PRODUCTION.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF
OUR "HERE AND NOW" 2020 ELECTION
COVERAGE.
>> WISCONSIN, ONE OF THE
NATION'S PANDEMIC AND POLITICAL
HOT SPOTS.
THIS WEEK, THE U.S. SUPREME
COURT DETERMINED THE FATE OF OUR
BALLOTS.
WISCONSIN'S HIGH COURT NOW SET
TO DETERMINE THE RATE OF THE
GOVERNOR'S MASK MANDATE.
ALL WHILE DONALD TRUMP AND JOE
BIDEN STORM THE BADGER STATE
WITH ONLY FOUR DAYS UNTIL THE
ELECTION.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
IT'S THE FINAL FRIDAY BEFORE
ELECTION DAY AND WISCONSIN IS
THE PLACE TO BE, WITH PRESIDENT
TRUMP RETURNING TO THE BADGER
STATE RALLYING VOTERS TODAY IN
GREEN BAY.
AND YOU'RE LOOKING LIVE AT
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
MAKING HIS CASE TONIGHT IN
MILWAUKEE.
>> COMING UP, CHARLES FRANKLIN
SHARES HIS FINAL POLL RESULTS OF
CAMPAIGN 2020.
ZAC SCHULTZ REPORTS ON HOW
DONALD TRUMP AND JOE BIDEN
WORKED THE WISCONSIN VOTE IN THE
MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC.
MARISA WOJCIK TRAVELS TO
MENOMINEE COUNTY AND EXPLORES
THE NATIVE VOTE.
AND WISCONSIN'S CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER, DR. RYAN WESTERGAARD IS
HERE.
HE'LL SAY WHY HE CALLS THE
CURRENT COVID SITUATION IN
WISCONSIN A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
OCTOBER 30.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
>> THE ULTIMATE POLL WILL BE
TAKEN ON TUESDAY.
UNTIL THEN, THE BEST SNAPSHOT OF
THE WISCONSIN VOTE IS THE
MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL.
POLL DIRECTOR CHARLES FRANKLIN
JOINS US NOW WITH THE RESULTS OF
HIS FINAL 2020 SURVEY.
CHARLES, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> SO WE WANTED TO LOOK FIRST AT
YOUR LIKELY VOTERS MATCH-UPS AND
WHAT YOU SHOW IS THAT IT'S 48% TO 43% TRUMP, 2% JORGENSEN
AND 7% NO ANSWER BASICALLY.
YOU SAY THAT IT'S TURNOUT.
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU MEAN.
>> FIRST OF ALL, WE TASKED
WHETHER IT MATTERED.
WE COULD HAVE A VERY HIGH
TURNOUT.
I'M EXPECTING US TO SET A RECORD
FOR TURNOUT AND THAT'S WHAT OUR
RESPONDENTS ARE TELLING US.
BUT WE CHECKED IT.
WHAT IF YOU HAD A SUPER HIGH
TURNOUT?
THEN THAT FIVE-POINT MARGIN GOS
TO FOUR.
IF WE HAD LOWER TURNOUT IT GOS
TO THREE-POINT MARGIN.
THAT'S JUST TWO POINTS BETWEEN
THE LOWEST AND HIGHEST TURNOUT.
I'M STICKING WITH THE FIVE THAT
CAPTURES OUR LIKELY VOTERS.
ALSO, OF THAT 7% THAT DIDN'T
TELL US WHO THEY'D VOTE FOR,
WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW THOSE PEOPLE
FEEL ABOUT BIDEN AND FEEL ABOUT
TRUMP, TURNS OUT THEY SPLIT
EQUALLY BETWEEN LIKING ONE AND
NOT THE OTHER AND VICE VERSA.
BIDEN GOES UP TO 50 AND TRUMP
GOES UP TO 45 IF WE ALLOCATE
THEM BUT STILL KEEPS THE SAME
FIVE-POINT MARGIN.
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING SINCE
YOU WERE IN THE FIELD THAT YOU
FEEL MOVES THE NEEDLE FOR EITHER
CANDIDATE AT THIS POINT?
>> ALL YEAR WE'VE BEEN LOOKING
AT MAJOR EVENTS THAT HAVEN'T
MOVED THE NEEDLE MUCH.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A STAGE
WHERE SOMETHING, A LAST-SECOND
SURPRISE COULD REALLY SHIFT
THINGS.
I THINK IT'S MORE A QUESTION OF
DO VOTERS THAT ARE WHO ARE THINKING OF
CROSSING PARTY LINES.
TURNOUT, WE'VE LOOKED FOR HIGH
AND LOW TURNOUT.
IS THERE AN UNEQUAL SURGE IN
TURNOUT ON ELECTION DAY THAT
WE'VE NOT CAPTURED.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT COULD
STILL SHIFT THE RESULTS.
>> NOW, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
EARLY VOTERS.
IN YOUR POLL, 64% OF THOSE EARLY
VOTERS GO TO BIDEN, 25% TO
TRUMP. ARE OBVIOUSLY
LOPSIDED, BUT NOT THE END OF THE
STORY BECAUSE, AGAIN, IN-PERSON
VOTING.
>> AND IN-PERSON VOTERS ARE
GOING 35 FOR BIDEN, 56 FOR
TRUMP.
A LITTLE BIT NARROWER.
THE OTHER THING IS THE EARLY
VOTE HAS GOTTEN A BIT TIGHTER
OVER TIME.
IN THE SUMMER, FAR MORE
DEMOCRATS EXPECTED TO VOTE
EARLY.
BUT AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE
FALL, MORE REPUBLICANS HAVE IN
FACT VOTED EARLY.
MORE DEMOCRATS HAVE SHIFTED TO
VOTING EITHER IN PERSON ON
ELECTION DAY OR MAYBE EARLY IN
PERSON.
AS A RESULT, THAT MARGIN HAS
NARROWED A LITTLE BIT FROM A
MONTH AGO WHEN IT WAS OVER 70%
GOING FOR BIDEN IN THE EARLY
VOTE.
>> I WANT TO JUMP TO TRUMP'S
HANDLING OF CORONAVIRUS.
58% DISAPPROVE OF THAT, 40%
APPROVE.
THIS HAS SLIPPED AS CASES HAVE
SURGED.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY ACUTE IN
WISCONSIN.
>> YES, IT IS.
THE CASES HAVE BEEN RISING FOR
TWO MONTHS.
THIS IS NOW TRUMP'S LOWEST NET
APPROVAL ON HIS HANDLING OF THE
VIRUS SINCE MARCH, WHEN HE WAS
NET POSITIVE AT 51% APPROVAL.
IT'S BEEN GOING DOWN EVER SINCE.
AND THIS IS NOW HIS WEAKEST AREA
OF APPROVAL, SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN
HIS HANDLING OF PROTESTS, WORSE
THAN HIS OVERALL AND A LOT WORSE
THAN HIS OVERALL -- THAN HIS
ECONOMIC APPROVAL.
>> YEAH.
AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT HE
STILL DOES WELL ON THAT ECONOMIC
APPROVAL, BUT WE NEED TO LEAVE
IT THERE.
CHARLES FRANKLIN, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AMID THE CRUSH OF ABSENTEE
BALLOTS IN WISCONSIN, THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK RULED
ELECTION CLERKS ACROSS THE STATE
MUST ONLY COUNT THOSE BALLOTS
THAT ARRIVE BY NOVEMBER 3,
ELECTION DAY.
DEMOCRATS WANTED TO EXTEND THE
TIME BALLOTS COULD BE COUNTED IF
THEY WERE POSTMARKED BY ELECTION
DAY, CITING THE SHEER NUMBER OF
BALLOTS AND SLOW MAIL DELIVERY.
THE WISCONSIN ELECTIONS
COMMISSION REPORTS OF THE NEARLY
1.9 MILLION ABSENTEE BALLOTS
REQUESTED, SOME 223,000 HAVE NOT
YET BEEN RETURNED.
THE ONLY SURE WAY TO RETURN THEM
NOW, FOUR DAYS BEFORE ELECTION
DAY, IS TO PUT THEM IN OFFICIAL
DROP BOXES OR YOU CAN
HAND-DELIVER THEM TO YOUR
MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICE.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR ABSENTEE
BALLOT TO YOUR REGULAR POLLING
PLACE ON ELECTION DAY, BUT THAT
METHOD IS NOT ALLOWED IN ALL
AREAS AROUND THE STATE.
GO TO THE WISCONSIN ELECTION'S
COMMISSION WEBSITE TO SEE IF
YOUR LOCALITY ALLOWS POLLING
PLACE DROP OFF.
VOTERS CANNOT VOTE IN PERSON IF
THEY HAVE ALREADY MAILED IN
THEIR COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOT.
THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION SAYS
WHEN IN DOUBT, FOLLOW THE
DIRECTIONS THAT CAME WITH YOUR
ABSENTEE BALLOT.
A RECENT REPORT SAID WISCONSIN
IS AT HIGH RISK FOR INCREASED
MILITIA ACTIVITY ON OR NEAR
ELECTION DAY.
AND GIVEN WISCONSIN'S CONNECTION
TO THE ALLEGED PLOT ON THE PART
OF AN EXTREMIST GROUP TO KIDNAP
THE MICHIGAN GOVERNOR, WE ASKED
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH KAUL
ABOUT PREPARATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT
WHETHER YOU KNOW OF THREATS ON
THE PART OF MILITIA GROUPS OR
ANY OTHERS TO DISRUPT POLLING ON
ELECTION DAY IN OUR STATE?
>> WE DON'T HAVE INFORMATION
ABOUT SPECIFIC THREATS, AND I
BELIEVE THAT WISCONSINITES CAN
BE VERY CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO BE SAFE WHEN THEY SHOW
UP AT THE POLLS TO VOTE.
ALL LAWFULLY-CAST BALLOTS WILL
BE COUNTED.
THE RESULTS WILL REFLECT THE
WILL OF THE VOTERS.
WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO PREPARE SO
IF AN ISSUE ARISES, THERE CAN BE
A SWIFT LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESPONSE.
>> HOW SERIOUSLY IS THIS BEING
TAKEN THOUGH AT ALL LEVELS?
>> I THINK THAT THE AMOUNT OF
ATTENTION THAT THIS IS GETTING
IS PROBABLY UNPRECEDENTED,
CERTAINLY IN RECENT MEMORY.
THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE
STATEMENTS INDICATING THAT HE'S
CONCERNED ABOUT VOTER FRAUD,
WHICH IN FACT IS EXTRAORDINARILY
RARE AND HE'S ENCOURAGED HIS
SUPPORTERS TO GO TO THE POLLS
AND LOOK AROUND.
WHILE WE HAVE FAIR AND
TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN
WISCONSIN AND PEOPLE CAN GO TO
THE POLLS AND BE OBSERVERS, IT'S
CRITICAL THEY ARE OBSERVING AND
NOT MAKING THEMSELVES
PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS AND
INTERFERING OR DISRUPTING
VOTING.
>> AND SO ELECTION WATCHERS AND
POLL OBSERVERS ARE ALLOWED AT
WISCONSIN POLLING PLACES, BUT
WHAT'S NOT ALLOWED ON THE PART
OF THOSE PEOPLE?
>> WELL, OUR ELECTION INSPECTORS
WHO WORK AT POLLING PLACES HAVE
A LOT OF AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN
ORDER IN THE VOTING PROCESS.
AND IF THERE IS DISRUPTION OR
INTERFERENCE WITH THE PROCESS,
THEY CAN REMOVE INDIVIDUALS FROM
POLLING PLACES AND THEY CAN EVEN
CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ASK
THEM TO REMOVE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS.
IN ADDITION, ANY EFFORT TO USE
FORCE OR TO THREATEN TO USE
FORCE TO PREVENT SOMEBODY FROM
VOTING OR TO PUT SOMETHING IN A
STATE OF DURESS TO PREVENT THEM
FROM VOTING, THAT'S VOTER
INTIMIDATION.
IT'S A FELONY IN WISCONSIN.
ANYBODY WHO ENGAGES IN THAT KIND
OF CONDUCT SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
BE INVESTIGATED AND SPEND TIME
BEHIND BARS.
IF ANYBODY WHO'S A VOTER HAS
CONCERNS THAT THEY ARE OBSERVING
VOTER INTIMIDATION OR THAT
THEY'RE SUBJECT TO IT
THEMSELVES, I ENCOURAGE THEM
FIRST TO CONTACT THE ELECTION
WORKERS WHO ARE AT THE POLLING
PLACE AND ALSO TO CONTACT LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH
ATTORNEY GENERAL KAUL CAN BE
SEEN ONLINE AT
pbswisconsin.org AND CLICK ON
THE NEWS TAB.
THE CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT HAS
AGREED TO FAST-TRACK A LAWSUIT
TRYING TO ELIMINATE GOVERNOR
TONY EVERS' MASK MANDATE.
IT'S THE LATEST CHALLENGE TO
LIMIT THE GOVERNOR'S ABILITY TO
MANAGE THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
IN WISCONSIN.
GREEFNGREEN BAY HAS BEEN HARD HIT WITH
COVID.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT
A DONALD TRUMP THIS AFTERNOON,
ONLY SOME WEARING MASKS.
JOE BIDEN SEEN HERE LIVE IN
MILWAUKEE SET UP A SOCIALLY
DISTANCED SPACE.
HE'S SPEAKING RIGHT NOW IN A
HANGER AT MITCHELL FIELD TO A
COUPLE DOZEN SUPPORTERS.
THAT OUTBREAK HAS BEEN BUILDING
ALL YEAR LONG AND "HERE AND NOW"
SEEFNOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC
SCHULTZ TELLS US HOW THE
COVID-19 HAS ALTERED THE STATE
OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN
WISCONSIN.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, DONALD J. TRUMP.
>> ON JANUARY 14 DONALD TRUMP
HELD A RALLY IN DOWNTOWN
MILWAUKEE.
BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
ASSUMED IT WOULD BE THE FIRST OF
MANY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
VISITS.
>> NUMBER ONE, WISCONSIN IS THE
BATTLEGROUND STATE THAT COULD
TIP THE ENTIRE PRESIDENTIAL RACE
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
>> SO I THINK EVERYBODY SORT OF
REALIZES THAT THE ROAD TO THE
WHITE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH
WISCONSIN.
>> ON THAT NIGHT, DONALD TRUMP
LAID OUT HIS CASE FOR
REELECTION, WITH A STATEMENT
THAT WOULD BE COMPLETELY
UP-ENDED OVER THE NEXT NINE
MONTHS.
>> AS WE BEGIN THE YEAR, OUR
ECONOMY IS BOOMING, WAGES ARE
RISING, POVERTY IS PLUMMETING,
CRIME IS FALLING AND AMERICA IS
THE ENVY OF THE ENTIRE WORLD.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE WERE LIKELY UNAWARE THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HELD A
BRIEFING THAT VERY DAY ON THE
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS THAT HAD BEEN
DISCOVERED IN CHINA, SAYING FROM
THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, IT IS
POSSIBLE THERE IS LIMITED
HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION.
THE FIRST CASE APPEARED IN
WISCONSIN THREE WEEKS LATER, ON
FEBRUARY 5.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC COMPLETELY
CHANGED THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN WISCONSIN.
AS CASES BEGAN TO RISE, GOVERNOR
TONY EVERS DECLARED A HEALTH
EMERGENCY.
>> AND THAT ALL STEPS ARE BEING
TAKEN TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS
VIRUS.
>> INSTEAD OF A HEATED
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY,
WE NEVER SAW A CANDIDATE IN
WISCONSIN.
AND JOE BIDEN'S WIN ON APRIL 7
WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HERE FOR FOUR
MORE YEARS FOR PRESIDENT DONALD
TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE?
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> BY THE MIDDLE OF JUNE,
WISCONSIN'S SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE
WAS AT 304 NEW CASES A DAY AND
MIKE PENCE CAME TO MILWAUKEE
PROMOTING TRUMP'S MESSAGE THAT
STATES SHOULD BE OPENING UP
THEIR ECONOMIES.
>> SOME 40 DATES JUST LIKE
WISCONSIN ARE OPENING UP AGAIN.
>> BUT THE RACE IN WISCONSIN WAS
ABOUT TO RECEIVE ITS SECOND
MAJOR COVID SHOCK AS JOE BIDEN'S
TEAM ANNOUNCED THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL CONVENTION WOULD BE
GOING VIRTUAL AND ALL THE PLANS
ABOUT USING THE CONVENTION TO
ENERGIZE WISCONSIN'S DEMOCRATS
WERE LOST.
>> I ACCEPT THIS NOMINATION FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
>> WHILE JOE BIDEN ACCEPTED THE
NOMINATION FROM DELAWARE, DONALD
TRUMP TRIED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
HIS ABSENCE, HOLDING A RALLY IN
OSHKOSH.
>> THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
ELECTION WE'VE EVER HAD, IN MY
OPINION.
>> WHILE WISCONSIN HIT AN
AVERAGE OF 720 NEW CASES PER
DAY, HE STARTED MAKING PROMISES
ABOUT A VACCINE.
>> THREE VACCINES ARE IN THE
FINAL STAGES OF CLINICAL TRIALS
AND WE'RE MASS PRODUCING DOSES
ALREADY BECAUSE WE THINK IT
WORKS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT
OUT VERY QUICKLY.
WE WILL DEFEAT THE CHINA VIRUS.
>> BY SEPTEMBER IT LOOKED LIKE
TRUMP'S HANDLING OF COVID-19
MIGHT BE REPLACED AS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE RACE.
THE SHOOTING OF JACOB BLAKE BY
POLICE IN KENOSHA AND PROTESTS
AND VIOLENCE COINCIDED WITH A
LULL IN WISCONSIN'S CASELOAD.
BUT WHEN DONALD TRUMP AND JOE
BIDEN VISITED KENOSHA, THEIR
APPROACH TO THE VIRUS WAS
APPARENT.
>> YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE THE
MASKS OFF.
OR YOU CAN LEAVE THEM O. EITHER
WAY.
>> THE WORDS OF A PRESIDENT
MATTER.
NO MATTER THE GOOD, BAD OR
INDIFFERENT, THEY MATTER.
>> SEPTEMBER ALMOST FELT LIKE A
NORMAL PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, WITH
BOTH CANDIDATES TRAVELING THE
STATE.
BUT COVID-19 CASES WERE RISING
FAST, WITH MORE THAN 2,000 NEW
CASES CONFIRMED ON THE 17TH,
WHEN DONALD TRUMP FLEW INTO
CENTRAL WISCONSIN AIRPORT.
>> WE'RE DAG A DOING A GREAT JOB
RELATIVE TO OTHER COUNTRIES ON
THE CORONAVIRUS.
>> A WEEK LATER JOE BIDEN WAS IN
MANITOWOC HAS THE NATION REACHED
200,000 DEAD FROM THE
CORONAVIRUS.
>> WHAT WORRIES ME NOW IS WE'VE
BEEN LIVING WITH THIS PANDEMIC
FOR SO LONG I WORRY WE'RE
RISKING BECOMING NUMB TO THE
TOLL IT HAS TAKEN ON US.
>> THEN CAME THE THIRD BIG COVID
SHOCK, AS WISCONSIN'S AVERAGE
CASELOAD HIT 2400 A DAY, DONALD
TRUMP TESTED POSITIVE FOR
COVID-19.
>> I'M GOING TO WALTER REED
HOSPITAL.
>> JOE BIDEN'S CAMPAIGN IN
WISCONSIN WENT VIRTUAL.
BUT TWO WEEKS LATER AS
WISCONSIN'S AVERAGE CASELOAD HIT
27 # ON## 00 A DAY, MIKE PENCE WAS
BACK.
>> WE WILL ERADICATE THE CHINA
VIRUS.
>> FOUR DAYS LATER, DONALD TRUMP
TOLD AN AUDIENCE IN JANESVILLE
HE WAS NOW IMMUNE AND DESPITE
ALL EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, HE
IMPLIED THE CORONAVIRUS WAS
UNDER CONTROL.
>> WE'RE ROUNDING THE CORNER.
YOU'LL SEE IT.
WE'RE ROUNDING THE CORNER.
AND WE HAVE UNBELIEVABLE.
THE VACCINES ARE UNBELIEVABLE.
>> A VACCINE WON'T BE AVAILABLE
UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT TRUMP
PROMISED IT WILL BE HERE SOON
EXPWHRVMENT.
>> VACCINES ARE COMING OUT REAL
SOON.
EXCUSE ME.
I'M HERE.
>> TRUMP CONTINUED TO BLITZ THE
STATE IN THE FINAL WEEK EVEN AS
CASES SOARED ABOVE 5,000 A DAY,
PROVING THAT DESPITE THE
PANDEMIC THE PRESIDENTIAL
POLITICS REMAIN THE SAME.
>> WE WISCONSIN, WE WIN THE
WHOLE BALL GAME.
>> REPORTING FROM MADISON, I'M
ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE AND NOW."
>> THE CDC'S DR. ANTHONY FAUCI
IS NOW TALKING ABOUT A NATIONAL
MASK MANDATE.
AND WISCONSIN IS AMONG THE
NATION'S HOT SPOTS.
TODAY AGAIN POSTING MORE THAN
5,000 POSITIVE CASES.
FOR THE LATEST ON OUR SITUATION
WE TURN TO CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
FOR WISCONSIN, DR. RYAN
WESTERGAARD.
THAIFNTION VERY MUCHTHANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
WISCONSIN EXCEEDED 5,000 CASES
TWICE THIS WEEK, INCLUDING
TODAY.
YOU SAID THIS WEEK THAT WE WERE
IN A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN
MOST FEARFUL OF AND MOST
CONCERNED ABOUT FOR THE PAST SIX
MONTHS OR SO IS THAT WHEN THE
RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON COMES,
WHICH GENERALLY STARTS IN
OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, THAT THIS
COULD REALLY TAKE OFF.
AND THOSE WERE THE REASONS THAT
WE WERE REALLY AGGRESSIVELY
TRYING TO DO WHAT WE COULD TO
STOP TRANSMISSION, TO TAKE THE
EPIDEMIC AS SMALL, AS MILD AS IT
COULD BE OVER THE SUMMER.
WE FAILED TO DO THAT AND WE'RE
NOW SEEING WITH THE CHANGE IN
THE WEATHER AND MORE PEOPLE
COMING INSIDE THAT THE EPIDEMIC
IS ACTUALLY ACCELERATING AND
DOING SO FASTER AND EARLIER THAN
WE HAD FEARED.
THAT'S TRANSLATING TO LARGER
NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND
CASES EVERY DAY LIKE YOU
MENTIONED AND A LARGER NUMBER OF
DEATHS THAN WE HOPED TO SEE AT
THIS POINT.
>> YOU ALSO SAY THAT YOU ARE
SURPRISED TOO THAT WE HAVE
FAILED TO SLOW THE SPREAD.
10% OF THE POPULATION IN
WISCONSIN HAS BEEN INFECTED SO
FAR.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE CONTINUE TO
FAIL TO SLOW THE SPREAD?
>> WELL, THE VERY CONCERNING
THING ABOUT THIS NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS IS THAT IT'S NOVEL,
THAT THE HUMAN POPULATION
DOESN'T HAVE IMMUNITY TO IT IN
THE SAME WAY THAT FOR SEASONAL
INFLUENZA WE DO.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN SMALL
OUTBREAKS IN CLOSE SETTINGS IS
70%, 8 # 0%, 90% CAN BECOME
INFECTED.
THAT COULD HAPPEN ON A
POPULATION LEVEL.
THAT WOULD TRANSLATE TO REALLY
HIGH NUMBERS OF DEATHS.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO NOT LET
THAT HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO INFECTIONS AND TRY TO GET
IT TO A MANAGEABLE LEVEL SO WE
CAN MINIMIZE THE DEATHS.
>> BECAUSE YOURSELF AND OTHER
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
THERE IS STILL TIME TO REVERSE
THIS TRAJECTORY, BUT HOW DO WE
DO THAT?
>> WELL, WE KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE AND IT FEELS LIKE.
AND IT'S NOT EASY.
WE HAVE TO THINK BACK TO MARCH,
WHERE WE IN WISCONSIN AND MUCH
OF THE WORLD WAS REALLY SHUT
DOWN.
THE STREETS WERE LARGELY EMPTY.
PEOPLE WERE DRAMATICALLY
RESTRICTING THEIR ACTIVITY AND
THEIR MOVEMENTS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, AS
EVERYBODY KNOWS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S THE
PLAYBOOK THAT WE HAVE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT COUNTRIES THAT
HAVE FLATTENED THE CURVE, THAT
HAVE LARGELY ELIMINATED
TRANSMISSION OF THIS VIRUS,
THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET BACK TO
THAT PLACE WHERE WE ARE VERY
AGGRESSIVELY LIMITING OUR
INTERACTION WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
>> MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT DONALD
TRUMP HAS BEEN HOLDING MEGA
RALLIES IN WISCONSIN, ANOTHER
DAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE ATTENDING
THEY'RE CLOSE TOGETHER MOST OF
THEM NOT WEARING MASKS.
DO THESE RALLIES CONTRIBUTE TO
THE SPREAD IN THESE STATES?
>> IT'S LIKELY THAT THEY DO.
THOSE CONDITIONS THAT YOU
DESCRIBED, CLOSE TOGETHER, NOT
WEARING MASKS, TALKING LOUDLY,
THAT'S THE RECIPE FOR SPREADING
THIS VIRUS.
WE DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN.
WE HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO
MEASURE WITH A GREAT DEAL OF
PRECISION WHERE AND HOW BIG
THESE CLUSTERS ARE BECAUSE THE
CASES HAVE GOTTEN SO LARGE.
SO OUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
WORKFORCE THAT TRIES TO TRACK
OUTBREAKS AND CLUSTERS, THEY
CAN'T KEEP UP.
SO WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
THE VIRUS IS EVERYWHERE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION WE
NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHO IS AT
RISK AND WHEN.
AND THAT MAKES THESE TYPES OF
GATHERINGS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.
>> DOES THE MESSAGE REMAIN WEAR
MASKS, WASH HANDS, DISTANCE AND
NOW STAY HOME?
>> YES.
THOSE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE
HAVE.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU MENTIONED,
THE DISTANCING AND THE STAYING
HOME, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE IN
MORE AGGRESSIVE TERMS THAN WE
HAVE IN THE PAST IF WE'RE GOING
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANKS VERY MUCH, DR. RYAN
WESTERGAARD.
>> NEXT, WE HEAD TO A PLACE IN
WISCONSIN SEEING THE HIGHEST
NUMBER OF COVID CASES AS VOTERS
HEAD INTO ELECTION DAY.
THE 2020 ELECTIONS ARE TURNING
OUT ALL KINDS OF NEW VOTERS.
BUT WISCONSIN'S NATIVE VOTE IS
SEEING A TIDAL WAVE OF
ENTHUSIASM LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
MARISA WOJCIK BRINGS US THIS
REPORT FROM INDIGENOUS VOICES
ACROSS THE STATE AND WORK BEING
DONE ON THE GROUND IN MENOMINEE
COUNTY.
>> I BELIEVE 'CAUSE THE STAKES
ARE HIGHER.
I BELIEVE THIS, YOU KNOW.
I SHOULDN'T SAY I.
WE BELIEVE THE STAKES ARE
HIGHER.
>> THROUGHOUT 2020, AN ENERGY
HAS BEEN BUILDING TO TURN OUT
WISCONSIN'S NATIVE VOTE.
>> WE'VE CREATED A STATEMENT,
WE'VE CREATED AN IDEA AND A
BELIEF THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH
OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THIS
YEAR.
>> REGIONAL ORGANIZERS ACROSS
THE STATE HAVE BEEN WORKING
OVERTIME TO GET THEIR MESSAGE
OUT, LIKE JOHN TELLER OF THE
WISCONSIN MENOMINEE INDIAN TRIBE
OF WISCONSIN.
>> IN 2016 MENOMINEE COUNTY
RANKED LAST IN THE STATE IN
VOTER TURNOUT, WITH ABOUT 48%.
IF WE CAN GET OVER 50%, MY GOAL
IS 60%, 70%, 80%.
>> HE DISTRIBUTED HUNDREDS OF
CARE PACKAGES WITH VOTING
INFORMATION, HAND SANITIZER AND
MASKS.
ORGANIZERS HAVE HAD TO GET
CREATIVE WITH THEIR ENGAGEMENT
EFFORTS.
>> WHETHER IT'S BILLBOARD
CAMPAIGNS, CAR PARADES
THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES,
THERE'S A REAL EXCITEMENT AND A
REAL SORT OF INNOVATIVE
ATMOSPHERE.
WE'LL TRY ANYTHING TO GET THE
WORLD OUT.
>> POLITICAL ACTIVES LIKE PAUL
WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
POLITICS FOR DECADES SAYS
THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT
ABOUT THIS ELECTION SEASON.
AND TURNING OAT OUT NEW VOTERS COULD
BE ENOUGH TO SWING THE ELECTION.
>> THE 2020 ELECTION CYCLE HAS
BEEN A CYCLE WHERE I HAVE NEVER
SEEN AS MUCH ENERGY ON BOTH THE
LOCAL, THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL
LEVEL TO TURN OUT THE INDIGENOUS
VOLT.
>> IN HIS EXPERIENCE, VOTERS IN
THE GREAT LAKES AREA TEND TO BE
MORE ASSOCIATED WITH THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF
REPUBLICAN, IN THE AND
THIRD-PARTY VOTERS.
>> I DON'T CARE IF YOU VOTE FOR
THE PERSON I VOTE FOR.
I CARE THAT YOU EXERCISE YOUR
VOTE TO SHOW THIS COMMUNITY
CARES, IS INVOLVED, IS GOING TO
MAKE ITS VOICE KNOWN.
>> I THINK THE MORE WE HAVE
BECOME MORE VISIBLE.
>> THE STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR
THE WISCONSIN NATIVE VOTE.
>> WE'RE SEEING THAT MORE AND
MORE LEGISLATORS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
RUNNING FOR OFFICE OR PEOPLE WHO
ARE INCUMBENTS ARE REACHING OUT
TO TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
>> THE INTERESTS OF NATIVE
VOICES ARE AS DIVERSE AS ANY
OTHER COMMUNITY, BUT THERE ARE
SOME THINGS THAT UNIFY THIS
VOTING BLOC.
>> WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS
NATIVE PEOPLE TO THE LAND AND
AIR AND WATER AND TO BE
PROTECTORS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE ALSO
HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN OUR
LANGUAGE PRESERVATION, IN
�MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL SYSTEMS
THAT ARE TRADITIONAL FOR US, OUR
CULTURAL PRACTICES, OUR UNIQUE
HISTORIES THAT ARE VERY
DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER.
SO THAT PLEDGE TO REMEMBER OUR
OBLIGATIONS, TO SORT OF PAY
HOMAGE TO OUR ELDERS AND TO THE
VETERANS AND TO ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAVE A VERY HEART-FELT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEVENTH
GENERATION.
>> YOU'RE NOT JUST THINKING
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
PRESENT DAY.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THAT SEVENTH
GENERATION THAT ISN'T EVEN HERE
YET.
IF THEY TRULY ARE THINKING OF
NATIVE PEOPLE, THEY KNOW.
THEY KNOW THAT STORY AND THEY
KNOW THAT SEVENTH PERSON THAT
MAY BE COMING AND HOW IMPORTANT
THAT IS.
INDIGENOUS WOMEN, WATER RIGHTS,
SOVEREIGNTY.
THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE
RESPECTED WHEN YOU CAST THAT
VOTE.
YOU MAKE SURE THAT THAT PERSON
HAS THOSE SAME THOUGHTS OR AT
LEAST WILLING TO LISTEN, WILLING
TO HAVE THAT OPENNESS TO LISTEN
TO THE NATIVE VOICE.
>> A RECENT AND RAPID SURGE IN
COVID-19 CASES HAS CHALLENGED
ORGANIZERS TRYING TO SAFELY
REACH VOTERS.
MENOMINEE COUNTY HAS THE STATE'S
HIGHEST CASE RIGHT AND IS
PRIMARILY MADE OF TRIBAL
MEMBERS.
VOTING IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY
CAN BE DONE SAFELY.
>> THE INCIDENT COMMAND LOOKED
AT THE SAFETY PLANS FOR THE
VOTING AND WE FEEL LIKE IT CAN
BE DONE IN A SAFE, SAFE MANNER,
WITH THE USUAL THINGS IN PLACE,
WITH MASKING AND DISTANCING.
>> DESPITE THE CORONAVIRUS THIS
YEAR, IT'S BEEN A VERY
CHALLENGING YEAR I THINK FOR
EVERYONE.
DESPITE THOSE OBSTACLES, I GET
THE SENSE THAT THIS YEAR IS
GOING TO BE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC.
>> I MEAN, IF THERE'S NO OTHER
TIME IN HISTORY, THIS IS THE
TIME.
YOU NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND
VOTE.
YOU NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND
LET THEM KNOW WE ARE STILL HERE.
WE ARE STILL IMPORTANT.
AND WE WILL NOT GO AWAY.
>> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
MARISA WOJCIK IN MENOMINEE.
>> FOR CONTINUED COVERAGE ON THE
COVID CRIES IN WISCONSIN, GO TO
pbswisconsin.org AND CLICK ON
THE NEWS TAB.
CLICK ON wisconsinvote.org FOR
- INFORMATION ON VOTING,
CANDIDATES AND ELECTION RETURNS.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> FOR MORE "HERE AND NOW" 2020
ELECTION COVERAGE, GO TO
pbswisconsin.org AND CLICK ON
NEWS.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS