Guest Jack Ciattarelli, NJ Gubernatorial Candidate

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This hour of programming on seven to ten WOR. He's
sponsored by Toyota City and Mamaranac and Nissan City of
port Chester, proud members of the Integrity Automotive Group. Now
former Westchester County Executive Rob Asterino on seven ten WRH.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Here we go again. It's Saturday, Rob Askmino here on
seven ten WOR. Back from Rome earlier this week, heading
to Rome tonight. But I was going to do my
show no matter what, so I made sure I got here,
getting out of here, getting to Kennedy, and then flying
back to Rome for the Conclave next week. So it

(00:43):
should be a lot of fun. And of course in
like an hour and a half we've got the Derby,
Kentucky Derby. I'll tell you who my pick is later.
It's guaranteed to make you lose. But what the hell. Anyway,
so we got a lot to do today. We've got
the conclave coming up next week in Rome. Wednesday. They
already put the chimneys up on This is Team Chapel.

(01:04):
They did that yesterday and so we're getting ready for that.
I'll bring in Lino Rooley, the Catholic guy, funny guy.
He's in Rome, an old friend of mine, and so
we'll talk later in the show about that. Plus you know,
all this stuff right now in New York is about
the governor's race in New York. Well, hold on a second,
let me let me just throw up the old caution fleg.

(01:26):
That's next year. The governor's race in New York is
next November. The primaries in New York are next June.
So it's thirteen months away. With all the speculation. And yeah,
I mean, I have three horses in the race. I
hope it settles down to one. I love them all.
Mike Lawler, my good friend, Bruce Blakeman, the county executive

(01:47):
in Nasau, and Alis Staphonic if she's gonna run, the
congresswoman from upstate New York's all three of them I'm
very close with. And I hope that shakes out. And
I think whoever it is has a good shot next year.
But you never know. But there is like two big
races this year, Virginia and right here in New Jersey.
This is a biggie because this is gonna set the tone.

(02:09):
And four years ago, boy did we come close. Jack
Chittarelli lost by a nosehair And just think of how
things would be better if Jack Chardarelli would be governor
Chittarelli the last four years in New Jersey, the suffering
would not be as it would be gone. But we've
got this buffoon still there. Thankfully he can't run again.

(02:30):
But Jack is running again, and he's got a great
shot at winning, and I want to bring him on
right now onto the Rob Astarino Show here on seven
to ten wo rter to talk about this primary coming
up in a few weeks, and we'll just shake things
up in Jersey a little bit. So Jack, how are
you doing well?

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Rob?

Speaker 4 (02:46):
Great to be with you, especially on Derby Day.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, so, I mean it's I don't know who's gonna
win that race. You ever bet the horses?

Speaker 3 (02:53):
You know?

Speaker 2 (02:53):
I never have, not the Derby.

Speaker 4 (02:55):
I've placed bets on Jersey horse races from time to time,
whether it was Freehold or Mama Racetrack, to Metalalands you like.
But you know, I'm thinking about it. There's one horse
in particular whose name I really like.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Which go on, let me see, I gotta go through
them American Promise. Oh yeah, that's a good one. That's right.
It's thirty to one, though, I think so it'd be
a long show.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
But it's a long shot. But we want to fulfill
the American promise right here in New Jersey, and that's
what this race is all about.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, but you're not a long shot. You're you're You're
right up there as a You've got a real legitimate
chance to win this. I mean, I think you're gonna
win the primary over Bramnick and Spadia, but you know,
first things first, get through the primary. And if you do,
and I think you will, you've got a real legitimate
shot at taking this race home. And I love your

(03:40):
campaign slogan on your website, jackfournj dot com. It's time
exclamation point? My god? Is it? So you're ready?

Speaker 3 (03:49):
I am so ready.

Speaker 4 (03:50):
I was ready in twenty one, Rob and I really
thought we were gonna win that race. We came awfully close.
This time around, the political landscape is even more favorable
based on how badly Murphy is before to the Trenton
Democrats have screwed up New Jersey. So I'm excited here
not just for myself but for all eighty Republican Assembly
candidates who are sharing the ballot with me.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
And you did so well last time that you dragged
them all across the finish line. It was a really
good year four years ago for New Jersey Republicans up
and down the ticket. I mean, that's the pressure for
somebody leading the way is if you falter, everyone behind
you on those down ballot races suffer too. Generally, you
did very, very well, and so did the rest of

(04:31):
the ticket, and that should not be understated. And that's
why it's important I think that you win this primary
and lead the way.

Speaker 4 (04:38):
I appreciate you point out Rob that back in twenty one,
we had our most successful night in thirty four years,
tolik one hundred and thirty four seats at the nsisipal
county level, over two hundred Board of Education seats, and
eight seats in the state legislature. And that was with
a little bit of wind in my face. We've got
some win that are back now and I'm shooting for
at least thirteen seats. What does that mean, a new

(04:58):
majority in the state Assembly. We haven't had that in
three decades.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Oh my god, that would be fantastic. So here's the
thing you just said, you have the wind at your back.
I'm wondering, and I'm worried in some respects that the
wind is going to be in your face a little bit.
And I say this because I've been through it. Right,
I lost my race for Westchester County Executive in twenty seventeen.
We had a sixty percent approval rating and it was

(05:24):
it was a deluge from Democrats. Now, it was a
different time. It was Trump de rangement syndrome, you know, five,
and it was the very beginning of his first term.
So this they were nuts beyond I mean, they were
foaming at the mouth. It's a little different now. I
mean his numbers are much better, certainly with independence strong
with Republicans. Democrats are Democrats. But how do you overcome

(05:44):
I'll just say the Trump factor a little bit in
a blue state.

Speaker 4 (05:47):
From twenty twenty to twenty twenty four, rob he improved
by over eleven points. Too many in New Jersey's voted
for Donald Trump this past the lunch of season, and
what was a much closer race than people expected. I've
got to keep this all about New Jersey. Any one
of my opponents is going to be Murphy two point zero.
They're not gonna want to talk about New Jersey. They're
gonna want to talk about Donald Trump. But last I checked,

(06:08):
Donald Trump had nothing to do with the highest property
taxes in the nation, had nothing to do with handcuffing
our cops, which is why we see crime up in
all of our communities, had nothing to do with New
Jersey slipping on the National Report Guard from two to
twelve in terms of academic performance for our students. And
he's had nothing to do with all the overdevelopment our
suburbs that Democrats are causing. So I'm going to keep

(06:29):
this all about New Jersey. We're not gonna let the
Democratic opponent get away with that, whoever that opponent is.
The theme is real simple. You want four more years
of Phil Murphy, vote for that person. You want change,
vote for Cheddarelli and his Republican candidates.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
So let's go through some of those. The affordability crisis,
I mean, New York, New Jersey are just horrific, right.
There was a story the other day about how many
and this is an annual story, how many New Yorkers
and New Jerseyans get the hell out of here and
go down to Florida or any other state where there's
some relief and some sanity. So how do you tackle that?
Because here in New York, HOKL is doubling down on

(07:06):
stupid and overspending.

Speaker 4 (07:08):
We've got to cut spending and we've got to grow
the economy. And that's exactly what Phil Murphy has not done.
In fact, to afford his most recent two billion dollar
proposed increase, he now wants to put sales taxes on
things that were never taxed before, batting cages, golf ranges,
laser tag bowling, massages, trading in the used car. This
reminds me of when Jim Floyd put sales tax on

(07:30):
toilet paper and tires. God just can't control himself. Okay,
so we're gonna point all these things out. But we
have to grow our economy and rob we've got to
lower the monthly electric bill. Phil Murphy's energy policies because
he bet everything on wind has crashed and burned.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
We need a diversified portfolio.

Speaker 4 (07:49):
I'll make that happen through nuclear, natural gas, and we'll
get down people's monthly electric bills.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, that's a great point, because these Blue states have
gone just nuts over the green energy bs and people
aren't paying attention to how high their costs are going
to go up for utilities like electricity in Jersey. So
we've been following this with the offshore wind developments and

(08:13):
the whale deaths. I mean, there's a lot of interest
in that what happened. I know, the Interior Secretary for
Trump has kind of put a halt on some of
these projects, which were totally fast tracked by Biden. I mean,
you know, they're so environmental until they don't want to
be because they have a lovely project they want to
get through. But where do you stand on these I

(08:37):
think horribly ugly and inefficient wind farms off the shores
of Jersey.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
I was opposed from day one.

Speaker 4 (08:45):
Rob They're bad economics, they're bad energy policy, they're bad
environmental policy. And when I was at the President a
couple of weeks ago, the first two things I did
was thank him for putting a temporary halt on the
wind farms off our Jersey shore. I'll make it permanent
on day one with my energy master plan. And the
second thing I had said before was beaten up on
the New York Democrats over that congestion pricing plan.

Speaker 3 (09:06):
YEP.

Speaker 4 (09:06):
So their subway system is falling into decay, it's not reliable,
it's not safe, and now they're gonna try and fix
it on the backs of New jerseyans. If that plan
ever goes ahead, rob any New York plate that comes
through the tunnels or over the bridge in the morning
into New Jersey, I'm gonna hit him more a congestion
pricing fee and I'll fix New Jersey transit.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
So so tell and I'm not kidding, I don't I
don't blame you. So here's what Murphy was trying to
really dupe everybody. So he came out, as you know,
mister anti congestion pricing, which was total bull. If you
read what he's saying, he doesn't he doesn't care whether
or not it stays. He just wants his little piece,

(09:45):
which is very different. It's like you're either philosophically against
charging people, you know, to go into Manhattan, whether it's
work or pleasure, it doesn't matter. I mean, I get
hit because I'm in Westchester. You would get hit, and
everybody in the Garden State would get hit. But Murphy
wants wants his coin. It's not so much he's opposed
to the thought of congestion pricing and banging middle class

(10:08):
people over the head or businesses. So you know, how
would you stop this? How do you work with the
administration to actually stop this?

Speaker 4 (10:17):
So I alone can't stop it. What I can do
is make a spectacle of it. But I'm gonna do
a retaliatory tactics if they go ahead with this plan.
And so I'm telling you, if those New York plates
are coming to New Jersey in the morning, we're gonna
hit him with our own congestion pricing fee for not
using our New Jersey transit and mass transit systems. So
we've got We're not gonna be pushed around.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Rob.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
I'm tired of New Jersey constantly playing the second fiddle,
and that's what it's done under Phil Murphy. So but
the guy's a phony. He hasn't made a spectacle of
this at all, and he's on cruise control now. He's
pretty much checked out. I mean, he's been mia for
seven and a half years. These last six months are
gonna be disaster. I only wish the election was tomorrow,
I know.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
So can you do me a favor if you actually
do that tolling, Just do it for fans at jet games. No,
no needs, no reason to do that to giants fans
coming over from from New York.

Speaker 4 (11:07):
Know you what I'll do, Rob, I'll give you a
special plate.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
We won't hit you up. Well, I'm a Dolphins fan.
I could care less, but I'm just trying to be
nice to the Giants folks here and the Eagles fans
that you should do something coming across the Schoogle or
coming across from from Philadelphia. Public safety, you know it's
a we We've seen how delinquent the Democrats have become
on public safety. How how do you change the laws

(11:33):
in Jersey and work with ICE and our partners in
the federal government to to get the worst of the
worst a the illegal aliens out and be you know,
to crack down on the crime in our inner cities
like Newark and other areas.

Speaker 4 (11:48):
I do two things on day one that change that dramatically.
First thing I do executive water number one. On day one, Rob,
no town in our state will be a century city
and we will not be a sanctuary state. That will
allow how our local police chiefs and mayors to work
in partnership with ICE keep their communities safe. Second thing
I do is I appoint an attorney general on day
one that supports law enforcement. We don't have that right now.

(12:10):
The current guy ownder Phil Murphy undermines our local police
every day of the week. I don't have a problem
with no knock warrants. I'm not a problem with knines for
craft control. I'm not a problem with necessarily high speed chases.
These are trained professionals. Let them do their job, and
that Attorney General and the twenty one county prosecutors that
I also appoint will support me and getting rid of
bail reform. Bail reform is in desperate need of reform.

(12:33):
We've created professional criminals. Arrest release, repeat is real because
people don't have to post bail anymore. It's been a
failed experiment. Let's fix it and get our communities safe again.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
Jack Schitdarelli is with me on seven to ten WR
Rob Astarino Show, jackfourenj dot com if you want to
learn more about his campaign for governor in the Garden State.
So education, it's it's a mess. I mean it's a
mess in New York. It's a mess in New Jersey again.
You know, have the unions are in trench. They own

(13:04):
the Democratic Party. They get whatever they want, and whenever
they get something, it literally takes away from from the
people they're supposed to be loving and teaching, and that
would be the kids. And forget the taxpayers in this.
They're getting screwed all all the time. But as far
as education, what differences would you do than you know
what Murphy's doing. Here's the big difference.

Speaker 4 (13:24):
On day one, we'll have a governor and Governor Chedarelli
who isn't owned by the teachers' union leadership Murphy is.
And so the next thing I do on day one
is I call for a resignation of all those that
sit on the State Board of Education that have made
all these offensive changes the public school curriculum. We're getting
back to basics under my administration and teaching critical life skills,
providing more vocational training because not all kids want or

(13:47):
need to go to college, and we're going to do
that when an age appropriate curriculum. There's things being discussed
at school that I think better belong at the kitchen
table between parents and their children. And we'll also get
rid of Policy fifty seven fifty six. This is the
policy that said that school districts keeps secrets from parents.
I think he goes to schools, share something with a teacher,
or guidance counselor that's serious with regard to their sexuality

(14:08):
or anything else that needs to be shared with the parents.
Our kids are best served when parents and school districts
work in partnership. And we'll also get a high impact curriculum.
New Jersey's slipping from two to twelve on the National
report Card for academic performance or our K through twelve
students is unacceptable, particularly for what is we pay in
property taxes. We got to get back in the upper echelon.
We'll do that with a high impact curriculum for all

(14:30):
kids that aren't on grade level for reading, writing, math.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
What about the colleges in Jersey?

Speaker 4 (14:36):
Certainly you know Murphy is raising the budget two billion,
yet he's cutting aid to community colleges, which is the
most affordable proposition there is. So we've got to make
sure that we provide the right type of support so
people can afford college in New Jersey. But we also
want to make sure that those universities are not liberal
think tanks and in doctor gate ating students. We hope

(14:56):
they're just going about teaching and providing education for people
to need careers after they graduate from college.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
So I wanted to ask you about the Jersey Shore
because everyone in my town lifts like their house up
in July and August and heads down to LBI and
all the Jersey Shore communities. They're so nice. I mean
literally from Cape May all the way up. They're fun,
they're beautiful, they're different. Is anything do you think needed

(15:26):
to be changed? Some of these places are getting run down.
I mean, this isn't you, right, but I'm wondering if
the image of Jersey can be changed in any way.
And part of that is at the top right, that
would be you. But is there anything to change the
image Atlantic City, for instance, I mean it used to
be a great place. It's for me. If I go
on the boardwalk or go into the casinos in Atlantic

(15:46):
City a block away, it's like a hell hole.

Speaker 4 (15:48):
Rob, thanks for bringing up first of all, LBI Cheddarelly's
have been there for twenty five years, and you'll see
me on the beach there this summertime. Not this summer
I'll be campaigning. But that's a favorite place of mine. Listen,
I hear you loud. And what I always point out
to people is if you take a look at where
Atlantic City in Las Vegas were fifty years ago. Look
at where of Las Vegas is today compared to Atlantic City.
They've got a desert, We've got an ocean. What the

(16:10):
hell did we do wrong? My goodnatorial platform is very
aggressive and specific for urban revitalization in places like Atlantic City, Trenton,
and Noork. One hundred years ago, the population of Atlantic
City was fifty two thousand. Today's thirty seven thousand. Wow,
what would fifteen thousand more people mean to the local economy.
So we've got to diversify beyond the casinos. We've got

(16:30):
to get people to want to live in our urban
centers again. That would stop all the overdevelopment our suburbs
and revitalize our cities. And you do that with compelling housing,
safe communities, good schools, and recreational opportunities. Atlantic City can
offer all four. And we'll make that happen under Governor
of Gederally.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
And you know what, here's the reason why you came
within two points of beating Murphy in a really blue state,
because you actually invested time, campaigning and resources going into
these inner cities, which I have been screaming at our party,
the Republican Party for years to do it. If you
do as a candidate running in statewide or whatever, if

(17:10):
you don't invest time and Trump proved it works, I
mean I did. It is the only way I could
win in a three to one democratic county like Westchester.
You go where the voters are, and that might mean
you're going to be uncomfortable politically because you're going to
be surrounded by a lot of Democrats or you know,
groups of people that don't ordinarily vote Republicans, but you're

(17:31):
doing it and that that will pay such dividends.

Speaker 4 (17:35):
Rob, I love what you're saying. The Chedarellies Vault been
business owners, all job creators. But I have also had
the privileged serving at every level of government. Two terms
in a town my grandparents immigrated, two terms in somers
Of County, and three to your terms in the state legislature,
but that was in a town of county, in the
legislative district where Democrats significantly outnumbered Republicans. I've always gone

(17:58):
where other Republicans don't or won't and talk about our
common sense conservative approach to solving people's everyday problems, and
it's always worked well for me. I spent the entire
day a couple of Saturdays going Noyork visiting barbershops because
that's where Africana males hang out on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yep.

Speaker 4 (18:14):
And we had a great day talking about how we're
going to solve the challenges we face in York. And
this is very telling when someone comes up to me
on that given day, and it wasn't just one person,
it was three. Said, I've been represented by black legislators
for twenty years. They've never been here. You're here.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
It's important. And honestly, it's gonna go and he's gonna
talk to friends and they're gonna talk to That's how
it happens. Because if you pull a point or two more,
that's it. You win. So look, I'm praying that you win.
I think it's a huge bell Weather. We've got a
great opportunity. As you said, Trump did so much better
than he did four years ago. The only promise I

(18:50):
want you to make to me is my wife and
I love going to Island Beach State Park. Beautiful place,
despite when Chris Christy was lying on the beach like
that like that when you shouldn't. But so one day
when you're governor, I would just like to, you know,
maybe hang out at the house over there with you
and have a beer or two at the Governor's second mansion,
the Beach House.

Speaker 4 (19:10):
Hey, Rob, I will give you the keys if you
promise me that you'll walk to the most southern tip
of island b State Park. I'll walk to the more
most northern tip of Long Beach Island and we can
wave to each other across the inlet.

Speaker 2 (19:23):
That's a deal. I look, I'm praying for you, my friend.
I hope you win this race. I think you got
a great check.

Speaker 3 (19:29):
Rob. Yep.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
So American promise will make a New Jersey promise. You're
going with the American promise today in the derby, I'll
go with sand Man. I'll make you a dollar bet.
How's that?

Speaker 4 (19:37):
That sounds good?

Speaker 3 (19:37):
But look forward to it, all right.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Jack sitterally, thanks for being with us today. If you
want more information, by the way, go to jackfournj dot com.
Jack the number four NJ dot com. The primaries coming
up next month in June, so make sure if you're
a Republican you get out to vote in that. And
my suggestion, okay, vote for Jack shitter Really, all right,
we gotta before where I go. Of course, it's my

(20:01):
you know, it's become like my favorite part of the show.
Hit a crash.

Speaker 5 (20:04):
Williams paint a G Williams Painting, the people to do
the job right.

Speaker 3 (20:12):
Ah.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
Yes, the good folks at AG Williams Painting, third generation
family and owned business since nineteen o six. Pretty impressive
residential commercial. They even do concrete floor painting. Who does that.
They've got expert craftsmen. They come and they'll patch up things,
they'll make it look really beautiful. This is the time, right,

(20:35):
it's the spring. You want to get out there and
you want to give your house a makeover inside or out.
So don't fall for it. Don't go to those cheap contractors.
If you still have those old yellow pages, don't don't don't.
Just go to a G. Williams Painting Agwilliams Painting dot com.
They're in a Westchester Business Hall of Fame, for God's sake,

(20:55):
so they're license and insured, they're certified, and they're ready
to paint whatever you need painted. So go to Agwilliams
Painting dot com for more. Agwilliams Painting dot Com.

Speaker 5 (21:06):
AG Williams pa AG Williams pay the people.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
To do the job right, all right. More to come
on seven ten WR. We're gonna go to the Catholic
guy lino'rouley. He's in Rome where I'll be starting. Well,
I'll hop on the plane tonight. I'll be there tomorrow
for the conclave. We'll get a little intrigue. Don't go away,
rob Astorno seven ten WR. Welcome back to the rob
Astorno Show here on seven ten wo R. Hey, make

(21:34):
sure you follow me, follow me on you know all
the social media things Facebook, x in staff, Insta, graham
at rob Astorno and make sure you uh let me
know what you think. And if you missed any part
of today's show or any of the previous shows, go
to our podcast seven ten wo R dot com or

(21:55):
of course the iHeart app, which if you don't have it,
I don't know why, but the ihear you could listen anywhere.
In fact, when I'm in Rome tomorrow, I will be
listening to the station via the iHeart app, So make
sure you get it. And by the way, how am
I getting to the airport? Liro's point to point? They're
actually so good. So here's my little story from last week.

(22:15):
Because Newsmax doesn't have a they don't have a I
guess an account with Liros. So they sent me an
uber to pick me up to the airport and from
the airport, and they are horrible. Sometimes you get the
worst drivers. I had this guy who was not only
driving forty miles an hour in the left lane coming

(22:36):
back from Kennedy, but he's picking his teeth the entire
and making the whole time and singing to himself without
even music. So you know what I'm talking about. So
that's why we use Liro's point to point whenever I can,
and so you should too. You can relax in the car, socialize,

(22:57):
do whatever you want. But at least you know they're
going to be normal people. The chauffeurs are screened, they
pass background checks, carry liability insurance and peccable vehicles. You
ever get in some of these ubers they stink. So
if you're going to the airport or maybe a night
in the city, whatever, Callleros point to point Larros TG

(23:18):
dot com, LROSTG dot com or one eight hundred eighty
two Leros one eight hundred eighty two Liros. All right, So,
as I mentioned, I'm going back for the conclave. I
was there for what eight days for the funeral and
Newsmax is sending me back. So the conclave will start
on Wednesday. Yesterday they put up the little stacks right,

(23:44):
the little chimneys outside the above the sixteen chapel because
they're getting ready. So I thought, you know what, there's
probably nobody better in the world that knows radio and
Catholicism and is right there in the middle of it.
Then my old friend and colleague, Lino Ruley, the Catholic guy.
He's on the Catholic channel on Sirius XM satellite radio

(24:06):
one twenty nine from four to six Eastern time. Give
them a listen, Lino, how are you child?

Speaker 6 (24:13):
I'm gonna do my whole this whole thing in Italian.

Speaker 3 (24:15):
Is that all right?

Speaker 6 (24:15):
Rob? You're an Italian, so this is gonna work.

Speaker 2 (24:18):
It'll work. I was hoping you would do it in
like German or Congolese, but that's okay, we could work
with it. So how you're staying at the North American College, right,
That's where a lot of the cardinals are.

Speaker 6 (24:27):
So this is where almost all the American cardinals money
because every morning you get to see them all a
little van like they're going to school and they have
their little lunch boxes and all I'm serious. They carry
little briefcases. It's not filled with food like bananas and
chocolate chip cookies, but they all have their little briefcases
and they get into a van and it's about a
ten minute drive to the Vatican. And we see them

(24:50):
every morning as they head off because I'm here in
part with our boss, Cardinal Timothy Dole in the Arts Vision.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
Of New York.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
And do you wave goodbye to them? You say, you know,
have a good day, see you tonight.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
What do you say, have a good day?

Speaker 6 (25:01):
Think about who you want to vote for. Don't screw
this up.

Speaker 2 (25:06):
So the North American Colleges is wonderful. It's it's a
it's a it's a place where you know, us seminarians
go if they're lucky. And I met a bunch of
the seminarians last week. Monsignor Powers, who's director is phenomenal.
He was from Bridgeport originally. What's the what's like the
vibe there with these cardinals and the seminarians. I mean,

(25:28):
this is an exciting what there's ten cardinals that are
that are voting. Is that right?

Speaker 6 (25:32):
It depends how you call it Americans, because there's American
cardinals that live in America, and then there's American cardinals
that are based in Rome and other places. So yes,
depending on how you add that number up. But because
everything with Catholicism has to be complicated, I can't just
give you a I can't just give you a yes
or no answer.

Speaker 3 (25:50):
It has to be yes and maybe no.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
And then you got the camera Lengo, who is the
chamberlain who's kind of running things right now. Cardinal Farrell
who was Irish born but then spend time in I
think Mexico, but then spend a lot of time in
the United States and was the Bishop of Dallas. I
remember when I was at the Catholic Channel, I interviewed
him in Dallas, and you know, very interesting guy. His

(26:13):
brother's a priest too. But this guy, this guy's like
in charge right now.

Speaker 6 (26:18):
Yeah, so I mean he's an American citizen. He was
just Irish born, but he's he is the guy who's
running the ship and will be running a lot of
things up until the next pope, and the next pope
will run things. But to answer your question, the vibe
right now is there's a lull in the vibe, because
the vibe right now is the sadness of Pope Francis's death,

(26:38):
the excitement or anticipation of the world's cardinals coming to Rome.
But right now we're still waiting till Wednesday, when the
actual conclave begins. So whether you're American or European, or
African or Asian or whatever, there's this sort of comfortable
nothing is going on while they have to still make
a decision very soon. So I think they're enjoying what

(26:59):
is really downtime because they know the pressure and no
joke is going to be on them starting Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
I ran into the cardinal in from Panama. I forget
his name, but I ran into him last week in
the street and I just started talking to him and
I asked him. I didn't realize he was I think
he's eighty one now, but he was appointed by Francis
a few years ago, and so I'd asked him, are
you know, are you voting? And he said to me no,

(27:28):
I just went over the age he goes, and I'm
so happy I did. I can't imagine being in that
room with that pressure, having to make that kind of decision,
could you imagine?

Speaker 6 (27:37):
He said that, believe the guy from Panama, I got
a great job. And he's eighty one mouse, So yeah,
that's right, he's.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
A little old.

Speaker 6 (27:45):
Well, as much as we all think we want were in,
as much as we all think we want responsibility in life,
I have zero interest in walking up in front of
Michaelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment been saying, with God's
eye witnessed, this is the man I thinks should be
elected as Supreme Pomp Pomp. I have enough time deciding
what I want for lunch. I have no interest in

(28:07):
deciding who I think pope. No thanks, no, thank you.

Speaker 2 (28:11):
Leno Ruley with me on seven to ten WR. He's
the Catholic guy on Sirius XM satellite radio. He shows
from four to six Eastern time. So all right, let's
play a little handicapped game here. I mean, it's probably
unlikely that our two local guys, and it's amazing that
we've got two local guys separated by the Hudson River.

(28:31):
But here it's obviously Cardinal Dolan Cardinal Tobin. But you know,
us Catholic Cardinals probably not in the running.

Speaker 6 (28:41):
What do you think, Well, they absolutely should be in
the running.

Speaker 3 (28:44):
And the reality is Cardinal Dolan.

Speaker 6 (28:45):
Would be a strong front runner if he wasn't from
a place called America. Yeah, so there's a consensus, which
I think is completely ridiculous that because America is a superpower,
America doesn't get to have the papacy as well. And
you kind of go, right, so, because we're good at
one thing, we wouldn't be good at another thing. So

(29:06):
I don't really understand what the logic is on this,
but that is the mindset not of every cardinal, but
a majority of cardinals. And obviously what we're talking about
right now are majorities, because you need a two thirds vote.
And to be fair, what makes Cardinal Dolan such a
great man is his faith, but it's also he's American.
He's American through and through, so you can't take the

(29:26):
American out of the American Catholic. But you're right, Rob,
there seems to be no real scenario where an American
becomes the next pulpe.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
And honestly, if they had any brains, they would they
would have Cardinal Dolan come out in white whenever they
decide next week, because there would be no better communicator
or friendly face then, and obviously he's Catholic through and through.
Nobody would be better than he would for the on

(29:57):
the world stage.

Speaker 6 (29:58):
He checks all of the boxes except for the box
that says Americans. He checks that box and they go,
we didn't want you to check that one, and he's like, well,
that's what makes me me of course is But the
thing is the Cardinals love him, the Italians love him.
We went out to dinner just last night, just at

(30:19):
a restaurant in Rome, and even though you know, the
guys at the restaurant were like, if you become polpe
don't forget about us. Okay, So I mean, people root
for Cardinal Doolan, but you're right, the reality is an
American does not look like that's the direction that the
cardinals want to go. I don't know if there's room
for the Holy Spirit in that, but that's what they're saying.

Speaker 2 (30:40):
So we got from the eligible cardinals to vote, I
think the breakdown sixteen from North America, four from Central America,
seventeen from South America. Then you got eighteen Africans, twenty
three Asians, fifty three Europeans, a lot of Italians in that,
and then four from you know, Oceania, that Australia, whatever

(31:00):
the hell that is. But anyway, so where do you
see where do you see this coming out of? I mean,
there's so many forget the papability, you know, nobody can
handicap this. You have no clue. But who do you
think might be the leading contenders right now?

Speaker 3 (31:16):
So?

Speaker 6 (31:16):
I do think the name that people have been saying
a lot is a guy named Cardinal Toadley from the Philippines.

Speaker 2 (31:21):
That scared honestly, that scares me a little bit, to
be honest with you, because I think for me, he's
a little too liberal. And there was a video. I
don't know if you saw this video, you know, there
was a video of him singing John Lennon's what the
hell's name I'll imagine imagine Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean
if people know what that song is actually about, read it.

(31:44):
It's about one of the words is imagine that there's
no religion, you know. And well it makes me a
little nervous, but go ahead.

Speaker 6 (31:50):
Well, he's oftentimes called because he's from the Philippines, he's
called the Asian Francis, and Francis was seen as liberal.
It wouldn't be shocking that the reasons I think that
he has a strong contender is because he's from not Europe,
and he's from not South America, so he's from someplace
that you go, well, the church is growing in Asia,

(32:12):
the church is growing in Africa. The African cardinals as
a block would be considered a lot more conservative and
will not vote for a liberal that he received to be.
But keeping in mind that a lot of the Europeans
would say, well, he's going to check some boxes for us,
though in terms of he's from someplace else, he's from Asia.
The Asian cardinals are going to behind this. The cardinals

(32:34):
from Ocean are behind The Europeans could say, and this
is why they think. Perhaps they could I don't want
to use the word manipulate, they could play to their
own strengths, because maybe his strength wouldn't be as a leader,
as a manager, and that if you're an Italian already
sort of entrenched at the Vatican, somebody coming in who
really plans to turn things around at the Vatican. If

(32:56):
that makes sense, that's what he's got going for him.
In fact, one of his strength is a weakness.

Speaker 2 (33:02):
That's true. Yeah, intuitive, Yeah, so do you I mean,
you got all the American cardinals where you are at
the North American College, so they're I mean Obviously they
know each other well because they work together, but they
don't know the guy from Mongolia. They don't know the
African cardinals for the most part. I mean maybe a

(33:23):
little bit here and there. But that's the crazy part
of this is these guys have like a week and
a half to get in a room a couple times
a day and try to figure it out. This seems
pretty hard.

Speaker 6 (33:34):
Well, if you think about most people have asked God,
what do you want me to do with my life?
You don't have to be the most religious person to
say I don't know God, what school should I go to?

Speaker 3 (33:43):
Her?

Speaker 6 (33:43):
Who should I marry? Or should is this the person
you want me to marry? Like most people at some
point try to ask God and maybe never get an answer,
and you don't do it within nine or ten days.
And these guys are now basically in nine or ten
days saying, well, who do you think now? Because of
that rob some of the cardinals I have talked to
think this conclavet could go long because they're just not ready.

(34:06):
Pope Francis intentionally picked cardinals from all.

Speaker 3 (34:09):
Over the world. A lot of these guys don't.

Speaker 6 (34:11):
Know each other, and some of the cardinals from the
election of twenty thirteen said they didn't really know Pope Francis,
and they weren't exactly sure they what they were getting,
and they might not have gotten who they thought.

Speaker 3 (34:23):
They were voting for.

Speaker 6 (34:24):
If that, if that could be summed up like that,
they thought they were getting one pope and they got
another pope. And their attitude is we might need to
take a little bit more time with this than the.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
Nine days, if you want to.

Speaker 6 (34:36):
A crazy story is of the one hundred and thirty
three cardinal electors, there are four that are still not
they haven't even made it here.

Speaker 3 (34:43):
Well, I told, yeah, what did they get to vote?

Speaker 2 (34:46):
Because what is in eighteen forty? How did what? There's
no planes where there.

Speaker 6 (34:51):
I don't the Pope pick guys from far away. I
don't know if some guys just haven't made their way
yet or so there's four cardinal electors who I have not.

Speaker 3 (35:00):
Made it here.

Speaker 6 (35:00):
You think, well, gee, who are they going to vote for?
They haven't even met anybody yet, let alone, they haven't
heard the talks, they haven't been able to participate in
the system. So some cardinals are just suggesting this conclave
will go a little longer than previous conclaves that lasted
basically twenty four to twenty eight hours.

Speaker 2 (35:20):
So what you're saying is I can spend more time
in Italy on Newsmax's dime and have dinners every night
and wine and kind of have a good time.

Speaker 6 (35:29):
Not only am I saying that, I'm saying you can
take me out because we're gonna have a lot of
free time.

Speaker 2 (35:33):
On our hands. Actually, I would like to see We
haven't seen each other in quite a while, so yeah,
that's a date. We'll figure out a time because I
would love to see you in Rome and just catch up.
I don't know if you saw. It was in Friday's
edition of the Wall Street Journal. So yesterday the former
Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Shippeo, who I've liked him forever,

(35:56):
he wrote kind of a blistering op ed about Pope Francis,
and basically, you know, he said some nice things about him,
but they also said that he was a kind of
a paradox his whole pontificate. Because he radiated mercy, devotion
to the poor, and appealing informality and scripture based respect

(36:16):
for the environment. It seasoned those qualities with ill temper
loose talk, autocratic style, disregard for canon law and procedure,
and a damaging lack of clarity on matters of doctrine
and practice. Boom. So, here's what I'm wondering, Like, there's
probably a lot of others that feel that way. They're

(36:39):
not going to say it publicly, but they're a little concerned.
I'm wondering, you know, how much of a role that's
going to play in their thinking. You know, do they
continue Francis or they kind of snap back a little bit?
And that would also bring into question are they going
to go with somebody young who if they do get
somebody that they didn't really think would turn out the

(37:00):
way he did like Francis, well they could be stuck
with that pope for twenty five years, thirty years.

Speaker 6 (37:06):
That's really I think the crux of this question is
when they're talking about Pope Francis was eighty eight years old,
you think, geez, that's a long life, that's a good life.
And if you Alex, the guy who's in his sixties,
you're talking about perhaps a twenty five year reign. You're
talking about the next generation growing up only knowing one pope,

(37:27):
and especially if you're a cardinal who thinks I don't
even know this guy very well. I've heard him give
a talk or I had a coffee with him. Am
I ready for him to reign for twenty years? I
think that's exactly what they're asking themselves right now, is
they don't want to go with just somebody that they've
heard about. They want to go with somebody they know.
And a lot of the cardinals are getting reports, a

(37:48):
lot of the cardinals are getting dossier's, like information is
being brought to them so that they have as informed
a decision as possible. Because I think Archbishop shop Hw
was right in many ways with his summary of Pulpe Francis,
and I love Polpe Francis, but I think the cardinals
want to go a direction of outreach with clarity. Yeah,

(38:08):
And I think to me, Pope Francis had great outreach,
great charisma, great personality, and who am I to judge?
But sometimes there was not a clarity with statements like
who am I to judge? And I think that's what
the church is looking for, is somebody who can be
past oral but also be very clear.

Speaker 2 (38:24):
And also maybe stay out of US presidential politics, you know,
stay in your lane kind of thing. I think that
was an issue too for a lot of them, certainly
American Catholics, where they felt he was a little divisive.
But Leno, I will I will see you in the
next couple of days. We will get together and I
will treat and I'll expense it. How's that?

Speaker 3 (38:44):
But that sings better. Let's let's do lunch and dinner.

Speaker 2 (38:49):
Just like all times, I'll expense it.

Speaker 3 (38:52):
Is a good old day.

Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yeahleno, I will see you soon. Thanks for coming on.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
Okay to be the Amo child, all right?

Speaker 2 (38:59):
Leno rulely the click guy on Serious XM satellite radio
the Catholic Channel one twenty nine. Great guy, funny guy,
and a really good show and he knows his stuff.
So it'd be interesting to see what they do next
week starting Wednesday. The world is We're watching and I
certainly will too. So geez, I I got like no

(39:20):
more time left in the show. I got like she's
I'm running out of time. I do want to tell
you about Premiere Comfort. These guys are fantastic. Premiere Comfort
commercial and residential heating and air conditioning since nineteen ninety nine,
so that's they're on their twenty fifty I just did
the math twenty sixty year. They're in geez, Westchester, so
they survived the whole you know, stupid ninety nine to

(39:44):
two thousand y two k thing. So they made it Westchester, Putnam,
Rockland and Fairfield Counties. They'll probably take your business elsewhere
too if you're somewhere else. But Premiere Comfort the highest
level of professionalism, friendliness, and decades of experience. So here's
the deal. Like your HVAC system, I don't really know this.
If you've got air conditioning in your home, it generally

(40:06):
like last ten to fifteen years, So if your system
is getting to that age, you might run into some problems.
Or and this is the worst, if you've got like
those window units. Those are so annoying because once in
this in the spring and then at the like in
the fall, you gotta lug them from the garage or
in the attic and put them in the window. Oh

(40:27):
it's annoying. So do yourself a favor, get central air
or get a new heating system. That's gonna save your money.
So make sure you call Premiere Comfort. Premiere Comfort, PR
E M I E R. Comfort. Give them a call
at nine one four three five nine three five one nine,
or just make it easier on yourself and go to

(40:48):
their website. The website is call Premiere Comfort dot com.
Call Premiere Comfort dot com. I loved what Donald Trump
did to end. I'm gonna tell you about it in
just a minute. You keep it right here on the
rob Astarino Show on seven to ten. Wo R. So,
I'm actually a little annoyed that Pope Francis died when

(41:10):
he died because he cost me an opportunity to see
Bill Burr the comedian tomorrow night at the Capitol Theater
in port Chester. I love Bilbert. The guy is so funny.
Look him up. You probably you're like Bill Burr. Bilbert.
Now look him up, b u r R. You'll pop immediately,
He'll pop into your head. You'll be oh my god,

(41:31):
that guy. So I was gonna go to the Capitol
Theater with my wife and see Bilbert. And now of
course I'm heading to Rome tonight, so I won't be
able to see him. But the Capitol Theater is an
amazing place in Portchester. Go look up on their website
to go check them out. They've got concerts, they've got
great events there it's it's Portchester is a great place too,

(41:52):
a lot of restaurants. So my friends at the Capitol Theater,
I will miss you tomorrow night. Oh, I got to
do my I can't forget about Toyota City and Nissan City.
That's right, because they are both part of the Integrity
Automotive Group. So if you're looking for a new or
pre owned vehicle Nissan or a Toyota, then you got

(42:16):
to go in Westchester to either Nissan City in Portchester
or Toyota City in Mamaronick, both right off n I ninety five.
Pretty easy to get to, and they've got the big inventory.
They've got the models and trims and stock. They've got
the good lease rates right now going on financing offers,
and they're transparent in their pricing. None of this is junk,

(42:37):
none of this garbage. Where you get there and it's like,
you know, the old typical car salesman, they pull the
wool over your eye. No, they're not going to do that,
so make sure you stop in. They're part of the
Integrity Automotive Group. Toyota City if you want to look
it up, Toyota cityany dot com or if you need
a Nissan, Nissan cityany dot Com because they will get

(43:00):
of you transparency, efficiency respect because they are part of
the Integrity Automotive Group. All right, A couple of things here,
So I did I forgot about this last summer when
I went away. When I was we went, as I mentioned,
we had gone to Greece, we went to Vienna, and

(43:21):
we went to Prague beautiful, and of course I've been
in Rome. Now this is gonna be my third trip
in the last six weeks. But the point is, wherever
I go, wherever I go around the world, and certainly
in Europe, there is one hat that I see everyone wearing. Everyone.
I mean, they're all Europeans, Africa, it doesn't matter. I

(43:43):
see one hat. Now, I'm gonna let you think about
it for one second, crash hop on the mic for
one second. What hat do you think people are wearing everywhere? Oh,
it's got to be that Grateful Dead nineteen ninety three
tour cap, right, that's the second one. Yes, but what
do you think that's right? Yankee caps everywhere everywhere. It's unbelievable.

(44:05):
And you know, you walk past them with their Yankee
hat on and they're speaking of a different language. That
they may not even know who the Yankees are. But
it's just like a worldwide symbol and there's nothing even close.
I mean, I can't even think what would be another
symbol or brand that I would see people wearing all
over I can't even if nothing comes close the Yankee hats.

(44:27):
So I went into this one little store because when
I left Spain, we had our we had our trip.
Last we left Palm Sunday and we had a family
vacation to Spain to go visit our daughter who's been
air quote studying in Seville. So we left Palm Sunday,
we got there, we spent a week traveling around Spain

(44:50):
and then spending four days with her and it was great.
And so when I left, it was Easter Monday. We
were leaving Seville to make the five hour to Madrid
to spend a night in the airport hotel because we
had a six am flight back to New York. And
of course that was the day Pope Francis died. So

(45:12):
news Mac said, well, yeah, you're not going to go home.
Your wife and daughter might go home, but you're going
to Rome. So I went to Rome with no clothes
I had, I literally had eight days of smelly clothes
in my luggage, but I had no jacket, I had
no tie, I had no dress shirts, none of that.
So I had to buy all that stuff. I bought

(45:32):
some of it in court day in Glace, which is
the big department store in Spain. The night before I
was able to get something for the next day. And
then when I got to Rome, I was kind of
walking around the neighborhoods and I went into this store
and it was a tie shop, and they had nice
ties and they weren't that expensive, but anyway, I get there,
so I bought two shirts from this tie shop, and

(45:54):
there was an old Italian lady there and so I'm like,
all right. I got to go back to the hotel.
And this hotel, which was nice, for some reason, did
not have a steamer or an iron board in the
room and they wouldn't let you take it, so you
had to I literally had to walk down to the
luggage room. They set me up in the luggage room,
put an iron on and I had to iron shirts.

(46:17):
So not ideal. Anyway, I'm in this little store and
I see an ironing board and an iron, and I
said to the she must have been eighty years old,
this cute Italian old lady. And I said, oh can
I can I iron my shirts here, the new ones
I just bought because I was gonna have to wear them.

(46:39):
And she looks at me, she goes, oh, no, no,
I do, I do, and she takes she takes my
shirts like a like an old grandma walks over and
is ironing my shirts for me, and then she gives
me a hug and a kiss. I mean, that is wonderful.
God bless her last thing before I get out of here,
because I got I literally got to go from here

(47:01):
to the airport. So if you saw President Trump is
like trying to defund NPR and PBS, the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting, aimen to that there there are some good stuff,
good programs on PBS. Not gonna lie. I watch it
every now and then, not enough to get my stupid
you know, tote bag. I can't believe they're giving tote

(47:22):
bags away still and CDs, Like what year is it? Anyway,
Obviously they've become so liberal. But it's not even the point.
The point is it's not nineteen sixty anymore. I've got
a thousand channels on cable or you know, satellite or
wherever that I can get the stuff that wasn't available
back then. And so I mean, he's at war with them,

(47:44):
and he should be because they're crazy. But I completely
agree with him to defund as much as he can.
NPR and PBS. We don't need them. I don't need them.
You don't need them. You got a million choices. If
you want their kind of stuff, go on MSNBC or
the Discovery Channel, whatever, and we all have access to it.
It's not like it's, you know, nineteen forty. So here's

(48:07):
my timer because I gotta get out of here. So anyway,
I just watch what he does with that, because he's
picking another fight, and I'm glad he is. Enjoy the
Kentucky Derby. I will watch me on Newsmax next week.
I will be reporting on war as well from Rome.
Who knows when the white smoke blows who it will be?
My prayers for Cardinal Dolan. I doubt it, but who knows.

(48:30):
I enjoy the weekend, everybody. Rob Estarinos Show be back
here next Saturday from Rome again probably, but make sure
you're tuning every Saturday four o'clock to five o'clock enjoy
the weekend.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
This hour of programming on seven ten war He's sponsored
by Toyota City and Mamaranac and Nissan City of port Chester,
proud members of the Integrity Automotive Group,