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Trump to Campaign in Wisconsin; Broadway Shutdown Devastation; Mother and Daughter Share Political Views. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 16, 2020 - 08:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:30:00]

MAYOR TOM BARRETT (D), MILWAUKEE, WI: It's heading this way if we don't turn something around. So I am very, very concerned.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, 10 percent, that is already a very high rate.

And one of the things that's interesting about Wisconsin is that statewide the governor, who is a Democrat, wants to do things and he's being blocked. He's being blocked by the courts and the Republican legislature to put limits on bars, to restrict movements and things like that.

What impact is that having on you?

BARRETT: Oh, it's having a huge impact I think throughout the entire state of the Wisconsin because the governor has led, the governor has issued several orders. The legislature refuses to meet but goes to the courts and has the courts strike down the governor's orders saying that the legislature should be the one leading the way on this but then the legislature doesn't lead. So rather than legitimates, what the legislature is doing is litigating. And, as a result, we really are in a situation now where the governor, who is trying to lead, is being ham strung both by the legislature and by the courts that are basically controlled by the Republicans.

BERMAN: And, again, this is as the statewide positivity rate is at 23 percent.

Just specifically, what isn't happening that should be happening in this crisis situation because of a political moment (ph)?

BARRETT: Well, they're -- they're -- we have a mask order here. And that mask order was passed at the local level. So we're in a good position there.

They are challenging the mask order at the state level. The governor just issued a new edict, if you will, for -- for bars and restaurants at 25 percent. Again, we have a plan here that we think is more restrictive. So that one remains in place. So we're able to operate here locally. But a lot of parts of the state are not operating locally and they need that state leadership. And, again, the governor's trying to provide the leadership but is ham strung by both the legislature and the courts. BERMAN: Yes, you're doing it -- you're trying to do it in Milwaukee

but it's not like you put up a wall outside of Milwaukee to keep people from coming in from other parts of the state where these rules are not in place.

BARRETT: Right.

BERMAN: And along those lines -- go ahead. Sorry.

BARRETT: Well, right. Again, in the northeastern part of the state, in what we call the Fox River Valley, we're seeing huge numbers there. And we need to have a more coordinated effort here. But when you've got this division, it makes it very difficult.

BERMAN: So in the midst of all this, with the statewide positivity rate north of 20 percent, which is extraordinarily high, the president coming to visit this weekend. He's going to Janesville, which is, I guess, about an hour and fifteen minutes or so away from you, but what do you make of the timing of this visit?

BARRETT: Well, I think it's part of his M.O. I mean he's been doing this for months now. He's been in denial. First he makes fun of the health professionals and he belittles the masks. And he just is ignoring it, frankly, for all intents and purposes, and creating these super spreader events. We saw it at the Rose Garden just a couple of weeks ago. And we could see another super spread event in Janesville tomorrow. So, obviously, he doesn't seem to want to provide the leadership that I think is necessary in this country right now.

BERMAN: What message do you want people to be getting on masks?

BARRETT: The masks are effective. And, again, when I've been frustrated is when I've been in public and not seen people wear them. But I -- I personally consider masks one of the most patriotic thing that you can do. It's not just for you, but it's for your community, it's for our country.

And you think back all the way to World War II, when people got together and said, look, we're going to come together, we're going to get the savings bonds, we're going to invest. We need that spirit in the country right now. And it is clearly lack right now.

BERMAN: Hospitals. I know we've talked to some doctors in different parts of the state, Green Bay and other places, where they've been working in hospitals that have run out of beds for COVID patients. It's not happening necessarily statistically at a statewide level yet but in Milwaukee how are you on beds right now?

BARRETT: In -- again, in Milwaukee, we're -- we're stable right now but what we have seen, again, particularly in the northeastern part of the state, is we have seen a huge increase.

But what did happen earlier this week, just yesterday in fact, was our alternative care facility, which is the hospital that we use the CARES Act dollars for, opened and now can have referrals from other hospitals. But that just opened for the first time. It was built around Easter time and we built it as an insurance policy with the hope that it would never be used. Now it is available. It is open. We may see referrals as early as today. I hope we don't, but we may see referrals as early as today.

BERMAN: Hope we don't also. Mayor Tom Barrett, we wish you the best of luck going forward. Thank you very much for being with us.

BARRETT: Thank you very much.

BERMAN: The pandemic has dimmed the lights on Broadway through next spring. So how is the theater community surviving? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:38:49]

CAMEROTA: The Trump administration rejecting California's disaster declaration request for federal aid after six massive wildfires scorched thousands of acres. This includes the Creek Fire. That's the largest wildfire in the state's history. Governor Gavin Newsom says the infrastructure damage has cost nearly $230 million. State officials say they plan to appeal the Trump administration's decision.

BERMAN: Broadway has extended its shutdown due to the pandemic with no productions through next May. This is having such a devastating impact for actors, producers, stagehand, theater workers, the neighborhoods where the theaters are. This affects nearly 100,000 workers and there are fears that the jobs lost could be gone for good.

CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich joins us now with more.

Vanessa.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: John, one by one the big employers of performance workers are announcing that they will not have jobs until 2021. And this is devastating for those workers on Broadway. Now tens of thousands of them unemployed for the foreseeable future and live events will be one of the last things to come back during this pandemic.

[08:40:03]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNADETTE PETERS, BROADWAY ACTRESS: It's been very tough for Broadway.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Bernadette Peters is one of Broadway's most revered stars with decades of Tony winning performances.

But, today, she's turning her spotlight on her fellow Broadway workers.

PETERS: I'm concerned about people that were living on that salary. That came to the city that were living on that salary to pay their rent, to buy their groceries. YURKEVICH: Nearly 100,000 workers rely on Broadway for their

livelihoods. This single theater district brings $15 billion to New York City each year. But the pandemic has killed the lights on Broadway and will stay dark until 2021.

PETERS: Everyone in the show becomes a little community, a little family. From the ushers, to the people that sell the tickets, to people that clean, it's -- we're all part of it.

YURKEVICH: Laura Prather, a stagehand, keeps the lights on, on Broadway.

LAURA PRATHER, BROADWAY STAGEHAND: We have a saying. We like every light every night.

YURKEVICH: So she never thought she'd be the one tasked with turning off the marquee at American Airlines Theater.

PRATHER: It was the wildest moment of asking myself, are we going to be able to return?

YURKEVICH: She moved from St. Louis four years ago, buying a home. Her savings will only last her another six months.

PRATHER: My career of 15 years into this has basically vanished overnight.

YURKEVICH (on camera): What's the alternative for you right now?

PRATHER: Possibly finding a job in a different -- completely different field. The possibility of worst case scenario, longer term is selling my place.

YURKEVICH (voice over): A worst case scenario came true for actress Morgan Ashley Bryant. She's one of more than 50,000 people working in theaters across the U.S., now out of a job. Many local theaters are hanging on by a thread without federal aid.

Bryant's role in the "Mean Girls" national tour is just one dream cut short.

MORGAN ASHLEY BRYANT, ACTRESS: It's not prudent for me financially to stay in the city for an extended period of time with no idea of when I'm going to be able to go back to work.

YURKEVICH (on camera): So what does that mean? If you're deciding you can't be here anymore, where are you going to go?

BRYANT: I'm going to go home, to Alabama.

YURKEVICH (voice over): The financial pain has been great, but the emotional pain of not being able to perform has been greater.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Do you miss that feeling?

BRYANT: It's the best. Oh my gosh. YURKEVICH (voice over): But a little advice from Peters, who has been through the ups and downs of a storied career.

PETERS: If you have to go home, and then come back, come back. You know, don't give up on your dream. Your dream is your dream. It's the most important thing you have. You have to see it through.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YURKEVICH: Now when you look at these performances, a lot of times you're seeing the people just on the stages. But it's important to remember that there are so many people, from the ushers, to the concession workers that go into putting on a show. Many of these people making minimum wage and looking for jobs.

But, John, one piece of good news, just this week the Tony Awards, they were announced, the nominees were announced. They were canceled this year. But it's going to be happening sometime, maybe the end of this year or next year to make up for that really special occasion for these Broadway actors and stagehands and everybody involved. It's a moment of excitement that they look forward to that they didn't have this year, John, but hopefully those awards will be held sometime soon.

John.

BERMAN: Look, they need it. They need something. It really does break your hard, Vanessa. When -- when you lose art, you lose that which inspires us. It's so important. And it's jobs too. Not just for the actors and stagehands, but for the neighborhoods where the theaters are as well.

Vanessa Yurkevich, thanks so much for that report.

CAMEROTA: And for all of us in the audience. I mean going to the theater is a peak experience that we haven't been able to have.

BERMAN: That's what I'm saying, when you lose that, you lose a source of inspiration. It really is a big missing link in our lives.

CAMEROTA: All right, meanwhile, while social distancing measures have helped to protect the elderly during the pandemic, reduced social interaction has had a devastating effect on their mental and emotional well-being. For seniors, social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia by, believe it or not, 50 percent. And for those already experiencing cognitive decline, it can take an even greater toll.

Since 2014, CNN Hero Carol Rosenstein has been using music to help people with dementia, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. When the coronavirus hit, she moved her organization's programing online and their work has become more crucial than ever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL ROSENSTEIN: COVID just makes this doubly difficult for people to sustain their levels of wellness because they've got so much isolation going on.

[08:45:08]

We are going to see people deteriorating faster.

But we can provide a great substitute that is going to keep us healthy and well during the quarantine.

Music is medicine for the mind.

The complexity excites so many centers in our brains. All of that excitement miraculously pushes neurotransmitters that help us function.

Medicine, with a side effect that is pure joy.

Where's my Kleenex.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Music is medicine.

So for more on Carol's work using music to fight the impact of coronavirus and isolation, you can go to cnnheroes.com.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:50:39]

CAMEROTA: President Trump took questions from voters at a town hall in Miami last night, including questions from a mother and daughter who have very different feelings about the president.

Here's the mom asking about the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BARBARA PENA, QUESTIONED PRESIDENT TRUMP AT TOWN HALL: How are you going to get the United States back on track, both in terms of the economy and the pandemic?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So it's happening. We just set a record, 11.4 million jobs. We are going to have a phenomenal third quarter, which will be announced on November 1st, just prior to the big November 3rd day, where I think you're going to see a red wave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK, so that was Dr. Barbara Pena. She voted for President Trump in 2016 and plans, I believe, to vote for him again, and her daughter, Isabelle Pena, who plans to vote for Joe Biden. And they join us now.

Ladies, great to see you.

DR. BARBARA PENA, QUESTIONED PRESIDENT TRUMP AT TOWN HALL: Hi. Nice to see you.

ISA PENA, QUESTIONED PRESIDENT TRUMP AT TOWN HALL: Hi, thanks so much for having us.

CAMEROTA: Thanks for being here.

OK, so, Dr. Pena, first to you, did he answer -- did -- what did you think of President Trump's answer to your question about the economy?

B. PENA: I think he answered it pretty well. He, you know, he said what he was going to do if he was re-elected for the next four years, and he spoke about different options that he would have for the future. So I was happy with his answer.

CAMEROTA: It sounded like he was telling you that come November 1st, which is in, you know, less than two weeks, that everything's going to be phenomenal. Do you believe that?

B. PENA: Um, every day has a potential to be phenomenal, but, I mean, I don't know if you can really put a date to when something is going to be phenomenal.

CAMEROTA: I mean, I hear you. Obviously I like your optimism, any day is possible to be phenomenal. But you were asking is it going to -- you know, when are things going to get better and he had a shorter timeline than I've heard economists say.

B. PENA: Yes.

CAMEROTA: So where were you on that answer?

B. PENA: I mean I think once we're able to -- once both sides of the aisle are able to agree on a stimulus package, I think that will start help -- start helping the economy 100 percent. So I think that's what needs to be focused on right now, personally, but we'll see. We'll see what the future holds. Do I think, you know, we need to say November 1st? No. But I think hopefully sometime in the near future we can have this stimulus package passed.

CAMEROTA: OK. Isa, let's watch your question to President Trump and his answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISA PENA, QUESTIONED PRESIDENT TRUMP AT TOWN HALL: After contracting COVID-19 yourself, has your opinion changed on the importance of mask wearing?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, because I was OK with the mask. I was good with it. But I've heard many different stories on masks. I mean I had -- you know, being president, you have people -- they bring meals, they bring this, they -- and I had an instance recently where a very wonderful person is bringing me a meal and he's playing with his mask and he's touching his mask all over the place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Isa, what did you think of his answer?

I. PENA: Well, OK, if you're asking me if he answered my question, I guess he did. It's not the answer I wanted to hear.

You know, I think science has really proven that masks do help slow the spread of COVID and I think, you know, if every American was wearing a mask, we would save some lives. And saving some lives to me is more important than just, you know, not wearing a mask.

I don't think it's detrimental to anyone to wear a mask, you know? Like I just think I would like a president to tell us that, oh, wearing masks can help save American lives. Like, I just -- it's such a simple thing in my head that just him endorsing them would mean a lot.

CAMEROTA: Dr. Pena, you're a doctor. Do you like President Trump's policy or what he's modeling in terms of mask?

B. PENA: Look, I believe in science. I'm a research director as well, so I believe in data and science. I know masks work. I think he -- his policy on masks should be, wear a mask. And he even said, he goes I -- you know, wear a mask if you want to wear a mask, but maybe he should just say wear a mask without the ending part.

CAMEROTA: So that leads me to, did -- did what you hear -- anything you heard, any answer that he gave, change your mind or change your vote, Dr. Pena?

B. PENA: I'm a registered independent, so I, you know, I voted for Obama two elections ago. I voted for Trump last time. I -- you know, I make up my mind when I go into the voting booth, honestly. So I look at the -- I look at the people, not the party. And so far I am leaning towards Trump. You know, there's one more debate. There's -- things can change between now and November. So we'll see.

CAMEROTA: Things change every day as far as I can tell in this -- in this election cycle, or things happen I guess I should say every day.

[08:55:05]

But, I mean, I just want to drill down on that for one more second with you, Dr. Pena, because you're a doctor, because you're research- based and science-based, you know, are you comfortable with the fact that he rarely wears a mask and that he seems so all over the map in terms of being able to say just what you said, it would have been better to say, wear a mask, but he can't do that?

B. PENA: Right. I mean, you know, he's -- he's, you know, weighing personal liberties. I -- I get that. I get the fact that, you know, the states are the ones that have to mandate and it can't be coming from the federal government. Yes, I -- again, I would be more comfortable -- I think the spread could have been stopped earlier if everybody, one, were told to wear a mask state by state.

CAMEROTA: Isa, did you hear anything last night that changed your feelings?

I. PENA: I don't think they changed any feelings. They definitely just strengthened my pre-existing feelings. A lot of answers were very deflective. Trump was kind of blaming the Democrats, blaming Pelosi, blaming the radical left and all of that whenever he was faced with, you know, a question that he didn't want to answer. And I'm looking for someone, as president, who will reunify the American people because I'm seeing a lot of, you know, polarization, and I think -- I think that just further showed me, being at the town hall further just like showed me how much, you know, division he's creating.

CAMEROTA: Well, Dr. Pena, Isa, it looks like you two are unified, I mean, physically, and we appreciate that you guys went to the debate together, the town hall together, and that you're here with us.

Thank you very much. We really appreciate getting your thoughts.

B. PENA: Thank you.

I. PENA: Thank you.

B. PENA: Thank you so much.

I. PENA: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: CNN's coverage continues right after this.

[09:00:00]