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D.C. On Lockdown As Threats Grow; State Capitals Tighten Security Amid Warnings Of Armed Protests; Biden To Sign Executive Orders Rejoining Paris Accord And Rescinding Travel Ban On Predominantly Muslim Countries; Joe Biden Plans To Roll Out Dozens Of Executive Orders During First Days In Office; Polls Show Majority Of Americans Want Trump Removed From Office; Vaccine "Reserves" Promised By White House Do Not Exist. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired January 16, 2021 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: May they rest in peace, and may their memories be a blessing.

Thanks for joining us for this special edition of THE SITUATION ROOM. I'll be back tomorrow. Another special edition 7:00 pm Eastern CNN "NEWSROOM" with Ana Cabrera starts right now.

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Hello on this Saturday evening. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. We begin this hour with America on high alert, our nation's capital fencing up and locking down ahead of inauguration, unlike any other.

What is usually a celebration for the masses will be a highly fortified event following last week's insurrection at the Capitol. Already, a test of that security, a Virginia man arrested at a D.C. checkpoint with an unregistered handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, trying to enter an area he wasn't authorized to be in. He was later released from custody we are learning.

And the Pentagon now authorizing 25,000 National Guard members to be in Washington, D.C. to ensure a peaceful transition of power takes place Wednesday when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office. That's more troops in D.C. than in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria combined.

And new tonight, we've learned the U.S. Postal Service has taken a step of removing blue mailboxes in D.C. and several other major cities for security reasons. Meantime, multiple congressional committees opening investigations into last week's riot, amid a damning report from "The Washington Post" that Capitol Police had intel three days before the attack that Congress itself to be targeted by angry Trump supporters.

The FBI is now warning of the possibility of armed protests in all 50 states, leading state capitals around the country to beef up security.

I want to begin with CNN's Shimon Prokupecz who joins us near the nation's capital tonight. Shimon give us the latest on this security scare at a D.C. checkpoint.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So this happened yesterday, around 6:00 o'clock - 6:30 or so, as a 31 year old man by the name of Wesley Allen Beeler from Virginia, who tried to enter one of these checkpoints. And when police stopped him, they looked at his credential and they say that he had credential that was not authorized. He had not authorized credential.

And so they ask them some questions. And he said he had a gun in the car. They saw the gun. It was a 9 millimeter Glock. And they then took him into custody. And they also found over 500 rounds of ammunition on him.

Now, he's from Virginia, much different laws in terms of being able to carry weapons there then in D.C., so he was arrested in D.C. for that - having that weapon - unregistered weapon. That is against the law. That's a violation. So he was taken into custody by Capitol Police.

Now, there's nothing to indicate that this man was posing any kind of threat, at least at this point. As you said he was arrested. He was taken to court and he has since been released Ana.

CABRERA: And we see the security really heavy right now behind you. This, obviously, is the scene all around the nation's capital. What else are you seeing on the streets of D.C. today, Shimon?

PROKUPECZ: Yes. So we're actually out of checkpoint here. It's a Mass Avenue, New Jersey Avenue Northwest. I can show you around a little, Ana. There's - cars will pull up over here and the National Guardsmen here they're from Pennsylvania Division 2112, and they're all here and they're basically stopping cars that drive through here. And you can see some of the other heavy military style vehicles here.

And I want to show you the Capitol is just blocks away from here. It's up this way. That is the Capitol. So this is an extra layer of security. We're seeing perimeters like this all across Washington, D.C. blocks from monuments and the Capitol and the White House all lined up with military personnel, adding layers and layers of security.

We've seen a lot of the fencing across the Capitol. We've seen razor wire strewn around some of these fences, and all the monuments now also being fenced. This fence is placed all around some of the most iconic buildings and federal buildings and monuments all across D.C.

And really what is unprecedented security because of a lot of concern over the threats that law enforcement is seeing over social media and other places, so they're moving in more troops. Now, we're hearing about 25,000 National Guardsmen here in Washington, D.C. and even today, you can already feel it and see the increase in security. And in the days to come that's only going to increase, Ana.

CABRERA: OK. Shimon Prokupecz, thank you for that latest update. It's not just the nation's capital, states all across the country are tightening security after the FBI warned of armed protests being planned in all 50 state capitals. CNN correspondents are following the latest for us. I want to start with CNN's Matt Rivers who is in Austin, Texas. Matt, what's happening there?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Ana, we're right outside the state Capitol Grounds. We're not allowed on the grounds, because they are closed as is the State Capitol Building. That is being done according to the Department of Public Safety here out of an abundance of caution. It will be that way, up until at least through the inauguration, Ana.

[19:05:00]

During the day today, on Saturday, we saw just a handful of protesters outside here in Austin, some armed, but all very, very peaceful, spending mainly the afternoon here protesting the election results.

The big question is what happens tomorrow? We know the Department of Public Safety is tracking at least two potential events that could happen here in Austin and they're preparing for it. We don't know exactly how big those events are going to be. But they're definitely prepping for it.

I want to show you here. Inside there are dozens of extra Department of Public Safety officers. It's difficult to see, because it is nighttime. But we've seen dozens of officers throughout the day. And you can actually see, they brought in some portable lighting here that they're going to put up, clearly expecting to maintain a presence all night long here.

So it's kind of a wait and see mode at this point, Ana, in terms of what happens on Sunday. But clearly, law enforcement here is preparing for the potential for violence, even if they're not expecting it.

CABRERA: Right, prepare for the worst, hope for the best that is the old saying and let's just hope everybody is prepared. You never know.

Let's head to Lansing, Michigan and CNN, Sara Sidner. Now, Sara, Michigan has some experience with heavily armed protesters. There was a demonstration there last spring. Take us inside the preparations in that state.

SARA SIDNER, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are certainly nothing like what is happening in Washington, D.C., much lighter here, if you will. There is a small fence that has been erected.

But really the security has been going around the building. We've seen state police circling this building all day long. Groups of them will come by. You also know that the National Guard has been called in and they are answering that call to duty. They will be available in here if they are needed.

But the big thing is, is that there has been according to police, a credible threat against the Capitol. And so the legislators that have an abundance of caution have decided that they will not be coming in here to do the people's business. From Monday to Thursday, this will be an empty - beautiful, but empty building here in Lansing.

I do want to talk a little bit about what has happened in the past here, and why Michigan is particularly a sore spot. And folks in this particular city are - they're pretty worried, because they had the board up before.

You will remember that there was an alleged plot to kidnap the governor. And it wasn't just about kidnapping the governor. It was really also about storming this capital and taking over the capital. That is part of what several men according to federal and state authorities were planning to do. They were arrested and charged in and we were here looking at that case.

And so those folks were also a part of that armed rally that happened at the Capitol as well. Some of the people at that rally were actually some of the people who are now accused of this plot. And so they really are taking this seriously, and especially since they've had a recent threat.

And by the way, just one last thing, experts that we've been talking to, traffic streamers that we've been doing these stories for many years, are saying basically that what has happened back on January 6th that was just the beginning. They know that a lot of people feel wronged and that the plots of tomorrow are literally being hatched today. That is what Oren Segal said of the Anti-Defamation League to us about the future in America. Ana?

CABRERA: And that is a scary thought. I want to go now to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where we have CNNs Miguel Marquez. Miguel is security ramping up there?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Much the same. You have everything from federal officials, states, county and city police here in Harrisburg, all pitching in. The governor has sent 1,000, Pennsylvania guardsmen to D.C. There are 450 that will be in the - for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in case anything happens here in Harrisburg or elsewhere in the state.

I want you to see what the capital looks like right now. They're not fencing it off like other capitals, but they have put up some orange barriers saying no access beyond that point. It will be closed from tomorrow through Thursday - through the inauguration, because they are concerned.

Seeing what happened on the 6th, they're not sure what's going to happen here. But they're preparing for just about anything. The streets right in front of the Capitol and on the backside, they will be closed off to cars, and they expect that there will be protesters, possibly.

They've had a long history of protests here. It's an open carry state. A lot of those protesters carry guns. They had them for concerns when protesters were upset about the COVID restrictions, they had them after the election.

Eight members of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania voted to not accept the Electoral College results. So there is great anger here. Authorities say that there's lots of chatter, nothing specific, but they are going to keep the Capitol closed for the week.

[19:10:00]

One thing they're very concerned is a counter protest. And if the pro- Trump supporters and those counter protesters start to mix it up, that may be difficult for them to break up. But they are preparing for just about everything, Ana.

CABRERA: Peace and quiet all around tonight, that's good to see. Thank you all for your reporting.

I want to bring in CNN National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem. She's a former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security; also CNN Legal and National Security Analyst Asha Rangappa, former FBI Special Agent.

Juliette more Pentagon forces on the ground in D.C. right now than in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria combined. We know Congress is also asking car rental agencies and hotel chains for help in identifying potential threats. What kind of threat level are we dealing with? Just how vulnerable is America right now?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: So part of this is, obviously, that being caught off guard on January 6th. So the sense that for whatever reason, and we're going to have to figure out why, what everyone knew to be true, which was Trump was focused on January 6th, did not seem to translate into being prepared for it. So some of this is, I think, sort of making up for concerns that they were not taking this - they do not take the threat seriously. So now we're taking it seriously.

The second is, of course, this is a national - NSSE, a National Special Security Event. It is serious. The most important people in the country are going to be there. And so we have to protect it.

It's not that it's Security Theater. What I call it here, it's basically sort of prepositioning at this stage. It is to tell Trump supporters who might want to wreak havoc, there's no fooling around anymore, there's no getting caught off guard anymore. You will be arrested, and he will not save you.

And so for people thinking about counter protesting, the most patriotic thing you can do over the next couple of days is stay home. Let the First Responders do what they need to do. Get through the 20th and then we'll put we'll put the United States back together again.

CABRERA: Asha, according to a U.S. Intelligence Bulletin obtained by CNN, extremist viewed that attack at the Capitol on January 6th by the pro-Trump mob as a success and a motivator to conduct future violence. Why would they have seen the January 6th attack as a success?

ASHA RANGAPPA, CNN LEGAL & NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Ana, they were able to take it over. I mean, that was the goal that day. And what they saw in those videos where people basically being allowed in and taking over and let - enforcing the law makers to run and hide. And if that was their goal - it's a terrorist act, basically, then they have met that goal.

I think precisely because they're emboldened, all of these arrests that the FBI is making now are so important. They're doing double duty. They are both apprehending the people from January 6th, but also gathering information and trying to identify and disrupt plots that may be in motion right now.

And these people that they are arresting are going to be important sources of information. Once they arrest them, they have leverage over them. They can get them to talk and cooperate and get information about contacts, communications, and plans.

And the key is going to be to get those disseminated to their 56 field offices, to the Joint Terrorism Task Force's and then to the state and local law enforcement all across the country.

CABRERA: Juliette in anticipation of possible new attacks, we talked about all the reinforcements that are there about the National Guard. There's also a fence around the Capitol, concrete barriers, the cities on lockdown, is it safe for Biden's inauguration to go on as planned?

KAYYEM: Yes. And to the extent that the Secret Service says that it's safe. I mean, in other words, I'm not going to second guess if they know what's going on. They are not going to put the president-elect at any risk. And if their recommendation leading - getting closer to the date is, we actually don't have a handle on this, he will he will abide by that.

So far it will advance. There is a symbolism to it advancing as well, which is that the threat to democracy that the Trump inspired domestic terrorists did on the 6th is - needs to be - needs to have a new chapter. In other words, this symbolism of having the president-elect take the oath of office means that we may be bruised, but we are not broken.

And I don't like using security for symbolism. But if they align on Wednesday that would be very good. In other words, protect the president-elect and also change - sort of change the background noise at this stage, the President Trump will be leaving that morning,

CABRERA: Asha, we've learned that for the Capitol riot dozens of people came to D.C. who were on the FBI's terror watchlist, according to "The Washington Post." Does that surprise you? And how do they go about tracking these people?

[19:15:00]

RANGAPPA: Well, they're not going to be tracking them on an ongoing basis. If they're flagged, then it does create a database that is a reference for probably after the fact. So for example, after the Boston Marathon bombing, they were able to go back and find out if any of these people were involved and use that as a lead.

But, when we're talking about American citizens, they can't be surveilling them 24/7 without an investigatory basis. And I think it gets to the limits, again, of how difficult it is to deal with a domestic terrorism threat, because you do not have the same kind of latitude that you have when you're dealing with a foreign threat, international terrorist organizations in terms of what you can do for surveillance for cutting off their money, for example, if they're an organization and those types of things.

CABRERA: Juliette, a law enforcement official tells CNN, investigators are looking at the possibility that in the days before this attack, some members of Congress unwittingly provided tours to people who were then later part of this mob. The House Speaker says there's a lot of interest now in a 9/11 style commission. Do you think that's the right move?

KAYYEM: I do. I think it absolutely is. So you're going to have general honorary doing, I think, really an important tactical review. Like, why - the Capitol Police now clearly knew the extent to which the Capitol be under threat. You didn't - I mean, you didn't have to be a genius.

The president told everyone to meet at the White House on the 6th. He said they are going to fight, they are going to get the vote back and he focused on the Capitol. So why they weren't prepared is really important to understand?

And then, of course, what happened in those moments? We're getting lots of good reporting that suggests it was more complicated and more violent than we knew. The larger issue that needs to be examined by the new president and a commission is the rise of white supremacy terrorism that would seek to undermine our democracy.

The challenge we have in this country is that the big lie promulgated by President Trump and his support network has not been - is still exist, that Biden is not a legitimate president. And that big lie will permeate. I think i think the threat will go lower after President Trump is no longer president. But the big lie exists and we will have a challenge in the years ahead. So I - we got to get a handle on it. And we have to treat it as we treated the 9/11 threat.

CABRERA: OK. And I was going to say that's just a much deeper issue. Obviously, I want--

KAYYEM: Yes.

CABRERA: I wish we had more time to discuss that specifically, how you get to the root of the problem, that's going to be a conversation for another day. Thank you both so much. I really appreciate your expertise, taking the time, Juliette Kayyem and Asha Rangappa.

We are following more breaking news tonight on Joe Biden's first moves as president, rolling back two of Trump's most controversial decisions.

Plus, with the nation in crisis the president's priority right now, plotting a big departure. Big going away party that could feature a red carpet, military band, a 21 gun salute, details just ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:20:00]

CABRERA: Welcome back. We are learning significant new details about President-elect Joe Biden's plans for his first days in the White House. Biden is expected to kick off his term with a flurry of executive orders.

According to a memo from incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, Biden is planning to sign about a dozen executive orders shortly after moving into the White House on Wednesday. I want to bring in CNN's Arlette Saenz, covering the Biden transition in Wilmington, Delaware. Arlette, what can you tell us about Biden's plans?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, President-elect Biden is readying dozens of executive actions so he can get right to work after his inauguration on January 20th. And many of these executive actions build on promises that Biden made during the presidential campaign.

And on the very first day, on January 20th, he's expected to sign about a dozen executive actions and I want to run you through some of those items he is expected to address. Now, some of these executive actions are aimed at undoing some of the policies of the Trump administration and that starts with rescinding the ban on travelers from Muslim majority countries. You'll remember that was rolled out in the early days of the Trump administration and Biden will be signing an executive action to undo that.

Now, another step that Biden plans to do is rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. That was something that was negotiated and entered during the Obama-Biden administration, but President Trump pulled out of it, so that will be something that the U.S. will go back into once he signs executive action.

There are also some items relating to the pandemic that Biden plans to continue, and that's halting evictions and foreclosures, as well as keeping that pause on student loan payments and interest during the pandemic.

And then Biden also is going to be issuing what they're calling 100- day masking challenge, where they're going to encourage people to wear masks. Now, Biden does not have the ability to require masks everywhere, but he can require it in federal buildings and interstate travel, so that is something that he will do via an executive action on that first day that he's in office.

And this also just builds on the other items that Biden wants to address through legislative priorities. He's going to send an Immigration Bill to Congress in his first 100 days. And you'll remember he also rolled out that $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus package, that's something that he's hoping Congress can get to work on right away.

[19:25:00]

But what the president-elect is trying to do here is show that he's ready to hit the ground running as soon as his inauguration happens on January 20th. Ana?

CABRERA: There are obviously huge problems the country is facing. Arlette Saenz, thank you.

And so as Biden focuses on how he'll shape his first day, President Trump is eyeing a flashy sendoff. CNNs Jeremy Diamond is at the White House. Jeremy, it could even include a red carpet, we're told.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and more than just that, what the President is looking for here appears to be the same way that state visits are conducted. A big military send off for the president on his last day in office, in his last hours in office, in fact.

Now, the question is whether or not this sendoff will take place here at the White House or a Joint Base Andrews before the president steps on Air Force One for the last time as the President of the United States.

But what's clear is that that is all that the president is looking at on Inauguration Day. He is not going to be attending Joe Biden's inauguration. Heading off to Palm Beach, Florida, for his post presidency, just hours before Joe Biden is set to be on the steps of the Capitol to take the oath of office and become the 46th President of the United States.

And what we are seeing right now in the final days of the Trump's presidency really is more remarkable by the president's absence. We were seeing a total absence of leadership from the president as it relates to this coronavirus pandemic and other things as well.

And you are seeing Vice President Mike Pence really step into the void here, attending earlier today, delivering a speech on the Trump administration's national security accomplishments at a military base in California.

Vice President Pence also visiting with those National Guardsmen guarding the Capitol just earlier this week, and he also phoned Vice President-elect Kamala Harris just a couple days ago. That is a courtesy that is normal in any other presidential transition. But it is one that President Trump has not extended to his successor President-elect Joe Biden.

So this transition, while it is certainly moving forward and this inauguration will be happening on Wednesday, certainly far from traditional, and there are still a lot of question marks about what President Trump will do in these final days in office. Aides have tried to talk him into giving a speech about his accomplishments in his four years in office, but so far the President is not committed to doing that.

CABRERA: He just has three more full days. Thank you very much, Jeremy Diamond at the White House.

Much more on our breaking news, Trump eyes a red carpet exit as Joe Biden plans to roll back his predecessor's most controversial moves. We will get an analysis next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:32:08]

CABRERA: In an effort to make a clean break from the Trump administration, CNN has learned Joe Biden plans to roll out dozens of Executive Orders in his first days in office beginning with a repeal of Trump's travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries, rejoining the Paris Climate accords is another one and issuing a mask mandate on Federal property.

CNN politics reporter and editor-at-large Chris Cillizza is joining us now. Chris, how do you see these Executive Orders going over especially as they compete with unexpected impeachment trial?

CHRIS CILLIZZA, CNN POLITICS REPORTER AND EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Yes, Ana, I mean, look, the reason Donald Trump loves Executive Orders is the reason that Joe Biden is going through them quickly, which is you sign them and it happens, right? There's no Congress, there's none of this. You are able to do it.

Now you're not able to do huge things, but you're able to do a number of things. And remember, Joe Biden ran expressly on overturning the Trump administration. So whether that's on his approach to immigration, his approach to climate, his approach to the coronavirus, these are the things you can do to kick start that effort.

Now Congress is going to obviously have to get involved and that's a longer slog, but I think this is what you do to jumpstart it.

CABRERA: Let's just talk about where we are right now. We have lawmakers fearing for their lives, the nation's capital on lockdown, the potential for violence in all 50 states plus nearly 400,000 Americans dead from coronavirus and the President's focus apparently getting this military style sendoff, basically one last hail to the Chief moment before he skips out on the inauguration.

The level of narcissism is almost breathtaking here. How is history going to remember or record this moment?

CILLIZZA: Not well, I don't think. I mean, looks in a way, I'd say put Trump aside. You said before we went to a break, we were talking about three days left. I put him aside. He's going to do narcissistic, egotistical non-leaderly things.

I think the impact puts him in the -- the impact that he has. Look, I live in the D.C. area. I looked at a Google Maps image that was tweeted out today of all the street closures in and around the Capitol. I mean, it's remarkable.

When you think back to the ways in which inaugurations worked in the past, obviously, it would be different no matter what because of coronavirus, but the inability to get anywhere near these areas. You know, I mean, this is a legacy of Donald Trump. There's no question.

Obviously, January 6 was one legacy and this is an ongoing legacy and he continues -- to your point, he continues to be very focused on trying to end his administration the way he wants, which is being feted by the military and everyone applauding for him and ignoring the coronavirus, ignoring the clear threats to the country, as well as the 50 state capitals and that that's the person and that's the presidency he has had.

CABRERA: I think a lot of people are still wondering how does Trump keep his power after he is out of office or will he even continue to have the same kind of influence as he's had?

[19:35:09]

CABRERA: The latest Pew survey shows Trump has hit his lowest approval rating since taking office, 29 percent right now. That same poll also shows more than half of Americans, 54 percent want him removed from office. Do you think those numbers will have any impact on how Republicans decide to vote at Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate?

CILLIZZA: Well, let me dig a little deeper in that poll to answer your question, Ana. So in November, Pew did a poll right after the election and 10 percent of people rated -- 10 percent of Republicans, excuse me, rated Donald Trump as doing a poor job in the post-election. That number doubled in this most recent poll, and it's the reason that Donald Trump's approval has gone from, you know, the mid 30s, high 30s to 29. It's because Republicans have dropped out.

Now, he is still overwhelmingly viewed favorably among Republicans. I think that this is either an interim period that it'll go back, it'll sort of bounce back, the rubber band will bounce back to its normal flexibility. Donald Trump will continue to be 85 to 90 percent popular among Republicans, or you're seeing a bloc of Republicans who looked at January 6th and said, we can't. This isn't something that we can have.

Now, why they didn't do that before? Candidly, I don't know. But I don't know the answer to that. I think that's what Senate Republicans are trying to figure out.

You know, there's going to be plenty of Senate Republicans who are going to vote to acquit Donald Trump. There's no question. The majority of Senate Republicans are going to vote to acquit him. The question is, will 17 cross party lines to get to that 67 number with 50 Democrats to convict him?

Color me skeptical today, just because of the whole Donald Trump has exerted over this party and its leadership and its rank and file for the last four years. Not impossible, but I'm skeptical.

CABRERA: Right. And you had only 10 Republicans, and while that was the most bipartisan impeachment, you know, that we've ever seen. But there were only 10 in the House. And there's so many more Republicans in the House and yet you need 17 in the Senate to convict Trump here.

CILLIZZA: Just to remind folks, seven senators after what happened on January 6th, okay, seven senators, Republican senators still voted to contest the election results in Pennsylvania, despite the fact that there was no evidence that there was anything wrong, right?

So six and seven. Six in Arizona, seven and Pennsylvania. Seven total. In the house, it was 138 who voted to object to the results in Pennsylvania and 121 in Arizona. So if you think that even after that event, right, to object to something that you know isn't going anywhere. I mean, the Electoral College challenges we're always charging at a windmill is to be kind to what they were.

To vote for that even after such an event in your workplace, think about it. That's where they work. Some of them live there, they sleep there. To do that speaks to the whole he retains on a large part of the party. And I think that -- keep that in mind as you're thinking about what Republicans are going to do going forward.

CABRERA: I just wonder, though, if they have received blowback since that moment, because obviously, it don't happen on the same day. And Chris, I'm out of time. That's an open question. I'm just going to leave it out there for our audience to ponder as we go to break here.

It's great to have you with us this weekend and I have to say, you've got your shirt and tie on for us on a Saturday night feeling very special here. You and your wife need to have like a candlelit dinner or something.

CILLIZZA: I will tell you, I have jeans on -- I have jeans -- I am not going to stand up, because I have jeans on.

CABRERA: The truth be told. Thanks, Chris.

CILLIZZA: Thanks, Ana.

CABRERA: Coming up, 100 feet and 60 seconds, just 100 feet or 60 seconds. New details about just how close rioters came to Vice President Mike Pence as he hid with his wife and his daughter in the Capitol.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:43:02]

CABRERA: Tonight, we are getting disturbing new details about how rioters came within seconds of spotting Vice President Mike Pence. Remember, this was a mob chanting "Hang Mike Pence" inside the Capitol. "The Washington Post" reports that rioters at one point came within 100 feet of where Pence was hiding with his wife and daughter.

CNN's Tom Foreman has more on a chilling timeline.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CROWD: (Chanting "Hang Mike Pence.") TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As the mob chanted "Hang

Mike Pence" and the makeshift gallows went up, the Vice President, his wife and daughter were just seconds away from being spotted according to "The Washington Post" and at one point, they were hiding less than a hundred feet from the violent crowd attacking police officers, journalists and others.

The timeline tells how it happened. Just before one o'clock, President Trump demands Pence toss the election results.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mike Pence, I hope you're going to stand up for the good of our Constitution and for the good of our country. And if you're not, I'm going to be very disappointed in you. I will tell you right now.

I'm not hearing good stories.

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Senate will now retire to its chamber.

FOREMAN (voice over): Pence has no legal power to reject the vote. But in little more than an hour as he leads Congress in certifying the vote for Joe Biden, the Trump crowd is hammering through Capitol barricades. Inside --

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We have been told by Capitol Police that the Capitol is in lockdown.

FOREMAN (voice over): Outside, by 2:11, the mob smashes into the building. Moments later, "The Post" says Pence is hustled out of the chamber.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): And it will stand in recess until the call of the Chair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Protesters are in the building.

FOREMAN (voice over): 2:14, Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman is single handedly slowing the surge of rioters some shouting, "Where's Mike Pence?" Based on "The Post" reporting, the few seconds Goodman buys keeps the mob from seeing Pence and his family being hurried into hiding in an office.

Goodman lures the crowd toward other officers likely getting other lawmakers time to escape, too.

[19:45:10]

FOREMAN (voice over): Soon after the violent mob seizes the Senate floor anyway, taking the very seat the Vice President occupied minutes earlier. And President Trump during all of this, he was watching events unfold on TV, according to many witnesses taking no action for hours to stop the attack, and tweeting on 2:24, "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done." It was later deleted. FOREMAN (on camera): Of course, the Vice President came back later to

declare Joe Biden the winner and the Secret Service says Pence was secure at all times. But that security we now know was far more tenuous than we thought.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Join Anderson Cooper for a look at the people who helped pull off the Capitol insurrection. Who are they? And amid ongoing threats, where are they now? The new CNN special report "The Faces of the Trump Insurrection" airs tonight at 10.

Coming up: a bombshell about second doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the Trump administration said there were reserves and now we know they actually don't exist.

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[19:50:42]

CABRERA: The C.D.C. is now warning new, more contagious variants of COVID-19 will likely accelerate the spread of the virus. This warning comes as we learn that those reserved vaccine doses that the Trump administration said it would release they've already been distributed. There is no reserve.

President-elect Biden is still vowing 100 million doses of the vaccine in his first 100 days, a very ambitious goal.

With us now to discuss is Dr. Celine Gounder, a member of the Biden transition COVID-19 advisory board. Dr. Gounder, what is your reaction first to this new warning from the C.D.C. about the pandemic worsening with new variants?

DR. CELINE GOUNDER, MEMBER, BIDEN TRANSITION COVID-19 ADVISORY BOARD: Look, this is exactly why we need to accelerate the pace at which we are vaccinating but also it's really important to remember that the very interventions that we have been recommending over the last -- well, almost a year now -- the masking, the social distancing, being outdoors instead of indoors, or if you are indoors in a well ventilated space.

All of those things still work against these new variants, so we really do need to double down on all of those measures until we can get the vast majority of Americans vaccinated.

CABRERA: And yet things are still getting worse. They aren't getting better even with us all knowing those mitigation measures, more than 395,000 Americans have now died of COVID-19 in less than a year. In fact, just in the past couple of weeks, the first two weeks of 2021, more than 42,000 reported coronavirus deaths, the deadliest two weeks of the entire pandemic, the U.S. reporting more than 3,200 deaths just yesterday. So at this rate, the U.S. coronavirus death toll may reach 400,000

before Biden is sworn in on Wednesday. And now we're learning that the reserves of the vaccine the Trump administration announced it was releasing have already been distributed.

Did you know that when this announcement was made the past week that they were going to, you know, release these reserves and what is your reaction?

GOUNDER: I think this is just further evidence that the Trump administration had no plan for distribution. Operation Warp Speed was really just a plan to address market failures in manufacturing -- the development and manufacturing of vaccines. It was not a plan for distribution.

The President-elect remains very committed to getting a hundred million shots into people's arms in the first hundred days because now with 4,000 people dying from coronavirus a day, you know, if we wait a hundred days at that rate, you're going to see the death toll across this country more than double.

CABRERA: But only 12 million shots have been administered in the past month and a half, and I get that there will be a transition of the way you go about this when Biden takes office. But when you say 100 million shots in his first 100 days, how exactly will he do that?

GOUNDER: So the name of the game here is partnerships. So you're going to see partnership with local pharmacies, with federally qualified health centers and local primary care doctors with state and local health departments, as well as territorial and tribal health departments.

So it's really about working hand in hand, not dictating from the top down, but going out to all of those partners and saying, hey, how can we help you? What resources? What funding do you need? What staffing do you need?

We're going to see things like community vaccination centers, especially in some of the hardest hit most vulnerable communities. We're going to see mobile vaccination units, and we're going to draw upon all kinds of national resources, including F.E.M.A. and the National Guard.

CABRERA: We can all appreciate that plan, but obviously it takes resources, it takes a lot more money than states have and Congress has provided so far for the effort. And also, we're just talking about the supply demand issue, right, when it comes to the production and distribution of the coronavirus vaccine, if there aren't enough doses of the vaccine available to meet that goal, you know, Americans have experienced over promising at nearly every turn of this pandemic in the Trump administration. Is there risk of that here with vaccines?

GOUNDER: Based on our conversations with multiple stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical companies that are manufacturing these vaccines, we do think that 100 million doses in a hundred days is still a reasonable goal. But as you mentioned, this is really going to require a massive

infusion of funding into state and local health departments which is precisely what the America rescue plan, $1.9 trillion is attempting to do, and that might sound like a lot of money. But we're projected to lose -- the American economy is projected to lose about $16 trillion to the coronavirus pandemic.

So that's really a drop in the bucket and well worth that investment.

[19:55:26]

CABRERA: Dr. Celine Gounder, as always, good to have you with us. Thank you.

GOUNDER: My pleasure.

CABRERA: Coming up: is it possible that Members of Congress gave tours to people who just 24 hours later were part of the mob that attacked the Capitol? Investigators are now seeking answers.

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