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Trump Attacks FBI Director for Calling Out Russian Interference; Pandemic Brings 2 Economies of U.S. into Focus, with Rich Raking in Billions as Main Street Suffers; UNICEF: Virus Linked to Millions More Children Living in Poverty; Kansas City Chiefs Fans Who Attended Game Opener Tested Positive; Pastor Who Flaunted Mask Mandates Now in ICU with COVID; "Reality Check": Trump Never Produced Health Care Plan "2 Weeks Away" Back in July. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 18, 2020 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: You are, Andrew, the author of "The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump."

So, let's break this down. What do you make of Wray's assessment and also the president's reaction to it?

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think both are pretty -- to be doing. You have to -- you need to look at it this way, Brianna. The director is in a very tough spot.

The job of the director of the FBI is to follow the facts and represent them truthfully. The president, on the other hand, makes up his own facts and frequently doesn't tell the truth.

So, he is going to be on a collision course with the president if he continues to do his job.

And Director Wray knows he has 37,000 FBI employee whose watch him very close and listen to everything he says.

When they get the sense, he is becoming political to please the president, rather than representing the facts as they know them, he runs the risk of losing the confidence of the work force.

I think Director Wray is too smart for that and is not going to let that happen, which means he's probably going to be in conflict with this president.

KEILAR: I mentioned the Trump administration officials have been downplaying the threat of Russian interference.

You have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for instance, as well as Attorney General Bill Barr, who told Wolf Blitzer this earlier in the month.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: The Intelligence Community says Russia, China and Iran are seeking to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, for various reasons, but mostly they want to sow dissent in our country, exacerbate racial tensions, and things like that.

Of the three countries, the Intelligence Community has pointed to Russia, China and Iran. Which is the most assertive, the most aggressive in this area?

WILLIAM BARR, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I believe it's China.

BLITZER: It's what?

BARR: China.

BLITZER: China more than Russia right now?

BARR: Yes.

BLITZER: Why do you say that?

BARR: Because I've seen the intelligence. That's what I've concluded.

BLITZER: What are they trying to do?

BARR: Well, I'm not going to discuss that.

BLITZER: But they're trying to help who -- who --

BARR: I'm not going to get into that.

BLITZER: More aggressive than Russia?

BARR: Yes.

BLITZER: Because the U.S. Intelligence Community --

BARR: They're trying to influence the United States, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: There are certainly some things he could have said to back up his claim, but he didn't because Russia is considerably more active when it comes to interference. I mean, we're hearing that on the Hill from officials.

So, why are officials like Bill Barr so focused on China, Andrew?

MCCABE: I think it's clear. The president and his men don't like the narrative that Russia is doing in 2020, the same thing that they did in 2016, which was to interfere in our democracy to sow chaos, to hurt the opposing candidate, then Hillary Clinton, now Joseph Biden, and to ultimately help President Trump.

That's not a story line this president likes to hear. So, his political supporters and his attorney general are going out and laying down the same false narrative the president prefers.

I would ask your viewers to listen to the intelligence professionals. They have been very clear on this.

There's no nation on earth that has ever attacked us in the same way that Russia has in terms of an active operation to undermine our democracy.

And I haven't heard anything about the Chinese or the Iranians or the North Koreans doing that in 2020.

KEILAR: Like you said, when you have administration officials, like Christopher Wray, who aren't going to say this kind of stuff that isn't true, they are going to be in conflict with the president.

Do you think the president may try to replace Wray?

MCCABE: You know, I think you have to consider that a possibility with this president and any official who stands up and confronts him or makes plain a truth that the president finds inconvenient. That's a risk of working in this administration and following the truth.

I mean, realistically, there's a not a lot of time between now and the election. So it would surprise me if he did something like that between now and the election.

I can't over emphasize the fact that, in 2016, the Russians did three things to us, sowing chaos, hurting Hillary Clinton, and helping Donald Trump.

So far, according to the director and other intelligence officials, they've done the first two already, misinformation campaigns and an effort to undermine Candidate Biden.

We should all be very concerned about what happens over the next few weeks from Russia.

KEILAR: Andrew McCabe, former FBI deputy director, thank you so much.

MCCABE: Thanks, Brianna.

KEILAR: A fan who attended last week's Kansas City Chiefs game has tested positive for coronavirus and now several other fans are being forced to quarantine.

[14:35:50]

Plus, a pastor who referred to himself as a, quote, "no masker" is in the ICU battling COVID himself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The pandemic brought the two economies of the United States into stark focus. As the country is experiencing the worst unemployment since the Great Depression, billionaires are profiting off of it.

The latest report from the Institute for Policy Studies show the wealthiest Americans have raked in a whopping $845 billion between March and now.

I want to bring in CNN economic commentator and "Washington Post" opinion columnist, Catherine Rampell, to discuss this.

The country is still down more than 11 million jobs since February, Catherine. Why are billionaires making all this money?

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMIC COMMENTATOR: Well, there are a few things going on here. I would be a little careful of citing these specific statistics because they do cherry pick from the bottom of the stock market.

And a large reason why they're doing well is valuations are so high. So it kind of ignores the decline that preceded that. But even so, billionaires still doing better than OK, better than OK, quite well.

[14:40:05]

Whereas, as you point out there, are two Americas. The America of the quite wealthy, whether we're talking about billionaires or white- collar workers, professional-class workers who can largely work from home.

And then there's the America of the working class, which is largely the non-working class. People not invested in the stock market. People facing evictions and facing hunger, who are worried about whether they'll ever be able to work again.

KEILAR: And the president doesn't seem to see that there is an economic crisis that many people, like you just cited, are facing.

This is what he said the other night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Stocks are owned by everybody. I mean, they talk about the stock market is so good. That's 401Ks.

I'm meeting people with -- as long as they didn't sell when the market went down, when we first realized the extent of this horrible thing from China -- I'm these people -- some of them are doing better than they were before the pandemic came.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I mean, Catherine, maybe stocks are owned by everybody he knows but it's false to say everyone has stock.

RAMPELL: That's absolutely true. A very large percentage of Americans do not own stocks, either through a 401K or individual stocks or in any sense.

I don't think the economy is a zero-sum economy, right, that, because billionaires and wealthy people are doing well, that necessarily means they're doing well at the expense of the working class. In fact, there are policies increasing the valuation of stocks that we

still want around because they will encourage hiring. For example, very low interest rates are a large part of the reason why stock valuations are high.

We also want interest rates to remain low because that will help goose the economy.

But that said, this brings into stark relief the fact that so many of the policy leaders that have been used thus far are once that disproportionately help the wealthy. And we have been ignoring ones that would do more to help the lower class -- help lower-income, working-class, middle-class-type people.

For example, the top up of the unemployment benefits supplement. Whether the $600 that expired or something more modest. For example, more generous food stamps. Fiscal aid to states so more people working for state and local governments aren't going to face imminent layoffs, as many will.

So, I don't know that it's fair to say just because white-collar people are doing well or well-off people are doing well that necessarily is the reason why lower-income people are doing badly.

It just suggests that we haven't done quite enough, nearly enough to make sure that the people who are really struggling can go get back to work and can put food on the table.

KEILAR: So essential.

Catherine, thank you so much for that.

There's a new report from UNICEF that says 150 million more children are living in poverty since the pandemic began. The organization citing a 15 percent jump in child poverty numbers based on data from nearly 80 countries.

Cristina Alesci, our CNN politics and business correspondent, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN POLITICS AND BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: New data this morning shows the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child poverty.

UNICEF and Save the Children say an additional 150 million children face a lack of access to some kind of basic service, for example, in health care or education.

Just for context, before the pandemic, about 45 percent of children faced a lack of access to a basic service. The pandemic has pushed that number to 56 percent.

And the groups now warn that if the international community does not intervene, those numbers will only grow. (END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Cristina, thank you.

[14:43:50]

Any moment now, we're expecting to hear from the president. The White House says he'll be sharing details about a vaccine distribution plan when and if one is approved. Stay with us for live coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:48:28]

KEILAR: Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, put safety precautions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But fans were allowed to attend last week's season opener. And at least one contracted coronavirus. Now several fans who sat near that individual are under quarantine.

CNN's sports correspondent, Andy Scholes, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, the Kansas City Health Department is directing 10 people to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 at the Chiefs' opening game last week.

A fan at the game tested positive the following day. And the Chiefs say its contact tracing mechanisms allowed them to identify anyone who came into contact with the fan.

All fans and personnel were required to wear a mask or face covering in the stadium. Fans were sitting with the group they came in with and were spread throughout the stadium.

The Chiefs were one of two teams that did allow fans during week one of the NFL season.

Four teams, Brianna, will be having fans in week two.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Andy, thank you.

A pastor in Idaho, who called himself a no masker during a service and cast doubt on the veracity of coronavirus reports, is in the ICU after contracting COVID-19.

He had been leading prayers against a local mask mandate and encouraging church members to attend services without masks.

CNN's Lucy Kafanov is following this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An Idaho paster who openly flaunted a local mask mandate and even told congregants they were exempt from the mandate inside his church is recovering from COVID-19 at an intensive care unit, according to church officials.

[14:50:05]

His wife also contracted coronavirus and is recovering at home.

Prior to getting sick, during the pandemic, Pastor Paul Van Noy wrote numerous Facebook posts containing false claims that said masks were not effective.

In late August, his wife posted a photo of herself in a Trump mask, saying, "I only wear it when I have to."

On September 4th, she wrote, "I haven't taken this COVID seriously enough. I'm humbled."

A church official tells CNN five other church staff were infected with coronavirus but are now recovering.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And we are seven weeks away from the election now. And the mystery health care plan that the president has been promising is still not here.

We'll look back at his empty promises and see if he adds any new detail when he comes to the podium at the White House. That is just moments away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:56:02]

KEILAR: An elusive plan that just never seems to materialize. President Trump has yet to issue a health care plan, despite saying eight weeks ago, back in July, that a plan was just two weeks away.

John Avlon has our "REALITY CHECK."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: More than six months into a pandemic, with nearly 200,000 Americans dead, health anxiety is getting real for most Americans.

And 68 percent of voters say health care will be very important to their vote.

But there's a lot of smoke and mirrors clouding the debate. President Trump keeps touting a phantom health care plan, one that will magically cover way more people for way less money.

But it always seems to be just: (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Within two weeks.

Two weeks.

Three weeks, four weeks, two weeks. What do you think?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: In July, the president made a show of a mystery executive order he said would slash drug prices but his administration refused to release the text.

And then there the constant "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" promise to protect people with pre-existing conditions. While Trump's own DOJ is actively trying to kill the law that actually does that.

When it comes to American's health care, this president is all show and no go. Dishonest on a good day, but dangerous during a pandemic.

So let's start at ground floor. There is no Trump health care plan. Period.

I don't know how many times folks are going to fall for the same "Lucy and the football" routine here.

It is been four years, people. But, hey, it is been 10 years since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, 10 years of conservative calls to repeal and replace. It is catchy and illiterate and total nonsense.

Obamacare is more popular now than when Obama left office. And the thing people seem to like about it is the coverage of pre-existing conditions.

Maybe that is because 43 percent of Americans have at least one person in their household with a pre-existing condition.

We've seen the president spin and promise to protect pre-existing conditions but this one stood out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're going to be doing a health care plan very strongly and protect people with pre-existing conditions. They will not do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: That is the opposite of true. Here is why. Democrats will protect people with pre-existing conditions. They already have with Obamacare. It is the only law that does that.

And it is a law that the Trump administration has been fighting like hell to kill, culminating into a case the Supreme Court will hear one week after Election Day. After all, it won't be a good look to openly try to gut it before the

votes are cast.

But what about those drug price executive orders Trump signs with such great fanfare? And why did they refuse to release one of them for so long?

Well, it turns out it promises to peg drug prices to European countries, most of which have some form of socialized medicine.

So, forget free markets. The Trump proposal appears to be more of a step toward Socialism than anything Obamacare ever did.

Here is what makes it especially awkward. When Nancy Pelosi proposed a similar provision last year, Republicans denounced it as Socialist price controls.

Confused? The economists went to my grandparent's town of Youngstown, Ohio, and here's what one Trump supporter said: "He got health care done, which Democrats could never do."

OK, that is just not true. But you know the old saying, if you can't convince them, confuse them.

It's just that this time, the cost of that confusion could be a real killer for your family.

And that is your "REALITY CHECK."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: John Avlon, thank you.

And our special coverage continues now with Brooke Baldwin.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Good afternoon, I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me on this Friday afternoon.

We'll get a sneak peek at the White House here. We'll take a look at live pictures. There you go. Reporters watching and waiting to see the president stand behind that podium here as, of course, he'll address the race for a coronavirus vaccine for one.

[14:59:02]

He continues to tout his administration's response to pandemic and his claim is that we are rounding the turn.

But let's look at the numbers here.