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New Day Sunday

U.S. Condemns Assassination Attempt On Iraqi Prime Minister; Winsome Sears First Woman Of Color Elected To Statewide VA Office; Hiring Wars Heat Up Ahead of The Holidays. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired November 07, 2021 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:21]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias. Good morning and welcome to your NEW DAY. I'm Boris Sanchez.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Boris. I'm Christi Paul. We're so glad to have you.

We have some new details for you this morning on that deadly crowd surge at a Houston music festival including what may have led to it now. And also, we're hearing from rapper Travis Scott who was on stage at the time.

SANCHEZ: Plus, up against the clock, time running out for federal workers to get their coronavirus vaccines or face the consequences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WINSOME SEARS (R), VIRGINIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR-ELECT: They say someone like me should not be a Republican. I'm destroying their narrative.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: A historic win in Virginia for Winsome Sears. She becomes the first black woman to serve as the state's lieutenant governor and we are going to introduce you to her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is, you know, a probable sense of urgency this year among employers who are looking for seasonal workers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And help wanted, the big incentives retailers are offering to hire workers this holiday season.

PAUL: 6:01 is the time on this Sunday, November 7th. We are always grateful to have you with us. Thanks for sharing your company.

SANCHEZ: Good morning, Christi. Always great to see you. We start with the clearer picture we're now getting about what happened in that crowd at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston. It led to the death of eight people. We've learned that investigators are looking into whether drugs played a part in Friday's tragedy and there are now questions about how long it took organizers to stop the concert once they realized there were signs of major problems.

PAUL: Yes. Remember we're talking about 50,000 fans packed in the festival grounds for performances by rapper Travis Scott and other acts, but as concertgoers pushed closer to the stage people began to panic, several passed out. We know 25 people were taken to hospitals, five of them under 18. The youngest just 10 years old. And the people who died in the crowd surge ranged in age from 14 to 27.

SANCHEZ: Some concertgoers have criticized organizers for continuing the show even as unresponsive people were being carried away. But Scott, who organized the festival, says that he wasn't aware of just how severe things had gotten as he was performing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS SCOTT, RAPPER, FESTIVAL ORGANIZER: To the ones that was lost last night, we're actually working right now to identify their families so we can help assist them through this tough time. You know, my fans -- my fans like -- my fans really mean the world to me and I'll always just really want to leave them with a positive experience. Any time I can make out, you know, anything that's going on, you know, I would stop the show and, you know, help them get the help they need, you know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Now authorities say Narcan, which a drug used to treat overdoses, was administered several times during Friday's concert.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Police are now investigating into how drug use may have played a part in what happened. CNN's Rosa Flores has more.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, Christi, the situation and the investigation has escalated here in Houston because of the account of a security officer who was responding at the scene who says that he got a prick in his neck. He was administered Narcan, and he was revived. And according to the Houston police chief, he wasn't the only one that received Narcan that night. Now according to the police chief, now the narcotics and homicide divisions are part of this investigation. Here's what he said. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF TROY FINNER, HOUSTON POLICE: One of the narratives was that some individual was injecting other people with drugs. We do have a report of a security officer, according to the medical staff, that was out and treated him last night, that he was reaching over to restrain or grab a citizen, and he felt a prick in his neck. When he was examined, he went unconscious, they administered Narcan. He was revived and the medical staff did notice a prick that was similar to a prick that you would get if somebody is trying to inject.

(END VIDEO CLIP)]

FLORES: We're also learning the ages of the people who died. Now according to authorities eight individuals died between the ages of 14 and 27. The age of one individual has not been released yet.

[06:05:02]

We also learned that the number of people hospitalized increased from 23 to 25 and that five individuals were children. I can tell you by talking to concertgoers that one of the things that they described is that it was very difficult for them to breathe. The taller you were the better off you were because you were able to gasp for air. So just think about that, that the children who were at this concert were most likely shorter, hence more difficult for them to gasp for air.

Now according to authorities at about 9:15, the night of this concert, was when concertgoers started to compress towards the stage. By 9:38 they say it turned into a mass casualty event. By 10:10 the concert had ended.

Well, now the investigation again includes the homicide and narcotics divisions. And authorities say that they're trying to figure out exactly what happened, but the investigation now escalates because of that account from the security officer who says that he was pricked on his neck. He was treated with Narcan and then revived. Boris, Christi.

PAUL: Rosa Flores, thank you so much.

So there's, of course, an investigation going on right now and concertgoers are still questioning how a night that was supposed to be about fun and music, turned into this. Here they are in their own words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATTY ZAVALA, ATTENDED ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL: Once Travis actually performed, everyone was pushing to the front. You had no room to walk. Someone as tiny as me, and I'm 5'2", 6 foot tall people like in front of me like they would not let me through.

ERICK ANDINO, ATTENDED ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL: I have never seen nothing like this before. Never ever. It was one of the craziest experiences of my life.

MADELINE ESKINS, ATTENDED ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL: I've always been towards the front towards the concerts. And, yes, it gets tight but I've never ever been feeling like I'm going to pass out. I never saw people collapsing. I definitely never saw anybody die.

SOFIA GONZALEZ, ATTENDED ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL: Hearing the ages now 14 to 27 and two of them being 21 and myself being 21, I just feel immense sadness.

ZAVALA: It could have been me. It could have been anyone that we were with. And it could have been someone that was close to us and especially at that young of an age, like, how could that even happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Let's bring in CNN legal analyst Areva Martin to discuss the ongoing investigation because accountability, even as we mourn those lost and hurt for the victims, is going to be the next phase of this tragedy. Areva, always great to have you. Appreciate you offering your perspective.

The video footage is going to be critical in this investigation. So when investigators are looking through whether it's concert footage or footage of people in the crowd, what are they going to be combing through? What are they going to be seeking in that footage?

AREVA MARTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Boris and Christi. One of the things, I think, that has become really critical to the investigation and definitely the videotape is going to be this alleged person or persons who may have been moving through this crowd pricking people with what may turn out to be some kind of illegal narcotics or drugs. That account is a chilling -- is chilling to think that someone may have been intentionally injecting individuals, as the security guard said, with some kind of drug. If that is, you know, in fact, the case, then more importantly, that this homicide division and the narcotics divisions are involved. We may be talking about a possible intentional conduct that could lead to criminal charges.

SANCHEZ: I imagine that kind of investigation is extremely complex, so how do -- how does law enforcement go about gathering so many witness statements? There were 50,000 people there. This is an immense task. How would you describe the process?

MARTIN: Yes, Boris, you're right. This is going to be incredibly complex, difficult and it's going to take mans and -- you know, thousands and thousands of man hours because you're right, there were 50,000 individuals at this concert so just going about the process of identifying individuals that have firsthand knowledge is going to be a herculean task for these law enforcement agents. But that's what's going to have to take place for them to get to the bottom of what happened.

You shouldn't go to a concert and die. Eight people tragically lost their lives at this concert and countless others were hospitalized. We're hearing also perhaps 11 people that suffered from some form of cardiac arrest. These are the kinds of injuries and deaths that are completely unacceptable at a concert.

Lots of questions about security, about the number of people that were allowed into this venue, about safety protocols that were either in place or not in place at the time. So not only should we expect to see this investigation, perhaps, take on a criminal aspect, but also we should expect to see wrongful death lawsuits for the eight individuals that lost their lives as well as personal injury -- lawsuits for the individuals that suffered injuries but didn't die in the concert.

SANCHEZ: And to that point, Areva, who could potentially face legal liability here? [06:10:01]

Potentially Travis Scott as the performer and organizer?

MARTIN: Absolutely. There's going to be a list of potential defendants in the civil action in particular, Boris, starting with Travis Scott. Travis himself -- I'm so happy to hear, the comments that he has made about cooperating with law enforcement and expressing his remorse because we know he's had some incidents in the past at concerts where he's been charged with inciting a riot and for, you know, riling up his crowd. So one question is going to be, what role, if any, he may have played.

But then you have the concert promoters, you have the organizers, you have the city of Houston, you have the county that was involved because we know that there were government officials that were involved in the security aspect as well as some private security firms. So anyone that had anything to do with organizing or executing this concert is likely to be a target of potential civil lawsuits.

SANCHEZ: And historically, Areva, looking back at previous cases, what kind of responsibility does a performer have for what happens in a crowd?

MARTIN: Yes. That's going to be a really big question. As I said, Travis Scott himself has been identified in both civil lawsuits as well as criminal complaints with respect to his behavior. He likes to have a very involved crowd and he's been charged in some previous actions with actually, you know, inciting his crowd, getting them to engage in this kind of aggressive conduct. So obviously a performer has an obligation not to do that, not to do anything that would cause there to be, you know, danger or violence with respect to the crowd.

But there's also some question, Boris, about what he may have known and if he knew that the situation was as dire and should the concert have been stopped at an earlier moment in time, but all of that is going to be up for investigation. You know, he's, you know, significantly distanced from the crowd so it's not clear what he may have had an opportunity to perceive as he was performing, but that will be, you know, subject of lots of investigations. Because obviously if he knew that people were passing out, that people were dying, that people were, you know, in distress, absolutely there would have been an obligation on his part to stop the concert to allow those people to get the kind of medical attention that they needed.

SANCHEZ: It is a complex investigation and surely to be a complex legal court battle ahead. Areva Martin, thank you so much for the time. We appreciate it.

MARTIN: Thanks, Boris.

PAUL: Good information. Thanks, Areva.

All right. Let's talk about the coronavirus. New CDC data this morning on vaccine rates here in the U.S. right now 70 percent of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That's more than 180 million Americans since the vaccines became available just to give you perspective there.

There are still COVID hotspots around the country though. Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations on the rise again in Colorado where officials say there are now fewer than 100 ICU beds across the state. And 80 percent of the more than 1,200 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, they tell us. Unvaccinated federal employees, meanwhile, have until end of day tomorrow to get their shots or they risk facing disciplinary action or even being fired.

SANCHEZ: Under President Trump's rather President Biden's vaccines mandate for government workers any employee without a legal exemption must be fully vaccinated by November 22nd. Let's get over to CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright live in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where the president is spending his weekend.

You have to forgive me there. I spent a lot of time chasing around President Trump like you are chasing President Biden now. What's his weekend looking like in Rehoboth Beach?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, look, the clock is ticking for federal workers to get their shots. Tomorrow the 8th is the last day they can get those jabs in their arms like you said, Boris, to be considered fully vaccinated by November 22nd, the Biden administration deadline. And if they're not, they could, as you said, face disciplinary action from their federal agencies, even possibly being fired because they are not vaccinated in time for this mandate.

Remember, President Biden issued this executive order mandating that all federal employees be vaccinated in September after the summer where both he and the administration at large really struggled with getting control of the pandemic because of the Delta variant and that led to an increase in hospital cases. That led to an increase in deaths and also the economy started to sag.

So President Biden, after some reluctance, really embraced the idea of this vaccine mandate, kind of de facto embracing this culture war with those who are against vaccines. And now, Boris and Christi, that culture war is turning into a legal fight. Yesterday, a federal court issued a stay on the latest labor department rule saying that private companies with 100 or more employees must be vaccinated or test weekly.

[06:15:00]

And a DOJ spokesperson yesterday in a tweet Saturday said that they will vigorously defend this court -- excuse me, vigorously defend this rule in court, because at the bottom line, Boris and Christi, Biden officials find that these voluntary mandates are successful. They found that they have led to an increase in private businesses pushing for their workers to get vaccinated. All really falling into this goal of theirs trying to get this pandemic under control.

They constantly call it a tool in the toolkit, so they will defend it, they say, because this is something that they feel is helpful to help this country get out of the pandemic. So that is kind of what President Biden's weekend is looking like after that major win that he scored off Friday night celebrated yesterday on infrastructure. Boris, Christi.

PAUL: Good point. Jasmine Wright, thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Jasmine.

PAUL: So there's a school district that is so desperate for workers they're actually hiring students to fill job openings. How can this be a best case scenario for both the students and the school? We'll talk about it.

SANCHEZ: And later, why many European countries are joining the United States in telling their citizens to leave Ethiopia. The latest on a crisis as rebels move toward the capital.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:23]

PAUL: You know, much better than expected jobs report for October is the latest sign the economy seems to be rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses added 531,000 jobs last month and the labor department says 6 million people are unemployed and want to work, but are instead on the sidelines of the job market. A lack of child care, concerns about coronavirus are among some of the reasons. But Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the Biden administration is addressing those issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: It is true that we want to see more people participating in the labor force and that's where the second part of the Build Back Better vision comes in, and I think is equally important. Obviously, I'm most focused on the transportation elements which are mostly what's in the package that passed last night. But if you look at what's in the president's economic vision and family vision, for example, child care at a time when we know a lot of people stay out of the worker force, even though they like to work, because they can't find or afford child care. So getting those dollars to help Americans get child care in the Build Back Better vision that's going to be a big deal, not just as the right thing to do for families, but for our economy. This is one example of the moves that we've got to make that will help us to have the right kind of long-term economic strength for the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: So we've seen the help wanted signs. Haven't you? Businesses are going to real great lengths at this point to find and hire workers. Well, there's a school district in Missouri turning to students to help fill their jobs.

Chuck McPherson is coordinator of Communications and Community Relations for the Northwest R-1 School District and Mark Catalana is chief Human Resources Officer. Thank you both for being here. We certainly appreciate it. As I understand it, Chuck, nine open positions are available. Twenty- five high school students interviewed for them. What jobs do you need filled and why do you need them filled? Why are you not able to hire from outside the school at this point?

CHUCK MCPHERSON, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, NORTHWEST R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT: Well, there's been a giant disparage in, you know, just employment in general. You know, people, you know, around the schools, nobody can hire enough people. We are hiring for before and after school care, food service, and custodial work, and -- so, you know, we're just working to try to get these positions filled.

PAUL: So, Mark, I understand that you actually were in on a couple of these interviews with some of the students. What reasoning did they give for wanting these jobs? And I'm just wondering how maybe the way they interviewed, what they're learning from this?

MARK CATALANA, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, NORTHWEST SCHOOL DISTRICT: Yes. I interviewed a few of them. Most of the interviews took place with the supervisors and the directors of those departments, but the few students that I interviewed were excited. They were enthusiastic. They were happy to have an opportunity. It gives them an ability to stay connected to our school district.

You know, our school mission, our district mission, is that every student should be ready, resilient, respectful and responsible students and that way they can contribute to society. So this ties right into the opportunity for them.

PAUL: Chuck, are there any GPA or grade requirements for students to maintain a position if they happen to, you know, achieve that point?

MCPHERSON: We -- yes. You know, education is the paramount reason why the students are here and we will be making sure that the students can maintain their grades in order to remain employed here.

PAUL: OK. So, Mark, do students who are hired, do they qualify for the same rate as -- of pay as --

CATALANA: They do.

PAUL: -- somebody else would?

CATALANA: Yes. Yes. They go through the exact same hiring process that any other employee would be. Will on board in the same way that an employee outside of the district would apply for as well. Same pay scale too.

PAUL: And how do you make provisions for schoolwork? Because they're working for a place where they're supposed to be getting their education and we all know time is of the essence with kids. Their schedules are very often packed.

CATALANA: Right. So for the high school schedule, the kids have the ability in a couple positions to come in before school like at 5:30 in the morning and then after school when they get out around 2:30 they have the opportunity to work after hours for custodial positions in the evening. For our before and after care as well and for school food, they can work in the morning prior to their school schedule. Their school is the priority, so we're going to be pretty flexible with them.

[06:25:00]

PAUL: Chuck, talk to me about the enthusiasm for this. From both sides, what are you seeing?

MCPHERSON: You know, it's one of those things that we didn't know what to expect, actually, because this is the first time we had ever done this. You know, we expected a few, but we were --- we were pleasantly surprised. We had 25 students who preregistered, and they came in and did the interviews and there are -- like you said before, there are nine positions. Everyone who came in was excited and they were really looking forward to potentially working for the school district.

PAUL: So, Mark, do you see this potentially, depending on how it goes, as something that could become permanent for students as they get through school because it's a great opportunity for them to earn money too?

CATALANA: Absolutely. I do. In fact, after the interviews the other day, I had six e-mails that following day asking if they could be given an opportunity. So I think the interest is out there. I think the opportunities are out there.

Again, it gives them an ability to stay connected. It's -- and really it's not bad hours. So a lot of students that -- they work if the fast food industry outside of our district have to work weekends and late nights and holidays so the scheduling is pretty flexible and pretty accommodating.

PAUL: Chuck, it's a pretty creative idea. How did you all come up with it and how do parents feel? Have you heard from them?

MCPHERSON: You know, our social media, the parents have been overwhelmingly supportive. The idea came about, I was actually in a meeting with our Chief Operating Officer Dr. Kim Hawk, and she's over all of those areas in which we are hiring for. And she was talking about the difficulty, how difficult it's been to fill those positions.

We've tried social media. We've tried traditional classified ads. We've tried job fares. And Dr. Hawk came up with the idea and said, "Well, what about a student job fair?" And we thought, "Why not? Let's give it a go. We've never tried one. And, you know, what's the worst that can happen?"

And we were pleasantly surprised. And we really hope that this continues. I'm interested in maybe continuing this and doing this next year as well.

PAUL: Yes. Well, Chuck McPherson, Mark Catalana, we appreciate you sharing your perspective with us in this very outside-the-box idea. It will be interesting to see how it progresses. Best of luck to both of you and everybody there.

MCPHERSON: Thank you very much.

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Still ahead a crisis overseas. Armed rebels heading to Ethiopia's capital city. The U.S. State Department now urging all citizens to leave that country immediately. We have the latest developments for you after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, the United States is condemning an assassination attempt on Iraq's Prime Minister. Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived a drone strike in Baghdad's green zone in what the State Department is calling an apparent act of terrorism.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Now, according to Iraqi officials, al- Kadhimi was targeted by three drones. A spokesman said security forces downed two of them, but one drone was able to hit the Prime Minister's residence that caused extensive damage. The Prime Minister escaped unharmed officially say a number of his security detail, however, were injured in the attack.

There are more countries joining the U.S. now and calling on all non- essential government employees to leave Ethiopia. The order is coming amid fears that advancing rebel forces could bring all-out war to the capital.

SANCHEZ: Thousands took to the streets of Ethiopia's capital this morning in a peaceful demonstration showing support for Ethiopia's government and military. This actually marks the largest crowd since the country announced a state of emergency last Tuesday. Let's get to CNN's Melissa Bell. She's live for us in Paris this morning.

Melissa, this sounds like a real threat. And the government taking this seriously in Ethiopia. They've started asking veterans of the military to return to the military in order to fight off the threat.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Boris. Even as on the other side this alliance has been created that involves not just the Tigray People's Liberation forces, but also the Oromo Liberation Army, a whole bunch of rebel forces, both political and military opposed to the government in Addis Ababa.

That alliance created on one side that pro-government protests you saw on the streets of Addis Ababa this morning. That ratcheting up of tensions between the two sides, and yet still diplomatic efforts continue. The U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, on his way today to meet with a Kenyan president in Nairobi in his capacity as the regional bloc's leader still trying to hope to find some diplomatic solution that will allow both sides to sit down together.

And I spoke just a short while ago to a senior diplomatic source in Addis Ababa, and asked what the real window was, what the possibility was of any kind of diplomatic solution at this stage. The reply came, it is small, it is narrowing that window, but Ethiopia is simply too big to fail and the alternative to peace too big to contemplate, Boris.

PAUL: All right, Melissa Bell, thank you so much for keeping us informed. We appreciate the report.

SANCHEZ: Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Glasgow to demand what they call real solutions to climate change. It's happening amid the latest round of U.N. climate talks in Scotland. Campaigners say the global leaders who've made pledges to end coal and fossil fuel financing are not acting fast enough to stop global warming.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg slammed the U.N. summit as a failure during the youth led protests on Friday. She called for an end to what she said are empty promises.

[06:35:11]

So, up next, we're going to introduce you to Virginia's new Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears. She made history on Tuesday night and is starting to become a controversial figure. You'll see why in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:00]

PAUL: So, Terry McAuliffe narrow defeat in Virginia last Tuesday to Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. But there are some key takeaways from this race, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yes, according to analysis of the loss by the McAuliffe campaign obtained by CNN, on turnout, the analysis says, "Democrats exceeded expectations with an increase in raw vote totals from 2017, but it wasn't enough to counter the surge and Republican turnout."

PAUL: And on the key issue of education, the analysis found that while Democrats thought they had a lead on the issue, McAuliffe actually started the race at a disadvantage given the fatigue many Virginians faced after school closures and COVID-19.

SANCHEZ: And while much of the political analysis out of Virginia focused on its new governor-elect Republican Glenn Youngkin, history was made just one name down the ballot.

PAUL: Yes, that name Winsome Sears, the first woman of color ever to take statewide office in Virginia. CNN's Joe Johns has this profile of a rising conservative voice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Winsome Sears victory this week was nothing short of historic.

WINSOME SEARS (R-VA) LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR-ELECT: I didn't run to make history I just wanted to leave it better than I found it.

JOHNS: With her when and the Virginia lieutenant governor's race, Sears became the first woman of color elected to statewide office in the Commonwealth.

SEARS: Are you ready to rumble.

JOHNS: The 57-year-old Sears was part of a Republican sweep of statewide races in Virginia running alongside Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin.

SEARS: We're going to have parental school choice now.

We're not defunding the police.

Let me tell you about me.

JOHNS: Sears a conservative firebrand has pointedly criticized Critical Race Theory, even though it's not part of Virginia's standards of learning, and voiced fierce opposition to COVID vaccine mandates, even refusing to publicly disclose her own vaccination status.

SEARS: We are not going to care what the media says because the media doesn't like us.

JOHNS: Born in Jamaica, Sears first came to the U.S. as a child.

SEARS: My father brought me here when I was 6 years old. And here I am running for the second-highest office in Virginia. Only in America.

JOHNS: On the campaign trail, she often recounted her immigrant story, touting her family's bootstraps success and blasting a so-called victim mentality.

SEARS: And so, I say to you, I am not a victim. My father is not a victim. This is not 1963. We can live where we want. We can eat wherever we want.

JOHNS: Sears served in the Marine Corps before graduating from Virginia's Old Dominion University. She's also been director of a homeless shelter and ran a Bible study ministry in a prison.

In 2001, Sears became the first black woman Republican in the Virginia State Assembly. After serving just one term, she ran for Congress and lost.

SEARS: As my name says, you win some.

JOHNS: After that defeat, she went on to start up a small business. And last year, Sears led an effort to reelect President Donald Trump. While Youngkin kept Trump at arm's length during the campaign, sears did not shy away from her embrace of the former president.

SEARS: I became the national chairman of Black Americans to reelect President Trump.

JOHNS: But that loyalty to Trump did not cost Sears in Tuesday's election, emerging as a leading voice of the Republican Party in Virginia,

SEARS: And they say someone like me should not be a Republican. I'm destroying their narrative because, you know, I say Republicans are racist. Well, I've been Black all my life.

JOHNS: Winsome Sears did not respond to several requests from CNN for an interview. As lieutenant governor starting in January, she will have the responsibility to cast tie-breaking votes in the Virginia State Senate. Joe Johns, CNN Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Joe Johns, thank you so much.

So, let's talk about the celebration yesterday across the sports world. Celebrations, I should say. There were stunning upsets, massive comebacks, and a major career milestone tell you about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:00]

SANCHEZ: So much action in sports yesterday. We are going to get another shake-up in college football rankings. Two undefeated seasons dashed in stunning upsets.

PAUL: Let's get right to Carolyn Manno. Good morning, Carolyn.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you both. So, there are two things that we know about this college football season. One, Georgia is the best team in the country. And two, you do not want to play Purdue if you are unranked and you're a top five team.

If they're on ranked and you're a top five team, you're in a whole lot of trouble. The Boilermakers hosting undefeated number three Michigan State and they steamrolled the Spartans. You really don't see this every day, double reverse screen pass with senior wide receiver Jackson Anthrop breaking one tackle before cutting all the way back across the field, almost an empty. But he has enough gas to elude one final defender.

That is the longest 39-yard touchdown you'll ever see. Purdue wins 40- 29, the 17 time in school history they have beaten the top five team while unranked. That is six more than anybody else.

Meantime, Wake Forest with an epic collapse in Chapel Hill. Their perfect season also coming to an end of 18 halfway through the third and North Carolina scored at 35 of the next 45 points against the ninth-ranked Demon Deacons. Tar Heels' running back Ty Chandler breaking tackles, breaking hearts at 50-yard touchdown run ceiling a wild upset win. Now, just four unbeaten teams left in all of college football.

[06:50:26]

Meantime, the Sixers picked up their sixth straight win on Saturday night. Joel Embiid 30 points, 15 rebounds, draining the fadeaway three in the closing seconds. It was also a very big night for Head Coach Doc Rivers. He became the 10th coach in the league's history to reach 1000 wins.

Fun moment there in the locker room. And just 22 years old Luka Doncic may already be one of the best clutch shooters of all time. Check this out. Tied with time running out, and then the Mavs superstar sinking the Celtics drilling a game-winning step-back three just before the buzzer. Even Doncic could not believe it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Luca, take us through that final possession, baby.

LUKA DONCIC, NBA PLAYER: I don't know what to say, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Also guys, several significant NFL games this week, five featuring rematches of previous Super Bowls. All eyes on Packers- Chiefs this afternoon as Green Bay is without a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for Coronavirus on Wednesday.

And the New York City Marathon is set to get underway in just over an hour's time. The race is back after a year away. More than 30,000 runners making that trek from Staten Island to Central Park. I did it a couple of years ago, guys. I can tell you, it's pretty tough. Everybody's always got the moment of them crossing the finish line smiling, elated. You should see mine. It's pretty miserable. I'm glad to be watching with maybe a cup of hot cocoa today on a cold day in New York.

PAUL: Listen, kudos to you for doing it. My picture wasn't pretty when I did a half. So, amen to you.

MANNO: OK.

SANCHEZ: Look at both of you doing marathons. I'm just sitting on the couch enjoying potato chips and football. Carolyn, I won't take it personally that the Miami Dolphins game wasn't up on that NFL preview. We'll get them next time.

MANNO: We'll get them next time, guys. Have a good morning.

PAUL: You too, Carolyn.

SANCHEZ: Carolyn Manno, thanks so much. PAUL: So, listen to this. Don't be afraid, we're told, to ask for a

hiring bonus if you get a job for the busy holiday season. Employers are desperate for workers and they're willing to pay extra. We'll talk about that.

Also, be sure to catch the next episode of CNN's Original Series Diana tonight. The episode focuses on her complicated relationship with the press. Diana airs tonight at 9:00 p.m.

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[06:55:00]

SANCHEZ: Across the country, companies have been hit hard by the labor shortage. And with holidays right around the corner, some businesses are trying to sweeten the deal for staff that's willing to work.

PAUL: American Airlines, for instance, announced in an internal memo that it plans to offer a one-time paid boost to flight attendants who work certain holiday flights. The airline says it will offer a 150 percent premium for qualifying trips.

SANCHEZ: And listen to this. Crew members with no absences between mid-November and early January will be eligible for twice that amount. The announcement comes after an operational meltdown during Halloween weekend forced thousands of flights to be canceled because of staffing shortages.

PAUL: Now American Airlines isn't alone, we should point out. Retailers across the country are making a full-court press to hire more workers and keep existing employees on board to deal with what's expected this holiday. Here's CNN's Karin Caifa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Retailers forecast for November and December merry and bright.

KATHERINE CULLEN, SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER INSIGHTS. NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: We're expecting retail sales in those months to grow somewhere between 8.5 and 10.5 percent over last year.

CAIFA: But to keep up with shopper demand, they'll need help.

ANNELIZABETH KONKEL, ECONOMIST, INDEED HIRING LAB: There is, you know, a palpable sense of urgency this year among employers who are looking for seasonal workers.

CAIFA: And crunch time for holiday hiring is colliding with a very tight labor market. The Labor Department said there were more than 10 million job openings across the U.S. heading into September when most retailers were finalizing holiday plants.

At the same time, more than 4 million Americans left jobs including 721,000 retail workers. AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economists for Indeed Hiring Lab says those roles are tougher to fill. KONKEL: We are still in a pandemic. There are still concerns about COVID. A lot of holiday jobs are, you know, for in-person work and childcare challenges continue to bound.

CAIFA: The pandemic accelerated online shopping habits. And Andy Challenger, Senior Vice President of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas says that's changing how retailers have to hire too.

ANDY CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER GRAY AND CHRISTMAS: Retailers are trying to fill positions both in their retail stores and at every point in supply chain along the way from transportation, shipping from the docks, into the warehouses.

CAIFA: So, the hiring push is on.

KONKEL: They're really trying to sweeten the deal to get workers this year.

CAIFA: Kohl's offering bonuses of $100 to $400 through the holiday stretch. Target promising $2 more per hour during peak shifts. Macy's offering $500 referral bonuses. Walmart holding hiring events focused on supply chain roles, with some paying upwards of $20.00 per hour. And Amazon offering sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000. Still, Challenger forecasts most will fall short of hiring goals.

CHALLENGER: The labor market is too tight. There are not enough people ready willing to work right now to fill all the positions that are currently open.

CAIFA: Another reason consumers might add patience to their holiday checklists. In Washington, I'm Karin Caifa.