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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Today: Biden Holds First Formal News Conference In Months; Soon: Boris Johnson Takes Questions From Parliament; Gorsuch Refuses To Mask Up, Sotomayor Goes Remote. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired January 19, 2022 - 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: And that huge infrastructure bill passed in a deeply divided Congress.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Here to join us, CNN political commentator and former Clinton White House press secretary, Joe Lockhart. Joe, so nice to have --

ROMANS: Hey, Joe.

JARRETT: -- you this morning. You are the perfect guest to have on a morning like this.

You saw us just lay out some of the major challenges facing this White House and that was only on the economy, really. We didn't even touch on COVID --

JOE LOCKHART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER CLINTON WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Right.

JARRETT: -- a possible invasion of Ukraine. I mean, he's got a lot on his plate.

If you were prepping President Biden for today's news conference what would you advise him he needs to do? What does his message need to be?

LOCKHART: Well, I think he just needs to do two things and I think Christine touched on it -- is he does have to talk about what he's done over the last year. There's some remarkable things that have happened.

But he also has to set or reframe the agenda for the next three to six months. I think the Republicans have done a pretty good job lately of framing that agenda. He's got to grab that back and talk about what he wants to get done and how he should be measured. ROMANS: You know, one lawmaker in our excellent Washington reporting

about the situation here noting that it's unfortunate that Biden's first year is ending with a focus on what he didn't get done instead of what he has gotten done.

If you listen to this quote -- if you guys can roll it for so I can read the quote for him. If you listen to this -- "Either your message is wrong, or your approach is wrong. Something is wrong."

Can I tell you something, though? Something -- it feels a little bit like it did in the Obama administration when they were having these successes with stimulus and every time they tried to say no, look at what's going right, they were called tone-deaf and haughty.

I mean, how do you talk about what's going right and not appear tone- deaf?

LOCKHART: Well, some of this is a disconnect -- a disconnect between what happens within Washington, within the media and pundit circles, and what's going on out in the country. People have experienced some cross-currents here.

The economy is really strong. Jobs are really strong. Inflation is a problem, though, although most economists believe it's transitory based on some outside influences.

So the president has to speak to the rest of the country who I think is a little less skeptical and maybe cynical than those of us who spend a lot of time in D.C.

JARRETT: But if you can't get things at the grocery store, if your gas prices are going up -- if those basic necessities aren't happening for folks, that's not Washington speak, that's just basic living that people I think are struggling with. And I think it reflects some of what we're seeing in the polls, Joe.

Some of the reporting also suggests from our White House team here -- it's a great story up on cnn.com -- I encourage everyone to look at it -- that Biden is being advised to essentially go at Republicans harder. To talk about obstructionism for what it is. To talk about Trump's big lie about the election for what it is.

Do you think that's the right strategy going forward this year? Does he need to be more aggressive?

LOCKHART: Well, there's two points there. And I think he has to put in context things like oil prices. Oil prices are at, I don't know, a seven-year high --

ROMANS: Yes.

LOCKHART: -- or something because of world tensions. Oil prices has a lot more to do with what's going on in Ukraine than what's going on in our economy and that's -- he just has to explain that to people.

On the second point, yes, he has to be more aggressive. He has tried over the first year to work with Republicans. They have refused to work with him. There is not a single policy proposal that's come out of the Republican Party. Mitch McConnell has said we're not going to do anything. We're just going to give -- make trouble for Biden.

He has to change tact, which I think he'll do, go after Republicans, make them pay a political price for their obstructionism. And probably most importantly, politically, he's got to motivate Democrats to get out and vote in the midterms. Otherwise, it's going to be a pretty tough November.

JARRETT: That's for sure.

ROMANS: All right, Joe Lockhart. So nice to see you this morning. Thank you -- CNN political commentator.

We'll all be watching this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when the president gives that speech or gives the press conference. Thank you so much.

JARRETT: Thanks, Joe.

Something else the president is likely to be asked about today just hours from now, Democrats forging ahead, opening debate on a voting rights bill. They know it's doomed to fail.

Two Democrats who favored the bill on its merits, Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, oppose doing the one thing necessary to passing it -- changing the Senate's 60-vote threshold so that it can pass with just a simple Democratic majority.

CNN's Daniella Diaz is live on Capitol Hill for us this morning. Daniella, what's the -- what's the plan this morning? They know it's going to fail, so how is all of this going to shake out?

DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Even though it's going to fail Laura, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is still determined to have some sort of rules vote change today in the Senate.

He wants a, quote, "talking filibuster" to be implemented rather than just the 60-vote threshold needed to break the filibuster. But the thing is, even with this talking filibuster, it would still require 51 votes or a simple majority to pass this legislation, which is just, as you said Laura, exactly what these two senators oppose -- Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.

[05:35:07]

They believe legislation should be bipartisan as it passes through the Senate. They are determined to support that -- that 60-vote threshold that they support, which would require Republican support for this legislation to pass.

And look, the pressure is mounting. Democratic leaders -- the Democratic Caucus in the Senate and even some House members have been meeting repeatedly with Manchin and Sinema to try to convince them to change their minds so they can do something about voting rights to counter that -- those Republican-led state legislature bills that have passed across the country that restrict voting access. They want to see something done on voting rights ahead of the 2022 midterms.

But the bottom line, Laura, is that with these two senators not supporting that legislation -- that rules change -- this is doomed to fail. But they're going to proceed with it anyway. At least that's what they want.

JARRETT: Yes. All right, Danielle, thank you.

ROMANS: All right. Britain's prime minister facing questions today in the House of Commons over repeated denials he knew a BYOB party for at least 100 staffers at 10 Downing Street broke COVID rules at a time the rest of the country was under strict lockdown.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is live in London for us and has been following every twist and turn of this political party story, pun intended. What's the latest for Boris Johnson, Salma?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Christine, he is back in Parliament today for regularly scheduled PMQs and he is going to be fighting for his survival. Since last week, he's apologized to the public, he's apologized to the House of Commons. He's even had to apologize directly to the queen. Still, Johnson appears to be digging himself deeper and deeper into this hole of a scandal.

There are now two ways in which the prime minister can be pushed out. First, if it is found that he has lied or misled Parliament. The custom -- the tradition is that he would resign. And the second is his own party. If his party turns against him, if a critical mass of 54 conservative MPs decide to trigger a vote of no confidence, that's when his seat can be threatened.

So that's what we're going to watch for in Parliament today, Christine.

What does Johnson look like? Is he still that winning voter who can get conservative heartlands behind him? Is he still that popular prime minister or is he on shaky ground? Can he continue to represent his party even when he's accused of lying to the public, partying it up during a pandemic, and offending essentially everyone in the country?

ROMANS: Wow, Salma. All right, thank you so much. Keep us posted -- Laura.

JARRETT: Back here in New York, dramatic new video of the NYPD officers risking their lives to save a woman trapped after an apparent explosion. Look at that. This newly-released bodycam video shows the officers rescuing the woman after a deadly fire in a Bronx building that killed one person and injured eight people on Tuesday -- watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody's in there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Under the coat. Right there -- under the coat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, back out, back out. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's up, guys? What's up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over here! Over here! Ninety-six, we're inside.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Screaming).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, let's go. Get her over the couch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get her out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: My heart is racing just watching this, Christine. No official word on the cause of that explosion. This is obviously still under investigation. And on top of the fire last week in the Bronx.

ROMANS: My -- you know, my heart goes out to all of those first responders. Their day at the office is not like our day at the office --

JARRETT: No.

ROMANS: -- and we all owe them a huge debt of gratitude --

JARRETT: Yes.

ROMANS: -- for thinking so quickly and running into danger.

All right, 39 minutes past the hour. Up next, the Supreme Court justice who won't wear a mask. Why that's a problem for the justice who sits next to him.

JARRETT: And the famous lead singer who might be U2's biggest critic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

U2, ROCK BAND: Singing "Beautiful Day."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:43:54]

ROMANS: All right.

France's constitutional court expected to rule Friday on whether the government's plan for a nationwide vaccine pass can become law.

CNN has reporters covering the pandemic live from around the globe. Let's begin with Jim Bittermann in Paris -- Jim. JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, the court is expected to approve that change -- a not so subtle change in the health pass law that's going to change the health pass into a vaccination pass, making it essentially mandatory for any kind of access into public activity, like going into bars and restaurants, cafes, cinemas, theaters, and taking long-distance transit.

And it comes at the same time as a report from the president's advisory council that, in fact, the health pass has worked to increase the number of vaccinations in this country. The council estimates that 4,000 French may have been saved because of the health pass.

Now, over to Blake Essig in Tokyo.

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, COVID cases here in Japan topped 30,000 for the first time ever yesterday. That's an increase of more than 415 percent compared to the same day last week. As a result of the rapid increase, the Japanese government has recently extended border restrictions, essentially banning all non- residents through the end of February.

[05:45:08]

And just about an hour ago, declared a quasi-state of emergency for 13 prefectures, including Tokyo, expanding the total to 16.

Now to Vedika Sud in Delhi.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: With 441 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, India's Health Ministry has reported a 40 percent rise in fatalities from the previous day. Almost 283,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day rise since May last year. According to health officials, the hospitalization rate across India remains relatively low, at least for now.

It's over to Ivan Watson in Hong Kong.

IVAN WATSON, CNN The Hong Kong government wants residents of this city -- anybody who bought a pet hamster on or after December 22nd, to turn their pet over to officials to have it killed. This, after officials say an employee at a pet store tested positive for COVID this week. And then, officials found that at least 11 hamsters in the shop also tested positive and they're worried that hamsters could be a vector of COVID transmission in a city where the government is trying to impose zero-COVID -- a zero-COVID policy.

The plans to cull some 2,000 pet hamsters have activists protesting online, signing petitions saying this is a cruel policy.

Back to you, Christine and Laura.

JARRETT: That is very interesting reporting Ivan and the rest of our team. Thank you so much for all of that global reporting.

When it comes to COVID, a divided U.S. Supreme Court, just like us. There's been a notable physical absence on the bench recently as Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been hearing oral arguments from her chambers instead of in person with the rest of her colleagues. But we're now learning the reason why she's doing this. The justice who sits next to her won't put on a mask.

CNN's Ariane de Vogue joins us live with this story. Ariane, good morning. Your reporting on this story, I find just incredible because it's such a powerful example of I think the split we see in the country on COVID on masks. On what to do, how to live with this virus.

So what do you know?

ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN Right. Well, Justice Sonia Sotomayor suffers from diabetes, and because of that, that puts her in a high-risk category. And since the beginning of the term last fall, she wore a mask every day to oral arguments, and the other justices back then didn't.

But in January when we saw these infection rates starting to surge, the court put out a statement saying the Sotomayor had decided to participate remotely. And the court made clear that she was not ill. But we've learned that she feels uncomfortable sitting on the bench if other colleagues are unmasked, and she made these concerns known to Chief Justice John Roberts. We don't know what he did with the information but we know that.

So, in the first sitting in January when the justices returned, eight of them came out and for the first time, they were all wearing masks except for Justice Neil Gorsuch who, as you said, sits next to her. And during oral arguments, some of the justices keep the masks on for most of the arguments. Some take them off for long periods of time. The two liberals, Kagan and Breyer -- they are always with their masks, even when they're asking questions.

We asked the court why Gorsuch isn't wearing a mask. We don't know. They haven't responded yet. But it's worth noting that all of the justices are vaccinated, they're boosted, and they're tested regularly.

So, as you said, the court, like the country, is struggling a bit with this.

JARRETT: Very, very interesting reporting. We will see where this goes. It seems to be sort of an unfortunate breakdown of some of the collegiality you expect to see on the court. You know, the justices disagree vigorously but behind the scenes, usually, have a rapport with each other. So, unfortunate to see that.

Ariane, thank you. Great reporting.

JARRETT: Also, some sad news to report this morning. Former creative director at Vogue, Andre Leon Talley, has died at age 73. A fashion industry legend standing at six-foot-six, he was an iconic presence at fashion shows around the globe, often sitting with Vogue editor Anna Wintour before the two parted ways.

Talley was widely known as a fashion pioneer, award-winning author, and host of "AMERICA'S TOP MODEL." ROMANS: Yes, a trailblazer, indeed. Sad news there.

Let's get a check on CNN Business this morning.

Looking at markets around the world, you can see Asian shares mixed, although Tokyo had kind of a big tumble there. And European shares have opened just narrowly higher. On Wall Street, stock index futures at this hour also barely leaning up.

Look, tough day on Wall Street. The culprit, a rising 10-year note yield. Stock market losses across the board, but worse for tech. The Nasdaq just shy of what we call an official correction. That's down 10 percent from recent highs.

[05:50:04]

The 10-year Treasury yield topped 1.8 percent Tuesday for the first time since the pandemic -- since January 2020. Those rising interest rates will eventually lead to higher borrowing costs for autos, for homes, and for other consumer debt.

Goldman Sachs, a tough day there, disappointing investors. The stock down about seven percent. Fourth-quarter profit missed expectations. Lower trading volume -- or trading activity, rather, and higher costs for compensation. They paid their bankers more.

More corporate earnings today from Morgan Stanley, Bank of America. United Airlines, we'll hear from.

Meantime, this is probably the most important story in global markets at this hour. Global oil prices hit a seven-year high just as Goldman Sachs warns that Brent crude will hit $100 a barrel later this year. The bank blamed a very tight supply, less appetite for oil investments due to the energy transition.

And there's a lot going on in geopolitics, too, Laura. So anytime there is uncertainty around the world -- Ukraine, for example, North Korea, and the like -- sometimes that can send oil prices up, too.

JARRETT: If you've taught me nothing, the markets do not enjoy uncertainty.

ROMANS: Exactly.

JARRETT: All right, a little sports now. Cowboys' quarterback Dak Prescott is apologizing for praising fans for throwing things at officials after Sunday's loss. Andy Scholes has it all covered in this morning's Bleacher Report.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

JARRETT: All right, Andy, that doesn't sound good.

SCHOLES: Yes, it doesn't, right? And it didn't when he said it, Laura, you know. Football, we know, is an emotional game but one thing you can't ever do or tolerate is throwing things at the refs. And after the Cowboys lost on Sunday fans were seen throwing things on

the field. At first, Dak thought they were throwing them at the players, but then he found out it was directed at the refs and he said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAK PRESCOTT, QUARTERBACK, DALLAS COWBOYS: For people to react that way when you're supposed to be a supporter and be with us through thick and thin, that's tough.

REPORTER: I think they were aiming at the referees.

REPORTER: Yes. They were aiming at the referees.

PRESCOTT: (Bleep) credit to them then.

(Laughter)

PRESCOTT: Yes, credit.

REPORTER: They were the ones throwing it to.

PRESCOTT: Oh, well, credit. Credit to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes. So, Dak taking to social media to apologize for those comments, saying, "I deeply regret the comments I made regarding the officials after the game on Sunday. I was caught up in the emotion of a disappointing loss and my words were uncalled for and unfair." He went on to tweet, "That was a mistake on my behalf, and I am sorry."

All right, exactly 64 years after Willie O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier, the Boston Bruins raising his number 22 to the rafters in an emotional ceremony before last night's game. The 86-year-old Hockey Hall of Famer couldn't be there but expressed his gratitude in a taped speech that aired before the banner-raising.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIE O'REE, HOCKEY HALL OF FAMER: I will never forget how my teammates in the Bruins locker room accepted me as one of their own. This was a time when some of the fans and opposing players were not ready to see a Black man in the NHL. This is an unforgettable day. I am overwhelmed and thrilled to be a part of the Bruins forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes. O'Ree's groundbreaking achievement even more remarkable considering he lost 95 percent of the sight in his right eye after he was hit by an errant puck two seasons before he got his NHL call. And while he was playing, O'Ree never told anyone he was blind in that right eye.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CLIP FROM DISNEY'S "COOL RUNNINGS": Feel the rhythm. Feel the ride. Get on up. It's bobsled time. Cool runnings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, one of the best sports movies of all time going real- life in Beijing. Of course, we all remember the Jamaican bobsled team in the movie "Cool Runnings," which was based on the real-life squad that made it to the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Well, we'll get to feel the rhythm and feel the rhyme again next month. For the first time in 24 years, Jamaica is sending a four-man bobsled to the Beijing Games. The Caribbean nation also qualified for the two-man and women's monobob event, making this the first time Jamaica has qualified for three Olympic bobsled events in a single game.

And guys, I don't know about you. I used to watch "Cool Runnings" weekly when I was a kid. One of my favorite movies.

JARRETT: Of course, I love it. I wonder -- I love it. I wonder if one of them is keeping a little egg in his jacket pocket. I love it.

ROMANS: And that movie stands --

SCHOLES: Probably not a good idea.

ROMANS: That movie stands the test of time because some of those movies in the 80s were quite bad, you know. This one -- this one --

JARRETT: They don't hold up.

ROMANS: No.

All right, guys, guess who's not the biggest fan of U2?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

U2, ROCK BAND: Singing "Beautiful Day."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Yes, that guy, Bono. The lead singer reveals he's embarrassed by the band's name. Also, he cringes at the sound of his own voice on the older songs when he hears them on the radio. That voice, by the way, helped U2 win 22 Grammys. He's not giving any of the money back, I'm sure.

JARRETT: You know, a little self-deprivation -- self-deprivation goes a long way.

ROMANS: It sure does.

JARRETT: You know, it's nice to see.

ROMANS: All right. Well, we love you, Bono, and we like you too, as well.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:59:53]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. It is Wednesday, January 19th.

I'm John Berman. Brianna is living the nightlife this week and Kasie Hunt is here.

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: (INAUDIBLE).

BERMAN: Yes, I had to come down and visit you in Washington.

HUNT: I know. It's great to have you here. It's great to be back.

BERMAN: Look at all the beautiful buildings behind us.