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Erin Burnett Outfront
Biden Meets with Dems; No Vote and No Deal Yet; $2.1 Trillion Option on the Table, But Deep Division Remain; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D- MN) Discusses About the Standstill on the House Democrats on Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill; Merck: Pill Cuts Risk of COVID Hospitalizations and Death by Half; Atty: Laundrie's Sister Joined Him, Parents on Camping Trip; Erin Burnett OutFront Celebrates 10 Years on Air. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired October 01, 2021 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Again to President Carter, we wish you a happy birthday and nothing but the very best.
Erin Burnett OUTFRONT starts right now.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And OUTFRONT next, President Biden heads to Capitol Hill to save his agenda but he emerged tonight with no deal on a spending plan and no vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Should Biden have gotten much more involved much sooner?
Plus, California becoming the first state to require the COVID vaccine for students. Will more states follow?
And new questions about Brian Laundrie's camping trip with his family just days after his fiance, Gabby Petito's disappearance. Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. Welcome to a special edition of OUTFRONT because tonight we celebrate 10 years on the air right here on CNN and we're glad to be here.
We begin tonight with breaking news. No deal. President Biden returning to the White House this evening without an agreement to save his first term domestic agenda. The President paying a rare visit to Capitol Hill to try to move the ball with his own party, urging Democrats to support his $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill while trying to salvage his massive spending bill.
Now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of course, promised that vote last night. It didn't happen. So then there was talk of a vote tonight, but that also, as I speak, seems quite unlikely. And now Biden is signaling that they could be stalled for even longer.
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm telling you, we're going to get this done. (CROSSTALK)
BIDEN: It doesn't matter when. It doesn't matter whether it's in six, six days or six weeks, we're going to get it done.
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BURNETT: To say that the success of Biden's presidency the first term, at least rests on these two pieces of legislation is not an overstatement and that is why Democrats are questioning whether Biden is being aggressive enough in getting his party on board.
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REP. AMI BERA (D-CA): I still feel like the President ought to weigh in and make specific asks of this to get this done. It's his agenda.
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BURNETT: It is his agenda that is on the verge of collapse, because progressives want a spending bill that's at least $3.5 trillion and Senate moderates like Joe Manchin have made it clear that they will go nowhere close to that. He's floated 1.5 trillion. And if progressives don't get a number they like better for the spending bill, they say they won't vote for that bipartisan infrastructure bill, they don't care. They're done with it. They'd rather have nothing.
Well, today, Democratic leaders in the White House floating yet another topline number for the much bigger spending bill, $2.1 trillion. Look, the numbers are all over the map and one administration official seems to suggest that it's all fuzzy math anyway, telling our White House correspondent John Harwood and I quote, "You may wind up with a bill that one person describes as $1.5 trillion and another describes as $2.5 trillion. There are many ways to skin the topline debate."
1.5 trillion, 2.5 trillion, what's a trillion here or there? Look, the dirty secret that this official seem to say out loud is that every single person in Washington knows that these numbers fall way short of reality, way short of the ultimate tab for American taxpayers. Because popular items like child care, health care, child tax credit, they're not just going to poof, last for a couple years and then be gone the way all these topline numbers assume, no. They're going to become permanent, even though they're pretending right now that they won't and that adds a heck of a lot more to the topline than any one is admitting.
It's all to say the Democrats right now we're stalled about questions about whether the President should have been making more of these personal visits to the Hill a long time ago and out of the 11th hour as well as about the fundamental substance and cost of the legislation itself.
Lauren Fox is OUTFRONT live on Capitol Hill. And so Lauren, are we any closer to learning whether there will be a vote on the bipartisan already agreed upon $1.2 billion infrastructure bill tonight? LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Well, that has been the
question over the last two days when and are they going to actually bring this bill to the floor. Look, we were just standing outside of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for about the last two hours and her leadership team is coming in and out. But every time someone exits, there's no more clarity about what the plans are tonight.
And after the President came to Capitol Hill, a lot of moderates and progressives were hoping they would know exactly what the next steps were going to be. But as Abigail Spanberger, a moderate Democrat told my colleague Mel that what we have found out is essentially we don't know what's happening tonight and that doesn't include what's happening in a couple of weeks or a couple of months from now. There is not a lot of clarity tonight on Capitol Hill.
What the President did do in that meeting was he tried to assuage concerns about what that topline number would be, instead trying to remind people what is at stake, which is his agenda. And the fact that if folks are so dug in on either side, they're going to get nothing and that's not just on the president, that's on the Democratic party, that's on their ability to run for reelection in the midterms.
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We also know that the President did float a potential topline number, saying that he too would like a $3.5 trillion social safety net bill, but it would likely fall in the realm of about $2 trillion and he gave a range there. He's not sticking to one number. But as you noted, moderates in the Senate are saying that $1.5 trillion is Joe Manchin's number right now and he hasn't come off of that all day. They're not any closer to getting some kind of framework with him and that makes it very hard for the Speaker to decide on her next steps as well, Erin.
BURNETT: And it's incredible, of course, he hasn't come off that number we know in a couple of months. Thank you so much, Lauren.
OUTFRONT now Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. Senator, I really appreciate your time. So President Biden said today and I quote him, "We're going to get this done. It doesn't matter if it's been six minutes, six days or six weeks." But yet here we are. Does it bother you that this standstill really is because of and hanging on to two senators right now, your colleagues, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema?
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): There's a lot going on here. And over the weeks, I've had my moments, I'll be honest, where you get mad, you want to get things you want to get done. But in the end, just as the President has said today and he knows how to put together deals as do Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, it will get done and it does take time.
Remember, democracy doing really big things, like this piece of legislation to put people first whether it is about childcare or housing, or finally saying, you know what, those Trump tax cuts went way too far for rich people and we're going to be able to take some of that money back and pay for things for regular people. We're going to be able to bring down prescription drug prices. Those are big deal things.
They take some time and in the old days, you didn't see every moment on CNN. You didn't see everyone walk out and have everyone do interviews on Zoom and you name it. I think that this is democracy in action and I guess I'm just a little more optimistic than some people because I've been in those Senate rooms. I've been with Joe Manchin when we negotiated the voting bill, just eight of us. I saw him in good faith, put ideas out there and we actually put that bill together, now we need to get it through the Senate. But we have an agreement on the bill. I think that can happen with this legislation.
BURNETT: I quoted a moment ago at the top of the show an administration official saying and I quote, "You may wind up with a bill that one person describes as $1.5 trillion and another describes as $2.5 trillion." And honestly, I heard that and felt it was really disingenuous.
I mean, we have in this country a national debt that is bigger than the entire U.S. annual economy by 20 percent. And it seems very important to be factual about how much money we're going to spend. So when you look at this, are you okay with people saying a bill costs whatever number they're going to put out, 1.5 trillion, 2 trillion, when to get there they're assuming that really important things like, say, the child tax credit are simply going to poof, go away, in three years. When, by the way, we know they're not going away.
KLOBUCHAR: I think we need to be honest with the American people about what things are and how much they cost. I do, I've always believed in transparency and I think that's what we were lacking under Donald Trump. Honestly, the Republicans added more and more debt, then the pandemic came and together Democrats and Republicans decided we better do something. We have to help the people of this country. That was done repeatedly on a bipartisan basis, so I think honesty is important.
What really bothers me, fiscally right now, is that our Republican colleagues won't even stand by the full faith and credit of our country, while we're trying to compete with China. They're willing to let this debt lapse. So when I talk to the head of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, about this, I specifically asked because I have concerns just like you do.
And he told me that investment and I think there's some credence here, investment in the long-term is different, investment in the long-term in things like our children, investment in our roads and bridges and in our broadband, investment in the human infrastructure of this country that that matters.
So I look at it as this is investment in our country in the long-term. And it's a whole different matter, because we're trying to make policies that they have in other industrialized nations.
BURNETT: Well, I hope that more people hear you and applaud your willingness to put a real number out, because it is important if you believe in these things to tell people what they really cost and fund them appropriately and just to be honest about the costs. I want to ask you about something else ...
KLOBUCHAR: And one more thing though.
BURNETT: ... yes.
KLOBUCHAR: I can't let this go, it is Democrats that are willing to show how we're paying for things. We're willing to say, let's bring the corporate tax rate to where it should be and where everyone thought even with under the Trump administration was going to end up. Let's not let the wealthy get by, they have to ...
BURNETT: Right. But the current draft out there assumes that the child tax credit goes away in three years, so they're funding something that's in perpetuity, but they're all actually saying it goes away in three years.
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KLOBUCHAR: Understand.
BURNETT: Yes.
KLOBUCHAR: But we are paying for things, continue on. And congratulations on the 10th anniversary of your show (inaudible) tonight.
BURNETT: Well, I appreciate that. And look, I have interviewed you many times over those years, here and around the country as you campaigned. And I want to ask you now about something very personal to you and it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I see what you're wearing tonight.
The White House last night was lit up in pink and you made the announcement in September that you had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which I can only imagine how terrifying that is when you get that news. How are you doing right now, Senator?
KLOBUCHAR: I'm doing well, Erin. I was so lucky to have caught it when I did. And Mayo Clinic found it on a mammogram. I'd actually put that off like so many Americans for too long, but I was able to get through it with a lumpectomy radiation. They say my chances of getting cancer again are just like anyone else in the public right now.
So I feel very fortunate and grateful to my husband getting up at 4 am to take me to radiation treatment. The nurses, the doctors, everyday people that didn't even know that I had cancer would always help me put my suitcase up, little did they know I wasn't supposed to do that after the surgery when I went back from Minnesota to Washington.
But one thing I learned from this, there are thousands of women with undiagnosed breast cancer, because they've been putting off their mammograms during the pandemic. There are one out of three Americans have put off routine exam. It can literally save your life if you go in and schedule these tests. So what better month than now, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month as you point out. So that for me is the gift of this is, yes, I went through a lot. It
was hard and a lot going on in the Senate, but if I can save some lives by making this clear that people should get their appointments, it's all worth it.
BURNETT: I hope that people hear you and I'm so glad and grateful that you got that early diagnosis and are doing so well. Senator, thank you so much.
KLOBUCHAR: Thanks, Erin.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, California, the first state in the nation to announce a COVID vaccine mandate for students as we're learning about a new pill that could be a game changer in the fight against the pandemic. Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Plus, new questions about the interactions Brian Laundrie had with his family after his fiance Gabby Petito was known to be missing.
And tonight we celebrate 10 years of OUTFRONT right here on CNN.
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BURNETT: Good evening from Seoul, South Korea.
Live from Paris.
Live from Cuba.
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BURNETT: New tonight, a potential game changer in the fight against COVID and this is the first pill to fight infection. Merck announcing an experimental drug, I'll try to pronounce it, molnupiravir, I'm sorry, cuts the risk of hospitalization and death by 50 percent. It would fight the virus early after diagnosis and aim to prevent symptoms from developing after exposure, so like I said it would completely be a game changer. And Merck says it will seek emergency use authorization the UAE from the FDA as soon as possible.
OUTFRONT now CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta who has now written a second book during COVID, the author of World War C: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic and How to Prepare for the Next One and that comes out on Tuesday, so you can pre order it right now.
So Sanjay, I know there's been much done about these companies and how they have such horrible names for all of their products. But in all seriousness, I remember at the beginning there was this whole, well, just somehow get a pill for this and it'll be fine. It's miraculous that something could even be on the horizon at this point, but how significant is it? SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we got to wait
and see a little bit because all we're hearing from so far as the company and I have no reason to doubt this, but this has to be validated and then we also have to look at safety data. So it's a type of medication that basically decreases the way that the virus actually replicates within the body, so we got to make sure it's safe for all the other cells in the body as well. Again, no reason to suggest that it's not. And then we got to see, does this data hold up?
You may remember you had some long interviews regarding remdesivir. This is maybe a year ago or ...
BURNETT: Right.
GUPTA: ... a year and a half ago now, I can't remember. And there was a lot of promise behind that as well. And ultimately, it did not actually reduce mortality that much, remdesivir.
BURNETT: I remember that and there were all hope. And to your point about what does it do to the rest of the body, I mean, people can think of even chemotherapies, now you can get pill forms, but it still can hurt other cells in the body, so you got to really know that.
GUPTA: That's a concern. Virus is different than a bacteria. A virus needs a human cell to replicate. So by definition in order to interfere with that replication, you're doing something inside the cell. Again, it can be totally safe, but that's part of what they got to make sure.
What the data has shown so far has been pretty significant. I mean, you saw how much it decreased hospitalizations and even deaths. Overall, you can say about 50 percent reduction. What that meant was some 377 people received the pills, it's two pills a day for five days versus people in the placebo group. And what they found, you can see there on the screen, 28 were hospitalized among the group that got the medication versus 53 total between hospitalizations and deaths among the placebo group.
That is basically 7 percent were hospitalized among the medicated group and 14 percent either died or hospitalized among the placebo group, so that's significant ...
BURNETT: That's significant, yes.
GUPTA: ... if it continues to play out who should get it, who benefits the most, is it people who have moderate illness, is it people who are at risk of severe disease, all of that still has to be defined.
BURNETT: And right now I remember these conversations with remdesivir, but okay, the thing is you're now coming into this, the latest context for this is, say, ivermectin, where people are willing to take things, anything to avoid getting a vaccine. Now, if something like this works, great, okay, let's see, but are you worried that that's how some people are going to see it? GUPTA: Yes. I think absolutely. And I have looked at this
historically as well, this pandemic, obviously, but even flu. About half of the country in any given year, we get a flu shot. People oftentimes counted on things like Tamiflu. So you may see some of that here as well.
BURNETT: Right.
GUPTA: And it's worth pointing out that it's not the same. Obviously, one prevents the disease, one treats the disease afterward. We talk about severe illness and death. But even in people who have mild illness, moderate illness, they can still develop long lasting symptoms.
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BURNETT: Right, all brain, nerve, all these very serious things would not be safe ...
GUPTA: I remember sitting here with you early on, Erin, and saying how is it that a respiratory virus would cause isolated loss of smell? What kind of virus does something so specific in the brain like that? Even now, 22 months later, we're still not sure, but the message that I take away from it and I tell everyone, you don't want this, if you can avoid it. So the vaccination is still far better.
BURNETT: And to remind everybody, of course, you are speaking as a neurosurgeon in this capacity.
GUPTA: Yes.
BURNETT: I mean, not just as a doctor, a neurosurgeon. So you have your children I know are vaccinated, they're above the age they're able to be. Gavin Newsom from California says California is now going to be the first state to mandate the vaccine for kids as soon as once it's fully approved.
GUPTA: Yes.
BURNETT: Okay. And he put it in personal terms as to why he feels this way. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D) CALIFORNIA: Kids are being infected, kids are ending up in our hospital system. I have four young kids. I can't take this anymore. I'm like most parents, I want to get this behind us, get this economy moving again, make sure our kids never have to worry about getting a call saying they can't go to school the next day because one of the kids or staff member were tested positive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Right now vaccination rates among eligible kids is only 50 percent. A lot of families have chosen not to do it, various people want to be more cautious when it comes to their kids. But do you think he's doing the right thing?
GUPTA: I think he's absolutely doing the right thing. I mean, first of all, you see this sort of stepwise uptake when it comes to vaccines, stepwise down by age and we can show you no surprise given what we've seen with who this disease affects the most. Older people are going to be the most likely to take this and then as you go younger and younger, younger, you get less uptake.
But we also know that if you compare over the summer to now you actually have far more people who say, yes, I would be willing to get this for my kids. You get about 25 percent interestingly that just say no way, no how, no matter what. July, September, you get about a quarter. You can see there on the screen that just definitely not. It's so interesting to me, Erin.
BURNETT: It's amazing especially because their children are mandated to get the flu vaccine (inaudible) ...
GUPTA: And frankly 10 other vaccines.
BURNETT: Yes.
GUPTA: I mean, you've got kids younger than mine. I mean, chicken pox, mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, all these things they already get so this is adding another vaccine. But again, I have the benefit of looking at this historically, what you find is that there's always a state that goes first and then other states follow. And part of the reason they follow is now they got cover because the other guy went first, but also because now you can compare, you can say, well, they mandated it and look how much better they are doing and that's another reason to inspire other states to do the same thing.
BURNETT: Right, to give the courage to do it. All right. So I want everyone to know, of course, your book about brain health keeping sharp, phenomenal. But now, World War C: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic and How to Prepare for the Next One. Preorder it now. You can buy it on Tuesday.
GUPTA: Thank you.
BURNETT: Great to see you, Sanjay.
GUPTA: You too. Good to see you in-person.
BURNETT: And next, CNN obtaining new records that are raising questions about the camping trip Brian Laundrie took with his family after returning home to Florida without his fiancee, Gabby Petito.
And we're staying on the breaking news right now, Biden wrapped this moment huddling with advisors at the White House. The House Speaker has still not said whether she's holding a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill tonight.
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BURNETT: Tonight, Brian Laundrie's sister, Cassie, joined him and his parents on a camping trip that they made soon after Brian returned to Florida without his fiancee, Gabby Petito. Now, the family's lawyer confirms this and it raises new questions about Gabby's interactions with Brian.
It comes as new body camera footage reveals more of what Gabby and Brian told police after they were stopped following that physical altercation. Jean Casarez is OUTFRONT.
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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT(voice over): New questions tonight about Brian Laundrie and his interactions with family in the days around the disappearance of Gabby Petito. Brian and his parents visited the Fort De Soto campground the weekend of September 6th according to their attorney, who now tells CNN Brian's sister, Cassie, was also with them for a day.
Cassie spoke to ABC News in an interview that aired September 17th.
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CASSIE LUYCX, BRIAN LAUNDRIE'S SISTER: I haven't been able to talk to him. I wish I could talk to him. I've cooperated every way that I can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CASAREZ(voice over): CNN obtained record showing Laundrie's mother canceled a camping reservation made for two people on August 31st, the day before Brian returned home without Gabby. Later that week, she made a new reservation for three people.
This as new body cam footage is providing insight into the strained relationship between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. Officers in Utah caught up with the couple in mid-August after a witness called police to report a domestic dispute.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So there's two people that came to us and told us that they saw him hit you.
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CASAREZ(voice over): In the back of the police car, 22-year-old Petito tearfully claim she is the one who initiated that fight. After a few quick questions about her injuries ...
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of looks like something, like, hit you in the face. And then over on your arm, shoulder, right here? That's new, huh? That's kind of a new mark?
GABBY PETITO: Oh, yes, I don't know.
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CASAREZ(voice over): The officers turned their focus on Petito's actions instead.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you attempting to cause him physical pain or physical impairment? What was the reason behind the slapping and stuff?
PETITO: I was trying to get him to stop telling me to calm down.
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CASAREZ(voice over): For nearly an hour, the police question the couple about their relationship separately and determine Laundrie is the victim.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So at this point, you're the victim of domestic assault, even if ...
BRIAN LAUNDRIE: (Inaudible) ...
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CASAREZ(voice over): It is something even Laundrie find surprising.
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LAUNDRIE: I'm not going to pursue anything because she's my fiancee. I love her. It's just a little squabble.
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CASAREZ(voice over): Ultimately, Laundrie is sent to a hotel for the night and the police deem the interaction a mental health crisis.
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PETITO: I don't want to be separated.
OFFICER: You going to have anxiety?
PETITO: Yeah, now, we're a team. Please.
OFFICER: What is it?
PETITO: We're a team, please.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: So hard to watch, Jean.
I mean, I know a coroner ruled her death a homicide. But we still do not have final determination or autopsy, yet.
CASAREZ: Right. Preliminarily, a homicide. So we need that to be final and everybody is waiting when the autopsy report is going to be completed because what is the official cause of death? I mean, that's very important and everyone is waiting.
And it will help give investigators answers of what to pursue. It could -- it could turn this investigation so it goes in a completely different direction.
BURNETT: Right. I amazing what we don't know about the circumstances her death, his whereabouts.
CASAREZ: Absolutely. And finding him, that is critical too.
BURNETT: All right. Jean, thank you very much.
And I want to bring in Jim Clemente now, the former FBI profiler who has been analyzing this terrible story for us from the beginning.
So, Jim, two weeks into the search. Okay. And now, you know, jean's reporting here we are hearing new details about Brian's interactions with his family, including, that his sister was also at the campground. Obviously, she has spoken out publicly since. And it would be -- appears to be inconsistent. What do you think is going on here?
JIM CLEMENTE, FORMER FBI PROFILER: Well, to me, it seems like this family has circles the wagons around him. They are -- they are protecting him and they're certainly not fully cooperating.
Although, she's made the statement that she couldn't get access to him. She couldn't talk to him. She wishes she could. It's clear that they spent at least one-full day together. That just doesn't seem accurate.
She may have been talking about after he disappeared. But it's uncertain what the -- what the circumstances were. But still, this family knows more than they're telling us. They're not cooperating fully and it's really a shame because if he didn't do what people think he did, then he should be brought forward and let the investigation proceed.
BURNETT: Right. It is bizarre. So, Brian's mother -- um -- as you heard from jean -- cancels a camping reservation for two. And she does this just one day before Brian returns to Florida. Of course, right, alone with Gabby's van. He comes back.
Two days after he is back without his fiancee, right, who lived in that house with him and his parents, his mother is like welcome -- welcome home, son. I don't know why you have her van. She's not here. I don't know what happens there. She then makes a different reservation for three people. And then, Brian goes missing a week later.
What specific questions does all of this raise for you?
CLEMENTE: Well, the first thing it raises for me is that if gabby actually lived with them for a period of time, this wasn't sort of a weekend adventure that -- that she went away. And then, she didn't come back on. She lived there. This was her home.
And she wasn't just a few miles away. She was 2,000 miles away when last seen. So this is a very serious missing-person case. And they did nothing, it seems, to try to find her or alert her family that she could be in danger.
That's a real, real problem for me. And it raises all sorts of questions as to why they didn't do that.
BURNETT: And now, we have nearly an hour of new police body-cam footage and this is the body cam, nearly an hour of the officer who was talking to gabby, herself. And so, it's more details of exactly what she was saying and how she was presenting herself, in Utah.
And what police said to them after, you know, all of this, take a listen to this.
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OFFICER: You do have injury. And an independent witness, probably the next one we are going to talk to as well which we haven't talked to yet but the one we did talk to and your own companion have made it clear that she was the primary aggressor. The witness did not see you strike her. So at this point, you're the victim of a domestic assault.
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BURNETT: Brian laughs when he is called the victim of domestic assault. I know that this body camera footage that we had of the police talking to Laundrie was very disturbing to you. You saw it very differently from the beginning. Now, you've seen the nearly hour of them speaking to gabby. So when now you see this, what do you hear?
CLEMENTE: Well, I also hear this officer calling one eyewitness and this eyewitness has said that he kind of came into it late in the game. He did -- there was somebody already calling 911. So, he didn't see all the behavior. And he didn't see something preceding Brian pushing Gabby, shoving Gabby or Gabby slapping him trying to get him to let her back in the car.
So, a couple things. One is Brian has said we were both going to take a walk. And that's not what happened. He locked her out of the car. He was in the car, and she forced her way back in.
[19:35:02]
Also, this witness says that it looked like Brian was trying to get Gabby's phone away from her. And again, that could leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere. But what's most important is the officer said we have only talked to
one of the witnesses. The other witness is probably going to say the same thing. Well, in fact, heard that witness now through the 911 call and that witness said something totally different. Brian slapped her. Brian hit her. That would have been important information to know.
BURNETT: Sure would have. Tragic.
All right. Thank you very much, Jim.
And next, the White House defending the president's decision to go to Capitol Hill to sell his agenda at the 11th hour. Leon Panetta, who was Clinton's chief of staff and congressman for 16 years, knows what it takes to make a deal and he is next.
Plus, we take a trip down memory lane as we look back at ten years of OUTFRONT here on CNN.
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BURNETT: The breaking news. President Biden is back at the White House tonight after heading to Capitol Hill to try to save his agenda.
[19:40:02]
Still, no word on whether or not there will be a vote tonight on President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill. Earlier, the White House defending President Biden's decision to wait until today to head to Capitol Hill. The press secretary saying, quote, this is a moment where he feels it's exactly the right time.
At this hour, of course, progressives prevented a vote last night and they are still threatening to tank the president's infrastructure bill, the bipartisan one, if they don't get a vote, first, on a much bigger spending bill. The top line of that number, by the way, hasn't even been agreed to. They are all over the map and they are far apart. Right now, anywhere from 1.5 trillion to 3.5 trillion and you get on both ends, too.
OUTFRONT now, Leon Panetta, who served as White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton. He was also director of the Office of Management and Budget, and he served in Congress for 16 years.
So, Secretary, you know about this than anybody with the perspective that you bring to it. How bad will this be for President Biden if members of his own party are the ones who effectively tank his agenda, including this hard-fought bipartisan infrastructure bill?
LEON PANETTA, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF UNDER CLINTON: Well, it would be a real tragedy for -- for this administration and for the Democrats, and frankly, for the country. They just -- they can't afford to let this fail. They just simply can't afford to let this fail.
And that means that they're going to have to sit down. They're going to have to figure out whether -- you know, what are the pieces that they want in this larger bill? They already have the infrastructure bill. It's already passed the Senate. Probably, wouldn't be a bad idea to try to pass that to show the country that they can do the work that needs to be done.
But on the bigger bill, I think it's going to take time. They have got to put the different programs that they want in that bill, how it's -- how they're paid for, and what is the content of it?
Right now, it's all over the board. And I don't think anybody has a good concept as to what those pieces are that have to be part of that larger bill. White House has to make sure that there are answers to that question.
BURNETT: And so far, that -- that -- that, I guess, is what some feel has been lacking, right? I know President Biden went to Capitol Hill today to meet members of the Democratic caucus but he has not been very involved, personally, at least publicly, in so much of this intraparty fight.
I mean, here's what Democrats in Congress, and I am going to play for you across the spectrum. Moderate to progressive -- said today about the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. AMI BERA (D-CA): Still feel like the president ought to weigh in and make specific asks to get this done. It's his agenda.
REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): Would I have preferred that he, you know, engage sooner on the reconciliation bill? Sure.
REP. STEVE COHEN (D-TN): I think the president should be involved. I think very few of us have seen the president in the nine months he's been president. And I think he should come to a caucus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I mean, those are all members of his own party from all -- all -- all wings of it. I mean, you have former-chief of staff, would you have advised Biden to have gotten involved sooner and in a more public and frankly from what these individuals are saying, personal way with his party?
PANETTA: Well, let me put it this way. I -- I think that the White House has to be directly involved. This is his agenda. These are the issues that are critical to the president, and he believes they're critical to the country.
So, the White House, at the highest level, ought to be sitting down at the table. On Capitol Hill or at the White House trying to work these details through. Now, you don't -- you don't necessarily need the president at the table to drive that. But the president has to be encouraging people to move towards an answer. I'm glad he went up and talked to the caucus. I think it's important for the president to be able to try to pull the party together. But what is needed right now is the hard work of resolving these issues. Right now, you got too many people saying too many things about all --
all that they want in this package.
BURNETT: Yeah. I mean, it --
PANETTA: Able to put this down in common sense right now and that's not happened.
BURNETT: So, you know, today is our tenth anniversary on OUTFRONT and I want to say, secretary, you were on our very first show. At the time, you were president Obama's defense secretary. You and I spoke in Washington and this was a very innocent time, as you will hear. I want to play an exchange that you and I had.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I just wanted to ask you about congress. You've been a Republican. You have served in Republican administrations, Democratic administrations. Um, is this the worst it's ever been in Washington?
PANETTA: In my over 40 years in -- in Washington, yeah, I -- I've -- I've never seen it as bad as it is today on the -- the partisanship and the divisions within the leadership, within the both parties, and the inability to kind of confront the challenges that are out there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[19:45:16]
BURNETT: It was an innocent time. Okay. What do you say now?
PANETTA: It hasn't gotten any better. That's for damn sure. You know, it just -- I -- I think it's gotten more dysfunctional. And when you see that, you know, one party is struggling to try to do legislation. The other party's just sitting on the sidelines, throwing rocks. It is undermining the ability of our democracy to function the way it should. And that needs to change.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Secretary, I appreciate your time. Director, I appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
PANETTA: Happy tenth anniversary, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you.
And next, we will celebrate our ten years of OUTFRONT right here on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Breaking news. We are tracking superstorm here striking the east coast.
Fire and fury.
So let's flick it over. (END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: So welcome back to this special edition of OUTFRONT. We are celebrating ten years on the air as a team here at CNN and we wanted to just take a look and little trip down memory lane.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Stand by. Erin Burnett is joining us as well. Our newest CNN anchor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Erin Burnett, glad you are with us tonight.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Erin Burnett, and we are thrilled to have you with us at CNN.
BURNETT: We picked the name OUTFRONT as a mission statement.
In a world where all brands seem to be deteriorating, there's only a few that are rising and truly powerful and I think CNN is one of them.
Hello, everyone. I'm Erin Burnett. First night out of the gate.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett, live in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Good evening, from Seoul, South Korea.
Live from Paris.
Live from Cuba.
I'm live in Rwanda with an exclusive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Horrific, horrific.
BURNETT: Good evening, everyone. I'm Erin Burnett live in Boston two people are dead and one of the victims is 8 years old.
[19:50:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was located three feet from the bomb. Right there, was a spring that's still in there.
BURNETT: OUTFRONT tonight. Breaking news: we are tracking superstorm here striking the East Coast. Sandy now delivering a big wallop here. Minute by minute now. It's rising very quickly.
We do have a new hope.
Good evening, everyone. I'm Erin Burnett, in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
Can you tell me who you decided to vote for?
OUTFRONT tonight live from Tehran. The polls close here in Iran.
A woman in Iran can vote as you see these women voting in the presidential election.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: I don't buy the class warfare thing.
BURNETT: What are you most proud of?
JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT: Keeping the peace.
BURNETT: Would you curb those arm sales to Saudi Arabia?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that is all North Korea.
BURNETT: To get here, we have to go through three checkpoints. We passed some anti-tank explosives and now we are about to go into these blue rooms and into the North Korea line.
So, North Korea on this side. South Korea on that side.
The broader issue that we are seeing, radical Islamic terror.
Police have been scouring this neighborhood for days. And today, it led them here to this tram stop where in a dramatic confrontation, they shot a man.
As you know, a lot of people at home may wonder did America really get anything out of this war? What did we accomplish? Do you think Afghanistan's going to be ready for people like you to go home?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I definitely do.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: I am officially running for president of the United States.
BURNETT: He will call someone a loser. He will say something and they say that's childish. They say that's not the temperament of a president.
TRUMP: Probably, it is a little childish but you know what? This is a campaign.
Hello. How are you?
BURNETT: Donald Trump on tape openly talking and laughing about kissing and groping women. This happened to someone I know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, and I apologize.
BURNETT: The breaking news around the world, President-elect Donald Trump.
TRUMP: So help me God.
BURNETT: Now, the 45th president of the United States.
TRUMP: Very fine people on both sides.
CROWD: Jews will not replace us.
BURNETT: Do you agree there was good people on both sides like the president said? Do you agree?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Erin Burnett, don't ask me ridiculous questions like that.
BURNETT: Why is it a ridiculous question? You are saying this is something that's been going on since the beginning of our country, acting like the president of the United States has nothing to do with it. He has said there are good people on both sides I am asking you as a support of him, do you agree?
Violence in Washington, it's just steps, his photo op. That's what this is all about for him.
Tonight, the coronavirus can spread from people who aren't even showing symptoms.
The virus is now present, confirmed to be present in 48 U.S. states.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I prayed. And then, the doctor took the phone. And he said, I'm sorry, but there's no more pulse.
BURNETT: Seventy-five million Americans ordered to stay home.
Death toll from the coronavirus now topping 100,000 as the president who suggests masks represent slavery as a doctor.
As a doctor, don't you have a problem with that?
I am trying to understand, as someone with the record you have, both, as a medical professional and in public health, whether you have told the president, hey, guy, this isn't okay?
That study is a flawed study. But I -- I need to do this, Peter, because what you are saying is irresponsible.
It's stunning. All of those people are smart enough to know that what they are saying is complete bullshit.
We are hours away from Election Day. Trump and Biden vying for every- last vote.
Terror in the nation's capital today. Everybody wants to know who these people are, what are they doing? What are they planning to do now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is it all supposed to achieve? And that goes back to conspiracy theories. BURNETT: Such an amazing experience to cover.
Thanks so much for watching.
Thanks very much to all of you for being with us.
OUTFRONT means original reporting, stories we are passion ate about, outrage, protests growing, and that you care about.
Fire and fury.
It is debate night in America.
Flick it over.
You actually know that information.
The real effort to get something done.
It is historic.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
This is really important for people to know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: Well, that was amazing. Ten years and five minutes.
I want to bring in John Avlon because since day one, John, and by the way, you haven't changed one bit.
There's John Avlon, October 3rd, 2011. That's our very first show. There we are together. Wow. It is -- just watching that, though, I realize how different of a place this world is now.
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It really is. But, you know, I -- I was thinking about this. First of all, congratulations on ten years. It's been a wild ride and it's been an honor to be along with you for the ride, with your extraordinary team.
But I was thinking about how the world has changed and when you joined CNN, you know, it was in the wake of the fiscal crisis, the wake of the tea party wave.
[19:55:01]
But even with your evident expertise, the real-world expertise in finance and politics, who could have predicted how perfectly that would be primed for the rise of Donald Trump? And how your willingness to call B.S. on the far left and far right would be so needed.
And also, your passionate belief and understanding of how the world really works at a time when we are dealing with the rise of tribalism and -- and folks who -- nationalists who attacked globalization, you have been a counterweight to that rooted in knowledge and belief. And you have made us all smarter as a result.
So thank you for everything you do and for your team and for your relentless curiosity. And here's to the next ten years.
But, Erin, you don't know this but we are going to spring a surprise on you. Going OUTFRONT on you. I know I am not the only person from the CNN family who wanted to say congratulations. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: I'm Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM". And we are following some major-breaking news. That's right. ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT is celebrating ten years on the air. To Erin and the entire OUTFRONT team, congratulations on this very impressive milestone.
COOPER: Erin, I want to wish you a very happy tenth anniversary and so does Wyatt. Hey, Wyatt. Say happy anniversary Erin?
Happy anniversary. Congratulations. It's awesome.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Ten years, Erin, really? Oh, my gosh. I cannot believe it's been that long. Congratulations, obviously. I'm so happy for your success. Your success has been our success.
And your success has been my success because I blame you for this prime-time gig that I have or I should say I credit you for this gig because the first time that I got a chance to be in prime-time on a full time or part time basis was to fill in for you on maternity leave.
BURNETT: That's right.
LEMON: Congratulations.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Erin. It's Sanjay, your favorite neurosurgeon I think. I just -- just want to say happy anniversary and thank you for all you do. I will say I was always fascinated by how fascinated you were with camels.
BURNETT: It wouldn't be hump day without the camel report.
GUPTA: I mean, we would be talking about totally unrelated stories and you would be like, but Sanjay, does it have a camel in the story? I don't know, Erin, maybe something you should get looked at.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: I remember not long after you came to the network. We got to cover the 2012 inauguration together. And I was just struck by how great you are but also just how down to earth you are and I know that I really have appreciated that. And I hope we have many more years ahead of great coverage and adventures. JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Erin Burnett was my partner in CNN's first-
ever quiz show. If you don't know about this, visit the museum online because it's archived extensively there. Now, we were the nation's favorite team.
BURNETT: Had an affair with JFK.
BERMAN: Marilyn Monroe.
BURNETT: Yes.
BERMAN: We won the hearts and minds of the American people.
COOPER: You are now up to 580 points.
BERMAN: And I just want to say that our success was because of Erin Burnett. And anything that might have gone wrong was completely my fault. Erin, congratulations on -- on ten amazing years and I look forward to the next decade.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Erin, from Iran to Wall Street, you have been setting a shining example of journalism for us all for so long. But also, you're pretty cool and a good friend. Congratulations.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Erin, ten years. A decade at CNN in the 7:00 hour, crushing it. And it's kind of remarkable that you have been doing that while you've had not one, not two, but three babies, and seemed so effortless. The fact that you are able to do that is such an inspiration to me and to so many other women and men at CNN and among your fan base. And that's pretty big.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Ten years. I'll tell you what's impressive to me. It's so clear that you're just getting warmed up. You're so on it, you're so smart. You're so committed. And you're just good. You're good at the job. And you're good to everybody around you. Congratulations. Keep going.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: I feel so moved. I mean, I am just so -- I can't believe it. You guys are all such wonderful people to say such wonderful things and, John, to you, thank you. I mean, gosh. I -- I am really speechless I guess. I guess, that's the way I would put it. Yeah. No. And so proud to have worked with you. All these years.
AVLON: Well, the feeling is more than mutual. And you are so loved and respected by your friends and your colleagues for who you are on camera and off camera, the work you do every day, thank you. Congratulations.
BURNETT: Thanks to you. And to all of you, thank you so much for being here and making it possible because without you, we'd be nothing. Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you.
It's time now for Anderson.
