1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Now from our nation's capital. This is Bloomberg Sound on 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: to day. I'm announcing another eight hundred million dollars to 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: further augment Ukraine's ability to fight you in the east. 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: Sometimes you will speak softly and carrying a large Jeff 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Floomberg Sound on Politics, Policy and perspective from d c's 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: top Names. If Vladimir Putin throws a bomb into a 7 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: NATO country, he's by himself a world of her You said, 8 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: there is a call to do more. This is COVID theater. 9 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: There should be no mandates period. Bloomberg Sound On with 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. The US restocks the arsenal 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: in Ukraine. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics. As 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: President Biden ships another eight hundred million dollars worth of 13 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: heavy artillery overseas and prepares to ask Congress for more. 14 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: We'll talk about that with Congressman Mac Cartwright, Democrat from 15 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, with the 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: purse strings analysis as well. On the military side of 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: this story, from retired Army General Mark kimmittt. He's back 18 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: with us today on Sound on the Florida House passes 19 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: a bill to strip Disney of special privileges. Will have 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: the latest as the White House ways in now and 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: insights from Jim Davis, former Democratic Congressman from Florida, former 22 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: Majority leader of the Florida House. In fact, he shares 23 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: our panel today with Bloomberg Politics contributor Republican strategist Rick Davis, 24 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: Davis and Davis for the Hour. Another major shipment of 25 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 1: weapons now on the way to Ukraine. President Biden made 26 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: the announcement from the White House this morning. Today, I'm 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: announcing another eight hundred million dollars to further augment Ukraine's 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: ability to fight in the east, in the Dombos region. 29 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: This package includes heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers and 30 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: a hundred forty four thousand rounds of ammunition to go 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: with those howitzers. It also includes more tactical drones and 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: more where those came from. The President says he'll be 33 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: asking for more money next week. I've almost exhausted the 34 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: draw down authority. I have the Congress authorized for Ukraine 35 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: and a bipartisan spending bill last month in order to 36 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: sustain Ukraine for the duration of this fight. Next week, 37 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to have to be sending the Congress a 38 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption. 39 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: Without interruption sounds almost like a retainer. The President says 40 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: he's asking the Defense Department now for the appropriate number. 41 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: We'll let you know when we get that. As President 42 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: philometer Zelenski says in a video address, quote, if we 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: had access to all the weapons we need, we would 44 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: have already ended this war unquote. That was just hours ago. 45 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: Let's bring in Congressman Matt Cartwright, Democrat from Pennsylvania, serves 46 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: on the House Appropriations Committee, and Congressman, it's great to 47 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: have you on Bloomberg Radio. Will Congress provide whatever funds 48 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: the president asks for next week? Joe, it's good to 49 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: be with you. The answer is, I would be surprised 50 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: if we did not. You know, I attend every one 51 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: of the classified security briefings that we are provided as 52 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: members of Congress, and um, you know, usually there's some 53 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: rancor there's some back and forth between Democrats and Republicans 54 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: at those things. But man, when when we go and 55 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: we hear about what's happening in Ukraine, and of course 56 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: they can't go into it, but we have emissaries from 57 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: the White House. We have cabinet members. These are you know, 58 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: Chairmber of the Joint Chiefs, General Milly Lloyd Austin, the 59 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: Secretary of Defense, Tony Lincoln, Secretary of State. These people 60 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: are on top of their game. This is this is 61 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: a cast of all stars. We had Gina Romando to 62 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: talk to us about economic sanctions, um and you know, Joe, 63 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: the point I'm making is that when when we get 64 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: these briefings about Ukraine, there's almost pure unanimity uh In 65 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: on both sides of the aisle, understood about about utter 66 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: disdain and and really hatred for what Putin is doing 67 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:23,559 Speaker 1: in Ukraine. And and as I say, just from the 68 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: feeling that I get from that room, uh that that 69 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: it's near unanimity, I would be amazed if President Biden 70 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: doesn't get what he wants in terms of further not 71 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: too often you've seen that in your career. Like I said, though, 72 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: it sounds almost like a retainer. Are we talking about it? 73 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: You know, a one time the payment, do you suspect 74 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: or or do you want to get some kind of 75 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: a revolving uh sort of system of shipments going here 76 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: where we just keep sending the weapons over until this 77 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: thing is done. You know, I hate I'm a history major, Joe, 78 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: and I hate to keep referring back to h the 79 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: you know, the times of World War Two. But there's 80 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: so many parallels, and one of them is, uh is 81 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: something that Franklin Roosevelt instituted, which was Lend Lee's a 82 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: way to get armaments over to the people standing up 83 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: to the access powers. UM. And there was no time 84 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: deadline on that. There was no cap set on those things. UM. 85 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: And let's face it, Uh, Ukraine is in for a 86 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: long slog. But I'll never forget Joe. When a lot 87 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: of Mayor Zelinsky appeared live to all of us in 88 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: that classified security briefing room. UM, people were filling up 89 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: listening to his story and looking at the video that 90 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: he provided us. Uh. If if this goes on for 91 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: some time, I would not be surprised. Well, you know, 92 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: there were calls by a lot of critics of the 93 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: administration to do more earlier, and at the time, you know, 94 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: we didn't really have a sense of even what that was. 95 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: We were talking about sanctions. We knew that that shoulder 96 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: launched missiles were going over there. We knew there was 97 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 1: an argument over miggs from Poland. But how come we 98 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: didn't send all of this stuff before it became such 99 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: a race to get it to the front lines before 100 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: Vladimir Putin could cause more destruction. Do you wish we 101 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: had done that weeks or months ago? Look, that's an 102 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: easy thing to cast aspersions on the other side, to 103 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: score easy political points. If you had done this, things 104 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: would have been better. And that's a two way street. 105 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: You know. There there was you know, the former guy 106 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: held up deliveries of javelin missiles. I don't want to 107 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: talk about that stuff. It doesn't advance the ball anywhere 108 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 1: for us to I understand, Congressman. I'm not trying to 109 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: start something here. I just remember that day he spoken 110 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: in Members were so passion and it about getting what 111 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: they could there, and Republicans were you know, we're ringing 112 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: the bell to say listen, we got to send more faster. Uh. 113 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: And and we're in the process still of trying to 114 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: figure out how to get all of these arms into 115 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: the right hands. I don't mean to oversimplify this, but 116 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: there was a call to do more earlier. Look, passion 117 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: is the right word that you just used. Joe, there's 118 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: a lot of high passion going on and and and 119 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: right rightly, so this is this is absolute evil that 120 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: we're witnessing in Ukraine and is perpetrated by an evil 121 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: monster Putin and uh, and so it stirs up passions. 122 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: You know, there are a lot of great former service 123 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: members serving in the in the House, people who were 124 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: part of the United States Air Force, for example, they 125 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: can see very clearly that our our air force would 126 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: make mincemeat of what Putin has done to his air force. 127 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: You know that he's diverted a lot of training money 128 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: away from the Air Force so that their pilot are 129 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: not trained up the way American pilots are. You know, 130 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: they have they have there's a muscle memory involved in 131 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: in flying fighter jets. Uh. And if they're if they 132 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: don't get enough training hours in uh, those muscles atrophies. 133 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: And it's pretty obvious that that's what's happening with the 134 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: Russian Air Force. And there have been you know, uh, 135 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: problems with the Russian Army as well that we've all 136 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: talked about. But um, you know, I mentioned that because 137 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: some of the passions that you know, the exuberances of 138 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: members of Congress have manifested themselves. Some have said, well, 139 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: we ought to do a no fly zone over Ukraine. 140 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: Chris Coon's two weeks ago suggesting that we opened the 141 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: conversation of adding American troops. You know, is, let's say 142 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: there's a chemical or a nuclear weapons attack or something. 143 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: Do you worry about that kind of creep congressmen, of 144 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: course I do. And and here's the reason is that 145 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: potent has this large stockpile of intercontinental ballistic missiles and 146 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: you just tested one and and uh, you know, uh, 147 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: the problem is this, um we can say, well, we 148 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: have wonderful defenses to those things, Joe, I don't want 149 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: to find out how good our defenses are in that 150 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 1: kind of a situation. And I don't want to get 151 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: close to that line. So I'm very happy, and I 152 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: think that the great the vast majority of members of 153 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: Congress are going to sign on to this kind of 154 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: supplemental to provide that these heroic Ukraine's Ukrainians with what 155 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: they need. I also want to say how proudly are 156 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: in my district in northeastern Pennsylvania, we have the Tobyhannah 157 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: Army Depot. Uh. And that's a depot that repairs field equipment, 158 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: and when you you know, when we learned that there 159 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: are field equipment and spare parts involved in this this assistance. 160 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: You know there are are people who work for Tobyhanna 161 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: Army Depot in Poland right now involved in the Ukraine effort. 162 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: It's just it's a proud problem. The rush in northeastern Pennsylvania. Well, 163 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: we consider the men and women in the military. Congressman, 164 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: when I have the time, I want to ask you 165 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: about a bill that you sponsored, that it passed the 166 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: House last month allowing marines harmed by contaminated drinking water 167 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 1: at Camp Lejune, North Carolina to seek compensation. You talked 168 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: about those Marines on the House floor. Let's listen. They 169 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: know they're gonna be in harm's way at some point, 170 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: but when they went to Camp Lejune for combat training, 171 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: they didn't realize what their real enemy was gonna be. 172 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: It was gonna be leukemia, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, a 173 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: plastic anemia, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non Hodgkins lymphoma, Parkins disease. 174 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: Not only the Marines but their families were subject to 175 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 1: this from the water. Congressman Cartwright, will that bill get 176 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: a vote in the Senate. I think it will. I 177 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: have I I have a great deal of pride in 178 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: that bill. I worked on it for four years now. 179 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 1: You know, for between nineteen the middle nineteen fifties and 180 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: nineteen seven, that drinking water at Camp Lejune, where Marines 181 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: go to do combat training in North Carolina, was contaminated. 182 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: Somebody decided to store the airplane fuel right near the 183 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: water supply, which was a horrible mistake, and it it 184 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: ended up contaminating with the water to the point where 185 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: they had things like benzene and tolleween, known carcinogens present 186 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: in the drinking water at levels as high as three thousand, 187 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: four hundred times the maximum safe amount. People came down 188 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: with cancer, eight different kinds of cancers, birth defects. You know, 189 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: there were families living there, and the employees at Camp 190 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: le June as well. It's just an utter outrage, and 191 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: it's an American scandal and tragedy. And the best thing 192 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,040 Speaker 1: that we can do is afford them a chance to 193 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: to achieve justice. And that's what this bill does. The 194 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: Campbell of June Justice Act was incorporated incorporated into the 195 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: Honoring Our Pact Act, let us know when this gets 196 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: to the Senate Congress. We want to follow its progress, 197 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: and I want to thank you for your time today 198 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:19,559 Speaker 1: on sound on Congressman Matt Cartwright, Democrat Pennsylvania's eighth congressional district. 199 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:24,319 Speaker 1: Another view, this time from a progressive on the need 200 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: for support in Ukraine. We're going to talk about this 201 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 1: coming up retired General Mark Kim and his next this 202 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg you sound on with 203 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. So there's still just huge 204 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: appetite for the US to spend more to help Ukraine 205 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:48,959 Speaker 1: on both sides of the aisle. As we just heard 206 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: from Congressman Matt Cartwright, it's might be the only bipart 207 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: as an issue we have out there. Hence the President 208 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 1: says he's almost run out of the money that's already 209 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: been allocated, with another eight hundred million dollars today. The 210 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: heavy stuff, more of the heavy artillery, dozens, he says, 211 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: of Howitzer's on their way over the tactical drones course, 212 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,479 Speaker 1: the javelin missiles to modernize Teddy Roosevelt's famous advice, sometimes 213 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: you will speak softly and carry a large javelin, because 214 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 1: we're sending a lot of those in as well. I'm 215 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: not sure that's gonna catch on quite in the same 216 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: way as we welcome back retired General Mark Kimmitt, former 217 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, former Deputy 218 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: Assistant Secretary for Defense for Middle East Affairs, and a 219 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: frequent voice in times like these here on Bloomberg Radio. 220 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: It's great to have you back, General. Are we sending 221 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: the right gear? The President went out of his way 222 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: to Daid to suggest that tactics are changing as this 223 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: battle moves from urban warfare to open warfare in the 224 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: dune bus. Are we sending what they need given the 225 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: limitations Joe of what NATO is willing to send in, 226 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: and I think this is a good start. I think 227 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: it's important to recognize that we may be over selling 228 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: the capabilities of the artillery that we're sending in. I 229 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 1: was an artilleryman for thirty years. I know what it's 230 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: capable of and what it's not capable of. And while 231 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: this is good to send this equipment in, it will 232 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: certainly help support the Ukrainians, particularly if they can reach 233 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: out and touch those logistics sites that the Russians will 234 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: need to conduct an offensive. But but that much artillery 235 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: and that much ammunition is great, but it's not a 236 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: silver bullet, and it's not going to change the tide 237 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: of the war. I know we're going to be conducting 238 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: at least as I read how it's our training by 239 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: taking some Ukrainian military leaders outside of the country to 240 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: work with Americans. What does that involved. Well, the the 241 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: Ukrainians have been using Warsaw Pact Russian equipment for years 242 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: and years, hundred and fifty two millimeter cannons very very 243 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: similar to ours, but there are some technical differences between two. 244 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: So candidly, I think it's important to do that training. 245 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: It won't take a long time because probably about of 246 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: the tactics, techniques, and procedures are about the same. God 247 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: Among the gear that that we're shipping to Ukraine something 248 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: called the Phoenix Ghost I was reading about. This is 249 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: a new attack drone general designed by the Air Force, 250 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: they say specifically for Ukraine's needs. It was a program 251 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: already underway, but has since been tailored for this mission, 252 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: according to a senior defense official. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby 253 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: today answered questions about it during a briefing. Here's what 254 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: he said, particularly useful in eastern Ukraine. Why would why 255 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: would that be? Again without getting into the specifications, but 256 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: the kinds of things this drone can do, um uh 257 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: lend itself well to this particular kind of terrain. I 258 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: think I'm just going to leave it at that. Um. 259 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: But it's purpose is akin to that of the Switchblade, 260 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: which we've been talking about in the past, which is 261 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: basically a one way drone and attack one way drawing 262 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: suicide rons as as they're called right general, How can 263 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: this kind of hardware help in the East. Well, Look, 264 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: the the issue that the Ukrainians are most concerned about, 265 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: and most of us are concerned about, is the fact 266 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: that this is very very open terrain. This is tank 267 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: territory as we used to call it. If the Russians 268 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: are able to mask a significant number of tanks, they 269 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: can push through those Ukrainian defensive lines pretty quickly. If 270 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: they do have the capability to send out the suicide drones, 271 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: with enough command and control keeping an eye on all 272 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: this area, those suicide drones could probably stop a pretty 273 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: massive tank assault, which is, as I said, the biggest 274 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: thingle Reward about in that section. I was really fascinated 275 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: by a conversation I heard this morning on Bloom Surveillance, 276 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: the program You're Also Not a Stranger to with. It 277 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: was with Elliott Ackerman, a marine combat veteran who co 278 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: wrote the book A Novel of the Next World War. 279 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: He described this morning how the Ukrainians managed to sink 280 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: the Musva, the Russias flagship in the Black Sea, the 281 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: massive Worship, and they used drones. He said, they they 282 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: had a swarm of drones that that kind of distracted 283 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: UH the radar sensors on this boat and allowed them 284 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: to fire a couple of Neptune missiles at it. Is 285 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: this the new age of warfare where drones and other 286 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: smaller UH types of of weapons are are are kind 287 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: of upstaging these multibillion dollar platforms that were used to 288 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 1: buying it could well be especially in low intensity conflict 289 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: in mid intensity conflict. What we're seeing with these unmanned 290 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: types of equipment, whether they're high performance aircraft or very 291 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: very o and slowed drones, we're now seeing an era 292 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: that despite what the Air Force may tell you that 293 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: we don't need pilots in a cockpit. The days of 294 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: the day. At this point, we've got to recognize that 295 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: human being inside this capability, the machine is more effective 296 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: than the human beings. Uh. These machines run by computers 297 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: can can do mock ten types of speeds, can take 298 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: a significant amount of turns which would destroy a human body. 299 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: So I think we are now recognizing that a combination 300 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 1: of artificial intelligence and advance optics, advanced sensing. Uh, it's 301 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: really taking the human out of the Workare loops incredible? 302 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: You can put these things in a backpack, these suicide drones. 303 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 1: Retired Brigadier General Mark KIMMITTT we thank you as ever 304 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: for your insights on Bloomberg sound on. I'm Joe Matthew. 305 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: When Washington we assemble the panel next the two davis 306 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: Is are with us. This is Bloomberg. Thanks for being 307 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: with us on Bloomberg sound On. Must have been quite 308 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: in evening. It was quite an evening in the Florida 309 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: House of Representatives. Have all members voted? Have all members voted? 310 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: The CERC lock machine. Now it's a vote, all right, 311 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: That's the bill we talked about yesterday with the Speaker 312 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: of the Florida House that would strip Disney of its 313 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: special self governing privileges. After Disney got involved in and 314 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 1: in fact promised to help repeal, the Don't Say Gay 315 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: law came up today in the White House gaggle. I 316 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,360 Speaker 1: won't call it a briefing because they were on Air 317 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: Force one. The Deputy Press Secretary Karen Jompierre asked about this, 318 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: and so the administration is now very on the record. 319 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: But don't Say Gay bill, uh is really crystal clear. 320 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 1: It's wrong. That's our view. It is just wrong. We 321 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: oppose the governor taking action against a company because their 322 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: opposition to that bill. And we're just gonna leave it 323 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: there for now. We're gonna leave it there for now, 324 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: don't I think that's the end of it. As we 325 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: bring in our panelist Jim Davis, Holland and Knights Public 326 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: Policy and Regulation Group, former US Congressman from Florida and 327 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: in fact was the majority leader of the Florida House 328 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 1: the mid nineties, it's great to have you with us here, Jim. 329 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: You're gonna be joined in a moment by the other Davis, 330 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: Rick Davis. I just wonder what you make of this. 331 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: We spoke, as I mentioned, with the Speaker, who is 332 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: a Republican. We want to get your view from the 333 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: other side of the aisle. Here he made clear to 334 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: us that Disney used its special privileges, as he put 335 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: it to, to misrepresent, to mislead the public. Do you 336 00:20:54,720 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: see this as an overreach from government to business. I 337 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: I think this is a classic punishment by politicians with 338 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: a lot of power because they disagree with what's being said, 339 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of confusion about what the bill says. 340 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: Uh that the bill was simply limited to not having 341 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: sex education with little kids kindergarten third grade, we would 342 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: be having this debate. But the bill is written in 343 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: a way that it's far broader and and ultimately can 344 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:30,479 Speaker 1: be used to stigmatize um teenagers and others in school 345 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: that are either um thos being gay, bisexual, transgender, or 346 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: their parents. All the government is going to sign it, right, 347 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: this is a done deal. It's a done deal. What 348 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: does that mean for the future of the company in Florida. 349 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: What if Disney said, you know what, forget Florida. Then 350 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: we helped to We helped to create Orlando out of 351 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: almost nothing. Maybe maybe we'll go somewhere else that's more 352 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: interested in having the Disney Corporation well, I don't think 353 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: this is where the state of Florid it is, and 354 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: it's not where Orlando is. I mean, these are jobs 355 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: that people need, and there's a lot of people that 356 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: benefit from Disney's presence and a lot of families that 357 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: enjoyed Disney and Florida folks that come to visit. So 358 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: I'm hopeful to be some resolution, but I'm not sure 359 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: what Disney can do to put the genie back in 360 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 1: the bottle here. I just don't think the public is 361 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: going to support this once it becomes clear what the 362 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: negative implications are for the community in the state. How 363 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: much of a are you speaking locally or nationally, because 364 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: this is obviously a massive political issue around the country. Now, 365 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: it's going to impact people traveling to Florida or not, 366 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: might impact the tax revenue of Florida, and apparently it'll 367 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: it'll impact the deaths some of the some of the 368 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,439 Speaker 1: outstanding bonds. Well, nothing's going to happen anytime soon to 369 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: Disney World, but I'm referring to the state of Florida 370 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: because we elect these folks, and ultimately they need to 371 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: be accountable, and there is an election coming up. What 372 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 1: you're seeing is a classic case of what happens when 373 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: one party has too much control for too long. As 374 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: I mentioned, we spoke with the Speaker Sprowls, the Speaker 375 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: of the Florida House yesterday. He was on this program 376 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: and made clear that this is a very rare privilege. 377 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: First of all, it'll allow the allow it to be 378 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: given to the local governments, which is how most of 379 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 1: these special districts are. You know, Disney is one of 380 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: six special districts that was never reformed after the Florida Constitution. 381 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: But most of the districts, Joe are. You know, there's 382 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: a mosquito control district, there's a law library. There is 383 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: nothing that is a corporation that has the ability to 384 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: essentially engage in their own self governing. So I guess 385 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: Jim should should Disney have had that designation to begin with? Oh? 386 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: I think it's debatable. But but that's not the point 387 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: that that's not the reason the legislator did this. They 388 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: did this because they're upset that the government that the 389 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: Disney criticized um their position on the bill we just discussed. 390 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: That's this is the first Amendment issue. That's why they 391 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: did it. As I mentioned, we have Davis and Davis. 392 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: Of course, our good friend Rick Davis, Bloomberg Politics contributor, 393 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: is with us as well, live in New York. Rick. 394 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: It's a done deal. I guess we shouldn't be surprised 395 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: right after we heard the speaker here yesterday, the governor 396 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: is going to sign it. What do you make of 397 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: Jim's take on this though, Uh, in terms of the 398 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 1: perception for not just Republicans but the Disney brand. Well, 399 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: I would say spot on when you say that when 400 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: you have one party rule, bad things happen. And I 401 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: think this is a great example where with no checks 402 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: in the system, a bunch of you know, political guys 403 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,479 Speaker 1: got together and say, hey, how do we make Disney 404 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: pay for this, you know, challenge to our cultural legislation? 405 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: And and and it makes no sense from a governor's perspective. Uh. 406 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: The idea that we're debating something that's been on two 407 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: books since the late sixties, uh, and and has brought 408 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: so much prosperity and job creation to Central Florida is crazy, right. 409 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: I mean, like h largest taxpayer in Central Florida. Uh. 410 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,479 Speaker 1: Now the local counties are gonna have to figure out 411 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 1: a way to cover bonds that could be an excess 412 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: of a billion or two. It just makes no sense 413 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: that you would actually impose this on on the local communities. 414 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: But but look, this is this is a revenge governance 415 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: and and so um, I think the Santis is trying 416 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: to play out a very sophisticated and and and and 417 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: targeted culture war that starts at his own home, uh 418 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: state of Florida. And that and by the way, this 419 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: started with Masks and he saw that he got popularity 420 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: out of opposing the federal government of mass and and 421 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,439 Speaker 1: now Disney is the next one. I just wonder if 422 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 1: Biden's gonna have Mickey to the Oval office to talk 423 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: about this. You know, I've heard of crazier things. Rick. 424 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: We're going to continue this conversation coming up next with 425 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 1: Rick Davis and Jim Davis Davis Squared on the Fastest 426 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: Hour in Politics, Joe Matthew Washington. We carry on. We'll 427 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: check markets and traffic on the way. This is Bloomberg. 428 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg. You sound on with Joe Matthew 429 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio. A sophisticated and targeted culture war, the 430 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 1: words of Rick Davis Bloomberg Politics contributor describing the situation 431 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: that we were just discussing in Florida bill past the House. 432 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: Disney as soon as this is signed by Governor de 433 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: Santis set to sign the bill into law. Rick Davis 434 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: is with us along with Jim Davis, former US Congressman 435 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,479 Speaker 1: from Florida the eleventh district, with unique perspective on what 436 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: we're talking about here today. A revenge governance, you call it. Rick. 437 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: If that's the case, it seems to be working for 438 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: Rhonda Santis. He could be the one man to actually 439 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: he give Donald Trump a run for his money if 440 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: this continues, at least in the direction that's going in. 441 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: Though the first week, I this is the first week 442 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: I can remember, Joe that we're talking more about Rhond 443 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: De Santos and we're talking about Donald Trump. So he's 444 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: already succeeding in getting our attention. And I have no 445 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: doubt that the pick to pick a fight with Disney 446 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: was based on the fact that you're picking a fight 447 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: with a colossus, right the A A A hundred percent 448 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: name I D worldwide. And there are a lot of 449 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: people who criticize that gender bill that that the Santis did, 450 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: but but he's picking on the biggest one he could find, 451 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 1: and that's because he knows he's gonna get lots of attention. 452 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: So so he's got a game plan. He's executing that 453 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: game plan frankly, much better than what we see coming 454 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 1: out of mar Lago right now with Donald Trump. And 455 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,640 Speaker 1: so i'd say, you know, right now, unless something weird 456 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,959 Speaker 1: happens tomorrow, the week goes to the Santis. What do 457 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: you think Jim Davis? Is he potentially the Republican nominee 458 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 1: for president and twenty four Well, I think he certainly 459 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: inspired to that. But I just would like to say, 460 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: Sadi and politicians come and go, governors and presidents, but 461 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,679 Speaker 1: here in Florida, we have to live with the aftermath 462 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: of some of these and this is a pattern of behavior. 463 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 1: We haven't even talked about what's happening to the faculty 464 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:19,360 Speaker 1: in the universities at Florida. The legislature just repealed tenure, 465 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:24,360 Speaker 1: and we now a situation where faculty members who were 466 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 1: criticizing some of the COVID policy in the state of 467 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: Florida are going to be fearful about speaking out um 468 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: And so I think academic freedom in Florida is now 469 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: another casualty enter the mask mandate. Uh this is another 470 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: part of well what Rick was describing as a targeted 471 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: culture war. Right this De Santis has been far out 472 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: ahead on this and since we saw this struck down 473 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: by the judge and days later now we finally learned, 474 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: by the way, this is about five minutes after we 475 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: got off the year last evening that in fact, the 476 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: administration d o J is going to appeal this Governor 477 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: De Santis back out in front of the cameras and microphones. Today, 478 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: they like to be able to take decisions out of 479 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: your hands and force a mask on your face, force 480 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: kids to muzzle, force people to lose their job if 481 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: they don't take a COVID back. How do all these 482 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: pieces fit together? Rick Davis? Well, you know, I think 483 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: that uh de Santis is plugging into sort of the 484 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: Trump two point oh culture war that has been going 485 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: on now for some time. And look at this is 486 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: not unusual. We've been fighting over things like abortion for 487 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: decades and so there's always a place in American politics 488 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: for this kind of demagoguery. Um, it just feeds the 489 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: beast and makes it worse. I think that De Santis 490 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,959 Speaker 1: is just particularly good at it, and and he's able 491 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: to sell it to the populace in in Florida like 492 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: somehow he's protecting them. And Uh. And I think I 493 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: think the Biden administration has to be careful how it 494 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,719 Speaker 1: weighs in on this, because they don't want to be uh, 495 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: becoming the next sparring partner with Rhonda Santis. It does 496 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: the president no good, does the CDC no good. Uh. 497 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: And at the end of the day, Uh, they've already 498 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: got the public in the surveys I've seen supporting science, uh, 499 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 1: compared to where we were four years ago. And so 500 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: I think that I think that the Biden administration has 501 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: to be very careful because these these these issues do 502 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: have a political tangent. It's not only about science. They 503 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: would be the first time they were sparring with Rhonda Santis, 504 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: of course, I mean they're clearly open to that. Rick. 505 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if they're afraid of empowering him, but 506 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: remember the whole you know, well, I'll you get out 507 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: of the way. Certain governors need to get out of 508 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: the way, like the guy in Florida, as we heard 509 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: from from Joe Biden. Uh, they must know and both 510 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: not just the back of their mind. They must know 511 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: in the front of their mind this is someone that 512 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: they may need to contend within a couple of years. Yeah, 513 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: Jim said. Politicians come and go and they leave a legacy, 514 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: some positive, some negative. But the one thing you don't 515 00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: want to do if you're president Nited States is helped 516 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: elevate them. Right, This whole thing with Disney is to 517 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 1: elevate the Governor to Santis into a into a popularity 518 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: or at least an idea that he doesn't otherwise have 519 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: nationally because he's a Florida guy. And and the President 520 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: engaging with you is exactly what every insurgent hopes for, right, 521 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: is that they can get the attention of someone who 522 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: has massive name I D and lock horns with them. 523 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: And depending upon how it comes out, it could be 524 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: a real plus and and and that's lasting this administration 525 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: and Washington wants to do is add add logs to 526 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: the fire that is known as Governor de Santis. Jim Davis, 527 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: It's something we've talked about for a couple of days. 528 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: Since the judge is ruling on the mask mandate, this 529 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: could create a huge mess if in fact the appeal 530 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: wins and people are told to mask up again. We 531 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: saw them cheering on airplanes a couple of days ago. 532 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 1: I suspect we'll have the opposite. Uh. If people are 533 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 1: told to resume the masking, is that good in any 534 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: way for the administration? To Rick's point, they're already associated 535 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: with good science for being uncertainly this one side of 536 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: history when it comes to COVID, Is this really necessary? 537 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: I think the politics are complicated, but they've always been 538 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: a lot of these are lose losing and politics and 539 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: those situations. The ideal thing is just to do what 540 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: you think is right, because whenever you do it is 541 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 1: gonna be unpopular. And I think this administration has tried 542 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: their best to stick with the science. And I agree 543 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: with Rick. It's not just science. You've got to consider 544 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: people's personal behavior and how systems work and don't work. 545 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: And I think they're going to continue to follow the 546 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: science and um, and they're gonna go through the you know, 547 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,959 Speaker 1: the fair process. We have a system where the courts 548 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,719 Speaker 1: get to rule whether things are done correctly. And now 549 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 1: there's going to be an appeal in the courts. But yeah, 550 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: it's messy, and I think ultimately here in Florida. It's 551 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: been terribly confusing because you've had separate messages coming from 552 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 1: the governor's office here and the president. And you've got 553 00:32:55,320 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: a head of the health Department in Tallahassee does don't 554 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: even believe in mask and and I'm not sure it 555 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 1: really believes in vaccines. And if you're just trying to 556 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 1: figure out what the right thing to do is, it's 557 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: it's very confusing. I think it's been hard for a 558 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: lot of Fredians. As we look ahead to a Friday 559 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 1: here in Washington and in politics, we're going to find 560 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 1: the President on the road again. Uh Ricky's in Portland today, 561 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: is going to be in Seattle, Washington tomorrow to mark 562 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: Earth Day. We've talked about the push and pull here 563 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: of you know, some of the different issues the White 564 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 1: House is dealing with. But is is any of this working? 565 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: I mean, is the point to get into local media coverage, 566 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 1: talk to people locally, you have a better sense of 567 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 1: of the process of campaigning here? Is he doing the 568 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: right things against the backdrop of a culture war, any 569 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: hot war in Ukraine? Yeah, you're right, Joe. I mean, 570 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 1: when the president comes to town, he is a blanket 571 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: media coverage, so he'll own the coverage today before he 572 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: gets there and the day's there, and probably leave a 573 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: weekend of coverage, uh in Seattle, and and and and 574 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: he's got to talk about the domestic agenda. It's what 575 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,440 Speaker 1: troubles most people. By and large. His best numbers with 576 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:12,439 Speaker 1: voters around the country are his dealings with Ukraine, so 577 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: he can he's got some cash in the bank in 578 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: that regard politically, but uh, but he's got to be 579 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 1: able to overcome the economic despair that people are worried 580 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 1: about visa vis rising inflation, and and and these are 581 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:27,839 Speaker 1: the kinds of things that aren't easy to do, and 582 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: you need the attention of the president to do it. 583 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:33,720 Speaker 1: And I just I just worry. I've seen his travel 584 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: all week, and the focus is really on creating jobs, 585 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: which is not what's on people's minds. Uh. And in 586 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:43,879 Speaker 1: the infrastructure bill, which is great, you should always include that. 587 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 1: But unless he's dealing with inflation, he's not dealing with 588 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: the problem that most people are concerned about. Does he 589 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: need to keep reminding people, though, Jim Davis, of what's 590 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: been done? Are these events important if he didn't hold them? 591 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 1: My goodness, the infrastructure law would like I can only assume, 592 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 1: despite its historic nature, just be a footnote in the 593 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 1: history book. He needs to get out of Washington, get 594 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: past all the background noise and most of the things 595 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: we've had to talk about today because of what the 596 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: legislature did in my state aren't really going to improve 597 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: people's lives and put put food on the table. And 598 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 1: they need to work with governors and mayors, Democrats and 599 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,319 Speaker 1: Republicans and community leaders so that this money that's being 600 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: spent actually has an impact on people's lives and jobs. 601 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:29,360 Speaker 1: And it just takes time to do that quickly, do 602 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,359 Speaker 1: it right. So I just think they need to keep 603 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 1: soldiering through that and then the chips will fall where 604 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 1: they may. When the election comes. We're just still a 605 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,240 Speaker 1: good ways off. It is the ways off for Davis 606 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: is I mean, the White House likes to think it 607 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,799 Speaker 1: can turn things around here. When you look at the 608 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 1: calendar and the primaries are going to start getting heavy 609 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: obviously in the month of May. What's the strategy, what's 610 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:55,520 Speaker 1: the actual window they have to to be you know, 611 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:59,839 Speaker 1: impacting the narrative. Well, I would say, as a as 612 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: an operator uh in politics in the past, I wish 613 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:06,400 Speaker 1: I was another year. I mean, like I think it 614 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: is getting close to election day. These are arguments that 615 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 1: take time to root. You gotta prepare him. You've got 616 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,959 Speaker 1: to use the money wisely to hit cycles. And we've 617 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: just gone through one cycle of pre primary where people 618 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 1: have gone out and basically defined what the stakes of 619 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: this election are and and and and that's not been 620 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 1: a positive for this administration. So they need to go 621 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 1: out and rebuild those stakes. So they're gonna have, as 622 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: you say, a very busy may to look at the 623 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:36,720 Speaker 1: primary process that continues on through the summer. And the president, 624 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 1: I think Jim is right, has got to get out 625 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:42,360 Speaker 1: of Washington. Washington has nothing for him to offer and 626 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,799 Speaker 1: and hit the campaign trail, which is what he does well, 627 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 1: and start talking about the kitchen table issues that are 628 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 1: going to be the decision makers when it comes time 629 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: to vote, and just hope that the economy and and 630 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 1: some world events conspire to help him in the process. Well, 631 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: we've got some big world events, Jim is the is 632 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,439 Speaker 1: the President's handling of Ukraine, which seems to get better 633 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 1: numbers than just about anything else he's talking about, actually 634 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: going to play into the vote in the midterms or 635 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: is it truly domestic issues that will make up people's minds. Well, 636 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: let me say two things. The first is the best 637 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 1: way to predict the outcome the election is predict what 638 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: question the voters are gonna ask when they go to vote. 639 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 1: If the question in Florida's do you think Disney is 640 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:26,440 Speaker 1: harmful to your children? That's the agenda we just talked about. 641 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: If the issue is how is the president doing in 642 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:33,400 Speaker 1: terms of running the country, is he's showing strength and wisdom, 643 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: which is what you're referring to. I think the President 644 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: is showing his character and I think he's showing one 645 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: of his areas of expertise. He he and John McCain, 646 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,479 Speaker 1: who worked with who I worked with in Congress, put 647 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:50,799 Speaker 1: together bipartis and coalitions with our allies and others all 648 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: over the world to fight people like Putin. And he's 649 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,560 Speaker 1: doing that right now now. We're all sacrificing as part 650 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 1: of that, and that's not going to go away. But 651 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:05,239 Speaker 1: the American people like a leader with backbone, and I 652 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:08,280 Speaker 1: think the President showing some backbone on this, and um 653 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,240 Speaker 1: he's doing the best he can to keep our allies 654 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 1: working together to help Ukraine contain Russia. Jim Davis, former 655 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:20,399 Speaker 1: Florida Congressman, along with Rick Davis, Bloomberg Politics contributor. Thanks 656 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 1: to both of you for the insights today on the 657 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 1: fastest hour in politics. Sound on a headline breaking on 658 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:30,240 Speaker 1: the terminal, Vice President Kamala Harris's chief of staff departing 659 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:33,399 Speaker 1: in latest office shake up. We'll have more on that 660 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,280 Speaker 1: straight ahead. I'll meet you back here tomorrow. I'm Joe Matthew. 661 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg