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

ONLINE.

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♪ >>> IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE THE END OF 2022.

IT'S TIME TO LOOK BACK AND AHEAD.

WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE," I'M DAVID CRUZ.

OUR PANEL INCLUDES MIKE KELLY, THE COLUMNIST FOR THE RECORD AND NORTHJERSEY.COM.

THE POLITICS REPORTER FOR ADVANCED MEDIA AND EDITOR FOR NEW JERSEY MONITOR.

WE'LL GET TO THE PANEL, BUT WE BEGIN WITH A GUY FORCED TO WATCH THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE YEAR FROM THE SIDELINES.

THAT'S A NEW PERSPECTIVE AFTER HIS LONG TENURE AS SENATE PRESIDENT.

STEVE SWEENEY IS BACK TO WORK AS A UNION LEADER AND MAN IN THE TITLE OF THE SWEENEY CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY AT ROWAN UNIVERSITY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, TOO.

>> WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?

YOU'RE BACK AS A UNION BOSS?

>> WE PREFER THE TERM LEADER THAN BOSS.

>> I USED THAT IN THE FORMAL INTRODUCTION.

>> THANK YOU.

OBVIOUSLY A LOT BUSIER WITH MY UNION POSITION, INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE IRON WORKERS UNION OF NORTH AMERICA.

WE HAVE THIS POLICY CENTER THAT MARK LEADS FOR US AT ROWAN, GET A BUNCH OF SMART PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS AND WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING THEY ACTUALLY AGREE ON THINGS.

IT'S AMAZING.

>> YOU LIKE BRINGING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO HASH IT OUT.

DOESN'T MAKE YOU MOST POPULAR IN YOUR CAUCUS BUT YOU LIKE TO DO THAT, RIGHT?

>> IT GIVES YOU THE BEST PRODUCT IN THE END.

DAVID, A LEADER CAN'T WORRY ABOUT BEING POPULAR AND JUST POPULAR.

A LEADER HAS TO LEAD.

AND I TOOK ON A LOT OF VERY UNPOPULAR POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

IT CAN GIVE YOU A SHORTER SHELF LIFE.

I APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIPS I HAD WITH THE SENATORS, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

I SAID IT YESTERDAY, ANYTHING OF DECISION NEEDS BOTH PARTIES' INPUT.

HELP FROM BOTH SIDES.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE MIDTERMS?

SEEING NOT ONLY WHAT HAPPENED NATIONALLY BUT IN NEW JERSEY AS WELL.

>> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY ADULT LIFE, I WAS SCARED, REALLY SCARED, ABOUT DEMOCRACY, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THIS COUNTRY WITH ALL THE ELECTION DENIERS AND ALL THE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE JANUARY 6th, WHERE JUST REALLY ANGRY PEOPLE WERE LOOKING LIKE THEY WERE TAKING OVER THIS COUNTRY.

AND YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICANS SHOULD HAVE WON 60 CONGRESSIONAL SEATS, 54-46 IN THE U.S. SENATE.

AND I THINK RATIONAL PEOPLE REALIZED WE CAN'T SIT THIS OUT.

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE OVERWHELMINGLY POPULAR.

THEY NEED MORE MESSAGING ABOUT KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES, THE FOCUSING ON HOW THEY CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER, BUT I THINK PEOPLE HAD THE SAME FEELING I HAD, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY.

AND THANK GOD THAT -- DAVID, I GAVE A SPEECH IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF SENIORS, I DON'T WRITE SPEECHES DOWN.

I START TELLING THEM ABOUT MY FEAR FOR MY KIDS AND FUTURE GRANDKIDS.

IF THIS COUNTRY HAD WENT THE OTHER WAY.

>> WE WERE BOTH AT THIS POWER LUNCH THIS WEEK WHERE YOU SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR WHEN THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR BIPARTISANSHIP.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAME OUT OF THESE MIDTERMS THAT MAKES YOU THINK PROSPECTS ARE ANY BETTER?

>> IT'S THE OPPOSITE.

WHEN I SEE KEVIN McCARTHY AND GUYS FROM THE COMMITTEES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE HUNTER BIDEN, DO THIS, RECALL THIS, DO -- INSTEAD OF GETTING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS AND SAYING PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID HE CAN WORK ACROSS THE LINE, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE CHANCE TO WORK ACROSS THE LINE, SEE WHAT WE CAN GET DONE.

THEY JUST JUMPED RIGHT INTO IT AGAIN.

THE PUBLIC IS FED UP WITH THIS FIGHTING.

YOU KNOW, I SAW A COUPLE OF POSITIVE THINGS WITH MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

I WAS THRILLED TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A CONGRESS, AS SOON AS THEY TAKE OVER DECLARING WAR ON THE PRESIDENT, DOESN'T GIVE ME A LOT OF HOPE.

>> MEANWHILE THE NEW JERSEY REPUBLICANS ARE FEELING THEIR OATS, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE TIME WHEN THEY BEAT THE SENATE PRESIDENT AND MOVING FORWARD, PICKING UP EXTRA SEATS AND GETTING A SEAT IN THE CONGRESS HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

THEY SAY THEY'RE COMING FROR DEMOCRATS.

ARE THEY VULNERABLE IN THE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS OF 2023?

>> NOT IF WE DO OUR JOB AND MESSAGE PROPERLY.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, DAVID.

WE'RE THE ONES THAT ENDED THE INCOME TAX FOR RETIREES IN NEW JERSEY.

WHEN I SAY ENDED, 95% OF THEM, PEOPLE DON'T PAY STATE INCOME TAX ANYMORE, RETIREES.

WE'VE DONE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS AND IT'S PROPER MESSAGING.

RAISING THE MIN IMUM WAGE LIKE E DID AND INDEXED IT.

BY THE WAY, IF YOU ASK STEVE ORHA OR ANYONE ON THAT SIDE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THEY BEAT ME.

>> WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT AT THE INSTITUTE?

>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON BUDGETING.

ENERGY.

IF YOU TALK TO BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE IN NEW JERSEY, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IN ENERGY COSTS.

WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT BUSINESS SURVEYS, FIRST IT'S TAXES, THEN ENERGY COSTS.

WHAT I'M -- I ALWAYS GOT -- MY JUICES GOT MOVING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENERGY.

I WAS A PRIME SPONSOR OF OREX THAT CREATED OFFSHORE WIND IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE WERE THE FIRST.

AND THE REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE.

AND SOMETHING ON THE HORIZON, HYDROGEN.

HYDROGEN MIGHT BE IT.

MIGHT BE THE FUEL.

I SEE HYDROGEN MAKING ELECTRIC CARS LOOK LIKE MODEL Ts IN A FEW YEARS.

IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DEVELOPING CLEAN ENERGY.

WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO SAVE THIS PLANET.

>> YOU'RE ALSO A PROPONENT OF NUCLEAR, YEAH?

>> HUGE PROPONENT OF NUCLEAR, FOR ONE REASON, IT'S THE CLEANEST ENERGY WE HAVE.

WE TURNED IT AROUND.

WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE OUR NUKE PLANTS IN NEW JERSEY.

NOT ONLY DID WE SAVE THEM, BUT NATIONALLY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT NUCLEAR NOW AS THE WAY TO GO AGAIN.

WE NEED WIND, WE NEED SORLAR, W NEED HYDROGEN, WE NEED NUCLEAR.

AND GAS IS A PIECE OF IT, TOO, FOR -- YOU NEED SOME ENERGY IS SO EXPENSIVE, YOU NEED CHEAPER FUELS TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT WORK.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO LASTLY, I CAN'T LET YOU GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT TELLING US WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING FOR NEXT.

AS YOU SAID TO ME AFTER YOUR LAST ELECTION, YOU SAID I'M NOT DONE.

WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE?

YOU GOT LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS COMING UP IN '23, AND THEN OTHER ELECTIONS AFTER THAT.

>> WELL, DAVID, WHEN WE WERE AT THE PANEL, I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS IN THE BEGINNING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE TEASE.

FORMER GOVERNOR, FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT.

AND MY POSITION IS, I'M FORMER RIGHT NOW.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STAY FORMER.

I'M LOOKING AT ALL MY OPTIONS.

ONCE WE FIGURE IT OUT WE'LL -- I WILL -- I HATE WHEN THEY SAY WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.

I'M ONE PERSON, NOT MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

I HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT I THINK MIGHT BE BEST.

I LOVED BEING IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I ALSO AM LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

SO THAT WILL COME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GOOD.

SOON TO BE -- SOON TO NO LONGER BE A FORMER ANYTHING, STEVE SWEENEY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANKS FOR COMING ON.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, TOO.

>> PANEL, BUENAS DIAS TO YOU ALL.

SWEENEY IS THINK ING OF RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

DOES HE HAVE A LANE IN A STATE THAT SEEMS MORE PURPLE THAN EVER?

>> I THINK HE DOES.

IT'S AN OPEN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

MURPHY CAN'T RUN BECAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

THERE'S A LOT OF BIG NAMES.

IT'S NOT SMALL NAMES AT LEAST IN STATE POLITICS.

IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

AND MIGHT BE A MYSTERY CANDIDATE.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO PHIL MURPHY WAS AT THIS POINT IN THE 2020 ELECTION.

HE HAS A SHOT.

THE STATE CAN BE PURPLE, GOVERNORS SWITCH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN PARTIES.

HE'S HURT THAT HE JUST LOST BUT IN A STRANGE WAY GETS MORE NAME RECOGNITION BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW WHO HE IS BECAUSE OF THE LOSS.

IT WILL BE INTRIGUING.

>> TERRENCE, IS SWEENEY GOVERNOR MATERIAL?

HE'S DISAPPEARED THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

>> I THINK TWO UNKNOWNS ARE GOING TO AFFECT THIS.

ONE IS HOW WELL REPUBLICANS DO OR NOT IN THE LEGISLATIVE RACES.

IF THEY DO REALLY WELL NEXT YEAR, THEY MIGHT BE SUPER ENERGIZED, RIGHT, FOR TWO YEARS LATER.

ALSO WHO WINS THE PRESIDENCY IN 2024.

IF DEMOCRATS WIN AGAIN, THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE NEW JERSEY GOES BACK AND FORTH.

IF TRUMP OR ANOTHER REPUBLICAN WINS, DEMOCRATS WILL BE SUPER ENERGIZED LIKE IN 2017 AND COME OUT.

YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

>> A LOT OF POTENTIAL BIG NAMES BUT STILL A LONG WAYS AWAY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE COVID INQUIRY.

MIKE IS THIS JUST A WHITEWASH IN THE MAKING?

>> YES.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TRUST IN IT.

THERE IS I THINK OUR STATE DID A FAIRLY DECENT JOB HANDLING COVID.

LET'S BE HONEST, THIS WAS A DIFFICULT PANDEMIC TO DEAL WITH.

BUT I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT AS TRANSPARENT AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN WITH REGARD TO HOW IT HANDLED COVID, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO HOW IT HANDLED THE CRISIS AT THE VETERANS HOMES WHERE SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE VETERANS WERE DYING OF COVID, AND I THOUGHT GOVERNOR MURPHY BASICALLY WASHED HIS HANDS OF IT AND RAN AWAY FROM IT.

>> REPUBLICANS ARE CALLING FOR A LEGISLATIVE INQUIRY RIGHT NOW.

DEMOCRATS ARE KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN, WAITING TO SEE WHAT COMES OF THE GOVERNOR'S INQUIRY.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF A JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE COVID RESPONSE IN OUR FUTURE?

>> I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING RIGHT AWAY.

WE SAW LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS IN BRIDGE GATE AND KATIE BRENNAN, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THE LEGISLATIVE PEOPLE WANT.

THE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER IS A POSSIBLE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE ALSO.

I DON'T EXPECT IT.

BUT THE FEDS WITH STATE-RUN VETERANS HOMES, THEY MIGHT FORCE THEIR HAND.

BUT I DON'T SEE AN INQUIRY RIGHT AWAY.

>> WE NEED A DRINKING GAME FOR A POTENTIAL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

>> WE'LL BE DRUNK IN A FEW MINUTES.

>> IT COST TAXPAYERS A MILLION DOLLARS FOR MASTRO TO EXONERATE CHRIS CHRISTIE IN BRIDGE GATE.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF A THOROUGH REVIEW?

>> IF THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION STONEWALLS THIS THE WAY THEY DO REPORTERS SEEKING INFORMATION, THAT'S NOT A GREAT SIGN.

HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T.

>> THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS OUTSIDE HELP TO OVERSEE THE VETERANS HOMES, HOW DID WE GET HERE?

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

PRIVATE COMPANIES DON'T ALWAYS RUN NURSING HOMES AND LONG-TERM CARE CENTERS VERY WELL.

THERE'S A BUNCH WITH ONE STAR REVIEWS FROM STATE INSPECTIONS IN NEW JERSEY.

BUT CLEARLY WHAT THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION IS DOING WITH THEM ISN'T WORKING.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.

BUT THEY'VE GOTTEN RID OF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ALREADY.

I DON'T THINK THAT PHIL MURPHY WANTS TO DO THAT AGAIN AND FEELS THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER OPTION, SOMEBODY PRIVATE TO COME IN.

I DON'T KNOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP.

>> THIS IS WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION APPEARS MOST VULNERABLE, REALLY TO CRITICISM FROM BOTH SIDES ON THAT ISSUE, RIGHT?

>> THIS IS A HUGE MORAL QUESTION.

MY THINKING HERE IS GOVERNOR MURPHY IS LOOKING OVER THE HORIZON FOR HIS NEXT JOB, AND THE LAST THING HE WANTS TO DO IS DEAL WITH THIS KIND OF ISSUE BACK IN NEW JERSEY.

BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING, IF HE'S GOING TO BE GOVERNOR, HE OUGHT TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DEAL WITH THIS.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.

A LOT OF THESE VETERANS WENT INTO THESE HOMES THINK THEY HAD A SAFE PLACE IN THEIR FINAL YEARS AND THEY DIDN'T.

THAT'S A HUGE BLAME HANGING OVER THE GOVERNOR'S HEAD, AND HE OUGHT TO DEAL WITH IT.

THE FACT HE HASN'T IS REALLY WRONG.

>> I STAY WITH YOU AS I SWITCH GEARS.

YOU WROTE ABOUT TRUMP AND THE GOP AND NEW JERSEY.

THIS IS A PARTY THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THE PRESENCE OF TRUMP AS HE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK TRUMP'S IMPACT IS ON ALL OF THIS.

>> TRUMP IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PLAYER.

HE JUST IS.

AND UNTIL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BASICALLY TELLS HIM TO HIT THE ROAD, HE'S GOING TO BE AROUND.

RIGHT HERE IN NEW JERSEY, HE'LL BE HANGING OUT AT BED MINISTER AND DOING HIS THING.

MY BIGGEST CRITICISM, THE ROLE I THINK THAT -- THE DIRECTION I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE AS A COUNTRY DOES NOT LIE SO MUCH WITH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, WE KNOW WHERE THEY STAND ON TRUMP.

IT'S THE MEDIA, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE TRUMP?

ARE WE GOING TO TREAT HIM AS A LEGITIMATE CANDIDATE, KEEP DIGGING INTO HIM?

THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR JOURNALISTS NEED TO BE REWRITTEN AS WE APPROACH HIS NEXT CAMPAIGN.

>> TRENT, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH A PROBLEM LIKE TRUMP?

>> YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE ESPECIALLY MORE MODERATE REPUBLICANS.

USED TO BE JUST BE JOHN BRADNICK GOING AGAINST TRUMP, NOW SEEING SOME OF THE MORE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS BACK AWAY FROM TRUMP AND NOT GIVE A FULL-THROATED ENDORSEMENT.

NEW JERSEY, HE'S NEVER ALWAYS BEEN POPULAR.

HE'S NEVER BEEN POPULAR IN MOST POLLS, EVEN THOUGH HE MAYBE BECAUSE OF HIS CASINO VENTURES AND SO FORTH.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE HIS NAME MENTIONED AS FREQUENTLY OR HIS TYPE OF MESSAGING AS FREQUENTLY AMONG REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MIDTERMS.

>> IT SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR NEW JERSEY REPUBLICANS TO EMBRACE TRUMP, A LOT OF THEM PROBABLY WON'T BUT HIS PRESENCE IS GOING TO TIE THEM TO HIM, NO?

>> SURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WENT GAGA OVER TRUMP FOR WAS HE BEAT HILLARY CLINTON, A RIGH RIGHT-WING FOR DECADES.

BUT THAT MANY LOSSES IN A ROW WILL MAKE REPUBLICANS THINK I LIKED HIM BECAUSE HE WON BUT NOW HE'S LOSING.

I DON'T WANT TO LOSE AGAIN.

>> STATE ECONOMY, ALL INDICATIONS ARE IT'S DOING WELL.

UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT CLOSE TO RECORD LOWS.

AND TAX COLLECTIONS ARE UP.

WHICH IS A GOOD THING, THE STATE INDICATES.

YET BUSINESS PEOPLE, THEY ADMIT TO HAVING A PRETTY GOOD 2022, THEY TELL THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT 2023.

THOSE TWO THINGS DON'T SEEM TO ADD UP.

DO THEY?

>> NO, BUT I MEAN IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION TRYING TO GET ATTENTION FOR BETTER POLICY AND THINGS TO GO YOUR WAY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAY ALL IS WELL BECAUSE NO ONE IS GOING TO HELP YOU.

THEY ALSO DID THAT SURVEY OF BUSINESSES IN NEW JERSEY, THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE WAY MURPHY AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVEN'T MADE NEW JERSEY MORE AFFORDABLE FOR BUSINESSES.

IT'S THIS WEIRD FEELING IN THE WORLD IN GENERAL, NEW JERSEY AND THE U.S., THE ECONOMY SEEMS TO HAVE POSITIVE LIFE SIGNS BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT INFLATION AND GAS PRICES.

SO IT IS THIS IN BETWEEN TYPE FEELING.

I THINK THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IS PLAYING OFF THAT AND TRYING TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IT.

>> MIKE KELLY, I REMEMBER A DAY WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT WAS 10% AND INFLATION WAS 14% AND INTEREST RATES WERE 16%.

ARE THINGS THAT BAD TODAY?

AND WHY DOES IT FEEL SOMETIMES LIKE WE'RE BACK IN 1978?

>> I'M NOT THAT OLD TO REMEMBER THAT.

IT ISN'T AS BAD AS THE LATE '70s AND EARLY '80s, LET'S BE HONEST HERE.

HOWEVER, I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HERE IS A LACK OF CONFIDENCE.

PEOPLE JUST DON'T FEEL THEY CAN BE CONFIDENT GIVEN THE ROLLER COASTER NATURE OF THE STOCK MARKET AND THE TEMPORARINESS OF JOBS THESE DAYS.

THERE'S A LOT OF SENSE EVEN IN OUR BUSINESS YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT YOUR ANCHOR DOWN ANY LONGER AND REALLY COUNT ON STAYING IN A CAREER.

EVEN IN ONE PARTICULAR PROFESSION.

SO I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT THE NUMBERS AS MUCH AS THE HEART.

PEOPLE DON'T HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS ANYMORE TO FEEL CONFIDENT.

>> TERRENCE, EVEN IN THE NEWS BIZ IT FEELS LIKE NO JOBS ARE SAFE, HUH?

>> YEAH, SURE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MAKING PEOPLE FEEL PESSIMISTIC IS THINGS JUST SEEM WEIRD.

NOT EVERY SIGN IS POSITIVE.

THIS WEEK THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS SAID SMALL COMPANIES WITH FEWER THAN TEN EMPLOYEES HAVE SEEN THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF LAYOFFS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

BIG TECH IS HAVING LAYOFFS BUT THE JOBS REPORT SHOWED STRONG GROWTH.

PEOPLE ARE SEEING THINGS ARE STRANGE AND THAT'S WHY BUSINESS LEADERS ARE NOT SUPER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT NEXT YEAR.

>> STRANGE DAYS INDEED.

MIKE, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING?

>> I AGREE WITH TERRENCE.

THERE'S A SENSE OF UNEASINESS, THE GROUND IS SHIFTING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING.

PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HOLD ON TO SOMETHING.

WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF A DIFFICULT PERIOD WITH THIS PANDEMIC.

THE NEXT YEAR OR SO IS GOING TO BE LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

IT'S TIME FOR OUR ONLY IN JERSEY MOMENT.

HEADLINES AND NOTES QUINTESSENTIALLY JERSEY.

KELLY, YOU GOT IT?

>> I DO.

I'M FASCINATED WITH WHAT PEOPLE PUT ON BEACHES, PARTICULARLY, I JUST LOVE THE FACT IN NEW JERSEY WE PLANT PALM TREES ON OUR BEACHES, DON'T ASK ME WHY.

WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING THIS WEEK, IN OCEAN CITY THEY CONTINUED THIS TRADITION OF A CHRISTMAS TREE ON THE BEACH, A COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE.

PEOPLE COME AND LEAVE DONATIONS FOR FOOD BANKS AND ALSO PUTTING -- PAINTING SMALL SHELLS AND WRITING MESSAGES ON THAT.

THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL ELEMENT OF COMMUNITY BUILDING IN THIS SMALL NEW JERSEY TOWN.

>> I LOVE THAT.

>> TERRENCE?

>> THIS ONE, MY FRIEND PASSED TO ME.

FISHTOPHER, A CAT WHO WENT VIRAL BECAUSE A SHELTER POSTED HIM LOOKING SUPER SAD AND DEPRESSED.

A LOT OF PERSONALITY LIKE PEOPLE IN NEW JERSEY AND HE'S RELOCATED TO A STATE WITH LOWER PROPERTY TAXES, A VERY JERSEY THING.

>> HE IS A SAD LOOKING CAT, I MUST SAY THAT.

MINE IS FROM ESSEX COUNTY, BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE MADE IT TO A LIST OF THE WORST SCHOOLS IN THE U.S. A SITE CALLED HERALD WEEKLY SAYS THE 30% GRADUATION RATE AND 15% LOAN DEFAULT RATE HELPED GET IT ON THE LIST WHICH INCLUDES THE COLLEGE OF CULINARY ARTS IN CHICAGO, PURDUE, WESLEYAN.

I WILL SPEAK FOR THE KIDS AND SAY HERALD WEEKLY, YOUR LIST IS AS USEFUL AS THE PAPER OF A DEGREE FROM TRUMP UNIVERSITY, ALSO ON THAT LIST.

THAT'S "ROUNDTABLE."

GOOD TO SEE YOU, AND THANKS TO STEVE SWEENEY.

FOLLOW THE SHOW ON TWITTER @ROUNDTABLENJ.

AND FRESH CONTENT DAILY ON THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

I'M DAVID CRUZ, FROM DOWNTOWN NEWARK, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WE'RE.

>> 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.

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

ROWAN UNIVERSITY, EDUCATING NEW JERSEY LEADERS, PARTNERING WITH NEW JERSEY BUSINESSES AND 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 PLAY BOOK, A TOPICAL NEWSLETTER ON GARDEN STATE POLITICS, ONLINE AT POLITICO.COM.