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Don Lemon Tonight

GOP QAnon Supporter Under Fire; President Biden Focused On His Agenda; Rep. Kevin McCarthy Will Visit His Former Boss; Defense Production Act Not Needed Yet; Climate Change Affects More People Of Color; Hate Attacks Bring Back Horrors Of Holocaust. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired January 27, 2021 - 22:00   ET

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

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Hard times make strong people. Let's see what these times will do to us.

Thank you for watching. The big show "CNN TONIGHT" with the big star D. Lemon right now.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: What will it do, though, for the people who are leading the country?

[22:00:00]

The people like Marjorie Taylor Greene who screams at kids who were, you know, a kid who would just survive a school --

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Follows the kid who was terrorized by firearms in his opinion --

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: -- and keeps telling him she has a gun. And the same woman who's doing that plays with QAnon and the idea that killing lawmakers or members of the FBI is OK and she wonders why people want red flag laws? She's why they want red flag laws.

LEMON: I just don't understand that. Listen, her -- I just don't understand how people like that become leaders. And if they do, are they respected. That's my whole thing. If you do something like that, even if you believe what you believe, should you be following a kid and yelling at him?

CUOMO: Absolutely.

LEMON: One who had survived --

CUOMO: Absolutely. Because you know --

LEMON: -- the massacre.

CUOMO: -- Smerconish and I were debating this on the show a little bit. He's saying hey, the Republican Party is doing everything you say it does because it works for it. And my point is who gives a damn if it's working for them? It's what's working for them.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And they are promoting that lady because they are promoting chaos and confrontation. They believe this is the next step in motivating fear among white people. And this is where you go, to the angriest of the angry and the looniest of the loony, and this is who she is, to now go into communities and make people who are not like her start to think like her.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And it is really dangerous. I don't know why the Democrats want to work with these guys right now.

LEMON: Well, this is -- OK. Ha, ha, ha. You've been saying what I've been saying. Look at that, a meeting of the minds. So, when I say -- when I say we, I'm going to say unite with who? Meaning we, meaning the American people. I don't mean Democrats or Republicans.

CUOMO: The people who don't want to overtake the capitol.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Yes, I'm talking about the same people.

CUOMO: The people who want to debate ideas --

LEMON: Exactly.

CUOMO: -- not whether or not if you don't agree with me, I should kill you.

LEMON: That's what I'm going to talk about tonight. So, everyone's talking about we need to unite, we need to come together. Unite with who? With people who do things like that like we just talked about? With people who don't believe in reality as you said but people who want insurrection in the capitol? You said you don't see why the Democrats -- of course. You're exactly right. Why? Who would want to do that?

CUOMO: Did you say that you want to fight or did you really say you're exactly right?

LEMON: No, I said you're exactly right. I don't --

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: This is my last night. Ladies and gentlemen, it will never get any better than this.

LEMON: I've been saying though, you know what I've been saying. We used to joke about it. I know you said that's what journalists are supposed to do. But this isn't like -- there isn't both sides to everything. Right?

CUOMO: Right.

LEMON: I used to joke with you. There's not. You have to take a stand on the truth. One must take a stand on the truth and on reality and hypocrisy. If people are being hypocritical, if they're telling lies, and if they're living a lie when they're in charge of the American people, or supposed to be legislating on behalf of the American people, it is our job to call it out.

That has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican or about both side- sing everything. This is about the truth. There is one side right now, not everybody on that side but a big part, who are not living in reality. And that is the God's honest truth. Who are -- who want to overturn an election? Who still can't believe -- are still saying that Joe Biden is not the duly elected president in this country?

That is some messed up you know what. And who would want to work with that? How do you rationalize that? How do you reason with that, Chris? I don't know.

CUOMO: I don't know either. It would be one thing if it's just a little carve out.

LEMON: It's not.

CUOMO: You've got McCarthy going down there to kiss the ring on captain chaos. You've got McConnell doing a 360 --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: You're stealing my open.

CUOMO: in about 15 -- I'm sorry. I'm just saying it's just the signs couldn't be more obvious. How many red flags do you need?

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: And they want a power sharing agreement.

LEMON: Yes. And I have to do that. I've got to get after it now.

CUOMO: Hash tag let's get after it. I love you, don Lemon.

LEMON: I love you. I'll see you soon, my brother. You have a great evening. Stay warm. It's chilly outside. Chilly.

CUOMO: I'm 220 pounds of blanket.

LEMON: Of blubber. Thank you. Boy, boy, boy. I've got to calm down because this stuff is making me crazy. I hate to see stuff like that. That video of her following -- it's really upsetting to me. There's a right time to do things and there's a wrong time to do things.

This is CNN TONIGHT. I'm Don Lemon.

You know what we saw today? You know what we saw today? We saw something that we have not seen in a long time from the White House. A president -- I should say a president, an administration, refusing to be sidetracked by the circus sideshow and the drama of the last four years. Just refusing. Just blinders.

[22:04:57]

You know, our David Chalian is coming up. I have a question for him. Because maybe, maybe Joe Biden is better at this than people are giving him credit for. Because he's not letting anything -- nothing stops him. He's just doing his thing and just not even just -- not even looking to the side.

He's going out there every day. He's speaking to the country. He's ignoring the noise. He's pushing ahead with his agenda and his nominees. You can debate on policy like the good old days when we used to do that. And that's fine. If you see him and if you see him and if you see Jen Psaki at that podium, they ask -- they let everyone ask questions. They don't attack people. Sometimes he jokes with them, even adversarial press.

That's how it should be done. You may disagree with him on policy, and we can debate all of that. But boy, what a difference when you don't call people enemy of the people, you let them ask their question, you answer it respectfully. Imagine that, adults in the room.

He's doing the job that he was elected to do. You may not like that he was elected as a Democrat to legislate like a Democrat but that's what he's doing. That's what he was elected to do. And how long has it been since we've heard a president say this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Finally, as with our fight against COVID-19, we will listen to the science and protect the integrity of our federal response to the climate crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Wow. Listening to the science. Wait, you don't know more than the scientists or the generals? OK. Listening to the science. Responding to COVID-19 and the climate crisis. Compare that to a Republican Party refusing to face facts about one of the darkest moments in American history, the capitol insurrection and the big lie that started all of this.

The former president's attempt to steal an election that he lost to Joe Biden. He lost fair and square. Lost it. Look at that. Lest we forget. And they can't sweep the insurrection under the rug.

Homeland security today issuing a threat bulletin warning about the potential for more violence, more violence from extremists, emboldened by what they see as the success of the attack just three weeks ago. And the fact is if no one is held accountable on a big picture level, the former president, Congress people who supported his big lie, Fox News, right-wing media, if they all get off scot-free, then why wouldn't they see it that way? There are no consequences. Yet almost every single Republican senator, almost every single one of

them, 45 of them, voted against holding the former president accountable. And now they have the nerve to put out empty calls for unity? OK. What about not trying to take the votes away from millions and millions and millions of Americans? Especially the ones in African-American strongholds. How about that? How about saying that the election was fair and square when every piece of evidence shows that?

But exactly who are we supposed to unify with? That is the central question. Think about that. Who are we supposed to unify with? Think about that. The Republicans who supported and enabled all of this? And now won't hold anyone accountable?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Impeachment is for removal from office. And the accused here has already left office. Hyper partisan Democrats are about to drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor and vitriol the likes of which has never been seen in our nation's history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Republicans who say it was -- it's a waste of time to hold anyone accountable for one of the most -- for one of the worst moments in our history?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: President Trump is a private citizen. Why would you spend your time on this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): You know that's B.S. You know it's B.S. All of a sudden, he's a private citizen. Wasn't when he stirred up that mob. Was not a private citizen. He was the President of the United States at the time.

[22:10:01]

Republicans who think this is -- again, keep in mind what the question is. Who are we supposed to unify with? Republicans who think Trump has been punished enough?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Well, it used to be that when you lost an election that was punishment enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Huh. Who are we supposed to unify with? Republicans who think that he's been punished enough. OK. Mitt Romney, one of only five senators who voted to hold the former president accountable, is not fooled by any of this. And he has a message to Republicans who claim impeachment will divide America.

And I quote here. He says, "had you gone out publicly and said there was not widespread voter fraud and that Joe Biden is the legitimate President of the United States. Have you done that? If you said that, then I'm happy to listen to you talk about other things that might inflame anger and divide. But if you haven't said that, that's really what's at the source of the anger right now."

Thank you, Mitt Romney. Did you hear that? Who are we supposed to unify with? The person that Chris and I just talked about who followed the kid down the street? Right after he survived a school massacre? Marjorie Taylor Greene? The QAnon supporter who was named to the House education and labor committee today. Who supported the big lie?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): We aren't going to let this election be stolen by Joe Biden and the Democrats. President Trump won by a landslide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Marjorie Taylor Greene, who our K-File investigation finds repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians before being elected to Congress. Is Marjorie Taylor Greene the kind of Republican that we're supposed to unify with? Come on now. Let's be truthful about this.

Because imagine if Marjorie Taylor Greene or the folks like her, any of them, Kevin McCarthy, imagine if they were Democrats. What Republicans would be saying right now. Most House Republicans are keeping quiet about Marjorie Taylor Greene. But the Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's spokesman says he plans to have a conversation with her. Wow. Have a conversation, a conversation.

Let me just remind you that Steve King lost his committee and assignments in 2019 over his repeated racist comments. But Marjorie Taylor Greene gets a conversation? That's almost -- I mean, that's like being very concerned, like Susan Collins. I'm very concerned, strongly. What next, are they going to write her a strongly written note?

This is a U.S. congresswoman who got support and campaign money from the National Republican Party. QAnon believer. Even though the RNC chairwoman Ronna -- Ronna Romney McDaniel tells the A.P. that QAnon is, quote, "dangerous." Dangerous. That's what she says.

Democrat Jimmy Gomez says that he'll introduce a resolution expelling the congresswoman. But it is pretty clear. Republicans care more about party unity than they do about American unity. Kevin McCarthy headed to Florida tomorrow to meet with Trump to kiss the ring. Because he said the former president bears responsibility for the mob attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCARTHY: The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Sources telling CNN that McCarthy is trying to get back into the former president's good graces. OK. Get back into the good graces of the guy who lost. And refused to admit it, who's been impeached twice, who left the White House in disgrace, who presided over the loss of the House and the Senate and the presidency.

[22:14:59]

All right. That makes sense, Kevin McCarthy. Kiss the ring of the disgraced king without a throne and when he was emperor refused to tell him he was wearing no clothes. I remember when Lindsey Graham tweeted if we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed and we will deserve it. Remember that?

Ronna McDaniel also telling the A.P. the GOP will stay neutral in 2024. Well, they've got a funny way of showing it. In the face of all that President Biden and his administration staying above the drama, high road, the press secretary, Jen Psaki, refusing to even talk about Marjorie Taylor Greene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Does the White House have a comment on the social media profile that has emerged of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, and is there a response to whether any disciplinary action should be taken against her regarding everything that's come out?

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We don't. And I'm not going to speak further about her, I think, in this briefing room.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): That was classy shade. Nope. And I'm done talking about her. Next. She did it a lot, you know. She's a lot. I would just -- whatever. No. Nothing to say. Move along. Staying above the drama. The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, Tony Blinken as he's known, in a complete about-face from the previous administration saying the press holds them accountable and makes them better.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: You hold us accountable, ask tough questions, and that really does make us better. More broadly, and it is never more important to restate it, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy. And this is a critical moment for protecting and defending democracy, including right here at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Wow. Night and day, huh? You wouldn't hear anything like that from the previous administration, which treated the press as the enemy of the people. And you sure wouldn't have seen the previous president issue a memorandum saying that it is the policy of the administration to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. To make evidence-based decisions guided by the best science and data.

Wow. Like I said, we haven't heard that for a long, long time. President Biden going out there every day, pushing ahead with his agenda, his nominees, doing the job he was elected to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: We've already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis. We can't wait any longer. We see it with our own eyes. We feel it. We know it in our bones. And it's time to act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): And the job President Biden was elected to do, more urgent every single day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[22:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): The Biden administration moving full speed ahead battling the deadly COVID pandemic and the climate crisis. Yet the Republican leader of the House Kevin McCarthy is planning a visit tomorrow to the former president in Florida, which just shows you how much the GOP is still firmly in Trump's grip. He is a president who lost re-election, was impeached twice, left the White House in disgrace, yet Republicans are still the party of Trump.

So, I want to bring in now CNN political director Mr. David Chalian and CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger. My gosh, I'm so excited to get you guys. Where have you been all my life? Seriously, it's so good to see you. Thank you so much.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hi, Don.

LEMON: So, David, I said in the beginning that I wanted to ask you this question. So, let me ask you now. Biden is focused on his agenda, plowing straight ahead. Doesn't seem to be bothered by the GOP drama and impeachment. Maybe, just maybe he's going to keep on keeping on with the work of being the president. And maybe he understands this whole game, if you want to call it that, better than people realize because he's not letting any of the drama, any of the sideshow affect him at all.

CHALIAN: Well, what you're calling the drama and the sideshow right now, sort of what is center ring in that drama is Republicans sort of eating their own. I mean, we see our colleague Manu Raju and Alex Rogers were reporting, Don, off of this Republican campaign committee call where Kevin McCarthy basically was saying knock it off with Republicans taking on Republicans.

There would be no reason for Joe Biden to get involved in that. He doesn't need to comment on the back and forth over his predecessor and how much control his predecessor has over the Republican Party. And as you note, it's a lot of control right now. That would be a total distraction for Joe Biden.

So I think you're right to note how he's been conducting himself, which is to stay focused each day on the message that he's trying to pursue, on the policies he's trying to pursue, because really when your opponent is sort of caught up in their own drama one of the best things you can do politically is just let them continue to do that.

LEMON: Yes. But Gloria, it's interesting to hear all of the concern from the other side because you know, the former president did a lot of E.O.s, executive orders when he -- remember he would do it with the show and with the cameras and everything.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure.

LEMON: And now Joe Biden -- and his executive orders he followed up on what he was saying during the campaign, his promises. Right? With those executive orders. Joe Biden is now doing the same thing --

BORGER: Yes.

LEMON: -- and there are complaints from the opposite party. Should they be surprised that he is following up on his promises and governing as a Democrat when that's what he was elected to do?

[22:24:56]

BORGER: No, they shouldn't. I mean, there is a real concern among all legislators that you can't just go back and forth and back and forth between administrations like this, that in fact at some point you have to get some of this codified and put into law.

But, and Joe Biden himself is not a big fan of executive orders, except now they feel they have no chance, they feel like they've got momentum now, it's the beginning of the administration, so they're undoing a lot of the stuff that Trump did.

For example, you know, rejoining the Paris climate accord, et cetera. Undoing the Muslim ban. And climate change. But they understand that they're going to have to have work to do to get this into law. Right now, first things first, get the stimulus package passed, get COVID done.

By the way, you don't see the president really commenting except for a little bit on impeachment. Stay out of that also. I mean, Joe Biden wasn't born yesterday, we all know, and he's been around Washington. And he was in the Senate for 36 years. And he understands as David was saying when he needs to hang back and let them have their own fights and just do his job.

LEMON: Yes. Gloria, meanwhile, Republicans -- you know, let's talk about them. What -- the House minority Leader Kevin McCarthy traveling to Florida tomorrow to meet with the former president. He wants to get back into his good graces. What else do they want out of this? I mean, what do they want, marching orders? What does he want?

BORGER: Well, they don't want Donald Trump as an enemy. And you know, McCarthy has had a relationship that's been up and down with the president because as you played, he said -- earlier he said the president bears responsibility for the insurrection. And then not long after that he kind of took it back and said we all bear some responsibility, trying to get back in the president's good graces.

He's still trying to do that. He wants to be the speaker of the House someday. He needs to raise money. He doesn't need Donald Trump out there badmouthing Republicans, which he can certainly do, particularly those who voted for impeachment in the House.

LEMON: Yes. David, let's talk a little more about what I said in the open, if you will. A lot of folks at home are wondering why they're being asked to unify with the party that lost the presidency, lost the Senate, gives space to QAnon conspiracy -- a QAnon conspiracy believer and lawmakers who can't come to grips with losing an election. Listen, that's a -- you have to admit that's a pretty tough sell.

CHALIAN: I think it's a fair question, Don, but I would urge everyone to go back and look at what Joe Biden said in his inaugural address around unity. He was also asked about it when he took questions from the press recently at the White House.

He's not just talking about, come on, both parties, just get together and be bipartisan on everything. No. That's not what he's saying. He's not -- and he said in his inaugural address, I know some people see this unity project as sort of a foolhardy mission.

But what he said was that when America has faced really tough challenges, he said the Civil War or being in World Wars or the Great Depression or 9/11, that we rely on Americans sort of relying on their better angels to come together and he said this, Don. He said enough of us need to come together to move the country forward. Enough of us.

So, in that, I don't think Joe Biden is expecting Marjorie Taylor Greene to play nicely with the Democrats and somehow, we're a unified country. I think he is counting on people not in the QAnon wing of the party but people who know better and people who should step up and show real leadership.

Now, we saw some of that with the ten Republicans who voted to impeach the president, Liz Cheney. We saw some of that with the five Republicans in the Senate that didn't go with Rand Paul on this constitutionality question. There need to be more Republicans if we're going to get to a critical mass of Americans coming together to actually move this country forward through these dark times.

That's what Joe Biden was calling us to do. All of us have a role in that. And I don't think he was doing pie in the sky just get along both parties. I think he was saying this is the work of our time and we need enough of us to join in the project.

LEMON: Well, let's hope it works. Thank you both. I appreciate it. It's good to see both of you. And by the way -- BORGER: Sure.

LEMON: -- I give both of you a 10 on room raters.

BORGER: Good to see you.

LEMON: It looks good. I like your background.

BORGER: OK.

LEMON: I love the family pics.

BORGER: I know.

LEMON: It's beautiful. Thank you, guys. I'll see you soon.

BORGER: You like my barn? You like my Montana barn?

LEMON: I love -- I love the barn.

BORGER: Yes? OK.

LEMON: The snowy barn. And the baby pics, David. It's all perfect. Thank you, guys. I'll see you soon.

CHALIAN: Thanks.

LEMON: Governors pushing for more vaccines --

BORGER: Thanks.

LEMON: -- as Dr. Fauci says he believes we can increase supply by getting rid of inefficiencies. Is it doable? A top doctor joins me. That's next.

[22:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): So, the pace of vaccination is picking up. But President Biden's COVID task force says it will be months before all Americans can get vaccinated. Dr. Fauci says the president doesn't need to implement the Defense Production Act to help with supply issues.

So, joining me now is Dr. Tom inglesby, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Hey, good to see you again, doctor. Thank you so much for joining tonight.

So, Dr. Fauci says that --

TOM INGLESBY, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR HEALTH SECURITY, JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: -- we don't need the Defense Production Act for vaccine production. Do you think he's right? INGLESBY: Well, from what I understand, the new administration is

doing everything that it possibly can to increase the doses of vaccine that are available for Americans. And I think they're examining -- I think it's pretty clear they're examining how to use the Defense Production Act in whatever way is possible. But I also think that they have so far been in conversations with every vaccine manufacturer and tried to understand what would make a difference.

And so, I do think if Dr. Fauci is saying that there's nothing for the Defense Production Act to do at the moment then that's true. But I don't think they'll stop thinking about it and considering how they might use it going forward.

LEMON: So, listen, the vaccine is rolling out. Over 24 million people have gotten it so far. And those people now want to know if they still have to keep wearing a mask and social distancing. This is what Dr. Fauci said. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: You could conceivably get infected, get no symptoms, and still have virus in your nasopharynx, which means that you would have to wear a mask to prevent you from infecting someone else, as well as the other side of the coin where you might not be entirely protected yourself.

[22:35:01]

So, getting vaccinated does not say now I have a free pass to travel nor does it say that I have a free pass to put aside all of the public health measures that we talk about all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So, listen, maybe I'm wrong but I thought most people knew that even if you get vaccinated you still have to do all of the social distancing things. Right? You have to stay vigilant --

INGLESBY: Exactly.

LEMON: -- going forward in the coming -- in the days ahead.

INGLESBY: You're exactly right. And I think Dr. Fauci summarized it beautifully. We still don't have enough information to know whether people who were vaccinated could still carry the virus. So that's being studied now. We'll know more about that as data comes in.

But for the time being I think we all, even people who are lucky enough to have been vaccinated already, have to presume that they could be silent carriers of the virus and pass it on to someone else. And they also -- even though this vaccine is phenomenal compared to many other vaccines we take, 94 percent -- 94 percent effective, it still means that 6 percent of people who get it are not as protected as we'd like them to be and they could get in -- they could get sick.

LEMON: Yes.

INGLESBY: And so, wearing a mask is the right thing to do.

LEMON: Yes. It's going to be a while before all of it, I mean, you know, the health part of it and even the economic part of it. My mom got the vaccine and she said and I know others who have as well and she said I'm not rushing out to go to be in a crowded restaurant or a movie theater or anywhere, you know, public transportation with a bunch of people. Not just yet. I want to see how long this goes on and what happens as we move forward.

And I think that's a great attitude to have for now. But once you start to figure it out, I think it's OK to start doing those things. And we should. And I think people will be happy to do that, doctor. So, let's see.

Let's talk about these variants, if you will.

INGLESBY: Yes.

LEMON: We have to worry about that. Dr. Fauci says the vaccine should still be effective, but they're already working on a booster for the South African variant. I mean, it's great that they're trying to stay ahead of the game. But they're already having trouble getting vaccines out. How are we going to manage getting a booster out as well?

INGLESBY: Well, I think what would happen if we determine that we need this booster and that the vaccine isn't as effective as we need it to be against these new strains, then I think it would be swapped into the production line. I think it could be done -- my understanding is it could be done relatively quickly. It's not -- we wouldn't need to take the long time it took to get the vaccine going in the first place. And so, I think we would be able to make adjustments.

Obviously, we hope that doesn't need to happen and we can just keep moving on the path we're on and getting that to be more and more stable and more productive as we go. But I think it's encouraging to know that the companies and our leading government scientists are working on a plan in the event that the vaccine needs to be adjusted.

LEMON: It's always a pleasure to see you. I hope next -- each time you come on this program there will be better news to report.

INGLESBY: More and more hopeful. Yes, I do, too.

LEMON: Yes, I hope so. Thank you, doctor. I'll see you soon. Be safe.

INGLESBY: Thanks so much, Don.

LEMON: The Biden administration putting facts and science front and center especially with the way the climate crisis is hurting communities of color. The White House climate czar Gina McCarthy tells me what the president plans to do about it, and that's next.

[22:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): President Biden taking executive action on the climate crisis today. He says the crisis requires a whole of government approach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: It's a whole of government approach, put climate change at the center of our domestic, national security, and foreign policy. This is advancing conservation, revitalizing communities and cities and on the farmlands and securing environmental justice.

Our plans are ambitious, but we are America. We're bold. We're unwavering in the pursuit of jobs and innovation, science and discovery. We can do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So, science is back at the forefront. That's important because the crisis is already impacting our country, especially communities of color.

So, joining me now is White House national climate advisor Gina McCarthy. Thank you, adviser McCarthy. I really appreciate you joining us.

GINA MCCARTHY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL CLIMATE ADVISOR: It's terrific to be here, Don. Thank you.

LEMON: So, let's talk about the scope of this initiative. It is huge. What do these executive orders accomplish right now? How does it change people's lives, advisor?

G. MCCARTHY: Well, what the president is talking about is recognizing that our country is facing four crises. It's facing the COVID-19, which they're tracking and planning and pushing the vaccines out. But we also have this economic downturn that's significant. Millions of people are without jobs. People don't know if they can feed their families.

This is the United States of America. At the same time, we're being reminded every day of racial injustice. Look at who's dying most from COVID-19. Look who's in the crosshairs of the fourth problem, which is climate change. And so, his job as he sees it is to bring all of these issues together and start solving them.

And we can use the transition to clean energy to actually make people's lives healthier today, make them better prepared to face the next health challenge. We can actually use that to grow jobs and stabilize our economy. That's what this is all about at a broad and aggressive scale.

LEMON: Well, it's great to, I mean, it's great to see someone with such passion. Thank you for your passion, for your work. So, let's talk about something you just talked about. Let's home in on communities of color, right? Because communities of color -- G. MCCARTHY: Yes.

LEMON: -- suffer disproportionate health, environmental and economic impacts of the climate crisis, as you mentioned. So, what are you going to do specifically to fix that?

[22:44:56]

G. MCCARTHY: Well, what we're focused on is actually doing actions that will reduce air pollution in those communities. We're looking at actually committing to 40 percent of the resources. The investments we're making are going to be focused on environmental justice communities. We're going to look at better opportunities for better housing. We're going to look at clean energy. We're going to look at opportunities to transition away from dirty trucks and buses and actually invest in a transportation system that works for everyone.

We are going to do this in a way that recognizes the need to invest in these communities first and foremost, but we're also not going to leave the workers behind, Don. We need work. I don't need sacrifice from anyone. Haven't we sacrificed enough? Let's look at how we build back better by investing again in the United States infrastructure, giving opportunities for new jobs and new growth.

LEMON: Well, let me ask you this because you mentioned, you said communities of color. Have you identified specific communities? I know that this position is new.

G. MCCARTHY: Yes.

LEMON: But have you had a chance to identify specific communities?

G. MCCARTHY: I can give you a whole laundry list of fence line and frontline communities and a whole laundry list of cities where they have been left behind, where the air pollution is putting their kids into the hospital for asthma attacks all the time. I can give you communities like let's just say Cancer Alley in Louisiana. If you've never been there, go take a visit.

LEMON: That's where I'm from.

G. MCCARTHY: You're going to -- wow. Well, then you know.

LEMON: Yes.

G. MCCARTHY: You've seen what it's like. All of the -- all of these difficult pollution sources need to be controlled and managed. We are now rolling back more than 125 rollbacks that the prior administration put in place to get rid of fundamental health protections, to stop enforcing.

We're actually having the DOJ, the Department of Justice, create a unit that's all about environmental justice and starting to enforce appropriately in the communities that have been facing cumulative impact.

LEMON: Well, --

G. MCCARTHY: We're building a new office at HHS that's all about health care, access to health care and its relationship to climate change.

LEMON: Yes.

G. MCCARTHY: It's just a new day. And we're going to treat it like the best opportunity we have for tomorrow.

LEMON: Well, when I was a kid, and probably still now, I lived near chemical plants. Both of my parents worked at chemical plants. But -- in my neighborhood there would be emissions and it would take the paint off the cars. And I know that could not be good for humans if it was taking paint off of cars.

G. MCCARTHY: Yes.

LEMON: But let's talk -- a lot of people believe that the climate crisis, advisor, that it -- it's here but they don't understand how it affects them in their daily lives or what they can do to help solve the problem. So, what do you say to those folks?

G. MCCARTHY: Well, I think for far too long we've been talking about the climate crisis and trying to think that scaring people will actually make them act. We're not using that approach. That approach has failed. We want people to know that if you get up every day and you go to a job that is actually a clean energy job, you are contributing to the actions to stop climate change.

If you want to have good food on your table, then let's start transitioning our agriculture to bring you healthy food free of toxic chemicals, healthy food that preserves carbon in the soil. We could go on and on. But I just want people to understand that a clean energy future is about them, their families, their health, their ability to live in a house that is safe and efficient and affordable. It is going transform our country and be able to address all these four crises at the same time. And we shouldn't demand anything less than that.

LEMON: Listen, you mentioned, and it's been in the news forever. It's an awful example. But Flint, Michigan.

G. MCCARTHY: Yes.

LEMON: What can Flint, Michigan expect with the water crisis? Because they are the perfect example of one of those communities that really needs help.

G. MCCARTHY: They are the perfect example of communities that have been disinvested in when we've seen our industries collapse. So, part of this is about rebuilding our manufacturing sector. Part of this is building off of President Biden's buy America campaign.

So, we are actually using the power of the federal procurement process to actually start investing in the technologies of today and the future and rebuilding manufacturing again. You know, your mom and dad worked in those factories because that was

a good job for them. Everybody needs to have a good job to go to. We have to be able to use this as that opportunity. But those factories need to stop polluting both their employees and the people around them. And we have technologies that can do that. We're going to believe in science again. We're going to look at who's being contaminated and where and how we take care of those issues.

[22:50:07]

LEMON: Thank you so much, advisor McCarthy. I really appreciate you joining us. Come back.

G. MCCARTHY: Don, I love you. Thanks.

LEMON: Thank you. So, at a time when we're seeing an alarming increase in anti-Semitism and white supremacy, we must never forget the horrors that hate can lead to. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day the woman who survived two Nazi concentration camps has a warning about what she saw in the capitol on January 6th.

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LEMON (on camera): Take this. Let's try to talk about just how odious and intensely painful the idea of, quote, "Camp Auschwitz is."

[22:55:04]

You all saw it. During that violent and deadly capitol insurrection this man sources say his name is Robert Keith Packer, he was photographed wearing a t-shirt, wearing a shirt with the words "Camp Auschwitz" on it, right?

A million Jews were murdered in that evil place. Celebrating that and flaunting it in everyone's face is an attack on human decency and on the blessed memory, really. Why am I pointing this out tonight? Because today is international Holocaust Remembrance Day, the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

And we need to talk about what kind of Camp Auschwitz really was, a concentration camp, a death camp. Almost a million Jews were murdered there, of the six million killed by the Nazis in their camps. Entire families wiped out. Only a lucky few survived and built new lives on that foundation of pain.

I want you to listen to one of the survivors. There are fewer and fewer now so many years later. Dr. Irene Butter, now an American citizen, looks at what happened at the capitol. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IRENE BUTTER, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR: There are, again, echoes of the Holocaust. And on January 6th we saw it in our own country when there was an attempted coup and rioting in Washington, D.C. and some of the rioters wore Nazi symbols and used Nazi slogans. So, it's right back here. And I think we learned from it. I think we learned that democracy is vulnerable and we cannot take anything for granted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Thank you, Dr. Butter. Never forget. We must never forget, and we must do something now about the hate that thrives in our time. We'll be right back.

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