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Biden: "Will Mobilize Every Resource Necessary" For Evacuations; States Warn Of ICU Bed Shortage Amid Delta Variant Surge; Millions Under Hurricane Watch From Long Island To Cape Code. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired August 20, 2021 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Then you go through another layer. You've got Afghan Special Forces commandos who are kind of the first line of defense afterwards from the U.S. Then you have the U.S. processing.

I mean, anyone who says that any American can get in here is, you know -- yes, I mean, technically, it's possible, but it's extremely difficult and it is dangerous.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Clarissa Ward, there still in Kabul after, she said about 10, 11 hours there. Thank you again for amazing reporting.

I want to bring our panel back in. We also have joining the panel chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins.

Kaitlan, to you.

Even with the optics, the tone Jeff already mentioned there, having the vice president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense there, this president now -- this White House seems to have realized how this is reflecting to the American people and the world and they are responding in kind.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the president was certainly a little less defensive today than we've seen him in past appearances.

Certainly talking about how difficult the situation there and what this complex undertaking really is for the U.S. military as they are trying to get people out.

But his last comment there when he was talking about Americans being able to get through and saying that they don't have any reports of Americans having issues doing so, of course, is pushing up against what Clarissa is saying right there, what she herself and her team have experienced going in but also what they are witnessing outside the airport.

And so, I think that was interesting where the president was asked multiple times about this idea of authorizing the military to be able to go out into Kabul and get Americans who need to come into the airport, as we've seen some other reports of other nations doing.

That was not something he believed they need to do at this point, though he was talking about mobilizing resources to get other Americans and get them into the airport so they can safely evacuate them.

One really striking thing that I'm sure you've noted. which is the president says he himself is still working on getting an answer of how many Americans are still in Afghanistan.

That is something we had heard from officials, saying they did not have a precise number, given when Americans go to other countries, they are encouraged to register. They don't always deregister, so it's not a clear picture of how many are there.

They say that they are trying to reach out to them through other means of communication, including radio, television, Internet.

But for the president to come out and say that still they are still working to get a firm idea of how many Americans are left as they are trying to evacuate them, and we are getting reports of the hundreds who have made it actually into the airport, waiting to get on planes, that is striking in and of itself.

And I think it speaks to the chaos that is on the ground right now as they are trying to figure it out.

But it is an important point because, of course, the president has said U.S. troops will stay until all Americans are out who want to leave.

And of course, that raises the question of, how do you know when it's time to go if you don't know how many Americans are there?

BLACKWELL: Yes. And the decision to expand potentially the perimeter. As the president said, at this point, he's not willing to do because it would, in his words, "attract elements other than the Taliban".

Colonel Leighton, to you.

Your reaction to what we've now learned, this effort by U.S. forces to, as the president said, bring 169 Americans over the wall using military assets.

What's your reaction to that? And the decision not to expand the perimeter there at the airport?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Victor, not to expand the perimeter is actually a risky endeavor in and of itself, because, if you don't expand the perimeter, there's risk in expanding it, but if you don't expand it, then there's almost no way that everybody that we've promised could get out that they would be able to get out.

So that includes, of course, the American citizens, but it also the SIV holders, and other aspirants to the -- to escape here. Because what they're looking at is a lot of people who don't qualify for SIVs who also want to get out. No promises have been made to them.

But I can tell you, you know, from connections that I have, there are plenty of folks out there who need that.

So from a military perspective, if mission success is defined as getting all of these people out, they are going to have to expand the perimeter and get these people a safe way to the -- to get to the airport.

And if they can't do that, then we're not going to complete the mission as advertised.

BLACKWELL: Susan, the president said that he sees no evidence, no question of U.S. credibility around the world.

How is this resonating? And does that reconcile with what we're hearing from world leaders?

SUSAN GLASSER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, again, just as Clarissa gave that very powerful example just now of the difference between ground truth and Washington truth when it comes to the conditions at the airport, I was a little surprised to hear that assertion by President Biden that European allies hadn't questioned the decision and that it wasn't an issue of U.S. credibility in the world.

I think you need only look as far as what the Chinese state media outlets are saying about this to understand that there's a certain credibility blow.

We've seen comments from allies and partners in Germany and the U.K. and elsewhere strongly critical not only of the decision but worrying about exactly that subject, which is to say, what does it mean for the United States in the world?

[14:35:08]

President Biden, one of his central promises in foreign policy was the idea that the United States would be back as a credible partner and an ally after several years of President Trump criticizing our allies and criticizing the idea of multilateralism.

They've had this consultation with the allies, but very belatedly, frankly, to have this meeting today between Secretary of State Tony Blinken and the other foreign ministers.

I was very surprised that it took so long for President Biden to speak with our European partners and the British prime minister. It was days after Kabul fell when he made those consultations and not before.

BLACKWELL: Kylie, at the State Department, you've been reporting over the last several days the caveats and kind of the warnings offered by State Department officials for Americans who may venture out to try to get to the airport.

But the president today said that he has heard that there's -- there's no problem for Americans who are trying to get to Kabul airport.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, he leaned into that, right? And that is something that we're keeping an eye on.

Because even, you know, a Western journalist, Clarissa Ward, said she had trouble getting to the airport. So that doesn't necessarily match with exactly what we're seeing on the ground.

But I think it's also significant to note that the president today for the first time said that, yes, we are going to get all the Americans out, but that commitment is also the same for our Afghan allies.

And he has been a little bit reticent to say that. This was the first time that he really leaned into that. He said that they are almost just as necessary, just as important to get out of the country as the Americans.

Now, he didn't define what that looks like, how many Afghans we are talking about right now with regard to that group that he is saying the U.S. is going to get out of the country.

He also didn't say if they're all going to get out before this August 31st self-imposed deadline. He was asked if that would be extended. He said he thinks they'll be able to do it before that. So we'll have to wait and see.

The other thing that I think is significant from his remarks was how he tried to talk about just how grandiose this effort is. Calling it the largest airlift in history.

But also saying that the United States is the only country that could do it with this precision.

And that word is a really interesting one to be using on a day like today, when we're, you know, by all intents and purposes, looking at something that has no precision to it on the ground. It's overwhelmed in chaos.

So I understand the president wants to look at the here and now. He said there would be time for criticism. But using words like precision on a day like today is an interesting use of words.

BLACKWELL: Yes, after a nine or 10-hour pause in evacuations.

Nia-Malika, to you.

The tone shift included what we did not see in that interview with George Stephanopoulos, empathy.

Talking about the gut-wrenching images and also saying that there's no person who doesn't feel the pain on a human level. Something that we expect from President Biden because he does it so often, has expressed that empathy.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: I think that's right. He is known as being a very compassionate commander-in-chief. And that has very much been missing.

You think about his statements on Monday, his statements on Wednesday as well, very defensive, trying to make an argument rather than show some heart.

I thought today, not only did he show the humility, which Clarissa talked about, but also that humanity.

And listen, it comes on a day when we've seen a baby lifted above those thronging crowds to a U.S. Marine who had to rescue that child.

Also, on a day when we know that a 19-year-old Afghan soccer player fell to his death from one of those planes that was taking off.

So the president at this point can't be so dismissive and so clinical, I think, in his responses and focusing on being right and making an argument. So, today, you did see a very different shift in tone.

You always wonder about Biden, which Biden will show up, right? He is someone who is known to have a chip on his shoulder oftentimes, and it can be a bit defensive as well. But also, he's somebody known for being very compassionate.

And so today was a nice balance. And the Biden that is known as being empathetic certainly showed up.

And listen, I think that was missing over these last days, particularly when we see images, these heartbreaking images of our Afghan allies there.

And again, I think today it came with the promise that Kylie talked about, not only saying that Americans will certainly get out, which he had focused on a lot on Monday as well as Wednesday, he said that that promise also extends to those allies as well.

[14:40:05]

BLACKWELL: Yes, and we'll see if the U.S. is able to keep that promise.

Thank you all for the reporting and analysis.

And we're going to push forward on the breaking news. Any minute, the Pentagon will hold a briefing on the situation in Afghanistan. We will bring that to you live.

Also, intensive care units across the south are near capacity. It's so bad in Florida that public libraries are being used as COVID treatment centers.

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BLACKWELL: The U.S. is keeping its land border with Canada and Mexico closed to tourists for at least another month.

The Delta variant is fueling a shortage of intensive care beds, particularly in states with low vaccination rates.

[14:45:06]

CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN (voice-over): Deaths, hospitalizations, cases, and vaccinations now all on the rise. The Delta variant, dominating.

DR. JENNA CARPENTER, PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE PHYSICIAN, MARSHALL MEDICAL SOUTH: From the bottom of my heart, we, as the medical community, are completely exhausted.

MARQUEZ: Nationwide deaths up 62 percent, most unvaccinated. That's the seven-day average increase over the previous week. On average, 862 Americans now dying every day from COVID-19.

More than 93,000 Americans now in hospitals, numbers climbing toward January's record high. Cases, 14 percent higher than last week's seven-day average.

More than 141,000 Americans now testing positive on average every day. Vaccinations also up. Daily shots up about 60 percent in just over a month.

MARY C. MAYHEW, PRESIDENT & CEO, FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION: Not only are we seeing a significant number of COVID hospitalizations, but we have a much higher volume of critically ill non-COVID patients.

MARQUEZ: Florida intensive care units statewide nearing capacity, along with Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas. ICUs filling to concerning levels, all at more than 90 percent capacity.

Alabama is out of ICU beds statewide.

MAYHEW: We are seeing a much younger group of individuals who are hospitalized for COVID in our intensive care units, on ventilators.

These are healthy, young 20-year-olds, 30-year-olds who, because of the aggressive nature of the Delta variant, are now being hospitalized.

MARQUEZ: In Florida and Texas, the battle over masks in schools continues. The Texas Supreme Court ruling schools can impose mask mandates.

And in Florida, some districts defying the Republican governor's order limiting mask mandates.

And yet, more disturbing incidents from the COVID-19 front lines. In Florida, this scene at a public library in Jacksonville. Louis Lopez snapped this picture.

LOUIS LOPEZ, COVID-19 PATIENT: They were so sick, the picture really doesn't do it justice because they were moaning. They were in a lot of pain. It really drove the point home as to how serious these people are.

MARQUEZ: The library now converted into a site for COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment after Governor Ron DeSantis made the treatment widely available. The treatment typically administered through an infusion, which takes space and time.

And in Roseberg, Oregon, Mercy Hospital making a shocking admission. One patient died in its emergency department while waiting for an open ICU bed.

"Even after expanding ICU care on to other floors, there weren't any beds available for this patient. We didn't have enough," the hospital said in a statement. "We need your help, grace, and kindness."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: Now, the Delta variant is also throwing companies for a loop. Not only are they wrestling with whether or not to have their employees vaccinated, many now pushing back those back-to-work dates into January 2022.

Including now Amazon, Charles Schwab, many other companies in New York considering. And the west coast considering the same -- Victor?

BLACKWELL: It is just sad to see the people there at the Jacksonville Public Library there stretched out over the floor for treatment.

MARQUEZ: It is shocking. And that's -- part of that is because they now have an order from the governor to offer this treatment to people more widely, people are going to get it.

While it does show some promise for some people, if you don't get it early enough in the disease, it's not going to help many.

And it's creating possibly even more problems in Florida than they already have.

This ain't going to be over any time soon.

BLACKWELL: Miguel Marquez, thank you.

MARQUEZ: You got it.

BLACKWELL: Tropical Storm Henri is on track to become a hurricane. It's headed toward the New England states. And we'll have the latest forecast for you in just a moment.

All week long, New Yorkers have been enjoying free hip-hop concerts as part of the lead-up to the "WE LOVE NEW YORK CITY" homecoming concert.

The all-star line-up includes Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, L.L. Cool Jr., Barry Manilow and Jennifer Hudson. Attendees have to show proof of at least one dose of the COVID vaccine to get in.

[14:49:32]

Watch it exclusively on CNN tomorrow starting at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

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BLACKWELL: Tropical Storm Henri is expected to grow into a hurricane by tomorrow. It would be the first to hit New England in 30 years. Millions of people are under a hurricane watch from Long Island up to Cape Cod.

CNN metrologist, Jennifer Gray, is tracking the storm for us.

Where is it and where is it headed?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Victor, this storm is gaining strength. It's nearing hurricane strength right now with winds of 70 miles per hour. Gusts of 75. It's moving to the north northwest at six miles per hour.

[14:54:58]

Now this storm will continue to head to the north, increasing in intensity. By tomorrow morning, this will be a category one storm.

You can see, as it gets closer to the northeast and New England, still a lot of uncertainty on exactly where this will make landfall.

We could be talking about a strong tropical storm or category one storm impacting portions of the northeast, New England, by the time we get into Sunday night into Monday.

So we could see tropical storm force winds as early as tomorrow evening across this region.

But if you look at these forecast models, you can see still some uncertainty. Some of these models take the storm a little bit farther to the west. Some of them take it a little bit farther to the east.

Regardless, we're going to get torrential rains across New England as well as portions of the northeast, as well as very strong winds.

This is already a saturated region. So you're talking about winds gusting to 74 miles an hour or more. And 60 miles an hour for more places in spots.

You're going get a lot of trees down. You're going to get power outages, and not to mention the flooding that we're going to see, Victor.

So this will be a huge problem across New England as we get into Sunday and Monday.

BLACKWELL: We'll watch out for it.

Jennifer Gray, thank you.

We're moments away from hearing from the Pentagon as evacuations in Afghanistan are set to resume after a more than eight-hour pause. We'll have that for you live.

Also, join CNN for "WE LOVE NEW YORK CITY, THE HOMECOMING CONCERT." It's a once-in-a-lifetime concert event tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 Eastern exclusively. on CNN.

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