TONIGHT, THE CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE. >> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE SECOND OF OUR GRANTED STATE DEBATE. TONIGHT, WE’RE HEARING FROM THE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO REPRESENT YOU IN THE U.S. SENATE. LIKE MANY THINGS THIS YEAR, THIS DEBATE IS DIFFERENT THAN USUAL. OUR PANELISTS ARE IN THE STUDIO, JEAN MACKIN AND JOHN DISTASO. TO FOLLOW COVID-19 GUIDELINES, REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER CORKY MESSNER IS IN A SEPARATE STUDIO. BECAUSE OF SEVERAL VOTES IN RESTRICTIONS AROUND TRAVEL RELATED TO COVID-19, JEANNE SHAHEEN’S LIVE FROM THE STUDIO IN WASHINGTON, D.C. BEFORE WE START WITH THE QUESTIONS, LET’S GET A LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES BACKGROUNDS. FROM APPROVING COVID-19 RELIEF TO SUPREME COURT NOMINEES, THE U.S. PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SHAPING AMERICAN LIFE. BUT NEW HAMPSHIRE’S INTEREST IN THESE TIMES REPRESENTED BEST BUY EXPERIENCE OR A FRESH VOICE IN POLITICS? MR. MESSNER: WE HAVE TO USE MORE COMMON SENSE. SEN. SHAHEEN: THE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO KEEP YOU OR THROW YOU OUT. ALEX: INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT JEANNE SHAHEEN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE ELECTED OFFENDER AND A U.S. SENATOR. REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER CORKY MESSNER IS A FIRST-TIME CANDIDATE WITH A CAREER IN THE LAW. THEIR OWN PERSONAL ROUTES AND RECORDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAVE BEEN A KEY ISSUE IN THIS RACE. SEN. SHAHEEN: HE JUST MOVED HERE TWO YEARS AGO. MR. MESSNER: SHE IS A CAREER POLITICIAN. SHE’S BEEN THERE FAR TOO LONG. ALEX: THEY CLASHED ON EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH CARE TO CAMPAIGN-FINANCE REFORM. THE WINNER COULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPING A POST PANDEMIC AMERICA. WMUR NEWS 9 EVALUATED ALL LEGALLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES ON SELECTED THOSE CONSIDERED MOST NEWSWORTHY ACCORDING TO ITS OBJECTIVE CRITERIA TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DEBATE. THE CANDIDATES WILL GET ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TONIGHT AND 32ND REBUTTALS WILL BE ALLOWED AT THE MODERATOR’S DISCRETION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FROM WASHINGTON. WE WANT TO START WITH AN OPENING QUESTION ABOUT THE PANDEMIC THAT HAS CREATED THIS UNIQUE SET UP WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW. THE PRESIDENT NEEDED TREATMENT AT A HOSPITAL FOR COVID-19. COVID CASES ARE UP IN MANY PLACES. HOLIDAYS ARE COMING AND PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MISSING THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING OUT OF WORK. SCHOOLS ARE IN FLUX. HOW ARE GRANITE STATER’S GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS CONSTANT CRISIS? MR. MESSNER, WE BEGIN WITH YOU. MR. MESSNER: I THINK STEP ONE IS FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE. FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE FROM THE SCIENTISTS. FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE FROM GOVERNOR SUNUNU. AND FOCUS ON FAMILY, FOCUS ON COMMUNITY. THE SAFE, WEAR MASKS, SOCIALLY DISTANCE, AND BE A GOOD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. CAN BE A GOOD MEMBER OF YOUR CHURCH AND YOUR FAMILY. AND WORK TOGETHER. WE NEED TO BE COMPASSIONATE NOW TO EACH OTHER. WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF SOMEONE NEEDS SOME HELP, HELP THEM OUT. BUT DO IT SAFELY. WE CAN LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS ECONOMY SAFELY. WE CAN LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE OUR SCHOOL SAFELY. WE CAN LEARN HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES SAFELY. AND THE WAY WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT IS FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS, BE GOOD FAMILY MEMBERS, AND BE GOOD STUDENTS IN SCHOOL, KIDS. ALEX: SENATOR SHAHEEN, HOW ARE GRANITE STATER’S GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS CONSTANT CRISIS? SEN. SHAHEEN: THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CORONAVIRUS HAS CHANGED EVERYONE’S LIVES, AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. WE HAVE GOT TO SEE GOOD BEHAVIOR MODELED AT THE TOP LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. WE DO NEED TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. WE NEED TO FOLLOW MASK WEARING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND HANDWASHING. BUT WE NEED CONSISTENT GUIDANCE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. . AND WE NEED A PLAN FOR MORE TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING TO FULLY INVOKE THE PROTECTION ACT SO THAT WE MAKE WHAT WE NEED HERE AT HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT, WHILE HE SAYS FOLLOW THE SCIENCE, IF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID THROUGHOUT HIS CAMPAIGN, HE QUESTIONED MASK WEARING DURING THE PRIMARY. KEYS AT HOSPITALS WERE NOT -- WERE IN URGENT NEED OF FUNDING. HE HAS SUGGESTED TO HIS SUPPORTERS THAT THEY NOT FOLLOW GOVERNOR SUNUNU STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT. . WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS IF WE WORK TOGETHER. AND WE FOLLOW THE SIGNS, LISTEN TO THE MEDICAL EXPERTS. ALEX: LET’S GET INTO THE QUESTIONS. WE WILL START WITH PANEL -- WITH A PANEL. JEAN: GOOD EVENING TO BOTH OF YOU. FOR MONTHS, CONGRESS HAS BEEN DEBATING A SECOND ROUND OF STIMULUS AND -- IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID CRISIS. THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WAS DONE NEGOTIATING AND IT SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. BUT OF COURSE HE HAS SINCE CHANGED HIS MIND. SENATOR SHAHEEN, HOURS AGO, YOU VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A TARGETED BILL ALLOWING FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS. BUT THE STALEMATE CONTINUES ON THE LARGER MORE COME BRANDS OF PACKAGES. THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS HAPPENING AMONG THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP, REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WHY HAVE THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS STILL BEEN UNABLE TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE? SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE. BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HURTING. THEY DO NEED MORE HELP. SMALL BUSINESSES NEED HELP. THAT IS ONE REASON I SUPPORTED MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SECOND ROUND OF PPP THIS AFTERNOON. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT SEEN MITCH MCCONNELL AND THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE BE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE. NEGOTIATING SO FAR HAS BEEN DONE WITH SECRETARY MNUCHIN ON BEHALF OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND NANCY PELOSI. WE NEED A MITCH MCCONNELL TO COME TO THE TABLE. WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET A NEW PACKAGE DONE. JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE CARES ACT. I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE BIPARTISAN WORK ON THAT PACK -- ON THE PACKAGE. WE WERE ABLE TO GET 1.2 $5 BILLION FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE, EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, HELP FOR HOSPITALS AND FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, HELP FOR COMMUNITIES, AND THE PPP PROGRAM. DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS FIRST PROPOSED. WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP AND IT NEEDS TO BE A BIG PACKAGE THAT CAN PROVIDE THE HELP PEOPLE NEED. JOHN: MR. MESSNER, WAS THE PRESIDENT’S INCONSISTENCY ABOUT THIS A MISTAKE? AND WHAT IS -- WHAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE FUNDED RIGHT NOW AND WHY? MR. MESSNER: I THINK SIX WEEKS AGO, THE SENATE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS A $500 BILLION PACKAGE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT ON MORE PPP LOANS. AND SENATOR SHAHEEN FOLLOWED THE LEAD OF CHUCK SCHUMER AND NANCY PELOSI AND DID NOTHING. VOTED NO. THAT WAS SIX WEEKS AGO. RIGHT NOW, THERE COULD BE MORE MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. RIGHT NOW, THERE COULD BE MORE MONEY FOR ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT. AND THE SENATE COULD BE NEGOTIATING THESE OTHER THINGS NOW WHILE PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING HELP. THAT IS WHY WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE. THIS IDEA OF ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SUFFER FOR SIX WEEKS, SIX WEEKS, BECAUSE OF INSIDE THE BELTWAY, NEGOTIATIONS ON HOLDING OUT WHILE PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE SUFFERING. AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE U.S. SENATE. GET IT DONE. YOU CAN THEN HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING THESE OTHER ITEMS RIGHT NOW. ALEX: WERE INVOKED. 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SEN. SHAHEEN: I AGREE. IT IS UNFORTUNATE MITCH MCCONNELL TOOK SIX WEEKS FROM THE TIME THE HEROES ACT GOT TO THE SENATE BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT THE BILL THAT MITCH MCCONNELL PUT ON THE FLOOR AT THE END OF JULY DOES NOT PROVIDE A -- PROVIDE THE HELP PEOPLE NEED. WE HAVE A HOSPITAL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT WENT BANKRUPT. I WAS AT CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER LAST WEEK. THEY NEED FINANCIAL HELP. WE HAVE GOT TO HELP HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES AND EVERYONE WHO IS HURTING AS A RESULT OF THIS PANDEMIC. MITCH MCCONNELL HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE. MY OPPONENT IS JUST ANOTHER RUBBERSTAMP FOR MITCH MCCONNELL. ALEX: MR. MESSNER, 15 SECONDS ON THE RUBBERSTAMP. MR. MESSNER: YOU’VE GOT TO LEAD, SENATOR SHAHEEN. YOU SHOULD HAVE PROPOSED MONEY FOR THOSE HOSPITALS IN THAT $500 BILLION PACKAGE. PEOPLE COULD BE RECEIVING -- SEN. SHAHEEN: WE DID BUT THEY DO NOT ACCEPT IT. MR. MESSNER: PEOPLE WOULD BE RECEIVING HELP RIGHT NOW. SEN. SHAHEEN: WE PROPOSED ON REPUBLICAN SAID NO. MR. MESSNER: IT SHOULD HAVE PASSED ON PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WOULD BE GETTING HELP. SMALL BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING AND THEY NEED HELP. ALEX: LET’S MOVE ONTO THE NEXT QUESTION. JEAN: GOOD EVENING. WE WILL BEGIN WITH MR. MESSNER. AS WE OPERATE IN A PANDEMIC ECONOMY, NEW PROBLEMS ARE RISING FOR GRANITE STATE AND AMERICAN WORKERS IN GENERAL. THERE ARE MANY WHO WORK IN JOBS WHERE THEY RELY ON VOLUME OF BUSINESS OR TIPS TO MAKE A LIVING. WAITRESSES, WAITERS, BARTENDERS, PEOPLE WHO WORK IN SALONS, WHO MAY BE BACK ON THE JOB BUT ARE LEARNING FAR LESS. WHAT SPECIFICALLY CAN BE DONE FOR THEM AND THOSE REENTERING THE WORKFORCE WHO ARE NOW UNDER EMPLOYED? MR. MESSNER: I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES RECEIVING THE GUIDELINES THEY NEED TO OPEN UP THEIR BUSINESSES PROFITABLY. AND I AM IMPRESSED. I HAVE VISITED SO MANY BUSINESSES AROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE. . AND THE INNOVATION AND THE CREATIVITY THAT THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE IMPLEMENTING TO MAKE SURE THEIR CUSTOMERS FEEL SAFE IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE. BECAUSE THEY NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THAT CUSTOMERS MUST FEEL SAFE. I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE IN THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. HAVING SAID THAT, THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT CAN’T OPERATE SAFELY UNDER THE CURRENT GUIDELINES. AND THAT IS WHERE I THINK WE NEED HELP WITH THE PPP LOANS, THAT HELP SHOULD BE THERE NOW. IT IS NOT THERE NOW. AND IT IS NOT THERE NOW BECAUSE OF LACK OF LEADERSHIP BY JEANNE SHAHEEN. SHE HAS BEEN THERE TOO LONG. SHE FOLLOWS CHUCK SCHUMER. . SHE FOLLOWS NANCY PELOSI. SHE NEEDS TO LEAVE AND GET THIS -- LEAD AND GET THIS DONE. JEAN: SAME QUESTION AND A RESPONSE FROM YOU. SEN. SHAHEEN: UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT HAS NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION IN WASHINGTON OR HE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE GRIDLOCK IS THERE. MITCH MCCONNELL HAS REFUSED TO COME TO THE TABLE. BUT I AM PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I DID ON THE PPP PROGRAM. WE HAVE HELPED 24,000 SMALL BUSINESSES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP OVER 200,000 PEOPLE EMPLOYED AS THE RESULT OF THAT PROGRAM. AS YOU POINT OUT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INDUSTRIES THAT STILL NEED HELP, PARTICULARLY THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BILL WE VOTED ON TODAY DID NOT INCLUDE THE HELP THEY NEED. . WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOME MORE WORK FOR THAT. WE NEED TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD. WE NEED TO HELP THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE PPP PROGRAM HAS BEEN GREAT TO HELP PLACES LIKE THE RED ARROWED DINER IN MANCHESTER AND ARGAN TECH IN CONCORD. THAT EVERYONE NEEDS MORE HELP TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. ALEX: QUESTION FROM JOHN DISTASO. JOHN: SENATOR SHAHEEN, THE TOP OF YOUR TICKET, JOE BIDEN HAS SAID "WE WILL NEVER GET OUR ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK, WE WILL NEVER GET OUR KIDS SAFELY BACK TO SCHOOL, WE WILL NEVER HAVE OUR LIVES BACK UNTIL WE DEAL WITH THIS VIRUS." FIRST, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MEANS BY THIS? DO YOU THINK THE U.S. WILL NEED ANOTHER WIDESPREAD ECONOMIC SHUTDOWN? AND ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK INFLICTING FINANCIAL PAIN ON SOME OF THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO POTENTIALLY SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS? SEN. SHAHEEN: THAT IS WHY WE NEED A PLAN AT THE TOP LEVELS OF THIS GOVERNMENT. . THE TRUMP HAS NOT HAD A PLAN. THAT PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE CONSISTENT GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC FOR HOW BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS AND OTHER SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY AFFECTED SHOULD OPERATE. IT IS WHY WE NEED MORE TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING SO WE CAN ISOLATE THOSE HOTSPOTS SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE REST OF GOVERNMENT. AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE, MY OPPONENT HAS BEEN DEFENDING THIS ADMINISTRATION’S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. HE EVEN DEFENDED DONALD TRUMP WHEN HE SAID WE SHOULD INGEST BLEACH TO GET THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS. THE FACT IS, IT IS CORRECT. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET OUR LIVES BACK TO NORMAL UNTIL WE GET AHEAD OF THE PANDEMIC. . THAT IS WHY WE NEED A PLAN. WE NEED TO ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER. BUT IT LEADS TO ALLOW US TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO WITH TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING SO THAT WE CAN ISOLATE THOSE HOTSPOTS. JUST LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE IS DOING IN SO MANY AREAS. JEAN: THANK YOU -- JOHN: THANK YOU. PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO HAS ENDORSED YOU AND WHO YOU HAVE PRAISED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP TWEETED WHEN HE WAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID-19 "DON’T BE AFRAID OF COVID. DON’T LET IT DOMINATE YOUR LIFE." GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU WHO HAS ALSO ENDORSED YOU REACTED TO THAT, "I AM A FREIGHT OF COVID." HE ADDED "I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE." WHO IS RIGHT HERE, THE PRESIDENT OR THE GOVERNOR? AND ARE YOU AFRAID OF COVID, YES OR NO? AND WHY OR WHY NOT? MR. MESSNER: BEFORE I ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE MY 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND TO THE ATTACK THAT SENATOR SHAHEEN MADE ON ME. SHE HAS MISREPRESENTED WHAT I SAID. SENATOR SHAHEEN, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION. BUT DON’T MAKE UP FACTS ABOUT ME. DON’T MAKE UP FACTS ABOUT WHAT I’VE SAID. BECAUSE IT IS UNTRUE. AND PLEASE STOP IT. SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, YOU SAID IT. I CAN’T HELP THAT YOU SAID IT. MR. MESSNER: I DID NOT SAY IT. READ THE TRANSCRIPT. PAY ATTENTION. SEN. SHAHEEN: IT IS PART OF YOUR RECORD. MR. MESSNER: THIS IS NOT WASHINGTON, D.C. I’M AN OUTSIDER. I SPEAK THE TRUTH. THIS PANDEMIC IS SERIOUS. HERE IS THE TRAGEDY WITH THIS PANDEMIC. IN 2009-2010, WE HAD H1N1 PANDEMIC. AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S CHIEF OF STAFF SAID LAST YEAR THAT IT WAS A TERRIBLY MISMANAGED AT THE TIME. AND IN FACT, HE SAID THE ONLY REASON THERE WERE NOT MORE DEATHS IS PURE LUCK, THAT THAT VIRUS WAS NOT DEADLY. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THEN? THE GOVERNMENT DID NOTHING. OBAMA DID NOTHING. SENATOR SHAHEEN DID NOTHING TO PREPARE FOR THIS. AND WE HAD ANOTHER WARNING WITH THE EBOLA SITUATION. AND NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. AND THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE WAS EMPTY FOR THIS PANDEMIC. AND WE NEED TO GO BACK AND HOLD THOSE POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE WHO DROPPED THE BALL. AND FOUND US IN THIS POSITION. THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT WERE NOT READY FOR THIS PANDEMIC. ALEX: SPECIFICALLY, ARE YOU AFRAID OF COVID? MR. MESSNER: I AM AFRAID OF COVID. I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE AFRAID OF COVID. IT IS A VIRUS, IT’S DEADLY, AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL. BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE FROZEN IN FEAR. WE MUST BALANCE AND LIVE OUR LIVES. WE SHOULD NOT BE. . FROZEN IN FEAR ALEX: NEXT QUESTION FROM JEAN. JEAN: HOSPITALS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE LIKELY TO FACE RECORD LOSSES IN 2020 AND WILL CONTINUE TO NEED FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. YESTERDAY, LAKES REGION GENERAL HEALTH CARE SAID THEY WERE GOING TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY. WHEN THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER, WOULD YOU SUPPORT CONTINUED DIRECT AID SPECIFICALLY TO PREVENT THE CLOSURE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE’S RURAL HOSPITALS? HOW MUCH WOULD BE NEEDED? MR. MESSNER: YES, I ABSOLUTELY WOULD SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO HELP OUR RURAL HOSPITALS. I SPOKE WITH SOME EXECUTIVES FROM HOSPITALS IN THE NORTH COUNTRY TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. THIS WAS ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT WEEKS AGO WHERE THEY WERE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THESE HOSPITAL STAY OPEN AND THAT IS WHY TARGETED HELP IS IMPORTANT. WE MUST TARGET WHO NEEDS HELP AND PROVIDE THE HELP TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED. AND NOT THIS BLANKET APPROACH THAT THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO TAKE AND JUST SPEND TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BAIL OUT CALIFORNIA. WE HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOULD NOT BE BAILING OUT CALIFORNIA FOR THEIR MISMANAGEMENT PRIOR TO COVID. WE SHOULD NOT BE BAILING OUT NEW YORK BECAUSE OF THEIR MANAGEMENT -- THEIR MISMANAGEMENT PRIOR TO COVID. WE NEED TO TARGET THE HELP TO HOSPITALS IN COMMUNITIES THAT NEEDED. AND NOT TO GO ON A SPENDING SPREE JUST BECAUSE WE CAN RATIONALIZE IT WITH A COVID SITUATION. JEAN: SENATOR SHAHEEN, SAME QUESTION TO YOU. SEN. SHAHEEN: YES, WELL, THERE IS NO DOUBT THE HOSPITALS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE NEED HELP. I TALKED ABOUT CMC WHERE I VISITED SAINT JOSEPH’S LAKES REGION, SADLY, WENT BANKRUPT THIS YEAR -- THIS WEEK. THEY NOT ONLY NEED HELP AS WE ARE DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC ON THE HEALTH CARE PEOPLE NEED, BUT THEY NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO OFTEN THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FURLOUGHED. MY OPPONENT BACK IN APRIL SAID THERE WAS NO URGENT NEED FOR FUNDING FOR HOSPITALS. NOW HE WANTS TO SUPPORT A PACKAGE THAT HAS BEEN ON THE FLOOR IN THE SENATE THAT WOULD HAVE NO FUNDING TO HELP HOSPITALS, NO FUNDING TO HELP HEALTH CARE WORKERS, A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HELP TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING. THAT IS NOT THE HELP WE NEED. WE HEARD FROM JAY POWELL, THE HEAD OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE, LAST WEEK. HE SAID, WE NEED A BIG PACKAGE THAT HELPS ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HURTING GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. ALEX: MESSNER MESSNER MR., YOU WERE INVOKED, 30 SECONDS. MR. MESSNER: UNDER THE ORIGINAL C.A.R.E.S. ACT THAT ENDED UP BEING $3.2 TRILLION AND THERE WAS ASSISTANCE IN THAT PACKAGE FOR HOSPITALS. HOSPITALS RECEIVED THE HELP THEY NEEDED BACK THEN. NOW, HOSPITALS, SOME HOSPITALS, NEED MORE HELP. AND THAT HELD OUT TO BE PROVIDED. BUT THE U.S. SENATE NEEDS TO BE NIMBLE ENOUGH IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS TO PROVIDE HELP WHEN NEEDED, AND NOT GET INTO THESE POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO SUFFER EVEN MORE THAN THEY NEED TO. ALEX: QUESTION FROM JOHN DISTASO. JOHN: THANK YOU. NOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, THERE HAS BEEN CRITICISM THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WAS NOT ADEQUATELY PREPARED. WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INITIATIVE THAT MEMBERS OF THE SENATE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING AND WORKING ON NOW TO PREVENT THE NEXT ONE? SENATOR SHAHEEN? SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY. WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THE CDC. I HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH DR. REDFIELD AT THE CDC WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO REALLY REFORM OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN WE GET THROUGH THIS. AS MY OPPONENT HAS TALKED ABOUT, CRITICIZED WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THE FACT IS THE PROBLEM WE HAVE NOW IS BECAUSE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS DONALD TRUMP’S AMERICA THAT WE ARE IN, WHERE WE HAVE SEEN 8 MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED THE CORONAVIRUS. WE HAVE SEEN 220,000 DEATHS NATIONALLY. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE HAVE HAD ALMOST 470 PEOPLE DIE. IT IS A TRAGEDY FOR THOSE PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND THIS PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO TAKE A BLASE APPROACH AND MY OPPONENT IS GOING TO BE WITH HIM WITHOUT WEARING A MASK. HE WAS WITH HIM AT HIS LAST SUPER SPREADER EVENT WITHOUT WEARING A MASK. JOHN: SAME QUESTION. MR. MESSNER: A COUPLE THINGS. THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT DID NOT LEARN FROM THE H1N1 PANDEMIC IN 2010. ANYBODY IN THE U.S. SENATE AT THAT TIME, INCLUDING SENATOR SHAHEEN, NEEDS TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE. BECAUSE THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT WERE NOT PREPARED. NOW, WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM THIS PANDEMIC. AND WE NEED PEOPLE IN THE U.S. SENATE WHO ARE GOING TO BE OPEN-MINDED AND ACTUALLY GET THINGS DONE. SO THAT WE ARE PREPARED THE NEXT TIME THAT THIS HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN’T HELP IF YOU SEND THE SAME PEOPLE BACK OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHO DIDN’T LEARN FROM THE LAST PANDEMIC. AND SHE WON’T LEARN FROM THIS PANDEMIC. I DON’T KNOW WHAT SUPER SPREADER EVENT SHE IS TALKING ABOUT. AND ME NOT WEARING A MASK. BUT, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY WASN’T AT THE WHITE HOUSE. AND AGAIN, SENATOR SHAHEEN, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN FACTS. ALEX: SENATOR, 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SEN. SHAHEEN: IT WAS THE EVENT WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE FACT IS WHAT WE NEED IS A CONSISTENT APPROACH TO THIS PANDEMIC. WE DON’T NEED WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BEEN DOING WHERE HE REFUSES TO WEAR A MASK, WHERE HE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AT EVENTS. MY OPPONENT FAILS TO CONDEMN WITH THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE. THIS IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN. AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS 8 MILLION PEOPLE CONTRACT THE DISEASE AND 220,000 DEATHS. THAT IS NOT GOING TO GET US AHEAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS. ALEX: THERE WERE NO CASES CONTACT TRACED TO THE TRUMP EVENT IN AUGUST. NEXT QUESTION COMING FROM JEAN MACKIN. JEAN: TO YOU, MR. MESSNER, LET’S LOOK INTO THE FUTURE WHEN WE EVENTUALLY GET ASKED THIS PANDEMIC. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AND AID IN ITS RECOVERY FROM COVID-19? NAME ONE OR TWO PROPOSALS YOU WOULD SUPPORT. MR. MESSNER: I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK FIRST AND POINT OUT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE A COURAGEOUS DECISION AT THE END OF JANUARY TO STOP TRAVEL FROM CHINA. AND DR. FAUCI HAS TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF CONGRESS THAT THAT DECISION SAVED MANY, MANY LIVES. THAT ARE ESTIMATES THAT 2 MILLION LIVES WERE SAVED. AND WHAT DID THE DEMOCRATS DO? ? CONDEMN HIM, CALLED HIM A RACIST. NANCY PELOSI WENT TO CHINATOWN AND SAID THINGS ARE SAFE. AND I WISH THAT SENATOR SHAHEEN, IN OUR LAST DEBATE, SHE SAID SHE DID NOT CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT OVER THAT DECISION. SO I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HER SAY THAT THAT WAS A GOOD DECISION ON THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE AT THE END OF JANUARY BECAUSE IT SAVED A LOT OF LIVES, ACCORDING TO DR. FAUCI. SO, WHAT WOULD I DO SPECIFICALLY? I HAVE THE MESSNER USA PLAN ON MY WEBSITE, CORKYFORSENATE.COM. IT LAYS OUT PROPOSALS TO BRING THIS ECONOMY BACK. JEAN: NOW TO YOU, SENATOR SHAHEEN, SAME QUESTION. SEN. SHAHEEN: AS I’VE SAID, WHAT WE NEED IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING. WE NEED CONSISTENT GUIDANCE WHICH WE HAVE NOT HAD AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HELP SO PEOPLE CAN GET THROUGH THIS PERIOD. FACT IS, I WAS NOT CRITICAL OF THE PRESIDENT’S TRAVEL BAN TO CHINA. WHAT I WAS CRITICAL OF AS I SAID IN THE LAST DEBATE WAS THAT 40,000 PEOPLE CAME IN DURING THAT TRAVEL BANS AND SPREAD THE CORONAVIRUS. IT WAS NOT A VERY EFFECTIVE TRAVEL BANS. WHAT WE NEED IS AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THIS CORONAVIRUS. AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN IT FROM THIS PRESIDENT. AND MY OPPONENT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THIS PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS AS I SAID. HE EVEN SUGGESTED THAT WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAID PEOPLE SHOULD THINK ABOUT DRINKING BLEACH, HIS WORDS WERE "WELL, THAT WAS JUST ASPIRATIONAL." I’M SORRY, THAT IS NOT ASPIRATIONAL. . THAT IS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS ALEX: 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. MR. MESSNER: SHE IS MISREPRESENTING MY WORDS YET AGAIN. SENATOR SHAHEEN, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE KEPT OUT OF THE UNITED STATES THOSE 40,000 AMERICAN CITIZENS THAT NEEDED TO TRAVEL BACK HERE? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING AFTER THE SHUTDOWN? SEN. SHAHEEN: I’M SUGGESTING -- MR. MESSNER: NO, THAT IS ON AMERICA. YOU SAID 40,000 PEOPLE WERE LEFT BACK IN. YOU WANTED TO KEEP AMERICANS OUT OF THIS COUNTRY? WHAT KIND OF SENATOR IS THAT TO NOT TO BRING PEOPLE BACK -- NAMELY ALEX: 30 SECONDS FOR SENATOR SHAHEEN. SEN. SHAHEEN:, WAS THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS PEOPLE CAME IN AND THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WERE NOT INFECTED. ONE OF THE REASONS WE SAW THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT CONSISTENT MEASURES PUT IN PLACE WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET AHEAD OF THIS PANDEMIC. AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TRAVEL LANE -- TRAVEL BANS. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FAILURE OF PEOPLE COMING FROM EUROPE. SO WE SAW A SPREAD. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE HAD 220,000 DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES. ALEX: NEXT QUESTION FROM JOHN. JOHN: SENATOR, WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC RESPONSE TO COVID-19. THE C.A.R.E.S. ACT ALONE CAUSED TRILLIONS OF -- COST TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS. PLUS THE DEFICIT, THE HOLE GETS BIGGER. PRESIDENT COMBINE CONGRESS PASSED $1.5 TRILLION TAX CUT INTO A 17. THESE BILLS WILL COME TO AN IT HAS LED TO A DISCUSSION ABOUT REPEALING THOSE TAX CUTS. FIRST, WOULD YOU COME TO -- VOTE TO REPEAL THE TRUMP TAX CUTS? SECOND, WHAT IF ANY TAXES BEYOND THAT ARE YOU WILLING TO RAISE? PLEASE BE SPECIFIC TO AN INCOME LEVEL OR THE TYPE OF CORPORATIONS THAT THEY WOULD AFFECT. SEN. SHAHEEN: I DIDN’T SUPPORT THE TRUMP TAX BILL IN 2017, BECAUSE IT GAVE 83% OF THE BENEFITS TO THE BIGGEST CORPORATIONS. I SUPPORT THE MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT BILL MADE THOSE TEMPORARY. IT MADE THE 83% OF THE BENEFITS TO THE BIGGEST CORPORATIONS PERMANENT. I THINK WE’VE GOT TO LOOK AT CLOSING LOOPHOLES IN OUR TAX LAWS. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE THAT AMAZON MADE A $12 BILLION IN 2018 AND YET THEY PAID ZERO IN TAXES. WE NEED TO END SUBSIDIES TO THE OIL AND GAS COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY ARE OPERATING IN DON’T NEED THOSE SUBSIDIES. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE OUR FUEL EFFICIENCY AND OUR GOVERNMENT VEHICLES. IT IS ONE OF THE PIECES OF LEGISLATION I’VE SUPPORTED. I HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED ENDING THEIR RIGHT OFF, THE TAX WRITE OFF FOR OUR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ON THEIR ADVERTISING. BECAUSE I THINK THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET DOUBLE THE RIGHT OFF FOR ADVERTISING AND RAISING THEIR PRICES. JOHN: SAME QUESTION, PLEASE. MR. MESSNER: YES, JOE BIDEN WANTS TO REPEAL THE TRUMP TAX CUTS. THAT MEANS THERE WILL BE A TAX INCREASE FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS. SENATOR SHAHEEN DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. SHE SUPPORTS A JOE BIDEN’S POSITION TO REPEAL THE TRUMP TAX CUTS. AND THEREFORE, RAISE TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS. IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING THIS ECONOMY BACK VIBRANTLY. AND WE BRING IT BACK VIBRANTLY BY KEEPING TAXES LOW AND GOVERNMENT OUT OF THE WAY, AND EMPOWER AMERICANS TO WORK HARD. USE THEIR INGENUITY. GET THEIR BUSINESSES GOING. SPARK ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES. AND GROWTH THIS ECONOMY VIBRANTLY. AND WHEN WE GROW THE ECONOMY VIBRANTLY, OUR TAX REVENUES WILL INCREASE AS THE ECONOMY GROWS. ALEX: 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. DO YOU WANT TO RAISE TAX -- RAISE TAXES? SEN. SHAHEEN: AND GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT HOW WE COULD ADDRESS OUR TAX CODE IN A WAY TO PRODUCE REVENUE. I SUPPORT TAX CUTS FOR MIDDLE INCOME AMERICANS. AND I SUPPORT TAX CUTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THAT IS WHERE I FOCUS MY ATTENTION FROM THE TIME I WAS GOVERNOR. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE SMALL BUSINESSES TO GROW. THAT IS WHY I WORKED WITH CORY GARDNER, REPUBLICAN FROM COLORADO, TO REPEAL THE HEALTH INSURANCE TASK -- TAX. IT IS WHY IA VOTED TO REPEAL THE MEDICAL DEVICE TAX SO PEOPLE COULD GET -- COULD DO THE INNOVATION THEY NEED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES THAT HELP PEOPLE WITH HEALTH CARE. I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS THEY CAN CUT AND THAT IS WHAT I’VE DONE. ALEX: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE HIT THE HALF-HOUR MARK. WE WILL DO A LIGHTNING ROUND TO SHAKE THINGS UP. STARTING MESSNER. IS THE BEST PLACE TO STOP AND ENJOY THE VIEW? MR. MESSNER: JEEZ. I HAVE BEEN ALL OVER NEW HAMPSHIRE. EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE. AND THERE ARE SO MANY VIEWS, WONDERFUL VIEWS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT IT IS HARD FOR ME TO SAY WHICH IS THE BEST. SO I LOVE IT HERE. I WILL CONTINUE GOING AROUND THE STATE AND CAMPAIGNING. ALEX: LIKE I SAID, 15 SECOND ANSWERS. LIGHTNING QUICK. SENATOR SHAHEEN, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO STOP AND ENJOY THE VIEW? SEN. SHAHEEN: RIGHT AFTER YOU GET ON IT, THERE IS AN OLD COVERED BRIDGE THAT IS NO LONGER IN OPERATION. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPOT OVER THE CREEK AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FOLIAGE IS AT PEAK. ALEX: SENATOR SHAHEEN, WHAT IS -- WHO IS ONE OF YOUR POLITICAL HEROES? SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, IN HISTORY, IT IS MORAL RIGOR -- MERLE RECKER WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR BEFORE WOMEN COULD GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE. SHE CONSISTENTLY FOUGHT TO TRY AND HELP WOMEN GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THERE’S GOING TO BE A NEW MEMORIAL TO HER ON THE SEACOAST. I THINK SHE’S A GREAT ROLE MODEL. ALEX: GAME ONE OF YOUR POLITICAL HEROES. MR. MESSNER: I WOULD HAVE TO SAY RONALD REAGAN. RONALD REAGAN,’S POLICIES, HIS PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH POLICY, HIS ECONOMIC POLICIES RESULTED IN THE. . END OF THE COLD WAR. THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT EVENT. ALEX: WILL YOU BE VOTING ABSENTEE OR IN PERSON? MR. MESSNER: I WILL BE VOTING IN PERSON. ALEX: HOW ABOUT YOU? SEN. SHAHEEN: IN PERSON. ALEX: PUERTO RICO IS HOLDING ANOTHER REFERENDUM ON STATEHOOD IN NOVEMBER. WILL YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THAT IN THE U.S. SENATE IF THEY WANT TO JOIN THE UNION? SEN. SHAHEEN: I’M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ON THAT. IT IS THE SAME QUESTION -- CONVERSATION WE HAD EARLIER. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT PUERTO RICO DOES. THEN WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT LEGISLATION IS BROUGHT TO CONGRESS. ALEX: BUT IF THEY WANT TO JOIN THE UNION, SHOULD THEY NOT BE ADMITTED? SEN. SHAHEEN: THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE AROUND THAT. WHAT REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE PART OF THAT. I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER THEY WOULD BECOME ANOTHER STATE. ALEX: WOULD YOU SUPPORT PUERTO RICAN STATEHOOD? MR. MESSNER: THE DEMOCRAT NONANSWERS ON THESE ISSUES LIKE JOE BIDEN REFUSING TO ANSWER WHETHER THE DEMOCRATS WILL PACK THE COURT, IF THEY TAKE THE PRESIDENCY IN THE SENATE, SAME KIND OF ANSWER. THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO PACK THE SENATE BY BRINGING IN PUERTO RICO AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. AND THEY ARE NONANSWER IN QUESTION. THE SELECTION IS VERY IMPORTANT. ALEX: AT HIS TIME. LET’S WRAP UP THE LIGHTNING ROUND WITH ANOTHER LIGHTER QUESTION. WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR NEW HAMPSHIRE MAPLE SYRUP? MR. MESSNER: I BUY IT AT THE WOLFEBORO FOOD CO-OP. ALEX: WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY NEW HAMPSHIRE MAPLE SYRUP? SEN. SHAHEEN: DEMERIT HILL FARM. ALEX: LET’S GET BACK TO THE POLICY QUESTIONS. JOHN: LET’S MOVE TO THE SUPREME COURT NOW. THE SENATE VOTES -- VOTED TO APPROVE THE NOMINEE WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SENATOR SHAHEEN, BEFORE THE DEBATE BEGINS, YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT YOU WILL VOTE AGAINST JUDGE AMY CONEY BARRETT. THIS WILL MAKE THREE CONSECUTIVE SUPREME COURT NOMINEES YOU VOTED AGAINST. ALL NOMINEES OF PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU VOTED IN FAVOR OF TWO JUDGES NOMINATED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA. HAVE YOU DECIDED YOU WILL NEVER VOTE FOR ANOTHER SUPREME COURT NOMINEE PUT FORTH BY A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT? IS THIS BECAUSE OF A LITMUS TEST YOU HAVE FOR THAT PERSON WHO WOULD NEED TO BE ON THE SAME SIDE AS YOU OVER KEY ISSUES? SEN. SHAHEEN: KNOW, JOHN. SADLY, WHAT WE HAVE WATCHED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS APPOINTING -- NOMINATING EVER MORE JUDGES WITH EVER MORE EXTREME VIEWS ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE NEED TO GO BACK TO LOOKING AT JUDGES WHO HAVE A MORE MAINSTREAM PERSPECTIVE. BECAUSE WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING IS ACTUALLY PACKING THE COURT. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH AMY CONEY BARRETT LAST WEEK DURING HER HEARINGS WAS THAT SHE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY AMERICANS, IN THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO BE TAKING OUT THAT ISSUE NEXT -- THE WEEK AFTER THE ELECTION. WE SAW SHE OPPOSES WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. SHE EVEN ENDORSED AN AD FROM A GROUP THAT WOULD CRIMINALIZE IN VITRO FERTILIZATION. I THINK THAT IS A VIEW THAT IS TOO EXTREME FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. JOHN: THANK YOU. MR. MESSNER, WITH THE WAY THE U.S. SENATE IS WORKING NOW AND THE PARTISAN DIVIDE, VOTERS WILL LIKELY ASSUME YOU WOULD ENTER THE SENATE AND VOTE YES TO A TRUMP NOMINEE AND NO TO A BIDEN NOMINEE. WHY WOULD THEY BE WRONG TO THINK THAT, YOU, SUCH A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE PRESIDENT, WOULD BREAK WITH THE PARTY? MR. MESSNER: FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UNLIKE AMY CONEY BARRETT, I HAVE NOTES THAT I’VE BEEN TAKING. I SAID IN A PREVIOUS DEBATE THAT I THOUGHT AMERICA GARLAND SHOULD HAVE GOT A HEARING IN THE SENATE AND A VOTE IN THE SENATE. I WOULD EVALUATE JUDGES ON THEIR TEMPERAMENT, THEIR JURISPRUDENCE, THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I WILL LOOK AT EACH JUDGE OBJECTIVELY. I THINK IT IS A HUGE MISTAKE FOR U.S. SENATORS TO TRY TO PREDICT WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WOULD MAKE IN THE FUTURE. I THINK THESE NOMINEES SHOULD BE EVALUATED ON THEIR ABILITIES AMY CONEY BARRETT IS AN AMAZING CHOICE. SHE WAS BRILLIANT, SHE’S ACCOMPLISHED, SHE’S A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS. AND I THINK IT IS A MISTAKE. IF YOU LISTEN TO THE HEARINGS, YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHAT SHE TALKED ABOUT. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRECEDENTS IN THE SUPREME COURT, AND DON’T ASSUME SHE IS GOING TO OVERTURN THINGS. ALEX: IN TERMS OF OVERTURNING THINGS, SENATOR SHAHEEN, IF ROE V. WADE IS OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT AND THE ISSUE OF ABORTION IS RETURNED TO THE STATES, HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND IN THE U.S. SENATE? SEN. SHAHEEN: I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT NATIONAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY PUT INTO LAW WHAT IS IN THE ROE V. WADE DECISION. UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT IS NOT WILLING TO LET WOMEN MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. HE SUPPORTS AMY CONEY BARRETT’S EXTREME POSITION ON THIS ISSUE. HE HAS AN EXTREME POSITION ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. HE WOULD OPPOSE ABORTION EVEN IN CASES OF RAPE AND INCISED. HE HAS SAID HE WOULD JAIL DOCTORS WHO PERFORMED ABORTIONS. I THINK THAT IS OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM OF THE VALUES OF PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT IS NOT FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. HE DOESN’T KNOW ME. HE DOESN’T KNOW MY RECORD. HE DOESN’T KNOW THE STATE AND THE WAY WE NEED TO. WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHO IS GOING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE STATE. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE DONE IN MY YEARS IN THE SENATE. ALEX: WE WILL GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND AND THEN ONE MINUTE ON ROE V. WADE. MR. MESSNER: SENATOR SHAHEEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE TO CODIFY ROE V. WADE IN THE BORN ALIVE ACT. AND SHE VOTED NO. THE BORN ALIVE ACT SAID, IF A BABY SURVIVES AN ABORTION, THAT BABY IS ENTITLED TO THE SAME MEDICAL STANDARD OF CARE OF ANYBODY. SHE VOTED NO. SHE IS FOR PASSIVE INFANTICIDE. THAT IS EXTREME. SEN. SHAHEEN: THAT IS EXACTLY WRONG. MY OPPONENT IS NOT CORRECT ON THAT. MR. MESSNER: THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO VOTE IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH ROE V. WADE. SEN. SHAHEEN: YOU ARE WRONG. MR. MESSNER: YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH ROE V. WADE. SEN. SHAHEEN: MY OPPONENT CANNOT MAKE UP HIS FACTS. HE IS WRONG ON THAT. ALEX: PLEASE FINISH YOUR POINT. MR. MESSNER: CAN I START OVER? ALEX: MAKE YOUR POINT PLEASE. MR. MESSNER: THE BORN ALIVE ACT, SENATOR SHAHEEN VOTED NO. . IT IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT PASSIVE INFANTICIDE. IN ROE V. WADE, PASSIVE INFANTICIDE IS NOT PERMITTED. ALEX: SENATOR SHAHEEN, 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SEN. SHAHEEN: THE LEGISLATION HE IS TALKING ABOUT WOULD HAVE PUT INTO LAW WHAT IS ALREADY ILLEGAL. AND THAT IS INFANTICIDE. THAT IT WOULD HAVE GONE BEYOND THAT. . IT WOULD HAVE JAILED DOCTORS WHO WOULD PERFORM ABORTIONS. AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT MY OPPONENT SUPPORTS. THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE MAINSTREAM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE VALUES. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY OPPONENT AND ME. HE THINKS GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT WOMEN DO. . I THINK WOMEN AND CONSULTATION WITH THEIR DOCTORS, WITH THEIR FAMILIES, SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. THAT IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY OPPONENT AND ME. ALEX: WE WANT TO MOVE ONTO OTHER QUESTIONS. WE HAVE A FOREIGN-POLICY QUESTION FROM A STUDENT AT SAINT AND SOLEMN COLLEGE. >> WITH A COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING IT’S ORIGIN. WE ALL KNOW THE VIRUS ORIGINATED IN CHINA. AND CHINA HAS BEEN TELLING THE WORLD THEY SUCCESSFULLY CONTROLLED THE VIRUS. ALTHOUGH RECENT REPORT SUGGESTS CHINA IS LYING. BECAUSE THE FACTS ARE NOT LINING UP, WOULD YOU CONSIDER COVID-19 A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT CREATED BY CHINA? IF SO, HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE OUR NATIONAL SECURITY FROM CHINESE THREATS? MR. MESSNER: YEAH, I THINK SO MUCH OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY DOES NOW IS A THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. AND WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COVID-19 CRISIS. DURING THE OBAMA-SHAHEEN YEARS, THEY ALLOWED OUR JOBS TO BE EXPORTED TO CHINA. THEY ALLOWED THE CHINESE TO STEAL OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY IS INTENT ON DOMINATING THE WORLD ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY. AND IT IS TIME WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE U.S. SENATE THAT WILL REMEMBER THAT AND HOLD THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COVID-19 CRISIS. ALEX: SENATOR SHAHEEN, NOW TO YOU. SEN. SHAHEEN: WE NEED TO HOLD CHINA ACCOUNTABLE FOR COVID. THEY CLEARLY DID NOT PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. I DON’T THINK THEY ARE STILL PROVIDING ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH COVID. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO PUT BACK IN PLACE THE NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DISASSEMBLED THAT CAN LOOK FOR THOSE KINDS OF THREATS WHEN THEY ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK CHINA IS NOT JUST A THREAT WITH RESPECT TO COVID BUT IT IS A LONG-TERM THREAT BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY. THAT IS WHY I SIGNED ONTO LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS CHINA’S THREAT THAT WOULD SUPPORT ADDITIONAL DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC AID TO COUNTER WHAT CHINA IS DOING. MY OPPONENT KEEPS TALKING ABOUT THE THREAT FROM CHINA. YET HE ADVERTISED HIS LAW FIRM IS REPRESENTING COMPANIES IN CHINA. AND ACTUALLY REPRESENTED CHINESE GOVERNMENT BACKED COMPANY AGAINST AN AMERICAN MANUFACTURING FIRM. I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT. THAT IS NOT THE KIND OF POLICY TOWARD CHINA WE NEED. ALEX: 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. MR. MESSNER: ONE, I THINK SENATOR SHAHEEN SHOULD BE AS CRITICAL OF JOE BIDEN AND HUNTER BIDEN AND THEIR CORRUPTION OUT OF CHINA. AND TWO, I WISH SHE WOULD LOOK AT HER OWN HUSBAND’S LAW FIRMS ADVERTISEMENTS, AND ADVERTISING TO REPRESENT SEXUAL PREDATORS, AND BRAGGING ABOUT GETTING PEDOPHILES OFF OF THE HOOK. AND WANTING MORE SEXUAL PREDATORS IN THE LAW FIRM TO REPRESENT THEM. AND I MAY REMIND YOU, HE IS ON THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE. ALEX: 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SEN. SHAHEEN: MY HUSBAND -- MY OPPONENT MIGHT LIKE TO BE RUNNING AGAINST MY HUSBAND. BUT HE’S NOT. HE’S RUNNING AGAINST ME. I’M HAPPY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY RECORD AND WHAT I HAVE WORKED ON IN THE SENATE. MY OPPONENT SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH HIS LAW FIRM AND REPRESENTING CHINA. HE SAID HE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT IF HE HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE. WHILE IF IT IS WRONG WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THAN IT IS WRONG BEFORE YOU ARE STARTING TO RUN FOR OFFICE. THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, WHAT MY OPPONENT HAS DONE, AND WHAT I HAVE DONE. NOT. . WHAT MY HUSBAND HAS DONE ALEX: WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION. JEAN: U.S. DEPLOYED RADAR, INCREASED THE FREQUENCY OF U.S. FIGHTER PATROLS, AND DEPLOYED A BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLES TO AUGMENT U.S. FORCES IN EASTERN SYRIA. THAT MEANS MORE INVOLVEMENT IN THAT COUNTRY, IN ADDITION TO THOUSANDS OF TROOPS AND IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. SENATOR SHAHEEN, THE U.S. HAS HAD FIGHTING FORCES IN THESE THREE COUNTRIES IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS. AT THIS POINT, ARGUE RESIGNED TO HAVE A PERMANENT PRESENCE THERE? SEN. SHAHEEN: I DISAGREED WITH BOTH PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THEIR HANDLING OF SYRIA. I THINK WE SHOULD NOT HAVE WITHDRAWN THE TROOPS FROM NORTHEAST SYRIA. THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP DECIDED TO DO BECAUSE NOW HE HAS PUT THE TROOPS BACK INTO SYRIA. AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF. . IT WOULD HAVE COST LESS MONEY FOR US TO MAINTAIN THOSE TROOPS WHO WERE THERE, WHO WERE PROVIDING SOME STABILITY IN NORTHEAST SYRIA. AND ALSO PROVIDING SOME BALANCE TO WHAT RUSSIA WAS DOING, WHAT IRAN HAS BEEN DOING, AND WHAT ASSAD IS DOING IN SYRIA. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO HIS WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO GO BACK AT BOTH IRAN AND RUSSIA FOR THE INFLUENCE THEY ARE DOING IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND WHAT OUR POLICY IS IS REALLY NOT CLEAR AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT HAS FLIP-FLOPPED ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING THEIR. JEAN: MR. MESSNER, YOU HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE NUMBER OF TROOPS IN THAT REGION. CONSIDERING THE DIFFICULT NATURE OF THE WAR ON TERROR, WOULD WITHDRAWING AT THIS POINT BE A RETREAT AND DANGEROUS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY? MR. MESSNER: FIRST OF ALL, I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP OUGHT TO BE COMMENDED FOR BRINGING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST. I THINK SECONDLY, SENATOR SHAHEEN HAS BEEN IN THE SENATE FOR 12 YEARS DURING THIS WAR. AND ONE PRESIDENT TRUMP REPOSITIONED THOSE SOLDIERS, ON THE SYRIAN BORDER WITH TURKEY, SHE MADE A COMMENT TO ANDREA MITCHELL THAT, WE CAN KEEP THEM THERE TO MINOR COSTS. SENATOR SHAHEEN SAID THAT, LOSING ONLY A FULL -- ONLY A FEW SOLDIERS GETTING KILLED -- SEN. SHAHEEN: WHAT YOU ARE CRITICIZING ME FOR. MR. MESSNER: I TAKE THAT PERSONALLY. BECAUSE I HAVE TWO SONS THAT ARE SERVING. ONE AT WEST POINT WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM WEST POINT. AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FIGHTING SOLDIERS. AND MOMS AND DADS OUT THERE, YOU DON’T WANT A U.S. SENATOR WHO THINKS LOSING A FEW SOLDIERS IS OK TO KEEP PEOPLE SOMEWHERE. ALEX: 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SEN. SHAHEEN: THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG. I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT LOSING SOLDIERS WAS OK. IN FACT, WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT RUSSIA WAS PUTTING DOWN TEAS ON AMERICAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN, I SPOKE OUT. I CALLED ON THE PRESIDENT TO SAY SOMETHING TO VLADIMIR PUTIN. MY OPPONENT DID NOTHING ON THAT. HE DIDN’T CALL OUT THE PRESIDENT. HE DIDN’T SAY, TALK TO VLADIMIR PUTIN. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. HE IS JUST WRONG. I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT LOSING OUR TROOPS WAS ACCEPTABLE. AND HE KNOWS IT. ALEX: 15 SECONDS TO RESPOND. MR. MESSNER: SENATOR SHAHEEN, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT TAPE, AND YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE SAID "WE HAVE ONLY LOST A FEW SOLDIERS" WILL YOU WITHDRAW FROM THE RACE? SEN. SHAHEEN: WHAT I SAID WAS THE COST OF KEEPING TROOPS THERE IN TERMS OF DOLLARS, IT WAS ABOUT $200 MILLION, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS WORTH THE EXPENSE. SEN. SHAHEEN: YOU -- MR. MESSNER: YOU ARE LYING. YOU SAID WE HAVE ONLY LOST A FEW SOLDIERS, THANK GOODNESS. IF THAT IS WHAT THE TAPE SAID, WILL YOU WITHDRAW? SEN. SHAHEEN: I’M NOT GOING TO -- ALEX: GO AHEAD. SEN. SHAHEEN: YOU CAN. MY OPPONENT IS JUST NOT ACCURATE. AND THAT’S THE PROBLEM. HE DOESN’T KNOW ME, HE DOESN’T KNOW MY RECORD, AND HE DOESN’T KNOW NEW HAMPSHIRE. ALEX: IS DISENGAGING FROM SYRIA IN SOME WAY DISRESPECTFUL OR DISHONORING THE MEMORY OF JAMES FOLEY? MR. MESSNER: NO. I DON’T THINK SO. I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS OUR ALLIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IS REALLY SO IMPORTANT. THEY ARE OUR CLOSEST ALLY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SECURED. JORDAN IS AN ALLY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SECURE. IT IS TIME THAT WE STOP THESE ENDLESS WARS. IT IS TIME THAT WE FOCUS ON OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL HELP US. IT IS TIME THAT WE BRING THE TROOPS HOME. WE CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS FOREVER AND EVER. AND IT IS TRAGIC WHAT HAPPENED TO JAMES FOLEY. I MIGHT SAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP DEFEATED ISIS AND HE HAS HELD TERRORISTS ACCOUNTABLE. HE KILLED SOLEIMANI. HE KILLED AL-BAGHDADI. AND THOSE WERE GOOD THINGS. TO RID THE WORLD OF THOSE TERRORISTS. ALEX: WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. FOLEY. HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF AMERICAN TROOPS IN A REGION THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT US THERE? SEN. SHAHEEN: I THINK AND AFGHANISTAN, WE KNOW WHY WE ARE THERE. WE ARE THERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE TERRORISTS NO LONGER HAVE A FOOTHOLD THERE TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES. THAT IS ALSO THE REASON WE WENT INTO SYRIA AND IRAQ SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT TERRORISTS CAN’T ATTACK THE UNITED STATES. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF ISIS DETAINEES AROUND THE WORLD. WE NEED TO ENSURE THOSE ICS -- THOSE ISIS DETAINEES GO BACK TO THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM. BECAUSE THERE IS A HOTBED ON THE BORDER BETWEEN IRAQ AND SYRIA. I’M PROUD OF THE WORK I DID WITH THE FOLEY FOUNDATION AND THE FOLEY FAMILY TO BRING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES THE BEATLES, WHO ARE ACCUSED OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF JAMES FOLEY AND THREE OTHER AMERICANS. I WORKED WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR O’BRIEN AND WITH OUR MILITARY TO ENSURE THEY CAN COME BACK TO STAND TRIAL IN CIVILIAN COURT SO WE CAN HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOW THE REST OF THE TERRORISTS IN THE WORLD THAT THEY SHOULD NOT MESS WITH UNITED STATES. ALEX: NEXT QUESTION FROM JOHN DISTASO. JOHN: THANK YOU. YOU HAVE SAID ONE OF THE FIRST BILLS HE WOULD SUPPORT IN THE SENATE IS ONE THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS FROM BEING DENIED HEALTH INSURANCE. IF THE AFFORDABLE CARE. WHAT WOULD THAT BILL LOOK LIKE? WITH THERE BA CAP ON THE AMOUNT AN INSURANCE COMPANY COULD CHARGE SOMEONE WITH A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION? WITH THERE BE A LIST OF CONDITIONS? MR. MESSNER: I WOULD INCLUDE SEVERAL THINGS. ONE IS NOBODY SHOULD EVER BE DENIED HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE OF A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION. NOBODY. WE HAVE TIME HERE TO DEAL WITH THIS. THE SUPREME COURT IS HEARING ORAL ARGUMENTS FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ON NOVEMBER 10. AND THE WAY THE SUPREME COURT OPERATES, THERE WILL NOT BE A DECISION ON THAT CASE UNTIL NEXT MAY OR JUNE. SO WE HAVE TIME TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE FIXES IN CASE THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS THE ACA. NOW, I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT WILL NOT OVERTURN IT. YOU HEARD TALK ABOUT SEVERABILITY DURING THE AMY CONEY BARRETT HEARINGS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY WILL OVERTURN THE ENTIRE LAW. THAT WE NEED TO HAVE LEGISLATION IN CASE THEY DO, PROTECTING PEOPLE. WE NEED TO ALLOW INSURANCE COMPANIES TO SELL INSURANCE ACROSS STATE LINES. SENATOR SHAHEEN, WHEN SHE WAS GOVERNOR, THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WENT FROM 26 23 BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATION SHE PASSED WHICH RESULTED IN VERY HIGH HEALTH CARE COSTS. JEAN: -- JOHN: IN 2017, YOU WERE IN FAVOR OF THE MEDICARE FOR ALL SPONSORED BY BERNIE SANDERS. IN 2019, YOU OPPOSED TO BILL SAYING "THERE ARE FASTER WAYS TO REACH UNIVERSAL COVERAGE BY BUILDING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT." IF THE ACA IS GONE, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ALTERNATIVE? WITHOUT THE MEDICARE FOR ALL? -- WOULD THAT BE MEDICARE FOR ALL? SEN. SHAHEEN: I THINK THERE ARE FASTER WAYS TO COVER PEOPLE. I THINK PRIVATE INSURANCE HAS WORKED. IT IS WORKING NOW BECAUSE OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT THAT SAYS TO INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT YOU CAN’T DENY PEOPLE COVERAGE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. IF MY OPPONENT LISTENED TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, AND AT OUR FIRST DEBATE, HE DENIED THAT WE HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. IF HE LISTENED TO SOMEBODY LIKE DAN FELTES FROM SWANSEA WHO HAD CANCER AND HEART CONDITION WHO BEFORE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, COULD NOT GET HEALTH INSURANCE. FOR CHELSEY LEWIS WHOSE DAUGHTER HAS TWO BRISK SCLEROSIS. SHE WOULD HAVE REACHED HER LIFETIME CAPS AND LONG TIME AGO UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE BEFORE THEY AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. THAT IS THE SYSTEM THAT MY OPPONENT WANTS HOST TO GO BACK TO. ALEX: WE WANT TO GET TO ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE WE HIT OUR CLOSING STATEMENTS. TELL US ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC PERSON YOU HAVE TALKED WITH DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN WHO TRULY TOUCHED YOU. 30 SECONDS. MR. MESSNER: IN FACT, JUST THE OTHER DAY, I WAS IN PORTSMOUTH. AND A WOMAN DROVE THE WHOLE WAY FROM CLAREMONT TO PORTSMOUTH TO SEE ME. AND SHE SAID TO ME SIMPLY, I WANTED TO COME MEET YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I’M PRAYING FOR YOU, AND WE HAVE A PRAYER GROUP AND CLAREMONT, AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU. THAT WAS VERY, VERY TOUCHING TO ME. ALEX: SENATOR SHAHEEN, NAME ONE PERSON WHO HAS TOUCHED YOU DURING THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON. SEN. SHAHEEN: A WOMAN UP IN BERLIN WHO I DON’T WANT TO GIVE HER NAME, BUT SHE HANDED ME A NOTE AFTER A TOWN HALL UP THERE TO SAY THAT I AND MY STAFF HAD LITERALLY SAVED HER LIFE BECAUSE SHE NEEDED HEALTH CARE. . SHE COULDN’T GET IT. AND WE HAD HELPED PUT HER IN TOUCH WITH THAT HEALTH CARE. WHAT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE CAN’T LET THAT GET OVERTURNED. THAT IS WHAT MY OPPONENT WOULD SUPPORT. ALEX: WE HAVE GIVEN BOTH CANDIDATES ONE MINUTE EACH FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS. SENATOR SHAHEEN, YOU GO FIRST. SEN. SHAHEEN: THANK YOU TO WMUR WMUR WMUR FOR HOSTING US. . I THINK WHAT LISTENERS HAVE HEARD ARE TWO DIFFERENT VISIONS FOR WHAT A UNITED STATES SENATOR SHOULD SUPPORT FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PEOPLE GOT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. THAT IS WHAT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HAS ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. . WE ALSO NEED TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON. THE NEED TO MAKE SURE WOMEN HAVE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. WE NEED TO ENSURE WE INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THINGS LIKE THE DOWNTOWN IN CONCORD WHERE I WORKED WITH STEVE DUPREE AND MAYOR BOULAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY COULD GET A BUILT GRANT TO REBUILD THAT DOWNTOWN. DOES THAT IS WHAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. MY OPPONENT HAS A VERY DIFFERENT VISION OF ALL OF THOSE ISSUES. I HOPE PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT MY RECORD AND DECIDE THEY CAN SUPPORT ME ON NOVEMBER 3. I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU. ALEX: NOW A FINAL STATEMENT FOR YOU, MR. MESSNER. MR. MESSNER: I GROUP IN A BLUE-COLLAR FAMILY. WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH. I WENT TO WEST POINT. I SERVED, I’M A VETERAN. I STARTED A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WITH SOME HARD-WORKING. . GROUP. IT IS TIME WE GET SOMEONE IN THE U.S. SENATE WHO KNOWS HOW TO GET THINGS DONE. WHO WILL SERVE ONLY YOU, AND NOT BE LOYAL TO PROGRESSIVE’S IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I AM RUNNING BECAUSE JEANNE SHAHEEN HAS BEEN THERE TOO LONG. HER TIME IS UP. . SHE IS A CAREER POLITICIAN. SHE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU. SHE DOES WHAT CHUCK SCHUMER, NANCY PELOSI, AND AOC TELLS HER TO DO. THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES. AND IT IS TIME THAT SHE GO AWAY, THAT HER CAREER IS DONE, SHE CAN GO AND RETIRE IN YORK, MAINE, AND IT IS TIME TO GET NEW BLOOD IN THE U.S. SENATE FOR GRANTED STATORS. I WILL DO THE HARDER RIGHT INSTEAD OF THE EASIER WRONG. PLEASE VOTE FOR ME, CORKY FOR SENATE.COM. MY PHONE NUMBER IS 603-515-6542. GIVE ME A CALL. ALEX: THANK YOU TO MR. MESSNER AND SENATOR SHAHEEN. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AT HOME. IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THIS, YOU CAN CATCH IT ON ANY OF OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS. JOIN US TOMORROW FOR CANDIDATES FOR THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. . HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG]