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Early Voting Already Underway in Virginia; Trump Speaks Baseless Theory That Mail-In Ballots Are a Scam; Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lies in State in Capitol; Trump Fails to Deliver Healthcare Plan But Issues Executive Order Instead; PAC 12 Reverses Earlier Decision to Call Off Football Season. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired September 25, 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]
MARK HERRING, VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: And there were reports that some voters felt threatened or felt intimidated. And so, given that I thought it was important to put a legal guidance out to let everyone know that there are laws, state and federal laws, that prohibit people from intimidating voters or threatening them and making sure that voters knew that there are laws to protect them.
Because, you know, voting is one of our most fundamental rights. It is a right and it is a civic duty. No one should feel threatened or intimidated when they go vote. And so I wanted to make sure that the public knew that there are laws to protect them and I'm hopeful that type of conduct doesn't happen again.
But people needed to know that depending on the circumstances it could be a crime and I hope that it doesn't come to that. I hope that people, you know, won't engage in that kind of conduct. If it does, elections officials have tools that they can use to make sure that people feel safe and comfortable and I wanted to make sure that Virginians and Americans know that they can vote safely, securely, and without fear of intimidation and threats.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Mr. Attorney General, thank you for coming on. I appreciate your time.
HERRING: Well, thank you for having me.
BOLDUAN: Appreciate it.
A programming note for all of you, in four days, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, they will face off in the first Presidential debate. Our special live coverage starts Tuesday night at 7:00 Eastern only on CNN.
A moment of history today. The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg a champion for equality, she became the first woman and first Jewish American to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.
A moving tribute played out this morning bringing together for just a moment left and right, Democrat and Republican, the halls of government and the beauty of the opera that she loved so much. We're going to show you some of it. May her memory be a blessing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in state at the U.S. Capitol)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[15:35:00]
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My plan expands affordable insurance options, reduces the cost of prescription drugs, will end surprise medical billing, increases fairness through price transparency, streamlines bureaucracy, accelerates innovation, strongly protects Medicare, and always protects patients with pre- existing conditions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: That was President Trump last night announcing and signing an executive order he called his Health Care Vision. The much promised yet never actually delivered health care plan that he has long said would replace Obamacare.
But here is how "The Washington Post" very accurately described the reality of it.
After years of promising his own health care plan, Trump settles for rebranding rather than repealing Obamacare.
So, what is Donald Trump actually delivering here? Yes, in the final sprint to an election, where health care is top of mind. Joining me now is Chris Lu who served as White House Cabinet Secretary during the Obama White House. He is now a senior fellow at the University of Virginia, Miller Center. It's good to see you Chris, thank you for being here. How would you describe what President Trump announced yesterday?
CHRIS LU, FORMER ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: You know, after four years of promising a great health care plan, what Donald Trump signed yesterday functionally does nothing. It's very much like that big signing ceremony he did in August when he promised to provide economic relief and didn't do much of it at all.
I mean it's a photo op. It's a political gimmick to give the illusion of activity without doing anything. But, Kate, most importantly it's a distraction and it's intended as a distraction from the fact that his Justice Department is before the Supreme Court right now trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
And if that happens, 23 million people will lose health insurance, 130 million people who have pre-existing conditions will lose that protection. And nothing Donald Trump signed yesterday will restore that health care to those tens of millions of people or provide that protection. It's basically just a set of homework assignments that he gave to his cabinet to act on things. It is functionally nothing.
BOLDUAN: I mean it is hard to square and wrap your mind around it because he says they are in court, it's before the Supreme Court, it's going to be argued -- they're going to new oral arguments in November.
At the same time last night, he says that he's making it the law of the land through an executive order that people with pre-existing conditions are going to be protected. It's already the law of the land. That is what is so mind-boggling about it.
[15:40:00]
He also announced last night a $200 discount card for older Americans to help pay for prescription drugs through Medicare. Money that anyone who -- money to anyone right now is helpful. But six weeks before election day, what is this other than naked politics?
LU: Well, it is naked politics. It's a political gimmick. What he's trying to do is to find cost savings that don't actually exist from a program that hasn't actually been implemented, and then essentially give these rebate checks to seniors right before election day.
Look, this is no different than what he did earlier in the year when he insisted that economic stimulus checks have his signature on it. He wants people to think that he is solving their health care problems.
The truth of the matter is, even if the money did exist, $200 doesn't cover the co-payments that most seniors are paying for their Medicare, for their drugs at this point.
Health care experts would say this fundamentally doesn't change people's out of pocket cost or the problem of rising costs in health care. It's just another political gimmick.
Leaving aside the fact that he doesn't even have the authority to do this. The power of the purse sits squarely in Congress's authority.
BOLDUAN: There is the announcement, a signing ceremony and then there is the reality in the details of digging into what it is. If the emperor is wearing any clothes or not when it comes to this.
Chris, thank you for coming on.
LU: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: Still ahead, it looks like there will be college football this season after all. A major reversal from a major conference.
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[15:45:00] BOLDUAN: The college football season that was really a no-go a couple months ago is now back on in a big way. The PAC-12 just announced Thursday it will play a seven-game season starting in November, reversing an earlier decision to essentially cancel the season or push off the season over concerns about playing through the pandemic, of course.
This decision now means all power, all of the power five conferences are taking the field. So, what changed? Joining me right now is Michael Schill, the President of the University of Oregon, the Chair of the PAC-12 CEO group. President Schill, thank you for coming back on. What was -- what has changed from when we spoke six weeks ago, and you were pushing off the season?
MICHAEL SCHILL, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, AND CHAIR, PAC-12 CEO GROUP: Right, so and what we were doing was we were postponing the season until January. But what the reasons why we had made that decision six weeks ago were two-fold.
One is, there were rules and regulations in many of our areas, in particular in California and Oregon, that prohibited us from even having contact practice. Those rules and regulations now no longer exist and so we're now able to move ahead with the football season. But that was just removing the barrier.
The most important thing was that we were able to get daily COVID-19 testing. And we didn't have that at that point. So, we weren't able to sufficiently, at least we didn't feel we were able to sufficiently to protect the health and welfare of our students.
And our medical advisory board which has some of the best doctors in the country were advising us at that point that we shouldn't go forward, now they're advising us that it is safe and responsible for us to be able to do that.
BOLDUAN: So at least, I was taking a look, at least like 21 college football teams have had to cancel or postpone games because of infections once they're really started up. There's a good chance then if you look at the math that that could happen to you. Is it worth it?
SCHILL: So, you know, that's a really great question. One is we are going to be watching, so by improving the season, that doesn't mean we're going to stop watching what's going on and caring about what's going on. If we see that this moves in a direction that is troublesome, that would be affecting health and safety, then we'll just close it down. But we think we can control what's happening. We think with daily testing we can protect our students and make the season go. Now, is it worth it?
So, I think if you were with me this week, I met with two groups of student athletes. And I talked to them. And I think if you were sitting there with me, you would understand it's worth it. It's really worth it to them. It is -- this is what they've trained for. This is what they've dreamt of. And if we can do this safely, and we could protect them, then, you
know, not doing this would be a horrible tragedy for them. And so, I think in that sense it's worth it.
But I also think, you know, in many of our communities, football as well as basketball, provide a rallying place, provide a place for people to come together. And, you know, we're finding in our world right now things are pretty grim in many ways, this is an --
BOLDUAN: But President --
SCHILL: -- an opportunity to rally around the school and the community.
BOLDUAN: Sorry for the overlap. I just want to ask you really quick because you know the question is raised, often. Is this about money over anything else?
SCHILL: OK, not at all. And I mean and I want to be extremely emphatic about that. In our discussions, not once, you know, swear to God, not once has anyone mentioned money as the reason for making the move to come back, now, partly that the reason behind that is safety and welfare is the number one consideration.
[15:50:04]
Partly, the amount of money for six games is relatively small next to the really horrific losses that many of our athletic programs are taking right now. So, it just wouldn't be enough to move any dial even if we weren't committed to health and safety. But we are.
BOLDUAN: President, I always appreciate you coming on and your candor. Thank you very much.
SCHILL: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: Appreciate it.
SCHILL: Be safe.
BOLDUAN: You as well.
Still ahead for us, strong words from the mother, emotional words from the mother of Breonna Taylor today saying that she now has no faith in the legal system anymore.
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BOLDUAN: Breonna Taylor's family speaking out for the first time since a grand jury's decision Wednesday not to charge anyone directly in her death. In an emotional news conference, the family demanded the release of transcripts from the grand jury proceedings and condemned the Kentucky Attorney General for the decision to only charge one officer with wanton endangerment.
And that was for randomly shooting and risking lives of Taylor's neighbors. The family saying that Attorney General and the system failed Breonna. Taylor's tearful mother unable to speak. She actually had her sister read a powerful message on her behalf.
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BIANCA AUSTIN, BREONNA TAYLOR'S AUNT: I was reassured Wednesday of why I have no faith in the legal system, in the police, in the law, they are not made to protect us black and brown people.
But when I speak on it, I'm considered an angry black woman. But know this, I am an angry black woman. Cameron alone didn't fail her. But it ended with the lack of investigation failed her. The officer who told a lie to obtain the search warrant failed her. The judge who signed the search warrant failed her. The terrorists who broke down her door failed her. The system as a whole has failed her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Many more protests in support of Breonna Taylor and her family and demanding justice are planned.
Still ahead for us, the President is taking new steps to undermine confidence in the election, and even the FBI isn't safe. That's ahead.
But first CNN Heroes salutes New Jersey native Greg Dailey. He's had a newspaper route in his hometown for 25 years. And when the pandemic hit, he realized how many of his customers couldn't go shopping. So, he took it upon himself.
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GREG DAILEY, CNN HERO: I delivered to three adult communities. A lot of people in there that are compromised. So, I put out a note to all 800 of my customers. If there's anything you need, you name it, I'm happy to go shop for it and deliver it to your home for free.
This is soap, almond milk.
I've met just an unbelievable amount of beautiful, wonderful people. It's honestly amazing how grateful they are.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, thank you so much.
DAILEY: My pleasure. If you need anything else moving forward, please give me a call. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will.
DAILEY: All right, take care of yourself. Good night.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: For more on Greg's story, go to CNNheroes.com.
[15:55:00]
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ANNOUNCER: THE LEAD with Jake Tapper up next on CNN.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: And welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. We begin with some breaking news on the U.S. Supreme Court.
