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Trump's Final Days; D.C. Security Tight Ahead Of Inauguration; Interview With Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA); Inaugural Committee Lights Field Of Flags On National Mall; U.S. Surpasses 24 Million Coronavirus Cases, Nearing 400,000 Deaths; Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) Of New York City Is Interviewed About The Coronavirus Pandemic. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired January 18, 2021 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:10]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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

We're following breaking news. The tumultuous and unprecedented transfer of power from President Donald Trump to president-elect Joe Biden is now less than 48 hours away. The nation's capital is fortified beyond anything we have seen in modern history, with National Guard troops from all 50 states securing the city.

But even those troops are subject to additional scrutiny tonight, as the FBI conducts background checks on all 25,000 of them. The acting defense secretary says there's no specific intelligence indicating an insider threat, but promises to leave -- and I'm quoting now -- "No stone unturned."

Also breaking, new developments in the Capitol riot investigation. More than 80 people are now facing federal charges, with at least 300 open cases. And we're getting a stunning previously unseen look at the truly brazen behavior of the mob as it stormed the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

The fresh video of "The New Yorker" lends significant evidence to President Trump's role in inciting this attack.

Let's begin with our senior national security correspondent, Alex Marquardt.

Alex, we have never seen this level of security for a presidential inauguration before.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No, that's right, Wolf. We haven't.

And the mayor's office is now saying that the security perimeter extends around five square miles, just shy of that. The level out here in the streets is just extraordinary. Here we are on New Jersey Avenue, which runs straight into the

Capitol. You have got two huge National Guard trucks blocking the road. Beyond them, there are large white cement blocks preventing any other vehicles from getting past. And then past that, you have got that eight-foot-high non-scalable fencing encircling the entire Capitol complex, some of it topped with razor wire.

As you mentioned, Wolf, there are thousands of National Guard troops in the streets. And with that, there is a growing fear of potential insider threats from those troops.

We did hear from the acting secretary of defense earlier today. He said that there is no intelligence indicating any insider threat, but that all of the troops are being vetted because they are leaving no stone unturned to defend the Capitol.

We should warn some of our viewers that some of the video that they are about to see, they may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT (voice-over): The streets of Washington, D.C., tonight clearly making the point this has not been a peaceful transfer of power. Among the extraordinary security measures being taken, vetting the National Guard troops, all 25,000 brought in to help protect the nation's capital during the inauguration.

The army is working with the FBI to identify and screen anybody who could be an insider threat.

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM WALKER, COMMANDING GENERAL, NATIONAL GUARD: What happens is, they're screened before they leave their state. And what it is, is a credentialing process. So they're screened, and then they're repeatedly screened until they are actually put on the street.

MARQUARDT: There's growing evidence of current and former military and law enforcement among the insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, including Larry Rendall Brock, a retired Air Force Reservist lieutenant colonel, seen here in new video from "The New Yorker."

The video showing remarkable moments from the start of the rioting...

UNIDENTIFIED RIOTER: You're outnumbered. There's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) million of us out there. And we are listening to Trump, your boss.

MARQUARDT: ... to the Senate floor, where rioters rifled through desks and papers, one saying that Texas Senator Ted Cruz would approve.

UNIDENTIFIED RIOTER: I think Cruz would want us to do this, so...

UNIDENTIFIED RIOTER: Yes, absolutely.

MARQUARDT: And the man in the horns, Jacob Chansley, writing a note where Vice President Mike Pence had just sat, reading:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "It's only matter of time. Justice is coming."

MARQUARDT: Justice is indeed coming, for them and for dozens of others who have been arrested, including Riley Williams from Pennsylvania. Court records indicate that the FBI is looking into whether a laptop from Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was stolen to potentially sell to Russia.

And federal investigators say an Army Reservist with secret level security clearance has also been charged. According to court documents, federal investigators say that Timothy Hale-Cusanelli is an avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer with a long record of extremist postings online.

Fears of more pro-Trump terrorist violence have turned the nation's capital into a fortress, with miles of fencing, often topped with razor wire, the National Mall, usually full of people celebrating, now closed, streets blocked and guarded by thousands of National Guard from across the country.

MURIEL BOWSER (D), MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, D.C.: I think this will be an inauguration unlike any other.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:05:00]

MARQUARDT: And, Wolf, in terms of the arrests and charges, the latest figures that we have from the Department of Justice are more than 80 criminal defendants and more than 300 investigations opened.

We are also learning, Wolf, more about the inauguration itself. As you know, the general public will not be allowed to attend, but members of Congress will be there. And, as they are always allowed to, they can bring guests.

What's notable this year is that the guests will not be subjected to a background check. Normally, they wouldn't have to, but one might think that, in this year, that is something that might happen. They will, however, have to take a COVID test, and, of course, go through security before they can get to their seats -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Alex, thanks very much.

Alex is on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Let's get an update now from our chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, on the president's plans for his final few hours in office.

Jim, the president is hoping for a huge send-off as he leaves the White House. Right now, he's still nowhere to be seen, though.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf.

If we are learning, though, in just the last several minutes that President Trump may be making preparations to record a video message to release before he leaves office before Inauguration Day. We saw staffers over here at the White House making some preparations

for that video message earlier this afternoon. But you're right, Wolf. Trump remains in hiding less than two days before he leaves office and disgraced as a twice-impeached president. Trump hasn't appeared in front of the press in six days, as he meets with advisers behind closed doors, plotting his last-minute pardons and a departure ceremony that polls show many Americans are hoping will be a one-way ticket out of Washington with no return.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA (voice-over): Less than 48 hours left in office, this is President Trump's view from the White House. Signs for the Biden/Harris inauguration are now visible on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Refusing to attend his successor's inaugural, Trump is expected to exit the scene early Wednesday morning, with a departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. According to the invite to the event, the ceremony's attendees are allowed to bring up to five guests each. As one White House adviser put it, "He wants a big turnout," though the crowd won't be anywhere near the size of the gathering the White House lied about four years ago

SEAN SPICER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe.

ACOSTA: Trump has avoided the cameras for six days. Instead he's meeting with attorneys behind closed doors, as he's expected to issue more than 100 pardons before stepping aside. At the moment, pardons for himself and his adult children are not expected, though, as one adviser quipped, he could write it on a napkin before leaving the Oval Office.

One lawyer who may no longer serve on Trump's legal team, Rudy Giuliani, as he still faces questions for his role in inciting the crowd that stormed the Capitol on January 6.

RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If we're wrong, we will be made fools of. But if we are right, a lot of them will go to jail.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

GIULIANI: So, let's have trial by combat.

ACOSTA: Trump allies are urging the president to steer clear of pardoning any rioters.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): You interrupted a joint session of Congress. You tried to intimidate us all. You should be prosecuted to the fullest end of the law. And to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong. It would be -- I think it would destroy President Trump. And I hope we don't go down that road.

ACOSTA: Those Trump loyalists are warning a post-presidential impeachment trial would only further divide the country. But Democrats aren't buying it.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): This was the most serious presidential crime in the history of the United States of America, the most dangerous crime by a president ever committed against the United States. And there are Republicans who are recognizing it, as well as Democrats.

ACOSTA: Other members of Congress wants to cut off Trump's access to intelligence information after he's gone.

SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): There's a grave danger of him inadvertently or willfully revealing classified information that would compromise sources and methods. And there's no upside. There's no reason that he needs to have this information.

ACOSTA: Some Republicans would like to see an investigation into GOP lawmakers who are accused of egging on the insurrectionists, including senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.

REP. NANCY MACE (R-SC): I do. And I think that any person of any party in any chamber should be held accountable. They should be investigated to the fullest extent of the law.

ACOSTA: Trump will leave office with the lowest approval rating of his presidency, at just 34 percent, which explains why the outgoing vice president called for national healing.

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have faith that the day will come when we put these challenging times in the past and emerge stronger and better than ever. We will heal our land. We will renew our strength. And the best days for the greatest nation on Earth are yet to come.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Even after the events of the last few weeks, Trump is leaving office still lying to himself and others behind closed doors that the election was stolen from him.

[18:10:00]

A White House adviser said aides to the president have explained to him on numerous occasions that there is no evidence that he was cheated out of a second term. But, as this adviser put it, he still thinks it was stolen and that he won the election -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And it's interesting. We're just getting word from our Pentagon correspondent, Jim, Oren Liebermann, reporting that, in addition to the 25,000 National Guard troops being deployed here in Washington to make sure that this inauguration is secure, an additional 2,750 active-duty troops are being deployed for the inauguration as well; 750 of those troops have expertise in dealing with ordnance disposal, medical support and other tasks.

So, this is a major, major military operation.

Jim Acosta, thank you very much for that. Let's get some analysis now from our congressional correspondent, Phil

Mattingly, our senior political commentator, David Axelrod, and our senior legal analyst, Laura Coates.

David, would you have ever in all your years of politics -- seen a lot, obviously, over these years. Did you ever think you would witness an inauguration like the one we're about to see Wednesday?

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, Wolf, not in the United States of America.

We were dealing with a terrorist threat in 2009 from offshore, and there were concerns about that. But the idea of Washington as an armed camp, of an inauguration within a Green Zone is something completely alien to us.

And this is a legacy of the president who is leaving. He has spent the last several months selling this information to the American people about an election, he refused to acknowledge, the results of which he refused to acknowledge.

And it has been pernicious. And it has given a permission structure, and he has, to domestic terrorists who claim they're acting in the name of patriotism, and have turned our capital into something that we never could have imagined.

This is the task Joe Biden is going to have to undertake, in addition to a pandemic of extraordinary proportions, an economy that has been roiled by it, and the other challenges he faces. Putting this country back together as an American community is going to be a difficult, difficult task.

BLITZER: Extremely difficult.

Laura, at least, what, 80 people already, already are facing federal charges related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. It's hard to overstate the scope of all of this probe. So many more are currently being investigated. That number is going to go up and up and up.

LAURA COATES, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: That number is probably going to skyrocket here, Wolf, as more videotapes or released, as more people begin to feel as though they themselves could be incarcerated, they begin to sing like canaries all of a sudden, and want to tell you everyone who also was invited and involved and want to make sure they're also held accountable.

It's ripe time for cooperation. But it's also a time that's very early in the investigation stage. And, of course, that's maybe one of the reasons why the impeachment trial was not automatically turned around like that, because, just like a criminal prosecutor has to build their case, so do the House impeachment managers.

And so they're going to use a little bit of overlap between those who might find themselves with a criminal liability also maybe cooperating with a political investigation as well. There's a lot more to uncover, including maybe who was a co-conspirator, who was a direction-giver, who was a passive observer, but, most importantly, who was the ringleader for all of it?

BLITZER: Phil, you're up on Capitol Hill.

Let's turn to impeachment for a moment. What are you learning about when the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, will deliver that one article of impeachment to the Senate? What does that mean for the timing, potentially, of a full-scale Senate trial?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, to this point, Speaker Pelosi still keeping her cards close to the vest, but the reason is basically what was outlined by David and what was just outlined by Laura, the complicating dynamics of this actual trial.

When you talk about the multiple crises the Biden administration is going to face right when they get an office on January 20, the Biden team wants their entire team, Cabinet officials, everybody, confirmed, in their positions.

They also want to kick legislation off to try and address the health and economic crises; $1.9 trillion stimulus package, they want that considered. However, when you have a trial in the United States Senate for impeachment starting at noon every day, once those articles get sent over, the Senate locks down.

The trial is all they can do. So, what's going on behind the scenes right now is twofold. One, as Laura points out, the House managers are working on their case. They're building their case. They want to know what they're actually going to present. Will there be witnesses? How long will that trial take?

You also have the Biden administration or incoming Biden administration wanting to ensure that before noon, in the morning, the Senate can actually work on the business that the Biden team wants to see get done, whether that's confirming nominees, Cabinet officials, particularly on the national security side of things, particularly on the public health side of things, but also move forward legislatively on their number one priority, which is that stimulus package.

[18:15:06]

So, you have all these complicated dynamics going on right now, Wolf, no firm answers yet, but a lot for the speaker to weigh before she sends that article over.

BLITZER: These are critically important decisions that have to be made.

All right guys, thank you very, very much.

Just ahead: Take a look at this. I'm going to show you some live pictures of the National Mall here in Washington, D.C., where this week's historic inaugural events are about to officially get under way.

Plus, we will take a closer look at all the executive orders president-elect Biden could issue on his first day in office. This is THE SITUATION ROOM special report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Breaking news: A truly unprecedented effort to secure the nation's capital from the threat of domestic terrorism is in full force tonight.

Less than 48 hours from president-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. We're watching dramatic developments unfold.

Let's discuss with Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California. He is joining us right now.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

As you know, the nation's capital is bracing for, God forbid, the potential threats to the inauguration. Do you believe lessons were learned from the Capitol siege on January 6? Should the president- elect, the vice president-elect, lawmakers like you, should you all feel safe on Wednesday?

REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): Yes, Wolf.

One of the lessons learned is to have sufficient force deployed. And what we see in Washington, D.C., is overwhelming forces being deployed to make sure we have a peaceful transfer of power.

I do note that the rage that is fueling the violent part of Donald Trump's base is based on the big lie that somehow this you election was stolen. All Donald Trump has to do to calm tensions down is say one sentence: The election was not stolen.

[18:20:06]

BLITZER: You think he will say that before he leaves office at noon Wednesday?

LIEU: I don't think he will. But I do hope Republican leaders do. And any Republican calling for unity and healing of our country, they have got to say that, because, if they don't say that, then their words ring hollow.

BLITZER: Because, if you look at these polls that just came out this week that show that a huge percentage of those who voted for President Trump believe the election was a fraud, was stolen, wasn't legitimate, and that's causing so much of this disruption, this anger out there.

So, they have got to fix this, and they got to fix it soon, right?

LIEU: Absolutely.

And it's so easily debunked. It's simply false that thousands of dead people voted. It is false that there were thousands of ballot signatures that were fake. It's also false that Dominion voting machines switched thousands of votes. None of this is true. And all Republican leaders have to do is to say that the election was

not stolen. And if they do that, then they can calm down tensions.

BLITZER: Let's see how that unfolds.

I want to turn quickly, while I have you, Congressman, to impeachment. Should we still expect Democrats to deliver the article, one article of impeachment, to the Senate this week? Or do you think that could be pushed back in order to give the Senate some time to confirm, let's say, all the Cabinet nominees that president-elect Biden is about to put forward, to do some of the critically important legislation involving COVID, other legislation involving getting the economy back on track?

LIEU: My expectation is that the article will be delivered this week.

However, that decision is above my pay grade. So, I don't actually know the day it will happen.

BLITZER: You think there's a possibility that Nancy Pelosi, the speaker -- it's her decision -- she has to make this decision -- might hold back delivering the article, so the Senate could deal with these other issues?

LIEU: The decision would be made in conjunction with the U.S. Senate.

So, again, this is, again, beyond what my responsibilities are. So I don't actually know the day that the article will be delivered.

BLITZER: How do you think all this is going to unfold?

The impeachment -- he was impeached, the only president in American history impeached for a second time. How do you think it's going to unfold once there is a full-scale trial in the Senate? You need a two- thirds majority. In other words, 17 Republican senators will have to join all 50 Democratic senators to convict.

Do you think that's going to happen?

LIEU: I think we absolutely have a chance of conviction, especially because the House impeachment vote was the most bipartisan impeachment vote in U.S. history, with 10 Republicans supporting impeachment.

And that's because what happened is undeniable. You had a violent mob attack our nation's Capitol to try to stop Congress from formalizing Donald Trump's defeat, and Donald Trump was the one that incited that mob. So, the facts are not really in dispute.

And we hope to get Republican senators to vote for conviction as well.

BLITZER: Yes, but you remember only 10 Republicans voted to impeach the president. What, almost 200, more than 180 or so, voted not to impeach.

So, let's see what happens in the Senate.

Congressman Ted Lieu, as usual, thanks so much for joining us.

LIEU: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up, we will go live to the National Mall here in Washington, where the presidential Inaugural Committee is about to kick off this week's unprecedented events.

These are live pictures you're seeing right now. We will share more when we come back.

Also, could New York City already be on the verge of running out of coronavirus vaccines? The mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, he's standing by live. We will discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:28:20]

BLITZER: In just a few moments, the Presidential Inaugural Committee is kicking off this week's truly historic events with an extraordinary display on the National Mall here in Washington.

CNN's Ryan Nobles is on the scene for us.

So, Ryan, so, tell our viewers what we're about to see, because this is going to be a beautiful sight on the Mall.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it really is, Wolf.

And so much of what we normally see during inauguration has been robbed because of security concerns and of the coronavirus pandemic. No one from the public is allowed to participate in the inauguration this year.

So, the Presidential Inaugural Committee is trying to replicate that by finding a way to really dress up the National Mall. And it starts here tonight. And it's really dark here behind me, but, in just a few minutes, it's going to take 46 seconds, in honor of the 46th president, Joe Biden.

They're going to illuminate 56 pillars of light in honor of the 50 United States and six territories. And what those lights are going to illuminate are some 200,000 flags that are up and down the National Mall right here from every single state and territory.

And what those flags are designed to replicate are the people that would normally be here during an inauguration.

Wolf, I know you have covered many inaugurations. So have I. Normally, this Mall is packed with people shoulder to shoulder. And that's something that just cannot take place this time because of the security concerns and, even before that, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

So, it's going to be a pretty dramatic scene. And then these flags will still be here along the National Mall throughout the week and be here when Joe Biden takes the oath of office, designed to replace all those people who can't be here.

So, it should be a very impressive sight, 56 different pillars of light illuminating 200,000 flags up and down the National Mall, one of the most famous corridors in all of the United States.

[18:30:07]

And it's going to be brilliant here, Wolf. It should take place in just a few minutes.

BLITZER (voice over): Yes, we're going to watch it unfold. I want all our viewers here in the United States and around the world watch this beautiful display that's about to take place. This presidential inaugural committee has been working on this for a while.

You know, Ryan, though, it's sad, that there aren't going to be people on the mall. The whole mall has basically been closed for security concerns, right?

NOBLES (voice over): That's right, Wolf. It is extraordinarily difficult to navigate this part of Washington, D.C. You know, even those of us who have press credentials have the ability to be down here on the actual mall, it takes a inordinate amount of time and patience just to get into this place. You have to go through a number of security checks. You have to have -- you know, have to have your temperature taken. You have to pass a series of questions related to your history as it relates to coronavirus and, you know, everyone has to be socially distant in this part of Washington, D.C., even though there aren't that many people down here.

That's not normally how it is during an inauguration. Usually, there are, you know, hundreds of thousands of people that come from all over the country to be a part of this historic event. And even though there is usually security precautions that take place to get down to the mall, usually, anyone can participate in the inauguration by being here on the National Mall.

There's usually jumbotrons every block as you make your way down the mall so that you can watch the president, the new incoming president's speech as it takes place, and it's always usually a very festive and exciting period of time. That's just not going to happen this time around.

And, of course, Wolf, in addition to the fact that no one is going to be allowed to be here on the mall or anywhere in this vicinity on the day of the inauguration, there's also an enormous security presence here. There are massive walls that have been erected all around the mall that extend all the way up around Capitol Hill.

Some of these walls have barbed wire along the top of them and then there's, of course, the physical security presence. Some 25,000 National Guard troops are stationed at different points all along this part of Washington, D.C. They are joined by Capitol police, police officers from all around the country, from Virginia, Maryland and, of course, Washington's own Metropolitan Police Department. So it's unlike any inauguration that this country has ever seen. What you've seen from the inaugural committee, from the president elect, soon to be president, Joe Biden, is a sense that this situation still needs to move on, that we have to try to make this as normal as possible so that the rest of the world can see this peaceful transition of power despite everything that's taken place here in Washington, D.C. over the past two weeks.

So that's part of what we're going to see here tonight, because even there's been a lot that we haven't been able to celebrate. We've had the situation, the concerns about security. You've everyone dealing with the difficulties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Joe Biden and his new administration, they do want to celebrate this transition of power, show that the United States is going to be able to push through this particular period of time and move on to the next thing. So that's part of what we're going to see here tonight, Wolf.

BLITZER (voice over): Yes. We're standing by for when they light what they are calling the field of flags art display, it's going to be a beautiful scene indeed.

Jeff Zeleny is watching all of this unfold. He is covering the transition at Wilmington, Delaware for us. So, walk us through a little bit as we await the start of this ceremony, this celebration that we're about to see, Jeff? Walk us through what the president- elect, the vice president-elect are planning not just tonight but tomorrow and the next day.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Wolf, President-elect Joe Biden is spending his last evening in his home in Wilmington, Delaware, before making his way to Washington for the inauguration festivities. 24 hours from now, he will be in Washington, at least that's what the schedule is. And, of course, you'll remember, he was going to go by train. That was one of the many things changed by the security concerns in the last week, so he will be flying to Washington.

But, Wolf, it's really going to be the beginning of a scaled-back inaugural festivities, and we're looking at the National Mall right there. There is going to be a nationwide COVID memorial in Washington tomorrow at this time and then indeed in cities across the country as well. And you can see on your screen there, the Washington Monument as well as the Lincoln Memorial, that is going to be lit up tomorrow evening really to pay honor and respects to the nearly 400,000 Americans who have died of COVID really in the last year.

So, tomorrow, that will be a very somber beginning to the inauguration event and it certainly speaks to one of the biggest challenges of the Biden presidency. Every proposal he is discussing, his first agenda items, are all about coronavirus and taming this, you know, deepening pandemic. So that will be tomorrow evening.

[18:35:00]

But, Wolf, then on Wednesday, he is scheduled to go or expected rather to go to a mass, a catholic mass on Wednesday morning then, of course, Wednesday noon will be on the west front of the Capitol delivering his inaugural address and really we'll move quite quickly beyond that into signing executive actions and executive orders.

We know that he has at least a dozen orders planned on the first day of his time in office to rescind a lot of what have President Trump has done. He is going to rejoin the U.S. in the Paris climate accords, just one example. He is going to rescind the Muslim travel ban. He is going to impose a mask mandate at federal buildings.

So those are just, you know, a snapshot of some of the things he plans to do on day one, Wolf. So, really, the next 24 hours certainly dramatic on the eve of the inauguration, but 48 hours from now, this certainly is going to be -- we're going to be six hours into the Biden presidency, Wolf.

BLITZER (voice over): It looks like it's beginning to start right now, the lighting of the field of flags. You know what, let's just watch for a moment and watch this unfold.

All right, we're going to continue to watch the lighting ceremony. It looks like it's sort of beginning right now, but we'll see what happens as we await that. We'll continue to show our viewers this.

I want to bring in the global human rights leader, Martin Luther King III, the son of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin, thank you so much for joining us, a very special day today, of course. What goes through your mind? What do you think your father would be thinking right now as he saw all of this unfold here in Washington, D.C., the dramatic developments amid such high concerns for security?

MARTIN LUTHER KING III, SON OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: You know, I -- I don't know, and I don't like to use these words. You want to always resolve -- revolve around being positive and upbeat, but it feels sort of bitter sweet that we have come to this place where we have to be so concerned about the security of our incoming commander-in-chief and -- and the vice president-elect.

So my father would be greatly disappointed, but he would certainly be hopeful because the Americans, 81 million came together and elected new leadership, and we're going to see what a commander-in-chief is supposed to be. We haven't seen that in four years, in my judgment. We've seen what it's not supposed to be. We've seen a divided United States of America. We're going to see the prospects set for a United States of America and hopefully people will turn to each other and not turn on each other.

It's not going to be easy. It's not going to be quick, but, in time, I believe this can happen because the tone is set, in my judgment, by the commander-in-chief.

BLITZER (voice over): So would you say, Martin, and you and I have spoken many times over the years, right now, as you're looking at the divisions within our country, are you still upbeat about what lies ahead?

KING (voice over): Oh, absolutely. I -- you know, it does not mean that we're not going to have some challenges along the way but oftentimes when challenges occur, also great opportunities occur. And this is a great opportunity. When you see a commander-in-chief, meaning President-elect Biden, who is going to come in and reach across the aisle and say, while you did not vote for me, you are my adversary, you're not my enemy.

It's a different tone when you're saying as an adversary, I'm reaching out to you to say there's a place for you because as a commander-in- chief of the United States of America, we must be engaged together. We won't necessarily agree on everything, but we must work together to make America the nation that it ought to be.

So I am very hopeful and especially being from Georgia where we elected two United States senators, Raphael Warnock, the first black United States senator who, of course, is pastor of Ebenezer, and Jon Ossoff, the first U.S. Jewish senator from Georgia. We made extraordinary history. So this is -- we're on the brink of some major positive change.

BLITZER (voice over): I want to tell our viewers what we're seeing right now. This is what they are calling the lighting of the field of flags art display on the National Mall. The presidential inaugural committee is illuminating 56 pillars of light and supposedly it's been taking about 46 seconds or so to do so in order to honor of the 46th president of the United States, that would be President-elect Biden.

[18:40:06]

The pillars represent all 50 states and U.S. territories, and they are part of an extensive public art display. There are about 200,000 flags, we're told, also representing every state and territory.

So it's a beautiful scene on the mall right now, Martin, but, you know, what's so sad there aren't a lot of people there. Normally, as you know and as I know, a presidential inauguration, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of folks would gather on the National Mall to celebrate the incoming president a peaceful transfer of power, but, Martin, that's not happening this time, is it?

KING (voice over): Well, it's not happening, and the pandemic is certainly a part -- well, maybe a significant part that everybody is concerned about as one thing, but the biggest concern obviously is the potential for violence that tragically was created by the current commander-in-chief, that, thank God, is gone in two or three days.

So, you know, it is where we are right now, and I don't think we should tarry on what it is, but we must figure out how we create the best. We are much better. We can behave far better than the behavior we've seen over the last few days. We saw the worst of America. But we know there is goodness in America and Americans because whenever there's a tsunami, a hurricane, Americans come and they are willing to help and make a difference. They don't ask you what party you're in, what religious orientation you are, what your sexual orientation is. They want to help get you out of that difficult situation. That's the best of who we are, and we have to focus on bringing the best out of America. BLITZER (voice over): Martin Luther King III, Martin, as usual, thank

you so much for joining us on this truly historic day. We appreciate it very much and please give our best to the entire family. Thank you so much for joining us.

KING: Thank you.

BLITZER: All right. We're going to take a quick break. Much more over the breaking news coverage right after this.

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[18:47:05]

BLITZER: The breaking news: the coronavirus pandemic here in the United States could be on the verge of its darkest period yet as the death toll closes in on 400,000 over this past year.

Let's continue our discussion on all the news. The New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is joining us right now.

Mayor de Blasio, thank you so much for joining us.

You say you're on pace to actually run out of vaccines in New York City this week, but according to data from the city, you've received, what, 800,000 doses, only 433,000 doses have been administered so far.

So what about the remaining 366,000 doses? Will they be distributed? Will they be given to folks this week?

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: Yeah. Wolf, as of yesterday, we were vaccinating New Yorkers at the rate of three New Yorkers per second. It's going to be an ever growing effort, and the fact is we plan this week to do hundreds of thousands of doses.

Some of those numbers you're referring to are set aside for a separate nursing home program. We don't control that. That's the federal government and the state, but the ones we control, we are going to be doing that incessantly. And the problem is we're going to run out of vaccine before the week is out.

We need a massive resupply. I want to do a million doses in the month of January and then keep growing from there, but I don't have the vaccine to keep up with the demand or our ability to give the doses.

It's really upsetting. My hope and my prayer, Wolf, is that President- elect Biden, who is obviously committed to a very aggressive approach, will use the Defense Production Act, will use all the powers of the presidency, to ensure that there is maximum supply available and it gets where it can be used the most.

It shouldn't be sitting in refrigerators. It should be used where it can be most effectively to administer. We can do that right here.

BLITZER: Yeah, we're the United States of America. We should be able to do this in a much more efficient manner because so many lives are at stake right now, Mayor, as you and I well know.

You've also announced, correct me if I'm wrong, plans to set up mass vaccination sites including at Yankee Stadium at the Mets, Citi Field.

Why weren't these sites ready and waiting for the vaccine -- for the vaccine to arrive? Why -- why hasn't that started already?

DE BLASIO: Wolf, in the first weeks, it was absolutely imperative that we made sure that the vaccine could be used safely, effectively, a very different kind of vaccine than we've been used to in the past. Remember, the ultra cold storage, there's really specific features here that our health care leadership wanted to make sure that everyone went through their preparations carefully.

It was a safe, positive experience. By the way, thank God we gave out a huge amount of vaccine with no problems, no incidents, no misfires.

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So we could gain public trust. Once we had that assurance, we were able to take off.

And now, I want to -- I want to restate what I said. It's one New Yorker every three seconds. I flipped that around. One New Yorker every three seconds vaccinated as of yesterday.

We're talking about a pace now going into this week between 200,000, 300,000 people per week. And that rate growing all the time.

The problem now is just plain lack of vaccine, Wolf. It's --

WOLF: Yeah --

DE BLASIO: I mean, we have to think about -- we can't get out of the week. I mean, think how astounding that is. Again, you're right, in the United States of America, how is that possible when we're a year into this crisis?

BLITZER: Yeah, you need the doses. And you've got to get it.

I understand the governor of New York is suggesting, Governor Cuomo, that you will get those and you want to deal directly with the manufacturers, you know, Pfizer and Moderna, instead of going through the national government, the federal government. Is that right?

DE BLASIO: Look, that's what he's proposing. And I agree with him because right now, the fact that the doses aren't coming destroys our ability to reach people. And when you think about it, we need to create public trust that there's going to be consistency in this effort.

Some parts of the country have the ability to vaccinate people very quickly. I'm sure others are going to take more time. It's just a matter of infrastructure. It's no one's fault. We happen to have a huge infrastructure here.

So, I would argue, get the doses where they could be most quickly put in the arms of the people who need them. That's the best way to fight this crisis for everyone. And then maximize production in a way that obviously didn't happen in the previous administration, but could happen in the Biden administration.

Joe Biden has been abundantly clear that he wants to do 100 million doses in his first 100 days. That's the kind of goal we need.

BLITZER: Yeah.

DE BLASIO: And use all the powers of the federal government to do it. But in the meantime, get the doses where they can be used most quickly. If we have that ability, get them to us and we'll get them right in the arms of our people.

BLITZER: And you open up Yankee Stadium and start doing it over there. People would just be able to show up and get a shot.

We're learning that President Trump, by the way, is now expected to remove coronavirus travel restrictions starting next week. It's unclear what countries will be included, but loosening those restrictions, especially -- you know, you've got JFK, you've got big airports in New York.

Would you be in favor of easing all those restrictions on foreigners coming into the United States?

DE BLASIO: Not at all. Not at all, Wolf.

I go the other way. Right now, this U.K. variant is the number one challenge we face. Our health care leadership here in New York City, they say we're racing against time to vaccinate the maximum people before that U.K. variant spreads like wildfire.

The best way to keep the U.K. variant out is shut down travel from the U.K. So, I actually would go the other way.

I hope President-elect Biden would put a travel ban on Britain until we get to a much greater point of vaccination in this country. We just can't take the chance.

BLITZER: One final question before I let you go, Mayor. You know that Washington, D.C. is almost like a fortress right now. Security is intense. National Guard troops deployed all over the place.

What about New York City, are you ready for any potential threats there?

DE BLASIO: Yeah, we're watching really carefully. We're not seeing any tangible evidence, any specific threats. But we have our NYPD in the high state of readiness in case. And I think, Wolf, what you're seeing around the country is our security leaders learned a painful lesson from the Capitol, from the horrible insurrection. And now they're out in force. And suddenly, those very negative white supremacist forces are receding into the background.

You know, the good news is being ready, showing that strength, showing that force, I think it's going to give us a good day on Wednesday.

BLITZER: Let's hope. We're watching it so closely, we could use that.

Mayor de Blasio of New York, thank you so much for joining us.

DE BLASIO: Thank you, Wolf. Take care.

BLITZER: All right. Good.

We're going to have more news just ahead. Joe Biden's inauguration is on Wednesday. Take a look at this. You're looking at live pictures, the field of flags on the National Mall here in Washington. The presidential inaugural committee is kicking off this week's unprecedented events.

We'll have more when we come back.

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BLITZER: Finally tonight, we share more stories of people who died from the coronavirus.

Cliff Feldman of Washington, D.C. was 73 years old. He was a loving father of two, husband to his wife Susan for 52 years. Cliff worked in network television news for decades, producing award-winning reporting. He enjoyed baseball, skiing and sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.

Robert O'Connell of New York was 79. He was a U.S. veteran and had a passion for history and traveling. Robert was a very caring person who's always there to help his family. His daughter says he was kind and quick to laugh and was a continuous source of unconditional love.

May they rest in peace and may their memories be a blessing.

Thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM.

You can always follow me on Twitter and Instagram @WolfBlitzer. You can always tweet the show @CNNSitRoom.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.

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