CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Dick Durbin

Interview

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[16:05:07]

WHITFIELD: Right. All right. Very sobering. John Harwood at the White House, thank you so much.

All right, with me now is Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. He is the minority whip and a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Senator, good to see you. So let me begin, you know, first by your reaction to yet another outbreak in the White House. This time five members of Vice President Pence's inner circle testing positive.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): Well, I can tell you, when Chief of Staff Mark Meadows announced that they were throwing in the mask and throwing in the towel on trying to stop this pandemic, it really was a revelation. I mean, we've known this for a long, long time. They're looking for the miracle vaccine and frankly don't want to engage in the basics to avoid infection and subsequent death.

And this is the very basic, just wearing a mask. And here's a vice president who now has been exposed at least on a staff level to people who are seriously ill. He wants to come to the United States Senate and preside tomorrow night on the vote on Amy Coney Barrett. I agree with Chuck Schumer, please, for the sake of the Senate, for our health, and maybe even your own, stay home.

WHITFIELD: Besides that verbal plea, what can you do to say, you know, Vice President, Mr. Vice President, you're not welcome right now particularly because people close to you, people who work closest to you have tested positive and just simply for the protection of everyone here in the chambers, don't come?

DURBIN: The bottom line is he has the constitutional right as vice president, and presiding over the Senate to be a super spreader. And if he wants to exercise his constitutional right, I can guarantee those of us who are going to be voting are going to be standing in the back of the chamber and trying not to expose anybody to the danger of his presence.

WHITFIELD: You know, there have been some lessons learned out there from people who have either contracted coronavirus or at least come into close contact with, as it pertains to the White House's inner circle. I mean, Governor Christie -- former governor Chris Christie of New Jersey said this today about his lessons learned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: The whole getting of COVID, to begins with, and the not wearing of masks has been a problem. I've talked about that over the last couple of weeks. And so I think everybody has got to put the health of the people they're going to be in touch with first. When I found out that I got COVID that Friday morning, I immediately quarantined myself. I also wound up in the hospital. But you've got to keep yourself away from everybody, and I'm a little bit surprised.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Why does that message not seem to sink in with this White House?

DURBIN: Well, I can tell you when the president comes off the helicopters from Walter Reed, does his ceremonial march up the steps for his balcony scene, his Evita moment, strips off his mask, and really proclaims his invincibility, it's exactly oppositive of what a president should be saying. He ought to thank those health heroes who kept him alive and beg people, be careful for yourself and for the people you love. Wearing a simple mask is something that's not too much to ask. When the president stripped his off, it sent exactly the wrong message to America.

WHITFIELD: And now another message being sent to America, there is this urgency to get the Supreme Court justice nominee confirmed as early as tomorrow. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell says by tomorrow evening there will be a new Supreme Court justice, yet there hasn't been the same level of urgency to get a stimulus plan going. So many people are not going to be able to make their rent again or their mortgage or even put foot on the table. So what are your concerns and what's your messaging?

DURBIN: Senator McConnell contacted the White House last week and said don't waste any more time on this, we're not going to pass a COVID-19 bill in the United States Senate. The Republicans are in control and we have a higher priority. We need to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court so that justice is in place to eliminate the Affordable Care Act and take health insurance away from 23 million Americans.

Think about that. Taking health insurance away from 23 million Americans in the midst of a pandemic? That's the priority of the Republican Senate controlled operation. It is not COVID-19.

WHITFIELD: Are you concerned that of those voters who get to take advantage of early voting, that they will feel, you know, this is de- incentivizing me to vote because I feel like the priorities are not that of the American welfare?

DURBIN: Well, I hope that those voters realize it's time for change in the Senate that the Republican majority that's decided that one Supreme Court nominee is more important than millions of Americans who are going through a pandemic is the wrong decision. It's time for a change in the Senate.

WHITFIELD: And Senator Durbin, what precaution will you, if you can, take tomorrow if indeed the vice president is to show up?

DURBIN: I'm going to stay away from him as far as I can. I'll be in the back of the chamber. I'll stick my head in the door to vote and that's it. It's a shame that we've reached that point. But they are so irresponsible at the White House. They can't keep the White House safe from COVID-19.

[16:10:01]

How are they going to keep the nation safe from it? You know, as far as I'm concerned, the vice president is saying the best interest of public health and all the innocent people I'm making contact with, I am not going to go to the Senate, I am not going to campaign.

WHITFIELD: Senator Dick Durbin, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

DURBIN: Thank you.

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