Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.K. Becomes First Nation To Approve Vaccine; CDC Chief Says, Next Three Months Most Difficult In U.S. Health History; Warp Speed Chief Says, 100 Million Americans May Be Vaccinated By February; Biden Now Ahead In Popular Vote By Nearly Seven Million Votes. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired December 02, 2020 - 13:00   ET

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

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Hello, I am Brianna Keilar, and I want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

As the world is grappling with the devastating effects of the pandemic, there is a ray of hope that vaccines are on the way. The head of Operation Warp Speed just moments ago saying 100 million Americans may be vaccinated by February. This is coming, as the United Kingdom has just given approval to a vaccine which is the first Western nation to do so. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine will be available in the U.K. next week.

And next week is also when the FDA advisory board here in the United States is expected to vote on approving emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PAUL OFFIT, MEMBER, FDA'S VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: It's very promising. I mean, the U.K. regulators are essentially a mirror of us, that the U.K. regulators and advisers felt that way is a good sign we also will be getting a huge packet of information that we'll review before the meeting of December 10th. But it's -- it all looks good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, here is what doesn't look good, and that is the next few months, because we are seeing cases, hospitalizations and deaths all hitting record levels. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield gave this sobering warning just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, CDC DIRECTOR: The reality is December and January and February are going to be rough times. I actually believe they're going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation largely because of the stress that it's going to put on our health care system.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, Redfield also said that the U.S. could see 450,000 people die from COVID by February. The pandemic is already devastating families from coast to coast. Tuesday, the United States recorded 2,597 deaths. And this is an escalation that we were warned about but is now here. The one-day death toll is the second-highest since the beginning of the pandemic. It is the largest since April. But you don't have to tell that to Joanna Sisk, who lost both of her parents to COVID on the same day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOANNA SISK, LOST BOTH PARENTS TO COVID AT THE SAME TIME: The bottom line is my parents went very quickly. I mean, there was not a lot of time from when they -- you know, from when they got it to when they passed.

And they just -- people, it's such a simple thing to mask. It's just that easy. And it can save so many people's lives. And no one needs to ever feel this pain that our entire family, you know, is going through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The United States also reported more than 180,000 new cases. It is the 29th straight day of more than 100,000 new cases per day and we also saw a new record for hospitalizations.

I want to bring in Tom Foreman to talk about this. Tom, there are 16 states that have reported these record numbers of hospitalizations just yesterday. How has this escalated?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has escalated, very, very quickly and solidly over the past month. Look at this calendar. Every place you see a red X on there, that beat the record for the most number of hospitalizations. So, you can see, every day, for a month, except for one, we're not sure about the numbers, has been worse than before and a new record in hospitalizations.

Enormous strains on hospital staffs, enormous strains on people needing any kind of medical care in some places, they may have to travel hours to get that care, if it's not COVID related, maybe even if it is, because so many hospitals have been pushed to the brink of their capacity, some cases beyond.

You mentioned those 16 states. Just Tuesday, these 16 states tipped over the edge, highest number of hospitalizations there. So, vacations, any kind of time off for already exhausted medical staffs are being cancelled everywhere. One analyst put it in a very strong way said, it's like there's been a natural disaster in every state all at once, and the hospitals are just swamped. Brianna?

KEILAR: And, you know, we were talking earlier about this. Yesterday, the United States recorded the second highest number of daily deaths. That is since the beginning of this entire pandemic. Take us through those numbers.

FOREMAN: Yes. If you look at the graph of what happened with deaths, yes, back early on in April, when the country was just trying to get the handle on what was happening, it was exploding in the northeast, you can see that it really spiked up there. But now, we have worked our way right back there. Why? Because it got colder, people went inside, people got tired of dealing with masking and social distancing and they started getting loose about it, according to all the health experts, and we are paying a price.

Bear in mind, when you look at all these numbers, we are not yet talking about the Thanksgiving effect. That's too recent, Brianna. We haven't even had all those cases roll in.

[13:05:01]

That's expected to be somewhere starting later this week, maybe now just earliest edge of it and running all the way up into Christmas. And then we will see what those holidays bring on later into January.

Once again, the rules are simple. Stay inside. Stay masked. Stay away from people. Not enough people are doing it. Brianna?

KEILAR: Tom, thank you so much for that.

The U.K. is now the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine. They are expecting to have the first doses of that vaccine ready for use just next week.

Our Max Foster is in London. He is actually outside of 10 Downing Street for us. Max, what are you hearing there about the approval and about the distribution plans? How many doses we're talking about? Who all is going to get them?

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Huge excitement this morning on this news from the regulator that the vaccine is not only effective, 95 percent effective, but also safe. So, the government immediately kicked in, saying, mass inoculations will start next week in the U.K., so, much excitement about that. I have to say, this evening here in Downing Street, the mood is changing somewhat, an awareness of the challenges ahead and also the awareness that people need to stay safe, in the meantime, until the entire public is inoculated.

So, some of the issues they're pointing out is that they've got 800,000 doses on order from Pfizer. They are coming from the factory in Belgium. But they have to get them over to the U.K. More than minus 94-degrees Fahrenheit, that, in itself, is a huge challenge.

Now, the top of the list to receive these vaccines are people in care homes. But how are they going to get into care homes? At the moment, the plan is go to hub hospitals and start injecting people from there. But do they take people out of care homes, put them into the hospitals? That's a big complication.

We also saw the deputy chief medical officer come out and warn people that you have to take this vaccine in order for it to be effective, a concern that people won't take it if they're offered it. Also, he went out and warned everyone that, actually, this virus is never going to go away. It could even return as a seasonal virus. So, everyone needs to be aware there won't be some moment in future where everything returns back to normal. And until everyone is vaccinated, people can't relax. They have to stick to the safety messages. And, you know, keep your distance, keep your mask on, all that basic stuff. They are very concerned at this point that people might get overexcited about this vaccine news, even though, on the face of it, it's very positive, indeed.

KEILAR: A very good point. Max Foster, live for us from London, thank you.

Well, actor Richard Schiff is known for his roles in West Wing and The Good Doctor. There is something he wants you to know about getting sick with COVID, that it is scarier than you have read and it is scarier than you have heard.

Thankfully, both Schiff and his wife, actor Sheila Kelley, are now recovering from a bad bout with COVID-19 and they are here to talk with us about their experience.

I want to thank you both. I think it's very helpful when people see faces they recognize telling them what they could be dealing with. And I just want to ask you, both, first, off the top, how you're feeling?

RICHARD SCHIFF, ACTOR, THE WEST WING AND THE GOOD DOCTOR: Well, thank you, Brianna. It's nice to see you. I am feeling a lot better, excitedly better. And it's been a long road for me, but incrementally better every day. Sheila's having a little bit of a different experience.

SHEILA KELLEY, ACTRESS, THE GOOD DOCTOR: Yes. Our son and I didn't have a lot of intervention. And so, what we're finding is that just you'll have a good day, and then you'll have two bad days of exhaustion. You can't get out of bed. And then you'll have a couple of good days and then one bad day. So it's a long mountain to hike up getting back to health.

SCHIFF: It keeps coming and fighting you. This COVID thing doesn't want to leave your body. It wants to win.

KEILAR: And so, how long have you been dealing with this?

SCHIFF: I was -- I -- on November 1st, I remember it was a Sunday night because it was just before the election and I was very nervous about that. And we had five-hour -- we had five scenes to do the next day, on Monday.

And it's very lucky that I got some symptoms on Sunday night. 2:00 A.M., I called my manager in L.A., who I knew would be up. And at 5:00 A.M., I started calling the A.D.s, the assistant directors of The Good Doctor, to let them know I was feeling some symptoms. And I was very worried about what it could be. And I shouldn't come into work. And they agreed.

Had my symptoms come seven, eight hours later, I would've gone into work and crew members would have been infected. So, it was very lucky that those symptoms came when they did.

KEILAR: Incredibly lucky that you didn't bring it on set.

[13:10:01]

And you actually spent five days in the hospital. Tell us about what kind of treatment you received.

SCHIFF: Well, I spent 13 days at our home in Vancouver trying to recover, trying to keep my breath going. The doctor, who I was talking to over the phone here, recommended I go into the hospital because I had an oxymeter, which was measuring my oxygen. I had difficulty breathing. It had gone down to 88, which is a danger zone.

And he said go, just go to the hospital. And I didn't want to go. I thought they would put me right into ICU on a ventilator. I just didn't want to go. I was hoping to find breath where I was. But I went. And it was -- it was touchy, very dire for a minute. The first doctor said I'm going to go into the ICU, go into a ventilator, and wasn't sure of the outcome. And that's what he said to us -- to me. I had to have that conversation with Sheila.

KEILAR: Yes, that's actually what I wanted to ask you about. You had to have this conversation, and I was hoping maybe you could both tell us about that. I mean, you said it was touch and go. You came up against the possibility you might not make it. I wonder if you guys could talk about what that was like to have that discussion.

KELLEY: Yes. It's a surreal moment. You know, you read about it. You watch it on the news for months and months and months. And you read about it. And you're like, oh, this can't possibly be as bad as everybody is saying it is. And, in fact, it's worse. It's terrifying because it really is a moment you don't want to have, where you get a text, that's how I found out, is he texted me.

SCHIFF: I didn't want to call. I just had to text.

KELLEY: And then, I was actually talking to Allison Janney, called me and I couldn't talk. I couldn't even speak because I was so terrified and so emotionally distraught. And then, it -- 24 hours like that, 24 hours of thinking he had to go to ICU and onto a ventilator. That -- that just -- yes. And then he called me to let me know he didn't need to. He was doing better the next day. And I just -- I just was sobbing uncontrollably.

SCHIFF: It's funny how that works. That's when all the emotion came out for both of us. We kind of let it go once we found that there was a chance it wasn't going to happen. You know, my inflammation markers were very bad for a couple of days. And that's why the doctor was not optimistic. And then it turned around.

And you asked about the treatment. You know, I had to kind of fight to get Remdesivir. The doctors at Vancouver General, great care and really wonderful, but the doctors are very conservative. And based on the test, he didn't want to give it to me. And we convinced him to give it to me and I think that made a difference. That, and steroids and, of course, I was on oxygen for about four days and it turned around. And I was able to get off oxygen. And I was released a week earlier than the doctors had thought I would be. And I am very grateful for that.

KEILAR: And, Sheila, I mean -- sorry, go on, Richard.

SCHIFF: No. I said, at one point in an interview, it's worse than you've heard and worse than you've read. It's kind of a silly thing to say because we have all read of the -- you know, back in Elmhurst and Queens, the horrible stories back in March of what this COVID can do to people and the tragedy of dying alone and of all the lingering effects. It's just that it doesn't stick to your ribs. You read about it and it doesn't stick.

KELLEY: Well, it's because you've never experienced anything like this. That's why it's hard to get through to people's heads. And I didn't think it was going to be as bad as it was. It is not like any illness you have ever had. It is wily, it is sneaky, it is weird. You cannot breathe. Even me, who had a mild case, couldn't -- I was fighting for breath at night. So it -- I think that's what you are trying to say. It's not -- it's not something you've ever had, before.

KEILAR: I saw you, Sheila, kind of turn your head to have a little cough. I mean, you're clearly still having these symptoms that are coming and going.

KELLEY: Yes.

KEILAR: And I know -- and so, tell us your message to Americans, really to anyone who may be watching. What is your message to them?

KELLEY: It is so much worse than you could imagine because you -- it's like -- it's almost like you are in quicksand. You are in this COVID quicksand and you cannot get out of it. You can't get breath. You can't get energy. You're exhausted. And it's a lot easier to get than you think. I think it's a lot easier to get, because we were incredibly protective.

[13:15:03]

SCHIFF: We were vigilant. We were very -- rarely went out. My son has become a gourmet cook. We have gone nowhere. And yet a few times you forget to put on your mask or you get too casual with it and you forget for a second, and that's maybe how you get. But it's not -- what Sheila says is accurate.

You know, the time I spent with COVID, my whole body has atrophied. I just barely been able to get energy up to go for walks and to do interviews like this. The good news is I'm going to work tomorrow. So I'm -- we're going to try to do that and see how that goes.

But, yes, you know, but the vaccine around the corner, it behooves everyone to stay away from COVID, and not only help your nation, help your community, help your family get through this, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, from what we understand. So, why? Why bother messing around? You see these articles with the doctors in the hospitals who are getting reinundated, again, with the influx of all the new patients. It's happening in Vancouver General here. They opened two new floors while I was in the hospital. They are so angry and so mad and crazed about the deniers and the people that don't believe it and refuse to wear masks.

The doctors and the nurses, the healthcare workers, are the ones that suffer the consequences, as well as the people who get sick because they are overwhelmed. And they're incredible people and they shouldn't have to go through this. It's preventable. At least some of it is preventable.

KEILAR: They are incredible people And, Richard, I'm so glad you shined a spotlight on them because they are the ones in the thick of this. Richard and Sheila, it is great to see you. You are clearly still recovering, but you're on the other side of this, it appears. And for that, we are very thankful, and we thank you for joining us.

KELLEY: Thank you, Brianna.

SCHIFF: Thank you.

KEILAR: In his final weeks, the president is now considering preemptive pardons for his children. The question is, why, if they've done nothing wrong?

Plus, he is now publicly floating the possibility that he will run again in 2024. Why that may not be welcome news for his party.

And Democratic leaders caught breaking their own guidance about coronavirus. We'll roll the tape.

This is CNN special live coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:20:00]

KEILAR: President-elect Joe Biden is widening his historic lead over Donald Trump in the popular vote. Biden, who is about to address a group of small business owners and workers, is now ahead of Trump by nearly 7 million votes.

Harry Enten, our CNN Senior Political Writer and Analyst is here to break down the significance of these numbers. Tell us what they mean, Harry.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER AND ANALYST: Well, when you see that 51.2 percent and I will just point out, that is the highest percentage for any challenger to an incumbent since FDR back in 1932. So that's a big thing.

The other thing I will note is that I think a lot of people perhaps tuned out of this election once it was clear Biden was going to win. But over the past few weeks, as absentee ballots have been counted, especially in New York City, which just reported them yesterday, what we have seen is that Biden's lead has expanded. So it's only about two points in the national popular vote on election night, and now it's up over four points. So that's a very clear margin. It's even wider than Barack Obama margin in popular vote back in 2012.

KEILAR: And how does it compare to Donald Trump's 2016 victory?

ENTEN: Yes. So, Donald Trump went around saying, I got the greatest landslide of all time, right? That was what he consistently did. He brought around that map with him. But take a look here. I think this is so important. Biden's popular vote margin at this point is 6.9 million votes. It wouldn't be a surprise to me when some extra votes get counted if it tops over 7 million.

Trump actually lost the popular vote back in 2016. He lost it by about 3 million. So we have seen about -- it's about a 10-million-vote swing in the popular vote between 2016 and 2020 for the winners.

And the other thing I will note is that Trump's popular vote percentage was below 46 percent back in 2016. Biden is above 51 percent. It's just a much clearer win and a much bigger mandate for Biden than Trump had, at least with concern of the popular vote.

KEILAR: All right. Harry, thank you so much, Harry Enten live for us from New York.

And as the president continues his attack on the legitimacy of the U.S. election, he is reportedly considering multiple pardons for those close to him, very close, including, some bearing the Trump name. CNN has learned Trump is considering pardons for his three eldest children, his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and as reported yesterday, his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.

CNN Contributor Michael D'Antonio is a Donald Trump biographer and he is also the author of The Truth about Trump. Tell us, why would the president's adult children and his son-in-law need to be pardoned?

MICHAEL D'ANTONIO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, obviously, they are facing both criminal and civil peril. I don't know how much of this is linked to their government service. I doubt much of it is. I think it all relates to their behavior before entering government. Ivanka Trump and her brother, Don Jr., both narrowly escaped prosecution a decade ago because of their unscrupulous and, some would say, illegal behavior around the sale of real estate in the Trump-SoHo development.

[13:25:00]

So, this is a family that is familiar with legal trouble, that spends a lot of time in and out of courts. And I think if the president imagines that his children need these preemptive pardons, there's a good chance that they do.

KEILAR: And, you know, the president, during a Christmas reception at the White House, last night, was talking about spending four more years in the White House. Here he was. Let's listen to this, and then talk about it. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We won an election but they don't like that.

We're trying to do another four years, otherwise, I'll see you in four years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I mean, just to be clear, we know he did not win the election. But what do you make of him? This is him now publicly saying that, in four years, he is or is considering or might run again.

D'ANTONIO: Well, this is all part of the continuous grift that has been Donald Trump's entire life. You know, most of what he's done in his career, before the White House, and certainly, I think he anticipates what he'll do after leaving the White House, is to promote this idea of himself as powerful, also promote the idea of somehow giving him money.

In this case, it will be soliciting donations for his so-called legal defense funds or his challenge to the election. But, really, it's about grabbing as much cash as he can from donors of any measure of wealth. So, these could be people who are sending him $5 at a time, or people sending him $5,000 at a clip and they'll get nothing for it.

So, they -- he may promise them that he is going to run in 2024. I actually doubt that he will. And even if he does --

KEILAR: Why?

D'ANTONIO: -- he'll go through a whole new range of fundraising. You ask why I don't think he'll run?

KEILAR: Yes.

D'ANTONIO: Yes. I think he'll see that he'll be unlikely to win. You know, Harry Enten just described for us that the last two elections, he lost by an average of 5 million votes in the popular vote. His Electoral College defeat this time around is equal to the one that he claimed was a landslide in 2016.

So, he's not stupid. You know, he sees the handwriting on the wall. He knows that his moment is over. And the other thing that he could face is crowds of people shouting, lock him up, in the way that he had crowds shout, lock her up, about Hillary Clinton four years ago. So, you know, he's created this terrible, political environment where people say and chant terrible things. And I think he knows that it will be used against him in 2024.

KEILAR: Michael D'Antonio, thank you so much for your insights.

D'ANTONIO: Thank you.

KEILAR: Is the president deceiving his supporters with those fundraising emails? We are going to take a look.

Plus, as Congress pushes for a second stimulus deal before Christmas, see the seven most important relationships President-elect Biden will have on the Hill.

And as the CDC decides who will get the vaccines first, I will be speaking with the one doctor who disagreed with the majority. Hear why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:00]