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Health Risks Amid RSV Surge; Biden Gets Covid Booster; Graham's Testimony Temporarily Blocked; Ned Price is Interviewed about the Griner Case; Eight Women Testify Against Weinstein. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired October 25, 2022 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Doctors concerned the health risk could worsen in the weeks to come as the flu and a possible Covid surge loom.

CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now.

So, in terms of the cases, Elizabeth, where do they stand this morning and are we starting to see an impact now beyond just children's hospital beds but on other emergency care services at these hospitals?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Erica, we are. They're being felt impacts throughout hospital systems.

Let's take a look at this numbers. You can see from this graph that cases have gone up dramatically. Now, RSV cases always go up when the weather gets colder, but this is especially dramatic, especially early. So, this is really unusual and I think in many ways caught hospitals off guard.

So, let's take a look at the effects in hospitals. For example, Seattle Children's emergency department, they're at 200 percent capacity. Rhode Island's Hasbro Children's Hospital, 125 percent capacity. In Illinois there are only 6 percent of pediatric intensive care unit beds available.

So, what this means is that when children are showing up at some emergency rooms and they're not -- for whatever reason, and they're not in dire condition, they're having to wait for hours and hours and hours. Well, we've also been told by some parents that their children were scheduled to have a certain procedure for something and they've been told no you can't because the hospital is too busy.

So, the one thing that parents -- the most important things that parents can do is they can get their children vaccinated against the flu. You do not want your children to get the flu. Children die of the flu every year and you don't want to have the guilt of taking up a hospital bed when it probably wasn't necessary.

Get your child vaccinated against the flu. Flu season is picking up. We have this double problem now of RV and flu. Do your part. Get your child vaccinated. Get yourself vaccinated.

Erica. HILL: Yes. Yes, you could always do them both together. That's always my reminder. I do it with my kids.

COHEN: That's right.

HILL: Elizabeth, thank you. COHEN: That's right.

HILL: This afternoon President Biden set to get his updated Covid booster shot. If you're wondering, wait a minute, why now? Well, you may recall he had Covid a little over three months ago, so waiting that period of time is recommended before getting the booster. It's also an opportunity, of course, for him to talk about the ongoing fight against Covid.

CNN's Arlette Saenz joining me now.

So, Arlette, what do we expect to hear today because I know this is becoming increasingly tough for the administration to really gain some traction when it comes to Covid.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Erica, President Biden will be rolling up his sleeves to receive that updated booster shot and try to use this as a moment to encourage Americans to do the same.

According to data released last week, about 20 million Americans had received this updated shot, but that's about 10 percent of the eligible population. And the White House insists that more need to get these shots, especially as the winter and holiday season is approaching.

So, today, the president will talk about some of the government campaigns to try to encourage these booster shots, as well as bring together some leaders of major pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens, to talk about their efforts as well.

Now, earlier today, Dr. Ashish Jha, who leads the Covid-19 response here at the White House, said that the White House is very concerned about that convergence of Covid-19, flu and RSV, and argued that getting this booster shot will help lessen the strain on the hospital system.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ASHISH JHA, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: We can't control everything, but there are things we can control. The two most important things right now are going out and getting the influenza shot, the flu shot, and going out and getting the new updated Covid shot. If people do those two things, then that really reduces the burden on the health care system and allows us to focus on taking care of kids with RSV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, Jha acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic is constantly evolving, but he said that he believes that these bi-valent booster shots will hold up against these strains that have been seen and argue that this is the shot that Americans would likely have to be getting about once a year.

So, in just a few hours, we will hear from President Biden encouraging Americans to take that step right now, especially as this winter and holiday season approaches.

HILL: Arlette Saenz, live for us at the White House this morning, thank you.

Still ahead here, another hurdle as Georgia investigators try to get Senator Lindsey Graham to testify about interference in the 2020 election and what was really happening. Why Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas just stepped in. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:38:56]

HILL: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham won't be forced to testify before a Georgia grand jury just yet. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas putting a temporary hold on a lower court order that would have required Graham to testify about efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 presidential election results. Now the freeze is likely an administrative maneuver meant to give the Supreme Court justices a little more time to examine the dispute.

Joining me now to discuss defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Shan Wu.

And so the reason this came from Justice Thomas, correct me if I'm wrong here, is because he oversees this lower court. Is there anything unusual here?

SHAN WU, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, what's unusual is his failure to recuse. I mean this has been talked about extensively and it's really quite outrageous that given his wife's position on the election that she asserts that there was something wrong with it or that it had a fraudulent result, that he continues to fail to self-govern and recuse himself from any of these cases that could touch upon the election issues and the probes going on there.

[09:40:01]

And this really goes, Erica, to the problem with SCOTUS at the moment, that the Supreme Court's lost its credibility with the people. They're the only judges that don't have a judicial code of ethics. They think they're above that. They think they can self-police. And that's what's going on here. That's what's really odd about this situation.

HILL: So that's what's (INAUDIBLE) about Ginny Thomas, about his wife. But the reality, right, Shan, is here we are.

So, there is this - this stay essentially, this administrative measure that does give the court more time to decide how they want to handle this. What do you expect?

WU: I would expect that they are going to leave it alone. I think that the arguments that Senator Graham is putting forth are quite weak. I mean, full disclosure, some other prosecutors, former ones and myself, signed on to an amicus brief taking that position.

His reading of the speech and debate clause, basically using it as a shield and a cloak against having to ever testify just is -- doesn't make any sense here legally. This was clearly not an issue that was on the floor of Congress for speech and debate. This is something else entirely. So, his witness status here should not be affected by that aspect of speech and debate.

HILL: If the court, though, did find in his favor, what could that mean for the speech and debate clause moving forward?

WU: I think what that might mean is that every member of Congress who may have information or potential testimony about what happened on January 6th or efforts to interfere with the election, they are all going to cloak themselves in this. So, in that sense, it would be a very bad precedent for justice.

HILL: Shan Wu, always good to see you. Thank you.

WU: Good to see you.

HILL: Still ahead here, a Moscow court upholding WNBA star Brittney Griner's conviction. What she said in court this morning.

And we will also speak about that live when we're joined by State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, next.

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[09:46:34]

HILL: New this morning, a Russian court has upheld U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner's conviction for smuggling drugs in the country. Her nine-year prison sentence may be slightly decreased for time spent in custody. It's unclear, though, just how much it could be reduced. Before the judge's ruling, Griner apologized for what she called her mistake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRITTNEY GRINER, U.S. BASKETBALL STAR CONVICTED IN RUSSIA: I've been here almost eight months and people with more severe crimes have gotten less than what I was given.

I want to also apologize for this mistake. And, as I said in my first court that, yes, I plead guilty. I did not intend to do this, but I understand the charges brought against me. And I just hope that that is also taken into account.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Joining me now, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

Ned, good to see you this morning.

Jake Sullivan saying in a statement that you've continued to engage with Russia through every available channel. You said, just as recently as yesterday, the discussions are ongoing. Substantial proposals have been put forward. But based on what we saw this morning, what's next here?

NED PRICE, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: Well, what we saw this morning was a reminder that this process has been a sham from the start. Today has been another sad day for justice in Russia. I use that term justice very loosely, of course, because justice has alluded this case from the start. The rule of law has alluded this case from the start. Increasingly, the rule of law is absent in Russia writ large. That's why we made the determination a number of months ago that Brittney Griner is wrongfully held, just as is Paul Whelan, another American citizen who's been held in Russia for far too long.

As you alluded to, we did put forward what we called a substantial proposal a number of months ago to Russian authorities. Secretary Blinken made public the news of that substantial proposal right here in this briefing room a few months ago now. We continue to engage with the Russians. Those conversations have taken place even in recent days. This has not been a static process. We are continuing to urge them to engage and to engage seriously on this because we want to see Paul, we want to see Brittney returned to their loving families as soon as possible.

HILL: So, Ned, quickly, two points now on what you said. You want to see them engage seriously. Are they not engaging seriously?

PRICE: Well, the fact that Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner still sit behind bars in Russia suggests to us that this process has not moved as quickly as we would like, as quickly as it would need to. We are not going to be satisfied until Paul and Brittney are home with their families.

Up until now the Russians haven't engaged in a way that we would consider serious. We want them to change that posture. We want them to engage constructively. We want them to engage on the proposal that we put forward.

HILL: I'm going to ask you sort of rapid fire because we do have a number of topics we want to get to. But, I'm curious, President Biden told Jake Tapper just a couple of weeks ago that he would meet with Putin at the G20 summit next month if Putin said he wanted to talk about Griner's release. Do you have any indication from the Kremlin that that's a possibility?

PRICE: Look, the president also said that he has no intention of meeting with President Putin at the G20. We've also made clear that when our interests are implicated and, of course, the detention, the wrongful detention of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan is of great interest of us. We are willing to engage. That's precisely why Secretary Blinken picked up the phone to speak to foreign minister Lavrov on these two cases a number of months ago and to reiterate that substantial proposal and to suggest that the Russians engage seriously.

[09:50:09]

HILL: So, I also want to get your take on the 72-year-old American citizen, Saad Ibrahim Almadi, who's being held in Saudi Arabia. He traveled there almost a year ago to visit family, was sentenced -- held on 14 tweets sent over a long span of years. His son, as you know, very frustrated with how this is being handled. He told CNN we would -- he thinks it would be handled differently if his name was - would be in the headlines every morning had he been held in Russia or Iran. And, obviously, the family wants the U.S. to say - wants the State Department to say that he too is being wrongfully held. Where does that stand?

PRICE: Well, I can't even begin to imagine, we can't even begin to imagine the agony that Saad Almadi is going through, that his son is going through, that his entire family is going through. We have made consistently clear to Saudi authorities that the freedom of expression should never be criminalized. The exercise of a universal right, like freedom of expression, should never be criminalized.

We have engaged at the senior levels with Saudi authorities. We've done so from this building here in Washington. We've done so from our embassy in Saudi Arabia. We're continuing to support Saad. We're continuing to support his family. And we'll continue to provide every form of assistance that we can.

HILL: Is he being wrongfully detained?

PRICE: This is a process. It's a process that's based on criteria that are spelled out in both law and policy. We always look at the totality of circumstances when it comes to a particular case and we're always reviewing new information. So, the book is never closed. We're engaging with the family. We're engaging with Saudi authorities and we're going to continue to support Saad Almadi and his family in every way we can.

HILL: All right, we'll continue to look for that and see what determination you come to.

Before I let you go, I do want to get your take on Ukraine. Thirty Democrats yesterday putting out this letter, which I know they clarified afterwards, but calling on the administration to pursue diplomatic negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. I know you've said for diplomacy to work, both parties need to be engaged here. But are you concerned about erosion when it comes to support for Ukraine on both sides of the aisle moving forward?

PRICE: Look, one of the most effective pillars of our approach to Ukraine has been the fact that we've enjoyed bipartisan support from Congress over the course of the better part of a year now. It has been bipartisan support that has allowed us to provide billions of dollars, some $17 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion, more than $8 billion in economic assistance since the start of Russia's invasion. We are confident that bipartisan support will continue.

When it comes to diplomacy, no one wants to see an end to this war more than our Ukrainian partners. And our Ukrainian partners, including, up to, and including President Zelenskyy have made clear that this war can only end through diplomacy and dialogue. The Ukrainians have repeatedly made that clear.

Unfortunately, as you alluded to, it takes two to engage in dialogue. We have never heard a reciprocal message from the Russians that they are ready to engage in the sort of dialogue and diplomacy that we'll needed to end this war. Ultimately that is going to have to be diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia.

In the meantime, we are there to support Ukraine. We're going to empower them on the battlefield that ultimately will empower them at the negotiating table if and when that develops. And when that negotiating table emerges, we will be right there with Ukraine as they engage in that diplomacy.

HILL: Ned Price, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

PRICE: Thanks, Erica.

HILL: Still ahead here, more women ready to take the stand today in the second sexual assault trial against Harvey Weinstein. Up next, what caused the first alleged victim to break down in tears when she testified yesterday.

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[09:57:58]

HILL: Soon we're going to hear more testimony from the alleged victims of the disgraced former movie producer Harvey Weinstein. This is the second day of the sexual assault trial in Los Angeles. Prosecutors say they have eight women who are prepared to take the witness stand against Weinstein. He, of course, is already serving 23 years for rape and sexual assault after a conviction in New York.

CNN's Chloe Melas is now here with more.

So, who are we expected to hear from? What do we know about these women who could potentially testify?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Yes, I mean, look, first of all, Harvey Weinstein is already serving a 23-year prison sentence. And this all stems from the reporting that, you know, was the water shed moment that broke open the Me Too movement with the reporting by "The New York Times" and then Ronan Farrow's reporting.

And so now that we move to L.A., you're hearing from four Jane Doe's, women whose identities we haven't known. And one of the women that is expected to testify is Governor Gavin Newsom's wife, Jennifer, who claimed that she was raped by Weinstein in 2004, 2005 in a hotel room. You know, she was an actress. Now she's a filmmaker. You heard in the opening statements yesterday, you know, Weinstein's

team saying -- his legal team saying that the casting couch was a thing that everybody did in Hollywood. That this was transactional. That Harvey Weinstein trading movie roles and opportunities for sex and that that was par for the course and that these women knew what they were getting into, right?

The prosecution paints an entirely different perspective, that he was allegedly a predator, that there are common themes from all of the women. You heard from Jane Doe take the stand yesterday, her testimony will continue today, where she was tearfully recounting being forced into an incredibly terrible situation where she alleges that Weinstein was forcing her to perform oral sex on him against her will, and that he held her by the hair and, you know, this very graphic testimony.

[09:59:53]

But then you fast forward to, you know, or you go back to what Weinstein's defense is saying.