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♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
BACK WITH NORAH O'DONNELL OF THE "CBS EVENING NEWS."
IT'S A COMMON PLAYBOOK OF AUTHORITARIANS TO TRY TO
DENIGRATE AND UNDERMINE THE PRESS, SO THERE CAN BE NO
UMPIRES, LET'S SAY, IN THE GAME, CALLING BALLS AND STRIKES ABOUT
WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT IS NOT TRUE.
THIS PRESIDENT IS NO DIFFERENT.
IS IT DISHEARTENING TO YOU TO SEE THE INCREASED AND CONTINUOUS
ATTACKS ON THE PRESS BY THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THEIR
SUPPORTERS?
>> WELL, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE DISSEMINATION OF
FACTS, AND, SO, WHEN THERE IS AN ATTACK ON FACTS, AN ATTACK ON
IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT GIVES CITIZENS THE INFORMATION THEY
NEED TO VOTE PROPERLY, THAT CONCERNS ME.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE BEEN ATTACKED PERSONALLY BY THE
PRESIDENT.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: AND YOU HAVE BEEN A BYO MEDICAL WHISTLEBLOWER IN
THE ADMINISTRATION.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: THE WORRIED ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S DEDICATION
ABOUT GIVING ALL THE MATERIAL AND SUPPORT ABOUT FINDING A
VACCINE.
>> START.
WE STILL HAVE THE ONLY INTERVIEW WITH DR. RICK BRIGHT WHICH IS A
PART OF THE AGENCY CONGRESS JUST GAVE BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO WHICH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF FUNDING, YOU KNOW,
WHO GETS -- WHO'S GOING TO HAVE THE NEEDLES FOR THE SYRINGES FOR
THE VACCINE, WHO'S GOING TO PRODUCE THE GLASS BOTTLES, THE
MASKS THAT WE NEED, WHO WILL REPLENISH THE NATIONAL
STOCKPILES FOR P.P.E.s, ALL THAT, AND DR. RICK BRIGHT KEPT
SAYING TO THE WHITE HOUSE WE NEED MORE MASKS AND WE NEED TO
DO THIS, AND HE WAS FIRED FOR DOING THAT, THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS
FOR LEAKING TO THE PRESS, SO HE BECAME A WHISTLEBLOWER.
HE DID HIS ONLY INTERVIEW WITH US, AND I DO THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE AND
WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE AN PORNT PART OF IT.
AND SINCE WE DID THE INTERVIEW AND AIRED THE CONCERNS THIS
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL HAS ABOUT HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS IS BEING
SAVED TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS, THE PRESIDENT ATTACKED ME IN A
TWEET.
THAT GOES WITH A TERRITORY OF BEING A JOURNALISM.
IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME IF I KNOW WE HAVE OUR FACTS STRAIGHT AND
WE CAN STAND ON TOP OF THAT AS JOURNALIST AND IT WAS A PRETTY
LOCK-SOLID STORY.
>> Stephen: BESIDES THE JOURNALISM, YOU MAKE SAME FOR
SOMETHING ELSE.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
>> IT JUST SO HAPPENED I GAVE BLOOD TODAY.
WE SOULD HAVE STARTED WITH THIS BECAUSE THE STICKER I GOT SAID
BE NICE TO ME.
SO BE NICE TO ME, STEPHEN, I GAVE BLOOD TODAY.
( LAUGHTER ) BECAUSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEALTH
ROLE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ONE OF THE STORIES, I MEAN, I READ
EVERYTHING, IS THAT THERE'S A CRITICAL BLOOD SHORTAGE IN
AMERICA.
WE WANTED TO DO THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND I MUST SAY I GOT
A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF THE CRISIS IN
THE NORTHEAST REGION, BUT TODAY I WENT AND GAVE BLOOD IN ORDER
TO, YOU KNOW, HELP SEND A MESSAGE THAT IT IS SAFE TO GIVE
BLOOD.
>> Stephen: IS THAT WHY THERE'S A SHORTAGE BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO GO IN SOMEPLACE AND HAVE A NEEDLE
STUCK IN THEIR ARM NOW?
>> YEAH, BECAUSE OF COVID 19, THEY HAD TO CHANGE A NUMBER OF
THE BLOOD DONATION CENTERS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO RAMP IT BACK UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE A
FIVE-DAY SUPPLY OF BLOOD, THEY'RE DOWN TO A TWO-DAY SUPPLY
OF BLOOD.
THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GIVE BLOOD.
ONE PERSON WHO GIVES BLOOD CAN SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES, SO THAT WAS
MY THING TO DO TODAY TO GIVE BACK AND SEND A MESSAGE.
I FEEL ABSOLUTELY FINE AND THEY GAVE ME APPLE JUICE AND
CHEEZ-ITS AT THE END.
> Stephen: THAT'S WORTH THE TRIP THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> SO GLAD TO SEE YOU.
TAKE CARE.
>> STEPHEN: "CBS EVENING NEWS WITH NORAH O'DONNELL" AIRS LIVE
AT 6:30 PM EVERY WEEKNIGHT.
NORAH O'DONNELL, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY IDK.
THANKS, NORAH.
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