Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

House Set To Vote On COVID Relief Bill; Interview With Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC); FBI Releases New Video In Capitol Pipe Bomb Investigation; White House Says, Supply Of Pfizer And Moderna Vaccines To Increase By 600,000 Doses This Week; Queen Breaks Silence On Harry And Meghan Interview, Says Royals Saddened To Learn Full Extent Of What They Faced; Third Juror Seated In Trial Of Ex-Policeman Derek Chauvin Charged In Death Of George Floyd. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired March 09, 2021 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:03]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Also breaking, the House of Representatives just authorized a final vote tomorrow on the president's nearly $2 trillion COVID relief bill.

It includes $1,400 checks and other aid for millions, tens of millions, I should say, of Americans, with the first payments expected to go out within weeks, this as the White House says more urgently needed COVID vaccines will, in fact, be made available this week. An additional 600,000 doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are being shipped across the country.

Let's first go to CNN's Brian Todd. He's up on Capitol Hill.

Brian, take us through these new security videos and what they reveal.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Wolf.

Tonight, a potentially vital new clue in the search for the mysterious, elusive suspect believed to have planted those two pipe bombs near the Capitol the night before the insurrection. Several new clips of video could help law enforcement move closer to a capture, but the FBI says it still needs the public's help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): Tonight, the FBI releasing new security footage of the Capitol Hill pipe bomb suspect, preceded by a caption saying, "Help us identify this individual."

From 7:40 p.m. on January 5 on South Capitol Street, the suspect, wearing a gray hoodie and a mask, is seen walking down a sidewalk. The suspect stops, puts a sack down on the sidewalk and appears to be looking down by something. At one point, a dog walker walks right past the suspect.

Another clip, labeled 7:52 p.m., the suspect stops and sits on what appears to be a park bench, the FBI says near the corner of Canal Street and South Capitol Street. The suspect leans forward and seems to be tending to something, but that part is obscured.

The suspect gets up, sits down, later gets up again. A third clip at 8:14 p.m., the suspect is filmed walking down an alley the Republican National Committee building and the Capitol Hill Club.

And in a fourth clip also labeled at 8:14 p.m., the suspect is seen walking past the entrance to the Capitol Hill Club on First Street and briefly stretches an arm. The FBI has said the two bombs found near Democratic and Republican Party headquarters were placed between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on January 5.

STEVEN D'ANTUONO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FBI WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE: These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.

TODD: Previous surveillance video obtained by "The Washington Post" captured what "The Post" said was the suspect moments before they placed a bomb near Republican Party headquarters that night.

JIM BUEERMANN, FORMER POLICE CHIEF, REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA: Those bombs were probably intended to distract the police from the Capitol to someplace else. There were probably a significant number of participants in this that knew what they were doing, preplanned it, brought with them the equipment they needed to do what they were attempting to do.

TODD: The FBI also identified the suspect's shoes as Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes in yellow, black and gray, with enhanced photos of the shoes, along with pictures of the bombs. A law enforcement official says the bombs were rigged to egg timers and filled with an explosive powder. The FBI is asking the public for help by reporting any tips.

D'ANTUONO: You may have noticed this person purchased one-by-eight- inch threaded galvanized pipe. This person may have had an unexplained possession of multiple kitchen timers as well. They may have an interest in explosives, making black powder or researched these topics.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: Tonight, the FBI along, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to identification of that pipe bomber.

Law enforcement officials have said in recent weeks, Wolf, that this individual could very well still be a threat.

BLITZER: He certainly could. All right, Brian, thank you very much.

Let's bring in our senior justice correspondent, Evan Perez, our chief national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto, and CNN counterterrorism analyst Phil Mudd.

Phil, what clues can we learn from this new video, despite the fact that we can't actually see the suspect's face? PHILIP MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST: Boy, think of all the tens

or hundreds of thousands of people who will see this, Wolf.

Think about somebody who saw the shoes. The person might have discarded the shoes at this point. What if they saw the shoes a month ago? Think about somebody who had a friend who talked about being there. And they look at this video and say, that's my friend.

Think of a really simple clue. I have had people actually e-mail me to my e-mail account. Look at how the person walks. My friend walks like that. So, forget about and take aside the question of whether we can see the individual's face. Clothes, how they walk, whether they have said something to a friend at a party in the last month. There's a lot of stuff you can learn and there are thousands of people watching, Wolf.

[18:05:00]

BLITZER: Is it remarkable, Phil, that the FBI is still asking the public for tips more than two months after these bombs were planted right near Capitol Hill? Are cases like this actually solved with the help of the American public?

MUDD: Oh, heck yes.

I mean, I can see, from a public perspective, you could say, with an event of this significance, why haven't you solved this? Remember, there are 800-plus people who went to the Capitol on that day. This individual was a day before. Maybe he or she didn't tell anybody.

But remember one thing, Wolf. When you look at the top 10 list from the FBI, that is people who are the most prominent subjects, and, presumably, people who are operationally careful, people who are prominent in terms of the crimes they permit -- they have committed and who don't want to talk about it, roughly, 30-plus percent of those people are identified by the public.

That is, somebody calls in, and it's not the FBI who solves it. Somebody calls in and says, I saw that guy in the top 10 list. I know that person. The public -- the public information that solves these crimes is really significant, Wolf. They will solve this eventually.

BLITZER: You know, Jim, I know you have been working your sources, and getting new information.

Do you think this video finally could lead to the breakthrough that authorities have been waiting for?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, speaking to folks both in intel in law enforcement, they make a couple of points. One, it's possible that these videos are entirely new.

That would be unusual, given the FBI's resources, that it's equally plausible that their leads have run cold at this point, right, and that the FBI finds it necessary to reach out to the public for help more aggressively here by sharing all it has and says, listen, help us find this person.

The other point that officials have made to me is that the profile of bombers like this is such that, if they attempt to strike once, they may try to strike again, right, that if they're on the loose, they may feel emboldened, and look for the next opportunity.

And that speaks to the urgency of going to the public now, show all your cards and say, we need to find this person now to make sure that they don't attempt to strike again.

BLITZER: You know, Evan, the FBI also released a very close-up picture of the timing device on one of the bombs. What does that tell you about the theory that these bombs could have been used potentially as a distraction during the actual riots that occurred on January 6?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, I think I have more questions now about that theory. That is a theory that we have heard from the FBI from prosecutors, that the belief -- also in some of the testimony we heard on Capitol Hill in last couple of weeks -- that this was a diversionary tactic perhaps set to go off and draw police away from the Capitol in time for the insurrection as well.

If you look at the timing device, a close-up there shows it's a simple kitchen timer. It appears to be about an hour. So, if this was -- this device was placed there, or these two devices were placed there between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. the night before, I think you can reasonably see that this would have gone off the night before, not on January 6.

And so then that raises new questions, right? Again, the FBI and prosecutors have not made any assumptions about who the bomber is. Were they connected to the 6th? But, again, this is an operating theory. I think this undercuts that theory, simply because, again, this is not a sophisticated thing. This person was using homemade black powder.

Again, it draws perhaps a different picture of what we were thinking about. And if you think about this, Wolf, if this device had gone off the night before, not on the morning of, right, and had not been found the morning of, then perhaps security picture at the Capitol would have been far different from what was -- what we found on that day.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

BLITZER: That's a good point.

Phil, the suspect clearly still at large two months after the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Are you concerned the FBI might never be able to find this guy?

MUDD: No, I mean, I think there are two concerns. One's public and one is from my own life. The public concern, of course, would be it's been a while. As you suggest, Wolf, we will never find him.

As someone who watched the FBI threat briefings for the former FBI director for years, I remember the FBI director, the former director I worked with, Mueller, for years asking about one guy, one guy, Whitey Bulger. Whitey Bulger first went on the top 10 list in 1999. He was arrested 12 years later.

So, let me be clear here. The difference between the public concern that this person hasn't been picked up in a couple months and the chance at the FBI -- the FBI in my experience is like a dog with a bone. The chance that the FBI will never find this person, they will find this person.

The one reason -- and let me finish by saying this that Evan is so -- Evan's points are so significant. This person knows they're being hunted. The reason they need to be hunted faster is, they know they will be picked up eventually. The FBI will find him, Wolf. They will get him.

[18:10:04]

BLITZER: Yes. And I suspect someone who knows this individual knows those shoes...

MUDD: Yes.

BLITZER: ... those Nike shoes that this guy was wearing. So we're going to watch that very closely in that FBI seeking information document that you see right there. You see the shoes are highlighted, because they're very, very specific shoes.

Jim, our officials worried, though, that the suspect potentially could still pose a threat as long as this person is on the loose?

SCIUTTO: Absolutely fits the profile of the kind of person who would go through the trouble of planting bombs like this, that they would look for another opportunity to do so, might feel emboldened, right, that they have been able to evade capture for a couple of months.

And it speaks more broadly, Wolf, to why you have folks, when they look at Capitol security in the wake of January 6, making the kinds of recommendations we're seeing, more U.S. Capitol Police officers, retractable barriers around the Capitol, but also, crucially, intelligence, right, that intelligence gathering being something that they want to beef up specifically for threats to the Capitol, but also threats to members of Congress in their home districts.

Intelligence, that's what we're looking at here. This is intelligence that they're looking to try to seek out this threat, but they want to be able to do that better in the future in the advance of threats like this.

BLITZER: Jim Sciutto, Evan Perez, Phil Mudd, guys, thank you very, very much. We will stay on top of this story.

Just ahead, we will also break down the benefits tucked inside the COVID relief bill and the potential long-term costs with the number three House Democrat, Congressman James Clyburn. He's standing by live. We will discuss. And we're also going live to London, where there are new details of

urging, details on the queen breaking her silence about the Meghan and Harry interview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:15:40]

BLITZER: We're following the last-minute maneuvers up on Capitol Hill right now, setting the stage for passage of President Biden's COVID relief bill.

The House has just authorized a full floor vote tomorrow.

Let's go to our chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins.

Kaitlan, this is truly a significant moment for President Biden.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It is, Wolf.

And we are told that he is eager to sign this bill, though, of course, he's not there yet. They have got to get through that one more vote that's expected to happen tomorrow before he can actually put pen to paper and get this signed. And we are then expecting him to embark on a tour to sell this bill, to pitch it to the American voters and to really talk to them about what's inside of it.

But that also comes, Wolf, as he is dealing with another challenge. And this is one that's happening on the U.S. Southern border, where he sent a delegation of senior officials over the weekend, because you were seeing record numbers of children being held in detention facilities.

Typically, they're supposed to be processed out of those pretty quickly, but right now this is a major challenge that is facing the Biden administration. But, Wolf, they are not ready to call it a crisis yet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS (voice-over): With his stimulus plan on the brink of success, President Biden is now waiting to make it official.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hey, everybody. How are you?

CROWD: Hi.

COLLINS: The president visited a Washington, D.C., hardware store today, as he prepares for a final vote on his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I'm so excited, I just can't hide it. The Rules Committee -- the Rules Committee just finished its work.

COLLINS: Though some progressives have complained the sweeping bill doesn't go far enough, it gained the endorsement of one of the most prominent members.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): This is the most significant legislation for working people that has been passed in decades. This bill is enormously significant.

COLLINS: The White House says eligible Americans can expect to receive stimulus checks this month. But, in a change, Biden's name won't appear on them, like Trump insisted.

(on camera): He did not want his name to appear on the checks?

PSAKI: He didn't think that was a priority or a necessary step. His focus was on getting them out as quickly as possible.

COLLINS (voice-over): When Biden does sign his name to the relief bill, it will be a defining moment of his presidency.

In addition to stimulus checks, the bill also includes an enhanced child tax credit, increased child care subsidies, extended unemployment benefits, and broader eligibility for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Sources say Biden will tout the bill when he addresses the nation in prime time Thursday night.

Meanwhile, his campaign promise of a more humane response to migrant surges on the Southern border is now being tested.

PSAKI: We're not trying to close our borders. We are trying to keep -- create an effective, moral, humane system. It's going to take some time to do that.

COLLINS: Thousands of migrant children are backed up in Border Patrol facilities amid a surge that's exceeded the peak of the crisis in 2019, when facilities were overcrowded and migrants were forced to sleep on floors.

PSAKI: We are still digging our way out of a dismantled, immoral and ineffective immigration policy that was being implemented by the last administration.

COLLINS: The number of migrant children in custody along the border has tripled in the last two weeks. But Republicans say the administration hasn't explained how they will handle it.

REP. LIZ CHENEY (D-WY): I saw the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, say that she was heartbroken by what's happening at the border. Being heartbroken isn't a policy. So we expect to see action and the American people expect to see action.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Now, based on what that senior delegation that traveled to the border over the weekend is telling President Biden, we are told that that briefing hasn't actually happened yet. They're expected to tell him what it is that they saw.

And another question that's been raised and pressed to the White House, Wolf, is whether or not cameras can actually go inside some of these facilities, because, remember, at the height of the crisis in 2019, that's how we saw so much of what was happening to these migrant children, of course, under the separation policy, the incredibly severe one by the Trump administration.

And so, today, the White House press secretary did say they would allow cameras in, but we are still waiting for a time frame of when exactly that's going to happen -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, it's so heartbreaking to see these 13-, 14-,15-year-old kids separated on the border from their moms and dads.

All right, Kaitlan, thank you very much.

Let's discuss this and more with the third-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, the majority whip, James Clyburn.

[18:20:01]

Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

As you know, the White House says this COVID relief bill is one of the most progressive pieces of legislation in American history. Do you agree with that?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): Thank you very much for having me, Wolf.

Yes, I do. The fact of the matter is, you have to go back to maybe 2009 or maybe 2010, when we passed the Affordable Care Act. That, to me, was a big deal, I thought, maybe the biggest that I'd ever been a part of.

But this one, I think, is even bigger than that was. Now, it will not have the longstanding circumstances that that had, but we have just rescued the lives and livelihoods of a lot of people.

And when you're dealing with the Affordable Care Act, that was, let's say, one corner of a person's world. But in this instance, we're talking about bringing back livelihoods, bringing people -- getting people back to work.

And there are some things in this bill that's not getting talked about. "The Washington Post" this morning has got a very interesting headline saying that this bill does more for black farmers than anything since maybe the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That's a big deal.

And there is a lot in this for black farmers -- 1890 schools, a lot of people are not familiar with what that means. Those are the land grant colleges in the former slave states that have been big-time underfunded in recent years. This bill really does a lot for rural hospitals.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: It's got almost $2 trillion in there, Congressman. It's going to help tens of millions of Americans once those checks start going out, including for their kids.

But what message -- what's your message to Republicans? And they're not voting for it, didn't vote for it in the Senate. I doubt if any Republicans are going to vote for it in the House.

What's your message to Republicans, like the minority whip, Steve Scalise, who says this bill is simply too big, and will leave the next generation of Americans with -- quote -- "mountains of debt"?

CLYBURN: Well, I would say to Mr. Scalise that the mountain of debt that we ought to be worried about is that $2 trillion tax cut that he and his Republican friends gave to the upper 2 or 3 percent, basically, maybe 10 percent of the American people.

The fact of the matter is, that $2 trillion did nothing for the people whose lives we now have to rescue. He is the reason in large measure for what we're going through today.

And so I would say to him that over 60 percent of Republicans out here, 71 percent of independents all support this legislation. Just because we can't get the partisans up here on Capitol Hill to vote for it doesn't mean that we aren't doing it for Republicans out in hinterlands.

That's what Joe Biden said from the get-go, that he was going to be as much of a president for those who voted against him as he is for those who voted for him.

BLITZER: Yes. That's what the recent public opinion polls show, that there's a lot of support out there for this, even though there's not going to be any Republicans in the House, there weren't any in the Senate, who would will vote it.

I quickly want to get your reaction, Congressman, to this new high- quality video that the FBI just put out showing the pipe bombing suspect who has been on the loose since January. What does this say to you about the scope of the continuing, ongoing threat to members of Congress and to Congress itself, to Capitol Hill?

CLYBURN: I think the threat is still there. I don't think that we are going to be curtailed in our work by it.

There is a threat almost in anything you do anymore. But I have noticed a resolve among my congressional friends up here to get the people's work done. And we are going to take necessary precautions. Nancy Pelosi has done a great job making sure that the security issues are dealt with.

I think we're going to be in a very good place. And when people get in a much better mood here -- and I think they will very soon -- I think that we will be able to work together a little better going forward than we have in the recent past.

BLITZER: That would be good if that happens.

Congressman Clyburn, as usual, thanks so much for joining us. [18:25:01]

CLYBURN: Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: Just ahead: the race to increase the supply of COVID-19 vaccines here in the United States, and new increases expected this week. Will it help you get your shot?

And now that the queen has weighed in on the Harry and Meghan interview, how will the royal family handle allegations of racism?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Tonight, a new promise of more COVID-19 vaccines on the way this week, the White House announcing an increase in supplies. Americans are digesting new CDC guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated.

Let's go to our national correspondent, Erica Hill.

[18:30:01]

Erica, every extra dose could be critical as so many people are obviously trying to get their shots.

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's true. We hear from officials all the time, they just want more vaccine. We hear that a lot right here in New York City. But we did learn today that an additional 600,000 doses will be shipped this week to states, tribes and territories. Some 15.2 million doses of Moderna and Pfizer were expected. That number now going up to 15.8 million this week, and that is good news as we try to get more shots in arms.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILL (voice over): With an average of about 2.2 million shots a day, nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated.

SCOTT MITCHELL, GWINNETT COUNTY TEACHER: I was excited when I first got the notice. I was like, all right, we're in.

HILL: Among those 65 and over, it's 30 percent.

DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: It really is an exciting, exciting news. Because, you know, 85 percent of worth of deaths in this country were people over 65.

HILL: Daily reported deaths down 21 percent in the last week, hospitalizations dropping 13 percent. Hope growing, as the CDC says those who are fully vaccinated can visit with others with some caveats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a huge, huge emotional release and lift.

HILL: But travel for fully vaccinated Americans still discouraged, prompting immediate pushback.

DEL RIO: I think it's important to tell people how to travel, because they are travelling already.

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Allowing travel, even encouraging travel for fully vaccinated people should be something that the CDC really looks to do.

HILL: CNN learning the CDC discussed travel guidelines but didn't go much farther. Meantime, over 5.6 million people passing through TSA checkpoints in just the last five days. New polling finds Americans are more optimistic about a return to normal. 40 percent see it happening in the next six months or less. That's up from 26 percent in January.

DR. PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR AND DEAN OF THE TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: We're going to fully vaccinate the American people by the summer, but with this new -- these new variants on the rise, we have to be really cautious.

HILL: Texas set to reopen tomorrow, the same day its mask mandate expires, though businesses can keep their own requirements in place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can see the conflict coming and the cops will be stuck in the middle just like we always are.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL (on camera): Now, in terms of that travel guidance which people are hoping for for people who have been fully vaccinated, Dr. Wen also said it could really be incentive for people to get the vaccine. Well, the CDC is saying today -- now, they have told us yesterday, Wolf, when they released the initial guidelines for fully vaccinated people, that they would likely update as the virus is evolving and they learn more.

Well, in a statement, they said they may update those travel recommendations as more people are vaccinated and also as they learn more about just how vaccines work in the real world, noting that it's something they would be closely monitoring. Wolf?

BLITZER: As they should. All right, thanks very much, Erica, through that.

Let's discuss with CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, once again, 600,000 more doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be shipped out to states this week, which means 15.8 million doses of these two shots are entering the nation's supply right away. How much of an impact are we seeing from these ramped up and very dramatic vaccinations?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it's interesting because we have about 10 percent of the country that has been vaccinated fully, which means that 90 percent have not. So I'm not sure we're seeing an impact overall on cases. You know, cases have been coming down. But that may largely be for other reasons, coming off the winter surge and things like that.

But what I think is interesting and Erica mentioned this, is that you're getting to a situation now where the right people are being vaccinated, meaning the vaccine helps protect against severe illness. So if you vaccinate people who are at the greatest risk of severe illness, that's when you're going to see the most impact.

You remember, Wolf, I mean if you are looking at people over the age of 65 and comparing them to people between the ages of 5 to 17, for example, the risk of hospitalization is 35 times higher. You know, people over the age of 75, it's higher than that.

So if you start to get to the point where you're vaccinating the right people who are older, in long-term care facilities, 75 percent of them have been vaccinated, that will make an impact quickly, and it will make an impact on hospitalizations and deaths.

So even if cases plateau, Wolf, or go up, as long as hospitalizations and deaths don't go up proportionally, that will be a really important sign.

BLITZER: As you know, Sanjay, CNN has learned that the CDC actually discussed changing travel recommendations for fully vaccinated Americans but decided against it, at least for now. Is the CDC from your perspective being overly cautious when it tells vaccinated Americans, those who have received two doses of the vaccines to avoid travel?

GUPTA: Yes, I think they are. I think they're probably being overly cautious here. And I think they've said as much.

[18:35:00]

You know, we're being very, very cautious here and really slow rolling this. And keep in mind, Wolf, most people realizes this, the risk isn't to vaccinated people. The risk is that, even if you're vaccinated, you might still spread the virus on to someone else.

So that basically means, you know, you can make the argument that vaccinated people are safer to travel than the general population. The message the CDC is sending is don't travel unless it's essential right now regardless of vaccination status.

Wolf, I think that's going to change. They didn't get to it this time around, but the recommendations are directly linked to percentage of vaccination. I think in the next couple weeks, those recommendations could change.

BLITZER: I suspect you're right, as usual, Sanjay. Thank you very, very much.

Just ahead, we're going to dig deeper into the queen's reaction into the Harry and Meghan interview and what she found most concerning.

And Don Lemon is standing by live. He's going to share his thoughts on the couple's allegations of racism, what it means for the international conversation that we're having about race. There you see Don. We'll talk with him when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00]

BLITZER: There are many questions tonight about what's next for the British royal family now that Queen Elizabeth has broken her silence about the explosive Harry and Meghan interview, the palace saying she's saddened and the couple's allegations of racism are concerning.

CNN's Isa Soares is joining us from London right now. Isa, tell us more about the queen's reaction.

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very good evening to you, Wolf. After two days of silence, like you said, we've now got an official statement from her majesty the queen, it is short, it is concise, 61 words to be precise. But it does come not from Buckingham Palace, as we used to seeing, but from right at the top, royal highness, her majesty the queen.

The whole family, it says, is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Hairy and Meghan. It reads, the issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.

Now, Wolf, it's clear from the tone, there is one of sadness and one of concern. But let me break out some of the things that really stood out for me to those comments. First of all, while some recollections, that sentence there, while some recollections may vary, that suggests the person who was in the room when discussing the color of Archie's skin tone, the question of race, has a very different version of events from what we heard from Meghan and Harry.

The saddened to learn the full extent of how serious it was for Meghan suggests perhaps that some members of the royal family didn't know about the suicidal thoughts that Meghan had.

And that perhaps really undermines what we heard from Harry and Meghan. And they were very clear in that lengthy interview with Oprah that they raised the concerns, they have proof on email, that they put it to H.R. about needing help and they were ignored. That is critical.

Now, the queen -- it also says in here they're going to deal with this privately. Some will say, well, the interview did show, Wolf, is that they tried to do it privately. They tried to handle it privately, but, in fact, they were ignored. Prince Charles shut the son out and they felt abandoned. So, many questions here, but this, to me, is basically the queen trying to draw a line under the sand, saying we're acknowledging the problem but we're going to deal with this privately as a family, Wolf.

BLITZER: Isa Soares, reporting for us. Isa, thank you very, very much. I want to bring in my colleague and my friend, Don Lemon, right now. He's written a brand new book, and I want to show you the book, it's entitled, This Is the Fire, What I Say to My Friends About Racism. Very important book and Don is going to join us next week to talk in depth about the new book.

But I want to talk right now, Don, about what we saw last night on your show. You questioned how important it was to hear a response from the royal family because they didn't listen to one of their own. Now, they have issued a brief public statement. So what's your reaction? What do you make of it?

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'm glad they finally responded to it. And I think it's good that they did. And I'm glad Isa just read the statement there. The statement, I find, Wolf, is basically, I apologize if I hurt you kind of statement. And she went through it. She said that the family was saddened to learn the full extent of just how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

This isn't the first time that Meghan has spoken about how mentally tough it was for her during her time in the U.K. She talked about that shortly after. They said they were going to step back from royal duties. There was a sound bite with her talking about that. And we discuss that in the news.

As far as not knowing the extent and that racism was an issue, basically, they didn't admit to racism. They said the issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. They didn't say we have a problem with racism.

That was part of the reason that they stepped back, that we all discussed here, and that has been discussed in the British media, especially how Harry and Meghan felt that the British media had been racist towards Meghan, comparing the way they treated Meghan and the way stories were centered around Meghan and her counterpart.

So I don't understand what the palace is doing, why they're saying this is new to them.

[18:45:04]

None of this is certainly new to them. And basically at the end of that, they're saying Harry and Meghan -- Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members. They're not saying they're going to continue to be part of the royal family or royals, but what have you, but they're always be loved -- beloved family members. So, they're going to be in the family, except they're not going to be official royals anymore.

That's how I see it. That's how I read the statement. It's a masterful statement that really says -- it addresses it without really addressing the problem.

BLITZER: In the interview with Oprah, you know, Don, and you'll remember this, Harry actually said Meghan was one of the greatest assets to the commonwealth that the family could have ever wished for. She and her children also gave the royal family the opportunity to become a diverse family.

How damaging is it to have wasted that opportunity?

LEMON: I think that many people will agree with that statement, that it was an opportunity for the royal family to have diversity, and to really move into the modern era. If you remember, during the coverage of the royal wedding back in 2018, many of us said that. And we were optimistic that things might change with the royal family.

But I think Harry is right in that, and I think they -- I think that they had an asset in Meghan and they didn't realize what they had, or that some members of the royal family may have been resentful, perhaps even jealous of the attention that Meghan and Harry were getting, especially Meghan because, let's remember, there are people who are in the family who were made for this.

They -- you know, they had the breeding and the background and all of that. And then you have this commoner, so to speak, this American woman, who happens to be African-American, come over and steal the thunder. And there may have been people there, and I won't say any names, who may be jealous of that and may be resentful of that.

So, yeah, I do think it's a missed opportunity, because as we are looking forward at the world today, the demographics in America are changing. The demographics in Europe are changing. The demographics all over the world are changing.

And it's changing in favor of biracial people, a more multicultural society. And this was an opportunity that was handed to them on a silver platter and they squandered it.

BLITZER: And, Don, as I said, you're going to be back next week when your book officially comes out. Let me put the cover-up on the screen. There you see it right now. "This is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism." It's really an important book, and I recommend it very, very highly to all of our viewers, not only here in the United States but around the world.

We'll see you at 10:00 tonight. Don, thank you very, very much.

LEMON: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Just ahead, I'll speak with the attorney for the George Floyd family as three jurors have now been seated in the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in his death.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:52:15]

BLITZER: We are following breaking news. The first three jurors have now been selected in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer seen kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for about eight minutes. He's pleaded not guilty. to two charges related to Floyd's death and could face an additional third degree murder charge.

Let's discuss with Antonio Romanucci, the attorney for the George Floyd family.

Tony, thank you very much for joining us. How is the Floyd family preparing mentally and emotionally for this trial now that the jury selection is finally underway?

ANTONIO ROMANUCCI, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE FLOYD FAMILY: Well, there is really no good way for them to prepare, other than to know the worst could come. But on the bright side, they are looking for an opportunity for justice here. And certainly a conviction at the highest level would bring them some solace, some relief that justice is achieved.

BLITZER: The mother of Eric Garner, the New York man that died while being restrained by police warned the Floyd family that Chauvin's defense team will try to, quote, assassinate George Floyd's character. How are you preparing for that?

ROMANUCCI: Well, as I've said, Wolf, I think those words are very wise, because clearly I think this case is one of common sense. When you look at the video, I think the video is very clear on what Derek Chauvin was doing and how long he was doing it.

So, if someone applies common sense, they're going to see the end result. So, the only way to defend against common sense is to attack George Floyd and his character. And I hope that doesn't happen, but certainly the family is prepared for that. They know it could be coming, and I think it would be a mistake if this character is attacked because like I said, this is clearly common sense here.

BLITZER: The prosecution as you also know, wants to add an additional charge of third degree murder. That could give the jury an opportunity to convict Chauvin on a lesser charge, instead of second degree murder charge he's currently facing. Would you like to see that additional charge?

ROMANUCCI: Well, look. I think the attorney general is doing what is right. And that is making sure that the jury has all options available. I think that is the prudent and the correct course to proceed.

However, based upon the actions, I know what the family wants, and they do want a conviction at the highest level, which is the second degree murder. And we hope that the evidence bears it out clearly for a jury to see and bring back that conviction.

BLITZER: All right. We'll see what happens in the next -- it's going to take a few weeks, I'm sure. Antonio Romanucci, thanks so much for joining us.

ROMANUCCI: Wolf, thank you. Have a good night.

[18:55:01]

BLITZER: You too.

We'll have more news right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: So sad to think about this. Over the past year, in one year more than 527,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus.

Tonight, we want to share stories, two people that died from this virus. Ronald Romo of California was 75 years old. His granddaughter, Sabrina says he loved Sunday football with his family and being a grandpa. She says he made everyone laugh and never judge a soul.

Neil Krieger of Massachusetts was 78. His family is hoping to honor him by getting a word he invented to describe squirting fruit into the dictionary, orbisculate. His daughter Hilary says it's a fitting tribute to her father who was funny, creative, and very original.

May they rest in peace and may their memories be a blessing.

Thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. You can always follow me on Twitter and Instagram @WolfBlitzer. You can tweet the show @CNNSitRoom.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.

[19:00:00]