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Biden Pledges to Speed Up Vaccine Deliveries to States; Rioters Charged in Insurrection Using Blame Trump Defense; All But Five GOP Senators Oppose Trump Impeachment Trial. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 27, 2021 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NEWSROOM: Top of the hour. I'm Jim Sciutto.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN NEWSROOM: And I'm Poppy Harlow.

This morning, there is urgency building as President Biden makes a big vaccine promise at a time when this country is seeing its deadliest month of COVID ever. With days still left, January is already deadlier than December so far in the New Year, nearly 80,000 Americans have lost their lives to the pandemic.

The president is pushing a bold plan and says vaccinating nearly every American by summer or late fall is possible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: To a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point, help is on the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Good to hear those words but there are still several questions on exactly how this new vaccine initiative will work, especially with Congress still gridlocked on the $1.9 trillion relief bill the president wants. Big pieces of that are getting money to the states to begin vaccinating.

Hours from now, the Biden administration will hold its first COVID briefing.

Let's begin at the White House. John Harwood is there. Johan, a lot of anticipation ahead of today's briefing. I imagine a different tone, a different attachment to facts and data than we saw in the previous administration.

JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The Biden administration is trying, Jim, as you indicated, to set the tone that they are relying on data, they're relying on the science, so they're going to start these briefings three times a week. They have made plain that they are going to use federal power more aggressively than the Trump administration had. Yesterday, they announced, of course, the purchase of another couple hundred million doses from Moderna and Pfizer to be obtained this summer and the addition of 16 percent of the vaccine allocations for states as well as a three-week projection for states to rely on.

Now, it's difficult to separate what -- which of those things might have happened under the Trump administration anyway. What we can see is the way they communicate, and they're communicating more aggressively, both the president himself and his team, Jeff Zients, the COVID response coordinator, and now the experts that they are bringing in today, including Anthony Fauci, including Andy Slavitt, who came recently to assist this process, including Rochelle Walensky from the CDC. And we'll see whether or not they can persuade the American people that they're more on top of this than the Trump administration was.

Obviously, the demand continues to far outstrip supply. We've got problems all across the country in terms of the mismatch between available doses and the administration of those doses. Governors do seem to believe that the Trump administration, at least initially -- excuse me, the Biden administration is more responsive than the Trump administration has been.

SCIUTTO: Big test will be in the results. John Harwood at the White House, thank you.

A new Keiser Family Foundation survey shows that the number of Americans who want to get vaccinated is thankfully rising.

HARLOW: Yes, that's a really good sign. Our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us with more on these findings.

Trust is building, thank goodness.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is building. But I will say, and I really hate to be the Eeyore here, but still when only half the country wants the COVID-19 shot, that still is not great. It's up to 35 percent-ish to more than that but still not great.

So, let's take a look at what the numbers are in this survey. What they found is that 47 percent either want the vaccine or have actually received at least one dose of it. 31 percent want to wait. They want to see how others do. Hopefully, they'll see that others are doing just fine. In fact, they're doing well. And they will also join that 47 percent up there. 7 percent only want to get it if it's required for them to go to work or go to school or for something else. And 13 percent said they definitely do not want to get it.

So when I speak with public health officials about this, what they have to say is, look, we really feel that as time passes and you see that your friend got vaccinated and now they are sort of more relaxed and aren't so worried about getting COVID or someone else got vaccinated and, hey, they feel just fine, they didn't get sick or anything, that that will help in this effort. Poppy, Jim?

SCIUTTO: Another focus of the Biden administration is pushing for more schools to open.

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And this is a consistency between administrations, actually. Because even under the Trump administration, Fauci and others were talking about how this can be done safely if you follow certain guidelines. I suppose what we're seeing now from this administration is clarity about what those guidelines are. What are they?

COHEN: Right. So let's take a look at what the CDC says could be steps towards safely opening schools. So, first of all, not surprisingly, require masks. In fact, the CDC talked about one school system that was talking about double or even triple masking, social distancing, keeping students in limited groups and you stick to those little groups, increased air ventilation and test for COVID frequently.

Again, the CDC mentioned this rural school district in Wisconsin where they found that the school district, they stayed in school, kids went to school, but their COVID rates among the people in the school were lower than in the surrounding community. And so that definitely is a good thing.

The question is could every school system replicate what that one school system in Wisconsin did. The United States is a huge place. Some school systems might be able to pull this off beautifully, others not so beautifully. Poppy, Jim?

HARLOW: Elizabeth, let's hope, let's hope for the schools. Thank you.

Dr. Amy Compton Phillips, the Chief Clinical Officer for the Providence Health System, which operates multiple hospitals across eight states, is with us. Good morning to you.

Let's begin on Elizabeth's really important point, that half the country still doesn't want to get vaccinated. If that doesn't change markedly by 20-plus percent, how do we get out of this?

DR. AMY COMPTON-PHILLIPS, CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER, PROVIDENCE HEALTH SYSTEM: Well, the good news is there's about 150 million people in the U.S. that do want to get vaccinated. And so we can start with getting those people with shots in arms. And exactly as Elizabeth said, that as more people get vaccinated and as we show that the benefits of preventing the infection is so much better than not only dying but living with long-haul COVID, I do believe that with communication, with better storytelling, we can actually help the rest of the country see the benefit.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I was sort of surprised by that survey, because other public polling by CNN showing 60 percent to 70 percent willing to get it. And I suppose you maybe take the average at the end of the day. But I wonder on the good side, right? You have the president saying vaccines will be available in the country perhaps by the end of the summer. I mean, it's not far off base. Dr. Fauci has said for months that by spring, big portions of the population will be able to get vaccinated. And I just wonder for people at home who were used to hearing a lot of bad news about everything when it comes to COVID, big picture, things are moving in a positive direction on vaccines. And with this year, we can feel pretty confident we'll have that opportunity.

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: I think you're exactly right. I really do feel like it's a new day. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The challenge is going to be getting from here to there, because exactly as you mentioned earlier, that, right now, the demand is dramatically outstripping the supply.

And so giving people confidence that they will get the vaccine, helping us build tools to let people know when their vaccine is going to be available so that they don't have to keep checking back and elbowing each other out of the way to make sure that they get in the queue. I think if we can -- the more we can communicate and the more we can set expectations, the better off and the calmer this entire process will feel.

HARLOW: What is your take on the CDC release yesterday on schools? I mean, I know they didn't study every state and every district. They focused namely on these Wisconsin schools. But the data was pretty convincing that schools, especially elementary schools, are just not the places where COVID is spreading as much. And I ask this in the context of Chicago, New Jersey, about to go back to in-person learning and then pulling back.

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: It is convincing. And the really interesting thing about COVID is, last spring, everybody kept asking us what's true, what's not true? What should we do, what should we not do? And the medical profession, and Dr. Fauci and the CDC was saying, these are our best guess, but we're going to learn more as we go along. And so, early on, we said close schools to stop transmission. But then as we've gone along, we've been able to study what works and what doesn't work.

And what the CDC report shows now is by taking these measures, by cohorting students and ensuring adequate airflow and universal masking, we can make schools safe, not only for students, but for the teachers that otherwise put their lives on the line to be in there.

So I'm actually thrilled about the fact that we can do this safely now.

SCIUTTO: One sad fact and a consistent fact in the surveys is that there is a deep partisan division about how folks view both the danger of COVID but also their willingness to get the vaccine.

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I mean, it's like more Democrats are than Republicans by large margins. And in the data is the effect of that, right, higher infection rates in some of these communities.

And I just wonder what pierces that, right, because that has broad global public health impacts? COMPTON-PHILLIPS: I think what you're really speaking to is the fact that somehow, unfortunately, over the past year, we've managed to politicize the truth. And so really making sure what are the concerns in communities that today are skeptical of vaccines and or skeptical of science and then figure out how to have conversations that resonate is critically important. Because, I can tell you, it's not just a red- blue thing, it's also a black-white thing, it's a Latino versus people who speak English as a first language.

So really figuring out how to communicate better with all groups, hear concerns and then ensure we're addressing them is the only way to get out of the mess we're in.

SCIUTTO: Yes. It's such a loss of confidence, right? Dr. Amy Compton- Phillips, always good to have you on. Thank you.

COMPTON-PHILLIPS: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, one by one, diehard supporters of former President Trump are now blaming him for their own actions the day that they rioted on Capitol Hill, attacked the Capitol. What impact could that have on the impeachment trial and the president's responsibility?

HARLOW: And it's a big question.

Also ahead, CNN takes a deeper look at the battle within the Republican Party. Some members of the GOP want the party to move on from Trump while many Republicans still are all in with him.

And be sure to watch CNN for a new global coronavirus town hall. Dr. Anthony Fauci and top doctors from the Biden administration join our Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Coronavirus, Facts and Fears, it's tonight, 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

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SCIUTTO: Well, listen to this. This morning, a growing number of alleged Capitol rioters, insurrectionists, really, facing federal charges and the real possibility of jail time are now blaming their actions on former President Trump. They say they were inspired by him, in fact, duped by him into attacking the Capitol.

HARLOW: So, the question is going to be how are Democrats, the defense, impeachment managers, going to use this in the impeachment trial of the president, the former president, and can they convince enough Senate Republicans to actually convict. All signs right now pointing to no, but anything can happen.

Manu Raju joins us from Capitol Hill. I mean, there's that and then there's the vote that Rand Paul forced yesterday where only five Republicans essentially said even having a trial is constitutional. That's a pretty big hill to climb.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, no question about it. The question is how many of those Republican senators feel locked into that position given that was a procedural vote. This is ultimately going to be a vote on the merits and whether or not Donald Trump needs to be convicted for inciting the insurrection on January 6th and whether he should be barred from ever holding office again.

But in talking and reporting -- talking to senators up and down, the 50 senators, I've talked to almost all of them over the last couple weeks, was very clear, is that there just is not the support to convict Donald Trump because they're not necessarily defending what the former president did. What they're doing instead is pointing to the process, raising concerns about the process, raising concerns about the constitutionality, which is what we saw on the Senate floor doing that vote, siding overwhelmingly with Rand Paul.

Those five senators that you see on your screen right there, the only ones who voted to move ahead with the impeachment trial. Those ones are the ones we have been expecting for some time to very likely yes votes on conviction.

But outside of that remains a big question, including the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell. Privately, he has made clear to his colleagues and to his associates he does believe the president's actions were indefensible. And I've been told also he believes privately they were impeachable.

But publicly -- yesterday, I asked him directly, do you believe the president's actions were impeachable, that Donald Trump's actions were impeachable? He did not respond directly on that question and that he ultimately voted with Rand Paul. So the Democratic impeachment managers certainly have a tall hill to climb here if they're trying to get Republicans to vote to convict, guys.

HARLOW: They do. Manu, thank you for the reporting.

Senate Republicans bracing themselves as speculation swirls about the possibility of maybe more retirements in their ranks. So far three Republican senators have decided not to run again.

SCIUTTO: The latest to announce his intentions, Ohio's Rob Portman. Now, several others are sidestepping questions about their own political futures.

We're joined now by former Ohio Governor and CNN Senior Commentator John Kasich. Always good to have you on, sir.

I want to start, big picture, if I can here, because a lot of Republicans are making the point, current and former members of Congress, that what's really happening here is not fear of Donald Trump so much as fear of his voters, that a large portion of the party is still with him and they know that if they challenge the president, even if privately they think his behavior was inexcusable or impeachable, they will lose their races. And i wonder if you agree that that's the motivation here, but also that that's the reality here.

JOHN KASICH, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, it's probably true, Jim. But, look, you know a lot about foreign policy. We were just reading over the weekend about this Russian Navalny who they tried to poison, threw acid in his face.

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He returned to Russia. He's sitting in a jail right now. They have arrested a bunch of his supporters and his life is at risk. And here we or talking about a bunch of politicians who are worried about a primary election. It's just a little wacky when you think about the comparison. But the Republican Party has shrunk, as you know. People have left the party.

The other thing that I was reading, Jim, is that today and thinking about this over the last few weeks, who are these people? Well, some of them were never going to get back. But others are angry with the system. They feel like their jobs are at risk, they don't have the money to pay their bills, their kids are struggling. These are people who, in order to get them back away from this hypnosis and into reality, people need to start talking about what the solutions are and not be yelling at them.

But if I was a senator, I have to do what I have to do and I've got to follow my conscience. I mean, what am I suppose to do? Cave in to politics in a screaming crowd? And then when I look back at my life, what does it mean? So it's a sad moment for the party and hopefully at some point we'll emerge from this.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

HARLOW: Are you thinking about running for Portman's seat?

KASICH: No.

HARLOW: Why? You just said what you would need to do as a senator. And there's a seat in your state opening up.

KASICH: Poppy, look, I served in the House for 18 years, the last six, seven, eight years as the chair of the Budget Committee. I was able to do -- working with my colleagues, remarkable things like balancing the budget and accomplishing what I wanted down there. Then I served for eight years as governor of the state, the seventh largest state, and things got turned around here. Now you want me to go sit in the United States Senate? I mean, come on.

HARLOW: Sounds like you've had some success.

KASICH: Listen, I think that I'm having influence talking with people like you, and it's not like I've dropped out of the political arena. But it's just not something I have any interest in. Sorry. They name me president, that would be fine, but I'd have to earn that.

SCIUTTO: Okay. Well, there's an answer, Poppy. Well done, well done for pushing him.

HARLOW: Okay. SCIUTTO: A bipartisan group of senators echoing points you have made today and other times on this broadcast, they're encouraging the current leadership in Congress to focus on unity and, quote, to put the good of the country above all else, just as you're saying here. But I wonder how that sort of gels with the reality.

I've spoken to current members of Congress who say, yes, the president is crazy. He's doing nasty stuff. But if I call him out in public, I lose my seat. And I just wonder if a real solution here --

KASICH: I don't buy that, Jim.

SCIUTTO: No. I'm curious, because I wonder if you have to fix gerrymandering, because the districts are as crazy as they are now, that the political incentives aren't there.

KASICH: Let me just suggest, I don't think you lose your seat. You see, people elect people who they think can represent them and be a good leader. Yes, you're going to have some screamers out here that are going to distract you. But, frankly, the ability to carry yourself and tell people what you are really for and what your motivations are, I believe, Jim, that that's what matters the most in running for office.

Look, I was elected to the state Senate at 26, I beat an incumbent. I was elected to Congress. I beat an incumbent. I spent nine years in the House, really didn't have great problems being elected and re- elected, ran for governor against an incumbent, very hard. I won. Got re-elected overwhelmingly, and I even put expanded Medicaid, which people said, well, you're for Obamacare. I wasn't exactly for Obamacare and the way that you described it. And you know what, because I stood strong and told people what I believed in, I was rewarded.

So, people who run around being afraid of their own shadow or somebody voice out here yelling and screaming, no, no. Being a strong leader, you will survive. And if you don't survive, then you go home and at least you're proud of yourself and your kids say what did you do mom or dad, and you have an answer. I mean, this is not that complicated.

HARLOW: So, maybe, that was then but this is now. And there's QAnon, and there is the Arizona Republican Party, censuring Flake and Ducey and Cindy McCain. And then there's the Oregon Republican Party. And I'm not kidding, i had to go back to the context of the resolution and read it to believe it, that actually said the violence at the Capitol was a false flag operation designed to discredit the president. That's the now.

KASICH: That's the now with the state party. But, remember, when you're in there walking with the folks, when you're going door-to- door, when you're there with the constituents, when you go to these meetings, you stand tall. What are you supposed to do, Poppy? Shrivel up and live in fear? No, that's not acceptable.

HARLOW: You're right.

KASICH: And, honestly, if people dig down, and if their staffs would encourage them to be strong, they would be stronger.

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But sometimes the staff is like, oh, no, no, no, you can't believe the calls we're getting, we can't believe the letters we're getting. So what? That's just one little sign of how you're doing and what you're doing.

I absolutely believe -- I talked to a person yesterday who voted to impeach Trump, okay? I talked to him. I called him on purpose. I said you hang tough. He said I'm proud of myself. I will be fine. And that's the way you have to look at it, who do you want to be and what do you want to be.

And you guys -- look, you guys face it all the time when you're on the air. I mean, do you want to do a story or don't you? Do you want to hype something or do you want to be honest? I mean, we all face these -- we all have our time in the lion's den. The question is how do we react when we're in there.

SCIUTTO: Yes, courage is a choice.

KASICH: It's a good way to think about it.

SCIUTTO: Governor John Kasich, always good to have you on from your lips to those ears.

KASICH: I love to be with you guys.

HARLOW: We'll wait for that presidential run that you just announced. Thanks, Governor.

KASICH: Maybe in the Lion's Club. That doesn't look like that's even a remote prospect at this point. You never know what happens in life and in politics. Thank you all.

HARLOW: Thanks.

SCIUTTO: Four years. We'll be right back.

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