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Interview With Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX); Downtown Nashville Sealed Off After Intentional Explosion; Tennessee Governor Requests Emergency Declaration From Trump; Biden Calls On Trump To Sign $990B COVID-19 Relief Bill; Official: One COVID-19 Death Every 10 Minutes In L.A. County; COVID-19 Hits Nursing Homes Hard; Trump Administration Makes Final Push To Finish U.S.-Mexico Border Wall; Black Doctor's Death Highlights Systemic Inequalities In Health Care. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired December 26, 2020 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: But for the majority of the eastern half of the country the problem now is the cold temperatures. Current windchill is six in Pittsburgh, same thing in Buffalo only feels like 22 in Chicago right now. Here's some current temperatures notice to those cool temperatures stretch pretty far south, Fredricka, we've and had freeze warnings as far south as Florida this morning. Those will continue till tomorrow morning as well.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: My goodness. All right. Well, thank you so much, Allison Chinchar.

Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for being with me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All right. We begin in Nashville, Tennessee, where authorities are expected to give an update this afternoon on the investigation into that explosion on Christmas Day. The City of Nashville remaining on edge after a parked R.V. exploded on historic street early yesterday morning. Officials say possible human remains were found at the blast site after an eerie audio recording repeatedly warned of an imminent explosion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you hear this message, evacuate now. If you can hear this message, evacuate now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The blast left at least three people injured and left several other vehicles on fire, destroyed a number of buildings on the block. And Tennessee Governor Bill Lee just requesting an emergency declaration from President Trump to help with the ongoing relief efforts after touring the damage. Let's talk about this investigation. Jonathan Wackrow is a CNN law enforcement analysts and a former Secret Service agent.

Good to see you, Jonathan. And Happy Holidays, although it's not so happy in many parts, particularly they're in downtown Nashville. So, let's talk about how you see this investigation and this explosion that there would be a recorded message, you know, playing before an explosion, warning people that there is an imminent explosion and to evacuate. What does that tell you right off the bat?

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYSTS: Well, Fredricka, first of all, Happy Holidays to you. This is very unique, just the wording of that recording, evacuate now there is a bomb. Directionally, this is indicating that whoever launched this attack, the intent was not for a mass casualty event, not to cause harm to a mass of people. But what it does tell us is that this was absolutely a premeditated event.

And I think that the wording is very unique here where it's actually giving a command. It's telling people to evacuate. And unfortunately, what this leaves us with is more questions than it does answers. Why was there a woman's voice in this recording? Who was it exactly warning at that time of day in that part of the city? We did, you know, we didn't see a lot of people. So, who was the voice actually talking to?

What triggered that recording? How was it triggered? Was it triggered remotely? Was it the same person that actually triggered the explosive device that started that recording? And I think, Fred, one of the difficulties of a post blast investigation is that much of the evidence has been destroyed in the initial blast in itself. So, investigators actually have to now dig deeper into other things of evidentiary value to put this case together.

WHITFIELD: Because the residual evidence, maybe more difficult to find, but it really can piece together for investigators who might be responsible, what happened, by what means this explosion took place? How helpful is it at the very least, though that there is this video of the R.V.? What kind of identifying factors will they be able to extrapolate there?

WACKROW: Well, this is a very important piece of evidentiary value. And it shows the importance of video that is utilized by investigators. And what we saw over the last 24 hours is the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, along with federal authorities have been seeking the public's assistance in actually trying to garner more information about this -- about this video -- about this R.V.

And, you know, the reason being is that someone knows this vehicle. I mean, this vehicle has been out there. It may have distinctive markings that will trigger somebody's memory like oh, I've seen that in my neighborhood. I've seen that park somewhere. I mean the vehicle needs gasoline. So, it was at one location at one point in time getting gas. The video shows us direction of travel.

Now, you know investigators are probably combing through 1000s of hours of video to basically work backwards to make attribution to where did this vehicle come from? You know, the video may lead law enforcement officials to make attribution as to who was the operator or even owner of this vehicle? So, very key piece of evidence in this case.

[13:05:06] WHITFIELD: Uh-hmm. And we expect that there's going to be a briefing coming up maybe even an hour from now, we never had reportedly there were some human remains also found. Talk to me about the restraints, you know, of what the investigators want to reveal. And at the same time, it's very intentional the kind of information that we would likely hear from investigators today.

WACKROW: Well, I mean, what they're going to try to do is, first and foremost, if at all possible, reassure the public, that they are safe, that this is an isolated incident, that they are in control of the downtown area, and that there's no other threats that may impact the scene. They may describe what the scene is, I mean, a blast investigation is a significant crime scene, if you think about how fast your objects can come off a device.

I mean, they can travel it over 2000 feet per second. So, you're talking about a massive crime scene in downtown Nashville. Investigators are going to actually talk about their process, they're going to talk about how slow and methodical they need to be. We saw this morning with investigators, you know, very meticulously combing the streets, looking for the smallest bit of evidence to start piecing this together.

And then from there, they're going to talk about how they're processing evidence, you know, how they're organizing things, ensuring the public that the scene is large, it is isn't contaminated and basically showing that the there is progress being made in this case.

WHITFIELD: And wouldn't it also be the case that they would be looking at video angles from that street, going back days, weeks, perhaps even months that potentially, the person with that vehicle may have cased that area? Watched it for some time before planning. What you already call this, you know, clearly a premeditated event.

WACKROW: Absolutely, Fred. And this is where partnership with the private sector by law enforcement is absolutely critical. This isn't big brother watching but finding video of evidentiary value is critical. Investigators both local and federal are combing through the video right now just for that. They're looking for that, the, you know, premeditated. They're looking for preattack indicators.

People who were scouting out this area, maybe even that vehicle in itself to, you know, try to garner what was the intent -- I'm sorry, what was the motivational, you know, behind this tragic incident?

WHITFIELD: Uh-hmm. All right. Jonathan Wackrow, always good to see you. Thank you so much.

WACKROW: Thanks a lot, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee now calling on President Trump to issue an emergency declaration to assist in Nashville's ongoing relief effort. President Trump is receiving regular updates about the blast, but he has yet to address it publicly. Instead, he has spent the day amplifying false claims of election fraud still on Twitter. CNN, White House reporter Sarah Westwood joining me now from West Palm Beach. So, Sarah, what more or not coming from the President?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, Fred, it's totally unclear what the President plans to do on this Tennessee situation. We know that the White House is called a travel photo lid, which means we don't expect to see the president at any point today. But we've received no guidance about whether we can expect at the least a written statement or even a tweet from the President about the Tennessee explosion.

Yesterday, as we were learning more details about what happened in Nashville, the President was at the golf course. And we don't have a lot of insight into what he's doing today. We've asked the White House whether he plans to approve today, the Tennessee Governor's request for an emergency declaration also haven't heard back on that, Fred. It's been very vocal on Twitter, as you mentioned about a number of things, but not about this.

WHITFIELD: So, President-elect Joe Biden, he did release a statement on the President asking the President to go ahead, sign that COVID-19, you know, relief bill, that was passed by Congress saying that any further delay has devastating consequences. One cannot imagine that the President of the United States wants to respond to the President- elect because he's still sort of in denial that the President-elect would be getting the job on January 20th.

WESTWOOD: Yes, Fred. And there's again, no guidance from the White House here on whether the President will sign this piece of legislation that was flown down to Mar-a-Lago for his consideration, whether he'll veto it or whether he'll just sit on it, and if he does so, millions of Americans could see their jobless benefits lapse at midnight tonight. This is all the more baffling for Republicans because they voted for this relief deal under the impression that Trump supported it.

In fact, The White House helps negotiate the $600 figure for individual relief checks that Trump is now railing against as inadequate.

[13:10:07]

WESTWOOD: Now Senator Lindsey Graham offered a little bit of insight into just how seriously the president is planning to challenge this bill after he golf with the President yesterday, and I want to read you what Graham tweeted after that encounter with Trump. After spending some time with President Trump today, I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $2,000 per person and challenge section 230 big tech liability protection.

Now, both of those demands were rejected by Congress after weeks of negotiation over various spending packages. So, Trump is really negotiating openly against Republicans here and putting them in a tough spot to either have to do a major flip flop and come out against a bill they supported just five days ago or to defy him and stick by their vote in favor of the relief bill. And as the President is putting his party in Congress through these difficult situations, again, millions of Americans are waiting to see whether they'll be getting the relief checks.

They were promised next week and whether they'll be able to stay in their homes, because remember, this bill also includes an extension of the Federal eviction moratorium, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Yes. Lots at stake. Sarah Westwood in West Palm Beach. Thank you so much. So, where is Congress on this latest proposal from President Trump and will other Republicans come around? I'll talk live to our member of the House Financial Services Committee next. Plus, a devastating statistic. Officials in Los Angeles County say one person is dying in that county every 10 minutes. We're live at a key testing site.

And nursing home seeing some of the highest risk of infection as seniors await the vaccine. So, what is being done right now to protect the most vulnerable among us?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President-elect Joe Biden is now urging President Trump to sign the $900 billion COVID relief bill passed by Congress.

[10:15:06]

WHITFIELD: Biden just releasing a statement saying it is the day after Christmas and millions of families don't know if they'll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump's refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority. 12 million Americans are set to lose key unemployment benefits. The government could run out of money and eviction protections will expire unless President Trump signs the relief bill.

Joining me right now is Congressman Vincent Gonzalez. A Democrat from Texas. He is also a member of the Bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus. Good to see you, Congressman.

REP. VICENTE GONZALEZ (D-TX): Good. Good afternoon, Fredricka. Good to be here.

WHITFIELD: How worried are you about this bill not being signed by the President?

GONZALEZ: Well, we're all very worried. Millions of Americans are struggling. Millions of Americans can't pay their rent at the end of the month, can't put food on the table. A lot of unemployed folks in my district and across the country are going through some of the toughest times in modern day history. And the President continues to play games with people's lives. So, we're very worried.

We hope he comes to a census soon. And science is built into law. We know that it's not enough help to the people who are struggling. $600 is not what we wanted to give, we were trying to do 1200. I'm -- we're ready to do 2000. If he really wants to help the American people, he should sign this immediately. And we can add another spending bill next week to supplement the American people who are struggling. And it's something that I think most folks want to do on the hill, people on both sides of the aisle. People have been a little quiet on the president, but I think they need to step it up on the other side and really communicate the message that people are hurting in every district around the country. And we need this help today.

WHITFIELD: I'm wondering, isn't your feeling that the President doesn't understand the process that $600 could come now or signing the bill could come now and that there can be more action next week to promise somewhere upwards that $2,000 to people or do you feel like he is motivated by something else?

GONZALEZ: Well, I think he's trying to stay relevant in his final days in office. Clearly, there's a motivation to try to waive liability to -- some corporate liability to wrongdoers out in the business community. So, there's other people probably talking in his ear, but the fact is people are struggling right now. Today, rent is due. Food needs to be put on the American people's tables. Small businesses are going through really, really tough times.

There was a PPP forgiveness process, which was in this bill. So, we're going to be able to forgive loans under $150,000 to the smallest businesses that are struggling the most, and there is going to be a new round of PPP loans, that all needs to take place. As you know, the moratorium on evictions is fixing to expire. Everyone is struggling in this country and the president needs to wake up.

The American people need to put more pressure on their representatives, on their senators. Republicans need to stand up to the President and assure that he does what's appropriate and right for the American people in the most needy times.

WHITFIELD: And on that eviction moratorium, we're talking about upwards of seven million Americans who are, you know, staring at potentially being kicked out of their apartments in January. What are you hearing directly from some of your constituents about their frustration, you know, their disappointment of not coming so close to maybe getting $600 and might be excited about the idea of what the President has about 2000 but are worried that they may get neither at this point?

GONZALEZ: Uh-hmm. Well, Fredricka, I get calls every day from people who are going through really tough times in my district. And we all know $600 is enough -- it's not enough. It's just going to put a band aid on the problem. But we can continue to work towards helping people until we get inoculated, hopefully in the next -- in the first quarter, first half of next year, and get the economy open again.

I see brighter days ahead of us with President Biden in office and somebody who is used to working with people across the aisle and have more peace in on Capitol Hill and more agreements and do more work for the American people which is what they want. They want us to work with each other or we want to work with each other. It's been a struggle. The divisiveness and destruction and death that's been created by this administration is something that we've never seen before in this country. We need to come back together we need to unite our country. We need to help the American people today. Hope the President is listening and signs this bill immediately and gets to help that people need today. The unemployment insurance that they're losing this week, as of tonight, midnight tonight. People are struggling and those struggles are real.

WHITFIELD: And while you say you remain hopeful and what you believe will be, you know, brighter days ahead with a new administration. You know, it's still going to take some time to get there. You know with --

GONZALEZ: It is.

WHITFIELD: -- some 20 something days before inauguration but how do you stay --

[13:20:04]

GONZALEZ: it's something to be optimistic for.

WHITFIELD: Yes. How do you stay optimistic? I mean, what are you optimistic about, you know, in these near 30 days left?

GONZALEZ: Well, I'm optimistic that we're beginning a new chapter in our history and we're getting out of this dark period. And I'm optimistic of this vaccine inoculating tens of millions of Americans and hopefully by mid next year, our economy is open and cranking again and people are back to work, our stock market is up and we continue to be the prosperous country that we've been for a generation or two.

And that we continue to be the beacon of hope to the world. And I think not only are Americans yearning for a new beginning, I think the world is yearning for a new beginning of America.

WHITFIELD: All right. Congressman Vicenta Gonzalez, we'll leave it there for now. Best to you. Happy New Year.

GONZALEZ: Thank you. Happy New Year to you.

WHITFIELD: Stay safe. Thank you. All right, coming up. The United States reporting about 2000 deaths per day from coronavirus and experts are worried about a post-holiday surge. We're live at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles where thousands of people are being tested.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: At the top of the hour, the Metro Nashville Police Department will be giving an update on the investigation into an explosion on a downtown street there on Christmas Day. CNNs Shimon Prokupecz is there. We know that possible human remains, Simone, have been found. We also have heard that, you know, these eerie -- this eerie audio I should say from moments before the explosion. So, where is the investigation right now?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, the investigation here It's still very much active. You know, I was walking through some of the areas of downtown. Some of this has now reopened.

[13:25:05]

PROKUPECZ: But there are -- literally there are FBI agents walking side by side across streets here searching for evidence, because it's still very much active. Most of the streets in downtown Nashville are still closed, we're far from the crime scene. The crime scene is several blocks behind us and it stretches out for several blocks here in downtown. The FBI is leading this investigation, we expect an update here at the top of the hour.

And very much still active. The police chief just now put out a statement on Twitter and take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN DRAKE, CHIEF OF POLICE, NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: I just ask you, please be patient (INAUDIBLE) here for the explosive scene. The Federal government is in charge of investigation. And they will collapse the scene as much as possible as soon as they can. Just know that this is our (INAUDIBLE) we have law enforcement officers at each corner to protect the areas. So, no one will be allowed access into your business.

Any concerns that you may have context and was that for any information, and we'll be able to take your concerns (INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PROKUPECZ: And one of the things here is that the FBI and the police are trying to stress this, that there is nothing to be afraid of here at this point. They don't believe that there's any other threat. And really, it's -- from what we're seeing here from law enforcement, it's a very relaxed atmosphere, they're just going through the crime scene, going block by block as they try to find more evidence. As you mentioned, there is the human remains, the police have described that as human tissue.

That is likely going to require DNA. So, officials will not officially say who they believe these human remains belong to until there's a confirmed identification. And also, what's been going on out here really, it's just the FBI talking to witnesses, talking to people who may have seen anything, of course, they have these questions about the R.V., and who that R.V. belongs to where the bomb went off.

And the other thing, of course, that's very significant here is that the size of this explosion, and just how much damage it has caused over 40 buildings damaged. So, the debris field is wide. And the other thing I think that's going to be important here for investigators is figure out -- figuring out what they missed here. When you consider the fact, the amount of effort that someone would have to undertake to construct this type of device to have this much power.

You have that RV, they're going to want to look and see if there's anything they missed, because this is going to be considered as one of the -- probably of recent times certainly one of the biggest explosion investigations that the FBI has undertaken here on in the United States, Fred.

WHITFIELD: It is extraordinary. Shimon Prokupecz in Nashville. Thank you so much. Of course, an update coming from authorities at the top of the hour, and we'll take that as it happens. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:43]

WHITFIELD: Now to the coronavirus pandemic. Here's a startling number. One person now dies every 10 minutes in Los Angeles County from COVID- 19. That according to the L.A. county health director.

Everything is surging in California, hospitalizations, new cases, demand for tests.

Let's bring in CNN's Paul Vercammen.

So, Paul, how is L.A. handling just feeling overwhelmed?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is on several fronts. Here in Los Angeles, they're emphasizing just because the vaccinations have started, do not stop testing.

As evidence of people's commitment, look behind me at Dodger Stadium, Fred. They had days were 11,000 people from small cities have been tested here.

Here on the day after Christmas, they're at it again, making sure that people get tested.

And why? The numbers in California are frightening. Almost 19,000 people hospitalized, about 4,000 of them in the intensive care unit. It's overwhelming.

And going forward, California knows you have to keep testing and getting people to isolated.

These volunteers at these core sites, some of them have been at it since March, six days a week, seven days a week sometimes, going out into the community and making sure people get tested.

For many, they are heroes of this pandemic, and they're dealing with a lot of raw emotion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL LEW, ADMINISTERING TESTS IN LOS ANGELES: It's not just about that one person, but it's families that are struggling and mourning, and the pain it brings.

We've definitely known people that have passed from this pandemic. It's heartbreaking. We had a coworker who just lost her grandmother last week, a day to mourn, and then right back to work.

We have a big task in front of us. We know we just got to keep going strong right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: Something interesting that Daniel Lew does, and her partner, Krista Campos (ph), they fan out and they set up mobile testing sites in areas where people may not have any access to get tested.

Among other things, they might not have a car. So they're crisscrossing the city of Los Angeles making sure as many people get tested as possible.

On the other side, these hospitals are filled up, very little or no ICU capacity. They've been expanding their E.R. and their ICU, Fred, to accommodate all of these patients.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Paul, did Krista (ph) and Daniel talk about how vulnerable they feel? Are they at all scared given they're in contact with so many trying to more tests? What about their own safety?

VERCAMMEN: Well, they are scared from the standpoint of clearly they're aware that there's a lot of virus in the air in California right now.

But they are very, very good, if you look at them, in getting themselves covered from head to toe. Sometimes they're wearing masks and face shields.

And they think it's their duty. They think it is their way of giving back to the community to get out here and get people to get tested.

It's remarkable to hear them selflessly talk about what they're doing. They're employees, but both of them started as volunteers. And they wanted to make sure that people in their backyard, so to speak, get tested.

Krista (ph) said she noticed there's way too many people that seem to believe this crazy rumor that was circulating that you could somehow get COVID-19 by being tested. She wanted to knock that down hard -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: Well, they are unbelievably dedicated and heroic. Thanks to them.

And thank you, Paul Vercammen, for bringing their story and experience. Appreciate it.

And then there are nursing homes. They are especially hard hit by coronavirus across the country.

I want to bring in Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living. He's also the former governor of Kansas. Good to see you, Governor.

MARK PARKINSON, PRESIDENT & CEO, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION & NATIONAL CENTER FOR ASSISTED LIVING & FORMER KANSAS GOVERNOR: Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Here is the holiday season, especially difficult with the pandemic, families separated, really, out of necessity and safety.

[13:35:08]

But talk to us about so many people in care facilities who are feeling even that much more lonely and frightened because of this pandemic.

PARKINSON: Well, there's no question there's fear in the facilities. Almost half of the deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities. It's a tragic number.

But, Fredricka, I've also got good news to share with you today.

WHITFIELD: OK.

PARKINSON: And that is we've seen in the last two weeks that if governors make the vaccination program a priority, they can get it done.

In West Virginia, Governor Justice has now led an effort where almost every single resident in the facilities has been vaccinated. Governor Lamont, in Connecticut, is not far behind.

What we're learning is, when clinics are set up in these buildings, the residents are taking the tests. They're taking the vaccine. And 95 percent of residents are taking the vaccine.

As awful as it's been, as tragical as it's been, there's light at the end of the tunnel.

WHITFIELD: That is very encouraging.

It takes commitment and money, resources starting from the top, in those states governors to say, OK, here are the resources, the money in order to carry out this testing?

PARKINSON: Absolutely. What I learned as a governor is the most power of a governor isn't their ability to sign bills or veto bills or give the State of the State speech. It's really in the bully pulpit.

We challenge every governor in the country to try to figure out what it is that Governor Justice and Governor Lamont have done and do the same thing in their states.

If every governor would come out and say we'll have every resident vaccinated with their first dose in January, by the time we got to the 1st of March, the COVID death rates in this country would be cut in half.

That's with a limited amount of vaccine that we need to solve this problem, and it can get done.

WHITFIELD: That is encouraging.

Governor, there have been so many stories from people in long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities.

One strikes me particularly in "The Washington Post" a few weeks ago. The gentleman who wrote about it talked about: "Does anybody know we're here? Does anyone see us?"

There's a feeling of loneliness, isolation. They feel vulnerable, you know, watching the number of people testing positive rise within the facilities.

And some are feeling like, you know, they're just sitting ducks waiting for their turn to test positive.

And it is an issue of resources in so many places. What about for those cash-strapped states who say, you know, we wish we could give the green light to testing, promises of vaccinations, but we don't have the money.

So then they're looking toward the federal government for some assistance and guidance.

PARKINSON: Yes. The leadership has to come from the top. We really encourage the president to sign the stimulus bill. There needs to be more stimulus after that.

The state and local units of government need the money, not only to implement the vaccination program but to get the country back on its feet. Without that leadership from the top, this is going to be very hard.

But what've seen in the last two weeks is the governors can get this done. It's happened in Connecticut and West Virginia. We need it to happen everywhere.

WHITFIELD: So do you think this experience is going to change how long-term care affiliates are run in this country?

I mean, how do you see this? As painful and hurtful as this has been, what is the teaching moment that now comes from this experience?

PARKINSON: We have to decide as a country what priority level do we give the greatest generation, our older people, our parents and grandparents, what priority do we place them in?

Historically, we have underfunded long-term care. We haven't provided the resources that are needed to take care of the people with the dignity that they deserve.

Hopefully, when we get through this pandemic and the dust settles, we can take a long look at that and put the priorities where they need to be.

WHITFIELD: Former Governor Mark Parkinson, thank you so much. Appreciate your time. And happy holidays.

[13:39:24]

Still ahead, the rush to build the border wall before the Trump presidency ends. Supporters say it's vital for security. But activists say it's creating an environmental disaster. We'll take you there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Trump administration is rushing to finish building at least 450 miles of border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border before the Trump presidency ends.

Activists have documented what they call an environmental catastrophe unfolding along the border.

Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you want a taste of life on the Arizona-Mexico border, ride shotgun in Kelly Kimbro's 1992 desert-beaten Ford pickup truck.

KELLY KIMBRO, ARIZONA RANCHER: We're not big-time ranchers. We have a couple of cattle ranches. We make a living. We love the lifestyle.

LAVANDERA: It's hard to tell where the United States ends and Mexico begins on Kimbro's 800 acres in southeast Arizona.

This year, that changed. The Trump administration is carving a 19-mile wall right through this wide-open value.

(on camera): What's it like to see this massive construction project on your property?

KIMBRO: We did not think it was necessary.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Construction crews moved in about a year ago. This is what the wall looked like across the San Bernardino Valley in February. This is what it looks like today. Some see it as a long scar.

KIMBRO: And the American taxpayer doesn't see. They hear build that wall. It's going to secure this country. I promise you it's never going to secure the country not any better than it's already secured.

LAVANDERA: In the final weeks of the Trump presidency, the rush is on to finish building at least 450 miles of the border walls. Customs and Border Protection officials say at least 438 miles of that are now complete.

As the coronavirus pandemic raged this year, border wall construction never stopped.

For months, anti-wall activists have documented what they describe as an environmental catastrophe unfolding along the southern border. Crews blasting and bulldozing through rugged mountainous terrain.

Border Patrol officials say the new walls are vital to patrolling these remote regions.

[13:45:04]

DANIEL HERNANDEZ, BORDER PATROL AGENT: Good infrastructure buys us more time and gives us the critical seconds and minutes we need to get to an area. But as of now, a lot has been erected and we're hoping in the future it pays off dividends.

LAVANDERA: The Army Corps of Engineers say eight border wall projects have been finished with crews actively working around the clock on 37 other projects.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good evening, my fellow Americans.

LAVANDERA: The question is: What happens when President-Elect Joe Biden takes office? Biden has pledged he would not build another foot of border wall.

BRANDON JUDD, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL: There's construction that's taking place. It's going to go up this mountain.

LAVANDERA: Brandon Judd leads the National Border Patrol Council. The union has been a vocal ally of President Trump.

Judge says it would be foolish for Biden to stop the construction now.

JUDD: You can see that trench. It goes right up that line. Those are the footers. What, you're just going to throw that away? That doesn't make any sense because now you're just throwing money in the toilet.

KATE SCOTT, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST: You can't flat walk anymore.

LAVANDERA: Halting construction isn't enough for some anti-wall activists.

SCOTT: Take the wall down in the areas. it needs to be taken down right away.

LAVANDERA: We hiked to this border wall stretching the San Pedro riverbed in Arizona with environmentalist, Kate Scott. She says this construction is a deadly threat to wildlife that migrates through this area.

SCOTT: I can tell you, we wake up, we cry, we steady ourselves, and we get to work because it's been so painful for me to witness this monstrosity.

LAVANDERA: But the wall also isn't being built fast enough for Jim Chilton.

JIM CHILTON, ARIZONA RANCHER: The international boundary. Yeah.

LAVANDERA: This isn't the kind of wall you want?

CHILTON: No.

LAVANDERA: His ranch spans across 50,000 acres in Arizona. Chilton is lobbying for a wall on this spot. He says it's a low-priority area because it's so remote.

But he does have the ear of the border wall's biggest cheerleader.

President Trump put Chilton in the spotlight during a rally last year.

CHILTON: Mr. President, we need a wall.

(CHEERING)

I offered the federal government 10 acres of land over here of my private property to have a forward-operation base. I offered it for $1 a year. And I even told them I'll give you the dollar if you can't find one.

LAVANDERA (on camera): You've made the Border Patrol and federal government an offer you thought they couldn't refuse.

CHILTON: They said they would study it. That was four years ago.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Chilton's ranch sits between a 25-mile gap and existing border wall and he says it's prime terrain for drug smugglers.

He's deployed hidden cameras to capture what he says are more than a thousand images of camouflaged smugglers marching across his ranch.

CHILTON: My ranch is a no-man's land. It's actually controlled by the cartel.

LAVANDERA: Laiken Jordahl has spent a year sounding the alarm about border wall construction in Arizona.

LAIKEN JORDAHL, CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: This wall is purely political theater. It does nothing to actually stop people or drugs from crossing the border.

LAVANDERA: Jordahl drove us around Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a breathtaking national park in the heart of the Sonoran Desert.

The tranquility of the landscape is broken by the sounds of crews building more than 60 miles of wall, part of it through this national park.

He calls himself a disaster tour guide.

JORDAHL: They're pulling out all the stops to rush this project through. This is all trash.

LAVANDERA: Jordahl used to work as a U.S. National Park ranger at the Organ Pipe National Monument in Arizona. He says he resigned after President Trump took office.

JORDAHL: It's really an insult to those of us who live down here. We're seeing our communities ripped apart. We're seeing these ecosystems being destroyed. We don't care what you call it, this thing is a disaster.

LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, along the Arizona-Mexico border.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Next, a heartbreaking message from a doctor who died just days after a plea for help.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:52:39]

WHITFIELD: Dr. Susan Moore was a black physician in Indiana who contracted and died from COVID-19. She said, were it not for the color of her skin, she would have received better treatment.

She recorded this message from her hospital bed before her death Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SUSAN MOORE, DIED FROM COVID-19 & TALKED ABOUT THE SYSTEMIC INEQUALITY IN HEALTH CARE: I put forth and I maintain, if I was white, I wouldn't have to go through that.

I was in so much pain from my neck, my neck hurt so bad. I was crushed. It made me feel like I was a drug addict, even though I was a physician.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The spread of COVID-19 in black and Latino communities is disproportionately terrible.

Joining me right now from St. Louis, is a doctor who joins me.

Dr. Davis, I am not even going to attempt your first name. I need you to attempt it for me first to give you that pronouncer, if you could please, Dr. Davis.

DR. MATIFADZA HLATSHWAYO DAVIS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN: I appreciate you saying that. So many people try. But it's Dr. Davis.

WHITFIELD: I couldn't have said that more beautifully. So thank you for that.

Good to see you.

This is heartbreaking because we have known about and heard and seen the statistics about disproportionately terrible medical care to black and Latino communities and then it is become much more pronounced during the age of COVID-19.

And to hear this doctor, you know, who as a practicing physician, I'm sure, had been committed to fighting it for a very long time, and then she would bear the brunt of it and then die.

What was your reaction to hearing this video and hearing her words on her death bed?

DAVIS: It was devastating, Fredricka. She was me. She is me. And to see this, not for the first time, mind you, but to see this happen again broke my heart.

Earlier, I was eight months pregnant, I was sitting eye to eye with my fear. And there are black women dying at higher rates than white women.

[13:55:10]

That should not have been my experienced in health care. It should not have been her experience to be lying a hospital bed videotaping herself.

Unfortunately, we have well-documented information that black and brown folks are less likely to receive pain medication for the same conditions.

By definition, it needs to be addressed because it continues to drive the issues around systemic and structural racism faced today.

WHITFIELD: You just expressed your experience. I've had my experiences. My mom has told me about her experiences over the years. Yet, this continues to be a persistent problem.

What is the answer in this day and age, whereas now, perhaps, it's we have more pronounced documented cases where there's an acknowledgment this continues to be a persistent problem?

What do you believe is going to be the answer in this day and age? How does any medical institution get to the bottom of fixing this?

DAVIS: You know, that's a difficult and multifaceted issue. I think the first thing we do is what you just said, you acknowledge the long history of dating back to slavery. We have so many examples.

I hear them right when I take of patients right now when they do not want to take our advice. And I confronted that. The acknowledgment and the apology. And apology goes a long way.

And then it's listening. Listening and educating people. I, myself, have all of my visits asking for, what questions do you have around this vaccine? I myself have spoken on it. And in those conversations, I allow them to be angry. I listen.

But then I take time to acknowledge and to apologize and to move forward with simple and accessible advice that you can witness around how to then make the best decision for them and their families. I think on a personal level, but from an institutional level, it's

about funding, Fredricka. We need money and policies to help put this behind us.

Partner with community partners who have done this work for decades to gain the trust of these communities.

WHITFIELD: And then, you know, seeing this very painful visceral experience that Dr. Moore documented for all to see.

Do you believe this also serves as a continuation for a lot of black Americans, brown Americans who will say, see, this is why I'm not even sure if I trust medicine to get the vaccine or to go to the doctor because I'm afraid that I will not be treated as a whole.

Or do you believe this will be impetus for real change?

DAVIS: No, I think it's both. I think it's going to be hard. I think it's going to create a lot of difficult and uncomfortable conversations within our health care systems.

But I think that that's what allyship needs to be about right now. It needs to be about being unafraid to hear these conversations, be ready to expect them.

But I also believe that us normalizing into the credit of folks, like yourself, allowing people like me to have the platform to discuss them opens up the conversations around change.

I'll be honest with you. Listening to Biden about bringing racial equity to the fore and as one of the cornerstones of their administration, it sums up the grass-roots efforts that have now come into play this summer.

I believe if we continue to have conversations we have more transparent conversation around allocation and distribution of not only the COVID vaccine but health care in general in communities that have been left behind in this battle.

WHITFIELD: Dr. Davis, really appreciate you. Appreciate your courage.

And certainly appreciate the courage of Dr. Moore. But sadly, our hearts have to go out to she and her family to have endured and experienced what she did.

DAVIS: Thank you so much for having me, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

WHITFIELD: Hello, again. Thank you so much for being with me. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.

[13:59:59] We start this hour following that explosion on Christmas day and now this press conference taking place, about to take place here in Nashville, Tennessee, involving a number of officials.