1 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to this episode of Bleep. It's a very special episode. 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: I am in LA and I'm going to interview Mayor 3 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Karen Bass, who is running for reelection. Thank you so much, 4 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: Mayor Bass, for joining us this morning and forgiving us 5 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: the time. You know, I felt like I knew a 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: lot about you, and as I was doing research about 7 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: you for this interview, I realized I know precious little 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: about you. You were in Congress for over ten years, 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: you've been mayor of LA for almost a full term now, 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: But I feel like most people don't know who Karen 11 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: Bass is. So can you tell me about Karen Bass 12 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: the person, not the politician. 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: Sure, no, absolutely, and Karen does not become a politician 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: until way later in life. But I will tell you 15 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: that I'm born and raised in Los Angeles, and I 16 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 2: grew up during tumultuous times. Wanted to made a decision 17 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 2: that I wanted to spend my life in public service 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 2: as a child, but elected office was not what was 19 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 2: in my mind, and so I was involved for many 20 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 2: years in community related issues. That's what I did after work. 21 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 2: You know, your neighborhood issues, whether it's crime, policing or 22 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 2: issues like that. But then you know, I for a 23 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: job and a career. I worked in the medical field, 24 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: so I was a nurse for a number of years, 25 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: and I worked in the premature nursery with the babies, 26 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: and then I worked in the emergency room at County 27 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 2: General Hospital, which is one of the nation's largest trauma centers. 28 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 2: And I was also teaching full time at USC Medical School, 29 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: and I walked away from that. I could have been 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: long retired had I stayed there, but I walked away 31 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 2: from that because we were in an absolute crisis in LA. 32 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: We had a thousand and homicides in one year. It 33 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: was the height of the crips and the bloods and 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 2: crack cocaine and all of that. And I saw crack 35 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: as a health issue, people being addicted to this substance 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 2: that was very confusing. And then I saw the gang 37 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: involvement as a social and and economic issue. So I 38 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: started an organization to divert kids from ever getting involved 39 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: in gang activity, and then also to promote drug treatment 40 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 2: and drug rehabilitation, and that organization is now thirty six 41 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 2: years old. But I also focused a lot on recruiting 42 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 2: and training teenagers so they would become civically involved, and 43 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: the individual who headed up our youth organization is now 44 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 2: the president of the city Council, and when I leave town, 45 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: he's the acting mayor. So that was really the goal. 46 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 2: And then from there I ran from off I ran 47 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: for office, realizing I could work on the same issues 48 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: in Sacramento as I was in the commune unity, and 49 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 2: that was the same thing in terms of Congress. But 50 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 2: I walked away from Congress. Even though I really enjoyed 51 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: being in Congress, I walked away from that because again 52 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: we had a crisis again in LA with homelessness, and 53 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: you know, what you see on our streets now is 54 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: a lot better than what it was of you years ago, 55 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: where you had massive encampments everywhere. They still exist, but 56 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: we have reduced the number, and we were also at 57 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 2: a sixty year low in terms of gang related homicides. 58 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: A lot of the programs and pilots that we practiced 59 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 2: thirty years ago have been refined, studied, researched, and proved, 60 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: and I started an Office of Community Safety to institutionalize 61 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: that work. Violence prevention is what it is. 62 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: Well, you've told me about your professional life, but one 63 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: of the things I found out about researching you this 64 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: week is that you were married to a Latino. You 65 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: were married your first husband was a Mexican American. So 66 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: what was it like at that time to be a multicultural, 67 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: bicultural family. You were raising children as a black Latino family. 68 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: Yes, my daughter called herself a black Sagan. Unfortunately my 69 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 2: daughter passed away. But yes, my husband was a Mexican 70 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: American activist, just like I was an African American activist. 71 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: He was on one side of the city. I was 72 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 2: on another. But you know what I grew up believing 73 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: in and my entire life has been multicultural. We didn't 74 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: call it that so much then, but we identified with 75 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: each other's issues. We identified with I always identified with 76 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: immigrant rights back from you know, being a teenager, and 77 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 2: so we would come together in citywide protests to do 78 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 2: I mean, the last time I was well, Immigration reformed 79 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty six with Simpson Mazzoli and we were all acting. 80 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: You know. 81 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: That's how I became a US citizen. I my family, 82 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: who's from Nkaraua, applied for the Reagan Amnesty. It was 83 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: Ronald Reagan that signed it in nineteen eighty six, and 84 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: we had come here as political refugees from Nicarawa. But 85 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: I ended up becoming a legal resident and then a 86 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: citizen thanks to Simpson Massoli. So the Republicans who hate 87 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: me now they can blame Ronald Reagan for that. 88 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: Exactly right, exactly right. I remember his speeches. 89 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: I do too. They seem to have forgotten him. Now, you, 90 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: as I was looking at the numbers right now in 91 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: this reelection, you actually have a lot of challenges with 92 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: the Latino community. They are the make or break community 93 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: for an election in LA and forty four percent are 94 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: saying that they are still undecided. What do you think 95 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: you need to communicate to that? What are they missing 96 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: about Karen Bass and Mayor Bass. 97 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 2: I actually think that number might have gone down. I mean, 98 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: the undecideds were really high citywide, but now they're quite low. 99 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 2: So people are making decisions. And as far as I know, 100 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 2: looking at my latest polls, you know I'm leading in 101 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: the Latino community, and I was four years ago as well. 102 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 2: But I think it's all about getting the message out there. 103 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: And then you have the airwaves that are just flooded 104 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 2: with all the social media, and it's a question as 105 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: to how you communicate with the Latino population. So I 106 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: spent a lot of time on Spanish language radio, and 107 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 2: also investing because I don't believe in you just go 108 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 2: to ethnic media, you know, for freebies, and you don't 109 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: buy ads, and so you know, I am making an 110 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 2: investment in that as well. And so I think, you know, 111 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 2: back when I started Community Coalition, which was thirty six 112 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 2: years ago, it was built deliberately as an African American 113 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 2: Latino organization. So my roots are deep. My roots with 114 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 2: the immigrant rights organizations go back to the eighties, and 115 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: and so for when Ice invaded, which is how we 116 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 2: looked at it almost a year ago. I mean, in 117 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: two weeks it'll be a one year anniversary. It was 118 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: such and it was such a I don't even know 119 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: how to describe it. I don't think of words one 120 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: day to describe how awful it was. And I told 121 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: young people that were going through it, I said, you know, 122 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: I want you to know that you will remember these 123 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: days for the rest of your life. Thirty years from now, 124 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: you will remember when the city was invaded and people 125 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 2: were kidnapped, and your own government when hunting Latinos. 126 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: I have so many friends who live here in La 127 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: so many of the Latinos, and the entertainment industry, and 128 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: I think in a way it was definitely the worst 129 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: of times we saw in humanity and cruelty and a 130 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: government occupation like where I think many of us didn't 131 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 1: think could happen in the United States. But it also 132 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: brought the community together, and it was neighbors standing up 133 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: for neighbor, and it was black standing up for their 134 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: Latinos and whites standing up for immigrants. It was, you know, 135 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: it was people being human at the basic level of humanity, 136 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: without all of the labels and the niches and the 137 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: ethnicities and all of the hyphenates. It was we're all 138 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: in this together, and we're being we're under attack by 139 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: an authoritarian government. You showed up, You showed up where 140 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: the raids were going on. You stood up, you locked 141 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: arm in arm with the immigration activists. What happens if 142 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: this happens again, or when it happens again? What I 143 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: you know, I I I'm sure you've noticed in the 144 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: last couple of months there's been a marked change by 145 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: the Trump administration. I think they realized after Minneapolis that 146 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: their immigration tactics, their Greg Bovino wearing the Nazi uniform, 147 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: the dragging of pregnant women. The assassination of American citizens 148 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: in the street of the United States had shocked the 149 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: conscience and outraged Americans. And they've tried to get immigration 150 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,359 Speaker 1: out of the headlines and try to make us forget 151 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: the horrible shit they have done since Trump got in office. 152 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: But I keep thinking after the midterms they're going to 153 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: be back because Steve Miller is not going to give 154 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 1: up and Donald Trump is not going to give up, 155 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: and their ultimate goal is to get rid of as 156 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: many people that look like you and look like me 157 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: as they possibly can. So if you get re elected mayor, 158 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: what do you do when this happens again. If it 159 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: happens again, well, let. 160 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: Me tell you that it was one of the worst 161 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 2: moments ever, but it was also one of the best 162 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: in terms of what you said. I was so proud 163 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: of my city. There was not a crack anywhere, you know. 164 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 2: I think that they might have thought that this was 165 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: going to divide the cities, and you saw that it 166 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 2: did not divide the cities. La stood strong. There was 167 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 2: no part of the city that thought that this was okay, 168 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 2: and people banded together to protect their neighbors. And I 169 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 2: think from that people learned how to do that, and 170 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 2: so I certainly hope it does not happen again. But 171 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: one of the things that I've tried to talk to 172 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: people about, especially younger people that have not gone through 173 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 2: periods of repression, is that you know, you got to 174 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: stand strong, and your protest is critically important. You must protest, 175 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: but it absolutely positively, especially with this administration, has to 176 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 2: be peaceful. Otherwise you will just call up and just 177 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: invite the administration to send the military. But our young 178 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: people don't really you know that, because they haven't experienced this, 179 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 2: and so getting people to protest in a massive way 180 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 2: and having people understand the lessons from the civil rights 181 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 2: movement and the power of nonviolent protests, and then we 182 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 2: threw everything at them. I mean, you know, I've done 183 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 2: a number of executive directives you know, around ice, but 184 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 2: we've also sued in every way that we possibly can, 185 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: and you know, much to my surprise, we know, when 186 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 2: this was in the midst of it, I didn't have 187 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 2: any hope or faith in the courts because the courts 188 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 2: have been you know, changed in a very negative way. 189 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: But you know what, down the line, it was so 190 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 2: egregious that there were some changes, you know, and there 191 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: were some good court decisions. So right now we have 192 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 2: one pending over the masking because it's like, how do 193 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 2: you justify being masked that you're you're worried about yourself? 194 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 2: Well what about the lapd there here every day and 195 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 2: then they're not in masks, so you know, so why 196 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 2: should you be? But I think that now it won't 197 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 2: be a shock this time. We will know how to 198 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 2: join together out in the streets immediately. But more important 199 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 2: than that, Angelina's will know how. 200 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: To help other Angelina's. There's a new secretary of Department 201 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: of Homeland Security that of course oversees Ice. You served 202 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: with him in Congress, you work together on legislation. I'm 203 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: talking about Mark Wayne Mullen. Has he reached out to you? 204 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: Have you reached out to him? 205 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, we have spoken. 206 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: And what have those conversations been? Like, well, it was just. 207 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 2: One, but let me just explain. Yes, I had a 208 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 2: good relationship with Mark Wayne. As a matter of fact, 209 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: one of the things I did when I was in 210 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 2: Congress was I started a caucus for Foster youth and 211 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 2: he was one of my CoA chairs. I wanted it 212 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 2: to be bipartisan. You know, he's Native American and so 213 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 2: the foster care issue is an important issue to Native 214 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 2: Americans and we worked together well. So yes, I called 215 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: him and expressed my concerns about the World Cup because 216 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 2: the World Cup is wide or watched than the Olympics, 217 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 2: and the World Cup is in just a few days. 218 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: Basically June twelfth is the opening game for the World Cup, 219 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 2: and you know, I don't want people to be terrorized 220 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 2: or terrified, and so, you know, the World Cup is 221 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 2: basically for the elite of the world. I mean, nobody 222 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 2: can afford tickets to the World Cup. But what we're 223 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 2: doing is we're having a series of community celebrations. We 224 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 2: have about one hundred venues, and I really want the 225 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: World Cup to be an infusion of money into these 226 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 2: neighborhoods that were traumatized by Trump. So we're going to 227 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 2: do one massive watch party. And it's across it's in 228 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 2: the middle of the Central American part of the city. 229 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 2: And those restaurants around there they catered to the Central 230 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 2: American population. They some of them have gone out of 231 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 2: business because their workforce doesn't want to come in and 232 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,439 Speaker 2: the customers don't want to come in to hear restaurant 233 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 2: owners say that this is worse than COVID when everything 234 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 2: was shut down because people also aren't ordering, they don't 235 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 2: want to pick up food and they don't want food delivered. 236 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 2: And so when we have these celebrations that last days 237 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 2: and days, this is going to be a massive infusion 238 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 2: of money into these businesses. So I see the World 239 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: Cup and the Olympics as ways to uplift our community. 240 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 2: So my conversation with Mark Wayne was essentially about, you know, 241 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 2: I don't believe they're going to be ice rags during 242 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 2: the World Cup. I don't because I think these events 243 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 2: are too important to the president. 244 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: And not to mention that the head of a FIFA, 245 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: the organization that organizes the World Cup, has been sucking 246 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: up to Trump for years now, gave him a made 247 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: up peace prize, and I think has doing that has 248 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: been able to get some concessions out of Trump when 249 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: it comes to how they're going to treat the World Cup. 250 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: But I have read, and I don't know if you 251 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: know the statistics on this or if this is happening 252 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: in LA, that the number of tourists that they were expecting, 253 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: the number of hotel reservations that they were expecting from 254 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: worldwide tourists coming in to see the World Cup are 255 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: not materializing in the United States. Is that the case 256 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: in LA, Well. 257 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: It's not what we expected it to be, and so 258 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 2: we'll see. We do still see a steady stream coming 259 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 2: through again, because these are the games for the elite world. 260 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 2: I'm not sure that the people flying their private jets 261 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 2: and are going to be too worried about ice. 262 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: You know, another industry. You talked about the economic impact 263 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: of the immigration raids. So many restaurants, as you mentioned, 264 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: have closed at every level, from Michelin Star to food trucks. 265 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: But there's also there's also a great deal of exodus 266 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: and flight going on in Hollywood, which is such an iconic, 267 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: symbolic and significant industry for LA. The amount of productions 268 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: that have been lost to other states and to other 269 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: countries grows daily. And the trickle down effect of that, 270 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: because it's not just the actors, and it's not just 271 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: the producers, it's the caterers. It's I mean, it's so 272 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: such a big part of your of your city and 273 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: your economy. What can you do about that? And what 274 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: are you doing about that? 275 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 2: Sure? Well, I do have to tell you that in 276 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 2: spite of all of that, productions are increasing in LA. 277 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 2: Shows that had left are coming back. And this started 278 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 2: with when the tax credits, even before the governor signed it, 279 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 2: when it looked like it was clear that it was 280 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 2: going to be signed and passed. Then productions started coming back. 281 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: And so we've had a ten percent increase in one area, 282 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 2: forty percent in another area. We still have a long 283 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 2: way to go. But what I did here is I 284 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 2: came up with a series of executive directives, using my 285 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 2: power as mayor to lower the cost of filming here. 286 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 2: So doing things like, for example, one of our iconic locations, 287 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 2: the Griffith Park Observatory, I used to cost one hundred 288 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: thousand dollars to film there. I cut it by seventy percent. 289 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 2: I reduced the number of city staff that have to 290 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 2: be on location. That reduces the cost because the productions 291 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 2: would have to pay for it, even further reductions for 292 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:24,360 Speaker 2: smaller productions. So I sat with I established an Entertainment 293 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 2: Industry committee once I took over, and I've been working 294 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 2: directly with them on what type of policies would help 295 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 2: make filming easier. So our first effort was advocating on 296 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 2: the state, and then the second effort was implementing in LA. 297 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 2: The other thing they wanted is one individual that they 298 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 2: could talk to, which basically amounts to us providing a 299 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: concierge service so that the permitting, which I have also expedited, 300 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 2: goes through quickly. So the barriers where you know, I 301 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 2: think for decades the city took the film industry for 302 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 2: This is an issue I've worked on for many, many years. 303 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 2: When I was in Sacramento and served as Speaker of 304 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 2: the House. In my last term, I did the first 305 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 2: tax credits, and then when I went off to Congress, 306 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 2: I worked on intellectual property from the Judiciary Committee. So 307 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 2: I have a very long history of working with the industry, 308 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 2: but I believe in having them at the table to 309 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 2: do the policies together. 310 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: I'm staying in Beverly Hills. I've been talking to every 311 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: Angelino who will talk to me, and I feel like 312 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: there's this low morale going on in the city. One 313 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: of my friends said to me, it feels some parts 314 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: of this city feel like Detroit in in the nineteen eighties. 315 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: Somebody else said to me, LA needs a wartime general 316 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: and that's not what Karen Bass is. Yesterday, I was 317 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: speaking to a woman who works at the restaurant at 318 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: the hotel I'm staying at, and I said, I'm gonna 319 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: be speaking to your mayor. What should I ask her? 320 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: And she said to me, I'm afraid. I live in 321 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,719 Speaker 1: the Miracle Mile and I'm just afraid of the crime 322 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: and the homelessness and what I see when I walk home. 323 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: How do you answer some of those some of those comments, well. 324 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 2: You know, and the thing about those comments too is 325 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 2: that I do not believe you answer people like that 326 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 2: with statistics, because I will tell you the statistics paid 327 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 2: an entirely different picture. But it's how people feel. It's 328 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 2: how people feel. And in the Miracle Mile, which is 329 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 2: an area that I stay in as well, we just 330 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 2: opened up our rail line just a couple of weeks ago, 331 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 2: and so it is an area that has been depressed 332 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 2: for a number of years while why the rail line 333 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 2: was being built. So the businesses above ground, you know, 334 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 2: have definitely suffered, many have gone under. We will see 335 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 2: that re emerge now that the line is open. But 336 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: you know, we have reduced street homelessness, which was the big, 337 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: big issue. As I mentioned that beginning and crime is 338 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 2: at a sixty year low. But again my belief is 339 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 2: is that when you have a spike, and at different 340 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,479 Speaker 2: points in time we've had spikes. Recently there were a 341 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 2: series of burglaries happening in very affluent areas. It's actually 342 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 2: international organized crime people who are coming in for a 343 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 2: few days with very specific plans to steal in certain 344 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 2: areas and then leaving the country again. And they were 345 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 2: able to resolve that of just a few days ago. 346 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 2: They made a rest of the crime ring that was 347 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 2: doing that. So it's difficult though for me to say that. 348 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: And then you live on a block where the robberies 349 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 2: took place, you have a crime crisis. So it's really 350 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: my job to make sure that people see what is 351 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 2: going on, but also that they feel safe. And wartime 352 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 2: general you could try that if you want, but I 353 00:20:55,840 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 2: think also it's a very difficult system here in terms 354 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 2: of the mayor and the city council and the way 355 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 2: that we are structured here. So a wartime general could 356 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 2: come in, but we'll quickly see that they cannot command 357 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 2: like they're in a war. 358 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: And I know that one of your priorities has been homelessness. 359 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,239 Speaker 1: One of the first things that you did when you 360 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: came in as mayor was to declare a homelessness state 361 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: of emergency. And you've taken a bunch of different actions, 362 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: some which I think you've admitted have worked better than others, 363 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: some which you've So how will you approach homelessness in 364 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: the next term if you get elected as opposed to 365 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: how you've approached it in the first time, or what 366 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 1: will you build upon? What will you do differently? 367 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 2: Sure well, I will tell you that what I will 368 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: build upon is our effort to get people off the street. 369 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 2: For example, just yesterday, our outreach team got seventy people 370 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 2: off the street out of a massive encampment. 371 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: That's the thing. 372 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 2: When you see these tents, you have no idea how 373 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 2: many people are there. 374 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: And so the people you'll get off the streets, are 375 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: they staying off the streets? How many go back? 376 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,679 Speaker 2: Sixty percent of them are staying off the street, forty 377 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 2: percent are We're not sure where they're going because this 378 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 2: system that has been in place for over three decades 379 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 2: was dysfunctional from the beginning. So I am focusing on 380 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 2: getting people off the street while completely transforming the system. 381 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 2: At the same time. So what I plan to do 382 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 2: moving forward is to continue getting people off the street 383 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 2: because that is the number one issue. I don't care 384 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 2: how many polls you take in the city about what 385 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 2: are the leading issues, it's homelessness, homelessness, homelessness. People want 386 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 2: to see folks off those streets. So what I have 387 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 2: done differently is you see you hear about encampments being 388 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 2: cleaned up, and then they return the next day. That's 389 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 2: not my program. My program is not just to move 390 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 2: one person from one side of the street to the next. 391 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 2: We get them housed and they don't come back. So 392 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 2: we have a lot of of flaws that we need 393 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 2: to tighten up. But Anna, I have to tell you, 394 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 2: for the first time, Los Angeles has seen a decline 395 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 2: in street homelessness two years in a row. Prior to that, 396 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 2: it was just going up, up up. 397 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 1: What has the declined been how much? 398 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 2: Flying Ben is that there's less people on the street 399 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 2: because we have been housing people. We have focused on that, 400 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 2: and that focus was never there before. 401 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: So I need to ask you about something that I 402 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: think is an albatross around your neck. And a lot 403 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: of these good things that you have done, I feel 404 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: people don't know about but I think everybody knows that 405 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: you were in Ghana for the swearing in of the 406 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: precedent there when the La fires began and were at 407 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: their peak the LA and I think people are pissed. 408 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: I think you know you got a lot of not 409 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: just local but national criticism for that, including from me. 410 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: We talked about it on the view. I was very 411 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: harsh because and so I appreciate you doing this interview 412 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: because you know that I have been critical of you 413 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: in the past. What happened there, what could have been 414 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: done differently? And more than that, because there will continue 415 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: to be fires in La, hopefully not as historically destructive 416 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: as the fires were last year. But what were the 417 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: lessons learned and what have you done specifically? Sure? 418 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 2: Absolutely well. First of all, I had to change the 419 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 2: leadership in the fire department, and not just the chief, 420 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 2: but a lot of the command staff had to go. 421 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 2: We were not prepared as a city. But it wasn't 422 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 2: just Los Angeles, it was also the county and the 423 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 2: fire chief said to me when I got back that 424 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 2: they knew the Santa Ana winds were coming, but they 425 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 2: never expected them to be as bad as they were 426 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 2: because we had never experienced hurricane strength wins. So what 427 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 2: we're doing now, aside from changing the leadership, we've also 428 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 2: changed the protocols and with much more emphasis on prevention 429 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 2: and prevention meaning clearing brush, but also meaning pre deploying 430 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 2: and so now ever since every time there has been 431 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: a weather emergency, not just heat but also rain, whatever, 432 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 2: we've pre deployed resources in those areas that didn't happen 433 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 2: on the day of the fires, when she sent a 434 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 2: thousand firefighters home and we literally had fire engines with 435 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 2: no firefighters because they were sent home, then they had 436 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: to be called back, so keeping a shift on and 437 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 2: pre deploying in a very aggressive manner. And then there 438 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:52,400 Speaker 2: were multiple recommendations that came out of the fire report 439 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 2: and we've implemented those. But the leadership is number one, 440 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 2: and the leadership also from the mayor. You know, I 441 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 2: live in Miami, I live in Florida. 442 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: We've had our share of hurricanes and the issues, and 443 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 1: I just there's something that feels good when you see 444 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: your local leadership, your state leadership, your federal leadership in 445 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 1: emergency management jackets on site and feeling like they're in 446 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: charge speaking to the public and so I think that's 447 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: what a lot of people are still upset about and 448 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: are not focusing on the good things that you've done 449 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 1: and the good results you've done. And of course it's 450 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: what your one of your opponents is focusing on. Let 451 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 1: me ask you, doesn't kind of blow your mind that 452 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: given all your experience, right, you have actual experience, then 453 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: you have in politics. You've been in the state house, 454 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,360 Speaker 1: you've been in Congress, you've been a mayor. So you've 455 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: got local, state, and federal experience, and you are being 456 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: challenged by who's never run anything other than his mouth 457 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: and is running a campaign based on AI memes and 458 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 1: his biggest experience is being a reality start. So does 459 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: that kind of like? And it is endorsed by Donald 460 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 1: Trump in the city of La So how does that like? 461 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 1: How do you even wrap your arms around it? Or 462 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: do you just not even think about it and continue focusing? 463 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 2: There you go, I continue focusing. But that's not really 464 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 2: a big surprise, right. I Mean, we've seen this movie before. 465 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 2: We watched it with people with big experience, and then 466 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 2: you have a reality star. We had a superhero run 467 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 2: for governor. I served with him during my time as 468 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 2: speaker was his time as governor. We worked together, so 469 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 2: you know, I'm not shocked. This is Los Angeles, the 470 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 2: entertainment capital of the world. It's not a shock that 471 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 2: you would have a TV actor run for something here 472 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 2: in our city. So I understand that. You know, he's 473 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: entertaining and people are gravitating to that, But this is 474 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 2: a deep blue city. 475 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 1: What will you do different if you get reelected? What's 476 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 1: your vision for the next four years. 477 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 2: Well, my vision for the next four years is that 478 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 2: parents don't have to walk through tents in order to 479 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,439 Speaker 2: get to school. And why other opponent doesn't seem to 480 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 2: think that that's a problem I do. I want to 481 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 2: see street homelessness in I want to see people begin 482 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 2: to feel safe because we have an adequate number of 483 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 2: law enforcement officers, and for the nation's second largest city, 484 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 2: we have a very small police department. We have these 485 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 2: world events coming our way, and I want our city 486 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 2: to take advantage of these events and for them to 487 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 2: uplift the neighbors, you know, around the city, especially in 488 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 2: neighborhoods who have been suffering. I want when people come 489 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 2: to La for the Olympics from around the world and 490 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 2: they leave that they understand that LA is more than 491 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 2: Hollywood Boulevard and Santa Monica Beach, but that the breath 492 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 2: of LA. I want them to know that the entire 493 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 2: world lives here and you can pick whatever country you 494 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 2: want to visit. Just pick a restaurant and you can 495 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 2: find that country. Are those neighborhoods? 496 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite restaurant in LA? 497 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 2: You know what? It depends on what kind of food? 498 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 1: Okay, Mexican food or Central American food. You got a 499 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: favorite food truck, a restaurant, you're freaking. 500 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes, yes, absolutely. I mean I'm traditional for 501 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 2: Mexican food. It's Elcholo, I think one of the oldest 502 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 2: Mexican restaurants. Yesterday I was on Alvera Street, which is 503 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: the first street in our city, and great Mexican food there. 504 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 2: You can go from restaurant to restaurant there. That's an 505 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: area I'm focusing on because it needs to be revitalized. 506 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 2: And what's your go to order? My go to order 507 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 2: is it traditional enchiladas. I love tacos and takeitos. There's 508 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 2: my favorite takito place is on a Vera Street. People 509 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: drive from all over the city to park and grab 510 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 2: Taqito's and then leave. 511 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: Okay, well, as we as we come to an end, 512 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: and early voting is already going on. The primary elections 513 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: for those that don't know, is June twod. It's important 514 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: to vote, to show up and vote. What's your parting 515 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: message to Angelino's here? What's your parting message to Angelino's 516 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: One of the things that I'm worried about, Mayor is 517 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: and it's not just happening in LA, It's happening around 518 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: the country. I feel like so many people feel like 519 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: voting doesn't matter and doesn't make a change, and I 520 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: feel like there's a lot of helplessness and hopelessness going 521 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: on in this country right now, just because you know, 522 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 1: you see you see Donald Trump changing districts, rigging elections, 523 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: just you know, you see Congress not standing up to him, 524 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: Republicans in Congress not standing up to him. And I 525 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: think that's worn people's belief in democracy down. So what 526 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: is your message to those people that feel that voting 527 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: doesn't matter, that it's not going to make a difference, 528 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: and are feeling helpless and hopeless. 529 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, and let me just say that before I respond 530 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 2: to that. I think some of what you've seen and 531 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 2: heard here is also reflected in the nation where people 532 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 2: are going through that, and especially here because we were 533 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,959 Speaker 2: hit with such trauma of where you think you have 534 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 2: to turn, you need to turn to your federal government, 535 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 2: and then your federal government attacks you. That has been 536 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 2: a very, very tough thing. But you know, for me, 537 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 2: I do want to raise to people in Los Angeles 538 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: and California that there is a whole lot of awful 539 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 2: things going on in the country, but here we have 540 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 2: our right to vote. There is no voter suppressed when 541 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 2: every registered voter receives their ballot and the mail and 542 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 2: you don't even have to go anywhere. And that's a 543 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 2: critical message to the Latino population where they're worried about 544 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 2: ice being at polling places. You don't have to leave 545 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: your home. You can fill out that ballot and hand 546 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 2: it to the postal worker. You don't even need a stamp, 547 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 2: and so we still have democracy here. We are a 548 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 2: state where immigration and climate change are non issues. Everybody 549 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 2: is clear about both of those issues. And the way 550 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 2: that we wrapped our arms around our brothers and sisters 551 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: that were going through it. We are a unified city 552 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 2: and we need to stay that way. Thank you for 553 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 2: spending the time with us. I know you've got a 554 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,120 Speaker 2: lot of campaigning to do, and you've also got a 555 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 2: city to run. 556 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: I suspect there will be a runoff. I wish you 557 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: and the city of La which is one of my 558 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,239 Speaker 1: favorite places in the world and I think still one 559 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: of the best places to come and visit all the 560 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: good things. And we will stay tuned and I hope 561 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,480 Speaker 1: people listening will spread the message. You gotta go out 562 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: and vote. The primaries are June twid and there's early 563 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: voting going on right now in La and in California. 564 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: Gracia Alcaldeza garimbas for sutimpul Oi. Thank you for your time. 565 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 2: All right. 566 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: Leap with Anna Navarro is a High Finite media group 567 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 1: production in partnership with Iheart'smichaultura podcast network. For more of 568 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: your favorite shows, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 569 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.