WEBVTT 00:02.500 --> 00:04.433 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky is one of the many leaders across the country 00:04.433 --> 00:09.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% competing with the federal government and with other states to secure critical medical 00:10.266 --> 00:12.600 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% equipment needed by hospitals in his state. 00:12.600 --> 00:15.266 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% Governor Beshear joins us now from Frankfort. 00:15.266 --> 00:17.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Governor, thank you so much for talking with us. 00:17.533 --> 00:22.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Give us an update. I believe Kentucky is a state with a population of, what, 4.4 million 00:24.466 --> 00:28.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% people. Give us an overall update on how you are handling coronavirus at this point. 00:29.466 --> 00:31.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): Well, thank you for having me. 00:31.633 --> 00:35.966 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% And let me start the way I start every time I talk to Kentuckians at every day at 5:00. 00:35.966 --> 00:40.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that's saying that we will get through this, and we will get through it together. 00:40.700 --> 00:45.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Battling this coronavirus is our patriotic duty as Kentuckians and as Americans. And 00:47.666 --> 00:51.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I could not be prouder of how Kentuckians have banded together to address this coronavirus. 00:53.266 --> 00:57.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We address it in three ways right now. Number one is using social distancing to make sure 00:59.733 --> 01:03.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that we can flatten our curve. And I believe that our people have bought in and are actively 01:05.533 --> 01:09.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% doing that. And I couldn't be prouder of them. We have had to change our way of life. 01:09.533 --> 01:14.533 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% We have had to close and hundreds, thousands of small businesses. We have people not going 01:16.500 --> 01:20.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to work that otherwise would have, but they understand that sacrifice is going to save 01:20.300 --> 01:22.300 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% lives. 01:22.300 --> 01:25.233 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Second is, we work every day to increase our health care capacity, to make sure, when we 01:25.233 --> 01:30.233 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% have our surge hit, that we have a bed for those that need it and that we have a ventilator 01:31.033 --> 01:33.566 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% for those that need it. 01:33.566 --> 01:37.166 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And, third, we work on increasing our testing as a state. That is a challenge. All the across 01:39.200 --> 01:42.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the country right now, the major issue is having enough swabs. It's not our testing 01:42.466 --> 01:44.566 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% capacity. 01:44.566 --> 01:48.500 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% Now, number two and three there are limited by personal protective equipment. And I, like 01:50.566 --> 01:54.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% every other governor, are out there trying to scratch and claw to buy as much as we can. 01:56.900 --> 02:00.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I don't place blame in any of that. And none of us knew about this specific virus four 02:02.566 --> 02:06.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% months ago. But it is a difficult system, where our people on the front lines don't 02:08.433 --> 02:10.500 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% have what they need. 02:10.500 --> 02:14.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But if I can, really quickly, it just makes what they are doing more heroic. Doctors, 02:16.600 --> 02:19.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% nurses and others in my state go to work every single day knowing that their co-workers have 02:21.933 --> 02:25.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% contracted the coronavirus and that they don't have enough personal protective equipment. 02:27.500 --> 02:30.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that just makes their sacrifice and their willingness to do it that much more amazing. 02:32.333 --> 02:33.400 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% This is National Public Health Week. 02:33.400 --> 02:34.633 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor... 02:34.633 --> 02:36.666 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: And we appreciate them. 02:36.666 --> 02:39.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor, you said over the weekend that every order for personal protective 02:39.266 --> 02:44.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% equipment had been, in your words, circumvented by the federal government. 02:45.466 --> 02:47.633 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% So are you getting what you need now? 02:47.633 --> 02:51.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: We are not getting nearly what we need on personal protective equipment. 02:53.700 --> 02:57.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that's not just me. And I'm not feeling sorry for myself or for Kentucky. That's everybody. 02:59.533 --> 03:03.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% One of two things will happen. Either an order that we believe is coming in will be diverted 03:05.166 --> 03:08.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% by the federal government, by FEMA, and sent to a place that needs it. I know we need it. 03:10.600 --> 03:13.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And there are other places that need it too, many of which have a spike in cases right 03:15.166 --> 03:18.766 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% now. And my heart goes out to them in New York or New Orleans. 03:18.766 --> 03:23.133 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% But the other thing that will happen is, those who've contracted with will call you right 03:23.133 --> 03:27.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% at the end and say, well, we don't have it or it went to another place. 03:27.900 --> 03:32.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Buying personal protective equipment right now is one of the most difficult things that 03:32.033 --> 03:37.000 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% any of us have ever had to do through government. And we are reaching out through every possible 03:37.000 --> 03:42.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% lead. That's what I do in large part of my day every day, is try to chase down these 03:42.466 --> 03:44.466 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% leads. 03:44.466 --> 03:46.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: So, my question is, is the current system that requires governors to 03:46.466 --> 03:51.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% compete the way you are the best way to have done this? Should this have been something 03:51.300 --> 03:54.566 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% where it was allocated in one central place? 03:54.566 --> 03:58.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: Oh, I mean, a system where governors are competing against each other 03:58.866 --> 04:01.033 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% is a bad system. 04:01.033 --> 04:05.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But, again, I try not to place blame, because we didn't know that we would need this much 04:07.633 --> 04:12.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% personal protective equipment as a world, not just as a country, until the coronavirus 04:16.233 --> 04:18.466 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% truly hit. 04:18.466 --> 04:23.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We -- I hope that we don't just learn our lessons, but that we can increase our capacity, 04:23.366 --> 04:28.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and we can have a better way to get this out where it's needed as we move forward. It is 04:30.366 --> 04:33.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% tough to say, as a state, you should go out and get it on your own, and then have to compete 04:33.100 --> 04:34.300 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% with the federal government. 04:34.300 --> 04:35.766 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% But we're just doing what everybody else is. 04:35.766 --> 04:37.833 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: Yes. 04:37.833 --> 04:39.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: But let me mention two other ways that we get it, both of which are 04:39.166 --> 04:41.200 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% important. 04:41.200 --> 04:45.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We're working with our local businesses to try to manufacture it. And we have got a company 04:47.566 --> 04:50.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% that changed their leather-making into a face shield manufacturing, which has been really 04:52.666 --> 04:56.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% significant and helpful. And we're working with others to try to create masks and gowns 04:56.166 --> 04:58.200 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% and the other forms of PPE. 04:58.200 --> 05:02.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But let me say that the third way we do it is donations. And we have seen everything 05:02.633 --> 05:07.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% from our veterinarians to our large industrial manufacturers step up and provide us hundreds 05:09.566 --> 05:13.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of thousands of pieces of PPE that are going directly to our health care providers. 05:13.033 --> 05:14.600 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor, very... 05:14.600 --> 05:16.666 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: That's what happens when we unify as a state. 05:16.666 --> 05:20.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor, very quickly, you obviously have had a stay-at-home order in 05:21.766 --> 05:23.700 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% Kentucky. 05:23.700 --> 05:27.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Two states, not your neighboring states, but they're close, they are Arkansas and then 05:29.666 --> 05:33.400 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% South Carolina, which is a couple of states away, but still in the region where you are, 05:34.566 --> 05:36.933 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% do not have stay-at-home orders. 05:36.933 --> 05:41.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Does that affect the ability of people in Kentucky to stay healthy, to stay safe? 05:43.533 --> 05:46.300 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: Well, in Kentucky, we have taken aggressive action. 05:46.300 --> 05:50.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And what that means is, we don't just issue what we call a healthy-at-home order, but 05:50.433 --> 05:55.433 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% it means we have had to shut businesses. We have our houses of worship doing virtual services, 05:57.366 --> 05:59.433 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% tens of thousands of people not going to work. 05:59.433 --> 06:04.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We have made sacrifices. And this coronavirus doesn't know boundaries, state boundaries 06:06.400 --> 06:10.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% or county boundaries. And when others don't take aggressive action, what they do is at 06:12.066 --> 06:15.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% least thwart the sacrifice of millions of Kentuckians and residents of other states 06:17.066 --> 06:20.133 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% that are doing what it takes to defeat this virus. 06:20.133 --> 06:24.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And so I wouldn't ask another governor to look at me and explain it. I would ask them 06:24.266 --> 06:29.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to look at my people, who aren't going to work, who have shut down a small business 06:30.700 --> 06:33.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% that was their dream, because they want to protect each other. 06:33.533 --> 06:38.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% This is a test of our humanity, whether we will put each other's lives ahead of our own 06:38.333 --> 06:43.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% economic self-interest. I know we're passing it here in Kentucky. We need to pass it as 06:43.933 --> 06:46.066 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% a country. 06:46.066 --> 06:48.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Governor Andy Beshear, thank you very much for talking with us. And we 06:48.666 --> 06:51.733 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% wish you and the people of Kentucky the very best in all this. 06:51.733 --> 06:52.900 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: Thank you.