Anderson Cooper 360

On the eve of his second impeachment trial, sources tell CNN since leaving office former Pres. Trump is fixated on “accountability” for the Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him and is telling aides he believes he’ll be acquitted. The Trump legal team argues that the former President’s words “fight like hell” at the “Stop the Steal” rally before the insurrection did not incite riots. Meanwhile, a former aide recalls the then-President “loving watching the Capitol mob.” Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is a juror in the upcoming trial and she tells Anderson Cooper “you can’t have a President who just because he clearly loses an election, decides he’s going to mess around with our democracy and literally attack a co-equal branch of government that was simply doing its job to certify the votes that had already been certified.” Plus, the CDC says more than 42 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S. as the country is averaging half the new daily cases it was logging just a few weeks ago. Experts warn now is not the time to get complacent because the new variants spreading in the U.S. put the country in the “eye of the hurricane.” Dr. Leana Wen is the former Baltimore Health Commissioner and is currently an emergency room physician and CNN Medical Analyst. She joins AC360 to discuss her worries about the new variants and says we may be in the “calm before the storm.” Airdate: February 8, 2021 Guests: Sen. Amy Klobuchar Dr. Leana Wen To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Biden says former Pres. Trump should no longer receive classified intelligence briefings pointing to his “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” Former presidents traditionally have access to the same intelligence briefings their successors have. James Clapper is the former Director of National Intelligence and is a CNN National Security Analyst. He tells Anderson Cooper he agrees with Biden and says “it’s absolutely the right thing to do.” Plus, controversial Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says her party is completely under the power of Donald Trump and it “doesn’t belong to anyone else.” Former Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock joins AC360 to react to Greene’s claim and says she wouldn’t be surprised if Greene is eventually kicked out of the party. Airdate: February 5, 2021 Guests: James Clapper Barbara Comstock To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House voted to strip Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments after past violent statements and controversial conspiracy theories came to light. Eleven Republicans voted with the Democrats to remove the congresswoman from her committees. Anthony Scaramucci is a Republican and briefly served as the White House Communications Director in the Trump administration but has since been a critic of the former President. He joins AC360 to react to the distinct divide in the Republican party and says this is the after-glow of the Trump presidency and the GOP is allowing Trumpism to invade the party. Plus, former Pres. Trump quickly rejected the House impeachment managers’ request for his testimony at the upcoming Senate impeachment trial. Attorneys for Trump responded saying "the use of our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is much too serious to try to play these games.” Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe tells Anderson Cooper he’s not surprised Trump decline to testify. Airdate: February 4, 2021 Guests: Anthony Scaramucci Laurence Tribe To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy says Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s past statements “do not represent the values or beliefs of the House Republican Conference,” suggesting she won’t be stripped of her committee assignments. A growing number of the GOP, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, are speaking out about wanting their party to expunge voices promoting wild conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, Greene says “I don’t think I have anything to apologize for” and that her social media posts do not reflect who she is as a person. Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon tells Anderson Cooper she doesn’t think Greene is interested in serving in Congress and instead is interested in being on Twitter and spouting whatever pops into her head. Plus, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney defended her decision to vote to impeach former Pres. Trump saying “I won’t apologize for the vote.” Cheney was among 10 House Republicans who sided with the Democrats to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection at the Capitol that left five people dead. The House GOP Conference voted to keep Cheney as the third ranking Republican. CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash joins AC360 to discuss Cheney’s future and says this is about somebody who voted her conscience because she thought that a President, regardless of party, incited an insurrection on the building where she works. Airdate: February 3, 2021 Guests: Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon Dana Bash To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House impeachment managers argue that former Pres. Trump is “singularly responsible” for inciting the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as Trump’s legal team claims he’s protected by the First Amendment and a Senate conviction would be unconstitutional. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries was an impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial. He joins AC360 to react to the former President’s defense strategy. Plus, Senate Republicans are distancing themselves from GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene as many are indicating enough is enough. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy met with Greene after several of her debunked theories over the years came to light, ranging from her questioning whether the Parkland school shooting was a “false flag” to whether a plane really hit the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Sen. John Thune, a member of the GOP leadership, said House Republicans have to decide if they want to focus on “limited government and fiscal responsibility, free markets, peace through strength and pro-life” or if they “want to be the party of conspiracy theories and QAnon.” George Conway is a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the Lincoln Project. He tells Anderson Cooper we’re watching the “moral collapse of the Republican party.” Airdate: February 2, 2021 Guests: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries George Conway To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An adviser to former Pres. Trump says he may add more attorneys to his legal team before his impeachment trial starts. Trump named two new lawyers for his trial a day after five members of his team left and his team effectively collapsed. A separate adviser said the former President is still obsessed with the false conspiracy theory that he won the election and “he just wants the world to know the election was stolen from him.” Republican Senator John Cornyn who is a member of the GOP leadership, told CNN it would be a “disservice for Trump’s legal team to focus on his baseless claims.” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal is a juror in the upcoming trial and tells Anderson Cooper the argument that impeaching a former president is unconstitutional is flat wrong. He thinks it’d be wiser to rely on that defense instead of arguing the election was stolen, which has already been rejected by the courts. Plus, new Covid-19 hospitalizations and cases are down dramatically even as January became the deadliest month of the pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning that even if you’ve had the virus, there’s a “very high rate” of being reinfected with the new variants if they become dominant. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins AC360 to discuss Dr. Fauci’s warning about the new variants and how crucial it is to get vaccinated. Airdate: February 1, 2021 Guests: Sen. Richard Blumenthal Dr. Sanjay Gupta To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnson & Johnson released the efficacy results of their one-shot Covid-19 vaccine candidate as coronavirus variants are increasingly being found in the U.S. The company announced their vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing moderate and severe disease in a global Phase 3 trial and 85% effective against severe disease. It also was shown to be 72% effective against moderate and severe diseases in the U.S. While the trial apparently shows a lower efficacy rate than the other two vaccines on the market from Pfizer and Moderna, experts say the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would help fight the pandemic. Dr. Leana Wen is the former Baltimore Health Commissioner, an emergency room physician and a CNN Medical Analyst. She tells Anderson Cooper these results are promising. Plus, Pres. Joe Biden plans to intensify public lobbying for his Covid-19 relief bill and says it “has to pass.” Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has said the timeline for this bill to pass is “as soon as we possibly can.” He joins AC360 to give an update on where the $1.9 trillion bill stands on Capitol Hill and whether or not the Democrats have the votes to pass without any Republican support. Airdate: January 29, 2021 Guests: Dr. Leana Wen Sen. Bernie Sanders To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Republican leadership on their failure to rebuke Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over her past comments. Greene repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians, including Pelosi, in 2018 and 2019 before being elected to Congress. The House Speaker is also criticizing Greene’s placement on the House Education and Labor Committee after comments surfaced that showed her agreeing with people who said the 2018 Parkland school shooting was a “false flag” operation. Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens is a member of that committee and has called for Greene’s removal. She tells Anderson Cooper these types of antics have no place in their committee. Plus, South Carolina has detected the first U.S. cases of the Covid-19 strain first seen in South Africa. Scientists are concerned about this strain because it seems to be more transmissible. Dr. Leana Wen is the former Baltimore Health Commissioner, an emergency room physician and is a CNN Medical Analyst. She joins AC360 to discuss her concerns about the new variant. Airdate: January 28, 2021 Guests: Rep. Haley Stevens Dr. Leana Wen To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Joe Biden announced several measures to help ramp up Covid-19 vaccinations, including his administration’s plan to purchase 200 million additional doses. With the purchase of the additional doses, Biden says there would be enough to vaccinate 300 million Americans, nearly entire U.S. population by the end of the summer or early fall. Michael Osterholm is the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He tells Anderson Cooper he thinks the Biden administration’s timeline is doable but the biggest challenge will be vaccine hesitancy. Plus, CNN has learned the House impeachment managers are planning to show how former Pres. Trump’s words and actions motivated the Capitol Hill rioters even as most Republicans claim impeaching Trump is unconstitutional because he’s no longer in office. Noah Feldman is a constitutional scholar, a professor at Harvard Law School and was a witness for the prosecution during Trump’s first impeachment trial. He joins AC360 to discuss whether or not he thinks impeaching a former President is constitutional. Airdate: January 26, 2021 Guests: Michael Osterholm Noah Feldman To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The nine House impeachment managers delivered the article of impeachment against former Pres. Trump to the Senate. The trial isn’t expected to begin until February 9th. Democratic Congressman David Cicilline is one of those nine impeachment mangers who will be arguing the case against Trump. He tells Anderson Cooper they will present “overwhelming evidence” that Trump incited a violent attack on the Capitol. Plus, Pres. Joe Biden raised the bar on his promise to vaccinate 100 million people in his first 100 days in office and suggests the U.S. could reach 1.5 million shots in arms per day. Meanwhile, an influential University of Washington model is projecting 569,000 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by May 1. Dr. Chris Murray is the director of the group at the University of Washington that’s been working on these models throughout the pandemic. He joins AC360 to discuss the latest model and how increasing vaccinations could affect the number of deaths. Airdate: January 25, 2021 Guests: Rep. David Cicilline Dr. Chris Murray To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that former President Trump’s impeachment trial won’t begin until February 9, giving time for the Senate to confirm Pres. Joe Biden’s Cabinet. A growing number of Republicans have expressed confidence that the party will acquit the former President. Democratic Congressman. Jim Himes joins AC360 to react to the trial delay and says “it’s the best play against a pretty tough hand here.” Plus, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is privately saying he wants Trump gone as CNN has learned that dozens of influential Republicans—including some top Trump administration officials—have been quietly lobbying GOP members to vote to impeach and convict the former President. Scott Jennings was a Special Assistant to Pres. George W. Bush and is a longtime political adviser to McConnell. He tells AC360 he thinks the GOP influence could have some impact and “any political operative could reasonably conclude it would be insane for the Republican party to continue to follow Donald Trump.” Airdate: January 22, 2021 Guests: Rep. Jim Himes Scott Jennings To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Joe Biden rolled out a national strategy to combat Covid-19 in his first full day in office. Biden said his plan is “based on science, not politics” and was developed with input from Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts. In his return to the White House briefing room, Dr. Fauci told reporters working with Biden is a “liberating feeling.” Dr. Leana Wen is an Emergency Room Physician and is the former Baltimore Health Commissioner. She tells Anderson Cooper the Biden administration’s goal to vaccinate 100 million people in the first 100 days isn’t an aspirational goal because the country is already vaccinating one million people a day right now. Plus, seven Senate Democrats filed an ethics complaint against Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley and are called for an investigation into how their objections to the Electoral College votes may have contributed to inciting the Capitol Hill insurrection. Senator Mazie Hirono is one of those Democrats to call for the probe. She joins AC360 to discuss why she thinks there should be an investigation and says neither Senator has shown any contrition. Airdate: January 21, 2021 Guests: Dr. Leana Wen Sen. Mazie Hirono Ken Burns Doris Kearns Goodwin To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the eve of being inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States, and in front of a memorial remembering the more than 400,000 lives lost to Covid-19, President-elect Joe Biden calls on Americans to “shine the lights in the darkness.” Meanwhile, sources tell CNN that Pres. Trump is spending the final hours of his presidency secluded in the White House with a muted demeanor. The President and First Lady are breaking with tradition by leaving the White House without greeting the Bidens. Trump will be the first president in modern history to not attend his successor’s inauguration. Former Vice President Al Gore joins AC360 to discuss Trump’s refusal to graciously accept the election results and predict what the next four years may look like. Plus, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin join Anderson Cooper to reflect on President Trump’s last four years and how the U.S. will respond to the challenges ahead with Biden in the White House. Airdate: January 19, 2021 Guests: Al Gore Ken Burns Doris Kearns Goodwin To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump has been hiding in the White House and spending his final days as Commander-in-Chief focusing on about 100 pardons and commutations he’s expected to issue in his last full day in office. Trump hasn’t been seen since his trip to Texas nearly a week ago but sources tell CNN he’s taped a farewell message touting his accomplishments. New York Times Foreign Affairs Columnist Thomas Friedman joins AC360 to discuss Trump’s final days in office and what his legacy will be. Plus, the acting Defense Secretary says “we have no intelligence indicating an insider threat” to the inauguration but National Guard members arriving in Washington are being vetted by law enforcement. Jeh Johnson served as Homeland Security Secretary under Pres. Obama and was in charge of security for the Trump’s inauguration four years ago. He tells Anderson Cooper this will be the “most secure domestic event we’ve seen in a very, very long time.” Airdate: January 18, 2021 Guests: Tom Friedman Jeh Johnson To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pentagon has authorized up to 25,000 National Guard members for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration as the nation braces for more possible violence after the deadly Capitol Hill riots. After a FBI bulletin warned of armed protests in all 50 state capitols in the days leading up to January 20th, the National Guard Bureau said “every state, territory and the District of Columbia will have National Guard men and women supporting the inauguration.” Jonathan Wackrow was a Secret Service Agent during the Obama Administration and helped with the 2013 inauguration committee planning. He joins AC360 to discuss the current threat to Washington, DC and says the worry should be people acting as lone wolves. Plus, Pres. Trump is planning to leave for his new home in Florida the morning of the inauguration and sources say he’s considering a color guard, military band, 21-gun salute and even a red carpet for his departure ceremony. Tony Schwartz is co-author of Trump’s “Art of the Deal.” He tells Anderson Cooper he isn’t surprised and doesn’t think the President is able to take in the “enormity of the defeat.” Airdate: January 15, 2021 Guests: Jonathan Wackrow Tony Schwartz To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One day after being impeached for the second time, Pres. Trump has been lashing out at aides, allies and lawyers trying to protect him from criminal exposure following his role in inciting the violence on Capitol Hill that left five people dead. Sources tell CNN he’s grown more and more worried about what legal and financial woes may be waiting for him once he leaves the protection of the presidency. Anthony Scaramucci worked briefly in the Trump White House as Communications Director. He joins AC360 to react to the President’s mood following being impeached again and says in 50 years historians will look at what happened and say “he didn’t accept the election, he signaled prior to the election that he wasn’t going to, and he incited an insurrection where people descended on the Capitol building calling for the death of his Vice President.” Plus, the National Mall will be closed to the public on Inauguration Day as authorities brace for the possibility of more extremist violence. Former FBI Director James Comey is the author of “Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust." He tells Anderson Cooper moving the inauguration indoors would be a “win for a group of terrorists.” Airdate: January 14, 2021 Guests: James Comey Anthony Scaramucci To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump became the first U.S. President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans sided with the Democrats as a senior Trump adviser says “it all came crashing down” because the President “could never tell the truth.” Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff was the lead impeachment manager during the 2019 impeachment trial. He tells Anderson Cooper he would have liked to see more than ten Republicans recognize the severity of what Trump did. Plus, sources tell CNN Trump is in “self-pity mode” as he contemplates using pardons to change the subject away from impeachment and the Capitol Hill riots. Legendary journalist Carl Bernstein joins AC360 to discuss Trump’s final days in the White House. Airdate: January 13, 2021 Guests: Rep. Adam Schiff Carl Bernstein To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking House leader, announced she will vote to impeach Pres. Trump saying “there has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” Cheney is one of three House Republicans who say they will vote to impeach Trump. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he thinks the President committed impeachable offenses and impeaching him will make it easier to get rid of him and Trumpism from the Republican Party, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Democratic Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney joins AC360 to react to some Republicans announcing they’ll vote to impeach and says right now is “time to stand up and be counted.” Plus, Trump says his speech right before the Capitol Hill riot was “totally appropriate” and he took no responsibility for inciting the deadly insurrection. The New York Times Foreign Affairs Columnist Thomas Friedman tells Anderson Cooper he wishes he could impeach Trump “four, five, six times” to send the message “you shall never do this again.” Airdate: January 12, 2021 Guests: Sen. Sean Patrick Maloney Thomas Friedman To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chad Wolf, the acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary, announced his resignation after instructing the U.S. Secret Service to begin National Special Security Event operations for the inauguration a week early. Meanwhile, the FBI issued a chilling warning about “armed protests” planned at the U.S. Capitol and all 50 state capitols. The FBI is also tracking threats against President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Jonathan Wackrow is a former Secret Service Agent during the Obama Administration. He joins AC360 to react to the FBI’s warning and Wolf’s resignation. Plus, Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is calling for his colleagues, Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, to resign after they both voted to overturn the election after rioters overran Capitol Police and breached the U.S. Capitol. Senator Brown says the Senate should expel them if they don’t resign. He tells Anderson Cooper the Senate needs to “take action.” Airdate: January 11, 2021 Guests: Jonathan Wackrow Sen. Sherrod Brown To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twitter announced that Pres. Trump’s account is permanently suspended “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” Meanwhile, the White House is in “crisis management” mode and lawyers are being consulted about a potential impeachment. George Conway, a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, has been a staunch critic of the President. He joins AC360 to react to Trump’s permanent suspension and the possibility of getting impeached again. Plus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats are prepared to move forward with impeachment if Trump doesn’t resign. Democratic Congressman Jim Himes is calling for a second impeachment. He tells Anderson Cooper the country will never get back to normal if we don’t hold people accountable. Airdate: January 8, 2021 Guests: George Conway Rep. Jim Himes To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump released a video message hours after defending rioters saying “I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem.” This comes a day after telling the same people “We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You're very special." Democratic leadership is weighing a quick impeachment vote if Vice President Pence doesn’t use the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders joins AC360 to react to the President’s latest message and says the best step is getting him out of office as soon as possible. Plus, a federal prosecutor is examining the President’s role in sparking the violence at the Capitol. Mary Trump, President Trump’s niece and author of “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man” tells Anderson Cooper as inauguration gets closer, the country needs to be prepared for what Trump could do and thinks it’s “extraordinary unlikely” he resigns. Airdate: January 7, 2021 Guests: Sen. Bernie Sanders Mary Trump To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lawmakers reconvened on Capitol Hill to count electoral college votes after supporters of Pres. Trump stormed the halls of the Capitol, engulfing it in chaos. One woman died after being shot in the chest on Capitol grounds. Multiple officers were injured and at least one had to be taken the hospital. Former Pres. Barack Obama reacted to the violence saying “history will rightly remember today's violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we'd be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise.” Airdate: January 6, 2021 To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A top Georgia election official methodically shot down a list of election conspiracy theories Pres. Trump aired in a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In the one-hour call Trump is heard pressuring Raffensperger, who is also a Republican, to “find” votes to overturn the election in Georgia and touted baseless election fraud claims multiple times. Democratic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy joins AC360 to react to the President’s efforts to overturn the election he lost. Plus, over the past week one American died every 33 seconds from Covid-19. December was the deadliest month of the pandemic as the CDC says about 15.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. but only 4.5 million people have received their first doses, falling short of the 20 million Operation Warp Speed had hoped to have vaccinated by the end of 2020. Rick Bright is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s Covid-19 Advisory Board and is also an immunologist and vaccine researcher. He tells Anderson Cooper there hasn’t been a federal coordinated vaccination plan and program. Airdate: January 4, 2021 Guests: Sen. Chris Murphy Rick Bright To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The CDC says nearly 2.8 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administrated despite Operation Warp Speed’s goal of 20 million by the end of the year. The White House coronavirus testing czar admits “we need to be doing a better job” with the vaccine rollout. Olivia Troye is a former Covid-19 Task Force Adviser to Vice President Mike Pence and she joins AC360 to discuss the vaccine rollout. Plus, Republican Senator Josh Hawley says he’s planning to delay the affirmation of President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory by objecting when Congress counts the Electoral College votes. This will force lawmakers in both the House and Senate to go on the record and vote on whether to accept the results of Biden’s win. Hawley’s colleague in the Senate, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine tells AC360 they’ll reject President Trump’s effort “to overthrow the will of the American electorate.” Guests on December 30, 2020 were Olivia Troye at Sen. Tim Kaine. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Anthony Fauci warns that recent holiday travel could make January even worse than December when it comes to the Covid-19 pandemic adding the surge has just gotten out of control in many respects. U.S. officials promised 20 million vaccine shots in American’s arms by the end of December but only 2.1 million vaccines have been administered so far. President-elect Joe Biden says President Trump's plan to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine is "falling far behind." Kathleen Sebelius is the former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and she’s also the former Governor of Kansas. She tells AC360 there’s never been a federal plan at any point during the pandemic with testing, PPE and now vaccinations. Plus, sources tell CNN that Trump has been in a sour mood at Mar-a-Lago, spending an increasing time behind closed doors and is angered by the renovations, which were overseen by his wife. Anthony Scaramucci was the White House Communications Director. He joins AC360 to react to the Trump’s final days as President and says the last 30 days have been the worst of his presidency. Guests on December 29, 2020 were Kathleen Sebelius and Anthony Scaramucci. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House of Representatives passes a bill with larger relief checks for coronavirus relief pushed by Pres. Trump, which the Senate has previously opposed. Rep. Adam Kinzinger speaks out about the divisive and unpredictable politics right now in Congress. Also, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate candidate, Jon Ossoff, speaks to AC360 about his battle against incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue. Plus, as America sets a new high for current Covid-19 hospitalizations, Dr. Leana Wen talks to AC360 about the latest virus and vaccines developments. And don’t miss CNN’s Sara Sidner’s exclusive report about the first coronavirus epicenter in the United States, a nursing home in Washington state, where nurses are finally getting access to vaccines. Airdate: December 28, 2020 Guests: Rep. Adam Kinzinger Jon Ossoff Dr. Leana Wen Sara Sidner To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump pardons former Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, for longtime ally Roger Stone and Jared Kushner’s father Charles Kushner along with 23 others. Andrew Weissman who led the prosecution of Paul Manafort for the Special Counsel’s Office at the Justice Department reacts. Former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean and CNN Legal analyst Carrie Cordero also weigh in. Also, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, speaks out about tonight’s pardons and the President’s latest showdowns with Congress over the coronavirus relief bill and the National Defense Authorization Act. Plus, as millions of Americans travel for the holidays, coronavirus deaths and infections are still hitting record levels. Dr. Chris Murray explains his team’s new model predicting thousands more coronavirus deaths in the United States by April 1. Dr. Leana Wen explains the new coronavirus variant strains and how they may affect children. Airdate: December 23, 2020 Guests: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Carrie Cordero Chris Murray Dr. Leana Wen To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump issued a series of pardons that includes two former GOP Congressmen and two men who pleaded guilty in Robert Mueller’s investigation. Among the pardons are former Republican Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos. These are the first of what is expected to be a flurry of pardons and commutations in the coming weeks as Trump gets ready to leave the White House. James Clapper is the former Director of National Intelligence and also a CNN National Security Analyst. He joins AC360 to react to Trump’s wave of pardons. Plus, Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning that there could be a “superimposed” surge on top of the current uptick in cases if people travel for the holidays. Dr. Tom Frieden is a former CDC Director and he tells AC360 staying indoors, wearing masks and getting vaccinated will all help control the spread of Covid-19. Airdate: December 22, 2020 Guests: Lt. Gen. James Clapper (Ret.) Dr. Tom Frieden To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump is meeting with lawmakers to push his false election fraud claims. Some in the White House fear the finals days of the Trump presidency saying “no one is sure where this is heading.” Conspiracist lawyer Sidney Powell, who was dumped from his official legal team, along with fired national security adviser Michael Flynn and onetime chief strategist Steve Bannon have found themselves in the Oval Office or on the phone advising the President on how to reverse his election loss, even floating the idea of declaring martial law. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, joins AC360 to react to the President’s last-ditch effort to overturn the election results and says if Trump can stay in power through stealing, lying, and cheating, he will do it. Plus, the U.S. has surpassed 18 million Covid-19 cases as a new coronavirus variant was discovered in the United Kingdom. Dr. Peter Hotez is the Co-Director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital and the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He joins AC360 to discuss whether or not Americans should be worried about the new variant. Airdate: December 21, 2020 Guests: Rep. Adam Schiff Dr. Peter Hotez To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An influential Covid-19 model from the University of Washington predicts there will be 562,000 deaths by April 1st. If 95% of people wore masks, 55,000 lives could be saved. Dr. Chris Murray is the director of the group at the University of Washington that’s been working on these models throughout the pandemic. He joins AC360 to discuss when he thinks the vaccines will make a major dent on the daily death rate. Plus, the FDA has issued emergency use authorization for Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. Dr. William Schaffner is a professor at the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is also a member of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. He tells AC360 that getting the Moderna vaccine to rural hospitals and health departments will be much easier because it doesn’t have the intense, cold storage requirements that the Pfizer vaccine has. Airdate: December 18, 2020 Guests: Dr. Chris Murray Dr. William Schaffner To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just over six months and 190,000 deaths ago, Vice President Mike Pence penned an OP-ED for the Wall Street Journal titled: There Isn't a Coronavirus 'Second Wave.' And now, months later - when it is even clearer that is not true - President Trump along with the vice president are still not addressing the nightmare as cases and deaths hit records each day. Former Covid Task Force Advisor to VP Pence, Olivia Troye, speaks out about what went on behind the scenes when that OP-ED was published. “The facts weren’t there, and I was known for briefing him and sticking to the facts,” Troye says she has been appalled at Pence’s recent behavior, “I don't know how you can morally look at yourself in the mirror and say this is ok.” She adds, “I know that he is in a tough situation but at some point when people are dying and you are responsible for the protection of the country you really have a responsibility to take a stand.” And, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Celine Gounder discuss the latest Covid-19 vaccines developments. Plus, Democratic Congressman Jim Himes who is on the House Intelligence Committee and has been briefed, talks about the suspected Russian hack which occurred at some of the highest levels of several government agencies and some private companies. Airdate: December 17, 2020 Guests: Olivia Troye Dr. Sanjay Gupta Dr. Celine Gounder Rep. Jim Himes, (D) Connecticut To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump has told some advisers he will refuse to leave the White House on Inauguration Day with one source saying “he’s throwing a f***ing tantrum” but “he's going to leave. He's just lashing out." Meanwhile, Trump is weighing pardons for more than two dozen people in his orbit. One source told CNN “it’s turned crazy” and there are so many requests for pardons or commutations that there’s a spreadsheet to keep track of them. CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger and CNN Political Commentator Van Jones join AC360 to discuss Trump’s final days in the White House. Plus, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor about some of his Republican colleagues’ false accusations of voter fraud and how he worries it could lead to the end of American democracy. He tells Anderson Cooper “their allegiance is first and foremost to Donald Trump” and “they’re willing to do anything to keep him in power even if it means overturning the election.” Airdate: December 16, 2020 Guests: Sen. Chris Murray Van Jones Gloria Borger To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally congratulates President-elect Joe Biden, as many Republicans in Congress still refuse to recognize his victory amid President Donald Trump's continued refusal to accept defeat. Democratic Congressman and Majority Whip James Clyburn weighs in, telling Anderson, “this democracy is very very fragile,” and adding “this democracy can be brought to an end if we are not careful.” Also, where do Trump's "Election Defense Fund" donations really go? Bloomberg Opinion Senior Columnist and author of "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald," Timothy O'Brien discusses. Plus, as vaccines continue to be administered across the United States, the infection numbers are still surging. Anderson talks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Rep. James Clyburn, and Timothy O'Brien. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Electors in all 50 states and the District of Columbia gathered to cast their votes and affirmed Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. The states Biden won and Trump challenged—Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin—all cast their electoral votes for the president-elect. Biden declared it’s time to “turn the page. To unite. To heal” in a speech to the nation. George Conway is a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the Lincoln Project. He’s been an outspoken critic of President Trump and he tells Anderson Cooper that Trump is delusional for not accepting the election results and is basically running “a scam on the American people.” Plus, early voting is underway in Georgia for the two critical Senate runoffs that will determine the balance of power in Congress. Biden is set to campaign for the Democratic candidates, Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock. Many have credited Stacey Abrams, a former Georgia State Representative, for helping Biden become the first Democrat to win the state in nearly three decades. She joins AC360 to react to Biden securing the electoral college votes and says it was a “thrilling relief” and it’s disappointing the President is trying to undermine the integrity of the vote. Airdate: December 14, 2020 Guests: George Conway Stacey Abrams To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court rejected a bid from Texas' attorney general, which was supported by President Donald Trump, to block millions of ballots in four battleground states that went in favor of President-elect Joe Biden. Even the justices who Trump placed on the court had no interest in allowing this latest legal bid to continue. CNN Political Correspondent Abby Phillip and CNN Contributor and Former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean discuss. Also, the Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, tells Anderson, “we will continue to fight as vigorously as possible to ensure that the person who actually won the presidential election is sworn into office on January 20th.” Plus, Dr. Sanjay Gupta weighs in on the latest developments before an emergency use authorization may be approved by the FDA for a coronavirus vaccine. Guests on Friday, December 11, 2020 were Abby Phillip, John Dean, Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FDA advisers have recommended emergency authorization of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine as a record 107,248 people are hospitalized in the U.S. with the virus. The CDC Director warns for “the next 60 to 90 days, we're going to have more deaths per day than we had in 9/11.” An influential University of Washington model is projecting there will be 502,000 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by April 1. Dr. Chris Murray is the director of the group that’s been working on these models throughout the pandemic. He tells Anderson Cooper that 56,000 lives could be saved if there was 95% universal mask wearing. Plus, the threat of a government shutdown looms as Senate leaders try to resolve last minute holdups to the spending bill vote. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders is demanding a vote on a proposal that would give individuals a second round of stimulus checks. He joins AC360 to discuss why he wants the stimulus checks and says it’d be “outrageous” and “simply unacceptable” for members of Congress to go home to their families over the holidays when tens of millions of working class families in this country are facing economic desperation. Guests are Dr. Chris Murray and Sen. Bernie Sanders. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All 50 states and Washington, D.C. have certified their presidential election results despite Pres. Trump asking the Supreme Court to block millions of votes from four battleground states that voted for President-elect Biden. The Texas Attorney General filed the lawsuit looking to invalidate millions of votes cast in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Pres. Trump has asked Ted Cruz to argue Texas election lawsuit if it reaches Supreme Court. John Dean is a former Nixon White House Counsel and is also a CNN Contributor. He tells Anderson Cooper he doesn’t believe the lawsuit has any merit. Plus, the FDA is scheduled to meet Thursday to authorize Pfizer’s vaccine but there are many questions surrounding the plan to get the shots from the manufacturers into hospitals, assisted living facilities and pharmacies. Kathleen Sebelius is the former Department of Health and Human Services Secretary. She joins AC360 to discuss the latest with the vaccine and says “we have to balance some unknowns still with the vaccines with the notion that this will absolutely save lives.” Airdate: December 9, 2020 Guests: John Dean Kathleen Sebelius To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The former top administration official for cybersecurity, Chris Krebs, whom Pres. Donald Trump fired after saying the election was the most secure in American history, speaks out about his defamation lawsuit against the Trump campaign and a lawyer working with the campaign - Joseph diGenova. Krebs also reacts to today’s Supreme Court decision, which rejected an attempt by Pennsylvania Republicans' to block the election results certification in the commonwealth. Also, Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings reacts to the Supreme Court refusing to stop Pennsylvania from certifying the election for President-elect Joe Biden and her Republican colleagues who refuse to accept that the 2020 election is over. Plus, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times Sharon LaFraniere and Dr. Celine Gounder, who is a member of president-elect Joe Biden's coronavirus task force, weigh in on the latest with the coronavirus vaccine approval process in the United States. Airdate: December 8, 2020 Guests: Christopher Krebs Rep. Val Demings, (D) Florida Dr. Sanjay Gupta Dr. Celine Gounder Sharon LaFraniere To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pres. Trump still won’t face reality and admit he lost the election. Instead he’s ignoring the Covid-19 pandemic and the record deaths and hospitalizations in the U.S. Some House conservatives are urging Trump to not concede after President-elect Joe Biden wins the Electoral College and want the party’s leaders to battle it out on the House floor. Thomas Friedman is a Foreign Affairs Columnist for the New York Times. He tells Anderson Cooper the fact that Trump won’t take charge and won’t help Biden is despicable. Plus, the Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says armed protesters gathered outside her Detroit home to protest the election results. In a statement Benson said protesters made “unambiguous, loud and threatening demands to overturn the results of the election.” She joins AC360 to explain what happened and says her job is to defend the voters and she will do that every day “despite any threats of violence or bullying.” Airdate: December 7, 2020 Guests: Thomas Friedman Jocelyn Benson To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An influential University of Washington model is projecting there will be more than 538,800 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by April. The model also predicts daily deaths will peak in the range of 3,000 in mid-January. Dr. Chris Murray is the director of the group at the University of Washington that’s been working on these models throughout the pandemic. He tells Anderson Cooper “although the hope of vaccines is there, it is not going to come in time to deal with the January/February surge.” Plus, Pres. Trump is getting ready to head to Georgia to campaign for two GOP senators facing critical runoff races next month. Some Republicans are worried Trump’s recent criticism will hurt them rather than give them a boost at the polls. Sources tell CNN the President called Georgia’s Republican governor a “moron” and a “nut job” and asked why Sen. Kelly Loeffler didn’t secure a majority of the votes on Election Day. Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms joins AC360 to discuss whether or not the Republicans should be worried about Trump’s upcoming visit. Airdate: December 4, 2020 Guests: Dr. Chris Murray Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President-elect Joe Biden said he’ll ask all Americans to wear a mask the first 100 days after he takes office and thinks the country will see “a significant reduction.” Biden also revealed he asked Dr. Anthony Fauci to be a chief medical adviser and part of his Covid-19 response team. The U.S. recently reported its highest one-day Covid-19 death tally with more than 2,800. There’s also at least 100,600 people hospitalized with the virus, a new high since the pandemic began. Dr. Leana Wen is an emergency room physician and the former Baltimore Health Commissioner. She explains to Anderson Cooper why she’s urging Americans to cancel their Christmas and holiday celebrations now. Plus, two legendary journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, whose reporting on the Watergate scandal helped lead to former Pres. Richard Nixon resigning, join AC360 to discuss the similarities and differences between Pres. Trump and Nixon. Airdate: December 3, 2020 Guests: Dr. Leana Wen Carl Bernstein Bob Woodward To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A source close to the White House says the public should expect a “flurry” of pardons before Pres. Trump leaves office in January. The source also tells CNN that some of Trump’s advisers think it’d be perfectly fine if he preemptively pardoned his family members and associates, even though they haven’t been formally charged with any crimes. Andrew Weissmann served as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s lead prosecutor. He tells Anderson Cooper unless there can be a bribe shown, pardoning himself or family members is legal but he can’t pardon anyone for state crimes or future crimes. Plus, Senator Bernie Sanders joins AC360 to discuss Trump floating the idea about running again in 2024, the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing stimulus bill negotiations. Airdate: December 2, 2020 Guests: Andrew Weissmann Sen. Bernie Sanders To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vaccine advisers to the Center for Disease Control voted that healthcare workers and residents in long term care facilities should be first in line to get any Covid-19 vaccines. Both Moderna and Pfizer have applied for emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is set to meet with its advisory board committee in the coming weeks to review both applications. Dr. William Schaffner is a professor at the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and serves as an advisor to the CDC. He joins AC360 to explain how the CDC determined who should get the Covid-19 vaccines first. Plus, the New York Times is reporting Pres. Trump has discussed pardons for his three eldest children, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Also, a source tells CNN that Giuliani and other Trump associates are seeking preemptive pardons for “blanket” protection. John Dean is the former Nixon White House Counsel. He tells Anderson Cooper he thinks it might be a trial balloon to gauge reaction but he’d be more surprised if it doesn’t happen. Airdate: December 1, 2020 Guests: Dr. William Schaffner John Dean To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Covid-19 cases are at record-breaking levels and with a possible surge in the U.S. before Christmas, White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci says “all things considered, we’re not in a good place.” Moderna and Pfizer have both officially filed for FDA emergency authorization for its coronavirus vaccines and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says “we could be seeing both of these vaccines out and getting into people’s arms before Christmas.” William Haseltine is the Chair and President of ACCESS Health International. He tells AC360 the vaccine news is promising but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Plus, President Trump said he’ll be coming to the Georgia to campaign for Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, who face two Senate runoff elections in January. Senator Perdue’s opponent, Jon Ossoff, joins AC360 to react to the President’s visit and says Perdue is griping about Trump in private but in public he’s “indulging the President’s fantasy that he actually won.” Airdate: November 30, 2020 Guests: William Haseltine Jon Ossoff To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One health expert is warning Thanksgiving could be “the mother of all super spreader events” and Dr. Anthony Fauci is asking Americans to keep indoor gatherings “as small as you possibly can.” Millions are traveling for Thanksgiving despite the CDC recommending not to. More than 261,000 people have died from Covid-19 and the U.S. is seeing record hospitalizations. Dr. James Phillips is the Chief of Disease Medicine at George Washington University Hospital. He tells AC360 “people are going to die because they’re choosing to go home for Thanksgiving” and “if we had proper messaging from the top, from the beginning, more lives would’ve have been saved.” Plus, President Trump has pardoned former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Carrie Cordero is a CNN National Security Analyst and a Senior Fellow Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security. She joins AC360 to react to the President’s decision and says she thinks this is “just the beginning of the pardons that we’re probably going to see between now and January 20th.” Airdate: November 25, 2020 Guests: Dr. James Phillips Carrie Cordero To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President-elect Joe Biden says he would consider appointing Republicans who voted for Trump to his cabinet because he wants “this country to be united” and “we can't keep this virulent political dialogue going.” Biden’s transition team has been in contact with all federal agencies, including the White House, just 24 hours after the GSA said the official transition process can begin. The President-elect says all outreach has been “sincere.” Christine Todd Whitman is the former Republican Governor of New Jersey but endorsed Biden in the 2020 election. She joins AC360 to discuss how Trump delayed the transition and still refuses to accept the results of the election. Plus, the U.S. is approaching 260,000 Covid-19 deaths and has seen another day of record hospitalizations with at least 88,080. Dr. Craig Spencer is the Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. He tells AC360 the system can’t last that much longer if we continue to have such a crush of new cases throughout the country. Airdate: November 24, 2020 Guests: Christine Todd Whitman Dr. Craig Spencer To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The General Services Administration has informed President-elect Joe Biden and his team that the Trump administration is ready to begin the transition process more than two weeks after the former Vice President was declared the election winner. In a letter, GSA administrator Emily Murphy said she wasn’t pressured by the White House to delay the formal transition. Now that the transition can officially begin, current administration officials can coordinate with the incoming Biden team. David Gergen is a former Presidential Adviser to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton and is also a CNN Political Analyst. He tells AC360 he thinks Trump did the right thing but it’s vital that he tells his base and the whole country that Joe Biden is a legitimate president and he is not put there by fraud. Plus, Covid-19 hospitalizations and cases are rising with Thanksgiving only days away. The CDC is advising people to not travel to see family and friends. White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci said what worries him most is “the immediate situation with people traveling from different places, coming home for Thanksgiving.” Dr. William Schaffner is a professor at the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt Medical Center. He joins AC360 to discuss his concerns for the upcoming holiday season. Airdate: November 23, 2020 Guests: David Gergen Dr. William Schaffner To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Few Republicans have spoken out publicly but a growing number of GOP lawmakers are growing restless and pushing back on Trump’s effort to overturn the election results. Still, it seems most of the other GOP members are afraid to anger Trump, or the party’s base who could help decide the winner of the upcoming twin runoff elections in Georgia. William Cohen is a former Republican Congressman and Senator who also served as Defense Secretary under Pres. Clinton. He joins AC360 to discuss how he thinks the GOP and the President are handling the election loss. Plus, the President’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is the latest in the Trump inner circle to test positive for coronavirus. Trump Jr. has spread a significant amount of false information about the deadly virus, including telling Fox News that the number of Covid-19 deaths is “almost nothing.” More than 254,000 have died in the U.S. and an influential model projects that number will rise to 471,000 deaths by March 1 assuming 40 states’ governments impose or re-impose social distancing and other mandates. If that doesn’t happen, the death toll could reach 658,000. Dr. Chris Murray is the director of the group at the University of Washington that’s been working on these models throughout the pandemic. He tells AC360 the numbers are going up faster than expected and he thinks one of the reasons is people are not being as cautious. Airdate: November 20, 2020 Guests: William Cohen Dr. Chris Murray To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Georgia finished its statewide audit and confirmed President-elect Joe Biden won the state by 12,284 votes over Pres. Trump. The audit found no evidence of widespread voter fraud or irregularities in the election despite the President’s baseless claims. Georgia’s voting system implementation manager Gabriel Sterling tells Anderson Cooper once the vote is certified, Pres. Trump can request a recount since he’s within 0.5% of Biden. Plus, at least 252,400 people have died from Covid-19 and nearly 80,000 people are currently hospitalized, the highest since the pandemic started. Pfizer and Moderna say their vaccines are highly effective and are waiting for the FDA to issue an emergency use authorization. Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joins AC360 to discuss the recent vaccine developments and what he thinks the next year looks like. Airdate: November 19, 2020 Guests: Gabriel Sterling Bill Gates To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Covid-19 has killed more than 250,000 people in the U.S in less than 10 months. The country is currently averaging more than 157,000 cases per day, the highest since the pandemic started. Dr. Leana Wen is the former Baltimore Health Commissioner and an emergency room physician. She joins AC360 to react to this grim milestone and says the end is near with the two promising vaccines but we have to get through the winter first. Plus, the Georgia recount results are expected to show that President-elect Joe Biden did win the state by about 13,000 votes and election officials say the audit hasn’t found any evidence of widespread voter fraud. Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate who lost in 2018, and other grassroots groups helped register new voters and motivate Black turnout ahead of the election. Democrats are hoping those same voters will turnout for the two Georgia runoff races in January that will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate. Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tells Anderson Cooper it’s not going to be easy and it’ll take everyone coming out to vote in order for Democrats to win the Senate seats. Airdate: November 18, 2020 Guests: Dr. Leana Wen Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices