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China Acknowledge Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's Victory; Biden to Undo Trump Policies; Accident Killed Seven Peace Keeping Force; Fifteen Hong Kong Lawmakers Resigned from Posts; Typhoon Vamco Killed 26 People in Philippines; Vacation Went Wrong; Tough Hong Kong Law Shackled Teacher's Freedom; Joe Biden Wins Arizona; Joe Biden Undeterred by Trump; U.S. Coronavirus Cases Skyrocketed; Complacency is Not a Good Idea; Europe Still in bad Shape. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired November 13, 2020 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes.
And coming up here on CNN Newsroom. Put another state in the win column for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden. Arizona goes blue. Donald Trump, still ignoring reality.
As President Trump fights the election results, the coronavirus in the U.S. gets even worse. More than a million Americans have tested positive just since voters went to the polls. Think about that.
And the second wave of the virus and France simply devastating. The virus responsible for 25 percent of deaths happening across the country.
I appreciate your company, everyone.
Joe Biden's lock on the White House is now more secure than ever with CNN projecting that he will win Arizona and it's 11 electoral votes. It is the 4th state that Biden has flip from Republican red to Democratic blue. And he becomes the first Democrat to win that state since Bill Clinton way back in 1996.
Now, the question now is how much longer President Trump will ignore the math and admit defeat. We are told a growing number of key Republicans have begun signaling to him that it is over. The president's unfounded claims about a rigged election are increasingly falling on deaf ears.
U.S. Election officials including Trump appointees in the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday declaring that 2020 election the most secure in American history. An extraordinary moment when the government must reaffirm the sanctity of a U.S. election, even as a losing president insists the vote was fraudulent. The pandemic, Mr. Trump said, would miraculously disappear is of
course growing worse by the hour. Hospitals all over the country on the verge of being overwhelmed with COVID patients. More than one million Americans have tested positive, as we said, since the election just 10 days ago, Thursday saw another record, more than 153,000 new cases in just 24 hours.
Well President Trump has all but disappeared from public view since the race was called for Biden last Saturday. One person who spoke to him, told CNN that the president is dejected over the election loss.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins with more from the White House.
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 has 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 lost, 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 OF AMERICA: When, some day, I leave, whether it's in four years, eight years, 12 years, 16 years --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: As Trump holds out more people in his party are urging him to accept defeat. Fox News's Geraldo Rivera posted this message telling his friend his hard-fought race has come to an end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERALDO RIVERA, CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE, FOX NEWS: You came so close in this election. But it's coming time to say goodbye with grace and dignity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Karl Rove who advised the Trump campaign this year wrote in the 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-OK): And if that's not occurring 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.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has the president considered that?
[03:05:02]
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, NATIONAL PRESS SECRETARY, TRUMP 2020 CAMPAIGN: 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 7th person who attended that party to do so.
And what we saw was probably the most 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.
HOLMES: The Biden team is moving ahead meanwhile to begin a new administration on January 20th, despite the lack of cooperation from the Trump White House.
CNN's Arlette Saenz with the details.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: President-elect Joe Biden is plowing ahead with his transition planning, completely unfazed by the actions or lack of actions from the Trump administration. Biden has continued to fill congratulatory phone calls from world leaders, including a phone call with Pope Francis where the two talked about climate change and the need to help immigrants and refugees.
Those issues are ones that Pope Francis of talked about often, and this was not just an official call for Joe Biden but also a personal one as he would be only the second Catholic to become president when he makes it to the White House.
Now Biden also spoke by phone with congressional leadership with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. They talked about the coronavirus and also their desire for there to be a bipartisan COVID relief package during the lame duck session.
But one key conversation that Joe Biden has still has yet to have is with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The two men have had a very long working relationship together including brokering many, many deals. But so far, that conversation has not taken place. And that is a relationship that could be critical to Biden if Senate Republicans are able to hold on to the majority come January.
Biden is here in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where he and his wife Jill Biden own a vacation home together. But he is continuing to meet with his transition advisers as they are applauding the next steps ahead.
Arlette Saenz, CNN, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
HOLMES: Joining the now in New York CNN political analyst and politics editor for the New York Times, Patrick Healy. Good to see you, Patrick.
You know, there are signs of cracks in the GOP wall around the president and his strategy of crying foul. But, you know, the existence of that wall in light of the results is remarkable, isn't it? Trump lost these three key states Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin by triple the margin he won in 2016 when Democrats conceded. Why are most GOP senators still silent on Trump and his strategy?
PATRICK HEALY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right. It's so striking that even though he has lost the presidency he still retains a real iron grip over the party, and particularly over the base. We haven't seen a Republican president in decades really since Ronald Reagan who had such a close relationship with the Republican Party base. And even though Trump has now lost he retains plenty of his popularity, sort of a simpatico with many Republican voters.
And from the view of Republican elected officials, you know, particularly some want to lead the party, who want to run for president in 2024, you know, who may just be up for election two years from now, they know that the single most important endorsement right now at least will be coming from President Trump.
And to alienate him means potentially to alienate significant numbers of voters. Now this is -- this is the way politics is now. Come a year from now, that maybe very different, but a lot of Republican officials are willing to take that risk.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, I mean, many analysts say the damage is being done to the Democratic process because the senators and others are basically placating a president who's known for turning on anyone who doesn't agree with him. Is it just fear? I mean, given the damage done, is it just they are scared of him?
HEALY: They are. They have been scared of him since, you know, 2018 when his endorsements or his opposition caused a few Republicans to lose. And even this time around the ability of this president to move voters and, you know, in this case, you know, winning even more voters in 2020 than he did in 2016 does put a lot of fear into these Republican lawmakers.
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I think in some ways, though, they believe that this is just a moment in time that the democratic process in America is more than 200 years old that it will outlive Donald Trump, that allowing him to spend a few weeks filing lawsuits, making a lot of noise won't have a permanent effect.
But the problem really is, and we're going to see this pretty soon, whether Republican legislators actually start mocking around with the process and further damaging it.
HOLMES: I guess -- I guess to the point you are making there, do you think Trump wants to retain effect they have control over the party going forward either for power reasons or some has suggested the potential to monetize that control away from supporters? Do you think he wants to continue down that road? And what will become of the GOP as a party?
HEALY: Trump very much wants to keep control the party. He is going to be creating essentially a political action committee that will be able to raise money and make endorsements and funnel money to candidates. He very much wants to stay in control.
You know, some people close to him think that in some ways he's more interested in that political role than he actually is in being president and dealing with the problems of state. So, I think it is a continuing role that he wants to play, and I think that he knows that right now there is no leader of the party in way then. There is no one who has anywhere near his influence for Republican Party voters, whether it's Vice President Mike Pence of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. They're just not able to command that kind of support.
HOLMES: I want to squeeze in one more. Joe Biden. I mean, he talks about being a deal maker, he has that reputation but will deals with Republicans forward the agenda that Democrats really want? And as Senate leader, Mitch McConnell still in the driver's seat with the power of yes or not after the Georgia runoffs. He can do what he did with President Obama, and just say no.
HEALY: He could. He could just stymie that agenda and then give the Democrats something to run against in 2022 to try win control of the Senate. It's going to be harder in 2022 if they're not able to win it this time around with the Georgia runoffs. But it would be something to run against.
Look, Biden is going to have to make choices about his agenda. I think he wants to do something very big on climate change. I think he is going to look for doing something on infrastructure and on healthcare that hopefully will appeal in his mind to both moderates and progressives and maybe pick up a few Republicans senators if Republicans still control the Senate.
But so much of his agenda is going to be, you know, I think held up by Mitch McConnell if the Republicans are running, especially judges which McConnell is clearly put a priority on getting Trump's judges through and Biden may have a tougher time with that.
HOLMES: Yes. But Trump had vacancies because Mitch McConnell wouldn't let Barack Obama nominate any.
HEALY: That's right.
HOLMES: Yes. I think you're absolutely right there. Patrick Healy, we got to leave it there. Thank you so much.
HEALY: Thank you.
HOLMES: And adding to the foreign leaders, and we heard about the pope earlier who had been congratulating Joe Biden as U.S. president- elect. China has now joined that group. We haven't heard from the Chinese leadership until now.
China has congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory, saying, adding that they respect the choice of the American people. This is from China's ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson. So, China doing -- joining the list of foreign leaders congratulating
Joe Biden.
All right. The coronavirus pandemic raging uncontrolled across the U.S. But while grim records are being set U.S. health officials promising quick access to a vaccine once it's approved. We'll be right back.
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HOLMES: Welcome back.
The U.S. set a new and terrifying daily COVID case record on Thursday. According to Johns Hopkins University more than 153,000 new infections were confirmed in one day alone. But the U.S. health secretary promising quick access to a vaccine once its approved.
Alex Azar says that senior citizens, emergency responders, and healthcare workers will all be able to get vaccinated by December and January, he says. And Azar says, doses will be available for everyone by April.
Meanwhile, an influential coronavirus model predicts U.S. deaths could top 438,000 by the beginning of March. And the model says deaths could reach 2,200 every day by just mid-January. But the impact of a potential vaccine was not factored into that analysis so it remains to be seen how it pans out.
Now, as infections rise across the U.S. hospitals of course are struggling. They are now admitting more coronavirus patients than ever. And health experts fear that a rise in the daily death rate may soon follow.
Erica Hill with that.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: COVID patients in hospitals hitting another all-time high. New cases surging nearly tripled the daily rate we were seeing just a few weeks ago.
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PETER HOTEZ, INFECTIOUS EXPERT, BAYLOR UNIVERSITY: This is a humanitarian tragedy. You know, in my moments of despair, I say it's a slaughter. 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 healthcare workers are exhausted and overwhelmed.
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KATIE WENGERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER, IOWA: This pandemic has had staffing on high alert since, you know, 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-NJ): Our numbers have gone up dramatically. Everything is going in the wrong direction.
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HILL: A similar message in the Midwest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): If things don't take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point when some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order is all that will be left.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Ohio's governors stepping up mask enforcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OH): 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.
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HILL: Those personal decisions increasingly important as Thanksgiving looms.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This Thanksgiving is going to suck a bit.
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HILL: Yet embracing a rough holiday this year may be the key to having one next year.
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RICHARD BESSER, FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR, CDC: 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 3 percent citywide positivity rate would mean a systemwide shut down for the city schools. But he says there is still time to avert that, noting schools themselves have an extraordinarily safe.
In New York, I'm Erica Hill, CNN.
HOLMES: Joining me now in La Jolla, California is Dr. Eric Topol. He is a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research Institute.
[03:20:03]
Always great when we can get you on, doctor. I want to get to the big picture in a moment. But first, you tweeted about something I think is a really important issue. We know about the long haulers now, people with symptoms long after infection.
But you were tweeting about this phenomenon of even people who had relatively mild symptoms or moderate were really suffering.
ERIC TOPOL, PROFESSOR, MOLECULAR MEDICINE, SCRIPPS RESEARCH: Right. Well, good to be with you, Michael.
This is the problem. There's this notion that you have to be really sick to have the long chronic form of COVID. But it isn't true. It actually happens with mild cases and especially more common in young people.
So, this is the real issue that we're not in touch with. It's more frequent and in less severe cases than was initially envisioned.
HOLMES: Yes. I think somebody put it, there is a chasm between recovered and death when it comes to COVID. And those people are feeling -- feeling horrible, sort of number there. You know, the broad, more broadly there is this accelerated climb going on right now. Hospitalizations at record levels.
I think there's been a million positive cases since election day. The modeling is suggesting the numbers could double by January. I mean, what do you see ahead? And what can be done about it? So many hospitals at or near capacity already.
TOPOL: Right. Well, it is an out-of-control situation. It's desperate. And what's amazing so little is being done to respond to it. So, the virus it got unrestrained ability to find new host, and we're not doing the things. It doesn't need a national lockdown, but we need to get universal mask mandates, we need to get closures of specific hot spots.
Places like bars, restaurants, gyms, those sorts of places. We also need to do cluster busting, that is, prevent crowds, improve ventilation, maximize distancing. We're just not doing these things. These are so simple. This is just, you know, public health 101 and they are being disregard it. They're being defied. And that's the problem.
HOLMES: And it's being said all throughout this that there has been really a lack of a coordinated national strategy. It's even worse now. I mean, it just seems like we're in a lame duck political period and it's become a lame duck period on coronavirus as well. Nothing is happening.
TOPOL: Right, Michael. It's not just lame duck, it's a blatant surrender. That's what we are seeing now. Let it rip. This was the policy that Scott Atlas espoused and President Trump basically adopted. And we are seeing it play out. And it's just, it's a horror show to see in real life, especially we know so much better than this.
HOLMES: The fatality numbers are just striking. I mean, speak to that point -- speak to the public attitudes. I mean, I keep thinking back and I say to my young adult kids through think back in April and May how concerned everyone was, how aware, how terrifying it was, and yet, now people seem to be, many of them seem to be relaxed about the risk, even though it is much worse.
TOPOL: That's right. So, there is a complacency. There is this pandemic fatigue. I mean, we are seeing it of course in Europe as well. But the difference though in the U.S. is we starting without having ever achieved containment. That was achieved throughout Europe.
But here, we never got below 20,000 new cases per day. And now, we're well over 150,000 new cases. So, we have a terrible situation here because of that fatigue added to the fact that we're just -- how a large proportion of Americans who don't adopt the things that we know would help. HOLMES: And just briefly if you will. It seems to be an awful lot of hoping place on vaccines. I mean, do you think -- there are not going to be a light switch, there are going to be a dimmer, we hope, right? Does that make sense?
TOPOL: Well, it is the most exciting thing we've had since this pandemic started as far as positive news, that is this virus is going to be squashed someday through the efforts of vaccination programs. It's going to take a while, as you point, Michael.
It's a dimmer, but, you know, the point is that we know until this week that we could get this virus with a vaccine. That we could get high efficacy. We thought, you know, 50, 60 percent. Not 90 percent. That changes the whole equation. That means we can get there faster. That is, that dimming, as you point out. We also don't need quite as many people to get vaccinated to get there.
So, the good news is, there is light at this end of the tunnel. And maybe by mid-year, next year if we are fortunate and we can get several different vaccines with that high efficacy, we'll get there.
HOLMES: We all hope for that. Dr. Eric Topol, thank you so much. We really appreciate your time.
[03:25:01]
TOPOL: Thank you, Michael.
HOLMES: Well, the French prime minister says the coronavirus is responsible for one in four deaths right now. And France isn't the only country in Europe with hospital facing enormous strain.
CNN's Melissa Bell joins me now from Paris where there is a second partial lockdown where you are, as well as elsewhere. Is it working?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is now been more than 10 days that these partial second lockdowns have been in place in several European countries, and look, the news is not good from Germany. We heard this morning that they've just recorded their highest ever rise in the number of new cases. So, more progress needs to be made there.
But there is the beginning of some hint, both in Belgium and in France to other countries whether second partial lockdowns are in place. Then in terms of the number of new cases and we heard this from the French prime minister yesterday there is some slight stabilization.
Still, though, hospitals under massive pressure, ICU under massive pressure, and the question is, where the second partial lockdown so much less strict than the first can really make the difference in time?
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-Elysees. 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 is 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 try and 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 sort 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.
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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 because they arrive because they have another emergency, and because this lockdown is rather mellow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: This week, Italy became the 4th European country to past 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'll get another lockdown, OK, people will not die because coronavirus but will die because they don't work and they don't have money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: Patience with 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 doing takeaway for the first time since this could be the shape of things until a vaccine is found. So, all eyes very much on what happens in the next few days, the
French prime minister speaking yesterday about the fact that things might be starting to improve ever so slightly. Warned that the peak was still ahead and we might not see that for some time.
And of course, the question is whether that delicate balance will protect these healthcare systems that have been so threatened under the -- under the weight, Michael, of the second wave, so much more virulent and widespread on the European continent than was the first.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes, hospitals are under strain all over the world.
Melissa, thank you so much. Melissa Bell there in Paris for us.
Five years on from the Bataclan terror attack, France is remembering the victims today. Right now, the French prime minister and the Paris mayor are participating in events to mark the time that has passed since the coordinated attacks of 2015.
[03:30:00]
Now that ceremony is beginning at the Stade de France where three suicide bombers detonated explosives as the day progresses a van was moved to the cafes were targeted by gun man. And another suicide bomber in the ceremony will culminate the Bataclan where the small confider is that 90 people would kill that, an important day for the French.
All right. The Trump administration is of course complicating Joe Biden's transition to the White House. But the president-elect is launching his own foreign policy anyway. We'll tell you how coming up next.
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HOLMES: And welcome back to our viewers around the world. I'm Michael Holmes. You are watching CNN Newsroom.
And as we said before the break, just coming into us here at CNN, after more than one week of staying mostly silent about the U.S. presidential election, China has now offered its congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said this quote. "We respect the choice of the American people and we congratulate Mr. Biden, and Ms. Harris. At the same time, we understand that the outcome of this U.S. election will be determined in accordance with U.S. laws and procedures."
Biden is also marking another election milestone, almost a week after he was declared president-elect CNN is now projecting he's won Arizona as well. And that means 11 more Electoral College votes. Despite Biden extending his lead there are still no signs of a transition of power going on.
The State Department is actually, preventing Biden from accessing messages from foreign leaders and the White House will not allow him to get intelligence briefings. So, the president-elect is taking matters into his own hands by speaking to various world leaders on his own.
Former President Barack Obama was asked by CBS about why the current administration might be frustrating the transition.
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BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They appear to be motivated in part because the president doesn't like to lose and never admits loss.
I'm more troubled by the fact that other Republican officials who clearly know better are going along with this, are humoring him in this fashion. It is one more step in delegitimizing not just the incoming Biden administration but democracy generally. And that's a dangerous path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:35:07]
HOLMES: Joining me now, Trita Parsi, he is the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He is also the author of the book "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy."
Always good to see you, Trita. It's been awhile.
Now let's start with this. When it comes to what Joe Biden can do in terms of foreign policy it's important I guess to look at what he can undo, perhaps, and near the top of the list would be the Iran nuclear deal.
You were writing in foreign affairs about what you see as preemptive action by the Trump administration to perhaps try to sabotage in the effort for the U.S. to reengage on that. What do you see is the possible path?
TRITA PARSI, AUTHOR, LOSING AN ENEMY: Well, I think on to your point, you are absolutely right. A lot of the things that Biden actually is going to be doing is to undo things that the Trump administration did such as the Iran deal, as well as Paris ICC and a whole lot of other agreements. WHO, as well.
When it comes to Iran what the Trump administration is trying to do right now is to impose as many sanctions as they can before inauguration day. With the calculation that this will make it next to impossible for the Biden administration to undo. And as a result, will make it impossible for the Biden administration to revive the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal.
I don't think they are going to succeed but I think it is quite telling that their intention is to sabotage which then tells us all of these talks that sanction was just there in order to get the Iranians to the table. Not at all. They are doing it just to sabotage things.
HOLMES: What if Biden does move to tangibly improve relations with Iran, heaven forbid, normalizations, let's got right out there. What would be the likely fall out with nations that Trump courted so assiduously like Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Israel, and so on?
PARSI: Yes. So, I think it's important to understand many of these states have their own rivalries with Iran. They have their legitimate concerns about Iran, But U.S. national interest is a separate thing. The United States and Iran have not had normalize relations for more than 40 years. It's been to the detriment of both of those countries.
Just take the example of the JCPOA. If they were established and robust of communication through an embassy in both capitals, I'd find it highly unlikely that the Trump administration would have been able to do the damage that they did to the JCPOA because there would have been channels of communications and the Iranians would have been able to talk to the Trump administration and had an ability to impact things.
That didn't exist, and as a result it's a very, very hard-fought nuclear deal ended up being extremely fragile because one single president could come in and undo everything. So, I think both of them have an interest in this but there're going to be obstacles, both in Iran and in the U.S.
And there's going to be obstacles in Israel, in Riyadh, in Abu Dhabi because those countries prefer that the United States and Iran are at loggerheads and that the United States uses its military and political and economic power in order to keep the balance of power in the region such that Iran is contained and to the benefit of Saudi Arabia, UAE, et cetera. Whether that is an America's interest however is a different story.
HOLMES: Exactly, that is a very different question. I can talk about Iran and policy all night. But I did want to get your thoughts since we had you in the broader foreign policy arena.
What do you see as the general reaction among allies and foes to the Trump defeat? And what perhaps could substantially change or substantially change under a President Biden? There is going to be a lot of fence mending done for starters.
PARSI: Certainly. And I think a very large number, a clear majority of countries are quite pleased to see that Trump is leaving, clearly and Israel and Saudi Arabia, and UAE, they had hoped for Trump, they had invested heavily in Trump.
But I think also for those countries that were hoping for a Biden victory that they need to temper their expectations a bit. In the sense that some of the things that they didn't like about Trump, such as wanting to pull out of Afghanistan, wanting to pull out of NATO, and reevaluating alliances. Some of that I suspect is going to continue.
Because the American public is increasingly tired of America playing a role in world policemen. And these are political constraints that even someone like Biden who otherwise would probably favor a much more traditional American foreign policy is going to have to take into consideration. It's not just going to go away simply because Donald Trump no longer is in the White House.
HOLMES: But briefly, if you will, we're out of time, but you see a better engagement with NATO. You'd see a rejoining perhaps in some of the trade packs and that sort of, that sort of thing.
PARSI: Certainly.
HOLMES: More mainstream names.
[03:40:03]
PARSI: Yes, absolutely. And the changes that perhaps will take place that some of these other allies may not so please by, will not happen over Twitter. It will be delivered to them. It will probably be collaborative but It's not going to be going back to the future. It's not just going to be a return to the Obama years.
HOLMES: All right. Yes, interesting months, days, years ahead. Trita, good to see you. Trita Parsi, thank you.
PARSI: Thank you so much for having me.
HOLMES: An international peace keeping force says seven of its military members were killed in a helicopter crash in Egypt. Now this happened during a supply mission in the southern Sinai Peninsula. Five Americans among the dead, along with one French and one Czech national. Another American survive the crash.
Officials say the incident appears to be an accident caused by technical issues. The peacekeeping group known as the multinational forces and observers oversees the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.
Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers are sticking together after four of their fellow legislators were ousted in essence by Beijing. The remaining 15 members resigned from the Hong Kong governing body. That act of solidarity coming after Beijing passed the resolution this week allowing authorities in Hong Kong to expel elected lawmakers without going to court.
CNN's Ivan Watson with more.
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. 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLAUDIA MO, HONG KONG 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. There's just no point. And you might ask what's the point of taking part in any more legislative council elections, right?
We still have to fight hard. Let us see what happens next year and we will have our number, our majority number, to seriously work for Hong Kong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: The Chinese central government is furious at this mass resignation. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office of 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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 three of the declaration.
China has yet again broken its promise to the people of Hong Kong. Its actions tarnished China's international reputation and undermine Hong Kong's long-term stability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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. HOLMES: At least 26 people are dead, more than a dozen others are
missing after typhoon Vamco made landfall in the Philippines. This was late on Wednesday night. That is according to our affiliate CNN Philippines. More than 180,000 people evacuated as the typhoon battered the country.
[03:45:02]
It made landfall on the northeast coast as the equivalent of a category two hurricane. Causing flooding and storm surges of six to nine feet. You can just see how people having to deal with it there. And then later, it made a second landfall on the island of Luzon where landslides and mud flows blocked roads. It was the fifth major storm to hit the Philippines in three weeks.
Hong Kong schools have enjoyed a reputation for academic freedom but new rules that Beijing has imposed have left teachers and parents facing some tough choices. We'll explain when we come back.
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HOLMES: SeaDream 1, the first cruise ship to sail in the Caribbean since the coronavirus shut down the entire industry, was supposed to show how cruises could operate safely again. But the number of passengers testing positive has gone from one to six in less than 48 hours. That's what passengers on board are telling us.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann with our story.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Passengers aboard the SeaDream 1 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 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 and was said that they were waiting anxiously to see when and how they will be able to disembark the ship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENE SLOAN, PASSENGER, SEADREAM 1: 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.
BEWN HEWITT, PASSENGER, SEADREAM 1: It's 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. It's such a horrible virus, it gets everywhere even with the constant testing.
(END VIDEO CLIP) 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 the sailing was really going to be a model of how to operate cruise voyages during the pandemic.
That people, before they got all board the ship were tested multiple times, they were tested throughout the voyage. There were temperature checks, there was oxygen level checks, and then 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.
[03:49:59]
And when the SeaDream 1 went to destinations they would go to empty beaches and places where their passengers would not interact with people on those islands. So they were essentially in a bubble, and that they felt the SeaDream yacht club company that this would keep people safe, that the routine and regular testing and then not interacting with anybody outside the cruise ship. That that would really lead to a safe experience.
But what this has shown is how difficult it will be for the cruise lines to return as long as the pandemic rages on.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
HOLMES: As Beijing tightens its political crackdown in Hong Kong, some teachers are now beginning to leave the territory because of new restrictions on what they can and what they cannot teach in the classroom.
CNN's Selina Wang explains.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sarah is ready to say goodbye to Hong Kong, her birthplace and home of her 8-year-old son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WANG: She is a teacher in Hong Kong planning to move to the U.K.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are open for different options, OK? Like cashier at supermarkets or even be a cleaner or doing dishes. So, anything is possible. I think we placed more value on giving my son the option and the freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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 schools, 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGINA IP, CHAIRWOMAN, HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EDUCATION PANEL: Shouting profanities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WANG: Regina Ip is a pro-Beijing lawmaker. She says the changes will make a more balanced history of China.
IP: And I have complaints about teachers using the classroom as a vehicle of their political beliefs, even stirring up hatred of the police, of the Chinese government, of the people of China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWENA HE, PROFESSOR, CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG: We never know what the red line is. Right? That's the root of censorship and self- censorship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WANG: This year, for the first time, the Tiananmen vigil was banned. Authorities blamed coronavirus restrictions, but many fears it is gone for good.
HE: Until the day that the government stop imprisoning people for what they say, what they write, what they teach, what they believe in, people would have the same fear, but I don't think that means that we should stop doing the right thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WANG: One of Rowena's students plans to become a teacher herself so she can keep the memory of 1989 alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) 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 to brainwash by the government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WANG: Now Sarah'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.
HOLMES: We'll be right back.
[03:55:00]
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HOLMES: And now to an art restoration that looks like it was done by a first grader, and it reminds people of another artistic fiasco from Spain eight years ago.
CNN's Jeanne Moos has the details.
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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It fix the problem, but with questionable results here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: In no time, she had a nickname.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Potato Head of Palencia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you're a potato.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any loud noise will scare his parts off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: The part everyone found scariest? The eyes. It is 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. Bell.
But more than anything else, it reminded folks of this restoration fiasco from another town in Spain. Forget potato head.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where did the noses go?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where noses belong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: This church fresco done 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 parody the restoration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got permission from Jesus?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Say, Jesus, he came to me in a dream, and Jesus, he looked at me with his enormously around monkey face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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 --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's so funny?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: -- or Mr. Potato Head. Maybe the artist was just following directions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just stick in eyes, then ears, you can make the funniest looking people in the whole world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's Mr. Potato Head.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: New York.
HOLMES: The question is, why didn't take them so long to notice?
Thanks for watching CNN Newsroom. Spending part of your day with me, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. Don't go anywhere though, I will be back with another hour of news in just a moment.
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