Recorded on 6/18/20, Steve Adubato sits down with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 public health crisis on businesses in New Jersey; the role of the governor during a crisis; President Trump’s leadership throughout the pandemic; and what needs to be done to confront racism in New Jersey and throughout the country.

Gov. Chris Christie said in regards to opening up, “Opening up means giving people their way of life back, in some measure. It’s analogous to 9/11, our lives changed significantly after September 11^th.” He says until there is a vaccine, masks and social distancing will become the new normal. “The American people cannot stay shut in. They can’t see their livelihoods and their businesses go down the drain in order to save some lives, because what we’re doing is sacrificing lives in the process. What you’ve seen increase during this shutdown is domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide.” He says we need to find a balance and reminds us that the shutdown was created to, “flatten the curve, not to eliminate all deaths. That’s not going to be able to happen until and unless we have a vaccine.”

Gov. Chris Christie has advised President Trump during the COVID-19 public health crisis. At the time of this interview President Trump had refused to wear a mask and Gov. Christie says, “I think it’s a mistake…I think it’s very important when you’re a leader in a crisis to be leading by example.”

Steve and Gov. Chris Christie discuss confronting racism in America today. Gov. Chris Christie says, “It’s no longer enough to go for symbolic action, Steve. We have to do real things.” He discusses the revised Camden police department model in New Jersey and how these ideas could help the entire country.