CSPAN — Public Affairs Events
20260812 221000 UTC
949 transcript segments
Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced)
Data courtesy of The GDELT Project (https://www.gdeltproject.org/), from the Internet Archive TV News Archive.
Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record.

[00:00:00] BE DEPARTING HER ROLE AT THE END OF THE MONTH SO SHE CAN SPEND
[00:00:03] TIME WITH HER BEAUTIFUL YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILY, A DECISION
[00:00:07] I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT."
[00:00:09] HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT LEVITT, WHO HAS SERVED AS PRESS
[00:00:13] SECRETARY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TRUMP'S SECOND TERM, WILL BE ONE OF HIS TOP ADVISERS FOLLOWING HER DEPARTURE.
[00:00:18] KAROLINE LEAVITT LATER CONFIRMED
[00:00:23] THAT NEWS HERSELF IN A POST SAYING IT WAS AN HONOR OF A
[00:00:26] LIFETIME TO SERVE AS PRESS SECRETARY. SHE ALSO CITED BECOMING A MOTHER
[00:00:29] IN WELCOMING A NEW BABY AS KEY REASONS FOR HER DECISION.
[00:00:32] A SUCCESSOR HAS YET TO BE NAMED BY THE WHITE HOUSE.
[00:00:36] ANNOUNCER: ON THURSDAY, HOUSE
[00:00:41] DEMOCRAT LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, REVEREND AL SHARPTON, AND OTHERS
[00:00:44] ADDRESS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS.
[00:00:48] THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT STATE OF DEMOCRACY AMONG OTHER ISSUES.
[00:00:52] WATCH LIVE THURSDAY AT 9:00 A.M.
[00:00:53] EASTERN ON C-SPAN2, C-SPAN
[00:00:59] NOW, OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG.
[00:01:03] ANNOUNCER: THE ROAD TO THE
[00:01:06] CAPITAL RUNS THROUGH AMERICA'S BATTLEGROUND STATES, AND C-SPAN IS THERE.
[00:01:10] OUR CAMERAS ARE ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING THE CAMPAIGNS WHERE THE TOUGHEST RACES WILL DECIDE
[00:01:13] THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS.
[00:01:17] WE ARE THE ONLY NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK PROVIDING THIS LEVEL OF UNFILTERED ACCESS
[00:01:20] TO THE CANDIDATES, THE VOTERS,
[00:01:23] AND THE ISSUES SHAPING CAMPAIGN 2020 SIX. NO COMMENTATORS TELLING YOU WHAT
[00:01:26] TO THINK. NO PARTISAN SPIN.
[00:01:30] THE ROAD TO THE CAPITAL, ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[00:01:36] CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE JAVIER BECERRA TOOK PART IN A DISCUSSION ON HIS
[00:01:40] CAMPAIGN, POLICY, AND THE FUTURE
[00:01:42] OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT AN EVENT HOSTED BY POLITICO IN SACRAMENTO.
[00:01:48] MR. BECERRA WILL FACE STEEP
[00:01:49] HILLS AND IN NOVEMBER IN A RACE
[00:01:53] WHICH THE NONPARTISAN COOK POLITICO GILBERT DESCRIBES AS
[00:01:57] SOLID DEMOCRAT.
[00:01:59] >> I AM POLITICO'S CALIFORNIA
[00:02:02] BUREAU CHIEF, ONE OF THREE AUTHORS OF THE CALIFORNIA PLAYBOOK.
[00:02:06] WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH JAVIER BECERRA.
[00:02:12] FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR, U.S. HEALTH SECRETARY, AND NOW THE
[00:02:16] DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR. SECRETARY, WE WERE HERE LAST
[00:02:21] YEAR. A COUPLE OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE. LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT.
[00:02:28] I KNOW THAT MUCH OF THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE
[00:02:31] FORWARD LOOKING, BUT FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK BACK AT THE
[00:02:34] PRIMARY -- AT THE PRIMARY,
[00:02:37] BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS EXTRAORDINARY. >> I WOULD PREFER NOT TO. [LAUGHTER]
[00:02:55] >> JUST ONE. YOU SPENT MOST OF THE CAMPAIGN STUCK IN THE LOW TO MID DIGITS AND THEN WHEN ERIC SWALWELL DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE, YOU SHOT INTO SERIOUS CONTENTION.
[00:02:59] WHY DO YOU THINK THERE WAS A CRITICAL MASS OF CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS THAT TURNED TO YOU? >> I THINK FOR THE LONGEST TIME,
[00:03:02] MOST CALIFORNIANS WERE NOT REALLY FOCUSED ON THE RACE.
[00:03:05] SO MANY CANDIDATES, THE CONVERSATION WAS MORE ABOUT WILL THERE END UP BEING A SHUT OUT OF
[00:03:09] DEMOCRATS. THE CONVERSATION WAS NOT REALLY
[00:03:13] ABOUT THE POLICY OR THE CANDIDATE SWITCH. I THINK THE UNFORTUNATE DEMISE
[00:03:17] OF ERIC SWALWELL MADE FOLKS
[00:03:20] FOCUS, AND I THINK WHEN THE DUST
[00:03:22] SETTLED AND THEY WERE LOOKING, I THINK -- I HOPE, THE WAY I
[00:03:27] EXPLAINED IT IS THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY
[00:03:29] KNEW HOW TO DO THE JOB AND WOULD NOT NEED TRAINING WHEELS THE MOMENT THEY STEP INTO THE
[00:03:33] GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. MAYBE IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE, BUT
[00:03:36] I JUST KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH FIRE.
[00:03:39] I WILL SAY, TO CREDIT MY TEAM, WE WERE STRATEGIC.
[00:03:43] WE HAD A SMALL POT OF MONEY. WE ESSENTIALLY PUT IT ALL OUT
[00:03:46] THERE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF
[00:03:48] MARCH, AND WE WENT UP RIGHT
[00:03:51] BEFORE THE WHOLE CHAOS STARTED.
[00:03:54] SO WE WERE UP, AND IT HELPS
[00:03:57] BECAUSE WE WERE THERE IN PEOPLE CAN SEE US.
[00:04:00] >> I REMEMBERED YOU SAID WE WEREN'T LUCKY, THERE WAS A
[00:04:04] STRATEGY AND WE SAW THAT CONFLUENCE. IT WAS REMARKABLE.
[00:04:07] WE ARE GOING TO TURN TO THE GENERAL. YOU ARE RUNNING AGAINST STEVE
[00:04:12] HILTON. WE HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER. HIS PITCH TO VOTERS IS DEMOCRATS
[00:04:16] HAVE HAD AN IRONCLAD GRIP ON THIS STATE FOR STING YEARS, AND
[00:04:19] IN THIS TIME, THE HOUSING CRASH,
[00:04:21] THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS, AND THE AFFORDABILITY PROBLEMS HAVE
[00:04:24] GOTTEN WORSE. IT IS TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW.
[00:04:28] DO YOU THINK THAT IS ACCURATE? IS YOUR PARTY TO BLAME FOR THE
[00:04:31] CHALLENGES FACING THIS STATE? >> NO.
[00:04:34] WE ARE A FAMILY. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
[00:04:38] WHEN YOU BLEND AS ONE PARENT WHEN THINGS GO AWRY WITH ONE OF
[00:04:41] THE CHILDREN -- WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
[00:04:45] WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. I COULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE
[00:04:48] MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. HAS CREATED
[00:04:51] MORE CHAOS THAN ANY DEMOCRAT IN
[00:04:53] THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT WE WILL NOT GO THERE.
[00:04:56] I CAN TELL YOU THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WILL HAVE TO WORK
[00:05:00] WITH EVERYONE, SO AT THE END OF
[00:05:03] THE DAY, STOP COMPLAINING, SHOW US WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
[00:05:07] >> YOU ALLUDED TO THE PRESIDENT.
[00:05:12] CERTAINLY THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
[00:05:15] EXACERBATED THE ISSUES THE STATE
[00:05:16] IS FACING, BUT 16 YEARS, A LOT
[00:05:20] AT THIS HAPPENED PRE-TRUMP. I AM WONDERING AS YOU ARE
[00:05:23] LOOKING AHEAD, ARE THERE PARTS OF THE PARTY ORTHODOXY THAT YOU
[00:05:26] THINK MAY HAVE TO BE RE-EXAMINED AS WE LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF DEMOCRATIC RULE?
[00:05:33] >> I CERTAINLY BELIEVE EVERYONE
[00:05:36] IN POLITICS AS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE VOTERS ARE SAYING.
[00:05:40] YOU CAN'T JUST TELL US WHAT YOU WILL DO, YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW US.
[00:05:44] THEY WANT TO SEE ACTUAL OUTCOMES.
[00:05:47] THAT IS WHY I THINK IT IS SO INCUMBENT UPON ANYBODY WHO CAN
[00:05:51] GET INTO LEADERSHIP TO ACTUALLY DELIVER TRUE RESULTS.
[00:05:55] THAT IS ALSO WHY I THINK YOU CANNOT DO PIE-IN-THE-SKY
[00:05:59] INFLATED PROMISES, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE YOU DELIVER.
[00:06:02] YOU CAN TALK A GREAT GAME, BUT
[00:06:05] UNLESS YOU CAN DELIVER, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CRUCIFY YOU.
[00:06:08] I HOPE I CAN SHOW FOLKS THAT I HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH, I
[00:06:12] HAVE BEEN IN THESE CRISES, I HAVE HAD TO DELIVER WHEN LIFE WAS ON THE LINE, THAT I CAN TELL
[00:06:16] YOU WHERE I CAN GO AND ACTUALLY
[00:06:21] GET IT DONE.
[00:06:24] >> HILTON HAS PLACED THIS AI GENERATED AD WHO CALLS YOU PART
[00:06:27] OF THE MACHINE.
[00:06:30] HAVE YOU SEEN THE AD? >> I HAVE NOT.
[00:06:33] >> DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN USING AI TECHNOLOGY AS PART OF
[00:06:38] YOUR CAMPAIGN MESSAGING? >> I SUSPECT OUR TEAM WILL LOOK
[00:06:40] AT HOW YOU CAN DEPLOY AI IN A
[00:06:42] WAY THAT IS AUTHENTIC AND COMMUNICATES SOMETHING TO PEOPLE BUT ALSO IS TRANSPARENT.
[00:06:48] >> I WOULD LOVE TO TURN TO THE REST OF THE VALLEY.
[00:07:13] WE HEARD THE OTHER BIG FIGHT IS OVER THE BILLIONAIRES' TAX.
[00:07:15] YOU ARE NO ON PROP 40.
[00:07:18] THE STATE PARTY DECIDED TO SUPPORT IT.
[00:07:21] ARE YOU OUT OF STEP? >> I WOULD DESCRIBE A CALIFORNIA
[00:07:25] DEMOCRAT AS SOMEONE WHO IS FOCUSED ON PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS AND THOSE WHO YOU HAVE
[00:07:28] TO DELIVER REAL RESULTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD TO DO EVERY DAY THEY WERE WORKING.
[00:07:33] DISAGREEMENTS, THEY ARE THERE. THEY COME AND GO.
[00:07:36] I OFTEN WILL DISAGREE WITH THE
[00:07:38] REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND I OFTEN WILL DISAGREE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
[00:07:42] THAT IS OK, PART OF THE FAMILY.
[00:07:45] >> ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR A LOT ABOUT PROP 40 IS PEOPLE
[00:07:48] SAYING THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO THE CONCEPT OF A WEALTH TAX OR TAX ON
[00:07:52] BILLIONAIRES, BUT THEY MAY BE HAD ISSUES WITH THE EXECUTION OF
[00:07:56] THIS BALLOT MEASURE. MORE BROADLY, DOES SOMETHING
[00:07:58] LIKE A WEALTH TAX, DO YOU THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DEMOCRATS
[00:08:03] SHOULD LOOK INTO? >> ANYTHING THAT HELPS US ENSURE
[00:08:06] PEOPLE ARE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. DO I BELIEVE BILLIONAIRES ARE
[00:08:10] PAYING THEIR FAIR THAT --
[00:08:21] DO WE HAVE TO -- IS THAT
[00:08:26] HAPPENING? CERTAINLY NOT IN THE FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE COUNTRY.
[00:08:31] THOSE OF US WHO BENEFIT MORE THAN OTHERS, AND I INCLUDE
[00:08:33] MYSELF AND MY WIFE -- WE ARE NOT
[00:08:36] BILLIONAIRES, BUT MY WIFE IS A
[00:08:40] HIGH-RISK OB/GYN. I AM AN ATTORNEY BY TRAINING. WE DO FAIRLY WELL. WE ARE NOT GOING TO SUFFER.
[00:08:44] I AM WILLING TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[00:08:47] BY THE WAY, A LOT OF THE FOLKS I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE SAID WE ARE WILLING TO PAY OUR FAIR SHARE,
[00:08:51] WE JUST WANT TO SEE IT USED IN A WAY THAT IT PRODUCES RESULTS FOR
[00:08:55] THE FOLKS YOU KEEP TELLING US YOU WANT TO HELP.
[00:08:57] >> WHEN MR. REAGAN WAS ON STAGE,
[00:09:01] HE MADE A DIRECT APPEAL TO
[00:09:04] CONGRESSWOMAN ALEXANDRA BECAUSE HE OF CORTEZ. IT IS CLEAR HE SEES THIS AS A
[00:09:09] NATIONALIZED -- ALEXANDRIA
[00:09:10] CAUSEY OF CORTEZ --
[00:09:18] OCASIO-CORTEZ.
[00:09:20] IT IS CLEAR HE SEES THIS AS A NATIONALIZED RACE. I AM CURIOUS, WATCHING THIS
[00:09:24] ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HOW DO YOU
[00:09:27] FEEL ABOUT THE RISE OF THE DSA?
[00:09:30] >> I DON'T THINK IT IS AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.
[00:09:33] IF WE WERE AN ATHLETIC TEAM, A
[00:09:37] FOOTBALL TEAM, YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO SEE TURN.
[00:09:40] YOU HAVE TO COMPETE FOR YOUR POSITION. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT
[00:09:43] BECAUSE YOU WANT THE BEST ON THE FIELD. IF YOU HAPPEN TO LOOK DIFFERENT
[00:09:46] FROM SOME OF THE OTHER QUARTERBACKS OR RUNNING BACKS
[00:09:50] BUT IF YOU CAN DELIVER AND SCORE
[00:09:53] THOSE TOUCHDOWNS, YOU ARE GOING TO BE ON THE FIELD.
[00:09:57] IT SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT YOUR LABEL IS SO LONG AS AT THE END OF THE DAY,
[00:10:01] YOU ARE FOCUSED ON HELPING, IN
[00:10:04] MY CASE, WORKING FAMILIES. I WELCOME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO
[00:10:08] THE RIGHT THING. BY THE WAY, BUT I WAS FOR
[00:10:11] MEDICARE FOR ALL BACK IN THE
[00:10:14] EARLY 1990'S, I WAS CALLED A SOCIALIST. I WAS CALLED A COMMUNIST.
[00:10:18] TODAY, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE GIVE TO
[00:10:21] OUR SENIORS IN AMERICA, SOME $67
[00:10:25] MILLION -- SOME 67 MILLION, SHOULD NOT BE A BAD THING TO GET
[00:10:29] TO THE REST OF AMERICANS WHO SUFFER FROM NOT HAVING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE.
[00:10:33] MEDICARE FOR ALL IS NOT SOME ALIEN CONCEPT, NOT COMMUNIST CONCEPT.
[00:10:37] IT IS A CONCEPT THAT SAYS HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE A RIGHT AND NOT A PRIVILEGE.
[00:10:40] >> SO YOU DO SEE MEMBERS OF THE
[00:10:44] DSA AS PART OF THE OVERALL DEMOCRATIC TEAM?
[00:10:46] THERE IS CONTROVERSY OVER THAT DEBATE.
[00:10:49] THEY DON'T NECESSARILY IDENTIFY AS DEMOCRATS, BUT YOU SEE THEM AS TEAMMATES?
[00:10:54] >> I SEE REPUBLICANS AS PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC SMALL D TEAM.
[00:10:57] YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THE BIG
[00:10:59] D TEAM, WE WILL TAKE YOU AS WELL.
[00:11:03] THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN CALIFORNIA ENDORSED ME. THEY ARE PART OF MY TEAM.
[00:11:06] I JUST GOT THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE LARGEST POLICE OFFICERS
[00:11:10] ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE. THEY ARE PART OF MY TEAM. I AM THRILLED AND HONORED TO
[00:11:14] HAVE THEIR SUPPORT.
[00:11:17] THE BIGGER THE TEAM GROWS, THE MORE I CAN DO, BECAUSE THERE ARE LESS FOLKS WHO CAN STAND IN THE
[00:11:21] WAY OF OUR JUGGERNAUT, WHETHER WE ARE ON OFFENSE OR DEFENSE.
[00:11:24] AS LONG AS YOU CAN PLAY THE POSITION, COME JOIN THE TEAM.
[00:11:27] >> YOU SEE THE RISE OF ENERGY ON
[00:11:31] THE LEFT -- LET'S SAY YOU ARE ELECTED, IS THAT GOING TO
[00:11:35] APPROACH HOW YOU GOVERN?
[00:11:38] -- AFFECT HOW YOU APPROACH GOVERNING?
[00:11:40] >> I DON'T WANT TO BE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.
[00:11:44] BEING AWAKE IS A GOOD THING.
[00:11:45] >> THAT IS OUR TAKE AWAY.
[00:11:48] ANOTHER HOT TOPIC OF THE SUMMIT HAS BEEN THE PARAMOUNT-WARNER BROS. MERGER.
[00:11:53] WE HEARD FROM DANIEL MILLER AND ALEX BURNS INTERVIEWING THE SORT
[00:11:56] OF TWO KEY PLAYERS IN THIS,
[00:11:59] ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA, OF
[00:12:04] COURSE, THEY COME FROM PARAMOUNT.
[00:12:06] WE KNOW WHERE ROB BONTA STANCE ON THIS.
[00:12:09] WE KNOW WHERE GAVIN NEWSOM MAY BEAT STANDS ON THIS.
[00:12:12] HE IS REPORTEDLY MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE MERGER. SO WHO IS RIGHT?
[00:12:19] WE >> THE COURT IS GOING TO TELL US.
[00:12:22] HAVING DONE ANTITRUST CASES, THESE ARE NOT EASY.
[00:12:24] THEY ARE A DIFFERENT ANIMAL FROM THE MOST LITIGATION.
[00:12:27] THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT, VERY
[00:12:35] FACT INTENSIVE. ALL I KNOW IS THIS, IN TERMS OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS
[00:12:39] PARTICULAR CASE, THE
[00:12:39] ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS OUR
[00:12:44] BABY IN CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP IT
[00:12:48] VIBRANT. IF A MERGER IS GOOD AND KEEPS IT
[00:12:51] VIBRANT, I AM WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK. IF THAT MERGER UNDERMINES THE
[00:12:55] ABILITY OF THE INDUSTRY
[00:12:59] REMAINING VIBRANT, I AM GOING TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT AS
[00:13:05] WELL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS IT GOOD FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT
[00:13:10] COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA? DOES IT BENEFIT CALIFORNIANS TO
[00:13:14] HAVE ANOTHER MERGER OCCURS? AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHO WILL
[00:13:18] SETTLE IT? I HOPE IT SETTLES BEFORE COURT.
[00:13:21] IT IS EASIER TO STAND IN A
[00:13:23] CONFERENCE ROOM AND SEVERAL CANDIDATES TO STAND IN A COURT DOING.
[00:13:27] I SAY THAT HAVING HAD TO STAND IN BOTH THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND
[00:13:31] THE COURT ROOM, YOU GET WAY MORE DONE IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM.
[00:13:34] MELANIE: WE HAVE SEEN REPORTS
[00:13:37] THAT DAVID ELLISON, THE CEO OF PARAMOUNT SKY DANCE, HAS BEEN
[00:13:40] MAKING THREATS THAT PARAMOUNT COULD LEAD CALIFORNIA IF THIS DRAGS ON TOO LONG.
[00:13:45] IF YOU WERE ELECTED AND YOU WERE LOOKING AT AN ENTERTAINMENT
[00:13:49] INDUSTRY THAT IS STRUGGLING, BUT WITH THE IMPACT BE OF PARAMOUNT LEFT THE STATE?
[00:13:52] MR. BECERRA: AS I JUST SAID, TO
[00:13:57] ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS ENTIRE MATTER IS, IS IT
[00:14:01] GOING TO HELP HOLLYWOOD?
[00:14:03] IS HE GOING TO KEEP THE INDUSTRY
[00:14:08] VIBRANT? HAVING A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE
[00:14:11] INDUSTRY LEAVE WOULD NOT BE GOOD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IS IT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR WORKING
[00:14:16] FAMILIES HAVING THEM LEAVE THE STATE? IT IS CERTAINLY NOT GOOD FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
[00:14:23] LET'S BE ADULTS, NOT BE KIDS.
[00:14:29] CONFERENCE ROOM, NOT COURT ROOM.
[00:14:31] MELANIE: YOU THINK THERE IS A WAY THAT CAN GET THEMSELVES TO A DEAL.
[00:14:36] MR. BECERRA: THERE IS A SWEET SPOT.
[00:14:38] MELANIE: THERE IS ALWAYS A DEAL. I WILL SAY YOU ARE THE FAVORITE
[00:14:42] TO WIN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE. YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT AND THIS IS CALIFORNIA.
[00:14:46] MR. BECERRA: CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? [APPLAUSE]
[00:14:49] MELANIE: IN THE COMPETITIVE
[00:14:52] PRIMARY YOU HAVE, YOU RAN MOSTLY ON YOUR BIOGRAPHY, YOUR
[00:14:56] EXPERIENCE, AND LESS ON THE POLICY PLATFORMS THAT YOU ARE
[00:15:00] THINKING OF. NOW AS YOU ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO
[00:15:04] THE GENERAL AND PERHAPS BEYOND --
[00:15:06] >> I COULD MAKE SOME REALLY BIG
[00:15:09] PROMISES, BUT THAT DOES NOT GET US ANYWHERE.
[00:15:12] IT MAY GET ME ELECTED, BUT I WOULD PREFER NOT TO RUN ON
[00:15:15] INFLATED PROMISES THAT I CAN'T
[00:15:20] DELIVER ON. THAT IS WHY I SAID EVERYWHERE I WENT, I WON'T MAKE YOU INFLATED
[00:15:24] PROMISES, I WILL RUN ON MY
[00:15:26] RECORD.
[00:15:31] I ALWAYS WOULD TELL YOUNG PEOPLE, WHEN THEY WOULD ASK ME ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A
[00:15:34] LEADER IN POLITICS, I WOULD SAY, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE
[00:15:37] LEADERS ARE GOING TO TAKE YOU? KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM.
[00:15:41] I HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE I COME FROM.
[00:15:44] I AM GOING TO BRING EVERYTHING FROM -- I CAN'T JUST TAKE OFF
[00:15:48] THAT SKIN, THAT IS PART OF ME.
[00:15:50] I SAW PEOPLE WORKING PICK AND SHOVEL. I BRING THAT TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
[00:15:55] I SERVED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN CONGRESS, AS
[00:15:58] ATTORNEY GENERAL. THAT I WILL BRING TO THE TABLE.
[00:16:01] I HEAD TO DECLARE NATIONAL
[00:16:05] STATES OF EMERGENCY.
[00:16:06] I HAD TO DEPLOY PERSONNEL TO
[00:16:10] DEPLOY PEOPLE DURING FIRES AND NATURAL DISASTERS.
[00:16:13] I HAD TO, FOR THE FIRST TIME, NEGOTIATE TO LOWER PRICES OF
[00:16:17] PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, AND WE DID SO UP TO 80%.
[00:16:22] AM I GOING TO PROMISE YOU THAT
[00:16:26] WE CAN DROP THE PRICE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? YES, BECAUSE WE CAN DO IT BEFORE
[00:16:29] AND I KNOW WE ARE DOING IT AGAIN.
[00:16:34] CAN I KEEP CALIFORNIANS AND SHORT FOR HEALTH CARE EVEN THOUGH THE GUY IN THE WHITE
[00:16:38] HOUSE STRIPPED A TRILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?
[00:16:41] YES, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
[00:16:44] I KNOW WE CAN DO THESE THINGS.
[00:16:47] CAN I MAKE SURE WE BUILD MORE HOMES? YES, I HAVE NOT BUILT HOMES, BUT
[00:16:50] I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT IS DELAYED.
[00:16:54] WE CAN TAKE OUT SOME OF THE TIME CRUNCH THAT MAKES IT VERY
[00:16:58] DIFFICULT TO PENCIL THESE PROJECTS.
[00:17:03] WE CAN DO THE THINGS THAT ALLOW THERE TO BE CERTAINTY AND WE
[00:17:06] WANT ALL OF A SUDDEN JERK YOU BY CHANGING THE CODES ON YOUR
[00:17:11] BUILDING REQUIREMENTS. WE CAN DO THINGS THAT MAKE IT FASTER, NOT BECAUSE I DID IT,
[00:17:14] BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN IT, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO PROMISE YOU 3
[00:17:17] MILLION UNITS, BECAUSE THAT'S
[00:17:21] WHERE I CANNOT GO. THAT IS AN INFLATED PROMISE.
[00:17:24] BUT I WILL TELL YOU WE WILL BUILD AND THERE WILL BE MORE CALIFORNIANS THAT WILL OWN A
[00:17:28] HOME, ENSURING THERE ARE
[00:17:32] PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE BUY THEIR FIRST HOME. WE CAN DO THAT.
[00:17:35] MELANIE: THIS ACCUSED ME UP FOR
[00:17:39] MY NEXT QUESTION, SO THANK YOU. ONCE YOU ARE GIVEN THE FEDERAL
[00:17:44] CUTS, IT IS LIKELY YOU WILL OVERSEE A MAJOR CONTRACTION OF
[00:17:48] THE NUMBER OF INSURED PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA. MOST CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES SAY
[00:17:52] MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE COULD LOSE THEIR INSURANCE. YOU SOUND LIKE EVEN IF YOU ARE
[00:17:56] NOT MAKING A PARTICULAR PROMISE, YOU SOUND FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT
[00:17:59] YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO AVOID THAT OUTCOME, BUT HOW?
[00:18:02] MR. BECERRA: THERE'S MONEY IN
[00:18:05] THEM THERE HILLS.
[00:18:08] HEALTH CARE IS MORE EXPENSIVE IN CALIFORNIA THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN
[00:18:12] THE COUNTRY, AND HEALTH CARE IS MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE U.S. THAN
[00:18:15] ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. THERE IS MONEY BEING SPENT THAT
[00:18:19] DOES NOTHING TO DISPENSE HEALTH CARE TO YOU. WE'VE GOT TO STOP THAT.
[00:18:23] I SAY -- I BELIEVE IN DON'T LET
[00:18:27] A CRISIS GO TO WASTE. I'M NOT GOING TO LET THIS CRISIS GO TO WASTE.
[00:18:31] I'M GOING TO SIT THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR DOWN AND SAY DON'T LIE TO
[00:18:34] ME, I SEE HOW YOU PLAY THE
[00:18:37] SYSTEM, SO LET'S SIT DOWN.
[00:18:43] WHAT I AM GOING TO DO WITH THE HEALTH SECTOR IS SAY LOOK, THE
[00:18:46] BARGAIN IS THIS -- I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO LOSE THEIR HEALTH CARE.
[00:18:50] I WANT TO GET MORE CALIFORNIANS INSURED AND COVERED.
[00:18:53] AND WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL BECOME THE BACKSTOP.
[00:18:58] CALIFORNIA WILL BECOME THE BACKSTOP FOR HEALTH CARE, WHICH
[00:18:59] MEANS THIS -- ALL THOSE FAMILIES
[00:19:03] THAT DONALD TRUMP ABANDONED AND THEREFORE SHOULD NOT LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE WON'T.
[00:19:07] I WILL PAY FOR IT BECAUSE
[00:19:10] PROVIDERS, INSURERS, HERE IS THE BARGAIN.
[00:19:13] I WILL ENSURE THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE INSURED.
[00:19:17] WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHEN THEY WALK THROUGH YOUR DOOR TO GET
[00:19:21] CARE, THEY WILL BE PAYING CUSTOMERS, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL INSURED.
[00:19:26] IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH ME, BUT I WILL SAY IS THE FOLKS
[00:19:31] THAT WILL BALK THROUGH YOUR DOOR WILL BE UNINSURED.
[00:19:34] THEY WILL STILL WALK THROUGH YOUR DOOR BECAUSE IN CALIFORNIA
[00:19:37] WE DON'T LET YOU JUST DIE ON THE STREET. THEY WILL STILL WALK THROUGH
[00:19:41] YOUR DOOR AND GET CARE.
[00:19:43] WHAT WILL BE MISSING IS THE PAYMENTS THEY CAN MAKE BECAUSE THEY ARE INSURED.
[00:19:47] YOU WILL HAVE TO SWALLOW THAT OR PASS IT ON TO EVERYBODY SITTING
[00:19:51] IN THIS ROOM WHO HAS PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE AND YOUR RATES WILL GO UP.
[00:19:55] LET'S MAKE A DEAL.
[00:20:00] I WILL ENSURE PEOPLE STAY COVERED, YOU ENSURE YOU HELP ME REDUCE THE COST.
[00:20:04] I ENSURE THAT YOU GET PAID. DON'T CLOSE YOUR DOORS.
[00:20:07] WE WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY,
[00:20:11] THEY WILL ACCEPT PART OF THAT BARGAIN, AND THE OTHER THING I
[00:20:14] WILL DO IS SAY I KNOW THAT BOTH OF YOU GAMED THE SYSTEM, THE
[00:20:18] PROVIDERS AND PAYERS, WHEN IT COMES TO BILLING.
[00:20:21] PROVIDERS TRYING TO BILL AT THE HIGHEST RATE THEY CAN, INSURERS
[00:20:25] TRY TO REIMBURSE AT THE LOWEST RATE THEY CAN. AND IN BETWEEN, THERE IS A FOOD
[00:20:29] FIGHT THAT GOES ON NOT WITH
[00:20:32] DOCTORS AND INSURERS, BUT WITH ATTORNEYS, ACCOUNTANTS, PENCIL
[00:20:36] PUSHERS TO THE TUNE OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
[00:20:39] THAT DOES SOUND OFF FOR HEALTH CARE. I AM GOING TO ASK THEM TO HELP
[00:20:42] EXTRACT SOME OF THAT WASTE AND PUT IT INTO HEALTH CARE, WHICH
[00:20:45] HELPS US COVER THE COST OF KEEPING CALIFORNIANS INSURED.
[00:20:53] MELANIE: I'M SURE THE HEALTH CARE WALKS IN THE ROOM HAVE LOTS OF FOLLOW-UPS, BUT TIME IS TICKING AND I WANT TO MOVE TO OTHER POLICY AREAS.
[00:20:57] YOU TOOK A LOT OF HEAT FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS FOR ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM OIL COMPANIES.
[00:21:02] DURING THE PRIMARY, YOU SAID,
[00:21:05] "WE NEED CHEVRON," WHICH BECAME FODDER FOR ATTACK ADS. WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
[00:21:09] MR. BECERRA: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE REFINERIES AND HOW WE
[00:21:13] NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE REFINERIES SO WE CAN PROCESS PETROLEUM SO WE CAN HAVE
[00:21:17] GASOLINE SO WE DON'T HAVE PRICES THAT ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
[00:21:21] IT WAS A TRUE STATEMENT.
[00:21:23] I FORGOT TO ADD THE WORD "REFINERY" AT THE END.
[00:21:30] OOPS. BUT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT I
[00:21:34] MEANT. IT CAUSED A FIRESTORM WITHIN SOME CIRCLES.
[00:21:37] BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU?
[00:21:40] TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE I CAME FROM.
[00:21:42] NOBODY IN THIS ROOM, I GUARANTEE YOU, BUT NOBODY WAS STANDING ON
[00:21:46] THAT STAGE FOR THE PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR WHO CAN SAY THEY HAVE
[00:21:49] TAKEN ON THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY AND WON MORE THAN ME.
[00:21:53] THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN SAY THEY STOOD UP AND PROTECTED THE CLEAN
[00:21:56] CAR STANDARDS THAT CALIFORNIA HAS THAT NOW THE REST OF THE
[00:21:59] COUNTRY FOLLOWS, LIKE ME. I TOOK ON THE TRUMP
[00:22:03] ADMINISTRATION. WE BEAT THEM. NO ONE CAN SAY THEY TOOK ON THE
[00:22:06] CLEAN AIR ACT AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND WON.
[00:22:09] TOOK ON THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND WON.
[00:22:12] TOOK ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND WON. I TOOK ON MOST OF THE FOSSIL
[00:22:16] FUEL INDUSTRY IN COURT.
[00:22:18] TOOK ON SOME OF THE FOLKS TRYING TO GOUGE PRICES.
[00:22:22] I WILL RELY ON MY RECORD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SOME PEOPLE DON'T
[00:22:26] DELVE INTO THE RECORD, THEY WOULD RATHER JUST GO OUT AND
[00:22:30] SEND THESE SOCIAL TWEETS OUT THERE.
[00:22:32] MELANIE: I KNOW YOU HAVE BOTH A
[00:22:35] FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY AND THE FOCUS ON CLEAN ENERGY, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THOSE
[00:22:38] GOALS CAN BE AT ODDS WITH EACH
[00:22:42] OTHER. I WANT TO PULL OUT ONE IN
[00:22:46] PARTICULAR, CALIFORNIA'S PLAN TO PHASE OUT ALL GAS CARS BY 2035.
[00:22:49] DO YOU THINK THAT IS FEASIBLE?
[00:22:55] MR. BECERRA: IF WE INVEST IN IT, ABSOLUTELY. IF WE DON'T, IT IS NOT. IF YOU GO BACK TO WHAT A BECERRA
[00:22:59] DEMOCRAT IS, A BECERRA DEMOCRAT
[00:23:03] IS GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE FAMILIES WHO WORKED REALLY HARD, LIKE MY DAD, WHO DROVE A PICKUP
[00:23:07] ALL OF HIS LIFE, AND SAY CAN YOU AFFORD TO GO WHERE I WANT YOU TO
[00:23:10] GO AS WE TRANSITION? IF THEY TELL ME TO SLOW DOWN, I
[00:23:14] WILL SLOW DOWN, BUT IF THEY TELL ME, I'M WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU
[00:23:17] MADE IT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR ME, WE ARE GOING TO GO.
[00:23:21] CAN WE DO 2035? WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BEAT IT, BUT
[00:23:24] WE'VE GOT TO DO THE INVESTMENT. MELANIE: WHEN YOU ARE TALKING
[00:23:28] ABOUT THESE INVESTMENTS, THE HEALTH CARE ALONE, WE KNOW WHAT A HUGE PORTION OF THE BUDGET
[00:23:32] HEALTH CARE IS, AND INVESTMENTS IN THINGS LIKE THE
[00:23:36] INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EV'S, WE SAW
[00:23:41] FROM GOVERNOR NEWSOM A REAL INSISTENCE ON NOT WANTING TO
[00:23:43] IMPOSE MORE TAXES DURING HIS TIME THERE.
[00:23:46] YOU, HOWEVER, HAVE SIGNALED AN OPENNESS TO FAIR SHARE, WHICH
[00:23:50] WOULD BE REQUIRING CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT GET
[00:23:53] PUBLIC BENEFITS TO PAY MORE IN TAXES.
[00:23:57] IS THAT SORT OF ONE-WAY WHERE
[00:23:59] YOU SEE YOURSELF AS DIFFERENT THAN GOVERNOR NEWSOM?
[00:24:02] ARE YOU MORE OPEN TO DIFFERENT WAYS TO RAISE REVENUE?
[00:24:05] MR. BECERRA: I DON'T KNOW IF I
[00:24:08] AM MORE OR LESS DIFFERENT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU I WANT TO BE SENSIBLE.
[00:24:12] WE HAVE A POPULATION OF CALIFORNIANS WHO WORK FULL-TIME,
[00:24:15] REALLY HARD, LIKE MY PARENTS,
[00:24:18] CONSTRUCTION WORKER AND CLERICAL WORKER. THEY CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE.
[00:24:22] THEY DON'T GET IT OFFERED BY
[00:24:25] THEIR EMPLOYER, AT LEAST NOT IN AN AFFORDABLE WAY.
[00:24:28] SO THEY END UP QUALIFYING FOR MEDI-CAL.
[00:24:33] AT MY EXPENSE, THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE.
[00:24:36] WHY SHOULD WE SUBSIDIZE HEALTH CARE FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING FULL-TIME BECAUSE THEIR
[00:24:40] EMPLOYER WILL NOT PAY ENOUGH SO THEY CAN AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE?
[00:24:44] SOMEONE IS NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.
[00:24:49] I THINK THE WORKERS ARE WORKING HARD, AND I BELIEVE TAXPAYERS
[00:24:53] SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE THE HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK FULL-TIME. THAT IS FAIR SHARE.
[00:24:57] DOES THAT MEAN MORE TAX?
[00:25:00] I DON'T KNOW.
[00:25:07] THAT MAY MEAN WE RAISE TAXES ON BIGGER COMPANIES.
[00:25:11] MY DAD WAS A FARMWORKER.
[00:25:15] I GUARANTEE RIGHT NOW WE CAN GO TO THE FIELDS AND NONE OF YOU
[00:25:18] WOULD WANT TO DO THE WORK THAT THOSE FARMWORKERS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR THE MONEY THEY ARE
[00:25:22] PAID. THAT IS NOT RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
[00:25:26] BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW
[00:25:29] WHERE I AM GOING TO TAKE YOU, KNOW WHERE I CAME FROM. I AM THE SON OF A FARMWORKER.
[00:25:34] MELANIE: THAT SHOULD BE A YEAR ONE PRIORITY?
[00:25:37] MR. BECERRA: ABSOLUTELY.
[00:25:40] THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. I WANTED TO MENTION AN IDEA THAT
[00:25:44] I BELIEVE WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT INTO ACTION WITHIN MY FIRST YEAR.
[00:25:48] IT IS WHAT WE ARE CALLING MY POWER HOUR.
[00:25:52] I BELIEVE WE CAN SAY TO CALIFORNIANS, MAYBE WE START
[00:25:56] SMALLER, MAYBE WITH THOSE WHO ARE LOWER INCOME FOR WHOM AFFORDING THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL
[00:26:00] IS REALLY DIFFICULT, AND WE SAY,
[00:26:03] I'M GOING TO OFFER YOU TWO HOURS OF FREE ELECTRICITY.
[00:26:06] HOW DO I PAY FOR THAT? IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT TODAY WE
[00:26:10] PRODUCE SO MUCH SOLAR ENERGY,
[00:26:14] ELECTRICITY, THAT OFTEN TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON WE CAN'T MAKE USE
[00:26:18] OF ALL OF IT. IT ESSENTIALLY GOES TO WASTE.
[00:26:21] OR WE SHIP IT OFF TO SOME OTHER STATE.
[00:26:25] SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PAY TO SHIP IT OUT. WHY DON'T WE USE IT?
[00:26:28] AND WHY DON'T WE DO WHAT WE USED
[00:26:30] TO DO IN THE 90'S -- IN THE 20TH
[00:26:32] CENTURY WE TELL PEOPLE PLEASE
[00:26:34] DON'T USE YOUR APPLIANCES DURING
[00:26:39] THE LATE AFTERNOON -- AFTERNOON
[00:26:40] HOURS, BECAUSE WE NEED TO COVER
[00:26:44] FOR ALL THE AIR-CONDITIONERS AND
[00:26:46] THE COSTS OF TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF A HOT DAY.
[00:26:50] WE USED TO TELL PEOPLE WAIT FOR DO IT EARLY IN THE MORNING.
[00:26:57] TODAY WE REPRODUCE A LOT OF
[00:26:59] ENERGY DURING THE HOT HOURS. THE SUN HELPS US PRODUCE SOLAR ENERGY.
[00:27:05] TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT. THE BEST WAY TO GET YOU TO
[00:27:09] READAPT, TO RECALIBRATE IS TO TELL YOU THAT THE BEST TIME TO
[00:27:12] USE ELECTRICITY TODAY, 1:00 TO 3:00, AND IF YOU DO THAT, I
[00:27:15] WON'T CHARGE YOU. YOU WON'T HAVE A PENNY TO PAY
[00:27:18] THOSE TWO HOURS, SO LOAD UP, CHARGE OR DEVICES, WASH YOUR
[00:27:22] CLOTHES, WASH YOUR DISHES.
[00:27:24] USE YOUR ELECTRICITY DURING THOSE TWO HOURS AND YOU WILL NOT PAY A DIME.
[00:27:28] I THINK WE CAN GET CALIFORNIANS TO RECALIBRATE.
[00:27:33] I WILL WORK WITH THE UTILITIES, WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
[00:27:37] COMMISSION, WOULD WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
[00:27:39] FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR THIS. WE ALREADY DO PROGRAMS FOR
[00:27:43] CALIFORNIANS WHO CAN'T AFFORD THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL. WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT MONEY
[00:27:46] TO NOT JUST GIVE THEM A BREAK IN THEIR BILL, BUT ALSO TO BE SMART
[00:27:50] ABOUT WHEN THEY USE ENERGY.
[00:27:53] POWER HOUR, TWO FREE HOURS OF ELECTRICITY.
[00:27:55] MELANIE: THAT IS GOING TO GET A
[00:27:58] LOT OF FODDER FOR MY COLLEAGUES
[00:28:00] THAT RIGHT THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY NEWSLETTER.
[00:28:04] BUT THOSE WHO WRITE OUR TECH NEWSLETTER WILL NOT FORGIVE ME
[00:28:07] IF I DON'T ASK YOU ONE QUESTION ABOUT AI, OUR FINAL QUESTION.
[00:28:11] YOUR CAMPAIGN WEBSITE SAYS YOU
[00:28:12] WANT TO ENFORCE AND STRENGTHEN CALIFORNIA'S AI STANDARDS.
[00:28:16] WE DO YOU SEE THE ROOM TO EXPAND THE STATE'S REGULATIONS?
[00:28:18] MR. BECERRA: WE HARDLY HAVE ANY,
[00:28:21] SO THERE IS A LOT OF ROOM TO EXPAND. WE NEED REAL GUARDRAILS.
[00:28:25] WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT SAFETY IS FIRST.
[00:28:29] WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR KIDS, PROTECT OUR WORKERS.
[00:28:33] WE HAVE A LOT TO DO, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS A
[00:28:36] I WAS BORN, RAISED HERE IN CALIFORNIA. IT IS OUR BABY.
[00:28:40] WE SHOULD MAKE IT WORK QUI RIGHT.
[00:28:44] -- WE SHOULD MAKE IT WORK RIGHT. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO TAKE IT AND
[00:28:48] MAKE IT WORK WELL. BUT I KNOW IF CALIFORNIA IS ITS OWN, WE CAN MAKE SURE IT WORKS
[00:28:52] RIGHT. WE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT THEY
[00:28:55] PROSPER BUT WE PROSPER WITH HIM.
[00:28:57] WE COULD BUY SOME EQUITY IN AI TO MAKE SURE WE ALL GAIN FROM
[00:29:00] HAVING THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY WHICH
[00:29:02] WILL DRIVE THE 21ST CENTURY STAY IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:29:05] JUST LIKE I WANT TO KEEP ALL THE WOOD IN HOLLYWOOD, I WOULD LIKE
[00:29:08] TO KEEP THE TECH INDUSTRY HERE IN CALIFORNIA AS WELL.
[00:29:11] YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. IF THEY COME WORK WITH US, THEY
[00:29:14] WANT TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS ON THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COMMUNITY, I
[00:29:18] THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT MARRIAGE.
[00:29:20] MELANIE: I HAVE MANY MORE
[00:29:23] QUESTIONS, BUT WE ARE OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
[00:29:25] THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING A PART OF THIS. [APPLAUSE]
[00:29:38] [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2026] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
[00:29:42] VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ANNOUNCER: WE'VE GOT MORE FROM THE POLITICO SUMMIT IN
[00:29:45] SACRAMENTO, WHERE HOBBY OR BECERRA'S OPPONENT, STEVE HILTON, SAT DOWN FOR AN
[00:29:49] INTERVIEW.
[00:29:51] HE CRITICIZED DEMOCRAT RULE IN
[00:29:55] THE GOLDEN STATE AS EVIDENCE NEW LEADERSHIP IS NEEDED. THIS IS A LITTLE OVER 20 MINUTES.
[00:30:00] >> HI, I'M POLITICO'S MANAGING
[00:30:07] EDITOR FOR ENTERPRISE. I AM LUCKY TO BE HERE WITH STEVE
[00:30:09] HILTON, WHO IS RUNNING -- I
[00:30:12] THINK THIS IS THE FIRST REPUBLICAN ELECTED TO GOVERNOR
[00:30:15] IN AN OPEN ELECTION SINCE 1990. >> THAT IS EVEN WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.
[00:30:52] >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. SPENCER PRATT'S VIDEOS USED AI TECH TO SHOW WHAT IS CALLED THE
[00:30:56] MACHINE. WHY DID YOU NEED AI TO TELL THAT
[00:30:58] STORY?
[00:31:02] FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I THINK I AM THE ONLY PERSON IN
[00:31:06] THIS ROOM THAT BELIEVES I CAN WIN. AS FOR THE AD, I BELIEVE IN
[00:31:10] USING ALL STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES, AND WE ARE GOING TO USE THIS FRESH ONE FOR POLITICS.
[00:31:17] I BELIEVE IT IS IN THE TREND
[00:31:22] OVER THE CENTURIES. BUT THE QUESTION IS VERY REAL.
[00:31:25] I WOULD START IN AN UNLIKELY
[00:31:27] PLACE, WHICH IS CNN AND FURRY DZHOKHAR AREA SPECIFICALLY.
[00:31:32] A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU MAY HAVE
[00:31:36] SEEN HE LAID OUT A REALLY
[00:31:38] DEVASTATING CASE AGAINST THE 16
[00:31:45] YEARS OF ONE-PARTY RULE IN CALIFORNIA, AND HE WENT THROUGH
[00:31:48] ALL THE DETAILS, THE DOUBLING OF THE BUDGET, THE HOMELESSNESS
[00:31:51] CRISIS, THE HIGHEST TAXES FOR
[00:31:56] THE WORSE RESULTS, THE HIGHEST COST OF LIVING IN THE COUNTRY,
[00:31:59] THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATE, ETC., THE WORST BUSINESS CLIMATE AND SO ON.
[00:32:04] INCLUDING THE FACT THAT
[00:32:06] ACCORDING TO FAREED, 1.9 MILLION
[00:32:08] CALIFORNIANS ON THAT HAVE LEFT CALIFORNIA SINCE GAVIN NEWSOM BECAME GOVERNOR.
[00:32:12] BUT HE USED A PHRASE THAT SPEAKS EXACTLY TO THIS POINT THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT.
[00:32:16] HE DESCRIBED IT AS CALIFORNIA'S
[00:32:19] FAILED MODEL OF GOVERNANCE.
[00:32:22] I THINK THAT IS WHAT THAT AD IS
[00:32:23] POINTING TO, WHICH IS WE ARE
[00:32:29] POINTING TO A SITUATION WHERE --
[00:32:32] WHICH IS WE HAVE HAD A SITUATION
[00:32:35] WHERE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN HAVE DRIVEN POLICY IN A DIRECTION
[00:32:37] THAT MAY HAVE SERVED THEIR NEEDS BUT HAS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED
[00:32:42] WORKING PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA, SMALL BUSINESSES IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:32:44] I USED TO BE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
[00:32:47] IT IS JUST A COMPLETE FAILURE ON
[00:32:49] EVERY FRONT, AND IT SEEMS TO
[00:32:52] HAVE BEEN IMMUNE TO EVERY KIND OF CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT IS VERY POWERFUL, THE MACHINE IS VERY
[00:32:57] POWERFUL, FUNDED BY GOVERNMENT UNIONS, AND YOU'VE GOT THIS
[00:33:01] ALLIANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT UNIONS AND NONPROFITS AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ALL OF THIS.
[00:33:05] WE HAVE DEPICTED THAT IN THE AD. I THINK IT IS A VERY REAL
[00:33:09] MANIFESTATION OF WHAT HAS GONE
[00:33:13] WRONG IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:33:13] >> CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ENDORSE
[00:33:17] YOUR OPPONENT, AND YOU WROTE AN OP-ED THAT THEY NO LONGER REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF
[00:33:21] BUSINESS. WHO DOES REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF BUSINESS IN SACRAMENTO?
[00:33:27] OR DOES IT SUCCESSFULLY?
[00:33:30] MR. HELTON: ACCORDING TO CHIEF
[00:33:31] EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE, THEY DO AN ANNUAL SURVEY, AND THIS YEAR
[00:33:36] CALIFORNIA WAS RATED 50TH OUT OF 50 STATES FOR BUSINESS CLIMATE.
[00:33:40] JUDGING BY THAT, AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE MOST
[00:33:43] OVERREGULATED STATE.
[00:34:13] MR. HELTON: ACCORDING TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE, THEY DO AN ANNUAL SURVEY, AND THIS YEAR CALIFORNIA WAS RATED 50TH OUT OF 50 STATES FOR BUSINESS CLIMATE.
[00:34:17] JUDGING BY THAT, AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE MOST OVERREGULATED STATE.
[00:34:21] I MADE A SPEECH ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT AT THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB. WE ARE IN A REAL ECONOMIC CRISIS, HEADING FOR A CLIFF. EVERY DAY I MEET BUSINESS OWNERS
[00:34:24] WHO SAY IF WE DON'T CHANGE
[00:34:25] DIRECTION, WE ARE OUT.
[00:34:33] AS I RODE IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, IT IS A SENSE OF LEARNED HELPLESSNESS.
[00:34:34] THE BEST YOU CAN AIM FOR IS
[00:34:38] SUCKING UP TO THE POWERS THAT BE
[00:34:41] IN THE HOPE OF MAKING IT A BIT
[00:34:44] LESS BAD RATHER THAN GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE A
[00:34:46] COMPETITIVE ECONOMY THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO BUSINESS AND
[00:34:50] INVESTMENT THAT WE CREATE JOBS, WEALTH, AND OPPORTUNITY.
[00:34:54] THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. I AM HERE TO SAY WE CAN TURN IT AROUND. THAT IS WHY WE ARE RUNNING.
[00:35:00] I'VE GOT MY CAMPAIGN PITCH AS WE WERE TO THE VOTERS -- AS IT WERE
[00:35:04] TO THE VOTERS, AND MY FRIENDS IN THE MEDIA HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS
[00:35:07] MANY TIMES, OUR PLAN TO MAKE OUR
[00:35:08] STATE CAL-AFFORDABLE.
[00:35:16] YOUR FIRST 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS TAX-FREE, STARTER HOMES FOR
[00:35:20] YOUNG FAMILIES, THOSE ARE THE
[00:35:21] BENEFITS, BUT MY MISSION IS TO
[00:35:24] TRANSFORM OUR BUSINESS CLIENT, -- BUSINESS CLIMATE, TO MAKE
[00:35:28] CALIFORNIA COMPETITIVE AGAIN SO WE DO GET THE INVESTMENT AND THE JOB CREATION AND START TO TURN
[00:35:32] THINGS AROUND. I THINK IT IS AN ABSOLUTE CRISIS WE ARE IN IF WE DO NOT CHANGE DIRECTION.
[00:35:37] MELANIE: IF DEMOCRATS --
[00:35:40] >> IF DEMOCRATS HAVE MISMANAGED THE STATE, OUR VOTERS STUPID TO KEEP GIVING THEM POWER?
[00:35:44] MR. HILTON: NOT AT ALL. THE CHOICE OF A POSITIVE
[00:35:49] ALTERNATIVE HAS NOT BEEN MADE CLEAR ENOUGH. MANY VOTERS HAVE LEFT, HAVE
[00:35:51] GIVEN UP, AS THAT NUMBER CITED
[00:35:55] DETAILS, AND THAT'S NEARLY 2 MILLION PEOPLE, A LOT, WHO JUST
[00:35:58] LEFT THE STATE, GIVEN UP.
[00:36:05] MY JOKE AT THE BEGINNING IS ONLY PARTIALLY A JOKE. I THINK THERE IS A SENSE OF
[00:36:08] INEVITABILITY ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT HAS INFECTED A LOT
[00:36:14] OF THE POLITICAL DISCOURSE IN
[00:36:17] CALIFORNIA, THAT, WELL, IT'S CALIFORNIA, DEMOCRATS ARE ALWAYS
[00:36:20] GOING TO BE IN CHARGE, BUT CAN YOU DO?
[00:36:23] THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS EITHER MODERATE IT A LITTLE BIT IF YOU
[00:36:26] CAN OR JUST GIVE UP AND LEAVE. I THINK THAT IS A HOPELESS
[00:36:30] POSITION FOR A STATE AS MAGNIFICENT AS OURS TO BE IN, A
[00:36:33] STATE THAT HAS DONE SUCH AN
[00:36:35] INCREDIBLE JOB OVER THE YEARS OF
[00:36:39] LEADERS TO THE WORLD. THE IDEA THAT WE JUST PUT UP
[00:36:41] WITH THIS I THINK IS FRANKLY BENEATH US AS A STATE.
[00:36:45] >> YOU MENTIONED STARTER HOMES
[00:36:48] AS PART OF YOUR CALIFORNIA
[00:36:53] AFFORDABILITY. IS THAT A NOUN ARE ONLY AN ADJECTIVE?
[00:36:56] MR. HILTON: CAL-AFFORDABLE.
[00:37:01] >> I AM TAKING IT TOO FAR.
[00:37:05] MR. HILTON: I AM ADDICTED TO THEM.
[00:37:08] I WROTE A BOOK LAST YEAR CALLED CALLIE-FAILURE.
[00:37:12] SORRY, GAVIN. ANYWAY.
[00:37:15] >> IMAGINE A PROPERTY
[00:37:19] OWNER WANTS TO BUILD 10 STARTER HOMES ON A LOT IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.
[00:37:22] IT SHOULD HE HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE COUNTY RULES ARE?
[00:37:26] MR. HILTON: I AM VERY MUCH A
[00:37:30] BELIEVER IN LOCAL CONTROL OF THESE THINGS. ONE OF THE THEMES OF THE WORK I
[00:37:33] HAVE DONE IN BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT IS DECENTRALIZING
[00:37:36] POWER, PUTTING POWER DIRECTLY IN PEOPLE'S HANDS, AND I AM A FIRM
[00:37:41] BELIEVER IN LOCAL CONTROL OVER THOSE DECISIONS. THE WAY I THINK ABOUT THIS
[00:37:44] HOUSING QUESTION --
[00:37:47] >> THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE OBSTACLES IN MANY OF THESE CASES.
[00:37:50] MR. HILTON: LET ME JUST GET TO
[00:37:54] WHERE I WANT TO TAKE THIS CONVERSATION.
[00:37:56] HOUSING WAS THE FIRST ISSUE I
[00:37:58] REALLY STUDIED AND ENGAGED IN
[00:38:02] AFTER I HAD THIS UNEXPECTED NEW CAREER IN THE MEDIA, BUT MOST OF
[00:38:05] MY CAREER HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS.
[00:38:08] I WANTED TO GET BACK INTO THAT.
[00:38:10] I STARTED A POLICY ORGANIZATION YEARS BEFORE I DECIDED TO RUN
[00:38:14] FOR GOVERNOR, AND THE FIRST BIG ISSUE I LOOKED AT WAS HOUSING.
[00:38:17] THERE ARE IMMEDIATE, PRACTICAL THINGS WE CAN DO TO DEAL WITH
[00:38:19] THE HYSON CRISIS -- THE HOUSING
[00:38:23] CRISIS, PARTICULARLY THE COST, CAPPING IMPACT FEES, REDUCING
[00:38:26] SOME OF THE OVER COMPLEX, TOO
[00:38:31] ONEROUS AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BUILDING REGULATIONS THAT MAKE IT TWO OR THREE TIMES AS
[00:38:34] EXPENSIVE TO BUILD ANY STRUCTURE IN CALIFORNIA COMPARED TO
[00:38:37] NEIGHBORING STATES.
[00:38:49] CEQA REFORM IS ON THE BALLOT, PROP 45.
[00:38:53] THAT IS SOMETHING YOU COULD SAY ARE PRETTY NONCONTROVERSIAL.
[00:38:56] A LOT OF DEMOCRATS AGREE WITH THAT.
[00:38:58] IN THE PRIMARY, MANY OF US FOUND
[00:39:04] COMMON GROUND. THE BIG ONE WHERE I REALLY
[00:39:06] DIFFER IS TO CHALLENGE THIS IDEA OF DENSITY.
[00:39:09] THE SIMPLE WAY I PUT IT IS TO
[00:39:10] SAY RATHER THAN FORCING HOUSING
[00:39:15] INTO COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T WANT IT, LET'S ALLOW HOUSING TO BE
[00:39:18] BUILT IN PLACES THAT DO WANT IT.
[00:39:22] I AM ON THE ROAD ALL THE TIME IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:39:25] THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES IN OUR STATE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO
[00:39:28] BUILD OUTWARDS, NOT UPWARDS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD LET THEM.
[00:39:32] I JUST TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT. I DON'T CALL IT SPRAWL, I CALL
[00:39:35] IT CALIFORNIA DREAM. THAT IS CALIFORNIA.
[00:39:38] PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. I THINK WE SHOULD LET THAT BE
[00:39:42] BUILT RATHER THAN FORCING HOUSING INTO PLACES THAT DON'T WANT IT.
[00:39:45] >> TALKED A LOT ABOUT BREAKING
[00:39:49] UP BIG TECH BEFORE YOU RAN FOR GOVERNOR. WE HAVE HEARD LESS OF THAT FROM
[00:39:52] YOU THIS YEAR.
[00:39:55] MR. HILTON: I THINK THAT IS FAIR.
[00:39:59] COMPETITION IS GOOD. I HAVE ARGUED THAT WITH RESPECT
[00:40:03] TO UTILITIES IN CALIFORNIA, COMMON GROUND WITH TOM STIER THERE.
[00:40:08] MY OVERRIDING PRIORITY AS
[00:40:10] GOVERNOR WOULD BE TO MAKE US A
[00:40:16] LESS HOSTILE BUSINESS CLIMATE. SO I WANT TO CHANGE THOSE
[00:40:21] CONDITIONS. THERE IS AN UNDER DISCUSSED
[00:40:24] TOPIC THAT THE SCALE OF THE
[00:40:28] LITIGATION RISK FOR CALIFORNIA BUSINESS -- THE DATA IS SHOCKING.
[00:40:33] 50% OF CALIFORNIA BUSINESSES ARE BEING SUED RIGHT NOW.
[00:40:36] THERE IS A 90% CHANCE IF YOU START A BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA,
[00:40:40] YOU ARE GOING TO END UP IN A LAWSUIT.
[00:40:43] THESE THINGS I WANT TO DO WILL HELP ALL BUSINESSES.
[00:40:47] BUT WITHIN THE HIERARCHY OF SECTORS THAT NEED ATTENTION AND
[00:40:51] HELP, TO BE HONEST, THE TECH
[00:40:54] SECTOR IS DOING FINE.
[00:40:58] I'VE GOT STRONG VIEWS ON REGULATION OF TECH IN RELATION
[00:41:02] TO CHILDREN AND ARTISTS AND
[00:41:04] CREATIVITY AND COPYRIGHT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING MY FOCUS IS
[00:41:07] ON THE TWO INDUSTRIES THAT REALLY NEED EMERGENCY HELP, AND
[00:41:10] I WOULD SAY THAT IS ENTERTAINMENT AND AGRICULTURE.
[00:41:15] I THINK THOSE TWO ARE GOING TO BE THE PRIORITIES, BECAUSE THEY
[00:41:20] ARE IN DIRE STRAITS IF WE DO NOT ACT.
[00:41:22] >> SPEAKING OF THE ENTERTAINMENT
[00:41:25] INDUSTRY, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS BEEN INVOLVED BEHIND-THE-SCENES
[00:41:29] IN TRYING TO DISCOURAGE THE LAWSUIT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
[00:41:32] FILED TO BLOCK THE PARAMOUNT MERGER.
[00:41:35] WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS GOVERNOR IF THERE WERE RUN ATTORNEY GENERAL
[00:41:38] WHO WAS ENGAGING IN LITIGATION
[00:41:43] THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH?
[00:41:44] MR. HILTON: I WOULD HOPE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WOULD BE MY COLLEAGUE.
[00:41:48] ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE DONE THAT IS INNOVATION IN THIS RACE
[00:41:52] IS PUT TOGETHER A SLATE OF CANDIDATES, A TEAM RUNNING TOGETHER.
[00:41:57] HAS ANYONE KNOWS FROM BUSINESS, LIFE, ANYTHING, IT IS ALWAYS
[00:42:00] ABOUT A TEAM, NOT JUST ONE PERSON.
[00:42:03] IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ODD TO ME THAT CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR RUN
[00:42:06] AND THEN DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE OTHER VERY IMPORTANT STATEWIDE OFFICES.
[00:42:10] THERE IS A GUY RUNNING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, MICHAEL GATES,
[00:42:13] A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. WE WORKED TOGETHER CLOSELY.
[00:42:16] I AM HOPING HE WILL BE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
[00:42:20] BUT I WOULD USE WHAT OTHER POWER
[00:42:21] I WOULD HAVE TO DISCOURAGE ANY
[00:42:26] LITIGATION THAT WOULD BE AND DESTRUCTIVE TO
[00:42:29] CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING THIS ONE. I THINK IT IS TOTALLY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
[00:42:34] I DID NOT SEE ROB'S INTERVIEW EARLIER, BUT WHEN HE IS PRESSED
[00:42:37] ON THIS -- I'M PARTICULARLY
[00:42:39] STRUCK BY HIS INTERVIEW ON THAT
[00:42:47] INSIDER ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PODCAST -- HIS ARGUMENTS JUST
[00:42:49] DON'T ADD UP.
[00:42:55] SASHA: IT'S ON A WILDLY
[00:43:00] DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN WHAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING FOR PARTY OUT OF GOVERNMENT.
[00:43:03] WHAT LESSONS DO YOU TAKE FROM WHAT THE TORIES DID TO RETURN TO
[00:43:07] POWER IN 2010 THAT YOU CAN APPLY
[00:43:11] HERE? MR. HILTON: YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A
[00:43:14] POSITIVE VISION OF THE FUTURE AND BE VERY CONNECTED TO THE
[00:43:17] NEEDS OF THE MOMENT, AND THAT IS WHY FOCUSING ON THE COST OF
[00:43:20] LIVING -- THAT'S WHY IT IS THE FOCUS. I HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD PRETTY
[00:43:25] MUCH NONSTOP SINCE LAUNCHING MY CAMPAIGN IN APRIL.
[00:43:27] AND FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE THAT, LEARNING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND
[00:43:31] DEVELOPING POLICY SOLUTIONS. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING SO MUCH.
[00:43:34] YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THAT.
[00:43:37] AND REALLY SPEAK TO THAT VERY DIRECTLY.
[00:43:41] AND OFFER A POSITIVE SOLUTION.
[00:43:44] OF COURSE I'VE GOT CRITICISMS OF MY OPPONENT IN THIS RACE, SO I
[00:43:48] WOULD -- BASED ON THE REVIEWS OF
[00:43:53] HIS PERFORMANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH HIM, I DON'T KNOW IF
[00:43:57] YOU WANT THAT KIND OF PERSON IN CHARGE HERE, SO I'VE GOT LOTS TO
[00:44:00] SAY ABOUT THAT, BUT THE FOCUS,
[00:44:03] AS IT WAS BACK THEN, WAS GETTING PEOPLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT
[00:44:07] YOU'VE GOT A CLEAR AND POSITIVE, OPTIMISTIC VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
[00:44:11] I THINK THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE REALLY NOTED ABOUT MY THEN BOSS DAVID CAMERON.
[00:44:16] THEY HAD A SENSE OF OPTIMISM ABOUT HIM IN TERMS OF WHERE THE
[00:44:19] COUNTRY COULD GO. THAT IS CERTAINLY WHAT I FEEL
[00:44:23] ABOUT CALIFORNIA. I ALWAYS SAY WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING GOING FOR US.
[00:44:26] WE'VE GOT INCREDIBLE ASSETS AND RESOURCES.
[00:44:30] WE GOT NATURAL BEAUTY, THE BEST
[00:44:32] WEATHER, GREAT UNIVERSITIES, AMAZING PEOPLE, THE INCREDIBLE
[00:44:36] INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM, THE STARTUP HUSTLE SPIRIT.
[00:44:39] WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED TO
[00:44:40] BE TRULY AMAZING.
[00:44:45] WE JUST NEED, I THINK, A PROACTIVE, PRO-BUSINESS GOVERNOR
[00:44:49] THAT RECOGNIZES WE JUST ENDED UP THROUGH -- OFTEN WITH GOOD
[00:44:53] INTENTIONS, FRANKLY, IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'VE GOT THIS
[00:44:55] MASSIVE, BLOATED, BUREAUCRATIC
[00:44:59] GOVERNMENT THAT IS STIFLING THE SPIRIT OF CALIFORNIA. ALBEIT GOT TO DO IS STOP DOING
[00:45:03] THAT AND THE STATE WILL REALLY
[00:45:08] FLOURISH AS NEVER BEFORE.
[00:45:09] SASHA: SO NOW THE TORIES ARE OUT
[00:45:13] OF POWER AGAIN AND ARE AT RISK
[00:45:15] OF BECOMING THE UK'S THIRD PARTY
[00:45:17] NIGEL FARAGE'S REFORM, THE POPULIST RIGHT.
[00:45:21] YOU GET CREDIT FOR BEING POPULACE RIGHT BEFORE IT WAS
[00:45:25] COOL. WHO BETTER REPRESENTS THE BRITISH RIGHT RIGHT NOW, THE
[00:45:28] TORIES OR PRO-REFORM?
[00:45:30] MR. HILTON: I'M AFRAID I DON'T REALLY FOLLOW IT AT ALL.
[00:45:34] I AM FOCUSED ON WHAT IS GOING ON.
[00:45:35] SASHA: WE HAVE A DAILY PLAYBOOK
[00:45:38] AT OF WESTMINSTER THAT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. [LAUGHTER]
[00:45:40] MR. HILTON: I HAVE SAID THIS TO THE AUTHORS, AND I REALLY MEAN
[00:45:45] IT, THE FIRST THING I READ EVERY DAY IS PLAYBOOK CALIFORNIA.
[00:45:51] THAT IS MY FOCUS. IT REALLY IS A FANTASTIC SERVICE TO EVERYONE.
[00:45:54] SASHA: YOU ARE KNOWN TO CARRY A
[00:45:58] DUMB PHONE. IS THAT STILL THE CASE? MR. HILTON: YES.
[00:46:02] IT'S A FLIP PHONE.
[00:46:06] I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE IT ON ME, BUT YES.
[00:46:08] SASHA: SO YOU CAN MAKE CALLS BUT NOT THE OTHER FUN STUFF WE DO ON PHONES?
[00:46:12] MR. HILTON: YES, I CAN PHONE OR
[00:46:15] TEXT PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S IT. SASHA: THERE WAS NEWS A FEW
[00:46:19] WEEKS AGO THAT JIM CLYBURN SAID HE HAD NEVER USED AI BEFORE,
[00:46:22] THAT HE HAD BASICALLY JUST LEARNED WHAT CHATGPT WAS.
[00:46:26] WHY SHOULD CALIFORNIANS ACCEPT A GOVERNOR WHO IS GOING TO SET TECH POLICY WHO DOES NOT USE A CELL PHONE?
[00:46:30] MR. HILTON: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE ME WISH THEY WERE
[00:46:34] ABLE TO DO THE SAME, AND I THINK THERE IS A GROWING TREND OF
[00:46:37] PEOPLE FEELING THAT IT HAS GONE
[00:46:41] TOO FAR AND IT IS TOO
[00:46:43] DISTRACTING AND ALL-CONSUMING.
[00:46:46] TO BE BLUNT ABOUT IT, I THINK IT IS A POSITIVE THAT YOU WILL HAVE
[00:46:50] SOMEONE WHO HAS TIME TO THINK, TO REFLECT, THAT IS NOT JUST
[00:46:54] GLUED AND ADDICTED TO THEIR PHONE THE WHOLE TIME.
[00:46:57] BUT MORE SERIOUSLY, IT IS NO
[00:46:58] REFLECTION OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING
[00:47:03] OF TECHNOLOGY. I WAS A TECH STARTUP FOUNDER.
[00:47:07] I WAS THE CEO OF, I'LL BE AT A
[00:47:09] MODEST TECH STARTUP -- ALBEIT A
[00:47:18] MODEST TECH STARTUP. I STILL USE A LAPTOP.
[00:47:21] I AM NOT A TECHNOPHOBE. I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT IN
[00:47:25] BALANCE.
[00:47:25] SASHA: YOU HAVE PUT OUT POLICY
[00:47:29] PAPERS ABOUT CALIFORNIA SHOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO AI.
[00:47:31] IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENERGY BIT IS
[00:47:36] IN A DIFFERENT PLACE NOW. MR. HILTON: I THINK IT REFLECTS
[00:47:39] UNEASE IN WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, A SENSE THAT TECHNOLOGY
[00:47:43] IS TOO POWERFUL. THERE IS NO CONTROL OVER IT. IT IS OUT OF CONTROL.
[00:47:47] AND I THINK THERE IS A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC THINGS.
[00:47:50] I THINK TWO OF THE FOUNDERS IN
[00:47:53] PARTICULAR HAVE BEEN A DISASTER
[00:47:56] FOR THE REPUTATION OF THE INDUSTRY. OF COURSE THEY HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN TERMS OF
[00:48:00] THEIR BUSINESSES, BUT THE
[00:48:03] NARRATIVE THEY HAVE BEEN
[00:48:07] SPINNING FOR YEARS HAS BEEN CATASTROPHIC FOR PUBLIC TRUST IN THEIR OWN INDUSTRY.
[00:48:13] I THINK THAT IS A LARGE PART OF THE PROBLEM, THIS ENDLESS DOOM
[00:48:16] LADEN PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE
[00:48:17] THINGS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON
[00:48:23] HAS SAID THIS.
[00:48:26] THEY SAY EVERYBODY HATES US, I WONDER WHY. IT IS BECAUSE YOU TOLD THEM TO
[00:48:30] FEAR WHAT THEY ARE BUILDING. SO I THINK THE DATA CENTER THING
[00:48:33] IS A TANGIBLE PROXY FOR A GENERALIZED CONCERN ABOUT AI.
[00:48:39] MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. PEOPLE HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS.
[00:48:43] IF ONLY IT WAS A REAL ISSUE IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:48:46] WE ARE SO HOSTILE TO BUILDING THAT NO ONE IS EVEN WANTING TO
[00:48:49] BUILD DATA CENTERS PARTICULARLY IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:48:52] THEY GO TO TEXAS AND OHIO AND EVERYWHERE IT IS EASIER TO BUILD.
[00:48:57] LAST NIGHT, MY PLAN I LAID OUT
[00:48:59] WAS FOR A DECADE OF BUILDING IN CALIFORNIA WHERE WE ACTUALLY
[00:49:03] MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE
[00:49:04] MANUFACTURING AND HIGH-END
[00:49:08] ROBOTICS -- ALL THE THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.
[00:49:11] AI IS GOING TO ENABLE A RE-SHORING UP MANUFACTURING.
[00:49:15] IT IS GOING TO REDUCE THE COST ADVANTAGE OF OVERSEAS MANUFACTURING BECAUSE YOU CAN
[00:49:19] HAVE SUCH HIGH LEVELS OF AUTOMATION. NONE OF THAT IS GOING TO COME TO
[00:49:23] CALIFORNIA IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL. MY POINT ON AI, THE WAY I PUT IT
[00:49:26] LAST NIGHT AS WE ARE IN DANGER OF BOTH OVER AND UNDER
[00:49:29] REGULATING AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK WE ARE UNDER REGULATING
[00:49:32] SOME OF THE HARMS, FOR EXAMPLE,
[00:49:35] IN RELATION TO CHILDREN AND IN RELATION TO THE CREATIVE
[00:49:38] COMMUNITY AND THEIR OUTPUT, BUT WE ARE IN DANGER OF OVER
[00:49:42] REGULATING SOME OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS.
[00:49:44] YOU SEE THAT IN CALIFORNIA IN
[00:49:47] RELATION TO MEDICAL USE OF YOU , BUT THE REAL POINT I WANTED TO
[00:49:51] GET TO IS I WANT US IN CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THE FULL
[00:49:54] STACK OF AI JOBS.
[00:49:55] NOT JUST BUILDING THE SOFTWARE, BUT BUILDING ALL THE OTHER
[00:49:59] DRUGS. MOST OF THE TECH COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT WERE FOUNDED
[00:50:03] HERE, THEY HAVE FAR HIGHER
[00:50:05] EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR STATE.
[00:50:09] YOU JUST SAW LAST YEAR NVIDIA
[00:50:11] WAS THE GREATEST EXAMPLE, HALF
[00:50:13] TRILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT HE ANNOUNCED.
[00:50:15] ALL OF IT OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA. ALL OF THAT INVESTMENT AND JOBS
[00:50:19] GOING OUTSIDE OF OUR STATE. I WANT TO SEE US CAPTURE THAT
[00:50:23] HERE SO WE MOVE AWAY FROM HAVING THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
[00:50:26] AND HIGHEST POVERTY RATE IN THE COUNTRY. WE SHOULD BE LEADING ALL THESE
[00:50:30] THINGS, NOT BOTTOM OF THE TABLE.
[00:50:31] >> YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO LEARN I
[00:50:35] HAVE TO WRAP UP BEFORE I CAN ASK ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
[00:50:38] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. STEVE: THANK YOU.
[00:50:44] ♪ THANKS. ♪
[00:50:58] >> YOU ARE WATCHING C-SPAN. DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
[00:51:06] >> AMERICA CELEBRATES 250 YEARS,
[00:51:09] AND C-SPAN IS THERE TO MARK EVERY MOMENT.
[00:51:13] FROM THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, TO THE VOICES SHAPING OUR NATION'S
[00:51:16] FUTURE, FROM FAMOUS SPEECHES --
[00:51:19] >> GIVE ME DEATH. >> TO BATTLE REENACTMENTS.
[00:51:24] AND VISITS TO KEY HISTORIC SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[00:51:28] WE BRING YOU UNPRECEDENTED, ALL PLATFORM COVERAGE.
[00:51:32] EXPLORING THE STORIES, SITES,
[00:51:35] AND SPIRIT THAT MAKE UP AMERICA.
[00:51:37] JOIN US FOR A REMARKABLE COAST-TO-COAST COVERAGE,
[00:51:41] FEATURING KEY EVENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT MAKE POSSIBLE THE
[00:51:44] UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR FUTURE, CELEBRATING OUR NATION'S
[00:51:47] JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER NETWORK CAN.
[00:51:49] AMERICA 250, OVER A YEAR OF
[00:51:52] HISTORIC MOMENTS.
[00:51:55] C-SPAN, OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER OF AMERICA 250.
[00:51:58] >> C-SPAN IS BROUGHT TO BY CABLE, SATELLITE AND STREAMING
[00:52:02] COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE C-SPAN AS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
[00:52:04] >> C-SPAN IS THE OFFICIAL MEDIA
[00:52:10] PARTNER OF AMERICA 250,
[00:52:12] COMMEMORATING 250 YEARS OF
[00:52:15] AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. AMERICA 250 IS TRAVELING THE COUNTRY TO HONOR THE VOICES THAT
[00:52:19] DEFINE OUR NATION, STORIES OF IDENTITY, SERVICE, AND COMMUNITY.
[00:52:23] HERE IS ONE OF THEM.
[00:52:24] >> OK, SO YOU GUYS HAVE BOTH
[00:52:29] DONE THIS BEFORE. SO I JUST GOT HERE. LET'S GO AFTER THEM.
[00:52:35] THIS IS THE CHEMICAL.
[00:52:39] OK, SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE
[00:52:41] GETTING IT ALL OVER, JUST THAT
[00:52:45] MUCH. >> THIS IS A SERVICE PROGRAM.
[00:52:50] I WILL INVITE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS
[00:52:53] THING TO COME HELP US CLEAN GRAVESTONES.
[00:52:55] WE KNOW IT WE ARE DOING. WE ARE VERY GOOD AT IT AND WE DON'T CHARGE FOR IT.
[00:53:03] WE DID 40 SOMETHING STONES --
[00:53:05] THEY ARE RIGHT OVER THERE. I USE THIS ONE AS AN EXAMPLE.
[00:53:08] THIS STONE LOOKED JUST LIKE THAT SATURDAY MORNING.
[00:53:14] IT IS KIND OF A WAY OF HONORING ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO'VE GONE
[00:53:16] BEFORE US TO GIVE THEM THEIR RESPECTIVE CLEANING THEIR
[00:53:21] GRAVESTONES. THIS GUY HAPPENS TO BE A VETERAN. HOW DO I KNOW IT?
[00:53:24] IT SAYS CAPTAIN.
[00:53:27] HERE'S ANOTHER WAY I KNOW IT. SEE THAT THING?
[00:53:30] HE WAS ONE OF THOSE FOLKS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
[00:53:34] LEXINGTON IS AS OLD AS OUR COUNTRY IS. OLDER.
[00:53:38] SO YOU HAVE FOLKS WERE BURIED HERE THAT ARE PREREVOLUTIONARY
[00:53:42] WAR THERE ARE ABOUT 8000 PEOPLE
[00:53:45] BURIED HERE. I UNDERSTAND 10% ARE VETERANS.
[00:53:49] YOU WILL FIND VETERANS FROM EVERY ENGAGEMENT THE U.S. HAS
[00:53:52] BEEN IN, INCLUDING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. ALL THE WAY FROM THERE TO THE
[00:53:56] CURRENT WARS, WORLD WAR I, WORLD
[00:54:00] WAR II. AND OBVIOUSLY SINCE THIS IS
[00:54:04] LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS
[00:54:08] WERE ALSO HERE.
[00:54:09] I HAVE TWO GREAT GRANDFATHERS
[00:54:12] ONE WAS A LIEUTENANT IN THE GRAND ARMY OF REPUBLIC FROM IOWA
[00:54:16] . MY OTHER GREAT-GRANDFATHER FROM
[00:54:18] SOUTH CAROLINA WAS ALSO A SOLDIER, AND HE FOUGHT FOR
[00:54:22] ROBERT E. LEE, SO IT GOES WAY BACK.
[00:54:24] MY FATHER WAS A SURVIVOR OF PEARL HARBOR.
[00:54:28] HE WAS ON THE BATTLESHIP CALIFORNIA WHEN IT WAS SUNK THAT MORNING.
[00:54:32] HIS WIFE WAS A NAVY NURSE WHOSE WIFE WAS IN THE WAR WHEN WE TOOK OUT SADDAM HUSSEIN.
[00:54:38] AND I WAS A NAVAL OFFICER FOR 24 YEARS. I GRADUATED FROM THE NAVAL
[00:54:43] ACADEMY IN JUNE OF 1969.
[00:54:48] IN NOVEMBER, I GOT AN ALL EXPENSE TRIP TO GO TO VIETNAM.
[00:54:52] I WAS THERE FOR THANKSGIVING. WE'VE BEEN VERY PROUD TO SERVE
[00:54:56] OUR COUNTRY, AND IN OUR CASE, WE
[00:55:00] ALL HAPPEN TO BE IN THE NAVY.
[00:55:03] THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE DURING THE ARMY-NAVY FOOTBALL GAME.
[00:55:07] BUT IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK,
[00:55:10] WE ARE ABOUT AS AMERICAN AS YOU CAN GET ON BOTH SIDES.
[00:55:12] I LIVED AS A CHILD WITH A FATHER
[00:55:15] WHO WAS A REAL VETERAN WHO DID EVERYTHING BUT DIED DURING WORLD
[00:55:18] WAR II AND THAT AND BEDDED ON ME.
[00:55:22] I THINK A LOT OF VETERANS WHO
[00:55:23] REALLY SERVED IN HARM'S WAY, YOU
[00:55:27] WILL FIND THAT THEY DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
[00:55:29] IT WAS TOO PAINFUL, DIFFICULT.
[00:55:32] EVEN NOW, THERE ARE MANY
[00:55:34] VETERANS WHO ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE THERE IS KIND OF
[00:55:38] SOMETHING SUBHUMAN ABOUT GOING AND DOING THE DIRTY WORK THAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY.
[00:55:42] GO AHEAD.
[00:55:47] IF YOU WATCH US CLEAN SOME
[00:55:49] GRAVES, THE PROCESS, YOU WILL
[00:55:52] SEE FOR YOURSELF, IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE
[00:55:56] BECAUSE THIS GRAVESTONE IS
[00:55:58] CONVERTED RIGHT IN FRONT OF US FROM A COLD STONE TO A REAL
[00:56:02] HUMAN BEING WHO LIVED.
[00:56:11] THERE HAVE BEEN ALL SORTS OF
[00:56:13] PEOPLE WHO WERE VIOLENTLY ATTACKING EACH OTHER, SHOOTING EACH OTHER.
[00:56:18] IT HAS GONE ON AND ON, BUT WE SEEM TO HAVE THIS MAGNET THAT
[00:56:22] BRINGS US BACK TOGETHER.
[00:56:24] IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST SOCIETIES, CULTURES AND
[00:56:29] HISTORIES HAVE LASTED IN ROUND
[00:56:33] NUMBERS ABOUT 200 50 YEARS.
[00:56:36] WELL, HERE WE ARE. THE QUESTION FOR ALL OF US TO
[00:56:38] THINK ABOUT, WILL THERE BE A
[00:56:41] U.S. 250 YEARS FROM NOW?
[00:56:44] THERE'S SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT. YOU CAN HAVE COMPASSION, GET
[00:56:48] ALONG WITH EACH OTHER, AND YOU CAN ARGUE RESPECTFULLY FROM
[00:56:52] THOSE WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW,
[00:56:54] BUT WE DON'T NEED TO GO BEYOND THAT. I'M DENNIS BUSSEY, AND THIS IS OUR AMERICAN STORY.
[00:57:11] >> C-SPAN'S COVERAGE OF THE AMERICAS 250 OUR AMERICAN STORY IS PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTUBE.
[00:57:16] CAMPAIGN 2026 IS UNDERWAY, AND THE STAKES CANNOT BE HIGHER.
[00:57:19] EVERY SEAT IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS UP
[00:57:23] FOR GRABS, ALONG WITH 33 U.S.
[00:57:25] SENATE RACES AND THE OUTCOME OF
[00:57:27] BOTH COULD RESHAPE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN WASHINGTON.
[00:57:32] VOTERS WILL ALSO DECIDE 36 GUBERNATORIAL CONTEST.
[00:57:34] FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO ELECTION NIGHT.
[00:57:37] FOLLOW CAMPAIGN 2026 ON C-SPAN
[00:57:42] NETWORKS. C-SPAN, BRINGING YOU DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
[00:57:45] >> NOW, DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATE
[00:57:51] CANDIDATE SHERROD BROWN MADE A STOP IN NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO,
[00:57:54] TO MEET WITH SUPPORTERS AND DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SECURITY.
[00:57:58] BROWN, WHO SERVED AS SENATOR
[00:57:59] FROM OHIO FROM 2007 TO 2025,
[00:58:03] DISCUSSED HIS OWN RECORD ON ECONOMIC POLICY AND ALSO
[00:58:08] CRITICIZED HIS OPPONENT, REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN HOUSTON ON THE IRAN WAR.
[00:58:13] MR. BROWN WOULD GO ON TO FACE SENATOR HE STATED IN THE
[00:58:18] GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT RATED A TOSSUP.
[00:58:24] [APPLAUSE]