DOING. >> YOU SAY ALL THAT.
THERE IS THAT DEPTH.
YOU’RE WHAT MANY WOULD CALL AN
UNTRADITIONAL CANDIDATE.
UNTRADITIONAL CANDIDATE. YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT.
THERE’S QUESTIONS WHAT YOU
BELIEVE IN YOUR POLICIES.
LET ME PLAY SOMETHING THAT YOU
SAID THAT’S GOTTEN SOME REAL
CRITICISM ABOUT DEPRESSION.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> I’VE LIVED TWO PERIODS OF
TIME THAT BY ANY BY ANY MEANS
TODAY WOULD BE CALLED CLINICAL
DEPRESSION.
DEPRESSION. EVEN THAT’S A SCAM.
ALL THAT MEANS IS SOMEBODY IN A
CLINIC SAID IT.
>> SHOULD PEOPLE TAKE FROM THAT
THAT YOU DON’T BELIEVE THERE IS
REAL CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND HOW
WOULD YOU APPROACH WHAT DOCTORS
AND SCIENCE SAYS IS DEPRESSION
AS PART OF MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT IF YOU WERE PRESIDENT?
>> YES, THAT CLIP THAT YOU JUST
SHOWED WAS A PODCAST I DID WITH
RUSSELL BRAND.
RUSSELL BRAND. MAYBE I WAS TRYING TO IMPRESS
RUSSELL BRAND.
RUSSELL BRAND. I WAS SPEAKING GLIBLY.
I WAS NOT A CANDIDATE YET.
WHEN I SAID THAT OF ITSELF IS
SUCH A SCAM, THAT WAS WRONG OF
ME TO SAY.
I’M SORRY THAT I SAID IT.
THERE IS SUCH A THING AS SERIOUS
SERIOUS DEPRESSION FOR WHICH I’M
SURE THAT PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC
DRUGS ARE HELPFUL AND LIFE
SAVING.
SAVING. I BELIEVE THAT ABOUT BIPOLAR AND
SCHIZOPHRENIA.
SCHIZOPHRENIA. HOWEVER, WHAT I HAVE TALKED
ABOUT AND WRITTEN ABOUT AND
STAND BEHIND IS THE IDEA THAT
THERE HAS BEEN A MEDICALIZATION
YOU HAVE WHAT HAS TRADITIONALLY
BEEN CONSIDERED A SPECTRUM OF
NORMAL HUMAN DESPAIR.
AND ABOUT THAT, I FEEL THAT
THERE IS A VERY LEGITIMATE
CONVERSATION IN THIS COUNTRY
WHEN YOU SEE YOU KNOW, JUST THE
IDEA AS I’VE SAID IT BEFORE, A
DIVORCE, A HEART BREAK BECAUSE
SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW LEFT OR
DIED OR YOU WENT THROUGH A
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR BREAKUP OR
YOU’RE IN YOUR 20s.
THESE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT BUT
NOT MENTAL ILLNESS.
THE IDEA OF TURNING EVERYTHING
THAT IS A SAD DAY INTO A REASON
FOR SUCH A QUICK JUMP AND A KNEE
JERK JUMP THAT IS OFTEN PLAYED
TODAY TO THE QUESTION OF
PHARMACEUTICALS, THAT IS A VERY
LEGITIMATE QUESTION.
LEGITIMATE QUESTION. WE’RE LIVING AT A TIME WHEN
ATTORNEY GENERALS ALL OVER THIS
COUNTRY ARE INDICTING BIG
PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVES FOR
THEIR ROLE IN THE OPIOID CRISIS.
PREDATORY PHARMA IS A SERIOUS
SERIOUS ISSUE.
SERIOUS ISSUE. IT IS A LEGITIMATE THING TO TALK
ABOUT IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY
ANYONE WOULD THINK THAT NOW
GIVEN EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT
THE ROLE OF BIG PHARMACEUTICAL
EXECUTIVES IN THE OPIOID CRISIS,
WHY SHOULD WE JUST ASSUME IN
EVERY OTHER AREA THEY’RE A
PARAGON OF VIRTUE AND PURE
INTENT AND CONCERNED FOR COMMON
GOOD.
GOOD. IF YOU ADD TO THAT THE LACK OF
REGULATORY OVERSIGHT THAT I
THINK MOST AMERICANS ASSUME ON
THE PART OF THE FDA, 75% OF THE
REVIEW PROCESS FOR DRUGS IN OUR
COUNTRY IS DONE BY BIG PHARMA.
SO I THINK THAT THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN IS COMING TO REALIZE
THAT THE ROLE OF OUR REGULATORY
AGENCIES IN MANY AREAS NOT ONLY
HAVING TO DO WITH BIG PHARMA AND
THE ENVIRONMENT, WHEN YOU LOOK
AT SOMETHING LIKE THE EPA
OVERTURNING THE BAN ON THE SALE
OF PESTICIDES THAT WE KNOW HARM
A CHILD’S BRAIN BECAUSE OF OUR
CURRENT HEAD OF THE EPA OR THE
ONE BEFORE THAT, WHETHER IT WAS
THE CHEMICAL EXECUTIVE, THE OIL
COMPANY EXECUTIVE MET IN A
HOUSTON HOTEL ROOM WITH DOW
CHEMICAL EXECUTIVES, I WOULD
THINK AMERICA WOULD GO WANT A
PRESIDENTS WHO LOOKS INTO THESE
THINGS DEEPLY.
THINGS DEEPLY. >> YOU LAID OUT A DETAILED
ANSWER AND YOU APOLOGIZED FOR
THE WORDING THERE.
I INTERVIEWED CANDIDATES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT’S A LITTLE
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HEAR FROM
CERTAIN CANDIDATES.
CERTAIN CANDIDATES. I GUESS TO PRESS NEW THE
FOLLOW-UP AND TO BE HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION IN THE DEPTH THAT
IT WARRANTS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
IS ONE THAT’S OFTEN POSED
SOMETIMES ABOUT REPUBLICANS
KNOCKING, FOR EXAMPLE, CLIMATE
SCIENCE WHICH IS THESE ARE YOUR
VIEWS.
VIEWS. WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN ON HOW
GET YOUR CUES FROM ON MEDICINE
OR SCIENCE.
OR SCIENCE. IN A RELATED ISSUE, THERE WAS
THIS IS QUESTION ON
VACCINATIONS.
VACCINATIONS. YOU JUST MENTIONED THE
WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN AND
PESTICIDES.
PESTICIDES. YOU HAD CAST SKEPTICISM ON
VACCINATIONS.
VACCINATIONS. I WONDER IF YOU COULD BETTER
EXPLAIN WHERE YOU COME DOWN ON
THAT GIVEN THE SCIENCE AND
CONCERN THAT VACCINATIONS DO
WORK AND PEOPLE NEED THEM TO
KEEP THESE COMMUNITIES SAFE.
>> WELL, ONCE AGAIN, IT’S AN
OVERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT I CAST
SKEPTICISM ON VACCINATIONS.
ON THE ISSUE OF VACCINATIONS I’M
PRO VACCINATION.
PRO VACCINATION. I’M PRO MEDICINE AND PRO
SCIENCE.
SCIENCE. ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES WHAT I’M
BRINGING UP THAT IS VERY
LEGITIMATE AND SHOULD NOT BE
DERIDED OR MARGINALIZED IN A
FREE-THROW SOCIETY IS QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE ROLE OF PREDATORY BIG
PHARMA.
PHARMA. >> I’M GOING TO JUMP IN AND LET
YOU RESPOND.
YOU RESPOND. JUST SO MY VIEWERS ARE KEEPING
UP WITH US, I’LL READ A LITTLE
BIT OF WHAT YOU SAID SINCE
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEPICTION.
DEPICTION. THE QUOTE HERE WAS "IT’S NO
DIFFERENT THAN THE ABORTION
DEBATE.
DEBATE. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DOESN’T TELL
A CITIZEN IN MY BOOK WHAT THEY
HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR BODY OR
CHAIR CHILD.
CHAIR CHILD. VAC EVEN MAN THE DATE WERE IN
YOUR VIEW AT THE TIME DRACONIAN
OR ORWELLIAN."
OR ORWELLIAN." I HAND IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THE SISH OF DRACONIAN OR
ORWELLIAN.
ORWELLIAN. THIS IS THE ISSUE, WHEN I WAS A
CHILD WE TOOK FAR FEWER
VACCINES.
VACCINES. THERE WAS MUCH LESS BUNDLING AND
MUCH LESS CHRONIC ILLNESS.
I DON’T KNOW WHY, THIS IS NOT A
TOPIC THAT I HAVE CONSCIOUSLY
CHOSEN, THIS IS NOT A BIG TOPIC
FOR ME.
FOR ME. >> DO YOU THINK VACCINATIONS ARE
CONTRIBUTING TO THINGS BEING
WORSE NOW?
WORSE NOW? IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE SUGGESTING?
>> NO, WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT
IN 1986, THERE WAS THIS VACCINE
PROTECTION LAW.
PROTECTION LAW. THERE WAS AND THERE HAVE BEEN $4
BILLION IN VACCINE COMPENSATION
PAYMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
THERE WAS MUCH LESS CHRONIC,
SOMETHING LIKE 12% CHRONIC
ILLNESS AMONG OUR CHILDREN
PREVIOUS TO THAT LAW AND THERE’S
54% NOW.
54% NOW. I DON’T SEE WHY IN A FREE
SOCIETY YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING
ON HERE?
ON HERE? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT
BIG PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES
LOBBY CONGRESS TO THE TUNE OF
$284 MILLION LAST YEAR ALONE AS
OPPOSED TO OIL AND GAS WHICH HAS
LOBBIED CONGRESS TO THE TUNE OF
$125 MILLION LAST YEAR, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY SPENT BY
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES EVEN ON
OUR NEWS CHANNELS, WHEN LOO YOU
LOOK AT THE FACT THERE ARE TWO
PHARMACEUTICAL LOBBYISTS FOR
EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TENS AND
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
PAID INTO THE COFFERS OF EVEN
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, WHY ARE
WE -- WHY ARE WE SO OKAY WITH
THE COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ANY
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS
TOPICING?
TOPICING? ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD THINK THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
>> I WOULD ARGUE, IT’S NOT THAT
WE’RE SHUTTING DOWN THE TOPIC
BUT ENGAGING IT AS WE DO.
>> I HEAR THAT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I WASN’T SAYING THAT YOU WERE
SHUTTING IT DOWN.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU ON THAT.
IS THE SCIENCE AND THE MEDICINE
IN A POTENTIAL ADMINISTRATION OF
YOURS GOING TO BE GUIDED BY THE
SURGEON GENERAL BY DOCTORS, ET
CETERA, OR IS IT --
>> I’LL TELL YOU WHO.
I’M PRO -- I WANT MORE
SCIENTIFIC, MORE SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH. I WANT MORE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
THAT IS NOT PAID FOR BY BIG
PHARMA.
PHARMA. IN A WILLIAMSON ADMINISTRATION,
THERE WILL BE MORE SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW, MORE SIGNS.
WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND YOU
CAN SEE THIS WITH THIS PRESIDENT
IS ABOUT CUTTING MONEY TO THE
FDA LIKE HE WANTS TO CUT MONEY
TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE
CONTROL AND TO THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, WHAT I WANT
IS MORE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW.
I WANT LESS SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
PAID FOR BY BIG PHARMA.
>> MY LAST QUESTION JUST SO
WE’RE CLEAR, YOUR VIEW OF
FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS IS THEY
ARE VALID OR YOU MAY OPPOSE
THEM?
THEM? >> THERE ARE -- THERE ARE WITH
ANY MEDICAL INTERVENTION, THERE
ARE BENEFITS AND RISKS.
THE GOVERNMENT ALWAYS HAS TO
COME DOWN ONSIDE OF THE PUBLIC
GOOD.
GOOD. ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. I WAS VACCINATED.
MY DAUGHTER WAS VACCINATED.
OF COURSE, I AM.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHEN IT
COMES TO REVIEW OF OUR DRUGS AND
ALL ISSUES RELATED TO DRUGS,
JUST AS WE HAVE TO LEARN WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE OPIOID CRISIS,
I WANT INDEPENDENT REGULATION
CONDUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT
PAID FOR BIG PHARMA.
>> MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, YOU
APPRECIATE YOU COMINGS BACK ON
"THE BEAT."
"THE BEAT." MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT YOU HAD A