January 6, 2021

THE PROGRAM YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE WAS RECORDED DURING THE SERIOUS EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WE DISCUSSED THE EVENTS THAT ARE UNFOLDING WITH ALL OUR GUESTS.

FIRST HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN WITH LATEST UPDATE.

Sreenivasan: CONGRESS MET TODAY TO CERTIFY THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN WON THE ELECTION, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSED THOUSANDS OF HIS SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN WASHINGTON IN SUPPORT OF THE FALSE CLAIMS THAT THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN FROM HIM.

INCITED MARCHED TO THE CAPITOL WHERE THINGS TURNED VIOLENT.

A SWARM OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS PUSHED PAST POLICE WHO FAILED TO BLOCK THEM FROM ENTERING THE U.S. CAPITOL.

A MOB WAS ABLE TO BREAK THROUGH THE MAIN DOOR AND ENTER THE BUILDING AND THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE PROCEEDINGS HAD TO BE HALTED.

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 9/11 THE CAPITOL WAS PUT ON LOCKDOWN WITH CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE BUILDINGS EVACUATED AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FORCED TO SHELTER IN PLACE.

THE MOB ROAMED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING, INCLUDING THE SENATE FLOOR, AND VANDALIZED SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI'S OFFICE.

AT LEAST ONE PROTESTER WAS SHOT AND LATER DIED.

SEVERAL OFFICERS AND OTHERS WERE ALSO INJURED AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED.

PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN ADDRESSED THE NATION THIS AFTERNOON AND CALLED TO DONALD TRUMP TO GO ON TELEVISION AND URGE HIS SUPPORTERS TO STAND DOWN AND END THEIR OCCUPATION OF THE U.S. CAPITOL.

LATER, PRESIDENT TRUMP RELEASED A VIDEO ON TWITTER.

HE CONTINUED TO FALSELY CLAIM THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN BUT ASKED THE RIOTERS TO LEAVE CAPITOL.

SO GO HOME.

WE LOVE YOU.

YOU'RE VERY SPECIAL.

Sreenivasan: MORE THAN 1100 NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM SURROUNDING STATES RESPOND TOAD SECURE THE CAPITOL, AND WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, D.C.

MAYOR BOUGH BOWSER DECLARED A CURFEW FROM THURSDAY NIGHT UNTIL THE MORNING.

ELECTION RESULTS CONTINUED TO ROLL IN AND JON OSSOFF WAS DECLARED THE WINNER OVER DAVID PERDUE.

AFTER THE CAPITOL WAS CLEARED TO BE SAFE, CONGRESS RESUMED THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VERIFICATION PROCESS.

AND LATE IN THE DAY, TWITTER LOCKED PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ACCOUNT, AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES REMOVED CONTENT THAT HE HAD POSTED.

MEANWHILE, THE SURGE OF COVID-19 CASES AND RECORD DAILY FATALITIES CONTINUE AS YOU'LL SEE IN A CONVERSATION LATER.

LOS ANGELES IS BEING PARTICULARLY HARD HIT.

HERE'S OUR PROGRAM AS IT HAPPENED ON THIS DARK DAY IN THE UNITED STATES.

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Amanpour: JUST TWO WEEKS TO GO BEFORE PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN'S INAUGURATION, AND HISTORY IS MARCHING ON.

IN A YEAR WHERE BLACK LIVES MATTERED WE HAVE SEEN THAT BLACK VOTES MATTER, TOO.

FROM PASTOR TO SENATOR, THE REVEREND RAPHAEL WARNOCK BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES SENATE FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

THE PREACHER OF THE EPINEZZER BAPTIST CHURCH IN ATLANTA AS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ONCE WAS, SPOKE OF HIS HISTORIC PATH TO VICTORY AND PAID TRIBUTE TO HIS OWN MOTHER.

THE OTHER DAY, BECAUSE THIS IS AMERICA, THE 82-YEAR-OLD HANDS THAT USED TO PICK SOMEBODY ELSE'S COTTON WENT TO THE POLLS AND PICKED HER YOUNGEST SON TO BE A UNITED STATES SENATOR.

Amanpour: HE WON HIS RUNOFF, AND THE SECOND RUNOFF, DEMOCRAT JON OSSOFF, AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE CLAIMING VICTORY AGAINST INCUMBENT SENATOR DAVID PERDUE.

THIS TANTALIZING BALANCE OF POWER IN THE U.S. SENATE COMES AS CONGRESS MEETS TO CERTIFY JOE BIDEN'S ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES.

WITH YET ANOTHER PUBLIC SHOW OF OPPOSITION FROM DIE-HARD TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

I'M JOINED NOW BY MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS OF ATLANTA.

SHE IS WITH ME TO DISCUSS THIS GAME-CHANGING ELECTION IN HER STATE.

SO WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM, MAYOR LANCE BOTTOMS.

I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU YOUR REACTION.

YOU MUST BE THRILLED TODAY.

YEAH, I'M FULL OF SO MANY EMOTIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY ON THIS DAY AFTER.

THIS SEEMED LIKE THIS DAY WOULD NEVER COME.

WE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO SHOW UP TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER.

OBVIOUSLY, THE WORK WAS NOT DONE, AND FOR IT TO ALL COME DOWN TO GEORGIA AND ALL THAT GEORGIA HAS MEANT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, IT-- IT IS JUST-- IT'S MOVING BEYOND DESCRIPTION.

Amanpour: SO LET'S JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT IS, AND THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY IN YOUR STATE, FROM REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING, TO JOHN LEWIS, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, ALL THE CIVIL RIGHTS THAT CAME OUT OF YOUR STATE.

AND, YET, IT IS THE FIRST TIME A BLACK AMERICAN BECOMES A SENATOR FROM GEORGIA.

WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN AT THIS TIME?

THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS MOMENT, AND CERTAINLY WHAT WE SAW HAPPEN ACROSS AMERICA OVER THE SUMMER REALLY WAS A RALLYING CRY FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO SEE CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY.

REMEMBER, ON MAY 29, WHEN THE PROTESTS ERUPTED IN ATLANTA IN THE WAKE OF THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, JUST IMPLORING PEOPLE IF YOU WANT CHANGE IN AMERICA, GO AND VOTE.

AND PEOPLE WANTED CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY IN GEORGIA WITH THE ATTENTION THAT THE RUNOFF ELECTIONS RECEIVED, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS NOT JUST TO THE COUNTRY BUT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD THAT AMERICA-- THAT THE SOUL OF AMERICA BE RESTORED, AS PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN HAS SO DESCRIBED IT.

IT IS-- IT'S-- IT'S CERTAINLY AN INFLECTION POINT FOR US ACROSS THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE WE NOW SEE THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE SIMPLY BY SHOWING UP TO VOTE, AND THAT'S WHAT JOHN LEWIS IMPLORED OF US AND SO MANY OTHERS.

Amanpour: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS GOING FORWARD?

WE SEE-- WE SEE NOW-- I GUESS YOU ALSO ARE CALLING THE RACE FOR JON OSSOFF, ALTHOUGH IT HASN'T BEEN FORMALLY CALLED.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BALANCE OF POWER NOW IN CONGRESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS ACTUALLY MEANS ON-- YOU KNOW, IN POLITICS GOING FORWARD?

IT MEANS THAT WE WILL HAVE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND I TALKED WITH MAYORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT HAS BEEN SO DISHEARTENING TO BE A MAYOR UNDER DONALD TRUMP BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO LEADERSHIP.

SO MUCH HAS FALLEN ON THE SHOULDERS OF LOCAL LEADERS TO LEAD IN AREAS SUCH AS THE PANDEMIC, THINGS THAT CERTAINLY ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT WE OFTEN LOOK TO OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GIVE US GUIDANCE IN SUCH MATTERS.

AND SO TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND WITH OUR CONGRESS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE SHIFT FOR ALL OF US.

AND I'M-- I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

CERTAINLY, HAVING THE SENATE AND HAVING THE HOUSE IN THE HANDS OF DEMOCRATS WILL CERTAINLY HELP GET THINGS DONE MUCH QUICKER THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER ANTICIPATED IN NOVEMBER.

BUT IT'S NEEDED.

WE ARE HURTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO MUCH OF THAT HURT AND PAIN IS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

Amanpour: SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT TWO IMMEDIATE THINGS THAT I GUESS YOU AND MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP.

REAL LEADERSHIP NOW AS IT COMES TO THE VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT WHERE VACCINES NEED TO BE ROLLED OUT IN A NATIONAL AND COORDINATED WAY.

I WONDER WHETHER YOU-- YOU YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT.

OF COURSE, AS ANDREW YANG, THE FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SAID, AND NOW WE NEED EVERY AMERICAN TO GET THE $2,000 RELIEF CHECK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE OF ATLANTA, OF YOUR CITY, AND I GUESS YOUR STATE, WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR IMMEDIATELY?

WELL, CERTAINLY AS IT RELATES TO THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME NATIONAL COORDINATION AND LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF GETTURE OUR COMMUNITIES VACCINATED.

GEORGIA IS SECOND TO LAST IN THE COUNTRY PER CAPITA IN TERMS OF VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED IMMEDIATELY.

OUR HOSPITAL BEDS, OUR I.C.U.

CAPACITY IS BEYOND CAPACITY AT THIS POINT.

AND ADDITIONALLY, SOMETHING THAT I TALKED WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN ABOUT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAS BEEN WHAT MY DEAR FRIEND MAYOR HANCOCK IN DENVER REFERRED TO AS OUR NEXT PANDEMIC-- THE MENTAL HEALTH PANDEMIC.

AS WE LOOK TO RECOVER ECONOMICALLY AND PHYSICALLY FROM THE PANDEMIC, WHAT I'M SEEING IS SOMETHING PROBABLY LIKENED TO POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

VIOLENCE IS UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THERE IS GOING TO BE REALLY A NEED FOR LEADERSHIP IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

Amanpour: YOU KNOW, THIS ELECTION WAS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TO LOSE, REALLY, AND HE LOST IN GEORGIA BY A PRETTY THIN MARGIN.

WE'VE SEEN THE PHONE CALLS WHERE HE TRIED TO INTIMIDATE THE SECRETARY OF STATE, A REPUBLICAN, INTO GIVING HIM THE BALANCE OF THOSE-- OF THOSE VOTES.

AND WE'VE HEARD FROM MITT ROMNEY.

AND I JUST WANT TO READ WHAT HE SAID.

IT TURNS OUT TELLING THE VOTERS THAT THE ELECTION IS RIGGED IS NOT A GREAT WAY TO TURN OUT YOUR VOTERS.

AS CONGRESS IS NOW, YOU KNOW, MEETING TO CERTIFY THIS ELECTION, CAN YOU REFLECT ON WHETHER YOU THINK THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, A PROBLEM FOR REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND COST THE REPUBLICANS THESE TWO SENATE SEATS?

WE ABSOLUTELY KNOW THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM IN GEORGIA.

WHEN DONALD TRUMP CAME BACK TO THE STATE JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, HE BARELY MENTIONED SENATORS PERDUE AND LOEFFLER.

IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE ELECTION BEING STOLEN FROM HIM AND TO SEE THE DISCORD WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARE IN OUR STATE REALLY WAS A PREVIEW TO HOW SPLIT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WOULD BE.

WE SAY NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN-LEANING INDEPENDENTS SHOW UP AND VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN IN NOVEMBER.

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY SHOWED UP AND VOTED FOR OSOF AND WARNOCK.

THERE WERE SEVERAL GROUPS ON THE GROUND DOING REALLY THE HARD WORK, KNOCKING ON DOORS, CALLING PEOPLE.

THERE WAS ONE GROUP IN PARTICULAR THAT FOCUSED JUST ON VOTERS WHO DID NOT SHOW UP IN NOVEMBER TO GET THEM BACK OUT TO VOTE IN JANUARY.

AND SO IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.

IT WAS THIS PERFECT STORM OF CHAOS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE THAT CAME TOGETHER IN FAVOR OF DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND DONALD TRUMP NEEDS TO OWN IT.

Amanpour: MAYOR, YOU KNOW, SOME VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS MOMENTS ARE UNDER WAY RIGHT NOW.

AS WE SPEAK, WE CAN REPORT THAT THE CAPITOL POLICE ARE SAYING THAT THE CAPITOL IS ON LOCKDOWN FOR THIS PERIOD, AS WE'RE SPEAKING, DURING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THESE PROTESTERS WHO HAVE COME OUT AND I GUESS ARE TRYING TO BE FORCEFUL IN THEIR DIE-HARD SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT YOU TO REFLECT ON WHAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THE FUTURE FOR THIS COUNTRY.

DO YOU THINK THIS WILL END, ONCE THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION TAKES HOLD?

WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS ACTUAL INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE WE'VE SEEN, WHERE IS THIS GOING TO LEAD?

I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY.

THE BE BEAUTY OF OUR DEMOCRACY S WE CAN SOMETIMES GET ELECTIONS WRONG, BUT EVERY FEW YEARS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT RIGHT.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF HEALING.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE STRONG LEADERSHIP, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE LIKE PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN WHO REALLY WAS MADE FOR THIS MOMENT, SOMEONE WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO EMPATHIZE AND TO NOT TAKE EVERYTHING PERSONALLY AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE AND WORK WITH A CROSS-SECTION OF PEOPLE TO GET THINGS DONE.

AND SO LEADERSHIP MATTERS.

WE HAVE PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT KAMALA HARRIS, AND NOW WITH SOME STRONG LEADERS JOINING THE SENATE, I'M OPTIMISTIC.

WE'VE BEEN F THROUGH A LOT IN AMERICA TO SAY THE LEAST OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

BUT THE HEALING HAS ALREADY BEGUN.

Amanpour: I WANT TO ASK YOU, ALSO, ABOUT THE TERRIBLE EVENTS OF THE SPRING AND OF COURSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS, BUT REALLY, REALLY PUT INTO VERY, VERY STARK GLOBAL FOCUS, THE KILLING, EXECUTION-STYLE, OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS.

AFTER THAT HAPPENED, YOU ACTUALLY-- YOU ARE, OBVIOUSLY, MAYOR OF A MAJORITY-BLACK CITY.

YOU ARE THE MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN.

BACK IN MAY, DURING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS.

ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, I AM A MOTHER.

I AM E A MOTHER TO FOUR BLACK CHILDREN IN AMERICA, ONE OF WHOM IS 18 YEARS OLD.

AND WHEN I SAW THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD I HURT LIKE A MOTHER WOULD HURT.

AND YESTERDAY, WHEN I HEARD THERE WERE RUMORS ABOUT VIOLENT PROTESTS IN ATLANTA, I DID WHAT I MOTHER WOULD DO: I CALLED MY SON, AND I SAID, 'WHERE ARE YOU?'

I SAID, 'I CAN'T PROTECT YOU, AND BLACK BOYS SHOULDN'T BE OUT TODAY.'

Amanpour: REFLECT ON THAT NOW AND WHETHER YOU THINK WE HAVE MOVED ON FROM THERE IN ANY SERIOUS MANNER.

NO, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO LISTEN TO THAT BECAUSE ALL OF THE EMOTIONS COME BACK THAT I FELT THAT NIGHT.

BUT MY 18-YEAR-OLD SON WENT TO VOTE, AND MY 18-YEAR-OLD SON SPENT THE LAST FEW WEEKS WORKING ON A CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE THAT RAPHAEL WARNOCK AND JON OSSOFF WOULD BE ELECTED.

SO I KNOW CHANGE IS ALREADY COMING IN OUR COUNTRY, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S TOUCHING A GENERATION OF KIDS WHO OTHERWISE MAY HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE NOT TO CARE.

BUT THIS SUMMER HAS OPENED ALL OF OUR EYES.

EYES, IN ATLANTA, ESPECIALLY, WHERE WE ARE THE CRADLE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND IN SO MANY WAYS, WE'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF FEELING THAT THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.

BUT THIS SUMMER, WITH THE BRUTAL MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND SO MANY OTHER NAMES THAT WE CAN CALL, WE'VE SEEN THAT IT'S-- IT'S ALL OF OUR ISSUE TO CARE ABOUT, NO MATTER HOW PRIVILEGED WE ARE, NO MATTER HOW PROTECTED WE THINK THAT WE MAY BE, THAT IF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US STEP UP AND CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY, THEN WE WILL LOSE THIS GREAT DEMOCRACY THAT JOHN LEWIS AND DR. KING AND SO MANY OTHERS FOUGHT FOR US TO BUILD AND TO BE A PART OF.

Amanpour: MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS ON THIS INCREDIBLY HISTORIC DAY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA.

AND NOW, WITH ME TO DISCUSS THIS MOMENT IN THE BROADER FRAME OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS EDDIE GLAUDE JR., A PROMINENT ACADEMIC ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE AND CHAIR OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY'S DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES.

HIS LATEST BOOK, 'BEGIN AGAIN,' RELEASES HERE IN THE U.K. ON JANUARY 14, AND HE HIMSELF IS JOINING ME NOW FROM PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY.

PROFESSOR GLAUDE, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

AND I JUST WONDERED IF YOU COULD TAKE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH THE MAYOR OF ATLANTA AND PERHAPS-- I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON CERTAINLY REVEREND RAPHAEL WARNOCK'S HISTORIC WIN.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW RAPHAEL VERY WELL.

WE WENT TO MOOREHOUSE COLLEGE TOGETHER IN ATLANTA.

THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GEORGIA OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE FULL LIGHT OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS THAT IN SOME WAY ARE CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF GEORGIA POLITICS.

THINK ABOUT IT, COBB COUNTY PRODUCED NEWT GRING RICH, WHO GAVE US THE SOCIAL CONTRACT, THE NEW CONTRACT WITH AMERICA.

IN 1992, BILL CLINTON AND SENATOR SAM NUNN, STOOD BEFORE STONE MOUNTAIN AND THE ROWS OF BLACK PRISONERS, AND IN SOME WAYS ANNOUNCED THE NEW WAY, THE NEW DEMOCRATS AS IT WERE.

AND NOW YOU HAVE A NEW GEORGIA, NOT A CAB COUNTY THAT WOULD PRODUCE A NEWT GINGRICH, WOULD VOTE FOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CANDIDATE IN SOME WAYS-- NOT IN SOME WAYS, WHO IS.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING I THINK ARE THE EFFECTS OF NOT ONLY THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, ASIAN PACIFIC, A.P.I., A RANGE OF FOLKS.

DEMOGRAPHICS ARE DESTINY, CHRISTIANE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY MATTER, AND WE SAW THAT LAST NIGHT.

Amanpour: I WANT TO ASK YOU, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE CERTAINLY IN GEORGIA, AND MAYBE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT, THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE TURNOUT WOULD BE, AND WE ALL HAVE HEARD AND WE'VE ALL FOLLOWED AND REPORTED ON THE INCREDIBLE EFFORTS OF STACY ABRAMS IN GEORGIA TO BRING OUT THE VOTE, NOT ONLY IN HER OWN STATE BUT TO REALLY MAKE THAT HER LIFE'S WORK.

REFLECT ON THAT AND WHAT BROUGHT OUT SUCH HUGE TURNOUT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL AND, YOU KNOW, ODDLY, IN THESE RUNOFFS, WHICH HISTORICALLY HAVE A MUCH LOWER TURNOUT.

I THINK GENERALLY THERE WAS A SENSE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WAS ON THE BALLOT, THAT THE STAKES WERE HIGH.

AND IT'S ALSO THE CONTEXT OF THIS BROADER RACIAL RECKONING.

FOUR YEARS OF MENDACITY, OF INCOMPETENCE AND CORRUPTION, THAT LED MANY FOLK ACROSS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ELECTION WAS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY, AT LEAST FOR US.

I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT ON-THE-GROUND ORGANIZERS, NOT ONLY STACY ABRAMS, FAIR FIGHT, BUT WE THINK ABOUT BLACK VOTERS MATTER, WITH LATISHA BROWN OTHER ANDS.

WE THINK ABOUT NEW GEORGIA PROJECT, YOU THINK ABOUT HELEN BUTLER AND THE COALITION, GEORGIA COALITION OF PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE.

YOU THINK ABOUT PROJECT SOUTH.

ALL OF THESE FOLKS WERE ON THE GROUND DOING WORK.

NOW, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MENTION BECAUSE FOR SO LONG, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS THOUGHT THAT ITS STRATEGY, THE PATHWAY TO VICTORY, WAS TO TAKE ITS BASE FOR GRANTED AND TO APPEAL TO THAT SWING VOTER.

YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF-- YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF FORLORNED LOVER WHO IS CONSTANTLY PINING FOR THE REJECTED-- FOR THE SPOUSE THAT REJECTED HIM OR HER.

AND THAT IS THE REAGAN DEMOCRAT, RIGHT.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS BEEN IN PURSUIT OF THE REAGAN DEMOCRAT SINCE REAGAN WON IN 1980.

BUT WHAT STACY ABRAMS INSISTED UPON AND WHAT WAS IN EVIDENCE LAST NIGHT WAS THAT THIS BROADER COALITION CAN ACTUALLY BE THE PATHWAY TO VICTORY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE YOUR BASE FOR GRANTED, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME REPUBLICAN-LIGHT, THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY RUN ON A SET OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT SPEAK TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS OF EVERYDAY ORDINARY PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL TURN OUT FOR YOU.

SO WE GOT A DIFFERENT POLITICS, A DIFFERENT KIND OF POLITICAL LOGIC THAT EVIDENCED ITSELF IN GEORGIA LAST NIGHT.

Amanpour: I WANTED TO ASK YOU, ALSO, ABOUT THE AGENDA OF LET'S SAY REVEREND RAPHAEL WARNOCK, AND MANY WHO COME FROM THE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS-- HIS PASTORAL WORK INFORMED HIS POLITICS, THE MORAL IMPERATIVE, THE SUPPORT FOR THE DISPOSSESSED AND THE DISENFRANCHISED.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THOSE POLITICS EMERGED FROM THE BLACK CHURCHES AND HOW THAT WILL BE PUT TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO YOU SAY ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET.

RIGHT, SO, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT REVEREND WARNOCK IS ACTUALLY A SCHOLAR.

HE RECEIVED HIS Ph.D. FROM UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

HE WROTE HIS Ph.D. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGIAN JAMES CONE.

HE HAS WRITTEN VERY IMPORTANT WORKS ABOUT THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF BLACK CHURCHES.

SO HE COMES OUT OF THIS KIND OF LIBERATION, THIS TRADITION, WHERE HE UNDERSTANDS THE GOSPEL IN LIGHT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN INTERPRETATIONS OF A GOSPEL THAT SPEAKS TO THE MATERIAL CONTINUES OF EVERYDAY ORDINARY PEOPLE.

THAT IS LOVE AND JUSTICE SITS AT THE CENTER OF HIS UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS' MINISTRY, OF HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOSPEL ITSELF.

SO HE HAS TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, AND HE HAS TO SPEAK TO THE CONDITIONS OF THE LEAST OF THESE.

AND I THINK THAT HAS ANIMATED HIS MINISTRY, AND I BELIEVE IT WILL INFORM HIS PUBLIC LIFE AS A POLITICIAN.

BUT LET'S BE CLEAR.

REVEREND WARNOCK WILL HAVE TO RUN AGAIN IN TWO YEARS.

SO HE HAS TO IMMEDIATELY START RAMPING UP FOR ANOTHER CAMPAIGN.

SO IN SOME WAYS, I EXPECT HIM TO BE A VOICE FOR PROGRESSIVE POLICIES.

HE RAN ON HEALTH CARE FOR ALL.

HE RAN ON A LIVING WAGE.

HE RAN ON SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN-- THAT ARE BEING EVIDENCED IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19.

SO HE'S GOING TO BE A PROGRESSIVE VOICE, BUT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S ALREADY STARTING, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS HE'S SWORN IN, HE HAS TO START RUNNING AGAIN.

Amanpour: AS WE'RE SPEAKING, THE HOUSE HAS GONE INTO RECESS.

WE'RE GETTING REPORTS FROM CAPITOL POLICE, AND THOSE AT THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THESE PROTESTS THAT ARE UNDER WAY, CALLED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP.

AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT RAPHAEL WARNOCK SAID.

HE TALKED ABOUT, AND YOU SPEAK ABOUT HIS SCHOLARSHIP AND HIS HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND HIS, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLE ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE.

HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WENT TO WASHINGTON MANY TIMES AS A YOUNG MAN TO PROTEST OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL FOR THE RIGHTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HE BELIEVED SHOULD BE GIVEN.

AND HE REPORTS THAT, OF COURSE, THEN HE WAS ARRESTED SOMETIMES.

HE SAID HE NEVER WAS ANGRY, BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST DOING THEIR JOB.

AND HE EXPECTS, HE SAID, WHEN HE GOES TO THE CAPITOL NEXT, THOSE POLICE WILL BE NOT ARRESTING HIM BUT ESCORTING HIM AND SHOWING HIM WHERE HIS NEW OFFICE WILL BE IN THE SENATE.

I GUESS I USE THAT ANECDOTE TO ASK YOU, GIVEN ALL THE VIOLENCE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, GIVEN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOMENT AND MOVEMENT, WHERE-- WHERE DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING FROM HERE?

IS IT SOLID?

IS THIS A GAME CHANGER?

ARE WE REALLY ON THE PATH TO MAJOR CHANGE?

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE.

YOU KNOW, WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS INFLECTION POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO DECIDE AS A NATION WHO DO WE TAKE OURSELVES TO BE, WHO WE ARE.

AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A KIND OF HONEST CONFRONTATION WITH OUR PAST AND OUR PRESENT.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT NOW AND OUTSIDE OF CONGRESS, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING WITHIN THE HALLS OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO WHAT I CALL THE LIE.

THEY WANT TO HOLD THE VIEW THAT AMERICA MUST REMAIN A WHITE NATION IN THE VEIN OF OLD EUROPE, AND THEY'RE CLINGING TO IT DESPERATELY.

SO WHAT WE'RE FACING IN THIS MOMENT CHRISTIANE-- AND I DON'T WANT TO SOUND TOO DRAMATIC HERE OR MELODRAMATIC-- IS THE KIND OF CONFRONTATION OF AN OLD WORLD THAT'S DYING AND A NEW WORLD THAT'S TRYING TO BE BORN.

AND THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE U.S. BEFORE.

AND THE BABY HAS ALWAYS BEEN STILLBORN.

SO I DON'T WANT US TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK, WHICH IS OUR TENDENCY.

I DON'T WANT US TO CONGRATULATE OURSELVES BECAUSE NOW BLACK LIVES MATTER HAS A KIND OF CURRENT.

WE HAVE TO GET ABOUT THE HARD WORK.

WE HAVE TO BE MORE DILIGENT MIDWIVES IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE BIRTH TO A NEW AMERICA THIS TIME.

Amanpour: AND, YOU KNOW, PROFESSOR GLAUDE, AS WE'RE SPEAKING, MORE OF THESE PROTESTERS ARE TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HAND.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE BIRTH OF-- YOU KNOW, THE REBIRTH AND THE MIDWIFING OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOW BREACHED CONGRESS, ACCORDING TO REPORTS.

THEY'RE INSIDE THE CAPITOL.

THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND HIS DIE-HARD SUPPORTERS.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS TO BE SAID RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT.

WITH ANY LUCK WE HOPE THAT THINGS WILL REMAIN SAFE AND THE CAPITOL POLICE CAN DO THEIR JOB TO KEEP DANGER AWAY.

BUT THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?

YOU KNOW, HAVE THE REPUBLICANS JUST LEFT IT TOO LONG?

WELL, LOOK, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS DALLIANCE WITH THE LIBERAL FORCES IN THE UNITED STATES, TALK ABOUT THE WILMINGTON COUP IN 1898, WHEN YOU HAD VIOLENT LOST CAUSE PROPONENTSES LITERALLY OVERTHROW THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND THAT WAS DUPLICATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THESE FORCES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT SOME HOLD ON TO DEMOCRACY AS A KIND OF TOOL BUT ARE ALL TOO WILLING TO THROW IT INTO THE TRASH BIN IN LIGHT OF THEIR OWN INTEREST.

AND SO, BUT THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE HERE IS THAT THE COUNTRY HAS KIND OF IN SOME WAS DANCED WITH THAT-- THOSE FORCES OVER AND OVER AGAIN, TRIED TO MANIPULATE, TRIED TO LEVERAGE THEM FOR ITS OWN POLITICAL AIMS, ITS POLITICAL ACTORS, RIGHT.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE TO DO FINALLY IS TO SAY NO MORE.

IS TO FINALLY UPROOT WHAT'S DRIVING, WHAT'S MOTIVATING THIS RACIAL ANIMOUS, THIS GRIEVANCE, THIS SENSE OF RESENTMENT.

DONALD TRUMP IS EXPLOITING SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR BODY POLITIC SINCE THE NATION WAS BORN.

SO I THINK, FIRST WE HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES.

THIS ISN'T TOO UNFAMILIAR.

IT IS WHO WE ARE.

AND, SECOND, WE HAVE TO DECIDE, FINALLY, TO BE OTHERWISE, RIGHT.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH OUR FELLOWS HONESTLY AND DIRECTLY AND THAT'S DIFFICULT IN SOME WAYS.

Amanpour: I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A REAL EARNEST TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION MOMENT, AND WE'LL SEE WHETHER THAT COMES TO PASS.

PROFESSOR EDDIE GLAUDE JR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT DAY.

SO LET'S NOW TURN TO WASHINGTON AND WHAT SHOULD BE A NEAR-FORMALITY, WHICH IS CERTIFYING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ABOUT THE VIOLENCE, ABOUT THE PROTESTS.

THOUSANDS OF THE PRESIDENT'S SUPPORTERS WHO REFUSED TO ACCEPT HIS ELECTION LOSS ARE THERE, AS WE SPEAK.

SOME HAVE BREACHED THE CAPITOL, AS WE SAID.

AND WE WAIT TO SEE WHETHER THAT CAN BE CONTAINED.

THESE TRUMP LOYALISTS FACE OFF AGAINST POLICE.

THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS.

NOW, INSIDE CONGRESS, SOME REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN INSISTING ON A FUTILE ATTEMPT TO REVERSE THE ELECTION RESULT.

STILL INSISTING ON THIS, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE HAS TOLD PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT HIS CERTIFYING ROLE IS A FORMALITY AND THAT HE HAS NO AUTHORITY TO BLOCK THE ELECTION RESULTS.

AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL ACTUALLY STOOD UP FOR DEMOCRACY.

TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID TO ALL VOTERS DURING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.

THIS ELECTION OVERTURNED BY MERE ALLEGATIONS FROM THE LOSING SIDE.

OUR DEMOCRACY WOULD ENTER A DEATH SPIRAL.

WE'D NEVER SEE THE WHOLE NATION ACCEPT AN ELECTION AGAIN.

EVERY FOUR YEARS, THERE WOULD BE A SCRAMBLE FOR POWER AT ANY COST.

Amanpour: AND I'M JOINED NOW BY CONSERVATIVE PAUL ROSENZWEIG.

HE'S FORMERLY A HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIAL IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, AND HE IS JOINING ME NOW BY SKYPE FROM HIS HOME IN COSTA RICA.

WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM, MR. ROSENZWEIG.

I GUESS YOU HEARD ME REPORT THROUGHOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS BREACHES OF THE CAPITOL ON THIS IMPORTANT DAY, AND THAT THESE PROTESTERS ARE CAUSING VIOLENCE.

AND THAT THE HOUSE IS IN RECESS, AT LEAST AS WE SPEAK.

JUST REFLECT ON THAT.

I MEAN, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A RESULT OF WITH WHAT'S BEEN GINNED UP ON THE GROUND BY THE PRESIDENT AND HIS LOYALISTS.

JUST TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

WELL, I THINK THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY TWO POINTS TO BE MADE ABOUT THAT.

THE FIRST, AS YOU SAID, IS THAT REALLY THIS IS ALL ON THE PRESIDENT AND ALL ON HIS ENABLERS, LIKE SENATOR CRUZ IN THE SENATE AND CONGRESSMAN BROOKS IN THE HOUSE, WHO HAVE INDULGED HIM IN THE FICTION THAT THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.

IF REPUBLICAN LEADERS OUTSIDE OF THE PRESIDENCY HAD THE COURAGE TO STAND UP TO THE PRESIDENT'S FALSE CLAIMS, IT'S LIKELY A LOT LESS OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING.

THE SECOND POINT AT A BROADER LEVEL, SINCE THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL SHOW, IS HOW INCREDIBLY DAMAGING THIS IS TO AMERICA'S STANDING ACROSS THE GLOBE, FOR 100 YEARS, AMERICA HAS STOOD FOR DEMOCRACY, HAS STOOD FOR THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER, AND HAS RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY SORT OF LECTURED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD ABOUT HOW TO DO IT RIGHT, HOLDING OURSELVES UP AS AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF HOW DEMOCRACY SHOULD FUNCTION.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOVER THAT ANY TIME SOON, IF AT ALL.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY WILL BE TOUTED BY OUR OPPONENTS, BY OPPONENTS OF DEMOCRACY, OPPONENTS OF FREEDOM, AS EVIDENCE THAT DEMOCRACY IS-- IS ILL CONCEIVED.

ACROSS THE GLOBE, IT IS A REWARD TO AWE TORITARIANS EVERYWHERE.

Amanpour: YOU'RE CORRECT, IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL SHOW, AND IT'S A SHOW FOR OUR AMERICAN VIEWERS ACROSS OUR PBS STATIONS.

I WONDER WHAT YOU MAKE AND WHAT THEY MIGHT MAKE OF THE LATENESS TO THE PARTY OF DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.

IN OTHER WORDS, SENATOR MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL, WHO MAY LOSE HIS MAJORITY POSITION THERE, WAS VERY CLEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS, AT LEAST THAT I CAN RECALL, SAYING THAT THERE IS NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO OVERTURN THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE, THAT IT WAS A MASSIVE MAJORITY THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN WON, THAT THE COURTS HAVE SPOKEN, THAT ALL THE LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE SPOKEN, AND THAT THIS WOULD BE JUST A MARCH TO PRUDITION, BASICALLY.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIM SAYING THAT NOW?

HOW SERIOUSLY DO YOU TAKE THAT?

WELL, I TAKE IT SOMEWHAT SERIOUSLY.

YOU KNOW, THE HUMAN CONDITION IS ONE OF CONSTANT ERROR AND CONSTANT CHANGING OF ONE'S MIND.

SO I'M HAPPY TO WELCOME SENATOR McCONNELL TO THE RIDE SIDE OF HISTORY NOW, ALBEIT FAR TOO LATE FOR MY TASTE.

TO A LARGE DEGREE, THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN AN EXERCISE IN BOILING A FROG IN WATER, AND IT HAS FINALLY OCCURRED TO SENATOR McCONNELL THAT HE HAS TO JUMP OUT.

OTHERS, LIKE SENATOR ROMNEY, JUMPED OUT MUCH EARLIER.

STILL OTHERS, LIKE SENATORS CRUZ AND HAWLEY, HAVE EVENTUALLY TO JUMP OUT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET BOILED TO DEATH BY THE AUTHORITARIAN IMPULSE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS UNLEASHED.

WHILE I CERTAINLY THINK THAT SENATOR McCONNELL IS FAR TOO LATE TO THE GAME OF OPPOSING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AUTHORITARIAN IMPULSES, AT LEAST WE CAN SAY THAT HE CAME TO THE RIGHT ANSWER IN THE END.

Amanpour: BEFORE THESE PROTESTERS BREACHED HIS CHAMBER.

I WONDER, BECAUSE YOU WERE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, WHAT SHOULD THEY HAVE DONE?

THEY KNEW THESE PROTESTS WERE COMING.

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT, YOU KNOW, POLICE AROUND THE CAPITOL ARE UNABLE TO CONTROL THAT CROWD?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?

WE SEE THEM WALKING THROUGH THE HALLS WITH THEIR FLAGS AND THEIR BANNERS INSIDE THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

THE CAPITOL POLICE AND THE D.C. POLICE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH FIRST AMENDMENT PROTESTS OF THIS SORT, AND THEY HAVE COME TO EXPECT THAT THE PROTESTERS FOLLOW A GENERALIZED SET OF RULES.

THEY DON'T WANT TO OVER-REACT AND BE VIOLENT TOWARDS PEOPLE WHO ARE SIMPLY EXERCISING THEIR POLITICAL RIGHT.

I EXPECT WHEN WE DO AN AFTER-ACTION REPORT OF WHAT IS TRANSPIRING EVEN AS WE SPEAK, WE'LL FIND THE CAPITOL POLICE UNDERESTIMATED THE POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE, UNDERESTIMATED THE THREAT TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING, THOUGHT THEY COULD HANDLE IT, AND WERE MISTAKEN.

I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO WORK ON THE-- ON THE CAPITOL POLICE FORCE, AND SEVERAL OTHERS WHO WORK ON D.C. POLICE, AND I'M SURE RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE REFLECTING ABOUT HOW THEY WISH THAT JUST THREE HOURS AGO THEY'D TAKEN A STRONGER STANCE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR THEM.

I MEAN, IF THEY'D OVER-REACTED, IF THEY'D USED RUBBER BULLETS AND TEAR GAS, WE'D BE CRITICIZING THEM NOW.

SO THEY'VE GOT A VERY, VERY HARD LINE TO RUN, HARD LINE TO HOE.

Amanpour: YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT TO BE FAIR, THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON DID CALL OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD AND GOT THE APPROVAL FOR NATIONAL GUARD FORCES BECAUSE SHE PREDICTED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE THIS KIND OF TROUBLE.

LET ME READ TO YOU SOME OF WHAT DONALD TRUMP IS TWEETING RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK AND AS THOSE PROTESTERS ARE SPEAKING INSIDE THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

HE SAYS-- AND HE'S OBSESSED BY REVERSING THE ELECTION RESULT-- 'MIKE PENCE DIDN'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CONSTITUTION, GIVING STATES A CHANCE TO CERTIFY A CORRECTED SET OF FACTS, NOT THE FRAUDULENT OR INACCURATE ONES WHICH THEY WERE ASKED TO PREVIOUSLY CERTIFY.

U.S.A. DEMANDS THE TRUTH.'

I MEAN, IS THAT POURING YOU KNOW OIL ON THE FIRE?

YES, IT'S POURING KEROSENE ON THE FIRE.

DONALD TRUMP QUITE LITERALLY HAS INCITED THIS VIOLENCE, AND THAT IS A CRIME.

IT'S AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE.

WE PROBABLY WON'T DO EITHER OF THOSE IN THE 15 DAYS THAT ARE LEFT TO HIM.

BUT ONCE HE LEAVES OFFICE, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A PRESIDENT WHO ATTEMPTED TO INCITE VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL AND ATTEMPTED TO STEAL AN ELECTION.

HE IS OR SHOULD BE REMEMBERED AS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS A PRESIDENT WHO PRODUCED AMERICAN NORMS OF PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER, OF RULE OF LAW, OF DEMOCRACY IN WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO RESONATE DOWN THE ANNALS OF AMERICAN HISTORY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE COUNTRY RECOVERS FROM THIS.

I HOPE THAT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE INAUGURATION, BOTH THE BIDEN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND OTHER PROSECUTORIAL AUTHORITIES ACTUALLY INITIATE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Amanpour: SPOKEN AS I THINK YOU'RE A FORMER REPUBLICAN.

CERTAINLY YOU'RE NOT A SUPPORTER OF THE PRESIDENT, BUT YOU ARE A CONSERVATIVE.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ACTUALLY REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

I JUST WANT TO SAY-- READ TO YOU, KIND OF BUILDING ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, ALLEY SUFAN, THE FORMER F.B.I. AGENT INSTRUMENTAL IN SOME OF THE INTERROGATIONS AFTER 9/11, AND HE SAID IN MANY OTHER CONTEXTS, SUCH ACTIONS AND RHETORIC WOULD BE CONSIDERED TANTAMOUNT TO INCITEMENT TO TERRORISM, TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE JUST BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT.

THAT'S A PRETTY-- THAT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT THING THAT HE SAID.

AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, ALSO, BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO GET MIKE PENCE AND TO PRESSURE HIM TO DO WHAT HE CAN'T DO.

MIKE PENCE READ OUT A STATEMENT OR HAD IT READ OUT BEFORE HE WENT INTO THAT CHAMBER.

HE WAS CLEAR THAT HE WANTED IT PUBLIC.

HE BASICALLY SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEFY THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

AND THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S OWN IMPEACHMENT LAWYER SAID ABOUT THIS MATTER.

SOME HAVE SPECULATED THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT COULD SIMPLY SAY, 'I'M NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THESE ELECTORS,' THAT HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.

AND I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CONSTITUTION HAS IN MIND.

IF THAT WERE THE CASE, ANY VICE PRESIDENT COULD REFUSE ANY ELECTION.

Amanpour: SO THAT'S JAY SOKOLOVE, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER, AND NOW SAYING WHAT MANY REPUBLICANS CLEARLY BELIEVE.

AGAIN, SPECULATE-- AND I KNOW IT'S DANGEROUS TO SPECULATE-- BUT BETWEEN NOW AND INAUGURATION DAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE FACING?

OH, IF I HAD THAT CRYSTAL BALL, I'D WIN A PRIZE.

HERE'S-- HERE'S WHAT I THINK IS LIKELY.

THE PRESIDENT'S INABILITY TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION IS INCREASINGLY DRIVING HIM TO TAKING AS MUCH UNILATERAL ACTION AS HE CAN.

THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF AMERICAN LAW, LIKE ISSUING PRESIDENTIAL MEDALS OF FREEDOM-- WHICH HE'S DONE-- OR ISSUING PARDONS-- WHICH HE'S DONE-- WHERE HE TRULY DOES HAVE UNLIMITED, UNILATERAL POWER.

BUT THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

WHAT I FEAR IS THAT HE WILL ATTEMPT TO EXERCISE UNILATERAL POWER IN OTHER AREAS WHERE HE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE IT AND WHERE IT WILL BE INCUMBENT UPON THE INSTITUTIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY TO RESIST HIM.

FOR EXAMPLE, HE MIGHT SEEK TO START A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF JOE AND HUNTER BIDEN AND APPOINT A SPECIAL COUNSEL.

IT WOULD BE INCUMBENT UPON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO RESIST AND REJECT THAT EFFORT.

HE MIGHT ORDER THE MILITARY TO TAKE PROVOCATIVE MILITARY ACTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

IT WOULD BE INCUMBENT UPON THE CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AND THE UNIFORM LEADERSHIP OF THE MILITARY TO RESIST AND REJECT THOSE KINDS OF SUGGESTIONS.

HE MIGHT ATTEMPT TO UNILATERALLY IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON COUNTRIES THAT RECOGNIZE JOE BIDEN AS PRESIDENT-ELECT.

IT WOULD BE INCUMBENT UPON THE CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF TREASURY AND COMMERCE TO RESIST AND REJECT THOSE.

HE MIGHT TRY TO PLAY WITH THE CENSUS.

THE LIST IS ALMOST ENDLESS AS TO THE TYPES OF THINGS HE CAN TRY AND DO, AND ALL OF THEM OUGHT TO BE REJECTED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE.

Amanpour: AND WE DO SEE THOSE INSTITUTIONS, AT LEAST, TALKING OUT AND REJECTING THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT YOU JUST RAISED.

PAUL ROSENZWEIG, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S SO DIFFICULT AT THIS MOMENT, EVEN AMID HISTORY BEING MADE, TO FATHOM WHAT'S GOING ON.

IN ANY EVENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

NOW, TURNING TO THE SURGING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, HERE IN LONDON, ONE IN 30 HAVE THAT VIRUS.

AND ACROSS THE OCEAN, IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, A PERSON IS DYING OF THE VIRUS EVERY 10 MINUTES.

THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH CHIEF THERE.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES HAS DOUBLED IN JUST OVER A MONTH, AND AMBULANCES ARE BEING TOLD NOT TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS WITH LITTLE CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

ON THE FRONT LINES IS NURSE NERISSA BLACK.

SHE IS FROM HENRY MAYO NEWHALL HOSPITAL, AND HE SAYS SHE'S NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN HER 10-YEAR CAREER.

AND HERE SHE IS TALKING TO OUR HARI SREENIVASAN.

Sreenivasan: CHRISTIANE, THANKS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

FIRST, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE HEARD DIFFERENT STORIES ABOUT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE HOSPITALS ARE OVERWHELMED.

WHAT IS IT LIKE RIGHT NOW TO WALK INTO YOUR SHIFT?

DESCRIBE THE SCENE FOR ME.

RIGHT NOW, WALKING INTO MY SHIFT, I'M DREADING STARTING MY SHIFT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I HAVE MORE PATIENTS TO TAKE CARE OF THAN USUAL.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AND EVEN BEFORE DECEMBER 11, WE WERE GIVEN A MAXIMUM OF FOUR PATIENTS TO TAKE CARE OF, WHICH ON A GOOD DAY IS JUST ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS PROPERLY, LIKE A HUMAN BEING.

BUT THESE DAYS, WE HAVE UP TO SIX PATIENTS, WHICH MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF SPENDING 15 MINUTES EVERY HOUR WITH EACH PATIENT, NOW I ONLY HAVE 10 MINUTES FOR EACH HOUR TO SPEND ON EACH PATIENT.

THOSE 10 MINUTES ARE NOT JUST WITH THE PATIENT IN THE ROOM.

THE 10 MINUTES INCLUDE PUTTING ON P.P.E., REVIEWING LAB WORK, IMAGINING RESULTS AND REPORTING ABNORMALITIES TO PHYSICIANS.

IT INCLUDES COORDINATING CARE WITH THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST, THE CASE MANAGER, THE SOCIAL WORKER.

THE 10 MINUTES INCLUDES CALLING FAMILY MEMBERS.

IT'S NOT JUST US BEING IN THE ROOM GIVING MEDICATIONS TO THE PATIENTS, TURNING THEM.

IT'S A LOT OF BACKGROUND WORK THAT WE DO, ALSO.

Sreenivasan: SO THAT'S HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR P.P.E. ON AND TAKING IT OFF IN BETWEEN EVERY PATIENT SO YOU DON'T GET ONE PERSON INFECTED WITH SOMETHING ANOTHER PERSON HAS?

CORRECT.

WE PUT ON OUR-- A NEW SET OF P.P.E. IN BETWEEN EACH PATIENT TO PROTECT OUR ALREADY-VULNERABLE PATIENTS FROM GETTING AN INFECTION THAT THEY DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE BECAUSE OUR PATIENTS THESE DAYS ARE NOT JUST COVID PATIENTS.

I MEAN, EVEN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PANDEMIC, OUR PATIENTS DON'T JUST HAVE CORONAVIRUS.

OUR PATIENTS ARE SICK WITH A HEART ATTACK, AND THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE COVID.

THEY HAVE A STROKE, AND THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE COVID.

THEY FELL OFF A LADDER PUTTING UP THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, AND THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE COVID.

SO THEY HAVE AN INJURY OR AN ILLNESS ALREADY, AND ON TOP OF THAT, NOW THEY HAVE COVID AS WELL.

IT JUST ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF COMPLICATION TO THEIR CARE.

Sreenivasan: AND FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE WHO MIGHT LOOK AT YOUR WORKLOAD AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW WHAT?

SHE'S JUST TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM FOUR PATIENTS TO SIX PATIENTS.

WHY IS THAT SUCH A BIG DEAL?'

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT MORE, BUT GOING FROM FOUR PATIENTS TO SIX PATIENTS MEANS 50% MORE CARE, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, AND EXTRA 50% ON THE WORKLOAD PUTS A LOT OF STRAIN NOT JUST ON US, BUT ULTIMATELY, IT PUTS A STRAIN ON OUR PATIENTS BECAUSE OUR PATIENTS NEED HELP, AND WE HAVE TO DECIDE IF WE ARE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME WITH EACH PATIENT, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL GET THE CARE FIRST.

Sreenivasan: WHEN YOU ARE DESCRIBING THIS SCENARIO TO ME, EVEN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE 50% EXTRA WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS DECREASING THE QUALITY OF CARE THAT A PATIENT IS GETTING, AS HARD AS YOU'RE TRYING?

YES.

WELL, EVER SINCE WE CHANGED OUR RATIO-- CHANGE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS THAT WE ARE GIVEN TO TAKE CARE OF, IT HAS DEFINITELY DECREASED THE QUALITY OF CARE.

I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE OUR PATIENTS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I GO HOME AND I FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE DONE MORE FOR OUR PATIENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I-- MY PATIENTS, I TREAT THEM LIKE MY FAMILY MEMBER.

THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS.

THEY'RE SOMEBODY'S MOTHER.

THEY'RE SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER.

THEY'RE SOMEBODY'S SON.

THEY'RE SOMEBODY'S GRANDFATHER.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S HARD TO THINK ABOUT WHEN I GO HOME THAT I DIDN'T-- I FEEL LIKE I DIDN'T GET TO DO ENOUGH FOR THEM LIKE I NORMALLY WOULD.

THE STANDARD OF CARE THAT I'VE GIVEN IS NOT THE SAME AS BEFORE OUR RATIO CHANGED.

Sreenivasan: DO YOU THINK PEOPLE AREN'T TAKING LONGER TO COME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THEY'RE MORE SICK NOW?

OF COURSE.

A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS ARE COMING IN MORE AND MORE SICK THESE DAYS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO GET THEIR ILLNESS OR INJURY TAKEN CARE OF.

THEY'RE WAITING-- THEY'RE HOPING IT WILL GO AWAY, UNTIL IT BECOMES UNBEARABLE.

I HAD A PARTICULAR PATIENT COME IN WITH ABDOMINAL PAIN THAT SHE HAS HAD FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND IT TURNS OUT HER APPENDIX HAD BURST BY THE TIME SHE CAME IN TO GET HELP FOR HER ABDOMINAL PAIN.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SHE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY COME IN AFTER A DAY OR TWO OF THAT ABDOMINAL PAIN NOT GOING AWAY, AND WE COULD HAVE TREATED THAT MORE QUICKLY, AND THE OUTCOME WOULD BE BETTER.

BUT IN HER CASE, SEE, SHE HAD WAITED SO LONG, AND HER APPENDIX CAN BURST, SHE BECAME SEPTIC.

AND THIS IS A RELATIVELY YOUNG WOMAN.

AND PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING MORE AND MORE SICK BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING LONGER AND LONGER TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED.

Sreenivasan: NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE HEARING ON THE NEWS AND THEY'RE HEARING FROM E.M.S., 'DON'T CALL 911 UNLESS YOU'RE IN A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.'

YEAH, OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO NOT TRANSPORT PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS IF THEY DON'T GET WHAT'S CALLED A RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION.

IF A PATIENT'S HEART STOPS OR THEY STOP BREATHING, AND THE PARAMEDICS CAN'T GET THEM BACK IN THE FIELD, LIKE, THEY CAN'T RESUSCITATE THAT PERSON IN THE FIELD, THEY ARE NOT-- THEY'RE DIRECTED TO NOT TRANSPORT THAT PERSON TO THE HOSPITAL.

ESSENTIALLY, THEY PASS IN THE FIELD WITH NO HELP ANYMORE.

Sreenivasan: I'VE ALSO HEARD STORIES ABOUT AMBULANCES BASICALLY BECOMING HOSPITAL BEDS, THAT THEY'RE WAITING OUTSIDE HOSPITALS BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL IS SO FULL THAT THE I.C.U.s HAVE NO CAPACITY, THAT THE E.R.s ARE BACKED UP.

IS THIS TRUE?

IT'S TRUE.

WE HAVE AMBULANCES WAITING IN THE AMBULANCE BAYS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, NOT JUST MY HOSPITAL BUT OTHER HOSPITALS.

BECAUSE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WORK IN OTHER HOSPITALS AS WELL.

THEY WORK IN THE E.R., AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE AMBULANCES WAITING FOR-- TO EVEN JUST GET INTO THE E.R.

Sreenivasan: NOW, HAVE YOU BEEN THE LAST PERSON THAT A PATIENT'S FAMILY MEMBER SPEAKS TO?

I-- I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT A PATIENT HAS SPOKEN TO.

Sreenivasan: WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT FOR ME?

RECENTLY, I-- I HAD A PATIENT WHO WAS PLACED ON COMFORT CARE, AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR PATIENT, SHE WAS DECLINING RATHER QUICKLY, AND THE SON-- MY PATIENT'S SON HAD CALLED ASKING, 'IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN VISIT MY MOM?'

BECAUSE THE PATIENT WAS IN THE COVID UNIT AND IN ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD OF INFECTION, OUR HOSPITAL HAS THE RULE OF ABSOLUTELY NO VISITORS ALLOWED IN THE COVID UNITS.

AND THE BEST-- THE NEXT BEST THING WE COULD DO FOR OUR PATIENT IS TO, YOU KNOW... TO INITIATE A PHONE CALL WITH THE PATIENT AND THE PATIENT'S SON.

THE PATIENT'S SON WANTED TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO HIS MOTHER ON THE PHONE.

AND I WAS THE ONLY REALLY ONE AVAILABLE TO BE THE MIDDLE MAN.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR PATIENT, SHE WAS ALREADY VERY... SHE WAS NOT WEAK ANYMORE.

HER BREATHING WAS VERY SHALLOW.

THE SON HAD ASKED ME TO REPEAT HIS WORDS TO HIS MOTHER ON THE PHONE BECAUSE HE WAS WORRIED THAT SHE WAS HARD AND HEARING AND SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR HIS WORDS.

SO I HAD TO REPEAT-- I WENT INTO THE ROOM WITH THE PHONE ON SPEAKER MODE, AND I LAID THE PHONE NEXT TO THE PATIENT'S EAR ON HER PILLOW.

AND I REPEATED HIS WORDS TO HER.

AND HE SAID, 'MOM, I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.'

HE-- HE HAD SOME CHILDREN, AND HE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, 'YOUR GRANDCHILDREN LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

THEY WILL MISS YOU.

BUT THEY WILL BE OKAY WITH US.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF YOU.

WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'LL BE OKAY.

AND IT'S OKAY TO GO.'

AND IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL AND HEARTBREAKING FOR ME TO BE THE MIDDLE MAN DURING THAT CONVERSATION.

Sreenivasan: YEAH.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR HIM AND FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT'S SO STRANGE ABOUT THIS IS WHILE YOU'RE DESCRIBING WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE OF A HOSPITAL, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE ON NEW YEAR'S IN LOS ANGELES GOING TO RAVE PARTIES, YOU KNOW.

AND PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS REAL.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE?

I WOULD TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE STOP GATHERING.

IT'S-- IT'S A VERY SIMPLE WAY TO SPREAD THIS-- TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THIS ILLNESS.

IT'S NOT ONLY AFFECTING THE ELDERLY.

IT'S AFFECTING MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE'RE THE FRONT LINE, BUT I THINK WE ARE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THIS VIRUS.

THE PEOPLE, THE POPULATION ARE THE FIRST LINE.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CAN PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE.

AND I FEEL... THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP GATHERING SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE STRAINED.

WE'VE HAD-- I'VE HAD A PATIENT'S-- ANOTHER PATIENT'S SON CALL BECAUSE HIS MOM WAS HOSPITALIZED, AND HE SAID, 'I JUST SAW HER LAST WEEK, AND SHE'S VERY ELDERLY, AND HE WAS VERY, VERY WORRIED THAT HE WILL NOT SEE HER AGAIN.

AND HE WAS CRYING ON THE PHONE.

AND I HAVE TO CALM HIM DOWN, EVEN THOUGH MY HEART WAS BREAKING, TOO, BECAUSE I COULD HEAR HIM.

I COULD HEAR HIS HEARTBREAK OVER THE PHONE ASKING ME, 'WILL I EVER GET TO SEE MY MOTHER AGAIN?

BECAUSE I JUST SAW HER LAST WEEK AND I WAS JUST TALKING TO HER, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LAST TIME I SAW MY MOTHER.'

Sreenivasan: WE KNOW NOW IN LOS ANGELES, ALMOST ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE ARE TESTING POSITIVE FOR THIS.

WHAT YOU'RE LIVING THROUGH ISN'T GOING TO END TOMORROW OR NEXT WEEK.

HOW DO YOU GO IN DAY AFTER DAY KNOWING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE JUST AS HARD, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS?

I'M-- I'M-- I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL HAVE-- THAT THE SITUATION WE'RE IN WILL END.

WE RECENTLY HAVE THE VACCINE.

I RECEIVED MY FIRST DOSE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO, AND I'M ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TO GET MY SECOND DOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER TODAY.

SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE BACK TO OUR NORMAL LIVES.

I'M HOPEFUL.

I'M ALWAYS HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GET BACK TO WHAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING TOGETHER OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

BUT WE NEED TO DO IT SAFELY.

WE NEED TO DO IT SO THAT WE DON'T SPREAD INFECTIONS TO OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR POPULATION.

Sreenivasan: WHAT IS THE TOLL THAT THIS TAKES ON YOU WHEN YOU GO HOME-- I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT YOU DON'T SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY.

BUT HOW DO YOU-- HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH THIS?

FOR ME PERSONALLY, MY HUSBAND IS VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE.

HE LISTENS TO ME AND TO MY STORIES, THAT THAT DAY WHEN I HAD TO PUT MY VERY FIRST PATIENT INTO A BODY BAG, A HUMAN BEING, SOMEBODY'S MOTHER, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE I'M GOOD AT WHAT I DO.

I FEEL LIKE I'M REALLY GOOD AT WHAT I DO.

AND I WAS TELLING MY HUSBAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT DAY, AND I GOT HOME, AND I WAS REALLY HUNGRY BECAUSE I HADN'T EATEN MY LUNCH YET.

I TOOK-- I GOT SHOWERED AND I LOOKED IN THE FRIDGE, AND I JUST STARED, YOU KNOW, AT THE TUBS OF ICE CREAM WE HAVE IN OUR FREEZER, AND I SAID, 'SHOULD I PUT THIS IN A CUP OR A CONE?'

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M JUST GOING TO EAT THIS OUT OF THE TUB SM.

AND AS I'M EATING IT OUT OF THE TUB I'M SOBBING TO MY HUSBAND TELLING HIM THIS STORY ABOUT HOW MY PATIENT'S SON HAD CALLED AND ASKED ME TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO HIS MOTHER FOR HIM.

AND THEN LATER ON THAT SHIFT, I HAD TO CLEAN HER UP AND GET HER READY TO GO INTO A BODY BAG TO GO TO THE MORTUARY, AND IT WAS A VERY, VERY HARD SHIFT FOR ME.

I TRY MY VERY, VERY BEST TO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT WITH A PATIENT.

BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THE PATIENT WAS PLACED ON COMFORT CARE, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO LET HER GO SO THAT SHE CAN BE AT PEACE.

BUT IT WAS STILL VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT DOING THAT, YOU KNOW.

SHE'S A HUMAN BEING.

SHE COULD HAVE BEEN MY MOTHER, WHICH THE WAY I THINK OF MY PATIENTS, WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME.

Sreenivasan: NERISSA BLACK, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING OUR VOICES.

Amanpour: AMID THESE TRAGIC STORIES AMID THE PANDEMIC, LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SEAT OF POWER AND LEADERSHIP IN CAPITOL HILL.

THIS VIOLENCE AND PROTEST HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR MANY WHO HAVE WARNED THAT TRUMP WANTED TO INVOKE THE INSURRECTION ACT.

PRESUMABLY WATCHING IT ANDUCH WHATTING THIS DISGRACE UNFOLD ON TELEVISION THE PRESIDENT HAS TWEETED, 'PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CAPITOL POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THEY ARE TRULY ON THE SIDE OF OUR COUNTRY.

STAY PEACEFUL.'

AND SO FINALLY, LET US REMIND WHAT THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER LOOKS LIKE IN AMERICA.

FORMER REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY CERTIFYING THE ELECTORAL VOTE FOR THEN-PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA ON JANUARY 8, 2009, AMIDDING A STANDING OVATION IN CONGRESS.

OR THEN-VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, CERTIFYING THE ELECTORAL VOTES FOR THEN-PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP EXACTLY FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY, FAMOUSLY TELLING DISAPPOINTED DEMOCRATS, 'IT IS OVER.'

THAT WAS THEN.

IT'S A LITTLE MESSIER THIS TIME, BUT THE TRANSITION IS HAPPENING.

AND THAT IS IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME AND THE SHOW ON TWITTER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING 'AMANPOUR & CO.' ON PBS AND JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.

'AMANPOUR & CO.' IS PROVIDED BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY FUND, SUE THE CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS, ADDITIONAL SUPPORTED PROVIDED BY THESE FUNDERS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

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