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Fauci Says, COVID Booster Shot Likely Needed for Full Protection; Biden Says U.S Committed to Getting Out Remaining Americans; Biden Speaks after Disappointing Jobs Report. Aired 10:30- 11a ET

Aired September 03, 2021 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That is right, Jim. And that is what is causing Dr. Fauci and others to say, you know what, now is the time for boosters. To be clear, Fauci and others have pretty much always said, look, we think boosters are in our future. And they're saying that now appears to be the time.

So let's look at what this Israeli data shows. In Israel, they are giving a booster which is just a third shot, same as the first two that everybody already got five months or more after someone has had their second shot. And what they found, they looked at more than a million people over the age of 60 and after getting that booster, after getting that third shot, their relative risk of severe disease went down ten times. So, that is pretty clear data right there.

And no one should be surprised about this for the reason that I just said, but also because, as any parent knows, my vaccines are given in a series. You take your child in and they get the first in the series and then you come back months later and then you come back months later and you get the second or sometimes even the third shot in a series. Let's take a listen to what Dr. Fauci had to say about that at a White House briefing yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: But I must say, from my own experience as an immunologist, I would not at all be surprised that the adequate full regimen for vaccination will likely be three doses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: It is interesting, because Dr. Paul Offit, who invented the rotavirus vaccine, he said that, in the future, we might not think of this as a booster, we might just think of the COVID-19 vaccine as a vaccine that requires three shots, as a vaccine that needs to be given in a series. Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Elizabeth Cohen, we'll watch that closely. Thanks very much.

After this break, I'm going to be joined by a retired Green Beret commander who worked with a private group of other veterans to get U.S. Afghan allies out of Afghanistan and out of danger, people who'd helped the U.S. over the past two decades, a great danger to themselves. What happens to those who could not get out now that U.S. troops are gone? We'll ask.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:35:00]

SCIUTTO: My next guest is a retired Green Beret commander who helped lead a dangerous mission dubbed Pineapple Express that has saved many, many lives of Afghans who helped the U.S. during the 20-year war there, helped get them to safety. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann joins me now. Thanks for joining us this morning.

LT. COL. SCOTT MANN (RET.), PART OF PRIVATE OPERATION OF VETERANS WHO EVACUATED AFGHAN ALLIES: It is good to be here. I appreciate it.

SCIUTTO: Your work has done so much. The U.S. now says that it could continue evacuations, it hopes to, of vulnerable people even under the Taliban. Is that credible?

MANN: I think so. And I want to point out too that all of our volunteers, it was Navy SEALS, Army Rangers, Green Berets, other veterans, it was all done remote. No one was in country and we don't intend to be because we don't want to get in the way of things.

But I will tell you what I think makes us relevant to the State of Department and the DOD is that we know many these high-profile people are, high-risk, we know where they are and they trust us. We have got 20 years of working in that country and I think we proved with the airport that we can help move people in an orderly way and be that liaison network and that is what we want to do going forward for the long haul and I think we can.

SCIUTTO: And you believe the Taliban wouldn't block you from doing that?

MANN: I mean, I think the Taliban are going to do what they do. They are going to hunt and they're going to try to walk down people that they deem a threat to their regime. But I also know that retired Special Forces and other special operators have a lot of skill and in helping people move around. And we don't intend to rely on the Taliban to keep people out of harm's way. We're going to continue to do that the way that we have. And right now, that is what we're focusing on, is at risk populations trying to help them stay safe and move as necessary.

SCIUTTO: I've been speaking to groups like yours, as well as Afghans in need there. There is a lot of frustration, as you know, with processing, right, with getting help from the U.S. government, from the State Department. They're promising to continue to help. Are they? MANN: I think they are. I think they're just up against a ton, right? I mean, we can sit back, I really think there is going to be a time to look at accountability and everything you, but we still have American citizens down range. We have thousands of at-risk Afghans who we made a promise to.

And what I love is that the special ops veterans and other veterans are really demonstrating to America what we all need to do, which is just come together and work together to help bring them home. And it is starting to happen. I mean, it happened with the evacuation. And I think, over time, we can get more home but we just got to keep leaning in with each other the way that we're doing. And I'm pretty encouraged by it. I think if we continue to do that, there is some real potential there.

SCIUTTO: Without revealing any of your methods, because I know it is important for security that you do not, can you give us a sense how many people at least you helped get out and how many more you believe are in grave danger right now?

MANN: Well, our volunteers who we call shepherds during the airport phase helped move in varying degrees to the airfield somewhere between 500 and 700 people in three days. And that is not counting the volunteers from Dunkirk, Team America and other volunteer organizations. So I would suggest with all of them probably in the thousands.

Now, we've helped move dozens in the last couple of days from point to point. There are different ethnic groups, different religions, different nonprofit initiatives that their young leaders in arts and innovation are at risk.

[10:40:07]

So we're working together to just look at the landscape and help people move, help them layup, stay safe, because right now, we have got to be smart. Just rushing to the gates like what happened in Kabul, that is not a good play. So that is why I think the more responsible we can act together and be the eyes and ears for many of these folks in duress, the more we can help them get, A, to safety, , which inside the country, and, ultimately, to freedom.

SCIUTTO: The president is going to speak shortly, not about this topic but you've heard his words so far. Stand by there, please, Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann. Here is the president, President Biden.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're getting ready to head down to Louisiana and I had a few things I had to do. Look, as we head into Labor Day weekend, we have more evidence of the progress of our economy from last year's economic calamity.

Today we learned the economy created 235,000 new jobs in August. And the unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent. The lowest it has been in 18 months. But despite the impact of the delta variant, and I'll talk more about that in a minute, what we're seeing is an economic recovery that is durable and strong. The Biden plan is working. We're getting results. And America is on the move again and today's revision of previous month job gains with the revision of the July numbers, this report means that we have been adding an average of 750,000 jobs per month on average during the past three months. And the three months before I became president, well, we're adding 60,000 jobs a month. Total job creation in the first seven months of my administration is nearly double, double any prior first year president.

All I know is some wanted to see a larger number today and so did I. What we've seen this year is the continued growth month after month in job creation. It is not just that I've added more jobs than any first year president -- in the first year of any president, it is that we've added jobs in every single one of my first seven job reports, and wages are going up. Some more jobs, some months are fewer, some months more, but always adding jobs. This is kind of growth makes our economy stronger and consistent, progress and not boom or bust.

Our economy grew the first half of this year at the fastest rate in about 40 years. We're the only developed country in the world, I'll say that again, we're the only develop the country in the world whose economy is now bigger than the pandemic. Because of the groundwork we laid with the American rescue plan, our vaccination and our vaccination strategy, we're seeing an economy and a job market that can weather the ups and downs of the delta variant and anything else that comes our way.

Now, we have a lot more work to do, as I will discuss shortly, but the facts speak for themselves. Think of where this country on the day I was sworn in as president, and compare it to where we are today. The number of people filing new claims for unemployment each week is down 57 percent, down 57 percent. Child poverty is down nearly 50 percent. We're no longer seeing long lines of people waiting for boxes of food to be put in their trunk after waiting for hours or sometimes up to two hours.

Now, the unemployment rate is down from 6.3 percent to 5.2, and I believe it's going to continue to go down. And it is no wonder that last week's Gallup poll found that 72 percent of Americans think that now is a good time to find a quality job. At this time last year, that number was 30 percent. And that is the mark of an economy where regular people can see a place for themselves in the economy.

You know, the holidays we celebrate this weekend, the holiday, Labor Day, is about honoring the dignity of work, honoring the American worker. And that is what our economic strategy is all about as well. It is about growing our economy from the bottom up and the middle out, providing some extra breathing room for families. And my dad would say just a little breathing room.

Creating an environment where employers have a truly -- have to compete for workers by providing higher wages and better benefits. That is what is happening. Wages are up especially for working class Americans.

Even so, even with the progress we've made, we're not where we need to be in our economic recovery. There are two critical tasks ahead this month to get us closer to our goal and to take the next steps in our recovery.

[10:45:00]

First, we need to make more progress in fighting the delta variant of COVID-19. This is a continued pandemic of the unvaccinated. Since becoming president, I've ramped up testing, secured enough vaccine for every single American and gotten 175 million Americans fully vaccinated. Still, too many have not gotten vaccinated. And it is creating a lot of unease in our economy and around our kitchen tables.

Today's report shows that the steps we've taken, passing the rescue plan and vaccinating 175 million people, make our economy growing and adding jobs even in the face of the continuing delta surge, the strength in our economy very different from the way things were last winter.

There is no question that the delta variant is why today's job report isn't stronger. I know people were looking and I was hoping for a higher number. But next week, I'll lay out the next steps that are going to -- we're going to need to combat the delta variant, to address some of those fears and concerns.

I want to talk about how we'll further protect our schools, our businesses, our economy and our families from the threat of delta. As we continue to fight the delta variant, the American rescue plan we passed continues to support families, businesses and communities. Even with some of the benefits that were provided are set to expire next week.

States have the option to extend those benefits and the federal resources from the rescue plan to do so, not more federal taxes, state taxes, but they have the federal money to be able to do that. States continue to have access to a wide array of support, like help for schools that are reopening, help for childcare centers to make them available and affordable, and other resources to help our economy get back to normal.

The measures we've taken so far have brought America out of an economic free fall, steadied us and enabled us to grow our economy even as we continue to combat COVID. We are adding jobs, not losing them. The fight against COVID today is far different from the fight we were waging last winter.

The second thing that has to happen in September is for the Congress, the House and Senate, to finish the job of passing my economic agenda, so that we can keep up the historic momentum we've been building these last seven months. It is about investing in America's future, not about short-term stimulus. That is not what we're talking about.

These are long-term prosperity we're talking about, about lowering the cost of living for families, creating millions of good-paying jobs for hard-working Americans. It is about reducing bottlenecks in our economy, reducing long-term price pressures. It is about helping more people to work by helping ease the burden that parents bear, especially mothers, keeping them out of the job market.

Both the Senate and the House had taken important steps forward to pass my bipartisan infrastructure plan. This bill is going to end years of gridlock. We used to remember all we had -- we always had the whole notion we had, I guess it was every week was going to be infrastructure week.

Well, both literally and figuratively, it is going to change things on our streets across the country and figuratively as it relates to Washington. We're going to create millions of good paying jobs. We're going to ease inflationary pressure and allow us to win the competition in the 21st century in a global economy where the competition has become more intense.

Look, it is historic investment in roads, in rail, in transit, in bridges, in clean energy, in clean water, universal broadband. It is going to modernize our energy grid. You need not go any further than look what is happening across the country now in terms of energy grid. It is about resilience. Make our roads and highways safer. Make us more resilient to the kinds of devastating impacts of extreme weather we've seen in so many parts of the country.

And, look, this is about good paying jobs for ordinary people, blue- collar workers, jobs with prevailing wage, not $50 an hour, or $20 or $30, but for the carpenters, pipe fitters, plumbers, electrical works and so many other Americans, about 90 percent of the jobs will create with this plan won't require a college degree but will fundamentally transform the lives of millions of people. It's going to transform America and propel us into the future, just as we did when we built the transcontinental railroad when electrified the country with the TVA.

[10:50:01]

Look, at the same time, the House and Senate have to advance my build back better agenda. That bill contains critical investments in childcare, to make it easier for families to be able to go to work and assure their child is being taken care of. And home care for seniors.

The polling data show among your generation, all of you out here, your greatest concern is caring for your elderly parent, even more than your child. It is about paid leave, allowing people with a new child or a sick spouse at home, to take care of them without risking losing their paycheck, not indefinitely but for a time period they can actually make a difference, universal pre-K and community college making us significantly better educate and increasing our competitive edge globally around the world over time.

And we'll combat climate change by building our clean energy future, creating, as experts point out, millions of jobs in building windmills and solar panels around the country and transferring that energy, transmitting it to parts that don't have that capacity. We're going to bring down the cost of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to finally be able to negotiate drug prices with producers. Look -- and so much more. Here is the thing you need to know, we're going to deliver these investments without raising taxes one cent under anyone making less than $400,000 a year. How are we going to do that? We're going to do it by leveling the playing field, by just having a fair system where we ask the largest corporations and the wealthiest Americans to begin to pay their fair share, not more.

They could still make millions of dollars. The super wealthy are still going to be able to have three homes. It's not going to affect anything. The fact of the matter is, though, it is about time they begin to pay their fair share.

For example, you heard me say before it and I'll say it again because it's the best example to make clear to clear to people a very complicated notion. 55 of the largest corporations in America last year paid zero, zero in federal taxes. I don't care what your position is. It just seems to me it is time they start to pay their fair share, like everybody else. Just pay a little bit here. And it comes up to billions of dollars if they pay.

The irony of ironies is, during the recession and the pandemic, you've heard me say this before and I apologize for repeating it, when the vast majority of Americans were struggling just to hang on, the number of billionaires in America actually grew.

Now, I want to hold here for just a second. There have been so many records in the stock market has hit under my presidency. Imagine if the other guy was here. We're doing great. It is wonderful. The stock market is surging. It is gone up higher than anybody. But that doesn't -- that doesn't mean that it is the best for the economy.

Look, stock market is set 40-record highs just this year. They can afford to pay just a little bit more. But, folks, right now the House and Senate are working on my plan to generate a fair tax system and close loopholes of big corporations and the super wealthy use to pay less.

To give you one example, there is a group of experts left, right and center who estimate that right now we lose more than $100 billion a year in tax revenue owed from the top 1 percent of taxpayers alone, not because of low tax rates but because the wealthy people aren't paying the taxes they owe.

We're going to change that so that they pay taxes just like typical hard working Americans do right now. We're going to use the money we collect from the tax cuts for -- to give tax cuts to middle class families, to make it easier to raise kids, to take care of your aging parents and so much more.

What is going on in Congress? Not a single Republican supports this plan. They support the bipartisan plan, but not this plan, not one. And some big corporations are spending millions of dollars in -- legitimately, I mean, they're lobbying -- to try to escape their obligation to pay the taxes they owe, leaving working families to pay a larger share of the burden. Somebody has got to pay. And when those who can't afford to pay and aren't paying anywhere their fair share, it means you all pay more.

This has worked in the past with significant lobbying efforts but I don't think it is it is going to work with me.

[10:55:02]

For those big corporations that don't want things to change, my message is this, it is time for working families, the folks who built this country, to have their taxes cut. And those corporate interests doing everything they can to find allies in Congress to keep that from happening. Let me be, as I always, express to you perfectly clear, I'm going to take them on. We're going to pass these measures. We're going to balloon an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down.

And when corporations and the wealthy start to pay their fair share, it's going to put millions of people, according to all the estimates, millions of people to work in jobs that are going to help them punch their ticket to the middle class and stay in the middle class, and everyone will do better, including corporate America.

Look, just think about it. Throughout our history, when the middle class has done well, when it prospers, has there ever been a time that the wealthy in corporate America doesn't do well? I can't think of one. Our country needs these investments. I'm not asking anything other than some fairness being injected into the system.

Like I said, if we hold here, the fact is that, you know, the very wealth are still going to have three or four homes, if they want. It is not going to change what schools they can send their kids to. It is not going to change their standard of living. But just pay a fair share. Corporate America is going to continue to do very well. I've seen no evidence that suggests it's going to cost jobs or cost -- I mean, you know, it just -- and now we need Congress to finish the job, to come through for the American people and ensure that the economy continues to get strength and stability as we move forward.

Now, finally, third thing we need to do, all of us, is to stick together. We have to put ourselves on track to accomplish extraordinary things, a strong inclusive historic economy growth. Landmark investments to creating even more good jobs and deliver breathing room for millions of families. A giant step forward in the fight against climate change, a crisis made more evident than ever by the death and destruction caused by extreme weather just these past few days.

My agenda, I believe, is one that every American, if they understand, they can get behind. Because of the work we've all put in, not just here in Washington but in communities across the country, every one of those goals is now within our reach. Coming together has always been part of the DNA of Americans. And if we could summon that instinct within us to unite, as one people, one nation, there is nothing beyond our capacity.

So let's keep going. Let's stick together. Let's remember who we are. You've heard me say it, time and again, we're the United States of America. And the rest of the world is looking to us because we are the most prosperous nation in the world right now. We're growing. And there is a fairness to what we're doing, a fairness. We'll still have millionaires. We'll still have billionaires. We'll still have corporations that do incredibly well and CEOs that make a lot of money but everybody has to start paying their fair share. Thank you very much

Pardon me?

REPORTER: One question, on the abortion rights in Texas, sir. What would be your message to women in Texas and what can your administration do to protect abortion rights on a federal level?

BIDEN: I'm late for going down. I'm going to talk about these things from Louisiana. But I have been -- continue to be a strong supporter of Roe v. Wade, number one. And the most pernicious thing about the Texas law, it sort of creates a vigilante system where people get rewards to go out to -- anyway. And it just seems -- I know this sounds ridiculous, almost it's un-American what we're talking about.

Not to debate about -- I respect people who think that -- who don't support Roe v. Wade. I respect their views. I respect them, those that believe begins in the moment of conception and all. I respect that. I don't agree but I respect that. I'm not going to impose that on people.

But what I was told and I must tell you, I am not certain. I was told that there are possibilities within the existing law to have the Justice Department look and see whether there are things that can be done that can limit the independent action.