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U.S. Surpasses 5 Million Cases, Death Nears 163,000; Debate Rages Over In-Person Classes as Georgia Schools Report New Cases; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Says, Trump's Executive Actions are Absurdly Unconstitutional. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired August 10, 2020 - 10:00   ET

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

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Sports every time somebody breaks.

[10:00:01]

This is another tentacle.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN NEWSROOM: I think you got the math right on that one, for sure, Carolyn. Thank you very, very much.

Top of the hour, good morning, everyone. I'm Poppy Harlow.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NEWSROOM: And I'm Jim Sciutto.

We know these numbers are hard to hear, but it's a consistent story. The numbers just alarming, 5 million cases now of coronavirus here in the U.S. as tens of millions of unemployed Americans, probably some of you watching here, wait for economic relief from Washington.

Now, President Trump is fueling really just more confusion, backtracking now just a day after taking executive action on those expired, enhanced employment benefits. Saturday, he said he'd reduced the amount from $600 to $400 and make states chip in for the difference. Now, he says states may not have to pay anything at all. That fact is states, Poppy, struggling as it is with their budgets.

HARLOW: It's all really confusing. But this morning, no, you're not getting an additional $400 if you're unemployed. There are no answers yet.

Also this morning, a stunning study just released and it adds to the anxiety as schools begin to reopen across the country. Nearly 100,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 just in the last two weeks of July. We'll have more on that in a moment.

But, first, let's get to our Manu Raju. He joins us on Capitol Hill with more.

We just saw moments ago Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin saying they will go up from their $1 trillion number, but, I mean, a lot of members of Congress aren't there. I mean, are they going to go back to the table today? MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Not at the moment. Of course, things can change quickly around here. But at the moment, the two sides are in their own corners, essentially, even as the treasury secretary suggested they could go up, going up to the level that Nancy Pelosi has asked for, which is to add an additional trillion dollars to the Republican price tag.

That is just a non-starter for so many Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn't believe that that kind of package, $2 trillion-plus, could pass the Senate. And at the moment, most senators are gone. Senators and House members are essentially all out of town. The Senate is in session this afternoon, but we don't expect any votes, the votes won't be called unless there's a deal. And at the moment negotiations aren't happening.

Now, the president has been making some curious comments over the last day suggesting that Democrats have started to reach out, back out to his administration to begin talks. He just tweeted this morning, so now Schumer and Pelosi want to make a deal. Amazing how it all works, isn't it? Where have they been for the last four weeks when they were hardliners and only wanted bailout money for Democratic-run states and cities that are failing badly? They know my phone number.

But Pelosi and Schumer have not been in contact with the administration officials since talks broke down on Friday and they're pushing for a trillion dollars in state and local aid that would forego to not just Democratic-run cities but Republican-run cities too. But that is a major sticking point. So, unclear if this gets resolved and unclear what will happen to so many people waiting for desperately needed aid that's locked up here in a logjam in Washington. Guys?

SCIUTTO: What's that old saying on the Hill, the best deal is one where no one is satisfied. Eventually, you have to compromise. Manu Raju, thanks very much.

This morning, a ninth employee with the California Department of Corrections has died from complications related to coronavirus.

HARLOW: This as a 24th inmate at San Quentin Prison has died from COVID-19 as California's oldest prison continues to struggle with this outbreak.

SCIUTTO: CNN's Stephanie Elam is in Los Angeles this morning. Good morning, Stephanie.

What can you tell us and also just about the larger outbreak particularly in Southern California right now?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, Jim and Poppy, what is really worth noting here is when you look at the number of employees that have died, prison employees, it shows you that it's very hard to keep a disease, a virus like this, separated from outside of the population. You talk about that employee who has died. I know that the first employee that has died who worked in a prison was on May 30th. So we're seeing an acceleration of sorts here in the last few weeks.

Also, worth noting that we saw that the 24th inmate has died from complications related to COVID-19 as well. He's 58-year-old man. So you're looking at a problem within the jails and I actually reached out to a source of mine who said that part of the issue here is that they have to move around prisoners quite often. Well, when they move around, they're also taking the virus along with them and that is what has been spreading it, and that's what the issue is here inside of the jails.

Now, there's another big story that is breaking this morning here in California and that is news that the director of California's Department of Public Health resigned late last night. This coming, that Dr. Sonia Angell has stepped down from her position. She just took on the job in October of last year. The Los Angeles Times saying that she sent an email to staff saying that she was leaving.

[10:05:02]

What's not clear, Jim and Poppy, is whether or not this has anything to do with the data backlog issues, the technical glitch that we've seen here that has some 250,000 to 300,000 cases that were not originally counted and they're sorting through that. They fixed the glitch. But, still, we know that there are cases and contact tracing that did not happen as they should have. Jim and Poppy?

HARLOW: Well, similar thing happened here with the head of the health department in New York City too, Stephanie. Thank you very, very much. I appreciate it.

Well, schools in at least 12 counties in Florida are starting in- person classes this week, but one of the state's largest counties is not and Florida's education commissioner is really going after that district for that decision.

Let's go to Rosa Flores for an update. Good morning, Rosa.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Poppy, good morning. What we are talking about here is Hillsborough County. Here is what we know, the Hillsborough County School Board decided to go for all virtual learning last week. Well, shortly after making that decision, the Florida education commissioner sent the superintendent a letter, a scathing letter, expressing his, quote, grave concerns because the school district is not offering brick and mortar options for students, which is required by his executive order.

Now, according to the superintendent of Hillsborough County in a statement to CNN saying that, look, the superintendent and the school board went by the information and data provided by the Florida Department of Health and also by the advice from local medical experts and also public health officials.

And, Jim and Poppy, right now, it's a bit of a brawl because the superintendent says that they are looking at options. They are going over this letter which was sent by the Department of Education to the Hillsborough County School District and they're trying to go over it with their legal team, trying to figure out what exactly this means and the implications. Jim and Poppy?

SCIUTTO: Rosa Flores, thanks very much.

For the second day in a row, South Dakota is reporting more than 100 new COVID-19 cases.

HARLOW: Right. That surge in infections comes amid the growing fears that the annual motorcycle rally, it's famous in Sturgis and it went on over the weekend, could become a big, big event of spreading.

SCIUTTO: That's breaking all the rules, right? Close proximity, not a lot of mask wearing, people coming from states all over the country.

CNN's Ryan Young live on the ground in Sturgis, South Dakota, for that rally. Ryan, is it too early to trace any of these new cases to that particular event?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. And, of course, it's even too early to even see the crowds that are normally here. Look, I wouldn't be able to stand in the middle of this road because normally it's covered in bikes. We've been here since last weekend and I can tell you each day it seems like more and more people start piling into the city.

This is a town of 7,000 people but believing it might swell to 250,000 people. Take a look at some of the video that we shot over the weekend. Everywhere you looked, there were just tons of bikes everywhere. When you talk about social distancing, there wasn't a lot of it. When you talk about mask wearing, there wasn't a lot of that either. What we heard is a lot of freedom and defiance, a lot of people telling us they decided not to wear masks. They could not wait to come to this event. They were so glad the annual event was not canceled.

We saw them coming from states all across the country. And, in fact, listen to some of the riders who said they wanted to be here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm trying to keep everybody safe, but at the same time, you know, we're here to do what we're here to do and the world is going to go on no matter what. And it seems like everyone else has the same opinion. I just hope that it doesn't end up causing, you know, mass breakout.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not worried about it at all. We're from California so you have got to wear masks everywhere you go. So I just think it's kind of refreshing coming and not have to worry about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel comfortable not wearing it so it's good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: And you hear those voices, people not really concerned about the virus, but you see people coming from hot spots to this area in a state that had less than 10,000 positive cases, but as you said, the numbers have been going up over the last few days. A lot of people are wondering what will happen, 10 to 14 days outside of the is event. A lot of the riders tell me they're going to go through the west coast before going back home so it will be interesting to see how this spreads.

HARLOW: Wow. Ryan Young, thank you very much for being there in the middle of all of it. We're wishing the best for them, obviously. But I don't know what is to come there.

YOUNG: Absolutely.

HARLOW: We have just learned that more than 100 people were arrested in Chicago overnight. There was looting, there was disorderly conduct and battery against police.

SCIUTTO: 13 Chicago officers injured. Here, you can see people breaking glass, entering stores, looting downtown overnight.

CNN's Polo Sandoval, he is in Chicago. Polo, do we know what started this and what's the situation now?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, just a little while ago, we heard from Chicago's superintendent as he addressed the events of last night saying that what we saw take place, the chaos, the wave of chaos we saw sweep through the streets of Downtown Chicago, likely connected to confusion over an event that took place over the weekend.

[10:10:02]

A police involved shooting in which the officers opened fire on a man in his 20s, injuring him. We're told that he's expected to survive. That was a separate call of a man with a gun.

But according to authorities, they believe that there was some misinformation among citizens and that sparked outrage and this was the result. And that includes some storefronts that you see here in Chicago's Miracle Mile, every other business, we did see windows shattered and widespread looting.

I looked out my window about 4:00 A.M. and I saw police nearly on every corner. And there were groups of people that were forcing their way into businesses and then leaving with many of the goods inside.

So, again, we do have a little bit more clarity now. According to Chicago's top cop, he believes that there was some misinformation about that police involved shooting that took place over the weekend, which involved a man in his 20s in which he was injured, a man that apparently had a previous arrest and according to police, pointed a gun at officers forcing them to open fire. That incident is still under investigation.

Certainly, what's happening here is certainly going to be reviewed. But in the meantime there is some sense of normalcy returning. A lot of people on the sidewalks taking pictures of what took place. The drawbridges that go over the Chicago Bridge, many of those are still lifted. They closed them on purpose just before sunrise to try to isolate those pockets of looting.

But in the meantime, I can tell you again, Jim and Poppy, there is that sense of normalcy, but for now authorities still recommending that people try to stay away from Downtown Chicago as they try to continue with the cleanup.

SCIUTTO: Just alarming pictures there. Polo Sandoval, thanks very much.

Still to come as schools reopen in Georgia, there is growing concern among teachers who say they are afraid about the health risks of in- person teaching. Up next, we're going to speak with the president of the Georgia Association of Educators.

HARLOW: Also, it is decision time for Joe Biden. He is expected to unveil his choice for running mate this week. One of the people campaigning for him virtually, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, we'll have her ahead.

SCIUTTO: And violent protests break out across Belarus in Europe after disputed election results showed a landslide win for its long- time president. Lots of questions there as to whether that's the reality.

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[10:15:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back.

Concerning numbers from some of the first schools in the U.S. to return to in-person classes. Right now, hundreds of students, more than a dozen teachers from two separate Georgia school districts just north of Atlanta are now at home. They're forced to quarantine after either testing positive with coronavirus themselves or coming into contact with someone who did, this during the first week of classes last week.

Some of those positive cases came from this high school in Paulding County. You may remember this picture, crowded hallways, it went viral last week.

With me now is Lisa Morgan, President of Georgia Association of Educators. Lisa, thanks so much for taking the time this morning.

LISA MORGAN, PRESIDENT, GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS: Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: You have seen the numbers as some schools go back to in- person learning. While they remain small percentages, you are seeing it spread among the student body and to some staff. Do you believe that teachers would be risking too much to return to in-person schooling?

MORGAN: I have heard the words from educators scared to death multiple times over the past month or so. We have educators who have preexisting conditions themselves. We have educators who have family members with preexisting conditions, who have very young children, who care for elderly parents or grandparents. We are asking teachers to risk their lives daily to a virus that is preventable, that we can control the transmission, and the measures that are being put in place are not measures that we know will prevent the transmission in our school buildings.

SCIUTTO: I wonder if you feel differently about counties and cities that have managed to control the outbreak and keep infection rates low, below markers that the CDC establishes. I mean, even Dr. fauci has said that areas with low infection rates, they can go back to school safely with mitigation. Would you support teachers and students going back to school for in-person instruction where those rates are low?

MORGAN: Where those rates are low and where the schools are providing the resources necessary to include all the mitigation factors that the CDC is recommending. For example, the guidelines say six feet of distance and we know that is not possible in a classroom with 25 to 35 students. However, physical barriers, if the school is going to put those into place to mitigate that risk.

None of the schools here in Georgia are mandating masks, very few of the school systems are. They are strongly suggesting. So we know the mask is a mitigation factor that is necessary to keep people safe. So our schools need the resources and the policies to ensure the safety of staff and students.

SCIUTTO: Are you seeing that happen anywhere? Are you seeing any school districts that are managing to take those steps so that they can meet the standards and get teachers and kids back into the classroom?

[10:20:05]

MORGAN: We do have some school systems that are doing hybrid models, which is reducing the number of students in the classroom so they can socially distance. And we do have school systems where masks are mandatory. And we've heard from some teachers in those systems that they do feel safe.

But it is an issue that infection rate across the State of Georgia remains very high and that the number of children with coronavirus more than tripled from July 1st until now, and that's with most children not in school.

SCIUTTO: That's a thing, you know, whether for schools or businesses, if you get it under control, that lays the groundwork for reopening.

Kristen McConnell, she's an ICU nurse in New York and her husband is actually a public school teacher. She wrote an op-ed in The Atlantic calling for teachers to come back to classrooms. I want to quote from and just get your reaction.

She wrote, schools are essential to the functioning of our society and that makes teacher essential workers. They should rise to the occasion even if it makes them nervous, just like healthcare workers have. Teachers signed up to be a positive, adult presence in children's lives, help them grow up with their peers away from home and we need them to follow through.

I wonder what your reaction to that challenge there? Do you think teachers should approach this similarly to the way healthcare workers have?

MORGAN: I think teachers have rose to the occasion every time we've been asked when the risk was to ourselves. Teachers throw themselves in front of bullets when there is an active shooter in the building. But this time, we are being asked to potentially sacrifice not ourselves, but also our families, and that is the difference.

I've read from educators who have told family members, I will not be seeing you because I cannot put you at risk.

SCIUTTO: Right.

MORGAN: The emotional impact to a student, yes, our students need social interaction, but nobody is asking what is going to be the impact on that student when their teacher or a classmate becomes ill because they were in the building together. This is not a simple solution of, oh, we just go in and everything is going to be okay. We know it is not.

SCIUTTO: Well, listen, we wish you the best of luck. You, your fellow teachers and students there in Georgia, we hope you find a way. Lisa Morgan, thanks for coming on.

MORGAN: Thank you.

HARLOW: She makes an important point about the impact on teachers' family members, et cetera.

All right, so lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said that the president's latest executive actions are, quote, unconstitutional, but should the administration sue over it? We'll ask Senator Amy Klobuchar, next.

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[10:25:00]

HARLOW: All right. Welcome back.

Well, a battle brewing on Capitol Hill over the president's four executive actions on coronavirus relief. They extend additional unemployment aid, or that's the goal, they aim to defer the payroll tax, cut and also they defer student loan payments and they urge officials to consider halting evictions. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle though have called the move unconstitutional and there is still some hope for stimulus negotiations on Capitol Hill.

Just moments, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration is prepared to put more money on the table but couldn't say when his team would meet with Democrats.

Joining me now, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. Good morning, Senator.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): Good morning, Poppy. That was a good review of what went on, because, you know, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer went to those negotiations and said, look, we think we need something big. We don't need a skinny band-aid with the unemployment numbers we are seeing, with the fact that annualized GDP is supposed to be down 33 percent for the year, come on?

And so because of that, they were still willing to negotiate down from the House passed $3.6 trillion to $2 trillion. They put that on the table. And the Trump administration still wasn't budging, putting out, as you have noted, something that many people believe is unconstitutional. This idea that you're going to roll back the payroll tax then put that on the backs of seniors and their social security, truly, I don't think that's the way to go.

HARLOW: All right. Well, you're a lawyer. In addition to being a senator, you're a prosecutor there, a lead prosecutor in Minneapolis for years. Do you -- you know, Nancy Pelosi called the action absurdly unconstitutional. Republican Senator Ben Sasse responding to the move on payroll taxes and called it unconstitutional slop. Do you think Congress should sue the administration?

KLOBUCHAR: I don't think we're even at that point yet because who knows what's going to happen. What I want to see them do --

HARLOW: But should they? Would that be a prudent move?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, people are going to sue over this because you don't just take people's payroll taxes away from seniors and their social security, say, oh, we're not going to collect them but you're going to have to pay them next year. Of course, that's going to be lawsuits. But I think that's kind of beside the point. That's what Trump wants us to be talking about.

What we should be talking about is go back to the negotiating table, let's make sure we get the funding we need for the testing.

[10:30:03]

He includes no funding for testing in his proposal. There was 75$75 billion that would have put our country back on.

END