THANKSGIVING AND THE FIGHT OVER
THE MICHIGAN VOTE MAKES A
CONTROVERSIAL AND VOLATILE STOP
IN DETROIT.
TODAY IS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND,
2020 AND THIS IS FLASH POINT.
>> HI, WELCOME TO FLASH POINT,
IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WEEK.
DID I SAY THAT BEFORE?
YES, PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK OF
2020.
THIS WEEK MARKED A NEW PHASE,
MEASURES ANNOUNCED BY GOVERNOR WHITMER AND SLOWING THE WORRIED
WHITMER AND SLOWING THE WORRIED
INCREASES OF COVID CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND 48 HOURS
FOR A NEW SET OF ORDERSMENT IT
MEANS MORE PEOPLE OUT OF WORK
RIGHT AS WE HEAD INTO THE
HOLIDAY SEASON.
IN FACT, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FOOD BANKS ARE PUSHED TO THEIR
LIMITS.
A QUICK THOUGHT, IF YOU HAVE
BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO THE KNOB
SEVERE--
NOT TO BE SEVERELY HURT BY THE PANDEMIC.
ONE OF DETROIT’S MOST CHERISHED
TRADITIONS.
WE ALREADY KNEW THAT
THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE WOULD BE
A DIFFERENT AFFAIR THIS YEAR.
LATER ON WE’LL TALK ABOUT WHAT
TO EXPECT THANKSGIVING MORNING
AND WHIT LASH AT THE WAYNE
COUNTY BOARD OF CANVASSERS, A
BODY THAT RARELY GETS THE SORT
OF ATTENTION.
THE TWO REPUBLICAN BOARD MEMBERS
CHANGED THEIR MIND AND VOTED NO,
BUT THEN AFTER A CONTENTIOUS AND
AT TIMES ANGRY PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD CHANGED THE VOTES BACK TO
YES.
A DAY AND A CONVERSATION WITH
THE PRESIDENT LATER WANT TODAY
RESCIND THE VOTES AND APPARENTLY
ISN’T A WAY TO DO THAT.
IT ADDED MORE FUEL ON THE FIRES
OF DIVISION ACROSS AMERICA.
IS THERE ANY WAY FOR US TO GET
ON THE SAME PAGE, BE IT THE
ELECTION, THE PANDEMIC, THE
MYRIAD OF OTHER ISSUES FACING
THE NATION.
WE’LL LOOK AT MEMBERS OF THE
MICHIGAN CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION.
THEY’RE UP FIRST TODAY ON FLASH POINT.
♪
YOU KNOW, I FEEL FORTUNATE WHEN
I GET A MEETING TOGETHER OF AT
LEAST PART OF THE MICHIGAN
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND
WE’VE GOT THAT TODAY.
I’M HAPPY TO HAVE WITH US
INCOMING CONGRESSWOMAN FROM THE
10TH DISTRICT, CONGRATULATIONS
AGAIN GOING OUT TO ALI LISSA
MCCLAIN AND DEBBY DINGELL AND
FROM THE 9TH CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT ANDY LEVIN.
I’LL NOTE REPUBLICAN PETE MEYER
WHO WON THE ELECTION TO BE WITH
US, HAS CANCELED.
MS. MCCLAIN YOU’LL HAVE TO HOLD
FORTH FOR THE GRAND OLD PARTY.
START WITH YOU ON FRIDAY, THE
MAN YOU’RE REPLACING, PAUL
MITCHELL
MITCHELL CO-AUTHORED AN OP-ED
ALONG WITH ELISSA SLOTKIN FOR
THE TRANSITION TO THE BIDEN
PRESIDENCY.
>> HERE IS WHAT I THINK,
DEMOCRACY IS CRITICAL AND WE’RE
IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, WE
HAVE MORE ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT
WE’VE EVER HAD BEFORE.
>> DEVIN: SURE.
>> AND I THINK THE PROCESS, WE
CAN DO A HECK OF A LOT BETTER ON
THE PROCESS THAT WE’RE DOING
RIGHT NOW.
SO, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO
GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE WHEN WE
GET A RIGHT.
BOTH SIDES, REGARDLESS WHO WINS,
BUT WHEN WE GET IT RIGHT, IT’S
EASIER FOR BOTH SIDES TO MOVE ON
AND GO, GO FORWARD IN A POSITIVE
FASHION AS OPPOSED TO A NEGATIVE
FASHION AND I REALLY THINK RIGHT
NOW WHAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS,
FOCUS ON THE PROCESS TO GET IT
BETTER AND RIGHT SO WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD AS A COUNTRY.
>> DEVIN: WHEN YOU SAY WHOEVER
WINS, DOES THAT SUGGEST THAT
YOU’RE NOT SURE WHO HAS WON THIS
ELECTION.
>> YES, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE COUNTED EVERY
LEGAL VOTE AND THAT EVERY LEGAL
VOTE IS TRANSPARENT AND HAS BEEN
COUNTED ACCURATELY.
>> DEVIN: 150,000 VOTES OR SO,
THOUGH, SEPARATE THE TWO IN
MICHIGAN.
DOES THAT--
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE’S
SOMETHING IN PLAY THERE?
>> I DON’T KNOW.
THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THE PROCESS.
THAT’S WHY WE HAVE DUE PROCESS
AND WHY WE HAVE RULES AND
PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING IS TRANSPARENT.
AND I THINK IF YOU GO BACK TO
FLORIDA IN 2000, WE HAD ONE
STATE THAT HAD A LOT OF
DISCREPANCIES.
TODAY WE HAVE A LOT MORE THAN
ONE STATE THAT HAVE A LOT OF
DISCREPANCIES.
SO, IT’S NOVEMBER, IT’S ALMOST
THANKSGIVING, WE STILL HAVE SOME
TIME AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT
TO PAUSE AND JUST MAKE SURE WE
HAVE IT RIGHT.
>> DEVIN: LET ME LET
CONGRESSWOMAN DINGELL JUMP IN ON
THAT.
CONGRESSWOMAN, YOU WERE, I KNOW,
PRETTY UPSET WHAT YOU SAW WITH
THE WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF
CANVASSERS THIS PAST WEEK, BUT
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT
MS. MCCLAIN’S COMMENTS?
>> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO PEM
HER TO THE DELEGATION AND SAY WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER
AND WE’RE COMMITTED TO WORKING
TOGETHER AS WE BEGIN THE NEW
CONGRESS FOR THE PEOPLE OF
MICHIGAN.
I AM GOING TO--
HERE IS WHAT MY CONCERNS ARE
RIGHT NOW, DID HE HAVE VIP.
I THINK THAT EVERY VOTE NEED TO
BE COUNTED AND WE NEED--
EVERY REPUBLICAN VOTE, EVERY
DEMOCRATIC VOTE, EVERY PERSON
THAT VOTED VOTE NEEDS TO BE
COUNTED.
WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, I FEAR
THAT PEOPLE ARE DELIBERATELY
TRYING TO EXTEND THE
CERTIFICATION PERIOD OUT.
THEY’RE TRYING TO UNDERMILE PER
HOUR PEOPLE’S CONFIDENCE IN THE
RESULT OF THIS ELECTION, ATTACK
THE INTEGRITY OF THE RESULTS,
AND UNDERMINE PEOPLE’S BELIEF IN
OUR DEMOCRACY AND ARE ATTACKING
THE FUNDAMENTAL PILLARS OF OUR
DEMOCRACY.
THAT’S WHAT NOW HAS ME
CONCERNED, AND I THINK THAT--
I HOPE SOMEBODY WILL DO A 101 IN
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BALLOTS ARE
COUNTED AND WE KEEP HEARING
ABOUT HUGE DISCREPANCIES.
WELL, HERE IS A REALITY.
IT’S CALLED BALANCING.
SO, WHEN YOU’RE COUNTING
ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTES, AN
ENVELOPE COMES IN THAT DOESN’T
HAVE A BALLOT INSIDE OF IT, BUT
REGISTERED AS COMING IN.
LIVONIA HAD MORE, NUMBERS WERE
MORE OFF THAN THE CITY OF
DETROIT, BUT NOBODY RAISED AN
ISSUE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE WAYNE COUNTY
CANVASSERS WAS WILLING TO
CERTIFY THE CITIES OUTSIDE OF
DETROIT AND BY THE WAY, THIS
HAPPENS IN EVERY CITY ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, EVERY TOWN ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU JUST HEAR WHAT
YOU’RE HEARING, YOU’RE LIKE, OH,
MY GOD, SOMETHING’S WRONG.
I DUG INTO IT, BUT NOT A LOT OF
PEOPLE CARE AT THE KNITTYNITTY-G
AS MUCH AS SOME OF US DO.
>> DEVIN: LISA MCCLAIN IS RIGHT
ABOUT ONE THING, THE PROCESS CAN
STILL PLAY OUT WITHOUT US
BUMPING UP AGAINST--
WE’VE GOT WEEKS TO GO, BEFORE
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MEETS, FOR
EXAMPLE.
DO YOU BELIEVE WE’RE ALREADY AT
A CRISIS POINT WITH, FOR
INSTANCE, JOE BIDEN NOT BEING
ABLE TO GET DAILY INTELLIGENCE
BRIEFINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT?
OR ARE WE NOT AT A CRISIS POINT
YET AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO
RELAX?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY
SHOULD RELAX AND IN THAT SPIRIT,
LET ME JOIN IN WELCOMING LISA
MCCLAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH HER.
WE SHARE MACOMB COUNTY AND IT’S
GOING BE TO GREAT TO WORK WITH
YOU, LISA.
DEVIN, LET ME BE VERY CLEAR
ABOUT THIS.
WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW IS NOT THE
HURLEY BURLY OF POLITICS OR
PARTISAN TUSSLING.
THIS IS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF
DEMOCRACY.
JOE BIDEN WON MICHIGAN BY 14
TIMES WHAT DONALD TRUMP WON
MICHIGAN BY IN 2016.
THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
THERE’S NO -- NOTHING IN
DISPUTE.
ALL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
LAWSUITS HAVE FALLEN COMPLETELY FLAT.
THERE’S NOT ONE SINCINTILLA OF
ACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT THERE’S A
PROBLEM.
THE WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF
CANVASSERS SHOULD HAVE
CERTIFIED.
IT’S NOT SOMETHING IN THEIR
DISCRETION AND JUDGMENT, THEY
WERE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO
CERTIFY.
THE TRANSITION SHOULD HAVE BEGUN
ON THE SATURDAY WHEN IT WAS
CLEAR THAT JOE BIDEN, WHAT IS
THAT, A COUPLE -- TWO WEEKS AGO
AT LEAST, SO, YOU KNOW, AND IT’S
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF A
DEMOCRACY AND ALSO, IT’S
DANGEROUS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
PANDEMIC AS REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT MCCLAIN HAS SAID.
MCCLAIN HAS SAID.
WE HAVE HAD 252,000 AMERICANS
DIE.
WE’RE HAVING MORE CASES EVERY
DAY THAN IN THE SPRING BY FAR.
THIS IS A CRISIS.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT SHOULD BE
WORKING TOGETHER TO MOVE OUR
COUNTRY FORWARD, NOT HAVING THE
PRESIDENT JUST LOST IN HIS
FANTASIES ABOUT MAINTAINING
POWER AGAINST THE WILL OF THE
VOTERS IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
>> DEVIN: MS. MCCLAIN, I WANT TO
GET TO NEXT.
WE’RE STILL SEEING OBVIOUSLY SO
MUCH DIVISION OVER THE ELECTION,
I’M WONDERING HOW IN THE WORLD
WE GET TOGETHER ON SOMETHING
LIKE THE PANDEMIC.
I WAS IN YOUR DISTRICT LAST WEEKEND AT THE WALMART UP IN
WEEKEND AT THE WALMART UP IN
SANDUSKY AND I WOULD SAY
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A FOURTH AND A
THIRD OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
WALMART WERE NOT WEARING MASKS.
I’M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK WE
NEED TO DO NOW MOVING FORWARD AS
A NATION TO TRY TO COME
TOGETHER.
WE’VE OBVIOUSLY GOT A LOT OF
BITTERNESS AND DIVISION IN THE
STATE OF MICHIGAN OVER THE
GOVERNOR’S NEW ORDERS.
HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD AND GET
EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE?
>> I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING
WE NEED TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD IS
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE
ALL AMERICANS.
WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM.
WE ALL LIVE IN THE GREATEST
NATION THERE IS.
AND THAT’S AMERICA.
AND THAT’S EVIDENCED BY EVERY
DAY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING
TO GET INTO THIS COUNTRY VERSUS
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO
GET OUT.
WE’RE ALL AMERICANS, WE’RE ALL
ON THE SAME TEAM.
HOW WE COME TOGETHER IS WE HAVE
A BELIEF IN PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A BELIEF IN EACH OTHER
AND WE START FROM A POSITIVE
PREMISE.
WE START FROM A PREMISE AS TO
WHAT IS RIGHT.
THE EASIEST THING THAT WE CAN DO
IS PICK APART WHAT IS WRONG.
BUT IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR
PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER ON WHAT
IS RIGHT.
SO LET’S START WITH LET’S LOOK
AT POSITIVELY WHAT HAVE WE DONE
RIGHT?
I BELIEVE IN POWER OF THE
PEOPLE.
LOOK HOW QUICKLY WE HAVE MOVED
FROM THE START OF THIS PANDEMIC
TO NOW.
WE HAVE BETTER TREATMENTS,
PRETTY SOON WE’RE GOING TO --
RATHER QUICKLY, I THINK, WE’RE
GOING TO HAVE A VACCINE.
WHICH IS UNHEARD OF.
AND THAT’S BECAUSE PEOPLE GOT
TOGETHER, THEY COLLABORATED AND
THEY INNOVATED.
AND THEY FOCUSED ON WHAT CAN WE
DO TOGETHER TO MOVE THE --
>> DID OUR VIDEO LOCK UP A BIT?
LISA, CAN WE AGREE THAT A MASK
IS RIGHT?
WE JUST LOST HER FOR A SECOND.
HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO GET HER
BACK HERE WITH HER LINK.
LET ME LET DEBBIE DINGELL WEIGH
IN, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD GIVEN THERE’S SO MUCH DISAGREEMENT
THERE’S SO MUCH DISAGREEMENT
OVER THE RESPONSE SO FAR TO THE
PANDEMIC?
>> WE NEED A NATIONAL COVID
PLAN.
WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO
LEAD.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE WEARING
OF MASKS BECAME NO POLITICAL IN
THIS COUNTRY.
LISA WAS VERY ARTICULATE IN
SAYING WE’RE THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA AND STRONGEST WHEN
WE’RE UNITED, BUT WE HAVEN’T HAD
A NATIONAL PLAN AND I JUST, I
SIMPLY DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW IT
BECAME SO PARTISAN.
HOPE IS AROUND THE CORNER AND A
VACCINE DEVELOPED, BUT RIGHT NOW
THE C.D.C. IS TELLING US TO NOT
TRAVEL FOR THE HOLIDAYS, WITH
ALL THREE OF US HAVING TO GET ON
A PLANE TO GO HOME STILL, SO,
BUT TO ONLY SPEND IT WITH YOUR
IMMEDIATE POD, YOUR IMMEDIATE
FAMILY.
WE ALL HAVE TO PULL TOGETHER TO
STOP COMMUNITY SPREAD RIGHT NOW
SO THAT THERE IS THE HOPE OF THE
VACCINE DOWN THE ROAD IN A FEW
MONTHS.
>> DEVIN: WE’VE GOT LISA MCCLAIN
BACK WITH US.
LISA, WE LOST YOU AS I WAS
ASKING YOU, YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT, WHAT WE CAN AGREE ON IS
RIGHT.
CAN WE NOT AGREE THAT A MASK IS
RIGHT?
.
SO, I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN
INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS AND I’M A
BIG BELIEVER IN IF YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE, IT IS IN THE BEST
INTEREST FOR YOU TO WEAR A MASK
AND PROTECT YOURSELF AND PROTECT
OTHERS.
BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE
INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS AND TO
FOLLOW--
EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT FOLLOWING
THE EXPERTS WHICH I THINK IS
CRITICAL.
WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXPERTS,
BUT THE ISSUE IS, WE HAVEN’T
BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE.
SO TO ME LET’S AGAIN PAUSE AND
LET’S DO WHAT’S RIGHT IN AND IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF OURSELVES,
OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS AND OUR
COUNTRY.
AND I BELIEVE IN THE WORD "AND"
I BELIEVE WE CAN DO A LOT MORE
WITH AND THAN FOR.
>> DEVIN: LET ME LET CONGRESSMAN
LEVIN WEIGH IN.
>> YEAH, THIS IS A MASK, DEVIN.
IT’S A TWO SIDE, TWO CLOTH ON
BOTH SIDES, IT’S SCIENTIFICALLY
PROVEN THAT IT PROTECTS OTHER
PEOPLE VERY WELL AND IT PROTECTS
ME TO SOME EXTENT.
THAT’S NOT OPINION, THAT’S
SCIENCE.
IT’S NOT--
NOTHING ABOUT MY FREEDOM.
I CHERISH MY FREEDOMS AS MUCH AS
ANYBODY, BUT WHEN WE FOUND OUT
THAT SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES, WE
MANDATED THEM.
WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT AIR BAGS
SAVED LIVES, WE MADE THE AUTO
COMPANIES PUT AIR BAGS IN THEM.
IT’S NOT A RESTRICTION OF MY
FREEDOM TO PUT ON MY GOSH DARN
SEAT BELT.
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN
EPIDEMIC WHERE WE’RE
UNNECESSARILY LOOSING TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS.
KIDS, MIDDLE AGED PEOPLE, OLD
FOLKS, AND LET’S TALK ABOUT OUR
COUNTRY BEING THE GREATEST
COUNTRY.
I THINK OF MY DAD COLLECTING GUM
WRAPPERS IN WORLD WAR II TO GET
A LITTLE TIN FOIL AND HAVING
VICTORY GARDENS, IT WAS SHARED
SACRIFICE.
DEVIN, IT’S NOT A BIG SACRIFICE
FOR ME TO WEAR A MASK IN THE
INTEREST OF MY FELLOW AMERICANS,
SIGN ME UP.
>> DEVIN: I’VE GO THE A SHORT TIME LEFT.
TIME LEFT.
I WANT TO GO AROUND TO EEP EACH
OF YOU AND SOMETHING YOU’RE
AFRAID IS NOT GETTING MUCH
ATTENTION NOW WHILE WE’RE
FOCUSED ON THE PANDEMIC, WHOO
ILL WE’RE FOCUSED ON FIGHTING
OVER THE ELECTION.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT
TO TAKE INTO THIS NEW TERM THAT
YOU’RE AFRAID WE’RE NOT SPENDING
ANY TIME ON?
CONGRESSWOMAN DINGELL, LET ME
START WITH YOU.
>> THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES I
FEAR WE’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
TO.
WE’VE GOT TO PAY MORE ATTENTION
TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
HURRICANES AND WILDFIRES, ET
CETERA, HAVE GOTTEN WORSE, BUT
I’M IN THE MORE IMMEDIATE, QUITE
FRANKLY, DEVIN, THE BUDGET TO
FUND THE GOVERNMENT EXPIRES
DECEMBER 11TH.
>> DEVIN: YES.
>> AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT WE
WON’T LET THE GOVERNMENT SHUT
DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A
PANDEMIC.
>> DEVIN: CONGRESSMAN LEVIN,
YOU.
>> YES, I HAVE SUCH BIG GOALS
FOR THE FUTURE, BUT WE URGENTLY
NEED TO PASS RELIEF FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE DURING THE COVID
PANDEMIC FOR UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE,
CHECKS FOR EVERY FAMILY, HELP
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, HELP FOR
OUR EDUCATORS, THAT’S THE ONLY
WAY THAT WE’LL BOTH SAVE LIVES
AND BE ABLE TO REOPEN OUR
ECONOMY, SO, THAT’S NUMBER ONE
ON MY LIST.
>> DEVIN: AND FINALLY,
CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT MCCLAIN.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON
THAT ISN’T GETTING ATTENTION.
>> WE NEED A FOCUS OF BIG
PICTURES OF JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
AND WE’RE HYPER FOCUSED ON
COVID, WHICH IS REAL.
I RESPECT COVID, I DON’T FEAR
COVID AND I BELIEVE IN THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND I BELIEVE IN
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN FIGURE
OUT HOW TO BE SAFE AND STAY SAFE
AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE A
PROSPEROUS ECONOMY.
I BELIEVE WE CAN DO BOTH.
THE POWER OF THE HUMAN MINE IS
SECOND TO NONE AND WE DON’T TAKE
THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE
TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS.
LOOK AT HOW FAR WE’VE COME SO
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY IS CLEARLY
AT THE TOP OF MY LIST.
>> DEVIN: I’M SO GLAD WE WERE
ABLE TO GET ALL OF YOU TOGETHER
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU ON
YOUR ELECTORAL VICTORIES AND THE
UPCOMING NEW TERM.
THANKS.
WE’LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND