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Department of Homeland Security Warns of Domestic Extremist Threat; Biden Hopes to Vaccinate 300 Million By End of Summer; Interview With Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired January 27, 2021 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: The White House task force today, though, is promising that they will ramp up vaccinations to states by 16 percent immediately. That is in addition to the 200 million doses that the president just committed to purchasing by this summer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY SLAVITT, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER FOR COVID RESPONSE: We are taking action to increase supply and increase capacity. But, even so, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Also today, the president vowed to make up for lost time when it comes to the effects of climate change, citing the devastation suffered from Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria and defending his $2 trillion policy.

And, today, the newly minted secretary of state, Tony Blinken, will be holding his very first press briefing this hour, live pictures there from the State Department. He is promising to revive the deteriorated morale within his department after a turbulent past four years. So, we will bring that to you live as soon as we see Mr. Blinken behind the podium.

This is all happening as President Biden is also facing his first test with Vladimir Putin, confronting the Russian president on a range of issues for the first time since taking office. And we will take you live to Moscow.

But, first, we go to Nick Watt, CNN national correspondent who has more on how all these states are now reacting to the Biden administration's ambitious vaccination plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NIAID DIRECTOR: OK, so, in other words, nobody heard anything from me. Is that correct?

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fitting in this COVID age, a technical glitch at the first official virtual COVID-19 briefing of the Biden administration.

He didn't appear, just scientists and experts.

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: The CDC still recommends that people get their second dose as close to the recommended interval as possible.

DR. MARCELLA NUNEZ-SMITH, CHAIR, COVID-19 HEALTH EQUITY TASK FORCE: We're launching a robust national public education campaign to make sure people know about this vaccine, the facts, and not the misinformation.

SLAVITT: To the very specific question of whether or not a factory can be retrofitted to mass-produce another vaccine, that's something that's under active exploration.

WATT: Bottom line on vaccines right now, the feds were distributing 8.6 million doses a week, say they will up it to 10.

GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): It's not enough, but it is a big step in the right direction. Let there be no doubt about it.

GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MD): The demand for vaccines will continue to far exceed the supply that will be available to us.

WATT: The goal? Sometime this summer, enough from Moderna and Pfizer to double-dose every adult in America, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, hopefully rolling out soonish, but?

DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, PROFESSOR OF GLOBAL HEALTH, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Up to now, if you look across the country, we're vaccinating more white wealthy individuals, and, in fact, the disease is more in poor African-American and Hispanic individuals.

WATT: Black and Hispanic Americans are dying at three times the rate of their white compatriots. But a CNN analysis of 14 states found that, as of last week, white people were, on average, more than twice as likely to have received a shot.

NUNEZ-SMITH: We're going to have to take an extra step to get to some of the people who are hardest to reach. And that work is already happening now.

WATT: Right now, average new case counts are rising in Nebraska alone, but:

WALENSKY: Now is not the time to travel. But, if you must, be safe.

WATT: The feds are monitoring those seemingly more contagious mutations first found in the U.K., Brazil, South Africa, and there are ways to stop even more mutations, masks on faces, vaccines in arms.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATT: And, of course, the fear about these variants is, will the vaccines still work?

Well, Dr. Fauci reiterated again this morning, yes, they will. The vaccines might be moderately less effective, but no reason for concern. And, also, vaccine manufacturers are working already on little tweaks just to make sure that there will not be a problem with these variants -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: It was good to hear from the scientists today, wasn't it? Nick Watt, thank you so much.

I want to go through some of the headlines from Nick's piece there with Dr. Rob Davidson. He's an emergency room physician and the executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare.

Dr. Davidson, good to see you.

You know, when it comes to what we heard from team Biden and all these scientists today, like, there's not a whole heck of a lot of clarity when it comes to when we all can get vaccinated. You know, we have heard -- we have heard a variety of things.

We have heard, OK, we will get vaccinated in the next couple of months. We have heard, all right, well, it'll be the spring or fall. And then, today, listening to Andy Slavitt, said it'll be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.

What is your biggest fear when it comes to this moving timeline?

DR. ROB DAVIDSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT MEDICARE: My biggest fear is that 4,200 people died yesterday from COVID-19. This is still a crisis, a tragedy every single day with the number of people that are dying.

And there's pandemic fatigue everywhere. I see it around here. And I was in New York City recently and saw everybody wearing masks. And I know that New York went through such trauma this past spring.

[15:05:03]

In my area in rural Michigan, that is not the case. And more and more people are just tired of being cooped up. They are tired of being told what to do. And, as you have reported, I'm sure, that, in Michigan in particular, with our governor, there's been a lot of resistance.

And so I worry, with 4,000 people dying a day, and the numbers ebb and flow, but we're going to see many waves in many places. And we need to get those vaccines in arms as quickly as possible.

BALDWIN: Hopefully, one positive that we did get today from the Biden COVID briefing is that, when they're looking at all the vaccinations, the numbers are actually not factoring in the possible Johnson & Johnson vaccine. And we know that J&J is saying that they are aiming to deliver one

billion doses this year. And just to remind everyone, the J&J vaccine would be a single shot. So that would be one billion people vaccinated?

Did we lose him? Oh, stand by.

Dr. Davidson, there we go.

DAVIDSON: I hear you.

BALDWIN: We pulled a Fauci at the top of the COVID press briefing.

(LAUGHTER)

DAVIDSON: Oops. In good company.

BALDWIN: In good company.

My point was on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. How much of a game- changer might it be that could be one billion people vaccinated?

DAVIDSON: I mean, that's massive. We have been told now we have enough orders in for 600 million doses in this country, enough to vaccinate all adults, hopefully, by the end of summer.

But this is a global pandemic. This isn't just the United States. We have to -- we have to be a leader in the world with the WHO getting the vaccine to places far and wide around this -- around the globe to get control of this.

Or, as we have seen, if this keeps transmitting in many places, we will get more variants. We're going to get -- we may get variants that do show vaccine resistance and get us into more difficulty as we head into the next year, the next winter season.

So, yes, that's huge. That's exciting news.

BALDWIN: We did learn from the briefing, though, that the United States is 43rd in the world when it comes to identifying mutations in the COVID virus. Why are we 43rd?

DAVIDSON: Well, I think this is truly a reflection on the previous administration.

They did not have a focus on this virus. They were focused on getting a vaccine developed and getting it to market. That happened. Unfortunately, part of Operation Warp Speed had nothing to do with getting the vaccine into people's arms. And it really had very little to do with getting us the tests we need, and with monitoring for these variants that we're seeing now are becoming a real challenge.

So, a week ago, when the new president was sworn in, I was among many people very hopeful this would mean a change with COVID-19. I think the briefing today has shown us and the increase in vaccine doses and the increase in funding with FEMA for National Guard troops helping with the vaccine effort in states, all of this means that we're turning the page.

It will get better. We won't be 43rd a month from now. We will move up. I have faith in the team. And so I think we just have to sit tight, and, everyone, keep doing their best to stop the spread while we get the vaccines out.

BALDWIN: Last question is just on the fact that people with your skin color and my skin color seem to be getting this vaccine at a far greater rate than our black and brown brothers and sisters. And that's a problem.

There's this CNN analysis saying, from 14 states, they found vaccine coverage is twice as high among white people, on average, than it is among black and Latinos.

How does the Biden administration fix that?

DAVIDSON: I think first by admitting that it's a problem, by -- when you have the leader of our government saying this is a problem and saying this as a focus of their distribution of the vaccine, that's number one.

This is a problem in health care that has been forever. This is just now showing up nationally and getting press because of COVID-19. And so admitting it's a problem is number one. Having an equity person on the team that is directly working on that every single day, I think, is critical.

And they said they're going to be getting into every corner they can, getting a massive education effort and getting that vaccine out. And I think we will have to wait and see, but I'm hopeful and expecting that will happen.

BALDWIN: Good.

Dr. Davidson, thank you so much. Good to see you.

DAVIDSON: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: We do have more breaking news ahead.

CNN is learning former President Donald Trump will be meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Florida tomorrow. And this news comes as more Republicans say they will not hold Trump accountable for that deadly Capitol riot.

And she once expressed support for the assassination of Democratic figures and called the Parkland shooting a -- quote, unquote -- "false flag operation."

Well, guess what? Now Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene is set to join the Education and Labor Committee. What?

Plus: a terror warning from the Department of Homeland Security. And it's about domestic extremists angry with the election results.

You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:14:11]

BALDWIN: Five. Five. That is how many Republican senators believe that it is within the Constitution to move forward with an impeachment trial after former President Trump is charged with inciting a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

And while that does give Democrats enough to proceed with the trial, it is still far, far short of what they would need to actually convict him.

Joining me now, California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna. He serves on the House Oversight Committee.

So, Congressman Khanna, nice to see you, sir. Welcome.

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Thank you, Brooke. Thanks for having me on.

BALDWIN: I want to get to all things impeachment in just a second.

But I want to start with freshman Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and, quite honestly, how she still has a job.

For people who are catching up, let me just fill everyone in.

So, our KFILE here at CNN did some digging and found out that Marjorie Taylor Greene reportedly indicated support for executing, executing prominent Democrats prior to being elected.

[15:15:04]

So, in one post, she hit the like button on a comment that a -- quote -- "bullet to the head would be quicker" to remove House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In other posts, she liked comments about executing FBI agents who she believed were part of the deep state working against Trump.

And, Congressman Khanna, she once called the Parkland shooting a false flag operation. And now we're learning today she has a new committee assignment. She's joining the Education and Labor Committee.

And now we're hearing from Axios that Kevin McCarthy plans to have a conversation with her?

Congressman Khanna, a conversation? What do you think needs to happen?

KHANNA: I mean, it's shocking.

It reminds me of the Mark Twain quote that there's only one distinctly criminal class, and that's the United States Congress. I mean, you couldn't get away with this in any other workplace. She actually has tweets talking about the assassination of President Obama and Hillary Clinton. She's threatened people.

I'm all for free speech, Brooke. I'm for defending someone's right to speech, even if they're crazy conspiracy theories. But where I draw the line is violence. You should not be allowed to have a job or be in the United States Congress if you're actively encouraging people to engage in violence.

BALDWIN: Well, how about -- I mean, we were thinking back to Steve king and all of the racist things that he said, and you recall that he was stripped of his committee assignments.

Like, what tangible thing should happen to her?

KHANNA: This is much worse. I mean, I think she should be removed from the House. At the very least--

BALDWIN: Removed from the House.

KHANNA: -- she should be removed from the committees.

Yes, I mean, look, Steve King was bad, and it was white nationalism and racism, and it was appropriate to remove it from the committees, but he didn't threaten violence. He didn't threaten assassination. I mean, we have to understand what's going on here. I mean, this is a person in their 40s, not in their youth, who are threatening killing people, killing people in the United States government.

BALDWIN: Agree. I hear you.

But what -- OK, so you are one member, and I appreciate you saying that, but what about Speaker Pelosi? She is the speaker of the U.S. House. Is she planning on pressuring Kevin McCarthy? Are you and other members planning on saying something to Speaker Pelosi to pressure Kevin McCarthy to do something?

KHANNA: Yes, I think we need to have a caucus meeting on this and have a formal request of Kevin McCarthy that, at the very least, she shouldn't be on the committees.

I mean, how can you explain her being on the Education Committee, which is responsible for educating American youth, when she doesn't believe in sort of peaceful dialogue and is resorting to violence?

So, absolutely, this should be something that the speaker and the entire House Democratic Caucus take up.

BALDWIN: It's also not just -- Congressman, it's not just Marjorie Taylor Greene with these QAnon views. You have state reps who are these Republicans. You have Arizona censuring former Senator Jeff Flake, Cindy McCain, Governor Doug Ducey. The Oregon Republican Party is falsely calling the insurrection a false flag.

I am sure, Congressman Khanna, that you are talking to your Republican colleagues off the record about their party. But I want to know what you're hearing behind these closed doors and the whispers about what they think the future of the GOP, where they think it's headed. KHANNA: Well, I have a good relationship with a number of Republicans. I mean, I worked with Matt Gaetz to try to end the Yemen war, but there was not craziness.

I mean, this is craziness, where you're talking about killing people--

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: But are they acknowledging the crazy?

KHANNA: Some are. Some are.

But there's a culture of a fear, because the reality is that there's a Republican base that elects people in the primary, and people are very reluctant to say something that's going to get them in crosshairs with that base.

I thought -- I thought, after Trump -- after the attack on the Capitol, where the person who was most threatened was Vice President Pence, you would have a different outcome. But we saw the results yesterday.

I mean, there were only five senators who even were willing -- on the Republican side who were even willing to have a trial.

BALDWIN: And now we're hearing Kevin McCarthy is traveling to Florida to see Donald Trump. Man, that was fast. What do you think of that?

KHANNA: Unbelievable.

I mean, when -- it's just a matter of basic self-respect. I mean, Kevin McCarthy was under threat too.

I don't understand why this is a partisan issue and why this isn't about standing up for American democracy and for the dignity of serving in a co-equal branch in the Capitol. The Capitol was attacked.

So -- and I don't understand. I mean, he's a former president. It's amazing to me that he still has such a hold on the Republican Party. And, really, it's really sad. It's sad to see what they have done that to Liz Cheney, who I disagree with strongly. But Liz Cheney for voting her conscience is now being threatened by many members.

I mean, she's facing primary challenges. Her leadership is being threatened. So, Donald Trump still has--

BALDWIN: Right, but that's the point.

You look at what's happening to a Liz Cheney vs. a Marjorie Taylor Greene.

[15:20:01]

I -- let me let me hit pause on our conversation. Congressman Khanna, I want to come back to you.

But let's go up to Capitol Hill to our chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, on all things impeachment.

We led this segment talking about that the five Republican senators breaking from their party. What are you hearing? Is basically the Trump acquittal a fait accompli?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it seems that way.

I just talked to Senator John Cornyn and Senator John Thune, two members of the House -- of the Senate Republican leadership, and both make very clear that the vote yesterday is indicative of where they believe this will end up, that nowhere near the 60 votes -- 67 votes needed to convict Donald Trump.

And they're not defending Donald Trump's actions, but they are pointing to this procedural concerns as a reason to vote to acquit him, contending that this is, in their view, not constitutional.

Now, that is going to be a central part of the House Democratic managers' impeachment case when the arguments begin in -- on February 9, the argument being that it is certainly, in their view, constitutional to move forward with these proceedings.

At least five Republicans on the Senate side believe that that is the case. But there are not the 17 that are needed. Now, at the same time, the Republicans are starting to line up very closely to Donald Trump. You mentioned Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, down in South Florida meeting with Donald Trump tomorrow.

McCarthy himself has been all over the map on the issue of the president's involvement on January 6's incitement of this riot, initially saying that he bore some -- bore responsibility completely for what happened, and then later saying that he did not provoke that crowd.

And he -- we have heard privately Donald Trump has been outraged when Kevin McCarthy said on the floor of the House -- some House Republicans too have been critical of McCarthy. Now McCarthy down in Florida, plans to meet with Donald Trump.

And it's all part of an effort -- or just indicating, Brooke, how the party has not moved on from Donald Trump. Many Republican leaders still view him as a key part of this party going forward. So, despite what we're seeing, some Republicans breaking ranks in the Senate, overwhelmingly, the numbers, including members of the leadership, still on Donald Trump's side, recognizing, in their view, they need him to be with them come 2022 -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Pure raw politics at play.

Manu, thank you so much.

Congressman Khanna, I want to go back to you just to wrap it up on the point of impeachment. These 45 Republican senators don't even think this impeachment trial is constitutional. What do you think about that? KHANNA: It's important to realize that the acts that the president

did happen when he was president, and the House started to impeach.

It was McConnell, Senate Majority Leader at the time McConnell, who refuse to start the trial. So you can't have it both ways. You can't on the one hand say, we're not going to start the trial while he's president, let's do it -- let's delay it, and, then after it's delayed, then say, no, no, no, now it's too late.

It's hypocrisy. It would be different if we sort of brought -- started the impeachment hearings after he left the office. That's not the facts of this case.

BALDWIN: Congressman Ro Khanna, thank you, sir, very much.

KHANNA: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Any moment now, the latest -- Secretary of State Tony Blinken will be holding his first briefing since being sworn in earlier today.

What will he say about restoring American alliances and tackling threats from Russia, China, the Saudis, others?

Plus: the Department of Homeland Security issuing a new warning about domestic extremists who are angry over the election results. We will talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:18]

BALDWIN: It is a new day for America. It's a new day for the world.

That is the message from the newly sworn in Secretary of State Tony Blinken today, as he addressed his State Department staff for the very first time. Secretary Blinken will be holding his first press briefing here any moment now, live pictures of the podium over at State.

And, of course, we will bring that to you live.

Now, in his remarks earlier this morning, the secretary acknowledged that the State Department he walked into today is not the same one he left four years ago. Democrats penning a letter to the new secretary, urging him to scrutinize America's relationship specifically with the Saudis.

Among other challenges he faces, diplomacy with China, Russia and Iran, restoring American leadership on the global stage, rejoining the Paris climate agreement, and repairing internal morale within his own department.

Breaking news on the security front, though. The Department of Homeland Security has issued a bulletin reporting a heightened threat environment all across the country in the wake of President Biden's inauguration. And CNN's Jessica Schneider is with me in Washington with more.

And what are some of the specifics, Jessica, in the bulletin?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: It's that the threats here continue, Brooke.

It's significant because this advisory is warning about threats from domestic extremists. We typically see these sorts of bulletins when there's this foreign terrorist threat, like last January, when DHS warned about Iran-related terrorism. That was after the U.S. strike that killed Iranian General Soleimani.

But this is a bulletin that talks about domestic violent extremists who could be motivated to further violence. We already saw it on January 6, but they're still upset about the 2020 election results or even COVID restrictions.

So, in this bulletin, there's no specific threat here, but DHS is issuing this generalized warning, saying this: "DHS does not have any information to indicate a specific, credible plot.