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CNN Poll: Biden Widens National Lead Over Trump; Senior Pentagon Leadership Quarantining After Exposure To COVID-19; Pence & Harris To Be Separated By Plexiglass At VP Debate. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired October 06, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

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[12:30:23]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Joe Biden out on the campaign trail today with the wind at his back. The former Vice President preparing for a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, it is exactly four weeks until Election Day. And our brand new CNN national poll shows Biden with a widening lead over President Trump. Look right there, that's a whopping number, a 16 point lead among likely voters that was taken after the President's COVID diagnosis, 57 percent for Biden, 41 percent for Trump.

Jessica Dean is live for us in Gettysburg right now. Jessica, also in new Pennsylvania poll out today, Joe Biden with a 12 point lead in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the numbers are good for the Vice President as he prepares to give a big speech today.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, John. He'll be speaking here in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania later this afternoon, as he has really good indicators from our CNN poll, also that Pennsylvania poll you just mentioned. It also comes as we see a new push by former First Lady Michelle Obama on behalf of Joe Biden.

She released what she called her closing argument today. And remember, Michelle Obama had the nickname back when her husband was running as the closer. And she was one of the most sought after speakers at the DNC. Her speech was watched many, many times, a lot of eyes on Michelle Obama's video today. Take a listen.

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MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Think about what would possibly compel you to accept this level of chaos, violence, and confusion under this President. We can no longer pretend that we don't know exactly who and what this President stands for. Search your hearts and your conscience and then vote for Joe Biden, like your lives depend on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Just over 24 minutes, it is quite a video from arguably one of the Biden campaigns most compelling surrogates back here in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, of course, this the site of Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address during our nation's civil war where the nation was literally divided against one another. It is chosen with intention by the Biden campaign, John. We can expect to hear a message of unity with Biden going back to his initial message that he launched his campaign with that he sees this race as a battle for the soul of the nation. We will hear more about that here four calls of bipartisanship and coming together when Vice President Biden speaks later this afternoon, John?

KING: We will look forward to that Jessica Dean live on the scene for us from the trail, appreciate it very much.

And still ahead for us, the lessons learned about how to keep coronavirus outbreaks down on college campuses.

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[12:37:26]

KING: Important breaking news just into CNN, senior leadership of the Pentagon including America's top general, General Mark Milley and several other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are now in coronavirus self-quarantine, that after possible exposure to COVID-19.

This comes after the Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Charles Ray tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. Let's get straight to our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara, it's the big development.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It is a very big development here at the Pentagon that has just been emerging this morning, John. Admiral Ray the Vice Commandant, number two of the Coast Guard had been in the Pentagon and had had contact with various members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff over a series of days we are told.

He tested positive on Monday after feeling mild symptoms. But as a result of Admiral Ray from the Coast Guard being in contact with members of the Joint Chiefs here is where it stands this morning. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the senior military adviser to President Trump, General Mark Milley, very well known, he is now working from home today. We are told as a precaution.

We are told he is not tested positive and that he's not having symptoms at this point. It should also be noted General Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has a full communication suite in his house, classified communications capability around the world 24/7. So they want to emphasize that from his standpoint, everything is just fine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs working from home.

We also know adding to that list, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Charles Brown working from home today as a precaution, the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday working from home, General John Raymond, the head of Space Operations, working from home. We are waiting to hear about General James McConville head of the army and his proximity to this potential outbreak. At the Pentagon here, all the top leadership, you know, it's the military, they're pretty responsible. They wear masks. They practice social distancing. But what has happened is -- what is happening across the country, someone that they have been in contact with now testing positive, sending our best wishes to the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard, of course, but it is now set off a chain of events across the highest levels of military command here in the Pentagon, John?

KING: Barbara Starr, thank you for hustling. Bring us that important reporting. We'll keep an eye on that as it plays out. And certainly we wish the Admiral well and everyone else as well in quarantine. Barbara, thank you.

[12:40:00]

Up next for us, how one historically black college now handling COVID- 19 testing on campus.

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KING: Coronavirus is impacting college campuses across the country we have seen more than 59,000 cases reported in recent weeks. Delaware State University is historically black college and trying to lower its numbers by testing the roughly 2,000 students and faculty living on campus twice a week. And right now, this is success, the university seeing a less than 1 percent positivity rate.

[12:45:10]

Here with me to discuss is the president of Delaware State Tony Allen. Because of the campaign calendar, we need to know, Tony is a member of the Advisory Council to the Biden transition team and served in the past as a speechwriter and special assistant to then Senator Joe Biden. You need to get that on the record surges because of the calendar we're in somebody watching might make it.

But let's talk about your important job. And this is pretty remarkable, 1,800 of your 5,000 students are living on campus this semester. About 18,000 just shy of that test administered since July, 62 positive which means a less than 0.5 percent positivity rate. Any public health expert would tell you, that's a good low number, that's a success. How is this working?

TONY ALLEN, PRESIDENT, DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY: You know, John, thanks for having me, it really is an opportunity for us to really take care of each of other. And, you know, as historically black college and university, a lot of our students are coming from very vulnerable situations, whether they'd be first generation college students, or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. So they're coming to school to really change their life trajectory for themselves and their families.

I remember in the spring, when we started planning, we had to actually hold on to about 200 students because they were in such a circumstance where that'd be actually hopeless without Delaware State University, another vulnerable situation. I had that in my mind as I talked to my team about really developing a reopening plan that could keep our students safe. And we were fortunate to find testing for America early.

TFA is a nonprofit that is designed by academics, entrepreneurs, and scientists to do two things, one, develop testing protocols to safely reopened schools. And two, help organizations like ours raise the money to actually support a full testing protocol that could be advantaged for faculty, staff, and students. So without them, we could not have done this. But with them, I knock on wood every day. The results continue to be positive.

KING: I think we have some video of the testing for America folks working on the campus just doing some of the work to get ready. How does that work? Are people who are -- if you're living on campus or on faculty or student on campus, are you required to get these tests? Is it just recommended you get tests, walk us through the process?

ALLEN: You know, testing is absolutely required, testing for America will tell you that testing is necessary but not sufficient. So when we built our reopening plan, while testing is the heart of it. And I should say, John, that's twice a week testing for any residents, student, staff, or faculty. We also have mandatory mask wearing. We are continuing to abide by all of the safety guidelines. We know to keep us safe. Our instruction is hybrid. And about 85 percent of our instruction is actually in the virtual format.

So that gives us an opportunity to make sure that we are not only keeping our students safe, but we're keeping the faculty and staff that instruct them safe as well. So you'll see again, it's twice a week for everybody who was on campus regularly. Those results come back in about 30 hours. And the folks who have supported testing for America at Delaware State University, or Alexis and major companies in America, including Illumina, Steiner, Siemens, and many others, so with that and the support of Thurgood Marshall College Fund, we're making real progress for our students.

KING: Walk us through the conversations with the students. We have some student video doing my part as a motto, students, you know, wearing their masks on campus, doing their social distancing. You know, you've seen this play out around the country. These are college students, right? Especially college students who have been stuck at home for a long period of time, you come back to campus, you want to do a college students do which is socialize and be together on some campuses is become a giant problem. What's your experience, then?

ALLEN: You know, we told them early that the only way that we were able to do this is if they were really a part of the process. So it's not really about me declaring anything from on high. You see some of those videos playing, those are all student produced and student directed. So they're talking one to another. And they're really following all the things that suggest that they want to keep each other accountable. One of those videos that the theme is really mask up or pack up.

And as I said, if you think about our demographic of students, first generation, many of which are economically disadvantaged. They're coming to school with purpose. That purpose really is not just for them, but it's about their family. So I give my student leaders particularly a lot of credit for leading from the front.

KING: President Tony Allen, Delaware State University, appreciate your time, Sir, and your important insights. And if those are student produced and directed, tell them to check our job site -- tell them to check our website, it might be a job for a couple of them down the road a little bit. That's good work. President, thank you for your time, Sir.

ALLEN: Take care.

KING: All right.

[12:49:54]

Up next for us, the vice presidential debate is tomorrow night and the debate commission adding some changes to try to keep the candidates and everyone else safe from coronavirus.

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KING: Just moments ago a new memo released by the President's, Dr. Sean Conley. He says the President met with his White House medical team earlier today. That is vital signs, it says vital signs and physical exam remain stable, oxygen levels remain good, overall he continues to do extremely well. The doctor says promising more updates later on. That from the White House just moments ago, today both concern and from Senate Republicans as President Trump spends his first full day back at the White House.

[12:55:04]

Some Republican senators continue to downplay the virus even as it continues to spread among their party's high ranking officials and inside the Oval Office, other Republicans though breaking ranks with the party, putting the blame on the President for not taking this virus more seriously. CNN's Lauren Fox live for us up on Capitol Hill.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Well, hi, John. I think one of the things to remember about Republican reaction to the President being back at the White House is really mixed. You heard from people like Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a member of leadership, he really broke ranks, basically arguing that the President had been playing it fast and loose with coronavirus. And essentially, he hoped that this would serve as a reminder to everyone just how serious this virus is, that anyone can get it whether or not you are on Capitol Hill whether or not you are at the White House, or whether or not you are in dozens of communities across this country.

You also heard from people like Kelly Loeffler, a Republican who said, you know, President Donald Trump is tough when it comes to coronavirus and this wasn't going to beat him. Of course as we know, coronavirus shows no mercy whether or not you are the president, whether or not you are an individual. We are also hearing from people who have been infected on Capitol Hill. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from the state of North Carolina said he is feeling better and he expects to be up on Capitol Hill for the Judiciary Committee vote expected still to happen next week for the Supreme Court nominee that Donald Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett.

But one thing to remember, John, is that Tillis said he hopes to be back but we still don't know who and which Republicans will be in attendance. Here's what Tillis said earlier today.

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SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): I'm on a path for being able to be clear and I don't have any symptoms. I feel great. My guess is, I will join virtually for the first day or two that I should be cleared for the boat later in the week.

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FOX: John, we're also hearing that Mike Lee is doing well. He's another member of the Judiciary Committee but all eyes on Capitol Hill next week as we turn to this critical Supreme Court nomination hearing next week, John?

KING: Fascinating days ahead. Lauren Fox, appreciate the new live reporting from Capitol Hill. And today, the Vice President Mike Pence, Democratic nominee for vice president, Kamala Harris, both in Salt Lake City preparing for their first and only debate that's tomorrow night, both say they're testing negative for coronavirus. And the debate is moving ahead with a renewed focus on safety. Yet, at least one new measure being mocked by Vice Presidents, the plexiglass separating the candidate candidates being mocked by Vice President Pence team.

CNN's Dan Merica is following this for us. And Dan, the plexiglass, one of the late adds to the safety precautions.

DAN MERICA, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes. The Commission has made basically two changes because of the ongoing coronavirus spread inside the White House. Pence and Harris will be separated by about 12 to 13 feet, which is further than they would have been originally and as you mentioned plexiglass barriers between both Pence and Harris and the moderator as well.

And, you know, that obviously -- that was pushed by the Harris campaign I'm told. But it was the commission and their medical advisors at the Cleveland Clinic that decided to adopt those changes. And that led to a mocking statement from Katie Miller, who basically said if Kamala Harris wants to have a plexiglass fortress around her, she can have at it.

Now that's noteworthy for a number of reasons. Katie Miller has had coronavirus herself earlier this year. And her boss Mike Pence is the leader of the Coronavirus Task Force. So you have the campaign and the Office of Mike Pence, the leader of the task force mocking the commission for implementing coronavirus safety measures. And I think this kind of highlights the goals that Harris and Pence have coming into this debate.

Obviously for Mike Pence, it's important to project confidence and calm after a very chaotic week where Donald Trump himself tested positive for the coronavirus and a number of other White House aides did as well. For Harris it's much different. It's focusing on Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus and Joe Biden, what Joe Biden would do differently. And for Harris, it's a physical manifestation of Donald Trump's what she sees as failures on the coronavirus that they're having to put plexiglass barriers between the candidates for that debate.

I also want to note that the future of presidential debates is in question. I have multiple sources familiar with the ongoing discussions between the Biden and Trump campaigns telling me that while President Trump says he will be at the next debate coming up in Miami, that the Commission is open to and possibly discussing the possibility of having that debate virtually meaning that Trump would be coming live somewhere else and Biden would be on camera somewhere else, John?

KING: A lot of uncertainties we prepare for that debate tomorrow night. Dan Merica on the ground force, appreciate that. And I want to note you mentioned Katie Miller works for the Vice President. Yes, he's the head of the task force. She also, when you did as you noted, got coronavirus. She was not wearing a mask. Reporters had to self- quarantine after that, so little rich for her to be criticizing others at this moment but times we live in. Dan Merica, grateful for the reporting there.

[13:00:02]

Thanks for joining us today. Hope to see you back here this time tomorrow. A very busy News Day. Brianna Keilar, picks up our coverage right now. Have a good day. Stay safe.