>>> AFTER 15 MONTHS, IT FINALLY
FEELS LIKE U.S. IS WINNING FIGHT
AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS.
HOSPITALIZATION AND NEW CASES
RECORD LOWS AND HALF OVER 19
RECEIVED ONE SHOT.
UNDER 2 MILLION DOSES A DAY, 50%
DECREASE FROM PEAK IN MID-APRIL,
AND VACCINE HESITANCY THREATENS
TO HALT THE PROGRESS WEVE MADE.
BUT FEAR NOT, SOMEONE WITH A LOT
OF EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS STEPPING UP TO
TURN IT AROUND.
NICK OFFERMAN, KNOWN FOR ROLE OF
RON SWANSON IN "PARKS AND
RECREATION," ACTOR, AUTHOR,
WOODWORKER, AND SEASON 3 OF
"MAKING IT" JUNE 3rd.
PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
VACCINE HESITANCY, ONE OF THE
MOST DIFFICULT GROUPS TO REACH,
WHITE, LESSER EDUCATED MEN AND
MEN LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.
WHY IS THAT?
AND WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE TO
THEM AND TO CONGRESS?
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MEHDI.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT
PARTICULAR GROUP, WHICH I FEEL
REPRESENTATIVE OF, WE START WITH
IGNORANCE AND STUBBORNNESS.
I DONT KNOW HOW THIS IS
SUPPOSED TO GO BUT BE DAMNED IF
IM GOING TO READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS.
AND EVENTUALLY RELY ON OTHERS,
USUALLY THE MORE SAGE MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY, I.E. OUR WIVES, TO GET
US TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE
SCIENTISTS AND EXPERTS WHO THEN
DIRECT US TO SOMETHING LIKE THE
GIFT OF THIS VACCINE.
>> MY WIFE IS DEFINITELY SOMEONE
WHO HAS GUIDED ME THROUGH THIS
PANDEMIC AND KEPT ME SANE AND
SAFE.
YOUR CORRECT RON SWANSON WAS NOT
A BIG FAN OF WESTERN MEDICINE.
>> YOUVE BEEN SWEATING IN HERE
ALL DAY.
ARE YOU DRINKING ANY FLUIDS?
>> YES, PLENTY.
>> NO, YOU NEED TO DRINK WATER.
>> USUALLY I TAKE IT NEAT BUT
WILL MAKE EXCEPTION IN NAME OF
HEALTH.
>> TAKE OFF THE LAYERS,
REHYDRATE, GO TO THE DOCTOR.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN, I
WILL BE FINE, TURN THE
THERMOSTAT UP TO 90 AND LEAVE ME
ALONE.
>> THIS ISNT SAFE.
>> IM A GROWN MAN, HAD A COLD
BEFORE, NEED NO HELP.
SO IF YOU DONT MIND --
>> NICK, BIG QUESTION I HAVE TO
ASK YOU, WOULD RON GET THE COVID
SHOT OFFERED TO HIM ON "PARKS
AND REC"?
>> GREAT QUESTION AND WHAT A
GREAT EPISODE THIS WOULD HAVE
MADE.
RON AT FIRST WOULD OF COURSE
SCOFF AT VACCINE, SAY IVE NEVER
BEEN TO THE DOCTOR, RELY ON
PRETERNATURAL IMMUNE SYSTEM TO
PROTECT HIM, THEN HIS WIFE
DIANE, PLAYED BY THE GREAT LUCY
LAWLESS WOULD STEP UP, YOURE NO
LONGER ALONE.
YOUVE GOT ME, I TEACH AT
SCHOOL, WEVE GOT KIDS TO WORRY
ABOUT, YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE
NO LONGER LIMITED TO YOUR OWN
BODY.
ONCE CONVINCED OF THAT, HES A
GOOD GUY AND ONCE A GOOD GUY
SEES HES TAKING CARE OF OTHERS,
FOR THE COMMON GOOD, OF COURSE
HE WOULD GET THE DAMNED VACCINE.
>> MENTIONED TAKING CARE OF
OTHERS, HINTING AT
LIBERTARIANISM THAT UNDERGIRDS
THIS, RON SWANSONS CORRECT AND
SENATOR RAND PAUL, ANNOUNCING
HES NOT GOING TO GET VACCINATED
BECAUSE HE ALREADY HAD COVID,
WHICH MOST EXPERTS SAY IS
IRRELEVANT.
HOW DANGEROUS AND SELFISH IS
THIS RHETORIC, QUOTE/UNQUOTE
LIBERTARIAN RHETORIC,
INDIVIDUALISTIC RHETORIC FROM A
SENIOR IN AMERICA LIKE RAND
PAUL?
>> THINK ITS A SHAME.
WOULD HATE TO VOTE FOR SOMEBODY
WHO DIDNT THINK OF HIS
CONSTITUENTS.
ITS NOT HOW DOES THIS AFFECT
YOU PERSONALLY.
WEVE BEEN AT THIS 14 MONTHS,
MADE IT THROUGH ALL THE
DISINFORMATION OF THE LAST
ADMINISTRATION, AND SUDDENLY
WERE BACK ON TRACK, THE CDC
PROTOCOLS WORKED WONDERFULLY,
NOW WE HAVE THE VACCINE.
AND WE CAN SEE THE FIGURES CAME
OUT TODAY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
JANUARY 5th, 8100 PEOPLE
HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID.
FIVE MONTHS LATER WE HAVE 319
PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED.
THATS THE VACCINE.
YOU JUST LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS
AND SAY OKAY, REGARDLESS OF ANY
PERSONAL MISGIVINGS, WE NEED TO
ACHIEVE HERD IMMUNITY, EVERYBODY
PITCH IN AND DO YOUR TINY PART.
ITS A VERY SMALL THING TO GIVE
TO YOUR FELLOW MAN AND WOMAN.
>> YES, IT IS.
YET WERE HAVING TO INCENTIVIZE
SOME AMERICANS TO GET THEM TO
TAKE VACCINES AS THE
VACCINATIONS HAVE SLOWED DOWN.
OFFERING INCENTIVES LIKE
BASEBALL TICKETS, POSSIBILITY OF
A $1 MILLION LOTTERY PRIZE
DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE AND SO
FAR SEEMS TO BE HELPING
ENCOURAGING RELUCTANT AMERICANS
TO GET THE SHOT.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THESE
INITIATIVES, IF YOU WERE
GOVERNOR, WHAT WOULD NICK
OFFERMAN OFFER?
>> I DONT KNOW, I MEAN ITS
COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW.
WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE PESKY
CRITTERS, REQUIRE A LOT OF
NUANCE.
I DONT THINK ITS SMART TO GIVE
PEOPLE A COOKIE TO GET THEM TO
DO WHATS RIGHT.
I WISH I COULD GO AROUND AND
SHAKE HANDS AND TALK TO PEOPLE,
SAY LISTEN, ILL DO IT WITH YOU,
LETS DO IT TOGETHER.
ITS NOT A BIG DEAL.
THERE WAS A DAY WHEN WE HAD LIKE
POLIO SWEEPING THE NATION AND WE
CAME UP WITH VACCINATION, AND
WASNT ANY HESITANCY.
EVERYONE SAID HURRAY!
HUMANKIND HAS TRIUMPHED,
SCIENTISTS HAVE SOLVED PROBLEM
OF COMPLEX MICROBIOLOGY IN
RECORD TIME, THE DAY HAS BEEN
SAVED.
WOULDNT BE ANY OF THIS WEIRD
POLITICIZING OF, I DONT KNOW IF
I WANT TO KEEP MY GERMS FROM
OTHERS, IS THAT LIBERAL,
CONSERVATIVE?
NO, ITS DECENT, ITS JUST
DECENCY.
>> I THINK THATS A PRETTY GOOD
LINE, I HOPE THATS WHAT YOU SAY
WEDNESDAY IN CONGRESS, JUST
DECENCY.
SUMS IT UP.
>> GO BACK AND WRITE THAT DOWN.
>> OR JUST WATCH THIS BACK WHEN
WE RE RUN LATER TONIGHT.
ITS JUST DECENCY BEATS ALL THE