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Data Shows Coronavirus Vaccine over 99 Percent Effective in Preventing Hospitalizations; Tennessee Pastor Tells Congregates Not to Get Vaccinated or Wear Masks; U.S. Gymnast Simone Biles Announces Return to Competition in Summer Olympics; U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Suffers Crushing Defeat at the Hands of Canada; Mark Meadows Says Trump Meeting with Cabinet and Remaining on Task. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 02, 2021 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:00]

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Clearly identifiable as first responders. So what are the penalties? Well, this bill, which is a very short bill, talks about penalties in two sections. One of them is civil penalties, essentially fines. It says that violators, people found in violation of this law would be subject to a fine of up to $25,000. That penalty, that fine could be doubled to $50,000 if this incident took place during a riot.

There is a separate section that doesn't list any monetary limits. It talks about compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys' fees. It says any monetary damages under that section would be tripled in the instance of this incident taking place during a riot. So it's very, very interest.

Of course, not everyone is for this. The supporter of the bill says this is urgently needed. There's been a rising number of assaults and violence against the police. The supporter, Joshua Lafazan says "There is no justification for violence against first responders. These bills will add further protections in law to protect Nassau County's first responders as they protect us."

But of course, critics argue that this bill would have a chilling effect on free speech and on peaceful protest. One of the legislators who has come out speaking against it says that it's just written way too broadly, and so it would have a terrible effect on First Amendment rights. So we'll be watching to see what happens. Certainly very interesting.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Athena Jones, thank you very much.

NEW DAY continues right now.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Brianna Keilar alongside John Berman on this Monday, August 2nd.

The pandemic of the unvaccinated is accelerating this morning, 35 states have seen cases rise by more than 50 percent since last week, and hospitalizations are also surging. Nearly 44,000 Americans are in the hospital right now fighting COVID. That is the most that we have seen since April.

The good news is that the vaccines are incredibly effective. CDC data shows 99.9 percent of people who are fully vaccinated against COVID don't end up in the hospital with COVID, 99.99 percent, which, of course, is a lot. This morning, the pace of vaccinations is picking up. The seven-day average up 26 percent from three weeks ago.

BERMAN: Let's talk about where we stand right now in this effort to get everyone vaccinated and how useful these vaccines really are. Joined now by CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten. So vaccines, 99.99 percent of people that take them stay out of the hospital with COVID. That's a pretty good number.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICS WRITER AND ANALYST: It's a really good number. Look at this. This is from the CDC. Look at this. OK, not hospitalized from COVID if you're fully vaxxed, look at that, over 163 million have not been hospitalized from COVID if you're fully vaxxed, did not die from COVID, over 163 million. When these stats were taken, do you know how many people were fully vaxxed? Over 163 million. You can see this here. Look at this, the percentage of the vaccinated who were not hospitalized because of COVID -- greater than 99.996 percent did not die from COVID, greater than 99.999. It's crystal clear right here. If you didn't believe in vaccines before, they didn't believe -- they clearly do. These numbers clearly show it.

BERMAN: And if you're not vaccinated, Harry, your chances aren't nearly as good.

ENTEN: They're not nearly as good. So this is the CDC estimate they put together these different studies. If you're unvaccinated, your chance of a symptomatic case is eight times higher than if you were fully vaccinated. Hospitalizations, if you're unvaccinated, look at that, 25 times higher. Chance of death, 25 times higher. So if you're unvaccinated, you're putting yourself at much greater risk than you would if you were fully vaccinated. If you're fully vaccinated, you're in very good position.

BERMAN: These numbers are stark. They couldn't be any more clear at this point.

In terms of the divide between people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated, we are still seeing a stark partisan difference.

ENTEN: We are still seeing a stark partisan difference. And basically, what you see here are people who are fully vaccinated, total percentage of the population, the states that voted for Biden, they are in the blue, look at that, over 50 percent. The states that voted for Trump, we started seeing that divide early this year around March. Look at that, less than 50 percent, just a little bit north of 40 percent. Still about a 10-point divide with the Biden's states being much more likely to be fully vaxxed than the Trump states are.

BERMAN: And it's having an effect. It seems to be having an effect in terms of where the new cases are happening. ENTEN: That's exactly right. One of the things I've been looking for,

we look at the individual stats, can we see it on the group level. And I believe that we can see it on the group level. So this is a proportion of new cases nationwide. Adn here's a seasonality to this, right? So on 2020, on August 1, the Trump states did make up a larger percentage of the new cases, 65 percent of the new cases versus just 35 percent in the Biden states.

[08:05:03]

Not a big surprise. There's seasonality going on here, and in the south in the summer you tend to get more cases. Look at 2021. Look at this. Now the Trump states are making up 71 percent of the new cases versus just 65 percent the year prior on August 1, and that to me is a sign that the vaccinations are working, because the places where you have fewer vaccinations, they are making up a larger share of the new cases.

BERMAN: We're seeing the same thing in terms of hospitalizations?

ENTEN: That's exactly right, same exact thing in terms of hospitalizations. July 28th, our latest data. Back in 2020, the Trump states were 64 percent of the new hospitalizations. This year, look at that, 72 percent. It's clear. You look at the individual data, you look at the state data, and it's clear that the people who are vaccinated, fewer cases, fewer hospitalizations, fewer deaths. You look at the state level data, you see fewer cases and fewer hospitalizations as well.

BERMAN: Vaccinations are the best way to get through this area. Harry Enten, thank you.

ENTEN: Thank you, sir.

BERMAN: Brianna?

KEILAR: One state that is dealing with a crippling resurgence of coronavirus is Louisiana. And it's not just vulnerable populations that are suffering. Doctors are seeing more young patients admitted to their hospitals. Let's talk about this now with Dr. Julio Figueroa. He is the chief of infectious diseases at LSU Health. Doctor, thank you for being with us this morning. Give us just a sense of what you're dealing with in the hospital there where you are.

DR. JULIO FIGUEROA, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, LSU HEALTH NEW ORLEANS: So, we're seeing a lot of patients coming in with various levels of disease. Some people coming in needing the ventilator right away, some people coming in with shortness of breath that requires additional support. And, as you mentioned, the vast majority of individuals now seem to be much younger than what we were seeing last year. So, as opposed to last year where we were seeing most of our patients in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, now we're seeing patients in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

KEILAR: Are you seeing any kids? FIGUEROA: I personally do not see kids because I'm an adult

physician, but I know that pediatric hospitals in and around the region are seeing children and are certainly seeing more children than they ever have before.

KEILAR: So for you, what is the takeaway there? If you're seeing younger people, if you are seeing -- you're not seeing children, but if the pediatric care facilities around you are seeing children, what needs to happen?

FIGUEROA: I think the major thing is that the Delta variant is a different an animal than what was coming around last year. And so what is showing is that younger people are getting sicker, they're getting sicker earlier. And now we're starting to see teenagers and even younger individuals getting sick. So I think what it tells me is that it requires us to take extra measures in order to be able to reduce the spread that's going on in our state and across the country.

KEILAR: Your governor, John Bel Edwards, said he's seriously considering putting a statewide face mask mandate back in place. Do you think that needs to happen?

FIGUEROA: I think that that's a very prudent strategy considering what we're seeing right now. As was mentioned earlier. The fact that you have a collection of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals together in close quarters allows for that transmission to occur. And so therefore, I know in the city of New Orleans, the mayor has reinstituted the mask mandate for indoor activities, and I think that would be prudent across the state.

KEILAR: What do you think about a booster shot for older Americans or for the vulnerable?

FIGUEROA: So at the moment, I know CDC and FDA are look looking at the data concerning booster shots. I know that Pfizer has got some information out there as well as the information that is being done in Israel. That may be what we come to in certain populations, but we really don't have great guidance yet in order to be able to do that on a regular basis.

KEILAR: This is what people are talking about, which is why I asked you. They want to know. They're hearing from pharmaceutical companies. They're hearing things from the government, and they're trying to make sense of it. It's very important that we talk to you, Doctor. So, thank you so much, Doctor. Sorry, go on.

FIGUEROA: I was going to say, stay tuned because I think there's going to be information very shortly, and for those vulnerable populations, we'll have an answer soon, I hope.

KEILAR: That is fantastic, and I know that is welcome to those folks. Doctor Figueroa, thank you for joining us from Baton Rouge.

FIGUEROA: Thank you.

KEILAR: When we talk about the dangerous reasons that people aren't getting vaccinated, here is one. The pastor in Tennessee is using his pulpit to warn his congregation against getting vaccinated. During a recent sermon, Pastor Greg Locke from the Global Vision Bible Church vowed to remove any churchgoer who was wearing a mask, and denied the existence of the deadly Delta variant, just denied it.

[08:10:00]

Nick Valencia joining us on this. Nick, in a state like Tennessee where have you less than half the population vaccinated and you have infection rates climbing, this could have serious implications for the people who look to Locke as a leader.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, it already has, and Pastor Greg Locke has been on a crusade of misinformation over the last year, calling COVID-19 a fake pandemic, saying that the vaccines are a scam. And his crusade of misinformation continued over weekend when he ordered his congregates not to wear masks and called the Delta variant a hoax. And he's doing this even though some of his attendees have already died from the coronavirus. This is shocking, to say the least, but on Sunday his lies didn't just stop at the pandemic. He also took aim at President Joe Biden, saying that he lost the election, and saying that the president's days are, quote, numbered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG LOCKE, PASTOR, GLOBAL VISION BIBLE CHURCH: I am not apologizing for what I said on this platform last week.

(APPLAUSE)

LOCKE: The Delta variant was nonsense then, it is nonsense now. You will not wear masks in this church. You will not wear masks in this church. I am telling you right now, do not get vaccinated, do not get vaccinated! I don't care what you think about me. I don't need your money. I don't need your handclap. I don't need more people on social media to follow me. I ain't following along with it.

Joe Biden's days are numbered. I said they're numbered. I've told you the whole time this election was fraudulent. We've got so much proof. The only people that can deny it are crack-smoking, demon-possessed leftists.

(APPLAUSE)

LOCKE: I'm going to tear this whole pulpit in half. We were right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: In May, a CNN crew was sent to interview Locke, but just 20 minutes before that interview was scheduled to happen he canceled. He later sent CNN a statement saying that when he arrived at the interview, he was nauseous, saying that God told him to cancel the interview, later going on a Facebook livestream to call that crew of three women diabolic jezebels. It would be scary just to hear this on its surface, Brianna, but the fact that he's getting applause and that his congregation has grown, it's really sobering to think people out there still exist here during this pandemic despite the data-driven science. Brianna?

KEILAR: Yes. And they're influencing people. Nick, Valencia, thank you so much for that report.

BERMAN: Hearing that is a simple tragedy. It is hurting -- it's harming people. Honestly, people could die because of the message he sends.

KEILAR: And some of his followers in that church, like Nick said, they have died. It's not like he doesn't know. He does know. And I have been struck, John, by how many people we have had on this show here in the last couple of weeks who said they were vaccine hesitant and then they decided to go forward and get the vaccine. And a lot of them talked about prayer, they talked about leadership in their church. These are influential people. And he, with that kind of language, is doing a huge disservice to his flock. It's crazy.

Tomorrow we're going to answer your coronavirus questions in our 8:00 hour, a lot of them. So tweet your questions to us directly. I have some. I know you all have some. You can also submit them online at CNN.com/CoronavirusQuestions.

BERMAN: OK, so we haven't seen the last of Simone Biles after all. The superstar gymnast announced overnight that she will participate in tomorrow's balance beam final. USA Gymnastics tweeted out "We're so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam tomorrow, Suni Lee and Simone Biles. Can't wait to watch you both!" This announcement comes after Biles pulled out of the team and all-around competition, citing mental health. This will be her last opportunity to win an individual medal at these games.

Joining us now from Tokyo, CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan. Christine, wow, this is a big turnaround. We saw the video Simone Biles put out of how difficult it was for her with the twisties, losing herself during these tumbles. But she feels well enough to try the balance beam.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: That's right, John. This is a very big development in the continuing story, which is now a week old, of Simone and what she has gone through, and the journey she has taken us on. And I don't think there's any doubt this will be the most pressure-packed minute in these Olympic games, and frankly, one of the most nerve-racking, pressure-packed moments of Olympic games in memory. That's how big a deal this is. When she's on that balance beam, those four inches about the floor, where any mere mortal, it's hard to stand on that thing. And she's going to be flipping and doing all of the amazing things she does on it, wow.

[08:15:00]

It is going to be the moment of these Olympic Games and I know many, many people will be of course cheering for her after all that she's been through over the last week.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I think mostly cheering just that she be well, as much as anything else, you know medal or not, I think we all just want her to be okay.

Christine, overnight a major development in sports as well, the U.S. women's national soccer team, a powerhouse with a really crushing defeat at the hands of Canada.

BRENNAN: That's right and for the second straight Olympics, the United States is not going to be playing for the gold medal in women's soccer and also not being able to do the double, the World Championship, the World Cup title and then the Olympics and that's never happened before and that streak continues with the team that wins the World Cup not winning the Olympic gold medal right after that.

And it is unfortunate, the U.S. lost one to nothing to Canada. The U.S. goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher was injured early and he had to leave the game. And the U.S., John, for those who have been watching, you know this is such a popular, I think maybe the most popular woman's team on the planet, and for them they just had -- did not have a great Olympic Games.

They lost to Sweden three nothing right off the bat, looked listless in several of their games, had a great game the other day against The Netherlands to move forward against nemesis Canada, and Canada has been wanting to beat the United States at the Olympics for a long time.

So, kudos to the Canadians for pulling that off, but a really heartbreaking loss for a veteran team including Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd. One wonders if this is maybe the last time we've seen them.

BERMAN: They just haven't been clicking the last few months. No question about that in a transitional period where next time around, I think we'll see some of the younger players come through.

Christine Brennan, thanks so much for being with us.

BRENNAN: John, thank you.

BERMAN: Quite a shocking report about the final days of the Trump presidency and the lengths the former President went to, to further the big election lie.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And a verbal smack down from the one time R.N.C. Chair aimed at Congressman Jim Jordan. Plus, how Washington, D.C.'s mayor is explaining this maskless photo just hours after reinstating a mask requirement in the city.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:20:57]

KEILAR: He is still President Trump. He is still meeting with Cabinet members and remaining on task. Welcome to the shadow presidency. Here is former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Newsmax.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK MEADOWS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I wanted to join you to talk about really a President that is fully engaged, highly focused, and remaining on task.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chief, do you want to break any news from your meetings with President Trump?

MEADOWS: Well, we met with some of our Cabinet members tonight. We actually had a follow up member meeting with some of our Cabinet members, and as we were looking in that -- we're looking at what does come next.

We wouldn't be meeting tonight if we weren't making plans to move forward in a real way with President Trump at the head of that ticket.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: All right, joining us now is former Republican Congressman and presidential candidate, Joe Walsh.

Okay, let's talk about this because on one hand, you have Donald Trump maybe mulling another run, but on the other hand, we are in August. This is when QAnon conspiracy theorists believe that Donald Trump will actually ascend back to the presidency, and here you have Mark Meadows operating from an alternate universe where Trump is still President.

JOE WALSH (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hey, Brianna, it is tempting to laugh, but this isn't funny. This is serious.

You're right. We're entering August. Now, I'm in a weird position because I hear from Trump supporters every day, hundreds of them. They don't believe Joe Biden won legitimately. They do, many of them do believe something is going to happen this month.

For Mark Meadows to sit there and say President Trump is meeting with his Cabinet. Again, in one respect, it's bizarre, but it is dangerous, because he is playing with fire. The threat of violence, Brianna, this month of August is real.

I know because I hear it every day. Shame on Mark Meadows for putting stuff like that out there.

BERMAN: Playing footsie with QAnon conspiracies, right? I mean, he is very specifically choosing his words there, talking about the President is on task, talking about meeting with his Cabinet. Again, it just -- it just seems very deliberate, and as you say, you know, dangerous.

WALSH: John, he knows what he is saying. Again, I know Mark Meadows well. He is no dummy. He knows exactly what he is saying. And there's part of you that wants to believe that they are just pacifying Donald Trump, and they are just trying to appease Donald Trump.

But John, you nailed it. Again, I hear from hundreds of his supporters every day, many of them and I think a lot of people in the country don't realize this because January 6 was such a shock. The threat of violence this month of August is real. Many of his supporters believe he is going to be reinstated. It is beyond negligent for Meadows to speak that way.

KEILAR: We're also learning really the measures that Trump went to, to try to overturn -- the extremes he went to, to try to overturn the 2020 election results. He was pressuring the then acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen to declare that the election was corrupt. This is according to notes of the call that he and another official had with Trump.

Trump said, quote, "Just say that the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican Congressmen." But Trump has done a lot of things that are wrong or unethical, but put this into context for us of where this fits in for you?

WALSH: Brianna, I think you do great on NEW DAY and John Berman, I think you're wonderful, too. I don't want to tell you how to do your job. This should be the biggest story of the day today. This is all I'd be talking about.

The former President pressured the Attorney General to lie about the election. I mean, think about that. Donald Trump pressured the Attorney General to lie to the American people about the election. That should be the biggest story.

And Brianna, we run into this thing where because it's Trump, we kind of become numb to it. I think you nailed it. I think this is one of the most egregious examples of how corrupt he was in office. But yet it's Monday morning, not one Republican, not one, has said anything.

[08:25:12]

BERMAN: So, Joe, on this same theme, your former colleague, Jim Jordan, has been asked repeatedly and finally gave an answer about whether he talked to former President Trump on the day of the insurrection. I want to play his answer on that finally, again, and then right after that, you're going to hear from former R.N.C. Chair Michael Steele as to how he describes Jim Jordan. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): I spoke with him on January 6. I mean, I talk with President Trump all the time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On January 6, did you speak with him before, during, or after the Capitol was attacked?

JORDAN: I'd have to go -- I -- I spoke with him that day after, I think after. I don't know if I spoke with him in the morning or not. I just don't know. I have to go back and -- I mean, I don't -- I don't -- I don't know that -- when -- when those conversations happened.

MICHAEL STEELE, FORMER R.N.C. CHAIR: I can tell you the time, the place, the date of every conversation I've had with every President of this country. Period. Going back to Bill Clinton, I can tell you where I was, I can tell you what was said.

This sounds a bit just like, well, I don't know if it was before. I don't know if it was after. Oh, Lord and Jesus. I don't remember, I've got to look at my notes.

You know, Mitch, what time you called the President and you know what you said.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my gosh. Yes.

STEELE: You're a grown ass man. Stop acting like you're just 10 years old, and you got caught masturbating by your mama. Stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Congressman --

WALSH: That is colorful. I won't be as colorful as Michael Steele. I know Jim Jordan, John.

Jim Jordan knows exactly when he spoke to Donald Trump on January 6, and he knows exactly what Donald Trump said to him. Jim Jordan doesn't stammer like that. I've rarely seen Jim Jordan stammer like that. But John, this is why it's so important that Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy and Mark Meadows and all of these guys get subpoenaed and get their butts in front of that Select Committee.

KEILAR: They're not going to talk, though, Joe. Do you expect that they actually will --

WALSH: No.

KEILAR: You don't --

WALSH: No, I don't think they'll show and I don't think they'll adhere to a subpoena. But they still should be issued and delivered those subpoenas.

Brianna, the most important thing is we need to find out are: How when why did January 6 happen? Trump incited it, but then Trump's behavior that day. We know from reports that he sat in front of the TV and cheered on the supporters. He was speaking to Jordan, and he was speaking to McCarthy multiple times that day.

KEILAR: Yes. Well, we'll see what that means. What is it for a Member of Congress to ignore a congressional subpoena?

WALSH: Exactly.

KEILAR: We may be seeing that soon.

Joe, it is wonderful to have you here. Thank you.

WALSH: Thanks, Brianna.

KEILAR: So next, a father's last text message that he should have gotten the damn vaccine. His fiancee will join us live.

BERMAN: Plus, former President Obama planning a birthday party for hundreds of guests. Hear what COVID precautions are being taken.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]