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NFL Fines 3 Coaches, Teams for Not Wearing Face Masks; Virus, Social Justice Become Lead Storylines in NFL Debut; COVID Long Haulers Still Battling Virus, Don't Know If They'll Fully Recover; FOX Doctor Baselessly Speculates Biden Is Taking Drugs. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired September 22, 2020 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:31:20]
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: They say, when money, talks people listen. And the NFL hopes that some hefty fines imposed on several teams and their head coaches will do the trick. A penalty for the coaches' failure to wear face masks during Sunday's games.
CNN sports anchor, Andy Scholes, has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Brianna, the NFL is not messing around when it comes to its mask policy, coming down hard on three coaches seen not wearing their mask on the sidelines over the weekend.
A league source telling CNN the Broncos' Vic Fangio, Seahawks' Pete Carroll and the 49er's Kyle Shanahan all hit with a $100,000 fine. Their teams each receiving $250,000 fine, as well.
Last night, the Raiders' Jon Gruden and Saints' Sean Payton were also seen not wearing masks. Fines likely coming their way. Gruden apologizing after the game for not wearing his mask, revealing he's already had COVID-19.
All coaches and team personnel are required to wear a mask while on the side lines. And, Brianna, the NFL warned teams after week one that if they did not comply, they would receive severe penalties.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Andy Scholes, thank you so much.
Joining me now to talk about the NFL's pandemic response Jonathan Jones. He is a senior NFL reporter for "CBS Sports".
Jonathan, that is -- that's a lot of money. Do you think that these fines are going to work in forcing the coaches and teams to take this more seriously?
JONATHAN JONES, SENIOR NFL REPORTER, "CBS SPORTS": Yes, certainly, money talks here. And so you want to talk to coaches where this hurts them, in their wallets.
The NFL is taking it seriously. I fully believe because the NFL understands its role and responsibility in all of this. It is the most visible sport in North America. It's the most watched product there is on television.
And so they want the coaches who are obviously shown what these super closeups, the coaches were not wearing helmets, these coaches who otherwise can wear masks.
It's not that difficult. They're wanting to hide the faces any way so that television and their opponents are not seeing the play call coming in.
So it really shouldn't be that difficult for these head coaches.
And we're seeing across the board -- and let's be honest, a lot of coaches aren't having much of an issue with it.
But the three coaches who were hit with fines as well as the two last night, who have previously had COVID, who likely will be fined, obviously the NFL with a shot across the bow that they are not going to tolerate this throughout the season.
KEILAR: It's worth noting that the NFL reported zero new COVID cases among its players last week. I wonder if you're surprised by that when you consider the NFL doesn't actually have a formal bubble like the NBA does.
JONES: Right. The NFL can't because of just the massive infrastructure that would be necessary for one team, let alone several or even 32. But, no, it wasn't present.
And they just released numbers from September 13th through the 19th that they tested more than 2,600 players almost daily and they got zero confirmed cases, five confirmed positive cases with personnel, you know, staffers, coaches and what not.
But still very impressive numbers. It shows me that these players, coaches, staffers and otherwise are really taking seriously this social contract that they want to keep each other safe. They want the season to happen.
And we've seen, since they reported to camp in late July, that these guys are taking it seriously.
Now the NFL is concerned that what happens when teams, Super Bowl aspirations are dashed.
And once everyone who might be 1-1 right now turns into 2-6, are you still going to be a strong -- not going out to bars and not putting yourself and your teammates in danger as you were at the start of the season when you had everything in front of you? That is to be determined.
But so far, a really incredible job by the NFL and the players. [13:35:05]
KEILAR: Yes. Good news for players and for fans as well.
The league, separately, on a different issue, made a very big show of solidarity this season, supporting social issues like the Black Lives Matter movement.
Two weeks into the season, how's the league doing so far do you think?
JONES: So far so good. They're doing what they can right now I believe. They're putting money at causes that they have heard from players that they want the money directed to.
They're painting end zones with some phrases that people may believe like "stop hate" or "end racism." And they may roll their eyes and say, OK, now it's done.
But coaches are wearing Black Lives Matter patches and there are putting that on broadcasts. And so that is important.
Unfortunately, for the NFL, and certainly unfortunately for Colin Kaepernick, they can't go back and undo the injustice that was done to Kaepernick, one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the NFL. Certainly, top 64 if you want to include backups.
But and ever since he has not had a job since leaving San Francisco, there's no good on-the-field reason why he is not.
And the NFL may want to say, all right, we messed up and we heard from him. But it would be great if we could turn back time and say, well, you know, everything he was saying back then was true and you should have listened to him and your other black players at that time.
But what the NFL can do right now, the players absolutely want the league and the team owners to use their political influence and leverage to hold officers accountable when they step out.
Obviously, you want to be able, those in power, to use that power. And that's what the NFL and team owners have been listening to and that's what the players have been requesting.
KEILAR: Jonathan Jones, thank you so much for coming on.
JONES: Thanks.
KEILAR: The CDC issuing new guidance about Halloween and the coronavirus, as one long hauler survives surviving 100 days in the hospital.
Plus, the situation has gotten so serious in the U.K., Boris Johnson is ordering all pubs to close by 10:00 p.m. Is the U.S. headed in the same direction?
And we are just getting word from the world's largest vaccine maker that vaccinating the entire world won't happen until 2024. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:42:09]
KEILAR: More than 200,000 Americans have died because of the coronavirus. But of the nearly seven million who have tested positive and survived, some call COVID long haulers, are still battling the virus and unsure when or if they'll fully recover.
One of those people is 35-year-old Heather-Elizabeth Brown who has been battling for months. This Detroit-area police chaplain and corporate trainer spent more than a month on a ventilator and in a coma in intensive care. And in all, she spent about 100 days in the hospital recovering and rehabbing from the virus.
And even now, several months after her diagnosis, Brown continues to struggle with the life-changing issues brought on by this disease.
Heather-Elizabeth Brown is joining us now to talk about what she has been through and it's been a lot.
So it is wonderful to see you, that you have pulled through this.
But you have the continuing challenges that you are dealing with. Tell us about how you're doing.
HEATHER-ELIZABETH BROWN, COVID LONG HAULER WHO SPENT 100 DAYS IN HOSPITAL, 33 DAYS IN COMA: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me.
I have had challenges dealing with the aftereffects of COVID and hospitalization. I'm doing well now, the best that I can.
I have all sorts of therapy and doctor's appointments I go to. And I take it one day at a time, continuing to have faith in God and get stronger as I go.
KEILAR: What is the biggest limiting factor? What is the physical struggle making your daily life tough?
BROWN: I would say that the aftereffects coming to breathing and energy are two of the biggest struggles that I have. I still have issues with breathing. I work on breathing exercises every day.
But the breath support is not there. It's not where it used to be. Simple things like getting up the stairs or walking to my car or outside to get something winds me.
And the fatigue factor is a big part of the aftereffects of this disease. I can't get through a whole day without having to stop and lie down and rest because I'm exhausted from doing every day simple tasks like, you know, getting a shower or making breakfast.
KEILAR: That is incredibly frustrating to imagine going through that.
And you have come a long way. You were in a coma for more than a month.
BROWN: Yes. Absolutely.
KEILAR: Do you remember anything about being in the coma and waking up? What can you tell us?
BROWN: I actually -- the funny thing is I don't remember anything about being in the coma for the 31 days. I don't even remember the day of being actually placed on the ventilator.
The only way I'm able to piece it together is from text messages and from conversations I have had with people who spoke to me.
I just remember having a lot of vivid dreams and nightmares while I was in the coma. And then just kind of waking up and being very surprised and shocked when I realized it was 31 days later. It was a totally different month.
(CROSSTALK)
[13:45:08]
BROWN: So that's shocking.
KEILAR: Yes. That all that time had passed.
And I wonder now, from your vantage point, Heather-Elizabeth, what do you want people to know about COVID?
BROWN: I want people to know that it is a real disease. It is not fake, not made up, not a conspiracy. It is something that is communicable.
And it's something that can be very dangerous for people such as myself. I didn't have any preexisting conditions and I still ended up on a ventilator for 31 days and I was very close to losing my life but for the grace of God.
For other people with coexisting conditions or comorbidities, there's a very big factor and a risk to their health.
And I want everyone to know it's not over. We still need to social distance ourselves. We still need to wear masks and just practice proper hygiene in order to make sure we protect ourselves as much as possible but also protect the rest of the people in our community who may be more vulnerable.
KEILAR: Heather-Elizabeth, we love seeing you. We're so glad to see that even though you have the challenges, are here, you are here talking to us.
Thank you so much for sharing your message with us.
BROWN: Absolutely. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day.
KEILAR: You, too. A doctor on FOX News is at it again, spreading baseless claims. And
this time, he's echoing President Trump by suggesting, wrongly, falsely, baselessly, that Joe Biden is taking drugs.
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[13:50:59]
KEILAR: President Trump has spent months cynically and baselessly questioning whether Joe Biden is with it. Now he's trying a different tactic, trying to raise expectations about how well Joe Biden should perform in the first debate next week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (voice-over): I think he's a professional. I don't know if he's all there, but I think he's a professional. I have to assume that he's a professional, and that he can debate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Maybe that would work if the president himself had not been saying this about Biden on repeat for the entirety of the campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP (voice-over): I think he's a professional, I don't know if he's all there.
(on camera): Biden doesn't know he's alive.
I say he's not competent to be president. To be president, you have to be sharp, tough, so many other things.
Joe doesn't know he's alive, OK? He doesn't know he's alive.
Biden can't put two sentences together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Totally baseless.
And now, one week to the first debate President Trump, who is the most prominent purveyor of conspiracy theories in America, is floating this one about Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I got a debate coming up with this guy.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: No, no.
(CHEERING) TRUMP: You never know. You never know. They gave him a big fat shot in the ass and he comes out --
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: -- and for two hours, he's better than ever before, you know.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: The problem is what happens after that?
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: Nah. We'll ask for a drug test. We are. I'd like to have a drug test.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: Both of us. I'll take it. He'll take it.
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX HOST, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT": Joe Biden has not yet agreed to a drug test.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Let's get this straight. Trump has been baselessly claiming that Biden isn't with it for months now. Now he's so in doubt about why Biden is so with it -- covering all his bases, I guess -- he's saying, if you think Biden seems normal, it's because it's drug induced?
This has no basis in fact. He's just making stuff up. But it's designed to make you wonder, to creep into your head and stick.
Because that's how conspiracy theories take hold. He's planting a seed and his state-run news channel and it's on-staff doctor is watering the hell out of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARC SIEGEL, FOX NEWS MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR: So now President Trump says, you know, we should have drug testing before debates. And I'm thinking, why would he be saying that.
Well, let me tell you one reason, Tucker. There's a study that shows, for people who have mild cognitive thinking or memory problems, you know what helps? Speed. You know what helps? Adderall, a drug that I prescribe.
These drugs can help in low doses for short periods of time.
Now look, in the Olympics, we're testing athletes, baseball games. We don't want anybody to juice. We're looking for competitive advantage. We're analyzing that. We want to make sure nobody takes advantage. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Why would Trump be saying that about Biden, Dr. Siegel asks? Because Trump has shown he plays dirty and tries to win at all costs.
But what about Dr. Siegel? He's supposed to be a doctor and he's talking about speed and drug tests?
Siegel is paid actual money by a network with the word "news" in its title. Not to help spread the word about keeping people safe in a pandemic or to correct the anti-science rhetoric of the Trump administration that has cost lives. But to weaponize his medical credentials against a presidential candidate.
Let's rerack the tape. Because there's one thing the good doctor said that we should put credence in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIEGEL: Now I have not examined the former vice president. I don't have a clinical diagnosis to make. But --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Well, he should have stopped there.
Remember, this is the same doctor who was impressed with President Trump being able to repeat a string of five words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It was 30 or 35 questions. The first questions are very easy. The last questions are much more difficult. Like a memory question.
It's like you'll go person, woman, man, camera, TV. So they'd say, could you repeat that. So I said, yes, it's person, woman, man, camera TV. OK. That's very good.
[13:55:14]
But then when you go back about 20, 25 minutes later and they say go back to that question. They don't tell you this. Go back to that question. Repeat them. Can you do it?
You go, person, woman, man, camera, TV. They say, that's amazing. How did you do that? I do it because I have, like, a good memory. Because I'm cognitively there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: And Marc Siegel is the doctor who gave this medical advice to millions of FOX News viewers, most of whom are older and thus more vulnerable to the coronavirus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SIEGEL: Let me tell you something. This virus should be compared to the flu because at worst -- at worst, worst-case scenario, it could be the flu.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: We know FOX News is the green room for Trump sycophants. But it's also apparently the doctor's office. And it hands out some of the worst medical advice that money can buy.
Just in, the moderator for the first Trump/Biden debate next week is revealing the topics the candidates will be asked about.
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[14:00:00]
KEILAR: Just in, we're getting our first details about the first presidential debate one week from tonight.
