this is the weekly on click Orlando comm
with Justin warmoth good morning I'm
Justin warmoth in just one month voters
will head to the polls for the August
primaries as you're probably aware by
the TV ads the race for governor is
really heating up right now there are
five candidates running on the
Democratic side including my guest this
morning West Palm Beach billionaire Jeff
green you know a lot of folks have been
seeing you on TV you've been spending a
lot of money a lot of your own money
getting your name out there getting your
platform out there now that we're about
a month away until the primaries what
can we expect
well you'll expect probably more of the
same I mean I I look at this as this is
sort of like a big horse race there five
versus running around the track and you
know we're just coming around the final
stretch and I think we're going to we're
gonna all work very hard and I would be
working very hard to get out all over
the state which we're doing you know
we're starting a bus tour this weekend
we're going to go everywhere in Florida
and I'm doing it every day everything on
my life I've always worked tried to work
harder than everyone around me put in
the time get snow Floridians find out
what's on their mind share with them
some of my solutions for to make Florida
finally an occlusive state as you've
campaigned what are some of the main
problems that voters have been telling
you they want fixed
well education is number one I mean you
know it's it's we are failing our
children and basically if 20 years of
Republican governors they it's not a
secret that these governors have
declared war on public education and you
know I knew they declared the war until
I started doing more homework I realized
there pretty much wanted I mean if you
look at today 12th graders in Florida
only 19% of 12th graders are doing 12th
grade math and only 36% of 12th graders
or a 12th grade reading level now you
tell me how are those kids could compete
and if we could forget the Florida
economy in the in the in the global
economy when they're just that they've
been hunted you they've been under
educated and this is this is our failing
there's no excuse for this because we
just haven't put the resources we need
we've allowed the these governments to
take money out of our power-up on public
education budget for charter schools
vouchers and just completely ignore it
the children in our society so I can
tell you Florida
please upset they're upset about that
they're all so upset about we're not
about wages I mean you know 44% of 30
its Campo together 400 bucks for an
emergency and why is that because the
kinds of jobs that have been created in
this state have been low wage jobs we
just haven't done enough to take care of
our Florida families and it's began
again it's been it Republican governors
for the rich and I understand what I
understand what that's about and I'm
going to make a difference in Florida
families so back to education how
quickly fix is that how quickly can we
get that under control and become a top
state when it comes to education well
it's a good question look it's not going
to happen overnight
obviously you can't snap your fingers in
undo undo a generation of damage but I
can tell you this there are good
examples in education of fixes the state
of New Jersey are there right now
according to US News and World Report we
are 40th in the country in education
there's only 10 states doing worse than
us New Jersey was in high 30s they're
now 2 in the country so I you know I've
spent time with some cooks over there
actually a Stanford professor I've
become friendly with whose it was
President Obama's you know leading
advisor before he became president my
name is Linda darling-hammond and she
spent time with me and and she shared
with me some of the things they've done
in New Jersey and what they've done is
number one two years of pre-k for every
three and four-year-old in real pre-k we
had this voluntary pre-k program we're
spending you know which were spending
per child
$2,400 could you imagine starting a
preschool if to pay for your teachers
your facilities your supplies your rent
for two your twenty four dollars and
kids so many say that zero to five in
that age gap is the most crucial time to
establish a absolutely a prenatal to
aging that's what it all happens and you
know there's a big correlation between
third grade reading level and whether
you go to college or whether you go to
prison and in Florida right now only 56
percent of kids are coming out of the
third grade a third grade another so we
can fix it though but so we're going to
immediately do pre-k for every three and
four-year-old in this state real pre-k
so when they get to kindergarten they're
ready to begin to learn they have a
foundation of which to begin how do we
fix other problems look we have to pay
our teachers more we have to not just
paying them we have to treat them like
professionals
I mean teachers in if you look at places
like Finland Massachusetts places where
the best education is teachers are no
different than than professors and
universities they're no different than
doctors or lawyers and we have to treat
them that way which means not just money
they need more money because we'll won't
keep them if we don't pay but we have to
let them teach we can't let them teach
to tests like we've done in Florida we
have to let them collaborate we have
time to collaborate without the teachers
they have to have time to you know Faria
to renew their ight their own with their
own skills you know I mean like today
kids need to learn coding and computer
science starting in kindergarten if they
want to be digitally fluent for the new
economy and I'm going to make sure that
every child in Florida is taking coding
taken together taking computer science
learning how to how to how to build
things on 3d printers starting in
kindergarten so that we can be a leading
state not a lagging state and I know
you're a father is that where that
passion for education comes from or have
you been passionate about education for
quite some time well I think everybody
everybody who went to school knows
something about education we all have
nieces nephews friends with kids when
you have your own kids of course it
becomes front and center I have I got
married later in life and I have a four
six and eight year old boys and you know
it's been so you every day of their
school year you're looking and thinking
how are they learning and of course I
mean I am very tuned in to the endless
to the fact that I know we talked about
it before we went on the air you talked
about robotic robots running the cameras
well let's face it the world's changing
fast we're heading into a world where an
artificial intelligence big data machine
learning robotics they want to transform
our economy in our workplace we need to
make sure that our kids are educated in
Florida so they can thrive in the new
economy and that's something that I'm
excited about about bringing to
Florida's governor and we've seen your
kids in your ads and speaking of those
ads they have provided some help at the
polls I know the polls are different
each poll has its own you know say but
you are polling well how do you use that
momentum going forward and taking it
through the primary well I think it's
the same thing I think that that cads
are only another one one way to get our
message
and the message is this the message is
are you happy with being 40th in the
country in schools 47th and in
healthcare having you know the lake
okeechobee check choking on green algae
and toxic green algae guns in the pulse
nightclub and parkland and these
dangerous shootings every if you're not
happy with that you think you know what
Florida needs a change then you have to
think who is the best person who's going
to stand up to Donald Trump stand up to
these Republicans in Tallahassee and
finally make Florida a place that works
for everyone and I think that when
people get to know me and they see I'm a
dad I'm a regular guy I happen to have
been enormously successful financially I
admit it but I started with absolutely
nothing I was a busboy during college I
mean I was clearing away tray after tray
and then pan after pan of dirty dishes
some tables when I was in real estate I
sanded floors i hung drywall I've
changed toilets I know what blue-collar
workers I know what white-collar workers
I know what the front of a paycheck is
and I know what the back of the paycheck
is I can lead this state out of the out
of the emergency were in today and you
mentioned your you know you made your
money most of your money and the real
estate market so I'm curious if you have
a better understanding of how to fix our
affordable housing crisis that we're
dealing with here in Florida I mean how
would we go about doing that and getting
that under control well I mean the sad
thing is I don't know most Funes know
this we have a need for 500,000
affordable housing units okay now the
first thing we do is top taking the
Sadowski trust money which I don't know
if you know this bill it this point two
billion dollars has been spent taken
from that fund which is for affordable
housing and it's been used for other
things here you have a huge housing
crisis and with this government governor
does is does tax cuts and takes money
that should be used for that that's the
first thing but let's be realistic
that's not we're going to make a small
dent in this problem and I can tell you
I have been in real estate I built every
kind of building and I think that we
have to be very innovative in how we're
going to solve the housing crisis there
are ways to do it I can tell you some of
the good things coming down the pike
you know that some of the technology in
construction 3d printers IV if anybody
can couldn't look these up online and
right now there are three buddy printing
small buildings very than I thought
homes yet but this is like that big cell
phone we got you know eventually it
becomes the iPhone and I think that
we're gonna find a way and as governor
I'd love to be a leader in this state
and number one renewable energy where
the sunshine state which would be the
biggest consumer and producer of solar
energy and I think that when it comes to
housing I know there are ways we could
find to build great housing less
expensive so will be affordable so
people who are who make unfortunately
not enough for these nodes he could
finally get it and coming up mr. green
will respond to some of the critics who
questioned his lack of political
experience and why he feels he's the
only candidate who can stand up to
President Trump
keep it here
[Music]
this is the weekly on click Orlando comm
with Justin warmoth welcome back my
guest this morning is Democratic
candidate for governor Jeff green and
this part of the interview will discuss
his failed 2010 Senate run and what he's
doing differently this time around but
we start with his interesting past with
President Trump you mentioned President
Trump and you have a relationship with
him I wouldn't call them you're a member
of his Mar Lago Club correctly joined
the club yes we know he was it when he
was a Democrat and giving money to
Hillary Clinton oh how about that so
what is that relationship I know from
when you first began and and started as
a member of that Club so what it is now
I know you guys have had some run-ins
talk about where that relationship is I
know you called him a traitor at the
last debate well look I mean I I never
was his friend I've never gone to dinner
I've never sat at dinner or lunch with
him I mean I've never had his phone
number i memorize do you know where
there was a club in the neighborhood
that we joined look Donald Trump has
been you know is is a bit of a disaster
for this country I mean yes - where -
say yes - I love tariffs I mean even the
Republicans even Paul Ryan was saying I
don't agree with with Donald Trump
this guy is when I went on CNBC the day
before the election I was on the show on
a show and 3:00 in the afternoon and I
was he gave the big hitch pitch for
Hillary Wyatt happen to be a big fan of
and I thought would have been a great
president and great having a woman as a
president who had a great role model for
women in this country and too great to
break that glass ceiling but on top of
that when they asked about Donald Trump
I said look I know him and I could tell
you I'd be scared to death time as our
president I said that on the air it was
the number one trending story that night
I'm sure he got upset about it but I
mean I didn't do any good he still won
but the point is you know I think when I
said that I had no idea it would
actually be this bad I mean this guy is
you know his whole approach to you know
to to to to ordinary people you know he
wants to take away women's reproductive
rights you know this tax bill we passed
does nothing for the average person it's
just a tax bill it's a tax cut for the
rich you know now he's you know he
you know world leaders picking fights
with every world leader you know ruin a
me and ruining generations of goodwill
that we built around the world with our
neighbors and our friends so I mean I
stand up to Donald Trump because I like
a lot of Americans that you know what
he's done to our country are you
concerned that President Trump won
Florida in this last election cycle and
there has not been a democratic governor
in Florida in more than 20 years is that
concern you as you move forward or do
you think the time is changing well let
me tell you so there's something
different this year Justin is Jeff Green
and you know what in these previous
elections we've had a lot of great
candidates and great ideas in the
Democratic Party but the problem we've
had is we have Mabel to compete
financially last time they spent rick
scott spent two and a half times as much
as we did and he won by one percent so
the fact of the matter is I'm finished
my own resources and finally I'm gonna
answer this Republican Tea Party NRA
onslaught against against ordinary
Floridians and I'm gonna match
dollar-for-dollar
what they spend to get our message out
in our messages a winning message is
over it's a message that says we want to
educate our children whatever you want
to have health care we want to get these
assault weapons off the streets you want
women to be able to have rights to have
control their own reproductive rights
this is the message I'm going to spend
the money and the best thing of all is
I'm not taking a penny from anybody so
there's not gonna be a single special
interest group that it's going to be
calling me the day that I get to a see
and say hey Jeff I'd like to build to
help me with some kind of agriculture
program or whatever it might be because
unlike all these other candidates in
both parties I'm not gonna be the only
special interests I'm gonna have are the
people of Florida let's go back to 2010
when you were running for Senate oh I
hate to talk about what we have to we
have to bring it up you did not win
there you win some you lose some
what what have you learned though are
you doing things differently this time
around as you run for governor well
first of all when you have like you see
you mentioned when you have three kids
when I ran in 2010
I've been married mother for my 12 years
now but we had just had one young son
was one years old now where boys are
gonna be five seven and nine in the fall
so you know you have a different
perspective and it probably it makes me
realize that all of Florida kids are our
kids and it's not just my kids because
you know what the fact is my kids I've
been blessed financially you know how
they'll they'll have plenty of enough
enough money and to live well there's no
question about that and I want I hope
that they'll do great things on their
own or I pray for that but the kids that
they're gonna be that the surgeon that's
gonna be operating and my child will be
a some one of the kids today in Florida
and you know what the the you know the
person who who serves over the
restaurant or the person who maybe tries
to attack and shoot shoot when I was one
of I could could be that person so we
need to make sure I take care of every
child of Florida obviously there was
some bad things said about you a lot of
them not true because of some of the
outcomes you sued them for some of the
issues but if there's anything that you
would like to tell our viewers who might
remember those stories that came out
about parties and yachts and celebrities
on a yacht I mean what would you like to
tell them well look I mean you know a
kernel of truth which is that I I lived
in LA and do a lot of celebrities became
a mountain of nonsense you know parties
all these kinds of silliness and the
reality is you know that basically a
Floridian - no I mean you know you don't
get to where I am today by not being
such serious person and I'm a very
serious person I'm very passionate I'm a
dad I'm a husband and you know and I'm
I'm an active member of my community you
know we're very involved in philanthropy
doing everything we can to make make the
world a better place but which
truthfully that's that's my that's how I
view my calling in life I mean my goal
I've made more the money than I could
ever spend I mean I don't need them at
whoever where we've already committed to
the giving pledge which is something
that my friends Warren Buffett and Bill
Minogue a Melinda Gates started to
really aim for for people who have
enormous wealth to commit to give more
than 50% of the net worth during the
life were after the data philanthropy
and we've made that commitment eight
years ago and so we're already my wife
and I our goal is to make a difference
in the world and I really believe that's
what we can do in the state of Florida
and if I'm governor I promise you I will
work
than any governor has ever worked in the
state of Florida I will use all the
skills and resources of my 40-year
career and in successes to to to make a
difference in to get things done finally
in Tallahassee not just for big
businesses but for ordinary Floridians
I'm gonna finally ask you about this
people who have maybe some doubts that
someone who has not had any political
experience should be running for
governor and leading a state like
Florida a large state what would you
like to say to some of the doubters some
of the critics of you when it comes to
running the state of Florida look you
know they were always first of all I've
been a leader I run lots of things
before but you know there were good
examples a bad example is a bad example
of a wealthy guy is Donald Trump that's
a terrible example of a guy because he
was he was a bad businessman he was a
hippie you know he didn't conduct
himself in an honorable way then and now
he's not doing it as president a good
example for me is Michael Bloomberg now
Mike Bloomberg
uncle just you know funny I thought if
he's from Massachusetts like me he went
to John Safran and then he went to
Harvard Business School and I know Mike
Bloomberg and Mike Bloomberg decided I
want to make a difference in New York
City and he became mayor and he was
elected for three terms and I think you
know he's narrow Democrat anybody's
doing and I used feasibly bounce from
Party to party but he's a Democrat he's
a Democrat he's spending eighty million
dollars minimum of his own money this
year to help win Democratic House us
United States Congress races that are in
swingingest we used to try to make the
US Congress Democratic now to me he was
a great guy run he's defending his own
money and I looked at the same thing I
look at Mike Bloomberg and people like
me and I think I asked every wealthy
Democrat who's had the benefits of this
great country in this quit beating
people especially in Florida who have
had the benefits of being here use your
money make a difference because you know
what what nobody's leaving this country
we all have to live together and you
can't just take this attitude every man
for himself like the rick scott has done
for eight years now we have to find a
way for everyone to do as well as they
possibly can I've got the track record
I've got the passion and I've got the
skill to be a great governor and really
look after the most Donald Blom Florida
I will make it happen
and mr. green and I also talked about
his relationship with boxing legend Mike
Tyson his best man at his wedding you
can find that part of the interview
right now on click Orlando dot-com slash
weekly by the way tomorrow is the last
day to register to vote for the August
primary I'm Justin Morman have a great
Sunday