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The Situation Room

Trump Visits Kenosha, Addresses Jacob Blake Shooting; Trump Announces $1 Million For Kenosha Law Enforcement "To Go Out And Do What You Have To Do"; Trump Takes Credit For National Guard Deployment He Didn't Order; Trump Defends Supporter Charged With Killing Two Protesters; NIH Says No Evidence Backing Use Of Convalescent Plasma; NYC Delays First Day Of School Amid Threat Of Teacher Strike. Aired 5- 6p ET

Aired September 01, 2020 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Thanks so much, Pete. And our coverage on CNN continues now.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Jim Acosta in THE SITUATION ROOM. And we're following breaking news.

President Trump just wrapping up a controversial visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Moments ago he addressed the police shooting of Jacob Blake saying his message to the family is that he feels "terribly for anybody who goes through that." Blake's family is critical of the President's visit, and did not want to talk to him.

The President also once again denying that systemic racism exists in making a strong show of support for local law enforcement announcing $1 million in funds to "go out and do what you have to do."

We're also following breaking pandemic news, the U.S. death toll has topped 184,000 people and more than 6 million confirmed cases. And now a National Institutes of Health panel says there's no evidence backing the use of convalescent plasma touted by President Trump to treat coronavirus patients.

Let's get more on the breaking news with CNN White House Correspondent Jeremy Diamond.

Jeremy, the President's focus is on the unrest in Kenosha, not the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No question Jim. President Trump spent nearly three hours on the ground today in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and he did not say Jacob Blake's name once. Instead, the President focus on surveying the damage of some of the rides that have happened in that city, as well as meeting and thanking law enforcement there.

The President also taking credit falsely for deployment of the National Guard there that was ordered by the state's governor. When the President was though, Jim, asked about Jacob Blake, all we heard the President say was that he feels terribly about the situation but he declined to weigh in any further saying that it is a local investigation. And of course, Jim, the President did not meet with Jacob Blake or his family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The thing like this should never happen.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Tonight President Trump surveying Kenosha, Wisconsin a week after police here shot a black man in the back seven times. But the President all but ignored that tragedy instead lamenting the property damage caused by riots that followed the shooting and delivering political remarks.

TRUMP: Reckless, far left politicians continue to push the destructive message that our nation and our law enforcement are oppressive or racist. They'll throw out any word that comes to them.

DIAMOND: Trump also taking credit for a National Guard deployment he did not order.

TRUMP: This ended within an hour. As soon as we announced we were coming and then they saw that we were here. This ended immediately.

DIAMOND: Falsely claiming federal troops marched into Kenosha and ended the unrest. The reality all National Guard troops in Wisconsin are under sneak control.

As for Jacob Blake, Trump addressing the situation only after questions from reporters.

TRUMP: I feel terribly for anybody that goes through that. As you know, it's under investigation. It's a big thing happening right now. I guess it's under a local investigation.

DIAMOND: Blake's uncle saying above the frame.

JUSTIN BLAKE, JACOB BLAKE'S UNCLE: We're not going to get caught up with him. He was we would and we're not, we're here to heal Kenosha and push forward our agenda for getting little Jake justice.

DIAMOND: Today, Trump denying the existence of systemic racism in policing.

TRUMP: I don't believe that. I think the police do an incredible job. And I think you do have some bad apples.

DIAMOND: A day after he compared the police officer who shot Blake to a gun for cracking under pressure.

TRUMP: You know, a joker they choke. Shooting the guy, shooting the guy in the back many times. I mean, couldn't you have done something different? Couldn't he have wrestled him, you know? I mean, in the meantime, he might have been going for a weapon and, you know, there's a whole big thing there, but they choke. Just like in a golf tournament, they miss a three foot act.

DIAMOND: Trump also making excuses for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year- old charged with killing two people during Kenosha protests.

TRUMP: He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like and he fell. And then they very violently attacked him. But I guess he was in very big trouble. He would have been. He probably would have been killed, but it's under investigation.

DIAMOND: And while Joe Biden delivered blanket condemnation of any violence.

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We have to stand against violence. And every form it takes.

DIAMOND: Trump refusing to condemn violence by his supporters.

TRUMP: That was a peaceful protest. And paint is not -- and paint as a defensive mechanism. Paint is not bullets.

DIAMOND: Trump is also spinning new conspiracy theories.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who do you think is drawing (ph) Biden's strings, officials?

TRUMP: People that you've never heard of. People that are in the dark shadows.

DIAMOND: And then there was this.

TRUMP: We had somebody get on a plane from a certain city this weekend, and in the plane it was almost completely loaded with thugs wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms with gear. A lot of people were on the plane to do big damage.

[17:05:13]

DIAMOND: The President providing no evidence to back up his strange claim.

TRUMP: This was a first handicap of a plane going from Washington to wherever. And I'll see if I can get that information for you. Maybe they'll speak to you. Maybe they won't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And Jeremy Diamond had that report. We'll get more from Jeremy later.

Let's get more on the President's visit to Kenosha. CNN's Ryan Nobles is there for us.

Ryan, Jacob Blake's family did not want the president there. That was evident today.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly right, Jim. And in fact, the President attempted to reach out to the Blake family on numerous occasions tried to go through intermediaries, people who he believed was the family pastor and that did not amount to much.

And Jim we should point out that the situation here in Kenosha has calmed down a bit. It is peaceful, but it's still very tense. There are many buildings that are still boarded up. You know, as far as five six miles away from most of the activity and violence took place here in Wisconsin and the Blake family is doing everything they can to take the focus away from President Trump and take the focus away from politics and keep it on the shooting of their family member, this person who is still suffering from these gunshot wounds and could have his life completely altered as a result.

Take a listen to what those close to Blake are saying about the President's trip here to Kenosha.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TANYA MCCLEAN, BLAKE FAMILY FRIEND: Others are using this moment to further cleave racial division and chaos. We know why Trump is here in Kenosha today. It is the same reason he does in Portland. He is here to solve chaos and fear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: And we should point out that the Blake family does not want this to be about politics, Jim, but it is impossible to not connect those dots. Of course, Wisconsin is a crucial swing state, it is a state that President Trump narrowly won four years ago and it was a key to his victory in 2016.

The President's campaign team still has Wisconsin on their map. This time around it's a state that they would desperately like to win.

And Jim, when you drill it down even further, the city of Kenosha, the county itself, also very important to the President's reelection bed. This is a state that has a state and a county that is routinely voted for Democrats. That is up until 2016. And the President is hoping to keep it that way in 2020, so it may not be that big of a surprise that he made the trip here today. Jim.

ACOSTA: It is going to be a very tight race there in Wisconsin. CNN's Ryan nobles, thank you very much for that.

Let's get more on all of this with Kenosha County Supervisor Andy Berg.

Mr. Berg, thanks for joining us.

Ahead of today's trip --

ANDY BERG, KENOSHA COUNTY SUPERVISOR: Thank you for having me. ACOSTA: Yes, thank you. You said President Trump, in his visit would only further inflame tensions there and divisions there, does your fear span out do you think?

BERG: I think we are pretty well divided right now in Kenosha. You know, we come together on a lot of issues, but right now with Trump and other issues in the community right now, there's a lot of divisions politically.

ACOSTA: When you see the President walking through the rubble there, talking to people, talking to folks who've lost their businesses, were you at least glad to see the President do that?

BERG: Oh, man, if you want to take it from the positive side, sure. It's good to see that he's out there talking. But what is -- that's kind of the problem that we have right now is there's a lot of talk. What are the actions that we're doing? Is there going to be funding diverted from Washington to here to fix that?

ACOSTA: And on Jacob Blake's shooting, President Trump said he feels terribly for anybody that goes through that, those are his words. But he said he hopes the investigation will come up with the right answer, because it's a complicated subject he said. What did you make of those comments? Do you agree this is a complicated subject?

BERG: Well, it's going to be a complicated issue, absolutely, depending on what the findings are. But I'll say that being in a community today I didn't see anything that happened when President Trump came to town because I was with the family and the celebration down -- events on his neighborhood.

ACOSTA: It certainly seemed like the community was divided today. You had the people out there welcoming the President's visit. You had folks joining the family today.

You were there with the family, as you said, what was the scene like? What is the family saying to you and to others about the President's visit?

BERG: I -- you know, there wasn't a whole lot of discussion there that I've heard of the President's visit. It was about breaking bread together and listening to music together and dancing and having conversation and making conversation on how we're going to make change in the future instead of talking about change. What change are we going to actually bring to action?

[17:10:00]

ACOSTA: And the President today pledged $1 million to commercial law enforcement and nearly $4 million to help rebuild small businesses. Do you welcome that funding? What did you make of those comments?

BERG: I'm not going to say no to any funding that is going to come to Kenosha, anything that's going to build up our cities. Absolutely that will help. ACOSTA: And let me ask you about this, on his way out of Wisconsin today, the President said Kenosha would have burned to the ground if it had not been for law enforcement and the National Guard. You're there. This is your area. Is that true?

BERG: Well, I mean, if you take all of your security forces out of any area, absolutely. There's going to be destruction. But that's being too extreme about the situation.

I mean, we have law enforcement. They weren't here, I mean, there'd be a lot more chaos along every avenue in the community. But no matter what the situation is Kenosha is always going to bounce back. Whether or not it was -- it wasn't for President Trump that made us bounce back or come back the way we're going to come back. We're going to do it without him.

ACOSTA: And as you know, two protesters were killed on the streets of your city by an armed vigilante. What went through your mind when you heard President Trump defend that armed teenager?

BERG: I don't think he's in a position to be doing that. There's an investigation that needs to go on stuff for it. And to support the vigilantism, it's beyond me as to why somebody in a position of leadership like that would support anything like that. And there was a lot of sidestepping in those questions about structural racism in America.

ACOSTA: Do you think President could be potentially encouraging other vigilantes to take matters into their own hands?

BERG: I think there's absolutely the potential. I mean, we had folks in our -- a few folks in our community pushing for folks to come armed. And that's just on a small level. I mean, you have talking about the President doing it, absolutely I think there's some potential there.

ACOSTA: And what needs to happen next in Kenosha? Rebuilding obviously needs to happen. Police reform. You know, the President was asked about body cameras today. Should every police officer have body cameras?

What is going to help your city recover and give people in that community a peace of mind that that it can get beyond this?

BERG: Well, I think we need to continue coming together like we have in the past four or five days with painting the boarded up windows, and building up together that way. But I think we also need to start looking at what's been discussed for years that we continue to look over.

What is the black community, what are people of color telling us and why aren't we making action on it? What are actionable items on? And I think that's something that we need to start fulfilling to make our community better.

ACOSTA: OK, Kenosha County Supervisor Andy Berg, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it.

And be sure to join --

BERG: Thank you for having me.

ACOSTA: Wolf Blitzer tomorrow for his exclusive one hour interview, one on one, with the Attorney General William bar that's at 5:00 Eastern right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Should be very interesting. Wolf and the Attorney General William Barr right here on CNN.

There is more breaking news. Just ahead, a National Institutes of Health panel counters President Trump's promotion of convalescent plasma to treat coronavirus patients saying there's no evidence it works. And we'll talk to Mayor Bill de Blasio about the decision to postpone the start of schools in New York City. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

17:17:58]

ACOSTA: President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin this afternoon, a visit that looked and sounded more like a lawn order campaign event in an attempt to ease tensions brought on by the police shooting of Jacob Blake. We're joined now by the President and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson and CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger.

Derrick, let me start with you first, President Trump, he made this trip to Kenosha today. But his focus, it seemed, was largely on law enforcement and on surveying the damage in the city. But he was also asked at one point about systemic racism. It's a subject he has danced around and tried to avoid in the past. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in this country?

TRUMP: Well, you know, you just keep getting back to the opposite subject. We should talk about the kind of violence that we've seen in Portland and here and other places, it's tremendous violence, you always get to the other side. Well, what do you think about this or that? The fact is that we've seen tremendous violence and we will put it out very, very quickly if given the chance. So that's what this is all about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: So he didn't answer that question at all there.

DERRICK JOHNSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP: Well, I'm not surprised. His goal is to distract, to feed up fear is a tried and true tactic when you are campaigning. Unfortunately, the most violent thing we've seen this year is over 180,000 people who've died as a result of COVID-19. And we are lacking the federal response even today. I hope we can get focused on that.

Yes, structural racism exists. Yes, we have an issue in Kenosha.

Him going to Kenosha was not about unifying a community. It was to accelerate a campaign platform to try to get reelected. And that's unfortunate because we have lost lives in that community.

We have three individuals who've lost their lives senselessly. And we got to address that. But for this President, I wish he would address the violence of the 180,000 people who have died as a result of COVID- 19.

ACOSTA: And Gloria, is that how you see today basically campaign event?

[17:20:00]

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Well, absolutely.

When the when the President said yesterday that going to Kenosha was going to create enthusiasm. He also said in love and respect for our country, but the enthusiasm he is talking about, what is that for? That is for his campaign.

He went there today to portray himself as a savior. As somebody -- he said Kenosha would have burned to the ground, if it weren't for his instructions to -- for police and outside police forces.

And so, you know, he wants to say, look, I'm saving Kenosha. Kenosha is in a battleground state. He didn't go to Portland, Oregon. He went to Kenosha, and that's what, you know, that's what this is about.

And I totally agree that he wants to divert attention from COVID. He doesn't want to talk about COVID. COVID is a failure for him, 180,000 people dead and counting, this he believes he can rally his base.

ACOSTA: And Derrick, the President has repeatedly explained that police shootings like the shooting of Jacob Blake by saying that police officers "choke." Last night he compared it to missing a three- foot putt in golf. What does that say to all the families out there who have lost someone at the hands of police and police brutality?

JOHNSON: Well, for many of those families, they already know this president, like any level of empathy or sympathy for their loss, he doesn't care. For him is always about him. And if he see the support coming from a police union or Fraternal Order police, he's going to cater to their messaging. This has nothing to do with the hurt this country is currently facing.

We are hurting as a result of a lack of response for dealing with this pandemic. We are hurting because our economic system sort of bridge of collapse. We are hurting because of the racial strife that we're seeing across the country. We are hurting because of aggressive policing in African American communities.

He could not address those things head on. He's only caring about reelection. We need leadership in this moment. We don't need another demagogue flying into a location for photo ops and that's all he's doing right now.

ACOSTA: And Gloria, on his way out to Kenosha today, the President repeated another one of these strange conspiracy theories he's been putting out lately. He's claiming there was a plane full of looters and rioters and last night he claimed that Joe Biden is being controlled by, "people that are in the dark shadows." This is this is truly bizarre. Do we even know what he's talking about?

BORGER: No. We have no idea what he's talking about. And when you're the president of the United States and you float some kind of conspiracy theory about a bunch of ninjas getting on an airplane to go take on the RNC, and then say that government is investigating it. The American people deserve an explanation about what he is talking about.

He's the president United States. It was bad enough when he floated conspiracy theories and birther theories when he was a candidate. Now he's president and he's telling this to the American people, and then sort of saying, oh, but I can't reveal it yet, like the reality T.V. star he used to be. I can't reveal it yet, but we're investigating it.

Well, once you raise it as the president of United States, you've got to explain what you're talking about. Because nobody else understands.

ACOSTA: Yes, it sounds like one of those moments where he says many people are telling me this --

BORGER: Yes.

ACOSTA: -- and many people are saying --

BORGER: Yes.

ACOSTA: -- when in oftentimes it -- nobody is saying that.

All right, Gloria and Derrick, thank you very much.

Breaking News ahead next, experts say there's no evidence convalescent plasma helps coronavirus patients, countering President Trump's claim. We'll talk to Mayor Bill de Blasio about the decision to postpone the start of schools in New York City as well. All of that coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:28:40]

ACOSTA: We're following breaking pandemic news, the U.S. death toll has topped 184,000 people and more than 6 million confirmed coronavirus cases. And now a National Institutes of Health panel says there's no evidence backing the use of convalescent plasma touted by President Trump to treat coronavirus patients.

Let's go to CNN's Dianne Gallagher.

Dianne, experts are once again countering the President's claims about unproven treatments.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jim. If you remember last week, there were questions about political pressure when the FDA issued that emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma. President Trump, during a news conference basically declared this a historic breakthrough.

Well, today, a National Institutes of Health panel said that there's no evidence backing the use of convalescent plasma in coronavirus patients and that doctors should not use it as a method of care until more study can be done.

Just another example of American people being told one thing only to be told the exact opposite, a few days later, likely further exacerbating what has only become a crisis in competence at this point.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER (voice-over): There are now three potential coronavirus vaccines in phase three human trials here in the United States, but Dr. Anthony Fauci is cautioning that proven safety is far more important than speed when it comes to vaccines.

[17:30:03]

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY: You don't want a vaccine to be available widely to the American public unless it's been shown to be safe and effective.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): After saying that a vaccine could be authorized for emergency use or even approved before human trials are completed, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn now says he considered resigning if he was pushed to authorize a vaccine before it was ready.

DR. STEPHEN HAHN, FDA COMMISSIONER: I think all options are on the table with respect, I hope we won't be in that position.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): If one is approved, it's expected to initially be in short supply.

DR. RICHINA BICETTE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR & ASST. PROFESSOR, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: A few companies that are starting phase 3 trials now and we just have to see what the data shows. A lot of the companies that are in phase 3 trials are also saying that they'll have to do vaccines that are not single dose but double dose vaccines, which definitely can affect people adhering to the treatment plans.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): So, who gets it? Well, today an independent committee appointed to help advise the federal government released a four-phase proposal that starts with health care workers, first responders and people with conditions that make them especially vulnerable to COVID-19. As testing totals decline, Admiral Brett Giroir who leads U.S. testing efforts announced $5 indigent test will be sent out to state starting in a few weeks. But also said, he was tired of being asked about cheap, quick test for every American. ADM. BRETT GIROIR, HHS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH: It's great to talk about this utopian kind of idea where everybody has a test every day and we can do that. I don't live in a utopian world. I live in the real world, and the real world had no test for this new disease when this first started.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health responded on Twitter, saying, "That's what White House staff and major league sports get now. Sure, let's call it utopia when it's for the less privileged". The average number of daily cases and deaths have declined over the past seven days, as the coronavirus surge now appears to be moving from the south to the Midwest. But officials are concerned about what Labor Day weekend might bring, since cases spiked in many areas in the weeks after Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July.

MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON: As we approach Labor Day, let me encourage people to be mindful, the virus is still looking for you. And so, if you come together then you will give it a home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER: And experts are also cautioning college students to stay at school, at least for the time being and quarantine there before they go see their family members. Jim, at this point, more than 20,000 college students have tested positive for COVID-19 in 36 different states.

ACOSTA: That is an incredible number. All right, Dianne Gallagher, thank you very much.

Let's get more on all of this with our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, let's start by getting your reaction on this breaking news that just came out in the last hour. A word of caution from the National Institutes of Health on convalescent plasma. Sanjay. I was just at the White House press conference right before the Republican Convention when the President was out there with the FDA Commissioner, and they were touting this new treatment. What can you tell us?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you remember, Jim, a couple days before that press conference that you attended back to the Thursday before. The NIH, including Dr. Francis Collins, who runs the NIH and Dr. Fauci both basically said at that point that there wasn't enough evidence to warrant an authorization of convalescent plasma. That was Thursday. And then just a couple days later on Sunday, Stephen Hahn, the FDA Commissioner came out and issued that Emergency Use Authorization.

So, in some ways, the NIH, they're sort of sticking to their guns on this. They're saying, hey, look, if you look at the data, there's still not enough data to warrant this authorization. Keep in mind, the data pretty much, Jim, really compared a higher dose of convalescent plasma to a lower dose of convalescent plasma. So, you need to compare it to not using convalescent plasma at all to see if it works and those types of trials still haven't been done. ACOSTA: And, you know, with the FDA saying one thing and the NIH saying another thing, people like Dr. Fauci saying another thing, are you worried Americans are getting mixed messages on this treatment? And --

GUPTA: Yes.

ACOSTA: -- how can this not erode confidence in what they're hearing from the White House and from this Coronavirus Task Force?

GUPTA: Yes, unfortunately, Jim, and it's, you know, I've been doing this job for 20 years, I've never seen this sort of whiplash back and forth. I mean, you know, medicine and science, you know, we are all learning together, certainly, and it can be messy. It's not like math, two plus two is four. But I think pretty much everyone in the public health community, when they looked at the data around convalescent plasma, they want to be enthusiastic about this, but they have to see the actual data, and it's not there yet.

Take it a step further, now that it has this Emergency Use Authorization, if you're in the hospital and you're sick with this disease, you're understandably going to ask for this medication, this plasma because it has this authorization.

[17:35:01]

Well, that's understandable, but it makes it harder than to do trials. It makes it even harder to collect that data. So, it's challenging not only for the patients, but also for the medical establishment as a whole.

ACOSTA: And Sanjay, our Jeremy Diamond has some reporting that a new White House pandemic advisor, you've heard about him, Scott Atlas, is gaining influence in place of the people we've come to know and trust, people like Dr. Anthony Fauci, people doctor -- like Dr. Deborah Birx. What could that potentially mean for the administration strategy against this virus if Dr. Atlas, all of the sudden, has the President's ear and these discussions?

GUPTA: Well, I've been hearing some of those same things from my sources who are close to the task force, Jim. I think what this means and what they've told me and I think Jeremy sort of said the same thing is that there's definitely been this shift. There's this original sort of discussions was all around controlling this pandemic, slowing the spread, you remember that, creating these gating criteria and now so much of the content is really focused on how do we reopen the economy. And I think that that's what, you know, the taskforce members who say, look, we're still in the middle of this.

We wish we're over, but it's not over yet. We want to open the economy but we want to do it in a responsible way. I think they're worried that Dr. Atlas may do things in a way that does not follow the same guidance that the taskforce has been providing for the last several months.

ACOSTA: And, Sanjay, I want to ask you about this reporting from Michael Schmidt from the New York Times. He has this new book out, and in it, he reports that when President Trump made that unscheduled trip to Walter Reed last November, it's cloaked in a lot of secrecy. There's still a lot of questions about it.

The President was put on -- or the Vice President was put on standby to take over if needed. That's according to Michael Schmidt's book. We never got the full story on this, but what new questions does this reporting raise do you think?

GUPTA: You know, this has always been a very mysterious trip. It was on a Saturday, it was not -- it was mostly unannounced. The Walter Reed staff really didn't know that he was showing up the President. The doctor, Dr. Conley rode in the motorcade with the President. That is not typically what happens because of security reasons.

So, why did a man in his '70s with a history of heart disease suddenly go to the hospital on a Saturday in November? We, as you point out, we still don't know the answer to that. When we asked the White House about it at the time, they said it was not because of any acute neurological or cardiac issue. So that's what they said at the time. They didn't tell us what it was, and they still haven't.

I think this new reporting, I think, makes the case, Jim, that this wasn't routine. I mean, for routine labs and exam, which is what the White House said he had done, the President, you wouldn't have paperwork drawn out for the Vice President to potentially assume the office for a period of time.

It's been done a few times in the past, as you know, Jim assassination attempt on Reagan back in the '80s and then twice for President George W. Bush because he was under anesthesia for a colonoscopy. Disclosed, people knew about it at the time. We still have no idea what exactly went on at that time in November.

ACOSTA: And I remember, Sanjay, a source telling me at the time, familiar with the situation that the White House was just not being transparent about what happened. All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we appreciate that as always. Thank you very much.

Coming up, well, last mayor, Bill de Blasio from the city of New York about the city's new decision to delay school reopenings. And later, President Trump claims Joe Biden wants to end fracking. Biden says that's not true. So who's right?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I'll talk about who's going where.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:43:03]

ACOSTA: Concern over spikes in coronavirus cases tied to school reopenings has some officials rethinking their plans. And joining us now, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to talk about that very important subject.

A lot of parents are focused on this, Mayor de Blasio. And this morning, you announced the delay of students returning to school. What do you hope that these extra 10 days that were announced today, what will that accomplish?

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: Well, Jim, were full speed ahead in New York City. We agreed with our labor unions who represent the folks in our school system to hold back for that 10-day period, so we could have some extra preparation in place both educationally and in terms of the health preparations. But everyone is actually unified, including our labor unions and our teachers that we need to move forward with in-person education in New York City.

We're the largest school system in the country, and we've put literally the strictest health standards anywhere in the country and place the gold standard taking from different health approaches around the world and combining them into a very, very rigorous approach. And that's why our teachers, and our school staff and our parents are ready to come back.

ACOSTA: And why though did it take the threat of a strike, though, to get this plan in place?

DE BLASIO: Jim, first of all, strikes are not legal by public employees in New York State. The real goal here was to make sure that everyone felt unified that we could do things the right way. So, we're going to have some extra preparation time for our educators. We're going to start instruction a few days later.

But look, here's the bottom line. This is why I feel very good about our situation. We're going to have a face mask on every adult and child, we're going to have social distancing. Something like 10 kids to a classroom will be the norm. Cleaning constantly. So many measures in place in addition to regular testing, that we feel confident this is going to work. And right now the vast majority of our parents have indicated they want their kids to experience in-person learning again.

[17:45:02]

ACOSTA: And are you ruling out any kind of further delays, this is going to happen 10 days from now?

DE BLASIO: Yes, it's going to happen. We have, again, the agreement with all the key labor unions. We have the PPE and the cleaning supplies in place already. We're doing the final run-throughs on the buildings. We're ready.

And most especially our parents, this has been really interesting. Jim, we gave parents the opportunity to opt out if they want to do and do all remote. Vast majority said, no, remote doesn't work as well as in-person learning, particularly for kids who have the greatest needs. And what we found in so many of our communities, particularly less privileged, less advantaged communities is they really knew that the kids being back in school meant not just teaching, it meant physical health support, mental health support, nutrition programs. Parents want their kids to experience that again.

ACOSTA: But Mayor de Blasio, you aren't testing teachers and students before school starts, isn't that right? Would not be the safest thing to do?

DE BLASIO: Interestingly, Jim, we looked all around the world at the school systems who have had the best success coming back. And what we found was the combination of these other factors, the face mask, social distancing, the cleaning much more important. What we are doing is providing free testing to any and all students and teachers, anyone who wants it. It's free, it's non-stop, and then we'll formally be doing it every month once school begins.

And we find a lot of people are taking us up on that. And we think this is the best way to handle it. Remember, this city has a very low infection rate right now. We're the envy of this country. We were the worst at one point, the epicenter.

ACOSTA: Could you be risking that, Mayor de Blasio?

DE BLASIO: Well, from worst to first, we're now in a very deposition,

ACOSTA: Could you be risking that? As you're seeing across the country, these colleges and universities are bringing students back to class. You're seeing thousands of infections around the country. Could you be running the risk of a similar situation happening in New York City?

DE BLASIO: We think about this all the time, Jim, and here's the answer. First of all, infection rate has continued to stay low. Second, the precautions were taken. When I say gold standard, I mean it. A lot of places that have come back are not requiring mask. In fact, a lot of countries in the world have done well have not required mask, have not had only 10 kids in a classroom, for example.

We're layering all these health precautions on top of each other. We think it's going to allow us to keep coming back our schools, our economy, but it's by being very rigorous and constantly watching the data. If the data changes, if we go above 3 percent infection, then we would stop our school system at that point, but we're nowhere near there, thank God, right now.

ACOSTA: All right, Mayor Bill de Blasio, we're hoping that it all works out well for everybody up there in New York City. Thanks for joining us tonight. We appreciate it.

DE BLASIO: Thank you so much, Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Coming up, a fact-check on one of President Trump's false claims about his rival Joe Biden, that's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:52:40]

ACOSTA: Tonight we're taking a closer look at a hot button issue in many states. President Trump's often repeated claim that Joe Biden wants to do away with fracking, a process of extracting underground oil or natural gas. Biden says President Trump's claims are not true. CNN's Tom Foreman checked out to see who's right.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BIDEN: I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again. I am not banning fracking.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That is the truth based on what Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has said about the controversial method of retrieving oil and gas from far underground. And this is not.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- Biden, he wants to end fracking.

BIDEN: We would work it out, we would make sure it's eliminated.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Yet President Trump and his supporters keep hammering away with misleading statements and ads, insisting Biden does want to shut down fracking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Biden just doesn't make sense for Pennsylvania jobs.

FOREMAN (voice-over): So where did the confusion begin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And welcome to this unique event.

FOREMAN (voice-over): At a democratic debate in March where Bernie Sanders said --

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is insane that we continue to have fracking in America.

FOREMAN (voice-over): And Biden appear to stumble when he responded.

BIDEN: No more. No, no fracking.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Biden's campaign says each time he supposedly been caught opposing fracking, he's really been saying what he said all along. He's against any new permits for fracking on federal land, and he'd like to move away from fossil fuels with a, quote, clean energy economy in the next 30 years. He says he has no plans to shut down existing fracking operations and drilling on private land can continue.

Still, in several key states, including hotly contested battlegrounds, fracking jobs have become a political hot potato. So team Trump keeps claiming Biden will finish off fracking.

TRUMP: That means Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Mexico, can be a disaster. Ohio, Pennsylvania disaster, no fracking.

FOREMAN (voice-over): And Biden keeps calling him on it. BIDEN: I am not banning fracking. No matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: Indeed, Biden has taken heat from the left wing of his own party, not for opposing fracking, but specifically because he has so many times said emphatically if elected, he will allow it. Jim?

[17:55:03]

ACOSTA: All right, very important story. Tom Foreman, thank you very much with that breaking news.

Next, President Trump wraps up a controversial visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin. We'll have details of what just happened and what was said by the President about the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Jim Acosta in "THE SITUATION ROOM" and we're following breaking news. President Trump has just finished a trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin despite pleas from local officials to stay away.