1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to the 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. Catch us live weekdays at 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: noon and five pm Eastern on Applecarckley and Android Auto 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: with the Bloomberg Business App. Listen on demand wherever you 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: get your podcasts, or watch us live on YouTube. 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 2: Day thirty one, Happy Halloween, everybody. I have no news 7 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: on when we're going to reopen, although the President seems 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: to think that he has the thought of going nuclear, 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: the nuclear option in the Senate and the filibuster that 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: was his post on truth social that we'll talk about 11 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: in a moment here. But of course lawmakers are gone, 12 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: most of them. The Senate is now out for the weekend. 13 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: Everybody is getting ready to go pass out candy, and 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: tomorrow's a big day. November one, Snap benefits begin to expire, 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 2: Open enrollment begins for those seeking healthcare with subsidies not addressed, 16 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 2: and head Start also starts to go broke tomorrow. We 17 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 2: also have elections ahead next Tuesday, so there are some 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 2: thoughts that as talks begin behind the scenes in Washington, 19 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: maybe something's about to shake loose, but the talking points 20 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,919 Speaker 2: haven't changed. Listen to how Speaker Mike Johnson from earlier today. 21 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 3: The same Democrats who've been perfectly fine with defunding Snap 22 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 3: and Wick for over a month now are suddenly claiming 23 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: to be outraged that Republicans and President Trump can't just 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 3: wave some magic wand and fix the mess that they 25 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 3: themselves are created. If they're suddenly waking up to the 26 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 3: pain their reckless decision is causing, then there's one simple 27 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 3: way to fix it. They can come back in here 28 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 3: and vote to reopen the government. 29 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: Of course, they're not back in here, as I mentioned, 30 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: everybody's away for the weekend, and well, the House has 31 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: been out of session for more than forty five days. 32 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: Laura Davison covering all of this year in our Bloomberg 33 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 2: Washington Bureau, our deputy Washington. 34 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 4: Bureau Chief with us now at the desk. 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: The President says, go nuclear and the filibuster. This thing 36 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: would be done in just moments. What's the majority leader 37 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 2: think of that? 38 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 5: He does not like this idea one bit? He you know, 39 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 5: have for months has been saying he doesn't like it. 40 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 5: He came out, you know, his spokesman came out, and 41 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 5: after Trump made this post yesterday, you're saying he wanted 42 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 5: Republicans dud that said, Nope, this is not on the table, 43 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 5: This is not happening. 44 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 4: And Thune rightly recognizes that. 45 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 5: You know, the Republicans, Republicans are not going to be 46 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 5: in control of Washington forever, and they don't want Democrats 47 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 5: to have the ability to just enact sweeping changes when 48 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 5: they're in power. You know, whether that be you know, 49 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 5: two four, six, eight years from now. 50 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 4: Well, short of that, we have no off ramp at 51 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 4: the moment. 52 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: There has been chatter, as you've been reporting, Laura, that 53 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: there are some rank and file talks underway, although we've 54 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: heard that before. I am compelled though by this headline 55 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,119 Speaker 2: that Chuck Schumer met yesterday with Senator Katie Britt. Does 56 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: that give us a sense that the gears are starting 57 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 2: to turn it? 58 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 4: Could? 59 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 5: You know, Katie Britt's state of Alabama is a state 60 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 5: that relies heavily on staff benefits. You know, we were 61 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 5: doing an analysis of all of the districts and there 62 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 5: are lots of Trump districts that you know are very 63 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 5: reliant on this food aid. So that could start to 64 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 5: see Republicans seeing pressure from folks at home. 65 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 4: You know, you have head starts closing. 66 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 5: You also have you know, military worker rather federal workers 67 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 5: who are going without pay. The thing I think we 68 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 5: really need to watch that's going to be the pressure 69 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 5: point though, are airports. And we've seen some sporadic closures, 70 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 5: you know, ground stoppages, including at DCA yesterday where Fune 71 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 5: was stranded at the capital couldn't get back to South Dakota. 72 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 4: But so far and temporary, we haven't. 73 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 5: Seen system wide outages that will really be the thing 74 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 5: that could tip this into negotiating mode. 75 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 4: Do we hear any chatter about a walkout? 76 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: I mean, obviously the air traffic controllers are not being 77 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: paid and they're all working overtime just by the nature 78 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: of their jobs. 79 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 4: When does the union say it's sick out day? 80 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 5: That's you know what our team here is very closely 81 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 5: trying to figure out that they have not indicated that 82 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 5: even you know last shutdown back in eight to twenty nineteen, 83 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 5: you know, we had a day where you had Miami, Philadelphia, 84 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 5: Guardia and Newark that were basically all had ground stoppages 85 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 5: and just totally messed up all air travel across the 86 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 5: Eastern seaboard. And that you know later that night is 87 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 5: when the shutdown ended. And that wasn't even an coordinated thing. 88 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 5: That was just enough people saying on day thirty five 89 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 5: the shutdown, I can't it doesn't make sense for me. 90 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: To going to work. 91 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 5: I've got other priorities. I need to be driving for 92 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 5: door dash er uber or whatever to pay the bills. 93 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 4: What a thought. 94 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: Day thirty five, by the way, is Tuesday, so we'd 95 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 2: set a new record next Wednesday for the all time 96 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: all time. There's new polling out Laura, pretty incredible, and 97 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: it's what I guess Chuck Schumer was probably hoping for. 98 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 2: ABC News Washington Post poll finds Americans blame Republicans over 99 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 2: congressional Democrats. There you see it on your screen. Forty 100 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: five to thirty three percent Independence blame Republicans by a. 101 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 4: Two to one margin. 102 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: Do numbers like these start to pull a meeting together 103 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 2: at the White House? 104 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 5: It could, And this is also why you see Democrats 105 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,559 Speaker 5: saying that they're not gonna befold. They want to stay 106 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 5: in this fight. You know, they've had sort of the 107 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 5: edge and polling the entire time. This polling is better 108 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 5: than some that were even you know, a. 109 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 4: Couple of weeks ago. 110 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 5: So it seems that they've been able to keep public 111 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 5: opinion on their side during this. You know, Republicans, you know, 112 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 5: they also think that they have the edge. This poll 113 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 5: doesn't necessarily indicate that, but they're both kind of waiting 114 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 5: to see where the chips fall. You know, problems with 115 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 5: the shutdown compound the longer it goes. So Republicans are 116 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 5: betting that people are going to get fed up and 117 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 5: blame the Democrats. Democrats are betting that people are going 118 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 5: to see their premiums increase and say, what the heck 119 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 5: we need to get this solved. 120 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 6: Wow. 121 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: Boy, it's going to feel different when we start the 122 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 2: new week here on Monday and these benefits have actually 123 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: begun to expire and real people are telling stories. We'll 124 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: just have to see how that goes, and of course, 125 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: what the reaction will be on election day. Laura, I 126 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: want to ask you about the President. Though his comments 127 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: on Venezuela was on Air Force One, he's on his 128 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: way to Florida right now. They actually stop the jet 129 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: on the tarmac so he could go back talk to reporters. 130 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: When asked about imminent strikes against Venezuela, as the Miami 131 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: Herald reported, he said no. 132 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 5: He said no, he's not thinking. He said no, he's 133 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 5: made no decision and know that no, no tax are imminent. 134 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 4: This. 135 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 5: You know, there have been two reports, but one from 136 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 5: the Wall Street Journal that said this was under discussion, 137 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 5: and another one from the Miam Harold it was much 138 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 5: more definitive, saying that this you know, could be coming 139 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 5: within days or hours. Poured a lot of cold water 140 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 5: on that. I think that is, you know, kind of 141 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 5: less in the flames and the sort of. 142 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 4: Discord around that topic. 143 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 5: But this has been you know, Trump himself a week 144 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 5: ago said that land strikes would be next. So I 145 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 5: think the question is still here, not necessarily you know, if, 146 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 5: but when. But clearly he's not ready to come out 147 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 5: and say he's made that decision. 148 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's fascinating stuff. 149 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 2: This is what we're going to be getting into coming 150 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: up next with retired General Wesley Clark. Laura, thank you 151 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: as always, Happy Halloween. I'm supposed to say as well. 152 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: It is October thirty, first big Halloween bash, I hope 153 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 2: for you. Laura Davison, our deputy Bureau chief. We thank you. 154 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: I'm Joe, Matthew and Washington and thank you for being 155 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 2: with us here on the Halloween edition of Balance of Power. 156 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 2: The President has said a lot about Venezuela, that these 157 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 2: reports shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, knowing as well 158 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: that a carrier strike group is on its way right 159 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 2: now the USS Jerry Ford to arrive in the Caribbean. 160 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 4: Here's the latest from President Trump on this. 161 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 6: Our seed drugs, as they call them, they use the 162 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 6: term sea drugs. The drugs coming in by sea are 163 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 6: like five percent of what they were a year ago, 164 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 6: less than five percent. 165 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 4: So now they're coming in by land. 166 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 6: And even the land is concerned because I told him 167 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 6: that's going to be next. 168 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 4: You know, the land is going to be next. 169 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 6: And we may go to the Senate, we may go 170 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 6: to the Congress and tell him about it. But I 171 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 6: can't imagine that have any problem with it. I think, 172 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 6: in fact, while we're here, I think it's a good idea. 173 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 6: It's a good idea, all right. The land is next. 174 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 4: He said. 175 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 2: That was October twenty third, his most complete remarks on 176 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: this today until again he said no to the reporters 177 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 2: asking him this morning. 178 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 4: So this may not be done. 179 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: It may just really be a question about timing to 180 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: Laura's point, and that's what we want to talk about 181 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: with the General. Wesley Clark is with US retired four 182 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: star general US Army, served as commander of US Southern Command, 183 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: so he knows this rather well. Founder of Wesley K. 184 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 2: Clark and associates. General, it's great to see you. I 185 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 2: wonder how you're interpreting the remarks by the President, knowing 186 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 2: the flotilla, the armada that we have assembled, it's about 187 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 2: to get even bigger in the Caribbean. How do you 188 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: read his remarks? And what do you think is about 189 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: to happen in Venezuela. 190 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 7: I think it's like jiggling the skeleton key in the lock. 191 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 7: It doesn't always engage the first time. You move it 192 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 7: back and forth and play with it a little bit. 193 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 7: So you've got military force rumors is rumors are that 194 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 7: there are some special operators inside Venezuela. You're not quite 195 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 7: sure what the target is. That's Maduro's problem, is it him? 196 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 7: Could he just suddenly disavow Russia, Iran and China and 197 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 7: say no, no, no, I don't want them. I'm on 198 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,599 Speaker 7: your side America. Could he suddenly say I'm going to 199 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 7: crack down on all could he say I'm just going 200 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 7: to accept the results of the next election, and I 201 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 7: mean it this time that he doesn't know what the 202 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 7: objective is, so he's under a lot of pressure, and 203 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 7: I think this is part of the strategy. We don't 204 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 7: know what the objective really is of the administration, but 205 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 7: if it really is about drugs, then yes, most of 206 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 7: it is coming through Mexico by land. And if you're 207 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 7: going to do something with drugs, you have to look 208 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 7: at the demand side as well. So we're just in 209 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 7: the early stages of this, yet this is a pressure 210 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 7: building up on Maduro. 211 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 4: It is something you mentioned, the demand side. 212 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 2: We never talk about that as if these drugs are 213 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 2: being pushed on Americans. They're coming here because Americans are 214 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 2: demanding them, which is its own problem. The uss Gerald 215 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 2: Ford is on its way right now. General it's apparently 216 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 2: not in theater. Yet would the administration take action without 217 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 2: that platform being there. 218 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,839 Speaker 7: Well, it depends on what the objective is of the administration. 219 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 7: If the objective was to go in and snatch Maduro 220 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 7: and put him on trial somewhere, then maybe you don't 221 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 7: need the ford there. If the objective is to sort 222 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 7: of intimidate be prepared. Then you want an overwhelming force, 223 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 7: and that's what we're assembling there. They do have aircraft, 224 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 7: they do have aircraft, anti aircraft, have radars, have ships, 225 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 7: but you know that could all be taken out in 226 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 7: a few hours. I think what you couldn't do, even 227 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 7: with the two amphibious groups that are there from Marines 228 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 7: and so forth, what you can't do is really go 229 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 7: in and occupy Venezuela. It's just too big, too many people, 230 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 7: too many weapons distributed. Can't quite do the same kind 231 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 7: of takedown that we did in Panama against Monuel Noriega 232 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 7: in nineteen eighty nine. That was an entirely different case legally, militarily, geopolitically, 233 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 7: so this is different. Still, we still don't really know 234 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 7: what the objective is of the administration, and it could 235 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 7: be that really it is drugs. It also could be 236 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 7: that's just what you say when there's a private set 237 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 7: of objectives that are coordinated through Congress, and he has 238 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 7: briefed at least the Republican members of Congress in the 239 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 7: big committees. I hope you'll bring the Democrats in too, 240 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 7: because national security shouldn't be partisan. It should be beyond 241 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 7: the country's borders. We should all be one nation. 242 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 2: Well, this is a great point that you make, and 243 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 2: maybe that will actually tell us a bit if we 244 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: start seeing briefings across the aisle on Capitol Hill. I 245 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 2: know that the Pentagon has not been terribly fond of 246 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 2: talking to Congress at all lately, but general, we've seen 247 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 2: B one bombers and B fifty two bombers buzzing Venezuela's airspace. 248 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 2: We also saw Venezuela and F sixteen's buzz a couple 249 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: of US ships weeks ago when we first started striking 250 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 2: these alleged drug boats coming out of Venezuela. You mentioned 251 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 2: the fact that they do have some aircraft. They've got 252 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: anti aircraft missiles and the like. What kind of a 253 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 2: job would it be for us to knock all of 254 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 2: that out? Or would there in fact be an air 255 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 2: war over Venezuela. 256 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 7: You never want to discount an adversary. So, yes, they've 257 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 7: got pilots, they fly F sixteen's, they have some air 258 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 7: to air weapons, but they don't have the modern air 259 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 7: to air weapons. They don't have the system that we have, 260 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 7: So there might be an air war over Venezuela. They 261 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 7: might get some aircraft actually off the ground. But in 262 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 7: terms of our to reach out and strike, our ability 263 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 7: to use stealth, our ability to name the time and 264 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 7: manner of attack, and so forth, I don't think there's 265 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 7: any question about the outcome and it. You know, the 266 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 7: Israelis have really pioneered this in their operations A typically STRIKEE. 267 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 7: They're effective, they're using our technology. Of course we know 268 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 7: all those systems. I wouldn't think there'd be much of 269 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 7: a problem. But for the pilot in the aircraft A, 270 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,199 Speaker 7: he's put his life on the line for the country. 271 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 7: He's got to succeed, and we would do everything possible 272 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 7: to make sure we can do this effectively without losses. 273 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 2: As we're speaking General, we're showing images video of some 274 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 2: of the alleged drug boats that we've blown up recently, 275 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 2: too many to count at this point. 276 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 4: There was a sub we've got the boats as well. 277 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 2: This is quite a gallery that we have these things 278 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 2: blowing up and catching on fire. A lot of people 279 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: have died. As someone who actually ran Southern Command. What 280 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 2: is your thought on the legality of this operation so far, Well, 281 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 2: you know it should have been briefed as legal. Presumably 282 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 2: there's some legal authorization to it. We haven't been told that, 283 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 2: and the evidence that has been presented to Congress, at 284 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 2: least as it's been explained publicly, doesn't fully justify that. 285 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: We know for sure that these are drug boats, and 286 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 2: if they are, then it be a violation really of 287 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 2: maritime norms to attack them. We would normally seize and 288 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: secure them, use them to collect information and run it 289 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: back to the source. This is a different approach, and. 290 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 7: Really it's more about naked power than it is the 291 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 7: international rules based system. And this is one of the 292 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 7: concerns that so many have today when you look at 293 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 7: the shape of the international environment. What's going on in Ukraine, 294 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 7: what's happening might happen in Taiwan and so forth. How 295 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 7: do we use all the tools of state graft, not 296 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 7: just the military and not just tariffs, but international law, diplomacy, 297 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 7: and how do we put it all together in the 298 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 7: package that best serves the interests of the American people. 299 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 7: And so when you look at what's happening with these boats, 300 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 7: you have to ask, what if Russia decides to do this, 301 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 7: What if China decides that it makes up with anything 302 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 7: in the South China. See that's moving be a threat 303 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 7: to China and starts to knocking off boat. Certainly wouldn't 304 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 7: like it, So I think we have to be very 305 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 7: careful about the example we set. I hope that the 306 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 7: administration will come forward soon with more of a legal 307 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 7: justification and make sure that this is not a partisan 308 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 7: but a bipartisan thing. It's got the support of the 309 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:25,119 Speaker 7: entire Congress. That's the way that American foreign policy is strongest. 310 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, General, I only have a minute left, and I 311 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 2: hate to bring up a whole new topic. I don't 312 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 2: want to have to cut you off, but this headline 313 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 2: just ran from CNN. The Department of Defense is okay 314 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 2: Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, and it will leave the decision 315 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 2: finally to President Trump in our remaining thirty seconds. Should 316 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 2: those missiles go to Ukraine? 317 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 7: Absolutely right, yep. Puts more pressure on Putin, brings US 318 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 7: closure to an end of the war. Yes, absolutely, great decision. 319 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: Fascinating. We'd love to talk to you more about that 320 00:15:58,960 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: when we learn more. 321 00:15:59,600 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 4: At General. 322 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: It's good to see you retired General Wesley Clark with 323 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 2: us live again on Bloomberg TV and radio. We thank you, 324 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: as always for the insights tomahawks for Ukraine cleared by 325 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 2: the Pentagon. We'll see what the President has to say 326 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: about this. Maybe he'll be asked about it if he 327 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: talks to reporters when he lands in Florida. He's on 328 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 2: his way there right now for a weekend at mar 329 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 2: A Lago. The Halloween edition of Balance of Power continues 330 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 2: next with our panel Rick Davis and Rshie Sidiki together 331 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 2: as we look ahead to election day next week. The 332 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 2: impact of the government shutdown should not be discounted, and 333 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 2: we'll get their take. Next up, Bloomberg, Stay with us 334 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: on Balance of Power. We'll have much more coming up 335 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 2: after this. 336 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power Podcast. Catch 337 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: us live weekdays at noon and five pm Eastern on 338 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: Apple Cockway and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. 339 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: You can also listen live on Amazon Alexa from our 340 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: flagship New York station Just Say Alexa played Bloomberg eleven. 341 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 4: Thirty in California. 342 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 2: Are eye popping as we follow the money here on 343 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 2: Prop fifty. You know, next Tuesday is an election day, 344 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 2: and we've talked a lot on this program about the 345 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 2: gubernatorial races, certainly in Virginia and New Jersey. We've talked 346 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 2: a lot about the New York City mayoral race, and 347 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 2: we're going to get into all three of these, but 348 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: also what's taking place in California is extremely important. 349 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 4: Prop fifty. This is redistricting, right. 350 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: We talked about it a lot when this first emerged, 351 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 2: and it has started a cascade now of other states 352 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 2: rewriting their congressional maps following what is expected to take 353 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 2: place in California. 354 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 4: Gavin Newsom put this up for a vote. 355 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 2: That was the way they decided to handle it, and 356 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: Prop fifty looks like it's going to pass quite easily. 357 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 2: Over the past eleven weeks, Bloomberg News reporting Newsom and 358 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 2: his allies brought in more than one hundred and twenty 359 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 2: million dollars for Prop fifty, about three times the total 360 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 2: raised by the proposals opponents. Yes, George Soros's name is 361 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: on there, along with others including Reed Hastings. And this 362 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 2: is where we start now with our political panel. Bloomberg 363 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 2: Politics contributor Rick Davis is with us for a Republican 364 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 2: strategist and partner at Stone Court Capital. Archie Sidiki with 365 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 2: me here in Washington as well, former Aid to House 366 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 2: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, founder CEO of Bellwether Government Affairs. It's 367 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 2: great to have you both with us, or she I'd 368 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 2: love to start with you on Prop fifty. Are you 369 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 2: expecting a blowout and what would this mean for the 370 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 2: redistricting efforts around the country and just the aura for 371 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: Democrats that might follow nationally. 372 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 8: Well, I think there are two important pieces about California. 373 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 8: One is it's a defensive measure, and I think the 374 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 8: governor really went out of his way to structure it 375 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 8: in a way that really was not a unilateral decision 376 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 8: by him, but actually going back to the voters, so 377 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,360 Speaker 8: and then it was a really quick ramp up time. 378 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 8: So it's a defensive measure for Democrats in a very 379 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 8: aggressive push by Republicans to go state by state and 380 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 8: try to try to rewrite these districts. 381 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: What do you make of the money involved here, Rick, 382 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 2: You've run enough campaigns and elections to have a sense 383 00:18:59,119 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 2: of this. 384 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 9: You expect the low out, Well, it certainly is what's 385 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 9: indicated in the polling. I mean recent polling. As you 386 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 9: pointed out, Joe, six and ten Californians are supporting Prop 387 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 9: fifty at one hundreds out of one hundred and sixty 388 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 9: million being spent. 389 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 4: One hundred and twenty. 390 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 9: Five of that is pro Prop fifty, So it's overwhelming 391 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 9: force politically, and so we'll see early voting is very 392 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 9: favorable to the Prop fifty demographics, but early indications are 393 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 9: that there'll be a significant Republican advantage on election day, 394 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 9: which is pretty traditional in an early voting state. 395 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 2: Indeed, Rick makes reference to the poll out in last 396 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,719 Speaker 2: twenty four hours from the Institute of Governmental Studies at 397 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 2: the University of California, Berkeley. Sixty percent archy of likely 398 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 2: voters back the proposal compared with forty eight percent of 399 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 2: registered voters who were surveyed in August. So there's been 400 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: some real momentum here. Really interesting, Well, Democrats regret this move, 401 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: knowing that of course this started in Texas by Republicans, 402 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 2: but it's tipped off a cascade of states that really 403 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 2: could end up favoring Republicans in the end. 404 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 4: No, I actually not at all. 405 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 8: I think, if anything, it is a defensive mood that 406 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 8: really Democrats were back to. 407 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 4: She saw choice. 408 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 8: Yeah, there's no choice, And honestly, that's just unilateral disarmament 409 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 8: where you know, it's it's not a fair fight going 410 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 8: into the midterms. 411 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 4: So I think even now with. 412 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 8: This California move that that still doesn't get Democrats where 413 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 8: they need to be, because you saw this in Indiana. 414 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 8: In Indiana, the Republicans are very skittish, and it's just 415 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 8: been this barrage of pressure by Washington Republicans in Washington 416 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 8: and administration on getting that peace done. 417 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:47,360 Speaker 2: Really interesting, as we gather here on day thirty one 418 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 2: of the government shut down, there are implications, according to 419 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 2: some at least, that we'll play out here in these elections. Again, 420 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 2: We've got governor's races in Virginia, New Jersey, We've got 421 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 2: New York might kind of be its own thing with 422 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 2: the Mamdani factor. But let's keep these two gubernatorial races 423 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 2: in mind. Rick Davis. People start losing snap benefits tomorrow. 424 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 2: Open enrollment is going to be in everybody's face. When 425 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: it comes to Obamacare. We've got head start on ice 426 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 2: all of a sudden because of the shutdown, people are 427 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 2: going to be talking about groundstops, most likely at airports. 428 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 2: How does that play in favor potentially of Democrats or 429 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: Republicans in these two races. 430 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 9: Look, I mean the polls that we've been talking about 431 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 9: around the government shutdown penalized Republicans, especially with independent voters, 432 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 9: who tend to be the siding vote in a lot 433 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 9: of races, and certainly will be in this very close 434 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 9: New Jersey governor's race that is within the margin era 435 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 9: and turnout will be a major contributing factor to the 436 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 9: outcome of this race. In other words, who shows up 437 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 9: in early voting and on election day? Is it going 438 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 9: to be Democrats who are motivated because of the. 439 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 4: Anger they have toward the government shutdown? 440 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 9: Is it Republicans who are supportive of the Donald Trump 441 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 9: elect you know, agenda and and and. 442 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 4: So I think that's the one to watch. 443 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 9: Of all of these the outcomes are pretty much assured 444 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 9: except for New Jersey. 445 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 4: And and if. 446 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 9: Democrats win, Republicans are going to say, wow, you know, 447 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 9: if without a government shutdown, could we have could we 448 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 9: have taken that race? And I think that's that's not 449 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 9: an academic issue that could be pretend serious considerations for 450 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 9: how to handle them the midterm elections. 451 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, if the polls like today's from ABC News Washington 452 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 2: Posts show Americans blame Republicans, does that favorite Democrats? 453 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 4: On Tuesday? 454 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 8: I think the government shutdown. Nexus in New Jersey is 455 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 8: interesting because if you look at UH, it is a 456 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 8: margin of error race. 457 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 4: That's the break pointed out. 458 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 8: But also importantly, there's been a lot of campaigning and 459 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 8: communities of color, and some of these benefits are really 460 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 8: disproportionately cuts are impacting communities of color. So I think 461 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 8: from that perspective there's an excess. 462 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 4: But I do think. 463 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 8: Turnout is going to be critical in New Jersey, and 464 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 8: it is a very tight race. And as you know, 465 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 8: for the past sixty years, voters in New Jersey they 466 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 8: alternate between a Democrat or a Republican in the governor's. 467 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 4: Alle right, So how worried are you about New Jersey? 468 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 8: As a Democrat, I think what's very exciting is Mikey 469 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 8: Cheryl is just the whole package. She's smart, she's driven, 470 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 8: she has a national security background, She's a moderate, pragmatist, 471 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 8: a problem solver. 472 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 4: So I think that's a lot of room for hope there. Well, 473 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 4: it's being looked at as a bellwether. 474 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 2: Rick Davis, how important will the results in New Jersey 475 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 2: specifically be for these two parties? 476 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 9: Yeah, Look, I think that if Republicans can win this 477 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 9: and we as are, she pointed out, we haven't been 478 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 9: that successful in most recent statewide election history. Then they're 479 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,680 Speaker 9: gonna rally around the president's agenda in a way that 480 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 9: right now you don't see happening in the other races. 481 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 9: And so it will give an impetus to Republicans to 482 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 9: double down on this strategy. It'll make it more difficult 483 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 9: to kind of deal to open government, and assuming we're 484 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 9: not opened by you know, the fourth and November, and 485 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 9: so it could really change the mental attitude that Republicans 486 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 9: have about, you know, whether they're leaning back or leaning 487 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 9: into this agenda going into the midterms. 488 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 4: Really interesting. 489 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 2: We haven't talked enough about Virginia, probably because a lot 490 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 2: of folks see this as a foregone conclusion. By the way, 491 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 2: we should note that Virginia's a General Assembly advanced a 492 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 2: proposed constitutional amendment today that could bring redistricting to the 493 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: old dominion r She is this a blowout as many 494 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 2: are casting in the media. I live in Virginia, although 495 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 2: I'm in northern Virginia, so you know, I'm not seeing 496 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 2: a lot of winsome signs around. 497 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 4: How do you expect this to pan out? 498 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 8: I think no one should take Virginia for granted, and 499 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 8: we've seen that and you look at Youngkins win last time. 500 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 8: And you also we've seen some indications that Trump is 501 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 8: really focused on Virginia because of redistricting, so he's engaging 502 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 8: and so on that as we know, he can be 503 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 8: a very powerful advocate on the campaign trail. So in 504 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 8: this final stage, I think Democrats aren't taking anything for 505 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 8: granted and they cannot afford you. Now, the great thing 506 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 8: is Abigail Spamberger is a fighter. The congresswoman knows how 507 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 8: to really run a really aggressive and strong campaign and 508 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 8: she's really focused on issues of affordability and delivering for 509 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:32,239 Speaker 8: Virginia families. Well. 510 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 2: As my fellow Virginia and Rick Davis would tell you, 511 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 2: we can't get through a single commercial break without seeing 512 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 2: ads in this campaign. It's just been dominating the airwaves 513 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: and dominating the conversation. Rick, to what extent could the 514 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 2: shutdown impact results in Virginia as well, knowing how many 515 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 2: federal workers live here. 516 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 9: Yeah, We've been looking at turnout in Fairfax County, competitive 517 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 9: county that has been trending more blue than red in 518 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 9: the last few cycles, and the turnout as of today 519 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 9: is on the same par level as a presidential election. 520 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 4: And you know, remember this isn't even a mid term. 521 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 9: This is an off year election, which means turnout usually 522 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 9: is off. And so the fact that you've got that 523 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 9: level of activity at the ballot box before election day 524 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 9: usually indicates that you know you've got to change election coming, 525 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 9: which would of course advantage the Democrats in this case. 526 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 9: But I got to believe that you have that kind 527 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 9: of a strong move in Fairfax County. It is a 528 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 9: direct corresponding factor to the shutdown. And of course we 529 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 9: see all that news and we have hundreds of thousands 530 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 9: of people who've been affected, and so you've got to 531 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 9: believe that's translating into some political activity. 532 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 2: Really interesting. This is going to be a fascinating night. Actually, 533 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 2: I'm really looking forward to it. In our coverage here 534 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 2: on Bloomberg will have special coverage for you on Tuesday, 535 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 2: live from World Headquarters in New York. Is everyone's expecting 536 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 2: Mayor Mamdanni to show up at some point, maybe later 537 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 2: in the evening on Tuesday. What do you make of 538 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 2: the Republican effort to elect Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat turned independent. 539 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 8: Yeah, I think the fear factor, there's certainly an excitement 540 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 8: factor on the Democratic side from Mumdannie. I think on 541 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 8: the Republican side there's a fear factory, and there has 542 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 8: been a fear factor and then also an attempt. You know, 543 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 8: it's interesting we're talking about Spamberger, Mikey, Cheryl Nobody talks 544 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 8: about them as our standard bearers and great examples of Democrats. 545 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 8: People are also looking at Mumdanni to really kind of 546 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 8: characterize him as a radical, whereas we have these other 547 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 8: two governor governor potential governors who are really middle of 548 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 8: the road pragmaty. 549 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 4: Fascinating. Rick, we've only got about thirty seconds. Does Wall 550 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:56,160 Speaker 4: Street vote Cuomo? Wall Streets vote Cuomo? Absolutely? 551 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 9: You know, everybody I've talked to over the last few 552 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 9: months prepping for this election on Tuesday are sick with 553 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 9: concerns about what that agenda that Mondami has is going 554 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 9: to result in for New York City. 555 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,639 Speaker 4: And so we'll see. 556 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 9: But I think fear loathing is the nature of the 557 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:16,680 Speaker 9: election in New York. 558 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:20,640 Speaker 4: City, Fear and loathing in Manhattan. 559 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 2: Rick Davis, Archie Sidiki, many thanks to both of you 560 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 2: for a great conversation. Again, we'll have special election like 561 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 2: coverage here on Bloomberg. 562 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 4: Stay with us on Balance of Power. We'll have much 563 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 4: more coming up after this. 564 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. Catch 565 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: us live weekdays at noon and five pm Eastern on 566 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: Apple Cockley and Android Otto with the Bloomberg Business App. 567 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: You can also listen live on Amazon Alexa from our 568 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: flagship New York station. 569 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 4: Just say Alexa, play Bloomberg eleven thirty. Yeah. 570 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 2: If you seen this new movie, A House of Dynamite, 571 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 2: It's on Netflix and it's the big thing to watch 572 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 2: well this weekend. Last weekend, I actually had a chance 573 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 2: to see it myself, and it's making news because it's 574 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 2: a pretty scary proposition. The idea here is that there 575 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 2: and I give you I'll give you the spoiler alert 576 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 2: right now. There's no way I can't ruin this movie 577 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,719 Speaker 2: for you. And just wait till Tony Capassio starts talking. 578 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 2: There's a nuclear attack against America. There's an ICBM. We 579 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 2: don't know where the heck it came from. It's coming 580 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 2: in on Chicago and we try to knock it out 581 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 2: of the air. Think Dare I say it out loud? 582 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 2: Golden Dome, Think Iron dome. Right, we've got interceptor missiles. 583 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 2: They go up there and knock the thing down, shooting 584 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 2: a bullet with another bullet, except in this case it 585 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: misses a terrifying thought. This movie is from Catherine Bigelow, 586 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 2: the latest Remembering Zero, Dark thirty and the rest, and 587 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 2: it got the attention of the Pentagon because when we 588 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,959 Speaker 2: start talking about missile defense, this isn't exactly the kind 589 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 2: of message that the Pentagon. 590 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 4: Wants to send to everybody around the world. 591 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 2: Now and watching this movie and to Tony Capassio, he 592 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 2: got his hands on a piece of paper inside the Pentagon. 593 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 2: Remember this is the Pentagon that kicked all the reporters out, 594 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 2: making clear that they think this movie is inaccurate, and 595 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 2: they're trying to set the record straight to some extent here. 596 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 2: Now Tony's been picked up. He's the only person with 597 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 2: this document. He's been picked up everywhere from the New 598 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 2: York Times to the Hollywood Reporter to Esquire, and they 599 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 2: even got Catherine Bigelow to respond to this, and no 600 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 2: one's getting along. So we're delighted as always to have 601 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 2: Bloomberg's National Security reporter where us. Tony Capasio, Good to 602 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 2: see you, they must be glad they kicked you out 603 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 2: of the building because now you're breaking more news than 604 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 2: you were when you were in the building, which I 605 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 2: find hysterica. 606 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 4: Here's the irony. It was dated October sixteenth, day after 607 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 4: we all left. How about that. Yeah, this is the 608 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,479 Speaker 4: kind of memo they wouldn't want us to get. It 609 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 4: was not stamp cui, but it was for internal use only. 610 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 4: They underline internal and not releasable to the public. Okay, 611 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 4: someday I want to know how you got this. 612 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, so tell us what the problem is, because 613 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 2: this is not a documentary. What's the Pentagon care about 614 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 2: the movie? Okay? 615 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 4: The memo is not a slash and burn everything stinks 616 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 4: in the movie. 617 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 7: It was. 618 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 4: It's fairly measured and fairly muted. It's fairly technical. It 619 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 4: basically it was meant to be a heads up for 620 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 4: those in the Pentagon if you get asked about this 621 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 4: kind of thing, if they get asked about it, and 622 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 4: if it shows up a conversation. It had a limited 623 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 4: run in theaters, and not every Pentagon official gets Netflix, 624 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 4: so this was like a heads up memo. But it 625 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 4: was fairly detailed and it was not a slash and burn. 626 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 4: They actually acknowledged that some of the film laid out 627 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 4: the messages they wanted, you know, that the US could 628 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 4: be attacked by a nuclear weapon, the value of deterrence, 629 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 4: So it wasn't slash and burn, but there it was 630 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 4: a critique. 631 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 2: A critique they called it inaccurate and went so far 632 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: as to say, we have one hundred percent capability of 633 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 2: knocking said missile out of the air. 634 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 4: Is even true? Okay, this is an area I've covered 635 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 4: for quite a while, and literally for the last four 636 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 4: of these things. It is true. Between twenty seven twenty 637 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 4: twenty three, the last time that happened, they had a score. 638 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 4: They hit four times in a row. Last time what happened, 639 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 4: though there was an intercept test. These are always high 640 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 4: visibility issues. Between like two thousand and one when they 641 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 4: started doing these are two thousand and two, I think 642 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 4: was they've had twelve of twenty one hits, got it? 643 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 4: Those are with new, older prototypes elementary radar, elementary warheads. 644 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 4: But the last four were with better warheads, better discrimination technologies, 645 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 4: and better command and control and detection detection technology. Excuse me. 646 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:38,719 Speaker 4: One of the tests that one of the five one 647 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 4: of the four excuse me, was so significant that the 648 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 4: Pentagon's Test Office, which has been was a critic of 649 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 4: the program for quite a while, that said it only 650 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 4: had a limited capability to defend the United States against 651 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 4: a small number of missiles. One of those tests was 652 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 4: convincing enough where they dropped the word limited and said 653 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 4: it's demonstrated a capability to defend the United States against 654 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 4: the small number of missiles far from an adversary. That 655 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 4: was significant. People don't realize that. I found that Actually 656 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 4: the memo ind when I was cleaning out my desk 657 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 4: at the Pentagon. Yeah, it's stay in twenty seventeen, but 658 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 4: that to me, it's it's a leading indicator. Thinks not perfect, 659 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 4: but it's been. It's been the target of arms control 660 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 4: critics over the years, and it's been embraced by the 661 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 4: military industrial complex that has invested interest in missile defense. Sure, 662 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 4: so to measure it, it's had fifty seven percent success, 663 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 4: right if you look at all the tests, but literally 664 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 4: for the last four, the last one at twenty twenty three, 665 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 4: it has it hit four times in a row, and 666 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 4: it changed the Test office's opinion from it has a 667 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 4: limited capability to demonstrating it has a capability. Okay, so well, 668 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 4: listen that we just learned a lot. 669 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 2: Catherine Bigelow didn't love what she heard from the document 670 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 2: that you uncovered, nor did Noah Oppenheim, who I guess 671 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 2: was the writer of the film. Right says, quote as 672 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 2: we see it, it's not a debate between us as 673 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 2: filmmakers and the Pentagon. It's between the Pentagon and the 674 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 2: wider community of experts in the space saying that their 675 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 2: consultants agree our current missile defense system is highly imperfect. 676 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:19,800 Speaker 4: What do we make of this? Well, it's two reasonable people, 677 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 4: reasonable sides making their arguments here, but you've got data 678 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 4: saying this is one hundred percent. Yeah. I mean, the 679 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 4: Pentagon is their own worst enemy on missile defense and 680 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 4: the system it's gotten. They rarely do briefings on it 681 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:33,760 Speaker 4: over the years that they had one briefing at budget 682 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 4: time that lasted a half an hour and it was 683 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 4: the last briefing of the day. The congressional hearings maybe 684 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 4: one congressional hearing a year, and they just don't want 685 00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 4: to They haven't talked about this very much to defend 686 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 4: this system. So this movie comes out and raises legitimate 687 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 4: questions that the public should ponder if they care about 688 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 4: the subjects right, about whether things are effective. I mean, 689 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 4: I got a couple questions out of myself, as someone 690 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,760 Speaker 4: who's pretty agnostic. One would we only fire two ground 691 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 4: based interceptors at this missile? We've got forty four of them. 692 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 4: Now we're really spoiling the movie. I don't know how 693 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 4: we'll stand with That's that's an unknown question that people 694 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 4: may want to ask their congressmen representatives. Is that really 695 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 4: would that be the case? 696 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 2: And then we'll watch the thing just come on down 697 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 2: into Chicago with so you might want to try again. 698 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 4: My kind of talent. I'm from Chicago. I don't know 699 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 4: why they picked Chicago, by the way, that's a whole 700 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 4: other thing. Yeah, they don't even have stockyards anymore. But 701 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,839 Speaker 4: the other point I want to make too, Yeah, we 702 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 4: definitely would know where the missile came from. That to 703 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:34,120 Speaker 4: me was unexplained. Maybe it was explained in an apocryphal 704 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 4: side comment that I missed, But if I'm a citizen, 705 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 4: i'd want to know, you know, where this thing was. 706 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:40,720 Speaker 4: We spend billions of dollars out of all these space 707 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 4: based constellations of satellites and we couldn't find where this 708 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 4: think's coming from. And then we launched a preempt a 709 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 4: nuclear attack on Russia or China based on a missile 710 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 4: coming from an unknown location that to be struck a 711 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 4: strain credibility. 712 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 2: All right, talk to us about the Golden Dome. Does 713 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 2: this mean with one hundred percent act see it, that 714 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:02,440 Speaker 2: we don't need to spend all this money on a 715 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 2: space based system. 716 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 4: Okay, the Golden Dome is like the way Russia was 717 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:09,400 Speaker 4: described by Churchill and Enigma wrapped in a cloud in 718 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,840 Speaker 4: terms of from World War Two. They they haven't disclosed 719 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 4: much about the program, except that President Trump said it 720 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,759 Speaker 4: will cost one hundred and seventy five billion dollars out forbidding, though, 721 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 4: is it not? That's pieces are out there, but it's 722 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 4: very very elliptical that he wants this operational by the 723 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 4: end of his term. Not possible. Not possible. There's no 724 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,280 Speaker 4: details on it. But if I'm a citizen who doesn't 725 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,399 Speaker 4: follow much about missile defense and I see this movie, 726 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:38,800 Speaker 4: which was a lot of it was terrific by the way, 727 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 4: I would say to myself, Wow, if these ground based 728 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,880 Speaker 4: systems don't work, and President Trump wants to have a 729 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 4: golden dome and an umbrella over the country to protect us. 730 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 4: Maybe that's not such a bad idea that that's a 731 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,720 Speaker 4: pointed debate. I'm not making the point, but it's appointed 732 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 4: debate if I'm a reasonable citizen watching this film exactly. Sure. 733 00:36:56,719 --> 00:37:01,720 Speaker 2: So fascinating to watch all of this, and it comes 734 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 2: against the backdrop of this meeting the President had with 735 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 2: China and news about some of the weapons systems that 736 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 2: China's working on. Incidentally, hypersonics would be part of that, 737 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,320 Speaker 2: which we've discussed before. And I don't know how you 738 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:15,919 Speaker 2: knock a hypersonic missile out of the air. But we're 739 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 2: hearing things about this nuclear torpedo that could cross an ocean. 740 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:24,320 Speaker 2: We're hearing about a drone, an undersea drone that could 741 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:26,399 Speaker 2: start a radioactive tsunami. 742 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 4: Is this propaganda or do they have this stuff? Well, 743 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 4: there's a song everything Old is New Again. Yeah. I 744 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 4: find a twenty eighteen missile defense review from when I 745 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 4: was clearing out my desk is also when you're desk, 746 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 4: and there was back then they were talking about the 747 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 4: status to a Russian autonomous Yeah, intercontinental nuclear arm, nuclear 748 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:49,359 Speaker 4: powered undersea autonomous torpedo. Everything old is new again? How 749 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,680 Speaker 4: that was twenty eighteen? Twenty eighteen, So this doesn't sound 750 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 4: real to me? Then, No, they're packaging and like it's 751 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,440 Speaker 4: real and that's right. An I would hope are you 752 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:01,080 Speaker 4: our intelligence community would tell the president this is an 753 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 4: iteration of something we looked at it we saw twenty eighteen. 754 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,880 Speaker 2: The heck else did you find in your desk? Nothing's 755 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 2: going to be like we could have. Yeah, I bet 756 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,960 Speaker 2: that's right. We're gonna have like a segment called Tony's 757 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,440 Speaker 2: Desk because apparently you've got the history of the Pentagon 758 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 2: in there? Are they reconsidering this decision to kick you 759 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 2: guys out because it's only increased the newsflow to your 760 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:24,279 Speaker 2: earlier point. 761 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 4: Well, and it's doubled. They've doubled on that. You know 762 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,839 Speaker 4: that they've they've certified. 763 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:32,319 Speaker 2: They brought in like Lyndel TV and oan are they 764 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 2: Are they sitting in your old desk? 765 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 4: The cream of the right wing media? Yeah. My understanding 766 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,720 Speaker 4: is they're starting to move in next week and various Yeah, okay, 767 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:41,800 Speaker 4: so this won't be reversed as long as this I 768 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 4: don't think so. No, So I'm not sure A different 769 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,879 Speaker 4: defense secretary, I would hope. So, yeah, I would bet 770 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 4: on that. That's like a plus two hundred. If I'm betting, 771 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 4: means I'm putting a two D because it's so certain. 772 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 2: Yes, but you'd be ready to move back in if 773 00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:57,160 Speaker 2: that happened. 774 00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 4: The organization Bloomberg is an organization, would have to make that. 775 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 4: But yes, I would think so. She just wouldn't be 776 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:03,720 Speaker 4: signing any documents. Plus we wouldn't have the same space. 777 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:05,719 Speaker 2: Probably maybe you'd get an upgrade, although you had a 778 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 2: pretty nice one as I understand. 779 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:09,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, we have a great DSL line. 780 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 2: A DSL line. Okay, what's the next story that's going 781 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:14,319 Speaker 2: to come out of this Pentagon? The President says no 782 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,600 Speaker 2: attack or no decision has been made to attack Venezuela. 783 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:20,400 Speaker 4: Are you taking him at his word at this point? 784 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 4: You have to, because he's in he's in the Far East, 785 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 4: hexas in the Far East, and maybe no attack timing 786 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,560 Speaker 4: as opposed to yeah, as a plan of timing plus 787 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:34,839 Speaker 4: the moving in of assets, bringing in the carrier. He's 788 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 4: got to explain to you, the American people, why this 789 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 4: isn't necessary. This is a president who came in wanting 790 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,440 Speaker 4: to keep us out of foreign entanglements. You know, this 791 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:50,840 Speaker 4: is like Venezuela, Haiti, excuse me, Haiti, Panama, Cuba, Cuba, Granada, Grenada. 792 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:55,240 Speaker 4: In nineteen eighty three, American public's gotta stress. Scratch your head. Really, 793 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 4: why do we go down there? Why? Down in Panama too? 794 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,319 Speaker 4: But I guess it's finas Pana was. Nineteen eighty nine, 795 00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:05,920 Speaker 4: Loriego was indicted for a drug dealer, So there's a 796 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 4: there was a rationale for that quick action. Interesting. Well, 797 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:12,920 Speaker 4: let's keep tabs on this. I love that. I personally, 798 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:13,479 Speaker 4: I know this. 799 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,560 Speaker 2: Doesn't help Bloomberg at all, but I love the fact 800 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:17,840 Speaker 2: that he's in the bureau all the time. Now, Tony Capassio, 801 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 2: uh covering the Pentagon from a distance, we'll say, National 802 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:21,840 Speaker 2: Security reporter. 803 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:22,960 Speaker 4: Thanks for uncovering this for us. 804 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,279 Speaker 2: Thank you for you liked the movie though, right, Excuse me, 805 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 2: I like I thought I was terrisic blast. 806 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 4: I thought it was terrific. Producer, James, you got to 807 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,360 Speaker 4: see you let us know what you think. Thanks for 808 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:33,480 Speaker 4: listening to the Balance of Power podcast. 809 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 2: Make sure to subscribe if you haven't already, at Apple, Spotify, 810 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:39,879 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts, and you can find 811 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 2: us live every weekday from Washington, DC at noontime Eastern 812 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 2: at bloomberg dot com