>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY JUDY AND JOSH WESTON DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION >>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

TONIGHT, WE CONTINUE OUR "METROFOCUS" SPOTLIGHT SERIES ON WHO'S RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

TONIGHT, WE TALK TO RAY McGUIRE, A CANDIDATE WHO COMES TO THE MAYOR'S RACE FROM OUTSIDE THE ROLE OF POLITICS.

A FORMER CITIGROUP CHAIRMAN, McGUIRE ROSE TO BECOME ONE OF THE HIGHEST RANKING AND LONGEST SERVING BLACK EXECUTIVES ON WALL STREET.

McGUIRE BELIEVES HIS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE MAKES HIM UNIQUELY SUITED TO LEAD NEW YORK IN THIS MOMENT OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.

AND HE JOINS ME NOW.

RAY, WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JENNA FLANAGAN, "METROFOCUS."

WHO'S GOING DOWN?

>> WE'RE DOING GREAT.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING DOWN WITH YOU.

>> I'M ALL IN.

WHAT CAN I TELL YOU?

>> WHAT YOU CAN TELL ME AND DEFINITELY ALL OF NEW YORK IS, WHY ON EARTH DO YOU WANT THE THANKLESS JOB OF BEING MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT -- IF IT'S OKAY, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT WHO I AM, WHAT I'VE DONE AND WHY I'M DOING THIS.

I COME FROM DAYTON, OHIO.

I CAME TO NEW YORK CITY 40 YEARS OR SO AGO, BUT I COME FROM DAYTON, OHIO.

I WAS RAISED BY MY SINGLE MOTHER AND MY GRANDPARENTS WHO RAISED ME AND MY PROBROTHERS AND AT ANY POINT IN TIME, WE HAD HALF A DOZEN FOSTER CHILDREN IN OUR HOME.

AND MY MOTHER WAS A SOCIAL WORKER AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE AND IN THE '60s AND '70s AND A LITTLE LATER ON, AS 0 SA SOCIAL WORKER, ON T OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACK, THE DEEPER NEIGHBORHOOD, SHE HAD TO DEBATE IF SHE'S GOING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, PAY THE GAS AND LIGHT TABLE OR OFFER TO THE CHURCH, I KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE.

AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GET THOSE SMALL -- WHEN YOU ARE AT THE END OF THE SOAP, GET THE SMALL BARS OF SOAP TOGETHER AND CONVINCE YOURSELF YOU'VE GOT A FULL BAR OF SOAP.

I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE NOT TO HAVE.

AND MY MOTHER, JENNA, SHE SACRIFICED FOR ME.

THERE WAS A TEACHER IN FIFTH GRADE THAT SAY YOU I THINK YOU HAVE A LITTLE MANAGER.

AND THERE'S A SCHOOL BEING BUILT IN THE SOUTH OF TOWN.

WE LIVED IN THE WEST.

WE APPLIED.

WE HAD NO MONEY.

I HAD TO WALK THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE OR A MILE TO GET TO THE CORNER WHERE THE BUS PICKED ME UP COMING FROM NORTH OF TOWN AND SOUTH OF TOWN.

AND IT WAS THERE FROM SIXTH GRADE TO 11th GREAT, IN 11th GRADE SAID, IF YOU ARE AS GOOD AS THEY SAY YOU ARE, I AVERAGED 28 POINTS PER GAME PLAYING BASKETBALL AND I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL, SHE SAID, IF YOU'RE AS GOOD AS YOU SAY YOU ARE, GO AGAINST THE BIG BOYS IN THE EAST.

I CAME EAST AT 16 BY MYSELF LOOKING FOR SCHOOL.

I LANDED AT A SCHOOL IN CONNECTICUT AND I DID WELL ENOUGH THERE TO APPLY TO COLLEGE, I WENT ONTO HARVARD COLLEGE AND HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.

IT'S ALL THROUGH MY MOTHER'S SACRIFICES.

SO, I CAME TO NEW YORK AND I HAD THREE THINGS.

I HAD -- I HAD A GOOD EDUCATION, GREAT EDUCATION.

I HAD A LOT OF DEBT AND I HAD NO MONEY.

AND NEW YORK HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME.

IT'S WHERE I MET MY WIFE.

WE HAVE THREE CHILDREN, WE'RE RAISING THREE CHILDREN.

LEO IS 8, ELLA IS 18 AND COLE IS 20, PLAYS IN THE NBA.

ON OCTOBER 15th, I CALLED MY 94-YEAR-OLD MOTHER, I SAID, MOMMA, I'M QUITTING MY JOB, LORD HAVE MERCY, YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE EARTH WAS SHATTERED.

BOY, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?

MOM, THIS IS THE CITY I LOVE AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A CRISIS AND I THINK I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THE CITY OUT OF THIS CRISIS.

SO, THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING.

>> THAT IS -- THAT IS QUITE THE STORY.

NOW, I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, NEW YORK, NEW YORKERS CAN BE NOTORIOUSLY HARD TO BELIEVE AND TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, THEY'VE HEARD VERSIONS OF YOUR STORY BEFORE.

WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF RAGS TO RICHES STORIES FROM EXECUTIVES COMING TO PUBLIC OFFICE BEFORE.

SO, JUST TO SORT OF DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU FEEL MAKES YOUR STORY UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE NEEDS OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW?

>> SO, TO BE CLEAR, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE IN THE STREETS, AND SO, GIVEN MY, WHAT THEY CALL LIVED EXPERIENCES, HOW I GREW UP AND MY FOUNDATION AND GIVEN WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, AS YOU OUTLINED IN THE OPENING REMARKS, I CAME TO NEW YORK, KNEW NOTHING REALLY ABOUT FINANCE, AND SO, FOR FOUR DECADES I CAME TO COMPETE IN ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE FIELDS THAT EXIST ANYWHERE.

AND I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF FINANCE AND I WAS THE LONGEST STANDING HEAD OF FINANCE IN THE HISTORY OF, IN OUR BUSINESS, IN THE HISTORY OF WALL STREET, SO, I'VE COMPETED AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS.

I HAVE MANAGED BUDGETS THAT ARE OFTEN LARGER THAN STATE BUDGETS.

I MANAGED BUDGETS THROUGH CRISIS.

I BUILT TEAMS THROUGH CRISIS.

I HAVE NEGOTIATED TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $600 AND $700 BILLION WORTH OF TRANSACTIONS.

AND SO, WHILE, YES, MANY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS OF GROWING UP, FEW, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME AND COMPETE AND COMPETE FOR AS LONG AS I WAS ABLE TO COMPETE IN ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE FIELDS AND GET THE EXPERIENCE OF MANAGING AND LEADING AND ALSO, JENNA, DEVELOP THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SO NECESSARY TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE.

THIS CITY IS BROKEN AND DIVIDED.

WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER.

AND I HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT GO FROM THE STREETS TO THE SUITES AND NOBODY ELSE CAN SAY THAT.

NOBODY ELSE HAS GOT THAT RANGE.

THAT DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE.

COMBINED WITH THE LIVED EXPERIENCES.

NOBODY.

SO, I KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE AND I'VE DONE IT.

THE THING THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT MANAGING BUDGETS, JENNA, IF YOU DON'T MANAGE THE BUDGETS, THEN YOUR PEOPLE DON'T GET COMPENSATED, DON'T GET PAID AND YOU DON'T GET PAID.

IT IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST, RIGHT?

13 YEARS OF DOING THIS, HOLLYWOOD AIN'T WRITTEN NO SCRIPT LIKE THIS.

>> WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ARGUE THAT POLITICS IN A LOT OF WAYS IS A POPULARITY CONTEST, BUT WE'LL PUT A PIN IN THAT FOR A MOMENT.

WHAT I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO AND ASK IS ABOUT YOUR PRIVATE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE.

TIMING, OF COURSE, IS EVERYTHING, AND WE'VE JUST HAD A PRESIDENCY WHERE WE SAW SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT FROM THE POLITICAL WORLD ATTEMPT TO LEAD THE NATION AND SOME NEW YORKERS ARE STILL SMARTING FROM THE LAST NONPOLITICIAN THAT WAS ELECTED AS MAJOR.

SO, AGAIN, HOW IS IT THAT THE SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE FROM WALL STREET ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN PRY PRIVATE INDUSTRY?

>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY THAT AND OTHERS HAVE REFERENCED THAT.

THIS IS MANAGING A BUDGET THAT IS A $90 BILLION PLUS BUDGET.

AND SO WHILE I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME IMPORTANCE TO HAVING POLITICAL EXPERIENCE TODAY, GIVEN THAT WE'RE FACING AN ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THIS BUDGET, IT IS GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT, JENNA, TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO MANAGE A BUDGET.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CAN'T MANAGE A BUDGET?

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE MOST MARGINALIZED WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED.

AND BE MINDFUL THAT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS TODAY, THE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS TODAY GEXISTED LONG BEFORE COVI, LONG BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD.

A STUDY WE'VE DONE THAT SHOWS THE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN THE ECONOMY, IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THESE ISSUES HAVE LONG GONE UNSOLVED.

SO, IF THERE IS EVER A TIME WHEN WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT CAN LEAD THE ECONOMY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO ECONOMY, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE WHERE WITH ALL -- TRYING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, TRYING TO EAT AND PAY THE RENT AND PAY THE MORTGAGE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

NO JOB, NO CITY, NO JOB, NO D DIG DIGNITY.

IF THERE'S EVER A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN YOU NEED SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT THAT EXPERIENCE OF MANAGING A LARGE BUDGET AND LEADING THROUGH A CRISIS, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TODAY.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, I AM OUTSIDE.

I WILL LEND THAT TO YOU.

I WILL GRANT THAT TO YOU.

BUT WHAT YOU NEED TODAY IS SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT THE SKILL SET, BECAUSE WHAT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS OF SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE SKILL SET, ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, WE'VE GONE BACKW BACKWARDS.

IT'S GONE BACKWARDS.

WE'VE GONE BACK IN EDUCATION, WE'VE GONE BACK IN HEALTH CARE, WE'VE GONE BACK IN THE CRIMINAL.

SO, THAT'S WHERE THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM HAS GOTTEN US.

WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SAYS, SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO ME IF I CAN GET -- SIT AT THE LUNCH COUNTER BUT CAN'T ORDER A HAMBURGER?

SO, I'M INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING THE RIGHT TO SIT AT THE LUNCH CORNER.

I'M INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING THE RIGHT TO, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY THE HAMBURGER, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M INTERESTED IN MORE.

I WANT US TO OWN THE RESTAURANT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT.

I'M ABOUT US OWNING THE RESTAURANT.

AND I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF INVESTING IN BUSINESSES, IN SMALL BUSINESSES THAT BECOME BIG BUSINESSES.

I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF INVESTING PERSONAL MONEY, DOLLARS, AND ALSO GETTING INSTITUTIONS TO INVEST IN ENTREPRENEURS AND TO THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.

MY WORD SAYS, BE KNOWN BY YOUR DEEDS.

SO, IF YOU LOOK AT MY TRACK RECORD, WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ACROSS A WIDE SPECTRUM OF THIS CITY IN HEALTH CARE, IN THE ECONOMY, IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHERE I'VE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED AND MADE DIRECT INVESTMENTS, THIS IS NOT STUFF THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT, I'VE BEEN ABOUT IT.

THE TRACK RECORD IS THERE.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE, JENNA?

I CAN LOOK AT ALL THE MENTEES AND ILOOK AT WHAT I'VE DONE ACROSS THE CORPORATE FIELD ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT ONLY NEW YORK, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THE LIST IS ENDLESS, BECAUSE THEY'RE US, AND WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL NEW YORKERS, BUT ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN NEW YORKERS, GET THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAD.

IT SHOULDN'T BE A ONEOFF.

IT'S GOT TO BE SKA, WHICH IS WHY I'M UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.

BECAUSE I HAVE A TRACK RECORD.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE BONN TO PUBLIC.

THE TRACK RECORD IS THERE.

VERIFY IT AND TRUST IT.

THAT'S WHY.

>> OF COURSE.

OF COURSE.

BUT I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE EARLIER POINT OF POLITICS ALSO, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, BEING SOMETHING OF A POPULARITY CONTEST.

AND PART OF THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAVE AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU'VE BUILT.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PARARELLIZATION HAPPEN IN THE CITY BECAUSE OF, LET'S SAY, A STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR.

WE'VE ALSO SEEN HOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY HALL AND PERHAPS SOME OF THE BIGGEST UNIONS IN THE CITY CAN PREVENT SOME OF THE KINDS OF CHANGE THAT YOU MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT.

SO, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THOSE THINGS ALSO FIT ON YOUR RADAR, YOUR PLANS FOR THE CITY'S -- CHANGING THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH STATE GOVERNMENT AND DOES THE CITY NEED TO CHANGE ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME OF THE BIGGER UNIONS?

>> SO, THE ANSWER, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ON POPULARITY.

MY REFERENCE TO POPULARITY IS THAT IN BUSINESS, TO BE IN THE POSITION TO LAST AS LONG AS I'VE LASTED IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST.

YOU HAVE TO PERFORM.

SO, MY REFERENCE WAS TO PERFORMANCE, NOT POPULARITY, MEANING THAT IF YOU DON'T PERFORM, INDEPENDENT OF HOW POPULAR YOU MIGHT BE, THEY TRANSITION YOU OUT.

AND SO THE WAY I'VE STAYED IN MY POSITION, THERE'S FOUR WAYS.

PRAYER, A WALK OF FAITH.

PREPARATION, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT BE PREPARED.

IT'S PERFORMANCE.

AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PARANOIA.

SO, IT'S PRAYER, PREPARATION, PERFORMANCE AND PARANOIA.

WITH RESPECT TO RELATIONSHIPS, IT IS KEY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WHICH IS WHY I REFERENCE MY ABILITY TO GO ACROSS THE RANGE AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXISTING PEOPLE IN OFFICE AND I DIDN'T GET TERMED OUT AND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A PROMOTION, I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS.

I'VE BEEN A LONG-STANDING SUPPORTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

I'VE SUPPORTED THE TWO GOVERNORS.

I'VE SUPPORTED THE TWO SENATORS.

I'VE SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR.

I WAS THE PERSON WHO INTRODUCED THE VICE PRESIDENT TO NEW YORK, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS.

SO, I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT GO ACROSS THE SPECTRUM.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT MY JOBS PLAN, WHAT MY JOB PLAN INCLUDES IS MAKING CERTAIN THAT I GOT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ALL-IMPORTANT UNIONS.

AND SO I HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM.

AND REMEMBER, IN THE '70s WHEN WE HAD A CRISIS, THAT ALL THOSE -- ALL THOSE SECTORS CAME TOGETHER.

BUSINESS, LABOR, GOVERNMENT, ALL CAME TOGETHER.

LABOR BOUGHT THE BONDS.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE.

THIS CITY IS GOING TO SURVIVE, WE ALL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER.

WHICH IS MY PLAN, GO BIG, GO SMALL, GO FORWARD, IT'S AN INCLUSIVE PLAN.

I HAVE A VISION FOR A COMEBACK FOR THE BIGGEST, MOST INCLUSIVE, MOST INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC RECOVERY COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY.

AND THAT'S HOW I THINK ABOUT IT.

SO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE RELATIONSHIPS.

I WANT TO EMBRACE THE RELATIONSHIPS.

I DON'T WANT TO IGNORE THEM.

REMEMBER, MY SOLE AGENDA IS WHAT'S BEST FOR NEW YORK CITY.

I DON'T OWE ANYBODY ANYTHING.

THAT IS MY SOLE AGENDA.

THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS, BECAUSE I LOVE THIS CITY.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT POPULARITY?

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO GO, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE AISLE.

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY YOU DO.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SEEN INSTANCES WHERE PERHAPS THINGS COULDN'T BE WORKED OUT BECAUSE, SAY FOR EXAMPLE PERHAPS THE TEACHER'S UNION, THE POLICEMEN'S UNION, WAS HOLDING A LINE ON SOMETHING AND THEN WE SAW PERHAPS CITY HALL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO WHAT THE UNIONS WANTED AS OPPOSED TO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER TO BE BEST FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET.

BUT THAT TENDS TO BE THE KIND OF STANCE OR NEGOTIATION THAT YOU REALLY ONLY FIGURE OUT HOW IT HAPPENS ONCE YOU'RE IN OFFICE.

BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS RIGHT NOW THAT I'M SPEAKING WITH NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE RAY McGUIRE, WHO COMES TO THE CANDIDACY WITH A WEALTH OF HISTORY, FROM WORKING ON WALL STREET AND BEING ONE OF THE LONGEST SERVING BLACK EXECUTIVES.

RAY, I WANT TO TURN TO WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF INVESTING IN BUSINESSES, THAT YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF DOING THIS.

YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEED, PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

THIS PANDEMIC, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING, PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN NEW YORK CITY.

AND I'M WONDERING, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES BEING ABLE TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESSES FROM GOING UNDER OR HOW IT IS THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BEST TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE?

>> SO, THE ANSWER TO THIS IS, ABSOLUTELY.

AND LET ME ADDRESS SOMETHING FIRST ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS, REMEMBER, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE $600, $700 BILLION WORTH OF DEALS.

IF ANYBODY KNOWS HOW TO NEGOTIATE WITH PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT AGENDA, I DO.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE FOR A LOT OF YEARS, SO -- ALMOST FOUR DECADES.

NOW, LET'S FOCUS ON MY GREATEST ECONOMIC, INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.

IT HAS, AT ITS CORE, SMALL, FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES.

AND SO IT'S CREATION OF 500,000 JOBS, HALF OF WHICH ARE GOING TO BE SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE CITY.

SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE 50% OF THE JOBS IN THE CITY.

AND SO PART OF MY GO BIG, GO SMALL, IS TO FOCUS ON THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE A WAGE SUBSIDY, DON'T JUST GIVE YOU SOME OF THE THINGS, A WAGE SUBSIDY TO 50,000 OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HARDEST HIT BY THE PANDEMIC.

WHICH MEANS THAT I WANT TO G GIVE -- I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN ADDITION TO A WAGE SUBSIDY, THAT WE GIVE THEM RELIEF WHEN IT COMES TO UTILITY BILLS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SALES TAX RECEIPT THAT THEY GENERATE OVER A YEAR'S TIME, THAT THEY KEEP THOSE SALES TAX RECEIPTS.

AND THE WAGE SUBSIDY IS A SUBSIDY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR WORKERS, ONLY PAY -- ONLY PAY HALF OF THE SALARY.

AND SO, I HAVE GONE THROUGH IN DETAIL OF HOW I INTEND TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES CAN SURVIVE.

I WANT TO CREATE A FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE EITHER LOANS OR GRANTS TO THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.

I WANT TO SUPPORT AND INCENTIVIZE.

I WANT TO CREATE A RED TAPE COMMISSION, SO, WHEN A SMALL BUSINESS WANTS TO FORM, THAT ALL THE BUREAUCRACY IS -- WE ELIMINATE THE BUREAUCRACY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S WAY TOO BUR ROCK TIZED.

I WANT TO CREATE A DEPUTY MAYOR THAT FOCUSES JUST ON THIS.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEEN SIDELINED.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION TO IT, SO, MY ECONOMIC PLATFORM HAS, AT ITS CORE, SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE TO GET THEM BACK UP AND RUNNING, BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD SUCH A HUGE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE COMMUNITIES.

IT'S THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE CITY.

SO, THAT IS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.

AND TWO DAYS AGO, I CAME OUT WITH MY PLAN AND THEY -- YOUR VIEWERS OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY, YOU CAN GO TO RAYFORMAYOR.COM AND LOOK AT THE PLAN AND HOW ROBUST IT IS.

AND BY THE WAY, I SHOULD SAY, ESPECIALLY FOR MWBEs.

WHO HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED, NOT WITHSTANDING ALL THE PROMISES, THEY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED.

>> JUST VERY QUICKLY, WHEN PEOPLE USE ACROACRONYMS, I WANT BE CLEAR.

>> MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS-OWNED ENTERPRISES.

AND NOW IT'S GONE TO JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE FOR LGBTQ.

AND SO THAT IS NOW PART OF THE DESIGNATION.

THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO, WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT COMMUNITY IS ALSO TAKEN CARE OF, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY OUTLINED IN MY ECONOMIC COMEBACK.

>> ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AND, OF COURSE, SEEMS TO BE ON THE FRONT BURNER FOR A LOT OF CANDIDATES FOR NEW YORK AND THAT IS ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUALITY.

NOW, OF COURSE, YOU'VE TALKED QUITE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES IN COMING TO THE CITY AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU'VE HAD TO FACE, BUT HOW WOULD YOU, AS MAYOR, GET THE CITY TO NOT ONLY BEGIN TO ADDRESS BUT ALSO TO PERHAPS RECTIFY SOME OF THESE INEQUALITIES THAT EXIST, KEEPING IN MIND THAT PART OF THE STRUGGLE IS JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS PROBLEM IS.

>> YOU KNOW -- AS I SAY BACK HOME, I CAN SHOW YOU BETTER THAN I CAN TELL YOU.

IF I LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD OF THE INVESTMENTS I'VE MADE TO MAKE SURE THAT RACIAL INEQUALITY IS ADDRESSED, AND I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, AS I'VE SAID, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THIS IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO BE INTENTIONAL.

IT'S GOT TO BE DIRECTED.

AND YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO PROCUREMENT, AS AN EXAMPLE, $20 BILLION WORTH OF PROCUREMENT.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE, WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF THIS WITH MAYOR JACKSON IN ATLANTA.

UNLESS THE CONTRACTS ARE REPRESENTATIVES, THE MAYOR JUST WON'T SIGN IT.

AND SO THAT, BY EXAMPLE, BY DEFINITIVE EXAMPLE, WILL DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE.

AND LEADERSHIP HAS GOT TO DEMONSTRATE THE AGENDA AND THE THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT AND OTHERS WILL LIKELY FOLLOW.

IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW, LEADERSHIP HAS TO TAKE A STAND.

I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN A STAND.

AND OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT GETTING A -- I DON'T NEED THAT.

I AM THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.

I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRY TO GET A SMALL BUSINESS STARTED.

AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRY TO GET A SMALL BUSINESS UP AND RUNNING AND I KNOW THE DOLLARS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO DO THAT.

BRINGING IDEAS IS LIKE CAPITAL.

SO, WHAT I INTEND TO DO, AS I SAID BEFORE, IS TO FUND, PUT DOLLARS INTO THE COMEBACK BANKS, THE COMEBACK BANKS ARE MANY OF THESE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT THAT PUT CAPITAL INTO IN THE FORM OF LOANS, EQUITY CAPITAL INTO THESE BUSINESSES.

IT'S GOT TO BECOME A PRIORITY THAT IS A KNOWN PRIORITY.

AND PART OF THE EDUCATION IS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT TO THE CITY TO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND THE RECORD IS -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S NONEXISTENT, BUT IT'S CLOSE TO NONEXISTENT.

IT'S GOT TO BE A PRIORITY.

IT WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR ME.

IF I'M SITTING THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE A CLEAR PRIORITY AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO KNOW IT'S A PRIORITY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT IS EDUCATION WITHIN THE CITY AND I'M WONDERING HOW YOUR EDUCATION PLATFORM WOULD DIFFER FROM THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, WHICH HAS SEEN NEW YORK, WELL, NOT UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, LET ME BE CLEAR, BUT NEW YORK CITY IS KNOWN FOR HAVING, STILL, A VERY SEGREGATED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

>> SO THE ANSWER THERE, HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THIS, JENNA, AS YOU KNOW, IN 1954, WHEN THE BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION DECISION WAS HANDED DOWN, THE SAME YEAR THAT A BEACON OF SUBURBAN AMERICA WAS CREATED CALLED LEVELTOWN.

IT MADE SURE IT SUBSIDIZED HOME OWNERSHIP.

AND RED LINING TO KEEP BLACK PEOPLE OUT.

AND SO WHAT CHARLIE HAMILTON HOUSTON AND THURGOOD MARSHALL ARGUED FOR WAS SEGREGATED SCHOOLS.

YOU HAVE SEGREGATED SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TODAY.

SO, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT.

THE THING YOU HAVE TO DO, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BEST QUALITY EDUCATION INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE NOT DETERMINED BY THEIR ZIP CODE.

THAT THEY HAVE THE EDUCATION M AND MY EDUCATION VISION IS WHAT I CALL CRADLE TO CAREER.

BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, AS ZERO -- PRE-K IS GOOD, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET THERE, THEY ARE ALREADY BEHIND.

I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT EARLY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT CHILDCARE, TODDLER CARE.

THESE CHILDREN ARE UNDERDEVELOPING WHEN THEY ARE LEARNING.

BY THE TIME THEY GET TO PRE-K, THEY ARE ON SCHEDULE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE, FOR MY ACCOUNT, JENNA, BY THE END OF THE THIRD GRADE, EVERY CHILD IN NEW YORK CITY CAN READ.

END OF THE THIRD GRADE.

WHY IS THAT?

BECAUSE BETWEEN ZERO AND THE END OF THIRD GRADE, ALL THE DATA SHOWS US THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING TO READ.

AND AFTER THAT, THEY'RE READING TO LEARN.

THEY NEVER LEARN TO READ, JENNA, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S A PIPELINE.

IT'S A PIPELINE TO SOCIAL INEQUITIES AND THE PRISON SYSTEM THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO ADDRESS TODAY.

I WANT TO STOP IT THERE.

AND THEN AFTER SIXTH GRADE, I WANT TO GIVE OUR KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPOSED TO WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

THEY CAN BECOME JOURNALISTS, THEY CAN BECOME BOTANISTS, PROGRAMMERS, CODERS, WELDERS.

I WANT TO GIVE THEM A JOB.

BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER HAVING A JOB.

I HAVE LAID TILES, I CHANGED BED PANS, I, YOU KNOW, I MADE BOXES IN THE BASEMENT, I WAS A GOPHER, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I GOT A CHECK.

AND I HAD A LITTLE PASSBOOK SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

I COULD TAKE THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO THE BANK WITH A CHECK AND I WOULD HEAR THAT LITTLE SOUND AND WHAT I'D GET BACK WAS, YOU KNOW, MORE MONEY IN THE ACCOUNT, BECAUSE I WORKED.

SO, BY THE TIME THESE KIDS GET TO GRADUATE, THEY WILL HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, THEY WILL HAVE A SKILL THROUGH A SUMMER JOB, AND IF THE CITY CAN'T DO IT, I'M GOING TO GET THE PRIVATE SECTOR, COMES BACK TO RELATIONSHIP, SO WE CAN GIVE THESE KIDS THE OPTION, BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE, OF GOING INTO A CAREER, GOING TO A TWO-YEAR OR FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE.

THAT'S MY CRADLE TO CAREER, CRADLE TO JOB PLAN.

AND AISLI'LL HAVE MORE OF THIS E REFINE IT.

BUT THAT'S A WAY TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN EDUCATION.

I WANT TO START EARLY.

>> OKAY.

I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU, WHAT DOES -- WE RECENTLY SAW THE ONLY BLACK MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, DAVID DINKINS, PASS AWAY, AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BRING TO THE JOB AS THE CITY'S POTENTIALLY SECOND BLACK MAYOR WITH 30 SECONDS?

>> I WOULD BRING LEADERSHIP, I WOULD BRING COALITIONS, I'D BRING THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR TOGETHER FOR ALL NEW YORKERS, WHICH IS MY SOLE A AGENDA, ESPECIALLY THE NEW YORKERS WHO LOOK LIKE ME, THE BLACK AND BROWN NEW YORKERS WHO UP TO THIS POINT HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF THE CITY.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE RAY McGUIRE.

RAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US ON "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JENNA, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

YOU'RE EXTRAORDINARY.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY JUDY AND JOSH WESTON DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION