Transcripts For KNTV Sunday Today With Willie Geist 20240711

To anyway. The United States now has reported more than 1. 2 million cases of coronavirus in just the past week. Public Health Officials worry the Holiday Season that begins this week could make things much worse, even with the promising news that vaccines are on the way. We will have the latest in a pair of live reports just ahead. Then in our sunday focus, a look through the eyes of three insiders at the state of the cdc as it fights a Global Pandemic while under constant political pressure from the white house. Plus, in our sunday spotlight, harry smith with the chorus finding a creative way to hold its concerts during a time when even singing can be dangerous. Later, a new sunday sitdown with michael j. Fox on an extraordinary life from his back to the future success to the parkinsons diagnosis that stopped him in his tracks and the moment recently when he nearly lost the hope that has carried him through 30 years with the disease. I couldnt put a shiny face on it. I couldnt make lemonade out of this. I was out of the lemonade business. I felt more sorry for myself. I questioned my optimism. A sunday sitdown with the great michael j. Fox. Another life well lived later in the show. Lets begin with the coronavirus crisis. The United States now has reported more than 12 million cases since the pandemic began. With more than 181,000 in the past 24 hours alone. The death toll in the u. S. Stands at more than 256,000. There is promising news about potential vaccines. Now, government approval overnight for the drug cocktail that may have saved President Trumps life. Reporter good morning to you. The pandemic is tightening its grip here in new york. The Positivity Rate is taking closer to the 3 mark. Compare that to 30 in wisconsin. In response to the crisis, one governor said the next two to three months are going to be brutal. This morning, Coronavirus Infections accelerating at an alarming rate. Approaching a record 1. 2 million cases this last week. This is faster. Its broader. And what worries me it could be longer. Reporter theres hope on the horizon. Late saturday, the fda granted emergency use authorization for an experimental drug cocktail, the same treatment given to President Trump. This breakthrough comes as californias monthlong curfew went into affect on nonessential work and gatherings. We have to do whatever we have to do to keep cases down. Reporter the latest attempt to slow the spread met with mixed reaction. The cdc says mask mandates can help flatten the curve. A recent report put a spotlight on kansas, which saw a 6 decrease within weeks when counties doubled down on face coverings. Infections soared in communities that did not require them. In el paso, texas, the National Guard is moving in to relieve inmates who were helping transfer bodies into mobile morgues. Statewide, workers are stretched thin. Covid doesnt care if you are tired. Covivid doesnt care if im ti. Reporter newark is a hot spot where the infection rate is close to 20 . The mayor is fighting back the virus with overnight street closures, urging residents to stay home. Take me to jail. Reporter in upstate new york, it appears new restrictions are getting pushback after Health Department workers are kicked out of this gym. As the pandemic continues to push us to the limit, this restaurateur is giving others a life line. Feel grateful we can put our kitchens to good use, even when we cant serve guests inside our restaurant. Reporter due to rising concerns over covid cases, new york city restaurants, including the Popular Union square cafe behind me, have decided to shut down indoor dining. Those restrictions are not in effect in the city. Officials have warned the new rules are imminent. Cathy, thanks. Despite a warning that americans should stay home for the holidays, millions are hitting the roads and boarding planes to gather for thanksgiving. Blai blayne alexander is in atlanta. Good morning. Reporter good morning. Initially, aaa predicted 50 million americans would travel this Holiday Season. The group now says that number is going to be lower after that guidance from the cdc caused a lot of people to make lastminute cancellations. That is still not going to stop millions of people from traveling and gathering with extended family and all of this leaving Health Officials worried about a spike. The holiday is giving way to the inevitable holiday travel. With the cdc sounding the alarm, urging all americans to stay at home, crowded airports show that many are not listening. Nothing is stopping me. Nothing. No one is six feet apart. Everyone is three feet apart or two feet apart. Its horrible. Reporter the tsa processed more than a million passengers friday. The second time hitting that since the pandemic. Aaa says across the board, travel is down this year. When we look at air travel, thats down nearly 50 . The vast majority will go by car. Reporter julia is one of them. Its comforting my test from this past week was negative. Reporter like thousands of other college students, the Duke University sophomore is headed home until january. Choosing an eighthour car ride over a potentially packed airport. Do you feel safe going home . The university is very proactive, testing approach and also due to the students, i think that students there took covid very seriously. Reporter her school offers exit testing before they head home. Across the country, thousands of americans are flocking to do the same. In los angeles, cars wrapped around dodger stadium. In washington state, the demand for testing has skyrocketed as many as 50,000 test records per day forcing the Health Department to temporarily stop reporting negative tests to clear the backlog. Doctors warn testing is not foolproof. The best way to stay healthy, stay at home. Its not safe to travel right now. It will be in a few months. Right now, its too dangerous. Reporter Officials Say if you are choosing to gather with extended family this season, thats anybody who hasnt shared your household for the last two weeks, you should stay in a separate area, ideally with your own separate bathroom and wear masks when uriyou are inside. Isolate on both sides of your trip, test as close to departure as possible and isolate once you get there for 72 hours or so and test again. Remember, none of this is guaranteed. Officials say the safest course is to stay at home. Back to you. Lets hope people listen to some of the warnings. Blaine ax blayne alexander in atlanta. A judge in pennsylvania dismissed the Trump Campaigns effort to invalidate the election results. The judge describing the case as a frankensteins monster and calling efforts to disenfranchise pennsylvanias voters, quote, unhinged. Chuck todd is nbcs political director and moderator of meet the press. Good morning. Here we are nearly three weeks after election day. The vote has certified in the close race in georgia. Joe biden won there. We have this federal judge in pennsylvania effectively smacking down giuliani and the Trump Campaign team there. Where is this headed now . Pat toomey in pennsylvania saw the ruling last night and said, okay, time to move on, joe biden is president elect. Will more dominos begin to fall now . Look, i will be honest. A week ago i said to you that i thought the georgia recount would be the trigger. It wasnt. Look, as much as i feel like i have got to learn the lesson of how long and how slow the Republican Party will go on this when it comes to distancing itself from President Trump or pushing back against him, the lesson is always, just when you think its going to happen, always assume it takes a little bit longer. Look, pat toomey is an important new break. Its also not that unexpected. He is somebody that has been sort of when you look at the republican senators, he is more likely to Say Something publically that isnt necessarily to the benefit of President Trump than other republican senators. Im speaking with one today on the show. Kevin cramer of north dakota. Very much a trump ally. Who is somebody who says the transition should begin. Realize this, willie, he is the only republican senator that has agreed to go on any sunday show this week or last. That tells you how uncomfortable many elected republicans are with defending the president. They would rather remain silent. Amazing, they are standing by and letting these conspiracy theories percolate. It was a telling moment when a republican of tennessee called joe biden president elect and her office went out and said it was a slip of the tongue. She didnt mean to call him the president elect. Speaking of joe biden, this transition is unlike any we have seen before, obviously. The Transition Team doesnt have access to intel. It doesnt have access to official data on the coronavirus crisis. How is the biden Team Managing through this very strange period . It was remarkable, governor hou hogan, the republican from maryland, told me in his meeting with the biden Transition Team, which included a handful of bipartisan governors, that the biden team was peppering the governors with questions about the task force, how it works, about the process. What the governor was telling me, they were trying to learn, trying to understand how it works for obvious reasons, to see, what do you want us to do thats the same, what would you like us to change, things like that. But you had to have the governors serve as an intermediary between the pencerun task force and the biden task force is absurd, but this is where we are. Every minute counts. We are in the middle of an exploding Public Health crisis. Thanks so much. We will look forward to move on meet the press. Chuck will talk with congressman richmond. Surveillance cameras caught a rescue in florida. It has a happy ending. A man was with his puppy next to a pond when an alligator grabbed it and went back into the water. The man immediately jumped in and pulled the gator to shore. The puppys owner pulled the jaws open and the puppy escaped. The dog doing just fine now. His owner, too. Wildlife Officials Say its a reminder to be careful with your pets in areas where alligators live. Clear skies and another morning of cold 30s, near freezing temperatures through the interior valleys. We are expect to go see that as we head into the first half of our morning before the afternoon. 36 degrees in santa rosa. Napa 39. By the afternoon we are going to see an onshore flow that will keep our temperatures cooler than yesterday topping out in the upper 50s, low 60s with plenty of sunshine. The highs and lows of the week, including the covid patient who could not speak his gratitude for doctors and nurses. So he played instead. The fedex driver who is already in the holiday spirit. Like, way into the holiday spirit. Our sunday focus takes us inside the battered centers for Disease Control, fighting a pandemic and a president. Cdc has lost its voice as the lead on pandemics. Its coming annie, want to say hi to grandma . Hi, sweetheart music playi g sorry, mom. Shes doing her thing. [laughing] i can see that. Music playi g this one right there. This one here . Yeah aw, look at that face this year, were all discovering new ways of giving. I love you. I love you, too. Thats why eligibleenrolled citi credit cards customers can earn 5 back on up to 500 of online purchases. Its only human to see what makes us different. Can also make us better. At chevron were working together with women and minorityowned businessesspending 4 billion since 2014. Because valuable ideas only come. When you value everyone. Before discovering nexium 24hr to treat her frequent heartburn, marie could only imagine enjoying freshly squeezed orange juice. Now no fruit is forbidden. Nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts for allday, allnight protection. Can you imagine 24 hours without heartburn . How did you know . Mom. That was taken at the farm. It was in this small little village. In connemara . Right connemara it is. Honestly, we went there oh, oh look at that look at that. Indulgent, delicious, irresistible. , night; fancy feast makes delighting your cat delightfully easy. Every recipe, every last detail. Another fancy way to show your love. Fancy feast. Try fancy feast gourmet naturals recipes brushing only reaches 25 of your mouth. Listerine® cleans virtually 100 . Helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. Never settle for 25 . Always go for 100. Bring out the bold™ everyone thinks their way is the right way. Mes to laundry, i wash on delicate. I just stuff everything in. You have to wash on cold, because it saves energy. The secret is, tide pods work no matter how you wash. So, everyone is right. Its got to be tide. I guess i look pretty. Ridiculous. [ chuckles ] no one looks ridiculous, bob. Progressive is always here for you with roundtheclock service. Just so you know, next time, you can submit a claim with our mobile app. Good. Thanks again for for rushing over. Are you kidding . This is what 24 7 protection looks like. Okay. You smell like fish. Sorry. I was talking to jamie. You smell like fish. Sorry. When panhe doesnt justs mmake a pizza. He uses fresh, clean ingredients to make a masterpiece. Taste our delicious new flatbread pizzas today. Panera. Top down, the city riding with me been through the storm and the gritty do it for the mom pop on every block new day, sunshine on every block windows open, im yelling unity side by side with my community celebrate, lets have a jubilee its bigger than you and me theyve been there for us lets be there for them theyve been there for us this year, the centers for Disease Control and prevention has been tested unlike ever before. Both by an Infectious Disease that has killed more than 250,000 americans and by a white house seeking to control the message around the Public Health crisis. In our sunday focus, nbc news correspond enter jeff bennett speaks with insiders about the state of the cdc as it manages the latest surge in coronavirus and looks ahead to a new administration. Reporter the cdc has been at the forefront of the pan democrat upandemic response. Creating cracks in the countrys Public Health armor as coronavirus cases surge. Cdc has lost its voice as the lead on pandemics. Reporter this man is a cdc advisor who retired from the agency after nearly four decades of service. I spent 35 years at cdc. I want to see cdc prosper and improve and get back to where it was before. Reporter this man previously served as the agencys acting chief operating officer. I was there 21 1 2 years. That was definitely the thing that was one of our strengths, that we lead with science. Reporter this woman is an epidemiologist and ob gyn who has worked in the aids prevention division. Three cdc insiders speaking out about the agencys path forward after an unprecedented effort to sideline science during the covid crisis. Emails and documents obtained by nbc news show how the Trump White House pressed public Health Officials to fall in line with President Trumps political agenda. Watering down covid guidance. Even installing political operatives at the cdc to try to control the information it released. One veteran cdc staffer who wished to remain anonymous telling nbc news, the house is not only on fire, we are standing in ashes. The three of you represent decades of experience at the cdc. Has the agency ever been politicized in the way you say it has been under the Trump Administration . I think during the aids epidemic, we experienced a lot of barriers. Some of these political oppositions that we received actually resulted in greater infections. We could have saved more lives than we did. It was nothing, it pales in my opinion, it pales in comparison to what we are experiencing now. Reporter their concerns turning to the president ial transition, with President Trump blocking the biden team out of the governments pandemic planning. The biggest problem that the delay in briefing the Incoming Administration is the distribution plans for the vaccine. If we are not familiar with those plans, there will be delays and mistakes in the distribution. Reporter a new white house offers the cdc a new opportunity to regain public trust. One staffer tells nbc news, i dont know if the daniel to oma reputation can be overcome. I worry its permanent problem. Whats the culture like that theres a new administration . You can see a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of science being able to go further in terms of its reach. We feel very excited. That help is not too far away. Reporter jeff joins me now. Good morning. Great to see you. I imagine one of the concerns about the erosion of trust is what it may mean for the distribution of the promising vaccines we heard about this week. Really, the willingness of some americans to take it. You are right about that. Public Health Experts have made the point that ensuring the quick and equitable distribution of a vaccine is a big enough challenge in itself. A task made more difficult if public trust in Public Health agencies is degraded. Theres a concern that communities that need the vaccine the most will be reluctant to take it because they wont believe its safe. Allowing the cdc to lead with science and allowing that agency to regain public trust they say is key. So interesting and so important to hear from the insiders you got on the record. Jeff, thanks so much. Coming up next, a moving sunday sitdown with michael j. Fox, as we talk through the new book that tells the story of his famous career on screen and histohis trying dealing with parkinsons. The United States<\/a> now has reported more than 1. 2 million cases of coronavirus in just the past week. Public Health Officials<\/a> worry the Holiday Season<\/a> that begins this week could make things much worse, even with the promising news that vaccines are on the way. We will have the latest in a pair of live reports just ahead. Then in our sunday focus, a look through the eyes of three insiders at the state of the cdc as it fights a Global Pandemic<\/a> while under constant political pressure from the white house. Plus, in our sunday spotlight, harry smith with the chorus finding a creative way to hold its concerts during a time when even singing can be dangerous. Later, a new sunday sitdown with michael j. Fox on an extraordinary life from his back to the future success to the parkinsons diagnosis that stopped him in his tracks and the moment recently when he nearly lost the hope that has carried him through 30 years with the disease. I couldnt put a shiny face on it. I couldnt make lemonade out of this. I was out of the lemonade business. I felt more sorry for myself. I questioned my optimism. A sunday sitdown with the great michael j. Fox. Another life well lived later in the show. Lets begin with the coronavirus crisis. The United States<\/a> now has reported more than 12 million cases since the pandemic began. With more than 181,000 in the past 24 hours alone. The death toll in the u. S. Stands at more than 256,000. There is promising news about potential vaccines. Now, government approval overnight for the drug cocktail that may have saved President Trump<\/a>s life. Reporter good morning to you. The pandemic is tightening its grip here in new york. The Positivity Rate<\/a> is taking closer to the 3 mark. Compare that to 30 in wisconsin. In response to the crisis, one governor said the next two to three months are going to be brutal. This morning, Coronavirus Infections<\/a> accelerating at an alarming rate. Approaching a record 1. 2 million cases this last week. This is faster. Its broader. And what worries me it could be longer. Reporter theres hope on the horizon. Late saturday, the fda granted emergency use authorization for an experimental drug cocktail, the same treatment given to President Trump<\/a>. This breakthrough comes as californias monthlong curfew went into affect on nonessential work and gatherings. We have to do whatever we have to do to keep cases down. Reporter the latest attempt to slow the spread met with mixed reaction. The cdc says mask mandates can help flatten the curve. A recent report put a spotlight on kansas, which saw a 6 decrease within weeks when counties doubled down on face coverings. Infections soared in communities that did not require them. In el paso, texas, the National Guard<\/a> is moving in to relieve inmates who were helping transfer bodies into mobile morgues. Statewide, workers are stretched thin. Covid doesnt care if you are tired. Covivid doesnt care if im ti. Reporter newark is a hot spot where the infection rate is close to 20 . The mayor is fighting back the virus with overnight street closures, urging residents to stay home. Take me to jail. Reporter in upstate new york, it appears new restrictions are getting pushback after Health Department<\/a> workers are kicked out of this gym. As the pandemic continues to push us to the limit, this restaurateur is giving others a life line. Feel grateful we can put our kitchens to good use, even when we cant serve guests inside our restaurant. Reporter due to rising concerns over covid cases, new york city restaurants, including the Popular Union<\/a> square cafe behind me, have decided to shut down indoor dining. Those restrictions are not in effect in the city. Officials have warned the new rules are imminent. Cathy, thanks. Despite a warning that americans should stay home for the holidays, millions are hitting the roads and boarding planes to gather for thanksgiving. Blai blayne alexander is in atlanta. Good morning. Reporter good morning. Initially, aaa predicted 50 million americans would travel this Holiday Season<\/a>. The group now says that number is going to be lower after that guidance from the cdc caused a lot of people to make lastminute cancellations. That is still not going to stop millions of people from traveling and gathering with extended family and all of this leaving Health Officials<\/a> worried about a spike. The holiday is giving way to the inevitable holiday travel. With the cdc sounding the alarm, urging all americans to stay at home, crowded airports show that many are not listening. Nothing is stopping me. Nothing. No one is six feet apart. Everyone is three feet apart or two feet apart. Its horrible. Reporter the tsa processed more than a million passengers friday. The second time hitting that since the pandemic. Aaa says across the board, travel is down this year. When we look at air travel, thats down nearly 50 . The vast majority will go by car. Reporter julia is one of them. Its comforting my test from this past week was negative. Reporter like thousands of other college students, the Duke University<\/a> sophomore is headed home until january. Choosing an eighthour car ride over a potentially packed airport. Do you feel safe going home . The university is very proactive, testing approach and also due to the students, i think that students there took covid very seriously. Reporter her school offers exit testing before they head home. Across the country, thousands of americans are flocking to do the same. In los angeles, cars wrapped around dodger stadium. In washington state, the demand for testing has skyrocketed as many as 50,000 test records per day forcing the Health Department<\/a> to temporarily stop reporting negative tests to clear the backlog. Doctors warn testing is not foolproof. The best way to stay healthy, stay at home. Its not safe to travel right now. It will be in a few months. Right now, its too dangerous. Reporter Officials Say<\/a> if you are choosing to gather with extended family this season, thats anybody who hasnt shared your household for the last two weeks, you should stay in a separate area, ideally with your own separate bathroom and wear masks when uriyou are inside. Isolate on both sides of your trip, test as close to departure as possible and isolate once you get there for 72 hours or so and test again. Remember, none of this is guaranteed. Officials say the safest course is to stay at home. Back to you. Lets hope people listen to some of the warnings. Blaine ax blayne alexander in atlanta. A judge in pennsylvania dismissed the Trump Campaign<\/a>s effort to invalidate the election results. The judge describing the case as a frankensteins monster and calling efforts to disenfranchise pennsylvanias voters, quote, unhinged. Chuck todd is nbcs political director and moderator of meet the press. Good morning. Here we are nearly three weeks after election day. The vote has certified in the close race in georgia. Joe biden won there. We have this federal judge in pennsylvania effectively smacking down giuliani and the Trump Campaign<\/a> team there. Where is this headed now . Pat toomey in pennsylvania saw the ruling last night and said, okay, time to move on, joe biden is president elect. Will more dominos begin to fall now . Look, i will be honest. A week ago i said to you that i thought the georgia recount would be the trigger. It wasnt. Look, as much as i feel like i have got to learn the lesson of how long and how slow the Republican Party<\/a> will go on this when it comes to distancing itself from President Trump<\/a> or pushing back against him, the lesson is always, just when you think its going to happen, always assume it takes a little bit longer. Look, pat toomey is an important new break. Its also not that unexpected. He is somebody that has been sort of when you look at the republican senators, he is more likely to Say Something<\/a> publically that isnt necessarily to the benefit of President Trump<\/a> than other republican senators. Im speaking with one today on the show. Kevin cramer of north dakota. Very much a trump ally. Who is somebody who says the transition should begin. Realize this, willie, he is the only republican senator that has agreed to go on any sunday show this week or last. That tells you how uncomfortable many elected republicans are with defending the president. They would rather remain silent. Amazing, they are standing by and letting these conspiracy theories percolate. It was a telling moment when a republican of tennessee called joe biden president elect and her office went out and said it was a slip of the tongue. She didnt mean to call him the president elect. Speaking of joe biden, this transition is unlike any we have seen before, obviously. The Transition Team<\/a> doesnt have access to intel. It doesnt have access to official data on the coronavirus crisis. How is the biden Team Managing<\/a> through this very strange period . It was remarkable, governor hou hogan, the republican from maryland, told me in his meeting with the biden Transition Team<\/a>, which included a handful of bipartisan governors, that the biden team was peppering the governors with questions about the task force, how it works, about the process. What the governor was telling me, they were trying to learn, trying to understand how it works for obvious reasons, to see, what do you want us to do thats the same, what would you like us to change, things like that. But you had to have the governors serve as an intermediary between the pencerun task force and the biden task force is absurd, but this is where we are. Every minute counts. We are in the middle of an exploding Public Health<\/a> crisis. Thanks so much. We will look forward to move on meet the press. Chuck will talk with congressman richmond. Surveillance cameras caught a rescue in florida. It has a happy ending. A man was with his puppy next to a pond when an alligator grabbed it and went back into the water. The man immediately jumped in and pulled the gator to shore. The puppys owner pulled the jaws open and the puppy escaped. The dog doing just fine now. His owner, too. Wildlife Officials Say<\/a> its a reminder to be careful with your pets in areas where alligators live. Clear skies and another morning of cold 30s, near freezing temperatures through the interior valleys. We are expect to go see that as we head into the first half of our morning before the afternoon. 36 degrees in santa rosa. Napa 39. By the afternoon we are going to see an onshore flow that will keep our temperatures cooler than yesterday topping out in the upper 50s, low 60s with plenty of sunshine. The highs and lows of the week, including the covid patient who could not speak his gratitude for doctors and nurses. So he played instead. The fedex driver who is already in the holiday spirit. Like, way into the holiday spirit. Our sunday focus takes us inside the battered centers for Disease Control<\/a>, fighting a pandemic and a president. Cdc has lost its voice as the lead on pandemics. Its coming annie, want to say hi to grandma . Hi, sweetheart music playi g sorry, mom. Shes doing her thing. [laughing] i can see that. Music playi g this one right there. This one here . Yeah aw, look at that face this year, were all discovering new ways of giving. I love you. I love you, too. Thats why eligibleenrolled citi credit cards customers can earn 5 back on up to 500 of online purchases. Its only human to see what makes us different. Can also make us better. At chevron were working together with women and minorityowned businessesspending 4 billion since 2014. Because valuable ideas only come. When you value everyone. Before discovering nexium 24hr to treat her frequent heartburn, marie could only imagine enjoying freshly squeezed orange juice. Now no fruit is forbidden. Nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts for allday, allnight protection. Can you imagine 24 hours without heartburn . How did you know . Mom. That was taken at the farm. It was in this small little village. In connemara . Right connemara it is. Honestly, we went there oh, oh look at that look at that. Indulgent, delicious, irresistible. , night; fancy feast makes delighting your cat delightfully easy. Every recipe, every last detail. Another fancy way to show your love. Fancy feast. Try fancy feast gourmet naturals recipes brushing only reaches 25 of your mouth. Listerine\u00ae cleans virtually 100 . Helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. Never settle for 25 . Always go for 100. Bring out the bold\u2122 everyone thinks their way is the right way. Mes to laundry, i wash on delicate. I just stuff everything in. You have to wash on cold, because it saves energy. The secret is, tide pods work no matter how you wash. So, everyone is right. Its got to be tide. I guess i look pretty. Ridiculous. [ chuckles ] no one looks ridiculous, bob. Progressive is always here for you with roundtheclock service. Just so you know, next time, you can submit a claim with our mobile app. Good. Thanks again for for rushing over. Are you kidding . This is what 24 7 protection looks like. Okay. You smell like fish. Sorry. I was talking to jamie. You smell like fish. Sorry. When panhe doesnt justs mmake a pizza. He uses fresh, clean ingredients to make a masterpiece. Taste our delicious new flatbread pizzas today. Panera. Top down, the city riding with me been through the storm and the gritty do it for the mom pop on every block new day, sunshine on every block windows open, im yelling unity side by side with my community celebrate, lets have a jubilee its bigger than you and me theyve been there for us lets be there for them theyve been there for us this year, the centers for Disease Control<\/a> and prevention has been tested unlike ever before. Both by an Infectious Disease<\/a> that has killed more than 250,000 americans and by a white house seeking to control the message around the Public Health<\/a> crisis. In our sunday focus, nbc news correspond enter jeff bennett speaks with insiders about the state of the cdc as it manages the latest surge in coronavirus and looks ahead to a new administration. Reporter the cdc has been at the forefront of the pan democrat upandemic response. Creating cracks in the countrys Public Health<\/a> armor as coronavirus cases surge. Cdc has lost its voice as the lead on pandemics. Reporter this man is a cdc advisor who retired from the agency after nearly four decades of service. I spent 35 years at cdc. I want to see cdc prosper and improve and get back to where it was before. Reporter this man previously served as the agencys acting chief operating officer. I was there 21 1 2 years. That was definitely the thing that was one of our strengths, that we lead with science. Reporter this woman is an epidemiologist and ob gyn who has worked in the aids prevention division. Three cdc insiders speaking out about the agencys path forward after an unprecedented effort to sideline science during the covid crisis. Emails and documents obtained by nbc news show how the Trump White House<\/a> pressed public Health Officials<\/a> to fall in line with President Trump<\/a>s political agenda. Watering down covid guidance. Even installing political operatives at the cdc to try to control the information it released. One veteran cdc staffer who wished to remain anonymous telling nbc news, the house is not only on fire, we are standing in ashes. The three of you represent decades of experience at the cdc. Has the agency ever been politicized in the way you say it has been under the Trump Administration<\/a> . I think during the aids epidemic, we experienced a lot of barriers. Some of these political oppositions that we received actually resulted in greater infections. We could have saved more lives than we did. It was nothing, it pales in my opinion, it pales in comparison to what we are experiencing now. Reporter their concerns turning to the president ial transition, with President Trump<\/a> blocking the biden team out of the governments pandemic planning. The biggest problem that the delay in briefing the Incoming Administration<\/a> is the distribution plans for the vaccine. If we are not familiar with those plans, there will be delays and mistakes in the distribution. Reporter a new white house offers the cdc a new opportunity to regain public trust. One staffer tells nbc news, i dont know if the daniel to oma reputation can be overcome. I worry its permanent problem. Whats the culture like that theres a new administration . You can see a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of science being able to go further in terms of its reach. We feel very excited. That help is not too far away. Reporter jeff joins me now. Good morning. Great to see you. I imagine one of the concerns about the erosion of trust is what it may mean for the distribution of the promising vaccines we heard about this week. Really, the willingness of some americans to take it. You are right about that. Public Health Experts<\/a> have made the point that ensuring the quick and equitable distribution of a vaccine is a big enough challenge in itself. A task made more difficult if public trust in Public Health<\/a> agencies is degraded. Theres a concern that communities that need the vaccine the most will be reluctant to take it because they wont believe its safe. Allowing the cdc to lead with science and allowing that agency to regain public trust they say is key. So interesting and so important to hear from the insiders you got on the record. Jeff, thanks so much. Coming up next, a moving sunday sitdown with michael j. Fox, as we talk through the new book that tells the story of his famous career on screen and histohis trying dealing with parkinsons. The Emergency Room Physician<\/a> who gave his life to protect the patients of his community. Our photo of the week. Boeing 737 Max Airplanes<\/a> parked and ready to go at the companys Production Facility<\/a> in washington state. This week, the faa cleared the max to fly again after it was grounded worldwide for nearly two years following a pair of deadly crashes. How about no no uh uh, no way come on, no no nnnnono only discover has no annual fee on any card. She offered you a homemade cookie. So when she said your trade in was worth 12 thousand dollars, you believed her. But was it a lie . The cookie . The offer . Next time start with carmax and get a custom offer good for 7 days. The way it should be. Carmax. Every moment together is a gift la vie est Belle Lancome<\/a> the musthave gift of the season now available at macys ofbut never for bladder leaks. R that fits like this. The musthave gift of the season new always discreet boutique black. I feel protected all day, in a fit so discreet, youd never know theyre for bladder leaks. Always discreet boutique good sunday morning. It is 6 26 as we take a live look outside at the golden gate bridge. It is a crisp, cold, and clearing morning out there. Thank you for starting your sunday morning with us. Eye kira klapper. Vianey arana joins with us a look at your microclimate forecast. Good morning. It is very cold right now and those clear skies definitely help keep the temperatures that cold. How cold are we . Lets take a look at the current temperatures, 30s up through novato, napa. San jose 37. Morgan hill 37 degrees right now. And we are expecting to actually be cooler today. We have an onshore flow thats going to be part of our daytime highs in the upper 50s, low 60s, and were going to get a little bit more cloud cover today. Any chance of showers will stay to the north which means we are expecting a pretty dry november. Here are your headlines for this week. Dry winds potential next week. The full forecast at 7 00 a. M. Kira . We look forward to seeing you then, vianey, thanks. Last night the bay area returned to a limited stayathome order. The nightly curfew at 10 00 p. M. Affects much of the bay area. Stayed in place until 5 00 this morning and will be that way for the next month. It is in place for counties in the purple considered the states most restrictive. Health leaders putting the new curfew in place as numbers spread at an alarming rate and will remain in effect until december 21st. The first night seemed to go smoothly in one city we found. Los gatos was bustling with many people dining outside. But at 10 00 p. M. On the dot businesses like the black watch bar closed their doors early. The people we spoke with had a range of opinions about the new curfew implemented to slow the spread of covid. I think its the right thing to do, a step in the right direction. With the number of covid cases increasing. Its a small sacrifice to make. I think it encourages people to be out less, if anything. Its weird for me to think coronavirus spreads faster after 10 00 versus before it so doesnt make a lot of sense to me. With california reporting more than 15,000 cases of covid19 on thursday state leaders implemented the curfew to limit social mixing and drinking to help decrease the spread. During the curfew you cannot gather with people outside your household. You are not allowed to work or travel outside your home unless you are an essenti worker. Here is what can you do after 0010 p. M. Work at an essential job, go to the grocery store, walk your dog, get takeout food. Just live safely. Coming up this morning on today in the bay, the show must go on. Well tell you how one musical couple in San Francisco<\/a> is still entertaining despite hardships brought on by the pandemic. A little bit of a bright spot there. Well have that and your other top stories . Viane vianeys full forecast. Back to sunday today with willie geist. Grocery outlet jingle do you have cheese . Of course. More cheese for less chedar do you have kale . Absolutly. More kale for less cabbage in our produce section. How about pizza . yep. More pizza for less dough in the freezer section. Now youre getting the hang of it. Grocrey outlet jingle help me out here. I mean, what would you do . Pressure mounting from all sides. Your future, your career hangs in the balance. Would you do something you knew was wrong . Thats a Young Michael<\/a> j. Fox as alex p. Keaton on family ties which airs on nbc for seven seasons. The role earned fox three consecutive emmy awards as outstanding lead actor in a comedy. During that run, michael starred as marty mcfly in back to the futu future which made him a star around the world and led to a pair of sequels. He was just 29 years old when in 1991, at the peak of that success, he was diagnosed with parkinsons disease. He continued to act in movies and on shows like spin city before stepping away to create his now famous Parkinsons Research<\/a> foundation. Michael has written a new book called no time like the future in which he reveals his recent breaking point in a 30year public fight against the disease. Michael and i got together in the grand suite of the mark hotel in new york for a socially distant sunday sitdown. Everyone is like, what did you get out of the pandemic . You literally sat down and wrote a book. What was it about this moment and this time that you wanted to sit down and write this . Ive had parkinsons for 30 years, 100 years. I have kind of made peace with it. I had this thing happen that kind of a tumor on my spine. I had to have surgery on that. It was preventing me from being paralyzed. I had to learn to walk again. For three decades since he was diagnosed with parkinsons disease, michael j. Fox has projected hope and optimism. In 2018, he nearly lost both. Four months after the spinal surgery, he was at home alone when he fell and shattered his arm. Under the phone against the kitchen wall on the floor alone with a broken arm waiting for the ambulance to show up. I couldnt believe the amount of f fury i had to let down my surgeons because i had so stubborn about being independent. My family had been patient during this. Then i started to think i couldnt put a shiny face on it, i couldnt make lemonade out of this. I was out of the lemonade business. I felt more sorry for myself. I had never done that before. For people watching who dont know, my father has parkinsons. People watch you publically and they go, wow, he is optimistic all the time. As somebody who watched on the other side, no, every day is a battle. How did you climb out of that . How did you get back in the lemonade business . I looked at my family and my friends and my dog and i looked at my doctors and i went on this tv binge. Weste westerns. I realized, this happened before i was born, these shows. Im part of the continuum. Im one of those guys, i will be survived by my reruns. This is a travesty. This is a sin against capitalism. You built a time machine . A little bit of immortality. All these things were connected. They poied mnt toward how grateful i was. My interaction with my kids. They are all smarter than me, better looking than me, taller than me. I look up to them. Your wife. Shes amazing. Shes on the front lines with me every day. The other thing she does is, she has a funny thing. We will deal with tragic later. Im going to the store. You falling down. Im going to the market. Are you okay . Im getting cheese and bread. Dont get up. Stay there for a second. Im taking the station wagon. Not that you care. Most people know the story that you met on family ties. Alex p. Keaton, sophomore hospitality committee. Congratulations. You get married. You have a son. A short time after that, you are diagnosed at 29 years old with parkinsons disease. You write about that moment in the book and coming home and telling her about that. One of the things i well love her for is that moment she didnt blink. She hasnt since, has she . No. Sorry. Its not the kind of thing i know, mike. I know. I know. Its not the kind of thing you can do without a partner. No. Its great to have a partner. Michael and tracy live in new york city where they raise their four children. The hallway. My children at a younger age. I couldnt help but notice when we walked in, the real celebrity in the room, gus. He is a rescue dog. He rescued me. My son went to college. I needed male energy. A dude in the house. Look at this. Five emmys. Thats 1987, family ties. This is an incredible shelf. A grammy. I had to put it somewhere. Didnt want to get up and trip over it. These things are sharp. At age 40, with the disease progressing, fox retired from acting. Immediately turned his energy towards finding a cure. He created the michael j. Fox foundation. Now the worlds preeminent organization for Parkinsons Research<\/a>. Started the foundation from nothing. When you started that, you never could have imagined what you built. Best people on it doing the best work they can as quickly as they can. Responsible for 17 active therapies that are being used that were never thought of before. We funded a billion dollars in research. This is our 20th year. If we knew it was going to be 2020, we would have started a year earlier or later. This year really blows. As the foundation grew and he became the familiar, hopeful face of parkinsons, michael returned to acting. Incorporating the disease into roles on the good wife and rescue me. The latter earning him a fifth emmy apart. How are you doing . Im in a wheelchair. Other than that, i have plans. Today, fox has rediscovered his optimism. As he quite literally takes life one step at a time. You have to plant your heel and shift your hips and transfer weight. All this mechanical you have to go through it to get through a cup of coffee. Every step is precious. If you are in a restaurant, i have to get from here to that chair, in your case the busboy darts in front of you. Do you get tired of people asking how you are doing . No. Its funny, sometimes i want to go, really, you want to know . Pull up a chair. I can give you 45 minutes. If you want the short answer, im feeling great. Accept it and move on. If you want to know, find a bunch. Thats the thing. Its a choice. In a way it isnt. I dont know if theres any other twist than to hope for the best and work toward it. You cannot help but be optimistic around michael. His new book is available now. As michael said, the michael j. Fox foundation for Parkinsons Research<\/a> is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Im proud to say i sit on the board of the foundation which has done so much good for parkinsons families like ours. Subscribe to the sunday sitdown podcast to hear the full interview with michael j. Fox. Find it on apple podcasts or wherever you get yours. Next week, we revisit one of our favorite conversations with the great al pacino. A rare interview and a topdown ride around Beverly Hills<\/a> with an American Icon<\/a> next week on sunday today. Good morning. We have a cold start yet again through portions of the bay area, seeing some frosty conditions as well through the interior valleys. Here we are in the 30s. San jose, 37 degrees. 34 in napa and novato. Concord also in the 30s. Here is a closer look at your headlines for the week. An increase in cloud cover heading into the evening, and were expected to stay dry for the rest of november as High Pressure<\/a> returns. The full forecast coming up at 7 00 a. M. Ahead, our highs and lows of the week, including our political guru and master of the big election board. Making the cultural leap from political newsletters to peoples sexiest man alive. Up next, harry smith brings us a little music on a sunday morning, from the chorus that has moved from concert halls to parking lots. Were back in just 60 seconds. When life gets you down and life is just crazy, they think you are the best thing in the world. And thats a really cool feeling. So, yes, cats are awesome. Tuckers family so we feed him blue. Ohhh. Im looking for coupon codes. Well, capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them. Its called shopping smart. Not hard. But i dont have a capital one card. You should get one but you dont need it for this. Just download capital one shopping to your computer. Its free ooooo, save me some cheddar so. Whens the party . I love fondue. Really . I never joke about hot cheese, susan. Me neither. Capital one shopping. Its kinda genius. Whats in your wallet . Thats very common to have a gum Health Concern<\/a> as well. You know, i talk to dentists every day, and theyre able to recommend sensodyne sensitivity gum. Its really good dentistry to be able to recommend one product that can address two conditions. Believe it or not, the cdcs latest guidance includes this line, avoid singing or shouting, especially indoors. Loud voice projection was identified early in the pandemic as a spreader of coronavirus. Professional concert singers, high cool glschool glee clubs f silent. Harry smith visits one chorus that has found a creative way to make their voices heard. Reporter a choir practice like this, we are guessing you have never seen before. Bostons chorus, singing while in their car and darned happy about it. Because singing in a group is highly dangerous, a potential superspreader event, choruses have been silenced since spring. Jamie is the director. It became one of the most Dangerous Things<\/a> you can do. It was really extremely difficult. Reporter as victory over the virus relies on science, so, too, a little technology as provided the pathway to this parking lot performance. We love to make music as a family. We started wanting to bring people to our house. We knew we couldnt bring them inside. Maybe we could have them in their car. He figured out a way to get us to hear each other. Im here. Reporter he is an engineer and katherine is a musical director. The chorus connected by lots of wires, a sound mixer and a tiny fm transmitter. The frequency not used by any radio station. You broadcast on that. Everyone can hear the choir through the radio. Reporter they got the idea from a chorus director in virginia. He has taken it to the next level. Its live. Reporter he posted how to videos and schematics so others like summerset hills harmony in new jersey can be socially distant and still achieve harmonic convergence. We started with four people in four cars. Here we are with a lot of people. There are several people in massachusetts who have made their own systems and are using them weekly with their chorus. Its great. Reporter have you gotten goose bumps . Absolutely. When im conducting, i really feel as if i have singers in front of me. You have to who is in the subaru . Reporter fuelled by the passion for music, many a weekend they load into the suv, sharing the know how free of charge. We got it. I missed it so much. Its our heart and soul. It means a lot. I take pleasure from sharing it with other people. Reporter the music performed that afternoon was less about mourning than it is an anthem to life itself. A reason to sing. Give yourselves a round of applause. Reporter for sunday today, harry smith, massachusetts. Just as beautiful in a parking lot. Thank you very much. This week, we highlight another life well lived. With the aggressive spread of coronavirus across the country and reports of hospitals overrun, we are reminded of the dedication and sacrifice made by americas heroic healthcare workers. They are people like dr. Juan fitz. Dr. Fitz was an Emergency Room Physician<\/a> at a Medical Center<\/a> in texas where he worked for nearly 20 years as was director of the hospitals ambulance service. A native of el paso who grew up in a spanishspeaking house, dr. Fitz offered a bridge to medical care for latinos in west texas. He was a regular contributor to a bilingual magazine where he provided health advice, safety tips and reminders about getting routine shots. A veteran of the United States<\/a> army dr. ,fitz was named in 2008 as a hero of emergency medicine by the mgeamerica college of emergency physicians. With a 5yearold son and baby daughter at home, he worried about covid19 in the e. R. He continues to scrub in and suit up for every shift. In early october, he contracted the disease. Likely from a papatien as his condition grew worse, he was moved to the icu and placed on a ventilator. A patient in his own hospital. Dr. Fitzs adult daughter says a friend told her, god needed a damn good doctor in heaven and he hand picked your dad. Dr. Juan fitz, a dedicated and beloved Emergency Room Physician<\/a> died this month in texas of coronavirus at the Medical Center<\/a> where he worked for two decades. Dr. Fitz was 67 years old. people greeting one another its coming in to catch up with the owner. The curated collection you cant find anywhere else. And how she sets aside those pieces she knows are so you. The small details are a big reason to come back and shop your favorite small businesses. We know them. We love them. So lets go shop small. With american express. We doevery night. Ght. I live alone, but i still do it every night. Right after dinner. Definitely after meatloaf. Like clockwork. Do it run your dishwasher with cascade platinum. And save water. Did you know an Energy Star Certified<\/a> dishwasher. Uses less than four gallons per cycle. While a running sink uses that, every two minutes. That means even small loads can save water. So why not do it . Run your dishwasher every night with cascade platinum. The surprising way to save water. Its time for the highs and lows of the week. Is week, were going with all highs. Our first high to a powerful moment at a hospital in utah. A retired orchestra teacher was among the patients fighting coronavirus. The 70yearold could not speak while intubated and on a ventilator. He wrote a note asking his wife to bring his violin to the hospital. Playing the tennessee waltz while attached to the vent la r ventilator. Some staff watched from outside the window, others listened on a pager. One nurse called it a small light in the darkness of covid. We are happy to say he was discharged from the icu to a longterm care facility and he is expected to make a full recovery. Thats great news and a beautiful performance. Our next high goes t geniuses w executed a launching of astronauts. The spacex ship lifted off in florida last sunday night for a 27hour journey to the iss. The capsule executed ed flawles parking job, 250 miles above the earth. Its the Company Started<\/a> by elon musk. The crew will spend six months at the space station. It brought along a buddy on the mission. Inside the cabin we have four astronauts. Five, actually. We have baby yoda on board trying to take a seat right now, i guess. That is a baby yoda doll. Baby yoda acted as the crews zero g indicator to let them know when the spacecraft had reached zero gravity. Baby yoda floated in with the astronauts when they arrived at the space station late monday night. That little guy is everywhere. The undisputed sexiest man alive, master of the big board, steve kornacki. He earned fans during his long, sleepless work over the endless days of the election. He inspired the term, chartthrob and his signature khakis ga caused sales to spike. People released its sexiest men alive. But they went to kornacki. He made the list alongside chris evans and brad pitt. The magazine writing, quote, never before has khakis and a striped tie gotten so many hot under the oxford collar. Thats our guy. I would like to see brad pitt showing the updated absentee totals. Our final high to the fedex driver named andy johnson in missouri who became a viral star this week when he was caught on camera really feeling the christmas spirit. Go get it. A fellow fedex driver captured the footage of andy rocking out to all i want for christmas is you while their trucks were lined up during a lunch break. Mariah caught wind tweeting, note, this is how all my packages must be delivered from now on. You get the sense she isnt kiddin gwith a toprated app that lets you deposit checks and transfer money anytime, anywhere, banking with capital one is, like, the easiest decision in the history of decisions. Kind of like. Ill take barkley. Yes i still got it i told you shed pick me first. Yep, even easier than that. Plus with no fees or minimums on checking and savings accounts, is it really even a decision . Thats banking reimagined. Whats in your wallet . Thats banking reimagined. Galya is obsessed with oscar. Her first word was doggie as soon as she saw him. Doggie. Just like that. Can you give oscar a kiss . Oh, good job. Oscars family so i feed him blue. Smells more amazing than ever. Flings now so their laundry isnt that the dogs towel . Hey, me towel su towel. More gain scent plus oxi boost and febreze in every gain fling. Beholfinally, theres a way to turn your coffee into a dipping sauce. Meet the new bakery sweets at mcdonalds ba da ba ba ba she offered you a homemade cookie. So when she said your trade in was worth 12 thousand dollars, you believed her. But was it a lie . The cookie . The offer . Next time start with carmax and get a custom offer good for 7 days. The way it should be. Carmax. We got more of your sunday today mugshots. Thank you erica. Jennifer and her dog. Chad, judy and roger in florida. Karen in arizona. Laura, jean, courtney. Jim and his dog. Bella in texas. Happy 100th birthday. Our intern sofia with her parents in california. Mom and dad, you got a good one there. A special celebrity cameo. Andy cohen is up and toasting us. Say hi to benjamin. Send us a photo with the hash tag sunday today. Get the mug at the nbc online store. Thank you for spending part of your morning with us. Have a happy and safe thanksgiving. We will see you back here next week on sunday today. Good morning. It is sunday, november 22nd. Gorgeous look outside. 7 00 on the dot as the sun rises over palo alto. What a beautiful way to start our sunday with beautiful sunshine. Thanks for starting your sunday with us. Im kira klapper. Vianey arana joins us with a look at your microclimate forecast. Another really cold morning out there. A morning with a little bit of frost. Our director had frost. Did you have any today . 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