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Biden Inherits Non-Existent Vaccine Plan from Trump; Vice President Kamala Harris Makes History as Highest Ranking Woman in America. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired January 21, 2021 - 07:00   ET

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

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN NEW DAY: Will have to start from scratch, his team says, to get hundreds of millions of Americans vaccinated.

[07:00:05]

The U.S. just reported its second highest death toll Wednesday, more than 4,200 Americans reported dead. This morning, President Biden is rolling out his national strategy for beating back the pandemic. We have this new report. We will break down the details ahead for you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEW DAY: Overnight, President Biden signed 17 executive actions dealing with the pandemic, the economy, immigration. If you tried to fall asleep, you were likely awakened anywhere in the United States. This fireworks show was so big and so loud, it no doubt woke you up. That's Katy Perry. It's as if she wrote the song for this moment.

The president also had a chance to speak at the Lincoln Memorial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We have learned again that democracy is precious and because of you, democracy has prevailed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: We want to begin though with the breaking news on the pandemic. M.J. Lee joins us now. M.J., you broke this story and this remarkable, depressing discovery from the incoming Biden administration.

M.J. LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. In the coming days and weeks, we are about to get a much clearer picture of what exactly Joe Biden inherited from the Trump administration when it comes to COVID, when it comes to the vaccines. But sources with direct knowledge telling CNN within hours of Biden being sworn into office, that there simply was no vaccine distribution plan under the Trump administration.

One source telling CNN, quote, there is nothing for us to rework. We are going to have to build everything from scratch. Another source said that it was further affirmation of complete incompetence, the fact that the Biden team will now have to essentially start from square one.

Now, this is some very critical and sharp language that we are hearing and something else that we were told is that some members of the Biden COVID team during the transition process, they didn't want to be overly critical of the Trump administration and their handling of all of this, because they were already struggling to get important information from the Trump White House on everything related to COVID and vaccines.

And now that Biden is officially in office, they are hoping that they can almost go on this fact-checking mission to try to really get a sense of what is going on on the ground, what do we need to do, what is the situation with vaccines, production, and what do the different states need.

I also wanted to just point out something that Jeff Zients, the new White House COVID coordinator, told reports yesterday sort of getting it, these dynamics. He said, quote, for almost a year now, Americans could not look to the federal government for any strategy, let alone a comprehensive approach to respond to COVID. And we've seen the tragic costs of that failure as President Biden steps into office today. That will change tomorrow.

Well, today is Biden's first full day in office. And we already know that he is going to be entirely focused on COVID in terms of his work at the White House, signing ten executive actions later today. And I just want you to take a look at some of the broad goals that the Biden White House is laying out. Some of those include restoring trust with the American people, launching a vaccination campaign, containing COVID through different things like masking and testing and setting up national standards using the Defense Production Act, reopening schools and businesses.

I think the details are obviously going to be in -- the devil is going to be in the details, obviously and exactly how the Biden administration is able to execute these things. But it is so striking and just such a contrast, even the fact, Alisyn, that they are trying to set up some kind of national strategy to deal with COVID and to deal with the vaccines.

CAMEROTA: M.J., thank you very much for that very important reporting.

President Biden will spend, as M.J. said, his first full day in office focused on the pandemic. He also issued a slew of executive orders overnight.

And CNN's Jeff Zeleny is live at the White House with more. What do we know, Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Alisyn. We saw 17 executive orders or actions yesterday and we are going to see about ten more today focusing, as M.J. was just saying there, on coronavirus. President Biden in his first full day of office is shining a light brightly on the coronavirus plan that his administration has. Now, this comes after a day of historic majesty here in the nation's Capitol. We saw the president's inaugural address, calling on the nation for unity, talking about the importance of truth. He also visited the Lincoln Memorial in the evening, right before that big fireworks display that lit up the nation's Capitol. But the new president had these words for the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: We are one of those moments now, the pandemic, economic crisis, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and threats to our very democracy.

[07:05:03]

And the question is, are we up to it? Will we meet the moment like our forbearers have? I believe we must and I believe we will. You, the American people, are the reason why. I have never been more optimistic about America than I am this very day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: And it was a day steeped in history but also with optimism. President Biden there calling on Americans, asking them to come with him, help him and join together on this journey.

So it certainly was a day we also saw three former living presidents, President Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama also coming together in a rare, extraordinary video, urging Americans to be civil to one another, to focus on the truth.

So this was clearly an inauguration day unlike any we have seen. But then, President Biden got directly to work. We saw him in the Oval Office, just a few minutes after he arrived at the White House. And he started signing some of those executive orders. And, boy, it was really a repudiation of a lot of the things that President Trump signed during his first week in office, including, of course, rescinding that Muslim travel ban.

Let's take a look at some of the other highlights in the executive orders here. He will rejoin the Paris climate agreement, rejoin the World Health Organization. In fact, Dr. Anthony Fauci addressed them this morning, signed a COVID response coordinator, canceled the Keystone XL pipeline and on and on. So, clearly, a big first day in the White House of these executive actions and orders and continuing on here, halting the construction of the border wall, as well. So clearly turning the page, changing of the guard, and now, of course, the real challenges begin.

And, again, Alisyn, we'll hear from President Biden later today, talking about coronavirus, using that bully pulpit to shine a light on what needs to happen in the pandemic, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Jeff, thank you very much for all of your reporting.

Joining us now, we have CNN Political Director David Chalian, also with us, CNN Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson. They are the hosts of the CNN podcast, Politically Sound. Great to see both of you.

I just want to dive right into M.J. Lee's reporting, David. This is a rude awakening for all of us. I mean, we knew, obviously, that the vaccines were not going well. They were nowhere close to the amount of people vaccinated, that the Trump team had predicted by this time. But we didn't know, until this morning, that the Biden team said that there was no plan, whatsoever, that they were basically starting from scratch.

And, obviously, Biden has this very ambitious agenda. I don't know if they have the manpower to do other things, other than this five-alarm fire that is the pandemic.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes. I mean, I don't think we're terribly surprised that the Biden team is finding a whole mess in this situation. I think, you know, we knew we weren't getting a complete, accurate picture of any formation of any kind of plan from the Trump administration.

But to hear in their words now that they are on the ground and in these various places, that have command and control over this, and seeing nothing, zero, nothing, and needing to build from scratch, it is alarming. But it also, I think, sort of sets the stakes here for the Biden administration, just what a tough challenge they have in front of them to get this on course.

So it's why I think you heard Jen Psaki, the incoming -- or now White House press secretary said, this could take months before you see progress. I think the administration is going to set expectations for the American public and also paint a picture of just what a tall mountain the country needs to climb here.

BERMAN: And they're also trying to show that they're on it and on it early. I mean, 5:00 A.M., we were here, but most people were still sleeping, the White House released this, this 21-page action plan for dealing with coronavirus.

And, Nia, item number one here, they have seven goals that they lay out. Goal number one is store trust with the American people. And I find that to be so interesting because it dovetails with what was a big theme in the president's inaugural address, which is restoring the importance of truth, which is either an incredibly low bar or an incredibly high bar, given where we are. What do you make of this?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: That's right. The big line, defend the truth and defeat the lies. And part of the way they are going to do that is what we saw from Jen Psaki yesterday. Having regular press briefings, she also mentioned that they will start having coronavirus press briefings.

We all remember the disastrous press briefings from the Trump era with Trump taking the mic and unfortunately often spreading misinformation. So this will be a very different kind of White House with a very different kind of approach, an actual national plan. [07:10:00]

If any of you have tried to sign up your parents for the vaccine or if you have friends who have tried to do that, it is a disaster. It's a piecemeal approach, state by state. You call, often the lines are busy, there are not enough resources around the country for these states. And, of course, we know that the Trump administration left it up to the states.

So this is priority number one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. This is the whole ball game for the Biden administration. We're obviously experiencing this a year into it at this point. Death tolls at, you know, 3,000, 4,000 a day, 400,000 total deaths and it will only increase. And you see Biden saying it is going to get worse before it gets better.

I don't think they had any idea going in, and this was their big fear, that there were all of these blind spots that they didn't see because the outgoing administration just wasn't cooperating with them. But it is certainly devastating news that they have to start from zero in terms of implementing some sort of national plan. And they've got to figure out also how to get the money to do this up to Congress. So we'll see where that goes, as well, this $1.9 trillion plan.

CAMEROTA: David, yesterday, unity was one of the words of the day. Bipartisanship is what Joe Biden says he's after. Punch Bowl is reporting what they've called the Sweet

16, this group of bipartisan senators that are open to working together. We can put them on the screen. And just give us a sense of how realistic this is. Are there so many factions at this point in both parties that this Sweet 16 bipartisanship is welcome or is it just, you know, pie in the sky?

CHALIAN: Well, here's the mathematical reality of Congress, Alisyn, at the beginning of this new 117th Congress, now the Democrats control a 50/50 Senate, is that the Democratic majorities, both in the House and the Senate, are so narrow that it's going to be a both-end proposition. Meaning, you're going to need both, if you are Democratic leaders whipping votes, your left-wing progressive caucus, the squad in the House, and what have you, and the folks in the middle.

And so Joe Biden's challenge is to put forth legislations that can get his whole party, in all of its factions, as you're discussing, around it and then try to pick off some Republicans. But it is going to be so tricky because of how narrow it is. If you go too far down the road of purely bipartisan and really just sort of equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats for something in the middle, you're going to lose both of your ends and therefore you may not have the numbers to pass something.

This is going to be a very difficult period in terms of passing legislation with those kinds of narrow majorities for the Democrats.

BERMAN: But you know what's interesting, and I know you heard this too, David. Inside the poetry of the president's inaugural address yesterday, he made clear that he's realistic about this in how he wants to do it. He basically said, it's on everyone to step up.

And there was one line where he says -- he talks about all the crises that we faced in the U.S. before. He said, in each of these moments, enough of us came together to carry us all forward. Enough of us did. Not all of us did. Enough of us did. And so when you look at that Sweet 16, Nia, that we were talking about before, what Joe Biden is trying to do, and he's having his people meet with the Sweet 16 this weekend to talk about a COVID relief plan, he needs enough Republicans to work with him and enough Democrats willing to maybe compromise some of their ideas.

HENDERSON: I think that's right. And, listen, I think there's a word we're going to all be hearing, and that is reconciliation. Are there items that they can get passed with just that 51, exactly what they have? We know that Biden wants to come in and be Mr. Bipartisanship. It's how he sold himself to the American public. It's also his history. He thinks he can rely on the friendships he has with people like Mitch McConnell to get stuff done. But, again, that sweet 16, it ain't going to be there all the time in that amount.

And you sort of look at just the moderates, people like Susan Collins, people like Lisa Murkowski, maybe Mitt Romney. It's very, very hard to imagine that on these big ticket items, not only COVID relief, you think about convicting the president with impeachment, that is going to be hard to do.

So I think you'll see this president try for bipartisanship, but he's not able to get there, he would be willing to pass something with those 51, using that procedural move in the Congress to get stuff done for Americans, particularly around COVID.

CAMEROTA: And on the topic of bipartisan, former presidents, Republican and Democrat, came to the inauguration and then, David, they had this moment where they had this kind of together video --

[07:15:05]

BERMAN: It's improv. It's like unity improv. You can tell it's not even lit.

CAMEROTA: No, it's not. I mean, it's very operant (ph) of the moment. It's as if it were shot on a cell phone. Like, hey, guys, just get together for a few seconds and say a few word. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I think if Americans would love their neighbor like they like to be loved themselves, a lot of the division in our society would end.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDNET: That's what this means. It's a new beginning. And everybody needs to get off their high horse and reach out to their friends and neighbors and try to make it possible.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: If, in fact, as George said, we're looking for what binds us together, the American people are strong, they're tough, they can get through hardship. And there's no problem they can't solve when we're working together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: David, it was nice and comforting, I think, to see them together and say that they have the new president's back. And it was also, we should say, I think, very symbolically reassuring on some level to see Vice President Pence show up there.

CHALIAN: Yes. I was -- I thought it was really important that Vice President Pence attended the ceremony. I think in addition to being nice and comforting, I think these images are really important, important for our country to see, important for the world to see.

You know, as a kid who memorized the name of every president in reverse chronological order in first grade and recited it to every single human being I could find, a withered P encyclopedia page in my book, seeing the former presidents together is one of my most favorite things about inaugurals.

And hearing this message, I mean, hearing this notion of just treat others the way -- you know, treat your neighbors the way you want to be treated. I mean, these are fundamental values that we seem to have gotten off-course from. And having presidents from both parties who have been in this position, who understand what it means to call upon the nation, to find the best in itself, to move the country forward. What can be more important than that?

CAMEROTA: How popular were you?

BERMAN: I was going to say, this is like David Chalian therapy session here. What else do you want to share? You tell us anything. We're always here for you to listen.

David, Nia, thank you both so much for being with us this morning.

CAMEROTA: Thank you, guys.

There was so much history in a single day and, of course, it was topped off by Kamala Harris being sworn in as vice president, the first woman. How will she reshape America's future? What did that moment mean? All of that's next.

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[07:20:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: It is my honor to be here, to stand on the shoulders of those who came before, to speak tonight as your vice president.

In many ways, this moment embodies our character as a nation. It demonstrates who we are. Even in dark times, we not only dream, we do. We not only see what has been, we see what can be. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Vice President Kamala Harris, those mere words, Vice President Kamala Harris, mean so much to so many, a historical marker for the United States of America.

Joining us, LaTosah Brown, she is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. Vice President Kamala Harris, when you hear that, your feelings?

LATOSHA BROWN, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK VOTES MATTER: It warms my heart. And when I hear that, I think about the women, all the black women in this country who have stood on the frontlines of democracy. I'm so incredibly proud of her. I'm so hopeful. Her being the vice president actually gives me hope. It gives me hope of what is possible in this country.

I think about little brown and black girls all over the world that will be inspired by seeing her in this position and seeing her shine and rise. And know that they too, one day, can be vice president or president of this country.

CAMEROTA: These images that we're looking at right now come from social media, and just illustrating exactly what you're saying, little girls of all color and women of all ages watching that historic moment.

And then there's Amanda Gorman, the National Youth poet laureate, let's just play a moment of her poet for everyone that really gripped the nation. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA GORMAN, NATIONAL YOUTH LAUREATE: Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true. That even as we grieved, we grew, that even as we hurt, we hoped, that even as we tired, we tried, that we'll forever by tied together, victorious, not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: She was mesmerizing. What were your thoughts as you watched?

BROWN: I mean, my heart swelled with pride. Here is a young woman, the youngest poet laureate ever, literally speaking to the nation in a moment that we needed, giving wisdom and love and literally being able to speak to the difficulties of what we have to overcome.

And so I was -- you know, her brilliance, the way that she showed up and the fullness of being a young black woman, but also really being able to speak to us in a moment that we needed. I needed her words. I needed to see her, but I needed her words, I needed to see her energy. All of that, I think, literally lends itself to -- I'm calling this -- I think this is going to be the year of the girl. This is going to be the year that we all recognize the possibility and the potential of what women offer in terms of shaping our nation as we go forward.

BERMAN: One of the things that's so important for belonging, to feel like you belong, is to be able to see yourself in certain places. So to watch T.V. and see someone like you, to see a 22-year-old reading to the American people, is so important, if you're a young woman.

[07:25:00]

You know --

BROWN: Absolutely.

BERMAN: -- even -- I have to say, even if you come from a broken home, to look up at Vice President Harris and Doug Emhoff, and to see that family standing up there together, I think, is reassuring to people. There was a lot to look at, aside from politics, that made people feel belonged yesterday.

BROWN: Absolutely. I think part of it is representation matters. But I just think that the way that they showed up, I think they showed up in a space -- because I don't think it's just a fact around the gender and race, but it's also the way they showed up. They showed up strong and bold and with love and with light. That makes a difference, how you show up. You know, representation matters. The message matters, but also the messenger.

And so I think their posturing and I think their offering, and what we saw, as we saw in that young woman, I think that that makes a difference as well. So, yes, there were many black browns and black girls and white girls and Asian girls that saw this young woman operating her gift. And so while her representation certainly made a difference, seeing her operate in her gift certainly has an impact as well.

BERMAN: Yes, operate is one way to put it. Dominate is another. It was extraordinary. LaTosha, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

BROWN: Thank you for having me.

BERMAN: All right. We do have breaking news on what is the greatest challenge facing the United States of America right now, the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccination plans not left behind. The new White House communications director joins us next.

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[07:30:00]