Tonight is once again at the center of a monumental battle, the president ial election. President trump says tonight he will appoint a woman to replace Justice Ginsburg and he will do it by saturday, just a week after the 87 year old liberal heroine died. He said he will confirm the choice by the end of the year and democrats are vowing to stop that arguing voters should pick the next president who will then fill the seat. Not since Abraham Lincoln has there been a Supreme Court vacancy so close to an election. And what happens in the coming weeks will have sweeping consequences for the court and the country, possibly cementing a conservative majority for decades. For the women we met on the steps of the court today the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is also deeply personal. The outpouring for the woman know as the notorious r. B. G. From the women she inspired has been both emotional and heartfelt. And later this week justice at the u. S. Ginsburg will lie in repose at the court before lying in state at the u. S. Capitol. But tonight even as plans for those remembrances are under way people on both sides of the aisle are bracing for a fight. Ginsburgs loss coming just as the country is set to surpass 200,000 deaths from coronavirus has added yet another explosive issue to an already volatile campaign. We have a lot of new reporting to get to tonight and cbss weijia jiang is going to lead us off from the white house. Good evening, weijia. Good evening, norah. The white house was eager to make the election something other than a referendum on President Trumps response to the coronavirus. And this huge decision could be the answer. Because the nominee will be a woman, it could also shore up support from the suburban women the president has been courting. On his way to a Campaign Rally in the key swing state of ohio President Trump told reporters it is his duty to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court. Im just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So i would rather see it before the election. Ruth Bader Ginsburgs death gives the president the chance to nominate his third Supreme Court justice, which could make it a 63 conservative majority ahead of november 3, and one that would shape the court for re makoi cbs news has learned u. S. Court of appeals judge Amy Coney Barrett who was at the white house today and judge Barbara Lagoa are the top two contenders. 48yearold barrett is a mother of seven without has won over religious conservatives for having antiabortion views. I see no conflict between having a sincerely held faith and duties as a judge. President trump considered nominating barrett when Justice Anthony kennedy retired in 2018. 52yearold lagoa is a first generation cuban american from the critical battleground state of florida. My family fled from a totalitarian reason where the whim of the dictator could determine what the law was. Lagoa has a longer judicial record than barrett and she was confirmed to the court of appeals with bipartisan support. Now it says the president is supposed to fill the seat. The Supreme Court vacancy has lead to a new rallying cry during campaign events. Over the weekend mr. Trump also boasted about his response to the coronavirus. Somebody said, what grade would you gave yourself . I said aplus. Today the u. S. Death toll is about to cross over 200,000, with california becoming the fourth state to surpass 15,000. President trump claimed again his Administration May deliver a safe and effective covid19 vaccine in a matter of weeks but his own Health Experts have said it wont be widely available until late summer or fall of 2021. Tonight cbs news has learned that when Amy Coney Barrett came to the white house today, she met with President Trump. He says he will announce his pick on saturday but an outside white house advisor points out he prefers to make news during the week because he thinks it gets a lot more attention. Like those two prime time announcements for his former two nominees. Norah . Odonnell weijia jiang at the white house, thank you. Tonight Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell is rejecting critics who accuse him of hypocrisy for pushing to confirm President Trumps nominee during a president ial campaign after doing the opposite four years ago. More now from nancy cordes. Senators who left the capitol friday returned to a battlefield today. On the Senate Floor Majority LeaderMitch Mcconnell vowed to hold a confirmation vote soon. The senate has more than sufficient time to process the nomination. The looming fight could alter the courts balance of power and dictate the fate of the Affordable Care act and abortion rights. For hundreds of millions of americans, this vacancy on the Supreme Court puts everything, everything on the line. Outside the court, protestors gathered, taking aim at Senate Judiciary chairman lindsey graham, who will play a key role. I will be leading the charge to make sure that President Trumps nominee has a hearing. Campaigning in south carolina, graham made no apologies for backing off this promise he made in 2018. If an opening comes in the last year of President Trumps term and the primary process has started, we will wait for the next election. He said that because icans had blocked theed the nomination of president obamas Supreme Court pick in early 2016. Heres how they explained it then. You dont do this in an election year. Their views on that tradition have now changed. The president was elected to do this and the senate was elected to confirm this nomination. A new reuters poll finds that 62 of americans want the vacancy to be filled by the winner of the president ial election. Do not be hypocrites and reverse yourself and now jam through in just 43 days before an election where voting has already started in 25 states. Senate republicans plan to meet about all of this behind closed doors for the first time tomorrow. And after that we should have a better sense of whether they are going to try to hold this vote before the president ial election or whether they will wait until after november 3 during the lame duck session. Norah . Odonnell nancy cordes, thank you. Vice president mike pence will play a key role in the nomination process and were told he will interview each of the candidates. We spoke with the Vice President at his office overlooking the white house in an exclusive interview. The president said he wants this done very quickly, before election day. Can it be done . We believe that it can. But obviously it will be important for us to take time, to pay tribute this week to a true public servant. We join the nation in mourning the passing of justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She paved the way for women in the law. I know the president is anxious to move the process forward and we fully expect to make an announcement about the president s nominee to the Supreme Court before the week is out. Odonnell youre saying that you have an agreement from the Senate Majority leader to get a justice confirmed by election day . President truels at he has an obligation under the constitution of the United States to put forward a nominee for the Supreme Court. There have been 29 times that there have been vacancies since George Washington through barack obama and all 29 cases the president has made a nomination to the Supreme Court during an election yeaar and President Trump believes it is his responsibility and his duty to do that again. The senates role is to advise and consent and we are working already with the Republican Leadership in the senate to make arrangements for the process to move forward. Odonnell i want to ask you about one of the frontrunners, judge Amy Coney Barrett, she is a catholic, she say conservative, a mom of seven kids, are you convinced that judge barrett would overturn roe versus wade . What i am convinced of is that judge barrett and the other finalists on the list will interpret the constitution in a way that is consistent with the great tradition of justice antonin scalia. Odonnell she is prolife. President trump has made it clear that it is our objective to appoint prolife jurists to our federal courts at every level. Odonnell judge barrett gave a speech at notre dame on the 40th anniversary of roe versus wade and she said it is very unlikely that the court will overturn roe. So why are you convinced that judge barrett would restrict abortion rights further . I just know that judge barrett will follow the constitution, as will all the finalists. The reality is that the Supreme Court in this last session actually rejected a very moderate restriction on abortion from louisiana, a bill that would have only required doctors in abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at neighboring hospitals. Odonnell and on that case do you believe that someone like judge barrett would respect the states rights on that issue. Im proud to serve alongside the most prolife president in American History and i know that same standard will be met with his nominee to fill this vacancy on the Supreme Court. Odonnell one week after the election the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case on the Affordable Care act. Do you want a justice who will help strike down the Affordable Care act . Well, we have long believed that the individual mandate at the center of obamacare was unconstitutional. Odonnell 20 years ago it was bush versus gore. It went to the Supreme Court. This year we could have another president ial election that could go to the Supreme Court. Is that why it is so important to have President Trumps choice confirmed before election day . Well, there are many issues that could go before the court. But in the event that questions either regarding mailin voting or regarding the outcome of the election go to the Supreme Court, it is just one more reason why we owe it to the american people, we owe it to all the institutions of government to ensure we have nine justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. Odonnell and that nomination battle will now be a central issue on the campaign trail with both sides using the possibility of a court dominated by conservatives in their appeal to a crucial voting bloc suburban women. Heres cbss ed okeefe. Ever since the death of justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg all the President Trump and republicans talked about is who will replace her. Knowing the confirmation fight energized republican voters, especially suburban women on the issue of abortion. It is so crucial to have judges that will vote for life. Its a strategy that the Trump Campaign deployed effectively in 2016. You have to vote for me anyway, you know why . Supreme court judges. On election day one in five voters said t will also be motivated by a Supreme Court fight, he doesnt want to let the president change the subject. Today he focused on the coronavirus. Due to Donald Trumps lies and incompetence in the past six months have seen one of the gravest losses of American Life in history. For democratic women, there are a range of Critical Issues that could come before the Supreme Court. Womens rights, lgbtq rights. Black lives matter, theyre all on the line. And with the justices set to hear the latest legal challenge to the Affordable Care act a week after the election, it is an especially urgent concern as biden said sunday. Donald trump is before the Supreme Court trying to strip healthcare coverage away from tens of millions of families. Ed okeefe, cbs news, washington. Odonnell tonight the u. S. Is on the brink of 200,000 deaths from covid19. And there have been more than 6. 8 million infections. And there is news on wall street today the stock selloff continued over concerns of coronavirus and the economy. The dow dropped 1. 8 percent, the s p 500 lost about 1. 2 percent. Plus the c. D. C. Took an unusual step. Backtracking on its if you guidance about how the virus spreads. Heres cbss mola lenghi. Confusion from the c. D. C. After official guidance posted friday said airborne transmission is the primary way the virus is spread, and there is growing evidence that drop droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others and travel distances beyond six feet. But in a sudden reversal today, the c. D. C. Removed that guidance saying in an email to cbs news when asked why, the bottom line is airborne transmission is possible but not the main way that it spreads. It may not be the main way it spreads but there is good evidence that the virus can spread through the air under certain circumstances at distances greater than six feet. Meanwhile the bells at the National Cathedral tolled 200 times on sunday as the u. S. Nears 200,000 lives lost to the virus. Including rebekah loopers father, fred. I held his hand and i told him i loved him and i set my head on his chest. My mom was there. We each took turns going and saying goodbye to him. Loopers daughter called her fathers death needless. Meanwhile, adding to the confusion, it has been months since the c. D. C. Or White House Coronavirus task force have briefed the American Public but Health Officials still stress keep wearing your masks and keep social distancing. Norah . Odonnell important to remember that. Mola lenghi, thank you. And there is still much more news ahead on tonights cbs evening news. The gulf coast get slammed by yet another Tropical Storm where beta is headed next. Ellen degeneres opens the new season of her talk show with an apology. Why she called herself a work in progress. Later, Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her own words on how to fight for what you believe in. The right way. Way. To all the people who realize they can du more with less asthma thanks to dupixent, the addon treatment for specific types of moderatetosevere asthma. Dupixent isnt for sudden breathing problems. It can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. Its 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. 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Im gone. Like like i wasnt here. [ horn honks ] keep keep doing it, buddy. Switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. You know, like the sign says. Odonnell tonight louisiana is under a state of emergency and a disaster declaration was issued for more than two dozen county in texas as Tropical Storm beta lashes the gulf coast, beta is unleashing 45 mile an hour gusts and a pow odonnell tonight louisiana is under a state of emergency and a disaster declaration was issued for more than two dozen county in texas as Tropical Storm beta lashes the gulf coast, beta is unleashing 45 mile an hour gusts and a powerful surge of sea water. Some areas could get ten inches of rain in the coming days. Ellen degeneres launched a new season of her talk show today, apologizing to staffers who complained of a toxic Work Environment behind the scenes. I know that i am in a position of privilege and power. And i realize that with that comes responsibility. And i take responsibility for what happens at my show. Odonnell three Top Producers recently left the show amid allegations of Sexual Misconduct and racial insensitivity. Ellen today listed some of her own flaws like impatience and called herself a work in progress. Coming up next, the wisdom of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, including what makes a Meaningful Life. Gful life. R dont worry, julie. Coughings not new. This woman coughs. And that guy does, too. People cough in the country, at sea, and downtown. But dont worry, julie. Robitussin shuts coughs down. But today theres a combination of two immunotherapies you can take first. One that could mean. A chance to live longer. Opdivo plus yervoy is for adults newly diagnosed with nonsmall cell lung cancer that has spread and that tests positive for pdl1 and does not have an abnormal egfr or alk gene. 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I had three strikes against me one, i was jewish; two, i was a woman; but the killer was i was the mother of a fouryearold child. Justice ginsburg will you raise your right hand and repeat after me. I will support and defend. Everything the founders would have wanted it to be if they werent held back by the society in which they lived. So help me god. Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you. People asked me if i would be satisfied with the number of women on the court. When there are nine. I will do this job as long as i feel that i can do it full steam. If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself. That is what i think a Meaningful Life is one lives not just for oneself but for ones community. Odonnell fight for the things you care about. Well be right back. R get in its way. Hpv can affect males and females. And theres no way to predict who will or wont clear the virus. 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Its the 75th anniversary of the world body, but most of the speeches, including President Trumps, will take place virtually because of covid19. The president is expected to address his issues with china and iran. Along with the recently announced troop drawdowns in germany and afghanistan. Those troop reductions as well as the president s slogan of America First are coming under fire from his former National Security adviser general h. R. Mcmaster. Hes written a new book called battlegrounds and discussed his views with scott pelley in 60 minutes. How do our competitors view the United States today . I think our competitors view us as weak and divided. I think they see an opportunity. I think china thinks its winning, you know, china sees an america that is divided against each other, they see an america that is reeling from a triple crisis of covid19, of the recession associated with covid19 and and the civil unrest and Racial Division in the wake of the horrible murder of george floyd. And over issues of inequality of opportunities. And so china is acting i think now much more aggressively because they think its time to do it. They have a window of opportunity to exploit our weaknesses and to come after us. I think russia feels the same way. I think other adversaries could feel the same way. The very first line in your book is, this is not the book that most people wanted me to write. Right. People wanted me to write another tellall about my time in the trump administration. People wanted me to write another book about palace intrigue. I think what americans need today is we need we need discussion, a meaningful, a respectful discussion about these very serious challenges to our security, our prosperity, and our influence in the world. President trump called in mcmaster when his first National Security adviser quit after 24 days. Michael flynn had lied about negotiating with russia before mr. Trump was inaugurated. The president offered mcmaster the job the first time they met. What did your friends and family advise you . Well, i got a wide range of viewpoints. Many called and urged me to do it and said here is an unconventional president who needs your help. Others urged me not to do it, and i think a lot