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Cuomo Denies Cover-up; U.S. Reports Low COVID Case Count; Novavax Vaccine Trial; Utah GOP Hails Differences; Millions without Power in Texas. Aired 9:30-10a ET.

Aired February 16, 2021 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): But until late last month, New York only accounted separately for people who died from COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, like nursing homes. The data didn't include the number of residents from those facilities who died after they were transferred to a hospital or elsewhere.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): I understand the public had many questions and concerns and the press had many questions about nursing homes primarily. And I understand that they were not answered quickly enough.

JONES: A tipping point came during a private video call between the governor's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, and Democratic state lawmakers. DeRosa told the state lawmakers that the governor's office delayed giving updated information to them after then President Trump's Department of Justice sent an inquiry about nursing home deaths in the state because, quote, basically we froze because then we were in a position where we weren't sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we give to you guys, what we start saying, was going to be used against us.

Her words and admission that the administration stalled on showing a true picture of just how many nursing home residents died, just as the governor was lauded globally for his pandemic response.

EMILY MUNSON, REPORTER, "ALBANY TIMES": Between his Emmy for his coronavirus press briefings, to Governor Cuomo's book, to his speech at the Democratic National Convention, Governor Cuomo has been held up as the model governor in his coronavirus response, even though New York was so hard hit by the virus early on.

JONES: Cuomo arguing Monday, much the same as his top aide, that the request for data at the time was politically motivated and came amid many other competing priorities as the state was struggling to contain the virus.

CUOMO: There was a lot going on. Everybody was working 24 hours a day. Everybody was overwhelmed. We were in the midst of dealing with a pandemic and trying to save lives. They were answering DOJ.

JONES: But now he's taking heat from both sides of the New York legislature. You're only sorry that you all got caught, tweeted Democratic State Senator Alessandra Biaggi. Other Democrats are actively discussing drafting a bill to strip Cuomo of his emergency powers. And Republicans in the state going even further, declaring Cuomo should be investigated.

NICK LANGWORTHY, NEW YORK GOP CHAIRMAN: The gravity of this cover-up cannot be overstated.

JONES: And using the word "impeachment."

LANGWORTHY: Andrew Cuomo must be prosecuted and Andrew Cuomo must be impeached if this evidence exists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Now, state Democrats say that bill to repeal the governor's expanded executive powers will likely be introduced this week and voted on early next week with one source telling CNN, it's definitely going to happen. They have also discussed an inquiry into why this happened and how to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, there are so many answers needed here and some straight talk all around.

Athena, thank you for that important reporting.

President Biden is standing by his commitment to administer 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office. Moments ago, Biden tweeted that he believes the administration will not only meet that goal, Jim, but exceed it.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

HARLOW: He says, we will break it.

SCIUTTO: We'll see. Folks want the vaccines, or most people do.

Let's bring in CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Sanjay, this news comes as the U.S. is reporting the lowest number of new infections in months. I mean a fraction of where it was at the peak last fall. We spoke with Dr. Paul Offit last week and his theory is that more of the country has been exposed than those numbers indicate there, 27 million people, and, therefore, more of the country, perhaps three or four times, has some immunity. I wonder if you agree with that.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. No, I do. And I've talked to Paul Offit about this. If you look at the numbers on the screen, some 27 million confirmed infections. But as you point out, I mean the model suggests that because we were so -- we were under testing for so long, the actual numbers of exposures are probably, you know, closer to 90 to 100 million. And they probably have some degree of immunity.

We've seen that same sort of -- that same sort of population immunity account for decreasing rates in other countries around the world, for example, like India. So it's quite possible. Add to that, they seem to have more adherence to the basic public health strategies we've been talking about for a year and still probably coming off some of the surge from the holidays and the numbers are, thankfully, coming down.

The hospitalizations are still right now higher than the previous peaks. So I think the context is important here. Downward trend important. But we're still, you know, at these unimaginably high numbers compared to what -- where we thought we would be a year ago.

HARLOW: Sanjay, Novavax has -- obviously, a vaccine maker -- it's not -- it's not approved in the U.S. yet, but they tell CNN that they're testing a new version of the COVID-19 vaccine to specifically target the coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa.

[09:35:01]

What should we take from that? I mean when you look at the vaccines already in the pipeline, are we in a good position to fully combat these new variants?

GUPTA: You know, I am optimistic about this. And I think it a little bit depends on how you frame the conversation. I mean what is it that we expect of our vaccines? If the idea is that -- like my parents got the vaccine. They're able to, I think, with great confidence, be able to say that they're not likely to get very sick, require hospitalization or die from this. Can they still become infected? Could they have milder illness? Perhaps yes.

You know, we showed the Johnson & Johnson data, for example. A lot of people paid attention to this because it was the first data to show that there was a difference in terms of how well the vaccine worked against certain strains.

You know, the South African trial, where the -- where the variant was circulating wildly, this variant from South Africa was circulating wildly, 57 percent when it comes to moderate disease. But across the board, it -- this vaccine was 85 percent protective against severe disease. That includes all the variants. And there was no hospitalizations or deaths. I think that that's -- that's really important and that's what makes me optimistic.

SCIUTTO: Sanjay, we've heard from some doctors about the greater likelihood that what you'll need to combat new variants are booster shots to a vaccine rather than an entirely new vaccine. Kind of the way we deal with the flu, right, seasonally. And I wonder if, based on what we know now, is it still the booster path or entirely new vaccines as the path?

GUPTA: So, you know, if you -- if you think of the booster sort of as saying, hey, we're going to give you another shot of the same thing, that's sort of the booster, that's the -- the two-shot model that we have now with Moderna and Pfizer, I think we're starting to hear the other option, Jim, whether you call it a totally different vaccine or a retooled vaccine.

The idea that you're changing the genetic code a little bit within the vaccine to then account for these strains, these new strains, I think is -- it's pretty exciting science, I've got to tell you. You know, I mean, it takes years of we -- as we've said, to create new vaccines. They think they can retool these mRNA vaccines within weeks, for example. So that's probably what it will be.

SCIUTTO: And to be clear, just for my own edification, is that similar to like the seasonal flu shot, right? Because you kind of retool the flu shot every season to kind of account for new strains of the flu, right? I mean is that -- is that a model?

GUPTA: Yes, it's a model, but this -- but the mRNA vaccine is a totally different kind of vaccine.

SCIUTTO: Got it. Yes.

GUPTA: It's almost more like computer code than a biologic therapeutic.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

GUPTA: I just think it's amazing science. So, you know, worth continuously beating the drum on that.

SCIUTTO: No, no.

HARLOW: Yes, it is -- it's amazing.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

HARLOW: And great. I mean a matter of weeks, Sanjay. Wow.

Thank you. We'll see you soon. >

GUPTA: You got it.

HARLOW: As some state parties vote to censure Republicans who voted to convict the president, Utah taking a very different route. The chairman of the state's Republican Party is here next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:42:26]

HARLOW: Welcome back.

So the North Carolina Republican Party has censured Senator Richard Burr, their fellow Republican. Why? Because he voted to convict former President Trump during his second impeachment trial. Burr is the second Republican senator to be censured since that vote and several other Republican members of Congress are also facing backlash in their own censure.

But in Utah, where Senator Mitt Romney voted to convict Trump and Senator Mike Lee voted to acquit him, the Utah Republican Party has taken a very different route. They put out a statement that said this. Quote, there is power in our differences as a political party and we look forward to each senator explaining their votes to the people of Utah. Disagreement is natural and healthy in a party that is based on principles, not on persona.

Derek Brown is here with me this morning. He's the chairman of the Republican Party of Utah.

It's amazing when you make the news for celebrating a diversity of thought, but that is where we are, Derek. Thanks for being with me this morning.

DEREK BROWN, CHAIRMAN, UTAH REPUBLICAN PARTY: Hey, thanks, Poppy. Good to be with you. Appreciate it.

HARLOW: So there is something circulating, and we don't know who wrote it, but apparently a lot of Republicans have signed on to it that would censure Mitt Romney. I know it's not yours, it's not directly from the party. There's a big distinction. But I bring it up because I just wonder in general, do you think that these moves by states to censure their own Republican senators and members of the House is going to help your party in future elections?

BROWN: You know, ultimately, I think this is a time for the Republican Party to look forward, to take stock of where we are, think carefully about what are the principles that we believe in and that we rally around as conservatives and as Republicans, and then to move forward. I mean and this is a perfect opportunity for us to do that.

And I feel like here in Utah, you know, although there are differing opinions and, in fact, you know, I have my own opinion of, you know, what things have happened. As a party, I think this is a -- sort of a great opportunity for us to think about the fact that we have two senators who experienced effectively the same set of facts and came to differing conclusions.

And that's OK. That's normal. That's healthy. And I think that is a hallmark of a healthy political party.

HARLOW: "The Salt Lake Tribune" reports that the Utah Republican Party that you chair has lost 7,600 members since the insurrection at the Capitol. And I know you have questions about that data, but it -- there's a big divide. That's 61 percent of all the folks who have left either the Democratic Party or non-affiliated registration in your state.

Silvia Harrow is one of them.

[09:45:01]

She's quoted in the piece saying, I just don't recognize the party. It's not the Republican Party anymore. It's a Trump party. What do you say to her and thousands of others who feel the same given

these numbers?

BROWN: Well, I think this is the time really for the Republican Party to think back on what are those conservative principles that we stand for. I mean here in Utah, we're a conservative state. We govern conservatively.

And I think what I would say to Silvia and those like Silvia are, let's come back to the principles. I mean here in Utah, for instance, you can't buy a home at the moment because so many people are moving here. We have so many -- I mean our economy is strong and we have so many things going for us. And these are because we govern in a conservative way. And we're open to differing thought processes.

And I appreciate that about Utah. And that's one of the things that we wanted to convey with this statement is that there are -- there is a diversity of thought. And that's OK. That's normal. That's healthy.

HARLOW: But at some point the party needs to decide which direction it goes in nationally, right, when you talk about who is your next candidate going to be to try to retake the White House.

There's a new Gallup poll, it just came out, 68 percent of Republicans believe Trump should remain the leader of the party. Lindsey Graham says he should play a major role in 2022. Nikki Haley says basically, run as far away from him as you can.

Who's right?

BROWN: Well, right now, I think this is -- this is why the statement that we've issued as a Republican Party here in Utah is so critical because ultimately when I ran for this position, I said, what we need to do is we need to elect good conservatives, rally around them, and let them espouse those conservative principles that they believe in and support them. And this is one of those moments to do that.

HARLOW: Is former President Trump a good conservative who espouses those principles?

BROWN: Well, and I think that's -- well, we need to have confidence in the Republicans. And rather than the party, individuals like myself --

HARLOW: That's not what I asked.

BROWN: Well, rather than me telling people, here's what you need to do and censuring people that I may not agree with, I think this is that moment for us to collectively sort of think about, what is it that we stand for? What are those principles? And then sort of chart a pathway looking forward.

And a lot of things like talks of censure, talks of the past president, things like that, really are an effort, I think, to sort of look over our shoulder, to look backwards. And I think this is the chance where we can look forward. And we really need to look forward as a party. HARLOW: Well, that sounds like you don't want people focusing on Trump

as the future of the party.

BROWN: Well, what I want people focusing on, just like the statement that we released yesterday, are the principles that made America strong, the principles of conservativism. And here in Utah, we have a different way of going about doing this. In fact, we made the news last November because we have a governor candidate, a Republican governor candidate, Spencer Cox, who appeared together in a commercial with his Democrat opponent. And the two of them together that --

HARLOW: I remember that commercial.

BROWN: Remember that?

HARLOW: It was a great one. Yes.

BROWN: I mean viral. Well, it went viral. And all they did was the two of them basically said, hey, we're here together. We differ on policy, obviously, but we're friends.

HARLOW: right.

BROWN: And whatever happens in November, we're friends. We agree on the outcome of what's good for Utah. And that's -- that's what we want.

HARLOW: No, I -- it was a great commercial. I wish we'd see a lot more of it.

Let me just ask you this finally because, as you know, Evan McMullin, who was the chief policy director for the House Republican Conference, is from your great state of Utah. And he was on the show last week. And he's helping lead this effort maybe to break off and to have a center right separate Republican Party. He said the party is in a terrible place, he told me. It has become a destructive force for American politics.

Do you think it's time for a separate center right Republican Party?

BROWN: No, I think it's time for the Republicans to look forward and come together rather than splintering. I think the important thing is to unify. And that's the essence of what I want to do as the chair of the Utah Republican Party.

And we have been doing that here. And that's one of the reasons we had so many successes last November is because rather than doing what McMullin is saying and splintering and trying to sort of create a different factions within the party, I think it's important that we come together and we unify. And that's why the conservative principles we stand for are so important. They are what will unify us, not persona, but principles.

HARLOW: Derek Brown, chairman of the Utah Republican Party. It's so nice to have you. Come back soon.

BROWN: Thanks, Poppy. Appreciate it.

HARLOW: OK.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:53:59]

HARLOW: Right now there is a dangerous freeze, a deep freeze across much of the United States because of this huge winter storm blanketing so much of the country.

SCIUTTO: Yes, including in places you normally wouldn't expect it this bad this time of year. More than 200 million Americans are under winter weather alerts this morning. Unusually frigid temperatures and icy conditions have left nearly 5 million people without power and most of those outages occurring in hard-hit Texas. That's Dallas you're seeing there.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Dallas for us this morning.

Ed, what's the situation there and, in particular, why the lack of power?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, you know, the bottom line is here is that what we're seeing is an unmitigated disaster here in Texas in terms of the amount of power that is generated. State officials and the governor have been blaming, among other things, unprecedented demand for power. Yes, we knew that was coming when this winter storm was coming, but other local and city officials saying that there are much bigger problems here at play.

[09:55:01]

So there's a great deal of finger pointing going on here in this state as everyone tries to get more than 4 million people back on to the power grid.

It has been a brutal night here in the state of Texas. Houston Police reporting that a family of four were found suffering from the effects of carbon monoxide. They were sleeping in a car in their attached garage. And according to Houston Police, a woman and young child were found dead inside that car. So these are deadly situations that we're dealing with.

Here in Dallas, the convention center you see behind me, has been turned into a warm shelter for hundreds of homeless people here on the streets of Dallas. So there's a great deal of concern. And the fact of the matter is, is that we don't really have any clear update, Jim and Poppy, right now as to exactly when the power is going to be on for these millions of people here in this state.

SCIUTTO: Well, they need it. Let's hope it changes quickly.

Ed Lavandera there. Thanks very much. For the first time in a very long time, the U.S. is seeing encouraging coronavirus trends. So what is the reason for this? We're going to speak with Dr. Anthony Fauci coming up in just a few minutes. You'll want to watch.

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