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GOP Lawmaker Praises Racist Three-Fifths Compromise; As Vaccine Rate Drops, Biden Administration Shifts Strategy; Biden Begins to Reunite Families Separated at Border; Government Watchdog to Examine Pentagon's Handling of UFO Reports. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 05, 2021 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Tennessee Republican State Representative Justin Lafferty is facing some pretty intense backlash today after defending what's widely viewed as one of the most racist deals in U.S. history. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JUSTIN LAFFERTY (R-TN): I've heard referenced in here, as y'all have, the three-fifths compromise that was made long ago. A quick question for all of you, and anybody watching, I challenge everybody that can hear my voice. Pull out a piece of paper, write down why that compromise was reached.

The three-fifths compromise was a direct effort to ensure that southern states never got the population necessary to continue the practice of slavery everywhere else in the country. By limiting the number of population in the count, they specifically limited the number of representatives that would be available in the slave holding states and they did it for the purpose of ending slavery, well before Abraham Lincoln, well before Civil War.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: That's not right. There's a quick history lesson for you here. Three-fifths compromise, 1787, compromise agreed that for purposes of representation, taxation, only three-fifths of a state's enslaved people would be counted toward its total population. It was called a compromise because there was this philosophical disagreement over slavery as the Constitution of the United States was being drafted.

Slave-holding states wanted to exploit their slave population and gain as much influence in the new Congress as possible, and states that did not own slaves, they argued the enslaved population should not be fully counted because they feared such representation would make the South too powerful.

Now the compromise eventually landed on counting three-fifths of the enslaved population. Why are they talking about this? Well, because Tennessee lawmakers are debating legislation that would limit schools' ability to teach students what they can tell them about racism and privilege.

With me now is Tennessee State Representative Antonio Parkinson, he's also the Chairman of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators. Sir, thank you for being with us. After those comments from your colleague, there were Republican members who stood and applauded. They thought he made some salient points. What did you think?

REP. ANTONIO PARKINSON (D-TN): You know, that was the worst part of it, was to see my other colleagues clap for this soliloquy that he delivered that was actually a false narrative. And it speaks to what the legislation is about, is they want the teachers, by law, to tell the good and the bad about anything that they discuss that has any historic account in regard to the state of Tennessee and to the United States.

And so, some of the questions that I posed to them was, what's the good about the two individuals that flew those airplanes into those world banks, the World Trade Centers? What's the good about Hitler who orchestrated the Holocaust? What's the good about slavery?

And that was his way of justifying some good about slavery, as if it impressed us or was something that we needed. And that's absolutely false. There was absolutely nothing good about the institution of slavery, at all.

BLACKWELL: Is it your understanding that -- and I'm hearing you describe your understanding of the legislation, that there would have to be a search for good in some of these ugly chapters of history. That they would have to search for a balance of slavery. They'd have to search for a balance of the Holocaust, there would have to be a balance they would have to search for in these elements.

PARKINSON: Their strategy is for educators to tell both sides of the story. And one of my members, one of our colleagues, the chair of the education committee who actually brought this bill back -- now I understand, this was intentional.

[15:35:00]

The bill was on the floor. They brought it back to committee just to add this language to it and then bring it back to the floor. And he stood up and he said, he wanted this legislation because he's tired of people blaming.

And my response to that is, we're going to keep on blaming until you start admitting. And when you start admitting and when you start paying and when you start making things equitable and when you start undoing the harm that you did, then maybe the blaming will start.

But what's happening is you have a fear of an ever-changing landscape in America that white males are afraid of in some cases and, you know, and that loss of power that could possibly come with it.

BLACKWELL: Have you had conversations with your colleagues about this?

PARKINSON: I've had conversations with my colleagues. And I always tell them, we have to have conversations in truth. And I want to know what your truth is. And yesterday that's the one good thing about what my colleague Justin Lafferty said. He spoke his truth.

Whether we agree with it or not, that's his truth. But I want them to know my truth also. And so that they can understand the reasons, the why. That's the real issue. We missed the why and why people are speaking from the perspective they're speaking from.

BLACKWELL: Well, let me ask you this because there's another part of the bill, and really this is about pulling funding from public schools and public charter schools, if some of these things are taught for the million students there in Tennessee.

It would ban an individual by teaching that an individual by virtue of the individual's race or sex is inherently privileged. So, my question is, how would you -- what would be the explanation or how would you teach the origin of pay gaps or the disparity in landownership or representation or business ownership?

Or that four-fifths of the state legislature, the state house is male. Would you have to teach that men are better campaigners? That these men just had better campaigns or how would you explain any of this without explaining some of the historical basis for it?

PARKINSON: I think the goal is actually not to teach it. That's what I think the real goal is ultimately. Because if you can't find a balance in it, based on this law, and you try to teach it and it's not balanced, then you could lose funding to your school -- to your school district based on this legislation.

So I think ultimately that's what the goal is, is to whitewash, to water down, to remove responsibility and accountability from those that have, you know, perpetrated these issues. I'll give you an example. We ran legislation declaring racism a public health threat. It died twice. Race conversations in the Tennessee legislature are extremely uncomfortable for a lot of our members.

BLACKWELL: Let me wrap here. You talked about the broader context really from a national context. This bill in Tennessee, the state Senate hasn't taken it up yet. Do you expect, as we wrap up here, that it will become law?

PARKINSON: I do expect it to pass. They've been passing legislation, suppressing the voices of our educators, suppressing the voices of LGBTQ members, suppressing the voices of citizens when it comes to their fragility. And so I do expect it to pass. And when I left here to come and do this interview, they were passing legislation to make it legal for you to run over a protester.

BLACKWELL: And we've seen some legislation in other states that have lifted some liability from people who hit protesters with their vehicles. Tennessee State Representative Antonio Parkinson, thank you so much for your time, sir. PARKINSON: Thank you for having me. Appreciate you.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Next, the head of the CDC says 12- to 15- year-olds could get the Pfizer vaccine in just a matter of weeks. And the White House details its plan to get shots to rural Americans. We have all the latest on vaccinations.

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[15:40:00]

CAMEROTA: We have a brand-new development on vaccines to bring you. CVS Pharmacies say they will offer walk-in COVID shots, no appointment necessary, starting now, at more than 8,000 stores.

BLACKWELL: And hopefully more people will get those vaccines because for the first time since March, fewer than a million shots were administered across the country yesterday. CNN's Amara Walker has more on what's ahead for our second pandemic summer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to make it easier than ever.

AMARA WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A shift in vaccine strategy. President Biden on Tuesday pledging to get at least one shot into the arms of 70 percent of Americans by July 4th.

ANDY SLAVITT, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE: That amounts to approximately 100 million shots over the next two months.

WALKER (voice over): The plan includes focusing on smaller community vaccination sites.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN: And really putting in walk-in capabilities in 40,000 or so pharmacies throughout the country, getting mobile units going, getting the local capability of accessibility rather than these broad, mass vaccination sites.

WALKER (voice over): CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky tells CNN, 12- to 15-year-olds could be getting vaccinated against the coronavirus in less than two weeks. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve an Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group, making another 17 million eligible as early as next week.

[15:45:00]

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: The vaccine is already in these pharmacies at the dose that we need. And so soon after ACIP, I think you'd be able to take your 14-year-olds and bring them in to get vaccinated.

WALKER (voice over): As summer approaches, the CDC is recommending that children and staff at summer camps wear masks except when eating and swimming. Also maintaining social distancing, all while outdoors. But the guidance is getting mixed reaction.

WALENSKY: If people are playing tennis and they're far away, we can say that their masks can come off. But if they're crowded on a soccer field, they're on top of each other, they're heavily breathing, we don't think really think that's a good idea right now. These are kids who will likely not be vaccinated.

FAUCI: It looks a bit strict, a bit stringent, but that's the reason why they keep looking at that and trying to, you know, re-evaluate, literally in real time.

WALKER (voice over): So far, 250 million vaccine doses have been administered and 32 percent of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, according to CDC data. Daily new infections dropped 12 percent in the past week, but the average daily rate of vaccinations has been declining as well. Yesterday under 1 million doses administered for the first time since March.

DR. PAUL OFFIT, FDA VACCINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE: If we're going to significantly slow the spread of this virus, I think we're going to need ultimately to be around 80 percent plus population immunity.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER (on camera): And Victor and Alisyn, we are at one of two walk- up vaccination sites here in DeKalb County. Organizers tell me that so far today the traffic here has been light and steady. We're told about 225 people walked in to get their COVID-19 vaccination. A lot of it having to do with pretty bad weather the last couple of days.

As you mentioned, CVS now joining Walgreens to not only offer same-day COVID-19 vaccinations but also to walk-in in some of their locations.

I also want to mention some states and cities, a lot of them are planning or beginning to fully reopen. That includes L.A. and San Francisco. As of tomorrow, they will be allowing most businesses to resume indoor operations.

Also New York where you are, New Jersey and Connecticut will be lifting capacity restrictions, including in restaurants, gyms even on Broadway beginning May 19th. And Chicago's mayor saying that the goal is to fully reopen the city by the fourth of July. Back to you.

BLACKWELL: A lot of changes coming. Amara Walker, thanks so much.

Next, a reunion years in the making. New video of a family torn apart during the Trump era finally getting to hug each other again.

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[15:50:00]

BLACKWELL: We've got new video of one of those first few family reunifications this week. Remember, these are the children who were separated from their parents at the southern border under the Trump administration. CAMEROTA: Victor, 445 children are still separated from their parents,

even ever since the Trump administration started that, you'll remember, the zero tolerance policy in 2017. But here in San Diego on Tuesday this son was reunited with his mom after being apart for something like more than three years.

In the car on the way there, he said he still was not sure if this was real because, quote, you never know. More than 5,500 children have lived that way in limbo with lasting trauma because of the Trump policy, the zero tolerance policy that has since been eliminated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYAN ORTIZ, REUNITED WITH MOM AFTER 2017 SEPARATION: It feels like a dream, like I was in the car and I was feeling like this is finally happening, and I'm really going to be reunified with her after all of this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: I mean, 455 still out there. Another reunion happened yesterday in Philadelphia, a mother from Honduras. She came here with her 14- and 15-year-old sons in 2017. She was deported. The boys have been staying with extended family here in the U.S. ever since. I mean, he became -- or is becoming a man three years without his family there.

CAMEROTA: Right. Absolutely, and there's so many of those stories. I'm so glad that we're staying on it. Meanwhile next the Pentagon is tracking this large Chinese rocket that's hurtling towards earth and set to crash somewhere, Victor, this weekend.

BLACKWELL: Great.

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[15:55:00]

CAMEROTA: Victor, are you aware that reports of UFOs have surged during the pandemic?

BLACKWELL: I learned that today, yes.

CAMEROTA: OK. Well, listen, I have more.

BLACKWELL: OK.

CAMEROTA: According to the "New York Times" in New York alone sightings in 2020 nearly doubled from the previous year.

BLACKWELL: I think I have an idea, but I'm not going to say it on air and now a Defense Department watchdog is -- I'll text you -- putting pressure on the Pentagon over its handling of UFO reports. I like these videos recorded by the military personnel.

The Inspector General wants to know how the military has dealt with reported sightings and next month the Office of The Director of National Intelligence and other agencies are scheduled to deliver unclassified reports on UFOs to lawmakers.

My hope is that "Galaxy Quest" and "In the Navy" are played in the background like we saw a couple of days ago in that hearing on Zoom.

CAMEROTA: That could only add I feel also to the understanding of these, but those videos are crazy, as recent as 2019. Those are Navy pilots, OK, that took some of that video. I want to know what those are.

BLACKWELL: Indeed.

Also new today, the Pentagon is tracking a large out-of-control Chinese rocket that is set to re-enter the earth's atmosphere this weekend raising concerns about where the rocket's debris might make impact.

CAMEROTA: As if I didn't have enough to worry about this weekend, you know, Victor. Like I thought I was just going to have to get my daughter to her dance recital on time, now I have to worry about space junk like hitting us in the head. OK.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CAMEROTA: We're also told that the odds of the debris actually hitting a person, or a house are very small. Chances are it will land in the ocean, but they won't know until hours before because it's traveling at 18,000 miles per hour.

BLACKWELL: What a time to get off the weekend show. The Lead with Jake Tapper starts right now.

END