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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Trump Stages Drive-By Photo Op While Hospitalized with COVID; Biden Campaign Raises Concerns About Harris-Pence Debate; COVID Outbreak Threatens Speedy Supreme Court Confirmation. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired October 05, 2020 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: The nation remains mostly in the dark about the president's battle with coronavirus, but he can't resist a crowd. We'll show you what he did and why it left doctors baffled. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is EARLY START, I'm Christine Romans.

LAURA JARRETT, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: And I'm Laura Jarrett, it's Monday, October 5th, it's 5:00 a.m. here in New York, there are 29 days to the election, and if you want to see a responsible approach to fighting coronavirus, this is not it. Just days into his diagnosis, President Trump staged a drive-by photo op, waving to his supporters outside Walter Reed Hospital on Sunday, a textbook risk for spreading the virus, even if others in the SUV were wearing PPE as the White House notes they were.

Yet, the scene was familiar. Remember back in June in the midst of all those heated protests, the president put himself, Secret Service agents and members of the public at risk for a hastily staged photo op across from the White House back then to hold up a Bible in front of a boarded up church, yet the idea is the same here. Supposed showings of strength and toughness, in other words, optics over the health and safety of others. Moments before his joyride, Mr. Trump posted this.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's been a very interesting journey. I learned a lot about COVID. I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. This isn't the let's read the book school, and I get it and I understand it, and it's a very interesting thing, and I'm going to be letting you know about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Months into this pandemic, the president now says he's learned a lot. Yet, who's recording this video as he talks without a mask. What about their safety? Seven months into the pandemic, the president says he gets it, but what's happening on his watch is only getting worse. Cases are down in just 4 of 50 states with the highest number of cases reported in a five-day period since mid August. JARRETT: The president is one of nearly 7.5 million Americans who

have contracted COVID. Though, most of them haven't received the same level of attention or exceptions to basic health and safety rules. So more of the nearly 2,100 -- 210,000 have died in the U.S. unable to even say a proper good-bye to their family members in the hospital. We have this story covered from every angle this morning, starting with senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns, who is live at Walter Reed. Joe, what is the latest this hour?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, that joyride, the president's joyride came at the end of a weekend in which the White House, as well as the president's doctors, tried to minimize again and again, the seriousness of the president's condition. He is, by the way, the commander-in-chief of the United States armed forces, which means his health is a matter of national security. Now, the doctors do say the president could go home as early as today. He has not been showing signs of fever now for several days, so it's not clear whether that fever has been gotten rid of by medications or whether the president has gotten rid of it on his own.

Dr. Sean Conley admitted talking to reporters, telling them over the weekend, not so much about the president's condition, especially when it comes to the two points where the president's oxygen levels dropped, creating a lot of concern. Listen.

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SEAN CONLEY, PHYSICIAN TO DONALD TRUMP: I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the president, that his course of illness has had. I didn't want to give any information that might steer the course of the illness in another direction and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn't necessarily true, and so here have it. He is -- the fact of the matter is that he's doing really well.

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JOHNS: Now, as for that trip outside Walter Reed just last night, a veteran Secret Service agent who asked for his name not to be used because he's still with the service did criticize that ride by the president calling it reckless, irresponsible, unbelievable, and he also sympathized with the people at the White House who had to work closely with the president, indicating that in his view, you simply cannot say no. Let's listen to what he said last night on TV.

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JAMES PHILLIPS, NON-MIILITARY ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER: I have a hard time believing that without undue influence based on their chain of command, that those physicians would have cleared that. When we take care of patients in the emergency department, on the thousands of hours I've spent on the in-patient wards and surgery, medicine, and ICU, we don't let patients leave the hospital when they're sick unless they sign out against medical advice. Masks or no masks, being inside a vehicle that is hermetically sealed circulates virus inside and potentially puts people at risk.

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JOHNS: So also, there is this report from the "Wall Street Journal" indicating that President Trump did not disclose a positive result from a rapid test Thursday while awaiting findings from a more thorough coronavirus screening. As the virus spread among other people closest to him, the newspaper reports Mr. Trump also asked one adviser not to disclose the results of their own positive test. Don't tell anyone, Mr. Trump said, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Back to you.

JARRETT: Which if true, means that he actually got a positive result before he went to New Jersey for that gathering with his supporters. Joe, before I let you go, we understand the White House did send its first e-mail to staffers, now almost 72 hours after the president's public diagnosis?

JOHNS: Right. That's the White House Office of Management and Budget. They did send out a memo, information for people who didn't know what to do. A lot of people were saying they didn't even know whether they were supposed to come to work or not. And so the government has now begun the process of trying to create some clarity about what employees should do.

JARRETT: Yes, clarity is certainly needed right now. All right, Joe, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

ROMANS: All right, so the president is being treated with an extensive cocktail of drugs. The list includes two experimental drugs and a steroid, that at least one large randomized study shows does help coronavirus patients. But it also suggests his condition is worrying since the drug should not be given to anyone who is not ill enough to justify the downsides.

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EZEKIEL EMANUEL, ONCOLOGIST: He's definitely sicker than they've let on. All day on Friday, they were under playing, resting comfortably when he was actually feverish, fatigue, his oxygen saturation was going down there to put him on oxygen. You don't add an experimental cocktail which hasn't been even given an emergency use authorization, unless you're really worried and things are much worse.

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ROMANS: The steroid requires careful monitoring. It reduces inflammation but in doing so, it can also impair the patient's ability to fight off infection.

JARRETT: Overnight, CNN has also learned Attorney General Bill Barr is self-quarantining for now, but he expects to return to the Justice Department midweek. We're told he's tested negative for coronavirus four times since Friday morning. Barr attended the White House event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett with a lot of hugs, but not a lot of masks or social distancing there. A senior administration official tells CNN's Jake Tapper, the cluster of COVID cases, among top Republican officials likely began at that event. A number of other positive tests have been emerging in the president's orbit, including his personal aide, his campaign manager, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Christie, who has asthma, checked himself into the hospital. He says as a precaution after doing debate prep with the president.

ROMANS: Joe Biden will now be tested more frequently for coronavirus as concerns linger about his possible exposure to the president and the Trump campaign staff. But the former vice president is staying on the campaign trail. MJ Lee has more from Wilmington, Delaware.

MJ LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning Christine and Laura. While President Trump receives treatment at Walter Reed Hospital for COVID-19, Joe Biden is continuing his normal campaign activities. Later today, we're going to see him fly to Florida for a campaign event there. And what the Biden campaign has recently announced is that Biden is now going to be tested more frequently for the virus. You'll recall that last Friday after the news of President Trump's positive test coming out, Biden himself announced that he was tested twice for COVID-19, and those tests came back negative.

And just last night on Sunday night, the Biden campaign also announced that he had taken another test and that test had also come back negative. Now, heading into this week, we obviously know that the big political event is going to be the vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City. This is going to be between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris. They're going to be facing off for the first time, and what CNN can report is that the Biden campaign had raised concerns to the Presidential Debate Commission about the amount of space between the two candidates on the debate stage.

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And after negotiations, where they settled is that, instead of there being 7 feet between the two candidates, now, we are going to see 12 feet. And finally, the one thing that we're not entirely clear on right now because of the president's status is what is going to happen to the second presidential debate that is slated for later this month? Christine and Laura, back to you.

JARRETT: MJ, thank you so much for that. Just about four weeks to election day, and as MJ mentioned, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris are still scheduled to face off. The only vice presidential debate at the 2020 season airs Wednesday night on CNN. The special coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

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JARRETT: The Supreme Court's new term starts today just weeks after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The spreading COVID outbreak among Senate Republicans could threaten plans to fast-track the confirmation of President Trump's nominee to the high court. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer now calling on Majority leader Mitch McConnell to delay confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Schumer says it's not safe for the hearings to go forward.

[05:15:00]

ROMANS: Schumer also says virtual hearings are not sufficient for something as weighty as a Supreme Court nomination. All of these complications creating the possibility Senate Republicans may try to confirm Barrett during the lame duck session after the election, even if they lose the White House and control of the Senate. CNN's Manu Raju has more.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Christie and Laura. Now, Republican leaders are fast-tracking the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, and those proceedings are only just beginning, and there's a real concern now among top Republicans. It's will enough Republican senators be healthy enough to be present and actually vote. There's no margin for error or very little margin for error. At the moment, the Republicans have a very narrow majority, 53- 47.

That means they can lose no more than three Republican senators if they want to get her confirmed. Already, two Republican senators are likely no votes before election day, that's Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. That means they cannot lose more than two other Republicans. But over the last several days, three Republicans have announced that they have -- they have been diagnosed positive with the coronavirus. That is Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina as well as Republican Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Now, Tillis and Lee sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will begin those hearings on October 12th.

Republican leaders still plan to push ahead to begin those hearings on October 12th, and they want to begin the actual process of considering a vote as soon as October 15th. And at that October 15th meeting, they're going to need a full quorum of members to move ahead if Democrats choose to boycott that hearing, that could be a problem if Tillis and Lee are still sick. Now, over the weekend, Mitch McConnell sent a letter to his colleagues that I obtained, and it said in that letter that he wants all senators back by October 19th. That would give them enough -- a few days in advance of a floor vote to ultimately confirm this nominee. But of course, the big question is, will these senators be healthy enough to return? Will they follow the CDC guidelines about when it's safe to actually return in public? Those are major questions looming over this nomination now. Christine and Laura?

JARRETT: Manu, thank you so much. Global stock markets opened today for the first time since the president went to the hospital. How are investors reacting and what it all means as the election nears?

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[05:20:00]

ROMANS: All right, we're watching markets around the world, the first chance for investors to react to news the president is hospitalized. So far, global markets surprisingly stable here. Asia closed higher, Shanghai closed for a holiday, European markets have opened higher, and on Wall Street, futures are pointing up. There's some chatter that the president's COVID joyride shows the president ambulatory and also this idea that a president ill with coronavirus, maybe that could spur action on stimulus. But overall, President Trump's coronavirus diagnosis injects even more uncertainty into financial markets.

Wall Street was already on edge heading into the election. The major averages all fell in September, posting their first down month since March. Before he tested positive, Trump refused to guarantee a peaceful transition of power. Investors are worried the contested outcome could trigger weeks of uncertainty. An index by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, it tracks economic uncertainties spiked to record highs in May as the pandemic spread across the U.S. That index has been elevated for most of the year, Laura.

JARRETT: All right, more NFL players testing positive for COVID-19 means a double header for Monday Night Football. Andy Scholes has this morning's "BLEACHER REPORT". Hey, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS REPORTER: Yes, good morning, Laura. So, the Chiefs and Patriots were originally scheduled to play yesterday, but the NFL announcing on Saturday that the game was being moved because a player from both teams had tested positive for coronavirus, and it turns out the player for the Patriots was none other than star quarterback Cam Newton. Now no other players for the Chiefs or the Patriots have tested positive in further testing. That's despite a source telling CNN that Cam went through an entire day of meetings and practice before the team learned of his positive test. Now, Cam taking to Instagram saying, "I appreciate all the love, support and well wishes, I will take this time to get healthy and self reflect on the other amazing things that I should be grateful for."

Patriots and Chiefs scheduled to play tonight in Kansas City at 7:05 Eastern, and that pushes back the Falcons-Packers game to 8:50 Eastern. Meanwhile, another Tennessee Titans player has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 20 within the organization. Ten players and ten staff members, a lead source telling CNN that there is an investigation to determine whether the team was following COVID protocols that had been put in place by the league.

All right, 43-year-old Tom Brady meanwhile in a shoot-out yesterday against 22-year-old rookie Justin Herbert, first time since 1950. There was an age gap of more than 20 years between two-starting quarterbacks. And Brady, he's on his game, five touchdown passes, he overcame a 17-point deficit to lead the Bucs to a 38-31 win over the Chargers. Second largest come back in Bucs history.

All right, and the year 2020 continues to just get more weird by the day. The Cleveland Browns are now 3-1 after just putting on an offensive exhibition against the Cowboys. They had 31 points in the first half, their most since 1991. Odell Beckham Jr., three touchdowns, including an impressive run in the fourth quarter to just put the game away. The Browns win that one, 49-38.

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NBA finals meanwhile, game three must win for the shorthanded Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler, man on a mission in this one, he scored 40 points to go along with 13 assists and 11 rebounds, leading the Heat to a 115-104 win. According to the Alliance Sports Bureau, Butler, the first player to outscore, out-rebound and out-assist LeBron James in a finals game, that's including LeBron's team, as you can see, LeBron was not happy leaving the court right before time expired, Laura. Game four of that series now going to be tomorrow night. The baseball division series gets started later on today, you've got the Astros and the A's and the Yankees and the Rays. Should be some good ones.

JARRETT: All things to look forward to. All right, Andy, have a good day. Thanks so much --

SCHOLES: Bye --

JARRETT: All right, for all its change, it seems nothing has changed, the president, a coronavirus patient now waving to his adoring supporters and jeopardizing the health of others in the process.

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