← Pod Force One
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- [00:01]
A
Hello and welcome back to PodForce One. I'm Miranda Devine. Today on the podcast, we're joined by New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Bruce Blakeman, thanks very much for joining podforce One.
- [00:14]
B
My honor. Miranda, thank you so much for having me.
- [00:16]
A
I wanted to ask you, are you a masochist? A Republican has not won in New York for 20 years. What makes you think that you can do it?
- [00:27]
B
Well, first of all, as I travel around the state, the one thing that becomes apparent is that most people in New York are miserable under Kathy Hochul's leadership. We are the most overtaxed, over regulated state in the United States. We have pro criminal laws that favor criminals over victims. So I feel very encouraged that people want that change. They want a governor that's going to care about them. They want a governor that'll put New Yorkers first. They want a governor that will make them happy again because they're not very happy with Kathy Hochul.
- [01:00]
A
I love that as a slogan. Make New Yorkers happy again. That's right. I mean, cost of living is very high. And I think you've got a plan for energy because, I mean, there are, there is talk that there'll be blackouts in New York this summer because the climate policies of the Democrats have basically run down all the fossil fuel power plants that are going to close down and there's nothing to replace them.
- [01:28]
B
Well, you know, Kathy Hochul has this green energy scam that she's imposed on New York that produces very little energy. It costs billions of dollars, and guess what? The ratepayers are the ones that are, they're the ones that are footing the bill for this. So, for instance, if you take a look at your electric bill, 30% actually goes for energy. The rest of the bill goes for taxes, excessive delivery costs, and the green energy scam mandates. So I can cut your electric bill in half, day one when I become governor because I will control the regulatory authorities. We will bring down the taxes, we will bring down the delivery costs, and I will get rid of the green energy scam that produces very little energy. In addition to that, we have right now one of the largest natural gas reserves in all the world. It's almost equivalent to Saudi Arabia right here in New York State. And we're not drilling. And the fact of the matter is, anybody who knows anything about economics, it could be high school economics, doesn't even have to be Economics 101, knows that there's the, the theme of supply and demand. The demand is very high for electric, but the supply has been restricted by Kathy Hochul's policies. Where she wants to go all electric, where she doesn't want to drill for the natural gas, where she didn't agree to extend the pipeline. These are all things that I will do. Because if you increase the supply, you will, you will satisfy the demand and you'll bring prices down. Because the bigger the supply, the, the more that we can reduce the prices of energy for everyday New Yorkers and for businesses in this state who are. Just think about all the people that have left this state and gone to Florida, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina. It's because of taxes. It could because of taxes, high regulations and high energy costs. And I want to bring those people back. And Kathy Hochul has been pathetic on that.
- [03:31]
A
I just want to read you a quote from Kathy Hochul that she's been rightly ridiculed for. She said she wants to go down to Palm beach and see who we can bring back because our tax base has been eroded. This is the same woman who said, if you don't like it in New York, get out of here. You're not a real New Yorker. If you don't like my policy, sanctuary city, et cetera. I mean, that's not going to work. New Yorkers are not going to come back and get taxed more.
- [03:59]
B
Miranda. When I saw that video of Kathy Hochul, I didn't believe it was real. I thought it was AI generated. I thought it was a spoof. I thought it was a Saturday Night Live skit. The fact that basically she drove these people out of the state and told them they can go bringing jobs down to Florida, taking out prosperity from the state and then to have the gumption to go down and say, please come back. Well, Kathy, nothing's changed. Why would they come back? It's only gotten worse since they left. We are the most overtaxed, overregulated state. Our energy costs are 50% higher than the national average of other states. Those are the reasons people left. People left because of your pro criminal policies. So you're not changing any of those policies. You're not reducing taxes, you're not increasing energy production, you're not lowering electric costs. So why would they come back?
- [05:00]
A
You're closing in the polls, but you're still nine points behind. I think John McLaughlin, very good pollster. His latest polls show Kathy Hochul's at 52%. You're at 43.5percent undecided. How are you going to. I mean, you'd think that Kathy Hochul would be as Unpopular as she's ever going to be right now. But how do you erode her, you know, slight margin of advancement over you and how do you bring your visibility up? Because I think that's your biggest vulnerability is people don't really know outside Nassau county where you are the successful two term chairman and you've just won another election there, but outside of there you're not well known.
- [05:45]
B
Yeah. So first of all we have to do we have to increase our profile throughout the state. There's no question about that. It's a function of fundraising, it's a function of getting around the state, which we're doing. But we are nine points behind. Now. It took Lee Zeldin until October of his election to get nine points behind. He was 22 points behind at the same time that I'm nine points behind.
- [06:11]
A
And he almost won.
- [06:12]
B
And he almost won. So we're going to win. 52% of people who were polled say they don't want Kathy Hochul as governor. So when they compare my record, a record of excellence, a record of achievement, a record of making people happy, I haven't raised taxes a penny in four years. In fact, I cut $150 million tax increase that my predecessor had planned. I've gotten seven bond upgrades. So Wall street likes the way that I run a big organization. By the way, Nassau county is larger than eight states in population. So when you look at that and the fact that US News and World Report has named us the safest county in America, think about that. We're on the border of New York City and they said Nassau county is the safest county in America. I'm going to run on my record. I'm going to run against her record of failure, overtaxed, over regulated, pro criminal. People are leaving in droves. They're not coming back unless there's a change. And by the way, I did go down to Palm Beach, I did go down to Florida. I talked to those New Yorkers who left and they said, when I'm governor, they're coming back.
- [07:17]
A
Oh really? That's great. And I hope they're giving you lots of money.
- [07:21]
B
They are, they are very generous because they love New York. They want to invest in New York. But they left because, you know, you can't have a business environment that is anti business. You can't have a business environment that doesn't produce enough energy for people to operate their businesses or, or make it so expensive that they can't operate their businesses. How are you going to find employees if their energy costs are 50% higher than the rest of the country. They're moving out in New York. They're going to places where it's more affordable. And it's almost funny if it wasn't so tragic when Kathy Hochul talks about wanting to make New York more affordable in the next four years. You've been governor for four. For four years, actually five and a half years. You were the lieutenant governor. You had a say. You made this unaffordable. So how can we trust her to change anything? We can't, because she won't. And now with her, her comrade Zoran Mandami, the communist who's running New York City right now, the two of them will raise taxes more. They will inflict upon all of us more regulations where government has more control over every aspect of our lives. That's one of the things that really upset people the most. And I will be the governor that makes it more affordable. I will be the governor that puts New Yorkers first. I will make them more happy. Think about the fact that Kathy Hochul has spent $8 billion of taxpayer money, your money, on illegal migrants who've been here for 15 minutes. They haven't earned a thing. How can we possibly have a governor that cares about New Yorkers who, when she's spending money on people who just arrived here when we could use the money to cut taxes, we could use the money for infrastructure, we could use the money to better educate our kids, we could use the money to have better hospitals. So that's not a governor who cares about New York. I want to be the governor that puts New Yorkers first, cares about their families, because that's really what it's all about, and also make them happy.
- [09:24]
A
Again, you mentioned Lee Zeldin, who did very well outside of New York City. And you know, that will probably be your Achilles heel as well. I mean, this is the city that voted in Mamdani. What hope have you got and what plan do you have to try and win over a very entrenched ideological voter base here in the city?
- [09:45]
B
Well, I grew up in Valley Stream on the border of New York City. I know New York City very well. I lived in Manhattan for 15 years. I think I understand the pulse of the city. And when you have Zora and Mandani with Kathy Hochul together talking about increasing taxes, Zora and Mandami wants to increase the property taxes of New York City residents by nine and a half percent. So all the people that are living in Queens and Brooklyn and single family, two family homes and throughout the other five boroughs. Those people are really waking up now to the fact that there's going to be higher costs, it's going to be less affordable, and they're not going to be able to make their ends meet with a 9 1/2% tax increase. The only one that can stop Zohra Mandami is the governor. And Kathy Hochul has demonstrated that she's in bed with him. She's not going to stop him. They're in league together. She endorsed him, he endorsed her as governor. I will not let Zoran Mandami Institute a 9.5% property tax increase. They're also talking about a death tax, a tax where if you have a wealth of over $750,000, you have to give that wealth back to the city of New York and the state of New York. They want to take away people's nest egg, their, their, their equity that they built in their homes, in their businesses, and destroy that. And by the way, people want to leave their wealth to their kids. They worked hard. They don't want to give it to the government. They. So as governor, I'll stop that as well.
- [11:21]
A
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- [12:50]
B
Hey, Bill O'Reilly here. Please check out my new interview series, we'll do it live. Each Thursday, I sit down with the most influential people in America where a no spin chat, no script, anything good Happened, you can find we'll do it live on BillOriley.com, youTube, or wherever you download your podcast.
- [13:19]
A
Cuomo, when he was governor, did not get on with Bill de Blasio and was constantly, you know, they were fighting and he was bullying him, etc. But it still didn't stop de Blasio from implementing a whole lot of policies, you know, defund police, et cetera, that really hurt the city and made crime sore. So how are you going to take the reins from Mamdani? How can you control him? Because he seems to be hell bent on, you know, sending New Yorkers broke and raising taxes and defanging the nypd.
- [13:57]
B
There's only one thing that I can assure you with 100% guarantee. I will stand up to Zoran Mandami. I will stop him. He will not destroy the economy of New York City. He will not tax people out of New York City. He will not defund the police. He will enforce the law, because if he doesn't, I will. Believe me, I'm up to the task of standing up to Zohra Mandami.
- [14:20]
A
But how do you do that?
- [14:22]
B
Well, first of all, you control the purse strings. The governor has a big say over the budget, and he's not going to get the things he wants unless he does the things that are necessary to make sure that New York City prospers, to make sure that the law is enforced here in New York City, to make sure that we protect all communities, but especially the Jewish community that's been under attack with anti Semitic attacks. He said some very inflammatory things about Israel. So the fact of the matter is, I am somebody that not only can stand up to him, I will stand up to him, and I will not let that happen. And one of the powers that I have is to take over various aspects of city government. If he's not doing his job, I will do that.
- [15:09]
A
Such as policing crime?
- [15:11]
B
Yes, such as the police.
- [15:12]
A
So how would that work?
- [15:13]
B
Well, first of all, the governor has the power to remove an elected official that's not doing their job. Now, I would not do that, except as a last resort, because I think it's an extraordinary move, especially when someone has been duly elected. But that is also a power that I would have. But before we got to that, there are other things that I would do. Controlling the purse strings, making sure that he doesn't do the things that will destroy the economy in New York City or make it less safe. And if he's not enforcing the law, I will take over the nypd. I'll send the state police in and we'll make sure the law is enforced.
- [15:49]
A
And in Nassau county, you mentioned that it's the safest county in the country. It's a kind of swing county because Democrats and Republicans sort of swap power. But you've now won for the second time. Obviously, you're doing something right when it comes to crime. So what are you doing? Like, how have you made it safe?
- [16:14]
B
Yeah. So Miranda, Nassau county is larger than eight states in population. We have 110,000 more registered Democrats than. Than Republicans. And I just won reelection in a landslide in a very bad midterm election year for Republicans across the country. I think we were the only place in all of the United States where we had a material increase in the number of people that voted Republican. And that's because we do have important policies to keep our communities safe, to make sure that we lower taxes and that we make it affordable for the people in our county to live by being pro business economic development, not relying on the control of government. I've hired 600 law enforcement professionals, new ones in the last three years. 400 police officers, 200 corrections officers. I work very closely with our police department. I give them the technology that they need, the equipment that they need, the training they need. We just opened up a new training village that is state of the art. Pam Bondi, the attorney general, came and she cut the ribbon on it. The. And. And she was there for the inaugural of that. It's absolutely state of the art. One of the best in the world. Cash Patel, the FBI director, was here last week at our training village. Couldn't believe how modern and how exciting and different it was. And those are the things you do. You try to incorporate everything that would possibly give your police officers the best opportunity to do a good job to keep themselves safe and to keep our communities secure. And we also have a good partnership with the community, whether it's the African American community, Hispanic and Latinos, Asian Americans, every community in my county, they have a great working relationship with our police department. I think that's important to have that kind of communication.
- [18:05]
A
And is that why you chose a sheriff as your lieutenant governor?
- [18:09]
B
Yeah. So Todd Hood is the sheriff of Madison County. He's a strong proponent of the things that are important to. And that's public safety. He's a great guy. I've gotten to know him and his wife Kelly, very well. They're just solid people. And he comes from a part of the state where we need representation. You have to represent the Whole state, every nook and cranny of the state. It's a big state, it's a huge state, both population wise and geographically. And I go to every, every, every part of the state, get to meet people, and it's not my first time. I've done business throughout the state, whether it be western New York, the southern tier, central New York, the Capital District, the north Country, Hudson Valley, Long Island, New York City. I'm very familiar with every aspect of the state. I get to meet people from all over the state, business leaders, community leaders, political leaders. And they're very enthusiastic. And I will be the governor on January 1st. That's one thing I'm very convinced of.
- [19:10]
A
We're talking about safety since the. We're now in the fourth week of the Iran war and we've already had, I think, four terror attacks as a result. ISIS inspired a lot of them, including in New York City, right outside Gracie Mansion. And only by the grace of God did those two bombs thrown by the two ISIS supporters not go off and create mayhem. And they wanted to allegedly kill more people than were killed in the Boston Marathon bombing. So are you concerned, you know, you've got your pulse, your finger on the pulse of New York City. Are you concerned about the threat of terror attacks?
- [19:55]
B
Absolutely. As a executive, those are the things that I worry about the most, keeping our community safe. And there is a terrorism threat in our country, especially here in the metropolitan area. And this war against Iran is a war that had to be fought. If they got nuclear capability, the havoc that they would have created throughout the world. They were a threat to America, they were a threat to the Middle east, they're a threat to Europe. And I completely support making sure that they never get nuclear capability, because if they do, the things that they could do would be devastating. And this is a country where the leaders have called for the death of America. And you have to take them at their word. These are people who cheered when the planes crashed into the World Trade center towers. These are people who support Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic extremism. We need to make sure that we identify exactly what that is and fight against it. Because they want to take over the way of life that we have here in America. And one of the things we can't let happen is to change the values that we have, the democratic principles that we have. Freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of speech, those are things that in countries like Iran, they don't have that. And they are theological run very dictatorial countries. And I completely support making sure that Their nuclear capability never gets to be operational.
- [21:35]
A
I mean, Zoram Mamdani is proudly Muslim, born overseas. The majority of the people who voted for him also were born overseas or newcomers to New York. I think people who have been in New York More than 10 years voted elsewhere, voted for Cuomo. So since he's been in office, Mamdani has really prioritized the Islamic community to the point where when that act of terrorism happened outside Gracie Mansion, his first instinct was to downplay it, talk about Islamophobia and so on. And at the same time, he had a dinner 24 hours later at Gracie Mansion where he honored Mahmoud Khalil. Who?
- [22:25]
B
Mahmoud Khalil.
- [22:26]
A
Yeah.
- [22:27]
B
Yes.
- [22:28]
A
So. And we're seeing more kind of like Muslim prayers taking over Washington Square park, et cetera. So it seems that Mamdani has an agenda to kind of Islamicize New York. And at the same time, his wife has been discovered as having a lot of social media posts in the past that have been rancidly anti Semitic. And in an atmosphere of anti Semitic attacks, the aftermath of the Columbia protests and when Jews in this city really feel under siege, how can you, you know, if you were governor, how would you tackle that? Because it's very difficult when people's ideology is attached to their identity.
- [23:20]
B
Well, first of all, I think Zoran Mandami is a virulent anti Semite. I support the moderate Muslim community because if you don't support the moderate Muslim community, they will be radicalized. I think Zoran Mandadi is a radical. I think his wife is disgraceful in the fact that she would post likes about people who are killing babies, beheading babies, putting babies in ovens. I mean, what kind of evil is that? That's something that you like. It's antithetical to American values. And I think basically we should be shocked by some of the things that Zoran Mandami and his wife have said and they've. And what they've done. And I don't believe Zoran Mandami loves America. I think he hates America. I think he's anti American. He wants to change America into his image, a communist country. That is theological. And I. Basically, that's why I'm running for governor. I'm not going to let Zoran, Madame or Kathy Hochul destroy this state that I love and have a domino effect on the rest of America and destroy America. That's not happening. Both my parents were World War II veterans. They fought for this country. I'm going to fight for my state. I'm going to fight for my country. And that's why I'm running for governor, because I'm not going to let them destroy the economy in New York. I'm not going to let them drive people out of this state. I'm not going to let them be pro criminal. I am going to be a governor that keeps them in check and makes sure that they don't destroy the character and quality of the state that we have. And I think that basically people are starting to wake up to that and I expect to do very well in New York city because remember, 48% of the people in New York City did not vote for Zoran Mandami. And I think I'm going to give them a big reason to vote for me because they don't want higher taxes, they don't want anti American values, they don't want their homes and their businesses being taken away by government, which is what they want to do with the death tax. And they want a governor that will be strong, puts them first, protects them, makes them happy and cares about their families.
- [25:25]
A
And do you think that Mamdani damages Hochul's prospects? You mentioned that you're doing better than Lee Zeldin. Lee Zeldin was running against an untested Kathy Hochul. She hadn't been defined, she hadn't held office really. She was Cuomo's lieutenant governor. No one really knew who she was. And now you've got the advantage of four years that she's been in office. But is, is Mamdani a liability for her? And do you think that she's going to start distancing herself from him? Because she's not so far very well.
- [26:00]
B
Well, Kathy Hochul is the problem for Kathy Hochul because she doesn't stand for anything. She has no principles. She flip flops back and forth. She basically goes in the direction that the wind's blowing. And right now the wind has been blowing with Zoran Mandami in New York City. So she endorsed him, he endorsed her. They have a secret plan to raise taxes because that's what they did with congestion pricing. So I think they're in bed together. I think they're in league together. I think that if she were to be elected, which she's not, if she were to be elected, just think about four years of Kathy Hochul and three more years of Zoran Mandami. They'll destroy the state, they'll destroy the city, and by the way, it'll be the first trap, the first step in destroying our country. I'M not gonna let that happen.
- [26:48]
A
You are quite a conservative candidate, even though you're winning, as you say, an electorate that's, you know, majority Democrat registered. So how do you do that? And I know that you have been friends with Donald Trump for a long time. He endorsed you. Well, we know he was going to, because Elise Stefanik was so disappointed when she realized she wasn't going to get his endorsement. So is that an albatross? Is Donald Trump an albatross around your neck? Because a lot of people in New York City, they either love him or they hate him. But those who hate him really hate him.
- [27:27]
B
Yeah. So, again, I won reelection in a landslide by 36,000 votes in a county with 110,000 more Democrats. And I didn't run away from Donald Trump. New Yorkers can spot a phony a mile away. Donald Trump is my friend. I support many of his policies. There's some policies that I don't support, but those are things that I would talk about with him in private. But the fact of the matter is, Donald Trump is somebody who supported me, and I support Donald Trump. But what I do and the reason why I'm successful is when I go into communities that may not support Donald Trump, I say, look, we're not going to agree on Donald Trump. There's other things we're not going to agree upon. Let's talk about things that we can agree upon. How can I make your lives better? How can I make your family lives better? And the thing is, I'm not a ultra right winger. I'm a very moderate guy when it comes to making calls on what I think is best. Yes, I have conservative principles, but I think they're more American values than anything else. I believe in the private sector. I believe in economic development. I believe that the economic development and prosperity and jobs are going to come from the private sector. I believe in less government. I believe in lower taxes. So I think these are things that most people believe in. I don't think it makes you somebody that's on the edges of the political spectrum. I am. I'm in the center of the political spectrum. Maybe just a little right of center, but I'm in the center. I'm with most of the people.
- [29:03]
A
Where's Donald Trump? Where would you call his politics?
- [29:07]
B
Donald Trump is a very, very unique elected official and politician because you can't put him into any category. He's something that we have haven't ever seen in government. He says exactly what it's on his mind. He does what he thinks is right and he doesn't care about criticism. He's an amazingly courageous person and he has the energy of someone that is probably 30 years younger than him, even at that, because the guy hardly sleeps. He works really hard. And I think people, they. They get hung up on what he says. They should focus on what he's done. He's done some great things for this country. I believe that this war in Iran will end in a favorable way for Americans. I think it will eventually drive down energy costs significantly. It will take away a real threat to America with a country that hates America, that if they got nuclear capability, it would be terrible. I think that Donald Trump has driven down the prices of goods in many sectors. And of course, energy has spiked because of the war. I believe it's going to materially come down. But again, I'm going to go into communities and talk about what's important to them. And what's important to them is they want a life for their kids. They want a life for their grandchildren. They don't want to visit their grandchildren in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Florida. They want economic prosperity. They want more money in their pocket. They want to be able to afford not just the necessities of life, but some of the luxuries, like being able to take your family on vacation or buying your daughter a prom dress. Those are the things that are important to New Yorkers. They don't have a governor that's delivering for them. They don't have a governor that cares about them. She cares more about illegal migrants than she does about her own citizens. It's bizarre. I will restore Sen. I will restore common sense to governing this state and caring about the people in the state, not about people who just got here 10 minutes ago. 15 minutes ago.
- [31:17]
A
The New York Post has been delivering impactful headlines for over two centuries. And every weekday morning, I'll bring them straight to you. I'm Caitlin Becker, host of the New York Postcast. From Washington to Wall street, if it matters to you, you'll hear it here. And it wouldn't be the Post without the stories other outlets like to ignore. So ask your smart speaker to play the NY Postcast, Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [31:43]
B
Hey, this is Mike Slater. I have a podcast called Politics by Faith. I would love for you to listen. We take the news of the day and we run it through the Bible. What does the Bible have to say about this? Because there's nothing new under the sun. You read the headlines Everything's all crazy, crazy world's coming to an end. It's all in the Bible. And after every episode, hopefully you leave with a proper perspective and a biblical peace. Please join us wherever you listen to podcasts and we also have a YouTube page as well. YouTube.com politicsbyfaith.
- [32:15]
A
How long ago did you meet Donald Trump and what were the circumstances?
- [32:18]
B
Well, I've known Donald Trump through the years because obviously he was a very prolific developer here in New York City and the metropolitan area. So I got to meet him in many capacities as a private business person, as someone who was a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is the largest economic transportation engine probably in this region. And I got to meet him many times. I was very impressed with his abilities. And then politically, when I heard what he was talking about, putting America first, caring about Americans, I realized that this was something that was talked about in the past, but nobody had ever done it. He's done things that people have talked about and they never had the follow through to get it done. This guy gets it done. And again, I know there are people that don't like his personality. I know there are people that don't like his rhetoric, but focus in on the things that he's done. Focus in on where his heart is. His heart is here in America. His heart is here in New York. He loves New York. He loves being a New Yorker. So I think that he's not an albatross for me. If anything. I think that it's just another aspect of, of the state that will support me. And I believe people from every political spectrum will support me because I think they realize that we've had four years of misery, four years of unaffordability, four years of having a governor that doesn't care anything about them and they want a governor that's going to be a leader, someone who's strong, someone who's going to protect them, somebody who's going to create jobs and, and better jobs, higher paying jobs, prosperity. That's what people want.
- [34:13]
A
You mentioned that there are some things that Donald Trump's policies that you don't agree with. What, what are the couple that you don't?
- [34:21]
B
Well, first of all, I would never talk about that because just like I would never disagree with my wife in public, if I have an issue with my wife, it's something we will talk about in private. Same thing with my dear friends. And Donald Trump is a good friend of mine and I would never be disloyal. What I would do and what I have done is with all my friends and my family. If I have a disagreement, we'll discuss those in private. I will try to persuade them as to my position in private. But that's something that I think would be counterproductive because then everybody would nitpick about the things we disagree upon. So I don't think that that's helpful and I don't think that's loyal, and I don't think that's fair.
- [35:06]
A
And did he encourage you to run? Did you already have that idea in your head or did he suggest that you do it?
- [35:13]
B
No, I got encouraged to run by people who said, how did you win in a landslide in a Democratic county, in a midterm election where Republicans virtually lost everywhere in the state and everywhere in the country. And then they saw the fact that I run a big organization very well, that people in my county are very happy. So, for instance, a typical Republican gets 9% of the African American vote. I got 32%. That's extraordinary for a Republican. I have a comprehensive agreement with ice. People said, you will lose miserably in the Hispanic and Latino communities. I won the Hispanic and Latino communities. I got 56% of the vote.
- [35:57]
A
They want illegal migrants out.
- [35:59]
B
They want illegal migrants out. They don't want their schools overcrowded. They don't want homelessness in their business communities, and they want safe communities. They don't want their kids recruited into gangs. So the Hispanic and Latinos were behind me. Asian Americans, they're entrepreneurs. They believe in education for their kids. They speak my language. I speak their language. Typically Democrats. I want a majority of Asian Americans. That's what I'm going to do throughout the state of New York. And I will win because again, they'll have a governor that cares about them, that cares about their families, to put their families first.
- [36:35]
A
I love your optimism. Let's talk about who you are. And you're a born and bred New Yorker. I believe also you're a second generation politician because your dad was a longtime New York State assemblyman. Tell us about how your childhood was.
- [36:51]
B
Well, I got involved in politics through my dad at a very young age because he would take me with him wherever he went to give my mother a break, because we. There was five of us in my family. I have three sisters and a brother.
- [37:02]
A
And where were you in the picking order?
- [37:03]
B
I was in the middle. You can't find a picture of me anywhere as a child. So I think my mother was tired by the time she had me. So my father would take me around. And I love politics, I love solving people's problems, I love being involved in the arena of battle. So I got involved at a very young age. And even though I've been in the private sector and I've been involved in economic development, I've been a lawyer for big corporations, I've always come back to politics because I like solving problems, I like helping people. So I grew up on Long island, middle class area on the border of Queens. Went to, did my schooling out west. And you know, people said, you, you lived in Arizona, you lived in San Diego, you went to school out there, why'd you come back? And I said, because I'm a New Yorker. I, I love New York and you know, living in California is beautiful, it's nice. But, you know, I got tired of people asking me, you know, or telling me, you know, have a nice day and I'm a New Yorker, you know, mind your own business.
- [38:12]
A
What is the difference with New Yorkers? Because there is some quintessential irrepressible character, but it's also, they're very gruff, as you say on the surface, but it seems like underneath there's a lot of hearts of gold.
- [38:28]
B
Yeah, we're a great people with a heart of gold, but we're direct. New Yorkers typically won't stab you in the back. They may stab you in the chest, but they're not going to stab you in the back. They let you know how they feel. And basically I think that I am the consummate New Yorker. I love the attitude in New York. It's gritty, it's tough, it's determined. And that's, that's the atmosphere I grew up in. And so even though I did my schooling out west, I migrated back here because I love New York. I love the whole state. It's a beautiful state, but the most beautiful thing about the state are the people.
- [39:08]
A
Kathy Hochul's always drawing on her own New York background. She's like the only New Yorker in the world when you listen to her. How do you combat her and what is she like as a person? Have you had much to do with her?
- [39:23]
B
You know, Kathy Hochul is somebody that I cannot admire because she doesn't have any political backbone. Her values, she change. You know, at one point she was a conservative, then she became a moderate. Now she's a far left radical. I mean, who are you? I think that's the problem with Kathy Hochul is New Yorkers don't know who she is. And she's very unbelievable. And The. The two. The few times that I've had interaction with them, they've been cordial, they've been respectful. I would always be cordial and respectful to a fellow elected official. But I don't get the sense that she has core values. I don't get the sense that she's doing it for the right reasons. I mean, I don't need this job, and I don't need to give up a year of my life to travel around the state to run for governor. I have a very good position right now where, in fact, like a governor, because my county's larger than eight states. I'm not doing it for my ego. I'm not doing it for my vanity. I'm doing it because I really love New York. I love New Yorkers. I care about the people, and I'm worried about their families. I'm worried about their kids and their grandkids and what kind of future that we're going to have. And that's my motivating factor every day in getting up and doing this is because I want to make a better life for all New Yorkers, but especially their kids, their grandkids, and their great grandkids to come.
- [40:55]
A
And how different was New York when you were growing up to what it is now?
- [40:59]
B
I think we've lost our way quite a bit. You know, we used to be the Empire State people used to look up to New York. Now we're somewhat of a punchline, a joke. The over. The most overtaxed state in the United States. Our budget here in New York is twice the budget of Florida. And there's more people living in Florida. How do you explain that our Medicaid costs are more than Texas and Florida combined? How do you explain that if it's not fraud, waste, and abuse? I'm not going to cut Medicaid programs. I'm going to deliver better services, more quality services, by cutting out the waste and the fraud. So that's the kind of governor that we need here in New York. But again, I think New Yorkers are miserable under Kathy Hochul. They don't like her. I'm not even going to call it leadership. It's a lack of leadership. They want a governor that cares about them. And that's why I'm encouraged. And that's why I am 100% certain that on January 1, I will be the next governor of the state of New York.
- [42:03]
A
Hey, podcast listeners, Jillian Michaels here. If the world is feeling unstable right now and the noise and the chaos is overwhelming, if you're looking for clarity and truth, good or bad. I invite you to check out my podcast, Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels. Twice a week, I break down the biggest issues shaping our lives, and I sit down with bold guests for fearless, honest conversations. There are no talking points, there's no agenda. Just real discussions that challenge assumptions and demands and clarity. Subscribe to Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels Today. Anywhere you get your podcasts, I want to ask you just a couple more questions. One is sort of personal ones. I've interviewed a lot of people who are part of the Trump administration or adjacent or, you know, Republican leaders, and it's uncanny how about 2/3 of them not. You find out about their personal lives, and you find that in childhood, they had some sort of adversity, father died, father got sick, something like that, often to do with their father. Did you have anything like that happen in your childhood or early adulthood?
- [43:17]
B
Well, you know, I had a mother that was very ill. My mother, I can't even list the illnesses that she had. There's so many. She had a severe lung issue. She had emphysema, she had lupus. She had other illnesses. So my mother, it was very difficult to see her suffer so much, and she eventually had to move away to a better climate. And basically, I was kind of on my own from a very early age. I had to find my own way. How old were you? Probably about 12, 13 years old.
- [43:54]
A
Yeah.
- [43:55]
B
And pretty much raised myself because my father was working, working, working to raise five kids. Yeah, my father had to work really hard, and he had to support my mother's illness. So, you know, I had some adversity, but I don't complain about, you know, you got to. You got to step up and do what you got to do. There's people who have, you know, worse problems than that. I, you know, I'm a big supporter of children with disabilities. I spend a lot of time on that, and I look at some of the disabilities that some of these kids have and what they have to overcome, and it makes my problems seem, you know, minuscule. So I'm not the type to dwell on, you know, I had a hard life growing up. The fact of the matter is that we all have challenges. Everybody's got a challenge that they have to deal with. It could be substance abuse, it could be a sick parent, it could be a sick child. God forbid. Everybody's got their adversities, and, you know, you just have to depend on your inner strength. I'm a strong believer in God. I'm very much in tune with the fact that there is a higher being and that everything that I have is the blessings that God's given me. So I'm very grateful for that. And I think that's where, you know, you find a lot of strength. And, you know, there's a lot of people that had a lot worse off than me. They've gotten through it. They've done very well. They've achieved great things. So, again, New Yorkers are very gritty, and we'll get through this. We'll get through this. We'll get through Zoran Mandami, we'll get through Kathy Hochul, we'll have a new governor, and we'll make your lives a lot better, a lot more affordable, and a lot happier.
- [45:35]
A
Well, I think that's a note of hope and optimism, is that all the people that I've interviewed, like, are incredibly successful, like you, who have suffered through adversity. And it's, you know, I think the hopeful message you can take from that is actually what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
- [45:52]
B
I believe in that. I think that basically, again, you have to find that inner strength. For me, it's through my family. I have a wife that's. That's very strong and very spiritual. I am very spiritual. I believe in freedom of religion because I think that, you know, all the blessings that I've had are bestowed upon me by God. So, you know, that's kind of where I get my strength and my fortitude, from my family and from God.
- [46:23]
A
And is your wife, was she totally on board this new chapter in your political life? It entails, I guess, a lot of effort and, as you say, travel and being away from home, and her, if you become governor, having to move into the governor's mansion and be first lady of New York.
- [46:43]
B
Well, my wife is a family court judge, so she deals with very, very profound problems. Part of her job is to bring families together to help children in crisis. So she's a very tough and compassionate individual, and she cares about our community, or she wouldn't be a family court judge. And by the way, she loves being a family court judge because she can materially change people's lives each and every day. And when I told her that I was interested in pursuing that, she said, look, follow your heart, you know, pray and do what you got to do. And she's very supportive of me, and I'm very supportive of her.
- [47:25]
A
And I believe you're a grandfather.
- [47:27]
B
I am, yeah.
- [47:28]
A
How many?
- [47:28]
B
I have three grandchildren, Haley Jackson, Blake and Jason Dove, and they have brought a new dimension to my life. I love my children. My son Arlen, I love him very much. He moved to Florida to get away from New York, but he promised me, if I, if I'm governor, he'll move back. And then Avi and Ariel and their spouses, Esther and Elon Musk. I'm blessed with a great family. My brother, my sisters, all of my cousins, my nieces, my nephews.
- [48:03]
A
They all live around you?
- [48:04]
B
No, they live all over the United States with a big contingent in Arizona, where I went to college. So I have a lot of family there and they're all pulling for me. We have a great family and a very loving family.
- [48:17]
A
That's fantastic. Last question. I ask everybody this. What's the secret of success? You've seen a lot of successful people. You are successful. What is the ingredient that makes success happen?
- [48:30]
B
Well, you have to believe in yourself, number one. You have to be passionate about what you do. You can't just go through the motions. And when you're managing people, when you're managing a big organization, it's not what you expect, it's what you inspect. So you can't be a micromanager, you can't be a control freak. But you do have to be a supervisor. You have to watch what goes on, especially in a large organization. And you got to make sure that everybody's rowing in the same direction with the same purpose, and that is to make a better life, a better community. And those are the things that are important. And you only do that with hard work, passion, and making sure that you fulfill your job. Act as a leader and people will follow you.
- [49:17]
A
Great advice. Thanks very much. Bruce Blakeman.
- [49:19]
B
Thank you.
- [49:21]
A
Thanks for watching Pod Force One. I'm Miranda Devine. We'll be back next week with another big interview. Let us know what you thought of today's video by leaving a comment below. And please hit like and subscribe.
- [49:38]
B
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- [49:49]
A
Download TikTok now.