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Don Lemon Tonight
Joe Biden Picks Kamala Harris As His Running Mate; Some Experts Warn Mix Of Online And In-Person Learning May Be Most Dangerous Option Of All; Big Ten And Pac-12 Postpone College Football And All Fall Sports Over Coronavirus Concerns; Aquarium Collects Old Wishes To Pay Bills During Pandemic. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired August 11, 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]
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Joe Biden is making history, picking Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, Harris becoming the first woman of color on a major party presidential ticket. The two are set to appear tomorrow night or tomorrow, I should say, in Delaware.
And coronavirus cases are surging in parts of the U.S. More than 45,000 new infections reported just today, raising major concerns about how these numbers may spike when more kids head back to school in the fall.
And a big announcement from two major college sports organizations. The Big Ten and Pac-12 say that they are postponing fall sports. But President Trump is still pushing for college football. Is there any way to make it safe?
We're going to break down all of these stories and more in the hour ahead for you.
So joining me now is Astead Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times, and Aarti Shahani, author of "Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares." That is a great title for a book. Thank you both for joining us.
AARTI SHAHANI, AUTHOR: Thank you.
LEMON: Astead, I want to start with you. So, we are going to wake up tomorrow, a new phase in the campaign, what should we be looking ahead to now that the VP choice has been made?
ASTEAD HERNDON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES: I think this means the kind of -- the general election kind of final frontier is upon us. We are now going to get to the conventions although they're both going to be like more virtual conventions, but we're now going to see the kind of Biden-Trump matchup in all of its glory.
I think what the VP pick did today is show from the Biden campaign that they are at once trying to energize a kind of constituency in the party's base, but also making a very conventional choice, willing to make sure this does not have any surprises between now and November, that it doesn't throw a wrench in the race.
Senator Harris is a known quantity on the national stage and that allows the Biden campaign to focus its efforts most clearly against President Trump. There's not going to be -- to our knowledge at this point, we don't foresee any big new things coming from the vice presidential selection.
It allows Vice President Biden to carry the energy that the polling shows he currently has into the general election. It is up to the Trump campaign to try to reverse that.
LEMON: Aarti, let's talk about this. And this will, you know, get all of the people who are on social media, who text me and e-mailing me, saying, don't forget she's mixed heritage. So I wanted to say --
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: -- OK, we have a whole segment coming up on that. Hold your horses, OK, and we'll be talking about it a lot more. But thank you for joining us.
This is picture of her parents on Facebook, Shyamala Gopalan and also Donald Harris, immigrants from India and Jamaica. You pointed out to us that this family photo from Harris's cousin showing her in a sari, this is another big first and it is a milestone, as well.
SHAHANI: Yeah. I mean, they see a sign for people of South Asian origin. They see Twitter is totally exploding over the nomination of Harris. And it's interesting, right, because she has not led in her story of herself as being part of the South Asian community.
In a lot of ways, you've kind of seen her stumbling toward knowing how to relate to it because we're not yet seen as part of the American political mainstream, but obviously politically and financially we're more and more relevant to that way politics.
And her story is kind of, you know, like recently, before she ended her presidential bid, she was doing a video with Mindy Kaling and they were making dosa together. I am sure you had it, right? You had dosa?
LEMON: Yeah. I lived in India for a while. I worked there for this company in Delhi. So, I had a lot and it is amazing. So, now you made me hungry. Go on. Sorry.
(LAUGHTER)
SHAHANI: She pointed out she hadn't made dosa before. I guess part of me is wondering how is she going to start signalling her deep connection to her roots and her uniquely American story, right? Because being multiracial and herself being a migrant, by that -- I mean, she was born in this country but then went to Canada for many years.
I mean, that is so much of our experience. That is so much of how we live. And we're at this stretch where there's a big disconnect between the political narrative and our realities. She's quintessentially American in her complexity, in being of mixed origin, of being the fruit of black and brown love, and I want to see her own more and more of that.
LEMON: I think -- you know, it is tough. I'm glad you're here to talk about this, because it's tough for Americans to -- people want to put people into a box. Like you have, OK, either you're this or you're that or you're that.
[23:05:00]
LEMON: She's multi-ethnic. She has multi ethnicities. There's nothing wrong with that. That's actually really great. It's something that we should embrace rather than --
SHAHANI: Yeah.
LEMON: I know sometimes it is difficult to find the language to express that or people are just not used to it. But isn't that what America really is about?
SHAHANI: I mean, this kind of like the tragic irony of our moment is that at the very time that we are just talking about how polarized this country is, the stark fact continues to be that we are the epicenter of the world converging.
LEMON: Mm-hmm.
SHAHANI: Your life and my life and her life are evidence of that. And people relate to it. I mean, the reason Twitter is going crazy is because they see themselves in her. For me, for example, I grew up in working class New York City.
My American story, I was an undocumented immigrant as a child, my family came here, we adjusted in this country and eventually became citizens. My story is a bunch of black aunties -- Jamaican, African- American, Nigerian -- Auntie (INAUDIBLE) was my favorite -- teaching us how to make this country our home. And that's true for a lot of working South Asians.
If you look throughout New York and New Jersey, Maryland, Atlanta, so many working class Asians have the story of learning to be American through our black --
LEMON: Right.
SHAHANI: -- brothers and sisters.
LEMON: Yeah.
SHAHANI: And she embodies that.
LEMON: Right. And she's a woman of color and that's -- OK, so that's it. She's a woman of color and that's what's important here.
OK. So Astead, listen, Senator Harris knows how to go after someone. This is her on the hill. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): Kasowitz, Benson and Torres --
BRETT KAVANAUGH, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yeah.
HARRIS: -- which is the law firm founded by Marc Kasowitz --
KAVANAUGH: Yeah.
HARRIS: -- who is President Trump's personal lawyer, are you -- have you had any conversation about Robert Mueller or his investigation with anyone at that firm? Yes or no?
KAVANAUGH: Well, is there a person you're talking about?
HARRIS: I'm asking you a very direct question. Who'd you talk to?
KAVANAUGH: I don't think -- I'm not remembering.
HARRIS: You have impeccable memory. You've been speaking for almost eight hours, I think, more to this committee about all sorts of things, you remember.
Has the president or anyone at the White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone? Yes or no, please, sir?
WILLIAM BARR, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL: The president or anybody else?
HARRIS: Seems you'd remember something like that and be able to tell us.
BARR: Yeah, but I'm trying to grapple with the word "suggest." I mean, there had been discussions of matters out there that they have not asked me to open an investigation.
HARRIS: Perhaps they suggested?
BARR: I don't know. I wouldn't say suggest.
HARRIS: Hinted?
BARR: I don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: You know, that's tough and is often the case in politics. Some people will love that toughness, some will target it.
HERNDON: Yeah, I mean I think you can run a highlight clip of Senator Harris' moments, particularly on these committees. This is really where she made her introduction to the American people, asking those tough questions, particularly of Trump administration officials. You know, I remember the time in which I was covering Senator Harris's presidential campaign and things that were universally true of the people who knew her kind of throughout her life, was that this was someone who kind of empathetic and someone who also was tough and was best in times in which she was going on offense.
And I think that that is something that you can expect from Senator Harris. That she will be a kind of well-placed voice for Joe Biden, who hasn't necessarily seemed at ease in the kind of his more offensive moments. He now has someone who is very good at that and most suited at that and is very comfortable in that role.
But I think even more so than that, we talk about her kind of unique American origin story, I think that's something she's going to be able to lean into more now in this role.
You know, the presidential campaign can ask someone to get in the box. The first story I wrote about Kamala Harris in her presidential aspirations was about how she was hard to define. That can be difficult when you're trying to lead at the top of the ticket and people want a clear understanding of where your ideology is, what your background is and the like.
This is a role that could allow her to step into her own and also to kind of be the voice of where Biden wants to go offensively. I think that we're going to see a kind of different Senator Harris than the one on the trail who often faced questions on where she stood on particular issues.
LEMON: All right. Astead, thank you, as always.
Aarti, I think that what we talked about is an important conversation that we need to learn more about and discuss as we move through this election. You and I think the senator can help the country and the world understand that.
[23:10:02]
LEMON: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
SHAHANI: Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you.
Listen, I want to get now to Marilyn Mosby. She is Maryland State's attorney in Baltimore City. So, thank you so much. It's good to see you. How are you doing?
MARILYN MOSBY, STATE'S ATTORNEY FOR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: I'm doing well, Don. Thank you for having me.
LEMON: It's good to see you again. So you have called Kamala Harris your mentor. What is your initial reaction to this historic choice?
MOSBY: I mean, this historic choice means so much to America in this moment. I mean, you have Kamala Harris, this bold, brilliant, beautiful, black woman, HBCU graduate. This is the first woman ever, ever to be selected a major party nominee for the president -- the vice president of the United States of America.
And so as a mother, as an HBCU graduate with two little girls that tries to instil that in this country you can be anything that you put your heart and your desire to become based upon no matter what you look like, I'm filled with pride right now.
I can't stop smiling because in this moment, Kamala Harris has broken and shattered a glass ceiling. My girls can see themselves in her and most importantly the world, right? The world is once again witnessing America's promise of equality.
And I'm absolutely elated that Joe Biden has recognized in this moment that black women, who have carried the Democratic Party on our backs, not only nationally but locally since Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisholm, Verna Welcome (ph), he has recognized that. And his selection of Kamala Harris, in my opinion and the opinion of so many black women in this country, is that it's perfect.
LEMON: All right. Let's talk about why you think she's picked, OK? Because she is the first woman to be elected as San Francisco's district attorney, the first black woman to be California's attorney general and the first black woman to represent California in the Senate.
No doubt she is a trailblazer. So, I just read all that, and I'm going to ask you why do you think she was picked. Duh!
(LAUGHTER)
MOSBY: Duh, I mean, Don, you already said it.
LEMON: I answered my question.
MOSBY: When you think about it, Kamala Harris is not only a trailblazer but she's a visionary pioneer for criminal justice reform in this country. If you really think about -- it's important for you to remember the era in which she was a prosecutor, right?
LEMON: Yeah.
MOSBY: There was no sort of bipartisan well-funded criminal justice reform movement. There were no progressive prosecutors like Larry Krasner and Kim Foxx and Rachael Rollins and the like.
But nonetheless, she was a pioneer who recognized the inequities of the criminal justice system and the desperate impact that it had on people of color. And in her role as a prosecutor, using her discretion, she strolled -- she steered away from the tough on crime rhetoric.
And she is the one that coined the phrase, let's be smart, and said to the nation, let's be smart on crime, let's address crime from a holistic sort perspective, right? She gave second chances to people who the system left for dead. And most importantly, she inspired black women like myself to run for office. And I can tell you, after I won state's attorney, she and her team spent six hours with me and my team during our transition.
And since she came to Senate, as you just highlighted, right, she has been the loudest voice on marijuana reform, on sentencing reform, on police accountability reform. And she's used her position in the Senate Judiciary Committee to that effect, holding nominees like Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General William Barr to account.
She's a prosecutor at heart, so she is a beast.
LEMON: Yeah.
MOSBY: I can't wait for those days.
LEMON: Well, she needs to hire you, because I asked like one question this whole --
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: listen, I got to say, I've had the opportunity and the honor really of sharing the stage with her and actually challenging her at town halls and debates. She's formidable. You know -- yeah, she's not messing around. You better know your stuff when you're up on the stage with --
MOSBY: But you know what's really important, Don?
LEMON: Yeah?
MOSBY: She is everything that this country needs in this moment. I mean, she's the bold, beautiful, black woman with ambition, with experience that will bode well for attempting to resolve and address the systemic racial inequalities that have defined this nation for far too long.
And so, especially as we attempt to rebound from the division and degradation of this quasi authoritarian leader, she is exactly what this country needs in this moment.
LEMON: Thank you. I appreciate you joining us. It's good to hear you. I'm sure we'll be talking more throughout the election. Thank you so much. You be well.
MOSBY: Thank you for having me.
LEMON: And just ahead is more of our coverage of today's big news. Kamala Harris is the first black American woman chosen for a major party presidential ticket.
[23:15:02]
LEMON: The historic impact of this decision. Plus, experts warning, a mix of in-person and at-home schooling might be the most dangerous way to reopen schools. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Joe Biden naming Kamala Harris as his running mate as sources tell CNN the Trump campaign is concerned about what she brings to the race. And will this help Joe Biden not only with Democrats but with independents and even some Republicans?
Mark McKinnon is here, the former advisor to George W. Bush and John McCain. Mark, long time no see. How you doing, buddy?
MARK MCKINNON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Chicken, man. I've been kicking it. How are you doing?
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: I'm doing very well. How's the wife? Everybody is great?
MCKINNON: Everybody is good. Thank you for asking.
LEMON: Good. Give her my love. I appreciate you joining us this evening. So, you wrote a piece for Vanity Fair just a few weeks ago titled, Why Biden's VP Pick Could Cinch the 2020 Race.
[23:20:00]
LEMON: What does Harris bring in? What is the strategy here?
MCKINNON: Well, you know, historically, Don, VP picks have not been very consequential except in the negative sense. You can think about Sarah Palin or Dan Quayle or Thomas Eagleton. I think it's very different this time for several reasons.
One, Joe Biden even admits himself that he's old. He is going to be the oldest sitting president ever. So people are going to look at this pick not just as the VP but as potential president of the United States should they have to step in. God forbid, he have a health issue.
But also, even if he doesn't have a health issue, it's unlikely that he's going to run for a second term. So, the VP, Kamala Harris, now is in a very good position to be either the next president of the United States or certainly the nomination of the Democratic Party. So that's one.
Number two is she's a woman of color. It is historic. So that is a big damn deal. And number three is we have been in a big news blackout for a long time as far as the campaign goes. This is going to blot out the sun not just tonight but for the next weeks and months ahead as just a story. It's a big story. It's a consequential story.
I think Biden made a pick -- I think it's a smart pick. I think he rode the boat instead of rock the boat. There are three basic reasons that have made sense. One is he's going to pick a woman which is smart. Two, it really needed to be a woman of color given the times and issues we're facing. And so those are a couple of the issues that make it really consequential and why Biden picked her. But also the third reason is that it needed to be somebody who's been on the national stage, who's experienced that spotlight of the national press.
And by the way, it is about to get hit. It is about to be put in the human microwave of the Trump campaign. It is going to turn up to 11 and fries everybody. We have seen Kamala Harris is pretty good on the stand.
LEMON: Listen, yes, you're right about that. But let me just ask you something real quick, because you said the issues that we're dealing with.
By the way, I want to bring in presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. He joins us, as well. Douglas, welcome to the program. I want to finish this up with Mark and then I'll bring you in.
When you said the issues that we're dealing with, when you think about the spike in crime in this country, right, you're thinking about defunding the police, and some police organizations have an issue with the Biden campaign.
Some people who are more moderate, right, especially African-Americans may have an issue when it comes to defunding the police. Does Kamala Harris help with that? Was this strategic given her background as a prosecutor?
MCKINNON: One hundred percent. I mean, she has been at the forefront of these issues as attorney general, as a prosecutor, and as a senator, but she's been grappling with these issues of race and police reform, you know, all of her professional life.
So she's perfectly positioned to deal with these issues, to confront these issues, and to help Biden navigate these very tricky issues over the next couple of months.
LEMON: Yeah. I'm seeing conservative media saying, you know, she's a police officer, that's how they're going to look at her, and she's going to be liberal on this, which is just not really the case. I think this was strategically, probably a very smart move. Say it again. I cut you off.
MCKINNON: Being a prosecutor, I mean, a prosecutor background is going to help her with the general election of independents and some Republicans.
LEMON: I agree. Douglas, welcome again. The president is out there tonight saying that Kamala Harris is the most radical liberal in the Senate. Will people buy that?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: No, I don't think it's buyable. She's so impressive. The clips you ran a little bit ago of her work in the judiciary committee, the way she could prosecute people like William Barr and Jeff Sessions, and -- you know, these are tough birds that she's able to really put on the hot seat. I would be very fearful of her. I imagine if you're Mike Pence right now recognizing that this is who you're going to have to debate on issues of substance. I have a feeling she'll make minced meat of him.
And I'm afraid for Donald Trump. He's sort of stuck with Pence now, who brings no new energy to the Trump campaign.
Kamala Harris is going to become the celeb here for the next four weeks or more, and you simply have Trump-Pence. We saw George Bush 41 make that mistake when he kept Dan Quayle of Indiana on when he ran for re-election in 1192. It brought zero to the ticket.
Trump had a window to pick somebody like Nikki Haley or a woman to energize his campaign but alas you're stuck with this same old thing.
Adding Kamala Harris to Joe Biden, it suddenly feels like change. You really feel that this is a changed election and so she's adding an awful lot to the Biden campaign right now.
LEMON: OK. I want you to listen, Doug, to what Congressman Clyburn told me last hour.
[23:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): I (INAUDIBLE). I would be (INAUDIBLE) now, because I have known this man as I do Donald Trump. I would not be a bit surprised if he had chosen Pence in order to try to one up (ph) Joe Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: OK. So, you just talked about that. He said it. I asked him why, and he said because, you know, he likes to pull stunts basically. I'm paraphrasing here. Is there a historical precedent for this? Do you think that it could happen? And who would Trump pick? Would it be Nikki Haley? Who?
BRINKLEY: I think it's too late in the game, Don. I mean, yes, it has happened. I mean, when George McGovern had Thomas Eagleton, senator from Missouri in '72, they found out Eagleton had psychiatric problems. He had to dump him at last minute and pick Sergeant Shriver.
It wouldn't be seen as a move of strength this close to the convention. I'm not sure if somebody like Nikki Haley who has a political future would want to be tied to Donald Trump whose poll numbers are sinking. I don't know who would want that spot. So I think he's stuck with Mike Pence, and Pence really brings nothing to this.
I think Trump thinks he lights up the evangelical vote, maybe some conservative Catholics and the like, but it creates a stale atmosphere around Trump, which means Trump has to rely on the three debates with Joe Biden as being his way to get back in the polls because he's actually in shape, Donald Trump, in the sense of doing media every day, day in and day out. And Joe Biden is a little bit rusty. But Kamala Harris with Mike Pence, it's going to be a disaster for the Trump team because she is, in my mind, the finest prosecutor I've ever seen in my life of watching politics and Washington lawmakers. She's just unbelievably smart, articulate, and good.
LEMON: Mark, I know you have a lot to say, but I have to go, so we'll just watch what you have to say on "The Circus." All right?
MCKINNON: Tune in tonight. Thanks, Don.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Thank you both. See you soon. Make sure you tune in to CNN's special live coverage of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. It all starts on Monday night, 8:00 Eastern.
Twenty to 30 percent of all school districts across this country are planning on reopening with a mix of in-person and at-home schooling. But my next experts are really warning that this could be the worst way to reopen. They're going to tell me why. That's next.
And ahead, some of the biggest college sports leagues are preparing or postponing, I should say, their fall seasons. What does that mean for the athletes and the schools? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: A hybrid model of reopening schools now facing scrutiny over how safe it really is. Some health experts say alternating in-person learning with distance learning could help super charge the spread of coronavirus in schools.
Joining me now is the Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health Behavior and Development at Seattle's Children's Hospital, and William Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I'm so grateful to have both of you on. Thank you for joining.
William, you first. By CNN's count, 12 of the largest 101 school districts in the U.S. are planning on a hybrid plan, including nearly two million students, and a number of other towns and cities are doing this nationwide. What is the issue with this model?
WILLIAM HANAGE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, HARVARD T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Hi, Don. First, I'd like to say thanks for having me on. I would say it's great to be here but I really wish there wasn't a pandemic happening pulling me to CNN.
I want to state that schools opening ought to be a priority. And I think that when there is a low rate of community transmission, schools can open comparatively safely. The problem with this model is the number of extra contacts which it introduces. So think of it this way. Kids are in school two days and then out for three days. What happens to those three days? Over those three days, desperate parents, you know, those who cannot work from home, those who are, you know, unable to work part time for just those three days, they'll try to seek child care.
They'll either seek someone to come in and look after their kids. They may try and pull a family member in maybe in that older or at-risk group, or they may cobble together some kind of ad hoc kind of agreement. All that does is add more contacts and that means more roots into the schools.
If your goal is to stop the virus from getting into schools, this is something which is only going to open more doors to it.
LEMON: Wow! Dr. Christakis, how did the hybrid model even become an option?
DIMITRI CHRISTAKIS, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CHILD HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPMENT, SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: Well, I want to say that I think of the risk of transmission of COVID is following two elements. The first, as was just stated, is the likelihood that a child will have contact with a child that is infected, right? You can't get the virus if you're not exposed to someone that has it.
And the second is the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. How can we reduce the risk of spread? And at first blush, the hybrid model hits both of those, right? Fewer kids in the class, instead of 30 kids, you have 15. So instead of having 29 kids that could give your child COVID, you only have 14 additional ones that could.
And instead of having a classroom that's packed, you have a classroom that's less crowded, and so you can maintain social distance. But as exactly was just stated, what will end up happening or what may end up happening is, in fact, instead of your child being exposed to just those 30 kids, they're being exposed to all the other kids your kid has contact with.
[23:34:57]
CHRISTAKIS: Think of it as sort of an analogy -- the analogy that might apply is the NBA versus MLB, right? The NBA has locked down. All the players are only exposed to each other and they're all hopefully COVID-free. In MLB, they're allowed to go and mingle. And look at how it's playing out, right? Which league is able to play and which is not?
That is the risk of hybrid strategy, that there are going to be a lot of exogenous contacts that bring the virus into schools and into homes.
LEMON: Yeah. That paints a really good picture. Thank you for that.
William, hundreds of students in Georgia's Cherokee County are in quarantine now. School there is closing. There have been viral images of crowded hallways at other schools in Georgia. If we're seeing this at schools, right, that have fully reopened, what options are left?
HANAGE: Well, first, when it comes to Georgia, I want to be really careful about that because we're noticing that because there's been a lot of attention on it. We don't actually know if transmission happened in the school or just reflecting transmission in the community and there were sick kids who were going to school.
What it does show is the challenge of managing to maintain an effective pandemic strategy when you have a large amount of community spread. This is something which is really pretty simple.
What we have to do is accept that this virus we're going to be living with for an awfully long period of time and figure out ways to limit the transmission, to limit the amount, that it's actually in our communities and most likely to get into the people who are going to be least able to deal with it.
And that's the important thing about kids. Kids are much less likely to suffer the worst symptoms of disease, and that's something very important, but that's not the same thing as saying they cannot transmit. It appears increasingly clear that they can transmit.
And even if it's not like influenza for which schools really are a hotbed of transmission, it will add to the amount of transmission that is present in the community. And as a result of that, people ought to be looking to kind of make up the budget somewhere else in their communities.
And before people start thinking about opening schools, maybe start thinking about pulling back somewhere else to make room for the extra transmission which is going to be happening there.
LEMON: Listen, I think you're right on the Georgia thing. I think the pictures, though, show how difficult it is to socially distance kids because, you know, the natural inclination is to hang out and be with your friends and your classmates.
HANAGE: That age group in particular really find social distancing a struggle. If you look at the antibody tests, you can see that they were disproportionately likely to have evidence of infection during the first wave in the northeast and even parts of Europe.
LEMON: I want to spend more time with you guys. Will you come back? We're unfortunately out of time for this time. But I want to have both of you back because I think what you're saying is very important, both of you. So thank you so much. I'll see you soon on this very program. Thanks.
HANAGE: Thanks, Don.
CHRISTAKIS: Thanks for having me.
LEMON: Thank you.
So, they want to play and I'm going to speak with a Pac-12 football player whose season has been postponed. Plus, it's a very sad sign of the times in the COVID era, an aquarium paying their bills with coins from their wishing well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Today, the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences voting to postpone college football and other fall sports over concerns about the coronavirus.
Over the weekend, a group of star college players coming together, calling for better health and safety protocols, but saying they're committed to playing amid the global pandemic with the hashtags 'we want to play' and 'we are united.'
Joining me now to discuss is one of those college athletes, Dylan Boles, a defensive end for Stanford University. There he is. We tried to get you on last night. We had some technical difficulties. I'm glad you're here tonight. Dylan, thank you so much.
DYLAN BOLES, FOOTBALL PLAYER, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Mr. Lemon. It's a pleasure to be with you.
LEMON: Your school -- you're making me feel old, but that's OK. Your school is a part of the Pac-12. How do you feel about today's announcement?
BOLES: Obviously very disappointed. A lot of guys were devastated. But, you know, as we're martially charged to our sport that we played our entire lives, we have to heed the advice of medical professionals who are emotionally charged to protect the health and safety of others.
They've dedicated their entire lives studying that. So we have to honor what they're saying and make sure we're doing it with the best interest of the college athlete in mind.
LEMON: Do you think, Dylan, the big conference is like the SCC, the ACC, big 12, might now decide to follow in postponing the games until after this year?
BOLES: There certainly will be pressure. However, if they are able to safely conduct a season with universal mandated COVID protocols and procedures and ensure the health of athletes, I think that would be phenomenal.
However, I think that there have been a lot of options that have been exhausted as we've seen in the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and plenty of other conferences that have already postponed or cancelled.
So, you know, definitely very interesting to see if they're able to conduct a season, but I really do think that with the pressures mounting, it's going to be very difficult to pull off.
LEMON: Listen, I hear students are talking about, you know, it's not the same. Learning online, it's really not the same as having a campus experience.
[23:44:56]
LEMON: And I wonder, as a college athlete, losing college football, what would that mean to you over the course of this coming year and the future, really?
BOLES: I've been blessed to be a part of the Stanford Football Program. I've been surrounded by so many, you know, great men, young leaders that are really, you know, inspire change in their communities. This has really been a privilege, to be part of the program.
Just playing at this level, playing college athletics just across the board has been a phenomenal experience. It's definitely an integral part of our community, you know, as a school and as an institution, more just across the country, that's why we have such a following. So many people really are putting so much focus and respect towards what the collegiate athlete does.
Obviously, not having this opportunity to have a season, at least through this calendar year, it is unfortunate. There is a bond that you establish with all of the guys that you go to battle with, you know, when it comes time to play a game, just the amount of time that we dedicate towards our sport, the time and energy, and just all the preparations that goes into having a season is honestly pretty amazing.
And so not having that is really disappointing, but honestly, we just need to make sure that we are protecting our health and safety in the process. We will play football at some point. We just have to make sure that we are doing it the right way.
LEMON: You know, listen, this is a big deal, a lot of interest from everyone, including the man at the top, the president. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hopefully, we can watch colleges play football. We want to get football and colleges. These are young, strong people. They won't have a big problem with the China virus. So we want to see college football start. And hopefully, a lot of great people are going to be out there. They are going to be out there playing football and they will be able to fight it off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Are you worried that this is becoming too political?
BOLES: I think that, with the focus on health and safety of student athletes, that has certainly come first and foremost. Just with the player movements, you know, I have been very involved and honestly it has been amazing to see everything transpire over the course of the last few months.
Very highly motivated individuals are coming together with the common objectives. When we started the 'we are united' movement in the Pac-12 and some of these other conference wide movements, we were doing it with the hope of protecting the health and safety of the student athlete. That comes first and foremost.
LEMON: Yeah.
BOLES: When a hashtag came out, people were taking that as a direct to the system movement. However, when we came together on that Sunday, and I was discussing with guys at Clemson, we understood that after discussing for no more than 20 minutes, we were both focused on the same collective goal, playing football but doing it the right way.
And so once we reach that understanding, we were able to come together and unite for that. We wanted to have a season. We wanted to do it the right way. And I do think there is a political element that's involved in this. And I think when people were taking sides the past couple of days with each hashtag and movement, I don't think they were really taking into account that everyone wants to do this the right way and collectively come together.
LEMON: Listen, obviously, everyone wants you guys to play, right? As you said, you want people to be safe. Everyone wants people to go back to school. But they wanted it to be done safely. It's tragic that this has become political, but you guys -- be safe, continue to be cohesive, and take care of yourself. We thank you for coming on. I hope that you are able to do it soon. Thank you so much.
BOLES: Thank you so much.
LEMON: Thank you. We will be right back.
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[23:50:00]
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LEMON: Well, we have talked a lot about coronavirus on this show, but it can still be surprising to see individual examples of the impact the virus has had.
I want you to take a look at these images. It is from an aquarium in North Carolina. This is where staff, in order to pay bills and care for and feed their animals, emptied out a 30-foot water fixture that guests have used for years to toss in a penny or a nickel or quarter to make a wish.
To stay open, they have drained and cleaned and collected nearly 100 gallons worth of coins.
Joining me now is Lis Bayer. She is the director of North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Liz, thank you. Wow! I mean, this is just unbelievable times we're living. We appreciate you joining us. You are having a contest for people to guess the amount of money, but the pandemic forced the aquarium to close for over five months. What has this meant for the aquarium and the staff?
LIZ BAIRD, DIRECTOR, NORTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM AT PINE KNOLL SHORES: Thank you so much for having me. It has been an unbelievable five months. We have missed the guests coming in since March 17th, just like the rest of the aquarium and zoo community across the nation.
These are, of course, our busiest season and our busiest months. And so the lack of income has made us really look at our budget and tried to find creative ways to solve problems.
LEMON: Last week, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that the state will remain under the modified phase, do executive order for another five weeks.
[23:55:01]
LEMON: Can the aquarium make it through this extended shut down?
BAIRD: We will make it. We are committed to taking care of our animals and providing the very best care possible. We may have to cut back in other areas. We look forward to getting phase three and welcoming our guests back.
LEMON: Do you think the aquarium is in danger of shutting down for good?
BAIRD: I really hope not. North Carolina has made a rich investment in our aquarium system. I think they will stand behind it. I worry a lot about the other aquariums and zoos across the nation, however.
LEMON: Yeah. Listen, we all had a big reaction to the story. Why do you think it resonates so much with people?
BAIRD: I think we hit sort of a perfect time where we know that there is a coin shortage, where we think of the extraordinary things that you never think of doing. It was really one of my staff who had suggested that we turn off the waterfall. It's not connected to any animal care.
And we decided to shut it down in order to save energy. And then we thought, let's take advantage of cleaning the coins out of the bottom and see if we can help pay some of our bills with those.
LEMON: Well, good luck. Please keep us updated. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
BAIRD: Thank you very much.
LEMON: Thank you. Thank you for watching, everyone. Our coverage continues.
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