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Life Inside the Palace; England Gradually Getting Back to Normal Life; Mixed Feelings Felt by Students; COVID Relief Bill on the Way to Approval by the House and the Senate; Pope Francis Iraq Visit a Success; Migrants Hoping to Enter U.S.; Duke and Duchess of Sussex Out with a Bombshell; U.K. Variant Now in 46 States; Governor Cuomo Not Stepping Down Despite Allegations; Protesters Expected During Derek Chauvin's Trial. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 08, 2021 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): 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, in a deeply personal interview, the duchess of Sussex says the royal family had concerns about her son's skin color, and she revealed the pressures at one point made her suicidal.

Vaccination rates are up, but health officials are warning COVID variants could spark another wave if Americans are not careful.

And jury selection starts today in the trial of a former police officer accused of killing George Floyd. His death sparked a summer of protests in the United States.

Good to have you with us.

The duke and duchess of Sussex are really revealing many stunning claims about their relationship with Britain's royal family. The overarching message in Harry and Meghan's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey was that they didn't feel supported. Meghan says life as a member of the royal family had become so isolating and lonely for her that she contemplated suicide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear, and real, and frightening constant thought. But we needed to go to this event, and I remember him saying, I don't think you can go. And I said, I can't be left alone.

OPRAH WINFREY, TV HOST: Because you were afraid of what you might do to yourself?

MEGHAN: And we went and that -- (CROSSTALK)

WINFREY: I'm sorry to hear that.

MEGHAN: And that picture, if you zoom in what I can see is how tightly his knuckles are gripped around mine. You can see the whites of our knuckles because we are smiling and doing our job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And another stunning revelation, Harry and Meghan say there were questions about what color their son, Archie's skin might be before he was born but the couple would not reveal who discussed it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN: And, also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born.

WINFREY: What?

MEGHAN: And --

WINFREY: Who -- who is having that conversation with you? What?

MEGHAN: So --

WINFREY: There is a conversation, hold on --

(CROSSTALK)

MEGHAN: There are several conversations.

WINFREY: There's a --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Well, Buckingham Palace has not yet commented on the interview.

CNN's Anna Stewart joins us now from outside Windsor Castle with more. Good to see you, Anna. So, this bombshell interview lived up to expectations, it would lift the lid on the British monarchy with damning revelations of racism directed at baby Archie, and Meghan contemplating suicide, serious allegations. How damaging is this and how the newspapers are responding to all of this.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: This is hugely damaging to the royal family, and I think it will take them some time to really weigh through that entire interview for the palace to formulate a plan as to what they're going to do and what they are going to say. Usually, of course, they have something of a no comment policy, but I would expect them to comment on what are some really serious allegations.

Meghan saying, she felt suicidal at times, that she asked the institution for help but received none. Also, the suggestion that there was a conversation between Prince Harry and a member of the royal family, unnamed, about concerns about how dark the skin of their unborn child might be. Absolutely extraordinary claims.

We also, Rosemary, got an insight into the relationship Prince Harry has with the rest of the royal family, fraught relationship with his brother Prince William and his father, Prince Charles. Take a listen to this part.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: When we were in Canada I had three conversations with my grandmother and two conversations with my father before he stop taking my calls. And then, said, can you put all this in writing what your plan is?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:05:04]

STEWART (on camera): So clearly, Prince Harry also feel somewhat isolated there. Interestingly, both Prince Harry and Meghan, both had lots of great things to say about her majesty the queen, and actually Prince Harry says that he speaks more to her now than he has done in years.

In terms of how the tabloids are reacting to it, it's quite interesting they put out several editions overnight. Some of them had an edition halfway through an interview and then release additional at 3 a.m. I can show you some of them, the shops don't have them because there have been so many editions through the night.

We got The Daily Mail, Meghan accuses palace of racism. Daily Mirror, they ask how dark Archie's skin would be, and the Sun is going, with Meg, I felt suicidal.

Now these are the tabloid papers that the duke and duchess of Sussex have taken issue with many times in the past, often with legal battles. Meghan has been victorious in one against the Mail on Sunday. They are going to profit from these insights from this interview from this publicity, but at least I suppose from the couple's point of view, they are able to control the narrative at least for today. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Indeed. Anna Stewart, joining us live from Windsor. Many thanks for that.

So, let's bring in CNN royal commentator, Kate Williams. She joins us from London. Thank you so much for talking with us.

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.

CHURCH: And of course, in the shocking tell-all interview, Meghan reveals she felt suicidal, the royal family had concerns about Archie's skin color, denied him a title and security, and so much more. What was your reaction to this bombshell interview? WILLIAMS: Well, Rosemary, you know, this was, as you say, a bombshell

interview. It was their truth. Their story and it was a story we haven't heard. And we realized watching this interview how many falsehoods how many false stories have been spread, particularly about Meghan, but also about the couple.

And really, you have a situation in which that one of the earlier situations that there were actually secretly married before the royal wedding fell by the wayside because so much was talked about. Oprah began with a wonderful wedding pictures and it really showed us what has happened here.

We had this fantastic wedding, we're all there covering it for CNN, a beautiful day, And I, personally was really hoping that the racist coverage we've seen before the wedding was going to stop. Now it actually got worse. And this wonderful wedding, the biracial woman, a black woman in the royal family, it looks like the future modernizing.

It has now, obviously, it is now a crisis for the royal family. Because there are serious allegations, just as you and Anna was saying, the serious allegations that Meghan felt suicidal while she was pregnant in a very painful mirroring. Diana was part suicidal when she was pregnant with Harry and no one would help her.

Meghan felt suicidal, she long to go over treatment, she was told you can't, it will make the institution look bad, and at the same time as she was suffering this, there are these conversations going on in which Archie was not to be given a title, and because of prince, and because he had the title of prince he wouldn't get security which of course, it's terrifying for them.

I mean, racist memes were circulating about Archie even before he was born. There is this royal family member who asked about Archie's skin color, and these are really very serious. This was a couple who told their story and it was one of being completely unsupported in the royal family.

Harry said, if we had support, we would still be there. I.e., they wouldn't have step back. So if they had the support and that was both emotional support for them, support for Meghan and her mental health, but particularly support against the British press, the British tabloids who Harry was desperately defending Meghan, but no one else was saying, as Harry put it, call the dogs off, stop attacking us. Stop.

We saw this unfair coverage that everything that other royal women had done from closing car doors to eating avocados to wearing long strap dresses. Meghan, that was fine for other women, but Meghan was attacked for it.

And really, I think it was made clear that Harry and Meghan felt they did everything, this is what they said, they did everything they could to stay inside the royal family and it was impossible. So, these big questions, where was the support? What about Meghan's mental health? What about these questions, these racist questions about Archie? And really, how were they -- why were -- how were they're treated? And

the fact was, everyone was so excited, it was the future of the royal family, and in less than two years they had to feel. And clearly, in this interview they explain why. And it was shocking and very moving, and they were obviously very brave to tell the story and to speak out in the way they did.

CHURCH: That's the big question, isn't it? Because, I mean, this is such a repeat situation to what happened to the late Princess Diana. They are going to need to address this.

[03:10:02]

The royal family will need to put out some sort of response because of these allegations are so serious. It's not usually their way, but how would they do that? Would they simply deny, which is obviously an option? Or will they explain?

WILLIAMS: Well, what we will see is a situation in which I think they have to think about this, no one knew what was going to be in this interview, no early copies were released so they didn't know. And we heard last week a lot of stories about Meghan, a lot of stories, sometimes 40, 50 stories from individual news sites. And some of these are coming from palace sources.

There was the sudden allegations that Meghan had bullied palace staff, and this -- and that was captions saying that the castle are hitting back for what Meghan was saying. But really, she didn't have that much to say about individual palace staff. This is a bigger question. And I think the royal family really are going to have to engage with this.

And they do speak back. They have issued statements. Statements are issued, that those statements issued in support of Prince Andrew, for example, saying that he was at a loss to explain Jeffrey Epstein's lifestyle which is a strange way of putting Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities. And statements he put out in favor, in support of many members of the royal family.

And I think that there will have to be a question of a statement, perhaps a letter. Harry and Meghan were very careful throughout. They heaped praise on the queen but other members of the royal family it wasn't quite so clear. And I think, certainly, people are asking these questions is, you know, clearly, Harry and Meghan suffered very greatly. This has got to be answered for and the model of the royal family, the working model of the royal family was really, I think, a disaster for them.

CHURCH: Yes.

WILLIAMS: So, they -- I think we will see the royal family making -- making an answer through sources, and, I think, there may be some kind of statement made in the next few weeks. But not immediately because this is something that I think they were not expecting.

CHURCH (on camera): Yes, this will certainly dominate the front pages of the paper. For a few days to come if maybe not even weeks. We'll see whether pressure is brought to bear for some sort of royal response.

Kate Williams, many thanks for joining us. I appreciate it.

Well here in the United States as falling COVID case numbers begin to plateau, health experts are worried about the spread of the variant first identified in the U.K. It's already reached at least 46 states and the U.S. capital. One infectious disease expert says the strain is increasing exponentially and the country is probably on the tipping point of another surge.

Despite that threat, governors and several states are easing restrictions including mask-wearing and reopening restaurants. And with less than 10 percent of the population fully vaccinated, top health officials are wary of the rollbacks, saying case numbers need to come down further before states can begin to reopen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Over the past week and a half or so, we've seen that that decline is now doing this. Essentially, starting to plateau. And historically, if you look back at the different surges we've had, when they come down and then start to plateau at a very high level, plateauing at a level of 60 to 70,000 new cases per day is not an acceptable level. That is really very high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Dr. Larry Brilliant is an epidemiologist. He joins me now from Mill Valley in California. Thank you, doctor, for talking with us and for all that you do.

LARRY BRILLIANT, EPIDEMIOLOGIST: Thank you, Rosemary. Thanks for having me on.

CHURCH: Absolutely. And of course, we know that the raise to vaccinate is intensifying in the United States with 2.4 million shots administered since Saturday. But at the same time, we are seeing lots of super spreader events with spring break and Easter, still to come. As well, we're seeing Texas and Mississippi lifting mask mandates and COVID restrictions and variants are also in the mix there.

So where do you see all of this going? Could it contribute to a fourth wave of COVID?

BRILLIANT: It's a race. You mentioned Texas and Florida, and spring break, and Easter, and Memorial Day, and add Fourth of July on one side of the occasion. On the other side, it's only a year since this novel virus jumped from a bat to a human being and we're already in the middle of a huge rollout of almost magical vaccines. And there's a lot to be grateful for.

We will, you know, kind of get the numbers up in the United States, in the U.K., and I'm really worried about the rest of the world. I do think that that's the risk of a fourth wave. Last year around this time we were plateauing. This time we're plateauing. [03:15:04]

We're still going into an easier holiday season because it's summer- ish and people are outdoors. But last year we were clamored by Memorial Day and the Fourth of July poor behavior. If that happens and the variants play an important part, we'll see a fourth wave now. In addition, we have to really protect ourselves against that happening in the fall.

We have the vaccines on our side, we have a better administration, we are getting better at a lot of things, but it's going to be a close call this race we're in.

CHURCH: Yes. We have to learn our lessons each time we've been through this, we keep going through the same thing. So, as more become confident about taking the COVID vaccines, the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Russian intelligence agencies have launched an online disinformation campaign to undermine public confidence in western vaccines being used in the U.S. and in Europe and elsewhere. What is your advice to people who might be influenced by this disinformation?

BRILLIANT: What I would say to people who get caught off in it, is that we have three great vaccines. We used to say at Google that any sufficiently advance technology is indistinguishable from magic, these vaccines are indistinguishable from magic. They're good, they're safe, they will keep you out of the ICU, put of the hospital and out of the morgue. We shouldn't be deterred by the kind of craziness that's coming from Russia right now.

CHURCH: Such an important message. And doctor, big picture, where do you see this fight against COVID-19 going in the U.S. and globally in the next three to six months?

BRILLIANT: I'm a little worried not the Biden administration is under performing. They are over propelling. I'm a little concerned that we bought into this idea that when we get a vaccine it will be rainbows and unicorns and then we'll hit herd immunity and all will be well.

But we will not get to herd immunity, it's at least not mathematical herd immunity in the United States, we certainly won't get to it in the world. There's going to be three, four billion people in the world who will not get a vaccine, or not get sufficient of the two vaccines, if that's the case, for three or three years.

That's going to be hundreds of millions of more cases, more mutations, more variants, more variants of concern. We haven't yet seen a Syrian variant of concern. We haven't yet seen one from Zimbabwe or broken countries.

I'm worried that we will get ricocheting back to us variants that will overwhelm the vaccines. And I would say to my friends all over the world, you know, this is the one time in my life we're being selfish and being generous and being moral and being ethical and being smart are all the same thing. We have to get enough vaccine to every country in the world so that

none of them have the circumstances that create these variants, and especially the 'scariants. ' Because if there a 'scariant ' in one place, there's a 'scariant ' in all places.

CHURCH: Yes. So important. Let's hope that happens. Dr. Larry Brilliant, always great to get your guidance on all things medical. Many thanks.

BRILLIANT: Thank you again for having me.

CHURCH: And you are watching CNN Newsroom. Still to come, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is speaking out after lawmakers call for his resignation. The new allegations against him, that's just ahead.

Plus, justice for George Floyd. We will get the latest from Minneapolis with the murder trial about to begin for the ex-cop accused in Floyd's death.

[03:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH (on camera): Welcome back, everyone. Well New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to push back in the face of more women accusing him of inappropriate contact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): There are some legislators who suggest that I resign because of accusations that made -- are made against me. The -- I was elected by the people of the state. I wasn't elected by politicians, I'm not going to resign because of allegations. Anybody has the ability to make an allegation in democracy, and that's great. But it's in the credibility of the allegation. No, there is no way I resign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): The state's Senate majority leader is among key Democrats calling for Cuomo's resignation despite his vow to stay in office. She told CNN in a statement quote, "New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and still facing the societal health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily destruction. For the governor of the state, Governor Cuomo must resign."

At least four women accuse Cuomo of behavior ranging from sexual harassment to unwanted advances. The latest is former staffer Ana Liss. She tells the Wall Street Journal that the governor, quote, "asked her if she had a boyfriend, called her sweetheart, touched her on her lower back at a reception and once kissed her hand when she rose from her desk." CNN has reached out to Liss for comment.

Governor Cuomo has apologized for making people feel uncomfortable but denies touching people inappropriately. Well jury selection begins just hours from now in the trial of the ex-

police officer accused of murdering George Floyd. Officials in Minneapolis expect to see more protests during the trial.

CNN's Omar Jimenez looks at how they are preparing inside and outside the courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROWD CHEERING)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Some calling for justice to letting the justice system play out. Derek Chauvin, the former officer seen on that now infamous video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nearly eight excruciating minutes, he's standing trial for second degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter.

[03:25:02]

Both of which he's pleaded not guilty to, but the first carrying a weight of up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The case is likely to bring protesters and renewed attention to George Floyd's death. His family remains at the center of it all, balancing grief at the weight of a racial justice movement.

Now, with the trial on the horizon, preparations are underway on a number of fronts including closing the intersection where some of Floyd's final moments played out. Leaving it as essential grieving point as it was in the immediate aftermath of his death.

MAYOR JACOB FREY (D), MINNEAPOLIS: We fully expect our Minneapolis residents to engage in the time on our tradition of their first amendment rights and free speech, and we want to make sure that that right to protest is protected in every way shape and form.

JIMENEZ: But what some protests over the summer devolved into is still fresh on the minds of city officials, that's why they say to expect an increase law enforcement presence over the next weeks even months. With up to 32,000 National Guard prepared to respond.

UNKNOWN: We cannot allow for any sorts of unlawful activity.

JIMENEZ: Not to mention the physical barriers going up around the government center where the trial will be taking place. Then there's COVID-19 protocol, Chauvin will be the only of the four former officers on trial this spring with Judge Peter Cahill citing physical limitations of the courtroom.

Make it impossible to comply with COVID-19 physical restrictions in a joint trial involving all four defendants beginning March, 8, 2021. Given the number of lawyers and support personnel the parties have now advice the court are expected to be present during the trial.

And the judge said it's the largest courtroom they have. Tied to that, only one member of the Chauvin family and one member of the Floyd family will be allowed in the courtroom at a time. A decision the Floyd family called disappointing.

PHILONISE FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S BROTHER: The video is enough. There's nothing else to talk about, you can make a judgment off of that because Chauvin showed you he was the judge, the jury, and executioner all at once, right then and there when he took my brother's soul from his body.

JIMENEZ: And with jury selection beginning March 8 opening statements weeks later, a country watches as a test of police accountability gets underway, which many see as a major step toward justice for George Floyd.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): CNN's Omar Jimenez with that report.

Well the nearly $2 trillion U.S. stimulus bill still has some hurdles before it's a done deal. Millions of Americans are waiting for relief. So why did one Democratic senator hold up his own party's bill.

Plus, schools in England are reopening. We will have a live report and hear from students who are going back to the classroom for the first time in months. We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Welcome back everyone.

Well our top story this hour, the duke and duchess of Sussex making some shocking claims about the British royal family. In a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey their overarching message? That they stepped back from their senior roles because they didn't feel supported by the royals.

At one point, Meghan said that life had become so isolating and lonely for her inside the family that she contemplated suicide. Meghan also claims her son Archie was denied a royal title and security.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: But the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of color in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Meghan's story of her rude awakening to life in the British royal family is one many have heard before, specifically, from the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

CNN's Richard Quest discusses some of the parallels between the two.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: This is Diana redux. This is Diana who -- Meghan admits she wasn't helped when she came into the family. She wasn't told anything about protocol or how to handle anything. That's what happened with Diana. Meghan admits that self-harming was very much on her mind. That's what happened with Diana. Diana threw herself down the stairs. Diana suffered from bulimia.

And so, we end up with a situation where you turn around and say has this family learned nothing? And I think the key to this is what Meghan said right at the beginning. It dawned on her after she was in the family that this isn't just a family of celebrities. This isn't just a famous family. This is an institution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): So far, no reaction from Buckingham Palace.

Well, England is one step closer to getting back to pre-pandemic normality. School is now back in session. It is the first of several stages as officials gradually ease restrictions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson attributes the, quote, "determination of every person in this country for the progress."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The 8th of March is the first big step of the road map -- that we hope is a road map to freedom. And it's made possible by the roll-out of the vaccination program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Isa Soares is at Thomas Tallis School in London. She joins me now live. Good to see you, Isa. So, what's been the reaction to schools reopening in England and what are all the students saying about it?

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very good morning to you, Rosie. It is 8.30 here in London. People now starting to make their way to school. Many of them no doubt will be excited to be coming back after two months of home schooling. Parents, perhaps some of them put a teardrop in their eyes and some of them probably quite euphoric to be done with home schooling to be completely honest with you.

But I'm here in the media studies class which will be clear call for about 25 minutes. I've got two students from year 13. I want to get a sense really what it's like to be them here after two months of lockdown. I've got Catherine and I've got Poppy. Poppy -- Catherine, let me start with you. What -- how are you feeling being back after two months of being home schooled?

CATHERINE OKE, STUDENT: It's quite like a weird feeling. Like you're excited, you're nervous. It's kind of a mixture of both, but I've missed all my friends. So, I'm excited more than anything. So, yes.

[03:34:59] SOARES: Good. Happy to be back. What about you, Poppy? Because of course you're coming back and school structure is very different in terms of one-way corridors, hand sanitizers, you can see as well masks. But you also have testing. Talk to us about that.

POPPY LANDEN, STUDENT: We are getting tested twice a week, which I guess it's a necessary kind of thing, because obviously we want to be -- we want to stay in school this time. We want this to be the kind of the last lockdown wave. So. But it's, yes, it's quite uncomfortable. We have to put it up our nose and on our tonsils. Yes, it's -- we're going to get used to it.

SOARES: Do you -- Catherine, do you think you'll feel used to it? Because I know you've had your COVID-19 test. You had it yesterday, I think you were saying to me, on Friday. But then you're going to have to do your own test back home about two or three weeks. How are you feeling about doing your own COVID testing?

OKE: It's a weird feeling because as I said, like you're touching your tonsils and everything. So, I'm a bit apprehensive if that makes sense --

SOARES: Yes.

OKE: -- because obviously you have to make sure you do it properly --

SOARES: Yes.

OKE: -- because that could be jeopardizing someone else's health. So, I'm a bit nervous on that part. But for the most part I'm doing my part. So, I'm kind of like we're on both options. I'm nervous because I want to do it properly. But at the same time, me doing this test could potentially save somebody. So, it's just weighing the options.

SOARES: I do want to ask, being the first time seeing friends at school and wanting to hug them almost and not being able to. That feeling too is what I'm guessing, Poppy?

LANDEN: Yes. I mean, I still haven't gotten over that kind of instantly still going to hug people.

OKE: Yes.

LANDEN: It's been like months, almost a year into when the lockdown was put in place and I'm still, but, you know, it kind of, it's still, it's always in the back of your mind. But it's going to be -- I mean, I've seen a few of my friends already, and it's really exciting. It's really odd almost, you know. It's been quite uncertain for the last couple of months. Yes, it's nice to see them again. I'm hoping it lasts.

SOARES: I think everyone --

LANDEN: -- I think the feeling for parents and people and teachers is hoping that it lasts. Let's talk about home schooling. Do you feel at all, Catherine, that you have fallen behind in your studies? Because you know, we're talking about two months of lockdown. We've been over a year now with COVID-19. This is your last year of secondary school. I mean, how damaging do you think things has been for your studies?

OKE: I don't think it's been damaging at all because we have like a team lesson, and they're very engaging. For me, I'm easily distracted. So, some things they do like my sociology teacher, for example, she has colorful background. So, like, you're always engaged with her because you're seeing color. And they make sure that if you don't understand something - sorry -- that they go over it multiple times. And they always e-mail you the resource sheets.

So, it's not like you're falling behind. It's just like they want to make sure you're engaged --

SOARES: Yes.

OKE: -- so they know that you're paying attention. So obviously if -- make sure you pay attention, but like talking to you on the microphone, they say OK, I haven't heard from you in a while, Catherine, can you make sure you're still here. So just constantly saying are you here, can you see what I'm doing?

SOARES: Making sure to draw you in --

OKE: Yes.

SOARES: -- to keep your attention all the time.

OKE: Yes.

SOARES: Catherine and Poppy, thank you very much and best of luck to you both. And so, as you saw there, Rosemary, a sense excitement to be back, but also hoping that it lasts this time around. We've been here before when schools were open, then quickly closed. But like you heard from Boris Johnson, this is part of his slow but cautious road map out of lockdown. And like him, they too are hoping it stays. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes. They clearly are determined to make this work this time around. Isa Soares, many things. Great to hear from those two young women.

Well, Americans could start seeing fresh stimulus checks arrive as soon as this week. That's if the House approves the Senate's version of the relief package on Tuesday as expected, and then it's quickly signed by President Joe Biden.

Ron Brownstein is a CNN senior political analyst and senior editor for the Atlantic. He joins me now from Los Angeles. Great to have you with us.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, President Biden's COVID relief package cleared the Senate without any Republican support Saturday. Now it's heading back to the House for a vote Tuesday. How likely is it that it will pass this week? And how imperative is it that this gets done, and done fast? BROWNSTEIN: Yes. I think it will pass. And it is kind of

extraordinary. I mean, if you compare this to the economic plans that Bill Clinton put forward in his first year in 1993, Barack Obama in 2009, even George W. Bush in 2001, this is probably passing much closer to the original design than any of those.

[03:39:56]

I mean, there was just enormous drama, widespread defection in the Democratic Party in '93 and '09. Bush was forced to cut his tax plan by a quarter, by 25 percent because of defections from a few Republicans.

And here for all the kind of maneuvering and, you know, minute-by- minute focus that we had, in the end Joe Biden proposed a $1.9 trillion which is extraordinary package, and the Congress is going to pass a $1.9 trillion package. I mean, it really is a statement of how both imperative the need, but also how much the Democratic Party is holding together at least at the outset of his presidency.

CHURCH: Yes. And at the same time, how does this all look for Republicans who didn't get on board with helping people? They don't feel much of the pain that other Americans are feeling during this pandemic, so they can't begin to understand what people are going through. How much of a barrier is that disconnect for a party already struggling with its own identity?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, to me, the most interesting part of the Republican response is, is what didn't happen. If you look back at those earlier examples that I mentioned, Clinton in '93, Obama in '09, the initial economic plan was part of a backlash that Republicans were able to generate against the new administration, basically arguing that it was big government gone crazy, spending gone crazy.

None of that happened. I mean, what was happening last week as the Congress was approving a $1.9 trillion spending plan, the lead Republican in the House was reading Dr. Seuss on Twitter and complaining that, you know, he was a victim of cancel culture.

And it basically to me underscores the extent to which the arguments against big government have lost a lot of their sting, particularly against the backdrop of this, you know, pandemic and all the economic and social strain that it is created.

Republicans I think, it's not that they're doomed in 2022, but I think it is pretty clear from these last few weeks that they still haven't found a clear line of argument that they want to pursue against this Biden administration.

CHURCH: Right. And while all this is happening, Republicans are working hard at the federal and state level to reduce access to voting and seemed to have the Supreme Court on board. How much of these proposed voting changes and limitations are necessary? And how much of it is about blocking the voting rights of black Americans and other Democratic voters? BROWNSTEIN: Look, I think if you look at this in its totality, 43

states with legislation introduced, several that are moving very aggressively, this is the most sustained widespread and aggressive attack on Americans' right to vote since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 ended the Jim Crow laws in the segregated south.

And this is an existential moment for the democracy other than what the Democrats do on COVID. I have written and strongly believe the most important choice they face is whether they are willing to curtail or end the filibuster in the Senate in order to pass a nationwide baseline of voting rights.

Because without it, it is pretty clear that the red states are going to take extraordinary steps to reduce access to the ballot, particularly for younger and nonwhite voters, rooting all of this in former President Trump's discredited claims of fraud.

The House of Representatives has already passed a very comprehensive bill guaranteeing Americans access to the ballot in a lot of different ways, early voting, mail voting, automatic voter registration. There are almost certainly 50 votes for that in the Senate. The question will be whether they are willing to roll back the filibuster.

And on the front something very significant happened today in the U.S. which is Joe Manchin was one of the 50th vote, that senator from West Virginia, the most conservatives of the Democrats suggested very clearly that he would be open to at least reforming the filibuster in a way that could allow the Democrats to pass more of their agenda than seemed possible a week ago when Mitch McConnell filibusters were kind of lining up like, you know, ships coming into port.

CHURCH: We'll see where all of that goes. Ron Brownstein, always a pleasure to chat with you. Many thanks.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: And still ahead, Pope Francis leaves Iraq after a remarkable visit. What the historic trip accomplished. We'll take a look at that in a live report.

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CHURCH (on camera): Well, right now Pope Francis is returning home from Iraq after saying farewell at Baghdad International Airport just a short time ago. It was the first ever papal visit to the country, and there were some heartfelt moments over the past four days, such as on Sunday when the Pope visited a church that ISIS had tried to destroy in a Northern Christian town near Mosul.

Ben Wedeman has been following the visit from Irbil. He joins us now. So, Ben, the Pope as we say has left Iraq. What all did he achieve on this visit? And were all the risks worth it in the end?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was definitely worth it I think, Rosemary, in terms of what it achieved. In the short-term what it really achieved was that it shows that Iraq is not the country that many people believe of constant violence and bloodshed. His four-day trip went off without a single hitch. Everywhere he went, he was met by enthusiastic crowds, happy to see the sort of papal visit that so many other countries see without any incident.

And therefore, you know, think about it. You know, I was looking it up this morning. The median age in Iraq is 21. You would have to be more than 40 to have actually experienced life in Iraq without war, without terrorism, without sanctions, without general instability and uncertainty in your life. And to see this visit come off without any problems along the way is quite spectacular.

Now his two main missions on this trip was one, excuse me, to build bridges with the Muslim world. He was successful in that in the sense that he did -- was able to have a rare private meeting with the Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani, one of the leading authorities of Shia Islam.

Now there has been some criticism that he did not spend an equal amount of focus and time with representatives of Sunni Islam. That's perhaps the one thing that might not have gone down completely well with everybody here in Iraq.

The other missed part of his mission was to express support and solidarity with Iraq's dwindling Christian community which back in 2003 was around 1.5 million. Now perhaps 300,000. In that he was wildly successful. It was a huge ego boost for a community that like the Yazidis, like many Muslims as well suffered intensely over the last few decades.

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Now question is will people start, Christians start to return to Iraq? That's not necessarily sure. In fact, it's unlikely given the circumstances. But it was an opportunity for all Iraqis regardless of their religions to enjoy four days of very happy, upbeat coverage on television after decades of bad news. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Indeed. It's good to hear it was a success. There was a little bit of concern in the lead up to it. But many thanks to Ben Wedeman joining us there. And we'll be right back.

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CHURCH (on camera): Welcome back, everyone. Well, Swiss voters have just approved a ban on full facial coverings including niqabs and burkas. It applies to nearly all public places including shops, restaurants, transports, walking on the streets and in the countryside. The only exceptions are places of worship and other sacred sites and for those with health or safety reasons.

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The controversial proposal narrowly passed with just over 51 percent support. Many religious, civic and government organizations have criticized the proposal which will now be law. They're calling it anti-Muslim.

Well, hundreds of migrants who have been stuck in limbo in a squalid Mexican camp near the U.S. border finally have a chance at a new life. Under Donald trump's policies, they had to stay in Mexico before they were allowed immigration hearings in the U.S. But under President Biden, many of their claims are now being processed.

Stefano Pozzebon has the details.

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Migrants in camps in Matamoros, Mexico, just meters away from the U.S. southern border has been taken down over the weekend in a clear departure from Trump era policies on immigration. Under those policies, hundreds of migrants would have to wait in Mexico for the confirmation hearing to know whether they will be allowed entry into the United States.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told CNN that the last remaining migrants in the camp were being relocated to more secure locations in partnership with international NGOs, and that other 25,000 migrants are still waiting to know whether they will be allowed entry into the United States.

This is the same migrant camp that Democratic lawmakers had previously visited, condemning the Trump administration handling of immigration which included kicking families of families including women and children back into the camp and the poor conditions there.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.

CHURCH: And thanks for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Do stay with us.

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