coverage have help the break- ins lower by 20%. tonight on kqed news democratic president hopefuls check in with president trump and front runn joe biden, was it enough to change thitstate of the race? also, employees not contractors a new state bill cacould ray change the labor status of 1 million workers including uber and lyft drivers. good evening, and welcometo kqed news room. we began the . tonight with democratic residential debate, how lot -- held last night in houston this time only 10 candidates, vying for a knockout moment for the first time front letter front runner's

joe bide shared the ste with kala harris did not go off on e biden this time it was his fellow former obama kelet -- cabinet member that made the attacks against biden. >> with as now leis jager he senior political writer for the san francisco chronicle, as well as la times polical reporter see my meter -- great to be -- thank u for coming to >> think you for having us. >>okay holy on castro going after joe biden, healy and castro has e job is to make a e stage was take a listen to that clip and get your reaction on the other side.

>>are u forgetting wh you said two minutes ago? are you forgetting already what you said just two minutes ago? cannot believe, that you said two minutes ago, that they had to buy and now you're saying they don't have toet you fong that. >> fulfilling the legacy of barack obackma and you are not. >> that will be a surprise to a very heated moment. how did that play? he is essentially going after joe biden's age it sounded . li >> absolutely, that is the sort of discussion it was about the heard was a attack on joe biden. the democrat circle the wagon around biden afterward saying oh my gosh this is terrible, buishey this you know if biden ne a nohe will face 10 times worse from president trump, that's what trumps ra on him about, sleepy joe biden not mentally fit for the office. this is sort of a preliminary of what he will face.

it will make biden tougher, people want to e he's abto withstand these attacks, they can't take them from holy on he take themfrom the president of the united states as a master marketer, someone who tagged people with name whether be quichillary clinton or what have you. how does joe biden take it? >>is a nickname mhine known him about it. >> how did that moment played in houston, and did you see himself from the impression that it left on viewers? >> certainly the audience was not happy with the line of attack. later on, castro said but a lot of peatle or demohave been discussing privately he said it t loud i don't know if he did himself any favors by going down the path, but is somethinfr you hear voters on the trial all the time. questions about joe biden is in his 70s, does he have the physical cavity capacity which would be long brutal campaign. >>to this question to isabout a,

the factof the matters president trump is 73, joe biden is 76, but it was pretty have seen elizabeth warren, bernie sanders and joe biden on the stage for the first time together, it will not a difficult line of attack given they are all in relatively the same bracket age wise. >>the field doesd whittle down to the the and theyare the front runners now it will be less of an issue because, you are quibbling over a few years between them but if there's an intergenerational battle, as long as you have people to judge who is half of biden's age or castro was in his 40s anwithen it become more of a issue. you can see it, on the debate stage. >>okay let's botalk kamala harris who is the sois californian last -- left with a bit of tracthat was clear t a going in to this debate how do you think she did last nig?

>> i think she basically is a status quo tuation people were going into the bait e to if she would have a repeat performance of the first debate were she just crushed it. when she went after joe biden on segregation she had a s mome i a star turning one she went up and pulled in fundraising anin the second debate she so of waon the defensive, shut some wobbly answers about her policies i think people really wanted to see which one will we see? and then a third version of her she wasn't overtly attacking any her rivals on the age of that she held her ground, and made a point of really repeatedly going after donald trump which i ink, a loof democrats wanted to see. she certainly, emerged in this bait unscathed, but not the kind of ra out momeshe did ú>> it's a great point that she went after trump we didn't hear a whole lot about in this debate, do you think that that is a solid strategy for harris? >> pattern of the gets her anywhere, it seems like e was baiting the president to attack her on twitter and tellingly this he hasn't responded to her

so maybe he feels, she is not itter. úyou can havebumpup 80% poll before i can attack you. but, i don't know if going after trump wins you ybanything evy on that stage, y hates trump. are you going to gain i saying hate trump more? you can portray yourself as best to take on trump on a debate stage, but that's so far down the road, you still have to get democratic voters to like you and harris has not and not enough yet. >> as you said earlier to me, that strategy didn't work out eat, for senator chris joe and brent was no longer in the debate. >> she did lead the league but she is a u.s. senator. she's out of the race she got no traction from ripping on trump. just doesn't get you anywhere. >> okay, let's talk about

andrew yang, here we are, he's gained quite a bit of traction, he was third from the right on the stage and he announced last ginight he is ng away $1000 a month to 10 more recipients as part of his universal basic inme experiment. is that idea, starting to appeal to voters essentially it sounds liis he giving money away, i am not sure if that is legal? >> i spent a couple of days on e trail with m, and he is a very teresting candidate. clearly i don't think anyone president. you will be but the policies he's talking about while they do sound really quirky, they have lo roots. thomas paine talked about it back in the daand sodid richard nixon and mlk. so is not quite askooky as it sounds, but with that said it's not a very unusual strategy for mpaign. there are question of the legality he was giving money to one family from new hampshire thousand dollars a month as a

demonstration ofubi plan but that was towards his personal funds don't think there's a question about the legality but this new thing where he would give $100nta to 10 families on his campaign funds, that does raise a question about whether that but the one thing is, he's there's no one there to find him really? >> andrew yang what is your ke on him joe? at is he least helping redefine some of the discussion in this ebay? >> at the surface level it er looks like everyone gets a car>>. s ed mcmahon. >> yes a big check at your house. bu he has done a great service of talking about universal income to the point where we are discussing it. on shows like this and in the dia. and sohe is addressing something that we do not talk about a lot and that is the future of work. and how somany workers will be displaced by ai, and such.

what we do with them? and universal basic income giving them $1000 a month to flip them for a wild to help them cushion the blow that is a important topiwawhen he intimate the skul he said, biden came up to him and said hey i want to talk outo you some of this work this future of work stuff. so, it is resonating within the party. >> oka last word goto you and he stated last night chan anything? >> bigoted. i think, the candidates basically needed to do, they came out of it having done what thbi needed to do, n is still the front runner it's getting boose. if a damaged themselves was castro but he was already that really changes the know if trajectory of the race that much. we will be meeting up again another four weeks in ohio mewhere so we ll see.

>> well good luck on the road out ther. thank you for joining us. >> thank you. >>is week, wmakers in sacramento past 85, bill that sending shock waves thteugh the industry, especially services like uber and lyft that dominate the gig economy it could be classified uber and lift drivers and other gig employees not contractors. eligible for benefits like health insuranceurnegh -- tens of millns of dollars of a ballot measure to fight this as well as the first time lawmaks passed a statewide rent control bill to help tenants as california grapples with the housing crisis and a spike in homelessness. joining me now to talk about these key bills that lelawmaker tathe session is our correspondent marie saw. so much news to cover, let's talk about latebreaking údevelopments on pg&e this morntsg we had the settlement

announced between the utility and insurers can you start by walking us through the nuts and bolts? >> this came as a surprise to a lot of peopleincluding us. it got us all of the bed this morning. this is essentially be rathe ine companies that have paid out billions of dollars in claims, to folks who are affected by 20both the n. they and mendocino fires in the 2018 campfire raup in se, two years of devastating ar wildfires that could cause billions of dollars indamages, this is the second settlement pg&e, has come to with these folks that are impacted, the first one was with the government fo billion, this is $11 billion not as high as the insurance had wanted which was 20 iobi so it as low as it would be which is a in half-billion. most importantly what this does not address is the divictims. dual victims. >> let's talk more about that,

that is the third big group, we are looking at the settment in many ways aftethe lens of what that means for the welfare survivors that are bringing their own individuns claims agpg&e. >>yes before the utility file for bankruptcy, thousands of al people had ady filed suit, because this is not bankruptcy court and is under that court, there was a extension to refile those claims through october 21, i talked with one thldfire attorney morning she says, she expects maybe 40,000 50,000 claims to be filed, so this could not this is probably not to be as big as those claims. she expects, they would get between 30-$33 billion for vick comes based on segregation insurance claims, and how sutha relates to how much victims gets. this is big fighand had we haven't determined whether pg&e will be held at fault for the tubs fire that tjury trial and i think there's a lot of moving parts. >> let's move on, thank you for reporting onthe. let's move onto the legislative session, 85 is a big one, this is a bill that uber and lyft fought tooth and nail, here is

what uber top lawyer said to reporters as the ll was making it way to the governor's desk. >>drivers work in and outside of uber's business that serving as a technology platform for several different types seof l digirketplaces. >> so, what he's really thsayin e is i drivers are not core to uber's business should be by that? >> it's a hard argument to make i think tomorrow th drivers up and left, uber would be makith money. drivers that might take you or somewhere but folks delivering food, they expanded in all to all kinds of thl gs this is the crux of the argument i think it ll be a tough one to make in court which is really where this might be headed at this point. if they are going to refuse to

comply. the labor department and maybe the state could even sue. but as you mentioned, this is not, 85 is not the final say this very complicated issue. >> at the same time, uber says this is in changing anything r us but we e rtnering with lyft, pouring tens of millions of dollars into this ballot measure for next year, does this tell you something about how threate are by 85? >> absolutely this cuts at the nted to come out become taxi companies they would've done that. they do not do that, because that's not the busine model. em they feel like being forced to bring on these employees these folks as re employees willly undercut their model, and i think what we will see come january when thlegislature comes back, is a attacked -- an attempt for third classification. nontraditional employees, but something special for these companies, i think that will be a hard sell if they won't pony up a lot more money to ke you know what a lot of people say is an expletive business model

work they have until june, to see if ey will go forward with about measure so i would look 6- 9 months baby will hato weigh in on this as voters but we will see. newsom will react? ink governor >>he said unequivocally he will sign it. i do think, there are other avenues with these companies that they will pursue it does uesound like in the meantimewi uber not comply. this will not take effect until january 1 so they do have some time before takes effect, i would expect even if uber doesn't comply it will take time for regulations in the courts to catch up and caally hold their feet to the fire. >> thank you let's move on to rent control, governor newsom s another bill deon his that would rent increases how that work exactly? >> this is rent control light get something the governor ul promised he do at the beginning of the year we

thought it was dead but it came back a big win for newsom. surprisingly it got through the legislature fairly eas ly. therquestion mark around that. essentially this is if you live in a jurisdiction that does not have a rent controand you live in an apartment building or a older building, your rent can be capped at 5% soplus cpi around 8% increase a aryear whi is pretty big increase more than most people would see but it will prevent supporters do save rent gouging. >> this is huge in the bay area what y yourr sense whetthis will have an actionable impact on people here? >>there's two things to note one is we do have some the strongest rental laws in cities like berkeley and san francisco those rent stlaws will the same, the economy is softening, ose rent gouging huge spikes resolve 50% rent increases overnight have already started to tell off. this will protect against 's only a 10 year sunset clause but if we do see the economy rolling back and really the

real estate market tightening again, this could help people stay in their homes, it's a key issue for e governor and local leaders because part of the problem we are seeing in california is, a lot of people that are homeless or have housing and security had housing and then lost it. so the ability to keep people on rie home se have, is a really important quiver in their ability to fight these things because otherwise, yo kind of dealing with it on both sides who are alreadon the streets and people coming on the streets. >> what are republican thing about this? >> there was pushback from the real estate community, we saw that reflectertin the of partyline vote as you know, democrats have a super majority in sacramento so it doesn't always matter these dare with blican lawmakers day. >> i'm glad you brought that up, how did that go they really had the run ofthe place this year. had a democrat do? did it become more complicated than they thought? >> i think nine months into this it anwent better we might've expected in january. i think we have seen this rent

control thing was a big win for newsom and he started to get a huge deal around charter schools, 85 t out, i don't take the democrat did as much úrepublicans would like to see but the big question is newsom and his staff there's a lot of complaints, that they didn't engage in some issues or engaged latelychange their mind aboutaround 85 in very controversial vaccination bill, i think that relationship between lawmakers and the governor of the same party, is still kind ofshaping up. this is the first year of his term, he is a very different leader than jerry brown and he wants to have the iron and a lot of fires and i can be challenging. >>okay never a dull moment for you. >> our political correspondent is so hagood to you here. >> the berkeleyr theawas founded in 1968 and is the east bay's ever profesonal theater

ansince opening its doors over 500 million people have enjoyed nearly 500 shows including pr80 world ieres, this week, the theater kicked off its 51st season with a new artistic director -- director joanna felt s re she jome now. >> welcome. >> thank you. >> you are hired a full year ago it is so hard to belie it's beenthat long but your first show the great wave is taking thiss page and prit iewed yesterday. tell us about that. >> i was hired a year ago but i o ago. rived here, a week just in time to get rehearsals for the great wave underway so yes we had our first fo performancan audience last night the great wave is a really beautiful, ambitious, sweeping, opted epic play it take place between japan and noh korea, is a story of a ug family, in the sort of great title wave of political turmoil. >> yes, another show you are presenting is white noise, i'm

wondering what is the through lineyiyou are to create with the shows you selected for this year? >> i'm always looking for things that are ally ambitiou and theater that can mean a lot of things that can be stylistically ambitious, they can be contained realng elevated ge, i think with the great wave and white noise are complicated plays they ask us to think deeplyas who we are as individuals what our political beliefs are, and an amazing opportunity for people to come together in a theater which is uca amazing, le to bring people in and wrestle with some of those questions. >> is our particular artistic statement you are trying to make with this slew of selections? >> i think peter's a great place to consider who you o are you are in relationship to community but also to be wildly entertained and i hope the season willdo that se well. >> for people who do not know, nging hamilton, everyone rt two knows about that to the stage. what did working on hamilton

teach you about reaching newer audiences? >> i wish i could say i was a critical part of that. i played a very small role i had the great privileg of tching that extraordinary group of artists, began their work together in a really deep way. i think with hamilton, they've done generations of people who might've thought, theater in general and specifically maybe large-scale was not a plac they will see their own stories be told, i k thmething it is told now, we feel a greater responsibility for. i think hamilton really helped focus our atteions on that >> i know you just made the move from new york, to the bay area. i want to ask you first, what is your readea on what it will be like to do theater here because you're no longer in the epicenter of the theater world as we think of it. what you think it will be like? working here? is fairly new for >>you know what i know about the bay area and its audience, y it's a communof people who are, really intelligent, who are really literate and have t

grpectations of storytelling and all the different ways they can even that and engage in dallas. wii think it be a very compelling conversation i can have with this audience over a peri of time. >> what about the wea equality issue that spurs pervasive. iv i have ask you, some impact it can have on emerging artists who are working with an outlet. >> yes i feel acutely coming from new york to the bay area were talking about how you make a living an artist and -- in two of the most expensive cities in the world and i really felt that when i worked at mct if you're gonna trainees artists you want them to maintain a relationship to the theater, and the community that they been a rt of. it is hard here think it's a real opportunity for those of us who are running different cultural organizations to come h together and k about, how we can collaborate, to create a sustainable environment for people to continue to make a living as artists.

>>let's talk about theater, in today's entertainment ecosystem. what's your sales pitch? if i can put it bluntly. you have to make a pitch to people to get up, put on thei close gothto the ter leave their homes, when they have netflix, amazon prime, and all these other options a home theyr can stream, in the golden age of television how do you approach it? >>we are in the golden age wh writing,'s interesting to that are beintold on amazon and netflix and julio, are being created by playwright so i think we have to remember that the theater is a great generator not just to specific stories but artists, it's given so many people, a sense of craft, and tradition but i think, it speaks to a moment that people are increasingly isolated. we can all stay home and sit on r couch, and have it told to us in the individualistic way but peter, what i think it can

do that nothing can in theater you e going to sit go the dark with a group of people, some of whom you may know, some are strangers in your to be told the story by group of artists who are flesh and blood, in front of you in real time, i think th has the capacity to be transformative for people in a way that nothing else can. >> talked to me about the challenge, of filling the shoes of someone who proceeded you had been there,for more an this is place with a very prestigious reputation as you know. had you plan to build on that repue tion or change reputation that berkeley rep has i hope i don't do anything to destroy tony's legacy. because, he built a theater that was already, such a strong institution. he had 30 great years of really making work

very specifically in bringing realazing artists here. so i hope to continue that. i know there are people here that have already found a home at berkeley rep that i lo forward to you create a home for them, but i know there are people that i have been working with over the next couple decades that i'm really excited to introduce to these audience. >> what attracted you to th job? >> i think it's one of the crown jewels in the american theater. there aren't that many places, that would persuade me to leave new york and i would y, this is the the one,and it's also my family's home. portunity not just to run one great theater but also to come back to place that's really meaningful to me. >> and it happens to be your hometown how a homecoming been to you? >> it's amazing, you know i was welcomed by the staff at my first day office buthe staff that used to be you know the day camp or after they ran into friends whyou knowis driving my son up to indian

rock to go rock climbing the other day and i was pointing out whermy old babysitter lived and it does feel like a really amazing opportunity to rediscover community, but e that isreally meaningful to me. >> very cool, before we let you go, i want to ask you how do you thinthis season for those avid theatergoers, which there are many, how will the season be different than previo y d ones? can compare it to previous seasons. i am proud that the season is full of stories, there are two world premieres, brand-new plays from sarah rule, a new features the music of the avett brothers. there are two plays that have only been seen in londin, i it's an opportunity to really celebrate an incredibly wide range of storytelling. >>joanna, artistic director at weekly rep, thank you for coming in. >> thank you for having me. >> you can buy tickets for the great wave up now playing and

other upcomingshows that berkeley rep by visiting berkeley rep.org. as always you can find more of ed.org/newsroom. thank you for joining us. for snuk --

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