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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Moments Ago: Series Of Explosions Heard Around Kyiv; Zelenskyy To Americans: This Is A War For "Democracy, Freedom;" Ukraine: 5 Killed In Russian Military Strikes Near Kyiv TV Tower; Biden: U.S., NATO & Allies Must Remain United Against Russia; Election Results Today Will Determine Fate Of Texas Governor; Study: Vaccine Protection For Kids Fell During Omicron. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired March 01, 2022 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:18]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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

We start today with breaking news in our world lead. A series of explosions just heard around the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, just moments ago. You're looking live at the skyline of Kyiv right now. We're told the blasts were heard there about 20 minutes ago. Our teams on the ground are trying to find out exactly where and what and whom might have been hit.

This latest attack coming as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sends a message to the world and to the United States. In an interview with CNN from a bunker in Kyiv, Zelenskyy telling CNN's Matthew Chance today that this war is about more than bombing and missile attacks. It's a battle for democracy and freedom. We're going to have Matthew's full interview in our next hour.

Across Ukraine, scenes of the Russian atrocities being inflicted on innocent civilians. Ukrainian officials say five people were killed and five others injured when Russian military strikes at the area around a massive TV tower in Kyiv. Search and rescue teams are combing through the rubble in the center of a different city, Kharkiv, after Ukraine's interior ministry says at least one cruise missile hit the city's Freedom Square.

So far, at least ten people are confirmed dead there. Another 35 injured. This is in addition, of course, to the deadly strikes yesterday which killed at least three children.

Moments ago, Ukrainian leaders announced that Russian air strikes have hit the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial site in Kyiv, built on Europe's largest mass grave of the Holocaust.

CNN's Clarissa Ward starts off our coverage today from Kyiv.

And, Clarissa, what can you tell us about these latest explosions?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. So, we're definitely hearing a lot of explosions tonight, Jake. Just in the last 20 minutes, a half-hour or so, we heard three large explosions coming from the northeast, sort of in that direction. Then as we were opening up the windows here to do this live shot, we heard another explosion. That sounded further away in the distance.

And, of course, there was the main explosion we heard earlier today before dark. And that was targeting the Kyiv TV tower. We now know as you mentioned, that five people were killed. The TV tower does not appear to have been destroyed but nonetheless, the ministry is saying is the channels are not working anymore. They're working to get back- up channels.

And the images that we've been seeing coming from that attack are just harrowing. You can see people who have clearly been killed in the strike. Smoke billowing, and all of it taking place right next to, as you said, the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial. This is a memorial park. There were some installations there and plans to develop it into something more.

We've already heard from the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site protectorates who really underlined the grotesque irony of the fact that President Putin has sought to manipulate and distort history to make this invasion look like some kind of a crusade against neo-Nazis. And that he has hit this site, this memorial, commemorating one of the worst massacres in the Second World War, obviously, it is dark and it's grim and it speaks to the historical distortions.

People in Kyiv tonight are hunkering down and fearing the worst. We heard earlier from the Russian defense ministry that they can expect more targeting inside the city capital. Particularly of SBU, Ukrainian security services targets, and also, anything, they use the expression, relay nodes in Russian, by which we assume they meant communication towers. That's obviously a TV tower, but the question is whether we're in for more bad news and explosions tonight, Jake.

TAPPER: And, Clarissa, we're seeing these satellite images of a 40- mile Russian convoy of tanks, armored vehicles, artillery. All heading toward kyiv. Authorities must be terrified that a larger attack is looming.

WARD: Ukrainians are definitely terrified. I don't know if you can hear this in the distance. This sounds to me like some kind of outgoing fire, small arms. I'm not exactly sure where it is coming from or what it was provoked by. These are the things that we do here most evenings.

[16:05:02]

I will say, it has definitely picked up significantly tonight.

And you mentioned that convoy. And this is the hugely important piece of the puzzle, right? What is the plan for Kyiv? That convoy of however many miles it is. It is such an extraordinary, 40 miles, I believe, at the last count, inching closer to the capital. Is the plan there of as U.N. intention officials fear to completely encircle the city, to cut it off, to stop food coming in, humanitarian aid coming in, and basically lay siege to Kyiv while you continue to see this aerial bombardment, missile strikes, and then potentially, would you be looking at a sort of ground invasion? Russian troops coming into the capital.

That is so hard to imagine, given the resistance, the defiance, the courage and the hatred, frankly, that you see on the ground here from ordinary Ukrainian people to the Russian forces responsible for this assault, and yet, there is undeniably a David and Goliath dynamic playing out here, where by, as hard as Ukrainian forces are fighting to defend their country, they are outmatched. They are outgunned, and the very real fear is that the worst is yet to come, Jake.

TAPPER: Yeah. Clarissa Ward in Kyiv, Ukraine, thank you so much. Please stay safe.

Ukrainian search and rescue teams expect to find even more dead and more injured as they pick through the rubble in central Kharkiv after Russian rockets hit a government building.

ITV News correspondent Dan Rivers saw the damage firsthand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Kharkiv's Freedom Square. But this morning, freedom was under attack once again.

Missiles slamming into the main local government building. President Zelenskyy has called this open undisguised terror. A week ago, the view from this window was on to a European square bustling with life. Now, it is a glimpse into the grim future which seems to await this country.

The search for survivors and recovery of the dead took place amid the constant threat of secondary attacks. So far, at least ten people are confirmed to have died and many more have been injured.

OLEG MESHKOVETS, RESERVIST (through translator): There was a strong explosion from the square. It blew off all the glass. Everyone who was near a window was seriously hurt. I was okay. We were all heading downstairs to the basement when the second missile come and hit the roof.

RIVERS: We arrived four hours after the attack which has shattered the very heart of this city. The aftermath, still painfully fresh. All around reminders of the terrible human cost.

The occupants of the car must have been driving past just as the missiles fell. Survival or death here is a matter of chance. But remarkably, young Ukrainians were already out, risking their lives to clear it up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know how we will -- how we will rebuild it after the war.

RIVERS: The strike here this morning in Freedom Square represents a bleak new chapter in this war. Russia appears to be targeting the very symbols of the Ukrainian state, hoping to bring its people to their knees. What we found here today is defiance.

The rage at those responsible for all this is visceral.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is awful, awful, awful. We are crying every day, every night. We are crying every day. You should stop it. Immediately, stop it.

RIVERS: But the Russians weren't finished yet. In the afternoon, another attack. Hitting a building near a hospital.

From another angle, you can see the extent of the damage to apartments in the street. Amid the sound of more rockets, we ventured into another of the city's hospitals. Inside, we found the basement is now a bomb shelter for children bewildered on how their lives have suddenly been upended. In the ward upstairs, just some of those injured so far in Kharkiv.

After such a day of appalling bloodshed, you might expect the people to be cowed. If anything, their spirit appears galvanized against President Putin's aggression.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIVERS (on camera): There appears to be a distinct shift in the tactics by the Russians. They seem to now be forgetting this idea of running in with Special Forces into towns like Kharkiv.

[16:10:01]

Instead, they appear to be targeting the infrastructure of the state in order to break the will of the people. From what we've seen today, so far, that is failing.

TAPPER: ITV News correspondent Dan Rivers in Dnipro, Ukraine, thank you so much for that reporting. Stay safe.

RIVERS: Joining us now to discuss, Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska. He's on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senator, thank you for joining us.

You've raised concerns that American intelligence is not getting to the Ukrainians who need it in real-time, fast enough. You want Ukrainians to get that information when it can make a difference. I guess one counter argument to play devils' advocate does that not increase the risk of possibly revealing crucial sources? Especially if Russians infiltrate Ukrainian intelligence services.

SEN. BEN SASSE (R-NE): That's not what's happening here, Jake. This isn't about sources and methods because absolutely we should be ironclad in protecting sources and methods, but some impressive reporting from Clarissa and from Dan there. Let's be honest about what we're seeing.

We're seeing the onset of more systemic targeting of civilian populations. This is who Vladimir Putin is. This is a guy who poisoned political opponents as far back as 2004, who invaded Georgia without consequence in 2008, who stole Crimea in 2014, downed civilian airliners without consequence, meddled in our elections, poisoned Navalny in 2020.

This guy doesn't have a moral limit on what he will do. And so, when you show those images of the 40-mile convoy, the question Nebraskans ask me, hey, isn't this guy on his way to kill a bunch more women and children? Isn't this guy on his way to kill a bunch more civilians? How can we just let that happen?

Well, we do know that we've made the determination we're not going to have boots on the ground in Ukraine but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing everything possible for those freedom fighters there to be able to destroy that convoy.

Those Russian invaders are murderers and they're on their way to kill civilians and the Ukrainians want to stop them. We should make sure that they're armed to the teeth and they have all the lethal actionable real-time intelligence they can possibly get. And right now, they don't have all that.

TAPPER: We've seen the satellite images you were referring to, stretching more than 40 miles. It has reached the outskirts of Kyiv.

Militarily, what do you think the U.S. should be doing or providing for Ukraine, given the fact that the decision hasn't been made and there doesn't seem to be much objection to it among any political leaders in the country, Democrat and Republican, that there will not be any American boots on the ground.

SASSE: Yeah. So, first of all, all the RPGs that they can use, all the stingers they can use, all the ammo that they can use, every grandma that wants an AK-47, all the supplies that they're coming up with at the civilian level for Molotov cocktails.

But we know that the Ukrainians want more lethal, actionable, real- time intelligence. And right now, they're not getting that. The process is overly lawyered right now by the administration.

There's caution that needs to be taken, to be sure. You started with on sources and methods. I sit on the Intel Committee. We have heroes in the I.C. and they've done unbelievable work the last three or four weeks.

The fact that we intentionally leaked, the U.S. intentionally leaked, all the pretexts were bullshit, I'm sorry, all the nonsense and lies that Putin was systemically laying out so he could claim that somehow Ukraine was the threat to him, which was always nonsense. His pretextual lies have all been debunked by the intelligence community. That's really important work.

And yet more should and can be done. And right now, the administration is too slow and they're too passive. It isn't good enough to tell somebody where a tank was ten hours ago when the tank is now at the doorstep, trying to do the kind of bombing we've seen in Kharkiv. TAPPER: If it is the lawyers holding it up, do you think that's

because they're worried about the implications of the United States providing real-time intelligence that could then result in the deaths of Russians? Is that the issue?

Or perhaps are there legitimate concerns about the United States providing what ends up being false intelligence? Remember that drone strike in Afghanistan where an innocent Afghan family was killed.

SASSE: Yeah, this is not a time for -- I'm a very conservative guy and I'm certainly hawkish about defending these freedom fighters. But I'm not a very partisan guy. So, this is probably not the right time for me to relitigate all the stupidity of April to August last year, because it was a gang that couldn't shoot straight for months on end, a lot of really stupid decisions were made. This isn't the time to relitigate that.

But the bad intelligence there, in a jihadi situation that was already chaotic, is different. Again, I'm not getting anywhere near a classified line but it's different than the kinds of intelligence that are available to us in the digital realm at a moment like this, and we ought to be giving all the lethal targeting, real-time information we can.

And right now, there is a policy decision that seems to be misaligned with the reality of Putin who is on his way to target more civilians.

[16:15:04]

I think every journalist in America ought to be asking the president of the United States this: have you directed your administration to provide lethal, real-time targeting intelligence to the Ukrainian military? And if not, why not? The administration should have to answer that question.

They respond with lawyerly crap about, oh, this agency isn't slowing things down and we have a great process here and there's an authorization to do X and Y. Or, you know, we're sharing intelligence.

That's fine. I want to know, are you sharing lethal, targeting intelligence in real-time so the Ukrainians can kill Russian invaders.

TAPPER: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gave an interview with CNN's Matthew Chance earlier today. He once again called on the U.S. to help enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIA PRESIDENT (through translator): I have already turned to some foreign leaders with this request. I believe that leaders must support democratic states of the world who are keen to defend such principles. This powerful issue of closing the airspace helps us tremendously. This does not mean dragging NATO into this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: But you don't support a no-fly zone. Obviously, that would entail putting U.S. pilots, whether Navy or Air Force, at risk.

What do you tell Nebraskans when they say this convoy is headed there, how come our boys can't go up and girls can't go up there and bomb the Russian convoy?

SASSE: Yeah. So, a bunch of important distinctions you drew there. Let's say a bit of good news and then get into some of those distinctions. The first good news, the Russians don't have complete air superiority right now. The Ukrainians have been heroic fighters everywhere, but that includes their air force.

I think almost every analyst who is watching this unfold as 150,000 troops amassed again with a green light from Chairman Xi to move back from 11 time zones away in the far east into Belarus, as all of that was piling up on their border, I think almost everybody bet that Russians would have air superiority almost immediately. They didn't and that's really good news. We should applaud the Ukrainian air force.

But to the specific question you're asking, a no-fly zone isn't something you can simply declare. It's something you have to go and enforce. And that would men U.S. fighters would be coming into contact with Russian fighters over Ukrainian air space right now.

And the administration hasn't made any decision like that. I haven't made any call for anything like that, because we have Ukrainians that are willing to fight. We need to have the will to arm them with ammunitions, but also with the intelligence.

TAPPER: Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, thank you so much for your time, sir. We really appreciate it.

And the CNN's full interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his bunker in Kyiv as Russian forces approach the city is coming up on THE LEAD.

Plus, a city on edge. We're live in the Ukrainian port where the Russians are closing in by sea.

And then in just a few hours, President Biden will deliver his very first State of the Union Address as the world braces for Vladimir Putin's next move.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:22:02]

TAPPER: And we're back with breaking news in our world lead.

Ukraine's third largest city, Odessa, is on edge right now, as Russian forces inched closer and closer. Russian troops have had control of Crimea and parts of the Donbas region, but now, they're moving in on other cities along the Black Sea. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is on the southern coast of Ukraine, where some

Ukrainians are taking up arms against the Russians, preparing to fight back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Slowly, Moscow's tentacles are strangling Ukraine's Black Sea coast. These Russian troops helping themselves to the stores of the town of Kherson, leading this man away, according to a resident who spoke to CNN.

And also showing here, too, the callous disregard for life, leaving little left but to appeal to a hare power that any Russian rule might be benign. Head from Kherson west along the coast and the pressure builds. In Mykolaiv, where local braced for Russian armor, and especially here, 30 minutes north of Odessa. The town of Dachnoe hit with shelling.

The next stop is this, Ukraine's third largest city, Odessa, the strategic port. Scarred still from a world for the last generation.

In the hurriedly converted food halls, the youth know it is their time.

This is like hipster paradise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two days ago I was with my friends organizing, it was five people and then after that, in two days, it is transformed in the biggest humanitarian help volunteer center in the Odessa region.

WALSH: Food, medicine and history fuel them here. They stack sandbags outside. The nearby opera house, fortified like it hasn't been since 941. This split screen circulated by cell phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry. But well, sorry. I cried. It's impossible. I was crying because, like a little girl.

WALSH: But this was in 1941 --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WALSH: -- you were fighting against the Nazis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Once again we are fighting. OK.

WALSH: Some civilians have already taken up arms, great nervousness about being filmed here everywhere, really. Apart from here on the shore, "for history, guys," he shouts and then they tell the Russian ships where to stick it.

[16:25:07]

But while it can feel like everyone is staying to fight, they are not. The trains are still filling. Grandmother, she says, when I ask her where they're going. Another generation's fight now, you can only hope there's is shorter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: Now, Jake, it is extraordinary to be in a city of this size, where I have to say, we've heard occasional sirens but not that frequently yet. It is so on edge. People frankly occasionally disappearing, not showing up to work, a real sense of something awful potentially being around the corner here.

For many days, they've been warned of possible amphibious landing. You saw here, just 30 minutes drive from here, Darcheny being hit now, that might be a Russian probe toward Odessa and a city as you say where history of this sort of thing, putting up barricades. It chillingly echoes through people's bones here. They talk to their grandparents, who talk about how it was in the '40s with their horrifying notion, some sort of similar defense of Odessa might be at hand now, Jake.

TAPPER: Nick Paton Walsh in Odessa, Ukraine, thank you. Please stay safe.

President Biden is set to address this nation in a matter of hours. His most important audiences however might be in Kyiv and Moscow. Let's talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:31:09]

TAPPER: In our politics lead, today, a critical night for President Biden in his very first State of the Union Address coming in a few hours.

I spoke with President Biden at the White House today and he told the anchors who were there that he wants the American people to understand, quote, my determination to see to it that the European union, NATO and all of our allies are on the same exact page in terms of sanctions against Russia. The president went on to say that unity is, quote, the one thing, that unity is the one thing that gives us power to impose consequences on Putin.

Tonight's speech, of course, is not just about messaging to the American people but also to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy told CNN today that he wants Biden to speak directly about the fight for democracy. Another figure who will likely be listening closely is Vladimir Putin in Russia.

Let's talk about all of this.

Kasie, let me start with you. This message of unity when it comes to Europe and NATO fits nicely with his campaign theme.

KASIE HURT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: It sure does. I mean, this is ground that Joe Biden feels comfortable on and I think you will see that reflected in the speech tonight. It could not be more critical. And one thing that I was thinking back to, I've covered four

presidents now inside the chamber in the State of the Union. And one scene that has emerged, we are seeing more and more divisive incidents, deflections, whether it is Nancy Pelosi that tore up the Donald Trump speech and Democrats praised her for it. Republicans were offended.

You heard Joe Wilson, you know, "you lied" to President Obama. There have been boos in the chamber when that was not how you conducted yourself on a night like this. I think this is going to be a chance for every member of Congress to send a message to Vladimir Putin, because the idea that he won't be watching and seeing, what our Congress does tonight, I think is naive.

Let me welcome Jonah Goldberg, a brand new CNN political commentator. It's so great to have you here. Thank you so much.

JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's great to be here.

TAPPER: Biden has obviously needed to revise his remarks since Russia invaded.

GOLDBERG: Yeah.

TAPPER: He's facing a country that's on edge in a lot of ways. Not just fears about nuclear war but also fears of inflation and an economy not recovering the way people want to, COVID, et cetera. What are you expecting tonight?

GOLDBERG: First of all, I just want to say, to Kasie's point about the state of the union, it's a great argument -- a great support for my argument that we should go back to State of the Union Addresses being handwritten.

TAPPER: Just mail in.

HUNT: I wouldn't complain about that so much.

GOLDBERG: And never do these spectacles ever again.

Look, I think this is a much tougher State of the Union Address for him than a lot of people think, in part because there are a number of things out of his control. Just -- and this is not a criticism, they just simply are. You know, inflation is very hard to put back in the tube. Putin is not a guy who is not, sort of easy to persuade to do the right thing.

And one of the reasons why Biden is in trouble in the polls is that starting with the precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan, that was poorly managed, he seems to a lot of voters like he is not up to events. And having a split screen with the siege of Kyiv is not great for him. Not being able to explain why inflation is out of control in a way and how he's going to fix it, because he can't open up domestic production, it is a very tough haul for him.

And it's fine for him to do all the unity stuff. But then when he switches to domestic politics, if he starts getting really partisan, it's going to erase a lot of goodwill he generates in the first part.

TAPPER: And, Ashley, one of the things -- one of the problems Biden has, is he's not getting credit for even the things the public likes. That's a fact if you look at the new CNN poll. Only 42 percent trusts his decision making on Ukraine, though the vast majority approves of sanctions, and Biden, I think, it is empirically factual that he has led the way even when he allowed Europe to act as if they're leading the way on that.

The vast majority of people don't want boots on the ground. He said that he's not going to have boots on the ground. So, he's not even getting credit for the things he's handling okay.

[16:35:01]

ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, that's right. I mean, the one thing you don't want to do in the State of the Union is a laundry list of all the issues so people feel like they have a check mark. What I think President Biden needs to do tonight is tell the story of the last year. What he's done for the American people with the American Rescue Plan. How people's lives have changed.

I'm sure there will be people in the first lady's box who have been impacted by his domestic policies.

But I also he think can weave a thread around the threat to democracy globally, and how fragile our democracy is right now, calling for voting rights. I mean, we haven't gotten it done. I think that will charge up some partisan nature but I also think it will hit the base and people will say, he's fighting for things that I care about, also while being a global leader which I think he has done. He needs to tell that story tonight.

TAPPER: But there is a risk as well, isn't there? I mean, you know, it's tough to thread the needle when it comes to comparing what Vladimir Putin is doing in Ukraine, to an election booth, demanding that you show a photo ID. I mean, most Americans are going to be like, that's not really even remotely the same thing.

ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: They face a balancing act on both fronts. I mean, both managing the crisis that's happen, the Russia invasion of Ukraine and balancing the worries amongst the public but also balancing what they've already done this year while acknowledging the very real anxieties that are reflected in the poor poll numbers, approval ratings for Biden.

Yes. His allies of the White House have been pressing them to not just talk about the Build Back Better agenda, not just talk about sprawling legislation. But also to talk about inflation, to acknowledge high gas prices, and really try to relate to the anxieties of the public.

TAPPER: And, Jonah, CNN poll of polls, that's an average of the five most credible polls, most recent polls, show Biden has a 41 percent approval rating. Only Trump had lower approval rating right before his State of the Union Address. Is there anything you think that can change that? I may not, he does

have an argument to make about the economy but the inflation head winds are really ruining it.

GOLDBERG: I think there's a wide open lane. May grand theory of both parties is the best explanatory theory to what they do is that both parties are determined to be minority parties. That's why both do so many dumb things.

And I personally think, Biden could announce he would get grief from the far left of the party. That's fine. That helps him with moderates and say, look, I care about climate change but we need to lower the price of gasoline in this country. This war is going to raise the price of gasoline. We need to use it as a weapon to crush the Russian economy and force Putin out of Ukraine, and also help Americans here at home so we're going to ramp up production as best we can. And then we'll take some of the proceeds and spend it on green initiatives and that's fine.

He should call for a major arms build-up. We've been shrinking the share of GDP on defense for decades.

All of these would be appealing to the middle. They would also be helpful to the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.

Instead, he says a tendency to say things that the safest Democrats in Congress want to hear and that doesn't help him with the middle.

TAPPER: And some of the safest Democrats, Rashida Tlaib, for example, in Michigan, she's giving the Workers Party Response to State of the Union Address. There are three Democrats. Three Democrats who are involved in some way or another.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Yeah. So I mean, I hear what Jonah is saying, and that certainly would help the Josh Gottheimers of the world and Abigail Spanbergers and Elie Morris (ph), but then you would have like seven more Democrats giving State of the Union responses.

HUNT: Under normal political circumstances, this is classic Democratic move and there might be some eye rolls and annoyances but nobody would look at it so sideways. I think the war of Ukraine has cast it in a different light.

And I think the opportunity and the challenge for Joe Biden, this is a campaign. If you talk to them in honest moments, they will tell you they're concerned about president Biden looking weak with voters. Republicans obviously seize on that all the time.

This is a moment where Americans are looking at what's happening overseas. They're remembering what it was like if they're old enough to live during the Cold War and remember what these nuclear threats were like, and they're open and willing to looking for some strong leadership and getting behind it. That's an opportunity for Joe Biden to move some of the terrible poll numbers. But I think the risk is that he doesn't actually live up to that. He

doesn't show himself to be able to go beyond, to do what his campaign needs to do.

TAPPER: I think he is better in a one-on-one casual conversation than reading a speech. I think that's fair thing to say.

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: I would say that, too. And so am I.

TAPPER: As are we all, as are we all. My thanks to the panel.

And be sure to join CNN tonight for President Biden's first State of the Union Address. I'm going to be anchoring along with Anderson Cooper. He's in Ukraine. Live coverage starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, on CNN.

Coming up, ready and raring to go. Texas voters heading to the polls to settle some serious political fights. Let the midterm election begin.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:44:24]

TAPPER: In our politics lead, the 2022 midterm season kicks off today with the Texas primary and the fight to the top that everyone is watching. The Republican incumbent governor trying the hold on to his seat. He has Donald Trump's endorsement. But some are backing the GOP challengers.

On the Democratic side, former Congressman Beto O'Rourke is the front runner for that party's gubernatorial nomination, in his third high profile race following the failed presidential and Senate bids in recent years.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is outside Dallas for us tonight.

This is the first election in Texas since the more restrictive voting laws have taken effect. How might that impact tonight's results?

[16:45:05]

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are already seeing a number of headaches across the state in the weeks leading up to the election in the early voting period. A lot of it is over requirements for mail-in ballots.

If you look at some of the, several prominent counties in Texas, in Harris County, we're told about 30 percent of mail-in ballots have been deemed and flagged as faulty because of ID requirements on those ballots. In Travis County, where Austin is, it's about 12 percent. We are here in McKinney, Texas, in Collin County, we were just told by election officials that there's a problem with about 14 percent of the mail-in ballots. And these are the votes of thousands and thousands of people across

the state. And to give you some perspective, during the 2020 election, about 1 percent of mail-in ballots were deemed as faulty.

The League of Women Voters of Texas president described the voting situation here in Texas right now, Jake, as a nightmare.

TAPPER: And, Ed, in order to win a primary race in Texas, candidates have to get a clear majority of the vote, 50 percent plus one vote. That's an underlying factor.

And another hot race today, the Republican primary for attorney general.

LAVANDERA: Right. So, you mentioned Greg Abbott off the top. He's facing two other challengers who are primarying him from the right. By and large, most people think that he should escape without a runoff.

But really a lot of eyes on the attorney general race. Ken Paxton who has been a darling of Donald Trump, endorsed by him, he's facing a number of challengers, including Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, Louie Gohmert, the East Texas U.S. congressman from the Tyler area, and also, George P. Bush, the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the nephew of President George W. Bush. All of those targeting Ken Paxton who has been mired in controversy for several years here, and he's facing those challengers. And the question is, whether or not he will be able to escape this election tonight without having to be forced into a run-off. We'll see how those returns come back -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Ed Lavandera in McKinney, Texas -- thank you so much.

Get the Band-Aids and lollipops ready. New CDC studies on the vaccines for the younger kids are showing surprising results. What do parents need to know? That's next.

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[16:52:10]

TAPPER: In our health lead today, new evidence that COVID variants are starting to outsmart some vaccines. The CDC study out today shows that fully vaccinated kids ages 5 to 11 were about half as likely to need an emergency trip to the hospital because of COVID than unvaccinated kids.

And as CNN's Alexandra Field reports, at least one expert finds that number, quote, a little bit disheartening.

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ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Not quite what parents hoped for. A new study finds children between the ages of 5 and 11 who got COVID-19 were just 46 percent less likely to go to the emergency room or urgent care with the related condition, as compared to unvaccinated children. Older children appear to have significantly more protection for up to five months after their second doses, raising the possibility that for young children, we could soon see a third dose, as the push continues to get more children their first shots.

The results described as a little disheartening by the author of the study.

Overall, new COVID cases among children continue their decline following the trend nationwide. But the American Academy of Pediatrics says, about 100,000 children are still getting infected every week. That as masks come off in more schools.

Delaware is lifting its school mask requirement today. California says masks in schools can come off next week. But the San Francisco Unified School District won't make the leap just yet. The divide over how and how quickly to move forward is playing out beyond the classroom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I should not have to cover my face, wear a face diaper to get on an airplane.

FIELD: The streets of New Orleans are filled with crowds able to celebrate Mardi Gras together for the first time in two years. New surveys show a lot of Americans are still concerned, either about lifting restrictions, or keeping them in place.

The divide falling predictably along party lines. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey showing 65 percent of Republicans saying the so- called return to normal is already safe now. Just 11 percent of Democrats in that study said the same.

While an Axios/Ipsos poll finds more than half of Democrats say they still see a return to normal as risky. Despite that, neither Democrats nor Republicans see COVID-19 as a top priority issue for the 2022 elections, according to the Kaiser survey.

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FIELD (on camera): New COVID cases are the lowest they've been since July. But a more contagious sub-variant of omicron now makes up about 8 percent of the cases nationwide. And every week, those cases are actually doubling for about the last five weeks, according to the CDC, Jake.

TAPPER: Alexandra Field, thanks so much.

Coming up next, CNN's interview with the president of Ukraine conducted in a bunker in Kyiv.

[16:55:04]

Stick around.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

TAPPER: And welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

It's midnight in Ukraine after a brutal day of Russian attacks on not just the Ukraine military but on Ukrainian civilians and major cities such as Kharkiv.