ARGAN TECH IN CONCORD.
THAT EVERYONE NEEDS MORE HELP TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
ALEX: QUESTION FROM JOHN DISTASO.
JOHN: SENATOR SHAHEEN, THE TOP OF YOUR TICKET, JOE BIDEN HAS SAID "WE WILL NEVER GET OUR ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK, WE WILL NEVER GET OUR KIDS SAFELY BACK TO SCHOOL, WE WILL NEVER HAVE
OUR LIVES BACK UNTIL WE DEAL WITH THIS VIRUS." FIRST, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MEANS BY THIS?
DO YOU THINK THE U.S. WILL NEED ANOTHER WIDESPREAD ECONOMIC SHUTDOWN?
AND ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK INFLICTING FINANCIAL PAIN ON SOME OF THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO POTENTIALLY SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS?
SEN. SHAHEEN THAT IS WHY WE NEED A PLAN AT THE TOP LEVELS OF THIS GOVERNMENT.
. THE TRUMP HAS NOT HAD A PLAN.
THAT PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE CONSISTENT GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC FOR HOW BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS AND OTHER SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY AFFECTED SHOULD OPERATE.
IT IS WHY WE NEED MORE TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING SO WE CAN ISOLATE THOSE HOTSPOTS SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE REST OF GOVERNMENT.
AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE, MY OPPONENT HAS BEEN DEFENDING THIS ADMINISTRATION’S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
HE EVEN DEFENDED DONALD TRUMP WHEN HE SAID WE SHOULD INGEST BLEACH TO GET THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS.
THE FACT IS, IT IS CORRECT.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET OUR LIVES BACK TO NORMAL UNTIL WE GET AHEAD OF THE PANDEMIC.
. THAT IS WHY WE NEED A PLAN.
WE NEED TO ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT IT LEADS TO ALLOW US TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO WITH TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING SO THAT WE CAN ISOLATE THOSE HOTSPOTS.
JUST LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE IS DOING IN SO MANY AREAS.
JEAN: THANK YOU -- JOHN: THANK YOU.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO HAS ENDORSED YOU AND WHO YOU HAVE PRAISED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP TWEETED WHEN HE WAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID-19 "DON’T BE AFRAID OF COVID.
DON’T LET IT DOMINATE YOUR LIFE." GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU WHO HAS ALSO ENDORSED YOU REACTED TO THAT, "I AM A FREIGHT OF COVID." HE ADDED "I COMPLETELY DISAGREE
WITH THAT SENTIMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE." WHO IS RIGHT HERE, THE PRESIDENT OR THE GOVERNOR?
AND ARE YOU AFRAID OF COVID, YES OR NO?
AND WHY OR WHY NOT?
MR. MESSNER: BEFORE I ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE MY 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND TO THE ATTACK THAT SENATOR SHAHEEN MADE ON ME.
SHE HAS MISREPRESENTED WHAT I SAID.
SENATOR SHAHEEN, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION.
BUT DON’T MAKE UP FACTS ABOUT ME.
DON’T MAKE UP FACTS ABOUT WHAT I’VE SAID.
BECAUSE IT IS UNTRUE.
AND PLEASE STOP IT.
SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, YOU SAID IT.
I CAN’T HELP THAT YOU SAID IT.
MR. MESSNER: I DID NOT SAY IT.
READ THE TRANSCRIPT.
PAY ATTENTION.
SEN. SHAHEEN: IT IS PART OF YOUR RECORD.
MR. MESSNER: THIS IS NOT WASHINGTON, D.C.
I’M AN OUTSIDER.
I SPEAK THE TRUTH.
THIS PANDEMIC IS SERIOUS.
HERE IS THE TRAGEDY WITH THIS PANDEMIC.
IN 2009-2010, WE HAD H1N1 PANDEMIC.
AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S CHIEF OF STAFF SAID LAST YEAR THAT IT WAS A TERRIBLY MISMANAGED AT THE TIME.
AND IN FACT, HE SAID THE ONLY REASON THERE WERE NOT MORE DEATHS IS PURE LUCK, THAT THAT VIRUS WAS NOT DEADLY.
GUESS WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THEN?
THE GOVERNMENT DID NOTHING.
OBAMA DID NOTHING.
SENATOR SHAHEEN DID NOTHING TO PREPARE FOR THIS.
AND WE HAD ANOTHER WARNING WITH THE EBOLA SITUATION.
AND NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
AND THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE WAS EMPTY FOR THIS PANDEMIC.
AND WE NEED TO GO BACK AND HOLD THOSE POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE WHO DROPPED THE BALL.
AND FOUND US IN THIS POSITION.
THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT WERE NOT READY FOR THIS PANDEMIC.
ALEX: SPECIFICALLY, ARE YOU AFRAID OF COVID?
MR. MESSNER: I AM AFRAID OF COVID.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE AFRAID OF COVID.
IT IS A VIRUS, IT’S DEADLY, AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL.
BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE FROZEN IN FEAR.