Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Biden's Bold Vaccine Pledge; Biden Confronts Putin on Cyberattack, Navalny Poisoning; Senate Republicans Close Ranks Around Trump; At Least 150 People Charged by Justice Department Over Capitol Riot. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired January 27, 2021 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM and I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, President Joe Biden orders 200 million additional vaccine doses, but can he achieve his ambitious goal of beating back the pandemic.

Plus, a new vote shows most Republicans may be unwilling to convict former President Trump at his upcoming second impeachment trial. We will take a closer look at what Democrats might do next.

And 100,000 dead -- the U.K. confronts a devastating toll from the coronavirus pandemic.

Good to have you with us. Well, the U.S. is on a wartime footing against COVID-19. And President Joe Biden will make a major offensive with the purchase of 200 million more vaccine doses. A White House official says the U.S. is increasing its order of both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines by 50 percent. The goal is to have enough to vaccinate 300 million Americans, raising the numbers on this map significantly by the end of the summer.

But getting the order in is only the first hurdle. Right now, states have administered just over half the vaccines that have already been distributed. Kaitlan Collins has more now from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Joe Biden announcing the U.S. will buy 200 million more doses of coronavirus vaccines in an attempt to boost nationwide vaccinations.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The end goal is to beat COVID-19. And the way we do that is to get more people vaccinated.

COLLINS (voice-over): The U.S. plans to buy 100 million more doses from Pfizer and another 100 million from Moderna, a 50 percent increase for each that the White House says will provide the U.S. with enough to vaccinate almost all Americans by the end of this summer.

BIDEN: This is a wartime undertaking. It's not hyperbole. When I say that, people ask wartime? I say, yes. More than 400,000 Americans have already died.

COLLINS (voice-over): The White House also told governors it will increase how many vaccines are sent to states by roughly 16 percent starting next week.

BIDEN: Until now we have had to guess how much vaccine to expect for the next week. And that's what the governors had to do. How much am I getting next week? This is unacceptable.

COLLINS (voice-over): The Biden administration hasn't said how many vaccines are currently in the nation's stockpile, amid confusion over when everyone who wants one will be able to get one.

BIDEN: I think it'll be this spring. I think we will be able to do that this spring. And -- but it's going to be a logistical challenge that exceeds anything we've ever tried.

COLLINS (voice-over): Biden's aide said today that the timeline could shift, and vaccine requirements may still be in place this spring.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Everybody won't be eligible this spring, as you all know, even with -- even as CDC, the CDC continues to provide updated guidance. But he would certainly defer to medical health and medical experts.

COLLINS (voice-over): Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said the president hopes that daily vaccinations can reach 1.5 million using this key word --

PSAKI: The president didn't actually say, the new goal is. The president said, I hope we can do even more than that. And that is certainly, of course, his hope.

COLLINS (voice-over): The White House has been reluctant to weigh in on former President Trump's looming impeachment trial, but President Biden told CNN he believed it, quote, has to happen.

While acknowledging the effect it could have on his agenda, Biden said there would be a worse effect if it didn't happen. Biden also predicted that 17 Republicans won't vote to convict the former president, though his press secretary said today they'll leave the vote-counting to Capitol Hill.

PSAKI: And I can promise you that we will leave the vote counting to leaders in the Senate from now on.

[04:05:00]

COLLINS: And after Biden touted those commitments, they secured to get more doses of the vaccine later this year. Of course they are not actually on hand yet. He says they're in the process of actually being produced. We should note that his chief of staff Ron Klain said this does not mean there are not challenges still ahead of them. Just because you have the vaccine doesn't mean people can get it. So now they also have to focus on infrastructure and vaccine hesitancy as well.

Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Kaitlan mentioned the new White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. He is being cautious not to overpromise on the vaccine front, pointing to the system the new administration inherited.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON KLAIN, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I think we've, you know, been here seven days. We've ramped up capacity higher than it's ever been. We're moving into the states faster with certainty and clarity. But there are just some limitations on this process. The president has very honest. We're inheriting a system that was built with limited capacity. We are asking the drug makers to dial that up. There's only so fast they can increase that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Dr. Ester Choo is a CNN medical analyst and professor of emergency medicine At Oregon Health and Science University. And she joins us live from Portland. Thank you so much, doctor, for talking with us and for all you that do.

DR. ESTER CHOO, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Glad to be here, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So President Biden vowing to get all American adults vaccinated by the end of summer. He's ordered an additional 200 million vaccine doses and just committed to increase distribution of doses to states by 16 percent starting next week. But state governors say that's not enough. What is your reaction to all of this?

CHOO: Well, I think it's still mostly helpful. I mean we're still only six days into the new Biden administration. And I think what they're doing, really, is signaling that they are committed to vaccine manufacturing and distribution from end to end.

So starting with the drug companies and the manufacturing process, trying to figure out what any bottleneck might be that interrupt the supply and then seeing it all the way through delivery to the state. And then working with states and trying to figure out what the barriers have been on that end. In terms of not just receiving supply but mobilizing supply and getting it that last mile into arms.

So, still very early, and of course, you know, they walked into a situation where not much was being done downstream. So understandably, states are really frustrated. There hasn't been a lot of guidance. And this administration is just getting started and cannot do miracles. But there is the commitment and the thought and the communication and the plan to help at every level.

CHURCH: Yes, it is the glimmer of hope we're all looking for. And of course, once those supplies are assured these vaccine doses need to be administered as fast as possible which is a challenge itself. But what about those Americans who refuse to get vaccinated? What impact will that likely have on achieving herd immunity in this country?

CHOO: This is something that is also improving over time. So, you know, we see new data coming out that increasingly Americans are more receptive to vaccine. I think every week that goes by people feel less and less like they're guinea pigs, like the first wave. And I think the influential things which are, knowing more, so getting more information and also knowing somebody who received the vaccine, those things will just improve over time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): Many thanks to CNN medical analyst Dr. Esther Choo speaking to me earlier.

Another major Biden priority this week is foreign policy. On Tuesday, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Biden has attacked the Russian leader in the past. So the world will be watching closely for any signs of easing of tensions. The White House said the two had a lengthy list of topics to discuss. They included the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny and a recent cyberattack.

And CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins me now from Moscow. Good to see you, Fred. So what more are you learning about this chat between the two leaders?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Rosemary. Well it seen to have been quiet a remarkable chat and also a very productive one. I think one of the things that became clear after we got the readouts both from the Kremlin side and also from the White House side as well, is that the U.S.'s new style, if you will, of dealing with Russia is going to be, if there is going to be or there is possibly cooperation between the two sides, the White House and the Kremlin, on areas where the U.S. feels that it's in America's and its allies national interests. Obviously, the Russians need to feel it's in their interests as well.

[04:10:00]

But also that the White House and the U.S. is going to stand firm wherever they believe that the Russians are infringing on United States or its allies.

And I think one of the most important things that came out of the phone call, probably actually the by far the most important thing, is the extension of a new START nuclear arms reduction treaty. That's something that's very, very important. Joe Biden, the president had said that that's something he wanted to achieve. Vladimir Putin in the past has said that as well. And if you look at what's happened since then, it was only minutes later that the Kremlin announced that Vladimir Putin had already sent that to Russian Parliament to be approved. And the ratification of that could happen today. So very quick results.

The White House also saying there's other area where they see possible cooperation like for instance arms control, like for instance, new security challenges as they put it. But they say there are areas of concern. Of course like for instance, the sovereignty of Ukraine. Very important that that was mentioned in the readout by the White House. I don't believe it was mentioned in the readout by the Kremlin.

And then of course the SolarWinds attack. Possible bounties by Russians against U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. And then that whole conflict of Alexey Navalny. That also something that was not mentioned in the Russian readout initially. However, the Kremlin spokesperson telling CNN that, yes, was something that was debated, the poisoning of Alexey Navalny. Of course, that's a big topic here in Russia as well.

But you can already see that there's sort of a new mode of operation between the Biden administration and the Kremlin. And both administrations are saying that they want to stay in touch. That they will have a working relationship but certainly not speaking of the kind of reset that for instance President Trump spoke about the dealing of his administration. But quite frankly, also the Obama administration and the George W. Bush administration were trying to achieve as well -- Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes, very different approach. Fred Pleitgen, many thanks for bringing us up to date. Appreciate it.

And just ahead here on CNN, why one Trump ally says the impeachment trial of Donald Trump is, quote, dead on arrival.

[04:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Well here in the United States, it seems most Senate Republicans may be unlikely to convict former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial. On Tuesday, nearly every Republican supported a procedural vote to dismiss the trial as unconstitutional. CNN's Ryan Nobles has more from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The United States Senate is one step closer to the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, the Senators were sworn in as jurors for that trial. And Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont was selected as the presiding judge.

Now, it didn't come without a bit of controversy. Republican Senators led by Rand Paul offered up a point of order to ask that the impeachment trial be halted because it is not constitutional. Their argument being that because of the former president is out of office that he can no longer be convicted from an impeachment article.

Now that ended up not going anywhere. In fact, five Republicans voted with Democrats to table that motion. But it did, perhaps, offer an indication as to where this trial is headed. In fact Paul said it means that the impeachment of the former president is dead on arrival. That's because 17 Republicans will have to cross party lines in order to convict President Trump. There were far from 17 Republicans willing to do that today.

Now it's not necessarily indicative of what could happen in two weeks once the trial takes place. For instance, Rob Portman of Ohio was someone that who voted to look more into the constitutionality of the impeachment trial but also said he's open to hearing arguments over the course of those two weeks. And even some of the Republicans that voted against the idea that it would be unconstitutional still said they are holding out the option that they might not vote to convict.

So this process still has a long way to play out, but right now it appears unlikely that the votes are there to convict the former president. We should also point that out a bit of disturbing news, Senator Patrick Leahy -- who we mentioned -- will serve as the presiding judge in this impeachment trial. He was taken to the hospital after not feeling well. Senator Dick Durbin the second ranking Democrat in the United State Senate saying that his wife has reported back that Senator Leahy is fine. That the hospital trip was just out a abundance of caution. And said that Leahy could even be back in the Senate on Wednesday. But still, Leahy is playing a very important and historic role in this impeachment trial.

Ryan Nobles, CNN, on Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And as Ryan just reported, Republicans and Democrats remain mostly divided on the direction of Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham a strong ally if the former president told Fox News why he's against calling witnesses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): If there's an effort by the Democrats to call a single witness in the United States Senate, they have no record in the House, there will be delay of this trial, there will be Pandora's box being opened. We will want witnesses and this thing will go on for weeks, if not months. So I'm hoping that we have a trial based on a stipulation of facts, not witnesses and we get this behind us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Democrat Cory Booker meantime said he's disappointed more Republicans aren't willing to hold Trump accountable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): It is the second siege in American history to our capitol. The first was done by the British in the war of 1812. This other one, people trying to take the seat of power was done at his behest. He should be held accountable, I'm sorry that more of my colleagues in the Republican party could not see that. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Always great to have you, Larry.

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, Donald Trump's second impeachment is already overshadowing President Biden's effort to deal with a multitude of crises.

[04:20:00]

And now, it is looking unlikely that Democrats will get the required 17 Republican senators they need to help convict Trump if Tuesday's vote on the constitutionality of this trial is anything to go by. How do you see this trial playing out?

SABATO: Well I think the conclusion is obvious. The Republicans were never going to convict Donald Trump. Never. No matter what Mitch McConnell was saying, no matter what some other senators said to cover themselves because of Trump's outrageous actions on January the 6th.

What they're -- what they're doing now is giving themselves an excuse to vote no on conviction. They are going to say, oh, well you see it's unconstitutional. So even though I have doubts about what President Trump did on January 6th, I cannot possibly vote to convict him. It's unconstitutional. That's ridiculous. But that's what they're going to say.

CHURCH: So if that is the case what is the next move for the Democrats? What do they need to do given their aim is to ensure he doesn't ever become president for the United States of America ever again?

SABATO: The first thing they can do is to really pile up the evidence when they had the floor in the Senate during the trial. And goodness knows, there's plenty of evidence and much of it is video. So, I think it will tend to influence people in the audience, influence Americans who are watching, or even the evening news programs.

So that's a good thing. Because they want to make sure that the public stays with them. And the public is with them right now. As far as what they can do about Trump, there are other ways to approach this.

First of all, if in fact the Republicans refuse to convict Trump, which I think is very likely, they could move immediately to censure Trump, very strongly worded censure. It's a simple majority in both Houses, and of course Democrats control both Houses, narrowly. And once he is censured, they can use some means to keep him off the ballot in the future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): Many thanks to Larry Sabato talking to me earlier there.

Well a least 150 people have now been charged by the Justice Department in connection with the Capitol Hill riot on January 6th. It comes as the department says it's devoting special teams to look at the deaths of a police officer and a protester during the clashes. Brian Todd has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The manhunt for suspects in the Capitol assault is intensifying.

STEVEN D'ANTUONO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FBI WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE: We have identified more than 400 suspects in the breach of the Capitol and assaults on law enforcement officers.

TODD (voice-over): And the U.S. attorney says his office is considering charges of conspiracy and sedition, possibly against militia members who may have planned part of the siege in advance. Officials say they are also bolstering their investigation into the deaths of Capitol Hill Police Officer Brian Sicknick and rioter Ashli Babbitt.

MICHAEL SHERWIN, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.: Law enforcement, the bureau, the U.S. attorney's office has devoted specialized teams to look at both the death of Officer Sicknick and also the death of Babbitt, who was killed in the Capitol as well, so with excessive force investigations.

TODD (voice-over): Experts say prosecutors have some tough choices ahead as they round up suspects.

ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Do you allow people to cooperate? Do you try to use some of these insurrectionists against others? The biggest and most difficult decision the U.S. attorney is going to have is what do they do about the people who didn't physically go inside the Capitol but who incited potentially this riot?

TODD (voice-over): Meanwhile, the FBI still has not publicly identified who they are looking for in their investigation of the pipe bombs that were planted at Democratic and Republican Party headquarters on January 6th. A top FBI official saying today they are looking for tips from the public and they have identified images of the person, including close-ups of the suspect's shoes.

This comes as we get an extraordinary admission of failure regarding the January 6th attack from the acting chief of the Capitol Hill police. During a closed door briefing with Congress today, Chief Yogananda Pittman apologized that her department wasn't more prepared for the threat.

Saying in her prepared remarks, quote, we knew that militia groups and white supremacist organizations would be attending. We also knew that some of these participants were intending to bring firearms and other weapons to the event. We knew that there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target. This comes as sources tell CNN Capitol Hill police officers are debating whether to hold a no confidence vote targeting Pittman and other department leaders. One source is saying Pittman was the operational chief on January 6th but didn't take control of the radio or command officers what to do.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: A lot of people did drop the ball and there has to be some accountability for that. But just let me say, this doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of the Capitol police. I mean, there are other points of failure that need to be addressed. It's too much bureaucracy to make quick decisions. You've got a sergeant at arms, a House and Senate who failed to take action as well, a breakdown in intelligence.

[04:25:00]

TODD: Meanwhile, investigators are not limiting their arrests to those who were physically at the Capitol on January 6th. Authorities have announced the arrest of a man named Robert Lemke from California who prosecutors say texted the brother of a Congressman on January 6th, saying, quote, your brother is putting the entire country at risk with his lies and other words. We are armed and nearby your house, end quote. Prosecutors say he also sent a very similar text to the relatively of a journalist. CNN has not been able to identify a lawyer for Robert Lemke for comment.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Well as you heard in Brian's report the acting Capitol police chief told Congress the department failed during the Capitol riot. And we have heard some strong reaction from Democrats who were in that hearing. Representative Matt Cartwright, a Pennsylvania Democrat, told CNN it was only by pure dumb luck that elected officials, staffers and more capitol policemen were not killed.

And House appropriations committee chair, Rosa DeLauro said, quote, they had the information. They did not act on it. And a question that I have, and one that I think we need to get to the bottom of, is who made the decision not to act?

Well on Tuesday, President Biden signed four executive orders aimed at promoting racial equality. He paid particular tribute to George Floyd and called his death a turning point in the country's racial reckoning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Those 8 minutes and 46 seconds that took George Floyd's life opened the eyes of millions of Americans and millions of people all over the world. It was the knee on the neck of justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Among the orders signed by Biden, the Justice Department was directed to end contracts with privately run prisons. He ordered increased enforcement of a law designed to fight housing discrimination. He committed to strengthen relations with Native- American tribes and he made it government policy to condemn anti-Asian bias specifically in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

And just ahead, the United Kingdom hits a bleak coronavirus milestone. What Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to say about that. Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)