Interview with Jim Bishay

1. Interview with Jim Bishay (Part 1): By: Angel Perez, Conservative Real News Network Angel: Welcome Mr. Bishay to CRN, so glad to have the opportunity to finally interview you. Mr. Bishay is an independent thinker and a board member of CRN Jim Bishay: So glad to be with you Angel: So, Jim, what is your opinion on the current state of our Union? Jim Bishay: I have been around, right! I never thought I would see a day of such polarity in this nation as I am seeing right now. Angel: Do you think that is necessarily a bad thing? Jim Bishay: Well, yes! Democracy is good. Division is not! Different opinion is good, hate is not. True democracy is rooted in what is best for the country, not what is best for my political party! Angel: What do you say to those who say that Trump has brought division to this nation, in a way that we have never seen before? Jim Bishay: Well, some people may say that or may even believe it. But the facts are the facts. The president was never accepted by our friends on the other side of the aisle. As a matter of fact, he has fought through unparalleled opposition from day 1. This was not a fight over issues, this has always been a political fight. I do not believe it has been fair to him, or to any citizen for that matter Angel: Do you think political opposition was just merely out to get him? Jim Bishay: How else do you explain it? Before he took office, he was a target by the FBI, a foreign intelligence operative, and definitely by unfair media. Angel: Do you think it was prudent for the president to declare war on the media by -for example- coining “Fake News?” Jim Bishay: Well, I know you follow closely all the news, and you see how his sentences get chopped up and some words utterly twisted. Look, I think the

2. president wouldn’t like anything more than fairness from the media. But when he is repeatedly attacked on all levels like no president ever before, what do you expect him to say? Yes, I agree with the term fake news. I think he is a smart and kind person. And yes, it is the highest public office in the land, but that does not justify “zero accountability” of the news media to truthfulness and simply verifying the facts. Angel: Understood! So, you obviously support the president, do you 100% approve of the job he is doing? Jim Bishay: Well, we all need to support our president regardless of my affiliation. I am registered “Independent,” I supported all of our previous presidents. Not to support him is like being a part of an organization, and not supporting its vision or mission Angel: But what do you think of his performance thus far? Jim Bishay: It has been excellent! That is “not” my opinion. The economy is doing great, indices are record high on Wall Street, unemployment is record low, especially among African Americans and Latinos. Angel: True! Jim Bishay: But that is not all, unprecedented balanced “Trade Agreements” that should have been in place decades ago… we are not in a war with N. Korea…etc. Angel: Switching gears a little bit, we hear nowadays about what is going on in Wuhan, China. The president closed our borders to China. He is getting a lot of flak for it. Do you think it is right to do so? Jim Bishay: 100%! Unless you want thousands more Americans to die. From the look of it, it is out of control there. They are trying to hide it and contain it, but it looks very bad over there. I hear they have mass cremations there. Angel: Thank you Mr. Bishay, we will pick up for part 2 in the next interview Jim Bishay: You are very welcome. It has been a pleasure. Angel: This concludes Part 1 of our interview with Mr. Bishay. Stay tuned for Part 2.

3. Interview with Jim Bishay (Part 2): By: Angel Perez, Conservative Real News Network Angel: Welcome back Mr. Bishay to CRN. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of interviewing you on some current issues that are facing us as a nation, and boy, did our world change ever since! Jim Bishay: It did indeed Angel: We have a lot to cover today. If we do not get through it all, we would like to have a continuation, if that is okay with you? Jim Bishay: I would be glad to! Angel: So, at the time of our first interview, one of the last questions that I asked you was about the Coronavirus. At that time the president had the border closed to China. A lot has happened and there’s a lot I’d like to cover. Jim Bishay: Sure! Angel: Well, how do you rate the president’s handling of the pandemic crisis thus far? Jim Bishay: 8 or 9 Angel: What do you say, then, to the critics that say that he has wasted about 4-6 weeks from the time he closed the border until we started seeing cases in the US? Jim Bishay: Good question! Well, the president is not a physician or a virologist with expertise in infectious diseases and public health. We all know that he relies on NIH and CDC for that. He has listened to all their recommendations. He was willing to help China control it, not knowing that it was already likely in the US spreading like wildfire. In those days, late February, even the so-called World Health Organization (W.H.O.) were still against closing any borders and saying, the disease is not an aerosol contagious virus, a despicable Chinese lie. He did not have a crystal ball!

4. Angel: Fair enough! Speaking of China, most news outlets believe that China was not forthcoming, and many Republican Congressional leaders are asking for China to be held accountable. I am curious about your views on that!? Jim Bishay: China! Where should I start? Let me tell you there is a good book I was reading called “The Hundred-Year Marathon. China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower” by Michael Pillsbury. I was skeptical, like many, about the “wet market” story. And now we know that that strain of virus comes from bats that are over 600Km away from Wuhan. There is no doubt in my mind that the virus was initiated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Not only was it initiated there, but I am of the belief that it was unleashed on the US and the West by the Chinese Communist Party. So in essence, you could say as a biological weapon!! Angel: Wow! So far, I have not heard it this way, not from the president or even from skeptical senators such as Tom Cotton. Jim Bishay: Well, politics often has much to do with what the president, his administration, and others can and cannot say. Angel: But, let us go with your theory anyways. Wouldn’t be counter intuitive for China to leash the virus on its own people first. Jim Bishay: Well, let me remind you how communism started and how it thrived, and continues to thrive: at the expense of its own people. China does not have a problem to even lose a million of its people if that means power to the regime, and more importantly upsetting the balance of powers in the world, once and for all. The US could tentatively lose up to 40% of its economy as a result. Let alone the “domino effect” on the rest of the globe. China has had hopes to get away with murder. We shall see! Angel: On this note, we will conclude right here. I still have many questions, so we will have to pick up the conversation next time. Thank you very much, Jim, for your time. Jim Bishay: Likewise. You are very welcome.

5. Interview with Jim Bishay (Part 3): By: Angel Perez, Conservative Real News Network Angel: Jim, good to see you again! Jim Bishay: Same here! Angel: So, last week we started talking about China and its handling of the coronavirus...etc. Jim Bishay: Yes. Angel: Let me ask you, do you believe that China poses a national security threat to the US, and may be to the world as well? Jim Bishay: Undoubtedly, on many levels. We used to think of a threat to “NS” (National Security) as a military threat. It’s much more than that. China poses a threat to our freedom, our health, and our economy. For example, China produces most of the global APIs (The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) that are essential in any medication, including antibiotics, pain killers, and countless therapeutics. Angel: Do you see globalization retracting in the coming years? Jim Bishay: To an extent. I do not see China being the “Walmart” of the world for long. Every country, not just in the US, and across many industries, there is a serious assessment of their dependency on China and Chinese products. Angel: Do you think the world -and the US- will hold China accountable? Jim Bishay: I hope so. Angel: Now, the economy is literally on everyone’s mind. Do you believe that we will see the “V” shape recovery some economists hope for? Jim Bishay: That would be great, but frankly unlikely. We are in uncharted waters. There are no experts to tell us when is the optimum time and how to re-open the economy. There are many unanswered questions about the virus, the acquired

6. immunity for those who were infected; and there is no vaccine in the near future. Does that mean we just stay sheltered-at-home and ruin the rest of the economy. Certainly not! But we have to take some calculated risks and re-open the economy as businesses implement strict health safety measures. Angel: So, is it fair to say that you do not see a “V-shaped” recovery curve? Jim Bishay: I highly doubt it. We may see a slow GDP recovery in Q3 & Q4. But I assume that full recovery could take years to come, assuming we do not have insurgence of the virus again, or another emerging pandemic all-together. Angel: So, what would you say to someone who lost his means of living -job or business- and is wondering what to do? Jim Bishay: I would say, this is not the end. It is just a new beginning with new norms. The faster we adapt to them, the better we would be prepared to succeed. I would say “keep the hope alive.” I would say take comfort in the bright side of things, Think Positively! Angel: Any practical advice for them? Jim Bishay: Take this opportunity to improve and reinvent yourself. Learn new skills or do the things you dreamt to do for a long time. And most importantly, be thankful for the little things, all the things we all take for granted. Angel: Very well! On this subject, I want to ask you in one word, what keeps you going? Jim Bishay: My faith! I guess that is two words. Angel: Do you believe that this crisis will cause a spiritual awakening? Jim Bishay: I believe so. We like to think we are always in control. But the truth of the matter is that God almighty gives us the strength in each breath we take. Angel: So, do you not regard believing in God -or depending on Him- as a weakness?

7. Jim Bishay: To the contrary, it is strength. Jesus, God’s own son, depended on the Father and prayed unceasingly. He was God in the flesh who lives forever and He prayed. I can tell you; I pray every day and many times throughout the day. Angel: Well, thank you for the entire 3-part interview and best wishes for your upcoming online program. Jim Bishay: Thank you very much for having me.