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Former President George W. Bush Congratulates Joe Biden, Kamala Harris; Melania Trump Among Those Telling Trump To Concede; Interview With Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) On Trump's Refusal To Concede; Kamala Harris Makes History As First Woman Elected V.P. Of The United States; "Jeopardy!" Host Dies. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired November 08, 2020 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:24]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Hello, on this Sunday. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York.

It's the first full day since finally finding out who won the U.S. presidential election, so now we know who will lead the country for the next four years. Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump and will become the 46th president of the United States. The two men who took the race down to the wire have made their reactions clear. One of them gracious and optimistic. The other, bitter and defiant and refusing to concede.

But today we are hearing from former president George W. Bush, the two-term Republican who did not support President Trump in 2016 and who did not publicly endorse Trump or Biden, for that matter, this year. These words from former president Bush today.

"The American people can have confidence that this election was fundamentally fair. Its integrity will be upheld and its outcome is clear." Bush went on to say that, "in facing the challenges ahead, we must come together for the sake of our families and neighbors and our nation and its future." And he concluded, "We urge all Americans to join us in wishing our next president and vice president well, as they prepare to take up their important duties."

Let's get right to CNN's Arlette Saenz who joins us now from the Biden headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.

And Arlette, how significant is it that former President Bush release this statement today?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, it's very significant that the former president George W. Bush, a Republican president, spoke with president-elect Joe Biden and offered this call of unity at a time when the country is still very divided. In that statement, President Bush talked about how President-elect Biden has earned the opportunity to lead this country and try to unify the country as well.

Now, this comes, this outreach from a Republican president comes as the current president, President Donald Trump, has not yet communicated with Joe Biden as you often see happen during a transition period. At this point the Biden transition has not heard from the White House or the president. They also have not yet connected as far as we know with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who could be a key partner in the future for Joe Biden. They have a year's long relationship, and they may have to negotiate together if there is a divided Congress.

But really right now this statement from former president George W. Bush cannot be overstated how important it is that he is out there saying that he is praying for the next president of the United States and also urging these calls for unity.

CABRERA: Arlette, Biden spent his first morning as president-elect visiting the grave of his late son Beau and attending church. For those who don't know, Beau died of brain cancer back in 2015. And then there was this moment last night.

We know how much Beau Biden loved Coldplay. Of course he sings that song. What do you think Biden was thinking about in that moment and why are moments like this are so important to him?

SAENZ: Well, this whole event has really just been so personal for Joe Biden and his family. They have endured so many tragedies and losses including the loss of Beau Biden back in 2015. And you saw these subtle references to Beau throughout the evening last night. Coldplay, his favorite band, playing as the fireworks lit up the sky. The former vice president also referenced a Catholic hymn, "On Eagles Wings," which his son Beau loved.

And it's very obvious that he looms large over this family and the president-elect. He visited his grave this morning and he is certainly carrying his presence with him as he heads to the White House -- Ana.

CABRERA: Arlette Saenz in Wilmington, Delaware, thank you.

Meantime, at the White House, a source tells CNN that First Lady Melania Trump is telling her husband it's time to accept his election loss. But not all members of the family feel the same.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is at the White House now. Jeremy, what are you learning?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, we've been understanding for the last couple of days that the views inside the Trump administration, within the president's inner circle, have really been diverging over this issue of whether or not the president should continue to fight this out, engage in every single legal battle that he possibly can to try to reverse the outcome of this election, or whether he should graciously concede and accept his loss in this 2020 election.

[16:05:08]

And now we are getting a clear picture of who is on which side. Our colleague Kate Bennett reporting that the first lady, Melania Trump, that she has advised the president that it is time to accept that loss. And Kaitlan Collins has been reporting that Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, that he has advised -- that he has approached the president about conceding.

Now these are reports that are being disputed at this moment by the Trump campaign. Senior adviser Jason Miller, he said that Jared Kushner has been advising the president to pursue all available legal avenues right now.

But one thing is clear, Ana, is that this president at this moment, he's in no mood to concede. And his campaign has made very clear that they are, indeed, moving forward with those legal fights, even though every lawyer, including Ben Ginsberg, the noted Republican election lawyer, have made very clear that there is almost no chance that this will overturn the outcome of the election. And that really so far what we have heard from this campaign is making a lot of wild allegations about this notion of fraud in the 2020 election without providing much evidence at all.

Now there are, though, some in the Trump campaign who are encouraging the president to continue to press forward and to continue to fight the outcome of this election. And that includes the president's two adult sons, Don Jr. and Eric Trump. I've been told that both of them have been encouraging other Republicans, Republican governors, Republican senators, and allies of the president here in Washington, to continue to fight the outcome of this election.

Eric Trump, I've been told, has told allies in Washington in recent days that he believes that this election is being stolen from the president and that they are both advising the president to continue to fight this out. And we have seen in the president's statements that that is exactly what he is doing at this point.

The question is, once those legal avenues are exhausted, what will the president do and will we see the president at some point accept at least and send a message to his millions of supporters around the country that Joe Biden is the duly elected 46th president of the United States -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK, Jeremy Diamond, thank you. Keep us posted.

Joining us now is Democratic representative and majority whip, James Clyburn, of South Carolina.

Thanks so much for being with us.

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): Thank you very much for having me.

CABRERA: Congressman Clyburn, as much as I know you are celebrating the victory of your friend and fellow Democrat, President-elect Joe Biden, this wasn't a landslide. Despite 237,000 Americans now dead in the pandemic, despite a major economic crisis right now, despite the racial reckoning this country has faced in the past several months, and Trump's, you know, past comments about S-hole countries and good people on both sides, about 70 million Americans still voted for President Trump.

What does that tell you about where America is right now?

CLYBURN: Well, thank you very much for having me. You know, it tells me what I've always known. I've lived my entire life here in South Carolina. In fact, every address I've ever had has been within the Sixth Congressional District that I proudly represent. There's one thing that I know, and that is this country keeps battling with notions of race. And that is a big problem in the country. Many of us have been trying to get this issue addressed for years.

Most people in the country would rather pretend it doesn't exist. When you have a president who continues to say there is no such thing as systematic racism and a president who continues to insult people racially, as you've just noted, and people believe this president. And too many people do. So that's what we're wrestling with. And I know that to be a problem, and I'm doing everything I can to help the country get beyond it.

But he did the same thing with this pandemic. We know people are dying and he keeps saying, a cure is right around the corner. We're going to have a vaccine even before the election. The election has come and it's gone and we still don't have a vaccine. But you'd be surprised at how many people still believe that we're going to have a vaccine before the election because that's what Trump said.

That's the problem that we've got. And it is a problem we're going to have to deal with going forward and I hope Joe Biden can help restore the kind of integrity that we have always known in the presidency. And that's why I was so proud to see George W. Bush making a statement he made today. He's always been a stand-up kind of guy and I'm always pleased to call him a buddy. I never called him a good friend because we really aren't close friends but he's been a buddy throughout the time that I've known him.

[16:10:02]

CABRERA: You heard Jeremy Diamond's report just before us about where the president's head is today, not letting go of his power, still clinging to this idea that, you know, perhaps election isn't over. He does have 73 days left in office. What do you think he'll do?

CLYBURN: I don't know what he's going to do. Nobody has been able to predict this president. But one thing we can always rest assured of, whatever he does or says, it will be all about him. He will never say anything or do anything to benefit this country. This country has been more than good to him and his family. And they continue to treat this country and its people with disdain.

Don't you know what African-Americans have given to this country? How many people, black soldiers coming back from World War II couldn't even get a loan, a veterans administration loan, couldn't even get an education, and still go along to love for this country? And really I think about Doc Rivers, the basketball coach, almost daily. We talked about how much we have loved this country and the country refuses to love us back.

And the reason the country refuses to love us back because there are so many Donald Trumps who stand up and represent the -- what I call just the bad side of being in this country. They're not patriots. They're sunshine patriots, if anything, and some are soldiers. We've had some real soldiers, people of color who have given so much to this country and still we have people in leadership who pretend that they don't exist.

I told someone earlier today, Isaac Woodard was an African-American from South Carolina, coming back home from World War II, having just won -- helped the country win that fight and stopped at a bus station in Batesburg, South Carolina, and a deputy sheriff with his uniform on punched his eyes out. And he died a blind man. And Truman, Harry Truman, when he saw that, said we cannot live like this. And that's what forced him to integrate the armed services by executive order.

And I remind people that the president can do a lot with an executive order. And I think Joe Biden realizes that. Integrate the armed services by executive order and please remember the Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order. That's what freed the slaves in the District of Columbia. And until the 13th Amendment came around in 1869, all we had was the Emancipation Proclamation.

So I think Joe Biden is going to give the country leadership in this country that needs to be given. And as he said last night, African- Americans in this country have always had his back and he has said he will have our backs going into the future.

CABRERA: Quickly, if I will, if you may, I do want to play some sound that I thought was really striking yesterday as people were reacting to the news that Joe Biden had won this election. I don't know if you caught this moment with Van Jones on our air but listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: If you're Muslim in this country, you don't have to worry if the president doesn't want you here. If you're an immigrant, you don't have to worry if the president's going to be happy to have babies snatched away, send Dreamers back for no reason.

It's vindication for a lot of people who have really suffered. You know, I can't breathe. You know that wasn't just George Floyd. That was a lot of people that felt they couldn't breathe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Congressman, you have fought your whole life to make America more equal, more fair, more whole. What's your reaction to what we just heard there?

CLYBURN: Well, my reaction is much like Van Jones. I know Van. And I did not see that report, but it has been shared with me and I appreciate his emotion. And I suspect that I have gotten to the point in my life where I really, really try to control my emotions a little bit these days, but I feel what he feels. I've always felt it. I love this country. When I was a kid growing up in little town something South Carolina

not far from here, we used to stand up every morning and say the pledge. I was proud to say the pledge. I was proud to close that pledge with liberty and justice for all. Even though I knew we did not have liberty and justice for all in this country.

[16:15:06]

But I also am proud of the fact that we are on a journey toward a more perfect union. And thank God that the people elected Joe Biden so we can step back from the brink and keep moving forward toward that goal of a more perfect union.

Donald Trump did everything he could to undercut that movement and to turn the clock back on the progress in this country and the people have now spoken and to the tune of over four million more voted for Joe than voted for him.

CABRERA: Congressman James Clyburn, thank you very much for joining us.

CLYBURN: Thank you so much for having me.

CABRERA: Very few know what it's like to sit at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. That shared experience has bonded previous administrations regardless of politics. That may not be the case with President Trump.

Coming up how President Trump's plans and the transition differ from past presidents.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:20:07]

CABRERA: Seventy-three days now until the inauguration of Joe Biden and President Trump still hasn't conceded. Sources tell CNN there are no plans for Trump to invite Biden to the White House for the traditional Oval Office meeting. But remember back in 2016 then- President Obama still extended that invite to then President-elect Trump. Despite a bitter campaign and even after that birther conspiracy Trump had propagated about Obama.

Let's discuss this with CNN presidential historian and former director of the Nixon Public Library, Timothy Naftali.

Tim, always good to have you here. Biden obviously doesn't need a tour of the White House. He's been there. But what does it say if Trump never even extends the invite?

TIMOTHY NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, there's a lot more at stake, Ana, than simply the symbolism of a president-elect meeting with an outgoing president. That is really sort of the top of the pyramid. There is supposed to be sharing of information and intelligence with Biden as president-elect. That's supposed to begin as soon as the incoming president is recognized as the president- elect.

Now, for the American people, it's when the -- when AP and news organizations call the election, but for the government, it's when the president actually concedes. And one of the things I'm concerned about is that the president's foot dragging, should it continue, will actually undermine the sharing of highly important intelligence materials with President-elect Biden, which is supposed to happen by now.

Al Gore was receiving this information even during the contested election of 2000. So there are things that can be -- that should be -- not only the symbolic meeting should happen, but there are things at a lower level that should be happening and as long as the president doesn't concede, the federal government may not act on those important traditions.

CABRERA: I want to ask you about another tradition for outgoing presidents to leave a letter on the Resolute Desk for their successor, letters that have become symbolic of what a peaceful transfer of power should look like, perhaps none more illustrative than what George H. W. Bush wrote to Bill Clinton after Clinton made him a one-term president.

He wrote, "I'm not a very good one to give advice but just don't let the critics discourage you or push you off course. You will be our president when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well. Your success now is our country's success. I am rooting hard for you."

What lessons exist there, Tim?

NAFTALI: Well, that's a tradition that actually only started relatively recently, but it highlights the fact that in the modern era, presidents have, regardless of party, have wished their successors well. And they have not seen their successor's success as in any way harmful to their own legacy. They've been able to separate their own presidential legacy from the success of the person who follows them.

That clearly is a tradition that is about to end. We can already see in the narrative that President Trump is pushing that he is not interested in helping the incoming Biden administration. And it's worrisome, and it's especially worrisome because we're in a national crisis right now. We're at a time when we can't afford that 71 million people disagree with 76 million people over the nature of the coronavirus and what we need to do to flatten the curve.

CABRERA: Right. Right. Timothy Naftali, appreciate your wisdom. Thank you for being here.

NAFTALI: Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: Politics aside, last night shattered glass ceilings for women in America. One hundred years after women got the right to vote, they'll get their first vice president in Kamala Harris.

More on that just ahead live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:28:31]

CABRERA: We are watching history unfold as Senator Kamala Harris becomes the first woman, the first woman of color, the first South Asian and first black woman to be elected vice president. In her victory speech she said she stood on the shoulders of women who came before her and she praised her running mate who put her on the ticket.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: What a testament it is to Joe's character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Barbara Boxer, former U.S. senator of California, is joining us now.

Thank you for being here with us. Kamala Harris chose to use the word audacity in describing Joe Biden's choice of her for vice president. Does that resonate with you?

BARBARA BOXER (D-CA), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Absolutely. I mean, we all know what a safe choice is, and he didn't go there. He wanted to have a woman and a woman of color and he chose Senator Harris. Joe is a spectacular human being and I think that choice was so healing for the country, in my opinion, just looking at that ticket.

We've been going through such difficult times, and he talked about unity. And here you have a ticket where you have an older person, a younger person, you have a male, a female, different ethnicities. It was a unified ticket. And it's exciting. I know a little bit about making history. I did it with three other women in '92 after Anita Hill. She's the one that worked the grounds for us.

[16:30:00]

And it's an extraordinary feeling. Because the fight for women's equality has been very hard. Much harder --

CABRERA: Yes.

BOXER: -- than people, I think, notice.

CABRERA: And it's been a long, long drawn out fight. And even before Kamala Harris, before Hillary Clinton, before Sarah Palin, there was Geraldine Ferraro, 36 years ago, to think about how far we've come. But, again, how long it has taken, how does that make you feel? BOXER: Well, it's sort of a relief. I don't know how else to put it.

That we're moving toward equality. We have a very long way to go. But, believe me, when I first started out, I can't tell you what it was like. I mean, I'd not -- and I -- and I ran for local office. And I had the audacity to do it because hardly any women -- it was a board of supervisors in a suburb of San Francisco.

And one women said, when I knocked on the door, who is it? Barbara Boxer. She opened up the door. I didn't think you would be so short. I said, what does that have to do with anything? Then, she said, I could never vote for you. I said, why? She said, because you have four children, and you're abandoning them. I said, no, I don't. I have two children. She argued with me that she had read that I had four children. And I finally said, lady, when you give birth, you don't forget it. Trust me.

CABRERA: Oh, so true, so true. Hillary Clinton, you'll recall, made that now famous statement when she conceded the race in 2008 to Barack Obama. Let me remind everyone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Eighteen million cracks in that ceiling back then; 59 million in 2016. But when do you think that highest ceiling will finally be broken?

BOXER: Well, when we get to 50 percent of senators, that's a start. You know, when I -- when I got in there, they called it the year of the woman. That was 1993 when I got sworn in. Do you know how many women there were, Ana? Six out of 100. And they said, oh, we've done it. Year of the woman. Honestly, it's been a slug. And now, we're still only in the 20s in the United States Senate. So, we have a ways to go.

But I do think Kamala will be -- I should say, Vice President-Elect Harris will be an amazing role model. And, because of that, so many younger women will choose politics, you know, as a vocation. And, in my -- in my view, it's an exciting thing because you can really help people. And that's the main thing. And women are good at helping people, in general.

CABRERA: We need to support each other, that's for sure. Now, there's this new standard, new expectation for what is possible. Former Senator Barbara Boxer, we really appreciate you taking the time. Thank you.

BOXER: Sure.

CABRERA: Despite President Trump's refusal to concede, many world leaders aren't waiting to send their congratulations to President- Elect Joe Biden. More on that and the end of President Trump's America First diplomatic strategy just ahead. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[16:33:23]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Fireworks, music, big celebration in the ancestral homeland of Kamala Harris. The people in this community in southern India, where Harris' grandfather was born, calling the soon-to-be U.S. Vice President the pride of the village.

Also this weekend, this is in western Ireland where Joe Biden still counts several relatives. This loud celebration reacting to the news that their native son was elected president of the United States. A large street mural of Biden was painted for the occasion. You can see American flags flying there.

CNN's Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour is with us now. Christiane, let's just talk about how the rest of the world is reacting to the U.S. election results. First, how are America's allies, do you think, feeling today and what about our adversaries as well?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, look, Ana, on the allied system, really the biggest allies are the Europeans. Right. They've been allies for the last 75 years and that's the biggest block. And they really are relieved. I said that last night.

Today, it's almost like that relief, that elation has sort of turned into just this giant cloud lifting. It's pretty hard to overestimate just how much toxicity there was in the relationship under President Trump. How much chaos and disruption and noise, and the allies. It's almost like they're coming out of this long tunnel of post-traumatic stress.

And it really has felt like that. To the point that I remember asking officials when -- just before the election, who would you want to win? What about if Trump won again? They almost didn't dare mention their biggest fear, the allies, and that would be Trump pulling out of NATO. Just pulling right out of NATO after spending four years denigrating it and the like.

So, they're very, very pleased that they're going to hopefully see a return to a more normal U.S. presidential engagement, U.S. administration engagement, multilateral institutions. You know, the U.S. president acting as a force for cooperation, helping with the heavy lift on many issues.

For instance, the pandemic. I mean, this president pulled out of the World Health Organization, and pulled funding in the middle of a pandemic. Whereby the head of the World Health Organization says that unless there is cooperation and coordination around the world, it's not going to be defeated. And the U.S. generally, does that sort of coalition building.

So, there's a huge amount of relief. We hear even some --

[16:40:00]

AMANPOUR: -- you know, people are very concerned that the U.S. that they got to know over the decade since the end of the second world war, the U.S. that promoted human rights, respect for democracy, all those things was kind of doing precisely the opposite. And you had the authoritarians and the more autocratic populous nationalist leaders essentially getting on better than President Trump than the real Democratic leaders of Europe and elsewhere.

So, many of the, you know, oppositions there, the populous nationalist oppositions really hitched their wagon to President Trump. But there is a sense of maybe there's a new dawn. Maybe. But they're not really expecting a massive new engagement, because they know the American people have spoken. And the American people don't want to be all over the place all the time.

CABRERA: Not every world leader, I guess, has been immediately positive about Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump. Some were slow to react publicly. Others were a little less upbeat in their response. I'm thinking of Israel's prime minister Netanyahu. Well, what kind of global climate is Joe Biden jumping into?

AMANPOUR: Well, look, it's one that's -- he has to do a lot of fixing up, just in terms of -- let's just take the Middle East, as you said. One of the things, historically, that the American president has done has acted as a third-party, an honest third-party between the Israelis and Palestinians to help try to achieve this elusive peace deal. That, literally, went out the window over the last four years under President Trump, where the administration put all its eggs in prime minister Netanyahu's basket. And, essentially, gave Israel pretty much everything that it wanted.

Now, you know, President-Elect Biden is not going to re-move the U.S. embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. That's going to stay where it is. But will he try to regenerate some kind of credible peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis? We'll wait to see.

On Iran, for instance, it's true that Israel, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states liked President Trump's action and his policies, because they're trying to put up a wall to isolate Iran. But most of the allies want to see Biden, the President-Elect, bring the United States back into the Iran nuclear deal. Because you'll remember Trump pulled out without having any alternative. And so, there's just Iran with no nuclear deal to constrain it. So, the allies would like to see him go back into the climate, obviously.

And then, of course, there's the human rights and humanitarian issue. You know, whether it's the Muslim ban that was really quite cruel at the very beginning of this presidency, whether it's the kids who have been separated, babies separated from their families at the Mexico border. We know that because of reporting that some 545 kids who America has just lost their parents. They're still separated.

CABRERA: Yes, they haven't been reunited. You're right.

AMANPOUR: He's -- well, yes, because they can't find them. So, this is not what the world is used to from the American president. They're used to a much more compassionate, kind, policies which really take in human rights and respect democracy.

CABRERA: OK. Christiane Amanpour, really appreciate all your great insights. Thanks for being with us.

Alex Trebek was a household name, to the point even his mustache made headlines. When we come back, we'll take a look at the legendary "Jeopardy!" host's life and his career with his executive producers. Stay with us. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[16:43:40]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Television legend and long-time "Jeopardy!" host, Alex Trebek, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Trebek passed away peacefully at home, at age 80, with his wife of 30 years, Jean, and their family, at his side. Trebek hosted more than 8,000 episodes of "Jeopardy!" over 37 years. Here's a quick look at his very first episode. This was back in 1984.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alex Trebek.

ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY!": Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of all of us, welcome to America's favorite answer and question game, "Jeopardy!. You know how we play it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Trebek recorded his final "Jeopardy!" episode late last month. And that episode, we're told, will air on December 25th, Christmas Day.

I want to bring in Mike Richards. He's the executive producer of "Jeopardy!." Mike, it's got to be a tough day for you. I just want to say how sorry I am for your loss. How are you doing? How are you processing this loss?

MIKE RICHARDS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "JEOPARDY!": Thank you, Ana. I mean, it is a very tough day for the "Jeopardy!" staff, crew, and all of his fans. But, especially, as you mentioned, Jean, his wife, who he had been with for 30 years. They are truly a love story. And they were lucky to have each other. We're doing OK. You know, we love him and miss him already. It's the (INAUDIBLE.)

CABRERA: Yes, talk a little more about that relationship. What did he mean to you?

RICHARDS: You know, he was -- I sent him a note late yesterday. I think this will explain kind of who the man was. He was the most professional person that I've ever worked with in any capacity.

[16:50:02] RICHARDS: Here he was battling cancer, pain, chemo, exhaustion, but you couldn't tell when the -- when the cameras rolled. So, as a professional, the fact that he kept pushing and that he recorded his final -- what would now be his final episodes less than two weeks ago gives you an idea of just how much he believed in the show, how much he cared for it.

But then, as a man, you know, he was an amazing dad. And he loved Jean so much that it was inspirational. So, what I told him was I wanted to thank him for showing me how to be a better man at work and, even more importantly, a better man with my family and my wife. He was -- he was really that great.

CABRERA: Wow. It's incredible to think that he filmed his last episode, he was still working as recently as about a week and a half ago, on October 29th, right? How emotional --

RICHARDS: Right.

CABRERA: -- was that taping for him and for you? Did you know it was going to be the last? And was he, you know, quickly declining, at that point?

RICHARDS: You know, we didn't know that it was going to be his last. It was the first time he had ever -- we usually do five shows a day. He did three. And then, two on Monday and Tuesday. He was in pain and we knew it. He had had surgery. I couldn't believe he was already back from the surgery that he had had just two weeks before that.

I had chills the entire -- the entire tape day. That first show of that final week, which is the -- unbelievably, the week of Christmas. He gives a speech talking about togetherness. How important family is. And it will resonate even more now.

I -- it was so beautiful that we were all emotional. We were all in tears. And we all started clapping. And it almost distracted him because he was going, OK, now let's play "Jeopardy!". But it was -- it was one of those days, it was just -- he was at the top of his game, even though, clearly, he was very ill.

CABRERA: Right. And I think, you know, he was so public about his battle with cancer, and yet one of the reasons I think his death comes as a surprise for a lot of people is that he didn't retire from his hosting duties. Why do you think he chose not to retire?

RICHARDS: He really believed in the importance of "Jeopardy!. And I -- maybe that sounds corny on today of all days. But he really thought it was important what he was doing. And it is. He loved that "Jeopardy!" popularized intelligence and it was important for him. It was the thing he looked forward to. As he said, a lot of different things comes with being a T.V. star.

But that time when he was in the studio, that 30 minutes where he was hosting the game, he loved it. And that's why he kept driving himself to do it. I still don't understand why he was doing it really other than he just loved it. And wanted to be there. And he reveled in these intelligent people, in the contestants, in the writers. He just -- he loved being surrounded by it.

CABRERA: More than 8,000 episodes of "Jeopardy!" he hosted, 37 years. What was the secret, do you think, to his success, in his longevity?

RICHARDS: You know, I think he really became synonymous with the show, in that he really was that smart. He was self-deprecating about his intelligence and saying, oh, I would probably get 50 percent of the answers.

I was in the writer's room with him. We met every morning before the shows. He had gone through every clue. And this was including the last taping. He went through all of them, 61 per show, rewrote them, gave his flavor. Sometimes called into question some of the information, and then -- because he had the knowledge in a different way.

I mean, he really was the show. I mean, he -- my first day meeting him, he started to quiz me about a place in England he had visited. It's just who he was. He was -- he craved knowledge. And it showed.

CABRERA: Yes, and it definitely shined through, his authenticity, in all of that. Mike Richards, thank you for the conversation. Again, our heart goes out to you and the whole "Jeopardy!" family.

RICHARDS: Thank you very much. He was a great man.

CABRERA: Absolutely, he sure was. Rest in peace -- may he rest in peace.

Front line health care workers have been battling COVID-19 day in and day out for more than six months. In 2016, CNN Hero Brad Ludden realized health care workers, they needed a healing outlet. And so, his nonprofit, First Descents, started providing retreats for them, offering a safe space to reflect, to connect, and to work through the trauma they've experienced.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We all know somebody, even our patients, who have died from COVID.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I haven't grieved the loss of those people, and I think it's because I've been working nonstop around the clock.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just been trauma after trauma in the hospital. I just feel super, super burned out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am a medical ACU registered nurse. I volunteered to take care of these COVID ICU patients requiring ventilators life support at the beginning of this pandemic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wanted to offer myself a chance to meet other people who have experienced things that no humans, no health care worker should have had to experience. But, also, to challenge myself. I'm terrified of heights. Never rock climbed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give it a good pull.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These health care workers who have been stuck for days, weeks, months, inside without seeing the light of day, bringing them into these natural surroundings is probably one of the most powerful things I think we could provide them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, wow.

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