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Georgia's Largest County Finishes Hand Recount of Votes; Pompeo in France for First Leg of Seven-Nation Tour; 15 Asia-Pacific Nations Sign China-Backed Trade Pact; Obama: It's Time for Trump to Concede; Countries in Europe Battle Rising Cases of COVID-19; U.K. Prime Minister Self-Quarantine After Possible COVID-19 Exposure; Cuba Reopens Havana Airport After Seven-Month Closure; SpaceX Launches Astronauts into Orbit to Dock with ISS; Dustin Johnson Dominates in Win At Augusta. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 16, 2020 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

AMARA WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Those counts will now be uploaded to the Secretary of State, and it will be Secretary Brad Raffensperger who will be announcing the final results.

Now, the Fulton County election director says that, look, we expect the numbers to change and be different a bit slightly because you're introducing human error into the hand counting of the ballots. But he along with top state election officials including the Secretary of State who is a Republican have all said they do not expect the overall results to change.

And interesting case here, though, in southwest Georgia, a tiny little county called Early County where only 5,200 ballots needed to be recounted. They finished on Friday, and the elections director said that she was thrilled and a bit shocked because results of the hand count were exactly the same as the original results.

All in all, the Secretary of State has said that the recount has been moving smoothly, and it looks like many of the counties are on track to meet the deadline, which is Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. so that the Secretary of State can certify the results by Friday, the 20th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Amara Walker with that report.

Well, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in France on the first stop of his seven nation tour. The trip may prove a little awkward. Each and every one of the countries he's visiting has congratulating President-elect Joe Biden for his victory. Something that Pompeo and his boss Donald Trump refuse to do.

So for more, let's turn to CNN's Melissa Bell who joins us live from Paris. Good to see you, Melissa. So how difficult will this visit likely be, given the fact that France was the first to recognize Joe Biden's win? MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: And the French government in

the shape of its ministers has made clear over the course of the last few days that it is looking ahead to the next administration and the work it's going to be able to do with it on questions like multilateralism, climate, and international relations. But for the time being, the American Secretary of State is being welcomed here in Paris because as his counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a television interview on Friday, until January 20th, he is my counterpart, and therefore will be received when he comes to Paris, with the Elysee insisting that these were meetings both with the foreign minister and with the French President later today that come at the request of Secretary of State Pompeo but that have been organized in full transparency with the President-elect's team.

So what we expect is a wreath laying ceremony to those French victims of terrorism over the course of the last few weeks. Mike Pompeo will then be received by his French counterpart and then move on the Elysee where he will meet with Emmanuel Macron.

On the table, a number of the international questions of the day, China, terrorism, but one of the sticking points and the French have made clear that they would make it plain to Mike Pompeo that they would oppose any suggestion of a unilateral withdrawal and rushed withdrawal by the United States from either Afghanistan or Iraq. So, you're likely to their about that.

Also on the table is likely to be Iran. Remember that the French have really led efforts to try and revive the deal and will again be looking to beyond January 20th to see what they can do in that direction.

But one thing that's worth noting is you're not going to hear much from any of those leaders, Rosemary, simply because there is no press conference planned. They will not be speaking as things are organized for the time being. So, you'll see some pictures, but you won't hear terribly much about what was said.

CHURCH: All right, Melissa Bell bringing is the latest there from Paris. Many thanks.

And right now, Asian stock indices are reacting positively to a deal that just formed the world's largest trading alliance. Fifteen Asia- Pacific countries signed the regional comprehensive economic partnership in a summit in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sunday. The China backed deal accounts for nearly 28 percent of global trade and excludes the United States. And this comes as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris are set to speak more about their plans for reviving the U.S. economy today.

And CNN's John Defterios joins us now. Good to see you, John. So of course Donald Trump pulled out of the transpacific partnership when he came to office. Now this pact appears to increase China's influence in Asia. Is that how you see this?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Yes, it certainly does, Rosemary. This is hard evidence that if you pull out of a trade agreement, others move ahead, and sit at the bargaining table and work out yet another one. So, Donald Trump pivoted away -- as you're suggesting -- from Asian, the TPP, and this is very different. And President Xi Jinping of China saying this a clear sign that multilateralism lives on in the World Trade Organization and particularly in Asia.

[04:35:00]

And this is comprehensive as you're seeing, Rosemary, because it's China to the north and New Zealand, all the way to the south, the fastest growing region in the world and this propelled the Asian stock markets to new records. The Nikkei index was at a 29-year high, and the broader MSCI index is at a 33 year high. So this is kind of a halo effect.

Japan grew stronger than expected in the third quarter at 5 percent. China's manufacturing is rebounding, and this is spilling into the U.S. future's market as well. As you can see here, they are building on the gains from Friday when the S&P 500 hit a record, and it's now up about 8/10 of 1 percent.

What I find fascinating about this process right now, Rosemary, is they're shutting out the noise, investors about the COVID-19 spikes that we see in Europe and the United States and also the vote recount that's being called upon by Donald Trump. It's almost in a different shelf if you will. And investors are focusing on the transition by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And as you suggest in your lead in, they're going to be addressing an economic policy. The number one thing they have to do is get a stimulus package out of the gate, and show they can work with U.S. Senate Republicans, Mitch McConnell, because that's been a parked for the last three months. They've been negotiating since September but stopped around the elections and does Biden move ahead and say let's put out an olive branch and get a deal done -- Rosemary.

CHURCH: All those challenges ahead. John Defterios bringing us the latest on that. Many thanks.

Well, former U.S. President Barack Obama has some words of advice for Mr. Trump. Obama sat down with 60 Minutes for an interview that was broadcast Sunday, and he said Mr. Trump needs to accept the election results and concede if he cares about his legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A President is a public servant. They are temporary occupants of the office by design. And when your time is up, then it is your job to put the country first and think beyond your own ego, and your own interest and your own disappointments. My advice to President Trump is if you want at this late stage in the game to be remembered as somebody who put country first, it's time for you to do the same thing.

SCOTT PELLEY, CBS, 60 MINUTES: In your view, it is time for him to concede? OBAMA: Absolutely. Well, I mean, I think it was time for him to

concede probably the day after the election or at the latest two days after the election. When you look at the numbers objectively, Joe Biden will have won handily. There is no scenario in which any of those states would turn the other way, and certainly not enough to reverse the outcome of the election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, we will find out why the British Prime Minister is now in self-quarantine for a second time since the pandemic began. Back in a moment.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, around Europe, there is mixed news on the fight against the coronavirus. France is finally seeing a decrease in COVID-19 patients in ICUs. That is the first decrease since the beginning of October. But in other countries, the news isn't so good. Greece is closing all primary schools and nurseries for two weeks to try and bring a rising number of cases under control. While in Germany, the country's economy minister is warning citizens to brace for another four or five months of precautions and restrictions to halt the spread.

Well, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in self-quarantine, according to Downing Street. He came into contact with a member of Parliament who later tested positive for COVID-19. Mr. Johnson has promised to follow all the same rules that members of the public are being asked to observe.

And for more on this, we want to turn to CNN's Max Foster. He joins us from outside 10 Downing Street in London. Good to see you, Max. So what all are we learning about Boris Johnson's second self-quarantine since this pandemic began?

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if we take you to this image on Lee Cain's Facebook page, you can see the two men together on Thursday. They are social distancing, some people saying not quite enough. But they're not wearing masks. We're told they're in this COVID secure environment there, but obviously, and so then went on to track or got test positive for coronavirus, which is why Boris Johnson is currently working on his own in solitary confinement, we understand, in Downing Street at the moment. But he hasn't got any symptoms yet, and he's pretty fit if you take a look at the video that he published this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It doesn't matter that I'm fit as a butcher dog, feel great, as so many people do in my circumstances. It actually doesn't matter that I've had the disease and I'm bursting with antibodies, we've got to interrupt the spread of the disease and one of the ways we can do that now is by self- isolating for 14 days, when you get contacted by NHS, test and trace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: So obviously earlier in the year he ended up in intensive care because he had coronavirus. A lot of people looking now to see whether or not he'll catch it again. It's a big topic of debate around the world of course. He says he's stuffed full of antibodies, which suggests he's had a test for that as well. But a lot of people looking to see if he does catch it again. Lots of debate from those who are currently in the country about, you know, whether or not that's possible, and whether or not these viruses mutate, which may mean he can catch it again.

CHURCH: Yes, of course, I mean eight months ago he had this, so it would be questionable, of course, certainly from what we're learning now that he would still have these antibodies. But we will find out more going forward. Max Foster joining us from outside 10 Downing Street in London. Many thanks.

Well, Cuba has reopened its international airport in Havana, months after the pandemic forced it to close. The near total ban on tourism severely hurt the nation's struggling economy but now the government hopes the reopening can help turn things around. CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports from Havana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Seven months after Havana's Jose Marti International Airport shut down the commercial flights, and Cuba closed its borders, this airport has now reopened. Although with some significant changes. You see over here people are getting their hands sprayed with a solution. When they get inside, they have to have their temperature checked and you see people with face masks everywhere, which is the law and even some with face guards. So it doesn't look like it used to, of course. And many less flights that we had before the pandemic.

[04:45:00]

The flights have begun to come in first time in over seven months that there have been any kind of commercial traveling. Think how devastating that has been to the Cuban economy, which depends on tourism. So, that will slowly start to come back, and will help people who have been waiting months and months to reopen the homes they rent, if they have a rent-a-car business, a restaurant, where the Cubans make a living off tourism as so people here do.

But when travelers arrive now at the airport, they will have a PCR test here in this terminal. Then they will have to go to the hotel or the home they're staying in and wait at least 24 hours, we are told, to get the all clear, be told that their test has come back negative, and then they can really begin their trip.

So while this airport is now open, tourism is slowly returning to this island. It is going to be a drawn out process because Cuba says they don't want to open too quickly to make sure the cases don't rise too quickly but at least for now people are relieved that this airport and tourism has returned to this island. Patrick Oppmann, CNN Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: It was a master's like no other. First, a COVID delay, and then a major record shattered by this guy, Dustin Johnson's big win. That's next.

[04:50:00]

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, mission liftoff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A giant leap for Elon Musk's SpaceX, the company has launched four astronauts into orbit, to meet up with the international Space Station. Rachel Crane reports from Kennedy Space Center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RACHEL CRANE, CNN INNOVATION & SPACE CORRESPONDENT: History was made here today at the Kennedy Space Center when NASA astronauts, Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi from Japan Space Agency, after a successful launch at 7.27 from Launchpad 39 A, which is of course where Apollo 11 astronauts blasted off to the moon back in 1969.

The mission was pegged crew one and it was the first operational mission for SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft with astronauts renaming Resilience in honor of the hardships of 2020. The countdown was not without its tense moments, including a detected air leak when the hatch door was first closed.

However, technicians were able to troubleshoot the problem and the astronauts launched on time. They are currently making their way through space on a 27-hour journey before they rendezvous with the International Space Station where they will live and work for the next six months.

They will be joining three ISS crew members on board the floating laboratory, bringing the total number of crew members to seven, which will dramatically increase the amount of science and research the crew can perform.

Now since the retirement of the shuttle back in 2011 NASA has not had a home-grown way of getting to the International Space Station. And over the years, NASA has paid Russia over $4 billion dollars to fly in their Soyuz spacecraft to get there.

Sunday's launch is so significant, because it marks the true beginning of commercial flight to the International Space Station. Something that end our dependence on the Russians to ferry our astronauts to space and NASA hopes the commercial flights will save the agency money and allow NASA to focus on deep space missions like going back to the moon, and one day putting boots on Mars.

Rachel Crane, CNN, Kennedy Space Center.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And earlier my colleague Michael Holmes spoke with former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao about how the new role for private companies is changing the space program. Here is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEROY CHIAO, RETIRED NASA ASTRONAUT: I think it's been very positive because as you know, several years ago as a member of that White House appointed committee to review U.S. human space flight plans and part of what we put together as an option for the administration was to help these commercial companies develop the capability to deliver and return at NASA astronauts and international astronauts commercially.

Kind of a rental car model or maybe a Uber model, if you will, where instead of maintaining the infrastructure, you know, within NASA, NASA can contract for these services after helping jump start these efforts and this is a great example with SpaceX now delivering their second flight with astronauts on board. And this opens up the future. It opens up possibilities for other commercial companies to book rides or flights with SpaceX down the road.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: American Dustin Johnson is dawning the famous green jacket after winning the 84th masters held unusually late this year, and he did it with the fewest strokes ever. Andy Scholes has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, after that big third round on Saturday that gave Dustin Johnson the lead, he was able to go out there in the final round of the Masters on Sunday, fight through the nerves and cruise to victory to put on his first ever green jacket.

And I followed D.J. around the course for most of his day, looked shaky early on, but was able to settle in and shoot 4 under for his final round, ends the tournament, 20 under par, which a Masters record. D.J.'s little brother Austin who caddies for him, tearing up on 18 as they were finishing up. His fiancee, Paulina Gretzky running to give him a hug and kiss to congratulate him.

Now D.J. grew up just about an hour from Augusta in Columbia, South Carolina. He dreamed of winning this tournament as a kid, and he was very emotional when speaking about finally putting on his first green jacket.

Dustin Johnson, Word No. 1: You know, just growing up so close to here, you know, it's always been, you know, a tournament that, you know, since I have been on the tour that, you know, since I played my first Masters has been, you know, the tournament I wanted to win the most. As a kid, you dream of playing in the Masters and, you know, dream about putting on a green jacket. Couldn't be more happy, and, you know, I think I look pretty good in green too.

[04:55:00]

SCHOLES: And D.J. had been 0 for 4 closing out majors when leading after three rounds, and he said after this win, it feels good to finally close one out. There wasn't much drama either. DJ's five stroke win, the most here at the Masters since Tiger won back in 1997.

Tiger, meanwhile, had a wild day. He hit into the water on 12, not one, not two but three times. Last year, Tiger survived 12 in the final round while others found the water, which helped him win the tournament. This time around, not so lucky. Tiger a 10 on a hole for the first time in his career. But he actually fought back with birdies at five of his final six holes. That away that ten and Tiger had himself a decent tournament. Now we won't have to wait long for the next Masters, the 2021 tournament now just five months away. This tournament certainly odd to not having the fans out there on the course. Here's hoping they return in 2021.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Absolutely. And in Belgium, a record breaking auction for a 2- year-old racing pigeon. This bird named New Kim was sold for almost $2 million on Sunday breaking last year's record by a significant margin. She was initially put up for auction at about $235, but bidding rose sharply, and she was ultimately sold to a buyer from China where long distance pigeon racing is becoming popular. One of the auctioneers says the new owner will likely want to breed her because Belgium tends to produce elite birds and potential champions.

Well, thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. "EARLY START" is up next. You're watching CNN. Do stay with us.

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