Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

Damar Hamlin in Critical Condition after Cardiac Arrest on Field; McCarthy Preps for Floor Vote to Become Speaker. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired January 03, 2023 - 06:00   ET

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

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: So this is a big system. It runs all the way from the -- basically, the Great Lakes all the way down to the Gulf coast.

[06:00:11]

So good to see you again. Happy new year.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Happy new year.

MYERS: Hope you had a nice couple of days off.

ROMANS: I sure did.

MYERS: See you tomorrow.

ROMANS: In the desert, where none of that was happening, by the way. All right. Chad Myers. Thank you so much. Nice to see you this morning.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you can see that the ambulance is out there on the field, and they are intensely working on Damar Hamlin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I mean, look at the faces. That's Damar Hamlin's teammates there on the field, showing the horror we all feel this morning after that terrifying collapse on the football field last night.

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us. This is CNN THIS MORNING.

I mean, it is really, really tough to watch, and frankly, showing the video is -- we went back and forth on whether we should show it, but we think you should see it, and then we won't play it that much.

But I'm Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow. You see Kaitlan is there, live in Washington. Kaitlan's going to take us through the day, what's going to happen starting today with the new Congress. But man, the big story, of course, is what's happening in the NFL. He

is in critical condition at this hour after collapsing mid-game. More to come on that.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. What we are now learning about Hamlin's condition. How did this happen? And we'll tell you the league's response in the aftermath.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Today with only hours to go before Republicans take control of the House, Kevin McCarthy is still struggling to get the votes that he would need to become speaker. We'll tell you what happens if he falls short.

LEMON: But we're going to begin with that terrible incident on the field during Monday Night Football.

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsing after making a tackle in the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills say that he suffered cardiac arrest, and his heartbeat was restored on the field. An NFL player revived in the middle of a game. Revived in the middle of a game.

He is in critical condition at this hour at a Cincinnati hospital. While medical personnel worked to revive him and players on both teams were overcome with emotion and consoling each other. Tributes have been pouring in from the sports world and beyond, with people sending their thoughts and prayers for Hamlin.

Want to get straight to CNN's Adrienne Broaddus, live in Cincinnati for us this morning. Adrienne, hello to you. The latest on Damar's condition?

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Don.

He is listed in critical but stable condition. He has played every game this season with his team. Normally, he's on the field fighting to lead his team to victory.

But this morning, that 24-year-old is at this hospital, fighting for his life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROADDUS (voice-over): The first "Monday Night Football" game of 2023 between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals ends abruptly in tragedy after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he lowers the shoulder.

BROADDUS (voice-over): You see Hamlin standing briefly and then collapsing on the field.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now another Bills' player is down.

EPHRAIM SALAAM, FORMER NFL PLAYER: When I saw that young man fall to the ground the way he did, it -- it felt like my soul had left my body.

BROADDUS (voice-over): Within minutes after Hamlin's collapse, medical staff started CPR on him right on the field.

JOE DANNEMAN, REPORTER, WXIX: Usually you see players gather around a player, and that happened tonight. But when they saw them start doing chest compressions, you saw the reaction of those players walking away and being distraught, being very emotional. The kind of thing we don't see on a football field.

BROADDUS (voice-over): The 24-year-old NFL star suffered a cardiac arrest, according to the Bills. His heartbeat was restored on the field, and an ambulance was driven onto the field to transport him to a local hospital.

DONTE STALLWORTH, FORMER NFL PLAYER: I've never seen anyone have CPR administered to them on the practice field or the -- or the game field. So that's when I became concerned.

BROADDUS (voice-over): Players huddled on the field, visibly emotional. The NFL then postponed the game.

RYAN CLARK, FORMER NFL PLAYER: We were not ready for this. We were not prepared for this. These are all men that spend time together, growing together, making sure that one another is all right. Doing whatever you have to do for your brother. And you are now put in the hopeless position of being absolutely helpless.

BROADDUS (voice-over): Hamlin is receiving care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where fans could be seen holding vigil.

NFL executive vice president of football operations, Troy Benson, says some of Hamlin's teammates decided to stay behind.

Hamlin's teammate Stefon Diggs was captured in this video, arriving at the hospital to visit his friend and teammate. This, as well-wishes are pouring in from the sports world.

[06:05:11]

DONOVAN MITCHELL, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: From this Cavalier organization, we want to wish the best and pray for everything goes well.

LEBRON AMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: The safety of players in all sports is always the most important. So, you know, it was a terrible thing to see.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROADDUS: It was tough to watch.

Meanwhile, the Bills publishing a tweet, saying that the 24-year-old is currently sedated and will undergo further testing -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Adrienne Broaddus in Cincinnati. Thank you very much.

HARLOW: Let's bring in CNN Sports anchor Coy Wire.

Coy, want to remind people you played for the Bills. Also with us, Dr. Chris Pernell. She is the regent at large for the American College of Preventative Medicine. Thank you both for both for being here.

And actually, Coy, I'm just going to begin with you, because to watch that, with us, a spokesperson for preventative medicine. To watch that, with a former -- you know, you're a former player on that same team. You know what it's like to be on the field, like, almost no one else. What did you think?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Hi, Poppy and Don.

We, you know -- seeing those images has scratched open a lot of mental wounds for me personally. I played six of my NFL seasons there in Buffalo, in that stadium. Played the same position. Played safety there.

I've experienced injury, loss of consciousness. One time, I lost consciousness, didn't remember what happened till the next day. I have a titanium plate and four screws in my neck.

So I'm thinking about what those emotions feel like during a moment like that.

I also thought about all the players, the teammates who were rocked by this. This is a team who are tight like brothers. You're co-workers, but you spend more time with your teammates during the season than your spouse, than with your family. So there're strong connection there. These are players who have been through a lot, as have so many people in the city of Buffalo.

These are players who mourned the deaths and then rallied for the city after the mass shooting about seven months ago in Buffalo. These are players who mourned and then rallied for the people who -- dozens of people who lost their lives just about a week ago in the tragic blizzard there in Buffalo.

So this is -- these are young men who have been through a lot. Those are some of the things that I was thinking about. You knew something wasn't right when you saw him stand up and suddenly collapse.

But I've been in situations where an ambulance has come on the field. So I could -- it just resonates, and scratches open a lot of mental wounds for me, having watched that last night. I was trying to watch the game as a fan, but clearly, it took a tragic turn.

LEMON: So Doctor, when you watch this, you know, he was hit, got up and then fell down. This is -- it's commotio cordis --

DR. CHRIS PERNELL, REGENT-AT-LARGE, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE: Yes.

LEMON: Right, is what it's called. And it's caused by an abrupt blow to the chest exactly at the wrong time. Football is a game of hits.

PERNELL: Yes.

LEMON: Are you surprised that it doesn't happen more often? And what did happen? Talk to us about that, please.

PERNELL: Definitely. So first and foremost, my prayers go out to Damar Hamlin, his family and the entire Bills organization.

So actually, we see these type of events happening more often in baseball than football. It can happen in any competitive or sport where there's impact, where you have a projectile or a moving body part can cause it. You have a sudden blow to the chest wall. It has to happen in the exact location at the precise timing. S

So in this instance over the left ventricle, which is the lower chamber part of the heart, that's responsible for pumping out that oxygenated blood. During the heartbeat you get this stun, and then the heart becomes this -- uncoordinated frenzy of electrical activity. What we call ventricular fibrillation, which unfortunately leads to sudden cardiac arrest.

LEMON: So the heart just starts -- instead of beating, it just starts to --

PERNELL: Yes, yes. It's no longer beating in organized fashion anymore.

LEMON: Yes.

HARLOW: There were those critical moments of CPR on the field.

PERNELL: Yes.

HARLOW: I think it was 16 minutes until he was in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital. Do most people make it out of this?

PERNELL: You know, Poppy, what we are seeing is a slow improvement in those who live through this type of event.

We hear anywhere from about 15 to just below 30 of these events happening that, unfortunately, lead to death.

What is so critical, and when we do see about 58 percent of people surviving, is that you get immediate CPR, and that a person has access to an AED. So an automatic external defibrillator.

LEMON: Yes. That's important. Especially -- it's got to be important, especially when you have these big events with a number of people --

PERNELL: Yes.

LEMON: -- that you have a defibrillator on. Most office buildings now, even this one, we have a defibrillator on hand, just in case, which does save lives. Coy, I want to go back to you and talk about the human aspect and your

personal knowledge of this. Because you see, obviously the emotional response on the players there.

But also the NFL's response. The team's response. The coach's response there. And the discussions about safety, ongoing safety on the field and such.

I imagine it was a group effort not to continue on with this game from a lot of people involved?

WIRE: Yes. I was on a conference call at about midnight Eastern Time last night with the senior executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, when the -- when this event happened.

He's on the phone with commissioner Roger Goodell. They're on the phone with head official. They're on the phone with both head coaches, relaying messages real-time what the situation is.

And ultimately, it came to the point where Troy Vincent asked the coaches if they'd like to have their teams to go back to the locker room, as you're seeing there.

And then, at that point, the coaches basically assessed the mental state of their team and determined that what they had seen was too traumatizing, and it was not worth sending them back out onto that football field.

So, to me, it's a step in the right direction. This has never happened before in the middle of a game, having it stop like this. And so, whereas before, there may have been a lot of calls for players' safety that rang hollow from the NFL.

But this -- this was a big step to do this. It's showing that there has been a paradigm shift and that player safety is truly important, more important than the game that we play.

I was on the field with my teammate for the Buffalo Bills Kevin Everett in 2007. We were covering a kick together. He hit the wedge, and he fell paralyzed to the ground.

When I was playing at Stamford University, my teammate Kerry Carter, a running back, he was tackled by a player named Curtis Williams from the University of Washington, No. 25. He was hit. He was paralyzed from the neck down. Two years later, he lost his life due to complications from that paralysis.

Both of those games, ambulances came to the field. There were players huddled. There were tears; there were crying, just like we saw last night. But those games went on. The one last night did not.

I think that's a huge statement that's being made and that players, coaches specifically, are really understanding that player health and safety is the most important thing. And it should be. And that's going to echo down through the collegiate and high school and youth levels, which is vitally important, that we get to continue this paradigm shift.

LEMON: So, you know, I said today as we were talking about this story. I'm sure it's the first thing that parents thought about, especially moms, about what their sons, mostly sons, playing football. And what --

HARLOW: Yes. You knew.

LEMON: That's what you thought?

HARLOW: It happened after I went to bed. And so I woke up to it at 3 a.m. this morning, and the first thought I had was my son. And that's what every mom has.

And I think as if we could just show this video, I know it's not from last night, but it's from November, of him, you know, giving his mom a hug, Coy.

And I think that's the question that every parent has this morning: Is it worth it? I know it's not a popular question to ask. But -- how do you wrestle with that?

LEMON: Well, Poppy, it's actually "the" question to ask. It's not popular but it's the question, Poppy, to ask. Coy, go ahead. The question.

WIRE: Yes. Look, I think we have to remember that, although it is a game that we play, this is a career path that has been chosen. And sometimes in situations from the time you're a child it's your dream, it's your hope.

You go to college and you study something, but you're getting there to get your degree in football, because you want to be a professional athlete. And they've dedicated their lives to this.

And we understand the risks and the consequences, especially now today more than ever. And -- but we take very seriously how dangerous it is.

It's not many places at work that you go to, Don and Poppy, where before you go out there to perform or execute your job for the day, that you all huddle around, get down on a knee and say the Lord's Prayer.

HARLOW: Yes.

WIRE: That is commonplace in the NFL. We understand that you cannot take any play for granted. That every play, you're putting your life at risk, and this is just reminding us how precious life is.

And so Poppy, hug that son a little tighter tonight. Right? When you get home. And we all just remember that -- how dangerous this sport is. And we should be grateful for the players who go out there and perform for us.

HARLOW: Yes. Really beautifully said, and we're really grateful for you, Coy. Thank you very much, and to you, Doctor Pernell. Very grateful. Thank you.

So we're going to cover this, of course, all morning. We're waiting for a lot of updates from the hospital, and we'll let you know what we hear.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta will join us, as well. Current and former football players are with us. We are covering all the developments as this develops this morning, so stay with us -- Kaitlan.

COLLINS: Also here in Washington, a lot of news going on, as it is day one of the new Congress. And Kevin McCarthy is still scrambling for the votes that he needs to become the next House speaker. I'm live on Capitol Hill, next.

LEMON: And the suspect in the killing of four Idaho college students is due in court today in Pennsylvania. We're going to tell you what to expect.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:18:49]

COLLINS: Welcome back to CNN THIS MORNING. I am live on Capitol Hill, where the new Congress is set to convene today.

But before members take their oaths of office, the House must elect a speaker. Kevin McCarthy, so far, is acting confident, moving his boxes into the speaker's office, as you see here, but if he does not get 218 votes, he will not be in that office for much longer.

Even after making concession after concession to try to coax far-right ultraconservative members to back him, it is still unclear this morning if he can actually get the support that he needs, 218 votes that he needs to become House speaker.

It will be historic if he does not win in a first-round floor vote in just a few hours from now. A leader trying to be speaker has not lost a first-round vote in nearly a century. Every speaker since 1923 has been able to clinch the gavel after just one vote.

CNN's Lauren Fox joins me now.

Lauren, he was trying to get the votes. He was working on the phone even into late last night. But where does it stand as of 6 a.m. this morning?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are on the precipice of what could be a very messy day on Capitol Hill, Kaitlan. And the sources that I'm talking to and have been talking to over the last week genuinely do not know what it going to happen today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[06:20:02]

KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): Happy new year. I, for one, am excited for 2023.

FOX (voice-over): A speakership hanging in the balance. After months of outreach, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy heads to the floor Tuesday, unsure if he has the votes to be the next speaker.

On Monday, McCarthy was asked the same question.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have the speak -- the votes for speaker tomorrow?

MCCARTHY: And take away all the excitement? I think we'll have a good day tomorrow.

FOX (voice-over): A revealing answer, showing the math problem McCarthy's been battling for weeks. With a narrow majority, he can only afford to lose four Republican votes. So far, five Republicans have publicly said they'd vote against him. Nine more penning a letter, warning his attempts to win them over have been too little too late.

Still, allies say McCarthy isn't going to bow out of the race.

REP. WARREN DAVIDSON (R-OH): He's worked very hard to get the -- to et the votes. He's worked very hard to earn the job as speaker. And we'll see whether this has placated the people that put out a list of demands. He's gone really right up to the line. He's conceded on virtually everything that was on that two-page document.

FOX (voice-over): McCarthy is determined to win, even if that means multiple rounds of balloting on the House floor, something that hasn't happened for a century.

Behind the scenes, McCarthy is still scrambling for support, making key concessions to conservatives. One of them: a rules change that would weaken the power of the very job he's vying for and lower the threshold it takes to call for a vote to oust the speaker, from a majority to just five members.

REP. BOB GOOD (R-VA): And there's nothing he's done to earn my vote. I suspect 10 to 15 members who will vote against him on the first ballot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOX: And there's some real practical implications if McCarthy cannot secure the votes today to be the speaker. It he doesn't get the votes, Kaitlan, they can't pass a rules package. If they don't pass a rules package by January 13, there was a letter sent last week to staffers on committees. They won't be paid.

COLLINS: Which is amazing, in and of itself. And also, just the idea, as we were talking a few moments ago, like, you know, in Washington, you kind of have an idea where things could go. This is truly one of those moments where you have no idea what is going to happen in just a few hours from now.

One thing that is happening today is George Santos is coming to Washington.

FOX: Yes.

COLLINS: You know, he has been under incredible scrutiny, not just from the press but also from prosecutors over this life of fantasy that he has created.

But now "The New York Times" is reporting that Brazilian officials are reopening a fraud investigation related to him there. What is the latest on that?

FOX: Well, I think when he comes to Washington today, he is going to be questioned in a way that he is just not used to. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill walk the halls, and reporters do, too. Which means he's going to face so many mounting questions.

Obviously, he's facing local and federal probes, as well as this one in Brazil. I think that that is certainly all going to lead to questions not just to him but also for leadership. What are they going to do about him? They have so far been able to side-step those questions, because lawmakers have been gone for the holidays. They all come back today, and that changes.

COLLINS: Yes, it's like this unfettered access that reporters have to these lawmakers. A lot of questions for them, for Kevin McCarthy. Big day for you today.

FOX: Big day.

COLLINS: We'll stay in touch with you on this.

Back to you, Don and Poppy.

LEMON: All right. On top of not knowing who the speaker's going to be, Kaitlan --

HARLOW: Right.

LEMON: -- you've got this guy who, basically, no one really knows who he is. Do we -- can we even trust what he says he is? Right? Are his credentials, his bona fides -- I mean, it's really fascinating. You're going to -- I mean, you're going to be privy to some fascinating stuff today.

COLLINS: Yes, it's going to be amazing. That's -- the George Santos question, you know. One of the reasons people believe McCarthy has been very quiet on that if because he is trying to get these votes. And George Santos said previously he would vote for McCarthy.

So it's just also amazing to see how connected all of this is. It is going to be quite a chaotic day in Washington. I know we say that a lot, but this is going to be really something to watch, Don and Poppy.

LEMON: Yes. Certainly so. Kaitlan is going to be back with us throughout the hours here. We'll see you in just a bit from Washington. Meantime, athletes and fans across the country sending love to Buffalo

Bills safety Damar Hamlin after he collapsed during last night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. What they're saying about the scary incident. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ooh. Just shock. That's the first thing. You know, it's a football game. So you're definitely going to be in shock.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Support for another human being. You know? Right now his family, his team, you know, his city and our city, you know, needs him to pull through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To see -- to see that happen, obviously it's heartbreaking, but who cares about the game? This is a man's life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was Buffalo Bills and Bengals fans coming together to show support for Damar Hamlin. Really the entire sports world, the entire country, really.

You can see them standing outside the Cincinnati hospital, joining hands in prayer as they await for an update on his condition after he collapsed following a tackle last night.

HARLOW: Here with us is our Harry Enten. You normally know him as our senior data analyst here. He's with us as a huge Bills fan. He was watching the game when this happened last night. You know everything about this team, everything about these players. What did you think?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA ANALYST: Yes, I'm someone who made his mom buy him NFL Sunday ticket when he was 10 because I lived in New York City, and I wanted to watch the Bills games. And I haven't missed a game over a decade and last night was on the air with Anderson and ran home to watch.

You know -- personal reactions, really, for me, you know, first off, my father dropped dead in a cardiac arrest event. And my mother was -- would retell me how that happened, and it was essentially he was there one minute and gone the next.

And then when I watched that, and I saw him just collapse to the ground, get up and collapse, there was something in me that just knew it. Like, I was like, this is really bad.

Because it wasn't like he stayed on the ground. He got up. And that suggested something had been knocked off in his, you know, cardiac rhythm.

I'm also someone who used to pitch. Right? You've been talking all morning about how this is more common in baseball. And I used to wear a heart guard, because I didn't think I was athletic enough to react in time if a ball came back at me.

[06:30:00]