THAT THIS VIRUS IS NOT EVEN IN
THE MIDDLE STAGE.
WE’RE AT THE BEGINNING.
JOINING US NOW, THE MAYOR OF LOS
ANGELES, DEMOCRAT ERIC GARCETTI.
ALSO WITH US, THE PRESIDENT OF
THE OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION,
PATRICK
PATRICK GESASPARD.
WE THANK YOU FOR THAT AND WANT
TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
MAYOR GARCETTI, LET’S TALK,
FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU COULD TELL
US WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR CITY
IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER, IN TERMS
OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND IF
YOUR CITY IS READY FOR WHAT
POTENTIALLY IS TO COME.
>> WELL, I’M VERY CONCERNED BUT
HERE IN LOS ANGELES WE’VE HELD
STEADY.
OUR AVAILABLE BEDS HAVE GONE UP.
OUR DEATHS HAVE GONE DOWN.
BUT THERE’S A LOT THAT’S OPENING
UP.
MY MESSAGE ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG
AMERICANS IS YOUNG AMERICANS
FEEL ABSOLUTELY THAT THEY ARE
INVINCIBLE.
THAT THEY CAN GO OUT, THEY CAN
PARTY, THEY CAN COME TOGETHER
AND WE’RE SEEING MORE AND MORE
OF THE DATA COMING BACK THAT
THEY ARE THE ONES SPREADING IN
THEIR OWN HOMES, IN THEIR OWN
KIND OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHERE
THEY LIVE.
AND I THINK THE MESSAGE HAS TO
BE VERY LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE
MIGHT BE DONE WITH COVID-19, BUT
COVID-19 ISN’T DONE WITH US.
SO, WEAR THOSE MASKS, PHYSICALLY
DISTANCE AND PRACTICE ALL THE
THINGS THAT WE DID SUCH A
MARVELOUS JOB OF TO SAVE TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF LIVES.
YOU CAN EITHER BE A KILLER OR
SOMEBODY WHO CAN SAVE LIVES.
LET’S MAKE SURE IT’S THE LATTER.
>> THERE SEEMS TO BE, ESPECIALLY
AMONG SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT
TRUMP, WHEN YOU SAW AT HIS
RALLY, THERE ARE THOSE THAT DO
NOT WANT TO WEAR MASKS.
THERE ARE COMPANIES OPENING UP
THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY
FOLLOWING SOCIAL DISTANCING
GUIDELINES.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THE MORE
THAT THAT HAPPENS, THE MORE THAT
THERE WILL BE MORE OUTBREAKS AND
THEN COMPANIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY
TRYING TO DO THINGS RIGHT ARE
GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN AGAIN?
>> NO QUESTION, MIKA.
THERE’S BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE LEFT
BEHIND IN THIS CRISIS
ECONOMICALLY.
WE’VE SEEN THIS IN IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, WE’VE SEEN THIS
AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS, WE’VE
SEEN SO MANY WORKERS IN THE GIG
ECONOMY.
THIS THREATENS OUR ECONOMY.
THIS IS FIRST AND FOREMOST ABOUT
SAVING LIVES AND PEOPLE’S HEALTH
AND ALSO MAKING SURE OUR ECONOMY
DOESN’T SHUT DOWN AGAIN.
THE SMALLEST THINS WE CAN DO CAN
HAVE THE BIGGEST EFFECTS,
NEGATIVELY AND POSITIVELY.
WE HAVE THE THREE Es, I CALL IT.
WE DON’T HAVE THE RESOURCES JUST
BY ENFORCING AND NONE OF US WANT
A POLICE STATE IN AMERICA.
IT’S REALLY ABOUT EDUCATING
PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGING THEM,
GIVING OUR POLICE OFFICERS OR
OUR PARK WORKERS MASKS TO HAND
OUT TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY’RE NOT,
AND I SAY REAL MEN WEAR MASKS,
SO GET OVER IT.
WHETHER IT’S THE PRESIDENT OR
SOMEBODY ELSE, THIS IS AN ACT OF
LOVE, AN ACT OF STRENGTHENING
THE ECONOMY, AN ACT OF SAVING
LIVES, NOT AN INCONVENIENCE.
>> IT’S AN ACT OF RESPECT AS
WELL IN MANY WAYS.
IT’S NOT HARD TO DO.
PATRICK GASPARD, THIS IS $130
MILLION INVESTMENT.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS.
WHO ARE YOU TARGETING WITH THIS
MONEY?
HOW IS IT GOING TO WORK?
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH
FOR HAVING ME ON.
AND THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR
HIS EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP,
NOT JUST IN LOS ANGELES, BUT THE
LEADERSHIP THAT’S PARTNERED WITH
MAYORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE IN THIS
BY OURSELVES.
MIKA, THIS EFFORT WE’VE TAKEN ON
IS INTENDED TO HELP AND SUPPORT
AND PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF THE
MOST VULNERABLE WORKERS IN THIS
ECONOMY.
YOU JUST HAD STACEY ABRAMS ON.
SHE REALIZES WHEN SHE TALKED
ABOUT THE POLICE EFFORT THAT WE
DON’T HAVE A POLICING CRISIS, WE
HAVE A GOVERNANCE CRISIS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT COVID AND THE
IMPACT, WE DON’T HAVE AN
UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS BECAUSE OF
COVID.
WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC
CHALLENGE IN THIS COUNTRY AND A
LACK OF INCLUSION FOR GIG
WORKERS, FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
AND CERTAINLY FOR UNDOCUMENTED
WORKERS AS WELL.
SO, THROUGH THIS EFFORT
PARTNERING WITH MAYOR GARCETTI,
A NUMBER OF MAYORS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND WITH MASTERCARD,
WE’RE PROVIDING THIS DEBIT CARD
THAT WILL DIRECTLY TO THESE
WORKERS THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO
RECEIVE RESOURCES FROM THE
GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY IN
ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR
ESSENTIAL NEEDS BECAUSE THEY
HAVE PROVEN TO BE OUR ESSENTIAL
WORKERS.
MIKA, WE KNOW MUCH OF WHAT WE
HEAR ABOUT IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN
THIS COUNTRY IS A FICTION.
WITHOUT THEM WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE
TO HAVE ANY FOOD ON OUR TABLES.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS FROM
FRONT LINE HEALTH CARE TO OUR
SECURITY NEEDS THAT ARE TAKEN UP
BY THESE WORKERS.
WE’RE TRYING TO INTEGRATE THEM
INTO THIS ECONOMY WITH THIS
WORK.
WITH DIRECT RELIEF.
BUT WE’RE ALSO SAYING CONGRESS
BE, THE PRESIDENT HAS TO TAKE UP
TRANSFORMATION IN FUTURE
STIMULUS AND BEYOND THAT MAKES
IT CLEAR THAT WE’RE ALL IN ONE
BOAT THROUGH THIS STORM.
>> FOR SURE.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HURTING.
THERE ARE ALSO, AS I REPORTED
EARLIER, MAJOR CONTROVERSIES
EXACTLY HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IN
SPORTS.
MIKE BARNICLE, I’LL LET YOU TAKE
IT TO THE MAYOR WITH THAT, BUT
FIRST, WHAT’S GOING ON WITH
BASEBALL?
>> WELL, WITH BASEBALL, MIKA,
THE ORIGINAL ARGUMENT WITH MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL, THE MAYORS AND
COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE WAS OVER
MONEY, SALARIES.
HOW MUCH OF THEIR SALARY WERE
THEY GOING TO GET TO PLAY A
SHORTENED SEASON.
I DON’T THINK THAT’S ANY LONGER
THE CASE.
I THINK THE CASE NOW WITH MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL AND ALL THE
OTHER SPORTS IS THE BIGGEST
OPPONENT THEY’RE GOING TO FACE
IN TERMS OF GETTING BACK ON THE
FIELD, WHETHER IT’S A FOOTBALL
FIELD, A HOCKEY RINK, BASKETBALL
COURT OR A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
STADIUM, LIKE DODGER STADIUM,
IT’S GOING TO BE THE VIRUS.
IT’S GOING TO BE PLAYERS’
HEALTH.
THAT’S GOING TO BE THE GOVERNING
FACTOR HOW SOON, IF AT ALL, THEY
COME BACK.
MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK
YOU -- AMBASSADOR GASPARD JUST
MENTIONED WHAT THEY WERE DOING
AND THE FOUNDATION MONEY
ALLOTTED TO SPECIFIC CAUSES IN
SPECIFIC PLACES.
I CAN’T THINK OF A CITY IN THIS
COUNTRY THAT HAS SUBJECTED --
THAT HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO
RANDOM VIOLENCE AND PLANNED
VIOLENCE MORE OFTEN THAN LOS
ANGELES.
WATTS, RODNEY KING, YOU’VE BEEN
THROUGH IT ALL.
AND YET DESPITE ALL OF THE MONEY
AND ALL OF THE GOOD INTENTIONS
WE’VE POURED INTO
INTO YOUR CITY, BOSTON, NEW
YORK, ALL THE OTHER CITIES, WE
STILL HAVE A CLEAR DIVISION
AMONG PEOPLE.
IN LOS ANGELES, I MEAN, YOU LIVE
THERE.
YOU KNOW IT.
YOU RUN THE CITY.
YOU HAVE A CLEAR DIVISION
BETWEEN PEOPLE GROWING UP IN
PLACES LIKE COMPTON AND WATTS
AND SOUTH CENTRAL L.A. AND
COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF L.A.,
YOU HAVE A CLEAR DIVISION IN
EDUCATION, IN HEALTH CARE ACCESS
AND IN TERMS OF THEIR REACTION
TO POLICING.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
WE’VE TRIED SO OFTEN, SO HARD TO
HEAL THESE DIVISIONS.
IS IT EVER GOING TO BE POSSIBLE
TO HEAL THEM?
>> WELL, I THINK IT HAS TO BE.
AND WE HAVE TO NOT MISS THIS
MOMENT.
WE HAVE TO MEET IT.
WE’RE HALFWAY UP THE MOUNTAIN.
WE CAN LOOK DOWN AND SEE IN 1992
HOW MUCH WORSE THINGS WERE AND
50-PLUS PEOPLE WHO DIED AND A
POLICE CHIEF YOU COULDN’T GET
RID OF WHO SAID BLACK PEOPLE’S
VEINS WERE DIFFERENT THAN WHITE
PEOPLE’S VEINS WHICH IS WHY THEY
WERE DYING IN CHOKEHOLDS.
NOW WE’VE CUT IT IN HALF TO JUST
11 LAST YEAR WHERE IT WAS 21
FOUR YEARS BEFORE.
BUT YOU’RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
THIS IS ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER
THAN POLICING.
EVEN AS WE RE-IMAGINE POLICING
AND REALLOCATE RESOURCES, THIS
HAS TO BE ABOUT PEOPLE’S HEALTH,
THEIR EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES.
AND OUR RACIAL AGEND AI JUST
APPOINTED THE FIRST CHIEF EQUITY
OFFICER OF THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES TO LOOK AT RACE ACROSS
ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS FROM OUR
AIRPORT TO OUR PORT AND IT WON’T
JUST BE DONE BY CITIES.
IF WE DON’T HAVE NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP THAT FUNDAMENTALLY
LOOKS AT REPARATIONS, ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY, IT’S LOOKS AT WAYS
THE STARTING LINE IN 50 FEET
BEHIND IF YOU’RE BLACK OR AN
IMMIGRANT OR PEOPLE OF COLOR, WE
WON’T GET TO THE TRUTH OF THIS.
LET’S FIX POLICING AND MAKE IT
BETTER AND GET TO THE TRUTH OF
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AFTER 1992 IT WAS ESTIMATED WE
NEEDED 6 BILLION TO REBUILD
SOUTH L.A.
THEY RAISED $400 MILLION.
THIS HAS TO BE A NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP MOMENT.
I DON’T THINK THIS PRESIDENT CAN
STEP UP TO IT BUT HOPEFULLY IN
NOVEMBER WE’LL SEE A CHANGE OF
THE GUARD AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
FINALLY TO MAKE THIS A
MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY, NOT JUST
IN WORDS, BUT IN PRACTICE.
>> THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES,
ERIC GARCETTI, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> MIKA -- SORRY, MIKA.
JUST ONE SECOND.
I THINK -- SORRY.
MIKE’S QUESTION HAD SOME DESPAIR
IN IT AND THE MAYOR IS RIGHT NOT
TO DESPAIR.
THERE’S BEEN TREMENDOUS
PROGRESS.
BUT WE NEED TO BE HON BEST THE
OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF US.
THE POLICING ISSUE IS SPOKE BEN
WITHOUT THE PROPER CONTEXT.
THE U.S. REPRESENTS 5% OF THE
GLOBAL POPULATION.
WE IMPRISON OVER 20% OF THOSE IN
JAIL AROUND THE WORLD AND
THEY’RE MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN
MEN.
IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THAT HAS ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
AS WELL.
LET’S HAVE REAL TRUTH IN ORDER
TO GET TO RECONCILIATION AND TO
GET TO ECONOMIC INCLUSION.
PROFOUNDLY GREATER
TRANSFORMATION NEEDED HERE