1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: A week ago, Verdict came to you from my living 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: room while I was self quarantined in Texas and Michael 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: was skipping in scott Free in California. Today the tables 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: are turned. Now Michael and the entire state of California 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: are on lockdown. He's in effective quarantine with the rest 6 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: of the Golden State. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. 7 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Verdict with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Knowles, 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: coming to you from lockdown. As now, even since the 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: last time we spoke, the seventh and eleventh largest economies 10 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: in the world have gone on lockdown California and New York. Now, Senator, 11 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: thank you very much for doing that cold open, because 12 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: not only are you doing my job on the cold open, 13 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: you're also doing the job of the booking producer. You 14 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: have brought along one of your friends, Senator Barrasso from Wyoming, 15 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: who has expertise not only as a senator but also 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: as a physician to help us try to understand this pandemic. Well, John, welcome. 17 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: John Barrasso's Senator from Wyoming, but he's also doctor Barrasso, 18 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: and so he is wearing not only as Senator had 19 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: as the number three Republican and leadership at head of 20 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: the Republican Conference. But also someone has been a medical 21 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: doctor for many decades now, and so welcome John. Glad 22 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: to have you. Great to be here. And I'll tell 23 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: you this is such a popular show, certainly in Wyoming 24 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: Verdict people turned it on every night during impeachment and well, 25 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: but remember four years ago you were the choice of 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: Wyoming and we were big Trump territory. Now, but I'll 27 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: tell you you were the pick of the people of 28 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: Wyoming who went to the Republican Convention in twenty sixteen. Well, John, 29 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: thank you. I will say you're the second Senator to 30 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: join us on this podcast. The first was Lindsay. And 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: Lindsay and his typical understatement, walked in and said, what 32 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: in the hell is a podcast language? I think I'll 33 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: also point out he looked at these gigantic microphones, He 34 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: looked at this shag carpet out of the nineteen seventies, 35 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: and he said, if you guys are the number one 36 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: podcast in the world, who the hell is number two? 37 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: Some guy in a park outside of that. That's so 38 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: you've got a high bar to reach, because said Lindsay's 39 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 1: blazed the trail. Well, he is must see TV. He's 40 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: a high wire act and people are always waiting to 41 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: see which side of the wire he's going to fall 42 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: off of. But he's amazing. Well, Senator Brussel, I'm so 43 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: glad you could join us today because I know that 44 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: typically senators are able to go home for the weekends. 45 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: It looks like that will not be happening now. There 46 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: are multiple bills that have been voted on. We're waiting 47 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: on the next bill to come forward. I was wondering 48 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: if maybe we could talk as Senator Cruz, as you mentioned, 49 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: from your viewpoint as a physician, so much of this 50 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: is focused on getting more respirators produced, getting them out 51 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: to hospitals. Just from the medical perspective, where do we 52 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: stand right now? Well, I'm happy to talk about all 53 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: of those things, because you're right. I go home every 54 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: weekend to Wyoming. Was home last weekend, talked to a 55 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: number of folks who were physicians, as I continue to 56 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: do now by phone, but was there in a number 57 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: of events around the state of Wyoming last weekend. And 58 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: we have changed dramatically as America's economy in America as 59 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: essentially shut down, as has the world. And when you 60 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 1: think about last weekend, we went from a day in 61 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: Las Vegas where the one day they were going to 62 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: close down the buffets to two days later they closed 63 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: down the entire town. So this is moving very quickly, 64 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: and so it is as well medically talking to folks 65 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: at home, I talked to the hospital administrators, do you 66 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: have enough respirators? Well, they have eighteen. Now I've practiced 67 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: medicine there since nineteen eighty three, so thirty seven years. 68 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: They've never used all of them at the same time. 69 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: So by any stretch of the imagination, we have more 70 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: than we need at our hospitals and around the state 71 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: of Woming. But if this pandemic goes full blown, as 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: we're concerned about and what we're seeing in other places 73 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: around the world, there may not be enough. But to 74 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: just put it into perspective, and Ted and I were 75 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: talking about this at lunch. If you take a look 76 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: at England, the whole country, fifty or sixty million people, 77 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: they have five thousand of these ventilators. The machines that 78 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: you're breathing, machines that you can hook people up to. 79 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: We have one hundred and sixty thousand, So for everyone 80 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: they have. In England we have thirty two, but we 81 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: only have about five to six times the population that 82 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: they have. So we are the most prepared country in 83 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: the world to deal with this. Do we have enough? 84 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: I hope so, but we may not. But if we don't, 85 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: no one does. And that's the concern, and that's why 86 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: we're working so much with social isolation and separation and 87 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,799 Speaker 1: keeping people distance, trying to do the proper things with hygiene, 88 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: all in an effort to prevent more rapid spread and 89 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: a prevention of the on going concern that we have 90 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: about the capacity, not just with respirators, but what I 91 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: hear when I talk to folks at home is are 92 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: there enough tests? Can we get people tested who have symptoms? 93 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: And then are there enough personal protective equipment available? So, John, 94 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: let's let's unpack this a little bit. And you and 95 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: I were discussing this over lunch. So the ventilators are 96 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: these big machines for those of us without m d s, 97 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: the big machines that breathe for you if you're you're 98 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: either in surgery or you've got severe respiratory problems in 99 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: an intensive career. In intensive care, and so the challenge 100 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: is that you look at some of these countries, and 101 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: I think Italy has seen it the worst, where we're 102 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: reading stories out of Italy where they've run out of 103 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: ventilators and they're sitting there with multiple patience in respiratory 104 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: failure and they're having to make triage decisions of this 105 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: person gets a ventilator, we're going to save this person's life, 106 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: and this person we're not going to save this person's life. 107 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: And I'm not sure if it actually is going to 108 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: work to save that person's life, because on average, some 109 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: of these people are on these machines for ten to 110 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: fourteen days, and at what point do you know, You 111 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: know they've been there a week and you don't know 112 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: which which way it's going to turn. So one of 113 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: these machines gets tied up a long time with a 114 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: patient who is on the machine. Which is why they're 115 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: working so hard with medicines that are already available worldwide 116 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: that may help shorten the amount of time that somebody 117 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: would need to be on the machine. The President talked 118 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: about that with a malaria medicine, there's an HIV AIDS medicine. 119 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: Things that we think may be helpful also hepatitis medicine. 120 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: You were chief of staff at a hospital in Casper, Wyoming. 121 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: You said they had eighteen ventilators, and your whole time 122 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: there you never used all eighteen. Yes, what happens if 123 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: at that hospital one hundred people show up with coronavirus 124 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: and with severe symptoms. What happens then? And next thing 125 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: you do after those eighteen is the machines that you 126 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: can use in an operating room for anesthesia if you 127 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: put somebody to sleep. But that takes additional manpower, personnel 128 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: that know how to use them. Anesthesiologists know how to 129 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: use them as they do during a surgery. But that's 130 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: not fourteen days. So you'd have to have huge amount 131 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: of resources, people and personal protective equipment to keep those 132 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: people safe while taking care of the folks with coronavirus. 133 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: And that's the big concern is that we may overwhelm 134 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: and tire out the staff as well. They're already working 135 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: significant overtime hours and if any of them get the 136 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: disease and some of them are, then they're taken out 137 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: of the fight. Well, I know, Senator Cruz, you made 138 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: a point of writing a letter about this. In terms 139 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: of getting these machines. Obviously, as Senator Bross says, we're 140 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: in a much better position than other countries, but we 141 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: could use more. You have suggested that the administration invoked 142 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: the Defense Production Act. This is a law from nineteen 143 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: fifty that would turn our manufacturing capacity toward government ends, 144 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: especially in times of war, times of a pandemic. You 145 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: requested that the administration invoked this, and it looks like 146 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: today they have. Well, that's right, and so I wrote 147 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: a letter this morning to the Secretary of Health and 148 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: Human Services Alexasar and I urged him to use the 149 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: delegated authority from the President to direct the building of 150 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: critical medical equipment and in particular, ventilators. I don't want 151 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: to see us in a situation like horrifically they're seeing 152 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: in Italy. I don't want to see doctors having to 153 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: make a choice of who gets to live and who 154 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: has to die because they don't have the equipment to 155 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: save their lives. And you can't build a ventilator overnight. 156 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 1: And if we wake up two weeks from now and 157 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: instead of eleven thousand cases, we've got two hundred thousand 158 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: cases or a million cases, it might be too late then, 159 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: And so I believe that that that the President of 160 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: the administration ought to direct the manufacture of these ventilators 161 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: and end masks and other equipment that is needed. We 162 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: ought to be directing it right now so that we 163 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: can meet this crisis. This is everyone recognizes this as 164 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: a public health threat. We need to do everything on 165 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: the front end to make sure we're not forced into 166 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: an impossible situations. On the back end, and military opportunities 167 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: to use the equipment there as well, and the VA 168 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: hospitals and other sources. So there's there's some additional capacity, 169 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: but it can still get stretched to the limit. And listen, 170 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: you don't necessarily have to have the hospital in Wyoming 171 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: doesn't necessarily need to go from eighteen ventilators to a hundred, 172 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: But there needs to be a central repository where ventilators 173 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: are being constructed where you can surge that if there's 174 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: an outbreak in a region and ventilators are needed, that 175 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: you can get them there, and you can get them 176 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 1: there in real time where the need is. You know, 177 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: some conservatives have asked about this, They say, is this 178 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: a government overreach? Is the invocation of for instance, the 179 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,599 Speaker 1: Defense Production Act as something that is unprecedented, but it 180 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: is worth noting this law has been invoked many, many 181 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: times over the year, as it was invoked during the 182 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: Obama administration. So while there might be concerns about how 183 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: the government is handling this on this particular front, it 184 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: seems sort of like a no brainer. Well, and it's 185 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: also how America has overcome virtually every major challenge we've 186 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: seen is the incredible economic might of the American free 187 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: enterprise system. I mean, it's how we won World War Two, 188 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: as we directed. Remember, World War two for us started 189 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: with Pearl Harbor. Started it with a kamikaze attack, a 190 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: surprise attack that took out a vast percentage of our 191 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: naval fleet, and we leaned in and rebuilt. And it 192 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: was the power hour of this economy that enabled us 193 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: to win World War Two. We can mobilize that same 194 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: economic power to make sure you know, it was a 195 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: striking thing. John. I don't know if you watched any 196 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: of the debate between Bernie and Joe Biden. Yes it 197 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: was painful, but I did. I only endured about thirty 198 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: minutes of it. There really was just sort of there 199 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: were no sports on Sunday night, you know, the NBA 200 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: was shut down. So, but it was very interesting when 201 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:36,119 Speaker 1: Bernie was pointing to this crisis as justification for socialized 202 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: medicine and what he calls Medicare for All. I thought 203 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: it was striking that Biden jumped in and said, well, 204 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: you know, Bernie, Italy has socialized medicine and we're seeing 205 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: that it isn't working there. I mean that in a 206 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: Democratic primary, was this sort of startling moment of sanity 207 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: that stood out for how different it was from almost 208 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: everything else in the primary, and even Washington Post, not 209 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: known for being a conservative voice, have the challenges of 210 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: coronavirus to countries with socialized medicine, and the statistics that 211 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: I just gave you about respirators and ventilators, Michael, the 212 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 1: breathing machines that caused fifty thousand dollars a piece. That's 213 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: where all the statistics come to as to how few 214 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: they have other places compared to the United States, and why, 215 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: according to JOHNS. Hopkins, University of the United States is 216 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: the most prepared country in the world to deal with 217 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: this threat. That were you describe the US versus England, 218 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: and you said, we're much better prepared than England. They 219 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: have socialized medicine in England. Yes, How does the US 220 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: and England how do they compared to Italy? Well, both 221 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: are better than what's happening in Italy. Now. The virus, 222 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: it's it's unusual with this virus. They're seeing that it 223 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: seems to be affecting old not just older people, older 224 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: people who are smokers. And there's a question of has 225 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: the virus changed and mutated a bit in ways that 226 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: it's striking people differently. You know, you look at China, 227 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: they're kind of over the hump. It looks like in 228 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: terms of new cases if you believe them. I don't 229 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: believe them. And at the same time, you're seeing significant 230 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: increases in France, a big jump in deaths the other day. 231 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: So is it actually getting worse in Europe as it's 232 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: getting better in China? You know, Michael John and I 233 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: are both members of two informal caucuses I would call 234 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: them in the Senate. One is the boot Caucus, and 235 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: they're probably twenty twenty five senators that wear cowboy boots, 236 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: Republicans and Democrats. And I've joked that if you're wearing boots, 237 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: you can't be all bad. Sometimes our colleagues test that proposition. 238 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: And then secondly, we are both among the senators of 239 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: Italian American heritage, so as we look at what's happening 240 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: in Italy, John's ancestors and my and my own trace 241 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: their lineage there. I'm sorry, I have to say I'm 242 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: not in the boot caucus, but I am in the 243 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: Italian caucus. And of course that with a name like Cruz, 244 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: I wasn't so sure about the Italian, but I'm certainly Cuban, 245 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: Irish and just a little bit of Italian. That is 246 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:10,719 Speaker 1: excellent moment. Men are happy to have him. But I'm 247 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: sorry I cut you off as you were saying, no, 248 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: I remember we uh, it's Ted's right, and we talk 249 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: about socialized medicine and they're always stretched to the limits, 250 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: so they really cannot handle the sort of things that 251 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: are happening here. Globally, the stretch is even greater, and 252 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: it's certainly this time of year. British hospitals are always 253 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: overloaded at this time of year and they have to 254 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: cancel elective cases, and we are now in the United 255 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: States canceling elective cases just to make sure the capacity 256 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: is there, and a lot of it has to do 257 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: with these personal protective equipment that folks need, in terms 258 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: of the masks, in terms of the the sterile gowns, 259 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: the gloves, all of those things, because if there if 260 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: there's not enough of them, then they shouldn't be using 261 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: them for elective procedures. Well, Senators, I would be interested 262 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: in Senator Brussel your medical perspective and then Senator Cruising 263 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: your political perspective as well on what the state lockdowns mean. 264 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: You know a lot of people have written in and 265 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: they understand that we have a federal system and so 266 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: the states can do things that the federal government cannot do. 267 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: But as a conservative, and as someone with absolutely no 268 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: medical expertise whatsoever, how should I be looking at the 269 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: state lockdowns? Are they a good thing? Are they conservative? 270 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: Are they medically necessary? Well? I'm a states rights guy. 271 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: I mean that's how I was in the Wyoming State legislature. 272 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: I am still that way now. And it's the governor 273 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: of our state that's making decisions. In many states, the 274 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: governor can't even close down the schools in our state. 275 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: It's a local decision by various school boards. Local control, 276 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: local decisions. So I think it's better to have things 277 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: done that way. Education is so much a part of this. 278 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: But the more we can do to have people washing 279 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: more frequently, staying in terms of the from each other, 280 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: the distancing all of those things, I think is the 281 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: better chance to take care of the first crisis, which 282 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: is the medical crisis that we have, and then deal 283 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: with the economic crisis that we also have. We just 284 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: alluded a bit to the economic crisis and this strong 285 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: and robust economy that we started from and having to 286 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: get that all restored again. To get to that point, 287 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: we have to get the medical crisis behind us, and 288 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: the best way to do it is the social distancing, 289 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: the proper hygiene, and all of the things that we 290 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: can do to stop the spread of the disease. John, 291 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: let me ask you, as you know yesterday Gavin Newsom, 292 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: governor California, said that over half of the people in California, 293 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: over twenty five million people could become infected with this virus. 294 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: As a doctor, does that sound credible to you? I 295 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: hear a lot of people that are not sure the 296 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: magnitude of the threat. What's your assessment from medical and 297 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: Angla Merklos said Injury Germany, maybe sixty to seventy percent 298 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: of the population there, you know, if this continues to spread, 299 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: and I think there's a difference between having the disease 300 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: and testing positive or having the virus. So I think 301 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: there are some people that may become infected and not 302 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: even show symptoms or show signs of it. We're seeing 303 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: it with the younger people with the you know, the 304 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 1: children that may be carriers of the disease that they 305 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: would test positive. Then you worry about them near grandmam 306 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: or grampap so they could have the virus in the 307 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 1: system and they can but not really be effective by 308 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: We're not exactly sure why that is. And when I 309 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: talked about the possibility of a virus mutation and changes 310 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: now they're seeing in Europe sometimes forty five or fifty 311 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: percent of the people hospitalized are under the age of 312 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: fifty five. I mean, we kind of thought of it 313 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: as an old person's disease, and in terms of those dying, 314 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: it does seem to be that older group, but some 315 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: of the people on respirators are now in a somewhat 316 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: younger group as well. Now, are they mostly people who 317 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: have asthma or other significant respiratory illnesses or what I 318 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: think they're still trying to figure that went out. Because 319 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: the medical systems in Italy and France are overwhelmed, they're 320 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: not that able at this point to kind of come 321 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: back with good research numbers until their fatality rates go 322 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: go up. Probably when when the medical systems overwhelmed, you 323 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: see you see four or five six percent fatality instead 324 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: of one or two, which is what they expected it 325 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: to be. The flu, which I think this year in 326 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: the United States is going to kill about thirty six 327 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: thousand Americans. That's one tenth of one percent. Doctor Fauci said. 328 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: You know, if we get everything and do it right here, 329 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: it would be ten times that. But you're right, across 330 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: the world, we're seeing numbers much higher than that. Well, 331 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: Senator Brosso, to your point, there may be many people 332 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: who have the virus or who are not showing symptoms, 333 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: or certainly who have not tested positive. Is there any 334 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: way that that testing will become so widely available that 335 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: we'll be able to figure out what the denominator is 336 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 1: because we're not going to get a very good sense 337 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: of the fatality rate if we don't know how many 338 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: people have it in the first place. Well, that's exactly right. 339 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: And Ted and I were to lunch with the President 340 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: last week and Tony Fauci and others, and when they said, well, 341 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: we're going to have more and more tests available, I said, well, 342 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: then you're going to have a lot more positives just 343 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 1: because they're already positive, they just don't know it. And 344 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 1: we're now at that phase where I think we're over 345 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: seventeen thousand positive tests in the United States. Over two 346 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: hundred have died. But if you could get to the 347 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: point where more and more people are tested, we may 348 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: know that denominator as well as a numerator, and I 349 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: think it would be more helpful to see. Well, I 350 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: know that both of you are going to be in 351 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 1: town to vote on this next part of relief for coronavirus. Already, 352 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: we've seen some announcements from the White House today, closing 353 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: the border with Mexico, closing the border with Canada, putting 354 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: off student loan payments for sixty days. I mean, there 355 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: have been a number of provisions that have already come out. 356 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: What can we look forward to, as you guys quarantined 357 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:00,400 Speaker 1: in Washington to see voted on over the next few days, 358 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: and how will it help? So I think we'll probably 359 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 1: vote on Monday. Right now, where we are is that 360 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:10,640 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell has has filed a bill, and right now 361 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 1: there is active negotiation with the Democrats. I don't know 362 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: what's going to come out of that negotiation. As I 363 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,959 Speaker 1: look at the bill, I think it is important that 364 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: we see strong action from Washington to provide economic relief. 365 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: I'm very concerned that we are going to see in 366 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: coming weeks millions and millions of job losses. Yesterday I 367 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: predicted over a million job losses. That the numbers I'm 368 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: saying now are even two and three million coming up 369 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: in just a week or two. I mean, it's it's 370 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: there are a lot of layoffs, there are a lot 371 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: of people hurting. There are a lot of small businesses. 372 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: There are a lot of restaurants and bars and hotels 373 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 1: that are that are just really hurting. The bill right 374 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: now that that has been introduced, has really two important 375 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: components to it. One is the individual leaf, and that's 376 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: basically sending a twelve hundred dollar check to just about everybody, 377 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: just about everybody who makes less than ninety nine thousand 378 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 1: dollars a year. That's individual relief, just to provide a 379 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 1: check and some help. The second component is focused on 380 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: loans for all of the small businesses, for all of 381 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: the big businesses that are you know, the airlines are 382 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: losing billions. It's focused on loans to help those businesses 383 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: survive so people have a job to come back to, 384 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: so that that you know, when you're if you're a waiter, 385 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: you work at a restaurant and your restaurant is shut 386 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: down right now, you sure do hope that when you 387 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: can go back, that that restaurant hasn't gone out of business. 388 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: And so you know my view, Look, I'm worried about 389 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 1: what the Democrats are going to insist upon, and it 390 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: is possible this bill gets to be such a mess 391 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 1: that I vote no. I mean if if if they 392 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,919 Speaker 1: put a bunch of garbage in there, that's possible, I 393 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: will say I would characterize myself as pleasant lea surprised 394 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: as a conservative about where the bill is right now, 395 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: in that it is not It is not like the 396 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: Obama stimulus. We talked last night about how TARP, for example, 397 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: was very different because there you had financial firms whose 398 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 1: own misconduct had caused much of the crisis. This is different. 399 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: This is more like a natural disaster, more like a 400 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: hurricane or a fire, where it's not the fault of 401 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: the restaurant that's shut down. Right now that this is happening, 402 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: I'm glad that it's structured as loans. I think loans 403 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: are the right way to do it. But it is 404 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: still very fluid and up of the air. I mean, 405 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 1: what do you think, John, Yeah, I agree with you. 406 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: I voted against TARP and I'm happy with that vote. 407 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: The small business component of this piece, I think is 408 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: very important because it's a loan. But any money that's 409 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,880 Speaker 1: used to keep the payroll going out to the workers, 410 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: any money that's used to just keep the rent paid 411 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: and the electric bills paid, would be a forgiven loan. 412 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:01,959 Speaker 1: They wanted to use it for other things, that's different, 413 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: so then they'd have to pay back with interest, but 414 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 1: it would be it would basically be a forgiven loan 415 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: if it's used just so that the doors can open 416 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 1: three weeks from now or whenever those businesses have come 417 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,719 Speaker 1: because and that'll be done through the Small Business Administration. 418 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: Seventy percent of the jobs in Wyoming, I'm sorry, seventy 419 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: percent of jobs nationally are small through the small through 420 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: small businesses less than five hundred employees in Wyoming. It's 421 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: almost ninety five percent of the jobs through small businesses. 422 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: So we want to make sure that the small businesses 423 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: can reopen once we get the medical component of this 424 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: behind us. You know, Michael. One thing about John, he 425 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: was one of the first senators I got to know, 426 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: and the reason is that he and I flew together 427 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: when I was just brand new elected in twenty thirteen. 428 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: We flew together to Israel and Afghanistan. And one of 429 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: the things really amazing about John it is he's got 430 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: a real heart for our troops and for our soldiers 431 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: and sailors and airmen and marines, and he travels all 432 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,719 Speaker 1: over the world. How many trips have you taken abroad 433 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: to visit our troops? Well, I go every Thanksgiving, no 434 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: matter when where our Wyoming National Guard. I go every Thanksgiving. 435 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 1: In this past Thanksgiving, talk to President Trump and said, 436 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: you haven't been to Afghanistan, Love for you to go. 437 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: Who Wyoming National Guard is there? And he went. We 438 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: went in Air Force one. He surprised the world, certainly 439 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,639 Speaker 1: surprised the press, and surprised the troops. And it was 440 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 1: really a wonderful reception by the President by the troops 441 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: on the ground in Afghanistan, but you know, every Thanksgiving 442 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 1: wherever they are, I'm with our Wyoming National Guard. Wow, 443 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: that's tremendous and it certainly didn't surprise the press. I 444 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:41,639 Speaker 1: think they all thought he was playing golf and it 445 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: was quite a nice reveal. Damn well, yeah, I forget 446 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: there was one report I had to do a big correction. 447 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: I think I forget which network had blasted him for 448 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: playing golf. And I think he was literally in the 449 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: air at the time. He was well, he was delighted 450 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: that the surprise worked. He wanted to be He wanted 451 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 1: it worked. There's there were a lot of backstories, but 452 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: the President and you know, you have to do it 453 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,880 Speaker 1: that way. When we went, I think it was four 454 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: or five of us that went and on that trip 455 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan. I mean I still remember, Look, I've been 456 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: sworn into the Senate three days earlier, so I'm sort 457 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: of brand new to all of this, and I still 458 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 1: remember they're putting, you know, flak jackets on us, and 459 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: we're in helicopters flying over active war zones and getting 460 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: instruction about all right, if they opened fire on the chopper. 461 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: Here's what you gotta do. And look, obviously, when the 462 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 1: president is coming in, you see Air Force one coming in. 463 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: That has to be done at a high level of 464 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 1: secrecy because there are a lot of bad guys would 465 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: who would love to take a shot at the plane 466 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: of the president and at night and the windows closed 467 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: and lights off and only lights were on were on 468 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: the runway so they could see in land. But it 469 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: was very impressively done. And then they kind of a 470 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: lockdown on communications on the ground until we were on 471 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: the plane getting ready to go, and then they lifted 472 00:25:55,880 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: the restrictions so that everyone could send That are you saying, John, 473 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: that someone actually managed to stop the president from tweeting, Well, 474 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:11,120 Speaker 1: that was impossible. That was well, Well, someone was taking 475 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: the role of the president as tweeter and continued to 476 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 1: tweet during the trip so that the press wouldn't be 477 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: suspicious or the public wouldn't be suspicious. So yes, his 478 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: own phone in job, his own phone was taken away 479 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: from him for the part of the trip. It was well, 480 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: it was terrific and the best part for me coming 481 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: back my daughter who had gone deer hunting that day 482 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving in Wyoming, shot this beautiful buck and she had 483 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: texted me. I showed the picture to the President and 484 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: he called her on the phone and yes, mister President, 485 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: oh it was it was the call of her lifetime 486 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: to talk to the President as he's looking this picture 487 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: of my daughter Hadley with the gun, with the buck, 488 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: with the great with an incredible rack on the buck. 489 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: It was something that sounds much more exciting than my Thanksgiving. 490 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: You know, we have just about a moment left here, 491 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: or a minute left. Rather, I do want to get 492 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: to one mail bag question. This is from Roger. Roger 493 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: asks why was the CDC and the government so ill 494 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: prepared for this situation? I know the system was obsolete, 495 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: but what could have been done in years prior to 496 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: be better prepared. Well, Look, I think there are a 497 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: couple of things that government bureaucracies are almost always inherently slow, 498 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: and they've got a bunch of regulatory barriers. So when 499 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: it came to the CDC, you look at the rollout 500 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: of the tests. The rollout of the test, as everyone knows, 501 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: did not go very well. And a big part of 502 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: the reason why is the CDC tried to do it 503 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: all itself. They tried to do it within the federal government, 504 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: and they had a problem with contamination in the labs, 505 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,360 Speaker 1: so the first test that came out didn't work. What 506 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: we've done since then, and it's been a big shift, 507 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: is that we've been powered the private sector. We've been 508 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: powered labs like the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic 509 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: to develop tests, and I think they're good lessons learned. 510 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: But look, that's not the first time a government bureaucracy 511 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,640 Speaker 1: acted like a government bureaucracy. It's not the last time 512 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: that's going to happen. But the more and by the way, 513 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: also on the FDA side, removing the barriers. We need 514 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,959 Speaker 1: to develop a vaccine, We need to develop treatments for coronavirus, 515 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: We need to develop a cure. And there are a 516 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: lot of wonderful professionals at CDCFDA and they're doing heroic 517 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: work right now. But the FDA, they like their rules 518 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 1: and they're hesitant, they're resistant to change. And we don't 519 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: need a vaccine two years from now. We need a 520 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: vaccine fast implemented because we need to get out of 521 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 1: this this this economic slowdown and get the economy back booming. 522 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: We need to say people's lives and what do you think, John, 523 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: I agree completely. I think the CDC had this kind 524 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: of command in control centralization of everything, including the tests, 525 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: and I think it didn't do as well as I 526 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: would have liked. And the private sector is responding in 527 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: a way that we know. The private sector always responds, 528 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: and that's why we have made the advances in the 529 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 1: availability of tests that we were behind at the beginning. Well, 530 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: that is a hopeful note to end on. We will 531 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: have to leave it there. I note that both of 532 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: you will have to go back because soon there will 533 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: be a vote on the next stage of relief from coronavirus. 534 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: Senator Brasso, thank you so much for joining us, and 535 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: thank your CRUs of course, thank you as always for 536 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: shedding some light on what's going on, because there is 537 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 1: a real problem in the flow of information here, so 538 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: it's really nice to be able to see what the 539 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: government is doing. We will be back with a whole 540 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: lot more, but we can't do that today, so in 541 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: the meantime, I'm Michael Knowles. 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