Hey everybody, welcome to the Michael Steel Podcast. I'm Michael Steel. It's

such a pleasure to have you with us. As you are still probably enjoying your

coronavirus lockdown with some coronavirus beer and some coronavirus alcohol.

You know, things so so much better when you put coronavirus in front of you, right?

No, not at all. But I'm so glad you guys are with us at least. I hope everyone's

doing well and are safe. Lots been happening. A lot of developments nationally

with states opening them up, opening up, see that coronavirus beer and just

people now trying to assess and evaluate what this new space is going to look like.

There are eye sensors, a great deal of hesitancy out there to just go headlong

into normal activities. But to help us kind of understand that along with a lot

of other aspects of the period that we find ourselves and not just coronavirus related

is a gentleman I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the past few years as

we've sat next to each other on set on Morning Joe and other shows on MSNBC. Really one

of the smartest guys that I know out there on a host of issues, the honorable Dr. Richard

Hass is a veteran diplomat, a prominent voice on American foreign policy and an established

leader of nonprofit institutions. He's currently the president of the Council of Foreign Relations,

which is a phenomenally good organization doing some important work out there. 2013 he

served as the chair of the multi-party negotiations in Northern Ireland that provided the foundation

for the 2014 Stormont House agreement, earning him the 2013 temporary International Peace

Award. And from 2001 to 2003 Dr. Hass was director of policy planning for the Department

of State. The good doctors also served as a US coordinated for foreign policy toward

the future of Afghanistan and US envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process. He is the

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