Transcript - Interview: Rick Albin of News 8 WOOD Grand Rapids Interviews Donald Trump - October 17, 2020

Rick Albin

00:00:00 - 00:00:13 (14 sec)

Mr. President, as you are on your way to Michigan, we know cases of COVID are rising in our state and others. Are you concerned that we could see a second wave of the disease that could cause more of a health threat and even close parts of the economy again?

Donald Trump

00:00:13 - 00:00:40 (27 sec)

Well you may have a, a little bit of a wave, but I don't think it's going to be much Rick. I think you're going to have a wave that will start and it will finish very quickly. We understand the disease now, we understand it very well, very, very strongly. And I think you're going to have something. I think it's going to be uh, a small, uh, but you know, we really have come a long way with the therapeutics and with all of the things we understand as, as to 99.9% with youth.

Donald Trump

00:00:40 - 00:00:53 (13 sec)

And all of the things we understand, we're protective, very protective of our seniors, and that we have to be. But we've, we've come so far with therapeutics, etc. It's been, it's been actually pretty amazing.

Rick Albin

00:00:53 - 00:01:15 (21 sec)

One of the things that we continue to hear a lot about from Washington is a stimulus, and if one will be coming. I had a phone call just this morning from someone who said, "Can you ask somebody about the stimulus?" And I said, "As a matter of fact I can." So Mr. President, is there the potential that you, the Senate Republicans, and House Democrats, can come to an agreement on another stimulus package for the American people?

Donald Trump

00:01:15 - 00:01:29 (14 sec)

I think there is a chance. I think there's a chance it can happen. Uh, Nancy Pelosi does not want to do it, she thinks it's good for the election. But I think there is a chance it can happen, and if it can uh, I'll, I'll be leading that charge, 'cause I think it should happen.

Rick Albin

00:01:29 - 00:01:33 (5 sec)

Is there a chance that that happens in the short term you think? Or is this something that happens after the election?

Donald Trump

00:01:33 - 00:01:47 (14 sec)

Well I'd like it to happen, how about this afternoon, maybe I'll delay my trip for two hours, okay? Frankly, if I could do it. But, you know, they, they want to uh... I think everyone wants it, Nancy Pelosi is the one holding it up.

Rick Albin

00:01:47 - 00:01:56 (8 sec)

And finally Mr. President, looking at the electoral map and looking at the polling overlay. Right now, there are a number of important states, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina --

Donald Trump

00:01:56 - 00:01:56 (1 sec)

Right.

Rick Albin

00:01:56 - 00:02:10 (14 sec)

-- that you need to win in the South. But you're still going to need, if the numbers look moderately the same, you're going to need to win a lot of the upper Midwest, including Michigan. How important is a state like Michigan when it comes to getting to 270 electoral votes?

Donald Trump

00:02:10 - 00:02:25 (15 sec)

Well, it's very important to me. I won it last time, and it's very important from the standpoint, Rick, you know the [inaudible 00:02:15]. Uh, a lot of car companies are moving in to Michigan that I brought. For 42 years you didn't have an opening of a plant. And now you have many openings, and you have many extensions.

Donald Trump

00:02:25 - 00:02:45 (19 sec)

It's all because of what I've done with Michigan, I mean, it's been amazing. And uh, it's got a tremendous future, the car companies are pouring in, jobs are pouring in, we got stopped by the pandemic, hurt by the pandemic for a period of time. And now, we're, I tell you, we're going to have a V. I mean, we're going to have a super V. Next year is going to be better than last year.

Donald Trump

00:02:45 - 00:03:03 (19 sec)

So Michigan's important, I just got a poll, the Trafalgar poll where I'm leading in Michigan, but I'm leading in Florida, I'm leading, if you go up the coast. I mean, I'm leading in Florida, leading in South Carolina, leading in North Carolina, possibly leading in Pennsylvania. We're doing really well. I mean, you'll start seeing this.

Donald Trump

00:03:03 - 00:03:23 (20 sec)

But we're doing really well. We're way ahead of where we were four years ago. It's like, not even a contest. But if you look at a lot of the states you're talking about, I even think we have a very good shot at Minnesota, which hasn't been won by a Republican since 1972 I guess. But I think we're, we're going to do very well in Michigan.

Donald Trump

00:03:23 - 00:03:41 (18 sec)

Look, if Michigan doesn't vote for me, then you shouldn't ever win a state, because I've done so much for Michigan with the car companies in particular, when you have plants open, you, I mean, you see it yourself, all over the state you have plants opening. So Michigan is very important to me, and I love it, I love the people.

Rick Albin

00:03:41 - 00:03:43 (2 sec)

Mr. President, I thank you for your time.

Donald Trump

00:03:43 - 00:03:46 (3 sec)

Well thank you very much, I appreciate it. Thanks a lot Rick.