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New Coronavirus Cases and Deaths Spike Across the United States; President Trump's Transition Sabotage Threatens Vaccine Rollout; Georgia Confirms Biden Victory, No Widespread Fraud; Biden Delivers Sharpest Rebukes Yet of Trump; Trump Legal Team Goes Off the Rails; Trump Invites Michigan Republicans to White House; U.S. Vaccine Prioritization Plan is in the Works; CDC To Release U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Plan; Uganda Election Unrest: Dozens Killed In Protests After Candidate Arrested; Nigeria Threatens To Sanction CNN Over Investigation; Joe Biden: There Is No Excuse To Not Share Data And Let Us Plan; U.S. Tops 185,759 New COVID-19 Cases, Highest One Day Total. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired November 20, 2020 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Coronavirus cases and deaths are reaching dismal numbers in the United States and around the world. This, as the promise of a vaccine looks ever closer.
Donald Trump is apparently telling allies in private that he knows he lost the presidential election, but that is not what he or his lawyers are telling the public.
Nigeria threatens sanctions against CNN, following an exclusive investigation of uncovered evidence that unarmed protesters were fired upon.
Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom."
The coronavirus pandemic is raging out of control in the U.S. as the nation shatters another daily record for new infections. More than 187,000 new cases were reported Thursday.
According to Johns Hopkins University, well over half million new infections have been recorded in the last four days alone. Hospitals are overwhelmed with the number of people dying every day, nationwide, is also rising to levels not seen since early May.
Experts from the University of Washington now say the pandemic is getting so bad, the death toll could reach more than 470,000 by March. That is an increase of more than 30,000 from its forecast just last week.
CNN's Nick Watt has more. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (VOICE-OVER): Classrooms closed in New York City this morning. Bars, indoor dining, gyms will likely follow.
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: It's just a matter of time. It is very likely to be in the next week or two.
WATT (voice-over): Starting Monday, every K through 12 schools in Kentucky will also be online only.
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): When addressing COVID-19, action is unpopular, but inaction is deadly.
WATT (voice-over): Schools are empty. Hospitals are filling up. Now, nearly 80,000 COVID patients, nationwide, are never been higher. Still --
AUSTIN SIMONSON, INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST, SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER: I have family members that deny it exists and it's hard to have that conversation with them.
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Despite a quarter million deaths, despite more than 11 million infections, despite 150,000 new infections a day, they don't believe it's real. That is a real problem.
WATT (voice-over): More than a quarter million people have now been killed by COVID in this country. That's a fact. So is this.
BRETT GIROIR, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: The end of the pandemic is in sight with the vaccines. That being said, this will get worse.
WATT (voice-over): The CDC is now advising against Thanksgiving travel and celebrating very small.
RICHARD BESSER, FORMER ACTING CDC DIRECTOR: My parents live here in town. They live about a mile from my house. They are both 90. They are not coming for Thanksgiving.
WATT (voice-over): Maybe 20 million vulnerable Americans might now get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in the next few months.
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The day after one of these vaccines is approved, we will be shipping vaccines to the American people, and within a day after that, we will be seeing those vaccines injected.
WATT (voice-over): This, by the way, the first White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing in more than four months.
PENCE: America has never been more prepared to combat this virus than we are today.
WATT (voice-over): Really? U.S. is now adding, on average, over 160,000 new cases a day. So, hospitals will fill up. The death toll will rise. It is simple math.
NATHAN HATTON, PULMONARY SPECIALIST, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HOSPITAL: Every day, you walk into work, someone is super sick, someone is potentially dying that day having those family meetings. And then even as I was driving home last night, I drove by one of our parks and there is ongoing, you know, practices for some sporting event.
WATT (on camera): Here in California, Saturday night, the governor has said that there will be a limited stay-at-home order over most of the state. It's basically a curfew, 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The governor says the virus is spreading here like it has never done before. They need to get a handle on it.
Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): Dr. Scott Miscovich, a family physician and national consultant for COVID-19 testing, joins me now from Kailua, Hawaii. He also pioneered pop-up COVID-19 testing in Hawaii. Thank you very much for joining us here today.
[02:04:58]
BRUNHUBER: It will be 10 months since we saw the first case of COVID in the U.S. We have spiking cases, lockdowns, and piecemeal restrictions. We are divided on what measures or even whether to take any measures at all. It seems incredible that so many people have learned so little. Did you ever think we would be here, where we are now, 10 months into this?
SCOTT MISCOVICH, FAMILY PHYSICIAN, NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR COVID-19 TESTING, PIONEERED POPUP COVID-19 TESTING IN HAWAII: No, I really didn't think. I thought the country would take this seriously. I thought the political leadership, whether it was the governors, the departments of health, would stand up and come to a common theme and let people know that this is serious.
This is a pandemic that the world has never seen in modern times. There is only one way we are going to stop this, by having a common voice to tell people how important testing is, how important social distancing and wearing mask is. And we still see that different -- no matter where we go.
BRUNHUBER: And, you know, the CDC tries to be part of that national voice. It is recommending that Americans avoid traveling and gathering with relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday.
But many in the right-wing media are saying that the warnings not to congregate over these holidays are tantamount to a war on Thanksgiving. Even the White House press secretary called guidelines limiting Thanksgiving Orwellian. As someone in public health, I imagine it is hard enough to get people to change their behavior, to give up on cherished activities and traditions without these very influential figures, and the media and the White House telling millions of people basically not to listen.
MISCOVICH: I just finished traveling to the south because I'm involved with football conferences with testing and a lot of universities in testing. It is so interesting in that trip to see how you can go from one town or one area and see no masks, no concerns whatsoever for social distancing, to other areas where people seem to be paying attention.
And as we look for Thanksgiving coming up, I am always giving advice. The advice is that take it seriously. I mean it. We are not -- let's face, we are not going to stop people from getting together over Thanksgiving, but put your older parents or someone with immune- compromised in a certain area, separate.
I always tell people, put a fan over their shoulder. Let the fan blow away from the person who is immune-compromised so that they're not breathing the same air. Try to go outside if you're in an area that is warm enough. Try to have ventilation that is adequate.
Those are the common messages that our leadership should getting out there, as well as to say, well, limited to groups of six or 10, you know, have a virtual Thanksgiving.
There are so many messages we need to get, but where does it come from? It comes from leadership, it comes from experts, it comes from whether the governors or the local departments of health. We are not getting it. We are not getting that consistency that we need.
BRUNHUBER: That may change in a little while, looking ahead to the Biden transition, or lack thereof right now. You know, Dr. Fauci said he would like to brief the Biden team, but the Trump administration isn't allowing him. Biden said the stonewalling could put us behind by weeks or months.
The good news, of course, you know, the two vaccines, so far, produced far better than expected results. But, you know, they will be useless if we don't have a plan to get them to people.
We heard again today that the Trump administration's vaccine distribution team hasn't briefed anyone on the president elect's team and has no plans to do so. How much do you think this national vaccine rollout will be affected by the chaos in Washington?
MISCOVICH: Well, I actually will tell you, I am quite optimistic about what has been happening with the vaccines. Those percentages that we are seeing in the high 90s or mid 90s are far better than we expected.
I am also involved with a large organization who has been briefing the federal government about a plan and, I guess, you would say putting a proposal for Operation Warp Speed, which is the plan that the federal government has to have rapid vaccine distribution. So, behind the scenes, there is a process going on to create a vaccine distribution.
Now, the reality is that it is going to be mid next year before we really get it going broadly. But I am concerned that there should be a better transition politically to have the Biden administration and his new team to understand where we are in this whole process.
BRUNHUBER: You are giving us a bit of reassurance on the vaccine rollout front, which will be usually important. Listen, we will have to leave it there. Thank you so much, Dr. Scott Miscovich. I appreciate it as always.
MISCOVICH: Thank you for having me.
[02:09:57]
BRUNHUBER (on camera): The U.S. state of Georgia has finished its presidential election recount and, no surprise, the result was the same, Joe Biden won, Donald Trump lost. Officials say they found no evidence of widespread fraud.
Meanwhile, we are getting new details on how president-elect Joe Biden will handle the coronavirus pandemic.
CNN's Arlette Saenz reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President elect Joe Biden offered a blunt assessment of President Trump's refusal to concede.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are witnessing incredible irresponsibility, incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions.
SAENZ (voice-over): From his home base in Delaware, Biden delivered some of his sharpest rebukes yet of the outgoing president.
BIDEN: It is going to be another incident where he will go down in history as being one of the most irresponsible presidents in American history.
I think most of the Republicans I have spoken to, including some governors, think this is debilitating. It's not a -- it sends a horrible message about who we are as a country.
SAENZ (voice-over): Biden's incoming White House chief of staff warned of the ramifications of Trump stonewalling.
RON KLAIN, INCOMING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I think all Americans should be concerned about the way in which President Trump is behaving in his final days in office. Instead of doing what he should do under the law facilitating an orderly transition, helping save lives in the fight against COVID, the president is thrashing around with these PR stunts.
SAENZ (voice-over): Biden also blasted the administration for not coordinating on key coronavirus planning, including the distribution of a vaccine.
BIDEN: There is no excuse not to share the data and let us begin to plan, because on day one, it is going to take us time if we don't have access to all this data. It is going to put us behind in eight ball by a matter of month or more. And that's lives.
SAENZ (voice-over): Without federal coordination, the president-elect is turning to the states, holding a virtual meeting with some Democratic and Republican governors.
BIDEN: I don't see this as a red state issue or blue state issue. I see this -- we are all in this together.
SAENZ (voice-over): Biden is eyeing mask mandates nationwide, but he has little authority to institute them himself, and will need to convince governors and local officials to take on the task.
BIDEN: It's not a political statement. It is a patriotic duty.
SAENZ (voice-over): Biden also said a national shutdown is not on the table.
BIDEN: No national shutdown. No national shutdown. Because every region, every area, every community is -- can be different.
SAENZ (voice-over): Behind the scenes, the president-elect is weighing his cabinet picks and said he has made up his mind about treasury secretary, with an announcement coming as soon as next week.
BIDEN: You will find it as someone who, I think, is -- will be accepted by all elements of the Democratic Party, from progressive to the moderate coalitions.
SAENZ (voice-over): One of Biden's former rivals is making no secret about his hopes for a top job.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): I think something like secretary of labor would be a very attractive position.
SAENZ (on camera): And on Friday, Joe Biden will meet here i Wilmington, Delaware with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. This will be the first time that Biden is meeting with those congressional leaders since becoming president- elect.
One key conversation Biden still is yet to have is with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The two have yet to speak.
Arlette Saenz, CNN, Wilmington, Delaware.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): All right. In just a moment, Donald Trump's attorneys entered the twilight zone, laying out their bizarre claims of election fraud. The only thing missing is evidence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: I know crimes. I can smell them.
BRUNHUBER: We have the latest on the president's dwindling legal challenges, right after the break. Stay with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[02:15:00]
BRUNHUBER (on camera): The top U.S. election security official fired this week by Donald Trump called it the most dangerous hour and 45 minutes of television in American history. He is talking about the president's legal team and its latest claims of election fraud.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump's assault on the outcome of the election taking on a new intensity tonight as deadlines for finalizing results in many states grow closer while his attorneys are set on delaying it.
GIULIANI: I know crimes. I can smell them.
COLLINS (voice-over): After suffering a string of court losses, Rudy Giuliani and the rest of Trump's legal team held a press conference today that went off the rails as they made a series of baseless allegations and Giuliani's hair dye ran down his face.
GIULIANI: Did you all watch my cousin Vinnie? You know the movie? It is one of my favorite law movies because he comes from Brooklyn.
JENNA ELLIS, TRUMP CAMPAIGN SENIOR LEGAL ADVISER: Your question is fundamentally flawed when you're asking where is the evidence.
COLLINS (voice-over): The president wasn't at that briefing, but CNN has learned he has taken the brazen step of inviting Michigan GOP state legislators to the White House tomorrow as he tries to undermine the Electoral College process.
This week, he personally called a Republican election official in Michigan, who tried to stop the certification of the results in the democratic stronghold of Wayne County, but reversed her decision and voted yes after facing major backlash.
UNKNOWN: Shame on you!
COLLINS (voice-over): Now, Monica Palmer wants to rescind her vote after getting a call from Trump, which she has no legal standing to do. The Trump campaign withdrew its lawsuit in Michigan today, claiming she could.
GIULIANI: They did. They decertified.
COLLINS (voice-over): Rudy Giuliani told a Pennsylvania judge in court earlier this week he was not alleging fraud in Pennsylvania, just a fraudulent process. But when he was in front of cameras today, Giuliani changed his tune.
GIULIANI: The number of voter fraud cases in Philadelphia could fill a library.
COLLINS (voice-over): In his last two months in office, the president appears set on doing lasting damage to the democracy that put him there. Instead of condemning him, Republicans are humouring him.
SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): Vice President Biden is talking about unifying the country. I don't think that's possible until you overturn every stone out there.
COLLINS (voice-over): Utah Senator Mitt Romney is one of few GOP voices expressing concern.
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT) (voice-over): The consequences of what is happening during this lame duck period, I think, are potentially more severe than the consequences associated with a late transition process.
COLLINS (voice-over): With the pandemic raging in the U.S., the White House Coronavirus Task Force held its first press briefing in four months today.
Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have now surpassed a quarter of a million, despite President Trump's April projection they would not go above six figures.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are probably heading to 60,000, 70,000.
COLLINS (voice-over): Many across the U.S. are left wondering where is the federal government, but Trump wasn't at the briefing today, as sources say he is more consumed by his election loss than the pandemic.
PENCE: President Trump directed us to host this briefing.
COLLINS (on camera): And that was the first coronavirus task force briefing in four months. But after all the officials went through the updated numbers and the vaccine distribution list, they refused to take a single question from reporters.
The vice president closed out the session. He was making his closing remarks. He closed his binder and then turned and walked out of the briefing room as reporters shouted questions at him. Of course, that likely comes as the vice president and several other top government taxpayer-funded officials have refused to comment on the president's efforts to destabilize the election.
Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): CNN political analyst Sabrina Siddiqui joins me now from Washington. She is also a national politics reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Thank you so much for talking to us here. Georgia's recount, it's over.
[02:20:02]
BRUNHUBER: It is over. Biden wins Georgia again. So, you know, case closed, right? Conspiracy theories debunked, the president's doubts have been put to rest. No doubt. What happens next?
SABRINA SIDDIQUI, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Well, what remains is for the state of Georgia to certify its election results. The secretary of state, Republican secretary of state, it is worth noting, is expected to do that by Friday.
Now, the Trump campaign had requested this recount and it was done by hand. It did not meaningfully change anything. Biden's lead was still roughly 12,000 votes. He is now the first Democrat to carry Georgia in a presidential election in 28 years.
So, this is a significant achievement for Biden and his campaign. And really the only measure left for the Trump campaign is to request a machine recount. But it is quite clear. The writing is on the wall. There are no alternatives left in the state. And it is the state Biden did not even need in order to win the Electoral College.
So, at this point, again, the Trump campaign has a lot of efforts ongoing to try and overturn the results of this election, but it's very clear that that is just not going to happen.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, they just lost another case to stop the certification there in Georgia in court. So, that will proceed a pace, I imagine.
Let us turn to Michigan now. The president hasn't been able to overturn that state's election results in court just like everywhere else so far. So now, he is flying the leaders of Michigan's Republican-controlled state legislators to meet with him at the White House later today, presumably to try to stop the certification of the vote in that state.
So what do you make of those efforts? Could it work? And even if it doesn't, what damage is being done here?
SIDDIQUI: It's extraordinary, really, to see a sitting president try and exert this kind of influence over state legislators. Really a last-ditch attempt, as we've said, to overturn the results of an election where there is simply no evidence of widespread fraud. There has been no evidence to support the Trump campaign's claims of fraud and irregularities.
What is more striking is that one of the lawyers for the Trump campaign told reporters, who asked for evidence, that it was a fundamental flaw in the question, actually seek evidence for the claims that they were making.
And so, look, I think, you know, in terms of whether or not Trump can pressure some of the Republicans in Michigan, perhaps, but there really isn't a remedy for the Trump campaign to reverse what has already been declared as the outcome in Michigan, another state that Joe Biden carried by a significant margin. In fact, the margin is roughly three times more than what Trump's margin was when he carried the state in 2016.
I think there is going to be a lot of ongoing tantrums on the part of the president and his campaign. But once again, it is not going to change anything.
But it really does erode the public's confidence in the outcome of the election, in the integrity of the electoral process in the United States, and that is the long-term damage, to undermine the democratic process in a U.S. election and cast irreparable damage on the way in which the public perceives the electoral process here in the United States.
BRUNHUBER: Even though the Trump administration cannot change the results of the election, they can slow down that transfer of power. That is what they are still doing.
Joe Biden says he is not ruling out legal action if the president does not allow the general services of administration to begin that transition process. But, you know, it seems unlikely, at this point, that he goes the legal route. What are the risks involved there if he were to do that?
SIDDIQUI: I think for president-elect Joe Biden, the legal challenge to the GSA's refusal to open up resources for his transition team, that is, of course, the federal agency that has declined to give what is a routine designation to the president-elect and his team following the election, paving the way for the transfer of power, it is really what Biden has said would be a last resort.
I think that is because he is still hoping that they can perhaps cooperate in some way with the departments and agencies and career officials who so far have had their hands tied by the president's refusal to concede, and therefore his administration refusal to cooperate.
But I think that what the Biden transition team is waiting for is for the Electoral College to be certified. A lot of these states that we were just talking about have yet to formally certify their results.
And so if they were to bring this case in court, there is always a prospect of a judge saying, well, we have -- technically the court -- the states have not yet certified the results.
[02:24:54]
SIDDIQUI: So, you know, I think what they are waiting for is when they can unequivocally say that this election has been declared in Joe Biden's favor and therefore there is no reason to delay opening up these resources and allowing his transition team access to everything from intelligence briefings to information about the government's response to coronavirus pandemic.
That is what Biden has been driving home, that this is about lives, it is about vaccine distribution, and it is in time of crisis. And so this delay is going to really put his incoming administration at significant disadvantage when they take office in January.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, they say lives could be lost here because of this. Listen, thank you so much for speaking with us, Sabrina Siddiqui. We appreciate it.
SIDDIQUI: Thank you.
BRUNHUBER: Whenever the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines get the green light in the U.S., assuming of course that they do, that doesn't mean just anyone will get one right away. We will explain what distribution plan is looking like.
Plus, Nigeria is threatening sanctions against CNN in response to an exclusive investigation. We will have the details ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): Welcome back to you, our viewers in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I am Kim Brunhuber. You're watching "CNN Newsroom."
Pfizer and Moderna have not gotten the green light to distribute their vaccines yet. But things appear to be moving along rapidly. In the U.S., the CDC will soon decide who should get vaccinated first. Health care workers, people with underlying health conditions and the elderly will likely have first priority, but how about the rest of us?
CNN's Brian Todd breaks it down.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dr. Anthony Fauci calls it the cavalry that is coming to help us get past the pandemic. Fauci and other experts are optimistic about the timeline for a wide rollout of a coronavirus vaccine.
FAUCI: We likely will be able to start dispensing vaccines in December and then progressively over the next few months.
TODD (voice-over): The process is moving rapidly of the two manufacturers on the fastest tracks to produce vaccines, Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna. Pfizer-BioNTech says it was planning to apply to the FDA for an emergency use authorization by Friday. Moderna is expected to do that in the coming weeks.
A CDC advisory committee meets this coming Monday to consider who will get the vaccine first. And FDA decision on emergency use authorization should come in early December. Then, our first shot of relief.
ALEX AZAR, U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: By the end of December, we expect to have 40 million doses of these two vaccines available for distribution, pending FDA authorization, enough to vaccinate about 20 million of our most vulnerable Americans, and production, of course, will continue to ramp up after that.
[02:30:00]
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): CDC recommends that health care providers who are in harm's way of the virus should get the vaccines first. Then people with underlying health conditions and other vulnerable segments of the population like the elderly then possibly nursing home staffers. But when can the rest of us who arc in those categories get vaccinated?
DR. PETER HOTEZ, DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: I'm hopeful by Q2 of 2021, so early spring, that would be our asp rational goal.
TODD (voice over): And a key part of this to remember experts say is that with most of the vaccines rolling out will each have to receive two doses of it.
DR. HOTEZ: At least the first three of the four vaccines they require two doses, three to four weeks apart. Then, it takes a week or so, after that, to develop a robust virus neutralizing antibodies immune response.
TODD (voice over): Other key questions, how, and, where will the vaccines get distributed? One expert says the CDC will work with the states to get the vaccines to providers who can administrate them.
DR. WALTER ORENSTEIN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, EMORY VACCINE CENTER: States will be in charge of trying to determine the best way to get vaccines to the people who need them. This can include taking vaccines to special places such as hospitals, or health care providers, and it could include the vaccine being distributed to doctor's offices.
TODD (voice over): One expert Dr. Peter Hotez, says he is often asked which vaccine he would choose between the once produced by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZenica and Johnson & Johnson. His answer, don't over think it. Don't wait for one particular vaccine. Get what's available first. They all work he says to keep you of the ICU. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: Peru is now president number 3, just more than a week, nation that is in political turmoil after the previous president was impeached. So can the new president make a difference? Rafael Romo reports. RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A country in turmoil. Violent clashes, erupted last week in Peru, after congress impeached President Martin Vizcarra, clearing the way for these men, ahead of congress Manuel Marino to replace him. Many Peruvians saw the impeachment vote as a power grab. And, it showed their anger by the thousands in the streets of Lima the Capital.
I feel indignant, ashamed and powerless. Members of congress are swearing by their families, swearing by God, when, in reality, their motivation is something else. It is their desire and ambition for power this protester told CNN.
We want congress to know that the people do not support it, that it's not only a few who are against him, this woman said. Pressure kept building with more protests, that turned increasingly violent at least two people were died and 94 people injured last weekend. And then on Sunday only five days after being sworn in Marion resigned.
Protesters erupted in cheers. 2 days later, a new President, Francisco Sagasti, chosen again by congress, was sworn in. Sagasti is a 76-year- old engineer, and Former World Bank Official. Sagasti was Peru's 3rd president in a week, and the country's 4th, in as many years. Facing likely impeachment, - resigned in March of 2018. His vice president and successor Martin Vizcarra was impeached last week.
Many Peruvians feel congress has too much and are demanding a new constitution be written with more checks and balances. Anger against the political class in Peru, is still boiling hot.
We want the whole congress gone because we truly don't believe in any of them this protester told CNN. Peruvians are scheduled to go to the polls, next April, to choose new congress, and president. When the winner takes off his in July, he or she will be the country's fifth president in as many years. Rafael Romo, CNN.
BRUNHUBER: Uganda is quickly spiraling into political chaos? Protests have now turned deadly after a famous musician challenging the current president was arrested. We'll have a live report, after the break, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:35:00]
BRUNHUBER: Nigeria is responding to a CNN exclusive report, now being called, the Lekki Toll Gate investigation. It uncovered evidence the Nigerian security forces shot live ammunition at protesters last month. Something Nigerian officials deny. CNN's Nima Elbagir has the details.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: CNN investigation into a peaceful protest in Lagos, Nigeria turns deadly. Has drawn threats of sanctions from the Nigerian government and the government's most significant response to the events, which on folded on October 20th, at Lekki Toll Gate, in Lagos. Nigeria's Minister for Information and Culture Lai Mohammed dismissed the CNN investigation as, "Fake news" and "Misinformation" repeatedly denying the military used live rounds against protesters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAI MOHAMMED, NIGERIAN MINISTER FOR INFORMATION & CULTURE: Like everyone else, I watched the CNN report yesterday. I must tell you, it reinforces misinformation that is going around, and it is blatantly irresponsible. It is a poor piece of journalistic work by a reputable international news agency.
CNN which touted its report as an exclusive investigative report, sadly, it relied on the same videos that have been circulating on social media, without verification. This is very serious, and CNN should be sanctioned for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELBAGIR: The minister also denied the findings of our reporting that there had been at least one fatality. He did not provide any evidence to back these accusations. CNN's report was based on testimony from dozens of witnesses, and photos obtained, and geo located, by CNN.
It painted a picture of how members of the Nigerian Army, and the police, shot at the ground. Killing at least one person, and wounding dozens more. We verified footage, acquired for multiple eyewitnesses, and protesters, by using time stamps, and data from the video files. The police, in a tweet, denied shooting protesters.
The army, first calling, it fake news then said, only blanks were fired in the air. But the video shows soldiers who appear to be shooting, in the direction of protesters. And accounts from eye witnesses establish that after the army withdrew a 2nd round of shooting happened, later, in the evening.
Prior to broadcasting the report, CNN tried multiple times to illicit comment from the Nigerian Army and the police force. Calls to the army were never returned. The Lagos State Government and the police force said that there would be no comment while a judicial tribunal was underway.
In advance of the findings of the tribunal the minister told reporters that his government was very satisfied with the conduct of the military and police. CNN stands by our reporting. Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.
BRUNHUBER: At least 16 people have been killed and many others wounded in violent protests in Uganda. They were clashed by the arrest of Pop Star turned Presidential Candidate Bobi Wine. Uganda's Inspector General says he violated COVID-19 restrictions on campaigning but his supporters say it's a suppression tactic.
[02:40:00]
BRUNHUBER: CNN's David McKenzie is live in Johannesburg. David, clearly a very troubling situation unfolding there hundreds arrested, riding in the capital, what's the latest?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, human rights law I spoke said it's the worst tension and protest he has seen for some years in Uganda. You have had these days of clashes between the police and civilians.
Multiple videos showing police and military and even plainclothes security of some kind using automatic weapons well, at the very least automatic rifles to shoot what appears to be and indiscriminate fashion towards protesters.
At least 16 died according to the police so far and there have been more than 300 arrests. This all stems from the arrest and detention of Bobi Wine a popular Pop Star turned politician who's a presidential candidate. He was arrested on Wednesday at a campaign rally for what the government said was breaking COVID-19 regulations.
Somewhat ironic since the president was - held a rally since without much incident. I just spoke to a lawyer of Bobi Wine he says it is unusual for him to be in detention so long without according to them being accessed by lawyers or doctors. They expect him to be in court later today to face charges, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: The elections at the center of all of this are being held in January. Museveni has been in power for more than 30 years. Could this get worse?
MCKENZIE: Well certainly, all the observers I've spoken to in the last few days fear that it could get worse ahead of that or after that January 16th. Very few I speak to believe that Yoweri Museveni the President of Uganda will allow any kind of chance of him being voted out.
Just a while back the parliament rescinded age limits to allow him to run yet again for president. Bobi Wine leads a youth movement that is particularly popular especially in urban areas though, that campaign does appear short of cash.
Now the lawyer I spoke to just a few moments ago says they believe the real reason this is all happening is to really constrain the campaigning of their candidate. They said they were going to have three or four rallies a day or at least meeting of supporters a day in different regions.
Now, they think that they are going to try the authorities will try to keep him out of the picture ahead of those elections. But there are very real fears of a significant blow up. As one prominent human rights lawyer called it he said this is how the security forces have dealt with protesters before. The difference he said was that people are no longer afraid. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. We will stay on this important story, thank you so much David McKenzie in Johannesburg. That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I am Kim Brunhuber, World Sport is up next and I will be back at about 15 minutes with more news.
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[02:45:00]
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: So, while the president and his lying-legal team are trying to overturn the election, President-Elect Joe Biden holding a virtual meeting with 10 Governors, Democrats and Republicans focusing on the incoming administration's top priorities, the pandemic, and the need for real partnership between states and the federal government Biden, also speaking out about the consequences of the transition still being stalled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: If nothing fundamentally changes, between now and beginning of February, we're - we're likely lose up to total of 400,000 lives another 150,000 lives. And so, it's real. Whether it's that, it gets to 360, whatever it is, it is real.
And there is no excuse not to share the data and let us begin to plan because, on day one, it's going to take us time, if we don't have access to all this data. It's going to put us behind the eight ball by a matter of a month or more and that's lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Joining me now, Gene Sperling, who is advising the Biden- Transition Team and is a Former Director of the National Economic Council for Presidents Obama and Clinton. Gene, good to see you thanks for joining us really important conversation.
GENE SPERLING, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL FOR PRESIDENTS OBAMA AND CLINTON: Thanks, Don. Thanks for having me.
LEMON: Absolutely. So, Dr. Anthony Fauci says that he hasn't spoken to Biden's team, yet, but he wants to. That is a critical meeting. Actual lives are at stake, as the president-elect says here.
SPERLING: Absolutely. I am an old man. I've been involved in transition since 1992. People are normally on their best behavior. To have this unprecedented resistance to a transition in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crisis is not just unprecedented, it's so dangerous.
And, you know, President Biden and Ron Klain have made very clear that the inability to get the information, to make sure that if you have a vaccine, it can be distributed could be the matter of tens, hundreds of thousands of lives.
But as an economic adviser, I also want to say the economic emergency is also immense. Did you know that on December 26th the day after Christmas, there may be up to 12 million people who will lose their unemployment insurance?
The eviction moratorium is - sunsets on December 31st. There could be 10, 12 million people, who have difficulty paying the rent, who could now be subject to eviction, to homelessness, to being on the street after Christmas, in the cold and on small businesses.
One in five small businesses is closed and I would imagine half of them fear what can happen to them with a second wave of the pandemic. You know there's been problem in that program the PPP program. Can you imagine if the Biden team can't get in and get the information from treasury and the small-business administration?
I mean, you're talking about small businesses closing. You are talking about families being evicted. You are talking about millions of people not getting the check they need for basic expenses. So this is, both, a health crisis and an economic crisis and a terrible time to have such an unprecedented obstruction of - of a smooth transition.
LEMON: Listen. And everyone is nervous, right now especially, small- business owners. People who - you know people who have been out of work for the past eight, nine months. It's - it's frightening. So, listen. The president-elect facing questions about a potential economic shutdown because of the surge in COVID-19. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I am not going to shut down the economy, period. I'm going to shut down the virus. That's what I'm going to shut down. I'll say it, again. No national shutdown. No national shutdown because every region, every area, every community, is - can be different.
And so, there's no circumstance, which I can see, would require a total, national shutdown. I think that would be I think that would be counterproductive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, I mean, it's completely opposite. Remember when we had - I think it was Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows or someone, one of those guys saying we're not going to contain the virus. We're not going to ever shut it down.
Biden stressing no shutdown, but he's going to shut down the virus. We are though, I must say, seeing schools closing because of the surge and at many places restaurants and businesses.
[02:50:00]
LEMON: You know, certain businesses, gyms remain open. Do we have our priorities straight here, Gene?
SPERLING: Well, look, the main thing I would say - and I think a lot of economists on both sides would agree. There just isn't this tradeoff between opening the economy and dealing with the Coronavirus. I think that I am like tens of millions of people out there.
We're not going out into restaurants regardless of whether they're open or not because we're worried about our safety. So if you do not have the confidence for people to be safe, you're never going to get the foot traffic, the demand. So there's not a trade-off. If there's anything we should be learning is that you must contain the virus in order to open the economy. They are not a trade-off. It is one and the same. And I think Joe Biden's making that very clear.
And look, you know, nobody's preventing me from going to travel or go someplace now, but most families aren't doing it because they're scared. You have to control the virus and these small businesses what they want is some help as you said, Don.
You know, the PPP, the small business program, do you know when it ended? August 8th, over three months ago but even if - I don't know if there will be a stimulus, but even if there was, can you imagine with all the problems it's had, with all the failure to actually help particularly black and brown-owned small businesses?
If the Biden team can't even get into the building to get the information to see how you might get the money to the small businesses, to the states for unemployment, for the food relief and to make sure money is going, not just to the renters, but to the landlords so that nobody's being evicted or foreclosed on.
LEMON: Yes. Gene, important conversation and we're going have you back for more. Thank you. You be safe and if I don't see you, you have a happy Thanksgiving.
SPERLING: Yes, thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
LEMON: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:55:00]
LEMON: So breaking news in the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States recording more than 185,000 new cases just today, the highest one-day total since the pandemic broke out and now just a week away from Thanksgiving, the CDC advising Americans not to travel this holiday instead to spend Turkey Day only with people in your household.
And as hard as it is for families to hear this, the CDC is saying that someone who has not been living in your house for 14 days such as a college student or military member is not a household member. So keep a distance of six feet. Wear masks indoors. Celebrate outdoors if possible. I want you to listen to the advice of Dr. Anthony Fauci, what he just gave to Chris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Well, you take a look at your family, and you say do I have a person there who is an elderly person, a person with an underlying medical condition that might put them at an increased risk of a severe outcome if they get infected?
Do I want to take that risk right now, or do I want to say maybe the prudent thing to do for now is to just pull back and just keep it within the family unit that you live with instead of having people from the outside come in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And the numbers don't lie on how bad the pandemic is? I want you to look at a map of the country practically all red, 44 states showing an increase in new cases over the past week. More than 252,000 Americans have died from the virus. And we have a record number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 more than 79,000 people.
So Joe Biden won the election by millions of popular votes by 74 electoral votes. But Trump is trying to overturn it. Stay with us.
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