♪ ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs >> o'donnell: the breaking news tonight: the c.d.c. officially decides who should get the vaccine first in the most ambitious vaccination program in u.s. history. with just two weeks to go until the projected rollout of the first coronavirus vaccine, the concerns tonight about why it will take at least five months to vaccinate all the most vulnerable americans and essential workers. as hospitalizations spike across the country, why south dakota and indiana lead the nation, and why an e.r. doctor says the crisis is worse than ever. tonight, dr. anthony fauci says those record numbers could lead to a new lockdown. plus, a couple married for nearly half a century, dying of covid just seconds apart. breaking with president trump: the attorney general today says there is no evidence of

widespread voter fraud. plus, what the president plans to do with the reported $170 million he's raised since election day. biden's economic team. the president-elect's message to the american people: >> help is on the way. >> o'donnell: congress considers a last-ditch effort todu new dose of covid relief. so what's in the nearly $1 trillion bipartisan plan, and what will it mean for you? dangerous winter storm-- the driving snow that might have sent this freight train off the rails. an actor's journey: the oscar- nominated star of "juno" announces he is transgender, and speaks out about the violence their community faces. and, on this giving tuesday, we salute a 13-year-old determined to help kids in need. this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. >> o'donnell: good evening to our viewers in the west

and thank you for joining us. we're going to begin with breaking news on the biggest and most complex vaccination program in american history. tonight, a c.d.c. advisory panel has just approved a plan to give the first doses of coronavirus vaccines to healthcare workers and people living in nursing homes. that means that if the f.d.a. approves the vaccines it's reviewing, as many as 20 million americans could begin getting shots just two weeks from now, on december 15. still, experts warn, that won't be soon enough to stop tens of thousands of americans from dying from the virus, which is now spreading out of control. tonight, new york city is advising older people and those with underlying conditions not to leave their homes as the rate of infections there continues to climb. and with hospitalizations hitting another record high today, the nation's top infectious disease expert, dr. anthony fauci, is suggesting some areas may need to consider new lockdowns. and then there's also that breaking news tonight out of the justice department, where the attorney general, one of the

president's most loyal defenders, now says he's found no evidence of fraud that would change who won the election. that's another blow to the president's attempts to overturn the results. we have a lot of new reporting ening, norah.our family tonight. tinue to sam is covering it all. cbs' mola lenghi is going to lead off our coverage tonight from new york city. good evening, mola. >> reporter: well, good evening, norah. as cases continue to surge across the country, folks continue to wait in line, some for hours, just to get a covid-19 test. this as tonight we're learning who the c.d.c. is recommending to be the first to get vaccinated. today, an official road map to ending this pandemic as members of a federal advisory committee officially voted 13-1 on who should be first in line. first up, our health care heroes and nursing home patients ravaged by the virus, 24 million americans who could start getting the first doses in about two weeks. once approved by the f.d.a., the first batch of pfizer vaccines

is expected to be delivered to hospitals on december 15; the first batch of the moderna vaccine, a week later. from there, states will use this road map to get the vaccine in the arms of americans, which is expected to take about five months. dr. william shaeffner is an adviser for the committee that voted today. what are you still concerned about? >> delivering it in the united states alone to 330 million people. we'll have to be reassuring. we'll have to be persuasive. there are people who are skeptical, lots of people. >> reporter: the next phases, expected to begin in january, will forecast on the 87 million essential workers: teachers, police, firefighters; and workers in food production and transportation. phase "1-c" will include adults over the age of 65, and those with high-risk medical conditions, more than 153 million people. >> this is the most complicated vaccine campaign in united states history. >> reporter: dr. tom frieden, the former c.d.c. director, says

there are a lot of challenges in this rollout. >> and unless congress provides substantial funds to state and local governments, there is going to be a lot of difficulty getting this vaccine used as soon and safely as possible. >> reporter: ohio governor mike dewine has a plan in place. >> the national guard is in charge here. they have been practicing. they're ready to go. this is necessary to get them out to the smaller-- the smaller counties. >> reporter: well, it will be up to state officials in each state as to whether to follow c.d.c. guidance throughout the rollout of the vaccine, which, as you can imagine, will be a daunting responsibility considering health officials say at least 70% of americans ultimately need to be vaccinated if we're going to flatten the covid-19 curve once and for all, norah. >> o'donnell: mola lenghi with that long line in the cold tonight to get tests. thank you. we have a report tonight from two covid hot spots in america's heartland. south dakota and indiana have the highest rates of covid hospitalizations per capita in the entire country.

cbs' david begnaud spoke with battle-weary healthcare workers on the front lines of the crisis. >> if i don't have covid, i cannot spread covid. >> reporter: we start in south dakota. as the virus rages, so does the debate. >> it's just a mask, wear it. this is a public health crisis. i don't know what else to say. >> when did government get to dictate what we wear. dictate what we wear? >> reporter: that was in rapid city last night, in a state that leads the nation in per-capita hospitalizations. for covid, indiana ranks second. scott samlan is an emergency room doctor in hammond, indiana, near chicago. we first talked to him back in march. >> this is the most scared i've ever been being an e.r. doctor. >> reporter: that was at the start of the pandemic. now? start pandemic.ne months and now. >> i we're still at it. i'm emotionally and mentally fatigued. and physically. i think everybody is. >> reporter: tonight, indiana set another record for

hospitalizations, nearly quadrupling in just two months. this 25-bed hospital in rural alssouri cannot keep up. it is overwhelmed. take florida today, they hit one million total coronavirus cases. >> what is it about? >> patient care! >> reporter: in new york, there was a walkout. >> we don't have enough staffing so we can't take adequate care ofthe patients. of the patients. >> reporter: and listen to this nurse in north dakota: >> one day your patient will be doing okay on a couple of liters of oxygen, and the next day they're needing to be vented. >> reporter: one in four north dakotaans know someone who died from the virus. from the virus. meanwhile, this from dr. anthony fauci: >> if you start to see overrunning of your hospitals and your health care systems, i can assure you that there will be serious consideration for lockdown. >> reporter: in michigan is patricia and leslie mcwaters, married nearly 50 years. family members say both were taken to the same hospital where patricia worked as a nurse. they both died at exactly 4:23 p.m., two days before

thanksgiving. may their memory be a blessing. you know, the first cases of coronavirus in the united states? turns out it was found as far back as december of 2019, even before china reported its first case. how do we know that? well, it turns out the c.d.c. sent researchers to look at red cross blood donations, and, norah, in some of those donations from december of 2019, they found blood that had covid- 19 antibodies in it. >> o'donnell: it was really one of the most stunning revelations today. sevid begnaud, thank you. claims of ram today, president trump's false claims of rampant ballot fraud were again debunked, this time by a surprising source. attorney general william barr, a staunch trump ally, says there's no evidence to support the president's allegations. to support pre we get more now from cbs' ben tracy. >> reporter: attorney general bill barr, seen entering the white house this afternoon just after delivering a major blow to president trump's claims of election fraud, telling the associated press, "to date, we

have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election." it's a significant repudiation from one of the president's most loyal cabinet members... >> this is playing with fire. >> reporter: ...who himself questioned mail-in voting before the election, and afterwards told federal prosecutors to look for evidence of voter fraud. now, barr is debunking wild claims by the trump campaign. >> one of its most characteristic features is its ability to flip votes. >> reporter: including from one- time trump attorney sidney powell that voting machines were programmed to change election results. barr says his department "looked into that and hasn't seen anything to substantiate the claim." >> this election was a fraud. it was a rigged election. >> reporter: president trump continues making baseless accusations, and his campaign is firing back tonight, saying, "with all due respect to the attorney general, there hasn't been any semblance of a department of justice investigation," again claiming ample evidence of illegal voting.

but the trump campaign is racking up a string of legal defeats due to lack of evidence, even as it now sues the state of wisconsin in a desperate attempt to disqualify more than 221,000 ballots in the state's two most- democratic counties. yesterday, joe biden was certified the winner of wisconsin's election. >> what are the odds that they all switched, overnight? >> reporter: tonight, the head of president trump's legal team, rudy giuliani, is denying reports that he discussed getting a preemptive pardon from the president, possibly for his business dealings in ukraine. and according to the "new york times," the trump campaign has raised more than $170 million for its legal fight. but 75% of all contributions are actually going to the president's new political action committee, which can fund his future political efforts. >> o'donnell: ben joins us now from the white house. and ben, i understand there is breaking news about a possible bribery for a pardo scheme. what do we know?

>> reporter: yeah, norah, in this 20-page, heavily redacted court filing, the department of justice reveals that for months it's been investigating a conspiracy in which "someone would offer a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon." now, this does not say who is being investigated or who wanted the pardon, but it does say that 50 electronic devices have been seized. we have asked the white house about this tonight, and they say they have no comment. norah. >> o'donnell: more to come on that. ben tracy, thank you. well, today, president-elect joe biden introduced his new economic team, pledging to move quickly as the recovery slows, the pandemic wears on, and millions of households and businesses struggle to stay afloat. here's cbs' ed o'keefe. >> reporter: president-elect joe biden today unveiled the team he says will be responsible for rebuilding the american economy. >> our message to everybody struggling right now is this: help is on the way. >> reporter: the incoming economic team stands out for its diversity, with two african americans and four women total, including the first to be tapped as treasury secretary, janet yellen.

firmformer fed chair signaled she will move quickly on the economy once confirmed. >> it's an american tragedy, and it's essential that we move with urgency. urgency. >> reporter: mr. biden's choice >> reporter: mr. biden's choice for white house budget director, neera tanden, recalled how her immigrant mother from india relied for a time on federally subsidized housing and food stamps. >> i'm here today because of social programs, because of budgetary choices, because of a government that saw my mother's dignity and gave her a chance. >> reporter: but tanden, head of the liberal think tank center for american progress, is facing stiff republican opposition for her sharp criticism of the g.o.p. >> if we want to make sure this nut job, tanden, doesn't become director of the budget, in charge of the office of management and budget, then make sure we win in georgia. >> reporter: "georgia" is a reference of course to those two senate runoff elections scheduled for january 5 in

georgia, around the time the new congress is set to begin. today, mr. biden called on the senate to schedule confirmation hearings for his picks early next year, regardless of which party controls the senate. norah. >> o'donnell: ed o'keefe, thank you. unless congress acts soon, millions of americans will face eviction, a loss of unemployment benefits, or both. but there are signs of compromise after months of gridlock. here's cbs' nancy cordes. >> reporter: in miami today, this was the line for a chance to nab a $250 grocery gift card handed out by the city. >> my coworker picked me up at 3:15. we got here about maybe 3:50. >> reporter: in the morning? >> yes. >> reporter: a vaccine may be in sight, but the job market is still ailing. today, federal reserve chair jerome powell urged congress to pass another big relief bill, now. >> the risk of overdoing it is less than the risk of underdoing it. >> reporter: nura moshtael it. >> reporter: nura mos agrees. she's lost two jobs, forcing her

and her son to move in with her mother in macon, georgia. >> i mean, it's a little scary. i have a lot to be grateful for, that i have, you know, a roof over my head, anyway. >> reporter: a brief glimmer of hope came today when a bipartisan group of lawmakers announced a $900 billion compromise plan, with more funding for small businesses, state and local governments, and unemployment benefits. >> in a crisis, the people expect congress to act. >> reporter: which could we actually see a bill that is would have one ready ver >> we would have one ready very soon. >> reporter: but their plan was greeted with silence from house speaker nancy pelosi, who wants a bill twice that size. the senate's republican leader, mitch mcconnell, blew it off, too. >> we just don't have time to waste time. >> reporter: instead, he released his own, smaller proposal. >> there's likely to be discussion about some additional package of some size next year,

depending upon what the new administration wants to pursue. >> reporter: what all this means is that there are now multiple proposals of varying sizes floating around the capitol, but no consensus. norah. >> reporter: nancy cordes, thank you. about 30 million people got an early taste of winter today from a late autumn snowstorm. here's cbs' errol barnett. >> reporter: this major storm system is being felt from ohio to maine with dangerous winter weather all the way down the eastern seaboard. drivers across ohio spinning their wheels as up to a foot of a foot of and wind gusts up to heavy snow and wind gus 35 miles per hour caused whiteout conditions, the state declaring a snow emergency in several counties. the one word that sums up today? >> devastating. devastating. >> reporter: shaker heights public works assistance director john becker says his snow plow operators are working 12-hour

shifts, but we saw firsthand it isn't enough. >> i guess we should get out of the way so you can help this guy out. >> we appreciate that. >> reporter: an investigation under way in amherst tonight after this freight train derailed amid the snowstorm. no one was injured. high winds in maine sent trees crashing into homes, and a tornado touching down in northern florida causing minor damage. and back here in ohio, there's more to come. arctic air is actually following this entire system, so wednesday and thursday's temperatures in the morning here outside of cleveland will feel like 20 e 20ees. in much of the midwest it will feel as if it's in the teens, with some locations, norah, feeling as if it is in the single digits. >> o'donnell: wow, winter is here. errol barnett, thank you so much. and there is still much more news ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news." the oscar-nominated star of "juno" shares a very personal announcement. t's new?

grandparents! we want to put money aside for them, so...change in plans. alright, let's see what we can adjust. ♪ we'd be closer to the twins. change in plans. okay. mom, are you painting again? you could sell these. lemme guess, change in plans? at fidelity, a change in plans is always part of the plan. who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin,

and, had significantly less itch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. >> o'donnell: wow, winter is here. earl, thank you so much. there is still much more news ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news." the oscar-nominated star of "juno" shares a very personal announcement. we may be able to help. to give you the protein you need with less of the sugar you don't. [grunting noise] i'll take that. woohoo! 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. ensure max protein. with nutrients to support immune health. straining, and bloating, again and again. no way. more exercise. more water. and more fiber is the only way to manage it. is it? maybe you think... it's occasional constipation.

maybe it's not. it could be a chronic medical condition called ibs-c, and time to say yesss! to linzess. linzess works differently than laxatives. it helps relieve belly pain and lets you have more frequent and complete bowel movements. do not give linzess to children less than six and it should not be given to children six to less than 18, it may harm them. do not take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. the most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. if it's severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. change your thinking to ibs-c. if your constipation and belly pain keeps coming back, tell your doctor and say yesss! to linzess. >> o'donnell: the star of the movie "juno" came out today as ay asgender. elliot page was formerly known as ellen page. we get more now from cbs' jonathan vigliotti.

>> i think i'm in love with you. >> reporter: the academy award- nominated star known for roles in hollywood blockbusters "juno" and "inception"... >> i'm not pretending! >> reporter: ...and the netflix ns., "the umbrella academy," introduced himself to the world on instagram, writing, "i want to share with you that i'm trans. my pronouns are he/they, and my name is elliot." elliot page went on to say, "i can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who i am enough to pursue my authentic self." page's journey under the bright and often blinding lights of hollywood hasn't been easy. the actor first came out as one of the most visible gay actors in 2014. >> and i am here today because i am gay. >> reporter: it was, at the time, a breakthrough moment in hollywood, but not the full story for page, who in the years that followed, advocated for gay, lesbian, and trans people. >> whenever a prominent person and a prominent entertainer comes out, it really helps trans people, in terms of public awareness. >> reporter: in his final words

in today's announcement, page promised the trans community to make the world better. jonathan vigliotti, cbs news, los angeles. >> o'donnell: and he will. we'll be right back. this week on "the upper hands"... special guest flo challenges the hand models to show off the ease of comparing rates with progressive's home quote explorer. international hand model jon-jon gets personal. your wayward pinky is grotesque. then a high stakes patty-cake battle royale ends in triumph. you have the upper hands! it's a race to the lowest rate, and so much more. only on "the upper hands." is important to me... ...so being diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer... ...made me think of all the things that i wanted to teach my kids.

my doctor said i could start on keytruda... ...so i did. with each scan things just got better. in a clinical study, keytruda offered patients a longer life than chemotherapy. and it could be your first treatment. for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread, keytruda can be used... ...for adults who test positive for "pd-l1"... ...and whose tumors... ...do not havean abnormal "egfr" or "alk" gene. keytruda is not chemotherapy... it's the immunotherapy used to treat more patients with advanced lung cancer than any other. keytruda helps your immune system fight cancer but can also cause your immune system to attack healthy parts of your body. this can happen during or after treatment and may be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have new or worse cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, severe stomach pain or tenderness, nausea or vomiting, rapid heartbeat, increased hunger or thirst, constipation, dizziness or fainting, changes in urine or eyesight, muscle pain or weakness, joint pain, confusion or memory problems, fever, rash, itching, or flushing. these are not all the possible side effects. tell your doctor about all your medical

conditions, including immune system problems, if you've had an organ transplant, had or plan to have a stem cell transplant, or have lung, breathing, or liver problems. before, i'd think of the stuff i might miss. but now with keytruda, we have hope. it's tru. keytruda from merck. ask your doctor about keytruda. to syour body needs routine. system, centrum helps your immune defenses every day, with vitamin c, d and zinc. season, after season. ace your immune support, with centrum. sprinting past every leak in our softest, smoothest fabric. she's confident, protected, her strength respected. depend. the only thing stronger than us, is you.

>> o'donnell: on this giving tuesday, we'd like to introduce you to a 13-year-old in georgia who has made it his mission to help others. here's cbs' janet shamlian. help o >> hi, my name is t.j. matthews! >> reporter: t.j. matthews hosts a flag football game called the giving bowl every december. it's a fund-raiser for a charity he started, giving blankets to children who in some way are struggling. what's special about giving someone a blanket? >> because a blanket, it's warm. and it's comfortable. >> reporter: covid canceled this year's contest, but not the 13-year-old's mission. a drive-through donation event netted 150 blankets. cash donations will allow him to give away almost 1,000. >> he has a heart of gold. he always has. >> reporter: when he hands the blankets over, he said he hopes kids realize, even this year, kindness has not been canceled. >> it's going to feel really

good to me because i'm helping another soul, another soul be happy in life. >> reporter: janet shamlian, cbs news, houston. >> o'donnell: that's the best ight back.ving. we'll be right back. yup, on it there too. you may think you're doing all you can to manage type 2 diabetes and heart disease... ...but could your medication do more to lower your heart risk? jardiance can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death for adults who also have known heart disease. so, it could help save your life from a heart attack or stroke. and it lowers a1c. jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration, ...genital yeast or urinary tract infections, and sudden kidney problems. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. a rare but life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction... ...and don't take it if you're on dialysis

or have severe kidney problems. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. lower a1c and lower risk of a fatal heart attack? on it with jardiance. ask your doctor about jardiance. we do things differently and aother money managers, don't understand why. because our way works great for us! but not for your clients. that's why we're a fiduciary, obligated to put clients first. so, what do you provide? cookie cutter portfolios? nope. we tailor portfolios to our client's needs. but you do sell investments that earn you high commissions, right? we don't have those. so, what's in it for you? our fees are structured so we do better when our clients do better. at fisher investments we're clearly different. ...who takes care of yourself. so why wait to screen for colon cancer? because when caught in early stages, it's more treatable. i'm cologuard. i'm noninvasive and detect altered dna in your stool to find 92% of colon cancers... ...even in early stages. tell me more. it's for people 45 plus at average risk for colon cancer,

not high risk. false positive and negative results may occur. ask your prescriber or an online prescriber if cologuard is right for you. i'll get on it! that's a step in the right direction. every time you touch a surface, bacteria is left behind. now, consider how many times your family touches the surfaces in your home in 24 hours. try microban 24. spray on hard surfaces to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria initially, including the virus that causes covid-19. once dry, microban forms a bacteria shield that keeps killing bacteria for 24 hours, even after multiple touches. try microban 24. this has been medifacts for microban 24. if you have postmenopausal and a high risk for fracture, now might not be the best time to ask yourself, 'are my bones strong?' life is full of make or break moments. that's why it's so important to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones

from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen. or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. speak to your doctor before stopping, skipping or delaying prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred. prolia® can cause serious side effects, like low blood calcium, serious infections, which could need hospitalization, skin problems, and severe bone, joint, or muscle pain. don't wait for a break, call your doctor today, and ask about prolia®. >> o'donnell: tomorrow, she was one of the best defenders on the gold medal u.s. soccer team. now she's caring for patients. if you can't watch us live, don't forget to set your dvr so you can watch us later. that is tonight's "cbs evening news." i'm norah o'donnell. it w a good show, righ

right now at seven. >> we are seeing a spike unlike any we've seen since the beginning of this pandemic. we are in trouble. >> the new warning tonight in san francisco, tougher restrictions may be the only choice. i almost one quarter of a city agency could be wiped off the map. >> we are facing the gutting of the basic cities service that our residents rely on. the san jose mayor has admitted to a new apologized for avoiding health rules by attending a thanksgiving dinner with too many people. coming up, the warriors return to the court is delayed. and kyle shanahan makes the promise to his