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COVID cases climb, hospitalizations spike as much of California locks down
Published December 20, 2020
This is a rush transcript from "Special Report" December 7, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR (on camera): Hi, Greg. That's one lucky turtle.
Good evening. Welcome to Washington. I'm Bret Baier.
Breaking tonight, we begin another week in the throes of the coronavirus
pandemic with another day of record hospitalizations across the U.S.
Another warning that Christmas could be even more dangerous than
Thanksgiving, and a lockdown affecting 34 million people in the nation's
most populous state. About 84 percent of Californians are under a stay at
home order tonight, an order that is crippling many businesses and sparking
open defiance by some in law enforcement.
This happens one day after a record of almost 102,000 total
hospitalizations was recorded because of the virus. And the prediction from
Dr. Anthony Fauci that the spiking cases around the Thanksgiving holiday
may be just beginning with the longer Christmas and Hanukkah periods ahead.
So, what does it mean about how the U.S. will operate heading into the
holidays? We begin our coverage tonight in Los Angeles with national
correspondent William La Jeunesse. Good evening, William.
WILLIAM LA JEUNESSE, FOX NEWS CHANNEL NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera):
Well, Bret with cases climbing a shortage of beds is one issue, staffing
those is another. This comes as a state is seeing a record number of health
care workers sidelined because of the virus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are dying.
LA JEUNESSE (Voice over): A blunt but accurate assessment as officials
coast to coast try to get ahead of a raging virus.
DR. DEBORAH BIRX, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: This is not
just the worst public health event, this is the worst event that this
country will face.
LA JEUNESSE: A field hospital open today in Boston. In California, 34
million are under orders to stay home as positivity rates soar to one in
10.
In the San Joaquin Valley where Americans get winter fruit and vegetables,
just six percent of ICU beds are available.
DR. CHRISTOPHER TAICHER, EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN: That's the main
challenge that I face is just seeing huge patient populations that delay
care until it's very late in the game and it's hard to treat illnesses when
you approach it once they're gravely ill.
LA JEUNESSE: While many understand the need to bend the curve, they don't
trust the message.
In New York, Governor Cuomo is considering limits on indoor dining. While
Mayor de Blasio is threatening action against a pub owner who defied his
shut down order.
BILL DE BLASIO (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK: When the state of New York says your
bar needs to be closed, your bar needs to be closed. And when you violate
the law, there will be consequences.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hypocrisy of this thing is out of control.
LA JEUNESSE: In Washington State, this restaurant owner refuses to close
indoor dining.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they want to take me to jail, that's fine. If they
want to fine me, that's fine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm losing everything. Everything I own is being taken
away from me.
LA JEUNESSE: This video went viral over the weekend after L.A. approved a
film permit that included outdoor dining.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came in to give last paychecks and bags of groceries
to my employees and saw a 200-person tent with tables set up in a catering
truck for a movie company in the same parking lot within five feet away. I
mean, 20 steps away from me.
LA JEUNESSE: At least three sheriffs will not enforce the stay at home
order.
DON BARNES, SHERIFF, ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: I'm not sure that we ever
want to be in a position where law enforcement operating with that -- with
that mission in mind to go out and arrest lawful residents of the county
who are just trying to make ends meet and that -- and are doing so by
following the rules.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LA JEUNESSE (on camera): The Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS said
today there is no evidence to support limitations and outside dining and to
do so without evidence is counterproductive, Bret.
BAIER: More on this with the panel. William, thanks.
Attorneys for a Staten Island pub owner who has defied the New York
Governor's coronavirus restrictions and is accused of hitting sheriff's
officers with his car during an arrest attempt. They're releasing what they
claim as a surveillance video of that incident.
They say, Danny Presti had no idea that two men running after him were law
enforcement. The attorneys say the officers broke every proper procedure
for making an arrest, a story we will follow.
A Washington-based consulting firm co-owned by the husband of Minnesota
Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar received millions of dollars from her
campaign. Public records indicate the E Street Group was also eligible for
more than a half million dollars in coronavirus bailout money.
Public records show that the E Street Group co-owned by Omar's husband, Tim
Mynett received nearly $135,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans and
$500,000 in economic injury disaster loans.
Omar pledged last month that she was cutting ties with her husband's firm
and said the payments were made before that.
We're learning additional details tonight about the progress of a
coronavirus relief package. President Trump is expected to support it, but
the measure reportedly will not include another direct payment to
Americans. Negotiations are also ongoing on legislation to keep the
government funded to avoid a temporary shutdown.
Also tonight, the president continues to push his argument that he did in
fact win last month's election. Chief White House correspondent John
Roberts has details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (Voice
over): In the Oval Office today, President Trump awarding the Medal of
Freedom to college and Olympic wrestling legend Dan Gable. The president
comparing Gable's win/loss record to his and again suggesting he prevailed
on November 3rd.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, in politics, I want to -
- so I'm 2-0, and that's pretty good too.
ROBERTS: A week from today, the electors meet to determine who will be the
next president. Time is running out for President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you looking to change the outcome of the election or
tried to make a case the American people that it wasn't fair?
TRUMP: Well, I think the case has already been made. If you look at the
polls, it was a rigged election. You look at the different states, the
election was totally rigged.
ROBERTS: While the president's legal team and recounts have identified
irregularities in the voting, it's not approvable scale to erase Joe
Biden's lead. So, as Democrats did to him in 2016 and beyond, President
Trump is trying to cast doubt on the legitimacy of a Biden presidency.
TRUMP: It's a disgrace to our country. It's like a third world country,
these ballots pouring in from everywhere using machinery that nobody knows.
And now we find out what we can do about it. But you'll see a lot of big
things happening over the next couple of days.
ROBERTS: The Trump campaign is hoping the U.S. Supreme Court will take up
the Pennsylvania mail-in vote case. Senator Ted Cruz telling Fox News the
campaign has approached him about arguing it on their behalf.
In a statement saying, the bitter division and acrimony we see across the
nation needs resolution. I believe the Supreme Court has a responsibility
to the American people to ensure within its powers that we are following
the law and following the Constitution.
In the 11th hour of the legal battle, the president's top attorney Rudy
Giuliani sidelined after testing positive for coronavirus and checking into
Georgetown Hospital. Giuliani speaking with the president this morning.
TRUMP: I just spoke to him. He's doing very well. No temperature and he
actually called me early this morning, it was the first call I got, now
he's doing very well.
Rudy Giuliani was a great, great mayor and what he's doing now, and he will
say it is even more important.
ROBERTS: As the clock ticks down toward the electors' certification, the
White House is also working with Congress on another COVID relief bill. The
White House wants more Paycheck Protection and money for vaccine
distribution. More payments to individuals appear unlikely but the White
House is open to a plus up in unemployment.
LARRY KUDLOW, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL: We're worried about
spiking COVID, so we'd like to get some federal plus up, but I think the
number is congregating around $300 a week which would be acceptable to the
administration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS (on camera): Tomorrow, President Trump will host the White House
Summit on the soon to be released coronavirus vaccines. As part of that
summit, the president will sign an executive order ensuring that the U.S.
government prioritizes Americans in receiving the coronavirus vaccine
before it is sent to other countries.
And Bret tonight, the White House also pushing back on a report that it
turned down an offer from Pfizer late last summer to procure more doses of
the vaccine. The White House saying that's simply not true. And the
Pfizer's claim that it may not have more doses of the vaccine for the U.S.
market until next summer. White House official told me that simply Pfizer
"negotiating in public", Bret.
BAIER: John Roberts live in the North Lawn. John, thank you.
As John just noted, the Trump campaign is hoping the U.S. Supreme Court
will take up that Pennsylvania case. U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice
Samuel Alito ordering Pennsylvania officials to respond to an election
challenge a day earlier than previously scheduled.
Alito had previously ordered the state's lawyers to respond to the lawsuit
by Wednesday. That is one day after the Safe Harbor date, which would mean
Congress cannot challenge any electors already named in accordance with
state law.
Alito now wants a response by 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. This is a challenge tied
to the change in the mail-in ballot process in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania by the legislature back in 2019. Upheld then by the state
Supreme Court there, but without a change to the state constitution, which
supporters insist is required under Pennsylvania law.
President-elect Joe Biden is putting a key Obamacare defender in charge of
his health department, but at least he's nominating him for that.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra would be the first Latino to
head the Department of Health and Human Services and its trillion-dollar
budget.
But despite that, correspondent Peter Doocy tells us many of Biden's fellow
Democrats are not that happy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT (Voice over): Biden allies
aren't fully satisfied with his cabinets, diversity.
REP. KAREN BASS (D-CA): I do believe there's many more positions and I
certainly hope to see more African Americans in those positions at the
highest level.
DOOCY: Tomorrow, the president-elect meets with NAACP leaders and he's been
urging patience.
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I promise you, it'll
be the single most diverse cabinet.
DOOCY: But one former V.P. shortlister wants to give Biden a shortlist of
her own.
BASS: For defense secretary, there's two individuals that the Congressional
Black Caucus would like to put forward Lloyd Austin and Jay Johnson.
DOOCY: The names on the roster of Biden's health team has Democratic
Senator Chris Murphy saying, this is a solid team. A Christmas miracle.
Biden wants Dr. Vivek Murthy to be Surgeon General, again, an infectious
diseases specialist from Mass General Dr. Rochelle Walensky to run the CDC
and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to run Health and Human
Services.
Three years ago, Becerra was an advocate of Medicare for All.
XAVIER BECERRA, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CALIFORNIA: Absolutely. When you give
people access to Medicare and talk to seniors who have their Medicare who
say keep your hands off my Medicare, I think it would have the same effect
for most Americans if they knew they could depend on something like
Medicare for themselves as well.
DOOCY: Republicans plan to oppose Becerra. Senator Tom Cotton tweets,
Xavier Becerra spent his career attacking pro-life Americans and tried to
force crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions.
The cycle, Biden's team changed the way presidential campaigns operate,
relying heavily on drive-in rallies. And that's the idea for the
inauguration, even though you can't park a car on the National Mall.
BIDEN: I think you're going to see something that's closer to what the
convention was like than the typical inauguration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOOCY (on camera): Biden just told us he is going to reveal his pick for
defense secretary on Friday but today, the buzz in town is all about beer.
A local brewery is honoring the train loving president-elect with this Rail
Car One: Wilmington to Washington. It's an IPA, but it may -- might make
you want to say ale to the chief, Bret.
BAIER: Wow, I didn't think it was going to be that bad. But Peter, nice
try. Thank you, sir.
Stocks were mixed today. The Dow lost 148, the S&P 500 dropped seven, the
NASDAQ gained 56 for a new record close.
Tonight, we begin our five-part series on the coronavirus vaccine. We will
look at the incredible -- incredibly rapid development of the drug and the
massive distribution and immunization plan set to roll out in just a matter
of days. Here's correspondent David Spunt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It's called Operation Warp Speed. That means big and it means fast.
DAVID SPUNT, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT: Last May in the Rose Garden,
the launch of a historic undertaking.
DR. MONCEF SLAOUI, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER, OPERATION WARP SPEED: We will
be able to deliver a few hundred million doses of vaccine by the end of
2020.
SPUNT: Almost seven months later and two vaccines are ready to go. Pending
approval for emergency use by the FDA.
For Pfizer, that is expected Thursday. Meaning the first vaccines will
likely go out this Friday and Saturday. A week later, is Moderna's turn.
JENNIFER HALLER, FIRST VACCINE RECIPIENT: It was pretty surreal.
SPUNT: Jennifer Haller participated in the trials for the Moderna vaccine.
She was the first person in the United States to receive a COVID-19
vaccine.
Back on March 16th, some five months before most trial participants, she
never developed severe side effects and has remained COVID free.
HALLER: You know, I certainly felt helpless knowing what I knew at the time
about the pandemic and I was looking for a way to help.
SPUNT: Moderna says its vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent with
two doses required. The company will produce 20 million doses this year and
up to one billion next year.
Officials with Pfizer and BioNTech rate their vaccine efficacy at 95
percent, also with two doses required. The company plans to manufacture 50
million this year and up to 1.3 billion next year. Both are expected to be
free to the general public. The costs funded through taxes.
The CDC voted last week to inoculate healthcare workers and those living in
nursing homes first. For the rest of the country, help is on the way, but a
few more months down the road.
DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION:
Hopefully by March, we'll start to see vaccine available for the general
public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SPUNT (on camera): But don't expect your kids to get a vaccine. When you
do, health experts say it's going to be many months before anybody under
the age of 18 is inoculated. Bret, the science is just not there yet for
that age group.
BAIER: David Spunt live in D.C. here, thank you. Tomorrow night, part two
of our series examines why some people are already refusing to get that
shot in the arm when it comes.
We're just hours from the start of the United Kingdom's massive vaccination
program for COVID-19. About 800,000 doses expected to be in place for
Tuesday morning's rollout. Last week, the U.K. became the first country to
authorize the vaccine for emergency use.
Up next, we take you on an exclusive trip to Afghanistan, as American
troops prepare to leave the scene of this country's longest war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN HALL, FOX NEWS CHANNEL FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (on camera):
Many of the people that we speak to here say it's just too dangerous to
even be seen talking with us. Because the Taliban control so much of this
area. They attacked this area almost on a daily basis.
You can see here the bullet holes from a recent attack. There is no
security here, there is no peace here. That's all these people want.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Benjamin Hall on the ground. First, here is what some of our other
Fox affiliates around the U.S. are covering tonight. Fox Richmond in
Virginia as the Virginia Military Institute removes a prominent statue of
Confederate General Thomas Stonewall Jackson.
VMI's board voted to remove the statue in late October after The Washington
Post published a story that described what it called an atmosphere of
hostility and cultural insensitivity at the school.
Fox 23 in Portland, Maine, as utility workers restore power to more than
125,000 homes and businesses in the state after a weekend nor'easter. That
still leaves tens of thousands of customers in Maine in the dark. The storm
brought heavy snow, sleet, rain, powerful gusts, Saturday and Sunday.
And this is a live look at New York from our affiliate Fox 5. One of the
big stories there tonight. The sale of Bob Dylan's entire catalog of songs,
it's considered one of the great treasures in music history.
It includes such modern standards as -- standards as The Times They Are a-
Changing, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, and Like a Rolling Stone. It is not
known how much that deal is for.
That's tonight's live look OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY from SPECIAL REPORT. We will
be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: Residents of several big cities are trying to recover tonight from
another weekend of deadly violence. At least 37 people were shot in
Chicago. Five of them died. Hundreds of people literally attacked the
downtown area, fighting and looting stores there.
A surge in shootings in Philadelphia has left more than 20 juveniles dead
so far this year. That's almost double the count last year.
The New York Police Department says shootings in New York City have surged
to levels unseen in years. Murders are up 38 percent, by far, the largest
spike in decades. Shootings have almost doubled up 95 percent. Some in the
city called the plague of shootings New York's other 2020 pandemic.
Tonight overseas, a rare look inside Afghanistan as American troops prepare
to withdraw from the site of this country's longest war. Correspondent
Benjamin Hall and his team have had exclusive access to the people and
places at the heart of this conflict.
Tonight, we go to a checkpoint that has come under regular attack from the
Taliban. And talk to people who you may not be surprised are almost
universal in agreement that it is time for the U.S. to leave.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALL (voice over): The road toward act from Kabul is a lawless one. It's
where modern Afghanistan stops and the Taliban starts.
HALL (on camera): Just a couple of miles outside Kabul, in every direction,
the Taliban are in control. Night after night, they launched attacks on
police checkpoints, and they take over districts like this.
They are knocking on the door of Kabul, and many people feel it is only a
matter of time until they move in.
HALL (voice over): Some people now say they would welcome the Taliban if it
meant peace.
Former President Hamid Karzai says the U.S. drawdown will help to bring
that.
HAMID KARZAI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: Very strongly supportive.
HALL: Of what, sir?
KARZAI: Of President Trump's decision to change course, and to work for
peace in Afghanistan, and to let the Afghans talk among themselves, and
determine their own future.
HALL: But as they meet in Doha, the big question remains. Are the Taliban
negotiating in good faith or just biding their time until the U.S. pullout?
The NATO secretary-general believes it is too soon.
JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY GENERAL, NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION:
We
face a difficult dilemma whether to leave and risk that Afghanistan becomes
once again a safe haven for international terrorists. Or stay and risk a
longer mission with renewed violence.
HALL: As the drawdown of U.S. troops to 2,500 gets underway, the Taliban
are getting bolder and have been slowly making move into major cities.
HALL (on camera): The Taliban are not only knocking on the door of Kabul;
they are already inside Kabul. Districts like this are taken over by the
Taliban at night. When night falls, they come in, they put up roadblocks,
they arrest and kill people who work for the government. The people who
work and live here know that, that is exactly what's going to happen when
the U.S. leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HALL: (on camera) Nor have the Taliban denounced al-Qaeda. And a U.N.
report came out recently that suggested they still had close and friendly
relations and that there were no signs of that changing. Bret?
BAIER: Benjamin Hall on the ground in Kabul, Afghanistan. Benjamin, thank
you.
Up next some of New York's public school students go back to class after an
unscheduled break because of the coronavirus, and the accusations keep
flying in the Georgia's Senate runoffs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KELLY LOEFFLER (R-GA): I'm not going to be lectured by someone that
uses the bible to justify abortion.
REV. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE OF GEORGIA: She welcomed the
support of a QAnon conspiracy theorist, and she sat down with a white
supremacist for an interview.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: Georgia's top elections official has recertified the election
results after another recount confirmed once again that Joe Biden defeated
President Trump in the state and there is no sign that, that will change.
Meantime, this is the final day for Georgians to register to vote in next
month's crucial Senate runoffs.
Tonight, voters are digesting what they heard from three of the four
candidates during last night's debate event.
Correspondent Jonathan Serrie shows us tonight from Decatur, Georgia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN SERRIE, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Joined by
former housing and urban development secretary Julian Castro, Democrat Jon
Ossoff is trying to rally support among Georgia's Latino voters, while the
conservative advocacy group, Heritage Action pledges to contact 1-1/2
million Georgia voters to help Republicans.
Trying to build voter confidence going into the Senate runoffs, Georgia's
top elections official is criticizing conspiracy theories from both sides
of the aisle.
BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, SECRETARY OF STATE OF GEORGIA: All this talk of a
stolen election, whether it's Stacey Abrams or the president of the United
States is hurting our state.
SERRIE: Last night, the eyes of the nation watched as Georgia's junior
senator debated a Baptist pastor.
WARNOCK: Love your neighbor. And for me, that means you don't get rid of
your neighbor's health care, particularly in the middle of a pandemic.
LOEFFLER: I'm not going to be lectured by someone that uses the bible to
justify abortion, to attack our men and women in the military.
SERRIE: Republican senator and businesswoman Kelly Loeffler spent much of
the debate tying Reverend Raphael Warnock to his sermons on income
inequality. He delivered as pastor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic
church.
LOEFFLER: Can you, hear and now for all Georgians renounce socialism and
Marxism?
WARNOCK: Listen, I believe in our free enterprise system. And my dad was a
small business owner.
SERRIE: In a separate debate, Georgia's other Republican senator, David
Perdue was represented by an empty podium after choosing not to debate
Democrat Ossoff.
JON OSSOFF (D), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE OF GEORGIA: Not only is David not
working on any direct economic relief for the people, David is hiding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERRIE (on camera): Tonight is the deadline for new voters to register in
time for the January 5th Senate runoffs. Already more than 1 million
Georgia voters have requested absentee ballots. Bret?
BAIER: Jonathan, thank you.
The youngest of New York City's public school students returned to class
today. That is a reversal from Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio who ordered
the schools closed last month. Correspondent David Lee Miller has the
latest tonight from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DAVID LEE MILLER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It was back-to-school again this
morning for some New York City public school students.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm thinking it's exciting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I get to see all my friends again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been tough away from school.
MILLER: A little more than two weeks ago New York Mayor Bill de Blasio
shut down all classroom instruction when the citywide COVID infection rate
hit a three percent trigger. Critics say the decision was arbitrary.
Following withering criticism, the mayor came up with that new back-to-
school plan for kids up to fifth grade who are previously signed up for
classroom instruction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are changing week to week.
MILLER: The new rules require weekly random COVID testing for 20 percent
of all students and staff. Before students can attend class, they must have
a signed parental consent form on file permitting school to test for the
virus. A recent study by Brown University professor Emily Oster shows
schools are not a major source of COVID spread.
EMILY OSTER, BROWN UNIVERSITY: Rates for elementary and middle school
students are much lower, typically about half of the community rate. And
that is really likely to reflect, or seems to just reflect the fact that
kids are younger, kids are much less likely to get COVID than older people.
MILLER: Students must take safety precautions while in school buildings.
The president the American Federation of Teachers says with the right
protocols in place she is optimistic about classroom instruction.
RANDI WEINGARTEN, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS: We need the resources
and we need the safeguards, but if one can do that, then we should be doing
in-person learning.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
MILLER (on camera): There is still no plan for New York City middle and
high school students to get back to the classroom. At the earliest, that
won't happen until after the first of next year. Bret?
BAIER: David Lee Miller in New York. David Lee, thanks.
Public school teachers in San Diego are being offered training to overcome
what is being called white privilege. Training documents reveal that
teachers must accept that their supposed unconscious bias is perpetuating
racial superstructures. And they must acknowledge they are living on land
stolen from Native Americans. The teachers are told in these documents they
are racist and, quote, upholding racist ideas, structures, and policies.
They're also told to commit to becoming, quote, "antiracist" in the
classroom.
Up next, the panel on the coronavirus cases, lockdowns, and resistance. And
as we go to break, we mark the 79th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Japanese bombers struck the Hawaiian base 1941, plunging the U.S. into
World War II.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yet in spite of this blow of surprise devastation,
American fighting planes took off, and they together with the fire of
antiaircraft guns shot down more than 40 Japanese planes. A brave record
considering these scenes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS
DISEASES: We are going to be in some significant, I would say, pain and
suffering in the next couple of months, because even though the light at
the end of the tunnel, namely a vaccine, is literally at the threshold,
what we have now is a challenge ahead of us of the bleak months of December
and January.
DR. DEBORAH BIRX, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: The
vaccine is critical, but it's not going to save us from this current surge.
Only we can save us from this current surge. And we know precisely what to
do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Medical officials looking at that surge, saying that we are in for
a tough couple of months according to the trends. If you look at
hospitalizations just in recent days, yesterday, December 6th, 101,000,
almost 102,000 across the country. Again, the death rate, the case fatality
ratio, otherwise known as the crude mortality rate, 1.9 percent overall,
but COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people, 86.29. Those are from Johns Hopkins
University.
With all of that and all that we're facing as a country on this, let's
bring in our expanded panel, FOX News senior political analyst Brit Hume,
Kimberley Strassel, a member of the editorial board at "The Wall Street
Journal," Mara Liasson, national political correspondent for National
Public Radio, and "Washington Post" columnist Marc Thiessen. Brit, your
thoughts on where we are and where we may be going here?
BRIT HUME, FOX NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Obviously these increases in
deaths are profoundly disturbing. The question then becomes is, with the
cases increasing, hospitalizations increasing, and deaths increasing,
whether we do, as Dr. Birx said, know exactly what to do. I'm not at all
sure we do. The problem with these numbers is that we don't know who's
sick. We don't know how old they were. We do know and have known from the
beginning that this is an ailment that affects the elderly wildly
disproportionately to the rest of the population.
So it appears -- I'm sure that probably is true of these latest round of
fatalities -- it appears we're still not doing as good a job as we need to
do to protect the elderly. What we're doing instead is a lot of lockdowns
and closures and stay-at-home orders for the whole population, which has a
dramatic effect on children in schools, on businesses, on health care
itself for ailments that are not being treated because hospitals are
crowded and people are postponing it or are afraid to go to the hospital.
So I think we are -- this virus -- excuse me, this vaccine can't come soon
enough, because to a great extent I still think we don't really know what
we're doing.
BAIER: Yes, speaking of the business shutdowns, obviously California
really feeling it, Mara. Take a listen, this business owner and also the
admiral talking about outside dining. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA MARSDEN, PINEAPPLE HILL SALOON AND GRILL OWNER: They basically shut
outdoor dining down. And I came in to give last paychecks and bags of
groceries to my employees, and saw a 200 person tent with tables set up in
a catering truck for a movie company in the same parking lot within five
feet away -- 20 steps away for me. I just was so angry.
ADM. BRETT GIROIR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ASSISTANT SECRETARY: The
evidence clearly does not support limitations on things like outdoor
dining, particularly that are spaced, outdoor bars. The evidence just isn't
there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Admiral Giroir there. Mara, your thoughts on the balancing act
these states are playing, some one way, some the other?
MARA LIASSON, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: And
in some states they are going in two different directions at once. We also
had that business owner on National Public Radio yesterday, and the problem
is that the messages have been very inconsistent. Some restaurants have to
shut down. Movie sets can still serve their workers outside. There are so
many exceptions to the business closures, it's very confusing.
The problem is that if we had been able to test in a very comprehensive way
early on, we would have been able to know who should stay home and who
shouldn't. But now we're kind of using a blunt instrument to try to shut
the economy down, and we're not sure what works. So I think it's a real
problem. People are getting frustrated. Also, they can't figure out what is
the clear message, who should shut down and who shouldn't.
BAIER: Not only that, Congress, Kimberley, cannot figure out how to get
this package across the finish line. And it was really telling, and I was
off Friday, but I noticed how Speaker Pelosi, and I listened intently from
afar, to this particular soundbite that didn't seem to get a lot of
coverage. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA) HOUSE SPEAKER: That is a total game changer. A
new president and a vaccine. So there's nothing to -- these are different -
- what was then before was not more of this. This has simplicity. It's what
we've had in our bills. It's for a shorter period of time, but that's OK
now because we have a new president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: It seemed like she was saying the thing out loud that she wasn't
going to say, which is she's agreeing to a smaller package, much smaller
than Treasury Secretary Mnuchin was negotiating with her.
KIMBERLEY STRASSEL, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Yes. I think this was why there
is some momentum and the possibility that this will happen, because let's
be clear, for months, the fact that we didn't have a COVID relief bill is
because Nancy Pelosi would not agree to say yes to anything. She was still
demanding $3 trillion, $2 trillion, when it was incredibly clear
Republicans weren't going to go there.
Now I think the big flash point, and watch for this in the next couple of
days, if you have this bipartisan group that's working on a $900 billion
bill. There seems to be some progress, some indications the White House
might support that. The question is whether or not you can get Republicans
in the Senate to agree to what has become a flash point, which is more
money for state and local governments, which they view as basically a blank
check for some bad policies out there. That's going to continue to be a
sticking point. We'll see, though. The fact that the Democrats climbed down
on this some means that there's a better prospect for a bill then we have
seen for months.
BAIER: Marc, you have some strange bedfellows about pushing back about
this negotiated deal. Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley on the same side,
saying there need to be direct stimulus checks, and if not, they're not
going to support it.
MARC THIESSEN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: Here's the interesting
thing, as was just mentioned, Nancy Pelosi was resisting us for a very long
time. In July, Senate Republicans offered $1.1 trillion in COVID relief
including $300 billion for stimulus checks for the American people. Money
for small business, $105 billion for state and local governments which
Democrats said was a priority. Pelosi and Schumer said no. The White House
raised that offer to $1.6 trillion. They said no. In October the White
House increased at $1.8 trillion. They said no.
And the reason was they wanted to punish Donald Trump. They didn't want to
do anything to stimulate the economy and give him a victory that he could
claim going into the election. And Pelosi even said it. She said all Donald
Trump wants is his name on the check. People right now are going into these
lockdowns again, and people don't care whose name is on the check. They
just need the money.
And so now -- that was before it was to hurt Donald Trump. Now the big
sticking point is -- because the Republicans are negotiating on state and
local aid. The Democrats don't want to give them liability reform,
protection for all these businesses who spent the last year trying to do
their best to follow the advice and regulations and keep their businesses
going. The Democrats are saying we'll give you a six-month moratorium on
lawsuits. That doesn't do anything. So before it was to hurt Donald Trump.
Now it's to do the bidding of the trial lawyers.
BAIER: Brit, do you think that the losses in the House that the Democrats
saw that were not predicted came from this lack of getting something across
the finish line?
HUME: I think it was part of it, Bret, but I also think the reason why
they weren't expected was the polling was so bad on that that people were
under a wrong impression about is how likely Democrats were to pick up
seats. I think there was a lot in that, Bret. Also, we had all of that wave
of rioting and crime in the streets that Democrats were hesitant to
condemn. Donald Trump turned out a huge vote on his side. Some Republicans
ran ahead of him obviously, but I think there was a lot in it. But I
certainly think that was part of it.
BAIER: All right, panel, stand by. Up next, the Georgia Senate runoffs
with the Senate control hanging in the balance.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you support expanding the Supreme Court?
REV. RAPHAEL WARNOCK, (D) GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm really not focused
on it. And I think that too often the politics in Washington has been about
the politicians. I'm a pastor.
SEN. KELLY LOEFFLER (R-GA) ATLANTA DREAM CO-OWNER: Justice Ginsberg
herself said nine justices is the right number. He would pack the court
with radical justices that would legislate from the bench to fundamentally
override the Constitution and our laws in this country, and Georgians need
to know that is wrong for Georgia and our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Senator Kelly Loeffler and Reverend Raphael Warnock in the debate
last night. This is a set up to the January 5th runoffs in Georgia, and
that balance of power in the U.S. Senate will be determined by what happens
in these two races January 5th.
We're back with the panel. Mara, clearly we've seen down in Florida and
different states, that this pitch about socialism really did move votes,
and whether Loeffler managed to hit that mark in the debate is really what
the issue is.
LIASSON: Yes, and she did repeat it many times, I think something like 14,
my radical liberal opponent Raphael Warnock. But it is a message that
worked, and this is a message that the Republicans in Georgia think is
going to work again. Look, the polls in Georgia right now are within the
margin of error for both the Senate runoffs. Every Democrat I've talked to
think the Democratic candidates are the underdogs. Usually Republicans win
runoff races. It's the Democrats that have a turnout falloff for runoffs.
But there's been a lot of complicating factors, including President Trump
talking about how the election was rigged and stolen from him, and some
prominent Republicans even on his legal team who have said Republicans
shouldn't turn out because the governor there isn't doing enough to deal
with this, quote, rigged election.
BAIER: Yes, and Marc, the president going down to Georgia, rallying his
supporters there, spent half of the time talking about that Senate runoff
contest, but also half of the time challenging the election on his
presidential side. Here's the secretary of state of Georgia talking to Neil
Cavuto.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, (R) GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm going to be voting
for my two Republican senators, and I hope every Republican gets out to
vote for our Republican senators. And secretary of state, we're going to
run --
NEIL CAVUTO: Even though those two Republican senators wanted you to step
down, you're still going to vote for them?
RAFFENSPERGER: I'm a conservative Republican, and I believe in the
Republican ideals and what we stand for. Yes, I will be voting for my two
senators.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Marc, did the president do what he had to down in Georgia?
THIESSEN: Well, he certainly finally focused on the Georgia election
again. I'm glad he went down there and I'm glad he said what he said for
the second half of the rally.
The problem with the focus on the last election as opposed to the next
election is that not only is it damping down the enthusiasm of his base
going after Republicans in the state for not supporting him and feeling the
election was stolen, but it's also turning off a lot of independents and
conservative Democrats in Georgia who are not very enthusiastic about the
leftward turn of their party, don't necessarily want Democrats in
Washington to have total control and a one-party state, but they are put
off by Trump's unfounded claim that the election was stolen.
And so one of the things we learned from the election was that people like
divided government. They don't want to give Democrats complete control. But
this whole message about the last election is drowning that message out.
BAIER: From the Trump perspective, they are still fighting, Kimberley,
even though the recertification again in Georgia. One of the things that
people are watching is this supreme work case potentially, that Alito has
asked for responses to. And this is the Pennsylvania vote by the state
Supreme Court there about the process of mail-in ballots. And that has
legal -- at least some questions about it.
STRASSEL: Yes, and that's going to be a signal. Let's see where the
Pennsylvania court comes out on that because, look, this has been one of
the central aspects of the Trump campaign's arguments in all of these
courts, is that there was funny business with regard to mail-in ballots. We
haven't really seen many courts respond to that positively so far. But
we've always been waiting for it to get up to the Supreme Court or for it
to go to higher levels. This is now the moment where we are there.
BAIER: Brit, last word.
HUME: Just this Georgia race confronts Republicans with the dilemma that
the party is going to be facing for some time to come, and that is this --
how to continue to attract the support that Donald Trump brought to the
Republican Party among minority voters, among blue-collar voters, while at
the same time finding a way to sand off the edges of their image and their
message so that the people who are turned off by Trump who might otherwise
vote for Republicans will come back to the fold. That is the problem. It is
not an easy one. I would say it's a very knotty one. The Georgia race will
tell us something about how the will they will able to do that going
forward.
BAIER: And we'll follow it every night. Panel, thank you very much.
When we come back, momentous occasions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: Finally tonight, some major milestones. One of the last Tuskegee
airmen celebrates his birthday in Bethesda, Maryland, surrounded by family
and friends. Brigadier General Charles McGee turned 101 today. He flew more
than 400 successful missions over three wars, holding one of the longest
active duty careers of any Air Force fighter pilot in history. Happy
birthday, sir.
And a hospital in Indiana arranged a surprise visit for coronavirus patient
Mr. Burpo from his wife on their 54th anniversary. He received a milk shake
and flowers on their special day. That's pretty cool.
Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for the SPECIAL
REPORT, fair, balanced, and unafraid.
END
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