hello and welcome to our viewers in the united states and right around the world. i'm paula newton, live, from cnn center in atlanta where it's 2:00 a.m., on the east coast. 11:00 p.m., out west. i want to thank everyone for joining us. now, two big votes in the u.s. house of representatives are sending both support and a stinging rebuke to the u.s. president. lawmakers from both parties voted, monday, to override president trump's veto of a sweeping, defense bill. they also voted, by smaller margins, to increase the covid-relief checks, from $600, to $2,000. a move supported by the president. now, those issues, now go to the senate, where president trump's republican allies will have some

tough decisions to make. stimulus checks from the $900 billion coronavirus-relief package are expected, now, to start going out, this week. now, this is all happening, as the u.s. faces its highest number of covid-hospital admissions, yet. more than 121,000 people, at this hour, in hospital with covid. and over, of course, 1,700 deaths, reported on monday alone. now, meantime, president trump is staying largely out of sight at his florida resort, where he seems more focused on trying to overturn the election than actually doing his job. here is kaitlan collins. >> it really is a disgrace. >> reporter: after blasting it for days, president trump gave in and signed the pandemic-relief bill, overnight. ending a drama that he created, while getting nothing in return for his theatrics. >> i am asking congress to amend this bill and increase the

ridiculously low, $600, to $2,000. >> reporter: trump threatened to derail the $900 billion, in part over the size of stimulus checks, surprising his own staff who had spent weeks negotiating it. but, he finally signed it at his mar-a-lago club in florida, sunday night, without getting what he demanded. despite promising, on the campaign trail, to be a dealmaker. >> great deals. we only make great deals. america, first. >> reporter: trump's signing delay caused two government programs to run dry, guaranteeing a lapse of benefits for millions of americans. >> because of trump's shenanigans, there was a one-week delay. >> reporter: in addition to funding the government, through september, the package provides billions for vaccine distribution, funding for schools, and money for small businesses. republicans are practically begging trump to sign it. >> i understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks. but, the danger is he'll be -- he'll -- he'll be remembered for chaos and -- and misery and

errati erratic behavior if -- if he allows this to expire. >> reporter: not all of the president's allies were relieved he gave in. referencing his efforts to contest the election, a senior-white house official asked cnn, why should any of his supporters fight for him, when he quit on trying to get them more than a measly $600? others in the gop were fearful his efforts could hurt the party ahead of a critical, senate runoff in georgia, where republican candidates were already touting the bill. >> and i am so proud to be able to bring that relief back to georgia. >> reporter: trump announced he will hold a rally for david perdue and kelly loeffler next week, though some republicans are bracing for it to be more about his election loss than their race. as he vacations in palm beach, the white house has insisted trump is holding many meetings and calls. though, he was spotted by cnn cameras on the golf course, again, today. given all his efforts to

overturn the election have failed, sources say trump is now laser focused on causing a disruption january 6th, when congress meets to ratify joe biden's win. the process is only procedural. but because it's overseen by the vice president mike pence, trump will be looking for loyalty from his top deputy. hinting at a possible spectacle, the president tweeted, see you in washington, d.c. on january 6th. don't miss it. information to follow. but even the president's allies are growing tired of his efforts. the new york post editorial board, which has been friendly to trump his entire presidency, is now urging him to, quote, stop the insanity. writing, you had every right to investigate the election. but let's be clear. those efforts have found nothing. and on top of all of that, republican congressman louie gohmert has now filed a lawsuit against the vice president, mike pence, and another far-reaching attempt to try to overturn the results of the election that, of course, has basically zero chance of being successful.

basically, arguing that what pence's role is on january 6th, when congress does meet, is more than a procedural -- procedural one when, of course, we know that is certainly not the case. but the question is what kind of pressure does this put on the vice president, who is trying to balance his future, political ambitions with, of course, his loyalty to the president, who we have seen, has lashed out at people who have crossed him by acknowledging reality, lately. kaitlan collins, cnn, traveling with the president in florida. so, u.s. president-elect joe biden, meantime, is sharply critical of the trump administration's handling of the transition, thus far. with just over three weeks until he's sworn in, biden says his team is getting stonewalled by key agencies, and it's affecting their work on national security and budgeting. president trump, still, hasn't conceded defeat, remember. and he didn't authorize cooperation with biden, until 20 days after the election. >> we've encountered roadblocks, from the political leadership at

the department of defense and the office of management and budget. right now, we just aren't getting all the information that we need for the ongoing, outgoing, and from the outgoing administration in key, national-security areas. it's nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility. >> caroline heldeman is democratic strategist and associate professor of politics, she joins me now from los angeles. we will get to joe biden, president-elect, in a moment. it is good to see you, first and foremost. i want to let you know. the president, donald trump, tweeting, at this hour, never a dull moment. and he is saying give the people $2,000, not $600. they have suffered enough. of course, no kidding. such a strange situation here, in the sense that he is actually now siding with bernie sanders, who is threatening to filibuster in the senate, unless those americans get 2,000 bucks. >> paula, did you ever think you

would see a day where bernie sanders and donald trump agreed on anything? i must say, i -- i don't agree with donald trump on those things. but the $2,000 seems like a really basic thing that should be done, especially considering how the support has been in the united states, compared with other countries. with that said, donald trump coming in at the 11th hour and causing this level of chaos has put his party in a terrible position, as they head into this crucial election in georgia, that will determine the balance of the senate. and so, he's now put mitch mcconnell up as either being a grinch, if he doesn't go for the 2,000. or being, you know, inept, if he doesn't go for anything. right? so, i would imagine that mitch mcconnell will have to respond because donald trump has really put him into a corner. >> put him into a corner. and at this point, what has already gone on with the stimulus bill, as presented.

the president delayed signing it by 24 hours at least that would have been the last point he could have signed it. so, that americans, his supporters even, tens of millions of his supporters, would have gotten the unemployment checks they needed. this way, they are going to actually miss out on, perhaps as much as a week of benefits. the question to you is what is his republican base hoping, at this time? this has turned into a huge debate in this country and elsewhere, saying, look, how much will this president, then-former president, have over this republican base? >> well, he certainly is trying to make an impact as he leaves office with saying, look, it's not -- the $600 isn't enough. even though he had eight months to be part of this negotiation, and he really wasn't. and it's important to note that steve mnuchin was negotiating, on his behalf. so, all of this is a complete surprise. it's very chaotic. as you point out, it means at least 12 million americans are going to go, instead of getting

11 weeks of unemployment, they're now down to ten. and anyone who is suffering in this pandemic knows that not getting income for a week is, you know, incredibly impactful in everyday life. and so, he's certainly -- you know, the $2,000 is going to help donald trump. but unemployment, this delay, chaos, threatening to veto it on a wednesday, and then signing it on a sunday, i think supporters will take that into account. i also think he will be held responsible, if republicans do not win both of these georgia, senate elections. >> right. and that -- that -- that is crucial right now in the state. and before i let you go, we are still -- joe biden's still in the shadow of donald trump with a little bit more than three weeks to go before he takes over as president. he was very blunt, today, saying his transition is being hampered. how much of a hangover effect do you think this will have for the new administration? >> well, i think we all need to be very concerned about this because if you look at the 9/11 commission and their investigation of what enabled

those attacks. they said one of the key factors was the clinton administration did not properly share informati information with the bush administration. we a we just had the largest hack in u.s. history. we don't even know the extent of that hack. to be playing politics right now, during this transition, really puts america in a weak position. and i wish that the loyalists, the 10% of, you know, the folks who trump appointed, were being more cooperative. and joe biden was very clear in saying that the 90% of sichcivi servants who are there for life. you know, career-civil servants are very helpful. it's the political appointees who are the problem. >> yeah. little bit more than three weeks to go and it is going to be suspenseful, on all levels. thanks so much. >> thanks, paula. u.s. officials say more than

2 million covid vaccine doses have now been administered right across the country. but health experts warn the rollout is still far too slow, and they're urging the government to pick up the pace. as nick watt reports, this comes as the country faces an even bigger infection surge in the days and weeks ahead. >> reporter: sunday was the busiest air-travel day of this pandemic. >> we've gone to utah, in the past, to ski. so, it was a good idea. just try to get out of the house. >> reporter: the search for normalcy will be fatal for some. >> we're very concerned, and we always see a little bit of a bump after holidays. and sometimes, a large bump. >> reporter: december is, already, the deadliest month of the pandemic. more than 65,000 lives, lost. and -- >> and as we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse. >> reporter: more than 1 in a thousand americans are already

dead. killed by covid-19. up in canada, by the way, that number is around 1 in two and a half thousand. six states, now, with record numbers of covid patients in the hospital. >> we have a limited number of ventilators. we have a limited number of icu beds. >> reporter: and california is now suffering the highest rate of new cases per capita in the country. now, remember that seattle-area nursing home? >> why don't you guys cover his legs up? >> reporter: the nation's first hot spot? today, residents and staff are getting vaccinated. >> that feels good. >> reporter: around 2 million americans have now had their first dose. >> the 2 million number is probably an underestimate. >> reporter: but the goal was to vaccinate 20 million people, by year's end. >> well, the place is slower than what was stated. that's probably unrealistic, at this point. >> reporter: novavax is now starting phase-three trials of

its vaccine in the u.s. and mexico, oxford-astrazeneca could receive approval for its vaccine in the uk, within days. but the current, rocky vaccine rollout prove as painful point. these elixirs will take time. now, here, in southern california, we will likely find out, tuesday, if our stay-at-home order is going to be extended. it almost definitely will because, for that order to be lifted, capacity in the icus has to rise above 15%. and right now, it's at zero. nick watt, cnn, los angeles. an internal medicine physician at the california pacific medical center. she is joining me, now, from san francisco. and really good to see you, again. we have to talk, first, about california. we just heard nick's report. the situation there is quite dire. and it is not an exaggeration, at this point.

what is your worst fear for the state of california, right now? and what do you think the warning is for the rest of america going into now a new year's holiday? >> paula, the state of california, like most of the country, is in a very bad spot. we've just heard this. you know, in november, we were at moderately high levels of community spread of covid-19. and i think, because we had -- because we didn't really get hit hard, early on. californians may have had a false sense of confidence, and people started to let their guard down because we had been in pretty good shape. many people traveled and gathered for thanksgiving and for christmas. so now, we're in huge trouble. right now, many hospitals have already run out of beds, completely. which means, all care is suffering, and this is not just for people with covid-19. right? people can only get high-quality medical care if we have enough beds and hands and supplies to go around. you know, people with heart attacks and strokes are being turned away from some of our

hoc hospitals in southern california, for example. i want people who traveled for the holidays to know that you can still do something to stop the spread. you can actually quarantine at home, for 10 to 14 days, and get tested knowing that you -- you may have been exposed to the virus during your travel and your holiday gatherings. and this will make a big difference. >> yeah. so important to say that, as we speak about this, each and every person still has a role to play in whatever they do to try and slow this virus. in terms of the pace of vaccinations now, i mean, we're all so happy that they're here. and yet, if we continue to inoculate people at this pace, it would take far too long for this to make much of a difference. what do you think is the problem there? >> well, given that approximately 75% or so of the population needs to receive two doses of the vaccine in order to reach herd immunity. that's around 500 million vaccinations. we've had only about 2 million, so far. and there's already been reporting and distribution

issues. and we've only attempted to vaccinate people in centralized places, like hospitals and long-term care facilities. paula, if -- if we stay at the rate that we're going, a million vaccinations a week, it's going to take us ten years to reach herd immunity. we -- we need to be prepared for the fact that it's going to be a slow process. and at every step, there is really potential for delayed rollout, whether it's at the state level with dose allocation or supply-chain issues or storage problems. it's going to be critical that -- that we understand what these hangups are, and that the states get the funding and support that they need to carry out these hundreds of millions of vaccinations over the next many months, which will really allow us to get our lives back. >> yeah. and given what we have just discussed and politics the stalling in congress right now, it's a good point you make. it takes not just planning but it does take money to get these vaccines rolled out. you know, before i let you go, we have to talk about the staggering death toll. in months of covering this pandemic, sometimes i feel like it is just glossed over to an absolutely tragic point.

you know, some medical professionals, today, have been saying, you know, that -- that very cynical line, reportedly, that one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic. how do we keep that from happening, as many people continue to tell us -- we are looking at a map, right now, of deaths from coronavirus in the united states. how do we keep this from actually being just statistics? people seem not able to grasp the numbers. >> paula, i do think we have become numb to one of the largest mass-casualty events in american history. something happens in the brain when fatalities reach such high numbers, especially over a long period of time, many months. we forget that each of these numbers were individuals, who had families. and communities that cared for them. and i think, with covid-19 in particular, these largely preventable deaths have been hidden in hospitals and other facilities. even from their own family and friends. and i think, if more americans

could see the horror of what it's like to have a tube down your windpipe being attached to a breathing machine, surrounded by faceless strangers in gowns and masks. i think they'd be making different decisions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. and -- and this is really why so many healthcare workers have taken to social media to share stories about people dying in the icus. we are doing it because we want people to know just how real this is, and for people to keep taking it very seriously. >> yeah. and -- and i think you make such a good point and a fine point of it. it is those health care professionals on the front lines who have to deal with that trauma, each and every day. in terms of what they are seeing in those hospitals. doctor, in san francisco, thanks so much. really appreciate your time. >> thank you for having me. investigators are still trying to figure out a motive for the nashville bombing on christmas morning. what the suspect told one of his neighbors, just a few days before the explosion. you are going to want to hear this. these folks, they don't have time to go to the post office

they have businesses to grow customers to care for lives to get home to they use stamps.com print discounted postage for any letter any package any time right from your computer all the amazing services of the post office only cheaper get our special tv offer a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps.com/tv and never go to the post office again!

it's not just a sandwich, far from it. it's a reason to come together. it's a taste of something good. a taste we all could use right now. so let's make the most of it. and make every sandwich count. with oscar mayer deli fresh investigators in nashville, tennessee, say they know who was behind that bombing, early christmas morning. they just don't know why. anthony quinn warner was killed

in the blast. his neighbor of ten years said they made small talk just a few days before christmas. listen. >> i asked him is santa going to bring you anything good for christmas? and he smiled, and he said, oh, yeah. i'm going to be famous. nashville and the world will never forget me. >> now, some residents and business owners in the blast zone will be allowed to inspect their property, in the coming hours. for more on the investigation now, cnn's shimon prokupecz. >> reporter: tonight, days after the explosion that rocked downtown nashville, investigators are still trying to determine the motive of 63-year-old anthony quinn warner. this dramatic video, showing the rv exploding. shattering windows, damaging more than 40 storefronts, and injuring at least eight people. none of them, seriously. new, cnn video from the scene shows the destruction. fbi agents and atf agents,

sifting through mountains of debr debris in the street. fire alarms, still, sounding within buildings. >> he was not on our radar. he was not someone that was -- that -- that was identified, as a person of interest for the bureau. and so, we -- we were not familiar with this individual. >> reporter: warner was killed in the blast. investigators identified him by matching dna collected at the scene with gloves and a hat found in a vehicle warner owned. according to authorities, the rv's vehicle-identification number recovered from the scene was a key piece of evidence that led them to identify warner. authorities searched warner's home over the weekend. warner was a computer consultant, and said he planned to retire this month, one of his clients told cnn. neighbor described him as a hermit, who sort of kept to himself. the tennessee bureau of investigation confirmed that warner's mother has been

cooperating with investigators. warner's father was once employed by at&t, and the agency is looking into whether that may be relevant to the motive. at&t is the parent company of cnn. the rv had been parked outside of an at&t building, in the early hours of christmas morning. authorities say, when it began to play the song "downtown," and broadcasting an audio message that a bomb would detonate in a matter of minutes. police, initially, responded to the scene because of reports of gunfire. but quickly, sprang into action and evacuated residents after hearing the rv's message. >> i just see orange, and then i hear a loud boom. and as i'm stumbling, because it rocked me that hard. started stumbling. just tell myself, stay on your feet, stay alive. >> reporter: fbi agents and atf agents spent the day, monday, sifting through the debris at the blast site. looking for evidence of the bomb.

they were, literally, on their hands and knees, going through dirt and different debris, throughout the blast site. so much devastation, we can see at the blast site, buildings collapsed, cars all burnt out. the fbi says they are still working on that motive. and they are, also, trying to figure out how warner got his hands on the chemicals and some of the bomb-making material used in this explosion. shimon prokupecz, cnn, nashville, tennessee. covid vaccinations begin for u.s. troops in south korea. but the rest of that country will have to wait a little longer for its own doses. we'll have the details and a live report, up next.

and welcome back to our viewers in the united states, and around the world. i'm paula newton, live, from cnn center in atlanta. u.s. troops stationed in south korea have received their very first doses of the moderna covid vaccine. so far, they've been given to health care workers, first responders, and the command team. but the vaccine is not available to south korean citizens, themselves. the government says they will probably have to wait until the first quarter of 2021. now, right now, the country is seeing its worst wave of the pandemic. on monday, 40 deaths were reported from the virus, a new-daily high. cnn's selena wang is live for us in tokyo with an update what's going on in asia, and, of course, south korea. they could use some doses, themselves, of that vaccine. >> paula, that's right. it was some welcome news on

christmas day, when the u.s. troops in south korea got that first-batch shipment of moderna's covid-19 vaccine. and vaccinations have now started, today. the commander says that the vaccine is entirely voluntary. but encourages all eligible people to take it. now, as for vaccinating the broader public, as you mentioned, they have to wait a bit longer. and the public has been critical of what they see as the government moving too slowly, when it comes to vaccine procurement and inoculation. officials have vowed to speed up the program, however, as south korea deals with its worst surge for the pandemic. now, under the current plan for vaccination, people can start getting vaccinated in february. but those healthcare workers in south korea and vulnerable groups are going to be first in line. meantime, in wuhan, china, ground zero of the pandemic, people are already starting to get vaccinated, with key groups prioritized. now, china currently has five covid-19 candidates that have

reached phase-three clinical trials. but there are still concerns, among international health experts, when it comes to the efficacy, safety, and transparency of china's vaccines. and government officials have said they want to vaccinate 15 million people before china's lun lunar holiday in february, paula. >> i'm sure, many of these countries now dealing with the next waves, really want to see the vaccines come. selina wang for us, appreciate it. you are watching cnn "newsroom." just ahead. russia orders opposition and poison victim alexei navalny back to russia.

to russia, now, where prison authorities are threatening to jail opposition leader alexei navalny, unless he returns from germany. you will remember, he fled russia after he was poisoned in august. cnn's fred pleitgen has more from moscow. >> reporter: russian authorities

have told alexei navalny that he needs to return to russia by the morning of tuesday, or face being put in jail. now, all this stems from a case from 2014, which alexei navalny says it politically motivated, but in which he received a suspended jail sentence. essentially, what the russian authorities are now saying is that, if he doesn't show up to that hearing on tuesday morning, that he will have violated his probation. and could, then, be arrested anytime, if and when he returns to russia. now, interesting aspect in this is that, after alexei navalny was poisoned using the chemical-nerve agent, novichok, and was on the end after getting treated in germany. "the lancet" published details of how the poisoning was found out and of the recovery process as well. and that article is now being used by the russian authorities. in part of what they say, they say, quote, based on a "lancet" publication, aa navalny was

discharged from the clinic and by october 12th, all of the symptoms of his illness have passed. so essentially, they are saying that he is well enough to come back here, to russia, and face this hearing. now, the hearing is on tuesday morning, and it's physically impossible for alexei navalny to get to russia in that timeframe. there is no direct flights in that timeframe. and he would need a coronavirus test to even board a plane. alexei navalny, himself, saying he believes all of this is politically motivated. he thinks russian authorities are embarrassed after cnn and investigation found out large parts of that alleged plot to kill alexei navalny. and, of course, he was able to contact one of the agents that was part of that plot, and duped that agent into admitting large parts of it. on his instagram account said, like i said, somewhere, there is vladimir putin in his bunker stomping and yelling, why didn't he die? and if he didn't die, then he is

twice guilty and we will jail him. the russian authorities, of course, have continued to say they were not behind the poisoning of alexei navalny. navalny, for his part, has continuously said that he wants to return to russia. fred pleitgen, cnn, moscow. actress lori loughlin has been released from prison after serving a sentence for her role in a college admission scandal. her husband, mossimo giannulli, is serving a foiive-month sentee for his role. the two were among dozens of wealthy parents wrapped up in a scheme to lie, cheat, and bribe the admissions process. to get their daughters into the university of southern california under false pretenses. i am paula newton. for the international viewers, "world sport," starts right after the break. and for our viewers in the united states, up next for us, a return to the first coronavirus epicenter in the united states. ten months later. you do not want to miss this

report. vaccines are now giving health workers there some hope. >> i cannot express, you know, how i feel right now. i didn't even feel the -- the needle. but, what i feel right now is a new life, a new beginning, but a better life. these folks, they don't have time to go to the post office they have businesses to grow customers to care for lives to get home to they use stamps.com print discounted postage for any letter any package any time right from your computer all the amazing services of the post office only cheaper get our special tv offer a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps.com/tv and never go to the post office again!

welcome back. i am paula newton. here, in georgia, the pivotal, u.s. senate runoff election is now just one week away. republican senators, david perdue and kelly loeffler, are campaigning to hold onto their seats, and their party's control of the senate. it is absolutely crucial. democratic challengers, meantime, jon ossoff and rafael warnock, say their victory is key to getting joe biden's agenda through congress. now, there is plenty of national interest, as you can imagine, and money. but kyung lah reports georgia's churches could be the deciding factor. >> let's put our hands together. >> reporter: at the antioch ame

church in the atlanta suburbs, the georgia senate runoff is front and center. progressive and conservative, christian groups determined to move the faithful from the pews to the polls. >> so, we want to be ready, church, because the whole world is counting on us to make the senate blue. >> reporter: at stake? control of the u.s. senate. how important is the role of the church in these runoffs? >> oh, i think it is critically important. i think we saw, in november, there was a huge turnout among blacks. a surprising turnout, for some. and i think the church played a major role. >> it's important to note that we are in the south. >> the black church is extremely strong, in the south. and historically, the black church has led the effort for justice. >> reporter: a passion, the bishop believes will bring out voters for the two democratic

challengers. >> your standard bearers are the young, jewish son of an immigrant, mentored by john lewis. and a preacher who holds the pulpit at ebenezer baptist church. >> reporter: but this is the bible belt. >> our so-called evangelical brothers and sisters, we challenge them to be better. we -- we challenging them not to hide behind something called pro-life. >> reporter: and there is another, major force of faith in georgia's runoffs. this is flat creek baptist church. part of the conservative baptist network. >> we got a little election coming up. vote christian. >> reporter: head pastor, reverend josh saekow. there is little doubt what that means to evangelicals. >> always vote for the candidate that most aligns with my

christian faith. in this runoff, you know, i'm voting for the candidates that are pro-life. >> reporter: reverend warnock's pro-choice stance and his words from the pulpit, often taken out of context, have been the target of the fiercest, republican attacks. vice president mike pence has campaigned multiple times for georgia republican senators, underscoring abortion. >> david perdue and kelly loeffler stand for the right to life. >> reporter: a potent, get-out-the-vote force for evangelicals, says his pastor. >> i think it's advantageous for all of us to elect those who represent our world view. so we can make an educated decision in the voting booth. but also, being framed through the scripture. >> reporter: the president is scheduled to be in the state, next week. it is the day before the election, and he is heading to

dalton, georgia. it's in a county, that he won, by 70%. it is a reminder that these runoffs are about turning out the base for t. for the republicans, that includes evangelicals. kyung lah, cnn, atlanta. so, donald trump's favorite newspaper seems to have turned against him, now. the new york post published an editorial urging him to give up his fight to overturn the election. now, the front page reads, you see it there, mr. trump, mr. president, stop the insanity. you lost the election. now, the editorial goes on to say it's time to end this dark charade, you are cheering for an un-democratic coup. t you'll know, owned by rupert murdock's corporation, the same company that owns fox news. anchor of reliable sources and cnn's brian stelter is with me to talk

about some of this. brian, i think it's worth it to put it into context. what does it mean when a new york newspaper like "the new york post" is saying literally enough is enough. this is over. >> to see rupert murdoch's tabloids say this, to see trump's favorite newspaper growing up saying this on the front page is a big deal, but i think it would be more important if rupert's fox news channel were saying the same thing. you know, the murdoch media empire has many pieces. fox news is the most powerful piece, but on fox news once again monday night, there were lots of stories about the fight for election integrity. that's the way they talk about it now. they're not always claiming the election was stolen from trump, but they are focusing on allegations of fraud weeks after all of this has been litigated. you know, a recent usa suffolk university poll balanced 78% of republicans believe biden is an illegitimate president-elect. that's what fox has done, fox and other networks as well. so "the new york post" cover is

important. it may be a signal from rupert murdoch to trump. but i think what's even more important is that many of these networks and websites are still promoting a fantasy that trump might somehow be able to win a second term. >> and it is a dangerous fantasy, isn't it, brian? you just pointed out 78% of republicans believe that somehow biden did steal this election. you wrote the book on this, brian, it's called "hoax." it's about this relationship between an entity like fox news and like you said now there are others. what's the hangover from all of this? >> i think the word that comes to mind is radicalization. what president trump has done over the last four years is told his fans nothing is definitely real. it could be a hoax. the media is out to get you. and that has radicaledized not ever voter, but it has radicalized part of his base. i think what "the new york post" is doing on the front page is

saying this is insane. stop the insanity. but it is an insanity that has been brought upon us, in part by far right wing media. i think it's important to differentiate and not paint with a broad brush, because there are some outlet, some columnists, some hosts who are really careful and who are calling out the bs that is being spread in the wake of the election. then there are others, including friends networks like newsmax and one america news that think there is a real profit opportunity here by stoking the idea that trump was the real winner, and that there is hope for him in the future. unfortunately, that's what a lot of this comes down to, prompting, grift. that's why trump has sent out hundreds of letters asking for people to donate money to what he calls his campaign. right? >> brian stelter, thank you so much. if i don't get a chance, happy new year to you. >> you too. thanks. now, when the coronavirus was first detected in the united

states, the seattle area was the epicenter of the outbreak. cnn's sara sidner returned to the nursing home that first confronted the virus to speak with staffers who had just received covid-19 vaccines. >> that feels good. >> reporter: these were some of the very first people in the united states to go to war with a new virus without weapons to fight it. ten months into the pandemic, they are finally getting the most powerful weapon available, a vaccine. >> what is this day like for you? >> but i feel right now is a new life, a new beginning. but a better life. >> reporter: this was the first epicenter of america's deadly coronavirus outbreak. what was your most difficult day? >> march 4th. >> reporter: registered nurse chelsea earnest cannot get the memory of what happened that day out of her head. >> that was the night there was five ambulances in the parking lot. >> reporter: patients were dying or needed to be hospitalized.

ultimately, 39 patients died. ten died at the facility. who's job was it to call the family members? >> there were many that i had to call the to say either they were going out to hospital or that they didn't make it. >> reporter: the trauma of those days in march and the family members' cries haunts them all. that same month, several members of the staff spoke to cnn. life care center said in the first few days they begged government agencies for help and received little. did you get what you need when you needed it? >> no. no. >> reporter: testing took days to get results then. now they have a rapid test that takes minutes. initially, the staff was blamed for not controlling the covid outbreak by just about everyone. >> we got threats. >> reporter: what kind of threats? >> all kinds of death threats. we ended up getting security. >> reporter: and soon threats of a loss in funding and a fine of

$611,000 unless the facility resolved problems found by inspectors. federal inspectors say life care failed to rapidly identify and manage all residents, putting them in immediate jeopardy. state inspectors reported similar findings. life care center appealed. >> we knew what we had done was the best we could have done. >> reporter: in september, a state administrative judge largely agreed saying the state provided relatively little evidence that the facility actually failed to meet any expected standard of care or failed to follow public health guidelines. the federal case is still pending. ten months after the initial chaos of the outbreak, the closest we could get was a look from the outside in. in-person visits are still forbidden. >> why don't you guys cover his legs up? >> reporter: the chairs outside patients windows, used by families to communicate in march are now a semi permanent fixture here. this facility is covid-free right now. but several of the nursing homes nancy butner oversees are not.

>> there is not a day that goes by where i don't get a new phone call or message that we have a new coronavirus patient. >> coronavirus is still killing patients, still sinking stachlt. >> absolutely. yes. >> reporter: which is why today is one of the most hopeful days they've had. but for one physician's assistant, the day was bittersweet. >> have i one resident who last week asked me if she can get the vaccine. i said sure you can. unfortunately, she had to pass away. i did -- i did promise her that she would get it. it's just sad that she didn't get to see this today. >> heartbreaking, isn't it? and our thanks to sara sidner, who for the better part of the year has been reporting on the tragedy of covid in this country. reporting there from kirkland, washington. i want to thank all of you for watching this hour. i'm paula newton. i leave you in the capable hands

of my colleague, isa soares. we'll be right here with more news after the break. they know exactly which parkinig lots have the strongest signal. i just don't have the bandwidth for more business. seriously, i don't have the bandwidth. glitchy video calls withth regional offices? yeah, that's my thing. with at&t business, you do the things you love. our people and network will help do the things you don't. let's take care of business. at&t. so are we. prudential helps 1 in 7 americans with their financi needs. that's over 25 million people. with or 90 years of investment experience, thour thousands of financiale. professionals can help with secure video chat orn the phone. we make it easy for u with online tools, e-signatures, and no-medical-exam life insurance. plan for better days. go to prudential.com or talk to an advisor.

the u.s. house sets up a capitol hill showdown after voting to override a trump veto and backing higher stimulus checks. incoming u.s. president joe biden slams the trump administration, saying his team is not getting what it needs on national security. and the uk hits a record high for covid cases as it awaits the approval of another vaccine. hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers in the united states and right around the world. i'm isa soares, and this is "cnn newsroom."