1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: We're pleased to be sitting down with New Jersey Governor 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Phil Murphy here at our global headquarters in New York City. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: Governor Murphy, I want to start with a topic that 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: hits close to home, which is congestion pricing in Manhattan. 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 2: Last week, the MPT. 6 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Approved a revised plan to charge drivers nine dollars to 7 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: enter much of the city versus the original fifteen dollars. 8 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: You oppose both versions and are fighting it out in court. 9 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: Are you seeking an emergency ruling to hal implementation? Do 10 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: you think that you'll be able to stop this. 11 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 3: I can't speak for the judge who's adjudicated here, but 12 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 3: we're going to try. Like heck, it's not that listen. 13 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 3: I think we've got the strongest environmental record of any 14 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 3: state in America over the past seven years. 15 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 2: I'm proud of that. 16 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 3: We're not against lowering pollution, We're for that. But there's 17 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 3: a time as a place, there's a deal that works 18 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 3: for New Jersey commuters and ones that don't, and this 19 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 3: displaces the pollution to New Jersey. 20 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: It doesn't get rid of it. 21 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 3: It's an enormous burden financially on our commuters. And lastly, 22 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 3: none of the money comes back on our side of 23 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 3: the Hudson, where we've also got transit fiscal challenges. 24 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:06,279 Speaker 2: So with all due. 25 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,839 Speaker 3: Respect to the MTA, will we want them to solve 26 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 3: their problem within the four walls of the MTA, just 27 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 3: like we have withinj Transit in New Jersey. And perhaps 28 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 3: when the gateway tunnels are finished and you've got four 29 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 3: tunnels with rail tracks as opposed to two, or when 30 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 3: the Port Authority bus terminal is finished the new one, 31 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 3: which we've got both going at long last, there's a 32 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 3: time in a place perhaps, but not now. 33 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm going to follow up on a bunch of 34 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: those questions. But first of all, when it comes to 35 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: congestion pricing, you have said that you're open to a 36 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: form of it. What would that plan need to look 37 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: like for it to gain your support? 38 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 3: I don't have the parameters of it, but it would 39 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 3: need to be a reasonable price, discounts that make sense, 40 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 3: amount of money that comes back to Jersey, and a 41 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 3: timetable that allows our commuters to look at what their 42 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 3: options are. I think that's a reasonable By the way, 43 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 3: what we've asked the federal judge is not We're not 44 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: asking for the Moon. We're asking that he forced the 45 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 3: federal administration to do an environmental impact study and we'll 46 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 3: live with the results of that. 47 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 4: Have you had conversations, specifically with the Governor of New York, 48 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,119 Speaker 4: Kathy Hochel as well as the Mayor of New York 49 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 4: about those issues, and if so, what was their response. 50 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 3: So we've got a great good news is we start 51 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: in a very good place with our relationship with both 52 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 3: Eric Adams and Kathy Hochel, and we do an enormous 53 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 3: amount with both the city and the state together. Yes, 54 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: we've spoken person to person, team the team. This has 55 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 3: been a multi year process, and our ask has always been, 56 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 3: let's do an environmental impact study and at the same time, 57 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 3: let's get at the table together, and while that's playing 58 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 3: itself out, let's talk about what the contours could be 59 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: of a deal that we could all live with. 60 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 4: That this congestion pricing plan is more than just about 61 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 4: the environment. It's obviously to leave a congestion as well. 62 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 4: The idea that there are just a lot of folks 63 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 4: coming into this city that you know, at least certain 64 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 4: people think maybe shouldn't or they should take public transit 65 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 4: into the city. If you don't have the congestion pricing. 66 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 4: What is the solution to alleviate the traffic conditions? 67 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 3: So let me say first and foremost, And the MTA 68 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 3: wrote this themselves, the number one objective here is to 69 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 3: solve their fiscal hole. They've said that themselves. Don't take 70 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 3: my word for it. While congestion and lowering pollution is 71 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 3: a noble objective and it's certainly one of their objectives, 72 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 3: it's one that the number one objective is to solve 73 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 3: their fiscal hole. We've got the same challenge at NJ Transit. 74 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: We've chosen to solve our problems within the four walls 75 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 3: of New Jersey. We put in a corporate transit fee. 76 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 3: While New Jersey Transit takes a few years to get 77 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 3: back on their fiscal feet, which it will take, all 78 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 3: the big transit systems, by the way, in the country 79 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 3: are going through a similar reality. 80 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: We've found a fee which we. 81 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: Don't do lightly, that will allow a bridge to a 82 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: better fiscal future for them. I don't know what the 83 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 3: alternative is for the MTA, but I strongly would like 84 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: to encourage them to pursue other avenues. As for New 85 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 3: York City, we root for New York City. It's success 86 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: in so many respects is our success. I don't know why, 87 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 3: for the life of us, when people are working from home, 88 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 3: we're still digging out from a pandemic, why New York 89 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 3: City would want fewer people in New York City than more. 90 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: But that's not that's not my domain. 91 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: Let's go back to New Jersey Transit, which you've mentioned 92 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: a couple of times. Commuters who rely on it very 93 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: frustrated by the breakdowns, especially this past summer. You've pledged 94 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: to fix the system even if it kills you, and 95 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: you've mentioned this business tax, perhaps to support JT. You've 96 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: also raised fares not so long ago. How much of 97 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: this is simply a funding problem versus something bigger. 98 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 3: Well, it ultimately will be a big funding problem if 99 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: we didn't if we did not find the solutions, and 100 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 3: we have found the solutions, which are multi year, we 101 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 3: did not raise fees fares. Rather, for six years longest 102 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 3: stretch of fares not being raised ever in New Jersey transit, 103 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 3: we just finally raised them this year. We put in 104 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 3: place this corporate transit fee. 105 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: People. 106 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 3: I'm not making an excuse for what we're calling the 107 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 3: summer of hell it was unacceptable to commuters, It was 108 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 3: unacceptable to me period. In fact, we put a free 109 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: week at the end of the summer just as a 110 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 3: tip of the cap to the fact it was. 111 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 2: A miserable summer. But if you look at the. 112 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 3: Mess we inherited when we first got in office almost 113 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 3: seven years ago, NJ Transit has made a lot of 114 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 3: progress on on time performance, safety, customer satisfaction. We don't 115 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 3: like anything on those less than one hundred percent, and 116 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 3: we will keep fighting until we get there. 117 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: Remain mentioned congestion. Obviously, that's a big goal. 118 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 2: First time I've heard about that, the. 119 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: Gateway Tunnel project to build those two new tunnels under 120 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 1: the Hudson River. Donald Trump halted federal funding during his 121 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: first term. He stalled it. Basically, how concerned are you 122 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: that these funds will be stalled once again or held 123 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: up or pulled during the second Trumpet minute? 124 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 2: So to all the. 125 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 3: Funds are obligated, and that's a word with heavy definition 126 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 3: around federal funding. So that's as close to cement as 127 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 3: you get. But having said that, we've. 128 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 1: Found obligated and dispersed are two different things. 129 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, but obligated is a big step. Obviously, This is 130 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 3: an eight to ten year project, so you can't expect 131 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 3: that they'll all be dispersed at the moment. Having said that, 132 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 3: a big part of the project is the Portal North Bridge, 133 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 3: green lit by Donald Trump as president in June of 134 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 3: twenty twenty. I spoke to him last week that bridge 135 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 3: is going to be complete next year, on time and 136 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 3: under budget. I asked him if he'd come up and 137 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 3: cut the ribbon with me. I don't want to speak 138 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 3: for the president, but privately he said he'd very much 139 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 3: like to do that. I think he's somebody who understands 140 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 3: this region and understands how important infrastructure and moving people 141 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 3: and stuff around is. So I'm at this moment with 142 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 3: a high degree of confidence. It's a huge union job 143 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 3: building trades source of tens of thousand. I think the 144 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 3: President will be in the right place on this. 145 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 4: And you think you'll have a decent working relationship with 146 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 4: them for. 147 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: The next year that you're an office. 148 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 3: We're gonna we're gonna fight on stuff well as we did. 149 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 3: When I walk out of here in January of twenty sixth, 150 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 3: I will have been the longest serving Democratic governor. Alongside 151 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 3: Donald Trump as president. We've already done it. For three years, 152 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 3: we fought like heck on where our values were challenged, 153 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: our communities were assaulted or challenged, and will continue to 154 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: do so. But that does not mean we will not 155 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 3: aggressively look for common ground. I have a good relationship 156 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 3: with him personally, and we'll continue to do both. 157 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 4: When you first ran for governor seven or eight years ago, 158 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 4: you ran on a platform of bringing jobs and bringing 159 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 4: companies to New Jersey. What has that progress been? And 160 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 4: I am curious if you find yourself in competition with 161 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 4: your neighboring states, primarily New York and I guess so 162 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 4: a smaller extent Connecticut and attracting those companies and jobs. 163 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 164 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 3: So our story is a good one, but it's an 165 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 3: incomplete We've made an enormous amount of progress on GDP growth, 166 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 3: on job creation growth. Our unemployment numbers have been coming 167 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 3: into a very good spot. We've got a lot of 168 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 3: magnets in place that attract both companies and families. Number 169 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 3: one public education system in America. 170 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 4: Do new companies want to set up shop? 171 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: You bet in New Jersey. You bet. 172 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: The one area where before we got here we had 173 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 3: really lost our way as a state was the startup community, 174 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 3: and that's now changing dramatically. We've got these strategic innovation 175 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 3: hubs in a number of different fields. Venture capital, we 176 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 3: were top three in the nation in the first half 177 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 3: of this year, behind only California and New York. That's 178 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 3: the one area in particular where we had a lot 179 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: of wood to chop, and we've made a lot of progress. 180 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 3: We're not there yet, We're not satisfied by any means, 181 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 3: but a lot of good progress. 182 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: So FARMA has a strong foothold in New Jersey, and 183 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: you're talking about startups as kind of the next big area. 184 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 2: Of growth for the state. You bet so. 185 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 3: Life science is one of the big innovation hubs is 186 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 3: in New Brunswick. It's being built as we speak, called 187 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 3: the Helix that will be a life science focused both 188 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 3: big companies, big hospital systems Rutgers and Princeton with their research, 189 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 3: as well as a big startup component. 190 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: Okay, one last question here. New Jersey has long been 191 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: a true blue state, but Donald Trump won more votes 192 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four than he did in twenty twenty 193 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: and the state feels like it's shifting red. There are 194 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: questions about whether New Jersey's next battleground state. I wonder 195 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: if you could talk to that and also the single 196 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: most important lesson that you think the Democratic Party must 197 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: learn from the twenty four O. 198 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't see it as a battleground state. I 199 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 3: just don't. That doesn't mean we're complacent about it for 200 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 3: one second. 201 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: And you're absolutely right. 202 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 3: President Trump's margin was about five points in New Jersey. 203 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 3: Joe Biden won New Jersey sixteen ish points. By the way, 204 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 3: if you look at New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland, New York. 205 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 4: ALIPHOI concern you was a Democrat. 206 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 3: So the big blue states all shifted like that. 207 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 2: It concerns me. 208 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 4: Why did it shift though? 209 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: Do you know a whole number of reasons? I think 210 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: twelve to fifteen individual reasons. It did not impact us 211 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 3: down ballot. I would be hyper concerned, and I'm not 212 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 3: saying complacent about this because I'm not. We have to 213 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 3: be sober, look in the mirror, analyze what happened. 214 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: But I'd be really. 215 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 3: Panicked if it had a down ballot impact. It did 216 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 3: not for the most part. I'll give you an example 217 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: one Passaic County, big Latino and Muslim populations. By the way, 218 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 3: he won that County Democrats had four county wide candidates, 219 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 3: including two newbies. 220 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 2: They all won handily. 221 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 3: So the lessons we have to figure out where the 222 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 3: lessons are, but we also have to figure out what 223 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 3: was at the top of the ticket in lessons that 224 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,479 Speaker 3: were unique to the top of the ticket versus Democratic 225 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: Party down ballot lessons. 226 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: What's the lesson that's worked for Democrats in New Jersey 227 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 1: down ballot that didn't work at the top. 228 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 3: Be on the side of working families period. We're the 229 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 3: number one state in America to raise a family. That's 230 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 3: especially true for working families. Own that space, invest in 231 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 3: it the present, and that has worked for us. 232 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 4: Some would say the Democrats did that certainly at the 233 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 4: national level. I can't speak specifically to New Jersey. The 234 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 4: issue wasn't whether they did that. The issue was how 235 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 4: that was communicated to the voters. And I'm sure you 236 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 4: know there are a lot of voters, both Democrats and 237 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 4: Republicans alike, to look at the economy over the last 238 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 4: four years and did not feel that that investment was there, 239 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 4: at least from the Democratic Party. 240 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, the notion is that it got too abstract, 241 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 3: like nice, nice soundbites, but where is it for me? 242 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 3: Inflation is still in the system. People are Look, that's 243 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 3: the data point that I think matters the most. What 244 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 3: am I paying for X today versus four years ago? 245 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 4: That's still the number one thing you hear from your residence. 246 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 3: I think the economy is still top of the list. 247 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 3: It always has been, always will be. The fascinating reality 248 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 3: in New Jersey and nationally both is that President Trump 249 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 3: got some more votes in New Jersey than he got 250 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty. A lot fewer people voted on our side. 251 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 3: That to me is the po both sat out the election. 252 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 3: People sat on their hands, both nationally and in New Jersey, 253 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 3: and that's something we have to get our arms around now. 254 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 3: Twenty twenty was an all vote by mail election record 255 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 3: turnout across the board, including in New Jersey. But that's 256 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 3: to me, the big sobering. Why did you stay home 257 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 3: with so much at stake? How come you sat this 258 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 3: one out? That, to me is the question we need 259 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 3: to get a crisp answer to. 260 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: So what is on your to do list as you 261 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: get ready or as a state gets ready for elections 262 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: next November to determine whether there's a democratic governor to 263 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: follow you up or perhaps the Democratic a Republican governor 264 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: takes her vice. 265 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 3: Yes, and so while we have not been a swing 266 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 3: state at the presidential level or at the Senate US 267 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 3: Senate level, we have been historically back and forth. 268 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 2: As governor. So we'll see how that plays out. 269 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 3: There's a crowded field on both sides of the aisle, 270 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 3: a lot of talent running for governor, so we'll see 271 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 3: how that works. I think in terms of us, more 272 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 3: of the same. So number one public education system in America, 273 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 3: keep investing in that, keep expanding pre K, make sure 274 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 3: you're you continue to be top healthcare of top five 275 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 3: healthcare state in America. A big clemency initiative. I want 276 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 3: to do parole reform, more broadly, criminal justice reform. We 277 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 3: got elected to grow the economy, but also to make 278 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 3: it a fairer economy. Address those inequities. We'll continue to 279 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 3: do a. 280 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 4: Lot of You only have about one year left in 281 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 4: office months, so I assume you're going to be involved 282 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 4: in politics. Posts your good natory. 283 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 2: I have no idea. I have no idea. 284 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 4: It sounds like it. 285 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: Launch public service. 286 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 3: Public service is something that I was an ambassador. It's 287 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 3: something that that's important to me in the job of 288 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 3: a lifetime has been Governor of New Jersey, so I 289 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 3: love doing what I can do to serve the public. 290 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: Film Orphie, thank you so much.