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U.S. Hits New Record for Coronavirus Hospitalizations; Trump Says He'll Leave White House if Electoral College Seats Biden; Iran State Media Reports, Top Nuclear Scientist Assassinated Outside Tehran. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired November 27, 2020 - 10:00   ET

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

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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN NEWSROOM: Good morning, everyone, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Jim and Poppy have the day off. This is a special holiday edition of CNN Newsroom.

This morning, bracing for things to get worse, experts say we'll know just how well Americans stuck to restrictions this Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks. And while we do know millions of Americans traveled for the holiday, we've just learned that TSA screenings were down 65 percent on Thanksgiving Day compared to last year.

So here is where we stand. More than 90,000 Americans are waking up in a hospital bed as coronavirus cases surge. For the 24th straight day, the U.S. recorded more than 100,000 new cases, more than 1,200 people died just yesterday. In California, several counties are rolling back reopening as the state's positivity rate spikes to 6.1 percent.

For more on this, let's begin with CNN's Rosa Flores. Rosa, how are things?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, what experts tell us is that we are going to see a dip in the numbers first, then a spike, and then a surge. But let me get to that in just a moment, because let me start with this. The U.S. shattering its hospitalization records with more than 90,000 Americans waking up this morning in a hospital room suffering from the coronavirus. That is a 35 percent increase in hospitalizations in just two weeks.

Now when you look at the numbers overall, for the past 24 days, the United States has reported more than 100,000 cases. Now the cases yesterday that were reported, more than 110,000 cases, the number of deaths, more than 1,200.

And that is a dip in the numbers, which we were expecting, and here is why. Yesterday, because of Thanksgiving, some states did not report their numbers. They didn't publish their numbers. We know of at least 20 states that didn't do that. The other thing that's impacting these numbers now is that some states closed their testing sites. That's the case in Florida where I am.

So there is going to be this dip in the numbers that we're experiencing today. We're going to experience that for another couple of days, and then we're going to see a spike, Bianna, and then we're going to see the surge. So that initial spike, when we first see that, please be aware that that is not the surge that experts have been telling us about after Thanksgiving. That surge will come later. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: So people should not take any comfort in any sort of dip that we're seeing right now because, obviously, unfortunately, a surge is anticipated in a few weeks. Rosa Flores, thank you.

Well, Let's go to Stephanie Elam in Los Angeles. As the positivity rate continues to spike across the state of California, Stephanie, what more are you learning?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly the case. Now, California is one of those states, Bianna, that did report numbers yesterday. And we saw that more than 14,000 people did have new coronavirus cases. This is after we saw a record number of more than 18,000 the day before. So still very high number that is we are looking at here in California.

This is a concern because, you're right, today, the numbers probably will not look as large because so many people probably did not report from the different counties throughout California. So the numbers probably will not be that large today and then through the weekend. Next week, let's brace ourselves for some larger numbers as we get more of this testing results out here, because what really tells us the picture is that positivity rate that you mentioned. And right now in California, the 14-day positivity rate is above 6 percent.

We are starting to approach back to those summer surge levels that we saw, June, July when we had the big spike and the goal was to keep positivity under 8 percent. Well, we're starting to look at that metric again here and be concerned about it. Same thing with hospitalizations as now more than 7,200 people are in the hospital battling this virus. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: All right. Stephanie Elam, thank you so much.

President Trump suggesting deliveries of a COVID-19 vaccine would start in the next two weeks. CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following the latest. Elizabeth, is he right? Is it just within a few weeks' time now?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, he was pretty specific, he said next week or the week after. No, it doesn't look like vaccine will be delivered during that time. Let's take a listen -- sorry. So, President Trump said next week or the week after, and that does not sound like -- from what we have been told, that is not what's going to happen. So, instead, here is what we think is going to happen. [10:05:00]

Let's take a look at a calendar. December 10th is when a very important FDA meeting happens. After that meeting, it will be decided whether or not emergency use authorization is granted. But it won't be decided like the next day.

We are told by the head of the vaccine branch at the FDA that it will likely be weeks before a decision is made, maybe a matter of days, but he made it much more likely to be weeks. So that doesn't get you to President Trump's timeline. What it does get you is to Anthony Fauci's timeline. Fauci has said consistently for several weeks that he thinks that shots will go into the arms in the second half of December.

GOLODRYGA: And, of course, those are typically for first responders, right? The majority of Americans should not anticipate having vaccines until later into 2021. Still hopeful signs though, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much.

Well, joining me to discuss is Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, she is the Chief Clinical Officer for Providence Health System. Doctor, thank you for joining us, we appreciate it.

You write, as I mention, light at the end of the tunnel, you write that there is light at the end of the tunnel right now with the two promising vaccines on the horizon, but it's coming as cases spike and during the holidays when people tend to congregate together the most. What are you worried about over the next few weeks?

DR. AMY COMPTON-PHILLIPS, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, what we're worried about is that people take their eye off doing the right thing. They know that the vaccine is coming, they know the end is in sight but we can't let our guard down. Exactly what you were talking about in California seeing more and more cases, more and more hospitalizations, it is ramping up. We do expect a post-Thanksgiving surge.

Please, everybody, if you are with your family yesterday, stay home for the next couple of weeks while you make sure that you observe quarantine so that we don't see a dramatic escalation before we get those shots in arms.

GOLODRYGA: And the U.S. just broke its record for hospitalizations for the 17th straight day, more than 90,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized. What worries you most when you see the numbers continue to rise? You talk about the European health systems working across borders. Do you think we're going to get to the point where we're going to have states doing the same here because of surges at hospital?

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: I do, and, in fact, we already have been. There have been underserved states with more rural hospitals that have less capacity sending patients to other states that have more capacity, particularly in the ICUs. And so, it is going to be, you know, the hotter a spot, the more likely your local hospital is going to be overwhelmed and your loved one might end up in a hospital far away just so that we can help them stay alive. It is not a healthy situation right now.

GOLODRYGA: And you think about our first responders who went through all of this, hell and back in the spring, and now having to possibly revisit this a second time around, it is just unbearable.

We talk about vaccines, and I don't want to be the Debbie Downer here, but we should be honest in telling people about some of the concerns in terms of rolling out the vaccines, in terms of storage, right, and in terms of distribution. When you look at the horizon over the next few months, what are you expecting to see in terms of distributing the vaccine to as many Americans as possible?

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: It's complicated. The vaccine that is likely to be approved first has to be stored at minus 170 degrees C. So that's really, really cold. They don't have freezers everywhere across the country that are able to handle that kind of cold.

And so, initially, the vaccine is likely going to be distributed from hospital systems, going to those frontline workers, people working in COVID units, for example, or first responders that are the very highest risk. And then we'll start moving out in circles after that. But if you're a health care worker that's exhausted and been, you know, working 24/7 now for months, taking care of COVID patients and you're not in that very first batch, it's frustrating.

And so it's going to be very challenging to make it feel fair, make it feel logical for our people who have been doing this hard work to have to stand a few paces back in line as we start rolling out the vaccine. So, I foresee some challenges ahead as we try to make this go as smoothly as possible in an area where it's in short supply.

GOLODRYGA: Throughout the year, I have been covering the educational aspects of COVID in terms of K through 12 schools and colleges. And we're now at a period where you have hundreds of thousands of college students, the majority of them are asymptomatic if, in fact, they do catch the virus, are now back home in their communities. What is your message to families who, you know, no fault of their own, their kids have to go somewhere, what is your message to them to make sure that they are safe and responsible or as safe and responsible as possible?

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COMPTON-PHILLIPS: Well, I'm one of those families. I have a couple kids home from college because they didn't have any other place to go for the school year. And we have to do what we're asking everybody to do, which is hunker down and stay home. Right now, the CDC asks us to quarantine if we've been around, you know, people outside of your bubble. So if you've expanded your bubble over Thanksgiving, the CDC asks us to stay quarantined for 14 days. And so we're going to do everything we can to get as close to that as possible.

We do hope that the CDC is going to shorten those guidelines, somewhere between seven and ten days with a negative test, which will simplify lives because it's really hard to stay hunkered down for 14 days. But for right now, we're going to do what the CDC asks and stay home. GOLODRYGA: Look, I'm in the same boat as you are. I have two college- age step kids and you got to do what you can, and they're responsible, but I think if the CDC does lower those guidelines, it will be helpful for students as well.

Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips good luck with your kids, thank you.

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: Thank you, you too.

GOLODRYGA: Have a good weekend. Thanks.

Well, still to come, President Trump says he will leave if the electoral votes for Biden. But will he go to his inauguration? Well, that's not clear.

And other world leaders have congratulated Biden but not President Putin of Russia. And what does that signal for the incoming administration?

Plus, a family of six devastated by the coronavirus, how they're using their experience to raise awareness for others.

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GOLODRYGA: It's been nearly three weeks since the election was called for Joe Biden and President Trump is still refusing to concede. The president finally taking questions from reporters on Thanksgiving, acknowledging that he will leave the White House while repeating baseless voter fraud claims.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: It's going to be a very hard thing to concede, because we know there was massive fraud.

REPORTER: And just to be clear, if the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, will you concede?

TRUMP: Well, if they do, they made a mistake. Because this election --

REPORTER: But will you concede?

TRUMP: -- was a fraud.

So, no, I can't say that at all. I think it's a possibility. They're trying -- look, between you people -- don't talk to me that way.

REPORTER: Sorry, sir.

TRUMP: You're just a lightweight. Don't talk to me that way. I'm the president of the United States. Don't ever talk to the president that way.

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GOLODRYGA: Just so unacceptable to hear the president of the United States talk to anybody, especially reporters, in that manner.

CNN's Kristen Holmes joins me now from the White House. Kristen, aside from that rant from the president that we heard, what more are you learning specifically about him perhaps willing to concede?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Bianna, I just want to take one minute to note that that reporter, Jeff Mason, is a professional, and he was doing his job asking the president questions. And this is the first time the president has taken a single question since Election Day. And as you noted, most of it was spent ranting about baseless claims on widespread election fraud.

Again, we cannot stress this enough. There have been numerous cases brought by the Trump campaign and Republicans that have been thrown out, dismissed or lost by the Trump campaign because there is no evidence of this widespread fraud.

Now, as you mentioned, this is the first time we have heard President Trump say that he will, in fact, leave the White House if the Electoral College certifies the election for Joe Biden in January. Take a listen.

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REPORTER: If the electoral does elect President-elect Joe Biden, are you not going to leave this building?

TRUMP: Just so you -- certainly I will. Certainly I will. And you know that. But I think that there will be a lot of things happening between now and the 20th of January, a lot of things.

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HOLMES: Now, of course, we didn't know that, that's why they were asking. There had been speculation as to whether or not President Trump would actually leave the White House.

I do want to touch on two more things that he discussed. He talked about how Joe Biden shouldn't be picking a cabinet yet, that it was inappropriate because of the election and these pending litigation and questions, which, of course, as I have just said, there really isn't anything to that. He also said that he wasn't sure or he avoided the question on whether or not he would attend Biden's inauguration.

And, lastly, what I want to point out is this, that we're talking about coronavirus today and how it is ravaging this country. And President Trump talked about how he was planning on traveling down to Georgia and indicated he would hold a rally, a big rally in Georgia to campaign for those two senators, Loeffler and Purdue, who are up for that runoff on January 5th.

GOLODRYGA: Kristen Holmes, as I said in the last hour to you, some things never change. The president is still not willing to acknowledge the severity and depth of the coronavirus here in the United States and the damage that it has ensued. Thank you so much.

Well, Chinese President Xi Jinping, one of the latest world leaders to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden, he joins a growing list of leaders to offer their congratulations. But notably missing from that list is Russian President Vladimir Putin.

My next guest says not only has Putin not congratulated Biden but that Russian media is actively pushing Trump's election fraud propaganda.

Garry Kasparov is Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, and he's joining me now. Garry, always good to see you. Thanks for coming on. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We have seen most world leaders, including authoritarians, like I mentioned, Xi Jinping of China, Turkey's Erdogan congratulate Biden at this point. How do you interpret Putin's silence?

GARRY KASPAROV, CHAIRMAN, HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION: Bianna, first of all, thank you for inviting me for this special edition, but I'm afraid I have bad news for you.

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I have been saying things about Putin and Trump relations for many years and, very often, my warnings were overlooked, not only warning to expect the worst. I think it's a very ominous sign. Putin not recognizing the reality, not recognizing Biden's victory means that he expects Trumps to go for months attacking the election. And even if Trump cannot win in the courts, as we know is going to be the case, Trump will continue his campaign to delegitimize Biden and his presidency.

And I think Putin knows more than he says. And his silence should tell us that he expects Trump to continue working for his interest by destroying Americans' democratic institutions.

GOLODRYGA: So, let me pick up on that, because I have been following you, as have many other people on Twitter, and this is what you tweeted last week. Putin is in no hurry to acknowledge Biden's victory because there's no benefit. But showing loyalty to Trump like a godfather to a foot soldier still bears fruit and likely will even after January 20th.

What do you mean by that? What do you expect to see in the coming months and what kind of damage can that relationship continue to ensue on even a Biden administration?

KASPAROV: First of all, I know the rule (ph). Always listen to a dictator or a would-be dictator. Just to know in a segment that we heard a couple minutes ago played by in this program, Trump said between now and January 20th, many things will happen, and I trust him. Something is going to happen. Again, we know he's not going to succeed by changing the results of the elections.

But he will be succeeding, and he's already succeeding in displaying this election as a massive fraud in the eyes of millions, if not, tens of millions of Americans, and even after January the 20th. And that's why I believe he will not show up at Biden's inauguration because he will never concede. And there are many indications of that.

And that's what Putin expects him to do, continue attacks on American democracy and spreading the word that election was a fraud, Biden was illegitimate, and, hopefully, for Putin and other dictators in the world, Trump will continue his destructive work on dismantling America's image worldwide.

GOLODRYGA: But unlike what Putin may want or President Trump may want, there will be a President-elect Biden. And at some point, there will have to be a relationship between President Putin and President Biden.

President Putin has already said that there's no point in harming the relationship now by not congratulating him because the relationship is already harmed. But what do you view the next four years in terms of a relationship, foreign policy-wise, between the United States and Russia to look like?

KASPAROV: I hope there will be no relationship between President Biden and President Putin, because there's no President Putin, there's Dictator Putin. And I hope CNN and other media outlets in America will use this language describing a ruler for life in Russia who demonstrated his disrespect for human rights, for rule of law and also the man who has no allergy for blood (ph), blood that's spilled whether in Russia or elsewhere.

I'm not sure how long Putin stays in power. We know exactly that Biden, hopefully, his house will be good, as we all expect, will stay in office at least four more years. With these dictators, the life is different. You know, know what happens next Monday.

And I don't think Putin is making now long-term plans. He is now expecting the Biden administration to take a tougher stance against Russia. He knows that there will be many officials in Biden's administration who will learn from Obama's mistakes and will not give Putin a free ride and that's why I think the confrontation will only rise, and that's what Putin said.

He let the relations already spoiled and it's already broken because he's not expecting to make any concessions. He's not going to accept America's demand behalf of Ukrainians or Syrians or other people who are suffering from Putin's brazen actions.

So, for instance, now, Belarus, that's another example where Putin is standing by next to a Belarusian dictator who has been using brute force to subdue his people.

GOLODRYGA: Well, the people who suffered the most, obviously, are the people in Russia, where the coronavirus continues ravaging and the economy continues to tank as well. Garry Kasparov, it's always great to have you on. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

KASPAROV: Thank you very much, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Well, we have breaking news out of Iran. We are learning a top nuclear scientist was killed outside the capitol of Tehran. CNN International Security Editor Nick Paton Walsh joins us with the latest.

[10:25:02]

Nick, I'm just seeing the news come across the wires as well. What more do we know?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Well, this is a key figure in what many say is Iran's alleged continued search for a nuclear weapon. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a well known figure if you're studying Iran's nuclear program, but certainly a new name to most of us, on the outskirts of Tehran, according to state media, he appears to have been attacked in his car along with his bodyguards, and that's most state media reports are now suggesting has left him dead. He seems to have died in hospital from his injuries.

Why is this so significant? Well, of course, firstly, it's an enormous embarrassment for Iran that a man quite so secretly held by them, who's supposed to be one of the secured individuals they had could be targeted like this, if indeed it turns out it was an assassination. And I suspect we'll start seeing Iranian officials pointing the finger towards Israel for this.

Secondly, this also potentially shakes the constant debate, it seems, at the moment about what will happen after President Donald Trump leaves the White House. Remember, he pulled out of the nuclear deal that was designed to keep Iran from pursuing the nuclear weapon that so many say it's held bent on getting. He pulled out of that, causing Iran to enrich more nuclear material and seemed to be veering back potentially towards direction that nobody wanted to see it go in the region.

If we're seeing here, one of its most prominent nuclear scientists frankly being killed like this, then that may well impact Iran's knowledge base, it will certainly though disturb efforts to get relations back on track. It will make hawks in Iran think now is not the right time to make peace with the United States. Some may argue this could be the intention but also to -- it is fundamentally bit of an embarrassment to a very secretive nation that prides its security above else, here is one of their people, it seems, being killed in the outskirts of its capitol city. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: Well, as we mentioned, this news just breaking and, of course, Nick, you will be following it for us throughout the day. Thank you so much. We really appreciate it.

And we'll be right back.

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