CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Speaks Out On Husband's Coronavirus Battle

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DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to CNN's continuing coverage. I'm Dana Bash, in Washington. And I want to bring in now a guest from Capitol Hill, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Senator, thank you so much for joining me.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): Thank you Dana.

BASH: We often talk -- always talk about your role as a senator, previously, your role as a presidential candidate. But, now, I want to ask you about your role as a wife given the fact that your husband, John, has coronavirus. First of all, tell us the latest, how is he doing?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, he's doing a little better. He finally turned the corner. I think a lot of people have it worse than we did. And that he got out of the hospital. He had a temperature over 100 degrees for ten days and then he ended up going in after he was coughing up blood for his test in X-ray's, he checked him in the hospital right away and said he had pneumonia and he was on oxygen from -- for four or five days and then somehow turned the corner and he's now recovering at home. They still don't know when he won't be contagious. So I'm going to go wave to him outside the window and I'm staying at my colleague's apartment, Senator Smith, because I can't go there.

So it is something that so many Americans know right now, they can't go in to visit their loved ones. They are relying on these incredible healthcare providers that they only get to talk to over the phone. So I want to thank them but I also want to say to the rest of America that this isn't easy. We know how hard this is going to be. But he's story is anything, I mean, he's only 52 and healthy his whole life. His story is follow the rules. At least he did not get others sick. Because the the minute he started thinking he had a cold, he stayed in the apartment.

BASH: And you have no idea how he -- two question, first of all, you've no idea how he got it? And second --

KLOBUCHAR: No.

BASH: -- is he alone in the apartment? I mean, how does it work? Because I ask you that not just as your personal story but how this is working for people across the country who have the luxury of being able to go home from the hospital?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, you know, he is a pretty self-sufficient guy. He wants to go back teaching his classes remotely. But I don't think he's doing that right now. And our daughter is in New York in her apartment with her roommate. And so she's been calling and she finally got to him. We knew he was coming back a little when he did words with friends with her after ten days of her trying.

And so, you know, you just going try to be creative. And I kept saying, what's your temperature, what's your temperature. I did that like every hour, I would call him before he got in the hospital, because you don't know how they're really doing because they start to get kind of loopy and they're tired and they're sleeping all the time. And so you've got to keep checking in.

But like I said, there are so many worse stories and some of your viewers know exactly what I'm talking about, people who are on ventilators right now, people who needs to be on ventilators right now. So I think the key is, you know, I never get the test, because I never had symptoms, 14 days, I hadn't been with him, and I never got symptoms. So I didn't need to have a test.

So it makes you understand why we have those tests and how we have to make sure they go to the people that need them the most. And why we just have to follow the rules, because we're not going to have the capacity as we are seeing in New York and New Orleans and other places to be able to bring everyone in the hospital at the same time.

BASH: So let's talk about that. You know, we have heard even just before the segment. The governor of New York, once again, saying the ventilators are desperately needed, we're hearing that from the governor of Michigan and a growing number of governors and local leaders across the country. And there continues to be the blame game going on between those state leaders and the president and people in the administration. As a senator, how do you want this to be resolved right now?

KLOBUCHAR: I want the president to lead and not spend a quarter of his press conferences blaming other people and going after governors. I want the president, of course, I wish that he had planned ahead when this started happening in China in terms of getting those tests in massive amount, ready to go and letting places like the Mayo Clinic, which is now working on a serum test, getting those approved right away. I think that's what we should be doing now.

And as for the equipment for people in the hospitals, he just has to do everything he can to lead and not say he's just the backup.

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This is a national pandemic. This is a global pandemic. This is a time when leaders lead instead of blaming the governors who are basically on the frontline trying to do their best every single day.

BASH: And, Senator, you and your colleagues passed in an overwhelming bipartisan way, a historic, unprecedented $2 trillion disaster relief bill effectively, which is going to be voted on momentarily, if not, as we speak, in the House of Representatives. That has $400 million for states to assist in elections that are being disrupted by the pandemic. This is a specific issue for you since we are in an election year. Is that enough?

KLOBUCHAR: No, it isn't. And that's why I have been fighting with my colleague, Ron Wyden, to big time up our voting at home, voting by mail for this election. There is time to do this. Every state in the country allowed us one way or another. They've got to reform their rules to make it easier. They have to make sure that early voting places are opened at least 20 days ahead. And then, of course, we need the funding for the mail in ballots. And we got some, that's good, but we're going to never give up. We're doing a major effort on this to get it done.

And I'd also say, I'm so glad the House is voting. I thought that was ridiculous that one member would hang it up like he did, Congressman Massie, but I guess that's his right. But this bill, it is not perfect, it is not everything that I wanted it to be, obviously. But what it is, is it this immediate relief to the people of this country with unemployment and with small business, with making sure that we are getting more funding out there for our hospitals. And I appreciate what Speaker Pelosi has done but also Senator Schumer and Durbin and Murray and all of our leaders in the Senate that worked so hard to make the bill better.

BASH: And, Senator, before I let you go, just one last question about your message to fellow families of people out there who have loved ones who have this virus, who are struggling, who are very, very sick.

KLOBUCHAR: I would say that you say some prayers, you do your best to monitor the person because you most likely are not going to be able to be with them. I'm telling you I wish that I had my husband take his laptop to the hospital. There's some practical things that I couldn't do. But at least he took his phone charger so that we could keep calling him all the time.

And so, making sure that you can keep in touch with them, that you have a contact in the hospital to try to find one because it is just -- it's the hardest thing. You literally aren't going to be able to see them, and that you have to give patients to healthcare providers on the frontline. They are struggling, they don't have enough equipment and they are doing everything that they can.

And that's what I would say. It's going to happen to everyone. There is going to be someone in your family that this happens to. And you just have to be ready for that moment and then also make the tough decision. I'm not going into that room with him because I can't get my kids sick or I can't get my grandma sick. And that's the hardest thing of all, but it's the best thing for our country.

BASH: Senator, thank you so much. We are so happy to hear that your husband, John, is home and that he is recovering. It's great news.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you Dana.

BASH: Stay well. I'm going to toss it back to Brianna Keilar also in Washington. Brianna?

KEILAR: Dana, thank you so much and thank you so much to Senator Klobuchar.

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