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David: Hey, everybody.
Welcome to "Chat Box."
I'm David Cruz.
It's 2023 and in progressive New Jersey, this year's legislative elections will result in at least 20% fewer women representatives.
Here's another fun fact for you.
New Jersey has never elected a bomb to the U.S. Senate -- a woman to the U.S. Senate and so far has elected just one female Governor.
As they say around the way, what's up with that?
Let's get into it with our panel.
Republican assembly member, Nancy munoz is deputy minority leader.
Democratic assembly member verlina reynolds jackson is a former deputy majority leader and Patricia campos Medinah.
Ladies, welcome to you all.
When this legislature was sworn in last year, people were heralding the increase in female lawmakers.
Now we're about to see a decrease of at least 20%.
Some of this is politics, but it's not all politics.
Some women are stepping back on their own.
Others are being shown the door.
What are the challenges facing women trying to get into and once they're in, advancing in the world of politics?
Let's start with you, assemblywoman jackson.
What do you think?
>> Well, I think, you know, getting into partisan politics is difficult.
But it's about the work, right?
It's about the advocacy.
It's about making sure we have representation.
It's about breaking those barriers and it's about us supporting one another once we get in.
But it's about us making sure that we are supportive in those efforts.
We're advocates, we want to make sure that we fight for our Communities, and we do that loud and clear, making sure that the community is supporting us.
And I think that's when you have great representation.
David: Assemblywoman munoz, what do you think?
>> First of all, I want to say, thank you for having us.
But you talk about the number of women who are -- won't be in the legislature.
However, you know, on my side of the aisle we have 28 women who have filed to run for assembly.
So while we're losing some, we may be gaining others.
I think that's really an important message.
We've got women who are motivated to run because of -- they call them table top issues, kitchen table issues.
Issues about education and about affordability in the state of New Jersey.
So while we see a fair number of women who are stepping aside, whether on their own or because they're being forced out for whatever reason, we also see that there are certainly on my side of the aisle and I'm certain on the other side is a number of women who are stepping up as well.
David: Patricia, you're on a mission to recruit more women to run.
What obstacles are you finding?
>> The fact is is that more women since Hillary Clinton lost, have stepped up and decided to run for office.
Even here in New Jersey.
The center for American women in politics recently issued a report in which it actually said we were on a down trend even here in New Jersey.
And I think we know why that is happening.
One of it is, of course, once they get elected, creating a mentoring process in which they are successful staying in office and also address some of the issues that they have when in office.
But also, t there are significat structural problems for women to run for Office.
One of them is the lack of access to money to run.
The party line in New Jersey is a big problem for women to run and be able to win on their own.
So we are seeing women stepping back because they had personal reasons to do it, but there's also structural reasons to why they're doing it.
And we need to not just say we need mentoring, but we also -- what is the -- how do we set up the process for mentoring and also how do we create a system in which women can raise money and run on their own and also be able to challenge the party system that awards the line on the primaries to whoever they want to run in the primaries and often those are not women who are running on the party line.
David: Yeah.
Assemblywoman was on this week.
I'm sure some of you know her story.
She's bowing out after one term.
Let's hear a little bit of her reasoning and then we'll come back.
>> It's been tough.
It's scary.
I think that, you know, you kind of see the worst of humanity in terms of the prejudice that people have and anyone who is in public service, it is a sacrifice, it's time away from your family, it's SOMETHING that you do to serve the public and when you face that sort of targeted harassment based on your race or your religion, ethnicity, gender, it really gets to you.
David: what do you think when you hear a clearly bright young woman say that this is too much for her and for her family?
>> you know, I worked with her, she's on the health committee with me and I can appreciate her service to the state.
And, you know, I think it goes beyond just your race, your ethnicity, your religion.
It also is because sometimes it's just the party that you're in.
I'm a republican and people make assumptions about republican women and we're not a homogonous group.
We're a broad spectrum of beliefs.
I think that we have to mange sure the public -- make sure that the public understands that.
That we're not all the same.
And I think that that's a really important message that we have to get out.
We represent our constituents in our district.
I think we all represent a different part of the state and I think if you reflect that part of the state, then you can be successful as a woman.
We talk about mentoring, I started the women's -- republican women's caucus and I started it after we got -- we have 11 women in Micah cuss this -- my caucus this term and three female Senators, so there are 14 of us and I've got us together to share collective ideas.
But in particular since I have the most experience in the legislature, the female legislature, I've given them a lot of advice and guidance and I think that's really important.
To mentor others, but not just to say it but to actually do it.
David: when we tweeted out about this show, some people tweeted back at us and said that the environment in Trenton, the legislature, and in government in general, is toxic.
Do you feel that and see that?
>> it's hard.
You know, being in these elected positions is very hard.
We represent the people and so sometimes you don't always agree with what's happening and so you have to make those hard choices.
But at the end, you know, we're talking about all of the intersectionalities that come together and we have to make sure that we're doing the right thing.
So that you can sleep at night.
And that you do represent well.
Sometimes the votes that we take may be -- it's a bigger opportunity for everyone, both sides of the aisle don't always agree.
But, again, it's about the collectiveness of it all.
Us coming together.
And I have to say, you are absolutely right in terms of the financing that happens.
You know, I am in a competitive district with complacency and so although I have a heavy democratic district, the ability to raise money is very, very hard.
And so that becomes challenging when I'm still trying to get the message out about affordability.
When I'm talking about commerce and making sure that we have representation in business in finance, in education.
It doesn't mean that these things aren't needed just because I'm in a democratic district.
We still have to face -- fight for these things and that's throughout the whole state of New Jersey.
So I represent -- elected by one district but I represent the entire state of New Jersey.
So we still need help and we still need to collaborate, whether we're talking about Salem county, Bergen county or another county.
All of these things are still representative of us and that's what the fight is all about.
And it's hard.
It's hard.
I'm not going to even lie about that.
It's hard.
It's hard.
David: Patricia, you brought up the money question.
There's a lot of new rules and regulations, but they're more lax than ever.
We were talking this week with the former commissioner of elac and I know you all know what happened with that commission.
Just because the money people can give more doesn't mean that women are getting more.
Isn't that right?
>> that's exactly it.
Fundraising is about the network that you have and it's about the professionals that are connected to the political networking, are investing in the leadership of women.
The way men attract money for their campaigns is they get put in positions of leadership and they get put in charge of things and that's how the political class or the consult abilities gives them money -- consult abilities gives them -- consultants give them money.
What we need is to see more women in political office that have the power to make choices so people can invest in them.
David: once you get into the legislature and this is for our lawmakers obviously, there's a whole other system of advancement there that affects your ability to raise and distribute funds.
But let me start with you on this, assemblywoman munoz.
A lot of people noticed how you were passed over for someone else for minority leader.
Was that politics or sexism?
>> I think it was politics honestly.
I think I had a good reppation -- reputation.
In my opinion it was politics.
But, you know, again, I think that being a leader is showing leadership skills as well.
So I make sure my voice is heard.
You know, I always make sure that I have a voice in the room and I think as senior leadership I'm the only female and I do feel like I make sure, one of my roles I consider is to make sure that when I look at Micah cuss -- my caucus, that their voice is heard as well.
I take on that role as a mentor and to make sure that just because the men's voices are louder and deeper doesn't mean they can interrupt the women in the room.
So I'm very careful about that, I make sure I point that out.
I think the assertion -- my personality comes through because I was a nurse which was a predominantly female profession in a heavily, at the time when I was starting, a predominantly male health care system.
And so we learned to be assertive and to have our voices heard because it was for the benefit of the patient.
Now as a legislator, I have to make sure my voice is heard for the constituent as I cross the state -- constituents across the state.
Women bring a different perspective to many, many things.
I think having women in leadership is really important to get those perspectives heard and understood.
David: your party's leadership, speaker, Senate president, the Governor, three old dudes.
You got a Senate majority leader, but democrats have all the levers of power and the leadership.
While there aren't many women in the room at the end of the budget process.
I mean, and women put them in power.
>> Right.
So I have to say, you know, I did speak up and speak out about that.
And that's why I'm on the budget committee.
I did -- I asked for it and I think that's what we have to do.
Sometimes you have to do a quick and dirty and see who is on this committee, how are we making these decisions?
Do we have the right set of lenses on it and who is missing?
I think oftentimes women, you know, what else do I need to do?
We don't need to do anything but step up into those leadership roles.
Sometimes you just ask and sometimes you have to make your point across very loud and clear about why we need to be at the table setting the menu and talking about those financial issues that's going to impact all of us.
Those types of things don't come from just one lens and you need us, you need black women, you need latina women, you need women at the table to bring all those intersectionalities together.
To make an informed decision.
So sometimes you ask and sometimes you just tell them, this is what you're going to do.
And this is why you need us.
David: all right.
Still a ways to go.
Thank you all.
Appreciate it.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
David: a new documentary about an old friend opens in theaters this weekend.
It's called "it ain't over" and it tells the remarkable story of one Lorenzo piertobera known to many of us as simply Yogi.
>> The 2015 all-star game features the four greatest living baseball players.
Hank Aaron, Johnny bench, sandy Koufax and Willie Mays.
Who are all absolutely amazing players in their own right.
But I'm in the room setting next to my grandfather, Yogi Berra and I'm thinking, wait a second.
He's got more M.V.P.
's than any of these guys.
He's won more world series rings than all four of them combined.
And I look at him and I said, are you dead?
And he said, not yet.
>> One of the greatest world series resumes of any player ever.
>> He got it done.
He was a winner because he had all the rings to prove it.
>> He's a figure that was larger than life.
>> there's no Jackie without the acceptance of Yogi Berra.
>> When Yogi comes to the team they say, he doesn't look like a yankee.
>> He wasn't 6'3" ab with blond hair.
Everything about him was kind of funny.
>> He was a character.
>> He was made fun of in the New York press.
>> but that sort of became who he was.
This funny little guy.
>> That's right.
>> Yogi bear.
>> I don't think Yogi liked it too much.
>> The Yogi-isms.
Let's talk about that.
>> He said, nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, it's too crowded.
>> when you get to a fork in the road, take it.
>> What?
>> and it ain't over until it's over.
>> Makes a lot of sense.
David: Lindsey bera is a sports journalist whose work has been seen on espn.com.
She's executive producer of "it ain't over" which tells the life story of her grandpa, joagy Berra.
-- Yogi Berra.
I'm a mets fan.
We claim Yogi as a great met too.
But the back of that baseball card, over 19 seasons, averaging -- and I didn't really realize this until I started delving into this a little bit, he averaged 27 home runs, 109 R.B.I.
's, batted .285 with an onbase percentage of .348 and averaged 32 strikeouts per season.
10 world series, three M.V.P.'s.
I mean, that is no joke.
>> My favorite season, averaging 32 strikeouts is pretty cool, but in 1950, in 656 plate appearances, he hit .322, he had 124 R.B.I.
's, 2-8G home runs and he -- 28 home runs and he struck out only 12 times in the entire season.
That to me is absolutely mind blowing and he did not win one of his M.V.P.
's in 1950.
He won the next year in 1951 and in 1954 and 1955.
That season is just incredible.
I don't think anyone will ever do that again.
David: for me, who is a baseball fan, just kind of getting to know the player again was incredible.
Is that part of the goal of this film is to, hey, look at this guy's baseball card?
>> yes.
I think that because grand pa was in commercials and he was a manager and he was kind of became a pop culture icon in the 45, 50 years after he stopped playing baseball, I think there's kind of a recency bias and that's what's in people's minds.
That he was this funny guy who said funny things.
And they don't immediately think of what a tremendous baseball player he was.
So my goal with the documentary is to remind people that he was absoluteliering arguably, I think, the greatest catcher of all time but that as good as he was on the baseball field, he was an even better human being.
David: yeah.
He was a humble guy.
From very humble beginnings.
How much was that a part of his persona?
I mean, he enlisted in the navy before spring training.
>> Yeah.
I think -- it was a big part of who he was.
He was a first generation Italian immigrant.
As you mentioned, he actually volunteered to serve in the navy before he had a chance to be drafted and he ended up off of Omaha beach during the d-day invasion.
He was a machine gunner providing cover for our troops going onshore.
He had a love story with my grandma.
He was a wonderful father, a wonderful grandfather.
And there's so much about his story as an immigrant, as a veteran, as a husband, as a dad that can appeal to folks who really aren't baseball fans.
And I think how relatable he was and how normal he seemed was really what endeared him to people over the years, even though he was this baseball, you know, great baseball player.
David: really is an American, true American success story.
I remember Yogi mostly as a loveable ex-yankee.
But the film talks about how the press and others really made fun of him as a player, not in a loveable way.
Did that bother him and did it bother you growing up?
>> so some of those things that you're alluding to were really not very nice.
The press said that he looked like a gorilla.
He looked like an ape.
He looked like a fat girl running in a too-tight skirt.
They said he was too ugly to be a yankee.
I can't even figure out what that last one even means, too ugly.
David: because Joe DiMaggio wasn't that handsome of a fella.
>> People think of him as kinds of dashing.
No.
Grandpa was really able to let things roll off of his back.
He very famously said, I never saw anyone hit with his face.
And he just kind of went out there and went about his business and silenced all the critics with his play on the field.
I think a lot of that goes back to his service in the war.
I don't think that you can face a real life or death situation without coming home with an altered perspective and a profound sense of gratitude that you made it out when so many other men did not.
And I think that just gave him the ability to it approach the rest of his life which I think he viewed a little bit as borrowed time.
With just an amazing amount of joy and I don't think it was ever lost on him that he was playing a kid's game for a living.
Getting paid to do seg loved -- to do something he loved and I think that's what he thought about I don't think he cared what anyone else thought.
David: your love and admiration is clear right now as we talk but also in the film.
What was your relationship with him like?
Was there ever a time when he was just pop-pop or gramps?
>> oh, he still is.
When I was a little girl, I didn't know that grandpa Yogi was also this famous guy.
I knew he was the coach of the yankees, but I just thought that that was his job the way my friends' grandpas were accountants or school teachers or bus drivers or whatever they were.
By the time I was old enough to realize that grandpa Yogi was this guy who won 10 world series championships, the two guys, grandpa Yogi and Yogi Berra, often didn't meet and shake hands in my mind.
Now that I'm a grownup I know he was this famous person but when I have memories of him burning hot dogs at family barbeques or playing wiffle ball in the yard, that's grandpa Yogi.
When I talk about the guy with all the baseball accolades, that's Yogi Berra.
But I was very lucky to have him until I was 39 years old.
So I got to have a really tremendous adult relationship with my grandpa Yogi and really understand who he was and where he came from and it's SOMETHING I'm very grateful for.
David: the film spends a lot of time on his relationship with the yankees.
The only team he ever played for.
But who overall treated him pretty badly considering what he did for that franchise.
I mean, in his first year as a manager he took them to game seven of the world series.
Then got dumped pretty much the next day when the yankees hired the guy from the cardinals who had just beaten the yankees.
I mean -- and don't even get me started on Steinbrenner.
>> Yeah.
That was Johnny Kean who got that job.
But then, you know, you just mentioned you're a mets fan.
If that hadn't happened, grandpa wouldn't have had his time with the mets.
And he really, you know, I tell everyone, grandpa was very proud of his time with the mets.
He was only the second manager in history to bring teams from both leagues to the world series and it was something that he was tremendously proud of and he had wonderful relationships with Buddy Harrelson and Ron and art.
I think he thought of them all as -- like sons and those relationships continued until he passed away.
Everything happens for a reason.
That was just the journey he was on and we can look back at it and go, man, that kind of stunk but grandpa always made the best of everything.
David: then the whole thing with Steinbrenner, where he was fired 18 games into the season.
And he vowed never to come back and then the film talks about their reunion.
And that's a real touching moment in the film as well.
>> It is.
It meant a lot to grandpa for George to finally come out to the Yogi Berra museum and learning center and apologize for the way he'd been fired.
Grandpa didn't care that he had been fired, that was a baseball decision.
He cared that George sent clyde king, the assistant general manager, and a good friend of my grandfather's at the time, to tell him that he was fired.
Agrandpa was upset that George didn't come and tell him himself.
He thought that was disrespectful and not the way to do business.
But as soon as George came out to the museum and said, I'm sorry for that, it was water under the bridge, it was like it had never happened and grandpa was back at yankee stadium and back at spring training and it was really wonderful for him later in life for that to be able to do that.
He was able to teach those younger yankees, posada, jeter, swisher, so much about baseball.
But at the same time just the joy he got from being at the ballpark.
I always say, probably added about a decade to his life.
And that's terrific.
David: there are so many voices here.
I mean, jeter, Guidry, maddingly, tori.
Not too hard to get them to talk, I would imagine.
>> No.
Sean Mullen, our director, jokes that when you get folks in an interview about my grand parks all you have to do is say -- grandpa, all you have to do is say Yogi and start the tape because they start running.
But it was really important to me to getted a many folks as -- get as many folks as possible who had either seen grandpa play or actually played with him.
So first order of business for me was Vin Scully, the legendary dodgers announcer, who was 92 or 93 years old when we started filming and it was very important to me to get him first.
But then guys like ralph Terry, Tony Kubek, bobby Richardson.
But also Roger angel was a columnist for the New Yorker for many, many years.
He was 100 years old whether we interviewed him and he had covered New York baseball since he got out of world war ii.
So there were a lot of voices who could really speak to what grandpa looked like as an athlete on the field and how he was able to elevate the play of the folks around him and how important he was to that yankees lineup for so many years.
David: a great story, the film's called "it ain't over."
It's got a lot of heart and a lot of charm.
It opens wide this weekend and Lindsey Berra is the executive producer.
Lindsey, great to meet you.
Thanks for bringing this.
>> Thanks so much for having me.
Everybody, go to the movies.
David: and that's "Chat Box" for this week.
Thanks to everyone for joining us.
You can follow me on twitter @davidcruznj and get new content every day when you subscribe to the NEWS channel.
I'm David Cruz.
Thanks for watching.
We'll see you next week.
>> Major funding for "Chat Box with David Cruz" is provided by N.J.M.
insurance group.
Serving the insurance needs of New England residents -- New Jersey residents and businesses for more than 100 years.
Promotional support is provided by insider N.J. A political intelligence network dedicated to New Jersey political NEWS.
Insider N.J. is committed to giving serious political players an interactive forum for ideas, discussion and insight.
Online at insidernj.com.
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