it's friday, december 11th, 2020. this is the "cbs morning news." key vaccine endorsement. an fda panel gives the green light to pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for emergency approval. how long it will take for the general public to get the shots as cases and deaths skyrocket. long shot lawsuit. as president trump continues to falsely insist he won the election, some of his allies are suing to invalidate results at key swing states. why the case is unlikely to ever reach the supreme court. and person of the year. president-elect joe biden and vice president-elect kamala harris are the winners of "time" magazine's coveted annual award. we'll tell you why they were picked.

well, good morning, everyone. really good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. there is new hope on the horizon in the fight against the covid-19 virus. the fda advisory committee has endorsed emergency use of pfizer's vaccine for people ages 16 and up. vaccinations could begin as early as this weekend, as soon as the fda formally grants approval. the news comes as the united states is grappling with the deadliest stretch of the pandemic since it began. more than 2700 new deaths were reported just yesterday, along with 224,000 new cases. bofta yimam joins us now. what does the timeline look like when it comes to everyday americans getting access to this vaccine? >> reporter: that's a good question. good morning, anne-marie. by the second quarter of the year, they're hopeful there will be enough vaccines for all americans and if fda approval

happens quickly, we could see the first 20 million people vaccinated within several weeks. >> independent review of the data. >> reporter: a government advisory panel voted to recommend widespread use of the coronavirus vaccine from pfizer and biontech yesterday. >> we do have a favorable vote? >> reporter: the food and drug administration is now expected to follow suit. >> we could see fda authorization of the first vaccine in the united states within days. >> reporter: health and human services secretary alex azar says doses will start shipping within 24 hours of the fda's emergency use authorization. >> i'm on call for when it gets delivered. >> reporter: some hospitals have already been sent vaccine kits, containing syringes, masks and a diluting agent. >> the logistics here are going to be complex. but we're really excited. >> reporter: the vaccine is coming at a time when the u.s. is seeing a record number of daily deaths. more than 3100 americans died on

wednesday. >> covid-19 was the number one cause of death in idaho in november. >> reporter: the first doses will go to healthcare workers and nursing home residents, with most of the general public not expected to get the shots until the spring. >> the whole country is on fire. this crisis we have now, the vaccine is not going to save us. >> reporter: health workers are concerned the holiday season is just making matters worse. >> it is very frustrating for us. we're trying to save people and take care of you. >> reporter: next week, the vaccine from moderna is scheduled to go through the same approval process as the pfizer biontech vaccine. cbs news learned u.s. marshals will help protect the vaccines as it is shipped around the country. the deputies will be stationed at distribution sites and other facilities to help ensure a safe and smooth rollout. anne-marie? >> bofta yimam in washington, thank you so much. a medical examiner ruled that new hampshire house speaker

dick hinch has died of covid-19. the 71-year-old died wednesday after being sworn in last week. now there are fears that other members of the legislature might have been exposed at that event. hinch was photographed wearing a mask, but it didn't cover his nose. at least one republican blamed hinch's death on a culture pushed by anti-mask forces. death row inmate brandon bernard was executed after the supreme court denied last minute appeals. he was pronounced dead shortly before 9:30 last night. bernard told the family of the victims that he was sorry before receiving a lethal injection. he was one of five gang members convicted in the killing of stacie and todd bagley in 1999. the gunman was executed in september while the other co-defendants were given lesser sentences. bernard's case drew the attention of celebrities including kim kardashian west who lobbied president trump to commute his sentence. advocates urged bernard was only a teenager at the time of the crime.

to washington now, where president trump overnight unleashed a barrage of tweets backing his baseless claims of voter fraud. the move comes as four battleground states urged the supreme court to reject a texas lawsuit aimed at overturning joe biden's victory. weijia jiang reports from the white house. >> reporter: president trump did not comment on the record number of dead from the coronavirus. instead, he focused on voter fraud and what he called a corrupt election, with no evidence to prove it. even telling guests at a holiday party the legal fight is not over. >> we have tremendous cases now. >> reporter: the president met with republican state attorneys general who are backing a lawsuit in the supreme court, to invalidate presidential election votes in georgia, wisconsin, michigan and pennsylvania. if the high court agrees to intervene, senator ted cruz will argue the case at the request of mr. trump.

texas ag ken paxton filed the lawsuit. >> there is no way to know whether any of those 2.5 million ballots in pennsylvania were legit. they could have all been legit. >> reporter: federal judges across the country have repeatedly refuted those claims, as did one of georgia's top republican election officials. >> it is constitutionally wrong, wrong on the law and wrong on the facts. >> reporter: several senate republicans also questioned the suit. >> i do not understand the legal theory. >> it is simply madness, this effort to subvert the vote of the people. >> reporter: president trump is leaning on house republicans to join the brief in support of the lawsuit. and so far, over 100 have. most legal experts say that it is unlikely the supreme court will ever hear the case. >> there is no legal path right now for president trump to overturn the will of 160 million voters, the vast majority of whom voted for president-elect biden. >> reporter: president-elect joe biden announced several new

cabinet picks including dense mcdonough as the secretary of veterans affairs. and he also named ambassador susan rice as the director of the domestic policy council. both of them served in key west wing roles under president barack obama. weijia jiang, cbs news, the white house. the new report finds attorney general william barr kept federal investigations into president-elect joe biden son's hunter a secret ahead of the presidential election. that's according to "the wall street journal". barr was aware of two tax probes before this spring. the paper says attorney general barr did everything he could to keep the investigations under wraps, sticking to a justice department rule that prevents prosecutors from taking steps that could affect the outcome of an election. president trump and his congressional allies had repeatedly pressed barr to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate hunter in the lead up to the election. so coming up on the "cbs morning news," cover story.

"time" magazine reveals its person of the year. and home for the holidays, a man believed to be the longest serving inmate for a nonviolent marijuana crime is freed from prison. this is the "cbs morning news." is the "cbs morning news." here's to the duers. to all the people who realize they can du more with less asthma thanks to dupixent, the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce or eliminate oral steroids. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor.

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jewish people around the world are celebrating hanukkah, the festival of lights. the world's largest menorah was lit in new york city last night to mark the beginning of the eight night holiday. one light or candle is lit each night. the 36-foot menorah has special l.e.d. rope lights to honor victims of the pandemic. a man who served three decades in jail for nonviolent cannabis charges has been freed, and there is an email scandal at the cdc. those are some of the headlines on "the morning newsstand." cbsnews.com reports cdc director robert redfield is being accused of ordering his staff to delete an email allegedly showing how

the trump administration tried to interfere with covid virus guidance to the public. redfield is denying the allegations from democratic representative james clyburn, the head of the committee overseeing the government's response to the pandemic. clyburn says a senior cdc manager testified that she was instructed to delete an email from health and human services senior adviser dr. paul alexander. she said the email asks the cdc to change or rescind information in a report about the effect of the virus on children. she also said she believed redfield ordered the email to be deleted. >> would never tell somebody to delete an email. what i did tell people, i instructed the cdc to ignore dr. alexander's comments and didn't need to reply to his email. >> clyburn also said the administration has not responded fully to requests for documents and information relating to possible interference. "usa today" says a man believed to be the longest

serving nonviolent marijuana crime inmate in the u.s. was released from a florida prison. 71-year-old richard delisi walked out of the prison yesterday after serving 31 years. in 1989, he was sentenced to 90 years for selling marijuana, even though the typical sentence was only 12 to 17 years. delisi says he wants to focus on being with his family. >> i can't even, like, comprehend what's going on right now. it's something really special. and, you know, i can just get up right now and walk inside and grab a hold of my grandkids and give them a kiss. >> advocates had argued that delisi had health problems and could die if he contracted the coronavirus while in prison. "time" magazine named president-elect joe biden and vice president-elect kamala harris as its 2020 person of the year. "time" said the two were selected for, quote, showing the

forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division. and for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world. it is the first time the magazine has included a vice president as its person of the year. the other finalists were president trump, dr. anthony fauci and front line health workers, and the movement for racial justice. so still ahead, disney plus flexes some super hero muscle. the streaming service announces some major spin-offs involving the biggest names in the marvel universe. to severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, little things can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. for psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. and the otezla prescribing information

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spin-off for "ironman" fans. diane king hall is in new york with those stories and more. good morning, diane. >> good morning, anne-marie. three major indexes ended mixed yesterday as stimulus hopes waver and jobless claims hit an 11-week high. the dow dropped 69 points. the nasdaq gained 66. the s&p 500 fell four points. taking a closer look at those first time jobless claims, they rose to 853,000 last week. that's the highest number since september 19th. it was worse than expected, and reflects ongoing troubles in the job market. chances for compromise over a new coronavirus relief package appeared to be growing slimmer. an emerging $900 billion aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers all but collapsed yesterday. the major sticking point, a shield against virus-related lawsuits for businesses, healthcare facilities and schools. a top gop issue. house speaker nancy pelosi said congress could work on a covid relief package through christmas.

disney is making a big bet on the marvel and "star wars" universe. the company announced yesterday that ten "star wars" series spin-offs and ten marvel series will debut on disney plus next year. among the shows set to hit the streaming service, "iron heart," an "ironman" spin-off, and "obi-wan kenobi" starring ewan mcgregor and hayden christensen. they're going to reprise their roles from the prequel trilogy. and how about a chance at a one of a kind night at fao schwarz. airbnb is offering a stay at the iconic manhattan toy store just in time for the holidays. the lucky family will go on a shopping spree at the two-level store and get a music lesson on the famous giant dance on piano. they'll get a tour from a real fao schwarz soldier and get to sleep in a real life sleigh bed. the overnight stay is set for december 21st and costs just 25 bucks. but one catch, it is only open to people in new york city. anne-marie. >> i read that catch.

a lot of people are bummed. i was thinking, you know, automatically, you think of that piano, you think of the movie "big," and have your own big moment dancing. and i looked at some of the amenities included and it was, like, security cameras throughout the whole store and i thought you may be making your own movie without even knowing it. forgot about that. it is a store. cameras are on you. >> mm-hmm. they'll be watching. >> it will be funny. your very own toy store. diane king hall in new york. thanks, diane. >> you got it. so up next, bonding over beer. a massachusetts man receives a big surprise from his deceased father on his 21st birthday. [thunder] ♪ ♪ ♪

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here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. former professional wrestler and actor tommy tiny lister died. lister, known for his bullying character deebo in the friday films, was found dead yesterday at his california home. his manager says lister became sick about a week ago after overcoming the coronavirus earlier this year. lister also appeared in the movies "the fifth element" and "the dark knight." tommy lister was 62. and a late massachusetts

father's touching gift to his son on his 21st birthday has gone viral. john goodman died from cancer almost six years ago, when his son matt was 15. but he wanted to buy matt his first beer when he turned 21. and so, before he died, john goodman gave his daughter a $10 bill to buy that beer. she kept it a secret until her brother's birthday. >> it was so nice that, like, my dad even six years ago before he passed had the foresight to think about a time like this, knowing he wasn't going to be there for my graduation or some of the bigger things in my life. so he thought about something he could be there for, even if it wasn't physically. >> matt posted a photo of himself drinking the beer on twitter. it received more than half a million likes. so coming up on "cbs this morning," talk show host desus and mero tell us about their interview with former president barack obama. i'm anne-marie green. this is the "cbs morning news."

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our top stories this morning, an fda panel has recommended emergency use of pfizer's covid vaccine. vaccinations could begin just days from now, as soon as the fda formally grants approval. the news comes as the u.s. grapples with the deadliest stretch of the pandemic since it began. overnight, president trump tweeted more baseless claims of voter fraud. earlier in the day he met with

republican state attorneys general who are backing a lawsuit in the supreme court to invalidate ballots in four battleground states. law experts say the lawsuit is considered a long shot. cases of cyber ransomware are on the rise during the pandemic. criminals are targeting hospitals and schools which have vulnerable remote learning environments. elise preston explains why federal officials think the attacks will continue throughout the 2021 academic year. >> reporter: huntsville, alabama, going old school. they're printing their lessons on paper after cybercriminals hit the district with a ransomware attack, locking down the computer network. >> terrible to see a district with some motivated employees moving forward to then have one more obstacle like this. >> reporter: officials are not revealing how much ransom the hackers demand, but huntsville is far from alone. school computer systems in baltimore county and hartford, connecticut, were also hit this year. >> they can hijack your computer.

>> reporter: cybersecurity expert scott schober says municipalities, businesses and even hospitals are ransomware targets. criminals often send a fake email to employees with a link, clicking on it downloads malware and allows the hacker into the network. >> and now the cybercriminal works laterally through the computer networks to then find the target machine or machines, and then encrypt the data and then send them the ransom note. >> reporter: ransom notes like this one demand money to restore access to the computer network. internet security company sonic wall says cases surged 40% this year, the average payment climbed from a few thousand dollars in 2018 to more than $230,000. >> and usually it is done with digital currency, cryptocurrency, bitcoin is the preferred choice. so the criminals can remain anonymous. >> reporter: security experts say it is vital for hospitals and every business to have a strong network backup system to thwart ransomware attacks. elise preston, cbs news, new york.

well, coming up on "cbs this morning," in our series vaccinating america, dr. david agus answers viewer questions about the coronavirus vaccine. plus, we have a happy update about a woman we told you about who lost thousands of dollars in a puppy scam. anna werner has details. and tv talk show hosts desus and mero tell us about their interview with former president barack obama. that's the "cbs morning news" for this friday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day.