CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Tammy Baldwin

Interview

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[20:20:03]

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BLITZER: The Vice President Mike Pence will be in the Senate chamber tomorrow for Judge Amy Coney Barrett's historic confirmation vote even though at least five members of the vice president's staff have now tested positive for coronavirus in recent days, some with whom he's been in very, very close contact with. The Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer slammed the decision by the vice president this afternoon. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): It sets a terrible, terrible example for the American people. And nothing could be a more apt metaphor for what's going on here. The Republican Party is willing to ignore the pandemic to rush the Supreme Court nomination forward.

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BLITZER: I'm joined now by Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Senator, thank you so much for joining us. What's your reaction to the news that the vice president, who is also the president of the Senate, will preside over tomorrow's vote, he will physically be there?

[20:25:06]

SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-WI): Well, I was pretty shocked, and at the time I first heard the news, I only had learned of two of his staff members testing positive in the last 24 hours. Now we hear it's up to five. And I think that it would be very dangerous in terms of a health risk. I think it would be a totally wrong example for the United States for him to appear in the Senate chambers, preside over the Senate.

You know, not only that, but as you're aware, we have had outbreaks among senators and among Senate staffers, and the Senate Republicans are not following quarantining recommendations either. So it's a very distressing situation and again sends entirely the wrong message to the American public when we know that wearing masks, social distancing and after an exposure quarantining are the tools that we now have to fight this pandemic.

BLITZER: Yes. His chief of staff, the vice president's chief of staff Marc Short tested positive. His so-called body man, his executive assistant who is very close to the vice president, he's now tested positive. Three other associates, including his top political aide, all tested positive. It's a serious issue. The CDC recommends someone in that situation should be quarantined at least for 14 days.

As you know, the vice president is also the head of the Coronavirus Task Force over at the White House. Does he owe it to the American people, Senator, to disclose who in his office -- other associates may have tested positive and when they tested positive?

BALDWIN: Well, I think what he owes to the American public is honesty and straightforwardness about this pandemic and about the White House Coronavirus Task Force's plans to, you know, combat it. We heard, as you mentioned in your previous segment, stunning remarks from Mark Meadows, chief of staff to the president, that they're really not trying to fight it anymore. Their focus is elsewhere.

And that is, as I said, stunning information. This administration has no plan, they've never had a plan, and their failure to lead on day one or month one, or to this moment, is outrageous. They're failure to create enforceable pandemic emergency rules for workplaces and for schools and for industry. It's just an abject failure of leadership.

BLITZER: Your state, state of Wisconsin, right now, as you know better than I do, is right in the middle of a very, very dangerous coronavirus surge. Wednesday saw a record number of COVID deaths in Wisconsin for the second weekend in a row. Though the president actually held a big Wisconsin rally with virtually no social distancing at all.

Do you think his refusal to follow CDC guidelines for these events whether in Wisconsin or in other states for that matter is actually turning off undecided voters in your state. And as all of us know, Wisconsin was won by President Trump four years ago narrowly.

BALDWIN: Very narrowly. Yes, I think his behavior is turning off many, especially in communities where he's held these super spreader events, and they have seen in follow up to those major increases in coronavirus cases. Before President Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, he held a rally in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Since that point, the cases have gone up 50 percent in that county.

He is not only exposing his supporters to the coronavirus, but the entire communities where these supporters come from. And I think if you talk to any first responder or anybody who is trying to manage the surge in hospitals and ICUs, they're pretty angry that this administration is not only failing to do its job to protect us, but actually doing harm.

BLITZER: How close is the contest in Wisconsin right now for president?

BALDWIN: Well, we don't have party registration, but I can tell you that we've had enormous uptake in absentee balloting this year, over 1.7 million ballots ordered. A majority of those back in early voting this past week, and it's gotten incredible interest in participation.

[20:30:05]

So Wisconsinites want their voices heard. They want to be able to conduct their balloting in a safe and healthy way, and they're going to be out. They're going to be out.

BLITZER: We'll watch it closely together with you.

Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, thank you so much for joining us.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

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