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Roundtable" with David Cruz is

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David: Another year, another

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series of just so jersey

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happenings.

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Hey, everybody.

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It is Reporters Roundtable.

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I'm David crisp radar final

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panel of 2024 includes Colleen

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O'Day, Peter Kenneth Burns, and

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Charles Stiles.

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We are going to begin today with

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a look at this momentous year in

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New Jersey.

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The gold bars, the party line,

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and drones in the night by

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saying hello to the director for

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New Jersey politics, Micah

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Rasmussen.

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Welcome back to the show.

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>> Thank you for having me.

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David: You are at the Statehouse

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today?

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>> I am.

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David: You have kids there?

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>> I have a bunch of high school

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kids running party platforms and

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all kinds of good stuff here.

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David: Good stuff.

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Listen, I've been around a while

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and grew up in Hudson County, so

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I have experienced my share of

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outlandishness from David

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Friedland, but 2024 was kind of

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epic, no?

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Micah: I completely agree.

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Boy, if you can write the ark of

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Bob Menendez in the indictment

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and then the convictions, and

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then Andy Kim coming in and

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Tammy Murphy coming in and the

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party line because it was denied

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to him, it is one big story.

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2024 is one big arc and story

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with so much packed into it.

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It is unbelievable.

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Looking back on what we live

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through and how much has changed

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is unbelievable.

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David: You touched on a couple

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of those things.

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So much to choose from.

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What is number one on your list

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of moment is events this year?

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I know that is a hard one to

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pick.

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Micah: The biggest surprise for

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me, which may be is not exactly

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what you asked, but I think the

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fact that Menendez is guilty on

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every single count, he

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immediately became a nonfactor.

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We expected the jury to convict

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him of something, but

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everything?

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How sloppy can an incumbent U.S.

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veteran Senator be?

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It was a decisive slam dunk and

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left no daylight.

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After that, we were not even

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thinking about his appeals and

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the world just kind of moved on

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from him.

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It was such a stunning fall.

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David: You made the point of how

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this is one story.

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They all kind of impacted one

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another.

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Menendez, that whole action

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started last year, but carried

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over.

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Menendez led to Tammy Murphy and

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Andy Kim, and then the line

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lawsuit.

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We should also give an honorable

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mention to Patricia compos

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Medina --Campos Medina, who

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gave us a timeline of politics

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over the summer.

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Here she is.

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Trying to keep her out, you

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know?

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Micah: A picture is worth 1000

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words, and it shows the lastgasp

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of the old way of doing

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business.

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David: It struck me as I was

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getting ready for today that

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Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy, ARM

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decidedly on different

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trajectories.

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Micah: Absolutely.

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So I completely agree.

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Andy Kim, in terms of

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consequence, I think Andy Kim is

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immediately easily the most

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consequential politician elected

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official we patted New Jersey

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now in decades, in generations.

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The changes that he brought

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about.

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It is important to remember.

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I do not want to call accidental

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reform because he's committed to

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it, but what I mean as he was

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forced into this position I did

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not pick these fights.

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He did not deny the line or take

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no for an answer.

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He said he had to find another

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way and it led to this

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consequential change.

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On how candidates are selected

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for office.

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And it drags the party out of

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that trademark and that

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ownership they have had over the

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process.

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They lost control of the process

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now and now the voters really

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will decide.

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Imagine that, the voters decide

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in the primary who the

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candidates will be for the

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fault.

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-- for the fall.

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Parties will do that anymore by

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themselves anyway.

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David: What is the end of the

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line mean going forward?

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It is it affecting -- is it

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affecting strategy right now

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that we can see?

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Micah: It is.

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You have two front runners and

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the two members of Congress who

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are still trying to cobble

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together as much party

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support as they can, and it

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means something.

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They still have fundraising,

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they still have organization

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ability.

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They still have the know-how on

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how to run campaigns in their

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counties, so the fact she is

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lining up a lot of support in

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the counties is significant, but

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what it means, I think, is that

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other candidates who don't get

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that support are not out of the

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water.

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They have a viable path to go

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directly to voters.

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Will it work?

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We don't know, but we know they

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are not down or out.

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The way Tammy Murphy was last

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year or the weight other

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candidates had gone away once

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they supported party

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organizations, now there is

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another way to make this work.

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Let's see if that outside lane

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if that really does turn out to

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be something that can be done in

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this new system.

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David: Running out of time.

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Trump effect on Jersey politics,

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clearly he did better in New

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Jersey than expected, and now

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there are Republican candidates

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for governor next year.

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Most of them seem to be trying

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to say who was Trump here?

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One may benefit the most from

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his association to the shadow of

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Donald Trump.

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But the most loyal of the

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Republicans has been the

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trucker, Ed Dern, no?

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Micah: I agree.

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Jack is not seen as someone who

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was with Trump from the

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beginning.

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And he is hoping it endears him,

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but Trump will remember that in

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past cycles, he wasn't the

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quickest to come around.

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He's almost like the guy who has

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a problem with both sides

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because he is also the guy who

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was at the stop and steal rally.

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You are right that we will be

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hearing a lot about the fact

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that he used to be pretty

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reasonable and said he wanted a

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viable path to citizenship, and

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now he has abandoned the Trump

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position and run from that as

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quickly as he can.

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You are right, the guy who has

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been there all along probably

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has the least viable path to the

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nomination.

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David: We are pretty sure the

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fields on the Democratic side is

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set.

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I would run through all the

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names but I'd run out of time.

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Micah: [LAUGHTER]

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David: There is a poll that

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shows supposedly Mikey Cheryl is

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leading.

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I would think that is more name

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recognition than anything,

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right?

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Micah: I agree.

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Also the fact that she is the

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only woman -- he is able to

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distinguish yourself just in a

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poll by being someone who stands

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out from four white guys in the

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race.

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That can change as name

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recognition changes on the

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campaign unfolds.

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But it is a strength for her,

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and you would rather be heard

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them not.

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David: I would like to bring

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this up because we were mostly

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joking about it, but Josh

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Gottheimer's Springsteen bona

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fides, lesser things have sunk

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campaigns.

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That is something that goes to

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authenticity, no?

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Micah: I never expected to get a

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phone call from "the Washington

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Post" about it yesterday.

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This was national news now.

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Real Jersey stuff here.

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David: What is your sense on

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what the governor, the current

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Governor, does next?

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He has been cozy also with the

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president and called him a good

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friend the other day.

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Micah: This is a year on which

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we will see things winding down.

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In a way, he hastened his own

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lame-duck status.

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I probably will get in trouble

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for saying that, but at least

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politically, by putting it on

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the line for his wife' Senate

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run.

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It may have been a smart family

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move, and he may have been happy

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with that decision, but it puts

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his political status into

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question.

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Maybe he doesn't care about that

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and will finish his term.

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From here on out, it is picking

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more of that as the cabinet MPs.

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Second term is as

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consequentialist first terms.

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We have budget cutbacks.

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David: That is a good sports

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metaphor.

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Michael Rasmussen, always good

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to talk -- Micah Rasmussen,

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always good to talk to you.

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00:09:54,933 --> 00:09:55,533
See you next year.

291
00:09:55,533 --> 00:10:00,766
Panel, Colleen, Charles, Kenny,

292
00:10:00,766 --> 00:10:01,200
good to see you all.

293
00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,566
Let's start with you, Charlie.

294
00:10:03,566 --> 00:10:06,766
What stories helped shape the

295
00:10:06,766 --> 00:10:09,800
year for you and what is still

296
00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:10,200
impacting things?

297
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,166
Charlie: I clearly think the

298
00:10:15,166 --> 00:10:18,833
destruction of the line and the

299
00:10:18,833 --> 00:10:20,000
crumbling of Bob Menendez is

300
00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,200
totally correct, it is one big

301
00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,000
storyline, and then emergence of

302
00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,800
Andy Kim, but I think Andy Kim

303
00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,100
looking forward has made it very

304
00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:34,400
clear that this is a starting

305
00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:34,600
point.

306
00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,366
He sees himself as a leader of a

307
00:10:37,366 --> 00:10:41,900
new -- he does not use the word

308
00:10:41,900 --> 00:10:42,566
progressive, but he sees himself

309
00:10:42,566 --> 00:10:44,800
as a leader of a new movement

310
00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,500
that is sort of going to change

311
00:10:47,500 --> 00:10:50,333
politics, primarily in the

312
00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:50,733
Democratic Party.

313
00:10:50,733 --> 00:10:54,300
I was told last night that

314
00:10:54,300 --> 00:10:54,833
hearing the fundraiser of

315
00:10:54,833 --> 00:10:57,133
Princeton for Andrew's liquor,

316
00:10:57,133 --> 00:10:59,200
he was urging Democrats --

317
00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,533
Andrew, he was urging Democrats

318
00:11:02,533 --> 00:11:03,300
to reach out to Republicans and

319
00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:05,633
make contact and listen to them

320
00:11:05,633 --> 00:11:07,600
and understand them.

321
00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,133
I think he has brought

322
00:11:10,133 --> 00:11:11,100
ambitions, and I think you're

323
00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:12,600
going to see him be a

324
00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,966
significant leader going forward

325
00:11:14,966 --> 00:11:15,366
in the next year.

326
00:11:15,366 --> 00:11:18,766
David: Colleen, what do you come

327
00:11:18,766 --> 00:11:19,833
up with when you look back at

328
00:11:19,833 --> 00:11:20,033
2024?

329
00:11:20,033 --> 00:11:24,100
I guess we are all in agreement

330
00:11:24,100 --> 00:11:24,700
that Andy Kim is the story of

331
00:11:24,700 --> 00:11:24,966
the year.

332
00:11:24,966 --> 00:11:29,100
What Andy Kim, he got the line

333
00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:31,600
controversy.

334
00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:32,366
He got the end of Tammy Murphy.

335
00:11:32,366 --> 00:11:36,333
Colleen: As everyone else has

336
00:11:36,333 --> 00:11:37,533
said so far, it seems like

337
00:11:37,533 --> 00:11:39,266
everything is kind of tangled up

338
00:11:39,266 --> 00:11:42,333
and connected together.I do

339
00:11:42,333 --> 00:11:44,466
think the rise of Andy Kim is

340
00:11:44,466 --> 00:11:46,033
one of the biggest stories of

341
00:11:46,033 --> 00:11:46,300
the year.

342
00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:54,200
If you think of August 2023, he

343
00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:55,500
was a little-known South Jersey

344
00:11:55,500 --> 00:11:57,700
Congressman who seemed very

345
00:11:57,700 --> 00:11:58,133
soft-spoken.

346
00:11:58,133 --> 00:12:03,166
He did clean up the capitol

347
00:12:03,166 --> 00:12:04,633
after the riot, so he was known

348
00:12:04,633 --> 00:12:08,333
for that, but today he is a

349
00:12:08,333 --> 00:12:10,633
state, and a State Senator that

350
00:12:10,633 --> 00:12:13,033
people are looking for, looking

351
00:12:13,033 --> 00:12:14,366
to for guidance.

352
00:12:14,366 --> 00:12:19,533
As Charlie just said, he is kind

353
00:12:19,533 --> 00:12:20,166
of thinking outside the box and

354
00:12:20,166 --> 00:12:23,200
talking about being respectful

355
00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:23,666
and talking to others.

356
00:12:23,666 --> 00:12:26,366
Look during that first debate

357
00:12:26,366 --> 00:12:32,733
when there was a little glitch

358
00:12:32,733 --> 00:12:33,500
or whatever happened, and he was

359
00:12:33,500 --> 00:12:35,200
the first one to go up and say,

360
00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:35,600
are you OK?

361
00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,600
He seems like a different kind

362
00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:39,200
of politician at this point.

363
00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,666
David: All of it is tangled up

364
00:12:42,666 --> 00:12:43,166
altogether, isn't it?

365
00:12:43,166 --> 00:12:44,766
What sticks out for you?

366
00:12:44,766 --> 00:12:50,333
Kenny: Not to sound too

367
00:12:50,333 --> 00:12:51,033
repetitive, definitely the

368
00:12:51,033 --> 00:12:54,233
abolishment or the killing of

369
00:12:54,233 --> 00:12:55,100
the line at this point.

370
00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:58,066
Andy Kim is definitely the man

371
00:12:58,066 --> 00:13:02,400
to watch going into 2025.

372
00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,666
Bob Menendez, remember, it was

373
00:13:05,666 --> 00:13:06,266
on this program where I wrote

374
00:13:06,266 --> 00:13:12,166
that epitaph with that in mind,

375
00:13:12,166 --> 00:13:12,666
Bobby gold bars is done.

376
00:13:12,666 --> 00:13:16,166
If we are going to talk

377
00:13:16,166 --> 00:13:16,900
reasonably, there is George

378
00:13:16,900 --> 00:13:17,533
Norcross who got indicted this

379
00:13:17,533 --> 00:13:20,600
year after many years of

380
00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,833
activists saying this guys no

381
00:13:22,833 --> 00:13:25,333
good, after the federal

382
00:13:25,333 --> 00:13:26,600
government probed him.

383
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:32,600
Matt plaque in -- Matt Plaken

384
00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,800
got an indictment and initial

385
00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,033
gravitas, George Norcross sat on

386
00:13:38,033 --> 00:13:38,600
the front row of his press

387
00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,200
conference, hearing the

388
00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,333
indictment.

389
00:13:43,333 --> 00:13:43,866
When the lawyers are going

390
00:13:43,866 --> 00:13:44,300
back-and-forth now.

391
00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:48,633
Next month, January 2025, is

392
00:13:48,633 --> 00:13:49,166
when we will hear the oral

393
00:13:49,166 --> 00:13:51,500
arguments of why those charges

394
00:13:51,500 --> 00:13:52,066
should get dismissed.

395
00:13:52,066 --> 00:13:54,966
The question is, will they get

396
00:13:54,966 --> 00:13:55,233
dismissed?

397
00:13:55,233 --> 00:13:56,866
That is up to the judge at this

398
00:13:56,866 --> 00:13:57,066
point.

399
00:13:57,066 --> 00:13:59,466
David: I asked this to Micah

400
00:13:59,466 --> 00:14:03,066
before and said that Andy Kim

401
00:14:03,066 --> 00:14:05,466
and Tammy Murphy were undecided

402
00:14:05,466 --> 00:14:07,566
and on different trajectories.

403
00:14:07,566 --> 00:14:10,200
Colleen, how much has what

404
00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:10,933
happened with Tammy Murphy

405
00:14:10,933 --> 00:14:13,166
impacted or how much will it

406
00:14:13,166 --> 00:14:14,900
impact her future political

407
00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:15,200
endeavors?

408
00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,400
Colleen: I do think that she is

409
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:20,966
not going to go away, if

410
00:14:20,966 --> 00:14:21,600
possible.

411
00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,133
I think Phil Murphy is sending

412
00:14:24,133 --> 00:14:27,066
out many more emails and

413
00:14:27,066 --> 00:14:33,133
fundraising fees over going

414
00:14:33,133 --> 00:14:33,766
forward, which we have not seen

415
00:14:33,766 --> 00:14:35,433
for happening for most of the

416
00:14:35,433 --> 00:14:37,433
governorship.

417
00:14:37,433 --> 00:14:38,266
She clearly has ambitions.

418
00:14:38,266 --> 00:14:41,566
Is it that Phil would like to be

419
00:14:41,566 --> 00:14:44,233
president, might she try for a

420
00:14:44,233 --> 00:14:45,600
congressional seat?

421
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:46,300
Who knows?

422
00:14:46,300 --> 00:14:49,033
I certainly don't think either

423
00:14:49,033 --> 00:14:49,500
of them is going away.

424
00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:51,566
David: What about the Trump

425
00:14:51,566 --> 00:14:53,866
effect on New Jersey?

426
00:14:53,866 --> 00:14:57,466
Politically for the GOP, we have

427
00:14:57,466 --> 00:14:59,500
established that one is the

428
00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:11,500
Trumpiest of all, but what

429
00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:13,166
impact do you think Trump will

430
00:15:13,166 --> 00:15:13,533
have on to a 25?

431
00:15:13,533 --> 00:15:14,166
Kenny: It will definitely have

432
00:15:14,166 --> 00:15:14,433
an impact.

433
00:15:14,433 --> 00:15:15,066
Which way it will go is hard to

434
00:15:15,066 --> 00:15:15,466
say at this point.

435
00:15:15,466 --> 00:15:17,566
Looking at history at the top of

436
00:15:17,566 --> 00:15:21,333
my head, usually the party that

437
00:15:21,333 --> 00:15:22,966
is in the White House -- at

438
00:15:22,966 --> 00:15:23,600
least in New Jersey we have seen

439
00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:24,133
the opposite take effect.

440
00:15:24,133 --> 00:15:30,966
For example, President Obama won

441
00:15:30,966 --> 00:15:31,933
in 2008 and then the following

442
00:15:31,933 --> 00:15:32,500
year he got Chris Christie.

443
00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:35,900
Trump won his first term and

444
00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:36,533
then we got a Governor Murphy.

445
00:15:36,533 --> 00:15:39,533
Whether it stays in Democratic

446
00:15:39,533 --> 00:15:42,966
hands -- I'm not so sure because

447
00:15:42,966 --> 00:15:44,366
the usual thing in politics

448
00:15:44,366 --> 00:15:45,033
we've had the last 20 years is

449
00:15:45,033 --> 00:15:45,466
way different now.

450
00:15:45,466 --> 00:15:51,733
David: Charlie, Trump impact on

451
00:15:51,733 --> 00:15:54,866
the Republicans going forward?

452
00:15:54,866 --> 00:15:55,466
The gubernatorial candidates?

453
00:15:55,466 --> 00:15:58,366
Charles: Definitely Trump is

454
00:15:58,366 --> 00:16:03,566
energized the party a little

455
00:16:03,566 --> 00:16:03,733
bit.

456
00:16:03,733 --> 00:16:07,600
I don't know the latest tally of

457
00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,533
total raw votes that he gained.

458
00:16:09,533 --> 00:16:13,666
I think it is -- maybe Colleen

459
00:16:13,666 --> 00:16:14,066
knows that number.

460
00:16:14,066 --> 00:16:17,166
At one point, it was 35, 40,000.

461
00:16:17,166 --> 00:16:20,700
I'm sure it is almost double

462
00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:20,900
that.

463
00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:21,233
I think it is.

464
00:16:21,233 --> 00:16:23,533
Colleen: I think it is about 86.

465
00:16:23,533 --> 00:16:26,400
Charles: 86,000.

466
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,000
I think the number, though,

467
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:30,566
before the Republicans get a

468
00:16:30,566 --> 00:16:34,166
little too ahead of their skis

469
00:16:34,166 --> 00:16:35,533
is that the turnout of Democrats

470
00:16:35,533 --> 00:16:38,366
was very much depressed.

471
00:16:38,366 --> 00:16:42,466
I think there was like a 17%

472
00:16:42,466 --> 00:16:45,666
drop from Harris' numbers from

473
00:16:45,666 --> 00:16:46,800
Biden's in 2020.

474
00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,633
It is still pretty significant.

475
00:16:49,633 --> 00:16:53,566
I think the wildcard in all of

476
00:16:53,566 --> 00:16:55,200
this for the Trump effect on

477
00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,133
2025 is Trump and his conduct,

478
00:16:58,133 --> 00:16:59,500
once he gets into office.

479
00:16:59,500 --> 00:17:00,433
Is he going to do boneheaded

480
00:17:00,433 --> 00:17:03,100
things like really start taking

481
00:17:03,100 --> 00:17:06,700
people, immigrants, off their

482
00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:09,933
worksites and out of homes and

483
00:17:09,933 --> 00:17:11,066
creating an uproar and

484
00:17:11,066 --> 00:17:11,633
embarrassment?

485
00:17:11,633 --> 00:17:15,666
Is he going to start pardoning

486
00:17:15,666 --> 00:17:17,700
January 6 -- he says he's going

487
00:17:17,700 --> 00:17:21,866
to do that -- January people who

488
00:17:21,866 --> 00:17:23,566
are convicted?

489
00:17:23,566 --> 00:17:24,233
Is he going to do a lot of

490
00:17:24,233 --> 00:17:27,366
things that are going to force

491
00:17:27,366 --> 00:17:32,233
the public to turn their heads

492
00:17:32,233 --> 00:17:34,866
in a 360 degree fashion and say,

493
00:17:34,866 --> 00:17:35,433
wait, I did not sign up for

494
00:17:35,433 --> 00:17:35,633
that?

495
00:17:35,633 --> 00:17:38,066
This is not the way I would like

496
00:17:38,066 --> 00:17:38,600
my country to be governed.

497
00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,033
I think there is the potential

498
00:17:42,033 --> 00:17:44,700
of some of that affecting the

499
00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:45,066
Republican race.

500
00:17:45,066 --> 00:17:48,000
Finally, I would like to say, at

501
00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,366
the end of the day, despite the

502
00:17:50,366 --> 00:17:51,400
new energy in the Republican

503
00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:52,400
party to win New Jersey, you

504
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:53,600
still have to be in the middle.

505
00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:57,300
And Trump is still a pariah in

506
00:17:57,300 --> 00:17:57,900
the general election.

507
00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:02,133
Kenny: Real quick to your point

508
00:18:02,133 --> 00:18:05,866
about immigration, I think that

509
00:18:05,866 --> 00:18:07,500
might -- I think there are more

510
00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:08,300
people out there who side with

511
00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:11,033
Trump than you realize more than

512
00:18:11,033 --> 00:18:11,333
we realize.

513
00:18:11,333 --> 00:18:13,533
I was watching a YouTube video

514
00:18:13,533 --> 00:18:18,233
in Chicago, where you had Black

515
00:18:18,233 --> 00:18:19,633
residents confronting the mayor

516
00:18:19,633 --> 00:18:20,400
over sanctuary city policies.

517
00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,366
You have the mayor of the road

518
00:18:22,366 --> 00:18:24,066
in New York who says I will sit

519
00:18:24,066 --> 00:18:24,433
down with Trump.

520
00:18:24,433 --> 00:18:27,633
At this point, it might look

521
00:18:27,633 --> 00:18:31,733
horrible if -- to your point, it

522
00:18:31,733 --> 00:18:32,833
depends on how Trump carries

523
00:18:32,833 --> 00:18:33,066
himself.

524
00:18:33,066 --> 00:18:35,800
I would not be surprised if

525
00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,966
people are thinking if they are

526
00:18:38,966 --> 00:18:40,066
not in this country illegally,

527
00:18:40,066 --> 00:18:41,966
they have to go -- legally, they

528
00:18:41,966 --> 00:18:42,633
have to go.

529
00:18:42,633 --> 00:18:44,166
Charles: I will say --

530
00:18:44,166 --> 00:18:47,000
David: I will say once you start

531
00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,833
losing your health care workers

532
00:18:48,833 --> 00:18:51,533
and your store clerks and your

533
00:18:51,533 --> 00:18:52,600
cleaning crews and all of those

534
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:53,066
people --

535
00:18:53,066 --> 00:18:54,933
Colleen: Lawn maintenance crews.

536
00:18:54,933 --> 00:18:58,066
David: Once that starts

537
00:18:58,066 --> 00:18:59,033
impacting the economy, people

538
00:18:59,033 --> 00:19:00,600
are going to say, well, where is

539
00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,433
my guy?

540
00:19:02,433 --> 00:19:07,133
Kenny: That's half the country

541
00:19:07,133 --> 00:19:08,366
-- he is out of the country,

542
00:19:08,366 --> 00:19:08,966
that is what happened to your

543
00:19:08,966 --> 00:19:09,200
guy.

544
00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,133
Charles: And who are owning

545
00:19:11,133 --> 00:19:11,533
those companies?

546
00:19:11,533 --> 00:19:14,933
They are not liberal Democrats.

547
00:19:14,933 --> 00:19:15,400
They are Republicans.

548
00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,700
They are going to be in war with

549
00:19:17,700 --> 00:19:18,033
their people.

550
00:19:18,033 --> 00:19:20,500
And then there is the impact on

551
00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:21,966
inflation if we start driving up

552
00:19:21,966 --> 00:19:26,400
the cost of labor, it is going

553
00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:27,600
to --

554
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,466
Colleen: And with tariffs.

555
00:19:29,466 --> 00:19:33,000
David: I'm going to move on on

556
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:33,800
this one question.

557
00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:35,666
I turn to you, Colleen, because

558
00:19:35,666 --> 00:19:37,466
you are the Springsteen expert.

559
00:19:37,466 --> 00:19:38,966
Do you believe that Josh

560
00:19:38,966 --> 00:19:40,700
Gottheimer is a big Springsteen

561
00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:41,666
fan?

562
00:19:41,666 --> 00:19:44,666
Colleen: Well, I might have

563
00:19:44,666 --> 00:19:47,966
believed it until what looks

564
00:19:47,966 --> 00:19:49,833
like a Dr. list came out.

565
00:19:49,833 --> 00:19:53,366
-- doctored list came out.

566
00:19:53,366 --> 00:19:55,533
If I had a Spotify list, which I

567
00:19:55,533 --> 00:19:58,233
don't, I listen to the tapes,

568
00:19:58,233 --> 00:19:58,633
the CDs directly.

569
00:19:58,633 --> 00:20:02,866
Actually, now there transferred

570
00:20:02,866 --> 00:20:03,500
to play in my car.

571
00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:07,466
Clearly, my Spotify list would

572
00:20:07,466 --> 00:20:08,000
have been legitimately all

573
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:08,300
Springsteen.

574
00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:09,333
David: Yep.

575
00:20:09,333 --> 00:20:13,500
Lastly, with something that may

576
00:20:13,500 --> 00:20:15,366
have turned out to be important,

577
00:20:15,366 --> 00:20:15,966
these drones that are flying

578
00:20:15,966 --> 00:20:19,500
over New Jersey, Kenny, is it an

579
00:20:19,500 --> 00:20:23,266
invasion from Mars or is it Iraq

580
00:20:23,266 --> 00:20:25,200
or Iran in the Atlantic Ocean

581
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,566
sending drones to spy on New

582
00:20:26,566 --> 00:20:27,100
Jersey?

583
00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:28,966
Kenny: Hang gone.

584
00:20:28,966 --> 00:20:32,466
Let me look out -- hang on.

585
00:20:32,466 --> 00:20:33,100
Let me look out my window real

586
00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:33,333
quick.

587
00:20:33,333 --> 00:20:33,633
[LAUGHTER]

588
00:20:33,633 --> 00:20:35,433
It is concerning.

589
00:20:35,433 --> 00:20:39,066
It would be nice to know who the

590
00:20:39,066 --> 00:20:42,633
Hell is operating these things

591
00:20:42,633 --> 00:20:43,266
are where they are coming from.

592
00:20:43,266 --> 00:20:47,200
These are one of the few

593
00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,100
bipartisan things that political

594
00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:51,100
leaders in New Jersey agree on.

595
00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:51,633
Where did they come from?

596
00:20:51,633 --> 00:20:53,866
It is nice to see them agree on

597
00:20:53,866 --> 00:20:56,366
something other than master

598
00:20:56,366 --> 00:20:59,366
dicing opera.

599
00:20:59,366 --> 00:21:02,533
-- Oprah.

600
00:21:02,533 --> 00:21:08,266
David: D me up, Charles? -- Beam

601
00:21:08,266 --> 00:21:09,066
me up, Charles?

602
00:21:09,066 --> 00:21:12,933
Charles: We are getting

603
00:21:12,933 --> 00:21:14,133
reassurances that it is not a

604
00:21:14,133 --> 00:21:15,200
foreign adversary, so who is it?

605
00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:15,700
We don't know.

606
00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:19,500
They have ruled that.

607
00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:20,733
They cannot fill in the other

608
00:21:20,733 --> 00:21:21,600
blank, and that is what is

609
00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:22,200
driving people crazy.

610
00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:27,633
David: Reporter caps off, Santa

611
00:21:27,633 --> 00:21:29,633
caps on.

612
00:21:29,633 --> 00:21:31,866
Let's look in on Colleen's

613
00:21:31,866 --> 00:21:32,266
Christmas village.

614
00:21:32,266 --> 00:21:32,500
Context.

615
00:21:32,500 --> 00:21:34,766
This is your living room, yes?

616
00:21:34,766 --> 00:21:37,800
Colleen: That is my dining room,

617
00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,966
but it is now creeping into my

618
00:21:39,966 --> 00:21:41,066
living room.

619
00:21:41,066 --> 00:21:43,700
I do not host a large Christmas

620
00:21:43,700 --> 00:21:47,733
dinner because I don't have a

621
00:21:47,733 --> 00:21:48,333
daddy room table to do it on.

622
00:21:48,333 --> 00:21:52,700
Just saw my new bookstore -- a

623
00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:53,900
dining room table to do it on.

624
00:21:53,900 --> 00:21:55,300
You just saw my new bookstore,

625
00:21:55,300 --> 00:21:55,800
and you will see another

626
00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:56,900
addition, the hospital.

627
00:21:56,900 --> 00:22:00,833
We have moved since COVID to

628
00:22:00,833 --> 00:22:02,600
adding medical facilities

629
00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:03,533
because there are a lot of

630
00:22:03,533 --> 00:22:06,066
people here, obviously, living.

631
00:22:06,066 --> 00:22:07,566
And they do need doctors.

632
00:22:07,566 --> 00:22:14,366
David: It looks like this is the

633
00:22:14,366 --> 00:22:14,933
NJPBS drone flying over the

634
00:22:14,933 --> 00:22:15,300
hospital.

635
00:22:15,300 --> 00:22:18,633
Colleen: I hope these poor

636
00:22:18,633 --> 00:22:20,800
people in my village were not

637
00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,833
concerned by the drone sightings

638
00:22:22,833 --> 00:22:23,466
over their heads, as I took this

639
00:22:23,466 --> 00:22:23,666
video.

640
00:22:23,666 --> 00:22:26,000
David: How many years have you

641
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:26,333
done this now?

642
00:22:26,333 --> 00:22:32,100
Colleen: Uh, 30, 30 years

643
00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:32,500
probably I think.

644
00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:35,966
It all started with one tiny

645
00:22:35,966 --> 00:22:36,766
little pink house, and it has

646
00:22:36,766 --> 00:22:37,100
grown to this.

647
00:22:37,100 --> 00:22:39,600
David: Do you have any idea how

648
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:40,866
many pieces you have?

649
00:22:40,866 --> 00:22:44,566
Colleen: It is more than 70, but

650
00:22:44,566 --> 00:22:46,366
I have not counted lately, and I

651
00:22:46,366 --> 00:22:47,966
do need to get a very big thank

652
00:22:47,966 --> 00:22:50,400
you and shout out to my sons and

653
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,566
their significant others who

654
00:22:52,566 --> 00:22:53,900
helped do this because there is

655
00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:54,800
no way I could do this anymore

656
00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:55,500
by myself.

657
00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:58,000
Kenny: You have a Krispy Kreme

658
00:22:58,000 --> 00:22:59,300
too!

659
00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:02,000
Colleen: Definitely.

660
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,800
Charles: Where are the tennis

661
00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:04,466
courts?

662
00:23:04,466 --> 00:23:06,866
Colleen: I'm going to have to

663
00:23:06,866 --> 00:23:07,333
put that on the list.

664
00:23:07,333 --> 00:23:08,800
That is something I don't have.

665
00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,533
David: That is great.

666
00:23:11,533 --> 00:23:16,333
Kenny, you strike me as the

667
00:23:16,333 --> 00:23:18,433
character on national lamp in

668
00:23:18,433 --> 00:23:20,133
Christmas vacation -- "national

669
00:23:20,133 --> 00:23:24,500
Lampoon Christmas vacation" with

670
00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:24,900
the lights.

671
00:23:24,900 --> 00:23:28,566
Kenny: Keep in mind, I don't

672
00:23:28,566 --> 00:23:29,200
have the services of drones, but

673
00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,433
I do have a iPhone camera, so

674
00:23:32,433 --> 00:23:33,833
this brings me back to

675
00:23:33,833 --> 00:23:34,100
childhood.

676
00:23:34,100 --> 00:23:36,500
This is the front of my house in

677
00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:36,900
Middlesex County.

678
00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,933
It started with the bushes, the

679
00:23:39,933 --> 00:23:40,966
window, I added the door, and

680
00:23:40,966 --> 00:23:43,433
then I felt the need to get a

681
00:23:43,433 --> 00:23:44,366
nativity scene.

682
00:23:44,366 --> 00:23:47,500
It is the modern version.

683
00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:52,433
My grandfather, God rest

684
00:23:52,433 --> 00:23:52,966
his soul, I would help him

685
00:23:52,966 --> 00:23:53,633
decorate.

686
00:23:53,633 --> 00:23:56,300
He had icicles, lights on every

687
00:23:56,300 --> 00:24:00,500
bush, the Nativity, and the

688
00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:02,400
Santa Claus.

689
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:07,600
So I wanted to bring that, now

690
00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:09,200
that we do live in a house,

691
00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:09,933
albeit renting, I wanted to

692
00:24:09,933 --> 00:24:10,500
bring that tradition appear.

693
00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:11,600
David: Very good.

694
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,400
Charles?

695
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,300
Do you have the Christmas spirit

696
00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:17,866
yet?

697
00:24:17,866 --> 00:24:19,466
I know you are on deadline today

698
00:24:19,466 --> 00:24:20,033
and you are a little grumpy.

699
00:24:20,033 --> 00:24:20,300
[LAUGHTER]

700
00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:22,633
Charles: No.

701
00:24:22,633 --> 00:24:22,800
No.

702
00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:31,033
We gradually phase into it.

703
00:24:31,033 --> 00:24:31,566
We go into the 12 days of

704
00:24:31,566 --> 00:24:31,966
Christmas thing.

705
00:24:31,966 --> 00:24:34,300
We don't get caught up into the

706
00:24:34,300 --> 00:24:34,766
commercialism a bit.

707
00:24:34,766 --> 00:24:36,900
There 12 days and we party hard.

708
00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:38,400
David: Nice.

709
00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:45,200
Is that the rockin Santas?

710
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,633
Charles: That is Brenda Johnson,

711
00:24:48,633 --> 00:24:50,466
musician, rockstar.

712
00:24:50,466 --> 00:24:51,566
David: [LAUGHTER]

713
00:24:51,566 --> 00:24:52,866
Nice.

714
00:24:52,866 --> 00:24:54,700
Charles: I celebrate my

715
00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:54,966
colleague.

716
00:24:54,966 --> 00:24:55,900
David: Nice.

717
00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:59,800
This is my tree, which I mostly

718
00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:00,600
decorated on my own, by the way,

719
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,400
with some help from Mary Lou.

720
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,600
The main thing about this tree

721
00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:08,466
is the latest Garland came from

722
00:25:08,466 --> 00:25:09,133
my mom who passed away a couple

723
00:25:09,133 --> 00:25:09,466
of years ago.

724
00:25:09,466 --> 00:25:13,233
She made it herself, and it

725
00:25:13,233 --> 00:25:14,533
adorned the family Christmas

726
00:25:14,533 --> 00:25:15,266
tree for years.

727
00:25:15,266 --> 00:25:15,933
It is special.

728
00:25:15,933 --> 00:25:17,466
I got that up this year.

729
00:25:17,466 --> 00:25:20,600
All we need now are some hot

730
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,266
tidies or hot cocoa to make --

731
00:25:23,266 --> 00:25:29,966
hot toddies or hot cocoa.

732
00:25:29,966 --> 00:25:31,400
Our director has like 18 trees.

733
00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:31,833
Here is one of them.

734
00:25:31,833 --> 00:25:35,533
Kenny: You need to bring your

735
00:25:35,533 --> 00:25:36,533
director at NJPBS.

736
00:25:36,533 --> 00:25:40,033
Charles: Mr. party reborn over

737
00:25:40,033 --> 00:25:42,600
there -- Mr. Pottery Barn over

738
00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:42,800
there.

739
00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,700
David: Exactly.

740
00:25:45,700 --> 00:25:48,666
Kenny: I like the stockings.

741
00:25:48,666 --> 00:25:50,566
David: That is an impressive

742
00:25:50,566 --> 00:25:51,500
tree.

743
00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:56,366
That is "Roundtable" for the

744
00:25:56,366 --> 00:25:56,633
year.

745
00:25:56,633 --> 00:25:57,766
Charles, Kenny, Colleen, thank

746
00:25:57,766 --> 00:25:58,266
you and Happy Holidays.

747
00:25:58,266 --> 00:26:02,200
Thank you to Micah Rasmussen for

748
00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:02,500
joining us.

749
00:26:02,500 --> 00:26:04,300
You can follow the show at

750
00:26:04,300 --> 00:26:07,500
RoundtableNJ, if you dig the

751
00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:07,900
content, share it.

752
00:26:07,900 --> 00:26:09,833
It makes a nice holiday gift.

753
00:26:09,833 --> 00:26:12,333
You can pair it with a

754
00:26:12,333 --> 00:26:12,900
subscription to the YouTube

755
00:26:12,900 --> 00:26:13,133
channel.

756
00:26:13,133 --> 00:26:17,466
I'm David Cruz.

757
00:26:17,466 --> 00:26:18,033
We are often asked couple of

758
00:26:18,033 --> 00:26:18,233
weeks.

759
00:26:18,233 --> 00:26:21,266
For all the crew here, have a

760
00:26:21,266 --> 00:26:23,166
great holiday for love love,

761
00:26:23,166 --> 00:26:23,533
peace, and joy.

762
00:26:23,533 --> 00:26:26,233
Thank you for watching.

763
00:26:26,233 --> 00:26:27,066
>> Major funding for "Reporters

764
00:26:27,066 --> 00:26:28,633
Roundtable" with David Cruz is

765
00:26:28,633 --> 00:26:29,266
provided by RWJBarnabas Health,

766
00:26:29,266 --> 00:26:31,233
let's be healthy together.

767
00:26:31,233 --> 00:26:32,466
♪