Now from our nation's capital. This is Bloomberg Sound On. What we've been clear about is the need for energy supply to meet demand, and we've done our party. I'm doing all I can to increases supply for the United States. From Bloomberg Sound on Politics, Policy and perspective from DC's Top Names. We've had four looters that were arrested. Three of the four are illegal alien and there will be plenty of time to discuss differences between the President and
the governor, but now is not the time. Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. OPEC cuts production and breeds new life into nopeck. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics. With an historic snub from Saudi Arabia and its oil producing allies, including Russia, OPEC plus threatening to send prices higher, and vibe legislation here in Washington that would allow the US to sue will be joined
by former Deputy Secretary of Energy Mark Menzies. Later, we talked with the Republican nominee for governor in Massachusetts, Jeff Deal, endorsed by Donald Trump and one of the bluest states in the nation, and President Biden shares a podium with Governor Rhonda Santis in Florida. We'll see how they got along. We'll talk optics with our signature panel Bloomberg Politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanie Schanzano with us for the hour.
The news from Vienna this morning was something OPEC plus agreeing to make a larger production cut than most expected to keep oil prices high. The White House is not happy, as the move was defended by ministers from the producers group as necessary to protect the oil industry and their own economies, but they also risk causing a global slowdown, if not worse. Saudi Arabia's Energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salmon,
sounding very pleased with the agreement they reached earlier. Here he is, we have proven naturally we are colleagues, and we had a just a band of brothers that would continue shred of our because our countries, our people, OPEC plus a band of brothers. As I see the headline on a great column Bloomberg opinion from our own Javier Blast Saudi Russian oil axis snubs Biden with cuts. It was not that long ago, of course, Joe Biden was in Saudi Arabia asking for additional production, and we'll get
to that reaction today though. From Washington, the State Department, here's Anthony B. Lincoln. What we've been clear about is the need for energy supply to to meet demand. That's what we've been working on across the board, and we've done our part. Um United States oil production is up by more than five thousand barrels a day. As you know, we have tapped into the static poem reserve as well.
We've done our part, he says, but breaking with tradition as again, Javier Blass reminds us in its history, OPEC and its new incarnation OPEC plus has never caught out books so much so quickly, while Brent crude was still flirting with a hundred dollars of barrel and it looks like New York crew will be close behind. This is where we begin our conversation with Mark Menzie's former deputy Energy secretary during the Trump administration. Mark, it's great to
have you with us here. Just to first understand, I know it's difficult to connect the dots between oil production and gasoline prices here in the US, but after what ninety eight straight days of declines. It feels like the honeymoon is over here for the Biden administration. Well, thank you, Joe, thank you for having me, and it's a pleasure to be with you and your listeners this afternoon. Um. Well, to be sure, Um, the price at the pump typically though,
is tied to the global price of oil. That's not a surprise. And so you know, retailers typically looked for the price of replacement of particular tank, so we've known historically. Indeed,
the retail prices track the global price of oil. So when you hear the president policymakers saying we're trying to drive down the price of oil, it's because they know that ultimately it will flow through the prices when you have you know, refining bottlenecks and you have seasonal blends there, I realize there are a lot of different things that can go into this. The point is, though, five weeks before the midterms, this is not good news. Well it's not.
And indeed all presidents are always concerned about the price of gas and running up to elections because it never fares well for the part again power when you're paying large amounts of money, unexpected money that you haven't budgeted to fill up, you know, your truck or your car.
Um It was interesting. So listening to the comments of the Saudi Arabian minister reminded me of when and I, representing the US government, attended an international conference and the Saudi Arabian minister then and the Russian energy minister took glee in announcing that they were going to continue to reduce production to keep prices up. And so what did the United States do at that time? You might remember that what the past administration did was to encourage US production.
We had achieved breakthrough technologies in uh in the shale play, and we became the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world. Well, this is something we talked about, you know, every day here on Bloomberg, and we've been tracking very closely, this dysfunctional relationship between the Biden administration and drillers who found themselves holding the bag right prices got so low they said, we're not going to invest in doing this again because you're gonna pull
out the rug from under us. But now that we're down two million barrels a day here, the Biden administration has very few options, right, I mean, you can't just turn as we've learned, you can't just turn on the spigot, especially when something like COVID shuts it down. Well, to be sure, it takes time to come online, but to be to be clear about it, we have capacity in the United States that were this administration to simply turn to the US producers and say, look, we want to
work with you and support your production. We will grant permits, we will protect your investments, we will allow a return on your investment. But please help us out of this. Help us increased production. They did it before they came online. In the US led the world in oil production. Indeed, just last year, your your listeners, uh might be surprised to know that in the US was the leading producer of US oil increase. Well, the increase the increase game
where from the Permian basin. The Permian based in Texas, beyond the reach of federal regulators. So when you look at where the US production increase has come that Secretary Blinkin was taken credit for, it's it's really Texas and Ainsville Play, Louisiana. That's where the production has come. It has not come from the areas that really produced during the past administration to really make up for the reduced amount. From Saudi Arabian reaction from the White House to the
statement was blistering. Uh. And just a portion here. This is a quote I'm reading from the statement. The President is disappointed by the short sighted decision by OPEC PLUST to cut production quotas while the global economy is dealing with the continued negative impact of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The political side of this is really something mark when you consider h our own column here from Javier Blass referring to the Saudi Russian oil axis, is this actually what's going on here, that that that Saudi Arabia has decided that the war in Ukraine and and the police from the United States are less urgent than it's maintaining a relationship with Russia. Well, what their concern is is that the global prices, unless it's propped up, they can't
fund their government. So Russia can't fund its totalitarian regime, and Saudi Arabia and the OPEC countries can't fund their mind. That's the thing, right, I mean, Brent is near a hundred dollars of barrel mark where it's already. Really the prices are historically high. Is so they must be assuming there's a recession looming and that these can't cannot be sustained.
Is that your view? Well, what they what they're presuming is that the Body administration will not call on the US producers to increase production like the last UH administration did. And so they're they're basically betting that President Biden will be hamstrong running up to the mid term elections, not calling for an increase in production other than and calling on the US producers to reduce prices and talking about
a global price UH. And so that's where Russians out of Arabia are united and saying that this current administration won't do anything. The thing is, we know the Biden administration, the Biden administration has been begging for more production. We we've heard the poleas coming from the White House. You're I want to go a step deeper than that. What is the difference though, between the way the way you incentivize drillers and the way that this White House is
it about? Is it about promising to your point earlier that we will support your investment. How do you convince oil companies to drill shale when you're begging them and and they don't trust you. They're appending permit applications that have been fully vetted um and have satisfied all environmental concerns that this administration is delaying or sitting on. They're simply not acting on them. You don't read about it in the press. Yeah, they're telling a very different story.
We hear about the nine unused leases right right, well, and that's and that's really a misrepresentation about the process that it takes to get the permits to drill and produce. So if this administration simply stops issuing moratoria on offshore production and encourages and grants permits, let me tell you what will happen is that these price signals will be sent to the global markets and there will be immediate
downward pressure. Increased production will drive those prices down. This administration has tried it with the release of the Strategic Patroleum Reserve. They have done that that has had minimal value. What surprising to me is that the President is offering to OPEC countries as an inducement not to reduce production, that he will buy Opec oil to put in our own strategic petroleum reserve. Imagine that, and we were in office, we put bids out to feel our sprow as it's called,
what us produced oil. Uh, well, we were just it's just a big disconnect between an obvious solution right there that I think most Americans would expect the President to say, you know what, we don't need OPEC. We don't We can produce as much oil that flows through the strait of hard moves on any given day. Well, we'd like to see it happen if that's the case, because we're gonna have to refill that thing. Mark, thank you for
being here. Mark Menzies, the former Deputy Secretary of Energy, with a very different view than what you're hearing from the White House, certainly and even from the Middle East, or I guess I should be more specific to save Vienna today, we're going to assemble the panel next to get their take because, as I mentioned, this movement on Capitol Hill, the no Peck Bill would allow us to sue OPEC nations. Is that the right course? I love more? Next,
I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. You're losing name to Bloomberg. Sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloombird Radio. I'll tell you July seems like so long ago, the big visit to Saudi Arabia, And of course at that point the President was taking heavy duty criticism for shaking hands, remember shaking hands with MBS in the name of oil. And he didn't leave with, you know, a promise for anything specific. They said it was about more than that. But listen
to the discussion. More energy security and adequate oil supplies to support global economic growth, and that will begin shortly. And uh, and I'm doing all I can to increase the supply for the United States of America, which I expect to happen. The Saudis shared that urgency, and based on our discussions today, I expect we'll see further steps in the coming weeks. Fast forward to October five, and
it is looking and feeling a lot different now. Of course again, gas prices down ninety eight days in a row. Things have changed, and there is a greater expectation for an economic downturn, if not a full on recession here, which would have a major impact on oil prices. So everybody's looking out for number one. Let's assemble the panel. Rick Davis is here in Jennie Chanzano Bloomberg Politics contributors make up our signature panel on sound on Genie, how
bad does this hurt? You saw the statement today from the White House that they're just flat out angry. They're flat out angry, and I think the sign of how bad this hurts and how bad they knew it was gonna hurt. As we heard talk just before this meeting that the White House was panicking that they were trying to lobby members of OPEC to see if they could, you know, in some way encourage them not to take
this step. And you were just talking about some of the ways in which they tried to dangle, you know, you know, we're willing to buy the oil to restock the reserves over here. They tried desperately. They even we even heard they reached out to Janet yelling to get the Treasury to do some lobbying. It all fell flat. And despite that, you know, fist bump heard around the world, you know, just a few months ago and now some people in the White House have said this is a
total disaster. Five weeks to go, when let's let's be honest. One of the things we've said Uh, particularly on the democratic side that Biden has done well. Is oil prices had been going down or gas prices going down a hundred that's the one thing they had going for. It was one positive sign and it could reverse itself at the very worst time for them. So what's your view
on this, Rick? Obviously the saudiast could have taken any number of courses here and and to go this far for for a cut of of this magnitude is is Saudi Arabia siding with Russia? Is it as simple as that? Well, there's no question that Saudi Arabia has given a lot of a comfort to Russia during the attack on Ukraine. You know, they haven't said a word that would be considered helpful to Ukraine or the United States or the access of supporting Ukraine. Uh. And if anything, you know,
we heard it from them directly. They see each other's brothers. This is a cartel, right, I mean, like, what when did we ever think of cartel was a good thing. We're the other guys. We think cartels are bad. And what I can't figure out is why anybody thought this wasn't going to happen. I mean, you know, when you look at what Biden didn't get when he went over there to suck up to NBS and try and get a reduction in price of oil, increasing supply, he didn't
get in. He got a hundred thousand a day, and that was a drop in a bucket. Uh, And he got lucky, and prices went down and and then in in the period of time since then, there's been all out war against Russia and their oil production out of Europe. Right, we're talking about price caps and trade limitations with Europe on Russian oil. This is their friend, their brother at OPEC plus and and even on our own side. You know, we've been talking about ways of sanctioning people doing business
with the Russian oil trade. So why we didn't think it was going to come back to haunt us is a surprise to me. I mean, I think the White House protests too much. They should have seen this coming. We knew there was going to be a bump up in price anyway because of the fall you know, winter months coming in. But right, this is this is shocking that it was shocking. Yeah, you wonder if if the statement makes us look uh, you know, more helpless. Genie.
The statement today a tweet from Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. I thought the whole point of selling arms to the Gulf States, he writes, despite their human rights abuse is nonsensical Yemen war working against US interests in Libya, Sudan, etcetera, was that when an international crisis came, the Gulf could choose America over Russia and China. So it does feel
like we have an answer to that question. And maybe that shouldn't be a surprise, Genie, But I wonder if people like Chris Murphy you're gonna warm up to this idea of the note Peck legislation that would allow the US to actually sue OPEC nations. Maybe this is just a pipe dream, but is this the next conversation we're
going to have in d C. Yeah? And I mean this is a conversation we've been having, what for twenty years on and off in d C. We've seen these bills come forward, We've seen you know, pushed back on them, um from a variety of of sectors. UM, some people saying, you know, just because you're angry at a time of crisis, you shouldn't go this far. You know, another country can turn this around on us visa the agriculture or something else there. But I do think that is going to
be one of the conversations. Remove their immunity shield, allow for these antitrust suits to go forward. But the reality is that is, you know, in my view, at least addressing you know, addressing sort of the ramifications and not addressing the cause of the problem. And we need to address the cause of the problem. We cannot be reliant on OPEC for our energy needs, and so this is
where the conversation has to go. So as much as I appreciate the frustration and should we sue them in the aftermath, I don't think that that is quite answer that we should look for from our public officials. And you know, I do agree with Rick to the extent that I can't believe the administration would be surprised after his trip and what happened in the aftermath that this is where we are today. Unless there's something behind the scenes we weren't privy to when promises were made that
weren't kept. It does look like the White House is open to it. Part of that statement goes on to write, in light of today's action, the Administration will also consult with Congress on additional tools and authorities to reduce OPEX control over energy prices. Our signature panel will be back
Rick and Genie. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. It was only about a month ago, early September, when Jeff Deal won the Republican nomination for governor in Massachusetts to run against the States Democratic Attorney General Moura Healey, the Democratic nominee. He spoke to supporters in Boston, so we've got to empower also parents to keep that political agenda
out of the classrooms. And I believe schools teaching the a VCS in the one two three's are important for parents to be leading more heally more heally believes in a different type of education. W O. K. All Right endorsed by Donald Trump. He was, in fact Donald Trump's state campaign chair back in made an unsuccessful run for Senate against Elizabeth Warren and now he's seeking the corner office in Massachusetts and joins us now on Bloomberg Sound
on Jeff Deal, Welcome back to Bloomberg Radio. He thanks, joy, appreciate the time. So five weeks to the election here, I don't I'm sure you don't need me to tell you and I'm sure you're seeing the same polls that I see. The latest from Suffolk University has more a Heli up by twenty six points. Five thirty eight shows the twenty five point lead the real clear poll of polls where the twenty two points spread. Jeff Deal, are
you planning to stay in this race? Of course? Look think three days after my primary win, we saw a pull from Emerson College that put us ahead with Independence, which is of the electorate in Massachusetts, by sixteen points over more Heally when it comes to the economy, and of course, I think we know right now it's very much about the economy, right, That's that's where the focus
I think in the midterms is going to be in Massachusetts. Yeah. Well, of course Maria Healey says that you would like to ban abortion if you were elected. She's obviously seeing that as a major issue as well. Is she wrong? Yeah, I mean abortion is not on the table for this state. The Row Act was passed about a year year and a half ago, um and it basically codifies Rov. Wade into law before the Supreme Court even struck it down. You know, my job as governor is to execute law
and protect people's health care choices. Um that includes I think healthcare choices where people were fired because they didn't get the vaccine and they state jobs, they were required to leave those jobs, or and a lot of them took early retirements. So look, whether it's you know, honoring the fact that the legislature has has passed Rob Wade and women have the right to abortion, or whether it's again protecting people's healthcare choices when it comes to the vaccines.
I think this is you know, it's it's an issue that is no longer on the table. From Massachusetts, the polls I mentioned, you mentioned that number from Emerson College or do the others have it wrong? And if they don't, how do you close that spread in five weeks? No, I mean you're always going to see a Republican down in the polls in Massachusetts. You're always going to see a Republican you know, on the wrong end of fundraising numbers because you know, we're always in this state, I
think are underdogs. But at the same time, Scott Brown one in two thousand ten, and he was down significantly with only weeks to go before his US Senate win in two thousand and ten, and then uh, the other thing is Charlie Baker also down to the polls before he ended up winning his governorship. You know, it's typical for Massachusetts to have a Republican that runs for U s in it like I did in two thousand and eighteen.
You make an introduction for yourself. I received almost a million votes in that election cycle, and then, uh, you know, once people know who they are and trust the message, you can win as governor. So it's it's something that's happened before, and I think we're gonna Well, you're a little bit of a different Republican though, right of course. I remember meeting you in Cleveland at the Republican National Convention,
Jeff Gill. You were the only elected Republican from the state who showed up to support Donald Trump as his state campaign share. Do you consider yourself a mega Republican as the President refers, I'm a working class Republican. My wife and I own a small business. We Uh, you know,
I used to be a Democrat fourteen years ago. Uh. For me, I've been in office since I served first in two thousand ten through two thousand nineteen, so I was six years into office before President Trump came into play, and the fact the matter is, I've always tried to put the working folks of our my state ahead of uh, you know, those special interest groups on Beacon Hill. I think that's what President Trump at the time was trying to do, which was make sure that Washington trying to
drain the swamp. I mean, there's a lot of special interest money that seems to override the will of the people. So you know, what he did while he was in office was give us a robust economy. He was able to bring troops back from foreign engagements that no longer served a national interests, and he also wanted to talk about making sure we secured our borders so that we,
you know, could make sure immigration was done correctly. Well, I ask you that because a year ago October you said publicly election was rigged and you called for a forensic audit of Joe Biden's victory in Massachusetts. Do you still believe that. So what I think is that, first of all, I have a trouble with the mail in balloting. I think that even in Massachusetts, we've seen ballots request mailed out to people who no longer live in apartments
that they've been there. In fact, I have too in my possession that showed that, you know, request was sent out to people who hadn't lived there for a while. That's a problem. Wisconsin is banned mail in balloting. That's a problem. But rigging, to me is beyond just the
balloting itself. Rigging is the fact that when President of Trump was first elected, you know, the FBI was investigating him based on dossiers that were provided by the Clinton administration and used to basically wire tap his campaign and then his transition offices. You know, and from the day he was elected, the media has been trying to bring him down. The FBI continues to try to bring him down, and the media media itself suppressed any information about the
Hunter Biden laptop. The d by the media is what you're saying, Well, I think it's there was an effort by everybody to stop somebody who was trying to end the games down in Washington, d C. You know, I think he faced unprecedented levels of coordination against him, and I mean to the point where the vaccines were held back before you know, they were available in October, but weren't made available to the public, uh, you know, just to try to make it look like he wasn't successful
in getting them rolled out. Everything that he did clearly was questioned by the by the media. And yet he had again low unemployment. He had, you know, I think a robust economy where the stock market was taking off. So you know, I don't need to rehash the last four years the four years before. But we've had two years now of President Biden, and you see, you know, very little scrutiny about the foreign policy that is now
allowed Russia to invade Ukraine. You've seen very little talk about how the inflation and mortgage rates are rising and making our holes all we talk about here. Actually, but Donald Trump endorsed you for governor the day after you made that statement that the election was rigged. Is that what you need to say to get his endorsement? No, Look, I mean he and I had a discussion about it.
I hadn't really thought too much about the election cycle itself until he explained to me what what he had felt had gone wrong there, And so you know, that was really just an extension of talking to him. Following the events of January six? Do you think that he should be allowed to be president again? Would you? Would you endorse him? Again or or share his campaign. Well, if obviously he decides to run again, you know, we'll
see if there's any competition out there. Um, you know, and I think de Santus obviously has made the case that he might be one of the contenders out there. So, um, whether it's to Santis or whether it's Trump, I'm more likely to support a Republican over Joe Biden for sure. Ronda Santis did not encourage an insurrection at the capital though, that's not That's not a difference maker to you. You know, I have a difference of opinion on that. I don't
think that that's exactly what she inspired. Those of media again tries to make it out to be that he did. I think that he in fact tried to encourage capital to be protected by National Garden that was turned down. I think, yeah, I have a totally difference of opinion that you mentioned, Rhonda Santis. Joe Biden is down in Florida today a meeting with the governor here. What's your
thoughts since you brought him off? You approved the Santis shipping migrants to Martha's Vineyard and what apparently was a move to embarrass liberals in the State. I think what you know, Governor of Santis was doing was highlighting the problem we have with immigration in our country and the fact that certain states seemed to be burying the burden from the other states about the overflow people into the country. And you know, certainly these people were tricked though right
they were lied to. Some laws apparently may have been broken because of that. Well, I think that there's is looking into that, but I do believe they were also given waivers to sign off on. So you know, again, I don't know exactly what happened, but I guess that'll be litigated, Jeff Deal. Governor Charlie Baker succeeded in drawing support from across the Aisle. Uh. He's leaving office with some of the highest approval ratings of any governor in
the country. A lot of your supporters and indeed the state Republican Party called Charlie Baker Rhino, are they right? Look I l I supported Charlie back in two two eighteen when he ran for re election each of those two times ran for election in fourteen and re election in eighteen. The fact of the matter is Charlie Baker has done the best that he can with a very left leaning legislature that has delivered driver's licenses for illegals,
and he vetoed that they over wrote him anyway. You know, that's the mentality that he's been having to fight for a long time, and I think he's done the best that he could. Obviously, there's some challenges still with the m B t A. There's some challenges. I disagreed with him on the vaccine mandates that forced people out of their state job. We're going to return those people back on day one. And I think there's you know, it's
okay to be have difference of opinions with governors. But I think he's done the best that he could in the time he served. He's the Republican nominee for the Massachusetts gubernatorial election, running against Mora Healey, currently the Attorney General, Jeff Deal. We thank you for being with us again on Bloomberg. Thanks. I appreciated fascinating conversation for candidate who's clearly in a very difficult fight here, and you know,
I was asking the questions, he was answering them. You tend to get the pivot to inflation and some of the other stories that have been working well for Republicans on the trail instead of well what you just heard, let's reassemble the panel. Rick Davis and Jeannie Chanzano are here Bloomberg Politics contributors. Fascinating. Rick, I don't know how you would have advised Jeff deal for a conversation like that. But this is not a race for governor in Texas.
He's running in Massachusetts to replace one of I think we could argue one of the most moderate Republican governors and popular, by the way, in the country. How does that square with what you just heard. Uh, I don't know what he was running for. Um. She talked more about Joe Biden than he did about Mourra Heally, I think if I were twenty two points down, I'd be
focused on my opponent, not the president. UM. If he thinks he's going to get a round swell support with that kind of an act, you know, I I suggest he, you know, maybe head down to the keys or someplace and play golf and enjoy himself because he'll be unemployed, you know, come November. UM. I really don't think those messages are going to work in a state like Massachusetts. Defending Donald Trump the way he just did, Yeah, what's
your take on this, genie. If you're more a heally, this is what you want to hear, right, very very happy. She's not only up by double digits, but the path is very narrow for for Jeff Deal unfortunately. You know, when you we're talking to him, I was thinking about the debate between Abbot and O'Rourke the other day. Abbott mentioned Joe Biden forty times. You know who he didn't talk about. He didn't talk about Donald Trump, even down in Texas, because it's Democrats that talk about Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is not a winning discussion item for Republicans across the country. They talk inflation, they talk prices of gas, they talk the economy, and you know what, if you're gonna win a Republican governorship in Massachusetts, you are going to be described as a rhino. And that's okay. That's how you get a Bill Weld or Charlie Baker or Mitt Romney. That's right, those are the names you just rolled out there. Rick. You know the legacy of Republican
governors actually being quite successful. Now, granted, moderate Republicans being successful in Massachusetts has seen as kind of a checker balance to what is typically a very liberal legislature. There's like five Republicans or something in the house. Um, that's the way it goes there. But but for for Morea Healy, I don't know, you remember the Scott Brown race, I'm sure, and he had been counted out and the story was
one of complacency. Do is more Heally actually have to be out knocking on doors when you're thirty five points ahead. For sure, she shouldn't take anything for granted. She should feel good about where the state of the race is as far out and and yet, um the thing, you've got to be impressed by voters in Massachusetts. They listen, uh, their their will attuned to politics and and the issues, and if you make a case to them, they'll consider you.
And that's how you've had those three Republican governors in a laws you know, three decades who've been able to to succeed in a predominantly democratic state. So um uh, fair play uh and and make a good case. And more Heally has an opportunity to to become governor based on her appeal and how hard she works, and it's all set up there for her. Um Uh. Look to use an overused phrase, I know Charlie Baker, and deal is no Charlie Baker. Well, fair enough, uh, Rick, that's
why you're here. And Jennie, you know, I don't know if you're putting more a Healey out at tea, stops to shake hands and so forth. She's got a lot of money, she's got name recognition after many years as attorney general. But I thought it was noteworthy that she thanked Charlie Baker in her acceptance speech, almost acting as if, uh, she was closer to Baker in the other party than the nominee we just heard from. That's right. I mean, she wants to show her moderate bona fide. She wants
to show that she can reach across the aisle. She certainly doesn't want to repeat of Republicans winning as they have. What is it, out of the last six governorships in Massachusetts, five of them, if I had my numbers right, have been Republican. So she's smart to do that. And you see the party in her campaign. The ads are tying her opponent to the you know, the the legitimacy of the election issue, to his praise of Supreme Court justices.
Trump's named to the issue of abortion. So this is where they're going, and she's got a smart team behind her, and she's got a double digit lead in quite frankly a year that should be a little tougher for Democrats. Jennie Chanzano when Rick Davis our signature panel, we're gonna turn to the visit to Florida. This is what everyone's been waiting for us to talk about, right Biden to Santis sharing a podium. I'm not going to tell you
if there was a hug or not. They papered over their tensions as I read on the terminal, what would happen? What could have gone wrong? Knowing that this was a little dicey for both Joe Biden and Rohn De Santis. The big visit, the presidential visit today to the state of Florida, following, of course, Hurricane Ian, and we discussed, Look, there's lots of this great history of pitfalls here, asked Chris Christie, asked Charlie crist Who's to be running against
Rhonda Santis. But things seem to go fairly well here. I don't know what the fallout will be for Rond Santis necessarily, but everybody was cordial. Everybody was careful, and I'll tell you now there was no hug. The Kayla Gardner with the byline on the terminal Biden to Santist paper over tensions. In visit to Ian ravaged area, the President toured with the press pool from a couple of helicopters, came back down, got a briefing with the Santis, and
then held a news conference series. We're one of the few nations in the world that, on the basis of a crisis we face, we're the only nation that comes out of it better than we went into it. And that's what we're gonna do this time around, come out of it better because we're this is the United States of America, and I emphasize united. This is after he was warmly greeted not at the airport, but but but in person by for this event. Rhoda Santis, big open
hand handshake. Mr President, thank you for coming. Here's what he had to say. We were very fortunate to have good coordination with White House and with FEMA from the very beginning of this. We declared a state of emergency last Friday, September. This wasn't even this was a disturbance out there by Columbia. And then the next day we got a major disaster declaration approved by the President and we really appreciated that. So how does that hit you?
After all the silliness and the political theatrics frequently on both sides of the aisle, it reminds us that so much of it as an act. Let's reassemble the panel, Jeannie Schanzano, when Rip Davis are back with us, how they do today? Rick? Is that the way you would have advised both sides here? Yeah? No, this was just a good day for both leaders. Um. You know, so much of this kind of event can result in self
inflicted wounds. I'll George W. Bush going to Katrina. I mean, you know, it wasn't the situation that caused the problems. He caused himself a problem. And so the fact that President Biden acted presidential, said all the right things, Governor to Santis, led the state and appreciated the federal assistance. I mean, this is what it's supposed to be like. So no, no self inflicted wounds and a good day
for the United States of America. Yeah, So, how silly will they look when they go back to spitballing at each other? Jennie, Well, we will remember back to this rare moment of bipartisanship immunity. Only a hurricane could bring Republicans and Democrats together in the US. UM. But here's what I'm gonna do, Joe. I'm going to keep watching Truth Social because Donald Trump was out today talking about a nation in decline, the fact that we're a failing nation,
attacking Biden. He didn't name the Santists by name yet, but I think that's one of the issues that the Santists may face, is a question of whether Trump attacks him for the collegiality. And I think and I agree with Rick, that they were right to act this way,
that they were being the adults in the room. So we'll see if Donald Trump comes back and attacks to Santis for this cooperation with the Biden administration, because we know that he's bothered by Rhonda Santis right that that you know, Trump would love to find an opening here, actually, wouldn't he, Rick, Uh, you know, Trump looks for an opening and everywhere, get it, everything is about Donald Trump. He would actually see somehow that this is about him.
Uh makes no sense, but uh so much of what he does doesn't m I think you got to keep focused on the fact that this is going to be a herculean effort to get the west coast of Florida back on its legs. It's gonna take hundreds of billions, tens of billions of dollars and a combined federal state initiative with the commercial UH industry coming to the table to really uh get that state back on track. And and I think the ASTI here is whether or not George or whether or not Donald Trump UH is happy
about it or not? Who cares? Well, that's right. I just wonder if there are midterm implications here, Jeanie. Is that just a wash today or do Democrats actually get good marks for showing up And by that I mean the administration of course showing up in Florida and and and being adults. You know. I'm not sure there will be mid term implications directly because we're only five weeks out, um, and so I think a lot of it depends on what happens in the many many months, if not years
going forward. Is this recovery effort continues. I do think it has given the governor an opportunity to show that he is competent, that he is an executive that he can handle a crisis, not just to people in his own state, but as he thinks about twenty four two people around the country who may not be as familiar with Round de Santist or who may only know him as a guy sending you know, asylum seekers uh to
far from places. So all of a sudden, he's got to be less political, if you will, and more the governor and the person who knows how to deal with a crisis and and and address the needs of his citizens. So that's potentially good for him. Of course, a lot of it depends on what happens going forward. Um, there's so many issues that impact the midterms, everything from infrastructure to housing, to insurance to issues of energy and green issues.
I'm not sure those will resonate directly in this race, though, because so many other things are at play. It's interesting when you think of how many of those connects to climate as well. Um, but did you guys both see the boots. You see the white rubber knee high boots that he was wearing. He tucked the jeans into them. Am I the only one who saw this? Because somebody on the campaign has got to be advising they should have Rick, they should have held up a picture of
Michael Ducoccus. Now, well, he wasn't wearing a funny helmet, that's for sure. And I don't know if I would characterize his boots selection is off color. But but look, I mean, just picking up where Jeanne left off, this was a really good day for Rhonda Santis. You know, like he got to look like he was cutting deals with the federal government in the president of States and helped in the state of Florida. This isn't a great
day for Charlie christ you know. I mean when you talk about the implications, you know, there are a lot of expectations that he could put a run together, and this is you know, it's not gonna have been a week since anybody even heard his name. So that's not great. You know, four weeks out from an election. Well that's real political fallout. Would you wear boots like that, Genie yourself?
And I'm guessing though I probably wouldn't myself. I don't think anybody would need to see me in those boots. But you know why, you got you can pull them off. I feel like you could pull them off. Of course, absolutely, Rick and Jennie for just a couple of more moments. You know, we like to feel good about things sometimes, and the silver lining so frequently comes from the same source. Yeah, I'll send you a picture of the Boots Rick that
sources NASA and by extension SpaceX in many cases. We had a big launch today and there was something very special involved. All right, let's wind it up, let's listen. Yes, it clears the pad beautiful launched for the International Space Station masis. I love listening to these guys in the control They'll get to the space stations Thursday after that launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. That, of course, yes, stage one propulsion. You heard it and saw it of
course on Bloomberg. They'll come back to Earth in March. But for the first time in twenty years, a Russian cosmonaut went from the United States launched from the US here to space. Japanese uh astronauts were also alongside. But the fact that Russia's lone female cosmonaut, Anna Kakina, if I'm saying it right, Jennie, makes us realize sometimes that
we're just people. It right, that's right. And another you know, a moment of cooperation following on the one we're just talking about, but this one international at a time when there's been so much tension in the space program as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you know,
it is really good to see that this happened. And of course we've also got a female commander, Nicole Man, who's an absolutely, you know, astonishingly an impressive woman when you look at her background, and the first Native American to fly in space and I think the first female SpaceX flight, so you know, to command to SpaceX flight. So what a day to day to see them all go up and Joe her pilot call sign is Duke, so there. You know, it's pretty great stuff. Rick, and
our remaining seconds. NASA has a way of e racing borders. Yeah, the world is all one border to them, and I think that's important that we keep some level of UH cooperation regardless. Bloomberg