50 NC counties and 1 VA county are under alert, including Wake, Cumberland, Durham, Johnston, and Orange counties.

Capitol Broadcasting Company, the parent company of WRAL News, is part of the 2024 class inducted into the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of North Carolina.

WRAL parent company inducted to NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame 

Compared to pre-pandemic prices, ground beef is up 35%, chips are up 45%, bread is up 57% and a 12-ounce can of soda is up 66%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks trends on common grocery store items.

WRAL Investigates: 'Greedflation' and other drivers behind inflation at the grocery store

A look at inflation at the grocery store

We're joined by four experts in the field who have dealt with the coronavirus pandemic in one way or another. Cameron Wolfe is a professor in the Duke University School of Medicine and an expert in infectious diseases. John Sanders studies Infectious Diseases at Wake Forest Baptist Health. He's running a study now on the prevalence of COVID-19. Pia MacDonald is an infectious disease epidemiologist at RTI International. Chris Kippes is Wake County Public Health Division Director. He and his team are tracking this disease in real time in Wake County.

GRAPH IS 6% ZERO CONVERSION . >>> IT IS TIME TO GO ON THE RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS . >>  GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, TODAY WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS, MOST OF US NEVER HEARD OF IT UNTIL FIVE MONTHS AGO . WHEN MARCH WHEN ECONOMIES LOCKDOWN WE HOPED SUMMER WOULD BRING RELIEF, IT HAS NOT . WHILE THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE TRENDS CASES HAVE SURGED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND WE LEAD THE WORLD IN CONFIRMED CASES AND DEATHS . NEARLY 1500 PEOPLE HERE HAVE DIED AND AT THE PACE WE ARE ADDING NEW CASES IS FRUSTRATING . THE CURVE IS DIFFICULT TO BEEN . WE'RE JOINED TONIGHT BY FOUR EXPERTS IN THE FIELD . A EXPERT IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, JOHN SANDERS WHO STUDIES INFECTIOUS DISEASES,  HE IS RUNNING A STUDY ON THE PREVALENCE OF COVID-19 .  DAVID McDONALD, AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND CHRIS, LAKE COUNTY PUBLIC DIVISION HEALTH DIRECTOR . HE AND HIS TEAM ARE TRACKING THIS DISEASE IN REAL TIME IN WAKE COUNTY . >> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MASKS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROTECT ME FROM GETTING THE VIRUS BUT IF WE ALL WEAR THEM THEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS VIRUS AND DON'T KNOW WHAT ARE LESS LIKELY TO TRANSMIT IT, IS THIS THE BEST TOOL IN OUR TOOLKIT RIGHT NOW? AND WHY DID THE CDC WHY DIDN'T THE CDC START OUT TO TELL PEOPLE TO WEAR THEM ? >> THANKS FOR THE INVITATION . I AM PROUD TO BE HERE, YOU HAVE A GREAT BUNCH OF FOLKS TOGETHER . WE HAVE LEARNED A OF A LOT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS, PARTICULARLY THE PHONE .  THIS WAS NEW TO US JUST SIX MONTHS AGO . I WILL SAY, AS WE LEARN MORE WE HAVE BEGUN TO APPRECIATE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN PUT INTO PLACE THAT CAN REALLY HELP . A MASK IS PRETTY CRUCIAL, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS . NUMBER ONE, ACTUALLY THE MOST VALUABLE THING TO PREVENT CORONAVIRUS IS IN FACT, DISTANCE . BUT A MASK HELPS IN THE REALITY THAT MANY OF US CAN'T NECESSARILY MAINTAIN SO WE TALK ABOUT 6 FEET AS A GREAT DISTANCE THAT WE THINK IS READILY CAPABLE FOR A VIRAL TRANSMISSION TO OCCUR . THERE ARE SITUATIONS IN OUR DAY-TO- DAY LIVES WHERE THAT DISTANCING CAN'T BE MAINTAINED . A MASK IN THAT SITUATION IS PRETTY CRUCIAL . WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THAT IS CHANGE THAT GUIDANCE AND HELPED US TO APPRECIATE THAT IS PARTICULARLY FOR THIS VIRUS, THERE IS A CORE PHASE OF A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE I MIGHT BECOME SYMPTOMATIC, IF IN FACT THAT BECOME SYMPTOMATIC AT ALL, I THINK WE WOULD GET INTO THIS DETAIL A LITTLE BIT LATER, WHEN I CAN BE INFECTIOUS THE PEOPLE AROUND ME EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS MYSELF . SO THE IDEA OF MASK IS SO CRUCIAL, YOU ARE RIGHT FUNDAMENTALLY WEARING IT TODAY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE AROUND ME BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT I AM INFECTIOUS TO THEM . THAT PART IS PRETTY SET IN STONE TO THE SCIENCE OVER THESE DAYS . THE MESSAGING HAS BEEN EVOLVING . I THINK THAT IS BEEN PART OF THE DIFFICULTY HERE . BUT I THINK THE SCIENCE IS FAIRLY SET ON THAT, IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART IF YOU CAN'T KEEP DISTANCES WHICH IS FIRST AND FOREMOST . >> I WANT TO SHOW A QUICK VIDEO AND THAT I WANT OTHERS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS . THIS IS FROM A STUDY WITH THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE . THIS SHOWS A LASER WHEN SOMEONE SPEAKS WITH A MASK OR WITHOUT . >> STAY HEALTHY. STAY HEALTHY. >> STAY HEALTHY. >> LOUDER . >> STAY HEALTHY . >> LOUDER . STAY HEALTHY . >> NOTHING . >> YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE, THE DROPLETS ARE REALLY CUT DOWN WHEN PEOPLE ARE WEARING THE MASK IN THAT ROOM THAT USES LASERS TO KIND OF SHOW WHAT IS COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH . DR. McDONALD, IS THAT SCIENCE AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS IT SEEMS? >> I THINK MORE AND MORE EVIDENCE IS COMING OUT ON THE BIOLOGY AND THE ENGINEERING OF PARTICLES IN CONFINED AIR SPACES . THEY REALLY DO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT PUTTING SOMETHING IN FRONT OF YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH IS PROTECTIVE OF PARTICLES AND OTHER MATTER MOVING FURTHER AWAY FROM YOU, WHEN YOU ARE SINGING OR TALKING OR ARTICULATING EITHER LOUDLY OR SOFTLY . I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE IS NOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX RIGHT NOW IN THE ABSENCE OF THERAPEUTICS TO WORK AND IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE. WEARING MASKS AS WE GO ABOUT OUR ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES IS REALLY ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS WE DO HAVE THAT WE DO KNOW THAT WORKS . IT IS JUST ONE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS WE HAVE, WE KNOW IT IS EFFECTIVE, WE ALL NEED TO DO IT UNIVERSALLY FOR IT TO REALLY HAVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT TO OURSELVES AND OUR COMMUNITY . >> DR. SANDERS I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS AND TALK ABOUT THE ANTIBODY STUDY . YOU SAID ABOUT 18,000 PEOPLE, YOU ARE TESTING THEIR BLOOD, IN THE PAST YOU GOT POSITIVE TEST FROM 12 TO 15% OF PEOPLE. IS THAT GOOD OR BAD, WHAT CAN WE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ? >> IT IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD AND I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE, I WANT TO MAKE A SLIGHT CORRECTION, WE HAVE OVER 18,000 VOLUNTEERS AND WE ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING. DAILY ENTERING INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN SICK OR IN CONTACT WITH A COVID-19 PATIENT OR WEARING A MASK . WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION FROM THAT . WE'RE LINKING IT TO THEIR ELECTRONIC  HEALTH RECORDS FOR CONFIRMATORY LAB TESTS AND LOOKING FOR OTHER ISSUES . NOT ALL 18,000 VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE ANTIBODY TESTING, A SUBSET DO SELECTED BY AGE, RACE, GENDER AND WHERE THEY LIVE AND BY OTHER RISK FACTORS . SUCH AS HEALTHCARE WORKERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT WE OVERSAMPLE, WE SEND MORE TESTS TO THAT POPULATION . WE HAVE SENT OUT OVER 8500 TESTS SO FAR . WITH OVER 2000 OF THOSE ALREADY BEING TESTED TWO OR THREE TIMES . BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TEST AT WAKE FOREST WE WILL BE TESTING AT LEAST 10,000 VOLUNTEERS AT LEAST SIX TIMES OVER THE YEAR . AND IN TERMS OF THE GOOD AND BAD PART OF WHAT WE ARE FINDING, WE HAVE SEEN ANTIBODY LEVELS GO FROM, ARGUABLY LESS THAN 1% IN APRIL WHEN WE STARTED, TO NOW MORE DEMONSTRABLY 1250 12 TO 15% RANGE AND MOST OF THAT INCREASE HAS TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE . IT CORRESPONDS VERY WELL WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE STATE IN TERMS OF HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND CONFIRMED POSITIVE CASES BY VIRAL TESTING. IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD, IT IS BOTH . THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE ARE SEEING LOTS AND LOTS OF THESE VOLUNTEERS DEVELOP ANTIBODIES REFLECTING THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITHOUT EVER HAVING ANY SYMPTOMS, WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO GO VISIT THE DOCTOR ARE BEING HOSPITALIZED . SO THAT IS FANTASTIC NEWS . THE BAD NEWS IS WE HAVE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS WHO PROBABLY HAVE BEEN INFECTED AND HAVE NO IDEA THEY WERE INFECTED AND COULD'VE BEEN INFECTIOUS TO OTHERS DURING THAT TIME . WHICH GOES TO DR. McDONALD'S POINT AND DR. WOLF'S POINT, I THINK WE ARE DEVELOPING MORE EVIDENCE THAT YOU CAN BE A RISK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR FAMILY AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT EACH OTHER . >> WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND WHEN WE COME BACK WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LESSONS WILL BRING. >>> WELCOME BACK, I WANT TO START WITH THIS CHART NOW THAT SHOWS THE VIRUSES GROWTH IN THE UNITED STATES COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD . DR. McDONALD, DID WE JUST WASTE SIX MONTHS IN THIS COUNTRY? >> THAT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND I THINK THAT IS ONE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDER ABOUT . IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DID FOR THOSE SIX MONTHS, IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS, THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR DEVELOPING AND CLINICALLY TESTING THERAPEUTICS AND MAKING ADVANCES ON A VACCINE . BUT ALSO, THE TIME TO SHORE UP OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AROUND THOSE AND TO HIRE MORE STAFF TO PUT IN PLACE THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE LIKE CONTACT TRACING REQUIRES MANY PEOPLE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY NUMBERS OF CASES ARE IDENTIFIED EACH DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE SHEER VOLUME IS A LOT OF WORK FOR THE CONTACT TRACING AND THE FOLLOW- UP IN ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE AND MAKING SURE THE PEOPLE CAN SAFELY DO THOSE . I WAS GOING TO SAY ALSO THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OTHER REASONS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE, ALL OF US TO GET USED TO THE NEW NORMAL . THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THAT TERM REOPENING BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THAT REOPENING TO HOW IT WAS BEFORE AND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED . WE NEED REOPENING AND RE-ENGAGING WITH OUR NORMAL, ESSENTIAL DAY-TO- DAY ACTIVITIES IN A PROFOUNDLY NEW WAY . IN SOME WAYS I THINK THE MESSAGING HAS BEEN MUDDY AND THE IMPORTANCE ABOUT GOING ABOUT OUR LIVES IN A VERY NEW WAY AS LONG AS THIS INFECTION IS IN OUR COMMUNITIES . >> I WANT TO DO ANOTHER CHART BY THIS UNIVERSITY . 31% OF PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD COVID-19 . WHEN IT COMES TO  PEOPLE COMPLYING ON MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IS THAT OFTEN A FUNCTION AS TO WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THIS THING ? >> I CERTAINLY THINK IT CAN BE A FUNCTION ON THAT WHENEVER IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CHALLENGING THAT BECOMES PERSONAL I THINK IT DOES SERVE AS A MOTIVATOR FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS TO PAY A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGING AND THINGS THEY CAN PERSONALLY DO TO HELP PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR YOUNG LOVED ONES AROUND THEM . >> WHAT ARE YOU SEE PUBLIC ACCESS AS FAR AS MASK USAGE AND WHAT IS DRIVING THE VIRUS HERE IN THE WAKE COUNTY AREA ? >> THE USAGE OF MASKS IS A BIT VARIABLE . WE HAVE SEEN PICTURES ON TV WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN LARGE GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE ARE NOT WEARING MASKS, WE WILL MIGHT CONTINUE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE WEARING THEM AS POLICIES GET ADOPTED TO REQUIRE THE WEARING OF A MASK WHEN THEY ENTER FACILITIES . >> DR. SANDERS, WHAT DID WE GET RIGHT SO FAR AND WHAT HAVE WE MESSED UP AS FAR AS SOCIETIES RESPONSE TO THIS? >> THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE HAVE GOTTEN RIGHT . ONE IS THAT WE HAVE HAD A GREAT CONCERTED EFFORT FROM VARIOUS LEVELS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WE HAVE VERY RAPIDLY ENTERED A LOT OF IMPORTANT CLINICAL TRIALS AND HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY AND VERY JUDICIOUSLY DETERMINED WHICH TREATMENTS WORK AND WHICH ONES DON'T WORK . THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT TO COME . OF COURSE I AM TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED TO VACCINE TRIALS . THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL TOPIC TO SEE HOW LONG THEY ARE GOING TO WORK . BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THAT POINT, VERY EFFECTIVELY, VERY EFFICIENTLY AND I AM IMPRESSED BY THAT . >> WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THINGS WRONG, ALSO . STARTING WITH OUR EARLY INABILITY FOR TESTING . I THINK EVERY HEALTH PROFESSIONAL HAS BEEN ACUTELY AWARE OF THAT . I THINK ALMOST EVERY PERSON IN THE STATE AND IN THE COUNTRY HAS SOME STORY TO TELL OF BEING UNABLE TO GET A TEST WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEY NEEDED A TEST. MMR TIES INTO OUR INABILITY TO DO GREAT CONTACT TRACING AND ISOLATION EARLY ON WHERE MAYBE WE COULD HAVE HAD MORE OF AN IMPACT . AND THEN I TOTALLY AGREE WITH CHRIS ABOUT, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING BETTER WITH MASKS . IT HURTS MY FEELINGS, I AM PAINED THAT WE HAVE TO BE TOLD TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER . I DON'T THINK AS A SOCIETY WE HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER . >> DR. WOLF, QUICKLY IF YOU COULD, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOME PEOPLE GET VERY SICK AND OTHER PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY RECOVER OR DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS AT ALL . BUT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WERE SICK FOR A LONG TIME AND DO NOT DIE, IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS OR YOU DIE . >> I BACKUP WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THIS ILLNESS IN THE HOUSE IT'LL AND UNDERSTAND WHO DOES WELL OR NOT. AGE IS A DIRECT PROPORTION HERE . BETWEEN 70s AND 80s THE MORTALITY INCREASES DRAMATICALLY . OBESITY AND DIABETES, PARTICULARLY IN OUR AREA, POOR OUTCOMES THAT I THINK THAT IS TRUE WITH RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL . >> THERE SEEMS TO BE TWO ELEMENTS WITH THIS ILLNESS, THE VIRAL ILLNESS, FLULIKE ILLNESS WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS OFTEN FAIRLY QUICK AND THEN YET A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WILL DEVELOP A MUCH MORE DEVASTATING ALMOST IMMUNOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT . MANY FOLKS HAVE ULTIMATELY RECOVERED. INTENSIVE CARE AND VENTILATORS, HIGH OXYGEN SUPPORT FOR HIS QUITE SOME TIME . WE SAW THAT IN SOME OF OUR EARLY TRIAL WORK THAT FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED WHERE AVERAGE LENGTH OF HOSPITALIZATION AND SOME OF THOSE EARLY TRIALS WAS 18 DAYS . THAT IS A PROFOUNDLY LONG ILLNESS, IT IS LONG TO INTUBATE AND IT IS LONG TO HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS . AND YET AS WE SAID EARLIER THAN A LARGE CHUNK OF PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL . IT IS INCREDIBLY VERY AND . I BACK OFF ON ONE THING, BACKUP AND ADD TO THAT . I THINK WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR HOSPITALS WORK AND ARE CLINICS WORK . HOW DO WE MANAGE A PERSON WITH COVID-19 AT THAT STAGE, WE DIDN'T KNOW .  THE WHOLE LOGISTICS OF HOW OUR HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS FLOW AND MOVE PEOPLE, HANDLE PATIENT CARE SAFELY SO THAT WE AS EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE AND YOU CAN COME IN AND SEE A DOCTOR AND BE SAFE AND SAFETY MEASURES WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE HOSPITAL . >> FORGIVE ME FOR INTERRUPTING BUT WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE ONE MORE BREAK. WHEN WE COME BACK WE ARE GOING . >>> THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US. DR. McDONALD YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE MODELING AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUTBREAKS OVER THE YEARS . WILL THIS GET WORSE IN THE FALL, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE SEASONAL LIKE WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE ? >> IN NORTH CAROLINA WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS STILL A TREND INCREASE OF NUMBER OF CASES PER DAY . WE HAVE ABOUT ONE MONTH BEFORE SCHOOLS START TO OPEN, UNIVERSITY START TO OPEN AND THAT IS REALLY OUR TIME TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THE PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION SERIOUSLY TO DRIVE THAT OUTBREAK DOWN SO THAT WE GET TO, EACH DAY, LESS CASES THAN THE DAY BEFORE . IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER TO ENTER THE FALL LIKE THAT THAN THE SITUATION WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW . IF WE CONTINUE ON THE TRAJECTORY WHERE WE ARE AT RIGHT NOW . THE FALL IS GOING TO BE QUITE COMPLICATED WITH THE FUTURE MIXING OF THE OPENING OF THE FLU SEASON IN THE OPENING OF UNIVERSITIES AND PEOPLE LIKELY MOVING BACK TO THE WORK PLACE . SO YOU WILL HAVE INCREASED MIXING THERE AS WELL AS THE SEASONAL INFLUENZA COMING IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER . THAT WOULD ADD A LOT OF BURDEN TO HEALTHCARE BOTH AT THE CLINICAL LEVEL AND PRIMARILY AT THE HOSPITAL WHICH COULD THEN FILL MANY MORE BEDS THAN ARE FILLED RIGHT NOW WITH COVID-19 PATIENTS .  FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME PLACES WHEN COVID-19 FIRST STARTED, FEBRUARY AND MARCH,  HOSPITALS WERE FILLED WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF INFLUENZA PATIENTS . AND THEN TO ADD ON A HIGH LEVEL OF COVID-19 PATIENTS  TO WHAT COULD BE EXPECTED DURING INFLUENZA SEASON, THE HOSPITAL WILL BE MUCH CLOSER TO BEING OVERWHELMED . IN WHICH CASE THAT IS ONE OF THE DRIVING PIECES THAT AFFECTS THE NUMBER OF DEATHS . PEOPLE CANNOT GET ADEQUATE CARE IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING . IF THERE IS NO BED FOR THEM THEN THE OUTCOMES ARE MUCH WORSE . >> WHAT MAKES SENSE THEN FOR OPENING SCHOOLS DR. SANDERS? WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHETHER KIDS OR TRANSMITTERS, WE KNOW THEY DON'T NORMALLY GET SICK . DO WE HAVE GOOD DATA YET WHETHER OR NOT IF THEY ARE A CARRIER OR GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE OR AN ADULT ? >> WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT DATA YET . THERE IS STILL A LOT TO BE LEARNED ABOUT HOW MUCH OF A ROLE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS PLAY IN TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS TO OTHER PEOPLE . WE HAVE SEEN SOME EARLY REPORTS THAT SUGGEST THAT NOT ONLY DO CHILDREN NOT GET AS SICK BUT THEY DON'T GET INFECTED AS OFTEN AND THEY MAY NOT BE AS MUCH OF THE DRIVER AS WE HAVE WORRIED ABOUT IN TERMS OF GETTING THE INFECTION BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT YET . THERE IS A LOT MORE TO BE WORKED . >> THERE IS A REAL DELAY IN TESTING RIGHT NOW . I TOOK A TEST LAST WEEK BUT IT WAS NEGATIVE BUT IT TOOK EIGHT DAYS TO COME BACK . I DUNNO HOW TYPICAL THAT IS . THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? >> IS CERTAINLY IS A CHALLENGE WHEN WE HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG TO GET THE FINAL RESULT OF THAT TEST . A KIND OF PUTS US BEHIND OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT CASE INVESTIGATION, THAT CONTACT TRACING PIECE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HELP MINIMIZE TRANSMISSION AND SO, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THOSE BARRIERS THAT THE LABS ARE FACING, TRY TO LOOK TOWARDS OTHER LABS IF WE ARE ABLE, THAT MAY HAVE AN EASIER TIME TO PROCESS THINGS BUT IT REMAINS A BIG CHALLENGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME . >> WHAT IS SOMETHING PROMISING, WHAT GOOD NEWS CAN YOU GIVE US IN ALL OF THIS ? >> PREVIOUS PANELISTS TALKED ABOUT THE SPEED AT WHICH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND THERAPEUTIC AND OTHER TYPES OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE AROUND THE WORLD . THE VERY RAPID SHARING OF THAT INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN THIS PANDEMIC RESPONSE . WE HAVE ALSO SEEN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK DRAMATICALLY TURNED THINGS AROUND AND MAINTAIN TRANSMISSION AFTER GETTING A VERY SHARP PEAK IN TERMS OF INFECTIONS . WE KNOW WHAT CAN TURN AROUND EVEN WITHOUT A VACCINE OF THAT IS VERY PROMISING . WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE NEED EVERYONE PARTICIPATING. THOSE ARE TWO PROMISING THINGS . THE OTHER ONE IS A CLEAR SHIFT IN WHAT I CALL AN INFLECTION POINT IN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND THAT DATA IS NOW FREELY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT HELPS ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THE OUTBREAKS IN OUR LOCAL AREA SO WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO GO ABOUT OUR DAILY LIVES IN THE MOST SAFE WAY POSSIBLE . THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISING ABOUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS . >> WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME, WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR GUESTS . WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ONE MORE BREAK AND THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE SHOW.

Travis Fain

Jason O. Boyd

On the Record, July 11: Coronavirus and how it's impacted us all

On the Record,coronavirus,coronavirus NC rebound,coronavirus learning,coronavirus medicine

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

<p>Dress and layers on Tuesday. I'm meteorologist K Campbell in the wr severe weather center, sweater weather is temporarily back. We're talking 35 in the morning in Roxboro, 38 Durham, 39 in Raleigh, we actually had to lower the low temperature. After looking over some of the new model data in this afternoon. 40 in Fayetteville, it's a chilly start to the day but the coldest that we have likely for the rest of the season. We're at 45 though again for the low on Friday. So some of these cooler nights and mornings are in the forecast. I would dress in layers this week and have the extra layer on hand. The normal low is 51 for some perspective satellite and radar showing the cold front that passed earlier. The clouds moving on out of here. We've got high pressure in control tomorrow but then comes our next cold front. So enjoy the sunshine tomorrow. It should be day. But with a chilly northwest wind initially changing to southwest Wednesday is when we have a small chance for rain. It's our only opportunity for rain this week. It's as we get midday that I think we have the best chance of a quick shower blowing through the area. And then by Wednesday night, we'll see that front, quickly clear out of here and some cooler air will follow. If you need to get some yard work done this week. It looks like a pretty good week to knock out some of those outdoor projects. Just that 20% chance of rain on Wednesday, there's a chance it could be raised to 30% but it's not looking like a very significant rain for us. And the rest of the week is looking pretty quiet and dry for your meal planner tomorrow. Breakfast, 43 degrees at chilly start to the day by lunchtime, it's 66 plenty of sunshine. So it should be feeling pretty good out there as long as you're in the sunlight and for very comfortable, 70 degrees. One of those nice in between winter and summer, spring days, you know, we don't get too many of those. So enjoy this week, the afternoons should be pretty nice with highs in the seventies. Then we are warming back up 81 on Sunday, 85 by next Monday. And the long term temperature forecast is showing above normal temperatures as we head through the next couple of weeks.</p>

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Good evening. I'm Gayle. Her, welcome to tonight's drawings for Monday, April 22nd, 2024. Well, let's get started tonight with our Carolina pick three. Our first winning number is a two. Our second number is six and the third number today is three and our pick three. Fireball number is four. Joining me for tonight's showing is our auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. Now let's move to the Carolina pick four. Good luck. Everyone who's at first winning pick four. Number, it's a two. Our second number here it comes. It's two again. Third number tonight is three and our fourth number is a nine and our pick for a fireball number is six. We turn now to the Carolina cash five. If no one wins the top prize tonight, tomorrow's our prize is estimated at $451,000. Good luck. Everyone is their first winning cash five number. It is a 39. Our second number 14, 3rd number tonight is 12. Our fourth number is 28 and the final number in our cash five this evening is 31. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Get your winning numbers right here every night in your exclusive station for the North Carolina education lottery. Thanks for playing. Have a great night.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday Powerball drawings, as shown live on WRAL.

Good evening, America. I'm Michelle Isles. Tonight. We've got another life changing jackpot for you in an estimated amount of $116 million. Get your tickets out. We'll start things off tonight with the number 39 right after that America. We have 12. Let's congratulate Francisco Nunez of North Carolina who won $150,000. Now, your next number up tonight is 16. That's followed by 52 and we're rounded out tonight with 33. Now for your winning powerball number. Good luck, everyone. It is one and your power play multiplier is two. Let's take another look at those winning numbers. Remember there are multiple ways to win. We'll see you back here Wednesday night. Good night. It's time to play America's favorite.

Powerball Drawing

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Good afternoon. I'm Louis Fernandez. Welcome to this afternoon's drawings for Monday, April 22nd, 2024. Let's get started with Carolina pick three. The first pick three number is eight. Second is seven and the third is eight and our pick three fireball number is four. Joining me for this afternoon's drawing is our auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. And let's move to the Carolina pick four. The first pick four number is eight. The second is six. The third is eight and the fourth is two and our pick four. Fireball number is three. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Thanks for your support. Get your win numbers each day at three and again, 1122 right here.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

NBC News provides a special report on the end of testimony for the day in the trial of Donald Trump.

OCTOBER OF 2016 WHEN SHE CAME FORWARD TO THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER," THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" IN TURN CONTACTED MICHAEL COHEN WHO THEN PAID HER $130,000 JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION THE D.A.'S OFFICE FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALVIN BRAGG'S TEAM HAVE OUTLINED HERE OVER THE COURSE OF 45 MINUTES IN OPENING STATEMENTS THAT THEY INTEND TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A CONSPIRACY, THAT DONALD TRUMP DIRECTED THE PAYMENTS IN 2016 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION TO STORMY DANIELS, AND THAT HE WOULD THEN IN TURN IN 2017 REIMBURSE MICHAEL COHEN FOR THOSE PAYMENTS. THE WHAT DID DONALD TRUMP KNOW AND DIDN'T KNOW IS AT THE HEART OF THIS CASE. BACK IN 2016 WHEN THIS CASE BECAME PUBLIC, HE INITIALLY DENIED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT OF $130,000, BUT WHAT YOU ARE HEARD FROM HIS DEFENSE TEAM WHEN THEY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS OVER 35 MINUTES, HIS DEFENSE LAWYER OUTLINED THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS A SYMPATHETIC FIGURE IN THIS, THAT HE DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME, THAT HE COMPENSATED MICHAEL COHEN AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER, THAT IT WAS NOT A REPAYMENT TO COVER UP THE STORMY DANIELS' STORY BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION, BUT HE WAS SIMPLY PAYINGIM AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER. HE TOLD THE JURY -- THIS WAS DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEY -- THAT THEY SHOULD IGNORE THE TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF STORMY DANIELS WHEN SHE TAKES THE STAND SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SALACIOUS MATERIAL ABOUT ALLEGED AFFAIRS AND AN ATTEMPTED HUSH MONEY PAYMENT, BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS BECAUSE AT THE HEART OF THIS IS OVER FINANCIAL RECORDS AND THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS NOT THE ONE THAT ULTIMATELY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE ACTS. AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTENSE FIVE TO SEVEN-WEEK TRIAL HERE. TOMORROW THEY WILL RETURN TO COURT FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE WE LOOK AT OTHER WITNESSES INCLUDING STORMY DANIELS AND OF COURSE, MICHAEL COHEN WHOM THE DEFENSE TEAM FOR DONALD TRUMP ALREADY WAS QUESTIONING THE CREDIBILITY OF SAYING THAT MICHAEL COHEN'S TRUE INTENT HERE IS JUST TO GET DONALD TRUMP AND GET HIM INTO JAIL AFTER THOSE TWO, BEING THE FORMER LAWYER, FORMER FIXER, THE TWO OF THEM PARTED WAYS AS ALL OF THIS CAME TO LIGHT IN 2018. FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HIS PART INSIDE OF THAT COURTROOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, HE KEPT HIS EYES SHUT, BUT AT OTHER MOMENTS, HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS DEFENSE LAWYER TODD BLANCHE AS HE BEGAN TO MAKE HIS CASE TO THE JURY. AND HE ALSO TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT THE GALLERY, LOOKED AT THOSE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH DAVID PECKER, THAT "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WHO WAS A LONG-TIME, ONE-TIME FRIEND OF HIS. THIS FOR HIM IS GOING TO BE A LONG HAUL HERE, BUT ONE THAT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO HIM AND HIS LEGAL FATE EITHER BEING FOUND GUILTY OR INNOCENT OR THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL OF A HUNG JURY. THE FIRST WITNESS TAKE THE STAND IN WHAT IS A MONUMENTAL DAY FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CRIMINAL TRIAL. >> DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE OTHER SIDE THAT SUGGESTS SOMETHING NEW IN HOW THEY WANT TO FRAME THIS CASE FOR THE JURY? >> Reporter: THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY THAT THE PROSECUTION WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD BECAUSE IF YOU JUST TAKE DAVID PECKER, THAT MAN WHO WAS AT TRUMP TOWER WITH MICHAEL COHEN, WITH DONALD TRUMP, THE QUESTION WAS WHAT KIND OF TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE WOULD HE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER DONE A PUBLIC INTERVIEW. HE HAS NEVER PUBLICLY DISCUSSED THIS, BUT WHAT THE PROSECUTION OUTLINED IS THAT THEY HAVE CORROBORATING EVIDENCE THROUGH EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS. THEY EVEN HAVE GOING BACK TO OCTOBER 26th OF 2016 A PHONE CALL, TWO PHONE CALLS THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN IN WHICH THEY ALLEGE THAT MICHAEL COHEN JUST AFTER THOSE PHONE CALLS WENT TO A BANK, SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE FOLLOWING DAY, WIRED $130,000 TO STORMY DANIELS. SO THE PROSECUTION IS MAKING THE CASE THAT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST THE TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL COHEN BUT WE HAVE THE RECORDS. THE QUESTION IS DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP THE TRUE CRIMINAL DEFENDANT HERE AS HIS DEFENSE TEAM HAS MADE THE CASE, LESTER, THAT THIS WAS A MATTER OF FINANCING AND THAT THOSE IN THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THOSE FINANCIAL RECORDS, IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THEM ON HOW THOSE RECORDS WERE ACTUALLY MAINTAINED AND THAT LEGAL, WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF THE FINANCIAL FRAUD ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP HERE, THAT THOSE DENOTATIONS OF LEGAL EXPENSES WERE FAIR AND JUST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP THOUGHT THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY USING MICHAEL COHEN FOR AND THAT THE IDEA OF REPAYING HIM FOR A HUSH MONEY PAYMENT WAS NOT AT THE FOREFRONT OF DONALD TRUMP'S MIND WHILE HE WAS SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2017. >> ALL RIGHT, VAUGHN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND BY. LET ME BRING IN FOR MORE, OUR SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON, AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST, DANNY CEVALLOS. GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE. HALLIE, FIRST OFF, FRAME WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TODAY. >> THE PROSECUTION IS ESSENTIALLY LOOKING TO LAY OUT THE CASE, AND YOU HEARD THIS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE OPENING STATEMENTS TODAY, THAT THIS GOES BEYOND SIMPLY WHAT WE ALL SHORTHAND IT AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL, THAT THIS WAS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE. THEY DID SOMETHING INTERESTING, THEY TOOK THIS PHRASE THAT IN MANY WAYS THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS CO-OPTED, THIS IDEA OF ELECTION FRAUD AND THEY TRIED TO FLIP IT AND USE IT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IN THESE OPENING STATEMENTS, DESCRIBING WHAT HE DID AS ILLEGAL ELECTION FRAUD, THAT HE TRIED TO COVER UP ALONG WITH MICHAEL COHEN AND DAVID PECKER THIS, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO COVER UP AN ALLEGED SEX SCANDAL. WHAT THE DEFENSE DID WAS TRY TO TAKE THAT BACK. YOU HEARD THIS VERY INTERESTING LINE FROM TODD BLANCHE, THE LEAD ATTORNEY THERE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT WHO SAID SPOILER ALERT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRYING TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION. IT'S CALLED DEMOCRACY. KIND OF AN EXTRAORDINARY LINE TO HEAR FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S TEAM, AND SO THE DEFENSE CAME BACK, BLANCHE SAID THAT, BUT ALSO TRIED TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP SEEM SUPER RELATABLE. THAT WAS STRIKING AT SEVERAL MOMENTS FOR THE DEFENSE'S OPENING STATEMENTS TALKING ABOUT, SURE, HE'S THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BUT HEY, HE'S JUST LIKE US. HE'S A FATHER. HE'S A HUSBAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NEW YORKERS HERE. WE ALL GET IT. TRYING TO ESTABLISH THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JURY IN HOPES THAT THAT COULD SERVE THE DEFENSE TEAM OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX WEEKS THERE. WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR, YOU ASKED ABOUT WHAT COULD BE NEW HERE, AND YOU HEARD VAUGHN ALLUDE TO SOME OF THIS, THE PROSECUTION HAS RECEIPTS. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A TAPE WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S VOICE ON IT. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE OVAL OFFICE OF DONALD TRUMP WITH MICHAEL COHEN. THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVE THAT MICHAEL COHEN, STORMY DANIELS, THAT THE PAPER DOCUMENTS, THE EVIDENCE, THE PAPER TRAIL PROVES THEIR CASE. >> SO DANNY, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, THE DEFENSE IS GOING TO SAY THERE'S NO CRIME HERE? >> THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAN THAT. THEY ACTUALLY OPENED WITH HE'S INNOCENT. WHICH IS AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS. INNOCENCE IS NOT DETERMINED AT CRIMINAL TRIAL, GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY. SOMETIMES IF YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CASE IS PARTICULARLY STRONG, YOU MAY TRY TO ESSENTIALLY ARGUE INNOCENCE TO THE JURY. MY CLIENT IS SO NOT GUILTY THAT HE'S INNOCENT, AND THEY ESSENTIALLY OPENED WITH THAT. WE ALREADY GOT A PREVIEW AND THERE WERE NO SURPRISES. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO MICHAEL COHEN AS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO STORMY DANIELS AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD ARGUE THAT STORMY DANIELS IS ALMOST NOT NECESSARY AS A WITNESS IN THIS CASE. HER INVOLVEMENT IS KIND OF TANGENTIAL. THE AFFAIR ITSELF IS NOT CRITICAL TO WHETHER OR NOT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED FOR THIS CASE. SO REALLY WHAT WE GOOD PREVIEW OF IS EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED FROM THE PROSECUTION. THEY GOT OUT IN FRONT OF WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR MICHAEL COHEN ISSUE, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE CREDIBILITY  ISSUES. IN THE SPECTRUM OF COOPERATING WITNESSES, MICHAEL COHEN, WHO IS NOT TECHNICALLY A COOPERATING WITNESS, HE'S PROBABLY ON THE LOW END OF LACK OF CREDIBILITY. MOST COOPERATES WITNESSES ARE BROUGHT IN FROM THE PRISON IN SHACKLES, AND THEY HAVE TONS OF ISSUES WITH CREDIBILITY AND CRIMINALITY. BUT AS THE PROSECUTION WILL SAY, AS THEY ALWAYS SAY, IT'S A STANDARD LINE, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS WITNESS. THE DEFENDANT CHOSE THIS WITNESS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS THIS -- THE OPENINGS COME TO A CLOSE, I THINK ALL EYES ARE ON THE STAR WITNESS, AND I DON'T THINK I MEAN MICHAEL COHEN ANYMORE. I THINK DAVID PECKER IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL WITNESS BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, HE CORROBORATES MICHAEL COHEN. HE ESTABLISHES THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY, AND HE CORROBORATES A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO SUPPORT WITNESSES LIKE MICHAEL COHEN. THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROSECUTION HAS A WAY OF MAKING MICHAEL COHEN'S LACK OF CREDIBILITY A MINIMAL ISSUE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING RIGHT IN THAT DIRECTION. >> THE PROSECUTION MADE AN EFFORT TO POOUT THAT DAVID PECKER HAD BROUGHT A LAWYER TO THE COURTROOM WITH HIM. IS THERE SOME STRATEGY IN THAT? >> NOT NECESSARILY. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS IF YOU'RE THE STATE AND YOU HAVE A COOPERATING WITNESS, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TOO HAND IF HAND WITH THAT WITNESS. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF THE STANDARD LINES AS A DEFENSE ATTORNEY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THAT COOPERATING WITNESS WITH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY FRAME THEM AS DOING ANYTHING THEY CAN TO PLEASE THEIR CAPTORS AND THEIR CAPTORS ARE THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE OFFERED THEM A DEAL. THEY'VE GOTTEN HAND IN HAND WITH THE DEVIL. THEY'RE TOO COZY WITH PROSECUTORS. THIS IS A COMMON THEME WHEN YOU'RE ATTACKING CORROBORATING WITNESSES OR PEOPLE TESTIFYING FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THE STATE WILL HAVE PREPARED THEIR WITNESSES FOR THIS. THEY'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT IN CROSS EXAMINATION, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'LL SEE. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO VAUGHN FOR AMOMENT. WE KNOW THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAD ED A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY. I ASSUME THAT DECISION OFFICIALLY IS STILL WEEKS AWAY, BUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT? >> Reporter: RIGHT, DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY, LESTER, IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL HERE FOR THIS JURY WHEN THEY'RE DETERMINING THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE IS GUILTY OR INNOCENT HERE. AND YOU SAID TWO TIMES NOW ALREADY IN THE LAST WEEK HE HAS MADE CLEAR THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY IN HIS OWN DEFENSE, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS NEVER PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY, INCLUDING INSIDE OF A COURTROOM, ANSWERED WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIFICS OF THIS CASE. AND ONE OF THOSE COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT IN JANUAUARY OF 2018, THAT IS WHEN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FIRST REPORTED ABOUT THE MICHAEL COHEN AND STORMY DANIELS $130,000 ARRANGEMENT, MORE THAN A YEAR INTO HIS PRESIDENCY, JANUARY OF 2018, WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS FIRST ASKED ABOUT IT IN APRIL OF 2018 ON AIR FORCE ONE, HALLIE WAS COVERING HIS WHITE HOUSE AT THE TIME. DONALD TRUMP WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY, DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE $130,000 PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. DONALD TRUMP REPLIED NO. HE THEN WENT ON TO SAY, QUOTE, YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL COHEN. MICHAEL IS MY ATTORNEY. YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL, AND SO DONALD D TRUMPILL HAVE TO WEIGH KNOWING THAT HE WILL GET THESE QUESTIONS AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROSECUTION HAS IN TERMS OF EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF DAVID PECKER, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLAY THOSE VERY COMMENTS FROM DONALD TRUMP IN 2018 AND PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE TO COMMENTS THAT HE MADE IN 2016. ONE OTHER NOTE ON HIS CREDIBILITY, THERE IS A MAJOR DECISION EARLIER THIS MORNING AS WELL BY THE JUDGE. JUDGE MERCHAN MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROSECUTION WILL BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE TO THE JURY PREVIOUS TRIAL DETERMINATIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, NAMELY TWO OF THOSE BEING IN JUST THE LAST YEAR, THE E. JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION CASE AS WELL AS THE CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN WHICH JUDGE ENGORON JUST THIS YEAR FOUND THAT HE AND THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION HAD ENGAGED REPEATEDLY IN FINANCIAL FRAUD. THOSE CASES WHICH THE JUDGE IS GOING TO ALLOW THE PROSECUTION TO BRING FORWARD IN FRONT OF THE JURY WILL ALLOW THEM TO TELL THE JURY THAT DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY AND HIS PENCHANT FOR LYING AND NOT BEING WHOLLY TRUTHFUL ARE GOING TO BE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THAT DONALD TRUMP'S DEFENSE AND HIS LEGAL TEAM'S DEFENSE ARE NOT ALL THAT CREDIBLE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIM IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE LAST DECADE THAT STARTED IN AUGUST 2015, WHEN THAT TRUMP TOWER MEETING WHICH DONALD TRUMP HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON, ALL THE WAY INTO 2017 WHEN DAVID PECKER, THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A DINNER THAT THE D.A.'S OFFICE SAYS WAS ARRANGED FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE THEN PRESIDENT, TO THANK DAVID PECKER FOR HIS EFFORTS TO SQUASH THOSE SALACIOUS STORIES FROM KAREN McDOUGAL AND STORMY DANIELS. >> WE'RE SEEING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, THERE HE IS, OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE OR OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM. HE'S PREPARING TO LEAVE AS HE OFTEN DOES. HE ADDRESSES THEAMERAS GATHERED THERE. DANNY, LET ME BRING YOU BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION. THERE IS ANOTHER MATTER THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACED. THAT'S THE QUESTION OF THE GAG ORDER AND WHETHER HE HAS RECENTLY VIOLATED THAT. THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK UP TOMORROW, CORRECT? >> YES, AND LAST WEEK I SUSPECT THAT JUSTICE MERCHAN SAID IT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK OUT BECAUSE OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT REASONS. NUMBER ONE, HE HAD HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF POTENTIAL JURORS TO GET THROUGH, AND HE WANTED TO GET THE PARTY STARTED. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, BACK THEN, MONDAY MORNING -- MONDAY MORNING LAST WEEK WAS MIRED IN ARGUMENTS AND MOTIONS AND I SUSPECT THE JUSTICE WANTED TO JUST PUSH IT OFF TO NEXT WEEK SO THEY COULD GET THROUGH JURY SELECTION, AND THEN ALSO, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY THAT NEXT WEEK, BY TOMORROW THERE WOULD BE MORE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER, AND THEY COULD PROBABLY JUST BE CONSOLIDATED. BUT AT THE TIME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN CLAIMED VIOLATIONS. THAT HEARING WILL GO ON TOMORROW, AND HERE'S WHAT I SUSPECT. LOOK FOR THE PEOPLE, THE PROSECUTORS, TO ASK FOR MINIMAL PENALTIES AT THE OUTSET. A LOT OF FOLKS SAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHAT DOES THAT MATTER TO DONALD TRUMP? WELL, THESE VIOLATIONS AND THE PUNISHMENTS ARE INCREMENTAL. REALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SETTING A FLOOR. SURE, START HIM OUT WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS, $5,000, IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT THIS SPECTRUM, THIS PATH STARTS FROM ADMONITIONS. IT GOES TO FINES, AND EVENTUALLY, AT THE END OF THE ROAD IS INCARCERATION FOR SOMEBODY WHO VIOLATES OR IS HELD IN CONTEMPT BY THE COURT. NOW, THAT WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL DECISION AND A DIFFICULT DECISION BY THE JUDGE, BUT I THINK THE STATE IS SHOWING THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE IN INCREMENTS BUT THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER. >> HALLIE, HOW IS THIS AFFECTING THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT? THE FORMER PRESIDENT LIKES TO MENTION THAT HE WOULD OTHERWISE BE OUT CAMPAIGNING RIGHT NOW. >> WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE RUBBER MEET THE ROAD ON THAT FRONT. COURT IS NOT IN SESSION ON WEDNESDAY. HE COULD DO CAMPAIGN EVENTS ON THOSE DAYS OR THE WEEKEND. THIS PAST WEEKEND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAMPAIGN RALLY. IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A WASHOUT, RAINED OUT, IT HAD TO BE CANCELED BECAUSE OF WEATHER. WHICH IS AN INDICATION SOMETIMES THINGS JUST POP UP. IT'S NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR CONTROL WHEN YOU'RE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. TO GET REAL INSIGHT ON HOW THIS CASE WILL AFFECT HIM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. REMEMBER, IN THE PRIMARY, ALL OF HIS LEGAL ISSUES WERE A BOON TO HIM. IT RALLIED HIS REPUBLICAN BASE AROUND HIM AND HELPED HIM GET THAT PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINATION ALL BUT LOCKED UP HERE. WHAT HAPPENS IN A GENERAL ELECTION. WE MAY NOT KNOW FOR A BIT YET. WE CAN LOOK AT NUMBERS OUT PR OUR NBC NEWS POLLING SHOWING THAT ABOUT 50% OF PEOPLE, AND THIS IS POLLING IN JUST THE LAST 24 HOURS, BELIEVE THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS BEING TREATED FAIRLY BY THE SAME STANDARD OF LAW AS YOU OR ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. 43% DISAGREE. THEY BELIEVE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY, SEEMING TO ECHO WHAT HE HAS BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG TT HE IS IN MANY WAYS THE VICTIM OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION. THE CONVERSATION YOU WERE JUST HAVING WITH DANNY ABOUT THAT GAG ORDER, THE FORMER PRESIDENT SEIZED THAT THROUGH THE LENS THROUGH WHICH HE SEES SO MANY OF HIS LEAGUE PROBLEMS AS AN ISSUE OF UNFAIRNESS AGAINST HIM. HE HAS SAID THIS ON TRUTH SOCIAL, THIS ISN'T FAIR, THEY CAN TALK ABOUT ME BUT I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM. HE HAS ILED AGAINST THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. KEEP IN MIND, IT'S A PARTIAL GAG ORDER. HE DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE JUDGE OR MAKE COMMENTS IN A CAMPAIGN RALLY SETTING RELATED TO THAT, BUT THE POLITICAL IMPOLITICAL OCCASIONS I THINK ARE GOING TO BE REALLY TOLD, WHEN WE DO GET A VERDICT AND WE GET POLLING IN THE FIELD AFTER THAT. >> WE SAW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS A MOMENT AGO. ANY IDEA WHAT HE SAID? >> Reporter: YEAH, HE'S STILL ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS IN REALTIME, AND HE I SHOULD NOTE OVER THE LAST WEEK THROUGH JURY SELECTION WOULD OFTEN GIVE ABOUT FIVE, 15 SECONDS OF QUICK REMARKS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESS, BUT THIS IS HIS MOST PROLONGED COMMENTARY WE HAVE SEEN YET. AND LARGE AMOUNT OF IT HAS SO FAR BEEN FOCUSED ON MICHAEL COHEN, OF COURSE WHO WAS HIS LONG-TIME PERSONAL LAWYER, AND HE IS UNDERCUTTING MICHAEL COHEN'S REPUTATION. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS CAMPAIGN FINANCES VIOLATIONS THAT WERE PART OF WHAT LED TO A GUILTY PLEA F FROM MICHAEL COHEN BACK IN 2018 WHILE DONALD TRUMP WAS SERVING AS PRESIDENT, AND IT WAS A LONG-STANDING DOJ POLICY TO NOT PROSECUTE A SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT THAT IS WHEN MICHAEL COHEN FOR THE ACTS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLEGED AS PART OF THE ACTUAL HUSH MONEY SCHEME, LED TO MICHAEL COHEN SERVING PRISON TIME. AND MICHAEL COHEN HAS BEEN VERY PUBLIC AND VOCAL IN THE YEARS SINCE ABOUT HIS FRUSTRATIONS AS TO WHY PROSECUTORS AFTER DONALD TRUMP LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE, GO AFTER DONALD TRUMP FOR THE ALLEGED CRIMES, AND NOW WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IS MICHAEL COHEN WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT HE IS GOING TO BE A WITNESS, YOU'RE HEARING DONALD TRUMP CALL INTO QUESTION HIS CREDIBILITY AND SOMEBODY WHO ONLY HAS THE INTENT OF UNDERCUTTING HIM NOW THROUGH THIS PROCESS. >> VAUGHN, THANKS VERY MUCH, SO THE OPENING STATEMENTS ARE DONE. THE FIRST WITNESS ON THE STAND TODAY, THAT CONCLUDES THIS NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT. MUCH MORE ON OUR STREAMINGNG

NBC News Special Report: Witness testifies after opening statements in Trump trial

A 12-person jury in Manhattan is set to hear opening statements Monday from prosecutors and defense lawyers in the first of four criminal cases against Donald Trump.

<p>&gt;&gt; Announcer: THIS IS AN NBC NEWS "SPECIAL REPORT." HERE'S CRAIG MELVIN. &gt;&gt;&gt; AND A GOOD MONDAY MORNING. WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS AND A HISTORIC MOMENT AS WELL WITH OPENING STATEMENTS SET TO START IN FORMER-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NEW YORK HUSH MONEY TRIAL. THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED AT THE COURTHOUSE. THIS, OF COURSE, IS THE FIRST TIME A FORMER PRESIDENT AND A PRESUMPTIVE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT IS STANDING TRIAL FOR CRIMINAL CHARGES. MR. TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS. THOSE COUNTS ARE RELATED TO A 2016 PAYMENT MADE TO ADULT FILM STAR STORMY DANIELS TO KEEP HER QUIET ABOUT AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ENCOUNTER, ALL OF WHICH THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS DENIED. TODAY'S OPENING STATEMENTS COMING A WEEK AFTER THE TRIAL STARTED WITH JURY SELECTION. NOW THOSE 12 JURORS AND 6 ALTERNATES ARE SET TO HEAR THE CASE AGAINST HIM AND HIS TEAM'S DEFENSE IN A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR OUR COUNTRY'S LEGAL LANDSCAPE. WE START NOW WITH OUR SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT LAURA JARRETT. SHE HAS MADE HER WAY TO THAT COURTHOUSE THERE IN LOWER MANHATTAN. LAURA, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE AND HEAR INSIDE THAT COURTROOM THIS MORNING? &gt;&gt; Reporter: WELL, CRAIG, IT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THAT DONALD TRUMP STEPPED INTO THE COURTHOUSE HERE BEHIND ME FOR HIS ARRAIGNMENT. TODAY HE WALKS IN AS A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENTS IN HIS FIRST CRIMINAL TRIAL. A REMARKABLE MOMENT FOR MR. TRUMP, FOR THE 12 JURORS SET TO SIT IN JUDGMENT OF HIM, AND FOR THE COUNTRY A REMARKABLE TEST, AS YOU SAID, FOR OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. THOSE 34 COUNTS, TECHNICALLY ABOUT FALSIFICATION OF BUSINESS RECORDS, BUT THE STORY THAT THE PROSECUTORS HERE WANT TO TELL, CRAIG, IS FAR BROADER THAN THAT, FAR MORE AMBITIOUS. THE STORY THAT THEY WANT TO TELL, A ROADMAP IF YOU WILL THAT THEY WANT TO LAYOUT TODAY IN OPENING STATEMENTS IS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND THEY'RE TELLING THEHE TRU CAMPAIGN IN 2016 WAS REELING FROM THE RELEASE OF THE "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE AND SO DESPERATE TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD SHORE UP THE FEMALE VOTE THEY TRIED TO BURY THE STORY OF STORMY DANIELS, A STORY THAT COULD HAVE UPENDED THE CAMPAIGN. SO IN PROSECUTOR'S TELLING, MR. TRUMP DIRECTED HIS FORMER FIXER, MIKE AN COHEN, TO PAY HER OFF WITH $130,000. THAT PAYMENT IS MADE DAYS BEFORE VOTERS WENT TO THE POLL BUT, OF COURSE, THE VOTERS FOUND OUT ABOUT I ANYWAY. THE DEFENSE TEAM IS GOING TO LAYOUT HOW MR. TRUMP DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLOT, THIS ALLEGED ORCHESTRATION, THAT MR. TRUMP WASN'T INVOLVED IN IT AND THAT MR. COHEN DID IT ON HIS OWN. THE DEFENSE TEAM WANTS TO SAY, CRAIG, IF ALL OF THIS HAPPENED THE WAY PROSECUTORS SAY, WHICH THEY DENY, WAS ACTUALLY BEING FALSIFIED, THE INTERNAL CRIME ARE BUSINESS RECORDS THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY. SO HOW COULD THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN FOOLED? THAT'S THE DUELLING NARRATIVES WE WILL SEE PLAY OUT IN OPENING STATEMENTS, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; AFTER OPENING STATEMENTS, THE FIRST WITNESS WE'VE BEEN TOLD A MAN NAMED DAVID PECKER. EXPLAIN HOW HE FITS INTO ALL OF THIS AND WHAT IS THE PROSECUTION HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH BY CALLING HIM FIRST? &gt;&gt; Reporter: IT IS AN INTERESTING STRATEGIC MOVE REALLY, CRACK, BECAUSE DAVID PECKER WAS THE FORMER LEADER OF AMI, WHICH IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF ""THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER"." EVERYONE KNOWS THAT TABLOID. THE REASON PROSECUTORS WANT HIM IS BECAUSE HE ALLOWS THEM TO PUT MR. TRUMP IN ROOM FOR WHEN THE SCHEME HAPPENED IN 2015, AND PROSECUTORS TELLING, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL THE JURY HERE MR. TRUMP, MR. COHEN AND DAVID PECKER SAT IN A ROOM AND THEY DECIDED TO TRY TO CATCH AND KILL BAD STORIES THAT COULD HAVE HURT MR. TRUMP. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY IT WAS MR. PECKER AND MR. TRUMP AND MR. HEN WHO DECIDED TO TAKE AND BUY THE STORIES TO MAKE SURE OTHER PEOPLE COULDN'T PUBLICIZE THEM. MR. TRUMP DOESN'T DENY THAT MEETING HAPPENED. HE CAN'T. BUT HE IS GOING TO DENY THERE WAS ANYTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT IT, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; LAURA JARRETT FOR US THERE AT THE COURTHOUSE. LAURA, THANK YOU. LET'S BRING IN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST DANNY CEVALLOS. WE WILL HEAR FROM DANNY PECKER BUT THE AFOREMENTIONED MICHAEL COHEN, THE PRESIDENT'S FORMER FIXER, A MAN WHO WROTE A BOOK CALLED "REVENGE" ABOUT HIS FORMER BOSS. HE IS ALSO A CONVICTED FELON. &gt;&gt; MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF HIS LACK OF CREDIBILITY AND HE HAS THAT PROBLEM, BUT PROSECUTORS ROUTINELY USE COOPERATING WITNESSES WITH MUCH WORSE CHARACTER ISSUES THAN MICHAEL COHEN. YOU WILL HAVE TRIALS AND I HAVE HAD THESE WHERE THE COOPERATING WITNESS COMES IN IN SHACKLES AND PRISON GEAR. THE POINT IS PROSECUTORS OFTEN GO TO OTHER BAD GUYS TO GET TESTIMONY AGAINST THE DEFENDANT BAD GUY THAT THEY WANT TO CONVICT. THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THE PROSECUTION'S ALREADY BEEN SEEDING THE JURY, PREPPING THEM FOR THE FACT, HEY, YOU MAY HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREDIBILITY ISSUES IN THIS CASE, BUT THE STATE HERE AS A LOT OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE. I THINK THAT COMES A LOT IN THE FORM OF DAVID PECKER, WHO I THINK IS QUIETLY GOING TO BE REALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S STAR WITNESS HERE, NOT SO MUCH MICHAEL COHEN. &gt;&gt; HALLIE JACKSON, OF COURSE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OPINION -- PENDING CASES THE PRESIDENT IS DEALING WITH. SO FAR IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AFFECTED HIM AT ALL POLITICALLY. DO WE EXPECT IT TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN THAT REGARD? &gt;&gt; HUGE QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE WILL NOT GET AN ANSWER UNTIL AFTER THE VERDICT COMES DOWN LATER ON IN THE SPRING. YOU ARE CORRECT, CRAIG. HIS LEGAL ISSUES DID NOT PHASE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS WHO OVERINGLY BACKED FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP. HERE IS SOMETHING I'M WATCHING FROM THE LATEST NBC NEWS POLLING. WE ARE CALLING IT SHORT-HANDING THIS AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THE OTHER TRIAL, THE OTHER LEGAL ISSUES THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACES. THE PROSECUTION IS HOPING TO HAVE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT NOT AS A HUSH MONEY TRIAL BUT AS SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A SEX SCANDAL BUT AN ELECTION INTERFERENCE TRIAL. WHY DOES IT MATTER? WHEN YOU LOOK AT ISSUES THAT VOTERS SAY MATTER TO THEM AND VOTERS COME NOVEMBER, IT IS INFLATION AND IMGRANGS. NO SURPRISE. THOSE ARE STALWARTS, ALWAYS BIG ISSUES. THIRD, THEY SAY THREATS TO DEMOCRACY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE COUNTRY. IF PROSECUTORS ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, THERE YOU SEE THE FORMER PRESIDENT WALKING IN, THAT COULD SWAY FOLKS. &gt;&gt; WE HAVE "MEET THE PRESS" MODERATOR KRISTEN WELKER JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON. KRISTEN, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT BIDEN, SO FAR IT WOULD SEEM AS IF THE STRATEGY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE CURRENT PRESIDENT TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S LEGAL TROUBLES. DO WE EXPECT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THIS TIME AROUND? &gt;&gt; ABSOLUTELY NOT, CRAIG. I EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE THIS WEEK. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. LAST WEEK PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA TALKING ABOUT ONE OF TOP ISSUES FOR VOTERS, THE ECONOMY. THIS WEEK HIS BIG SPEECH IS GOING TO FOCUS ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN BATTLEGROUND FLORIDA, IN TRUMP'S HOME TURF. HE WILL BE BLASTING THAT SIX-WEEK BAN IN THE STATE THERE. THE STRATEGY, CRAIG, IS TWO FOLD. ONE TO TRY TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES AS AN ATTEMPT TO CAST HIMSELF AS A STEADY LEADER, AS THE PERSON WHO IS THE OPPOSITE OF BRINGING CHAOS, AND ALSO TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO THE PROMISE HE MADE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BACK IN 2020, THAT HE WOULDN'T INTERVENE IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO I ANTICIPATE WE WILL SEE THIS PLAY OUT. LOOK AT OUR LATEST NBC NEWS POLL, SHOWS THAT HE IS NARROWING THE GAP WITH FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW JUST TRAILING HIM BY TWO POINTS AS OPPOSED TO FIVE LAST TIME WE TOOK THE POLL, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; MODERATOR OF "MEET THE PRESS," KRISTEN WELKER. BIG THANKS TO YOU. THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE SPECIAL REPORT. WE WILL HAVE MORE ON OUR STREAMING NETWORK, "NBC NEWS NOW" ONLINE AND ON NBCNews.com. THE FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE WRAP</p>

NBC News: Opening statements begin in Trump's hush money trial

Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions Drawing.

>> ACROSS AMERICA WITH MEGA JACKPOTS, IT'S MEGA MILLIONS. >> GET EM, CAROL. BLACK MEN IS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH AND TONIGHT'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS AN ESTIMATED ANNUITY TIES 178 MILLION DOLLARS. SO THE JACKPOT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS THAT ALL 5 WHITE PLUS THE GOLD MEGA BALL. GET OUT YOUR TICKETS. GOOD LUCK. THE FIRST NUMBER. IT'S 46 THAT'S FOLLOWED BY 34. THEN WE HAVE 30. UP NEXT IS 19 AND OUR FINAL WHITE BALL IS 58 AND THE GOLD MEGA BALL. IS 3 WINNING NUMBERS AGAIN. ARE 46 34 30 1958.

On the Record, July 11: Coronavirus and how it's impacted us all

More On This

On the Record, July 11: Coronavirus and how it's impacted us all

Related Topics

More Videos

WRAL Late News

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Powerball Drawing

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

NBC News Special Report: Witness testifies after opening statements in Trump trial

NBC News: Opening statements begin in Trump's hush money trial

Mega Millions Drawing