>>> 20 WAS THE CLEAR IN POLITICS
THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
IT STARTED WITH AN IMPEACHMENT,
FOLLOWED BY A CAMPAIGN THAT
PLAYED OUT IN A PANDEMIC, NOW
THE TRANSITION TO A NEW
PRESIDENT.
JOINING US WITH A LOOK AT WHAT
2021 HOLDS IS KRISTEN WELKER.
HI, KRISTEN.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
>> HAPPY NEW YEAR, SAVANNAH.
SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A
CAMPAIGN FOR LONG.
WE HAVE THE GEORGIA RUNOFF JUST
A FEW DAYS AWAY NOW.
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING?
THIS IS REALLY A BATTLE FOR WHO
CONTROLS THE SENATE, REPUBLICANS
OR DEMOCRATS.
>> THE STAKES COULD NOT BE
HIGHER, SAVANNAH, YOU’RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE HAVE TWO KEY RACES THAT WE’RE
WATCHING AND THEY’RE RAZOR
TIGHT.
IN RUBY RED GEORGIA, WHICH IS,
OF COURSE, A STATE BIDEN
FLIPPED.
THE FIRST TIME A DEMOCRAT WON
THE STATE SINCE 1992.
SO THIS IS IN PLAY.
THESE TWO RACES BETWEEN THE
REPUBLICAN KELLY LOEFFLER AND
JON OSSOFF.
DAVID PERDUE, THE REPUBLICAN,
RUNNING AGAINST RAPHAEL WAR NOC,
AND ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF
THIS RACE HAS BEEN PRESIDENT
TRUMP AND THE FACT HE HAS BEEN
SENDING OUT THESIS BASELESS
CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD AND SO YOU
HAVE REPUBLICANS IN GEORGIA AND
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WONDERING
WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO TO
TURNOUT?
WILL THAT ACTUALLY DEPRESS
TURNOUT AMONG REPUBLICANS AND
GIVE DEMOCRATS A BOOST?
THAT’S THE BIG QUESTION.
PRESIDENT TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT
BIDEN, HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING IN
THIS STATE BECAUSE EVERYTHING
LIES ON THIS.
AND IF REPUBLICANS LOSE JUST ONE
SEAT, PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL GET A
LOT OF BLAME, AND IF THEY LOSE
TWO SEATS, THEN DEMOCRATS WILL
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THE SENATE,
AND THAT WILL JUST GIVE BIDEN A
BIG BOOST HEADING INTO THE FIRST
TERM OF HIS PRESIDENCY.
>> ON THAT TOPIC A LITTLE LATER
THIS MONTH IS THE INAUGURATION,
JANUARY 20TH.
IT’S LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT LET’S LOOK AT THAT FIRST 100
DAYS.
THAT’S WHAT WE USUALLY LOOK AT.
WHAT HAS HE LAID OUT IN TERMS OF
AN AGENDA?
>> I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO SEE
PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN REALLY
FOCUS ON SOME EXECUTIVE ACTIONS
HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE THAT
WILL BE AIMED AT REVERSING SOME
OF THE ACTIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP
TOOK ON THE ISSUE OF
IMMIGRATION, CLIMATE CHANGE,
REVERSING SOME OF WHAT WE SAW
PRESIDENT TRUMP DO THERE.
AND THEN I THINK LEGISLATIVELY,
I AM TOLD, ACCORDING TO BIDEN
TRANSITION OFFICIALS, THE FOCUS
IS GOING TO BE ON HEALING THE
COUNTRY.
BOTH IN TERMS OF COVID-19 AND
FINANCIALLY, SO YOU’RE GOING TO
SEE A BIG FOCUS ON COVID-19.
HE HAS VOWED 100 MILLION
VACCINES SENT OUT IN HIS FIRST
100 DAYS.
AND THEN THERE’S GOING TO BE A
BIG PUSH FOR A FINANCIAL
STIMULUS PACKAGE.
WILL HE BE ABLE TO GET THAT
DONE?
IF HE CAN, SAVANNAH, THAT WILL
REALLY REQUIRE HIM TO REACH
ACROSS THE AISLE, TO WORK WITH
REPUBLICANS, TO TRY TO GET THAT
THROUGH.
THERE COULD BE PRESSURE ON BOTH
SIDES, BECAUSE OF COURSE,
AMERICANS ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW,
SAVANNAH.
>> OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON WHAT
HAPPENS IN GEORGIA TO BRING IT
FULL CIRCLE.
FINALLY, DONALD TRUMP HAS HINTED
HE MAY ANNOUNCE HIS RUNNING FOR
RE-ELECTION IN 2024 ON THE DAY
OF INAUGURATION.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM DONALD
TRUMP?
>> WELL, THIS IS REALLY
INTERESTING, SAVANNAH, BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TWO
COMPETING IDEAS.
SHOULD PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCE
HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN ON THE
DAY OF JOE BIDEN’S INAUGURATION?
SHOULD HE TRY TO CREATE SOME
TYPE OF A SPLIT SCREEN?
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A
GROWING PUSH INSIDE THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR HIM NOT TO
DO THAT.
WHY?
WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF HIS ALLIES
SAY LOOK, HE WOULD ESSENTIALLY
NOT GET THE FULL MOMENTUM THAT
HE WOULD WANT FROM AN
ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THAT.
BUT NUMBER TWO, THERE’S A
FINANCIAL COMPONENT TO THIS
BECAUSE IF HE WERE TO REANNOUNCE
HE WERE RUNNING FOR ELECTION ON
THE DAY OF THE INAUGURATION,
THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY BE FOUR
YEARS OF HAVING TO ADHERE TO FEC
GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO
RAISING MONEY AND TRANSPARENCY
ABOUT THAT.
SO WILL HE WAIT?
A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING
LOOK, HE’LL GET MORE MOMENTUM IF
HE WAITS UNTIL AFTER THE
MIDTERMS, 2022.
BUT HE HASN’T DECIDED YET.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE’S
GROWING FRUSTRATION INSIDE THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY ABOUT THAT.
THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S OFF RAMP IS.
THEY SAY THE UNCERTAINTY IS NOT
GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY AND IT’S
NOT GOOD FOR THEIR PARTY,
SAVANNAH.
>> KRISTEN WELKER, YOU’RE GOING
TO BE BUSY THIS YEAR.