Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

PAC-12 Rapid Testing Breakthrough Sparks Hopes for Fall Season; Biden Unleashes on Trump, Attacks His Loyalty to The Country; WNBA Pushes Ahead with Social Justice Campaign Amid Racial Unrest. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired September 04, 2020 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

DOUGLAS BRYANT, PRESIDENT & CEO, QUIDEL CORPORATION: We think it's going to be a net benefit to the economy and that's we're engaged mainly because we think that the research is going to be so valuable.

These tests are highly accurate, they have been demonstrated in trials that they have a high positive predictive agreement with PCR testing. And the fact that we're doing testing so frequently, actually gives us a lot of confidence that we're going to be able to follow these (INAUDIBLE) and make sure that we could prevent those folks from attending practice or even playing if they have become infected.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Larry, to you, just overseeing, you know, thinking about the PAC-12, let's say that the testing -- let's hope that the testing is flawless. I know you have other hurdles. I was reading, you know, you have the six schools, four in California, two in Oregon who don't have the approvals from public health officials to have that contact practice right now. So what do you do about that?

LARRY SCOTT, COMMISSIONER, PAC 12 CONFERENCE: You know, well this -- this breakthrough and our ability to go to daily testing with immediate results I think is an important new data point that our schools will use with their local public health officials. And see if they can be comfortable with us going forward, and whether they share the degree of confidence that we have that this sport activity is not to encourage the spread of the virus.

But you're right. We can't start unless our states and our local public health officials allow us to have contact practice and play and so that's a gating issue for us.

BALDWIN: And then Doug, I can imagine people are watching and thinking, well, that's great that, you know, college athletes will have access to this

excellent testing but what about me? Who do you say to them?

BRYANT: You broke up, Brooke, I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?

BALDWIN: I'm just saying, you know, for all of the people sitting here thinking, well, that's wonderful that college athletes are going to have this, you know, high level access to these excellent tests, people at home, you know, regular folks, would love to get their hands on this kind of thing. What would you say to them?

BRYANT: Well, I start by saying we've always focused on where we can provide the greatest benefit, the greatest amount of good. Recently we were involved in the program with HHS to provide testing for nursing homes, and in that way we feel great about the fact that we're enabling grandmas and grandpas to ultimately end their period of isolation and get back together with their families, their kids, their grandkids, great grandchildren in some cases.

So we're always focused on what we can do. We have our traditional segment that we're doing nicely and that's hospital customers, that's urgent cares, et cetera. We think that we're at the stage now with our increased capacity that we can expand to this sort of segment. We're I think we're also going to be doing a lot of good.

BALDWIN: That's great. I think people at home like hearing that it's grandmas and grandpas and our college athletes. Douglas Bryant with Quidel, thank you. Larry Scott with PAC-12, good luck. Good luck, guys, thank you.

Coming up, Joe Biden unleashes on the President. Hitting him on everything from the economy to reports that he called U.S. troops, quote, losers and suckers.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Just into us here at CNN, the FDA has rejected this unproven coronavirus therapeutic pushed by the CEO of My Pillow and a close ally of President Trump. Saying that is has, quote, significant concerns about its safety.

So, let's go back to Elizabeth Cohen. She's our senior medical correspondent. And so this the therapeutic, this is called oleandrin and it comes from this plant that's highly toxic and potentially fatal if consumed. Why was the FDA even looking into it?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, as far as we know, Brooke, they were looking into it because a right-wing Trump ally who had a stake in a company that used this supplement, used this ingredient suggested it. So apparently if you're a Trump ally and you say something whacky like, hey, this'll work against, you know, this'll work, we should try this out, that you will look at it.

We don't know absolutely for sure why. But that could be, you know, that seems to be sort of part of the answer here.

BALDWIN: And so what now?

COHEN: Well, right now, so they've rejected it for this particular purpose. And, you know, no one except -- no reliable source has said, hey, this could work, let's try this for COVID. No reliable source has said that. So I think what now is not much. BALDWIN: Elizabeth, thank you very much for the update.

COHEN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: Let's get to the former Vice President. In his possibly strongest attack yet. Democratic presidential Nominee Joe Biden unleashed on President Trump

today. From his handling of the economy, to disparaging remarks he reportedly made about fallen service members. No punch was pulled in this speech today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: President Trump has demonstrated he has no sense of service, no loyalty to any cause other than himself.

The President's chaotic mismanagement of the pandemic is still holding us back. Compared to other major industrial countries in Europe and Asia, during the pandemic, our unemployment rate is still more than double while other nations have gone up by half. Why? Because the President has botched the COVID response. Botched it badly.

From the very beginning he's understood the only way he could win the first time and can win this time is if he fundamentally divides the nation.

[15:40:03]

Puts the nation, divides us so we're at each other's throats. That's not who we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: MJ Lee is with me now. And MJ, I know this was originally billed as an economic policy speech but it was clearly much more than that.

MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brooke. This was advertised to be a speech mostly about COVID-19 and the state of the economy, but you're right, boy, it was so much more than that.

And as soon as he took the podium, the first thing that he addressed was this report about Donald Trump reportedly mocking Americans who have served in wars, mocking Americans who have died in wars. And late Senator John McCain, of course, a veteran that he had insulted him as well.

You could tell, you know, I was sitting probably some 20 feet away from Joe Biden, you could really feel the anger and the frustration and you could tell that he felt truly disturbed by this report. And he made it clear that a part of that reason is that it is very personal for him.

He talked about his late son Beau Biden and he said, you know, when he volunteered to join the military, he was not a sucker. The men and women who served in the military alongside him and particularly those who did not return home safely, those people were not suckers.

He, you know, said he has come closest to losing his temper today and that today is probably the day that he has felt the most disappointed in his entire career, so this was a very fiery pushback from Joe Biden about Trump reportedly saying these things.

And one piece of news that Joe Biden made, I asked him about Attorney General William Barr being asked on CNN this week about which country he thinks poses greatest threat to U.S. elections. He gave an answer that had raised eyebrows. Here is that exchange that I had with the former Vice President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: Attorney General William Barr saying on CNN this week, he said that his assessment right now is that China poses the most aggressive threat to U.S. elections, even more than Iran or Russia. Do you believe him? Is that also your understanding based on the intelligence briefings that you have received?

BIDEN: No, it's not consistent with the briefings I've received. And he's a lousy enough Attorney General but he's a really bad intelligence officer.

There are a lot of countries around the world I think would be happy to see our elections destabilized. But the one who is working the hardest, most consistently and never has let up is Russia. And, again, it's unfair to say to you guys. But ask yourself the rhetorical question, what is he so afraid of Vladimir Putin about?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: So pretty explicit condemnation there from Joe Biden about William Barr. And I should note Joe Biden also said that he has now been tested once for COVID-19 and that he will regularly be tested going forward.

And just a sign of how things are probably wrapping up for the Biden campaign. Joe Biden is traveling to Michigan next week and Kamala Harris is going to Wisconsin on Monday -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: MJ, thank you. Great question to Mr. Biden as well. Thank you. Good to see you.

The WNBA has long been on the front lines of the fight against social injustice and this season their voices are stronger than ever. We'll talk to Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird and see if she has a message for President Trump, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:00]

BALDWIN: At least 20 pro basketball arenas all around the country will be actively involved in this upcoming election by converting into polling places or voter registration sites. It is the latest action in a year filled with unprecedented and historic sports activism led undoubtedly by the players from the WNBA and the NBA. Standing up for social justice has been so much more than a talking point for WNBA players. It's really been a call to action.

And this year the league developed a council and platform dedicated to advancing social justice and promoting conversations about societal and racial issues. Every aspect of the WNBA's 2020 season is about social justice. And every game is in honor of the "Black Lives Matter" movement and the "Say Her Name" campaign.

With me now Sue Bird, a WNBA legend, an all-star playing for the Seattle Storm. So Sue, good to have you on, welcome.

SUE BIRD, 3 TIME WNBA CHAMPION: Thank you, thanks for having me.

BALDWIN: Sue, the WNBA has dedicated this entire season to Breonna Taylor. But for people who don't know like the WNBA players have been speaking out for years. Back in 2016 the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty players wore the "Black Lives Matter" matters shirts after the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.

They were actually fined for uniform violations which were later ultimately rescinded. You as we have spoken in the past, you have been extra vocal as well.

Can you tell me why you and so many others in your league have been so willing to speak out and even more so than other sports organizations?

BIRD: Yes, I mean, plainly said it's in our DNA at this point. You know, I think as female athletes so often we're overlooked. We're judged on everything but our basketball play. You know whether it's, oh, they need to wear tighter uniforms. Oh, they're too masculine. You name it.

[15:50:00]

So, the fact that our league is predominantly black, you know, a lot of gay players as well. We're just used to this, sadly. So, you know, for us it's just kind of what we're about. And we came to this wubble, this bubble because we wanted to say her name. Because so often women are forgotten.

BALDWIN: You point out though the league is majority black. It's 80 percent black women. And I know that, you know, each and every day on this show I have a privilege of speaking to a number of African- American women. And many of them tell me, you know, despite everything that this country has been going through, especially this summer, that America just hasn't been listening to them, that they have felt silenced in this country.

And I'm curious for you, you know, what does it mean for these 144 women, 80 percent of whom are black, your own teammates, your close friends to get together and raise their voices on such a personal issue. Do they feel, Sue, that America is listening?

BIRD: You know, I hope so. I think what's unique about where we are right now as a basketball league is, we have a chance. Because obviously there's a lot of conversation on whether sports should've returned. And maybe each league, each person can kind of, you know, make an argument one way or the other.

For us when we play basketball, that's when we have the platform. When we play basketball, that's when our voices are heard. And you know what, like we just talked about, we've been doing this. But now in this moment it feels like people are paying attention. So in some ways we're using the game of basketball, a game we love, but we're using it so our voices can just continue to get amplified. Because, again, we've been doing this.

I mean and women are overlooked. It's just sadly a reality. And the women in our league as black women, you know, you talk about people you're speaking to on your show. They feel the same way. They feel they take their uniform off, they're just black women in America who are forgotten. So here we are again just fighting for that visibility.

BALDWIN: Talk about just unity in the WNBA. You mentioned the bubble or the wubble you're living in this season. You know, you're all physically in the same place. You have just gone through months of, you know, tough CBA negotiations together.

But, Sue, is there something more? Like what's the special sauce that allowed you all to come together to make this statement as a league? Do you think it's your strong leadership, or do you think, as you point out, you're a lot of women, black women, gay women, who have been used to, you know, maybe being put in your corners for so long and having to really use your voices?

BIRD: Yes, I mean I think it's a combination of all of that. The word that always comes up is intersexuality and sectionality and that's had who we are. And I think for me personally like as a gay athlete, it's like if I'm fighting for this kind of equality, how can I not fight for all the other kinds of equality. You know, whether it's for black people, for trans people. You name it.

And that's what our league is really about. I mean, the best thing about sports is, you know, we see that people are different colors. We see that people are different religions, sexual orientation. We respect it. We respect it. That's the difference. We don't go out there and say we don't see it. Perfect life. We respect those differences and we're still able to fight for each other. Go out there and play and so forth.

BALDWIN: Last question for you. President Trump -- I got to ask -- President Trump has been belittling professional athletes for standing up for racial justice. You know, not once has he said that he is proud of you all or proud of Americans for putting themselves out there, for taking a stand for positive change. Sue Bird, what would you like to say back to President Trump?

BIRD: I mean I think at this point we all understand that politics right now and people wanting to win elections is superseding any kind of morals, any king of you know seeing what is happening to our country. Sadly, we've had to face people like President Trump in our own

league. We have an owner, you know, basically tell us not to say that "Black Lives Matter," trying to make it a political statement, not a moral one.

So, I don't know, as a league, all I'd like to say is we're continue to do what we do. We're going to continue to amplify our voices, continue to say her name and that's what we're about. So, you know if you don't like it, turn away. But we're not going anywhere.

BALDWIN: And to get people out and to vote. Sue, thank you.

BIRD: Yes. No problem. Thanks for having me.

BALDWIN: Coming up, Pete Buttigieg reacts to that report accusing President Trump of making disparaging remarks about fallen soldiers.

But first Anderson Cooper introduces us to CNN Heroes fighting coronavirus in Africa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST (voice-over): These CNN Heroes are hard at work, temporarily transforming a business to provide and push for safety measures in Ethiopia.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have produced over 50,000 closed masks to help out the most vulnerable women and children in our community. And I speak out the need to wear mask and social distance.

COOPER: Bringing medical care and crucial awareness to remote areas of Kenya.

[15:55:00]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lot of misinformation that it's a disease that's not going to come all the way to the rural areas. Information sharing is the number one key. We set up all the billboards covering in the entry ways of Lamu covering the messaging around COVID-19.

COOPER: And providing supplies and protective gear to those that need it most in Cameroon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We focus today internally displaced population due to the crisis in Cameroon. We focus to orphanage and I hope this work will reduce the number of people who die due to coronavirus. That's my dream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: If you'd like to learn more, go to CNNheroes.com. We will be right back.