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Surging Covid in D.C.; Criminal Investigation into Trump; Refugees Deal with Mental and Emotional Trauma; Bill Nelson is Interviewed about the International Space Station. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired April 08, 2022 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:32:22]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a growing list of high profile figures in Washington, including administration officials, have now tested positive for Covid just in the last several days. Overnight, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock became the latest. Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she was positive. This just one day after she stood right behind President Biden during a bill signing.

CNN Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona is with us now.

Melanie, not just Pelosi, but a number of people inside the White House have now tested positive. Are they worried about President Biden? I imagine they're testing him pretty aggressively.

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Yes, well, this latest outbreak has certainly sent a jolt through a Washington that was eager to return to normal. And just as places like here in the Capitol were starting to open back up again to the public, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as you mentioned, tested positive just one day after she was standing right next to Biden at a bill-signing ceremony. She herself is in the presidential line of succession.

There have also been a number of other cabinet secretaries and other high profile people who are close to Biden who have tested positive. So certainly this is raising serious questions about how best to protect this 79-year-old commander in chief. But so far the White House is projecting a sense of calm.

Take a listen to what White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield had to say earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATE BEDINGFIELD, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: We are taking many, many precautions. We take precautions to ensure that the president is protected. But I do think it's important to note that, you know, it is possible he will test positive for Covid at some point.

The president is certainly living his life, just as, as you say, all Americans across the country are, while taking precautions, while ensuring that we're following CDC guidance. For example, in an area of high transmission, you wear a mask. So there are things you can do to be smart about it and to protect yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZANONA: So, clearly, it is a balancing act for the White House. They don't want to return to the full-scale pandemic era protocols. They want to project a sense of normalcy. But they are taking steps to protect Biden, including testing people who regularly come in close contact with him. They also notably did not say whether he will attend the upcoming White House Correspondents Dinner.

I should also note, while we're talking about this subject, Congress just left for a two-week break without passing another round of Covid relief. So, this latest outbreak is only renewing this sense of urgency to get that done and reminding us that we are not out of the woods yet.

Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. No question. Not yet. Thanks so much, Melanie.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: The president just got his second booster a couple of weeks ago as well.

Meantime, here in New York, the Manhattan district attorney says his office's criminal investigation into former President Trump and his company is full steam ahead. This despite speculation that the case was closed following the high-profile departure of two senior prosecutors.

[09:35:06]

Let's bring in CNN correspondent Kara Scannell.

As, Kara, you recently spoke with the Manhattan D.A., under a lot of pressure here. What did he tell you?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, these were his first public statements since those two prosecutors resigned. And they resigned because they said he would not authorize them to seek an indictment of former President Donald Trump.

So, in this interview yesterday, he really wanted to make the point that this investigation is ongoing, it is active, they're still interviewing witnesses and he said they're reviewing new evidence. And as to those prosecutors' departure, he said he wanted them to follow other avenues. He said there was more work to be done.

And then I asked him, you know, there's a lot of speculation that maybe the office is being too conservative, because Donald Trump is the former president of the United States. He said that, you know, he rattled off a list of prominent people that he has prosecuted, Senate majority leaders and FBI agents and DEA (ph), and he said he's not cowled. Let's take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALVIN BRAGG JR., MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I've gone where the facts have taken me. You know, indeed, you know, when I was at the attorney general's office as chief deputy overseeing the entire office, I led the team that brought the successful litigation against the former president and the Trump Foundation. You know, so I do what's put before me. That's what I've done as a career prosecutor, follow the facts. And we'll go where they -- where they take us. And that's what we're doing each and every day here in the office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCANNELL: Now, Bragg said that there is no timeline for when this investigation will end. He said they will follow the evidence. He also said that they will either issue an indictment of the former president or he will issue a statement saying that the investigation is closed. This also came yesterday when the New York attorney general made a motion in court as part of her civil investigation to try to hold Donald Trump in contempt for not complying with her subpoenas.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Busy day here in Washington -- in New York state that is.

Kara, thank you so much.

Well, still ahead, how are Ukrainian refugees dealing with the emotional and mental wounds inflicted by the war in their homeland? We'll have a CNN report for you up next.

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[09:41:10]

SCIUTTO: A bipartisan group of more than 60 lawmakers is now urging President Biden to do more for Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion.

GOLODRYGA: If they do manage to escape without physical harm, that is. Many Ukrainian adults and children still need help dealing with the mental and emotional trauma they experienced.

CNN's Dana Bash reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Eight-year-old Yana (ph) is used to going to gymnastics class six days a week in Odessa, Ukraine. Now she practices here, a refugee center in Warsaw, Poland.

BASH (on camera): Do you know why your mom decided it was time for you to go?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Well, because there were explosions there and stuff like that.

BASH: Did you hear explosions? Did you see any of the war?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Uh-huh.

BASH: She left Ukraine with her brother and mother Liudmyla.

LIUDMYLA BATS, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: The journey was very hard because we decided -- we decided to go there through Moldova, through Romania, through Hungary, and so Slovenia, and then Poland.

BASH (voice over): Yana sits at a table full of donated supplies and goes to school remotely, on her phone, right in the middle of this Warsaw refugee center.

BASH (on camera): And she's OK?

BATS: She says yes.

BASH (voice over): Liudmyla Bats is not so sure about her own trauma.

BATS: Even here, every time when I hear there some sounds and when the airplane is flying, I'm afraid.

BASH: Poland's generosity toward Ukraine's flood of refugees, shelter, food, baby supplies, is well documented. Less known is a focus on what you cannot see, the mental health of the mostly women and children who crossed the border.

BASH (on camera): You've redirected a lot of the psychiatrists, psychologists to the Ukrainians.

MAYOR RAFAL TRZASKOWSKI, WARSAW, POLAND: Yes, I have.

BASH (voice over): Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski says tending to Ukrainian's emotional wounds is critical. Foundations drop leaflets encouraging Ukrainian refugees to seek counseling.

TRZASKOWSKI: Those kids are incredibly resilient. But you never know, you know, what's beneath the surface.

BASH (on camera): But it wasn't that long ago that people just kind of said, suck it up, you just deal with it. But that's not where we are in society anymore.

TRZASKOWSKI: No, I mean, when you -- especially when you see what's happening in Ukraine, how vicious this war was, and all of those atrocities committed by Russian soldiers, and those kids watch TV, you know, they see it.

BASH (voice over): In this group session, the mental health professional for Ukrainian women is a fellow refugee. In the women's circle, as they call it, varied emotions spring to the surface.

While mothers tend to their own mental health, their children are in a makeshift day care on the other side of the room. Little Yana (ph) is thrilled by the toys and new people to play with.

Young enough not to know too much. Her big sister, Antonina (ph), knows far more, experienced more than any eight-year-old ever should.

BASH (on camera): Antonina, why are you here in Poland? Do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Because of the war. Because, I don't know, Putin has something in his head.

BASH: Turns out not all grown-ups make good decisions, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When it comes to Putin, yes.

BASH (voice over): To better take care of her girls, their mother takes care of herself in this therapy session.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): With like-minded people it's easier to talk. They understand you.

BASH (on camera): Why did you want to have these sessions?

MILENA KONOVALOVA, CRISIS PSYCHOLOGIST AND UKRAINIAN REFUGEE (through translator): When we talk to other women, we hear that we have the same problems, and we see our situation from a distance.

[09:45:06]

The most prominent trauma is that women don't see tomorrow. They're not sure. They're frightened and scared. They don't feel protection anywhere. And it's important to convey to them that there is tomorrow.

BASH (voice over): As for today, seeing their children playing, smiling, laughing, it helps get them to tomorrow.

Dana Bash, CNN, Warsaw, Poland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Later this morning we will be watching live as the first private mission to the International Space Station launches. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will join me live to talk about it, as well as Russian threats to stop cooperating with the U.S. and the rest of the world on the Space Station.

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[09:50:16]

GOLODRYGA: Ukrainian singer Andriv Khlyvnyuk was supposed to be preparing for an international tour with his Ukrainian band Boom Box, but when the invasion began, his voice found a new stage.

(VIDEO TAPE)

GOLODRYGA: That video posted from a Kyiv square singing the Ukrainian folk song in late February quickly became an anthem across social media.

SCIUTTO: Among those who noticed, Pink Floyd guitarist and singer David Gilmore, who connected with the fellow musician then over Instagram. What transpired officially debuted today. Pink Floyd's first new music in 28 years called "Hey, Hey Rise Up" featuring Andriv's music.

(VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Proceeds from the music will go to support Ukraine. As for Andriv, after being injured recently by shrapnel in a strike, he's back on patrol, there he is in his uniform, like so many Ukrainians taking up arms. He's in Kyiv.

GOLODRYGA: Just incredible patriotism there.

Well, we are staying on the breaking news out of Ukraine. An attack on a train station filled with civilians trying to flee the war. It killed at least 39 and injured possibly hundreds more. CNN's live team coverage is just straight ahead.

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[09:56:20]

SCIUTTO: We are about 90 minutes away from the launch of Axiom 1. That is the first all-private mission to the International Space Station. The four private citizens aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will spend eight days at the ISS.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson joins me now live from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Good to have you back on, sir.

BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: Hey, good morning, Jim.

SCIUTTO: So, first question for you. What is the goal of taking paying customers to the -- to the Space Station now?

NELSON: Well, this is all a part of the commercialization of particularly low earth orbit. This all was set when Senator Hutchinson and I passed the bill a dozen years ago, setting NASA off on the government course and the commercial course. Now, these paying customers are paying to the commercial company, Axiom. But what we want to do is, we want to move business and manufacturing and all kinds of commercial activity off the face of the earth up into space. We want to turn over after we end the space station in 2030, we want to have a commercial space station and NASA wants to become a lease (ph) for space on the station so we can concentrate our effort out there in -- deep into the heavens because we're going back to the moon and we're going to Mars.

SCIUTTO: When we had you on in March, you said that the partnership between the U.S. and Russia in space could withstand the war down here on earth. I wonder, as that war drags on and becomes yet more brutal, do you still believe the relationship will survive?

NELSON: Well, it's survived it for six weeks of this brutal, terrible war that Putin is enacting. But the professional relationship in the civilian space program between the cosmonauts and astronauts, it is just steady, very professional.

Remember, this has been going on for a long time. Remember, we started in the midst of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. We had Apollo Soyuz that rendezvoused and docked and lived together in space. That started this civilian cooperation with Russia, and it continues to this day and it's not going to stop because of the war.

SCIUTTO: You do recently have public comments from the administrator of Russia's space program complaining about sanctions and not quite making threats but certainly criticizing the relationship as it stands.

I just wonder, should the relationship survive what we're seeing down here on earth? I get the idea, I get the ambition of it that we can rise above, but as we see Russia behave more and more brutally in this war, should the relationship go on or should it be paused at least?

NELSON: Well, that's Vladimir Putin. That's the Russian military. That's not the civilian space program. And so despite what you're referring to in the comments of Regozin (ph), who basically is playing to one person, Vladimir Putin, look at the relationship and what is being said by cosmonauts. Look at what the cosmonaut on the station have said.

[10:00:00]

Look what our American astronaut Mark Vande Hei, that just returned on the Soyuz after a year in space, look what he said.