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Republican Kelly Loeffler in Quarantine After Inconclusive COVID Test; Trump Rails Against Paris Climate Accord in Virtual G20; Benjamin Netanyahu Says U.S. Should Not Return to Iran Nuclear Deal; Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Activist Pleads Guilty; European Nations Eye Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions; Some Americans Resisting Urge to Gather on Thanksgiving; Strangers Who Met by Text Celebrate Fifth Thanksgiving. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 23, 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]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It also meant that David Perdue, the other Republican, also had to isolate because the two of them were together on Friday at an event with Vice President Mike Pence. They were seen without mask. They were in a confined space. So that forced them to isolate, and stay off the campaign trail while Loeffler was tested again for coronavirus. One of those tests came back inconclusive. They checked the results again, now they say they're negative.

Loeffler now waiting for a second test to come back where she could have two tests in a row that show that she is negative before she gets back out on the campaign trail. Now this has real implications because on Monday, Republicans are planning a big event with Senator Joni Ernst, who just won reelection in a tight race in Iowa. Both Perdue and Loeffler were expected to be at this event on Monday.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, you see this campaign playing out a lot differently. They're not holding rallies, they're wearing masks. Jon Ossoff, the Democrat, had an event in Georgia on Sunday. It was a drive-up event. He didn't even deliver remarks. He just said hello to people as they passed by in their cars. This race is so important. Coronavirus a big part of the backdrop. The voters here in Georgia will have a second crack at both of these races on January 5th.

Ryan Nobles, CNN, Atlanta.

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: The virtual G20 summit wrapped up Sunday with leaders of the world's largest economies promising to ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines. They say they're committed to easing the global impact of the pandemic. And most reaffirmed their commitment to tackling climate change. President Trump, however, used the event to slam the Paris Climate Accord.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I withdrew the United States from the unfair and one-sided Paris Climate Accord, a very unfair act for the United States. The Paris Accord was not designed to save the environment. It was designed to kill the American economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And CNN's John Defterios joins us now.

Good to see you, John. So Donald Trump was eager to go his own way at the G20, wasn't he? Bashing the climate change accord and touting U.S. supremacy, and oil and gas again. Did he seem off message there?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Yes, it did seem off message, unusual timing, too, Rosemary. And I actually think it fell on deaf ears, like what is this gentleman talking about? I'll tell you why, because the host of the G20, Saudi Arabia, made two priorities very clear. It was the COVID-19 vaccine response, making sure it's equitable in terms of distribution when it comes on to the market, and the second major issue was climate change.

Now Donald Trump has never liked the Paris Climate Accord, but why he brought it up again seemed to be really off message for the entire G20 itself. Also Donald Trump not seeing the potential advantage here of the transition to solar, wind, hydrogen, and the jobs that can be created. This is the position of President-elect Joe Biden on this.

And as you noted in your lead-in, Rosemary, he took yet another opportunity to bang home this idea that the U.S. is the overall number one producer of oil and gas. That remains true but it needs some nuance, and that's because Saudi Arabia that hosted the G20 and Russia in this apparatus of the OPEC Plus have been cutting production now for the better part of three years to try to stabilize market.

This didn't affect the U.S. production. In fact during that period, the U.S. producers just took more market share. But as a result of this downturn of COVID-19 and the drop in demand, we've seen U.S. production drop by nearly three million barrels a day. We've had nearly 500 bankruptcies in the U.S. shale basins and we've seen the unemployment rate quadruple over the last year because of the oil and gas shock.

So why the president thought it was so important when oil and gas was not on the agenda to bang home on this point, and to, again, attack the Paris climate change, made him look like an outlier if you will at his last G20 summit. It was quite alarming.

CHURCH: Yes. Quite the message in fact. John Defterios joining us there, many thanks.

Well, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has an apparent message for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden. Don't go back to the Iran nuclear deal. Mr. Netanyahu didn't mention Biden by name during his speech on Sunday but Israeli media widely interpreted his comments as being directed at the incoming president. The prime minister had been a vocal opponent of the agreement, calling it a very bad deal when he addressed the U.S. Congress back in 2015.

Our Oren Liebermann joins us now live from Jerusalem.

Good to see you, Oren. So was this a message specifically for President-elect Joe Biden?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, I think that's quite clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was trying to address President-elect Joe Biden. He only recently acknowledged that it was Joe Biden who had won the election and would be president-elect, but now that he's made that acknowledgment, it looks like he's putting forward his priority list or perhaps his wish list of what he wants to see from U.S. foreign policy, especially when it comes to Iran.

[04:35:03]

As you pointed out, he was always a vocal critic of the Iran deal and a very vocal supporter of President Donald Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Iran and the sanctions, and he's keeping that up with the incoming Biden administration. He doesn't want to see the U.S. return to that policy, return to the JCPOA. So here is the message he said in a state memorial ceremony last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. There must be no return to the previous nuclear agreement. We must keep to an uncompromising policy to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons and stops its aggressive behavior, including its support of terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: What's interesting here is that there's a debate within Israel's intelligence community about whether it was beneficial to Israel and the Middle East to withdraw from the Iran deal and to impose all of these sanctions. Those who are against the withdrawal say look, it hasn't changed Iran's policy, and without a firm JCPOA in place, Iran has violated the terms of the deal and has yet gone beyond the limits set in the deal. That being said, Netanyahu's position has been and remains clear, he opposed the deal and he continues to oppose it -- Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Oren, on another topic, what is the reaction to the decision to release convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard after 30 years?

LIEBERMANN: Well, this is another big victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Another gift handed to him by the Trump administration. Pollard had been out of prison for a few years but now the Trump administration did not renew the travel restrictions, meaning he is now free to come to Israel with his wife Esther Pollard. It's not happening at this very moment. As we understand from Pollard's lawyers, his wife is undergoing medical treatment in the U.S. and only after that will they then come to Israel. But it is no doubt a victory for Netanyahu, for Israel's government

and for many here who have been working to lobby for the release of Pollard for years if not decades.

CHURCH: All right, Oren Liebermann, many thanks, joining us live from Jerusalem.

Well, Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to charges connected to last year's antigovernment protests. Wong and two other activists were charged with inciting, organizing and participating in an unauthorized assembly outside Hong Kong's police headquarters. All three will remain in custody until sentencing in early December.

And CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now with more from Hong Kong.

Good to see you, Kristie. So it is a disturbing development. Where's all this going and how much jail time might they all be facing?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Joshua Wong, you know, arguably Hong Kong's most high profile pro-democracy activist, he's been remanded in custody after, as you reported, he pleaded guilty for inciting and organizing unauthorized protests that took place outside Hong Kong police headquarters in June of last year. His fellow activists, Ivan Lam as well as Agnes Chow, they also had pleaded guilty and they're facing similar charges. They will face sentencing next week on December 2nd. Each activist could face a maximum of three years in prison.

Now this case has nothing to do with the controversial new national security law. But we know that Joshua Wong, he has been facing a slew of charges in relation to his work as a pro-democracy campaigner. And earlier today, he addressed the media, talking about the moment, talking about, you know, the prospects of further jail time for him as well as the future of his campaign. Take a listen.

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JOSHUA WONG, PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST: Perhaps the authorities wish me to stay in prison, but I'm persuaded, neither prison bars nor election bans nor any other arbitrary power will stop us from activism. What we are doing now is to explain the well of freedom to the world through our compassion, the home we love. So much that we are willing to sacrifice the freedom of our own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: A note of hopeful defiance there from Joshua Wong, and this is a critical moment for him and for the opposition. Last week, we reported that three former opposition lawmakers were arrested for their protests in the legislative council that took place earlier this year. The week before that, we saw all of the remaining opposition lawmakers resigned en mass in protest to the earlier disqualification of four of their fellow opposition lawmakers after that decree was handed down by Beijing. This is a moment of unprecedented pressure and challenge for the

opposition here in Hong Kong, not just for those opposition lawmakers but especially for Joshua Wong who has been a thorn in the side of Beijing since he first entered the scene in 2012. Back to you.

CHURCH: Yes. And we'll continue to watch this very closely. Kristie Lu Stout joining us live from Hong Kong. Many thanks.

Well, thousands of protesters marched in Guatemala on Saturday. Protesting cops and health care and education and calling for the president to resign. Most of the protests were peaceful. But some demonstrators set fires inside the Congress building. A local hospital said 14 people were treated for a number of injuries.

[04:40:03]

The region is struggling to recover from two powerful hurricanes in a two-week period.

Coming up next, the U.K. prime minister hails the results from AstraZeneca's experimental vaccine trials as Europe looks to ease restrictions after weeks of lockdowns. The latest just ahead.

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CHURCH: More now on the vaccine news out of the U.K. A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca has an average efficacy of 70 percent. That figure is based on combining data from two dosing regimens with vaccine efficacy at 90 percent in one dosing regimen and 62 percent in the other. The U.K. government says it has 100 million doses of this vaccine on order.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the announcement is incredibly exciting. He is also set to announce a new plan for how England will exit its lockdown later today.

Well, many European countries have been in strict lockdowns in an attempt to curb surging COVID cases. Now after weeks of tough measures there is cause for optimism.

Jim Bittermann has the latest.

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JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here in France and several other European countries where lockdowns have been in place for three weeks or more, the efforts are beginning to bear fruit. The COVID numbers, the rate of increase and hospitalizations, the number of ICU beds needed for COVID patients are beginning to go down.

The French prime minister said Friday we're on a good path and sent a further signal by saying that President Macron will address the nation on Tuesday. Speculation is already running high that at least some of the country's tough restrictions, such as the closure of all nonessential shops will be eased at least somewhat. [04:45:01]

But the government spokesman also was quick to point out that any relaxing of restraints will come only gradually.

In Germany, a spokesperson for the chancellor has said the situation is stabilizing, although health authorities there are still worried that medical systems, especially ICU beds, remain stretched. Nonetheless, across Europe, authorities are starting to look more hopefully at the coming of vaccines and figure out ways to distribute them.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Gilles, France.

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CHURCH: Toronto, Canada enters lockdown today for at least the next 28 days to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The country's largest city has seen a rapid increase in new infections. Ontario's premier says the move is part of an effort to avoid province wide lockdown. Indoor gatherings are limited to only those who live in the same home, and outdoor gatherings cannot exceed 10 people. Other parts of Ontario will be under higher levels of restriction.

Well, millions of Americans are choosing to head home for the holidays against medical advice. But for others, the decision isn't so easy.

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KATHY FAYNE, RESIDENT, DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA: I'm struggling right now, trying to decide if I'm going or if I'm staying home.

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CHURCH: Still ahead, we will hear from a coronavirus survivor about why he's skipping Thanksgiving this year. Stay with us.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. With Thanksgiving just days away here in the United States, many Americans are ignoring the advice of health officials to avoid traveling for the holiday this year. Over the weekend, airports saw some of their highest passenger numbers since the pandemic began. Nationwide, security agents screened more than a million passengers Friday, and nearly a million on Saturday. So the big question facing Americans, should they travel for the holidays? Medical experts say they shouldn't. But many are making the choice to gather with families despite the risks.

CNN's Natasha Chen spoke to a coronavirus survivor about why he's staying home this year.

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ARTHUR BRELAND, PASTOR, UNITED CHURCH: Father, we know that there are so many people that are going through dark times right now.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After almost a year of dark times, there's an understandable urge to be together for Thanksgiving.

FAYNE: My father was in Memphis. He's 83.

CHEN: But the risk is huge.

FAYNE: So I'm struggling with going to see him because my mother passed earlier this year, so I'm struggling right now, trying to decide if I'm going or if I'm staying home.

CHEN: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says stay home. CDC experts now saying most coronavirus infections are spread by people with no symptoms. And the spread is worse than ever. The U.S. saw more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases every day for at least the last 19 days. New cases this month already total about a quarter of all U.S. coronavirus cases during the whole pandemic. One of the early cases was Pastor Arthur Breland.

BRELAND: It was the worst experience I ever had in my life.

CHEN: On March 25th, he woke up in a sweat.

BRELAND: I basically was trying to rush to the refrigerator to put my head in the freezer because I was so hot. And then that's all I remember. And my wife waking me up a couple of moments after that and then being rushed to the E.R.

CHEN: After 12 days in the hospital and another month-and-a-half recovering, he knows firsthand how real the threat is. This year, his congregation is having more events outdoors. They will not be having their annual celebration. And Breland says he won't be visiting family across the country.

Eslene Richmond Shockley is also foregoing her family's usual 50- person gathering. That's to protect the family after they already lost her 83-year-old uncle who, she says, died from COVID-19 in April.

ESLENE RICHMOND SHOCKLEY, FOUNDER, CARING FOR OTHERS, INC.: He wasn't feeling well. He went to the hospital and he never came back home.

CHEN: Shockley runs Caring for Others, a charity organization that held its annual Thanksgiving food drive Saturday. She honored her uncle, Walter Green, who would usually be present at the vegetable station.

SHOCKLEY: And this is the first year in 20 years that my uncle will not be here to help us to distribute the collard greens.

Because that was someone I could pick up the phone and call, but that someone that is gone.

CHEN: So she says to make sure she can still see her other loved ones next Thanksgiving, she won't be seeing them this Thanksgiving. SHOCKLEY: Life is precious. Let us try to save each other.

CHEN: Natasha Chen, CNN, Atlanta.

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CHURCH: Wise words there. And four years ago, a grandmother and a high school student were introduced over a mistaken invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. Their story went viral and since then, Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton have celebrated the holiday together every year with their families. They kept the tradition going this year despite the pandemic and the empty seat it created.

CNN affiliate KPHO has the story.

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WANDA DENCH, LOST HUSBAND TO COVID-19: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing everybody here together safely.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Their tradition lives in the hearts of so many around the world.

DENCH: My god.

JAMAL HINTON, CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING WITH DENCH FAMILY: Hey, how you doing?

DENCH: I'm fine. How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without Wanda and Jamal.

DENCH: I didn't want to miss Thanksgiving with Jamal.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Grandma Wanda thought she was texting her real grandson but accidentally texted teenager Jamal instead. Out of courtesy, she invited Jamal over for Thanksgiving dinner, the two have now celebrated with their families together ever since.

DENCH: This year definitely is different than all the years in the past.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The pandemic has taken so much, and took the one whose smile, hugs and warmth, made Jamal and his girlfriend Michaela feel right at home. Wanda's husband Lonny passed away from COVID-19. Wanda there with him in his final moments.

DENCH: It was five minutes later and he passed away, so -- I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: No, it's OK. I know it's hard.

She knew her first Thanksgiving without him would be hard. But Jamal and Michaela would make sure she wouldn't be lonely this holiday. They decided to have an early mini Thanksgiving together with Wanda, her daughter and the real grandson. A seat and candle left at the head of the table, knowing even though Lonny isn't here, his spirit is. Jamal knows he would hear this.

HINTON: I would just like to say hi, thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms from day one.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Lonny would always say grace before the Thanksgiving meal. He was Wanda's biggest cheerleader. So in his honor, surrounded with family by blood and family by choice, Wanda led the prayer, knowing Lonny would be proud.

DENCH: Thank you for all the blessings and thank you so much for having Lonny in my life. I miss him, but I know he's in a good place. So to everybody here, I love you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Amen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A lovely story there.

Well, in the middle of all the pain and uncertainty from this pandemic, France is trying to provide a glimmer of hope, both literally and figuratively. In Paris, the Champs-Elysees has been lit up in Christmas lights, adding much needed brightness to a dark and somber year. The city is in the middle of a lockdown, but officials say there is reason to be optimistic. Over the past week, infection numbers and hospitalizations have fallen and the health agency says the current wave of cases may have peaked.

We need all the good news we can get. Thank you so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. "EARLY START" is up next. You're watching CNN. Have yourselves a fabulous day.

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