Michigan Gov. Whitmer extends indoor dining restrictions for 12 days

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer extends indoor dining restrictions for 12 days

Restaurant owners Joe and Rosalie Vicari tell 'Your World' restrictions not based on science

This is a rush transcript from "Your World with Neil Cavuto" December 7, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR:  Thank you, Bill, very much.

Well, Bill, like you, we're dealing with a coast-to-coast crisis here,
right? On the West Coast, where they're envisioning lockdowns that could
affect nine out of 10 Californians, you have already heard the story about
the one woman, Angela Marsden, who is on the brink right now unless they
change their policies.

On the East Coast of the United States, in New York, Governor Cuomo is
entertaining doing the exact same thing in the New York City metropolitan
area if hospitalization rates don't improve.

Right now, a good many of them are close to full capacity. And that's
before the virus itself has exponentially been rising in terms of the
number of cases.

We're going to talk to some business owners who fear it can be a very
treacherous path, because, in the middle of the country, as we look at
what's happening on either coast, word out of Michigan that they want to
continue restrictions and add to them for at least another couple of weeks.

That would take us right through the holidays.

Welcome, everybody. I'm Neil Cavuto, and this is YOUR WORLD.

And what an incredible world, at that, as we're trying to get a sense of
how far some of these measures to contain the virus go. Keep in mind that a
lot of the measures they have taken have done little to slow the
progression of the virus itself.

So, what will happen on the West Coast, and what particularly in the Big
Apple?

For the latter, we go to Alex Hogan following these developments quite
closely in New York.

Hey, Alex.

ALEX HOGAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT:  Hi, Neil.

Well, we're seeing hospitalization numbers around the country rise. And
here in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo says that the city will see
additional restrictions if the spread continues to spiral out of control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY):  In five days, if the hospitalization rate
doesn't stabilize in New York City, we're going to close indoor dining.
We're now at 25 percent in New York City.

In the rest of the state, any region where the hospitalization rate doesn't
stabilize, then, our 50 percent capacity indoor dining, we're going to go
to 25 percent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOGAN:  The state reported nearly 10,000 new cases yesterday. More than
4,400 New Yorkers are hospitalized. The hard-hit restaurant industry
bracing for another blow.

In California, a video went viral this weekend of a woman pointing to her
closed outdoor dining area and just feet away the outdoor dining tents for
what she said was a movie crew.

California Governor Gavin Newsom today addressed business owners who are
struggling because of these restrictions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA):  I'm deeply empathetic and deeply committed to
advancing the cause of supporting our small businesses during this trying
and challenging time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOGAN:  Another sign of potential relief is the vaccine around the corner.
But medical experts say this will only work if the country buys in as a
whole.

While millions of people will likely need to wait until the spring for the
shot, some remain skeptical. Sixty percent trust the science here, but 39
percent of Americans say they will not take this vaccine.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says, for there not to be any more community spread, we
need to see about 75 to 80 percent of Americans buying in and taking this
vaccine to have an umbrella of protection -- Neil.

CAVUTO:  All right, Alex, thank you very, very much, Alex Hogan in New York
on that.

I want to take you to Michigan and some developments there that they are
watching, because they are extending some restrictions that directly affect
businesses and restaurants, almost right until Christmas, December 20, to
be exact, 12 days added to a partial shutdown, that affect everything from
retail establishments, restaurants, all the way to schools, and how much in
person training and classroom activity they can allow.

We have got Joe Vicari here, Rosalie Vicari. They run a restaurant group,
very successful one, at that. And they're in the middle of this, and sort
of at Governor Gretchen Whitmer's sort of whim here.

Guys, very nice of you to come here.

These latest orders were based on a serious spike in cases in your state,
according to the governor, and warrant this drastic move. She doesn't want
to do it, says that she's been compelled to do it.

What do you think?

JOE VICARI, PRESIDENT AND OWNER, JOE VICARI RESTAURANT GROUP:  I think
she's got her own agenda.

I think that this has nothing to do with the science, because, if it did,
then she said that it has gone up the last three weeks. Well, we have been
shut for three weeks, so it hasn't been coming from restaurants. So, that's
really our frustration, is that there's no right and reason for this.

Our neighbors in Ohio are open. You can drive 40 miles south and go to
restaurants there. And, again, the restaurants in Michigan have had done
all the protocols they have asked us to do. And we have. And it's just so
disheartening, because there's -- like I said, we don't feel there's any
rhyme or reason to this.

I think there's a different agenda that the Democratic governors have. And
I don't know what it is.

CAVUTO:  So, Rosalie, when you look at this, it's -- obviously, you can't
do anything. And now you can't do anything for at least another couple of
weeks more.

I mean, can you guys hang on through this?

ROSALIE VICARI, CO-OWNER, JOE VICARI RESTAURANT GROUP:  It's going to be
very difficult.

I think, the longer that the governor closes restaurants and keep
restaurants closed, the harder it is for people to survive. They -- our
Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association has already seen 2,000
permanent closures of restaurants. And they predict, if the closure went
longer than the three-week pause, which it is going longer now, that an
additional 4,000 restaurants will have to permanently close their doors.

And that equates to -- with the 2,000 and then the additional 4,000, it
equates to almost 250,000 restaurant workers that are going to be out of
business. So, most of -- most of the small businesses, most of the smaller
restaurants will not be able to survive this closure again, especially
through the holiday season.

This is our busiest period. We went all year long to get into the month of
December. And we just -- we just won't know what to do with the lost
revenue, the lost wages for our staff.

The saddest part is listening to our staff. Our staff has been calling us.
We hear from them daily about their struggles in trying to survive during
the holiday season. So...

J. VICARI:  We have -- we're a larger restaurant group. We had a furlough,
layoff, 700 employees. It's -- yes, it's...

CAVUTO:  Whoa.

You know what is weird about it, though, guys? And you're aware of these
numbers far better than I am, that these spikes in cases to which the
governor refers, they're not happening in restaurants. They're not
happening in what seem to be the target zones for shutting things down.

Nevertheless, she said, when she made this announcement -- quoting here --
"Hope is on the horizon. But we need an additional 12 days to determine the
full impact of the Thanksgiving holiday on our efforts to mitigate the
spread of the virus."

So, it sounds to me, Joe, that we might get no proof the virus spread
during Thanksgiving, but, out of an abundance of precaution, she could be
pushing you to the brink.

J. VICARI:  The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association came out with
something recently that said they can contribute 4.3 percent of COVID cases
into restaurants, a very low percentage.

If this thing was 25, 35 percent, I would understand. It's 4 percent. And
shopping malls are 9 percent. So, shopping...

R. VICARI:  But shopping malls remain open.

J. VICARI:  Yes, they're open.

And...

CAVUTO:  Yes, that is what is weird, right?

J. VICARI:  Yes.

R. VICARI:  It's weird. It's weird to us too.

J. VICARI:  Yes, very frustrating.

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO:  Guys, I wish we had more time.

But I do want to be clear. One thing is, these spikes in cases occurred
even after pretty stiff measures that the governor was taking, by the way,
not only in your fine state, but in other states, where this happened even
with some pretty stringent measures.

So, are these measures the answer?

J. VICARI:  Well...

R. VICARI:  Well, I think that the safety measures help. It helped to keep
people safe. It helped to keep our customers and our employees safe.

And we did everything the governor asked us to do. We did offer mandates.
We went beyond even to keep people safe.

So, like Joe said, the science to us shows that 4 percent, 4.2 percent is
coming out of restaurants. Restaurants were closed during the Thanksgiving
season. We have been closed the last three weeks. So, whatever spike is
happening is not attributable to the restaurant industry.

We have been closed. So it's frustrating for all of us.

CAVUTO:  I imagine it is, because everyone I talk to says that you have the
best food going.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO:  So, I have got to sample that out whenever I'm in the
neighborhood.

R. VICARI:  Please do.

CAVUTO:  But just hang in there, guys.

R. VICARI:  Thank you. That's all we can do right now.

CAVUTO:  It's a strange world in which we live.

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO:  I hear you.

J. VICARI:  We appreciate it.

CAVUTO:  I hear you, but happy holidays and merry Christmas just the same.

We will be watching. Keep us posted, Joe and Rosalie Vicari of the Vicari
Group Restaurant.

One of the things that occurs with all of this is that a vaccine is going
to make all of this go away, that governors wouldn't be compelled to take
such drastic action.

Yet there are a good many people who are leery of the vaccine, including,
in one survey, just one survey, half of New York firefighters. Why is that?

After this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO:  All right, president-elect Biden is busy wrapping up his Cabinet
picks right now. He's still a long way from done, but a very crucial one in
the health care arena, and particularly how that grouping now would deal
with these latest spikes in cases that could likely extend past
Inauguration Day in January.

Let's get the latest from Jacqui Heinrich, with the former vice president
in Wilmington, Delaware -- Jacqui.

JACQUI HEINRICH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT:  Good afternoon, Neil.

President-elect Joe Biden's choice to head up Health and Human Services may
bring a pause in pressure to select Latino leaders for Cabinet positions.
Biden tapped Xavier Becerra, bringing praise from Democrats and some
criticism from Republicans.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus praised the choice, calling Becerra a
champion for working families who's lived the American dream. Becerra, the
son of Mexican immigrants who served 12 terms in Congress before becoming
California's first Latino attorney general, led legal efforts on the health
care front, including a campaign to defend the Affordable Care Act.

And he's expected to use his fluent Spanish to promote and defend the
upcoming COVID-19 vaccination campaign within the Latino community. But
Republican Senator Tom Cotton indicated there may be a confirmation hurdle,
tweeting: "Xavier Becerra spent his career attacking pro-life Americans and
tried to force crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions. He has been
a disaster in California. And he is unqualified to lead HHS. I will be
voting no. And Becerra should be rejected by the Senate."

Biden also filled out his health team, naming Dr. Vivek Murthy, a current
chair of his COVID task force, to be surgeon general, and Dr. Rochelle
Walensky, the chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General
Hospital, to lead the CDC.

Now, they will be joined by a very familiar face, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who
Biden has asked to continue in his role as director of the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and also serve as chief
medical adviser.

Fauci reportedly said he won't be in person here in Wilmington tomorrow for
the unveiling. But he is expected to appear perhaps virtually -- Neil.

CAVUTO:  Jacqui, thank you very much, Jacqui Heinrich on all this.

Well, everyone is just waiting for a vaccine, right? And the FDA is
beginning deliberations right now to decide whether Pfizer's treatment and
even Moderna's down the road warrants getting it out for emergency use
right now.

Keep in mind, in the United Kingdom and Bahrain, it is out there for
emergency use. But a lot of people are anxious about vaccines, period. But
one survey in New York raised a lot of eyebrows, when half the fire men and
women who were answering it said that they would not be keen on a vaccine
just yet.

Andy Ansbro is with the Uniformed Firefighters Association right now. He's
the president.

That surprised me, Andy. But I know it was based on a couple of other
things. It wasn't exactly scientific. I know that not every firefighter was
polled. So, this is a fraction of a fraction.

But what did you make of it?

ANDY ANSBRO, PRESIDENT, UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION:  Well, we feel
that the date was actually pretty on target. We actually managed to get 25
percent of our membership to answer, over 2,000 members.

But our numbers being roughly 50-45 no to yes, that's probably indicative
of the general population. I mean, it is a privilege to be at the front of
the line for this vaccination. But it's not an obligation by my members to
get it.

So what I'm advocating for is my members to get all the information,
educate themselves on the vaccine, the pros and the cons. And I expect them
to make a decision based on what's best for their family. I'm going to get
it myself. I will encourage my members to get it.

But I'm going to stand behind whatever decision they make personally for
what's best for them and their family. As far as the actual study being
skewed either way, we had a couple of issues with prior ways in which the
department administered a flu vaccine.

And we tried to avoid that by letting members know this is just a strict
yes-no question:  Are you interested? We're hoping that, when our members
get more information, just like everybody else -- this is all new stuff.
When everyone gets more information, we're hoping more of our members will
be inclined to get it.

CAVUTO:  All right. So the fact that half in this survey are not, is it
that they're cynical that it's going to work, or they just are leery of
vaccines?

Firefighters are a tough-to-prove-it-to bunch. They're very, very doubtful
of a lot of things. And that's what makes them quite heroic, because they -
- they're crazy enough to walk into a fire.

ANSBRO:  Well...

CAVUTO:  But my point is, are there -- is there something there that you
notice that they're relaying to you, like, wait a minute, this doesn't add
up?

ANSBRO:  I don't think those numbers are any different for the general
population.

But, honestly, my membership was hit very hard during coronavirus. Over 35
percent of us have been exposed. A lot of my members are young and strong.
And they're really not worried about personally getting another exposure.
They probably would rather see someone in more risk category get their
vaccine.

CAVUTO:  I see.

ANSBRO:  But, honestly, we did this poll with the intention of letting the
department know how much we're going to need as an estimate, and what their
expectations are, and where they have got to work if they want to get those
numbers off.

As far as members being anti-vaxxers, I have been told that one, I don't
see that. But, again, there's a lot of people that don't want to be at the
front of the line for vaccine. The final trial for any drug is the wide-
scale application to the public.

CAVUTO:  No, you're right.

ANSBRO:  But I have been told that this is a safe vaccine by a close friend
who happens to be virologist. And I'm going to have an opportunity to have
my good friend who is a legitimate Ph.D. molecular biologist/virologist
talk my members, and hopefully give them the information they need from
someone that I trust.

And maybe we can convince a few more people to get it. But, again, in the
end, it's a decision they will have to make for themselves. I just want it
to be an informed decision.

CAVUTO:  Yes. You're right. And they are -- by and large, they're young men
and women. So they're -- they have a whole different viewpoint on this
virus.

But would you -- you said that you would be likely to take it. Would you
take it in front -- in front of them too. So, guys, this is OK?

ANSBRO:  Absolutely. That's my intention.

CAVUTO:  OK.

ANSBRO:  I'm not looking to have anyone do it because I'm doing it. I want
them to do it based on the education and based on knowing what it is and
what it isn't.

CAVUTO:  Well said.

ANSBRO:  This is different vaccine from a flu vaccine.

CAVUTO:  Got it. Fair enough.

ANSBRO:  Yes, the flu vaccine, to my knowledge, is actually a weakened
virus.

The COVID vaccine is basically a fraction of the virus shell, which is
incapable of being a full active live virus, which can actually get you
sick, while your body does recognize that fragment and build its own
antibodies to see -- find it if it comes across it again and destroy it.

So the vaccine is actually a large dose of viral -- dead viral fragments
that your body will mount the response to, which is how you get he was
fevers and chills within 24 hours. That's not the virus. That is your
body's natural response to it.

CAVUTO:  Fair enough.

ANSBRO:  And so, hopefully, by getting the information out...

CAVUTO:  No, Andy, you raise a number of good points.

And, obviously, there are some distinctions with this one. Obviously, it
has to be very cold. You have to take it in two doses spread some days
apart. So maybe that could be leading to some of the concern.

ANSBRO:  Well...

CAVUTO:  But, Andy, if you take it, well, gosh, I have a feeling those men
and women will take it.

But thank you very, very much. And that explains a lot. It's not -- it's
kind of in keeping with some general public surveys on this.

Andy, thank you on that.

Meantime, want to take you to Georgia when we come back. As you know,
there's a run-off election there on January 5. You might have heard a thing
or two about it. Today was the final day you had to register to vote for
it. How many are going to participate?

That could be a very deciding factor, not only in that battle and those
battles, but in the makeup finally of the United States -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO:  Yes, Virginia, there could be a Christmas present regarding a
COVID relief package to the tune of close to a trillion dollars, where
they're suddenly finding common ground.

Now can they find a common calendar in time to do it?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO:  All right, it's a big powwow of the mightiest of the biotech drug
industry players tomorrow at the White House, but two very, very big
players won't be there. And we don't know why.

But I have a feeling Blake Burman might. He joins us from the White House -
- Blake.

BLAKE BURMAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT:  Hi there, Neil. Yes.

And this is some news that we have been gathering quite literally within
the last few seconds here. There's going to be this big White House summit
on vaccine distribution tomorrow, the who's-who who you might expect, the
president, the vice president, members of Operation Warp Speed involved,
some members from within the industry as it relates to distribution,
members of Operation Warp Speed, et cetera.

However, we have also learned quite literally in the last few seconds here
that the representatives, the top representatives from Pfizer and from
Moderna will not be at this vaccine summit tomorrow. Of course, Pfizer's --
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine candidate is up before the FDA on Thursday in
just three days' time.

After that, Moderna is a week later, 10 days later. According to a source
familiar with the matter, Pfizer was just a bit uncomfortable being here
for this summit, considering that the FDA was going to be here as well
involved -- as a part of the summit tomorrow.

So, because these companies, Neil, are up before the FDA here in the next
three days, 10 days, when you're talking about Pfizer and Moderna, we are
now being told that the lead executives at the company not going to be here
for the summit tomorrow, but it is something, this summit, that we are told
could potentially last hours, as clearly the White House wants to put this
forward, as vaccine distribution potentially could be happening by week's
end -- Neil.

CAVUTO:  All right, Blake Burman, thank you very much for that, Blake
Burman at the White House.

In the meantime, I want to switch to Georgia right now, last day for
residents of that state to go ahead and register to vote for the January 5
run-off senatorial election.

Jonathan Serrie has more from Decatur, Georgia -- Jonathan.

JONATHAN SERRIE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT:  Hi there, Neil.

Well, today, Georgia elections officials recertified the results of the
presidential race after the three counts. They have determined that the
outcome of that race has not changed. And Georgia's secretary of state,
Brad Raffensperger, says it is time for conspiracy theories on both sides
of the aisle to stop.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD RAFFENSPERGER (R), GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE:  All this talk of a
stolen election, whether it's Stacey Abrams or the president of the United
States, is hurting our state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERRIE:  Georgia's secretary of state is trying to instill voter confidence
as the Peach State heads towards January five run-offs for both of
Georgia's U.S. Senate seats.

Last night, Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler debated Democratic challenger
Raphael Warnock on largely national talking points, including COVID-19 and
the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KELLY LOEFFLER (R-GA):  In your writings and your teachings, you have
repeatedly praised Marxism and the redistribution of income.

Can you hear and now for all Georgians renounce socialism and Marxism?

REV. DR. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D), GEORGIA SENATORIAL CANDIDATE:  Listen, I
believe in our free enterprise system. And my dad was a small business
owner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERRIE:  In a separate debate, Georgia's other Republican Senator David
Perdue chose not to participate, so he was represented by an empty podium,
as his Democratic challenger, Jon Ossoff, fielded questions alone.

And today is the deadline for new voters to register in time for those
January 5 Senate run-offs. They have just minutes if they're going to
register in person, close of business at facilities like the one you see
behind me. And they have until midnight if they're registering online --
Neil.

CAVUTO:  Jonathan Serrie, thank you very much, my friend.

I want to go to Lee Carter on this, GOP pollster, very good read of the
public sentiment.

Lee, I just wanted to step back from this. This is a run-off election. It
doesn't get quite the attention or maybe the number of voters, for example,
that a general election might. So, who does that help or hurt in Georgia
right now if it's a smaller crowd?

LEE CARTER, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER:  You know, I think that this is a little
bit different than what we would usually see in a run-off election, in that
all eyes are on Georgia.

And I think the folks in Georgia really know what's at stake here. I mean,
this is control of the Senate. That means that if -- whatever happens
there, then, if the Democrats win the Senate, then they will have the
House, the Senate, the executive branch, and that really is going to change
the courts.

Historically, Georgia is not a left-leaning state. It now seems to be very,
very split. And let's not forget that this election was won, Joe Biden won
Georgia by 12,000 votes. Every vote here is going to count.

When you look at the margins that we're playing at here it is so, so, so
very close. You look at the Perdue race, Perdue won by a very narrow margin
in the general election before the run-off. He would have 49.7 percent of
votes. He was so close to not having to have a run-off.

And when you look at Loeffler Warnock, that's also very, very close, very
different race there. But, at the end of the day, I think that we're going
to see much greater turnout than you would usually see in a special
election because everyone there knows what is at stake.

CAVUTO:  Did the president help or hurt the Republican candidates' cause
with his rally this weekend?

CARTER:  You know, it's a really, really fair question. I think he helps.

And here's why. I think the fact that he went down there, and really showed
that the votes count, that Georgia matters is going to matter to Trump
supporters, who otherwise are feeling very, very disenfranchised at this
moment.

The bottom line is this; 75 percent of Republican voters feel like the
election was rigged, the votes were not counted. And so when you feel like
that, are you going to be likely to go out there and vote? I think the fact
that Donald Trump went down there, gave the people of Georgia his support
and hope again, showed how important their votes were means that they're
going to be more likely to show up on January 5, and they're going to vote.

If he did not do this, if he did not energize his base, they might very
well have stayed home. And that could have cost the Republicans the
election there in Georgia. So I think it was a really, really important
move for him to do.

You might disagree with the content of his speech. A lot of people can not
understand what's going on with his claims of voter fraud. And that's a
separate issue. But I think to energize those folks he most needed to
energize, he absolutely had to go there. And he did exactly what he needed
to do.

CAVUTO:  But, if you're claiming the vote was rigged, as he did, what would
make you want to vote in the run-off election?

CARTER:  I mean, that's the really big question, right?

But I think the fact that he went out there, got people excited about it,
talked about how important it was, and really made it about almost a
loyalty to him to show up, I think that's going to help people really see,
get out there and do it.

And I think, if he hadn't, I think that the question really would have been
there, then you just feel totally demoralized. And so it's -- this is sort
of a catch-22 situation. If you have got a bunch of folks who feel like
their votes aren't going to be counted properly, are they going to go out
there and vote?

They're certainly not going to answer pollsters in the right way. They're
certainly not going to trust institutions in this moment. But I do believe
that they are very, very loyal to the president and to the Republican Party
in this moment.

I also think that's why we haven't seen more Republicans take a stand and
recognize that Joe Biden is, in fact, the president-elect. And so it's a
really, really complicated hand that they're playing right now. They need
every single vote to count.

CAVUTO:  Yes.

CARTER:  At the same time, you have got a lot of conservatives who are
concerned about what the president is saying. A lot of conservatives don't
agree necessarily that the votes were stolen, agree with voter fraud.

CAVUTO:  OK.

CARTER:  And you have got to get those people to come out to the polls as
well. So I think it's really really important that every vote counts.

And I think Loeffler's performance last night might have been lackluster,
but the criticism of her today actually, I think, is going to energize more
people to go out there and vote as well.

CAVUTO:  All right, we will see, I guess, on January 5.

All right, Lee Carter, thank you very, very much.

CARTER:  Thanks so much.

CAVUTO:  In the meantime, stimulus is looking like I wouldn't say a done
deal, but a closer-than-ever-thought-possible deal.

Where the differences remain and whether they can iron those differences
out -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO:  All right, we are getting word right now from president-elect Joe
Biden that he could announce his pick for U.S. defense secretary on Friday,
not a gimme, but that Reuters is reporting at least that's the goal, and
that he could name his attorney general as soon as this week, presumably
before Friday.

We will keep you posted on that, as he rapidly begins to assemble his team
to take over on January 20 of next year

To Mike Emanuel in Washington right now on things that are being put
together by the lame-duck session of Congress before the president-elect
takes over. And that is when it comes to stimulus, which is suddenly
looking, well, more stimulating, or at least more promising.

What do you know, Mike?

(LAUGHTER)

MIKE EMANUEL, FOX NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT:  Yes, Neil, good
afternoon.

One of the top Senate Democrats sounds hopeful heading into a new week. But
he says the key to getting this done is Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell allowing the Senate to vote on a bipartisan $908 billion package.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D-IL):  Well, my -- my prayers will be answered if it
does.

But we have got a few remaining issues. I think we can work them out. And,
if we can and bring this forward, I just hope that Senator McConnell will
let us bring this matter to the floor as quickly as possible. We have a lot
of work to do and just a few days to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL:  But compared to the $2 trillion-plus package Speaker Nancy Pelosi
was seeking or the $1.8 trillion package that Treasury Secretary Steve
Mnuchin was negotiating with her before the election, this is a much
smaller agreement, and at this point doesn't have direct payments to the
American people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA):  This is not a stimulus bill. It is a relief
bill.

And it's something for the next three to four months to help those in
greatest need. There may be a stimulus check, but that would be part of a
different piece of legislation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL:  The other major issue of the week, of course, is government
funding, due to expire Friday night.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer not taking any chances, tweeting a short
time ago: "I am disappointed that we have not yet reached agreement on
government funding. The House will vote on Wednesday on a one week C.R.,"
continuing resolution, "to keep government open while negotiations
continue."

Senator McConnell just said he expects the Senate would take up that one-
week extension. That would allow congressional leaders more time to finish
up a long-term funding deal and potentially button up a COVID relief
package before leaving town for Christmas -- Neil.

CAVUTO:  Man, that still seems like a lot to do, buddy, but I guess they
can do it. We will see.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO:  Hope springs eternal

Michael Emanuel in Washington all of that.

Well, you have seen a lot of her, this Angela Marsden, this restaurant and
bar owner who really exemplifies the real struggle with just trying to stay
in business. But it's what she showed that showed the hypocrisy of all of
this, punishing her, not punishing someone else mere feet from her -- after
this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA MARSDEN, OWNER, PINEAPPLE HILL SALOON & GRILL:  Everything I own is
being taken away from me.

And they set up a movie company right next to my outdoor patio.

They have not given us money, and they have shut us down. We cannot
survive. My staff cannot survive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO:  All right, now, you have seen a lot of Angela Marsden.

And I know a lot of you are saying, well, why do they keep playing this
again and again? Because I believe she represents, really in an iconic way,
what's going on here, restaurants and other businesses forced to close,
when, in her case, mere feet from her a film project that's behind a
popular NBC show, they can keep their outdoor catering operations going
alive and well.

It's that hypocrisy, that double standard that makes her case so
interesting and indicative of what's going on in states across the country.

I raised that with her a little bit earlier on FOX Business. And she laid
out how this is hurting a lot more than just folks like her. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARSDEN:  The community is going to be destroyed, just destroyed, from
unemployment, to suicide rates, to businesses being shuttered, to homeless
doubling, tripling.

I mean, I'm not a politician. I'm not -- I don't have a big, fancy degree,
but I can see and I can figure it out. So, why can't they figure it out?

CAVUTO:  The double standard from politicians who say one thing and do
quite another? Of course, it's gotten legion in your state.

I'm just wondering, is that really what gets you angrier?

MARSDEN:  I mean, that is nonstop.

So, let's just say you're a small business owner like myself, and you see
the governor go out to French Laundry and spend $15,000 on a bar bill. Do
you know how much that would have helped a small business like mine in the
middle of a pandemic, when he's telling us not to, with a bunch of people.

It's the never-ending, basically, shoving it in your face that we're
different, and we have privilege that you don't, just tells you it must be
safe.

I mean, Sheila -- Sheila Kuehl, her saying it was the most dangerous thing
in the world to dine out and then going next door and dining out, do you
know what that did to every bar and restaurant owner in this town and how
angry and how upset?

We have worked -- you can go to my site, phsaloon. I did tables seven feet
apart. My servers were wearing gloves, masks, face shields, taking
temperatures in 110 degrees in August.

And, you know, I had to decide between, are they going to have a heat
stroke or are going to -- or do I get in trouble because they're not
wearing the plastic face mask?

The double standard is outrageous. And if you put yourself in leadership,
your heart has to be for the people.

CAVUTO:  I have seen many videos provided by people whose business was
affected by this.

This was so powerful because you were revealing something of a double
standard that few people were aware of right next door. I think that's what
hit home for a lot of folks...

MARSDEN:  Neil...

CAVUTO:  And even for those who are worried about COVID-19, that's what
registered. People just said, that, that isn't right.

MARSDEN:  On Black Friday, I was so depressed.

I thought, I wonder if anything's open? The mall was open. On Black Friday,
after they shut me down, I went to the mall, no temperature check, no
plastic face shields, no gloves. Anybody can try on any piece of clothing
indoors that they want on Black Friday, after they shut us down.

I mean, it started that morning, and it started inside me. But it was a
higher power. I -- just, what happened on Friday, I am still in a whirlwind
from. And I -- that was just somehow the world -- I don't even know how
those circumstances -- they just came about.

And it was nothing -- I didn't expect any of this or all this. But I do
know so many businesses and employees and people have said, Angela, please
keep talking to people. Please speak on our behalf, because we're not going
to make it.

And so, yes, it's just -- it's been a whirlwind. And I am awed in the human
spirit. I have had people from England call me. I have had people from
Australia call, from all over the country, because everybody is in this.
Like, we are in this together.

And it's not me against the production company or me against the massage
parlors or the mall. It's just about people and us surviving this. It's
like the Titanic is going down. What are you going to do? Are you going to
sit and play a fiddle, or are you going to get the lifeboats out and start
thinking outside the box and save people?

And that is literally how serious this is. And we will not know the effects
until -- like I said, in February, they are going to start pulling
evictions. Do you know how many people, how many restaurant employees are
not paying their rent?

And when your rent is over $1,000 a month, and it's not been paid for five
months, six months, 10 months, what are you going to do when they start
evicting you or telling you to start making payments, with regular rent on
top of that, with no job to go to because there's not going to be any jobs
left?

The businesses are going to be gone. It's such a big trickle-down issue.
And why are -- I mean, the numbers going up, you guys knew in March. So,
open up the empty hospitals. Bring the ship. Get space for the ICU beds.

But you can't crush people. The average person in the lower class, the
middle class, you can't crush them to try to save others and pit us against
each other. You can't do that and expect to come back to a city. Do you --
I mean, I know it sounds desperate, but it's desperate.

I mean, it's desperate. If I could show you the stories and the homeless,
and I have -- Neil, I had a homeless man jump through my to-go window.

CAVUTO:  Oh, man.

MARSDEN:  I know a bartender whose son was just robbed in their front yard
by gunpoint. People are desperate.

And it is very, very, very serious. And these politicians, I don't know --
I don't know how they're not seeing this or how they're not -- excuse me --
how they're getting it. This is -- this is real lives that they're
affecting.

CAVUTO:  Angela, you didn't want to become, nor did you seek out becoming a
spokesman for your industry.

MARSDEN:  No, I did not.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO:  But you are now. You are now, whether you like it or not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAVUTO:  All right, I think you know why she has now become the most
watched, scrutinized, played, and replayed restaurant owner in the world.

Now find out the impact -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO:  All right, our panel's response to this woman who has had an
amazing following social media worldwide, among the most scrutinized,
played and replayed business owner videos across the planet.

Charles Payne with us, Gianno Caldwell with us, Kristen Hawn.

Charles, what do you think?

CHARLES PAYNE, HOST, "MAKING MONEY":  So heartbreaking, Neil.

When I saw it over the weekend, I wanted to cry. And the way she did it,
the way she juxtaposed the big NBC tent set aside for the elites and her,
the hard-earned money that she poured in tens of thousands of her own
dollars, doing what they told her to do to stay alive, to stay in survival
mode.

And then as you were interviewing her today, news broke that she's not
isolated, right? The National Restaurant Association, 500,000 restaurants
and every business are in -- quote -- "economic freefall"; 87 percent of
full services are down 36 percent in sales; 59 percent of senior labor
costs go up; 58 percent still have furloughs, 17 percent of the industry,
110,000 restaurants, probably permanently closed.

She's not alone. To your point, she's a great representative. Now, will
someone please listen?

CAVUTO:  Well, I believe, Gianno, she hit a chord precisely for that
reason, the double standard, I don't think it was a deliberate move at the
time being, but the oddity of it being feet from her, a business has the
same setup outside as she does for a popular NBC program, they're
unaffected. She's very affected. What do you think?

GIANNO CALDWELL, FOX NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST:  Yes. And you know what?

I'm going to take you straight to the politicians, specifically the Gavin
Newsoms the a Nancy Pelosis of the world. The idea that Democrats care
about the poor and the working class is a farce. How do we know this?

Pre-election, Nancy Pelosi was handed a deal by President Trump. They were
negotiating numbers. Nancy Pelosi, pressed by a TV host, said that she
would not do a deal because she did not want to give President Trump a win.

Meanwhile, the middle-class and working-class people that work at these
restaurants don't have a job. They don't have a paycheck. There's over
100,000 restaurants that aren't coming back. This is a problem on many
levels. Now is the time for Democrats and Republicans to step to the table
and make something happen, because people don't have time to waste. They
need it now.

CAVUTO:  Kristen, I'm just wondering what an incoming President Biden does.

He's talked about mask mandates and the rest, maybe keeping them on for 100
days. He's not talked about shutting down the economy, doesn't want to do
that. But this kind of stuff is happening beneath the federal surface
across all the states as we speak.

So, I'm wondering, what can he do about it?

KRISTEN HAWN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST:  Yes, I think that having -- having a
plan on a federal level is what we have been lacking. And I think is why
you see -- it's heartbreaking what's happening to restaurants across this
country.

It's also incomprehensible that the Congress -- and I don't think this is a
time to point fingers at either party -- it's incomprehensible it took them
this long to come to the table and even talk.

So, I'm hopeful that Biden and his team will be able to provide some better
guidance at the federal level for business owners with regard to health and
people's livelihoods.

CALDWELL:  Wow. This isn't the time to point fingers.

CAVUTO:  You know, the only thing about it, I look at the money side of it,
Charlie, and the only thing that I see is that the restaurants are not
where these spikes are happening.

And so they're the first ones targeted. Your thoughts?

PAYNE:  The restaurants, the elementary schools, it is so weird what's
happening.

Of course, we see what's happening with women in the work force, the
depression, the suicide rates, the layoffs. They can't do it both. They try
to work from home and do house at home -- homeschool the kid.

It's just really nuts, who and why they're locking certain areas down.
There's no rhyme or reason to it. It's an abuse of power. And it's having
devastating consequences.

CAVUTO:  All right guys, I wish we had more time. I apologize for that.

Some breaking news I want to pass along as well. We're getting from The New
York Times a report that Pfizer may not be able to provide more of its
vaccine to the U.S. until at least June of next year, due to a commitment
to some other countries.

Keep in mind that this has formally not been passed for emergency use by
the FDA. Other countries, like the United Kingdom, have already done so.

Here comes "THE FIVE."

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