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FDA Gives Emergency Use Authorization for COVID Treatment; U.S. Republican National Convention Takes Place this Week; Trump to Make His Case for a Second Term This Week; U.S. Gulf Coast Bracing for Two Major Storms; Wildfires Scorch More Than a Million Acres in California. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired August 24, 2020 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. President Donald Trump calls it a historic breakthrough. Critics say it is a political ploy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives the go ahead for a new emergency use of coronavirus treatment.

Senior Trump aide Kellyanne Conway announces says she's leaving her White House post just as her boss gears up for the Republican National Convention. All of this while not just one but two powerful storms barrel toward the U.S. gulf coast.

Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to you, our viewers here in United States and around the world, I'm Kim Brunhuber and this is CNN NEWSROOM.

Well we are now just hours away from the start of the Republican National Convention. And ahead of that, U.S. President Donald Trump is touting what he calls a powerful therapy to treat COVID-19 patients. He's talking about convalescent plasma. And it's now been given as an emergency use authorization by the FDA, though many question whether there's enough data to support its use.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization. And that's such a powerful term, emergency use authorization for a treatment known as convalescent plasma. This is a powerful therapy that transfuses very, very strong antibodies from the blood of recovered patients to help treat patients battling a current infection.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Several medical experts believe the FDA's decision was made under pressure from the White House. The head of that agency denies it and defends the move saying all decisions are based solely on data.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. STEPHEN HAHN, COMMISSIONER, U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION: We know we're going to continue to collect data. We do that for all of our emergency use authorizations. So, for example, remdesivir was approved or authorized on May 1st. We are still collecting data and we will continue to do that with plasma as well. So, it's the nuances of the language around the authorization that we use and the legal aspect of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a promising treatment. You can't say it's very effective just yet.

HAHN: So, I would say if you're one of those 35 out of 100 people who these data suggest or show survive as a result of it, this is pretty significant for that person and their family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more on the announcement from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump on Sunday announcing that the FDA has approved an emergency use authorization for potential coronavirus treatment and that is convalescent plasma. Now convalescent plasma certainly has been used already in about 70,000 patients here in the United States alone and there is some promising data behind it.

But certainly, randomized controlled clinical trials have not yet reached a conclusion about this convalescent plasma's efficacy. But nonetheless, the President insisting that this is an historic breakthrough. Now while this may be certainly an incremental improvement, something that will widen the availability of plasma. To call this a breakthrough simply is not the case. But the President insisting able to overcome what he called a logjam at the FDA.

TRUMP: Well, I think that might have been a hold up, but we broke the log jam over the last week to be honest. I think that there are people in the FDA and actually, in your logic department that can see things being held up and wouldn't mind so much, that's my opinion, a very strong opinion and that's for political reasons. This has nothing to do with politics. This has to do with life or death.

DIAMOND: Those comments followed a tweet that the President issued which he made similar accusations about the FDA accusing members of the quote, unquote, deep state are trying to undermine him by slow walking the approval of vaccines and coronavirus treatments.

We should note, there is absolutely no evidence to back that up. And what is interesting here, of course, is that the President appears to have put some significant pressure, political pressure on the FDA to grant this emergency use authorization. And the timing, of course, is very notable. The President is set to begin the Republican National Committee over the coming week. And the President certainly looking for a win. So, this appears to be the one the President was able to find for himself. But again, the way that the President described this as a breakthrough, as something historic, not the case. Jury is still out on convalescent plasma but there is some promising data behind it.

[04:05:00]

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Let's bring in Dr. Keith Neal who has over 30 years of experience controlling infectious diseases. He joins us joins us now from Anglesey, Wales. Thank you so much for speaking with us. A lot to unpack here. And the key question, of course is, is there any proof this works?

DR. KEITH NEAL, INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN: I've not seen any. And I added to journals and I read 100 papers a week on this sort of subject. And I would expect that any successful trial is going to hit the new England Journal of Medicine or announce it very quickly.

BRUNHUBER: So, then what do you think is behind this? Why would they seemingly rush this?

NEAL: I really have no idea because I'm not sure how the legislation licensing works in the States. It certainly wouldn't happen in this country although you can have compassionate use. That's mainly used for people with terminal cancer and new drugs that haven't really been even close to being tested. What worries me is you've giving the plasma to 70,000 people and it would have been easy you get 70,000 controls. And we have the answer, does it work?

I think one of the big questions (INAUDIBLE) particularly that could be made to the Chinese is that no trials were done properly in the initial stages. So, we never found out what worked, and it took recovery trial in the United Kingdom to show the benefits of dexamethasone and how dangerous hydroxychloroquine was.

BRUNHUBER: OK, so let's take it from the other side. Then the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration says the treatment was safe and had the potential to be helpful. So, with such a deadly disease, even if we don't have solid proof that it works, isn't there merit to the argument that if it's not outright dangerous, we should, you know, try everything?

I'm not quite sure we can even say it's not outride dangerous. Giving a blood product which could covet transmit infections, although this would be screened out in most cases, and not do any good. We also know that some of the problems with COVID-19 are due to a cytokine storm which is an over stimulation of the immune system. And too many antibodies, particularly from those people who are seriously ill who made more of it. It might actually be deleterious. We just don't know.

BRUNHUBER: So, you know, we know that just recently the FDA wasn't ready to approve this and President Trump tweeted that the FDA is slow walking a treatment and then, presto, it was approved. It's hard not to be under the impression that the FDA's been pressured here. So as a scientist, how do you feel seeing, for instance, the Trump -- that President Trump is suggesting that it's the deep state rather than the scientific method that's delaying potential treatments?

I think there's always a caution on behalf of the regulators, so they don't initiate treatments that are unhelpful or even dangerous. I think the best case would be for the FDA to publish the evidence that they've actually use to make this decision. And then other regulatory bodies around the world can use this information to make informed decisions.

BRUNHUBER: Thank you very much, Dr. Keith Neal.

Right now, we are hours away from the start of the Republican National Convention. President Trump will make his case to Americans for a second term but there won't be a new party platform this year. The Republican National Committee says they won't release one opting instead to support Mr. Trump's agenda.

His family members feature heavily on the list of speakers. Mr. Trump's acceptance speech is Thursday, but he will appear every day. Mr. Trump is expected to arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday morning. And that's where we find our Ryan Nobles with what to expect from the convention this week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, will play an important role in the Republican National Convention this year. Perhaps not the big role they expected to play when they won the bid for the convention more than a year ago. But a lot of the activity taking place here on Monday will be very important for President Trump's campaign. That's where the delegates will come from around the country, more than 300 of them, and cast their ballots for President Trump and Mike Pence to be the ticket for this year's presidential election.

And President Trump will actually be here. He and the Vice President will thank the delegates for their participation. He'll deliver belief remarks. Now this is not his formal acceptance. That's not going to happen until later in the week on Thursday when President Trump officially accepts his nomination and that will happen at the White House. In fact, most of the activity will shift from Charlotte to Washington almost immediately.

Many of the speeches that will take place that will happen live will originate out of Washington. That includes speeches from second lady Karen Pence and Melania Trump will also deliver her remarks from Washington as well. The Vice President Mike Pence will travel to Baltimore and deliver his remarks from Fort McHenry.

Now this is something that President Trump has a lot riding on. He of course, a former reality television show star himself, he's told his team that he wants this convention to be bigger and better than what we saw from the Democrats last week.

[04:10:03]

He's even brought in some of his former colleagues from "The Apprentice" to help produce all of the events that take place this week. A lot riding for President Trump and we should forget that there are two hurricanes that could make their way onto the Gulf Coast sometime during the week of this convention which could add a further to this entire process.

Ryan Nobles, CNN, Charlotte, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And you'll definitely want to tune in to CNN for coverage of the Republican National Convention starting Monday, here at 7 p.m. Eastern here in the US and for our international viewers, that's 12 a.m. Tuesday in London and 7 a.m. Tuesday in Hong Kong.

Well you may have noticed White House counselor Kellyanne Conway among the list of primetime RNC speakers. Well, late Sunday she announced she's leaving her job at the end of this month, citing a desire to focus on her family. Now is not clear whether she will still speak at the RNC. Also Sunday her husband George Conway revealed he's stepping away from his role with the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee.

Two powerful storms are barreling towards the U.S. Gulf Coast. Authorities are telling people to evacuate if they can or take all safety precautions. The first storm could make landfall in just a matter of hours. So, after the break we'll follow that and the latest on California's wildfires with hundreds burning across the state and no end in sight. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. Gulf Coast is bracing for not one but two powerful storms back to back this week. First up is Marco downgraded a short time ago from a hurricane to a tropical storm. And following right behind it is tropical storm Laura heading towards some of the same areas in Marco's path. Now this video here shows the long line of traffic as people leave the town of Grand Isle in Louisiana. Evacuations have been ordered for parts of the state. And over the weekend the storm killed at least nine people in the Caribbean. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us with more. You've been tracking both storms. What's the latest?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well you know, Kim, you've got to go back to 1959, the last time we had two named storms in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously. And this particular set up, certainly has what it takes to become that here over the next 24 or so hours.

As you noted, Marco has weakened in the past several hours. That's good news that the system is really running into quite a bit of wind shears. So, wins essentially upstairs or above the storm is shredding it apart. That is now displacing its center from where the track is going to be over the next 24 hours. It'll kind of shift a little farther towards the West. But here's what we're looking at.

We think it'll approached the coast of Louisiana sometime Monday evening. Potentially skirt the coast, could make landfall there as a tropical storm or it could just parallel the coastline at the western portion of Louisiana and then rain itself out and never make landfall altogether.

But the bigger story here is going to be the heavy rainfall that's in place and of course the water that's been displaced in advance of it. The storm surge across this region as much as six feet or almost two meters high in some of these higher areas across the Grand Isle, where we now evacuations have been in place.

But if you notice what's happening on the heels of this. This is a storm that we're really most concerned about. This is tropical storm Laura and it has what it takes here to develop rather quickly within the next 24 to 48 hours. We think it will be in the Gulf of Mexico by this time tomorrow. Beyond that warm waters in advance of it and also, less list wind shear.

The winds above it, really not going to break it apart. So that will allow the storm to continue to strengthen rather quickly and the National Hurricane Center warns by Wednesday morning, Wednesday afternoon when this system approaches land somewhere around the same spots, they say Western Louisiana and/or eastern Texas. This is going to be an area to watch carefully when it comes to potentially category 2 or category 3 system making landfall.

Notice, Kim, of course we do have significant amount of oil platforms offshore across his region as well. So, this is certainly going to be a big player for the folks there. About 600 platforms, 114 which have already seen evacuations in place there and the rainfall amounts could be excessive and factoring what is stated to happen in the next 24 hours with Marco. And then give it about 38 to 72 hours from right now and another system named Laura moves in on Wednesday. So essentially, you're getting two storms within two days across his region, which again, hasn't happened since the 1950s -- Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. We'll be tracking both of those all day. Thank you very much for that.

Now California has seen roughly 600 new wildfires pop up in just the past week. It's due to a combination of hot dry weather and some 12,000 lightning strikes. These fires have scorched more than 1 million acres up and down the state. The governor has declared a statewide emergency and the White House has approved a major disaster declaration. CNN's Paul Vercammen has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's smoke in the air and tension in the air. That's because they know that there's a strong possibility of these lightning strikes, a red flag warning all over Northern California, Central California. Here's the command post where they're helping to dispatch the 14,000 firefighters now on the lines in California.

And speaking of those lines, this gives you what they're up against. This is the LNU complex. The black line means they've gotten containment either by digging it was bulldozers or shovels or backfiring. The red, that's where there's no containment whatsoever on these monster fires. Firefighters have been pouring in from other states including Oregon. And we spoke with one of those firefighters who's out on the line.

RICHARD CORDOVA, CAL FIRE CAPTAIN: This is historic. I mean, something that we've seen in the past but not to this magnitude. Our resources are stretched thin. And what we're worried is this system coming in causing the same havoc throughout the state and trying to get resources to protect the citizens of California.

VERCAMMEN: This is Calistoga, California. They've had their share of trouble with fire over the past half-decade.

[04:20:00]

You can look over here and one of the firefighters advising a resident as to what's going on here, the evacuations, the potential for more blazes. And people here showing appreciation. A woman drove up and heard that firefighters needed pillows, or at least were trying to buy some pillows, and so, she handed them 12 to pillows.

POLLY OGDEN, GAVE PILLOWS TO FIREFIGHTERS: We're nothing without them. Thank God they're here. You know, they put out some (INAUDIBLE) on this road. The air is horrible. They're out there fighting these things for us. The least we can do is bring some pillows.

VERCAMMEN: So back here on the ground this sense of anticipation, what will this weather bring them? Will it be more of these lightning strikes that caused so much trouble before? They're just crossing their fingers and hoping they get through the next 24 to 48 hours. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: I'd like to bring in now Gerry Iuliano, in Vacaville, California. He's the owner of La Borgata Winery and Distillery. Thank you so much for joining us. I know how difficult it must be given how much you've lost. For viewers, just take us through what we're seeing behind you there. Where exactly are you?

GERRY IULIANO, OWNER, LA BORGATA WINERY & DISTILLERY: Right now, I'm in front of what was our winery. We had built this about 15 years ago. My dad and I built the whole thing here moving out to California to follow our dream. You can see the tasting room behind us and some holding tanks and you can also see the forklift and a whole bunch of bottles. It's just -- I had to watch it burn down and we had no warning so it's pretty rough for me and my whole family.

BRUNHUBER: I can imagine how heartbreaking that must be to see that all erupt just into flames. I know from covering the fires in Paradise and elsewhere in California often you have just moments to decide whether to stay or make a run for it. Take us through exactly what happened.

IULIANO: When I left that day, I mean, the fire was so far away. It was in Napa. And it was probably like 20 miles away and so from 5:00 in the evening until like midnight it must have traveled that far. And the wind just picked up and it pushed it over the hills. And when I came down from the hill down looking towards our property, I could just see like the flames were everywhere. It looked like Armageddon from the north to the south, you could see it all over the hills coming in in different veins. It was terrifying.

And so, when I got here, you know, we loaded up our cats that we had and we just grabbed what we could out of the house that was important to us, mostly like keepsakes and things like that. And I hooked up my tool trailer to my pickup truck and everyone had left. And I said I had to leave my chickens and my goats behind, which was very trying for me because I raised those goats since they were little. And they were here, and I had them to eat down the grass behind and around our property to protect it from fires. And so, I had to say good-bye. As I did, one of my cats that took off came running up to me. So, I grabbed her, I put her in my truck, and we drove out. In the last thing that I saw was just up behind the hills behind our house, the flames coming in. And you could hear the trees exploding. And I mean, it's a very, very terrifying thing.

BRUNHUBER: We're following a breaking story in Wisconsin. Protests erupted in the city of Kenosha after a police officer shot a black man. Wisconsin's governor has identified the man as Jacob Blake. A graphic video reported to be of those shooting. Shows at least two officers following Blake with guns drawn as he walked from the passenger's side of a vehicle to the driver's side.

[04:25:00]

Now we're not going to show the video now. But you can see an officer pointing his gun as he holds onto Blake's shirt. And then at least seven gun shots are heard before Blake goes limp. Police say Blake was flown to a nearby hospital in serious condition. It's not yet known what led to the shooting. An attorney says Blake's three young sons were in the car when he was shot. So, we're going to bring you more information on this breaking story when it comes available.

As the Republican convention is about to begin, some Republicans are pleading, don't vote for President Trump. More on this coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to you our viewers in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber and you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Well the U.S. Republican National Convention gets underway in, well, just a few hours. Of course, it will look very different from past conventions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some elements are still being worked out but there will be a full slate of GOP speakers including several members of Mr. Trump's family. Meanwhile, a new CBS/YouGov poll finds Mr. Trump trailing his Democratic rival Joe Biden by ten points. Now not all Republicans will be celebrating Donald Trump's presidency let alone voting for another term. Jeff Zeleny reports on the growing activity of the Never Trump movement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As President Trump formally accepts the GOP nomination again this week, some Republicans are already speaking out.

ERIC, FORMER US REPUBLICAN VOTER: I'm really ashamed to say it, but I'm one of many who voted for the current president, Donald Trump.

ZELENY: -- voicing their regrets.

END