- Hi everyone, Steve Adubato.

We kick off the program talking about politics in the state, the region, and the nation with Alex Wilkes, a Republican Strategist, and Dan Bryan, Democratic Strategist, President of Bryan Strategies Group.

They write a column in NJ Globe called "Stomping Grounds".

Alex and Dan, good to have you with us.

- Great to here.

- Thanks for having us, Steve.

- Alex, what's the deal with this column?

A democrat, republican talking about complex important issues, and doing it in a civil, respectful way, just like in Washington.

No, nevermind.

What's the deal with the column?

- It's true, it can happen even here in New Jersey we can have some civility, and look, I think it's important that we have that particularly for my generation, and Dan's generation to be talking in this way.

We experienced a lot together as a generation, whether it was sort of having our innocence shattered through the tragedy of 911, the Wall Street failures of 2009, 2008, and seeing where things have gone with the pandemic.

We have faced unique challenges together and I think that it's all the more important that we dialogue together as we go forward.

- Yeah, let me ask you this, and you're a former advisor to Governor Murphy, now with your own public affairs firm.

Let me ask you this, you and Alex go back and forth on these issues, and people can go on NJ Globe and read what you've said, and why it's important to be civil.

But let me ask you something.

Democrats and Republicans who are involved politically, at the highest level of our nation are personally demonizing and attacking each other, mocking each other, calling each other names, challenging each other to UFC cage fights, what the heck is going on?

- So Alex will beat me.

That's why I haven't challenged her to a cage fight yet.

Smart enough that- - We as a broadcast, we're not in favor of any violence in politics.

But go ahead.

- That's right, that's right.

No, listen, I think it's nothing new and Steve, you know that right?

From- - Oh no, it is, it's worse, Dan.

It's nothing new.

It's, you guys are pretty young but I don't remember it ever being as bad.

- It's bad.

And I think the worst thing, politics is politics, right?

And within the realm of politics, it is certainly bad but we can live with that.

To me, what's worse is when it breaks up friendships, when it breaks up families, maybe even breaks up relationships.

I think that's awful.

Alex and I, I'm not sure there's a ton we agree on, on a policy level, but we've been able to have a great relationship over these last few months, talking about our kids, talking about the state.

I teach a class at Seton Hall that she was gracious enough to come in, and talk to the kids about.

And it was great for them to see a woman in politics representing the Republican brand that truly believes in what she believes in, and may not agree with me but also it can be fully respectful and civil.

So it's bad.

I'm not sure if it's ever been this bad.

Certainly not in my lifetime, but I think one thing that we are trying to show is we can disagree on policy points, but still have a good relationship, still respect each other.

- And Alex lemme follow up with you on this.

Donald Trump did not start this, and as we tape this program toward the end of July, another indictment, I, again, we've been taping all day so I'm not sure what the situation is.

It'll be public by the time this airs.

Lemme ask you, to what degree do you believe that the the head of the Republican party, official or unofficial, that's Donald Trump, has contributed to the demonization of one's political opponent, and to some degree, political violence in this nation?

- Well, look, I think it's undoubtedly true that Donald Trump changed the paradigm for everybody in terms of the way that we speak in politics.

We're sort of unvarnished now in the way that we discuss things.

That's for better or for worse.

But that's where we are right now.

Certainly, I am not as much of a fan of some of the coarseness that we do see, and I do think that it can escalate to places that are irresponsible and dangerous at times.

But at the same time, I think that what he offered in 2016 and I think other candidates are doing the same thing now, on the Republican side, is their offering, like I said, a, you know, a genuineness that people have been looking for from politics for a while now, that what you see is what you get.

You know, I came- - Even if it's ugly?

I wanna be clear.

I'm sorry for interrupting.

So, Donald Trump offers a genuineness, is that what you're saying?

- Well, I'm saying I think that there's the perception of that right?

That he speaks his mind.

He tells it like it is.

I mean, those were often phrases that we heard over and over again in focus groups in 2016, 2020, even now.

That's what people said and that's what people have been looking for.

- He says it the way it is, right?

What about on January 6th, did he say it the way it was?

- Well, look, I disagreed with what he did on January 6th and I've been vocal about that.

But I think that, you know, what we are seeing from people still, even after the January 6th attack on the Capitol, we are seeing a hunger and a desire from politicians to tell them the truth, to say things without the varnish of a focus group, of a poll, of what we had become sort of so highly scripted in over the years.

And I think that that is being reflected not just on the Republican side, but on the democratic side as well.

You do see that there, well, not on the democratic side but there are third party challengers now coming into this race who are offering that same brand of authenticity.

- Presidential race.

- Presidential race, yep.

You are seeing figures like RFK Jr, Marianne Williams, who are purporting to, you know, sort of tell it like it is.

And I think that there's an element of that that people are still yearning for even after the 2016 and 2020 elections.

- Hold on a sec, Dan, Alex says it's telling it like it is, is it telling it like it is or telling it like it is in my mind, and I'll say it, whether it's accurate or not, whether it's about COVID or democracy, or an indictment or fake news, or the, what do they call the FBI and the deep state?

Is it telling it like it is Dan or is it something else?

- So you're not gonna be surprised to hear that I disagree with a lot of, especially with the former president.

I think his acts on January 6th is the greatest criminal act by a sitting president in American history.

But I think one thing Alex said that's completely true is, there is a weariness from the public of politicians who are overly scripted, who they feel like are just giving them talking points, who they feel like they aren't getting anything authentic out of, that is why you see people all, now, I'll go to the positive side here, right?

In my view, you see people like Bernie Sanders over the course of the last decade get so much traction 'cause when Bernie Sanders speak, they think it's Bernie Sanders speaking, not whatever his, with all due respect to political advisors, not what his political advisors are telling him to say.

Right?

So Donald Trump has taken advantage of that.

I don't think he's authentic at all whatsoever.

But what Alex is saying is right, people see him as authentic 'cause he's not giving you the, well he would say "The politically correct talking points."

He's saying things that are wildly offensive, wildly inappropriate, and things that someone either sitting as president, running for president shouldn't be saying.

- Dan, since we're into being candid and saying it like it is, and unvarnished, Joe Biden would be 86 years old at the end of his second term, do you have any issues about his cognitive ability to be president, the leader of the free world?

- So, here's what I'll say.

I'm gonna be slightly evasive but then I'll give you an answer.

- No, no, you can't.

No, no, no.

You can't do this whole thing about we're gonna be honest, unvarnished and then you're gonna be subtly evasive.

- Joe Biden's got a great line, "Don't judge me against the almighty, judge me against the alternative."

- It's a great line but that was also written by the kind of handlers that you were just critical of.

So straight up.

- Sure, sure.

- Joe Biden 86, who we see on a regular basis, in press conferences, turning the wrong way, falling down.

And I pray and hope that he's gonna be okay.

Do you have any concerns about Joe Biden being the leader of the free world at 85, 86 years of age, Joe Biden, nobody else?

- The answer is no.

- Talk about a general, a generic 85 versus 86 year old it's Joe Biden.

- I think the answer is no.

I think what Joe Biden has shown is he is accomplished a lot more than people thought he would over the first few years of his administration.

I think that, listen, there are a lot of things that Joe Biden is doing and saying now, people are saying "Well, it's 'cause he's getting hold."

- But he's cognitively sharp and he's cognitively sharp in your view?

- As far as I can see and know, and as far as I see what the White House is coming out the answer is yes.

- Okay got it.

- Do I know the guy?

- Alex, cognitively sharp.

I gave you a tough time about Trump.

Cognitively sharp with Biden, unvarnished, listen, say it the way it is.

- Look, I can't say that I don't have concerns about the president, and I mean that genuinely that I have concerns about his health, about his fitness to serve in office.

And I think that that's been on display now for the last two or three years.

We've seen that throughout the course of his 2020 campaign now in his time in office.

And I think that that is reflected in his poll numbers.

That's why he is underwater with American.

He can't gain traction with people despite what he feels like are his accomplishments, is because people are seeing these missteps, they are seeing these gaffes, they feel like they make us weak around the world, and that he just doesn't have command over situations.

Just today, we have a U.S soldier who's been captured in North Korea.

I can't say that I have a whole lot of confidence in Joe Biden as a commander in chief to take control of that situation given what we've seen.

- Give you 20 seconds, go ahead Dan.

- Listen, it's great to live in a democracy and the American people are gonna have a say, do they think he deserves another four years?

The answer's gonna be yes because the Republicans are gonna put forward a nominee almost certainly likely, that tried to run an insurrection against and subvert democracy.

That was awful on COVID, that had absolutely no accomplishments to speak of in his first term, and may be indicted as you said, Steve.

So that's who the Republicans are gonna put up.

Is Joe Biden gonna win?

The answer is yes.

- Maybe indicted, that is not the previous indictment.

That would be what moving forward.

Alex, Dan, I wanna thank you.

Can I plug one more time?

An NJ Globe, Stomping Grounds, check them out.

It's a compelling conversation.

Dan and Alex, you'll be back with us again in the future.

We appreciate it, stay with us folks.

- Thank you so much.

- Thank you so much.

You got it.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

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