Anderson Cooper was not willing to cede any ground when it came to an interview with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman on Wednesday, and the confrontational interview has drawn a lot of attention.
Mayor Goodman joined Anderson Cooper 360 via video chat, and spoke with the newsman about her recent call to reopen Las Vegas, despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
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Goodman -- who has been vocal about her opposition to the stay-at-home order issued by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak -- said her concerns revolved around the economic impact of the social distancing mandates, which included the closure of all non-essential businesses.
"I want our restaurants open, I want our small businesses open, I want our people back in employment,” Goodman said on CNN Wednesday. “We have so many families that can’t even afford to get the groceries for their family because they’ve been out of work for six weeks."
Goodman and Cooper exchanged pointed comments as the Mayor made arguments against social distancing's efficacy and accused the government of having "misled Nevadans" in the past -- specifically in regards to atomic bomb testing -- and thus distrusting officials.
Cooper, who seemed visibly irritated and frustrated, challenged Goodman directly when she attempted to dismiss information about the transmissibility of the virus according to research conducted by doctors in China.
"We’re back to China," Goodman said. "This isn’t China, this is Las Vegas, Nevada."
"Wow that's really ignorant. That’s an ignorant, ignorant statement," Cooper replied. "They’re human beings, too."
Fans -- including Jimmy Kimmel -- took to Twitter to celebrate Cooper's determined approach to grilling Goodman, and also expressed their bafflement at Goodman's arguments, which many felt were contradictory.
Dear Las @Vegas. It would appear that your @mayoroflasvegas Carolyn Goodman is dangerously misguided. I am not easily shocked anymore, but the interview she is doing with @andersoncooper @cnn right now is bonkers.
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 22, 2020
Anderson Cooper is everyone reacting to the Las Vegas Mayor #Covid_19 #lasvegasmayor pic.twitter.com/8ACzurNptw
— waseemlazkani (@waseemlazkani) April 22, 2020
Anderson Cooper spent 25 minutes today proving you simply cannot reason with a Covidiot. #LasVegas pic.twitter.com/aQwvppHBiI
— Stacey (@SheWasHere2) April 22, 2020
Las Vegas mayor hits on seventeen.https://t.co/COhyjxnooM
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) April 22, 2020
Please can someone from Las Vegas explain how this women became your mayor? I’m not being sarcastic. I genuinely want to know. She’s seems completely batshit crazy, but maybe today isn’t a fair representation of who she is?! #andersoncooper #lasvegasmayor
— TexasBrit (@britishemily78) April 23, 2020
Las Vegas Mayor’s Interview With Anderson Cooper Was A Spectacular Train Wreck https://t.co/cuotqgButj via @TPM
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 23, 2020
It appears the mayor of Las Vegas got hold of all the drink tickets before quarantine. pic.twitter.com/EaxTRQnAuE
— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) April 22, 2020
What a dangerous loon. @andersoncooper looks like his head is going to 💥 https://t.co/S84oWqfMoz
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) April 22, 2020
Yeah, me too Anderson Cooper pic.twitter.com/r7T0jUepXe
— Angelo Munji (@AngeloMunji) April 22, 2020
Has anyone else noticed that Anderson Cooper’s blink rate increases commensurately with the amount of dumb he’s confronted with?
— Lexa Doig (@LexaDoig) April 23, 2020
It’s like using Morse code to say “what the actual f*ck?!”
Anderson Cooper is everyone reacting to the protesters and republicans against stay at home orders... https://t.co/GxQ1cJQvbU
— Cariñito 💕 (@itsNOTdarrr) April 22, 2020
Later in the interview, Cooper suggested that Goodman wasn't taking medical precautions and commonly accepted scientific information into consideration when calling for Las Vegas to re-open amid a pandemic, and that her remarks might be irresponsible in regards to the safety of those who live in her state and elsewhere.
"You’re talking disease, I’m talking life, and living," Goodman said in response.
"That makes no sense,” Cooper shot back.
As of Wednesday night, the United States has over 849,000 cases of COVID-19, and more then 47,600 people have died as a result of the virus. In Nevada, there have been over 4,000 cases and 172 deaths, the vast majority of which have occurred in the Las Vegas area.
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