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Station: KVOR, 740 AM

Show: Jeff Crank Show  

Guests: Gardner, Cory 

Link: https://soundcloud.com/user-213438850/jeff-crank-3-21-20

Date: March 21, 2020

Topics: Coronavirus 

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HOST JEFF CRANK [00:00:27] All right. I am joined right now. Honored to be joined by our United States Senator Cory Gardner. Senator Gardner, Cory, thank you for being with us. How are you today? 

U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO, CORY GARDNER [00:00:36] I’m doing great. Thank you for asking. 

CRANK [00:00:39] Well, good. Listen. America’s confronting. You know, I think the president said it pretty well when he said, I am a wartime president. We have an invisible enemy. I think that’s well-put. We really are at war with with this virus. And we all need to hunker down and do what we can to defeat it and be Americans. Any thoughts on where we are and where we stand in the fight against Corona virus right now? 

GARDNER [00:01:04] Well, that’s exactly right. I mean, the American people have been asked to do and take unprecedented steps by asking our health care experts, those people who understand that communicable diseases and the American people have done that. And as a consequence, there are major economic ramifications. People at home wondering if their business is going to be surviving, if they’re gonna get their next paycheck, how they’re going to pay rent. And so we are trying to flatten this curve out to slow the surge down. The projections show amazing things if we handled this poorly. What could happen? And so everybody is doing their part. And we have to continually ask our part ourselves, what did we do today to do that part? But as a result of this, there’s two things that we have to focus on. Number one is how we’re going to make sure that individuals are OK. Somebody who may have lost their job, somebody whose businesses closed and their hard work, somebody had to stay home because their children are out of school, may have no other way to to care for them. So we have to make sure that individuals have certainty to know that they’re going to be able to put food on the table, pay rent, get their mortgage done and get back to work. And then we have to make sure that these businesses survive the thousands and thousands of small businesses across Colorado Springs and the state of Colorado to make sure that they’re going to be able to snap back once this help emergency is over. And that’s what we’re focusing on right now and negotiating in Congress. 

CRANK [00:02:26] Well, and I appreciate that. And I think one of the bright spots that I have seen over the last few weeks, we were a deeply divided nation going into this. And I have seen for the first time politicians working together for the first time really in the last four years to where, you know, we’re solving the things that need to be solved, removing the barriers that in some cases government created and getting caskets out to folks. And we’re fighting this like Americans, not like Democrats and Republicans. And that makes me feel good to finally see that comeback in America. 

GARDNER [00:03:04] Well, that’s well said. And I think we have to continue that. And I hope that people are uniting together. You know, you led with the pastor from last hour. I hope that people are checking on their neighbors. I hope that people are calling. I hope that people are calling the people loved ones and checking in their challenging time in isolation because you met somebody who tested positive, were you’re in isolation because you’re older and you have an underlying condition that you’re afraid what could happen if you were to become infected. We need to reach out. We need to share that love. We need to share the spirit that you just described that in this country we are going to be OK and we are going to we’re going to stand stronger than ever before. 

CRANK [00:03:45] Yeah, I think there’s no question about it. One thing I wanted to talk with you about, Cory, is, you know, I talked about this earlier in the show. I’ve tried to keep the show, not really very political. We’ve talked to pastors and people were doing good things and helping communities. That’s what we’re going to talk about the rest of the show. But, you know, I think Americans are willing to do what they can to help. I think they’re willing to stay home. They’re willing to do everything they can to limit this. But we do have some governors around the country that are sort of taking it. I think a little too far. And I I’ll be honest with you, I’m thinking in California and Illinois, in New York and others where their stay at home orders and things like that. And I know that he’s from a different political party. But our governor, Jared Polis, so far hasn’t done those things. And I would just encourage you, as someone who has the ear of governor Polis to make sure that he understands that there is a point at which Americans will start saying enough’s enough. And we don’t want to reach that point. We want them to respect governor government. A quick point in Nebraska, Governor Pete Ricketts said these are our guidelines. You shouldn’t have gatherings of more than 10 people. But I can assure you there will not be police out enforcing that. That’s the kind of system that I think we want. Do you have any thoughts on that. 

GARDNER [00:05:06] Well, and we have to do our report, I think. I think what what governor records are saying is, you know what, it is time as Americans that we be responsible and that we do our part by listening to the guidances and that we ourselves are the ones who are taking this into our hands, just like they did in the war mobilization effort. I mean, you might think about the people who collected daily aluminum off of the bubble gum wrappers so that they could contribute to the war effort. We have you know, there is no police there saying to do that. It was something we did as a community to do that. So that’s what we have to that’s what we have to get back to. And so I have talked to people who are really concerned about this because, you know, if you’re if you’re a rancher at the spring bull sale, maybe the only time of the year that that happens and that’s your entire operation, or if you’re a a farmer who’s got to do spring planting, you can’t plant, you know, corn in August. It just doesn’t work that way. And so there are things that have to be out, be done. And they’re critical to the survival of our country. And, you know, the bills that we’re working on right now, for instance, you know, one of the big pieces of legislation that I’ve been working on is the Small Business Stabilization Fund, basically making sure that our small businesses survive, that they keep people on payroll and they’re able to pay people and get through this and back on track. If people can’t go to the banks, you know, not every bank is gonna be able to do this just online or by videoconference. And so we have to be responsible and keep our social distancing the work within the system and don’t go too far. It’s a fine balance, but we have to achieve it. 

CRANK [00:06:45] Yeah. Well, any thoughts on Governor Polis and how we can send that message that, you know, too, we don’t need lockdown orders here. 

GARDNER [00:06:53] Right. And I just things just continuing the phone call into the phone calls probably getting overwhelmed right now. But e-mails and letters and and radios and talking to them, I certainly have talked to him about this. And just so, you know, what’s going to happen, what he’s thinking and I’ve heard from a lot of constituents that are are thinking about this. And I just, you know, we’re all in this together. And I think that’s the bottom line. We’re making the best choices and decisions we can and we need to keep doing that. 

CRANK [00:07:19] Yeah. And I appreciate that. And I am certainly not critical of the job that Governor Polis has done. Oh, and I didn’t take it. I didn’t take it that way at all. Yeah. And I just want to make sure we don’t go too far in Colorado like I think some states have. Just. I know we’ve got just a minute or so left increased testing kits in Colorado. You’ve really worked hard to make sure that we get more testing kits to Colorado. 

GARDNER [00:07:42] I have. We have to do this. So we’ve got now industry turning around and churning out these. I hope, as you know, over the next several days, churning out more of these kits as they focus on the health efforts. I have helped to get the UC Health up and running with the new system. We got some people on the ground there to develop a system that will help — that that will process many, many, many tests far greater than what we were able to do. Also with the Denver Health as well, we were able to work with it and we’ll work with the company today to see what happens with a hundred thousand test kits that are being flown into the United States, into Denver. I hope that those can stay in Colorado. That’s what we’re fighting for. And, you know, those are things that could it’s a new kind of test. It’s a rapid test. And that’s what we’re working on. Each and every day. 

CRANK [00:08:27] Yeah, OK. I really appreciate all you’re doing on that, I think it’s really important that we that we focus on it and that we continue to to get more testing kits here into Colorado. And look, this is a tough time. We’re gonna get through it. I appreciate your leadership in Washington. I’m sure it’s it’s difficult. People don’t understand. You’ve still got to go back and do your job. But we really appreciate you, Senator Gardner, and all that you’re doing well. 

GARDNER [00:08:55] Thanks, Jeffs. Just remember, perseverance produces character. Character produces hope. And that’s what we’ve been taught. 

CRANK [00:09:01] You got it. And we’re Americans. That’s right. All right. Thanks, Corey. And we appreciate it. We’ll be right back. On the job creation. Your tips on helping.