Return to Transcripts main page

Don Lemon Tonight

Biden Will Ask Americans to Wear Masks for his First 100 Days in Office; 200,000 Plus New COVID-19 Cases Today; Biden on Department of Justice Won't be Influenced by Politics; California Issues Stay-At- Home Order Linked to ICU Capacity; Biden Vows his Administration will Look Like the Country; White House Holds Holiday Parties as the Pandemic Surges Across the Country. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired December 03, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: So, here's our breaking news, President-Elect Joe Biden preparing to battle the surge in COVID-19 pandemic the day he takes office.

In an exclusive interview on CNN, along with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, Biden saying he will ask Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office to slow the spread of the virus. This coming with more than 200,000 new cases and more than 2,700 deaths reported today. Biden also saying tonight the Justice Department will operate independently without being influenced by politics.

Joining me now, CNN's White House correspondent John Harwood and former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, good evening to both of you. John, I see you every night. John Harwood, John Dean, I haven't seen you in a while. It's good to have you on. Thank you both for joining.

JOHN DEAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.

LEMON: So, John Harwood, more Americans than ever before hospitalized with the coronavirus and the death is skyrocketing, 26 million people don't have enough food to eat according to a new census number. This is a colossal crisis, the current president is ignoring it but the next president is on CNN telling the American people how he is going to take it all on.

JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's everything in a contrast that you could hope to get between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Donald Trump is somebody who he doesn't read, he doesn't prepare. He spent most of the time as president pretending to be president but being most intensely involved with watching television, tweeting and paying attention to what people are saying about him. Joe Biden has a serious team, serious people who are going to try to get control of this pandemic. But Donald Trump's focus right now is protecting his ego, protecting his image, safeguarding his future, exploring pardons for people who may know things about him, exploring pardons for himself and his family, collecting money from his supporters, $207 million announced this evening by the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and a new political action committee for Donald Trump, the safeguarding his political future, and perhaps his financial future as well because those 74 million people who voted for him could be consumers of Trump products in the future.

LEMON: John, here is what -- John Dean, I should say. Here is what President-Elect Biden said today about President Trump considering a wave of preemptive pardons for his family and possibly even himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, it concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice. But, look, our Justice Department is going to operate independently on those issues that -- how to respond to any of that.

[23:05:23]

I'm not going to be telling them what they have to do and don't have to do. I'm not going to be saying go prosecute a, b, or c, I'm not going to be telling them. That's not the role, it's not my Justice Department. It's the people's Justice Department.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Doesn't seem to have much of an appetite for going after Trump legally. What do you think should happen in regard to possible cases against the president, John Dean?

DEAN: Well, there's certainly going to be cases that are there. They have to address. I assume that Trump is going to pardon himself but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to pardon himself out of all of his problems.

So, I think that, what's going to happen, is some of it is going to follow as a result of Barr re-upping the special council Durham now, and bringing the Russia investigation right back into the Department of Justice. That's going to keep the, some of the issues alive.

So, the department, I think they are going to have to deal with it. Now, I understand that Biden doesn't want this like Ford didn't want it. That's why Ford pardoned Nixon. Let's let it go away, end the nightmare. Well that worked and he got praise for that. And he got condemned initially and then got praised but the result, Don, is we have a Trump.

He paved the way for this kind of presidency and I just think you've got to do put an end to this. And so, hopefully his Attorney General will do that. And just say, there's, the line has been crossed and we have to get presidents back on the right side of the line. LEMON: John Dean, we are -- there's a bit of news that we learned

today, or tonight, that the White House liaison to the Justice Department has been barred from entering the building after she tried to get access to sensitive information about possible election fraud. What do you think is going on here?

DEAN: Well, I think that I read that story. And Trump quickly appointed her to another place where she can go look around at the air force academy, apparently.

But Barr and the Department of Justice did exactly the right thing. There should not be a constant oversight by Stephen Miller particularly of what's going on in the Department of Justice. So, I think it was a healthy thing. A right thing, and they should have done it earlier.

LEMON: All right, gentlemen, that is all we have time for. Thank you very much. I'll see you guys soon, be well. I want to bring in now Dr. Jonathan Reiner. He is the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Program at George Washington University Hospital. Doctor, good to see you again this evening. Thank you so much for joining.

So, the President-Elect Joe Biden said that he is going to call on Americans to wear a mask for 100 days after he takes office. What kind of a difference could this make? 100 days after. If we just all -- we got more buy-in from the public. People started wearing masks. Many of us for 100 days. What kind of a difference?

JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, what a breath of fresh air. You know, it's kind of like, how the air smells, how sweet it is after a storm. So, I was thrilled to hear that today. Made me a little sad, because I was thinking about what would be different, what would have been different if the outgoing president had said those same words in March? But we are where we are. So, going forward, I was thrilled to hear that.

But we need to flatten the curve. It's going to take really, probably three months before the vaccines really dramatically intact transmission in this country and until then we need to do it other ways and one way is to mask up. So, I love hearing this now federal plan, coordinated plan from the White House, affecting all Americans. We all mask up. Right. You know, we basically been left to fin for ourselves. And now we have a White House being proactive. I love it.

LEMON: Based on what we have seen though doctor over the past few months. Do you expect Americans are really going to comply?

REINER: You know, I think in general, Americans are team players. I really do, which is why this -- you know, the factions that we have been split up in to over the last, you know, year, really longer. But with this pandemic over the last year has been so disappointing. And I think when the president of the United States asked the entire country to move as one, to rise up to meet the moment in a time of crisis in a time of war. This country has done it and will do it again.

You know, we are in a time of war. We are losing more people a day than we've ever lost, you know, every day in a war. And we are going to reach and tell the milestone next week. During World War II, there were 291,000 combat deaths. And we are going to pass that next week sometime probably mid to latter part of next week in COVID test.

[23:10:17]

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Sorry, I didn't know your finish. Sorry about that, finish you're thought.

REINER: No, no, that's OK, Don. I think the president can impact that, can change the tone, and can get us all to play from the same sheet of music.

LEMON: We hope.

This is what the president elect said about how he is going to deal with the pandemic come January 20th.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: It's going to be important we set out national standards and let, look, we met with governors, Democrat and Republican as well as 50 Democrat and Republican mayors. They said they need guidance. You need guidance and they are going to need a fair amount of money. That's one thing for us to talk about being able to get help out there. But it's not getting there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You know, we have seen a lot of Governors looking for guidance and resources, including many Republicans. So, he may have a chance to make an impact in the states.

REINER: And I think he will. Look. Early on in in pandemic. The CDC put together really well thought out guidance for how states should open. But then the White House really essentially countermanded that by encouraging states to open quickly. So, now, we are seeing some interest in returning towards federal guidance. And I think the states will embrace it.

LEMON: Doctor, the Governor of California says that parts of his state could return to mandatory stay at home orders, if ICU capacity dip below 15 percent. Is that a good metric to use, or is it too late by the time it gets to full ICUs?

REINER: Well, it becomes mandatory at that point. Because our hospitals then seize to be able care not just for folks who are sick with COVID, but folks who are sick with, you know, what id o typically on any given night. Which is take care of people with a heart attack or you know, patients with strokes. So, when hospitals become crippled like that, we start to see non-COVID related deaths.

So, one would hope that states would start to ratchet down retail operations, bars and restaurants. And nonessential services before we get to that point. Once we get to that point it takes longer to recover. But California will reach that in some places. You see now in L.A. County. They have reached that point.

LEMON: Yes. Doctor, thank you. I will see you soon. I appreciate it.

REINER: My pleasure, Don.

LEMON: Now to Eric Hill who has the latest on the record number of Americans hospitalized with coronavirus tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new emergency break in California.

UNKNOWN: The bottom line is if we don't act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed.

HILL: Once ICU capacity falls below 15 percent, in any region of the state, a mandatory three-week stay-at-home order will be triggered. Bars, hair salons and playgrounds will close, but schools will stay open.

JORGE RODRIGUEZ, INTERNAL MEDICINE AND VIRAL SPECIALIST: We are at high tide and the hurricane is hitting.

HILL: More than 100,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. A record.

GOV. LAURA KELLY (D-KS): Currently there are zero staffed ICU beds in our state's southwest region.

HILL: Massachusetts prepping a new overflow field hospital today in Worcester.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY: More hospitals in this country are right on that edge of not being able to provide that care. That's when the number of deaths will really go up.

HILL: The CDC on (inaudible) forecast now projecting 329,000 Americans could die by December 26th.

LEANA WEN, FORMER HEALTH COMMISSIONER, BALTIMORE: I'm so terrified, and very anxious about what's going to happen in the weeks ahead.

HILL: 14 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and rising.

UNKNOWN: We shouldn't expect something different when doing the same thing over and over again.

HILL: Nine months in, Americans are tired and frustrated.

UNKNOWN: You are destroying Staten Island business.

HILL: Hundreds turning out to support the owners of this New York bar, after it was shut down for violating new COVID restrictions.

UNKNOWN: I'm just trying to support my family.

HILL: Hope is on the horizon.

GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): Prioritizing health care workers in nursing homes, we ought to have to be able to have all of them vaccinated with their second dose by mid late January.

HILL: States already preparing to distribute the vaccine which if approved could ship in less than two weeks. CVS and Walgreens will handle vaccinations for long term care facilities.

TROY BRENNAN, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CVS: Our plan is to be ready to go as early as December 15th.

HILL: Now that pushes on to make sure Americans trust.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed, just so that people know. I trust the science.

HILL: Former President Clinton and Bush are also confirming to CNN, they'll get the vaccine publicly to boost confidence. As the current president continues to ignore the rate in pandemic.

Erica Hill, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[23:15:03]

LEMON: Erica, thank you so much. Joe Biden facing pressure to pick nominees of color for the remaining post in his administration, but he says this tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: I'm going to keep my commitment that the administration both in the White House and outside in the cabinet, it's going to look like the country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, the President-Elect Joe Biden facing mounting pressure to pick black and Latino nominees, for many other remaining post in his government, while Biden has made some historic first including choosing several women, and people of color for important roles. Some lawmakers and civil rights groups say he's not going far enough. They are pushing him to get more diverse, with his top cabinet and White House staff and positions.

So, two of the highest profile post, Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary have gone to white nominees. Biden telling Jake Tapper, he will keep his commitment to have his administration match the nation's diversity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[23:20:04]

BIDEN: Their job is to push me. Every special interest and I don't say that in a negative way. Every advocacy group out there is pushing for more, and more, more of what they want. That's their job, my job is to keep my commitment. To make the decisions and when it's all over, people will take a look and say I promise you, you'll see the most diverse cabinet represented of all folks, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latinos, LGBTQ, across the board.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, joining me now CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers and Ana Navarro. Good evening to both of you. So Bakari, listen, the streets are talking right? About -- no, seriously because he said every advocacy group is pushing for more and more and more.

This is what the folks on the street will tell you, every advocacy group -- although many helped the group that got him propelled him into office, they feel where black people, especially black women, James Clyburn starting at number one. And they don't think that he is living up to what it should be. I'm just saying it, I'm not saying that I believe it. But I'm just saying that. What do you think of that?

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, I think that has an element of truth to it. Let's not just forget about black man either. I mean the second largest demographic group that propelled Donald Trump were black man, right after black women. And so I think that people asking for the NAACP and all these civil rights groups to Congressional black caucus, myself, many others pushing Joe Biden to make sure that he appoint people of color to head these agencies.

Right now, it's a very diverse rollout of appointments, but it's a lot of diverse deputies. And I think people want to see people of color actually lead these agencies. Not just black folk, but Hispanic folk, Native American folk, (inaudible) over at the Department of Interior. We have an awesome opportunity to make history there.

But there is a lot of experience. There are a lot of qualified people who can do these jobs. You know, just to be completely honest, to overlook Symone Sanders for the podium and be press secretary, albeit that my good friend Jen Psaki is going to be awesome. But to also overlook Susan Rice for the Secretary of State, which she is very qualified, although Tony Blinken is going to be awesome.

Those things actually hurt a lot. And so although I do believe and I want everybody to understand this, I do believe Joe Biden will meet his word. This is what is supposed to happen, you have to push your elected officials and hold him accountable even after you cast your ballot.

LEMON: Well, you name, names and physicians when I say the streets are talking, because they are. That's all I am hearing from people, wait a minute, what happened with Symone. What about Susan Rice? What about this person? Where is the black person in this? And the first level of appointees, there was a lot of concern and even moving forward.

Ana listen, CNN is learning that the Congressional Hispanic caucus is pushing Biden to pick California A.G. Javier Viscera or DNC chair, Tom Perez as Attorney General, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham as HHS secretary. By the way she was on this program the other night, would any of those choices go a long way in addressing some of these concerns?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh absolutely. Look, there has never been Latino, well, actually that's wrong. Alberta (Inaudible) was the George W. Bush's Attorney General was a Latino. He was actually on Chris Cuomo show last night.

But you know, let's put things into context, Don. He was getting asked this question, Joe Biden, with his vice president elect, the first African American Indian woman, child of immigrants, to be vice president. There is no bigger job that a president can pick other than his vice president.

And I think we should you know, as we ask for more, which we should. As we press for more, which we should. And which Joe Biden admitted, let us also just take a look, besides him and see the amazing woman that just shattered glass ceiling. And what he said, his response was exactly right.

There are groups that we should be pushing, Native Americans voted for him 97 percent. And helped deliver Arizona. So did Latinos, black women were the MVPs of this election, when it comes to Joe Biden. So, you (inaudible) with those that (inaudible). But I do think that Kamala Harris, made a very good point. We're not done yet, they are not done yet and let's have this conversation when they are done. And I think that groups like (inaudible) the biggest advocacy group (inaudible).

(CROSSTALK)

[23:25:08]

LEMON: I don't disagree with you Anna, -- I don't disagree with you. But if you had this conversation when they're done, then it's over. You know, you don't get to, then it's over and you can't say well, it would be great and such and such was in this position, why didn't you say that before the position was filled.

NAVARRO: Listen, there is two thing -- two different things, one is pushing them which we should be doing, everybody should be doing right now. Native Americans should be pushing. African Americans should be pushing. Asian Americans should be pushing. Latinos should and are pushing. Everybody should have and is pushing.

What I'm saying is, we can have a conversation about judging them once they're done. There is a lot of appointments, more than half of them to be made yet. And look, a lot of the appointments not just the cabinet post, the people who are going to be beside him in the White House, practically every announcement that has come out when it comes to White House appointments, include people like Julie Rodriguez -- like (inaudible), like, you know, (inaudible), like Symone.

And so you know, I think, it's our right and our duty and our responsibility, and they give us two, we should ask for three, and if they give us three, we should ask for four. But we can't judge them, until we (inaudible).

LEMON: I've got to get Bakari in here and give him the last word, because I'm running out of time. But Bakari, you know, what I'm saying there. There is a sentiment out there, (inaudible) everybody black.

SELLERS: No. But it's more than that, because I agree, with my colleague.

LEMON: I'm not saying that's a bad. I'm just saying that what the sentiment is.

SELLERS: No, no, but I agree.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: And what you said earlier in leadership post, instead of secondary posts, but go on.

SELLERS: Correct. And I agree with Ana. But my only point is that, you know, when you have these roll outs and you see all of these people onstage, the diversity is hardening, but then when you pull back the layer of the onion and you are asking who's running this agents. Or who the cabinet is -- that is when you don't see those black faces or brown faces and that is what the ask is.

And it's not as if they aren't people there. I mean, for Secretary of Education, you have President Ruth Simmons, who was a HBC president for EPA Director. You have Heather Tony, who is built, (inaudible), get out.

I mean the list goes on and on and on. You can talk about Department of Transportation or HUD, with Mayor Keisha Lance-Bottoms or Frank Scott or Randal Wolf, or Steve Benjamin. So there is and there are black folks who are capable of doing these jobs, brown folks who are capable of doing these jobs, we just want to see them get the opportunity. And that's why we're pressing.

But at the end of the day, Joe Biden we've always pressed him, he's always been disciplined, and he's always come through because he always has listened to these voters of color. That's why he is president of United States. We have faith he will, but we're also going to push to make sure he does.

LEMON: Yes, well that everyone is supposed to hold him in the task. So, listen, and even James Clyburn, influential Democrat James Clyburn says, they should think -- he could think of 10 black people who are qualified for every single cabinet post.

So, there you go. NAVARRO: Which is amazing and it's great.

LEMON: Yes. Thank you

NAVARRO: No can say that people getting appointed are (inaudible), they qualified.

LEMON: So, Bakari, we got to up our Christmas game because Ana Navarro has taken Christmas to an entirely new level in her house.

SELLERS: I see.

LEMON: Thank you.

Thank you, guys I will see you soon. Be well.

While the pandemic rages, what is the White House doing? Throwing crowded holiday parties with maskless guest while millions suffer from this virus. That as the president is placing QAnon during a White House meeting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: This will be a somber holiday season for so many American families. COVID-19 cases surging, hospitalizations at a record high, the death toll in the U.S. staggering, millions out of work desperate to feed their families, and yet it's party time at the White House. Here is CNN's Tom Foreman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): We love you, Donald Trump.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid the cheers, the unmasked smiles, and the grinning VIPs or at least Kid Rock, you would think there is no pandemic on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to reports from DailyMail.com.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's been an amazing four years. We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I will see you in four years.

(APPLAUSE)

FOREMAN (voice-over): Indeed, the White House has more than a dozen holiday parties on tap and hundreds of invitations are flowing out to events at the State Department despite repeated COVID outbreaks among the staff.

Sound crazy? As the administration's own health team is warning Americans, we are in a very dangerous place, not to team Trump. KAYLEIGH MCENANY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We will engage in the celebration of Christmas. There will be a Hanukkah celebration, as well.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Like a sweater from your grandma, it's really no surprise. White House gatherings have already triggered three coronavirus outbreaks, leaving several big Republicans plus the first lady and president testing positive.

TRUMP (voice-over): I was in not great shape and we have a medicine that healed me, that fixed me. It's a great medicine.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Yet Trump returned from the hospital to dramatically remove his mask and it has rarely shown up since, even today as he stood right up against legendary football coach Lou Holtz to give him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

TRUMP: I put a mask on, you know, when I think I need it.

FOREMAN (voice-over): The first lady's chief of staff told CNN, yes, we're implementing safety measures, temperature checks, smaller guest list, masks will be required, and available, social distancing encouraged, and hand sanitizer stations.

But photos posted by attendees show little sign of all that and look a whole lot like pictures of the crowded jovial stylish parties in non- pandemic times.

[23:34:57]

FOREMAN: And the comments around those photos seemed to reflect no concern whatsoever, frequently describing these White House evenings as magical and perfect and even hot, although perhaps they mean that in a viral sense. Don?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Indeed. Thank you, Tom. Appreciate it. The president praising QAnon, a group the FBI calls a domestic terror threat, during a meeting at the White House.

Plus, what it is like to reach to people and tell them you've been exposed to coronavirus? I am going to talk a contact tracer who does that every single day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, the president is telling people in a White House meeting that QAnon consists of people who basically believe in good government. No, QAnon is prevailing conspiracy theories none based in fact, claimed that a deep state along with dozens of Satan-worshipping politicians and A-list celebrities work in tandem with governments around the globe to engage in child sex abuse among other wild conspiracy theories.

But it is not just QAnon. Conspiracies of all types swirl around Trump. The president himself promotes baseless claims about his election loss. The president's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, is on a conspiracy road tour in an attempt to undo the election. Here he is in Michigan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: This is a swindle, it's a con job, it's a theft of an election, and it was carried out by the same method in the city of Detroit. Not the first one they stole. Not the last one they are going to steal unless you do something about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Is he talking about them, their efforts that they are doing now? Giuliani is also presenting witnesses at these -- witnesses at these hearings, elevating wild claims despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: The poll book is completely off, completely off. That poll --

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Off by 30,000?

UNKNOWN: I would say that poll book is off by over a hundred thousand. That poll boll -- Why don't you look at the registered voters on there? I know for a fact there was illegal activity going on there. People have pictures of people carrying ballots out of that place.

UNKNOWN: Many employees were conducting theft of duplicate ballots, so they would come up to the table of duplicate ballots, grab three or four duplicate ballots, run back to their table, give one to another person in another table, and never complete the duplicate process. They would stash the ballots under boxes.

UNKNOWN: You can actually show up and vote without an ID. It's shocking. How can you allow that to happen? Like, lot of people think all Indians look alike, I think all Chinese look alike. So how would you tell? If some (INAUDIBLE) shows up, you can be anybody and you can vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: She said that. Yep. Joining me now, CNN political commentator Amanda Carpenter and CNN chief media correspondent --

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: -- Brian -- correspondent Brian Stelter. I mean, wow. She said that, Amanda.

AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, they all said that. Here's where we start with this. There is this false belief because Donald Trump filed dozens of bad lawsuits and lost in court that somehow this is all OK, right? Like there is a prevailing belief that, OK, Joe Biden won and that institutions held. Roll back that tape.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Mm-hmm.

CARPENTER: Our institutions are not holding, OK? And we know that by the fact that Donald Trump has raised $207 million to keep this baseless, rigged conspiracy theory going. This isn't going away.

And what I am worried about is that no one has any remedies to solve this problem. Everyone thinks, you know, Mitch McConnell, if I just don't say anything in a meeting, this is all going to go away. It is not.

Donald Trump is not going away. The conspiracies are not going away. The idea that the election was stolen from him is not going away unless people take action. And I don't see any.

LEMON: Yes. So, listen, this is all happening, you know, it used to be the fringes. Now, they found a home in the White House and in the state houses and even in courtrooms now.

Brian, you heard some of those witnesses that Rudy Giuliani presented at the hearing in Michigan. It's really whacky stuff. But when they are allowed to present affidavits --

STELTER: Right.

LEMON: -- and testify at hearings, does that make them seem kind of legitimate?

STELTER: That is the key point here, Don. This is fiction, it's a fictional universe, but it seems legit sometimes when they talk about affidavits and they talk about losses. Even though all the lawsuits are getting thrown out -- the judges reject them -- it still seems like something official when it's not.

And this is being promoted by pro-Trump media every hour of every day. Tens of millions of people are hearing that the election is not over yet even though it's been more than a month. This is false hope that's being pedaled, and it's being pedaled down this path that is really dangerous.

LEMON: Well, listen, I wish I have a legal expert on, but you guys know, you can think that you saw something, right, and present it in an affidavit as a witness, and then someone investigates it --

[23:45:00]

STELTER: Right.

CARPENTER: -- and it turns out what you saw actually wasn't what you thought you saw or that what you saw was bogus. And it doesn't necessarily mean that you're lying, or you could be lying. An affidavit does not mean fact. It has not been proven in the court of law. It is just an affidavit --

STELTER: Yes.

LEMON: -- of something that you believed that you saw. So, Amanda, listen. It's just like witnesses, right? Until you prove it, until you get in a court of law, depose in a court of law, all it is just an allegation, and so all these affidavits are just allegations. None of it has been proven.

So, Amanda, CNN is reporting that Trump has raised more than $207 million. You mentioned it, right, since Election Day, even though he lost. The appeals for cash are based largely on election conspiracy theories.

STELTER: Yes.

LEMON: It goes to show you that it doesn't matter how the president does in court because people believe the lies and it's going to help his bottom line and help him to do or pursue whatever he wants to come January 21st.

CARPENTER: Yes. In the subject, there are three things I'm extremely worried about. President-elect Joe Biden got through the election without ever having to seriously confront the disinformation, right? There was a disinformation campaign waged against him, but he largely just avoided it.

When he becomes president, the entire Republican Party is going to go into overdrive mode pushing more disinformation since he is controlling the levers of power. We can just -- people think that this somehow will go away. No, it will only become more aggressive.

And on that front, the social media companies have no strategies for confronting this disinformation and that needs to change somehow. And thirdly, all these election conspiracies are largely founded on the fact that we had a longer voting period and Republicans had distrust over mail-in ballots.

Well, let me tell you what, state legislatures can move today to allow for pre-processing of ballots. So we don't have this lag time again. I am telling you, there are practical solutions we can take to make sure this does not happen in the next election, but it's like no one is even thinking about this because they don't seriously think it's a problem or think it's a one off one.

LEMON: I got to go. We are out of time. Brian, I will be watching your show. I know you will be covering this on Sunday.

STELTER: Thanks.

LEMON: "Reliable Sources." Thank you both. I'll see you. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Cases rising as the nation braces for a post-Thanksgiving coronavirus wave. California hitting a record of more than 19,000 new reported cases on Wednesday. Hospitalizations also reaching record highs in the state. And most of California could soon be under stay- at-home orders.

As the virus surges, contact tracers playing a critical role in tracking and preventing outbreaks, especially in communities of color hardest hit by the pandemic.

Joining me now is Levonn Gardner. He is a contact tracer with the L.A. County Health Department. Levonn, thank you so much. I appreciate you joining us.

LEVONN GARDNER, CONTACT TRACER, LOS ANGELES COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT: No problem at all. Thank you for having me.

LEMON: So, you work in L.A. You're from Watts. What impact are you seeing on black and brown communities?

GARDNER: I am seeing a tremendous impact on black and brown communities primarily because it -- the things that we recommend for people to do if they are currently positive or if they have been in contact primarily social distance in a household, using separate bathrooms, the black and brown community, they don't always live in situations where they have access to multiple bathrooms where they can just stay locked in another room.

LEMON: What is it like when you are reaching out to people? I mean, these can't be easy conversations. How do they react? What happens?

GARDNER: A lot of the conversations are -- a lot of people I talk to, they're grateful that we're passing along information. They actually know that our primary goal is to try to keep as many people safe as possible.

But, you tend to hear the disappointment if we're selling someone, you're not positive but we do need you to stay at home for two weeks because you were in contact. So, that could me a missed paycheck for someone who may already be in a difficult situation.

LEMON: Mm-hmm. And probably are considering what is going on. So, what happens? What kinds of choices are people forced to make when they cannot afford to stay home from work?

GARDNER: That's a real good question. It's for -- for the most part, it's just -- it's us continually trying to get the information to people that if you stay home, you could, hopefully, stop the spread of this disease.

So, it's -- my primary goal as a contact tracer is to give the general public information, and I am hopeful that they use that information to make the best decision possible, which would be primarily social distancing, washing your hands and also wearing some sort of face covering.

LEMON: Uh-huh. So, tonight, Los Angeles is reporting a daily record of more than 78,000 new cases, Levonn. Excuse me, 7,800. What did I say? 78,000? It is 7,800 new cases. Pardon me for that. How difficult is it to contact trace? Is your job getting harder, you think?

GARDNER: Well, the job is difficult and stressful at times, but it's -- right now, we have over 2,600 contact tracers in L.A. County.

[23:55:03]

GARDNER: And we do have a number of people on standby ready to -- ready to come on board as cases grow. And honestly, at this moment, it's just -- it's all about us staying focused on what our mission is ultimately, which is getting information out to the public.

LEMON: Yes. You're being safe and taking care of yourself, I hope.

GARDNER: Yes. I do what I can. I try to get across to my family, to be safe, social distance, and to avoid large gatherings also.

LEMON: Yes. Mr. Gardner, thank you, sir. I appreciate it. You be safe.

GARDNER: Thank you for having me.

LEMON: Absolutely. And thanks for watching, everyone. Our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)