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Don Lemon Tonight
Joe Biden And Kamala Harris Made First Appearance Together As Running Mates; Trump Tweets Suburban Housewife Will Vote For Him; Thousands Of Students And Staff Quarantined Due To COVID-19 Cases Outbreak In Schools; Republican Can't Seem To Agree On Attack Strategy Against Kamala Harris; President Trump Reverts To Stereotypes As Campaign Fumbles To Respond To Biden Picking Harris. Aired 10-11p ET
Aired August 12, 2020 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[22:00:00]
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Hello everyone, this is CNN TONIGHT. I am Don Lemon. Thank you so much for joining.
As I have said many nights, on this program, the United States battling two deadly viruses, COVID-19 and race. Well, today, America's got their first taste of how a potential administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would attack those viruses as compared to the three and a half year track record of Donald Trump.
Biden and Harris addressing the American public this afternoon for the very first time as running mates on the Democratic ticket. There they are together on stage, Wilmington, Delaware.
Well, Harris wasted no time strongly stating her reasons for running against the Vice President Joe Biden. And President Trump, not attacking Harris on her policy positions instead going after her by trotting out racist and misogynistic tropes, tweeting, and I quote here, "I hate reading his tweets, but I will, it's up on your screen. The suburban housewife will be voting for me.
They want safety and they are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood. Biden would reinstall it. In a bigger form with Cory Booker in charge. So, I had to read that one. So -- not that it needs explaining if it does. There's an issue. I'm sure I don't have to explain it to you, but I will."
OK, suburban housewife. Think about that. Suburban housewife that is a phrase right out of the 1950s and 60s -- or the 1960s. Remember (inaudible), look at this. Literally. This is Time magazine the cover June 20, 1960. The suburban housewife. The proto-typical suburban housewife to President Trump and probably a lot of other people, is a white woman. But that is an outdated way of thinking.
And quite frankly is a dog whistle. Because of the race baiting and the fearmongering using the words low income housing would invade -- you know, what he means by that right? He really means black Americans moving in. Don't pretend you are surprised by this. Oh my God there's -- of course that's what he means. Why else would he say it? Right? And if you're not a black American and says low income and you're a
poor person in America. Isn't that insulting as well? But why would he just single out poor people in America? Right. Isn't that part of his base, the unheard of people? So why is he saying it?
Because he's talking about black people. The scary black people. And why would he cite Cory Booker, a black senator. Why Cory Booker? Why? Why not Elizabeth Warren. Why not Bernie Sanders, or Sherrod Brown, or Tim Kaine. Why not any of those? Come on. You know why not. The dogs aren't the only ones who are hearing that whistle.
Trump continued that theme tonight at the White House inferring that Kamala Harris is an angry black woman. Especially during the Democratic primary races.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, he made a choice. He picked her. I watched her. I watched her poll numbers go boom, boom, down to almost nothing. And she left angry, she left mad. It was nobody more insulting to Biden than she was. She said horrible things about him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Go down. Boom, boom, boom. Like the economy under President Trump. He's also called her nasty and mean. Donald Trump's record on dealing with racial issues in America is quite frankly appalling. He has shown hostility to the black lives matter movement. But let's remember this is the third anniversary of the March on Charlottesville by white supremacists.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWDS CHANTING: Jews will not replace us. Jews will not replace us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Trump then forever staining his presidency when he said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You also had people that were very fine people on both sides. You had people in that group -- excuse me. Excuse me, I saw the same pictures as you did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Defending Neo-Nazis and white supremacist. OK. So, here's a contrast for you. I want you to listen to how Biden addresses race and the deadly violence in Charlottesville.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: -- we have a racial justice crisis. Donald Trump's seeks only to inflame it with his politics of racist rhetoric and appeals to division. It is also the third anniversary of that terrible day in Charlottesville.
Remember, remember what it felt like to see those Neo-Nazis. Close your eyes, and those Klansmen, White Supremacist, coming out of fields carrying lighted torches. Faces contorted bulging names, pointing in the streets of historic American city. It was a wakeup call for all of us as a country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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LEMON: And Harris is talking about hope in a country torn by racial injustice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's about who we are as a country. People of every age and color and creed who are finally declaring in one voice that yes, black lives matter. All across this country a whole new generation of children is growing up hearing the cries for justice. And the chance of hope on which I was raised.
Joe likes to say that character is on the ballot. And it's true. When he saw what happened in Charlottesville three years ago today he knew we were in a battle for the soul of our nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Did you see the contrast there?
I saw very fine people on both sides. Defending Neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and white nationalists. Today more than 1,000 Americans died from coronavirus. The 17th consecutive day the U.S. has averaged over a thousand deaths from the disease. And since the outbreak of the virus more than 165,000 Americans have died. It is a crisis taking our loved ones and our friends. But this president has denied its deadly impact on America since day one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have it under control. It's going to be just fine.
We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment. Five, and to those people who are all recuperating successfully.
By April, you know in theory when it gets a little warmer, miraculously goes away.
The coronavirus which is very well under control in our country. We're going down not up. We are going very substantially down not up. When you have 15 people and the 15 within a couple of days it's going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we have done.
We're doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm, it will go away.
Some of the doctors say it will wash through. It will flow through. Very accurate. I think you are going to find in a number of weeks. The FDA also gave emergency authorization for hydroxychloroquine. And I say it, what do you have to lose? I'll say it again, what do you have to lose? Take it. It will be wonderful. It will be so beautiful. It will be a gift from heaven. And it works.
I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body in which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you are going to test that too? Sounds interesting. Right and then I see the disinfectant. It knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that? By injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All that is true. None of it taken out of context. That's what he said. His own words. Biden making it clear, he and Kamala Harris will tackle the other deadly virus. That's COVID-19. They'll do it head on. To get it under control and fix the economic devastation it has brought to the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: We have a public health crisis. While he is in court trying to do away with healthcare. With more than 5 million reported infections. 165,000 people dead and climbing as a consequence of COVID-19.
And still, months later, no real leadership or plan from the president of the United States on how to get this pandemic under control. No real help from the states and local government trying to fill the vacuum of leadership from the White House. No real help for children and educators for small businesses and front line workers that hold -- they are ones that are holding our country together.
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Instead, he's issuing executive orders and making promises that in the end will defund the Social Security System while insisting that this virus will disappear. The Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration will have a comprehensive plan to meet the challenge of COVID-19 and turn the corner on this pandemic. We just need a president and a vice president willing to lead and take responsibility. Not as this president says it's not my fault.
HARRIS: When other countries are following the science, Trump pushed miracle cures he saw on Fox News. While other countries were flattening the curve, he said the virus would just poof, go away. Quote, like a miracle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Eighty-three days. That's not long. 83 days until Election Day and already the contrasts between the two tickets at the U.S. -- as the U.S. battle these twin viruses, COVID-19 and race. Could not be any more striking.
I'm going to bring in now CNN White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins. Kaitlan, good evening to you. Thank you so much for joining. The Biden-Harris ticket made their debut today. Took on President Trump and so far, it seems like the White House wasn't prepared for how to handle this.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: What was interesting about seeing the president come out today is he had that 24-hour period to really try to formulate some kind of line of attack against Senator Harris and Dom, we just really didn't see that.
You know, yesterday we talked to a bunch of the president allies after it first been decided that Kamala Harris was going to be Joe Biden's running mate and they said, you know, he needs a little bit of time, he'll think of a line of attack.
But today, we did not see any kind of clear line of strategy from the president. And it seems like based on what several sources we've spoke to said that they think the president is having some trouble defining her and in similar to the way that for the last several months they really had trouble defining Joe Biden. You know, do they paint him as this leftist or is Kamala Harris, this overzealous prosecutor.
That is something that they really have struggled with as the message they are trying to portray about where Democrats are, what the president is and as of contrasted them. And it doesn't seem to be something that's stuck yet. Now, that could change, of course.
Senator Harris does not have this perfect track record. There is something potentially that they could use from that. But so far they have not really been able to stick any kind of successful line of attack against her that we have seen.
LEMON: Interesting. So, Kaitlan, this one has been quite perplexing to me. I' wondering how he is explaining his sexist suburban housewife tweet where he said, low income housing is invading neighborhoods. Because you know, not everybody can be rich. Right? And so he's not only insulting housewives, people in suburbia, but also poor people who may not be able to afford to live in some of those big homes with lawns. How is he explaining this?
COLLINS: Well also what you see from this is how outdated the president's thinking on matters can be. You know, referring to women as housewives is not really how most women want to be referred to these days. And it seems, you know, like the president did not learned the lessons from 2018 from the midterms where suburban women abandoned Republicans and they put Democrats in control of the House on Capitol Hill.
And so you read this tweet and you know, what the president is referring to by saying he saved the suburbs is that Obama era ruled that he undid recently. And this was a rule that was meant to promote diversity in communities where they get federal grants and money like that. And there was no evidence that that rule led to an increase in crime in those areas. But the president drew that connection anyway without citing evidence.
And so this is the argument he is trying make is, aids are saying, you know, you have got a real problem with women voters and you need to work on that before November comes around. And this is the president's way of addressing it. Even though you know, strategists and aids have said focus on COVID-19.
The president says things like this. Talking about how he has the housewives' vote. While yesterday his first line of attack on Senator Kamala Harris was calling her a nasty woman, and saying that she had been disrespectful to Brett Kavanaugh when he was going through his confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court.
So, you see how the president is portraying the women he believes are politically aligned with him and those that he knows are not.
LEMON: Yes, I just wonder how everyday people Trump voter not rich people many of them don't live in the suburbs, can't afford to live there. How are they going to respond to him insulting them? You know, that's a question for me. I should ask them. Not you.
And while I have you here, I just -- I understand that there's going to be a new Bob Woodward book about Trump White House coming out. And we have some details, you have some details on that. What is it?
COLLINS: Yes, these are new details coming out tonight from our colleagues. Basically this book from Bob Woodward is going to come out September 15. That's a crucial date, because, of course, it's just shortly before the election.
And if you remember Bob Woodward's last book, which was titled "Fear," it was pretty damning about the White House and the stories not only about what Donald Trump himself did, but what aids around him did.
[22:15:13]
In ways that they went out of their way to try to stop him from making certain decisions or back off certain moves he made whether it came to economy, to national security, anything like that.
And so, this book, this new book by Bob Woodward is titled Rage. We are told by sources. It's coming out September 15. And what's really interesting about this one is remember that last book, we reported the president was really upset that aids did not come to him and told him about Bob Woodward's request to interview him.
Clearly that has changed because according to sources in this book, Bob Woodward sat down with the president over a dozen times to interview him. Here at the White House, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and it is called the New Jersey.
So, it's a lot of one on one material that Bob Woodward is going to be working with on decisions the president made about black lives matter. The economy, national security, everything really over the last several months. So, it should be interesting to read before the election. LEMON: Kaitlan Collins, at the White House. Where she has been
stationed and it's going to be throughout this election.
COLLINS: Yes.
LEMON: Get your rest now while you can. If you can. Thank you Kaitlan, I'll see you soon.
COLLINS: Thanks, Don.
LEMON: There's only a small number of school districts already open for this school year. But thousands of students and staff are now quarantined because of hundreds of positive coronavirus cases reported in those districts. What you need to know before sending your kids back to school. That's next.
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LEMON: OK. Parents, listen to this. More than 2,000 students, teachers and staff members on quarantine. That's because of at least 230 positive coronavirus cases reported in schools that they opened up for in-person learning. And the majority of school districts in this country haven't even started their school year yet. OK?
Here to discuss, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, he is the Director for Child Health Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Hospital. Doctor, thank you, good evening. It's good to see you again. You were here last night. We are glad to have you back.
DIMITRI CHRISTAKIS, DIRECTOR FOR CHILD HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPMENT, SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: It's a pleasure. Thanks for having me.
LEMON: The White House released new recommendations for schools. Very vague recommendations, it's interestingly hygiene tips, they encourage the use of mask. But don't require it. They say, everyone should do a self-health assessment every morning. Is this enough guidance for administrators to really reopen safely?
CHRISTAKIS: Well, it's funny, you know, like I didn't get the breaking news alert. I mean, is there really a plan coming out of the White House? This isn't a plan. It's a directive. And worse it's a directive that is based on a political agenda not on science or public health.
And the reason we're in this situation to begin with is because there's been a complete lack of the national strategy to contain this pandemic in the first place.
And the people that are paying the biggest the heaviest price for this today and in the future are the children that aren't going back to school. That should be our prime objective. That should be our guiding principle to get children back to school. Why are bars open? Why are restaurants open? Why tattoo parlors are open and schools are not? LEMON: I want to talk about these recommendations or you say. You
called them directives, but you say the people suffering the most are children. Why, quickly if you can tell me why. Why you believe that.
CHRISTAKIS: Well, you know, to be totally honest with you, Don. The Greeks have a saying that there are problems that money can fix. We can make small businesses whole. We can make individual people financially solvent.
Many countries around the world just guaranteed basic income to people to stay home. It's not so easy to fix children's social development. Their emotional development. Their cognitive trajectories after we derail them.
Children need to be in school, especially young children, because distance learning doesn't work for them. And so, if we're in a situation right now which we are in, where primary school children in many parts of the country cannot go back to school because we deem it unsafe, we are going to keep them home for six months, a year, a year and a half.
Expecting basically parents to home school them, which is not an option for many parents who are essential workers, who have to go to work and can't be at home, or an option for parents who don't feel competent to teach their students or an option for special needs children for whom really need specialized instruction. So, we're throwing our children under the bus.
LEMON: Yes, or for poor parents. Or for parents who really don't have the income, they have maybe one screen or no screens in the home, right?
CHRISTAKIS: Right. Absolutely.
LEMON: You know, one of the recommendations was avoid large gatherings. How do you do that when there's 30 or more kids in a class? It's just -- I mean, it doesn't seem to make sense.
Even our very own Dr. Sanjay Gupta, doctor, is not sending his kids back to school. He knows kids are less likely to get sick but what he explained where he lives, Georgia positivity rate over 11 percent, and the rate of viral spread is increasing and the kids can still spread it. How important is it to know what is happening in your community? Because Sanjay very tuned in, parents should be as well. It's important.
CHRISTAKIS: It's immensely important. I read Dr. Gupta's piece. And there are two salient points to it. One is you allude to is that he is in Georgia, which is a hot spot now. And the second is his kids are older. And distance learning is at least feasible for them.
So one of the mistakes we're making in this school debate, Don, is that we're speaking about schools monolithically and saying should they open or should they close, right, which is to say they we're treating kindergarteners the same as high school seniors and we are treating children in areas of Florida which have the highest prevalence in the world the same as children in places -- in rural Iowa where they have very low rates.
It's a disservice to our children through that, because we need to try to get every child, who can get back to school safely back as soon as possible.
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And that might require that we lock everything else down. You know, the increase that we have seen in all these communities can't be blamed on school. Schools have been closed. And yet the solution seems to be let's keep schools closed. But let's keep bars and restaurants and tattoo parlors open. Let's keep having political rallies. How is that the priority? In what universe does that make sense?
LEMON: Well, and this one that we live in right now. And it's unbelievable. Doctor, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
CHRISTAKIS: Thanks for having me.
LEMON: It's the reality, but it doesn't make sense. Don't get it wrong what I was saying there. Thank you Doctor, I'll see you soon. Be safe.
So, I want you to listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: Completely corrupt.
SEAN HANNITY, FOX HOST: Most extreme radical, far left.
TRUMP: Very, very nasty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's not all team Trump is saying about Kamala Harris. But take this. They can't seem to get on the same page about what they just don't like about her. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:30:00]
LEMON: Well take this. The president, his campaign, allies at Fox News. All grasping at straws on their offensive against Kamala Harris. Trump less than two weeks ago said that Senator Harris would be a fine choice as a Democratic V.P. nominee. She had been on Biden's short list for longer than that. So with all that time to come with come up with something, why is this the first line of attack?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She was extraordinarily nasty to Kavanaugh and plus she was very, very nasty to -- one of the reasons that surprised me she was very -- she was probably nastier than even Pocahontas to Joe Biden. She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden and I thought she was the meanest, the most horrible, most disrespectful of anybody in the U.S. Senate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: It's like kindergarten. CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports that it took President Trump less than two minutes to reach for the word nasty. When reacting to the Harris news. And the Trump campaign can't seem to get their story straight on Harris' criminal justice record.
On a call with reporters, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, representing the campaign said she judges Harris to be untrustworthy on law and order issues.
Moments later on that same call, CNN reports that Trump Campaign Adviser Katrina Pierson said that Harris's record as California A.G. was abysmal. And that she went too far in her treatment of suspects and convicts. So, which one is it? Too tough on crime? Or not tough enough?
And then there's state media. Where they have taken and everything but the kitchen sink approach against the presumptive V.P. nominee. Including but not limited to sexist smears and more than one person not even bothering to get Kamala Harris's name right. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's just not that heroically exciting to African- Americans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wouldn't trust Kamala Harris. I think she's very ambitious.
HANNITY: This pick now solidifies what is the most extreme radical, far left out of the mainstream ticket of any major political party in American history.
GIULIANI: Kamala Harris is the worst nightmare as a prosecutor. She was in some cases overly lenient. And in other cases ridiculously strict and in some cases looks like completely corrupt.
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: Just tell Kamala Harris what to say and she will say it. That is the whole point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Her name is pronounced Kama like the punctuation mark kamala. OK? Seriously I have heard every sort --
CARLSON: OK. So what.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's how it is. Kamala. Out of respect for somebody who is going to be on the national ticket. Pronouncing her name right is actually -- it's kind of a bare minimum.
CARLSON: o, I'm disrespecting her by mispronouncing her name unintentionally. So it begins. You are not allowed to criticize Kamala Harris or Kamala Harris or whatever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kamala. CARLSON: Joe Biden was attacked by Kamala Harris. Name three things
that Kamala Harris sincerely believes?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Names can be so hard to pronounce sometimes. Even names of people who have been on the scene for years. Say it with me. Kamala Harris. Next, Kamala Harris is snapping right back at President Trump in her first appearance with Joe Biden as a Democratic ticket.
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[22:35:00]
LEMON: Kamala Harris making the first appearance as Joe Biden's running mate and drawing a line, a clear line in the sand between the Democratic ticket and President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We're reeling from the worst public health crisis in the century. The president's mismanagement of the pandemic has plunged us into the worst economic crisis since the great depression.
And we're experiencing a moral reckoning with racism and systemic injustice that has brought a new coalition of conscience to the streets of our country demanding change. America is crying out for leadership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Let's bring in now Thomas Friedman, New York Times foreign affairs columnist and the author of From Beirut to Jerusalem. Good to see you Mr. Friedman, thank you so much for joining us.
Kamala Harris directly going after President Trump painting this as a fight for the conscience of America. You say she's bringing excitement to a lot of people. How big of a boost is this for Biden do you think?
THOMAS FRIEDMAN, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COLUMNIST, NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I think it's a big boost, Don, because I think that she and Biden together really represent and are touching something very deep in the country. Something I think that a lot of the African-American women down in the South Carolina who really lifted Biden up and made him the Democratic nominee, I think intuitive (ph).
And that's when a transition, Don from a country that was a white majority dominated by white males. To a country that is going to be minority, majority. Dominated by a very diverse coalition of different Americans and men and women. We're in that transition.
[22:40:00]
And what we have seen in the last six months is that transition can happen smoothly or it can happen violently. It can happen, you know, by consensus or not. And I think that what Biden and Kamala Harris represent is a team, is the hope that we can actually make that transition that they will be the bridge between that white majorities America to a minority majority America. I think that is the hope here. And I think that's what is touching a lot of people.
LEMON: You know, President Trump is attacking Harris calling her angry, nasty. Weak on facts. His campaign and surrogates are using racist attacks. Are we looking at on what could be the ugliest race for the White House in modern political history? I mean, they are going to do a lot to top 2016. But my question is there.
FRIEDMAN: yes, let me put Donald Trump and social networks together and you are going to get real ugly. But here's what struck me, Don in listening to a Biden and a Harris press conference.
You know, I imagine that I was in one of the focus groups when they you ask to turn the dial when you hear something you really like or the other way if you don't. And I'll tell you when I turned the dial, Don, it's when Biden began by listing their agenda.
And what did he say? He said, our number one agenda is that we will have a plan to deal with this virus. I'm really believe, Don, when the fall comes, parents don't have their kids in schools.
The economic assistance is not sufficient. Renters are being thrown out of their home. And Donald Trump is out there saying that she was nasty to Kavanaugh? I'm sorry. That is not going to fly. It's always been about the virus stupid.
Unless you take care of the virus, people will not be in school. People will not have jobs. Restaurants will not have customers. Donald Trump never understood that. And that I think is going to -- those chickens are going to come home to roost this fall. And that's why all this mud that they're throwing at them. None of it is sticking because that's not what Americans are worried about right now. They are worried about school and jobs.
LEMON: And he hasn't read the room or the country. And it's completely tone deaf. And that usually -- lack of self-awareness is a better way of putting it. And that usually -- that's usually very hurtful for people when reality smacks them in the face.
Tom, I have to ask you, in April, you called on Biden to name his entire cabinet at the Democratic Convention. You say, his cabinet is fan across the political spectrum. Do you think that could still happen?
FRIEDMAN: I really do. I think again, you know, I have always felt -- you know, Don, Trump and Biden each have a kind of Teflon. Trump's teflon is actually mud. He is so covered in mud that you throw more mud at him and nothing sticks.
The whole notion of a stain on Donald Trump is an oxymoron. Biden's Teflon, and I think the thing that propelled him forward is a sense that he's a decent guy who can bring people together.
I think if I'm listing one of the concerns of people in the country. Number one obviously is the coronavirus, but number two is the fear that we are ripping ourselves apart as a country.
I wrote about this this week that were -- we're becoming divided as sectarian or tribally divided as the Middle East countries that I've covered. I think that is a deep, deep concern of people.
And I think another reason again that the Democrats in going back to South Carolina lifted Biden off the mat, is because they believed he was a guy who can pull the country together and I think his partnering with Kamala Harris has reinforced that. I think, that is the most dangerous threat to Donald Trump. Because I think a lot of Americans really carry that fear.
LEMON: Tom, thank you. You be well. I'll see you soon.
FRIEDMAN: Always.
LEMON: So, you know, we talked about the dog whistle of this president on race and you know, people low income people or what have you. That's why you need to tune in to my pod cast. It's called silence is not an option. Taking on hard conversations about race in America being black in America. Find it on Apple podcast or your favorite podcast app. We are going to talk about sports. It drops 4:00 in the morning. You don't want to miss it.
A father and son. Both doctors. Died weeks apart from each other, they died from the coronavirus. Their family says they died heroes. I'm going to speak with some of those family members. Next.
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[22:45:00]
LEMON: I really -- I want everyone please sit down and pay attention to this. This is very important segment we're about to do right now in the show. So, the coronavirus death toll in this country now near 166,000 people. For two weeks more than 1,000 Americans have died from this virus every single day.
These numbers are startling, but they're not just numbers they are people. They are mothers, they are fathers, children, aunts, uncles, neighbors. Like a father and son from Florida. Dr. Carlos Francisco Vallejo and Dr. Jorge Vallejo.
These beloved doctors died from coronavirus just five weeks apart. And I'm honored to speak with the Vallejo family tonight. Thank you so much. I really appreciate all of you joining us tonight.
(VALLEJO FAMILY): Thanks for having us.
LEMON: Your family is dealing with two tremendous losses. The loss of your husband and father-in-law. Tell me about your husband Carlos. He was on the frontlines of this pandemic.
LISSETTE VALLEJO, LOST HUSBAND AND FATHER-IN-LAW TO COVID-19: My husband is my hero. I miss him very much.
[22:50:00]
He was a very kind person. He would go out of the way to help any human being. At any time of the day. He would wake up and go to the hospital and help anybody. When it was the COVID section he would tell me I need to go see my patient.
And I was like, trying to be careful and he goes no, these are -- I love these people, these are my family and he would spent every day going to the hospital in the frontline helping another human being, and I'm really devastated losing him, but he was a great doctor and my hero forever.
LEMON: Lissette, when did he first get sick?
VALLEJO: He got sick on Father's Day.
LEMON: Wow.
VALLEJO: Father's day --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes and --
VALLEJO: We weren't able to celebrate Father's Day that was Sunday morning at around 3:00 in the morning I had to call rescue on him.
LEMON: Charlie, what were you saying?
CHARLIE VALLEJO, LOST FATHER AND GRANDFATHER TO COVID-19: I was saying yes, that we actually had to admit them both to the hospital on the same day. And my grandfather was admitted around 1:00 in the morning and my father around 3:30 in the morning the same day.
LEMON: Listen, before I move onto the rest of the family. You had COVID-19, as well. So, listen, I have to ask you how you're feeling.
VALLEJO: I'm feeling great, thank you. I'm already negative, thank God.
LEMON: OK. Great, great. OK, Charlie, let me bring you back. Because what precautions were your dad, your grandfather and the whole family taking to protect against COVID-19?
C. VALLEJO: I mean, he was real cautious when my dad would go into the hospital, he would wear two masks, he wear the full PPE, the face mask, the gown, everything. So, he was as cautious as you can be, but you know, you can cover up as much as you want, there is always a slight chance you can still contract the virus and unfortunately, my dad did.
LEMON: Yes. Giselle, your grandfather, Dr. Jorge Vallejo fled Cuba. He learned English, became an OB-GYN, practiced for 45 years. He treated celebrities like singer Selena Cruz. I mean, his -- it's an incredible life story.
GISELLE VALLEJO, LOST FATHER AND GRANDFATHER TO COVID-19: Yes, he actually delivered all of us, as well. He delivered all his grandchildren.
LEMON: It sounds like your dad and your grandfather were really pillars of the community. Are you getting an outpouring of support?
G. VALLEJO: Absolutely. We've had a bunch of love and support from our County and friends and all over the world they are reaching out to us from patients of my grandfather and my father, people reaching out on social media saying hey, your grandfather delivered me years ago, your father when seen real life recently, they were looked as heroes for so many people and like I was telling my mom, I feel, you know, all of us always saw my dad as a hero and now the whole world sees that.
He really did put his life on the line for his patients here and he love his patients (inaudible), and he got that from my grandfather, my grandfather did the same thing. They truly were, you know, amazing, they would dedicate their life to a patient and then they come home and be the perfect family man.
LEMON: You know, Kevin, Lissette and Gisselle, talked about that the kind of people they were. They would help anybody and they would go to the hospital and, you know, Lissette talked about how he treated the patients, right? Kevin, they were both doctors. What would they be telling the public right now about precautions and what they should be doing?
KEVIN VALLEJO, LOST FATHER AND GRANDFATHER TO COVID-19: they would be telling people to not leave your house unless it's absolutely necessary, wear a mask, cover your eyes also could (inaudible). And definitely to not gather in any type of large groups and to stay at home and be safe because you never know how hard this virus can impact you until it reaches home.
LEMON: Kevin, what do you want other people to know about this virus and about what your family is going through because Gisselle said they're heroes?
K. VALLEJO: I would like people to know that this virus is no joke and under six weeks, it completely destroyed my dad's lungs. My grandfather died from the virus in under six days and he has survived so much before this. You know, even the medicines they have out right now, there is no guarantee that they can even treat you at the end of the day.
LEMON: Yes. Lissette, what is holding your family together right now?
L. VALLEJO: Faith in God and strength and I always pray to God to give me the support. They are both in medical school and my daughter is in nursing, God give me the strength to finish their medicine career and my daughter a nurse and that's what is keeping me going.
[22:55:00]
LEMON: So, you know, you're inspired by your father and your grandfather, both of you or all of you. This hasn't changed your desire, the will to be doctors and nurses? K. VALLEJO: I mean, it's the oath a physician takes. You know, we put
everything on the line to save our patients much like firefighters that go into the line of duty. They will do whatever it takes to help people out of the fires. You know, we do it in the same way without hesitation. It's your oath, you have to go in, treat your patients and sometimes you have to the ultimate sacrifice. And that's what it entails.
C. VALLEJO: It breaks my heart my dad and grandfather won't be able to see me become a doctor, but I'm going to do everything in my power to continue their legacy and give great care to people here in south Florida.
G. VALLEJO: Being a nurse in all of this as a business, they always said they were old school. They treated each patient, you know, with love --
C. VALLEJO: Like family.
G. VALLEJO: Like family.
VALLEJO: My husband would wake up at any time of the night and go to the hospital and treat patients and he would actually with the COVID he would go inside and physically -- do a physical on the patient. He said I have to hear their lungs and I got to touch them to make sure they're OK.
G. VALLEJO: He never hesitated.
C. VALLEJO: He never hesitated once.
G. VALLEJO: He gave his life for them.
LEMON: Well, listen, you are a beautiful family. You're a very good looking family and you have a beautiful home. You have a great relationship. You have the strength and in just in order I just want to thank everyone for coming on. We have Kevin.
Kevin, thank you on the end, Lissette, Charlie and Gisselle. God bless you and the whole world is thinking about you. Thank you so much.
C. VALLEJO: Thank you for having us.
VALLEJO: God bless.
LEMON: We'll be right back.
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