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Biden to Address Nation on Spread of Omicron; NYC Ramps Up Testing as Omicron Becomes Dominant; Manchin Blames White House Staff for Derailing Talks; January 6 Committee Asks to Interview GOP Rep. Scott Perry. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired December 21, 2021 - 06:00   ET

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


JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman. Brianna is off today. Erica Hill here.

[05:59:12]

On this NEW DAY, President Biden set to address the nation in response to the fast-moving Omicron variant. What we just learned about a plan to distribute free tests across the country.

The NHL became the first pro sports league in the U.S. to halt all games in response to the COVID outbreak. The new measures being taken to try to save the season.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Strong words from Senator Joe Manchin after he rejected the president's Build Back Better plan. Who he is now blaming for the breakdown.

And commander in leash? Meet the newest four-legged member of the first family.

BERMAN: I'm still smiling over "commander in leash."

HILL: Yes. We've got more of those this morning. Don't you worry.

BERMAN: I can't wait.

Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. It is Tuesday, December 21.

The Omicron variant has taken over. It is now the most dominant strain of COVID in the U.S., making up more than 73 percent of new infections.

According to the CDC -- they just released those numbers -- that's 21 days after the first case was identified here.

New York has seen a three-fold increase in COVID cases in the past week. New Jersey reporting the highest number of daily positive cases in almost a year.

But the good news, out of both New York and New Jersey -- and this is really important -- although they are rising, they are not seeing a drastic jump in hospitalizations yet. We're going to speak to a New York hospital official in a moment who will tell us they have plenty of capacity, at least for now. This is not 2020, he says.

We are learning of the first known Omicron-related death in the United States. A Texas man in his 50s with underlying health issues. He was unvaccinated and had previously been infected with COVID-19.

A major announcement from the National Hockey League. It is pausing its season until after Christmas at least.

HILL: In the meantime, the White House, as President Biden was in close contact last week with a mid-level staff member who later tested positive for COVID. The president has tested negative and will be tested again tomorrow.

Today, President Biden set to address the American people directly, talking about this renewed fight against COVID. And CNN has just learned he'll announce the purchase of half a billion at-home rapid tests and a plan to distribute them for free to those who request them.

The president also expected to say vaccinated Americans don't need to cancel their holiday plans, despite the rising case count. Let's go first to CNN's Jeremy Diamond who is live at the White House this morning.

Jeremy, good morning.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica.

President Biden will have some very clear messages for the American public today. One for the unvaccinated, making very clear that there is a high risk of serious illness and death as COVID surges are surging across the country.

But he will also have a message for those who are vaccinated, telling them that they can go ahead with their holiday plans, and that they are well-protected, particularly if they are boosted, from those worst outcomes of the coronavirus, and that they will likely just experience mild symptoms if, indeed, they are infected.

He will also make clear that he is not looking to lock down or shut down the country. And then, he will be announcing a series of new steps. You mentioned one of them. A half a billion rapid tests that the White House is going to be purchasing and beginning to send around the country beginning next month. Americans can go to a website that the White House is setting up to request those tests.

It's not clear exactly how long, though, it will take for those tests to be delivered.

In the meantime, the president and the White House also sending additional medical personnel to states dealing with surges. A thousand military service members will become deployable next month to also help with surges in various states.

And you're also going to see the positioning of critical supplies like N-95s in key areas of the country, to be able to send those to hospitals in need.

All of this happening as President Biden himself becoming a close contact, as a mid-level White House staffer, according to the White House, tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. President Biden also got a coronavirus test on Monday and tested negative through a PCR test. We're told that he will be tested again tomorrow.

And because of the fact that he is vaccinated, according to CDC guidelines, he does not need to self-isolate. Instead, he will go about his daily schedule and get another COVID test tomorrow -- Erica.

HILL: All right. Jeremy Diamond, appreciate the update. Thank you.

Here in New York City, a ramp-up for testing capabilities in response to a record surge in cases throughout the city.

CNN's Jason Carroll is live at a New York City testing site this morning. It's a little dark behind you, but I think I already see a line, Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You do. This testing site doesn't open for about another hour, and already, we see about a dozen people who started to line up. The city says it is going to be opening more testing sites in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the mayor says he is committed to having the city stay open.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): The annual New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square is still on as planned, for now.

ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYOR-ELECT: I think that the Times Square celebration, if the numbers are at a dangerous level, this continues evolution, we need to pivot to do what's right.

CARROLL: The final decision is expected before Christmas, according to New York city Mayor Bill de Blasio. This as the CDC announced Omicron has become the dominant coronavirus variant in the United States, dashing hopes for a quick return to normalcy.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: I think it is the perfect storm phenomena here, is that come middle of January, this viral blizzard that I've talked about, we are going to see 20, 30 percent of healthcare workers getting infected, who will then be off of work. And a healthcare system right now that is already stretched to the point of breaking.

[06:05:11]

CARROLL: According to the CDC, Omicron accounts for 73 percent of new coronavirus cases for the week ending December 18.

In New York, the state broke its record for the fourth consecutive day for the highest number of new COVID-19 cases. ADAMS: This virus is a formidable opponent, and we don't know where

it's going to end up. All of my experts here that I have been partnering with and learning from is telling us there's a great level of uncertainty.

CARROLL: In light of the new surge and all the uncertainty, New Yorkers are rushing to testing sites ahead of holiday travel and family gatherings. To respond to the growing demand, Mayor de Blasio says the city will be opening nearly two dozen more testing sites by the end of the week, and says despite concerning COVID numbers in the city, he's committed to seeing the city stay open.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: We've got to beat Omicron. We've got to avoid shutdowns. We've got to avoid restrictions. We've got to keep moving forward. Vaccination is the key.

CARROLL: Feeling the urgency for at-home tests and antibody treatments, de Blasio is asking President Joe Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We've already used the Defense Production Act and spent $3 billion to greatly expand the number of at-home tests.

CARROLL: The White House press secretary says Biden is working to expand access.

While some help seems to be on the way, New York's governor is pleading with all New Yorkers to get vaccinated and boosted.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY): We have the protection to avoid that situation, so I will once again ask everyone, please, if you're not vaccinated, now is the time. So please do that for your loved ones so they can join you again next Christmas, next holiday season.

CARROLL: Health experts across the country are pushing the same message.

DR. PAUL OFFIT, MEMBER, FDA VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: This remains a disease of the unvaccinated. Get vaccinated, and we can get past this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: And this bit of news: the state's health commissioner has tested positive for coronavirus. Dr. Mary Bassett took a rapid test yesterday, tested positive, immediately went home. She's going to take a follow-up PCR test.

The governor says she was vaccinated and boosted. But again, Erica, another example, possibly, of just how quickly and how easily this is spreading.

HILL: Yes. Absolutely. Jason, appreciate it. Thank you.

BERMAN: All right. Joining us now, CNN medical analyst and professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, Dr. Jonathan Reiner.

Doctor, great to have you with us this morning. Five hundred million test kits available, I guess within a few weeks. Not today, though; within a few weeks. Is that enough? And I guess that has to do with this question, Dr. Reiner. How often should all of us be testing?

DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Good morning, John.

I think it's a good start. I think we're going to need a lot more than that.

So the way to keep our economy open and to keep our schools open and to keep each other safe going forward, at least until this pandemic is really brought under control, is going to be to test frequently.

So, you know, last year, if someone in your office tested positive, particularly before we had vaccines, everyone was isolating for ten days. Now, particularly in -- in our vaccinated world, we don't need to do that. We can -- we can test people, and you stay at work, stay in school as long as you remain negative. Our tests are really good at doing this. They take 15 minutes. They're really inexpensive, or they should be inexpensive. And I think this half a billion tests is a big step forward.

But, you know, the proof is going to be in the pudding. We're going to order this from a -- from central website. They're going to mail them to you. I can just imagine the surge when -- when that site opens.

I think it's very important to have these tests also available for pickup all around our communities. You know, in post offices, in banks, in transit centers, in subways, so that people can pick these tests up on the way home.

Look, if you're not feeling well, you want to test now. You don't want to have to go online, order a test that's going to come in a few days. So what I'm hopeful is that, once that site is open, people will acquire these tests, sort of have tests on hand at home that they can use going forward.

But we're going to need more than half a billion. I think it's a great start. And I applaud the White House for, you know, sort of changing course on this.

HILL: Really quickly, just to follow through on John's second question there of how often should you be testing? Once there is better access to rapid, at-home tests, is this something that we should be doing every day before we head out the door, a couple of times a week? How often?

REINER: Well, I think -- I think if you have symptoms, you should test when you have symptoms. And then I think we should be testing multiple times a week. Multiple times a week.

BERMAN: You can see -- You can see how those -- yes.

[06:10:00] REINER: Think of a test -- think of a test as a snapshot. If you're getting together with friends tonight, and you test negative as you're going out the door, you're negative when you're going out the door.

If you tested negative yesterday, you were negative yesterday. You don't know what's going on today. So we're going to have to get used to having this as a -- as a frequent rapid tool.

BERMAN: Dr. Reiner, can we get your take on the 73 percent of new cases now are Omicron? What are the implications of that, particularly for our hospitals?

REINER: So, you know, I'm hopeful that Omicron might be either because of some intrinsic lower virulence, or maybe because of the immune wall that has been formed in this country and other western countries, that it might be a bit less virulent.

But having said that, even a smaller, you know, percentage of a very large number can yield a lot of people in the hospital. So if the United States approaches 500,000 or more cases a day, even a lower percentage of people being hospitalized will still swamp our hospitals. So I'm worried about that.

It looks like it's going to go through this country sort of in a wave, going from north to south. So hopefully, you know, all of, you know, our institutions won't be hit at the same time.

And it looks like, at least early data coming out of South Africa, it looks like the peak may be quick, and then the downside also quick.

So there's still a lot to learn, but, obviously, we worry about, you know, keeping our hospitals afloat, you know, should thousands and thousands of patients need to be treated.

HILL: We know there's still a push for vaccines. There are a number of people in the country who likely will never get that vaccine. That's a reality.

What's fascinating is former President Trump revealed that he was boosted, and it was a revelation that was actually met by boos at this tour that he was on.

I wonder, what does that -- I mean, what does that tell us about where things stand? Is there truly a certain portion of the population that is a lost cause when it comes to the COVID vaccine, and do we just move on? Or do you think there's a chance to reach them?

REINER: I think it's a lost opportunity. So about 40 percent of the folks who voted for the former president remain unvaccinated. And he's had this opportunity for the last year to reach out to them in a meaningful way.

And when you listen to that tape of the former president, he wasn't imploring the folks at that -- at that get-together to get vaccinated. He was imploring them to give him credit for the vaccine. It was all about him taking credit for the vaccine, not about them getting vaccinated.

But, again, about 40 percent of Republicans remain unvaccinated. And they are going unarmed into a fight with this virus. And it just doesn't have to be this way.

And leaders like the former president and many members of Congress who refuse to disclose their vaccine status continue to perpetuate this, I think, great hazard for their constituents.

BERMAN: Dr. Reiner, we appreciate you being with us this morning. Thanks so much.

REINER: Thanks for having me.

BERMAN: So we're going to speak to Dr. Anthony Fauci next hour, just before the White House reveals its next steps in the COVID fight.

Strong words from Senator Joe Manchin on his rejection of the administration's Build Back Better plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV) (via phone): Well, guess what? I'm from West Virginia. I'm not from where they're from. And they can just beat the living crap out of people and think they'll be submissive. Period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Plus, the January 6th Committee for the first time requesting cooperation from a sitting member of Congress involved in the effort to overturn the election. Will he comply?

HILL: And the Bidens moving one four-legged family member out of the White House, welcoming another. What we're learning about not one, not one, but two new White House residents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:16:45]

HILL: In an interview with West Virginia talk radio, Senator Joe Manchin said he's not going to be bullied into voting for the Build Back Better plan and blames White House staff for derailing negotiations. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANCHIN (via phone): I'm not blaming anybody. I knew where they were, and I knew what they could and could not do. They just never realized it, because they figure that surely that, God, we can move one person. Surely, we can badger and beat one person up. Surely, we can get enough protesters to make that person uncomfortable enough. They'll just say, OK, I'll vote for anything. I'll just quit.

Well, guess what? I'm from West Virginia. I'm not from where they're from, and they can just beat the living crap out of people and think they'll be submissive. Period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Joining us now, CNN political analyst and senior correspondent for TheGrio, Natasha Alfred; and the Washington bureau chief for "USA Today," Susan Page. Good to see you both this morning.

Those comments from Joe Manchin, Susan, he's not going to be submissive; he's from West Virginia. That may be the case. Let's be honest. So much was riding on him.

Does the messaging need to be different this morning, especially in the wake of those comments from Joe Manchin? By messaging, I mean from Democrats.

SUSAN PAGE, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "USA TODAY": Yes. Well, Democrats are in a -- in a pickle on this one. And Joe Manchin has made those comments at that radio show after he had had what the White House described as a pretty conciliatory or pleasant conversation with President Biden on Sunday night.

So clearly, relations between these two men need some mending if the president is going to be able to pursue his big domestic agenda. Even to do a downsized bill that has some of the programs that were in Build Back Better and not others. It is not at all guaranteed the Democrats are going to be able to heal some of the fractures that we see breaking out all over, to get something done.

BERMAN: Well, Natasha, they are talking. I mean, yes, the Manchin interview on radio where he made those comments was after the Biden- Manchin conversation.

But if you're looking at the timeline, after Manchin's radio interview, the White House held a White House briefing, and they didn't say anything mean about Joe Manchin there. I mean, it does seem like we're in this new chapter now, where Democrats feel like maybe there's a chance in January.

NATASHA ALFRED, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Well, John, you, as a Democrat, have to project some hope and optimism about what's next, right?

We've gone through months and months of back and forth, sort of holding our breath for Manchin, and this is the result.

I don't know about you, but it kind of feels a little anticlimactic, the thought that, you know, maybe something would happen, and then for it to sort of fall apart over petty staff issues.

But so yes. Democrats have to project that there is still a possibility for this bill. Otherwise, they look pretty weak to their constituents. And it sort of gives Joe Manchin more power than he really deserves to sort of have.

And we cannot forget that there's also Republicans who are holding up the passage of this Bill. So the best thing that they can do is focus on what's in the bill that

works. Think about perhaps longer-term programs, just a few longer- term programs they can fund and get on board with. But that has to be the message. Otherwise, they're sort of stuck in the mud.

HILL: So just to pick up on that point, so we know, Natasha, that, you know, what Manchin apparently proposed to the White House had a fair amount of things in it, right, that we saw from from Build Back Better. One thing it didn't have was the child tax credit. That extension had been stripped out.

[06:20:08]

So is it your sense from folks you're talking to there in Washington that they could perhaps move -- move forward with a version of Build Back Better? And then is there a way to find enough Republican support for a separate extension of the child tax credit?

ALFRED: I mean, I --

HILL: That seems like a tall order.

ALFRED: I'm sort of -- Right. I know there are Christmas miracles do happen, but I'm not sure if getting Republicans to get on board with child tax credit, even if it is sensible, is something that can happen. Because they're just sort of dedicated to obstructionism and this idea that they're going to stop any sort of legislative success for Democrats, even if that means a win for the entire country.

So I'm not sure if that is going to happen, but I do know that there are aspects of Build Back Better which do benefit Joe Manchin's constituents in West Virginia. And so perhaps that is approach, right? Think about, what are the policies that will affect his constituents, that if he rejects those, he has to go back and explain why he -- he didn't support them when he had an opportunity?

BERMAN: I will note, you know, I always love it when someone says, "I'm from West Virginia. We don't back down to anything." People from all 50 states will say that. Right?

HILL: People from Connecticut, Berman, do not back down.

BERMAN: I'm from Connecticut. We don't back down. That's why they call us the Nutmeg State.

ALFRED: We're all from America. He's from America, too.

BERMAN: That's what I mean. One state doesn't back down more than another.

That aside, Susan, to get a sense of the mood within the Democratic Party right now, I think all you have to look at is the congressional retirements. Two more announced yesterday, including Stephanie Murphy from Florida, who is in this swing district. She's seen as a centrist.

I know that she was seen as someone within the party that a lot of people thought had a bright future. She's not staying. I mean, that really does tell you something.

PAGE: Yes. She's a canary in the coal mine. These -- this flood of Democratic retirements, 22 so far of House Democratic incumbents, is a sign that, No. 1, some of them think they're going to have very tough re-election battles. That is true of Stephanie Murray, who had some problems with redistricting in Florida.

Others of them who are even from safe districts are saying, we are likely to lose the majority in the -- in next year's midterms. And being in the minority in the House is no fun. It's just been four years since they got out of that situation. You really don't have very much power when you're in the minority in the House.

And so this is a sign that Democrats who are there are making this calculation.

Contrast that with Republicans. I think we've had about 11 Republican House members say they're going to not run again. That's just half the number that we've seen of these Democratic retirements.

HILL: Natasha, what's the impact, right, of those Democratic retirements on efforts to get anything done come the new year?

ALFRED: Well, I think when you have all those retirements, then you have to think about who sits in their place, right? So there's recruiting new candidates who perhaps don't have the same name recognition for the party. They have to think about fundraising, and sort of how they're going to basically fund these campaigns and push these candidates out. So it's a drain on energy and resources that perhaps Democrats feel they don't really have to give at this moment.

But they always faced an uphill battle. I think historically, being the party of the president, the odds were not in their favor. You have to think about redistricting, as well.

But I think it's important to also remember there is still time, right? And it's a matter of what they do between now and midterms. And so although this focus has been on passing big, sweeping legislation, there is still a need to project that there's stability in the country, right, with other issues.

People are going to remember these long COVID lines during the holidays. They remember inflation. They remember the day-to-day of their lives. They may also remember the checks that they got in the mail. So focus on those wins, even as you're working on the legislation, and give people a reason to come back out for you.

My readers at TheGrio, they care about student loans. Perhaps people don't remember what was in Build Back Better, but they're going to remember if you forgave the student loans and did what you could do with the power that you had. Don't talk about what you can't do.

HILL: It will be interesting to see if the narrative changes. Natasha Alfred, Susan Page, great to have you both here this morning. Thank you. There is new reporting about the January 6th Committee, possibly

weighing criminal referrals against former President Trump. Is there a case there?

BERMAN: I'm from Massachusetts. We don't go to break for Massachusetts.

HILL: Oh.

BERMAN: COVID-19 derailing holiday plans for many, including the queen. The new details as the United Kingdom weighs new measures to address the Omicron surge.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So it is a first for the investigation into January 6th. The House Select Committee is seeking testimony and documents from a sitting member of Congress.

The committee wants to speak with Republican Congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who was deeply involved in the president's efforts to overturn the election.

CNN's Paula Reid live in Washington with the latest on this -- Paula.

PAULA REID, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

So the committee not sending a subpoena just yet. Instead, sending their colleague a letter requesting his cooperation in their investigation into January 6th.

He is the first lawmaker to receive such a letter from the House Select Committee.

Now, in this letter, they explain that they want to talk to him specifically about efforts to install former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark as acting attorney general.

Now, Clark was really open to the idea of using the Justice Department, the power of that office, to push the big lie. And Perry actually connected Trump and Clark at the same time the former president was really trying to pressure the Justice Department to do something to help him establish this lie that the election was stolen.

Now, this move really underscores how the committee is zeroing in on some of Trump's closest allies.

BERMAN: So Paula, there's also news, because the former president has taken the step -- it's not extraordinary for him, because he sues everyone and everything. But he is suing the New York attorney general, Letitia James.