Podcast Summary: Firewall with Bradley Tusk

Episode Title: Is Business Waking Up from Its 30-Year Nap?
Date: March 19, 2026
Host: Bradley Tusk
Guest: Steve Fulop, CEO, Partnership for New York City (PNYC), Former Mayor of Jersey City

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep-dive conversation between host and political strategist Bradley Tusk and Steve Fulop, the newly appointed CEO of the Partnership for New York City and former Jersey City mayor. The central theme is whether New York's business community—and its storied organization the Partnership—is finally shifting from decades of relative political passivity into a more muscular, organized, and relevant force amid the city and state's political and social shifts. The discussion explores Fulop’s personal journey, his views on public service and governance, the failures and potential of the Partnership, and specific strategies for business engagement in local politics.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Steve Fulop’s Background and Path to Public Service

• Steve shares his immigrant and Holocaust-survivor family roots, upbringing, and how his early years shaped his outlook (00:49–03:14).
  • “My grandparents never spoke about it except…when the Steven Spielberg foundation…filmed her. It was the first time I heard her speak about [the Holocaust].” — Steve Fulop (02:12)
• He discusses being an underachieving student and an athlete, how 9/11 motivated him to leave a lucrative job at Goldman Sachs for Marine Corps service (03:24–08:08).
  • Notable moment: Steve describes the emotional scene as he left Goldman to deploy, sending a farewell email and getting applause on the trading floor (08:08).

2. Military Service and Its Impact

• Steve outlines how being in the Marines and his deployment to Iraq shifted his worldview, giving him new empathy for people of different backgrounds and struggles, and exposing him to systemic obstacles (10:32–11:27).
  • “Boot camp changed me… a lot of things I took for granted, it changed my work ethic, it changed my viewpoint on the world.” — Steve Fulop (10:32)

3. Route Into Politics: Jersey City and Beyond

• A chance meeting with Jersey City’s first African American mayor, Glenn Cunningham, led to Fulop’s surprise congressional run, and a rapid political ascent in Jersey City—eventually becoming mayor for three terms (11:33–17:35).
  • “After my deployment…Cunningham said, ‘We want you to run for Congress against Bob Menendez.’ I wasn’t even registered to vote.” — Steve Fulop (13:36)
• Fulop describes Jersey City’s unique character—dense, diverse, neither quite suburb nor big city (17:35–18:58).

4. Life as Mayor and Transition Efforts

• Fulop reflects on the challenges and excitement of being mayor, handling everything from shootings to COVID to development, and why he chose not to run for a fourth term (19:20–20:06).
  • Strong endorsement for municipal government as the most impactful sphere for public service (20:06–20:56).
• Discusses his decision to run for Governor, his strategy, the miscalculation of primary turnout driven by Trump voters, and reflections on running “the right race at the wrong time” (20:59–24:42).

5. From Politics to CEO: The Partnership for New York City

• Fulop recounts his origin story with the Partnership—born out of post-election soul searching, a random reconnection, and his strategic pitch for the position (25:58–30:25).
  • “If the Partnership is perceived as the mouthpiece of super wealthy people, then it’s going to fail to exist in five or ten years…people are more worker centric.” — Steve Fulop (30:57)
• Host and guest candidly critique the Partnership’s historic lack of political muscle and its niche in research, white papers, and events (33:01–37:02).
  • Notable quote: “Other than events and white papers, I still can’t tell you [what the Partnership does]." — Bradley Tusk (33:19)

6. Diagnosis: The Partnership’s Political Irrelevance

• Tusk makes a forceful case that the Partnership, under past leadership, failed to build any meaningful political power, lacking field organization, coalitions, or the ability to influence elections (38:13–42:49).
  • “No one in New York politics believes that the New York City Partnership can in any way impact their next election. As a result, you’re not only functionally irrelevant… you create the impression you’ll be an effective political voice, and nothing else gets done either.” — Bradley Tusk (40:45)

7. Fulop’s Roadmap for Change

• Fulop pledges to reorganize: leveraging the Partnership’s scale, launching a C4 for direct advocacy ($10M fund), organizing employees, improving political engagement, and hiring government affairs staff (46:48–50:32).
• On building political muscle: Fulop and Tusk debate how far and fast the Partnership can go, with Tusk pushing for aggressive field and candidate recruitment, Fulop arguing for phased, organic growth (50:32–57:12).
  • “My brand in New Jersey was always outside the establishment…and nobody would tell you that I was a go along to get along type of person.” — Steve Fulop (59:48)
• Fulop emphasizes the need for business to be willing to “rock the boat,” including aggressive advocacy, even if it risks relationships with politicians (59:48–62:01).

8. Can the Partnership Become Feared and Effective?

• The episode explores whether Fulop—known for his independence—will get board support to be confrontational, use hardball tactics and opposition research, and act as a true counterweight to the energized far left (62:01–66:01).
• Both acknowledge: having money is not enough; what matters is field organizing, candidate recruitment, and willingness to make politicians “fear you” (62:01–64:26).

9. Practical Application: Budget and Advocacy

• Fulop reveals active discussions and imminent tactical moves by the Partnership’s new C4 to engage on tax and budget policy, including spending money in specific legislative districts to support Governor Hochul’s agenda (66:01–66:43).

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|---------|-----------------| | 02:12 | Steve | “My grandparents never spoke about it except…when the Steven Spielberg foundation…filmed her. It was the first time I heard her speak about [the Holocaust].” | | 08:08 | Steve | Emotional moment leaving Goldman to deploy, receiving applause from colleagues. | | 10:32 | Steve | “Boot camp changed me… it changed my work ethic, it changed my viewpoint on the world.” | | 13:36 | Steve | “After my deployment… Cunningham said, ‘We want you to run for Congress against Bob Menendez.’ I wasn’t even registered to vote.” | | 30:57 | Steve | “If the Partnership is perceived as the mouthpiece of super wealthy people, then it’s going to fail to exist in five or ten years… people are more worker centric.” | | 33:19 | Bradley | “Other than events and white papers, I still can’t tell you [what the Partnership does].” | | 40:45 | Bradley | “[The Partnership is] functionally irrelevant… you create the impression you’ll be an effective political voice, and nothing else gets done either.” | | 59:48 | Steve | “My brand in New Jersey was always outside the establishment… and nobody would tell you that I was a go along to get along type of person.” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:49 – 03:14: Steve Fulop’s upbringing and family background
• 03:24 – 08:08: 9/11, decision to join Marines, deployment, and emotional moments
• 10:32 – 11:27: Impact of military on Steve’s worldview
• 11:33 – 17:35: Path into politics, from chance meeting to mayoralty
• 19:20 – 20:56: Why city government matters most
• 20:59 – 24:42: Governor’s race, miscalculation, lessons learned
• 25:58 – 30:25: How Steve became CEO of the Partnership
• 33:01 – 37:02: Critique of the Partnership’s past effectiveness
• 38:13 – 42:49: Tusk’s assessment of Partnership’s political irrelevance
• 46:48 – 50:32: Fulop’s planned changes—C4, organizing, hiring
• 59:48 – 62:01: Willingness to confront power, importance of “being feared”
• 66:01 – 66:43: Practical advocacy plans for the current budget cycle

Conclusion

This episode offers a refreshingly candid, sometimes tense but always substantive look at the intersection of business, politics, and public service in New York. Fulop emerges as a pragmatic, bold new leader for the Partnership, committed to making the organization a player in city and state politics—but faces deep-rooted structural and cultural challenges. Whether he can transform the group into a feared and effective political force remains the open, urgent question.