Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman possibly has the most twisted, convoluted, unscientific and dangerous attitude toward Covid-19 and the spread of it that I've ever heard. During an interview that went for well over 30 minutes, Goodman displayed complete ignorance of the science behind containing the virus, absolute disregard for public safety, and more.
Nearly 16 minutes of the interview is in the video above. Rather than try and summarize what was said, I'll put Jon Ralston's tweets here and invite you to watch her with your own eyes. Prepare to be as amazed and dismayed as Cooper was.
"I want the hotel rooms open," @mayoroflasvegas declares on CNN.
Sports?
"I'd love everything open....we've had viruses here for years."
Here we go again....— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
Conventions?
"Absolutely. I want everything back."@andersoncooper, like @KatyTurNBC before him, seems....surprised.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
"Doesn't that sound like a virus petri dish?"
"No, it sounds like you are being an alarmist. I'm not."@andersoncooper smiling at the charge.
How do social distancing in casino?
"That's up to them to figure out."— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
Now @andersoncooper asking about what @KatyTurNBC called her "survival of the fittest" comments.@andersoncooper seems amused as she starts flattering him.
And he is quoting her and pushing her on the businesses becoming viral petri dishes and then spreading it.
So proud!— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
What are you doing to help testing and contact tracing?
Non-answer.
Repeats question.
"That's for our scientists."
"We're not getting the truth (about testing)."
Then shew invokes atomic testing and dishonesty in the '50s.
WHAT?— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
I think @andersoncooper is seriously in shock.
She won't answer what she is doing to help testing.
He is pushing her on how she is helping and she is not responsive. But says "I am all over our city every day."
Uh huh.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
"I understand your position, but I don't really understand your position."@andersoncooper speaking for all of us.
— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
"This is not China. This is Las Vegas, Nevada."
"That is really ignorant," he says.
Damn.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
Now she is talking about Legionnaire's Disease and Typhoid Mary.
I kid you not.@andersoncooper
takes off his glasses and rubbed his face, presumably in amazement.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
"You're talking disease. I'm talking life."
"That makes no sense."
This interview is insane.
"You're talking about the casino owners, your friends."— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
Now she says there was no problem and he quotes the cases and deaths.
"The flu is unbelievably powerful still," she says in a non sequitur.
150 deaths out of 2.3M people she says to downplay it.
He mentions social distancing might have helped!— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
She says not idea if social distancing works.Need a control group. "We'll be a control group."
He asks if she is offering residents as a control group.
Now she is talking about placebos and control groups.
This is nuts.
Truly.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
"We weren't broken," she says.
Will she go in casinos if they open to put money where mouth is?
"I don't gamble."
As he closes, she then laughs and says she knows where he grew up.
Repeats testing is not her job.
"I wish you the best, @andersoncooper concludes.— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
I think all of us would agree with Jon Ralston's parting thoughts on this:
I have seen many Nevada officials stumble on national TV. But that was the single most embarrassing thing i have seen by a NV pol in 35 years here. The mayor just showed the country she is unfit for office, and the commentary and shock and disgust here bears that out. My God.
— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 22, 2020
This interview was horrific on so many different levels, but mostly because this mayor is emblematic of all the public officials who place money above life. Her only concern is reopening casinos and bars and hotels and pools without regard to how that could result in even more deaths than we've had already.
