One-on-one with Dr. Anthony Fauci; Investigators looking at communications between U.S. lawmakers & Capitol rioters; Senate opens debate on Covid bill, after VP Harris breaks tie; Small businesses have mixed feelings about TX lifting mask order; Biden turns to infrastructure as stimulus bill hits Senate;
The Lead with Jake Tapper
CNN
3.5 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 4 March 2021
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Fauci: “Inexplicable” for states to lift restrictions; TX Gov defends decision to lift mask mandate: still suggesting masks, just not requiring them; Dr. Fauci: Texas decision to end restrictions is “ill advised”; CDC Dir: People should wear masks even if state doesn’t mandate it; Study: A person with UK variant can infect 43% to 90% more people; Dr. Fauci: “You don’t want to pull back just now”; Poll: 28% of Republicans say they will “definitely not” get vaccine; Security on high alert today after potential threats to Capitol; Politico: GOP committee will support Republicans who voted for impeachment, despite Trump threats; Rep Meijer proposes alternative Covid relief plan, including $2,400 relief checks for some Americans; Now: Senate clerks reading entire 600+ page Covid relief bill at GOP’s Sen’s demand, could take 10+ hrs; Sen. Johnson demands entire relief bill be read to stall vote; Gov. Cuomo accuser tells CBS she believes he was propositioning her for sex; Texas businesses fear viral video-esque backlash if they require masks; Some businesses confused and worried as TX lifts mask order; Sources: Diplomatic official loses role over racist and offensive comments about Biden, Harris; State Dept. Official removed from Afghanistan role after saying Trump’s election loss was the “death of America”; Ohio man dies of Covid days before getting vaccine;
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the lead. I am Jake Tapper and we begin today with the health lead health |
| 0:06.5 | officials are alarmed as some states are lifting mask mandates and allowing all almost |
| 0:12.1 | all businesses to operate at 100% capacity. President Biden called these moves by various |
| 0:18.0 | governors, quote, Neanderthal thinking and his chief medical advisor, Dr Anthony Fauci |
| 0:23.2 | says that these moves by governors are inexplicable. Fauci will join me in just minutes. He is |
| 0:28.8 | warning this will only set the U.S. back in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. |
| 0:34.5 | Yet as CNN's NICWAT reports for us now today, yet another state announced that it will |
| 0:39.9 | and its mask mandate as well. Well, I'm convinced that a mask mandate has been the right |
| 0:47.1 | thing to do. I also respect those who object and believe that this was a step too far in |
| 0:54.8 | government overreach. So Alabama's governor says their mask mandate will end April 9th, |
| 1:00.8 | even though her top medical advisor says this. We believe that evidence supports their use |
| 1:06.7 | and that they prevent disease and they prevent death. Right now, no mask mandate in 15 states. |
| 1:13.4 | I really just truly see this as sabotage. This is not the time to do it. Now with the UK variant |
| 1:18.9 | starting to accelerate, which we know is so much more transmissible. Joining the |
| 1:23.7 | Maskless Club next week, Texas, where average case counts and death tolls are already back on |
| 1:30.1 | the rise and the governor is without any proof trying to blame the White House. The Biden |
| 1:36.5 | administration was releasing illegal immigrants into our communities who had COVID. The Biden |
| 1:44.1 | administration was spreading COVID. Meantime doctors in Cyprus, Texas say there's nothing more |
| 1:50.0 | they can do for Victoria Gallardo, a young mom of five. I see her away from my wife to die. |
| 1:59.5 | I don't know what to do. Vaccines are what to do for the country. |
| 2:05.8 | On average, more than two million doses now going into American arms every day. |
| 2:12.0 | Tell everybody to not be afraid. Some states want to see more of this before thinking about |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from CNN, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of CNN and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.