Return to Transcripts main page

Erin Burnett Outfront

Federal Appeals Court Rejects Trump Election Challenge in Pennsylvania; U.S. Tops 13 Million Coronavirus Cases; Hospitalizations In The Midwest Have Doubled In A Month; U.S. Tops 13 Million Coronavirus Cases; Iran Warns Of "Severe Revenge" After Assassination Of Scientist Considered A Mastermind Of Nuke Program; Iran Vows Revenge After Top Nuclear Scientist Assassinated; "Dark Money" Helped Prop Up Phantom Candidates In Florida. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired November 27, 2020 - 20:00   ET

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

[20:00:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: And welcome back to a special edition of OUT FRONT on this Friday. I'm Pamela Brown in for Erin Burnett.

And tonight, Trump's claims have no merit. That is coming from a Trump-appointed judge, as the President and his campaign wrap up another loss. This time, a Federal Appeals Court pushing back against Trump's baseless claims.

The court writing, "Free fair elections are the lifeblood of our democracy. Charges of unfairness are serious, but calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here." That is a scathing setback. And yet a day earlier, this was the President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's no way that Biden got 80 million votes. By the way, the only way he got 80 million votes is through a massive fraud. There's no way that he got 80 million votes.

QUESTION: Can you give us a timeline of when you're go present this evidence of voter fraud that you talk about?

TRUMP: Well, it is happening now. I mean, we're in courts. We're in courts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Trump keeps losing in the court and now the campaign is pledging to take its case to the Supreme Court. But they may not work in Trump's favor either, despite Trump hoping that a conservative Supreme Court would be more open to his pleas.

A Federal Appeals Judge that Trump appointed seemed to cast doubt on the President's path forward. "The campaign cannot win this lawsuit" is what the judge said. And the Biden campaign tonight is dismissing Trump's efforts to overturn the election, in a statement writing, "Desperate and embarrassingly meritless lawsuits like this one will continue to fail and will not change the fact that Joe Biden will be sworn in as President on January 20, 2021."

And we're also just learning that the President suffered another loss after requesting a partial recount in the crucial State of Wisconsin. A recount in Milwaukee County found Biden won by more than 183,000 votes.

In fact, Biden actually picked up 132 votes after the recount, and tonight, President-elect Biden is forging ahead with the transition process. He is expected to fill more key Cabinet positions in the coming days including possibly Treasury Secretary and Defense Secretary.

M.J. Lee is with the President-elect in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Jeremy Diamond is out front live near the White House. Let's start with M.J. though. M.J. is the Biden campaign worried at all about Team Trump saying that it's going to the Supreme Court next?

M.J. LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No, Pam, they are not, and this really all captures the two very different worlds that we are talking about. First, there's this alternate reality, where Donald Trump and his team are still trying to challenge the results of the election weeks after the election has been called.

And then there's the real world here in Delaware, where President- elect Joe Biden and his transition team are moving full speed ahead with the transition process, building out their future government and administration.

And, you know, it's interesting that the Biden spokesperson actually responded pretty forcefully to this decision from the Federal Appeals Court, rejecting the Trump campaigns efforts to revive this lawsuit challenging the results in this critical state of Pennsylvania.

Let me just read a little bit more from that statement. It reads, "Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani and their debunked allegations of voter fraud have been rejected out of hand by yet another court. This election is over and Donald Trump lost both in Pennsylvania and nationally."

Now speaking of these ongoing transition efforts here in Delaware, we do expect a very busy week ahead for the President-elect. We know that Biden is going to be receiving his first presidential daily briefing since he has been elected President. That is going to happen on Monday.

And then sometime later in the week, we do expect that he is going to be announcing some members of his economic team. One of those people could be Janet Yellen, who is expected to be appointed as Treasury Secretary.

There are of course, other very important roles like C.I.A. Director, Defense Secretary, those names have not been announced yet. So all of those things are still to come again, as President Trump is continuing to make these baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud -- Pam. BROWN: All right, M.J. Lee, thank you so much for bringing us the

latest there from Rehoboth Beach.

And now let's go over to Jeremy Diamond at the White House. So Jeremy, not one, but two defeats today for Team Trump. Is there any sign they are going to see the writing on the wall finally and admit Joe Biden is the next President?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, Pam, most people around the President, almost everyone around the President does see the writing on the wall. And in fact, sources have told us that the President himself at times also sees the writing on the wall and understands that he has lost this election and that there is little to no chance -- really no chance to overturn the results of this election.

Yet publicly, the President is not letting up. He made that very clear yesterday as he took questions from reporters for the first time in about three weeks that he is going to continue to push these baseless voter fraud allegations.

But one date that seems to be on the President's minds and on the minds of people around the President is December 14, because that is when the Electoral College will officially vote for the President of the United States, validating Joe Biden's victory and making -- and, you know, confirming that he will be the 46th President of the United States.

[20:05:29]

DIAMOND: The President, though continuing these legal efforts, and what's interesting is that he is, you know, trying to undermine Joe Biden's victory as much as he is trying to overturn the results of the election, perhaps even more so trying to undermine the legitimacy of Joe Biden's defeat.

The irony, of course, is that by continuing to press his case, he is actually helping to bolster the argument in the case that there was no widespread voter fraud in this election.

You are seeing this with one judge after the next saying that these claims have no merit, that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and perhaps ultimately, that view that there was no widespread voter fraud will be validated at the highest levels by the United States Supreme Court, as the Trump legal team says they're going to continue to push that case all the way there.

You may see a court with a conservative majority, with three justices appointed by the president, validate the fact that this was a free and fair election, and that Donald Trump's claims are baseless.

BROWN: Right. You're saying the judges rebuke, but also the lack of evidence in these lawsuits for fraud. I mean, that's also a part of that story.

All right, Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Now OUT FRONT now, Ben Hovland. He is the Chairman of the U.S.

Election Assistance Commission, which in part tests and certifies voting machines and also works closely with other federal agencies that oversee elections. We should point out he was appointed to this post by President Trump.

Ben, thank you for coming on. Let's talk about the President's tweet today. First off, he said in this tweet, "Biden can only enter the White House as President if he can prove that his ridiculous 80 million votes were not fraudulently or illegally obtained."

And after losing their bid to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania today. His campaign lawyer, Jenna Ellis said, "On to SCOTUS," as you see in this tweet. How troubling is it that three weeks later, the President and his allies are still trying to undermine the election and overturn the will of the people?

BEN HOVLAND, CHAIRMAN, U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: It's very troubling, Pam, and thanks for having me. But, you know, those 80 million votes that President-elect Biden had have been confirmed. They've been confirmed by the men and women who run our elections across the country.

We have certified results in a number of states now. And again, the people who run our elections have said that those are the totals, we've seen no evidence of widespread voter fraud, despite, as you were saying, a few moments ago, a significant amount of litigation I believe the President and his allies have one win and 38 losses.

They failed to provide evidence of any widespread fraud to the courts. And so clearly, Joe Biden has won this race. The election officials who run our elections have said that, and that's how our democracy works. That is, you know, that is the process.

BROWN: Right. It's more than 30 losses or withdraws. And Chris Krebs, man, you know and the former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is sitting down for his first interview since Trump who nominated him, fired him after calling this election quote, "the most secure in American history." Here's a clip that just came out minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Let me ask for your reaction to some of the vote fraud that the President and his team have been alleging. Votes tabulated in foreign countries.

CHRISTOPHER KREBS, FORMER DIRECTOR OF CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY: So all votes in the United States of America are counted in the United States of America. I don't understand this claim. All votes in the United States of America are counted in the United States of America. Period.

QUESTION: Communist money from China and Cuba used to influence the election. KREBS: Look, I think these -- we can go on and on with all the

farcical claims alleging interference in the 2020 election, but the proof is in the ballots. The recounts are consistent with the initial count, and to me, that's further evidence, that is confirmation that the systems used in the 2020 election performed as expected, and the American people should have 100 percent confidence in their vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So Ben, you were also nominated by President Trump, as we mentioned earlier, yet you were calling out the President's rhetoric here. How important is it for others to come forward, like you to reassure Americans that this was a fair and a free election.

HOVLAND: It's very important for a couple of reasons. Number one, you're absolutely right. This election was free. It was fair. It was a fantastically run election. The men and women who run our elections across the country, the public servants, at our state and local election administrators did a great job.

[20:10:12]

HOVLAND: Nearly 160 million Americans made their voice heard, more Americans than we've ever had vote. But these allegations, these conspiracy theories, you know, that are not backed up with any evidence, they have consequences. You know, over 70 million Americans voted for the President, many of them believe these claims. And that has a real impact as Americans lose faith in the process.

And additionally, we can't forget, you know, that we've seen these in the past, we've seen sort of baseless claims of voter fraud many times in the past. And when the rubber hits the road, there's never widespread evidence of fraud. But we do see these claims used to pass laws that make it harder for people to participate, that disenfranchise some Americans.

So there's both the consequence that people lose faith in the process, and that we may see some state legislators or other people use these to push voter suppression legislation and those are both very concerning.

BROWN: And how concerned are you about the millions of people you mentioned, who believe the President. They think as we speak that this election was stolen from him, that Joe Biden did not legitimately win the election.

HOVLAND: It's very concerning. And again, I think, you know, you see these conspiracy theories online. But when you look at the people who run our elections, the public servants, the professionals that know more about elections than anyone in this country and do a great job running them. These people, Republicans, Democrats, they work in bipartisan teams, there are so many checks and balances throughout our process.

The parties not trusting each other isn't new. And so the system has been set up, where you have all these checks and balances. You have bipartisan teams throughout the process. You have transparency throughout the process, and all of that is to make sure that our elections are fair, that they are accurate, and that at the end of the day, the certified results reflect the will of the American people. And that's exactly what we have this year in this election.

And it was -- again, it was considering all of the challenges, it was remarkable the job that our election administrators do or did and we should give them the credit they deserve for that.

BROWN: All right, Ben Hovland, thank you so much for coming on.

HOVLAND: Thank you.

BROWN: And now, finally now to discuss this is former Communications Director for Ted Cruz's presidential campaign in 2016, Alice Stewart and former communications director for the D.N.C., Karen Finney. She also worked on President Clinton's transition. Ladies, lovely to see you.

Alice, let's start with you. You're a Republican, you know, but here we are three weeks after the election. Trump is still refusing to outright except he lost this election focused on undermining it and overturning the results.

And today, he had two more setbacks in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as someone who supports President Trump, supported him in the past, how damaging is this for the country? And what is your message to him?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The message would be to let's put this behind us and move on. We have an important election coming up in January in Georgia.

Look, I think it's critical. We have free and fair elections in this country to reinforce what Ben just said just a few moments ago, there are plenty of checks and balances up and down the election process, and the integrity of our elections in the country is the cornerstone of our democracy.

We had free and fair elections when Donald Trump won four years ago, we had free and fair elections this year when he did not win. And I think any conversation to the contrary of that is really damaging to our democracy.

And I think it's really important, if there is widespread voter fraud, if there is evidence of rigged election, if there has been wrongful voting and counting in this country, I would love to see the evidence. I would love to prove this case and overturn the elections.

But I don't see any evidence. I don't see any way that this can over overturn the election. The votes are in, they have been counted and tabulated. And the margins are just too big. And I think it's really important to move forward and work on the transition to the Biden administration.

BROWN: Just really quickly, I'm going to get you in a second, Karen, but as someone who supports the President, he basically said he was going to do this. I mean, he said before the election, it's rigged, if I lose. I mean, but are you surprised by how far he has taken it?

STEWART: I am and look, I had a concern, I voiced concern on Election Night when he started talking about the rigged election and now we are this far out and we still have not won any legal challenges in court. I'm not certain how many times we have to hear these claims have no merit before we realize there is no merit to these claim.

And it is almost as though they are stitching a parachute after they've jumped out of a plane, and it's just not good for this country and to be quite honest, like I said, I voted for this President. I wanted him to win.

And if he looks in the windshield and sees a political future for him, he needs to put election 2020 in the rearview mirror and support these Georgia Senate candidates that are coming up and look ahead to 2022 and 2024.

BROWN: Okay, Karen, to you now. While President Trump continues to divide and undermine this election, President-elect Biden keeps talking about unity and coming together. I am wondering, do you think that this dichotomy reflects how just divided this country is right now? And what can Biden do to actually bring his message to life?

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, I think actually -- it's great to be with you tonight. I'll start there and say, I think what this really reflects is that the Republican Party is reaping what they have sown. And that is, for four years, they have coddled, the fragile ego of Donald Trump and let him play games with our democracy.

And now we're in a situation where the stakes, you know, he is continuing to raise the stakes. He is continuing to live in an alternate reality and not accept that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris overwhelmingly won the election, and they want it in large measure by talking about unity, by talking about how you bring this country together, because a majority of Americans are sick and tired of the divisiveness, of the divisive politics, of being pitted against one another.

I mean, I think you saw that so clearly, and this is what Americans voted for. You know, with a Thanksgiving message from Joe Biden, and as you say, Pamela, it was about unity, was acknowledging it's not going to be easy, but hey, we're America and we do the tough things. We do the hard things, and we have got to come together so that we can move forward.

And then you had Donald Trump again, whining and complaining with you, know, with no evidence and no facts, pushing, you know, these theories that are completely inaccurate and false.

And so it's critically important to be talking about unity. It's critically important that we see Joe Biden continuing to lead in this moment with the competence to restore the confidence that the American people need to have, both in him and in our federal government at this critically important time for America.

BROWN: All right, Karen Finney and Alice Stewart, thank you so much for your time and coming on the show. We appreciate it.

FINNEY: Thank you.

STEWART: Thank you.

BROWN: OUT FRONT, up next, breaking news. The U.S. is closing in on nearly 200,000 cases just today. This as we're learning the C.D.C. is preparing to hold an emergency meeting on who could get the vaccine first.

Plus the Midwest ravaged by illness that shows no sign of stopping. I'll talk to two people on the frontlines with what they're seeing.

And Iran now threatening revenge after claiming one of the masterminds behind its nuclear program was assassinated. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:21:39]

BROWN: Breaking news. The U.S. surpassing 13 million coronavirus cases today reporting more than 196,000 new cases so far today. Meantime, more than 89,000 people are in the hospital with coronavirus tonight.

Now this is a slight decline after 17 straight days of record breaking hospitalizations, but it's unclear whether there is a lag on the data due to Thanksgiving. All of this coming as CNN learns the C.D.C. is holding an emergency meeting next week to vote on who will be first to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

OUT FRONT now to discuss all of this is Dr. William Schaffner, former C.D.C. official and Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore City Health Commissioner. Thank you both for coming on. Let's first start with Dr. Schaffner, because you're a member of an advisory committee at the C.D.C. working on guidelines for a vaccine. What do you expect we'll see after that emergency meeting on Tuesday of this week?

DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, PROFESSOR, INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIVISION, VANBERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Well, I would anticipate then that the committee, which has discussed this quite extensively in the past, we'll vote that healthcare workers would be first in line, you know, the people who care for people who have COVID, and who might have COVID. And that includes first responders, and includes also people who work in nursing homes.

And they're likely also to include the nursing home residents, because they're very frail. And if you're in the nursing home, vaccinating people there, you might as well vaccinate both the healthcare providers and the patients at the same time. So that's a very practical, efficient way to do things.

BROWN: And do you think the C.D.C. needs to actually release guidelines beyond just the first group to get this vaccine because everyone else who doesn't fit into that is wondering, when am I going to get mine? SCHAFFNER: Yes, well, Pam, I think so. I've been urging my colleagues

to move forward a little bit more rapidly, and let people know who is second in line and who is third in line. They have sent their signals in the past in previous open meetings.

You know, in the past, they have discussed that essential workers, about 87 million of them would be next and then after that, people who are aged 65 and older, and who have underlying illnesses, if you're younger than age 65. So that may be the progression eventually, but they haven't committed to that yet. But there are people everywhere, and every medical institution and every state health department, local health departments, all planning and the more time you can give them the plan in advance, the better it'll work.

BROWN: Obviously, yes, I mean, you want to be prepared and ready to go. And Dr. Wen, President Trump as we heard claimed the vaccines will begin to be delivered next week. We know the F.D.A. isn't meeting until December 10.

Trump also claimed we are quote, "rounding the curve" as we've heard him say time and time again as COVID numbers skyrocket. How long will it take, though, for a vaccine to really bring us some form of normalcy, something that so many of us are craving right now?

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, I'm so glad we're talking about vaccines because there is hope on the horizon. I mean, it's actually beyond our wildest imagination that we could have two vaccines and maybe more that is this effective and appears to be really safe so far, and so I think it is great news.

And I also think that it will probably be late spring, early summer, before we can get back to some type of normal as in that we can really gather with our friends and with our family at that point.

But the key though right now is we cannot let our guard down. We have to hunker down and get through this really difficult winter ahead. The vaccines will make a big difference in the spring and the summer. They're not going to make a difference right now. And so that's why I would just urge everyone, look at the numbers. We are so far from rounding the corner.

Actually we are if anything, we're rounding the corner into a calamity, because that's what we have. We're soon going to exceed well more than 2,000 deaths, maybe 3,000 to 4,000 deaths every single day here in the U.S.

[20:25:44]

BROWN: Yes, because the expectation among health experts is that there's going to be a little dip after Thanksgiving and then we're going to see those numbers rise because people got together with their loved ones for the holiday.

And Dr. Schaffner, today the U.S. past more than 13 million coronavirus cases, but a new C.D.C. study suggests that number is actually much higher. It found we've only been identifying one in eight coronavirus cases as of late September. What do you think about that?

And you know, you're just taking a step back behind every number which people can kind of get numb to, there is a life -- there's a life impacted, there is a family impacted. It's just important to keep that in mind as we hunker down for the next several months of this.

SCHAFFNER: Yes, Pam, there are two parts to this. The first is that we all expected all of us in infectious diseases and public health, we knew that we weren't diagnosing each and every case. Early on, there wasn't enough testing. Shucks, there's not enough testing now.

And we know that there are many people who have infection, but never become symptomatic. Giving it a number, however, is really very impressive and that number is high. But the other side of that coin is that there are still many, many people across the country who have not yet become infected.

So this virus has plenty more people to infect, if as Dr. Wen says, we're not careful, we're not wearing our masks, social distancing, and doing all those other things. We must sustain that in the months going forward.

BROWN: I mean, it's such an important point, that as we're sitting here having this discussion, and people may be watching this right now. The virus could impact them. They could be hospitalized and people could even die. It hasn't happened yet, but it very well could and then you find out Dr. Wen, the T.S.A. says it expects Sunday to be the busiest travel day since the start of the pandemic with more than a million people heading home after Thanksgiving.

I mean, what do these people need to do as they return home?

WEN: Yes, so everyone who has traveled and has been in gatherings with people who are not in their household, they should quarantine once they get back. And that's because those gatherings in particular, indoor gatherings, with many people who are not wearing masks for prolonged periods of time, those are the highest risk for transmitting coronavirus.

You should consider yourself to be high risk and quarantine for at least seven days and then get tested from the day that you return. If you're unable to get a test because testing remains so limited, you should quarantine for 14 days and I mean, a full quarantine. Don't go to work. Don't go to school. Keep safe.

BROWN: All right, Dr. Wen, Dr. Schaffner, thank you very much for that important information.

SCHAFFNER: Thank you.

WEN: Thank you.

BROWN: OUT FRONT next, the horrific toll the pandemic is taking on the Midwest medical workers overwhelmed professionally and personally. I'll speak to two of them who know firsthand.

And Iran says its top nuclear scientist was assassinated, and now Tehran is threatening revenge attacks. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:33:17]

BROWN: Well tonight, rising COVID cases are still wreaking havoc on the Midwest. Hospitalizations have doubled there over the last month with nearly 28,000 hospitalizations reported today. And today Wisconsin reported nearly 71,000 active cases statewide and more than 1,700 people in the hospital. North Dakota is reporting 797 new cases with a positivity rate of 10.9%.

Outfront now, two people who are experiencing what is happening in those states firsthand. Patty Schachtner is a medical examiner for Croix County, Wisconsin, and Kailee Leingang a nursing student and contact tracer in North Dakota. Thank you both for coming on.

Patty, first to you, you prepare for this virus back in March, long before it was a major problem in your county. You help funeral homes prep, you rented a refrigerated truck cases they were started to rise in mid-October. What's the situation like there now?

PATTY SCHACHTNER, CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, ST. CROIX COUNTY: Well, our cases still continue to rise as they do in all of Wisconsin. And we're keeping our eye on everything that is going on. And making sure that we have all the right tools to support public health and every all the other needs that are needed during a pandemic.

BROWN: But I mean, just if you would elaborate on that for us. You said you're making sure they have all the tools for public health. What does that actually look like? Because our understanding is there's a big strain on resources right now.

SCHACHTNER: So there is a huge strain. So whether it's PPE or staffing or just the resources that you need for overtime, it's just a lot. And we don't have staffing resources to really meet the needs that we have, especially when our staff start to get sick or quarantine themselves. So, we're constantly trying to figure out how to meet the needs of our communities.

[20:35:21]

And well, while fighting a pandemic, locally, it can be very difficult for nursing homes, to our ambulances, to our emergency rooms, to our schools, to our local bars and restaurants.

BROWN: Right. The ripple effect goes on and on. And Kailee earlier this week, the White House Task Force warned that North Dakota has the highest number of new cases per 100,000 people in the country. Contact tracing actually to stop because the number of cases have been so high. What are you telling people when you speak to them? What are those conversations like when you have to tell them what the situation is?

KAILEE LEINGANG, NORTH DAKOTA CONTACT TRACER: Yes. So, all it really entails at this point now is reaching out and saying, have you been made aware of your COVID test results? If they haven't, you make them aware that they were positive, and you try and educate the best you can and let them know who they need to contact and what they should be doing.

BROWN: So what is that reaction like when you tell them you're COVID positive? What kind of reactions are you getting from people?

LEINGANG: So, there's still some that are a little surprised, especially those that are being very careful with masking and sanitizing everything like that. But there are others and for the majority, I should say, are very resigned. I think in general North Dakotans at this point are discouraged, and it's -- we're tired. And it's not a surprise, if you do test positive for COVID at this point.

BROWN: Yes. It sounds like they're just kind of coming numb to it. Patty, you are not just battling this in your professional capacity. This is also deeply personal for you, you lost your father to this virus. He contracted while in a nursing home. You've had other family member's contract it describe the personal impact that this virus has had on you.

SCHACHTNER: So, as a family who lots of my siblings and my children work in public service, so we understand the risks that we take by working in public service. And, you know, first it was my sister-in- law who tested positive, then my brother-in-law, then my sister, my niece, then my dad tested positive at the nursing home. And last week, after the funeral, my son couldn't go to the funeral because he was in quarantine, and his wife and children have it. So, it impacts us personally. But we still have to do our work. And the one thing that our dad did was were raised us all -- my parents both raised us to be hard workers, and really have lots of empathy for people, even though, you know, we're doing the work. And we know there's a lot of people that still don't want 100% believe what's going on, we still have to be empathetic and sympathetic to everyone who is impacted by this pandemic. It's really hard.

BROWN: While you're grieving to I mean, the loss of your father. Kailee, what is this experience been like for you personally, as someone who wants a future in nursing?

LEINGANG: It's scary. It really is. It's hard in my situation, obviously, I'm not a nurse yet. So I can't go and work, I can't help the team, so to say help the public to the fullest degree that I would be able to. But it's also so -- you're watching people be traumatized. It's the pandemic, I would agree as far as whether you are COVID positive or not. You have a family member personally passed away, you're not you're affected by it, you are told to wear a mask in Walmart, in Target. I mean, you're personally affected either way.

And so, watching people just in general, be traumatized. And the country as a whole going through this and knowing that that's the workforce and that's kind of what's going to be left to help fix and clean up. It's a big job, but again, like it was said is when you dedicate your life to the public service, that's all you want to do.

BROWN: Incredible to hear from both of you. Thank you for all of the work that you are doing to fight this pandemic. Patty, Kailee, appreciate you coming on.

LEINGANG: Thank you.

SCHACHTNER: Thank you for having -- thank you.

BROWN: And "Outfront" up next. Serious concern tonight over the assassination of the architect of Iran's nuclear program and ramifications which include threats of revenge.

Plus, ghost candidates in Florida. Did they help push Republicans in close state races to victory?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA SIGMAN (D-FL) SENATE CANDIDATE: Never showed up anywhere. She wasn't even registered to vote until she filed --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:43:39]

BROWN: Well, tonight Iran's top nuclear scientist has been killed in what state media says was an assassination. The scientists considered the mastermind behind Iran's nuclear program died after his car was apparently ambushed with the country's defense minister claiming the vehicle was targeted by gunfire and explosives. Iran's foreign ministry seemingly blaming Israel for the attack, tweeting there are quote, serious indications of Israeli role. This as the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps is vowing revenge on the attackers.

Alex Marquardt is outfront for us tonight. So Alex, first off, Iran is accusing Israel of being behind this attack. Why is that? And how is Israel responding?

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Yes, that's right, Pam. What you just read there from the Israeli Foreign Minister accusing Israel that is fairly predictable, but it's with good reason, this attack does have all the hallmarks of an Israeli attack. And this scientist whose name was Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was certainly someone that Israel was after, he had specifically been called out by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu back in his speech in 2018. He was simply the most prominent nuclear scientist in Iran. He was involved since the early days in Iran's nuclear military program and then after that officially ended he was still senior in the Revolutionary Guard and still believed to be involved in the ongoing nuclear program.

[20:45:01]

Now, from Israel side there has been no denial or confirmation which is pretty standard practice from them in this kind of situation. Here in Washington, the government is being very quiet. One U.S. official telling CNN, that they're closely watching the situation and that the last thing that the U.S. needs right now is a conflict with Iran. This says assassination we're seeing pictures right now, Pam was brazen, there are no two ways about it. One former senior intelligence official told me that this was conducted with surgical precision. This happened in broad daylight. The message here very clear, we will find your most senior people and we will take them out.

So how much of a deterrent this is, does remain to be seen? Fakhrizadeh was someone who was on a similar level to Qasem Soleimani. You'll remember him he was the commander of the elite Quds Force. He was killed in January in the U.S. drone strike in Iraq. So now you have two very senior figures killed within a year, Iran will feel pressure to respond right as a new U.S. administration is coming in. So Pam, this certainly does complicate things for soon to be President Biden. Pam.

BROWN: It certainly does. Alex Marquardt, thank you so much for that.

Let's talk a little bit more about that point that Alex just made. Outffront now was Bob Baer, former CIA operative and CNN intelligence and security analyst. And Susan Glasser, staff writer for The New Yorker and a CNN global affairs analyst. Great to see you both.

Bob, first of all, what is your take on this assassination? Why is this important for the U.S. to really be focused on right now?

ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY ANALYST: Well, it's almost certainly, the Israelis carried this out probably using proxies or radians, they would have never set their own people. And this is a full on attack against the nuclear program. In Iran, this is in addition to attack on Natanz, which was sabotaged their main nuclear facility in July, killing these other scientists and the rest of it. So, at the Israelis are effectively telling us they're not giving up, they're going to go after this. And the real question is, will the Iranians respond at this time? And frankly, I don't think they will, because they don't want to provoke this president, President Trump who would is itching to attack Iran.

BROWN: Right, but what is for people in the U.S. when they hear about this? What is the significance of it, Bob? I mean, why should people be paying attention to this in the U.S.? Why is the Trump administration paying such close attention to it?

BAER: Well, Pam, is because the Iranians look like they're heading to, again, going back to building a nuclear bomb. They're enriching uranium to a higher degree than they're allowed under the 2015 treaty. This is a secret nuclear program run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. So, it's an existential threat to a lot of countries in the Middle East, including Israel. And we are being forced into the corner to do something at this point to stop them.

BROWN: And it's not just the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard vowing revenge, he's an a top adviser to Iran supreme leader says this country will avenge his death. How significantly does this increase tensions in the Middle East?

SUSAN GLASSER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, look, this is always, you know, was always with the presidential administration of Donald Trump ending. I think it's important to note that while the Israelis are being fingered as the ones who carried out this assassination, you know, there has been a high, high level of coordination between the Trump administration and the Israelis. Donald Trump himself tweeted out, I think, several tweets this morning that appeared to celebrate this killing in Iran today, number one. Number two, you just had Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State in the region. Just last week meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu coordinated very closely in particular on Iran policy over the last several years.

I spent all day today thinking very much about the last time there was a changeover and Netanyahu was concerned about a less favorable U.S. administration come into power when George W. Bush left and Barack Obama and Joe Biden came to power. Netanyahu launched the war. And it seems to me that there's a high risk factor of destabilization in the region as a result of this and other actions that we might see before January 20th, when Joe Biden takes office.

BROWN: Right. I mean, it comes after the assassination of Soleimani, Bob, as Alex pointed out, so that's two high ranking figures and Iran. The New York Times reported just last week, that President Trump asked advisors about striking Iran's nuclear sites. He was talked out of it. But how carefully do you think the U.S. needs to tread right now?

BAER: Well, I worry about this president. I agree that this we're closer to a war than we've been in a long time. And if you're looking at the people that won award, now's the time to do it when you have this administration. And let's not forget even though we probably had no direct involvement in the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, the Iranians are going to blame us. They just don't think the Israelis do anything without the United States coordination. We probably did coordinate with the president tweeting, which is not helpful.

[20:50:03]

And this President is, you know, is running a gigantic risk, we could have a major war in the Gulf, and it would be absolutely devastating. Let's see what the Iranians do if they give him cause, I think that this President will attack.

BROWN: Final thoughts to you, Susan, do you agree?

GLASSER: Well, I think that is the risk factor right now. Number one, it could be a way of just pressuring Biden making diplomacy less likely to succeed, because Biden has said that he will seek to return to the Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from. So that's one possibility of what we're seeing. But there is a concern I think that Trump has been surrounded by hawkish advisors on Iran from day one. He said this was the worst deal ever he pulled out of it, but he's leaving office actually with Iran potentially closer to a nuclear weapon than it was when he came into office. So that's a big problem. I think all around.

BROWN: That is terrifying. All right, Susan Glasser, Bob Baer, thank you very much.

And "Outfront" next, dark money that may have had an impact on Florida's elections. Did Phantom candidates give some Republicans an edge?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:55:24]

BROWN: Well tonight, there are growing questions about three states senate races in Florida. And each of the races there was a candidate who didn't campaign or hold any fundraisers. Instead, there's evidence to suggest they weren't planted using so-called dark money to allegedly siphon votes from Democratic candidates.

CNN senior investigative correspondent Drew Griffin is outfront.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the closest of races. Incumbent Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez lost his Florida State Senate seat by just 32 votes. The Republican challenger who won --

ILEANA GARCIA (R-FL) SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm Ileana Garcia --

GRIFFIN (voice-over): -- Ileana Garcia, a founder of Latinos For Trump. But there was a third candidate in this race playing the role of spoiler. His name, Alex Rodriguez, sharing the same last name as the Democrat in the race and promoted as a liberal. Alex Rodriguez got more than 6,000 votes. Jose Rodriguez says the straw candidate cost him his seat by pulling away Democrat votes.

(on-camera): Have you ever met him, seen him, talk to him? Has he been involved in any debates?

JOSE JAVIER RODRIGUEZ, FMR FLORIDA STATE SENATOR: I didn't even know what he looked like until after the race and investigative reporter's tract him down.

SIGMAN: We have to fight back --

GRIFFIN (voice-over): In State Senate District Nine, Democrat Patricia Sigman lost to a Republican by just 2% of the vote. Here once again no one ever saw the supposedly liberal third candidate.

SIGMAN: She had no website, she never participated in any of the debates or forums, never showed up anywhere. She wasn't even registered to vote until she filed.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): In these races and one other, ghost candidates in Florida were supported by mysterious PACs, which sent out hundreds of thousands of dollars in mostly identical advertising mailers making those candidates seem liberal. Yet, CNN has learned that people behind the mailers were all Republicans.

BEN WILCOX, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INTEGRITY FLORIDA: This is a new one for me.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Ben Wilcox, Research Director of the nonpartisan watchdog group Integrity Florida says, no doubt someone running a dark money campaign impacted at least one state Senate seat possibly do.

WILCOX: Florida is loosely regulated when it comes to financing of campaigns. It's probably legal. But, you know, it really shouldn't be.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Here's what we know, two brand new political action committees registered on the same date at the same minute and one day later received a combined $550,000 in donations from the same company. But paperwork says the PACs were started by two young women whose social media is filled with pictures of beaches and boats. But, CNN could find no evidence either of them or their PACs had ever been involved in politics.

Then, on the very same day, both PACs paid the same printing company, all of that $550,000 for the flyers. It's their only expenditure. The printing company and one of the PACs are linked to this man, Alex Alvarado. A Tallahassee based Republican consultant and former Republican Congressional intern.

A printing company is run out of this house owned by his mom and step dad. The PAC started by a friend of his girlfriend. And despite being involved in ghost candidate advertising with very liberal and progressive ideas, every one of them is a registered Republican. That even includes the ghost candidate Alex Rodriguez, who was registered Republican until this election, and none of them are talking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been looking for Alex, is he around?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he'd be back tomorrow, though.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): That's actually Alex Rodriguez, who lied here to a reporter from Miami's WPLG about his own identity. The money flowed into the PACs from one company, Proclivity. It's registered in Delaware as a corporation, under the name Richard Alexander.

(on-camera): What or who is Proclivity? The trail ends here at a strip mall in Atlanta, Georgia. This is where Proclivity has a mailbox drop, but nothing else.

(voice-over): Democrats like Patricia Sigman are calling for an investigation into who paid for all of this.

SIGMAN: They don't run in order to win, they run in order to just try to siphon off votes. And, you know, they don't have a website. They don't campaign. They don't show up. They -- they're ghosts.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Florida's Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee denies any knowledge, whatsoever of the mysterious money that helped in three of their races.

(on-camera): CNN has repeatedly reached out to the ghost candidates, the political action committees, the Republican strategist, even the company that supplied the more than half million dollars. And none of them are talking.

[21:00:10]

Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Thanks for joining us. "CNN's ORIGINAL SERIES FIRST LADIES", starts now.