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Don Lemon Tonight

Interview With Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Suspect In Spa Killing Facing Eight Counts Of Murder; Man Arrested Outside Vice President Kamala Harris' Residence; Asian-Americans Jolted By Shootings That Left Six Asian Women Dead; Interview With Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY); GOP Rep. Gohmert Votes Against Honoring Hero Police, Claiming The Riot Was Not An Insurrection; Coronavirus Cases Are Climbing In The U.S.; Right Wing Personality Uses Racial Stereotypes, Mocks Black Farmers For Receiving COVID Relief. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired March 17, 2021 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

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DON LEMON, CNN HOST (on camera): Well, it could be the most important battle in decades heating up on Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats today introducing s-1, also known as the for the people act. The sweeping election reform and voting rights package was passed by the House earlier this month and would stop Republican efforts to limit access to voting around the country. The ultimate fate of the bill is far from clear as Democrats debate whether they can or should change the filibuster to pass the landmark reforms.

Let's discuss now Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. It's so good to see you, Senator, thank you for appearing. So, you chair --

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN) (on camera): Thank you for having Officer Dunn on. I watched that whole interview. It was so moving when he said, I didn't bring race into this. They did. I was just doing my job. And then to follow with the other people that shouldn't be forgotten, which are the victims in Atlanta. I felt like watching your whole show tonight. That's what it was about. And so our bill is about not forgetting our democracy. So go ahead.

LEMON: Thank you so much for saying that. I really appreciate it. And I think there have been so many people who have brought poignant words and made us think tonight and who inspired us to be better people. You chair the Senate rules committee that will hold a hearing on the bill next week. And listen, the stakes couldn't be any higher. Republicans are trying to suppress the vote all over the country. How are going to get this bill passed? That's the central question.

KLOBUCHAR: Let's start with the good. The good is that for the first time, thanks to those incredible Senators from Georgia, Warnock and Ossoff, we have the gavel. I have the gavel. Jeff Merkley, the author of the bill is on the committee, we have two new Senators on there, Purdue and Ossoff and we are going to get this bill through the committee. We are going to have the first hearing ever in the Senate. It has only

been in the House. They passed it in the House of Representatives and then we bring it to the floor. And my arguments, for passing it, and they will be strong ones are one, there are multiple provisions in this bill, nine of them that are bipartisan.

We have Republican governor that's have embraced vote by mail, Republican sectors at states that had embraced early registration to vote. And this bill, the American people are behind it by wide, wide margins. So, just like the American rescue plan, remember that. The biggest thing we've done which is all about getting to the end of the light at the end of the tunnel. Getting through this pandemic. That bill as well.

It seems like the only Republican who didn't like it worked in the Congress. Because their constituents liked it. And we were not going to be stop. We used a strange way of doing it which was reconciliation. We had no other choice. Joe Biden was not going to wait six months to get it done. I'd make the same argument for this bill.

We get it to the floor. We see what support we get. And then yes, for this and a whole number of other things, minimum wage which has to be increase. Many, many other issues. I believe we should get rid of the filibuster. Not everyone agrees with me, but I think the time has come. You can't let an archaic old Jim Crow era procedure get in the way of the change that the American people voted for.

LEMON: Listen, you've talked about and we've talked about on this program about the hundreds of bills out there. Many trying to dismantle voting rights in states. If you can't pass, I know you think, you said you are going to do it. But if you can't pass, the Senate bill 1 and the Dems won't back changes that, you know, so the, what is plan b? What are Democrats going to do if you can't get this passed?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, remember, Senator Manchin, a few weekends ago talked about this standing filibuster and how that is one way. There are many ways to get there.

LEMON: President Joe Biden spoke about it last night in an interview as well. Sorry to interrupt, go on.

KLOBUCHAR: Exactly. So there are many ways to get there. And let's be clear about this. Political parties when they lose an election, they are supposed to examine their policies. Figure out how they can reach out to more voters. Right now the Republican Party is doubling down on their positions, see CPAC as exhibit a. And then they've said, well, maybe we'll just disenfranchise voters with introducing over 250 bills in legislatures across the country in over 40 states to basically make it, so less people vote.

Because they don't want the same people to vote who brought in Joe Biden to victory. That is not democracy. So we've got such a strong case going in to this. And I'm not just going to concede that we can't get this done one way or the other. Either getting support, because of what I mentioned. All the bipartisan proposals, or making some procedural changes to get it done. You just can't --

LEMON: A quick answer for me, if you will. Are you worried about this whole scorched earth thing that Mitch McConnell is promising if we try to get rid of the filibuster?

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KLOBUCHAR: You know, they threatened that on the last bill and yet there were so many proposals in there that they supported including the restaurant act. So, you know, people use this language and rhetoric. I don't really care. The constituents we have, they're at home. They're are the ones that are bouncing their toddlers on their knees, and their laptops on their desk teaching their first graders how to use the mute button.

Trying to hold down their lives when the rent is coming due and they are out of the job, because of the pandemic. That's why we had to get the pandemic bill done. We must do something to save our democracy. You know, if no one ever told you that, it's got to be the words of Officer Dunn. Who made it very clear when he was sitting there after being pillared with poles and called the n word 15 times and said to his friend, is this America.

So our reply to that question is this bill. America is about everyone having the right. Everyone having the right to vote. The things at school kids say, you know, one nation under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. This is the bill.

LEMON: Thank you, Senator. I appreciate your time and I appreciate your kind words. We'll see you soon.

KLOBUCHAR: OK.

LEMON: So, it is unclear tonight if the Georgia man suspected of killing eight people at three spas in Metro Atlanta will face hate crime charges. He's already charged with eight counts of murder, six Asian women among those killed. Police officers saying that they don't know yet the motive in this case, but also saying that when he was apprehended they believe he was on his way to Florida to possibly carry out more shootings.

Bringing in now CNN's Ryan Young who has been covering this for us since the very beginning, he's in Atlanta for us. Ryan. Good evening to you. This suspect in the spa shooting has been charged with murder. Six of the eight victims were Asian women. What is the latest on the investigation? The suspect's motives? What do you know?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yeah. Think about where we were just last night at this time. Where we had so many questions about this and I still think tonight, there are more investigative parts that we have to sort of figure out. We do know that the sheriff's department has been pointing to maybe a sex addiction that this suspect had, Robert Long.

They're saying that because of that sex addiction, that maybe he then wanted to come to places and open fire because he was trying to avoid that. That was one of the things that was so puzzling today when we heard that come out, Don.

But I want to point something to you, because we've been doing a lot of talk about the suspect. And you see the names here. Someone brought this by sort of highlighting some of the people who were killed. And that's what the focus probably should be on, right. The names, and we don't obviously have the faces just yet. But we've seen Atlanta pouring out in terms of putting flowers here in one of the sites.

We're just across the street where three other women were killed. This is -- has been a community that has been struggling with this. People really upset about the fact that this man would commit this violence in Metro Atlanta. In fact listen to one of the 911 calls as the calls came in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Please hurry.

UNKNOWN: Do you have a description of him, ma'am?

UNKNOWN: I need to hide right now.

UNKNOWN: Is it a male or female?

--

UNKNOWN: They have a gun, (inaudible).

UNKNOWN: They have a gun, you said?

UNKNOWN: Some guy came in and shoot gun. So everybody heard the gunshots. And some ladies got hurt, I think. Everybody's scared so they're hiding.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG (on camera): Don, when you think about this, the family members of Robert Long actually came forward to law enforcement to provide them with that information. Actually gave them that tracking information. We were wondering last night, how they were able to catch him on the road on the way to Florida.

We now realize it was his parents who gave that information so that they could track him and be ready for him as he went into a different county and were able to performed that pit maneuver. We know his first court appearance will be tomorrow. So hopefully we may learn some newer information.

He was talking with investigators, not sure at this point if that still continues. One thing you will also notice from that mug shot. That he seems to be wearing a vest. We know he was put on suicide watch at some point. So that's something they are continuing to watch over the next 24 hours.

But again, as you look here, there have been so many people lining up over the last few hours, Don. Some people coming here to shed tears. Upset about the violence that's happened in this community. It's really has kind of made this area just pause in terms of what's happening over the last 24 hours, Don.

LEMON: Ryan Young, covering the story for us in Atlanta. Ryan, we appreciate your reporting. Thank you so much.

I want to bring in now Chris Swecker, the former FBI assistant Director for the criminal investigative division and the former FBI special agent, Asha Rangappa, she's also a CNN legal and national security analyst. Good evening to both of you. I appreciate you joining. Chris Swecker, I'm going to start with you. I want you to take us behind the scenes if you will. What is the FBI doing right now to determine whether this was a hate crime?

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CHRIS SWECKER, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION (on camera): Well, working with their partners at the Georgia bureau of investigations, the sheriff's department and the police departments, I'm sure they're looking at electronic media at this point if they haven't reviewed it already. Any social media, any mobile phone, any laptop, any postings this person made.

And I did have an opportunity to talk to someone very high level in the investigation. It does looks like this individual was deeply disturbed. That he's confessed already. His family has provided information about him. And he was basically targeting the business. Not necessarily the ethnicity. Although that it is still an open question and there is still some more evidence to review.

LEMON: Asha, we're learning that the suspect was in sex addiction rehab just last year. Law enforcement sources are telling CNN that he told them that he thought, you know, about killing himself but decided to help others. That's a quote from him, by targeting the spas instead. Look, if this is confirmed, couldn't he still be prosecuted with a hate crime for targeting women?

ASHA RANGAPPA, CNN LEGAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST (on camera): Yes, Don and I think this is an important point. That you know, race is definitely a basis for a hate crime. But in 2009, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability were all added to the federal hate crime statute. So if there is a motivation based on any of those factors, those could still constituted hate crime and be a basis for federal jurisdiction.

But, Don, I just want to add that this brings to the floor, this idea of intersectionality. And this is the idea that someone can belong to two different groups that perhaps the law treats as distinct categories. But there is a specific harm when a person actually embodies both of them. That you might miss if you're focusing on these separate categories.

So in this case, Asian women. If we're only focusing on race or only focusing on gender, we might miss some of the specific harms that may accrue to a person that embodies you know, this particular category. And I think that what we are seeing is some of the complexity involved in that particular ides.

LEMON: So, Asha listen, experts told CNN that Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence. Talk to me about that, please.

RANGAPPA: Yes, well, this is exactly what I'm talking about. That you know, there can be particular ideas, for example, sexualization that is also intertwined with race. That Asian women tend to deal with in a specific way.

You know, this person came and you know, he didn't target strip clubs for example. He really came to a particular type of business. Was that intentional? We don't know. But it does overlap with a specific ethnic community and it does overlap with women who work there.

So I think that we need to think about the ways that particular communities who embody different you know, basis of you know, gender, racial motivated violence can be uniquely targeted in these kinds of situations.

LEMON: Yes. Chris, a couple things here. Because the New York Times is reporting that organizations that track hate groups are warning about a phenomenon called male supremacy terrorism, driven by aggravated male entitlement and desire to preserve traditional gender roles. Is that -- could that be something that we're seeing with this shooting?

SWECKER: Hard to say, Don. I mean, honestly, there are times when someone just goes off. They're mentally imbalanced. They have inner demons. We've seen that time and time and time again. And I'm not discounting the potential for a motive here as a hate crime. I'm just saying there are times when people just go off.

There are many deeply disturbed individuals out there and the internet isn't helpful, the political rhetoric isn't helpful. There are a lot of things. This is the proverbial lone wolf that we're always talking about. It only takes one or two things as that final thing to set them off.

LEMON: Asha, I want you to talk about that. And I think I said, just realized, I'm not wearing my glasses or my contacts. I said aggravated male entitlement. Aggrieved male entitlement. Male supremacy terrorism driven by aggrieved male entitlement and desire to preserve traditional gender roles. What do you think of that?

RANGAPPA: Well, this is an ideology, right? And I think that there are analysts that have kind of watched the evolution of this. This was sort of in cell group. I think that it is true that most of these are lone wolf actors. I mean this isn't an organization that has some kind of leadership or structure.

[23:15:15]

But it is, you know, based on this idea of an attack on masculinity. And there is a lot -- you know, in the dark web, in parts of the internet, groups that come together around a sense of loss about particular aspects of their masculinity and you know, it has driven other kinds of violence. I mean, we've seen this in some of the shootings that had happened in the past as this being a motivation.

So, you know, it is hard to actually track this. Because it is not organized. And it can be something that someone gets radicalized into, you know, their on their own on the internet. But I think you know, it gets to this idea of gender-based violence, I think.

LEMON: I'm told we're having a bit of a break-up problem with your picture there but we can hear you clearly, Asha. Chris, I want to ask about the NYPD, deploying counterterrorism forces to protect prominent Asian communities in the wake of this attacks. Are you concerned about copy cats, Chris?

SWECKER: Always. And I have read up on this. There has been a spike in New York City and about 16 cities across the U.S. in Asian hate crimes. Although they're only about 4 percent of overall hate crimes, in the past year it has been a 150 percent increase. The NYPD is always on top of their game. They have a great Intel unit there and they're just being proactive and I applaud them for that.

LEMON: Police, Chris, arrested a man from Texas outside Vice President Kamala Harris' official residence and a D.C. Police report obtained by CNN and shows that he had an AR-15, semi-automatic rifle, 113 rounds of unregistered ammunition, five 30-round magazines. No one is living there now but what kind of alarm bells is this going to set off in D.C.?

SWECKER: That's a very serious incident. They apparently got a tip from I believe it was Texas on that and they were able, I'm sure there are some pretty frenetic investigations behind the scenes. Because they were able to accost this individual near the residents. So, yes, this is a very serious incident.

The secret service picked this person up. They'll interrogated him. They will do the same thing with his media, his electronic media and figure out what he is all about. Is he alone or is he part of a group? Are there others involved? But I would not discount one bit the seriousness of this incident. When someone shows up that armed to the teeth.

LEMON: Yes. Wow. That's a lot of ammo. Thank you very much Chris. Thank you Asha. A perfect picture now that we're done, Asha. Thank you so much. We'll see you guys soon.

Even after we learned about the shootings in Georgia last night, the former president was still using an anti-Asian rhetoric term, blaming COVID on China. How do we fight the hate that has poisoned so much of America? Hate that endangers all of us?

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[23:20:00]

LEMON (on camera): Many Asian-Americans have been living in fear since the Asian pandemic a year ago. Now one group that tracks hate crimes against Asian-Americans says that incidents are spiking. Nearly 3,800 complaints of virus and harassment over the last 12 months and many believe the former President Trump aggravated the situation by constantly blaming China for the pandemic and the downturn in America's economy, using loaded terms like the China virus. He did it again last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We were the envy of the world. And then when we got hit by as I call it, the China virus, COVID, it obviously went down along with every other economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): I want to bring in now New York Congresswoman Grace Meng. Last year she sponsored a resolution condemning acts of hate violence against Asian Americans that passed in the House. But 164 Republicans voted it down. Rep. Meng, thank you so much. I appreciate you joining us this evening. And it is a very important topic.

So, let's discuss. That was just last night. Shortly before we learned of the shootings in Atlanta. Is there any surprise that hate crimes against Asian-Americans have spiked?

REP. GRACE MENG (D-NY) (on camera): Not at all. And don, thank you for having me and thank you for covering this important issue and of our condolences continue to go out to the people of Georgia and the families of the victims. And let's be clear. You know, hate crimes and hate incidents against Asian-Americans are not a new phenomenon.

However, when we look at the numbers and how the incidents have skyrocketed in the last 12 or 13 months or so, we absolutely lay this at the feet of the former president and the Republican Party. This president who had a wide global platform continued up until yesterday to use incendiary words like Chinese virus and Kung flu. And when we tried to pass a symbolic resolution for Congress to stand united to condemn bigotry towards Asian-Americans, 164 Republicans would not even vote for that.

LEMON: That's what I want to talk to you about. Again, I want to make it clear to our audience. In September the House passed a resolution that you sponsored that denounces anti-Asian hate. And as you just said, 164 Republicans voted against this measure calling it, and I quote here, woke culture on steroids.

[23:25:06]

And then accusing Democrats of just trying to rebuke President Trump months before the election. Tell me about this measure. And what this measure addresses.

MENG: You know, we wrote this legislation early on in the pandemic. We wanted the Asian-American community to know that any sort of racism and bigotry was not acceptable. We put the resolution out. I didn't even put the president's name in the language of the resolution.

Unfortunately, we had leaders like Kevin McCarthy who said this wasn't on the minds and was not being discussed at kitchen tables around America. And so I want to ask him if these issues are indeed being discussed today after what we saw in Atlanta, and after over 3,800 incidents across this country during the past year.

LEMON: And representative, just to add to your case, the case that you're making, and in case anyone is not familiar with the racist that Asian-Americans have been facing this past year. I just want to play some of the vile messages that you received in your office voicemail after your resolution passed. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I'm calling about the karate kid virus. The Kung flu virus, whatever it is that came from Asia. It's not racist. It's the truth. Filthy people.

UNKNOWN: Hey, you look like a Chinese virus, you fat slob. Maybe Kung flu fat slob. Or maybe Wuhan, you look like a Wuhan you fat ugly fat slob.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So many more like this. So many more audio messages like this. And ones with language that's even more repulsive. This is why there's fear in Asian communities, but -- are folks in other marginalize groups banning together, do you think?

MENG: Absolutely. And I want to be clear. Look, I have thick skin. Those voicemails don't bother me, but I feel horrible because there are Asian-Americans telling their parents not to leave their homes. There are parents of kids who are texting me saying, there is no way I'm letting my kid play outside even when it is nice out. They don't want them to get bullied and harassed.

But one good thing that I see coming out of this is the allied ship that is being demonstrated. For the past few months actually, we've had leaders in the black, Latino, native-American community speak up from months ago up until today. Just look at social media. Look at the news. The outpouring of support from every day community members to leaders, in our allied communities.

It is so heartwarming. And I believe that because of this, we will have increased opportunities to build and to strengthen these coalitions. To work together to fight the roots of racism and not each other. We are not going to point fingers at any group.

LEMON: Representative Meng, thank you so much. I'm sorry that you're having to deal with this but I also appreciate your courage for bringing these issues up so that at least people have a chance to vote on it and that it may have one day received some passage. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

MENG: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Thank you. Listen, this is what I talk about in my new book. And listen, I'm not here to hawk the book. I think that it actually can help people have these conversations. Like Officer Dunn said, we got to do the work, and we have to fix the problem.

We have to address the problem. And this actually helps to spark a conversation, it helps people realize and figure out how to do the work. This is the fire. What I say to my friends about racism. It is out now. Check it out and let's start having those conversations. OK?

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo addressing comments from President Biden about the sexual harassment allegations against the governor. And it sounds like he is trying to down play what the president said.

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[23:30:00]

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LEMON (on camera): So Congressman Louie Gohmert is trying to rewrite the history of the Capitol insurrection. He is one of 12 Republicans who vote against the bill to award the congressional gold medal to police officers who responded to the insurrection. Here is why.

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REP. LOUIE GOHMERT (R-TX) (voice-over): I'm all for the medals, but the speaker's legislation contains language that was neither fair nor accurate. We now know there was no armed insurrection. Nobody had arms, so just trying to keep it honest so that we only put truthful things in the bill.

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LEMON (on camera): CNN political commentator Ana Navarro joins me now. Ana, it's good to see you. Thanks so much for joining us. No armed insurrection? How low can these Republicans go?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Honestly, I hate even responding to anything Louie Gohmert says, because over 535 members of Congress, he has got to be one of the stupidest, dumbest persons in Congress, and that is a very high bar.

It is stupid to say there were no arms when we saw people getting killed. It is stupid to say there were no arms when we saw the way the sticks, the flagpoles, the metal flag poles, sharp metal flag poles were used.

You think bear spray is not an arm? You think people that are -- that are wearing -- you know, they are wearing knuckles and brass knuckles, do you think those aren't arms?

[23:35:07]

NAVARRO: So I would like to see what, you know, Congressman Gohmert would do if he were stuck in a dark alley with somebody approaching him with a metal flagpole and wanting to beat him up with it, if he would think that it was an arm then.

LEMON (on camera): And I really want to get your response to this. This is an interview I did with a Capitol police officer, Harry Dunn, who responded to the insurrection at the Capitol. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY DUNN, CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER: It was bad. It was bad. I will share one story. One of my colleagues said that he was called a racial slur. He was carrying a rifle, a long gun that day. And a group of terrorists came to him and said, you think you're a tough "N" word with that gun? Put that gun down, and we'll show you what type of "N" word you really are.

And nobody deserves that. Nobody deserves to be talked to like that, but especially this guy. He did not deserve -- yeah. It was rough. And I guess it's the -- but we keep coming back and back in. We love our country even though it doesn't love us back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): What goes through your mind, Ana, when you hear this hero say, we love our country even though it doesn't love us back?

NAVARRO: It was very hard to watch, Don. It's heartbreaking. I think there is no amount of gratitude that we can express to people who put their lives on the line in defense of these Congress people, these senators, their staff, and our democracy on that day.

LEMON: You seem really emotional about this, Ana. Why are you so emotional?

NAVARRO: Gosh, Don. To see, you know, a tough guy like that say those words, it just -- you know, it -- it is heartbreaking. It is heartbreaking that this this is happening in 2021. It is heartbreaking that after we supposedly had this racial reckoning as a country last summer after George Floyd, we keep hearing this kind of hate speech toward African-Americans and other groups.

You know, I've been reading your book and it really has stirred up so many emotions in me. As you know, you know, you and I are friends. We talk about these things all the time. And it is just -- this isn't the America that we are. This is not the America that we should ascribe to be.

And it hurts my heart that this man, who puts his life on the line to protect other Americans, regardless of their race or ethnicity or color or whether they're racist or not, whether they're Republicans or Democrats, would be sharing this story and getting told these things.

And I'm really glad you are putting it on the air. I'm really glad you're giving it a platform because as hard as some of these things are to hear, as hard as those voicemails that Congresswoman Meng (ph) got are to hear, we need to hear them, because I think one of the crucial parts of solving the problem is acknowledging the problem, acknowledging that this is happening.

LEMON (on camera): And I want to -- I have to get your response to something on another topic, OK? Governor Cuomo downplaying President Biden's comments that he should resign and will probably be criminally prosecuted if the allegations against him are true. Take a listen and I want your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): And I wonder what your reaction was to President Biden saying that you could face prosecution.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): I don't think that's what President Biden said. The president said there should be a review. I agree with him on that. The people of New York agree with him on that. I'm not going to resign. Find out the facts and we'll take it from there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): OK. So here's the actual tape. Play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I know you said you want the investigation to continue. If the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes. I think he probably will end up being prosecuted, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So it seems like he's taking liberties here. Is he trying to rewrite history?

NAVARRO: Well, listen. You know, I actually heard that interview last night and I called some lawyer friends in New York today because, you know, I don't know that any of the claims we've heard so far and that we know of publicly, if they meet the elements of a crime in New York. So I was asking that question. I didn't know if it was a reference to the

nursing home issue, there was a reference to this.

[23:40:00]

NAVARRO: Look, I find this topic so, so uncomfortable and so anachronistic also in 2021. The investigation is going to continue. And regardless of what, you know, Governor Cuomo decides to do, that investigation is not going to exonerate him completely, because he's acknowledged he's done some of these things. He's apologized for them, but he's acknowledged that he has done some of those things.

And I think in 2021, somebody like Andrew Cuomo, who should have known better, is not going to get a pass. At the same time, I think that when you talk about prosecution, criminal prosecution of things, you know, sexual assault, from what we've heard so far, and I want to emphasize that, from what we have learned so far, there is a world of difference between Harvey Weinstein or Charlie Rose opening up the door, you know, naked underneath a bathrobe.

There is a world of difference between what Mark Halperin did. There is a world of difference between what Brett Kavanaugh was accused of doing and world of difference between what Donald Trump was accused of doing.

And what we have heard so far from Andrew Cuomo, you know, the allegations against Andrew Cuomo, that does not mean, that does not mean that even if those are the only allegations, he gets a free pass because there is no way that somebody that should be as aware as Andrew Cuomo, that has young daughters like Andrew Cuomo, that is part of this, you know, this society, after we've gone through me too should be doing these things and just not appreciating the power dynamic --

LEMON: I got it.

NAVARRA: -- what that meant in those interactions.

LEMON: I got it.

NAVARRO: I don't think he's going to get exonerated and it's, you know --

LEMON: Yeah.

NAVARRO: -- but he also said he's not going to resign, and I think it will be hard to get him off of that.

LEMON: All right. I got to run. This got to be the last word. But I'll have the last word because I know Ana was upset with me because she's talking about me not mentioning her among her -- my CNN colleagues as a good friend who I have these conversations with. And we do almost every night. I talk to Ana after work. I call her and we talk about the news of the day and the issues of the day. So I apologize. I'm sorry. I love you.

NAVARRO: But I have news for today, Don.

LEMON: I got to go. I'm getting in trouble.

NAVARRO: I got my first vaccine and I really want to make a call to everybody to please go get vaccinated, particularly if you're Black, if you're brown, if you're a Trumper. It doesn't matter. We got to beat this, but we got to do it together.

LEMON: And look, you even have a vaccine outfit. Girl, I've got to go.

NAVARRO: Like Dolly Parton. I decided to go with that --

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: I'll call you later after the show.

(LAUGHTER)

NAVARRO: So I wouldn't have a wardrobe malfunction.

LEMON: We'll be right back.

(LAUGHTER)

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[23:45:00]

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LEMON: Our nightly COVID house call now, CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner. Doctor, thank you so much. The U.S. is making great progress when it comes to vaccinations, but with states opening back up and the variants spreading, are we -- are we vaccinating fast enough to avoid another surge?

JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST, DIRECTOR OF CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION PROGRAM AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: Boy, we're vaccinating really fast now. We're averaging about 2.5 million shots per day. Hundred and thirteen million Americans have gotten at least one shot. I think we can go even faster. I think we can get to three million.

And we're racing -- we're racing the clock. I think we're going to see a big drop in new cases once we start vaccinating young people, the people who are powering the transmission of the virus.

LEMON: The CDC says that two coronavirus variants first found in California may be about 20 percent more transmissible. How worried are you about these California variants?

REINER: No more worried than any of the other variants. So we know the variants are more transmissible. So it is even more reason not to stop wearing masks and to get shots into arms as quickly as possible.

The good news is that 65 percent of folks in this country over the age of 65 have had at least one shot. So, we're really going to great lengths to vaccinate our most vulnerable. But the more people we vaccinate, the fewer variants we'll have going forward.

LEMON: Yeah. I love our house calls. This one is short tonight but short and potent and well deserved. Thank you, sir. We'll see you tomorrow, doctor. Thank you very much.

REINER: My pleasure.

LEMON: All right. We'll be right back.

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[23:50:00]

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LEMON (on camera): So, take this. A right-wing YouTuber is playing up racist stereotypes while reacting to President Biden's COVID relief bill. That bill gives billions of dollars in relief to Black farmers hit hard by the pandemic who have historically faced discrimination. This is what Steven Crowder along with his online show co-host said. And I really want to warn you, this is really racist stuff, so be forewarned.

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STEVEN CROWDER, HOST, LOUDER WITH CROWDER: Former Vice President Joe Biden.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Of course.

CROWDER: His America Rescue Plan includes farmer reparations. Now, what does that mean?

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Ah.

CROWDER: It means -- and I don't know where you find this many farmers of color, but they did. And 5.2 billion are being allocated exclusively for colored farmers. Most happy about the new policy, these people. So, yeah. I'm all Black. I'm gonna buy a plow man.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): I'm going buy corn.

CROWDER: I'm going to buy a John Deere. Barack Obama (bleep) -- I'm the president of plowing that (bleep).

DAVE LANDAU, CO-HOST, LOUDER WITH CROWDER: I thought the last thing they would want to do is be farmers. Wasn't that a big problem for hundreds of years?

UNKNOWN: Yeah.

CROWDER: Isn't that why Arsenio Hall called himself the urban man's Johnny Carson?

LANDAU: I think so.

CROWDER: Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Are people lining up out in the middle of cornfield Iowa for new dunks?

LANDAU: I planted a Hennessy tree, but it's not growing.

CROWDER: Well, technically it did grow, but that (bleep) XO.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON (on camera): Boy, oh boy, oh boy.

[23:55:00]

LEMON: Boy, there's so much I could say, but I can't in this platform. What you have there is hate and racism used as entertainment. That clip, part of an episode of Crowder's show, was eventually removed by YouTube, but not for what you watched.

What crossed the line? In a statement to our team, YouTube says the video violates our COVID-19 misinformation policy, which prohibits content claiming that the death rates of COVID-19 are less severe or equally as severe as the common cold or seasonal flu. As a result, the video was removed from Steven Crowder's channel.

So, let's be real here. Misinformation is a real danger, of course, and we talk about it all the time here. And some of these social-media platforms are dedicating resources to fight it, but they've got a long way to go. The hate online under the guise of political punditry or comedy -- that is thriving. You saw how Steven Crowder and his team tried to make their racism funny.

COVID misinformation is dangerous, but hate as entertainment is a real threat, as well. So, until more is done to stop it, we'll be here to call it out. In order for something to be comedy, it has to be funny, too. It just wasn't. Good night.

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