1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 2: From at North Carolina at the governor Mansion with Governor 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 2: Lloyd Cooper. 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining Bloomberg TV. Glad to 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: be here. Thanks. Your state is. 6 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: Getting more interesting by the day, and it's really in 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 2: focus now given this explosive report overnight from CNN about 8 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: the sitting Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson. He's also the good 9 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: editorial candidate on the Republican side. Salacious, explicit, very offensive 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 2: words he was using on a porn forum. He's come 11 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 2: out and said this is trash tabloids. Do you think 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 2: this changes the race? 13 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 3: Well, these comments were shocking, but they really weren't surprising 14 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 3: for Mark Robinson. He has a history of these kinds 15 00:00:52,760 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: of inflammatory comments that completely disrespect women, that incite violence. 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: We've known for a while that. 17 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 3: He was someone who is unfit for office. Not only 18 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 3: should he not have been elected to the office he's in, 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 3: he certainly doesn't need to be governor of the state. 20 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 3: I think it makes it even more certain that Josh Stein, 21 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: our attorney general, will be elected as governor. But I 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 3: also think that Donald Trump and North Carolina Republican leaders 23 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 3: have continued to encourage and support Mark Robinson, and now 24 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 3: they're having to reap what they are sewing. 25 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: But is it a distraction in the short term or 26 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: is this a liability come November fifth? 27 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 3: Well, I think for anyone who has been supporting, encouraging 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 3: Mark Robinson, this a liability because voters are going to 29 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 3: look at the fact that Donald Trump and these Republican 30 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 3: leaders knew Mark Robinson character, They knew who he was, 31 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 3: the kinds of things that he was saying. This is 32 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 3: very on brand for Mark Robinson, and it should hurt 33 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 3: their candidacies as well as Mark Robinson. 34 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: Do you think it will I believe it will. 35 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: Yes. 36 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: Do you think Kamala Harris could benefit from this? Well? 37 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 3: I believe even before this that Kamala Harris was on 38 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 3: track to make history and win North Carolina. The last 39 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 3: Democratic nominee was Barack Obama, who won North Carolina. This 40 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 3: was Biden Harris's closest loss in twenty twenty one point 41 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 3: three percent. There's that sane excitement that I felt in 42 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: two thousand and eight here in North Carolina in twenty 43 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 3: twenty four, I think North Carolina can make history again, 44 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 3: and I think this makes it more likely because Donald 45 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: Trump has embraced Mark Robinson for quite a while and 46 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 3: he's still to this day hasn't said anything negative about 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 3: Mark Robinson. 48 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 2: Well, he'll be here tomorrow, so potentially he'll have to 49 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: comment on it. But just about winning North Carolina for 50 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: the Democrats, you mentioned Barack Obama. He only won it 51 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: though in two thousand and eight, only his first term. 52 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: Why is this a state that. 53 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: Is willing to vote for Democrats at the state level, 54 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 2: You've benefited from that, but not at the national level. 55 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 3: Well, Carolynians are very independent and they will split their ticket. 56 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 3: We've seen this time and time again, so this is 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 3: not unusual. We're very purple state. 58 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: We're always going to be close. 59 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 3: And I'll tell you this, Donald Trump has to win 60 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 3: North Carolina in order to be president. If Kamala Harris 61 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 3: can win this race here, and we believe she can, 62 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 3: she's the next president of the United States. 63 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: The top issue in national local polls has been inflation. 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: Do you find that voters are more willing to blame 65 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: the politicians in Washington, d c. 66 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: And not the local ones. 67 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 3: Well, people are frustrated with paying more at the grocery store. 68 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 3: They're frustrated that their dollars doesn't go as far. It's 69 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 3: pretty clear that Kamala Harris has worked very hard to 70 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 3: help control costs. She's worked to make sure that we've 71 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 3: got better paying jobs for people. But now she came 72 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 3: to North Carolina and rolled out her economic plan that's 73 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: going to help small businesses to help fight higher prices 74 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 3: at the grocery store. I think that is having an 75 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 3: effect already, that inflation is cooling in our country. I 76 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 3: think that's going to be positive for her, and I 77 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 3: think people have listened to her and believe that she 78 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 3: cares about middle class North Carolinians. Donald Trump only cares 79 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 3: about the wealthy and corporations and himself. 80 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,119 Speaker 2: So the rate of inflation has come down, but people 81 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: are still struggling with the level. 82 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: Of prices that's not coming down. 83 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 2: And a lot of things Kamala Harris talks about, you 84 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: need congressional support and it's very slim on details. Do 85 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 2: you think she needs to dive deeper into the policy 86 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: to discussions. 87 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: So she's rolled out a very specific plan, but she's 88 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 3: also aware that getting legislation through Congress requires a lot 89 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 3: of work and consensus building, and she was a key 90 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 3: part of the Biden Harris administration that got through the 91 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 3: Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the American Rescue Plan, 92 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 3: Chips and Science, all of this legislation that's going to 93 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 3: make generational investments. She was a part of doing it, 94 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 3: cast the deciding vote. Sometimes she understands that she's going 95 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 3: to have to get down into the details and find 96 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 3: ideas that work. You know, people talk about trying to 97 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 3: fight higher prices at the grocery store, and she's talked 98 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 3: about trying to fight those prices. There are ways to 99 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 3: do that. I'm excited about the fact that she's ready 100 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 3: to take this on. 101 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: The other top issue in this race, especially North Carolina 102 00:05:58,200 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: that when you look at the polls, is a born 103 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: this is something you've been focused on. 104 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: One thing I've gathered from. 105 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: All the polling is that voters in North Carolina seem 106 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 2: to on a middle ground. They seem to coalescing around say, 107 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 2: fifteen weeks as. 108 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: A cutoff for abortion. 109 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: Do you think this is something Democrats and Republicans could 110 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 2: compromise on. 111 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 3: I think you can't compromise on women's right to choose. 112 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 3: I don't think that you can compromise on the fact 113 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 3: that we've got women who are in danger of dying 114 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 3: because doctors are afraid of the government coming in and 115 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 3: getting between them and their patient. That's exactly what's happening 116 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: across the country. Donald Trump, History. 117 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: Of North Carolina. 118 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, we are because we have a twelve week abortion ban, 119 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 3: and not only that, but with more requirements, a seventy 120 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 3: two hour requirement that many women have a difficult time facing. 121 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 3: They've put in a lot of other restrictions. So there 122 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 3: is an abortion and banned in North Carolina that passed 123 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: over my veto by one vote. Every Republican voted to 124 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 3: override my veto, every Democrat voted to sustain it. 125 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: So it came from twenty to twelve. 126 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 2: But do you think there could be a compromise for 127 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 2: say something like fifteen or sixteen weeks? 128 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 3: So you can't talk about women's health in that way 129 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 3: because many of these cases are very complicated and often 130 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 3: involve parents who really want to have children but have 131 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: extraordinary complications. This is an issue that should be left 132 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 3: to women and their doctors. And that's why people like 133 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 3: Donald Trump, people like Mark Robinson are dangerous because they 134 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 3: believe that politicians should be in that exam room with 135 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: women and their doctors, and that there should be hard 136 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 3: and fast rules. And what happens is you endanger women's lives, 137 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 3: you take away what should be their constitutional rights. 138 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 2: The Forum president has said he wants to leave it 139 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 2: up to states. Is something that you're dealing with now 140 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: with your Republican led legislature. I just want to end 141 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 2: on your future because if you think Kamala Harris is 142 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 2: going to win North Carolina, you'll be the man to 143 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 2: help deliver those electoral votes for her. What do you 144 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: have in sight? Is it the Court of Saint James? 145 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: Is it attorney General? 146 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,559 Speaker 3: So what I have in site is the finish line 147 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 3: of my term as governor. You know, I want to 148 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 3: run through the take. There's so much happening here, investing 149 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 3: these generational dollars for our children and grandchildren. 150 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: I love public service. 151 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 3: I'll see what's next after this. 152 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: So you're not done yet. 153 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 2: You're not going to politics after a beautiful governor's. 154 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: Mansion, I don't think so. 155 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: I do like public service. 156 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: And we'll see what happens. Do you think that there 157 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: needs to be a different almost more trust. 158 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 2: In the DOJ right now that we're seeing is that 159 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 2: something you think you could bring to a Department of Justice. 160 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 3: So I'm not going to get into what other cabinet 161 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 3: position that I may or may not be involved in. 162 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 3: What I do know is that Kamala Harris has got 163 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 3: to win before she can make those kinds of choices, 164 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 3: and we're going to work hard every day to make 165 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 3: sure she does well. 166 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: I think you're on the short list. Governor Roy Cooper, 167 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: thank you so much for your time. 168 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: Thanks a lot. 169 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 2: That was, of course, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, 170 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 2: a very swing state in this election.