ABC News Live Update: White House authorizes transition

Plus, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed as demand for COVID-19 testing soars, and millions take to the sky and roads for Thanksgiving despite a surge in coronavirus cases.
20:56 | 11/24/20


Coming up next:



Skip to this video now

Now Playing:


Related Extras
Related Videos
Video Transcript
Transcript for ABC News Live Update: White House authorizes transition
Good morning I'm Diane Maceda thanks for streaming with us in today's update the trump administration says they are finally clearing the way. For the transition of power. The president endorsed the move in a tweet saying it's of the country's best interest but he still says he will not concede defeat. This is Biden and bill the list of historic cabinet picks with 57 days to go until the inauguration. Also ahead the new warning this morning from doctor found chi about how the Thanksgiving travel rush could impact our Christmas plants. I hear how one major airline is tackling the virus and raising new questions about hearth how far vaccine rules could go. And a big announcement from jeopardy at the show prepares its return what we're learning about who will be guest hosting and place of the late Alex your back. For the first time since 1980 points. But we begin with that big news outlets when he twenty election the. Formal presidential transition has eighty officially started the trump administration are now preparing for Joseph Biden to take office on January 20. A president trump still has not conceded as a new Biden administration take shape Rachel Scott has the latest. This morning president trump is finally showing signs of relenting his administration clearing the way for the transition of power to officially begin sources confirming to EB seat that drug chief of staff mark meadows. Issued a mellowed a snapple overnight saying the White House will comply with all actions needed to ensure the smooth transfer power. But warning them not to speak to the Biden team without authorization this comes just hours after the General Services Administration the government agency responsible for facilitating the transfer of power. Finally declared Joseph Biden beat pure winner of the 20/20 election. After delaying for over two weeks. Giving the incoming administration access to keep re sources like the White House corona virus task force and classified intelligence briefings its director attempting to explain the hold up in a letter to Biden saying her decision to move forward now which triggered by recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results and that she received threats directed at my CT my family my staff and even my pets in an effort to quartz means and making this determination prematurely but was never pressured by any executive branch official but the president implying he gave his approval tweeting it's in the best interests of our country well still refusing to concede adding. Our case strongly continues and we will never concede that they ballots but it reality trump has presented zero evidence of widespread voter fraud and his campaign and allies have lost at least thirty cases in court as key states are certifying the president elect's victory like Michigan where Biden won by more than a 150000. Votes a small but growing number of Republicans are publicly acknowledging the race is over. Louisiana senator bill Cassidy tweeting he voted for president trump the Jill Biden won. Even conservative firebrand Rush Limbaugh who was awarded the medal of freedom by the president slamming the trump legal team's efforts they promised blockbusters. Stop. And then nothing happened. And that's just. That's not. Roses it's not good the Biden transition team wasting no time unveiling his first cabinet picks. When you're kidding me. That I am president elect Joseph Biden's nominations could face a tough confirmation battle in the senate but if confirmed. They wouldn't make history sources tell us he's considering tapping Janet Yellen to serve as the secretary of treasury she would be the first woman to serve in that role. Diane we just got in Wilmington Delaware at. Thanks Rachel and the US has now set a new record for hospitalizations. Every day for the past two weeks when it comes to Kobe nineteen. More than 85000 Americans are currently hospitalized and medical facilities are overwhelmed. Labs across the country are also strained as demand for testing stores. Cars started lining up nearly four hours before this Miami testing site opened Victor can know is there with the latest. Made it. This morning those who've been infection surge around the country so does the demand for testing. Quest Diagnostics one of the biggest private labs in the US says the demand for Toby Tess is so great. Testing should be reserved for symptomatic and expose patients all the recommendations by public health professionals. Say testing asymptomatic carriers is key to controlling the virus. I have been for a long time now very very much pushing the idea. That she need to its content test. People who are in the asymptomatic group you can get a feel for the kind of trends of this community spread. Open human services telling ABC news that the vast majority of labs are producing results at about three to five days. Across the country people are lining up to be tested. Some waiting up to eight hours recoup the test. Others unable to find an available test at all. Really brown can't buy the test within two hours of her home in filling her boyfriend recently tested negative but it's no feeling sick. Oh my god it's like appointees are needing to Wear it. Every creates its fullest actually rate now because of machines get out Syracuse he's flying from Ohio to Pennsylvania to see your daily for the holidays. I got tested last Wednesday. At a news. And I have been told that results have been coming back there and 48 hours and I still don't happen. So I'm still planning on flying and it is hoping this test results common. Since the beginning of this month Durbin more than three million confirmed cases and more than 25000. People have died that's about one American death every minute. New York once the epicenter of the pandemic. No seeing a surge in case is so great the governor is opening another field hospital these are. Dangerous currents that wearing. And a dire situation in Pennsylvania where officials say they may run out of icu beds by next week. The midwest though is twice as many people hospitalized per capita than the north east and the west according to the kogan tracking project. Hospitalizations. In Ohio are now up more than 50% in the past two weeks and finally some hope. Today the government will begin distributing we're general antibody treatment the same treatment president trump perceived at Walter Reed earlier the. This year. The car started lining up here outside of hard rock stadium in Miami Gardens nearly four hours before they're testing site even know beans so many people are hoping for that. Negative test result before Thanksgiving but officials warn. That negative test could create a false sense of security. Diane. Sure could Victor komando in Miami thank you and your New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced at a field hospital reopened in Staten Island to try to keep up with surging cases there are joining me now from more on that Staten Island Borough president James Otto is here. President I appreciate you being here what's the situation like in the hospitals there and how do you think this facility might help. Good morning. Aren't going to cry for being quickly process and is the only Borough or the hospital so we are. Really you know under added capacity and its cooler is an issue. We watch anymore she rule out to hospital system essentially turned and celery. Salt and create one more. Seating icu soon. This this new hot if you will agency building a brand new building built on the campuses. South Beach psychiatric center. And it's an intense is sooner. Or contributors is a PG he's also receive. What are we seen a dead negative tests and that they don't all on as well Russell who shall essentially you know we don't listen anymore. But the initial me. To come less and it's an Arab creating. Age train ceased. Rob folks who were even more series radio show on my understanding is it won't be on line these moral. And conserve. Our ground hunters don't need sugar greeted universally he saw all I'm. Unappreciated. Governors eating shall we yes pretty one of the worst he's America's. And New York has a color coded system to determine areas where schools restaurants and businesses can remain open and where they need to close. A Staten Island is split in two part of it is he yellow zone part of it is an orange zone how does that work out. To Sunnis and somewhat. Confusing. Only cost socialist conspiracy. Just encourage sat on the big move deeper and you know there's a yellow zone and arms and news actually website at Bernard has seated right and we I didn't. Your address or your business and when you're arrested if you are confused. Tired all the water you know yeah and urine what was normal in the this artistry and yeah. With the war in shape you're in it is typical life. We we got to sell. Shoes degree issued this. And we rule did issue an arrest soon would be even more severe restrictions meat dress and behavior and message. We continued should run you cross now. And are you happy so far went with leadership and how expend conducted both on this city state and federal level on do you feel like you're getting all support you need. Yeah this and I understand it's easy appearance and now you ruined his tour center. American lives here and in Governor Cuomo and I know. And records are records aren't made some mistakes collectively and individually. Oh little community GG. All over decades old control room on the gruesome it's. You know run and I'm pleased with the level I'll look. Communication. On he's he's through the level. And again and I get a coincidence GE's real. We can't sell. Your car does and what war. So consuming. Or are. We going into a holiday she's. So would you do anything differently in terms of the restrictions. Not all of believer in the metaphor that the governor used early it is not light sweet she's about eighty. I'm also lever inside and that's always has yeah and our. The metrics tee. Time and about an hour's our behaviors teach get to loosen your own all you know we didn't we didn't spirited discussion. About Orange and ran it in yellow and restrictions. The reality is that has to be of a runner. And I I didn't buy into the notion. Yeah we have to adjust on the fly. And the numbers it. Then you have said that Staten Island may be seeing higher race. Than other parts of the city because unlike other parts of the city most people dared don't rely on public transportation they have cars. So they're likely to travel more how much does that worry you ahead of the holidays. Or does he you know really already is combine our whole. Did his recent return prequel or do you. Are driving. All about talent and try did you Jersey Connecticut teenager daughter insists that kind of geographically close to New Jersey and yeah behavior does Porter in the the numbers Ada high this week. Lions individual dignity. Ice cold feet hospital's aging members. Since she people who may. Snapshot in time. He'd be worse hitting need your sorry about who reached now worried about. Early January. When you have Thanksgiving behavior combined with Christmas you know holiday behaviors are up against others I'd give you aren't. On dvd. Share your neighbor you more than you sell and according. The message we're hearing throughout the country right now Staten Island Borough president James oh we appreciate your time thank you tutored. And nearly fifty million people are expected to hit the road this Thanksgiving as millions more have already hit the skies. Now doctor Anthony child she is warning that this Thanksgiving travel search could impact Christmas. GO many tenants has the latest. This morning record breaking numbers of travelers over the weekend more than three million people screened a TSA checkpoints between Friday and Sunday. Flying for the holiday despite that CDC warning not to trust. We have an Thanksgiving as a family in twelve years so. Seattle flights kind of being cheap and ARIAD covet so it's like buffet seven to go some. But experts say immunity is not guaranteed and there have been documented cases of re infection. And those air travel numbers don't even include the 48 million others who triple A believes will draw. Will Mason says he has no choice but to travel home his college is going virtual. Not really that the law here is not. Or eco hung his travel. I guess that option there. But the travel rush is an over the Sunday after Thanksgiving is projected to be the busiest travel day. No one knew warning from the nation's top infectious disease expert saying travelers today. Could make a surge even worse just in time for Christmas. What we're doing now. Is going to be reflected. To three weeks from now the CDC pointing to how hard it is to say sixteen away from people. At airports bus stations train stations and restaurants and while studies show mask use on airplanes dramatically reduces risk. Experts warn about shuttles and right shares which don't have the same air filtration. Twelve airlines seem to be doing good good precaution so. There are so reduce you're trying to play it safe and. Just live our lives of those. And we mention all those people driving well just remember being year old car isn't enough because they're probably gonna stop you're gonna get some gas may be some food. And that is where you put yourself at risk. Now the CDC is laying out a list of travel habits from. Highest risk to lowest risk let's go ahead and start with the lowest right now and that is staying home of course. But also short trips by car with. Members of your own household with no stops risks get higher when you take trips with people who are not in your household or even getting on a traitor a bus. The CDC says the highest risk flights especially with lay overs. And getting on a small cruise or riverboat Diane we have already seen cases there. Drenching of the need to as at LaGuardia Airport thanks Jim ought to bring an epidemiologist doctor John Brownstein now for more on the latest code in nineteen updates. I doctor prancing good morning you know we keep. Talking about the warnings against travel for Thanksgiving but as we heard NGOs cheese. People say they want to live their lives as we hear that claims had good air circulation passengers usually have to Wear masks so why's it so risky. So good morning Diane you know truthfully. We should be avoiding all child right trouble in any scenario comes with some risks yourself your family your community claims alone media are not the most sixty days it to BR but it's all the decent. Cities around the edges airports the transportation shoot you the important Jeff Bridges all of those sort of combined to increase risk in those places are or are one TKA. Sixty car and its office on your right and it's why recommend sitting in a window holds leaders are one in the middle he should but overall we know to increase mobility drives increasing kids. We see this every time after a holiday it seemed like he cases after a major or holiday at borders Kabul and this is most travelers we've yet. I just do one inmate about to know we see images of people tests and an air or getting rapid tests they do not need to ignore Ron it reduces the likelihood you're attracted you could easily be asymptomatic and get halls. All negative test immediate your carry in his car and your bringing home your family and so again and travel by plane or any mode is going to be super rich this Thanksgiving. We also heard several political leaders point to small gatherings with family and friends as a major source further recent surge in cases but now in a report of the New York Times says. Data doesn't support that what are the fact year. Yeah this is a really tricky one because you know we know that small gatherings are cheap small events which friends outside counsel is a major source red and there's reed did it just poured it but overall it's tough to recruit bright it's hard to take these events contact tracing survey data is hard to trees are you were in contact with. Teachers are major superstar like in prisons nursing but he's not what is driving community spread out it doesn't mean that the state and federal government or meet each had or communication from the beginning you are trying to or all the risks that they happen daily lives we really can't be shaming people into doing everything we say the public are in public how do we get people in each in reducing risky behaviors and bring this transmission down it's all working with a public and Sheen and in tune your submission which is it and really while permitting. And thousands are lining up to get truly tested before Thanksgiving now Quest Diagnostics is reminding people. To only get tested their agent dramatic or rather if they are symptomatic. Or they're exposed to someone with a virus but we've heard officials say before that asymptomatic testing is key to tracking show how do you screw that. This is really tough one to sort of art come into to understand because the man. It's we're right we're seeing more people getting tested their agreement or are like 01 point five million that the State's highest all right direction but it probably is seats are dealing with this and don't we all its ethnic long lines challenges in terms of getting test results are in the keynote to test result back and reporting each week news. So with limited resources to focus aren't symptomatic. Individuals but let me out a huge segment of the population so you have test housing units are actually used were missing a lot of people. And so does he she knowledge is actually that most transmission of how many decent and I respect so again. The testing is not enough to get this fire under control we need easy in ward and clinical diagnosis really at the Serbian war. And that's really chops were seen in the meantime more reason to be extra careful what the other precautions doctor Brownstein we appreciate your time thank you. Thank you had a few things to know before you go. Qantas one of the world's top airlines has announced that all international passengers will soon be mandated. To get vaccinated against cove in nineteen in order to fly the airlines CEO says he expects other airlines to follow. But the move is raising questions about whether we could see similar requirements from other businesses or places like schools. A recent Gallup poll shows half of Americans say they are not willing to receive an FDA back back scene. And Jack pretty is going back to work for the first time since the loss of beloved host Alex trim back which is exactly what he wanted to. The show will feature a series of interim guest post from the jeopardy Stanley starting with jeopardy is best known champion Ken Jennings the show hasn't yet announced the rest of the guest host. But this will be the first time since someone other than to back we'll hosts the show since 1980. For get this in thirty seasons the only time to back missed an episode. Who's when he and will look fortunes pats Ajax which shows for April Fool's Day pretty cool. And that does it for this ABC news live update I'm Diane as NATO member ABC news live is here for you all day with the latest news context and analysis we'll see you back here at 11 AM for a new update.


{"duration":"20:56","description":"Plus, U.S. hospitals are overwhelmed as demand for COVID-19 testing soars, and millions take to the sky and roads for Thanksgiving despite a surge in coronavirus cases.","mediaType":"default","section":"ABCNews/US","id":"74380497","title":"ABC News Live Update: White House authorizes transition ","url":"/US/video/abc-news-live-update-white-house-authorizes-transition-74380497"}