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♪ >>> HELLO, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS, ALMOST TO THE DAY, SINCE SUPER STORM SANDY HIT NEW JERSEY AND KNOCKED IT TO ITS KNEES, WREAKING HAVOC ON SMALL TOWNS AND BIG CITIES FROM BRIGGEN TOOEN TO HOBOKEN, KILLING MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE AND LEAVING OVER $30 BILLION IN DAMAGES ACROSS THE STATE.

THE PERSON WHO BECAME THE FACE TO THE STORM'S AFTERMATH AND THE RECOVERY WAS GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE.

IN HIS BLUE FLEECE, HUGGING SURVIVORS AND LEADING THE REBUILD.

TEN YEARS HENCE, GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE JOINS US TO LOOK BACK AND ASSESS WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE MIGHT BE GOING.

GOVERNOR, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

WELCOME.

>> HAPPY TO BE BACK, DAVID.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> SO, CAN WE GO BACK TO OCTOBER 29, 2012?

I MEAN, I ASSUME YOU HAD BEEN TRACKING THE STORM FOR A WHILE, FOR A FEW DAYS.

TELL ME WHAT YOUR FIRST INDICATION WAS THAT, MAN, WE'RE IN TROUBLE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I SPENT MOST OF THE EVENING IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN WEST TRENTON THAT THE STATE POLICE HAS, AND WE WERE GETTING ON THE GROUND REPORTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.

I REMEMBER THE MAYOR OF BAY HEAD, MAYOR CURTIS, US URGING HIM TO LEAVE, AND HE WOULDN'T, AND THEN WE GOT A CALL FROM HIM LATER IN THE EVENING THAT THE WATER WAS COMING UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR OF HIS BUILDING, AND HE WAS WORRIED.

REPORTS ABOUT THE ESSEX COUNTY JAIL AND FLOODING THERE.

REPORTS ABOUT THE BERM BREAKING.

THAT WAS VERY LATE IN THE EVENING.

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH A CONSTANT RUN FROM PROBABLY MID-AFTERNOON ON THE 29th ALL THE WAY THROUGH UNTIL I LEFT, WHICH WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO THE 30th OF OCTOBER.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU HAD GOTTEN SOME GUFF FROM FOLKS, AS YOU TENDED TO DO SOMETIMES, ABOUT HOW YOU HAD REACTED TO A STORM TWO YEARS BEFORE THAT, AND JUST ABOUT 11 MONTHS BEFORE WAS THE FAMOUS "GET THE HELL OFF THE BEACH" DURING IRENE.

DID ANY OF THAT PLAY A PART IN YOU WANTING TO SAY, LOOK, WE'RE IN A SERIOUS SITUATION HERE.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT.

>> SURE.

I MEAN, I'LL TELL YOU A STORY, WHEN -- I GUESS ON THE SATURDAY BEFORE THE STORM, THE NOAA CAME IN WITH THEIR WHAT THEY CALL SPLASH MAPS, WHICH ARE THE MAPS THEY PUT UP TO SHOW YOU HOW FAR IN AND WHAT DEPTH THEY THINK THE FLOODING WILL BE.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

IT WAS DISASTROUS.

AND I KIND OF FLEW OFF THE HANDLE, AND I SAID TO THEM, LOOK, DON'T TRY TO SCARE ME INTO DOING THINGS YOU WANT ME TO DO.

I'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD BEFORE.

AND I WANT YOU TO COME BACK WITH THE REAL MAPS.

TAKE THEM OFF THE WALL, AND COME BACK WITH THE REAL MAPS.

AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER OR SO, MY CHIEF COUNSEL, CHARLIE McKENNA, AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF, KEVIN O'DOWD, CAME TO ME AND SAID, LOOK, THE NOAA GUYS ARE SCARED TO DEATH TO COME BACK IN HERE, BUT THOSE ARE THE REAL MAPS, SO WE GOT TO FOCUS AND LOOK AT THESE, AND START TO ADJUST OUR PLANS ACCORDINGLY.

SO, YEAH, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THOSE INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED EARLIER DEFINITELY MAKE YOU ASK MORE QUESTIONS AND PUSH EVEN HARDER WHEN YOU'RE IN A POSITION LIKE I WAS.

BUT IN THE END, THEY CONVINCED ME IT WAS GOING TO BE THAT BAD, AND SO WE TOOK THE STEPS THAT I THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO TAKE.

>> DID THE RAIN SURPRISE YOU?

I MEAN, WHEN WE WERE OUT COVERING IT, IT JUST WOULD NOT STOP RAINING.

>> YEAH, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

AND THEY WERE TELLING US THAT, LIKE, THE WIND WAS GOING TO BE ONE THING, AND THE RAIN WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE STORM WAS CIRCULATING, THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE AWFUL, IN TERMS OF TWO THINGS, NOT ONLY THE WATER THAT WAS COMING IN FROM THE BEACH BUT ALSO THE BACK BAY FLOODING DOWN AT THE SHORE.

AND SO, WE WERE GETTING HIT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AND SO, IN THE RELENTLESSNESS OF THE RAIN, JUST ADDED TO THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD WATERS.

>> YEAH.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST PLACE THAT YOU VISITED COME SUNRISE THE NEXT DAY?

>> WELL, IT ACTUALLY WASN'T SUNRISE THE NEXT DAY, BECAUSE THE WINDS WERE STILL INCREDIBLY STRONG, AND ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE MAJOR ROADS IN THE STATE WERE BLOCKED.

NOT PASSABLE.

SO, THEY WOULDN'T LET ME GO OUT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON OF THE 30th WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE ENOUGH FOR ME TO FLY IN THE HELICOPTER, AND I REMEMBER VIVIDLY THE FIRST PLACE WE WENT.

WE BENT TO BELMAR, AND I REMEMBER FLYING UP THE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STATE FROM TRENTON, AND GETTING TO THE COAST, AND I COULD RECOGNIZE, BECAUSE I HAD FLOWN OVER IT ENOUGH, THAT THAT WAS BELMAR, BUT I SAID IN THE HEADSET TO THE TROOPER WHO WAS FLYING THE HELICOPTER, I SAID, WHERE'S THE BOARDWALK?

AND HE SAID, IT'S GONE, SIR.

I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, IT'S GONE?

AND HE SAID, WELL, IT'S EITHER PARTS ARE IN THE OCEAN, PARTS ARE ON THE STREETS ADJACENT TO THE BEACH, AND PARTS ARE IN THE LAKE IN BELMAR.

IT WAS JUST STUNNING TO ME, DAVID.

AND WHEN I LANDED, I GOT OFF THE HELICOPTER AND I SAW MAYOR McDOUGHERTY, THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, AND MATT GREETED ME, AND THERE WAS AN OLDER WOMAN, PROBABLY IN HER LATE 60s, WHO CAME RUNNING TOWARDS ME WITH SUCH AN INTENT THAT I THINK THE TROOPERS WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THEY STARTED TO STAND IN BETWEEN ME AND HER, AND I TOLD THEM, LET HER THROUGH.

AND SHE GRABBED ME AND STARTED TO HUG ME.

SO, I HUGGED HER BACK.

AND IN MY EAR, SHE WHISPERED, WE'VE LOST EVERYTHING.

THANK GOD YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN US.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE NEXT WEEK TO TEN DAYS OF MY LIFE WAS LIKE.

>> SO MUCH OF THAT PERIOD AFTERWARDS WAS YOU IN THAT BLUE FLEECE FEELING EVERYBODY'S PAIN.

I MEAN, YOU WERE THE HUGGER IN CHIEF AND THE SHOULDER TO CRY ON.

WAS THAT THE VISIT THAT STILL RESONATES WITH YOU THE MOST OUT OF THE HUNDREDS THAT HAPPENED IN THE MONTHS AND THE WEEKS AFTER THAT?

>> THERE WERE TWO THAT COME CLOSE TO THAT ONE, DAVID.

THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM.

THERE WERE TWO THAT COME CLOSE.

ONE WAS WHEN I MET THE YOUNG GIRL IN MONMOUTH, PORT MONMOUTH, THAT WAS CRYING.

IT WAS THE FIRST CHILD THAT I HAD MET WHO WAS CRYING.

AND SHE LATER WOUND UP WRITING THE "TIME" 100 PIECE ON ME FOR THAT YEAR AND CAME TO MY STATE OF THE STATE.

THAT WAS A PRETTY AMAZING ONE.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE THAT STEVE SWEENEY AND I DID TOGETHER IN SEERVILLE THAT WEEK, WHERE WE WENT INTO THE BASEMENT APARTMENT OF A YOUNG COUPLE AND SAW ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS FLOATING, STILL.

THIS WAS PROBABLY FRIDAY OF THAT WEEK, AND IT WAS STILL FLOATING IN THEIR BASEMENT APARTMENT, AND THEY HAD LOST EVERYTHING AND HAD NO PLACE TO GO, AND STEVE AND I BOTH WEPT WITH THEM.

AND SO, THOSE TWO VISITS ALSO INDI KIND OF ARE ON A PAR WITH THE BELMAR VISIT AND THAT WOMAN.

>> OVER $30 BILLION IN DAMAGES HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DEALING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

WAS FEMA THERE FROM THE BEGINNING?

>> FEMA WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND FEMA WAS PRETTY GOOD.

LOOK, FEMA HAS LIMITATIONS, AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY WERE CONVINCED, AS WE WERE, THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A HISTORIC STORM, AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE IN PLACE BEFOREHAND.

SO, WE HAD THE -- WE HAD FEMA AND THE SHELTERS OPENED AND READY TO GO, AND WE HAD NATIONAL GUARD IN PLACE AND PREPOSITIONED ALONG WITH THEIR HIGH-WATER VEHICLES AND ALL THE REST.

SO, FEMA WAS THERE, PREPARED.

DEALING WITH THE REST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAME MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

THE CONGRESS, IN PARTICULAR.

AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS REALLY GOOD WITH US, BUT THE CONGRESS MADE US WAIT LONGER THAN ANY REGION HAS WAITED FOR STORM AID IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY.

AND A LOT OF POLITICS GOING ON WITH THAT, THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH AT THE TIME.

SO, I DIVIDE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH WAS GOOD, AND WAS DOING THE BEST THEY COULD.

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT BETTER.

>> I KNOW THAT YOU'RE REALLY KIND OF QUIET, RESERVED GUY, BUT YOU REALLY LAID INTO FEDERAL LAWMAKERS DURING THAT PERIOD, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO CAME FROM STATES THAT ALSO GOT FEDERAL AID THAT NEW JERSEY VOTED FOR.

>> RIGHT.

AND LOOK, THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

RON DeSANTIS VOTED AGAINST SANDY AID.

NOW HE'S ASKING FOR AS MUCH AID AS HE CAN GET, AS HE SHOULD DO FOR THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA.

YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S EASY TO BE A CONGRESSMAN WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK PAIN AND LOSS IN THE EYE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK PAIN AND LOSS IN THE EYE LIKE A GOVERNOR DOES, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET THE MOST HELP YOU CAN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO YOU REPRESENT, AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS.

DeSANTIS BEING ONE OF THEM, WHO VOTED AGAINST SANDY AID, RAND PAUL BEING ANOTHER AND TED CRUZ BEING ANOTHER.

AND WHEN THEY HAD THE BIG FLOODS AND THE ELECTRIC PROBLEM IN TEXAS, TED CRUZ WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR STATE AID FOR TEXAS.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, A LOT OF THOSE GUYS DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME WAY.

>> YEAH.

THERE WAS, OF COURSE, A LOT OF CRITICISM -- IN ADDITION TO A LOT OF PRAISE -- FOR HOW THE RECOVERY HAPPENED.

NOT FAST ENOUGH.

TOO MUCH WASTE.

AS YOU LOOK BACK, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN THAT PERIOD WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO GET ALL THE MONEY TOGETHER, GET A PLAN TOGETHER, AND PRIORITIZE?

>> NOT A WHOLE LOT, DAVID, AS I LOOK BACK ON IT TEN YEARS LATER.

I THINK, LOOK, WHEN YOU LOSE 365,000 HOMES IN 24 HOURS, IN THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED STATE IN AMERICA, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO REBUILD.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT LONGER THAN OTHERS.

IT'S NEVER QUICK ENOUGH.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I USED TO SAY ALL THE TIME DURING THEN, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO DO BETTER EVERY DAY.

BUT WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAUSED THE DELAYS WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IF YOU REMEMBER, WITH THE REBUILDING PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTIAL REBUILDING, WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT MODELS OF HOMES PEOPLE COULD PICK FROM, AND THAT WAS IT.

AND THAT WAS MEANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT GO FASTER.

AND THEN WE GOT FLOODED, NO PUN INTENDED, WITH COMPLAINTS FOR PEOPLE THAT THEY WANTED TO DESIGN THEIR HOME THE WAY THEY WANTED IT TO BE DESIGNED.

>> RIGHT.

>> WELL, WE THEN EVENTUALLY CHANGED PLANS, AND WE SAID, OKAY, WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.

THEY WANT TO DO THAT.

BUT INHERENT IN THAT WAS IT WAS GOING TO TAKE LONGER, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T STANDARDIZING EVERYTHING, SO EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE PERSONALIZED.

NOW IN THE END, I'M GLAD WE MADE THE DECISION TO LET PEOPLE PERSONALIZE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE I THINK MUCH MORE OF THE CHARACTER OF THE JERSEY SHORE IS RESTORED ENOUGH TO AFTER ALL THE REBUILDING WAS DONE THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE HAD STANDARDIZED EVERYTHING, BUT OUR INITIAL PLAN TO STANDARDIZE WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED IT TO GO AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

SO, WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT, THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT WE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY.

I'M SURE THAT IF YOU SAT DOWN WITH EDDIE DIXON, WHO WAS THE HEAD OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PREPAREDNESS AT THE TIME, OR CHARLIE McKENNA, MY CHIEF COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, OR BOB MARTIN AT THE DEP, THERE WOULD BE THINGS THEY'D PROBABLY SAY WE WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, BUT IN A MACRO SENSE, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE CONCLUDED THIS, THAT WE HANDLED IT REALLY WELL, AND I THINK THE CRITICISM THAT WE GOT WAS 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 WANTED TO RUN AGAINST ME, SO 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 SHE WAS ALL THAT EFFECTIVE.

>> WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT RETREATING FROM THE SHORE ON THE ONE HAND IN THESE FLOOD-PRONE AREAS, BUT THEN ALSO, WE SEE THE STATE AND WITH FEDERAL FUNDS SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REPLENISH THE BEACHES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.

THAT'S KIND OF A DICHOTOMY THAT THE STATE HAS TO DEAL WITH, NO?

>> WELL, LOOK, IF I WERE THERE, IT WOULDN'T BE A DICHOTOMY.

I WOULD BE REPLENISHING THE DUNE SYSTEM.

THE DUNE SYSTEM HAS WORKED FABULOUSLY, AND PEOPLE SAY, OH, WELL, THEN YOU HAVE BEACH EROSION.

WELL, YEAH.

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEACH EROSION, YOU WOULD HAVE THE WATER IN THE HOMES.

SO, WE HAVE A HOME IN BAY HEAD NOW, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE WORST-HIT TOWNS DURING SANDY.

WE'RE NOT ON THE BEACH.

WE'RE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BEACH.

SO, I SEE THE DUNES, DAVID, AND THERE AREN'T -- WHERE THERE USED TO BE ONE LEVEL OF DUNE, THERE'S NOW TWO LEVELS OF DUNES, AND WHILE WE HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION FROM THE LAST STORM THAT CAME HERE, THAT WILL BE REBUILT.

AND SANDS WILL BE PUMPS IN THERE, AND IT WILL BE REBUILT BY NEXT SUMMER.

AND WHAT I SAY TO FOLKS IN BAY HEAD ALL THE TIME WHO SKA ASK M ABOUT IT, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THEM ERODE THE SAND.

WE CAN REPLACE SAND.

IT'S CHEAPER AND EASIER THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REPLACE HOMES AGAIN, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE NEED TO GO.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE IN NEW JERSEY WILL EVER COMPLETELY GIVE UP THE JERSEY SHORE.

I JUST DON'T THINK THEY WILL.

I DON'T THINK THEY'LL RETREAT TO A BLOCK OR TWO AWAY FROM THE BEACH.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

AND I THINK THE DUNE SYSTEM HAS DONE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IN THE TEN YEARS SINCE, THE DUNE SYSTEM HAS DONE A PRETTY SPECTACULAR SK JOB OF PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT THE SHORE.

>> WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT RESILIENCY, IT'S A BUZZ WORD WE'VE HEARD A LOT.

IN THE DECADES SINCE.

HAVE WE, IN FACT, BUILT BACK BETTER?

>> YEAH, WE HAVE, ACTUALLY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NOW THERE THAT WEREN'T THERE BEFORE, AND YOU LOOK AT THE DUNE SYSTEM.

THE DUNE SYSTEM'S BEEN BUILT FROM SEA BRIGHT TO CAPE MAY.

I MEAN, THAT ONLY COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH FEDERAL HELP.

AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON A REGULAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

THE STATE CONTRIBUTES THAT MONEY THROUGH THE FUNDS WE PUT ASIDE FOR SHORE PRESERVATION EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET.

AND TOWNS PUT IN FOR IT.

I SAW, BECAUSE BAY HEAD IS GOING THROUGH IT THIS YEAR, SO I'M MORE INFORMED ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I'M A HOMEOWNER THERE.

AND 75% OF THE MONEY WILL BE COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

25% COMES FROM LOCALITY.

BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, LET'S SAY IN BAY HEAD, THE COUNTY HAS DECIDED TO SPLIT THAT 50/50 WITH THE MUNICIPALITY IN BAY HEAD, SO 12.5% WILL COME FROM OCEAN COUNTY, AND 12.5% OF THE COST WILL COME FROM THE HOMEOWNERS IN BAY HEAD, AND I THINK EVERYBODY THINKS IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT.

>> WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL MAJOR STORMS SINCE THEN.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD TWO STORMS BACK-TO-BACK WITHIN A MONTH OF ONE ANOTHER THAT REALLY KNOCKED THE STATES TO ITS KNEES.

HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR THIS?

ARE WE PREPARED FOR THESE FUTURE STORMS, AND DO YOU THINK THAT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING AN IMPACT HERE?

>> WELL, LOOK, AS I SAID WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR, I THINK CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, AND I THINK THAT HUMAN ACTIVITY CONTRIBUTES TO IT.

NOW, YOU KNOW, DAVID, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EACH STORM.

YOU KNOW?

BUT I KNOW THAT INCREASED HEIGHT, YOU KNOW, OF WATER LEVELS CONTRIBUTES TO IT, WHETHER IT'S AT THE BAY LEVEL OR AT THE OCEAN LEVEL.

SO, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M NOT A SCIENTIST WHO COULD FIGURE ALL THAT OUT.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I THINK THAT THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION WAS A BIT DISTRACTED DURING SOME OF THOSE STORMS, DIDN'T REALLY TAKE TO HEART SOME OF THELES LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM SANDY AND COULD DO BETTER.

NOW, THAT BEING SAID, BECAUSE OF THE RESILIENCE THAT WAS BUILT IN BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING WE DID POST-SANDY, THE DAMAGES WERE NOTHING, AS YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO SANDY.

DID WE HAVE DAMAGES?

DID WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE LOSE, YOU KNOW, LOSE PROPERTY?

YES.

BUT MINUSCULE.

REMEMBER, 365,000 HOMES IN 24 HOURS.

I MEAN, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND GOD WILLING, WE'LL NEVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE IT AGAIN.

>> YOU SAID THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WAS A LITTLE DISTRACTED DURING SOME OF THESE STORMS.

WAS IT -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COVID, OR ARE YOU JUST TALKING ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, INCOMPETENCE?

>> WELL, MY PERCEPTION FROM THE OUTSIDE WAS THAT MOST OF IT WAS PROBABLY COVID-RELATED.

BUT LOOK, I TALK TO BUSINESS LEADERS ALL THE TIME, DAVID, AND AS I'M SURE YOU DO IN THIS STATE, AND THEY BELIEVE THERE'S A SERIOUS LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCE IN THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION IN TERMS OF THE WAY THEY DEAL WITH THINGS, AND THERE'S NOT AN ATTENTION TO DETAIL LIKE THERE WAS IN OUR ADMINISTRATION.

I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I DON'T INTERACT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN ANY WAY.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I GAVE A SPEECH, FOR INSTANCE, LAST WEEK DOWN AT THE NJ CARS ORGANIZATION FOR THE, YOU KNOW, OUR AUTOMOBILE RETAILERS, AND THERE'S AWFUL DISCONTENT OUT THERE ABOUT THE LACK OF PROGRESS ON MAKING MVC BETTER, THE LACK OF PROGRESS ON MAKING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BETTER.

THAT WE HAVE THIS $8 BILLION OR SO SURPLUS, AND THAT THERE ARE NO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE IN OUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS.

I WILL TELL YOU, DAVID, IF I HAD AN $8 BILLION SURPLUS WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR, MOSTLY FROM FEDERAL MONEY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVING EVERY COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE STATE, BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE, AND IT'S ONE-SHOT MONEY YOU GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK AND THAT WOULD GIVE LONG-TERM HELP TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE, AND I THINK IT'S A SHAME.

I THINK IT'S A WASTED OPPORTUNITY BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.

BUT THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF PRIORITIES.

AND I'M SURE THAT AT SOME POINT, AS THIS ECONOMY IS TURNING DOWN, AND THOSE -- THOSE SURPLUSES WILL DISAPPEAR, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE EVEN CLEARER ABOUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME VERY TOUGH CHOICES, I SUSPECT.

>> THIS WAS THE FIRST AND PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION.

H HOW HAS IT CHANGED YOU, A, AS A PERSON, HUSBAND AND FATHER, BUT ALSO AS A LEADER AND POTENTIAL PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?

>> WELL, LOOK, AS A HUSBAND AND A FATHER, THAT WAS THE HUGGING YOU SAW, THAT YOU MENTIONED BEFORE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU SEE ANY INDIVIDUAL, AT LEAST THE WAY I DID IT, I WOULD SEE A PARENT.

I'D SEE A CHILD, A SIBLING, AND RELATE THAT TO HOW WOULD I FEEL IF THIS HAD HAPPENED TO MY PARENTS, TO MY BROTHER OR SISTER, TO MY SON OR DAUGHTER?

AND THAT'S THE WAY I TRIED TO TREAT PEOPLE, DAVID, DURING THAT TIME, WAS AS IF THEY WERE A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY, AND TO TRY TO TALK TO THEM AND EMBRACE THEM AND HELP THEM IN THE WAY I WOULD TRY TO HELP A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY.

SO, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DEFINING SET OF MOMENTS FOR ME.

AS A LEADER, GOSH, IT MADE ME SO MUCH MORE MATURE.

AND IT'S SO -- YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH CRISIS.

AND I HAD A NUMBER OF CRISES, AS YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT.

AND I THINK I WAS JUST SO MUCH BETTER IN DEALING WITH THEM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE SITUATION IF I HADN'T HAD SANDY.

BUT IT GAVE ME A SENSE OF CALM TO DEAL JUST WITH THE FACTS AND TO SOLDIER THROUGH, DAY-TO-DAY, THE NOISE.

AND SANDY CLEARLY MADE ME MUCH BETTER TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAN I MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF I HADN'T HAD THE SANDY EXPERIENCE.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT BEING MORE MATURE.

IT MADE YOU MORE MATURE.

WERE YOU -- WOULD YOU SAY THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT DEFINED YOUR PERSONALITY EARLY IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION WERE A REFLECTION OF YOUR LACK OF MATURITY?

JUST IN TERMS OF ENGAGING PEOPLE IN NOT THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE WAYS ALL THE TIME.

>> PROBABLY NOT, DAVID, BECAUSE I STILL DID IT WELL AFTER SANDY, TOO, AS YOU KNOW.

SO, NO, I THINK THAT'S WHO I AM, AND MY PERSONALITY.

AND THE WAY I CHOSE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC, AND AS YOU REMEMBER, HAVING COVERED ME SO MUCH, I WAS VERY RARELY THE INITIATOR OF THOSE THINGS.

IT WAS USUALLY CONSTITUENTS INITIATING IT WITH ME AND ME DECIDING I WASN'T GOING TO BE A PIN CUSHION.

AND, OKAY, LIKE YOU USED TO SAY IN THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, IF YOU GIVE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT BACK.

SO, PEOPLE WERE RESPECTFUL TO ME AND GOOD TO ME.

I WAS USUALLY VERY MUCH THE SAME WAY BACK.

AND IF THEY WEREN'T, THEN I WOULDN'T BE.

AND PEOPLE INITIALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT.

I THINK THEY BECAME USED TO IT.

THE MATURITY I'M TALKING ABOUT IS IN HOW YOU MAKE DECISIONS, AND TAKING A DEEP BREATH AND NOT DECIDING SO QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IN THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS OF MY ADMINISTRATION, I PRIDED MYSELF ON MAKING REALLY FAST DECISIONS.

I WOULD SEE A SET OF FACTS, I'D SYNTHESIZE THEM AND GO, BOOM, THIS IS WHAT WE GOT GOTTO DO.

LET'S DO IT.

I THINK WHAT SANDY TAUGHT ME IS THAT THERE ARE SOME DECISIONS THAT NEED TO TAKE MORE TIME.

>> AND LASTLY, YOU'RE A BIG TV STAR.

YOU'RE TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY CAMPAIGNING FOR OTHER REPUBLICANS, WHICH LEADS ALL OF US TO WONDER, WHAT IS THE CALCULUS, NUMBER ONE, AND WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME, NUMBER TWO, FOR WHEN YOU'LL DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT?

>> WELL, THE CALCULUS WILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME, RIGHT?

TO ME, YOU'VE HEARD THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND SO YOU MAY ACTUALLY WIND UP BELIEVING IT AT SOME POINT, RIGHT?

THE FIRST IS, DO I SEE A PATHWAY TO WINNING?

I HAVE NO INTEREST IN DOING THIS, DAVID, FOR THE EXPERIENCE.

I ALREADY HAD THE EXPERIENCE.

NUMBER TWO, DO I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES I HAVE FIT THE MOMENT?

AND NUMBER THREE, IS THE FAMILY SUPPORTIVE OF IT?

ARE THEY WILLING TO DO THIS ONE MORE TIME?

IF I ANSWER YES TO ALL THREE OF THOSE, THEN I'M RUNNING.

AND IF I ANSWER NO TO ONE OF THE THREE, THEN I'M NOT.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE CALCULUS WILL BE.

AND IN TERMS OF THE TIMING, THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN GOOD IS I'M IN NO RUSH.

YOU KNOW, DAVID?

I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH, AS YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH NOTORIETY.

I THINK THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE INVOLVED POLITICALLY WHO DON'T KNOW WHO I AM AND DON'T KNOW AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT MY BACKGROUND AND MY EXPERIENCE.

AND SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M IN ANY RUSH TO GO AND INTRODUCE MYSELF OR REINTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

I THINK THEY KNOW ME PRETTY WELL, AND SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M IN A RUSH.

SO, SOMETIME IN 2023, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, END OF FIRST QUARTER, BEGINNING OF SECOND QUARTER, SOMEWHERE AROUND THE TIME WHERE I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, MY CAREER IN ELECTED OFFICE ENDS WITH HAVING BEEN A TWO-TERM GOVERNOR OF MY HOME STATE WITH THE SECOND TERM HAVING A 60% OF THE VOTE RE-ELECT, THAT'S WELL BEYOND WHAT I EVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

SO, I'LL BE FINE IF THAT'S THE WAY IT ENDS.

BUT IF I STILL FEEL LIKE I HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A BIG CONTRIBUTION, I'M NOT ALSO READY TO RETIRE YET.

>> ALL RIGHT, GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE, THANKS FOR TAKING SOME TIME WITH US, MAN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> DAVID, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR DOING THIS AND REMEMBERING TEN YEARS AGO.

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR OUR STATE, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE AND YOU HAVE THE HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

>> AND WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE STATE, YOU SURVIVORS OF THE STORM AND YOU VICTIMS, YOU'RE IN OUR THOUGHTS TODAY, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL FIND HOMES SOON.

AND THAT'S "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, @DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO WATCH "CHAT BOX" AND "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" FIRST AS WELL AS LOTS OF OTHER FRESH CONTENT.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FROM ALL THE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

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

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

--Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com