Return to Transcripts main page

Wolf

White House Reacts to Mandatory Quarantines; Quarantined Nurse to Be Discharged; Five-Year-Old Boy Being Tested for Ebola; Dr. Spencer Received Blood Transfusion; White House Press Briefing; Ebola Quarantines for Military

Aired October 27, 2014 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, she's getting out. The nurse, Kaci Hickox, said her basic rights were violated when she was quarantined against her will. She said it was New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's fault. But after a heated war of words, the nurse who has been tested Ebola free is being released.

From a Wisconsin food packing company to fighting on the front lines against ISIS, you're going to meet one American who left everything behind to join the Kurds in Syria, taking his life into his hands every day.

And could it be, another Clinton versus Bush battle? What just happened that makes this race look a little bit more likely.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 6:00 p.m. in Rome, 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

The White House today responding to lots of Ebola questions and taking direct aim at mandatory quarantine orders in New York, New Jersey and Illinois.

Our White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski is standing by. I know there's a briefing about to begin over the. The White House press secretary will be answering reporter's questions, lots of questions. Set the scene for us, Michelle. Tell us what's going on.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I will, right. It's going to be front and center in the briefing. And this is going to be what everybody wants to ask about since there's been so much change just in the last 24 hours. The White House today has not weighed in again on what these six states are now doing above and beyond what the CDC is doing in response to health care workers coming back and dealing with this situation at home now.

But the White House has said, thought, they've sort of said a lot in just a few words as happens sometimes. They said that they are letting these governors know that the White House has concerns, as they put it, about the unintended consequences of policies that, quote, "aren't grounded in science." So, in essence, without criticizing any particular governor, a slam on the actions that they have taken. As is these actions a slam, you might say, on the policies, so far, that the federal government has enacted or not enacted.

And it's interesting because, you know, we had these six states, four of which have Democratic governors. And they haven't directly criticized the federal government necessarily either or the White House in what it has done. But you hear people like New York's Governor Cuomo saying, well, you know, if you're going to criticize what this state is doing, saying that it's too much, OK, I'll take that criticism. He also said that the White House hadn't put pressure on him at all to try to reverse what they've done over the weekend.

So, we're really seeing this evolve. And along those same lines, the White House is also saying that it, too, is looking at creating more guidelines for this situation. So, it looks like, once again, we're going to see the response change.

And it's changed over the last couple of weeks in response to criticism that's been out there. You know, we heard the questions over, why don't you appoint an Ebola czar? First, there was push back from the White House. And that's exactly what they did just a short time later. Questions over why not travel restrictions and now further questions about why not do something more about health care workers returning from those Ebola affected areas -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Michelle, as soon as the briefing starts, let us know. We'll have coverage of that. The White House press secretary, Josh Earnest, getting ready to answer lots of the questions -- lots of questions on Ebola. We'll have coverage of that. Michelle, thank you.

Let's get up to speed now on some other major developments in the Ebola crisis. A nurse quarantined after returning from Western Africa is being discharged from a New Jersey hospital. Kaci Hickox will be allowed to return to her home in Maine. Officials there say she'll be under quarantine as a higher risk individual. Hickox had been confined to a tent at the university hospital in Newark, New Jersey. She blasted the New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, over the mandatory quarantine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KACI HICKOX, NURSE, NEW JERSEY: The first thing I would say to Governor Christie is that I wish that he would be more careful about his statements related to my medical condition. I am not, as he said, quote, unquote, obviously ill. I am completely healthy and with no symptoms. And if he knew anything about Ebola, he would know that A symptomatic people are not infectious. I understand that people feel like they have a risk. And I think we can have a conversation about what further measures might look like.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In other developments, a five-year-old boy who recently returned from the so-called Ebola hot zone in West Africa is being tested for the disease at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Officials say he developed a fever. Test results should be available, we're told, within about 12 hours.

And a New York daughter -- doctor who treated patients in Guinea is in serious but stable condition today. Dr. Craig Spencer tested positive for Ebola days after returning to New York City from West Africa. He's receiving a blood transfusion from the Ebola survivor, Nancy Writebol.

Oversees, a U.S. Army Major General and about 10 other U.S. troops are under controlled monitoring, that's what it's called, control monitoring, for Ebola. They returned from West Africa to their military base in Italy over the weekend.

Let's go to our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara, I wonder what officials mean by that term, controlled monitoring?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Controlled monitoring means quarantined to the rest of us, Wolf. These people are now in a separate building on their military base. They cannot go home. They cannot see their families. This will be for 21 is days. All of them A symptomatic. None of them are showing any symptoms of Ebola. Their temperatures will be checked twice a day.

And now, additional troops coming out of West Africa, several dozen more expected to land in Italy perhaps later tonight, also will go into this quarantine status. This puts the military in a very awkward position. It is putting people in quarantine just as the White House and administration are saying it is not necessary for people who are showing no symptoms.

The joint chiefs of staff right now, Wolf, is debating whether to recommend to secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel, whether all military personnel going to West Africa should face mandatory quarantine when they come back to the United States or their home bases is overseas.

And, as you know, the Pentagon has authorized up to 4,000 troops to go to West Africa, about 900 are there right now. It could be a massive personal disruption for so many troops and their families -- Wolf.

BLITZER: So, basically, that's a huge decision they have to make because eventually they've authorized as many, as you point out, 4,000 U.S. troops to head over to West Africa to deal with the crisis. And many of them are coming from bases in the United States, some from other bases in Europe and elsewhere. Would they be quarantined on their home bases for 21 days or would they be quarantined in West Africa before leaving?

STARR: At the moment, that's another question that is simply not clear. I have to tell you, the Pentagon, today, struggling to find answers for the news media to all of these questions. For the troops returning to Europe, however, what is becoming clear is those countries, Italy, Spain and Germany, are very leery of just having these troops come back. There is concern in their countries with their governments and their communities.

So, it appears to be starting at least for a quarantine procedure for troops going back to their bases in Europe. Those coming back to the United States, we don't have good answers about any of that, Wolf. The Pentagon openly admitting it is really not sure, at this point, how it is going to proceed with all of these issues.

BLITZER: Do we know how many of those U.S. troops -- let's say 4,000. And I see Josh Earnest, the White House Press Secretary, walking in. You know, what? Let me listen, briefly, all of us, and then we'll get back to you, Barbara.

STARR: Sure.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: -- a quick announcement, and then we'll get to -- get to questions.

We discussed at some length on Friday the president's meeting with the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee, so I thought I would bring a little information about it...

(LAUGHTER)

... just to let you know exactly what it is. I learned a little bit myself, as I looked into this. The president's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee is part of a council of 19 leading CEOs, labor leaders, and university presidents. It was assembled by the president with the recognition that industry, academia --

BLITZER: On Ebola -- Barbara, of those 4,000 -- Barbara Starr, if you're still there, I'm just trying to get some clarification -- Oh, unfortunately, Barbara is no longer with us. But the question I wanted to ask, and we're going to try to get some answers to this, is of those 4,000 U.S. military personnel who will be heading over, and hundreds are already there. They are building tents. They're building facilities to treat with Ebola victims. How many of them will be in direct contact with Ebola patients? How many doctors? How many nurses among those 4,000 U.S. military personnel who are heading over to West Africa, mostly in Liberia, we're told, to deal with this crisis. They want to stop it there so the problem doesn't develop elsewhere.

But that's a huge mission. How many other countries are sending troops, sophisticated personnel, to those three countries, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, to deal with this crisis? So, there's, obviously, lots of questions going on. The United States about to get more deeply involved. But how many of these U.S. troops will be coming back? How many of these U.S. troops will be coming back and will be going into 21-day quarantine periods once they come back? Those who deal directly with Ebola patients or those who were simply buildings tents, hospitals, other facilities to try to get a handle on what's going on? So, that's where we stand.

The White House press secretary getting ready to answer some questions, Josh Earnest, over there on Ebola. And there certainly are lots of questions to be asked because there's lots of confusion. All right, let's listen in to the questions now.

QUESTION: I'll leave it to the fact sheet to answer all our questions on manufacturing... EARNEST: OK.

QUESTION: ... so, I'll go directly to Ebola.

We've had, over the past couple of days, a number of states, leading with New York and New Jersey, taking steps to quarantine returning travelers from the afflicted Ebola region. But more significantly, today the Pentagon is applying those same kind of quarantine measures to troops, including General Darryl Williams, who just (inaudible) his return from the region to Italy.

Does the White House support the Pentagon move? And does the fact that these various states, and now the Pentagon, are taking these steps suggest that the White House -- that the administration has been -- or the steps that it has taken have been inadequate so far, given that these other entities are taking these more aggressive positions?

EARNEST: Well, there's a lot there, Jim, that I want to respond to, so let me try to unpack those things one at a time.

The first is, the Department of Defense has not issued a policy related to their workers that have spent time in West Africa. I know that there was this decision that was made by one commanding officer in the Department of Defense, but it does not reflect a department- wide policy that I understand is still under development. So, I'd refer you to the Department of Defense on additional details on where that policy process stands and what consequences that could have for their personnel.

The second thing is, the announcement from New York and New Jersey that was followed by announcements from a couple of other states, was specifically related to health care workers, not just returning -- not just people who were returning from the region.

And that distinction is important because it continues to be the view of this administration that stopping this Ebola outbreak in its tracks in West Africa is critically important to our national security and to the safety and health of American citizens.

As we've said many, many times, the likelihood of a widespread outbreak in this country of Ebola is exceedingly low. But the only way that we can entirely eliminate that risk is to stop this Ebola outbreak in it tracks in West Africa. In order to succeed in stopping this outbreak in West Africa, we're going to need doctors and nurses traveling to West Africa to treat Ebola patients.

Sadly, tragically even, this Ebola outbreak in West Africa has occurred in countries that have little to no modern medical infrastructure. And that is the reason that we have seen this Ebola outbreak spiral so quickly in a way that has claimed so many lives.

So we want to make sure that whatever policies are put in place in this country to protect the American public do not serve as a disincentive to doctors and nurses from this country volunteering to travel to West Africa to treat Ebola patients. The first is, that it is a, you know, it reflects -- a commitment from

a doctor or nurse to travel to West Africa reflects a generosity of spirit and a concern for common humanity that is worthy of praise.

It also reflects a commitment to the ideal that stopping the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the only way we can entirely eliminate the risk to the American people from the Ebola virus.

And what you will -- and I guess this is the last thing I want to say about this, Jim, is you will hear from the CDC later today some additional information about guidelines that they believe should be in place to, as it relates to protocols for returning health care workers or health care workers who are returning from West Africa. So we'll have additional guidelines from CDC. They'll make that announcement later on this afternoon.

But ultimately, it's the responsibility, in fact, the authority is vested with state and local officials to make decisions about how best to protect their citizens.

QUESTION: Doesn't that kind of create a patchwork of policies that can confuse the public, might even encourage people to game the system, lie about what they encountered when they've been in West Africa, when you don't have an overarching federal policy that (inaudible)?

EARNEST: Well, I mean, we were talking about this a little bit earlier, Jim, that -- anticipating your question, I mean, some of this is -- in some ways, you can sort of take this up with James Madison, right? We have a federal system in this country in which states are -- states are given significant authority for governing their constituents. That is certainly true when it comes to public safety and public health.

At the same time, I think that you have seen a strong working relationship between states across the country and the federal government. What we believe is important -- and I think this is a view that is shared by governors and local officials across the country -- is that these kinds of policies should be driven by science, and the best scientific advice that is available.

We have experts at the Centers for Disease Control and at HHS that have been dealing with Ebola outbreaks for decades now. And there is a body of medical science and research that should guide the implementation of these policies.

EARNEST: And we're gonna work closely with states and localities to do exactly that.

I think the best and most recent piece of evidence that I can point to to illustrate this ongoing coordination is this morning's announcement that Kaci Hickox, the nurse who's recently returned from West Africa, will be discharged from the hospital in New Jersey and will be traveling via private transportation to her home in Maine.

QUESTION: Let's take the case of the Pentagon. You talked about how the administration has been aware and has acted on the Ebola outbreak since March. And then shouldn't these -- shouldn't the policy have been in place when you decided to send troops to West Africa? Shouldn't -- how you were gonna treat those returning troops in a matter of protocol then, rather than what appears to be (inaudible) on the fly?

EARNEST: Well, Jim, the commitment of Department of Defense resources was something that the president announced, I believe, just last month. And this is -- this is an ongoing effort by the Department of Defense to use their logistical expertise in West Africa to assist those, essentially, first responders, who are actually treating Ebola patients.

We have been clear that the role of military -- American military personnel in West Africa will not be to render medical assistance to the people of West Africa. Instead, it will be the logistical expertise of the American military will be deployed to assist those doctors and nurses and other public health experts from around the world who are responding to this urgent situation.

That was a commitment that was made by the president just about a month or so again. And that is -- we are already seeing important work that's being done in West Africa by our American military personnel. And, you know, as needed, they will continue to put in place policies that they believe best protect members of the military and the members of the public back here in the United States as well.

OK, Roberta?

QUESTION: So is the White House concerned that the decision made by one commanding officer, in this case of the Pentagon, is sending a mixed message to people about the need for these kinds of policies?

EARNEST: No, we believe that -- that the -- that -- I mean, it's clear -- and if it wasn't clear before, it is now that I've helped make it clear -- that the Department of Defense policy has not been settled and implemented yet. And they will ultimately -- that will be a decision that's driven by a variety of operational factors.

What we are -- what this administration is working to do is to coordinate with state and local officials across the country to put in place the policies that scientific experts tell us are in the best interest of the American people. And that's what we believe should guide the -- the policy decisions that are made in this country.

QUESTION: I'm confused, though, because, I mean, we've known about this outbreak for some time. We're hear -- we're gonna hear (inaudible) CDC later today (inaudible) protocol as part of returning medical workers, which we knew they were there. Why haven't -- and -- and the Pentagon, too, in the case of this -- these people who are being housed or sort of semi-quarantined in Italy. Why -- why weren't these kinds of decisions made earlier?

EARNEST: Well, Roberta, I think what this reflects is a commitment by this administration to regularly review the guidelines that are in place to make sure that they -- that they reflect what's necessary to protect the American people.

And we should not lose sight of the fact that whatever guidelines and policies are put in place should not unduly burden those health care workers that, in fact, are operating in West Africa in very difficult situations. They are putting themselves at risk to try to meet the needs of other people. That is a pretty remarkable show of charity.

EARNEST: It also is an effort that is clearly in the best interest of the American people because we know that the only way to entirely eliminate the risk from the Ebola virus to the American people is to stop this outbreak in West Africa. And there are American citizens who are using their own medical expertise in pursuit of that goal. These individuals are heroes and their commitment to their common man and to their country is one that should be respected. And we believe that we can both show them the respect that they have earned, while also ensuring that we have protocols in place that protect the American people.

QUESTION: Just one quick one on this -- the Transportation Department is reviewing how NHTSA has handled a series of problems, like faulty air bags and defective ignition switches. Did the White House ask Secretary Foxx to conduct this investigation? And is the White House satisfied with NHTSA's performance?

EARNEST: Well, Roberta, I can tell you that -- that NHTSA has been aggressive in responding to the situation related to defective air bags. And they have sought to move forward aggressively and to protect the American people once they had data to indicate that action was needed.

There have been some issues that have cropped up around the announcement of the safety advisory last week. And the Department of Transportation review that has commenced is the right step to make sure that everyone is focused on learning from this situation and strengthening the response.

QUESTION: Did the White House ask for that review?

EARNEST: This is something that is being led by the Department of Transportation, so if you have a question about their review, I'd refer you to them. OK?

Jim?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, so there you hear Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, trying to explain some confusion out there. What about U.S. military personnel when they come back from serve in West Africa, will they be quarantined on their bases? Won't they be quarantined on their bases? He seems to suggest this is still a work in progress.

Let's go to Barbara Starr, our Pentagon correspondent.

Barbara, from what I understood it, this is not a work in progress, but what do you know? BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Look, Wolf, back on October

10th, the Pentagon put out a multipage memo spelling out all of the rules for an all of the procedures and protocols for troops returning from the Ebola mission in West Africa. It set out minimum protection standards. What it said was there will be a 21-day monitoring period when troops come home. If there are asymptomatic, if they have no fever, if they show no signs of Ebola, they will be allowed to return to work, they can go home, they can come home and resume their lives. Their temperatures will be taken twice a day, that basic monitoring that we're all so familiar with now.

What has happened this weekend is something very different. General Williams, Army two-star who was running the mission, and his team came back and went to their home base in Italy. They were put into quarantine. They are, at this point, asymptomatic. They show no signs of Ebola. But General Williams and his Army team put into quarantine.

Right now what we know is the Pentagon is taking another look at all of this. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are looking at a recommendation that could put all U.S. troops returning from West Africa into a 21- day quarantine period. No decisions have been made, we are told, but this is not what the administration by any measure really wants to see. That's why you're seeing some of this very awkward, sensitive language across Washington today because they're really not sure what they're going to do. And right now Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel may have to make a decision about whether or not to put all troops into quarantine, even if they show no signs of Ebola.

Wolf.

BLITZER: Because that memorandum, that October 10th memorandum, is very detailed. I read the memorandum. Obviously, you did as well. And there's one sentence in there that stands out. Let me read it to our viewers. "All D.O.D. personnel moved out of the theater," that would be in West Africa, "due to elevated exposure risks will be quarantined for 21 days at a D.O.D. facility designated to monitor for signs and symptoms and care of Ebola." So that's pretty specific for those U.S. troops specifically who have been exposed, as they say, due to elevated exposure risks.

STARR: Exactly, Wolf. They're going to, just like in the civilian health care system, they're going to assess them on the basis of their risk of exposure. Now, look, General Williams and his team were way out on the front line there in West Africa essentially. They didn't hole up in some hotel. They went out there. They saw everything that needed to be seen all over Liberia. But they took protection measures. We know this. We know that they are taking all the precautions under CDC protocols. So they didn't come into any contact with the bodily fluids of anyone who was suffering from Ebola. That would not have happened. And they remain asymptomatic. Elevated risks. There are some personnel out there that potentially could come into contact. They will go into a more quarantined, more monitored environment.

But what we're talking about now, we have no reason, no one has told us that General Williams or his team were at any elevated risk. And, in fact, several more dozen are expected to land back in Italy, perhaps as soon as this evening. They too will go into quarantine. The Pentagon says it's an abundance of caution. That is what they're telling us. That is what we know. A lot of questions, though, on this day, why the Pentagon is going down the route of quarantine on a day when the administration, of course, is politically and, from a health care perspective, so sensitive to that very question.

BLITZER: Yes, it sounds like there might be a distinction, there might be some sort of standard for military personnel as opposed to civilians who have worked with Ebola patients coming back to the United States. So we're going to get more on this. Obviously, a very, very sensitive issue for the Obama administration, for the D.O.D., the Department of Defense, for the governors in New York, New Jersey, other states as well.

Let's take a quick break. Much more of the breaking news right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)