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House to Vote on Infrastructure and Social Spending Bills Soon; U.S. Sets January 4 Deadline for Workplace Vaccine Mandates; W.H.O. Warns Europe Would See Surge in COVID Deaths; Nearly All-White Jury Seated in Killing of Ahmaud Arbery; Rebels Edge Closer to Capital in Ethiopia Amid Fears of All-Out War; IEA: COP26 Pledges Could Limit Warming to 1.8 Degrees Celsius. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired November 05, 2021 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't go too far left.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) U.S. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Any sign of progress is always good for the public.

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): The Build Back Better Act is going to reduce costs for poor families and working families.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): You have an obligation and responsibility to get something done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: This could be Democrats' day of decision. Party leaders say the House of Representatives will vote today on President Joe Biden's agenda.

A vaccine deadline. The White House sets a date for workers at large companies to be vaccinated or get tested weekly. Some states are preparing to fight it.

And the trial of three white men charged in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man, begins in a matter of hours.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: After months of haggling over U.S. President Joe Biden spending plans, could today be the day House Democrats finally get it done? Leaders say the House will vote on both the Build Back Better plan and the infrastructure bill today. A handful of moderate Democrats had been refusing to move forward without clear estimates of what this is going to cost. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has since sent a letter addressing the funding.

The Build Back Better Act is fully paid for and the tax increase provisions in the bill will raise $1.5 trillion over 10 years, not including additional savings from prescription drug pricing and IRS tax enforcement.

Now she goes on to say: The White House has now provided us with a preliminary budget estimate -- noting that the legislation reduces the deficit by more than $36 billion over the first 10 years and at least $2 trillion over the second 10 years.

So, these votes are the center piece of President Biden's domestic agenda and they've been long delayed. Frustration over all this inaction likely resulted in crushing defeats for Democrats in this week's elections. CNN Jessica Dean lays out the next steps in getting the bills passed.

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JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: House Democratic leadership saying Friday is the day when the House will vote on President Biden's two key agenda items. The Build Back Better Act and also the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The news coming late on Thursday after hours, really a full day of last-minute negotiations as they try to really put the bow on these final details.

One outstanding issue that was resolved late in the night was state and local tax deductions. That had been an outstanding issue. Two additional things that still need to be finalized we're told are immigration and also five moderate Democrats who want to get a score from the Congressional budget office on the exact cost of this bill.

But other than that, House Democratic leadership says they are pushing ahead. They had hoped to get a vote on the Build Back Better Act on Thursday. That just did not come to be. So, again, it is shaping up that Friday is going to be the day. Now, if the Build Back Better Act passes the House, it then goes over to the Senate where it's going to take some time to go through all of that. Of course, Senator Joe Manchin has expressed opposition to some things that are in that House bill, and there could be others as well. As for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, well, that, once it passes the House, will go to President Biden's desk where he will sign that into law.

Jessica Dean, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, it's been a slow and tedious process to get to this point and Democratic lawmakers are eager to get the two bills passed. Congresswoman Katy Porter spoke earlier with our Chris Cuomo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KATIE PORTER (D-CA): There's no doubt that we need to get these bills finished. We need to get them done. We need to see what the Senate does with them. But I think we are on a path to doing that. It And the end is coming very, very soon, literally, I think, within the next 24 hours. And I am very, very ready, as I know the American people are, to get these bills passed.

Look, Chris, people understand that debate, and disagreement, whether it's within a party, or between parties, is part of democracy. This is not the easiest form of government. But this is a form of government that we're committed to, because we think it reaches the best results, and gives the most opportunity for that debate, that makes the best policy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:05:00]

BRUNHUBER: And we'll have much more coverage on the upcoming votes ahead next hour on "EARLY START."

Sources tell CNN that the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection is expected to interview former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in the coming hours. Clark was part of Trump's inner circle and promoted falsehoods about the 2020 election. The former president is trying to block the committee from obtaining documents that could shed light on what he and others were doing that day.

On Thursday, a federal judge expressed skepticism about Trump's claims of executive privilege. She told his lawyers, quote, are you really saying that the president's notes, talking points, telephone conversations on January 6 have no relation to the matter on which Congress is considering legislation? The January 6 riot happened in the Capitol. That is literally Congress's House.

While the committee has prepared about 20 new subpoenas and could issue them as early as today, Republican Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the committee, tells CNN that more than 150 people have been interviewed so far.

Many U.S. employers will have to start enforcing a vaccine mandate on January 4th. The White House announced the deadline Thursday, which applies to any business with at least 100 employees, certain health care workers and federal contractors. It means employees must be fully vaccinated by that date or have a negative COVID test once a week. Officials said the new rules preempts any state or local law that would say otherwise. It affects tens of millions of workers which the U.S. Labor Secretary says will make them safer on the job.

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MARTY WALSH, U.S. LABOR SECRETARY: What this standard is, it's a process of getting people vaccinated. And if people choose not to get vaccinated, they get tested. It's that simple. And we want to make sure that we keep American workers safe in the work places. Some of the folks that aren't coming back to work are still in fear of the virus and we want to get as many people vaccinated and people that choose not to get vaccinated, making sure we know people are safe and not bringing coronavirus into the workplace. We've seen many companies in America that have brought in the mandate.

They have about 85 to 90 percent of their employees vaccinated already. And what we want to do is just encourage people to get vaccinated. If they choose not going to get vaccinated, we asking -- they're going to get tested. And then in the workplace when they're around other people there going to wear a mask. This is not a mandate. It really is about how do we get the American work force safe.

President Biden announced this in September, asked OSHA to come back with a standard. They came back with a standard today and that's what we're going to move forward on.

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BRUNHUBER: Now earlier our Jake Tapper talk to chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and he asked how effective this would be in getting people vaccinated. Here they are.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They could be very effective. There's been examples, you know, there were some thousands of police workers in New York that were expected to essentially no longer be working by November first because they would not abide by mandates. And so far, the number is 34 people who have taken unpaid leave. United Airlines, they put in vaccine mandates and they had some 59 percent of their workforce vaccinated before the mandates now they're close to 99 percent.

So, it makes a difference. It's unfortunate that that is what the response has to be in order to make this happen but we see it in the healthcare world as well. Jake, I think you and I have talked about this even pre-pandemic with flu shots for example across the board if you look at healthcare workers who have been vaccinated against the flu. It is around 80 percent. But if you break it down in terms of where you have requirements, close to 94 percent, 95 percent in those places, 70 percent if you don't have requirements. So, it makes a difference. You would think people would just do it on because the vaccines are so effective. But this will make a difference.

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BRUNHUBER: Several states have already filed lawsuits against the Biden administration to stop the mandates. Among them, Indiana, Illinois and Mississippi filed suit on Thursday, saying the mandates would have widespread implications across the states. Now both Georgia and Alabama filed suit earlier claiming the mandates to be a federal overreach. And Florida says it plans to take swift legal action as early as today.

In Europe, a chilling warning about the COVID surge on the continent. The World Health Organization says Europe and Central Asia could see half a million new deaths by February. That prediction comes as some countries are reporting record numbers of new cases. Nina dos Santos joins us from London with more. So, Nina, tell us how bad the situation is overall, and what are the worst hot spots? NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you heard there, the

W.H.O. very much warning that Europe is now the epicenter of this fourth wave of the coronavirus. Some countries being hit harder than others.

[04:10:00]

But the underlying problem essentially in a number of countries is the fact that vaccine uptake has been patchy in some parts of Western Europe, and there's been a hefty amount of vaccine skepticism and vaccine hesitancy in parts of Eastern Europe as well.

And the real concern is that this is going to allow the virus to get a foothold to continue to circulate at a time when, of course, the winter flu season is almost upon us. And that could overwhelm some healthcare systems. This is the pressure point that Germany is facing. Jens Spahn, the health minister, that they're warning that the vaccine slow uptake in some parts of the country is a real concern at a time when they're seeing, as he put it, a massive wave of coronavirus infections in Germany.

And also in Greece, a country that in the EU had faired the early stages of the pandemic quite well. They're back up at record numbers with daily infection rates for three days in a row being above 6,000. All in all, the countries that represent the Europe and Central Asia region for the W.H.O., 53 countries, they said were responsible for around about 59 percent of new cases of the virus globally. About 1.8 million new cases registered over just the last week in this region.

So, you can really see that there's concerns here that this is where the virus is starting to circulate at a time when, of course, the restrictions like mask wearing and social distancing have been relaxed in many European countries. Now we know that some European nations are starting to repeal that.

Latvia recently announced a state of emergency because of a rise in coronavirus infections. The Netherlands is implementing mask wearing yet again. So, this is the type of situation that the W.H.O. is warning about at a time when I should also point out there's big disparities between the vaccine uptake and rollouts even among Western European nations. Spain, for instance, has vaccinated 80 percent of its population when it comes to take up in France, that's only 68 percent, and 66 percent-plus in Germany. So, there's discrepancies there, and this is where the W.H.O. is particularly worried about warning, as you said before, that we could see half a million deaths by February if things continue on this trajectory.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, a troubling trend and a warning for those of us here in the U.S. Nina dos Santos, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

In Britain there is more hope on the horizon for some COVID patients. The U.K. is now the first country to approve an antiviral drug for the treatment of COVID that comes in a pill. The British health secretary calls it a game changer. Developed by Merck, molnupiravir can be used on adults with mild and moderate COVID who are at risk of developing severe disease. Merck says it cuts the chance of hospitalization or death from COVID by half. The pill is currently under consideration by U.S. and EU regulators.

The funeral for General Colin Powell, the first black U.S. Secretary of State, will soon be held in the nation's capital. Powell will be remembered today not only for his years of service to his country, but also his trail blazing leadership that helped shape American foreign policy for decades. He passed away of COVID complications while battling cancer last month. He was 84 years old.

Powell's funeral will be held at the Washington National Cathedral at noon. Eulogies will be given by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage and Powell's son Michael. And CNN will have special coverage beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern time with Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer.

All right, still to come as rebels advance toward the Ethiopian capital, armed opposition groups are coming together to unite against the Prime Minister. That's ahead.

Plus, accusations of racial bias after an almost entirely white jury is seated in the killing Ahmaud Arbery. The judge agreed, but the jury remains intact. Find out why after the break. Please stay with us.

[04:15:00]

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BRUNHUBER: There are mounting calls from international leaders for de- escalation in Ethiopia's rebel fighters advance on the capital. The rebels say they could march on Addis Ababa within weeks. It comes as nine-armed opposition groups are expected to form an alliance against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed later today. CNN's David McKenzie is following the story from Johannesburg. So, David, bring us up to speed. What's the latest?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, that alliance that they have announced, both the OLA telling CNN that one of the rebel groups and an official statement could be significant. It's too early to tell. But what it does mean is that the different regional groups, at least on paper and in the diaspora, are saying they are willing to form an alliance to what they say is to save Ethiopia and push against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

And that means that the Prime Minister is more fully under pressure, both politically and militarily. You had those dramatic scenes of rebels on two fronts, closer to Addis than they've been in the capital for many months. And that really created a scenario of an emergency declaration in the capital, potentially to round up opponents without due process in Addis Ababa, and a feeling of panic potentially among some of the diplomatic corps.

Now you have a scenario that there is a pause in this push. The TPLF from Tigray and OLA from around the south, both telling CNN they don't plan to move on the capital immediately, but they've kind of made their statement at this point. They are going to apply a great deal of pressure and the threat of moving onto the capital to try to push Abiy out. Meanwhile, the special envoy for the Horn of Africa from the State

Department is in town in the capital to try and negotiate some kind of peace agreement. The chances of that are relatively slim, but the fear is that this could all descend into full-blown civil war and more chaos. Though repeatedly the government has said that these calls for peace are important, but the feeling of an impending chaos is alarmist -- Kim.

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BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll keep following this story. David McKenzie, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Now, to dramatic testimony in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. He's the teen gunman who shot several people during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year that broke out after police shot a black man. Two of the men Rittenhouse fired on died. A video director for the conservative website "The Daily Caller" testified Thursday and described an interaction between Rittenhouse and one of the victims, Joseph Rosenbaum.

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RICHARD MCGINNISS, CHIEF VIDEO DIRECTOR, THE DAILY CALLER: I realized that Mr. Rosenbaum was continuing to advance, and that Mr. Rittenhouse was standing still. It wasn't clear to me whether the weapon would be grabbed or fired or what exactly was going to happen. But it was clear to me that it was a situation where it was likely that something dangerous was going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: On Thursday, a juror was dismissed for telling a deputy a joke about the black man shot by police in Kenosha, Jacob Blake.

Opening statements will begin later today in the murder trial of three white men accused of killing a black jogger in south Georgia last year. After a long and grueling process, a nearly all-white jury was selected to hear the case sparking outrage and accusations of racial bias. CNN's Martin Savage reports.

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MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia, reaction to the overwhelmingly white jury ranges from disappointment to outrage.

CROW, CHANTING: No justice.

CROW, CHANTING: No peace.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Eleven white jurors and one African-American will decide the fate of the three white men accused of killing the 25- year-old black man Ahmaud Arbery while he was out jogging. The jury chosen at the end of a grueling two-and-a-half-week selection process that had originally summoned a thousand residents, drawn from a county where a quarter of the population is black.

JASON SHEFFIELD, ATTORNEY FOR TRAVIS MCMICHAEL: We're pleased that we have been able to select now 16 members of this community.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The revelation immediately drawing emotion from the prosecution, suggesting that the defense's decision to remove eight African-Americans from jury consideration was based solely on race.

LINDA DUNIKOSKI, PROSECUTOR: African-American jurors made up one- quarter of the jury panel. But the actual jury that was selected has only one African-American male on it.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Defense attorneys vehemently denied that, arguing black potential jurors were removed because they didn't believe they'd be impartial.

The judge at first seemingly to decide with the prosecution.

JUDGE TIMOTHY WALMSLEY, SUPERIOR COURT, STATE OF GEORGIA: This court has found that there appears to be intentional discrimination.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): But ultimately ruling based on the defense's statements the case could go forward with the selected jurors.

WALMSLEY: They have been able to explain to the court why separate from race, those individuals were in fact struck from the panel.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The case has been racially charged from the start with the three white men accused of pursuing and killing a young black man jogging through their neighborhood in 2020 suspecting that he committed a crime.

An armed Gregory McMichael and his son Travis chased an unarmed 25- year-old Arbery in a truck eventually confronting him. In the resulting struggle prosecutors say Travis McMichael shot Arbery three times with a shotgun.

Their neighbor William Bryan authorities say joining the pursuit, recording the incident on his cell phone.

It wasn't until two months after the shooting when the video was made public that the men were arrested.

SAVIDGE: All three of the defendants have entered pleas of not guilty. And there was a surprise at the end of the motions hearing on Thursday. The judge announced that one of the jurors from this already controversial jury was leaving. The reason he said was due to a medical issue. The judge pointed out it was not the African-American juror, but instead a white female, and that that white female would be replaced by another white female who happened to be alternate number one. But what this means is that just as we go into the most difficult part of this trial, there are now only three alternates instead of four. They can't afford to lose too many more.

Martin Savage, CNN, Brunswick, Georgia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Commitments to phase out fossil fuels could prevent a global catastrophe, but only if countries stick to their promises. We'll have the latest from Glasgow just ahead.

Plus, scenes like this happening more often than ever on U.S. commercial flights and now prosecutors are going after some of the unruly passengers. We'll have the story coming up. Stay with us.

[04:25:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Kim Brunhuber. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.

Democratic lawmakers in Washington say they'll vote today on President Joe Biden's agenda. The infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better plan. The White House has announced a January 4th deadline for large companies to either have their workers vaccinated or take weekly COVID tests. A number of states are planning to fight against it, we'll have more on these stories on "EARLY START" at the top of the hour.

International agreements reached so far at the cop26 climate conference could keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and avoid the worst impacts of climate change if all those pledges are actually kept. The head of the International Energy Agency says 1.8 degrees above preindustrial levels is within reach under the agreement. But Actavis warned the Arctic is already in crisis and brought a 4-ton block of Greenland ice sheet to Glasgow to drive the point home. Greenland's massive glaciers are second only to Antarctica's in size. And scientists estimate the see level would rise 20 feet if they melted.

CNN's Phil Black is covering the COP26 conference and joins us from Glasgow. Phil, some big announcements made yesterday on energy. Take us through the highlights.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kim, some announcements and deals that really do seem to signify a shift in the way countries are thinking about the need to move off fossil fuels. Twenty countries pledging to no longer use public finance to back fossil fuel projects abroad. This includes not just coal, but oil and natural gas as well. And now 46 countries in total have pledged to transition away from coal-fired electricity in the coming decades.

This is good, but not quite good enough. There are weaknesses to these deals. For example, the finance arrangement does not stop countries from subsidizing those fuels within their own borders. And the pledge to move away from coal does not include the biggest users.