Tonight, the audio. President trump giving himself an aplus for his response to the virus. And the cdc with new guidance this morning. What they said about respiratory droplets or small particles in the air, saying they can be inhaled into the nose, mouth, airways, saying this is thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Then just hours later, changing their guidance again. So, what are americans to believe on the virus and particles in the air . States of emergency as we come on the air tonight. Tropical storm beta now taking aim at the u. S. Coast. Up to a foot of rain in the forecast. Several states getting hit again. The new York City Police officer tonight arrested, accused of being an agent of china. What the officer is accused of doing here in new york. And tonight, the lives we lost. As we near 200,000, the young woman who followed herd dream of becoming a doctor. The grandparents, the mothers and fathers. The sons and daughters. The coaches. They touched so many lives and we honor them tonight. Good evening and its great to start another week with all of you at home. And tonight, as the nation mourns the death of Supreme CourtJustice Ruth Bader ginsburg, there is already a titanic battle to replace her. The president says he will nominate a woman by weeks end and that he wants a vote in the senate before election day. The outcome of this fight could influence the high court for a generation to come. Justice ginsburg passing away friday after more than 27 years on the high court and a career as a trail blazer for the rights of woman and gender equality. Her seat on the bench now draped in black. And we learned today Justice Ginsburg will lie in repose at the Supreme Court on wednesday and then and then she will lie in state at the u. S. Capitol on thursday. Then, a private burial next week. President trump saying he will probably announce his pick this week, and we learned the president met with one of his top contenders, amy coney coneyy barrett. Justice ginsburgs granddaughter said her grandmother said it was her moster if havent dying wish that her seat not be fill eed until there is a new president. His response, with abcs jonathan karl. Reporter on the steps of the Supreme Court, the tributes are coming in. Inside, Justice Ruth Bader ginsburgs seat is draped in black. Inside, the political battle to replace her is already well under way. Less than 24 hours after ginsburg died, President Trump appeared before supporters chanting, fill that seat. Fill that seat fill that seat reporter he promised he would, and that his nominee will be a woman. It will be a woman. A very talented, very brilliant woman. Reporter npr reported that Justice Ginsburg dictated a final statement to her granddaughter. One sentence long, it read, my most fervent wish is that i will not be replaced until a new president is installed. Today, the president implied the statement was a fake, crafted by democrats. So that came out of the wind. Lets see. I mean, maybe she did and maybe she didnt. Reporter he said hes going to announce a nominee by the end of the week. I would much rather have a vote before the election, because there is a lot of work to be done. Reporter the president says hes considering five candidates. Sources involved in the process tell abc news there are two at the top of the list, both now federal judges. Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa. He met with Coney Barrett today at the white house. She is from indiana and a former law clerk for justice antonin scalia. She is a devout catholic with seven kids and is strongly supported by antiabortion activists. Her faith came up at her confirmation for her current post. The dogma lives loudly within you and thats of concern when you come to big issues. Reporter Coney Barrett insisted she wouldnt let her personal views affect how she interprets the law. Its never appropriate for a judge to impose that judges personal convictions, whether they derive from faith or anywhere else, on the law. Reporter Barbara Lagoa is former chief justice of the florida Supreme Court. She was born in miami. Her parents fled castros cuba. The president seems to think picking her could be a popular move in a state she must win. Shes excellent. Shes hispanic. Shes a terrific woman, from everything i know. I dont know her. Florida. We love florida. So shes got a lot of things, very smart. Reporter joe biden is urging republicans to hold off on replacing Justice Ginsburg until after the election. Among the things he says are in the balance . Obamacare, with its protections for people with preexisting conditions. The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the law just one week after the election. And the people of this nation are choosing their future right now, as they vote. To jam this nomination through the senate is just an exercise in raw political power. So, lets get right to jon karl, with us live tonight from washington. And the president has said he would like a vote in the senate before the election, but even if it comes after, hes hoping that this battle will galvan nice his base. I know that youre aware, theres already evidence from fundraising alone that this is also energize the base for democrats, as well. Its hard to know how this will play out. Reporter the president and his allies, david, welcome a headline that is not about coronavirus, but there is no question that this is already energizing democrats, including many who were less than enthudz yasic about joe biden. And overawful, there is simply no doubt that this has intensified interest in a president ial race where interest is already off the charts. No question about that. Jon karl leading us off again tonight. Jon, thank you. Of course, the showdown that jon points out already under way on capitol hill. 43 days until the election. Some voters already casting their ballots. Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell tonight saying the senate will vote on the president s nominee this year. Democrats calling that hypocrisy after mcconnell blocked a vote on president obamas nominee in the final year of his presidency, back then, eight months before the election. This time, of course, 43 days to go. Republican leaders say this time is different. But democrats simply pointing to Mitch Mcconnells own words four years ago. Heres mary bruce tonight. Reporter on the senate floor today, republican leader Mitch Mcconnell with an unequivocal promise. This senate will vote on this nomination this year. Reporter but thats not the position he took in 2016. When he refused to consider president obamas pick to fill Justice Scalias seat months before the election. Lets let the American People decide. Reporter but mcconnell says this is different, because now the senate and the white house are both controlled by republicans. If an opening comes in the last year of President Trumps term and the primary process has started, well wait until the next election. And ive got a pretty good chance youre on the record. Yeah. Hold the tape. Reporter but now, despite the tape, hes calling for the Judiciary Committee to quickly consider the president s nominee, telling democrats, i am certain if the shoe were on the other foot, you would do the same. Democrats say its blatant hypocrisy. Why say its this rule and that rule and then do the exact opposite when it suits your interests . Why not just come to the flor and say, im going to do whatevers best for my political party. Consistency be damned, reason be damned, democracy be damned. Just admit it. Reporter four republicans would have to break rannings and join democrats to block a con fir ration. So far, two senators, Susan Collins of maine and Lisa Murkowski of alaska both say this decision should be up to the next president. All right, so, lets get right to mary bruce tonight. As you point out, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins saying the senate should wait. All eyes on other republicans, including senator corey gardner, for one, facing a tough reelection fight in colorado, of course. And senator mitt romney, who has stood against the president before and mary, you have new reporting tonight involving senator romney . Reporter david, we learned that mitt romney wont be speaking out on this issue until hes had a chance to meet face to take with his republican colleagues here tomorrow. And just moments ago, we heard from another critical republican, senator Chuck Grassley of iowa. He is making it clear tonight he supports moving ahead with this c confirmation process. David . All right, mary bruce with us tonight, as well. Thank you, mary. Now to the coronavirus here in the u. S. , as this country is set to mark that awful milestone, 200,000 lives lost now. The president saying, i deserve an aplus. And the cdc with another major reversal after quietly posting growing evidence that the virus can also be spread by tiny particles in the air. By midday today, that evidence was taken down, that guidance. The cdc saying it was only a draft. Abcs Steve Osunsami at the cdc tonight. Reporter its heartbreaking figure. Scientists at Johns Hopkins university are reporting this evening that nearly 200,000 americans have now lost their lives to the coronavirus. The president today in a phone interview says his response has mostly been very good. On public relations, i give myself a d. On the job itself, we take an aplus. Reporter joe biden was in wisconsin today giving the president failing grades. He failed to act. He panicked. And america has paid the worst price of any nation in the world. Reporter today, the flip p flipflop of information from the cdc continued, which isnt helping people trust this important agency. On friday, they finally acknowledged what some scientists have been arguing for months, posting updated guidelines saying that tiny droplets with the virus can travel more than six feet in certain settings, like choir practices, restaurants or gyms with limited ventilation. Weve known for months that covid is transmitted when people cough or sneeze, but also when they talk and breathe. And through air sols. Reporter this afternoon, the cdc took it all back, saying this was posted in error. And i apologize on behalf of cdc for that. We werent ready to put it up. Reporter the qualify of information from these agencies becomes more important as the weather gets colder. The number of cases is growing in 29 states and the island of puerto rico. The American People rely on the cdc for clearlearlearlear this flipflopping, which clearly is about political interference and the scientific process, i think makes it much harder for americans to know what the right things are, what they need to do to keep themselves safe. Reporter its not clear when scientists here at the cdc are going to public these updated gui guidelines on this issue, but experts say this helps make the point that it really doesnt matter if its six feet or 16 feet where these tiny droplets spread. They believe the best suggestion is for people to always wear masks indoors. David . All right, Steve Osunsami with us again tonight. Thank you, steve. And now, this evening, the lives we lost. It seems not long ago we did this to mark the 100,000 mark. Now, as this country prepares to mark 200,000 lives lost, we pause here to remember that these are not numbers, these are lives and families forever changed. Tonight, we honor the lives lost. Dr. Eded ed adeline he was playing operation and trying to fix up her dolls and she held onto that goal and she went for it. Dr. Adeline marine fagan. When she walked across that state, we were just beside ourselves, so proud, because, you know, it was her dream. She was starting her second year of residency in houston, delivering babies during the pandemic and treating Covid Patients in the e. R. She started feeling sick and then fought the virus for two months. Her parents traveling to texas. My mom told me that when she had to leave, she said to adeline, adeline, i love you, and she kissed her and adeline is, you know, as loopy as she was, made a kissy face back at my mom. And so we know that she she knew that she was loved and that we were there and even until then. There have been so many families forever changed. Helen jones woods, a trombone player. Chef was a Founding Member of the International Sweethearts of rhythm. Thats her on the right. The sweethearts were the first integrated allfemale big band. Touring the country in the jim crow era and during world war ii. We had breakfast at 6 00 and wed start rehearsing at 7 00. We rehearsed all day, you know . In florida, kim was just 9 years old. They called her kimmy. She was going into the fourth grade this year when she got sick. Her mother, makasha. She was very talkative and just really, really happy. She made friends very easily. She was perfect. Jermaine stevens would have turned 21 years old today. He died of a pulmonary embolism ten days after testing positive for covid. We were sitting in the hospital talking about Covid Response kinds of celebration that we could do for his birthday. So, to go from that to get to the hospital the next day and hes gone in south carolina, 28yearold deme trea banister, a third grade teacher, singing during a field trip with her students. I really love you she made this video for her students last year. On my way to windsor but this year, just a week after the start of virtual classes, she tested positive and she died three days later. Tyler was 29. A youth hockey coach in north texas. He began playing hockey at just 7. And it was through hockey he would meet his wife, amy. He always wanted his players to be standup human beings on the ice and off the ice. He left behind a young daughter, riley. And two youth teams mourning their coach. Theres the coach right there. Bill yoman was the inningest coach in the university of houstons history. Leading the cougars to 11 bowl appearances. There was that surprise win at the cotton bowl in 1980. And its history here at the cotton bowl. His son, bill. When he gave his word, he gave it, he meant it. So, when he told a recruit that he would be there to coach him, he wasnt kidding. He got many offering to leave for a whole lot of money and his answer every time was, i told these players i would be here when i recruited them and and thats what he did. He was inducted into the College Football fame in 2001. In california, Brendan Sanchez fought covid19 alongside her mother. Brenda made it through. Her mother did not. Her mother was just 54 years old. Family singing her happy birthday. Joanne reck was living in a Retirement Community in florida when she got sick. And when she was taken to the hospital, her 90yearold husband, sam, getting into full ppe to see her one last time. You dont recognize me with all this junk on my face. But it is sam. I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much. They were married for 30 years. Finally getting to hold your hand after all these months. Brian sadler from ringwood, new jersey. He worked as a paramedic for 36 years. Only 9 11, racing to ground zero. His son, thomas. He used to tell people, no one dies on my ambulance. No one dies in my hospital. No one dies under me. It was last year at 60 years old, brian filled his dream of becoming an icu nurse. Then, the pandemic and he was right there on the front lines. Isabel was just a year away from retirement, after 30 years as a respiratory therapist at a dallas hospital. She went into work bravely, despite knowing how dangerous it was. And she kept going in. Her daughter telling us she would always send gifts and messages and videos. Lots of kisses. Byebye she became a grandmother last year. And it was fitting that the grandmother who had sent so many gifts, the last gift arriving after she passed away. For her granddaughter, a pair of shoes. I want her to know that my mom was a hero and that she stopped at nothing to be there for others. Her grandmother was a hero. So many lives and so many brave families sharing their loss, their stories with us and we thank them. And we remember. We honor their loved ones. When we come back here tonight, the states of emergency at this hour. The storm slamming into the u. S. And the nypd officer under arrest himself. If you have risk factors like heart disease, diabetes and raised triglycerides,. Vascepa can give you something to celebrate. Vascepa, when added to your statin,. Is clinically proven to provide 25 lower risk from heart attack and stroke. Vascepa is clearly different. First and only fda approved. Celebrate less risk. Even for those with family history. Dont take vascepa if you are. Or become allergic to icosapent ethyl or any inactive ingredient in vascepa. Serious side effects may occur like heart rhythm problems and bleeding. Heart rhythm problems may occur in more people. With persistent cardiovascular risk or who have had them in the past. 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