.
. >>
. >> GOOD
. >> GOOD SUNDAY MORNING WELCOME TO FLASHPOINT, I AM BEN
THOMPSON.
JOINING ME TODAY'S DATE RIBS
AND OF CHAZ BEASLEY AND
PARKING, GENTLEMEN THANK YOU
APPRECIATED.
WE HAVE A LOT TO CATCH UP ON
INCLUDING THE BIGGEST STORY WE
DIDN'T COVER, REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL CONVENTION.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW AT THIS
POINT, IT IS COMING TO
CHARLOTTE IN 2020.
>> CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
WILL BE THE SITE OF THE 2020
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
CONGRATULATIONS, CHARLOTTE.
>> Reporter: THIS BOAT COMING A
LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO ALSO
AFTER AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE
CONTENTIONS VOTE BY CHARLOTTE
CITY COUNCIL NEARLY VOTED TO
HOLD THE CONVENTION IN THE
QUEEN CITY.
GENTLEMEN YOUR INITIAL
REACTIONS?
IT WASN'T A POPULAR DECISION OR
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PARTY.
>> NOT ALL.
I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY AN
ISSUE THAT STICKS WITH US RIGHT
THROUGH THE 2019 ELECTIONS AND
INTO 2020.
OF COURSE GIVEN THAT IS WHEN
RNC IS COMING.
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS
WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE IS IF YOU HAVE
CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING YOU
SHOULD RAISE THOSE EARLY.
UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF THESE
PROBLEMS WE'VE SEEN THE PAST
FEW WEEKS COULD HAVE BEEN
AVOIDED HAD PEOPLE HAD AN OPEN
DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION ABOUT
THEIR CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO
THE CURRENCY COMING HERE.
>> PARKER WERE YOU SURPRISED BY
THIS LAST-MINUTE SORT OF
OUTRAGE BY SOME DEMOCRATS?
>> I THINK SO.
I WOULD AGREE OPEN CONVERSATION
WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE BENEFICIAL
WHEN THEY RELEASED MEETING
NOTES AFTERWARDS IT SHOWED MANY
DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST IT WERE
IN SUPPORT OF IT UNTIL THE LAST
MINUTE PUSH.
HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE 2019
ELECTION, AN OPPORTUNITY TO
VIRTUE SIGNAL THEY WERE AGAINST
THE PARTY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO
BRING THE PARTY HERE.
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THE NEW WE
WERE COMING INTO ELECTION
SEASON.
>> TO THAT POINT WHOEVER
RELEASING THE RECORDS THEY GOT
A HOLD OF, SAY LAWANDA MAYFIELD
WHO WAS OUT FRONT MONTHS AGO IN
JANUARY SAYING THESE ARE SOME
OF OUR CONCERNS.
NOT ONLY THE IMAGE OF CHARLOTTE
BUT PROTESTS, BOYCOTTS, IT
WASN'T UNTIL THE LAST MONTH OR
SO IT SEEMED LIKE OTHER
DEMOCRATS GOT ON BOARD.
>> SHE RAISED VERY GOOD CONCERN
YOU NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT EARLY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY RAISED THE SAME
CONCERN AT A VERY EARLY STAGE. I
THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WHEN PEOPLE BRING UP THESE
TYPES OF THINGS, YOU TALK ABOUT
THEM.
EVERYBODY HAS A DIALOGUE ABOUT
THEM AND WE MAKE SURE IN FUTURE
TIMES WHEN THERE ARE OTHER
CONVENTIONS COMING, OTHER MAJOR
EVENTS THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE
-- HAPPEN EARLY AND WE DON'T
HAVE THESE PROBLEMS.
>> WHY DO YOU THINK IT HAPPENED
THE WAY IT DID?
LIKE A LEADERSHIP?
>> I DON'T THINK IT WAS
NECESSARILY LACK OF LEADERSHIP
I THINK THE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS WE TALKED ON THE SHOW
BEFORE, R.N.C.
VERY DIFFERENT THAN TRUMP'S
R.N.C.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE ARE
THINKING IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN 2012 AND 2016,
TRYING TO BRING IN THE R.N.C.
IN 2016 AS WELL.
IT DIDN'T REALLY DON ON A LOT
OF PEOPLE THIS IS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF WHO IS IN THE WHITE
HOUSE AND STEPPING THE
NOMINATION FOR THE REPUBLICANS.
I THINK THAT WAS THE CONCERN THE
REASON WHY PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY, MANY I'VE TALKED TO
PERSONALLY NOTE RECENTLY -- NO
PERSONALLY.
>> THE R.N.C.
NOW UNDER THE PRESIDENT?
>> I THINK THE WAY I VIEW IT AS
PART OF OUR DEMOCRACY.
AN OPPORTUNITY ECONOMICALLY TO
BENEFIT I'VE HEARD ARGUMENTS
FROM BOTH SIDES THAT IT MAY NOT
ACTUALLY BEST FIT OUR COMMUNITY
DUE TO OUTSOURCING. I THINK ONE
OF THE THINGS CITY COUNCIL IS
DOING TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOST
COMMITTEE SO WE CAN ENSURE JOBS
ARE CREATED IN CHARLOTTE AND
FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE IN
CHARLOTTE.
I THINK HAVING THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE
FACT THAT WE DO BELIEVE IN A
POCKET -- AND DEMOCRACY.
NOT A BAD THING.
>> ALKANES SEEMS LIKE VI LYLES
IS THE MOST POPULAR DEMOCRAT
AMONG REPUBLICAN.
>> SHE WAS OPEN AND HONEST
ABOUT THE FACT SHE WANTED THIS
HERE AND SHE TRIED HARD AND
STAYED IN REGULAR CONTACT.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT OUR
FOLKS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT, SHE
TALKED ABOUT OUTSOURCING,
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP
CHARLOTTE AS MUCH.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED
ABOUT?
>> WHAT MANY PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHAT IT SAYS
ABOUT OUR CITY AND WHO IS
COMING TO OUR CITY FOR THIS
PARTICULAR R.N.C..
I WANT TO STRESS THAT.
PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE IT OUT IN
YOU ALL DON'T WANT REPUBLICANS
IN YOUR TOWN.
THAT IS NOT THE CONCERN I'VE
HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE
INCLUDING ON THE PROGRESSIVE
SIDE OF THE AISLE, THEY ARE
MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TYPES
OF PEOPLE AND THE PERSON TAKING
THE NOMINATION.
>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE OR
COMPANIES OR WHATEVER MIGHT END
UP BOYCOTTING ONCE WE GET TO
THAT POINT IF THE CONVENTION IS
HERE, WHO KNOWS THE POLITICAL
CLIMATE OF THE TIME?
>> YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING EVERY
DAY.
WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO GO
DOWN BETWEEN NOW AND 2020.
THAT IS LIKE A LIFETIME AWAY
AND PAULA TALKS. A
LIFETIME AWAY IN THE TRUMP
RESTORATION, QUITE FRANKLY.
I KNOW THAT IS A RISK THAT IS
HEIGHTENED FOR THIS PARTICULAR
CONVENTION YOU MAY NOT SEE WITH
OTHER CONVENTIONS.
>> KNOWING THE CLIMATE WE ARE
IN YOU JUST ALLUDED TO WHAT, FOR
YOU IS GOING TO BE A SUCCESSFUL
CONVENTION UNDERSTANDING THINGS
THE WAY THEY ARE RIGHT NOW,
THEY ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY
TENSE IN THE CITY WHICH IS BY
ALL ACCOUNTS CHARLOTTE IS A
LIBERAL, DEMOCRAT CITY.
WHAT DO YOU WILL BE A
SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION?
>> BEEN ABLE TO SHOWCASE
DISCOURSE. I
DON'T REALLY WANT PEOPLE
WALKING THE STREETS WITH TIKI
TORCHES, TRUE WHITE
SUPREMACISTS, NOT THE WHITES OF
PREMISES OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY WHICH SEEMS TO BE A
BLANKET TERM. I
THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE
DISCOURSE AND FOR THERE TO BE
EVENTS WHERE WE CAN GET YOUNGER
GENERATIONS INVOLVED.
OUR GENERATION, INTO
CONVERSATIONS.
HAVE REPUBLICAN DELEGATES HERE,
FOLKS FROM ALL AROUND THE
COUNTY COMING IN.
AN EVENT THAT WILL SHOWCASE THE
FACT THAT WE CAN STILL
COMMUNICATE AND TALK ABOUT
THINGS.
THERE IS A LOT THIS GOING TO
HAPPEN FROM NOW UNTIL 2020.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE
POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, NATIONAL
LANDSCAPE IS GOING TO LOOK
LIKE.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, HAVE
CONVERSATIONS AROUND IT.
>> ARE YOU ADAMANT ARE YOU OUT
FRONT AS THE REPUBLICAN HERE,
ONE OF THE WELL-KNOWN
REPUBLICANS HERE IN TOWN,
MAKING SURE THE PARTY IS
REFLECTIVE OF WHAT YOU JUST
SAID?
MAKING SURE THE CONVENTION IS
REFLECTIVE OF WHAT YOU JUST
SAID?
A NO A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WHAT
YOU SAID IS GREAT BUT THAT'S
NOT REFLECTIVE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY NOW.
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SURE IT
IS IN YOUR CITY IT REFLECTS THE
IDEALS YOU JUST SAID?
>> I ACTUALLY WAS APPROACHED BY
ONE OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO
SEE IF WE CAN START -- AN
ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS WITH A
LOOK DISCOURSE BETWEEN
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN BRING
SOMETHING LIKE THAT LOCALLY.
I WAS HONORED TO BE ASKED TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY I HAVE,
MIND YOU I'M A SMALL FISH IN
THE OCEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAD
WHATEVER CHARGE I CAN AROUND
PUBLIC DISCOURSE.
THE THING I WOULD REALLY LIKE
TO DO IS START TO BRING -- WE
ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE -- THE
FRIENDS ON BOTH SIDES WILL STAY
THE FRENCH.
IF WE CAN RING THE MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE WHO I BELIEVE ARE
MODERATE BACK INTO THE
POLITICAL SPECTRUM, I THINK
THEY FLED.
MODERATES ON BOTH SIDES DON'T
WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH
POLITICS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT
IS SO POLAR.
THAT IS, IN EFFECT, LOWERING
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. >> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE
THINGS THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE
AND HAS DONE SPECIFICALLY AT
RALLIES, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH
HIS BIGGEST RALLY OF HIS
PRESIDENCY IF HE DOES DECIDE TO
RUN AGAIN, HAS SHOWN THAT HE
HAS BROUGHT DOWN DISCOURSE IN
OUR COUNTRY.
HE HAS TOLD PEOPLE AT RALLIES
TO THROW PEOPLE OUT.
>> I THINK PEOPLE WOULD SAY,
THE MODERATES YOU SPOKE ABOUT,
HAVE BEEN SILENT.
>> BECAUSE THEY HAVE EVACUATED.
>> 280 CHARACTERS THEY ARE
SCARED OF A TWEET IN THE
PRESIDENT.
>> I WOULD AGREE AS WELL.
THE MODERATES I WOULD SAY HAVE
EVACUATED THE CONVERSATION AND
THAT IS WHERE WE WILL HAVE A
PROBLEM.
SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT, I AGREE
WITH SOME OF THE THINGS I DON'T
SUPPORT EVERYTHING BUT I THINK
HE HAS TO BE CAREFUL WITH HIS
RHETORIC.
I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING IS
PEOPLE ARE EMBRACING THAT AND
WE NEED TO TRY TO BRING THAT
BACK.
>> JUST IN CASE, JOT DOWN THESE
DATES THE PROPOSED DATES JULY
12th-JULY 23rd, AUGUST 16th-27
OR AUGUST 23rd-SEPTEMBER 3rd.
KEEP THAT IN MIND.
ALSO, A DOWNSIDE, DEMOCRATIC
COUNCILMAN GETTING THREATS
BECAUSE HE WAS THE LAST
COUNCILMAN TO VOTE.
CALLED THE DECIDING VOTE BUT
JUST SORT OF THE WAY IT
HAPPENED.
HE BROKE THE TITLE BRING THE
CONVENTION TO CHARLOTTE.
AFTER THAT HE HAD POLICE COME
TO HIS HOUSE AFTER THREATS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA.
HE SAID THE THREATS WERE
DETERMINED NOT TO BE SERIOUS
AND HE IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT
HIS