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CDC Director Warns Of COVID Surge; Derek Chauvin Trial Begins; Biden Warns War Against COVID-19 Far From Won; Biden To Lay Out Sweeping Jobs And Infrastructure Plan Wednesday With $3 Trillion To $4 Trillion Price Tag; Ship Freed After Being Stuck For Days In Suez Canal. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired March 29, 2021 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:16]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM.

America's painful reckoning with race and police brutality right now is front and center, as the first day of former officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial just wrapped up in Minneapolis. Jurors were shown the full, the full, very graphic video of events leading up to the death of George Floyd, including over nine minutes that truly horrified the world, when Officer Chauvin's knee was pressed on Floyd's neck.

Also tonight, new progress and peril in the coronavirus crisis. President Biden says 90 percent of adults in the United States will be eligible for a COVID vaccine within the next three weeks, this as the CDC director is warning of impending doom -- her words -- from the rise in infections across so much of the country.

But the CDC is upbeat that vaccines are, in fact, working. The first real-world study finds Pfizer and Moderna shots are 90 percent effective after both doses and 80 percent effective after only one dose.

First, let's go to our senior national correspondent, Sara Sidner.

She's covering this Chauvin trial in Minneapolis for us.

Sara, the first dramatic day of opening statements and testimony ended just a little while ago. Tell us what happened.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so we heard the opening statements from both the prosecution and the defense. And then we are already on our third witness, the witnesses talking about what they heard and saw, including a 911 dispatcher who thought that what she was seeing from a surveillance camera amounted to possibly excessive force, so much so that she actually called a supervisor in to show him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERRY BLACKWELL, MINNESOTA PROSECUTOR: On may 25 of 2020, Mr. Derek Chauvin betrayed this badge, when he used excessive and unreasonable force upon the body of Mr. George Floyd.

SIDNER (voice-over): The prosecution's opening statement tells you everything you need to know about how they want the jury to see this case.

BLACKWELL: Nine-two-nine, the three most important numbers in the case.

SIDNER: Nine minutes and 29 seconds, the excruciating time George Floyd's neck was under then Officer Derek Chauvin'S knee.

BLACKWELL: This case is not about split-second decision-making.

SIDNER: And to help make that point, prosecutor Jerry Blackwell played one of the videos for the jury.

GEORGE FLOYD, DIED IN POLICE CUSTODY: I'm about to die this day. I can't breathe -- my face.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you on?

G. FLOYD: I can't breathe.

BLACKWELL: You will see, he does not let up and he does not get up. You will learn that Mr. Chauvin is told that they can't even find a pulse.

SIDNER: The first witness, a 911 dispatcher. Her May 25 dispatch was also played in court, showing she was watching surveillance video of Floyd being pinned down that day.

JENA SCURRY, 911 DISPATCHER: I don't know. You can call me a snitch if you want to, but we have the cameras up for 320's call.

My instincts were telling me that something's wrong.

SIDNER: Jurors were told they'd also be seeing and hearing all the video from bystanders' cameras, two police body-worn cameras, as well as hearing from Minneapolis police officers, the chief of police, medical experts, and witnesses on the scene.

For the defense's case?

ERIC NELSON, ATTORNEY FOR DEREK CHAUVIN: That Derek Chauvin did exactly what he had been trained to do over the course of his 19-year career. The use of force is not attractive, but it is a necessary component of policing.

SIDNER: Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, made clear this will also be a battle of experts.

NELSON: This will ultimately be another significant battle in this trial. What was Mr. Floyd's actual cause of death?

SIDNER: He wants the jury to look at the whole scene and listen to the use of force and medical experts, as well as read the medical reports. NELSON: That revealed Mr. Floyd had an exceptionally high level of carbon dioxide. Dr. Baker found none of what are referred to as the telltale signs of asphyxiation. There was no petechial hemorrhaging. There was no evidence that Mr. Floyd's airflow was restricted.

SIDNER: Instead, he suggested it was illicit drugs found in Floyd's system that aggravated a medical condition that took Floyd's life.

NELSON: Hypertension, his coronary disease, the ingestion of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the adrenaline throwing -- flowing through his body, all of which acted to further compromise an already compromised heart.

SIDNER: There was one thing that defense and prosecution did agree on.

NELSON: There is no political or social cause in this courtroom.

[18:05:00]

SIDNER: But in the streets and for Floyd's family, Chauvin is not the only one on trial. America's justice system is.

PHILONISE FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: To say that your skin shouldn't be a death sentence. America is watching.

SIDNER: Before the trial began, the Floyd family and their lawyers knelt outside court for nearly 10 minutes to illustrate just how long Floyd begged for his life under Chauvin's knee.

BRANDON WILLIAMS, NEPHEW OF GEORGE FLOYD: We came in for one thing, and one thing only. We came to get justice. Somebody needs to be held accountable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: And we lastly heard today from a third witness, who had very dramatic testimony, talking about how he saw this all go down.

He is someone who has a mixed martial arts background and a security background. He said he watched at first, but then he could not help but try to intervene, because he was so disturbed about what he was seeing, what looked to him as trying to choke out George Floyd because of Chauvin's knee on George Floyd's neck.

And I just want to give you some idea about just how tight security is here. To my left is the Hennepin County Government Center, where the trial is being held. And you can see an incredible amount of security here. Already today, for the first time this evening, we are starting to see protesters show up outside the courthouse -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Sara, we will stay in very close touch with you in these coming days. Well, Sara Sidner on the scene for us in Minneapolis, thank you.

Let's talk about the trial with CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson. Also joining us, Richard Frase, a criminal law professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, and Natalie Jackson, a wrongful death attorney who has represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and others.

To all of you, thanks so much for joining us.

And, Joey, let's talk first about this first day of the trial. It launched with the prosecution playing that awful video of George Floyd's final moments. It's incredibly difficult to watch.

But let me show some of what the jury saw today. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

G. FLOYD: I'm about to die this day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Relax.

G. FLOYD: I can't breathe -- my face.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you on?

G. FLOYD: I can't breathe. Please, a knee on my neck, I can't breathe. Shit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, get up and get in the car, man. Get up and get in the car.

G. FLOYD: I will. I can't move.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, get up, and get in the car. Get up and get in the car right.

G. FLOYD: I can't.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... get in, bro. I'm telling you, you can't win.

G. FLOYD: My knee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't win, my man.

G. FLOYD: I'm through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know you're (INAUDIBLE) but you didn't listen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joey, that went on for some 10 minutes. How powerful is it for the jury, the members of the jury, to see that with their own eyes earlier today?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Wolf, it's damning and compelling.

And we have to remember it's not only as to the own eyes, but it's also the ears. If you think what you're seeing is bad enough, when you look at the entirety of the video, you hear the audio. What did that audio include? It included bystanders who were pleading with the police, who were actually saying to the officers, he's dying. What are you doing? This is not appropriate. This is not what we do.

They're really telling the police just to back up. And so when you hear that, in addition to seeing that, it gets worse. And beyond that, Wolf, what you learn today is that the bystanders were calling the police on the police. And then it got worse than that. How?

Because you had a 911 dispatcher who herself was visualizing this in her office, and she herself called the police on the police, a supervisor. So it was a very compelling day. And then it ended up where you had an expert witness that happened to be an eyewitness. He was a wrestler, formerly. He is a mixed martial artists now.

And he was giving blow by blow, chapter and verse with respect to the conduct or misconduct, as it were. It was just a very powerful, damning, and, quite frankly, tragic day, as it related to bringing the case before the jury.

BLITZER: And, Natalie, as Joey pointed out, we heard from witnesses today, including that 911 dispatcher, who saw all this unfold, felt something was horribly wrong.

How compelling was that type of testimony?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY: I think that's very compelling, because, in a sense, the dispatcher is a part of the team, the police team.

And she felt something was so wrong that it went against her moral core, that she called the sergeant and reported it, because she thought there was excessive forced used. And I think that, because she's seen as a part of the police team, she was a very compelling witness.

BLITZER: Professor Frase, so the defense raised George Floyd's drug use, his size, other health issues. They played video to argue that Floyd initially resisted, even though Floyd was handcuffed when Chauvin pinned Floyd down for nearly 10 minutes or so.

What does that say about what we can expect from the defense throughout the trial over the next few weeks?

[18:10:03]

RICHARD FRASE, CRIMINAL LAW PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL: Well, they're certainly going to continue to emphasize the importance of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

And the two issues that are strongest for them and effect all three charges are causation of death and justified use of force. So that's what they're going to keep emphasizing. BLITZER: Well, Joey, what do you say about that? You're a criminal defense attorney. What do you make of the argument by the defense that bystanders who were trying to help George Floyd actually distracted the police officers?

Is that even relevant?

J. JACKSON: Listen, it's not relevant.

And to that point, obviously, the defense has to do what they have to do. They have to use what they have to use. But, ultimately, yes, you have to attack the core issue of, why didn't you do more? What were you doing in the first instance?

But I think causation, look, it falls short. I think it's very difficult to make the argument that it was not as a result of the knee on the neck that he didn't die. And, Wolf, we should be very clear about this. You don't have to establish, if you're the prosecutor, that it was the sole cause, just that it was a substantial cause of death, right?

It was a contributing factor to it. And you can argue preexisting conditions. You can argue drug use. You can argue bad heart. Argue COVID. Argue whatever you want. Don't believe your lying eyes, though. We saw what we saw. I think it's very compelling and a lot for them to overcome.

Final brief point. On the issue of use of force, we get to one word. It's called reasonableness. I don't think anyone on the planet can look at that and say, hey, it's self-defense, it's justified, and it's reasonable. It's just a lot to overcome, to be clear.

BLITZER: Well, Professor Frase, you're an expert on Minnesota law. Is this a slam dunk, this case?

FRASE: Oh, not at all, although I think if the state can get past the causation issue -- and I think they can, especially because of the standard that was just mentioned -- some of these charges, especially the second-degree unintentional murder charge, are very good for the for the state under Minnesota law.

It's a very pro-prosecution law of what we call felony murder.

BLITZER: Natalie, you were the lawyer for the Trayvon Martin family. The George Zimmerman trial was also televised. What sort of impact does it have when people can watch this for themselves?

And people are watching all over the country, indeed, in much of the world.

N. JACKSON: I think it has a tremendous impact.

It really shows what happened without the rumors, without everyone talking about it. You can see for yourself. We have seen the video. What we had never seen before was the dispatcher's video. So that was something new, and her audio where she called the sergeant and said that she thought there was excessive use of force.

I think that this is why it's so important that we have this testimony, that the media is there in the courtroom, so that people can really see what is going on for themselves.

BLITZER: Natalie, how concerned are you potentially of a mistrial if -- it has to be unanimous decision by the jury?

Are you worried that there could be one or two or three jurors who decide he's not guilty?

N. JACKSON: I'm always worried about that.

We have seen it over and over again. I think most of black America has some concern about that, just because of the way that the system is set up to protect police officers, even police officers who do wrong. In this case, what we have seen is that -- and what we have seen traditionally is that officers are not held accountable for their misdeeds.

BLITZER: Joey, the NAACP president, Derrick Johnson, who's going to join us later this hour, he says the right to breathe is on trial in Minneapolis right now.

Just how high are the stakes here for the Floyd family, for the country right now?

J. JACKSON: I think it's very significant.

We're in troubling times. We have come -- we have come out of four years of really divisiveness, and just it's been a really tough time. And so it's sort of like a reenactment of another civil rights movement, where what's the accountability going to be like?

We have seen all these cases where, police officers, number one, they don't get indicted, and we say, well, why not? Number two, if you're indicted, you're not convicted, and you say, why not?

And so it's a new era of accountability. To be clear, every officer has to be judged on their own merits. And this is not about, as the prosecution made clear, about all officers. We have officers who are going out and serving communities night and day.

But to those who step to the left and who engage in this gross, unreasonable and disproportionate behavior, there needs to be a reckoning. And I think that's what he's speaking about when he's talking about the -- being able to breathe in general being on trial.

BLITZER: Yes, hearing him scream out, as much -- as best as he could on the ground, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe," so powerful.

All right, guys, thank you very, very much.

Just ahead, we're going to find out how George Floyd's family is responding to everything that happened in court today, including the defense's claim that Derek Chauvin was just following his training. And later: The CDC director goes off-script, gets very emotional, near tears, warning of impending doom, as COVID-19 cases are actually climbing in the United States right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:19:07]

BLITZER: We're getting new reaction to the first day of a trial with enormous implications for this country. It will determine if former police Officer Derek Chauvin is convicted in the death of George Floyd.

We're joined now by one of the attorneys for the Floyd family, Jeffrey Storms.

Jeff, thank you so much for joining us.

That very disturbing 10-minute-or-so video of George Floyd's death spurred millions of Americans to protest last summer. Your colleague used that video to frame the prosecution of Derek Chauvin today. How important do you think that video is to this case?

JEFF STORMS, ATTORNEY FOR FLOYD FAMILY: Absolutely critical, Wolf.

I think the prosecution did the two things it needed to do today on opening. It showed the video, and it took the sting out of the character attacks that were -- we have heard and will hear from the defense.

BLITZER: The first witness in the trial a 911 dispatcher, actually said -- and I'm quoting now -- "My instincts were telling me that something's wrong."

[18:20:05]

What will the jury learn from the variety of witnesses who saw what was happening, including some who took out their phones to document it?

STORMS: Well, I think they're going to learn that what the dispatcher saw is what everyone saw.

Our own eyes told us that what was happening was a murder, that it was wrong. And to hear the defense say in opening that Officer Chauvin was just doing what he was trained to do, it was nonsense, Wolf.

We have known in Minnesota for over a decade, when Minneapolis police officers killed another young black man named David Smith in just an excruciatingly similar prone or straight fashion, we have known that holding people down and that type of position kills them here in Minneapolis in particular.

And Officer Chauvin was there when this case happened. And as part of that case, as part of the settlement, Wolf, they were supposed to train all the officers to avoid situations like this. And so hearing Officer Chauvin say he was doing or this counsel state was doing what he was trained to do, I think we're going to hear a lot of testimony from the contrary from the Minneapolis police officers that testify in this case.

BLITZER: Yes, the defense lawyer said Chauvin was doing exactly -- he used the word exactly -- what he was trained to do.

Let's talk about the defense strategy, Jeff, while I have you. They argued today that there were other factors that could have contributed to Floyd's death, including hypertension, coronary disease, drug use.

Does the Floyd family fear that George Floyd will actually be put on trial, instead of Derek Chauvin?

STORMS: Well, I think every black family in America feels that way, Wolf. That seems to be what always happens, is, instead of talking about the actual defendant, we talk about the deceased whenever it's a black person in America.

So, of course, they feel that way. But I think, given the overwhelming support and love that they felt from the world, I think they really have a lot of faith that these jurors are not going to fall for a sleight of hands.

BLITZER: How do you think the trial being televised now nationally, indeed, internationally, could impact people's trust in the U.S. justice system?

STORMS: I hope it impacts it in a very positive way, Wolf. I hope we see this justice system perform the way it should. I think that we're seeing a judge who's making very fair and equitable rulings.

We get a chance to see what the actual evidence is that the jury is considering. So, when the verdict comes down, we're not going to be sort of guessing at what was necessarily said and heard or relying upon hearing it secondhand. We're going to get to see the evidence.

And it's going to tell us whether or not we're all operating under the same justice system, or perhaps black Americans are operating under something different.

BLITZER: Jeffrey Storms, thanks so much for joining us.

STORMS: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up: The CDC director takes her fears about another COVID-19 surge here in the United States to a new level with talk of impending doom.

And President Biden says 90 percent of Americans will be vaccine- eligible within the next three weeks. But does that mean they will actually be able to get a shot in the arm?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:27:59]

BLITZER: Tonight, as many Americans are still unable to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine, President Biden is promising that most adults will be eligible in the next three weeks, the urgency underscored by an ominous new warning from the CDC director of impending doom -- her words -- in the pandemic.

CNN's Alexandra Field is putting it all together for us.

Alexandra, the president echoed the CDC director's deep concerns about the rise, very worrisome rise, right now in new infections in the U.S.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Incredibly worrisome, Wolf.

The president has certainly worked to increase the availability of vaccines. Now he's working to improve the accessibility of vaccines. But it doesn't come down to shots alone, not right now. The president instead calling on all states across the nation to either reimplement or maintain a mask mandate, as we see these numbers rise.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (voice-over): The war against COVID-19 is far from won.

FIELD (voice-over): With new cases of COVID-19 rising in more than half the states across the country, a plea from President Joe Biden.

BIDEN: Now's not the time to let down. Now's not the time to celebrate. It is time to do what we do best as a country, our duty, our jobs. Take care of one another. And fight this to the finish. We can and will do this, but don't let up now. Don't let up now.

FIELD: The president calling on all states to pause reopenings, urging Americans to wear masks and get shots, the president saying 90 percent of adults will now be eligible for a vaccine within the next three weeks, and announcing he's more than doubling the number of pharmacies distributing vaccines nationwide.

Soon, he says, 90 percent of Americans will be within five miles of a vaccination site.

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: And I'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom.

FIELD: The CDC director, Rochelle Walensky, also urging every American to hold on a little while longer.

[18:30:00]

WALENSKY: Right now I'm scared. I know what it's like as a physician, to stand in that patient room, downed, loved, masked, shielded and to be the last person to touch someone else's loved one because their loved one couldn't be there. FIELD (voice over): The Biden administration trying not to repeat past mistakes as President Trump's former coronavirus response coordinator lays bare those failures.

DEBORAH BIRX, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: There were about 100,000 deaths that came from that original surge. All of the rest of them, in my mind, could have been mitigated or decreased substantially.

FIELD: 20 percent of American adults are now fully vaccinated, progress accelerating with more than 3 million shots on each of the last three days. A new CDC study shows just how effective the vaccines really are out here in the real world. When given to 4,000 health care workers and first responders, Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines were 90 percent effective at preventing infection, 80 percent after the first dose.

JEFF ZIENTS, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: As we increase the number of people vaccinated, we know some people may have a need to demonstrate they are vaccinated.

FIELD: The administration now working to develop guidelines for people to prove they've been vaccinated, increasingly important with more people seemingly determined to let loose. Sunday marking another record day for pandemic-era air travel.

Spring breakers may be the reason for a jump in cases in Florida among younger people who are less likely to be vaccinated, the same trend appearing in Michigan, which has seen the biggest weekly increase in cases in the country.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: It will be a race between the vaccine and what's going on with the dynamics of the outbreak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD (on camera): And, Wolf, more than a year into this crisis, there are still a lot of questions about how it all started. The World Health Organization is expected to release a report tomorrow on the origins of COVID-19. A draft of that report shows they're sticking with the theory that first passed to humans through an animal.

That draft also says the least likely source is a laboratory leak, more to discuss when we see that tomorrow. Wolf?

BLITZER: We will certainly report on that. Alexandra, thank you very much.

Joining us now, Dr. Ashish Jha, the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Dr. Jha, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

That was a very serious warning from President Biden today saying our work against this virus is far from over. How worried should we be right now when at the same time we're making very good progress on vaccinations? DR. ASHISH JHA, DEAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Yes, Wolf. Thank you for having me on. We are making really good progress on vaccinations, my goodness. And I think what we're seeing is infections rising in about 34 states. So obviously that's of concern. And hospitalizations are starting to rise.

Now, I don't think we're going to get ever to the sort of days of December and January when we had 100,000 people in the hospital, 4,000 people a day dying. Thankfully, I don't think we're going to get there, but we may see more infections and deaths in the upcoming weeks. And given how close we are to widespread vaccinations, it's all so unnecessary. So we really do have to be very careful right now.

BLITZER: Yes, the last seven days alone, there's been an average of about a thousand Americans dying every single day.

President Biden did push up the vaccine timeline today, saying 90 percent of adults will be eligible to get a coronavirus vaccine in the next three weeks. Are the biggest obstacles now getting those shots into arms and helping to reassure people who are still hesitant or reluctant to get vaccinated?

JHA: Yes. So the supply has gotten much better and will continue to be good I think in the upcoming weeks. Distribution, getting shots into arms is getting better. Some states are still struggling a little bit. I do think the next game is going to be played around kind of confidence and making sure that people feel comfortable getting vaccinated.

Given how many people have gotten vaccinated already, almost 100 million Americans, I do think that this -- that alone is going to add a lot of confidence in a lot of Americans seeing others getting vaccinated and doing well. But that's going to be the issue were going to have view (ph).

BLITZER: We certainly will. The new CDC report, you've seen it, shows that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are actually 80 percent effective after just a single dose, more than 90 percent effective with both doses. But in the previous hour, the new surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, told me you can't say how long that immunity will last that first dose if you only get one dose, so he still recommends two doses. Do you agree?

JHA: Yes, no doubt about it. Everybody needs two doses. There's been some debate about how much time is okay to lapse. But at this point given how much vaccine we have, I think it's very important for people to follow the schedule of three to four weeks, depending on whether it's Pfizer or Moderna. No question about it though, everybody needs two doses.

BLITZER: Yes, that's so, so critically right now, but remember, still got to wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands, all of the above, not that hard to do it, but critically important.

[18:35:04]

Remember, a thousand Americans are still dying every day.

Dr. Jha, thank you so much for joining us.

JHA: Thank you.

BLITZER: Just ahead, President Biden is about to launch his next multitrillion dollar agenda item. We're going to discuss his priorities and the price tag.

And we'll also explain how a massive ship that was stuck in the Suez Canal for days was finally free.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Tonight, President Biden is less than 48 hours away from launching another major element of his economic agenda and explaining how he plans to pay for its 3 trillion, maybe even $4 trillion price tag.

[18:40:04]

Our Senior White House Correspondent Phil Mattingly is joining us right now. Phil, so what can we expect to hear from the president when he releases all this information on Wednesday?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the president is going to go big. And I don't think there's any question about that. It's a theme he's held throughout his time in office. Obviously did it with $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief law, cornerstone legislative achievement, and they're going big again. This as you noted, it will be split into two parts, totaling somewhere between $3 and $4 trillion.

The first part is what the president will address on Wednesday. In remarks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wolf, the same city where he started his campaign two years ago, and it will largely be based on the physical infrastructure, spending on things like preparing roads and bridges, ports and waterways, also dealing with the caregiver sector as well, a big component as well as the infrastructure in schools and child care services.

What you're also going to see will be a significant tax increase package. Now, these taxes for this first piece, I'm told, will be focused primarily on the business sector, including increasing the business tax rate from 21 percent where it currently stands to 28 percent.

Now, it doesn't mean that this is going to be the final proposal. But as Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, made clear, this is what the president is putting on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And he has a plan to pay for it, which he will propose. But right now, once he proposes that, our focus is also on having that engagement and discussion with members of Congress. If they share a goal of building our infrastructure for the future but don't like the way he's going to propose to pay for it, we're happy to look at their proposals. If they don't want to pay for it, I guess they can propose that too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Now, Wolf, the second part of the proposal is expected next month. This is the starting got up short, this isn't going to happen fast. This is probably going to launch months of negotiations. But there's no doubt about it, this is the primary focus for the Biden administration over the course in the next coming weeks and months. And, again, they're once again willing to go big, Wolf.

BLITZER: You know, Phil, we saw the president and the first lady make a surprise visit that was not announced this afternoon to the Vietnam War Memorial here in D.C. Tell us about that.

MATTINGLY: Yes, it's to commemorate National Vietnam Veterans, World Veterans Day. And just a couple blocks Wolf, as you know quite well, just standing adjacent to the national mall a couple blocks down from the White House, there's no more kind of, I would say, breathtaking monument necessarily in the whole kind of National Mall structure.

It is breathtaking when you walk up and see the scale of it, obviously, 58,000 plus names of those who died or were killed in the Vietnam War. And the president and first lady bringing in a white bouquet of flowers, you can see them on the screen there, the president putting his hand over his heart as they laid that bouquet down, also making a charcoal etching of a single name that was on the wall as well.

Wolf, you know the wall quite well. There are fewer more solemn places to visit in Washington, D.C. It reflects I think what the president believes in terms of the value of veterans and troops that he always talks about while he's at the White House. You see him etching the name right there on the screen, something anybody can do when they go there.

I know this quite well, my grandfather, Thomas O'Day (ph), is actually just a few pallets (ph) over from where the president and the first lady were standing right there, on W 36, line 76. And I just urge people, if you come to Washington, D.C., if you're headed down to the mall, stop by the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial.

It is breathtaking exhibit and I think it's one that as family of somebody who was killed in the Vietnam War, will certainly appreciate the president taking time to stop down on this day and commemorate those who served and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

BLITZER: Yes, like your grandfather did. Our, you know, our hearts go out to the family, obviously, very, very sad situation many years ago. And I'm glad the president and the first lady made that visit earlier today. Thanks so much for joining us. We're going to continue obviously to be all over, all of these developments. Thanks once again. But right now, I want to bring in the president and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson. Derrick, thank you so much for joining us. We got several issues to discuss but I know you're closely following day one of the trial of Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis.

You say, quote, and I'm quoting you now, George Floyd is not on trial, Derek Chauvin is on trial, justice is on trial, human rights are on trial and the right to breathe is on trial, your words. How high do you believe, Derrick, the stakes are in this country right now?

DERRICK JOHNSON, PRESIDENT & CEO, NAACP: Well, for me, it's akin to sitting in my dorm room watching the trial of Rodney King and hearing the verdict and the disappointment so many people in this country had when we witnessed with our own eyes uninterrupted, unedited what took place. And that's what we're looking at now.

We've all seen from several camera angles that George Floyd was murdered, that he was stopped from breathing. And you have witnesses who stood there, just plead with the police officers, he cannot breathe, we should not be doing this. What is on trial is justice. What's on trial is whether or not a black man in America has the right to breathe.

[18:45:05]

BLITZER: Let's talk about the fight against Georgia's new restrictive voting law. The Georgia NCAA just filed a lawsuit against this law. That's the second lawsuit against the law.

How much faith do you put in these legal challenges, Derrick?

JOHNSON: Well, unfortunately, what we are using is the remnants of what used to be a robust Voting Rights Act. It is clear what the state of Georgia is trying to do, is limit access to voting.

How can we tout democracy around the globe if we are refusing citizens in this country to get a drink of water while they're standing in line, when we are trying to prevent individuals from exercising their right to vote, when we are using the authority that God has vested in individuals to uphold the Constitution?

What they're doing is unconstitutional. And it's our goal to fight with all we have to ensure full compliance with the Constitution, and the remnants of the Voting Rights Act is what we're using. But it's so much and it's so important for us to reauthorize the voting rights act in full force as we had known it before the Supreme Court gutted it.

BLITZER: President Biden also made it clear today that his top priority now moving forward is infrastructure in our country. Are you worried, though, Derrick, that voting rights potentially will be left behind? Do you -- where do you see this unfolding?

JOHNSON: Well, there shouldn't be a comparison. I mean, we could do well and do good. We could do well by putting Americans back to work. We could fix our infrastructure and ensure that our young people have clean water, that our roads are safe, that our businesses have bridges to cross while they're shipping products while at the same time do good by our Constitution by ensuring the full engagement in this democracy is afforded to all citizens.

In this country, our right to vote, the vote is the currency to ensure a good democracy. Many people talk about Founding Fathers. If you want to talk about the Founding Fathers, you want to talk about the foundation of this great democracy, compliance with the Constitution.

Access to voting should be afforded to all citizens free of intimidations and barriers while we put Americans back to work with a robust plan, the greatest prosperity this nation has ever seen as a result of Roosevelt's New Deal. Now we have to get a new New Deal.

BLITZER: Derrick Johnson, thanks so much for joining us.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

BLITZER: Coming up, the giant ship that shut down the Suez Canal is timely free. But there's a huge backlog of more than 400 vessels waiting to pass.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:52:12]

BLITZER: The giant containership blocking traffic through the Suez Canal is finally free and moving on after crippling one of the world's most important trade routes for nearly a week.

CNN's Brian Todd is working the story for us.

So, Brian, this incident caused huge delays to global shipment.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly did, Wolf. You know, tonight, the liberated containership is now in wider body of water called the Great Bitter Lake, as recovery teams checked for extended damage. But the problems as you mentioned of backlog and congestion for shipping traffic in that region are certainly not over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): Tug boats blast of their horns as the ship blocking the Suez Canal is finally free. Taking advantage of a high tide, a team of about 10 tugboats dislodges the Ever Given, unblocking the crucial canal.

The first signs of progress coming overnight, when the stern was pulled off of one bank then the bow was freed, which had been lodged in the other bank even after digging, dredging and off-loading some weight.

PETER BREDOWSKI, BOSKALIS/SMIT SALVAGE: We used the water power that was in the canal, with the returning tides to push the vessel while we were pulling it.

TODD: Tonight, the ship has been moved to a wider waterway to check in for damage from the grounding.

CAPT. JAMES STAPLES, OCEANRIVER LLC MARITIME: That could cause cracking. It could cause all sorts of damage to the vessel, internally and externally as well.

TODD: The ship, 220,000 tons and almost as long as the Empire State Building is high got stuck last Tuesday, wedged crossed wise. If it hadn't been freed by tugboats, experts spoke of unloading the ship by erecting giant cranes or using helicopters, while all other ships would deter all the way around Africa.

The blockage caused a growing backup of over 400 tankers and freighters, putting personal care ago like the livestock at risk, causing fuel rationing in Syria and driving up shipping prices.

RICHARD MEADE, MANAGING EDITOR, LLOYD'S LIST: What you're looking at now is several months of distraction for global supply chains.

LARS JENSEN, CEO, SEAINTELLIGENCE CONSULTING: There's now a very high risk that once the canal opens within a week of that opening, we will have congestion problems especially in Europe.

TODD: The cause of the ground and could be 40 knot winds and a sandstorm, canal authority say. Or technical, or human error.

SAL MERCOGLIANO, FORMER MERCHANT MARINER: You'll definitely some changes in the operation of the Suez Canal when it comes to the operation of these ultra large vessels going through. Unfortunately, rules, regulations, oversight for vessels haven't stayed a pace to the vessel size.

TODD: The incident experts say highlighting our precarious dependence on global just in time delivery, using mega ships.

MERCOGLIANO: The past week has really highlighted the maritime transportation system, the grounding of Ever Given really demonstrated how vital maritime transportation is and also have fragile it is. These large vessels has a potential to cause disruptions on a global scale.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): Authorities now say they'll work 24/7 to move through the backlog of waiting ships.

[18:55:03]

Even at that pace the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority estimates it could take at least 3 days to end the congestion. To get a sense of what was lost during this crisis, Wolf, usually 80 to 90 ships passed each day through the canal, nearly 10 billion dollars of trade passes through the canal each day, a lot was lost in this crisis.

BLITZER: Good point. Brian Todd, thanks very much.

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

BLITZER: Finally tonight, we share more stories of the nearly 550,000 people who died from the coronavirus in United States.

Doris Sebul of Florida was 87 years old. She was a high school valedictorian, went back to college to finish her degree while raising 5 children. Family says she was generous and caring, and touched many, many lives during nearly 50 years as an elementary school teacher.

Greg Rucinski of Wisconsin was 68. He was a pharmacist and a fan of the Badgers and Packers, who enjoyed cars, his pets and a good cigar. We're told that he was very proud of the business he built, very proud of his daughter Riley who just graduated from college.

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

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.