Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

COVID Testing Lines Swell Across The U.S. Amid Omicron Fears; Text Reveals Rick Perry Pitches Strategy To Undermine Democracy; Roger Stone Appearance Caps Pivotal Week For January 6th Committee; Defense Rests After Ex-Officer Weeps On The Stand; Tiger Woods Returns For First Tournament Since Car Crash; NFL Announces Revised COVID Protocols; Omicron Stops New Year's Eve Celebrations In Europe. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired December 18, 2021 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:31]

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

Everywhere you look, COVID is destroying what we had hoped for -- that return to normal. The Delta variant is driving a mid-December surge in cases and at the same time scientists say Omicron could become the dominant variant soon.

CNN is learning President Biden will give an Omicron focused speech on Tuesday. This is as a new U.K. study warns there is no evidence that Omicron is any less severe than Delta. And if you've heard COVID before -- if you've had COVID before, Omicron makes it five times more likely you will be infected again.

In New York and other cities, people are waiting for COVID test in lines that grow longer and longer. That game you've been waiting to watch all week could be upended. Three NFL games are postponed due to COVID-19 issues. In the NBA, several Chicago Bulls games have been postponed. A string of college basketball games are either cancelled or rescheduled. And a number of NHL teams are shut down through at least December 26th.

A classic holiday event, the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, yes, that in New York City, now not so spectacular. It's closed for the rest of the season. Once again, education is taking a hit. One of the nation's largest school districts, Prince Georges County, Maryland, is going back to virtual learning.

It's all very depressing to think about. But that's what's happening. CNN's Polo Sandoval joins me now from New York, where the state has just seen a record daily high of new COVID-19 cases.

Polo, how are people coping with all of this. I assume folks are I guess understandably getting a little freaked out, I suppose.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is certainly that at least there is a sense of deja vu to a certain extent here, Jim. That is obvious because now they have the additional protection that comes with being vaccinated, or at least many do. But still things like Broadway closures, you mentioned of course that Christmas spectacular that people often look forward to and visit New York from all over the world to see, cancelling its season, it's certainly a reminder that COVID is still an issue as we enter, at least as we approach Christmas here.

Now in terms of New York state alone, you mentioned some of the numbers that are certainly alarming here with New York state reporting its highest single-day COVID count earlier this week about 21,000. And then here in New York City alone, the health commissioner said this week that they have seen the average number of daily COVID cases nearly triple in just the last month.

You add it all up and what you're getting now from health officials here in New York alone is that recommendation for people to obviously make sure that everybody they know who's vaccinated, if they are to get boosted, and if they're boosted, to get tested, especially as they get closer to maybe some of those Christmas gatherings.

And it seems that a lot of New Yorkers here, Jim, they are getting the message. In fact, earlier this morning there was a massive crowd behind me. These were folks that were lining up for a spot to actually get one of those COVID tests and urgent care facility. But when you talk to some of those people, again, there is obviously that sense of urgency that they need to know whether or not they could potentially infect loved ones, but also as you're about to hear almost embracing this as a new norm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAISSA DORFF, GOT TESTED FOR COVID: There is almost a feeling especially in New York that this is like a new normal. As the Omicron wave is hitting, I feel like it's picking up all over again, and it feels similar to the beginning but now having been boosted, having, you know, had all the shots, and done all the things, there's a little bit more of like, this is what we have to do just now. It definitely doesn't have the, let's say, the gravity of the way it felt to be here in the very beginning. It was -- it was rough.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And finally let's just take a final and broader look at the whole country in general. In some of those two key indicators that are certainly raising some red flags here. The seven-day average, topping 120,000, that's about a 40 percent increase in just about a month. And also hospitalizations exceeding 68,000 this week. And that's why authorities are certainly recommending people to get vaccinated and tested as they get closer to those gatherings -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Got to play it safe, no question about it. All right. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

And with me now is Dr. Peter Hotez, professor and dean of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Hotez, I'm fighting off some major depression here. It has nothing to do with the holidays, when we talk about all of this. My goodness, are we heading back to the days of the pandemic, or should we be taking it in stride like that very well-spoken lady was talking about in Polo's segment just a few moments ago?

DR. PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR AND DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: Well, actually, Jim, somewhere in between. So -- and it's helpful if you understand its three major components.

[15:05:05]

First components is we were already expecting another Delta wave because we've not done a good enough job vaccinating the country. Only 60 percent of the country has gotten two doses. And that means the unvaccinated, we were going to see a lot of illness from the unvaccinated. We're going to pile into hospitals anyway because of Delta. That's point one. Point two is now we've got the Omicron variant superimposed on that.

And all of us were kind of hopeful that it was going to be like Alpha or Delta in the sense that we had a four to six-week lag before it hit the U.S. from the time it started up in the U.K. That's what happened with Alpha and Delta. Unfortunately it's so much more transmissible. It's here now in time for the holiday season. And that's why you're seeing so much social disruption. And it's really accelerating.

And the problem now with the third component is that even individuals who've had two doses of MRNA vaccine, we're seeing a lot of breakthrough infection. Really there's no protection in terms of breakthrough infection offered by two doses of the vaccine, some modest protection against hospitalization and ICU admission. But it means you've got to get that third immunization.

And unfortunately only about a third of those eligible have gotten it. So that's the big message for today and for the next couple of weeks is get your booster. Even though it provides incomplete protection against infection, about 70 percent once you get the booster, at least it'll keep you out of hospital, keep you from losing your life. And that message needs to be hit home.

And then the last piece is, because of all the breakthrough infection, if you're several months out from your booster, we are going to see a lot of healthcare workers get sick. Even though they're not going to be severely ill, they're going to be knocked out of the healthcare workforce and that's going to present yet another big stressor on the system. And you're going to watch out for that trend in the next couple of weeks.

ACOSTA: Right. Which is all why we should have gotten vaccinated. But we won't get into that just yet.

Let me ask you about this, Dr. Hotez. A new study out of the U.K. finds there's no evidence that Omicron causes less severe disease than the Delta variant. That is worrisome, but that the risk of getting reinfected is five times higher than Delta and Omicron cases were doubling in under two and a half days. What do some of those data points tell you because it doesn't sound good to me. HOTEZ: Well, what it means is if you've gotten two doses of the

vaccine, you need that booster and we've been saying that now all week, all the last couple of weeks, and I've been saying it since the beginning that this is a three-dose vaccine. But the other buzz that's out there, Jim, is there's this, you know, rumor, if you want to call it that, on the Internet that if you've been infected and recovered, you do not need to get vaccinated.

It's not true. That was not true even with Delta. You were twice as likely to get reinfected if you didn't get vaccinated on top of your previous infection. And this is really true of Omicron. So in South Africa, lots of reinfections. In fact I just got a text message from a colleague asking, you know, they've got friends who've been infected and recovered. What should they do? The answer is get vaccinated.

So, you know, when I'm asked about this Omicron wave, you know, the answer is get vaccinated, meaning third immunization. Get vaccinated, meaning if you've been infected and recovered, you still need to get vaccinated. And get vaccinated. Vaccinate your kids because we're seeing a lot of pediatric hospitalizations in South Africa and the U.K., and we're thinking we're going to see a lot of pediatric hospitalizations here in the United States if your kids are unvaccinated.

ACOSTA: And I want to ask you about the outbreaks we're seeing in the professional sports world. The NFL has more than a 94 percent vaccination rate among its players. In the NBA around 96 percent of players are vaccinated, both rates much higher than the general public. I mean, they've been doing a pretty good job in all of this. The difference, I guess, is that they are tested regularly, and so most of the general public only get tested if they're symptomatic or required to do so for travel purposes, et cetera.

Does this tell you that the average number of daily COVID cases in the United States is actually too low right now?

HOTEZ: Well, it may be that, but remember there's the other piece of this based on what I just said. A lot of those players are thinking if they got two doses of the vaccine, they're good, and they're not.

ACOSTA: Right.

HOTEZ: The two doses of the vaccine will not protect against infection. You need that third immunization. So not enough players are getting their boosters. And even if you get your booster, if you've gotten it a few months before, then you're seeing waning immunity. And with this Omicron variant, it is so transmissible that unless you do everything in a very pristine way, I don't see how we're going to get through the rest of the NFL season and the playoffs.

I don't see how we get through the college ballgames. I don't see how we get through the NBA. Eventually we'll get back because once this wave comes down, say later in January to February we can resume.

[15:10:03] But unless everyone is vaccinated up the wazoo, you're not going to be able to continue the season. And up the wazoo means getting that third immunization and getting it now.

ACOSTA: Yes. You don't even have to have it at the wazoo, you can get it in your arm.

All right, Dr. Peter Hotez, we're almost salty there for 3:00 in the afternoon but we'll take it. Thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.

HOTEZ: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Coming up, exclusive CNN reporting about the possible source of a text message pitching an aggressive strategy to undermine American democracy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: And we're back with a CNN exclusive about a text message sent to former President Trump's chief of staff about a, quote, "aggressive strategy to throw out electoral votes." House investigators believe former Energy secretary Rick Perry was the author of that text. Perry denies it.

CNN's Whitney Wild is following this for us.

Whitney, take us through this new reporting. A surprising name emerged in all of this.

[15:15:02]

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Certainly because he -- our understanding was he didn't have that much, that close of an interaction with the Trump administration around this time. I mean, remember Rick Perry had been removed from the administration for some time at this point. So what this raises is, you know, a clear path throughout the Republican Party of people even beyond Washington appealing to Mark Meadows to try to overturn the election and flip it for Donald Trump.

Here is what the text message in question says. So this is again a text message that the House Select Committee members believe came from former Texas governor and former Energy secretary Rick Perry. However, Rick Perry is denying it this. But let's just go to the text message first.

"Here's an aggressive strategy," the text says. "Why can't the states of GA and North Caroline Penn and other R-controlled statehouses declare this as BS, parentheses, where conflicts and elects not called that night, and just send their own electors to vote and have it go to the SCOTUS."

Which shows us a few things, Jim. I mean, it shows us that there, again, people throughout the Republican Party seeking every avenue, I mean, really just any -- no matter how crazy it sounded, to try to overturn the election. And then further, that Mark Meadows was the point person for that, they felt.

What this also does is show us what the House Select Committee is working with. So this is a text message that emerged from this tranche of documents that Mark Meadows handed over to the House Select Committee that, however, Jim, now says he cannot answer questions about in a deposition because he cites executive privilege and because he says that the committee frankly has no respect for a boundary of executive privilege. It's curious, though, because again he supplied this text message and they want to ask him about the documents he supplied.

ACOSTA: Yes. It certainly raises more questions. And Whitney, a longtime Trump ally Roger Stone met briefly Friday with the House Select Committee pleading the Fifth to every question asked even though Donald Trump has said over and over again, if you plead the Fifth, that says something, you know, wrong about you.

But let's get back to Roger Stone. What's this all about?

WILD: Well, Roger Stone, again, met with the committee earlier this week. It was a pretty brief meeting relative to what we've seen from other witnesses. I mean, Jim, we've seen witnesses meet with the committee, you know, for full days, I mean, seven hours, nine hours. Roger Stone, pretty much in and out of the House Select Committee. He spoke very rarely with the press. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROGER STONE, REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE AND LONGTIME TRUMP ALLY: I did invoke my Fifth Amendment Rights to every question, not because I have done anything wrong, but because I am fully aware of the House Democrats' long history of fabricating perjury charges. This is witch hunt 3.0.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: Roger Stone is essential figure here because according to the subpoena that was released by the House Select Committee, I mean, Roger Stone had interactions with these rallies that eventually preceded the riot. He was boasting that he was going to be there. He was, you know, further the reporting suggests that he was using these people who had far-right extremist connections, specifically the Oath Keepers as security. So there are a lot of questions that the House Select Committee wants to ask him about.

However, Jim, as you've heard, we're not clear how much they've got out of him because as he says he pleaded the Fifth to most of it.

ACOSTA: Yes. More stonewalling, no question about it. All right, Whitney Wild, thank you very much.

And joining me now is former President Trump's niece Mary Trump. She's a psychologist and she's the host of the new podcast, "The Mary Trump Show." Check it out. And she's also the author of the book "The Reckoning: One Nation's Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal." Mary, you've been very busy lately. You've got a podcast, too. Can't

wait to check that out. Thanks so much for joining us. What is it about your uncle that makes people put it all on the line, throw away their careers and reputations, you know, for this, you know, for somebody who, you know, doesn't deserve any of that? But it just seems to happen over and over again, whether it's stonewalling the January 6th Committee, offering up plans to basically overthrow a democracy.

What is it about Trump that inspires this absurd and self-destructive level of loyalty?

MARY TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NIECE: Well, Jim, and for folks, great to be here. I think it's complicated, but there are also some quite simple reasons. Donald is incredibly good at attracting people who are weaker than he is. And weak people need external power to give them a sense of identity and purpose. And at this point I also think of his most ardent sycophants as people who are addicted to cigarette smoking.

You know, they just don't think they're the ones who are going to get cancer. They don't think that they're the ones who are going to get thrown under the bus, because they are going to prove their loyalty in a way nobody ever has before. Obviously they're deluding themselves. The problem, though, is that Donald might throw them under the bus, but they don't seem to be suffering any other consequences.

[15:20:08]

So there are always seems to be more people willing to fill the void.

ACOSTA: Well, and he's escaped accountability so many times I suppose. The folks who are willing to sacrifice all of these things think that they'll be in the same boat. But obviously there are some names out there we could mention that certainly don't fit that category. But earlier this week, I had to ask you about this because we saw a video of your uncle speaking at an event where he took aimed at his own former vice president Mike Pence. Let's listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mike should have sent those crooked votes back to the legislatures for approval, and you would have had a different result in the election, in my opinion. I think Mike has been very badly hurt by what the -- with respect to January 6th. So I think he's been -- I think he's mortally wounded frankly because I see the reaction he's getting from people.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: You know, he says Pence is mortally wounded in his eyes. Essentially for doing what was right. I mean, you're a psychologist. What does it say about him, you know, that -- to this day, unrepentant, no remorse, unapologetic. I mean, do you think he is delusional and actually believes that he won the election or he knows that he's got to keep this lie, this big lie going? How do you dissect it? M. TRUMP: I think it's oddly a combination of both things. Donald

knows he lost, but again being a loser is one of the worst things you could ever be in my family, so he had to deny that reality immediately. And the best way to do that would be to double down on the lie that it was stolen from him, right? That he's really a winner. But the real danger here is that he is continuing to be allowed to say these things.

The only person who should have been, quote-unquote, "mortally wounded" by what's happened over the last few months is Donald's political future, and yet, you know, we find ourselves at this point where American democracies on the brink because over the course of five decades, one repellant temper tantrum-throwing bully has never been held accountable for any of the awful things he's done including his numerous crimes against America.

And now it seems that the racism, the anti-Semitism, the lying are compulsory if you want to run for office as a Republican.

ACOSTA: Yes. And I was just going to play that for you. Let's talk about this because, I mean, I just think, you know, he has said so many things over the years, and none of it ever comes back to haunt him. But, I mean, to me, this one, it boggles the mind. You know, he's being accused of using anti -- he did use anti-Semitic tropes during this interview with this Israeli journalist. Let's play it and we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: People in this country that are Jewish no longer love Israel. I'll tell you, the evangelical Christians loves Israel more than the Jews in this country. It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress, and today I think it's the exact opposite. When you look at the "New York Times," the "New York Times" hates Israel. Hates them. And there are Jewish people that run the "New York Times."

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: What do you know about him, Mary, in this -- I mean, on this subject? Is he anti-Semitic?

M. TRUMP: Yes, you know, he comes from an anti-Semitic family. There was no hiding that fact when I was growing up. My grandfather was anti-Semite, and Donald certainly was. And it's clearly the problem then is that right now some people seem to be surprised by this. I'm not sure why.

ACOSTA: Right.

M. TRUMP: And secondly, again, as I said earlier, he's being given a platform to spread these vile comments. That, I mean, that he just basically bought into every single despicable anti-Semitic trope out there.

ACOSTA: Exactly, I mean, and even goes after the "New York Times." And he does this even though his own son-in-law and daughter are Jewish. I just don't understand it.

Let me ask you one other thing because this one is really on my mind. The House Oversight Committee released a report detailing how the Trump administration made, quote, "deliberate efforts to undermine the nation's coronavirus response for political purposes. I'm sure you saw this. That included reducing the amount of testing being conducted to obscure how rapidly the virus was spreading across the country. I mean, this goes to another I think very malignant part of his personality. Do you think that your uncle cost people their lives?

M. TRUMP: I think that goes without question.

ACOSTA: Yes.

M. TRUMP: Again, this is something we've known for a long time but now we have I guess documentary proof of it.

[15:25:05]

And the fact that he seems to keep getting away with horrific crimes. I mean, we're not talking about lying about an election, which is also extraordinarily dangerous, of course, to the future of this country. We're talking about hundreds of thousands of people who died, who should still be alive, but are not, because Donald figured it was a better political strategy for him to preference the economy over the safety and health of the American people.

Also, he just did not want to be associated with anything negative. That's how dangerous and psychologically disordered the leader of the Republican Party is today.

ACOSTA: Right. And the "Post" reports, the "Washington Post" reports that Trump was upset with this passage in Mark Meadows' book that had to do with how Trump looked, you know, so sick when he had COVID. Meadows wrote about how he had red streaks in his eyes, that his hair was a mess. Again, this goes back to he doesn't want to look like a loser or be cast in a light that is, you know, sort of unflattering because it might damage him politically in some way.

I mean, it's just so twisted and weird. What does it say that Trump would get upset over that, but not about like a mob of his supporters attacking the Capitol?

M. TRUMP: Well, it just shows you precisely where his priorities are, and I think it speaks to the fact that we are at this incredibly dangerous crossroads. You know, if our system can't respond swiftly to the threats, this very weak and vengeful person continues to pose to the future of American democracy, then I'm afraid we might be irreparably broken. So I really do hope that steps are being taken, real steps to do something to stop him and hold him accountable finally.

ACOSTA: And knowing what you know about him, do you think he's going to run again for these reasons? Because he doesn't want to go down as a loser because of all these clear problems that he has? M. TRUMP: If he's allowed to, yes, because he needs the power and

protection of the Oval Office to keep him out of the massive amounts of trouble he's facing. However, the real question should be, why is he being allowed even to consider it?

ACOSTA: Right. And that is the question. And it's a question that you and I can't answer. It's an entire political party that has to answer that question.

All right, Mary Trump, thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.

And check out Mary's podcast. I can't wait to check that out. That'll be great. Thanks so much for your time.

M. TRUMP: Thank you, Jim.

ACOSTA: Great to see you.

Coming up, the former police officer who mixed up her gun and taser and shot Daunte Wright takes the stand in her own defense.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM POTTER, DEFENDANT: I'm sorry it happened.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:32:29]

ACOSTA: Closing arguments begin Monday in the manslaughter trial of former Minnesota police officer, Kim Potter.

On the stand Friday, Potter testified she meant to use her taser, but instead pulled out her gun when she shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright. She broke down as she recalled April's deadly traffic stop.

CNN's Josh Campbell has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIM POTTER, FORMER BROOKLYN CENTER POLICE OFFICER CHARGES WITH MANSLAUGHTER: I remember yelling, "taser, taser, taser," and nothing happened. And then he told me I shot him.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Former Officer Kim Potter testifying for the first time, explaining the moment she shot and killed Daunte Wright last April.

Potter describes seeing her fellow officers struggling with Wright during the traffic stop.

POTTER: He had a look a fear in his face. It's nothing I've seen before.

We are struggling. We're trying to keep him from driving away. It's just -- it's just went chaotic.

CAMPBELL: Wright, who officers learned had an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, was initially pulled over for minor offenses, pointed out by a rookie officer.

POTTER: We discussed a little bit of suspicious activity. He noticed a pine tree or air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror and the tags were expired.

CAMPBELL: Potter revealing they would not have pulled Wright over at all, if she hadn't been training that officer.

EARL GRAY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Then why not?

POTTER: An air freshener to me is not -- t's just an equipment violation.

GRAY: You did stop the vehicle, right?

POTTER: Yes, part of field training is that my probationer would make numerous contacts with the public throughout the day.

CAMPBELL: That contact would turn fatal --

POTTER: I shot him. Oh, my god!

CAMPBELL: -- when she pulled her gun, instead of her taser.

The prosecutor asked Potter about training on confusing her taser and her gun.

ERIN ELDRIDGE, HENNEPIN COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: You are trained on it. Right?

POTTER: Yes but it was a while back.

ELDRIDGE: But you trained in March of this year on that taser, correct?

POTTER: Yes.

CAMPBELL: The state pointing out you --

ELDRIDGE: You never saw a weapon on Mr. Wright, did you?

POTTER: No.

ELDRIDGE: Never saw a gun?

POTTER: No.

Oh, my god!

CAMPBELL: Adding she did not try to save Wright or check on other officers in the aftermath.

ELDRIDGE: You didn't make sure any officers knew what you had just done, right?

POTTER: No.

ELDRIDGE: You didn't run down the street and try to save Daunte Wright's life, did you?

POTTER: No.

ELDRIDGE: You're focused on what you had done, because you had just killed somebody, right?

POTTER: I'm sorry it happened.

(CRYING)

[15:35:07] POTTER: I'm so sorry.

CAMPBELL: Prosecutors continuing to push.

ELDRIDGE: You knew that deadly force was unreasonable and unwarranted in any circumstances?

POTTER: And I didn't want to kill anybody.

(CRYING)

CAMPBELL: And the jury in the trial, they heard from all of the witnesses who will be testifying.

On Monday, there will be closing arguments, where the prosecution will sum up their case.

Of course, all along, they claimed that a very senior officer should have known the difference between her service weapon and her taser.

Potter, of course, has pleaded not guilty. Her defense has claimed that this entire episode was a tragic mistake.

The jury will be sequestered on Monday as they begin their deliberations.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Minneapolis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Coming up, Tiger tees off once again. The golf legend returns to the turn of play for the first time since a terrible car crash.

Plus, join Dr. Sanjay Gupta for a look at how some families with autistic kids that are finding hope with cannabis. The new CNN special report, "WEED 6: MARIJUANA AND AUTISM," begins tomorrow night at 8:00.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:40:46] ACOSTA: Tiger Woods is back. And he's not alone. The star golfer is competing in a championship alongside his 12-year-old son, Charlie, this weekend.

It's Tiger's first competition since a car crash that crushed his leg back in February.

CNN's Nadia Romero is in Orlando where the day two of the PNC championship is taking place.

Nadia, this may go down as the cutest video of the weekend, Tiger and his son were out there on the golf course.

What is Tiger saying about being back on the golf course?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a big moment for Tiger Woods, for his family, and for so many fans.

Normally, the PNC championship wouldn't get this much attention being a pro-am. But having Tiger Woods say, I'm going to come out and play with his 12-year-old son, Charlie, it's drawn so much attention.

Of course, we all remember that car crash he was in back in February. Tiger said it was the most grueling recovery.

Of course, there were other injuries and his back injuries for many years. But he says getting that right leg back together is something he's still working on.

And he wanted to be able to come out to be back with his son, Charlie, playing on this course. It was the last time we saw Tiger player, was this time last year at this same championship series.

Now Tiger is sort of back, not 100 percent, not the old Tiger, the fist-bumping Tiger that we remember.

Listen to him talk about what it will take for him to come back to full-time defended play.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I'm a long way away from playing tournament golf. This is hit and hope in the cart and move on. Likie it would affect playing.

Playing tournament golf and being able to recover, practice and train, hit balls around and the other things I need to do at a high level, I'm a long way away from that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: So, really just a big accomplishment, a victory nonetheless for Tiger Woods, even to say be able to be back out on this course so quickly after that accident.

The leader board is over my shoulder here, Jim, but nobody is really paying attention to that.

I just see people with Tiger Woods shirts and merchandise. There are little kids everywhere. We're close to Disney World, but they're here, wearing the Tiger tails attached to them.

Everyone is excited to see him back out, standing on both of those legs, playing golf again right next to his son -- Jim?

ACOSTA: Absolutely. Great to see him. I'm glad to see him back at the links.

Alright, Nadia Romero, thanks so much. We appreciate it.

Let's get Christine Brennan in here. She's our CNN sports analyst. And she also has columns in "USA Today."

Christine, great to see you

And it's great to see Tiger out there on the golf course. Especially with his son, Charlie. It's adorable. It's like a before and after picture almost.

Considering that Tiger nearly lost his leg in that car accident, how big of a moment do you think, especially with his son at his side?

CHRISTINA BRENNAN, CNN SPORT ANLYST: Jim, this is a very big deal. It's less than ten months ago when we saw the horrific pictures of Tiger's car rolled over on its side, obviously totaled, no sense of how Tiger would be, whether he would be able to come back soon.

Obviously spent months in beg. The rehab was extraordinary. There was radio silence really form team Tiger, understandably so.

My sources -- I've covered Tiger for 25 year and my sources were saying, they just hoped he would walk again and could kick a soccer ball with his daughter and play a little golf with his son.

Well, now we're seeing this. And it's terrific to see.

By no means is this a PGA tour event. And Tiger is taking golf cart. You have to walk 72 holes if you're a professional golfer, male or female. So Tiger is a long way from playing in the Masters or the U.S. Open.

But it's a wonderful start. And really remarkable considering we're talking about an accident in February and here he is in December playing golf again.

ACOSTA: Yes. It's just remarkable.

And Christine, we have to talk about breaking sports news. This has just come into CNN. The NFL will stop mandating weekly COVID tests for asymptomatic vaccinated players. The agreement was reached with the players association.

It will still require unvaccinated players to be tested daily. High- risk players will have until Monday to opt out for the rest of the season. Those who chose to opt out will not be paid.

[15:45:06] Those are some interesting details there. I suspect, your having covered the sports world as long as you have and pro football, some of this might be a huge surprise to you.

But does this feel like a step towards finishing the season by finding fewer positive cases? Is that kind of where the NFL is going after here?

BRENNAN: I think it is, Jim. Yes, I've covered the NFL for 30-some years.

It is a little surprising they said to do less testing. Obviously. it's vaccinated players and players that are asymptomatic won't get the testing they've been getting over the last few weeks and months.

I don't know, it seems that you would want to test more, not less, but to get the season in, that is a way to do it.

But is it helpful for the community? Is this the right message to send?

This is a professional sport. The NFL, probably the public face of the lead for COVID. Lying? Misleading? Obviously, couldn't care less about become vaccinated.

And that's a problem for the National Football League. Because Aaron Rodgers will be that kind of poster child for what they've been.

Most of the players are vaccinated, have done the right thing, but you're part of a community if you're a football player. You're NFL team is the big deal in that town.

I guess this is a message they want to send. But I think more testing rather than less would be the message you would want to send into your community as we're facing the difficult next few weeks.

ACOSTA: Yes. And over in basketball, the NBA's Kyrie Irving hasn't played in a game all season because of his unvaccinated status.

But the Nets say they're in dire need and they will let him rejoin the team as a part-time player, I guess playing outside of New York where they have the tough vaccine requirements. He can place in other places as an unvaccinated player.

It does sound as though the leagues are letting adjustments be made midstream, just to get through the season, just to get fans watching, buying tickets and merchandise, and going to the games and so on.

BRENNAN: Yes, ratings going up. You nailed it, Jim?

What a terrible message. Kyrie Irving, unvaccinated, come on back. I understand he's already in the COVID protocol, so we'll see how it plays out.

OK, we need more people, so we'll take the unvaccinated guy now. I think that's a terrible message.

I hold these teams to a high standard. They are pillars of the community, role models that kids look up to, we all look up to. Is this the message you want to be sending?

I think it should be the opposite. If you are unvaccinated, you don't get a chance to play. But that's what the NBA said for a couple of months.

And now the flip-flop as Omicron is hitting? I think that that's a terrible message for the NBA to be sending. And surprising, frankly, the Nets are doing it.

Why? Why are you doing this now, as New York and other is it is are starting to suffer, as people are concerned about these variants? I don't know.

It seems league the absolute wrong message, Jim, to be sending.

ACOSTA: Yes. And they are taking such a leadership role at the beginning of all of this and sending the right message and serving as role models.

And, you know, now the message being sent is, well, whatever is convenient for us at that particular moment, we're going to do it, which is what so many people are doing right now.

Christine Brennan, thanks so much.

We won't even talk about the Washington Football team. We'll do that another time.

But thank you so much. Appreciate your time.

BRENNAN: You've got it, Jim?

[15:48:40]

ACOSTA: All right, coming up, there won't be a party across the pond. What a surge of COVID cases means for New Year's Eve in other countries.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:53:40]

ACOSTA: The spread of the new variant is upending plans for New Year's Eve celebrations in Europe. French officials announcing earlier today they are canceling all traditional activities and festivities, including the fireworks show.

In Ireland, bars and restaurants will no longer stay open past 8:00 at night beginning tomorrow, not just for the remainder of December but the month of January's well. You know it's getting serious when that happens.

In addition, the government says anyone who hasn't received a booster must restrict their movement for 10 days.

In the Netherlands, they will impose a strict new lockdown tomorrow with indoor gatherings limited to a max of two guests, except on a few days around Christmas and New Year's, where it will be extended to a whopping four guests.

My goodness, it keeps getting worse and worse.

In the meantime, in the season of giving, we want to show you how you can help our 2021 top-10 "CNN Heroes continue their important work and have your donations matched dollar

for dollar.

Here is Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I'm Anderson Cooper. Each of this year's top-10 "CNN Heroes" proves one person really can make a difference. This year, we're making it easy for you to support their great work.

Just go to CNNheroes.com, click donate for any 2021 top CNN hero to make a direct donation. You'll receive an email confirming your donation, which is tax deductible in the United States.

[15:55:09]

No matter the amount, you can make a big difference in helping our heroes continue their life-changing work.

Right now. through January 3rd, your donations already matched dollars for dollar up to a total of $500,000.

CNN is proud to offer you the simple way to support each cause and celebration these everyday people changing the world.

You can donate from your laptop, tablet or your phone. Just go to CNNheroes.com.

Your donation in any amount will help them help others.

Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: And if you know someone great who deserves to be a hero, tell us about them. Nominations for 2022 are open. We're waiting to hear from you. Go to CNNheroes.com to nominate right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)