DR. FRANK ESPER AND YAMICHE EL SIN DOR, WHITE HOUSE

SIN DOR, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT.

CORRESPONDENT. YAMICHE

YAMICHE YAMICHE, IT’S A BUSY DAY DOWN

YAMICHE, IT’S A BUSY DAY DOWN THERE.

THERE. GIVE ME YOUR SENSE OF HOW DONALD

GIVE ME YOUR SENSE OF HOW DONALD TRUMP IS RISING TO THE BAR THAT

TRUMP IS RISING TO THE BAR THAT HE SET FOR HIMSELF YESTERDAY

HE SET FOR HIMSELF YESTERDAY WHEN HE DECLARED HIMSELF A WAR

WHEN HE DECLARED HIMSELF A WAR TIME PRESIDENT.

TIME PRESIDENT. >> THE PRESIDENT IS CONTINUING

>> THE PRESIDENT IS CONTINUING TO USE THAT LANGUAGE SAYING THAT

TO USE THAT LANGUAGE SAYING THAT HE FEELS LIKE HE’S A WAR TIME

HE FEELS LIKE HE’S A WAR TIME PRESIDENT AND SAID HE RATES

PRESIDENT AND SAID HE RATES HIMSELF A TEN OUT OF TEN IN HOW

HIMSELF A TEN OUT OF TEN IN HOW HE RESPONDED TO THIS.

HE RESPONDED TO THIS. IT’S CLEAR AND DOCTORS AND

IT’S CLEAR AND DOCTORS AND NURSES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE

NURSES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE GETTING WORRIED AS MEDICAL

GETTING WORRIED AS MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE STARTING TO RUN

SUPPLIES ARE STARTING TO RUN OUT.

OUT. YOU SEE JUST TODAY THERE WAS AN

YOU SEE JUST TODAY THERE WAS AN NBC NEWS STORY SHOWING THAT

NBC NEWS STORY SHOWING THAT HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL

HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE ASKING

PROFESSIONALS ARE ASKING CONGRESS TO GIVE THEM HUNDREDS

CONGRESS TO GIVE THEM HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR

OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR SPECIFIC MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

SPECIFIC MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. THEN YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENT

THEN YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENT SAYING WE’RE NOT A SHIPPING

SAYING WE’RE NOT A SHIPPING COMPANY.

COMPANY. SO THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CLEAR

SO THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CLEAR WITH GOVERNORS.

WITH GOVERNORS. HAD eSAID WE’RE NOT A FIRST

HAD eSAID WE’RE NOT A FIRST RESORT.

RESORT. WHITE HOUSE SOURCES TELL ME

WHITE HOUSE SOURCES TELL ME THAT’S MEANT TO SAY STATES NEED

THAT’S MEANT TO SAY STATES NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND

TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS GOING TO DO

THE WHITE HOUSE IS GOING TO DO WHAT IT CAN DO.

WHAT IT CAN DO. IT’S CLEAR THAT THE WHITE HOUSE

IT’S CLEAR THAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T HAVE ANSWERS TO TWO KEY

DOESN’T HAVE ANSWERS TO TWO KEY QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS. THE FIRST IS WHEN WILL PEOPLE

THE FIRST IS WHEN WILL PEOPLE WHO NODE CORONAVIRUS TESTS

WHO NODE CORONAVIRUS TESTS ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM

ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. THERE WAS NO CLEAR ANSWER FROM

THERE WAS NO CLEAR ANSWER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY.

THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY. THE SECOND ONE IS ARE THERE

THE SECOND ONE IS ARE THERE ENOUGH VENTILATORS AND IS THE

ENOUGH VENTILATORS AND IS THE WHITE HOUSE GOING TO BE ABLE TO

WHITE HOUSE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ORDER ENOUGH IN TIME FOR WHAT WE

ORDER ENOUGH IN TIME FOR WHAT WE KNOW WILL BE A CRUSH ON THE

KNOW WILL BE A CRUSH ON THE MEDICAL SYSTEM.

MEDICAL SYSTEM. THE ANSWER THERE WAS THERE ARE

THE ANSWER THERE WAS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF VENTILATORS BEING

THOUSANDS OF VENTILATORS BEING ORDERED BUT THE WHITE HOUSE IS

ORDERED BUT THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT SAYING SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY

NOT SAYING SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY THEY WILL BE SHIPPING OUT AND

THEY WILL BE SHIPPING OUT AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE’S A RESERVE

WHETHER OR NOT THERE’S A RESERVE FOR EACH AMERICAN AND THAT IS

FOR EACH AMERICAN AND THAT IS SCARY.

SCARY. >> DR. ESPER, I WANT TO ASK WHAT

>> DR. ESPER, I WANT TO ASK WHAT YOU THINK YOU’RE HEARING RIGHT

YOU THINK YOU’RE HEARING RIGHT NOW FROM DONALD TRUMP.

NOW FROM DONALD TRUMP. WE’RE OBVIOUSLY HEARING THESE

WE’RE OBVIOUSLY HEARING THESE CALLS, ALARM BELLS BEING RUNG IN

CALLS, ALARM BELLS BEING RUNG IN ALL QUARTERS RIGHT NOW AND THE

ALL QUARTERS RIGHT NOW AND THE PRESIDENT IS ANSWERING THEM.

PRESIDENT IS ANSWERING THEM. I’M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK

I’M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE STATE OF PLAY OUT

ABOUT THE STATE OF PLAY OUT THERE ON THE FRONT LINES AND

THERE ON THE FRONT LINES AND WHETHER WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS

WHETHER WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING HE PLANS TO DO, THE

SAYING HE PLANS TO DO, THE LEADERSHIP THAT HE’S GIVING TO

LEADERSHIP THAT HE’S GIVING TO STATES, CITIES, PRIVATE SECTOR,

STATES, CITIES, PRIVATE SECTOR, THE MEDICAL SECTOR, ALL THE

THE MEDICAL SECTOR, ALL THE ABOVE, WHETHER IT’S ADEQUATE TO

ABOVE, WHETHER IT’S ADEQUATE TO THE MOMENT AS WE NOW GET INTO

THE MOMENT AS WE NOW GET INTO THURSDAY HERE IN THIS WEEK.

THURSDAY HERE IN THIS WEEK. >> THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME

>> THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME THAT WE’VE BEEN PREPARING AND

THAT WE’VE BEEN PREPARING AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE KNOWN ABOUT FOR MONTHS.

KNOWN ABOUT FOR MONTHS. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY NUMBERS

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY NUMBERS IN CHINA FOR THE LONGEST TIME,

IN CHINA FOR THE LONGEST TIME, WE HERE, ESPECIALLY HERE AT

WE HERE, ESPECIALLY HERE AT CLEVELAND CLINIC AND ALL AROUND

CLEVELAND CLINIC AND ALL AROUND THE STATE HAVE BEEN PREPARING

THE STATE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THE CONCERN THAT THIS COULD

FOR THE CONCERN THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AND IT CAN OVERWHELM.

HAPPEN AND IT CAN OVERWHELM. SO WE HAVE BEEN MEETING HERE AT

SO WE HAVE BEEN MEETING HERE AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC TWICE A DAY

THE CLEVELAND CLINIC TWICE A DAY IN THE COMMAND CENTER, MAKING

IN THE COMMAND CENTER, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OUR PREPARATIONS

SURE THAT ALL OUR PREPARATIONS ARE MET AND EVERYTHING IS BEING

ARE MET AND EVERYTHING IS BEING DONE AS BEST WE CAN.

DONE AS BEST WE CAN. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE HAVE

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, CERTAINLY WE

BEEN ABLE TO DO, CERTAINLY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE

HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE OHIO

GOVERNOR, WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THEY

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING US

HAVE BEEN HELPING US TREMENDOUSLY.

TREMENDOUSLY. CERTAINLY THERE’S A LOT OF

CERTAINLY THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN AT

THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE FEDERAL LEVEL. JUST BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF

JUST BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF CASES IN NEW YORK, THAT DOESN’T

CASES IN NEW YORK, THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S NOT GOING TO BE OHIO’S

MEAN IT’S NOT GOING TO BE OHIO’S PROBLEM IF WE START SEEING

PROBLEM IF WE START SEEING SPILLOVER.

SPILLOVER. SO THERE IS A NATIONAL RESPONSE

SO THERE IS A NATIONAL RESPONSE THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT

THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT DEFINITELY THE BOOTS ON THE

DEFINITELY THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WORKING

GROUND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO PREPARE FOR

EXTREMELY HARD TO PREPARE FOR THESE WAVES OF INFECTION AND

THESE WAVES OF INFECTION AND TRYING TO WORK WITH ALL OUR

TRYING TO WORK WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS IN ORDER TO STEM THAT

PARTNERS IN ORDER TO STEM THAT TIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE

TIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FLATTEN HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP

FLATTEN HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP AT OUR DOORS SICK AT ONCE.

AT OUR DOORS SICK AT ONCE. THAT’S WHY WE’RE DOING ALL THE

THAT’S WHY WE’RE DOING ALL THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND DOING ALL

SOCIAL DISTANCING AND DOING ALL THE COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE

THE COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO. >> DOCTOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR

>> DOCTOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONFIDENCE AND CAN-DO ATTITUDE.

CONFIDENCE AND CAN-DO ATTITUDE. I JUST KEEP LISTENING TO THE

I JUST KEEP LISTENING TO THE GOVERNORS AND THE PEOPLE ON THE

GOVERNORS AND THE PEOPLE ON THE HEALTH CARE FRONT LINES SAYING

HEALTH CARE FRONT LINES SAYING THERE’S GOING TO BE SHORTAGES.

THERE’S GOING TO BE SHORTAGES. THERE ARE ALREADY SHORTAGES.

THERE ARE ALREADY SHORTAGES. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING PROTECTIVE GEAR OUT OF BANDANAS

PROTECTIVE GEAR OUT OF BANDANAS AND SCARVES.

AND SCARVES. PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT IT’S

PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT IT’S GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN THIS

GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN THIS WAVE CRASHES DOWN.

WAVE CRASHES DOWN. OBVIOUSLY IT’S NOT GOING TO

OBVIOUSLY IT’S NOT GOING TO CRASH DOWN WITH THE SAME FORCE

CRASH DOWN WITH THE SAME FORCE EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY BUT IT

EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE PLENTY OF

SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES WHERE IT IS GOING TO

PLACES WHERE IT IS GOING TO CRASH DOWN AND THERE ARE GOING

CRASH DOWN AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE SHORTAGES.

TO BE SHORTAGES. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST

THAT FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST THIS -- THE FIGHT TO TREAT THIS

THIS -- THE FIGHT TO TREAT THIS PANDEMIC WHEN IT STARTS TO HIT

PANDEMIC WHEN IT STARTS TO HIT IN THE PLACES THAT IT HITS

IN THE PLACES THAT IT HITS HARDEST?

HARDEST? >> WE CERTAINLY KNOW THERE’S

>> WE CERTAINLY KNOW THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND

GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF

THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET

PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET SICK.

SICK. WHAT WE’RE ALSO TRYING TO DO IS

WHAT WE’RE ALSO TRYING TO DO IS WE’RE TRYING TO PREVENT SICKNESS

WE’RE TRYING TO PREVENT SICKNESS FROM COMING TO THE HEALTH CARE

FROM COMING TO THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BECAUSE IF WE GET SICK,

PROVIDER BECAUSE IF WE GET SICK, THEN THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH

THEN THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TREAT THE INDIVIDUALS

PEOPLE TO TREAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING IN SICK.

WHO ARE COMING IN SICK. SO WE ALL KNOW THAT WE’RE IN

SO WE ALL KNOW THAT WE’RE IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER.

THIS BOAT TOGETHER. IN A CRISIS SITUATION, IN A

IN A CRISIS SITUATION, IN A PANDEMIC, ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE

PANDEMIC, ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE.

TABLE. CERTAINLY WE KNOW WE’RE LOOKING

CERTAINLY WE KNOW WE’RE LOOKING FOR N 95 MASKS AND WHILE THE

FOR N 95 MASKS AND WHILE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SO THAT WE

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SO THAT WE DON’T NEED AS MANY MACHKS BUT WE

DON’T NEED AS MANY MACHKS BUT WE COULD USE SURGICAL MASKS BUT IF

COULD USE SURGICAL MASKS BUT IF WE CAN’T, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU

WE CAN’T, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU CAN IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOURSELF

CAN IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR PATIENTS.

AND YOUR PATIENTS. WE ARE USING EVERY OPTION,

WE ARE USING EVERY OPTION, EVERYTHING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO

EVERYTHING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US.

US. AGAIN, HOSPITALS UNDERSTAND THIS

AGAIN, HOSPITALS UNDERSTAND THIS AND WE ARE TAKING IN SUGGESTIONS

AND WE ARE TAKING IN SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS FROM EVERYWHERE, FROM

AND IDEAS FROM EVERYWHERE, FROM THE NURSING STAFF TO THE

THE NURSING STAFF TO THE RESPIRATORY TECHNICIAN TO THE

RESPIRATORY TECHNICIAN TO THE GUARD AT THE PARKING GARAGE.

GUARD AT THE PARKING GARAGE. EVERYBODY IS GIVING US IDEAS AND

EVERYBODY IS GIVING US IDEAS AND WE ARE TAKING EACH AND EVERY

WE ARE TAKING EACH AND EVERY ONE.

ONE. I CAN’T SAY THAT IT’S GOING TO

I CAN’T SAY THAT IT’S GOING TO BE PRETTY.

BE PRETTY. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY.

IT’S NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY. THIS IS A PANDEMIC.

THIS IS A PANDEMIC. THIS IS A CRISIS.

THIS IS A CRISIS. YOU PREPARE AS BEST YOU CAN.

YOU PREPARE AS BEST YOU CAN. LET’S BE HONEST, THIS VIRUS HAS

LET’S BE HONEST, THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN THROWING US CURVEBALLS FROM

BEEN THROWING US CURVEBALLS FROM THE BEGINNING.

THE BEGINNING. YEAH, WE’VE MISSED A FEW TIMES

YEAH, WE’VE MISSED A FEW TIMES AND WE JUST HAVE TO GET BACK

AND WE JUST HAVE TO GET BACK INTO THAT BATTER’S BOX AND HIT

INTO THAT BATTER’S BOX AND HIT IT SOME MORE.

IT SOME MORE. >> MAYA WILEY, I WANT TO ASK

>> MAYA WILEY, I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU’VE BEEN A LONG-TIME

YOU, YOU’VE BEEN A LONG-TIME PLAYER IN THIS COMMUNITY HERE IN

PLAYER IN THIS COMMUNITY HERE IN NEW YORK AND YOU’VE SEEN

NEW YORK AND YOU’VE SEEN GOVERNOR CUOMO, MAYOR De BLASIO

GOVERNOR CUOMO, MAYOR De BLASIO REACT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT

REACT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS TO DIFFICULT TIMES.

SITUATIONS TO DIFFICULT TIMES. GIVEN THE ALARM THAT WE’VE HEARD

GIVEN THE ALARM THAT WE’VE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR IN PARTICULAR

FROM THE GOVERNOR IN PARTICULAR ALL WEEK LONG, TALK A LITTLE BIT

ALL WEEK LONG, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT -- KIND OF ASSESS THE

ABOUT -- KIND OF ASSESS THE STATE OF YOUR STATE AND YOUR

STATE OF YOUR STATE AND YOUR CITY RIGHT NOW AND WHETHER YOU

CITY RIGHT NOW AND WHETHER YOU THINK THAT IT’S POSSIBLE FOR

THINK THAT IT’S POSSIBLE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE CITY

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT

GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO STEP IN WHEN

TO BE ABLE TO STEP IN WHEN THEY’RE NOT GETTING APPARENTLY

THEY’RE NOT GETTING APPARENTLY WHEN THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN

WHEN THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN BEGGING FOR, NOT GETTING FROM

BEGGING FOR, NOT GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHAT THEY

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHAT THEY SEEM TO NEED.

SEEM TO NEED. >> ONE THING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO

>> ONE THING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT BOTH NEW YORK STATE

KNOW ABOUT BOTH NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK CITY IS THAT WE

AND NEW YORK CITY IS THAT WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF

HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF PUBLIC SERVANTS INCLUDING THE

PUBLIC SERVANTS INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF AND THE MAYOR

GOVERNOR HIMSELF AND THE MAYOR HIMSELF, WHO HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN

HIMSELF, WHO HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

THROUGH THIS BEFORE. WE HAD THE EBOLA CRISIS IN 2014

WE HAD THE EBOLA CRISIS IN 2014 AND I WAS WORKING FOR CITY HALL

AND I WAS WORKING FOR CITY HALL WHEN