[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS BEING USED TO HIJACK THE STOCK MARKET.

ON CRONKITE NEWS NEEDLE SHORTAGES ARE CAUSING DELAYS FOR PEOPLE GETTING THEIR SECOND COVID VACCINE.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THERE IS AN EVER-SO-SLIGHT RAY OF SUNSHINE IN TODAY'S COVID REPORT.

THE STATE IS NOW AT ITS LOWEST SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE OF NEW CASES SINCE THE END OF LAST YEAR.

NOW THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS.

ARIZONA STILL LEADS THE NATION IN THE RATE OF COVID DEATHS, CASES, AND HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS DUE TO COVID-19.

THIS AS THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT HAS NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE U.S.

IT IS CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CONTAGIOUS AND LETHAL THAT CURRENT STRAINS.

DR. FAUCI SAYS THIS MEANS AN EVEN SHARPER PUSH FOR VACCINATIONS.

>> WE'RE MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SOUTH AFRICAN STRAIN.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH THE COMPANIES TO MAKE WHAT WE WOULD CALL A BOOSTER POTENTIAL OF GETTING THE SAME VACCINE, BUT ONLY STICKING INTO IT WHAT WOULD BE EXPRESSING THE MUTANT THAT YOU SEE IN SOUTH AFRICA.

SO WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO STAY ONE OR TWO STEPS AHEAD OF THE GAME.

>> THE CURRENT STRAIN AND RESULTING PANDEMIC PUSHED LAST YEAR'S ECONOMY TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL OF GROWTH SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

NEW FEDERAL NUMBERS SHOW THE ECONOMY SHRANK BY 3.5%.

THE HUMAN TOLL INCLUDES HUGE JOB LOSSES AND CLOSING BUSINESSES.

ECONOMISTS ARE SAYING THE GDP IS BOUNCING BACK, THOUGH, WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, AND THAT AS ANOTHER 800,000 AMERICANS FILED UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS LAST WEEK.

AND A NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT CYBER ATTACKS ON INDIVIDUALS DROPPED LAST YEAR AS CYBER CRIMINALS FOCUSED ON BIGGER MORE PROFITABLE ATTACKS ON BUSINESSES.

THE REPORT IS FROM A NON-PROFIT GROUP, AND IT SHOWS RANSOMWARE AND PHISHING IS THE PREFERRED FORM OF THEFT.

WALL STREET IS TRYING TO KEEP ITS GUARD UP AFTER A CHORD NALTED EFFORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA DROVE UP THE PRICE OF STOCKS.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH JAY SPECTER.

JAY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

YOU HAVE GAME STOCK.

AMC SHARES UP 300%.

IT WAS A FRENZY YESTERDAY.

WHAT WAS THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> TED, GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

THE MARKET HAS BEEN CRAZY WITH RESPECT TO SHORT SELLERS IN THE MARKET AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.

YOU HAVE HAD A BUNCH OF SOCIAL MEDIA QUASI INFLUENCERS OUT THERE TRYING TO DRIVE UP THE STOCK PRICE, THE SHARE PRICE OF CERTAIN COMPANIES, BECAUSE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS HAVE A SHORT-SELL POSITION ON A FEW NAMES IN THE STOCK MARKET, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO CAUSE SOME GREAT HARM TO THOSE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, HEDGE FUND INVESTORS.

>> SO THIS IS BASICALLY -- JUST A BUNCH OF SMALL TRADERS ALL, WHAT, TEAMING UP AGAINST BIG INSTITUTIONS?

>> EXACTLY.

FROM WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE MARKET AND READING ACROSS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS IS THAT THERE ARE THESE CHAT ROOMS ON REDDIT AND SOME OTHERS WHERE INDIVIDUAL INVESTORS ARE TALKING ABOUT PURCHASING SHARES OF A CERTAIN COMPANY TRYING TO DRIVE UP THAT SHARE PRICE IN ORDER TO SQUEEZE OUT SOME OF THOSE HEDGE FUND AND INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS IN ORDER TO CREATE HUGE LOSSES FOR THEM ON THEIR POSITIONS.

IT'S FORCING THEM TO COVER OR BUY SHARES THAT THEY ALREADY SOLD AT A LOI -- LOWER PRICE, BUT BY THEM AT A MUCH HIGHER PRICE.

>> THUS THE RISK OF SHORT SELLING.

IT SOUNDS LIKE TRADING PLACES, THAT OLD EDDIE MURPHY MOVIE?

>> EXACTLY.

IT IS COMMON PRACTICE, BUT REALLY SHOULD BE LEFT TO THOSE PROFESSIONALS OR INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I TRYING TO COVER THAT TRANSACTION BY PURCHASING AT OR BELOW WHERE WE SOLD IT, IS SOMETHING THAT COULD COST US A LOT OF MONEY.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE LOTS OF SPECULATION HERE.

WHEN DO WE START CROSSING THE LINE INTO FRAUD.

>> I READ THIS MORNING THE WHITE HOUSE PUT OUT A STATEMENT INDICATING THEIR ECONOMIC TEAM, INCLUDING THE NEW TREASURY SECRETARY, THEY ARE MONITORING THE VOLATILITY IN THE MARKETS WITH RESPECT TO THIS SPECULATION AND THE STOCK MARKET.

I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS GOING TO CROSS THE LINE, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY DANGEROUS FOR A THE AVERAGE INVESTOR TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND THERE IS TAX CONSIDERATIONS THAT THESE INVESTORS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL.

>> GAME STOP AND AMC THEY WERE PROPPED UP.

COULD THIS HAPPEN TO OTHER COMPANIES?

>> IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER COMPANIES.

I THINK THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THESE CHAT ROOMS INTO THE STOCK MARKET.

YOU ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE MORE AND MORE CHAT ROOM BANTER AND WHETHER THAT TAKES THE SHAPE OF A SITUATION WE HAVE SEEN THIS WEEK WITH THOSE COMPANIES YOU NAMED HAS YET TO BE SEEN.

>> AND COMPARE IF YOU COULD -- IF THERE IS A COMPARISON -- TO THE DOT-COM BUBBLE WE SAW A FEW YEARS AGO.

>> THERE WAS AT LOT OF SPECULATION WITH THOSE COMPANIES AS WELL.

THERE WAS SHORT SELLING GOING ON IN THE DOT-COM DOUBLE THAT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THOSE PRICES HIGH, AND WHEN THAT BUBBLE BURST IN 2000 THAT'S WHEN ALL OF THE VALUATION COMPLETELY FELL OFF.

I'M NOT SURE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

I THINK IT'S A WAY FOR THIS CHAT ROOM PARTICIPANTS TO -- DARE I SAY -- STICK IT TO WALL STREET.

IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE MONITORED AND DEALT WITH VERY CAREFULLY.

>> AND LAST QUESTION, JAY, ALL OF THIS FURTHER SUGGESTS THAT IT JUST SEEMS FROM A DISTANCE THAT WALL STREET IS INCREASINGLY DETACHED FROM REALITY.

>> YES, THIS SHORT-SELLING GAME THAT WE'RE SEEING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR CLIENTS DO, OR SOMETHING THE AVERAGE INVESTOR SHOULD BE DOING.

THIS IS BEST LEFT TO THE PROFESSIONAL MONEY MANAGERS, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE HEDGE FUNDS, AND I THIS IS WHERE SOME OF THOSE CHAT ROOM PARTICIPANTS ARE TRYING TO CAUSE HARM THOSE LARGER INVESTORS, BUT IT CAN BE VERY, VERY DANGEROUS TO YOU AND I.

>> YEAH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD ON WALL STREET, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE COUNTRY GOING THIS ONE, AND WALL STREET LIVING IN A DIFFERENT REALITY.

>> YES, THERE IS A LOT OF HEADLINE NEWS THAT PEOPLE ARE ONLY READING ON THE HEADLINE AND NOT DRIVING DEEP INTO WHAT IS GOING ON, SO IT GIVES A FALSE SENSE OF REALITY.

>> WELL, THANKS FOR TRYING TO HELP US FIGURE THIS ONE OUT.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>>> UP NEXT DETAILS OR PRESIDENT BIDEN'S PLANS FOR COVID VACCINATIONS.

♪ >>> PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS ANNOUNCED SWEEPING PLANS TO GET COVID-19 VACCINATIONS TO AS MANY AMERICANS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

TO GET DETAILS WE SPOKE TO SWAP SWAPNA READY.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?

>> SINCE HE WAS INAUGURATED WE HAVE SEEN A FLURRY OF PLANS.

I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS ALMOST AN OPPOSITE APPROACH FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FROM A FEDERAL POWER PERSPECTIVE, AND JUST BEING EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE, SCIENCE FOCUSED AND DATA DRIVEN, IN TERMS OF HOW TO BEAT THIS VIRUS.

>> YEAH, EASING RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE WHO CAN GET SHOTS.

IS THAT SOMETHING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN -- I DON'T KNOW ACCELERATE?

>> ONE THING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS KEY TO NOTE WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS IN HIS FEDERAL TOOLBOX, AND HE SEEMS GUNG HO ON USING ALL OF THOSE TOOLS.

AN EXAMPLE IS -- YOU KNOW, MOBILIZING THE NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP WITH VACCINE DISTUGS, AND USING THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT TO GET MORE VACCINES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, INCREASE K VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION SITES, AND GETTING THEM MORE IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES, AND IF THERE'S MORE SUPPLY AND MORE ABILITY TO VACCINATE, WE CAN CERTAINLY OPEN UP AND EXPAND WHO CAN GET VACCINATED.

>> AND SOME OF THOSE SITES -- THE IDEA OF USING FEMA, AND ALSO MOBILE SITES FOR SOME OF THE RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS?

>> YEAH, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HIT THOSE RURAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE LIKE ARIZONA WHERE WE HAVE SO MANY RURAL AREAS THAT ALREADY HAVE CHALLENGES TO ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, AND THOSE MOBILE VACCINATION EFFORTS CAN BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN HITTING INDIAN COUNTRY, RIGHT?

THEY COULD REALLY MAKE A IMPACT THERE.

>> AND ALSO MORE MEDICAL PERSONNEL.

I GUESS WHAT, UP TO AND INCLUDING GETTING SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE RETIRED BACK IN THE MIX?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, BEING VERY OPEN TO GETTING RETIRED MEDICAL PERSONNEL, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL CAN BE A WIDE SPECTRUM OF FOLKS.

ALSO IN ARIZONA I KNOW CERTAIN DISTRIBUTION SITES HAVE ALREADY BECOME MORE OPEN TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE MEDICAL LICENSES, NURSING LICENSES, PHARMACY LICENSES FROM OTHER STATES.

I MEAN WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP OUT WITH VACCINATING, SO BEING KIND OF -- OPENING THE -- THE DOOR TO WHO CAN DO SO, CAN PROBABLY ONLY EXPAND THE NUMBER OF VACCINES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED.

>> YEAH, AND YOU PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT, THE IDEA OF PUTTING THAT INTO EFFECT FOR EVERYTHING FROM VACCINES TO PPE'S ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN, HUH?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

INCREASING PPE, BUT ALSO INCREASING TESTING CAPACITY.

THERE ARE AREAS, COMMUNITIES, STATES THAT ARE STILL LAGGING BEHIND IN THEIR ABILITY TO TEST -- ESPECIALLY THAT PCR TECHNOLOGY TESTING GOING, WHICH IS LAB ATTENDANCE, AND ONE THING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT HERE IS THERE IS SORT OF TWO WAYS TO WAGE THIS WAR.

ONE IS, OF COURSE, THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PIECE, WHICH WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT, BUT NUMBER 2, STILL WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE MITIGATION PIECE.

HOW DO WE MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.

SO WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT TESTING, MASS -- MASKING POLICIES, AND KEEPING CERTAIN BUSINESSES CLOSED, ET CETERA, SO THE MITIGATION EFFORTS SEEM TO STILL BE MUCH MORE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>> AND OWL OF THIS -- THIS PLAN.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN, BUT IT ALSO RAISES THE QUESTION, WHY WASN'T THIS STUFF DONE BEFORE?

>> YEAH, WELL, IT'S A GOOD YES.

OBVIOUSLY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAD A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HOW TO ATTACK THIS VIRUS.

THERE WAS A LOT OF -- YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES AND THE NARRATIVE IS -- IT WAS A LOT OF INCOHERENCE, AND THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A SOLID FEDERAL PLAN.

THE PLAN REALLY WAS LET'S LEAVE IT UP TO THE STATES WITH SOME FEDERAL SUPPORT.

SO WE HAVE 50 STATES, AND WE HAVE SEEN 50 DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

AND IT'S A SOLID ARGUMENT TO SAY 11 MONTHS INTO THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE OVER 400,000 AMERICANS THAT HAVE PASSED.

WE HAVE A STATE LIKE ARIZONA THAT IS ALWAYS SORT OF IN THE LEADERSHIP POSITION IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF COVID, SO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS IT TIME FOR A NATIONAL PLAN?

YEAH, IT IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 11 MONTHS.

ALSO REALLY IMPORTANTLY, A STRONG FOCUS ON SCIENCE.

STRONG FOCUS NOW IN THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION ON SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS.

SO A STRONG GROUP OF EXPERTS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN PUT TOGETHER EVEN BEFORE THE INAUGURATION.

SO SCIENCE, EVIDENCE, AND DATA REALLY SEEMS TO BE THE NORTH STAR IN THE APPROACH TO THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS PRETTY DIFFERENT THAN THE MIXED MESSAGE WE RECEIVED FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

>> DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

♪ >>> WHAT ARE THE RESPECTIVE FUTURES OF THE ARIZONA DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES?

THE STATE G.O.P.

IS INCREASINGLY TAKING ON THE LOOK OF A CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD, WHILE DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO BE THE MINORITY PARTY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

GENTLEMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE.

CHUCK WE'LL START WITH YOU AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ARIZONA.

9,000-PLUS LEAVING THE PARTY OF LATE.

WE HAVE GOT ALL SORTS OF -- YOU CAN'T EVEN GET AN ELECTION FOR THE LEADER OF THE PARTY WITHOUT CONTROVERSY.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

AND WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ARIZONA?

>> LET ME BUST OUT MY CRYSTAL BALL, TED.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> I THINK IT'S HIGHLY UNCERTAIN.

I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS BACKED OFF THIS IDEA OF BUILDING ANOTHER PARTY, AT LEAST FOR NOW.

BUT AS LONG AS TWO THINGS REMAIN, IT HANDICAPS THE PARTY IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.

ONE WOULD BE THAT, HIS IDEA TO BUILD ANOTHER PARTY, AND NUMBER 2, THE AMOUNT OF STEP SCHISM THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN BASE ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF THE LAST ELECTION.

THOSE TWO THINGS.

ADORATION OF TRUMP AS AN IDYLLIC FIGURE, AND THE SCEPTICISM OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS BODE VERY ILL FOR THE PARTY TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON A STATE-WIDE BASIS.

THEY CERTAINLY CAN WIN DIRECT ELECTIONS AND SOME ELECTIONS IN VERY CONSERVATIVE AREAS, BUT THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE IN MY BOOK THAT THE PARTY AS CONSTITUTED TODAY IS CAPABLE OF WINNING ANY STATE-WIDE ELECTIONS.

>> CHRIS, LET'S GO DEMOCRATS HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING NOW AND WHAT DOES THAT PORTEND FOR THE FUTURE.

>> WELL, WHAT IS CALLED THE TRUMPISM ROT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THEY ARE GOING TO GET SPLATTERED WITH THAT ROT, AND I AGREE WITH CHUCK FULLY.

I THINK STATEWIDE ELECTIONS LOOK GREAT IN 2022 FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

WE HAVE A NEW -- NEW CHAIRMAN.

SHE IS A REALLY EXCELLENT PERSON.

IT SAYS A LOT WHEN THE MORE CENTRIST DEMOCRATS LIKE SENATOR SINEMA AND KELLY, KIRKPATRICK ENDORSE HER STRONGLY.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PROGRESSIVES ALSO EMBRACING HER.

SHE IS A PROUD PROGRESSIVE.

SHE WAS RAISED OUT OF DOUGLAS, ARIZONA.

RECRUITING LATINO CANDIDATES AND VOTERS.

BUT SHE HAS THAT PRAGMATISM, AND SHE IS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE WEST SIDE, AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES, AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT CHUCK JUST DISCUSSED, AND THAT IS REPUBLICAN POLITICS, AND I THINK SHE WILL BE A VERY EFFECTIVE CHAIRMAN.

>> IT'S INTERESTING IN THE MIDTERM AFTER OBAMA'S FIRST ELECTION -- AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING BACK A WAYS HERE, BUT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT ENTHUSIASM DROP.

WE HAVE SEEN TWO CYCLES IN A ROW WHERE DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES HAVE BEEN AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.

AND CAN THEY MAINTAIN THAT?

TRUMP WAS THE GREATEST TURNOUT MACHINE FOR BOTH PARTIES.

YOU KNOW?

LET'S ACCESS THAT.

SO THE QUESTION IS TURNOUT.

TURNOUT MATTERS.

AND THE QUESTION IS CAN THEY MAINTAIN TURNOUT.

I ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT CHRIS JUST SAID ABOUT RAQUEL, BUT I WAS LISTENING TO HER YESTERDAY, AND SHE SADIE VERSETY IS OUR STRENGTH.

IT'S WHAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER.

I NOTED TO SOMEBODY, THAT HAS NOT BEEN TRUE IN ANY PART OF HUMAN HISTORY, SO I DON'T THINK IT IS GOING TO BE TRUE NOW.

SO WITH LEADERS LIKE KELLY, AND WE SAW EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH THE STATE SENIOR SENATOR BACKING THE -- THE FILIBUSTER.

WE HAVE BEGUN TO SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ARIZONA DEMOCRAT THAT IS CAPABLE OF WINNING STATEWIDE ELECTIONS, AND THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO SENATOR KELLY, AND SENATOR SINEMA TO DESIGN THAT.

THEY BOTH RAN THAT WAY, BUT THIS FIRST STEP THAT SENATOR SINEMA HAS TAKEN, HATS OFF TO HER, BECAUSE NOW SHE HAS CORTEZ ATTACKING HER.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING BALANCE IN TERMS OF DEFINING THE FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HERE AS WELL.

WE SEE THE TROUBLES REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD WITH EXTREMISM.

WE CAN SEE THAT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

>> I THINK WHAT RAQUEL WAS REFERRING TO WHEN SHE SAID DIVERSITY, BECAUSE WHAT SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE IS SHE WILL KEEP THEM EXCITED AND KEEP SIGNING UP LATINOS, AND THERE'S THAT COLLEGE EDUCATED GROWTH OF INDEPENDENTS AND DISSATISFIED REPUBLICANS THAT CLEARLY WILL VOTE FOR STATE-WIDE CANDIDATES AS WELL.

AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT, TED, NOW THIS TIME THAN IN 22, I THINK IT IS MARK KELLY RUNNING FOR REELECTION AGAIN.

HE WILL HAVE HIS OWN FUNDING THAT WILL BE TREMENDOUS, AND DEMOCRATS DOWN BALLOT FROM THE STATE-WIDE RACES WILL BENEFIT FROM MARK KELLY RUNNING FOR REELECTION.

>> THAT IS FASCINATING.

THE WHOLE SITUATION FEELS SO VOLATILE.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE TO HELP US OUT.

THANK YOU BOTH.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, A NEEDLE SHORTAGE IS CAUSING VACCINE DISTRIBUTION DE, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE IMPACT OF JUDGING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR HAIR.

♪