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U.S. Records Highest Single-Day Number Of COVID-19 Infections At More Than 83,000; President Trump Campaigns In North Carolina; Former President Obama To Campaign For Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden In Florida; President Trump Votes Early In-Person In Florida; Long Lines Form In New York For Early Voting; President Trump Promotes Security Of In-Person Voting Over Mail-In Ballots; Director Of National Intelligence States Russia And Iran Have U.S. Voter Registration Information. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired October 24, 2020 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We being this hour with the U.S. trending in the wrong direction and a frightening new milestone just 10 days before the election. On Friday, new coronavirus cases hit a new single day record with 83,757. That's even higher than what we saw when the pandemic spiked back in July. The death toll now over 224,000 Americans and counting, and to put that in perspective, an artist created this grand memorial in the nation's capital, one white flag for every American life lost in this crisis.

This new spike in cases come during a critical time on the campaign trail. Right now, President Trump holding a rally in North Carolina. It's one of several stops the president is making today in states being hard hit by coronavirus. This morning, the president voted in person in Florida, saying it is much more secure than voting by mail.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden is campaigning in Pennsylvania, holding a drive-in rally this morning. It's a state critical for his chances to win the White House, holding two events in Pennsylvania today.

We have a team of reporters covering the campaign trail and the spikes in coronavirus cases across the country. Let's turn first to North Carolina where President Trump is still speaking. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is there. Dianne, what is the president's message?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fred, so far, the message from the president has kind of playing the hits. He's been criticizing former Vice President Joe Biden, talking about Senator Kamala Harris. But specifically here in Lumberton, North Carolina, located in Robeson County, North Carolina where they have the third highest infection rate of COVID-19 in the state, which saw its highest number of one-day cases yesterday.

He has railed against coronavirus, COVID-19, and even talked about conspiracy theories saying testing more people is foolish, and claiming that unnamed world leaders told him they don't test people who aren't sick. He then went on to criticize Biden for holding distanced rallies. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You turn on the television -- COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID. A plane goes down, 500 people dead, they don't talk about it. COVID, COVID, COVID. COVID. By the way, on November 4th, you won't hear about it anymore.

I just watched Biden making speech and he goes, thank you, thank you for everybody, thank you. People in cars. I don't get it. They're in cars. There were so few cars, I've never seen an audience like this. And he's going, he's going, oh, thank you, all those people out there. There's like few cars.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: And the cars weren't in a little circle. They were too close together, I think. They weren't socially distanced, but there were so few of them, it didn't matter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: And there was a lot during this speech sort of poking fun at COVID-19. Again, the county we're in right now where there are plenty of people who are sitting and standing very close to each other, not wearing masks, has nearly double the state rate of infection here. And they are here in the sun waiting and cheering for the president for hours on end now.

He's kicking in at about an hour in this speech at this point, Fred. I will say that something unique to this particular speech is talking about federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, which has home here in here in Robeson County. He came out on Wednesday saying he supports the federal recognition. Former Vice President Joe Biden said back on the 8th of October that he supports federal recognition.

This is a key group in North Carolina. Robeson County went for President Obama in 2008 and 2012, swung to President Trump in 2016. He is trying to see if he can keep that magic going. He has basically told them here at this rally and win North Carolina again. Later today he is going to be heading to Ohio and Wisconsin, two other states that are also dealing with COVID-19 surges at this time, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dianne Gallagher, thank you so much, in Lumberton, North Carolina. We'll check back.

And any moment now, former President Barack Obama will be back on the campaign trail stumping for Joe Biden. This comes after Joe Biden once again lammed President Trump's handling of the pandemic during a speech in Pennsylvania today. For more on this, let's bring in Arlette Saenz in north Miami where President Obama is set to speak in the next hour. Arlette, the war of words, it's heating up as we enter this home stretch now, just 10 days away until Election Day. ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, it really is, Fred. And

today, the Biden campaign is focusing on Florida and Pennsylvania, two states that could be critical to deciding this presidential race in November. Joe Biden held a drive-in event a little bit earlier today in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he once again took aim at President Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

[14:05:00]

Biden really making this a central focus of his closing pitch to voters in these final weeks. Take a listen to what Biden had to say a bit ago at that drive-in event in Pennsylvania.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He tried to claim he didn't want to panic the American people, but the American people don't panic. He panicked. And he still has no plan. All he can do is double down on his Park Avenue way of looking at the world.

I'll shut down the virus, not the economy. And we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: And that is a message we could rely on Vice President Biden to continue to press in these closing days of the campaign. In just a short while, he's holding another drive-in event in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. This time he will be joined by Jon Bon Jovi. He will be participating in that campaign event.

And here in north Miami, President Obama is expected to speak in just a short while as early voting in underway in the state. This is an area of the state that has a significant black and African-American population as well as Hispanic population. As the Biden campaign really feels that the president could help turn out those voters in these critical states that the president won back in 2016 that they're hoping to bring to the blue column in November.

WHITFIELD: And then Arlette, I understand that there are a number of Trump supporters that showed up at Biden's event, the drive-in rally today in Pennsylvania. What more do you know about that?

SAENZ: So Joe Biden held this drive-in event, socially distanced to adhere to that coronavirus protocols that the campaign has been following. But a short distance from that event in a parking lot, there was a group of Trump supporters who showed up trying to support their candidate. Dozens and dozens of cars were out there during the former vice president's speech cheering on their own candidate, President Trump. And take a listen to a bit of the reference that Biden made to them earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: And by the way, we don't do things like those chumps out there with the microphones are doing, the Trump guys. It's about decency. Look, we've got to come together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: And that's something that we have seen at other Biden campaign events where Trump supporters assemble outside of the perimeter. Oftentimes, there's also Biden supporters offering that counterbalance, just both sides of these campaigns getting very heated as Election Day nears, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Arlette Saenz in north Miami, thank you so much.

So these spikes in COVID-19 cases come at a critical point in the race for the White House. With just 10 days now to go before America makes its choice, how will this new surge impact the race? Here with me now is Reid Wilson. He is a national correspondent for "The Hill" and author of the book "Epidemic." Reid, so good to see you. Congrats on your book.

So more than 30 states now reporting higher cases this week than last, and if you look, it's happening in many states vital to President Trump's reelection bid. He's in North Carolina right now. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida are the other places he plans to go. Yet you just heard him at that rally in North Carolina. He's being critical of the idea of social distancing, criticizing and making fun of his opponent for the format of the drive-in. How could this surge intersect with what the president is saying as well, not taking the coronavirus seriously?

REID WILSON, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, "THE HILL": Right, this is coming at exactly the wrong time for President Trump. He wants to be talking about an economic comeback. He wants to be talking about his plans for the second term. He wants to be talking about his recent foreign policy achievements in the Middle East. And this is just reminding us over and over and over again that the pandemic is here, the next spike is coming.

And by the way, consider the first spike, the first outbreak that really hit in April and May. That was contained in a few places, in New York City, in Louisiana, in Detroit. The second wave was really concentrated in the sun belt in Florida, Georgia, Arizona, places like that.

This wave is everywhere. It started in the upper Midwest, it's moved into Salt Lake down into Arizona, down into parts of the country where the weather is getting colder and people are moving indoors. So this is just a constant reminder at exactly the wrong moment for President Trump that this virus is still here 10 months later, and the administration has not gotten its hands around it.

WHITFIELD: Even though he continues to say we're rounding the corner on it. Meantime, the president voted in person in Florida, encouraging his supporters to do the same, and at the same time casting doubt on mail-in voting yet again. There's no evidence that there's anything insecure about mail-in voting. So we are seeing this record early turnout voting, 50 million Americans already taking advantage of this period. Does the president still believe that he could influence his supporters, voters, to either stand in line on Election Day or cast their early ballot voting, refrain from mail-in?

[14:10:11]

WILSON: Yes, we've seen some mixed messages from President Trump because he's heard from some prominent Republican strategists and people around him about the importance of mail-in voting, not just for people to get their ballots in the mail, but for Republican campaigns. Consider it like this. If you have an electorate that's 100 people, and 20 of them vote early by mail, you, as the campaign, you don't have to talk to those 20 people anymore. You can focus all your resources on the 80 who have left to vote.

So it's even more efficient for the campaigns if people are voting early or voting by mail, because then the campaigns don't have to send them mail, they don't have to call them or knock on their door, anything like that. So it's a benefit for everybody.

WHITFIELD: And then what's the message that the president is sending that he's going to states that are being hit hard, particularly hard, seeing these daily surges in coronavirus cases, and these are the states that he's going to and holding these rallies, not encouraging any distancing among people, and continuing to make fun about the whole idea of these recommendations?

WILSON: Well, I think President Trump wants Americans to accept that the coronavirus is going to become endemic, it's going to circulate widely among the populous for many years, just like the flu does, which is troubling. The fact is, this is multiples more deadly than the flu. We're seeing the new spike.

We're seeing more hospitalizations. And in some places like Wisconsin and Idaho, even Salt Lake City, they're starting to literally run low on hospital beds. So the fact is, we all have to take this virus as seriously as possible. President Trump may not want to do that because he can convince us that we're on the brink of turning a corner. The problem is, right now, we're turning the corner the wrong way.

WHITFIELD: Reid Wilson, thank you so much. Good to see you.

WILSON: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, as the United States shatters a coronavirus record, Dr. Anthony Fauci is now trying to make masks mandatory. Plus, live pictures from Capitol Hill where the Senate is debating Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation, but what about those stimulus talks? Americans and businesses are struggling, including the motor coach industry, which furloughed 80,000 workers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:16:24]

WHITFIELD: The U.S. recorded a single day record for new coronavirus cases Friday with over 83,000 new infections, 34 states are now reporting an upward trend in new cases, fueling a more than 50 percent increase in the average daily number of new infections. CNN's Polo Sandoval joining me now from New York with more on this. Polo?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, good afternoon. You look at the map, and obviously, it's really difficult to dispute just how much red is on that. And that underscores the big concern for experts, is that the numbers, as high as they are now, they could potentially be even higher. In fact, one expert last night saying we could possibly go into the six figure numbers when it comes to daily COVID cases very soon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: This D.C. art display is a visual representation of the lives taken by a virus that seems to be surging again. Over 223,000 dead and counting. More than eight months into the COVID crisis, hospitalizations and infections are at an all-time high in many states across the country. This week marked the first time since late July that the number of daily new cases exceeded 71,000.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: If you look at the numbers of the daily infections, the upticks on the map of more than 30 states that are having upticks, it's not going to spontaneously turn around unless we do something about it.

SANDOVAL: As the president claims, we are rounding the turn on the pandemic, his opponent and many medical experts are warning we are only headed toward a dark winter.

DR. PETER HOTEZ, DEAN, NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: The reality is that the worst could be yet to come, and that the beginning has been more or less the warm-up act for what is about to hit. And we're already seeing that across the northern states. If you look at COVID-19 heat maps, the whole northern part is lit up.

SANDOVAL: With hope hanging on a safe COVID-19 vaccine, drug maker AstraZeneca said Friday that it has a green light from the Food and Drug Administration to resume its trials in the U.S. it had been on pause since September after a volunteer in Britain developed a neurological condition.

The head of the National Institutes of Health is growing increasingly worried that even after a safe vaccine is approved, a growing number of Americans may not be willing to take it. A recent CNN poll found 45 percent would not try to get a vaccine even if one was widely available, possibly allowing the virus to stick around for years, says Dr. Francis Collins.

DR. FRANCIS COLLINS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: I've been talking so optimistically about how we are likely to have a vaccine by the end of the year, but if only 50 percent of Americans are interested in taking it, we're never going to get to that point of immunity across the population where this COVID-19 goes away.

SANDOVAL: This week, an updated model published in the journal "Nature" forecasts some possible grim scenarios, suggesting that we could see up to a million COVID deaths in the U.S. by the end of February if social distancing mandates are eased and only about half the population wears masks in public. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, tells CNN he thinks the U.S. should just mandate mask use.

FAUCI: I get the argument, to say, well, if you mandate a mask, then you're going to have to enforce it, and that will create more of a problem. Well, if people are not wearing masks, then maybe we should be mandating it.

SANDOVAL: This weekend, Big Ten football is back, prompting some of the mayors in college towns involved to ask the conference for help fighting the spread of the virus. The mayors wrote that football games, quote, "Generate a lot of activity, social gatherings, and the consumption of alcohol. These activities within our communities have also been associated with an increased spread of COVID-19."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[14:20:00]

SANDOVAL: And that last point leads to those lingering questions of what and who could possibly be behind this latest spike here, Fred? You and I talked about this, previous studies that have drawn a link between the behavior of some young adults with increased infections among some of the older folks. And then finally in terms of some of those smaller gatherings, specifically those family events according to multiple experts. In fact, this week, Fred, the governor of Maryland said that that was their number one source of transmission, followed by house parties. Hard to believe those are still happening right now.

WHITFIELD: Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, democracy in action, 10 days before the election. Long lines in Queens, New York, which kicked off early voting today. Evan McMorris-Santoro is there.

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People started lining up at 6:00 a.m. and are waiting in lines two hours or more to cast their vote in Jackson Heights, Queens, and get one of these early voters wristbands. More on the scene when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:25:25]

WHITFIELD: Ten days to Election Day, and already early voters are breaking records. Thousands lined up for hours in Queens, New York, for the first day of early voting there. Across the country, more than 52 million Americans have already cast their ballots for president. CNN's Paul Vercammen is tracking California's turnout for us, and Evan McMorris-Santoro joins us from Queens, New York. So Paul, you first. You're in Los Angeles. What kind of turnout are you seeing? PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Far brisk here at Staples Center.

This is the first in-person voting early here at this arena. It was put on, this event, by the Lakers, the Kings, the Sparks. Look behind me, you can see there are plenty of voting stations. We saw more than 100 people before 10:00 this morning coming on out. We know right now that more than 6 million Californians have cast their ballots. AEG also helping to put this on, this event, for free.

And you may recall, this is the home of the now world champion Lakers, and LeBron James, the popular Laker figure, had said that he sees something in the African-American community that he wanted to alter, and that's not enough African-Americans going to the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: And we're just trying to change that narrative and let them know that this is important. You are wanted, you are needed. Because we always talk about we want change, we want to create change, and the only way to create change is to be heard and to be seen and do the things that need to be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: And the people that we have talked who have left Staples say that the process is extremely smooth. They're applauding it. And they're making things easier on these voters in many ways. If you look over here, here's a truck, "Democracy is Delicious." These are set up, more than 200 of them across the country, non-partisan. Amirah, you're running the show here. Why did you set this up?

AMIRAH NOAMAN, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, PIZZA TO THE POLLS: Americans are very eager to vote. We've noticed the lines have been forming the last few weeks in such a historic election. We don't want anyone to ever leave polling stations because they're hungry. So whether you're a poll worker, whether you're casting your ballot for the first time, or you're just passing by, we're here to feed anyone and everyone at polling stations.

VERCAMMEN: Great, thank you so much, Amirah.

So, as you can tell, Fred, things very, very smooth here, and turnout so far brisk in California. We may see a record broken before all is said and done in the number of ballots cast in California. Back to you now, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And that will come as no surprise given the trends that we've been seeing so far. Thanks so much, Paul.

Evan, to you. First day of voting in New York, and what's been the turnout?

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. I've been here at the Jackson Heights, Queens, library since the polls opened here at 10:00 a.m. And there's a two-plus hour line to vote here that entire time, and it continues now. We're hearing reports like that from across the entire city. But here in Jackson heights, people have been waiting a long time to vote. This is one of the hardest hit areas by the coronavirus, and also by some of the economic impacts of the coronavirus. And I spoke to a lot of voters in line and they said, look, this is our chance to make our voice heard and to say what we really think about what this year has been like.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had some friends say we complained to God knows where, and yet they wouldn't vote. I said, what are you complaining about? You gave up your right to complain when you don't vote.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: And so you're not giving up your right to complain?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no, no. This is a God given gift, and I'm not going to throw it away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: Now, the right to complain might be the most New York City reason to vote, but it's a sentiment that we're hearing from all over the country and all over here in the city. People are really interested in making sure their voice is a part of this election, Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK, indeed. Speak loudly, right? Evan McMorris-Santoro, thank you so much.

Voters continue to turn out in record numbers to cast their ballots early for this 2020 election, and so far more than 52 million Americans have already voted. And many have waited in long lines for hours. Millions of others have mailed in their ballots as well. Well, today, President Trump cast his ballot early, voting in person in Florida, and in the process, he cast doubt on the security of mail-in ballots without any evidence that they are not secure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's a very secure vote, much more secure than what you send in a ballot. I can tell you that. Everything was perfect. Very strict, right by the rules. When you send in your ballot, it could never be like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, again, that's being disputed.

[14:30:00]

So with me now to discuss, Erin Banco, she is the national security reporter for "The Daily Beast," and Matthew Rosenberg is an investigative correspondent for "The New York Times" and a CNN national security analyst. Good to see you both.

So Erin, you first. Once again, the president, without evidence, questioning the security of mail-in ballots. What is the impact of questioning the security of American elections as millions of people put their ballots in the mail, and this criticism coming from the president of the United States?

ERIN BANCO, NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER, "THE DAILY BEAST": I think the concern among intelligence officials and national security officials is that the president's rhetoric is, or will sow distrust among Americans and make them feel less secure in their vote. I think that there are concerns that whatever the president says about these votes, the mail-in ballots will perhaps dissuade people from going to vote. And that seems to be the real concern here.

Of course, we've seen a couple of things come into the news this week about actual security concerns regarding election infrastructure, but none of those concerns have to do with mail-in ballots.

WHITFIELD: Matthew, early this week, the Director of National Intelligence said that both Russia and Iran have gotten their hands-on U.S. voter registration information, and have even sent threatening emails to some voters. Should this be a bigger concern than the security of mail-in ballots, especially on the mind of the president?

MATTHEW ROSENBERG, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Absolutely. Look, the voter registration information is mostly public. They got their hands on it. There's no evidence they've changed it.

Iran sending threatening emails claiming to be Proud Boys and threatening voters is of huge concern. And the thing is, in the view of most intelligence officials, the Iranians are like double-A, may single-A baseball. They're a minor league team. The Russians are the major leaguers. And the concerns with them run the gamut.

Russian hackers have breached a number of systems in the U.S. over the years, from election systems to electoral grids and other vital systems. And the fear always has been that they will do something on Election Day to disrupt the voting, or they will simply leave the impression they have hacked the voting, that they have somehow changed something, or altered something.

And in that situation where you have the president stirring up doubt, that you create this idea of a perception hack, that you don't actually need to hack the election. You just need people to believe it. And that sows enough mistrust, enough disbelief, that it throws the election aftermath into chaos.

WHITFIELD: So Erin, the president was asked about this new election interference during Thursday's debate. This is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: About your thing last night, I knew all about that. And through John, who is -- John Ratcliffe, who is fantastic, DNI, he said, the one thing that's common to both of them, they both want you to lose.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: And then Erin, do you see any evidence that shows that Russia and Iran would want this president to lose?

BANCO: So look, Bill Evanina came out with a pretty clear statement back in August about what the intelligence community viewed, having viewed China, Iran, and Russia playing their part in terms of meddling in 2020 election. And what Bill Evanina said is that Russia is actively working to denigrate Joe Biden, and that Iran prefers Biden over Trump, would rather not have Trump in office.

And so I think what the president was saying there on the debate stage was a little bit misleading in the sense of what we know about Russia is that the disinformation campaign has been ongoing for the past year-and-a-half, if not more, has specifically targeted Biden and not President Trump.

WHITFIELD: And so Matthew, the president says Iran, Russia wouldn't want him to be the one in office, but the track record demonstrates that at least Russia would certainly want this president to remain in office.

ROSENBERG: That's absolutely the case. As Erin said, our intelligence officials have been very clear they believe that Russia, which is the main actor here, is working to denigrate Joe Biden, which, of course, helps Donald Trump.

There is another concern here, which is that Americans themselves are so divided, between all the domestic disinformation we have flowing around from Qanon to other fake news situations. Foreigners don't actually need to do that much. They need to simply amplify American voices, which is incredibly hard to stop and incredibly hard to protect against. And so that is a major thing we're contending with that is going to get more intense as the election approaches in the coming week.

WHITFIELD: We'll leave it there for now. Matthew Rosenberg, Erin Banco, thanks to both of you, appreciate it.

ROSENBERG: Thank you.

[14:35:00]

WHITFIELD: After a race like no other, it all ends here. Join us for special live coverage the way only CNN can bring it to you, from the first votes to the critical count, understand what's happening in your state and across the country. Election night in America, our special coverage starts Tuesday, November 3rd, at 4:00 p.m. eastern time.

Up next, bus drivers struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARENCE E. COX III, PRESIDENT AND CEO, GEORGIA COACH LINES: It's ridiculous. I make jokes, but I make jokes because I'm so angry, I have to laugh to keep from crying. It's just, it's sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Plus, President Obama is expected to campaign for Joe Biden in north Miami next hour. We'll bring you his remarks, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Senate is in session today. They are there because of the scheduled Supreme Court justice confirmation, not to end the impasse in deadlocked stimulus talks. Hope is fading that help is on the way.

[14:40:00]

Especially on edge, America's bus companies. It's an industry that provides nearly 600 million passenger trips each year, nearly as many as the airlines. But without help, nearly half of these companies could close by the end of the year. Here's Natasha Chen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Douglas Reese typically makes 250 trips a year driving buses for Georgia Coach Lines. But in 2020, he's only started up this engine eight times.

DOUGLAS REESE, DRIVER, GEORGIA COACH LINES: You want to make sure everything is good and tight.

CHEN: This fleet suddenly came to an abrupt stop in march, not moving again until July when the company provided transportation during Congressman John Lewis' funeral.

REESE: I was very honored by it, and it was touching, and most of the time on that trip, I was right behind the hearse. So I'm looking through the windshield, staring at the back of the hearse, looking at the flag covering up the casket.

CHEN: Typically buses from the private company in Fayetteville, Georgia, help evacuate nursing homes from hurricane zones, drive school children on field trips, sports teams to their games, and the cast and crew of films and TV shows to set locations. Instead, about $5 million worth of vehicles now stay parked, not making money.

CLARENCE E. COX III, PRESIDENT AND CEO, GEORGIA COACH LINES: It doesn't feel good, and I know that if we don't soon get something, this may be a barbecue restaurant before it's over with.

CHEN: Clarence Cox took over this business for his father and uncle who started Georgia Coach Lines more than 30 years ago. Cox hopes to one day give this business to his daughters. But now the goal is just to survive through the end of the year.

COX: It's ridiculous. I make jokes, but I make jokes because I'm so angry, I have to laugh to keep from crying. It's just, it's sad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump has gone full circle from ending talks to restarting talks. CHEN: Unlike the airlines or Amtrak, the motor coach industry hasn't

received any funding from the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed by Congress in the spring. But these private buses provide 600 million passenger trips a year, second only to commercial flights. That's according to the American Bus Association, which says 80,000 of the industry's employees have been furloughed.

COX: I'm so sick of hearing Steve Mnuchin and Nancy Pelosi argue back and forth about the amount of money. With Nancy, it's all or nothing. With Steve, it's like, well, this is what the president said. And meanwhile, back at the ranch, all of us are sitting here trying to figure out if we're going to eat next week.

CHEN: Cox has spent more money lately to ensure thorough cleaning and safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, hoping to do business safely when people are ready. In the meantime, private bus companies along with school bus and passenger water vessel companies are collectively asking Congress for $10 billion in loans and grants, $10 billion that won't even cover what's been lost in the private bus industry alone.

COX: There is a whole lot of folks just like Georgia Coach Lines around this country that are calling on folks to do their jobs and cut out this fighting. Unite and get something done.

CHEN: Natasha Chen, CNN, Fayetteville, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Unbelievable hard times. Meantime, in the airline industry, Delta added more than 400 people to its no-fly list for refusing to follow the airline's mask policy. Here's CNN's Pete Muntean.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Delta Airlines now says 460 people are now no longer welcome onboard its flights for refusing to wear a mask, that according to a new memo from Delta CEO Ed Bastian to employees. The last time we got an update on this was about two months ago when Delta said it had banned 270 people.

So interesting here. If you do the math on this, this averages out to about two people per day being banned from Delta flights since Delta's mask mandate went into effect on May 4th. Other airlines have similar requirements, but this is coming at a time when the CDC is saying in its strongest language yet that masks must be worn by travelers on every part of the trip.

New studies show that the risk of contracting coronavirus on an airplane is actually pretty low because of the way the air is filtered through every few minutes, but the CDC says the risk is higher in indoor places like terminals where people can get bunched up like in security lines and at check in.

Airlines are requiring masks starting at check-in, but they do not have any help from the federal government. The FAA and the Department of Transportation have instituted no requirements for masks on board airplanes.

Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[14:44:35]

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, former President Barack Obama is expected to campaign for Joe Biden in north Miami next hour. We'll bring you his remarks live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This week, we learned a heartbreaking truth. The U.S. has failed to find the parents of 545 children who were separate from their families at the border with Mexico between 2017 and 2018. Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden saw that plight very differently when asked about it during this weeks' debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:50:00]

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Children are brought here by coyotes and lots of bad people, cartels. And they're brought here, and they used to use them to get into our country. We now have as strong a border as we've ever had.

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: It's not coyotes didn't bring them over. Their parents were with them. They got separated from their parents. And it makes us a laughing stock and violates every notion of who we are as a nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I want to discuss this now with someone who has been on the front lines of this tragedy, Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities at the Rio Grande Valley. "Time" named one of this year's 100 most influential people, and she's joining us now from San Juan, Texas, which is one of the epicenters for migrants seeking refuge in this country. Sister, good to see you.

SISTER NORMA PIMENTEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF RIO GRANDE VALLEY: Thank you, thank you.

WHITFIELD: So let me first get your reaction to how the candidates addressed this past week involving the separation of children and their parents on the border.

PIMENTEL: I was here when they were actually separated, and we were able to reunite so many of the children with their parents. They actually brought them to us. And to see the child crying and the mother, it's so devastating for a child to be separated from the parents. And I think policy, if it contributes to human suffering, it's wrong. It can never be justified. So I think we must all work towards making sure that children are

reunited, or never separated from their families, because I think that this is so unfortunate that we still have children that will never see their parents or their families. And I just hope whoever is leading that country will make a strong effort to make sure this never happens again, and to make sure that these children somehow find their families.

WHITFIELD: And sister, the prospect of some of these kids ever being reunited is very dim because many of these children are so young they wouldn't be able to articulate, explain, describe who their parents are in the first place.

PIMENTEL: Totally, yes. I agree. But I think through the efforts that we can all do with those countries and the families that are looking for them, because I'm sure if you're a mother and you don't have your child, I'm sure you're doing everything you can to reach out to find your baby, your daughter, your son. And so we have to put that effort to connect with them so that this can happen.

WHITFIELD: So Sister, let me let you hear what a Trump aide said here on CNN when asked about the 545 children whose parents cannot be located.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM MURTAUGH, TRUMP CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: It's a regrettable situation, certainly. The fact is, it's not simple as you make it sound or as Joe Biden made it sound on the stage last night, to locate the parents who are in other countries. And when they do locate them, it has been DHS's experience that in many cases the parents do not want the children returned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Has that the been your experience? Have you heard about that, that there are parents who have been located, and the parents are saying I really don't want to reclaim my child?

PIMENTEL: That is incorrect. It is not true. I have only seen parents that are crying, crying for their children, doing anything they can to make sure their child is safe. No mother, no father will ever want to say I don't want my child. It seems totally wrong. I think it's just a way to justify an action that was wrong to begin with.

WHITFIELD: And this is separate from what you see, you continue to see on a regular basis when at your Catholic Charities, there's assistance given to a number of people who have crossed the border, who are trying to find a better life. What do you share with people about your experiences, how to educate folks about what you're observing and who you're observing?

PIMENTEL: I just want to make sure people that are not here at the border, have no idea, things that the whole immigration crisis, humanitarian crisis is over and there's no problem. There is. If you come to the border, you just go next to the border, see this in Mexico, and you will see hundreds and hundreds of families still waiting, still hopeful, still suffering because of our policies that are contributing to that human suffering. It's still happening. We're not seeing them in the United States, but they are here, and we're contributing to that pain and that suffering.

WHITFIELD: Sister Nora Pimentel, thank you so much, appreciate your time and your perspective. Appreciate it.

[14:54:49]

And thank you, everyone, for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. CNN Newsroom continues right now with Ana Cabrera.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN breaking news.

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks so much for being with us. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. And 10 day until the election of a lifetime. We are watching history in America right now with more than 52 million ballots already cast. Donald Trump and Joe Biden are on a sprint across the country. Biden has his biggest weapon, his former president, Barack Obama, whom he served alongside.

He's sending him to the crucial battleground state of Florida. And any minute now, we will hear from Obama there in Miami. We'll bring you that live.