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New Day
CDC Loosens Covid Restrictions; Karine Jean-Pierre is Interviewed about the FBI Raid and Inflation Reduction Act; Ice Crumbling Faster than Thought; Baseball Returns to the Field of Dreams. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired August 12, 2022 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:34:52]
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: New rules for a new school year. The CDC is loosening its Covid guidelines, and that means big changes, especially for students and for teachers who have spent more than two years adapting to the pandemic.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen is here to explain this.
All right, what are the changes?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The changes are -- this sort of marks the end of an era. I'm going the mark it right here today. It marks the end of an era. They are -- the CDC is removing so many Covid restrictions. Now, you could say they're just catching up to where the rest of the country has been for months now, and you wouldn't be wrong.
Let's take a look at what the CDC is getting rid of and what they're keeping.
They're getting rid of that six feet distancing rule. All those stickers at all those supermarkets and other places, some poor person is going to have to scrape those off. Also, no more screening in most circumstances. So, in schools, for example, where they were screening kids, that goes away. Also, no more quarantine after exposure. If you've been exposed to Covid, you do not need to quarantine. That -- some of that had already changed already.
Now, let's take a look at two very important things that they're keeping. They are saying that if you have Covid, if you've tested positive, you should isolate.
[06:35:00]
The other thing that they say is that it keeps indoor masking for most of the United States. So that's one where I think they really are still quite out of step. They are telling much of the - people in much of the United States, keep masking when people -- that went away -- for most places, I think that went away a long time ago. KEILAR: In practice for sure, you're so right.
COHEN: Yes.
KEILAR: Elizabeth, thank you so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
KEILAR: So, today, the House is set to vote on President Biden's key climate and healthcare legislation. What it means for you as the country finally begins to see some positive signs on inflation. We have White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre joining us live in studio, next.
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KEILAR: New this morning, former President Trump says he is encouraging the release of documents related to the FBI search at Mar- a-Lago. Keyword there, says. We will see what his lawyers actually do.
This comes after Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would file to have those documents released.
[06:40:00]
Joining us now is White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Karine, thank you so much for joining us in studio today.
So, the White House got no heads up about this yesterday. What is your reaction to this announcement?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: No heads up about this yesterday. No heads up a couple days ago.
So, look, we've been very clear, my colleagues have been, on multiple networks saying the same thing that I'm going to say, which is, you know, when it comes to the Department of Justice, the president has been very clear, when it comes to investigations, we -- it is going to be -- it's going to be independent. And that's something that he's been consistent about. He believes in the rule of law. He believes in the independence of the Department of Justice. And it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it. And that is something for the Department of Justice to speak to, as they did yesterday, yesterday afternoon. So, I will leave it to them.
KEILAR: I do want to ask you about some worries that people in the law enforcement community, FBI, DOJ have about how rhetoric could lead to violence. We saw an armed man who ended up being killed try to breach the FBI office in Cincinnati yesterday. This is what Andy McCabe said -- what he is expecting and what he needs, what the community needs from Democrats and Republicans.
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ANDREW MCCABE, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, FBI: My question for our political leadership of both sides is, where are you? It's bad enough that their own rhetoric is pushing some of these extremists in that direction. They should be out actively trying to tamp this down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Let's be clear, a lot of the weaponization of the DOJ and questions about that, that's coming from Republicans. But he's saying there's a role for Democrats in tamping this down. What is the White House's role in that?
JEAN-PIERRE: Our role is, and we have done this when it comes to violence, is condemning it. We are going -- condemning any type of violence for any reason. It is - it is something that should not be happening.
I think people have the right, and we think people have the right to peacefully protest. But when it comes to violence of any kind, we will condemn it, including when it's towards the law enforcement. And so that's what we're - we're going to continue to do is condemn that. The president has done that many times when we've seen violence just across the country.
KEILAR: The House is voting on the Inflation Reduction Act today. Do you think that you have all Democrats?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, look, first, let me just - just -- we're grateful and congratulate Senator Schumer and Senator Manchin for getting this really critical, important anti-inflammation bill out of the Senate. Now it's in the speaker's hands. We know that she is very ept (ph) to get this through with her leadership. So, we are confident. And we have been involved in helping in any way that we can to make sure that it gets through.
The thing that I want to say about this piece of legislation, it is a win. It is a huge win for the American people. If you think about, Brianna, the last 30 years and how special interest groups, wealthy special interest group has tried to stop negotiating Medicare so that we can bring prices down, this bill is going to bring prices down for the American people as you look at drugs and pharmaceutical drugs, especially for your seniors. If you look at what it's going to do for climate change, there's been special interest groups, again, for 30 years, those climate deniers, who have stopped, who have tried to stop us for putting in significant investments like clean -- for a clean energy future, for our clean energy - for clean energy jobs. This is going to do that, and also continue those ACA premiums so we keep - keep lowering costs for health care for Americans. So this is a win.
KEILAR: How does it bring it down right now, though?
JEAN-PIERRE: So -
KEILAR: Americans need it right now.
JEAN-PIERRE: So, for ACA, those premiums, those 800 - about -- average about $800 a month savings for Americans, that's going to continue. That is something that we were fighting for, for the past year. And so you'll have that. When you think about the energy costs and utility bills because of the investments that we're making, that's going to -- they're going to feel that right away.
KEILAR: But that's not -- they're going to feel that right away.
JEAN-PIERRE: They're going to feel that right away.
KEILAR: How soon?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, let's get this bill passed and then we'll see how the mechanics and all of that's going to work through. But those are things, specifically, that the - Americans are going to feel right away when it comes to lowering prescription drugs, that will be earlier in the year next year.
KEILAR: When it comes to lowering prescription drugs?
JEAN-PIERRE: Right, because that's something that's -- Medicare has to negotiate. So that's going to be a process and that's going to come at - in a couple months.
KEILAR: But the actual phase-in is going to be many years later, just to be clear on the negotiation of the highest priced drugs.
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, it's going to - right. That's exactly right. But the process starts earlier - earlier -- early next year.
But, look, this is a big --
KEILAR: I just - I just want to be clear. I don't think people should be expecting on - on their drug prices that that's going to kick in here (INAUDIBLE).
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, they're going to put the first ten pieces -- the first ten medication out there, right, to start the process so they can start negotiating the lowering costs.
[06:45:08]
But the point that I'm making is that this is an investment --
KEILAR: That's 2026, isn't it?
JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, wait -
KEILAR: For the first ten and then the additional ones phasing into 2029?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, here's -- the point that I'm making here is, they're going to see energy costs, utility bills, that's going to come down.
KEILAR: OK, I guess was -
JEAN-PIERRE: They're going - no, no, no, wait, wait -
KEILAR: I was trying to speak about the immediate impacts.
JEAN-PIERRE: Yes.
KEILAR: But I do want to ask you, you said --
JEAN-PIERRE: But those are the immediate - those are the immediate impacts. When you think about utility bills --
KEILAR: I was talking -- I'm talking about here in the coming months, just to be -- I think we have different -- maybe some different timeline reference points on that. But it -
JEAN-PIERRE: No, but you're asking me immediate impact. I'm talking about the energy costs. That's going to be immediate. I'm talking about the ACA, the Affordable Care Act, those premiums, that's going to continue. That's going to lower costs for 13 million Americans. Thirteen million Americans. That matters.
KEILAR: Continuing to keep - to keep those.
JEAN-PIERRE: Right. But, remember, that was not going to happen without -
KEILAR: That's right. It would have - it would have increased, just to be clear.
JEAN-PIERRE: Exactly. So that - yes, that's a continuation. That's important to 13 million Americans who we can't -
KEILAR: Yes. No, certainly, they don't want a rising cost in the middle of all this.
JEAN-PIERRE: Exactly. So that - so that totally matters. And, let's not forget, there's been gas prices that we have seen come down every day this summer.
KEILAR: Yes.
JEAN-PIERRE: And that has been the work of the American people as well.
KEILAR: But I do want to go back to where I asked you, you are in touch with Speaker Pelosi. She is - she's quite the whipper, right? That is her background. She knows how to whip votes. Has she told you that she has all Democrats on board?
JEAN-PIERRE: I'm not - we - as we have said, we are not going to negotiate in public. We're not going to share our conversations of what's happening. We are confident --
KEILAR: But do you have a sense of where the caucus is? That's not what I'm asking. I'm not asking about negotiations. Do you have a sense of where the caucus is and that you can hold it together?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, that is - that is part of negotiations, right, what -- when she's talking to the caucus and trying to whip and get them together.
Look, we trust in the speaker. She is phenomenal. She knows her caucus better than anybody else when it comes to her Democratic caucus. And so we are encouraged. And we're going to continue to be helpful in any way.
And, look, the -- really the thing is, this is the Americans winning. We have to not forget, this is a fundamental game-changing piece of legislation that's going to have an impact. Something that we have not seen in decades. And it's because of the president's experience. It's because of the president's -- how he saw this country, how best to move it forward, and Democrats as well, and that's what we're going to see today.
KEILAR: So, big vote. We'll be watching.
JEAN-PIERRE: We'll be all watching.
KEILAR: We'll have the answer to that question soon enough, Karine.
JEAN-PIERRE: Very soon. Very soon, Brianna.
KEILAR: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, thanks for being with us.
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, thank you.
KEILAR: There is alarming new research that shows the largest ice sheet in the world is actually melting faster than previously thought. The latest developments on the climate crisis, next.
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[06:51:44]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, new research showing the world's largest ice sheet is melting faster than previously thought.
Let's get much more on this. We're joined by CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir.
Bill, we have problems -- literally new reports about problems on both ends of the earth.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Top of the earth, North Pole, four times faster than the rest of the planet is warming up there. And we thought for the last decade or so that the South Pole, Antarctica, was relatively stable. But this new science out of Jet Propulsion Labs NASA, they used the latest - sort of both radar and observational satellites to say twice as much ice is gone than we thought before because not only is it melting from the bottom, as the seas warm up, but the edges, these shelves that hold in - if you think about Antarctica like a big bowl of ice, there's these shelves around the edge that hold those glaciers in. Those are crumbling at a rate much faster than we thought. And so that's not great when it comes to sea level rise. You're already seeing in Miami and Charleston, they're planning for a certain amount of sea level rise. This could be more than was anticipated.
KEILAR: And it seems like the federal government is getting to the point where they're throwing some things against the wall. They're doing things that almost sound like the premises of movies.
WEIR: Well, so this is -- we're talking about geoengineering. The idea that we have to somehow spray sunscreen in the sky to buy ourself some time and cool things off. The White House signs off on this (ph), along with NASA and NOAA and the Department of Energy, 10 different agencies are just wrapping up the first ever report into this. The feasibility, the wisdom, the ethics of it. There's worries that if we start tinkering with the stratosphere it could throw off monsoon seasons. As you were saying in the break, it's the premise of "Snowpiercer."
KEILAR: I saw - it didn't go well, was my point. I saw it in the movie.
WEIR: Right. And that's - and so they -- they just wanted to test this with the balloon in Sweden. And public outcry was so great they shut it down.
So -- but just for context, there's only six planes in the world that could do this. This is that altitude that's five times higher than you fly across the country. And so we're years away from even, even thinking about doing it. The more practical one that people are talking about is marine cloud brightening, where you sort of spritz sea water in the arctic and create these big, white, puffy clouds that reflects sunlight. That's more of a natural process.
But as these events happen faster than were predicted, science has to come to grips with these sort of in case of emergency break glass ideas.
BERMAN: So, four times faster than before. And we thought in the Arctic, we thought it was three times. Twice as fast in the Antarctic. Doesn't sound good.
Bill Weir, thank you very much.
WEIR: You bet.
BERMAN: New overnight, former President Trump says he will not oppose the release of documents related to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, but will his lawyers agree? There's a deadline just a few hours away.
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[06:58:43]
KEILAR: The coolest game of the baseball season happened last night. The Cubs and the Reds playing in the corn fields of Iowa for the Field of Dreams Game.
Andy Scholes has more in the "Bleacher Report."
Andy.
SCHOLES: Yes, good morning, Brianna.
So, you know, of all the ideas Major League Baseball has ever come up with, you know, this is right there at the top of the list. This is the second year for the game in Dyersville, Iowa.
Now, Kevin Costner didn't wander around the field this year before the game but arguably the sports' most famous father/son duo led things off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, dad, you want to have a catch?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Ad (ph) playing catch pregame. Others joined them before the Reds and Cubs players emerged from the corn stalks.
In another really cool moment, a hologram of late legendary Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray led the seventh inning stretch.
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HARRY CARAY, LATE LEGENDARY CUBS BROADCASTER: Take me out to the ball game.
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SCHOLES: Yes, pretty wild how realistic that hologram looks. As for the game, the Cubs jumping out early. They scored three runs in the first inning on the way to a 4-2 win. Now, this may be it for the corn fields for a while. Major League Baseball reportedly does not have plans to play in Dyersville next season.
All right, and the NBA is retiring the number six league wide in honor of the late Celtics legend Bill Russell.
[07:00:03]
The 11-time NBA champion and civil rights activist died last month at the age of 88. This is going to be the first-time ever the NBA.
