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U.S. COVID Cases Breaks Record; Joe Biden to Mandate Use of Mask; Former Presidents to Take COVID vaccine on Camera; U.K. Prepares to Vaccinate Citizens; Iran Passed a Bill After Fakhrizadeh's Assassination; Israelis and Jews Warned of Iran's Retaliatory Attack; Australia and China in War of Words; Trump Meeting with Attorney General Contentious; Trump Repeats False Baseless Claims of Election Fraud; Biden and Harris Weigh in on Trump's Power to Pardon; U.K. has Four Weeks to Secure Trade Deal with E.U.; U.K. Fisherman Caught in Net of E.U. Politics; Warner Brothers Movies to Stream as They Drop in Theaters; Curious Koala Becomes A Christmas Tree Ornament. Aired 3- 3:45a ET

Aired December 04, 2020 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST (on camera): These are protesters against President Trump. Thankfully the song they're playing right now is G- rated. They haven't all been.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: They did it just for us. Jake, thank you. Congratulations.

TAPPER: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: I'll see you soon.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): A third in coronavirus deaths in the U.S. And health officials warn another 55,000 Americans could die by Christmas.

Pfizer's vaccine arrives in the U.K. How quickly will doses get distributed? And later, what's behind the latest rise in tensions between Australia and its biggest trading partner, China?

Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church, and this is CNN Newsroom.

Good to have you with us.

Well many U.S. hospitals report being out or near breaking point as COVID cases surge to their highest levels yet. A record 217,000 new infections were confirmed across the country on Thursday alone.

More than 100,000 Americans are now fighting for their lives in medical facilities, hospitalizations have never been this high since the pandemic began, and tragically, many patients are too sick to survive. The death toll has been approaching 3,000 people per day over the past

several days. Health experts say reversing this grim trend could be as simple as wearing a face covering.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, in an exclusive interview with CNN, says he will ask all Americans to mask up during his first 100 days in office.

For the latest across the U.S., here is CNN's Nick Watt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC GARCETTI (D), LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It's time to hunker down. It's time to cancel everything. And if it isn't essential, don't do it.

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Coronavirus spread in Los Angeles is, officials say, terrifying. Only about 100 ICU beds left in a county of 10 million. Could all be filled by Christmas.

UNKNOWN: I think that California, just like everybody else, let their guard down.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICIES: We need to do something now. I'd rather do it now and try to avoid the cases of the future than wait to try to put this in place when the house is still so on fire that in fact, we have cross that case cliff and hospitals basically are literally overrun. That's what we are up against.

WATT: Nationwide, Wednesday was by many metrics the worst day of this pandemic. More than 200,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Wednesday, almost a record. Last Friday was higher. More than 100,000 COVID patients currently in the hospital. That is a record. And beds aren't the only issue.

MARVIN O'QUINN, PRESIDENT & COO, COMMONSPIRIT HEALTH: The real issue for us is, will we be able to get the nursing staff and the physician staff to take care of each patient?

WATT: Two thousand eight hundred four COVID deaths reported Wednesday. Also, a new high, passing April's peak.

LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: We'll soon going to surpass 3,000 deaths a day. We may even surpass 4,000 deaths a day.

WATT: The CDC now forecasters as many as another 55,000 Americans could die from now through Christmas.

WEN: I can't quite believe that there are still governors that refused mask wearing mandates when that's something so simple that will save tens of thousands of lives.

WATT: The nation now readying for that vaccine rollout as soon as the FDA gives the green light.

TROY BRENNAN, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CVS HEALTH: Our plan is to be ready to go as early as December 15th.

WATT: Here is what a vaccine kit looks like. Gloves, et cetera, in case there is a shortage, and a cart, so you know when you need your second dose.

Three former presidents say they'll get vaccinated on camera to show it's safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT (on camera): Within days much of California could be back under stay-at-home orders. Why? Well, officials are worried that the hospitals are just going to be inundated. So, from now on, if a region drops below 15 percent capacity of ICU beds, a stay-at-home order is put in place for at least three weeks.

Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.

CHURCH: Dr. Jonathan Reiner is a CNN medical analyst and professor of medicine at George Washington University. He joins me now from Washington. Thank you, doctor, for being with us and for all that you do.

JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So, doctor, U.S. COVID numbers are heading in the wrong direction with one American dying every 30 seconds now. And yet so many still refused to follow basic public health advice, but now, President-elect Joe Biden is calling on all Americans to wear a mask for the first 100 days of his presidency. What is your response to this very different approach from the top?

[03:05:07]

REINER: It's a breath of fresh air. It's like a hurricane of fresh air. But it makes me a little sad because I wonder what would have been different, where we would be now, if in March we had heard those words from the President of the United States. You know, let's all wear a mask for the next hundred days. We'd be in a much different place now.

But I think going forward, it's a great start. I would amend that a little bit, and say, let's not wait until January 20th, let's make it 148 days. Let's do it now. Because that's how we're going to flatten the curve and we need to do that.

CHURCH: Yes, indeed. And Joe Biden says he would be happy to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as Dr. Fauci says the vaccine is safe. And he also says he will get the shot publicly to instill trust in the vaccine, just as former Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton have vowed to do.

How important is it to help convince everyone this vaccine is safe, to see leaders like that take it on camera, to show people this is safe, don't be afraid of this? REINER: I think it's so important. We are going to have to do a lot

of things to educate the public about the safety of these vaccines, and their efficacy, and how it will impact their communities. And I think having the three former presidents do that life is a fabulous start.

Having the incoming president, vice president do that is also great. But we really need to get down to the grassroots level and educate people how important this is. Because in order to get vaccine induced herd immunity, we are going to need to vaccinate about 70 percent of the United States population, or about 200, 230 million people.

So that's a giant endeavor. And there's a lot of skepticism. There are a lot of people who are wondering, you know, whether corners were cut, whether the vaccine is safe. And we're going to have to spend a lot of time educating them that this is the right thing to do. And I'm thrilled that this is a priority for the incoming president and his administration.

CHURCH: Right, and of course that education needs to start now, because there's so much misinformation --

REINER: Yes.

CHURCH: -- certainly out on social media platforms. So, as we countdown to the approval and distribution of this COVID vaccine, some private businesses are considering whether to make it mandatory for employees to be vaccinated against COVID. Would you like to see that happen? Do you think it's possible to do that?

REINER: Well, I think it's one tool. And I'll see that a lot of industries already do this. So, for instance, where I work at George Washington University Hospital, you must be vaccinated for the flu. Every person who works in that hospital has to be vaccinated for the flu.

They can't force you to take the vaccine, but then again, they can't prevent you from working. And I think there are businesses that might make that decision. So, you can imagine the meat packing industry, where the virus has just roared through, would make that a mandatory part of their employee -- employment.

Nursing homes as well. Every employee that works in the nursing home must be vaccinated. So, I think you will see that in multiple places, yes.

CHURCH: Right, and just finally, Joe Biden also said he has asked Dr. Fauci to stay on to do the exact job he has been doing, and to be his chief medical officer. How relieved will that make many doctors and nurses across the country? And what's your response to that?

REINER: Well, I think most of us expected that that would happen. Tony Fauci has worked for I think seven presidents. And he's indispensable. He has the long view. He's been a sober voice this year, in sometimes a crazy environment. And I'm thrilled, and I think everyone has exhaled dramatically when the incoming president said that.

CHURCH: Understood. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, again, thank you so much for all that you do for everyone, we do appreciate you.

REINER: Thank you so much for having me.

CHURCH: And the United Kingdom is wasting no time in preparing to vaccinate against COVID-19, as the first doses arrived in the country on Thursday. The Department of Health told CNN up to 800,000 vote doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be made available next week. And this is welcome news for the country, of course, as the death toll in Britain surpassed 60,000 on Thursday.

[03:09:57]

For more on this and other COVID developments in the U.K., let's bring in CNN's Salma Abdelaziz. She joins us live from London. Good to see you, Salma.

So as the death toll rises, how quickly can these Pfizer doses get distributed to health care workers and the elderly? And what other major challenges along the way?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER: Rosemary, challenges there is the key word. This is the tough part, right? The logistics of actually getting this vaccine into people's arms, into those who need it most. So, there are 50 hospital hubs set up around the country to do that. But let's first run through the details that we know of this vaccine so far.

So, we understand that according to clinical trials it is 95 percent effective. We know that it has to be held at extra cold temperatures. We understand as well that the U.K. has ordered 40 million doses of this vaccine. And the first people who are supposed to be, according to government advice, getting this vaccine, are members of nursing homes, residents of nursing homes, rather, and health care workers.

But in practical terms, again, because this vaccine has to be held at negative 94 degrees Fahrenheit, negative 70 degrees Celsius, the only places it can really go to area hospitals. So, the first place is of course, again, like I said, those 50 hospital hubs that are set up. They are expected to be giving these vaccinations early this week, as early as Monday.

Local media reports saying that there are appointments being scheduled for 7 a.m. So that means the very first people could be health care workers, nurses, doctors frontline staff who have suffered so much over these last few months, getting that bit of protection. Remember, you have 21 days apart, two jabs before you actually have the full protection.

But it will begin, in terms of nursing home staff, that's where the real challenges. I was actually speaking to a manager of a care home yesterday and she told me so far, they have to find out a way how to get their residents to the hospitals to vaccinate them. So, a lot of logistics here and it's important to remember, first

western country, all eyes on the U.K., this is going to set a precedent, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. It's exciting news and of course everyone is watching to see how the United Kingdom does this.

Salma Abdelaziz, many thanks for joining us with the latest there.

And here's a look at how the rest of Europe is coping with the surging pandemic. Germany is battling a fear second wave. It's been reporting more than 20,000 cases each day since December 1st. And almost 24,000 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Sweden's public health agency has recommended that high schools moved to distance learning as the death toll there crossed to 7,000. And the French prime minister is recommending Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings be limited to six adults. He also added that France's coronavirus vaccine campaign could begin in a matter of weeks.

So, let's turn now to CNN's Melissa Bell. She joins us live from Paris. Good to see you, Melissa. So, each nation, of course, waiting for vaccine approval. And of course, in the meantime, deaths are heading in the wrong direction. So, what is the latest on where things stand across Europe?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is a fairly mixed picture. And I think the regional director of the World Health Organization, Rosemary, summed it up best when he explained that essentially, the second we in Europe was really moving eastward.

So, what we've seen is countries like France as you mentioned. We heard from the French prime minister yesterday, fastest and hardest epidemic drop in Europe. He said the partial lockdown we've been under since October 30th has really borne its fruit.

Elsewhere, as you mention in Germany, things continue to remain extremely worrying. You mentioned that latest figure. It is the second largest rise in new daily cases since the start of the pandemic, recorded in Germany on Thursday. So that tells me that things remain very difficult.

We've heard from authorities there explaining that whilst the infection rate had plateaued, they hadn't so far fallen. So, there is still -- there are still calls from the health minister in particular, the German health minister, that some regions in Germany should see a further tightening of restrictions. So, things not quite in hand there.

And as you move eastwards to eastern Europe, there are extremely worrying situations there. So, a fairly mixed picture. And clearly, extremely serious, very worrying still in the European continent. The World Health Organization says that Europe still accounts, Rosemary, for 40 percent of new cases worldwide, 60 percent of new deaths. Which is why, of course, the vaccine is needed as soon as possible.

CHURCH: Yes, and cannot come soon enough. Melissa Bell, many thanks for bringing us up to date there.

Well, Iran makes a controversial move days after the assassination of one of its top nuclear scientists. We will go live to Tehran next to find out how the country is ramping up its nuclear program. And what it says it would take to stop the move.

And later, a CNN exclusive. In their first joint interview since winning the White House, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris talk about how their Justice Department would handle any pardons by Donald Trump, and the role politics will play in prosecutions.

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Iran's parliament has passed a bill that would resume uranium enrichment to 20 percent and block international nuclear inspections. The foreign minister said it's reversible if the U.S. and European countries return to the 2015 nuclear deal. But he also says Iran will not accept the preconditions that Biden administration is putting forward.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: This parliamentary bill essentially puts a timetable ticking on the moderate elements of Iran's government. President Hassan Rouhani and his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to get diplomacy rolling.

Now the parliament comparatively hawkish here in Tehran and they've laid down an agenda, essentially saying that within two months this set of measures should begin. They begin with preventing further inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities and essentially end with Iran pulling out of the nonproliferation treaty.

President Hassan Rouhani has said that he's against this parliamentary measure and he has about three or four days now in which to sign it into law. But this two-month timetable after which it kicks in is of course vital.

Because they are essentially saying that the government has to try and get sanctions really done within that two-month period, and it is also to when the president elect administration of Joe Biden will come to power.

They've been clear Biden's team, they want diplomacy, they want to get back in towards the nuclear accord. But this essentially how fast that happens as having pressure put on it here. Although quite clearly, the moderates here in Iran have a very different view of how the months ahead should progress to the hawks who want to see pressure ramped up on that process.

Still, tension high in the region because of the Friday assassination of Iran's nuclear scientist, key figure, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in an explosion and gunfire on the outskirts of Tehran. Concerns that possibly because of the January killing by U.S. drone of

a key military figure, Qassem Soleimani outside of Baghdad, we might see retaliation against possibly Israeli or U.S. targets in the region. Perhaps because of that, the U.S. has withdrawn some of its staff from its Baghdad embassy.

But all of this here in Iran occurs with the background of the coronavirus outbreak which persists call it the third wave, frankly, and officials here are deeply saddened and furious frankly, at the damage sanctions have done to medical supplies and their ability to combat the virus.

That was accentuated today when the country passed as its million cases mark. A million Iranians having had the disease and tested positive for it. That probably isn't the full picture because of testing capacity here, but still a troubling backdrop as tensions rise around the possibility of diplomacy with the incoming new U.S. administration.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Tehran.

[03:19:55]

CHURCH: And amid those elevated regional tensions Nick just mentioned, Israel's government is warning its citizens abroad that they face an increased threat of terror attacks.

And our Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem, he joins us now live. Good to see you, Oren. So, what more are you learning about this warning for citizens to be on alert?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The national security council of Israel says there is an increased threat of terror attacks, and they say this is largely because of the increased threats and the promises of retaliation coming from Iranian officials less than one week after the assassination of Iran's top Iranian scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

As such, the national security council has urged vigilance, from not only Israeli citizens abroad, but Jewish citizens who live overseas. They say any of those could be targets, as well as Jewish institutions, museums, synagogues, as well as diplomatic missions such as embassies and consulates.

All of that, they say, could be at risk, it could become targets as Iran looks to find some way to retaliate, and we continue to hear the rhetoric coming from Iran's hard-liners. The national security council says those countries bordering Iran face the biggest threats. That would be countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, and others throughout the Gulf.

That's significant because just in the last few days, and certainly over the next few weeks, more and more Israeli citizens will be traveling to the UAE, to Bahrain because direct flights to those places are starting and are about to start. So, expect to see more Israeli citizens there where the national security council warns they could very easily become targets. It also warns that it's not just a threat for Iran. They say there is

generally an increase threat from global Jihadist organizations, as the national security council calls them. And that could come in the form of, for example, attacks on holiday markets in Europe.

So, a warning of increased vigilance from the national security council to Israeli's both here and abroad, as well as the Jewish institutions and citizens abroad right before the holiday season here. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Many thanks to Oren Liebermann joining us live from Jerusalem.

Well, the outgoing Trump administration appears to be making a push to criticize China ahead of Joe Biden taking office. In an op-ed, published in the Wall Street Journal, top U.S. intel chief, John Ratcliffe, calls China the greatest threat to democracy and freedom since World War II.

Among the complaints level to Beijing that it engaged in an influence campaign targeting members of Congress. Ratcliffe wrote, and I'm quoting here, "our intelligence shows that Beijing regularly directs this type of influence operation in the U.S. I briefed the House and Senate intelligence committees that China is targeting members of Congress with six times the frequency of Russia, and 12 times the frequency of Iran."

China's relationship with Australia is also frosty. It's been deteriorating ever Prime Minister Scott Morrison's call for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. And now a tweet is making matters worse.

Our David Culver joins us now live from Beijing with the latest. So, David, what is the back story to this? And where is Australia's relationship with China going?

DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's interesting, rosemary, as you pointed out just a short time ago, so much attention has been placed in recent years, namely under the Trump administration between the U.S. and China and that deteriorating relationship. But perhaps there is more strain now between Australia and what is its largest trading partner, talking about China.

So, this most recent diplomatic feud, all of it, sparked by a tweet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CULVER (voice over): This illustration igniting a diplomatic fire between China and Australia. It appears to show an Australian soldier with a knife held to an Afghan child's throat. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman tweeted it out on Monday. Australia's prime minister, Scott Morrison, demanded China apologize.

SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: It is a false image, and a terrible slur on our great defense forces. CULVER: The tweet comes after Australian officials release a report,

alleging that elite Australian forces killed 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan. Australian defense forces dismissed 13 soldiers following the report and recommended that federal police investigate 36 alleged war crimes.

Chinese officials doubling down this week, refusing to apologize.

The Australian side has been reacting so strongly to my colleague's tweet, why is that? So, they think that their merciless killing of Afghan civilians is justified, but the condemnation of such ruthless brutality is not? She said?

International relations experts say Australia, a critical U.S. ally, is being punished by Beijing for following the Trump administration's lead in standing up to China.

TOM SWITZER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES IN SYDNEY: It's this bullying nationalism that explains why China has not been very good at winning friends and influencing outcomes.

CULVER: Australia left trying to balance security versus prosperity.

SWITZER: We're now in a, if you like, zero-sum game and the stakes are enormously high for all concerned, particularly the United States. Australia's most important security ally. And China, Australia's most important trade partner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:25:05]

CULVER (on camera): The tweeted image just the latest incident amidst a years' long worsening China-Australia relationship. In April, Morrison was among the first world leaders to call for an international inquiry into Beijing's handling of the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN GONG, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS: That sounds quite outrageous to China, because it puts China sort of in the same footing as Iraq, being investigated for weapons of mass destruction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CULVER (voice over): Beginning in May, Beijing began targeting lucrative Australian exports to China including wine, barley, and beef. They face high tariffs, anti-subsidy investigations, and lengthy delays clearing customs.

In September, the last two reporters working for Australia news organizations in China were evacuated after being questioned by Chinese authorities over a national security case.

SWITZER: There are a lot of countries in the region, most notably Australia is very anxious about China's rise. And they want the United States to be heavily engaged both militarily and diplomatically in the Asia Pacific region.

GONG: I don't quite see it that way. I think, you know, there is also room for more international cooperation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CULVER (voice over): The plight of Australia is not lost on the incoming Biden administration. While not mentioning China specifically, the president-elect's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, tweeted in part Wednesday, as we have for a century, America will stand soldier to shoulder with our ally Australia, and rally fellow democracies to advance our shared security, prosperity, and values. A pledge that Australia certainly hopes to see President Biden uphold from the White House.

CULVER (on camera): And it is interesting, Rosemary, to think about the role the U.S. will have when it comes to the China-Australia relationship. There are some here that are concerned that under President Biden, that the U.S. will be able to build that coalition, mostly of western democracies and perhaps put more pressure on Beijing.

However, there are some here who say, well, that's not a bad thing because they think under President Biden versus the Trump administration, they're going to have the chance to have more constructive dialog. They felt like another Trump administration, it was just far more unpredictable.

CHURCH: It will certainly be interesting to see how things may change. David Culver, many thanks for that report. I appreciate it.

Well, India's farmers unions will meet with government officials on Saturday for a new round of talks amid massive ongoing protest over three new agricultural laws. The government says the changes will make markets more competitive. But farmers fear they will lead to exploitation and a loss of income.

They are especially worried about the end of guaranteed minimum prices for their products. India's transport union is calling for a nationwide strike on Tuesday to support the farmer's demands.

Well, speculation mounts as to the future of Bill Barr after the U.S. attorney general publicly contradicted Donald Trump's false election fraud narrative. The latest on how the president is reacting, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Well, the U.S. Attorney General might find himself out of the job a little sooner than expected. That is after Bill Barr publicly contradicted Donald Trump's false claims about election fraud. Sources tell CNN, it caused the president to erupt, and Mr. Trump is now refusing to say whether he still has confidence in Barr. Kaitlan Collins has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With seven weeks left in office, President Trump may be on the verge of firing his Attorney General, Bill Barr, after he undercut his claims the election was rigged.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, he hasn't done anything. So, he hasn't looked. When he looks, he will see the kind of evidence that right now you are seeing in the Georgia Senate.

COLLINS: Trump criticize Barr in front of cameras in the Oval Office today, where sources said the two had a contentious meeting this week after Barr told the Associated Press, the Justice Department had uncovered no evidence of fraud that would change the election.

TRUMP: This is probably the most fraudulent election that anyone has ever seen.

COLLINS: Asked if he had confidence in Barr, Trump paused.

UNKNOWN: You still have confidence in Bill Barr?

TRUMP: Ask me that in the number of weeks from now.

COLLINS: Trump is also furious that Barr, because no one has been charged in the investigation into the beginning of the Russia probe. But whether he will fire the Attorney General, remains to be seen, and GOP lawmakers are avoiding the subject.

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): I'm sorry, when did the Attorney General (inaudible). I haven't seen the article, I'm sorry.

COLLINS: Despite being rebuffed by almost everyone, Trump is refusing to drop his claims the election was fraudulent while his legal team is suing chaos on his behalf.

TRUMP: My team is doing an unbelievable job.

UNKNOWN: Mr. Giuliani, what are you doing here in Georgia?

COLLINS: Even Trump's Republican allies are asking for evidence.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): To the Trump legal team, you are making all of these claims, but you have to prove it. Doing a video is not proof. You need to take these claims, into a court of law, and get relief.

COLLINS: Instead of succeeding in court, pro Trump attorneys appeared to be focused on winning in the court of public opinion.

LIN WOOD, U.S. ATTORNEY, GEORGIA: I want you to go to the Governor's mansion, I want you to circle it, and I want you to blow your horns until Brian Kemp comes out, and orders a special session of the Georgia legislator. COLLINS: Republican state officials say comments like that from pro

Trump attorney, Lin Wood, have no merit and could hurt Republican chances of holding the Senate majority.

GABRIEL STERLING, GEORGIA STATEWIDE VOTING IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER: They are just lying to people. And really, I have a problem with somebody like Lin Wood, who hasn't been a Republican primary since 2004, telling Republicans don't vote for the Republican Senate candidates. It is maddening.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): Well, U.S. Presidents have broad authority to grant pardons to those convicted of federal crimes. It is a power President Trump is using in his final days of office and potentially pushing to an unprecedented level. The President-Elect Joe Biden, and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris were asked about it in an exclusive interview with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Trump is reportedly considering a wave of preemptive pardons for his adult children, and for Rudy Giuliani. He is also floated the idea, in private conversations, according to our reporting, a possibly pardoning himself. Which, he insists, he has the power to do, though that has never been litigated. Does this concern you? All of these preemptive pardons?

JOE BIDEN, 2020 PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, it concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as the nation of laws and justice. But -- look, our Justice Department is going to operate, independently, on those issues of how to respond to any of that. I'm not going to be telling them what they have to do, and don't have to do.

I'm not going to be saying go prosecute a, b, or c. I'm not going to be telling them it's not the role, it's not my Justice Department. It's the people's Justice Department. So the person, or persons I pick to run that department, are going to be people who are going to have the independent capacity to decide who gets prosecuted, and who doesn't.

Now, in terms of the pardons, you are going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons. Nor are you going to see, in our administration, and approach to making policy by tweets. You know, it's just going to be totally different way in which we will approach the justice system.

[03:35:04]

TAPPER: During the primary last year, Madam Vice President-Elect, you told NPR that the Justice Department, quote, would have no choice but to prosecute President Trump, and that quote, there has to be accountability. How does that square with what the president elect just said about not telling the Justice Department to go after individuals?

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT: We will not tell the Justice Department how to do its job. And we are going to assume, and I say this as a former Attorney General, elected in California, and I run the second largest Department of Justice in the United States, that any decision coming out of the Justice Department, in particular, the United States Department of Justice, should be based on facts. It should be based on the law. It should not be influenced by politics, period.

BIDEN: I guarantee you that is how we run.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And still to come, they say there are plenty of fish in the sea, so why is a dispute over fishing a major obstacle to a Brexit deal? Yep, I said Brexit, and we will talk to the fisherman about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: With so much going on this year, there could be a word you might have forgotten. Brexit. But it is not gone away and in fact, it faces a critical deadline. Only four weeks to go for the U.K. to secure a trade deal with the European Union, before the current arrangement expires. And the negotiations are not going well. One of the most contentious, and problematic obstacles has been fishing rights.

CNN's Anna Stewart went to a major British fishing port to gauge the sentiment, and she joins us now from London. Good to see you Anna. So what did you find?

ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): Well, Rosemary, this is one of the key issues it appears to be holding up talks at the moment, talks between the E.U. and the U.K., went late last night. The E.U. told us significant divergences has remained. The U.K. grimier yet saying a breakthrough is still possible in the next few days, but that prospect is receding. Now, some of the key issues competition rules that they can't seem to agree on and fishing rights, and it's that latter issue, I've taken a deep sea dive into this week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART (voice over): Fresh fish, straight off the boat.

UNKNOWN: John Dory.

STEWART: Caught in British waters, apparently subject to you E.U. rules. That could change in the U.K.'s post Brexit future.

Did you vote on the Brexit referendum?

TONY EARP, DECKHAND: Definitely.

STEWART: Who did you vote for? EARP: To leave. To leave, definitely to leave.

STEWART: Why?

EARP: The fishing industry. Why should resupply about 78 percent of the water and take back 20 percent of the catch?

STEWART: Down the dock, Ike Grantham, isn't sure Brexit will make any difference.

IKE GRANTHAM, RELIEF SKIPPER: I voted to remain, but now the government decided to leave. The country decided to leave, I'm happy with that, let's leave. Let's get the best out of it as we can. The trouble is, I don't think you are going to get the best deal as a fisherman.

STEWART: This is Brixham, England's most valuable port, and they voted overwhelmingly for Brexit. The fishermen here want to see fewer European boats in their waters, they also want to catch more fish. Many species, are currently restricted under the E.U. (inaudible) system.

[03:40:17]

The fishing sector accounts for a tiny fraction of the U.K. economy, contributing just 0.0 to 8 percent to GDP. And yet, the issue of fishing rights has become one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to the U.K. and the E.U. reaching a trade agreement.

It's not just about economics though, sovereignty is an emotive issue. These fishermen are out at sea for days, or weeks at a time, and it can be grueling dangerous work.

The problem (inaudible) speaking to fishermen, while they are actually fishing, is their incredibly busy, pulling up a big haul of fish. So, we will try to get a hold of them through the wheel house, with our captain here and see if we can chat with Gerry Podschies.

This is Anna Stewart from CNN, hello.

GERRY PODSCHIES, CAPTAIN OF THE CARHELMAR: Hello there, yes, Gerry here, skipper of the Carhelmar. I think it's sort of become a symbol of our independence, of taking back control of our territory and the dreaded Common Fisheries Policy. I've seen the decline of our industry.

STEWART: A symbol, you say. It's symbolic of Brexit? Is it going to become symbolic of Brexit's failure to take back control?

PODSCHIES: I've always had my doubts about any sort of deal in Brexit. I thought we were better off with no-deal and getting out, taking all our chips off the table and then negotiating from a position of strength.

STEWART: You saw on Brexit weary, like many people across the U.K. Tell me, I see you voted for Brexit, would you do so again? PODSCHIES: Definitely yes.

STEWART: The Brexit ship has sailed. The trade negotiations are still in play, and these fishermen, so far removed from the politics of Westminster and Brussels, hope they are not forgotten.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART (on camera): If those fisherman I spoke to get what they want from a Brexit deal, a bigger share of the quota a fish, more rights over who fishes in their waters. Well, they may face on the flip side, costly tariffs if they want to sell their fish into Europe. And I can tell you, huge portion of the catch that we saw in Brixham will end up on tables in France, Spain, and Italy.

This is a complex issue, it is also a highly emotive one that both a fisherman in the U.K. and of course, also in Europe, but it is an issue that has to be resolved. And incredibly quickly, given a trade deal needs to be hashed out, and also passed into law in less than four weeks. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And we will watch to see what happens there. Anna Stewart, many thanks for that report, I appreciate it.

Well, more evidence the coronavirus pandemic is forcing the entertainment business to remake itself. HBO Max will stream Warner Brothers 2021 movies, the same day they drop in theaters. The studio, already announced it would run Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on the streaming service, on December 25th. The news about next year is a major blow to theater operators, and shares of AMC and Cinemark fill more than 15 percent. HBO and CNN are both owned by AT&T.

Well, in Australia, Amanda McCormack decorated her Christmas tree with bubbles, tinsel, and light. So, imagine how surprised when she came home the other day and found this unusual ornament. Take a look.

Yes, that is a koala climbing the branches. It's not unusual for the marsupials in this region, near Adelaide to wander into homes, but not at Christmas trees. Amanda phones a koala rescue group that first thought it was a prank call. They released the koala nearby and said the healthy juvenile female simply wanted to be a ferry on the tree. And a beautiful ferry she is. Thank you so much for watching CNN Newsroom, I'm Rosemary Church, World Sport is up next.

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