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Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine Endorsed By CDC; Congress Reaches Deal On Stimulus Package; Talk Of Martial Law In Oval Office Meeting; Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Is Interviewed About The Oval Office Meeting And Stimulus Deal; European Countries Closing Borders On United Kingdom. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired December 20, 2020 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: And you are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianna Golodryga in for Ana Cabrera. And breaking news at this hour, the CDC director signs off on a second vaccine to combat the coronavirus. This one by Moderna. That opens the way for the first shots with that vaccine to go into arms.
Now, as of this morning, shipments of the vaccine are already on the move. Trucks carrying millions of doses that welcome sign. Of course, following news that already more than half a million Americans have received a dose of the first coronavirus vaccine that was approved from Pfizer.
And another form of relief may be on its way. This is Congress, of course, and we are talking about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying that he expects to have a deal on a $900 billion stimulus package nailed down in just a matter of hours. Without it, of course, the government shuts done and millions of Americans lose badly needed benefits the day after Christmas.
And overseas, word that a growing number of European countries are halting flights from the U.K. after a variant of coronavirus was discovered. One that spreads faster than others. We'll have more on that in just a moment.
But first, breaking right now, new details about who is next in line to get the coronavirus vaccine. Let's get right to CNN's Natasha Chen. Natasha, what is the CDC saying now?
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bianna, well, just a little over an hour ago, the advisory committee voted 13-1 to approve the next two groups who should be prioritized for this vaccine. So what we've already been seeing is that people who are front line health care workers, people in long-term care facilities, they've already been getting the vaccine this past week.
What they voted on today were the next two groups called 1-b and 1-c. Who's in 1-b? Well, front line essential workers, that includes people like first responders, teachers, grocery store workers as well as people aged 75 and older.
Then after that, phase 1-c includes a group 65 to 74, as well as younger people with high-risk medical conditions and other essential workers. So, a lot of the debate today was not actually about this next 1-b group. Everybody was in agreement with that. It was the 1-c group and what conditions should actually be considered as high risk.
And what they came up with was taking a list that's currently with sufficient evidence showing association with severe COVID-19 that includes things like cancer, obesity, diabetes, and they agree that the list is not exhaustive, but that will continue to be updated on the CDC website.
So, again, it was 13-1. The person who voted in dissent basically thought that the 65 to 74 age group should have been moved up higher. But all in all, they agree on most of the concept of this. The chair of this committee said that this was the most difficult vote he's cast in the 6 1/2 years he's been on this committee.
It's a tough decision. I mean, especially because you're talking about a limited supply of vaccine in the beginning, but experts do agree that it's going to ramp up eventually. The nominee for Biden's U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, said today that he believes the realistic timeline is that by mid-summer most Americans will have access to this vaccine.
GOLODRYGA: Look, no doubt. This is not an easy decision to make but it's great to see that eligibility list expand day by day. Natasha Chen, thank you so much.
Well, earlier today, trucks carrying millions of doses of the newly approved Moderna vaccine began rolling out across the country. The head of Operation Warp Speed telling CNN that the first shots will most likely go into arms as soon as tomorrow. CNN's Pete Muntean joins us now from a FedEx facility in Memphis, Tennessee. Pete, what an operation this is. This rollout of course is much larger than the one with Pfizer.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Bianna. We'll get to that in a second. The Moderna vaccine arrived here not all that long ago, actually. Two truck fulls getting straight to Memphis International Airport here. A plane going overhead here for a second. It's going to get a little loud as we're just (inaudible).
The trucks came from straight from the McKesson distribution facility just over the state line in Mississippi. And now the vaccine is going out to 3,000 individual locations across the country. Deliveries begin tomorrow.
Places like hospitals, pharmacies, CVS and Walgreen's. This distribution effort, about four times larger than the initial Pfizer distribution effort of last week. And there's a bit of a difference between the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine.
The Moderna vaccine does not need to be stored at super cold temperatures like the Pfizer vaccine. That adds in a little bit of flexibility because a regular refrigerator will do just fine for this one. That allows it to go to more rural areas that do not have deep freezers.
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I just spoke with FedEx. It says even with that difference, it does not change how it handles this vaccine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE STEPHENS, SVP GLOBAL ENGINEERING & BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION, FEDEX: It doesn't matter whether you have to be ultra-cold or you have to be -- whether you are minus 90 or minus 20, it doesn't matter. Our job is to get the package from point A to point B as expeditiously and as safely as we possibly can and to deliver it to those that are going to administer it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MUNTEAN: Six million doses of the Moderna vaccine are going out right now, Bianna. And the Department of Health and Human Services says 20 million people could be vaccinated by the end of this month. What a remarkable achievement. We're seeing the rollout of two vaccines in just one week's time.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. I believe we're the only country that has rolled out two vaccines now. It is incredible. Love to see those FedEx trucks pulling out there. Pete Muntean, thank you so much.
Well, also breaking at this hour, the fight on Capitol Hill to pass the next COVID relief bill and get desperately needed money to American families and businesses who are suffering because of the coronavirus pandemic.
CNN's Manu Raju is our senior congressional correspondent. Manu, Mitch McConnell thinks a deal will get nailed down soon. I know Speaker Pelosi wants a vote in the House tonight. Do we actually think this will happen?
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a really good question. It's one I've been asking senators, the lead members of leadership and the basic answer is, we just don't know yet. The expectation is that the House will try to vote tonight.
Just because the speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is insistent, I'm told from multiple sources, to have a vote tonight, but we still don't have a final deal ironed out yet and no one has seen the bill language on either the $900 billion relief plan and no one has seen the language yet of the $1.4 trillion package to keep the government open past tonight all the way through September.
The leadership wants to tie that COVID bill, relief bill, to the funding package, jam it through the House and get it through the Senate quickly with very little time for members to actually review it. So, whether that can actually happen is an open question. Now, there are still some final issues they are sorting out. The big
issues have been solved. They believe they're getting close to a deal, but some issues including education, funding for private schools remains an outstanding issue to the two sides are going back on.
But the overall contrast of the package essentially looks like this. More than $300 billion for small business loans, $300 a week in jobless benefits that would begin on December 27th, I'm told, that would last for about 11 weeks.
Also, $600 in direct payments for people who make $75,000 -- up to $75,000 and an additional $600 for each person in that household. We expect money for vaccines, money for schools, and money for other key issues as well, like hospitals and the like and farm aid and nutrition assistance.
So, this is a very significant package, but we have to see the details. The House has to schedule its votes. And then the Senate has -- all 100 senators have to agree to schedule a quick vote and some are not said they would do that.
Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, I just asked him what he thinks about this deal. He thinks it's an inadequate deal. He thinks it's a good start but not far enough. I asked him, would you agree to a quick vote and he would not answer the question.
There is also a concern, so Bianna, a lot of questions still here. There's a big push to get it done. Can they do it? How quickly will it get done? And the big question, will President Trump sign it?
GOLODRYGA: Yes. Time is of the essence. We know that millions are relying on benefits that are set to expire just the day after Christmas. Manu Raju, you've been on this from the jump. I know you'll continue. Thank you so much.
RAJU: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Well, meantime at White House, sources tell CNN that aides who have weathered countless scandals during Trump's time in office are now growing increasingly concerned about what steps he might take as his term comes to an end.
CNN learning of a heated Oval Office meeting where the idea of martial law came up as Trump rails against the election results. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is at the White House. And Jeremy, there was a heated Oval Office meeting involving the words martial law.
Plus, we learned that the Trump campaign is once again petitioning the U.S. Supreme court over the results in Pennsylvania. What is going over there and when will it stop?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, what's going on over here is that the president of the United States isn't focused on the rollout of the vaccine. He isn't focused on the worsening coronavirus pandemic nor is he talking about the seriousness of this cyber-attack that U.S. government officials believe was carried out by Russia. Instead, the president is still grasping at straws to try and overturn the results of a Democratic election that he lost.
Most recently, we saw the Trump campaign is now filing this petition to the Supreme Court asking them to overturn three rulings by the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court, essentially seeking to invalidate millions of legally cast votes in the state of Pennsylvania. Despite the fact that the Electoral College in that state and in others has already voted.
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And what we're also seeing is in this Oval Office meeting on Friday, the president heard outlandish ideas, dangerous ideas in some cases, from Sidney Powell, who has been pushing these debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and Michael Flynn, the president's disgraced former national security adviser who recently suggested that the president should use martial law to rerun the election in several key battleground states.
That is, of course -- there is no indication as of yet that that is something that the president is seriously considering. But the fact that it was raised in the Oval Office is generating significant concern, including from some Republicans like Senator Mitt Romney. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): It's really sad in a lot of respects and embarrassing because the president could right now be writing the last chapter of this administration with a victory lap with regards to the vaccine. And instead, he's leaving Washington with a whole series of conspiracy theories and things that are so nutty and loopy that people are shaking their head wondering, what in the world has gotten into this man?
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Republican leaders have either remained silent or actively supported the president's deranged claims about the election. Do you still recognize the Republican Party?
ROMNEY: Well, the party has taken a different course than, obviously, the one that I knew as a younger person.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND: We're also told that the president in that Oval Office meeting on Friday was talking about the possibility of appointing Sidney Powell as a special counsel to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
We should point out, Sidney Powell was a member of the president's legal team, but the legal team for the president distanced themselves from her because they thought that her conspiracy theories were too outlandish. Among them, suggesting that the CIA was somehow involved in rigging the 2020 election, suggesting that the late Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez, was involved in rigging this election.
This is somebody the president is now considering for a government investigative role to investigate an election that has already been proven to be secure and in no way marked by widespread voter fraud, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Well, look, Senator Romney was right. This is sad. This is embarrassing and the president clearly has abdicated his responsibilities here to the nation. Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much.
Well, joining me now is Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us. We will get to that relief bill in just a second, but I do have to ask you first about this extraordinary reporting that we have about a heated Oval Office meeting Friday during which the president discussed declaring martial law, to force new elections in states that Biden had won issuing an executive order to seize voting machines and appointing conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell as a special counsel to investigate his baseless claims of election fraud. What is your reaction to all of that?
REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Well, let's start with some objective reality. Joe Biden won by more than 7 million votes, 81 million to 74 million. He trounced the president in the Electoral College, 306 to 232, a margin that Trump himself declared a landslide when he won by the exact same amount over Hillary Clinton.
And so, none of this has any correspondence to reality. Joe Biden is going to be our new president. It does reflect the president's growing extreme isolation from events. He has nothing to say about the COVID- 19 pandemic, which has now cost more than 300,000 lives and we, of course, are the world's leader in pandemic deaths and cases and propaganda and disinformation, which the president has spread.
He has detached himself from the economic calamities of this pandemic that he has let run wild in the land. He has detached himself from the reality of the election and then he has actually pointed the finger at China when Russia has been found by our best intelligence estimates and by Secretary of State Pompeo to have been behind the solar wind attacks on our entire government.
I mean, this is the most massive cyber assault on the U.S. government in history and the president has this la-dee-da (inaudible) attitude and points the finger at China and all he cares about is trying to play out these completely paranoid conspiracy fantasies and magical thinking trips from Fox News and people like Sidney Powell.
So, it's a scary situation. It's why the 25th amendment has been talked about from the very beginning of his administration and, you know, who knows what happens over the next 30 days.
GOLODRYGA: Are you worried about the next 30 days?
RASKIN: I am worried because, you know, I've been worried about the last 1,200 days. I mean, this is a president who knows no concept of the rule of law, of the Constitution, of basic decency or civility.
[17:15:03] And the fact that they're seriously talking about declaring martial law and abdicating the presidential election is a dangerous new escalation of this derangement in the White House. And he does surround himself with people who reinforce his worst and most paranoid tendencies.
I am glad that finally there are people like Senator Romney speaking out within the Republican Party against this nonsense. And there were strong Republican state-elected officials, secretaries of state and election officials who said, no, they would not trash a legitimate presidential election in the United States just to benefit their political party.
So, those people are heroes within their sphere just for doing their jobs. It is scandalous that we still have more than 100 Republican members of the House of Representatives who are walking the plank with Donald Trump and, again, pandering to his most deranged fantasies.
And some of them come from the states that they would propose to disenfranchise like Pennsylvania and Georgia and Wisconsin. Those people, you know, before they're seated, they should be forced to say whether or not the election that gave rise to their return to Congress was, in fact, valid or invalid.
GOLODRYGA: Well, we'll see how history will judge them, but obviously they represent some of the millions of Americans who are desperate to get this stimulus going. And let's turn to the stimulus negotiations. Americans are set to lose their checks from the federal government the day after Christmas. And they want to know, is there going to be a deal today? What can you tell us?
RASKIN: Well, I believe there will be a deal today. Members have been waiting to make this happen since last week. Everybody, I think, is very eager to close a deal. Of course, you know, on the Democratic side, we have been leading and passing five different pieces of legislation to address the coronavirus.
You know, most recently the CARES Act in May, seven months ago now, which was -- or rather the HEROES Act. The CARES Act was in March, March 27th. May 15th was the HEROES Act. And the heroes act was a $3 trillion package. Now, what we're looking at is less than a $1 trillion now. We know that there's been a big ideological divide between the House and the Senate on this.
And, you know, we want to fund the states and the counties, we want to fund K through 12, we want to make sure the people get PPP for small businesses and unemployment benefits. You know, we had advanced the $600 a week. It looks like we might be settling again on $600 a week in this package.
But we just have a much more robust understanding of the desperate needs of the people out there. We heard from the beginning, Mitch McConnell saying, let the states go bankrupt, talking about this is a blue state disease. That was before the disease proceeded to ravage Florida and Alabama and Arkansas and Texas and so on -- GOLODRYGA: No, look, this is an American disease. This is a global
disease, and hopefully you can get something done even tonight, but you know, millions of Americans say something is better than nothing but $600 is not enough for so many Americans. We're going to have to leave it there, congressman. I do want to note that you received your coronavirus vaccine, correct? How are you feeling?
RASKIN: On Friday. I feel fine. A little sore here, but I tell you, I felt born again when I got that virus. It's an act of great civic commitment and patriotism to do it. You're doing it for yourself and your family and everybody else and everybody should go and do it. I haven't felt this good since voting.
GOLODRYGA: Well, it's great to hear that. It's great to hear that you're feeling okay and thank you for advocating for that. Congressman, we appreciate it.
RASKIN: You're right.
GOLODRYGA: Well, more than half a million Americans have already been vaccinated. Moderna's vaccine is being shipped as we speak and we now know essential workers are next in line. So, what can you expect once it's your turn? A doctor who studied these vaccines and has received his own shot joins us next.
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GOLODRYGA: The United States now has two COVID-19 vaccines in its arsenal against the pandemic. Following the final signoff from CDC Director Robert Redfield today, Moderna's COVID vaccine now joins Pfizer's vaccine.
And as of today, more than 556,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered here in the U.S. and 2.8 million doses have been distributed. I want to bring in Dr. Carlos del Rio. He is the executive associate dean of the Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Health System.
Emory, of course, was one of the first sites that tested the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Doctor, now that these vaccines have been approved, we're starting to see some concerns about possible reactions and side effects. We should note, it's just a few cases, but can you fill us in a bit on what we're hearing?
CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: Yes. Well, so far the only vaccines that have really been administered are the Pfizer vaccine. In fact, I received mine yesterday evening so I'm about 24 hours out of receiving the vaccine. I would tell you there are a few cases reported of allergic reaction. None has been severe.
And those allergic reactions have been managed. And the way many places are doing is they are keeping you in observation there for 15 to 30 minutes. If you have a history of allergies, they'll keep you for 30 minutes in case you develop an allergic reaction and they are ready to respond with epinephrin and other drugs to manage those reactions.
And this is why it's not being rolled out, you know, it S being rolled out in the medical settings to be careful doing that. But I'm not entirely concerned and the reason I'm not concerned is I took the vaccine myself and I feel perfectly fine.
GOLODRYGA: Well, it's great to hear that. And we should note that those few cases, all of those individuals are okay and they've recovered. But what do you say to those who are hesitating because they don't know what the potential is for long-term side effects.
[17:25:00
DEL RIO: Well, you know, I'm -- quite frankly, I'm pretty confident about these vaccines. I think -- I'm not worried about a long-term side effects. Initially, we worried about short term. Most side effects occur within a clinical trial and we truly did not observe many side effects. We observed no side effects at all during the clinical trial.
There was reactogenicity. And as I said, I would recommend this vaccine. I took it myself. I recommended to my family. I recommended to my loved ones. I would say if you have a history of allergic reaction to a vaccine component, if you have an EpiPen to deal with allergic reactions, you need to talk to your doctor before you receive the vaccine.
But other than that, I see no contraindication and no problem with, you know, pregnant women, lactating women. If your time comes up, you should receive the vaccine.
GOLODRYGA: So, in your view, this is a safe vaccine. It's great to hear. I know that you've studied the Moderna vaccine but you actually received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Is there any reason that people should opt for one vaccine over the other? Is there any difference between the two?
DEL RIO: You know, the difference between the two is very minimal. It's in the lipid composition that surrounds the mRNA. And then therefore, this has changes in the storage way. You have to save the vaccine. So, the Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at minus 70 celsius, so special refrigerators. The Moderna vaccine does not need that level of storage.
But once it's applied into a human, once it's given intramuscularly into a human, into an arm of an individual, they're really identical. The results of the clinical trials are so similar, you rarely see that in a clinical trial but the results really are pretty similar.
So, you know, identical to say, you know, in a way (ph). So, it just tells you that this platform is actually very effective and it really is no difference between the two of them.
GOLODRYGA: Very effective, I mean, 95 percent effective for both of them. That's outstanding. But Moderna's vaccine doesn't require special freezer or equipment to keep it extremely cold and the vaccine can actually be stored in normal freezers. How big of an advantage is that and how significant is it that the U.S. is soon to be the first country in the world with not one but two vaccines?
DEL RIO: Well, it's huge and I think the Moderna vaccine, therefore, will go to much -- to many more places than the Pfizer vaccine went to simply because there are more places that have regular refrigerators. I mean, your usual CVS pharmacy or Walgreens has a regular refrigerator. Very few places have minus 70 refrigerator. Minus 70 refrigerators tend to exist in places that do research. Only research sites tend to have those refrigerators.
GOLODRYGA: I have to say, it's great to see those FedEx trucks rolling out with help on the way inside. Dr. Carlos Del Rio, thank you so much. I'm glad you're feeling well after your shot.
DEL RIO: Delighted to be with you.
GOLODRYGA: And tonight, join Anderson Cooper to learn how the country defeated the 1918 pandemic. The new CNN Special Report "Pandemic: How a Virus Changed the World in 1918" begins at 9:00 p.m.
And other breaking news right now, out of Europe, the border between the U.K. and France now closing after a variant strain of COVID that's emerged out of the U.K. Officials warning that it's more easily spread. A live report from London coming up after the break.
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GOLODRYGA: We want to bring you breaking news just now into CNN. We are learning that the border between France and the U.K. will close for 48 hours beginning tonight. This means that the Eurotunnel, the railway tunnel that connects England to France beneath the English Channel will be closing.
This comes after a new COVID-19 variant that's more easily spread was detected in the U.K. I want to go straight to CNN's Salma Abdelaziz in London. And what more are we learning, Salma?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, it feels quite literally like this country is being sealed off. You just gave us the latest there, the Eurotunnel being closed for 48 hours. The Port of Dover being closed as well. The ships now stopping. The trains now stopping. The question is, is this planes as well going to be stopping?
We already know that country after country is banning flights from the U.K., literally by the hour. Over a dozen nations so far stopping British travelers from entering their country. All of this sparked by a new variant in coronavirus that just yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said is 70 percent more transmissible and has caused a spike in cases here in London as well as in the -- as well as in the southeast of England. The prime minister's response to this was to impose high level
restrictions on London and the affected areas, tier 4 rules, essentially localized lockdowns which mean that people have to stay at home and work from home, all non-essential shops must close, and most importantly, all travel in and out of these regions is banned.
But a lot of Londoners, rather than heeding these orders, last night people were rushing to train stations, rushing to get out of the city before these rules went into place. All of this is happening at the 11th hour. Here is what is important to remember.
This is the weekend before Christmas. Many people had plans to travel out. Enter the prime minister in the middle of this weekend at the 11th hour, Saturday night, saying unpack your bags. Is this too late? That's the question right now.
Will people comply? Will people cancel their holiday plans? That's yet to be seen. And the fear is that this variant may have already gone global. Bianna?
GOLODRYGA: Yes, unbelievable. I'm looking at the Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London and his tweet. He is blaming their government and blaming them for making irresponsible promises and raised expectations ahead of Christmas.
This is clearly a country that is in continued crisis. I know you'll continue to follow the story for us. Salma Abdelaziz, thank you so much. And we'll be right back.
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[17:35:00]
GOLODRYGA: Republican Senator Mitt Romney blasting President Trump over his response to a massive cyber-attack on U.S. government agencies. In particular, President Trump's inability to call out the country suspected of being behind the attack, Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROMNEY: Well, the president has a blind spot when it comes to Russia and so you can expect that that's the response he would have. The party has taken a different course than, obviously, the one that I knew as a younger person. And I mean, the party that I knew is one that was very concerned about Russia and Putin and Kim Jong-un and North Korea.
We pushed back aggressively against them. As I look at the 2024 contenders, most of them are trying to become as much like Donald Trump as they can be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: And joining me now, CNN senior political analyst John Avlon and CNN political commentator and host of "Firing Line" on PBS, Margaret Hoover. The hoovalons, I get to talk to the famous couple. I'm so excited. Margaret --
[17:40:03]
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to see you.
GOLODRYGA: -- let me begin with you first. Your reaction to Senator Mitt Romney lamenting the decline of the Republican Party.
MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLOTOCAL COMMENTATOR: I'm with Mitt Romney. Look, Mitt Romney said it right and well, he is pointing out that historically -- remember, you know, he is of the party of Ronald Reagan, right? Ronald Reagan is the president who led us with Margaret Thatcher and the Pope to defeat the Soviet Union, right.
We have never been the party that was for Russia, right? And, in fact, that was the most pejorative thing you could say about Democrats at the time, as (inaudible) they're soft on Russia. The tables have entirely flipped. So, it's important to have that historic contest.
I would just say not all of the Republican candidates who are badgering to be president are also in the same form or mold as Donald Trump. Larry Hogan of Maryland, the governor of Maryland is -- the formula that Republicans should really look at, which is Republicans who succeed overwhelmingly in blue states.
That's the only kind of Republican that can get elected nationally, with a national popular vote, in my view, and I think we should take a note from him.
GOLODRYGA: So, one, one person. Hopefully that number will continue to grow, but John --
AVLON: Yes, that thing.
HOOVER: And Mitt Romney.
GOLODRYGA: Of course, Mitt Romney. It's all on Mitt Romney, but Mitt Romney, of course, as you recall, was famously ridiculed back in 2012 for calling Russia America's greatest geopolitical foe during the 2012 campaign and his debate with President Obama. It turned out that he was right and he actually spoke about that with Jake this morning as well. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROMNEY: I had the chance to be with Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state under the Obama administration, and she said, you were right, and we didn't recognize it at the time. She said, you were right. And it was nice to hear, but I would have rather seen the actions taken then that would have prevented the kind of things from occurring that we've seen over the last several years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: So John, do you think the incoming Biden foreign policy team, including Biden himself, agree with Secretary Albright, that Romney was, in fact, right? And if so, how should they publicly address Putin's transgressions and his aggressive actions?
AVLON: There is just no question that he has (inaudible) vindicated Mitt Romney's comments. That doesn't mean that they need to, you know, denounce their Obama foreign policy, but they need to update it to facts on the ground.
And here, the reality is, is that Vladimir Putin is trying to destabilize liberal democracy at home and abroad, but he's attacked the United States, not only interfering in the 2016 election but now the biggest hack of our government, arguably in history.
And this administration, it not only happened on their watch, but this president, more crucially, has been completely MIA and going out of his way to distance himself from his secretary of state's tough comments. So what should the Biden administration do?
Okay, one, they need to take tough action coming in. Offensive cyber actions. They need to put tough sanctions. They need to go full force with a group of democracies to push back on these ethno-national autocracies beginning with Russia.
And but not only that. I mean, they also, you know, I think need to recognize that the strategy of engaging with China, which Biden had been a big advocate of early on, hasn't worked out the way they thought it would.
And so they needed to update their strategy on that front as well. And I think you -- I hope you will see that. A tougher policy that still emphasizes international institutions that have been attacked by Donald Trump from day one.
GOLODRYGA: And it would be helpful to have an administration that's all walking the same line, right, and in agreement as opposed to what we're seeing now from the secretary of state who is pointing the finger at Russia and the president is walking that back.
Margaret, let's get to this bombshell of report. CNN and the "New York Times" reporting about this crazy meeting, Friday, at the Oval Office. There were apparently screaming matches as former national security adviser Michael Flynn and conspiracy theorist lawyer Sidney Powell accused others of abandoning the president's efforts to overturn the elections. And one idea discussed was invoking martial law. Something that Flynn himself talked about last week on "Newsmax." Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL FLYNN, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: He can order the -- within the swing states, if he wanted to, he could take military capabilities and he could place them in those states and basically rerun an election in each of those states. I mean, it's not unprecedented. I mean, there's people out there talking about martial law like it's something that we've never done. We've done -- martial law has been instituted 64, 64 times.
(END VIDEOTAPE) GOLODRYGA: Oh, my god. I mean, when I first read this story, Margaret, I immediately thought of the, so you're saying there's a chance scene from "Dumb & Dumber." I mean, this is a desperate president who is willing to listen to anyone's crockpot idea if it can give him another chance at an election win. How do you see it?
HOOVER: The same. Listen, I mean, let's just be very, very -- I mean, I think it's enormously important to be incredibly clear about this. This is not okay, like, it is not okay.
[17:45:00]
It is not normal. It is not something that is just done flippantly. You can cite 64 times. It has never been instituted after a completely legitimate --
GOLODRYGA: Margaret, I hate to interrupt you but this is what happens on live television. Hold tight. We will come back to you, but we do want to go to Manu Raju right now because it does appear that there is a deal reached on a COVID relief package. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says they've reached a deal on that $900 billion package. Let's get right to CNN's Manu Raju.
RAJU: Yes. A significant development here after months of stalemate and bickering and after a marathon series of negotiations that have occurred over the last several days. Now, there appears to be and finally an agreement among the top four leaders of Congress over a major rescue package -- $900 billion of relief of that Americans who are hurting from this pandemic and from this crisis, could see soon assuming Congress votes soon.
But just moments ago, Mitch McConnell, senate majority leader said, "The four leaders of the Senate and House have finalized an agreement." Now, this came after days and days of talks. They were trying to haggle out the final details here, but it appears they have ironed out those final details.
Now, this proposal will be significant. It will affect people who have lost their jobs and on unemployment benefits and are concerned about those expiring benefits starting on December 27th. We expect about 11 weeks of enhanced unemployment benefits to the tune of $300 per week.
We're hearing that there will be $600 and a one-time direct payment for people who make less than $75,000. It will be aid for small businesses including restaurants and the like. There will be money for hospitals, money for farmers, and money to help distribute the vaccine.
In addition, more than $80 billion to provide for schools and others to open up during this pandemic. Now, this proposal still needs to be seen. They have not released the text of this deal. It's been negotiated among a handful of the leaders, the top leaders of Congress and a handful of other members.
Now, they will actually unveil the text that will have to be considered by the House, the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, wants to push forward and get this deal approved in the chamber tonight. That could be a very late night. It could go into the early morning tomorrow. And then the senate will have to vote, too.
There's expectation the Senate could vote tomorrow morning to finalize this agreement. And then the big question is will President Trump sign this proposal. His administration has been involved in these talks. He himself has not been involved in the talks. We'll see what he says.
But a significant moment after months and months of fighting. Finally, the two sides have come together. A big sigh of relief for a lot of Americans, but still a little bit of ways to go until the bill is released. Members vet it, they vote on it, and eventually, presumably it becomes law. Bianna?
GOLODRYGA: Finally, this does appear to be moving forward with a deal there that the Senate Majority Leader just announced on the Senate floor. Manu Raju, thank you very much. Margaret and John, stay right there. I want to get your reaction to this deal right after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:50:00]
GOLODRYGA: We want to go back to the breaking news. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says they've just reached a deal on a $900 billion stimulus package. Margaret Hoover, John Avalon, back with us. Margaret, let's get back to you. I'm sorry for interrupting you for that breaking news.
But from the contours of what we see that this deal entails, we're talking $600 stimulus checks for those earning less than $75,000, providing enhanced federal unemployment benefits, $300 a week through the spring. What do you make of this deal?
HOOVER: Look, it's good for the American people. I'm delighted. I think -- I'm actually not surprised this has passed for a couple of reasons. One, the president has stayed out of it while the president is focused on other things. Senate can get things done.
And Mitch McConnell has every intent to get this done because he is looking at two Georgia seats that he wants see re-elected so now they can go campaign on this productive deal. There is a lot of reasons this could happen.
I also -- I'm not surprised. I also think this, and I'm going to let John weigh in, may actually foreshadow a future era of bipartisanship in a Biden administration that I don't think I'm Pollyannaish about. I actually think it could happen.
AVLON: All right. You know, we'll all go over the (inaudible) of hope over experience, but I mean, the tail of the Georgia senate races shouldn't wag the dog on this. This is a great deal, but how it went is important.
Bipartisan group are centrist senators. Self-described problem solvers put forward a proposal and forced the hand and it got the leaders on board. That is the way government is supposed to work. And the counter point with the Oval Office where the president is trying to plot martial law and indulge all sorts of conspiracy theories to undercut our democracy, this is the counterpoint. This is how government is supposed to work. People reasoning together and not --
GOLODRYGA: And let's listen to Senator Schumer right now. We'll get right back to you, John. Give us one second.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): -- for a long and arduous year. After a year full of bad news, finally, we have some good news to deliver to the American people. Make no mistake about it. This agreement is far from perfect. But it will deliver emergency relief to a nation in the throes of a genuine emergency.
It should have the votes to pass the Senate, the House, and reach the president's desk to become law. We should make that happen as soon as possible. As soon as possible, even tonight if we can. By all rights, a bill of this urgency should have passed eight months ago. It should have passed months ago.
The country needed it, but we all know what happened. The Republican majority caused more than eight months of delay and gridlock. Twenty members of the Senate majority wanted no money and the Republican leader simply forgets for months he said let's examine the crisis.
[17:55:02]
Let's put it on pause, while Democrats were demanding more action. And then when he produced legislation, it didn't have what was needed. And had poisoned pills. A provision that would give all corporations no matter how egregious their behavior, immunity. And nothing to help the unemployed. No direct checks.
So, the idea that this was -- delay was caused by Democrats is Alice in Wonderland history. It was caused by a Republican majority that didn't want to vote the moneys desperately needed by the American people.
The significance of this package, even though it's not as large or robust as it should be, should not be under estimated. We will deliver the second largest federal stimulus in our nation's history. Only the CARES Act will have been bigger. Only the CARES Act, which I was proud to negotiate with Secretary Mnuchin.
In size and scope, this bill will exceed the Recovery Act passed in the aftermath of the financial crisis. And once this federal relief bill is signed into law, Congress will have allocated well over $3 trillion in relief this year alone and that is a historic figure to match an historic crisis.
It will give the new president a boost, a head start as he prepares to right our ailing economy. The economy is in a deep, deep hole because of President Trump. And the Republican senate's failure to act in a timely manner. But this at least begins us getting the relief the American people need so that when President Biden takes over he can do more and dig us -- help us dig out of this deep hole.
And the good news, too, the poisoned pills that so stopped any progress put in by the majority leader are not in this bill. It won't include any provision to limit the legal rights of workers who were put in harm's way or any provision to gratuitously limit the authority of the fed.
Now, it's remarkable how far we have come. As I mentioned earlier, this summer the Republican leader admitted 20 members of his caucus didn't want to vote for another dime in COVID relief. Before negotiating with Democrats, the majority offered a package of $500 billion that contained poisoned pills designed to build -- doom the thing from the start.
That way, Republican senators wouldn't be forced to approve any new spending. Here at the end of the year, reason has prevailed, sweet reason, and we'll now deliver a package of almost a trillion. And that matters. Not for any one party. It matters for the American people.
Because we increased the size of this bill, expanded its reach, more Americans will receive assistance before the holidays. For Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, this bill will throw out a safety net.
Initially, Republicans were ready to let enhanced unemployment benefits expire. They were ready to move on without help for renters. They opposed another round of direct payments. They're starting offer for U.I. and rent relief was zero, zero, and zero again.
But the good news that transcends any of the obstacles that we faced is that in the final agreement we will extend all three federal unemployment programs created under CARES. We will provide $300 in weekly federal unemployment benefits for the next 10 weeks.
For families struggling to make ends meet, this bill will cushion the blow. A new round of survival checks will soon be on the way -- $600 per adult. Another $600 for every dependent in the household. Many of us would have liked that to be higher, but at least this is the way, the quickest way to get money into pockets of the American people.
Sending their tax dollars right back where they came from. Of course, as I said, it's not as much as many Democrats and some Republicans would have liked and we hope that next year the same bipartisan support that emerged behind $1200 stimulus checks will prevail even more assistance to working families.
For the first time ever during this pandemic, Congress will provide $25 billion in direct rental assistance to help reduce the burden on Americans who have fallen behind on rent.
[17:59:59]
We also extend a moratorium on evictions to give our fellow citizens more time to get back on their feet. [17:59:59]
