Captioning sponsored by WNET >> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION FOR SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12: WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN IN CALIFORNIA AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS EVACUATION ORDERS REMAIN IN PLACE.

AND, STOP ONE ON OUR "ROADS TO ELECTION 2020" SERIES: THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

NEXT, ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION JUST 51 DAYS AWAY, WE'RE LAUNCHING OUR "ROADS TO ELECTION 2020" SERIES.

FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKENDS, LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION, WE'LL BE TRAVERSING THE COUNTRY TO SEE WHAT'S ON THE MINDS OF VOTERS.

AS WE CONTINUE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, MOST OF OUR COVERAGE WILL BE VIRTUAL, BUT SOME WEEKENDS, LIKE TODAY, FROM THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN PENNSYLVANIA, WE WILL BE ON LOCATION.

ON THIS TRIP, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR COMMUNITIES' CONCERNS.

WE'LL START OUR ROAD TRIP REPORTING RIGHT AFTER TODAY'S NEWS.

TODAY'S LOWER WINDS GAVE FIREFIGHTERS A BETTER CHANCE AGAINST WILDFIRES RAGING ACROSS THE WEST, WHICH HAVE KILLED AT LEAST 26 PEOPLE SINCE MID-AUGUST.

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> Sreenivasan: IN OREGON, SEVEN PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD, BUT DOZENS MORE ARE MISSING.

A TOP STATE OFFICIAL SAID THEY ARE PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE "MASS FATALITY EVENT."

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED AND MORE THAN ONE MILLION ACRES HAVE BURNED.

SOUTH OF PORTLAND, OREGON, TWO OF THE BIGGEST FIRES ARE EXPECTED TO MERGE.

THEY COVER MORE THAN 300,000 ACRES AND ARE 0% CONTAINED.

IN CALIFORNIA, MORE THAN TWO DOZEN MAJOR FIRES ARE BURNING AFTER THE HOTTEST AUGUST ON RECORD.

FIVE OF THE 20 LARGEST FIRES IN THE STATE'S MODERN HISTORY ARE BURNING RIGHT NOW.

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SURVEYED THE DAMAGE FROM THE NORTH COMPLEX FIRE YESTERDAY, WHICH HAS KILLED NINE PEOPLE, AND SAID THE FIRES ARE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

>> I'M A LITTLE BIT EXHAUSTED THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DEBATE THIS ISSUE.

THIS IS A CLIMATE DAMN EMERGENCY.

THIS IS REAL AND IT'S HAPPENING.

THIS IS THE PERFECT STORM.

IT IS HAPPENING IN UNPRECEDENTED WAYS, YEAR IN, YEAR OUT.

>> Sreenivasan: ACROSS THE U.S., EVERY STATE IS CONTINUING TO REPORT NEW CASES OF COVID-19, WITH MORE THAN 47,000 NEW INFECTIONS ADDED YESTERDAY, ACCORDING TO THE "NEW YORK TIMES."

THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CASES PER DAY IS DOWN 17% OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

DEATHS FROM COVID-19 ARE ALSO DECLINING, BUT YESTERDAY, 1,224 PEOPLE DIED FROM THE DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES.

GLOBALLY, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY REPORTS MORE THAN 28 MILLION CASES SINCE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BEGAN AND MORE THAN 916,000 DEATHS.

TODAY MARKED THE BEGINNING OF PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT AND THE TALIBAN INSURGENCY-- OPPOSING SIDES IN A WAR THAT HAS ENGULFED THEIR COUNTRY FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

THE TALKS ARE BEING HOSTED BY THE COUNTRY OF QATAR, WHERE THE TALIBAN HAVE A POLITICAL OFFICE.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO ATTENDED TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONIES.

POMPEO URGED BOTH SIDES TO OVERCOME THEIR DIVISIONS AND WARNED THAT THE CONDUCT AND CHOICES MADE AT THE PEACE TALKS COULD AFFECT U.S. AID TO AFGHANISTAN.

THE ISSUES ON THE NEGOTIATING TABLE INCLUDE A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE, THE DISARMING OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILITANTS, AND THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES, WHO FACED OPPRESSION WHILE UNDER TALIBAN RULE 20 YEARS AGO.

22-YEAR-OLD NAOMI OSAKA IS THE U.S. OPEN WOMEN'S CHAMPION FOR A SECOND TIME, DEFEATING BELARUSSIAN PLAYER VICTORIA AZARENKA IN THREE SETS THIS EVENING, PLAYED IN A STADUIM DEVOID OF THE USUAL THRONGS OF FANS DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

OSAKA, AFTER BEING DOWN ON THE FIRST SET, WON BOTH FINAL TWO SETS 6-3.

OSAKA'S FIRST U.S. OPEN WIN WAS AGAINST SERENA WILLIAMS IN 2018.

THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT, OSAKA EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE BY DONNING SEVEN DIFFERENT MASKS WITH THE NAMES OF BLACK MEN AND WOMEN KILLED BY POLICE IN THE U.S.

TOMORROW, AUSTRIA'S DOMINIC THIEM AND ALEXANDER ZVEREV SQUARE OFF FOR THE MEN'’’S FINAL.

WE'’’LL HAVE MORE ON THE U.S. OPEN LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

>> Sreenivasan: WE'RE HERE IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, A COUNTY PRESIDENT TRUMP FLIPPED IN 2016 AND HOPES TO WIN AGAIN IN NOVEMBER.

BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND THEIR RUNNING MATES HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING FREQUENTLY HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND IN OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES WHERE VOTERS ARE CLOSELY DIVIDED AND ISSUES LIKE HEALTH CARE AND THE ECONOMY CAN BE THE TIPPING POINT THAT DECIDES THEIR VOTE.

NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER BOOKER HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: THE APOLLO GRILL HAS BEEN A FIXTURE IN BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

BUT LIKE RESTAURANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE CORONAVIRUS FORCED THE SMALL BUSINESS TO SHUT ITS DOORS LAST SPRING.

TAKEOUT ORDERS AND A PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOAN PROVIDED A LIFE LINE, BUT THE MONEY RAN OUT IN EIGHT WEEKS.

SINCE JUNE, OWNER RACHEL GRIFFITH HAS BEEN ABLE TO REOPEN HER RESTAURANT UNDER THE OUTDOOR DINING GUIDELINES, BRINGING ALL OF HER STAFF BACK, FOR NOW.

>> WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME NICE WEATHER AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND OUR OUTDOOR DINING.

WITHOUT THAT, WE WOULD BE IN BIG TROUBLE.

BUT WITH LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE WEATHER GETS COLDER?

>> Reporter: SUCH UNCERTAINTY FOR A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE IN AMERICA.

BUT GRIFFITH'S CONCERNS ARE PERHAPS JUST A BIT MORE CONSEQUENTIAL AS THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL RACE ENTERS ITS FINAL PHASE.

WHILE PENNSYLVANIA HAS LONG BEEN A SOUGHT-AFTER ELECTORAL PRIZE, BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONVINCE VOTERS THAT THEY ARE BETTER SUITED TO REVITALIZE AN ECONOMY BATTERED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

AND NOWHERE IN PENNSYLVANIA IS THAT MORE CONTENTIOUS THAN HERE IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY, A SWING AREA OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THAT INCLUDES THE TOWNS OF EASTON, ALLENTOWN, AND BETHLEHEM.

WHAT HOLDS THE MOST WEIGHT FOR VOTERS IN 2020 HERE IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY?

>> HEALTH CARE, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE FROM THE PANDEMIC.

ECONOMIC ISSUES ARE ALWAYS THERE, ECONOMIC AND JOBS.

>> Reporter: CHRIS BORICK IS PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND DIRECTOR OF THE MUHLENBERG COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC OPINION IN ALLENTOWN.

>> EVEN WHEN THE ECONOMY SEEMED TO BE, BY MOST MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS, SAILING ALONG EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHEN WE ASKED PEOPLE ABOUT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR IN 2020 FOR THEIR VOTE, THEY WOULD TELL US ECONOMIC ISSUES.

>> Reporter: BUT THIS REGION IS NO STRANGER TO HARD TIMES; THE AREA IS KNOWN FOR BEING THE HOME OF BETHLEHEM STEEL.

>> Reporter: SO, WHEN WE THINK OF U.S. STEEL, THIS IS-- THIS IS IT.

>> WELL, THIS IS A BIG PART OF IT.

ALL THROUGHOUT THE 20th CENTURY, A GOOD PORTION OF IT WAS BASED RIGHT HERE FOR FOUR AND A HALF MILES ALONG THE RIVER.

>> Reporter: DON CUNNINGHAM IS THE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND HE WAS THE MAYOR WHEN BETHLEHEM STEEL SHUT DOWN ITS LAST LOCAL FACTORY IN 1998.

>> WE HAD SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT THERE'S STILL NOTHING LIKE WHEN THAT PHONE CALL COMES AND YOU LEARN THAT IT'S OVER, THAT THE PLANT'S GOING DARK AND THE LAST JOBS ARE-- ARE-- ARE DONE.

>> ...AND OPEN HEARTHS ARE GROWING UP TO FEED THE MILLS.

>> Reporter: BETHLEHEM STEEL HAD EMPLOYED 31,000 LOCAL WORKERS AT ITS PEAK, WHICH HAD DWINDLED TO JUST OVER 1,000 BY THE 1990s.

CUNNINGHAM DIDN'T WANT BETHLEHEM TO BECOME ANOTHER COMPANY TOWN LEFT TO RUST.

>> AND THERE ARE ENOUGH EXAMPLES ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA AND THE REST OF THE THE INDUSTRIAL BELT OF THE NORTHEAST AND MIDWEST OF TOWNS THAT HAVE JUST-- HAD JUST KIND OF STAYED STUCK IN ITS PAST.

WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE DIDN'T DO THAT AND-- AND PEOPLE REACTED TO IT, RESPONDED.

>> Reporter: BUT THE SIGHT OF SHUTTERED STEEL STACKS IN DOWNTOWN BETHLEHEM CONTRADICT THE STORY OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY.

YES, THE END OF STEEL HURT, BUT THE REGION HAD A BACKSTOP-- THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY AND HIGHER EDUCATION, COMMONLY CALLED "MEDS AND EDS."

WITH THREE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS AND A DOZEN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, POST-STEEL LIFE HASN'T BEEN NEARLY AS PAINFUL AS IT HAS BEEN FOR OTHER AREAS WHO SAW THEIR INDUSTRIES DISAPPEAR.

>> WE'RE BETTER OFF TODAY WITHOUT THE STEEL COMPANY THAN WE WERE.

WE HAVE A MORE DIVERSE ECONOMY, CLEANER AIR, CLEANER WATER.

WHILE IT'S A PROUD PART OF OUR HISTORY, ECONOMICALLY, WE'RE BETTER TODAY THAN WE WERE 50 YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING NOBODY WOULD HAVE BELIEVED AT THAT TIME.

>> Reporter: PART OF THE REGION'S SUCCESS IS DUE TO COMPANIES LIKE FLEXICON, AN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER THAT MOVED TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN 2001.

DAVE BOGER IS AN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY.

WHY DID YOU MOVE FROM NEW JERSEY TO PENNSYLVANIA?

>> AVAILABILITY OF LABOR, AVAILABILITY OF LAND, LOCATION OF CURRENT EMPLOYEES, AND WE DECIDED THAT PENNSYLVANIA WAS A GOOD HOME FOR US.

>> Reporter: FLEXICON CREATES MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT FOR COMPANIES IN 77 DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, AND DURING THE PANDEMIC THEIR WORK WAS DEEMED ESSENTIAL, ALLOWING THEM TO RETAIN THEIR 235 EMPLOYEES.

>> WE NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE FED.

WE NEED TO KEEP PRODUCING HAND SANITIZER.

SO, A LOT OF THOSE-- AND NOT ONLY JUST THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF, BUT IT'S THE SPARE PARTS TO SUPPLY THE MACHINES AND SYSTEMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE OUT IN THE FIELD.

SO, IT REALLY WAS ESSENTIAL FOR US TO REMAIN OPEN.

>> Reporter: THE LEHIGH VALLEY HAS BECOME A BOOMING REGION WITH A GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF $41 BILLION, EMPLOYING MORE THAN 300,000 PEOPLE.

MANUFACTURING COMPANIES LIKE FLEXICON ACCOUNT FOR 34,000 OF THOSE JOBS, BUT THE BIGGEST SECTOR IS HEALTHCARE, WHICH HAS ONLY GROWN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING OUR CURRENT FACILITIES.

THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE-- THE BUILDINGS THAT WE'LL EXPAND IN, YES.

>> Reporter: AND THIS IS ALL FOR THE CORONAVIRUS TEST.

>> IT IS COMPLETELY.

>> Reporter: STEPHEN TANG IS THE C.E.O.

OF ORASURE, WHICH NORMALLY MAKES H.I.V.

TESTS.

>> SO, THIS IS OUR ORAQUICK PRODUCT PLATFORM.

IT'S CURRENTLY USED FOR H.I.V., HEPATITIS-C AND EBOLA.

SO, IF THERE ARE TWO BARS THAT YOU READ IN UNDER AN HOUR BY YOURSELF, IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

SO, THE BENEFIT OF THIS IS, IT'S RAPID.

YOU CAN ADMINISTER IT TO YOURSELF.

YOU GET A RESULT WITHOUT ANY INSTRUMENTATION OR LABORATORY PERSONNEL.

SO, OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO TEST ANYBODY ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE.

>> Reporter: TANG, WHO WENT TO SCHOOL AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, SAYS THE AREA HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE HE WAS A STUDENT DECADES AGO.

>> YOU SEE A COMPLETE REVITALIZATION IN THOSE CITY CENTERS.

BETHLEHEM, EASTON, ALLENTOWN IN PARTICULAR, IS REALLY TRANSFORMED ITSELF.

SO, I THINK THAT'S-- THAT'S GOOD CLEARLY FOR THE ECONOMIC HEALTH AND-- AND THE CULTURAL HEALTH OF THE REGION, AND IT'S STILL MAINTAINED BY A VAST MEDS AND EDS ECONOMIC ENGINE.

>> TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA, I SAY WE ARE GOING TO PUT THE MINERS AND THE FACTORY WORKERS AND THE STEELWORKERS BACK TO WORK.

WE'RE BRINGING OUR COMPANIES BACK.

>> Reporter: BUT DESPITE THE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION, PRESIDENT'S TRUMP'S CALL TO "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" BY BRINGING JOBS BACK, LIKE THOSE LOST IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY, HAS RESONATED.

ONE OF THE REGION'S TWO COUNTIES FLIPPED IN THE 2016 ELECTION FROM OBAMA TO TRUMP.

IS IT A MATTER THAT THE MESSAGE THAT THE LEHIGH VALLEY HAD DIVERSIFIED IS NOT REACHING EVERYONE?

OR IS IT A MATTER THAT LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING OVERLOOKED BY THIS NEW ECONOMY?

>> YOU KNOW, EVEN IN 2016, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE LOOKED AT ANYTHING, BY MOST INDICATORS, THE VALLEY WAS DOING PRETTY WELL.

YOU KNOW, HOUSING PRICES WERE GOING UP, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY WAS GOOD, UNEMPLOYMENT WAS PRETTY LOW, AND THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE STILL RESONATED EVEN IN THAT TIME.

SO, YOU MIGHT ASK, WELL, WHAT WAS IT IN THE KIND OF THE BROADER ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE OF THE REGION THAT-- THAT ALLOWED THAT?

SOME OF THOSE MED- AND ED-DRIVEN GAINS HAVEN'T BEEN SHARED EQUALLY, AND SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT MIGHT, OH, YEARS AGO HAD STRONGER BUYING POWER THROUGH THEIR-- THROUGH THEIR MANUFACTURING JOBS COULD FEEL THAT THEY'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

>> Reporter: AND THESE ARE THE VOTERS THAT BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ARE COURTING.

IN JULY, BIDEN MADE ONE OF HIS FIRST IN-PERSON APPEARANCES SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, NEAR HIS HOMETOWN OF SCRANTON.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS GONE ON THE OFFENSIVE IN THE REGION, AS WELL, MAKING CAMPAIGN STOPS IN BIDEN'S HOME COUNTY.

A RECENT MORNING CALL/MUHLENBERG COLLEGE POLL GIVES BIDEN A FOUR- POINT LEAD IN PENNSYLVANIA BUT SHOWS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH INCLUDES THE LEHIGH VALLEY, AS TRUMP'S BIGGEST AREA OF SUPPORT WITH A 61- TO 28-POINT LEAD.

THE PRESIDENT, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, RAN ON THE IDEA OF BRINGING JOBS BACK AND RESURRECTING OLDER INDUSTRIES.

AND I'M CURIOUS HOW THAT MESSAGE ACTUALLY RESONATED THEN AND HOW AND IF IT STILL RESONATES FOUR YEARS LATER.

>> IT'S-- IT'S FASCINATING.

ONE OF THE THINGS I MOST-- YOU KNOW, AS YOU LOOK BACK AT 2016 AND THE PRESIDENT'S RHETORICAL DEVICES, THE TROPES THAT HE TURNED TO IN PLACES LIKE THE LEHIGH VALLEY OR IN SCRANTON, YOU KNOW.

AND HE'S UP IN SCRANTON, HE'S TALKING ABOUT RETURN OF THE COAL INDUSTRY.

THE COAL INDUSTRY HASN'T BEEN THERE IN 75 YEARS, BUT IT SOUNDS GREAT.

YOU MAKE THAT PITCH IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY.

"HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BRING STEEL BACK."

STEEL HASN'T LARGELY BEEN HERE IN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AT ANY-- AT ANY LEVEL.

IT WASN'T COMING BACK FOR VARIOUS MACROECONOMIC REASONS, BUT IT STILL WAS A PITCH TO INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT HAVE HEARKENED TO DIFFERENT DAYS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF-- OF LIFESTYLES.

NOW, WE'LL SEE IN THE MIDST OF ECONOMIC TURMOIL JUST HOW POWERFUL THAT MESSAGE MAY BE IN 2020 AND HOW DIFFERENT IT MIGHT BE RECEIVED.

>> Reporter: BUT LIKE SO MUCH OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, ECONOMIC HEALTH MAY WELL BE IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE ECONOMY OR ARE YOU WORRIED?

>> I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.

I THINK THAT WE WERE IN A POSITION WHERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, AND THERE MIGHT BE EITHER A VARIETY OF REASONS OR REASONS ARE WIDE AND VARIED AND HAVE MORE, I DON'T KNOW, ECONOMIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE-- THE DECLINE.

THIS IS PRETTY MONOLITHIC.

THERE WAS ONE THING THAT CAUSED THE CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY OR THE SHIFT IN-- IN THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO PRODUCE GOODS.

SO, I'M OPTIMISTIC.

>> Reporter: BUT THIS OPTIMISM IS NOT BEING FELT BY EVERYONE.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS INDUSTRY IS-- IS SUFFERING SEVERE, SEVERE DIFFICULTIES RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, LITERALLY-- AND I'M QUOTING ANOTHER RESTAURATEUR HERE WHEN I SAY THIS-- "WE ARE ON LIFE SUPPORT."

>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU THINK THIS CHANGES OR CHALLENGES HOW PEOPLE ARE FEELING ABOUT THE ELECTION THAT'S COMING?

>> I'M NOT REALLY SURE.

WHERE-- WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THEIR FAITH CAN BE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE ARE-- WE HAVE BEEN RELYING ON OUR GOVERNMENT TO GUIDE US AND SUPPORT US AND TO BE THERE FOR US, ESPECIALLY NOW.

BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FEEL THAT WE HAVE THAT GOVERNMENT BEHIND US RIGHT NOW.

>> Sreenivasan: JOIN US ON OUR "ROADS TO ELECTION 2020" BY SHARING WITH US THE ISSUES YOU WANT CANDIDATES TO ADDRESS IN YOUR STATE.

SEND AN EMAIL OR A SHORT VIDEO TO nhweekend@wnet.org.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR MORE ON THE STATE OF PLAY HERE IN SWING STATE PENNSYLVANIA, I SPOKE WITH PUBLIC MEDIA PARTER WHYY'S POLITICAL REPORTER, KATIE MEYER.

SO, KATIE, HOW HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF PENNSYLVANIA BEEN CHANGING?

AND DO EITHER CANDIDATE-- DOES EITHER CANDIDATE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE?

>> SO, IT'S BEEN GETTING LESS WHITE, AND SO, SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE SEEN NOTABLE INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF LATINO PEOPLE LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA, THE NUMBER OF THE SORT OF-- DEMOGRAPHERS WILL CALL THEM WHITE NON-COLLEGE VOTERS, WHICH IS A LARGE PORTION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BASE-- HAS BEEN DECLINING IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THAT, OF COURSE, TRANSLATES INTO DIFFERENCES IN HOW PEOPLE ARE VOTING.

BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO COUCH THAT IN THAT NEW IMMIGRANTS TO THE U.S., WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN PENNSYLVANIA, IT TAKES TIME FOR THOSE POPULATIONS TO START VOTING IN GREAT NUMBERS.

AND SO, THAT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WHERE WE SEE THESE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS, BUT THEY DON'T TRANSLATE RIGHT AWAY INTO CHANGES IN HOW THE ELECTORATE BEHAVES.

>> Sreenivasan: SO, HOW HAVE THE CAMPAIGNS POSITIONED THEMSELVES?

WHAT ARE THEIR KEY DRIVING MESSAGES TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR BASE OF REGISTERED VOTERS DOES SHOW UP?

>> IN JOE BIDEN'S CASE, YOU KNOW, HE GREW UP IN SCRANTON.

HE LEFT WHEN HE WAS 10, BUT IT IS A REALLY BIG PART OF-- AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF HIS POLITICAL POSITIONING OF HIMSELF.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SAW IN 2008 WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA INTRODUCED HIM AT THE D.N.C., HE CALLED HIM THE "SCRAPPY KID FROM SCRANTON," AND THAT'S A LINE THAT THEY STILL USE TODAY.

AND SO, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS NOTABLE SYMBOLIC POSITIONING FOR BIDEN.

SCRANTON ALSO WAS SORT OF IN THE HEART OF AN AREA WHERE TRUMP DID REALLY WELL IN 2016.

SO, THAT'S NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

TRADITIONALLY, IT HAD BEEN A CENTER OF UNION SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

YOU TENDED TO SEE THAT STRONG WORKING CLASS, HISTORICALLY BLUE AREAS, AND TRUMP MADE REALLY BIG INROADS THERE.

SO, FOR HIS PART, HE IS ALSO TRYING TO, ONE, DISCREDIT BIDEN'S PENNSYLVANIA ROOTS AND SAY, "YOU KNOW, I AM THE PERSON WHO YOU VOTED FOR IN GREAT NUMBERS IN 2016."

AND, YOU KNOW, HE WANTS TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT.

SO, FOR TRUMP, IT'S ABOUT SORT OF SHORING UP MARGINS IN AREAS LIKE THE SORT OF MORE WORKING CLASS, NORTHEAST AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE STATE, AND ALSO IN THE SUBURBS OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA AND PITTSBURGH, AREAS WHERE HE DID OKAY BUT NOT AS WELL AS OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE.

AND SO, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY BIG FACTORS.

CAN HE GET MORE SUPPORT IN THOSE AREAS WHERE HE DID WELL?

CAN HE GET BETTER SUPPORT IN AREAS WHERE HE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE MIDDLE?

>> Sreenivasan: I'M ASSUMING THAT JOBS ARE ON TOP OF MIND FOR PEOPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS.

HOW'S THE LOCAL ECONOMY DOING?

HAVE THEY FELT RELIEF?

>> I MEAN, JOBS HAD BEEN TOP OF MIND IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

WE'RE A STATE WITH A CHANGING ECONOMY.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN IN DECLINE HERE, AND REALLY NOTHING HAS RISEN TO TAKE ITS PLACE.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST RAPIDLY RISING SECTORS HERE IS, YOU KNOW, CONSUMER SERVICES, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THOSE ARE OFTEN JOBS THAT DON'T PAY VERY WELL.

SO, YOU'LL SEE JOE BIDEN SAYING THINGS LIKE "WE NEED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN UNIONS IN THIS STATE."

WHEREAS YOU SEE TRUMP SAYING, "I'M GOING TO BRING BACK MINING AND MANUFACTURING" AND POINTING TO A COUPLE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF FACTORIES THAT HAVE EITHER COME TO PENNSYLVANIA OR ARE STILL IN PENNSYLVANIA.

SO, CERTAINLY JOBS IS A BIG, BIG ISSUE.

>> Sreenivasan: KATIE MYER FROM WHYY, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Sreenivasan: EVERY YEAR, THE U.S. OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT TYPICALLY DRAWS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS TO THE BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER IN FLUSHING, QUEENS.

BUT THIS YEAR, AS WITH MANY OTHER SPORTING EVENTS, THERE WILL BE NO FANS IN THE STANDS WHEN THE WOMEN'S AND MEN'S FINALS TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND.

I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH MICHAEL DOWSE, C.E.O.

OF THE U.S. TENNIS ASSOCIATION, ABOUT THIS YEAR'S TOURNAMENT AND HOW THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS IMPACTING THE GROWTH OF THE SPORT.

IN THE PANDEMIC, ARE MORE PEOPLE PLAYING TENNIS?

>> YEAH, HARI, TENNIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SPORTS THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC STRONGER THAN EVER.

WE KNOW LAST YEAR, BASED OFF MARKET RESEARCH AND DATA, THAT ABOUT 6% OF THE POPULATION PLAY TENNIS SINCE SPRING 2019.

WE KNOW THIS YEAR, JUST OVER 10% OF THE POPULATION'S PLAYING TENNIS.

SO, EVERYONE'S FINDING TENNIS IS PERFECT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT PROVIDES THE SOCIAL ACTIVITY EVERYONE MISSED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; IT'S ALSO INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING AND, MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY IS, IT'S A LOT OF FUN TO PLAY TENNIS.

>> Sreenivasan: SO, WHAT HAPPENS TO, I GUESS, THE BUSINESS OF TENNIS?

I MEAN, WE'RE COMING OFF OF THE U.S. OPEN HERE, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY IN THE STANDS.

I MEAN, THAT HAS TO IMPACT YOUR REVENUE.

>> YEAH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF COMPONENTS TO THE-- KIND OF THE ECONOMICS OF TENNIS.

SPECIFIC TO THE U.S.T.A., IT'S CHALLENGING.

OUR REVENUE, OR NET OPERATING INCOME, IS GOING TO BE DOWN 80% THIS YEAR WITHOUT FANS IN THE GATE OR OUR SPONSOR REVENUE THAT WE GENERATE HERE ON SITE.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH.

WE STILL HAVE RESERVES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO NEARLY MATCH LAST YEAR'S TOTAL COMPENSATION.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND OUR MISSION, WHICH IS TO PROMOTE AND GROW THE SPORT.

AND WE'VE CONTRIBUTED OVER $50 MILLION THIS YEAR TO THAT GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE.

>> Sreenivasan: HOW ARE THE PLAYERS ADAPTING?

IS THIS EASIER FOR A PLAYER TO PLAY IN AN EMPTY STADIUM?

>> IT'S BEEN A REAL MIXED BAG, HARI.

HONESTLY, SOME OF THE PLAYERS I THINK ARE STRUGGLING WITHOUT THE FANS BEHIND THEM WHERE OTHERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS AND DIAL IN MORE.

SO, IT'S REALLY BEEN A MIXED BAG.

AND FRANKLY, IT PROBABLY GOES BACK TO WHETHER THEY'RE WINNING OR LOSING, THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT IT.

>> Sreenivasan: WHAT KIND OF PRECAUTIONS DID YOU TAKE AND HOW DID IT WORK?

>> THE PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN UNBELIEVABLE.

I WAS LOOKING AT SOME NUMBERS TODAY.

WE'VE BEEN IN THIS CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT JUST UNDER FOUR WEEKS.

WE HAD OVER 12,000 TESTS, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD NO POSITIVE TESTS DURING THE U.S. OPEN.

WE HAD A COUPLE OF POSITIVE PRIOR TO THE U.S. OPEN.

WE'VE ACTUALLY-- A STATISTIC THAT BLEW ME AWAY, WE DO DAILY HEALTH CHECKS-- WE'VE TAKEN OVER 49,000 DAILY TEMPERATURE CHECKS OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS.

SO, AGAIN, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE'RE THROWING EVERYTHING WE CAN AT IT THROUGH THESE DAILY HEALTH CHECKS, TESTING, ET CETERA.

>> Sreenivasan: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE KEY WAS?

BECAUSE IT SEEMS FOR THE N.B.A.

OR THE N.H.L., IT'S TO KEEP EVERYBODY IN A BUBBLE.

>> ESSENTIALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.

WE CALL IT A CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT.

OUR ENVIRONMENT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE N.B.A.

IN THAT WE HAVE PLAYERS COMING IN FROM OVER 60 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

AND SO, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ISOLATE THEM FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY STARTED COMPETING.

SO, THAT'S WHERE WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND OUR MEDICAL EXPERTS TO DEVISE A TESTING SYSTEM THAT WOULD CATCH A POSITIVE TEST RIGHT AWAY AND ALLOW US TO ISOLATE IT AND PREVENT ANY TYPE OF BREAKOUT.

AND, KNOCK ON WOOD, WITH TWO DAYS TO GO, IT'S BEEN WORKING WONDERFULLY.

>> Sreenivasan: MICHAEL, WHILE IT IS GREAT TO WATCH SOME OF THE GREATEST TENNIS PLAYERS WIN TOURNAMENT AFTER TOURNAMENT, IN SOME WAYS, IT GETS A LITTLE BORING, AND YOU WANT TO SEE WHO'S COMING UP.

THIS OPEN, THE WAY THAT IT'S HAPPENED, WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOME NEW TALENT.

>> OH, IT'S EXCITING.

BEFORE SEMIFINALS ON THE MEN'S SIDE, NONE OF THEM HAVE WON A GRAND SLAM IN THE PAST.

SO, WE WILL HAVE A NEW CHAMPION AT THE GRAND SLAM COMING OUT OF THIS TOURNAMENT.

ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE, WE'VE SEEN EQUALLY A NUMBER OF NEW PLAYERS COMING INTO THE SEMIFINALS.

SO, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME FOR TENNIS AND A LOT OF NEW PLAYERS, KIND OF A CHANGING OF THE GUARD, FOR THAT MATTER.

>> Sreenivasan: SO, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT TENNIS BECOMES MORE ACCESSIBLE, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND TALENT THAT IS A 10-YEAR-OLD TODAY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE CONSIDERED TENNIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY OR A POSSIBILITY FOR THEMSELVES?

>> YEAH, WE CALL IT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT.

ULTIMATELY, THE BEST PLAYER DEVELOPMENT IS GETTING MORE PLAYERS.

IF WE HAVE A MILLION NEW PLAYERS PLAYING IN OUR SPORT OR A MILLION NEW CHILDREN PLAYING OUR SPORT, THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT MANY MORE AMERICANS COMPETING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

BUT OUR MISSION IS ALL ABOUT PROMOTING AND GROWING THE SPORT, AND THAT'S CONSTANTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE HAVE 17 SECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES REACHING OUT TO DIVERSE POPULATIONS TO ATTRACT, ENGAGE AND RETAIN NEW PEOPLE TO OUR SPORT ON A DAILY BASIS.

>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT, MICHAEL DOWSE, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, HARI.

>> Sreenivasan: THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND FROM THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE FROM HERE TOMORROW.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES, VISIT www.pbs.org/newshour.

I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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