House minority leader Kevin Mccarthy joins a discussion on Broadband Access and digital leadership. Is talking with reporters who are likely to ask him about the congressional response to hurricane laura, protests across the country, and the pandemic. They will talk with republican pollster frank lets. Live coverage. Second of two events we are doing with microsoft on the future of employability during the Republican National convention. We thank microsoft for making these conversations possible. We thank you for taking a break during this busy time to join us on axios. Com, joining us on axios twitter with axiosevents on facebook and youtube. Franklinsuest, dr. Is someone whose advice is craved by corporations, candidates, and officeholders on every continent, in seminars and is extremely popular. He is wellknown for his International Bestseller words that work. Thank you for joining axios. Frank it is an honor, a pleasure, and what we are going to talk about really does matter. Mike thank you for giving them axios linger lingo. It turned out, you have done some real Intense Research on our exact topic today which is the importance of broadband, the importance of tech and Lifelong Learning, and one of the ways you think about it is getting people to think about the difference between a job and a career. Project, a Major National project for working nation. That organization is devoted, really focused on making a difference in teaching workers that they have to be skilled, they have to be trained for the careers of the future. And i think what makes working nation different is that it is completely nonpartisan as is the issue. Whether you are talking about broadband for young people, to get them started on the information superhighway, or you are talking about Lifelong Learning, which adults appreciate and are beginning to not only understand, but embrace. That this is not a political issue. This is not a partisan issue. And this is not based on income or education. That any worker at any time could lose their job because of automation or because of globalization or outsourcing. And that you have to be prepared. And that elected officials on the federal and state and local level have a responsibility to provide these programs so that people do and are able to make a difference in their lives. You mention the difference between job and career. I dont know if you have that statistic in front of you. But it is one of the great findings of the working nation survey. The idea that we think we have a want is0 , but what we a career. A java something you go to from 9 00 to 5 00. A career is something you do 24 7. A job to something you are looking for the next one. A career is something you love and embrace and you want to stay with it. Mike one thing youve done is talk to people about the difference between the good life and the American Dream. What is the distinction people make their and how does access to broadband, future education play into that . Frank it is one of the reasons why this conversation is so timely. Is consequence of covid19 that there has been so much job and career dislocation. That people are not working in the office anymore. That some people who thought they would be protected have not been. Me, the importance is about planning. That it iswing knowing the unknown, as donald runs all used to say. The working nations study is designed to help policymakers, designed to help businesses together, working together, to ensure we are prepared for any contingency. So that young people have access to broadband so that they can do their learnings, follow the read what they need to read and learn what they need to know to be competitive and be prepared for college, career, and life. And that working adults are prepared for anything and they embrace the future. I think that is important. This is not a challenge for today at the republican convention. This is a challenge for evermore. Whether it is republicans, democrats, independents, whether you live in a Rural Community or most urban of communities, these are things that affect all of us. Mike your second slide looks at the fact that for those who dont have the right training, there could be some real serious unemployment based on outsourcing and automation. What is interesting is people dont know who to blame. Sort of walk us through your findings there. Frank it is interesting to me that while globalization is one andhe most discussed polarizing issues on both sides, both republicans and democrats tried to turn it into an issue where we learn from the learning mate working nation paul is not on a nation was a greater concern and outsourcing is number one. We have become a global economy. There are some jobs and careers that are simply easier to to fill in asier global environment. But that is no excuse for not getting the skills training, for not getting the Lifelong Learning. And one of the aspects that is so essential is a politicians need to know the language that the public will respond to. And businesses need to provide those opportunities that the politicians and government cannot do. Emphasize, that this is not just an issue nationwide. Governors have a role to play. Mayors have a role to play. And in the end, individuals themselves have a responsibility to get the skills they need for the careers they want. Excitings is the most part, the most interesting, juicy part. On this topic, what are the words that work and what are the words that a bomb . What should companies, public officials, leaders, be talking about this . Frank that is where the good life comes in. To a lot of people, the American Dream is just that, a dream. But the good life has a different definition to it. For some people, it is a sam adams on the weekend. For other people, it is the right car, the right holiday. But what always matters is the idea that through systems like we have right now, through online training, to persontoperson skills providing, through conversations like you and i are having right now, that provides the basics for what we need to learn and what we want to know. And the idea that Lifelong Learning beats every other phrase for describing what this process is, and im eager that we teach young people that high school is just a step toward college or toward career training. And once you graduate from college, that is just a step toward the first job you have. And once you have that job, that is just the steppingstone to the career that you want. That this is a seamless progression, and i we realize that no matter what decade we are in, and im in my 50s, that i still have things to learn. I still have skills to enjoy. And that whatever job or career i have right now, maybe may be radically different than what i have in the future. But thats ok. In fact, we should embrace it. Working nation is working with republicans and democrats, working with congress, mayors, and governors to ensure that we have a different mindset. And that is why im so grateful to be on this call that microsoft sponsored because they are a great example of a company that is deeply involved in making a difference for their workforce so that they will be more successful for the long term. Mike as we say goodbye, you have been going to the white house more times than you could ever count. But at the end of the Republican National convention, you will be there at the white house for president trumps acceptance speech. What are you going to be listening for, what should we be watching for . Frank im a journalist in addition to being a practitioner and a pollster. And it was important to me that my twitter followers embraced this. So i asked them yesterday, 7500 interviews, more than 7500, 68 said ago. 32 say no. So i got on a plane last night, im here in washington right now, and i want to see if donald trump learns anything from melania trumps speech. It was a very highly regarded by the left and right. Cnn and embraced what she had to say and how she said it. Because she showed heart. She expressed her condolences and her sympathies to those who have suffered with or even lost their lives because of covid. Isall know that donald trump tough. The question is, how big is his heart . And im going to be listening for whether he demonstrates empathy tonight rather than just strength tonight. You forank luntz, thank those words that work. Your twitter feed is an awesome place to follow the convention. Frank luntz, thank you for joining axios. Frank mike allen, it was an honor. Mike we would like to thank microsoft for making these conversations possible. Our next guest is brad smith, the president of microsoft. He is the chief legal officer. Peoplean empire of 1400 in 56 countries. Hes got big ideas. Brad smith, welcome to axios. Brad thanks, mike. Thank you for having me. Its great to be here. Mike brad, it says you are a resident in washington, you are supposed to be in charlotte with me. Quite a change in the plans for the convention. I know you have been at many recent conventions. And microsofts technology has played quite a roll for both parties conventions. Brad i think these conventions play such an Important Role in american politics. Really they are part of our culture. They have been a fundamental history. Ur if you think about what happened in chicago in 1860 when the Republican Party everyone by nominating abraham lincoln. Over the last 20 years, technology has played a vital role. They made the conventions more accessible to the american public. They made so many of these things more interactive. Its why i was in tampa in 2012, in cleveland in 2016. We have been playing an Important Role in supporting the conventions. I had hoped to be in charlotte this week. Mike brad, since i didnt have to travel, i had extra time, so i curled up with a book, i curled up with this book, its a great book, i recommend it, tools and weapons. This is of course brads book. Worldre, you write about broadband as the electricity of the 21st century. Do tell. Brad first of all, i think its right to than about broadband as the electricity of our age. If you want to use the telehealth service, you need to have broadband. If you want to take a Community College course online, you need broadband. If you are a Small Business and you want to grow and do you want to create jobs, frankly, you have got to be in a place that has access to broadband. But in so many of our Rural Communities in the United States today, that is missing. We have to close the broadband gap. It is why we are really passionate about it. Perhaps especially in the rural parts of our country, because i think without this, were just going to miss out on the opportunity to create the opportunities for people that they deserve. Mike brad, i think we have a picture of a truck showing some of the work being done in the field, showing some of the ways that technology is being pioneered. Tell us about this fancy truck. Captures a this visit to one of our favorite i, we, my coauthor and both work at microsoft. This is in very county in northeastern washington state. It is like a number of really beautiful parts of the United States. Its more rural. Broadband. Or i should say, there was no broadband until microsoft worked with partners. Truck, ifically, that think it reflects the best of american ingenuity. We provided a grant, but the person who put that truck together is one of the free county commissioners in ferry county. And he used it to drive around and literally test whether he could get a good connection with the tv white space is technology that we have been helping to advance. This is basically Wireless Technology that uses terrestrial television. That part of the spectrum. Just remember for everybody who grew up with a tv antenna or rabbit ears, you could get a good signal. Now, we can use unused parts of that spectrum for broadband. We partnered with another company, and they created a device that is the receiver. He put it on the side of your house, you put it on the side of your house, and you can connect with an antenna that is 10 or 15 miles away, you bring a cable into your house and you have wifi at broadband speeds. This is what Rural America needs. Either with this kind of technology or other, it is actually i think it is a fundamental of fundamental importance to put the country on a level Playing Field in terms of real economic growth. Mike you can see how that would be lifechanging, especially with a family with young kids. I think we might have a shot inside the truck, just to give a little sense of what happens inside the truck. Brad yeah, this is great. I have the opportunity to learn firsthand. Look, this also reflects i think the best of almost american do electronic engineering. Doityourself electronic engineering. You see a windows laptop. It is amazing what people with a little bit of Financial Support can go accomplish when you give them the ability to be creative. And that is what is happening in ferry county. That is what is happening increasingly in Rural Counties across the country. Mike brad, some people have talked about covid as an xray society. You are way ahead on this issue. I think weve realized, with so much remote learning, what a massive lifechanging imperative broadband becomes. Brad i think thats very true. Look, right now, you actually cant go to School Virtually in an effective way if you dont have access to broadband and you dont have a good computing device. There will obviously come a day when this pandemic will be behind us, when kids will be back in class, and school buildings. But even when that happens, there is a huge homework a gap that we need to close. And we need to live in a country where every student can access all the resources needed to do research. To do homework. To collaborate with other people. I think the covid, importance of the broadband gap is not going to abate one bit. It will remain just as important to our future as it is right now. Brad, you saidy, two of the most beautiful words in the english language. Two words i have not heard in quite a while. And that his post covid, weve got to hope, right . Brad look, i think this is a time to think not only about what we need to do now, but what we want to do next. And what we should be doing is not just rebuilding, but reimagining the kind of country in which we want to live. The day will come when this is behind us. None of us knows for certain when the day will arrive, but the sooner we start envisioning what we want to build, the more we can harness the free market, call on Small Businesses, give them what they need to succeed. I think the better off we will be as a nation. Mike brad, you are not in charlotte, but you have an exciting project going on there. You have a Smart City Initiative going on. One of the big intentions of this investment was to help close the digital divide. Brad yes, charlotte is an important city for microsoft. North carolina is an important state for as as a company. We have thousands of employees who work in charlotte, they support people across the United States. We invested last year more than 20 million to expand our presence in charlotte. We were adding over 200 new employees. And part of what we want to do is not just grow our employee presence, but really strengthen our commitment to the city and the state. What we are doing in North Carolina is part of what we are doing across the country. Specifically,m we are bringing free Digital Learning opportunities to people. People, especially, who are looking either to find a new job, who may have lost their job, or just want to progress in their own career. Access to combined free resources online, lowcost tests and certifications so people can show employers what they have mastered. One of my favorite things through linked in which microsoft owns is we have created new courses. If someone wants to get better about interviewing for a job through apc, they can take a course on tips on how to do a better job of interviewing. Then we even have Artificial Intelligence that will give people feedback about how they did. So people can practice and learn. I think that is just one example of how we can put Digital Technology to work, to frankly help people succeed in the current environment and add to the Digital Skills they are likely going to need to be successful in the decade ahead. Mike brad, im getting the hook here. I want to squeeze this in. As i write about the charlotte project, what i was most excited about was smart for smart transit. Can you give us a sentence about smart transit . Brad when you think about it, we live in a world where data can help us with almost everything we do. Cities manage their transportation infrastructure, it can help individuals do a better job of avoiding traffic jams, at least in the days when people are driving more again and going back to the office. If you think about what it means to have a smart city. Want,e are all going to what we are going to see in the coming decade is a transportation infrastructure that is guided by data and i think especially for the public sector, to build and maintain a transportation network. This can be a game changer. Mike as we say goodbye at the end of our newsletters, we like to have one fun thing to end on a lighter note. Not many of us have had a guest off of a plane lately. You had an actual guest who got off of an actual plane. Brad i was really fortunate. My father came to visit in the seattle area this past weekend. It was great to have a guest in the house. He lives in southeastern wisconsin. We are all having to be very careful and to be very safe. But at the same time, i think my father, my family, like so Many American families, we are yearning for a little bit of that