Return to Transcripts main page

Inside Politics

Obama Sounds Alarm On State Of Democracy In America; 13 States Have Met President Biden's Goal To Partially Vaccinate 70 Percent Adults By July 4. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired June 08, 2021 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

RACHAEL BADE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I mean, the Don McGahn case, they just settled this in court. House Democrats actually wanted a ruling from the Supreme Court that said McGahn had to listen to their subpoenas. But the Justice Department did not particularly want that ruling, settled the case with House Democrats, and had him come in recently.

So again, you're seeing sort of this division, people are going to find it hard to understand. But, you know, the Biden executive branch is, you know, protecting itself, protecting --

FRANCESCA CHAMBERS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MCCLATCHYDC: But it is, we have seen the Justice Department under the Biden administration this week now taking a new tact when it comes to reporters, e-mail records with this administration saying that they will no longer do that. So one problem that they inherited from the previous administration that they are now distancing themselves for -- from after the President said he would no longer do that.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: I have to sort that one out, watch, but watch them closely on that one.

Another quick story for you, the CEO of the Colonial Pipeline is up on Capitol Hill today defending his handling of that ransomware attack that shut down a critical piece of U.S. infrastructure. Joseph Blount says he himself did not consult with the FBI about deciding to pay ransom to the hackers. He calls that decision to pay up the hardest choice he's ever made in his 39 years in the industry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BLOUNT, COLONIAL PIPELINE CEO: And I know how critical our pipeline is to the country, and I put the interest of the country first. I kept the information closely held because we were concerned about operational safety and security. And we wanted to stay focused on getting the pipeline back up and running. I believe with all my heart, it was the right choice to make.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The pipeline CEO also credits cooperation with law enforcement for helping the feds recover millions of dollars in cryptocurrency that was paid as ransom.

Up next for us, the former President Barack Obama weighing in about the damage he sees to the state of America's democracy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:36:10]

KING: Former President Barack Obama sounding the alarm in the State of American democracy. In an extended conversation with CNN's Anderson Cooper, the former president blames Donald Trump, Republicans afraid of defying Trump and media polarization, he says allows Americans to live in their own reality.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think, I think we have to worry when one of our major political parties is willing to embrace a way of thinking about our democracy that would be unrecognizable and unacceptable, even five years ago or a decade ago. All of us as citizens have to recognize that the path towards an undemocratic America is not going to happen in just one bang. It's -- it happens in a series of steps.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It's interesting, it is indisputable that five years ago, you would think Republicans would not support these fake audits of the election. It is indisputable that you think five or 10 years ago, Republicans would not continue to say there was widespread fraud in the last election when everyone has had their chance through the process to contest ballots to go to court and everything else. But what else, what is the former president say we should do about it?

CHAMBERS: Well, he still seems to be surprised by the fact that there aren't more Republican lawmakers who are currently in office who haven't spoken up about this. I mean, he goes on to say that he really did just think that more Republicans would speak up about some of these things, and that he didn't really consider that they would be so concerned about losing office, calling himself still hopeful the hope and change president.

But, you know, the former president himself was even criticized by some Democrats during the Trump administration for not speaking up more. They wanted him to speak up more against him and taking the tact of previous presidents before him. He did not want to do that. To a certain extent, he wanted to sit back, you know, and let his successor have his presidency. But now we see him speaking out more on these things as Joe Biden is president.

But the challenge that he does face now, even on those issues is that his former vice president is president.

KING: And it's one of the things, it's just interesting. This is like when President Biden tries to appeal to Trump voters to get a vaccine. Are they listening? Do they even hear him because they live in a media silo? Barack Obama trying to make the point, a valid point, no matter what you watch, check it on the other people, look around a little bit, diversify what you're reading and you're hearing. He's making the point, and listen here, that essentially you can live in a media silo and not even know the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: How are we going to deal with the economy? And what are we going to do about climate change? And what are we going to do about lo and behold, the single most important issue to them currently right now is critical race theory. Who knew that that was the threat to our republic?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: He has a point. You can have a debate about critical race theory. But if you look at certain in certain media silos, never mind what's happening with the COVID vaccine, never mind what's happening, I think it's all about critical race, the border, and Wuhan lab.

MICHAEL SHEAR, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. And look, he dealt with that the increasing polarization of the kind of media bubbles that we all live in throughout his presidency. It got worse, it was worse at the end of his presidency than it was at the beginning. I don't think he's truly surprised. I mean you sort of feigning --

CHAMBERS: Absolutely, yes.

SHEAR: -- feigning that. I was struck also, though, after watching him for eight years how -- he had -- he remains so held back in and restrained. I mean, these are, this is his hallmark, right, is that he's sort of this calm and collected and cool, kind of speaker. This isn't -- these are issues that now as an ex-president, he could unload on a little bit more. He could, I mean, I think he could sort of be more passionate about it. And yet he's still sort of hold holding back.

[12:40:00]

CHAMBERS: What that about is getting at about it being like the challenge for him now is that his own former vice president is president and so maybe he doesn't want it, you know, big fight his own former vice president who could talk about these things if you wanted to. But I agree with you.

JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: But the idea that he didn't that this wasn't foreseeable five years ago, I mean, one of the reasons that Trump rose to prominence in the political sphere is because he said that the former President Obama wasn't born in this country. And I remember talking to seemingly reasonable people on the campaign trail and trying to get candidates to say that yes, in fact he was born in the United States because he was. It was hard and didn't believe it. So this was there, the seeds were planted and the shoots were coming up.

KING: And listen as you jump in, just listen to a little bit more of it, because I think this is an important point is that he says to this day, he's still surprised. Guardrails, he talks about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I thought that there were enough guardrails institutionally. I didn't expect that there would be so few people who would say, well, I don't mind losing my office because this is too important. America is too important.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Some things are more important than --

OBAMA: Our democracy is too important. We didn't see that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: He says he didn't see that. He did see some pretty firm opposition to his agenda. He did see pretty firm support in some quarters for the fact that he wasn't even an American. But he seemed surprised that say, Kevin McCarthy is not going to go to Mar-a-Lago. He's going to say, no, Mr. President, you know, Mitch McConnell is going to say, no, Donald Trump, I'd rather lose the next election. That ain't happening.

BADE: Yes, I mean, like, clearly, we've seen over the past four years specifically, you know, it's gone way beyond, you know, where it was when Obama was president, I mean, where you had a White House, ignoring every single subpoena that came across their desks where you had, you know, eventually an insurrection that actually, you know, an attack on a single branch of government. That was clearly not happening.

I think, when it goes back to, you know, Obama and why he hasn't sort of been out there talking about this more, could it be a reality check, right? I mean, you were mentioning earlier, you know, he's not going to be that galvanizing figure who's going to change Republicans minds. Perhaps he knows that. I mean, Liz Cheney is conservative. She go with Trump, what, more than 90 percent of the time. She's being attacked by her own party. Like who is the messenger who can sort of have that reality check with the voters who actually need it right now? Perhaps he knows. It's not happening.

KING: He, you know, President Obama was punished in both of his midterm elections. You would think if he wants to contribute, I get the big foot idea, how do you handle the relationship with Biden. If there's any time to help Democrats on this issue or voting rights and mobilization, the midterm election would be a point to do it, he should understand how painful they can be.

Up next for us, the White House needs to ramp up the vaccine rollout and says it is ready to make office visits.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:47:23]

KING: White House officials this morning announcing a new wrinkle in the vaccine rollout, announcing they will bring vaccines to your workplace. So it will take as an e-mail, send an e-mail to the team Biden at the White House and they'll set up a clinic at your office. Here's why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY SLAVITT, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE: According to our surveys, many people say they would get a vaccine if they were able to do so around their working hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Let's walk through some of the latest numbers. And we'll discuss that proposal with one of our experts. But if you look right now, here's the question you're going back to work. Do you need a vaccine passport to tell people, look, I have my shots? Well, 52 percent of Americans say yes, 76 percent of Democrats. This is another one of these COVID issues where you have such a sharp political divide. Only 29 percent of Republicans support the idea of proof of vaccination to go back to work.

If you look at the overall case count the numbers are encouraging, averaging right now, close to 16,000 infections a day. You want to push that down. But if you look at where we were in January, 251,000, even a year ago, 21,000. So, the case count improving, the vaccine snapshot also improving more gradually now. Though 42 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, 51.6 or 52 percent roundup partially vaccinated.

If you look at this from the standpoint of adults, 64 percent when you round up of adults are now partially vaccinated. Remember, the President's goal is 70 percent by July 4th. So let's stop here and look at this. If you look at this, the darker the better, if your state is dark green, that means you've already met the President's goal, 13 states have already hit that goal of at least 70 percent of the population partially vaccinated.

But look down here in the southeast Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, 44, 46, 50, 47 percent in Louisiana. Some pockets where the vaccine rollout is clearly lagging on that point. Let's bring in to share his expertise and insights, Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Doctor, it's good to see you. So here's the concern --

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIR. OF THE CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY, UNIV. OF MINNESOTA: Thank you.

KING: -- you're starting to hear in the public health community. We're in the summer now. The coronavirus does not spread as quickly as we get through the summer to the fall. Do you see a scenario where Maine, New England, they're very high in the vaccination rate. They're doing fine. Places like Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, where right now they're still below 50 percent partially vaccinated, where they have sort of regional outbreaks, if you will.

OSTERHOLM: Well, John, I wish I could tell you exactly what's going to happen, but no one can. And what I mean by that is if you think about where we were a year ago today, we were just beginning to see the first increase in cases in the southern Sunbelt states. By middle of July, we were at 70,000 cases a day largely fueled by that.

So to think that we may be waiting to the fall before we've seen an increase in cases, we may be surprised and see at the summer. Now grant you at the vaccination levels we have in this country, we're not going to see a big national surge like we have in the past. But what we can do is see as you pointed out with the states that are under vaccinated, there are a lot of people out there yet that have not been protected by these vaccines.

[12:50:12]

And with these new variants, particularly the Delta variant, the one that we're seeing in England right now that started in India, that one won't come here and take off which we have every reason to believe a will, is much more infectious than any of the previous variants. And, in fact, only about 30 percent protection against a one dose approach of vaccine. So I think we still have some real challenges ahead.

KING: And as you mentioned, those challenges ahead that we have seen consistently, sometimes politics, competing politics, political forces, competing with public health forces, if you will, to make these decisions. One of the big decisions people have to make now, policymakers have to make now as people go back to work. Do you require any proof of vaccination? Some people use the term vaccine passport. In the state of Texas, the governor says, no. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Texas is open 100 percent. And we want to make sure that you have the freedom to go where you want, without limits, vaccine passports are now prohibited in the Lone Star State.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: What is the right approach to this? And do you have an approach, Sir, that, you know, tries to keep it to the degree we can out of politics? We've gone through this with masks. We've gone through this with vaccinations now. How can we deal with the -- how do I prove I can go back to work or I can cross state borders or I can go overseas without it becoming a political issue?

OSTERHOLM: Well, I think in the end, it's going to become a consumer issue. And what I mean by that is back in the early days, right here in Minnesota, where we had the very first no smoking rules in restaurants and bars. And restaurants and bars said, oh my, we're going to go under if you put this law in effect. And guess what happened, their business just expanded dramatically, because 70 percent of the population that didn't smoke wanted to go somewhere where they wouldn't be inhaling smoke all night to eat and drink.

And that expanded into a number of other indoor areas. I think you're going to see the 70 percent of Americans that are vaccinated are saying, you know what, if I could go to a bar or a restaurant tonight, or I can go to a concert, or I could go to any other public venue, and know that I'm among people who are also vaccinated, I'll pay extra for that.

And I think you're going to see this is going to become less of a political issue, although, it'll stay that. And it's going to become a consumer issue where people say, I just want that. I'll pay more to have that kind of environment.

KING: Market driven forces. It will be interesting to watch. I want to just bring up on the screen here. The President's goal is to get 70 percent partially vaccinated by July 4th. Right now, we're averaging 341,000 Americans on a daily basis getting their first shot. You would have to, Dr. Osterholm, average 580,000 to reach the President's goal.

You hear today about, we'll come to your office if you want. There are different ways, some incentives and lotteries. A, is it a realistic goal and B, what in your experience is most effective at getting those who are still hesitant, you know, out of the chair and into a place where they can get a shot?

OSTERHOLM: Well, first of all, I congratulate this administration for what it's done, to number one produced vaccines. Remember, back during the transition days, there was a big debate. Could we actually get 100,000 doses of vaccine out in the first 100 days? And the administration together with the private sector got out 220 million doses of vaccine. Now, they're pulling out all the stops to what I call the last inch, getting that needle in people's arms.

And there's not one reason why. If you're a pregnant woman, you are obviously concerned about your fetus. Is the vaccine safe? If you're someone who has always believed that the government was after you in some way, in the inner city communities of color that in fact, this is just another experiment, we've got to tell them why it's safe. For people who think that because the vaccine hasn't been licensed yet, you know, you got to get it. So that's I think, we'll get there.

KING: I hope you're right, Sir. Dr. Osterholm, grateful for your time and insights today, as always, we'll continue the conversation.

And up next for us --

OSTERHOLM: Thank you.

KING: Thank you, Sir.

[12:53:53]

Up next, Joe Manchin meeting with civil rights leaders upset the West Virginia Democratic poses sweeping new voting legislation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Topping our Political Radar today, low expectations for an afternoon phone call on infrastructure. That call between the President and Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-WV): No, I don't think we'll come to an agreement today. But I still believe that there's a deal that we can -- there's a deal to be had here. And I think that's why we're both willing to keep talking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: That afternoon call, the last item on the President's agenda before he leaves on his first overseas trip. The President tweeting this morning he's quote, working hard to find common ground with Republicans. Kind words but not much else that following a meeting this morning between Senator Joe Manchin and civil rights leaders up on Capitol Hill. The Senator says he's concerned about democracy and protecting voting rights. But while the conversation was said to be constructive, no sign Manchin ready to change his mind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): They helped me so informative and it was just such a good exchange back and forth. No, I don't think anybody change positions on that. We're just learning where everybody's coming from.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Today, a pair of important primaries in New Jersey and in Virginia. In New Jersey, perhaps a preview of a big midterm dynamic, a Republican establishment candidate for governor versus a candidate who builds his appeal on the former President Donald Trump. And in Virginia, Democrats settling a messy five wave primary for governor. The favorite is a familiar face. Terry McAuliffe was governor in 2014 to 2018 and is running for that job again.

And in France call this the perils of retail politics, President Emmanuel Macron slapped in the face while on the way to meet restaurant workers. No word yet on what specifically drove the passer by there to smack his president.

[13:00:09]

Thanks for joining us in Inside Politics. I hope to see you back at this time tomorrow. Ana Cabrera picks up our coverage right now. Have a great day.