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AND BY POLITICO'S "NEW JERSEY PLAYBOOK," A TOPICAL NEWSLETTER ON GARDEN STATE POLITICS, ONLINE AT POLITICO.COM ♪ >>> TEN YEARS AFTER SUPER STORM SANDY, WHAT WAS IT LIKE ON THAT DAY AND WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED SINCE?

HI, EVERYBODY, IT'S "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

OUR PANEL TODAY, COLLEEN O'DAY, SENIOR WRITER AND PROJECTS EDITOR FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

BRENT JOHNSON, POLITICS REPORTER FOR NJ ADVANCED MEDIA AND MATT KATZ.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT FIRST, IT'S REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF SANDY IS UPON US.

A DECADE SINCE OUR GUEST TODAY FOUND HERSELF IN THE MIDST OF THE WORST WEATHER EVENT HERE IN A CENTURY.

JOINING US TO LOOK BACK AT THOSE DAYS AND THE TEN YEARS SINCE IS NEW JERSEY'S FIRST LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SERVING WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE FOR EIGHT YEARS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO WELCOME KIM GUADAGNO.

YOU'RE IN FLORIDA NOW, BUT YOU'RE IN MONMOUTH COUNTY, GENERALLY.

CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU REMEMBER FROM THE EARLIEST HOURS OF THAT STORM AND THE DAYS RIGHT AFTER?

>> WELL, I WAS NOT IN MONMOUTH COUNTY WHEN THE STORM HIT.

MY HOUSE IS IN MONMOUTH COUNTY.

WE LOST ABOUT A THIRD OF IT AND EVERY HOUSE AROUND US AT THE TIME, BUT WE WERE AT THE ROCK IN TRENTON, AND WE HAD BEEN AT THE ROCK IN TRENTON FOR MONTHS.

WEEKS, ANYWAY.

AND WHAT WE WERE DOING IS QUITE SIMPLY PREPARING FOR THE WORST AND HOPING FOR THE BEST.

THE GOVERNOR WAS IN CONTACT WITH ALL OF THE OTHER GOVERNORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAD GONE THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND WE TRIED TO TAKE THE BEST OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE CABINET WAS WORKING LITERALLY ROUND THE CLOCK AT THE ROCK.

THE DAY THE STORM HIT, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A DIRECT HIT.

PEOPLE DON'T, I THINK, APPRECIATE IT UNLESS YOU LIVE ON THE COAST, HOW HARD WE WERE REALLY HIT.

THEY TOOK A LEFT AT ABOUT 7:00 ON THE NIGHT OF THE 29th, AND WHEN YOU WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING, 3 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER.

EVERY SINGLE WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN THE STATE, GONE.

ONLY 57, BECAUSE THE POWER WAS OUT, 57 GAS STATIONS STILL WORKING IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

I SEE YOU'RE PUTTING UP SOME PICTURE RIGHT NOW, BUT I -- I REMEMBER SAYING, OH MY GOD, JUST ABOUT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

BECAUSE THE DEVASTATION WAS AS BAD OR WORSE THAN WE EVER THOUGHT IT COULD BE.

ROUTE 35, THAT WAS GONE.

ROUTE 36, GONE.

THOSE WERE THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE TIP OF SANDY HOOK AND LITERALLY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ATLANTIC CITY.

THAT WAS THE ENTIRE COASTLINE.

THAT WAS THE LIFELINE TO THE ENTIRE COASTLINE.

THEY WERE GONE.

>> SO, YOU ALL EXPECTED -- YOU ALL EXPECTED THAT THIS WAS COMING.

I MEAN, YOU KNEW THE FORECAST AND SUCH.

BUT AT WHAT POINT DID YOU KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A HISTORIC WEATHER ALERT EVENT?

DID IT HAPPEN ONCE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE THE FOLLOWING MORNING?

>> WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE AS DARK AS IT IS UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY OBSERVE IT.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY SEE IT.

WE HAD IRENE.

WE HAD A DRY RUN FOR IRENE THE YEAR BEFORE.

WE WANTED TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERREACT.

DURING IRENE, PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE, WE OVERREACTED.

WE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS.

AND THIS STORM SIMPLY WAS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO OF ALL THE SCENARIOS WE WERE LOOKING AT.

AND WE GOT OUT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD, BUT REMEMBER, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW MEANS FOUR, FIVE FEET OF SAND IN ANY MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.

YOU COULDN'T EVEN FIND A PLACE TO LAND A HELICOPTER THE DAY AFTER SANDY HIT.

>> SO MUCH OF THE ATTENTION WENT TO THE BIG GUY IN THE BLUE FLEECE.

NOT A LOT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S ROLE IN THE WEEKS AND THE MONTHS AFTER THAT.

WHAT WAS YOUR FOCUS AS YOU BEGAN TO RECOVER?

>> WELL, WE ALL HAD A ROLE.

SO JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TIMELINE IS, THE TICK TOCK FOR ALL OF US, REALLY.

WE WOULD HAVE CABINET MEETINGS IN THE MORNING WHERE EVERYBODY WOULD GET AN ASSIGNMENT OR ANSWER TO AN ASSIGNMENT.

WE WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS WITH THE LOCAL ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT.

AND AT LEAST THEN, THE GOVERNOR AND I WOULD GO OUT AND TRY TO OBSERVE THE DAMAGE AND TRY TO, QUITE FRANKLY, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS THERE AND WAS -- AND WE WERE GOING TO HELP.

>> DO YOU REMEMBER -- >> AND THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE ROCK AND WORK ALL NIGHT LONG.

>> DO YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE ENCOUNTERS WITH SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAD JUST LOST IT ALL?

>> YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THINGS ALWAYS STAND OUT IN YOUR MIND.

I REMEMBER GETTING A PHONE CALL AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING, AND YOU KNOW MY SCHTICK AT THE TIME WAS, EVERYBODY HAD MY CELL PHONE NUMBER, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH FUN THAT WAS AFTER SANDY, BUT AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING, THE NIGHT OF THE STORM, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A WOMAN WHO WAS IN TEARS, HYSTERICALLY SAYING, AND IT GETS ME UPSET THINKING ABOUT IT.

YOU CAN'T LET HIM GO BACK IN.

AND HE WAS ABOUT TO GO BACK IN TO SEASIDE HEIGHTS, AND SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED HE WAS GOING TO DIE.

BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY HAD SWORN TO DO.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE WITH A WOMAN WHO BELIEVES HER HUSBAND IS ABOUT TO GO TO HIS DEATH.

YOU TALK TO HER AS LONG AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE AND YOU LET HIM KNOW HE'S AN AMAZING MAN, A HERO, AND WELL TRAINED, BUT THAT WAS AN HOUR-LONG PHONE CALL I WILL NEVER FORGET.

THE GUY -- THE FIRST RESPONDER REACHED OUT TO ME LAST WEEK AFTER IAN HIT DOWN IN FLORIDA, AND I THINK HE WAS HAVING FLASHBACKS.

WE TALKED FOR A LITTLE BIT.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HIS -- HE WAS VERY PROUD OF THE WORK HE DID TEN YEARS AGO, BUT IT DID RUIN HIS LIFE.

IT RUINED HIS MARRIAGE.

AND HE'S STILL TRYING TO CLAW HIS WAY BACK TO NORMALCY AFTER SANDY.

AS ARE MANY PEOPLE.

>> YEAH.

LET ME BRING IN A PANEL QUESTION HERE.

MATT, IT'S KIM GUADAGNO.

>> LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

>> HEY, MATT.

>> IT'S A PLEASURE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

>> FIVE YEARS, I WOULD GUESS.

>> YOU KNOW, THE -- THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.

THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PRAISED ENDLESSLY, BIPARTISAN PRAISE IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF SANDY.

AND AS, I WOULD SAY, NINE MONTHS, A YEAR, A LITTLE WHILE LONGER AFTER THAT, THERE BEGAN TO BE COMPLAINTS, ACCUSATIONS OF PAY TO PLAY, THAT COMPANIES AFFILIATED WITH THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION WERE GETTING CONTRACTS FOR CLEAN-UP, A LOT OF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS AND THEN EDITORIAL BOARDS SAYING THERE WAS TOO MUCH POLITICS AT PLAY, THAT THERE WAS PAY-TO-PLAY.

ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK THE ADMINISTRATION COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF THE WAY MONEY WAS DISTRIBUTED AND HOW POLITICS MIGHT HAVE INFLUENCED THAT?

>> I DON'T THINK POLITICS INFLUENCED IT AT ALL.

I THINK WHAT INFLUENCED WHAT WE DID IN THAT TWO OR THREE-WEEK PERIOD WHERE WE HAD TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WAS SIMPLY, HOW DO WE SAVE LIVES?

HOW DO WE SAVE PROPERTY?

AND THEN, AS WE PIVOTED, HOW DO WE GET BACK TO SOME SENSE OF NORMAL?

SO, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A NAYSAYER.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A WOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE.

YOU SAW IT AFTER IRENE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT NOW AFTER IAN.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS.

THE ADMINISTRATION'S FOCUS WAS SOLELY ON, HOW CAN WE HELP THE MOST PEOPLE NOW?

REMEMBER, IT WASN'T JUST SANDY.

WE HAD AN EARTHQUAKE NOT TOO LONG AFTER THAT.

WE HAD A SNOWSTORM NOT TOO LONG AFTER THAT, AND I WAS IN CHARGE OF A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SEVEN DAYS AFTER SANDY TOOK OUT 1,000 OF 3,000 POLLING DISTRICTS.

SO, WE HAD A LOT OF THINGS TO DO IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, THE STORM WAS SO BAD THAT IT TOOK OUT THE FIRST TWO FLOORS IN ALL OF LOWER MANHATTAN.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MOVED A NUCLEAR SHIP INTO LOWER MANHATTAN IN CASE -- IT UP.

SO, I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW -- EVERYBODY'S NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY.

I LOST HALF MY HOUSE.

PEOPLE ON MY STREET ARE STILL NOT BACK INTO THEIR HOMES.

SO, WERE THERE THINGS WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER?

OF COURSE.

THAT'S WHAT A REPORT IS AFTERWARDS.

HOW CAN WE DO THIS BETTER?

HOW WILL WE REACT BETTER TO THE NEXT STORM OR TO THE -- THE NEXT EMERGENCY?

LIKE COVID.

THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME REPORT AFTER PHIL MURPHY ISSUES THE COVID REPORT.

IT IS NOT PERFECT.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE ARE PERFECT.

I THINK WHAT WE WERE PERFECT WITH WAS GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

>> RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE, GOV.

TELL ME WHAT THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE SEEN IN NEW JERSEY.

ARE WE STRONGER, ARE WE MORE RESILIENT?

ARE WE READY FOR THE NEXT SANDY?

>> WELL, WE'RE BETTER.

CAN WE DO MORE?

YES.

AND ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN READING ANY OF THE LOCAL PRESS KNOWS WE'RE NOT FAR ENOUGH ALONG.

WE NEED TO DO MORE.

WE NEED TO BE MORE RESILIENT.

WE ARE HIGHER UP.

WE HAVE RAISED BUILDINGS.

ANYBODY WHO DRIVES THROUGH SEA BRIGHT AND MY TOWN WON'T RECOGNIZE IT FROM PRE-SANDY DAYS BECAUSE THEY ARE SAFER.

THE SAME GOES WITH UNION BEACH, KEY PORT, KEENSBURG, THEY'RE ALL BETTER THAN THEY WERE.

BUT HAVE WE LEARNED OUR LESSON YET?

I DON'T THINK UNTIL WE GET THAT NEXT STORM, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHERE THE HOLES ARE.

BUT I DO KNOW THIS.

PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT RISE TO THE MOMENT AND THEY WILL RISE TO THE MOMENT THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS TOO.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DID.

AS I USED TO SAY, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES AND THE BEST OF TIMES, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER.

THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT POLITICS.

THEY DIDN'T CARE WHETHER YOU WERE A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT.

THEY CARED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO THEM WAS GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED TO BE SAFE.

AND THAT WAS WHAT CARRIED ME THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OF SANDY, WHEN WE WERE LITERALLY WORKING.

EVERYBODY WAS WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO HELP PEOPLE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

KIM GUADAGNO, FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, NEW JERSEY'S FIRST LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES WITH US.

>> THANKS, DAVE.

THANKS, EVERYBODY.

>> ALL RIGHT, PANEL, COLLEEN, BRENT, MATT, WELCOME TO YOU ALL AGAIN.

LET ME GET SOME RECOLLECTIONS FROM YOU, BOTH PERSONALLY, BEING IN THE STORM, AND JUST COVERING IT IN THE DAYS AND THE WEEKS AND THE MONTHS AFTERWARDS.

COLLEEN, YOU WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO STORM COVERAGE, BUT THE STORM COVERED YOU, HUH?

TELL US ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU ON THAT DAY AND WHAT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY AFTER.

>> WE LIVE IN HUNTERTON COUNTY, AND HUNTERTON COUNTY HAD A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROBLEM.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FLOODING, BUT WE HAD THE STORM WINDS, AND WE HAD TREES DOWN, AND WE HAD POWER OUT, SO WE LOST OUR POWER FOR, I THINK, EIGHT DAYS, MAYBE NINE DAYS.

SO, SCHOOL WAS OUT.

MY OLDER SON WAS HOME FROM COLLEGE, SO WE WERE ALL TOGETHER HERE.

WE SPENT SOME TIME COOKING ON THE GRILL OUTSIDE AND BOTH MY BOYS WERE SCOUTS, SO THEY HAD SOME SKILLS.

WE WERE USING CAMP STOVES.

WE HAD THIS CANDLE THAT WE BURNED THE NIGHT OF SANDY.

IT GOT DOWN TO LIKE A LITTLE NUB.

WE LITERALLY STILL HAVE IT AND REMINISCE ABOUT THAT CANDLE.

THERE'S THE SANDY CANDLE.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL PROBABLY KEEP FOREVER.

BECAUSE IT KIND OF LIT UP OUR FAMILY ROOM AS WE WERE SITTING THERE AND THE STORM WAS COMING IN.

YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS COVERING THE ELECTION, AND SANDY MADE IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT.

BECAUSE, AGAIN, NO POWER.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD GO TO -- I WOULD TAKE MY YOUNGER SON, BECAUSE HE KIND OF HAD TO COME WITH ME -- TO RESTAURANTS THAT WE COULD FIND THAT HAD POWER AND PLUGS THAT WE COULD USE.

AND THEN WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TALK ABOUT -- I WOULD SPEND THREE HOURS WORKING ON A STORY, AND WE'D EAT REALLY SLOWLY.

THAT'S KIND OF HOW I WAS ABLE TO COVER THINGS DURING SANDY.

>> YEAH.

BRENT, WAS THIS ONE OF YOUR FIRST BIG FRONT-PAGE STORIES?

WERE YOU AT NJ.COM THEN?

>> I WAS.

IT WAS STILL THE "STAR LEDGER" BEFORE IT SWITCHED TO BEING NJ ADVANCED MEDIA AND WE WERE IN NEWARK AT OUR OLD NEWARK OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK, AND WE LOST POWER, WHICH WAS UNHEARD OF.

AND WE DIDN'T PUT OUT A PAPER THAT FIRST DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LEDGER HISTORY BECAUSE WE HAD NO POWER TO PRINT ANYTHING.

EVERYBODY WENT HOME EXCEPT A SMALL GROUP OF REPORTERS, INCLUDING ME AND DAN GOLDBERG AND CRAIG WOLF AND BOBBY, AND WE ALL WERE SITTING THERE WITH FLASHLIGHTS AND WRITING ON LEGAL PADS, AND WE WERE CALLING POLICE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ON CELL PHONES THAT WE HAD TO CHARGE IN OUR CAR.

AND IT WAS A STRANGE SCENE BECAUSE WE WERE ALL WORKING IN DARKNESS.

AND THEN WE HAD TO CALL OUR STORIES AND READ THEM VERBATIM OVER THE PHONE TO OUR SISTER PAPER IN CLEVELAND, WHO THEN PUT THEM ONLINE.

IT WAS JUST THIS -- I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO WORK LIKE THAT.

AND THEN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE WERE OUT IN THE FIELD, COVERING ALL THE DEVASTATION, AND I WAITED ON A GAS LINE FOR A FEW HOURS TO REPORT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M SURE PEOPLE REMEMBER SITTING ON THOSE GAS LINES TRYING TO GET GAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IT WAS JUST A HARROWING BUT MEMORABLE TIME IN THE SENSE THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

FOR A YOUNG REPORTER, IT WAS GOOD TRAINING, AND YOU HAD TO THINK ON YOUR FEET, BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

>> I REMEMBER WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO A LIVE SHOT.

WE WERE DOING LIVE SHOTS FROM THE NEWS ROOM AT THE "STAR LEDGER" AT THE TIME AND THAT GOT CANCELED BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAD RUN OUT OF POWER.

HAD LOST POWER.

NEWARK ITSELF WAS IN DARKNESS FOR THAT NIGHT, AT LEAST, AND IN CERTAIN SECTIONS FOR WEEKS AFTERWARDS.

SO, I REMEMBER THAT VIVIDLY.

MATT, WERE YOU AT THE ENQUIRER AT THE TIME?

THERE'S THESE SHOTS OF YOU IN THE CHOPPER WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE.

>> YEAH, I WAS AT THE INQUIRER, AND I WAS AT THE ROCK COVERING THE PRESS CONFERENCES LEADING UP TO SANDY WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS SUPER STRONG ABOUT, LIKE, LISTEN, THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE.

GO TO HIGHER GROUND.

PREPARE FOR THE STORM.

AND THEN, IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH, HE HAD REPORTERS EMBED WITH HIM IN THESE HELICOPTERS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T OBVIOUSLY GET AROUND ON THE ROAD TO SURVEY DAMAGE.

AND THEN TO GO POP INTO THESE TOWNS ALONG THE SHORE TO -- WHERE THE GOVERNOR WAS BOTH LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE AND ALSO COMFORTING PEOPLE, AND AS A CYNICAL REPORTER, I HAD NEVER REALLY APPRECIATED THE WAY IN WHICH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A POLITICIAN SHOWING UP AND HUGGING SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY MADE A DIFFERENCE.

IT WAS REALLY REMARKABLE TO SEE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, LIKE, MELT IN CHRISTIE'S ARMS IN THAT RATTY FLEECE.

I MEAN, AND HE WAS -- HE IS GOOD AT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE, EMOTIONALLY, LIKE THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

AND HE, FROM, LIKE, ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO HAD LOST THEIR HOMES TO LITTLE CHILDREN, HE'D GET ON HIS, YOU KNOW, KNEEL DOWN AND TALK TO THEM.

REALLY, LIKE, REMARKABLE ONE-ON-ONE POLITICKING BUT ALSO JUST LEADERSHIP.

AND THEN, THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT WAS REALLY THE FACT THAT THE ELECTION'S HAPPENING A WEEK LATER, AND HE WAS ON TV CONSTANTLY.

HE HAD A MUCH BIGGER PRESENCE THAN EITHER MAYOR BLOOMBERG IN NEW YORK OR CUOMO IN NEW YORK, WHO ALSO WERE DEALING WITH THE STORM, AND HE'S ON FOX NEWS, AND HE SAYS THAT THE PRESIDENT'S COMING TO VISIT.

AND OBAMA WAS VERY INTIMATE.

MITT ROMNEY, A FEW DAYS LATER, OBAMA HAD BEEN MAYBE ROMNEY'S BIGGEST SURROGATE TO THAT POINT, AND FOX NEWS SAYS, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE MITT ROMNEY COME TO VISIT?

AND CHRISTIE, UNDERSLEPT, BAGS UNDER HIS EYES, SAYS, IF YOU THINK I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS AT A TIME LIKE THIS WITH 300,000 PEOPLE OUT OF POWER, ET CETERA, THEN YOU DON'T KNOW ME.

AND THAT'S, TO ME, WHAT WON HIM HIS RE-ELECTION IN SUCH A LANDSLIDE.

IT WAS A REMARKABLE SHOW OF BIPARTISANSHIP.

HE HAD A BRO HUG WITH OBAMA THAT ENDED UP GETTING A LOT OF CRITICISM AND MIGHT HAVE HURT HIM POLITICALLY.

BUT IN THE SHORT-TERM, IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A DIFFERENT SENSE AS I INDICATED TO THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ABOUT HOW THINGS WENT IN THE LONG RUN WITH SANDY RECOVERY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT -- THERE WERE A LOT OF -- I'LL BRING UP ONE.

LOT OF QUESTIONABLE CONTRACTUAL THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH SANDY RECOVERY.

I MEAN, TEN COMPANIES THAT THE STATE HIRED UNDER THE CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION FOR SANDY RECOVERY HAD DONATED TO THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS -- WHICH THE GOVERNOR RAN AT ONE POINT AND WAS THE BIGGEST BENEFACTOR TO HIS GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION.

SO -- AND THERE WAS A FEDERAL AUDIT SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW CONTRACTUAL RULES.

THERE WAS A COMPANY CALLED ASHFRIT WHERE THERE WERE ALLEGATIONS OF PAY-TO-PLAY.

THERE WERE HEARINGS.

THERE WERE CONTRACTORS THAT WERE FIRED.

THE LONG-TERM LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED.

BUT SHORT-TERM, CHRISTIE WAS PRETTY REMARKABLE.

>> WE HAD THE BIG GUY ON "CHAT BOX" THIS WEEK, WHICH I THINK IS WORTH A WATCH.

WE ASKED HIM IF LOOKING BACK, HE HAD DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

>> I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK MOST PEOPLE CONCLUDED THIS.

WE HANDLED IT REALLY WELL.

AND I THINK THE -- MOSTLY BECAUSE OF SPEED, AND YOU COULD NEVER BE FAST ENOUGH.

AND SECONDLY, THE REST OF IT WAS POLITICS.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER SENATOR BUONO BEING THE BIGGEST MOUTH OF THEM ALL, AND WE ALL KNEW THAT SHE WAS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AND HE WANTED TO RUN AGAINST ME.

A LOT OF THAT CRITICISM, I JUST CHALKED UP TO, SHE WAS TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS, AND YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT SHE WOUND UP LOSING BY 22 POINTS, I DON'T THINK THAT SHE WAS ALL THAT EFFECTIVE.

>> THAT IS SOME CLASSIC CHRISTIE RIGHT THERE.

GO AHEAD.

>> POLITICS, SURE.

BUT THERE WERE OTHER POLITICS INVOLVED.

LIKE $25 MILLION IN FEDERAL TOURISM ADS THAT WERE SPENT WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE AND HIS FAMILY STARRING IN THE ADS.

>> STRONGER THAN THE STORM.

>> EXACTLY.

>> WE ALSO ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS PRESIDENTIAL RUN.

HE DIDN'T SAY NO OR YES.

BRENT, HE'S TRAILING RON DeSANTIS OF FLORIDA AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER LESSER GOP LITES, INCLUDING TED CRUZ.

WHY DOES HE THINK HE CAN OVERCOME THAT IF HE ACTUALLY THINKS THAT?

>> I THINK THIS IS ALMOST A NEW THING IN PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS.

YOU SEE IT ON THE LEFT WITH PHIL MURPHY TOO IF JOE BIDEN DOESN'T RUN.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE BIG PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES, 12 CANDIDATES NOW, AND WHY NOT JUMP IN?

CHRISTIE'S STILL A NAME.

HE'S STILL ON TELEVISION EVERY SUNDAY.

HE'S STILL BRASH AND GETS ATTENTION.

I GUESS THE THOUGHT IS, WHY NOT RUN?

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2024, AND IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY FASCINATING TO WATCH THAT ALL UNFOLD.

>> ALL RIGHT, RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.

LET ME GET EACH OF YOU TO QUICKLY GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE LEAD THAT WE BURIED, WHICH IS MENENDEZ BEING INVESTIGATED FOR, AS MATT FRIEDMAN POINTED OUT, THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE DECADE.

MATT, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT THERE -- THIS IS MY FIRST THOUGHT.

I'M NOT GOING TO SIT THROUGH ANOTHER MENENDEZ CORRUPTION TRIAL.

I WON'T.

>> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO, DAVID.

IT'S SO REMARKABLE.

IT'S JUST ADS -- LISTEN.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE THIS GOES, IT JUST ADDS TO THE SENSE THAT NEW JERSEYANS HAVE AND AMERICANS HAVE THAT THIS STATE IS DIRTY AS HELL WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS.

AND IT'S SAD.

IT REALLY IS.

I MEAN, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT GOES, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT PIQUED THE INTEREST AND CONCERN OF INVESTIGATORS, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S -- I DON'T -- WHO KNOWS IF THE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE.

BUT WE HAVE A STATE THAT'S RUN BY ONE PARTY WITH PARTY BOSS POLITICS AND IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR A CLEAN SYSTEM.

THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.

>> BRENT, WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF THIS?

>> I DON'T KNOW YET.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM SURPRISED AT THIS, ALL THE POLITICAL PEOPLE I SPOKE TO THROUGHOUT THE LAST FEW DAYS, THEY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS COMING.

THEY DON'T KNOW 100% WHAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED.

SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE COMING OUT ABOUT THIS IN THE COMING DAYS.

>> COLLEEN, CONVENIENT TIMING A WEEK BEFORE THE MIDTERMS.

>> YEAH.

BOY, REALLY CONVENIENT TIMING.

AT LEAST HE'S NOT RUNNING.

THAT'S -- THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HURT HIM, ALTHOUGH HIS SON IS ON THE BALLOT, AND I HAVE TO WONDER -- I MEAN, I GUESS IF HIS SON ACTUALLY HAD A ROBUST CHALLENGE, PERHAPS, THAT MIGHT COME UP THERE.

BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I'M WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION AS EVERYONE ELSE IS, AND I DON'T KNOW, DAVID, UNLESS YOU PLAN ON RETIRING EARLY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SIT THROUGH THAT TRIAL.

>> NO.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S TIME FOR OUR ONLY IN JERSEY MOMENT.

HEADLINES AND NOTES THAT ARE QUINTESSENTIALLY JERSEY.

MATT, YOU GOT ONE FOR US?

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO -- I THINK IT'S FASCINATING AND VERY JERSEY THAT BOB MENENDEZ IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT ON THE BALLOT, HIS SON IS ON THE BALLOT IN A SEAT THAT ESSENTIALLY WAS DE FACTO HANDED TO HIM, AND HE HAS THE SAME EXACT NAME, AND THE -- THERE'S ANOTHER GUY ON THE BALLOT FOR CONGRESS, TOM KEAN JR., WHO HAS THE SAME NAME AS HIS FAMOUS FORMER GOVERNOR FATHER, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, IN NEW JERSEY, POLITICS IS ALWAYS IN THE FAMILY.

GOOD OR BAD.

>> DYNASTY.

DYNASTY.

BRENT, YOU GOT ONE?

>> YEAH, MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS 18 MONTHS OLD, A YEAR AND A HALF, EVERY DAY, SHE WAKES UP REACHING FOR HER "GOOD NIGHT NEW JERSEY" BOOK BECAUSE SHE REALLY WANTS TO READ IT, AND SHE SAYS, JERSEY.

AND SHE SOUNDS LIKE TOM KEAN SR. >> LOOK AT THAT KID.

>> HER NAME IS EVERILY, AND SHE LOVES HER "GOOD NIGHT JERSEY" BOOK AND MY WIFE AND I ARE TRAINING HER TO BE A JERSEY GIRL.

>> THAT IS AWESOME.

HAVE YOU READ IT ENOUGH TO MEMORIZE A LINE OR TWO FROM THAT?

>> OH, IT TALKS ABOUT THE BLUEBERRY FARMS AND GREETINGS FROM ASBRY PARK.

AT ONE POINT, IT SAYS, BABY, WE WERE BORN TO RUN.

IT'S A VERY CUTE BOOK.

IT SHOWS JERSEY PRIDE.

SHE WAKES UP EVERY MORNING AND GOES, JERSEY, LIKE SHE WANTS TO READ IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A NIGHTTIME BOOK.

GO GARDEN STATE.

>> GOOD NIGHT, NEW JERSEY, AND YOU.

>> AND HELLO TO EVERLEY AND LINDSEY, MY WIFE.

>> GOOD POLITICS, BUDDY.

MINE COMES FROM NORTHERN STATE PRISON IN ESSEX COUNTY WHERE A CORRECTIONS OFFICER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ACCEPTING A BRIBE FOR SMUGGLING TOBACCO INTO PRISON FOR AN INMATE, WHICH, EVIDENTLY, YOU CAN'T DO.

THE KICKER HERE IS THAT THE GUARD WHO IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, IS NAMED CHRISTOPHER SMOKES.

SMOKES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT LAUGH, FOLKS.

THAT'S "ROUNDTABLE" FOR THIS WEEK.

COLLEEN, BRENT, MATT, GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS.

OUR THANKS ALSO TO FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR KIM GUADAGNO.

YOU CAN FOLLOW THE SHOW ON TWITTER, @ROUNDTABLENJ.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FROM THE ENTIRE CREW HERE AT TWO GATEWAY CENTER, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJBARNABAS HEALTH.

LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

ROWEN UNIVERSITY, EDUCATING NEW JERSEY LEADERS, PARTNERING WITH NEW JERSEY BUSINESSES, TRANSFORMING NEW JERSEY'S FUTURE.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY "NEW JERSEY BUSINESS MAGAZINE," THE MAGAZINE OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, REPORTING TO EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN ALL 21 COUNTIES OF THE GARDEN STATE SINCE 1954.

AND BY POLITICO'S "NEW JERSEY PLAYBOOK," A TOPICAL NEWSLETTER ON GARDEN STATE POLITICS, ONLINE AT POLITICO.COM --Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com