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U.S. Posts Second Highest Day Of Coronavirus Cases; Pence Stays On Campaign Trail Despite Outbreak In Inner Circle; Sen. Harris Campaigning In Michigan Nine Days Before Election Day. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired October 25, 2020 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: On Saturday, the U.S. topped 83,000 new cases for the second time in as many days painfully close to breaking the record just set on Friday. The U.S. death toll surpassing 225,000 and now word that at least five people in Vice President Mike Pence's office, including his Chief of staff, Marc Short, have tested positive for coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Vice President and his wife have both tested negative, but as the leader of the White House's Coronavirus Taskforce, you'd expect Pence to at least follow C.D.C. guidelines and self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution.

Yet, with just nine days until the election, he is doing the exact opposite. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows saying this about the Vice President this morning on "State of the Union."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Marc Short has been in close contact with Vice President Pence and they are always with each other. Short is now positive for the virus.

MARK MEADOWS, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: That's correct. So C.D.C. guidelines say that Vice President Pence should quarantine for 14 days. Now, I understand the White House is trying to get around that by saying the Vice President is an essential worker.

But Mark, how is going all over the country -- how is that campaigning -- how is that essential work? It's not like he is helping to contain the virus. In fact, the opposite, he is holding rallies that could be spreading the virus.

MEADOWS: Well, actually, he's not just campaigning, he is working. We saw a Middle East Peace Agreement with Sudan in the Oval Office that the President engaged in and for anybody to suggest that the President has been out campaigning and not getting things done, all you have to do is look at the facts.

TAPPER: He was at the campaign rally in Tallahassee. He was just in a campaign rally in Tallahassee.

MEADOWS: That's -- I am not saying he is not campaigning. I am saying, that that is only part of what he is doing, and as we look at that essential personnel, whether it's the Vice President of the United States, or anyone else.

TAPPER: But he is not following C.D.C. guidelines.

MEADOWS: It has to continue on. Jake, C.D.C. guidelines does say essential personnel.

TAPPER: Yes, it says wear masks -- if they wear a mask.

MEADOWS: And I spoke to the Vice President last night at midnight, and I can tell you that what he is doing is wearing a mask and socially distancing. And when he goes up to speak, he will take the mask off, put it back on, but he is wearing a mask as it relates to this particular thing because the doctors have advised him to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, let me bring in our correspondents and analyst Kaitlan Collins is with the President in New Hampshire. Jessica Dean is with the Biden campaign in Delaware. Dr. Chris Pernell, is a physician at Newark University Hospital. And Mark Preston is a CNN senior political analyst.

Good to see all of you. All right, let me began with you, Kaitlan Collins in Manchester, where the President just held another rally amid a raging pandemic, with few people there wearing masks and no social distancing. So Kaitlan, did the President kind of reiterate the thoughts of his Chief of Staff that I'm quoting now, "We are not going to control the pandemic."

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the President has been saying we're rounding the corner on the pandemic. So what the Chief of Staff said earlier today seems to contradict this optimistic tone that you've seen from the President saying that things are getting better when the Chief of Staff is acknowledging it is under control, and there is no way they are going to get it under control, in his opinion.

And of course, we're seeing how, you know, Jake made this point this morning, they can't even get it under control in the White House because it was just three weeks ago, you saw that outbreak in the West Wing, and now we're seeing a massive one in the Vice President's inner circle because his Chief of Staff is now self-isolating at home after testing positive.

His senior outside political adviser has also tested positive after traveling with the Vice President on Air Force Two earlier this week. I believe he was on the plane on Monday and that caused several staffers who were in contact with him to quarantine.

And now of course, we have reported several other staffers who were also in contact with the Vice President who have tested positive for coronavirus.

So, of course, the question is going to be what happens when the Vice President? Does he continue to test negative as he did this morning, according to his office, but also whether or not the White House is being forthcoming as they were not with the West Wing outbreak about who is testing positive, because the senior political adviser who came into contact with the Vice President and tested positive that was several days ago, Fred and we just now found out about it.

And so Mark Meadows, the Chief of Staff was asked about an effort to keep this secret this morning and he defended it. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Pence adviser, Marty Obst tested positive days ago and that was not disclosed to the public at the time. According to "The New York Times," quote, "Two people briefed on the matter said that the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows had sought to keep the news of the outbreak from becoming public." Why would you do that? Is it because it's yet another sign of how much the White House has failed to contain the virus?

MEADOWS: Well, obviously -- yes, obviously that's not a report. That's actually a tweet. And when we look at this when we're really talking about --

TAPPER: No, that was in "The New York Times" story. That was in The New York Times story.

MEADOWS: When we actually have people's health at risk, what we look at there, Jake, is sharing personal information. It is not something that we should do, it is not something that we do -- actually do, unless it's the Vice President or the President or someone that is very close to them, where there's people in harm's way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:05:11]

COLLINS: Fred, you would think that a senior political adviser to the Vice President who traveled on his plane with him is someone who would be considered close to the Vice President, though they did not disclose that positive case.

And of course, this comes as Mark Meadows was defending their response overall, and so the question is to be determined, because he said he is concerned about the Vice President getting it. And he is also concerned about other people who were in contact with these individuals, also testing positive with nine days to go before the election.

WHITFIELD: Jessica, you were in Delaware, where Joe Biden does not have any campaign events scheduled there for today. But what has been the Biden-Harris position, about the Vice President's inner circle now being hit hard?

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we heard from Joe Biden via a statement just a little bit ago, I want to read you that, just a portion of it. He said in that statement, quote, "Mark Meadows admitted this morning that the administration has given up on even trying to control this pandemic; that they've given up on their basic duty to protect the American people."

And again, just a reminder, the Biden campaign has made the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic, absolutely central to its case to the American people. And Kamala Harris is on the trail today. Here's what she had to say about it. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We should be following the guidelines. We're doing it. I think we have modeled the right and good behavior and they should take our lead.

We are breaking records for the number of people that are contracting a deadly virus, and this administration fails to take personal responsibility or responsibility in terms of leading the nation through this dangerous and deadly mass casualty event, and that's why they have forfeited their right to a second term in office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Again, Kamala Harris there saying that Mike Pence should be following the guidelines since he has been exposed to people who have tested positive for coronavirus. You'll remember, Fred, a couple of weeks ago, a staff member of Harris's and then a non-staff member of the flight crew on the plane they flew on tested positive for coronavirus. She was never in close contact with those two people during their time they were positive, still, the campaign pulled her off the trail for several days out of an abundance of caution; yet, another example of just how different they are approaching the coronavirus pandemic.

WHITFIELD: And Dr. Pernell, you know, the President continues to deny that the pandemic is surging, you know, arguing we are turning the corner, and today the President's Chief of Staff said that, you know, trying to control the virus, it's just not possible. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEADOWS: Your website is talking about well, now we think the spread is coming from small social groups and family groups. First, it was large groups, now, it's small groups now.

TAPPER: It is coming from all sorts of places.

MEADOWS: Now -- well, that's exactly --

TAPPER: It is coming from all sorts of places because the pandemic is out of control.

MEADOWS: That's exactly the point. So here's what we have to do. We're not going to control the pandemic, we are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation areas --

TAPPER: Why aren't we going to get control of the pandemic? MEADOWS: Because it is a contagious virus just like the flu.

TAPPER: Yes, but why not make efforts to contain it?

MEADOWS: Well, we are making efforts to contain it.

TAPPER: By running all over the country and not wearing a mask? That's what the Vice President is doing.

MEADOWS: We can get in the back and forth, let me just say this. What we need to do is make sure that we have the proper mitigation factors, whether it's therapies or vaccines or treatments to make sure that people don't die from this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Dr. Pernell, how defeating is this for you and for the medical community to hear the White House as essentially throwing in the towel on taking any kind of control or lead on this pandemic, not wanting to take the lead for this country, let alone be a world leader on how to handle the pandemic.

DR. CHRIS PERNELL, PHYSICIAN, NEWARK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: Fred, that's just bad behavior. That's bad leadership. That's bad governance.

And at a time when we're in the midst of a deadly pandemic, what we need from the White House, what we need from the President and the Vice President is to speak truths to the facts and truth to the science. But it seems like we just can't get this and continually, the American public is under threat. Our safety is not a priority when we're able to see the White House go by its own set of rules.

The C.D.C. has put out guidelines. If those guidelines apply for every average American, if those guidelines apply for us in the public health community, then those guidelines should apply to the President and the Vice President of the United States and we desperately need that in order to get this pandemic under control, because it's not under control.

WHITFIELD: So Mark, again, the Vice President is or at least reportedly is going to continue to be on the campaign trail. And tomorrow is a big day in the U.S. Senate. It plans to hold a vote for the Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett and we are told that the Vice President does plan to also attend that vote despite five members of his inner circle testing positive.

And today, you know, we heard from a couple of senators on both sides of the aisle who say they don't think it's a really great idea that the Vice President will be there.

[15:10:12]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Would you guys --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think he -- but if he would like to.

QUESTION: Would it be safe for him to do that though?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's for the physicians to determine.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): The Vice President reportedly intends to come to this Chamber tomorrow, to preside over Judge Barrett's confirmation vote. The Vice President, who has been exposed to five people with COVID-19 will ignore C.D.C. guidelines to be here tomorrow, putting the health of everyone who works in this building at risk. It sets a terrible, terrible example for the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Mark this and at the same time, you've got the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who says there will be a new Supreme Court Justice by the end of tomorrow.

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, Fred, you and I, over the years have often talked about moments in time in politics, and this is one of these moments in time. It very well could be the last win for Republicans the way polling is showing right now.

Look, Republicans are on the verge of losing the White House. They are on the verge of losing the United States Senate. There is no chance that they are going to get back the House of Representatives. The last win for them is going to be the Supreme Court nomination.

But what's interesting, you know, as we see the recklessness of the Vice President and the President, all throughout this pandemic is that Donald Trump was elected by the people to come here to Washington to shake things up, because they were upset that people here in Washington had A, lost touch, did not care about them, and was constantly lying.

Now, I throw out those three attributes about why Donald Trump was elected, and look where we are right now. He is showing zero empathy. He is being absolutely irresponsible, and he is not telling the truth right now.

All these folks who are defending President Trump, if he is to lose re-election, Joe Biden wins next week, it would be interesting to see what the tone of some of these folks who have been such staunch defenders of Donald Trump over the past few years.

WHITFIELD: Well, I wonder, Mark, haven't we already gotten a little prelude to that? I mean, there have been an astounding number of Republicans who have within the last two weeks suddenly tried to distance themselves yet they have been on board alongside the President for much of the four years, but now suddenly saying -- being critical of this administration.

PRESTON: When the ship is sinking, the ship is sinking, and I think that while we're all being very cautious, because we believed the polls back in 2016, or at least the polls were correct, except in some of the certain states. But the fact of the matter is, I mean, he is in very much in trouble

of losing re-election, and the Republican Party, as we've known it, is certainly going to implode even further as he tries to rebuild following this election.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kaitlan, Jessica, Dr. Pernell and Mark, thank you so much to all of you. Appreciate it.

All right, coming up. Amy Coney Barrett, is one step closer now to joining the U.S. Supreme Court. The full Senate is expected to vote on her nomination tomorrow. But what about the stimulus talks?

Plus, stay home for two weeks? El Paso, Texas, taking drastic measures to stop an alarming spike in coronavirus cases again nine days before Election Day.

And then later, where is First Lady Melania Trump? She is off the campaign trail as her husband crisscrosses battleground states.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:44]

WHITFIELD: All right, fresh off a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire now, the President of the United States there landing in Bangor, Maine for a campaign stop.

All right. The U.S. Senate has cleared the last hurdle before Judge Amy Coney Barrett can be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow. All but two Republican senators supported a procedural vote and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is declaring victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): The Senate is doing the right thing. We're moving this nomination forward.

And colleagues, by tomorrow night, we will have a new member of the United States Supreme Court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Lauren Fox joins us now on Capitol Hill -- Lauren.

LAUREN FOX, CNN POLITICS U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Well, Fred, obviously, this was an expected move today, this procedural vote. Of course, two Republicans voted against cloture today and that was important because it is Lisa Murkowski and Senator Susan Collins both of whom argued this process is unfair because it is happening so close to the election.

We should note that tomorrow, we expect that Murkowski will ultimately vote yes on Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court. So Susan Collins will be the only Republican voting against her nomination, of course, Collins up for re-election in the State of Maine. We are also watching closely to see whether or not Mike Pence, the

Vice President attends that vote tomorrow. It is an important vote, therefore, sometimes the Vice President will come up to Capitol Hill and preside over the vote but because of members of his staff have tested positive for coronavirus, there is some concern from Democrats especially whether or not Pence should be here.

It should be noted that Pence and his wife tested negative today and I asked Senator John Thune about this, the Majority Whip whether or not he wanted Pence to come. He said, you know, Pence is regularly tested. He is confident that the Senate Republicans will have the votes they need without him here. However, he said it is up to the Vice President to make that decision.

WHITFIELD: And Lauren, we've also heard from some Republicans who say they are frustrated by the Senate's focus on the U.S. Supreme Court rather than on COVID-19 relief. So, where do you think they stand on stimulus and even despite that frustration, many of those who express it, they are frustrated, they are still going to vote for her confirmation.

[15:20:10]

FOX: Well, that's exactly right, Fred, and I think one thing to remember is going into this weekend, there was a lot of questions about how far exactly Pelosi and Mnuchin talks had gone. When I was talking to folks who were working on the committee level, they were saying, look, there's just such broad disagreement over simple things like the unemployment insurance piece, something that lawmakers have been debating for months.

We are not talking about a new sticking point. There's still disagreements about education funding, and as we heard today, there is much finger pointing happening between Mark Meadows and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on CNN this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEADOWS: We've continued to make offer after offer after offer, and Nancy continues to move the goalposts. And as you know, we're up to $1.9 trillion. I personally have talked to the leader multiple times, I've talked to senators multiple times, and at the end of the day, it was the Democrats just last week who said that they weren't going to support a $500 billion deal.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Last week, you remember they said, we'll support the testing lines with minor touch, well, that was 55 percent of the language. We're still waiting for the final "okay" and that is a central issue in all of this.

We cannot just say, President, here is trillions of dollars, spend it any way you want. We have a plan, a strategic plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOX: And of course, Fred, time is running out. I was told over the weekend that they needed to have something in writing by today, if they were expecting to put this on the House floor this week. Obviously, it doesn't look like they are any closer to getting an agreement and with the election just a few days away, it is unlikely that any deal will be reached before then -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Not with so many desperate families who can't pay rent, can't get groceries on the table, can't pay mortgage, all of that. That's not what they want to hear.

All right, Lauren, thank you so much.

All right up next, dangerous tipping point, a former head of the F.D.A. says the United States is entering a dark period of the pandemic and he says time is running out to act.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:37]

WHITFIELD: More than 225,000 people have now died of coronavirus in the U.S. The grim milestone coming after the nation recorded more than 83,000 new infections on Saturday. Texas is one of the 35 states reporting upward trend in new cases fueling a nationwide spike in hospitalization rates.

The City of El Paso is now asking residents to stay home for two weeks in an effort to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Joining me right now is Dr. Chris Pernell. She is back. She is a physician at Newark University Hospital and she is a volunteer for Moderna's Phase 3 human vaccine trial. So Doctor, good to see you again. You know, are healthcare professionals better prepared to manage what -- you know, what they are likely to endure in this second wave given that they have already endured the first wave.

PERNELL: Well, Fred, we know more, right? We know more unfortunately, because we learned the hard way. But knowing more does not erase the fact that we need the public to be in partnership with our healthcare institutions. We need the public to stay home unless they're out for essential duties, especially in Texas.

Within the last seven days, Texas has seen almost 44,000 new cases and that is quite alarming. And when you have that level of rise in the cases, you know that hospitalizations and even deaths unfortunately, will spike sometimes two weeks later.

In order for those hospitals, for those healthcare settings to be able to manage the onslaught of cases which are likely to come through its doors, we need the public in partnership, we need the public to stay at home. So hence you saw El Paso send out that message.

Just today, Fred, my own county exec here in New Jersey, in Essex County, sent us a robo call alerting us of the cases in New Jersey and the cases specifically in our county are starting to tick up again, and for us to have our wits about us, meaning to do those public health measures that we know matter. Stay home, have at least six feet of distance between you and other people, avoid crowded or cramped places, wear your mask at all times, and to practice hand hygiene.

Those things matter. It doesn't make a difference if you're in Texas or in New Jersey. It's public health science.

WHITFIELD: Even the former F.D.A. Commissioner said the next two weeks are going to be very difficult. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT GOTTLIEB, FORMER F.D.A. COMMISSIONER: We're at a dangerous tipping point right now. We're entering what's going to be the steep slope of the curve -- of the epidemic curve. We have a moment of opportunity right now to take some forceful steps to try to abate the spread that's underway.

But if we don't do that, if we miss this window, this is going to continue to accelerate and it's going to be more difficult to get it under control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So can the nation, you know, get through this without a national plan: lockdown, mask mandate?

PERNELL: Look, I, like Dr. Fauci am starting to lean toward we definitely need to start to mandate mask wearing where possible. Too many people have gotten the message that whether or not they wear a mask is just an idle or a nonchalant choice.

Well, we wear a safety belts when we're in our cars so that we reduce the risk of injury and we reduce the risk of death. That's a public health measure. So mask wearing is another public health measure.

But as long as we have people in leadership, especially as long as we have people at the top levels of the Federal government not wearing masks, not quarantining when being exposed to others who have tested positive, we send out a double message and that double message is dangerous.

We have over 225,000 Americans that are dead. We don't need to see that travesty continue.

[15:30:14]

WHITFIELD: So you're a volunteer for Moderna's Phase 3 human vaccine trial. In other trials, there have been some pauses because of unfavorable outcomes, even one reported death. Are you still comfortable being a volunteer?

PERNELL: Yes, I am. And why am I still comfortable? I'm comfortable, because I am confident that the science has the correct safeguards in place. That the ethical guidelines are being followed.

When we see trials pause, that's actually a good thing. That means that we are following science and that we are not following opinion or we are not following politics. There are several levels of safeguards and several levels of oversight that are involved with the vaccine trials. And I welcomed here in the F.D.A., the head of the F.D.A. say, look, we're going to actually tap into an independent panel to publicly review efficacy and safety data.

I welcome when we have organizations like the National Medical Association, which is an organization traditionally, which has represented black physicians and black physician scientists, when they are stepping forward. And they say we too, we want to monitor the data and we want to monitor the science.

As long as politics stays out, then we can get ourselves a vaccine approved in the recommended time and not ahead of time.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Chris Pernell, thank you so much, and thanks for all you're doing.

All right still ahead, Election Day, just nine days away and voters under 30 are making their voices heard at the polls. The story behind the numbers, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:35:57]

WHITFIELD: Early voting is fast becoming the hallmark of this presidential election. With Election Day still nine days away, a record-breaking number, more than 58 million Americans have already cast their ballots, and many of them waiting in long lines for hours to do so.

Let's check in with our CNN reporters who were stationed at polling sites across the country.

ATHENA JONES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Athena Jones in Brooklyn, New York where the second day of early voting is well underway. This after nearly 94,000 people voted on Saturday. That's more than who voted during all nine days of early voting in 2019.

We're here at the Brooklyn Museum, one of 88 locations around the city where folks can early vote. The line here is hundreds of people long. It stretches all the way around the building.

We spoke with some folks in the front of the line who said they waited about three hours to vote. Everyone we talked to said it was important for them to show up in person to cast a ballot, in person, so they could be certain their vote is counted.

Some of the folks saying look, these long lines are a good sign of voter enthusiasm. It's a good thing for our democracy. Other folks saying they wish the officials had done a little more to make voting easier by opening more polling locations.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am Paul Vercammen in Compton, California. So far, 6.5 million Californians have already voted. They believe it will set a record for turnout before all is said and done. Numerous Get-Out-the-Vote campaigns on both sides here in Compton. The

Compton Cowboys symbolically going to go to the public library and they are going to cast their ballots. There's an emphasis here that not only is it important to cast your vote for the President of the United States, but also those down ballot races because you never know that member of a Community College Board could become a member of Congress later on.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much, Paul Vercammen and Athena Jones, again, just nine days before Election Day and the candidates are hitting the campaign trail hard. This is Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris in Troy, Michigan.

Jasmine Burney-Clark is the founder of the Equal Ground Education Fund, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization that is hosting several Get-Out-Early-Vote events in Florida. Jasmine, good to see you.

JASMINE BURNEY-CLARK, FOUNDER, EQUAL GROUND EDUCATION FUND: Great to see you as well. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So your organization's event Soul to the Polls is going on right now in Florida. Who are you trying to reach and how are you trying to reach them?

BURNEY-CLARK: So we are doing a Soul so the Polls Park and Praise Edition. We are keeping in line with national C.D.C. regulations, as well as state regulations as it relates to COVID-19. We are looking to turn out black and brown voters across the state both young and old, LGBTQ folks, individuals who are in rural communities where there isn't a large organizing capacity. But we know that there are faith leaders, we know that there are NAACP chapters. We know that there are civic organizations.

And so we're bringing them together to turn folks out and in a socially distanced manner where they can drop their ballots off as they enter and exit polling locations. Or they can go into an early vote site and get assistance if they need to.

But we're trying to make sure that they do it as early as possible before Election Day gets here.

WHITFIELD: So Jasmine, younger voters ages 18 to 29 are already making up a greater share of the pre-Election Day vote today than they did this same time four years ago, especially in key battleground states, including Florida.

So I want you and I will both hear what Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said about the younger voter turnout earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): I am so excited about the just tidal wave of young people at the polls, because this isn't just about young people turning out to support the Democratic Party. This is about young people setting the agenda. They're not just voting to say listen to young people. They're voting

around very specific issues. They're having demands around gun safety. They're organizing our demands around climate change, around jobs, around student loan forgiveness, and medical debt forgiveness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:40:03]

WHITFIELD: Is this what you're hearing from young voters? They are very issue driven.

BURNEY-CLARK: Absolutely. This is exactly what we are hearing on the ground. Folks are able to connect their issues to the ballot box. They know that in order to make those changes locally, and at the state level, they have to be able to vote folks in and out to be able to address the agenda items that they truly and most passionately care about.

And so they've made that connection this cycle and the enthusiasm gap is certainly high for them.

WHITFIELD: So while the numbers are, you know, quite substantial, you've got, you know, record numbers of early voters out and you also have what seem to be, you know, record number of misinformation campaigns, and they are targeting particularly African-American communities.

How do you combat that? What are you telling people to prepare them?

BURNEY-CLARK: We are working in coalition with the black and brown ballot access here in the State of Florida to make sure that folks have what they need first to combat the misinformation that is happening out there, but then also provide them with a helping hand and actually pulling a list of folks who we know have had their ballots rejected due to signature issues, like mismatch or missing information, and help walk them through the process of securing that ballot before they take it to the polls.

The only way to be able to do this is to have those deep and necessary connections in our community, and so we're doing that with our partners on the ground. We also know that there's a lot of voter intimidation happening at the polls, so we are ensuring that we make sure people call out these issues. Contact, you know, 866OURVOTE vote to report any things that are happening at your local polling places so that we can address them and quickly get to those sites to identify those issues and help provide support to folks who are going to the polls, specifically black and brown communities.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jasmine Burney-Clark, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

We will take you back out to the campaign trail to Troy, Michigan and listen in on vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: ... the debate before last and refused to condone white supremacists and then double down by saying, stand back and stand by.

Joe Biden is saying, let's deal with racial disparities, let's acknowledge that in our country, because of this virus, one in one thousand black people in America have died; and by the end of the year, if we don't get control out of it, one in 500 will die. He has the ability and the love of the people to understand, we must speak truth and deal with these issues.

We are dealing with crises in America. We are dealing with a climate crisis.

You know, I come from California -- Oakland, California -- Oakland County, so yes, we have a lot in common. We're all from Oklahoma.

And California, the whole West Coast, I mean, including Colorado, oh there's a bee -- Colorado, Washington State, Oregon State, California, we've all been dealing with these wildfires. I mean, literally whole communities burning.

I've been meeting with firefighters who are fighting these wildfires, who have lost their homes while they are fighting these fires. There are firefighters that have perished. My brother-in-law is a firefighter in California.

In the Gulf Coast states we have -- it's not a fly -- I couldn't help myself.

In the Gulf Coast, we've got whole communities ravaged by the storms. In the Midwest, farmers who have lost whole seasons of crops because of the floods.

This climate crisis is real and it is threatening our very existence on this God-given Earth, and we need to deal with it.

So on the one hand, you have Joe Biden, who says, let's embrace the science. Let's acknowledge it. And let's also see this as an opportunity in so doing to create jobs and invest in America's infrastructure, invest in renewable energy. And in that way, partner up with all of our friends in the building trades and partner up with all of the smart folks who understand this is about upskilling and about expansion of jobs and creating good paying jobs that will contribute to what we all need in terms of clean air and clean water.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[15:45:09]

HARRIS: On the other hand, you have Donald Trump who, okay, so on the issue of the wildfires, right, so he got interviewed, and I'll go paraphrase, but essentially, the journalist, you know, said, so, you know, the scientists are saying that the wildfires, you know, these extreme climate changes and that's a large contributor and what do you have to say about that?

The President of the United States, who is also the Commander-in-Chief said, science doesn't know. He is the President of the United States of America. Science doesn't know.

There are clear contrasts. Yes, he said that, too, right. Exactly.

There are -- there's a very clear choice in this campaign and this election that will be over in nine days. This election will be over in nine days. And in these next nine days, we have the ability to determine the course of our country for generations to come. Everything is at stake in this election. Everything is at stake in this election.

And so I'm here to thank you, Troy, for what you all have been doing, and I know our pledge to doing standing out here this Sunday afternoon -- it is cold -- and knowing that it's going to be about all of us doing everything we can to fight for this country we love.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: Because, you know, I do interviews and they say, well, you know, how are you feeling about, you know, what's going to be the day after the election? And I say, look, there is no question that our democracy has taken a bit of a beating.

There's no question our democratic institutions, the dignity that should come with public service, the nobility of holding these offices and the public's trust has been damaged. There's no question about that, because of what this guy and his administration have been doing.

But here's the thing. When they ask me, how do you think it's all going to turn out, I say, you know what? It's going to turn out okay. We're going to be fine, because I know our democracy is as strong as our willingness to fight for it.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: Therein lies the strength of our democracy. It is about us. It is about we, the people, and our willingness to fight for our country and its ideals.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: And so that's where we are and this is that moment that is challenging us to do just that. Knowing that each one of us matters. You know, there's so much about these days and this pandemic, that really -- I mean, you know, we had to isolate and socialize late, and that's why I can't even come around and shake everybody's hands, right? We have six feet apart, and we're wearing masks. We can't see each other's full face.

You know, it sucks. It really does in so many ways, just to be frank, right? And it and it has made a lot of folks feel alone, and so, we have to remember, in moments like this, we are not alone and that we are all in this together and that this is one of the many ways we can express that unity and solidarity, which is together to organize folks to remind them their voice matters, to remind them that they have a say in the future of their country because it is our country.

It is our country.

And, you know, Joe, he is an incredible human being. You know, I was just talking to him earlier. I mean, Joe, from -- you know, Joe has experienced a lot in life and a lot of suffering more than most, and one of the things about him is in spite of that and every experience that he has had that maybe should cause somebody to give up, he just keeps giving. He's really a special human being in that way.

[15:50:16]

HARRIS: And right now, because of what we have experienced because of a President who has used the voice of the bully pulpit and the microphone that he was given by the people of our country, but he has used it in a way that is full time been about trying to sow hate and division among us, we know that we need to heal and we need to rededicate ourselves to unity and unifying as a country knowing that we all have so much more in common than what separates us, wherever you live, whatever you're raised, whatever your agenda, however old you are, no matter what language your grandmother speaks.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: And so we have a choice in front of us and we have power, and we have agency. And, you know, on the issue of voting, I've been traveling around the country. Just in the last week, I've been in North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and I'm here today, and I'm going somewhere tomorrow, but in traveling the country, I'll just share with you, Michigan and Troy, in many places in our country, there are very powerful people that are trying to suppress the vote, trying to make it difficult for people to vote, trying to confuse people about how to vote, where to vote, if they can vote.

Including by the way, let's not forget, the President of the United States who in the debate before last essentially stood on a stage in front of the 70 million American viewers and openly attempted to suppress the vote, and so in this election year, this is part of the challenge, right?

In this election year, people are feeling like, do I matter? I'm at home. I'm not really interacting with a lot of people. Am I being seen? Am I being heard? Does my voice matter?

People are wondering why they should vote if they should vote, and I have three reasons that I think we all know, it is important to vote and especially this year.

One has to do with honoring the ancestors. So this year, sadly, we lost one of the great American heroes in Congressman John Lewis, who literally shed his blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, with so many other heroes for the right for us to vote, fighting for the right to vote.

This year, we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] HARRIS: Honoring those suffragettes who would not stop marching and

shouting and fighting for our right to vote. And we should also remember it not until 1965 could black woman vote. So there is still a lot of work to be done.

So we honor the ancestors when we vote who fought for our right and fought for our democracy. We need to vote because everything is at stake. Everything is at stake: our democracy, our access to affordable healthcare, our economy, our children, and our environment. You guys know. It's a long list of what's at stake.

So let's honor the ancestors. We know what's at stake.

And then there's a third reason I think that it is important for us to know, we need to vote. And it has to do again with these acts that are designed to suppress the vote and confuse us about voting and make it difficult to vote. And I bring that up because of this.

I think when we see all these powerful people trying to make it so difficult that it requires a question which is why are so many powerful people trying to confuse us and make it difficult. Why are they doing that? And I think we know the answer because they know our power.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: They know our power. They know when we vote, things change. They know when we vote, we win.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[15:55:11]

HARRIS: So let's not ever let anyone take our power from us. Let us never cede our power. Let us not allow ourselves to be on the outside, let us be on the inside doing what we know we have the power to do.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: And so then my final point is this. This moment will pass. This moment will pass and years from now, our children, our grandchildren, and others, they will look in our eyes, each one of us, and they will ask us: where were you at that moment?

And what we're going to be able to tell them is so much more than just how we felt at this moment. What we will tell them is what we did.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: We will tell them: we helped people register to vote. We will tell them, we encouraged people their early vote. We will tell them, we called and we texted and we e-mailed everyone we knew, repeated times, until they almost wouldn't talk to us again, but they will.

We will tell them that we did everything because we knew our power in that moment to fight born out of love of country for the future of our country.

And we will tell them, we elected Joe Biden President of the United States.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HARRIS: There we are. Thank you, Troy.

WHITFIELD: All right, vice presidential nominee, Democrat Kamala Harris on the campaign trail there in Troy, Michigan making an impassioned plea to inspire people to get out and vote now just nine days ahead of the final Election Day, already with record turnout. Millions of Americans taking advantage of early voting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I am Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with a coronavirus pandemic spiraling further out of control in the U.S. and now the White House dealing with yet another outbreak.

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