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CNN: Biden Turns To Longtime Obama Advisers For Admin. Picks; Poll: 95 Percent Of Voters Want President & Congress To Work Together More Closely To Solve Important Problems; FDA Panel Meeting On Whether To Authorize Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired December 10, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: So patience will be the name of the game. And also that means pressure on people like you, on people like the governor of people saying where is mine, especially people who understandably should be at the front of the line. People need protection in nursing homes, people, firefighters, health care workers, and the like. I want you to listen to Alex Azar, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. He sounds reasonably optimistic here that the wait will for the rest of us won't be too long. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In what month do you expect right now, average Americans, meaning the general public to get vaccinated or a tablet available to them?

ALEX AZAR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: So that's going to be up to the nation's governors as they prioritize within their states. But as we look at the quantities of vaccine that we expect to come off from a multitude of manufacturers, you should start seeing at points in February and March general population vaccinations occurring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Dr. Ezike, is that aspirational? Or have you seen, you know, the spreadsheet that shows you the logistical, the deliveries that you will have enough by February and March for everyday Americans to be in line getting shots in the arm?

DR. NGOZI EZIKE, DIRECTOR, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Well, of course, we all want this to be the case, I don't have eyes on in terms of which vaccines will even be approved to talk about, then how many there are available at each of those to be approved vaccines. We're still waiting on the first one getting that information from the FDA today. So thinking about which vaccine will be available and who it will be available for? And how much of it will be available? There's quite a few question marks that make it hard for us to know if that timeline is accurate.

KING: So you have to build two lists. One is who, well, who should be in the line, how should the line be ordered? And then number two, how fast are you going to get it, how quickly how many do you have? How many doses do you have? Walk through the who part? Obviously, the CDC recommends? And I think you agree people in long term care facilities like nursing homes, frontline health care workers who are being exposed every day, then I assume people like police, firefighters, EMTs, bus drivers, people who have no choice because of their job to be in a setting where they're exposed to other people all the time. What about public school teachers, for example, one way you could ease a lot of anxiety among parents is to get children back into school. And you could ease anxiety among the teachers to get them vaccinated. Where do they fit?

EZIKE: Yes. You can easily make the argument that our education sector, those teachers are a part of our essential critical workforce. So, yes, you would want to see if you could put them in that group as well. You know, we want to be able to rely on our federal partners, the CDC, they're the one of the world's premier public health organizations, and instead of every state making different calls, we'd love to be able to lean and have more of a national strategy.

When we think about Illinois, we have people who might be teachers living in Indiana, but working in schools elsewhere. And so we have to be able to think about things more broadly so that we can have something more unifying in terms of a strategy.

KING: Well, obviously, a lot of this is going to carry over to the new administration as well. So we will watch as there are shifts and changes and hopefully not hiccups, but shifts and changes along the way. Dr. Ezike, grateful for your time and your insights today, we'll stay in touch and best of luck as you deal with this enormous challenge.

EZIKE: Thank you so much, John.

KING: Thank you.

[12:33:12]

Up next for us, President-elect Biden says his Cabinet picks is ready on day one, and he learned something else. One thing he will inherit from the Trump administration is an investigation of his son, Hunter.

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KING: More big personnel news today from the Biden transition and two of the picks are especially intriguing. The President-elect made official his decision to ask the former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to return as Secretary of Agriculture. Congresswoman Marcia Fudge is his pick to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Veteran Congressional Aide and Trade Lawyer Katherine Tai is the choice for a very difficult job, U.S. Trade Representative. And to top Obama White House aides are in line for new jobs in the Biden administration. former Obama Chief of Staff Denis McDonough is Biden's pick for Veterans Affairs Secretary and the former National Security Adviser Susan Rice is Biden's choice to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council. Joining us now to discuss, Seung Min Kim, White House reporter for The Washington Post. Seung Min, grateful for your time. All of these picks are interesting, but it is intriguing. Number one, we have watched Joe Biden. He's reaching for his comfort zone, people he likes, people he knows, people he trusts. Denis McDonough, not a military veteran, but a former chief of staff. The Department of Veteran Affairs can be a landmine politically for any president proved to me there that he wanted somebody who knows the ins and the outs of the federal bureaucracy who also has experienced on Capitol Hill.

SEUNG MIN KIM, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that was certainly a consideration with the Denis McDonough pick which for the V.A. position was kind of a surprise pick. It wasn't among the names that had been circulating privately and publicly among the press who track these things. But you're right, Denis McDonough, the former White House Chief of Staff in the Obama White House, and a veteran Obama aide clearly has the managerial experience that, you know, managing the Veterans Affairs, which is the second biggest federal agency, that those kinds of managerial skills that a leader would need.

And we've seen how in the Trump administration questions about some of his V.A. picks, particularly former White House Dr. Ronny Jackson was one of the questions surrounding his qualifications for the V.A. position. But yes, this is a constant theme that we're seeing from the Biden pick so far. Obviously, you looked on the graphic earlier there that we see a lot of racial diversity. The incoming President-elect has been under immense pressure from so many different constituencies, making sure that his Cabinet reflects America.

[12:40:00]

But he is going toward reaching into his comfort zone, picking a lot of people who are close to him you had Denis McDonough, Susan Rice former Obama aides. Remember one of his first picks Secretary of State Tony Blinken, a longtime Biden adviser, same with Ron Klain, as well. So you're seeing a lot of familiar faces pop up on a lot of these personnel choices.

KING: Right. And talk about a reinvention, Susan Rice, a former State Department official, former National Security Adviser in the Obama White House, now to run the Domestic Policy Council. Take us inside that one. Number one, again, Biden knows her and trusts her. And I guess the National Security Advisor is a coordinator just like the domestic policy adviser. But that one's interesting, too.

KIM: That was really interesting. Clearly, Susan Rice had been talked about for a high profile role in the Biden administration, should she win the White House. But the position that she was taught for was actually Secretary of State, right, by drawing on those foreign policy credentials that she built up in the Obama administration. But Republicans signal from the outset that she would have a very difficult confirmation fight, should she be chosen, and particularly, should they control the Senate after the Georgia runoffs.

And it became clear that that nomination, that nomination fight perhaps wasn't one that the Biden White House team was willing to have and put her in this domestic council position. Again, she's known for foreign policy. She did entertain a run for the Senate in Maine earlier this cycle. So it'll be interesting to see what she does on the domestic policy front, rather than what she is known for, which is foreign policy.

KING: Right. I'm fascinated by that one. We'll watch it play out. And you write in the "Post" today about the pick of General Austin to be the Defense Department chief. And Joe Biden there, willing to take on some members of his own party who have said they didn't want to give another waiver to a general like they did for Jim Mattis back in the Trump days. And you write this, Biden cast the nomination of Austin as right for the moment, but he left out a key difference between his nomination and that of Mattis four years ago. Biden had many more choices than Trump did. By the time Trump was elected, many candidates had removed themselves from consideration by openly criticizing him.

So it is not the same. Biden is trying to say apples and apples, you're right. He did have a number of other, you know, reputable qualified choices on the table. But he decided this was his guy.

KIM: He decided he was this guy, was someone who, again, he had been in a very tough situations with during the Obama administration, particularly on matters of the Middle East. And you do see him drawing on not yesterday at the event in Wilmington, not only drawing on his kind of personal in the trenches, experiences with General Austin, but also proactively trying to make that case to, you know, skeptical Democrats in Congress that General Lloyd Austin is the man for this moment.

But you do see a lot of Democrats who are uncomfortable and said there were plenty of other people available for this position and Democrats and in terms of consultation, not a lot of heads up from our reporting on -- by the transition on Capitol Hill.

KING: So they need to work on the communications part there. We'll see how that plays out, interesting to watch. I wouldn't call it a big fight but at least some ripples from Democrats. Seung Min Kim, grateful for your reporting and your insights today, fascinating transition will continue.

And here's another fascinating piece of it. We now know the President- elect will inherit an incredibly sensitive item from the Trump administration, a federal investigation into his son, Hunter Biden. CNN has told the Feds have questions about whether tax and other laws were followed those relating to Hunter Biden's business dealings in China. Hunter Biden disclosed the investigation in a statement issued yesterday by his father's transition, presidential transition team.

I take this matter very seriously, Hunter Biden said. But I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately. The transition also released a statement. President-elect Biden is deeply proud of his son, that statement said, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger. The President-elect is not implicated in any way but as he makes his picks, he will have to isolate himself from those decisions.

[12:44:00]

Up next, the news COVID stimulus stalemate proof American is in a partisan polarized divide but while Americans outside of Washington are divided on what to do most things doing nothing is not the right answer.

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KING: The stakes of the coronavirus stimulus talks on Capitol Hill are enormous, the words from the key players, all too familiar.

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REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I can say this unequivocally what Mr. McConnell is putting forth in terms of liability is such an assault on Americans workers.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): At every turn, they've delayed, deflected, move the goalposts and made the huge number of places where Congress agrees into a hostage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: A partisan and polarized Washington, well, that's not news. And the leaders would argue they are representing the wishes of their supporters. Yes, Americans are divided on just what to do. But a new survey does suggest that doing nothing is not acceptable. A whopping 79 percent of voters want an economic stimulus bill and 95 percent say they want the President and Congress to work together more closely to solve the important problems facing the country.

Republican pollster, Ed Goeas, conducted that survey for the Ripon Society. Ed, it is good to see you. So here's the conundrum, though. Here's the conundrum. After this polarized election, you know, everybody says, please, get something done, try to do something. But in your own data 31 percent of all voters believe Biden won the election because of massive voter fraud, 68 percent of Republicans believe that.

[12:50:12]

So if you're Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate, if you're Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, who are you answering to, the broader electorate or Republicans who are still stoked and fired up and you know the next election is a midterm and that's the base election?

ED GOEAS, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: I think to their own good or demise if they don't, I think they need to really look at the broader good. Right now, about 60 percent of the voters are saying that nothing is being done on dealing with the economy and COVID. And as you mentioned, 95 percent want them to start working together and actually doing something in passing something. So that was 9 over 90 percent of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. So they want something to be done.

I think the one thing that that quite frankly, Leader Mitch McConnell offered was dropped the liability issue, drop the state issue, and let's take those things that we all agree on, and the American public agrees on and pass it right away.

KING: We'll see if they can come about that. The House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says the House members are going to go home until Tuesday. So that means it's not going to happen, it doesn't appear like it's going to happen, unless that's just a tactic to try to force a compromise. So let's look at what you found is the most important issues right now to voters facing the country. This combines first and second choices.

COVID, deal with COVID, 56 percent, quite understandable, deal with the economy and jobs, 42 percent, and then you've got a big drop, right, 17 percent say it's the budget and the deficit, 15 percent immigration. If I'm Joe Biden that, I look at only 13 percent less climate change is one or two, only 11 percent list infrastructure as one or two. Is that because voters don't view them as important issues or is it because COVID is so dominating right now then everything else gets shoved to the second tier?

GOEAS: I think it's both COVID and the economy, quite frankly, the current situation with the economy because of COVID. They're very much linked in voters' minds. If you look at the 42 percent that mentioned the economy, every one of those voters mentioned either it's first mentioned or second mentioned COVID. And if you look at who they blame right now for the current economic climate, yes, you have about a quarter blaming Donald Trump. But you have almost 40 percent blaming COVID for the economic situation. So focusing down and drilling down on that issue and getting something resolved and passed is extremely important to voters.

KING: We will see in this partisan divide if the members listen, listen. I know that you'll give advice to your clients on that front. We'll see if they listen. Ed Goeas, grateful for your time and your insights today.

GOEAS: Thank you.

KING: We'll continue the conversation. Thank you.

Up next for us, The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine could get the green light for U.S. use as early as today. That would be a giant win for the companies. But guess what, it will also open a very challenging next chapter.

Today could very well be a moment of celebration for Pfizer and BioNTech. They are the partners in developing the coronavirus vaccine seeking U.S. government approval at a hearing that is underway right now. Emergency use authorization for that vaccine could come as early as today. And Americans could be receiving shots within several more days. That would be a landmark achievement for Pfizer and BioNTech. But it would also present a giant production and delivery challenge looking forward. CNN senior international correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen is live outside BioNTech's headquarters in Germany. Fred, so perhaps great news, but also a big new challenge.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, certainly is also a big new challenge because of that logistical change that would then have to be set in motion. Of course, John, one of the things that we keep talking about is the fact that this Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, it needs to be stored and also delivered at around minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And that certainly is a big logistical challenge.

Now, some of the doses that are going to be handed out to Americans actually originated not far from where I am right now in Belgium and have already been brought to Kalamazoo in Michigan, where they're being stored right now. And there's going to be thousands of planes and trucks that are then have to get set in motion and logistics companies that we've been talking to say, is a big challenge. But it is certainly something that they believe that they can manage.

[12:55:15]

And we've also been speaking, John, to the company to BioNTech itself and the founder and CEO of BioNTech, he told me that he believes the trial data that they've gotten so far from their vaccine has been so good that they think that they could get that emergency use authorization fairly quickly. You were seeing possibly, even today, they say they believe that their vaccine will have a very, very good profile.

Now, of course, one of the questions that has arisen over the past couple of days, as it started being used in the United Kingdom is that there were two people who had severe allergic reactions to the vaccine. Or one of the things that we learned about that, though, was that those people both had a strong history of allergic reactions, both of them are actually carrying an injector with them against allergic reactions, and also that those with a history of allergic reactions were excluded from the Pfizer vaccine trials.

But again, that's one of those questions that could come up. And one of the things, John, that the founder of BioNTech also told me, when I last interviewed him a couple of days ago, he said that in total, looking back on the process of developing that this vaccine, that it went about as smooth as anyone could imagine. One of the things we have to keep in mind is that the beginning, they were aiming for around 50 percent efficacy that was sort of their lowest benchmark, they reached 95 percent efficacy.

Of course, they were very thrilled by the fact that that efficacy seemed to have held not just in younger people but in older people as well, who of course, are the most vulnerable to severe cases of COVID- 19, John.

KING: And so Fred, this fascinating moment, you talked about the logistical challenge and delivery challenges, and also it's a global challenge, in the sense that Canada gave authorization yesterday for this same vaccine.

PLEITGEN: Yes.

KING: It is being used elsewhere around the world. But how does the company deal with the, I want mine and I want it now, demand that is going to come from around the world? Is it first request in next request out or do politics come into play here?

PLEITGEN: Well, of course, a lot of these countries they made agreements with Pfizer and BioNTech a long time ago. One of the first countries was, of course, the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom then also was the first country to actually authorize the vaccine. And you're absolutely right. In the early stages, especially that is going to be a big question.

Of course, at the beginning, Pfizer and BioNTech were saying that they thought that they were going to be able to deliver about 100 million doses of their vaccine before the end of that year. They then had to scale that back to about 50 million doses, which they say they are going to be able to deliver. But of course, right now, in the first batch the United States all the vaccine that the U.S. ordered, it is going to get and say that once next year starts they're going to be massively able to scale up their production, John.

KING: Fred Pleitgen, for us live in Germany outside the BioNTech headquarters. Fred, grateful for the important live reporting on that.

A quick break for us, when we come back, the President this hour having lunch, he's trying one more time, now this time to get the Supreme Court to throw out the election results and the FDA Advisory Committee on that important vaccine we were just discussing meeting right now. We'll bring you the latest just ahead.

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