Skip to main content

tv   Good Morning America  ABC  August 15, 2020 7:00am-8:01am PDT

7:00 am
good m good morning, america. long waits for coronavirus testing frustrating americans this morning. testing their patience. americans waiting in line. >> now it's going on almost seven hours. >> the stars stepping in to help as new findings detail the huge racial and ethnic disparities in infection and death rates. the baby who may have contracted the virus. new clusters in colleges and the tough decisions for teachers. sounding the alarm. the u.s. postal service telling more than 20 states mail-in ballots might not be returned soon enough to be counted. what it's urging americans to do. plus, the president's threat to block post office funding. what he wants in the bargain. new video, the interview
7:01 am
former officer thao gave to investigators after the death of george floyd. >> i knew it was kind of a somber moment, especially for me and my heart kind of sank. >> reporter: the body camera video his lawyers believe helps prove that thao should not face criminal charges. making her mark. meghan opening up in her third speaking engagement since leaving the royal spotlight. >> women understand that their voices are needed now more than ever. >> what she says about returning to the u.s. wildfires raging. new evacuation orders this morning as nearly two dozen structures are destroyed north of los angeles. and an update on this amazing water rescue. the family saved by a group of good samaritans reunited. their message this morning. hello, good morning and we begin on this sa hello, good morning, and we
7:02 am
begin on this saturday morning with the latest on the pandemic. while the number of covid patients in america's hospitals is falling, the number of daily deaths is unfortunately rising with the passing of 1,204 of our fellow americans reported in just the latest 24 hours. >> the fda is now warning against the reliance on rapid tests currently being used at the white house and for pro sports leagues. the agency raising concerns rapid tests are less sensitive than other tests. the new guidelines say people without covid-19 symptoms and who aren't known to have been exposed to the virus shouldn't necessarily be screened with those rapid tests. >> we're seeing the impact on schools and colleges. colombia university announcing it's moving all classes online this fall because of coronavirus constraints. the news comes as villanova warns its students after a video made the rounds online showing a large crowd, you see it there, gathering and that was on campus. the university president saying students will be sent home if
7:03 am
they don't abide by safety guidelines. abc's trevor ault is at a testing facility in the bronx with the very latest. trevor, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. so, around the world there has been a million new confirmed covid-19 cases in just the past four days. now, here in the u.s. cases are declining slightly but in many areas there is still carnage, four states hit record hospitalizations this week. five of them hit record deaths and thousands are still enduring massive wait times just to get tested. this morning, the onslaught of new covid-19 cases is slowing slightly but still slamming several areas. >> we just can't hire enough people fast enough to keep up with the demand. >> reporter: testing delays continue to be a rampant problem. in rhode island patients like tressie seymour are waiting as much a sten hour force a test. >> now it's going on almost seven hours that i've been in my car waiting to get tested for a rapid test.
7:04 am
>> reporter: in fulton county nonprofit company core founded by actor sean penn is giving millions of dollars to aggressively expand testing for the most vulnerable populations. >> this partnership and the integrated services that are able to be provided as a result sets an example not only for the state of georgia but for the rest of the nation. >> reporter: new findings from emory university highlight the pandemic's staggering racial and ethnic disparities. in predominantly black communities infection rates are three times higher and death rates are six times higher when compared to predominantly white communities. >> people say we're all in the same boat. i tell people, yeah, no, we're not. some people are on a dinghy, other people are in a yacht. >> reporter: health officials and medical workers are learning more about the virus every day. new guidelines from the cdc say patients who have recovered from covid-19 don't need to quarantine or get retested for up to three months. while in texas, doctors say a baby who tested positive the day she was born likely contracted the virus in the womb.
7:05 am
as some schools and colleges return, the university of north carolina has reported clusters of at least five positive cases in two different residence halls. while the florida high school athletic association has voted to allow its schools to start fall sports later this month against the recommendations from medical experts. 68-year-old judy stokes has heart disease and high blood pressure, but she volunteered for the moderna vaccine trial anyway saying she was inspired by her son ian volunteering too. >> i really wasn't sure if they would want me but it turns out that's exactly who they wanted. they wanted a diverse group of people and those more vulnerable. >> reporter: and here in new york city we're still a long way from fully re-opening but later this month, august 24th, museums and cultural centers can finally re-open and the met, the nation's largest art museum, will re-open the 29th. dan. >> a lot of people excited about that. trevor, thank you very much.
quote
7:06 am
let's bring in dr. julie morita, executive vice president of the robert wood johnson foundation and she joins us from chicago. doctor, thanks for joining us. let's start with testing. we're seeing slowdowns in hot spots such as texas. should we be worried that we're really not getting an accurate picture of the number of cases? >> good morning, dan. that's a really great question. widespread testing is really the cornerstone to a strong public health response and in order for public health agencies and officials to really control the outbreaks we really have to have widespread testing available with quick turnaround times so we can identify the people who are sick and control the spread of the disease. >> so i think the question on a lot of americans' minds is we are the most advanced nation on earth in many ways and in many ways the most advanced nation in the history of the earth. why have we not gotten our testing game together? >> it's an interesting phenomenon. i think in the past with many large outbreaks like this, we've
7:07 am
seen clear and consistent organization and orchestration at a federal level so cdc often leads and is organizing and orchestrating and in those kinds of responses, we've seen good -- good availability of testing, good availability of vaccines. i'm hoping that with cdc with the vaccine distribution that they'll tailor and play their role so they can orchestrate and coordinate so we're not seeing ranges based on where you live or geography. >> we need orchestration and coordination. that's been lacking, you say. let's talk more about vaccines. we keep hearing that we may have a vaccine by january. i know that's the optimistic scenario. does that sound right to you, january? >> i'm really heartened to see the strong investment and money and also support for the vaccine manufacturers. the speed at which things are happening is really unprecedented but there are critical steps that are necessary to assure that a vaccine is safe and effective, and as much as i'd like to see a vaccine available at the beginning of 2020 -- 2021, i
7:08 am
want to make sure the steps are followed so we can assure whatever vaccine is available is truly safe and effective. >> once we do get a vaccine, and let's hope it's safe and effective, how do we make sure that there's equal access, that it's not just going to the privileged few? >> again, it goes back to this coordination at a federal level with oversight and orchestration from a high level. we can assure that the people who are at greatest risk for disease, whether it's people who have underlying health conditions or african-americans or latino-americans or native americans have access to the vaccine because if we don't get the vaccine to those people who need it the most, what we'll see is this disproportionate impact of who is being hospitalized and who's dying from covid. >> that disproportionate impact has been one of the most horrifying aspects of the pandemic. dr. julie morita, appreciate your insight. thank you very much. whit, over to you. want to turn to the presidential race where the battle over mail-in vote
7:09 am
something heating up. president trump threatening the potential funding for the postal service. abc's rachel scott is in bedminster where the president is spending the weekend. rachel, good morning. >> reporter: whit, good morning. yes, now a desire warning from the u.s. postal service, 80 days out from election day, telling some states their deadlines are too tight and they might not be able to hand the surge in mail-in voting. this morning, the u.s. postal service sounding the alarm telling more than 20 states mail-in ballots might not be returned by mail-in time to be counted. that warning comes as more states expand mail-in voting during the pandemic. new jersey the latest to announce all 6.2 million of its residents will receive a ballot in their mailbox. >> today we are announcing that the november 3rd general election will be held overwhelmingly through vote by mail. every vote should be safe. every vote should be secure and every vote should count. that shouldn't be controversial.
7:10 am
>> reporter: in critical battleground states like pennsylvania and michigan where the president won in 2016 by less than 1%, voters are able to request absentee ballots just a few days out from election day. but the post office says those deadlines aren't compatible with their delivery standards urging residents to request those ballots 15 days ahead of time. for months the president has railed against mail-in voting. >> this election will be the most rigged election in history if that happens. >> reporter: without evidence claiming it leads to voter fraud and even threatening to block funding for the post office until democrats agree to his demands for a coronavirus relief bill. >> would you be willing to accept the $25 billion for the postal service including the $3.5 billion -- >> sure, if they give us what we want and it's not what i want. it's what the american people want. >> reporter: his rival, joe biden, tweeting, voting by mail is safe and secure. take it from the president who just requested his mail-in ballot for the florida primary on tuesday. and former president barack
7:11 am
obama digging in, tweeting the trump administration is more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus. >> what we've never seen before is a president say, i'm going to try to actively kneecap the postal service to encourage voting and i will be explicit about the reason i'm doing it. >> we'll hear a lot more about this in the coming days. rachel scott, now that i have you here, i want to transition to another topic that's getting a lot of attention and that's the viral app tiktok. overnight the president doubled down, ordering tic tiktok's chinese parent company to sell its u.s. assets within 90 days? >> reporter: yeah, that's exactly right, whit. the president labeling tiktok and other chinese owned apps a national security threat saying that when americans download these apps on their phone they're essentially putting their data and privacy right in the hands of the chinese government. tiktok of course has pushed back against these claims but the
7:12 am
president putting their parent company on notice this morning, whit. >> rachel scott, thank you. eva. >> now for the latest developments on the investigation into george floyd's death. one day after former officer tou thao's body camera video was released, his attorneys released his interview with investigators. abc's alex presha is in washington with the latest. alex, good morning to you. >> reporter: eva, good morning. this video coming out as you said in court filings. former minneapolis police officer tou thao's lawyers hoping it and body camera footage proofs he shouldn't face criminal charges. >> it was kind of a somber moment, you know, especially for me. my heart kind of sank. >> reporter: this morning newly released video shows what former minneapolis police officer tou thao thought when he learned george floyd died and what thao says he could have done differently. >> i guess to be more observant towards floyd. >> reporter: this footage part of thao's 1 hour and 40-minute interview with investigators. he explains how officer derek chauvin got control over george floyd.
7:13 am
>> i believe with the left knee. >> have you seen that or used a move similar to that? >> no. >> reporter: the interview's release comes a day after thao's body camera was filed in court, video his lawyers believe that he shouldn't face charges in the killing of george floyd. thao trying to control the growing crowd as other officers restrained floyd until he lost consciousness and later died. at one point thao confronts this woman in the black sweatshirt. she identified herself as an off-duty firefighter. >> the fact that you guys aren't checking his pulse and doing compressions, you guys are -- >> they're killing him but yet he tries to prevent her from giving any kind of aid to george floyd. >> yeah, they're saying, yeah, get off -- get off him. get off his neck, you know, look at him. >> suggesting what? >> check on him. >> did you do that? >> that was not my job.
7:14 am
>> reporter: in court documents obtained by "the star tribune" thao's lawyer says he never touched floyd, tried to increase the urgency of the emergency response and that the last time thao turned around to see what was happening, mr. floyd was alive and breathing. now, prosecutors have confirmed that woman that you saw in the black sweatshirt was a minneapolis firefighter. now, lawyers will be back in court next month over a motion to try all four former officers at once and a tentative trial date is set for march of next year. dan. >> this case and the video associated with it continues to horrify. alex, thank you very much. appreciate it. starting this weekend all chicago on-duty police officers will be wearing body cameras at all times according to the city's mayor. this comes after the mayor and the police superintendent were harshly criticized for how they handled looting in the city earlier this week. that looting was sparked by a police involved shooting of a 20-year-old man. police said the man shot at officers first but those officers were not wearing body cams leaving some to doubt
7:15 am
exactly what happened here. turning now to the massive wildfire raging north of los angeles that's threatened thousands of homes as it burns out of control. abc's zohreen shah joins us with the latest. zohreen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. dry conditions continue to fan multiple large wildfires near los angeles. overnight the lake fire that has already charred more than 27.3 square miles has now triggered additional mandatory evacuations. helicopters flying over fighting the flames from above. fire officials confirm 21 buildings had been destroyed including at least five homes. and for the first time since 2011, california officials have ordered rolling power outages as a statewide heat wave is straining the electrical system. pacific gas & electric, the state's largest utility, tweeted it would turn off power to about 200,000 to 250,000 customers and rotating outages for about an hour at a time. other utilities were told to do the same. dan.
7:16 am
>> zohreen, thank you. for much more and the rest of the nation's weather let's check in with rob who's in norwalk, connecticut this morning. rob, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. the heat just expanding in the west so firefighters really up against it, not just today but for the next at least two days. here's more video from the lake hughes fire where they've burned over 17,000 acres, a few structures have been lost as well and just about 10% containment and a fresh fire breaking out in the last 24 hours, also in los angeles county, this one a little bit smaller but zero percent containment so trying to hit that from the air all they can. here's the heat. now we have heat warnings extended not just for southern california, arizona, nevada, utah but over towards dallas as well and then the heat expanding into the northwest. portland will probably hit 100 plus today. 86 degrees or better in seattle and with the wind and low levels of humidity, the offshore flow, we expect to see red flag warnings there today. all right, we do have an update on a dramatic story we shared with you last week with the
7:17 am
tropical storm flooding in eastern pennsylvania. this will warm your heart. >> go back in the car. >> reporter: it was a frightening and daring rescue caught on camera in eastern pennsylvania as floodwaters from tropical storm isaias rose quickly. >> hold on to that kid. >> reporter: the four strangers that saved a man and his family now reuniting. >> the first time we've seen each other. >> reporter: this man and his family were trapped when the storm waters surged in. >> i was literally crying for my kid. for me i was fine. >> reporter: that's when four strangers sprung into action. >> toss the kids. >> i couldn't stop shaking. it was like one of those -- it just finally hit me and it was the scariest thing i've ever done. >> all right, here we go. yay. very good. you got it, sweetheart. >> everybody that came was amazing. everybody helped and i appreciated it. after everything i couldn't stop telling them thanks. >> reporter: so we had four strangers, two of which were from another country helping another man and his family and
7:18 am
it happened so quickly that they lost touch with each other immediately, so nice to hear they got back together to share that survivor story. what a beautiful sight here in santa cruz where temperatures will be well into the upper 80s, a stronger sea breeze our heat wave continues through next week looking at some record heat today. and the risk of heat related illnesses and high fire danger throughout the next several days. 103 in concord, 85 in richmond, 80 in san francisco. better than yesterday but still hot next week. >> nice to be back from the hurricane zone out of quarantine and in our beautiful spot here in norwalk, connecticut. we'll be back in a few minutes. guys, back over to you. >> also nice to see that the adventures of grizzly adams continue. the denim shirt ties it all together, rob. >> there you go. we love you, rob. thank you so much. we will talk soon. another story that we're
quote
7:19 am
following, the duchess of sussex speaking out about returning home to the u.s. this was all part of a discussion on gender and race at the 19th represent summit. abc's stephanie ramos is in times square with more on megan's appearance there. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: in this discussion with the 19th, meghan touched on being back in the u.s. and the power of media. but with the november election less than three months away meghan stressed the importance of voting, meghan encouraging people to vote, especially women. >> it's good to be home. >> reporter: back home in california in her third speaking engagement since returning to the u.s. with prince harry and archie after stepping away from the royal spotlight, duchess of sussex, meghan markle, taking on the role of interviewer at the 19th inaugural virtual summit. >> i get to wear the journalist hat today. >> reporter: meghan speaking with emily ramshaw, founder of
7:20 am
the 19th about gender, race and why the timing of this newsroom that covers women in politics is vital. the newsroom named after the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote. >> women understand that their voices are needed now more than ever and the best way to exercise that is through voting. >> reporter: ramshaw sharing with "gma" how meghan got involved. >> she reached out to us through her team a couple of weeks ago. i think i almost fell on the floor. they said this won't be your traditional interview. she actually wants to interview you. >> reporter: but meghan did answer a few questions. ramshaw asking the duchess about her own experience as a biracial woman and mother returning to the u.s. after living abroad for the last few years. >> and to come back and to just see the state of affairs, i think at the onset if i'm being honest it was just devastating, but i think to see the changes being made, it's something i look forward to being part of and being a part of using my voice in a way that i haven't been able to of late. >> reporter: the summit highlighting women who are reshaping history, participants included stacey abrams, hillary clinton, melinda gates and democratic vice presidential
7:21 am
nominee kamala harris. megan speaking shortly after harris during the summit saying how a female focused news organization like the newsroom could revolutionize the media, an entity she's had to deal with since becoming a public figure. and it's not just megan who is keeping busy, prince harry had a zoom call with some of the invictus team members from the uk, canada and australia who were supporting superhero tri, a disability triathlon. that was released on the invictus social channel this morning. guys. >> all right, stephanie ramos for us, thank you so much. a reminder that this is the 100th anniversary year of the 189 -- 19th amendment. vice presidential pick. why joe biden favored kamala harris. congresswoman lisa blunt rochester joins us live about serving at co-chair of the vetting committee and the growing importance of black women as a key voting bloc. also, the pentagon creating a task force to investigate possible ufo sightings.
7:22 am
what's up with that? plus, rethinking relationships in the covid area navigating difficult issues. relationships in the covid area navigating difficult issues. "good morning america" is sponsored by chase, make more of what is yours. when you think of a bank, you think of people in a place. but when you have the chase mobile app, your bank can be virtually any place. so, when you get a check... you can deposit it from here. and you can see your transactions and check your balance from here. you can save for an emergency from here. or pay bills from here. so when someone asks you, "where's your bank?" you can tell them: here's my bank. or here's my bank. or, here's my bank. because if you download and use the chase mobile app, your bank is virtually any place. visit chase.com/mobile. i know, but that "parker promo" saved me so much on my insurance, i brought you a little something special. parker, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. you're the man, man. when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor, state farm is there.
7:23 am
-always have been. -and always will be. never letting anything get in my way. not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. new voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. and it can help you too. feel the joy of movement with voltaren.
7:24 am
ii was still kind of missing myw afamily and stuff back home. feel the joy of movement i guess she felt it and she would just come and snuggle up on the side of me and she really kept me going. pepper is family so i feed her blue. everywhere becomes a carmax. but if you're more of an in-person person, carmax is still a carmax, too. offering curbside pickup, or home delivery, and a seven-day money-back guarantee. the way it should be. carmax. ♪ oh, oh, (announcer)®! ♪ once-weekly ozempic® is helping the way it should be. many people with type 2 diabetes like emily lower their blood sugar. a majority of adults who took ozempic® reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. here's your a1c. oh! my a1c is under 7! (announcer) and you may lose weight. adults who took ozempic® lost on average up to 12 pounds. i lost almost 12 pounds! oh! (announcer) for those also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death.
7:25 am
it lowers the risk. oh! and i only have to take it once a week. oh! ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) ozempic® is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. stop taking ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, itching, rash, or trouble breathing. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. tell your doctor if you have diabetic retinopathy or vision changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. once-weekly ozempic® is helping me reach my blood sugar goal. ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ you may pay as little as $25 for a 1-month or 3-month prescription. ask your health care provider today about once-weekly ozempic®.
7:26 am
sounds like a really good deal- jake, from state farm at 3 in the morning? who is this? its jake, from state farm. what are you wearing, jake from state farm? -uh-khakis. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. you can adjust youriggest sacomfort on both sides...eep your sleep number setting.. -uh-khakis. can it help me fall asleep faster? yes, by gently warming your feet. but can it help keep me asleep? absolutely, it intelligently senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. will it help me keep up with mom? you got this. so you can really promise better sleep? not promise... prove. and now, all beds are on sale. save 50% on the sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus 0% interest for 36 months on all smart beds. ends monday.
7:27 am
to learn more, go to sleepnumber.com. good morning, everyone. i'm liz kreutz. power has been restored to the 220,000 pg&e customers who lost power last night after a day of record breaking heat. state power grid operators declared a stage three electrical emergency last night.
7:28 am
they were unable to notify customers in advance of the widespread outages and rolling black outs. pg&e has not said there will be any rotating power outages this weekend. let's get a check of the weather now with lisa argen tracking this heat wave. >> good morning to you. it is really nice out there right now. 68 in oakland, 59 half moon bay. you can see some haze here. we'll see a stronger sea breeze, more clouds around today, almost as hot especially inland but a li hi, i'm pat and i'm 75 years old. we live in the mountains so i like to walk. i'm really busy in my life; i'm always doing something. i'm not a person that's going to sit too long. in the morning, i wake up and the first thing i do is go to my art studio. a couple came up and handed me a brochure on prevagen. i've been taking prevagen for about four years. i feel a little bit brighter and my mind just feels sharper. i would recommend it to anyone. it absolutely works.
7:29 am
prevagen. healthier brain. better life.
7:30 am
welcome back to "gma" on this saturday morning. welcome back to "gma" on this saturday morning. the baby watch or panda watch is on at the smithsonian's national zoo. that's right. zookeepers say the giant panda is expecting and she could have her bundle of joy at any time now, making the zoo's panda cam even more exciting than usual. the zoo says millions of people watch that panda cam every year. they're so cute when the pandas come out too and make little squeaks and everything. >> they're cute when they're big too. >> that's right. cute all around. >> whit is adorable, loving the pandas this morning. i love it. let's turn to the other big stories we're following. happening right now the coronavirus crisis, while the number of covid patients in america's hospitals is falling the number of deaths is unfortunately rising. we are now reporting the passing of 1,204 fellow americans within the latest 24 hours. worldwide more than 21 million
7:31 am
people have been diagnosed with covid-19. also right now mourners gathered in houston to celebrate army soldier vanessa guillen. her casket arriving on a horse drawn carriage at her high school friday. inside a ceremony full of tributes and song. guillen was brutally murdered while serving at ft. hood. her death prompting a review of military procedures including how it handles sexual abuse and harassment. a private funeral is set for later today. and a group of lifeguards in los angeles springing into action when a six-foot shark -- take a look at this -- came near the shore in newport beach. the lifeguards catching the shark with their bare hands just dragging it out onto the sand and delivering it to animal control. apparently another baby shark was also found on the shore nearby. a lifeguard says both baby sharks were injured. put that in the category of don't try this at home. leave it to the professionals. >> yeah, is that what the recommended move is, grab the shark? >> well, they were trying to protect the swimmers in this case.
7:32 am
>> i don't know that i would grab the shark ever. that seems scary for me. moving on now we start this half hour with a look at the rise in power of a key voting bloc, black women playing a crucial role in securing the selection of kamala harris as joe biden's running mate. abc's janai norman takes a look at their influence. good morning, janai. >> reporter: yeah, hey, ava. joe biden said that he'd pick a woman and seeing kamala harris announced as his vp pick was a big win for a small determined group of women pushing to see a black woman on the ticket. >> for the first time your next vice president of the united states, kamala harris. >> reporter: kamala harris' ascension to joe biden's running mate for the 2020 election is not only historic as the first woman of color to run for vice president but for many, the move feels like validation. >> for us to be -- see ourselves at the top of the ticket is an affirmation that our time has come. >> reporter: earlier this year,
7:33 am
in march, biden made a public pledge to pick a woman to join him on the democratic ticket. >> i commit i will in fact appoint -- pick a woman to be vice president. >> reporter: that sparked a collective of black women, political strategists, activists and advisers to come together urging that his running mate be a black woman, even compiling a list of accomplished, experienced potential candidates. >> it was a list of six black women, some -- you know, we had a mayor, we had several congressional members, we had a former cabinet member. we had a u.s. senator. >> reporter: statistically black women have long been a dominant and dependable bloc of the democratic party with a whopping 92% voting democrat at the polls in 2016. >> we have elected everything known to man. we've elected white men, we've elected black men. we have covered the gamut. >> reporter: the historic announcement showing little black and brown girls what they can aspire to do. >> her selection indicates that we are not in the back. >> i have daughters and when
7:34 am
they see her picture as, you know, vice presidential candidate and then vice president, it gives them hope and inspiration. >> reporter: and so many drawing comparisons between kamala harris and shirley chisholm saying harris' selection as biden's running mate is an end to the journey chisholm started when she ran for president nearly 50 years ago. guys? >> all right. janai, thank you. now joining us is congresswoman lisa blunt rochester, who was co-chair of the voting committee that helped pick senator harris as joe biden's running mate. thanks for being with us. we want to start if you could, walk us through the process for picking the vice presidential nomination. why was kamala harris chosen in particular? >> first of all, good morning, eva, and good morning, america. this is an exciting day and i will first start off by saying how excited and humbled i was to serve on this committee because it is an important pick and one of the first that the vice president biden had to make on this journey.
7:35 am
what he was looking for was someone who was qualified, someone who could start on day one and, as he mentioned, had that simpatico relationship with him, and it is no surprise that of the many women that were considered, a substantial number were african-american women, were black women, and so, you know, he was looking for those things and that's what he found in kamala harris was a person who could start on day one and could really be that real partner with him as barack obama and he were together and so it's an exciting moment for us in our country. >> we heard just in janai's story about the growing importance of black women as a voting bloc. did the committee discuss that there could be possible backlash if biden did not choose a black vp? >> you know, again, the focus for us, we had to provide him with some names, so that he
7:36 am
could ultimately make the decision, but the reality is that a pick of kamala harris is historic and is significant. it's significant for all women, but it's also special if you're an asian-american woman or if you are from the caribbean, but for black women as a voting bloc, i mean, you mentioned shirley chisholm and i think back to even my run for this office as the first congresswoman in delaware, the first african-american, shirley chisholm said, if people don't give you a seat at the table, you bring a folding chair and it was -- she's representative of so many women who have worked -- black women who have worked in the democratic party for many years and had been a consistent voting bloc and so we took into consideration all kinds of things, people's experience globally. we took into account their ability to energize, but probably the most important thing that we thought of as a committee and in our recommendation was who could govern, who could govern with joe biden because what we're about to face is unprecedented.
7:37 am
so that was the number one consideration and we're just fortunate that we were able to recommend individuals to him and that he selected someone who could be that perfect running mate. >> congresswoman, thank you so much for being with us this morning. we do want to let our viewers know abc news will provide gavel to gavel coverage of the democratic national convention monday through thursday beginning at 7:00 p.m. eastern on abc newslive and at 10:00 p.m. eastern right here on abc. we hope that you will join us. let's bring in rob now who is looking like he's ready to cover a convention of day drinkers with his unshaved visage, robert. how are you doing? >> doing all right. you know, just hanging out by the water. >> of course. >> yep. >> ah, boy, hits the spot. good morning, guys. i want to do a little gavel to gavel weather. cheers everybody at home, whatever your morning bevy might be. we have thunderstorms yesterday
7:38 am
across the midwest. this tornado dropping southwest of minneapolis. nobody hurt thankfully. a cone tornado, certainly pretty to look at and just want that to go away in a hurry, 1 of 14 reported tornadoes, and a big swath really from the arrowhead all the way back down through the panhandle of texas with hail reports as well and this disturbance in the carolinas refuses to go away so probably flooding from roanoke to winston-salem up almost towards richmond and norfolk and back through parts of the ohio river valley with three to four inches of rainfall there. we also have tropical storm kyle. we're up to the "k" names already but this good saturday morning. we certainly have more hot weather ahead as our dangerous heat wave continues into wednesday. our inland valleys looking at temperatures in the 90s to nea
7:39 am
>> this weather report sponsored by xeljanz. so that's water or vodka, but i would never waste vodka like that. >> pour out a little liquor. all right, rob. we know you're a busy man so you don't have time for creature comforts like razors and things or a bar of soap. >> exactly, exactly. >> rob, talk to you soon. thank you so much. coming up here on "good morning america," the question the pentagon is trying to answer once and for all. are we alone? >> ooh. and the stress the pandemic is putting on relationships, all that time together. how best to handle it. welcome back to "gma" and mornings were made for better things than rheumatoid arthritis. when considering another treatment, ask about xeljanz a pill for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis when methotrexate has not helped enough. xeljanz can reduce pain, swelling,
7:40 am
and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections like tb and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. don't let another morning go by without asking your doctor about the pill first prescribed for ra more than seven years ago. xeljanz. ♪
7:41 am
yeah, i'm married. you'd do that for me? really? yeah, i'd like that. who are you talking to? ...uh, it's jake from state farm. sounds like a really good deal. jake from state farm at 3 in the morning!? who is this? it's jake from state farm. what are you wearing, jake from state farm? ...uh...khakis. hey, do they ever ask you what you're wearing? uh... yeah. ...red sweater, button down shirt... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. everywhere becomes a carmax. but if you're more of an in-person person, carmax is still a carmax, too. offering curbside pickup, or home delivery, and a seven-day money-back guarantee. the way it should be. carmax.
7:42 am
the way♪it should be.
7:43 am
welcome back to "gma" and the new push to discover whether the welcome back to "gma" and the new push to discover whether the universe is ours alone. yes, the pentagon creating a new task force to investigate mysterious sightings by u.s. military aircraft. abc's david wright has more. ♪ >> reporter: the trump administration apparently believes the truth is out there. >> what do you make of this, scully? >> reporter: so much so that the
7:44 am
pentagon is taking a page from "the x-files" with a special task force on unexplained aerial phenomena formalizing an investigation started by the navy in 2018. the navy task force will report to the undersecretary of defense for intelligence according to the pentagon. the investigation will still be run by the navy but now reporting to bigger bosses. why the upgrade? that's classified. >> this is evidence. >> it's classified. >> reporter: even the senate intelligence committee doesn't know what, if anything, the navy has found. the committee has included language in the intelligence agency's spending bill politely requesting an unclassified report. >> one of the things you have as president is the access to all the information -- >> right. >> -- in the world. all the mysteries out there. >> reporter: abc news chief anchor george stephanopoulos recently asked the president
7:45 am
about ufos. trump was cagey but said he has an open mind. >> but people are saying they're seeing ufos. do i believe it? not particularly. >> do you think you'd know if there were evidence of extraterrestrials? >> i think my great -- our great pilots would know and some of them really see things that are a little bit different than in the past. >> look at that thing, dude. >> reporter: david wright, abc news, new york. >> i'm eagerly awaiting that report. >> yes. >> i want to know. >> we all are. coming up on "gma," have you experienced tension with friends or family over how to stay safe during covid? you're not alone. the story and the advice after the break. d the advice after the break. managing type 2 diabetes? you're on it. you may think you're doing all you can to manage type 2 diabetes and heart disease... but could your medication do more to lower your heart risk? jardiance can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death for adults who also have known heart disease. so, it could help save your life from a heart attack or stroke. and it lowers a1c. jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration, genital yeast
7:46 am
or urinary tract infections, and sudden kidney problems. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. a rare, but life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction and don't take it if you're on dialysis or have severe kidney problems. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. lower a1c and lower risk of a fatal heart attack? on it with jardiance. we are committed to making jardiance available and affordable. with our savings card, eligible patients pay as little as $0. with our savings card, eligible patients when you come home and you've had a hard day at work, and you walk in the door and she just looks at you like you are sunshine, it's just, there's no other feeling like that. isn't that right bebe? bebe's family so i feed her blue. and your health is key to that. centrum supports your body with vitamin c and zinc to help maintain your immune system today
7:47 am
and into the new tomorrow. centrum. i know, but that "parker promo" saved me so much on my insurance, i brought you a little something special. parker, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. you're the man, man. when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor, state farm is there.
7:48 am
♪ hit me with your best ♪ hit me with your best shot back with the cruel irony of the pandemic.
7:49 am
we know that the quality of our personal relationships has a massive impact on the quality of our lives but just when we need our friends and family the most the pandemic is creating unprecedented strain. >> reporter: in the age of coronavirus, americans are spending more time at home. this morning, a look at how being stuck together is sometimes pushing people apart. >> roommates are moving out even when they're losing money because of a lease. parents and children are getting into fights like they've never had before. >> reporter: covid-19 is straining relationships, in some cases beyond repair. divorce rates spiking, friendships frayed and families fraught with tension as they navigate uncharted territory. amid the global health crisis many people are re-examining how they want to live their lives and who they want to live them with. danyl patterson, a personal injury lawyer from philadelphia, describes herself pre-pandemic as a social butterfly. >> you know, i love to be in the
7:50 am
kitchen, and i love to cook for people because that's how i show them my love. >> reporter: she decided to prioritize safety over social life when the pandemic hit. >> it's really supposed to be you're being socially distant in your house and i'm being socially distant in mine and that's how we contain the virus, and that was really, really difficult for me. >> reporter: danyl set guidelines for who could visit and who she would turn away. >> that's when the rules came in. we are really judging the behaviors of our friends. >> it's very important that when you are talking to someone that you care about and telling them you don't want to be around them or they can't come over, this is not personal, that you care about your relationship and that this really is about personal protection and safety. >> this stuff is so tricky. more tips now for navigating this, our expert recommends striving for compromise, but making sure you don't compromise your own health in the process, and when compromise is not possible, fall back on the hope that the longevity of your
7:51 am
relationship, the strength of your pre-existing bond, can carry you through this. we'll be right back with our "play of the day." ♪ hit me with your best shot and take. it. on... ...with rinvoq. rinvoq a once-daily pill... ...can dramatically improve symptoms... rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. and for some... rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. that's rinvoq relief. with ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints. rinvoq regulates it to help stop the attack. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious infections and blood clots, sometimes fatal, have occurred... ...as have certain cancers, including lymphoma, and tears in the stomach or intestines, and changes in lab results. your doctor should monitor your bloodwork. tell your doctor about any infections... and if you are or may become pregnant while taking rinvoq. take on ra talk to your rheumatologist about rinvoq relief.
7:52 am
rinvoq. make it your mission. if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help. to give you the protein you need with less of the sugar you don't. [grunting noise] i'll take that. woohoo! 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. ensure max protein. with nutrients to support immune health. ensure max protein. removes ten years of yellow stains. optic white renewal that's like all the way back to 2010. they're jeans. they're leggings. they're jeggings! whoa. remove ten years of yellow stains with colgate optic white renewal. ...to soccer practices... ...and new adventures. you hope the more you give the less they'll miss. but even if your teen was vaccinated against meningitis in the past... they may be missing vaccination for meningitis b. let's help protect them together. because missing menb vaccination could mean
7:53 am
missing out on a whole lot more. ask your doctor if your teen is missing meningitis b vaccination. honey, did you hear about these new geico savings? mom? you'll get an extra 15% on top of what geico could already save you. can i call you back? you know your father's learning to make sourdough. even though he knows i prefer rye! there's never been a better time to save with geico. switch by october seventh for an extra 15% on car and motorcycle insurance. hey, next time let's do a face call!
7:54 am
7:55 am
♪ hit me with your best shot "good morning america" sponsored by geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. ♪ hit me with your best shot i do love that song. >> pat benatar. >> there is a reason we're playing it this morning. we're kicking off the "play of the day" by making it plural. this guy's got too many amazing shots to show you just one. watch how he's got all the angles figured out to land those balls in the pocket. anywhere he wants to. >> whoa. >> all kinds of stuff. >> look at that. >> charles lakey is a champion from sweden who has a strong online following of people just amazed like we are by his incredible shots and the pool wizard says it can take him days to work out some of these creative stunts. he says it's a lot of geometry
7:56 am
and mathematics, proof that those things are cool. just in case people were wondering. >> what have you learned in quarantine? >> yeah, nerds win. "good morning america" is now two hours on saturday. coming up an alternative to pricey learning pods for students. how working parents are finding child-pooling a lot more affordable. how working parents are finding child-pooling a lot more affordable. >> announcer: now with so much on the line, more americans are turning to david muir and abc's world news tonight than any good morning, everyone. i'm liz kreutz. happening tonight the glide legacy gala is going virtual for its 11th annual event. musician, activist and filmmaker michael frante will be honored during tonight's celebration. the event benefits glides meals program and family and child
7:57 am
care centers. the goal is to raise $100,000 to support their work, and you can donate right now on glide's website for tonight's event which starts at 8:00. and happening today a golden anniversary for golden gate ferry. today marks the 50th anniversary of providing ferry service. the ferry usually transports more than 2 million people every year, and in its 50-year history passengers have ifcluded 1906 earthquake survivors, a few presidents and countless baseball fans and concert goers. the ferry has also been a crucial resource in evacuating people from san francisco after 9/11. of course we're tracking this earthquake so let's go over to meteorologist lisa argen for a look at the weather. >> good morning to you. sizzling temperatures again today. peninsula, mid-70s san jose, 70 in redwood city. at the beach today upper 80s. a little cooler than yesterday. 77 already in livermore. we're looking at the cooler
7:58 am
weather this morning or the morning i should say from hayward to concord. but by this afternoon some high clouds will be moving into the bay area and the breeze will kick up from the ocean. so the heat wave continues. record temperatures not as men as yesterday but the heat gets spiked again into next week. today 88 in oakland down from 100. 80 san francisco. look for 92 in san rafael, 96 san jose. and a look ahead it's going to be a little humid and even hotter next week. liz? >>
7:59 am
8:00 am
good morning, america. it's our second hour, and this morning, the latest on the pandemic as the world passes 21 million cases and the cdc issues new guidelines for patients who have recovered from covid-19. plus, president trump's new comments on the postal service funding, the concerns over counting ballots in time for at least ten states, everything you need to know right here this morning. learning pods. a popular way to educate kids amid the pandemic, but out of reach for families without the means to pay for them. how one mom came up with a solution. >> a child-pooler is, basically instead of carpooling, you're child-pooling and you're basically taking turns with the kids. >> h

232 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on