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Mixed Messages On Trump's Health Create Confusion; Trump Takes A Joyride To Wave At Supporters Despite COVID-19; Decision On Discharging Trump Will Be Made In Coming Hours. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired October 05, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:23]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: This hour, the leader of the free world, demanding to leave hospital while fighting COVID-19 bus. Does
President Trump actually have the green light? I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to what is our expanded edition of CONNECT THE WORLD. Well, it
comes down to a matter of optics over integrity. President Trump's true condition as he battles COVID-19 remains murky.
His Chief of Staff says the decision to send him home from the Walter Reed Medical Center will be made in the coming hours and we have just learned
from two sources. Mr. Trump was already demanding to go back to the White House on Sunday. He is concerned that his hospital stay makes him look
weak, but it is difficult to know if he is actually ready to leave the hospital. Some of the confusion is thanks to these guys, the President's
doctors.
On Sunday they told reporters they were treating the president with a cocktail of drugs including dexamethasone. It's proven effective in helping
seriously ill coronavirus patients who are on a supplemental oxygen. So, did the President's oxygen levels fall? The answer? No. I mean, yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SEAN CONLEY, WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN: Pretty yesterday and today he was not on oxygen.
The only oxygen that I order that we provided was that Friday morning initially.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, you hear the contradiction. His doctor defending that with another confusing statement. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONLEY: I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the President that of course of illness he's had didn't want to give any
information that might steer the course of illness in another direction. And in doing so, you know, came off that we're trying to hide something
wasn't necessarily true. And so, have -- here have his -- he is -- the fact of the matter is is that he's doing really well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As I said Mr. Trump is apparently concerned about looking weak in hospital but he was doing well enough to take this ride on Sunday hopping
into an SUV with Secret Service agents to wave at the well wishes outside the hospital facility.
Meanwhile, the Americans not named Donald Trump this invisible enemy is tightening its grip on the United States. 22 states report rising numbers
of new cases with death and hospitalizations also spiking. Well, we have the political hand medical sides of this story covered for you. CNN health
reporter Jacqueline Howard is in Atlanta. We begin that with White House Correspondent, John Harwood.
John, Trump demanding to be discharged. He says he's concerned he looks weak in hospital. What message does that send, sir?
JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORESPONDENT: Well, what it says is that the President is more concerned about how he looks than how he is. He's running
for reelection. He's significantly behind Joe Biden. He's somebody who psychologically always tries to project dominance and strength. And he
can't handle the fact that he's got this virus. It is not the attitude that a mature adult would take when you have a serious illness.
And it's also not the behavior you would model toward a country that is struggling with 40,000 new cases a day, nearly 1000 people dying a day. But
that's the kind of poor leadership the United States has gotten from President Trump for the last several months as he's tried to downplay the
severity of illness so as not to panic the country as opposed to giving the straight information to the country so that the country can guard itself
and act in a way that would gain control the virus.
Now we'll see whether the President personally has control the virus. They've said he could be discharged as early as today. I don't know if
they're saying that simply to indicate a positive statement about his condition as opposed to the genuine intention of releasing him today. We're
going to have to watch as the information trickles out.
ANDERSON: Jacqueline, the problem here is that we just don't actually know an awful lot about President Trump's health at the moment. We do know he is
taking this cocktail of drugs. The one catching the most attention is dexamethasone which -- what does that indicate about the President's
health?
[10:05:06]
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yes, what we can take away from this, dexamethasone is typically given to patients with more severe COVID-
19. So, this really speaks to the level of concern, you know, that doctors have around the President's condition. But overall, Becky with the three
medications that the President has been given so far, the experimental monoclonal antibody therapy, Remdesivir and dexamethasone, those are the
main three.
It shows that physicians are tackling this from different angles. Dexamethasone is really an effort to target inflammation, whereas
Remdesivir is an antiviral drug. And that's an effort to speed recovery. And then the monoclonal antibody cocktail is an effort to prevent the
illness from advancing to something more serious. So, these are different angles here.
ANDERSON: So, with this cocktail of drugs, then should he be discharged at this point?
HOWARD: You know, with the information we're given and from what we can take away from these cocktails, it seems as if you know, there is concern
and so why would the decision be made to discharge at this point. We still don't know that much around us, which is why that discussion in that, you
know, possible decision is, is really puzzling.
ANDERSON: John, alongside a number of photo ops of President Trump has been up and about on Twitter. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's been a very interesting journey. I learned a lot about COVID. I learned that by really going to
school, this is the real school. This isn't the let's read the book school. And I get it, and I understand it. And it's a very interesting thing. I'm
going to be letting you know about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: John, an ABC poll conducted over the weekend before that came out, says that 72 percent polled believe that Donald Trump hadn't taken the
risk of coronavirus seriously enough in the past. Do you expect to see a change of attitude from the U.S. president?
HARWOOD: No sign of it so far, if he had a change in attitude, he wouldn't have subjected his security detail to the risk of getting in an enclosed
limousine with him and driving around the block for no other purpose than to wave out of the windows of his car. Look, this is a president who has
consistently derogated the idea of wearing masks, which is public health officials say is the single simplest step most comprehensive step that
Americans can take to protect themselves, at least certainly until we get a vaccine.
His aides over the weekend continued to criticize Joe Biden for wearing a mask saying he had used it as a prop unnecessarily. It is just astounding
the degree to which the administration is both trying to send a political message by doing this and appearing to have internalized that political
message themselves so that almost they're deluded into thinking that this is the right way to behave even after the president gets sick.
And a large number of people, very close to him, close aide Hope Hicks, his campaign manager, multiple Republican senators, his debate advisor Chris
Christie who is now hospitalized himself with coronavirus. All of that suggests it -- the president doesn't get it and hasn't gotten it and the
people around him haven't gotten it either.
ANDERSON: Jacqueline, just on a medical point here. Donald Trump in that SUV doing the rounds waving to his -- to his supporters outside the
hospital. Have a listen to what Dr. James Phillips, a non-military attending physician at the Walter Reed Hospital had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JAMES PHILLIPS, ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER: The idea that this would be cleared without any medical indication is absurd.
Masks are no masks, being inside a vehicle that is hermetically sealed, circulates virus inside and potentially puts people at risk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Briefly should those in the calling out quarantine?
HOWARD: There is that possibility that they were put at risk. And so if you have been around someone who has the virus, then you have been exposed and
yes, you know, you should get tested and quarantined. So there is that risk there. Even though the President was wearing a mask and we know that others
in the vehicle were wearing a mask, there's still that risk and really the hope is that if you have COVID-19 you need to remain in isolation. So that
reduces your chances of spreading the virus to others.
ANDERSON: John, the big question at this point, what does this all mean for the election we are literally four weeks out? Before that of course there
are two debates scheduled in enormous amount of campaigning. How are we expecting to see Donald Trump's campaign deal with all of this?
[10:10:09]
HARWOOD: Well, they're trying to project as much normalcy as possible in this highly abnormal situation, Vice President Mike Pence has resumed his
campaign schedule. He is scheduled to debate Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee on Wednesday night, do not know if there's any
change in protocol or the execution of that debate but as of now that's still on. The two presidential debates, one in each of the two subsequent
weeks.
I think those are highly in doubt, because as long as we're in doubt about the President's condition and we still are, we can't really project whether
he's going to take place now. The last debate is scheduled for October the 22nd if the President has a good course of illness and has recovered, you
would think that he would be able to participate in that. But all bets are off at this point.
And, again, the most consistent feature of this campaign is the president trailing Joe Biden nationally and in battleground states. Very little has
changed that, there's not much reason to think that the coronavirus is going to change that polling either.
ANDERSON: And finally, Jacqueline on the coronavirus, an uptick in some 22 states, a spike in hospitalizations. What are the prospects at this point?
HOWARD: Yes, there has been that uptake, there has been that spike and then as we enter the fall and winter months, there is a concern that this could
get even worse. So while in the United States, the president is currently battling at COVID-19. There is the chance that we'll see more and more
people facing, you know, a possible illness because of this concern about increased spread in the fall and winter months as people spend more time
indoors because of the cold weather.
And so, a lot of health officials are raising alarm to maintain social distancing, maintain mask wearing, get your flu shot, do all you can, so we
can hopefully get through the fall and winter season without much illness and without, you know, increased number of deaths.
ANDERSON: Jacqueline, John, thank you. If we see the president leaving the hospital, our viewers will be the first to know. Thank you.
New bloodshed over an old hatred in strategic oil pipelines in the middle. Up next, how the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan is escalating and
what it means for the wider world. Plus, CNN finally gets access into the Russian lab that created what it says is a working vaccine for COVID-19.
We're going to tell you about the controversial research methods that Russia is defending.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:15:12]
ANDERSON: A quick update on our top story. Donald Trump may leave the hospital soon after sources say he demanded to get out on Sunday to avoid
the appearance of weakness. So his chief of staff says the U.S. President has made "unbelievable progress" during his treatment for coronavirus. And
a decision on his release will be made later today. He was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday.
CNN will bring you all the very latest of course as you should except throughout the day. Well, right now we are taking a long hard look at the
latest clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed and strategically important territory of Nagorno-Karabakh as bad as this looks
today. There are wider worries over the escalating tension. The big question, could this conflict spread? A quick reminder of how we got here.
The collapse of the Soviet Union almost three decades ago left a mess for Nagorno-Karabakh region. It's internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, but controlled by ethnic Armenians. There has been bloodshed before, but no sign of a peace treaty and fresh clashes over the weekend
could mean wider danger. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has gone so much further than many expected. Neither diplomacy nor exhaustion, nor
civilian casualties seem to slow the war between Armenians and Azerbaijan now over a week old. This video from the Armenian side we can't verify
shows the impact in skyline over Nagorno-Karabakh. The ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan's borders at the heart of the fighting.
Civilians hair shelter and a church crypt. When the siren sounds we go here she says, we've been living in frightened fear for many years and this
can't be resolved in any way. Azerbaijan said its large cities were hit by Armenian shells. Here the aftermath in Ganja, one of two attacks alleged
over the weekend. Armenia denied it was them and the breakaway Armenian Republic said it would only target the military and Azerbaijan cities.
Armenian images showed these artillery active Friday, but this is now so far from a few days of isolated clashes that's commonly blighted the past
decades of this war. With Azerbaijan, parading what it said were abandoned Armenian positions here and claiming it has also captured some territory.
Assign that Baku's well-resourced operation is moving swiftly. President Ilham Aliyev demanding Sunday Armenia withdraw, apologized to Azerbaijan
and admit Nagorno-Karabakh is not part of Armenia.
Azerbaijan has denied these sophisticated attacks, including drone strikes brandish daily and defense ministry videos supported by Turkey despite
Ankara's full throated backing for their campaign. Ankara has also denied sending Syrian mercenaries to fight for Azerbaijan, as France's president
Emmanuel Macron has claimed saying that was a red line. These videos growing in number which CNN has not independently verified, appearing to
show Syrians on the Azerbaijani front line.
The big question as the fighting continues, what is Russia's red line? Powerbroker Moscow is a closer ally to Armenia than to Azerbaijan, yet has
pushed diplomacy so far and failed. Vladimir Putin picture to the weekend with his security cabinet virtually meeting. Will he tolerate Turkey
pushing this allies defeat? Yet support for Azerbaijan's military push was visible Sunday in Baku. And Armenians here in the capital Yerevan were
rushing supplies in Nagorno-Karabakh. Decades in enmity within a week. Now an ugly spiraling war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Point out that the City of Ganja in the west of Azerbaijan is near oil and gas pipelines. And CNN's John Defterios is with us for more on
that. First, let me get to Nick Paton Walsh. She's live us from London. And Nick, how concerned should we be about this thing spiraling into a wider
regional war?
WALSH: To some degree, Becky, it's already beginning to do that. Now Turkey have been clear they're not providing military support, but there are a
number of signs perhaps they are more involved in Azerbaijani campaign than they are saying publicly. So it's quite clear that Azerbaijan is not
fighting this on their own and certainly has a very well-resourced operation as you saw there. Remarkable frankly, how much they appear to be
achieving.
[10:20:05]
WALSH: What also has occurred over the weekend is well, it's fair to say that the Armenian controlled enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh has had a lot of
civilians under artillery and rocket fire over the past days. It does appear that some projectiles have been landing in Azerbaijan proper in the
towns of Ganja. Also Barda and a couple of others as well. According to Azerbaijani authorities and in the Barda's case, a witness that CNN has
spoken to which does possibly suggest that civilians on the Azerbaijani mainland side and now being potentially hit and brought into this.
That widely expands the initial fight which was for disputed territories, like Nagorno-Karabakh. That's troubling because of course, Turkey is full-
throatedly backing Azerbaijan and possibly with military assistance too although they denied on the Armenian side while we're hearing their prime
minister has issued something of a call to young men to come and enlist and assist in the defense of their homeland.
They are still waiting, though it seems for Russia, traditionally their security guarantor to step into the brink here, and quite possibly we may
not or we may hear from Moscow in the days ahead.
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh reporting for you. Let me bring you in John. Azerbaijan's oil and gas exports clearly in the spotlight is Nagorno-
Karabakh, this conflict escalates. How does the energy equation fit into the picture here?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, you know, usually when you have a shock like this, Becky is more about the oil and
gas markets and prices spiking. That's not the case here. The worry is it pulls in as Nick was suggesting other countries into the fray and a country
that serves as a transit hub for energy like Georgia as well. Azerbaijan, let's bring up the map has a couple of key assets, two long pipelines here
that stretch from Baku, through Tbilisi avoiding Armenia, by the way, and getting into southeast Turkey.
The line green one is for oil, and the second one there in pink or magenta is for gas. Azerbaijan has always been a very reliable provider of oil and
gas going into Turkey and into the Mediterranean, Becky. It's built that reputation as a third largest ex-Soviet state producer of oil and gas
behind Russia and Kazakhstan. Natural gas has been even more important lately during this energy transition, a cleaner burning fuel to help power
plants in Western Europe at the same time.
What is interesting here, for example, with the gas pipeline in South Ossetia with the conflict between Georgia and Russia in 2008, that pipeline
got shut down for a matter of days. Normally, as you know, we had this conversation here in the Middle East, they try to leave oil and gas out of
the equation of conflict because it earns them so much money. But sometimes it comes off the rails. Case in point Iran, Iraq, of course, Saddam Hussein
attacking facilities in Kuwait, in the Niger Delta, in the south of Nigeria.
And even in Libya, we don't see it often. But again, they do attack assets in the East there when the opportunity does arise during a conflict. And I
think there's a wider picture of play that Nick talked about, but it includes the energy market as well. Russia and Turkey, for example, are on
the same side in the eastern Mediterranean because it serves as competition for Russia. In this case, we have Russia back in Armenia and we have Turkey
back in Azerbaijan.
And Prime Minister Erdogan or now President Erdogan wants to have these assets from Azerbaijan into its country. It's discovered assets and gas in
the Black Sea and is looking at the eastern Mediterranean. As they say, Becky, this is when pipeline politics can get pretty nasty. And this is a
region that's had its past conflicts bubble up on many occasions.
ANDERSON: John Defterios in the house, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you both. We have -- on Tuesday's CONNECT THE WORLD, newly my interview with the
Armenian president Armen Sargsyan, what he has to say about Turkey's influence in this conflict. That is tomorrow 6:00 p.m. Abu Dhabi time, 3:00
p.m. in London and you will be able to work out the times locally and wherever you are watching in the world. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD
with me Becky Anderson.
The time here in the UAE where we are broadcasting from is 24 minutes past 6:00. We are waiting to find out whether the U.S. president will be leaving
hospital today this time with a little less mystery than Sunday's strange unannounced exit from his hospital room.
Plus, does Mr. Trump's claim of voter fraud have any merit? We're talking the election which is just four weeks away and we will speak with Michigan
Secretary of State about her role in making sure each ballot is safely and accurately counted.
[10:25:06]
ANDERSON: That is up next. You're with CONNECT THE WORLD. Do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All right. Let's get you a quick update on our top story. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Donald Trump may leave
the Walter Reed medical facility soon after sources say he had demanded to get out on Sunday to avoid the appearance of weakness. Now his chief of
staff says that the U.S. President has made "unbelievable progress" during his treatment for coronavirus.
And a decision on his release, he says will be made later today. But he was admitted to the hospital on Friday. CNN will bring you all the latest of
course throughout the day. That is the image outside that hospital facility. While there is much uncertainty over Donald Trump's health.
Democratic rival Joe Biden is beginning to lay out his plan for the Middle East, should he win the White House come November the third, four weeks
from now.
Biden says he would reassess America's relationship with Saudi Arabia an end U.S. support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. Let's take a look at
where Biden says he would draw the line.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Joe Biden poised to transform much of America's foreign policy in the Middle East if he wins in November. In a new statement, the
presidential hopeful vowing to reassess Washington's relationship with key ally, Saudi Arabia over the gruesome murder of the Saudi journalists and
then U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi two years ago by a hit squad allegedly with close ties to the highest levels of power in the kingdom.
Now, Biden vowing not to let those responsible get away with it. Promising to end American support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, as he's done
before.
JOE BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Khashoggi was in fact murdered and dismembered and I believe in the order of the Crown Prince.
And I would make it very clear, we were not going to in fact sell more weapons to them.
ANDERSON: The Kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has always denied the allegations.
MOHAMMAD BIN SALMAN AL SAUD CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA: That is a heinous crime that cannot be justified.
ANDERSON: The Trump administration going along with that, despite America's most powerful spy agencies, clearly blaming the Crown Prince for being
behind it.
[10:30:03]
MIKE POMPEO UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: There's no direct evidence linking him to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
JAMES N. MATTIS FORMER UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We have no smoking gun that the Crown Prince was involved.
TRUMP: They have not concluded, nobody's concluded. I don't know if anyone's going to be able to conclude that the Crown Prince did it.
ANDERSON: Mr. Trump putting it even more bluntly to journalist Bob Woodward, telling him that's from The Crown Prince, he, quote, saved his
ass.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, what did you mean when you said your saved [inaudible] ass?
TRUMP: You'll have to figure that out yourself.
ANDERSON: Donald Trump making the kingdom his first stop overseas after becoming president. The reason, clear.
TRUMP: Hundreds of billions of dollars of investments into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs.
ANDERSON: And it went both ways. Just before Khashoggi's killing, Mohammad Bin Salman visited the United States, offering himself as a fresh face of
progressive reform. But the murder, souring public opinion. And seeing many in Congress stonewall the kingdom.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): There'll be a bipartisan tsunami building against Saudi Arabia here. If they did in fact do this.
ANDERSON: That meant Saudis have been able to achieve few of their goals in the U.S., leaving Mr. Trump's role primarily as air support for them in
Washington. Why? Well, they aligned with many of his goals in the region, better relations with Israel, billions of dollars to spend in America and a
key regional partner in Washington's unrelenting campaign of maximum pressure against Iran.
A campaign that Biden things has been a disaster. He wants to rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal as a starting point for negotiations and hold the Saudis
accountable for their actions.
BIDEN: Make them in fact the pariah that they are.
ANDERSON: And that all promises a dramatic shift in this region if Joe Biden wins the White House just weeks from now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And for more analysis on how the U.S. election is already raising the stakes in this region's geopolitical battle grounds, Iraq and Lebanon
do us CNN digital, cnn.com.
Well, back in the United States. Trump supporters sending well wishes to their commander-in-chief a caravan of vehicles drove to New York's busy
Fifth Avenue over the weekend with horns honking and flags waving outside of Trump Tower. These people say they will keep fighting for the U.S.
president as he fights COVID-19.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do we feel? We love him. We know he's down for a little bit, but we know he's going to be fine. He's a fighter. He took on
an impeachment, he took on a phony Russian hoax. He took on every phony piece of news that the left have come up with. He's not going to stop. He's
going to fight for us every day and we're not going to stop fighting for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Today four weeks in change from the U.S. election. We are waiting to see if President Trump will be released from hospital where he has been
receiving treatment for COVID-19. But his former communications director is outraged by the lack of transparency over the President's health. Anthony
Scaramucci says policies doctor is lying about his condition only to be contradicted by the chief of staff.
This is a national emergency. We've lost all sense of honesty and truth. Get well, he says and get lost army. Scaramucci served a short but raucous
stint in the inner circle at the White House. He joins us now from New York. We've been discussing that Mr. Trump demanding to go back to the
White House on Sundays. He's concerned that his hospital say apparently makes him look weak. Does that surprise you? And do you think this is a
matter of optics over integrity at this point?
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Yes. Well, obviously that's the case. I mean, if they can get him out of there this
afternoon, they will. Remember he's on certain experimental drugs that require him to stay in the hospital. So, they'll obviously have to set them
up in a hospital like setting in the White House. But I don't understand how those optics actually help him.
I don't think that that field trip that he took yesterday helped him If anything, it makes him look like he's overcompensating and it's his typical
bluster. And in a lot of ways, it makes him look weak. It'd be way better off, Becky, if he just spoke compassionately to the American people about
the 209,000 people that have died, a little more empathy. And if he had just basically said, hey, I've had this apparitional moment as a result of
getting COVID and things are going to start to change. He's not doing that, he's going to triple down on all of this false machismo.
[10:35:09]
ANDERSON: I'm assuming none of this surprises you. Look, I mean, you do know him. I mean, I know you fell out. But you do know, lots of mixed
messages from Donald Trump's doctor for example, He justified his action to -- is trying to keep an upbeat attitude. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONLEY: I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the President, his course of illness has had, they didn't want to give any
information that might steer the course of illness in another direction. And in doing so, you know, it came off that we're trying to hide something,
it wasn't necessarily true. And so, here you have it. He's - he is -- the fact of the matter is, is that he's doing really well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Anthony, you tweeted bemoaning this lack of transparency, but are you quite frankly surprised what we are hearing from Donald Trump's
doctors? And what do you believe, might be going on behind the scenes here?
SCARAMUCCI: Well, he's obviously very sick, just look at the list of the drugs that he's taking. Everybody that takes that list of drugs has serious
COVID-19 symptoms, but I think his doctors, unfortunately are entering into the Trump reality distortion field. And they're playing to an audience of
one. I'm sure he signaled and indicated to them, what they were supposed to say to the American people or the international community.
And Mark Meadows who has a legacy and a reputation broke from that sort of told the truth. And so, we're once again in this reality distortion field
of Donald Trump. And the reality of the realities. I mean, how is he going to make it to a live debate on October 15th? And why would the Vice
President want to be standing on a stage with an infectious patient of COVID-19? And so the whole thing is for us, it's ridiculous.
The last time you and I saw each other face to face in December in Abu Dhabi, I told you there was something wrong with him. It's clear that he's
acting crazy. Just look at the all caps tweets this morning. The joyride that he took yesterday endangering the Secret Service agents that are with
him. It's -- Becky, it's bizarre behavior. It makes the United States look ridiculous in the international community and he has to go.
And responsible Republicans like myself are speaking out. And the very good news is we build a broad base of Republicans that are breaking from him
that are going to vote for Joe Biden.
ANDERSON: Well, we are 20 -- what are we? 28 days in change.
SCARAMUCCI: Forty-nine days.
ANDERSON: It's four weeks tomorrow. Exactly. Exactly. Four weeks tomorrow, we will see what the next four weeks brings. It's been a remarkable run,
hasn't it? This campaign. Thank you, Anthony. It was a pleasure. The President's diagnosis, of course throwing a huge curveball into the final
leg of his presidential campaign. So, what effect if any, will Donald Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis have on the results?
How will he frame the illness considering his campaigning has come to a standstill during what is this final leg of the race? Remember, the
President has already cast doubt on the legitimacy of the upcoming election claiming without evidence that mail-in voting will lead to massive fraud.
So we've been asking just how much risk is there to the integrity of this election? And also who's responsible for protecting this U.S. election?
Well, every state in the United States has a secretary of state who plays a crucial role in making sure every vote is safely and fairly counted. So,
Michigan Secretary of State is Jocelyn Benson. She's been singled out by President Trump over mail-in ballots in the past. And I'm delighted to say
she joins us now from Detroit. We will turn to election integrity shortly. First, we've just learned from two sources that Mr. Trump was already
demanding to go back to the White House on Sunday.
He is concerned his hospital stay makes him look weak. This despite this lack of transparency around his health. What impact do you believe this
will have on the election in four weeks' time?
JOCELYN BENSON, SECRETARY OF STATE OF MICHIGAN: Well, importantly, people are already voting. In Michigan, we have 400,000 people have already voted
out of an expected five or 5-1/2 million citizens voting. So it's -- that's an extraordinary number and many people are going to vote early this year
and many people are making decisions up right now about who to vote for, although many of course have already made up their mind.
[10:40:09]
BENSON: So, what I think is not going to change is the extraordinary amount of enthusiasm that citizens, frankly, on both sides of the political
spectrum have about this year's elections, and that the very large turnout that we'll see, and again, many people have already made their decisions
and many people have or are about to cast their votes right now.
ANDERSON: In 2016, Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by 0.2 percent in Michigan, despite Hillary Clinton, leading in the polls, Joe Biden is
currently leading Donald Trump by eight points in Michigan, according to the latest poll conducted by NBC at the end of September. How close are you
expecting this race to be? And despite the fact that you say, you know, some 10 percent of voters have already gone out and made their choice? Do
you believe his COVID diagnosis will have any sway on voters?
BENSON: Well, we're still going to wait. And I think the jury's still out on that. Certainly it's a very significant reality for our entire country
right now that is evolving minute by minute. And so it's -- what I -- what I don't think it's going to do is stamp in voter enthusiasm, what it could
do is impact how voters make their decisions. But we're still, you know, seeing that. This is all happening as we observe.
And again, it's a very real phenomenon given the uncertainty of the pandemic and the way in which that uncertainty has transformed this year's
elections in many ways, including this one.
ANDERSON: So let's talk about mail-in ballots, how big a percentage of Michigan voters do you expect in the end we'll use mailing ballots to vote?
BENSON: Well, we're on track to see 60 to 70 percent of our citizens voting by mail. Already 2.7 million citizens have requested to vote by mail, that
is already well over half of what we expect to be our five or 5-1/2 voter turnout. And so, we're also being very careful to ensure the process is
secure because of course, all of this is happening, this enthusiasm around voting, this enthusiasm around voting by mail amidst, you know, significant
attacks and misinformation about the security of the process.
So we're working to protect the process against that, ensure our voters know the truth about the security of their vote and their ballot. And
again, the impact in our success in that is continually reflected in the number of citizens who are still choosing to vote by mail.
ANDERSON: I spoke to California Secretary of State just last week about this very same issue. And I raised the idea of what's known as a blue wave,
the idea that mail-in ballot voting ultimately favors Democrats. Have listened to his response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX PADILLA, CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE: Vote by mail is not about partisan advantage. It's about respecting voting rights, access to our
electoral process for all eligible voters. And especially during a pandemic, we should be finding more ways for people to cast their ballot
and protect their health, not making it harder to participate in our democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Do you agree or are you prepared to concede that it is likely we will see a blue wave? This is clearly something that is worrying the Trump
campaign?
BENSON: Well, interestingly, the data in Michigan shows that voting by mail is enormously popular by voters on both sides of the spectrum. In fact, in
every community, including some of the more historic conservative communities throughout our state, we're seeing record numbers of people
choose to vote by mail. And that was also reflected in 2018, when an enormous number over 70 percent of our voters statewide voted to amend our
state constitution to create this right to vote by mail.
So, it's enormously popular because it's convenient, and what we've had to protect that system against this year, our efforts to undermine this --
that process by sowing seeds of doubt among our electorate that it's somehow insecure when it's not. Unfortunately, that those efforts are not
working whether -- and I think we're starting to see some of the messaging shift as well, because we've seen the President himself encourage citizens
in Michigan to go to our Web site at michigan.gov/vote. And request their absentee ballot.
ANDERSON: So no evidence of any fraud to date, yes or no?
BENSON: No, because I -- what we have is a process where citizens and this is in place in every state, citizens have to sign the envelope in which
their ballot is placed in that (INAUDIBLE) use to verify their identity.
ANDERSON: So that puts the bed Donald Trump's claims very briefly. How long will the account take on election night with so many mail-in ballots?
BENSON: Yes, no. Importantly, in Michigan, we can't begin counting these millions of ballots until the morning of Election Day. So it's going to
take time, we're anticipating it'll take a few days at the latest Friday.
[10:45:04]
ANDERSON: Thank you. Secretary of State for Michigan. As we've been saying the White House floating the possibility that Donald Trump may leave the
hospital sometime today. Let me give you the latest live shot from outside of that medical facility. He is there of course, being treated for
coronavirus. There is a possibility of is released today coverage only on CNN as you can imagine we will bring that to you.
Plus, a CNN exclusive. We take you inside the Russian laboratory that created a COVID-19 vaccine it has dubbed a Sputnik V. The science and the
controversy is just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Sixty-three years ago on October the 4th, 1957 the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik satellite into orbit putting the first human-made
object into space. Fast forward to today and Moscow proudly peddling Sputnik V. Its COVID-19 vaccine to the world. Well, Russian scientists
created this drug at breakneck speed, their controversial methods though have raised serious safety concerns.
CNNs Matthew Chance has an exclusive look inside the Russian facility where the vaccine was developed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's taken us months to gain access to the secretive Moscow lab, where these very scientists help create Russia's
coronavirus vaccine. You assessed the effectiveness --
VLADIMIR GUSHCHIN, HEAD OF LABORATORY, GAMALEYA INSTITUTE: Yes.
CHANCE: -- of Sputnik V in this lab?
GUSHCHIN: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
CHANCE: Now CNN has been given a brief but exclusive glimpse inside the Gamaleya Institute and a chance to understand how this Russian government
facility was able to produce what it says is a working COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the world's biggest pharmaceutical firms.
GUSHCHIN: Team is one of the secret. Platform is another.
CHANCE: Scientists here insist it's their expertise plus tried and tested technology used on vaccines for other diseases that gave them an edge.
What else is it? A team, the technology? But what's the secret?
GUSHCHIN: Well, the secret. I think -- I think the secret is when your team is really involved in this process.
[10:50:07]
GUSHCHIN: Concentration on this process. I think in many pharma, you have different projects you have involved, but here, when you concentrate on
this special task, when people are ready to stay here overnight, let's say.
CHANCE: Everybody's just working on one thing?
GUSHCHIN: Yes, yes. And one thing. Yes, Sputnik. Sputnik, exactly.
CHANCE: Well, this is one of Russia's oldest, most accomplished vaccine research laboratories. But in the rush to create Sputnik V, critics say
this Gamaleya Institute has abandoned normal scientific practice, as well as skipping large-scale human tests before approval. Russian soldiers were
used as volunteers in early trials.
And the institute's director even injected himself and his staff with the experimental vaccine.
Now, in a rare interview, the Gamaleya director is defending his methods. The world is at war with COVID-19, he told me. And we must use all
available means to defend ourselves.
But the fact that your vaccine has been registered for use before Phase 3 clinical trials have ended, so before we know if it is safe or effective,
you know, is in itself a cutting of the corner. Are you comfortable with that corner being cut?
ALEXANDER GINTSBURG, DIRECTOR, GAMALEYA INSTITUTE (through translator): Maybe we should ask the relatives of those killed by COVID if they would
prefer us to wait until Phase 3 trials have finished, he said, or to vaccinate their loved ones with a vaccine that demonstrated brilliant early
results. The answer, he says, is obvious.
GUSHCHIN: Here, we have a couple of rooms where we purify proteins.
CHANCE: He could be right, and the Russian vaccine created here at breakneck speed could prove safe and effective. But if it doesn't,
reputations and lives could be ruined.
Matthew Chance, CNN, at the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, coming up on this show. Israel's healthcare goes underground as COVID-19 there spreads.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hospital now has 770 beds strictly for coronavirus patients built into parking spaces and traffic lanes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: (INAUDIBLE) how a parking lot got transformed into the world's largest underground hospital to help stop the virus.
Plus, top premier league teams get a harsh dose of reality on the football pitch.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: To stay or not to stay. That is the question Donald Trump's doctors are waiting for him at Walter Reed Medical Center where he is being
treated for COVID-19. According to his chief of staff, that decision will be made in the coming hours. A reminder that all sources say the President
has demanded to be released. He in fact demanded that on Sunday, but instead he left medical isolation and took a ride with Secret Service
offices to thank these supporters outside of the hospital.
Well, time --- meantime running out for European football clubs to boost their rosters.
[10:55:07]
ANDERSON: We are just hours away from deadlines to wrap up transfers of players for what has been this kind of odd start to the season. And teams
across the continent racing to make last minute moves before the time is up. But Alex Thomas (INAUDIBLE) on those transfers and on the action on the
pitch over the weekend. He joins us from London. I mean, spurs spanking Manchester United yesterday six one and what was a veritable sort of gold
fest or a weekend schedule.
It is more important than ever that United pulling a big name striker. Who do we know is moving where and when?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Becky not only goals galore, but some very curious results on Sunday, which may well have an impact on this
transfer deadline day. European football also always has a window where they stop clubs buying and selling other players for the course the season,
obviously this year, coming almost a couple of months later than usual because of the delays in finishing last season due to the coronavirus
pandemic,.
But let's show you some of the action from Old Trafford. Still played empty without fans, playing Tottenham Hotspur under Josie Marino used to manage
it united and a real turnaround as far as Spurs were concerned winning six- one, a record equaling defeat for Manchester United in the Premier League era. You know, all of spurs' stars, Harry Kane song all absolutely at the
top of their game.
It's the first time since 1957 that United conceded four goals in the first half and their manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described it afterwards as
embarrassing their worst day ever. Let's not forget United has spent the best part of $400 million on defenders over the last six years, but that
offense still seemed very leaky. Let's look at Edinson Cavani's record because he is the star striker united are hoping to buy to maybe turn
around their form.
He is 33 years old, getting towards the end of his career but a terrific scoring record with his country's been to four Copa America is with him
winning in 2011 Three World Cups lots of goals more than 200 PSG and over 100 at Napoli. Premier League Club has spent well over a billion dollars in
total in this transfer window so far, Becky, each argued that United may need a defender more than an attacker but while all this cash is being
splashed on players, look at Arsenal.
The player they've let go is actually their mascot, Gunnersaurus the guy dressed up as dinosaur for 27 years. He's a victim of cross cutting.
Another side to this coronavirus story, Becky.
ANDERSON: It couldn't get any weirder, could it? Well, in fact I shouldn't say that because it probably will get weirder but thank you. Fascinating
times as Alex says this is late as far as the transfer deadline is concerned. And we will await to see who gets who from where. Thank you,
Alex. We will be back for another hour of CONNECT THE WORLD shortly. Our eyes peeled on any movements by the U.S. president of course. That and a
whole lot more after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:00:00]
END
