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Biden Cabinet Confirmation Hearings Begin As Impeachment Trial Looms; Biden Presidency Ushers In Monumental Reset For America; Sources: Biden Inherits Non-Existent Vaccine Plan From Trump. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired January 21, 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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[05:33:03]
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KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is what President Joe Biden has called upon us to summon now. The courage to see beyond crisis. To do what is hard. To do what is good. To unite.
To believe in ourselves. Believe in our country. Believe in what we can do together.
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ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Vice President Kamala Harris echoing President Biden's calls for unity last night.
Harris also swearing in three new members of the Senate, thereby giving Democrats control of the chamber for the first time in six years.
Overnight, the Senate confirmed President Biden's first cabinet member, the director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines.
CNN's Lauren Fox is live in Washington with more. Good morning, Lauren.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Good morning, Alisyn.
That's right -- one nomination yesterday in the U.S. Senate. Compare that to the fact that former President Trump got two, former President Obama got six, and former President George W. Bush got seven on day one. So that gives you a sense of what a slog there is ahead in the U.S. Senate with narrowly divided government.
Now, one thing to keep in mind as we expect that there will be more advancements today. You can expect that Pete Buttigieg will have his confirmation hearing today in the U.S. Senate. We also expect that the House of Representatives will vote today on a waiver that will clear the way for Lloyd Austin to lead the Defense Department. Now, one of the biggest items that is outstanding is the fact that we
are still waiting to see when the Senate is going to be holding their impeachment trial. Remember, we still don't have a clear sense on when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is going to transmit those articles of impeachment. And once she does, that essentially sets a domino effect where the Senate has to begin their impeachment trial, absent in agreement of all 100 senators.
And what that means is every single day, the Senate is going to be in session, starting at noon, listening to the arguments ahead of them, trying to make a decision about whether or not to impeach and convict a former president at this point.
[05:35:07]
So that is something that's not just going to be divisive for President Joe Biden but also divisive for the Republican Party as they try to forge ahead and make a decision on whether or not they want to move ahead with former President Trump as the de facto leader of their party or whether they need to move in a new direction.
And we're getting some new reporting that the Senate majority leader -- or former majority leader Mitch McConnell is getting some pressure from Republican members who want to make sure that he does not vote to convict former President Trump. They're arguing, essentially, that what good does it do at this point to divide the party. They're arguing that if McConnell moves forward with a conviction vote, for himself, essentially it will be a disarray for the Republican Party -- that he could face potential backlash.
So that just gives you a sense of even though President Biden wants unity in the U.S. Senate, even though he is someone who wants compromise in the U.S. Senate, this massive question is looming over the Senate trial and what that means for the future of his agenda -- Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: I can only imagine how complicated it is for Mitch McConnell to try to thread that.
Lauren, thank you very much.
World leaders are congratulating Joe Biden but not all of them are pleased with his first actions. We have the details next.
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ANDRA DAY, SINGING "RISE UP."
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded. We've learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile, and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.
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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The words of Joe Biden being heard all around the world. And brand-new reaction this morning from around the world to this moment. Many leaders and many newspapers welcoming the president's hopeful message and calls for unity, but not everyone pleased with some of his first actions.
CNN's Nic Robertson live in London with the reaction -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, widely positive reaction. I mean, look at some of the European headlines here.
You have the "Metro" newspaper saying very clearly "Now Make America Great Again." "The Times" newspaper, "Time for Unity." The other British newspapers "End this uncivil war," "Democracy has prevailed." Really positive reaffirmations of what Europeans are hearing from this new White House.
The "El Mundo" newspaper there saying the U.S. has a lot to heal. In China, the state news agency Xinhua coming up with this headline not about President Biden but about President Trump, which is "Good Riddance, Donald Trump!"
And if we look at the tweets -- again, European leaders. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, saying that when we work together we are stronger, and pointing to the fact that President Biden has already rejoined the Paris Climate Accord. Or the Irish. Of course, the Irish prime minister, Micheal Martin, really happy to have President Biden and looking to strengthen relations there -- no surprise.
Some of the other tweets, as well, referencing the big challenges going forward to President Biden, specifically on China. You have Modi, from India, saying that it's important to strengthen our relationship. Scott Morrison from New Zealand, the prime minister -- from Australia -- the prime minister there also saying never a more important moment to strengthen U.S.-Australia relations. These countries on the front line, really, and U.S. allies in this growing tension with China.
Perhaps the person who appears to be most disappointed and saying it publicly at the moment has been the Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, not happy about the XL Keystone Pipeline but happy to see Biden in the office -- in office.
The overall message from the world is this is good for the world, the world is happy, and they're waiting to see what happens next, John.
BERMAN: Yes. We heard from the press secretary last night that the first conversation with a world leader will be on Friday with the Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, who doesn't like the Keystone action but makes it clear he likes that Joe Biden is now the president.
Nic Robertson, thanks so much for being with us. We do have breaking news. CNN just heard from the Biden administration. They're saying they essentially inherited no coronavirus vaccine distribution plan. They have to start from scratch, they say.
And seconds ago, the White House released -- I'm holding in my hands this multipage document -- this coronavirus strategy. We're going to read through it. We'll bring you the details next.
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CAMEROTA: Breaking news. Sources tell CNN that the Trump administration left the Biden team no coronavirus vaccine plan. One source says they are quote "going to have to build everything from scratch."
On Wednesday, the United States reported its second-deadliest day of the pandemic yet -- a staggering 4,229 new deaths on President Biden's first day in office.
Joining us now, Dr. Peter Hotez. He's the co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, and the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Hotez, this is a horrible development -- just horrible. You'll remember that former HHS Sec. Alex Azar said a month ago that 50 million Americans would be vaccinated by the end of this month -- January. We know that 16 million have. And it turns out we now know from MJ Lee's reporting there was no plan, there is no plan for how to get more vaccinated.
So what does that mean for all of us who are waiting to get vaccinated?
DR. PETER HOTEZ, CO-DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, DEAN, NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (via Skype): Yes, Alisyn, surprised but not surprised. Look, the twin pillar all through 2020 for the Trump administration was to either deny, deflect, and downplay the severity of the pandemic and say the deaths were due to other causes. That was strategy number one.
Strategy number two, the federal government never took ownership. It was all about putting the states in the lead. And that's why we missed the entry of the virus coming from southern Europe into New York back in March and April.
Why we never got the diagnostic testing up to the level we needed. Why we never did any genomic sequencing to look for new variants. Why we missed the surge in the summer, the surge in the fall, and now this. So on the one hand, that's not surprising.
[05:50:03] But the issue is this. We are backed into a corner. All we have left now is to vaccinate.
And now we know by logistics and bringing in a four-star general and all that kind of stuff, it was not to bring in the military or National Guard to vaccinate, but rather to put the boxes onto the backs of the FedEx and UPS trucks and make certain that they kept cold. And then it was, again, up to the states. And it was never going to work.
And, you know, when you do the back-of-the-envelope numbers there's -- we have to immunize -- we have to give half a billion immunizations. That's three-quarters of the American population -- 240 million people times two doses -- half a billion. So far, we've given 16 million. That's basic -- that's a rounding error -- that's zero. So we've done nothing so far to vaccinate the American people.
Now, it's laid out before us and now it's up to the Biden administration to not only implement a plan but create the plan.
BERMAN: They, in fact, at 5:00 a.m., which is 50 minutes ago at this point, Dr. Hotez -- they just released this plan -- this 21-page national strategy for the COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness organized around seven key points.
Number one, restore trust. The number-one on that list is restore trust. Number two has to do with vaccinations. Number three, masking and testing. Number four, emergency relief-economic relief.
Number five, reopen schools. Number six dealing with equity, which I know is something that you care very deeply about. And number seven, restore global leadership.
Those are the seven pillars for the incoming Biden administration will try to focus on all at once.
What do you think they can do today? Today is the day when President Biden will be laser-focused on COVID all day. What do you think they can accomplish today, Professor?
HOTEZ: Well, that -- the overarching theme of that document was we're the federal government of the United States of America. We're going to own this and we're going to solve this problem and not dump it onto others. And that's a very important message for the American people to hear. And that alone I think will help build trust.
And in there, there's a communication plan that we've never had before, so that's really critically important. And then, a national vaccination strategy.
I mean, the problem right now is everyone is scared or frightened or angry because they're calling around to Walmart and Sam's Club and the pharmacy chains and to CVS and Rite Aid trying to desperately get vaccine for their mother, father, brother, or sister and no one is answering on the other side or they are answering and saying look, we don't have vaccine either or try this pharmacy or that pharmacy. This is not a recipe for success; it's a recipe for disaster.
So this is -- what we have to have right now is a new plan to open up the venues to vaccinate.
You know, the other problem that we're going to face, John and Alisyn, is we don't have the vaccines -- all the vaccines that we need. The mRNA technology is a new technology -- it's an exciting one. It looks like it's very protective -- protected in terms of immunity but it's not robust enough to make enough of it to vaccine the U.S. population.
We have to get those other vaccines up and as soon as possible -- the two adenovirus vaccines -- a particle vaccine. We have a vaccine. That's got to be the other big, big piece to this.
CAMEROTA: Dr. Hotez, thank you very much for all of the information that we are all still processing this morning. Thank you.
HOTEZ: Thank you.
CAMEROTA: It may just be the most-talked-about moment from the Biden inauguration.
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AMANDA GORMAN, YOUTH POET LAUREATE: Somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken but simply unfinished. We, the successors --
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CAMEROTA: We have more from Amanda Gorman's incredible poem, next.
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BERMAN: A breathtaking moment at President Biden's inauguration. A moment where you had a sense that the entire world was stopping to pause to lean in and listen a little more closely. We all heard from the nation's first youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman.
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GORMAN: When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. We've braved the belly of the beast. We've learned that quiet isn't always peace.
In the norms and notions of what just is isn't always justice. And yet, the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow, we do it. Somehow, we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished.
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BERMAN: I have to say, the ending "For there is always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it." Something just aside from politics that leaves you with chills, particularly coming from a 22-year-old.
CAMEROTA: Oh, I am guessing that she was the most Googled person of the day. So many people wanted to know more about her, hear more from her. My teenage daughters were so inspired.
So we're going to answer that call because Anderson interviewed Amanda Gorman last night. It was an incredible interview. So we're going to play that for you coming up.
BERMAN: NEW DAY continues right now.
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BIDEN: This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.
HARRIS: This is what President Joe Biden has called upon us to summon now. The courage to see beyond crisis. To do what is hard. To do what is good. To unite.
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Seeing Kamala Harris is going to mean so much to so many millions.
