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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

FDA Set to Authorize Pfizer Vaccine for 12-to-15-Year-Olds; Liz Cheney Fighting a Lonely Battle For Soul of GOP; Top Manufacturer: India's Vaccine Shortage to Last Months; Bill and Melinda Gates Divorce After 27 Years of Marriage. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired May 04, 2021 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:24]

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Millions of young teens could be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine starting next week. What it means for summer, for school and for sharing the vaccine around the world.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Voting rights, civil rights, real issues affecting real people. Why it matters that Liz Cheney is fighting a lonely battle for the soul of her party.

JARRETT: And Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda are splitting up, what it means for billions at stake in their philanthropic foundation.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. We have reports from India, Washington, Mexico City and Jerusalem.

This is EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.

ROMANS: Good morning. I'm Christine Romans. It's Tuesday, May 4th. For you "Star Wars" fans, May the 4th be with you. It's 5:00 a.m. in New York.

But we'll begin with science. By this time next week, the FDA is expected to authorize Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for children and teenagers 12 to 15 years old, 12 to 15. A major expansion in the campaign to get Americans vaccinated.

Kids can be better protected this summer, herd immunity will be that much more attainable, more children will be able to safely return to school and sports and more parents can return to the workforce. Pfizer conducted a clinical trial involving more than 2,200 12 to 15 year olds, none of them, none of that cohort developed symptomatic infections.

JARRETT: Yeah, really important stat there.

The vaccine is currently authorized in the U.S. for emergency use in people 16 and older so the FDA will have to amend the current EUA. Expanding the vaccination pool does invite questions, though, about sharing vaccines with other countries. The U.S. is expected to have a vaccine surplus soon, so some medical ethicist question whether the supply should be targeted to an age group that appears mostly spared from severe COVID-19.

ROMANS: In the battle of autocracy versus democracy, Donald Trump lost, Trumpism did not, and it is Trumpism that Liz Cheney is fighting to save her party from, the kind of stain that mars voting rights and other basic freedoms. The number three House Republican she said Monday behind closed doors her party cannot accept the, quote, poison of the idea that the 2020 election was to then and should not whitewash the Capitol riot or Donald Trump's role in inciting it.

JARRETT: Right now, the far right is trying to sanitize the terror of January 6th and Trump has never stopped pushing his big lie, using statements effectively as tweets just as Twitter prepares to announce whether his account will be reinstated.

Meanwhile, Liz Cheney is trying to call it out or at least not lie about it. How will the party of Trump respond? Maybe by removing her from leadership.

ROMANS: That's right. You know, sources say House Republican Kevin McCarthy is mulling the idea of a snap vote on Cheney's role as the number three House Republican. Cheney won a similar vote some months ago but some Republicans are frustrated by her public criticism of the former president including yesterday, including yesterday. She called out Trump for poisoning the democratic system with his talk again about the big lie.

JARRETT: Just in from India, the Premier League Cricket Tournament is suspended indefinitely due to coronavirus. For many, cricket is like a religion is India and a real sign of life starting to grind to a halt in some ways.

CNN's chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward in live for us in New Delhi, India.

Clarissa, what are you seeing?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, I mean, as you can see, things are definitely quieter here than they normally would be, but it certainly doesn't look like a lockdown that we might be used to. There's still cars on the road. There's still people on the road and that's partly because people are really struggling to ensure they have the supplies to take care of their loved ones who get sick.

Hospitals have run out of oxygen in many places. People are waiting in long lines just to try to get oxygen for their families.

We visited one hospital in the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh, it was absolutely horrifying. I want to show you a clip from our story. I want to tell our viewers it is tough to watch, but these families wanted their stories told. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (voice-over): In the next room, more than 20 patients are packed in tightly. This is what now passes for the intensive care unit. Family members have taken on the role of primary carers, where medical staff are simply unavailable.

This man complains no one will change his wife's soiled bedding.

[05:05:00]

Suddenly there is a commotion.

Will someone please call the doctor? This man shouts. His mother 55- year-old Rajbala (ph) appears to be slipping away. Her sons work furiously to revive her.

A doctor comes in and tells them to stop crowding her. The family is inconsolable.

We've been here for six days and only today we got the ventilator for my mother, he tells us. The oxygen is out. We had to bring an oxygen cylinder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARD (on camera): So one of the most pronounced acute shortages in that hospital was medical personnel. About five doctors and nurses looking after well over 100 people and we've heard from the Indian government they're trying to deal with this situation, so many doctors are off sick, they are recruiting or drafting final year medical students to come in and try to help fill the void.

JARRETT: I mean, that footage is just horrific. No family member should be in that position in any circumstance.

Clarissa, you talk about medical personnel and the shortage there. Based on your reporting, what is the immediate greatest need on the ground? Is it still oxygen? Is it the vaccines that they've produced so much of but then gave away earlier when the situation wasn't this bad?

What are you finding -- what are you hearing, I should say, is the most immediate need?

WARD: Yeah, I mean, it's a great question and honestly there are so many immediate needs. These hospitals desperately need more beds, these hospitals desperately need more oxygen, as I said, people are waiting nine, ten hours just to get a bit of oxygen. One hospital this morning putting out on Twitter that they were about to run out of oxygen in the next hour and they had ten babies in the ICU ward, premies.

So this is a desperate situation. You mentioned the vaccines, that is also really key. Prime Minister Modi said he wants everyone over 18 vaccinated. Well, only 2 percent of the population has been vaccinated so far and several states have come out and said, you know, we'd love to start vaccinating everyone over the age of 18 but we simply don't have the supplies necessary.

JARRETT: It's just incredible. Clarissa, thank you so much for being there and all of your reporting as usual. ROMANS: All right. Seven -- excuse me -- seven minutes past the hour.

One of the world's richest couples is divorcing. Billionaire philanthropist Bill and Melinda Gates announced their split Monday after a great deal of thought, the couple said. After 27 years of marriage, the couple said they came to a point where they couldn't grow as a couple anymore. They will continue to work together to lead the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was launched in 2000. It has spent nearly $54 billion on everything from global health to relieving poverty.

Over the past year, the couple has been involved in fighting coronavirus including the effort to develop treatments and vaccines and equitably distribute them around the world. As of December, the group had spent $1.75 billion to combat the pandemic.

Bill Gates is one of the richest people on the planet, he co-founded Microsoft, making the divorce the biggest monetarily since Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott split two years ago. Scott received a quarter of Bezos' Amazon's shares after their divorce. She is the world's eighteenth richest person.

This divorce raises questions on how this couple will split their fortune. The couple, along with Warren Buffett, created the giving pledge back in 2010, that's the pledge that encourages the world's richest people to dedicate most of their wealth to charity during their lifetimes or in their wills.

JARRETT: Still ahead for you, President Biden hitting the road to pitch his jobs and families plan. The honest assessment he got from a group of fifth graders, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:12:58]

JARRETT: We are in a race with other nations the words of President Biden underscoring the urgency of the moment as he hits the road to sell his sweeping infrastructure plans for potholes and for people.

Jasmine Wright is live at the White House.

Jasmine, good morning to you.

So, the president got a little bit of a reality check from some fifth graders, huh?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's exactly right.

Listen, President Biden's message was we need to compete for the future when he visited schools with the first lady yesterday in southern Virginia, touting the education components of his multi- trillion dollar economic agenda. Now, President Biden said that this American families plan just within part of his two-part proposals is an investment for families for the future. A once in a lifetime investment, Laura. He said that it will allow families to compete for the future and also

with other countries and now his message was crystallized when he had this one exchange, him and the first lady, when talking to a school- aged children when she said that she likes to sleep sometimes during her zoom classes. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JILL BIDEN, U.S. FIRST LADY: Sometimes like if we're like really tired then we can take a little nap

(LAUGHTER)

BIDEN: Where are you? Where are you?

STUDENT: And if you don't know the question, you can just pretend like your mic doesn't work.

BIDEN: Oh, great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WRIGHT: Now, let's be clear, Laura. This specific child is not an anomaly, I'm sure this sentiment is shared across children across the country who have had to do Zoom classes during the pandemic.

But this is going to be a key data point for the White House as they make the case that infrastructure is not just railroads, bridges and filling potholes, but it is investing in the future, investing in the future workforce and investing in children. In this part of the P president Biden's plan, the American Families Plan, it would provide free pre-K, free community college tuition, and paid family leave, all things that are central to his argument.

[05:15:02]

So, now, President Biden says that he wants to final compromise on these bills trying to work with Republicans and Democrats. Some are skeptical, including those moderate Democrats, and Republicans don't want tax hikes among other things, right?

But President Biden says that he is still looking forward. He has invited Republicans to come to the White House. That is a meeting that could happen as soon as this week -- Laura.

JARRETT: All right. Jasmine Wright, thank you so much.

ROMANS: All right. Greenhouse gases in refrigerators and air conditioners, the new target of the EPA. The EPA plans to cut production and importation of hydrofluorocarbons, HFCs, chemicals that warm the planet more than carbon dioxide. The plan is to cut them by 85 percent over the next 15 years. That's about equal to cutting emissions from one of out every seven cars in the U.S.

JARRETT: One single vote short. How Republicans push against trans athletes in one state failed. That's ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:20:18]

JARRETT: All right. Just a single vote Republican lawmakers' effort against transgender athletes failed in Kansas on Monday. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly had vetoed a ban on transgender girls playing on girls sports teams saying it sent a message that Kansas is not welcome to go transgender children who are at a higher risk of bullying, discrimination and suicide. The state Senate voted to override her veto but failed to reach the necessary two thirds majority.

A slew of other states, Idaho, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia have enacted similar laws. Florida also on the verge of doing the same.

ROMANS: All right. Starting tonight, baseball fans in Seattle can get vaccinated while attend a game.

Andy Scholes has this morning's "Bleacher Report."

Buy me peanuts and cracker jacks and get me a shot at the same time.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Right, Christine. This is great. Before you get in line to go get a hotdog and beer before the Mariners game. You can also get in line to go get yourself a vaccine. Starting tonight at the Mariners game, there at T-Mobile Park, fans can get a vaccine at three locations before the first pitch, fans are going to have the choice of either the first dose of the Moderna vaccine or the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The Mariners the first team in Major League Baseball to make shots available right before game time. They're going to host the Orioles later tonight.

All right. A strange and scary moment during last nights Mets/Cardinals game in St. Louis, two outs at the top of the ninth inning, watch this. The lights go out. Thankfully, it didn't last very long, just a few seconds.

Once the power was restored the Cardinals, they would go on to beat the Mets 6-5 for their fifth straight win.

All right. Nine unions representing players from the NFL to the NBA to women's soccer say they're taking a stand against restrictive voting legislation. This he released a joint statement saying in part: We should all feel responsibility to defend the right to vote and oppose any discriminatory legislation or measures that restrict or prevent any eligible voter from having an equal and fair opportunity to cast a ballot.

Major League Players Association was not among the unions signing the statement but Major League Baseball did take a stand against new voting restrictions in Georgia by pulling the 2021 all-star game out of Atlanta. All right. To the NBA, no one is history has ever filled up a stats

sheet like Wizards star Russell Westbrook. The former MVP had a career high 21 rebounds and career high tying 24 assists last night. There have been just three triple-doubles in NBA history with 20 rebounds and 20 assists, Westbrook has two of them. Wilt chamberlain has the other. Wizards beat the Pacers 154-141.

The Warriors beating the Pelicans in the first ever Marvel Arena appearance themed game on ESPN. Fun graphics throughout the broadcast. The players were competing for hero points, Draymond Green beating out his teammate Steph Curry for the first ever arena of heroes champion after putting up a triple-double.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DRAYMOND GREEN, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS FORWARD: My kids are watching this game so I'm a Marvel hero, they think I'm a superhero to beat Steph. I don't beat that buy much. Not bowling, not at the batting cage, not ping-pong and definitely not shooting. So finally I beat him at something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Here is another real live superhero, golfer Amy Bockerstette set to become the first person with Down's syndrome to compete in a collegiate championship. The 22-year-old can join his teammates from Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, in an event in Florida this month.

Amy made headlines for a viral video two years ago when she was playing a hole during practice round with Matt Kuchar and 2019 U.S. Open Gary Woodland. She got next to a putt and said I've got this and sunk it.

Amy and her family, Laura, created the I Got This Foundation back in 2019 to provide golf instruction and playing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. So wishing Amy luck as she goes and tries to win a national championship later this month.

JARRETT: Good for her. I love all the confidence.

All right. Thanks, Andy. Appreciate it.

SCHOLES: All right.

JARRETT: All right. How about this, paying it forward by giving it back. Eighteen-year-old Joshua Nelson, a high school senior in St. Louis, has been saving up for college but he learned -- but he earned a scholarship to attend the optometry program at Southeast Missouri State. What's he doing with the thousand dollars he saved? He's donating it to help someone else go to college.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he is an inspiration to some of the other people at the school, especially students of color. [05:25:01]

I don't even think he release lies that he's doing that much for everyone else as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes me feel the top of the world, the fact that I could help somebody a little bit, whatever way I can, me being to young, it makes me feel great and I want to see other people succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: But there's going to be a catch. Joshua's classmates will have to work for that thousand dollars, he's taking applications for the money and hopes others will donate to the total.

ROMANS: All right. Good for him.

How about a shot and a beer? States trying new ways to get people to line up for vaccinations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Good morning, everybody. This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett. About 29 minutes past the hour here in New York.

And we begin this half hour with a plea for sanity. Quote, we can't embrace the notion.