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Biden Holds First Cabinet Meeting; Child Tax Credit for Families; Companies Speak out against Georgia Voting Law. Aired 9:30- 10a ET.

Aired April 01, 2021 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:30:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, first, the unveil and now the sale. The sales pitch, at least. One day after laying out the first part of his sweeping multitrillion-dollar infrastructure and jobs plan, President Biden begins his push to rally support, holding his first in-person cabinet meeting just hours from now in the White House.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond at the White House this morning.

You know, Jeremy, the president, the administration, they did some good vote counting before the COVID stimulus relief. They said they had the votes. They got the votes. Have they started counting votes on this? Because it's not just Republicans seemingly unified against it, or almost unified, but some Democrats raising questions.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I don't -- I don't think they're there yet, Jim. But if they did count the votes today, they probably wouldn't have them. And that's because you're seeing not only this stiff opposition from Republicans to the way in which this infrastructure plan is paid for under this proposal by President Biden, using those corporate tax increases and other tax increases on multinational corporations, but there's also some opposition within the Democratic caucus itself.

Some Democrats from New York, for example, are pushing for that deduction for state and local taxes to be included in this after it was stripped out by the Trump tax cuts. And other Democrats are saying that the package is too small. Others are saying it's too big. So there is a lot of consensus building that still needs to happen here.

The White House is aware of that fact. They know that they have work to do in working with Congress to actually get this $2.2 trillion package forward. And President Biden made very clear himself yesterday, he is open to hearing ideas. And if Republicans have better ideas for how to pay for this, he is open to listening to it.

What he's not open to is scaling down the size of this package, which we saw him frame so many times yesterday as kind of a once in a generation opportunity here, comparing it to the construction of the highway system back in the '50s, the space race in the '60s. And we heard that message continue this morning from the president's cabinet members, including the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: This is a moment for the United States to decide, are we, in fact, going to continue to lead the world, or are we going to be just another country? If we want to lead the world, we have to have world class infrastructure for the American people.

I think a moment like this only comes along once in a lifetime. Less than once in a lifetime. Maybe once in a century. We've got to make the most of this moment. Go big while we can and strengthen America for the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And, Jim, it was also interesting to hear President Biden, just yesterday, framing this in terms of foreign policy as well. Competition with the world. Needing to prove that democracies can work and get things done, rather than just autocracies like China.

The president, today, will have his first cabinet meeting one week after his full cabinet has finally been confirmed. It will look and sound different, though, than what we've seen in the Trump administration. It's going to be in the East Room instead of the Cabinet Room to allow for social distancing. And officials have also told us not to expect the same kind of obsequious praise that we heard from so many cabinet members during the Trump administration.

Jim.

SCIUTTO: Jeremy Diamond, at the White House, thanks very much.

Joining me now is David Gergen, who's seen his fair share of cabinet meetings, advising former Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.

David, good to have you on this morning.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to talk to you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: As Jeremy referenced there, there was a dear leader quality to the Trump cabinet meetings. I mean I can picture Vice President Pence, the former vice president, calling it to the president, the greatest privilege of his life to serve him. Former AG Jeff Sessions saying it was an honor to serve him. You had -- you had all these sort of testimonials.

Given the way Joe Biden has tended to work, do you expect anything comparable to that today?

GERGEN: No. I don't think anybody expects anything comparable to that ever again. Just -- which ring are you supposed to kiss in a Trump cabinet meeting? The -- and also Trump got started a lot earlier (ph). His first cabinet meeting was in June. And here Biden is doing it in the normal time.

But what I think, basically, though, Jim, as they meet, they've got to some -- a couple of things that are really important about infrastructure. They have the wind to their backs. The have the wind in their sails in this cabinet meeting.

You know, this isn't a 50/50 proposition among Americans at large. Not 50 percent for, 50 percent against. Polls came out yesterday showing "Politico" -- morning consult (ph) showed by a two to one margin, by a two to one margin the public likes a plan like this, you know, with -- it's go big and also to tax corporations this way and tax the wealthy. They favor that.

So the other thing, though, Jim, I think is very important hasn't been pointed out is how civil engineers, how the engineering community feels about this. You know, associations of civil engineers have been judging the state of our infrastructure and giving it grades over -- they do it almost every two, three, four years. In recent years, the civil engineers of this country have given the country itself a c- minus or a d-plus in terms of the state of our infrastructure.

[09:35:05]

We're going to have bridges collapsing on people. We're going to have cars going into the water in a lot of places unless we deal with this. We have deferred this maintenance for a long, long time. You know, year after year, presidents come in and say, I want to fix the infrastructure and they don't do anything because it's expensive. It is expensive.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Listen --

GERGEN: But it needs to be done.

SCIUTTO: I get nervous driving under some bridges. I'm sure you do, too.

You mentioned the public polling on this, but we've seen this phenomenon before. I mean we see it now on, for instance, background checks or even banning assault-style weapons, right? You have large majorities who support it, but that's not reflected in the make-up of Congress. And I wonder, do you see, is there a bipartisan path for this? Is it pie in the sky for this administration to imagine it can win over some Republican votes? And what would they have to do to do that?

GERGEN: I think there have to be some serious rewrites, some areas of this. I would imagine that you don't want to have -- I think Republicans will say, look, you -- you've got -- currently got a plan that spans over eight years but you tax over 15 years. You need to have the taxes goes as long. It (INAUDIBLE) -- what you have ought to be paid for within the eight-year mark. You can't -- you can't do it the other way. You're just sort of borrowing from the future, from our grandkids.

So I think -- I think there will be pushes. And if there's -- the Biden team seems -- Biden seemed himself very willing to compromise on how things are shaped. The more he brings Republicans in to have a voice on that, the better chance he has.

But I can tell you, the Republicans want more than anything else to win in 2022. And if the country by a two to one margin wants this bill, I just think Republicans -- a lot -- some Republicans are going to find their way to sort of saying, is there a way we can get to yes?

SCIUTTO: The -- you look at this plan and it is quite big because it does go far beyond roads and bridges. I mean there's certainly broadband. I mean, you know, that arguably is necessary infrastructure today. I mean just look at -- look at all those kids sitting outside Wendy's during distance learning, you know, trying to -- trying to like work off the Wi-Fi there.

But there is other stuff in here about home care, for instance, for the elderly and disabled but, you know, also job protections, et cetera, paid home leave. I wonder, the Biden administration has it seemed calculated, do everything big now, we don't know how long we're going to have majorities in both houses of Congress, rather than kind of parse things out. But do you see on this one, given the thinner support, that he might be willing to parse things out and say, OK, well, let's start with something smaller that focuses on one or two things.

GERGEN: I agree with that. And I think where he's most vulnerable, the plan is most vulnerable is when it really -- it finances a number of things and health care or small children or women who have got issues, you know, there are a lot of things we need to do in this country. But I would imagine some of that will fall away as we get closer. And this will come out to be more and more an infrastructure plan.

Right now infrastructure is not the more than half the whole bill. You know, it's less than half the bill by some margin. So I do think that the negotiations on those issues and Biden will have to, I think, make some compromises.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And Republicans will have to calculate whether they're willing to vote for something that's in effect a win for the president, you know, given, as you say, their focus on 2022.

GERGEN: Yes.

SCIUTTO: David Gergen, always good to have you on.

GERGEN: Thanks, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Many moms forced to leave the workforce during this pandemic could benefit from President Biden's already passed new child tax credit. We're going to take a look at exactly how it may help. You';; want to hear this, coming up next.

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[09:42:58] SCIUTTO: New jobless numbers this morning. And they're still staggering, 719,000 Americans filed first-time unemployment claims last week. That is slightly higher than the week before. The pandemic has been particularly tough on working women, specifically moms. Many of them forced to leave the workforce, largely due to child care and managing online learning. But the American Rescue Plan, which included an expanded child tax credit, means that many of them will be able to return to work.

CNN's Bianna Golodryga joins me now with more.

And, Bianna, you spoke with several moms. What did they tell you about what impact this will have?

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, Jim, in many ways we were reminded of what we already knew, recovery takes time, especially coming out of a crisis like COVID, it has been especially difficult for working moms, emotionally, mentally and professionally.

I spoke with two of them. One is starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. She's starting to work again. Another is still waiting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA (voice over): Like millions of other women, Diana Limongi put her career on hold for most of 2020.

DIANA LIMONGI, WORKING MOM: When the pandemic hit, I was like, look, I can't -- like, I need to scale back.

GOLODRYGA: With her son at home doing remote learning and her daughter's day care shuttered.

LIMONGI: It's just not humanly possible, right, to do a full-time job and do all the things on top of that, right, feed the kids and the constant interruptions.

Go wash your hands.

GOLODRYGA: Today, there are fewer interruptions and more time for work.

LIMONGI: I was able to take on the project, which is exciting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, mom.

GOLODRYGA: She says that's because her nine-year-old son, Enzo (ph), is back in school in person five days a week. And her four-year-old daughter, Sophia, is in day care full time.

LIMONGI: I think it's a game changer for my mental health. I think it helps to have that routine to not have to juggle that with my spouse.

GOLODRYGA: Another game changer?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Help is here, and hope is on the way.

GOLODRYGA: The Biden administration's COVID-19 relief bill, putting billions of dollars toward reopening schools and child care facilities, as well as a child tax credit aimed at working moms like Diana.

[09:45:11]

LIMONGI: I am excited about it. $360 a month for a child under six, which is what Sophia is. You know, it pays a week of child care or $360 worth of groceries.

GOLODRYGA: But many moms are still facing road blocks.

MEREDITH DODD, PASTOR AND WORKING MOM: All three of our kids have been home since the beginning of the pandemic doing school remotely, trying to work and manage three different sets of curriculum was impossible.

Let us rejoice.

GOLODRYGA: We first met Seattle area Pastor Meredith Dodd in January.

DODD: The church could find another pastor in this moment, but my kids could not find another mother.

GOLODRYGA: She says she reluctantly left her job last year to oversee remote learning for her three children, each with special needs.

DODD: All three of my kids have medical issues. Keeping them safe and healthy is the highest priority at this point.

GOLODRYGA: The Dodd children likely won't be returning to school until they are vaccinated, which means Meredith will delay returning to the pulpit.

DODD: This is my last Sunday serving as the pastor of Bryn Mawr (ph).

I don't know yet when I can accept a, yes, a position back in the church long term. I can't make that kind of commitment until my kids can safely return full time to school and child care.

GOLODRYGA: Since the start of the pandemic, 2.3 million women left the labor force, the worst levels in more than three decades, with women of color being particularly hard hit. Research from the Women's Law Center also shows that the longer someone is out of a job, the harder it is to find another comparably paying one.

DODD: I would love to see women coming back to work and getting interview questions like, what did you learn during the pandemic, rather than, why is there a two-year gap on your resume.

GOLODRYGA: But solutions are possible.

KIRSTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, MOMSRISING: We're looking at, right now, helping to move the Paycheck Fairness Act through Congress. This makes sure that you can't have a double standard and using your prior pay to set your current pay. Instead, what you look at is how qualified are you?

GOLODRYGA (on camera): You've scaled back. Now you're starting to pick up again?

LIMONGI: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Does that make you optimistic?

LIMONGI: Yes. I would never envision leaving the workforce. I worry that so many women are in that position that they have to leave a job that they love.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: And, Jim, in the coming weeks we're going to be hearing more details from the president on the second par of his infrastructure plan called Human Infrastructure. And this is when he's going to focus on women, like the women, the mothers that you just saw in that piece, Meredith and Diana.

It's going to focus on reducing child care costs, on home pay, on stay-at-home pay, right, and it's also going to be focusing on universal pre-k. A lot of these issues that these families are dealing with right now have been with us for many, many years. This crisis has only highlighted that and, as we know, never let a good crisis go to waste. We'll see if this one actually lives through to that saying.

SCIUTTO: Yes, and some of those proposals have a history of bipartisan support as well. We'll see if that pans out.

Bianna Golodryga, thanks so much for covering this.

GOLODRYGA: Sure.

SCIUTTO: Well, after days and days of pressure, CEOs of major corporations are now ripping into Georgia's new restrictive election law. Can they change anything?

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[09:52:59]

SCIUTTO: New just this morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook has added his name to a growing list of company executives denouncing Georgia's new more restrictive voting laws. Georgia-based companies Coca-Cola and Delta are also slamming the state's voting restrictions. Many wonder why they didn't speak out sooner about this law. There are more statements likely to come.

The Brennan Center has counted more than 360 new bills, all of which could restrict voting access now introduced to some 47 states.

CNN's Dianne Gallagher is following the latest on this. It's a story we've been covering for some time.

So Georgia's governor, Brian Kemp, he's not happy about these statements. I wonder, are they just statements at this point or is there talk of more significant action?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right now they're just statements. But this is a lot more than what was being done before it was actually signed into law. And that is something that Georgia's governor, Brian Kemp, is pointing out here, specifically when it comes to Delta, noting that the comments that are being made today by the CEO and now by the CEO are, in his words, stark contrast to the conversations that they were actually having with the company leading up to the signing of that bill into law.

And, look, he does have a point, Jim. Delta had a memo released the day before the bill was signed into law saying that there was still work to be done, but that they were encouraged by some of the progress that was made.

Now, fast forward to today, and the CEO released a comment -- or a memo basically saying that, look, I want to be crystal clear, that I don't agree with this. And I want to read you just a portion of that, saying, quote, it's evident that the bill includes provision that will make it harder for many unrepresented voters, particularly black voters, to exercise their constitutional right to elect their representatives. That is wrong.

Delta is joined by many other companies now across the country speaking out against this law, including other Georgia-based companies like Coca-Cola, with really strong words against this law.

But it stems beyond just private companies into the sports world with many activists calling for boycotts and for these certain companies and sports to remove themselves from the state of Georgia, like the Masters, like the MLB all-star game.

[09:55:13]

President Joe Biden actually spoke on this in an interview with ESPN last night. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I would strongly support them doing that. The very people who are victimized the most are the people who are the leaders in these -- in these various sports. And it's just not right. This is Jim Crow on steroids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Now, look, Jim, again this is coming because of all of that pressure from people in the voting rights activist communities. Some of them have told me, look, profiles in courage here, all of this could have all been done leading up to the Georgia law but say that they hope that they'll be able to take this energy to other states and to potentially propel federal legislation like HR-1, S-1 in Washington.

SCIUTTO: All right. We'll be watching. Dianne Gallagher, thanks very much. Just minutes from now, day four of powerful testimony in the Derek

Chauvin murder trial. We are following it all. We'll bring you the details as they come.

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