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The President Scrapping His First Planned Trip Since Election Day Due to Coronavirus; President-elect Joe Biden Delivers a Thanksgiving Address. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired November 25, 2020 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Nia-Malika Henderson picks up our coverage right now.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to our viewers in the United States and around the world, I'm Nia-Malika Henderson in Washington. A new reminder that the coronavirus is a constant threat; the president scrapping his first planned trip since election day, a GOP election dispute event with Rudy Giuliani in Pennsylvania, after the president's personal lawyer was exposed to a second coronavirus case.

President-elect Joe Biden delivers a Thanksgiving address this afternoon, an appeal for unity. The president-elect says that Republicans who are on his short list for his cabinet, that immigration is a first 100 days priority and an international reset is already underway.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: America's back. We're at the head of the table once again. I have spoken with over 20 world leaders and they all are literally very pleased and somewhat excited America's going to reassert its role in the world and be a coalition builder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDERSON: The president-elect's planned message today that Americans must share the sacrifice of staying home to get through this crisis moment. And going somewhere is something that the CDC advises Americans against this holiday. A new study says the vast majority of Americans remain susceptible to the virus. So every second spent in an airport or in a gathering of 10 or more people is a second you're putting yourself and your family at-risk.

The numbers today are just plain awful. Another 172,000 new infections on Tuesday, another 2,000 American deaths and 88,000 Americans are in hospitals. Remember most people have still not gotten this virus which is why Dr. Anthony Fauci cautions a post-holiday COVID surge might be even worst.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NIAID DIRECTOR: The one thing we do not want is if we get a surge now, George, over Thanksgiving we'll have that slope up plateau and then slope up again that we'll see in three weeks. Which is the reason why we're trying so hard to get the message for people to be careful over this Thanksgiving holiday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDERSON: The CDC wants you to stay home. But there is little indication today that Americans with travel plans actually plan to listen to that advise. The TSA says air travel this week will stay strong despite the pandemic and data does not show widespread cancellations in recent days.

We're going to go straight to CNN's Rosa Flores who is at the Miami International Airport. Rosa, we know that the coronavirus has made 2020 a very different year for everyone. But there in that airport does it look like any other regular Thanksgiving travel day that we might see in Thanksgiving's past?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know right now the crowd has thinned out but earlier today, I mean the pictures here were reminiscent of pre-pandemic times. I want to show you around because it will tell you the story here. You can see that there is still a line today here at Miami International Airport. On the floor you'll see that there are tape marks to allow for social distancing. Some of these people are not social distancing as you're watching these live photographs.

That, of course, is against what the CDC is recommending and also not recommending people to travel but millions of Americans are planning to travel this holiday season. Officials here at Miami International Airport tell us that they're expecting 621,000 air travelers to crisscross this airport throughout a 12 day period that they call their Thanksgiving Day holiday travel period. Not that's a decrease of 59 percent from last year. But that is still a huge increase.

Now I've been talking to passengers who are either departing from Miami International or arriving and I can tell you that the stories vary. So people are going to go see their families, others, believe it or not, are flying to Miami to vacation. They are flying to Florida not just to Miami, but then travelling - driving to Key West. That's the case of a group of college students; I asked them that very question.

Why? Why did you think it was a good idea to fly during Thanksgiving? Take a listen.

TEJASWI K., COLLEGE STUDENT: (Inaudible) for the highest number of COVID cases so we were definitely worried about that. We're just a bunch of people going - like who came here from college. We thought we need to blow off some steam before final exams.

[12:05:00] FLORES: And Nia-Malika, really there is a range of emotions here at this airport. Like that college student said they just want to blow off some steam. And then I met a woman who hasn't seen her parents in two years and was hoping to see them because she, in her words, says she didn't know if she'd ever be able to see them because of COVID-19. Nia-Malika.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HENDERSON: Well listen, Rosa we hope those folks are as safe as possible and thank you for that report from Miami. The virus is a reason for a very different, very distant Thanksgiving. That is the message this week from President-elect Joe Biden coupled with an appeal to honor the holiday and come together as a country. President Trump he's focusing on something far different. Joining our conversation we've got CNN's Kaitlan Collins as well as CNN's Jeff Zeleny. Thanks to you both for being here with us today.

Kaitlan, I'm going to start with you first. The president he's nixing his trip to Pennsylvania over COVID concerns. What more can you tell us about what's going on?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this was a scheduled trip the president had. The White House hadn't confirmed; it wasn't on his official public schedule. But we did hear that the president was going to go to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania today to appear at a hotel with his attorney, Rudy Giuliani and some republican state lawmakers; as they were going to hold what they were calling a hearing on election fraud. Though, of course, there's been no widespread evidence of fraud.

But this is the president's - this quest that he's been on to try to overturn the results of the election even as his administration is moving forward with the transition plans to the Biden administration. But we are told that because of an advisor on the legal has not tested positive, this trip has been cancelled. So it's not really clear what exactly this event is going to look like. Whether or not Rudy Giuliani is still going to be there. But we do know President Trump is no longer expected to attend.

And Nia that comes after some people in the president's inner circle were questioning whether or not this was wise for the president to go to this. But as we've been reporting lately; he's been listening more and more to people like Rudy Giuliani who are telling things - telling him things that he wants to hear about the election. And so, of course, the results are not changing, the Biden administration is going to happen. It's still moving forward and they have granted things like getting the president's daily brief to the Biden team.

But we are still seeing the president maintain this mindset, at least publicly, of continuing to sow doubt about the outcome of the results. And it is not evident just in the fact that he was going to go this event today. But also look at his Twitter feed, someone is talking about a potential Trump win or run in 2024. And the president is saying 2020 is a long way from over. And maybe it is in his mind, Nia, but of course, it is not in the mind of everyone else.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HENDERSON: And, Jeff, of course, the president-elect is moving on as he should. He has been elected. He plans to deliver a Thanksgiving appeal to unity today and we've gotten also some updates on his transition process.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, Nia, the contrast could not be more stark. President-elect Joe Biden is going to be delivering a Thanksgiving Day address here this afternoon from Wilmington; talking about the economic pain people are under. Talking about the sacrifices that families are making. And President Trump; we see what his - he's doing. But advisors to the Biden transition are saying look, everyone in the world has acknowledged that his election is over including Chinese President Xi Jinping who reached out to Joe Biden for the first time this morning.

So this clearly is moving on. There is no question about that. But the contrast clearly is a stark one. But, Nia, we're also getting a sense of what Mr. Biden was thinking during those waning days, those 16 days or so as he decided to move forward and set up his government. Take a listen to this from his interview with "NBC".

BIDEN: After 30 lawsuits were thrown out in rapid succession I was convinced it was just a matter of time and that's why I've decided just to move on as if I were the nominee and do the business I would do within my power from the day the election occurred.

MALE: And Senator (ph), act like you own it.

BIDEN: Yes.

ZELENY: So occupying the space is what he did and that is why one of reason that they are really forming their government as quickly as they are doing. Now as for that presidential daily brief, that Kaitlan mentioned a few moments ago, we are being told that President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris will get their first presidential daily brief on Monday. So of course this is something he received for more than eight years. But he is now going to get it for the first time on Monday president-elect.

Of course this is a compilation of threats facing the United States compiled by the intelligence community. Nia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HENDERSON: And of course he'll give that address later today and we'll bring that to you live, of course. And Kaitlan Collins and Jeff Zeleny, we thank you for that reporting. Up next the mother of all super spreader events. U.S. health officials warn that's what Thanksgiving could become as million of Americans ignore travel warnings.

[12:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAUCI: If we can just hang in there a bit longer and continue to do the simple mitigation things that we're talking about all the time; the masks, the distancing, the avoid crowds particularly indoor. If we do those things we're going to get through it. So that's my final plea before the holiday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDERSON: Dr. Anthony Fauci is among the experts and elected officials urging Americans not to travel or gather in groups this Thanksgiving. These warnings come as the U.S. had its deadliest day in more than six months yesterday. And set it's 15 straight day of record high hospitalizations with 88,000 people being treated for coronavirus in a hospital setting. Here to discuss is Dr. Rochelle Walensky, she's the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and a CNN Medical Analyst.

Dr. Walensky, thank you so much for joining us today. I want you to take a listen to what FDA Commissioner, Stephen Hahn told republican senator, Tim Scott, just yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. STEPHEN HAHN, FDA COMMISSIONER: We are seeing a tremendous stress on our healthcare system because hospitalizations are increasing, as expected, as people get sick from COVID-19. It's (ph) that the weather has turned cold, as we get to the holiday season. It's not so much big crowds outside anymore what it is it's indoor and it's our - it's indoor in our homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDERSON: Tremendous stress on the hospital system. That's 15 straight days of record high hospitalizations. Talk about what you're seeing on the ground at your hospital.

ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL: Good afternoon. Yes, our peak now of about 88,000 people hospitalized is 50 percent higher than any prior peak we've had during this pandemic. I am in Massachusetts, we certainly are not one of the places that has the hottest space on the map but we still are also feeling these challenges. You know we have tried hard to try and maintain a normal operations to make sure elected procedures can happen. And that's going to be increasingly a challenge.

We are seeing more and more cases coming into the hospital and our beds are full. And so a lot of these coronavirus patients will stay longer than your average patients. We are hopeful that with fewer elective procedures over the holiday that maybe things will thin out a bit. But we are back in our incident command so that we can work towards trying to maintain a reasonable capacity. HENDERSON: And despite the CDC's guidance almost five million people have boarded airplanes since the CDC formally recommended last week that they - people shouldn't travel. Some people think that guidance may have come too late. Here is what Trump testings (ph) are, Admiral Brett Giroir had to say about those who may not think they are at risk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. BRETT GIROIR, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE: A test that's negative today doesn't mean you're going to be negative tomorrow or the next day or the following day. We'd have 10 people in the kitchen cooking for 12 hours. You got to stop doing those kinds of behaviors, have smarter choices whether your test is negative or not. That negative test is not a free pass to do risky behaviors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDERSON: And, Dr. Walensky, what's your message to people who think well you know you got this negative test, I'm clear to go home, I can hand out with grandma and grandpa and not risk those folks?

WALENSKY: Right, it's a really important question. So first I want to just convey that those millions of travelers, I'm less worried about what's happening when they're masked in the airport than I am with what will happen when they are unmasked at the dinner table. The people that they will put at risk by mixing pods, by potentially being asymptomatic and not realizing that they were infected. These are our loved ones. We don't willingly want to put each other in harms way.

But we potentially are doing so. It is the case that a negative test is certainly - or a test is certainly helpful prior to travel or prior to seeing your family. However it's not fail safe. So a test today will tell you about your exposures perhaps last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday but nothing about your exposures in between. So what I worry about is a test today will be helpful. Certainly if it's positive you shouldn't be travelling. But if it's negative what I worry is that if you had been exposed Saturday, Sunday, Monday of this week that you might be shedding a maximum amount of virus as you're enjoying your leftovers on Friday or Saturday.

HENDERSON: Dr. Walensky, we thank you so much for your hard work and for joining us today. Still ahead, Democrats hope that flipping Georgia blue will lead to a voter turnout boost for the senate run off races this January.

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[12:20:00]

HENDERSON: The control of the Senate will come down to two Georgia runoff races in January. Democrats, of course, are hoping that turning Georgia blue in the presidential race will help drive turnout for their side. And one of the Democrats who helped to deliver Georgia for Joe Biden, of course Stacey Abrams who ran for governor in 2018. "The New York Times", Astead Herndon, who's been doing some fantastic interviews me now. You interviewed Stacey Abrams about flipping Georgia and about the upcoming Senate races. And one of the things that she told you was looking at the difference between 2016 and 2018 and the voter suppression that happened, as she said in 2016.

And this is what she said; "What we were able to identify in the concrete ways in 2018 we were able then to mitigate heading into 2020. I think you see the combination of increased voter engagement but you also had the removal and mitigation of a number of barriers that blocked access to the polls."

So how confident is she now that this miracle that Democrats had been hoping for for decades turning Georgia blue on the presidential level.

[12:25:00]

HENDERSON: How confident is she that she can keep it blue going forward not only in this Senate race but beyond?

ASTEAD HERNDON, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Yes and thank you for having me. I mean I think that this - what she lays out is a more nuance picture than some of the things that we have seen folks talk about with Georgia. It's not just that demographic changes are happening, they registered a bunch of voters and those people - now that state is Democratic. She says that this was a careful kind of building arc that not only meant that you have to introduce new voters to the systems but Democrats have to be proactive about blocking, what she describes as those suppression tactics that we have particular in states like Georgia.

And she's saying in 2016 and then 2018 they were able to indentify communities that have had restricted polling access or broken machines or long wait times and the like. And actually the virus, this year, gave Democrats an opportunity to work with Republicans to kind of rethink access to ballot systems and access to the polls. And that the combination of those things actually fueled the ability for some people to be able to vote who historically that had been harder for.

But the thing is; that is not a certainty for the future. Not just for the runoffs but for future elections going forward. So what Stacey Abrams was saying is that has to be that two-prong view of what Democrats do to be successful in Georgia. The kind of proactive measure of registering people but also the reactive measure of making sure the kind of worst parts of voter suppression don't come and manifest in this state.

HENDERSON: And you also asked her about how you drive turnout without Trump on the ballot. And here is part of what she said; "This coalition existed in 2018 in my election. This is a coalition that we've been building together for the last decade. This is a group that didn't just come together out of a convenience. We've been working together in coalition and that's why I think we can sustain it."

And how big of a test will this Senate runoff be for that coalition which is a multiracial coalition. Increasing numbers of African Americans, obviously but also Latinos and Asian Americans participating in this coalition and white voters, as well. HERNDON: Yes and I think that that is what Democrats are going to have to do. You know Republicans feel confident for the runoffs because they've usually been lower turnout than previous elections. And we know that Georgia remains a place where Republicans are particularly motivated especially when you talk about those more rural portions of the state where you have white conservatives who are - who have been typically what makes Georgia a conservative and republican state.

What Democrats are trying to do is match that base motivation in Atlanta and that greater suburban regions around it. And as you said that's not just through black voters or kind of the white college educated suburbs but kind of the new populations that have come to the south and helped transform Georgia into the most diverse battleground. That includes Latino voters, that include API voters particularly in some of the exurb regions. And so that is what the challenge facing Ossoff and Warnock is. But just outside of these campaign individually that's the challenge for Democrats in the state.

Is it were these folks who were just motivated by the ability to get Trump out of office or are these people who are now solidly in the Democratic camp and motivated voters. That's the work that Abrams and those organizations have been trying to do is create a kind of practice of voter - of voting among these populations. So it's not just dependent on whether Trump is or isn't on the ballot.

HENDERSON: And not just dependent on if it's a candidate like Biden who attracted many more white voters than Democrats in the past. Astead Herndon, thanks so much for your reporting. You've been doing a fantastic job during this cycle.

HERNDON: Thank you, very much.

HENDERSON: Joining me to talk about the upcoming Senate runoffs in Georgia; we've got LaTosha Brown, she's the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. LaTosha, thanks so much for being here. And had a CNN piece that frames these January 5 races this way. A victory for Democrats could hinge on the same black women who helped flip the state blue in the presidential election. Black female leaders and organizers say years of voter registration drives at churches and community events and knocking on doors in black and Latino neighborhoods paid off when Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris won Georgia.

And they believe they can do it again. So, LaTosha, you are one of those black female leaders in Georgia, so what is your plan for getting the black electorate to turn out again on January 5?

LATOSHA BROWN, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK VOTERS MATTER: So I do think that black women - thank you for having me - black women have been key and critical. My partner has been Cliff Albright who is also the co- founder of Black Voters Matter and I will say across the board in our community we have been seeing that kind of leadership and energy. What I think is going to be important is that what we're seeing with black women not - a lot of times the conversation has been talked about black women as voters and not necessarily black women at strategists, black women as leaders and organizers. [12:30:00]