♪ ♪
>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY! WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."
LET'S CHECK ON OUR FRIEND MR. JON BATISTE.
HELLO, JON.
>> Jon: HELLO, STEPHEN.
I LOVE YOU.
HOW YOU FEELING?
>> Stephen: LET ME TURN YOU UP HERE.
I HAD YOU DOWN.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> Jon: YES, YES.
>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> Jon: YES.
HEY.
>> Stephen: HOW'S EVERYBODY BACK HOME?
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT FAMILY BACK THERE.
HOW ARE THEY DOING IN LAURA.
>> Jon: YOU KNOW, WE ARE BLESSED AND I'M THANKFUL BUT
IT'S REALLY HARD TO WATCH HOW WEST LOUISIANA, EAST TEXAS GOT
PUMMELED.
I GREW UP THERE PLAYING BASKETBALL, GOING TO SEE FAMILY
AND FRIENDS.
WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE, BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A CATEGORY 4 AND 5, IT'S TERRIFYING.
>> Stephen: WELL, LISTEN, PLEASE, I'M GLAD YOUR FAMILY'S
OKAY.
GIVE MY LOVE TO THEM AND YOUR FRIENDS DOWN THERE AND WE'RE
ABOUT TO TAKE A BREAK BUT OVER THESE TWO WEEKS LET'S TALK ABOUT
WAYS WE CAN HELP WHEN WE COME BACK.
>> Stephen: OH, ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
>> Stephen: PLAY US OUT WITH SOMETHING HOPEFUL, PLEASE.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED.
♪ ♪
♪ >> Stephen: I LIKE IT.
>> Jon: A LITTLE HUMANISM.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU, JON.
JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED.
>> Stephen: WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY GUEST TONIGHT IS
AN ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR WHO SERVED AS THE 55th GOVERNOR OF
NEW JERSEY, PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," GOVERNOR CHRIS
CHRISTIE.
GOVERNOR, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.
>> HAPPY TO BE BACK, STEPHEN.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> Stephen: WELL, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAID, HEY, DO
YOU WANT TO HAVE CHRIS CHRISTIE ON FOR THE CONVENTION, I SAID,
YEAH, WE ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME TOGETHER.
WE ALWAYS -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PLAYFUL BANTER AND SOME
GENTLE DISAGREEMENTS OVER SOME FAIRLY IMPORTANT THINGS, BUT
THEN I FOUND OUT, LITERALLY, I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY OR
TODAY THAT YOU'RE HELPING THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
ARE YOU HELPING HIM PREP FOR THESE DEBATES?
I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T HEAR THE GOVERNOR.
I'VE LOST AUDIO ON THE GOVERNOR.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, STEPHEN?
>> Stephen: I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
>> NO, I HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THAT YET, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: BUT ARE YOU GOING TO?
>> IF ASKED, I WILL GO IN THERE AND TRY TO DO THE BEST I CAN TO
LEND HIM SOME OF MY EXPERIENCE FROM BEFORE.
>> Stephen: PLEASE DON'T.
( LAUGHTER ) PLEASE DON'T BECAUSE THIS IS THE
FOURTH TIME YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE SHOW, I THINK, IS THAT RIGHT,
FOURTH TIME, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU COME ON, WE HAVE
A CONVERSATION, CHRIS, MY EXEC GOES, YOU LIKE HIM.
I SAID IT'S POSSIBLE I MIGHT SOME DAY.
HE'S A GREAT GUEST AND IT'S POSSIBLE I MIGHT LIKE HIM SOME
DAY AND THIS IS SERIOUSLY ENDANGERING THE POSSIBILITY THAT
COULD HAPPEN.
I HAVE HOPE I COULD LIKE YOU SOME DAY.
>> AND THE FEELING IS MUTUAL.
I FEEL LIKE I COULD LIKE YOU SOME DAY, TOO.
>> Stephen: BUT THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE NOW TO GET OFF THE
TRUMP RAIN, OKAY.
GET OFF RIGHT NOW BEFORE THIS INTERVIEW, BEFORE HE LOSES AND
THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION DRAGS YOU AWAY TO
CONFESS YOUR CRIMES.
KNOCK WOOD THAT HE'S NOT PRESIDENT ANYMORE, WHO KNOWS
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AFTER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WITH WHERE THE COUNTRY IS NOW, WITH
THE DEAD PEOPLE, WHERE THE ECONOMY IS NOW, WHAT HE HAS DONE
TO INTERNATIONAL STANDINGS AND CHILDREN ON THE BORDER, WHY
WOULD YOU WANT TO CHAIN YOURSELF TO THIS ANCHOR MADE OF MANURE?
>> WELL, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GO INTO RESPONDING TO ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT ADJECTIVES YOU USED THERE, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, I'M
NOT CHAINED TO ANYBODY, BUT WHAT I AM CHAINED TO ARE A SET OF
IDEAS THAT I BELIEVE ARE RIGHT FOR THE COUNTRY VERSUS IDEAS I
THINK ARE WRONG FOR THE COUNTRY.
>> Stephen: WHAT ARE THOSE IDEAS?
>> I BELIEVE IN MORE CONSERVATIVE IDEAS.
>> Stephen: HE'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE.
HE'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE.
HE'S A TRUMPIAN.
YOU KNOW THE REPUBLICAN DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE.
JARED KUSHNER SAID HIMSELF THIS IS A HOSTILE TAKEOVER AND IT'S
COMPLETE.
>> THERE ARE STILL PRINCIPLES OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT
REPUBLICANS STAND FOR.
>> Stephen: NAME ONE.
MALLER GOVERNMENT, LOWER TAXES --
>> Stephen: SPENDING, NEVER HAD MORE SPENDING.
>> WELL, OF COURSE WE NEVER HAD MORE SPENDING NOW, STEPHEN,
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO AND I THINK YOU AND I WOULD BOTH AGREE ON
THAT.
IN THE FACE OF THE COVID CRISIS, I DON'T THINK ANY OFO US SHOULD
BE W WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SUSPENDING TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO
LOST THEIR JOBS OR REBUILD OR KEEP BUSINESSES OPEN.
>> Stephen: HE DID NOT REDUCE THE SIZE TO HAVE THE BUDGET ONE
YEAR.
>> BUT, IT WOULD BE -- >> Stephen: BUT, BUT, BUT.
NO, LET ME FINISH.
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN IT WOULD BE UNDER JOE BIDEN AND THE
DEMOCRATS.
>> Stephen: WELL, THAT'S BORROWING A BOOGIE MAN FROM
TOMORROW TO MAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST
FOUR YEARS.
>> IT'S NOT BORROWING BECAUSE ELECTIONS ARE ALWAYS ABOUT
TOMORROW, STEPHEN.
THE ELECTIONS ARE NEVER ABOUT YESTERDAY, THEY'RE ALWAYS ABOUT
TOMORROW.
>> Stephen: HIS ABUSE OF POWER DOESN'T BOTHER YOU AT ALL?
>> LISTEN, THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER
THE COURSE OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND I'VE SAID THIS ON
YOUR ESHOW, THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH AND IF I WERE PRESIDENT I
WOULD HAVE DONE VERY DIFFERENTLY, BUT NOW I'M DOWN TO
A CHOICE, I'M DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND
REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES OR JOE BIDEN AND PROGRESSIVE
PRINCIPLES, AND I AGREE MORE WITH PRP PRINCIPLES THAN
PROGRESSIVE ONES SO THAT'S THE WAY I GO.
>> Stephen: A CBS POLL SHOWS 57% OF REPUBLICANS FIND 180,000
DEAD AMERICANS FROM COVID ACCEPTABLE.
ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE 57%?
>> NO, I DON'T FIND ANY DEATHS FROM COVID ACCEPTABLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME WERE UNAVOIDABLE.
>> Stephen: SOME?
URE.
I MEAN, LISTEN, STEPHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE A CRISIS LIKE THIS, A
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THAT'S AS AGGRESSIVE AND UNKNOWN AS THIS
ONE WAS, ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT
HAPPENED IN SEATTLE, THE ELDERLY, IT TURNS OUT, WE HAVE
NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS TILL WE SAW THE EXPERIENCE, BUT THE
ELDERLY TURNED OUT TO BE THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO THIS
DISEASE, SO I THINK IT'S UNAVOIDABLE THAT SOME DEATHS
WERE GOING TO OCCUR.
BUT I DON'T FIND ANY NUMBER OF DEATHS ACCEPTABLE.
>> Stephen: BUT BY ELECTION DAY IT WILL BE ABOUT A QUARTER
OF A MILLION, BY THE END OF THE YEAR 300,000.
NO OTHER COUNTRY COMES CLOSE TO THAT BY MULTIPLE FACTORS.
THIS IS A FAILURE OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS.
>> WELL, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT AND
I THINK THE FIRST IS THAT WE DIDN'T START OFF AS AGGRESSIVELY
AS WE SHOULD HAVE AND I SAID THAT.
I WROTE COLUMNS FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST" MID MARCH.
>> Stephen: I GOT YOUR APRIL OP-ED AND MID MARCH SAYING WE
NEED MASKS AND TESTING.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: YOU TOLD ME ON THE SHOW THAT YOU WOULD BE A BETTER
PRESIDENT THAN DONALD TRUMP, AND I BELIEVE YOU BASED UPON THESE
OP-EDS.
DOES IT DISGUST YOU TO SEE THIS LEVEL OF DEATH WHICH YOU KNOW
WAS AVOIDABLE?
>> WELL, LISTEN, AS I SAID BEFORE, I DON'T THINK ANY NUMBER
OF INCREASED DEATHS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
I WOULD HAVE CLOSED DOWN THE SPORTS LEAGUES FASTER THAN IT
WAS DONE, I WOULD HAVE CLOSED DOWN ALL THE BIG PUBLIC EVENTS
SOONER T THAN IT WAS DONE.
I WOULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND I THINK IT WOULD
HAVE AVOIDED MORE DEATHS BUT, IN THE END, THERE ARE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DISEASE THAT'S UNVOIBLED.
>> Stephen: BUT IT'S NOT 180,000.
THERE'S NO OTHER COUNTRY THAT'S CLOSE.
>> I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER, BUT THERE WAS SOME AMOUNT THAT WAS
UNAVOIDABLE.
AT THE END NOW EVERYONE GETS JUDGED ON THE JOB YOU DID AND ON
THE VISION YOU HAVE FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, AND
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET JUDGED ON THAT AND THAT'S THE WAY THIS
ELECTION WILL BE DETERMINED.
>> Stephen: HOW WOULD YOU JUDGE THE PRESIDENT ON HIS JOB
WITH COVID, PASS OR FAIL?
>> I DON'T THINK HE CAN GIVE ANYBODY A PASS-FAIL GRADE ON
THIS, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: A, B, C, D, E, F?
I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS HE DID WELL.
I THINK GETTING VENTILATORS MANUFACTURED IN THIS COUNTRY SO
NO ONE HAD TO GO WITHOUT A VENTILATOR, THERE IS NO SHORTAGE
OF P.P.E. THAT WAS DONE WELL.
I THINK THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM HAVE SAVED A LOT OF
BUSINESSES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND ALL THE OTHER ECONOMIC STEPS
THAT WERE TAKEN HAVE LESSENED THE IMPACT OF WHAT THIS WAS
GOING TO BE THIS OUR COUNTRY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SHUTTING
DOWN OUR ECONOMY FOR TWO MONTHS ALMOST COMPLETELY SOME I THINK
THERE ARE SOME THINGS HE'S DONE WELL, AND I THINK THE THING HE
DID POORLY WAS HE UNDERREACTED IN THE BEGINNING.
I'VE GONE ON THE RECORD ON THIS.
YOU SEE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
I WAS WRITING ON "THE WASHINGTON POST" IN EARLY MARCH THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE CLOSED THINGS DOWN, EVERYONE SHOULD BE WEARING
MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, NO LARGE GATHERINGS AND I WAS
SAYING THAT IN MARCH.
I WAS CALLED AN ALARMIST BY SOME.
TURNS OUT I WAS RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
I THINK IN THE END HE DIDN'T DO AS WELL AS HE SHOULD HAVE.
>> Stephen: HE DID THAT INTO THE SUMMER.
HE MOCKED THE WEARING OF MASKS.
HE STILL SAID EIT WOULD JUST GO AWAY.
HE HAD RALLIES.
HOW CAN YOU NOT SAY THAT THAT IS NOT A COLOSSAL FAILURE?
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU S SAYING IO
MID SUPPER BECAUSE BY AIRPLANE WE HAD THE ENTIRE ECONOMY OF THE
COUNTRY SHUT DOWN.
>> Stephen: BUT HE DID NOT CHANGE HOW HE WAS TREATING THE
IDEA OF THE BASICS YOU SHOULD DO LIKE WEAR MASKS AND STAY AWAY
FROM EACH OTHER.
>> ALSO DR. FUTURE J SAID IN THE BEGINNING AND C.D.C. SAID IN THE
BEGINNING THAT WEARING MASKS WOULD NOT HELP.
EVERYBODY WAS LEARNING ABOUT THIS DISEASE OVER A PERIOD OF
TIME.
>> Stephen: FAUCI CHANGED THAT BY THE END OF MARCH AND TRUMP
KEPT MOCKING IT INTO JUNE.
>> BUT THE INSTRUCTIONS HE GAVE TO EVERYBODY THEREAFTER AS PART
OF THEM CLOSING DOWN THE COUNTRY WAS INCLUDING WEARING MASKS WHEN
YOU LEFT THE HOUSE.
NOW, LISTEN -- >> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A
QUICK BREAK.
WE CAN CONTINUE THIS WHEN WE COME BACK, BUT WE'LL BE BACK
WITH MORE GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU, STEPHEN.
♪ ♪