The next is a transcript of an interview with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy that aired Sunday, February 13, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey. He was the primary of a number of blue state governors this week to announce plans to roll again statewide masks mandates in colleges. Good morning to you, governor.
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The CDC says we aren't there but. You say you are following the science, so what are you aware that the CDC director doesn't?
MURPHY: Yeah, I feel New Jersey's Scott Gottlieb hit this level very effectively. Our numbers are- are bettering and I'd use the phrase dramatically, charge of transmission, positivity charge, hospitalizations, circumstances, in-school transmissions, all getting in a dramatically good path. The- the- problem is this- this spike, this- this variant has spiked straight up, and it is now coming straight down. New Jersey, New York, bought hit early on this wave, as now we have in all the waves. The actual fact of the matter is our expertise may be very totally different proper now from the typical American state's expertise. So, the CDC, which now we have been adherent to from the get-go, and we expect they're doing a terrific job, they've simply bought a way more complicated actuality. The- the science and the info and the info on the bottom in New Jersey have allowed us to take this step.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, CDC nonetheless says you are at a excessive transmission degree, however I wish to ask you about- in Virginia, the Republican governor right here, proper close by Washington, D.C.- is locked in court docket battles over his choice to tug again masks mandates. He made that decision again in January. Did you worry comparable political blowback? I imply, did you take a look at that instance?
MURPHY: Now, hear, I feel they've performed it- with nice respect, they've performed that backwards. They principally banned mandates and- and- after which stated to the districts sue us to get that overturned. We have performed the precise reverse. In different phrases, we're lifting the masks mandate, by the best way, on March seventh, so we gave ourselves a 4 week runway after which allowed districts or people as they so select to- to place native mandates or put on masks in place.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However for these native districts, I imply, aren't you simply sort of transferring a political drawback all the way down to a extra native degree? How do these faculty districts, how do these mayors, how do they make the decision? What benchmarks are you particularly giving them on whether or not it is protected to advise lifting these masks or not?
MURPHY: Yeah- now we have bought the virus at the least as we sit right here, Margaret, and each time you assume you have to determine it out, it humbles you, it takes a flip you do not count on. However as finest we are able to inform proper now, this factor goes from pandemic to endemic. And we really feel it's the accountable step to take to permit districts, in the event that they so select, based mostly on their native well being realities, working with their native well being officers to- to decide on their very own. My intestine tells me, significantly as we get into hotter climate within the spring and assuming the virus continues to go in the correct path, you may have the overwhelming quantity of districts following go well with and lifting the mandate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you get any timeline from the White Home, from the CDC in any respect on when they'll give federal tips to do what you are doing?
MURPHY: We have now not, though w-we assume that the Biden administration has performed an impressive job managing this, however once more, they have a way more complicated actuality. This is not considered one of these earlier waves the place the curves went kind of- sweeping over months up and sweeping over months down. This factor goes up like a rocket ship, and it is straight down. I am positive it is solely a matter of time till we see federal steering.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to ask you- you know- as a Democrat, your ideas right here, going into these races, you simply went via an election your self. Former President Obama spoke this week to Home Democrats and instructed them to take the wins you will get, it does not assist to whine about stuff you may't change. Do you are feeling like Democrats are in a defensive crouch going into these midterm races?
MURPHY: I am undecided, Margaret, defensive crouch, however I- I'd say that we're most likely targeted much more on what now we have not been in a position to get performed, much more on course of, than now we have on the historic issues that now we have bought performed as a celebration. I imply, the president and Congress have gotten a bipartisan infrastructure legislation that's historic. The American Rescue Plan cash's historic- by the best way, lots of which have but to be spent. I feel we must always rejoice, simply to select these two examples and- and- and- remind people why they bought performed and who delivered the products for them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However on the subject of political liabilities, one of many issues we have seen in our polling, is the lived expertise of Individuals, and so they expertise the financial system via the costs they pay- inflation at seven and a half percent- is that this the largest political legal responsibility for Democrats or is that simply not the way you see issues?
MURPHY: I feel it is a problem for Democrats, for positive. I- I feel and I am going to put myself on this class early on, we talked loads about whether or not this was transitory, how deep and- and- and- and impactful it could be. The actual fact of the matter is it is actual. It is right here. My guess is it is right here for the stability of this calendar 12 months. We have performed loads in- in our state because it pertains to affordability. So I feel something Democrats can do- we- we have handed 14 tax cuts for the center class of working households and seniors in our first term- steps like that, making well being care extra reasonably priced, school extra reasonably priced, property taxes extra reasonably priced, something we may do as a celebration, I've to imagine, will resonate as a result of inflation is actual.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In a short time, is there a danger from this trucker convoy in these protests? I do know New Jersey is a logistics hub.
MURPHY: With out query, now we have one of many largest ports within the nation and knocking on wooden with our people have managed it brilliantly within the context of this pandemic, however that trucker actuality is a risk with out query.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper, Governor, thanks very a lot to your time at the moment. We will likely be proper again.