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Unvaccinated Americans Fuel Rise in Hospitalizations; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Looks to Add Another GOP Member to Committee; Naomi Osaka Lights Cauldron to Officially Open Tokyo Games. Aired 1- 1:30p ET

Aired July 23, 2021 - 13:00   ET

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


[13:00:02]

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: And he vowed to ensure officers get the resources and the support they need.

I appreciate your time this week on Inside Politics. Have a great weekend. Erica Hill picks up our coverage right now.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello on this Friday. I'm Erica Hill in for Ana Cabrera in New York.

It is a pandemic that by now is both predictable and, frankly, preventable. Today, COVID-19 is preying almost exclusively on those unwilling or unable to get the life-saving vaccine. And that puts everyone at risk, especially children under the age of 12 who aren't yet eligible for the shots.

CNN has learned the Biden administration is stockpiling an additional 200 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine in anticipation of authorization for younger children and the possibility of a third dose or a booster.

And with the new school year just weeks away, more districts across the country now mandating masks in the classroom, this as concern continues to grow about vaccine hesitancy. And that's prompting officials in areas with some of the lowest vaccination rates to sound the alarm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KAY IVEY (R-AL): These folks are choosing horrible lifestyles of self-inflicted pain.

REPORTER: What is it going to take to get people to get shots in arms?

IVEY: I don't know. You tell me. Folks are supposed to have common sense. But it is time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It is the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: It is the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.

CNN's Harry Enten joining us now here in New York to break this down for us.

So, Harry, we know the vaccinations work, right? We see this in the case counts. We see it in the hospitalizations.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER AND ANALYST: That's exactly right. Just look at the states that the 25 top states for vaccination versus the bottom 25 states for vaccination. Look at this. New coronavirus cases in the top 25 vaccinated states, 7 per 100,000. Look at the bottom 25 vaccinated states, more than double that, 16 per 100,000.

We can see this too in hospitalizations. Again, let's break it down by the top 25 vaccinated states and the bottom 25 most vaccinated states. Look at that, 5 per 100,000 in the top 25 most vaccinated states. And the bottom 25 vaccinated states, 11 per 100,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations, more than double, again. So in cases and in hospitalizations, we see the states that have more vaccinations are the ones who have fewer cases and fewer hospitalizations.

HILL: And this really translates on the individual level.

ENTEN: That's exactly right. You know, look at hospitalizations. Who are the folks who are going to the hospital right now? Overwhelmingly unvaccinated folks, 97 percent of the folks in the hospitalization -- in the hospitals are unvaccinated.

And then on deaths, I mean, this -- you can't find a clearer statistic than this. Look at this. In June, coronavirus deaths, shared by vaccination status, 99.2 unvaccinated. Oh, my goodness gracious, you're never going to find a clearer stat than that when it comes to causation and it is right there, it was just on your screen.

HILL: Look, unfortunately, people like to make everything political these days but it is interesting to look at these states in terms of vaccinations.

ENTEN: That's exactly right. I mean, look, whether you're in a blue state, like Maryland or you're in a red state, like Tennessee, look at this, the coronavirus deaths by share of vaccination status, in June, in a blue state like Maryland, look at that, 100 percent of the deaths from coronavirus, among the unvaccinated.

In Tennessee, a very red state, look at that, 98 percent of the deaths from coronavirus were among the unvaccinated from mid-May to mid-June. So, whether you're in a blue state or a red state, the coronavirus vaccines work. Get one. It could save your life. It could save one of your neighbors' lives.

HILL: Yes, absolutely. And, again, for the millionth time, the virus doesn't care who you voted for or if you even belong to a political party. Harry Enten, always a pleasure, thank you, my friend. ENTEN: Thank you.

HILL: Los Angeles County is seeing its highest daily count of new cases in more than five months courtesy of the highly contagious delta variant. Public officials in L.A. County calling this a game-changer, one in five new cases there is actually in fully vaccinated people, though it's important to point out those cases were, thankfully, either asymptomatic or had very mild symptoms.

CNN's Nick Watt joining us now live from Los Angeles. So, Nick, what are you seeing on the ground there?

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, the headline is frightening. More than 800 people who were fully vaccinated tested positive for COVID-19 in the month of June, and as you say, officials here are pointing at the delta variant. Last week, 84 percent of new cases here in Los Angeles were that delta variant.

Now, the headline is frightening, the rest not quite so frightening, as you mentioned. Most of those people who suffered the so-called breakthrough infections who had been vaccinated, most of those people either no symptoms, whatsoever, or just very mild symptoms.

[13:05:04]

Very few of them were even admitted to the hospital, very few indeed.

Now, as you and Harry were just discussing, this delta variant, this pandemic right now is really a pandemic of the unvaccinated. So, 20 percent of the people in June in L.A. were vaccinated, who caught the virus, which means 80 percent were not, and that is what is causing fear going forward.

Here in L.A., they're actually saying that July could be worse than June when the numbers come in. And what they're trying to do about it, well, like everywhere else in the country, they are urging people to get vaccinated. These vaccines do work very well against the delta variant and other variants. It is not 100 percent, breakthroughs will happen but they work very well.

Here in L.A., they are also telling people, vaccinated or not, that now, again, once again, they should be wearing masks indoors, but there is some pushback on that local official saying that they won't enforce that.

And, listen, there is a very good analogy being used here in L.A. and around the country right now about this delta variant and the pandemic. Think of the pandemic as a weather event, a heavy rainstorm. So you have an umbrella, that is your vaccine, which keeps the rain off you, but if the rain gets heavier, becomes monsoon, the winds whip up, you are going to need more protection and that is the masks.

So, here, they are saying, wear masks indoors, that is how we are going to stop this delta, masks and vaccinations. That is what they're saying people need to do and they are warning that delta is a game- changer, and things could get worse as we go into the next few weeks. Erica?

HILL: Yes. Everyone hoping that they won't, but the warning is there. Nick, thank you.

There is just one state that edged ahead of California when it comes to new cases and that is Florida. As you see there on your screen, it leads the nation in new coronavirus infections in the seven days ending yesterday.

Our next guest is seeing that surge and its effects firsthand. Chad Neilsen is director of infection prevention at the University of Florida Health Jacksonville. Good to have you with us.

Just give us a sense, what are you seeing right now in terms of COVID patients and how many of those patients are unvaccinated?

CHAD NEILSEN, DIRECTOR OF INFECTION, U.F. HEALTH JACKSONVILLE: Yes. So we have seen a precipitous rise in COVID-19 admits to our hospital over the last two weeks. In fact, we have increased cases by almost 50 percent just these five or six days previous to now. And the vast majority, over 90 percent, are unvaccinated individuals. The ones who are vaccinated, just to point out, they do have other comorbidities or immunoexpressed conditions. So, largely, we're seeing nothing but unvaccinated people pouring into our emergency departments right now.

HILL: And what are they saying to you, when you tell them that they have COVID, right, when they realize they are sick enough that COVID that they actually have to be in the hospital, they know they haven't had the vaccine, what are those conversations like?

NEILSEN: Well, some of them are disbelief, others take it. They understand that they're here because they're not vaccinated. We have interviewed some patients through other media outlets where we actually asked them, do you regret not getting the vaccine and 100 percent of them say, yes, I should have gotten the vaccine.

I know I can say that because I'm on the other side of this camera, but the patients are there and they're serious about this. They don't want to be in the hospital and they know that vaccine is a choice that they made.

HILL: Have you seen that trickle out to their friends, their family, their loved ones who are now watching them in the hospital, if any of them were not vaccinated? Do you think that this is having an impact on their decision?

NEILSEN: I certainly think there is a community impact going on. The health department locally is right next to our hospital. And they're getting requests for community vaccination efforts from community members. Right now, I can see out of my window, the public health department has a line around the block for people trying to get tested. And after they get tested, they turn right back around and get into the vaccination line.

So, I certainly think that people who are in the hospital with COVID right now are telling people this is not a joke, go get vaccinated, because the demand for vaccine seems to be rising here.

HILL: You talked about how even the number of patients is rising for you. I know you also have staffing concerns. Is this because of the, you know, consistent increase in the number of patients? Is it staff burnout? What are your major concerns there?

NEILSEN: Yes, it is both. It is going to be a rapidly increasing patient population, so it is putting heavier demands on our already short staffing ratios. The winter surge wasn't that long ago and we were trying to recover staffing from that. The staffer burned out. The morale is low, especially those who are vaccinated.

And so we're also having issues of staff staying on the job too, vaccinated or not, because the delta variant, being as contagious as it is, is affecting our staff members as well.

So, we're dealing with a lot of issues now, trying to keep people at the bedside and provide the best care we can, but it all starts with vaccinations.

[13:10:05]

HILL: You know, we looked at Florida leading the country in new cases over the past week. Governor DeSantis is advocating more for the vaccine now but has adamant he's not going to bring back mask mandates, talking especially about kids. What do you see changing for Florida? What do you see changing this trend in cases in your state?

NEILSEN: Really, what we need to see is increased vaccination as well as some masking in the community. We know that roughly 50 percent of Florida is unvaccinated right now, yet the CDC mandate says if you're unvaccinated, wear a mask. You can go to any store in town right now in Jacksonville and nobody is wearing a mask. So the statistics tell us we have a large number of unvaccinated people not wearing masks, according to CDC recommendations.

So, for this to turn, we need people to get vaccinated, we need people to start wearing masks if they're unvaccinated and we really have to start thinking that this could spill into the under 12 population in the coming months as school restarts. And so if you're not going to get vaccinated for yourself, please at least do it for your children.

HILL: Yes, the children under 12 who aren't even eligible to get vaccinated. Chad Neilsen, I appreciate you spending some time with us today. Thank you.

NEILSEN: Yes. Thanks, Erica.

HILL: The battle over investigating the insurrection, enflaming partisan tensions and reportedly sparking former President Trump to launch an unprecedented revenge effort against Congresswoman Liz Cheney, we'll discuss.

Plus, delayed, controversial, but moving forward, the Olympics now officially underway after the opening ceremony a short time ago in a mostly empty stadium. And here at home, some NFL stars threatening to walk away from the game after the league warns unvaccinated players could be responsible for forfeits and some pretty significant financial losses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:15:00]

HILL: Another Republican could soon be added to the House committee investigating the January 6th, the insurrection. Multiple sources telling CNN House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

Now, he would join, of course, Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the other Republican on the committee, who has earned the ire of her own party after blaming former President Trump for inciting the attack on the Capitol and voting to impeach him.

And since then, the former president has been laser focused on Cheney, which is underscored by some new reporting from Politico detailing that obsession.

I want to bring in now Alex Isenstadt, National Political Reporter for Politico. Good to have you with us.

So, we know there is this big push, right, to unseat Liz Cheney. Donald Trump is all in on it. Two potential Republican challengers set to meet with him next week. Does any Republican challenger to Liz Cheney really move forward without his blessing at this point?

ALEX ISENSTADT, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, POLITICO: It's absolutely Donald Trump who is driving this train, who's going to make the decision about whom to endorse and Donald Trump is the most powerful figure in this race against Liz Cheney. He's going to endorse a candidate and he may have to encourage other people to get out of the primary in order to winnow the field and to prevent Liz Cheney from simply getting a plurality. So he's got a lot of power in this race.

HILL: He has a lot of power. It is also shaping up to be a pretty crowded primary if we look at all of the names that have been thrown around here.

ISENSTADT: Absolutely. It's a hugely crowded primary field. And that's what Liz Cheney is banking on. She's hoping that if you can have multiple, six, seven pro-Trump candidates running against her, they're all going to divide the vote, and that means if she gets 30 percent of the vote, that could be enough for her to win.

So, what Trump's goal here is to endorse one candidate and then to encourage everyone else to get out of the race, so it is a one-on-one race against Cheney. And for Trump to do all that, it is going to be interesting to see how this race devolves, how it plays out, because it is go to be really interesting test case of Trump's power, his ability to assert dominance over the Republican Party in his post- presidency. HILL: And as I mentioned, you're reporting a couple of potential challengers making their way to Bedminster to essentially kiss the ring. I mean, just give us a sense. What is the real litmus test there for the former president and his looking at potential challengers?

ISENSTADT: Look, it's all about loyalty, loyalty to Trump, loyalty, loyalty, loyalty. And just to give you some sense of what that means, one of the people that is meeting with Trump next week, they are actually promoting the fact that they attended the January 6th rally that preceded the Capitol riot.

Now, this person did say they did not take part in the riot, did not take part in the assault on the Capitol, but that just goes to show what these candidates are banking on when they try to get his endorsement. They are auditioning for him and they are presenting themselves as the most loyal Trump, pro-Trump person out there.

HILL: really quick, before I let you go, this is also shaping to be hugely expensive. Liz Cheney has been doing some pretty significant fundraising, but it could also say a lot not just about the former president and his support but the party as a whole depending who challenges here.

ISENSTADT: Absolutely. It is really interesting to look at who has been donating in this race. Because if you look at who has been giving to Liz Cheney, it is a lot of people who were involved in the George W. Bush administration, which makes some sense, right? Her father was George W. Bush's vice president.

But if you see it sort of -- you can sort of potentially see this race down the road becoming kind of a litmus test, potentially, being supporters of former President Donald Trump and supporters of former President George W. Bush.

[13:20:03]

And I think that's going to be one of the most interesting dynamics to watch in this race in the months to come.

HILL: Yes, a lot of attention on Wyoming, that's for sure. Alex Isenstadt, good to have you. Thank you.

ISENSTADT: Thank you.

HILL: A former adviser to President Trump is in court right now. Tom Barrack chaired the president's inaugural committee. Without explanation, his bail hearing was moved from Monday to today in Los Angeles. You see him there highlighted on your screen.

Officials have charged Barrack in a seven-count indictment with acting as an agent of a foreign government as well as obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents.

Two Democrats in Congress are now calling on the Justice Department watchdog to investigate whether the case was inappropriately suppressed after CNN reported that prosecutors had enough evidence to charge Barrack last year. We'll keep an eye on that.

Meantime, after a year delay and mounting pressure to call off the games over rising COVID cases, the Olympic cauldron now lit and the games are officially underway.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:25:00]

HILL: After more than a year of COVID-induced delays, the Olympics now officially under way in Tokyo. And this is the moment that many thought might never happen. Tennis star Naomi Osaka on the last leg of the torch relay lighting the Olympic cauldron and officially opening the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

But amid all the fanfare, protests, a significant portion of the Japanese public still opposes holding the games during a pandemic.

CNN's Selina Wang is in Tokyo. So, Selina, what is the mood like there?

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, still intense opposition to the Olympics. In fact, during the opening ceremony, for hours, there was a crowd of protesters chanting to cancel the Olympics, saying that these games are putting sport and money ahead of people's lives.

There is still a strong feeling here, Erica, that these games shouldn't be happening when COVID-19 cases are surging in Tokyo, when just about 20 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and the host city is still under a state of emergency.

But I was talking to bystanders at the national stadium today and there is a lot of mixed feelings. There are some who think it is not the right time to have a festival. Others who say they're excited others who say they're excited to watch this on T.V. I spoke to one woman who said she bought 20 tickets for different Olympic events and she is just bummed out that she can't see any of them.

But this event, overall, the opening ceremony was toned down. There was a more somber mood. There was a moment of silence to remember all the people's lives who have been lost from COVID-19, as well as the athletes who couldn't be there because of the pandemic and also notable that there are now more than 100 COVID-19 cases in Japan linked to these Olympics.

But there were also some memorable moments. From our vantage point, you could see the stunning fireworks and the drone display in the sky forming the shape of a globe. But it was very surreal as well to see just about 950 VIP guests, including Jill Biden, in the stands that fits 68,000 people, Erica.

HILL: Wow, Selina Wang, I appreciate it, thank you.

For more, let's bring in four-time Olympian Rennae Stubbs, she's also Wimbledon and U.S. Open Champion, a Tennis Analyst for ESPN. It's so great to see you today.

Look, we know this is a challenging year, to put it mildly, for these athletes, but just making it to the Olympic Games is such a remarkable feat. Let's focus on that positive, if we can. You've been there four times, the opening ceremony just wrapping up a few hours ago. Take us inside that moment, if you can, what it is like.

RENNAE STUBBS, FOUR-TIME OLYMPIAN: One of the most memorable moments for any athlete in their entire career. I had the opportunity to do it four times and many of my friends who were texting me that it was a very unusual way to go out this particular time, that they had nobody in the stands. But, still, it was still a memorable moment for anybody, particularly somebody doing it for the first time.

It is memorable because you're there with your fellow athletes and you get to meet all the fellow athletes that you don't necessarily mingle with in normal circumstances, like the tennis players and the swimmers and various other athletes. So, it is really truly one of the most memorable moments for them. So I'm glad they had that opportunity tonight even though there was nobody in the stands.

HILL: Speaking of not having anybody in the stands, we've talked so much about the impact of COVID, that's where you really see it too, right, is the absence of spectators. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios pulling out, citing an injury, but he also cited the lack of spectators, noting, the thought of playing in front of empty stadiums just doesn't sit right with me, it never has.

Look, I know this could be different for every athlete, but that has to have an impact on performance and mentally how you're perceiving things when you have got empty stands.

STUBBS: No question. Look, no athlete wants to go out and perform with nobody watching. And everybody wants to have that sort of reaction from the crowd. It gives them motivation, it gives them energy, it also makes them very nervous, but that's part of the sport.

But having said that, when you have trained for now almost five years for most of these athletes where the Olympics is the most important thing to them.

[13:30:01]

For Nick, he has the opportunity to go and play the U.S. Open in a month. He has Wimbledon. He has a lot of Grand Slams. So, for the tennis players, it is a little bit different.