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The Situation Room
U.S. Coronavirus Daily Deaths Above 2,200; FDA Meeting For Vaccine Approval; Biden Announces Health Team To Respond To The Pandemic; Interview With Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC); Biden Says He Plans To Name Attorney General This Week And Name Defense Secretary On Friday; CNN: House Conservatives Urge Trump Not To Concede Over Bogus Election Claims, Press For Floor Fight; "Washington Post:" Only 27 Of 249 Congressional GOP Acknowledge Biden's Win; Georgia Certifies Biden's Win After Third Recount. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired December 07, 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: Thank you so much. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @jaketapper. You can tweet the show @TheLeadCNN. Our coverage on CNN continues right now.
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 are following breaking news.
U.S. Coronavirus death toll now topping 283,000 people as the country closes in on 15 million confirmed cases. And on this Pearl Harbor anniversary, COVID-19 is killing almost as many Americans on average every day as the attack which left 2,400 people dead.
Health officials are extremely worried about the coming weeks. Dr. Anthony Fauci warning that we still haven't seen the full brunt of the Thanksgiving surge, adding, and I'm quoting him now, "the middle of January could be a really dark time for us."
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the FDA meeting this Thursday which is expected to clear the way for the Pfizer vaccine to be distributed immediately.
We are also following the presidential transition. President-elect Biden announcing key members of the team that will fight the pandemic, including Dr. Fauci who will be a chief medical adviser to the president.
For more on the breaking pandemic news, let's go to CNN's Lucy Kafanov in Denver for us. Lucy, an average, what, 2,200 Americans are dying daily from COVID.
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. And just to put that number in context, more Americans could potentially die of COVID- 19 today than the total number killed at the Pearl Harbor attack nearly 80 years ago.
The numbers, cases, hospitalizations, all trending in the wrong direction. And health experts warn to expect more grim news in the weeks ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAFANOV (voice-over): Across America, the coronavirus is spreading faster than ever. A whopping 1 million new cases of COVID-19 reported in just the first five days of December.
ABDUL EL-SAYED, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This is a four-alarm fire and we can't pretend that it's not blazing simply because it's been blazing for the past eight months.
KAFANOV (voice-over): Sunday capping off the deadliest weekend since mid-April with more than 3,300 new deaths reported. Many hospitals stretched to capacity. Yesterday, hitting another record high.
JEROME ADAMS, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: This surge is different than earlier surges because it's not about PPE, it's not about testing. It's really about health care capacity and certain places are just being overwhelmed.
KAFANOV (voice-over): 10,000 COVID patients are in hospital beds in California alone where severe new restrictions are now back in place. Restaurants in many California counties are limited to takeout and delivery services only.
UNKNOWN: Reopen!
KAFANOV (voice-over): Some pushing back. One restaurant owner frustrated her outdoor dining patio has been forced to close even though she says a video production company set up an outdoor eating area for its employee's right next to her own parking lot.
UNKNOWN: Tell me that this is dangerous! But right next to me, is a slap in my face and that is safe.
KAFANOV (voice-over): New York also considering closing indoor dining in five days if hospitalization rates don't stabilize.
BILL DE BLASIO, MAYOR OF NEW YORK: I think it's as simple as this. If these numbers don't level off soon, then all options have to be on the table.
KAFANOV (voice-over): As for schools in the Big Apple, some of those reopened today for elementary and special needs students.
DE BLASIO: The parents were so happy and so relieved.
KAFANOV (voice-over): Colorado governor, Jared Polis, recovering from COVID. His husband also sick and rushed to the hospital posting on Facebook, "I experienced a worsening cough and shortness of breath. My doctor suggested as a precaution I go to the hospital." This as experts warn it's about to get worse.
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: We are in a situation is that as we enter now from the Thanksgiving holiday season into the Christmas holiday season, it's going to be challenging.
KAFANOV (voice-over): Some hope seemingly around the corner. Pfizer's vaccine expected to get emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which meets Thursday. But according to a CNN analysis, the first shipments will fall short of what 27 states need to vaccinate their priority group, frontline healthcare workers and the elderly
According to the surgeon general, nearly half of COVID deaths are among those in long-term care facilities or are older.
ADAMS: We want to make sure we are giving it to the people who are most likely to die from this virus. We also want our healthcare workers who are on the frontlines to be able to get it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAFANOV (on camera): Another worrying factor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, today warned that even when someone is vaccinated, they could still potentially spread the virus.
[17:04:57]
He also says there won't be an immediate improvement in the mortality spread once those vaccines start to get distributed which could mean, Wolf, we are expecting more bad news before things tend to get better here.
BLITZER: All right, Lucy Kafanov reporting from Denver. Thank you.
President-elect Biden, meanwhile, has announced key members of the health team he is tasking with fighting the pandemic once he takes office. Let's go to our political correspondent Arlette Saenz joining us from Wilmington, Delaware. Once again, Arlette, what more first of all are you learning about the health theme that the president-elect is putting in place?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, President- elect Joe Biden has assembled this team that will really be the driving force in his efforts to try to get this pandemic under control. And this team of health experts, they all come from a variety of backgrounds and areas.
But I want to start with his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. He has landed on California attorney general Xavier Becerra for that post. Now, he is not a policy expert, but he has led the legal efforts to try to defend the Affordable Care Act.
And if he is confirmed, he would also be the first Latino to be in that position of HHS secretary. So that could be a barrier breaking nomination. Biden has also asked Dr. Vivek Murthy to come back and serve as surgeon general after he had already served in that position during the Obama administration.
And there are a number of other people that Biden has also rolled out including Dr. Rochelle Walensky who will be the director if the CDC if she is confirmed. She is an infectious disease expert. And we know that Biden has already asked Dr. Anthony Fauci to come on as a chief medical adviser to the White House.
Another top name is Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith who will be leading a COVID-19 equity task force to try to address those health inequities that we've seen during this pandemic as black and Latino Americans had been disproportionately affected with this virus.
Now, Biden will be introducing his team here in Wilmington, Delaware tomorrow. I'm told Dr. Anthony Fauci will not be attending in person, but they are trying to find some way for him to join.
But Biden, the president-elect, is making it very clear that tackling this pandemic is a top priority for him when he takes office.
BLITZER: It certainly is. And there is two other major positions left to fill, Arlette. We're talking about the Defense Secretary and the Attorney General of the United States. What's the latest that you're hearing on those?
SAENZ: That's right, Wolf. It's shaping up to be a very busy week for the president-elect. And he told reporters just a moment ago that he intends to name his picks for the Department of Defense Secretary and then also his Attorney General this week.
He specifically said that the Defense Secretary name will be coming on Friday. Now, there are a variety of people who have been under consideration for these jobs. To start with the Defense Secretary, we know that Michelle Flournoy, also Jeh Johnson and Lloyd Austin are all in contention for that job.
And there is also a long list of names for people who are under consideration to lead the Department of Justice, and that includes former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. Also, outgoing Alabama senator, Doug Jones, a longtime friend of Biden's. And as well, Deval Patrick, Jeh Johnson, and Lisa Monaco are all names that have mentioned.
But Biden has also been facing a lot of pressure to diversify his cabinet and many want to see people of color in these two positions. I asked Biden last week if he would commit to doing that and he would not, only say that his cabinet will look like America, Wolf.
BLITZER: Arlette, thank you very much. We're going to get back to you. I know you're working your sources. Let's get some more expert analysis right now on the horrific pandemic that is clearly still very much with us.
Dr. Peter Hotez, professor and dean of tropical medicine at Baylor College of Medicine is joining us. Thanks so much Dr. Hotez for joining us. As you heard, Dr. Fauci is warning that despite the staggering number of new cases, new hospitalizations, we still haven't seen what he calls the full brunt of Thanksgiving. How much worse will things get over the next few weeks?
PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR & DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: Well, Wolf, remember it's also going to merge into the Christmas holidays and Christmas travel as well. So, we are all waiting, unfortunately, for a pretty steep acceleration both in terms of cases and hospitalizations and, tragically, deaths.
You know, we'll be hitting 3,000 deaths per day probably on a regular basis. I think we will hit 300,000 deaths by probably next week. So 300,000 Americans will have lost their lives.
The irony is of course that it will coincide with the release of the first vaccines. Ans I just can't help but think, you know, as Americans lose their lives in the coming weeks, none of those people have to lose their lives.
If we can just get them to the other side to get them vaccinated, they could live a long and normal life.
[17:09:56]
And that's where my priority is right now especially in the middle part of the country where people are still defiant of messages here in Texas and in the middle part of the country where they still -- many still think COVID is a hoax or deaths are due to other causes.
So, this has been all of my energy now, in addition to our vaccine, is trying to alert people that they don't have to lose their lives, save your mother or father, your brother or sister. It's a very tough time right now for our country.
BLITZER: Extremely tough. You heard the surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Hotez, saying this surge is different than before. He says this is really about hospitals right now all across the country simply being overwhelmed, running out of capacity.
Are more people, sadly, going to die simply because healthcare workers are stretched too thin, hospitals are too full, ICU beds are fully occupied?
HOTEZ: Yes. I mean, you can convert a regular bed to an ICU bed but you can't just invent ICU nurses and train staff. So, it becomes a human capital issue. We just can't handle those big surges. And this is where death rates really skyrocket, is when you start overwhelming ICU staffs.
They are exhausted already from the whole year, donning and doffing PPE and the emotional stress. And now to have this new surge on top of it. I'm really worried. And this is why, you know, when we talk about social distancing, this is why we do it.
It's in the areas where surges are eminent because this is how you could really cut down on the number of people who lose their lives and that has to be the priority. So, Gavin Newsom, the governor of California came out recommending, look, where we start seeing the surges are happening, this is where we will implement social distancing.
And I wish we would do that in the rest of the country. Again, it's not in perpetuity, Wolf. It's a few more weeks as vaccines start to roll in and that's got to be the message.
BLITZER: Yes. I would say a few more months because it's going to take a while to get the country vaccinated as you and I well know. Dr. Hotez, thank you so much for joining us.
HOTEZ: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Up next, could President Trump actually go to Florida for the holidays and never come back to Washington? We have details of what some of his aides are now speculating.
And it's make or break week for congressional action on a pandemic economic stimulus package that is so desperately needed. We're going to talk about it with the House majority whip, Jim Clyburn. He is standing by live. We'll discuss when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:15:00]
BLITZER: More breaking news. House conservatives are urging President Trump not, not to concede the election he lost and instead press for a floor fight in the House of Representatives. Let's go to our chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta. Jim, these lawmakers apparently buy into the president's continued false statements about the election.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: There are still plenty of enablers around, that's right, Wolf. And nearly five weeks since the election, President Trump is still lying to his supporters insisting he's won a second term.
Mr. Trump said earlier today that he was 2-0 in elections when it's actually one win and one loss. But privately, the president and his team understand he is running out of legal challenges. The question is whether the president will ever acknowledge that himself.
And some Republicans in Congress as you were just mentioning, are actually encouraging the president to keep fighting it out even after the electoral votes are officially tallied up next week, teeing up a potential fight in the House of Representatives that is expected to simply drag out the inevitable.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you very much.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Today, the president required more than a fact check. He needed a math check as Mr. Trump was pointing to the 2020 scoreboard and claiming he came out on top.
TRUMP: Well, you know, in politics I won two, so I'm 2-0. And that is pretty good too. But we will see how that turns out.
ACOSTA (voice-over): But that's not true and neither are his false cries of a rigged election no matter how many times he looks at the numbers.
TRUMP: Well, I think the case has already been made if you look at the polls. It was a rigged election. You look at the different states, the election was totally rigged. It's a disgrace to our country. It's like a third world country. These ballots pouring in from everywhere.
ACOSTA (voice-over): On the same day, Georgia election officials recertified their results announcing once again that the state's electoral votes will be awarded to Joe Biden. Mr. Trump was putting more pressure on the Republican governor of Georgia tweeting, "He refuses to do signature verification which would give us an easy win. What's wrong with this guy? What is he hiding?"
But the president is engaging in some lame duck double speak as he is insisting, he defeated Biden. Mr. Trump is telling voters in Georgia to elect Republicans in the upcoming Senate runoff races down there, warning that control of the Senate is at stake. And yet, that's only possible if Kamala Harris is about to become vice president to break ties in the Senate.
TRUMP: Because at stake in this election is control of the U.S. Senate and that really means control of this country. The voters of Georgia will determine which party runs every committee, writes every piece of legislation, controls every single taxpayer dollar.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Most GOP lawmakers are going along with Mr. Trump's charades including Georgia's Republican senator, Kelly Loeffler.
RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: My question is actually pretty simple. Yes or no, Senator Loeffler, did Donald Trump lose the election?
SEN. KELLY LOEFLLER (R-GA): You know, President Trump has every right to use every legal recourse available.
ACOSTA (voice-over): But the president and his lawyers are running out of state challenges, a sign that his legal team's work is winding down. Not to mention the man leading that effort, his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, now has the coronavirus.
TRUMP: Rudy is doing well. I just spoke to him. He is doing very well. No temperature. And he actually called me early this morning. It was the first call I got and he is doing very well.
[17:20:00]
ACOSTA (voice-over): Another pressure point, the prospect that Attorney General William Barr could step down or be fired before Mr. Trump leaves office. Barr pushed back on the president's election claims last week.
UNKNOWN: Do you still have confidence in Bill Barr?
TRUMP: Ask me that in a number of weeks from now. ACOSTA (voice-over): The president is expected to return to his resort
in Florida for the holidays with aides discussing whether that trip will become more of an extended stay into January. Before that happens, congressional leaders are sounding more determined to hammer out a coronavirus relief bill that will reach the president's desk.
SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): This is a compromise. Neither side is going to get the full amount or all the component parts that they wanted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (on camera): And President Trump is expected to sign an executive order tomorrow aimed at prioritizing the shipment of the coronavirus vaccine to Americans first before other nations. The president is planning on signing that order at a vaccine summit at the White House tomorrow.
It is hoped that this executive order will allay fears that there will not be enough doses of the vaccine to go around after distribution begins.
And as for that Georgia Senate runoff race, a couple of races down in Georgia, the president is expected to return to the campaign trail on behalf of those two embattled candidates in the coming weeks, Wolf.
One reason why those candidates don't want to cross the president? They need him. Wolf?
BLITZER: Those runoff elections in Georgia, January 5th. Jim Acosta, thank you very much. We are joined by one of the top members of the House leadership, Democratic Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina is the majority whip. He is also the chair of President-elect Biden's inaugural committee.
Congressman, thank you so much for joining us. As you heard, the House conservatives, they are clearly egging the president on right now. They are actually urging him not to concede, to fight this out beyond the Electoral College and go into the House floor. How seriously should these threats to a peaceful transfer of power here in the United States be taken?
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): Well, thank you very much for having me, Wolf. We have to take all of this kind of stuff seriously. You know, I used to teach history. I still study history almost daily. And I can tell you that there are some genuine threats to this fragile democracy of ours.
We have seen that play out now for the last four years and it's now being put on steroids. And so any time this kind of invitation that this president is giving to people around the country and that comes to the floor of the House, it's serious.
I don't think it will prevail, but it could rile up people out there who are fragile in their thinking. And some of them could very well be pushed to do and say things as the official in Georgia said last week. Push to (inaudible) they get hurt or somebody to get fatally wounded. And that to me, could very flow from this kind of rhetoric. So when
you put stuff like that on the floor of the House and people taking their turn talking, you have no idea what their statements might do to incite people to do and say things they would not ordinarily do. So it's serious. But can they prevail? I don't think so.
BLITZER: Because as you know, congressman, a week from today, next Monday, the Electoral College will meet, all 538 electors will gather. All of the battleground states, the final six battleground states, they have all certified that Biden won those states. He is ahead with 306-232 in the electoral count.
If that happens next Monday and the Electoral College votes to confirm that Biden will be the next president, but it's rejected by Republicans, rejected by the president and they say they are going to try to bring it to the House floor, that does represent a potential serious threat to the American democracy and I agree with you on that.
CLYBURN: Yes, it does and that is a shame. Growing up as a kid down in South Carolina, I studied our state and our state -- national history. And I never thought I would see the day that duly elected people will be so shallow in their thinking, to try and overturn an election.
You are talking about a difference of 7 million votes. Any place else in the world, that would be recognized as a landslide victory for whoever got the votes. And for them to fly in the face of that, they are really trying to invite insurrection.
[17:24:59]
You know, I was thinking earlier today of martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech here on the mall back in, what, 1968. Look, you're talking about interposition and nullification. That's exactly what we are hearing from this president.
This guy is asking for the governor of a state to impose something that goes against the will of the people. He is asking for a nullification of an election. We thought we had gotten rid of all of that stuff back in the '60s, but we are still faced with it.
So the American people must come to understand that this kind of a threat could very well destroy the fabric that has been holding this country together for all so many years. That is serious business.
BLITZER: And you make it an important point that Biden won the national popular vote by more than 7 million votes, more than 7 million votes. Quickly, congressman, I want to get your thoughts on what is going on in this bipartisan COVID relief proposal that is so desperately needed right now.
Millions of Americans are suffering and many of them can't put food on the table. Hard to believe this is going on in our country right now. They have no money. How close to a deal are you?
CLYBURN: Well, you know, I'm not in the room and from what all I hear, we probably aren't close enough yet for any of us to be comfortable that we get to where we need to be. So, I do believe that the thought that we would finish this week is just a thought.
I believe we will probably be coming back here next week to try to get something done. I am very hopeful that we can pass something and keep the government open beyond Friday and do something to provide a good Christmas present for the American people by passing this bipartisan bill.
Now, it's a bill, a little under $1 trillion dollars. I think $980 billion that I support, but it looks as if Mitch McConnell doesn't and he runs the Senate. And until we can get those things reconciled, we are at a stalemate.
BLITZER: Yes, $908 billion dollars, almost $1 trillion. AS you know, congressman, the president-elect announced his health team today, including Xavier Becerra, a former representative, a man you know well, to become the next secretary of Health and Human Services. How far does this go to address your concerns about the level of diversity reflected in the incoming cabinet?
CLYBBURN: We are getting there. I was ecstatic about that appointment. Xavier Becerra is one of the most outstanding legislators I ever served with. You may recall the two of us were on the so-called super committee together, 12 people on either side trying to do a budget.
And I remember, he was just a champion for Medicare and Medicaid, social security. He as attorney general went all the way up to the Supreme Court leading a team of attorney generals to protect the Affordable Care Act.
So, this is a remarkable choice and it's about diversity. He becomes the second Hispanic in the -- on the cabinet and I think that we will see several other people of color announced this week and next.
BLITZER: Well, let's talk about that because as you heard, the president-elect says he'll announce his choice for Defense Secretary and Attorney General for that matter, I think, in the coming days. Defense Secretary maybe as early as Friday. He hasn't committed to naming a person of color for those roles. Should he commit to that?
CLYBURN: Well, I trust Joe Biden. I've been on the phone with him as recent as this morning. I feel very good about what he is doing. And I'm going to let him make his own announcements.
BLITZER: Well, can you give us a little hint? Are you encouraged by the conversation, congressman, you had with the president-elect earlier today?
CLYBURN: Yes, sir. I am encouraged by everything I've heard from Joe Biden in the last 10 days.
BLITZER: Well, that sounds like he is going to do what you've been recommending. Do you want to tell us what you think of these various candidates for Attorney General and Secretary of Defense, who you like especially? Who is the most qualified from your perspective?
CLYBURN: I don't know who the candidates are for Attorney General. I really don't know who the candidates are. I've seen some names bantered around.
[17:29:59]
I've seen what's -- the name of -- done in Alabama, the former senator whose name -- excuse me -- at the moment, Jones, down in Alabama --
BLITZER: Doug Jones.
CLYBURN: Dr. (INAUDIBLE) asking his name.
BLITZER: What about this? I'll read you these names for attorney general, Sally Yates, Doug Jones, Deval Patrick, Jeh Johnson, Lisa Monaco, what do you think of them?
CLYBURN: I don't know if I know Lisa Monaco. All the rest of them I know and I admire and respect the great deal. Deval Patrick is a very good friend. Jeh Johnson is a great guy. You know what Doug is. Sally Yates proved her work when she was in the Justice Department before. These people I know personally.
BLITZER: Yes.
CLYBURN: And I feel real good about them.
BLITZER: Jeh Johnson is also apparently in the -- among the final candidates for defense secretary. He was General Counsel at the Department of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security as you know during the Obama administration. We'll see what the President-elect announces. I'm sure he's listening very, very closely to you.
Congressman Clyburn, as usual, thank you so much for joining us.
CLYBURN: Thanks for having me.
BLITZER: All right, there's more breaking news coming into The Situation Room. Georgia, for a third time, not a first time, a second or third time, it's -- just recertified that Joe Biden has won that state after another detailed recap.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:36:20]
BLITZER: More now in the breaking news, a group of House conservatives urging President Trump not to concede the election despite the fact that he lost. Instead they want him to press for a floor fight in the House of Representatives.
Let's get some more. Our Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger is with us, our CNN Political Correspondent Arlette Saenz is also back with us. Gloria, let's consider where we are right now. It's been more than a month since Election Day, President Trump remains apparently in complete denial. Some House Republicans are going so far as to urge him not to concede at all while he largely ignores the worst public health crisis of our time. There are real consequences to these actions, aren't there? GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: There are, Wolf. And let's just be honest about this. The President of the United States has given up being President in any way, shape or form. He seems to be spending all his time in grievance, saying he should have won an election that he did not win, trying to figure out how he's going to monetize his post-election presidency, and undermining democracy.
And, you know, I've spoken to a friend of his who says that when he talks to the President, he doesn't want to listen to anybody else. So he's going to do what he wants to do. People around him can say to him, you know, you don't have to concede but you want to cooperate a little bit more with the incoming Biden administration. This President doesn't want to hear it. And he is not doing his job. He's not even doing his ceremonial job except for, perhaps, for giving a medal here and there.
But he's not in on COVID Task Force meetings. We haven't heard him tweet about vaccines and how he's going to get them to the American people. He's just not being President anymore. So why even fight over it?
BLITZER: That's an important point. You know, Arlette, the President- elect Joe Biden told CNN last week that while several Republican senators have privately congratulated them, key word privately, he understands what he called the tough position they're in. Does this embolden a plan from House Conservatives change that? Will the President-elect now lean on Republican allies in Congress to finally, finally speak out publicly and do the right thing?
SAENZ: Well, if President-elect Biden has really tried to give Republicans space to accept the reality of this election, you haven't seen him out there publicly pressuring people to acknowledge him as the winner as President Trump refuses to concede. But this plan certainly does make you wonder if Biden would ever try to place that pressure on people.
We know that Biden has channels that -- back channels of Republicans that he can speak to as he told our colleague Jake Tapper that he's spoken to some Republicans privately who have acknowledged his win.
But I think also with the President-elect, one thing that you've repeatedly seen from him is he tries to project this sense of calm and steadiness and patience. And I think that that will continue to play out over the course of these next 44 days as he prepares to take office so he may not be out there publicly calling on people to go ahead and acknowledge and accept this reality. But that's certainly the kind of tone that he embraces and so much of what he does.
BLITZER: Yes. You know, Gloria, as we all saw, The Washington Post did some excellent journalism asked all 249 Republicans now serving in the House and the Senate who won the election, and only 27 of them actually acknowledged Biden's victory. It's a stunning, stunning margin.
[17:40:02]
Why do so few Republicans in Congress apparently have the guts or the courage to acknowledge the truth, the results of the election?
BORGER: First of all, it's a disgraceful number. What they're doing by not acknowledging it is undermining the very democracy that got them their own jobs. And they are refusing to say that this was a free and fair election, and that there should be this transfer of power that we're going to get one way or another on January 20th. So, it is a disgrace. The reason they're not doing it is obvious. As you point out, they have no courage.
The reason they have no courage is 74 million votes that Donald Trump got in this election and they're afraid of him. And they're afraid of what he might say about them. Don't forget, the President said, I want the names of those people who said that Joe Biden is going to be the next President of the United States. So he's going to be out for revenge. They don't want to deal with it. They don't think it's worth it. But in the end, they're short-changing themselves, they're short- changing democracy.
And, you know, Wolf, that privately, privately, of course, they'll not and they'll say, oh, yes, to each other, yes, we expect Joe Biden to be President. But the fact that they won't stand up and say it, I can't say this enough, is undermining the democracy that got them where they are.
BLITZER: Yes. Trump may have gotten 74 million votes, but Biden got 81 --
BORGER: He did.
BLITZER: -- million votes where I come from 7 million votes advantage. That's a clear, clear win. All right guys, thank you very, very much.
Coming up, Michigan's Governor condemns this weekend's armed protests outside the home of a top official. Also ahead, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is standing by. We're going to discuss the breaking news from Georgia, which just certified its election results again. And Joe Biden, he is the winner.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:46:27]
BLITZER: Breaking tonight, even more elected officials across the United States are actually facing threats, threats because President Trump won't stop making false claims about voting fraud. Michigan's Governor says it's unacceptable that armed protesters gathered outside the home of a top state election official, the Secretary of State of Michigan.
CNN's Brian Todd is monitoring this horrendous situation for us. Hard to believe this is going on here in our country. Brian, what's the latest?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Wolf. And it's not just Michigan Secretary of State, a prominent legislator in Michigan has also been threatened and law enforcement analysts are growing increasingly concerned about threats all across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER (in unison): Stop the steal.
TODD (voice-over): Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said she felt threatened by these protesters outside her home Saturday night. Some yelling obscenities, she says, and some armed. She says it happened while she and her four-year-old son we're finishing up decorating the house for Christmas. The protesters wanted to reverse President Trump's loss in Michigan, but the attacks got personal.
Benson issued a statement saying, "There is a line crossed when gatherings are done with the primary purpose of intimidation of public officials". But the intimidation continues.
STATE REP. CYNTHIA JOHNSON (D), MICHIGAN: Mr. Giuliani.
TODD (voice-over): Michigan State Representative Cynthia Johnson was at a hearing recently when Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani presented unfounded accusations of election fraud. On her Facebook page, Johnson just posted threatening voicemails she received after that hearing.
JOHNSON: You should be swinging from a f-ing rope, you Democrat.
TODD (voice-over): Michigan is one of five states where election officials or poll workers say they and their family members have faced serious threats recently, as they've counted ballots and certified results. That's according to a PBS Frontline investigation. One of those places is in Georgia where the Lieutenant Governor, a Republican sees long term risks.
LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN (R), GEORGIA: All of us in this position have got increased security around us and our families. And it's not American. It's not what democracy is all about. But it's reality right now. And so, we're going to continue to do our jobs.
TODD (voice-over): One top election official in Georgia, Gabriel Sterling couldn't contain his anger recently, when he spoke of threats that he and his colleagues have received in certifying Georgia's win for Joe Biden.
GABRIEL STERLING, GEORGIA ELECTION OFFICIAL: Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed. And it's not right.
TODD (voice-over): And the fallout continues from Trump campaign attorney Joe diGenova's recent tirade against Chris Krebs, the top U.S. cybersecurity official who was ousted by Trump after he rejected the President's claims about voter fraud.
JOE DIGENOVA, TRUMP CAMPAIGN LAWYER: That guy is a class A moron. He should be drawn and quartered, taken out of dawn and shot.
TODD (voice-over): diGenova said he was being sarcastic that the comments were made in jest and he meant Krebs no harm. Krebs told CNN he's worried about the broader fallout on election workers.
CHRIS KREBS, FORMER TOP CYBERSECURITY OFFICIAL AT DHS: I think it's ultimately corrosive. I think we're going to have a hard time recruiting election workers going forward. If we don't have election workers, we're going to have a hard time doing elections.
TODD (voice-over): And law enforcement experts are concerned tonight about President Trump continuing his baseless claims of fraud and doing nothing to tamp down the threats to election officials.
CHARLES RAMSEY, FORMER PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: President is continuing to dispute the election results. And, again, his supporters are getting more and more riled up. Not all of them, but many of them are and some of those folks could very well act out something.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: And it's not just President Trump and his base supporters who are generating on easiness. There is growing concern about Republicans in Congress not accepting Trump's loss.
[17:50:06]
The Washington Post recently contacted all 249 Republican senators and House members and asked them one simple question, who won the election? 220 of them, 88 percent didn't even take a position on it, and that included Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Wolf?
BLITZER: Yes. That is really, really sad. All right, Brian, thank you very much.
We're also following the breaking news in Georgia right now, where state officials just recertify for the third time, the presidential election results after counting all the votes yet again, nothing changed. Joe Biden still wins in Georgia.
Joining us now, the Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms. Mayor, thank you so much for joining us. As you know, the results in Georgia did not change at all, but Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler offered this take during the debate last night. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG: Senator, did you believe that the election was rigged?
SEN. KELLY LOEFFLER (R), GEORGIA: Look, Greg (ph), it's very clear that there were issues in this election. There are 250 investigations open, including an investigation into one of my opponents organizations, you know, for voter fraud, and we have to make sure that Georgians trust this process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: So, Mayor, what's your response to the Senator?
MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS (D), ATLANTA: It's very disappointing, Wolf. Kelly Loeffler is a smart woman. So it should have been very simple for her to say that Joe Biden has won. Look, when you are -- when you run for office, you win some and you lose some. Trump lost it in Georgia. And the inability of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue to acknowledge Joe Biden as the winner in this state is very disappointing, and it is not what leadership is all about.
BLITZER: As you know, Georgia's Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan is a Republican, told CNN that he and other state officials now have had to increase security for themselves, increase security for their families, as they try to uphold the official certified results of the election in Georgia. You also know what it's like to be targeted by the President. This kind of rhetoric, it has very real consequences, doesn't it?
BOTTOMS: It certainly does. And it's unfortunate to see this happening across this country. This is what a democracy is all about. We get an opportunity to go and lawfully cast votes and make a decision as to people as to who we want to represent us. The people in Georgia have spoken. And it's one thing for Donald Trump to behave the way that he does. He is who he is, and I don't expect any more from him.
But for the rest of the Republican Party, especially our senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, I would expect so much more. And when you are looking at the elected officials have to have increased security because of death threats, it really goes against everything that our democracy is supposed to stand for.
BLITZER: Yes, it's hard to believe this is happening in our country right now. Are you surprised, Mayor, to see Republican state leadership, namely your Governor, Brian Kemp, who's also been at odds with you in the past standing firmly in the face of the President's unrelenting pressure and personal attacks, they are standing for what happened in Georgia, namely the Biden 1?
BOTTOMS: I am glad to see that. And listen, the Governor and I have disagreed on a lot in the past but we've also worked together on many things as well. I know that this is tough for elected officials across the state. These are men and women who weren't elected to do a job. And then when I think about our election workers, many of them hourly employees, who are facing death threats simply because they go to work every day. Donald Trump should be ashamed of himself and anyone, anyone who then condemn what he's doing is not fit to lead.
BLITZER: Before I let you go, Mayor, you know, we're getting closer and closer to an approved vaccine. But a new Pew Research poll shows only 42 percent of black Americans say they would definitely or probably get the vaccine. How problematic could that lack of confidence be?
BOTTOMS: Well, Wolf, it is problematic, but you know the history, it goes back many decades, of course, to the Tuskegee experiment, and African Americans being intentionally injected with a disease. So there is a history there. This is going to take a lot of education. It is going to take creating trust with a community of people.
I do believe once there is a transition of power, there will be more trust in the Biden-Harris administration and I think that will go a long way, giving people confidence that this vaccine will be safe.
BLITZER: I suspect you're right. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, thank you so much for joining us. Stay safe out there. Appreciate it very much.
[17:55:04]
BOTTOMS: Thank you.
BLITZER: There's more breaking news here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Major Cabinet announcements coming from President-elect Biden. We're going to find out this week who he will nominate to become the next attorney general and defense secretary of the United States.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
