1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news for. 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 2: All of you nationwide. We are transfixed in New York 3 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 2: City by a mayoral race. There is an election in November, 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: which months ago was like no big deal because there's 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: twelve Republicans in New York City. But all of a sudden, 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: it's like, Okay, this could be a really interesting election 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: because this candidate is an independent. This one's an independent. 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: There'll be four even five people on the ballot. Governor 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 2: Cromo was in the other day. As a disclaimer, I 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: want to make clear that he's received the endorsement of 11 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: mister Bloomberg. Michael Bloomberg is the owner of various Sundry 12 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: Bloomberg events, including Bloomberg LP in, Bloomberg Television, in radio. 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: Whitney Tilson joins us right now after surviving the race. 14 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: Is mister Krome said, Whitney Tilson is a financial guy 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 2: in a hedge fund community and such, and has gone 16 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: through the public process of being a candidate. This word 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: cross indors in rank voting. Can you cross endorse Governor 18 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 2: Cuomo this morning? 19 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 3: Yes, And it's not a cross endorsement because I haven't 20 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 3: asked for his endorsement. In return, but at the on 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 3: the mayoral stage. At the last debate on Thursday night, 22 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 3: when asked, I was the only candidate who was willing 23 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 3: to say who I would vote, No, just that, why 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: are you. 25 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: The only candidate just lining up buying Cuomo Jessica did 26 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 2: in the Queens. I believe it was as. 27 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 3: Well because the rest of the candidates are more progressive 28 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 3: lefty types, and Cuomo and I are the only two 29 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 3: people in the moderate lane. So I'm happy to throw 30 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 3: my support behind him and just say, don't rank zero 31 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 3: on Mom Dannie, who's the far lefty thirty three year 32 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 3: old inexperienced Democratic socialists. 33 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 4: Whitney crime, homelessness. If you ask I think the average 34 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 4: New Yorker, those two topics would be at or near 35 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 4: the top of their list of concerns. 36 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 3: Yes, second only to housingford ability. 37 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: Yep, how do you deal with that issue? Brobably tied together. Well, 38 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: it's a tough one. 39 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 3: There's no quick solution, but a bunch of legislation passed 40 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 3: five years ago that effectively decriminalized all low level crime. 41 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: Not surprisingly, shocker, you had a huge increase and New 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 3: Yorker has got upset and we're in the process slowly, 43 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 3: too slowly rolling some of that back, but it demoralized 44 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 3: police and we've were down to a thirty four year 45 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 3: low in the number of police officers. The good news, however, 46 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 3: is that on his fourth attempt, is fourth police commissioner 47 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 3: in three years. 48 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: Eric Adams, our. 49 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 3: Current mayor, was sort of forced to hire a competent person, 50 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 3: Jessica Tish, who has came in in November. She's done 51 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 3: a great job, got more police out in the streets 52 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 3: started and forcing quality of life stuff. The murder rate 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 3: is down twenty eight percent year to date, shootings are 54 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 3: down twenty one percent. Almost every type of crime is 55 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: down smaller amounts, So I'm hopeful that we're going in 56 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: the right direction for the first time in five years. 57 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 4: Housing affordability top of the list. I've been in this 58 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 4: city for a long time. It's always been an issue. 59 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 4: Everybody wants to come to New York and we know why. 60 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 4: I don't care what's going on in the world or 61 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 4: what's going on with the city. People keep flooding into 62 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 4: the city. You see him every single day. How do 63 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 4: we house these folks? 64 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I should say one more just got added to 65 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 3: that list yesterday. My youngest daughter graduated from college in 66 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 3: Minnesota on Saturday, and she has already. 67 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: Accepted a job back in New York. 68 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 3: My third daughter, all three of them are now back 69 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 3: in New York working building their lives here. It's the 70 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 3: greatest city in the world, but housing is key. My 71 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 3: youngest daughter is going to be living at home because 72 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 3: she can't afford on a teacher's salary to live in 73 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 3: New York. 74 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: So what do you have to do to do about it? 75 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: Four words? 76 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 3: If I were to summarize unleash the private sector, all 77 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 3: the candidates have their various proposals because voters are screaming 78 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 3: about this issue. I'm the only one who said there's 79 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 3: not primarily a governmental solution. 80 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: Trust me. 81 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 3: The private sector wants to invest in the richest city 82 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 3: in the world with a sixty year low vacancy rate. 83 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 3: But we've just put up so much the zoning ranks, 84 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 3: environmental ranks, the city bureaucracy where they have to hire 85 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 3: expediters to try and navigate the city bureaucracy. We've got 86 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 3: to clear that out and shorten what's a four year 87 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 3: process on average down to a two year process, which 88 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 3: is what it was under Mike Bloomberg, and the difference 89 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 3: in two years and four years to project start to 90 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 3: finish in a higher interest rate environment like today, is 91 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 3: a viable project or a non viable project? 92 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 2: I look at it. I brought this up with Governor 93 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: Cuomo the election to ed coch One, where Mario Cuomo, 94 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: Governor Cuomo's father took Staten Island, and I believe Brooklyn 95 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 2: I can't remember, but Doo took Bronx. You know, Bella 96 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: Abzug took Manhattan, but ed cotch One. With this Democratic primary, 97 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: how does Whitney Tilson frame the first Tuesday of November 98 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: all of a sudd sudden. It's complex. 99 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 3: Yes, it's particularly complex is we have the primary coming 100 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 3: up in eight days and it's ranked choice, so voters 101 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 3: can rank up to five candidates. The way the polling 102 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 3: looks right now is whatever round of ranked choice, as 103 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 3: other candidates are eliminated, it's going to come down to 104 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,239 Speaker 3: Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, and Zoron Mamdanni, the thirty 105 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 3: three year old sort of phenom who's run a great 106 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 3: campaign but is very dangerously in experience, has radical views. 107 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 3: I'll just point your listeners read the new York Times 108 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 3: editorial today. New York Times, the liberal lefty paper of record, 109 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 3: just destroyed Zoron Mamdanni and their editorial today said he's 110 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 3: completely unqualified, his ideas are extremists, would be the ruin 111 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 3: of this city is effectively what they just said. So 112 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 3: they said, don't rank Mom Donnie. And then they said, 113 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 3: whatever your feelings are about Cuomo, rank him somewhere. They 114 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 3: had a mixed view of Cuomo. And then they said 115 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: Whitney Tilson is the heir to Mike Bloomberg, and if 116 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 3: you're a moderate, vote for him. So that I was 117 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 3: thrilled by that. 118 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 2: What are we going to see in November? If Whitney 119 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 2: Tilson doesn't get traction. 120 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,239 Speaker 1: Well I will. 121 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 3: I am only running in the Democratic primary, and realistically, 122 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 3: with eight days left, there's a very narrow path for 123 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 3: me to win the primary. 124 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: If I don't win the primary, I will not be 125 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: there in November. November. 126 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 3: What's interesting is is both Mom Donnie and Cuomo, regardless 127 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 3: of which one wins and loses, is likely to be 128 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 3: in November. And then you have the current mayor, Eric Adams, 129 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 3: Curtis Sliwa on the Republican side. In all likelihood, and 130 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 3: it's not ranked choice, So you could have a scenario 131 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,799 Speaker 3: where someone gets forty percent and becomes. 132 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: Mayor with only a minority of the. 133 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: Vote because three or four other candidates could split the 134 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: remaining sixty. 135 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 4: We've seen some very troubling images for many people coming 136 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 4: out of Los Angeles as the deportation a plan with 137 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 4: President Trump ramps up. What's your view and how New 138 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 4: York should deal with it? How how would you deal 139 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 4: with that? 140 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 2: This is great, Paul, thank you for bringing us up. 141 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: Whitney Tilson, one of our staff had a close friend's 142 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: husband picked up this weekend in New York City. 143 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 3: H Yeah, I strongly support New York status as a 144 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 3: sanctuary city. I do not think we should be cooperating 145 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 3: anyway with the Trump administrations lawless, I would argue campaign 146 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 3: of terror against our immigrant communities. We though, as Democrats, 147 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: need to be smart and not lose the narrative and 148 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 3: not appear to be or in reality be protecting the 149 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 3: very small number of people who are here illegally, who 150 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 3: have joined gangs and are making our city less safe. 151 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 3: So there needs to be limited cooperation there. But you know, 152 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 3: I was asked on the debate stage. What would you do, 153 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 3: you know, if Los Angeles, you know, protests came here 154 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 3: and I'd be like, I'd get out in front. I'd 155 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: be out there protesting as well what the Trump administration 156 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 3: is doing, but. 157 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: Critically in a peaceful way. 158 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 3: And the flags we should be waving shouldn't be Mexican 159 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 3: or Palestinian flags. We should be waving American flags. We 160 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,119 Speaker 3: are patriots fighting for our country, for our democracy against 161 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 3: an authoritarian power grab, which is what I think is 162 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 3: going on here. 163 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 4: What's the biggest issue from your perspective that you want 164 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 4: to get across when you go out and meet New 165 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 4: Yorkers on the street. 166 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 3: Well, I was one of the founders of Teach for 167 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 3: America thirty six years ago, my first job out of 168 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 3: college a few blocks from here. 169 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: I've been on the board of KIP Charter School. 170 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 3: So I've been trying to elevate the issue of education reform, 171 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 3: improving our public schools where we spend more and get 172 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: less than any city or state in the country. It 173 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 3: just hasn't been a big issue, honestly, and it always 174 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 3: comes back to, you know, housing slash affordability and crime and. 175 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: Safety and so but I do my best. 176 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 3: To elevate an issue that I care about a lot. 177 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 3: Is by far the single biggest part of our city budget. 178 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 3: Forty billion dollars of one hundred and fifteen billion dollar 179 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 3: budget goes into the DOE, and it's not well spent. 180 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 2: Waiting until soon. I want to ask a delicate question 181 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: here in that there's such a distrust of Governor Cuomo. 182 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: There are those that support them. You know, we all 183 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: know the debate here in New York, and I think 184 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 2: frankly nationwide people know the debate. If we have Mayor Cuomo, 185 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 2: how does he move on from the baggage that was 186 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 2: in Albany. Are you optimistic that he can if he's mayor, 187 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 2: that he can move on from the train wreck that 188 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: was his term in Albany? 189 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 3: Yes, And I would not characterize his years in Albany 190 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 3: as a train wreck. 191 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: He's got a lot, he got a lot of study on. 192 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 2: Politically I'm talking about and I'm on the cover of 193 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 2: the New York Post. 194 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 3: I know how I know how it ended. But I 195 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 3: have had some interactions with him over the years. Back 196 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 3: when he was governor, he was a strong supporter of 197 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 3: charter schools, and at the end of the day. He's experienced, competent, 198 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 3: and can get things done. And to those who you know, 199 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 3: he's referred to as a vindictive followed by an expletive 200 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 3: by many people. And my argument back to them is 201 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 3: is there's a lot to be said for someone with 202 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 3: a fearsome reputation trying to get things done here in 203 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 3: a very fractious city where you've got to deal not 204 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 3: only with the city council but with Albany and now 205 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 3: with the federal government is going to be a real 206 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 3: challenge as well. We need I think we need someone 207 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 3: like Cuomo, and I'm optimistic he'd be up to the job. 208 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 4: I guess as a relates to the federal government, can 209 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 4: he work with the Trump administration, because perhaps that's maybe 210 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 4: one of the things the city needs someone to work 211 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 4: with the Trump administration on behalf of New York's interests. 212 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 4: Is that's something you think he could do. 213 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: I think Trump is a bully and he respects other 214 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 3: bullies and people who will stand up to him, and 215 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 3: I think Governor Cuomo fits that bill. They've known each 216 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 3: other for a long period of time, and I think Cuomo, 217 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 3: I would hope, would be smart in standing up to Trump. 218 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 3: But not needlessly provoking him. And when the alternative for 219 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 3: us is a thirty three year old socialist, I think 220 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,199 Speaker 3: he would just get destroyed by city politics, would get 221 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 3: destroyed and all, but it would be destroyed by Trump. 222 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 3: And so you know, that's an easy decision between those two. 223 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 2: Winny Tilson, thank you so much for joining us today, 224 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: whatever our political persuasions, and thank you for your public 225 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 2: service of running for office. 226 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: I accept your condolence stetting out there and running. 227 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: I hope it is RESTful as time moves out