CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Governor Ned Lamont

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

[18:51:07]

ACOSTA: And we have breaking news right now. The daily U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has just passed 2,000. That's right, 2,000 for just the second time since May.

Let's discuss with the Democratic governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont.

Governor Lamont, thanks so much for joining us.

This is sobering news, hitting 10 -- 2,000 for the second time since May. What is your reaction to that? Just stunning numbers.

GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): Here we go again, although it's different. New York and Connecticut were hit very hard last spring, less hard this time around. But we see those numbers creeping up every day, and it's tough to make everybody say, here we go, hold tight, maintain the distance, put on the mask and we'll get through this if you're careful.

ACOSTA: And so, with this very sad statistic in mind, what are you asking your residents to do this holiday weekend?

LAMONT: Thanksgiving is going to be different tomorrow. It's going to be smaller, just with your immediate family.

Black Friday on Friday, no big sales at 6:00 a.m. in the morning. They're going to extend out a few weeks. You can buy from our local stores, online, pick up at the curb. Doing everything we can to keep retail and restaurants open, but only if we do it safely.

ACOSTA: And how are you, personally, be celebrating this Thanksgiving? I know many of our viewers are still making some tough decisions tonight. I guess it's not too late to change plans and listen to the advice of these experts.

LAMONT: Jim, my kids are stuck with me tomorrow. It's going to be -- usually, they have friends often from other countries. They come. I get to explain Thanksgiving to them.

Not this time. It will be just the six of us sitting around the table. And I'm looking forward to being together though.

ACOSTA: And as I like to put it, if there are few people at the table, there's more turkey for you and me, but I know you're taking additional steps with Black Friday shopping in mind. You were just talking about that a little bit, a few moments ago.

But I think that's important, because people focus on Thanksgiving. They're not thinking about Black Friday, lining up at the big box store, or whatever.

What are your concerns about that popular shopping day?

LAMONT: I'm telling retail, I want to keep you open. I can only keep you open if you do it safely.

"Safely" means number one, no overcrowding at your store. It's 50 percent capacity. Let people make an appointment, or they can line up outside or have only one entrance. Make sure people are wearing the masks.

Do as much as you can online as you can. And online can be for local business. Like I said, you don't have to go to one of the big Internet bots.

So --

ACOSTA: Right.

LAMONT: -- that's what we're trying to do to tamp down the crowds and have a good retail season.

ACOSTA: And throughout this pandemic, you've been making some decisions working with your nearby governors, Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy.

Are the three of you working together on any new restrictions as we brace for what may become a very dark winter for this country?

LAMONT: Yeah, Jim, in the spring, we worked together very closely. It didn't make any sense if I closed down my bars and Andrew Cuomo kept them open in New York, or vice versa. All that meant was people driving back and forth.

COVID didn't know any borders. So, this time and again, we're working together very closely, trying like heck to keep our retail and our restaurants to open. Some differences, New York City closed its schools. We kept our schools open.

ACOSTA: And, finally, what's your message to the people of Connecticut tonight?

LAMONT: That I'm so proud of you. It's been a really tough go of it. It's going to not be an easy 60 days coming up.

But you're more likely to wear the mask than just about any state in the country. That's how we've kept our infection rate low. That's how we kept our schools open. And that's how we're going to get out of this, by working together.

ACOSTA: That's how we're going to do it. That's exactly right, working together.

All right. Governor Ned Lamont, happy Thanksgiving. We appreciate it. And thanks for all those words of caution to your constituents and people out there everywhere tonight. Thanks so much for that.

[18:55:00]

LAMONT: Right back at you, Jim. Thanks.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source