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GOP Governor's Departure Sets Stage for High-Stakes Primaries in Massachusetts; Record Heat Out West as Drought Conditions Worsen; More Companies Want Workers to Return to Office Full-Time. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 06, 2022 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[10:30:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: As primary season winds down, Massachusetts voters head to the polls today, the most high profile race there, the Republican primary for governor. Trump endorsed Geoff Diehl, faces businessman Chris Doughty. Republican Governor Charlie Baker opted not to seek another term.

The winner expected to face the state's Democratic attorney general, Maura Healey, whose only challenger on her side of the ballot dropped out of the race.

I'm joined by a former governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick. He currently serves as professor of practice and co-director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. Governor, thanks for joining this morning.

FMR. GOV. DEVAL PATRICK (D-MA): Good to be with you, Jim. Good morning.

SCIUTTO: So, Massachusetts is a funny state when it comes to its politics, deep blue, right, all Democrats in the House, but they often elect Republican governors, you, one of two Democratic governors going back 30-some odd years. But when you look at the split, 2018, Governor Baker, he won by 32 points, Republican, and then Biden beat Trump in 2020 by 33 points, I mean, that's like 65 points, right, a swing there, how do you explain that in Massachusetts?

PATRICK: Well, you know, it's funny. So many people describe our commonwealth as reliably blue. They tend to be from outside Massachusetts. In fact, there are more un-enrolled, as we call them, independents in Massachusetts, than there are registered Republicans and registered Democrats combined. And I think that means here in Massachusetts, people aren't buying 100 percent of what either party is selling. Frankly, I think that's the case all over the country.

So, we have had -- we have had our current governor, who is a Republican, for coming on two terms now. He's the one who challenged me when I ran for my second term. We have known each other for decades. He is popular. There are a lot of reasons why two terms is enough, I can say from my own experience, and I suspect the same is true of Governor Baker.

But the Republican Party here has made it harder and harder for the sort of Republican that I think Governor Baker is, and that we used to describe as New England Republicans, meaning folks who are fairly restrained fiscally but, you know, not so invasive in terms of -- and intrusive in terms of personal issues and so-called social issues.

SCIUTTO: So, with that dynamic in mind, we'll see what the results are, but Diehl, who is the Trump-endorsed candidate in this primary, if he wins, is he a weaker candidate for Republicans in the general in the fall?

PATRICK: Well, it's hard for me to know. You know, I think this is a real test for the Massachusetts Republican Party and Republican primary voters. I think that if -- there's some speculation that the current governor decided not to run because he didn't think that he could win a primary or that his lieutenant governor made the decision that way. I can't know that. I'm not sure anybody can.

But there is a trend, as you know, in many state parties to put up, if you will, Trump wannabes or folks who are displaying the same kinds of policy and behavioral excesses. And I think that certainly has characterized the way Geoff Diehl has behaved in his campaign.

SCIUTTO: Let me ask you this, because if you and I were talking six weeks ago or so, the outlook for Democrats in the midterms was dismal. I think you could say with some confidence. That's changing in part because we have seen some special elections where Democrats have outperformed, potential influence of Roe and other issues there. I wonder, when you look ahead to the midterms here, do you see a rosier outlook for Democrats than you might have a month-and-a-half ago?

PATRICK: Well, Jim, you know, due respect, I see some rosier reporting than the dour reporting that we were getting before. I mean, it frustrates me no end that -- and again, with due respect, that we have had so much reporting on what the outcome is going to be before anybody has cast a single vote.

And when you think about the impact of that on candidates, on campaigns, on volunteers, on voters, donors and so forth, that is deeply worrisome and kind of a bad habit, in my view, that we have developed over many cycles here in America.

I think there's a very strong case that Democrats have to make. And it's an appeal not just to Democrats but an appeal to principle and to patriotism. It is beyond partisanship. And I think that's a lot of what President Biden was trying to do in his speech last week.

SCIUTTO: For sure. And forgive me, I'm not one to depend too much on the polls, but asking, because you are seeing outperformance in elections that have already taken place, special elections here.

[10:35:02]

And I wonder, there is some discussion, and we have seen this, by the way, in turnout, both in terms of female voter registration in a place like Kansas on the referendum there regarding abortion rights, but also pollsters are seeing women turn out and register in higher numbers partly driven by Roe. And do you see that as a major and perhaps game-changing influence in November?

PATRICK: I think it could be. I think it's a profound indication of what some of the extremists on the other side want in this country, which is, though the rhetoric is sometimes different, more and more and deeper and deeper intrusion into the most intimate decisions that we make in our lives, decisions about whether to and when to have a family or expand a family, whom to marry, whom to love, all these things that are really hard for governments to decide well. And where we have had a period of time or periods of time in our history when we realize that's really where government needs to stay out.

I think those kinds of excesses, while you have had a Democratic president and Democrats in the Congress, almost single-handedly reinvesting in the pathways that make it possible for Americans to help themselves, to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, out of some of the greatest stresses on working people and to build a brighter future. And that is when we demonstrate the democracy is a pathway to a better life, and that's exactly, I think, what we ought to be focused on and the case we ought to be making.

SCIUTTO: We'll be watching as we get closer. Governor Deval Patrick, thanks so much for joining us this morning.

PATRICK: Good to be with you. Thank you.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Well, coming up for us, just as students go back to school this week, you may be heading back to the office full- time if you haven't already been there. More companies telling employees they must show up in person, some workers not happy about it. We'll talk about it next.

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HARLOW: Well, this morning, another 50 million Americans are under heat alerts out west because of extremely high temperatures compounding that. More than 97 percent of California is experiencing severe or worse drought conditions right now.

States across the west and the high plains facing similar conditions. CNN's recent reporting shows droughts are presenting real challenges for farmers, really across the northeast as well. Nearly three- quarters of farmers in this country say droughts are hurting their harvest, according to a recent survey. And my next guest calls droughts a silent disaster that most consumers will feel but will not see.

So, joining me is Joe Del Bosque. He is CEO and president of Del Bosque Farms in California, San Joaquin Valley. Joe, thanks very much for being with us, and good morning.

JOE DELL BOSQUE, CEO AND PRESIDENT, DEL BOSQUE FARMS: Good morning, Poppy. It's good to be here. Thank you for reaching out to California.

HARLOW: So, what's behind you?

BOSQUE: Well, I'm standing in front of one of our fallow fields. And fallow fields means it's land, farmland that isn't planted because we don't have water to grow crops with. So, it is just sitting there idle.

HARLOW: So, you are trying to balance, a very delicate balance it is, preserving water and following what California has asked for and what it needs and what the laws lay out, with also growing your crops. I mean, you guys sell cantaloupe across the nation, you sell almonds around the world, and you have had to stop growing a lot of stuff, right, like melons, asparagus, sweet corn, tomatoes, because you don't have enough water.

BOSQUE: That's correct.

HARLOW: How do you balance the two?

BOSQUE: That's correct. California grows about half of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables in the country and they're all grown under irrigation. And because our water reserves are so low, we can't -- we don't have water to plant. So, we have all this land fallow here. Farther in the back, we do have some crops planted, but it's hurting us tremendously because 40 percent of my farm is not planted and that is terrible for us, but it's also terrible for our employees and for our local economy. Plus, it reduces the amount of food out in the market.

HARLOW: When it comes to this extreme weather we have been seeing across the country, from flooding to drought, as we just talked about, a recent EPA report says that climate change is very likely to affect food security not only in the United States but globally as well as regionally and locally. I mean, you have been doing this for so many decades. What does climate change mean to you? How do you see it play out each and every year? And how much worse is it getting for you?

BOSQUE: In California, you know, one of our most -- our most valuable resources is water. And that's where it's affecting us, in the weather patterns of precipitation. So, we're seeing years with less precipitation, and we're also seeing years, like in 2017 and '18, where we had more precipitation. So, we need to adapt to climate change right now, not just changing climate change for the future, but adapting to what's going on now.

HARLOW: So, you have said that before, I know this is a really big issue for you, and I just wonder how you do that, what your message is to California lawmakers watching right now, because the state of California just passed this bill that includes $5 billion for climate and drought resistance programs.

[10:45:08]

You have got the recent federal legislation from the Biden administration, includes $4 billion in that funding, but I get the sense that you feel like that is too far off, like it is not helping right now. What specifically do you need?

BOSQUE: We need them to direct that money into water infrastructure. You know, here in California, most of our water comes from another part of the state where it rains and snows a lot, and we capture it and bring it to where we need it. And that includes farms. It also includes cities like in Southern California and the Bay Area. And we need to be able to capture more of the precipitation runoff in the wet years so we can carry us through the dry years.

So, what we're looking for is more water infrastructure to store, capture and store water, and to save it for those dry years.

HARLOW: I know it's been so hard you and you've said, I'm not a quitter but you felt like coming close to it sometimes. We wish you good luck as you persist. Thank you, Joe.

BOSQUE: Well, thank you. We hope to keep farming and feeding the country out here.

HARLOW: We appreciate all of it. Thanks so much. Jim?

SCIUTTO: Lots of hard work to do out there.

Still come this hour, the office is calling and you must go. The push and pull companies and employees are facing as more policies go into place sending employees back to in-person hours. Stay with us.

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[10:50:00]

HARLOW: So for years now, because of the pandemic, many people have gotten used to working at home, at least part-time. But now, more companies are requiring employees to be in the office full-time.

SCIUTTO: CNN Business and Politics Correspondent Vanessa Yurkevich has been following this, has more on the showdown.

So, it's interesting. I'm curious how broadly you're seeing this and then what happens if workers don't want to come back?

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim. We're in a moment of back to school, back to work, back to reality, according to one expert, and companies are really pushing this now after Labor Day. They want to have more oversight over their employees. They also want to justify the millions of square feet of office space that they're paying for.

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YURKEVICH (voice over): A five-day work week is nothing new. But post-pandemic, five days in the office can feel overwhelming. Post- Labor Day, some companies are now requiring employees to hang up their house slippers and get back into the office for good.

What would your immediate reaction be to that? JESSICA CARROLL, HAS HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE: Oh, no.

YURKEVICH: It's a feeling many Americans may be having. About 56 percent of full-time U.S. employees, more than 70 million workers, say they can do their job from home. But companies like Goldman Sachs, Tesla, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley, are requiring employees to return to the office full-time.

KATHY KACHER, PRESIDENT, CAREER/LIFE ALLIANCE SERVICES INC: They're feeling very confident about it's back to school, it's back to the office, it's back to reality.

YURKEVICH: About 6.5 percent of employees in the U.S. were teleworking last month, fewer than in July, a sign that some workers could be getting called back in. For Attorney Jessica Carroll, the prospect of going into the office full-time again would be a challenge. CARROLL: You've kind of have gotten used to this hybrid work from

home experience. It would be hard to just go from what it is now to five days. It's kind of like ripping off a band-aid.

YURKEVICH: Like most, Carroll was in the office every day in early 2020.

CARROLL: It was pretty demanding.

YURKEVICH: Then, COVID hit. She had a newborn and changed jobs. A hybrid schedule was important, where she could be on a conference call and still pick up her older kids after school. The mother of three says, so far, her new firm has been flexible.

CARROLL: Having people in the office and more available by person rather than by phone is something that they encourage, but there's no strict policy.

YURKEVICH: After over two years working from home, some companies have fully embraced it. This summer, Yelp announced it would close offices in three major cities after just 1 percent of employees voluntarily returned in person. But some jobs can't be done remotely. STEVE COLON, CEO, BOTTOM LINE: There are moments in our work which

are important to be in person.

YURKEVICH: Bottom Line is a not-for-profit organization that helps lower-income high school students get into college. 80 percent of its 140 employees have in-person jobs and started their return to office this summer.

Did you face any resistance from staff?

COLON: I think there was trepidation across the board.

YURKEVICH: Did you lose anybody along the way?

COLON: I'm sure we lost a few who, for them, the decision to be back in the office wasn't the right decision. YURKEVICH: With over 11 million unfilled jobs, that's about two open positions for every job seeker. A return to office mandate could be a deal breaker. Bottom Line has 15 in-person roles to fill.

COLON: We haven't been immune to the great resignation. We have seen higher turnover in the last few years. It absolutely is a concern.

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YURKEVICH (on camera): 60 percent of people who work from home say that if their companies came to them and said, you need to get back into the office, they're saying that they would actually switch jobs, that's according to a Gallup poll.

[10:55:04]

And we're hearing from experts a lot of this pushing folks back into the office and resistance from workers is actually happening on the East Coast and around major cities because it takes people longer to commute into the office. And people really had been used to commuting from their bedroom to the kitchen, grabbing some coffee, and then to their work from home desk.

And also think about inflation right now. It's costing folks more to get to the office, gas money, transportation, and, of course, paying for food. I don't think this debate between whether folks are going to go back or stay at home is going to end anytime soon. It's going to be a struggle.

HARLOW: I think you're right.

YURKEVICH: Yes, it's going to be a struggle.

HARLOW: Vanessa, thank you for the reporting very much. Jim?

SCIUTTO: Please do stay with us this morning as we are following the news in Memphis, Tennessee, where police now say they have found the body of 34-year-old Eliza Fletcher, the mother and teacher abducted while she was just out for a jog.

Prosecutors just announced upgraded charges against their suspect in this case. We're going to have the latest from inside the courtroom. That's coming up and you are going to want to stay with us. Such a sad development there.

And thanks so much to all of you for joining us today. I'm Jim Sciutto.

HARLOW: And I'm Poppy Harlow.

At This Hour with Kate Bolduan starts after this.

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