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New Day

CDC Green Light's Vaccine for Youth; Stefanik Replacement for Cheney; Russel Honore is Interviewed about the Capitol Attack; New Book Reveals Trump Family Revelation; U.S. Holds War Games to Deter Russia. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired May 12, 2021 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:30:15]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This is really good news this morning about America's battle against coronavirus. The seven-day average of new cases is at its lowest point in nearly eight months. If you recall, we were averaging more than 250,000 new cases a day in January. That number is now down below 38,000. The seven-day average of daily death is at its lowest point in more than 10 months, since early July. And 684 deaths were reported yesterday. That's is still definitely 684 too many, but that number was more than 3,400 per day in January.

Hospitalizations, one of the best metrics to look at here, at their lowest since late September. Just under 35,000 people now hospitalized with COVID-19. That's down from 136,000. Look at that drop.

To sum it up, since the January peak, hospitalizations are down 74 percent, deaths are down 82 percent and cases down 85 percent. That is stunningly good news.

And now on the vaccination front. After the daily rate of vaccinations dipped slightly, you can see there at the end, they're going up again. We are vaccinating now more people a day, more than 2 million Americans a day.

Now, we don't show it in this graph here, but we've had two days in a row where more people received their first dose than one week ago. That's an indication that shots are reaching new and maybe hesitant people. Nearly 60 percent of adults are now at least partially vaccinated, including 84 percent of seniors, and 45 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, including 72 percent of seniors.

Look, we still have work to do, but it is important to pause and take measure of the incredible progress we've made as a country against this virus.

Now, in just a few weeks, there will be thousands of campers, councilors and staffs headed to camps all over the country. And with the FDA authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15, the question is, how will camps deal with that news? How does it affect them? Let's bring in Rabbi Mitch Cohen, director of the National Ramah

Commission, which has 10 overnight camps in North America and four day camps.

Rabbi, great to see you. Thank you so much for being with us.

This news about 12 to 15 year olds being vaccinated, how is that going to affect you at your camps? What changes might you make?

RABBI MITCH COHEN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL RAMAH COMMISSION: Our camps are ready to reopen this summer after totally being closed in 2020. There's such a pent-up demand. Summer camp is just -- and Camp Ramah is just one of the most high -- greatest of the highlights and experience of our kids, our children, our teens, even our young adults each year. And we are ready for -- we understand that COVID is still an active threat in our society, so we are ready with many precautions. Most -- most importantly, almost all of our staff members, 3,500 of them across the United States, will be vaccinated. Now we see many of our campers, 12 years old and older, are going to start to become vaccinated. That's probably the number one best mitigation of risk that we have.

But we're also going to -- camp's going to look a little bit different this year. Of course everyone's going to be tested before they come to camp, and tested repeatedly at camp, hopefully continue to see negative test results. But we're also going to be following what the industry, the CDC, and the American Camp Association is called the NPI's, non-pharmaceutical interventions, which means masking and social distancing --

BERMAN: Let me ask you --

COHEN: It means doing more activities outside and having kids operate more in smaller pods than they normally would. We're not going to see the entire camp coming together for a song session indoors, for example.

BERMAN: Let me ask you about those CDC guidelines for camps because some people see them as too restrictive. The guidelines still include campers wearing masks outside when they're engaged in activities, like soccer, for instance, and other things. How you do feel about that?

COHEN: Well, speaking on behalf of all of our directors at Camp Ramah, and, you know, we work through the foundation of Jewish Camp, we work closely with our partners in other Jewish Camp (ph) movements and throughout the American Camp Association with camp -- camp directors from all over, religious and non-religious camping movements.

I would say that on behalf of the field, we are all hoping for a liberalization in the rules. We're not going to get out ahead of our state departments of health or the CDC guidelines as they come down through the American Camp Association.

Right now there's a great debate going on about whether or not there needs to be masking outdoors. We have seen some articles in the paper criticizing that rule, but we also can't get ahead of the rule if the CDC continues to promulgate it.

So we're waiting. We're hoping that within the next couple (INAUDIBLE) before camp, as the prevalence of virus in our communities continues to diminish, hopefully that will continue to be the trend, that we will see some liberalization in that and kids, when they're outside, certainly in their own pods, will be able to take their masks off and maybe even in a broader sense.

[06:35:17]

BERMAN: A diplomatic (ph) rabbi and camp director. Thank you so much for being with us this morning. Really appreciate your time.

COHEN: My pleasure. Thank you, John.

BERMAN: I do want to say, Rabbi Cohen provided us with a picture of one camper at Camp Ramah in 1983. That guy on the left right there, oh, let's -- well, the guy on the left right there with that beautiful punum, that's Jake Tapper, circa 1983. Look at that face. Like I said, what a punum.

Jake will join us later in the show to talk about his new book and many other things.

All right, we're hours away from the vote to oust Liz Cheney from House Republican leadership. There's some new pushback against Cheney's replacement from conservatives.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, new details about why the Trump administration delayed help during the insurrection. We now know at least one of the answers.

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[06:40:03]

BERMAN: Later this morning, House Republicans are scheduled to hold a vote to remove Congresswoman Liz Cheney from her Republican leadership position. New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is expected to be selected to replace her.

Joining us now, Chris Cillizza, CNN politics reporter and editor at large.

Chris, some of the members of the Freedom Caucus are speaking out against Congresswoman Stefanik over concerns she's more moderate than they like.

You know, what are Republicans getting with her?

CHRIS CILLIZZA, CNN POLITICS REPORTER AND EDITOR AT LARGE: Well, on voting, at least she is probably more moderate than they'd like, John.

I want to run through just a couple numbers. We're going to do some side-by-side comparisons of Liz Cheney and Elise Stefanik. OK, first, this is their lifetime score according to the Heritage

Action for America Organization, a conservative organization that does voting ratings. Elise Stefanik, 48 percent. Liz Cheney, who they're getting rid of, 80 percent.

Now just, you say, well, she must have been a Trump loyalist, right? Her voting record is probably much more Trumpy than Liz Cheney. No, in fact, it is not. Again, this is according to FiveThirtyEight. Elise Stefanik voted with Donald Trump's agenda 78 percent of the time during his four years as president, Liz Cheney, 93 percent of the time.

So, these numbers raise one very simple question, why is Elise Stefanik being vaunted, the only person in the race right now to replace Liz Cheney? And the reason for that is simple. Trumpism doesn't have a set of policies really. It's really about tone. And Elise Stefanik has been aggressive in defending the president. We -- the former president. We know this. Donald Trump likes people who like him and defend him at all costs. That's been Elise Stefanik. And he doesn't like people who criticize him for anything, including inciting an insurrection on January 6th, and that's Liz Cheney.

So, don't be fooled. This is not about conservatism. This isn't even about, per these numbers, this it's even about voting with Donald Trump when he was president, John. This is solely about defending him to the last versus offering a critique of someone who incited a riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.

John.

BERMAN: An audience of one.

Chris Cillizza, thank you very much.

CILLIZZA: Thank you.

BERMAN: Brianna.

KEILAR: Fascinating. Isn't that fascinating, John, just looking at those numbers and how you can see the differentiation between the agenda, which might overlap with some Republicans, and just the person of Donald Trump.

BERMAN: There's no ambiguity about any of this. I mean this is so obvious. It's so out there for everyone to see. It's really -- it's really truly stunning.

KEILAR: Yes, that was quite a -- I just really enjoyed seeing it there in the numbers though.

On the House floor last night, Congresswoman Cheney warned Republicans about the dangers of the big lie, about the 2020 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): Today we face a threat America has never seen before, a former president who provoked a violent attack on this Capitol, in an effort to steal the election, has resumed his aggressive effort to convince Americans that the election was stolen from him. He risks inciting further violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honore is with us now. He led a security review of the Capitol after the insurrection.

Sir, thanks for being with us.

LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE (RET.), LED REVIEW OF CAPITOL SECURITY AFTER January 6 ATTACK: Good morning.

KEILAR: Can you tell me, do you think that the kind of rhetoric and lying that we are seeing about the big lie can cause further violence?

HONORE: I think, Brianna, what it shows is the continued dialogue is a big call to go ahead and get the commission started, to get and bring to the American people facts of who knew what and when about the attacks. I think the American people need to know that information, and the way to do it is with the commission.

But certainly this narrative is not helping as they go into negotiation, going to be led by Congressman Thompson out of Homeland Security and the senior Republican members, Rep. Kildee (ph). This needs to get started. The 9/11 Commission took 442 days before it got started. This one needs to start now.

KEILAR: Sir, look, they need to look into this. Do you worry, though, that there could be more violence?

HONORE: Absolutely. That's why the -- that was the purpose of the task force 1-6 quick look review that we completed in late March and presented to the Congress was to look at those things that needed to be done immediately. Thus, you still have National Guard reinforcing the Capitol Police. Thus you have contracts ready to be negotiated to harden the Capitol. Those things must be done now and an increased emphasis on the Capitol Police tracking the intelligence and the accountability from the FBI and Homeland Security to do their job in tracking a domestic terrorism and to track those who may have intentions to attack the Capitol again, Brianna.

[06:45:17]

KEILAR: So if we're looking to the future, possibility of violence, we have to look to the past, what lessons have been learned. According to opening remarks from the former acting defense secretary, Chris Miller, he's testified today, he said he didn't send the military in quickly, or the administration didn't, because he was worried about the appearance of a military coup.

What do you say to that?

HONORE: I think that's something secretary miller is going to have to explain to the American people. I would not want to be in his shoes. And we'll see how this lays out --

KEILAR: Is that an -- is that an inadequate -- do you think that's an inadequate response?

HONORE: We'll see how it comes out today, Brianna. I will not pass judgment. I do think that's why we need to have the commission. But you've got to remember, Secretary Miller was just one of the decision makers that day. He was the highest ranking on the Department of Defense, but there were other people involved on the executive, as well as inside the Capitol. So I think all of that needs to be pulled together with all fairness to Secretary Miller and to the process. And that hasn't been done that yet.

KEILAR: Yes.

And, General, thank you so much for coming on. We know that Congress continues to debate your recommendations on security. It is great to see you this morning.

General Russel Honore, appreciate it.

HONORE: Have a good day.

KEILAR: Some stunning revelations in a new book and it says Trump family members became, quote, inappropriately close with some Secret Service agents. These are excerpts of a book that is due out next week. They've been published in "The Washington Post" and in "The Guardian" and we have CNN's White House correspondent Kate Bennett joining us now with more.

OK, inappropriately close means what?

KATE BENNETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to Carol Leonnig's new book, "Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service," inappropriately close with Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr.'s ex-wife, means that there was a relationship that was forms that the two did date. Now, of course, the Secret Service and Carol Leonnig are saying that this relationship happened after Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump divorced and split up in 2018. The couple share five children. They were amicably divorced. But certainly this relationship, if it did exist, as Carol Leonnig reports, it is inappropriate and also against Secret Service rules. Secret Service protectors are not supposed to get personal with their protectees as it may compromise their situation guarding them.

Now another nugget in here involves Tiffany Trump, who is the former president's oldest adult child. It was said in this book that Tiffany Trump developed a close relationship with a, quote, tall, dark, and handsome Secret Service agent on her detail after breaking up with one of her boyfriends. That the two spent time alone together, an inappropriate amount of time some of the agents were said to report to Leonnig in this book.

Now, Tiffany Trump did respond to "The Post" and "The Guardian." She did deny these assertions. We have her quote here. She says, this is nothing more than gossip and is simply not true. This is a spokesperson saying, Tiffany's experience with the Secret Service was entirely professional.

Of course, this is just some of the stuff in the Pulitzer Prize- winning Carol Leonnig's book. This is her beat. She owns the Secret Service beat, as we know.

KEILAR: Yes.

BENNETT: Another little nugget in here too, I think --

KEILAR: OK, oh, the nugget. Is this about -- is this about Trump and the Secret Service?

BENNETT: Right. This is another thing that came out in "The Post and "The Guardian" stories, a little teaser from Carol's book, that says that Trump did not like the appearance of some of his agents. He said, quote, I want these fat guys off my detail. How are they going to protect me and my family if they can't run down the street?

Interesting, as we know, because we were privy to Donald Trump's physical, his medical. He's not exactly a svelte man for his age and height. He does make a point, though. Secret Service agents need to be, in a heartbeat, from the president. They give their life if necessary to guard him or her. But, as we know, Donald Trump really likes -- he's into looks. He --

KEILAR: That's right. It's not just -- let's be honest, it's not -- it's about the appearance for him --

BENNETT: Right.

KEILAR: Because also wasn't like the height an issue for him too? It wasn't just the girth.

BENNETT: I think mostly he wants around him people that he finds aesthetically appealing. He puts that paramount over certain things. Well documented.

KEILAR: (INAUDIBLE).

BENNETT: And he's said it many times. So this book comes out next week. It does have several juicy nuggets in it. These were just a couple of them. So we look forward to that.

KEILAR: It's like one of these books, right? You're just --

BENNETT: Probably will be but, yes.

KEILAR: OK.

All right, Kate Bennett, in real life, it's great to see you. Thank you so much.

BENNETT: Nice to see you too.

KEILAR: CNN's exclusive look at the Navy SEAL's war games designed to deter Russian aggression as tensions with Moscow escalate. [06:50:07]

We have a fiery report for you next.

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BERMAN: An emergency declaration in at least four states this morning over concerns about gas supply because of a cyberattack on a critical pipeline by a criminal group originating from Russia. Now the attack exacerbates already strained relations between Moscow and Washington.

CNN's Alex Marquardt got an exclusive look at exercises in war games with American and European forces amid this growing Russian aggression.

And Alex joins us now.

You know, Alex, this is really interesting and out there for the world to see. Tell us what you saw.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and it's coming at a really interesting moment, John. The U.S., along with its NATO allies and partners, have launched these large-scale military exercises all across Europe. They have been in the works for a while. But the fact that they are coming at the same time as these heightened tensions between Russia, Ukraine and the west is lost on no one.

So we have spent the last few days traveling all across Romania, even going to north Macedonia, getting rare access from special operations command in Europe to some of the most elite U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT (voice over): A team of U.S. Navy SEALs, rifles drawn, move quickly through the pitch black of a warehouse on the Black Sea. Laser sights invisible to the naked eye finding and taking out enemy fighters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And shoot out. Shoot out.

All right, let's go. Break up. Break up. Break up.

MARQUARDT: Tonight, the dead, wounded, and bullets are not real, but part of an elaborate series of NATO military exercises involving almost 30,000 soldiers from 26 countries.

MAJOR GENERAL JOE JARRARD, DEPUTY COMMANDER, U.S. ARMY IN EUROPE AND AFRICA: It's just showing everybody that we have a capability and we can use it when necessary.

MARQUARDT: CNN got rare access to some of the most elite U.S. troops in the world, taking part in a unique training called Trojan Footprint that is across eastern Europe, working with forces from Spain, Georgia, Romania, Ukraine and more.

It could not come at a more tense time for this region, with Russia recently ratcheting up its aggression, sending tens of thousands of troops and a massive deployment of equipment to the border with Ukraine, prompting fears of an invasion and harsh condemnation from Europe and Washington.

[06:55:03]

Back in Romania, this display of strength and cooperation clearly hoping to send a powerful message.

DAVID MUNIZ, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, U.S. EMBASSY IN ROMANIA: When we are strong, when we are united, it has a real chilling effect on shall we say the kinds of things that can happen. And so, in this way, you cut down on the chance for mischief.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Even as Russia pulls back some of its troops from the land border with Ukraine, they've been stepping up their activities out here in the Black Sea. Their warships have been carrying out exercises. They've been harassing Ukrainian vessels and closing down parts of the Black Sea to other foreign ships as well.

MARQUARDT (voice over): The Navy SEALs lead the training in those waters, while Ukrainian soldiers practice alongside these American Green Berets, whose faces we aren't allowed to show.

MARQUARDT (on camera): When you talk to the troops from other countries, like the Ukrainians, like the Romanians, how important do you think it is for them to feel that American support?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's pretty significant. It shows that we're serious, working in exercises like Trojan Footprint. It is important is whether -- whatever's going on around the world.

MARQUARDT (voice over): Which is why these massive exercises take place at sea, in the air, and on land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) 05 correction, 50 meters north, over.

MARQUARDT: A dynamic display of partnership and fire power punctuating the loud message of a united front in troubling times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifty four one, good hits. Target destroyed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: Now, military officials I've been speaking with over the past few days have been reluctant and hesitant to speak about this Russian threat on the record. But behind the scenes in private they do admit that what they're seeing is quite worrying. One Romanian general who I spoke with who is in charge of Romanian special forces says those Russian maneuvers in the Black Sea, which is just a short distance from here, are a real concern. And as a result, his says, his forces have to be -- have to train harder and harder to be prepared for anything.

John. BERMAN: All right, Alex Marquardt, really interesting to see this. And I think the Russian -- the Americans and Europeans allies want the Russians to see this as well. So, very interesting. Thank you.

The controversial Kentucky Derby winner set to run in the Preakness this weekend. What the trainer is now saying about his horse's failed drug test. Kind of a stunning reversal.

KEILAR: Plus, a tiger on the lam in Texas.

BERMAN: Thank you.

KEILAR: You're welcome, John Berman. It's his favorite word when there's animals on the loose. But, anyways, this is something we're keeping an eye on and we have big cat expert and "Tiger King" star, yes, Carole Baskin with us next hour.

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