Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

VP Mike Pence, Surgeon General Receive COVID-19 Vaccine; Shutdown Looms as Leaders Struggle to Reach Stimulus Deal; Feds Tell Some States to Expect Fewer Pfizer Vaccine Doses Next Week; L.A. County Run Out of ICU Beds; Security Officials Confirm Massive Hacking of U.S. Government Agencies. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired December 18, 2020 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:19]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Very good Friday morning to you. It is Friday. I'm Jim Sciutto.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: It's been quite a week. Good morning, everyone. I'm Poppy Harlow.

We do begin with breaking news this morning and a really significant day for America. Moments ago Vice President Mike Pence received Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine along with his wife, the second lady, Karen Pence, and the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

SCIUTTO: That moment broadcast live for millions of Americans to see. Why? An effort to reduce skepticism, boost confidence in the vaccine. President-elect Joe Biden, he is expected to get his shot next week. Notable for his absence today, President Trump. The White House says he's going to wait until advised by his medical team.

HARLOW: Now this comes on the heels of the FDA advisory committee recommending authorization of Moderna's vaccine. That announcement could come literally at any moment.

SCIUTTO: Yes. It would mean two strong options already. The news can't come soon enough because this is happening at the same time. The U.S. this morning is once again hitting a new record high for total hospitalizations around the country. New infections and deaths sadly are soaring. One week away from Christmas experts are worried that holiday gatherings will only make things worse.

Let's begin with CNN's Joe Johns, he's at the White House.

Joe, the vice president got his shot earlier, big moment for the country. The president was absent, though.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, that's right. And I'll talk about that in just a minute, but this event was to promote the vaccine as well as to educate people and to push back to the extent possible at the idea of vaccine skepticism. And Dr. Anthony Fauci called this a symbolic moment about trust for the country.

The vice president, Mike Pence, along with his wife Karen Pence and the surgeon general all getting the shot approximately at the same time. The vice president now is the highest ranking official in the United States federal government to actually get the vaccine. Afterward he talked about it indicating in his view that there is a lot of optimism now at this moment but also trying to temper that with some realism. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I also believe that history will record that this week was the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic, but with cases rising across the country, with hospitalizations rising across the country, we have a ways to go. Vigilance and the vaccine is our way through, and building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: The surgeon general spoke also. He really hit squarely on the issue of vaccine skepticism in the African-American community especially in light of experiments like the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study from years ago.

Now the president, as we said at the top, was not at this event. He is at the White House. The White House says he is not going to get the vaccine until the doctors here indicate he should. As you know, he still is expected to have the monoclonal antibodies in his system from having coronavirus and getting treated for it earlier this year.

So that's the excuse, although there are a lot of people who say the president ought to get it because he could effectively reach out to a lot of his supporters and get them on board.

Back to you.

HARLOW: Joe Johns, thank you very much. A really big good morning for America for sure.

Well, moments ago Dr. Anthony Fauci with a very hopeful message. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: We all hope, and I think this is doable, that by the time we get to several months into this year we will have enough people protected that we can start thinking seriously about the return to normality. And that's up to all of us to step forward and get vaccinated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Boy, the return to normality, so many of us waiting for that. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now to discuss.

And Sanjay, you've covered this from the beginning with concern. You've seen the cost of this outbreak firsthand. Tell us what this day means for the country.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, this is a -- it's a remarkable sort of moment, you know, to see these vaccinations finally happen. I got to tell you I think many in the scientific community thought, you know, it's challenging to make a vaccine, it typically takes years, there's certain diseases like HIV/AIDS for which we don't still have a vaccine after four decades of trying to create one.

[09:05:02]

So it was so -- it's so remarkable to see the vaccines actually going into arms and then at the same time it's sort of this mundane thing as well, right? It's a shot in the arm that most of us have had at some point or another as well, but the ingredients in that little vial and the work that went into that and the thinking, and this is a totally new kind of vaccine that will change medical innovation, I think, forever and the pace of medical invasion. So it was -- it's a big day. I think no matter how you look at it.

HARLOW: Can I ask, Sanjay, what it was like for you? I mean, someone who has just been at the forefront of this coverage not only on CNN for the last nine, 10 months, but, you know, you're still going into the hospital, you're still operating under these conditions. What was it like for you this morning getting the vaccine and realizing you're that much closer to a normal life, to seeing your -- you know, your family? You haven't seen your dad in about a year. What was that just like to go through?

GUPTA: You know, so many thoughts come to my head. First of all, it's like worlds colliding, right? I mean, I still practice medicine, you're not used to seeing me like this, but this is sort of my day job as well so health care workers, you know, getting vaccinated because we're working in hospitals and potentially at risk from that. So there was that just pragmatic part of it.

But then as you said, in covering this as a journalist, you know, seeing the very -- right when the genetic sequence of this virus was first shared and people started working on the vaccine platforms, I have interviewed the vaccine makers, I have interviewed these scientists working in the labs, I interviewed the FDA commissioner, Dr. Fauci. I have looked at the data really trying to make sense of it. And at the end of it, you know, you come to a conclusion and for me the conclusion was that I absolutely was comfortable getting this vaccine.

You know, I just got it. I felt that it was safe, I felt that it was going to be effective. I'm halfway there now towards getting that protection and that's the sort of psychological part of it. You know, I've been having this conversation with a lot of friends lately, people who absolutely believe that this pandemic is real and it's happening, but there's also a part of them that still thinks that I believe it's real but it's not really going to happen to me, right?

It's hard to explain, but that's, I think, a common thought and then you get the vaccine and all of a sudden you realize maybe I worried about it more than I thought because there is this sort of weight that's lifted off your shoulders. It is going to be three weeks before I get another shot, I realize that, but just to start this process. I mean, and know that there is this disease for which I will be 90 percent plus protected it's a pretty incredible feeling.

SCIUTTO: Sanjay, I'm sure given the impatience to get on the other end of this from really the whole country, folks probably watched you and others a little enviously this morning. You're of course in the first group as a health care worker. When is it most likely based on what we know now that broad sections of the population will be getting vaccinated or begin to get vaccinated?

GUPTA: Well, you know, I think it could happen fairly quickly. And first of all, I totally agree with you, by the way. I was talking to my mom last night. She knew I was getting vaccinated, moms worry always. I told her I'd be fine and then I said I wish that I could trade places with you. You know, I want her to get vaccinated. You know, she's in her late 70s. And I get it, and there's these sort of groups that are going first, health care workers, people who are in long-term care facilities.

My parents will probably be able to get vaccinated my guess is sort of, you know, beginning of next year, maybe February, March timeframe. It's hard to say. We're watching this all happen real time. If the Moderna vaccine gets authorized and it very much looks like it will, we know that there's 200 million doses that the United States government has bought of that vaccine. 100 million total of the Pfizer. And then there's other vaccines that may be coming on line. Johnson & Johnson, Oxford/AstraZeneca.

And I bring this all -- I bring this up to say that if those things all happen then obviously it will accelerate the process by which everyone else can get a vaccine. But I think, you know, when you hear people like Moncef Slaoui say by June everybody in this country that wants a vaccine can get one is true and it's starting to feel like maybe it could happen even sooner than that if these other vaccines actually do get authorized.

HARLOW: Sanjay, it was great this morning not only to see you vaccinated, but also to watch you in your conversation that you had with Dr. Rice, the head of the Morehouse School of Medicine. And you talked a lot about the disparity and the mistrust in the black community. And we heard the surgeon general, Jerome Adams, address that really powerfully this morning. So let me just play that sound and get your thoughts on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JEROME ADAMS, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: The shameful Tuskegee experiments occurred within many of our lifetimes. To truly promote confidence in these vaccines we must start by acknowledging this history of mistreatment and exploitation of minorities by the medical community and the government.

[09:10:09]

But then we need to explain and demonstrate all that has been done to correct and address these wrongs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: What were your thoughts hearing that from him this morning?

GUPTA: You know, I think he got it just right. You know, I've spoken to Dr. Adams, Jerome Adams, several times throughout this pandemic. First of all, the minimizing the distrust that exists is probably not the right strategy. It happened. There was medical experimentation that occurred in this country and it's an awful chapter in our history. Just pretending that it didn't happen is not the right strategy.

But then to also explain as Dr. Montgomery Rice did as well that really every step of the way with these particular trials, the development of the vaccine, the science behind it, the data scientists who look at it, the participants in the trial all had significant black American representation within these different components of the process and it's not going to completely erase the distrust and it would be, you know, silly to suggest that it would, but, you know, the very people who are most affected by this disease are the ones that should be at the front of the line getting protected from this disease.

I think that's the point that Dr. Adams and Dr. Rice have been trying to make and I think it's really important. It's why we decided to do this live on air. Not just for an on air moment but to do it with purpose and to be able to say, hey, look, we looked at the data, we've seen, we understand the concerns and here is where we landed on this, maybe it will help you make your decision.

SCIUTTO: Well, and the good news is when you look at the public polling at least the confidence is coming up from a low, of course, still needs to go up and demonstrations like that, you and the vice president made today hopefully will make a difference.

Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much as always.

GUPTA: Yes. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, you can join Dr. Fauci and Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Don Lemon and Sanjay Gupta for a new town hall, "THE COLOR OF COVID: THE VACCINES," which addresses many of these issues we've been discussing. It will air tonight at 10:00.

HARLOW: Well, if you can believe it amid so much good news this morning on the vaccine front just total dysfunction in Washington. A government shutdown is looming now less than 15 hours away, pressure is mounting on lawmakers to strike a deal on that $900 billion stimulus package before midnight. SCIUTTO: Yes, you thought it was done? Well, CNN's Sunlen Serfaty on

Capitol Hill can tell us about the latest roadblocks.

What the heck is happening up there, Sunlen?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim, things are certainly not in a very good spot right now up here on Capitol Hill and frankly much, much worse for the millions of Americans across the country who are waiting on Congress to get something done. Desperately need the relief right now.

Now lawmakers have of course been working on this still allusive COVID relief package. They had intended to tie that to the government spending bill that has to happen, has to get passed by midnight tonight. So that's the deadline they're working up against or they will push the government into a government shutdown. So essentially their problems are getting much, much worse with every hour that ticks by today.

So what we will see today is essentially a massive scramble to try to avoid that. This could go in two directions. They could pass some sort of stopgap very short-term continuing resolution to fund the government essentially for the next 48 hours to buy them some more negotiating time or they could let the government funding lapse and push the government into a shutdown for the next 48 hours or so.

While all that is happening they are still very much negotiating the details of this potential deal. They have a lot of the big things worked through and they do continue to express optimism but there are still many things that need to be ironed out, especially whether and how long to extend eviction moratoriums, also the details about who would be eligible for that second round of stimulus checks.

So the point being right here on the hill the reality is that this is not a good moment, pressure is mounting towards that deadline and meanwhile many Americans are at home waiting for their relief.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Listen, let's hope that message gets through, right? It seems like it's a broken record from the hill.

Sunlen Serfaty thanks very much.

Still to come this hour, states across the country told that they will receive fewer doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week. Why is that and what does it mean?

And new details in just a massive cyberattack affecting this country and one that is still under way. How long could this go on and what's the damage?

HARLOW: Also President-elect Biden says he is personally disappointed in Senator Lindsey Graham, his words, for other Republicans who have not acknowledged his victory ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:15:00]

HARLOW: All right, welcome back. There is some confusion this morning over the Pfizer COVID vaccine in terms of how many doses --

SCIUTTO: Yes --

HARLOW: States are going to be getting specifically next week.

SCIUTTO: Both Pfizer and government officials are now speaking out as state governors raise concerns. CNN's Sara Murray joins us now with more. So, what do we know? Why I suppose initially are they expected to get less than initially promised?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it's a little bit of a confusing situation right now. You know, we started hearing about this from states, from Michigan and Iowa and Illinois all the way over to Oregon and Washington, that they were hearing from the federal government that their vaccine allocations on the second wave, their Pfizer vaccine allocations were going to be cut, and they weren't getting a clear explanation. And from there, you know, we've kind of been in muddied waters. There are a lot of finger-pointing going on.

[09:20:00]

Pfizer is essentially saying, look, this is not our fault, there has been no problem with our production. Here is what Pfizer said, and part of a statement they put out, they say, "Pfizer is not having any production issues with our COVID-19 vaccine, and no shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed. We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse, but as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses."

Now, when I talked to folks at HHS and with Operation Warp Speed, they're insisting that the states aren't actually going to see a reduction in their doses, but those doses are going to be instead spread out over several days.

I think one thing is clear, there is a lot of confusion and there is a lot of frustration, frankly, from the -- from what we're hearing from states. You know, this is a really complicated vaccine because of its ultra cold storage, so they're really trying to line people up and get them through, and any delay means it's going to take longer to offer some kind of protection to frontline healthcare workers as well as to these folks in long-term nursing home facilities.

SCIUTTO: So, those question are ironed out. Sara Murray, thanks very much. Now to the ongoing surge in new infections in this country that is now leading to -- I mean, virtually every day new record hospitalizations.

HARLOW: Yes, the crisis is so dire in California right now, the state just shattered its record for the highest number of deaths in a single day, and this morning there are zero ICU beds left in Los Angeles County. Wow. Dan Simon is in San Francisco with more. Zero beds, and I believe a really big move in terms of quarantine regulations in San Francisco now.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Poppy. I mean, California is in the midst of this unprecedented surge. You had 52,000 cases on Thursday, more than 100,000 cases over the past 48 hours, and the hospitals, as you alluded to, are really feeling the strain. Statewide ICU capacity now at just 3 percent in southern California. It is at 0 percent, the state has set up these alternative care sites, there are 11 of them and five of them right now do have patients.

But in terms of what we're seeing in San Francisco, the city taking more aggressive action. They are ordering anybody who is coming into the city from outside of the bay area to not see anybody and to quarantine for ten days. And that applies to whether or not you are moving here, traveling or if you live here, you are supposed to quarantine. And it just goes to show you that this pandemic is not slowing down.

HARLOW: Not at all. Dan Simon, thank you very much. A big Russian hack, huge, significant, and it's still happening, but the president is still silent about it, why? And some Republicans say that's just fine, but not Republican Senator Mitt Romney. More on his comments and the latest on this hack, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:25:00]

HARLOW: U.S. Cyber security officials have a stark new warning. They say that this huge intrusion campaign, this huge hack in the government agencies that is still ongoing, and in the private entities, Jim, as you rightly point out --

SCIUTTO: Yes --

HARLOW: Is still happening.

SCIUTTO: Yes, I mean, more than 400 of the Fortune 500 companies. I mean --

HARLOW: Right.

SCIUTTO: Government and private sectors severely affected here. The Department of Homeland Security's cyber arm says that suspected Russian hackers used a variety of unidentified tactics and not just a single compromised software program. So multiple paths in. CNN national security correspondent Alex Marquardt joins us now. Alex, I know it's early here because agencies are still trying to figure out how far this went, how much damage done, but what do we know at this point today?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: We know that the list is growing. We knew that initially there was a list of 18,000 potential customers who used this software produced by a company called SolarWinds that they suspected Russian hackers used to get into these various networks. Now as you point out, the main U.S. cyber agency, CISA is saying that

these adversaries, these attackers have used other ways in, that they are currently investigating. So with every passing day, the list of victims is growing and the questions are growing.

What data did these attackers access? What have they done with it? Did they change it? Did they steal it? But this new alert from CISA is very alarming, they talk about the grave risk to not just the federal government, but state and local governments as well as critical infrastructure and private companies. They say that it's going to be very difficult to get these attackers out of the systems. I want to read you part of this statement from CISA.

They say that "removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations." They go on to say that there are tactics, techniques and procedures that have not yet been discovered. So what's going on here is, there is a damage assessment across the federal government, across industry, across all these customers to figure out what was impacted. And in the meantime, we do understand that President Trump has been briefed by his top intelligence officials, but we still have not heard from him directly.

This first came out on Sunday, today is Friday, we have not heard from the president about this massive breach. We have, however, heard from President-elect Joe Biden who is going to be inheriting all of these systems, all of these departments and agencies, who currently have these suspected Russian attackers still inside.

This is an ongoing operation. So Biden came out yesterday with a very strongly-worded statement saying that his administration would impose substantial costs on those responsible for such malicious attacks. He goes on to say that "as president, I will not stand idly by in the face of cyber assaults on our nation."