i do. they don't have good memories. but colangelo from the doj was put there to go after trump.ande took over the whole office. he's been running the whole thing. he's been signing the letters, doing things for a long time. nobody has seen anything like it. this is all done by the democrat party and it is all done by biden -- i don't know if it is biden because i don't biden is -- i don't think biden knows what is happening. maybe he does. he probably does. t biden and the thugs who were provided, and it is a very -- who work for biden, and it is a very bad thing, it is a dangerous thing for our country. thank you very much. former president trump in new york city this afternoon speaking after the new york supreme court justice that mr.

trump's hush money criminal trial will get underway on april 15, despite his legal team's pleas for a delay in the case. it could be the only one of his criminal trials to happen before the november general election. it is coming on the same day an appeals court ruled the former president can stave off enforcement of a $450 million bond in his civil fraud case if he comes up with $175 million within 10 days we will take you to remarks from a number of the nation's governors on top policy issues at the politico governors summit in washington, d.c. they discussed the alabama supreme court ruling on embryos, artificial intelligence, and between 24 presidential and congressional elections -- 2024 presidential and congressional elections. helpful from our workforce deployment standpoint there is every state in the country, at least states that are like ours that are growing and■-. gding a

lot of jobs and opportunity, anything we can have to let people be more efficient to do more with that same person versus having to hire somebody else i think is going to be helpful for our economy and for our country. >> you said it's exciting and scary. what's the scary part for you? may do that has unintended consequences. >> we've all seen the terminator movies. i mean, it's powerful, right? >> you mentioned foreign military conflicts. you have entered davos twice now. i wonder from the perspective some is pretty dutch with the conservative voter in the united states, what do you think our allies overseas could be doing to win the hearts and minds of the voters here, that the united states should be sending aid, the united states should be engaged as it were literate? >> i think continuing to have our nato allies get to the 2% level of spending more and chef commitment to that.

there's a lot of americans including the for a long time were concerned about that. i think it's much better now than it was i mean you probably credit president trump for some of that pressure on them. and so i think that's good. i also think they had a dose of reality, right? one of the things that we give one went to the paris air show, we had our national guard had a 29 year partnership with the country of georgia. so we went over, i was first government ever to go to the ton georgia, meet with some of our national guard troops that are working with their government. i mean, basically you are in a country or russia came in and just took some prime real estate over there and every night, you know, they a trying to move the line and the fence is a little bit further. so, i mean, could you imagine if you're living in that scenario of what's going to happen

tomorrow or what's going to happen next month? i think they're probably resting easier a little now because the russians have hensel in ukraine. those kinds of actions and then what happened in ukraine i think is awake and a lot of our nato allies to say hey, we got to do more on our end. but i know there also wondering what in the world is going on over, to. you tell them when asked? >> what's that? >> what do you tell them. >> i tell them i'm a a govern, you got to talk to -- [laughing] i mean look, i think there's some good debate being had just personally. i mean i think we should, i think we should give ukraine resources. i think we should give resources to israel. i think we should be up our defenses or help taiwan beat up their defenses. we need to reset, i mean it worries me as an american that we don't have enough

155-millimeter howitzer shells and we don't have enough planes come we don't have enough ships. there's a question can even build our own ships now? this is a trend of america we shouldn't be asking that question. >> issue close to home. georgia is not participating in the federal summer tuition program for kids. i wonder if you could explain why, at least one state, nebraska said there not going to participate at the decided they would. where is your thought bubble on the? >> we've got better programs of her own than having to do with the bureaucracy of the federal government. >> you said at the start, tld tn down free government money, like why turn content free govet money? >> federal bureaucracy streams, plus we can do a better job. >> with programs you are having george or programs you're considering a georgia? >> already have. >> already have.

he gave a speech saying the country deserves better than,, paraphrasing the country does it better than 282 euros try to disqualify each other in a presidential election. >> i said that? latinx for something pretty close. i think i read it on politico.com, and so where does, everybody here has probably had some version of that thought. most voters really the choice. what options does a live you like a pretty thick figure in our political system? don't use like i'm just a governor thing. you're a big deal. what does that imply about how you want to handle 2020? >> so wife is off stage right now going do not that big a deal. just want to let y'all know that. that. i mean look, my point to people, this leak is back windows a lot of people running for president many months ago when i spoke to the rnc donor meeting. i knew the speech would get simply but it basically

challenged our side of the out to say look, we have got to be, to be able to win i think in 24 with god to be forward thinking are we got to tell people what we are for. everybody's going to get attacked in a presidential race and it's one reason why i said it's a race to the bottom because february is, the other person or the other side is so bad. but i believe as republicans we've made big mistakes in our national elections last couple cycles by not telling people why folks should vote for us. what are we better than the other side, why are our ideas better, and so really that was my message. the also we need to be focused on the future. i believe states like georgia the very close politically states that have had ups and downs in the last couple election cycles, you know talking about the 2020 election is not going to move swing

voters. that's why i think if i was president trump i would be focusing on the future. i would be telling people what i am for and give them a reason to vote for me. >> last question here at the buzzer. the shadow of 2020 is particularly long shadow in georgia. are you taking any steps right now to prepare for a postelection environment after this presidential race? or to do what you can to increase public confidence in an election before the vote? this is going to be, i mean whoever wins this going to be aftermath of the election unless it's a blowout and i don't think it's going to be a blowout.t's p to a lot of governors around the country to just make sure that the process is complete and the everybody feels like their voice was heard and at the end of the day do what the governors are charged to do. at least i am in the constitution, and■ that is to protect the public safety of our

citizens. >> governor kemp thank you for this conversation. >> thanks for having me. >> we have covered a lot of ground to g ones, some of the toughest want and i like to welcome to the stage next "politico" now i in natalie allison for of tennessee. thanks a lot. [applause] >> how fun to do this. >> i know. >> hello yvonne. good morning. i'm natalie allison. i am a national political reporter here at "politico", and he with me is tennessee's republican governor bill lee who i covered for a few years as a statehouse reporter. welcome to d.c. thanks for being here. >> glad to be here. >> there's so much i do want to talk you about. i don't get to drill you, at weekly press conference anymore, but today i want to focus on you

being the new chairman of the republican governors association. what's at stake for the candidatesr? i want to talk about how the republican party can improve its response and how you can be profamily. the school choice fight, what it meant to try to implement a universal school voucher program in the state and want to talk about the southern border, not the one that is tennessee and alabama or tennessee and georgia for governor kemp. let's start with school choice■ here is a dozen or so years ago when you're running for office he was literally driving a tractor and tendency to try to sell tennessee voters can your mentoring a child and a low-income neighborhood. i want you to tell us the short version of that story with adam and how it led you to where you are now with calling for >> i was working in ane

inner-city program and actually was trying to introduce my kids to ways to survive the people whose mom and dad a part of our grief recovery process acerbic of the people. so we got involved in different nonprofits. one of them was an inner-city youth risk program. i met a kid, i had a powerful interaction with him. i decided to spend an evening, a week with them. his mom was in prison. he didn't know his dad. i spent a needing a week for five years with him, and this is about 12, 14 years ago. and he was come one time finally i got to know he was every subject. i worked with his to move him from the school that he was in in his neighborhood to another school. happened to be a charter school. his trajectory entirely changed. i didn't know it but that

relationship with that kid and that eer change of schools changes life created in me a desire as a look around and saw thousands of other kids in a situation, we have to do something for this kids. and every one of those kids doesn't have someone who's getting together with them every week and advocating for and advocating through. so i started just this desire to look at our educational system carefully. i wasn't in politics, i wasn't in government for talk to the former governor and said can we do something educationally? that's what started me on this journey. here i am when i ran for governor i said if i i ever did become governor, we should do something. >> and now tennessee is one of ten or so maybe a dozen seats and we do use to have universal

school choice for seeking to pass it. why do that? >> when they came in office the very first day a couple months after cut and i could was i said in that state, in that speech we should have of school choin tennessee for every kid. that was born out of my belief that every kid not just kids that can afford it, but every kid, vacate and the neighbor that i was in and neighborhoods from one end of the state to the other to have the opportunity. that's why i think that it should happen in tennessee. i thought that the day i came in, more than five years ago. but i think the last couple years particularly that the pandemic parents have become increasingly engaged with their s education. they have eyes into their kids educational opportunities that they didn't, they hadn't, they hadn't seen that before.

it increase their awareness and engagement, and parents care most. parents know best, and when school choice is implemented, parents have more of a choice. i think all of those things have put us in a spot where you are seeing ten states, 11, 12, 13, h more widespread clothiers. >> can see past the limits tours program in 2019. when i say if passed, a >> it was a struggle to pass so this is one of those issues, i think maybe one of the few issues that's not exactly a simple as a partyline vote anymore. they're still or concerns about the political spectrum. right now there are people in the state who are pointing to the standardized testing scores of children who were in that program saying they are not up to par with other students across the state. the arson school l who say they are begging the legislature

not too passive because they are afraid of funding being kept from public schools. so what can you do a ensure peoe that there's going to be accountability to the taxpayers, to the parents that this is actually a program that objectively -- >> there are always going to be critics and there should be critics because people should look critically at change. when i came into this job i didn't have a lot of political experience, not a lot of background, never run for office, never really was involved in politics. i looked at more like i would look at the business and education is enormous, i mean, arguably the most important thing we can do in public policy. we should not maintain the status quo. i mean nothing, you would never do that in business. you are continuously improving and adding to and taking what is

the foundation that chauvin building upon it. that's what i want to do. the idea that this is a choice between i don't know, education from scholarships and public schools, doesn't have to be a choice. we have put more funding of public school system in the state of tennessee since i came into office, $1.8 billion, more by far than had ever been invested in public education. we revamped the student funding formula for public schools. it existed the same for 30 years, the way we fund the schools. that is, that is status quo that needs to be changed. we have bipartisa change it. we change the funded formula. we brought about the biggest teacher pay raise in the states history. we put the largest amount of to retain the best and brightest teachers. we have grow your own program. our public schools can be some of the best in the country if we

will appropriately fund them and look at the ways that we continuously improve them. but that doesn't mean that we can't offer parents choices same time. i think we ought to have entire system that's improved and that's how i look at it. there are critics. there are those who are concerned. i do not, i'm not afraid of credit because they critically bring forth issues that we have to look at it address the entire system and they can better forget. >> just a quick follow-up. do you want to see any accountability testing requirement. >> was there already are and there will be, absolutely. what does that accountability like? we need to discuss that, but private schoolshaountability measures now. are these the write-once? the legislature left to decide, including we should have accountability. i will say this about you asked about the students that were in the existing program and some of

those with type t students that have the toughest situations and that's why their parents are engaged in this, that the best measure of it education savings account program is at 90% of the parents who have utilized the program believe the kids are better off. parents at the end of the day we had to trust that if a parent believes what's best and happy for the kids and if they're satisfied with the outcomes, then i feel8dood about that. >> okay. your chairman of the rga and a presidential election year that could get sort of wild. did you think about that one before you signed up? >> thought about it. >> the election handicappers are blue states we could seek competitive governors races. they name polices at places like new hampshire in washington state. does having likely having someone on the ballot polarizing

for trump make it harder for republicans to win those types of races? >> well, first of the opportunity to be the chairman is something i'm really grateful for. it's an honor my peers and fellow governors have given me that opportunity. and in an election year it is exciting and different. there's a lot of things nationally going on. our focus is governors races. that is what we are focused i'm, that's entirely what it is about. we have the majority of governors in the country, 27 republican governors right now. we think there's an opportunity for us to increase that majority, but every cycle is a bit different. i don't think of myself as an experienced politician. you know me, i'd like to even talk about myself as a politician because i think of myself and my former life mostly, but the more i'm i s

the more i realize that every election cycle is different, every one of them comes as a surprise. very difficult to predict what's going to happen. we do know t very important races, new hampshire is one of them. governor sununu is not returning. that state is a very interesting and unique state in the way, how their electorate responds. >> and he doesn't hide the fact he doesn't like trump. >> very difficult to predict what's going to happen and there. the venue in north carolina. that's the other race we looking at obviously that has a big opportunity for republican to take that statehouse. but that will be very difficult. they are both very important races and that's usually how it works. there are 11 races this fall, eight open seats, five of open seats are republicans t there's really a couple states that will be particularly in our

focus as we go through the summer. >> as we are giving up for this fall election, is enough time for you to quote rally around the likely republican presidential nominee as trump and his allies are encouraging republicans to do? or as nikki haley says, should everyone take a deep breath and wait and let the primaries plant? >> well for me as the chairman of the republican governors, i said from the beginning and i think it's important i have an obligation to not engage in the primary. we have a lot of members, a lot of interests, folks of all across the state. and our focus will is not on the presidential race, although i will be very clear, it's very important republican governors that we have a republican president. and whenever that primary season is over, i will wholeheartedly,

lican nominee. but that's not what our organization is focused on and it is deathly not what i'm focused on. >> okay. so holding off until speedy . >> until those official nominee. the vast majority of americans say they don't want to see a biden trump rematch. they say you guys are too old, both too much baggage. why do wrong to feel that we? >> i think the voters decided who are nominees are going to be. that's what works in this country. so the people that care enough and decide to go out and vote to choose their candidates, we leave it to the people of this country to decide, and we can say what we will about that but that process works. >> given that's how they feel, what can republican candidates and particularly republicans run for governor, what can he do to

inspire the american people will look at the top of the ticket saying i hate both of these people, i don't like either of them, i want to see normalcy. what can republican candidate due to inspire maybe just swing voters and independent voters? >> you know, when i ran for office i sit people want a good job and good school for the kids and is a neighborhood. that's what matters to every tennessean. if we focus on those things, which are the fundamentals, i think that's what inspires people to follow an ideology. i don't really like that word, but to follow policy or to follow a direction that feel is going to benefit their family. we have to remember that. the end of day it is regular everyday people that are after deciding how is this election going to benefit me? i mean, you know, republicans

run states right now are the places where people are moving and companies are going and the economy is shifting. there's six sast that have -- te economic policies that are working. we had the lowest tax rates per capita matters to people, what they pay in so i think the fundamentals are what's inspiring. when people see that their life is going to be improved by an i i to people all the time we should stay focus on the fundamentals. right now mortgage costs twice what it cost three years ago. that doesn't work for most americans. doesn't matter whether the

republican or democrat. that doesn't work for most americans. it's those kind of fundamentals that we should focus on. that's how we inspire people. >> tennessee is a state that after dobbs band. all abortions there's exceptions, woman's life is a risk and you have applauded the decision. he also started to think measure to bring relief to income people, to mothers who otherwise may not have chosen motherhood. the state discovering the cost of diapers for low income families. he has extended length of medicaid coverage for new moms. but is there more the stake into, the republican party can do to be profamily, to make bring a child into the world less of a burden for know, tenng at potentially handing out $1 billion of corporate tax credit this year that's a fight in the legislature but is a something with the state could be doing to protest benny to help these people?

>> i do think, i do think there has to be a holistic approach to it, and every state is different. document different policies but we have said in a statement that where we are going, at the end of the day for me i try to have a foundational policy. i said that a lot of tes before, agree or disagree with people or having different views, very emotional, emotionally charged subjects, recognizing that the person on the other side of the argument from you feels just as passionate about it as you do and, therefore, their opinion matters. their dignity is the same as yours. you have no more value than they do so their opinion has as much value as yours does. but at the end of the day we

agreed to disagree on things here so things look different from one end of the state to the other. but if were going to approach an issue, a very personal issue is highly emotionally charged like the protection of a child's life, and ado, have done that, we ought to■; consider moms lif, we ought to consider the families life, we ought to consider the struggle and the difficulty that put, that, that exist with some families. >> people are really struggling. >> it's tough, right? >> wide speed is that's why we have tried, as you said, diapers for two years, postpartum care for a year. we have just put $20 million in funding for women spec clinics. we, we should be looking at and are continue to take input on how is it that we can support women, particularly underserved women who don't have access to

resources, to enhance their -- i think mental health support services which is something which we come as you know we've created a mental health trust fund and we just put $100 million more in this year's budget on top of a a couple hundred billion dollars that we put in last couple of budget to expand opportunities for access to mental health services. we shouldn't stop. >> we should expect that you and republicans for thinking like you are going to continue to prioritize state spending speedy we certainly ought to. >> to be profamily. in that vein what you make of this alabama supreme court decision? and are you concerned about itso want to grow, who need to use ivf treatment to expand? >> that's a very, it's a new. the issue is new and haven't looked at the particulars of that kiss. i want to say i am generally

supportive of ivf, and you think it's one of these situations that come it's the next step and what, what we look at as however as policymakers another very difficult emotional personal issue. but i dealt come unless i don't know the details of the case. i have looked into specifics of the case and with the really was and how it came about. what i'm certainly aware of it happening. >> so you wouldn't be comfortable with a ruling that could potentially prevent families from spears i will just say i'm generally in favor of ivf. without, i can speak to that particular case, , but generally i'm in favor of that. >> is such a divergence of opinion right now across republican party how to legislate abortion. you have folks calling for six-week bands come seeking weight bands, bans, trump might embrace a 16 week ban.

to all repliinto room and figurt the position is? >> well, i mentioned new hampshire and where that come we're just analyzing the state as an organization. >> legal up to about 24 weeks. >> i think so. >> republicans are saying -- >> that's right. >> the differences between new hampshire and mississippi reflect the fact that, and it's the reason that roe v. wade was overturned, those differences are very unique and states have made and will make in the people of the states through their elected officials will ultimately determine what it looks like in every state, that's why think it should be. because this issue is so different in different parts of the country. i don't think, i don't think there will be a collective view of anymore thunder will be will be a collective view of

democrats i wouldn't think. >> you and governor kemp are among some of the governors who went to the southern border,, held a press conference there ot you would say is the federal governments failure to secure it ha we did not help if congress just when hit and passed a secure border deal?k? >> without being to direct, what would help us if we just enforce the law that was on the books. that's what would help. the reason three years ago we started saying something out to be done here is because the law is not being followed. and you know, this is not, i think it, clearly is political in a lot of ways but it's way

beyond political. political. i think most americans believe that. and what makes it political is when you try to force this grouw exists if it were being carried out we would not have this problem. that's why we went down there. this is not an election issue. i went down there too, , to a hf years ago and said something should happen, be done here. wend■ have girls, without gettig into details, but we have tragic, terrific circumstances,n people dying and trafficking, human trafficking, , sex trafficking, drug trafficking, organized crime. and to view the operation the organized crime at the border come to go down there and you it and see it, fly in helicopters and see what they're doing on the other side, you just kind of, you come i think pragmatic software people look at that and

say we should do, we should stop this. and there's an easy way to stop it and it is to enforce the law as it exists and deep stain when you're supposed to detain and just follow the existing law is. congress is pre-dysfunctional. governors, governors can come together and accomplishhings that may be congress can oftentimes not. in the case we decided you know what, we will go denyer together collectively say for the eight, nine, tenth time over the past three years we believe that something ought to be done here, and if the federal government is not going to do it and will step up and do it ourselves. >> you were sending speedy we are. we will send a couple more waves, and we have for the last three years, we've had troops on the border for most of the last three years. >> and when they go down there,

are they and counting any opposition from the feds or do they seem to welcome the help? is are some struggle of what you're allowed to do? >> i mean, we are utilized and gordon needed with, primarily with texas, with their national guard and with the texas state police and helping in their efforts to secure, to secure their border. >> talk about ai and a uniquey national spent on ai discourse. you have introduced an initiative, a bill, to deal with songwriters and the threat that the act poses. so tell bit about what the potential problem is that you identified. of course every state you going to have maybe a slightly unique concern about ai depending on the industry. tennessee is a place songwriters have moved to for many years. what's going on? what are your concerns about what could happen? how we all try to get ahead even

of the federal government in regulating that? >> ai is a fascinating subject. i will be on a panel discussing ai at rga meeting, powerful tool. it's powerful, it's a powerful opportunity to produce efficiencies and provide better customer service and to make sure that, i i needed can be d powerfully across multiple sectors. but it's also very dangerous, or it has risks. it has, you know, intellectual property risks, personal data risks. and the risk to the music industry is that impersonations and fake works and destroy anarchists career and can rob the artist of their ability to make a living. in that really matters. we've had 20% increase in music industry jobs. it's a $6 billion industry in

tennessee. thousands of, or tens of thousands of workers. we are the number one state in america for music industry jobs. so for the economy of our state the truly important that we protect. so we have created legislative, we brought a piece of legislation, it's my bill, and it protects the voice of artists from, from impersonation, from ai generated work and it's called the elvis act. >> ensuring light next voice. elvis actually, his family had much to do with the original piece of legislation that we are actually building upon to protect his image because■v.0 he was, it was so abused over the

years. .. .. >> well, the question. is taylor swift part of a secret government plot to help joe biden get reelected. >> taylor swift is from tennessee and i should ask her how she likes the elvis act. >> ask if she's a dem plant in the process. [laughter] >> i want to ask you about one other issue, governor kemp was just speaking to this as well,

but the federal government is extending a pandemic era summer nutrition program and tennessee has opted in for to help feed low income children this summer about you're not going to continue thatting prog years. can you explain why a state like yours would want to reject federal funding to help feed kids? >> yeah, for me, a little bit like a business decision or pragmatic decision except that you're dealing with kids and their ability to eat, which is not business and pragmatic, it's personal and human, so, my first response to our team when th i said are we certain the kids are going to get food if we pull out of this program this summer? it wasn't a certainty this that would happen. so i said, well, we're not going to pull out this summer, we know that we have all of the

pieces in place to provide food as back stop for this federal program. we have the ability to do it, but i knew that the way government works sometimes we might not get it done before summer. so, that for me, i was like, if we can't make sure the kids are all going to be fed we'll take the money this summer. by next summer we need to make sure that our own programs are the back stop for this so we don't have the duplicative programs and people try to access. it for me is pragmatic. make sure that kids get fed and do it the most efficient way possible, but me sure they get fed. >> good morning, thank you so much for your time. glad to have you here. >> thank you all very much. >> next i'd like to welcome to the stage, eugene daniel, a white house correspondent and co-author of play book, and he'll be interviewing new

hampshire governor sununu. >> i wondered what my walkup music was going to be, i thought beyonce, if it wasn't beyonce, i wouldn't come out here. i'm a white hou correspondent at politico. i'm joined by governor sununu. filing is in in june. >> i'm out, i'm out. four terms politician. and getting to you, congressman, four terms is enough for me. >> there's a ton on getting your views of lack of movement here in d.c., how that's forced governors to have bigger platforms, more pressure to both the republican primary, the general election and some of the biggest issues of our time, including ai, immigration, abortion, for a

very light interview today. you already announced on abortion, every republican governor's favorite topic. >> well. >> it's a tough one, man. i'll talk about it all day. it's a tough one for us. >> we'll get there, but i want to start with you, obviously, announced you're not running for reelection when you look back at four terms as the governor, what stands out as your biggest state achievement for you? >> biggest state achievement. i don't know, my quick boring answer, i'm not quite sure. >> don't give me quick and boring. >> i'll say this, one thing i guess i'm maybe more proud of, what i'm trying to do, if anything, is leave a sense of, you've got to get things done, right? you canusind of be fluffy and have some nice political talking points and try to get by in the next election, and spend money. i don't do any of that. you have to be results driven especially as a governor because what we're going to get. washington is so dysfunctional, they do absolutely nothing. the system is broken and the

individuals are not incentivized to do the right things. governors are accountable 24/7 #, we don't have vacation, there's a shooting, a flood, anything. when the pandemic came, i try to be super transparent and super genuine. the abc's for me. i want to know folks to know where i'm coming from. when you're transparent you're genuine and washington doesn't have. and we get things done, we have to pass budgets, balance budgets, manage our mental health systems and opioid and treatment systems, manage the homeless crisis, washington does none of that. they literally manage nothing. even when they pass a bill they're not managing anything. washington does, agree or disagree with a policy and approve or not approve funning and literally, that's it. that's all the bills do and then it's up to the states and

departments and agencies to actually make something tangible for citizens. so, if anything i'm proud of as governor, we took that mantra on from day one, the pandemic, when the pandemic came, you notice that's when america really said, yes, it's the governors -- republican or democrat, governors are the ones, everything was on our shoulders. it kind of became governments of one we didn't want that, but that's the way it came with the states of emergency. washington passed like the biggest health crisis in america, washington passes three bills and goes home. i think after may they didn't pass a single bill. they literally did nothing during the pandemic after may. think about that. i think december was the next time they passed anything, having to do with the pandemic. governors literally, sometimes, up 24 hours a day managing everything from keeping, you know, things open and managing the vaccines and managing testing and all of this kind of stuff. so, but we had to be super transparent. every day we're out there,

doing press conferences, every single day, answering any question. i got -- my staff thinks i was insane and i probably was at the time. at one point early on in the pandemic i said look, we've got to be super transparent i went on live tv and let the news media give me off the cuff questions from facebook. the insanity you'd see on social media during the pandemic they'd rapid fire live television. and might have a question and i might think it's crazy and it's out there and i'm going to answer, a lot of fear there. the legacy of being genuine, being transparent and ai the system. i don't get support from democrats or moderate republicans because that's where my policies are. i can get support for them because we're genuine and open and let them put ideas on the table and be part of the solutions as much as anybody. >> in your final state of the state you've talked about mithat? >> i did. i'm a reporter, got to do

research. >> how many people here actually watch their governors's state of the state. >> feel fr there's six, that's . >> more than you thought. >> appreciate it. >> you talked about limited government and you talked about being quote, better steward of taxpayers dollars, but when you think about where the republican party seems to actually be philosophically right now, how do you see that mindset fitting in now? >> yeah, so, look, i've always been pretty public nationally about my frusttion with-- i think being physically responsible is number one what you have to be especially as a conservative. public or private sector, there's no greater responsibility than managing other people's money. that was their hour at work. that was their time away from their family. that was their dollar that they want hand to effectively a stranger and say i hope you manage it well and provide services. if the you were shareholder in

a company, i want to make sure you're doing well for my dollar, for my investment because it's not-- this leads to another point, this idea well, it's government debt. the government has no debt. you do. you guys and your kids owe all that money. the government doesn't owe that money, the 34 trillion, you do. there's got to be a better connection of our value, our experience in our communities, that's handed over to the government. i'm a huge believer. obviously the former president, president trump not a very fiscally responsibility in public or private, very frustrating. he said efficient government, train the swamp, critical of that. and i think what's happened is some of these, i call it polypositions or fundamentals of the republican party are taking a bit of a back seat. not gone, but a back seat to the fight. >> it's a very far back seat.

>> it is. i mean, you see some folks in congress kind of, again, they fight over it mor to have the fight than to -- and to raise money for themselves rather than to accomplish it those goals. as a state, i have to balance a budget, it's hard and we do it and a surplus every year and more money tax, i have not cut single sales or income tax because i don't have them. because they are a complete waste, it's zero in hampshire. that interesting dividend tax that you pay, i don't have that either, got rid of that. we have super efficient government with super low taxes so you can do you. live free or die, that's the license plate. >> what does it say about your party that that concept is not at the center. >> a few things happening. people confuse the party with trump. >> that's the point. it won't be his party forever. it won't, at some point donald trump won't be here one way or

another, we all have our time. we do. so i'm very optimistic about the republican party, i'm very optimistic as a country. if you're one of the people that think that democracy is getting eroded and the institutions are crumbling, stop, it's not. this country has gone through hell and back a lot. we had-- let's go back to a civil war where we were getting completely torn apart. our institutions stood strong. we go through world war i and world war ii. we go through the racism and se'60s. a place like 1968 some of america's great forces literally assassinated in front of us on television, people say america is over, it's done. we rallied back. 9/11, a pandemic, the institution stood strong. and let me put it a different way, a-holes come and go >> first curse word of the night. >> and i used to be more

pessimistic and i don't mind telling you, i had a great conversation with george w. bush and a great through this and he shares that optimism that i do, tough times can come and go, don't let that define the long-term where we're goin right? at the end of the day you know who decides the leadership of this country? you, the voter. that's it. don't fool yourselves any other way, right? that's why i'm so strong when i get behind nikki haley and this stuff, i want voter turnout. if you can vote in a primary and for some reason you didn't show up, that's on you, that's not on the system. that's on you, you chose not to participate. i think the voters in south carolina, which will happen this saturday, just to pick on them a little bit, but the average voter turnout there is like 15%. right? i mean, we have like 60-plus, 70% voter it urnout in new hampshire and that isn't enough for me, right? so the fact that you have so many people -- and that's average for most of the country. 15 #, 20% of the people actually vote in the primary.

if you want a different candidate than biden or trump most everybody does, right. you have to participate. you have so much low voter participation, that's not on the system, because it's broken, it's because you chose not to show up. >> you talk about the institutions and them standing strong and those concerning times. >> yeah. but at those times, the leaders of the country, the leaders of the political parties, the people with the most power, system, right? o when you think about now, that's what feels different, right. you have donald trump saying that he would be a dictator on day one. you have him talking about the retribution he wants to take on his political opponents, you want to watch out for that he were to take office. i guess that's why it's so different. do you see when people talk about democracy, their concerns for democracy because that dona about how-- >> look, i don't like the way

the former president talks about it. do not put all of this on donald trump. that's completely unfair. right. when you-- let's call it. when you say stacey abrams years ago say the election was rigged ap the georgia election rigged, and clinton back in the day saying she really won the election, it's not just a trum people will do that to drive their own personal agenda, do it to raise money and sympathy and victimization. one fundamental thing i believe has changed hopefully temporarily in america, right now people are voting more out of fear than optimism. i'm going to vote for this guy because i'm afraid of that guy, right? nobody's really excited about joe biden. literally at all. even joe biden is clearly not excited about joe biden, right, but people could potentially vote for him because they're afraid of somebody else. that's where we're not in a good place. so because of that youdo, you have leadership on both sides. trump does it a lot, no

question about it. leaders on both sides trying to take advantage of that fear and you see that in congress. let's go back-- i like kevin be mccarthy a lot, a great guy, really worked hard and took a lot on his shoulder, and risks and screwed over by his own people. the reason that he was screwed up, holding him up 15 votes to be speaker, you could see it almost by the hour, sending out money, as soon as they stopped raising money, dangling kevin out there, and then we'll let you be speaker and then through the wringer again, only to raise money. the system isn't broken, but we definitely need things to change to get away mindset of being able to benefit off the negativity. i think we need massive campaign finance reform. i say it's massive, but simplify how campaigns are, get

rid of the dark money and the pac, and-- if you as an individual want to give money do that, but the dark money drives me crazy. gerrymandering screwed this country over, i'm the only governor that did not sign a redistricting bill even our own republicans, we're not locking one up for democrats and republicans. 150 congressional seats were always up for grab. pe about 50 because of gerrymandering. folks are more afraid of being primary'd. >> i better get more crazy and extreme otherwise i may get primary'd and democrats do the

same thing. most are driven into their corners. term limits, you absolutely need term limits. if they won't walk away on their own because they can't get a job in the real world, they should pass term limits and a good proportion of them shifted out not to worry about the money and that sort of thing. system isn't broken, bo doubt a couple of new laws that could be passed just to make it a little tighter. >> i want to get into some of the issues that republicans recently blocked an immigration bill after the leader of your party made it clear he didn't want to give democrats a win. was that a mistake? >> okay, let's talk about that. first off that immigration bill is not needed to secure the border, it's not. the border crisis happened on january 20th, 2021 between may, i think the first 100 days, biden signed 16 executive orders proclamations and memos that basically undo the remain in mexico policies that undo the policies that border patrol

have been running not just through trump's administration, but through even through the obama and the previous administrations as well. those could have been-- those were done by done by biden, could have been undone by biden. >> republicans, it wasn't just a democratic bi, bipartisan. >> whether you pass the bill or not, don't think that that's going to solve the border. it was the president that created it. >> the border has been a problem for the democrats and . >> yes, but two million people cross the border now, not 400,000, it's literally five to 10 times than what be, start in 2021. and border patrol would say, we're not allowed to do, not allowed to follow the old rules.

>> there's nothing we can do. you can put a wall up and down, it's not it's none of that. it's the policies told by mayorkas we're not allowed to follow anymore, we bring people in, we let them . it incentivizes drug trafficking, human trafficking, incentivizing, the child trafficking alone, the new you come cross the border illegally they don't record you, they don't mark you down. they traffic the child over the southern border, because if you come over with a child you get automatically amnesty to the system and use the kids. the border patrol me and two other governors we've seen the same kids come across the border three times a week. they they're trafficked, they're muled across. and the bill, to be honest, i didnention to the bill, troises a red herring. the crisis today. it was a problem four or five years ago, not a crisis and

that's driven by bad policy and th's it. there's no way around that. >> on abortion and-- . quickly, let's jump to abortion. >> that's-- >> ale a's high court found the destruction of embryos constituted a crime. >> that was yesterday. >> recently. wrongful death of a minor law, that's something that pro choice advocates which you see-- >> i'm pro choice. >> you said that was the next frontier. do you have concerns about that, about-- >> oh, sure, i think it was-- first thing, i think it's a one thing folks should take from this, these are state issues now, this is the new reality. >> you think that roe should have been upheld. >> 50 years of precedent. why-- i'm definitely one of the ones that thought that roe should be uphold. it goes back to the state. voters will decide. if you don't like the ruling

the most important ruling are the voters of because that's going to drastically impact them and i think i heard some of the-- there was a hospital that quickly stopped ivf and stuff like that. it's a scary type thing, you want to make sure the services are available. every state is different. if you think your geing to vote for a president and they're going to pass a law that codified roe v. wade in congress. it's not going to happen. neither 60 votes. sot knob super pro-life, or super pro choice. these are state issues. the federal government other than the supreme court maybe, but the federal government, the congress is going to have little say on abortion going forward. these are states issues and you have to awn what the citizens of new hampshire want, or california or mississippi or alabama or tennessee, they're going to be different. >> and do you as a member of the republican party have any concerns about how republicans talk about abortion over and over the messaging, over and

over at the ballot box. >> it's not just the messaging, it seems like it's initial policy. most americans disagree-- >> i don't criticize people because of policy, but i criticize because they don't know how to be genuine and talk about it. abortion issue, nikki haley pro-life and chris-- the federal government will have little say going forward. if states want to be pro-life, it's not just leadership, if leaders don't like a six week abortion ban, if the citizens don't like that, they're going to fire them, move them out on that issue, right. if they're okay with that, then they're okay with that. and in new hampshire we have a 24-week thing similar to new york and massachusetts and most other stes. liberal ap extreme, some conservative states are going more conservative. this is a country of states and that's just where those

decisions, but there can be alignment between pro-life and pro choice especially on the republican side, in terms what's the best path and policy it isn't that we should shut everything down and open it up, it's allowing the states and knowing the process going forward. the states are going to have the say and they probably should. >> you mentioned nikki haley, you endorsed her, stumped for her in your home stay. >> i hope the south carolina folks are out there voting. >> and what lessons did you take about your home state, how it's changed over the years and kind of disproved our thesisham. >> no, i don't think our state has changed a whole lot. trump is, he's a very unique individual. there's never been anything like him and won't be half him. there's no one that's going to fill trump's shoes and that's

not going to happen. not ron desantis. >> no, ron is a great guy. he is. trump is trump not because of what he did in politics, trump is trump because he had 30 years of building a brand and a legacy and the american psyche. when they're thinking about trump, they're thinking '80s and '90s, and a fighter. and people say i don't understand how people support trump. i'm not supporting him in the primary s . it's simply, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. the media is going after driven while i might not love what trump did, if they're fighting him-- it's not about policy, it's, look, a lot of families,

republican, independent, conservative families, lets assay, they are the manufacturing strength of this country. they built this country. their friends and family picked up arms and defended this country and you have a bunch of liberal elitists in this city standing on the shoulders of that hard work trying to tell them how to live their lives. that's why 75% of america is simply p-'d off. that's at the heart of this and they're tired of it. they're tired of being told how to live their life. stop telling me how i can talk, i'm from the live free or die state. i connect with that well. i don't agree with trump. i'm trying to be forceful and hold my ground unliker other republicans caved under the weight and fear of him. i hold my ground and always that we can bring up new leadership. that's as simple as it comes. for those who can't figure out why people are supporting trump. the liberal elites are quote, the enemy, seen as the enemy of

the party, those families, hard working independents, those blue collar independent hard working democrats that are now coming over that will support someone like donald trump. that's what it is. and this elitism has gone too far and that's all they're doing when they connect with him. it isn't that they say this guy is ■rfantastic. they say at least someone is putting up a fight and connecting with my anger. if you think it's deeper than that, you're wasting your time. again, we're-- hey, we can have a lot of the same policies that can actually get stuff done and turn back the tide on that. that's what nikki brings to the table and they get about'd off and myopic in their view. >> and in an election against joe biden, and your state prides itself on independence, living free or dying. >> we focus on living free. >> i didn't wrote the motto,

u did. >> it's a great motto. >> do you kind of worry the drama he has is going to have a negative down ballot on republicans? >> that's my biggest concern and that's my-- if there's any reason why i don't support trump in the primary. i'm not governor, but i want to win the governorship, i lose a congressional seat, and board seats. he has a brand. there's a chance that we lose congress, the u.s. senate we lose at a local level. he crushes, he kills our republican chances down ballot and governors for the most part get that. that's why for a while, governors weren't-- a lot of folks weren't galvanizing, at least governors weren't galvanizing around him. they might see him as inevitable. i don't. they're more fearful than i am and others. you don't have to be fearful of the guy it's purely transactional. trump is purely transactional, an amazing freedom in that that

we can-- i've had, even when he was president i was governor, he had good days where we'd support each other, and days i picked u■ the phone you cannot say what you just said, 20 minutes to figure it out, but in 20 minutes i'm going public and being very vocal, i'm giving you a heads-up. we had a good relationship and i could hit him when i had to hit him. not critical, being super transparent. it's not about -- it's not personal, it's just about i've got to defend my state and do what i need to do and when says some things, when he did good things, tax cuts ap policy changes, i think we've got to move on. >> on the moving on. what dyo party, the party doesn seem like it's going to happen, i know you're supporting nikki haley. >> democrats are sticking with joe biden when he can't walk off the stage, come on, man. >> and the governor that question, you're republican. >> it's about americans, we're

going to stick with ours because we're afraid of theirs. more fear. and i've been saying may of 2023, biden is not going to be on the ballot in november mark my words. >>, but on trump. i'm working as hard as i can to make sure that trump is not on the ballot. >> what does it say about your party that he's exactly-- i don't mean to be difficult, it's not about american psyche, americans are doing it and we're falling back to the individuals that 70% of americans don't want on the ticket, both biden and trump. dems are doing it and republicans are doing it. what it says, i'm more fearful of the other guy so i'm going to stick with what i , instead of thinking opportunistically will bringing somebody else in. right? and that's just-- that's not a great place forbut polarization that's out there. with the fear that's out there, and i don't agree with it, but i guess i understand it. >> we've already gone over, and

producer-- >> one more. >> what keeps you up at night as a governor? >> my wife andkids. i'm a dad. >> in that one-- >> as a governor i'll take away the dad stuff because being a dad is hard. what keeps me awake at night, look, i get into details. so the two big issues i focus on since day one, mental health and the opioidcrisis. we've done well, it's not solved and we were number two in the country for opioid deaths and i think we're number 30 now or something, w transformed our system and made huge, huge gains there. mental health is the other one. focus on mental health and i try to tell republicans mental health is a great way to get bipartisan wins, as a strong conservative you want bipartisan wins go do more in mental health not just throw more money in the problem, the worst thing you can do. haveherevamp the system to focus on kids, to not do it like they did in the '90s. you've got to challenge

yourself. if we fall back bad habits of, i'll throw more money at the problem and try to get credit. throwing more money-- if you're going in the wrong direction, you throw more money at the problem you're pushing harder in the wrong direction. it's worse, it's throwing gasoline on the fire. you've got to have the courage, we're going to white board this thing out. and the nonprofits and advocates made get p'd off, but you've got to be driven. if you lose that sense, if washington changesbo a few rule as i started here, things can get back on track, you can start driving more accountability in d.c. if that doesn't happen. if the money game stays the way its, i worry that public service, you know, these are great people here. it would be great to run for office and i mean that sincerely. i see people that run them all the time and they say, i don't want to get involve. i'm too afraid and i would love the ceo's that would love to run for something, but i don't

want to put my family through that. and the biggest thing i worry about is great people sitting on the sidelines not getting in public service because there's a national discord that's stuff. >> with that, governor sununu, thank you for joining us. >> thank you, man, that's great. >> thank you. [applause] >> last chance to say you're going to run for governor again. >> no, no, not today. i'll come back next week. >> thank you, thank you. >> hi, everyone. >> hello there. >> i'm nick, i cover new york state government and politics■? and for the last 12 years i've been covering governor kathy hochul in0/ 2011 for the electin in a special house race and time for lt. governor and state's number one bills fan and so far never held against me then fact that i am a jets fan, but you know, it's still early. >> let's talk about that. >> well, actually let's talk about the role that new york is

control of the house of representatives. as you probably are aware, house speaker mike johnson is actually in new york today. i believe he's going to be in binghamton and utica meeting with some incumbent house republicans. i'm curious about the role that you're playing in the battle for control of the house of representatives. you've taken kind of increasingly aggressive approach, i think it's fair to say, when it comes to house anst been able to pass, for instance, border security legislation. >> right, i never thought i'd say this, nick, because you covered me when i went to congress right after the tea party was elected in november of 2010. i was elected in a special, took office the following june. i miss the tea party. i miss john boehner. i miss people you could actually work with and get things done. i never thought i'd say that, and nick, i have to step up because even back further generation when i was an attorney for senator moynihan,

i worked on the last major immigration bill that passed in 1986 and we were able to work with republicans, democrats, tip o'neill and ronald reagan and held for a long time. i think that the possibility lies there to solve our problems. it comes back to the people in charge. let's get back to the current speaker, when they're told by donald trump to unravel a package that was put together with the voices of a conservative senator democrats and the biden administration to deal with the border and0k donad trump whispers in their ear and all of a sudden they're terrified and immediately stop, that has an affect on my state so i am involved in these house races. the path hakeem jeffries to become speaker through the state of new york. >> six house seats. >> we just picked up tom,

restoring him to what had been a republican seat. that was a big win for us, you know, the story how that played out, but i'm committed to use all of my resores as the leader of the party, i have a coordinated campaign with kirsten gillibrand, hakeem jeffries, i'm leading this because not just the fate of america, lies in the balance, but also my own state is affected and that's why i'm so engaged in this. >> should democrats be recruiting more candidates like tom after he won the special election? did the campaign give a blueprint, as it were, for the issues that he ran on and clearly he had been an opponent of mine, we ran a very contentious primaelection. >> usually people say spirited, but you said contentious. >> i'm a little more honest. [laughter] >> that's all right. all is fair in

and so that happened. we made up. we talked and i said you need to talk about abortion this election. i can tell you, i can feel it in my bones. despite the fact that new york state is a blue state and we think our right to protect it, even now when you have someone li support a national ban on abortion, it comes down to the issues. i agree with you, it's about the candidates, but also the issues you're ring on and the failure of the speaker and the 10 republicans who represent the state of new york to do anything about immigration and the migration problem creating challenges for us. those are issues that tom could run on and this is why republicans are incapable of leading, and we need to start winning these house races back, starting with him and that begins the trend. so, i feel very optimistic with that aa bellwether, what will happen in other seats in the state of new york and perhaps across the nation. >> you mentioned border security and the migrant crisis facing new york right now.

president biden, political reported, actually reported yesterday is considering executive orders to potentially limit the flow of people seeking asylum into the united states. is that something he should pursue. >> let me tell you why he has to resort to executive orders, again, two weeks ago there was a grand bargain on the table all it take even from the state of new york, we have 175,000 migrants and counting. i count them. i literally get a graph of people, how many in shelters, how many work authorizations, and we had 10 republicans who could have talked into the speaker's office and said we're going to form our own freedom type caucus and we expect you to listen because between the 10 of us we have a lot of clout. our state needs the help. our state needs the relief, the protections at the border, so the fact that they're incapable of doing that, malpractice of

governance, and had to step up. i'm glad he's doing it. yes, we have to look at the conditions used for asylum now, because they're more expansive than had been used in the pass and yes, people fleeing political persecution, you know, have aight to seek asylum in other states, in other countries, yes, that's how it's been, but then there's also economic circumstances. there are eight billion people on this planet. sadly, the majority of living in poverty. new york is a very kind and generous state, but to think that a state like new york or even the united states of america can house everybody who wants to come because of economic circumstances really creates a problem for us. so without compromising our values and we're proud to have the statue of liberty in harbor, but we also have to have some common sense regulations at the border who is able to come and also, more border security for those who are going to breach the border the people who --.

>> are democrats living closer to republicans on the issue of immigration, i don't necessarily mean the trump brand of immigration policy, but it seems like with that senate negotiated package there were a number of concessions up it republicans on that issue. has the party shifted because of the way they talk about the migrant crisis. >> the difference. the art of compromise is so lost, people don't know what it i go back to the 86, that was the grand bargain, republicans wanted more interdiction in the■ border, wanted more money for the border, and sanctions, wanted that. democrats wanted the four million people here already to become legal citizens, and the path. that's what government is supposed to do. not closer to one party. ction-

elected and we need to do, republicans have said we don't want to solve the immigration crisis, my god, that might help joe biden stay president. that should not be the litmus test. is it right for your country or not? i want to get back to that. >> 10 of the house republicans wh has actually asked you for a meeting to discuss the issue. why not meet with the house republicans to hash out your differences. >> i said the second you walk into the speaker's office and vote for that bill i'll meet you. don't just come into my office and grandstand, i know what you're up to, do your job, do your job, represent your state. help us solve this. >> some republicans back home in new york suggested that one of the current issues facing new york is the fact that there are some policies in the state that limit the coordination that local law enforcement can

have with federal immigration authorities, these are the so-called sanctuary policies. should those be revisited? >> that narrative is false. there's no barriers to law enforcement state or local working with the federal government when it comes to immigration laws. there are 100 crimes that anyone hts that is a close connection and desire from local government to hand them over. when we had an attack on police officers in times square, that absolutely first of all held have been held on bail and that's a different topic, absolutely, a right for those people to be deported from this country, but i wanted to make sure they go through a trial and incarceration first because you don't do that in the state of new yorks you don't lay a hand on a police officer doing their job. they're misrepresenting that issue, we can't do anything. over 100 laws on the books and

the authorities have the obligation to work with the federal authorities and remove these people. >> can i can switch gears for a second to talk israel. obviously, this is a major issue in new york and has one of the highest jewish populations in the world outside of the state of israel and we're opening up a disagreement whether there should be a cease-fire. what do you make of that and does that hurt israel in the long-term potentially? >> no, and when we're talking about congress, it's a dereliction of duty that they refuse to give support to ukraine on the two-year anniversary of them trying to hold a line against a dictator ukraine and beyond. and that refuse to since the birth of that nation in 1948. the politics now are interesting, and i went to israel within 10 days of the

attack and i was the first american elected official to go down to the kibbutz and see what happened there and i'm forever changed by that experience. when i saw the capability of man's cruelty and inhumanity to other human beings, how depraved it was, how brutal it was to be in rooms you could smell the blood and i stepped on pools of blood on the floor and blood all over the walls, women were in rooms mutilated and theirody parts are still there. it's forever seared in my mind what happened on that day and i also said to the leadership there, that you need to take out hamas, you were right to do that, but you have to watch out for the civilians. i said that. and coming back home, this has been a very divisive issue. first of all, people are questioning israel's right to defend itself. i will never question that right, never. no one would ever question our rights after 9/11 to go in and find the attackers and take

them out. but also, we are deeply concerned about civilian casualties, human relief, i is an i had that first we have to flow into gaza, the situation that we are in now. but what's lost in this conversation, which is so maddening to me, as someone who is a young person just arriving back in the armenian hostages. every single night we heard how many hostages were there and how many days they were gone. walter cronkite. i don't know if you know he is, nick. know who walter cronkite is, a little before my time. >> and day 50, the homes, day 75, day 300. it wasn't good for president carter that constantly reminded the issue, don't forget these people. we still have a hostage, who

lives on long island, who is a hostage. i want the hta >> quickly, the way that some democrats, especially quite frankly on the left flank of the party is talking about the war is detrimental long-term? >> i want more people left, right or middle to understand what each population has been through. i think there's a fundamental lack of understanding, the fact that the holocaust deniers used to be some vestige from the far right extremists, crazy wing, and now there's people in our party who are questioning whether or not the holocaust happened, when i have met ten survivors in one meeting not long ago and they told me that - this was before october 7th, this is scary. they were seeing the signs that they say their parents saw in germany with all the hate crimes and the anti-semitism on the rise in our own country. i had a forum on anti-semitism

in our state in september to talk about what was happening already. so, i want people to understand. and i understand that feelings are deeply felt and young people are energized and activists. and i was out there with my parents during the vietnam war and apartheid. i understand acon divisive among citizens. when you take on something, the vietnam war, you're fighting the government, apartheid, against the regime in south africa, the conflicts i've been involved in, it's never been american citizen against american citizen and i want to have a feeling there-- i've gathered people and brought people in our own state. clergy from all faiths. how can we deal with this on a human level■ so people are not divided politically by this. i want my party to be strong on this issue and support our president on this issue. >> very quickly and lastly, unfortunately, ai, we've seen a-- actually just in new york a

couple of weeks ago, an incident in which a former impersonated and kind of part of a disinformation campaign. are you concerned about the role that artificial intelligence is going to be playing in the political discourse and the ability to kind of just put out false information? >> every politician can see this playing a major role in the next election, and my question is, after someone takes your image and adds a voice andaying something that's horrible and puts it out, broad-based, whether it's on television, cable, social media. how do you unring the bell with the truth. once people see this and see the psychology, i didn't mo that about he that she beat her children every single day, all of us are out there. that's out there. taylor swift, you know, it happens to everybody, that has to be a side that's dealt with at the federal level with controls. in the state of new york i'm

proposing laws against this by the way, if it doesn't happen on the federal level, i'll deal with it. but we're embracing the good side of ai. the state of new york will be the leader of aiation and we're going to have the largest super computer built in the nation in new york, i'm proposing that as well. there's the dark side and there's the side that i embrace. >> before we get the hook. governor hochul. [applause] >> please welcome to the stage. heidi. thank you so much. >> good morning, i'm our national investigative correspondent and i'm joined today by oklahoma governor kevin stitt whom we are especially grateful is here today because governor stitt, i was looking at your bio and i realize that you've got six kids. i thought almost three teenage daughters you said they're a little older, i have my mother here with you today and she had

three girls. >> where is your mother at? >> where are you, mom? someone was supposed to escort her in. >> there you go. >> the eldest of three girls and one boy, godspeed and get good auto insurance. >> you've got any advice, i've got two teenage daughters, i'll talk to you. >> thank you for joining us, much to discuss. you're intriguing because you're with your party and most issues, but on a few critical issues, like biden's signature climate and energy bill, you are not. we'll get to that. you like the money on criminal justice reform and go against the grain and closed prison and given former prisoners i.d.'s and oklahoma is in the center of a critical case that could end at the supreme court

separation of church and state. let's dive in reduction act. many national republicans opposed this, right? the biggest investment in climate and energy in history, but when you talk to folks in rogers county where i saw an italian giant is opening a one billion dollars solar manufacturing plant. what did they say about this money. >> well, first off, thanks so much for having me here. you know, as governors, i think we approach things a little differently. and my vision is to make oklahoma is top 10 state. everything we do. i came from the business world and i never ran for office before i ran and won in 2018 so i kind of-- probably approach things differently and excited we'll talk about the topics, but you know, as far as eney a manufactf solar panels, so if you're going to bring jobs, you're

going to manufacture solar panels or pump jacks, we're agnostic, we all all of those businesses, manufacturing. oklahoma is the best place to se for distribution purposes. we have a huge energy advantage in oklahoma. our cost of energy is one of the most affordable in the entire country. so, we have kind of an all of the above approach and i want to touch on that quickly. we're number six in o production, number five in national gas production and we're so proud of our oil and gas industry and we're number two, people don't wind energy. almost 45, 50% of production, only one of four states that can say that comes from renewable energy and led to an affordable a reliable grid. that's why google has the latest data facility in oklahoma and that's why manufacturing is looking at oklahoma. >> on the ira, you probably wouldn't have gotten that investment had that federal

money not come in, and just to cut right to it, if president trump gets back in, he wants to claw back a lot of the money that's not yet been disbustake? >> welling, here is the deal. if it's available and it's going to another state. we compete with other states so of course, we want that in oklahoma. he we want-- those companies if those federal incentives are available they're going on the federal side and from a state perspective, we want them located in oklahoma, so, yeah, i mean, it's great for our economy, and you know, the politics of that up here in d.c., you know, that's why governors are actually moving the needle and with permitting reform and we can have some more honest conversations than they're having in d.c. >> on criminal justice reform. three years ago, you commuted the sentences of 500 nonviolent offenders and you set up training programs for them at the department of corrections and making sure they have

i.d.'s. how many of these folks are going on to be gainfully employed? is there a bigger role for the state in training these individuals, for instance, in skilled trades? >> that's something i think you'll all be interested. as the governor, when i came in, i approach everything from a business perspective and i started realizing that oklahoma, we incarcerated more men and women than any other state. so we were last place. so i have a governor's score card where i have all of these stats and i was like, that doesn't make sense. either our people are worse than every other state or our policies are among. so i went about changing our policies. in 2019 like you said, i ended largest commutation in u.s. history commuted low level, nonviolent drug offenders, 500, m no idea that that was going to be the largest and now, we are number one or two in the country in lowest recidivism

rate. so some of those things we're doing, moved from 50th, now to 40th in the first five years of governor. closed four prisons, two private prisons because we believe in second chances. we believe in getting people back into the work force. so we're trying to do everything we can to bring some of the cdl , we work with our businesses. it's not that complicated. what jobs do we need employees for and then let's train them. same thing with education that i know we'll talk about and that's kind of our philosophy. everybody wants safe communities so we're absolutely going to have safe communities and i've put more money into our law enforcement, but at the same time, you can have some common sense and until we're top 10 in something, i'm always going to be pushing and digging in and asking, why can't we be better because we've got 49 other states to look at and bring those policies in at home. >> we don't have much time so here i go with the hard questions. the alabama supreme court recently ruled that embryos are

people and that their destruction, even if it's accidental is tennant tantamount to a crime. do you believe that's a crime? >> that's not oklahoma. if you want to talk about roe v. wade, we believe every state has a right what to do on this issue. i understand that alabama's going to be different than d.c., oklahoma, california, tennessee, that's how the syste they elect their officials and they're going to set up the system maybe different than we would in oklahoma, tennessee or california. >> what do you say to critics who say this is really the camel's nose under the tent, the end of roe was and there's a broader christian nationalist movement that's coming for women and their bodies? >> you know, first off, in

oklahoma we are pro family. we are pro-life. we believe-- i've expanded benefits, postpartum benefits for mothers. we've helped with adoptions and we recognize there's people in all kinds of situations and we want to make sure that we talk about that, that we help those mothers. my state of the state speech, i started talking about fatherhood, we needrs and fathers in the homes and we think that that's what's going to help society grow. we've got way too many, you know, single family homes right now. when you look at the success sequence, what i talk about in my state of the state, there's three things you should do to stay out of poverty, regardless of race and that's graduate from high school, get a job, and get married before you have children. those are the kind of things that we promote in oklahoma. >> and on schools, a couple of questions because oklahoma is on the national stage right now on this issue. there's a legal battle right

now to establish the nation's first religious school that would be fully funded by the public. the case is expected to end at the supreme court most likely with big questions about separation of church and state. do you personally want to see the supreme court approve religious schools that would be fully funded by the public? >> absolutely, 100%. we're the first state that has approved a religious charter school. so let me talk about that for a second. why are we trying to pretend that a parent is not going to put their values or their faith in their children? and a charter school is a public school with private management. you don't have to go to a charter school. this is something that you're choosing. you're saying this is an about thor outcome for my kid, so we love it. the other thing is, you know, oklahoma, santa fe south charter school has 4600 students in south oklahoma city. 4600 students and parents, almost 95% hispanic and those parents are saying i'm going to

get a better education for my kid here, they can go to their zip code school. we love choice. we love optionsment furthermore, we passed a refundable tax credit, every family has $7500 to go to a private school, a christian school, a hebrew school, doesn't matter. wherever the parents decide is the best fit for them. school of choice should not just be for the rich. rich people already have school of choice and we want that for every single family and we don't shy away from that, we think that's the right thing to do and you don't have to go to that school, but it's available if the parents are saying that's the right thing. the other thing i want to say here, people always say that's public funds going to a private business. think about this for a second. there's a million people in oklahoma on medicaid, all right? that's an insurance for either aids, blind, disabled, working poor, pregnant women, children,

that's our medicaid rolls, right? we don't force you if you're on medicaid to go to a zip cod hospital or to go to this hospital, that hospital. you can go to any hospital or any doctor that accepts that service, okay? and guess what? there's catholic spital there's christian hospitals, same thing with snap benefits. we have snap benefits. you don't have to go to our local zip code grocery store. anybody that's going to accept that is allowed to go. so, there's all kinds of examples, education should not be any different, no, no, no, we're going to force you to go to this zip code school, even if it's failing, even if the test scores are bad. >> let me interject there, two minutes left, so, it's not about the kids who get the choice because right now vouchers primarily go to -- are used by wealthy

so my question to you is do you think the current public education system should end? >> so, so when oklahoma last year here's the facts. in my five years as governor i have put more money in public education than they did for 25 years before i get here. last year we increased that funding 20%. that is a separate bucket of money than what we're talking ou so if the kid left the public school and went to another school, their per-pupil funding actually goes up. none of that money comes from your overdue here. it is a separate bucket of money. do you think every school■ in oklahoma is 100% perfect? >> know but i've never been there. [laughing] so i don't know. let me, quickly because will

have a minute left. oklahoma also made national headlines this week because of the death, very sad of a 16tle a student who was non-binary. the case is still under investigation but we know is she was severely beaten in the bathroom by three older girls and she died one day later. her grandmother says this bowling have been going on and escalated since the state transient bathroom policy came down. can you please address her grandmother who clearly is connected to a climate in the state? >> i have spoken to the grandmother but obviously any death of a student is just te agedy. there is no bullying about in oklahoma. we're going to prosecute of that. that. they are still investigating how it happened but it's an absolute tragedy. >> irrespective of policy now the grandmother feels about it,, state senator kerry hicks said superintendent ryan walters has

accrued an unsafe and private for people like donkey. walter spencer love of time in social media bashing gender thed the lady of of the lives of k to make schools safer who obviously run these campaigns online. do you think ryan walter should be doing this online? do you think his account -- the policy is one thing and the climate is another thing. >> you know, tim shriver a friend of mine has got the dignity index which i'm going to be meeting with him tomorrow. i invited him to oklahoma to talk about dignity. and in politics right n instead of just debating policy or here's what we think, sometimes it's name calling. don't condone that. i don't condone that an oklahoma. he's a a separately elected official, all kinds of people that now have twitter wars under going to post whatever. i think we should have on his conversations and debates about

policy and what we are doing to promote families and improve education, approve the economy of energy independence and border security. but the name-calling doesn't need to happen. so he is separately elected and that's what■8 i would say about it. >> i am flashing red. i know you need to get out of here. thank you so much for the convsa there. [applause] >> wake up, , wake up, here we . one more to go. >> were closing up with fireworks here. my name is elena schneider, national political reporter at "politico" and i'm thrilled to bumbura colorad■no governor jared polis. >> well hello. great to be back there good to see you all. [applause] >> we obviously saved the best for less. >> there we go. >> there's a lot of news coming out of colorado and so were going to cover a lot this conversation, talk about immigration, migrant crisis,

talk about housing affordability which it was an issue near and dear to your heart and what you have really focused on. we're going to talk about the israel-hamas conflict and then went to close at with some politics because even though colorado is by and large a blue state these days,ou guys are still making some political news and some work for u.s. supreme court. >> we have two open republican congressional seat. >> that's what. >> two hot republican primaries this year and one very competitive general election seat. >> do you think all that is going to help secure the majority for democrat? >> we are defending the super competitive one. and then there's a chance of picking up the third but that's the one lauren boebert left so the chances are little less now but it depends on who the nominee. >> keep an eye on those house raises. but but i want to start with immigration. we first this time and again to our conversations with all of th governors this morning acknowledging the fact basically

federal movement on the board is essentially dead at this point. we also know then press just announced their bondage to make some cuts that will make just a tiny dent in covering the cost of housing these migrants which is a big part of what denver has been confronted with in this moment. what can you at the governor do right now to try and address the crisis given were not expecting anything out of capital? >> we certainly hope for federal action because that's the only actually to address this and that doesn'tust mean capitol hill. i would encourage the president take take whatever steps again administratively, department of homeland security as well but, of course, would welcome additional funding from border security for congress and is not outside the realm of possibility it would get something done. yeah, this is an issue that can really only be addressed nationally. this many states and cities that are left to deal with the failure of the federal government to be able to address it. that's the status quo.

it's processing times for asylum, border security, in this case and a call about anderson in many of the other places almost entirely venezuelans were talking about here and many of them have a fight him claims. but until those claims are processed they are unable to work legally. we were grateful the administration did temporary protected status tps for venezuelan arrivals before certain day. number folks able to work and support themselves in denver wherever they are, in the country, and that's an important part of being able to go to sort themselves. >> but of the governors somebody like kathy hochul who was on she brought in the national guard to help with this crisis. massachusetts governor declared state of emergency and is devoted a lot of funding. seems like there's more drastic

measures of the stick of us have taken speedy we always look at there's a mission natural,, national guard could support. we, for instance, we had a cold snap in colorado a few weeks ago and when we say cold, it's like negative 15 or something. and so we, the state and we've done this with a prior cold, we say will operate several warming shelters across a tape so nobody freezes to death. that doesn't mean, it means of course migrants but could be homeless, stranded motorist, like nobody should freeze to death in a state because it's a -15. that was a focused use of the national guard to operate a number of these warming centers across the state during a cold spell. we are in constant conversation with the denver and of the cities to see if there's any way the state can help. >> there was a colorado public radio store they came up a day or two ago that aired criticisms folks within your own party about how you've approached this

issue. a number of democrats said they wish that you're more of an ally in their words, that you would use your boy republic to this up, and of particular note a lot of people were upset by the fact you did not talk about immigration in your state of the state address. what do you say to this criticism? >> my state of the state was to members or state legislature not to members of united states covers but you can certainly speed if you could talk about issue that's really -- >> a sudden issue i'm shy on. i go on tv all the time. the focus of my audience is kind of congress and the president. i don't have a policy i'm seeking for my state legislature on this because we do not patrol borders. we do not process asylum applications. this would be, i hope it's a major topic of president biden's address to the united states congress. but absolutely it's an issue i'm very vocal on an to try to get congress to take action and/or the president to

take action. but again there so state legislative agenda piece of tha that. >> you don't think, i mean, i think the criticism the folks launched is you could use your bully pulpit to raise at this issue and you just don't feel like that was the right -- >> i do. i go on national television talk about immigration fairly regularly, but again to your audiences, my audience and you are trying to give attraction to is what mayor johnson of denver is seeking, which is congress and the the president. that's who we need to take action on this. there's a lot unaware of the our legislature can do to help that. we don't control our own borders. people come in and out of colorado. we're not able to assign work permits. a lot of this i'm very frustrated with, but there really isn't in any state, new york, illinois, colorado, texas no state in the whole solution. housing affordability which was a major topic of your state of the state address.

so last year this is also top priority for you. you supported a bill that would effectively remove single-family zoning to make it easier for developers of folks to build townhomes and more dense housing. housing. but it failed in the legislature and it died in the legislature. i wonder given that you want to tackle this issue again what have learned from would have in 2023 from it not passing and would be done different this time around to get it to the legislature? >> it didn't fail, past the house and time ran out. >> and a democrat-controlled legislature. >> yes. this session, which he sees rather than having anonymous on housing, their seven or eight or nine bills on housing that are stronger than before.d committes which is a piece of it, have

people live near bus and real service, front range passenger rail, accessory to dwelling units, another example, limiting occupancy restrictions. there's a number of different components. sometimes from my legislative days and see this, sometimes in on this an agent and sometimes it's harder. you never really know until you get into it but a think in this case the ominous could of made as i said it didn't pass the house, it just died on the calendar. now the strategy is rather than anonymous let's have seven or eight component bills. what that allows for a slightly different obviously overlapping coalitions behind slightly different bills. generally speaking people want housing or for billy. generally speaking democrats and republicans for many of these bills but they do have slightly different overlapping coalitions that are pushing for them so that can be helpful here hopefully will be in t get it d. >> rent price for something anecdotally from voters is a

deep concern come something we've also seen in public and private polling. do you think the national party has done enough to talk about housing affordability on sort of the national stage? >> so the main federal peace comes obvious he what would bill, how we build that's a were focus on reducing costs of a long lower-cost units to be built. the big national peace and one of the reasons you see this issue popping is financing costs, mortgage rates, interest rates. >> right. >> so if i were the federal government i would focus on reducing interest rates, reducing mortgage costs which helps across the board and that's the most substantial with the federal government the housy crisis. >> you expect that will happen anytime soon? >> i don't know. you hear murmurs of a bipartisan definition. that positive signal to bring cut interest rates. some downward pressure on terrorists would be helpful rather than upward pressures from times both parties. some fiscal responsibility of

bringing in excess spending. these are all things i can help in reality but also sending messages to the market bushel and reduce interest rates. that's the biggest thing i would like federally is to reduce the interest rate. look at monitors of life another driver, remove for the policy. >> do you think would help politically for the party to be lk more? >> i think it's good for the country is good for the governing party. i would encourage democrats to be good at governing and part of being good ater to enact policies that reduce interest rates and reduce mortgage rates for american. >> speaking of good government part of what makes good governing possible is a party that is able to work well together. but the colorado legislature has dealt with a l toxicity and a lot of infighting. two state legislators resigned in the last year because they basically didn't want to work there anymore. wonder obviouslyt in the legislature, you're the

governor which are essentially the de facto leader of the party. do you have a in trying to change the tenor within the democratic in the state legislature? >> as you indicated obviously separate branch of government but what i did challenge the legislature to do in my state of the e address, very similar to what i'm working on here in washington with governors cox at the national governors association is disagree better. so how legislatures were supposed to disagree, that's their job. the debate, argue, different values of how to do it in a way that elevates that discourse? and brings it to a realm where you talk budget policy differences and being inquisitive about why somebody feels a different way rather the aggregate into personal attacks. that's naturally what we ce legislature to do as well as our local governments across the stkaate. but you do you have a role to be a part of the? i don't quite know how that

would speed is i didn't get to be part of the legislature. they are like here in washington. they are separate branch of government but like you also get pe to get my state of the state. in what opportunity to speak to them i tried to really rally them around finding ways to disagree better and tortuga and she also spent time talking to the behind the scenes. >> i mean from it own interactions with them, we always show, we try to manifest the concept to disagree better. with republican leadership and democrat leadership raggedly. so, i mean, with the leadership other week and get to hear concerns, and then when there are members that want to meet with us, obviously first if it's a technical question, we try to make accessible to members as well but what media what they have to say. before issue a veto i was give them a chance to change my mind and invite them into share why they think that terrible bill is

a good idea. >> one issue that we know has been particularly painful and fraught especially thin democratic party is the conflict in gaza right now. you are colorado's first jewish governor and i wonder if you can share with us whether or not what your expenses been sort of watches have in the middle east, but also do yourself, do you support a ceasefire? to support an immediate ceasefire in gaza? >> well, from the state legislative viewpoint we don't want peoples passion opinions about this tot thing to do a bif the people of colorado. and so the work on housing affordability of the work on schools, people do have opinions about these things and there have been trying to get the city council to get focus on this obviously in terms of america's foreign policy, i certain support president biden's work

to support israel and at the same time obviously encourage the release of the hostages the negotiations, which secretary blinken and president biden have been very involved with. not mua colorado can do from the legal perspective on that, other than react to the threats to h own citizens, which we have. we have created funding for sites that are at risk of jewish schools, mosques. so we created funding grants for the win to go in for additionaln bipartisan support. we've been able to get $7 billion out to help pay for basic security improvements and synagogues in jewish schools across the state from funding secured, better class, alarms, system. >> obviously you cannot controlt speed i've been very supportive of president biden. >> so as of right now you're not

calling for an immediate ceasefire? >> obviously based on the hostages so that if the hostages released i think they can be talking about what de-escalation, but i think the two were rescued in the last week or so but by and large hamas has been resistant to letting the hostages go. >> i was just in michigan reporting on an effort that voters are pushing for democrats to vote uncommitted in the primary next tuesday, , the wayo protest position on israel. do you worry at all about some who cares about biden getting reelected, , do you worry about his ability to regain and inspire the base in this moment with this has clearly been an issue that they're concerned about? and is borne out not just in this committed effort but public polling generous? >> well, i think you'll see how we could that■t m is, biden's delegates when michigan. you'll see it's irrelevant. i am uncommitted on the bow and

color as well. we just had, i just, we are super tuesday vote. i rebooted. you can before president biden, you can vote for someone i've never heard of there's none of the above. i think that at the above will perform poorly in call threat and a suspect it will perform poorly in michigan. >> y >> i think and the way they kind of our going to show how weak this opposition is, when president biden blows none of the above out of the water in michigan. >> so let's close up with a couple more political questions. the colorado supreme made history by ruling former president trump could not appear on the ballot. obviously we've heard arguments before the u.s. suparlier this a largely appeared pretty skeptical to these arguments about throwing him off the ballot. do you agree with t decision? >> well, the only justices i put it was the dissent on that of my

painting has always been we need to be the republican nominee at the ballot box, and so you know, president biden certainly pulls ahead of president trumpn colorado, if they're both the respective nominees, seems likely, conference or residee will carry colorado. >> se. to ask a biden political question, he is 81 years old. when no time and again in public polling we have found democrats and voters writ large are concerned about his age, concerned about his mental fitness and acuity. campaign and the people who work with him that he is as sharp as ever. what advice would you give to the biden campaign a issue? >> well, you know, people like to biden when he gets out there and interact with people, so just didn't answer. he was improbable what last month, the most before. we had a great, great time with them. we focus on a wind turbine

in pueblo. and we not only with the formal time but he got read a lot loca. we love seeing him across the country and he think he likes to see the impact of his policies across the country, whether it'e bipartisan infrastructure, this is a lot of great examples of exciting job creation engines of people succeed across the state that he can this. >> your advice is to get out the more? >> yeah. he has in colorado. i don't know whether he has in when he comes to colorado. more people see them and interact with him, the more delicate. >> what about your own experiences within? >> ea in pueblo. i think people, you mistaken the fact he's always had, he's always had a stuttering issue his whole life.

and so y he's not, he was not somebody that in his youth was known for his eloquence and any point in the coolikar is terrific and one-on-one conversation he's great in small groups. he's the same way given the speech is always been, which is he's not the best orator, never has been. so he hasn't really katie porter was a coçongrsmann california, she said quote age limits our conversation for all elected officials that we ought to be having. it was in the context of for ths 77. do you agree? should to be age limits of people who serve in office? >> no. i mean people should be able t who they want. and uncertain times like these it's no shock that people want experience like president biden offers and want a steady to hand, the experience and wisdom needed to guide us.

people want to elect somebodyhet as well. >> you are curtly serving up your second term. you are also 48 which of is n political years makes you a baby. >> i am no longer, i'm not young anymore. >> and political years you clearly are. what's next for you? >> well, i have almost three more years, two and half more years are some focus of speedy death by some legislating to ofk in colorado. housing is the biggest for us. average home in the denver metro is a $600,000. aye by washington d.c. hedges, that's a horrible but for us that's a very, very high. we got to reduce the impediments to building new housing stock, more housing now. >> let's check in on jew, fast-forward to three years from thoughts on speed hopefully we will deliver on housing. the truly first and foremost of what were facing. but no, i mean this is a great

job and enjoy want truly work tt two and half years and use every moment to try to make colorado a better place. >> because work under likely have an open primary for president in 2020 it is a something you thought about. >> no. i mean, i just thought about, i think when you talk youk job lit than senator in caucus with a little more time to think about things. you are really running things day-to-day in your states so it is an exciting job, a wonderful job, a fulfilling job but the vital time, nor should people in those kindspositions t three or four years at. >> you are not ruling it out? >> again, i'm focused on being you up with readers, you back on the stage and checking with you one more time. okay. thank you, governor polis got really appreciate your time and we've reached now the end of politico's 2024 governors some of them so thank you all so much for joining here in the room and

in the live stream for the room just to note the winner of the "politico" summit review will be contacted through social media. so thank you all announcer: united nations security council approved a resolution calling for a cease-fire in gaza. it comes as the one officials expressed concern over the living conditions of palestinians in gaza. ■ x shortly after the vote, stating the security council just approved the long-awaited resolution on gaza, demanding an immediate cease-fire and immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. this resolution must be implemented. failure would be unforgivable. the final vote was 14 in favor and none opposing, and only the u.s. abstaining from voting. tonight, a look at digital modernization of the defense department

the hearing will cover topics such as cybersecurity and benefits or potential dangers of implementing artificial intelligence. >> what can we learn from the integration of gaming models, ai, and military strategy? >> i will talk less a because i'm not a gamer, but about how we might effectively use generative ai, like chatgpt. we have been working really ht i will be useful and where and when it will be dangerous. the danger is it takes a very high cognitiveoutput of this mo. and so, there is a very large demand signal for ai to replace experts and allow novices to replace experts. that is dangerous. where i think it will be mostele better experts, or helping someone who knows their job well do better at their job that they know well. announcer: