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Don Lemon Tonight

Coronavirus Kills Without Mercy; President Trump Invokes DPA; Labor Department Records More Unemployed Americans; Homemade PPE are Better Than Nothing; Commander of Aircraft Carrier Hit by Coronavirus Removed After Sounding Alarm; Top Doctor Says White House Coronavirus Task Force Still Missing 50 Percent of Testing Data; President Trump Has Developed a Good Working Relationship with California Governor Gavin Newsom; Zoom CEO Apologizes for Having 'Fallen Short' on Privacy and Security; Feeding Doctors and Nurses on the Frontlines of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired April 02, 2020 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

BRANFORD MARSALIS, ELLIS MARSALIS'S SON: And I didn't appreciate that until I got a lot older.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Yes. We're watching video from playing, this is 2006 in New Orleans. You wrote about your father. You said "my dad was a giant of a musician and teacher, but an even greater father. He poured everything he had into making us the best of what we could be."

Your father raised such exemplary sons. Four of you are prominent musicians in your own right. What did he instill in you and your brothers to help you become such successful -- I mean, all of your really extraordinary men? I know the introduction embarrassed you, but it really is true.

MARSALIS: You know what, he's a thinker. And he was the perfect combination of a sort of rote approach to playing music and the intuitive approach to playing music. He was a combination of the two. And I think being in a situation where you had to negotiate both of those worlds definitely made us better musicians. Then it would have been if we had done one or the other.

LEMON: Listen, there is so much to talk about your father. He mentored, you know, big jazz names like Terence Blanchard, Harry Connick, Jr. You guys are the royal family of jazz. The Alice Marsalis Center for music was built after hurricane Katrina. That was part of his legacy. He embodied really New Orleans.

MARSALIS: Yes.

LEMON: The mayor has put out a statement talking about him. I'm going put up the mayor's statement. It says, "Ellis Marsalis is a legend. He was a prototype about what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz."

For decades your father performed at a weekly gig in a premiere jazz club there until just this past year. And so, he meant so much to New Orleans. And so, I want to -- this virus that took his life is dangerous and deadly, as we know. What do you say to people about this?

MARSALIS: Well, in New Orleans, for instance, you don't really have to say anything because the streets are completely empty. People are sheltering in place and taking this very seriously.

And so, it -- I've heard it a lot on television and on radio and on memes. People should take it very seriously. They should wash their hands a lot. They should wear their N95 masks or any mask. Be mindful of large crowds. It's real. It's real.

LEMON: But it's such a tough time for so many. The coronavirus is just devastating for families and communities all over, including there in your city, including your family. What can folks do to try to help stop this and spare other families this pain? Do you have any encouraging words, or any words at all for other families who are actually feeling the pain that your family is feeling right now?

MARSALIS: There is no -- no, not really. It's a hard one, especially it's something unpredictable, a virus. We haven't had a situation like this in our country since the Spanish flu in 1918. And I think that because there is such a large gap between pandemics, we tend to think that we're the first people to experience it. We're not.

We will survive it, and some of our loved ones are actually sacrificing themselves so that we can survive. And that's kind of how I look at it. And you know, watching what happened to my father made me even more mindful of what the stakes are. And everybody in my family takes it very seriously now.

LEMON: What I think is interesting is I have a friend who lost his father just a couple of days ago and had to make the arrangements by phone. Couldn't see him in the assisted living facility that he is in because there is a no visitation policy because of the coronavirus.

MARSALIS: Right.

MACCALLUM: Wynton, who is your brother, couldn't even get there to see him because there is a shelter in place order.

MARSALIS: Right.

LEMON: There are so many families who cannot even be part of the funeral or going away process for their family member because of this.

MARSALIS: Right.

LEMON: And it is just such an odd place to be in for people right now.

MARSALIS: Yes. We were very lucky. Our doctor at the hospital at Ochsner, you know Ochsner.

[23:05:04]

And the nurse, nurse Juan (Ph) and Dr. Sharma (Ph) were really great. And they put my dad in a room. I don't remember. It's a high-pressure room that minimizes droplets. And as a result, one family per day could go and visit him.

And we have a lot of family members. But me and two of my brothers were able to go on successive days and essentially say goodbye. Just be with him. And just sit with him. And that was very gracious of them to do that, because in other cities, because of the density, the population density, it's just not really possible. So, we were luckier than most.

MACCALLUM: My condolences. And give my regards to the entire family. You take care of yourself and be safe. OK?

MARSALIS: Thanks. It's great talking with you, don.

LEMON: Thank you. You as well.

This is CNN Tonight. I'm Don Lemon.

It is just past the top of the hour, and I want to bring you up to speed now on where this coronavirus crisis stands right now.

The number of cases of coronavirus worldwide has now surpassed one million with the virus killing more than 53,000 people around the globe. Here at home, the coronavirus pandemic is worsening by the hour.

Johns Hopkins University now reporting there are more than 245,000 confirmed cases in the United States, and more than 5,900 deaths. President Trump revealing tonight he's tested negative for the coronavirus for a second time. And announcing that he is invoking the Defense Production Act on two fronts.

The first ordering domestic manufacturers to produce more desperately needed ventilators. The second, ordering 3M, the company 3M, which is the largest maker of medical face masks, to produce N95 face masks.

And stark evidence tonight. The coronavirus pandemic is slamming the U.S. economy. The Labor Department saying 6.6 million workers filed for their first week of unemployment benefits in the week ending March 28. Americans have filed nearly 10 million jobless claims in the last two weeks.

Joining me now CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash and our resident fact checker Daniel Dale. Good evening to both of you. Thank you so much for joining this evening.

Dana, you first. Almost 6,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus. Six point six million Americans filed jobless claims in just one week. But the president still won't take any responsibility for this crisis.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is just not in his DNA. It just isn't. And it's unfortunate, because at some point, it is going to come back to bite him. Because he is the President of the United States. I mean, you can kind of lay out contradictory statement after

statement after statement that have real life consequences. I mean, we said it before and we can say it again. We have seen crises throughout the Trump presidency. They have all been of his making, all been personnel issues or other things that didn't really matter that much to people in their everyday lives.

And this is that plus, you know, things that people couldn't even imagine. And the fact that he won't take responsibility, but not just that, Don, that he is just -- I'll just give you an example that he is saying on the other hand, states are hoarding really important equipment, like ventilators.

And in the next breath says it's not up to me to give things to the states. They should have bought it beforehand. well, which is it? I mean, that's just one example of many of the problems that are being caused at the federal level and in the White House that you hear from governors, from mayors all over the country.

LEMON: Dana, Jared Kushner was at today's briefing, got in on the blame game, saying governors don't know how many ventilators they have.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED KUSHNER, SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What a lot of voters are seeing now when you elect somebody to be a mayor or a governor or president, you're trying to think about who will be a competent manager during the time of crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: There's nothing subtle there.

LEMON: I guess they don't see the irony in that statement.

BASH: And there is not even a hint of subtlety to what Jared Kushner said. I mean, you know, he basically all he needs is a paid for by, you know, people who want to elect Donald Trump after that. That's what that was about.

And it was remarkable to see Jared Kushner, who has a very heavy hand not just in this task force now but has from the very beginning in getting his father-in-law reelected president.

[23:09:54]

And the fact that he came out and talked about a number of things, some things that, you know, made people cringe, like you talked about last hour with John Harwood, with him saying the president called him up and said, I just got a call from my friend, fix this. And he fixed it, which is like, well, so that's what you need to do?

You to have a pipeline into the president to get things done? Probably not the message that Jared Kushner was expecting to put out there. But, you know, in a lot of ways, they're hiding in plain sight a lot of the goals that they have here, politically separate from the very big policy personal economic and humanitarian crisis that's going on right now.

LEMON: Yes, you say hiding in plain sight. I just say it's really transparent. We're saying the same thing.

BASH: Yes, that's what I mean, yes.

LEMON: Yes. So, Daniel, Kushner also said today that the strategic national stockpile is not for states to use. What is the truth here?

DANIEL DALE, CNN REPORTER: I'm on the web site right now staring at my computer stream of the strategic national stockpile. And this is what it says, Don, on its first page. This is the intro.

The stockpile is a large supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public emergency, severe enough to cause local supplies to run out. And then it goes on to say, when state, local, tribal and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need it most.

So, that's explicit. This is to back up to reinforce the efforts of states. I'm really not sure what Kushner meant when he said this is ours and not theirs.

LEMON: Interesting. So, I want to ask you, Daniel, the president also made a claim that there are safeguards in place for travelers. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're doing tests on airlines, very strong tests, getting on, getting off. They're doing test on trains, getting on, getting off. But when you start closing up entire transportation systems and then opening them up, that's a very tough thing to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: What are the facts, Daniel?

DALE: So, Don, this was his explanation for why he doesn't want to suspend domestic rail and plane travel, these very strong tests. Don, these very strong tests are not happening. People are not being tested as they get on planes, as they disembark planes, as they get on trains, as they disembark trains.

The vast majority are not even being screened in any way. There are certain passengers from certain countries and now certain U.S. hotspots who are being screened at airports after getting off flights.

But getting on, they're not. And the vast majority are not facing any screening nor any testing. So, this is yet another false claim by Trump on this critical subject of coronavirus tests.

LEMON: Daniel, Dana, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

BASH: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Absolutely.

Now I want to bring in Dr. Celine Gounder. She is a clinical assistant professor of medicine and infectious disease at NYU. She is also the host of Epidemic podcast. Thank you, Dr. Gounder. I appreciate it.

Just really quick before we get to this, and we talked about the town hall, if you can do a quick note. You just sent me a note when I was talking to Branford Marsalis there about people not being able to say goodbye to loved ones, and it brought you back to the AIDS epidemic, right?

CELINE GOUNDER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, that was such a defining thing about that, right? That you had gay partners who could not come and spend their last moments with their loved ones at their bedside in the hospital.

And you know, just hearing that story, I had tears coming to my eyes remembering some of the patients I took care of. And you know, I sat by as two patients of mine had a wedding in the hospital as one of them was passing away. It just, it just brings all of that back.

LEMON: Thank you for that. Dr. Anthony Fauci answered a question from a trauma surgeon on CNN's town hall tonight. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been put at an increased risk due to a lack of PPE and even reusing PPE. Numerous patterns and suggestion have been circulating the internet as to how to make homemade versions of masks and gowns.

What are your thoughts about frontline health care workers utilizing these homemade options? Are they better than nothing? Or could they be potentially harmful?

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Well, certainly they're better than nothing. I don't think they could be potentially harmful. The only way they could be potentially harmful is if you assume that they're as good as the classic PPE, and they're not.

I mean, I really think we should never, ever, ever get to that point where we're going to have to start making it ourselves. And that's the reason why when we're at the task force meeting, you know, it's very, very clear that everybody is pushing to make sure no healthcare worker ever runs out of PPE. And I know there is a lot of anxiety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, he is saying healthcare workers shouldn't be wearing homemade masks and gowns. But isn't that already happening? GOUNDER: Well, sadly, Don, it is, because we have run out of some of

the essential PPE. We are rationing, you know. I hear about my colleagues asking is it OK if I bring in these different items from home to protect myself. And that is the reality. It's better than nothing.

[23:15:08]

You know, I think health care provide shores be allowed to bring in whatever they can from home to protect themselves. Understanding it may not be as good as what the normal standard would be.

LEMON: Yes. Today the New York Governor Cuomo was pleading during his press conference for PPE, saying that he will pay a premium. That speaks to just how dire the situation is here.

GOUNDER: Yes. I mean, I think, sadly, we should not be having to pay -- be the highest bidder to get what are essential supplies for our health care providers. That's a completely unacceptable situation.

You know, we should be prepared for situations like this, and we should be prepared to care for healthcare providers and to give them what they need and take care of patients, even in a surge, even in an emergency situation like this.

LEMON: Dr. Gounder, thank you so much.

GOUNDER: Take care, Don.

LEMON: You, as well.

Nearly 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment the past two weeks. Are we doing enough to help workers and rescue our economy?

And in the midst of a crisis unlike anything most of us have ever seen, we could use a message of hope. Lessons from history, next.

[23:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Look at the number we put it up here. It is really astounding. It's huge. Six point six million people file for new unemployment benefits last week. Let that number just sink in. Six million six hundred forty-eight thousand people. When you include 3.3. million new claims a week before we're talking about almost 10 million Americans in the last two weeks.

So, Robert Reich is here. He's a former labor secretary under President Clinton and author of "The System: Who Rigged It? How We Fix It." That's a good question. But let's talk about those 10 million Americans. Good evening to you, by the way. Thank you for joining us.

Nearly 10 million Americans have lost their jobs, Robert --

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERT REICH, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR: Good evening.

LEMON: -- over the last two weeks. You were the labor secretary for four years, served in three administrations. You worked on President Obama's economic transition team. Did you ever think that you'd see numbers like these?

REICH: I never did, actually. The highest number we'd ever seen for first-time claims for unemployment insurance was in 1982. That was about 695,000. Nobody would have believed it if you said you're going to see 6.6 million people in one week filing for unemployment insurance.

And those 10 million people over the last two weeks, you know, that's a small fraction of the number of people who have lost their jobs, because a lot of people are not eligible for unemployment insurance.

LEMON: Yes. So then, you know, I know you're the expert, right, and there are lots of experts -- lots of experts, Robert. But no one has ever seen anything like this. Even you just admitted that.

So, how do you even -- how do you put this into context? How do you even predict what's going to happen? Because when we started, everyone was worried about a recession. Now people are worried about so much worse. Give me your assessment on the economic damage here.

REICH: Well, first of all, it's very important to understand that this is not an economic crisis. This is a public health crisis. And the joblessness is coming out of the public health crisis.

The reason that there are so many people losing their jobs is that because it is necessary for people to be home, to shelter in place if they possibly can, to do everything they can to be safe from this pandemic.

And so, what we really need to do is make sure people have the money that they need during this very unusual and hopefully very temporary sheltering in place. They also need health care. Those are the two things. I mean, every time somebody talks about stimulating the economy or getting jobs back, the usual things we talk about during a deep economic downturn, it's irrelevant right now. That's really not what we ought to be talking about.

We ought to be talking about getting money into the hands of people who desperately need it to pay the bills over the next month or possibly two or even three month, and also getting them the health care they need, and getting the front line emergency workers, the hospital workers and others the kind of equipment that they need. Those are the priorities.

LEMON: OK. Well, I'm glad you say that so let's talk about what's happened so far, then. This $2.2 trillion economic rescue package that Congress passed, it does some good, like expanding unemployment insurance, gig workers that you mentioned. But you know, that one-time $1200 direct payment to people, I mean,

that really, that's just the beginning of what people are going to need. It's $1,200. Is it just a drop in the bucket, though? I mean, is that -- how much help is that going to be?

REICH: It's barely a drop in the bucket, Don. I mean, again, if you think about this going on for several months, 80 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. And so, $1,200 is not going to carry them on very, very far. They've got pay their bills. If they don't pay their bills, you can see how this multiplies through the economy because a lot of the creditors that they owe money to, they can't pay their bills in turn.

So, Congress is going to have to do something about this, and we're going to have to see another major coronavirus bill come through Congress pretty soon and that focuses on people, rather than bailing out big companies.

I don't even understand why it was necessary to bail out the airline industry or Boeing or any of these others. It's much more important to get money into the hands of people who need it.

LEMON: OK. So then what do they do? Do you do like a moratorium on rent? I mean, what does Congress need to do? What does the administration need to do? A moratorium on rent, on mortgage payments, on what? Some rules when it comes to evictions.

[23:25:09]

REICH: Well, there is going to be a lot of that at the state and the local level. But I think the most important thing is making sure that people have let's say $2,000 a week for the next eight weeks, at least, or even beyond that.

You see people, if they have the money, they can pay their bills. We don't have to go any more complicated than that. If they have the healthcare they need. And they can get the tests. They can go to the hospital if necessary.

But if they don't have the money, if they don't have the healthcare, then everything begins to fall apart. So, I would say if Congress is gearing up for another coronavirus bill, and I think Congress should be gearing up, they've got to make people, that is money, income, healthcare for average people the center of that bill instead of worrying about businesses.

LEMON: Robert Reich, thank you, sir. You be safe. OK?

REICH: You too. Thank you, Don.

LEMON: Thank you.

A lot of people are hurting right now. A lot of people are scared. As a country, we have faced some trying times before, and we have come out stronger on the other side.

So here with some historical perspective on all of this is CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. Douglas, good evening to you.

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Good evening, Don.

LEMON: I sure hope that you're right about coming out stronger on the other side. But, you know, people are scared right now. You know, we're coming to you for some hope that you can point to from history that will help guide us here. So, help us out.

BRINKLEY: Well, you know, I heard Governor Inslee mentioning Franklin Roosevelt earlier, and we're all talking about, you know, nothing to fear but fear itself. And we forget that when he was inaugurated in 1933, the whole country had collapsed, 25 percent unemployment. You know, the banks foreclosed. We had agricultural disaster, dust bowls coming.

And here was a man that got polio in 1921, who couldn't walk, who worked to rehabilitate himself, leading our country where he couldn't even help himself to go to bed or a bathroom, saying we've got to press on. American history teaches us that we've got to press on.

He reflected a lot on Abraham Lincoln running an election in 1864 and winning the U.S. in the middle of the Civil War. The war of 1812. James Madison got reelected. And then when Washington, D.C. burned in 1814, we held midterm elections.

There is something about the American spirit that's can do, and the belief that will solve this and stamp out this virus. I mean, we have to think that, you know, Don, Jimmy Carter left his presidency and devoted it to trying to eradicate diseases around the world in Africa, with guinea worm and river blindness, you know, it's just that we've got to put that Carter and FDR spirit with us the best we can right now.

LEMON: Carter did it. Bush did it with AIDS. So did President Clinton. He did it with the Clinton Foundation.

BRINKLEY: Yes.

LEMON: But can we do that when we have -- when we don't have an FDR type figure in the White -- can we do it with the figure we have now in the White House? Is this something that the American people will do despite the leader or in spite of the leader?

BRINKLEY: You know, I've been getting, Don, a lot of people worried that this is sort of, you know, Trump is going to take the election, and there won't be an election or it will be postponed. There will not be a postponement. And if there is, it's Congress that determines that.

Our founders were very wise in not letting presidents become, you know, absolutist monarchs. And so, Congress is going to hold elections. Now the question is how do we do it? Some states, you know, are already doing online types of voting. Can we do the old town hall paper ballot. There's --

(CROSSTALK) LEMON: What I mean is that -- what I mean is that Trump doesn't have the sort of -- he doesn't have that mentality; he doesn't have that FDR spirit about him.

BRINKLEY: No.

LEMON: That's -- that's what I meant.

BRINKLEY: No. Because when FDR got hit at Pearl -- you know, we were mentioning Pearl Harbor earlier on the show earlier.

LEMON: Yes.

BRINKLEY: I mean, boom, immediately he mobilized the country, and in ways that Trump was so slow out of the gate, Don, that we're playing catch-up ball. And I think we have to think big and large right now. And it's our -- it's our great hope.

LEMON: Yes.

BRINKLEY: During war -- one thing. During World War II was the first time penicillin got use and people's lives got saved.

[23:29:57]

You know, people who had blood poisoning or, you know, venereal disease and on and on during World War II because doctors, medical people were working to solve things even while the Second World War was going on.

LEMON: Yes. Douglas Brinkley, thank you, sir. I appreciate the hope. We'll see you soon.

BRINKLEY: Thank you. Absolutely.

LEMON: The commander of a U.S. aircraft carrier that has been hit by a major outbreak of coronavirus has been relieved of command days after writing a memo warning Navy leadership that decisive action was needed to save the lives of the ship's crew. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly is making the announcement today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS MODLY, ACTING UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF THE NAVY: I'm here today to inform you that today at my direction, the commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Captain Brett Crozier, was relieved of command.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Now, there is no doubt that Captain Crozier set off a firestorm with that memo. But he was telling the truth and trying to save lives. President Trump was asked about the whole thing tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Navy is set to fire the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after he raised red flags about the COVID-19 outbreak on his ship. It appears as if he is being punished for trying to save the lives of the sailors of his command. What's your assessment?

TRUMP: We're going to wait a little while because I understand there is a news conference by the secretary of defense about that. But, you know, I don't agree with that at all, not at all, not even a little bit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Modly said Crozier was relieved because he went outside of the chain of command and sent his memo over an unsecured system, which may be the case. But he is out of a job tonight at least in part as a result of his effort to tell the truth and get help.

The top doctor on the Coronavirus Task Force admitting they are missing half the coronavirus testing data. We're going to get the truth about testing, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx making a stunning admission tonight, saying she is missing half of the coronavirus testing data. That's despite this stimulus law requiring all tests to be reported to the CDC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People might be getting a false sense of security or that we might not be seeing all of the data here and who has it.

DEBORAH BIRX, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: Well, I'm telling you, I'm still missing 50 percent of the data from reporting. I have 660 tests reported in. We've done 1.3 million. So there is -- and it could be those sites. So we do need to see -- the bill said you need to report. We're still not receiving 100 percent of the tests.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So, let's talk about the truth about testing. Let's talk to Drew Griffin. Drew, that's a huge number. Fifty percent of testing data not received. Why is the task force still so far behind?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Don, this is beyond stunning. First of all, we are not testing enough at all to find out where this virus is heading and to get in front of it. We are way behind in that department. So what she's talking about is the minimum tests that we have done, and she doesn't have the data on those very tests. When you have a test, the test for you and me is for our doctors, our medical care to know if we have it and to treat us. The task force has the tests, aggregate tests to determine all the decision-making they have to make strategically, medically, public health wise, advising the president, and they're doing it now, we understand, with half the data that's available.

It is really stunning. This testing program as it is just continues to just come up with these gems that I can't believe. It's such a mess.

LEMON: I think by now most people realize the testing, which was so crucial in trying to mitigate the spread of the virus, has been botched. Are there any signs that it's getting better? I mean, it doesn't seem like it when you hear this 50 percent data thing not having it.

GRIFFIN: No. That part is certainly not getting better. What is getting better, the backlog. The unprocessed tests are beginning to be processed. Hospitals are more and more doing their own testing so that critical need that we need to know, the patient in the hospital, do they or do they not have COVID-19, those are improving, those tests.

But in general, as I said before, we are so far behind in this testing department that you and I, regular people, sick, who do not go to the hospital are just not going to get tested. It's not going to happen.

LEMON: Drew Griffin reporting. Drew, thank you so much. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Many governors are taking the lead as the pandemic worsens. The president has clashed with some of them, but he has developed a good working relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Democrat. The two men often at odds in the past, but that was then. Here is CNN's Jeff Zeleny.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): Objectively, California is the most un-Trump state in America, and I think that's demonstrable.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The most un-Trump state in America. That's what Governor Gavin Newsom called California just six months ago. But tonight, he has a different assessment of President Trump.

NEWSOM: Let me just be candid with you. I'd be lying to you to say that he hasn't been responsive to our needs. He has.

ZELENY (voice-over): In the fight against the novel coronavirus, the governor is making clear he and the White House are on the same side, and he is not shy about saying so. No matter what Democrats may think of the president.

NEWSOM: The fact is every time I called the president, he has quickly gotten on the line.

ZELENY (voice-over): The president, who has quarrelled with one governor after another, has done anything but with Newsom.

TRUMP: Governor Gavin Newsom, he has been very nice. We're working together really well on this.

ZELENY (voice-over): The two men met during the catastrophic California wildfires in 2018.

[23:45:03]

ZELENY (voice-over): This handshake helped get a potentially rocky relationship off to a good start.

D. TRUMP: We're going to get it done.

ZELENY (voice-over): It's not as though the pandemic has closed the political divide between the Trump White House and the largest and perhaps most liberal state in the land, from immigration to the environment. Newsom shined a light on those deep policy differences during the campaign four years ago.

NEWSOM: Trump strangled the sunny optimism of Ronald Reagan and replaced "tear down that wall" with the cynical bigotry of "build that wall."

ZELENY (voice-over): Now, Newsom is pointing the finger at states that he believes are not taking this crisis seriously.

NEWSOM: What are you waiting for? What more evidence do you need?

ZELENY (voice-over): Across the country, 40 states have statewide stay-at-home orders. In five states, partial orders are underway in some large cities. And in five more, there are no stay-at-home mandates. Those 10 states all have Republican governors.

California was first to issue a statewide stay-at-home order. Like most states, Newsom is pleading for ventilator and other equipment, but he does so in a particular way. CNN has learned he has advised some fellow governors to do the same. Not necessarily agreeing with trump, but being tempered with any disagreements.

NEWSOM: I'm not going to complain about it. We're going to own it and we're going to work our way around it.

ZELENY (voice-over): Long-time California Republican strategist Rob Stutzman said he believes Newsom is taking the right tone with Trump.

ROB STUTZMAN, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL STRATEGIST: When it comes to getting what you need from the Feds or the White House, flattery will literally get you anywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's wise on Newsom's part to be taking this approach?

STUTZMAN: Everything that Newsom has done has been from the position of being a statesman. And so I don't think there is much political calculation in anything that he is doing.

ZELENY (voice-over): It's hardly a long-term mutual admiration society, but Newsom needs the president's help, and the president needs him to help contain the outbreak in the nation's most populous state.

NEWSOM: I could criticize this or that. At the end of the day, we're just trying to focus on developing a relationship of trust as a matter of course because there is too many Americans, 40 million, that live in this state that deserve us to get together and get along.

ZELENY (voice-over): Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Jeff, thank you very much. A public apology tonight from the founder and CEO of Zoom, you know, the videoconferencing app being used by millions of Americans who are working from home due to the coronavirus. Zoom has become a vital social and professional lifeline for so many, used for everything from brunches and birthday parties to religious events.

And that is the problem. It is now being used by so many people. There are questions about privacy issues and questions from security experts about the level of encryption on its platform. Zoom's CEO is saying he is sorry and that those issues will be addressed. We'll keep you updated on that.

Doctors and nurses are facing a crisis unlike any before. My next guest is making sure to take care of those on the front lines of the battle against coronavirus.

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[23:50:00]

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LEMON: We have been hearing more stories of people who are taking care of their neighbors during the coronavirus crisis. In Queens, New York, one of the hardest hit communities in the country, a grassroots community run --community-run, I should say, initiative has sprung up to help feed health care workers under tremendous strain.

Queens Feeds Hospitals is partnering with local restaurants to provide quality meals for doctors and nurses on the front lines. Joining me now is one of the organizers for Queens Feeds Hospitals, Amanda Newman. Amanda, thank you for doing what you do.

AMANDA NEWMAN, ORGANIZER, QUEENS FEEDS HOSPITALS: Thanks for having us, Don.

LEMON: Thanks for joining us. How did Queens Feeds Hospitals get started?

NEWMAN: So, this is an idea that has really been popping up around the country but took on a life of its own here in Queens because this is a barrow (ph) that really, really cares.

And so the amount of support that we've seen around this idea of let's find a way to nourish our health care workers while also supporting the restaurants that especially here in Queens are at the heart of our neighborhoods, this idea has taken hold and it is -- it's really moving.

LEMON: How many meals have you delivered to hospitals so far and how many do you plan?

NEWMAN: We've delivered already 11 meals which has fed over 770 health care workers so far. And our plan is to be in this for the long haul, for as long as this -- as long as there's a need and as long as we have the support from donors and sponsors, we'll be here.

LEMON: Yes. Your organization is delivering to, you know, really hard hit hospitals. We've seen what's happening in Elmhurst. You're delivering there. What's your reaction like from hospital workers when you show up with this food?

NEWMAN: I mean, they're covered with masks so we can't fully see, but there are huge smiles. We're pretty confident. And we're hearing from health care administrators, hospital administrators that it's a relief to have an organization coordinating all of these deliveries.

There are a lot of folks who want to help and it's also really moving to see restaurant owners who were thrilled to have funds coming in to support their employees but also incredibly honored and incredibly generous in their support to these health care workers.

[23:55:00]

LEMON: There's a "GoFundMe" for Queens Feeds Hospitals just shy of reaching the $15,000 goal. We're going to put it up there. There it is on the screen. What else can people do, real quickly if you can before we have to get off the air, to help?

NEWMAN: So, you're welcome to visit us on social media at Queens Feeds Hospitals. We're also part of a larger national initiative called Frontline Foods. So if you want to support nationally or find an effort in your area, you can visit frontlinefoods.org.

LEMON: Amanda Newman.

NEWMAN: We have already raised (INAUDIBLE).

LEMON: Great. Thank you. Continue to do what you do. We salute you. Be safe, OK?

NEWMAN: OK.

LEMON: Thank you. NEWMAN: I appreciate it.

LEMON: And thank you for watching. Our coverage continues. And by the way, an update on Chris, he's doing well. I spoke to him. Everything is fine, and we're all rooting for him. Our coverage continues.

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