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EARLY START

President Trump Demands Changes To $900 Billion Relief Bill Passed By Congress; Trump Announces Wave Of Lame Duck Pardons And Commutations; Houston Hospital Overwhelmed By Post-Thanksgiving COVID Surge. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired December 23, 2020 - 05:30   ET

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


[05:30:04]

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Laura. Always a pleasure to be with you. I'm Boris Sanchez in for Christine Romans, and we are just about 30 minutes past the hour.

JARRETT: And after not lifting a finger to help for weeks, President Trump now, out of nowhere, is demanding changes to the $900 billion stimulus bill passed by Congress with veto-proof majorities.

If he'd weighed in earlier, perhaps a different deal could have been reached. But now, since the measure is linked to a broader spending bill, the president's opposition could trigger a government shutdown, sending the economy into a freefall and creating even more uncertainty for American families going into the holidays.

Yesterday also saw the second-most deaths reported in the entire pandemic, but the president isn't talking about that. And his sudden opposition to the relief bill has the White House aides surprised and annoyed, we're told.

He posted this video just an hour after a top aide indicated that Trump would sign the measure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple. Send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package -- and maybe that administration will be me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: No, it will not be him. The president lost the election to Joe Biden.

And even though he likes to live in fantasyland, it would be a lot more amusing if there were not so much at stake here. Stimulus checks which could be sent next week, extended unemployment benefits, billions of dollars for small businesses that are trying to survive. And, of course, billions for vaccines and rental assistance.

The president's demand for bigger checks is actually being welcomed by Democrats, including the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi. Do not expect the relief bill to be renegotiated in the current Republican-led Senate, though. The president already lashing out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others in the GOP leadership for refusing to help him overturn the election.

JARRETT: Also developing overnight, the start of the Trump pardon spree. The president granting full pardons to 15 people with five others getting their sentences commuted. Some of these are people who have been pleading their case in the court of conservative media; others, a clear parting shot at Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

CNN's Pamela Brown has more on all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, President Trump announced 20 pardons, including several of his allies and past associates.

And those include George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty in the Mueller probe to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians. He is the fourth person the president granted clemency to in the Russia probe, so far.

Also on the list, two corrupt GOP allies who were early supporters of President Trump, Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter. Hunter, who was sentenced to 11 months earlier this year for misuse of more than $200,000 in campaign funds, will now not serve any time behind bars with this pardon. Collins was sent to prison October of this year for insider trading, activity he engaged in while on White House grounds, according to investigators.

And then there are other controversial names on the list such as four Blackwater guards involved in war crimes in the massacre of Iraqi civilians, including one, Nicholas Slatten, who had been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

So those are some of the key names. And then there are also two former border patrol agents who were sentenced to prison in 2005 for shooting an undocumented immigrant. They were heralded as heroes on right-wing media at the time.

And nearly half of the pardons are non-violent drug offenders who had been advocated by Alice Johnson, who Trump pardoned earlier this year.

So we have around -- we had 20 pardons on this latest list from President Trump before Christmas and we expect a flurry of more pardons before the president's term ends.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Pamela Brown, thanks for that.

The president not just busy with pardons but also, apparently, immunity deals. CNN has learned the Trump administration is considering granting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman legal immunity from a federal lawsuit accusing him of orchestrating a murder plot.

A former top Saudi intelligence official who can share damaging information about the prince, claims in the lawsuit that MBS sent members of that same assassination squad that killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi to target him as well.

The Justice Department has declined to comment on this story.

JARRETT: Now to coronavirus as researchers are studying the new coronavirus variant in the U.K. They think it likely arrived in the U.S. in mid-November and many people in the country could already be infected with it. Scientists have researched the genetic sequences of coronavirus in the U.S. to see if any match up with the U.K. variant. So far, they have not found any but that's likely because the U.S. surveillance system isn't catching them.

SANCHEZ: Meantime, another new record overnight. Almost 118,000 people hospitalized.

[05:35:02]

Remember, back in the spring we heard a lot about flattening the curve. The original idea was to not overwhelm hospitals. And now when you look at the curve -- yes, it's not flat and you get a sense of what's actually happening at hospitals and how bad this winter is going to be.

ICU space in California is diminishing rapidly. They're expecting the worse, especially after Christmas and New Year's.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think right now we can safely take care of our community. But if people gather for the Christmas holiday we are going to be in trouble two weeks after that, for sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, my concern is that we're not near the peak and that this is going to continue. And that while we're meeting the need now we're going to get to a point, like many other hospitals in California, where they cannot meet the need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Overnight, more than 3,000 deaths were reported -- a number that should be just stunning. But what's worse about it is that it's the fifth time that that's happened this month.

President-elect Biden says dark days lie ahead for us but wants to reiterate this is not a partisan problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT: Do you think that Republicans who are losing their businesses -- do you think Republican constituents out there who can't pay their mortgage, do you think they're not letting their Republican representatives know they've got a problem?

Do you think the person who just lost a family member and is worried about losing another one who happens to be a Republican -- a staunch Republican -- isn't telling his or her Republican senator or state representative you've got to help -- you've got to get something done?

Do you think all those people who are making judgments of whether or not my child will be able to go to school and I have to stay home and I can't go to work -- therefore, I have no income -- are all Democrats?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Meantime at the state level, Georgia's governor is reauthorizing use of the World Congress Center for patient overflow beds as hospitals in the state face capacity issues.

SANCHEZ: In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is extending its safer-at-home restrictions until January 15th on indoor gatherings, dining, and sports, as well as theaters, casinos, and colleges.

And in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio says widespread vaccinations in the city will likely not be completed until at least June.

And listen to this. Coronavirus now on every continent, with Antarctica recording its first outbreak at a research base.

JARRETT: One small hospital in North Houston tells the story of what's happening all across this country. Overwhelmed healthcare facilities forced to add new COVID wings to deal with a devastating post-Thanksgiving surge in the virus, and doctors exhausted who haven't stopped working since the pandemic started.

CNN's Miguel Marquez reports for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Houston's United Memorial Medical Center -- patient after patient on a ventilator, their lungs devastated by COVID-19.

DR. JOSEPH VARON, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UNITED MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER, HOUSTON: This is COVID. It's from deep inside the lungs.

MARQUEZ (on camera): This is a test?

VARON: This is -- this is -- this is COVID. This is COVID. This is what COVID looks like inside the lungs. You can see that growth there -- the light. You can see a lot of mucus from cells (ph). MARQUEZ (voice-over): The lungs swollen and red in this elderly patient. The sample will be sent to a lab to find out what else might be happening in their lungs.

VARON: The question is are they not healthy just because of COVID or is there a secondary infection, which is common.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): We visited this same hospital in late-June. Then, two wings of the hospital had been transformed into COVID-19 wards. Today, prepping for what's to come, there are three.

VARON: The next six weeks are going to be the darkest weeks in modern American medical history.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Even though the vaccine is being rolled out?

VARON: Absolutely, because think about it. The vaccine is going to take between six and eight weeks to get immunity. What -- I mean, what's it like during Christmas. People are not listening.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): About 40 percent of patients at this Houston hospital are from other parts of the state reeling from overwhelming illness. Across the Lone Star State, cases exploding. The seven-day average of positive cases hitting records far above where they were in June.

Walter Cuellar was transferred here from West Texas, about 500 miles away. He thinks he and his wife picked up the virus at the supermarket. She had mild symptoms. Today, he's on the mend but when he arrived was nearly put on a ventilator.

WALTER CUELLAR, TRUCK DRIVER, COVID PATIENT: Once I went to the store with my wife and actually it was just her and I the only ones that were wearing a mask. The rest of the people, they're not wearing a mask at all.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Bri Smith works with foreign exchange students and recently moved to Columbus, Texas, west of Houston.

BRI SMITH, COVID PATIENT RECENTLY MOVED FROM AUSTIN: It is the worst I have ever felt in my life.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): She, too, thinks she got the virus while shopping. She has a husband and three kids. She wasn't sure she'd see them again.

SMITH: I love you very much and I miss you so much. I can't wait to come home.

[05:40:00]

MARQUEZ (voice-over): The staff here, from Dr. Varon to nurses, to those who clean up, are tired and stressed.

MARQUEZ (on camera): What has 2020 been like for you?

TANNA INGRAHAM, ICU NURSE WHO GOT COVID-19: Oh, it's like hell and back. It's hard and it's -- I'm stressed.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): We met ICU nurse Tanna Ingraham in June. Then, she was a patient having picked up COVID-19 she thinks while performing CPR on a patient. She got COVID a second time. She's not sure how.

After nine months of dealing with sickness and death, she's back at work with a message.

INGRAHAM: It's like we're non-existent. And it's like you do realize that we're still here taking care of these people, putting my life at risk, putting my kid's life at risk, and my mom's life. I think we've been forgotten, literally.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Something else new from June, says Dr. Varon. Patients are coming in sicker, having waited longer before seeking medical care.

VARON: Our average patient has spent about 20 days with symptoms before they come to us. So, I mean, even if I give them holy water, after 20 days of symptoms it's going to be difficult for them to --

MARQUEZ (on camera): Right.

VARON: -- get better.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Richard Gonzalez has a wife and five kids. He works two jobs and isn't sure how he got it. He thought he could tough it out.

RICHARD GONZALES, RESISTED GOING TO THE HOSPITAL: I kind of like messed up from those symptoms that I got when I got it. I should have went to the E.R. room or the hospital right away but I didn't. I laid in bed thinking it was going to go away.

MARQUEZ (on camera): For how long?

GONZALES: For about a week.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Luis Martinez's father, uncle, and cousin died of COVID-19. The last thing he wanted to do was go to a hospital.

LUIS MARTINEZ, LOST THREE FAMILY MEMBERS: Because I didn't want to do it because you know how it is. Whenever they put you in the hospital sometimes you never make it.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): To listen to Juana Corona, trying to breathe is to understand everything one needs to know about COVID-19. She's pretty certain she got it from her daughter at a birthday party. Several other family members got it. Her 26-year-old niece died.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Speaking foreign language.

JUANA CORONA, SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS SICK WITH CORONAVIRUS: Speaking foreign language.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): She says she's scared.

Like everyone we spoke to -- those who could speak -- they all hope for one thing, to be home for Christmas.

Margaret Evans says 10 members of her family got COVID-19, she thinks at a birthday party.

MARQUEZ (on camera): How tough is it to be away from family members?

MARGARET EVANS-RANGE, 10 FAMILY MEMBERS GOT CORONAVIRUS: It's hard, it's hard. It's very, very, very, very hard.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): She has nine grandchildren she'd really like to see.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Houston, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Miguel, thank you.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:46:30]

SANCHEZ: Here's a quick look at futures on Wall Street. Stock futures, you can see, are up slightly despite President Trump's demand to change the coronavirus relief bill -- one that already passed in Congress and one that we should point out his negotiators had a lot of input in.

A very turbulent time, to say the least. The last unemployment numbers before Christmas come out in just a few hours.

CNN Business lead writer Matt Egan is joining us this morning to discuss. Matt, thanks so much for getting up early for us.

Look, the U.S. economy is hurting and now, the president is demanding a change to a stimulus bill that he's seeming to side with Democrats in and demanding more money in the form of a stimulus check to Americans.

Ultimately, as you look at this bill, the president's reaction to it, and these job numbers that are coming today, what are the most important things that you're watching when it comes to the job market as it tries to recover in 2021?

MATT EGAN, LEAD WRITER, CNN BUSINESS (via Cisco Webex): Good morning, Laura and Boris.

You know, talk about a last-minute, high-profile objection. I mean, this would be like going to an engagement party, RSVPing to a wedding, buying a gift, and then waiting until the vows to finally object. It's like maybe you're going to make some good points but couldn't you have done this just a little bit earlier?

And let's also point out that the $2,000 stimulus checks that President Trump is calling for, that was actually a signature issue of the $2.4 trillion stimulus package that the Democrats were pushing. Republicans, of course, they objected.

So that's why we saw Nancy Pelosi kind of call President Trump's bluff last night, saying that she wants to vote on the $2,000 stimulus check (audio gap). But I just don't think there's any support for it from the GOP.

So what happens next isn't really clear to me but listen clearly, Boris. As you mentioned, the economy needs help. We're waiting for another grim number from the Labor Department this morning. Economists expect another 885,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits. Just to give you some context, that's about 25 percent higher than the worst point of the Great Depression.

Clearly, the economy is going to remain weak until this virus gets under control. So that's why one economist told me last night that it would be unconscionable if Congress leaves for the holidays without doing something.

JARRETT: So if Congress does something and they manage to get this passed, it remains to be seen what the president will do. But if this actually does get passed, Matt, do you think the government is going to have to come to the rescue again of the American people next year?

You have a great piece up on CNN Business about how the Georgia Senate runoffs on January fifth factor into that equation. Tell us about that.

EGAN: Yes, I don't think Washington's work here is nearly done. Small businesses, unemployed Americans, broken state and local governments, they're all going to need more aid in 2021. And so that's why voters in Georgia are going to have a really big say here.

If Democrats sweep both of those races in Georgia they'll effectively have control of the U.S. Senate, with Kamala Harris breaking a 50-50 tie. That could pave the way for a much bigger stimulus.

But if Republicans win just one of those seats you're going to start to hear objections to any more big spending. There is a return from Republicans on concerns about the deficit. We have entered this crisis with trillion-dollar deficits because of the Trump tax cuts. So right now, they're worried about the deficit with Joe Biden coming into office.

[05:50:00]

The big thing, of course, is that could be one way to tackle the inequality problem in the United States. Joe Biden is calling for $3 trillion in infrastructure spending. That could be in play if Democrats sweep Georgia. But if not, then the ceiling of $1 trillion (ph) on infrastructure -- and that's a trillion-dollar difference -- could really go a long way in saying how strong and how inclusive this recovery is.

JARRETT: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Matt, just thinking about the position that Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are in, just yesterday touting their success on getting the stimulus bill passed. And now, the president is calling it outrageous and dismissing it as they're trying to get reelected.

I am glad that you mentioned the inequality problem in the United States because I want to ask you about some comments from billionaire Ray Dalio, the founder of the world's largest hedge fund. He's been outspoken about the urgent need to address inequality. I want you to listen to what he told CNN's Poppy Harlow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAY DALIO, HEDGE FUND MANAGER: History has taught us these things. I've studied the last 500 years of history in cycles and these things repeat over and over again. Large wealth gaps with large values gaps at the same time as there is a lot of debt and there's an economic downturn produces conflict and vulnerability. And that will be with us unless the economy is good for most people. Most people could be productive and effective, and benefit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Your reaction, Matt?

EGAN: Well, Boris, Dalio is describing this toxic mix of worsening inequality and deepening political polarization, both of which have gotten worse in 2020. Inequality because of the pandemic and (audio gap) because of the election and President Trump's efforts to undermine the election.

You know, Dalio says that he's not trying to scare people. He's trying to remind everyone that while compromise is difficult and hard and messy and not perfect, it's hardly the worst outcome here.

JARRETT: Matt Egan, lead writer for CNN Business. Thank you so much for getting up with us this morning.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Matt.

JARRETT: We appreciate it.

EGAN: Thank you, guys.

JARRETT: All right.

Well, the Trump administration is suing Walmart, accusing the world's largest retailer of helping fuel America's opioid crisis. Prosecutors say Walmart pressured staff to fill thousands of prescriptions as fast as possible and that the company knowingly violated vetting rules and withheld information from pharmacists -- information indicating such orders did not have valid medical purposes.

Now, Walmart claims that the lawsuit is riddled with factual inaccuracies.

SANCHEZ: There is something President-elect Biden will not be inheriting from President Trump next month -- nearly 60 million Twitter followers. Twitter has decided to zero out the White House and POTUS accounts when Joe Biden is sworn in, so tens of millions of followers will not automatically be retained and the Biden presidency will be starting from scratch.

The transition team is pushing back since President Trump inherited all 26 million Twitter followers from the Obama White House accounts.

JARRETT: A police officer in Columbus, Ohio is suspended without pay after shooting and killing an unarmed black man. The mayor says there is body camera footage of the shooting but no sound. It happened Tuesday outside the garage of a home. It's the second time this month an unarmed black man has been fatally shot by law enforcement in that area.

SANCHEZ: Pivoting now to sports, the Lakers opening the NBA season last night with a very unique championship ring ceremony.

Coy Wire has more in this morning's Bleacher Report. Coy, those rings look expensive.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: More ice, ice baby than Robert Van Winkle. Good to see you, Boris.

Due to the pandemic, fans and family members couldn't be there at Staples Center in L.A. last night to see the ring ceremony, but the Lakers still found a way to make it special for the players. They had their families celebrate them with messages on the video board like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THEREZA MORRIS, WIFE OF MARKIEFF MORRIS: We're here to present my husband --

MARKIEFF MORRIS' DAUGHTER: Dada --

MORRIS: -- Markieff Morris --

MARKIEFF MORRIS' DAUGHTER: (INAUDIBLE).

MORRIS: -- with his championship ring.

JARED DUDLEY'S DAUGHTER: I love you and we are BFFs forever. Love you.

STUDENT FROM THE I PROMISE SCHOOL: Thank you for everything you've done for our foundations and congratulations.

STUDENT FROM THE I PROMISE SCHOOL: (INAUDIBLE).

STUDENT FROM THE I PROMISE SCHOOL: We are family.

STUDENT FROM THE I PROMISE SCHOOL: We are family.

STUDENT FROM THE I PROMISE SCHOOL: We are family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: And, LeBron even getting shout outs from kids from his I Promise School as he gets his fourth ring.

The Lakers are waiting until fans are back in the stands to unveil their 17th championship banner.

But, the crosstown rival Clippers making the Lakers' party end right there. They went up 22 in the first quarter. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on fire, combining for 59 in this win. George leading the way -- a second-half surge, scoring 10 in a row at one point.

The Lakers didn't lead once the entire game. Clippers win 116-109.

Opening night at Barclay's in Brooklyn. The Nets paying respect to coronavirus frontline workers, lifting a banner to the rafters in their honor.

[05:55:02]

Kevin Durant playing his first regular-season game in 560 days. The former league MVP dropping 22 on his former Warriors teammates. Kyrie Irving leading with 26 as the Nets whooped the Warriors 125 to 99.

Opening week continuing on TNT tonight as Giannis and the Bucks battle the Celtics in Boston. That's at 7:30 eastern.

And finally, Florida Gators basketball star Keyontae Johnson is heading home from the hospital 10 days after collapsing on the court against Florida State.

His family releasing a statement on Twitter saying they're amazed at the pace of his recovery and look forward to spending Christmas together as a family. They also asked for patience as medical professionals try to figure out what -- why he collapsed. It's a scary time for the family, for the Gators community, and beyond.

The team postponed four games since that happened and they're going to get back on the court after the new year.

Good news for Keyontae Johnson, just in time for the holiday.

JARRETT: Yes, certainly glad to see that he's OK. Thank you so much, Coy.

WIRE: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Still not over that Vanilla Ice reference. Coy Wire, thanks so much.

And thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Boris Sanchez in for Christine Romans. Thanks for having me, Laura. JARRETT: Of course. I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, December 23rd. It's 6:00 here in New York.

Alisyn is off. Erica Hill with us for what is major breaking news this morning.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: I mean, just when you think it can't get bigger, here we are.

BERMAN: Right.

A $900 billion implosion thanks to one video. That's where we could be since the president shocked Democrats, Republicans, and even his own staff, releasing a video overnight that signals he might veto the huge coronavirus relief package passed by both houses of Congress. So, direct aid for millions of Americans is in very real jeopardy this morning.