CNN "Newsroom" - Interview with Ned Lamont
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: -- perhaps one in five residents has been exposed to this or previously infected. How much do you have to test to feel comfortable?
GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): Well, right now, we're testing people who are sick or showing symptoms. What we need is more randomized testing --
SCIUTTO: Yes.
LAMONT: -- you don't have to test everybody, but you have to do it broad-based enough that you know where the hotspots are.
SCIUTTO: OK, so you say you think you'll have, in a couple of weeks, the testing capacity that you're comfortable with. Does that mean that in a couple of weeks, you're -- and you've also said that you flattened the curve in Connecticut. Does that mean, in a couple of weeks, as we get into early May, that you may join governors in beginning to reopen some businesses?
LAMONT: Yes. We have said by May 20th, we're going to have a green light on what we can safely open. All right, you know, we've kept construction, we've kept manufacturing open. I'm getting them the masks, I'm getting them the testing so they can do that safely. Most of our retail is open, but some of it's only for delivery only. We're going to look at that and see when that can be opened in a scaled-back way to get going.
SCIUTTO: So tell us what -- because people at home, I know, are watching this -- they're eager, but they're also concerned, right? Because people are going to make their own health decisions ultimately as to what they do. Which businesses, what steps are you most comfortable with, early?
For instance, people ask a lot about restaurants. Can you do that with social distancing? Can you shop with social distancing? What are the rules going to look like for you?
LAMONT: In my mind, you can go to a toy store, you can go to a clothing store. You can do that, if you're careful, with social distancing. Perhaps masks just to protect you. My instinct is that crowded indoor restaurants and bars are going to be very risky for a long time.
SCIUTTO: Understood. And you think -- I mean, people are going to grocery stores, but of course they need to go but they practice a lot of the steps that you're talking about there.
I want to talk about -- I know you're not waiting for federal help on testing, but information is such an important part of responding to a pandemic. And we had a day yesterday where the president not only shared misinformation, but he shared, frankly, a dangerous recommendation about what to do, putting disinfectant into your body. Does that put lives at risk, when the president says things like that?
LAMONT: Yes, it does. It is irresponsible. Look, the White House Task Force is pretty thoughtful, we have a constructive relationship with them. As you suggested, we'll be meeting again today. But then, clank (ph), you get a mixed (ph) message coming out of the White House that suggests all is well, get back to work on May 1st, go to church on Easter. We've got to have a consistent message to make sure that we get out of this safely.
SCIUTTO: I want to, before we go, go to the issue of the next or coming bailout plans. As you know, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has said that he would resist any money to go to states to help them meet budget shortfalls in the midst of the economic slowdown -- or really, economic stoppage here, even encouraging states to file for bankruptcy over getting federal money to help balance their budgets. What's your response to that argument?
LAMONT: Then you call up (ph) the McConnell bankruptcy in Kentucky, because Kentucky is hit pretty hard, they have a 24 percent unemployment rate, like we do in Connecticut. When you shut down stores, you shut down businesses, income tax and sales tax revenues go down dramatically. So if he really wants people to think about raising taxes and slashing services in states like his own, that's on him.
SCIUTTO: All right. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, we wish you and the people of your state the best of luck, going forward.
LAMONT: Jim, nice to see you. Thanks.
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