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President Biden Wraps Up First Day Of G20 Summit; FOX's Tucker Carlson's False Flag Fear Mongering Over 1/6; Interview With Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson About Biden's Trip To G20 Summit; FDNY: Excessive Number Of Sick-Outs After Vaccine Mandate Deadline; Interview With NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins; CDC Could Authorize Vaccine For Kids 5-11 Within Days. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired October 30, 2021 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:09]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

President Biden on the world stage at his first G20 summit. As day one wraps up in Rome, he already has some key wins with agreement on a global minimum corporate tax and easing the Trump tariffs that Europeans were so upset about. But the remaining issues for the leaders of the world's largest economies promise to be much more challenging. We're talking coronavirus, climate crisis, supply chain slowdowns, and the Iran nuclear program.

Further complicating things, Biden was hoping to be riding some momentum in Rome armed with at least one of his two key agenda items signed into law back here in the U.S. But that did not happen. Democrats in Congress did not reach an agreement on a compromise, on that $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and the larger $1.75 trillion economic plan in time. Instead, we're now learning the House plans to vote on both of those bills on Tuesday.

Let's go to CNN's Phil Mattingly live in Rome.

Phil, these leaders know what kind of headwinds Biden is facing back at home. I suppose they have headwinds of their own depending on their individual political situations. How significant are these drawn-out talks in Congress when it comes to Biden's credibility on the world stage?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think from a 30,000-foot level is probably the biggest issue, right? The president made clear that he wanted to deliver. The president made clear that he wanted to show that government could work and that that was a critical component of his administration and frankly, Western democracies aligning against actors that he believes are not necessarily moving their countries or their alliances in the right direction.

And so to come to a conference, whether it's G7 or NATO conference or where we are right now in Rome in G20 conference, and come at the same time that your domestic agenda, which is so critical to several of the major issues inside this conference, has been missing deadline after deadline, it complicates things.

Now administration officials, Jim, have made it very clear. They believe that the world leaders are keen political observers. They understand the dynamics of what's happening on Capitol Hill and they understand that Democrats do appear to be moving closer to that package, but when the president discusses climate, he wants to talk about the $555 billion in climate measures in that $1.75 trillion package.

When he talks about coronavirus, he wants to talk about what the package would do in terms of long-term ability to address health issues like that. When he talks about infrastructure or Building Back Better, kind of the core terminology that they used to describe this plan, they want to be able to point to a package that still has not moved forward.

And so I think to some degree, Jim, that complicates things. It will be interesting to see over the course of the next couple of days, big discussions about climate tomorrow, big discussions about supply chain tomorrow as well. Two elements the administration hopes to hit at least to some degree in these packages, but for tonight, all the leaders currently at dinner.

Jim, you know this process quite well. We now have the menu. It is salmon marinated with herbs and fennel, risotto and pumpkin and white truffle and sea bass. But perhaps more importantly than the menu, who's everybody sitting next to? We do know that the president is sitting next to the European Union commissioner and the Italian president. The first lady is sitting next to French president Emmanuel Macron.

Obviously, the president trying to ease a rift between the two countries yesterday. But while that was happening, the first lady and Emmanuel Macron's wife were actually meeting themselves and the first lady, Jill Biden, referred to their discussion as two sisters chatting as they sipped white wine -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes, Phil, I -- I mean, I don't understand, one of these dinners like this you would think they would have pasta on the menu. I'm a little disappointed to hear that we're just talking about fish here. But I always overdose on pasta on those trips to Rome. But -- and to my detriment, of course. But you know, one of the things --

MATTINGLY: Yes, Jim, I think -- I think there's a possibility that all the reporters already ate all of the pasta.

ACOSTA: Yes. That's probably --

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: You know, the press file, they've hearty appetites. But let me ask you, we know that climate change was going to come up in all these discussions. I think it's fascinating that Iran has emerged as a key issue at this G20 summit.

There's an obvious contrast to the way Biden is handling Iran and climate change on the world stage versus how his predecessor approached those issues. To think that Iran, that those talks might get started again in earnest in a major way that involves the United States, I think that would be pretty significant.

MATTINGLY: It would be a significant development. I think when you talk to administration officials, they make clear they're not quite there yet. There isn't a date necessarily that's set. But I think what you saw with the president's meeting today with three key European leaders is the urgency on the side of the Europeans to try and get the U.S. and Iran to the table to some degree. Obviously they've had a series of talks over the course of the last several months.

U.S. officials that I've spoken to, I'm sure you have as well, Jim, made clear they don't have a lot of optimism right now. It's not just getting back into the JCPOA, they want to expand the scope of any agreement with Iran to deal with their ballistic missile capability, also their malign influence in other areas of the world.

[16:05:05]

The Iranians have made clear that's a red line. They have also now have new leadership. And so I think when you talk to administration officials about the importance of today's meeting, it was really the leaders sitting down really going through details of what they think they might be able to accomplish and trying to lay out kind of the next steps, the future of this process, and how it may go forward.

Again, not a lot of optimism on the U.S. side that I've heard over the course of the last several weeks, but a very critical meeting. Given the stakes, it is an enormous issue that is still very much hanging out there. Obviously, the Iranian have blown through what was put in place to try and cap their capabilities in that deal over the course of the last several months which has brought deep concern from leaders across the world.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. And that is an issue that all world leaders struggle with. And they certainly are these days in terms of how to reign in that program.

All right, Phil Mattingly, in Rome, thank you very much.

Up next, 5 to 11-year-olds could be eligible to get a COVID vaccine within days, but just one in four parents plan to get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible. The director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins, he's going to join us live in just a bit to address that hesitation.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:10:21]

ACOSTA: Tucker Carlson is releasing his big blockbuster movie on Monday. While the kids have been calling for a sequel to "Dune," Tucker thought they said loon. As in crazy as a loon. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The domestic war on terror is here. It's coming after --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Half of the country.

TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: They began to fight a new enemy in a new war on terror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: False flags have happened in this country. One of which may have been January 6th.

(END)

ACOSTA: No Zendaya (ph)? Darn. But it is about global domination I guess in Tucker's eyes. And yes, Tucker sees himself as kind of a Timothee Chalamet style messiah. But the comparisons end there. As Tucker attempts to whitewash the white supremacists at the Capitol on January 6th. And it gets more sinister than that. Tucker is peddling some deeply dangerous propaganda that the insurrection was actually a false flag operation. He has floated this before.

It is a ridiculous conspiracy theory that the government was really behind the attack, but there are plot holes big enough for Alex Jones to drive a monster truck through. Now as for flags, there were plenty of Trump flags and confederate flags on display at the insurrection. Former Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman who was working for the January 6th Committee has said at least seven white nationalists groups were involved in the rioting.

Forget universal pre-K, some of these guys at the Capitol wanted universal KKK. But there are other problems with Tucker's premise. Don't forget Tucker already has rejected the notion that there was any seriously violence at the Capitol on January 6th. He said this back in September.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: You don't see people hiding bombs or using bayonets or firing weapons, trying to take over the country in an insurrection. You see people walking around and taking pictures. They don't look like terrorists, they look like tourists, and all of them, by the way, are American.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Tucker has already described the insurrectionists as tourists. So they were just tourists while also carrying out a false flag attack on the Capitol? Sorry, you can't have it both ways. But wait, there's more. Overnight, CNN reported that Trump wants to block congressional investigators from obtaining all sorts of White House records. Handwritten memos from his chief of staff about January 6th.

Trump's call logs, former Vice President Mike Pence's call logs, as well as White House visitor records, which is a reminder that, yes, this alleged false flag operation happened when Trump was in office. Shouldn't Tucker and his crack investigative team call on Trump to release all of those records so they can get to the bottom of what happened? Let's go, Tucker. Wait, that sounds catchy. Let's go, Tucker. Release the records.

But of course, he's not trying to get to the bottom of anything. Tucker is just giving a pass to fringe elements on the far right, which is insane considering all of the extreme rhetoric we've heard just in the past week. There's this recent disturbing exchange a man had with Charlie Kirk, the founder of the ultra-conservative group "Turning Point USA." Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is tyranny. When do we get to use the guns?

(CHEERS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, and I'm not, that's not a joke. I'm not saying it like that. I mean, literally, where's the line? How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?

CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER, TURNING POINT USA: So, no, I -- no, hold on. No. Stop. Hold on. Now I'm going to denounce that and tell you why because you're playing into all their plans and they're trying to make you do this.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Then there's Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who appeared to justify what happened on January 6th.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN (R-GA): January 6th was just a riot at the Capitol. And if you think about what our Declaration of Independence says, it says to overthrow tyrants.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: We even had a United States senator defending the use of Nazi salutes at school board meetings as a form of First Amendment protected free speech.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): And I counted 20 incidents, cited, of the 20, 15 on their face are nonviolent. They involve things like insults. They involve a Nazi salute. That's one of the examples. My god, a parent did a Nazi salute at a school board because they thought the policies were oppressive.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: I did not see that coming. I'm starting to think the problem with Ted Cruz is not that he went to Cancun. It's that he came back, but I digress.

The other item that doesn't square with Tucker's premise is that the Trump team was plotting to overturn the election as it was planning that Stop the Steal rally on January 6th. One of Trump's legal advisers at the time, John Eastman, wrote the memo advising the Trump team on how the vice president could throw out state election results. He has since downplayed his own memo saying the plan wasn't viable.

[16:15:02]

But that's not what he said during an interview on Steve Bannon's podcast right before January 6th. CNN's K-File unit dug up the audio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: Are we to assume that this is going to be a climactic battle that's going to take place this week about the very question of the constitutionality of the Electoral Count Act of 1877?

JOHN EASTMAN, TRUMP LAWYER: Well, I think a lot of that depends on the courage and the spine of the individuals involved.

BANNON: When you just said the courage and the spine, are you talking on the other side of the football? Would you be -- that would be a nice way to say a guy named Mike, Vice President Mike Pence?

EASTMAN: Yes.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The only government plot appears to be the plot hatched by Trump and his henchmen to stay in power. But the worst part of what Tucker is doing is that we've already seen what his brand of hate- filled rhetoric can do to America.

Like in 2017 when white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, and engaged in violent demonstrations that left one innocent woman dead, or like in 2018 in the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue or in 2019 in the massacre at the Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas.

Both cases carried out by gunmen who wanted to stop an invasion of migrants coming into this country. Sounds a lot like those caravan segments you continue to see on Tucker's show and other programs on FOX.

And of course Trump's big lie reverberated inside the far-right echo chamber for weeks before the political violence that exploded at the Capitol. The reason why federal investigators and millions of Americans are terrified by right-wing violence in this country is because it keeps happening and Tucker Carlson is inciting more of it. Tucker is calling his propaganda flip the patriot purge. It's nothing more than Proud Boy porn.

And the worst part is that a major corporation in America, FOX, is bankrolling it. Now FOX is insisting Tucker's manifesto will only be seen on its streaming service. FOX Nation, please. No matter how you slice it, the Murdoch family, which controls FOX, is cashing in as American democracy is being set ablaze. The fact that the Murdoch-run "Wall Street Journal" just ran a letter to the editor from Trump peddling the big lie again is hardly the worst thing that they've done this week, and that's saying a lot.

As the Antidefamation League wrote in a letter to FOX's executive chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch, how many more people need to die?

My question to the Murdochs is this. Why are you doing this to us? Why are you doing this to America? You came to this country and built a media empire. Isn't that enough? During Trump, you became American state TV. Now you seem like end of America state TV. People like to say the Murdochs, oh, they're just like that HBO show, "Succession." Close. It's more like secession.

The Murdochs and Tucker Carlson, their primetime pyromaniac, appear to be hell bent on dragging this country into a civil war. Jefferson Davis would be proud.

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:22:36]

ACOSTA: A moment ago, we checked in on President Biden's trip to Rome in the G20 summit. I'm joined now by former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in the Clinton administration, and former New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson.

Governor, Ambassador, thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate it. What do you make of the president's trip so far? Does he need to accomplish much or it is just good that he was able to get out of Washington considering how much trouble he's had with his domestic agenda here?

BILL RICHARDSON (D), FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO: Well, in my view, Jim, he's on a roll. The meeting with the Pope was excellent. Good vibrations. Making up with our French ally a bit after that very good submarine deal for the United States, for Britain, for Australia. France was understandably upset. The global minimum tax, 15 percent to ensure fair taxation among the -- at least the 20 biggest economies in the world. I think he's on a roll. He's doing good. But most importantly --

ACOSTA: He might want to stay overseas? Is that it, Governor?

RICHARDSON: Well, you know, I was in Congress 15 years and this framework agreement I think is going to happen. On the reconciliation bill. On the infrastructure bill. And you know as a former secretary of energy, the energy provisions are great. Electric investments in clean energy. $550 billion worth. Battery storage. Electric vehicles. Transmission.

ACOSTA: I wanted to ask you about that.

(CROSSTALK)

RICHARDSON: Yes.

ACOSTA: Secretary, I want --

RICHARDSON: Go ahead. Go ahead.

ACOSTA: Well, the thing I was going to ask you is, do you think that some of the progressives up on Capitol Hill, maybe even the moderates in the Democratic Party, have lost sight of how significant the climate portion is in that larger spending bill?

RICHARDSON: Well, what needs to happen is for passage of this climate provisions in the reconciliation bill. Actually, the whole bill is very good because what the president needs more than anything at the Glasgow summit, the climate change summit, is to show that he has support from the Congress. And if he keeps the votes in line, and I know Speaker Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, they're very good vote counters.

[16:25:06]

They're not going to put up a vote until they have the votes, but it's critically important that we stick to our goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030. That's going to signal to the European nations, the world that we're back as leaders on climate change. The key is going to be, Jim, China and India. Whether they continue to move forward on climate change. Especially China.

ACOSTA: And how important is that shift in tone when it comes to climate change? President Biden believing climate change is a crisis. Wants to address it. You recall for President Trump, referred to it as a Chinese hoax, among other things, before when he was in office. How big of a deal is that on the world stage, would you say? Just that difference there.

RICHARDSON: Well, it's huge. In other words, I think President Obama deserves a lot of credit for what he did at the Paris summit. Then we got out of the Paris agreement and now President Biden is putting us back in as international leaders, global alliance, but especially the key has got to be climate change.

And the fact that he has a very good chance of passage of strong climate change provisions, as I mentioned, on electric vehicles, on renewable energy, on battery storage, on transmission, on all kinds of incentives. $550 billion worth, it puts us back as leaders on the world stage with the key being climate change. So I think the president's on a roll.

ACOSTA: Yes.

RICHARDSON: He's on a roll.

ACOSTA: Well, and these charging stations that are being mentioned as part of the climate portion of that bill. That could be very significant in moving the country towards having more electric vehicles on the road. But, you know, I want to ask you, having President Obama there at that climate summit in Scottland as well, that's pretty unusual to have a former president there with the current president.

RICHARDSON: Well, I think the strength of President Obama is he's a worldwide figure. He probably polls better internationally than in the United States. He polls very well everywhere. And especially with young people. I know he's going to do a youth summit there. The fact that he negotiated a framework agreement at that Paris agreement with China being the key player with us to ensure a good target.

So I think the fact that they're partners, Biden, Obama, is good. And President Biden deserves enormous credit, I believe, for putting this once again as leaders on the world stage on climate change with a tangible goal of passage in the Congress of major energy renewable energy climate change provisions. On electric vehicles, we have to improve the infrastructure. There have to be more car charging stations especially in rural areas. Right now, electric vehicles are strong in urban areas, but not in rural areas. And we can't forget rural America.

ACOSTA: That is certainly the case. All right. Former energy secretary, former ambassador to the U.N., former governor of New Mexico, he almost did it all. It's almost won like the EGAT, you almost won all of the awards, sir. But, Ambassador Bill Richardson, Thanks for coming on. We appreciate it. Good to see you, sir.

New York City firefighters had until last night to get vaccinated. Today, the city says it's experiencing a, quote, "excessive number of sickouts." A live report from New York is next right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:33:32]

ACOSTA: Just in, the New York Fire Department is experiencing an excessive number of sickouts just one day after the deadline for firefighters to provide proof they've received at least one dose of vaccine or be placed on paid leave.

CNN's Polo Sandoval joins me now.

Polo, what are we learning?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, we need to be clear that, so far, what we're hearing from authorities is that they've been able to successfully respond to all calls for service.

But this is something that authorities here in New York were certainly expecting and were preparing for and, by multiple accounts, according to the FDNY, are actually dealing with.

In this particular case, an excessive amount of sickouts. And according to a fire department spokesperson, they believe are likely tied to many of these firefighters that had essentially not been vaccinated after that mandate kicked into place yesterday at 5:00 p.m.

The head of the fire department really quite upset with the number of sickouts here.

I want to read you a portion of a statement released by the head of the New York Fire Department here, by the commissioner, writing, "The excessive sick leave by a group of our firefighters because of their anger at the vaccine mandates for all city employees is unacceptable."

The commissioner there calling it contrary to their oaths to serve and may endanger the lives of New Yorkers.

Now when it comes to see what they're doing now, actually, the commissioner does go on to write that, "Despite these actions by some, the department will continue to respond to all calls for help that come our way."

[16:35:05]

And as I was saying, they've actually had multiple different plans in place that we're told are actually basically they're tapping into that, including reshuffling some of the resources to make sure all of those calls go answered.

But authorities here saying that there have been some companies, again, these are basically units within the firehouse that have, that are not operating right now.

But that does not necessarily mean the firehouses all together are closed here. And authorities are very clear on the fact that no firehouses have actually closed up at this point.

Now, in terms of the latest vaccination numbers, if you look at them, Jim, the police department, for example, NYPD, about 84 percent of those officers as of yesterday are vaccinated and are actually complying with that mandate.

And when it comes to FDNY, about 72 percent.

That is a slight increase from what we saw just yesterday.

So they are certainly hopeful, Jim, those numbers will continue to increase throughout the weekend, ahead of Monday, when authorities made it clear, the city has made it very clear, if you haven't been vaccinated as a city worker, then you go home on unpaid leave.

ACOSTA: That will be a very important moment for the city.

All right, Polo Sandoval, thanks so much for that report.

Meanwhile, the CDC is expected to authorize Pfizer's vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds in matter of days.

If their parents choose to get them vaccinated, it could add 28 million Americans to the number of these already immunized.

Joining us now is the director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins.

Dr. Collins, great to see you again.

The acting head of the FDA says the ability to vaccinate 5- to 11- year-olds will get us closer to some sense of normalcy.

It feels good to hear that, but how close? What are we talking about here? Is this a turning point?

DR. FRANCIS COLLINS, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: I think it's one of several turning points we've been trying to achieve over the past few months.

But now this is a pretty large group, as you just said. And these are kids who in classrooms are certainly likely to get exposed and then, if infected, to carry this virus off to others around them. So it's a big step forward.

And the data supporting that this is safe and effective was judged compelling by the FDA advisory group last week and will be looked at again by the CDC advisers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Assuming they agree, by the end of this week, this could be an approved set of vaccines for kids in that age group.

And this is something we should think seriously about in terms of benefits and risks.

And 146 kids aged 5 to 11 have died of COVID-19. So anybody who tries to say, well, you know, kids aren't really at risk, not true. They're at less risk for sure than adults but there's a significant risk there.

And so this does seem like a good step forward with a vaccine now at one-third the adult dose that appears to be very effective in generating immune response. About 91 percent protection against infection.

Parents will no doubt want to look closely at the evidence. Talk to their pediatrician. But I think it's a big step forward.

ACOSTA: Yes, let's talk about that. The only way this works is if these kids get vaccinated. And a new poll finds only one in four parents plan to get their kids vaccinated as soon as this is authorized.

So parents are being very cautious about this. I suppose as a parent, I would say that is understandable, despite the science being there.

Those that have concerns say they're worried about long-term side effects, serious side effects, fertility problems. That is cited in this poll.

What do you say to these parents about that, Dr. Collins? Obviously, you would do this for your kids and grandkids. COLLINS: I absolutely would. My grandkids are older. They're all

vaccinated now because they're past age 12. But if I had younger grandkids, I would be strongly urging their parents to get them immunized as well.

I understand that parents have questions. They're supposed to. This is something you, as a parent, is try to figure out the benefits and risks. And probably most parents haven't had the chance to look at the detailed data.

There's absolutely nothing here to indicate this would provide a risk of infertility. That rumor has been out there for adults as well. And we've gotten now almost 200 million adults who have been vaccinate and there's nothing behind that.

In terms of very long-term side effects, vaccines in general just don't do that. There's no reason to expect this one would either.

If you're going to have a side effect from a vaccine, it almost always happens in the first two months.

And with the study done to get us to this point with Pfizer in this age group, 3,000 kids, no surprising side effects. Yes, sore arm, maybe a little fatigue, even a little bit of fever, kind of like the adults. But nothing unexpected.

So parents, I know, I'm a guy from the government. I wouldn't necessarily expect you to consider me as the final word.

Talk to your pediatrician. The American Association of Pediatrics is very much involved in this. Listen to what they have to say. There's going to be a lot of expertise here to tap into.

[16:40:08]

ACOSTA: And right now, children are accounting for a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases, making up more than a quarter of all new cases.

At the same time, between .00 and .03 percent of all pediatric COVID cases have resulted in death. This is according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Help us understand how the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risks when this is the death rate.

COLLINS: So, we have to think about other consequences of getting infected with this virus if you're a child 5 to 11 years old.

Certainly, you're going to be isolated from your class for a period of 10 days or so. So you're missing out on that social interaction. OK, kids can adjust to that. They have been already.

But you might also be a kid who ends up with long COVID, which means your symptoms don't really get better in a couple of weeks. And this is a pretty serious thing. Those kids are fatigued. They have the brain fog that makes it hard

for them to function effectively in class.

Then there's this other condition called MISC, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children, which is very serious and also is putting a lot of kids in pediatric ICUs.

It's treatable. It's not generally fatal. But it's a very serious threat to the health of that child.

So you put all of those things together, there's a lot of risk here. And, again, as I said earlier, 146 kids in this age group have died. That seems like something you'd want to prevent that if you could.

So what about the risks of the vaccine? So far, as I said earlier, just sore arms, a little bit fever. Nothing more significant than that.

So put the two beside each other, the benefits and risks. I think a rational decision would say this is something I want for my child.

ACOSTA: And I want to ask you about the Supreme Court declining to block Maine's vaccine mandate -- the state of Maine's vaccine mandate for certain health care workers.

This week, some members of the FDA's advisory panel expressed concern over potential mandates for children. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. CODY MEISSNER, MEMBER, FDA ADVISORY COMMITTEE: I'm just worried that, if we say yes, that the states are going to mandate administration of this vaccine to children in order to go to school. And I do not agree with that. I think that would be an error at this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: At this time, if the CDC authorizes this vaccine, if it is authorized, do you think states should hold off on mandating it for students? What do you think?

COLLINS: I think it might be a bit premature to go down that road as people getting comfortable with this. But obviously, the states are going to have to decide what makes the most sense.

Keep in mind, there's lots of childhood vaccines mandated. We have no reason to think this one is any more dangerous than the ones given every day for chickenpox, measles and rubella, which we have gotten very used to and has become a part of daily life.

Except for people who object, most of us think this is a really good thing.

Why should a COVID-19 vaccine be considered in a totally different category? Well, it is new. But we know a lot about it by now. So perhaps, downstream, the idea of childhood mandates for school

could be considered. It just seems a little early for that.

And I don't think CDC, if they decide to approve this, is trying to take that leap just now.

ACOSTA: And nearly 58 percent of all eligible people are fully vaccinated. That's pretty good. It's not good enough.

Halloween is tomorrow. Kids will be outside. That's good. Thanksgiving is around the corner. People will be inside for the holidays.

Do you think we're at a point where we can avoid a holiday spike? And what about this idea that folks can get together for the holidays?

At this point, the way things are shaking out, what are your thoughts? What are your recommendations?

COLLINS: Well, I want us all to have a chance to be together for the holidays.

Halloween tomorrow night. I'll be playing scary Phantom of the Opera music while the kids come to the door.

But they're not coming in the house. I think we've got to be more careful about this in terms of Halloween. Let's do that on the front steps or on the driveway if we can.

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: Are you dressed as the phantom as well, Dr. Collins?

COLLINS: I'm still working on my outfit. I don't want to provide any sort of early warnings here of what people might encounter.

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: I just wanted to double check that.

COLLINS: We do all want to be together.

ACOSTA: Yes.

COLLINS: Again, I think we can make this work if people don't just throw caution to the winds.

This virus is still out there. It wants to have a big holiday party at our expense. And so certainly, if you're going to be gathering with people, try to find out in advance, are people vaccinated.

[16:45:02]

I know, in some families, it's like, we're going to have Thanksgiving. If you're not vaccinated, we'll see you another time. If you are, yes, come, but let's be sure that we're careful about mask wearing in appropriate places. Some families are even saying everybody ought to get a test the day

you're coming to our Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering. Those tests are widely available now in pharmacies.

Just check out and make sure you're not bringing the virus to the party.

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: Would you recommend that? Do you think that's a good idea?

COLLINS: I think it's a great idea.

ACOSTA: Do you think it's a good idea? Because during the holidays, you have the potential for mixed vaccination status holidays depending on people's politics and so on.

So you think that's a good idea?

COLLINS: I think it's a good idea. It's not that difficult. These take 15 minutes. They're easy to do yourself. You can then have the confidence that you're not infected.

If somebody tests positive, well then that person can make sure not to turn up and infect everybody else.

And certainly, Thanksgiving, Christmas holidays, there may be vulnerable people involved who really can't respond to the vaccine because maybe they're a cancer patient or maybe a transplant patient.

And you want to be particularly careful to protect them against having this virus be part of a holiday for them because that could be really serious.

ACOSTA: All right. Dr. Francis Collins, we want a safe and healthy holiday season starting with Halloween. Not necessarily a holiday but, for some kids, it is.

Dr. Collins, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Alec Baldwin, in the meantime, is speaking publicly for the first time since the deadly shooting on the set of his film. What he is saying, it's coming up next.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:51:08]

ACOSTA: Former President Donald Trump is going to the ballpark tonight. He and the former first lady planning to attend game four of the World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros.

Just a reminder, this is how then-President Trump was greeted by fans the last time he showed up at a baseball game. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BOOING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: That was October two years ago, a World Series game between Houston and Washington. The Nationals, of course, won the World Series. And Trump went on to lose re-election.

The crowd booing and chanting "lock him up" when Trump was announced over the stadium speaker.

CNN's Donie O'Sullivan is in Atlanta for us.

Donie, any idea yet as to what kind of reception we'll see for the former president tonight? I suppose some fans will be balking.

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN REPORTER: Hey, Jim. Yes, I think a lot of folks here don't want to talk politics.

They want to come and enjoy the game. They see Trump being here, it's a bit of a distraction. Others say it's going to be a pretty mixed reaction.

Have a listen to some of the folks we've spoken to.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'SULLIVAN: How do you think Trump will be seen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I hate to say it. We are fans.

O'SULLIVAN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we like his policies. We don't like his attitude sometimes, but we like his policies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's OK.

O'SULLIVAN: You think he'll get more cheers than boos tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More cheers than boos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His personality is a little bit over the top.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'SULLIVAN: Now, of course, some folks will not be too happy to see Trump here a state tonight, which, of course, he falsely believes that he didn't, in fact, lose.

But you know, a lot of folks here telling us that they don't know. They don't know what to make of Trump coming, really. And some of the Trump supporters we've been speaking to seem a little

bit unsure of what to make of the former president and what he's going to do next.

Of course, it is one year since the election. It is one year until the midterms.

And I saw a billboard in downtown Atlanta last night, which says, "Trump lost." Trump lost the state. Trump lost the election.

But sort of incredible and surreal to have to see that sign like that in downtown Atlanta a full year after the election -- Jim

ACOSTA: Yes, Donie, I can't help but notice how understated some of the criticism was from those Trump supporters you talked to a few moments ago.

That one gentleman saying that sometimes the president can be a little over the top. I think that might be the understatement of the year.

All right, Donie O'Sullivan, we know you'll get other reactions from fans tonight. We'll leave you to it and look for that great work later.

Thanks so much. We appreciate it.

In this week's episode of "THIS IS LIFE," Lisa Ling unpacks the origins of so-called militias in America and the dramatic emergence of armed movements as a domestic threat.

Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once upon a time, the colonists saw the government, after the British were kicked out, as their friend. As history progressed though, the government became bigger and it came to be seen as more and more as an enemy.

LISA LING, CNN HOST, "THIS IS LIFE" (voice-over): Over the course of next 200 years, the government would abolish slavery and, in modern times, promote policies for racial equality that inflamed elements on the far right.

Then tech jobs and globalization decimated blue-collar manufacturing jobs. And for white men without a college degree, average wages had been dropping for the past four decades.

(on camera): The majority of militia members in the United States are white men, who seem to have a lot of grievances. Do you think those grievances are valid?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While most people in the militia movement probably don't explicitly talk about it, behind it all is the idea that whites in this country are going to lose their majority.

[16:55:06]

Today, they're about 62 percent and, in the next 25 years, they're going to be simply one more minority in a genuine multi-cultural country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Make sure you tune in tomorrow for the brand-new episode of "THIS IS LIFE" with Lisa Ling at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

And we have brand-new sound from Alec Baldwin. This is just coming in, in just the last few minutes. What he's saying about the deadly shooting on the set of his film. We'll have that next.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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