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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
The Biggest Mass Vaccination Effort In U.S. History Expected Today; Trump Reverses Plan for Early Vaccinations at the White House; Electors Meet in Every State to Formally Choose and Seal the Presidency. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired December 14, 2020 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00]
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, the biggest mass vaccination effort in U.S. history is expected to finally begin just 11 months after the first documented case of COVID-19 in the U.S. Pfizer's vaccine will arrive today in all 50 states. The director of the CDC giving final sign-off on emergency authorization for people 16 and older.
Almost three million doses departing Pfizer's plant in the first round of shipments. The hope is between Pfizer's vaccine and the upcoming one from Moderna, 100 million people will be vaccinated by the end of March.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE MCDERMOTT, PRESIDENT, PFIZER GLOBAL SHIPPING: I couldn't be more confident in the distribution of the vaccine. We've worked incredibly hard over many months doing test shipments, improving our shippers making sure that they can maintain temperature during the entire journey, and we're very happy with the solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Temperature maintenance, that is the biggest issue here. Remember, this vaccine has to be stored at minus- 94 degrees Fahrenheit and stay that way.
But even though the vaccine is here, mitigation efforts are still badly needed. Almost 300,000 Americans have lost their lives so far, more than 30,000 this month alone. Hospitalizations in the U.S. breaking records almost every day, now climbing to nearly 110,000 people, which means the human toll will only continue to increase.
ROMANS: California now seeing 30,000 cases a day for nearly a week now. The state has been averaging more cases per resident per day than the entire European Union.
In neighboring Nevada, pandemic restrictions have been extended now until January 15th. That includes 25 percent capacity limits in places that keep the economic engine running there -- restaurants, bars, and casino floors. Indoor dining in New York City banned, starting today. Outdoor dining
and takeout can continue. But restaurant owners are left wondering if this is the beginning of the end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELBA WILSON, OWNER, MELBA'S: When a restaurant closes down, it's not just a physical location. The restaurant industry in this country is the second-largest private employer. It is a layered effect and it is devastating.
I don't see a way for us to survive and that's heart-wrenching when you've poured your life, your heart, and your soul, and my entire savings into opening something that I believed in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: Melba's, of course, an institution here in New York.
As for the vaccine rollout, it's going to be messy. It's clear there will not be enough doses for everyone who wants one right away. CDC guidance says health workers and people in long-term care facilities should be vaccinated first, but it's ultimately up to each state to decide who will receive priority.
CNN has the vaccine rollout covered coast-to-coast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Pete Muntean at Pfizer's vaccine facility in Portage, Michigan.
Trucks carrying the vaccine left out of here on Sunday morning. The deliveries start on Monday morning across the country -- 600 individual locations, according to Operation Warp Speed. Places like pharmacies, hospitals, CVS, and Walgreens. This is just the start of a massive logistical movement. More vaccine is on the way, according to Operation Warp Speed.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN REPORTER (on camera): I'm Paul Vercammen at the UCLA Medical Center where they expect the arrival of the Pfizer COVID- 19 vaccines in the next couple of days. And they say they will be able to put shots in the arms of their nurses and doctors here as soon as Wednesday. Top priority will be those nurses and doctors who are in close contact with COVID-19 patients or constantly around those patients in some way. So they expect, again, to start those vaccines on Wednesday.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Dianne Gallagher in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
It was just a cargo flight, but for so many, it is so much more than that. Vials of the Pfizer vaccine, which was manufactured just 45 minutes down the road, loaded onto a plane here in Grand Rapids set for Memphis, Tennessee. Another one headed to Louisville from Lansing, Michigan, where they are then going to break them up and send them across the country.
UPS is handling the eastern half of the country, FedEx the western half of the country. Pfizer says the 184,000 or so vials are roughly half of what we're expecting to go out on Monday.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Polo Sandoval outside of New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital, one of many healthcare facilities across the country that have been preparing to receive, store, and eventually administer the shots of this groundbreaking vaccine.
I had an opportunity to speak over the weekend to the -- with the director of pharmacy at another hospital, Lenox Hill, telling me that they will be staggering the vaccinations of their staff over about three weeks. The concern is that if any of their staff were to experience those minor side effects, then they could run into staffing issues. And that's certainly something they hope to avoid with hospitalizations on the rise across the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. A late-night about-face over vaccine distribution at the White House. After CNN and other news outlets reported high- ranking White House officials were expected to receive some of the first vaccines in the U.S., the president tweeted that White House staffers should receive the vaccine quote "somewhat later in the program unless specifically necessary."
[05:35:06]
An administration official says healthcare providers at the National Institutes of Health -- they will begin receiving the vaccine in the near future, followed by other top officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci.
JARRETT: Thirty-seven days until Joe Biden's inauguration. It's time for three questions in three minutes. Let's bring in CNN's senior political analyst, John Avlon. John, good morning.
ROMANS: Yes.
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, guys. Good to see you. Happy Monday.
JARRETT: Happy Monday.
So, there will be hurdles, there is no doubt about it. But the speed with which this vaccine has become a reality is truly remarkable. Just 11 months, right? Not only is it the success of Pfizer as a company, but it looks like Moderna's coming soon.
And I think it's important to note here the job of the U.S. government -- the pressure that this government has withstood from the White House, the FDA, the CDC. They managed to get this vaccine out the door, out safely, and put science before politics. I think people can take comfort in that. Don't you agree?
AVLON: They absolutely should. You know, the idea of science before politics seems somewhat revolutionary but that's what we're seeing.
And I think folks have got to appreciate also that what has been done with the development of this vaccine in record time in the face of a global pandemic is a scientific miracle. But we are seeing it partnered with a logistical miracle, which is really just a synonym for hard work by lots of smart people to distribute this vaccine around the country in record time and, indeed, eventually around the world.
So we are witnessing what happens when great science meets with great logistics and business and government --
ROMANS: Yes.
AVLON: -- work together. That's a great thing for the country.
ROMANS: I know. As disappointing as the national lack of strategy has been in combating coronavirus, we can take heart --
AVLON: Yes.
ROMANS: -- that the vaccine process has been just amazing -- what they have done there.
Two really momentous political headlines today, John. The Electoral College -- they will meet to certify Joe Biden's win.
AVLON: Yes.
ROMANS: The Supreme Court essentially ignored the president's last- ditch effort to overturn the will of the voters on Friday.
And voters in Georgia, they get their first crack at two Senate runoffs. Early voting starts in Georgia today. Those races critical to the Biden administration agenda.
Explain the significance of both.
AVLON: There's a lot there.
So first of all, incredibly significant to see the Supreme Court basically unanimously reject this bogus claim that 126 Republicans in that Congress signed onto, along with 17 attorneys general.
Today is actually the constitutionally-mandated election date for the Electoral College and that's actually the real deal. They've taken your popular votes representing them in your respective states. This is sort of a constitutional point of no return. And even though Republicans are still trying to find ways to subvert it when it comes to the Congress on January sixth, this is a very big deal as the Constitution set out.
Finally, Georgia. Not quite as big a deal as the Electoral College but it is if you consider control of the Senate. Early voting starts, obviously. Georgia flipped from red to blue because of unbelievable turnout. Can that be sustained -- early voting -- but appealing to the base and also appealing to the reasonable edge of the opposition -- voters in the center of the spectrum?
All eyes on Georgia through the runoff on January fifth.
JARRETT: All eyes on Georgia, certainly. And what happens in Georgia is really going to determine how Biden continues to fill out --
AVLON: Yes.
JARRETT: -- his cabinet. He still hasn't named an attorney general pick. Obviously, more complicated now by the public revelation of the investigation into his son Hunter over his business dealings --
AVLON: Yes.
JARRETT: -- with China.
As for the outgoing president, he's furious at his attorney general -- not Jeff Sessions but this time, Bill Barr, for once again not doing his political bidding. Essentially, he's mad at Barr for doing his job by keeping the investigation into Hunter quiet.
So how does the president-elect navigate all of this as he's thinking about who to choose as A.G.?
AVLON: Well, first of all -- I mean, I think he will follow through on this commitment to not politicize the DOJ and that is what we have been desperately missing.
It is a key position and there are some names that have been bandied about in that top tier of the consideration set. Outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, a longtime ally and friend of Joe Biden. There's also, you know -- Deval Patrick has been discussed, former governor of Massachusetts and head of the Civil Rights Division in the Clinton administration -- he's an impressive figure. And other names, including Sally Yates of Georgia, who was summarily fired by Trump at the outset of his administration.
He's got to restore morale and confidence in the normal course of justice at the DOJ. That's nothing we've really had to do before. It's kind of been a given. But this pick matters enormously. Obviously, whether they also are signed off on by a Republican Senate if those two Georgia seats are not flipped.
But all eyes on the A.G. pick. It's massively impactful.
JARRETT: Yes.
ROMANS: It sure is.
JARRETT: All right, John, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
AVLON: Take care, guys.
JARRETT: See you tomorrow.
ROMANS: OK. So you've heard us warning of this so-called K-shaped recovery in the economy, right, where the wealthiest Americans and companies win big and the recovery leaves millions of people and small business behind. Well, one of the smartest guys on the planet, Bill Gates, told our Jake Tapper the pandemic has really highlighted inequality in the biggest economy on earth.
[05:40:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL GATES, CO-CHAIR, BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION: This epidemic has been awful in the way that it's exacerbated inequities. It's been worse for Hispanics, worse for blacks, worse for low-income service workers, multigenerational households. A number of things that mean that in terms of picking who gets the vaccine, we better be using equity to drive all those decisions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Laser-focused on equity.
You know, Gates, longer-term though, is optimistic there will be a solid economy on the other side of the pandemic. But, 2020 has been brutal. Right now is just so hard for restaurants, and stores, and workers.
The virus, a large amount of debt and a shift in spending habits has led to bankruptcies and closures. New data shows U.S. retailers have announced 8,400 closures this year. And a report from the National Restaurant Association shows about 17 percent of the country's restaurants, roughly 110,000 have shut permanently this year. Thousands more are on the brink.
We told you in-person dining in New York City shuts down today. That affects many of those groups -- Hispanics, blacks, low-income workers that Bill Gates talked about.
And, Laura, I'm so concerned here that I'm just not seeing the heart in Washington to get this fixed. People need aid yesterday. Small business needs aid yesterday. And this political sausage-making just is infuriating right now.
JARRETT: Well, and it's amazing. You could be off for a week and we're still having the same conversation. It's as if they didn't make any progress at all during the whole time that you were gone.
ROMANS: It's so frustrating. It's so frustrating. And I can keep saying, like, look, Wall Street has been doing great this year but the real economy -- real America at the kitchen table --
JARRETT: Needs help.
ROMANS: -- is hurting bad.
JARRETT: Yes. All right. Well, today is the day the Electoral College will finalize the 2020 presidential race this morning. Join CNN for special live coverage starting at 9:00 a.m. eastern.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:46:07]
JARRETT: For the second time in a week, hackers backed by the Russian government are believed to be behind a major cyberattack. This latest attack reaching into the upper levels of the U.S. government. The hackers reportedly infiltrated through a malicious software update in a product from Solar Winds. That's a network management company that also works with the U.S. Secret Service, the Defense Department, the Federal Reserve, Lockheed Martin, and the major Fortune 500 companies.
ROMANS: In a clear sign of how serious this threat can be, overnight, the top government cybersecurity agency issued a rare directive -- emergency directive for all federal civilian agencies to shut down use of that Solar Winds product.
CNN's Alex Marquardt has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Good morning, Christine and Laura.
The U.S. government has been hit with a significant cyberattack which looks like the latest in Russia's ongoing hacking campaign against the United States. The Commerce Department has confirmed to CNN that one of its bureaus saw a data breach. "The Washington Post" is also reporting that the Treasury Department was among the targets. And there are concerns that there are more victims.
It's unclear what data was accessed. Now, the Commerce Department said that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's cyber arm, which is known as CISA, have been asked to assist. CISA says that there was quote "recently discovered activity on government networks" and that they are offering what they call technical assistance.
Now, "The Washington Post" reported that the Russian hacking group APT29, which is also known as Cozy Bear, is behind the reported attacks, as well as a recent stunning attack on the cybersecurity firm FireEye, in which the attackers stole hacking tools.
Well beyond the U.S. elections, Russia is known to be carrying out a significant, broad series of online attacks against the United States and others on both government and private targets -- Christine, Laura.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JARRETT: Alex, thank you so much for that.
Well, the top opinion editor at "The Wall Street Journal" is defending an op-ed that called incoming first lady Dr. Jill Biden to stop using the Dr. before her name. Addressing Dr. Biden as quote "kiddo," 83- year-old Joseph Epstein wrote in the paper Friday that she should drop the honorific because quote "it sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic."
Biden has a PhD in education, not a medical degree. Now, the "Journal's" opinion editor claims Democrats are orchestrating a coordinated response to Epstein's piece, accusing them of playing the gender card to stifle criticism.
CNN has reported that Dr. Biden plans to continue teaching while serving as first lady. Her spokesperson called the Epstein op-ed quote "a disgusting and sexist attack" and urged the "Journal" to remove the piece. They haven't.
And, Christine, I think part of what just made everyone's blood boil about this is that every woman can think of a time when their accomplishments have been diminished. And the question is whether he would have written this if Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris' husband, had had a PhD. Would he do the same thing for a man?
ROMANS: First -- the first first lady in history to have a PhD. He even criticized the title of her dissertation. As far as I know, Mr. Epstein has a B.A. He's never even written a dissertation. What gives him the authority to criticize someone else's educational achievements?
What I think, though, is that who -- nobody even knew who that guy was before this. But what's relevant I think here is that you have 300,000 people in this country who have died from the coronavirus.
JARRETT: Yes.
ROMANS: Nine to 10 million people who don't have a job -- who have lost a job since February. And you have a Congress that can't decide on critical emergency aid for the American people. And somehow, the opinion pages of "The Wall Street Journal" -- they merit this dribble? I just think that's astonishing.
JARRETT: Yes, with everything going on, this is -- this was the priority. But it certainly got everyone talking.
ROMANS: Yes, it did.
[05:50:00]
JARRETT: All right.
New overnight, gay and bisexual men in the U.K. will be allowed to give blood, but there are some new restrictions. You need to have only had a single partner for at least the past three months. You also can't be using any anti-HIV drugs.
Currently, gay men have to abstain from sex for three months to give blood. The new policy takes effect next summer. Advocacy groups have long fought to end the blood ban as it perpetuates inequality.
ROMANS: All right.
For the first time in the entire pandemic, Americans forced out of their homes by job loss and eviction. They may face deadly freezing weather. And a major winter storm hitting this week could delay the first COVID vaccine injections for some people.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the forecast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST (on camera): Yes, good morning.
A lot of wintry weather to tell you about over the coming few days. One line of it later on today into this evening. You notice the active pattern along the eastern seaboard. Rain and some snow across portions of the higher elevations of New England.
But again, a quick mover. By this afternoon, maybe a rain and snow mix around say 4:00-5:00 p.m. and it's out of here.
But look at the date stamp and look at the time stamp as we get up to Wednesday night into Thursday -- potentially, a more significant weathermaker in the works. And you'll notice the American model overlaid here side-by-side with the European model. And regardless of how you break it down, although vast differences between the models, we know heavy snowfall is going to be the likely outcome here Wednesday into Thursday around some of the major metro cities of the northeast.
And take Central Park, in particular. You look at the heaviest snow event on record -- go back to 2016 in January -- 27 1/2 inches came down in those couple of days. As much as 18 inches possible come Thursday afternoon. So we'll follow this very carefully as again, a lot of changes between now and then could happen.
But you'll notice the national temperatures has such cold air already across the Upper Midwest -- guys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right, Pedram. Thank you so much for that.
Let's take a look at markets around the world to start this new trading week. A really mixed performance here although European shares leaning higher here at the moment. Looking at futures, also kind of a small move to start Monday morning. The Dow up about three-quarters of one percentage point there.
You know, look, critical here is whether lawmakers in D.C. have the heart to send critical aid to millions of out-of-work Americans. As you can see though, the stock market seemingly disconnected. That's the market this year. In fact, that's one reason why I think Washington has been able to sit on its hands for so long because they don't have the pressure right now of Wall Street.
All right. So as the coronavirus vaccine starts to roll out in the U.S., companies are starting to reevaluate how long employees should stay home. "The New York Times" reports Google has pushed back employees' return to the office all the way back to September 2021.
It also plans to test out a flexible workweek. In an e-mail to employees Sunday night, the Google CEO said under this pilot plan employees would be in the office at least three days a week while working from home the other days.
No word if employees will be required to be vaccinated to return to work. That's another big question happening in offices around the country right now.
Silicon Valley has long been the epicenter of tech for decades and that could be changing. A number of executives and companies are moving to Texas.
Elon Musk said he's moved to Texas after selling his homes in Bel Air. He's been critical of California's COVID-19 restrictions and suggested on Twitter he would move Tesla's headquarters as well.
Last week, Hewlett-Packard and Oracle announced plans to move their headquarters to Texas.
As of November, 39 companies in tech and other industries have relocated to Austin so far this year.
JARRETT: Well, a Chicago second-grader is doing her part to help out during this pandemic. Hayley Orlinsky wanted to raise $200 for Chicago Children's Hospital by making colorful rubber band bracelets. Fast- forward a few months and 8,000 bracelets later, and the 7-year-old has raised more than $20,000 to help the hospital buy personal protective equipment and to support research.
She says she was bullied when she was three years old for being the shortest kid in class, so she decided to respond by spreading kindness.
ROMANS: Look how organized her boxes are. My kids, when we do this, it's a total mess. Look at all the color-coordinated.
JARRETT: I love it, I love it. Like the home edit.
ROMANS: I know, right -- exactly.
All right, 2020 may go down as a year to forget but viewers of "CNN HEROES" weighed the top moments worth remembering.
Viewers' choice for most inspiring, a rescue in London when a man named Patrick Hutchinson scooped up someone about to be overtaken during protests over racist statues back in June. Hutchinson was attending his first Black Lives Matter protest and spotted a man who had wandered into the crowd clearly in need of help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK HUTCHINSON, BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTER: The biggest thing for me was making sure that no harm came to him because I knew if harm had come to him the narrative would just be changed and then the blame would then fall on the young Black Lives Matter protesters. We made sure we got him out of there safely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: The night was filled with special guests, including Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, a proud supporter of feeding programs around the world. And in the U.S. alone, as many as 50 million Americans experience food insecurity, including 18 million children.
It is why, Christine, so many people are just calling on Congress to do something.
[05:55:02]
ROMANS: It's just --
JARRETT: Food insecurity is just outrageous.
ROMANS: I keep saying it's literally a morality test in Washington, D.C. right now.
JARRETT: Yes.
ROMANS: All right, thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.
JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than a year after the first case of coronavirus was identified in the United States, we have a viable vaccine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The shipments of Pfizer's COVID vaccines will begin to arrive in all 50 states on Monday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a triumph of science and I think we're going to look back on this moment as a major turning point in this pandemic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It really is a remarkable scientific accomplishment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With COVID-19 on a rapid tear in the United States, states and hospitals around the country are quoting record- high numbers of cases.
