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Trump To Face Historic Second Impeachment Trial This Week; President Biden Weighs In On Reopening Schools Amid Coronavirus Pandemic; COVID-19 Variants; Super Bowl LV. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired February 07, 2021 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Only surviving son, Hunter's older brother Beau passed away from brain cancer in 2015.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. CNN NEWSROOM with Ana Cabrera starts right now.

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks for being with me on this Sunday. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York.

We are counting down to the unprecedented and history making second Senate impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump. One hundred men and women who will decide whether the former president is guilty of inciting a mob of his supporters last month resulting in the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.

At this hour a lot of unknowns including whether Democrats will call witnesses and how long the trial will last. More certain is that it'll be a nearly impossible feat to get 17 Republican senators to vote to convict. Members of the party are now faced with the question about whether a former president impeached twice is still the best representative for their party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET BRENNAN, CBS' "FACE OF THE NATION": You still believe President Trump is the best face for the Republican Party? Yes or no?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I think he's the -- I think, yes. I think Donald Trump's policies served the country well. I think Donald Trump has to rehabilitate himself as a politician.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: CNN's senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns joins us on Capitol Hill.

Joe, we heard from a number of Republican senators today about the odds Trump will be impeached or convicted, I should say. What are they saying?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Forty-eight hours ago we're really starting to see a refinement of the arguments especially from those members of the United States Senate who are probably most likely to vote against convicting the former president, and from Lindsey Graham, one of the most interesting things I heard him say today is something that has been playing in the background and that's the idea that the United States Senate is not the most appropriate forum given the fact that Donald Trump has already left office, suggesting that a court of law would be a more appropriate forum.

And that would be just one of the many points of view expressed by Republican members of the United States Senate today. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK TODD, NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS": Do you think the outcome is predetermined here?

SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Do I interpret --?

TODD: Yes.

CASSIDY: You know, everybody -- no, I don't. I think it depends upon that which is presented.

SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA): I think it's clearly constitutional to conduct a Senate trial with respect to an impeachment, in this case the impeachment occurred prior to the president's leaving office, but, you know, my job is going to be to listen to both sides of this, evaluate the arguments and make a decision.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): Zero chance of conviction, 45 Republicans have said it's not even a legitimate proceeding, so it's really over before it starts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: But the fact of the matter is it is still very tough to convict a United States president in an impeachment trial. In fact, you need 67 votes and there are only 50 Democrats in the United States Senate. If all of them voted the same way in order to convict you'd still need 17 Republicans, as you said, at the top, Ana.

And there is still a question now as to how they're going to proceed. What will be the parameters? There are questions about whether there will be witnesses, if so, how many. Which ones might be allowed to testify? Also, how long both sides will get to argue their cases before the United States Senate?

There is some belief that this will be a much shorter trial than the previous impeachment trials for presidents especially because it's seen as preordained. Also, a lot on the plate for the Senate besides the impeachment trial, including COVID relief and getting through President Biden's nominees.

Ana, back to you.

CABRERA: Joe Johns, thank you. Let me bring in CNN's senior political analyst and senior editor for

"The Atlantic" Ron Brownstein and former federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst Jennifer Rodgers.

Ron, we just heard from a number of Republican senators there. How much will this trial and how Republicans handle themselves shape where the party goes from here?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Really good question. First, just think about the implications of what so many of those senators are saying. It's basically a get out of jail free card for an attempt to override or subvert an election because if you succeed, you get another four years. If you fail and are caught, they are basically saying it is too late to do anything about it and you cannot be tried or convicted by the Senate.

I mean, it's just an incredible kind of position and one that's obviously ahistorical given the 19th century -- trial for an official after they left office. Look, I think this goes to the broader question. Does the Republican Party want to establish independence from Donald Trump or not?

Mitch McConnell last month seemed to view this impeachment trial as an opportunity to try to set a different direction, but the fact that Trump still controls the loyalty of a big portion of the Republican base has cooled that sentiment among so many Republicans.

[16:05:11]

So they are choosing in effect to allow him to remain their overlord by refusing to impose any sanctions on him through this trial.

CABRERA: You're right. They're allowing him to keep power.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

CABRERA: That's what I don't understand, given he doesn't have a huge platform in which he can, you know, exact his revenge if that's what they're afraid of.

Jennifer, we have a new video this weekend that just surfaced and underscores just how closely some of these insurrectionists were listening to Trump. We want to warn our viewers it contains graphic language but here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACOB CHANSLEY, "QANON SHAMAN": Donald Trump asked everybody to go home. He just said, just put out a tweet, it's a minute long. He asked everybody to go home. All I can say is, we won the fucking day. Donald Trump is still our president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: What stood out to me there, Jennifer, is that man known as the QAnon Shaman, Jacob Chansley, he says, it's time to go home because Trump said so. He was listening and paying attention to every word of the former president. How powerful is evidence like that?

JENNIFER RODGERS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It's really powerful, Ana, and it's not just those back end comments. It's the comments before the Capitol was breached when they were all saying, you know, let's go to the Capitol. The president is telling us to go to the Capitol.

You know, fight for Trump. Fight for Trump. All of those chants. So that's going to be critical evidences specially as you see the former president trying to raise a defense of, you know, he didn't really say anything that bad. His words didn't cause anything to happen.

It's really powerful to show that in fact they were listening to him and listening very carefully and doing exactly what he told them to do.

CABRERA: Ron, what's also so unusual about this trial is that it's taking place in a building that is still a crime scene. Congressman Brendan Boyle, he tweeted out a picture of a broken window that still remains at the Capitol a month after the insurrection. How much could these, you know, vivid physical reminders play in Democrats' favor this week?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think it's going to be very visceral for the country. The question is whether Republicans are willing to grapple with the full implications of what happened. And you know, what happened was the end of a process. As you know, Ana, it was not something that just kind of, you know, happened suddenly. It was not a sudden eruption.

It was the culmination of months of Trump trying to subvert the election with increasing complicity from other Republicans, who joined the lawsuit to overturn the ballots in four states, 24 million voters, who voted to throw out the results from Arizona and Pennsylvania even after the riot.

So, I mean, there are lots of questions about what others knew, whether others were involved beforehand. Trump did after. Did Kevin McCarthy call him? What did they discuss? It's not only the physical location, it's kind of the proximity of those who are judging these events and their involvement in the event that makes this such an unusual process.

CABRERA: Jennifer, we know the Trump defense team is planning to say this trial itself is un-constitutional because the president's out of office and that it violates his right to free speech to be trying him on this. You say in a real trial, a criminal court, the jury wouldn't even be allowed to hear the bogus defenses Trump's team is raising. Why do you think they're bogus?

RODGERS: Well, there are all sorts of reasons, Ana. I mean, the vast majority of constitutional scholars and historians have made clear that it's not un-constitutional to try former President Trump. The text of the Constitution, the Senate's history in doing all of this, the fact that he was impeached before he left office, everything indicates that in fact this is perfectly constitutional. And similarly, with the First Amendment it's not even clear that it

would apply in an impeachment proceeding. It's not a criminal proceeding. But there are categories of speech that are not protected by the First Amendment and calling for the commission of crimes, calling for imminent violence, those are the kinds of speech that don't get protection anyway no matter where you are.

So there is no question that these are not appropriate defenses. And in a criminal trial the judge would have ruled on these before trial. The jury which of course would also be a jury of people who didn't know the parties, didn't know the facts, and would only listen to the law as the judge gave it to them, would never even get to hear these arguments, which are so unsupported by facts and law.

So that is why this is just really very little like a typical criminal proceeding in a way that is going to benefit these Republicans who don't want to grapple with what the president, former president has done.

CABRERA: Yes. I don't think you would hear a juror say there is zero chance that we'll have a conviction like we heard from Rand Paul just today.

Ron, we also heard from Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley today of Massachusetts. She shared this sobering account of the riot aftermath with Jake Tapper.

[16:10:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY (D-MA): In one of the images that I'm haunted by is the black custodial staff cleaning up the mess left by that violent white supremacist mob. That is a metaphor for America. We have been cleaning up after violent white supremacist mobs for generations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Ron, what's your reaction to that?

BROWNSTEIN: It's a powerful statement. You know, and the image of that day, the comparison of how these rioters were treated by even the police that day, allowed to walk out of the building unmolested in most cases, and how that contrasted with the way Black Lives Matter protesters were treated.

But the fact is, is that in their decision since -- even though it was kind of bipartisan and immediate revulsion at what happened, in the month since Republicans have kind of drifted back to a very partisan corner and have kind of aligned behind the idea of, well, we got to look forward, not look back. We can't really kind of hold anyone accountable for this.

The risk of all of that, Ana, is that if there is not a full extrication of this, if there are not clear consequences for this, you may be getting this again. There is no reason to assume this is the end of the kind of white supremacist violence that the president has provided -- former president provided oxygen to for four years. And unless the country gets a handle on it as one extremism expert said to me we could look like Northern Ireland in four years with regular outbursts of political violence.

And again, that underscores the need for consequences that so many in the Republican Party have pulled away from since the immediate horror of that day.

CABRERA: And that reminds me of something we heard from Senator Wicker this morning, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, when he was asked if not a conviction in an impeachment trial how would you hold somebody like Trump accountable? And his response was, well, maybe in the court of public opinion, paraphrasing there, but let me quote the rest of it. He says, "If some criminal charge dawns on some prosecutor perhaps there is another avenue there."

What do you think, Jennifer?

RODGERS: Well, it's not just a matter of needing to dawn -- the idea needing to dawn on a prosecutor. They're looking into it right now. I mean, there's obviously a massive criminal investigation under way now. Whether or not the Department of Justice ends up charging former President Trump is an unknown but it certainly is possible.

You know, if there is no accountability here, in this political exercise, which it looks like there won't be, the next question is, are you going to seek legal accountability for what very well may be criminal acts by the former president? And that will be up to Merrick Garland to decide.

CABRERA: All right, Jennifer Rodgers and Ron Brownstein, really appreciate both of you. Thank you.

Coming up, former Alabama Senator Doug Jones, who lost his bid for re- election after voting to convict Trump during his first impeachment, shares his advice about what -- doing what's right no matter the political cost.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:17:59]

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): The oath that I took to the Constitution compelled me to vote for impeachment and it doesn't bend to partisanship. It doesn't bend to political pressure. It's the most important oath that we take and so I will stand by that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: That was the number three Republican in the House, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, explaining why she stands by her vote to impeach former President Trump, a vote that has led to serious backlash including the Wyoming Republican Party voting this weekend to censure her. My next guest knows all about weighing constitutional duty against

political pressures at home. And he is former Senator Doug Jones, a Democrat who is representing a deep red state, Alabama, during President Trump's first impeachment trial, and he's now a CNN political commentator.

Senator, so good to have you.

DOUG JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Ana. Good to be with you today.

CABRERA: During the last trial you were in a tough reelection fight but in the end you did what you thought was right even though some believe it cost you your office. So what advice would you give to senators feeling very conflicted right now?

JONES: I would tell them that there is no office worth, you know, compromising your principles and compromising your fiduciary duty, that duty that you took, the oath of office that you took, to uphold the Constitution of the United States. That is above everything. There is no office worth maintaining that when you have to compromise. And so I think people have to really look at the facts.

These facts are so much different than the facts from the first impeachment trial when you really had to kind of put a lot of pieces together and use a lot of circumstantial evidence. Here everything played out in public not just on January 6th but in social media, main stream media, speeches, everything else that led up to the election and then all of the stop the steal things that the president was saying leading up to that.

That really led and just culminated in January 6th, the insurrection that occurred. So I think it's a lot different but I would tell people, please, just dig down deep and remember that oath that you took when you were sworn in as a United States senator because that is the overriding thing that you need to show allegiance to. Not a person, not a party. But the Constitution of the United States.

[16:20:08]

CABRERA: Some of these Republican senators like Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are saying they are going to listen to the impeachment managers and really evaluate all the evidence. We still don't know if the impeachment managers plan to call witnesses at this trial. But take a listen to the warning already coming from Senator Rand Paul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: If they do want witnesses, there is going to be so much evidence that the president had nothing to do with this. It was planned previously on Facebook. The bombs were planted the night before. People were attacking the Capitol who weren't part of the speech. They were already attacking the Capitol while he was just beginning to give the speech down there. There is all kinds of evidence that goes against them. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: The part about the attack starting at the beginning of Trump's speech is a bit misleading at best. Let's put that aside. I want to tap into your legal expertise here. Do you agree that evidence like he just outlined would be beneficial to Trump and suggest he didn't incite the mob?

JONES: No, I think it's beneficial certainly and I think it's something that quite frankly I don't think the House managers should be afraid of because at the end of the day, it is the president of the United States who was sitting there and talking and telling people to go to the Capitol. That he was going to be there with them. And there's two things I want people to remember. First of all, when it comes to incitement, you know, he kind of stoked this crowd.

This crowd was ready to do something. So you don't have to say, I want you to go break out windows. I want you to hang Mike Pence. All you have to do is continue to stoke that flame in order to incite. He is not charged with planning. He is charged with inciting and making sure it happens.

The second thing that I think is really important is that the president in that speech says, let's go to the Capitol. I'm going to be there with you. But then he didn't go. Now a lot of people just kind of blow that past as something but the fact is I think at the impeachment managers really want to show something they can show that he didn't go because he knew there's going to be problems. That's the way I would approach this if I was prosecuting this case.

He said let's go, I'm going to be there with you. He got them fired up and he didn't go because he knew there's going to be problems and he knew those people are going to be listening just like the tape that you played a few moments ago where the guy said it's time for us to stand down. President Trump said leave. It's time to do that. They knew exactly what they were doing when they were listening to him and I think that is the House manager's best play.

CABRERA: If you were them, the House managers, would you call witnesses?

JONES: I'm not so sure I would. I think there is so much in the public record at this point. Remember, in the first impeachment trial you had so many things that went on behind closed doors with the chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, with John Bolton. Here everything played out in the media and in social media and in those speeches at rallies and things like that.

I don't know that I would. I'm not sure that they're absolutely necessary to put these pieces together. If I'm going to call somebody I might consider a Capitol police officer who said the moment they heard the president speak and the words he used they knew they were in for trouble. That goes -- that's almost like an expert witness who's got experience in these matters. That would be someone I would at least consider. Other than that, I think you're going to see them just make statements

but you're going to see a lot of show and tell. A lot of audio, visuals, all of those things I think is going to be the most compelling case for the House managers.

CABRERA: Impeachment trials are obviously always contentious but we are experiencing a moment in time where lawmakers are literally afraid for their lives after the insurrection. Take a listen to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RASHIDA TLAIB (D-MI): So it's hard. It's hard when my seven brothers and six sisters beg me to get protection, many urging me to get a gun for the first time, and I have to tell you the trauma from just being here, existing as a Muslim is so hard but imagine my team, which I love and just adore.

They are diverse. I have LGBTQ staff. I have a beautiful Muslim who wears her hijab proudly in the halls. I have black women who are so proud to be here to serve their country. And I worry every day for their lives because of this rhetoric. I never thought that they would feel unsafe here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: As someone who has served in that building, what is it like to hear a lawmaker now terrified to be in what is supposed to be the people's House?

JONES: Well, it hurts. It's a sad day for this country. It's a sad day for America. It's a sad day for all of those who work there. But it's a sad day for those who elected those officials. You know, I had the same diversity in my staff. I can imagine. And a lot of them are still up there and I worry about them.

[16:25:03]

I worry about my former colleagues up there as they go forward. And this is a really tough situation. And I hope people will look at this. When they're looking at what to do and what is the right thing under the Constitution, they need to remember those comments like that and whether they agree with politics, her politics or not, they need to think about the human lives that were at stake.

The human beings that were there who are putting their lives on the line every day now when they didn't ever dream that they would have to do that by just simply serving the American people in the most sacred places, political places of all in this country. And so I hope that folks will really dig down deep when they're looking at this, a bigger picture. Put their partisanship aside and make sure that they look at this as Americans not as a Republican or even as a Democrat. But as an American. And what we want to see in our Capitol going forward.

CABRERA: You have had a friendship with Joe Biden, the president, for more than 40 years. You know how much his family means to him. I want to play you what happened when the president was asked about his son Hunter and the new book Hunter Biden has written about battling addiction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know I'll bet you there is not a family you know that doesn't have somebody in the family who had a drug problem or an alcohol problem. But the honesty with which he stepped forward and talked about the problem and the hope, it gave me hope reading it. I mean, it was like my boy's back. You know what I mean? He's -- anyway, I'm sorry to get so personal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: What's your reaction to that?

JONES: Well, that's the Joe Biden I've known for 40 years. Not only a family man but somebody who believes in shooting straight with folks. And when you make mistakes, own up to them. Fess up to them. And you're a better person for it. And I know how he feels about his family. But he also feels about the American family that way as well. He wants people to move forward. He wants people to own up when they've made mistakes.

And as he always talks about his dad talking about him, you know, pick yourself up, Champ. We got another day to go. And that's the kind of person he is and that's why I believe he was so important at this moment in our history to lead this country because if people will listen to that and they will see his heart, they will understand that they may have some political differences but he's working for them.

It doesn't matter what political stripe they come from, he is going to be working for them just as if they were a member of his own family. He considers them to be a part of the bigger family, the American family.

CABRERA: Former Alabama Senator Doug Jones, great to have you with us. Look forward to having you back. Thank you.

JONES: Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: Up next Joe Biden sits down for his first network television interview as president. He also just weighed in on reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. We'll bring you what he said, next.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:30:00]

CABRERA: We have breaking news, brand-new interview with President Biden. His first network T.V. interview since taking office. He talked about taking over after the Trump administration. He also says it's time for schools to reopen but that they need to do it safely.

CNN White House Correspondent Arlette Saenz joins us now. What else did President Biden say?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, President Biden sat for that traditional, pre-Super Bowl interview, that aired just moments ago, and he, once again, expressed his commitment to reopening schools, saying that his CDC director will be releasing guidance for school re-openings as early as Wednesday. Take a listen to a bit more of what he told CBS a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the disappointments was -- when we came into office, is the circumstances relating to how the administration was handling COVID was even more dire than we thought.

NORAH O'DONNELL, ANCHOR, CBS NEWS: The Trump administration.

BIDEN: The Trump administration. We thought they indicated that was a lot more vaccine available, and it didn't turn out to be the case. So, that's why we've ramped up every way we can.

I got a call, through Commissioner Goodell, saying we could have all 32 NFL stadiums available for mass vaccinations. We are --

O'DONNELL: Are you going to use them, NFL stadiums, to vaccinate?

BIDEN: Absolutely we will. I mean, let me put it this way. I'm going to tell my team they're available and I believe we'll use them.

Look, it was one thing if we had enough vaccine, which we didn't. So, we're pushing as hard as we can to get more vaccine manufactured.

O'DONNELL: You're President of the United States, Commander-In-Chief. Can you do something, in terms of going to Moderna, going to Pfizer, saying, we need more production?

BIDEN: Yes, I think, because we've already done it. But the idea that this can be done and we can get to herd immunity much before the end of next -- this summer is very difficult.

O'DONNELL: Let's turn to schools.

BIDEN: Sure.

O'DONNELL: About 20 million American children have not been in the classroom for nearly a year. There's a mental health crisis happening.

BIDEN: There really is.

O'DONNELL: Women are dropping out of the work force. Is this a national emergency?

BIDEN: It is a national emergency. It genuinely is a national emergency.

O'DONNELL: Do you think it's time for schools to reopen? BIDEN: I think it is time for schools to reopen safely. Safely. You

have to have fewer people in the classroom. You have to have ventilation systems that have been reworked. Our CDC commissioner was going to be coming out with science-based judgment within, I think, as early as Wednesday as the layout of what the minimum requirements are.

[16:35:03]

O'DONNELL: It's so hard with kids not being able to play sports now. A lot of kid.

BIDEN: It really is. I think about the price. So, many of my grandkids and your kids are going to pay for not having had the chance to finish whatever it was. That graduation where you didn't get to walk across the stage. I think they're going through a lot, these kids.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAENZ: And the President was very diplomatic and did not say which team he thought would win the Super Bowl this evening. But he was asked who he would rather receive a pass from, Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes? The President, ultimately, said he would go with the younger guy, Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback, Mahomes. And he noted that Brady is old in, quote, "NFL terms." We will see how old Tom Brady looks in just a few hours -- Ana.

CABRERA: Oh, don't we all wish we could have the longevity of Tom Brady to be at the top of his game so long. Arlette Saenz, I appreciate it. Thank you for bringing us that interview.

A programming note now. The new secretary of state, Antony Blinken, will join Wolf Blitzer for his first CNN interview, tomorrow in "THE SITUATION ROOM.". You can tune in for that, again with Tony Blinken. That's beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern in the Sit Room.

Ahead, new concerns about a more contagious Coronavirus variant spreading quickly across the United States. We have a new study that now shows cases of this variant are doubling here roughly every 10 days. More details just ahead. You're live in the CNN Newsroom.

[16:36:36]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: More breaking news this afternoon. A new study has found the more contagious COVID-19 variant, first identified in the U.K., is spreading rapidly across the U.S., doubling its prevalence among confirmed cases every week and a half, every 10 days. CDC modeling released last month showed this variant could become the predominant one in the U.S. by March.

Dr. Melissa Clarke is part of the Washington, D.C. Advisory Committee for vaccine distribution and joins us now. Dr. Clarke, this study estimate that this variant is 35 percent to 45 percent more transmissible and that community spread of this variant is already ongoing here. How concerning is this? DR. MELISSA CLARKE, MEMBER, D.C. ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR VACCINATION

DISTRIBUTION: That's very concerning and thanks for having me. You know, we really have to-- in this time where it appears that cases are going down and we're getting over that surge that we had related to the holidays, we really have to double down and make sure that those precautions that we know to take, that we're definitely taking it.

So, upgrading our masks. Making sure we limit our time in the grocery store. That we avoid indoor gatherings. Today is Super Bowl Sunday so that's a great time to start to do that. And really make sure that we are protecting ourselves because this is more infectious and we have to take it very seriously.

CABRERA: Dr. Fauci has said the U.S. and its vaccine distribution and administration is in a race against these variants. Is the U.S. vaccinating people fast enough to stay ahead of new variants?

CLARKE: I think we are definitely improving in our addressing the vaccine distribution issue. But the problem that's coming up is equity. And in terms of being able to make sure that the populations that have been disproportionately affected by the Coronavirus ever since the beginning of the pandemic, so disproportionately exposed, lack of testing, being front-line workers, those communities of color that they are getting equal access to the vaccine. And we've seen problems with that, unfortunately.

CABRERA: I know, you're right. The data we were discussing just yesterday on my show as well that there is a disproportionate amount of the vaccine getting to people in communities of color, especially compared to how much those communities are impacted by the virus.

We know there are additional vaccines that are still coming, right, in the pipeline at least right now. Only two have been authorized. Here is what a professor of vaccinology at Oxford University said about working on a new version of the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine to help tackle the variant first identified in South Africa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH GILBERT, LEAD RESEARCHER, OXFORD VACCINE: We have a version with the South African spike (ph) sequence in the works. It's not quite ready to vaccinate people yet. This year, we expect to show that the new version of the vaccine will generate antibodies that recognize the new variant.

And then, it will be very much like working on flu vaccines. So, people will be familiar with the idea that we have to have new components, new strains in the flu vaccine every year to keep up with the main flu strains that are circulating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Now, the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine has not yet been authorized in the U.S. But is it too late to eradicate COVID-19, meaning we will have to get a COVID shot every year, similar to the flu shot? CLARKE: I think, you know, we're going to have to only see if time

tells. Certainly, we are seeing the variants pop up. And the longer the variants have time to spread in the population, the more variants we're going to see.

So -- but we have to make sure that the sooner that we vaccinate people that will make -- help to make sure that those variants don't continue to spread. So, as we're looking for solutions to that issue of equitable vaccine distribution, let's look at community-based organizations, for example, that are ready to step up to the plate and partner with health care institutions to address those systemic access barriers that we've been encountering.

So that we can get the vaccine to people where they live, where they socialize, where they worship. So, even churches getting involved in getting the vaccines, whether it's the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, whether it's the Johnson & Johnson, whether it's the AstraZeneca.

[16:45:01]

CLARKE: Once those approved -- are approved, we need to make sure that we are closing that gap in disparity.

CABRERA: We know the NFL is saying they're going to open every stadium for mass vaccination sites going forward. And I think about that because it's Super Bowl weekend. And if you just take a look at the scenes that we are getting out of Tampa, Florida today, where crowds of people are gathering. This is outside in the street. But, still, many without masks. And, virtually, no social distancing. Are you concerned that Super Bowl parties could be super spreader events?

CLARKE: I'm extremely concerned. And, as I said before, we're lucky and very fortunate that cases and hospitalizations and deaths have been going down since that surge. But now, we're facing the issues not just of Super Bowl parties, but the fact that it's going to be spring soon and spring fever is going to set in. And people are -- have been caged up in their homes all winter and are going to want to get out.

And so, I would caution everybody, please remember to continue to practice those behaviors and not get COVID fatigue. And continue to mask, continue to distance, continue to avoid crowds.

CABRERA: Can't give us those reminders enough. Dr. Melissa Clarke, it's great to have you with us. Thank you so much.

CLARKE: Thanks so much for having me.

CABRERA: Brady versus Mahomes. It could be a Super Bowl for the ages tonight. CNN's Coy Wire is in Tampa for us -- Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Happy Super Bowl Sunday, Ana. Here we are just hours away from a Super Bowl that many thought would never happen during a pandemic. Tom Brady and the Bucs became the first team to make it to the big game in their home stadium. They're taking on the defending champion, Chiefs. We've got your big story lines coming up. Stay with us. [16:46:58]

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CABRERA: It's football fans' most anticipated day of the year. Super Bowl Sunday is finally here. We still have two more hours before kick- off so keep it right here. You're not going to miss anything. And we've got the pregame covered, too, as the Kansas City Chiefs get ready to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. CNN's Coy Wire is joining us now from Tampa, Florida. And, Coy, the Bucs, obviously, will have a home-field advantage. And this is the first time in Super Bowl history.

WIRE: Yes.

CABRERA: Set the stage for us.

WIRE: Oh, my goodness. Well, you might hear music. That's a Miley Cyrus concert going on, a private tailgate for the 7,500 vaccinated health care workers that'll be attending the game. But talking about this game, it's historic. Perhaps the greatest quarterback matchup we've ever seen. Mahomes for the Chiefs. Just 25 years old. Defending Super Bowl champ. MVP. Jaw-dropping displays of athleticism. They call him Magic Mahomes.

He is trying to lead the Chiefs to be the first to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles since the Patriots did it 16 years ago with Tom Brady leading the way. Now, 43 years old. He made his first Super Bowl appearance in 2002. Patrick Mahomes was just six years old. Brady now in his 10th Super Bowl. Of course, it would be him who finally leads a team to be the first to make it to a Super Bowl being played in his home stadium.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMERON BRATE, TIGHT END, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Since we signed Tom in March, like, everybody joked around, yes, Bucs are going to be in the Super Bowl at home. And here we are.

ROB GRONKOWSKI, TIGHT END, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: It's the first time ever happening in history. So, you know, it's, like, mind boggling actually.

TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: I'm happy I'm in my own bed. I'm happy I'm eating good stuff at home. I'm happy I'm -- I had extra time to prepare. Don't have to travel. Don't have to unpack my clothes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Now, whether you're a sports fan or not, the Super Bowl has something for everyone. Whether it's the weekend's halftime show or how about prop bets? Always fun. Like, Ana, how long will the national anthem last? Is it over or under two minutes and 15 1/2 seconds? Eric Church and Jasmine Sullivan will be performing that. Will Patrick Mahomes be called Baby GOAT during the broadcast? Or how

about Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's mask design? Chiefs logo, Hawaiian themed. He's been known to have fun with those throughout the season. And which head coach will have nostrils showing first during the game? A sign of the times, Ana. And, yet, another reminder that this, indeed, will be a Super Bowl like never before.

CABRERA: Yes, of course, because it's, like, whose mask is going to slip down, right? Is what -- that's what that last one is about. Too funny. My son, who's nine today, goes, hey, mom, did you know that some people just watch the Super Bowl for the commercials? And I was thinking, hum, yes, that's true, isn't it? Like you said, something for everyone.

WIRE: I wish you a very happy Super Bowl. I have to know, what are you guys going to be eating for Super Bowl?

CABRERA: Oh, chips and guacamole is my absolute favorite. What about you?

WIRE: My wings are ordered. I'm ready to go.

CABRERA: OK. Sounds good. Thank you, Coy. We'll talk to you soon.

Now, President Biden will probably one of -- be one of the millions who is watching tonight's game. Here was his very diplomatic answer on who he thinks will win tonight's game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'DONNELL: So many people may not know that you were once a pretty good receiver, yourself, back in the day.

BIDEN: I had wild dreams. It wouldn't be a president. I thought I could be a flanker back in the NFL.

O'DONNELL: But as a former receiver, which quarterback would you rather have throw to you? Tom Brady or Mahomes?

BIDEN: Obviously, Brady is a great quarterback. Mahomes seems like he's got a lot of potential.

[16:55:02]

BIDEN: And so, I'd probably take a shot with the young guy I didn't expect as much from.

O'DONNELL: You thinking the Kansas City Chiefs may win?

BIDEN: Well, I didn't say that. I don't know who's going to win. I think they're both great quarterbacks. One is just a younger version potentially of an old, great quarterback. Not old. In NFL terms old.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: And live pictures now from Tampa. This is the Super Bowl experience. A quick break. We'll be right back.

[16:55:34]

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