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First COVID-19 Vaccinations Continue As U.S. Tops 300,000 Deaths; First Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccinations In Illinois Begin; Electoral College Formally Affirms Biden's Presidential Win; McConnell Recognizes Biden As President-Elect For The First Time; Soon: Biden Campaign In Georgia For Senate Runoff Candidates. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired December 15, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

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[12:31:19]

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: The U.S. Surgeon General calls the nationwide vaccine rollout a shot of hope but every day new reminders that the country faces a tough fight to the finish line. The U.S. added more than 193,000 new cases yesterday that is a record for Monday.

For the first time, the U.S. added more than 1.5 million new cases in just one week and the nation reported more than 1,000 deaths every day for the past 15 days. Just over 1,300 deaths were reported just yesterday.

More than 300,000 people have now died due to coronavirus-19 complications in this country and 100,000 of those lives lost in just the last 84 days and rolling out the vaccines that will end this pandemic is not just a logistical challenge, it's a communication challenge as well. So, trusted experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci are out reassuring Americans that no corners were cut and vaccines are safe.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: The speed was not at all at the sacrifice of safety. The speed was the reflection of extraordinary advances in the science of vaccine platform technology. People understandably are skeptical about the speed. But we have to keep emphasizing, speed means the science was extraordinary that got us here.

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BASH: And new survey suggests Americans are getting the message 71 percent now say they will definitely or probably get a vaccine that's up from 63 percent in September. More states join the nationwide vaccine campaign today. CNN's Omar Jimenez is in Chicago where Illinois is administering its first vaccines. Omar, what's happening there? OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dana, literally just moments ago, Chicago administered its first vaccines to healthcare workers. Now this happened at Loretto Hospital on the city's west side.

And the reason that's important is it's situated within a neighborhood that has among the highest mortality rates of COVID-19 that we have seen in the city, a predominantly black neighborhood. So, as you see the images of hospital workers from multiple hospitals across the area getting those first vaccinations, the city wanted to make sure they are representative of the communities they actually serve.

As we understand, the city tells us, there are a little bit more than 23,000 vaccine doses that are now in the city. They are set to go to all 34 hospitals here in the city as they begin this process. And as the commissioner for the Chicago's Department of Public Health put it as they wrapped up these vaccines of these five, again, frontline health care workers that we saw, she simply said, this is the beginning of the end of COVID-19 in Chicago. But as we know, Dana, there's still a long way to go before we get back to some semblance of normal.

BASH: It will be a very long final chapter indeed. Omar Jimenez, thank you so much for that reporting.

And joining me now is CNN Medical Analysts and Emergency Room Physician Dr. Megan Ranney. Thank you so much. It's good to see you, Dr. Ranney. You and your fellow E.R. physician, Dr. Esther Choo have a new CNN op-ed. And in it you write the following, you write we, like many fellow health care providers were initially concerned about political pressure being put on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Ultimately, though, four reasons based on our years of experience in emergency medicine, public health and clinical trials informed our decision to trust the vaccine and get it vaccinated -- and get vaccinated rather. So, the reasons -- but you are going to actually get that vaccination this week. Tell us about that.

[12:35:09]

DR. MEGAN RANNEY, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Yes, so I'm going to be getting vaccinated on Thursday morning, Dana. I'm absolutely thrilled. A few of my colleagues have already gotten vaccinated. And I'm doing it for a few reasons. The first is it works. The second is the scientific process was followed. The third is that there are side effects, let's be honest, but they are minor and temporary, and certainly far less than the effects of having COVID-19.

And the last reason is that I need this virus to be gone, for the sake of healthcare workers, for the sake of families and communities. We need to get back to normal and this vaccine is the best hope we have of getting there.

BASH: And, you know, at the same time, that vaccinations are happening and hospitals across the country, you know, better than I and most, unfortunately, that there are records being set for hospitalizations. What is it like in the E.R. right now balancing this surge along with the much needed hope?

RANNEY: So I think this is a literal and figurative shot in the arm for health care providers, it does provide us with that light at the end of the tunnel. But we know that even those of us that are getting vaccinated this week with the Pfizer vaccine are not going to be fully protected until three to four weeks from now, after we've gotten that second shot. This vaccine is meant to be given as two shots three to four weeks apart, depending on whether it's Pfizer or Moderna.

So we are not out of the woods ourselves. We also know that there are hundreds of thousands of infections showing up every day across the United States, those are going to turn into hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks ahead. So, although, we're hopeful, we're stealing ourselves for a couple of really difficult months still to come.

BASH: Absolutely. And Moncef Slaoui with Operation Warp Speed was on with my colleague Kate Baldwin last hour and was asked if it's important for President Trump to play a role in convincing people to take a vaccine. Listen to his answer.

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MONCEF SLAOUI, CHIEF ADVISER, OPERATION WARD SPEED: I think it's a very important, of course, there is a whole fringe of the population that listened to the President very carefully and therefore he has an important role. And I hope, I know he's been very supportive of the vaccine development. So I hope he will be, of course, as supportive of its usage.

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BASH: What do you want to see from the political figures in addition to public health figures that people are looking to for answers and that people across the country who might be skeptical of the vaccine trust?

RANNEY: So I think there's an awful lot of misinformation out there about this vaccine. We're hearing a lot of anti-vax propaganda being turned into talking points by people on both sides of the political spectrum. I would love to see politicians from both sides, showing up, getting vaccinated, doing the vaccine on TV on whatever network they trust the most.

Of course, I'd love to see them on CNN getting vaccinated, but that will help prove to the American public that this is a trustworthy vaccine, that if they themselves see it as safe and are willing to inject it in their bodies, so should be American on the street.

I think it's important also for celebrities to do it, to -- particularly celebrities, black Hispanic celebrities who have the trust and influence in their communities. We know that there's more mistrust of the vaccine from minority groups appropriately. So, it's important for us to shift that. I'd love to see Trump and Pence get vaccinated just as I'd love to see them wear masks.

BASH: Yes, and we can talk about this another time. But a new Kaiser survey says that black adults, people who live in rural areas are on a list with the 75 percent people -- of people -- excuse me, 35 percent of people saying that there hasn't been a lot more to talk about. And I know that we will have you on again. Good luck if I don't see you before Thursday, and thank you so much.

RANNEY: Thank you.

BASH: And coming up, it is official, President-elect Biden clinches Electoral College victory but the current commander-in-chief still says the fight isn't over. Stay with me.

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[12:43:44]

BASH: Another step to make Joe Biden the President-elect of the United States happened yesterday with the Electoral College voting. And with that, Biden says it is time to turn the page on this election.

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JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: 306 electoral votes is the same number of electoral votes that Donald Trump and Vice President Pence received when they won in 2016. By his own standards, these numbers represented a clear victory event. And I respectfully suggest they do so now. We the people voted faith in our institutions held, the integrity of our elections remains intact. And now it's time to turn the page as we've done throughout our history to unite, to heal.

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BASH: Joining me now is the New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman. Maggie, good to see you. We've kind of seen Joe Biden's rhetoric escalate and that was definitely the crescendo when it comes to the way that he has been very, very clear about Donald Trump and saying like it's over. What did you make of the tone of Joe Biden speech last night?

MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think as you say, Dana, he has not want to look as if he is reacting to everything that Donald Trump does. And I think with good reason, I think that he has made clear and I think some of it is because I've said this here before, he doesn't have the same kinds of insecurities that a number of other politicians have.

[12:45:15]

The fact that Donald Trump is not congratulating him or not acknowledging, it does -- his win, doesn't bother him personally. But I do think that what you saw last night with this speech is a clear recognition that Donald Trump's language and his approach toward this election is beginning to seep into the public consciousness.

What Donald Trump is trying to do, among other things, is try to move public opinion sentiment against Joe Biden. And so I think that what you saw was President-elect Biden not wanting to let Donald Trump fill that void anymore or not leave it as a void for him to step into.

And pointing to the number of electoral votes that he got as the same as what Donald Trump got, I think is really key in terms of Biden trying to appeal to people who might still be resistant to him or who, like President Trump and aren't completely happy with the outcome, but don't really take issue with Joe Biden. He is going to have to keep building these kinds of bridges, and I think he realizes that.

BASH: Yes, he does. One way to build a bridge is for the person on the other side of it to recognize that you're the president. And that finally happened this morning with Senator Mitch McConnell, recognizing Joe Biden is the President-elect.

What do you think the ramifications of that are going to be in the short term? I mean, I'll just say I talked to Mitt Romney earlier who said that's well and good, but people who are -- you know, this is my word, not him -- enabling the President need to be the ones to stand up and say there was no widespread fraud. I'm guessing you don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

HABERMAN: I don't, Dana. I mean, I do think it is significant that the Senate Majority Leader who is a Republican, and who has worked very closely with President Trump, as you know, over the last four years, is saying it's over.

And he's doing that a couple of weeks before the Senate run offs in Georgia that will potentially determine which party controls the majority in the Senate. I think that the fact that Mitch McConnell is saying that is a reflection of the fact that Donald Trump is now causing some harm, I think with his words, and what he is saying about election fraud and with his attacks on elected officials in Georgia.

But I don't think that anybody is going to stand up and say, there is no evidence of widespread fraud. Even in his letter last night, his resignation letter Attorney General Bill Barr, who had said there was no widespread fraud began that letter by saying, you know, Mr. President, it was great having -- I'm paraphrasing -- but it was great having this meeting with you to talk about election fraud and look -- and investigating it as we go further.

This is something President Trump isn't going to let go of, and until you have a broader group of Republicans, particularly in Washington saying, this is not true, this is just going to continue this way with President Trump and it's not going to put a pin in it.

BASH: Very well said. So much to talk to you about always, Maggie. Hopefully, I will see you soon and we can continue discussing. Thank you so much, Maggie. Appreciate it.

HABERMAN: Thank you.

BASH: And up next, President-elect Joe Biden heads to Georgia hoping he can gin up Democratic turnout for runoffs that will determine who controls the Senate.

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BASH: In less than an hour, President-elect Joe Biden is scheduled to hold a driving rally in Atlanta where the Senate's balance of power for the next two years will be decided by Georgia's to runoff elections. Biden is there to campaign for Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Georgia Democratic Organizer Stacey Abrams and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are also campaigning in a virtual town hall.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is in Atlanta. Hey, Jeff, so what do we expect to hear from Biden today?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dana, President-elect Biden clearly is hitting the campaign trail. It is the first time since Election Day. And, yes, he is going to the White House in 36 days regardless, but boy, it makes every difference in the world who's coming with him. That is why he's here in Atlanta campaigning for Democrats.

And we're expected to hear a continuation of his message from last night, you know, when the Electoral College affirmed his victory. He's talking about a time to heal, a time to unite, but he also needs to fire up Democrats. That was part of the reason that he was talking more directly and more confrontational, if you will, calling out those Republicans who really tried to attack democracy. And, you know, certainly tried to question the will of the voters.

Nowhere does that resonate as much as here in Georgia. So we do expect President-elect Biden to keep that message up. That is one of the things he is trying to do is keep Democratic voters energized. They need, you know, those Democrats to vote everyone who came out to support him. Of course, he won here in Georgia by about a 12,000 vote margin, the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so since 1992.

But repeating that will, of course, be a challenge. So it'll be, you know, a bit of a balancing act for him to talk about uniting the country, but also talking about firing up Democrats and calling out Republicans in the process. Dana?

BASH: That's right. As our friend and colleague David Chalian said, it wasn't that long ago that you couldn't even imagine a prominent Democrats like Joe Biden being invited to what was until, you know, a few weeks ago, a red state, to help Democrats but that's happening --

ZELENY: Right.

BASH: -- shows how much things have changed down there. Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

[12:55:03]

And coming up, new protocols in place as the Inaugural Committee plans its big event in the middle the middle of a pandemic.

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BASH: You can expect to see a very different inauguration when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in next month. The Presidential Inaugural Committee says that while the President and Vice President elects will take their oath at the Capitol, the event will be extremely limited and are discouraging crowds. It will also include a reimagined parade, it's how they describe it.

Thank you so much for joining us. Brianna Keilar picks up our coverage right now.