The Daily - The Year in Sound

Episode Date: December 23, 2021

A year that started with the mass introduction of Covid vaccines and the astonishing scenes of rioting at the Capitol is ending with concern about new virus variants and fears about the effects of a warming climate.As we approach the end of the year, we listen back to more of the events that defined 2021.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: In a volatile year again dominated by politics and the pandemic, “The Daily” sought out personal stories. Here’s a look back on the episodes that our team can’t forget.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

And we are back live on New Year's Eve. 2020 is almost over. I'm definitely getting a really good feeling about new and improved 2021. This has been one of the toughest years we've ever faced as a nation. And the pandemic, the economic crisis, calls for racial justice, historic and punishing wildfires and storms. So this season of reflection carries a much deeper meaning than it usually does. And here we go. carries a much deeper meaning than it usually does.

And here we go. We look forward to the start of a new year, fresh with hope and possibilities for better days to come. Happy New Year! We made it! To say this past year was full of challenges is putting it mildly. Good riddance to 2020. It was the worst year ever.

Goodbye. We're all wishing for a better 2021. 2021 is going to be better and help is on its way. We finally have a vaccine. We finally have some good news. Get the vaccine and move forward to a 2021 where we don't have to wear masks and we can all be safe and start to return to a normal life. Schools, theaters, sports events, restaurants. We will be there by the early fall. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have, because we won the state. And flipping the state is a great testament to our country. With just a little over two weeks left in Donald Trump's presidency,

the bombshells just keep dropping. You should want to have an accurate election, and you're a Republican. We believe that we do have an accurate election. No, I know you don't. No, no, you don't. President Trump, in a phone call pushing the Georgia Secretary of State to find votes in order to overturn his verified loss in the November election. Congress convenes Wednesday to certify the electoral vote, normally a formality. But President Trump's unsubstantiated claims of fraud leave some Republicans under pressure to question the results.

Good morning, everybody. It is Wednesday, January the 6th. President Trump is getting ready to speak with his supporters outside the White House. Hundreds of protesters have been on the streets of the Capitol ahead of today's congressional electoral college count. Ladies and gentlemen, President Donald J. Trump. Thank you. We have hundreds of thousands of people here, and I just want them to be recognized by the fake news media. Turn your cameras, please, and show what's really happening out here.

Because these people are not going to take it any longer. They're not going to take it any longer. We're going to walk down to the Capitol. And we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them. We are going to the Capitol, where our problems are. It's that direction. We're watching live scenes out of Washington, D.C. Very dramatic scenes.

Those are pictures of a group of Trump supporters outside Capitol Hill trying to get in. They're get in. They broke the glass in the United States Capitol, and now they are climbing through the window. This happened moments ago. And it will stay in recess until the call of the chair. We'll pause. Protesters are in the building.

Thank you. We're now hearing from reporters who are locked inside the Senate chamber that the protesters have breached the Senate chamber itself. One person has been shot and has now died. The violence left five people dead. We love you. You're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil.

I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace. Madam Speaker, the Vice President and the United States Senate. The votes for President of the United States are as follows. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the person's elected President and Vice President of the United States, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January 2021. The Chair declares the joint session dissolved. session dissolved. We've just witnessed a truly solemn moment in American history. The House of Representatives has reached the threshold for making Donald J. Trump the only president of the United States to be impeached for a second time. The House has impeached President Trump. The charge, incitement of insurrection.

This morning, President Trump's social media has been silenced. Twitter, making the unprecedented move to ban him permanently. insurrection. This morning, President Trump's social media has been silenced. Twitter making the unprecedented move to ban him permanently, following similar bans by Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and Twitch. America now has a new administration in the White House, and tonight our commander in chief is calling for unity as he begins his term on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This is America's day. This is democracy's day, a day of history and hope of renewal and resolve through a crucible for the ages. America has been tested anew, and America has risen to the challenge.

Harris, I solemnly swear. That I will well and faithfully discharge. That I will well and faithfully discharge. The duties of the office on which I am about to enter. The duties of the office. Kamala Harris's name now etched in history. Becoming the first female, first black American, and first South Asian American sworn in as vice president. The new dawn blooms as we free it,

for there is always light if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy. On this historic week in Washington, one of the biggest stories was Bernie Sanders' mittens. And here we go, Bernie Sanders' mittens. By now you've probably seen this picture of Senator Bernie Sanders. We've all seen the memes. Bundled up Bernie, the most notable meme of the 21st year of the 21st century.

You know, in Vermont, we know something about the cold. And we're not so concerned about good fashion. We want to keep warm. So breaking news tonight on the deepening crisis in Texas. Millions of residents are without power after a winter storm crippled the state's power facilities. We currently are on 24 hours with no power or water. Move to Texas they said. It's so hot they said.

Yeah? Yeah, what about all this? Frozen water pipes bursting, destroying homes, some causing ceilings to collapse. Oh my God! Guys, so this is my house. I don't know what to do. Everything's flooded. Finally, there's some good news on the COVID front.

Even though new cases are still at an appallingly high level, in the past seven days, new cases were reported at their lowest rate since early November. Well, hey, it's me. I'm finally going to get my vaccine. I'm so excited. Between Moderna and Pfizer, the U.S. has been able to distribute more than 90 million vaccine doses coast to coast. I am officially vaccinated. I'm so excited. It was almost surreal. Like, I kept shaking because I was so excited.

Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine. I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate. This girl is on Pfizer. I would imagine, and in fact, I'm fairly certain that as we get into and towards the end of April, that will be what I would call open season. Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category could start to get vaccinated. More people will get vaccinated the faster we're going to overcome this virus and get back to our loved ones, get our economy back on track and start to move back to

normal. President Biden celebrates the first major legislative victory of his presidency, the passage of the COVID relief bill. It spends nearly $2 trillion on jobless benefits, vaccines, school reopenings, and $1,400 checks to most families, among many other things. Joe Biden has been very focused on his COVID relief plan, and now he's preparing an infrastructure climate plan called Build Back Better. Better package calls for roughly $3 trillion worth of new spending. Today, he took a series of steps aimed at delivering on that promise,

but he's getting some blowback. First, the White House now has to rely on a narrowly divided House and a 50-50 Senate to deliver. And that means a single member, like Democrat Joe Manchin, could derail the Biden agenda. For almost a year, George Floyd's death under the knee of a police officer has reverberated around the world. But a more basic question has always remained. Would justice be done? State of Minnesota, County of Hennepin versus Derek Michael Chauvin, defendant. We, the jury, in the above entitled matter,

as to count one unintentional second-degree murder while committing a felony, find the defendant guilty. So there you have it. Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts, second-degree unintentional murder. Guilty on all three counts. You saw the former police officer there, Derekauvin handcuffed he's going back into jail. It's been a long journey but it seems like this is a never-ending cycle.

Ten miles away from here. Dante Wright, he should still be here. We have to march. We will have to do this for life. Educators across the country are rethinking how we address race and its impact on all areas of society in the classroom. Critical race theory. Critical race theory. Critical race theory is the new Republican boogeyman and a catch-all phrase for people who are lashing out against anti-racist education. Why is active grooming of our students allowed to take place under your watch? You're

teaching children to hate others because of their skin color. This isn't anything new. This isn't critical race theory. This is diversity inclusion. We should make sure every child feels included. I don't know how or why this would be debated. We'll be right back. this morning a major turning point with covid cases in the u.s dropping to levels not seen in nearly a year and over the weekend normalcy thousands of concert boys taking their first chance to see live music in more than a year disneyland is open again this weekend fans lined up the gates for the first full capacity game in what seems like forever. Color-clad crowds are back for this year's Kentucky Derby.

No social distancing, no mask required, no restrictions on capacity. Are you endorsing Hot Vax Summer? Yes, I am. The Hot Vax Summer. Hot Vax Summer. The Hot Vax Summer. That's what they're calling it ladies and gents i can't make this up we're gonna have a hot vax summer those of us who are vaxed uh you know of course one of the issues is it's only i think a 30 percent of the the population in in the u.s

is vaccinated but it seems the u.s has hit a wall when it comes to getting more people vaccinated. There's a new poll out. Forty five percent of unvaccinated Americans are holding the line, saying they definitely will not get the shot. You know, unfortunately, I think we are looking to some sort of version of two Americas, an unvaccinated, at risk America and a vaccinated America that, relatively speaking, is quite protected against infection, including by the Delta variant, which has a great capability of spreading from person to person. Right now, a dangerous and unprecedented heat wave is baking the Pacific Northwest. Nearly 20 million people are under an excessive heat warning. When you hear people talk about how hot it is in the Pacific Northwest right now, they ain't lying, dude. It's hot as balls.

Look at the numbers. 114 today in Portland, 107 in Seattle. Those will break the records for the hottest it's ever been in either of those cities ever. The extreme heat fueling dozens of large fires as well. Wildfire season in full force way too early. It was scary. It was like, you know, one of those apocalyptic movies you see with fire and wind and people going everywhere. So far, more than 2.7 million acres have burned this year, outpacing this time in 2020, the worst year ever recorded, by nearly a million acres. Flames are tearing through the Greek island of Evia as temperatures hit nearly 113 degrees. Germany is witnessing once-in-a-lifetime floods, the worst floods in a thousand years.

The signs are all there. And today, the UN said it is already too late to stop some of the devastating impacts of climate change. OK, if it seems like just about everything is more expensive these days, you are not imagining it. It really is. And that dreaded I word is starting to get some traction. And that dreaded I-word is starting to get some traction. Consumer prices jumped 5% over the past year. That's the highest inflation rate in the U.S. since 2008. Stemming from a surge in demand and shortage of labor and goods.

Millions of American workers are staying away from the service jobs that actually make America run. It's help wanted everywhere. The number of industries struggling to find workers right now is expanding, frustrating everyone from retail consumers to travelers who had hoped for more of a normal summer. The country of Haiti is under a state of emergency tonight after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated early this morning. The brazen attack unfolded overnight at the private residence of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. I said, what in the world can happen again to Haiti? And then I just found out that Haiti was hit again by a mega earthquake.

They have no hope. It's like they can't catch a break. At least 227 people are confirmed dead following this morning's magnitude 7.2 earthquake. The powerful quake, the biggest to hit Haiti since the one that devastated the island back in 2010. U.S. defense officials say the last remaining American and NATO troops have left the Bagram military airbase in Afghanistan and handed it over to Afghan forces. Is a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable? No, it is not. Why?

Because you have the Afghan troops have 300,000 well-equipped, as well-equipped as any army in the world and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is your president. You trust the Taliban. With international forces largely gone, the Islamist group is taking more territory from a demoralized Afghan military. But more than 100 districts are now in the Taliban's control. Two major cities just collapsed. And it's so devastating to see that my country is just falling on her knees

and no one is just taking any action and just like the whole world just watching us help. Taliban forces entered the heart of the Afghan capital Kabul today, the culmination of a rapid advance and retaking of control almost exactly two decades after they were ousted from power. The embassy shuttered, the flag coming down, thousands of Afghans now scrambling to get out. The Kabul airport packed earlier today. There have been chaotic scenes at Kabul airport as desperate Afghans tried to flee the country

by hanging on to departing aircraft after the Taliban's final takeover yesterday. A handful tragically clinging on even after takeoff before falling to their deaths. Devastating reports emerging now from Kabul. This is what everybody feared, the suicide attack at Abbey Gate, where the race to evacuate U.S. citizens and allies from Afghanistan is entering its final days. I'm here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals and vulnerable Afghans. The last C-17 lifted off from Hamad Karzai International Airport on August 30th,

this afternoon, at 3.29 PM East Coast time. The situation here is very quiet now and you can hear the horns of the military cars taken by the Taliban. And there are rumors on social media that they are going to settle down first and they will start to do their brutalities. Roe v. Wade was decided January 23, 1973. Through all the subsequent decisions, one thing has been clear a state cannot ban abortion but as of september 1st 2021 texas has banned abortion in the state and the supreme court has done nothing about it now it bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy the law's opponents say

that's before many women even know that they're pregnant. Goodness gracious, like I have to go home and figure out what I'm gonna do in the next month, and like the next month is in a couple of weeks, like what am I gonna do, you know? Like what am I gonna do? Now that the Texas law is in effect, it is likely other conservative states will move to implement similar abortion restrictions. This as the Supreme Court is set to rule on the constitutionality of another abortion law in Mississippi in the upcoming term, that term begins in October.

There is no planet B. Our hopes and dreams drown in their empty words and promises. The United Nations Climate Change Conference has opened in Glasgow, Scotland. Known as COP26, the summit brings world leaders together to negotiate a way to avoid catastrophic climate change. leaders together to negotiate a way to avoid catastrophic climate change. Deep divisions remained on key issues like unprecedented language on fossil fuels and how much money developed countries should contribute to adapt to the climate crisis. I would like to remind us all that we have 98 months to half global emissions. that we have 98 months to halve global emissions. The difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is a death sentence. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world.

It is Tuesday, November 2nd, and Americans are heading to the polls on this election day. And this morning, all eyes are on two critical races for governor. In Virginia, also in New Jersey, polls opening one hour ago in both states. And in the next 24 hours, we could get a preview of what next year's midterms will look like and beyond. NBC News has just called the New Jersey governor's race for Democrat Phil Murphy. Thank you for putting your trust in our team. All righty, Virginia, we won this thing! ABC News projecting Republican Glenn Youngkin has won.

So when I looked at the results, especially in Virginia yesterday, I'm not so sure that it's that the Republicans won as much as that the Democrats lost. It was a disappointing night for Democrats. Of course, they lost in Virginia and it was incredibly close in New Jersey. Those are two states that President Biden won by double digits. One of the big issues for this governor's race has been just issues surrounding school. What's going on here? No more masks! No more masks! Republicans out of power are seizing on schools

as the place to stir up racial tension and culture wars. What you saw in Glenn Youngkin is going to be for sure the playbook that Republicans are going to try to emulate. So basically, this conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. Britney Spears has been faced with a decade-long nightmare. The whole thing shocked me, that she'd been forced to take lithium, that she was forced to keep it in an IUD, wasn't able to get married or have kids.

I just want my life back, and it's been 13 years, and it's enough. Free Britney now! Free Britney now! It's official. The conservatorship of Britney Spears has been terminated. What's next for Britney is up to one person. Britney. I'm just grateful, honestly, for each day and being able to be independent and feel like a woman and it makes a huge difference. Good day, we're coming on the air with breaking news. A verdict has been reached in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. With breaking news, a verdict has been reached in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.

The 18-year-old is facing charges for killing two people and injuring another during a protest last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin. All right, members of the jury, have you elected a foreperson? We, the jury, find the defendant, Kyle H. Rittenhouse, not guilty. As to the second count of the information, Richard McInnis. This case is over. Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all five counts he faced in the shooting deaths of two men. All right, let's switch gears a little bit and talk about the Ahmaud Arbery trial. In the Superior Court of Glynn County, State of Georgia, the State of Georgia versus Travis McMichael. Count one, malice murder. We, the jury, find the defendant, Travis McMichael, guilty. Twelve jurors found that all three defendants were guilty of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a black jogger, who they chased in two pickup trucks

and then shot dead. Even though Rittenhouse claimed he fired in self-defense and the three defendants in Georgia made the same claim, the jury takeaway in each case was far different. Well, the signature piece of President Biden's legislative agenda, the sweeping $2 trillion spending bill, is now on life support. I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can't. This is a no. A live look at Capitol Hill this morning. Senator Joe Manchin says he is against President Biden's signature legislation known as the Build Back Better bill. So what now? What happens next? Just this morning, the Senate majority leader announced that the Senate will still vote on this bill when they get back to Washington in early January,

vowing to put every member on the record on the Senate floor. And he said, not just on television. Day 331 of the Biden administration. And with just nine days until Christmas, we are back waiting in long lines for COVID tests. The nation now facing an alarming new surge in cases just as we head into year three. I'm going to say that again. Year three of this pandemic. Omicron now officially here in the U.S.

We are in for a world of trouble, I'm afraid, in the next month or two. U.S. is now averaging about 121,000 new COVID cases each day. You're dealing with a very transmissible virus. We're looking over our shoulder at Omicron, and we have Delta staring us right in the face. A lot of people are saying that it feels like March 2020 all over again. But people, please have some optimism. Things are much better now

than they were back then. I think 2022 is going to be a much better year than people are expecting. Hopefully we'll get better in 2022. I hope it gets better in 2022. And a happy new year. Let's hope 2022 is a better year for all of us. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you. We'll be right back. by Claire Tennesketter and Sidney Harper, with help from Eric Krupke. It was edited by Larissa Anderson and Lisa Chow,

contains original music by Marian Lozano and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly. Beginning next week, The Daily will be returning to our favorite episodes of the year, listening back and hearing what's changed since they first ran.

I'm Michael Barbaro. See you on Monday after the holiday.