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Coronavirus Pandemic; Massive Explosion Hits Beirut Port; Five States Holding 2020 Primary Today. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired August 04, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

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[12:32:01]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Teachers in Bibb County, Georgia, returned to work this week on Thursday. But they don't know yet whether they'll be seeing children right there in the classroom or over the internet. It's a wait and see debate still playing out in school districts across America.

The Bibb County reopening was already delayed until after Labor Day and officials will decide two weeks before the new September 8th start day whether to open classrooms or begin the year with remote learning.

The Bibb County is in Central Georgia and includes the City of Macon. A White House Coronavirus Taskforce report lists Bibb County as a red zone because it is adding new cases quickly, more than 500 in the last week. Overall, you see there, 3,214 cases, 61 deaths in Bibb County.

With me is the supervisor of the Bibb County School District, Curtis Jones Jr. Sir, thank you so much for your time today especially at this busy time as you try to weigh all of this out.

So already you have 22,000 students, 8,000 parents have already chosen the option of remote learning. That's more than a third of your parents saying I'm going to keep my child at home no matter what you decide in a couple of weeks. So what does that tell you about the safety worries in your community?

CURTIS JONES JR, SUPERINTENDENT, BIBB COUNTY GEORGIA SCHOOL DISTRICT: Thank you, Mr. King. It is a pleasure to be with you. It tells me that concern is great. To be quite truthful, we are still getting parents who had opted for the in-person instruction asking if we will reopen that window so more can apply. As a numbers have gone up, people become more and more concerned and they were just wondering what is going to happen so -- and what we can do to keep them safe so they're nervous to be quite truthful.

KING: Well, I applaud what you are trying to do and the colleagues all across the country because it is so difficult. In your case you're preparing for a number of scenarios. Is it more difficult for you as a superintendent to say we may have both approach, so we might have some children in the classroom, we might have a lot of people, at least a third or more now doing remote learning? Is that more difficult than having a one or the other?

JONES: It is more difficult to be honest. What we are trying to do is take a teacher and dedicate a teacher to just doing remote learning so if you have three teachers for example in third grade, two may be doing in-person and one could be doing remote and that way they can plan together, but what we're finding is we work through the numbers and doesn't quite work out. So, we have some teachers who are considering having to do both, teach remotely as well as have kids in class so they have a camera turned on in the classroom.

We think that would be extremely difficult so we're going to continue to work it to see if we can move students around so maybe they will have a teacher from a different school if they're doing remote learning.

KING: Interesting way to at least look at the options. This is a --

JONES: We are trying.

KING: -- intentionally personal, intensely local decision. A lot of advice from Washington. The President in all caps saying open the schools tweeting last night. There's no science behind that. That's more of a political wish from the president of the Untied States.

But listen here to Dr. Fauci, the top infectious disease expert who makes a pretty compelling case that if you can, if it is safe, you would much rather have a student in the classroom.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: The default position should be to try as best as you possibly can to open up the schools for in-person learning.

[12:35:10]

It's important for the children because of the psychological benefit and in some places even for the nutrition.

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KING: Superintendent, on the last latter point there, the psychological, children who might need the presence of a teacher, might need some mental health counseling, might need somebody just a friend to get eye to eye look to see how they're doing, the nutrition, lower income kids, that's where they get the meals, they get breakfast or lunch in the schools. How have you had to learn the lessons if you will of the closing of the school year several months back and apply them to take care of those needs in this new environment?

JONES: So it's been very difficult to work through that but our staff has done a great job. So for example, when students now come to the school, we know that we're going to take the temperature first thing as they come inside. We're buying kiosks so that we will be able to take the temperature and be able to go directly into our system so we can tell who has a temperature. All of our students, all of our schools have a school nurse or a medical professional who can help us with that.

Lunch will be different as well. In the spring, we had students who went to the cafeteria, they sat down and ate. Now we will either have students go to the cafeteria and bring the food back to the classroom or we have a cafeteria staffs bring it to them, and we have maxed our class size at 15. So no class will have more than 15.

I did a tour yesterday of two of our schools and saw what it looked like. We are able to get about 5 to 5 1/2 feet distance between students as they seat at their desk so we can separate and we're going to ask students and teachers to wear a mask. We're staying to the maximum extent possible and we're going to enforce that because I believe it's what the staff and students need.

KING: The Bibb County School Superintendent Curtis Jones Jr., sir, grateful for your time. I wish you and your colleagues the best of luck in this very difficult days and then weeks ahead, sir. Thanks for your time today.

JONES: Thank you, sir.

KING: Thank you.

Let's circle back to see how you're doing.

Now, some breaking international news out of Beirut. Authorities say multiple people have been injured after a large explosion in the Lebanese capital. This was the moment of the explosion.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? What? What?

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KING: The source of the explosion we are told was a major fire at a firecracker warehouse near the port of Beirut, that according to the state-run national news agency. The Lebanese Red Cross as they're now to access the explosion site. Hospitals in the area have been told to prepare to receive injuries from that blast. We'll continue to monitor the story and bring you the latest.

And still ahead for us, voters in five states casting ballots today. Primary elections. The key races could determine the balance of power in the United States Senate.

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[12:42:10]

KING: Some new coronavirus case numbers and hospitalization data out of Florida now. And at least 45 hospitals in that state have reached ICU capacity. That means there are absolutely no beds currently available. Another 34 hospitals we are told have 10 percent or fewer ICU beds available. This comes as we're told Florida heading to surpass more than 500,000 cases, total case as of likely by tomorrow. It would be the second state to do so after California.

Just today Florida reporting more than 5,000 new cases, 245 new deaths, 5,400 new cases. You see right there, that's a high number but it is down from the height of the summer surge.

Here in Washington it is back to the negotiating table for top congressional Democrats and White House officials, they've been trying for more than a week now to hammer out the deals on a new coronavirus relief package.

Today's meeting comes as both sides remain very far apart on key issues even though they described these talks as productive. Sources say they're nowhere close to an agreement. This is the president former economic advisor offers a sober and a somewhat contradicting assessment of the pandemic. Listen here. The new interview today here on CNN, Kevin Hassett, again, who just left the White House says another economic shutdown in some parts of the country just might be necessary.

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KEVIN HASSETT, FMR. SENIOR ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT: It is something in pockets of the country absolutely might make sense because there are places where the positivity rate of the test is above 20 percent, where the cases are expanding quickly, you know, where basically everything that you saw in New York, you know, way back in March is happening and so for me it does feel like there are some places are too open.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

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KING: When we come back, five states voting today in primary elections. It's a big test for mail-in voting. And in Kansas for Republicans there's a sense of deja vu all over again.

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[12:48:32]

KING: Five states are holding primaries today and the results carry important lessons. One of those lessons more of a process issue. Mail- in voting is allowed in all five states voting today. A warm up of source for the November election. Not to mention test cases as President Trump and his allies keep insisting without any evidence that mail-in invites fraud. There are also some big ideological tests.

In Detroit for example, a member of the so-called Squad. Liberal Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib faces a contested Democratic primary. And Republicans are most closely watching Kansas. Immigration hard-liner Kris Kobach is running in its Senate primary and establishment Republicans worry that if he wins, they could lose the seat in November and make holding the Senate majority even more difficult. With me now to discuss CNN's Nia-Malika Henderson, national political reporter for New York Times, Jonathan Martin. Jonathan, let's start with Kansas. Mitch McConnell, the establishment wanted the president to endorse Dr. Roger Marshall. The president said he's staying out of it but if you watch Kris Kobach's ads, Trump seems to be for him. Let's watch.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So a man that's been with me from the beginning, he is tough, he's strong. He is a tireless champion for border security. Kris Kobach.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's always been pro-life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He listen and even as a representative, he's listened to the farmers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's very honest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Faithful in the faith in god.

BOB HAMILTON, BOB HAMILTON PLUMBING, INC.: Career politicians always stick us with the tab. It's time to send in the plumber to drain the swamp.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: As you can see there, Dr. Marshal has Bob Dole support. Pat Roberts, the senator who's retiring.

[12:50:05]

Important Jonathan because Kobach was the nominee of governor last time --

JONATHAN MARTIN, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Right.

KING: -- and there's a Democratic governor of Kansas and --

MARTIN: Yes.

KING: -- Republicans are worried here we go again.

JONATHAN: Right.

MARTIN: That ad that you played John is actually from 2018 when Trump did weighed in, he endorsed Kobach, got him the nomination only to see Kobach lose the general election and because of that, John, a lot of McConnell's lieutenants thought they could get the president to oppose Kobach if not endorse Marshall this time around but he has not done it. And part that I think the president is concerned about his base. He sees the numbers sagging. He doesn't want to alienate for the Kobach's hard-line supporters but this does reflect the kind of challenge that, I think a lot of Republicans facing where, you know, they're trying to use President Trump and manipulate him frankly for their own purposes and sometimes works out and sometimes it doesn't.

In this case, John, it didn't because -- you appreciate this -- Ted Cruz used a trip on Air Force One with the president last week to lobby the president away from weighing in on the race by reminding President Trump in the 2016 primary Roger Marshall supported, yes, John Kasich who is now of course one of the most outspoken anti-Trump figures in the GOP.

So a lot of backstage, back room lobbying, pushing and pulling with Trump to get him to play in this race when he stayed out of it.

KING: Grudge matches in politicians. Nia, here's why it matters. If you look at the current balance of power in the Senate, 53 to 47. The two independents caucus with the Democrats. So 53 to 47. So to pick up, these are primary elections today, to pick up control of the Senate depending on who wins the presidency, the Democrats need either a net gain of three or net gain of four depending who's sitting in the chair of the vice president come January.

They already have six Republican incumbents, Cory Gardner, David Perdue, Joni Ernst, Susan Collins, Steve Daines and Thom Tillis who are in tough races. If you then take currently Republican held seats like Kansas, there's primary in Tennessee for a Republican held seat on Thursday, Republicans are nervous of that, it's just the math gets harder and harder for Republicans if they get the wrong people as the nominee.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: That's right. The math gets harder and why does it get harder? It's because of the suburban voters, Republicans are looking at the folks, white suburban college educated voters who used to be for Trump in many ways. You saw in 2018 something of a shift with those voters and the same thing going on now.

You think about Kansas, the opponent that Kris Kobach wound run against if he wins, is essentially a moderate woman who used to be a Republican and if she goes up against somebody like Kris Kobach, that mean that the GOP has not spend that much more time, not much more money in a place like Kansas which hasn't had a democratic senator in many, many, many decades so the math is tougher, which is why they are hoping that tonight there is some sort of answer.

The problem again with an answer tonight is this mail-in voting, right? It might not be named for a couple -- known for a couple days whether or not -- who wins this race. Is it going to be Kobach or is going to be turns (ph).

KING: Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue.

MARTIN: Hey John, real fast, let me just --

KING: Go ahead.

MARTIN: Just add. I think that the GOP challenge in the Senate is much more profound than just Kansas.

KING: Right.

MARTIN: What's frustrating I think for McConnell and company is that they would have to spend a lot more money in Kansas this fall to save the seat if Kobach is the nominee and then they have Kobach in their caucus for the next six years, so that's why Kansas I think is frustrating but let's be candid here. Their majorities are in real peril even if you put Kansas aside.

KING: Absolutely, absolutely it is. And all that's tied to the president's numbers right now --

MARTIN: Yes.

KING: -- as we go through these states. We'll continue the conversation. Jonathan Martin, Nia-Malika Anderson, appreciate it.

Up next, Joe Biden, honing in its pick for a running mate. One of the hopefuls, makes her case on what she would bring to the ticket.

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[12:58:46]

KING: Confirmation today that Joe Biden is still deliberating about his vice presidential pick and that means we will not get the choice this week as initially promised. A member of the former vice president's team says the vetting though is now done. Mr. Biden wants to take a week and a half to spend time with the finalist. That means there's more time for those on the short list to publicly or privately make the case.

One person we know on the list, the former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice. Now, she's never run for office. She says that should not disqualify her that she's ready to be president and asked this morning if she understands and can relate to Americans to support President Trump, Susan Rice said, yes, this one's personal.

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SUSAN RICE, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: I do think I have a good understanding, maybe not a perfect understanding in part, Steve, because as I write in my book, I have a 23-year-old son whom I love dearly whose politics are very, very different from my own. My son and I will have some robust disagreements over some matters of policy, not all, and yet at the end of the day I love him dearly and he loves me.

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KING: That's the way it's supposed to be, right? We disagree, fight, we still love. We'll watch that choice plays out again. No choice this week. The former vice president continuing his deliberations. The lobbying quite public. Thanks for joining us today. Hope to see you back here this time tomorrow Brianna Keilar picks up our coverage right now. Have a good afternoon.

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