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U.S. Sets Records For COVID-19 Deaths, Hospitalizations; Government Plans To Issue COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards; Congressional Hispanic Caucus Urges Biden To Pick Diverse Cabinet; Trump Speaks As He Continues To Fight Election Results; Biden Faces Increasing Pressure To Diversify His Cabinet. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired December 03, 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]

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DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Hello to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I am Dana Bash in Washington. Coronavirus cross currents between vaccine hope and the despair of the current moment. 30 straight days of 100,000 plus cases, and the U.S. is expected to pass 14 million infections sometime today.

Now these numbers are so big, they are so overwhelming, they really need to be put in proper human and historical context and we're going to do that in just a minute. Before that, other big headlines this hour President-Elect Joe Biden deliberates over high profile cabinet positions as complaints emerge about the makeup of his leadership that it's too middle of the road and too white.

And today, the transition holds a virtual meeting with Dr. Anthony Fauci; the Coronavirus remains of course the top priority for the incoming administration. And new daily records, paired with warnings, underline the depth of the challenge.

Here it is. 2800 deaths, 100,000 people sick with COVID in the hospital. So that is the most people sick in one day since the pandemic began. It is the most people dead in one day since the pandemic began.

And for context, the number of people who died yesterday, just yesterday, is about the same number who died on 9/11. In fact Dr. Jonathan Reiner told my colleague Erin Burnett that we will soon have a 9/11 every day in terms of deaths until this is under control. That Americans are anxious for and about a vaccine.

Operation Warp Speed officials say expect the first shipments to deliver in just 12 days. Most of the population however won't get the vaccine for months. A new forecast from the Centers for Disease Control says the American Coronavirus death toll will climb as high as 329,000 by the day after Christmas, again, context.

This is about the same number of Americans killed during World War II and the Korean War combined. And remember, we just set a pandemic high for daily deaths. One official helping lead the Biden pandemic strategy warns the country this morning of a much darker future ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, BIDEN COVID-19 ADVISORY BOARD: We may one day look back and say I wish it was 2600 deaths a day. That's the issue that we have to bring forward to the American public right now. This is a very, very difficult and dangerous time and if we don't change our ways, this will not be the top of the curve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And these numbers can numb you. But each life lost is measured in the pain of people that they're left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So when I was holding her hand, you know, she definitely slowed with her breathing and then they came into the room, and told me that I needed to go for my dad, you know. They just passed at the same time and it was devastating and really difficult.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: But the hope is still about a vaccine, and we're getting a new glimpse today on how the government plans to keep track of people who received the vaccine? I want to get straight to CNN's Kristen Holmes. And Kristen, tell us what your reporting is about the vaccine kits, how they're going to be put together and how they're going to be distributed?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes Dana, this is really what a lot of Americans have been waiting for, and particularly health experts. And I've spoken to many of them after we've gotten our first glimpse of these kits who are breathing a sigh of relief and here's why. Take a look at this picture of the kit, there is Commissioner Department of Defense website is our first look at what it is going to have inside of it.

You see here an information card which I am going to get to in a second. But also you see this needles, syringes, alcohol wipes, masks. Why is this important? The country saw a huge shortage in this personal protective equipment at the beginning of this Coronavirus outbreak, and many of these industry experts are so concerned that it was going to happen again.

The fact that this is coming with the vaccine kit is a real bonus to these health care workers. They believe that this will really help the supply chain. Now to the part where there are some concerns, this is the information card here. And see, it looks like a standard piece of information, it has a place for your name, which dose you got, which type of vaccine.

But this is how the country is keeping track of who got the vaccine and how many doses they got? And as one person who I spoke to just earlier this morning who was working with Operation Warp Speed said, why are we using this kind of a paper system in 2020, there are real concerns here that there is no national database.

Now HHS has asked these states to be part of a data sharing program, but there are big concerns about that, because they don't know where the data is going Dana at this point? They don't know where it's going to be shared exactly. It's not a national system and no one is giving them that information.

[12:05:00]

HOLMES: So you're seeing a lot of states balk at the idea of actually joining this kind of data sharing until they get those kinds of answers. Dana?

BASH: So many unknowns. I want to ask you about former presidents. We have seen in recent times former presidents get together to try to help out when there's a humanitarian crisis. Well, we're in a humanitarian crisis and President Obama, Bush and Clinton are going to work together with regard to the vaccine. What are you hearing?

HOLMES: One of the things that we've really been missing in this country is some sort of national education program or ad campaign to teach Americans about what exactly is going to happen with this vaccine?

And so to fill that void, you're seeing the former president's step in, as you said Obama, Bush, Clinton. We know that George Bush actually reached out to Fauci, asked about the vaccine and asked how he could help promote this and give it publicity?

Obama also said that he trusts Fauci, that if he tells him to do it, that he will also take the vaccine. And they're all saying they'll do it on camera publicly to ensure that the public knows that it's safe. Dana?

BASH: And Kristen, our producers found evidence that this has happened with high profile people in the past with the vaccine. Elvis Presley in 1956, there he is back stage at the Ed Sullivan show. What is he doing? He's getting the polio vaccine. So thank you so much for finding that.

Joining me now is - and thank you, Kristen. Joining me now is, Dr. Kevin Ault, he serves on the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Thank you so much for joining me, doctor.

DR. KEVIN AULT, MEMBER, CDC'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES: Thank you.

BASH: First about the death record today, a new record on deaths, a new record on hospitalizations. We haven't even seen cases contracted over Thanksgiving to start show up in real numbers. Where are we headed?

DR. AULT: Well, I thought that that segment was very sobering. We have known for weeks that there's potential for these cases to keep rising, and there is strain on the health care system. I think you covered that really well in that prior segment. And that showed up in the hearing that we had just two days ago when we talked about vaccinating health care workers.

BASH: So explain to us how your committee, talking about the vaccine, explain to us how your committee decided who gets the vaccine first?

DR. AULT: We've had a series of meetings over the past six months about once a month to try to layout how we can maximize benefits and minimize harms from these vaccines as they become available?

So we developed a group through all these discussions and meetings, Phase A or Group One, which includes health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities and nursing homes, essential workers and people over 65 is who is in that first group. That's a huge group of Americans but that was the group that would seem to benefit the most from this vaccine or these vaccines.

BASH: So as Kristen just lay out, one of the big challenges is going to be that you are obviously a federal organization laying out guidelines and recommendations; this is going to be distributed on a state level. There's no requirement for states to take your recommendations and run with them.

Are you worried that some states will ignore what you're saying about the first vaccines going to health care workers on the frontlines of Coronavirus and people who are older in places that are like assisted living and others?

DR. AULT: Well, the traditional role of our committee has been to provide clinical guidelines and we certainly did this in the 2009 pandemic as well. So there's precedent there. So I think there's a difference and if you go back and listen to some of our other meetings between macro planning, the large picture that we're looking at in our committee and micro planning, what actually happens on a much smaller scale in cities.

And so, I think we laid out a very good framework, as I said previously for maximizing benefits, minimizing risk and health equity. But yes, I would expect some differences from place to place if you look at the whole of the nation.

BASH: And before I let you go, I want to play for you some comments from one of the participants from the vaccine trials. He spoke to my colleague Sanjay Gupta. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YASIR BATALVI, VACCINE TRIAL PARTICIPANT: That evening was rough. I mean, I developed a low grade fever and fatigue and chills, like you're punched in the arm basically. It doesn't last long. And the potential of folks not getting this vaccine and actually infecting people with COVID, those effects last a lot longer and they can be life or death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So some Americans will hear the first part, which is I felt like I was punched in the arm and I didn't feel so well. As a public health expert and official, how do you overcome that?

[12:10:00]

DR. AULT: Well, we're going to have data. We talked about some data on Tuesday, but we'll have data next week about how common that is? And the preliminary data is about 10 or 20 percent, depending on which side effect you looked at. A lot of people have those reactions to the flu shot. I've gotten a flu shot every fall for 20 some years.

Some years I have that reaction, some years I don't. It's going to be hard to predict who has that reaction and who doesn't. But at least we're going to have data to inform people in the very near future about both these new candidate vaccines.

BASH: Yes, and I guess I'll answer that question also. I'd rather get feel like I got punched in the arm than be in hospital on a ventilator and I'm sure most people in this country would. Thank you so much.

DR. AULT: Absolutely.

BASH: Dr. Kevin Ault, I appreciate it. And up next, President-Elect Biden is facing pressure over diversity in his incoming administration.

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[12:15:00]

BASH: President-Elect Biden is facing growing pressure from lawmakers and civil rights groups to pick a more diverse cabinet than he already has, and keep his promise to build an administration that looks like America.

Today members of the congressional Hispanic caucus are meeting with incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and other transition leaders about the cabinet selection process. Here's one member's message.

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REP. RAUL RUIZ (D-CA): Our expectation is that his cabinet really reflects the diversity of America. He does need to do more, especially with Hispanic cabinet individuals in the top positions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: CNN's Manu Raju is on Capitol Hill. Manu, what are you hearing from your sources about how they feel on Capitol Hill, particularly the powerful groups and caucuses within the democratic party about the president-elect's picks?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a lot of lobbying that's happening behind the scenes. And Joe Biden is really facing pressure on the number of different fronts, both to pick candidates that represent ideological diversity, ethnic diversity, and also dealing with the reality of trying to get someone confirmed -- BASH: Manu, I'm so sorry to interrupt. We have to go to the president

in the Oval Office.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Very close to a deal. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was --

TRUMP: I will, I will, absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, can I ask you to respond to the comments by your attorney general who indicated at this point any evidence of fraud enough to overturn the election results. Given that, why is now not the time to concede?

TRUMP: Well, he hasn't done anything, so he hasn't looked. When he looks, he'll see the kind of evidence that right now you're seeing in the Georgia Senate, they're going through hearings right now in Georgia and they're finding tremendous volumes. So they haven't looked very hard which is a disappointment to be honest with you.

Because it's massive fraud, whether you go to Wisconsin where we just filed a case or Michigan or if you look at what's happening in Georgia as an example, Pennsylvania. If you look at Nevada which is moving along very rapidly or Arizona, you saw those numbers come out yesterday, we found massive fraud and in other states also. This is probably the most fraudulent election that anyone has ever seen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you still have confidence in Bill Barr?

TRUMP: Ask me that in a number of weeks from now. They should be looking at all of this fraud. This is not civil. He thought it was civil. This is not civil, this is criminal stuff, this is very bad criminal stuff. So I just say this. We went through an election. At 10'o clock everybody said that was an easy victory for Trump. All of a sudden, the votes started disappearing miraculously disappearing.

We found much of it, but we found far more votes than we need in almost all of these states, and I think I can say in all of these states far more votes than we need to win every one of them. And I want to just thank my team, because my team is doing an unbelievable job.

And more importantly, I want to thank the 74 million plus people that voted which is the largest amount of people that a sitting president has ever had, 74 million plus. And because the level of loyalty I've never seen anything like it. All over the country they know it was a fixed election. It was a rigged election. They know it and I appreciate their support. Thank you all very much. Thank you.

BASH: President Trump in the Oval Office, almost every single thing you just heard from the President of the United States is a lie. The only thing that he said at the end there about how many people voted for him and about the level of loyalty they have is true and it is that loyalty that is leading us to the situation we're in. I want to bring in Kaitlan Collins at the White House. Kaitlan, where

do we even begin, he said the attorney general didn't have the information that he needed when he announced that there wasn't widespread fraud in the election.

He said that they're finding new votes in the Georgia senate. We know from the Georgia Secretary of State who has said over and over again in the face of death threats that that is not true and they feel comfortable with it.

Going on and on and on about so many other topics that are just not accurate. Kaitlan, what are you hearing from your sources about that and let's just pick one thing, which is the rift that he has now with his own attorney general who is talking about reality as opposed to the fantasy we just heard from the president?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, and if he is saying that the attorney general hasn't seen the evidence, that would show that there was enough voter fraud that would actually change the outcome of the election, that's something that the president has been saying for weeks now, that they have that.

And Dana, we've seen that over 30 of their cases have failed in court. They do not have the evidence, and if they do, they're not showing it in court in a way that's convincing any judges or putting any pause on state officials to consider their counts of their votes.

[12:20:00]

COLLINS: And so, the president is continuing to insist this, trying to shape public opinion, but what they're not actually trying or what they're not being successful in actually changing the outcome of these votes. The recounts of affirmed vote counts that we have seen, that we saw the week of the election, we've only seen that continue to take place.

But the president is just insisting something is happening that is not happening. And now that of course has in turn caused him to turn on Attorney General Bill Barr. He'd already soured on Barr long before this, he was very upset over the fact that the Durham report, which was of course investigation into the beginning of the Russian investigation was not produced before the election.

Barr has now named Durham as a Special Counsel, meaning he will continue to do that investigation long after Donald Trump is out of office is the expectation, but they're still not getting the reports. The president is deeply unhappy with the attorney general, and you saw it right there, when he was asked if he has confidence in the attorney general and he said to ask him again in a couple of weeks.

Dana, there's only seven weeks left in the Trump Administration. There's only seven weeks left and Bill Barr is said to be the Attorney General. So there's not a lot of time here for the president to make a decision on this. And what we heard from sources on whether or not Barr is going to get fired is it's really anyone's guess. The president has talked openly about firing Barr as recently as in

the last 48 hours or so. It was only exacerbated by those comments he made to the "Associated Press" about there being no evidence of widespread fraud.

And so, the question really is, if the president is weighing the pros and the cons of firing Barr and getting to do what he wants to do by firing someone who we doesn't think is done, what he wanted him to do is that worth the blow back and the fallout that he is going to get from firing someone who is deeply popular with conservatives and with the president's Republican allies on Capitol Hill.

And judging by that answer, it seems to be something that the president is still weighing and hasn't made a decision on yet. But not a ringing endorsement and not something that should make Bill Barr feel good about his job.

BASH: What we have seen over and over again with this president rather that loyalty is a one way street. And I will just say, Kaitlan that, this latest outburst frankly from the president, if this isn't what is going to shake the Republican leadership in congress to realize that what he is doing is actually not only dangerous, they're not going to do it for the fundamentals of democracy.

They should do it for their own political power because if he is telling people that the system is rigged, there are people who support him are telling people not to vote in Georgia. That undermines the whole reason why Republicans in congress are not saying anything, because they want to stay in power and they want to win those two races in Georgia. Kaitlan Collins, thank you so much.

Thanks for your reporting and putting what we just heard in proper context. And when we come back, we're going to talk to a newly elected member of congress who has a message for President Obama.

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[12:25:00]

BASH: A member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Democratic Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey tells CNN that she's disappointed so far in the president-elect's cabinet level nominations. She said I am disappointed, I've not seen enough black women or black men. I recognize there are a lot more positions to be announced.

Well, joining me now is Congressman-Elect, Jamaal Bowman of New York. Congressman, welcome. I just want to remind our viewers that you defeated a fellow Democrat in the primary earlier this year, 16 term congressman, Elliott Angle, who is Chairman of the Powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Thank you so much for joining me now. First question is do you think Joe Biden is doing enough to keep his promise to pick an administration that reflects America? JAMAAL BOWMAN (D) CONGRESSMAN-ELECT, NEW YORK: Well, I think it's

important for us to have our racial diversity obviously, it's also important for us to have gender diversity. And as we saw, he picked an all female communications team which is historic and huge but I think ideological diversity is most key here.

And we need to make sure that President-Elect Joe Biden is picking as many progressives to his cabinet as possible. The people have spoken, they came out in droves, they organized across the country to help Joe Biden get elected. And the people, grass roots or spaces organize, when they helped get him elected, they demanded action on climate change. They demanded action on --

BASH: And has he so far?

BOWMAN: I'm sorry?

BASH: Are you satisfied with the way that the Biden transition has answered that call you're talking about, has put progressives that you're describing in key posts?

BOWMAN: Well, we support people like Janet Yellen, people like John Kerry, and some others, but when that heard names like Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Reed, makes my skin crawl. Rahm Emanuel covered up the murder of Laquan McDonald as Mayor in Chicago, he closed elementary schools, he closed mental health institutions.

And Bruce Reed is a deficit hawk and a master of austerity budget. So we cannot have anyone like that in the Biden cabinet, especially as we deal with the Coronavirus and as we deal with an economic depression and racial reckoning in our time. So when I hear names like that, I get worried but so far, I see diversity.