1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 2: Governor, I do want to hear about your trip in 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 2: just a moment, but I do need to start with 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 2: Barrel here and the news that broke last night, President 5 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 2: Joe Biden telling the Houston Chronicle they had to delay 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 2: distributing supplies because they weren't able to reach state leaders 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 2: for the needed disaster declaration request. 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: What's your response to that? Is that true? 9 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 3: Oh? First, it is false, completely false, and it's bizarre. 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 3: You would think that if a president were to make 11 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,279 Speaker 3: an attack like that on a governor, he would have 12 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 3: the receipts to prove it. To the contrary, Julie, I 13 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 3: have the receipts to prove he just flat outlight Because Julie, 14 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 3: I received multiple phone calls from President Biden in the 15 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 3: aftermath of prior disasters when he called me, and he 16 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 3: called directly in the very same number. Every single time, 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: that number has not been called by either the President 18 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 3: or he buying the White House at all during this episode, 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 3: with one exception, and that is on July the fifth, 20 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 3: I did receive the phone call on that very same 21 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 3: phone number that President Biden has used in the past 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 3: from one of his cabinet members are a FEMA director. 23 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,639 Speaker 3: So here's the point. People who work for Joe Biden 24 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 3: used the same number that Joe Biden had used in 25 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 3: the past to give me a phone call. When Joe 26 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,839 Speaker 3: Biden said this time he called me, he just flat 27 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 3: up and made it up. 28 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,559 Speaker 2: Now did anybody from Texas reach out to the White 29 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 2: House to say, hey, we need this disaster declaration? Did 30 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 2: anybody request that? 31 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: Of course, and Julie, this works the same way that 32 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 3: it has in every disaster that we have, and that 33 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 3: is what happens is you make an assessment of the 34 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 3: damages that occurred. Mathematically it has to add up to 35 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 3: a certain dollar amount to get a FEMA award. And 36 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 3: we waited until the dollar amount was met and then 37 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 3: sought the grant from FEMA, and it was actually awarded 38 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 3: by Joe Biden. So Joe Biden stepped upon his own 39 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 3: success by trying to help out Texas by making up 40 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 3: a fabrication that has no tether to truth whatsoever. 41 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 2: I do want to talk a little bit about out 42 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: barrel as you know, more than two million people without power. 43 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,559 Speaker 2: There's a lot of frustration right now with Center Point. 44 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 2: You know, that's handling seventy five percent of it. What 45 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 2: should be done to handle this? And are you concerned 46 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: about how this was handled from a city, state and 47 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: center point level. 48 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 3: Well, so, when you look at the fact that a 49 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 3: Category one hurricane has come through Texas, the sole remaining 50 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 3: issue is a horrible issue for a fellow Texans and 51 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 3: that is more than two million Texans out of power. Julie, 52 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 3: This this should not be happening whatsoever period. And what 53 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 3: I'm going to be doing immediately is instructing the Public 54 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 3: Utilities Commission to undertake an immediate study to find out 55 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 3: why this is repeatedly happening in Houston, Texas. They should 56 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: not be losing power. I want to find out was 57 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 3: there a structural flaw with regard to the electrical delivery system? 58 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 3: Was that the cause of it? If so, what needs 59 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 3: to be done to short up? Or was this a 60 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 3: personnel issue of not having enough power personnel and all 61 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: the right locations to get power back up and going again. 62 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 3: All I can tell you is this, I want the 63 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 3: PUC to provide information to both me and to the 64 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 3: Texas legislature so that we will be able to act 65 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 3: on it next year to make sure that events like 66 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: this never happen again. 67 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: You know you are away right now talking about trade, 68 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: but when you look at our own state, do you 69 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 2: think because of all these problems happening in Houston right now, 70 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: some businesses are going to say, hey, this is not 71 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: a good place to go because there have been so 72 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: many issues there. 73 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 3: So the opposite is true. The fact of the matter 74 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 3: is that some of the businesses that I've been working 75 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 3: with have locations in Texas that were in the pathway 76 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 3: of the hurricane itself. For most is an easy example. 77 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 3: There's others also, And listen, everybody who locates in Texas 78 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: knows the hurricanes happen. I will tell you to the 79 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 3: contrary of what you suggested, CEO after CEO after CEO 80 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 3: has expressed their sympathy and their support, but also their 81 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: pride about doing business in the state of Texas. 82 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 2: Let's talk a little bit about your trip right now. 83 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: I know you toured a Samsung facility, obviously a very 84 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 2: big deal for us here in Texas. Do you expect 85 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: more business from Samsung? And what are you gathering on 86 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 2: this trip? 87 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 3: So, I mean, we're gathering different things in the different 88 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: countries that we've been in You mentioned Korea. I'm in 89 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 3: Japan right now. But when I was in Korea, yes, 90 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 3: we did visit Samsung as well as other companies, But 91 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 3: for one, Samsung has more than doubled their initial investment 92 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 3: in the Austin facility itself. Now, what we are doing 93 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 3: is we're working to attract all of what we'll call 94 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: the satellite companies that will be providers of supplies and 95 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 3: services to Samsung. If we're able to land those, this 96 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 3: is going to be game changing for the entire economy 97 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 3: of the state of Texas. Thousands upon thousands of jobs 98 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 3: will be added, with tens of billions of dollars of 99 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 3: investment made in Texas. 100 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 2: Biggest highlights so far and the biggest avenue you think 101 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: to increase business. 102 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 3: Well, there's a game. Listen. We all know that there 103 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 3: are two or three factors that will determine the future. 104 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 3: One is microchips, another is space and with regard to 105 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 3: both of those, being able to set up a state 106 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 3: office by the Texas Economic Development Team in Taiwan the 107 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: first time we've ever done that, and recognize Taiwan for 108 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 3: the important partner that it is, and then have an 109 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 3: agreement with the country of Taiwan and to meet the 110 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 3: president and talk about not just economic issues but also 111 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 3: geopolitical based issues. It was both fascinating but also strategically 112 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 3: important to the future of Texas. That said, I mean, 113 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 3: what we're doing today in Japan, what we did yesterday 114 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 3: in Korea, all are very valuable as it concerns the 115 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 3: bottom line to growing businesses in the fastest growing business 116 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 3: state in America. 117 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 2: Before I let you go, because I know I'm short 118 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 2: on time, you know your message to Houstonians right now 119 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: and to Texans that are really frustrated and angry. 120 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 3: So Ever since I left the state, my mind has 121 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 3: never left this state of Texas. All I can think 122 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 3: about while i'm here is what's going on in Houston 123 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 3: en elsewhere. And Julie, what I do is, after working 124 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 3: all day long in whatever country I'm in, I'm telephoning 125 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 3: late at night, early in the morning back in Texas, 126 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 3: local officials, stateward officials working with Acting Governor Dan Patrick, 127 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 3: as well as members of the Leistery Shire as well 128 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 3: as these local officials to make sure all of their 129 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 3: needs are met. 130 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 2: You comfortable with how they're handling it, or was there 131 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: a point where you're like I should go back and 132 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 2: run this show here. 133 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 3: So, Julie, the way a hurricane response works is that 134 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 3: we prepare all year long for hurricanes, and then a 135 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 3: week in advanced before a hurricane reaches our shore, we 136 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 3: deploy Texas Division of Emergency Management personnel across all of 137 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: the entire affected area. We had personnel from TM from 138 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 3: Brownsville over close to Louisiana, all the way up to 139 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 3: near Shreveport or Texas Kenta to make sure that anybody 140 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 3: in harm's way was going to have their needs addressed. 141 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 3: The big problem that we're facing, however, is a power 142 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 3: problem and delivering that power to customers, and we will 143 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 3: not rest until we get that fixed. 144 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 2: Before I let you go, I do have to ask you, 145 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: because we will both be in Milwaukee. 146 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: I assume next week. 147 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: Former President Trump you've talked about before, and I've heard 148 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 2: you say many times, I'm not interested in being vice president. 149 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: I like being the governor of Texas. 150 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 2: However, you have been very active with him when it 151 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 2: comes to the border. 152 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: Any interest in DHS or being in the cabinet. 153 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 3: I'll tell you this, Jillie. The most important political job 154 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 3: in the United States, as president of the United States, 155 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 3: the second most important political job in America, as Governor 156 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 3: of Texas. And I'm running for reelection as governor of 157 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 3: the great State of Texas.