Sound On: President's Asia Trip and Monkeypox Explained (Radio)

Contrary to what some former presidents might say. Donald Trump, you know he's won some and lost some so far in this election cycle, but his endorsement still really does matter. Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio, Joe Biden says, yes, America will defend Taiwan militarily if China invades. Where did he say that? Welcome to the fastest hour in politics as the President makes news on his first trip to Asia, not just the kind of White House wanted.

Discussed the impact of the trip, as well as the latest from Ukraine following a very busy weekend with David garden Stein Ross, the CEO of Valens and adviser at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Later the White House monitoring the monkey pox outbreak. Are you up to date on this we're gonna speak with an expert, infectious disease expert Dr Matt Lawrence from the University of Maryland about what it might mean for policy and possibly the economy.

And a day before the Georgia primary, we assemble our signature panel for analysis with Bloomberg Politics contributors Jeanie Schanzano and Rick Davis. So here we are back together again in a Monday, a new week of opportunities, or so we like to think, and we're starting to get used to this routine. As the White House moves to clarify comments from President Biden about Taiwan. This time, the President was in Tokyo news conference with the Prime Minister formal

news conference reporters in the room. Joe Biden asked about the One China policy and our willingness to defend Taiwan from China. Again. We've been down this road a lot of times, and unlike many news stations today, we're going to play you the entire exchange. Okay, the reporter and the president. Here we go. You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict military lye for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan.

If it comes to that, you are, That's a commitment we made. That's a commitment we made. We are not. Look, here's a situation. We agree with the One China Policy, we signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there. But the idea that that it can be taken by force, just taken by force is just not is just not appropol dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in in uh in Ukraine. And so it's a it's a bird that

is even stronger. Okay. So the question was are you willing to get involved militarily in Taiwan? She said, if it comes to that very direct question. His answer was yes, period, one word answer. That almost never happens in politics or anywhere, one word a yes or no answer. But again he just mentioned the One China Policy. The President also said at the same event that the US was not changing its policy towards Taiwan, which the White House then underscored

for the rest of the day. Nothing to see here moved right along, and a short time later the sect death chimed in. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hit that home from the Pentagon. As the President said, our one

one China policy has not changed. Uh he uh reiterated that policy in our commitment to peace instability across across the Taiwan straight But as you'll read on the terminal, the president, the President or and or his aids have had to clarify his remarks on Taiwan four separate occasions, leading some to wonder if maybe that's actually how he really feels. Sometimes it comes out remembering that just last week China's top diplomat said that the US members going

down a dangerous road when it comes to Taiwan. There were well aware of this, and after a meeting of the Quad nations here on the trip that's the big finale, the trip US Japan, Australia, India, you wonder how Beijing and be feeling. Then that's why we wanted to talk to David David Gartenstein Ross, the CEO of Valence, Senior Advisor on Asymmetric Warfare at the Foundation for Defensive Democracies. David, welcome. I want to start with these comments from Joe Biden

before I ask you about some other things. Should we just believe at some point what he's saying. When it comes to Taiwan, I'd say no, because the US IS policy is more than just a policy of the president. You have this embarrassing spectacle each time Biden answers directly where the White House, which Biden, of course is the head of, then tries to walk back what he said. So obviously we should believe that this is what Biden thinks. What the U. S thinks is different than what the

president thinks. Find to make the difference. But but you know, sometimes the truth comes out when you speak publicly a lot, and so this does sound like it's coming from his heart. Right, realizing that's not necessarily the policy of the administration, he leads, that's your point. Well, yeah, and so if the question is should we believe that this is what's in Biden's heart, absolutely we should. He said it too many times to

think otherwise. But US policy is a complex thing. You can see this even you can see this across almost every administration we've had recently. If you go to the Trump administration, there's Trump versus the Deep States, right, at least the way it was framed publicly. You know, what, what is the US this position, Well, that shows the US being an opposition with itself. In this case the bidens.

It's nowhere near as extreme, but you still have this lack of unity and the statements that are being constantly walked back by the White House after the President says them. Of course, Beijing likes to read between the lines. I suspect as well, what is the combination the vat of these remarks based on just the projection of power that we've seen since the trip began, going through South Korea, going to Japan, culminating with the meeting of the Quad.

Overall a successful trip on the whole um, there were you know, a few different issues at play. One big issue is North Korea. I think when it comes to the North Korea issue, we can see Biden this trip as being a win. What he wanted to do was make sure that US allies in the region were basically unified on North Korea issue, and that there is the appearance that all like the the US, that Japan and South Korea and other lies are ready to ACTI visit

the North Korea nuclearization. There's the issue of China and its relationship with Before you move to China, though, David, there was no nuke test, right, isn't that a win for the White House? Absolutely? It was. Yeah, at least a perceptual win. One can debate causality and the like, but yes, I think there's no doubt that that's a win that the White House can claim. Do you read

into that? I don't, because North Korea is so unpredictable. Um. If you if you look at even expert level North Korea watchers and look at how their predictions age once they get to a falsifiable clearing, the record is not great and so I don't read too much in I do say that the White House can claim credit. Whether it deserves credit is you know, a complex causal question that we will leave to the stages. Got it? So China's watching all of this happened from the well, the

other side of the wall. I guess we'll say that what are they thinking in Beijing? I think, um, they probably have two opposed thoughts at the same time. On the one hand, UM, I think that the trip did a good job of showing that the US is on the same page with other allies who President Biden visited when he took his trip to East Asia on the other hand, I think they can take some solace in m Biden's statement being walked back by the White House.

You're seeing the US and at least somewhat policy disarray is probably relatively heartening. So I think that that they can take, you know, more than one message away. But on the whole, I think the message was was one that Taiwan is not isolated, um that ultimately numerous states are concerned about a possible Chinese invasion into Taiwan, and that doing so would certainly be different braatically and economically

costly for China to be. The backdrop here, of course, is a war in Ukraine, one that we are very heavily funding here on on behalf of the Ukrainians. The President couldn't answer the question about Taiwan without referring to Ukraine. It's certainly present in the conversation here, and I need to ask you about what is going on in Ukraine's

war against Russia, and of course our involvement. We heard today not only from the Secretary of Defense, he was briefing with General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and a lot of concern about what's going on in the Black Sea here, as Russia essentially helps to starve a good chunk of the world by blocking off ports that would Ukraine would be using to export wheat and other grains. UH. General Milly talked about the Black Sea

as a very dangerous place here. We've got reports at this point that we may be equipping Ukraine UH with with more naval weapons, torpedo boats and so forth help go after the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. General Millie speaking to this part of the world today here he is, we don't have any U S naval vessels in the Black Sea. We don't intend to unless directed UH and right now it's a bit of a stalemate

there between the Ukrainians. Wanted him to make sure that there's not any sort of amphibious landing against Odessa, UH and the and the right now, so that's it's a it's a no go zone for commercial shipping. As an expert on asymmetric warfare, divied when you consider what's happening there and the idea of the US staying in touch with and upgrading the weapons that we're providing, along with Russia's hope to cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea, what do we see happening in the next weeks. The

next week is is hard to predict. But I want to talk a little bit about the stakes here, right because you mentioned the failure to open the ports, and that's come up um in a number of different contexts, including being raised by the head of the UN World

Food Program at Davos at the World Economic Forum. Um. You know the there are Ukraine is the world's breadbasket in many ways, right the farmers grow enough food to feed four dred million people and right now you have um multiple people by some accounts, maybe fifty million people who are knocking on famine's door across multiple countries. Forty three different countries have the risk of major food crisis, and so the ripple effect is substantial in terms of

human costs. So there's greater pressure to do something to fat absolutely there is. Does the United States get involved more in a naval battle in the Black Sea is my question. So if that's the question, I think the answer is a resounding note the US is not. In my opinion, the US is highly unlikely to get involved in direct military action. It's likely to continue indirectly as

it has been. There's some unpredictability. But it seems that President Biden does not want a direct military confrontation with Russia and that part is not evolving. David Gartenstein Ross, the CEO of Valens, also an advisor the Foundation for the Defense of Demography. Democracy is great insights and thank you for being with us the panels. Next, this is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg you Sound On with Joe Matthew

on Bloomberg Radio. So the actions in Ukraine helped to drive talk about Taiwan during President Biden's trip to Asia, and I suppose we should not be surprised by that. I'm Joe Matthew and Washington. Welcome to Sound On. It's time to assemble the panel from Bloomberg Politics contributors Jeanie Shenzano and Rick Davis with us on the fastest hour in politics. Genie, you know, with this president, with Joe Biden, sometimes the words just come out. Is he telling us

what he really believes that about Taiwan? But he clearly is. He said it at least three times publicly, you know, and when you listen to it, I had a little bit of deja vous back to his last foreign trip when he talked about regime changed Visa VI Vladimir Poo and another white host walked it back. But you know, it's also a I think important to ask the question, who thought in this world that if Taiwan was invaded

by anyone that the US would not be involved. Clearly, any war game you look at the US is involved in, Taiwan is invaded. So he is saying, I think what he believes, he's saying where US policy has long been drifting and should be. You know, the big question here is did he say it at the right time in the right way. You know, has he explained it clearly enough as it differentiates from Ukraine to the American public, Those questions are clear. But the fact is this has

been US policy for some time. It's where we're going, and it's not really a surprise except that he sort of said it with a one word answer on this overseas trip. Yeah, he takes yet yes or no answer to that is is quite remarkable. Rick. Why was he trying to to poke the Chinese a little bit there to actually do this intentionally knowing it would be walked back within minutes. No, I think this is really his

speaking from the heart. As was mentioned earlier in the interview. Uh, this is I think what he thinks, not what his policy United States. I mean, it wasn't just a yes or no answer. The thing that I thought was interesting is he says it's a commitment we made UH to defend Taiwan. And I'm not exactly sure what commitment that

is because that is not the one China policy. We We've agreed to give Taiwan the necessary means to defend itself and so, but Jennie's right if he wants to then enter into a conflict with China, he's going to have the ability to do that. That doesn't necessarily have to be US policy, but it can be the actions on the Biden administration, and that that's probably what he's forecasting. I don't know that this is remembered well or not, Genie. It's hard to tell within hours of something like this,

But you total, has it been a successful trip? The President is making his first foray in the Asia here with a lot of very important allies he will be meeting with tomorrow the Quad following the visits to South Korea and Tokyo. How's it gone? You know? I think overall, it's gone as well as can be expected. You talked a little bit about the issue with North Korea. Um

the Mini t p P announcement. You know, I I think that's a bit more difficult for the administration because, quite frankly, the problem Biden, in any US president has there is our problems with domestic problems with trade versus anything going on overseas. So, you know, to talk about a t p P, imagine him trying to get something like that through Congress right now. You know that is so prone to so political turmoil over here. That's a problem. But I think overall he's shored up relations in the

best way he can. He's trying, I think rightly so to follow up response to Russia's invasion in Ukraine and tell China don't even think about it, because the United States has no choice, quite frankly, given our economic relations and everything else, but to respond. And let's just be clear, there's nothing ambiguous about that. Everybody knows it. The question

is when do you say it. Well, that's right, Uh, Genie is referring to the t p P light if you will, the Mini t PP They call it the Indo Pacific economic framework about a dozen countries here, Rick, Uh. It's kind of a set of standards, but it's been criticized because it doesn't actually open any new markets to anyone. Is is this just window dressing to kind of have a point for the trip. Well, it's it's it's a message, right, I mean, it was. It was brought up during the

Obama administration. Trump knocked it out as part of his administration signal he withdrew from it. It set a signal to the region that, um, we were going to vacate the region. China moved in with its own version of an exit export import Bank and a trade developed Bank. So, I mean, the big chess pieces of the region have have needed more US engagement, and so one this trip does that. It re engages the president ahead of the

country in in the region too. It sends a clear signal that our trade lines are open, that they're not going to have to go to China to get a deal on trade. UH. And and I think especially UH the South Korea trip, they are in a tight position right there bordered by both China and and UH in North Korea, and I think showing support for them in a region where you know they live in a very

dangerous neighborhood. Was particularly important at this time because they are such a great ally, as are the other members of the of the of the quad. So um, I think it's a very successful trip just because he took it, you know, and he had a few little things to go along the way to bolster the agreements. But the fact that he's there shows we can do more than one thing at a time, well, not just wrapped up in Ukraine. That the showing up is is something it

hadn't happened yet. We talked a lot an about the pivot to Asia. What does it tell you that Kim Jong un decided not to set off a nuke? You know, it's hard to read anything he does or doesn't do. But I have to say, and I agree with Rick, the fact that you're we are handling our responsibilities visa of the Ukraine and Asia at the same time shows that this idea of a pivot is so twenty tens. We're so beyond that. We have to do both. We have to be able to handle our responsibilities in in

Europe rather and Asia at the same time. And I thought one important thing the President said, unlike his Economic Advisor over the weekend. He said a recession is not inevitable in the United States, and we got that on tape, right, and that's maybe a political problem for him. His administration won't go so far. So I think that's another important statement that came out of this that's been under discussed. The first read from Rick and Jennie on the trip.

Here there with us for the hour, and we will bring the panel back as we turned to monkey Box next. Are we ready for this? We'll talk with an expert on infectious disease and what this might mean for policy

and public health. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg broadcasting live from our nation's capital, Bloomberg to New York, Bloomberg eleven Frio to Boston, Bloomberg one, O six one to San Francisco, Bloomberg nine six to the country, Serious x M General one and around the globe the Bloomberg Business app and Bloomberg Radio dot Com. This is Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew. We have yet to win the war on COVID cases arising again in a number of cities,

including New York and Well, here comes monkey Pots. The White House tamping down concerns. We're gonna learn a lot more about it though, from an expert. Dr Matt Lawrence from the University of Maryland will be here next. The symptoms, they say, begin with fever, headache, general lethargy. Not talking about COVID, talking monkey pox up the speed. Here a rare and potentially deadly cousin of the smallpox virus, and it's now spreading in areas we tend not to see

monkey pox Europe and North America. Now before COVID, you know, this may have just stayed under the news media radar. Not now though. It's a big story, whether you want it to be or not, whether it deserves to be or not. So we need to learn about a President Biden offered initial remarks when he was first asked on his trip to Asia. These are remarks that have since

and clarified. Here's the first swing. What question, What if your health advisors told you your level of concern should be about monkey pox and the patents that in the United States around the world. Well, they haven't told me the level of exposure yet, but it's something that everybody should be concerned about it. We're working on art figure out, what can we do, whatev may be available for it, but it is concern, said spread spons a concern if

it were to spread, consequential whoa uh what. The President then clarified his remarks not much later, as he spoke in Tokyo. I just don't think it rises for the level of a kind of concern that existed with COVID nineteen. But I think people should be careful. Oh well, that sounds better. The President's COVID response coordinator, they call him the COVID czar, says more cases are likely to follow. We heard from Dr Ashisha, the White House Coronavirus Response coordinator.

Here's the state. I would not be surprised if we see a few more cases in the upcoming days. Anytime we haven't infections, these outbreaks like this, we should all be paying attention. So everyone's paying attention. But there's not a lot to worry about. Is that what I'm hearing? The President says the US does have enough smallpox vaccine

stockpile to deal with the outbreak. Pretty great news. We didn't start COVID that way, But he says people still need to be careful and we want to compare notes with an expert, as I mentioned in this case, an expert in infectious disease. Dr Matt Lawrence, professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is with us right

now to help us learn a little bit more here. Doctor, Are you concerned about this or is the President getting right in his clarified remarks, Well, it's something that we should definitely pay attention to and something that we should track and trade. As far as the likelihood of it causing significant illness and hospitalization in the general public, it doesn't appear to be fatal for most individuals, so it's not rising to the level of concern such as COVID nineteen.

Makes you feel better to know we have an ample supply of smallpox vaccine or does it not get that far? Well, absolutely so. We do know that the smallpox vaccine is highly protective against monkey pox. But as you know that the majority of the US population born in the nineteen seventies and after are not vaccinated against U smallpox, So this would be a concern for that piece of the population. But I'm not sure that we need to go and vaccinate everyone for small I'll come down. Yeah, Well, the

level of transmission is very low for this illness. So with monkey pox, it requires contacts to spread, so it can't be spread through the air through respiratory droplets very easily. You'd have to be really close to someone and they'd have to cough on you pretty hard, and you'd have to be hit with those respiratory droplets to be infected. We understand that it is sexually transmitted. That is correct, Doctor it at Here's that that could be the case.

We're learning more about this particular outbreak and there have been statements from Europe that that suggests that there is sexual transmission that's involved in the current outbreak that's occurring. But very little is known about this virus in terms of how it spreads and how it's evolved. Well, so, Dr that said, how do policymakers respond to this appropriately. We're coming off of, you know, the historic pandemic here. I like to think we're coming off. It feels like

sometimes they're going back in. But based on what we've learned from COVID, based on some of the hesitancy that we've seen from Americans in the age of COVID, what's the most effective approach for policymakers and for this administration absolutely, So what we should prioritize now are the standard epidemiology practices of identification of affected individuals, isolation and quarantine to stop the spread, and then continued monitoring of others that

are coming from areas that are affected or who have been close contacts. These will help to contain the spreads of of the monkey park. Well, this will this result in new travel warnings, mandates, etcetera. Are we going to start keeping people out of the country coming from certain places? Probably not to that degree. There might be heightened surveillance, and individuals if they've been exposed to someone but simply traveled to an affective country probably will not have implications

as far as limitations and restrictions. Well, I'll tell you, do you ever think we'd be talking about this one? I mean, has this been on your radar? Doctor? It certainly hasn't. But you know, as recently as last year, two cases were identified in the United States, one in Texas and one in a patient in Maryland. So it's not something that we've never seen before. It's just this particular outbreak appears to be large and and show different

UH mode of transmissions. Potentially compared to previous outbreaks. Well, I hope that next time we talk to you it's to say, gosh, good thing you will, right, doc, because it does have a different level of urgency in the age of COVID. Dr Matt Lawrence. Great to have you, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, an infectious disease expert with us on monkey pocks here. What's next, Well, the panels next. Maybe we'll get into this for a minute, but we have to prepare you

for primary day tomorrow. It's a big one. Brand Trump on the line in Georgia, and Rick and Genie have the analysis coming up on the fastest hour in politics. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Three more states vote tomorrow, another important primary day, one of the most important yet with Georgia voting. It's personal for Donald Trump, they say, and a couple of big races that he could have

trouble winning at least his endorsed candidates. But well, we still need still know the outcome of the last one. In Pennsylvania Republican Senate Republican primary this is the big one. We endorsed Dr Oroz over David McCormick. There within hundreds of votes now, and it does appear a recount is likely. Let's get into it with the panel Bloomer Politics contributors, Rick Davis, Genie Chanzano, Rick, Uh, this is I'm gonna go to our recount, right It's inevitable at this point, Yeah,

it's inevitable. Right now, the current count has the uh little over nine hundred votes between Dr Oz and David McCormick. So that's about as close as it gets. And right now the expectation is be a recount and then it should be over by and around June seven. They're already arguing about undated ballots. Genius, and we're gonna believe the recount. That's the big question. You know, you heard even Rna McDaniel, the the head of the RNC, she said ballots should

not be counted with a date. But of course, in an unrelated case, you had a judge come out in Pennsylvania and say you can count on dated absentee ballots. What timing for that? And of course the McCormick campaign seized on that, and Oz's campaign shot back that they are acting like Democrats, and you know, so what I agree, there's obviously going to be a recount, whether people will

believe it. What's so fascinating here is this is Republicans on Republicans, you know, questioning about this vote count and what you can trust and what you can't. And you know, you have to wonder if this keeps going on, at what point do Republicans start to question this entire idea that the election was stolen because now other people and their own party as saying their own votes shouldn't be counted.

So it's a big mess for Republicans. John Federman out of the hospital, uh Rick Davis, we talked about this. He had a stroke couple of days before the primary. Wanted, uh without you know, any issue at all, a commanding lead here. Is this the best thing that could happen to him? This recount underway? Now, Well, it's certainly Stimey is a Republican launching and consolidating his campaign and consolidating

the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. So sure, I mean, anytime you can get a couple of weeks head start in politics, you want to take it. But he's got to do it himself, right, He's got to convince people that he's healthy enough and vigorous enough to amount a campaign. So I'd say both Republicans and nevergrets have their own challenges to overcome. Uh, and it will be interesting to see who's best at doing that even before the real campaign starts.

Speaking of stealing elections, Genie, it's onto Georgia tomorrow kind of the I don't know if you could say that, call it ground zero or for the controversy at least because Donald Trump blames governor, Brian Campy blames the Secretary of State, and these are the two races that we're watching here. It appears his chosen candidate, at least for governor and former senator for Due is just it's it's it's such a long shot that it's basically impossible for

him to win this. Now he's he's down boy over twenty points. Yeah, it's pretty much over. Kemp has started

focusing on the general election obviously versus Stacy Abrams. And you know what's fascinating to me was when Kemp has been asked by reporters, he says, oh, I have a good relationship with Pence who's obviously endorsing him and Trump, and then he went on to say I'm not mad at Trump, He's mad at me, which is you know, it's actually a really interesting response because you can bet that when this is over and certainly Kemp wraps this up, that Trump is going to find a way to turn

this around. But I think Kemp has been telling voters throughout the state that listen, let's focus on what's going on here. We're not going to listen to outsiders, and that has worked for him. He's twenty points up over Perdue, who stopped even running ads at this point, so it is very much over. It's got the r g A behind him here. Rick. He's also got a guy named Mike Pence bold enough to campaign for him against the

Trump endorsed candidate. Uh. There was a tweet earlier today from Jonathan Martin at the New York Times and came out with that most recent book about Trump that had all the Kevin McCarthy tape on it. He started the tweet by saying, the rupture is now complete? Is he right? You know? Look, I mean the Republican governors met recently in Arizona and said they're tired of this vendetta tour

and they're gonna take a position against it. Um. So there are there are a lot of Republican governors who are pretty upset with this uh prosecution that that that that the president, the former president has done against them because they because they counted and certified an elections, got nothing to do with the election today. I would say Brian Kempt is right. Donald Trump does not like him. He spent two and a half million dollars of his pack money, which for him to spend any pack money

is uh really interesting development. But uh, this is a hard fought race, and I would say not only Mike Pence, but his former chief of staff Mark Short who's now been working for Brian Kemp, wants to make sure that they exceed the fifty percent threshold to not have to do a runoff and that they can do a victory lap around Donald Trump. That is the number one thing that's gonna happen tomorrow. The brad Raevensburger the Secretary of State race, the other big one that people are watching.

You ever heard rick of a congressman stepping I guess down to run for a state office like this? Well, this is another uh Donald Trump inspired campaign. I mean he really is to take out um Brad Rafsenburger and and recruited Jody Heist to run in this race. So you're right, Uh, he's taken one for the team in this regard, but the team Trump Uh really Uh this is another dangerous one though it's a dead heat right now. But if Brad Rathsenburger pulls this out, it'll be a

real down day for Donald Trump. Well, that's for sure. Uh what's your expectation on that one, Jennie, You know, I think it's really too close to call, Like like Rick was saying that they are neck and neck at this point. But if you can imagine if you have Jody Heist, Wind and mast Triano in Pennsylvania, in two critical states, you will then have secretaries of state in

place who questioned the validity of the election. And of course reports out this weekend shows that that is, you know, where we have many candidates on the Republican side and those that Trump endorsed, and that raises real trouble for well this time tomorrow and of course the once we have the results on Wednesday, we're gonna be talking a lot more about this. There's got some good ones in Arkansas.

We've got three states voting tomorrow. Georgia, though, is going to be taken up all the ink, likely because of these two races. I'm gonna take this opportunity to just remind everybody, encourage everybody, especially if you're just showing up now, to subscribe to the sound on podcast. And I I feel more of a need to do that knowing that word. I didn't realize this. There's ever more competition. Even Ted Cruz has his own podcast now. Of course people use

the term podcast loosely. This is an online video segment that he produces, uh and boys getting a lot of attention. He even got Genie's attention, which is why I'm talking about it now. I don't First of all, I don't know why every elected official needs a podcast, but then again, that's the age we're in. Everyone gets a show and he's making news. Not talking about a politician, but Pete Davidson.

You guys watched Saturday Night Live Pete david I was actually excited when I found out, you know, we had to wear masks because I figured this sounds really crappy to say, but like I figured lest people would recognize me, but it didn't work, because everyone can still recognize me from my eyes. You see someone who looks like he just woke up and hasn't slept in days. That guy he just had his last show on Saturday Night dating Kim Kardashian. Now, and Ted Cruz just doesn't get it.

He's got a podcast, it's called The Verdict. He talks to some other guy remotely about it while he's sitting in a big easy chair with a microphone, big mic stand the senator from Texas as they talked about something. I what was it? Toxic femininity? Kim seems fine, she U B s N L. Guy. I don't, I can't. I don't know what uh I mean? Pete david said, all right, how come that dude gets all of these like hot women because of toxic femininity? Senator? What that

is the evidence that something has gone wrong? Pete Davidson was dating Kate beckins Dale. I mean, you're talking underworld. You're talking like super hot vampires in black leather trench code, and you're like, really this an L dude? Like wow, that's Ted Cruz, the senator, Harvard educated senator from Texas. It's even been mentioned as possibly being on the shortlist for the Supreme Court. Genie, you own this wouldn't be talking about it right now without you should elected members

of Congress have podcasts for starters, well for starters. Everybody should go to sound On listen to that podcast is the best podcast. Um. And you know, I'm so sorry I brought this up. I was just so stunned. As much as I cover everything going on, he's making an ad with this, though, come on to learn that Ted Cruz had this podcast and it wasn't policy oriented. He was there focusing on why you know, women find Pete Davidson attractive and so you know, it was stunning to me,

which is why I brought it up. And you know, I think I will just join with Bihar Joy Behar who said today that people like people men and women like Pete Davidson because he's funny. Ted Cruz, He's very funny, and I'll leave it at that. Just make him laugh, Rick, just make him laugh. Uh. But you know, look to hear the senator there describing his affinity for leather clad vampire women, seems like it might be a liability someday

down the road. Is that just me? Well, I can't wait to see what his wife is wearing on Halloween. That's all I can say. Super hot vampires everywhere in the neighborhood, tidy, Come on now, I mean, this is the kind of stuff that that people wish for when they're running ago. Although I don't know in this day and age we're in the Trump age, Rick does it matter? I think it will help him if he's I mean, he's such a tweeve, I mean, Harvard educated lawyer. Are

you kidding me? Anything that could get him more in tune with Joe six pack? He'd be doing well by doing that. Unbelievable. Uh, Genie, you're gonna make me subscribe? I mean, there's more where this came from. I'm assuming right, there's got to be. I am not a subscriber. I've actually never heard it until this crost sure, but I will say I am a subscriber to sound On. So so just well, just keep talking about sound on and maybe Ted Cruz can listen to sound On and get

some tips. That's right to the Senator, who I know loves this broadcast as well. When he's here in the nation's capital. Are driving around with the satellite receiver. Do us a favor and subscribe to Bloomberg Sound on the fastest hour in politics, with the best panel, Rick and Genie. Back to my sorrow. This is Bloomberg.