NOW WE’RE GOING TO DO AN AWKWARD
DANCE HERE.
WE’RE GOING TO BRING GOVERNOR
MURPHY IN HERE.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> WE’LL GET INTO THE DETAILS IN
A MOMENT.
AND THERE’S SOME REALLY STRONG
FEELINGS ON ALL SIDES OF THIS,
BUT JUST SYMBOLICALLY, WHAT DOES
IT MEAN TO START HAVING THE
JERSEY SHORE OPEN AGAIN?
>> THIS IS A BIG DAY.
WE’RE DOING OUTDOOR DINING
TODAY.
ALL RETAIL NOT JUST ESSENTIAL.
DAY CARE IS OPENING.
WE’VE GOT BARBERSHOPS AND HAIR
SALONS NEXT WEEK.
WE’RE SLOWLY BUT SURELY GETTING
BACK ON OUR FEET.
>> YOU HAD TO GO TO COURT,
ACTUALLY, A FIGHT WITH ASBURY
PARK.
THE LOCAL TOWN WANTED TO HAVE
INDOOR DINING RESTAURANTS
STARTING LAST WEEKEND.
IN THE END YOU WON IN COURT.
BUT THE LARGER BATTLE IS GOING
ON LITERALLY AS WE SPEAK.
THERE ARE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO
ARE ENRAGED THAT THIS REOPENING
HASN’T HAPPENED SOONER.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, LISTEN.
YOU MENTIONED THIS.
WE WERE THE SECOND HARDEST HIT
STATE IN AMERICA.
OVER 12,600 FATALITIES.
THE VIRUS INDOORS IS FAR MORE
LETHAL THAN WHEN IT’S OUTDOORS.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT
OPENING THINGS UP THAT ARE
INSIDE, LACK OF VENTILATION,
CLOSE PROXIMITY.
WE’LL GET THERE.
NO QUESTION WE’LL GET THERE.
WE’RE JUST NOT READY YET.
>> LOOK.
I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE CAN HEAR,
WE HAVE A HECKLER WHO’S YELLING
ABOUT THIS VERY THING.
I MEAN, THIS RAGE THAT PEOPLE
FEEL ABOUT BUSINESSES NOT BEING
OPENED FAST ENOUGH, IT’S REAL.
WHY AREN’T YOU MOVING MORE
QUICKLY?
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BUSINESS
OWNERS SAY IT’S KIND OF
ARBITRARY.
WHY CAN I WALK TO HOME DEPOT
WITH A HUNDRED PEOPLE BUT I
CAN’T GO HAVE A MEAL?
>> YEAH.
THIS GUY DESERVES TO SAY WHAT HE
WANTS TO SAY, BUT HONESTLY
OVERWHELMINGLY THE MAJORITY OF
FOLKS GET IT.
WE MAKE THE DECISIONS.
THEY’RE NOT ARBITRARY.
THEY’RE BASED ON FACTS AND DATA.
WE’VE DRIVEN DOWN THE POSITIVITY
RATE, THE RATE AT WHICH THE
VIRUS SPREADS ARE WAY DOWN.
PROBABLY LEADING THE NATION
RIGHT NOW.
WE’VE JUST GOT TO KEEP IT DOWN.
INSIDE IS A LOT HARDER THAN
OUTSIDE.
BUT WITH THIS WEATHER, THIS IS
AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
WE’RE OPENING BACK UP AND IT
FEELS GREAT.
>> HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
PICKING UP THE PACE OF
REOPENING?
>> I THINK WE’RE COMFORTABLE
WHERE WE ARE.
I DON’T THINK WE CAN RESPONSIBLY
GO FASTER.
WE’LL GET THERE TO INDOOR
DINING.
CASINOS WHICH ARE A HUGE PART OF
THE ECONOMY IN OUR STATE IN
ATLANTIC CITY, WE’LL GET THERE.
BUT WE’VE GOT TO DO IT
RESPONSIBLY
RESPONSIBLY.
>> WE’VE SEEN THE PROTESTS THAT
HAVE GONE ON.
YOU ATTENDED ONE PROTEST.
YOU CHANGED THE RULE SO OUTDOOR
GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN A
HUNDRED PEOPLE COULD GO ON.
SOME BUSINESS OWNERS SEE A
DOUBLE STANDARD.
>> LISTEN, OUTSIDE VERSUS
INSIDE.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT
PROTESTING, WE UNDERSTAND THE
RIGHT TO PROTEST.
BUT WEAR A MASK AND STAY SIX
FEET APART IF YOU CAN.
AND GET TESTED.
>> THE GOVERNOR IN NEW YORK SAID
YESTERDAY HE WOULD CONSIDER
SHUTTING IT DOWN AGAIN BECAUSE
HE RECEIVED IN THE STATE 25,000
COMPLAINTS ABOUT BUSINESSES AND
INDIVIDUALS NOT STICKING TO THE
RULES, NOT DOING THE SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
WE SAW THOSE CROWDED SCENES IN
NEW YORK.
IF IT COMES TO THAT IN THIS
STATE, ARE YOU WILLING TO GO
BACKWARDS THERE?
>> YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THAT ON THE
TABLE AS A CONSIDERATION.
I HOPE TO GOD WE DON’T HAVE TO.
WE NOW TEST MORE THAN ANY OTHER
STATE IN AMERICA.
WE’RE BILLUILDING UP OUR CONTRAC
TRACING AND ISOLATION PLANS.
I HOPE IF WE SEE THIS THING GOD
FORBID COME BACK AROUND, WE CAN
DRIVE IT BACK INTO THE GROUND.
>> HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT A
SURGE EITHER FROM THE PROTESTS
OR OTHER GATHERINGS?
WE SAW MEMORIAL DAY.
IN THE SUN BELT, MANY STATES ARE
SEEING THAT SURGE NOW.
>> I’M LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE
OUTDOOR STUFF.
I’M FAR MORE WORRIED WHEN WE GET
INSIDE.
MY GUT TELLS ME AND I’M
PRACTICING WITHOUT A LICENSE
THAT THIS WILL COME BACK, BUT
GOD WILLING IT WILL COME BACK IN
SPURTS THAT WE CAN WITH TESTING
AND CONTACT TRACING SURROUND IT
AND PUSH IT BACK DOWN.
>> WHAT AN INTERESTING TIME WE
LIVE IN.
WE’RE FACING A PANDEMIC AND ALSO
THIS MOMENT OF GREAT RECKONING
IN AND UPHEAVAL WITH REGARD TO
RACIAL INJUSTICE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
YOU ATTENDED A PROTEST WITH YOUR
FAMILY.
THERE’S A MOVEMENT AFOOT TO
DEFUND THE POLICE.
DO YOU SUPPORT DEFUNDING THE
POLICE?
>> WE ATTENDED TWO PROTESTS AND
IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
ONE COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY OF
COLOR AND ONE OVERWHELMINGLY
WHITE.
HERE’S WHAT I BELIEVE.
THIS IS A MOSAIC WITH LOTS OF
PIECES IN IT.
WE HAVE TO BUILD UP.
WE’VE BEEN INVESTING SINCE DAY
ONE IN THE STATE SINCE WE GOT
HERE IN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE,
SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE NEED TO OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO
DEEPEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR
COMMUNITIES.
WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
GOD KNOWS AS A STATE AND AS A
COUNTRY WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY
TO GO.
>> TO PUT A FINE POINT ON IT,
WHEN THE SLOGAN IS DEFUND THE
POLICE, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU
CAN SUPPORT?
>> I DON’T THINK IT’S A BLACK
AND WHITE QUESTION.
I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT WHAT ARE
YOUR PRIORITIES?
WHAT’S YOUR BUDGET SAY, NOT JUST
YOUR WORDS BUT WHERE ARE YOU
PUTTING YOUR MONEY.
WE BELIEVE IN LIFTING
COMMUNITIES UP AND DEEPENING
ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO STAND FOR
THAT.
>> YOU HAD DINNER WITH THE
PRESIDENT FRIDAY NIGHT IN
BEDMINSTER HERE IN NEW JERSEY.
YOU SAID YOU DON’T HOLD YOUR
PUNCHES WITH HIM.
WHAT’D YOU TALK ABOUT?
>> WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT
CORONAVIRUS AND OUR ECONOMIC
RECOVERY.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE PRESIDENT APPROVED A HUGE
PROJECT FOR THIS STATE IN THIS
REGION.
THE SO-CALLED PORTAL NORTH
BRIDGE WHICH HAS BEEN SITTING
THERE WAITING TO GET REPLACED
SINCE 1910, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND HE’S PUT HIS NAME ON THAT.
THAT’S A HUGE STEP.