>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON VISITORS FROM THE UK AND BRAZIL.

WILL THE EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VARIANTS CAUSE FURTHER PAIN TO CENTRAL FLORIDA'S TOURISM ECONOMY?

GOVERNOR DESANTIS CRITICIZES THE WHITE HOUSE, OVER VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.

ARE SUPPLIES FAILING TO MEET FLORIDA'S CAPACITY TO VACCINATE ITS RESIDENTS?

AND WHAT WILL POLITICS IN WASHINGTON MEAN FOR THE UPCOMING FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES HAPPENING ACROSS OUR NATION AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING US RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS EVERY WEEK, THE PEOPLE DOING THESE STORIES EVERY DAY.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, MY GOOD FRIEND, YBETH BRUZUAL FROM SPECTRUM NEWS 13 AND STEVE LEMONGELLO, WHO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING BACK TO THE SHOW.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT IN THE STUDIO WITH US AGAIN THIS WEEK.

SO FIRST TONIGHT, THAT UK VARIANT OF COVID-19.

THE NUMBER OF CASES OF THE VARIANT DETECTED IN FLORIDA HAS NOW DOUBLED ACCORDING TO CDC FIGURES THAT WERE RELEASED THIS WEEK.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS EXTENDED A TRAVEL BAN ON NON-US CITIZENS ENTERING FROM CERTAIN COUNTRIES OVER CONCERNS ABOUT NEW MUTATIONS OF THE VIRUS.

VACCINE MANUFACTURERS SAY THEIR PRODUCTS APPEAR TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE UK VARIANT OF COVID-19, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE CONTAGIOUS AND SEEMS TO BE SPREADING IN FLORIDA.

THE CDC THIS WEEK REPORTED 92 CASES OF THE SO-CALLED B117 STRAIN IN OUR STATE.

OVER THE WEEKEND, DR. ANTHONY FAUCI ECHOED CONCERNS FROM ENGLAND'S CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR THAT THE UK VARIANT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER LEVELS OF MORTALITY.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO CONCERNED OVER A NUMBER OF OTHER VARIANTS.

MODERNA THIS WEEK SAID ITS VACCINE TRIGGERED A WEAKER IMMUNE RESPONSE AGAINST A SOUTH AFRICAN MUTATION OF THE VIRUS.

SCIENTISTS ARE ALSO WORRIED ABOUT A VARIANT OUT OF BRAZIL.

IT COULD ALL HAVE AN IMPACT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

A BAN ON TRAVEL BY NON-US CITIZENS FROM BRAZIL, THE UK, AND 26 EUROPEAN NATIONS WAS SET TO EXPIRE ON TUESDAY BUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS EXTENDED THOSE BANS AND ADDED SOUTH AFRICA TO THE LIST.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAD SUPPORTED LIFTING RESTRICTIONS ON BRITISH AND BRAZILIAN TRAVELERS AS A WAY TO BOOST CENTRAL FLORIDA'S STRUGGLING TOURISM INDUSTRY.

IN RECENT YEARS, ABOUT 11 MILLION INTERNATIONAL VISITORS CAME TO FLORIDA ANNUALLY.

THE UK ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT 10% OF THEM.

BRAZIL, ABOUT 8%.

BUT VISIT FLORIDA SAYS THE NUMBER OF OVERSEAS VISITORS TO OUR STATE PLUNGED 67% IN 2020.

THE AGENCY IS SPENDING $13 MILLION TO HELP THE TOURISM ECONOMY REBOUND.

ALL RIGHT, STEVE, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS.

THE FINAL TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE REPORT TO FLORIDA RELEASED BY THE STATE THIS WEEK, WARNS THE UK VARIANT IS PROBABLY MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD THAN DATA ACTUALLY SUGGESTS.

YOUR COLLEAGUE, KATE STANCHAK WROTE THIS WEEK ABOUT WHY THAT MAY BE THE CASE.

SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE VARIANT AND HOW MANY CASES COULD BE OUT THERE?

>>SURE.

SO THESE ARE THE WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE REPORTS THAT THE ORLANDO SENTINEL ESSENTIALLY HAD TO SUE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO TRY TO GET BECAUSE HE WAS HOLDING THEM BACK WHILE OTHER STATES WOULD OPENLY RELEASE THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

THE VERY LAST ONE FROM JANUARY 17TH, IT PRETTY MUCH SAID THE SAME THING THAT PREVIOUS ONES HAD SAID ABOUT HOW FLORIDA REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE INCREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE SEEN, MORE MASKS, CURTAIL ANY INDOOR SPACES.

OF COURSE, DESANTIS IS MOSTLY IGNORED THAT ADVICE SO FAR, BUT THAT LAST ONE DID SAY THAT THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VARIANT FROM THE UK IS PROBABLY MORE LIKELY WIDESPREAD THAN PREVIOUSLY PUBLICLY RELEASED DATA SAID.

AND SINCE THEN IN THE LAST WEEK IT'S EVEN MORE WIDESPREAD.

IT'S BEEN SHOWN TO BE IN LIKE A NUMBER OF COUNTIES UP AND DOWN THE STATE.

>>SO THIS BAN ON INTERNATIONAL TOURISM TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BLOW THAT THIS COULD TAKE ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY HERE.

YBETH, I MEAN, IT'S THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY.

>>IT IS NANCY.

IT IS TRULY THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE ENTIRE FLORIDA ECONOMY, NOT JUST CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT YOU OF COURSE BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE OF THE THEME PARKS IN THE AREA.

WE JUST GOT WORD THAT THE DISNEY CRUISES HAVE NOW CHANGED THEIR DATA WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO RETURN SAILING.

AND SOME OF THE OTHER BIG NAMES THAT WE ALSO KNOW FROM THE CRUISE INDUSTRY HAVE DONE THE SAME THING.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

WELL, SOMETHING NANCY THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, ALL OF THOSE EUROPEAN TOURISTS THAT WE'VE COME ACCUSTOMED TO THEIR VISIT AND THEIR MONEY ARE NO LONGER HERE BECAUSE OF THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

JOBS ARE LOST, OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS.

WE THINK IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER AND IT IS GETTING BETTER BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH FOR OUR FOLKS IN THE FOOD AND SERVICE INDUSTRY, IN THE THEME PARK INDUSTRY.

SO NOW THEY HAVE TO REINVENT THEMSELVES.

ARE THERE OTHER JOBS AVAILABLE?

ABSOLUTELY, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE ACCUSTOMED TO.

SO NOW THEY HAVE TO REWORK THEIR WHOLE FAMILY UNIT.

WE HAD ON OUR PODCAST, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, CENTRAL FLORIDA: BEYOND THE SOUNDBITE, THE CFO OF FLORIDA, JIMMY PATRONIS, AND HE SAID, AS I LOOK DOWN AT MY NOTES THAT THE DOLLARS, THE TAX GENERATED DOLLARS HAVE PIVOTED HIS WORDS INTO "HIGH TAX ITEMS."

SO THE TOURISTS ARE NOT COMING, BUT HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

BOAT SALES THROUGH THE ROOF IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

CAR SALES, THROUGH THE ROOF AND RV SALES THROUGH THE ROOF.

SO THAT IS WHAT FLORIDA IS LEANING ON RIGHT NOW TO TRY AND GET SOME SORT OF TAX GENERATED REVENUE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING FROM THE TOURISTS THAT ARE COMING FROM ABROAD, BUT WE'RE RELYING FROM INTERNAL TOURISM, OTHER FOLKS FROM THE REST OF FLORIDA AND THE SOUTH GEORGIA, ALABAMA, WHO ARE COMING TO OUR AREA TO TRY AND STAY CLOSE TO HOME BUT STILL HAVE SOME FUN DURING A PANDEMIC.

SO THE LOSSES ARE IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

>>IT'S ALMOST SURREAL YBETH BECAUSE I THINK BOTH OF OUR STATIONS HAVE COVERED OVER THE YEARS, THIS DISCUSSION ON DIVERSIFYING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

SO IT'S NOT SO DEPENDENT ON TOURISM AND HERE WE ARE SORT OF LIVING THE RESULTS OF THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY A SURREAL TIME.

STEVE, GOVERNOR CUOMO IN NEW YORK HAS WARNED THAT IF THE NEW VARIANT SPREADS IT COULD MEAN "ALL BETS ARE OFF, ALL EQUATIONS ARE ALTERED."

THAT'S HIS QUOTE.

WE'VE SEEN A SLIGHT DECLINE IN OVERALL CASES IN RECENT DAYS IN FLORIDA.

DO WE KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THESE MUTATIONS, GOD FORBID START TO SPREAD IN A BIG WAY?

>>YEAH.

SO AS YOU SAID, THERE WERE THREE MAJOR MUTATIONS OUT THERE, UK, BRAZIL, AND SOUTH AFRICA.

THE MODERNA VACCINE, WHICH IS THE ONE GOING OUT TO 65+ PEOPLE HERE IN FLORIDA HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD AGAINST, THEY SAY BRAZIL AND UK.

SOUTH AFRICA, IT'S A LITTLE LESS, GOOD AGAINST THAT PARTICULAR VARIANT.

SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF WORRIES AND AS WE SAID BEFORE THE LAST TRUMP WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE ON THE 17TH, IT DID SAY THAT, "HEY, THERE'S MUCH MORE OF THIS THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT."

NOW YOU'RE SEEING IT IN COUNTIES UP AND DOWN, SOME IN SEMINOLES OSCEOLA, A LOT IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

AND THAT'S THE THING, LIKE WE COULD START SAYING THAT, "OH, WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH, THINGS ARE STARTING TO GO DOWN NOW AND THEN RESTART AS THESE NEW VARIANTS COME OUT.

IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE INFECTIONS, POSSIBLY MORE DEATHS.

AND THIS IS ALL WHILE OF COURSE DESANTIS HAS SAID THAT HE IS NEVER GOING TO SHUT DOWN THE STATE AGAIN.

HE'S NEVER GOING TO PUT ANY MORE RESTRICTIONS ON RESTAURANTS OR BARS.

OF COURSE, THE SUPER BOWL IS HERE NEXT WEEK IN TAMPA.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THE SUPER BOWL BEING IN MIAMI LAST YEAR, IT WAS ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE, ACTUALLY JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE, THINGS REALLY STARTED TO BLOW UP HERE IN AMERICA.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THE SUPER BOWL POSSIBLY PLAYED A ROLE IN SPREADING IT HERE IN FLORIDA.

THE FIRST DEATH IN THE US JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT SUPER BOWL LAST YEAR.

SO IT REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF THOSE VARIANTS START TO SPREAD HERE IN THE US.

>>YEAH AND JUST TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THIS WEEK SAID IT WOULD BUY AN ADDITIONAL 200 MILLION COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES.

THE MOVE IS EXPECTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE ALLOCATION TO EACH OF THE STATES EACH WEEK.

THE NUMBER OF DOSES FLORIDA GETS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS THIS WEEK DESCRIBED THE SHIPMENTS OF VACCINE DOSES TO FLORIDA AS STAGNANT FOR THE LAST MONTH.

HE SAYS, THE STATE HAS THE CAPACITY TO ADMINISTER SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DOSES THAN IT'S BEEN GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EACH WEEK UP UNTIL NOW.

DESANTIS SAYS THE SHIPMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE MODESTLY NEXT WEEK, BUT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS FLORIDA IS NOT UTILIZING THE SUPPLIES IT ALREADY HAS.

>>THEY'VE ONLY DISTRIBUTED ABOUT 50% OF THE VACCINES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN FLORIDA.

SO CLEARLY THEY HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF THE VACCINE.

THAT SUPPLY WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THEY ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY REACH PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE.

>>FLORIDA RESPONDS THAT IT'S HOLDING VACCINES FOR SECOND DOSES.

A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICY ENDED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE RATE OF INOCULATION.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT'S RELYING ON MANUFACTURERS TO PRODUCE ENOUGH.

SO PEOPLE GET THEIR SECOND DOSES IN TIME.

IN A STATEMENT, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE INSINUATION THAT FLORIDA IS UNDER UTILIZING VACCINES IS TOTALLY DISINGENUOUS.

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO DIVERT SECOND DOSES AWAY FROM OUR SENIORS.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR SENIORS HAVE THE PRIORITY AND GET THEIR SECOND DOSE.

AND IF THE WHITE HOUSE IS SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION."

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS CRITICIZED THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE OVER COVID-19.

WHILE PRIORITIZING PUBLIX PHARMACIES, HE'S DESCRIBED PLANNED VACCINATION SITES TO BE SET UP WITH THE HELP OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS QUOTE "FEMA CAMPS" THAT ARE QUOTE "NOT NECESSARY IN FLORIDA", BUT LAST WEEK, RAUL PINO FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN ORANGE COUNTY WELCOMED THE IDEA OF FEMA SUPPORTED VACCINATION SITES.

>>IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE IT.

IF IT'S PLACED IN THE RIGHT PLACE UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT OF COURSE, ANY INCREASE IN THE VACCINATIONS IN OUR COUNTY WILL BE WELCOMED.

>>WELL, STEVE, LET ME START WITH YOU.

THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN IN HIS CRITICISM OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN ADMINISTERING VACCINES.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT FEMA CAMP QUOTE, WHY DOES HE THINK THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE?

>>YES.

SO, DESANTIS, HE HAS BEEN, WELL, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU SAID, AS THE REPORT SAID THAT HE'S STARTING TO BE CRITICAL OF HOW MUCH FLORIDA'S GOTTEN IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS OR SO.

OF COURSE UP UNTIL LAST WEEK, HIS ALLY, DONALD TRUMP WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

AND NOW I GUESS HE FEELS FREER TO CRITICIZE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSE, WHICH HE SAYS HASN'T CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS HE HAS CRITICIZED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR IS THE IDEA OF FEMA STARTING THESE VACCINATION CENTERS JUST TO GET OUT MORE VACCINES OR MORE FIRST SHOTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

HE SAID, IT'S NOT NECESSARY.

HE SAYS IT JUST GIVE THE STATES, GIVE FLORIDA MORE AND THEY'LL DO IT THEMSELVES.

AND OF COURSE, IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE HALF OF THE VACCINES THAT FLORIDA HAS GOTTEN THAT HEY HAVEN'T USED YET.

DESANTIS HAS SAID, THEY'RE HOLDING IT BACK FOR SECOND DOSES.

IN THE PAST HE SAID, "OH NO, WE'RE NOT HOLDING BACK.

WE GET THEM AS THEY COME.

AND THEN WE GET SECOND DOSES AS THEY COME IN AND GIVE THEM THAT WEEK."

IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT IF THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE THE STATES GET SECOND DOSES, THE SAME AMOUNTS AS THEY GOT THE FIRST DOSES, LIKE FOUR WEEKS EARLIER.

SO IF THE STATE WAS A LITTLE SLOW IN GIVING OUT THOSE FIRST DOSES, WHEN THEY GET THOSE SECOND DOSES, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT NOT HAVE HIT THAT FOUR WEEK WINDOW YET.

SO THEY'RE JUST HOLDING BACK ON IT A BIT.

AND THAT MIGHT LEAD TO A LOT OF THE BACKLOG, BUT IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR IN THIS SORT OF DUAL, FEUD BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND DESANTIS.

BOTH SIDES HAVE SOME POINTS, BOTH SIDES, A LITTLE BIT DISINGENUOUS, BUT WE'LL SEE, BIDEN ANNOUNCED THE OTHER DAY THAT HE IS UPPING VACCINES TO STATES FROM ABOUT 8.6 MILLION TO 10 MILLION PER WEEK STARTING NEXT WEEK.

SO WE'LL SEE, FLORIDA SHOULD BE GETTING AROUND LIKE 500, 600,000 PER WEEK PRETTY SOON.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT STARTS.

>>AND CERTAINLY ALL OF OUR STATIONS HAVE COVERED THIS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE STATE.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

YBETH, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT WANTS TO TRY TO IMPROVE REACH TO UNDER SERVED COMMUNITIES WITH VACCINES.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE COMMUNITIES.

AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE 65 AND UP COMMUNITY RIGHT?

HAS BEEN MADE A PRIORITY, BUT EVEN WITHIN THEM, THERE'S AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION OF SENIORS WHO JUST DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

THE COMPUTERS, OR THE SMARTPHONES TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER FOR MANY OF THESE VACCINATION EVENTS THAT ARE ONLY OFFERED ONLINE.

>>THAT'S A GREAT POINT, NANCY, AND WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAYING, THERE'S TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN.

I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

SO TO YOUR POINT, AT SPECTRUM NEWS 13, GREG ANGEL, MYSELF, AND OTHERS FOR WEEKS, MONTHS HAVE BEEN CHECKING WITH THE LOCAL FOLKS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND AS RECENTLY AS JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO DO ANOTHER PODCAST ON THIS ONE, IS THEY'RE TELLING US, ALLEN HARRIS WITH SEMINOLE COUNTY EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND SO MANY OTHERS LOCALLY ARE SAYING, "DEAR, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT."

AND I QUOTE, "GIVE US THE VACCINE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY."

WHY ARE THEY SAYING THAT?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MACHINERY IN PLACE.

THEY HAVE THE STAFF, THEY HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THE SHOTS INTO PEOPLE'S ARMS.

THEY JUST NEED THOSE ACTUAL SHOTS.

SO THEY'RE SAYING WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES, BUT THEN YOU HAVE GOVERNOR DESANTIS DOING THIS THING WITH PUBLIXS AND PLACES LIKE PALM BEACH COUNTY, BY THE WAY WHERE THE FORMER PRESIDENT NOW LIVES, WHERE ALL OF THE SHOTS ARE GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH PUBLIX AND THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS SAY, "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, HANG ON A SECOND.

WE'VE GOT THIS UNDER CONTROL."

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK TO THE AVERAGE PERSON WATCHING THE SHOW YOU GUYS IS THIS, "WHEN AM I GOING TO GET THE SHOT?"

OH, WAIT, THE OUTGOING ADMINISTRATION SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE BY THE SPRING.

THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION IS NOW SAYING, AS I LOOKED AT THIS DOCUMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

HERE IT IS ON THE 28TH, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, END OF THE SUMMER, BEGINNING OF FALL.

>>AND YBETH, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR COLLEAGUE, GREG ANGEL, HE REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT FLORIDA HAS 1.3 MILLION DOSES OF VACCINE THAT IT HAS NOT ADMINISTERED YET.

THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION OVER THIS.

IS YOUR TEAM HAVING ANY LUCK, GETTING MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE NUMBERS?

>>GUESS WHAT?

WE HAVE.

THANK GOODNESS.

WE'RE GETTING SOME CLARIFICATION.

OUR GREG ANGEL HAS BEEN LIKE A DOG ON A BONE CALLING, EMAILING, SENDING SMOKE SIGNALS IT SEEMS TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO NO AVAIL, BUT FINALLY GOT SOME CLARIFICATION A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE WHERE THE GOVERNOR FINALLY CLARIFIED THIS.

>>ALL ALONG AS OUR COLLEAGUE HAD JUST MENTIONED, THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA WAS HOLDING BACK NO VACCINES, BUT THEN HE SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT SAYING, "YES, WE HAVE 1.3 MILLION VACCINES THAT WE HAVE ON THE SHELVES.

THOSE ARE FOR STANDBY TO BE GIVEN AS SECOND DOSES."

BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR SAYING, A.)

THE FOCUS IN FLORIDA IS TO VACCINATE EVERYONE 65 AND OLDER AND B.)

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE OUT APPOINTMENTS FOR VACCINES THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

SO HE FINALLY SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT, THAT 1.3 MILLION VACCINES ON THE SHELVES ARE FOR SECOND DOSES THAT ARE COMING.

BUT THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE A GRAY AREA, NANCY, AS TO HOW MUCH THE WHITE HOUSE KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE OR THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE READY TO GIVE OUT TO THE STATES.

THEY'RE SAYING, YES, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE YOUR DOSES.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW BY HOW MUCH.

>>YEAH.

AND BE SURE TO HEAD ON OVER TO OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EVERYTHING YOU HEAR ON TONIGHT'S SHOW, WE'RE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

JUST WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT NEXT TIME ON THE SHOW, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SWEEPING IMMIGRATION PLANS AND WHAT THEY MIGHT MEAN FOR UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE LIVING IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>MY DREAM WAS HOW OTHER [INAUDIBLE] MEANS TO WORK, TO DRIVE WITHOUT FEAR IS NOT ONLY FOR ME, IT'S FOR MY FAMILY, FOR MY COMMUNITY.

>>PLUS HOW WILL BIDEN'S ENVIRONMENTAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS IMPACT OUR STATE?

THAT'S NEXT TIME ON NEWSNIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 ON WUCF.

OKAY.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, THE PANDEMIC ISN'T THE ONLY WAY THE NEW POLITICAL REALITY IN WASHINGTON IS PLAYING OUT HERE IN FLORIDA.

AT THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TALLAHASSEE, LAWMAKERS FACE A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL FUELED BY COVID-19.

I ASKED POLITICAL SCIENTIST, FRANK ORLANDO, WHETHER THE SESSION COULD ALSO BE ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE A NEW DYNAMIC BETWEEN FLORIDA REPUBLICANS AND THE WHITE HOUSE WILL BE FELT.

>>FLORIDA IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN GOVERNED BY THE SAME PARTY THAT RUNS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THERE ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGES NOW FOR FLORIDA AND THE LEADERSHIP IN FLORIDA, WHICH IS PRIMARILY REPUBLICAN, THE LEGISLATURE, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO MAKE THIS WORK.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE EXTENT TO WHICH IN A SIMILAR WAY, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO IN NEW YORK OR GOVERNOR WHITMER IN MICHIGAN, IF GOVERNOR DESANTIS BECOMES THIS KIND OF A VOICE OF OPPOSITION FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MANSIONS.

BECAUSE CONSIDER THIS WITH NANCY PELOSI AS THE LEADER IN THE HOUSE WITH CHUCK SCHUMER, NOW AS THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE, WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENCY, WHO IS GOING TO LEAD THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?

WHO IS GOING TO CARRY THE BANNER FOR TOUGHER IMMIGRATION STANCES, FOR CONSERVATIVE POLICIES.

FOR POLICIES THAT MAYBE A MAJORITY OF THE TRUMP COALITION STILL SUPPORTS.

THAT WILL FALL IN A LOT OF WAYS TO GOVERNORS.

OF PLACES LIKE TEXAS, PLACES LIKE FLORIDA.

SURE, HIGH PROFILE SENATORS AND MAYBE HOUSE MEMBERS.

BUT I THINK THIS IS AN AVENUE FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS TO INCREASE VISIBILITY, TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TO TRY TO STEP INTO A LARGER LEADERSHIP POSITION IN TERMS OF ADVANCING REPUBLICAN POLICIES.

>>ALRIGHTY, YBETH, YOU, YOUR STATION, YOU'VE COVERED HIM CLOSELY.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, IS THIS A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS?

>>OH, YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

THAT THIS IS A HUGE MOMENT FOR HIM BECAUSE NOW THAT HE'S UNVEILED THE BUDGET, ALL EYES HAVE BEEN ON HIM, BUT ALL EYES ARE REALLY ON HIM.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE FLASHLIGHT, NOW THE BIG SPOTLIGHTS, LIKE A BIG MOVIE PRODUCTION ARE COMING ON HIM, WHAT HE WAS RELEASING HIS BUDGET.

OKAY, REMEMBER, THIS IS THE WISHLIST, AND WE CARRIED THE WHOLE THING LIVE ON SPECTRUM NEWS 13.

HE WAS VERY CLEAR TO SAY HE WAS ASKING FOR 1 BILLION FEWER DOLLARS THAT HE IS REQUESTING.

WHY?

BECAUSE HE'S REALIZING ACROSS THE BOARD, THEY'VE GOT TO TIGHTEN UP THEIR BELT.

HE DID NOT BACK DOWN AND STILL IS PUSHING FOR HIS $550 MILLION MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS GET THAT STARTING SALARY OF $47,500.

IN THE END, HE IS WANTING TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WHEN THAT SESSION STARTS IN MARCH, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ALREADY IN COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS SOMEHOW MADE AVAILABLE TO THOSE TEACHERS.

HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN FROM THAT ONE.

>>YEAH.

AND STEVE, MELBOURNE STATE REP RANDY FINE WAS PART OF LEGISLATION THIS WEEK TO PUNISH MEDIA COMPANIES FOR BLOCKING TRUMP AND OTHERS.

OF COURSE, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORIES TO COME OUT OF THE LAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

DO YOU THINK WE'RE LIKELY TO SEE A LOT OF BILLS THAT ARE POPULAR WITH TRUMP'S SUPPORTERS THIS SESSION?

>>YEAH.

DESPITE BEING OUT OF OFFICE, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS STILL SORT OF THE CENTER OF THE PARTY IN, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLORIDA WHERE HE ESSENTIALLY RETIRED.

SO YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THAT.

DESANTIS HAS SAID HIS TWO MAIN CONCERNS THAT WERE AT THIS SESSION WERE THE ANTI-RIOT BILL, WHICH WAS ALREADY VERY CONTROVERSIAL COMING OUT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS.

AND THEN ALSO THIS ANTI-BIG TECH BILL, THIS SORT OF IDEA THAT BIG TECH CRACKING DOWN ON TRUMP AND OTHERS.

PULLING A LOT OF QANON PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT REPUBLICANS, WITH THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION, AND LEGISLATURE ARE PUSHING.

>>YEAH.

AND HOW'S DEMOCRATS DELIVERED THEIR IMPEACHMENT CASE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP TO THE SENATE THIS WEEK OF COURSE.

HERE'S HOW FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO RUBIO CHARACTERIZE THE IMPENDING IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN A TWEET HE WROTE, "WASTE OF TIME IMPEACHMENT ISN'T ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

IT'S ABOUT DEMANDS FOR VENGEANCE FROM THE RADICAL LEFT AND A NEW SHOW FOR THE POLITICAL ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY."

THAT'S IN QUOTATION MARKS.

YBETH, YOU SPOKE WITH CONGRESSWOMAN VAL DEMINGS ON YOUR SHOW.

WHAT IS THE RESPONSE FROM DEMOCRATS IN FLORIDA TO THAT REPUBLICAN PUSHBACK?

>>THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD.

SHE HAD NO QUALM ABOUT TELLING US THAT #NOFILTER VAL DEMINGS.

AND SHE SAYS THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHAT WE SAW GO DOWN JANUARY 6TH.

AND OUR JAWS ARE STILL ON THE FLOOR AS TO WHAT HAPPENED.

AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR HERE BECAUSE THE MESSAGES SLASH ATTACKS I GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE REACHED A FEVER PITCH.

THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.

YOU HAVE EYEBALLS, YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, THAT THAT IS THE NATION'S CAPITAL THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.

EXTREME BELIEFS, PUSHING PEOPLE TO THAT POINT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO PROCESS.

SO SHE WAS VERY CLEAR TO SAY, LOOK AS A DEMOCRAT, SHE AND HER FELLOW DEMOCRATS ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO WATCH SOME REPUBLICANS, NOT ALL, BACKPEDAL AS TO WHAT THEY SAID IN THE HOURS AFTER EVERYTHING CALMED DOWN AND THE DAYS AND FAST FORWARD NOW THAT WE HAVE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

AND SO SHE WAS VERY ADAMANT ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE'S MOVING FORWARD, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO GO FOR IT.

>>YEAH, WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN A CHANGE IN REPUBLICAN TONE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP, OF COURSE, IS NOW ENSCONCED IN PALM BEACH.

HE'S REPORTEDLY TRYING TO CHART A COURSE FOR HIMSELF AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT WHAT MIGHT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE IN MIND FOR FLORIDA?

>>THERE'S CERTAINLY AN EXPECTATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP, ALTHOUGH HE'S LEFT THE PRESIDENCY, IS NOT NECESSARILY LEAVING THE POLITICAL STAGE AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE INFLUENCE ON REPUBLICANS NATIONALLY, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, LAST MONTH, THAT HE AND OR SOME OF HIS CHILDREN MAY GET MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN FLORIDA POLITICS.

THE RUMOR MILL HAS SAID THAT PERHAPS IVANKA OR DONALD JR. MIGHT RUN FOR US SENATE FOR INSTANCE, AND AGAINST MARCO RUBIO IN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, JUST AS A FOR INSTANCE.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT TRUMP MAY TRY TO DO A LOT MORE FOR FLORIDA REPUBLICANS OR WITH FLORIDA REPUBLICANS OR IN SOME CASES AGAINST FLORIDA BUT IT'S HARD TO KNOW WITH HIM.

HE'S BEEN SOMEWHAT UNPREDICTABLE TO SAY THE LEAST.

>>UNPREDICTABLE AND IT'LL CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO BE WATCHING.

SO STEVE, HOW HAS SENATOR RUBIO RESPONDED TO THE TALK OF A PRIMARY CHALLENGE PERHAPS WITH IVANKA TRUMP, IF THESE RUMORS ARE TRUE?

>>YES.

AND THAT'S A LARGE PART OF THE REASON WHY RUBIO WAS VERY AGAINST IMPEACHMENT TRYING TO SAY MOVE ON BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE'S TRYING TO STAY IN THE GOOD WITH TRUMP SUPPORTERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE MIGHT FACE A PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM A LITERAL TRUMP.

AND HE'S BEEN VERY COY ABOUT A POSSIBLE CHALLENGE.

HE ESSENTIALLY SAID THIS WEEK THAT ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 30 IS ALLOWED TO RUN IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY IN FLORIDA.

THAT'S JUST THE LAW.

SO, BUT YOU KNOW IF HE FACES A TRUMP, THE FACT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS SHRUNK A LITTLE BIT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THE PARTY IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND EVEN IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS FOLLOWING THE CAPITOL INCIDENT, AND THE PARTY ITSELF, THE REGISTERED REPUBLICANS ARE SOME VERY TIGHTER, MORE TRUMPIER GROUP.

>>AND IF THERE'S A CHALLENGE BY IVANKA TRUMP AGAINST RUBIO, IT'LL BE VERY, VERY HARD FOR RUBIO TO OVERCOME THAT, WHICH IS IRONIC BECAUSE HE'S IN A VERY STRONG POSITION FOR THE GENERAL.

HIS BASE IS MIAMI CUBANS AND YOU SAW THOSE GO HUGELY FOR REPUBLICANS LAST YEAR.

AND IF THEY TURN OUT THAT WAY FOR RUBIO NEXT YEAR IN 2022, THEN HE'S PRETTY HARD TO BEAT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

SO A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING, "HEY, MAYBE, A TRUMP GETTING THERE COULD BE HELPFUL TO US.

AND THEN WE COULD DEFEAT THEM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION."

OF COURSE, DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID THAT BEFORE ABOUT A TRUMP BEING EASY TO DEFEAT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AND THEY'VE COME TO REGRET IT.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY INTERESTING TO SEE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

>>AND WE'LL BE COVERING IT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

IS ANYONE EXHAUSTED?

EVERYBODY GOOD?

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

AND THERE IS SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.

SO BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN NEXT WEEK.

MY THANKS TO MY DEAR FRIEND, THE ALWAYS WONDERFUL YBETH BRUZUAL FROM SPECTRUM NEWS 13 AND STEVE LEMONGELLO COMING BACK TO US FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH.

ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.