Transcripts For MSNBCW The 11th Hour With Brian Williams 20200522

Souls onboard every day for 613 days. And among the many ways life has changed for all of us over these past nine weeks, theres continuing controversy now over what Many Americans are now wearing to try to keep this virus at bay. Tonight the photo the president did not want the world to see has surfaced. Trump was photographed apparently unknowingly during his behindthescenes tour at ford motor today in michigan. The white house, of course, recommended face coverings for the rest of us over two months ago now. Thats when the president told us he couldnt see himself wearing one while greeting, quote, president s, prime ministers, dictators, kings and queens at the resolute desk in the oval office. And heres the president s explanation when asked why he went without the mask for the entirety of his tour at the ford plant, defying both Company Policy and michigan law. I did wear i had one on before. I wore one in this back area, but i didnt want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it. But, no, i had it in the back area. I did put a mask on. I did. I had goggles and a mask right back there. And heres another one. Here. Why would you not shall wearing it because in this area not necessary here. Everybodys been tested and ive been tested. In fact, i was tested this morning. [ inaudible ]. Thats their choice. I was given a choice. What about the example it sets for other americans . I think it sets an example both ways. Once trump left, ford motor issued this statement, and we goat. Executive chairman bill ford encouraged President Trump to wear a mask when he arrived. He wore a mask during a private viewing of three ford gts from over the years. The president later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit. Michigan, by the way, has well north of 53,000 coronavirus cases. That number still rising. Not long ago, Rachel Maddow asked michigans governor about trumps casual approach to wearing a mask. Its really important that anyone with a platform has a responsibility to make sure that they model precisely what were asking everyone else to do. This is about Public Health, not one persons or another. This is about all of us, and anyone in a position of power and responsibility i hope emulates and does precisely what theyre asking everyone else to do. While it is true of whatever he does or says or anywhere he goes, there were plenty of political undertones to trumps michigan trip today. Before visiting the ford plant, the president held a roundtable with local africanamerican leaders, covered quite a few topics. People from detroit and friends from the area have said its incredible, the job that weve done. Weve made a lot of governors look very good. I just got off the phone with cdc, and i talked about churches. I said i want the churches to open, and the people want the churches to open. And i think youll have something come down very soon from cdc. We want to get our churches back. You have a lot of unfortunately in this case democrat governors. I think they think its good politics to keep it closed, but what are they doing . Theyre hurting themselves. I think they look at it as a possible november question. Its not a november question. It happens to be very bad for them. The speech trump later gave at the ford plant, complete with attacks on Hillary Clinton and joe biden, sounded to a lot of folks like a Campaign Speech. And while in michigan, a key swing state, lets not forget, he continued his unfounded attacks on voting by mail. What we want is we want good, straight, honest voting, okay . Honest voting. And by the way, if that could be honest, which obviously it cant be. You get a ballot, youre sitting in your bedroom signing it, who knows whos signing it . Who knows that it ever gets to your house . Who knows that they dont pirate . You know, they pirate these applications. They print new voting forms, and then they send them around. People sign them, or one person signs them with different pens and a different signature every time. Its its obviously theres going to be fraud. Were not babies. Theres tremendous fraud. Tonight politico reports one of trumps Election Fraud conspiracy theories as collapsed. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced it found no widespread voter fraud in the 2018 races for senate and governor there. Trump had complained loudly about fraud and theft and democraticrich broward and palm beach counties. None was found. The economic fallout from this pandemic virus continues to be devastating as more americans continue to lose their jobs. Finding work is nearly impossible for so many. 2. 4 million more workers filed for unemployment last week. That means more than 38 million americans have lost their jobs that we know of over the past nine weeks. Theres deepening concern about whether there will be another relief package and what it will contain. Well, today trump said theres much more the government can do to help. The countrys going to be in a very good place, very good place. Theres a lot of ammunition left in the country in terms of the fed and the treasury and all the people that are working on it. We have a lot of ammunition left, unlimited ammunition if we need it. But we wont need it. Earlier on this network, however, congresswoman debbie dingell, the democrat who represents the area in michigan that the president visited today, spoke eloquently about the new reality for so Many Americans. I still have friends dying. I have a memorial, dropby memorial when im through with this interview, and i have a funeral tomorrow. My friends are still dying, and people are scared. Theyre worried about they dont want to get covid. Its still real. Its still out there. But then theyre also worried about their job. Theyre worried about how theyre going to put food on the table. Can they pay their rent and mortgage . How are they going to take care of their kids . This is a real fear that working men and women across the country are feeling. One more thing from the president. As he left the white house for Andrews Air Force base and ultimately for michigan this morning, he offered an update on his own efforts to avoid catching covid19. See if you can follow this. He is talking about testing and his own test results. How long do you expect to take hydroxychloroquine . I think its another day. I had a twoweek regimen of hydroxychloroquine, and ive taken it, i think, just about two weeks. I think its another day. And im still here. Im still here. And i tested very positively in the another sense. Negative . Yeah. I tested positively toward negative, right . No, i tested perfectly this morning, meaning i tested negative. But thats a way of saying it, positively toward the negative. Hope that was clear. Here for our leadoff discussion on a thursday night, jonathan lemire, White House Reporter for the associated press. Annie karni, White House Correspondent for the new york times. And john heilemann, National Affairs analyst for us, cohost of the circus on showtime. Its not on near enough. And editor in chief of the recount. Good evening and welcome to all of you. Annie karni, id like to begin with you. A prominent doctor from g. W. Hospital was on television tonight saying straightup the president is costing lives with this mask business because his followers follow him. This photo that we aired, as our parents would say, is only a big deal because he made it a big deal. Do you think this photo represents the kind of thing that will have an effect on his behavior going forward, or does he double down . This is the image that he has been eager for us not to see. Its not what he wants to project. To him, its scary, and its about alarmists, about the disease about the virus. It just connotes it doesnt connote strength. This is not the image he wants to project. Its not the image he wants to campaign on. Its why he didnt wear it in public today. I think that he will continue to not wear a mask in public. He has made it very clear that he doesnt think its necessary. As ive said before on this program, people who have been Wearing Masks in the west wing have been dismissed as alarmist and pence and the president have made it clear that they dont want to do it. The statement from ford, i thought, was really interesting. I think they were learning from the experience the mayo clinic had when there was blowback on the mayo clinic for allowing Vice President mike pence to tour there disregarding their own guidelines and not wearing a mask. Ford kind of got ahead of that, putting out a statement saying, we told the president to wear a mask, and he did what he did. Jonathan lemire, the threats against the state of michigan preceded his visit. Perhaps thinking better of it, perhaps realizing it was a bad optic, perhaps realizing 10 michiganders are on the run and in shelters because of high water, and then this to put a period at the end of the trip, or in other words, was it just 24 hours in the life of this white house . Well, certainly it was a trip that was designed to highlight the production of ventilators, these lifesaving medical devices. This ford plant had switched over to build them. It should have been billed as an american success story. But as so often with this president , it was overshadowed by politics of his own creation. The day before as noted he threatened to withhold federal funding over the states efforts to widen the ability to vote, to mailin vote during this pandemic. The president again over and over suggested without evidence, said that it would lead to widespread voter fraud. He did back off that. He backed off the threat of funding. But the attacks remained. He took some broadsides against democratic governors today while delivering what was more or less a Campaign Speech at that ford plant, one of them of course being governor whitmer, the popular governor there in michigan. Michigan, as you note, is a key battleground state, the one that he won by only 11,000 or so votes last time around. And it should be said his Campaign Advisers are very pessimistic about michigan, particularly even among the trio of wisconsin, pennsylvania, michigan. Michigan, theyve always felt, would be the hardest to keep in his column and particularly of late. Hes down there in there internal polling quite big, and theyre all but ready to write it off. And of course the mask thing did dominate the day. The president that image did come out. Certainly theres a lot of anger in the white house that it did, but he chose to refuse to wear it, at least in the public setting, despite the michigans attorney general noting that it was against the law in michigan and that if the president were to follow through, if he werent to wear a mask in the public space in that facility like he was supposed to, she would consider banning him from returning to the state for any indoor building, indoor space. Well see, of course, if she follows through on that, but its certainly not going to reduce the tensions between the white house and lansing. John heilemann, your choice of describing what happened in michigan last time around. You could say it wasnt easy to lose it, but Hillary Clinton managed to. You could say it wintasnt easy win it, but donald trump managed to. But i think youll agree you can say its probably a bad look during a Flood Disaster and a pandemic to threaten federal funds from michigan. Yeah. Brian, youre working the understatement thing tonight, huh . Yeah, not a good look. Not the optimum look. You know, the president lemire just said something which i think may be just overstates the case a little bit in the sense i dont think the president s team is yet ready to throw in the towel on michigan, not because they dont understand the kind of trouble the president s in there, but because their number to pass the 270 electoral votes are very few and very slender. If you take michigan out of that calculation, it becomes very hard, not impossible, but very hard for President Trump to get to 270. So they are in a bad in a world of hurt there. The president s not great at science. Hes not really great at math, but he knows enough, i think, at this point to recognize that its a bad look, as you just put it, but also just air ith metically stupid to get into a persistent tangle with a governor whos got an Approval Rating close to 70 in the state, governor whitmer, when you are right now sitting in the low 40s, high 30s in the state and getting beaten consistently in battleground state polling in that state, again a state you kind of have to win. So i think that the reality that the president got his arms a little bit around the reality here and tried to take his foot off the accelerator and keep himself from driving completely off the cliff. But it is the case right now that joe biden is a good candidate for michigan, and the president s on the air right now with some advertising in a bunch of markets that he should already have sewn up if hes going to win in michigan. So its a dire picture there, and they are backpedaling furiously to try to figure out a way to undo some of the damage thats been done over these past few months. Hey, annie karni, i know youve been doing some reporting. Whats the Gop Convention going to look like, do we think . Its a big tbd. The public line on it is its full steam ahead. They sent out the invites to donors on monday saying its august 24th through 27th in charlotte as planned. But behind the scenes, theres growing realizations that there need to be contingency plans despite contracts being signed, that there needs to be something scaled back. Unlike the Democratic Convention where theyre considering a virtual convention, its been said publicly that the rules of the rnc dont allow her to hold a full virtual convention. So there has to be some inperson element, but there are some talks behind the scenes about maybe a scaled back version of that. One thing surprising in that report you just showed is that President Trump himself has mused why cant we just hold this thing in a ballroom in florida where the state is closer to opening up . Why cant we just move it there . Its unlikely to move from charlotte unless the mayor and the governor agree, but its kind of counter to what youd think trump would want, a huge show. Hes kind of said, lets just do it in a state that i need and like. Imagine that. Hey, jonathan lemire, weve got were bumping right up against 40 million unemployed, again that we know of, people who have filed as a result of losing their job. I saw the banner behind the president today in michigan. This is going to make a transition to greatness more difficult, is it not . Brian, my own personal transition to greatness is certainly a work in progress, and what were seeing here from the president s team is the same. This is its an odd catch phrase and they have a lot of work to do. Theyre focusing, as weve noted before, on the economy. The american death toll is going to eclipse 100,000 next week. Theyve shifted away from the Public Health aspect of this crisis and focused instead on the economy. Theyve seen the numbers. Another terrible jobs number today. They know that they are they need the economy to bounce back. And the president in a way is trying to take a new tack here by reverting to an old tack, once again portraying himself as the outsider, which is what he so effectively did in 2016, tapping into that antigovernment populist energy that he was able to carry four years ago and defeat Hillary Clinton. Thats sort of an inherently hard case to make when you are of course the incumbent president. But they feel like they can do it, and were seeing him rebel against frankly federal health guidelines, including taking an antimalarial drug that was not recommended by his own white house medical team. You are seeing him, of course, fight with these governors. You are seeing him shift blame elsewhere. Youre seeing him support and he did again today the protests from americans who are agitating for the economy to reopen quickly. He sees a link between his voters and those who want to go back to work. Well see if its effective. The biden camp, for its part, says, look, you own this. You cant play the outsider here. And, in fact, if you want to, you can because right now, what this moment, this crisis calls for is management, experience, government experience. Joe biden, for once, sort of embracing the insider title. Hey, john heilemann, i know youre not a doctor or a scientist that i know of, but this is more of a consumer question because i noticed today the cdc kind of quietly and casually changed the guidelines for how the virus is transmitted on surfaces. Theyre now saying, quote, coronavirus does not spread easily by touching surfaces or objects, but it still may be possible. John, weve become a clorox wipe nation because of cdc recommendations, and now look at whats happening. People are wondering if this new cdc recommendation is on the up and up. Is there a gloved thumb on the scale, and doesnt that sum up what were living in right now where the cdc, by some, has been cast a little bit as the enemy of a robust economy . Yeah. Brian, i think, you know, youre right. Not only am i not a scientist, but im not also someone who covers the cdc. So ill say this, that my journalistic spidey sense with respect to this story and with respect to another story that broke today related to some questions about whether some of the statistics that weve heard about testing might be a little bit hinky. Theres a lot of smoke, i think, over at cdc right now that people who do cover that agency, i think, are im sure burrowing in in a hard way right now to try to find out about what kinds of political pressure the cdc is coming up against. To your earlier point, it all fits into a comfortable matrix for donald trump. This matrix that you refers to and lemire alluded to, which is that hes very comfortable in a police where he can say you pointy headed liberals, i uptight democrats, youre trying to old the country back. Screw you. Were going to do what we need to do and open it up. Although we should be on the side of science, there is some but the president often finds this weird political power in the simplicity. Im for opening up, and youre for im for opening up but, and its in that but that the right thinking caution that all of us and many people in the democratic column exercise. Trump sees that as weakness and is going to pound and pound on it and the cdc is going to become that because theyre the pointy headed liberals on the side of caution. Theres a dynamic here that trump is very comfortable with and that hes won with in the past, and you can sort of see where this is going. And i think democrats got to be careful with it. We greatly appreciate our big three starting us off on a thursday night. To jonathan lemire, annie karni, our thanks. To john heilemann, got to say, strong candle game tonight. Strong decorative pineapple and the rare wutang orchid makes an appearance. Thank you, all of you, for all of it. Just for you, brian. Just for you. Scared most about a big drop in covid cases over the summer because of what fall may bring. And later, an update on quarantine companion adoptions from the founder of instagrams favorite dog site, who just happens to have a new companion himself. The 11th hour as our nation prepares for a solemn Holiday Weekend just getting under way on this thursday night. Prepares for a solemn Holiday Weekend just getting under way on this thursday night. Weekend just getting under way on this thursday night used for hiv in certain adults. 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Were going to put out the fires. There could be whether its an ember or a flame, were going to put it out, but were not closing our country. A second wave is standard, the president says. Coronavirus hot spots are emerging all around the country as all 50 states have at least partially reopened. This week weve seen a rise in cases in 23 of our 50 states. The Washington Post reports that experts are warning of a second wave, especially in the american south. Dr. Fauci told the post he has, quote, no doubt there will be new waves of cases, saying, quote, at any given time, its some place or another. As long as thats the case, theres a risk of resurgence. Back again with us tonight, were so happy to have dr. Michael osterholm. Hes a professor and the director of the center for Infectious Disease research and policy at the university of minnesota. Also happens to be coauthor of the book deadliest enemy. Dr doctor, id like to begin with you with the subject that got me all hopped up with mr. Heilemann. When the cdc suddenly in the middle of a pandemic says that it does not spread easily by touching surfaces, though that may be possible, were in a position tonight where American Families who have been super cautious, using wipes, using gloves, are probably now going to exhibit more common sense than the cdc in changing these standards on the fly during a pandemic. Your reaction. Well, first of all, let me just be really clear. I was born and raised in rural iowa, and ive never been afraid to break a few eggs to make a truth omelet, and all i can tell you is the cdc is at the timing the truth. The science has caught up with us now, and its very clear that the air the air that we breathe is the primary way in which were being infected. So i applaud the cdc for this. Theyre not trying to coat over something, and its important that people understand its what youre breathing. Its not what youre touching that is making the difference. So i think theyre 100 right, and i think the cdc is frankly doing a great job. You asked john just now about are they in fact clouded. I wish people could see what the cdc are doing right now. They have hundreds of people in the field helping the state Health Departments in ways that are absolutely immeasurable. They are putting out good information. They are not on the stage in washington, d. C. , i agree, and thats a shame. But as somebody totally independent of the cdc, i can tell you were very, very fortunate to have those professionals doing what theyre doing right now, and theyre doing a hell of a job. Well, in this case im so happy to stand corrected. Let me double down on it for all the families watching who just today used clorox wipes on whatever groceries that entered their house, have wiped down surfaces. Are you saying and this is the tougher part that some of that has become unnecessarily rigorous . Well, let me just say handwashing is important, and i would continue to emphasize that. As somebody that deals with a lot of Infectious Diseases, i can tell you it is next to sacredness. So keep washing your hands. But weve created this fear among surfaces and environments, and if you look at the media and you watch all these people in white suits hosing down streets with disinfectants, people wiping things off, those have been totally needless. They do not protect us against this virus. As we get further into this battle, weve got to know the facts about what does protect us. So when youre in a crowd with people and youre sharing their air, thats a problem. But if youre getting a package delivered to your door or youre somehow coming to a doorknob, thats not the way youre getting this. And the cdc has appropriately updated the scientific information to reflect that. Weve been saying that, as you may know, on this show for the better part of several months, that we put far too much emphasis on this part of the problem and not enough on what really is the problem. Its the air we breathe. Now, let me talk to you about a summer dip in cases, which youve actually been fearing. Andy slavitt, who worked in the obama administration, a former guest on this show, has just written, were not having the summer lull in the u. S. Were not exploding, but the death rate isnt materially dropping. This is not what between waves is supposed to be like. Do you concur . Actually, i dont. We are still in the first wave. What weve been seeing are what i would call minor bumps, ups and downs in this first wave. They often, as a wave, will last several months at length. Weve surely intercepted some of those cases in this way by flattening the curve. But, you know, i will wait and reserve the period of june, july, and see if cases drop at that point. If they dont, then in fact i think the people who said, well, this is just continuing to right, that would make me feel much better, not because i want anyone to become infected, but what scares me is what weve seen with influenza pandemics where, in fact, after three months or so of transmission, it kind of goes quiet for several months, and then all of a sudden the big peak occurs many times higher and much, much more widespread than even we would have with this first wave, this cumulative set of waves. So i think its just too early yet. I said to you for several weeks now were still in the second inning of a nineinning game. People say how long is this inning going to last . Ill know that this inning is over when we get another month or two and see where the cases are at. I think we could still easily see that lull and we could still see a big peak in the fall. University of minnesota continues to be so fortunate to have you. We hope youll continue to accept our invitation to come on the broadcast. Thank you. We note and stand corrected by your endorsement of the cdc practices. Our friend dr. Michael osterholm has been our guest tonight. Coming up for us. Thank you, brian. Whats behind the president s continued attacks against mailin voting . Well ask a former member of congress about that when we come back. Chances are you know us. Yoohoo, progressive shoppers. We laughed with you. Sprinkles are for winners. We surprised you. On occasion, weve probably even annoyed you. Weve done this all with one thing in mind. To help protect the things you love. And if we cant offer you the best price well help you find a better one. Its not always the lowest even if its not with us. Thats how weve done it for the past 80 years. Not just today, or this month, but always. Everything has changed. Our work, how we eat, breathe, even stand. But we cant stand for this. To protect our health and our right to vote. With vote by mail, and safe options for voting in person, we must act now. But Mitch Mcconnell refuses to let the senate vote. Join us. Tell mitch protect our health and our vote. Whys mitch so afraid of our voices being heard . Let america vote pac is responsible for the content of this ad. [female vo] restaurants are our family. The cornerstone of our communities. And our family needs help. Right now theyre facing a crisis. And theyre counting on your takeout and delivery orders to help them through. Because if we dont treat restaurants like family today. They might not be around to treat us like family tomorrow. Grubhub. Together, we can help save the restaurants we love. This virus is testing all of us. And its testing the people on the front lines of this fight most of all. So abbott is getting new tests into their hands, delivering the critical results they need. And until this fight is over, we. Will. Never. Quit. Because they never quit. Heres what i can tell you, that they have got a Phenomenal Group of people to vet, and there are a lot of phenomenal Women Leaders across this country who would make a great running mate for joe biden. And no matter who it is, i am going to be a strong ally. The president has taken particular interest in attacking michigans democratic governor, who just happens to be a potential running mate in 2020 for joe biden. Most recently, donald trump threatened to withhold federal funding to her battleground state over false claims regarding votebymail ballots being sent out. Earlier today he attacked those same methods again. Voting by mail is wrought with fraud and abuse. You get a ballot, youre sitting in your bedroom signing it. Who knows whos signing it . Who knows that it ever gets to your house . They pirate these applications. They print now voting forms, and then they send them around. People sign them, or one person signs them with different pens. Obviously theres going to be fraud. Were not babies. With us for more thankfully, Donna Edwards, former democratic member of congress from the great state of maryland. She is the woman shaking her head, and she is these days a Washington Post columnist. Congresswoman, before we even start, im going to play part of attorney general nestle. This is the attorney general from michigan. What youre about to hear may explain why trump, since weve been on the air, has tweeted about the wacky donothing a. G. In michigan. Lets hear her out. Well talk about it on the other side. I hope that the voters of michigan will remember this back when november comes, that he didnt care enough about their safety. He didnt care about their welfare. He didnt respect them enough just to engage in the very simple task, the painless task, the easy task of wearing a mask when he was provided one. And so i hope that well have a new president soon enough who does respect people more than this president does. So, Donna Edwards, we have that. We have the maskwearing issue. We also have this votebymail issue, which i think is a meatier use of our time. Is the worry that vote by mail somehow favors democrats, or is the effort to try to froth up public questions about the legitimacy of a votebymail result . Its all of that and none of it, none one single thing, is true. In fact, there was a study that was done, i think out of stanford university, that showed that there was a neutral effect politically in terms of the partisan leanings of people who vote by mail. So there was none of that. Theres no such thing as voter fraud when it comes to vote by mail or when it comes to voting. It really just doesnt happen very often. Its negligible. And so donald trump is like stirring up all of these things. Part of it is, you know, while hes stirring up confusion about vote by mail and about voting, he and his campaign and the Republican Party are eagerly trying to get their people to vote by mail. At the same time, you know, he attacks governors. Theyre attacking in the courts and trying to get people confused so that it will, in fact, suppress the vote. So lets be really clear. There is voter fraud doesnt happen with vote by mail. I voted by mail this morning at my dining room table. I signed my name and said if i, you know, was cheating on this, i could face a fine or two years in prison. I stuck it in the mail. It had postage paid. It was easy. It was quick. And i am protected from coronavirus because i dont have to show up at the polls. People should feel comfortable and confident in voting by mail. Heres what amy walsh has written. Trumps attacks on vote by mail arent meant to dissuade people from voting. In fact, his campaign and other republicans are actively engaged in vote by mail organizing. Its about sowing doubt about jiltsy of certain types of voters. Rural voters by mail, okay. Urban, illegitimate. Isnt it further true that in the seat that went to the republicans in california, that was a heavy votebymail district, and the most egregious case of ballot fraud in recent memory was the case out of North Carolina where the republican won . Exactly. That is exactly right, and thats what i meant, brian, by saying that, you know, theres really a neutral effect when it comes to vote by mail. Republicans win with vote by mail. Democrats win with vote by mail. The question i think for all of us is whether people are going to feel safe and secure in their ballot that, you know, they receive an absentee ballot. Theyre able to vote by mail. They can drop it in a drop box, and that where there are places where people want to show up at the polls, that they can do that safely and securely. And i think frankly that congress can do an awful lot more still in the next several weeks to ensure that we have a safe and secure election and that the United States Postal Service and those postal workers have the ability to deliver those ballots safely. Donna edwards, who today just just today in fact swore that she was indeed Donna Edwards on her votebymail ballot. Congresswoman, always a pleasure. Thank you very much for coming on if you are who you say you are. Coming up for us, the need for companionship and compassion during a pandemic and how some people have found a way to satisfy both. That would be the answer right there. Needs a cfp® professional confident financial plans, calming financial plans, complete financial plans. Theyre all possible with a cfp® professional. Find yours at letsmakeaplan. Org. It means being there for each other. Thats why state farm is announcing the Good Neighbor Relief Program we know our customers are driving less, which means fewer accidents. So state farm is returning 2 billion dollars to auto policyholders for the period ending may 31st. And well continue making real time decisions to best serve you our customers. Because now, more than ever, being a Good Neighbor means everything. Like a Good Neighbor, state farm is there. Truly transformative sleep. So, no more tossing and turning. Because only tempurpedic adapts and responds to your body. So you get deep, uninterrupted sleep. During the tempurpedic summer of sleep, all tempurpedic mattresses are on sale so especially on a night like this with all the news we cover around here night after night, we can afford, we figure, to spend a few minutes on this next topic, and thats the role of dogs during a pandemic. We ask a lot of them on top of their usual job, which as they see it is to love us forever. One bright spot of stayathome orders has been the exodus of animals from shelters. Here was that shelter in florida celebrating that they had emptied all the cages. People are seeking out companionship. More and more dogs are now finding their forever home. Formore, we are help to welcome to the broadcast elias weiss freeman. Dog fans know him as the photographer, chronicler and author behind the online home for all things dog. We also note he is not alone for tonights interview, and thus by way of welcoming you on the broadcast, start with your personal journey and what brought that new companion into your life. Please introduce him or her. Hi, brian. This is elsa, my new dog. And, you know, ive photographed about 40,000 dogs over the last six years for the dogess, and else elsa just sort of took my heart. Basically we ended up in quarantine like everyone else and kind of wondering what to do. We decided with the team, why dont we just foster a dog. You know, i didnt have access to dogs for the first time, so i thought it was a great idea. We contacted some shelters in the area. Im in massachusetts right now. And sandy claws reached out to us and they said that they had elsa available. So elsa appeared within a few days to our door, little angel, and she started, you know, campaigning for our hearts. And, you know, ive had her for five weeks now, and i you know, i cant imagine life without her at this point. So i made it official. I understand that. Elsa appears to be a very good dog who has taken an early liking to you. Are we at all worried that were going to have a nation of bummedout dogs who thought life was always going to feature one or more parents at the dining room table talking to humans on a computer, and suddenly someday, some of them are going to have to leave the house and go to work . Right. I know. Theyre having a great time. And, you know, its interesting, you know, the whole pandemic has been good for rescuing because, you know, its brought so much attention to dog rescue and fostering. And, yes, the shelters have been cleared out, but a lot of theres so many new applications that people have mailed in, and its just like a its a great thing, and more people are paying attention to social media and all the causes and donations. So in a way, in a weird way, you know, dogs are in a way benefiting from covid. Well, im here to tell you you may have saved elsas life. She will repay it for the rest of her life. And remember her job, as she sees it day to day, is to love you forever. Our thanks for introducing elsa. Very good dog. To everyone watching, we are big fans. Elias weiss freeman, the doggist. This also means well hear from the Cat Community again. Thank you very much for coming on. Best of luck to you guys. I envy you. Coming up, the businesses that are now doing well, and heres a hint. None of them are your Favorite Local stores. Well have that story when we come back. For People Living with hiv, keep being you. And ask your doctor about biktarvy. Biktarvy is a complete, onepill, onceaday treatment used for hiv in certain adults. Its not a cure, but with one small pill, biktarvy fights hiv to help you get to and stay undetectable. Thats when the amount of virus is so low it cannot be measured by a lab test. Research shows people who take hiv treatment every day and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit hiv through sex. Serious side effects can occur, including kidney problems and kidney failure. Rare, lifethreatening side effects include a buildup of lactic acid and liver problems. Do not take biktarvy if you take dofetilide or rifampin. Tell your doctor about all the medicines and supplements you take, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis. If you have hepatitis b, do not stop taking biktarvy without talking to your doctor. Common side effects were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. If youre living with hiv, keep loving who you are. And ask your doctor if biktarvy is right for you. If youre living with hiv, keep loving who you are. I am totally blind. And non24 can throw my days and nights out of sync, keeping me from the things i love to do. Talk to your doctor, and call 8442142424. [female vo] restaurants are facing a crisis. And theyre counting on your takeout and delivery orders to make it through. Grubhub. Together we can help save the restaurants we love. Whether you need or a room with a view. Fresh hay all day. Or a ball to play. Bribes to roll over. Or an overdue makeover. Get all your pet essentials right when you need them, with Curbside Pickup at petsmart. Just order online, drive up, checkin, and pick up without contact. You say that customers maklets talk data. S. Only Xfinity Mobile lets you switch up your wireless data whenever. I accept 5g everybodys talking about it. How do i get it . Everyone gets 5g with our new data options at no extra cost. Thats good. Next item corner offices for everyone. Just have to make more corners in this building. Chad . Your wireless your rules. Only with Xfinity Mobile. Now thats simple easy awesome. Switch and save up to 400 a year on your wireless bill. Plus get 200 off a new Samsung Galaxy s20 ultra. Job losses in the United States are now bumping up against 40 million. Two more million americans applying for benefits just in the space of last week. Among the hardest hit by the coronavirus, Small Businesses who are struggling to stay afloat while the big players in retail, as youre about to see, are making money hand over fist in this pandemic. We get our report tonight from the nbc news Senior Business correspondent stephanie ruhle. Reporter Katherine Nguyen owns three toy stores in chicago. Only three of her 12 employees are working. I just love my business so much, and i want to do this forever. Not knowing how im going to be able to sustain the business keeps me up at night. Reporter her sales now limited to curbside have plummeted 80 . Big online retailers like amazon and large ecommerce sites are going to really pretty much take a lot of the revenue. Reporter many small brick and Mortar Stores are competing with the convenience and safety of shopping from home. This year, amazon raked in more than 75 billion through march, a 26 jump compared to last year. Walmarts online sales skyrocketed 74 . While fewer people are headed to stores, those who do are buying more, driving up instore sales at bigbox retailers. Walmart and target made a combined 10 billion more than they did in the first three months of last year, both online and instore while a recent survey shows the majority of Small Businesses saw revenue drop more than 75 . Many are flocking to big retailers deemed essential. We got spaghetti sauce, milk, bread. Reporter in addition to toilet paper, water, food, and medication, many also sell toys, beauty products, jewelry, and sports equipment. Were absolutely coming for badminton like rack etds. The gray area of whats essential and not essential is very blurred. Reporter brian fairious is jersey shores surf shop is just a few miles from those big retailers. We provide service you cant get there and thats why weve survived for 50 years. For Small Businesses, if they dont reopen, what could happen . Its going to be really sad. Youre going to be going to dinners at chain restaurants. Youre going to be shopping at the walmarts and costcos permanently. Reporter Small Businesses trying to hold on, hoping to come out on the other side. Stephanie ruhle, nbc news. Really Important Message right there. Coming up for us, its a story the president likes to tell despite the best work of one expert turning up zero evidence that it ever happened. Dont bring that mess around here, evan whoo dont do it. Dont you dare. I dont think so [ sighs ] its okay, big fella. Were gonna get through this together. [ baseball bat cracks ] nice rip, robbie. Raaah when you bundle home and Auto Insurance through progressive, you get more than just a big discount. Im gonna need you to leave. You get relentless protection. [ baseball bat cracks ] of all the places youre looking forward to where will you go first . Wherever you may go lexus will welcome you back with exceptional offers on exceptional vehicles. Get zero percent financing and make no payments for up to 90 days on all 2020 lexus models. Experience amazing at your lexus dealer. For up to 90 days on all 2020 lexus models. Until i found out what itst it actually was. Ed me. Dust mite droppings eeeeeww dead skin cells gross so now, i grab my swiffer sweeper and heavyduty dusters. Duster extends to three feet to get all that gross stuff gotcha and for that nasty dust on my floors, my sweepers on it. The textured cloths grab and hold dirt and hair no matter where dust bunnies hide. No more heebie jeebies. Phew. Glad i stopped cleaning and started swiffering. But if you look to the land, its a whole different story. From farms to backyards, wheels are turning. Seeds are being planted. Animals are getting fed. And grass is growing. And families are giving their all to the soil because no matter how uncertain things get, the land never stops. So to all those linked to the land, we say thank you. Were here for you because we all run together. Last thing before we go tonight, it was something the president said yesterday and then again today. And as you watch, remember this. No one can figure out what event hes talking about. I was honored as the man of the year in michigan at a big event. The man of the year. They named me man of the year in michigan. The old man of the year award from michigan. Its a triggering event. Every time the president mentions it, but for one man in particular. Trump fact checker daniel dale. Dale wrote of the yesterday mention by the president , this is at least the sixth time trump has claimed to have gotten the michigan man of the year award he never got. Then today daniel dale wrote in exasperation, trump begins his speech at a ford plant in michigan by repeating his lie that they named me man of the year in michigan. And in deed trump has mentioned his man of the year award in michigan quite a lot. I was man of the year in michigan a number of years ago. I was the man of the year. For whatever reason, they named me man of the year in michigan. I said, how come . I didnt even understand it myself. So i love michigan, and i was the man of the year or something. I was the man of the year by, i think, somebody, whoever. It was the man of the year in michigan. He said, youre still the man of the year. Thank you. [ applause. Who said that . Man of the year in michigan. That was a great honor for me. Man of the year in michigan. Can you believe it . A former congressman from michigan, david trott, thinks he may know what this mythic event was that trump keeps talking about. He thinks it might be a lincoln day dinner that congressman trott organized for republicans Oakland County michigan back in 2013. There, trott said, trump gave a rambling address, and trott gave him a framed copy of lincolns gettysburg address and other gifts. But trott did not give him any man of the year award. If anyone has seen a trophy or maybe engraved man of the year bowl or even a photo of the man of the year event in michigan, please come forward. For starters, contact daniel dale. That, for us, is our broadcast on a thursday night. Thank you for being here with us. And on behalf of all of our colleagues at the networks of nbc news, good night from our temporary field headquarters. Happy to have you here. Last night here on the show we had the governor of new mexico, governor Michelle Lujan grisham. She is reportedly one of the highflying female elected Democratic Party officials who