HE'S THE GOVERNOR OF THE GOLDEN STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH
OFFICIALLY REOPENS TODAY, THE MIGHTY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ♪♪♪
♪ GAVIN NEWSOM IS HERE ♪ ♪ HE'S ON THE STAGE ♪
♪ HE'S GONNA TAKE A SEAT ♪ ♪ OH, YEAH ♪
>> JAMES, JAMES.
>> James: NICE TO SEE YOU.
NOW, WE'VE ONLY MET ON ZOOM BEFORE.
>> I WANT TO TOUCH YOU, BUT APPARENTLY WE CAN'T JUST YET.
>> James: CAN WE?
TELL ME.
>> I'M JUST SAYING.
>> James: HERE'S THE TRUTH -- YES.
>> James: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
CALIFORNIA'S REOPENED.
>> YEAH, WE ARE.
>> James: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
CAN WE WEAR MASKS, SHAKE HANDS?
WALK ME THROUGH THE RULES.
NO ONE QUITE KNOWS.
>> AS OF TODAY OFFICIALLY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THERE ARE
NO MANDATES ON PHYSICAL DISTANCING, SOCIAL DISTANCING,
MASK WEARING THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE C.D.C. GUIDELINES OR
MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY, WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO BRING BACK THE
STUDIO AUDIENCE HERE ON YOUR SHOW.
( APPLAUSE ) YEAH, I SAID IT.
I WENT RIGHT THERE.
AND I WANT TO SAY THIS TO THE C.E.O.s AND DIRECTORS AT
CBS,IST TIME TO REOPEN ON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE CAN'T TAKE THIS EAST COAST BIAS.
I SAW WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT ON THE EAST COAST.
>> James: 700 PEOPLE CHANTING WITHOUT MASKS.
>> THAT'S IT.
THAT AIN'T RIGHT!
IT'S THE WEST COAST!
>> James: I KNOW.
WE'VE GOT ALL THIS SPACE.
>> ALL THIS SPACE.
THANK YOU, WE HAVE SPACE.
>> James: FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
>> ON PLANET EARTH.
>> James: ON PLANET EARTH.
IT IS THE LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
>> James: WE'LL GET TO THIS, BUT I'M ENJOYING THIS.
>> BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VIACOM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION -- >> James: GOVERNOR, YOU'RE
ACTING LIKE ANY OF THEM HAVE EVER WATCHED THIS SHOW.
THE MAN YOU NEED TO TALK TO IS -- JUST SAT RIGHT THERE.
NOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, HE'S CLEARLY AN INTERN
WHO'S ON SOME KIN OF DAY RELEASE.
>> HE'S REALLY UNHAPPY I WAS INVITED ON TODAY.
HE'S IN TROUBLE.
>> James: HAVE YOU HEARD HIS PODCAST?
>> LEAVE ME OUT OF THIS.
>> James: WHY WOULD I LEAVE YOU OUT OF THIS?
>> THIS IS THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
>> James: WHY WOULD WE LEAVE YOU OUT?
YOU'RE THE SENIOR.
( LAUGHTER ) YOU'RE THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
OF LATE NIGHT PROGRAMMING ON THE WEST COAST OF CBS.
THIS IS THE ONLY LATE NIGHT SHOW ON THE WEST COAST ON CBS, AND
THERE IS ALSO NO JUNIOR VICE PRESIDENT.
SO IT IS REALLY JUST A WASTE OF --
>> POOR NICK.
NICK, THIS IS WHAT BEING GOVERNOR FEELS LIKE.
>> James: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT!
JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU AS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE ARE SAYING
THIS, THE MASKS, THE WHOLE THING >> LET ME BE CLEAR.
>> James: -- IS NONSENSE?
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS NOT GETTING IN THE WAY OF THAT
DETERMINATION AND THAT DECISION.
WE TURNED THE PAGE.
CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF THE LOWEST CASE RATES, POSITIVITY RATES,
ONE OF THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATES IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
SO WE'RE MOVING.
GET THIS BEHIND US.
>> James: AND YOU'VE HAD THE MOST INCREDIBLE DAY, TODAY
YOU'VE GIVEN AWAY MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN PRIZES --
>> OPRAH WINFREY, EAT YOUR HEART OUT.
A MILLION FOR YOU.
IMAGINE BEING IN POLITICS AND GIVING AWAY MONEY.
ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
>> James: VAX FOR THE WIN.
YOU'RE HERE IN A TRANSFORMER AND A MILLION.
>> THAT'S NOT JUST ANY TRANSFORMER, THAT'S OPTIMUS
PRIME.
>> James: SO IT'S YOU AND OPTIMUS PRIME AND A MINION,
WHICH -- >> TYPICAL DAY.
>> James: -- WHAT A BETTER WAY TO REOPEN CALIFORNIA.
>> WE CAN ONLY THE WEST COAST.
>> James: THIS WAS A FUN DAY.
IT WAS FUN.
WE DID THE LARGEST CASH PRIZES IN THE UNITED STATES AND WE
FOUND OUT ONE OF THE FIRST WINNERS WHO JUST GOT A MILL AND
A HALF DOLLARS EARLIER.
THE STORIES OF THESE FOLKS.
TODAY WE GAVE AWAY $50,000 CHECKS PREVIOUS WEEK, FOLKS THAT
ARE FIRST GENERATION, FOLKS UNDER AGE 18 THAT COULDN'T
IMAGINE MONEY LIKE THIS.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING IMAGINING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYCHECK TO
PAYCHECK AND HOW TRANSFORMATIVE THIS CAN BE.
THEY ONLY GOT THE MONEY BECAUSE THEY GOT COURAGE TO GET THE
VACCINE AND GETTING US TO ONE OF THE LOWEST POSITIVITY RATES IN
AMERICA.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO GET VACCINATED.
>> James: WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
( APPLAUSE ) I WILL SAY, THERE WAS A MOMENT
IN CALIFORNIA WHERE GETTING A VACCINE FELT SORT OF -- IT WAS A
DISCOME BOBLATION IN A WAY AND THEN, SUDDENLY, AS SOON AS THAT
SORT OF NEW FLOOD OF VACCINES CAME IN, I HAVE BEEN SO
IMPRESSED IN THE TURNAROUND IN THE NOTION OF JUST ANYBODY THAT
NEEDS ONE, WANTS ONE, HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET ONE.
AND HOW DIFFICULT WAS THAT TO GET THE VACCINATION PROCESS TO
THAT POINT?
>> YOU'VE GOT TO PUT CALIFORNIA IN PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S A NATION.
IT'S THE SIZE TO HAVE 21 STATES IN AMERICA COMBINED.
AND, SO, IT'S A FLYWELL.
JUST TAKES TIME.
WHEN WE STARTED THE FIRST VACCINATION WAS DECEMBER 14th.
HELEN CORDO BA WHO'S WITH US TODAY, A FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE, A
NURSE, SHE TOLD A STORY TODAY ABOUT THE HEART BREAK AND THE
REALITY, TENS OF THOUSANDS LOST THEIR LIVES IN CALIFORNIA,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT THAT DECEMBER, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR US,
LATE DECEMBER, EARLY JANUARY, LATE JANUARY, I WAS ORDERING
BODY BAGS FROM OUTSIDE TO HAVE THE STATE BECAUSE WE HAD RUN OUT
OF BODY BAGS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
SO THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY, AS WE TURN THE PAGE, BUT IT'S ALSO
SOBERING OF THE REALITY, 300-PLUS MILLION PEOPLE, FOR
THAT MATTER, BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD CURVED AND
CONTINUE TO SUFFER THROUGH.
THAT SAID, WE GO FROM THAT SLOW START TO HAVING ONE TO HAVE THE
TOP VACCINATION RATES IN THE WORLD.
WE'RE NUMBER NINE OF ANY JURISDICTION ON THE PLANET.
16.3 MILLION MORE VACCINE DOLES ADMINISTERED HERE IN THIS STATE
THAN THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE REALLY MADE PROGRESS.
BUT, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN HUMBLING.
THERE'S ONE WORD JAMES, LAST YEAR, HUMILITY.
HUMILITY.
>> James: IT FEELS ALL OF US DURING COVID FACED ENDLESS
CRITIQUES FOR THEIR PERFORMANCES.
LOOKING BACK, DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
>> WE WERE THE FIRST STATE TO DO THE STAY AT HOME.
TRUST ME, THAT'S NOT AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE THAT MAGNITUDE
OF A DECISION A STATE THIS LARGE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
IN HINDSIGHT WE'RE NOT JUST EXPERTS, WE'RE GENIUS US.
IF I COULD GO BACK WITH INTENDED AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WE
WOULD DO A LOT OF THINGS DIFFERENT, BUT NOTHING MORE
IMPACTFUL AS A NATION, A COUNTRY LIKE THIS HOW WE ALLOWED WEARING
A MASK TO BECOME POLITICIZED, GETTING A VACCINATION TO BECOME
POLITICIZED AND POLARIZED.
FOR ME THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LIVES LITERALLY LOST IN THIS
COUNTRY BECAUSE WE ALLOWED THAT TO TAKE SHAPE.
AND, SO, IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, FEELING PART OF THAT
CONVERSATION, I FEEL LIKE WE COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE
ASSERTIVE IN TERMS OF THESE "NONPHARMACEUTICAL
INTERVENTIONS" LIKE WEARING FACE COVERINGS THAT TRULY DO SAVE
LIVES.
BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF VACCINES, THAT'S BEEN THE MOST POWERFUL
IMPACT IN TERMS OF MITIGATING THE SPREAD.
>> James: IT REALLY HAS.
I FEEL LIKE MAZICS ARE SOMETHING WE SHOULD KEEP AROUND IN OUR
LIVES.
IF YOU HAVE A COUGH, A COLD, WEAR A MAZIC.
IT'S PROVEN -- >> WE HAD THE BEST FLU SEASON IN
LIVES RIAS A CONSEQUENCE.
I HAVEN'T HAD A ■SNIFFLE OR COLD IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
I HAVE FOUR YOUNG KIDS.
TRUST ME, THAT'S A DAMN MIRACLE.
>> James: YES.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LIKELY RECALL.
>> YEAH, LET'S GO RIGHT TO THAT.
THINGS WERE GOING REALLY WELL FOR EVERYONE BUT CBS.
AND NOW, OF COURSE, WAS THAT THE C.E.O. OF CBS IN YOUR EAR SAYING
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECALL?
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: WE DON'T HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT THE RECALL.
I DON'T KNOW, GIVE US ONLY RESTAURANTS, WE CAN GO DOWN THAT
ROAD, IT'S UP TO YOU.
>> TALK ABOUT REGRETS, MY FRIEND.
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: TELL ME, IT FEELS
LIKE THIS WHOLE THING HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SENSATIONALIZED.
WHAT ARE YOUR HONEST THOUGHTS ON THE RECALL?
HOW ANNOYED ARE YOU THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS?
>> FOR ME, I THINK THE HARDEST PART IS THIS IS THE SIXTH RECALL
EFFORT.
SIXTH.
I'VE ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE 29 MONTHS.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN THERE 20 YEARS.
29 MONTHS, SIXTH EFFORT AND THIS PRE-DATES THE PANDEMIC.
YOU LOOK, PEOPLE SIGNED PETITIONS.
IT TALKS ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
IN FACT THE PRINCIPLE PROPONENT OF THE RECALL WANTS TO MICROCHIP
IMMIGRANTS.
THAT'S HOW THIS STARRED.
AND, SO, IT'S BACKED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, RESPECTFULLY,
AND IT'S BACKED BY SOME OF OUR MOST WELL-KNOWN POLITICIANS LIKE
NEWT GINGRICH, MIKE HUCKABEE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO DEFEAT IT.
IT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN A FEW MONTHS.
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
IT'S SOBERING.
THE STATE'S NOT ONLY TURNED THE PAGE ON THE PANDEMIC BUT WE HAVE
THE BEST ECONOMIC OUTPUT IN AMERICA.
NUMBER ONE IN TERMS OF JOB CREATION.
38% OF THE JOBS CAME OUT OF THIS STATE, NUMBER ONE IN TERMS OF
SURPLUS, AN $80 BILLION OPERATING SURPLUS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, UNPRECEDENTED IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
SO I FEEL LIKE THE HEAD WINDS ARE TAILWINDS BUT I'M MINDFUL
AND SOBER ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF DEFEATING THIS.
>> James: IT'S BEEN SUCH -- BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS
THE SIXTH TIME YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS AND YOU'RE
CONSTANTLY HAVING TO GET PEOPLE TO VOTE AGAINST THE RECALL
EFFORT WHILE RUNNING CALIFORNIA, THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY ON
PLANET EARTH.
ARE YOU EXHAUSTED?
( LAUGHTER ) >> YOU KNOW WHAT I'M EXHAUSTED
ABOUT, WE'RE BACK IN THIS MEGA DROUGHT ON THE WEST COAST IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE MAD ONE OF THE TOUGHEST FIRE SEASONS IN OUR HISTORY LAST
YEAR.
WE'RE MOVING RIGHT BACK INTO WILDFIRE SEASON.
FOR ME, OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT TO FOCUS AND DEFEAT THE RECALL OR
IT'S A ZERO SUM GAME.
WE MOVE FROM CRISIS TO CHALLENGE AND LASTIER IT WASN'T JUST THE
PANDEMIC, WE HAD SOCIAL UNREST, ALL KINDS OF THINGS WITH THE
PANDEMIC, THE RECESSION, THE DISPLACEMENT, SOCIETY, FEAR,
LONELINESS EVERYONE FELT, SO WE HAD TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE'RE TURNING THE PAGE BUT WE HAVE TO CONFRONT THE CONDITIONS
OF WILDFIRE, DROUGHT, AND FROM YOU -- FRUSTRATIONS AS
CALIFORNIANS IS HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY.
>> James: I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP.
ME AND MY FAMILY, WE MOVED HERE SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO, AND IT
FEELS LIKE IT'S GOT WORSE YEAR UPON YEAR, AND PARTICULARLY IN
THE PAST TWO YEARS, 12 MONTHS.
IT'S -- YOU KNOW, ROADS I USED TO DRIVE DOWN ON MY WAY HOME,
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE CRISIS.
HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO ADDRESS IT AND WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR --
>> NUMBER ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE'RE THE RICHEST AND THE POOREST STATE IN AMERICA.
SO MANY THINGS THAT I RAN ON OVER TWO YEARS AGO WERE FOCUSED
ON THIS ISSUE.
OBVIOUSLY THE LAST 15 MONTHS HAS REALLY PUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE IN THE PARADIGM.
I'LL JUST TELL YOU, LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP, HOUSE --
NO EXAGGERATION, NO B.S. -- 100,000 PEOPLE.
WE CREATED 600,000, TRIPLE WHAT WE'VE DONE IN OUR HISTORY.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IN A PERCHING, IT STRETCHES THE
MIND AND CREATES A SENSE OF URGEY, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE,
ONCE A MIND IS STRETCHED IT NEVER GOES BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL
FORM.
MEANING THIS, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A PLAN BUT BECAUSE OF THE
HISTORIC BUDGET SURPLUS, $12 BILLION WILL BE INVESTED,
UNPRECEDENTED, WE'VE NEVER BROKEN A BILLION, $12 BILLION,
WE'RE PUTTING EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, JAMES, THE PREDECESSOR GUY NAMED RONALD
REAGAN, USED TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BUT ALSO
GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
IN 1968 HIS GOVERNMENT BEGAN DISMANTLING IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
IN QUA CALIFORNIA.
WE ARE INVESTING THE MOST MONEY IN HISTORY TO REBUILD OUR MENTAL
HEALTHER SYSTEM.