1 00:00:02,033 --> 00:00:04,466 JUDY WOODRUFF: The countdown clock is winding down, with less than two weeks until the midterm 2 00:00:04,466 --> 00:00:06,500 elections. 3 00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:10,433 Both parties are making their final pushes to rally their bases in these final days. 4 00:00:10,433 --> 00:00:15,433 More and more, it appears control of Congress could rest on one key segment of the population: 5 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:18,766 suburban women. 6 00:00:18,766 --> 00:00:22,633 That seems to be particularly true in New Jersey, where Lisa Desjardins sat down this 7 00:00:22,633 --> 00:00:27,633 week with a group of women who want their voices heard and their votes to matter. 8 00:00:29,700 --> 00:00:32,633 LISA DESJARDINS: I am here in the iconic Tick Tock Diner in Clifton, New Jersey, just outside 9 00:00:34,633 --> 00:00:38,900 of New York City, with four women who plan to vote in this year's midterm elections. 10 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:41,633 Michele Rogers is a stay-at-home mom with three sons. 11 00:00:41,633 --> 00:00:43,700 She lives in Randolph, New Jersey. 12 00:00:43,700 --> 00:00:48,366 Uyen Khuong is also a stay-at-home mom of three in Madison, New Jersey. 13 00:00:50,300 --> 00:00:53,233 Marylyn McLaughlin is a travel agent in Morristown, New Jersey, and a mom of four. 14 00:00:53,233 --> 00:00:56,566 Karen Arakelian lives in Montville, New Jersey, and has two children. 15 00:00:56,566 --> 00:01:01,400 She is the owner of several furniture and design stores around the state. 16 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,100 One reason we brought you all together is because, you know, this year, there has been 17 00:01:05,100 --> 00:01:10,100 so much talk about women, and you are seen, suburban women in particular, as a key force 18 00:01:11,666 --> 00:01:12,900 in this election. 19 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:14,400 Do you feel like powerful people? 20 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,233 Do you feel like the key force in this election? 21 00:01:16,233 --> 00:01:18,633 You're shaking your head no. 22 00:01:18,633 --> 00:01:21,700 What is most important to you right now, as you try and decide how to vote? 23 00:01:21,700 --> 00:01:26,700 MARYLYN MCLAUGHLIN, New Jersey Voter: The economy, and it's New Jersey's economy, which, 24 00:01:27,433 --> 00:01:28,366 it's unaffordable. 25 00:01:28,366 --> 00:01:30,233 It's unaffordable for us. 26 00:01:30,233 --> 00:01:33,133 And people would say, OK, you're upper-middle-class. 27 00:01:33,133 --> 00:01:35,600 It's unaffordable for our poor. 28 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,700 It's just unaffordable on all levels. 29 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:42,700 I just -- I feel like we need to get to the bottom of it and find out how to alleviate 30 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,900 our tax issues, our tax problem. 31 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:47,900 LISA DESJARDINS: You're a business owner. 32 00:01:47,900 --> 00:01:49,166 What do you think? 33 00:01:49,166 --> 00:01:51,200 KAREN ARAKELIAN, New Jersey Voter: Yes. 34 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,966 I think that the Republican tax plan that was just started is causing a lot of good 35 00:01:53,966 --> 00:01:56,400 things to happen in the country and in the state. 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,100 I mean, we have a very mixed population in New Jersey. 37 00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:05,000 We have people who make under $40,000, and we have people that make over $4 million. 38 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,700 So the people making over $4 million will be paying more taxes. 39 00:02:09,700 --> 00:02:14,700 People like my -- some of my family, they're going to be saving a lot of tax dollars this 40 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,433 year. 41 00:02:16,433 --> 00:02:18,800 So I'm seeing the money being saved and spent. 42 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:19,800 And I think it's good. 43 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,733 I think it's a good thing. 44 00:02:21,733 --> 00:02:24,233 LISA DESJARDINS: Another economic issue that we hear about this year is health care. 45 00:02:24,233 --> 00:02:27,800 Do you all have health care concerns in your own lives, the cost of health care? 46 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:29,466 Michele? 47 00:02:29,466 --> 00:02:31,000 MICHELE ROGERS, New Jersey Voter: I think it definitely is an issue. 48 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,566 They're saying they want to repeal Affordable Care Act. 49 00:02:34,566 --> 00:02:36,566 And yet there wasn't an adequate replacement. 50 00:02:36,566 --> 00:02:38,233 LISA DESJARDINS: Karen? 51 00:02:38,233 --> 00:02:42,966 KAREN ARAKELIAN: I have a company where I employ over 25 people. 52 00:02:42,966 --> 00:02:45,033 And most of them are on our health care. 53 00:02:45,033 --> 00:02:49,266 I saw the premiums skyrocket after Obamacare came in. 54 00:02:49,266 --> 00:02:53,766 I don't really see what Obamacare has done for the people of this area. 55 00:02:53,766 --> 00:02:57,800 I right now have to fund the deductibles on all of my people. 56 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,233 My company pays the deductibles, so that we can even afford to have health care. 57 00:03:02,233 --> 00:03:03,233 That's not a plan. 58 00:03:03,233 --> 00:03:04,766 It's not a plan. 59 00:03:04,766 --> 00:03:06,233 MICHELE ROGERS: Well, I think that -- but what is the plan? 60 00:03:06,233 --> 00:03:08,133 KAREN ARAKELIAN: I don't know. 61 00:03:08,133 --> 00:03:10,133 (CROSSTALK) 62 00:03:10,133 --> 00:03:13,733 MICHELE ROGERS: Before you eliminate the Affordable Care Act, maybe try to fix it? 63 00:03:13,733 --> 00:03:16,000 Why throw the baby out with the bathwater? 64 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,033 Make efforts to fix it. 65 00:03:17,033 --> 00:03:19,100 KAREN ARAKELIAN: I totally agree. 66 00:03:19,100 --> 00:03:22,566 And the problem with that is, the Democrats don't want to hear anything that President 67 00:03:22,566 --> 00:03:23,566 Trump wants to do. 68 00:03:23,566 --> 00:03:24,766 It's... 69 00:03:24,766 --> 00:03:25,933 MICHELE ROGERS: I don't think that is true. 70 00:03:25,933 --> 00:03:27,166 KAREN ARAKELIAN: Well, but it's a fact. 71 00:03:27,166 --> 00:03:27,833 I'm not -- it's not a suggestion. 72 00:03:27,833 --> 00:03:29,733 It's a fact. 73 00:03:29,733 --> 00:03:33,733 They have to not be so staunch on if President Trump suggests it, we say no. 74 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:36,966 And they did that with Kavanaugh. 75 00:03:36,966 --> 00:03:40,233 They turned down the candidate before he was even announced. 76 00:03:40,233 --> 00:03:44,000 LISA DESJARDINS: What, if any impact did the Brett Kavanaugh hearings have on you? 77 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,533 KAREN ARAKELIAN: Scared me, really scared me, because... 78 00:03:46,533 --> 00:03:47,833 MICHELE ROGERS: In what way? 79 00:03:47,833 --> 00:03:49,100 KAREN ARAKELIAN: In what way? 80 00:03:49,100 --> 00:03:51,100 It could be my son. 81 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:55,333 It could be any person of power that out of the blue an accusation can come out and ruin 82 00:03:57,566 --> 00:03:59,666 their life. 83 00:03:59,666 --> 00:04:01,866 MARYLYN MCLAUGHLIN: I'm with you because I - - with that whole thing, too, I have -- I 84 00:04:01,866 --> 00:04:03,900 have four sons. 85 00:04:03,900 --> 00:04:07,333 And one of them even said to me, you know, mom, in high school, there are (INAUDIBLE) 86 00:04:07,333 --> 00:04:09,866 moments for everybody in high school. 87 00:04:09,866 --> 00:04:14,700 And anybody in that room that was interrogating him probably had something in their high school 88 00:04:14,700 --> 00:04:18,233 career or time that they weren't very happy about. 89 00:04:18,233 --> 00:04:20,066 So some of the questions were ridiculous. 90 00:04:20,066 --> 00:04:21,600 They were political. 91 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,433 LISA DESJARDINS: Michele, you also are the mother of a son. 92 00:04:23,433 --> 00:04:24,933 MICHELE ROGERS: I am, three sons. 93 00:04:24,933 --> 00:04:25,933 LISA DESJARDINS: Three sons. 94 00:04:25,933 --> 00:04:27,933 MICHELE ROGERS: Yes. 95 00:04:27,933 --> 00:04:31,933 And my perspective on it would be -- and I actually know someone in our group, my -- our 96 00:04:34,033 --> 00:04:39,033 immediate friend group, who was -- their son was falsely accused. 97 00:04:39,933 --> 00:04:42,000 So I see what you're saying. 98 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,933 But I think this is -- I'm not -- I'm not fearful for my sons, because I know -- I know 99 00:04:48,966 --> 00:04:51,966 that the statistics are that, when you look at the number of sexual assault accusations 100 00:04:53,933 --> 00:04:56,400 and how many are not reported because they're afraid that they won't be believed, and they 101 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,133 don't report it, the number of false accusations is minuscule. 102 00:05:00,133 --> 00:05:03,933 It's, I think, less than 1 percent, or 1 percent. 103 00:05:03,933 --> 00:05:06,000 So I'm not worried about my sons. 104 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,833 I'm not, because I feel that I'm more worried about, if I had a daughter, I would worry 105 00:05:12,233 --> 00:05:13,700 about my daughter. 106 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:16,033 I would worry about her being believed and being heard. 107 00:05:16,033 --> 00:05:17,533 That would be a larger concern. 108 00:05:17,533 --> 00:05:19,033 LISA DESJARDINS: When you do have a daughter - - go ahead. 109 00:05:19,033 --> 00:05:20,500 UYEN KHUONG, New Jersey Voter: I have two sons and a daughter. 110 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,000 But I want to get back to what Karen was saying. 111 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:28,000 And what I want to -- want us to, as people, to step away is, when a Trump Clinton or Trump 112 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:34,666 nominee comes up, I don't want us to assume that the other side is already against it. 113 00:05:36,733 --> 00:05:40,266 I mean, there's enough -- there's -- there's enough open-mindedness to take a look at, 114 00:05:42,266 --> 00:05:45,333 because, for me, as -- I'm a registered Democratic now, but, for sure, with everything that I 115 00:05:47,133 --> 00:05:50,000 look at, I'm really wanting to solve -- because I love this country. 116 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:54,533 For me, the way our country is -- and it starts with the leader at the top. 117 00:05:54,533 --> 00:05:59,533 I feel that he is eroding the pillars of our democracy. 118 00:06:01,533 --> 00:06:04,800 And that's why I feel like I have to do what I can you do in order to take back the House 119 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,500 to provide checks and balances. 120 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:07,500 That's what I want. 121 00:06:07,500 --> 00:06:09,566 I want checks and balances. 122 00:06:09,566 --> 00:06:11,833 MICHELE ROGERS: I just wanted to say that I really loved what you were saying, because, 123 00:06:11,833 --> 00:06:13,800 for me, like, I totally agree. 124 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,200 I don't -- I don't like that you're either with me or you're stupid, or you're with me 125 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,466 or you're wrong. 126 00:06:20,466 --> 00:06:23,666 Because I think a lot of what we're taking us fact is opinions. 127 00:06:23,666 --> 00:06:25,766 It is opinion. 128 00:06:25,766 --> 00:06:29,833 And I think it does start at the top, that that's my -- that's been my problem since 129 00:06:31,833 --> 00:06:35,333 2016, is that I feel like our leader -- when we have a fractured country, our leader has 130 00:06:37,633 --> 00:06:42,633 pep rallies where he's calling me basically an idiot, he's calling me evil. 131 00:06:45,633 --> 00:06:49,500 I think that bringing our country together will have to start at the grassroots, because 132 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:50,633 we're not getting it from the top. 133 00:06:50,633 --> 00:06:51,633 UYEN KHUONG: Yes. 134 00:06:51,633 --> 00:06:53,733 That's where I am. 135 00:06:53,733 --> 00:06:56,066 MICHELE ROGERS: And I think it needs to start at these tables and around the dinner tables 136 00:06:56,066 --> 00:07:01,066 and in our communities, because we're not getting that kumbaya from the top. 137 00:07:01,933 --> 00:07:03,433 We're getting the opposite. 138 00:07:03,433 --> 00:07:05,400 LISA DESJARDINS: I want to ask you to talk about the president. 139 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,200 MARYLYN MCLAUGHLIN: I thought our country needed to go in a different direction. 140 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,533 I thought that we were going in an entirely crazy direction. 141 00:07:11,533 --> 00:07:16,533 And it was illegal immigration, national security, the economy. 142 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:18,633 We weren't really growing. 143 00:07:18,633 --> 00:07:20,433 We were meandering along. 144 00:07:20,433 --> 00:07:25,433 And I felt like a lot of voices weren't being heard. 145 00:07:26,833 --> 00:07:28,700 So I thought, OK, you talk about hope and change. 146 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,466 He's not exactly the hope and change type personality you want, right? 147 00:07:31,466 --> 00:07:33,633 He's not my type of guy. 148 00:07:33,633 --> 00:07:38,633 But if we can look behind and see where we are a couple years later, I think we're heading 149 00:07:40,433 --> 00:07:41,900 in a -- in a better direction. 150 00:07:41,900 --> 00:07:44,333 I know there's a lot of divisiveness in the country. 151 00:07:44,333 --> 00:07:49,333 But I think a lot of it stems from this crazy anger that he actually won. 152 00:07:50,766 --> 00:07:53,633 And I know he won, and I know a lot of people don't like him. 153 00:07:53,633 --> 00:07:55,533 And I know he says a lot of offensive things. 154 00:07:55,533 --> 00:07:57,066 And I wish he didn't. 155 00:07:57,066 --> 00:07:59,566 And I wish sometimes he would be a little bit more presidential. 156 00:07:59,566 --> 00:08:01,400 But that's not who he is. 157 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:03,400 But I do believe he loves the country. 158 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,433 LISA DESJARDINS: My last question for you all is, if you could each just name a few 159 00:08:06,433 --> 00:08:11,433 words of what values you want in leaders, what -- the words, what you want them to be? 160 00:08:12,533 --> 00:08:13,666 MICHELE ROGERS: Honesty, truthfulness. 161 00:08:13,666 --> 00:08:15,866 UYEN KHUONG: Moral, ethical. 162 00:08:15,866 --> 00:08:17,500 MARYLYN MCLAUGHLIN: Integrity. 163 00:08:17,500 --> 00:08:20,166 UYEN KHUONG: Kindness, respect for others. 164 00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:25,166 KAREN ARAKELIAN: I want somebody smart, that sees the big picture, and that will work across 165 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,600 party lines to get things done for the countries. 166 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,033 And I think that we have that, and a lot of people don't recognize it. 167 00:08:31,033 --> 00:08:33,533 LISA DESJARDINS: You all almost agree. 168 00:08:33,533 --> 00:08:34,533 (LAUGHTER) 169 00:08:34,533 --> 00:08:36,033 (CROSSTALK) 170 00:08:36,033 --> 00:08:38,700 LISA DESJARDINS: Certainly on what you're looking for. 171 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:40,733 You certainly agree, I think, in general, on what you're looking for. 172 00:08:40,733 --> 00:08:42,833 MICHELE ROGERS: Whether we have it or not, we probably don't agree. 173 00:08:42,833 --> 00:08:44,033 (LAUGHTER) 174 00:08:44,033 --> 00:08:45,333 LISA DESJARDINS: We can't thank you enough. 175 00:08:45,333 --> 00:08:46,466 Thank you all very much for joining us. 176 00:08:46,466 --> 00:08:47,466 (CROSSTALK) 177 00:08:47,466 --> 00:08:47,633 UYEN KHUONG: Thank you so much.