal of 200 million doses of vaccine administered in his first 100 days. I think we can all agree the 100 million doses in 100 days was a low bar. A low bar that was easily met, it has since been surpassed. 200 million doses in the first 100 days, we're on track for that.

I'm not suggesting that it's earth-shattering in the sense of where we are now. But if you look back, Sanjay, and I had asked you in December or early January, this is the trend of how many vaccinations we're getting into arms now. We're doing about 2.5 million a day. If I had said to you we're going to have 200 million doses of vaccine administered by the end of April, what would you have said?

GUPTA: Yes, I would have thought maybe at that point, you're right. I would have thought maybe that sounds somewhat audacious. I mean, it is worth keeping in mind, this is the largest vaccine rollout in history. I mean, we've never had something like this. 130 million have already gone in to people's arms, these doses. So it's significant, but now that we're in it and I see what is possible and see the pharmacies coming online -- I was at a mass vaccination site yesterday.

Seeing what's happening there, it seems like we can still do even better than that. I mean, if nothing else changed, we did the math, 206 million doses would go in within the first 100 days. But these mass sites are increasingly reopening. There's $10 billion that are going into reaching hard-to-access communities. You know, they've been very open about the fact that they under promised and overdelivered and I think we're going to far exceed the 200 million.

BERMAN: I just think that's -- I think it's a really high number. I'm not saying it can't be met, I'm saying it probably will be met. I'm just saying, we should take a step back and be appreciative of the fact that America has done something pretty extraordinary, which is getting a lot of vaccine out very quickly for something that didn't exist. Didn't exist a year ago at this point.

GUPTA: I mean, every aspect of it, you're right, John. I'm glad you pointed it out. Every aspect of the scientific sort of achievement has been incredible. I mean, many people did not think that there would be a vaccine at all, let alone three, and possibly soon to be four authorized vaccines. And then, you know, just the cold chain storage, making sure you have enough syringes, having enough vaccinators, it is a -- it isn't an audacious project. But it's happening. And we're forever going to be different because of it, because we may need to mass vaccinate like this again.

[07:35:02]

BERMAN: Thank you very much, Sanjay. I know you're going to be back with us next hour to share some really eye-opening statements from the nation's former top health officials about the pandemic. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: OK, thanks, Sanjay.

All right, we want to remember now some of the nearly 547,000 Americans lost to coronavirus.

Gene Bartlett owned and operated two iconic bakeshops in the San Diego area, George's Wonderful World of Cake and Little George's Bakery. His son Wayne says his father told him he loved being a baker because of the smiles it brings to people.

Paul Santoro was a vehicle mechanic for the New York City Sanitation Department. His son Paul Jr. followed him into the family trade, which he says gave him a chance to get to know his father better. He says it will be hard returning to the garage without his father. Paul Santoro, Sr. was just 64.

Robin Bates was the sergeant-at-arms for the Nevada State Assembly. Colleagues say his dignified, professional demeanor was an asset in his work and probably helped pulling off some of the practical jokes that he was known for like misinforming staffers about an upcoming bring-your-pet-to-work day. He was 68 years old.

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today I'm setting a second goal, and that is we will, by my 100th day in office, have administered 200 million shots in people's arms. That's right. 200 million shots in 100 days. I know it's ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country in the world is even coming close, not even close, to what we are doing. I believe we can do it.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That's President Biden doubling his vaccine goal to 200 million by the end of April, which the president is on pace to achieve, averaging about 2.5 million doses a day. The pandemic and economic relief were at the top of the president's agenda.

Joining us now is White House communications director Kate Bedingfield.

Kate, great to see you this morning. Love the green. And --

KATE BEDINGFIELD, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: It's a good look. It's a good look, Alisyn. CAMEROTA: Yes, it is. And I have a ton of questions for you, so I'm

going to try to move you through them closely, I mean quickly, but, number one, were you surprised that the president department didn't get any coronavirus questions?

BEDINGFIELD: A little surprised. I think most of Americans across the country are focused on the virus and how it's impacting our lives, and what we're doing to get it under control and make things better. So it was a little surprising. Of course, it's the press's prerogative to ask whatever they want, but it was a little surprising that the issue that is of number one concern to everyone in this country didn't get a question at the press conference yesterday.

CAMEROTA: Well, we just had Dr. Sanjay Gupta on who said had he been there, here's the question he would have asked. So let me pose it on his behalf. Is the plan to open up vaccine eligibility for all Americans by May 1st, and if so, are all states on board with that?

BEDINGFIELD: We are working toward it. States make those eligibility decisions, but, of course, what the president has done is secure enough vaccine to ensure that all Americans would be able to receive a shot, would be eligible for a shot, starting May 1st. So we've made enormous progress in the 65 days since we've been in office to secure more vaccine and stand up more places for people to get vaccinated so it's easier for people to get vaccinated. So that is what the president is pushing toward. The states make those decisions but that's what he's pushing toward.

CAMEROTA: You did get a lot of questions about the surge in unaccompanied minors at the border, but I need you to clarify what the policy is because it sounded to me like President Biden said a couple of different things. Is the policy to find placement for those unaccompanied minors here in this country or to send them back to their home country?

BEDINGFIELD: Well, let's be clear. The vast majority of people who show up at our border, we are turning away. We are turning away adults, we are turning away the majority of families. What we're doing with unaccompanied minors, unaccompanied children who arrive at the border, we're treating them humanely.

We are working to move them as quickly as possible out of Border Patrol facilities and to facilities run by HHS that are more suitable for children. And then we're working as quickly as possible to get them connected to their family member in the United States or a vetted sponsor. So what we --

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: So they can stay. I mean, the policy is if they show up here they can stay if they have a family member.

BEDINGFIELD: We're going to treat them humanely. We're going to treat them humanely. The previous administration had policies in place that tore children from the arms of their parents. What President Biden -- and you heard him talk about this at the press conference yesterday. What he's not going to do is treat children inhumanely. So --

CAMEROTA: Right. But humanely to you guys means not sending them back home. Is that what I'm hearing?

BEDINGFIELD: It means finding a -- it means connecting them either with their family member in the United States, which many of them have, or putting them with a vetted sponsor, yes.

CAMEROTA: When you say that the vast majority of families are being expelled, the numbers don't bear that out. The latest numbers that we have from U.S. Borders and Customs Protection show that 19,200 families were encountered at the border in February and 7900 were expelled. So that's less than half.

BEDINGFIELD: That -- but if you look at across the course of the last couple of years, if you look at the numbers, and you look at the influx as they come, because as we know these influxes are cyclical, they're seasonal. What you're seeing is that right now under something called Title 42, which is a health-related provision, we are turning the vast majority of people away from our border. We're not --

CAMEROTA: But not families?

BEDINGFIELD: We're not allowing them into the country. It depends -- well, it depends. It depends. But what we're focused on most, what we're prioritizing in terms of allowing people to stay are unaccompanied children, or children, minors who arrive here without their family, without a parent, without an adult. We are finding ways to process them as quickly as possible.

That's something the president is extremely focused on, pushing his team, pushing the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services to find suitable locations for these kids to temporarily stay so that we are treating them humanely. You heard him speak about this yesterday very powerfully.

(CROSSTALK)

[07:45:04]

CAMEROTA: Yes, so when you say temporarily stay, if you're finding their families, they're staying. Right? I mean, they're not -- this isn't temporary.

BEDINGFIELD: Unaccompanied children, unaccompanied children, yes, but the vast majority of people who come to the border, we are turning them away.

CAMEROTA: Great, but families -- I mean, I just want to be clear because the numbers don't bear out what you're saying. For families, less than half are being expelled.

BEDINGFIELD: Again, the vast majority of people including adults who come to the border, we are sending them back. We are turning them away. We are telling them they are not able to come in to the United States. For unaccompanied children, and yes, you're right, some families, we are working to find them temporary locations so that we're treating them humanely.

Look, the previous administration essentially dismantled our immigration system. They -- you know, across the course of the transition as our teams were coming into office, they refused to take steps, things like staffing up the department at HHS that helps handle refugees who arrive at our borders. So, you know, they essentially took our system and dismantled our ability to be able to handle the number of people who are arriving at our border.

CAMEROTA: OK.

BEDINGFIELD: So we're working as quickly as possible to build that capacity back up.

CAMEROTA: I want to move on and ask you whether or not President Biden has seen the video yet of the Georgia state representative who was arrested last night as she was knocking on the governor's door. She wanted to be part of the signing ceremony for that law, the bill being signed into law that severely restricts voting access. Has President Biden had a chance to see that yet?

BEDINGFIELD: I don't know if he's seen that video specifically, Alisyn, but I do know that, you know, you saw him say at the press conference yesterday that what's going on in terms of what the Republican Party is trying to do to disenfranchise people is un- American and it's sick. You know, he said powerfully that the right to vote is a fundamental to who we are as a country. It's fundamental to our democracy. There's no more precious right in the United States you're your right to vote and speak up.

So he called out what's happening here in very clear and very specific terms, and he supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. He supports and will push for the House and the Senate to move forward -- to put in place these laws that will protect people's right to vote. This is something --

CAMEROTA: That Georgia bill has a lot of tenets in it. What part specifically does he think it's sick?

BEDINGFIELD: He is -- you heard him talk about this yesterday, the idea that people would be denied water who are waiting in line to vote, the idea that, you know, polls would close at 5:00 when people who are working are just getting off work and able to actually go vote. So the idea that we would be closing down avenues for people to be able to go cast their vote and make their voice heard, that's un- American. That runs against everything that we believe as a country.

CAMEROTA: We heard him yesterday say in the press conference that the filibuster is a relic of the Jim Crow era. If that's the case, why not start now, today, to change it and end it?

BEDINGFIELD: Well, the onus here is on the Republicans. You know, people elected Joe Biden to come to Washington to get things done. He's proven in the first 60-plus days of his administration that he can do that. He got the American Rescue Plan passed. And he's shown the American people he's going to deliver and he's going to move forward.

And the question for Republicans is, are they also going to -- are they also going to decide that it's their job to deliver or are they just going to continue to divide? And that's really a question for them. I think he spoke very clearly about this yesterday. So in terms of the filibuster, he -- you know, his great hope, his preference is that we can work together on issues that matter tremendously to the American people.

If Republicans refuse to do that, then as he said yesterday, then he'll look at different options, but his hope is that we can continue to work together.

CAMEROTA: He also said that he believes that the Republican public is on his side with a lot of things. Maybe not Republicans in Congress, but Republican Americans. But what is he basing that on since the public polling is a mixed message on that? Here's just one. This is one of the latest CNN polls. It said in terms of what the economic relief bill was before it was passed, 94 percent of Democrats supported it, 26 percent of Republicans. That was March 3rd through 8th.

So on what does he think the Republicans are siding with him on?

BEDINGFIELD: Well, if you look at the vast majority of public polling on the American Rescue Plan, more than three-quarters of the country supports it, including a majority of Republicans. If you look public polling, there are polls that show that 52 percent, 53 percent, 54 percent of Republicans supported the rescue plan. And, you know, 71 percent, 72 percent of the country. So -- and also, I would say look at his approval rating.

[07:50:00]

He has the highest approval rating of any president at this point in office in the last, I think it's 15 years. And it's, you know, 55 percent, 56 percent. A majority of the country believes that President Biden is doing a good job and is handling the virus well and is handling the economy well. So if you look at public polling, people are -- you know, people from both sides of the aisle are supportive of what President Biden is doing, and it's because he's been able to deliver. It's because he is delivering on the things that he promised to do on the campaign trail. The American Rescue Plan is a perfect example of that.

CAMEROTA: Kate Bedingfield, thank you very much for covering so much ground with us. I really appreciate it. We will speak to you soon.

BEDINGFIELD: Thanks for having me, Alisyn. I really appreciate it.

CAMEROTA: A Texas Fire Department got an unusual call for help amid last month's deadly winter storm. How they went beyond the call of duty when health clinics with sick patients had nowhere else to turn.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:55:50]

BERMAN: A deadly winter storm that left much of Texas without power and water for days threatened the lives of dialysis patients. That's where a group of firefighters came in going beyond the call of duty to ensure they received life-saving treatment.

CNN's Polo Sandoval has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When last month's deadly winter storm kept much of Texas' Hill Country and its icy grip for days, Austin's fire department made an unusual call for help. Their fellow firefighters in neighboring North Hays County Fire and Rescue answered that call.

JOE FELKEL, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, NORTH HAYS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE: I've been in this department for close to 28 years, and it's the first time that I've had to provide that kind of a service.

SANDOVAL: Veteran firefighter Joe Felkel and fellow first responder John Czerniec say they were among those tasked with getting thousands of gallons of water to Central Austin area dialysis clinics. Firefighters say that like millions of Texans the clinics lost water pressure during the winter storm putting life-sustaining treatments on hold for patients.

JOHN CZERNIEC, FIREFIGHTER, NORTH HAYS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE: If the water stops, their process stops.

SANDOVAL: Czerniec, also an MT, says some types of dialysis require water.

CZERNIEC: Most dialysis patients has three to four days before they become critical. And so the emergency operations center in Austin is trying to figure out how they're going to get them water. They had come up with some ideas, but there wasn't a true solution.

SANDOVAL: Trucking in the thousands of gallons of water would be the easy part.

FELKEL: Through the use of several tenders, we were able to share a continuous water supply.

SANDOVAL: It was getting the water flowing into the building's purification system into the medical equipment that took ingenuity. The firefighters said the clinics' infrastructure just wasn't built to connect to their firefighting equipment. With the clock ticking, the fire department improvised, putting heads and plumbing fittings together. The result? This makeshift connector.

CZERNIEC: We called it our Frankenstein adapter.

SANDOVAL: North Hays County's finest devised a way to get water typically used for firefighting flowing through the clinics again allowing treatments to resume after what they were told were days of delays.

CZERNIEC: The people that run the dialysis machines, they're the ones that really did all the work. We just got water there, allowed them to treat it so that they could use it in the dialysis machines.

SANDOVAL: Assuming the temporary roles of plumbers and self-described water boys, these firefighters went beyond the call, demonstrating how an old saying in the business of firefighting still holds true in this part of the Texas Hill County.

FELKEL: When people don't really know who else to call, they call the fire department because we're pretty good at figuring things out.

SANDOVAL: Polo Sandoval, CNN, Austin.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Thank goodness they were there.

NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signing into law a sweeping election bill that could restrict ballot access.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: State Representative Park Cannon arrested for refusing to stop knocking on the governor's office door as he signed the bill in private.

PARK CANNON (D), GEORGIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: When our votes are under attack, we will stand up, and we'll continue to fight back.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Joe Biden facing the press in his first news conference. The president wanting to keep focus on his COVID-19 recovery agenda.

BIDEN: Two hundred million shots in 100 days. I know it's ambitious. Twice our original goal.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: President Biden had an air of confidence about him, and it's why he was elected because of experience.

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

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. If you are a voter in Georgia, you will not get water anymore when you stand in line on a hot day. Giving out water is now illegal. Thanks to a slew of new voting restrictions.

If you are a Georgia lawmaker, apparently knocking on Governor Brian Kemp's door is illegal. At least it was for one black Democratic lawmaker. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The governor is signing a bill that affects all Georgians. Why is he doing it in private and why is he trying to keep elected officials who are representing us out of the process?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You said you'd give her one more time, like you're going to do something.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you serious?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, you are not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's not under arrest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For what? Under arrest for what?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is she under arrest?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For trying to see something that our governor is doing?