[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

THIS WEEK, FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS BEFORE HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND NURSING HOME DEATHS.

THE FORMER GOVERNOR HAS FACED SCRUTINY OVER HIS MARCH 2020 DIRECTIVE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY STOPPED NURSING HOMES FROM REFUSING TO ACCEPT COVID-19 PATIENTS.

THAT DIRECTIVE WAS LATER RESCINDED AND HIS ADMINISTRATION WAS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO COVER UP COVID-19 DEATHS AT NURSING HOMES.

IN HIS TESTIMONY, CUOMO DEFENDED HIS DECISIONS AND PLACED BLAME ON THEN-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

HIS LIES AND DENIALS DELAYED OUR RESPONSE, LET THE VIRUS SPREAD AND THIS COUNTRY NEVER CAUGHT UP.

TRUMP LITERALLY SAID I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY AND HE FABRICATED POLITICAL ATTACKS BLAMING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS, INCLUDING SAYING THAT NEW YORK ISSUED A HEALTH ORDER ON MARCH 25TH HAVING COVID POSITIVE PEOPLE FROM NURSING HOMES FROM HOSPITALS WHICH RECKLESSLY AND NEEDLESSLY CAUSED THOUSANDS OF DEATHS.

THE SUBCOMMITTEE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL HAS BEEN SUBPOENAED FOR DOCUMENTS RELATING TO CUOMO'S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON THE INVESTIGATION RIGHT HERE ON THE SHOW.

AND OF COURSE, THAT WASN'T THE ONLY NEWSWORTHY MOMENT THIS WEEK.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FACED OFF IN THEIR FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

DURING THE TWO-HOUR EVENT, THE CANDIDATES TOOK PERSONAL JABS AND SPARRED OVER A SLEW OF ISSUES FROM IMMIGRATION TO THE ECONOMY AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

AS WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE ON THE SHOW, THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN GROWING SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN NEW YORK.

TO IMPACT THE ENERGY AROUND THE CAMPAIGN AND PLANS FOR THE COMPETITIVE CONGRESSIONAL RACES THIS YEAR, WE SPOKE WITH NEW YORK STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER, JAY JACOBS, AHEAD OF THE DEBATE.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, CHAIR JACOBS.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE.

NOW DEMOCRATS JUST WRAPPED UP THE NATIONAL CONVENTION IN CHICAGO JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE CONVENTION THIS YEAR?

I TELL YOU, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT FROM DEMOCRATS THE WAY I SAW IT AT THIS PARTICULAR CONVENTION.

NO MATTER WHAT STATE THEY WERE FROM, EVERYBODY WAS ENERGIZED.

THEY WERE EXCITED.

SMILES ON THEIR FACES.

WHEN YOU SAT IN THE CONVENTION HALL, WE WERE ON THE FLOOR, OF COURSE, DELEGATES ON THE FLOOR, THE-- JUST THE MOOD OF THE ENTIRE HALL WAS TERRIFIC, AND I THOUGHT THE PRODUCTION WAS GREAT.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONVENTION DIDN'T MISS A BEAT.

IT WAS PERFECT.

I THOUGHT THAT THE SPEECHES WERE GREAT.

YOU KNOW, WE CAME OUT VERY EXCITED, VERY OPTIMISTIC.

OF COURSE JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE CONVENTION, YOU WERE PART OF A ZOOM CALL WITH NEW YORK DELEGATES TO HELP SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT TO HELP SECURE THE NOMINATION.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON THAT ZOOM CALL AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT?

WELL, I INITIATED IT.

THAT'S HOW IT CAME ABOUT.

ONCE PRESIDENT BIDEN DECIDED THAT HE WOULD NOT RUN, IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT OUR NOMINEE WAS GOING TO BE KAMALA HARRIS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DELEGATES WERE AS EXCITED AS I WAS AND SO MANY OTHERS IN OUR STATE DELEGATION WERE.

SO WE PUT TOGETHER THIS ZOOM CALL.

WE GOT EVERYBODY, AND AGAIN, VERY POSITIVE VIBE.

EVERYBODY JUST WAS NEW ENERGY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS NEEDED.

I THINK THERE WAS A REAL LONGING FOR JUST-- JUST A HANDOFF TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO WIN THE DAY FOR US.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED SINCE ENTERING THE RACE, HARRIS HAS, OF COURSE, SEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK AND BEYOND.

SO WHAT DO YOU MAKE ABOUT THE EXCITEMENT AROUND HER CAMPAIGN CURRENTLY?

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO BE A LOT MORE LIKE A MOVEMENT THAN JUST A REGULAR CANDIDACY.

PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK THAT HAVE NOT ENGAGED IN POLITICS BEFORE.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS.

THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS, THE CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING.

SOMETIMES WE'RE INUNDATED WITH PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP, WANT TO WRITE LETTERS, POSTCARDS TO NEIGHBORS KIND OF A THING, MAKE PHONE CALLS, KNOCK ON DOORS, DO ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO HELP HER WIN THIS ELECTION.

THERE'S JUST-- I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.

NEVER MIND THE FACT I THINK THE CAMPAIGN RAISED 500 AND SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MOSTLY FROM DONORS AND NEW DONORS, INDUSTRIES EXTRAORDINARY.

THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

YOU CAN DO ALL THE POLLING YOU WANT, BUT WHEN YOU SEE THAT KIND OF MOVEMENT ON THE GROUND, MOVEMENT THAT ISN'T PROPELLED BY A PARTICULAR CAMPAIGN BUT IT'S JUST ORGANIC, THAT INDICATES TO YOU THAT YOU'RE ON THE WINNING SIDE.

I THINK WE ARE.

AND HOW DO YOU SEE DEMOCRATS BUILDING ON THAT EXCITEMENT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY?

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT MORE AND MORE VOLUNTEERS SIGNING UP WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT FIELD OFFICES.

WE ALREADY HAVE IN NEW YORK AND OTHER STATES MORE FIELD OFFICES BY MULTIPLES THAN THE REPUBLICANS DO, AND MORE FIELD DIRECTORS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE SIGNING UP VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE VOLUNTEERS ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING OUT THE VOTE.

WE GOT, YOU KNOW, MONEY COMING IN SO OUR ABILITY TO PERSUADE VOTERS USING THE NORMAL MEDIA OUTLETS, TV, MAIL, FOR INSTANCE, SOCIAL MEDIA, DIGITAL AND THE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF GETTING TO VOTERS AND GETTING OUR ARGUMENT TO VOTERS.

NOW HAVING THE VOLUNTEERS TO PULL THEM OUT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.

AND WE KNOW IN RECENT PRESIDENTIAL RACES, NEW YORK IS A BLUE STATE.

I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT YOU SEE THE STATE PLAYING IN SECURING THE PRESIDENCY FOR KAMALA HARRIS.

WELL, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT NEW YORK'S 28 ELECTORAL VOTES COME IN AND I THINK THAT WHERE NEW YORK IS THE STATE TO WATCH IS LESS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, WHERE I THINK IT'S-- I DON'T WANT TO SAY FORGONE CONCLUSION, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A SOLIDLY GOOD BET THAT SHE'S GOING TO WIN IT.

I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT THE CONGRESSIONALS ARE WHERE-- CONGRESSIONAL RACES ARE WHERE NEW YORK IS-- IS NOT SO SOLIDLY BLUE.

RIGHT.

I THINK IT'S JUST A FICTION TO SAY THAT NEW YORK AS A WHOLE WHEN IT COMES TO CONGRESSIONAL RACES ARE SOLIDLY BLUE.

MANY OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE PURPLE.

SOMETIMES THEY GO DEMOCRATIC AND SOMETIMES IT'S REPUBLICAN.

IT DEPENDS ON THE ARGUMENT.

IT DEPENDS UPON THE MOOD OF ELECTORATE.

WE SAW THAT IN 2022.

EXACTLY.

I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

LOOKING BEYOND THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS FACED A LOT OF CRITICISM FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH TO HELP DEMOCRATS IN 2022 WHILE REPUBLICANS WERE ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

GIVEN THAT CRITICISM, HOW IS THE PARTY APPROACHING ELECTIONS THIS YEAR?

WHAT IS THE OVERALL STRATEGY?

FIRST OF ALL, I REJECT THAT CRITICISM.

THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE NARRATIVE COMING OFF THE 2022 RACE.

THE STATE PARTY TOOK QUITE A BEATING.

I TOOK QUITE A BEATING.

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE COME OUT WITH THAT THEORY AND THEY MAKE THE STATEMENT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY MORE TRUE THAN SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT COME OUT OF OTHER POLITICAL PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, DON'T TRUST THE CREDIBILITY OF.

IT WASN'T RIGHT.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN 2022 ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THIS WAS JOE BIDEN'S FIRST OFFYEAR ELECTION.

TYPICALLY, A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT, A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, THEIR FIRST OFFYEAR ELECTION IS TOUGH.

WHAT HELPED ACROSS THE COUNTRY WAS THE ISSUE OF ABORTION IN MANY STATES.

IN SOME STATES, IT WAS OFF THE BALLOT.

IN SOME STATES, IT WAS ON THE BALLOT IN A REFERENDUM.

BUT IN OTHER STATES, STATES WHERE WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE REALLY UNDER THREAT, WOMEN TOOK IT SERIOUSLY AND PEOPLE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY AND THEY CAME OUT AND VOTE.

IT HELPED DEMOCRATS.

IN NEW YORK, WE HAD TWO THINGS GO AGAINST US.

THREE THINGS GO AGAINST US, I SHOULD SAY.

NUMBER ONE, THE ABORTION ISSUE DIDN'T RESONATE ARE AND WE WERE KNOCKING ON DOORS.

WE WERE HEARING FROM VOTER DIRECTLY.

WOMEN VOTERS WERE SAYING DON'T INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE.

OUR ABORTION RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN NEW YORK ARE SAFE, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THAT AS AN ISSUE TO DECIDE WHO WE WANT.

THAT WAS NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO IN NEW YORK IN THE FOUR CONGRESSIONAL SEATS THAT WE GET CRITICIZED FOR LOSING, PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE OF THE REDISTRICTING DEBACLE HERE IN NEW YORK, EVEN THE LAW CASE AND THE REST, WE HAD OUR PRIMARY AT THE END OF AUGUST.

WE ONLY HAD ABOUT NINE WEEKS FROM THE TIME OUR PRIMARY WAS OVER TO THE ELECTION WHERE THE REPUBLICANS HAD TWICE THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.

WE EXPANDED EACH OF THOSE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES HAD THOSE PRIMARIES HAD EXPENDED ALL OF THEIR FUNDS, HAD TO RAISE MONEY ALL OVER AGAIN, HAD TO START UP CAMPAIGNS.

THEY STARTED WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND THEIR BACK.

THEN IN THE THIRD INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS PHONY ISSUE OF BAIL REFORM, YOU KNOW, CASHLESS BAIL THE REPUBLICANS CALLED IT.

IT WAS UNFAIR, BUT THE NEW YORK MEDIA MARKET, PLAYING ON THE INCREASE IN CRIME, SET AN ENVIRONMENT, A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT CRIME WAS OUT OF CONTROL IN NEW YORK, PARTICULARLY DOWN STATE AND IN THE CITY.

AND THE CAUSE OF IT WAS THIS BAIL REFORM LAW THAT DEMOCRATS HAD PASSED.

IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED IN BAIL REFORM, NO QUESTION.

THEY WERE BY DEMOCRATS BY THE WAY.

THAT WASN'T THE CAUSE OF IT.

PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT BAIL WAS IN MANY INSTANCES, BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, CRIME AND EGREGIOUS CRIME WOULD BE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER ALMOST THROUGH THE ENTIRE ELECTION CYCLE AND THE BLAME WOULD BE THE DEMOCRATS AND BAIL REFORM.

SO OF COURSE, WE WERE OPERATING IN A TOUGH POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAME TOGETHER AND WE HAD SOME LOSSES AND WE TOOK THOSE LOSSES, BUT WE SPENT $6 MILLION THAT YEAR KNOCKING ON DOORS, BRINGING OUT VOTES, DOING THE FIELD WORK THAT IS BEING DONE THIS YEAR AS WELL.

I THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE IS WE NOW HAVE MORE FIELD OFFICES SET UP.

WE'RE RAISING MORE MONEY THAN WE DID THE LAST TIME BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING THE ATTENTION OF FOLKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, MAYBE NEW YORK ISN'T THAT PERFECTLY BLUE WHERE WE CAN JUST EXPECT THESE WINS TO COME IN NATURALLY.

SO WE'RE GETTING THAT KIND OF HELP.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT US AND I APPRECIATE IT MOST CERTAINLY, BUT I THINK THAT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IS DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT ALSO, REMEMBER, BEING A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, YOU GET ALMOST THREE-QUARTERS OF YOUR REGISTERED VOTERS OUT TO VOTE IN THE GUBERNATORIAL YEAR, THE OFFYEAR, IF YOU WILL, IT WAS CLOSER TO 50 OR 60%.

SO MORE VOTERS COMING OUT WORKS TO OUR BENEFIT, TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT MORE DEMOCRATS THAN THERE ARE REPUBLICANS IN NEW YORK STATE BY 2 TO 1.

I THINK THAT WILL BE A HELP FOR US, TOO.

AND AS YOU CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK TO LEAD THE PARTY IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE, WHAT ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO HELP GARNER SUPPORT FROM VOTERS IN THIS CYCLE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE CONGRESSIONAL RACES?

OH, I THINK YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THE ISSUES THAT VOTERS ARE INTERESTED IN.

AND THEY'RE BASICALLY ECONOMIC ISSUES.

IT'S ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.

IT'S ABOUT GROCERY PRICES.

IT'S ABOUT HOUSING AVAILABILITY AND COST OF HOUSING, THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING.

YOU GOT TO SPEAK TO THAT.

YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE ON THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION HEAD ON.

JUST LIKE TOM SUOZZI DID IN HIS CAMPAIGN AND I THOUGHT IT WAS DONE VERY, VERY WELL, YOU'VE GOT TO THROW THIS BACK AT THE REPUBLICANS.

WE HAD A DEAL.

WE HAD A DEAL THAT WAS PROMOTED BY REPUBLICANS.

IT WAS WRITTEN, IN LARGE PART, BY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE.

THE BEST AND STRONGEST IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL IN DECADES ALL AGREED ON WOULD HAVE SOLVED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THE PROBLEM THAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT, BUT WHO SAID NO?

DONALD TRUMP SAID NO.

WHY DID HE SAY NO?

NOT BECAUSE IT WAS A BAD BILL.

HE SAID NO BECAUSE YOU TAKE THE ISSUE OFF THE TABLE, IT HURTS HIS CANDIDACY AND HIS CHANCE OF WINNING THE ELECTION.

I NEVER HAVE SEEN A MORE SELFISH ACT POLITICALLY AS THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, DON'T BLAME THE DEMOCRATS.

LOOK, WE OWN OUR SHARE OF THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.

SO DO THE REPUBLICANS, BUT IN THIS LATEST ITERATION, I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S THE REPUBLICANS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT BACKED AWAY FROM THE DEAL.

THEY PUT FORWARD THEMSELVES SO GO STRAIGHT AT THESE REPUBLICANS.

TALK ABOUT HOW THE TRUTH OF IT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO BETTER IN THE ECONOMY NOT WORSE, BETTER IN THE ECONOMY ON THE DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS.

THOSE ARE THE FACTS.

SO ARE THERE ANY AREAS THAT YOU THINK DEMOCRATS COULD DO A BETTER JOB IN?

WE CAN ALWAYS DO A BETTER JOB.

UH-HUH.

WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS?

WELL, I WOULD SIMPLY SAY TO YOU, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB COMMUNICATING WITH VOTERS WHAT WE HAVE DONE.

I THINK THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S RECORD IS REALLY-- CAN'T BE COMPARED WITH ANY RECORD SINCE LYNDON JOHNSON AND EVEN MAYBE GOING BACK TO FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHIPS ACT, AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE ACT, $1.2 TRILLION GOING INTO FIXING AND REBUILDING BRIDGES, TUNNELS, ROADS, WATER PIPES AND WATER SYSTEMS.

THE ELECTRIC GRID, THE INTERNET ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BRINGING INTERNET TO RURAL AREAS, TO 24 MILLION AMERICANS WHO UP TO THIS POINT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FAST INTERNET, WHICH YOU NEED IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE DOING.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY AS THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND TOMORROW AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS, BIDDING UP THE MIDDLE CLASS.

THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE ON.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, VOTER TURNOUT IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT CAMPAIGNS HAVE TO FACTOR IN.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO CANDIDATES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS NOT ONLY TO GET VOTERS TO CAST THEIR VOTE FOR THEM BUT JUST SIMPLY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE POLLS, IN WHAT WAYS IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TRYING TO MITIGATE THE CHALLENGE OF LOW VOTER TURNOUT THIS YEAR?

WELL, I THINK IN THE PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT.

SO YES, WE'LL BE KNOCKING ON THE DOORS.

WE'LL BE MAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS.

WE'LL BE DOING THE TEXTS AND ALL THE REST OF IT.

BUT LET'S REMEMBER, IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR AND YOU DO SEE A HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT.

SO WHILE I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO SLEEP ON THAT, I CERTAINLY THINK WE CAN TAKE SOME SOLACE IN THE FACT THAT VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE TURNING OUT THIS YEAR WITH A LOT MORE EASE THAN THEY HAVE IN NON-PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.

AND LASTLY IN THE LONG TERM OF, SAY, 10 TO 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE PARTY?

WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE KNIT THE FUTURE?

I HOPE IN THE NEXT LESS THAN 10 TO 20 YEARS, I HOPE OUR PARTY, ONCE AGAIN, BECOMES THE PARTY THAT PEOPLE SEE AS THE PARTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.

I THINK THAT THE AMERICAN DREAM IS SOMETHING THAT TOO MANY AMERICANS HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN.

I THINK THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO BE THE PARTY THAT CHAMPIONS THE AMERICAN DREAM, THAT MAKES IT TRUE THAT IF YOU WORK HARD, PLAY BY THE RULES AND YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE AND YOUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE BOUNDLESS.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAYING FIELD IS FAIR.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE TAX CODE IS FAIR.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INCOME DISPARITY THAT WE CURRENTLY SEE GROWING GREATER AND GREATER IS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL.

I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT CORPORATE EXECUTIVES SHOULD BE MAKING SO MANY TIMES THE AMOUNT THAT THE AVERAGE WORKER AND THEIR FIRMS ARE MAKING.

I THINK IT'S UNFAIR.

I THINK WORKERS HAVE TO BE PAID FAIRLY SO THAT YOU CAN WORK A 40-HOUR WEEK AND PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY WITH DECENT HOUSING, QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, GOOD EDUCATION, REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR VACATION FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AND SOME MONEY IN YOUR POCK TOTE MAKE THAT VACATION ENJOYABLE.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK AMERICA SHOULD AFFORD TO EVERYONE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO BE THE PARTY THAT NOT ONLY TALKS THE TALK, BUT ARE, YOU KNOW, WALKS THE WALK AND GETS IT DONE AND PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE THESE ACHIEVEMENTS.

WE CAN'T ALLOW POPULISM AND NON-SENSE POLITICS AND DIVISIVE POLITICS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING FROM THE OTHER SIDE BE WHAT ATTRACTS VOTERS.

VOTERS HAVE TO BE ATTRACTED TO THE ASPIRATIONAL NATURE OF POLITICS AND THE POSSIBILITIES AND WHAT A PARTY CAN PROVIDE.

THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE TO BE, A LITTLE LESS VIEWED AS IN THE POCKET OF CORPORATE DONATIONS AND MORE VIEWED AS ON THE SIDE OF THE AVERAGE WORKER, THE UNION WORKER, THE MIDDLE CLASS AND BUILDING AMERICANS UP FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT AND WE SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT AND I HOPE THAT OUR POLICIES UNDER KAMALA HARRIS, TIM WALZ AND OTHER LEADERS IN OUR PARTY BRING US TO THAT POINT WHERE VOTERS SEE IT LOUD AND CLEAR.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR NOW.

BUT WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US, CHAIR.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH JAY JACOBS, CHAIR OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND APART FROM THE POLITICAL NEWS THIS WEEK, IT WAS ALSO THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 ATTACK IN NEW YORK CITY.

IT'S HARD TO FORGET THE TRAGIC EVENT THAT LEFT THE FAMILIES OF COUNTLESS VICTIMS WITH LOSS AND TRAUMA.

"NEW YORK NOW" REPORTER ELISE KLINE SPOKE WITH VICTIMS AND EXPERTS TO RECOUNT THE TRAGIC EVENT AND ITS LINGERING EFFECTS TO THIS DAY.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THIS YEAR MARKS THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 ATTACK ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER THAT KILLED NEARLY 3,000 PEOPLE.

TO THIS DAY, SURVIVERS WILL RECOUNT EXPERIENCES THEY WILL NEVER FORGET.

MICHAEL BARASCH, A LAWYER, WAS WORKING DOWNTOWN THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WHEN THE PLANES HIT THE TOWERS.

HE RECOUNTS HEARING THE FIRST PLANE CRASH.

THERE WAS A HOLE AND THERE WAS FIRE COMING OUT.

I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE JUST A SMALL PLANE, BUT THE SKY WAS LIKE TODAY, CRYSTAL CLEAR BLUE.

NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY.

10 I WAS JUST WONDERING, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

HE SAYS THAT 15 MINUTES LATER, HE KNEW HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE.

I SAW THE SECOND PLANE FLY INTO THE SECOND TOWER AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WHEN I REALIZED, OH, MY GOD, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK.

I SENT EVERYONE IN MY OFFICE, I SAID GET OUT OF HERE.

GO HOME, BUT OF COURSE, I DIDN'T GO HOME BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS GETTING EVERYONE ELSE OUT OF THE OFFICE AND THEN THREE OF MY PARTNERS AND ME WERE GLUED LIKE A DEER IN HIGHLIGHTS WATCHING PEOPLE JUMP OUT OF WINDOWS TO THEIR DEATHS.

WHILE BARASCH AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER CIVILIANS WERE EXPERIENCING THE TOWERS CRASHING TO THE GROUND, RESPONDERS WERE BEING CALLED IN TO HELP.

RICHARD ALLES IS NOW A RETIRED NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY CHIEF REMEMBERS BEING BUSSED TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AFTER THE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO RESPOND TO THE FIRST PLANE CRASH, THEY WERE TOLD THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE TOWERS.

WE ARRIVED ON SCENE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE SECOND COLLAPSE, AND IT'S FUNNY HOW LIKE YOUR EYES CAN VISUALIZE AND LIKE I SAID, I WAS MENTALLY PREPARED AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GRASP THE SITUATION.

JOHN FEAL, A DEMOLITION SUPERVISOR AT THE TIME, WAS ON THE THROGS NECK BRIDGE MAKING HIS WAY TO HIS HOME IN LONG ISLAND WHEN HE SAW THE SMOKE FROM THE CRASH OF THE TWIN TOWERS COVERED THE CITY.

I COULD SEE THE PLUME FROM THE CITY SKYLINE AND I WAS IN AWE.

FEAL RESPONDED FOR CLEANUP AND RECOVERY FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOLLOWING THE ATTACK BEFORE HE WAS BADLY INJURED BY A STEEL BEAM FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER THAT FELL ON HIM.

ROUGHLY A THOUSAND POUNDS OF STEEL CRUSHED MY LEFT FOOT.

I SPENT 11 WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH GANGRENE AND SEPSIS.

I ALMOST DIED.

WHILE FEAL WAS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE, THE SEARCH RESCUE CONTINUED AT GROUND ZERO.

ALLES SAID FIRST AND RESCUE WENT ON FOR TWO WEEKS UNTIL IT SHIFTED TO A SEARCH AND RECOVERY MISSION THAT WENT ON FOR NINE MONTHS UNTIL THE SITE WAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED.

TODAY, THE STATE MEMORIALIZES THE 23-YEAR-OLD ATTACK THROUGH ANNUAL CEREMONIES AND MUSEUMS.

IN ALBANY, RIGHT NEXT TO THE STATE CAPITOL IS THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF 9/11 ARTIFACTS IN THE COUNTRY.

FROM STEEL BEAMS TO ARTIFACTS FROM FIRST RESPONDERS, CIVILIANS AND FRAGMENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE COLLECTION PAINTS A PICTURE OF THE TRAGIC DAY THAT MANY EXPERIENCED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS POWERFUL OF THE MUSEUM EXHIBITS IN GENERAL, BUT EXHIBITS LIKE THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, IS THE SENSE OF CONNECTION THAT YOU CAN HAVE IN THE GALLERY BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE PROXIMITY OF THINGS THAT WERE THERE ON THAT DAY.

THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR, GENERAL STUDENT VISITATION TOTALED ABOUT 21,000 STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM.

SURVIVORS SAY THE MUSEUM IS A GREAT WAY TO NOT ONLY EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DAY OF 9/11, BUT TO ENSURE THE EVENT IS NOT FORGOTTEN.

THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD.

FOR ALREADY 23 YEARS REMOVED, THE STORY CONTINUES TO BE TOLD SO HISTORY DOESN'T REPEAT ITSELF.

THIS YEAR, THE MUSEUM IS INSTALLING A NEW SECTION OF THE EXHIBIT.

IT'S CALLED SADAKO'S CRANE.

SITTING ON DISPLAY BY THE ENTRANCE FOR THE 9/11 EXHIBIT IS A SMALL ORIGAMI CRANE MADE FROM RED WRAPPING FROM A MEDICINE CONTAINER BY SADAKO SASAKI, A HIROSHIMA SURVIVER, WHILE SASAKI SURVIVED WHEN THE UNITED STATES DROPPED THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB IN 1945, SHE LATER DEVELOPED LEUKEMIA FROM RADIATION EXPOSURE.

WHILE SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, SHE WAS INSPIRED BY A JAPANESE LEGEND WHERE A FOLDER THAT CREATED 1,000 ORIGAMI CRANES WOULD RECEIVE A WISH.

SHE CREATED 1,300 BEFORE SHE DIED AT THE AGE OF 12 IN OCTOBER OF 1955.

NOW NEARLY 70 YEARS LATER, SASAKI'S ORIGAMI HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL OF RESILIENCE SERVING AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TRAGEDIES OF HIROSHIMA AND SEPTEMBER 11TH.

SHE WAS VERY POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC.

IN BOTH HER RECOVERY BUT IN THE PROCESS FOR THE WORLD TO RECOVER FROM THE DEVASTATION OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND IT WAS THAT KIND OF OPTIMISM AND HOPE THAT SHE INSTILLED IN THE KOREANS, THEMSELVES, I THINK THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH PEOPLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH IN THAT EVEN IN OUR DARKEST DAYS THERE ARE REASONS TO BE HOPEFUL.

SASAKI'S MESSAGE HAS WON SOME SURVIVORS OF 9/11 HAVE EMBRACED.

I'VE BEEN GIVEN SEVERAL CHANCES NOW SINCE 9/11.

I KEEP CHEATING DEATH.

I'VE HAD 46 SURGERIES AND I'M GOING TO LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE IT'S MY LAST DAY.

THE CRANE ON DISPLAY FROM NOW UNTIL OCTOBER WHEN IT WILL BE REPLACED BY A REPLICA IS ONE OF THE LAST CRANE'S FOLDED BY SASAKI HERSELF.

AFTER SEEING THIS NEW EXHIBIT, THE MEMORIAL TAKES PEOPLE THROUGH THE TIME LINE OF 9/11 AND THE RESCUE AND RECOVERY FOLLOWING THE ATTACK.

BUT SOME HISTORY EXPERTS SAY IT'S LACKING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY, THE WHY.

MATTHEW WARSHAUER, A HISTORY PROFESSOR AND THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, "CREATING AND FAILING THE 9/11 GENERATION, THE REAL STORY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH," SAYS THE STATE MUSEUM IS LACKING IN PROVIDING VISITORS WITH A REAL HISTORY OF WHY 9/11 HAPPENED.

THE WHY THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS WHY DID A GROUP OF PEOPLE OVERSEAS HATE US SO MUCH THAT THEY WANTED TO KILL AS MANY AMERICANS AS THEY COULD?

IT'S NOT JUST SIMPLY A MATTER OF EVIL.

YOU KNOW, GEORGE W. BUSH SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY-- NOTHING WE DID STOKED THE IRE OF KILLERS.

THAT'S UNTRUE.

OUR FOREIGN POLICY STOKED THE IRE OF KILLERS.

WARSHAUER GOES ON TO EXPLAIN THE FLAWS IN THE UNITED STATES' POLICIES, HIGHLIGHTING THE UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO TRAIN AND AN ARM THE MUJAHIDEEN, THE EXTREMEST GROUP WHO COMMITTED THE ATTACK ON THE TWIN TOWERS.

WE HAVE A HABIT OF EMBRACING THE IDEA OF MY ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND, AND WE GIVE COMPLEX TRAINING AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS TO PEOPLES AND PLACES THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING THEM.

AARON SAID THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM IS HAVING ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY COULD SHOW AND TELL THE STORY OF HOW 9/11 HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY AS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY APPROACHES.

THE EMOTIONS IN 2002 ARE SO RAW THAT THERE WAS DEBATE AMONGST MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS HERE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TALKING ABOUT THE HIJACKERS OR THE WHY WOULD EVENTUALLY PLATFORM THEIR MESSAGE.

NOW AS WE MOVE CLOSE TO THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY, WE'RE RE-EVALUATING HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FROM THAT.

> ON THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY, THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE DAY OF ATTACK AND AFTER ARE REMEMBERED.

FOR SURVIVORS THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SEPTEMBER 11TH VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND AND THE WORLD TRADE CENTER HEALTH PROGRAM.

ELISE KLINE, "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND AS ELISE MENTIONED, VICTIMS CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON RESOURCES RELATING TO 9/11 LINKED ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.