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Sen. Angus King (I-ME) Discusses GOP's Hawley Is Lone Senator So Far Who Plans to Contest Bidens Win; NYPD: Do Not Come to Times Square Tonight; 787,000 Americans File First-Time Claims for Jobless Benefits; 2020: A Year Like No Other for the Economy; Biden Inaugural Committee to Host National Memorial for COVID Victims. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired December 31, 2020 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): But this is, I think, the most serious threats that this country faces right now.
JOHN AVLON, CNN HOST: It sure is. And it's why I want folks to understand that this is in the bill. And it could be a partial remedy, a step towards addressing it.
KING: That's right.
AVLON: But I've got to ask you about your Republican colleague, Josh Hawley, Missouri Senator, who said he will be objecting to certifying the results next week. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): This is my opportunity to stand up and say something, to stand up and point out that there were irregularities in this election, that there was fraud.
Nobody disputes that, by the way. We've had no congressional investigation of the fraud. We need it. We've had no congressional action. We need that to protect our election going forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Now here's what another Republican Senator, Ben Sasse, said about that.
He put on Facebook, quote, "When we talk in private, I haven't heard a single congressional Republican allege that the election results were fraudulent. Not one."
"Instead, I hear them talk about their worries about how they will look to President Trump's most ardent supporters."
What is your take? KING: Josh Hawley's comment is manifest nonsense. He said nobodies has
disputed there was fraud.
Well, let's start, Bill Barr, the attorney general. The Infrastructure Security Agency that is in charge of security for the election, 50 secretaries of state, 50 governors.
That's who have looked into this and found that there -- yes, of course there are irregularities. We're talking about, whatever it is, 150 million people voting, there are going to be irregularities.
But the point is nothing remotely, remotely able to change the results of an election that was won by seven million votes nationally, or in any of the so-called battleground states.
So for Senator Hawley to say, you know, we need to look into this, well, the president and his allies have had almost two months to challenge the results of the elections, to bring evidence before the court.
And I think they're batting one for 60. They have lost all the cases. Republican judges, Trump-appointed judges have dismissed these cases. That's where you contest these matters.
To say, you know, he's representing people who believe the election was stolen, well, the reason they believe the election was stolen is because the president of the United States has been telling them that every single day for two months without evidence.
To bring this challenge at this date is -- it's the democracy versus Trump at this point. I mean, that's really what we're talking about.
This is a direct attempt to overturn a democratic election, which is the beating heart of our entire democratic system.
AVLON: That's the stakes.
Senator Angus King, thank you very much. Happy New Year.
KING: Happy New Year to you, John. Thank you.
AVLON: In American history, the 39th president may have been the first to combine a passion for music with plain-spoken politics. In 1976, Jimmy Carter went from a Georgia peanut farmer to leader of the free world.
Let's take a sneak peek at CNN's new film, which is really great, "JIMMY CARTER, ROCK AND ROLL PRESIDENT."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the things that has held America together has been the music that we share.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jimmy Carter used music into politics. It would never been done quite that way.
CARTER: I want to introduce to you, the Allman Brothers.
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He enjoyed our music and he became a friend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a kindred spirit of a rare kind. A man you don't meet every day and you're lucky to meet if you ever do.
(MUSIC)
WILLIE NELSON, SINGER: Jimmy and I basically come from the same spot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we went to the White House, we were welcomed in.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His love for music makes sense to me because music is the voice of the heart.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was the music of change and dissonance. There was a risk politically for that. And it didn't matter to him.
(SINGING)
CARTER: I think music is the best proof that people have one thing in common, no matter where they live, not matter what language they speak.
[14:34:07] ANNOUNCER: "JIMMY CARTER, ROCK AND ROLL PRESIDENT," Sunday at 9:00 on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
AVLON: We are counting down the last few hours of 2020. And like the rest of the year, COVID-19 is redefining how we celebrate, with health officials warning again, whatever you do tonight, don't gather in crowds.
So let's head to Times Square, where we find CNN's Brynn Gingras.
Brynn, the NYPD asking people to stay away. So what's the plan for the party tonight?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, John, listen, there's still going to be a party. But, yes, have a party from your couch. Here in Times Squares, they're starting to empty it out. Let me get out of the way and show you what we're seeing.
These barricades right here, right behind that, going into Times Square, that's now a frozen zone. Anyone inside those barricades has undergone a COVID-19 test.
I can tell you we've been watching a lot of the NYPD officers, even the people walking in the area where we are, which isn't part of that frozen zone, they're telling them to keep it moving.
You're not even allowed to sit here and take a picture of the 2021 there at the top of Times Square.
That's the plan. And it'll continue all the way until past midnight as far as keeping this place on lockdown, making sure that people stay away and not gather in crowds, and keep those -- everyone really safe.
But as I said, people are allowed inside if you undergo a test. Those people are the performers who will be celebrating, ringing in -- helping us all ring in from our homes 2021.
Also a select few heroes of 2021, the frontline workers. They're going to be allowed inside with their families, inside socially distanced pens to help ring in the New Year. So definitely a different look we're seeing here.
[14:39:59]
NYPD, I have to tell you, it's been incredible with, again, locking done this area. We're seeing it gradually happen even as the hours have passed by, more and more restrictions.
But they're doing it, John, with 80 percent less force than they typically do.
Remember, New Year's eve is usually the time when we start see the first night of those rookies, those NYPD officers, their first real job. We're seeing 80 percent fewer than we've seen in previous years.
But a lot of their job tonight will be, again, keeping people away. They don't want anybody coming near Times Square, again, for safety reasons -- John?
AVLON: Brynn Gingras, thank you, and happy New Year.
GINGRAS: Yeah, you, too.
AVLON: A reminder to join CNN tonight to say good-bye to 2020. Our live New Year's eve coverage, hostage by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, kicks off at 8:00 in Times Square.
And just some of the special guests include Mariah Carey, Patti LaBelle, John Mayer, Snoop Dog, Bon Jovi and Carole Baskin of "Tiger King" fame. Did not see that last one coming. So don't miss it.
Also, more pain for American families as another 787,000 Americans filed first-time jobless claims. What it says about the year ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:40]
AVLON: The good, the bad, and the ugly. I'm talking, of course, about the state of the U.S. economy.
Right now, the Dow is up. And first-time jobless claims are down slightly from a week ago. But moving forward, a post-holiday coronavirus surge and slow vaccine roll-out could blow out the gains.
CNN business correspondent, Alison Kosik, is here to explain it all -- Alison?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John, you're talking about the jobless claims numbers that came out today, 787,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits just last week.
I know you said that was a dip from the previous week, but this is anything but an improvement.
Because, if you look, this has been going on for 41 weeks, we've been getting these really jaw-dropping numbers. And it's easy to become desensitized by them.
I said don't because any one of these weekly numbers can really blow away what we used to pre-pandemic. Before the pandemic, the employment numbers were, let's say, 200,000 per week.
So, in addition to the regular jobless claim number, that 787,000, we also had 308,000 people who filed for first-time unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program.
This is for people who are gig workers, who are self-employed, who aren't eligible for state aid otherwise.
So you add those two numbers together, so the actual number of people filing for first-time unemployment claims just last week, John, is over one million people.
And 19.5 million Americans in this country are currently getting some sort of jobless benefit.
Then you go ahead and look at what the stock market is doing. It's like an alternate universe. It's why I tell you the stock market really is not the economy. It does not reflect what's going on, on Main Street, in the real economies.
Stocks are trading at or near record highs on its last trading day of 2020. Pretty much near where they were at the beginning of the pandemic.
You look at all three major indices, John, they'll end the years with gains. Of course, barring anything crazy happening in the last hour of the trading day, the Dow will end up 6 percent higher, the S&P, 15 percent higher for the year, and the NASDAQ up about 43 percent for the year.
AVLON: A gap between Wall Street and Main Street the big story.
Alison Kosik, thank you very much, and happy New Year.
KOSIK: Happy New Year.
AVLON: The latest jobless claims are just one example of the hardships that many Americans face this year. The coronavirus pandemic triggered the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
CNN's Christine Romans reflected on how the U.S. fared through the tough financial times of 2020.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: 2020, a year like no other for business. The pandemic touched every part of the economy, altering the way Americans live, work, and shop.
Historic job losses prompted unprecedented stimulus. But as benefits dwindled, Americans suffered.
And while a few companies thrived, some may never recover.
(SHOUTING)
(voice-over): This year, the pandemic triggered the worst job loss in U.S. history. And 22 million jobs vanished in just two months, wiping out a decade of gains.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: The largest single month of job losses since the Great Depression.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: The worst jobs report in American history.
ROMANS (voice-over): Nearly every sector shed workers during the spring lockdowns. The U.S. still hasn't recovered all those jobs. And hiring is now slowing again.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you, all.
ROMANS: Historic losses prompt a historic response.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The motion is adopted.
ROMANS: The government passing an unheard of $2 trillion relief package back in March.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: This is the largest aid package in history.
ROMANS: The government enhanced unemployment benefits, funded stimulus checks for families and loans for hard hit industries. But there was a catch. All measures had expiration dates. Small
businesses said PPP loans ran out fast if they managed to secure one at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The first rounds sent tens of millions of dollars to bigger publicly traded companies like Potbelly, Ruth's Chris and Shake Shack.
ROMANS (on camera): All three later returned the money.
(voice-over): As unemployment aid expired, Americans lined up at food banks in record numbers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They used to feed about 50,000 families a month now it's over 100,000 a month.
[14:50:06]
ROMANS: And eviction moratoriums without rent forgiveness became a ticking time bomb.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Evictions are about to skyrocket.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And 200 eviction orders have come through the Harris County courts for this week.
ROMANS: Experts warned for months that more stimulus was needed but congressional gridlock kept a new deal in limbo. Meanwhile, that economic pain stalled growth.
CUOMO: The second quarter was the worst quarter in terms of GDP action in America's history.
ROMANS: And even with a record-summer bounce back --
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR: We still are not back to levels we were at before the crisis hit.
ROMANS: -- the pandemic essentially froze the economy. Americans largely stopped eating in restaurants, attending movies, live events, and traveling, leading to some big losses.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Two airlines, American and United, announced that they're laying off a combined 32,000 employees.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Marriott says that the financial impact of this pandemic is worse than 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis combined.
ROMANS: Homebound Americans fueled an online shopping spree helping behemoths like Amazon while devastating brick and mortar.
SCIUTTO: J. Crew becomes the first major retailer to file for bankruptcy protection as a result of the outbreaks.
ROMANS: Lord & Taylor, the nation's first department store, filed for Chapter 11.
As the country lived, worked and attended school online, sales exploded for companies like Zoom, Peloton, and Nintendo.
And a new breed of essential worker --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): As millions stay home, millions are out risking exposure to the virus on the front lines.
ROMANS: -- delivery employees helped keep the economy afloat in 2020.
(SHOUTING)
ROMANS: Amid the pandemic, the death of George Floyd in police custody in May sparked protests over racial justice and a racial reckoning for corporate America.
Companies pledged to address diversity in their hiring, and some recognized the Juneteenth holiday.
Major retailers promised to better support black businesses while others retired problematic logos.
KEILAR: The Aunt Jemima brand will retire the image, acknowledging its racist past.
ROMANS (on camera): Minority and low-waged workers also bore the brunt of job and income loss this year. Meanwhile, the stock market thrived.
(BELL RINGING)
ROMANS (voice-over): There was a big plunge in March --
KOSIK: Trading has stopped because we've seen a drop of 7 percent.
ROMANS: -- ending in a bear market.
But stocks rebounded quickly to record highs, buoyed by government stimulus, explosive rallies and stay-at-home stocks and big tech and the Federal Reserve.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE (voice-over): The Feds bought up trillions of dollars in securities, pumping new money into the economy.
ROMANS: This is the historic disconnect of 2020. The so-called K- shaped recovery. Main street suffers but Wall Street gains by betting on the future that vaccines and more stimulus will trigger a rebound.
(on camera): Can the economy turn around in 2021? After a year of historic losses, next year can only be better. But it may be a dark winter before we get there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AVLON: All right, we've got new details about the inauguration of Joe Biden, and a nationwide memorial for the more than 300,000 Americans who have been lost to COVID. How communities across the country are being asked to take part. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:58:10]
AVLON: Just hours before taking the oath of office, President-Elect Joe Biden and his Inaugural Committee have announced plans to honor the more than 340,000 American victims of this pandemic.
CNN's M.J. Lee is following the details.
M.J., walk us through what we should expect on January 19th.
M.J. LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, what we are learning today is that the day before Inauguration Day, the presidential Inaugural Committee is planning a memorial to honor all of the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And what this is going to look like in Washington, D.C., is a lighting ceremony around the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.
But the committee is also asking cities and towns across the country to also join in this moment by ringing church bells, by lighting up buildings.
So really wanting this day to culminate in sort of a national moment of remembrance, again, for all of the lives lost during this pandemic.
And, John, I have to tell you, this is just one more stark reminder of what a sober moment this is going to be the day and the days leading up to Joe Biden actually being sworn into office.
Obviously, there's usually a lot of fanfare. There's a lot of celebration. And we're not saying that there won't be any of that.
But as he takes office, so much of sort of the environment and the dynamics will be about this looming pandemic that he is going to have to figure out how to deal with once he takes office.
AVLON: History in the present tense, and a real contrast when it comes to presidential leadership.
M.J. Lee, thank you very much and happy New Year.
I'm John Avlon. Thanks for joining us.
"THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
[15:00:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to a special edition of THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.
The coronavirus pandemic is raging out of control.
