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U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Surpasses 171,000 With 5.4 Million Cases; New Cases Fall Below 40,000 A Day For First Time In Two Months; Trump Ally Says President "Enthusiastic" About Unproven Therapeutic Made From Toxic Plant But Can't Provide Evidence It Works; Notre Dame Univ. Reports Almost 150 Positive Coronavirus Cases; New Study: Possible Coronavirus Spread On Airplane; Trump Attacks Michelle Obama After Her Scathing Remarks In Convention Speech; Postmaster General Suspends Changes At Post Offices. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired August 18, 2020 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: That's it for the lead today. Be sure to join us tonight for night two of the Democratic National Convention. We will see you then.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM.

We're following breaking news. The coronavirus death fell here in the United States has now surpassed 171,000 people and 5.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases. But for the first time in two months, the country saw less than 40,000 new cases in a single day.

There's also breaking news in President Trump's attacks on mail-in voting. Under growing pressure, the Postmaster General of the United States just announced he's suspending controversial changes in the Postal Service seen by many as undermining mail-in voting during the pandemic, but the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is warning that the move and I'm quoting her now "doesn't reverse the damage already done."

We're only hours away from the start of night two of the truly unprecedented virtual Democratic Party convention. Tonight, speeches include former President Bill Clinton, Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of the soon to be presidential nominee, Joe Biden.

And we're just getting, by the way, new excerpts from their speeches. We'll have that for you.

But let's begin over at the White House right now. CNN's Ryan Nobles is joining us.

Ryan, the postmaster general says no more changes at the postal service until after the election on November 3, but some fear the damage has already been done.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're right about that, Wolf. And the President is on the campaign trail today visiting two important key swing states as he works toward his reelection bid. And while he is on the campaign trail, there are a number of policy challenges facing him here in Washington, including the future of the United States Postal Service.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NOBLES (voice-over): Tonight the postal service is changing course, walking back plans to institute big changes that critics say had the potential to disrupt the fall election, as millions of Americans plan to cast their vote by mail.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Democrats want to make it a political issue. It's not a political issue. It's really about a correct vote.

NOBLES: The announcement comes as Democrats push a bill in Congress to increase funding to the post office and protect its ability to deliver ballots on time.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: They felt the heat and that's what we were trying to do is to make it too hot for them to handle.

NOBLES: All while President Trump continues to attempt to discredit the vote by mail system. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy will be on Capitol Hill Friday to answer lawmakers' questions.

Meanwhile, the campaign for president is heating up. President Trump punching back after the first night of the Democratic National Convention.

TRUMP: I thought it was a very divisive speech, extremely divisive.

NOBLES: It was a night where Democrats landed blow after blow on the commander in chief headlined by the former First Lady, Michelle Obama.

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.

NOBLES: Those last words "it is what it is" seemingly an attack on Trump's use of the dismissive term to describe the staggering coronavirus death toll in the country.

TRUMP: They are dying. That's true. And you -- it is what it is.

NOBLES: The president taking fire not just from Democrats, but Republicans as well. Even those who served in his administration.

MILES TAYLOR, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: He was one of the most unfocused and undisciplined senior executives I've ever encountered.

NOBLES: Miles Taylor was the former chief of staff to the Secretary of Homeland Security serving in the job during the high profile and controversial child separation policy at the border. Just a few months removed from his time serving Trump. He's now supporting Biden. Taylor: I'm confident that Joe Biden will protect the country. And I'm confident in you won't make the same mistakes as this president.

NOBLES: Trump shoved off Taylor's disloyal move, calling him a "stiff." All this while the coronavirus hotspots continue to pop up across America.

The President entertaining the idea of promoting the therapeutic oleandrin an extract of a toxic plant because it was suggested by his big supporter Mike Lindell of MyPillow, who serves on the board of the company pushing the supposed that treatment.

Lindell claims the therapeutic was tested and is being looked at by the FDA, but could provide no proof or evidence of the study in an interview with Anderson Cooper.

MIKE LINDELL, MYPILLOW CEO: This thing works. It's the miracle of all time.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Sir, you said you've seen this test, where is it?

LINDELL: The test are out there, the thousand people, Phase I and Phase II.

COOPER: Where is the test? Show it to us?

LINDELL: I don't have --

COOPER: How are you different in snake oil salesmen?

[17:05:01]

LINDELL: I think my platform stands by itself as a platform that God gave me of integrity and trust.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBLES: And there is a reason that so many people are concerned about the future of the United States Postal Service and that is because it is going to play an increased an important role in this year's election.

Take a look at the results of this new poll from CNN. It says that 34 percent of Americans plan to vote by mail this time around, that is 10 percent more than use the practice just four years ago. But you can understand when you dig deeper into this poll why perhaps the President is concerned about voting by mail.

There is a big divide between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to voting by mail. Fifty-three percent of Biden's supporters say they plan to vote by mail, but only 12 percent of the President's supporters say they plan to vote by casting their ballot through the mail. Wolf.

BLITZER: Interesting. All right, Ryan, thank you very much. Ryan Nobles reporting for us from the White House.

Now the latest on the coronavirus pandemic CNN's Erica Hill is working in this part of the story for us from New York.

Erica deaths and cases are up with a number of single day new cases has fallen below 40,000 for the first time in two months update our viewers on the very latest.

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. And they're both important numbers as we look at them, Wolf. As you point out falling below 40,000 just over 35,000 cases, for the first time in nearly two months in this country. That is good news. But the number of deaths reported each day is still averaging above 1000 and has four weeks.

The issue we all need to remember is that deaths are a lagging indicator. They are two to four weeks behind the new cases.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILL (voice-over): Masks and social distancing having an impact. New cases in the U.S. down 10 percent over the past week.

DR. PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR AND DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: There are some states that have done the hard work to really bring this epidemic into what I call containment mode.

HILL: New York State marking in 11th straight day with a positivity rate of less than one percent. The situation not as encouraging on college campuses.

REEVES MOSELEY, STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, UNC CHAPEL HILL: UNC was kind of, for lack of a better phrase, a guinea pig for this both nationally and across the state of North Carolina.

HILL: UNC Chapel Hill facing blowback after several clusters and quarantine dorms nearing capacity forced undergrad classes to move online just one week into the fall semester. The chancellor blames off campus activities. The school paper says UNC has "cluster F" on its hands.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY, UNIV. OF MINNESOTA: I am quite certain that what's going to happen over the next four to six weeks is an explosion of cases and young adults and adolescents as we reopen colleges, universities and schools, which will then spill over to the general population.

HILL: Notre Dame reporting nearly 150 positive cases almost triple the number it had on Monday. Its campus still open as Ithaca College in upstate New York shifts to fully remote learning, reversing plans to bring students back in October.

The SEC not making a decision on fans for the fall football season, punting to individual schools to make that call.

More quarantines at some Florida grade schools after reopening. Miami Dade public schools, which began remote learning August 31 announcing nearly 600 employees have tested positive for the virus.

AUSTIN BEUTNER, SUPERINTENDENT, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: We want to keep schools from becoming a petri dish. We want to keep all the school community safe. We need to test and trace at schools.

HILL: That's the plan in Los Angeles for the district's 700,000 students and 75,000 staff. But in many areas testing and the turnaround time for results is still a hurdle.

A new saliva test granted emergency use authorization by the FDA could help.

ADM. BRETT GIRIOR, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, HHS: So it skips many steps upfront. So it makes it much more amenable to be using as a surveillance tool like in schools or universities and it also preserves some of the reagents that are relatively scarce.

HILL: A new study in Germany finds the virus was likely spread on a flight in March, the for most airlines mandated masks. Travel still a concern, especially in areas that are doing well.

DR. JAY VARMA, SENIOR ADVISER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, NYC MAYOR'S OFFICE: Over the past month, about 15 to 20 percent of all of the cases in New York City have occurred in people who recently traveled to somewhere outside of New York City.

HILL: The city recommending families who have recently traveled to hotspots should quarantine before sending their kids to school.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Mayor Bill de Blasio here in New York City also signing an executive order that mandates hotels and short-term rental companies require travelers from any of the 35 states and territories on that mandatory quarantine list, they must all fill out a form upon arrival and there will be fines if those forms are not filled out in terms of that list. 35 states and territories for the tri state area. Travelers from those areas must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut.

[17:10:03]

And just added today, Wolf, Alaska and Delaware is now back on again.

BLITZER: Erica Hill in New York for us, thank you.

Let's get some more on all these late breaking developments. Our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is with us.

Sanjay, this decline in the seven day average here in the United States averaging around 40,000 a day. The first we've seen since July. So how promising is that in your view?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, I mean, obviously, you want to see the numbers going down, Wolf. And we can show you the graph here and see what sort of has happened over the last several months.

I think the question really, when you look at these numbers, keep in mind that our sort of low point right now still higher than the peak was back in April, Wolf. I think the question is, is it going to be a bit of a rollercoaster ride or is that downward trend going to continue?

You can superimpose what we've seen with these sad, tragic deaths as well, you know, that that is a lagging sort of number. And that's likely to sort of follow the case counts by a few weeks.

Wolf, I think the question is, you know, look, we're starting to open up again schools, you know, grade schools, colleges, as you've been talking about. I mean, as that happens, the numbers will go up. I think we know that for sure.

The question is, will they go up and then plateau at a certain level? Or will they continue to go up and there'll be sort of significant spread again? We're hoping that doesn't happen, but there's nothing really that's been put in place to prevent that from happening.

When we shut things down, Wolf, there were some 5000 infections in the country. When we shut down schools. We're opening them up. There's some 5 million infections. So, it's hard to sort of predict for sure what's going to happen here.

BLITZER: Certainly is. Let me ask you about this new drug that's being touted by the MyPillow founder as a potential coronavirus, therapeutic that what's so worrisome and so disturbing, Sanjay, and I like your thoughts. This person actually has the ear of the President of the United States with a drug, it's called oleander, I think, as dangerous as this one is. Just give us a sense of what's going on here.

GUPTA: Well, what's going on here is that a totally unproven therapy that is actually quite dangerous. Is something that has made its way into the ear of the President, as you said, this idea of it. This is not something that you want to take.

I mean, you know, this idea that maybe they'll try and sell it as a supplement, you've got to remember that supplements are a pretty unregulated industry in the United States. And oftentimes people buy supplements thinking look, can't hurt, might help, why not? That's not the case here.

This one could hurt. It has no evidence whatsoever in humans to show that it'd be beneficial against the coronavirus.

I watched the interview that Anderson did with this founder of MyPillow earlier. He said that there's Phase I and Phase II data around this, there's not. We've called the FDA just over the last couple of hours, they won't comment on this.

So this -- we're going to have to talk about it obviously, because it's something the President's talking about, but oleandrin which comes from oleander, the plant, that is a toxic plant. Wolf, there was this book called White Oleander and a movie White Oleander, it was about somebody poisoning somebody else using this substance. Don't want -- you don't want to use this.

BLITZER: Let's talk about schools, a sensitive subject so important to all of us, schools reopening. It remains obviously a very, very large concern. We're just learning as you heard Notre Dame reporting an additional 80 positive COVID cases now nearly 150. The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Notre Dame, I'm looking at this, actually CNN has not confirmed it, Notre Dame is canceling in person classes and moving them online for at least two weeks right now given this dramatic spike in confirmed coronavirus cases at Notre Dame University.

That -- it sounds -- yesterday, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, they cancelled in class. In class teaching, at least for this semester, it looks like it's happening in so many parts of the country campuses, basically shutting down as far as in class teaching is concerned.

GUPTA: Wolf, this is an unforgiving virus. I mean, the virus behaves exactly like you would think it would behave. It's very contagious. And frankly, college students behave exactly like you think they would behave.

They like to get together. They're probably not, you know, abiding by all the public health principles of physical distancing and masking. I mean, that's to be expected to be candid on a college campus.

This, you know, this is -- I wish it weren't the case. I wish we could open up schools and colleges and not expect these sorts of, you know, significant events of super spreading, but that that's what's happening, Wolf, and that's what you'd expect to happen.

As we open up more and more schools, you're going to see increasing numbers. I mean, I hope, and again I get no joy in saying this, but I hope other schools and places around the country look at Notre Dame, look at UNC, look even within their own communities. And, you know, take a hard look at that evidence.

[17:15:13]

I think we've been given plenty of clues at this point as what -- as to what happens in these types of situations. More people will become infected, more people will become hospitalized and sadly more people will die if we continue to open up having done nothing to support that sort of opening in terms of testing and tracing and all the things that we've been talking about.

BLITZER: Yes, so, so, so worrisome. Let's talk about this study out of Germany on air travel showing the possible spread of coronavirus on a flight. We should note the study was back in March should before specific mitigation measures were put in place, but what more can you tell us about what the data says?

GUPTA: Well, this particular study, as you pointed out, was some time ago. So I think it's hard to sort of extrapolate what happened there which was there were a few people on the plane who subsequently were known to have coronavirus, seven people and two more people became infected. It sounds like on that flight, although they can't even be certain of that that person, the people who got infected may have been infected right before or right after the flight as well.

But I would say is this, Wolf, obviously airline travel head has gone down quite a bit. I was talking to some folks within the airline industry last week. But it started to increase again. And what we haven't seen, thankfully, are significant outbreaks related to air travel.

Airplanes, you know, typically they're circulating the air quite a bit. As you mentioned, people are now required to wear masks on most airlines, they hopefully give more distance. So, I think it's it seems to be OK in terms of overall safety. But you got to follow the basic measures.

BLITZER: Yes. And you got to make sure. Unfortunately, I think almost every airline now mandates you have to wear a mask otherwise you get kicked off that plane.

All right, Sanjay, thank you very, very much. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, helping us as he always does. Up next that Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton among tonight's Democratic Convention speakers we're about to get a preview.

And I'll talk about what's coming up with one of last night's speaker, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. There she is. She's standing by live. We'll discuss when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:21:31]

BLITZER: We're just hours away from the start of night to the Democrats truly historic virtual convention. Tonight's speeches include former President Bill Clinton and Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of soon to be nominee Joe Biden.

Our Political Correspondent Arlette Saenz is in Wilmington, Delaware for us.

Arlette, set the scene for us. Give us some preview.

ARLETTE, SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Jill Biden has said that being a political spouse never came naturally to her but tonight she is set to deliver the biggest speech of her political career. We also talk about her husband's personal character and also the loss that he sustained of his wife and first daughter early when he was a senator. She will say there are times I couldn't imagine how he did it, how he put one foot in front of the other and kept going. But I've always understood why he did it. He does it for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SAENZ (voice-over): Tonight, Jill Biden embracing the role of convention headliner, looking to make the case in highly personal terms, why her husband should be the next commander in chief.

JILL BIDEN, WIFE OF FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I have always said that I thought Joe would be the best president. The former Second Lady is going back to her roots as a teacher delivering the biggest political speech of her career live from this Delaware high school where she taught English three decades ago.

BIDEN: For me, being a teacher isn't just what I do. It's who I am.

SAENZ: Also on deck tonight, former President Bill Clinton, who's expected deliver his sharpest rebuke yet of President Trump. And from the progressive wing of the party Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez giving a short speech entering runner up Bernie Sanders name into nomination.

The roll call vote that traditionally takes place on the convention floor tonight replaced with Americans in remote locations nationwide, formally nominating Joe Biden to the Democratic ticket.

Tonight's keynote address will also look different instead of one speaker, 17 rising stars in the Democratic Party giving their message to the convention.

On the opening night of the Democratic Convention, former First Lady Michelle Obama laid out the stakes for the election in pointed terms.

OBAMA: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.

SAENZ: Obama also issuing a call to action for the fall campaign.

OBAMA: We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. We've got to show up with the same level of passion and hope for Joe Biden.

SAENZ: Sanders, echoing that message Monday night from his home state of Vermont, as he rallied his supporters behind his former foe.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election, the future of our democracy is at stake.

JOHN KASICH, (R) FORMER OHIO GOVERNOR: America is at a crossroads.

SAENZ: Former Ohio Governor John Kasich leading the charge of Republicans crossing the aisle to back Biden.

KASICH: I'm a lifelong Republican, but that attachment hold second place my responsibility to my country.

[17:25:02] SAEZ: The corona virus pandemic also front and center in night one when a California woman gave emotional testimony of how she lost her 65-year old father to COVID-19.

KRISTIN URQUIZA, FATHER DIED OF CORONAVIRUS: His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAENZ: And Jill Biden is receiving some words of encouragement ahead of tonight's speech from her friend, former First Lady Michelle Obama, who posted a short while ago on Instagram saying "I can't wait for Jill Biden speech tonight. I'm so fortunate to have gotten to know her while we were in the White House. She was my partner in crime truly."

Mrs. Obama added "There is no doubt in my mind Jill will make a wonderful First Lady." Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Arlette, thank you very much. Arlette Saenz reporting.

Now let's get some more in all of this. So the Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer is joining us.

Governor Whitmer, thanks so much for joining us. You participated in last night's event. So what's your reaction to seeing President Trump respond directly to many of the speakers at the convention even going directly after Michelle Obama?

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): Well, I think he's kind of making the point, right, is that we still don't have a national strategy around COVID-19. We still don't have a plan to get everyone tested who needs a test and get it for free. We still don't have a plan for the distribution of vaccines when we have one that has been approved and is safe to manufacture and do that.

I mean, this is the problem. This is the precise problem. While we have seen our nation in the midst of this global pandemic, 170,000 people lost their lives, millions out of work. This is what our commander in chief is spending his time doing. This is what we're talking about.

And this is why this moment is so important to get it right. Our economy is relying on it and most importantly, the health of our people is relying on us to get this right this election.

BLITZER: Also last night governor, Senator Bernie Sanders, a former primary rival of Joe Biden's, he gave a full throated endorsement of Joe Biden, despite their differences he outlined the way their visions aligned, do you think enough progressives will be convinced to get out there and actually vote for Biden as opposed to simply sitting home or going for some candidate out there who might get on the ballot, who has no chance of being elected?

WHITMER: I do and I'm so glad to see Senator Sanders with this rousing endorsement of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I believe that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tonight will bring it and I think that that is a wonderful thing.

And we've got a stage, I mean, a not a literal stage, but a figurative stage where we have someone like John Kasich on it, and someone like Bernie Sanders. And that tells you that this is a moment that we are building coalitions and we are railing. It's about our nation and about our fellow Americans. And that's why I think this convention is so unconventional in so many ways.

BLITZER: Yes. They used to call it a big tent party on the Republican side. Let's see if the Democrats can have a big tent party right now.

Speaking of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she obviously has enormous star power. She connects with a lot of the younger, more progressive voters. But there's some concern amongst them, she's only been given a minute of speaking time tonight. You think that was a mistake?

WHITMER: You know, I don't know. I don't know how these decisions are made. This is a production unlike anything we've seen before. So I can't really weigh in on that.

I just know that she can probably do more with a minute than most people can. And so I am looking forward to all of the programming tonight.

BLITZER: We all are looking forward to day two. That's coming up later tonight.

Let me ask you about this lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service. Michigan has now joined with at least 19 other states in suing to try to reverse the change as implemented under the postmaster Louis DeJoy. But today DeJoy announced all changes have been suspended until after the presidential election on November 3, is that good enough for you?

WHITMER: No, that's why we are still pursuing the lawsuit. I'm glad to see that they appear to be backing down. But we still have to pursue this because that could change.

You know, just as it changed in one moment, it can change again. And that's why we need to pursue this. We want to make sure that protections that Americans have always come to rely on when it comes to the United States Postal Service, and our most important vote, that that those are there and that's why we are going to pursue this with the other states that are part of this lawsuit. It's important, and it's critical to the foundations of our democracy.

BLITZER: Now, the Speaker Nancy Pelosi just put out a statement a little while ago saying there's already damage out there for the changes that are already have been implemented, even if they're no more changes between now and the presidential election.

[17:30:02]

Governor Whitmer, thanks so much for joining us. WHITMER: Thank you.

BLITZER: Coming up, the Postmaster General, as we've been reporting, backing down on changes, more changes before the presidential election. The question though, has the damage to mail-in voting here in the United States already been done? We'll ask one of the state attorneys general, who's taking legal action about that.

And later, what life looks like now where the pandemic began. Look at this. Wuhan, China. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:35:31]

BLITZER: Night, two of the Democratic National Convention just ahead and there's breaking news right now we'll be seeing. Joining us CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and our Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson. Dana, the DNC plans to introduce voters to Joe Biden, his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, we just got an excerpt from her speeches expected to say, and I'm quoting now, "How do you make a broken family hole?

The same way you make a nation hole with love and understanding and with small acts of compassion, with bravery, with unwavering faith".

That's a direct quote. So what does that say about what else we can expect to hear from her later tonight?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's always the job of the spouse to help humanize the candidate. In the case of Joe Biden, because that is largely his calling card, his humanity, his empathy, we've heard it from other people.

But it's obviously different when it's his wife and it's a wife who he married and who immediately became a mother to his two sons who lost their own mother as babies in a car crash. So the story is just horrific and heart-wrenching, but obviously they believe, very telling when it comes to Joe Biden's character.

But the other part of Jill Biden speech that they released in an excerpt is talking about schools and the fact that she is a teacher. She's now a college professor, but she was a elementary school teacher. And she's going to be in that school, where she taught years ago talking about how the echoes of the empty hallways, no scent of new notebooks and freshly waxed floors, again trying to connect with people and make them believe and understand from the point of view of Democrats that one of the reasons children are not in school, the parents have to deal with virtual learning and everything that comes along with it is because of the failures of the man and the administration that her husband is trying to unseat.

BLITZER: You know, Nia, we're also going to hear from former President Bill Clinton later tonight, he's expected to say the Oval Office should be a command center. But instead he says in his words, it's become a storm center. How different will Bill Clinton's role be this time around compared to previous conventions and a spoken as we all know, many of them?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: He has spoken and many of them he's going to get a shorter roll, a shorter speaking slot this go round. It's partly because of the way this convention is playing out, the virtual convention. But it's also partly because of Bill Clinton isn't necessarily where the Democratic Party is right now.

Historically, he has done very well with white voters compared to other Democrats who have run. He's also a very good speaker. I think Barack Obama at one time, said that he should be sort of the secretary of explaining stuff. And so I imagine that that is the role he'll play tonight. He obviously a relates to folks very easily, he understands how to communicate. So I imagine that's the role he'll play tonight, but again, a diminished role. Only 10 minutes for the former president.

BLITZER: Yes, that's an important point as well. You know, Dana, the former First Lady Michelle Obama speech certainly was the standout of last night. It clearly got under President Trump's skin. He went after her directly on Twitter and over at the White House event, celebrating women today. So what does that say about Michelle Obama's own reach and power in this campaign?

BASH: Well, from her perspective, it's mission accomplished. She -- what she was trying to show was only proven by the man that she explained in the way that she did. The fact that his response was -- part of his response was that she taped the speech and oh, that was 20,000 deaths ago, is -- would be comical if you weren't talking about 20,000 people who have died in the intervening time, because of the argument that Michelle Obama has made, the lack of leadership and the way that this administration has or has not led in a time of coronavirus. So, I can tell you there's a lot of, you know, gasping inside some Republican circles that that was the response that the President had.

BLITZER: Yes, our extensive live coverage of the convention will begin in a couple hours, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, lots going on. Guys, thank you very, very much.

Up next, we'll get back to the coronavirus pandemic and how it's evolving right now, including where it began, where it's now under such tight control people could celebrate. Look at this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:44:46]

BLITZER: Whether it's college campuses, airline travel or a job that's no longer there, life in this country is still dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. In Wuhan, China, however, where it all began, it's a very different picture. CNN Steven Jang is in Beijing with details.

[17:45:03] STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Wolf, over the weekend, thousands of revelers packed the pool to the brim at a local water parking Wuhan. The ground zero of the pandemic, waving to the beat of the music and cooling down in the water without any masks or social distancing measures in sight.

Just four months ago, the city was emerging from a brutal 76 day lockdown during which its 11 million residents were mostly confined at home. Such sweeping measures and now being credited by the government here for containing this virus, not only in Wuhan, but also in the rest of China where things are increasingly getting back to a state of normalcy, in sharp contrast to what's going on in many other countries around the world, including the U.S., Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Steven, thank you very much. Steven Jiang in Beijing.

Europe next where a surge is underway and restrictions are tightening to try to meet it. CNN's Melissa Bell is in Paris.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, more worrying coronavirus figures from several European countries. Here in Paris, coronavirus cases have increased six fold since the start of August. Also in the south of country, several new clusters around many of those tourist hotspots here in France, but also in Greece, in Italy, in Spain and Croatia.

Since the internal borders of the European Union have been reopened, many people have been traveling, going out and that has led to this fresh surge in cases with governments trying to increase the number of measures to try and prevent that search from continuing things like face masks being made mandatory in increasingly large parts of cities like Paris. But also nightclubs in Greece and in Italy being closed to try and prevent the spread of the disease to that younger category of people that is now being affected.

BLITZER: CNN's Melissa Bell in Paris for us, thank you very, very much.

There's more breaking news here in "The Situation Room". The Postmaster General of the United States backs down on some controversial changes to the Postal Service after at least 20 states sue. I'll speak to one of the state attorneys general who was part of it when we come back.

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[17:51:58]

BLITZER: There's more breaking news coming in to "The Situation Room" right now. We've just received a preview of a video that will be playing later tonight at the Democratic Convention highlighting the friendship between Joe Biden and the late Senator John McCain. Look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a friendship that shouldn't have worked. John, a former Navy pilot just released from a North Vietnamese prison. Joe, a young senator from Delaware. But in the 1970s, Joe was assigned a military aide for a trip overseas.

JOHN MCCAIN, FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR: I was a Navy Senate liaison and used to carry your bags on overseas trips.

JOE BIDEN, PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE The son of a gun never carried my bags. He was supposed to carry my bags there but he never carried my bags.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John and Joe traveled thousands of miles together. The families got knew each other, gathering for picnics in the Biden's backyard.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They would just sit and joke. It was like a comedy show sometimes to watch the two of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Yes, it's an excerpt. A lot more of that coming up later tonight.

Meanwhile, under growing pressure, the Postmaster General of the United States now says he'll suspend Postal Service changes seen as undermining mail-in voting here in the U.S. until after the presidential election. At least 20 states have increased the pressure with a lawsuit.

The Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is joining us right now. Attorney General Ferguson, thanks so much for joining us. So the Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has reversed course now saying he will suspend any of these Postal Service changes until after the election. Does this essentially satisfy everything you had planned to file in your complaint?

BOB FERGUSON (D), WASHINGTON ATTORNEY GENERAL: Thanks for having me on, Wolf, really appreciate it. The short answer is no. In other words, I've been a part of more than 70 lawsuits against this administration, we've won 30 out of 31 cases have been decided. One thing I've learned, Wolf, is I've got to take statements by the administration with a certain grain of salt. So we're happy to work to make sure that what the Postmaster General is saying is actually what is happening.

And if so, let's make sure we get that codified with the judicial order, so they must follow the law. But it's a good sign that within 15 minutes of filing this lawsuit, they're already essentially caving.

BLITZER: So I just want to be clear, Attorney General, you will continue with your legal complaint. Is there anything that would change that because of as of right now, retail hours at post offices will not change mail processing equipment, blue collection, boxes will remain in place, no mail processing facilities, will be closed. When will you have confidence, full confidence that no additional changes or disruptions, new ones will take place?

FERGUSON: So Wolf, I'll be satisfied when I'm always satisfied when litigating against this administration, which is when we have those agreements written in writing and filed with the court.

[17:55:07]

So if they violate the terms of that understanding, we can be right back in court and prevail. So that's what's critical in Washington State. Three of our five processing centers, closed down for outgoing mail. We need those back up and running. If things like that happen, then we won't need to file for a preliminary injunction. But I'm going to take all this with a grain of salt until we have the chance to make sure we get this in a judicially enforceable agreement.

BLITZER: What do you hope to hear from Postmaster DeJoy when he testifies before the Senate on Friday in the House on Monday?

FERGUSON: Well, I will be interested, like tend not to focus too much on hearings in Washington, D.C. We stay very focused on the law and making sure the administration is following the law. But I will be interested, Wolf, to your questions earlier of what does he say related to the statement he put out today in response to our lawsuit.

Is he going back to the way things were before they made these drastic service changes which importantly are about electric, of course, but also about seniors getting their prescriptions, veterans who get their medications through the mail, folks who get benefits like Social Security?

This administration started an all-out assault on the United States Postal Service, which is an institution that millions of Americans depend upon for the necessities of life. So I'll be listening very closely for what he says. They're actually doing on the ground in states like Washington, and the more than a dozen states that joined us here in Washington State with this lawsuit that we filed earlier today.

BLITZER: Attorney General Bob Ferguson of Washington State, thanks so much for joining us. Good luck.

FERGUSON: Thank you, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: So there's more breaking news coming up. We're now getting new details of what we'll be hearing soon from Jill Biden, former President Bill Clinton in night two of the virtual Democratic Presidential Convention.

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BLITZER: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We're following breaking news.