REAL-TIME CLOSED CAPTIONING
PROVIDED BY U.S. CAPTIONING
COMPANY
>> INAUGURATION DAY COMES AND
GOES WITHOUT ANY OF THE TURMOIL
THAT OVERTOOK THE SAME VENUE TWO
WEEKS BEFORE.
WE’LL TALK WITH GOVERNOR WHITMER
ABOUT THAT AND JOB ONE WHICH
REMAINS THE PANDEMIC AND ALSO
THE LATEST FROM DR. JONEIGH
KHALDUN.
AND OUR ROUND TABLE ON NEW
BEGINNINGS.
TODAY IS SUNDAY, JANUARY 24TH,
2021 AND THIS IS FLASH POINT.
>> DEVIN: HI, WELCOME TO FLASH
POINT.
ONE WEEK AGO TODAY, JANUARY
17TH, WE WERE KEEPING A WATCHFUL
EYE ON THE CAPITOL BUILDINGS ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY.
THE CHATTER HAD WORRY AND A
LITTLE MENACE HANGING IN THE
AIR, BUT THAT MOVED AND POINTED
THE NEEDLE TO WEDNESDAY WHEN WE
HAD A PASSIVE PRESENCE OF
SOLDIERS GUARDING CAPITOL HILL,
SOME FEARED THE MOST AMERICAN OF
CEREMONIES WOULDN’T LOOK
AMERICAN AT ALL, BUT TRADITION
WON OUT GIVING US THE EXPECTED
HELPINGS OF POEMS, PRAYERS AND
PROMISES.
EVEN THE WALK ON PENNSYLVANIA
AVENUE WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AS
THE BIDENS MADE THEIR WAY TO THE
WHITE HOUSE.
I’M NOT SKIPPING THE
IRREGULARITIES, WE MISSED THE
CROWDS AND MASKED FACES REMINDED
US WE’RE DEEP IN THE PANDEMIC
CRISIS AND SINCE 1869, THE
OUTGOING PRESIDENT SKIPPED THE
SWEARING OF HIS SUCCESSOR.
THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING RELIEF
THAT VIOLENCE AND MAYHEM WERE
KEPT AT BAY. AND MY CONVERSATION WITH
AND MY CONVERSATION WITH
GOVERNOR WHITMER WHO SERVED AS
COY
CO-CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND ALSO THE OPENING OF
RESTAURANTS FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND A CONVERSATION WITH DR.
JONEIGH KHALDUN.
AND A ROUND TABLE ON NEW STARTS
IN WASHINGTON AND KWAME KILPATRICK TODAY ON FLASH POINT.
KILPATRICK TODAY ON FLASH POINT.
♪
>> LET’S START WITH A QUICK
CONVERSATION I GOOD TO HAVE
GOVERNOR WHITMER ON WEDNESDAY.
SHE WAS CO-CHAIR OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL COMMITTEE
AND THIS WAS A FEW HOURS AFTER
JOE BIDEN BECAME THE NATION’S
46TH PRESIDENT.
AND I STARTED ASKING HER OF THE
RESTRICTIONS THAT HAD TO BE PUT
IN PLACE TOOK AWAY FROM THE
OCCASION?
>> NO, NOT AT ALL.
ACTUALLY, AS I WATCHED AND AS I
COMMUNICATED WITH LOVED ONES WHO
WERE WATCHING ON TELEVISION,
SAFELY FROM HOME, IT WAS AS
POWERFUL A MOMENT FOR EVERY ONE
OF US.
WE WERE TUNED IN, WE WERE
OVERWHELMED WITH PRIDE AND EMOTION WHEN VICE-PRESIDENT
EMOTION WHEN VICE-PRESIDENT
HARRIS WENT UP TO TAKE HER OATH.
SITTING THERE WATCHING IT WITH
MY TWO DAUGHTERS WAS REALLY AN
INCREDIBLE MOMENT AND I KNOW
THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FELT THAT
ARN OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE
GLOBE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD US.
THERE WON’T BE A HONEYMOON FOR
THEM AS THERE ARE FOR MANY
INCOMING ADMINISTRATIONS.
THEY’VE GOT TO GET RIGHT TO WORK
AND THEY KNOW IT AND DETERMINED
AND SURROUNDING THEMSELVES WITH
AN INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT WILL
MAKE SURE WE’RE SUCCESSFUL IN
ERADICATING THE VIRUS AND
GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND
KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL AND
PREPARING US FOR ECONOMIC
STRENGTH.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT
MORE IN JUST A MINUTE.
BEFORE I DO, GIVE ME AN IDEA
AFTER WHAT WE SAW TWO WEEKS AGO,
THE EVENTS NOT ONLY AT THE U.S.
CAPITOL, BUT THE WORRIES THAT WE
HAD AT CAPITOLS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
GIVE ME AN IDEA, NOW THAT WE’RE
PAST THIS BIG MOMENT, GIVE ME AN
IDEA WHERE YOUR WORRY LEVEL WAS
ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN,
SOMETHING UNTOWARD MIGHT HAPPEN?
>> I WAS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT
SUNDAY.
OUR -- THE KIND OF BRIEFINGS
THAT WE WERE GETTING FROM THE
FBI AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES WERE VERY CONCERNING.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF
CONCERN ABOUT THREE CAPITOLS IN
THE NATION AND OURS WAS ONE OF
THEM AND SO WE TOOK IT VERY
SERIOUSLY AND DID THE PREPARATIONS AND LO AND BEHOLD
PREPARATIONS AND LO AND BEHOLD
WE DID NOT GET INUNDATED BY, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF THE GROUPS THAT WE
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT AND HAD WE,
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED, BUT
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO DO OUR
DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKE
PREPARATIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE OF
OUR COUNTRY HAVE SEEN AND BORE
WITNESS AND EXPERIENCED A LOT OF
DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN THE LAST
12 MONTHS AND MOST RECENTLY
PERPETRATED ON OUR U.S. CAPITOL
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
NOTHING LIKE THAT PLAYED OUT AT
OUR STATE CAPITOL THIS WEEK.
WE’RE FORTUNATE, NONE DID.
PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND WE WERE ABLE
TO KEEP THE PEACE.
>> DEVIN: SO YOU WERE AT A
SEVEN, AN EIGHT?
>> SURE.
I WAS -- I WAS ON THE HIGHER
RANGE, THAT’S FOR SURE.
AND YOU KNOW, I’M A PRETTY STOIC
PERSON.
I’VE BEEN THROUGH LOT IN THIS
LAST 12 MONTHS, WE AS A STATE
HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
I’M NOT COMPLAINING, I KNOW MY
BURDEN IS LIGHTER THAN MANY, BUT
I DON’T COMPLAIN, BUT I ALSO, I
DON’T REACT STRONGLY.
I THINK I’M A LITTLE SEASONED
NOW IN THAT REGARD AND SO I WAS
PRETTY CONCERNED THOUGH GOING
INTO THIS PAST WEEKEND AND I’M
GLAD THAT WE ARE IN THE POSITION
THAT WE ARE.
>> DEVIN: YOU KNOW, THERE IS
THIS REALITY AS MUCH AS YOU
ENJOYED THE INAUGURATION, THERE
WERE A LOT OF AMERICANS WHO HAD
THE OPPOSITE REACTION.
WE REMAIN A VERY DIVIDED NATION.
WHAT IS YOUR PRESCRIPTIVE FOR
THAT?
WHAT DO WE DO?
WE SEE IT, OF COURSE IN
MICHIGAN.
>> YEAH, NO QUESTION.
I THINK WHO IS AT THE TOP REALLY
MATTERS.
TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE SAW THE
VIOLENCE BREAKING OUT AT THE
U.S. CAPITOL, IT WAS BEING EGGED
ON AND ENCOURAGED BY THE PERSON
WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, SITTING IN
THE WHITE HOUSE.
THAT’S VERY CLEAR.
EVEN MITCH MCCONNELL HAS
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FACT.
NOW WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE WHO IS GOING TO DO
EVERYTHING HE CAN TO BRING CALM
AND FOCUS AND DETERMINATION AND
UNITY TO THIS NATION.
IT WON’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT I
DO THINK THAT HE IS GOING TO BE
CALLING ON PEOPLE’S BETTER
ANGELS AND WILL FIND A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO LOCK
ARMS WITH HIM WHO ARE NOT
TRADITIONAL ALLIES.
>> DEVIN: THEN LET ME ASK YOU
NOW ABOUT THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE
AS I SAY, IF YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT
THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU NOW CONTROL
ALL THREE LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT.
THE BAD NEWS IS YOU NOW CONTROL
ALL THREE LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT.
THERE’S NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME.
IT’S ALL ON YOU.
THIS IS KIND OF AN AIRCRAFT
CARRIER.
IT DOESN’T EXACTLY TURN ON A
DIME.
SO WE’VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS
RIGHT NOW GETTING THE VACCINE
DISTRIBUTED.
HOW QUICKLY DO YOU THINK WE CAN
CREATE A NEW FOOTING FOR MOVING
FORWARD AGAINST THE PANDEMIC?
>> WELL, THEY’VE BEEN GETTING
PREPARED SINCE THEY WERE
DECLARED THE VICTORS OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND SO,
IT’S BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING
DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT
THEY’VE GOT A PLAN THEY CAN
IMPLEMENT ON DAY ONE.
AS SOMEONE THAT’S BEEN CLOSE TO
THE PRESIDENT, OUR
ADMINISTRATION IS ONE WITH WHOM
THEY HAVE BEEN CONFERRING
REGULARLY, WHETHER IT’S WHAT WE
NEED TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK
AND TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES,
INCLUDING RESTAURANTS, FOR AS
ONE EXAMPLE OR IT’S GETTING OUR
KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL OR IT IS
GETTING OUR ARMS AROUND THIS
PANDEMIC.
MICHIGAN HAS BEEN SHARING AND
HELPING FORM WHAT THEIR PLANS
ARE FOR DAY ONE.
YOU USE THE AIRLINE CARRIER AS
YOUR ANALOGY, I LIKEN THINGS TO
A LOCOMOTIVE, RIGHT, IT’S HARD
AND IT’S BUMPY AND JERKY AT THE
BEGINNING, BUT WE’RE PICKING UP
STEAM.
WHAT WE NEED IS REGULAR
PREDICTABLE ACCESS TO VACCINES.
I BELIEVE THIS ADMINISTRATION
WILL BUY EVERY VACCINE THEY CAN
GET THEIR HANDS ON AND GET THEM
TO THE STATES AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
I THINK WE WILL SEE A DRAMATIC
IMPROVEMENT ON THAT IN THE
COMING DAYS AND WEEKS AND SO WE
WILL BE MOVING A LOT FASTER AND
IT WILL BE A LOT SMOOTHER, BUT
THERE’S NO QUESTION THIS HAS
BEEN MORE DIFFICULT THAN I THINK
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWING THIS
WAS COMING FOR 10 MONTHS AND
STILL NOT HAVING A NATIONAL
STRATEGY, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE A
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, I THINK
THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE
DRAMATICALLY PRETTY QUICKLY.
>> DEVIN: YOU KNOW, I’VE ALREADY
HAD SOME PEOPLE GETTING IN TOUCH
WITH ME SAYING, YEAH, NOW THE
GOVERNOR WANTS TO REOPEN THE
ECONOMY, NOW SHE WANTS TO OPEN
RESTAURANTS ON FEBRUARY 1ST.
SHE DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT WHEN
TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT.
SHE WANTS TO DO IT NOW.
THE PANDEMIC IS WORSE, BUT SHE
WANTS TO REOPEN THE ECONOMY NOW
THAT JOE BIDEN IS PRESIDENT.
WHY AREN’T THEY RIGHT ABOUT
THAT?
>> THAT’S NOT ACCURATE AT ALL.
IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT
MICHIGAN’S NUMBERS WITH COVID
YOU CAN SEE WE’RE IN A STRONGER
POSITION THAN ANY OTHER
MIDWESTERN STATE.
THIS PAUSE THAT WE TOOK IN
MICHIGAN HAS WORKED AND WE’RE IN
A MUCH STRONGER POSITION.
OUR HOSPITALS DID NOT GET
OVERWHELMED.
SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING STATES,
THEY WON’T DO NONEMERGENT
SURGERIES.
YOU REMEMBER LAST SPRING WE HAD
TO SAY IF IT’S NOT EMERGENT YOU
CAN’T DO THE SURGERY BECAUSE WE
NEEDED TO CONSERVE PPE.
WE NEED TODAY KEEP THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITALS DOWN SO
WE DIDN’T SEE EXTRA SPREAD OF
COVID.
WE’RE NOT IN THAT POSITION NOW.
NONEMERGENT SURGERIES ARE
HAPPENING IN ALL OF OUR
HOSPITALS BECAUSE WE HAVE KEPT
THE NUMBERS DOWN BECAUSE THIS
HAVE PAUSE.
SO WE’RE IN A STRONGER POSITION.
WE CAN START REENCOURAGING SOME
THINGS, AND LARGELY, OUR ECONOMY
HAS BEEN OPEN FOR THE BETTER
PART OF THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.
THERE’S JUST INDOOR DINING ONE
OF THE LAST THINGS TO COME
ONLINE IT’S NOT THE RESTAURANT’S
FAULT, IT’S HOW THE VIRUS
SPREADS.