Gabbard: Testing and acting now is crucial to curbing the spread of coronavirus
Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard on the importance of precautions and access to test kits in the wake of a coronavirus pandemic.
This is a rush transcript from "The Ingraham Angle," March 11, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
LAURA INGRAHAM, HOST: Hello everyone, I am Laura Ingraham. This is "The Ingraham Angle" from Washington tonight the coronavirus outbreak now officially a pandemic. So how will it affect our daily lives? Could large scale lockdowns be in our future? Would it be constitutional?
Democrats are using the Coronavirus to keep Joe Biden out of the public spotlight some are saying so? We have medical, legal and political experts to break it all down. And ahead my angel explains what we need to be doing in face of this crisis to safeguard our freedoms.
Long-term thinking balanced with the current need to protect the public. 2020 Democratic Candidate Tulsi Gabbard is going to react to that. And in moments we're going to tell you about the drastic actions Trump is taking to make sure that Americans in this country are protected and the economy is safeguarded including banning nearly all travel from Europe.
First, the World Health Organization today declaring of course the Coronavirus a global pandemic and they are breaking new details minute by minute. Fox's Chief Breaking News Correspondent Trace Gallagher standing by in our West Coast Newsroom. Trace.
TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS CHIEF BREAKING NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Laura the breaking news is the Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson are down in Australia right now for the production of an Elvis Presley film that is so far untitled. Tom Hanks plays Presley's long time manager Colonel Tom Parker.
And Hanks just tweeted out quoting here: we felt a bit tired like we had colds and somebody and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went slight fever. To play things right as is needed in the world right now we were tested for Coronavirus and were found to be positive.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson positive for Coronavirus in Australia Hanks goes on to write "Well now what to do next?" The medical officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks will be tested observed and isolated for as long as public officials and safety requires.
We don't know the extent of how healthy Hanks and Rita Wilson are. They seem to be in good spirits. We're learning more we'll get back to you as the hour progresses. More breaking news Laura the NBA has now released a statement saying the league is suspending all games until further notice after tonight's schedule.
This comes after a Utah jazz player just tested positive for the Coronavirus. The test result was reported shortly before the tip off in tonight's game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That game was canceled and we didn't have a reason why. It was just canceled out of the blue and the NBA would not tell us. Now a short time ago the NBA comes out with a statement saying the player was not in the arena at the time which should give comfort to the people of Oklahoma City.
But the problem becomes is this the end for the NBA season? We will find out more in coming hours. We should note that the World Health Organization resisted calling this a global pandemic fearing it would give the impression that Coronavirus was unstoppable. Now that designation has been made and the Director-General of W.H.O. is saying that all countries have the power to change the course of the disease.
Coronavirus has now infected more than 120,000 people in 114 countries on six continents. In this country 1100 plus cases in 40 states some 38 deaths. Dr. Tony Fauci the Director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease told lawmakers that things are going to get worse. Then he was asked to give the public a realistic assessment. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE: If we are complacent and don't do really aggressive containment and mitigation, the number could go way up and be involved in many, many millions. If we contain, we can flatten it. There is no number answer to your question until we act upon it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: Coincidentally Dr. Fauci also recommends avoiding large crowds he said possibly including NBA games. Now we know the NBA's schedule could be done for the year.
INGRAHAM: Trace, it looks like it is done for the year these details are coming in minute by minute and thanks so much for staying on top of it for us. President Trump tonight addressing the nation from the Oval Office where he called for unity and calm and resolve in the fight against the Coronavirus he also laid out his strategy to constrain the virus and blow the economy through some of the rough times ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States than are now present in Europe. The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots. As a result a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe to keep new cases from entering our shores.
We will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days. We made a lifesaving move with early action on China. Now we must take the same action with Europe. We won't delay. I will never hesitate to take any necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: And by the way right up until the President gave this address the Democrats of course were trashing him, I wouldn't say left and right, just really left--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's exposing a real lack of leadership on a federal level.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't really have confidence that he even after 3 years as President even grasps that element of the job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are crippled by now exactly no leadership at the top what so ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Joining me now Mike Huckabee Former Arkansas Governor, Fox News Contributor as well as House Minority Whip Steve Scalise. All right, Governor the President you heard it suspended travel from Europe to the United States. I get the drum beat of criticism against him for everything.
There were questions about the tests we've talked about it for night after night. The CDC dropped the ball early on. That's a conversation for later in the week. We're going to get into that deeply. But what message is the President sending? One of seriousness tonight or is just blowing it off as the left is trying to say?
MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Laura, I don't know how you could get more serious than saying he suspending all travel from Europe for 30 days. This was a very sobering address that he made from the Oval Office. He was serious. I couldn't help but flipped a few channels after he spoke to see what was going on.
On one of the other networks I'm not even going to name them because they're not worthy of it but they were talking about how he was breathing during his commentary. Somehow that he seemed nervous. They could not bring themselves to say that the one thing they were looking for him to do, which was to take this very seriously you don't suspend travel for 30 days from Europe and not somehow believe that's serious. It's very serious.
I thought the President had exactly the right tone, he had the right message. I don't think anybody doubts that this is a serious issue. The President just like he did with China is taking a serious action with Europe. And I think he made it clear he will do whatever he can to protect the American people.
I wish the left could just say you know he is our President and he is doing what we hoped he would do and be grateful for it.
INGRAHAM: They won't do that. Congressman Steve Scalise you have been through a lot. Personally you have seen what happens in this town in times of crisis. Sometimes the country comes together. But sometimes politics cuts right through and cuts to the quick. Tonight the President said urged Congress to pass this payroll tax relief.
But I have in my hands here a copy of what Nancy Pelosi and the crew has come up with and it is in draft form. I won't say how I got it but I have it. There is a lot in here that is expanding the federal government far beyond the immediate concern.
REP. STEVE SCALISE, R-LA.: You know Laura you have got two different worlds that were exposed tonight. You've got on one end the President Donald Trump was presidential tonight showing leadership laying out very specific things, calming the American public.
Letting them know how serious this is but what steps are being taken. What he is done working with drug companies trying to find a vaccine making sure that copayments would be covered?
Talking about the SBA in helping small businesses and making sure that they're going to be able to stay afloat but also talking about what steps he is taking to try to bring some ideas to Congress. And then on the other side you have Nancy Pelosi, never let a crisis go to waste.
INGRAHAM: I mean this is amazing.
SCALISE: Announcing some of the things right before the President went on and I started seeing some of these things. It's literally unlimited money from the federal government. Free everything you've got literally getting rid of the work requirements.
Welfare to work requirements that by the way helped so many millions of people get into the middle-class be part of the American dream. They want to get rid of that. And so the things that have nothing to do with the Coronavirus just taking advantage of a crisis.
INGRAHAM: The left is saying the President doesn't cares all political. He is trying to do a payroll tax cut because it's political. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump cares about one thing: reelection. He didn't care about the American public.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just don't get the sense that this President understands or even cares about managing the complexity of this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't care about us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Governor Huckabee, I have seen a lot of disgusting commentary over the last few days. For a party that is loathe enforcing our borders and stopping criminal aliens from crossing our borders. Now we're let to believe they would have been better in shutting down travel from China earlier which Fauci today say was critical.
Anthony Fauci said was critical and slowing this virus is entry into the United States. So he's being proactive they're being politically reactive and you just saw evidence of it.
HUCKABEE: Well I think. What's so troubling is this thing that he doesn't care about the American public. When I heard that line I just want to say you lion dog face pony soldier you to borrow a phrase from Joe Biden.
This is absurd of course the President cares about the American people and that's why he went on television tonight and gave the address he did twice taken the steps he's taken as the Congressman clearly outlined it wasn't just that he talked about the virus in banning travel but now he's looking at steps to mitigate the impact upon people who wait tables and the people who are out there making a living who may not be able to much of a living for a while.
INGRAHAM: The working people.
HUCKABEE: Those were the American people he cares about.
INGRAHAM: And I'm going to get into this in The Angle but Congressman Scalise really quickly. These are - this is a short term problem all the medical professional this is going to be solved we're going to get through this long term ramifications of a cratering economy to regular people could be far more dangerous to quote - one of the economists on television far more damaging long term effects make sure.
SCALISE: Make sure the President has tools he need. We gave the President by the way but in a bipartisan way $8.3 billion to respond to this. But think about what's on the floor tomorrow Laura and I've called on Speaker Pelosi to pull this bill a bill that would take away the President's ability to limit travel from foreign car.
When everyone including Dr Fauci in every medical expert said limiting travel from China help stave off and save lives it was.
INGRAHAM: That was excellent.
SCALISE: And they will leave a bill on the floor to more to take that power away. Pelosi need to pull that bill stop playing political games support this President in the leadership that he's exhibiting the rest of the country wants to see that same kind of leadership.
INGRAHAM: Yes, just so everyone knows what exactly Dr Fauci said today about that. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAUCI: What would be in a worse situation for example had there not been some travel restrictions. I believe we would be in a worse position.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Congressman and then Governor Huckabee look at this is a time where our country we're going to have some significant losses of life infection rates are going to go up. We clearly don't handle that testing all that well in the beginning. The CDC is going to have to answer for that.
But I mean thank goodness we have a President actually cares about the American worker the American family and is doing everything in his power now to learn from whatever happened early on. In the fix it and get through the door.
SCALISE: Well, there's an election in November they have time to worry about election. Today they need to be focused on supporting the President's actions to keep Americans safe that's what Donald Trump is doing. That's what the American people are rallying around him. Anybody up here in Washington playing games or more in about November they're going to pay a price.
INGRAHAM: And by the way Governor Huckabee some back biting in the administration which I noticed today Alex Azar the HHS Chief was critical in pushing that China ban early on and critical in pushing this travel restriction. The President has great judgment he has great political and in just a managerial skills here.
They can't back by inside the administration we're going to stop the leaking. I've noticed that happening. Governor I know you know a lot about how that works you too Congressman Scalise thanks so much.
And given the Coronavirus's rapid spread as we've been saying around the world and here at home what needs to be done to contain it. And what's this mean for all of our daily lives joining me now is Dr Joseph Vinetz Infectious Disease Specialist at the Yale School of Medicine.
Doctor it's great to have you on tonight.
DR. JOSEPH VINETZ, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST: Thank you for having me.
INGRAHAM: It is unsettling for just regular people who are not in those at risk vulnerable populations the elderly people with compromised immune systems. I was on chemotherapy years ago I wouldn't on a plane now if I were still on chemotherapy. But there are people who are truly at risk. What should the average American tonight know about just conducting their daily life other than washing their hands regularly?
VINETZ: Great question first thing a pandemic does not mean lethal. Most of the time people do just fine with this Coronavirus point number one. Point number two people will do just fine in their daily lives if they take some common sense approaches to protecting themselves and to protecting their families.
Most important thing hand washing wash your hands soap and water is cheap. Purell is okay soap and water does great. The next thing if you're sick you stay home and when I saw President Trump's speech it was a fantastic because he's supporting people to stay home to stay away so they don't infect other people. These are the mainstays of how we are going to bend the curve on this pandemic.
INGRAHAM: And doctor Vinetz the closure of major universities, some until the end of the school year in late May early May or early June even without a sense of any Coronavirus exposure currently at that place, university or public school. What about that? Would it be better to have a shorter term closure and then reassess or just blank a closure and work at home?
VINETZ: Well, there are a couple of considerations. First, universities are well known just like the military barracks of places where infections spread because students live close. They work close. They study close. Infection can spread rapidly.
It makes sense to actually close the universities and conduct as many classes online. That actually makes a lot of sense. Then the science comes in. So that's a policy.
The policy is based on science. The science is: this virus can be expelled can be coughed out for days even a couple of weeks or even longer. So you can imagine that it's going to be wave upon wave and that one person can infect a few others and then you have exponential growth.
INGRAHAM: I'm going to get into this in the ANGLE next segment, but the only problem that I see is that there has to be some balance. It can't be that life shuts down every time China or some other country has confront some problem, creates a problem confronts a problem incorrectly. The virus ends up here.
That will be - I think there has to be a measured, prudent response to in that doesn't mean everything is canceled everywhere. I guess everyone could just be in their houses. To me that's pretty extreme?
VINTETZ: Well, I agree with you. So here's the point: regular schools for high school and elementary schools where the kids are not liable to get so sick and they are not incubators to go in be vectors of this disease. Unless there is an outbreak in the school, the school should not close.
INGRAHAM: Thank you. Doctor Vinetz, thank you for coming on tonight. We really, really appreciate it. Come back soon.
VINETZ: My pleasure, sure.
INGRAHAM: All right and coming up what can our response to 9-11 teach us about handling the Coronavirus? My ANGLE explores what really is at stake. If somehow down the road we got this wrong, you have to hear it. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: Contain the virus protect our freedom. That's the focus of the tonight's Angle. Before the President's drastic measures tonight that he introduced. Earlier testimony by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the CDC was sobering and kind of scary to hear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAUCI: We will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now. How much worse we will get will depend on our ability to do 2 things? To contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country. If we don't do serious mitigation now that what's going to happen us that we're going to be weeks behind. We have got to change our behavior we have to essentially assume that we're going to get hit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Americans hear that and want to know what next? What do we do? America has gone from riding high to reeling in just a few short weeks maybe just a week actually. This dangerous health crisis could dove tail quickly into a political crisis. It is already fuming economic ramifications of it all. And indeed some are hoping for a political crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't trust this President. Not only is he a liar. He doesn't believe in anything scientific.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The President of the United States can't be relied upon on. As someone said he needs to shut his mouth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: That's nice. It's easy for elected officials to shout or whatever that was from her from their political corners. It's harder but wiser for elected officials to proceed carefully and not get frightened in the making decisions they're later going to come to regret.
To some extent this moment does remind me a little bit of the immediate aftermath of 9-11. I remember. I was here. Many of us were freaking out and frightened and expecting for terrorism can't blame us. Congress rushed to pass the Patriot Act we invaded Afghanistan and later Iraq. Most of us gave our unwavering support, I did.
It wasn't until many years later though that we learned that the Patriot Act well there were abuses there and over time in both wars thousands were killed and others badly injured. And families were shatter by losses and PTSD. Trillions of tax payer dollars were spent.
A massive displacement of Iraqis Christians and others not to speak of a domino effect of instability in the Middle East but when key decisions were made in the 2000s few thought about these long-term ramifications. I didn't and few thought of the potential for lasting damage to the United States.
Now back to today as Dr Fauci said we haven't seen the worst of it. We must take a good aggressive measure so that our hospitals are not overwhelmed. Yet at some point and we hope soon as with SARS in H1N2 this will pass. It's a severe problem but likely also a short term one.
As we consider measures to fight the virus is spread we also need to think longer term this includes protecting our economy. Now this may shock you. But I'm going to compliment Nancy Pelosi. Good for her well we should be mindful about mitigating community spread we should also try and no it's not easy but try to strike a balance here.
Where the risk is minimal the business of America must go on. FDR told us that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And fear alone is certainly not a sound basis for making significant decisions that impinge our constitutional rights. Rights like freedom to assemble free association free speech.
Should we think about the type of precedent we're setting here? Should we assume maybe we should I don't know going forward that anytime a serious disease migrates here from another country we're going to have to close everything down?
As one economist said the other night that could end up being more catastrophic for America over the long term then this horrific virus itself. What changes in our behavior will really make a difference given this health crisis that we're facing? Well as some of what we heard last segment from really smart people they're mostly simple things.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's important we all take precautions washing our hands covering all cough keeping our distance from people who are sick and taking the steps that will be coming out in this new guidance to help make sure we're doing everything we know possible to keep our most vulnerable protected.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: That's right not because of the CDC's bundling of the tests of the beginning or only now beginning to see the true numbers of those infected. The unknowns out there they're causing confusion and concern and no one wants to be sued I can tell you that college universities no one wants to be sued for not using an abundance of caution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, D-N.Y.: We have closed some schools we've closed schools in this hot spot in New Rochelle Harvard University.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Harvard University told students to move out and to not come back after spring break.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are twenty four states across the country plus Washington D.C. which have declared states of emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Governor's announcement of no public gatherings of any kind weddings or church services or sporting events or entertainment events.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing should be off the table in terms of closures of events.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Maybe closing all the schools colleges universities weddings I guess a honeymoon could still go on maybe. Maybe that's all warranted maybe canceling all these events entire seasons of sports all of it maybe that's a prudent thing to do.
And I suppose it also means no graduations no weddings even for healthy people. But let's say things do calm down by the end of April. Yes the virus pops up again in the fall. Will this new President again thinking longer term the new President will require that we start canceling everything all in new.
And that means no more campaign events like rallies no more town halls, no more interacting with the voters. Our constitution requires that our political process continue. This crisis must not be used to help candidates of either party escape the questions and accountability from the voters.
Nor must it be used to guilt candidates into canceling events for healthy people. At some point people are going to begin pushing back against mass hysteria. Slowing the spread of virus the virus is going to be difficult but we will do it. The President tonight showed that he cares about main street and all of the American people.
We all have to live we know it with a certain amount of risk we go out the door in the morning it we temper that with knowledge and practical thinking. So it's all the smart let's all help each other we've been through much worse as a nation World War II the depression just to name a few.
We're Americans we stick together and we have to be not afraid not afraid to ask questions of the experts many of whom didn't see this coming. And that's THE ANGLE. Joining me now, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, 2020 presidential candidate. Congresswoman, what is crucial right now is that the parties do come together?
REP. TULSI GABBARD, D-HAWAII, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Absolutely.
INGRAHAM: There's going to be disagreements on policy, but what about this, it's difficult to do, but thinking a little bit more long-term given your views of what happened in the aftermath of 9-11, it was hard to say wait and let's think for a moment.
GABBARD: I think it's actually very important that you brought up that comparison, especially given today in the House of Representatives there was just another vote to continue the reauthorization of the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which, as you pointed out, have been abused to violate the constitutional rights of American citizens. And this is continuing, this long-term effect. This was passed in the House today for another three years.
INGRAHAM: Unbelievable.
GABBARD: So this isn't just a short-term change. So it's important to have that foresight, to think about what are the consequences of the decisions that are being made, and being prudent and taking those precautions necessary. The coronavirus, there are very real concerns that we need to address, one of the foremost of which is the need for testing. This is something that is directly impacting -- the delaying and the release of these tests to those who need it in large scales all across the country has put us as Americans in a situation where people with maybe even just a very mild symptoms, they're walking around and not knowing whether or not they are infectious, and no knowing -- even if you are a young person who is not part of that vulnerable population, maybe you go home and visit mom and dad. I am thinking about my parents. They are in their 70s, and I'm concerned about --
INGRAHAM: Maybe don't go home this weekend.
GABBARD: It's something seriously that I'm thinking about.
INGRAHAM: But that's smart thinking. And it's not a blanket prohibition of we're worried about campaign events in the fall if this pops back up. We assume things will calm down at some point.
GABBARD: That's why this action now is so important.
INGRAHAM: We're going to get back to the campaign and where you stand with things now with Biden and Sanders in just a moment. But we have to go back to our West Coast Newsroom where we have some breaking news from Trace Gallagher. Trace?
TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It just never stops, Laura. We're just learning now that a staff member in Senator Maria Cantwell's D.C. office has now tested positive for coronavirus. Apparently, this staff member has been in isolation since the person began having symptoms and then was tested and has now tested positive for coronavirus. We are being told that neither Cantwell or any other member of Congress came in contact with this staff member. But out of precautions, Cantwell is now telling her staff and all others that she knows in that office and area that they should be tested for coronavirus. Her Seattle office, her D.C. office, we're being told, will remain open for her constituents to get use and stuff, but they will clean out the entire D.C. office. The Seattle office not affected so far. Laura?
INGRAHAM: Trace, thanks so much. Congresswoman --
GABBARD: I think is exactly the approach. These tests need to be made available. If there is any shadow of a doubt that you feel you have either possibly been exposed or you're feeling a little bit iffy, you have got to be able to have these tests. I think when you look at countries like South Korea, this is exactly what they have been doing. And unlike many other countries, because they have done this mass testing, they are actually seeing their numbers going down instead of up.
INGRAHAM: Roche makes all theirs tests in South Korea, they crank out those tests in South Korea. Apparently, we had a problem with the reagent which is the thing that gives the final result, and to some that continues today. A lot of it is red tape.
GABBARD: The problem -- exactly. Exactly. It is red tape and bureaucracy. I know President Trump talks a lot about breaking through the red tape. I think he --
INGRAHAM: He's already done that a little bit.
GABBARD: That's what needs to be done.
INGRAHAM: Congresswoman, what about the state of this election right now? You heard the scuttlebutt last night building that maybe this just shows us that we have to back off campaigning and that events, large events, events with more than 100 people should just not happen anymore. The country is making a big decision in November. So we're not going to have any political events?
GABBARD: There are a lot of ways to be able to continue to connect with voters, which is the most important thing. These decisions have to be made on a case by case basis depending on where and what is going on in certain states. It might make sense.
INGRAHAM: Yes, hot spots.
GABBARD: But look, I'm thinking, let's do a skype town hall. If I can't go and hold a town hall, let me do a skype town hall. Let me find ways to be able to continue to have this dialogue with voters so they can make the best informed decisions.
(LAUGHTER)
INGRAHAM: So when are you thinking your next big town hall will be under these circumstances?
GABBARD: We will see. I think this is the challenge that I've had is that both the DNC, their corporate media partners, they are trying to blackout my campaign completely. Unfortunately, they don't want the American people to hear my election that I've been bringing to this election from day one about the sea change we needs in our foreign policy. A lot of the things that you pointed out in your ANGLE, the lack of foresight about the costs and the consequences of continuing to wage these wasteful regime change wars.
INGRAHAM: Trillions of dollars in spending that we could have been using maybe to build up our health infrastructure.
GABBARD: Exactly.
INGRAHAM: You think about the men and the women and the families that have suffered. You want to weep and cry. And I was part of the cheerleader brigade, and I'm culpable there. But at least at some point you learn, I would hope.
GABBARD: That point has passed us. And recognizing that the cost in human lives, military family members, our troops, and on every American through those taxpayers' dollars spent on these wars that have not made us any safer.
INGRAHAM: Scandalous. They've enriched. How many shots did China shoot in all those wars.
GABBARD: Right.
INGRAHAM: Zero. Great to see you.
GABBARD: Nice to see you.
INGRAHAM: Stay safe.
GABBARD: Thank you.
INGRAHAM: We'll talk to you soon.
And up ahead, the coronavirus panic, well, as we talked about, it's now infecting perhaps the election. But who actually benefits if rallies are canceled in areas that haven't seen these big outbreaks? We're going to have the answer when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: We knew it would happen, the coronavirus infecting the presidential election. President Trump just announced that he is canceling a pair of events out west. Both the Sanders and Biden campaigns canceled their rallies over public health concerns. And while that might be prudent, and as a move it is no secret that canceling events benefits one candidate in particular -- Joe Biden.
Joining me now is Tezlyn Figaro, political analyst, former social justice director for Bernie Sanders's 2016 campaign. Tezlyn, great to see you. This seems potentially like a -- just looking at the politics of it, putting the public health issue aside for a moment. But just looking at this politically, this seems like this could be a problem for Sanders, yes?
TEZLYN FIGARO, FORMER SANDERS 2016 NATIONAL STAFFER: It absolutely can be a problem. Joe Biden will certainly benefit because we don't have to worry about him threatening to take somebody out back. So we don't have to worry about that as an issue. But then again it might benefit Senator Sanders as well because then he won't have to explain why the big crowds just won't show up at the polls.
So at this point I think it's time that voters really just make a decision on who they want to go with, and I think people are finding out that folks are just not socialists. I worked for Senator Sanders and I've always said, at least for the last four years on FOX, that I am independent, I'm moderate. I joined him in 2016 for very different reasons. But it is important for folks to understand that this country, they just don't want to elect a socialist. So Senator Sanders has to take some responsibility for that as well.
INGRAHAM: Some prominent Dems, Tezlyn, are calling for the party to cancel future primaries. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Let's shut this puppy down and let's move on and worry about November. This thing is decided. There's no reason to keep it going.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN, D-S.C., HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP: It is time for us to shut this primary down. It is time for us to cancel the rest of the debates, because you don't do anything but get yourself in trouble if you continue this contest when it's obvious that the numbers will not shake out for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Tezlyn, they are not saying that because of the coronavirus, but you can get the point. The coronavirus just makes that argument for them I think more powerful. Just end it, Bernie Sanders sit down, you don't matter anymore. But how is that heard from the perspective of all of the supporters he does have? That sounds a little bit insulting.
FIGARO: It's extremely insulting. And Jim Clyburn said, you heard him say you don't do anything but get yourself in trouble because they are afraid that Joe Biden will continue to have more gaffes. And I don't know why they're hiding that. People are well aware that Joe Biden has consistent gaffes and they still voted for him anyway. But just to have the audacity to say let's just shut the puppy down is disrespectful even to those who want to vote for Joe Biden, even those who want to vote for Sanders or those who want to write in in a candidate. It is disrespectful to American democracy to just decide you want to stop midway.
There's still half of the delegates to be earned. Senator Sanders certainly has a hard road ahead. It won't be easy. He would have to pretty much win by a landslide in order to have a path to the nomination. But it is a little bit early to be making that call, and it shouldn't be made by just one or two folks at the top. That's why we're in the situation that we're in right now, and folks are hash-tagging right now "Dem Exit" because of that type of nonsense.
INGRAHAM: I didn't see that. I have to confess, I've quarantined myself from social media for at least two hours.
(LAUGHTER)
INGRAHAM: Two hours, Tezlyn, I've self-quarantined, so I missed that. But I just think it gives -- whether this is the GOP establishment trying to shove stuff down people's throat, or whether it's the Democrat establishment trying to cut off primary voters, I just think people are tired of this. They just want their say, and then we will see where the chips fall. But to just say we are done with this now. No, we are not. States have a right to have primaries. They are going to have a lawsuit on their hands, as well. Tezlyn, thanks so much.
FIGARO: Thank you.
INGRAHAM: A New York City suburb is containment zone. Could we seem more of these cities following suit? And what does that mean for your constitutional rights? We have two lawyers, prominent ones, great ones, they're going to tell us, next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-N.Y., MINORITY LEADER: I fear that what is happening in New Rochelle will happen in cities and towns across the country. It's virtually certain that a limited quarantine or containment area will be imposed on other cities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: As this virus spreads, could we end up with something even more drastic, like the large scale lock downs as we've seen in Italy. People are holed up in their homes not coming out. And what would that mean for our constitutional rights? Joining me now is William Kishman, labor and employment attorney, John Eastman Claremont Institute senior fellow and constitutional scholar. William, let's start with you. What are the constitutional concerns with, first let's start with a containment zone or imposed quarantine?
WILLIAM KISHMAN, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY: Right. There are quite a few different constitutional checks that at least significantly limit the government's ability to impose these types of mandatory quarantines or containment zones where people just are not permitted to leave. There is the due process clause which requires people to have a hearing if this were to happen. It would either be forehand or at least promptly thereafter. There is the equal protection clause which prevents the government from arbitrarily imposing quarantines. There is quite a bit of authority that requires the conditions of any quarantine to be humane. People must have access to food, clothes, water, basic needs, even some religious considerations, and that significantly limits the ability to impose a quarantine.
And then the laws that are on the books right now inherently include at least some protections. For example, many states have laws that require people to have a hearing at least within a couple of days. So there are significant limits.
INGRAHAM: I think the reason -- I'm sorry to interrupt. But John, I think when we hear about people saying campaigns should be basically just stopped, primaries should be stopped. Cruise ships are different, especially for the elderly, because that's real close quarters. But we do have constitutional rights in our country also to at some point balance about freedom of movement and assembly. But those can be overridden, correct?
JOHN EASTMAN, CLAREMONT INSTITUTE SENIOR FELLOW: They can. And the last time we had a mass quarantine was a century ago in the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918. There is statute on the books, Title 42, Section 264, that basically allows the head of Centers for Disease Control has been delegated the authority to develop regulations that would quarantine to stop the spread of any infectious disease. And the respiratory disease we're talking about here, the coronavirus, is one of the diseases listed inside the series of executive orders that identified what diseases qualify for creating that quarantine.
You have got two things. You've got quarantine and you're got isolation. Isolation for people that are already manifesting the disease and risk infecting others. And then quarantine of those people who have been exposed to it but don't yet have the disease. And we can quarantine them for a shorter period of time to make sure they don't develop it and become contagious to others.
INGRAHAM: Mr. Kishman, what about the preventing people from leaving towns or localities, neighborhoods? The National Guard that is now tonight in New Rochelle, New York, they are not stopping people -- from what the reporting says, they're not stopping people from leaving New Rochelle. They are helping deliver food and getting people to medical facilities and doing other essential things. But people think there are guns -- they are not doing that. Could they do that in extreme cases?
KISHMAN: I think that's going to be very rare at a minimum for a lot of different reasons. So we have already seen evidence about how governments prefer to address this situation. There have been many governments, even in Washington state, northern California, areas that have been pretty heavily impacted already that have considered mandatory quarantines with some law enforcement mechanism. They have decided against them. There's CDC people who have gone on public record saying that they don't think mandatory quarantines are the best option.
And obviously, a quarantine is going to be much more expensive than doing steps like tracking, just prohibiting public gathers. And then also a quarantine is more vulnerable to a court challenge than some of these other steps.
INGRAHAM: And John, I want to get back to the fact that we have people who are turning this into -- this health crisis into a political opportunity.
EASTMAN: Yes.
INGRAHAM: And John, you have been in politics and the law for long enough to have probably seen this coming a mile away. But it is particularly disgusting at a time like this.
EASTMAN: Well, there are a couple of aspects of how it's, I think, being deployed, or exaggerated. And I don't begrudge the seriousness of the issue. But even today the World Health Organization's use of the word "pandemic" sows a great deal of confusion. We think that means millions and millions and millions of people are going to die. What pandemic means is millions and millions may get the disease. But there is a very low percentage of people that get it that are going to have mortality issues. So even the use of the way we're using the words can then be redeployed to create a different kind of frenzy. That tanks the stock market. That takes off the table one of the big issues for President Trump's reelection. And if there is any connection between those two, you've got a real big concern that this is being deployed for political purposes.
INGRAHAM: All right, got to go. Gentlemen, great to see you tonight. Thanks so much.
When we come back, a moment that you do not want to miss. Last Bite.
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INGRAHAM: It's sometimes hard at times like this to look on the bright side, some good news. And we were just talking about this in the studio. Now people are actually doing the unthinkable thing. They are washing their hands regularly. Isn't that progress? Isn't that good? How many times have you left a restroom only to see people who leave the stall, don't wash their hands? They are washing their hands more. This is good for everyone. Cleanliness is next to godliness, as they say.
Shannon Bream and the "Fox News @ Night" team take it all from here.
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