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Transition Moving ahead Despite Trump's Roadblocks: Six Passengers Now Testing Positive aboard SeaDream One Cruise; Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Lawmakers Resign from Legislature; Teachers Leaving Hong Kong Amid New Scrutiny. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 13, 2020 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: And denial runs strong in Trump. The loss of the -- the loser of the 2020 election also ignoring the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. As hospital admissions for COVID-19 hit record highs.
And in Hong Kong, all remaining pro-democracy lawmakers resign in a symbol of solidarity.
As the votes continue to be counted, Joe Biden's lead over Donald Trump continues to grow.
CNN is projecting Biden has won the state of Arizona. It will be the fourth state the democrat was able to flip from red to blue.
And just hours earlier, the Department of Homeland Security rebuked Trump's baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, declared the 2020 election the most secure in American history, adding there is simply no evidence that any voting system was compromised.
Yet the president refusing to accept reality and refusing to concede. Even though a growing number of influential Republicans including Trump's ally Senator Lindsey Graham are breaking ties with the president recognizing Joe Biden as president elect or, at the very least, suggesting he should have access to classified security briefings.
All this with the backdrop of a worsening coronavirus crisis.
In the 10 days since the presidential election, the coronavirus has infected more than 1 million Americans. Nearly 150,000 new cases were reported just on Thursday.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins has more details now reporting from the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump remained behind closed doors today with no public appearances on the horizon. He hasn't taken questions from reporters in over a week and hasn't
spoken publicly since last Thursday.
Instead, he's waged war against the election from his phone firing off tweets claiming without evidence the race was fraudulent as his advisers privately wonder how long he'll keep going.
Sources tell CNN the president has been dejected following his loss but has continued to meet daily with political advisers who are doubtful their legal challenges will succeed.
Several said it's only a matter of time before Trump acknowledges his loss. But they believe that will come with a tease that he'll run in 2024.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When someday I leave whether it's in four years, eight years, 12 years, 16 --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: As Trump holds out, more people in his party are urging him to accept defeat.
"FOX NEWS" Geraldo Rivera posted this message telling his friend his hard-fought race has come to an end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERALDO RIVERA, HOST, "FOX NEWS:" You came so close in this election. But time coming soon to say goodbye with grace and dignity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Karl Rove, who advised the Trump Campaign this year wrote in a "Wall Street Journal" op ed that Trump should "do his part to unite the country by leading a peaceful transition and letting grievances go."
At least five GOP senators are now publicly calling for Joe Biden to receive access to classified briefings the Trump Administration has blocked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JAMES LANKFORD (R-OKLA.) (VOICE OVER): "And if that's not occurring by Friday, I will step in as well to be able to push them and say this needs to occur."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The White House press secretary who is paid by U.S. taxpayers but appeared on "FOX NEWS" today as a Trump campaign adviser referred questions about whether Biden should receive intelligence briefings back to her own office today. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN KILMEADE, ANCHOR, "FOX NEWS:" Has the president considered that?
KAYLEIGH MCENANEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I haven't spoken to the president about that. That would be a question more for the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: As Trump fights his legal battles, the White House is still dealing with the fallout from an indoor election night party now tied to several cases of COVID-19.
Today, political adviser Corey Lewandowski tested positive making him the seventh person who attended that party to do so.
And as what was probably the strongest rebuke we've seen coming from the administration over the president's claims about fraud, the cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency put out a statement -- that's within DHS -- saying this was the most secure election in American history.
And that none of these votes were compromised through some kind of voting system as the president has alleged and elevated these conspiracies on Twitter.
Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Despite Trump's recalcitrance and obstruction, Joe Biden is moving ahead with the transition as best he can.
For the first time since he was declared president elect, Biden spoke with house speaker Nancy Pelosi, senate minority leader Chuck Schumer about COVID-19 and economic relief.
More now from CNN's Jessica Dean.
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JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Elect Joe Biden on the move today leaving Wilmington, Delaware for his beach house.
On Wednesday night, Biden announced his first major hire naming longtime aide Ron Klain as his chief of staff.
In a statement, Biden described Klain as invaluable.
[01:05:00]
Adding, quote -- "His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff." Klain said in a tweet he was, quote -- "honored by the president
elect's confidence."
Biden and Klain share a long history dating back to 1989 when Klain served as chief counsel for the senate judiciary committee including during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings.
More recently, Klain was Biden's chief of staff when he was vice president and served as Ebola tzar in 2014, a critical asset given the current coronavirus pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON KLAIN, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF ELECT: The Trump Administration's response to this crisis has clearly failed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN: Meantime, Biden continues to mull his selections for cabinet secretaries.
Senator Bernie Sanders is ramping up his campaign to become labor secretary telling CNN he would say yes if offered the position.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I had a portfolio that allowed me to stand up and fight for working families, would I do it? Yes, I would.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN: President Elect Biden says he hopes to name some cabinet members by Thanksgiving with more decisions coming later in the year.
Meanwhile, Biden today spoke with Pope Francis as he is set to become only the second Catholic president in U.S. history.
As for other foreign leaders, state department officials tell CNN a stack of congratulatory messages are sitting at the state department untouched as the Trump Administration continues to block the Biden transition team from accessing those messages or using the department's resources.
The Biden transition team also pushing back on some comments from a board member who's on their COVID-19 advisory board.
This doctor had said in an interview this week that perhaps a four- to six-week lockdown could be useful in driving down COVID-19 numbers if the government could cover financial losses and small business losses.
But a Biden transition aide telling CNN that is not in line with what the president elect is thinking, adding that there are many members of this advisory board.
Jessica Dean, CNN, Wilmington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And to Los Angeles. Jessica Levinson, professor of law at Loyola Law School.
And it's good to see you, Jess.
JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR OF LAW, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: Good to be here.
VAUSE: OK. Well, a few Republicans, just a few, small number, are now telling Donald Trump embrace reality.
But for the most part, the last days of the Trump presidency seem to be a reflection of his first and only term. This is a delusional president with little regard for tradition, norms or the constitution being empowered by a republican party incapable of standing up to Donald Trump.
So in many ways, it's hardly a surprise.
LEVINSON: Yes. But other than that I think things are going really well, wouldn't you agree?
VAUSE: Yes.
LEVINSON: Yes -- precisely, John. So this is a situation where so many people are really anxious about how do we go from today, November 12th, to January 20th?
Which is when I think a lot of people, not just Democrats but also independents and I think some Republicans will say OK, it's President Biden now, it's not Presumptive President Elect Biden, it's not President Elect Biden it's President Biden.
He's in office and now he has a lot of work cut out for him. And I think that the answer is exactly what you talked about.
The more that the GOP will abandon Trump and abandon his plans to keep his legal fights going where I think at this time he's zero in 12 in his legal suits then the faster this will go.
It's not going to be as smooth as what we are used to. But let's remember that under the law, President Trump does not have to concede, he doesn't have to go to the inauguration, he doesn't have to acknowledge the results, he doesn't have to acknowledge reality. He just needs to leave.
VAUSE: In just over two hours on Thursday morning, Donald Trump rage tweeted about the vote count in Arizona, about election observers in Pennsylvania and Michigan. He claimed he would win Georgia -- he will not.
Best of all, though, he thanked the B-list celebrity Scott Baio for a photo of coffee mugs with individual letters all arranged to read "Trump is still your president." Meantime, over in the real world, Joe Biden, he's out there announcing
a few appointments in the administration, he's talking to world leaders. And that's despite the state department's refusal to facilitate those calls.
Biden has announced new policy measures. This is a stark contrast at this point.
But Biden doesn't really have any other option right now. He's the grown up in the room that needs to sort of set the tone of the continuity of government.
LEVINSON: He has -- you're absolutely right. He has no other option in the room. And it's funny, I thought I was going to have this big release moment on Saturday where I was going to see President Elect Biden, Vice President Elect Harris, and think this is where our nation is going, we're going back to the status quo.
And I'm so, in fact, happy to hear his typical platitudes of what we're used to in the leader of the free world.
But for me, what really got me was -- it's so minor but when President Elect Biden put out the list of people he wants on his coronavirus task force and it was a list of scientists.
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And it was a list of scientists with amazing pedigrees. And for me, that was the real shift.
Of we're not going from people who are denying science and denying facts, we're now going to a place where we're going to have the best and brightest minds in the room.
For me, that was the moment when I really felt the shift.
VAUSE: What we have in the meantime is that Trump and his allies are arguing this election is not decided because of all these ongoing legal cases alleging voter fraud -- as you mentioned, 12 and oh (ph) right now.
Here's part of the court transcript from a case in Philadelphia where the Trump Campaign is suing to prevent mail-in ballots from being counted.
This centers on less than 600 ballots. The judge, very specifically here asks the Trump team are they alleging fraud.
He asks --
"I'm asking you a specific question and I'm looking for a specific answer. Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots? "
Trump's lawyer replies, "To my knowledge at present, no." The judge then asks, "Are you claiming that there's any undue or improper influence upon the elector with respect to these 592 ballots? "
Again, the Trump lawyer replies, "To my knowledge, at present, no."
It's not a good sign when even your own campaign lawyers say there's not a great, big conspiracy of fraud going on.
LEVINSON: Well, yes. And John, I'm really happy that you read that transcript and I read it as well.
And I think one thing that's really important for people to focus on in this post-election litigation first, is there's the typical type of litigation or legal questions that we see and that is asking for a recount in Wisconsin, asking for a recount in Georgia. That's our normal course.
When it's close, as a candidate, you're entitled to say it's within the margin, I want a recount.
But then this zero to 12, these lawsuits that are being filed. That's separate and apart and distinct from what we typically see.
And in part that's -- what you read in the court case is showing us one thing that's really important to focus on.
Which is that there's a difference between the rhetoric outside the courtroom and the rhetoric inside the courtroom.
And outside the courtroom, it's voter fraud, it's the integrity of the electoral process, it's corruption, it's stolen ballots, it's dead people voting. And inside the courtroom when lawyers are under oath and they're signing things under penalty of perjury, it's very different.
And of course, the punchline is that none of these suits affect enough ballots to swing enough states to change the outcome.
VAUSE: Very quickly. The concept of a caretaker government which would simply ensure continuity of operation, that doesn't exist within the U.S. system.
Has Donald Trump made the argument that this entire transition period needs to be overhauled? If nothing else, make it a lot shorter.
LEVINSON: Yes. With so many other things as well, John, right. So the Trump Administration, you and I have talked about, has really been a stress test on our constitution.
And there are a lot of places where it worked OK. It worked OK to have lame duck sessions. But to have a lame duck session that's I think about 73 days now where one of the big legal questions now is can the president of the United States pardon himself?
That -- no, we don't want this long, protracted period. And so there are a lot of places where we see -- we probably want to
change executive authority when it comes to declaring national emergencies. I think we want to do something with respect to the independence of the department of justice.
And again, here we see that maybe we want to shorten up that lame duck time period.
I do want to be careful about systemic changes that have worked for almost every other president. We'd still have to see if President Trump is an aberration or part of a pattern to come.
VAUSE: Yes. Actually, that's a good point to finish on, Jessica. We'll leave it there. Thank you very much.
Jessica Levinson there in Los Angeles.
LEVINSON: Thank you.
VAUSE: Holidays are just around the corner. That means for health experts, they're growing increasingly nervous.
Hospitals are struggling and the rate of infection of the coronavirus is soaring. More details in a moment.
Also, hopes and fears in Europe. Hopes this latest outbreak may soon peak. With fears a record number will fall ill and die between now and then.
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VAUSE: Almost 53 million people worldwide have now been infected with the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Europe and South America are seeing a big surge in cases but no country is doing worse at bringing this pandemic under control than the United States.
On Thursday, the U.S. broke its record for new daily cases again.
Johns Hopkins records more than 10.5 million total U.S. infections. More than 240,000 people have died.
A new CDC forecast predicts that number could jump to 282,000 just in the coming weeks by December 5th.
But right now, hospitals nationwide are already overwhelmed admitting more COVID-19 patients than ever before. And even more are expected.
CNN's Erica Hill has more.
ERICA HILL, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: COVID patients in hospitals hitting another all-time high.
New cases surging, nearly triple the daily rate we were seeing just a few weeks ago.
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DR. PETER HOTEZ, DEAN, NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: This is a humanitarian tragedy. In my moments of despair, I say it's a slaughter (ph). That's why I get so emotional talking about this, because these are lives that don't have to be lost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Utah, which declared a state of emergency earlier this week, announcing a statewide positivity average above 23 percent today. ICU beds nearly maxed out.
In Iowa, frontline health care workers are exhausted and overwhelmed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE WENGERT, BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER, IOWA; This pandemic has had staffing on high alert since March.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Even areas that seem to have the virus under control bringing back restrictions. New York and Connecticut limiting private gatherings to just 10 people.
New Jersey forcing bars and restaurants to close indoor dining earlier, starting today. And coordinating with New England to ban interstate youth sports through at least the end of the year.
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GOV. PHIL MURPHY, (D-N.J.): Our numbers have gone up dramatically. Everything is going in the wrong direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: A similar message in the Midwest.
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GOV. JAY PRITZKER (D-ILL.): If things don't take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reached the point when some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order is all that will be left.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Ohio's governor stepping up mask enforcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OHIO): My message to Ohioans is it's not so much what I order or what the health department orders, it's really what you do in your individual life. You can control this. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Those personal decisions increasingly important as Thanksgiving looms.
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DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: This Thanksgiving's going to suck a bit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Yet embracing a rough holiday this year may be the key to having one next year.
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DR. RICHARD BESSER, FMR. ACTING DIRECTOR, U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION: What we do right now across the nation, what we do in each state, will determine who lives and dies this winter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Here in new York City, new concerns as the positivity rate hits 2.6 percent.
Mayor Bill De Blasio on Thursday reiterating a three percent citywide positivity rate would mean a systemwide shut down for the city's schools.
But he says there's still time to avert that, noting schools themselves have been extraordinarily safe.
In new York, I'm Erica Hill, CNN.
VAUSE: Dr. Murtaza Akhter is an emergency room physician and assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Doctor, thank you for being with us.
And we should note you are with us from Pennsylvania but on any given night we would normally find you in Phoenix.
So with that in mind, what have the last few weeks been like for you and your colleagues there in Arizona? What are you expecting now in the lead up to and then beyond the Thanksgiving Day holidays?
DR. MURTAZA AKHTER, EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: Well, thanks for having me, John. You're right, I'm on the east coast right now, I work here as well.
But my colleagues in Arizona and I have seen the same things in that state that I've been seeing here in Pennsylvania.
Namely, just from a couple weeks ago, there's been a dramatic rise just anecdotally, from the amount of patients we're seeing coming in with COVID.
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It looked like we were getting a lot better, we're on maybe the tail end, is what we were hoping.
But boy, it's not just the graphs that have spiked up, but even our experience in the ER is that all these patients are coming in with coughs, shortness of breath, fever.
And a lot of people don't even have the classic symptoms that are coming back positive for COVID.
It's really been a dramatic change in just a matter of a couple of weeks.
VAUSE: Well, we're hearing these predictions of 280-something thousand people dead over the next couple of weeks.
Dr. Chris Murray, who is an expert in this, he says that modeling of just how bad the outbreak could get actually could be conservative.
Here's what he adds. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. CHRIS MURRAY, DIRECTOR UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH METRICS & EVALUATION: The fall winter surge driven by people going indoors, having more indoor contact -- it's what we've seen play out in Europe and now we're catching up.
So we're seeing the huge exponential rise in cases, deaths starting to follow suit.
We're already at over 1,000 deaths a day, quite a bit more than that. So our numbers that see us getting to 2,200 deaths a day in mid- January are perhaps conservative. And that does require 33 states to put in mandates.
So absolutely, it could go much worse than that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Do you think he's right? And if so, you and your colleagues in Arizona, I guess in Pennsylvania as well, are you ready for that sort of strain on the health care systems?
AKHTER: Yes, I think that actually is quite optimistic.
A couple months ago, I said that even 300,000 by the end of the year seemed optimistic and I was hoping I'd be wrong, that we'd turned the corner.
And, quite frankly, at the rates we're going at right now I think 300,000 for the end of the year is quite optimistic. And definitely too optimistic for my inauguration day. So the number of deaths has been dramatic. From the get go of the
pandemic we were told if we don't control it, it could be as bad as 200- or 300,000. Somehow we're doing even worse than that.
And so our resources are going to be stretched again.
And a lot of states in the upper Midwest, they are stretched. And we're having the same issues in other states as well that have already faced this.
It's really, really unfortunate. I can't believe this is happening.
VAUSE: Yes. It does seem unbelievable in so many regards.
But in Utah which is just to the north of Arizona, ICU beds are now pretty much at capacity in many hospitals.
The governor has issued a statewide mask order, he's also limiting any social gatherings to people in the same household, placing a hold on school extracurricular activities.
The governor of Arizona, though, kind of made this appeal on Twitter to the good folk of his state.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. DOUG DUCEY, (R-ARIZ): The news of a successful vaccine is really positive but until that's available, we need to rededicate ourselves to our best behaviors.
Wear a mask. Maintain physical distancing. Wash your hands. Stay home when you're sick.
And remember, gatherings with family and friends from outside of your household are no safer than going to the grocery store.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: To be fair, it is all good advice. But are we beyond that point of appealing to the goodwill of our fellow Americans to do the right thing? Isn't it time for a mandatory mask mandate, at the very least?
AKHTER: Listen, it was your network just announced a couple minutes ago that Joe Biden just took the state of Arizona.
He's the second Democrat in 70 years to take Arizona, it's otherwise a very red state.
You would think at some point the politicians would realize this isn't working, appealing to people's goodwill doesn't work.
There's a reason the state flipped, right? And I can't imagine that it doesn't have something to do with COVID. When you have that many deaths in a state, when you have that many people getting sick, clearly people are going to say what's going on here?
We've been appealing to the goodwill of people for months and months and months. And as I said, at the beginning of the pandemic, even kindergarteners would have gotten this better but our adults just refused to listen.
And when people don't listen, there needs to be enforcement. It's as simple as that. It doesn't take a political theory Ph.D. to know that. Clearly, goodwill isn't working.
BIDEN: Very quickly and lastly. Here's Dr. Anthony Fauci on what our short-term future is likely to be like. Here he is.
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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: I doubt we're going to eradicate this, I think we need to plan that this is something we may need to maintain control over chronically.
Certainly, it's not going to be pandemic for a lot longer because I believe the vaccines are going to turn that around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: In other words, this is going to be with us for a long time regardless of the vaccine. Are we putting too much hope in this vaccine to turn our lives around and go back to some kind of normality?
AKHTER: Well, if everybody forgets with a pandemic does that'll be a really horrible thing to happen.
So even if the vaccine is very effective -- and I'm hoping it is -- we want to be able to be able to congregate someday again -- germs aren't going to magically go away.
So if people all of a sudden think hey, you know what, coughing in other people's faces is fine now that we have a vaccine. That's totally the wrong message.
People have been getting sick since before COVID. They will continue to get sick after COVID.
[01:25:00]
So that message that you said earlier about washing your hands, maintaining distancing, especially when you're sick, hand hygiene, these are all very important factors.
And even after the vaccine is out -- and we're hoping it's effective, all these things will still be critical. The pandemic will still be here for a while.
And even when its over, you still need to remember; germs kill people. I can't believe I have to say that. Germs kill people. Please, guys, be careful.
BIDEN: Doctor, we're out of time. But thank you for being with you. And I wish you the very best of luck for the coming weeks.
AKHTER: Appreciate it. Thank you, John. Stay safe.
VAUSE: The second coronavirus wave in some parts of Europe could soon peak. And from there, daily cases should start to fall.
But until that happens, the wave of new infections in some parts is like a tsunami.
U.K. reporting more than 33,000 new cases in a single day. A new all- time record.
Portugal also reporting its biggest daily increase in cases. Thursday was the country's second deadliest day, the deadliest day coming just a day earlier.
And hospitals in France are flooded with COVID-19 patients. The French prime minister says the virus is responsible for one in every four deaths in France right now.
In some European countries, the second coronavirus wave is looking deadlier than the first.
Despite that, many just don't want to hear talk of restrictions and lockdowns.
CNN's Melissa Bell reports now from Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN COORESPONDENT: The first COVID-19 wave in Europe was stopped like this.
Cities like Paris locked down for weeks with millions of Europeans confined to their homes. And it worked. The first wave was under control by the summer.
But two weeks into the second national lockdown, cases and hospitalizations are still rising throughout France.
Paris, under this second partial lockdown feels very different. Take its most famous street, the Champs Elysee.
Anything that you might do for fun, visit a clothes shop, go to a restaurant, go to a cafe, well, you can't do. Everything's shut.
But this time around, kids are in school and many more people are going out to work. An effort on the part of the government to keep an already battered economy as open as possible.
But will the partial lockdowns now in place in several European countries prove strict enough? From Belgium's beaches to the cafes of Italy to the streets of Paris,
a fine line is being sought between too much and too little freedom on a continent that's been hit hard by the second wave.
This week, the United Kingdom had its highest single day death toll. ICUs in several European countries are under strain.
In Naples, some hospitals so overwhelmed that they've been giving oxygen to patients inside their cars while they wait for room to admit them.
And France this week transferred dozens of patients from cities where hospitals are full to other cities and even to Germany.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE HILL, EPIDEMIOLOGIST: I think we are heading rather fast toward a major medical catastrophe where the hospitals will not be able to cope with the patients whether they arrive because they have COVID-19 or whether they arrive because they have another emergency. Because this lockdown is rather mellow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: This week, Italy became the fourth European country to pass the million cases mark.
A growing number of its regions are now in partial lockdown, although people have continued to meet in bars and cafes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRISTINA PANETTA, STUDENT: People today don't take this situation seriously.
MAIA AMARA, STUDENT: If we will get another lockdown, OK. People will not die from coronavirus but they will die because they don't work and they don't have money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: Patience with the restrictions has been wearing thin these last couple of weeks.
In Milan, protesters faced off with anti-riot police who fired tear gas.
In Spain, there were protests against mask wearing and in France, more resistance with teachers going on strike over the difficulty of enforcing social distancing in classrooms.
Parisian restauranteurs meanwhile are doing what they can to try and weather the storm with many are doing takeaway for the first time, since this could be the shape of things until a vaccine is found.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: When a world leader refuses to accept the outcome of a free and fair election, demonizes their opponents, delegitimizes the democratic processes, replaces military leaders with loyalists, that would be described as -- what's that word?
We'll find out after the break.
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[01:32:08]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
Almost a week after Joe Biden was declared president-elect, CNN now projecting he also wins the state of Arizona, taking 11 more electoral votes.
Despite Biden extending his lead, there is still no signs of a peaceful transition of power. The State Department is preventing Biden from accessing messages from foreign leaders. And the White House will not allow him access to intelligence briefings, leaving the president- elect to take matters into his own hands.
Earlier, CNN spoke with one member of Biden's transition team on and how they now preparing for inauguration Gay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEN PSAKI, SENIOR ADVISER: PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN: We're just trying to get ready to govern. But I will say, we've all seen these tactics for weeks if not months from the Trump team even before the election.
And with every day, with every effort to delay this is delaying us getting access to the resources we need, getting people on to agency review teams. Inter-agencies to talk about COVID and the recession and moving forward. And kind of that's why we see it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Bob Baer is a CNN intelligence and security analyst, also a former CIA operative. Bob, good to see you.
BOB BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: Good evening.
VAUSE: There is an argument out there that, you know, just let all of this play out. Trump is hurt. His ego is wounded. He is lashing out. He's like a child. Let him be. It will pass soon enough.
But if this is just a random raft of active anger, then why would he go to the Defense Department in such a significant way?
You know, Trump has enemies both real and imagined throughout the government, so who gains when he goes after these senior officials within the Pentagon?
BAER: Well, exactly, John. It's mysterious, frankly at this point. You know, there's absolutely no point removing these people unless it is a pure act of revenge, because they have resisted him in Afghanistan, in Iran, and on the Insurrection Act. They wouldn't put troops out.
We hope -- you know, best-case is that it's an act of revenge. But a lot of people are afraid that it's more than that. And I've gotten calls from people close to Lebanese Hezbollah, they are worried they're going to get attacked, that Trump has removed civilian leadership so that he can sort of a last-minute, you know, add to his legacy by starting a war maybe in Iraq, maybe in Iran, or Lebanon.
With Pompeo in Israel at this time, you really do have to know what's going on. But what worries me is the man is very depressed. He is making rash decisions. And right now, anything is possible. We just don't know.
VAUSE: The chairman of the joint chiefs, General Milley notably talked about loyalty among the military on Thursday. He was at the opening of the U.S. Army Museum. Here is part of what he said.
[01:34:53]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS: We are unique among militaries. We do not take an oath to a king or queen, a tyrant or a dictator. We do not take an oath to an individual.
No, we do not take an oath to a country, a tribe, or a religion. We take an oath to the constitution. And every soldier that is represented in this museum, every sailor, airman, marine, coast guard -- each of us will protect and defend that document regardless of personal price.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: On the one hand it was kind of reassuring to hear Milley talk about the military in those terms and where their loyalty should lie. On the other hand he seemed really kind of worried that he had to make those public remarks in the first place?
BAER: Absolutely. I mean he didn't say anything about the commander- in-chief, we follow orders. He said protect the constitution.
So whatever you are planning to do with the military, whether it's to enforce the Insurrection Act or some adventure in the Middle East, you know, you're going to have to go to congress. And we're going to obey lawful orders and not unlawful ones.
That's the message I read from this.
VAUSE: So if you were assigned as an operative to D.C. and you are reporting back to wherever your intelligence headquarters were, with everything Trump has done in recent days and what you're seeing right now, what would your assessment be of what he's trying to do?
BAER: You know, what I would be doing right now if I were a foreigner assigned to Washington D.C., I would be watching when the tanks come out down the street. But I spent a lot of time in the Middle East and Asia and other places. That's the way you look at the world.
But for the president to decapitate the Pentagon at this point is a lame duck, it is worrisome.
VAUSE: And just to that point, "The New York Times" writes this, "Among the anti-democratic tactics Mr. Trump has employed are some that were commonly employed by leaders like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, and Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia refusing to concede defeat and hurling unfounded accusations of electoral fraud.
The tactics also include undermining confidence in democratic institutions and the courts attacking the press and vilifying opponents.
You know, when you put it all together like that, it kind of says a lot.
BAER: It does. He is mimicking Egypt. He is mimicking Russia with Putin. It's amazing. It's like we have descended into a third world and people are making those calculations and people in Washington are as well because they don't know what his next move is going to be because if he doesn't do something in his calculation, there is not a bad chance that once he's out of office he's going to go to jail. So just how desperate is the man at this point.
VAUSE: Very quickly -- sorry. What would you be looking for if he is going to head down that road of something -- whatever? Who knows. But What are you looking for next?
BAER: I would say a call to his base to be on the street, you know, this is full Stalin. We have to -- it would give him an excuse to put troops in the street, National Guard or you know, whatever at this point.
So far, he has not. Remember, this man has blustered for the last three and a half years against North Korea, against everywhere in the world. He hasn't done anything. And that's the best possible outcome is he is a desperate man that's just making a lot of noise.
VAUSE: You know, so it's just a lot of noise in the next what, 68 days and then no more noise.
Bob, thank you. Good to see you.
BAER: Thank you.
VAUSE: SeaDream One was meant to show the world how the cruise industry could set sail safely during a global pandemic. That just hasn't worked out as planned.
Passengers on board have told CNN positive cases have risen from one to six in less than 48 hours. Details now from CNN's Patrick Oppmann.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The passengers aboard the SeaDream One that we've been in touch with throughout the day then reported back to us, all the company that owns the ship, the SeaDream Yacht Club, would tell us is that more than one passenger has now been confirmed as testing positive for the coronavirus.
The ship has now returned to Barbados, where testing on both the crew and passengers, is underway. We were able to talk to several passengers aboard today -- aboard the ship today. It was said that they were waiting anxiously to see when and how they will be able to disembark the ship.
GENE SLOAN, PASSENGER: SeaDream really thought that they had this figured out. You know, I think they thought that they could block COVID at the door. You know, the ship had a very rigorous testing schedule, more rigorous than what some of the big lines are planning to do when they come back in a few months.
BEN HEWITT, PASSENGER: It's just so disappointing that this has happened. Because everybody had their hopes up high and we can't see anything more that they could have done. It is just such a horrible virus, it just gets everywhere, even with constant testing.
[01:39:50]
OPPMANN: What is really remarkable about this latest case of coronavirus aboard cruise ships is that the SeaDream Yacht Club company said that they expected that this sailing was really going to be a model of how to operate cruise voyages during the pandemic. That people before they got on board the ship, were tested multiple times, and tested throughout the voyage. There were temperature checks, there was oxygen level checks.
And that when they went to destinations in the Caribbean, and this was the first sailing of any company in the Caribbean since the pandemic shut down operations. And that when SeaDream One went to destinations, they would go to empty beaches, places where their passengers would not interact with people on those islands so that they were essentially in a bubble.
And that they felt the SeaDream Yacht Club company that this would keep the people safe. That the routine and regular testing and then not interacting with anybody outside of the cruise ship, that that would really lead to a safe experience.
But what this has shown is us how difficult it will be for the cruse lines to return as long the pandemic rages on.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN -- Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Pro-democracy lawmakers resigned in protest after Beijing throws out four other legislators. That is coming up on CNN NEWSROOM. We'll find out how all of this might jeopardize any chance of democratic reforms for Hong Kong.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: In northern Ethiopia, Amnesty International says a large number of civilians have been killed in the fighting between local and federal governments. Many fear a civil war will break out as the fighting intensifies.
Ethiopian officials are trying to rally support for their troops. This was the scene in the capital, as many answered the call to help by donating blood.
The U.N. says nearly 11,000 refugees have fled to Sudan. They're preparing for as many as 100,000 more and half of that number could be children.
Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers are sticking together after four of their fellow legislators were ousted, essentially by Beijing. On Thursday, the remaining 15 members resigned from Hong Kong's governing body.
That act of solidarity comes as Beijing passed a resolution this week, allowing authorities in Hong Kong to expel elected lawmakers without the need to go to court.
CNN's Ivan Watson has details from Hong Kong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All of Hong Kong's opposition elected lawmakers submitted their resignations on Thursday in a dramatic appearance that some observers argue could mean the death of organized political opposition in this former British colony.
The resignations came after Hong Kong's chief executive, who was handpicked by the Chinese central government, stripped four opposition lawmakers of their seats on Wednesday after they were deemed to be not loyal enough to Beijing.
[01:44:56]
WATSON: It was a dramatic day where some of the opposition politicians hung up signs in the council chambers insulting Carrie Lam, that chief executive.
And one of the lawmakers who resigned spoke to journalists outside the council chambers.
CLAUDIA MO, RESIGNING PRO-DEMOCRACY LAWMAKER: Well, I feel sad, naturally, but also fairly relieved because this council is so full of fakeness, so full of false sincerity, fake sincerity.
They just want to pass anything the authorities want to be passed. And there is just no point. You might ask, what's the point of taking part in any more legislative council elections, right?
We still have to fight hard. Let's see what happens next year and we will have our number, our majority number, to seriously work for Hong Kong.
WATSON: The Chinese Central Government is furious at this mass resignation. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office at the state council called it a farce and said that this was an example of stubborn resistance challenging the authority of the central government.
But the decision, the resolution that was passed by Beijing authorizing the Hong Kong chief executive to strip lawmakers of their seats has been condemned by western governments, including Canada, Australia, The European Union, the U.S. and Britain which summoned China's ambassador to London to formally lodge a protest and has accused China of being in breach of a treaty between Britain and China at how this former British colony is supposed to be governed.
NIGEL ADAMS, BRITISH MINISTER FOR ASIA: It is my unfortunate duty to report to this house our judgment that this decision breaches the legally-binding Sino-British Joint Declaration. It breaches both China's commitment that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy and the right to freedom of speech guaranteed under Paragraph 3 of the Declaration.
China has yet broken its promise to the people of Hong Kong. Its actions tarnish China's international reputation and undermine Hong Kong's long term stability.
WATSON: Beijing bristles at any criticism of how it is ruling Hong Kong. It is accusing these western governments of foreign interference in China's internal affairs.
Ivan Watson, CNN -- Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: This has been described as a power grab by Beijing. And has resulted in restrictions on what can and cannot be taught in Hong Kong schools, leading to a battle in many classrooms.
CNN's Selina's Wang has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sara is ready to say goodbye to Hong Kong, the birthplace and home all for her eight-year-old son.
SARA: I want him to grow up in an environment with enough freedom and he can have a chance to do what he wants to do, not be restricted by some invisible red line.
WANG: She is a teacher in Hong Kong planning to move to the U.K.
SARA: We are open to different options, ok. Like cashier at supermarket, cleaners or doing dishes, ok. Anything is possible. I think we placed more value on giving my son the option and the freedom.
WANG: In the summer, the Chinese government imposed a national security law that bans secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign powers, giving Beijing the power to quash opposition with fines and prison sentences.
Now, the battleground has moved from the streets to the classroom. Teachers are under scrutiny and school publishers and libraries are removing or altering materials that could violate the law.
Chief executive Carrie Lam said illegal ideas and pro independence concepts cannot exist in schools. Beijing has blamed the city's schools for radicalizing young people.
REGINA IP, PRO-BEIJING LAWMAKER: Shouting profanity.
WANG: Regina (INAUDIBLE) is a pro-Beijing lawmaker. She says the changes will teach a more balanced history of China.
IP: I have received complaints about teachers using the classroom as a vehicle of their political beliefs, even stirring up hatred of the police or of the Chinese government, of the people of China.
WANG: But those changes worry some parents of young children.
College teachers are feeling the pressure too. Chinese University of Hong Kong professor Rowena He is known for her research on the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a banned topic in China.
ROWENA HE, CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG: We never know what the red line is. That is the root of censorship and self censorship.
WANG: This year for the first time, the Tiananmen vigil was banned. Authorities blamed coronavirus restrictions, but many fear it is gone for good.
[01:49:53]
HE: Until the day that the government stops imprisoning people for what they say, what they write, what they teach, what they believe in people would have the same fear. But then I don't think that means that we should stop doing the right thing.
WANG: One of Rowena's students plans to become a teacher herself so she can keep the memory of 1989 alive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need someone to continue to teach the next generation and continue to tell them what is right and wrong, not just let them be brainwashed by the government.
WANG: Now Sara's biggest fear for her son is what the city could become in the decades to come. By leaving Hong Kong now she is hoping he won't have to leave his home again when he grows up.
Selina Wang, CNN -- Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The most prestigious golf tournament in the world is underway after months of delay. The golfers face yet another delay before teeing off. And we will tell you who is leading after the first round. That's when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: One of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of golf is usually played in April on lush fairways of the Augusta National Golf Club. But November is not April, but even so there was a slight (INAUDIBLE) but the 2020 tournament teed off on Wednesday, the Masters. Seven months delayed because of COVID crisis, all eyes on defending champion Tiger Woods looking for his 6th green jacket.
As Andy Scholes reports, his opening round did not disappoint.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: A thunderstorm is giving way to sunshine here at Augusta National for day one of the Masters. And I say day one? Because round one is not complete yet. The first ever November Masters had a three-hour rain delay just after play started. And since it gets dark early in the fall, many players are going to have to finish up round one tomorrow before starting round 2.
Now the story from Thursday was the play of defending champion Tiger Woods. The five-time Masters Champ tying his best first round ever in Augusta with a 4 under bogey free round. Tiger, three shots off the lead right now and after his round. He said for this Masters, it's definitely different.
TIGER WOODS, PRO GOLFER: No patrons, no roars, we asked a few of the camera guys today where are (INAUDIBLE). They said no. So it's very different.
A lot of firsts today and this is kind of the way this entire year has been. And the fact that we are able to compete for a Masters this year considering all that's been going on, it's a great opportunity for all of us.
SCHOLES: And your leader heading into Friday is England's Paul Casey. He played a bogey free round on his way to 7 under. The 43-year-old has 5 top 10 finishes in his 13 starts here in Augusta. But still looking for that first major win.
So they will finish round one on Friday before beginning round two. The good news is the weather for the rest of the weekend looks like it's going to be beautiful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Now to an art restoration that many say looks like the work of a child. It's been called the potato head of Palencia. It reminds people of another artistic fiasco from Spain eight years ago. Details now from CNN's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From a smiling girl to a global punchline, this botched restoration of a figure atop a building in Palencia, Spain drew gasps.
[01:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To fix the problem but with questionable results here.
MOOS: In no time, she had a nickname.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Potato head of Palencia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you are a potato.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any loud noise will scare his parts off.
MOOS: The part everyone found scariest? The eyes. It's like they did this for the eyes. The restoration was probably done years ago. But only now did a local artist become aware and post photos on Facebook.
They went viral with commentary. How 2020 started for me, how 2020 is going in November for me. Some even saw a resemblance to President Trump. People joked that the person who restored it just Picasso-d it. But if it was done by Picasso, everyone would be raving. Raving rather than mocking it with comparisons to Mr. Bill.
But more than anything else, it reminded folks of this restoration fiasco from another town in Spain. Forget potato head -- this church fresco, down by an elderly parishioner became known as Monkey Christ and ended up plastered on mugs, wine, and teddy bears.
The church became a tourist attraction. SNL parodied the restoration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got permission from Jesus?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jesus came to me in a dream. And Jesus he looked at me with his round monkey face.
MOOS: The recurring botched work provoked a multiple choice poll question. Should Spain ever restore art? No or no with gusto.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, whether it's olive oil you behold or Mr. Potato Head. Maybe the artist was just following directions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stick in eye then years. You can make the funniest looking people in the whole world.
MOOS: Jeanne moos, CNN -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: I'm John Vause. Stay with us. I will be back. Yes, another hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a short break and then I'll be there, top of the hour.
Stay with us.
[01:57:21]
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