>> THIS WEEK ON A LIVELY EXPERIMENT, AFTER THAT STRETCH OF VIOLENT CRIME, THE MAYOR IS CATCHING CRITICISM FROM COLLEAGUES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.

AS THE DELTA VARIANT MARCHES ON, THE GOVERNOR HOLDS STEADY ON RESTRICTIONS, FOR NOW.

>> A LIVELY EXPERIMENT IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS A LIVELY EXPERIMENT HAS PROVIDED INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS ON IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES FACING RHODE ISLANDERS.

I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT PROGRAM AND RHODE ISAND PBS.

JIM: JOINING US ON THE PANEL, BOB WALSH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RHODE ISLAND.

REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST LISA CLOSELY -- PELOSI, AND FORMER CRANSTON MAYOR, ALLAN FUNG.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS WEEK.

PROVIDENCE IS MAYOR -- PROVIDENCE'S MAYOR, WHO HAS AN EYE ON THE RUN FOR GOVERNOR HAS HIS HANDS FULL.

HIS POLICE UNION IS BLASTING HIM FOR NOT LETTING THEM DO THEIR JOB AMIDST THE SPIKE IN VIOLENT CRIME WHILE THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT WANTS TO SEE -- TAKE THE GOVERNOR UP ON ITS OFFER TO STAND THE STATE POLICE TO HELP.

ALLEN, -- ALLAN, THE MAYOR IS GETTING IT FROM ALL SIDES PRAY THAT SURPRISED ME, THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING PUBLICLY FROM THE MAYOR'S CHAIRS.

ALLAN: ONE OF THE THING IS THAT MANY OF THOSE MAYORS ARE FROM CITIES AND TOWNS BORDERING PROVIDENCE.

WE HAVE SEEN, IN CRANSTON, SOMETIMES AT SPILLOVER EFFECT.

YOU HAVE TO LOCK IT DOWN.

TAKE A STRONG STAND.

WE LOCKED DOWN WHEN IT CAME TO GARDEN CITY, WHAT HAPPENED ON ELMWOOD AVENUE.

SENDING OUT IN FORCE THAT STRONG MESSAGE THAT IT WON'T BE TOLERATED, IT WILL NOT BE IN OUR HOUSE, THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.

FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN ON THE DEPARTMENT, THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT.

THEY NEED THE BACKUP.

THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS HAVE THEIR BACK.

THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE VIOLENCE IN PROVIDENCE.

>> WITH THE LARGER ISSUE OF THE CRIME, THE WOMAN WAS SHOT, THE YOUNG WOMAN, I KNOW HER MOTHER FROM RICK.

PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS OF GOING TO PROVIDENCE FOR THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK.

NO MATTER HOW YOU TELL THEM THIS IS TARGETED AND THE CITY IS SAFE, IT'S NOT GOOD.

>> IS FRUSTRATING.

PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS ABOUT GOING TO PROVIDENCE.

I'M COMMITTED TO PROVIDENCE AND I'M HAVING DINNER TO -- IN PROVIDENCE TONIGHT AND FILMING ON FRIDAY BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THE MAYOR HAS TO FOLLOW THE COUNCIL'S VIEW AND TAKE THE STATE UP ON THEIR OFFERS TO RIDE -- TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.

I COULD BE A LIBERAL WHO CARES ABOUT ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME AND STILL BE SENSIBLE ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THINGS AS THEY OCCUR.

I CANNOT FATHOM IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE IF IT'S ILLEGAL FOR A DIRTBIKE OR ATV TO BE ON THE PUBLIC STREETS, WHY THEY HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM.

I KNOW THEY HAVE CONFISCATED 200 OF THEM BUT APPARENTLY THEY NEED TO DO MORE.

I DON'T THINK THOSE TWO THINGS ARE IN OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER.

WE NEED TO DO NORMAL -- WE NEED TO DO MORE TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS BUT CRACKED pDOWN HARD ON FOLKS BREAKING THE LAW OR WE WILL LOSE TOURISTS.

LISA: THERE WERE PREDICTIONS THE SUMMER THAT THERE WOULD BE INCREASED VIOLENCE.

HERE WE HAVE THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND THEIR NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS I THINK IS THAT ONE OF THEIR LOWEST LEVELS.

THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING, BUT THERE'S THIS DICHOTOMY AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SOME WHO STRONGLY BELIEVE WE NEED A STRONG POLICE FORCE AND OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN SAYING THEY WANT TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND NOT PROVIDE THE RIGHT FUNDING AREA -- FUNDING.

>> THEIR TUNE IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE.

LISA: WHEN VIOLENCE HAPPENS THEY CALL THE POLICE.

THEY WANT THE POLICE TO BE THERE.

WE ARE SEEING THAT.

IT'S TROUBLING.

THIS IS STARTING TO IMPACT THE ECONOMY.

WE ARE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO RETURN TO THEATERS AND DINING.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HEARING WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND AND SAID I THINK I WILL GO TO NEWPORT INSTEAD.

ALLAN: POOR CRANSTON.

-- FOUR -- OR CRANSTON.

>> AT RISK OF PILING ON THE MAYOR, HE SEEMS TO HAVE A 10 YEAR.

I THINK HE'S TRYING TO DO THE BEST JOB HE CAN.

SOME MIGHT TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR, WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL?

YOU KNOW ABOUT RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, YOU BASE A LOT OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS ON WHAT YOU HAD DONE IN CRANSTON.

IT'S A BIG NEWS -- NOOSE AROUND HIS NECK TO GO FORWARD TO SAY THIS IS THE WAY I RAN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.

ALLAN: ABSOLUTELY.

EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE WILL BE SCRUTINIZED TO THE LETTER.

YOU HAVE TO.

YOUR EYES --TO DOT YOUR EYES, AND CROSS -- YOUR I 'S, AND CROSS YOUR T'S.

LOOK AT THE SPIKE IN VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY, WHO DO THEY JUST ELECT?

A FORMER POLICE OFFICER WHO WILL PROBABLY BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION GOING ON.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR BACKYARD.

THAT VIOLENCE GOING ON, GETTING KILLED IN PROVIDENCE SENDS A BAD MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

YOU HAVE TO FIX IT.

>> I DON'T THINK THE MAYOR IS GOING TO BE A PARTICULARLY CREDIBLE CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR IF HE DECIDES TO STAY IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE A CROWDED DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

IF YOU SHOWED A GLAMOUR, THE NEGATIVE ADVERTISING PILED ON HIM, HE HAS TO RUN AWAY FROM HIS RECORD AREA IF A POLITICIAN SAYS I CAN'T RUN ON MY RECORD, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN RUN FOR OFFICE.

>> IT'S POLITICAL BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE CONFRONTATION, YOU WONDER WHETHER POLITICS IS BLEEDING INTO SOME OF THESE DECISIONS.

HE WAS THINKING WHEN HE WAS TAKING ON THE GOVERNOR, I NEED TO BE WRONG.

-- I NEED TO BE STRONG.

LISA: THE STATE TOOK OVER PROVIDENCE SCHOOLS.

HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME WITH ANY KIND OF SOLUTION WITH THE PENSION PROBLEM WHICH GROWS.

AND NOW WE HAVE VIOLENCE.

WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO HAVE HIM RUN THE STATE WHEN HE CANNOT RUN HIS OWN CITY?

>> ANY ADVICE?

>> KEEP RAISING MONEY.

GOING THROUGH TWO GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGNS, IT'S GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT FOR THE MASSES.

>> WHAT MESSAGE?

GOOD POLICY MAKES GOOD POLITICS.

THERE'S NO GOOD POLICY HERE.

IT'S MIND-BOGGLING, HE'S A SMART GUY.

EVERY DECISION ALONG THE WAY IS PUZZLING.

IT'S TOO BAD.

HE HAS HARD-WORKING STAFF AND A LOT OF GOOD FOLKS WORKING FOR THE CITY.

IT CAN'T BE FUN GOING TO WORK SEEING THESE HEADLINES DAY AFTER DAY.

>> AND ANOTHER ONE OF HIS COMMUNICATION STAFF BAILED AND WENT OVER TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PIPELINE.

LET'S STAY IN PROVIDENCE.

LATE LAST WEEK, RIGHT BEFORE THE TEACHERS UNION VOTED ON NEW CONTRACT, THEY OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED IT.

SOME HAVE BEEN CREDIT ALL AS TO WHETHER THIS IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL CONTRACT.

I THINK THERE WERE SOME THINGS GIVEN UP AT THE SENIORITY ISSUE SEEMED TO NOT BE ADDRESSED.

AND WE HAVE LOST A YEAR SINCE THE HOPKINS REPORT CAME OUT.

LISA: WHEN THE REPORTS STARTED COMING OUT OF THE CONTACT THAT CONTRACT HAD BEEN REACHED.

THE STATE -- THE STATESIDE AND THE UNION SIDES WERE HEARD BUT NOBODY SET I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS OR I HAVE CONCERNS.

BOTH SIDES WERE VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THE CONTRACT.

I WAS THINKING, IS THIS GOING TO BE THAT TRANSFORMATIONAL CONTRACT IF NOBODY'S DISAPPOINTED?

AND LOOK AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS REPORT, THIS CONTRACT, HOW DOES ADDRESS THE ISSUES BROUGHT UP IN THE REPORT?

THE LAST -- THE LACK OF CONSISTENT CURRICULUM IN THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOLS, THE ABILITY TO HIRE AND FIRE, FOR THOSE TEACHERS WHO TAKE MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS OFF, WE MIGHT ALLOW OR REQUIRE A DOCTORATE AREA -- DOCTORATE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF TRANSFORMATION WE NEED?

I DON'T THINK SO.

>> NOT YOUR UNION, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WE DON'T REPRESENT THE UNION, I'M VERY HAPPY THEY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT.

I THINK A LOT OF THE RHETORIC IS RHETORIC.

EVERY CONTRACT IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES HAS SENIORITY PROVISIONS BECAUSE SENIORITY TAKES POLITICS OUT OF THE HIRING AND FIRING PROCESS.

THE PRINCIPLES BY STATE LAW TWO YEARS AGO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER HIRING.

THE IDEA THAT WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THAT, WE CHANGED IT THROUGH STATE LAW.

>> I THINK AFTER THE MAYOR THROUGH THE KEYS ON THE TABLE HE TOOK AWAY HIS RIGHTS TO JUMP UP AND DOWN ON THE OUTSIDE AND COMPLAIN.

I THINK GETTING LABOR PEACE AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD IS A GOOD IDEA.

AND WE CAN JUDGE IT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMING YEAR.

FOLKS WERE PHENOMENALLY HARD -- WORKED PHENOMENALLY HARD THROUGH THE PANDEMIC TEACHING IN FRONT AND ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN FOR THERE WERE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT THEY SIBLEY COULDN'T FIND DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I TALKED ABOUT THE DATA ON THE PHONE.

PROVIDENCE AND CENTRAL FALLS HAS AMONG THE HIGHER BURDENS IN THE STATE FOR EXTERNAL FACTORS.

POVERTY IS A FACTOR.

ZIP CODE DOES NOT DICTATE OUTCOMES BUT IT TELLS YOU THE SHAPE OF THE STARTING LINE.

THE KIDS IN PROVIDENCE NEED MORE RESOURCES AND NEED MORE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.

THE TEACHERS PROPOSED MORE TIME AND MANAGEMENT DID NOT TAKE THEM UP ON IT.

PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMICS.

>> MORE TIME, BUT PAY FOR IT.

>> WE USED TO HAVE 240 DAY PROGRAMS, GETS PICKED UP BY COMMUNITY GROUPS, BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IMPLEMENTING THINGS LIKE THAT FOR KIDS WHO NEED IT THE MOST.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DON'T TAKE IT UP.

YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT NEGOTIATION YOU CAN COME UP WITH PROGRAMS THAT MAKE SENSE NOW.

>> I DO WANT TO PICK UP ON A COUPLE OF POINTS, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT LISA POINTED OUT.

I WOULD DESCRIBE THIS AS BUYING LABOR PEACE.

YOU DO HAVE SOME PIECES ON BOTH SIDES WHERE YOU COULD GET SOME STUFF BACK.

BUT AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL?

NO.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS AT LEAST LISA IDENTIFIED THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

>> 20 TEACHERS VOTED AGAINST IT, HOW CONTROVERSIAL IS IT?

>> BUT HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE, COMING FROM A MULTILANGUAGE BACKGROUND, A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE MLL, MULTILANGUAGE LEARNERS.

WE NEEDED TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES, MORE HELP TO THOSE STUDENTS.

DATA STARTING TO PAVE THE WAY -- THAT IS STARTING TO PIVOT AWAY FROM LONGER DAYS ARE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BECAUSE THAT'S THE FOUNDATION.

IF WE ARE NOT DOING THAT WE ARE FAILING THE STUDENTS IN THE URBAN COURT AREAS, LIKE PROVIDENCE.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME OUT.

LISA: WE GET POLITICAL PEACE WITH THIS.

WE TALK ABOUT TAKING POLITICS OUT OF POLITICS OR NOT.

GOVERNOR MCKEE WANTS UNION SUPPORT, LONG-TERM CONTRACTS TO GET HIM BEYOND HIS ELECTION.

WHEN HE ALLOWED HIS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM NEGOTIATION AND INSTEAD HAVE HIS OWN STAFF PERSON GO IN, THAT'S WHAT THE IN WANTED -- WANTED -- THAT'S WHAT THE UNION WANTED.

THEY DID NOT LIKE THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE SO THEY PULLED HER OUT.

THEY GOT THE CONTRACT AND IT COMES DOWN TO WISE THIS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS?

THREE YEARS, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

>> I HAVE TO WEIGH IN.

THIS COMES UP AS A TALKING POINT TO THE FOLKS ON THE OTHERS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT TO DO?

WHY SHOULD THE CONTRACT BE DIFFERENT THAN THE BEHRMANN CONTRACT FOR RESPECTING SENIORITY?

THE REAL UNDERLYING ISSUE IS THE ISSUE THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP.

RHODE ISLAND SPENDS $2000 LESS PER STUDENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

ALL THE REPUBLICAN TALKING POINTS, RUNNING THE SCHOOL LIKE A BUSINESS -- MORE TIME ON TASK, MORE FOLKS WORKING, SPECIFICALLY WITH KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH ENGLISH OR NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE AND HOME.

MORE PULLING CANS OUT IN WORKING WITH THEM ON MATH AND READING AND BASIC SCHOOL -- SKILLS.

THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY GOES FOR.

IT'S NOT GOING TO TEACHERS.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PAYING TEACHERS MORE.

MORE TEACHERS TO HAVE MORE TIME WITH KIDS TO BRING THEM UP TO PAR SO WE CAN BE COMPETITIVE.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN A BUSINESS MODEL FOR SCHOOLS, WHY DO YOU THINK WE CAN PAY LESS AND DO BETTER?

>> SOME DEMOCRATIC TALKING POINTS.

WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS COME I THINK THAT'S WHERE THIS IS NOT HELPING?

>> RESOURCES FOR KIDS.

>> UNTIL YOU PUT ASIDE THE DEMOCRAT TALKING POINT AND FOCUS ON WHAT MASSACHUSETTS DID DECADES AGO, THAT'S HOW WE GET.

>> THEY MADE A PLAN AND STUCK TO IT.

>> WITH STANDARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> AND THEIR CONTRACTS LOOK JUST LIKE OURS.

THE DIFFERENCES THE STATE CAME TOGETHER AND PUT IN A MASSIVE INFUSION OF RESOURCES AND THE PORT TO PUBLIX -- THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

>> THE COMMISSIONER CAME TO RHODE ISLAND AND SAID SHE DID NOT WANT TO PUT HER STUDENT IN THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOL SYSTEM, HER OWN KIDS.

DOES THIS CONTRACT MAKE HER WANT TO DO THAT?

>> WHAT ABOUT WHAT LISA SAID ABOUT THE POLITICS?

LET'S GET THIS CONTRACT, DAN MCKEE HAS NOT DONE WELL WITH THE UNIONS, WHAT ABOUT THAT THREAT THAT HE WANTS TO GET THROUGH THE ELECTION IN THIS BY HIM -- BUYS HIM TIME.

>> I THINK HE WANTS THE SCHOOLS TO OPEN PEACEFULLY AND MOVE FORWARD.

THE BURDEN IS ON MY SIDE, SO TO SPEAK, TO PROVE THAT WE CAN DO SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE RESOURCES.

THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS A COMPLICATED THING.

I THINK DAN MCKEE AS THE INCUMBENT IS NOT A FRONT RUNNER.

THE FOLKS WHO SUPPORT DAN MCKEE CALL AND YELL AT ME.

I'M AN ANALYST.

THERE IS THE ABILITY TO RAISE MONEY AND HAVE THE BULLY PULPIT AND DO IMPORTANT THINGS FOR RHODE ISLAND WHEN MONEY IS COMING IN AND HOPE WE GET AHEAD OF THE PANDEMIC.

WHOEVER CAN DO THAT WILL BE THE FRONT RUNNER.

FROM HOW MY ORGANIZATION AND THE TWO TEACHERS ORGANIZATION THAN LABOR IN GENERAL DECIDES, EVERYTHING IS WEIGHED AND THE BALANCE.

IF YOU GIVE A SCORECARD EARLY ON, A PLUS FOR DAN MCKEE HAS GOVERNOR GETTING TEACHERS VACCINATED.

HE MADE IT A MARQUEE ISSUE.

A PLUS ON GETTING A CONTRACT IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.

STILL NOT A PASSING GRADE ON CHARTER SCHOOLS BUT NOBODY ELSE DOES.

>> SHE THINGS YOU ARE GRADING ON THE CURVE.

>> TO SAY THAT HE GETS IN A FOR A CONTRACT, WHAT DID HE HAVE TO GIVE UP?

WHY COULDN'T HE DO MORE?

>> YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, HOW DO YOU GREAT HIM?

>> I REMEMBER BEING ON THE SHOW AND TALKED ABOUT THE STATE TAKEOVER ALLOWING HIM TO GO IN AND IMPOSE.

AND I COULD HEAR YOU GOING, IT'LL END UP IN COURT.

WHAT ABOUT THE STATE COMING IN AND DOING IT.

THAT GAVE HIM THE ABILITY TO -- >> YOU THINK IT'S A LONG COURT BATTLE?

>> I THINK I'S A COURT BATTLE.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE CORE ISSUE.

WHAT WERE THEY GOING TO IMPOSE?

A SENIORITY PROVISION WHICH IS INCONSISTENT WITH EVERY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY?

WOULD WE IMPOSE THAT?

WHAT'S THE BASIS?

BECAUSE IT'S TOO HARD TO FIRE A TEACHER?

IF THEY ARE TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIRE THEM BUT I'M GOING TO USE SENIORITY PROVISIONS TO MOVE THEM AROUND, WHAT HE'S TELLING THEM AS I KNOW THERE'S A TEACHER WHO SHOULD NOT BE WORKING AND I WILL SHUFFLE THEM.

HOW DID THAT WORK OUT FOR THE DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE WITH THE PRIESTS?

>> IT'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER RIGHT NOW.

I AGREE THAT DAN IS PROBABLY THE FRONT RUNNER HAVING THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY.

HE GOT THE CONTRACT TO BUY THE LABOR PEACE.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE AS WAS IDENTIFIED IN THAT HOPKINS REPORT AND RESOURCES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE CORE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM WHICH IS WHAT'S GOING ON PROVIDENCE.

ALL IT IS IS BUYING SOMETIMES FOR LABOR PEACE.

HOPEFULLY GETTING NOT JUST THE AFT SUPPORT, BUT NEA SUPPORT.

BUT DOES IT GET HIM THERE?

TIME WILL TELL.

IT'S EARLY ON.

WE HAVE OVER A YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTION COMES THROUGH.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CANDIDATES IN THAT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, HE'S PROBABLY RIGHT.

WE ARE ALREADY IN COURT ON THE CONTINUING CONTRACT LITIGATION A LOT OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS ARE STILL PENDING WITH THE LAWSUIT NOW, GOING THROUGH IT WITH A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE PENSION SIDE.

THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

NO MATTER WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN THERE WERE LEGAL CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO FIGHTS THAT NEEDED TO BE FOUGHT.

>> TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNORS RACE COME I BE REMISS IF WE WOULD SEE ALLAN FUNG 3.0.

ALLAN: DON'T EVEN START WITH ME RIGHT NOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> WILL NOW WE CAN TALK TO YOU AND WITH YOU.

ALLAN: I AM A PARTNER.

>> YOU GOT A BETTER GIG.

>> SERIOUSLY, HAD TO BRING IT UP.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROWING YOUR NAME.

>> HE COULD RUN DOWN THE BALLOT, FOR TREASURER.

>> WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT?

>> POTENTIALLY HELENA FOLKS WE ARE HEARING?

IT'S A CROWDED FIELD, DO YOU AGREE WITH ALLEN'S ASSESSMENTS THAT DAN MCKEE IS IN GREAT SHAPE?

LISA: TODAY HE DOES.

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING.

HE HAD A HONEYMOON, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING WAS ALIGNED FOR HIM IN TERMS OF THE MONTH -- THE BUDGET AND THE VACCINE.

BUT THE TEACHERS PRONTO, WHEN YOU ARE IN THE GOVERNORS CONTRACT -- GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, IT IS LIKE A TENNIS BALL MACHINE WITH EVERYTHING COMING AT YOU.

WE WILL FIND OUT.

THIS HAS BEEN A TRANSFORMATIONAL CONTRACT.

MAYBE 10 YEARS FROM NOW WE WILL SAY HOW MUCH BETTER THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS OR NOT BECAUSE OF IT.

BUT HE STILL HAS TO DEAL WITH THE HOSPITAL ISSUE.

HE WILL HAVE TO STEP IN AND THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.

THAT PENSION ISSUE IS HOVERING WITH A DARK CLOUD FOR THE WHOLE STATE.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS COMING UP THAT WE WILL HAVE TO SEE AS GOVERNOR AS TO HOW THEY WILL HANDLE IT.

>> HE WILL ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE DELTA VARIANT.

HE HAS HELD THE LINE AND SAID I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PULL THE ALARM IF THERE'S NOT A FIRE.

THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP.

HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE GOING UP.

IT'S A LAGGING INDICATOR.

THE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD NOW BUT YOU WONDER WHAT HE WILL DO.

HE IS HAVING HIS FIRST COVID BRIEFING IN A LONG TIME NEXT TUESDAY.

HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO HIS PLAYING GOING FORWARD?

>> IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION QUESTION ON THE POLITICS OF THE GOVERNORS RACE, WHAT ARE THE BIG FACTORS?

PROVIDENCE ISN'T REALLY HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

COVID IS AND HAS BEEN.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE RANDOMNESS.

IF YOU MESS UP A SNOWSTORM EVERYTHING IS OFF THE TABLE.

IF YOU DO GREAT IN A SNOWSTORM YOU ARE JOE GARY IN A FLANNEL SHIRT AND YOU CAN GET THE JOB AS LONG AS YOU WANTED -- WANT IT.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE COVID NUMBERS, THE DELTA VARIANT HAS A SIGNIFICANT HIGHER TRANSMISSION RATE.

IF YOU LISTEN TO THE NATIONAL EXPERTS, WHICH I HAVE TO DO, THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT A FUTURE GREEK LETTER VERSION WHICH HAS A HIGHER TRANSMISSION RATE.

YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ONES THAT HAVE A HIGH TRANSMISSION RATE, NOT THE ONES THAT DON'T SPREAD.

I THINK RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN GREAT IN GETTING FOLKS VACCINATED.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE BUT AHEAD OF THE CURVE.

WE HAVE DONE WELL WITH THE PUBLIC MEDICATIONS ON THIS.

DR. ALEXANDER-SCOTT, DR. CHAN, PEOPLE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

HAVING PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH IS A GOOD THING.

BUT I CANNOT PREDICT HOW, AS THIS DELTA VARIANT SPREADS, AND WE SEE THE UPTICK IN THE NUMBERS HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT DAY ONE IN SCHOOL.

IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE ON THESE ISSUES TO SAY, WELL, MY KID SHOULD NOT WEAR A MASK BECAUSE.

ARE YOU AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST?

OR A DOCTOR >> WE DO HAVE A BUBBLE, WE SEE WITH GOING ON IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND IT IS VERY PRE-LOOK AT FLORIDA, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, THE RATES ARE CRAZY.

FORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC POLICY, WE ARE DOING BETTER.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE WERE RED OR BLUE.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BACKWARDS.

WITH THE VARIANTS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND NOT IMPACTING JUST US.

YOU SEE A LOT MORE OF THE YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS.

I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN VACCINATED ARE GETTING THIS VARIANT, AND THAT IS SCARY.

IF WE SEE THE NUMBERS GO UP WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO FOLLOW AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES, WHETHER IT IS MASS, GETTING MORE VACCINATIONS, BOOSTERS.

I HAVE THEM A DHARNA SHOT -- THE MODERNA SHOT AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A BOOSTER.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SHUT DOWN OUR ECONOMY AGAIN.

TO HAVE IT COME TO A SCREECHING HALT COUNTRYWIDE IS NOT HEALTHY.

AND IT WON'T HAPPEN.

>> AS WE SAY IN RHODE ISLAND, MUHDERNER.

LISA: IT STARTED WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET VACCINATED AND IT WAS THOSE WHO WANTED TO GET IT FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH.

THEN INCENTIVES TO MOVE THE NEXT GROUP OF PEOPLE AND NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MANDATES.

WE KNOW FROM THE GOVERNOR THAT THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION HAVE BEEN MANDATED FOR OUR STUDENTS TO COME BACK, THEY WILL BE MANDATED TO HAVE THEIR VACCINATION.

MORE ARE COMING ON BOARD FOR THEIR STAFF AND FACULTY.

AND HE'S LOOKING AT SHOULD HE MANDATE STATE WORKERS.

IT IT'S REALLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS IS TO GET VACCINATED.

>> OUTRAGES OR KUDOS, LET'S KEEP IT TIGHT.

>> TIGHTLY COME IN RHODE ISLAND IS A GREAT STATE, WE RALLY TOGETHER IF A YOUNG PERSON HAS A FATAL DISEASE, IF A TEENAGER IS IN AN ACCIDENT, IF A YOUNG ADULT NEEDS HELP.

WE DO FUNDRAISERS AND BAKE SALES AND PUBLICITY FOR ALS, WE POUR WATER OVER OUR HEADS AND WE DO A LOT TO HELP FOLKS IN NEED.

THIS IS NOT HARD.

GETTING VACCINATED IS NOT HARD.

PRETEND IT'S THE ONE PERSON BECAUSE WE HAVE 140,000 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT AND THE ONES UNDER 12 CANNOT GET A VACCINATION YET.

IF SOMEBODY SAYS IT'S TIME TO WHERE THIS AGAIN, JUST DO IT.

SUMMARY SAYS YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED AND YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD OR THE LOVE OF THAT ONE STUDENT WHOSE LIFE YOU MAY SAVE OR YOU CLEAR OUT A SPACE IN THE HOSPITAL SO SOMEONE IN NEED WHO DOESN'T HAVE COVID CAN GET A BED AND IT'S NOT TAKEN BY SOMEONE WITH COVID, IT BREAKS MY HEART WITH THESE FOLKS ON A VENTILATOR SAYING I WAS WRONG.

I WAS WRONG.

PLEASE, RHODE ISLAND IS IN THE LEAD, LET'S TAKE IT HOME AND GET THE LAST 200,000 PEOPLE VACCINATED.

JIM: WE WILL GET THE CREW TO CUT THAT OUT AS A SEPARATE PA. LISA: IN MARCH, ALLEGATION STARTED COMING IN ABOUT NEW YORK GOVERNOR CUOMO ABOUT HIS INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.

I WAS OUTRAGED THAT EVEN IN THIS TIME AFTER THE #METOO MOVEMENT WE WERE SEEING THIS HAPPEN YET THIS WEEK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN NEW YORK CONCLUDED HER INVESTIGATION SPEAKING TO 170 NINE WITNESSES, WITH 11 WOMEN COMING LOWERED TO SHARE THEIR STORY.

AND WHAT'S OUTRAGEOUS IS THAT HE HAS BEEN OUT THERE PUBLICLY SAYING THAT HE DENIES THAT ANYTHING HAPPENED.

EITHER HE IS LYING, OR NOT RECOGNIZING THAT WHAT HE DID WAS WRONG.

>> AND THEN HE SAID I DIDN'T GET MY SIDE OF THE STORY ACROSS.

SHE INTERVIEWED HIM.

ALLAN: I HAVE A KUDO AND AN OUTRAGE.

IN MY COMMUNITY THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ASIAN PRIDE.

SO FOR SUNI LEE, SHE WAS FANTASTIC READ A LOT OF PRIDE.

MY OUTRAGE, KATE MCCOY WITH HER TWEET BECAUSE IT WAS NOT JUST ONCE.

IT'S HISTORIC.

SHE SHOULD RESIGN.

THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH POLITICS.

WE ARE TAKING IT TO THAT LEVEL ON BOTH SIDES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE KILLING OF AN INDIVIDUAL, WHERE'S THE CIVILITY.

>> AND SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE SAID THAT TO A REPORTER THAT WENT TO THE MEDIA NOW PEOPLE CAN TWEET AND I ALWAYS SAY TAKE A BREATH BEFORE.

>> EVERYONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA EVENTUALLY APOLOGIZES FOR SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA EXCEPT FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

KATE HAS APOLOGIZED, SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS AND IS ADMITTEDLY A FRIEND, SHE MADE A MISTAKE.

IT WAS VERY INAPPROPRIATE.

>> NOT THE FIRST TIME.

>> SOME PEOPLE SHOULDN'T TWEET.

>> FINAL WORDS.

LISA: IF IT WAS A REPUBLICAN WHO DID WHAT SHE DID -- >> THEY WOULD START AN INSURRECTION AND IT WOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY HIS COLLEAGUES.

>> IN 2014 SHE CALLED ON MY CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON.

>> WE WILL CONTINUE ANOTHER TIME.

THANK YOU.

BOB AND ALLAN CAN TAKE IT OUT THE BACKYARD.

COME BACK NEXT WEEK, WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

>> A LIVELY SPIRIT IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY.

>> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, A LIVELY EXPERIMENT HAS PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO THE IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING RHODE ISLAND.