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The First Fully Vaccinated Cruise In North America, Two Guests Test Positive For COVID; CDC Is Warning About A Spike In A Different Respiratory Virus Especially Across The South; Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Facing Backlash From Jewish Members Of Her Own Party And More; Jill Biden And Duchess Of Cambridge, Kate Middleton Meet For The First Time. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 11, 2021 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN NEW DAY HOST: A point to a gag order, but in this case it serves to conceal wrong doing.

MIKE ROGERS, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY COMMENTATOR: Well there is the end of the gag order. Here's, again, think about politics. Think about even what we're talking about. If that had come out a year ago that any one of those members, Republicans or Democrats - in this case it appears that they've only targeted Democrats, which is a problem - but if that would come out that would be used against them in a political election.

Oh, the FBI investigated that. You know where this is going, right? And so, we have - this is why this is so sensitive to me because you can ruin, and we've watched the FBI do this in the past where they issue subpoenas, find nothing close to an election and that person gets to feed it, and then the FBI comes out and says well we've nothing to see here. Move along.

Now they've impacted people's perception of these people. That's wrong, and it's dangerous. You cannot have this happen. And so, I'm not saying that members don't do bad things and deserve to be investigated. Not saying that at all. I'm not saying that leakers are should be leaking classified information. Not saying that at all, but there is - needs to be some protection, and I think that's what you saw with Director Wray by the way.

He said not to my knowledge there's an investigation on fill in the blank anybody around the president.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEW DAY HOST: Right.

ROGERS: He's being careful because you can ruin someone's life and that person not be guilty at all. And so, those gag orders to me are important for that protection of that person because remember in the court of public opinion you don't have to be found guilty by a jury of your peers. You just have to believe they're guilty and then you'll take them out on them and the TV ads come and all the digital advertising, right? And so, I think those - (CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: I think -

(CROSSTALK)

ROGERS: -- gag orders have a perk (ph), have a reason, and should be in place to protect those individuals from that kind of activity.

BERMAN: Mike Rogers, John Avlon, thank you both very much.

KEILAR: Up next, how did two cruise ship passengers test positive for COVID on a fully vaccinated ship?

BERMAN: And First Lady, Jill Biden, meeting with the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Details on their day ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:36:05]

KEILAR: Cruises are setting sail once again.

BERMAN: Yay.

KEILAR: And this -

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Yay.

KEILAR: Are you going to go on one?

BERMAN: I'm not going to answer that question.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: OK. All right, so this, of course, they haven't been sailing and a lot of people are going to be terribly excited about this self- contained vacation that they can take on a cruise ship.

So what was built (ph), though, is the first full vaccinated cruise in North America. You had two guests who were sharing a state room aboard this celebrity millennium, and they've tested positive for COVID-19 according to the cruise line. They say that the guests asymptomatic, which is key, right, and that they're in isolation.

So let's talk about this now with Sanjay Gupta. OK, Sanjay, as you look at this what is just your reaction, level of concern, or no level of concern?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well you know, there's still a lot of concern after what we saw with the Princess Diamond cruise lines last year, right? I mean, that's what's fueling a lot of this discussion. One person on a cruise ship. 700 people became infected. Seven people died, so that's what I think is in a lot of people's minds in the public health community when they hear about cruises taking off again.

What we're seeing here I think is to some degree evidence that the vaccination program is working. It's not that surprising that people might still have breakthrough infections. I think there's going to be some questions that need to be answered, when were people vaccinated, what kinds of tests were done, things like that.

But let's just say these breakthrough infections did happen. The big question is are people getting sick? We know that the vaccines do a great job at actually preventing people from developing illness. We hear that these people are asymptomatic, and it's going to be important overtime to see are there other people who subsequently became infected as a result of those, these two people who are in isolation now.

Chances are very unlikely because we know the vaccines over the past couple of months, the data has come out showing that if you're vaccinated even if you do get a breakthrough infection you're not likely to be contagious, so we'll see.

I mean, cruise lines because of the close quarters that people often have and lots of - you know, it's very hard to maintain physical distance even though they have limited capacity on this ship, it'll be an interesting sort of example to see and maybe set the bar for other cruises going forward.

And look, you get a sense if there had been scores of unvaccinated people on board, you know, it could be kindling. You could see how that would spread like wildfire. Sanjay, yesterday - and you and I had a chance to talk to Cody Meissner of Tufts.

There was an FDA advisory panel discussing emergency use authorization for vaccines for kids younger than 12 years old, and one doctor, Dr. Cody Meissner, he says he's concerned about that. He says that the risks of getting COVID for that age are so small and we don't understand maybe the risks of the vaccine for that age group, what do you make of his argument and what's the counterargument?

GUPTA: Well you know, his argument fundamentally, you know, makes sense. I mean, obviously with emergency use authorizations what does the FDA look for? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? In younger and younger age groups the risks are smaller, so the benefits are going to have to be higher. You're going to have to have a higher level of evidence to prove those benefits.

I think everyone sort of agrees with those fundamental points. I think the question is can you get to that point and especially can you get to that point by the fall when a lot of these kids are going to be going back to school and there may be a significant demand for vaccines for that age group at that point.

Most of the people at the advisory committee thought you could get there. There's lot of data obviously on older people. You need to extrapolate some of that data. You need to make sure you have good safety testing in place, and you also need to understand something else that we have typically measured the impact of this disease by deaths and hospitalizations.

[07:40:00]

But John, as you know, we got into this last night with Dr. Meissner. You don't want to get this infection. We are still learning about the long-term impacts overall of someone having COVID, even a mild case of COVID. So this is not one of those things, well there are few hospitalizations, few deaths. Therefore, we don't need to worry about it.

We're not at that point with this disease. I think most people on that advisory committee says we need to be working towards a vaccine for this younger age group.

One thing I want to point out quickly because it comes up over and over again is the concern about myocarditis in the vaccines. You know, we can look at these numbers, and these numbers are sort of revealing in terms of how the FDA's looking at this.

Overall, we know how many doses have been administered for certain age groups, and we know the expected sort of background rate if you will of myocarditis, so take ages 16 to 17.

2.3 million doses have been administered of this vaccine. 79 reported cases of myocarditis. Typically you might expect up to between two and 19, so it is higher but still incredibly rare. Go to a slightly older age group, and again you can see the number there. A lot more doses have been given, 196 reported cases. More than double what you would normally see, but still incredibly rare.

These are the discussions that are happening right now at the FDA at these committee meetings.

KEILAR: Yes, I'm so glad you bring up that point about what are the long-term effects. Like let's not find out, right? We don't want to find out. But speaking about viruses that do affect kids, the CDC is warning about a spike in a different respiratory virus especially across the south. Tell us about this.

GUPTA: Yes. So this is called respiratory syncytial virus, and parents of especially young children are very familiar with this virus in any typical year. This is the virus that we typically think about, you know, for young children under the age of 5 and also for older people over the age of 65. And in any given year you can get a few hundred people who would actually be - who might die from this infection.

One thing that - to point out is because last year we were largely at home, wearing masks, things like that, kids in this age group did not have much exposure to RSV, so what we may be seeing - and we should pay attention to this with RSV and potentially other respiratory viruses as well - we may see higher than level - higher than normal expected levels of these infections because these kids did not have exposure last year. They don't have native immunity. There may be a more significant impact, and that's maybe what we're starting to see especially in the south right now. Going to keep an eye on that, but that is an infection that we know well about. I think for parents, you got - you got kids who may have symptoms. Typically you go. They may get tested for COVID. That's the big testing right now. If the COVID test comes back negative it may be worthwhile exploring to see if they have RSV as well.

KEILAR: 20 - I will say this. 2020 sucked.

BERMAN: I know!

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: But you know something that didn't suck about 2020 was that in 2019 I think I had three ear infections from all of the colds that I caught from my kids, and last year everyone was helpful but I feel like we have got like a wall of colds that are coming at us this year, so -

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Man, one more thing.

KEILAR: -- hopefully no sick days here. I'll try to keep Berman healthy. Sanjay, thank you so much.

GUPTA: Good for you. You got it.

BERMAN: All right. Up next the backlash surround Congresswoman Ihlan Omar. What she said that offended some fellow Democrats.

KEILAR: And the Texas governor announcing that he'll build his own border wall. We're going to take you t here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:47:40]

BERMAN: After facing backlash from Jewish members of her own party, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar issued a clarification about a controversial comment she made that appeared to equate the U.S. and Israel with the Taliban and Hamas. Hamas, of course, the Palestinian militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S.

The comment at the center of it all came Monday when Omar tweeted, quote, "We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban."

Congresswoman Ihlan Omar clarified that statement on Thursday writing, quote, "I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems."

Joining me now is one of the 12 House Jewish Democrats who called Omar's comments offensive and demanded she clarify her words. We're joined by Democratic Congresswoman, Elaine Luria. She's the Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

Thank you so much for being with us. You wanted a clarification. Congresswoman Omar issued one. How satisfied are you?

REP. ELAINE LURIA (D-VA), VICE CHAIR, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Well good morning. Well I'd first start by saying that, you know, words matter, and these comments - these comments that conflated the U.S., U.S. military, U.S. troops with the Taliban and Hamas are unacceptable, and I thought it was very important to speak out against that, especially as someone how served two decades in the military.

You know, I represent a community where one out of every five people is either active duty military or veteran, and to have a fellow member of the House, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee use those words, use those words saying that the U.S. military and U.S. troops were in any way the same as terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Taliban is unacceptable.

And these voices extremes on both the left and the right get a lot of attention, and I think it's very important for someone like me, someone with a military background, someone who's a moderate and I think represents the views, you know, on either side of the aisle in the middle of the majority of Americans to speak out against these kind of comments.

That said, she did clarify her remarks. You know, at the time I was satisfied with the fact that she clarified her remarks, but I'm quite disappointed that she and other members of the House have continued to double down.

You know, I think words matter. I think some amount of discretion, you know, matters. And you know, I think if she wants to move on beyond this, I think that clarification should stand and we should be able to turn another page, but I'll definitely be watching, you know, her statements as we move forward.

BERMAN: You talk about doubling down. Some of the statements from the colleagues, let me read something that Rashida Tlaib wrote. She says, "The benefit of the doubt doesn't exist for Muslim woman in Congress. House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of this relentless exclusive tone policing of congresswomen of color." Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez wrote, "Pretty sick and tired of the constant vilification, intentional mischaracterization, and public targeting of Ilhan Omar coming from our caucus." So your reaction to those?

LURIA: You know, I'm not attacking her personally. I'm just calling out her words, and her words matter. And the fact that at a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing she essentially equated the U.S. military to the Taliban and Hamas, which are terrorist organizations which are exactly the opposite of the way our military conducts operations, we do everything possible to prevent harm to civilians, and these are groups that use civilians as human shields.

And the fact that she could equate those two things and in her role on the Foreign Affairs Committee do that is unacceptable. And you know, this is not about attacking her, and I think that, you know, as this is continuing to gain some momentum and life of its own I think we need to reflect back on the fact, you know, we issued to call for a clarification on these remarks.

She has clarified. Essentially I'm taking that as she now is saying that the words she used, she recognizes that she could have used different words or a different comparison, and I think we need to turn the page. I don't see the reason to continue to escalate this and make it about personal attacks. I think it's about the choice of words.

I think that she has clarified those words, and I think that the follow on statement from House leadership acknowledges all of those things, and I think we should close the book on this issue.

BERMAN: You know, Ilhan Omar has said things in the past. She has, you know, tweeted out anti-Semitic memes in the past and then had to apologize in various levels. How much did that factor in to your displeasure with what she said?

LURIA: You know, this is definitely not the first time this type of thing has happened, and you know, I hope that she'll choose her words more carefully going forward.

BERMAN: Congresswoman Luria, we appreciate you being with us this morning. Thanks so much for your time.

LURIA: Thank you.

BERMAN: All right, the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, in the United Kingdom this morning with the Duchess of Cambridge. More on what they're doing next.

KEILAR: And the Texas Governor taking a page from the Trump playbook. New border wall plans next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:55:00]

Happening now, First Lady, Jill Biden, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, are meeting for the first time. The two set to participate in a round table on early childhood education and get a tour of a school in Cornwall, complete with a show and tell from the children on rabbits, which is my favorite part of this whole thing.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: I mean, that's the headline. The rabbits are the headline.

KEILAR: That is the headline. Why did I bury the lead there? CNN's Kate Bennett with us now to talk about this big day for these two and for these rabbits.

KATE BENNETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I mean, first of all who doesn't love bunnies in a British countryside setting with the, you know, Duchess (inaudible) -

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: Love.

BERMAN: The farmers. There's books written about them trying to kill the rabbits to be clear.

(LAUGHTER)

BENNETT: Yes. OK.

KEILAR: They're not (inaudible).

BENNETT: These are - these are like pre school children. I don't think they're going to do that, but this is a special school that they've chosen for little kids. It's trauma-based, so they've been through some stuff. So they use emotional techniques like taking care of these bunnies. There's a garden.

Young children, early childhood education, you know, Jill Biden's a teacher and this is very much in her wheelhouse. Kate Middleton, lots of her causes involve wellbeing, emotional health of children in England, so this is an interesting meeting between the two.

It's been in the works behind the scenes for some time. It's just been announced last night, so this is the first time the two women have met. We're watching them here in this classroom. They will then take a tour of a bit of the stuff outside. There's a pond at the school. There's a vegetable garden. They have hens as well.

So this is part of the First Lady's very independent schedule on this first foreign trip. She's really planned a lot of events that are just about her, not really about the spousal events of the G7 that most leaders' spouses do. She's done some things with military families, and we can expect to see her do a couple more solo events before this trip is out.

BERMAN: Incredibly well-behaved kids right there.

KEILAR: They don't care. That's what I love. They're like -

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Yes, it's like -- yes.

KEILAR: -- I'm just going to go about my day. You're FLOTUS. You know, you're a duchess.

BENNETT: They just learned this morning. They just heard that they were coming, and they've been studying the White House I've been told, so they knew who she was.

BERMAN: Democracy.

BENNETT: Yes.

(LAUGHTER) BERMAN: Good. I'm glad those British kids are getting a good dose of democracy there as they're visited by the princess. Listen, the jacket that the first lady wore yesterday, I don't believe in coincidences.

BENNETT: Nor do I.

BERMAN: Right. So what was on the jacket? Why, and it compares to dot, dot, dot?

BENNETT: Yes. I mean, listen. It was an excellent troll by the first lady to Melania Trump I think. It said love on the back of the jacket. It's a jacket she's worn before. She wore it even to a CNN Town Hall back in 2019, so it's something she's had for awhile, but I think it's important that she is sending a message, and she even said this. America's sending a message of love, reunification. She's reintroducing the country on the world stage.

So you know, it wasn't coincidental. It certainly wasn't. And it's something that it think she's making a subtle dig. I mean, of course, Melania Trump wore that "I really don't care. Do you?" jacket and it sort of broke the internet so to speak, and it was a very different message let's be honest.

And for Jill Biden to then sort of use the same technique and say love, I think it's really telling about the kind of first lady we have here. She's no newbie. She's not a naive - you know, she's been at this game for four decades and past decades. And so, I think you know, it was subtle but it existed.

KEILAR: Like you're wearing the jacket, you turn around to look out at the shore so they can see the jacket. You see what I'm -

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: You speak from experience. It sounds like you know what you're talking about.

BENNETT: Well women use fashion. I mean, you don't hear from first ladies a lot. The visual queues are really important, and she's picked up on that.

KEILAR: Kate, wonderful. Thank you so much for being with us.

BERMAN: All right, Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, announcing his state will build its own border wall but disclosing no details on how and when this will happen or where it comes amid Abbott's ongoing tiff (ph) with the Biden administration after the president stopped the border wall construction on his first day in office.

CNN's Rosa Flores live in Del Rio, Texas with the latest on this. Rosa -

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, good morning. Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, announcing that the state of Texas is going to build the border wall. Now he did not say how or when or where this was going to happen, and he did not take questions from reporters like myself, but we are learning more about this border wall from Laredo Mayor, Pete Saenz.

He was inside one of those closed sessions with the governor, and he says that his impression that this border wall was more of a border fence. He says that the governor used that word, fence, multiple times and that the governor says that this fence is going to be used as the basis to begin to arrest migrants in this state, migrants that cross the border, and that damage to this fence is going to be used as the proof that the migrants, indeed, trespassed into private property.

Now here is what Governor Abbott said publicly and how the crowd reacted. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): I will announce next week the plan for the state of Texas to begin building the border wall in the state of Texas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)