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Trump Heads to Kenosha Despite Calls for Him to Reconsider; Two Sheriffs Won't Send Deputies to Portland Despite Governor's Request; FDA Chief Says Approval for COVID-19 Vaccine Could Happen Before Election Day; Lawmakers Call for Investigation into NYPD Work Slowdown Allegations; COVID-19 Cases Spike in Schools in Midwest U.S. As Nation Tops 6 Million Infections; Futures Mixed After Best August for the S&P And Dow in 30 Years. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired September 01, 2020 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:14]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. I'm Jim Sciutto.

The state of our country today, two competing visions of America going forward from Trump and Biden, and the story the president does not want us to keep talking about, and that is more than six million coronavirus infections in this country, 183,000 Americans dead from the virus.

The Midwest seeing the spike in cases as fears grow this holiday weekend could make things much worse. It happened on Memorial Day and July Fourth weekend as well. And new reporting, as the president pushed four states to reopen, his own Coronavirus Task Force was giving him dire warnings about the spread of the virus.

We're following all the headlines on this deadly crisis, and this. The president is leaving in the next hour for Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city reeling after deadly protests and violence in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The president has defied calls from the mayor and the governor to stay away. In fact, as our reporters have shown, the protests have grown much more peaceful there in recent days.

This comes one day after he defended the teen accused of killing two protesters and compared the actions of the police officers in the Blake shooting to choking in golf.

Joe Biden has definitively called out violence of any kind, whether by vigilantes or looters. The president has not.

We have reporters following all the major headlines. Let's begin with CNN's Sara Sidner. She is in Kenosha with more on the president's visit today.

Tell us what the scene is there because I think folks have the impression that the place is still on fire. In recent days it's gotten more peaceful, but what do you expect to see later today? SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been overarchingly

peaceful in the last four to five days. I do want to mention where we're standing, this is the scene where Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times.

And the family is coming out here today to do a whole community event where they are cleaning up the community, they are talking to people, there is going to be COVID testing. There is going to be a place to register to vote as well. The family had been very adamant that the way to do this is peacefully protest and to make sure that you vote.

But there is a lot of consternation. I have talked to a local alderman, I have talked a Kenosha County supervisor, I have talked to the mayor. All of them saying this is not the right time for the president to visit this place. It's still trying to heal. They are getting to that point where things have calm down. And they are frankly very concerned that the president's visit could ratchet things back up again.

Let's listen to a little bit of what the president said that is an example of why people are getting so upset about the shooting of Jacob Blake and the officer's role in that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They choke. Just like in a golf tournament. They missed a three-foot --

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: You're not comparing it to golf. Because of course that's what the media was saying.

TRUMP: No. I'm saying people choke.

INGRAHAM: People panic.

TRUMP: People choke.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: So he did compare it to golf, and these are the kind of insensitive comments that the Jacob Blake family is just so disturbed about. We were able also, CNN, to talk with Jacob Blake's father who talked about the frustration that he has had and also where he sees these two justice systems.

You have on the one hand a 17-year-old who had a long rifle strapped across his chest, his hands up walking towards police after allegedly shooting two people to death, and the police rolled right by him. And you have Jacob Blake who doesn't have any visible weapon, although the police association said he did have a knife on him according to them. But his back is turned to officers when he's shot several times.

Let's hear what the father has to say about all this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JACOB BLAKE SR., JACOB BLAKE'S FATHER: First of all, I'm not going to play politics. This is my son's life we're talking about. Second of all, we don't have a family past.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Jacob Blake's father talking there about not wanting to get in the middle of politics but I will tell you this, Jacob Blake's uncle much more pointed, Justin Blake saying that there is no reason why he would ever want to talk to the president because he, and I'm quoting, says that the president is racist and has been that way since the moment he has gotten into the White House, creating a racial divide in this country and making it much, much worse -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Appearing to endorse vigilantism. It's remarkable coming from a sitting president.

Sara Sidner, thanks so much.

Two Portland area sheriffs now say they will not send deputies to the city. This despite a request from Oregon's governor to help curb violence there. This as we're learning more about the man who was shot and killed during violent clashes between Trump supporters and protesters over the weekend.

[09:05:06]

CNN's Josh Campbell is in Portland, Oregon. So first let's start on this question of why the sheriffs are refusing to send in deputies there.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim. Good morning to you. It appears as though law enforcement and the officials, elected officials here in the state of Oregon are not on the same page. Now over the weekend Oregon's governor came out and announced a plan to help try to quell some of the violence here, to stop some of the protests that have turned destructive. And as part of that plan, the governor says that three neighboring jurisdictions will be sending law enforcement resources to assist Portland Police.

Yesterday we've heard from two sheriffs both in Clackamas County and Washington County. They said they're not sending anyone into the city, none of their people. They're saying this is a local issue. This is a political issue. And they're not going to take part in it. So again elected officials here and law enforcement do not appear to be on the same page here in this location.

Now as that's taking place, obviously President Trump continues to fuel a lot of the fire. We know that over the weekend there was that incident involving some of his supporters, clashes with some of the counter protesters that were here. In one video we see Trump supporters firing paintballs into a crowd. Here's how the president described that moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: I understand they had large numbers of people that were supporters, but that was a peaceful protest. And paint is not -- and paint is a defensive mechanism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: So as the president continues to slam protesters here, calling this a place, you know, full of hoodlums, he's not condemning his own supporters who were seen on video again shooting this paintball guns in the crowds. It's worth noting, Jim, that there have been, you know, several arrests over the years of people shooting paintballs at others so it's not as though this is peaceful as the president says or defensive.

And then finally, the last thing I want to mention since you start at the top, the police have identified the pro-Trump suspected supporter who was shot and killed. This is 39-year-old Aaron Danielson. He is part of this far-right group, Patriot Prayer. Police continued to remain concerned about whether there will be additional retribution, people coming into the city trying to seek revenge for his death. Still, people on edge here in the city of Portland -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Josh, it's a very simple question. Does law enforcement in Portland welcome the arrival of vigilante groups, outside groups, armed with whatever it is, whether it'd be weapons or paintball? Do they -- are they asking for this? Do they see benefit in keeping the peace?

CAMPBELL: That is a very difficult question to answer. Portland mayor has been on record saying that this is -- he doesn't want this in his city. Other elected officials here are saying the same. I asked the police chief over the weekend what their plan is to stop some of the violence. He said that he didn't know what the plan was off the top of his head. He had to consult with his people.

He was also asked, what about those Trump supporters that are seen on video appearing to assault people. Rather than saying that he will forcefully seek to hold them accountable and prosecute them, he took a much more generic term saying that he's against all types of assault and that they're always open to people providing information that could help solve crimes -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Remarkable. Josh Campbell, thanks very much.

Well, the head of the FDA says the agency could issue emergency use authorization or approval for a COVID-19 vaccine before crucial phase three clinical trials are complete, and, note this, it could happen before election day. Something the president has said repeatedly he wants. But Dr. Stephen Hahn insists the decision will not be influenced by the White House. In fact Hahn says he reserves the right to resign if he senses any political pressure to release the vaccine before he believes it's ready.

With me now, senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, help us understand this. Vaccines go through trials, a number of phases, by design to keep them safe, to know that they work. What would the reason be to accelerate this particularly before election day? You've been following this very closely. Help folks understand what's going on here?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Jim, the way that these trials work, and this is true of any other vaccine trial pre-COVID, is that you take a look before you finish all -- you know, all of dosing, giving the vaccine to all of your study participants.

Half vaccine, half placebo. You check in on them and you see it's going. So it is possible that they will check in on the folks in the Moderna trial or the Pfizer trial and says, oh, my goodness, we have found that this vaccine works tremendously well, terrifically well, so well that we're going to put it on the market before we finish the entire trial.

It is possible. However, every expert that I've talked to said that the chances of that happening are so tinny tiny that one doctor said that it's ludicrous that this would happen.

[09:10:03]

So the question is at a time when Americans are very distrustful of vaccines, very distrustful of this process, why are they emphasizing that we could end this early? That seems like an odd communications choice.

SCIUTTO: Well, in fact this seems to be more than communications, right, because we've seen political influence on other decisions here. I know you're watching closely.

Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much.

With us now, Dr. Mark McClellan, former FDA commissioner who served under President George W. Bush.

Help us understand, Dr. McClellan, what's happening here and how Americans should be watching this. Because this is a key moment in this country, suffering through an outbreak, everybody is waiting for a vaccine that works and is safe. Should Americans trust that this decision will be based on science and not politics?

DR. MARK MCCLELLAN, DIRECTOR, MARGOLIS CENTER FOR HEALTH POLICY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY: Well, Jim, Americans should be paying attention to the process here and I think we've had because of these recent statements a lot of focus on what may or may not be the results. As Elizabeth said, we don't know yet how well the vaccines that are in advance clinic testing now will really work.

The clinical trials that are going on now are really about defining whether or not the vaccines have an impact on reducing the severity or the number of cases of COVID, and that, as Elizabeth said, is what we should be watching.

I think the thing that Americans should look for is the steps along the way that the FDA generally takes before it approves a vaccine. And that includes sharing information about what they're seeing if there are these early looks at the test that would be appropriate basis for action, having expert advisory council meet to talk about that,

Those are the things to look for. And those are the things I'd be asking right now. Is FDA going to take those steps? The FDA career staff have talked about doing that. And that's very important, to maintain confidence.

SCIUTTO: You led the FDA. What do you see happening here? Because there's a process to follow here. There are trials that you go through for vaccine or, you know, we used to as a country, right? The president said he wants one by the election.

Now you have the FDA commissioner saying, well, maybe we'll have one by the election. You had an event right before the start of the Republican National Convention pushing plasma use where, again, you had federal health officials exaggerating the benefits, right? I mean, massively exaggerating the benefits of it.

What's happening here from your perspective?

MCCLELLAN: We are in a pandemic so this is a public health merge. So FDA is going to take steps to move things along faster and sometimes do it without as much evidence of definitive benefit as would normally be the case. But that's one thing, Jim, for convalescent plasma which is unlikely to be harmful. It may have a little of benefits. I agree that the benefits got -- the likely benefits got overstated.

It's very different for a vaccine where millions of healthy people need to take it and be confident about it in order for it to have its desired effects. So it's going to do be very standard. And that's the kind of thing that the FDA leadership should be talking about. What is their process to make sure even though we're in a pandemic we're going to get good evidence and we're going to do it as quickly and transparently as possible?

SCIUTTO: So you mentioned confidence, right, in a vaccine. And CNN poll last month found that 40 percent of Americans would not get a COVID-19 vaccine even if it was free and easy to access. Seemingly a reflection of doubts about the process. And I should note, you know this as well as me, there's been an anti-vax movement in this country for some time.

MCCLELLAN: Yes.

SCIUTTO: But this is a bigger portion of the country, right?

MCCLELLAN: Yes.

SCIUTTO: Does this kind of discussion of pushing things along more quickly, some confused messaging, et cetera, questions of political influences, does that worsen that problem, raise questions about confidence?

MCCLELLAN: It is a concern. We do need most Americans to be confident about the vaccine because we need most Americans to take it to get us to that herd immunity that's going to get us out of the pandemic. And so we really need to focus now on how to get that confidence up.

And I think people are very interested in this topic and if they can get clear information from the FDA about what they are doing, each step in this process, and I think the FDA career staff have a very good process in place for doing these trials and in rolling them rapidly, they got large number of people involved.

And let's focus more on that. What are the steps that were taking, what is information that people will get so they can make a confident decision, so they can be confident about the results of the trials and the trials being done well? I think we're on -- we have the potential to do that. But we need a lot more attention to clarity and transparency along the way. Not promising results that we don't know are going to be there.

SCIUTTO: Fair advice. Doctor Mark McClellan, thanks very much.

MCCLELLAN: Good to be with you.

SCIUTTO: Still to come this hour, Joe Biden unleashed on the president for his response to violence during protest for racial justice. The Democratic nominee is now considering his own trip to Kenosha as well. And lawmakers in New York have accused the NYPD of scaling back work in response to police department reforms.

[09:15:00]

The city's has now seen more than a thousand shootings. This year, the NYPD Commissioner will join us to respond to these questions.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. This morning, many schools as you know are reopening, and many are seeing rising number of coronavirus cases. We're also seeing more broadly, a rise in cases in the Midwest. Some local officials are now taking no chances ahead of this coming holiday weekend, extending limitations on public gatherings.

We've seen a lot of effect from holiday weekends and travel around then to the overall national outbreak. CNN's Nick Valencia joins us now with more. And Nick, what are you seeing as we get closer to the Labor Day weekend?

[09:20:00]

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, growing concerns, Jim, about those large gatherings you're talking about. Here in Georgia, it was large gatherings over the 4th of July holiday weekend which Governor Kemp says led to the spikes that we saw in July and early August, which is why he's extending statewide restrictions to 50 people or less.

Now, certainly, a lot of concern here in Georgia, but really as you mentioned, the Midwest is a place that really should be concerned. We have a new map we want to show you today that shows 19 states trending upwards in terms of coronavirus cases. Just take a look at Iowa here where the seven-day moving average of

new confirmed cases is sitting at about a 1,000. Seven-day moving average of hospitalizations which is also a very key data point also up at about 300. Now, let's pivot to South Dakota where just two weeks ago, we saw a large biker rally there in Sturgis, and just as you would expect, those cases are going up as well.

Seven-day average showing cases up, hospitalizations also up. We mentioned a lot of worry, growing concern across the country, Jim, because large gatherings are expected, and as those maps show and the data shows, many states are in a fragile state ahead of Labor Day weekend. Jim?

SCIUTTO: Yes, a reminder to stick to those guidelines. It helps everyone. Nick Valencia, thanks very much. Well, there's a new weapon in the fight against coronavirus or at least one HHS hopes, public relations. "Politico" reports the Department of Health and Human Services plans to offer a $250 million contract for a PR firm to help, quote, "defeat, despair and inspire hope about the pandemic", an attempt to win the hearts and minds of Americans and the fight against coronavirus. Local leaders not welcoming the president in Wisconsin, but will the same go for Joe Biden? He considering a visit there as well.

And we're moments away from the opening bell on Wall Street, futures are mixed this morning. This comes as the S&P and Dow wrapped up their best August in more than 30 years. Investors are waiting for what could be a key monthly jobs report set to be released later this week. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:25:00]

SCIUTTO: In the next hour, President Trump is going to leave for Kenosha, Wisconsin; the city where protests over the police shooting of a black man have in recent days been remarkably peaceful, but have at times escalated to looting, arsine, even murder by a vigilante, an armed vigilante.

Now, a source tells CNN that Joe Biden is considering a possible trip to Wisconsin as soon as this week. We saw two very different visions of what's behind the violence and the response to it yesterday from the president and from the Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020: Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames rather than fighting the flames, but we must not burn. We have to build. This president long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can't stop the violence because for years he's fomented it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SCIUTTO: Let's discuss now with Biden's senior adviser with me now,

Symone Sanders. Symone, thanks so much for taking the time this morning.

SYMONE SANDERS, SENIOR ADVISER, JOE BIDEN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Thank you for having me today, Jim.

SCIUTTO: First question, a simple one. Will the Democratic nominee Joe Biden go to Kenosha himself this week?

SANDERS: Vice President Biden is looking forward to getting to Wisconsin very soon, it's a priority for us. Look, he doesn't want to do anything that would create a tussle, if you will, on the ground. He doesn't want to do anything to upset -- you know, kind of -- as you noted in your opening, the peaceful nature of what is currently happening in Kenosha, but also throughout the state at large. And so, that is why it's so concerning about President Trump's visit today.

Look, we have heard the president over the last couple of days throughout the Republican National Convention talk about violence. You know, his tweets have stoked and incited this violence. And so he is not going to be a calming voice in Kenosha, Wisconsin, today. He's going to do nothing but fan the flames and pour gasoline on what is already a very tense situation.

SCIUTTO: OK, the former Vice President, he made clear yesterday that he considers all violence, whether it'd be vigilante, violence or looting in violent protests. What would he do on day one as president to address it, to calm these things down?

SANDERS: Well, Jim, actually, I would argue that it doesn't start on day one when Joe Biden becomes president. He's doing right now, frankly, what a president should be doing. In that speech yesterday, you heard Vice President Biden talk about, yes, he condemned the violence, but he also talked about bringing people together.

He said he was -- he's confident he could bring law enforcement to the table. That it was necessary, he was sure that he could bring those in the activists and advocacy community as it relates to police reform and the activists community to the table. And that is what we need to do.

That's what Joe Biden has said in his entire career, that's what the Obama-Biden administration did with the 21st century taskforce on policing. So, you can -- I can promise you this, that a Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration, they've already committed to on the 100 days building on the success of that 21st century taskforce on policing with a new taskforce that we'll have, yes, law enforcement advocates, activists at the table. But not just -- not just law enforcement as it relates to chiefs. But active --

SCIUTTO: OK --

SANDERS: Duty rank-and-file folks. And I think that's going to be -- make a huge difference in this.

SCIUTTO: OK.