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Fed Chair Criticizes Trump Administration for Ending Emergency Lending; Biden Poised to Make 1st Cabinet Announcements Next Week; 12- Year-Old Boy is Youngest to Die from COVID in New Mexico; Update on Coronavirus Responses Around the World. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired November 20, 2020 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:28]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Now to what some are calling a troubling move by the Trump administration as countless American businesses struggle to make ends meet during the pandemic.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has decided to cut off critical Federal Reserve lending money aimed at helping small businesses struggling to survive as coronavirus continues to ravage the economy.

The move is being met by a rare rebuke by the central bank, which typically steers clear of sensitive political issues.

In a statement, the Federal Reserve says it, quote, "would prefer that the full suite of emergency facilities established during the coronavirus pandemic continue to serve their important role as a back stop for our still strained and vulnerable economy."

Secretary Mnuchin wants the central bank to return $455 billion in unused funding for programs set to expire December 31st.

The money was set aside in March as part of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion stimulus package meant to prop up the ailing economy by providing financial assistance and loans for distressed companies.

The move also puts the Trump administration at odds with corporate America. Really all of it.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce blasting the decision as one that closes the door on important liquidity options for businesses at a time when they need most, adding that it unnecessarily ties hands of the incoming administration.

Now, sources close to President-Elect Joe Biden say he is close to reaching a decision on a number of key cabinet positions with possible announcement within the next week.

Today, Biden is set to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Biden is believed to be fast-tracking some of his cabinet selections in an effort to move ahead with the transition, despite President Trump's attempts to contest the election.

Let's go to CNN's Jessica Dean in Delaware. She's following the Biden transition team.

Do we know which positions are close to being announced, Jessica?

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we do know, Brianna, is at a press conference yesterday, President-Elect Joe Biden said that they had come to a decision on who they wanted to nominate to be treasury secretary, that a decision has been made on that.

We're told also that he may be close to making a decision on secretary of state.

Now, the timeline, as you mentioned, looking like next week, early next week, we could hear some of these beginning announcements for these cabinet secretary nominations.

Again, an effort by Biden and his transition team to make sure they're moving ahead, despite any of President Trump's actions or inactions in terms of conceding the race and allowing the transition to move forward.

Biden talked a little about this yesterday. He was asked what the American people should think and make of all of the actions by President Trump. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think they're witnessing incredible irresponsibility, incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions.

And I think it is -- well, I don't know his motive. But I just think it is totally irresponsible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Again, we are expecting to hear some of those key cabinet positions announces sometime next week.

Brianna, all of this concerted effort to remind the American people, Republicans and President Trump, that this transition is moving forward whether or not President Trump accepts it or not.

KEILAR: And you know, listening to the president-elect, you kind of -- it seemed - he's tried not to weigh in in a way that sometimes irritates the situation.

[13:35:07]

But it seemed clear, by his demeanor, even as he says it is irresponsible, that -- look, we look at what's going on with the decision by treasury, it just seems cruel.

And it seems to be dropping a mess in the lap of Joe Biden. But very much at the expense of Americans.

Which it seemed like the president-elect was kind of surprised that the administration would do.

DEAN: Yes, it was interesting. I was in the room yesterday for the press conference. You definitely saw a shift in his demeanor when he started talking about that.

And you saw how carefully he chose his words, and how he paused to think about it.

The Biden transition and President-Elect Biden, for sure, really want to get to work. They know what lies ahead for them. And it is a giant challenge everywhere they look, from coronavirus to the economy, across the board.

They know a lot of Americans are hurting now. They want to get in and do what they think can help.

Unfortunately, they're being hampered from even planning for that, Brianna, which we should remind everyone, is what is typically happening at this point in the transition process.

KEILAR: Yes.

Jessica, thank you so much for that report from Wilmington. We appreciate it.

Ahead, activists are railing against one of Joe Biden's picks to serve on the EPA transition team. Renowned environmental activist, Erin Brockovich, is among them. She'll joins me, live, with her reaction.

Also, winter is coming for restaurants being forced to adhere to new COVID restrictions. Why one owner warns the months to come could be a bloodbath for restaurants.

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[13:41:35]

KEILAR: As cases continue to surge to record new highs, many families are left grieving the loss of a loved one that they're never going to be able to hold or hug again.

And 12-year-old Aden Self (ph) lived in New Mexico and he is now one of the state's youngest victims to die from coronavirus.

Evelyn Wolfe is Aden's (ph) older sister. She is with us now.

Evelyn, I am so sorry.

Your family is - you've had something taken from you, something so beautiful. We see photos of Aden (ph). Can you tell me a little about Aden (ph)?

EVELYN WOLFE, SISTER OF 12-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO DIED FROM COVID-19: Absolutely. My little brother was the happiest little boy. He loved watching his Kansas City Chiefs. He loved watching wrestling.

Just anybody who met him would tell you that the smile he provided and the love that he had was the most contagious love that anybody would ever here. And just be happiest, happiest little boy.

KEILAR: His smile is beautiful. You can see the joy in the photos you have given to us.

Tell us what happened. Walk us through what happened with your family, getting infected, and your brother succumbing to this.

WOLFE: My father was an essential worker, going to work to provide, like every other essential worker out there, unknowingly brought it home.

And we have medically fragile kids in the household, but this really can happen to anybody's family. That's the main thing. We want everybody to know that.

He didn't know that he brought it home. Saturday night, my brother and my dad were both OK. Come Sunday, they were both in the ICU.

My dad got released earlier this week, thankfully. But Sunday, my brother went in, they tested him, he tested positive. All his other medical issues were managed at that point.

Come Monday, they said his left lung collapsed and right lung was going as well.

They called me. I came to be with him at 4:00 Tuesday morning. They called my mom, said, hey, you need to get down here.

She asked if I could go with her. First, they said no. Then they let me.

And my mom, we have another five kids in the house that were getting tested that day, as well as me and a few other people.

So we were leaving, somebody came running down, and said, hey, it is happening now, because my parents chose comfort care.

And my mom couldn't get dressed fast enough. So I went into the room, held my brother's hand in his last breath.

KEILAR: You mentioned, Evelyn, that your family has a lot of medically sensitive kids.

WOLFE: Yes.

KEILAR: There are a lot of kids in your family. And just to explain to people a little more about your family, your

family adopts kids who are medically fragile, which is what happened with the case of Aden (ph) and his twin brother, who we understand is doing fine.

He was a preemie. He was blind. And your family adopted him at seven months old. You had him until he was 12.

[13:45:01]

You know, I hear when we talk with people, who are thinking about the risks of what it means to protect other people, other Americans, other people in the world, or they're taking the risks that don't protect other people, people who could infect someone, like your dad, who doesn't have a choice, who has to work.

They often will look at a victim and say, oh, but they have a pre- existing condition.

But that's not just the case of elderly people. It is the case of kids, too, like your brother.

WOLFE: Actually, Aden (ph) has a twin. It is a girl. But, yes, that's the main thing. I have seen that a lot because -- I am trying to stay off all of the media forums.

I just can't handle somebody saying hey, he did have an underlying condition.

Absolutely, he did. But it was managed. If it was not for coronavirus, if it was not for COVID, my brother would still be here.

And that's the whole thing. It can affect anybody, whether you're healthy, whether you do have the underlying conditions.

What I want people to think about is, yes, you might be OK right now, but you don't know who the person next to you has at home. And that's the big part.

KEILAR: Yes. That is the big part. We have talked to many people who they're healthy, out working, they have kids immunosuppressed at home, and they're dealing with this.

How are your parents doing?

WOLFE: My dad, thankfully, was released from ICU. I got to pick him up not yesterday but the day before.

Honestly, this has really hit my family as a whirlwind, the easiest way to put it. My brother was the most unconditional loving little boy, and that light is gone now.

So I'm just -- I am trying to keep my parents together and my siblings together, reminding them of all of the good times, and everything my brother did stand for in our family. KEILAR: So when you're talking about that, I think that's such a part

of losing someone you love. You think about the moments that you have with them.

What are some of the moments you think of that are so Aden (ph) to you?

WOLFE: Football. Football. Kansas City Chiefs, all the way. He would wear his hat. He would wear his shirt every Sunday.

And he didn't verbalize the same as we do, of course, because he was medically fragile and he did have those conditions.

But he would scream at the TV and watch the Kansas City Chiefs every Sunday. Every Sunday. And it was dad's team. So it was that father/son bonding thing.

And the first thing, his laugh. His laugh was the most amazing thing. You tell him you love him and he would just laugh at you. It was amazing.

He couldn't always understand things but there was just certain things -- where I would sing to him, anytime I would be with him, I would sing to him, rub his eyebrows, like big sisters do, you know.

And those are just memories that I personally have with him, that I keep reminding everybody, just think of those little things that you all have.

KEILAR: Evelyn, he sounds like a beautiful person. Clearly, will be missed so much by your family.

And we thank you so much. You are in the middle of the most difficult thing you'll be in the middle of. But thank you for taking the time to talk to us.

WOLFE: Of course. Thank you guys for having me here, Brianna. I truly appreciate it.

And once again, just think about not necessarily yourself but who the person next to you has at home. You may be good, but there's always somebody there.

KEILAR: There's Aden (ph).

Evelyn, thank you.

WOLFE: Yes. Thank you.

[13:49:18]

KEILAR: We'll be right back.

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KEILAR: The U.S. is not the only country experiencing a surge in COVID cases. India has now topped nine million cases, the second-highest number of total cases behind the U.S.

And here's the latest from CNN reporters around the globe.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Melissa Bell in Paris.

Here in France, a COVID-19 patient is entering ICU every four minutes. That's according to the French health minister, who is speaking Thursday night about the situation more than three weeks into a partial lockdown.

In terms of the circulation of the virus, things have improved, he said. But there are still too many COVID-19 patients in hospital and too many in ICUs.

And although both those figures have been coming down these last couple of days, he said that we were still, in terms of hospitalizations, above the figures that we had seen at the very height of the first wave.

So these restrictions will stay in place until at least December 1st. We expect some loosening. Although it may be that restaurants and bars don't open until next year.

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Matt Rivers in Mexico, where health officials have just announced, for the first time, the country's death toll as a result of the coronavirus has surpassed 100,000 lives, making it one of a handful of countries around the world that has surpassed that terrible milestone.

[13:55:07]

We are in the state Durango, Mexico, right now, one of the states that recently has been hit the hardest from this virus.

We're outside a hospital where, just about every day, family members are coming here, gathering. They have loved ones inside the hospital who have the virus. And they are forced to wait outside for any sort of news from doctors from the inside about their loved ones.

For most of the past six weeks across the country, we have seen the number of newly confirmed cases and deaths. The averages of both trending in the wrong direction.

And we spoke with the health secretary here in Durango, who said, while cases are slowing ever so slightly here in Durango, he is worried, as we move into the holiday season, just like the United States, in Mexico, families will gather, reunions will happen, and infections could spike again.

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KEILAR: Thank you so much to my colleagues for those reports. Today is the day Pfizer says it will apply for an emergency use

authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine. But the biggest concerns are availability and distribution. Those concerns amplified by the delay in the presidential transition.

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