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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Biden Speaks Out on Trump Attacks; Kamala Harris Slams Trump's Response to Coronavirus Pandemic. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired August 27, 2020 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

And we begin with a ton of breaking news.

Right now, any moment, we are expecting to hear from Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, the Democratic senator from California. Harris is expected to slam President Trump and address the unrest in Wisconsin.

This comes as, just moments ago, President Trump did not answer a question about the police shooting that has sparked this chaos in the streets, though we should clarify the reporter misstated that the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was fatal.

Joe Biden also just moments ago here on CNN responding to the president's comments, his law and order message that has been front and center at the Republican National Convention. Take a listen to Vice President Biden.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These guys are rooting for violence. That's what it's all about.

To prove that you should be scared of Joe Biden, they're pointing to what's happening in Donald Trump's America?

I made it clear from the beginning that there's no place for violence or looting or burning.

And when I spoke with Jacob Blake's mother, Julia -- you guys played her on the air -- she said: "That's not who we are. That's who our family is. That's not who Jacob says. Don't do it."

And so he continues to root for violence. It's the -- the country will be substantially safer when he is no longer in office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Mr. Biden's comments.

I want to bring in Kaitlan Collins right now.

And, Kaitlan, Biden was suggesting that comments made by Kellyanne Conway in which she said the more that people see unrest in the streets of Wisconsin, the more that they will embrace a law and order message, that's what Biden was talking about.

President Trump, we should note, has so far not said anything specifically about the Blake shooting.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No, he hasn't.

And so that's why he was just pressed on it. We haven't really had the opportunity to question the president this week, given the events that are going on. But he was asked multiple times, had he seen the video? Did he -- was he aware of what was going on? Did he have anything further comment on what was happening in Wisconsin? He refused to answer those questions, Jake.

But he did weigh in on the NBA boycott for the first time, after they boycotted their games yesterday in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake, and this is what the president said about the NBA's decision:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know much about the NBA protest. I know their ratings have been very bad, because I think people are a little tired of the NBA, frankly, but I don't know too much about the protests.

But I know their ratings have been very bad. And that's too -- that's unfortunate. They have become like a political organization. And that's not a good thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So, it's not surprising to hear the president say that about the NBA. We know how he felt about players who knelt during the national anthem as a form of protest against police brutality.

But, there, the president was commenting on the NBA after earlier in the day two top aides, Jared Kushner and Marc Short, who is the chief of staff or the vice president, dismissed the protests, with Jared Kushner mocking them because of their paychecks, the size of their paychecks, saying that it's nice they have the luxury to be able to take off work to have a night of protest, which obviously was not the point of these protests, Jake.

But this does factor in, because it may give you an indication of whether or not -- what the president is going to say about Wisconsin in this speech tonight. A campaign aide said he is expected to address it.

But you can tell from his comments there, where he would not comment further on Jacob Blake, he may not be commenting further on it in his speech tonight, beyond using it in the way that Kellyanne Conway was saying earlier, as a reinforcement, really, of this law and order message that he's trying to pitch voters on.

TAPPER: And speaking of law and order, Kaitlan, let me just quickly ask you, has the White House, has anybody at the White House had anything to say about the 17-year-old apparent Trump supporter who took a long gun into the streets of Kenosha the other day and is now charged with murdering at least one suspected protester?

COLLINS: No comment yet from the White House on this.

The only thing that they have really commented on all -- at all on what's going on in Wisconsin is that the attorney general has been briefing the president. We know that the White House has spoken with the governor's office from Wisconsin, because the president wants the federal law enforcement to go in.

They are going in, according to the Justice Department. But, beyond that, we have not gotten much else from the White House, beyond a brief mention from the vice president in his speech last night.

TAPPER: So, just to clarify, shooting of Jacob Blake, unarmed, a black man, in the back, although he did have a knife in his car, I guess, no comment from the White House.

We're going to go right now to Kamala Harris, who is speaking right now, the vice presidential Democratic nominee.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: On the eve of the 57th March on Washington, I will speak about the recent events in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the wildfires raging across the California coast to the Rocky Mountains, the storm which is working its way through Texas, Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, and, most of all, about who we are as a country.

[15:05:05]

We are a nation that, at its best, loves, protects and helps our fellow Americans. Today, we see pain, hurt and destruction in the ashes of wildfires and the damage of Hurricane Laura.

We encourage everyone to continue following guidance from your local authorities to stay safe. And Joe and I pledge to be there for those whose lives have been turned upside down, those who will need help from neighbors, strangers, and our government to make it through, to build back, to restore your lives and your communities.

We also see pain, hurt and destruction in the aftermath of yet another black man shot by police, Jacob Blake shot seven times in the back in broad daylight in front of his three young sons, seven times in the back in broad daylight in front of his three young sons.

As Vice President Biden put it, the shots fired at Mr. Blake pierced the soul of our nation. It's sickening to watch. It's all too familiar. And it must end.

Thankfully, he is alive today. But he is fighting for his life, and he shouldn't have to be. My heart goes out to the Blake family as they endure an ordeal that is tragically common in our country.

Joe and I spoke with them yesterday. They are an amazing group of people, with extraordinary courage. Even in their pain and their grief, even as they seek justice for their son, they spoke about the need to end the violence and heal our nation.

I have had conversations like this with far too many mothers and fathers. But you will see and hear no one with more courage, more character, and more moral clarity.

People are rightfully angry and exhausted. And after the murders of Breonna and George and Ahmad and so many others, it's no wonder people are taking to the streets. And I support them.

We must always defend peaceful protest and peaceful protesters.

We should not confuse them with those looting and committing acts of violence, including the shooter who was arrested for murder. And make no mistake, we will not let these vigilantes and extremists derail the path to justice.

Here's my promise to those mothers and fathers and all who stand with them. In a Biden/Harris administration, you will have a seat at the table in the halls of Congress and in the White House.

We all grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. But now we must give real meaning to its words, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Justice, let's talk about that, because the reality is that the life of a black person in America has never been treated as fully human. And we have yet to fulfill that promise of equal justice under law.

We will only achieve that when we finally come together to pass meaningful police reform and broader criminal justice reform and acknowledge, yes, acknowledge, and address systemic racism.

We will only come closer to achieving that when we finally come together.

We have come a long way in our country toward building a more perfect union. And the time is now, right now, to take the next step forward.

And even as we experience this reckoning with racial injustice, we must also confront another crisis, the pandemic that has torn apart so many lives.

[15:10:02]

The numbers that define this crisis are staggering. We cannot look the other way or allow ourselves to become numb to them.

Nearly six million confirmed cases of the coronavirus, 180,000 lives lost, more than 50 million claims for unemployment this year alone. We need to see and we need to hear what is happening in our country, the quiet desperation that has taken over so many lives in America, the family packing into their car at 5:00 in the morning, hoping the local food bank still has something left when they get to the front of the line.

The 50-year-old store manager who's been laid off and knows he can't pay the rent on the 1st of the month. The mothers and fathers stretched to the breaking point, working from home, while helping their kids with their online classes, just trying to hold it all together.

The small business owners, economic engines of our communities, who are shutting their doors every day. The nurse getting ready for her afternoon shift, who has seen so much suffering and death in recent months, and wonders, how much more can she bear to witness?

The family grieving the loss of their grandmother who's been in a nursing home and who they couldn't even visit over the last three months of her life. The alarming and disproportionate rate at which black, Latino and indigenous families are contracting and dying of COVID-19.

That is the reality of America right now, a reality completely absent from this week's Republican National Convention, because, unlike the Democratic Convention, which was very clear-eyed about the challenges we are facing and how we will tackle them, the Republican Convention is designed for one purpose, to soothe Donald Trump's ego, to make him feel good.

But here's the thing. He's the president of the United States. And it's not supposed to be about him. It's supposed to be about the health and the safety and the well-being of the American people.

And, on that measure, Donald Trump has failed.

You see, at its most basic level, Donald Trump doesn't understand the presidency. He thinks it's all about him.

Well, it's not. It's about you. It's about all of us, the people.

As a lawyer and advocate, when I would rise to speak in a courtroom, I'd say the following words, "Kamala Harris for the people."

And that is why I stand today, to speak for the people, because we know the truth. Donald Trump has failed at the most basic and important job of a president of the United States. He failed to protect the American people, plain and simple.

Trump showed that we in the legal profession would call a reckless disregard for the well-being of the American people, a reckless disregard for the danger a pandemic would pose to American lives, for the devastation it would do to our economy, for the damage it would do to communities of color who have been subjected to structural racism for generations, for the chaos that would upend our daily lives, make it impossible for many of our children to go to school, make it impossible to live normally and with a sense of certainty.

He never appreciated that a president swears an oath before God and country to protect America against threats seen and unseen. It's his duty. It's his obligation to protect us.

And yet he has failed miserably.

[15:15:06]

Here's the thing. Donald Trump's incompetence is nothing new. That has always been on full display.

But, in January of this year, it became deadly. That's when the threat of a virus that would endanger the world first emerged. Trump dismissed the threat, but Joe Biden sound the alarm.

It would be the beginning of a pattern that persists to this day, Trump telling us not to worry, that the virus will -- quote -- "disappear," that a -- quote -- "miracle" is coming.

Joe Biden saying, we need a plan, a national strategy, a president who is willing to lead, willing to be a role model for our nation, for our children.

Trump still doesn't have a plan. He still doesn't have a plan. Joe Biden released his first plan in March.

And here's what you have to understand about the nature of a pandemic. It's relentless. You can't stop it with a tweet. You can't create a distraction, and hope it'll go away.

It doesn't go away. By its nature, a pandemic is unforgiving. If you get it wrong at the beginning, the consequences are catastrophic, and it's very hard to catch up. You don't get a second chance at getting it right.

Well, President Trump, he got it wrong from the beginning, and then he got it wrong again and again. And the consequences have been catastrophic.

And here's why Trump has been so unwilling and unable to deal with this crisis. First, he was fixated on the stock market over fixing the problem. He tweeted about it consistently during this period. He was convinced, that is, if his administration focused on this virus, it would hurt the market and hurt his chances of being reelected.

That mattered to him more than saving American lives.

Second, right at the moment that we needed Donald Trump to be tough on the Chinese government, he caved. On January 24, he praised the transparency of the Chinese government.

He said -- quote -- "China has been working hard to contain the coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well."

But they weren't being transparent. They blocked public health inspectors from our CDC from getting access and information that they needed to protect American lives.

Donald Trump stood idly by. And, folks, it was a deadly decision.

Instead of rising to meet the most difficult moment of his presidency, Donald Trump froze. He was scared, and he was petty and vindictive.

On a call with governors across the country on March 16, he told them it wasn't his job to get personal protective equipment to front lines workers. He said -- quote -- "Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment, try getting it yourselves" -- unquote.

On that day, we had about 5,000 cases as a nation. Today, we have nearly six million.

Even now, some eight months into this crisis, Donald Trump still won't take responsibility. He still won't act.

And the tragedy in all of this is, it didn't have to be this bad. Just look around. It's not like this in the rest of the world.

All we needed -- guys, all we needed was a competent president, one who is willing to listen, willing to lead, take responsibility, have a plan, do their job.

[15:20:03]

Well, Joe Biden will be that president. He's got a national strategy. He's more than ready to lead.

Every month since March, as this pandemic has unfolded, Joe Biden has updated the steps he would take to save American lives. And he's done it based on what every scientist, every expert, every economist said we should be doing.

As president, Joe Biden will put a plan into effect on day one, develop and deploy rapid tests with immediate results, make sure testing, treatments and ultimately a vaccine reach all Americans, including communities of color, who have historically been left behind, manufacture the medical supplies and protective equipment we need, and make them right here in America, so we're never again at the mercy of China and other foreign countries to protect our own people.

Joe and I will make sure our schools have all the resources they need to be open and safe and effective, put politics aside, and not silence the experts, so the public gets the information they need and deserve, and put in place a nationwide mask mandate, because, in Joe's words, it's not a burden to protect each other.

And he says that because the thing about Joe is, he knows we're all in this together.

Donald Trump says there's nothing he could have done to prevent all this death.

Here's the truth. Barack Obama and Joe Biden had a program called PREDICT that tracked emerging diseases in places like China. I'm going to repeat that. The program tracked emerging diseases in places like China. Trump cut it. They detected a team and -- and created that team in the

National Security Council to global health and security, dedicating them to the work of global health and security and biodefense. Donald Trump eliminated it.

They implemented standards for nursing homes to improve infection control. Donald Trump is erasing them.

Before the virus hit, Trump made our country vulnerable. After it was struck, he failed to do what was necessary. As it continues, he's making it worse every day.

Just this week, just this week, the Social Security Administration said a cut to Social Security, like the one Trump is proposing, would end disability benefits within one year and end all benefits within three years.

So, let me be as clear as possible. If Donald Trump's extreme proposal goes into effect, the checks that American seniors are relying on, that you rely on to pay your bills, to buy your medicine, to live will stop coming, the very people who have suffered so greatly in this crisis. It's unthinkable.

And in the middle of a health crisis made worse by his own actions, Donald Trump is in court right now trying to throw out the entire Affordable Care Act, including the protections it provides for people with preexisting conditions.

So, that means, if you are fortunate enough to survive COVID-19, insurers could deny you coverage for treating any long-term effects.

Now, President Trump won't tell you any of this at the Republican Convention tonight. And we all know he's not changing. The president he has been is the president he will be.

But we have a chance to right these wrongs and put America on a better path forward, one where the leaders we elect listen to the experts and follow the best medical guidance to keep us and our families healthy and safe, one where we take meaningful action against systems and traditions of oppression, one where we stop fanning the flames of hate and division, and treat one another with the respect and the dignity that each one of us deserves.

[15:25:28]

As Joe Biden said in his acceptance speech, we have a choice between the light and the dark. I believe America will choose the light.

Thank you.

TAPPER: Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris, Democrat of California.

Let's bring in CNN's political correspondent, Dana Bash, CNN senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson.

Nia, let me start with you.

A remarkably different tone from Senator Harris than what we have heard from the president, going after others on racial unrest and the coronavirus.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: That's right.

I think they think they needed to do this because, if you think about what we have seen from the Republican National Committee convention, not much focus on COVID. There is a sense that all the bad things about COVID are gone at this point, and then flat out people saying that America is not a racist country, there is no systemic racism.

So there you have her really walking through how the president engaged with COVID, her argument, that he basically failed. And listen, most Americans, if you look at the polling, agree with that assessment.

So, from believing China in the beginning, from ignoring and cutting some of the plans from the Biden/Obama administration, she says that this is a president that left this country vulnerable to the coronavirus, and continues to fail.

And then, on systematic racism, her saying to folks who are out there who are troubled by systemic racism, who are protesting, that they would have a seat at the table, at the White House. And, of course, that is much different than what we are hearing from Donald Trump and his allies, who have come down hard on the protesters, who have framed Black Lives Matter protesters as terrorists in some ways, who have -- he's condemned the NBA players as well.

So, a really different tone and something they clearly think they need to lay out, given what we have seen from Trump over this past week.

TAPPER: So, Dana, Eric Trump, the president's son, was on FOX this morning, and he said something along the lines of COVID, COVID, COVID, it's all they have to talk about, about the Democrats.

And, obviously, we do expect that, with 180,000 Americans dead as a result of the pandemic, and more than five million Americans infected, the Democrats will talk about this a great deal, and Republicans will try did not talk about it a great deal.

I'm just wondering what the president's strategy is, the campaign strategy, given that where we live, me, the two of you, and all of our viewers in the United States, probably not in Canada, but who knows, around the world, and all of the viewers in the United States, this is a huge part of our lives now.

We have to wear masks. Our kids can't go to school. Workplaces are empty.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

TAPPER: How is the Trump campaign going to try to negotiate this terrain by pretending that we don't live in this world that we live in? BASH: It's not easy.

We have seen for the last three nights the way that they have tried to do that. The most sort of honest and candid of those when it comes to acknowledging the reality probably came from Melania Trump and Mike Pence, and it's not as if they did a deep dive into that reality.

They touched on it. And the basic answer is, they have been going back and trying to build blocks for people and put the rearview mirror up for people to show them, remember what it was like before this pandemic happened. Remember how the economy was getting better. Look at -- listen to this lobstermen from Maine. Listen to this dairy farmer from Wisconsin. Their lives were getting better, and it will get better again.

I mean, that is kind of the shorthanded way to say that that is their attempt. But is -- it isn't easy. And the fact that Kamala Harris came out today in such a forceful and lengthy way to talk not just about racial unrest and the reckoning, but also about the coronavirus, and, more broadly, about the fact that Donald Trump just is a bad president and is not the guy who can handle these crises and this situation, tells you that they did need -- I totally agree with Nia.

They felt like they did need a way to contrast a very different message that we have heard, not just on the issues, but on Donald Trump the person.

And, Jake, the question that I have is, 2016, that was the Hillary Clinton message: How can you vote for this guy?