WELCOME
WELCOME BACK. >> TO FLASHPOINT THIS YEAR MARKED ONE YEAR SINCE THE FIRST
CORONA VIRUS CASE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
ONE YEAR LATER, HEALTH
OFFICIALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
HAVE REPORTED MORE THAN 24
MILLION CASES.
MORE THAN 400000 AMERICANS HAVE
DIED FROM THE VIRUS.
HERE THE CAROLINAS THERE HAVE
BEEN MORE THAN 700000 CASES
SINCE THE FIRST CASE REPORTED
HERE BACK IN MA AT
BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM NEXT
WEEKEND.
JOINING US NOW FOR THE REST OF
THE SHOW, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST
LARRY SHEHEEN, THE DEMOCRATIC
STRATEGIST DOUGLAS WILSON.
GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR
COMING ON.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
DOUGLAS, I'LL BEGIN WITH YOU .
DO YOU FEEL MORE OR LESS
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR HANDLE ON
THIS VIRUS?
DID A WEEK AGO AND I SAY I
UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT SO
I'M SURE YOU FEEL MORE
OPTIMISTIC.
BUT HE EVEN THOUGH EVEN THOUGH
GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT
NUMBERS ARE STILL BAD, THE
ROLLOUT IS STILL ABYSMAL AND
THINGS ARE STILL NOT IN A GOOD
PLACE.
YEAH.
PLACE. YEAH. SO I DEFINITELY FEEL OPTIMISTIC
BUT ALSO JUST LIKE PRESIDENT
BIDEN SAID YESTERDAY AND I
BELIEVE DOCTORS STOCKS SHE SAID
YESTERDAY WE SAW A LONG WAY TO
GO.
THERE ARE STILL MANY AMERICANS
DYING EACH DAY.
WE'RE STILL AVERAGING A 911
EACH DAY.
SO YOU KNOW, THE VACCINE
ROLLOUT DEFINITELY HAS TO PICK
UP.
WE NEED TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE
VACCINE AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT'S ALSO VERY TROUBLESOME,
BEN, IS THAT WE HAVE THESE NEW
BARRIERS THAT ARE OUT THERE TO
ONE FROM GREAT BRITAIN.
I BELIEVE ALREADY HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE SOUTH AFRICAN
VARIANT.
SO THE MORE THAT TIME GOES ON
THAT FOLKS ARE NOT BEING
VACCINATED.
MY FEAR IS THAT THESE TWO
VARIANTS, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM
MAY BECOME MORE DAMP, MAY
BECOME DOMINANT IN UNITED
STATES.
WHAT I AM OPTIMISTIC HOPEFULLY
BY THE SUMMER GO INTO THE FALL
WE START TO TURN THE CORNER
MORE.
BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS
NOW WITH THE VACCINE ROLLOUT
AND B AND ALSO WHAT WE DO
PERSONALLY AS AS AMERICANS
MAKING SURE WE MASKA MAKE SURE
WE PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
AND PROPER HYGIENE.
>> LARRY, WE ARE IN A BETTER
PLACE THAN WE WERE SAY A WEEK
AGO.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE IN THE SAME
PLACE THE WORLD WE COULD GO.
DR. FALCHI HIMSELF IN THE
BRIEFING YESTERDAY EVEN
ADMITTED THAT SOME OF THE
STORIES THAT MEN TALKING ABOUT
ABOUT THE ROLLOUT HAVE BEEN
UNTRUTHS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY STEPPED
AND DONE A WONDERFUL THING IN
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE
VACCINES GET OUT TO EVERY
SINGLE PERSON.
I WAS REALLY HEARTENED BY THE
FACT THAT YESTERDAY NORTH
CAROLINA'S MANDIGO EVEN SAID WE
DON'T CARE WHO IT IS.
YOU SEE SOMEBODY ON THE CORNER
AND YOU'VE GOT A VACCINE LEFT
YOU GRAB AND YOU STICK THAT
NEEDLE IN THEIR ARM.
I COMPLETELY AGREE.
UNFORTUNATELY NORTH CAROLINA
HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY A LOT OF
THESE REGULATIONS AND THE FACT
THAT THEY SAY WELL, YOU KNOW,
SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TAKE
IT AND THEY DON'T.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WITHIN THE
CURRENT VARIANT NUMBERS TO BE
ABLE TO GET ANY YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT ONE ONE EIGHT TWO
TWO X JUST PEOPLE AND VACCINATE
THEM AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN UNDERSTAND PRIORITIZING
THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT FIRST.
BUT YOU KNOW, NOT JUST IN
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY YOU'VE
GOT ATRIAL PANTHERS HONEYWELL
DOING THIS WONDERFUL SETUP AT
THE PANTHER STADIUM.
I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS KIND OF
HAD TO STEP UP HERE AND TAKE
OVER ESPECIALLY HERE IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
THE REASON WEST VIRGINIA,
WESTFORD GENIA IS LEADING THE
COUNTRY IN VACCINATIONS IS
BECAUSE THEY'RE IGNORING THE
SUGGESTED REGULATIONS ON THE
ROLLOUT.
WE GOT TO START THINKING ABOUT
THIS FROM A REALISTIC
STANDPOINT.
IF SOMEBODY SIT NEXT WHEN THEY
WANT TO TAKE THIS THING AND
YOU'VE ALREADY VACCINATED
EVERYBODY WHO SHO WHO IS A PRIO
WANT TO TAKE THIS THING AND YOU'VE ALREADY VACCINATED EVERYBODY WHO SHO WHO IS A PRION
JAB THAT NEEDLE IN THEIR ARM
AND GET IT TO THEM AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE ABOUT THE
FACT YOU BROUGHT A DR. FOUSHEE
THIS PAST WEEK?
HE SAID HE FELT LIBERATED.
I THINK MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIS
WORD TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN A
WAY HE HAD NOT IN THE PAST.
AND HE ALSO INFERRED TO CNN
THAT THAT THE THE WAY HE WAS
FORCED TO TALK ABOUT IN THE
PAST AND THE WAY THE PAST
ADMINISTRATION TALKED BUT
PROBABLY RISKED LIVES AND COST
LIVES LARRY.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S A FAIR
CRITICISM?
>> I DO.
I'VE I'VE ALWAYS CRITICIZED THE
FORMER PRESIDENT'S
ADMINISTRATION ON THE WAY THEY
HANDLED RHINOVIRUS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY
A VERY RESPONSIBLE AND I THINK
THAT A LOT OF A LOT OF OUR
THINGS HERE COULD HAVE BEEN
HANDLED DIFFERENTLY IF THEY'VE
TAKEN IT MORE SERIOUSLY AND
BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUS
AND PLAYED LESS CONSPIRACY
THEORY WITH IT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THE
THING THAT THERE'S A BALANCE TO
BE STRUCK.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DOCTOR
FOUND HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
HE DOES ADDRESS THIS HEAD ON,
TREAT IT LIKE A DANGER THAT IT
IS.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW,
OVERREACHING RULES AND
REGULATIONS ON HOW TO MANAGE IT
AND TRY TO KEEP A TOP DOWN
APPROACH TO ALL THIS STILL
ISN'T WORK.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS THIS THE
BEST ECONOMIC FIX TO THIS WHILE
WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY
VACCINATED IS TO LET PEOPLE GO
BACK TO WORK.
IS TO LET PEOPLE TRY TO BE SAFE
AND LET PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY
NEED TO DO.
AND WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT FROM
UNDER THIS CONSTANT EXECUTIVE
ORDER THAT CONTINUES TO
OVERRIDE THE RULE OF LAW AND
WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO
LEGISLATORS LEGISLATE.
I SAY I SAID THIS LAST
PRESIDENTIAL TERM I MUST SAY AT
THIS PRESIDENTIAL THE PRESIDENT
IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS
IMPORTANT OF ADMINISTERING THE
EXECUTIVE MINISTRATION IS NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE IMPORTANT.
WE NEED TO EMPOWER OUR
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE
POLICY.
WE NEED TO LET THEM BE CREATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY O LET THEM BE CREATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY AND T THEM BE CREATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY AND SAID M BE CREATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY AND SAID NOT CREATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY AND SAID NOT TO EATE
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE MORE POLICY. REMOTELY AND SAID NOT TO RETURN
TILL MID-FEBRUARY.
>> CABARRUS COUNTY THEY'VE BEEN
MEANING TO THE LAST FEW DAYS TO
TALK ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO
FULL TIME IN-PERSON LEARNING.
THEY WENT BACK TO TWO DAYS A
WEEK AND THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL
FOR A LOT OF PARENTS.
THEIR UNION COUNTY STUDENTS
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOUR DAYS A
WEEK MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS TWO DAYS A WEEK.
THEY'VE HAD A FEW CASES AT
SCHOOLS AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS
AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN UNION
COUNTY THIS PAST WEEK.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES ACROSS THE
STATE MEET LEAVING A LOT OF
FOLKS FRUSTRATED.
DO YOU THINK?
IS IT SAFE FOR STUDENTS TO BE
IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW?
DOUGLAS, I'LL BEGIN WITH YOU .
>> WELL, I MEAN I THINK THAT
ISSUE TO SCHOOL ARE FACING IS
THE PROBLEM THAT TEACHERS ARE
GETTING SICK AND THAT'S THAT'S
CAUSING A LOT OF ISSUES.
YOU'VE SEEN REPORTS JUST
RECENTLY OF TEACHERS WE'VE A
YOUNG TEACHER DIED THE OTHER
DAY ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD.
I I I CAN IMAGINE HOW
FRUSTRATING THIS COULD BE.
PARENTS HAVE TO WORK AND JUGGLE
WITH THEIR KIDS BEING HOME.
MY WIFE AND I WE HAVE A NEPHEW
DOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHO'S IN
HIGH SCHOOL AND HE'S REMOTE SO
WE ALWAYS TRY TO HELP HIM WITH
HIS HOMEWORK OVER OVER THE
INTERNET.
WHAT I I THINK THAT THE SCHOOL
IS TRYING HIS BEST TO BALANCE
IT OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO
REALIZE YOU'RE TRYING TO
PROTECT THE STUDENTS AND THE
TEACHERS AS WELL AND ALSO
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
STUDENTS ARE LEARNING AND WE
ALL KNOW AND EVEN THE GOVERNOR
SAYS THE STUDENT LEARNING IN
PERSON IS BETTER.
WELL, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR
TEACHERS WHO ARE OUR FRONTLINE
WORKERS.
AND GOING BACK TO WHAT LARRY
WAS SAYING ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE
ORDERS.
THE PRESIDENT YESTERDAY WROTE
OUT OR THE DAY BEFORE WROTE OUT
A NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
A LOT OF THEM HAD TO DO WITH
TRYING TO SPEED UP THE DATA
DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINES MORE
PPD STUFF LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE
HANDLED RIGHT THEN AND THERE
AND YOU CAN'T WAIT ON CONGRESS
TO DO IT.
IT DOES AND IT HAS TO BE DONE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK AND
TOUCH BASE, LARRY.
>> 20 SECONDS.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON SCHOOLS?
>> WELL, I RESPECT THE TEACHERS
AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
PUTTING THEMSELVES AND THEY ARE
PUTTING THEMSELVES IN
DANGEROUS.
LET'S LET'S DEAL WITH THAT
FACT.
HERE'S A COMPROMISE IF YOU'RE
TELLING ME THE RESTAURANT
WORKERS WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO
WORK ARE YOU TELLING
ME THE FOLKS WANT TO BE GROCERY
STORES AND WORK?
AND I THINK THE TEACHERS CAN
WORK.
WELL, LET'S DO A DEAL.
HAPPILY HAPPY TO GO TO RALEIGH
AND TELL THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
THEY NEED TO PROVIDE WHATEVER
HEALTH CARE IT TAKES TO HELP
MAKE SURE THE TEACHERS WHO WERE
TAKEN TO RECEIVE GET THIS VIRUS
WHILE TEACHING WILL NEVER EVER
HAVE TO PAY A MEDICAL BILL EVER
AGAIN.
THEY ARE FRONTLINE WORKERS.
THEY SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE
FRONTLINE WORKERS OR WE SHOULD
PUT KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL.
PERIOD.
WE ARE FAILING A GENERATION OF
CHILDREN.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THIS.
WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
THE FACT THAT PEOPLE SAY WE CAN
DO THIS VIRTUALLY.
WE CAN'T.
SO LET'S PROVIDE THE RESOURCES
.
LET'S USE THE MONEY THAT WE
LUCKILY HAVE IN THE STATE AND
LET'S MAKE SURE WE TREAT
TEACHERS THE WAY THEY NEED TO
BE TREATED BUT PUT KIDS BACK IN
SCHOOL.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS
DISCUSSION ANYMORE ABOUT KIDS
OUT OF SCHOOL.
IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO PROVIDE
TEACHERS WHAT THEY NEED, GET
THE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL.
>> THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE
SURPLUSES AND WHY WE ARE
CELEBRATING, YOU KNOW, FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
SO WE