- TONIGHT ON LOVE AND RESPECT, A CONVERSATION WITH MINISTER, ACTIVIST, SENATOR RAFAEL WARNOCK.

- I WATCHED MY DAD LEAD HIS CHURCH, JUST A SMALL LITTLE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH DURING THE WEEK HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR LIKE YOU.

HE PICKED UP OLD JUNK CARS, BROKEN CARS THAT OTHER FOLK HAD THROWN AWAY.

AND THEN ON SUNDAY MORNING, I SAW THE MAN WHO LIFTED BROKEN CARS DURING THE WEEK LIFT BROKEN PEOPLE.

- SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK COMING UP NOW.

- [NARRATOR] LOVE AND RESPECT WITH KILLER MIKE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE RESSLER GERTZ FAMILY FOUNDATION.

TOGETHER WE ARE PROUD TO BRING MO RE LOVE AND RESPECT INTO OUR COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION.

- HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANKS.

- GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

- I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY.

SO WHEN I GOT A CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT LIKE LET'S TALK I WAS ECSTATIC.

I DIDN'T KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO WEAR.

SO I, INSTEAD OF WEARING MY USUAL ONE.

- THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

YOU KNOW, I'M A MOREHOUSE GRAD.

- EXACTLY.

AND I'M A MOREHOUSE ATTENDEE.

- YOU'VE DONE JUST FINE.

- YOU ARE, YOU ARE AN ORDAINED MINISTER.

AND I, LIKE A LOT OF BLACK MEN, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WE, OUR WIVES GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAYS, AND ME AND MY WIFE SOMETIMES WOULD LEAVE A CLUB, JUST SIT IN THE PARKING LOT OF EBENEZER UNTIL ABOUT EIGHT, NINE IN THE MORNING UNTIL THE DOORS OPEN.

AND THEN WE JUST COME TO CHURCH AND SEE YOU.

THEN WE GO HOME.

- THAT'S FINE WITH ME.

- BUT A LOT OF, A LOT OF US IN, IN THE PAST 20, 30 YEARS, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS GROW AND DEVELOP A DISTRUST FOR BLACK MINISTERS IN THE BLACK CHURCH.

AND YOU KIND OF TURNED ME AROUND ON THAT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU FROM YOUR ADVOCACY.

I KNOW YOU FROM YOUR ADVOCACY SINCE ALEX JOHNSON INTRODUCED ME TO WHO YOU WERE.

AND YOU HELPED RESHAPE MY THINKING.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT POLITICS AND CHURCH SHOULD BE SEPARATE, PREACHERS SHOULDN'T BE GOING INTO POLITICS.

BUT YOU HAVE RADICALLY CHANGED MY VIEW ON THAT.

REASON BEING, WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRIST-LIKE, I BELIEVE IN EVERY SECTOR OF THIS COUNTRY.

WHETHER THAT'S SENATE, WHETHER IT'S CONGRESS, WHETHER IT'S THE HIGHEST EXECUTIVE OFFICES THAT CAN BE HELD.

I THINK WE NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE ADAM CLAYTON POWELL-LIKE, THAT ARE ANDREW YOUNG-LIKE I SAW ANDREW YOUNG BE LIKE SOLOMON IN HIS WISDOM HERE, AND I SEE SPARKS OF THAT IN YOU.

COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT WHAT WOULD CAUSE A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN FROM THE MAN WHO WENT TO MOREHOUSE TO GRAVITATE TOWARD A CHRIST-LIKE EXISTENCE AND THEN BEYOND A CHRIST LIKE EXISTENCE AND PURPOSE TO GO INTO POLITICS?

- WELL FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER.

AND THIS FEELS REALLY COMFORTABLE TO ME BECAUSE THE BARBERSHOP IS WHERE IT HAPPENED.

THIS IS WHERE REAL CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.

AND ACTUALLY IT REMINDS ME OF MY FIRST JOB WAS IN A BARBERSHOP, BY THE WAY.

- NO.

- I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT AS, AS I'M SITTING HERE WITH YOU KNOW WE WE'VE GONE BACKWARDS.

BUT YOU, BACK IN THE DAY, THE LITTLE BOY WHO WOULD TAKE THE WHISPER AND WIPE THE, THE HAIR, I WAS THAT KID.

- WOW.

- I LEARNED HOW TO SHINE SHOES IN THE BARBER SHOP.

SO IT'S GOOD, GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

LISTEN, I, I KNEW EARLY ON THAT I WOULD GO INTO MINISTRY.

- WHAT'S EARLY ON?

- AS A KID.

- OKAY.

- AND BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE PENTECOSTAL PASTORS, BUT THEY DIDN'T PUSH ME INTO MINISTRY AT ALL.

IT, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I FELT DRAWN TO AS A KID.

AND MY DAD WAS A GREAT MODEL BECAUSE HE HAD A FIERCE WORK ETHIC.

HE WAS A MAN OF INCREDIBLE INTEGRITY.

HE LOVED HIS FAMILY.

WE WERE A GREAT BIG BLENDED FAMILY.

I'M ONE OF 12 IN MY FAMILY.

I'M NUMBER 11.

- [HOST] WOW.

- SO CLEARLY THEY READ THE BIBLE, BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.

- [HOST] YEAH.

AND I WATCHED MY DAD LEAD HIS CHURCH JUST A SMALL LITTLE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH.

AND YOU KNOW, DURING THE WEEK HE WAS A, AN ENTREPRENEUR LIKE YOU, HE PICKED UP OLD JUNK CARS, BROKEN CARS THAT OTHER FOLK HAD THROWN AWAY AND LIFTED THEM ON THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK.

AND THAT'S HOW HE TOOK CARE OF HIS FAMILY.

AND THEN ON SUNDAY MORNING, I SAW THE MAN WHO LIFTED BROKEN CARS DURING THE WEEK LIFT BROKEN PEOPLE AND CONVINCED THEM OF THEIR VALUE THAT THE WORLD MAY HAVE THROWN THEM AWAY, BUT THEY ARE VALUABLE IN THE EYES OF GOD.

AND SO MY DAD, UNLIKE ME, WAS NOT SEMINARY TRAINED.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THE FANCY DEGREES.

BUT ALL OF THESE YEARS LATER, I FIND MYSELF STILL STANDING ON TIPTOES TRYING TO CATCH UP TO HIM.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- SO HE, HE IS MY MODEL, MY MOTHER, THE SAME, A WOMAN IN THE MINISTRY.

SO SHE HAD TO OVERCOME CERTAIN BARRIERS TO GO INTO MINISTRY AS YOU KNOW.

THE CHURCH HAS CERTAINLY NOT BEEN IMMUNE TO SEXISM.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- AND SO THEY WERE MY FIRST MODELS.

AND THEN AFTER THEM, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. - YEAH.

- I MEAN, HE, HE CAPTIVATED MY ATTENTION AND SOMETHING IN HIS VOICE JUST RESONATED WITH ME AS A KID.

I'M A POST-CIVIL RIGHTS GENERATION BABY.

I WAS BORN AFTER DR. KING'S DEATH.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- BUT HE SUMMONED ME TO MOREHOUSE, HIS VOICE.

HE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEBODY WHO USED HIS FAITH NOT TO DIVIDE PEOPLE, NOT TO STEP ON THEM.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- BUT TO LIFT THEM UP TO, TO SAY THAT THEY'RE VALUABLE IN THE EYES OF GOD.

AND WITH HIS MORAL VOICE, HE'S SUMMONED COURAGE IN OTHERS TO THE, TO THE DEGREE THAT PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY WILLING TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO CREATE WHAT HE CALLED THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S MY MODEL.

AND THEN ALL THE MEN AND FOLKS YOU'VE MENTIONED, THOSE ARE SOME OF MY MENTORS TOO.

- SO YOU DIDN'T GROW UP AFFLUENT, YOU DIDN'T GROW UP MIDDLE CLASS.

- NO.

I GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING.

- YOU GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING.

SO I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THAT.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT.

I MEAN, YOU MEAN YOU SWAG.

- RIGHT, SO, LOOK AT THAT.

I WOULD'VE THOUGHT YOU GREW UP MUCH LIKE DR. KING - HE HAD A MIDDLE CLASS... - HE WAS A MIDDLE CLASS KID.

- NO, I GREW UP.

- AND SO IT WAS EASY TO BELIEVE ALMOST IN THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, YOU HAD A HEART OF CIRCUMSTANCES STILL CHOOSE LOVE OVER HATE AND STILL CHOOSE THE PATHWAY OF DR. KING.

THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL, THESE ONE OF THE BIG REASONS I WENT TO MOREHOUSE AS WELL.

- YEAH, YEAH.

- BECAUSE IT, WHEN YOU GROW UP AND YOU DIDN'T GROW UP IN ATLANTA, YOU GREW UP IN SAVANNAH, BUT GROWING UP IN ATLANTA, THERE'S THIS HUGE SHADOW.

- SURE.

- THAT, THAT HE CASTS.

AND IT'S A GOOD SHADOW BECAUSE THIS WOMAN, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS SCLC NAACP AND SHE WAS LIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED.

I CAN REMEMBER HER DRAGGING ME AROUND.

- RIGHT.

- THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

AND WHEN YOU, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I WOULD IMAGINE LIKE I WENT TO SMALL PENTECOSTAL CHURCH.

THE WHOLE CHURCH WOULD BE BIG AS THIS BARBERSHOP.

- EXACTLY.

- COULD BE HOT SWEATING, NO AIR CONDITION WORKING.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU, THAT WAS ONE OF FIRST PLACES I SAW EQUALITY.

BECAUSE THE MINISTERS WERE WOMEN, BISHOP, JEAN SISTER, MOTHER MARY JACKSON, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU SAW MEN, MINISTERS THAT WOULD COME THROUGH ON REVIVALS AND STUFF, BUT THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THOSE CHURCHES AT THAT TIME.

- YEAH - AND, AND YOU, UNLIKE, LIKE I SEEN YOU GET FIRED UP, YOU GOT SOME PENTECOST LADY.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW PENTECOSTALS ARE VERY EXCITING CHURCHES.

- YEAH, ITS VERY ANIMATED.

- THE MUSIC, IT'S ALMOST THERAPEUTIC IN THAT THERE'S A COMMUNITY THAT GETS TOGETHER.

THEY GET IT ALL OUT AND THEY FACE NEXT WEEK.

SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE CHURCHES THAT GAVE YOU, NOT ONLY RAFAEL, WERE NOT, BUT MICHAEL RESSLER.

I REALLY ADHERE TO THOSE STOREFRONT CHURCHES, THOSE LITTLE TINY REVIVAL LIKE CHURCHES.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY PUT IN YOU A COMMON GOOD FOR ALL HUMANITY THAT YOU SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN IN OFFICE.

THEY REMEMBER THE LITTLE GUY, THEY REMEMBER THE SALT OF THE EARTH PEOPLE, THEY REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OFTEN LEFT BEHIND.

SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT.

CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T.

- I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

- AW MAN.

WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I TALKING ABOUT WHY YOU THINK I WENT INTO MUSIC, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

- YEAH.

- I FELL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC AND PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES BECAUSE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WAS PLAYING IN MY MOMMA'S NIGHTCLUB ON SATURDAYS WERE PLAYING MY GRANDMOTHER'S CHURCHES.

- OH, THEY'RE THE SAME PEOPLE.

THE BLUES PEOPLE IN THE GOSPEL, PEOPLE SAME PEOPLE, BLUES, GOSPEL AND JAZZ, ALL COME FROM THE SAME ROOT.

- IN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THOSE CHURCHES AND THE, THE SOUTHERN BLACK CHURCH TO ME HAS BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE AMERICAN POLITICAL DYNAMIC THAT WAS MISSING.

IT WAS THE MESSAGE OF LIBERATION, A MESSAGE OF EQUALITY, A MESSAGE OF RIGHTNESS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BLACK CAUCUS, FOR INSTANCE, MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT MINISTERS ARE AFFECTED BY THE CHURCH.

AND I THINK THAT BLACK DEMOCRATS IN THE SOUTH PARTICULARLY HAVE A NUANCE THAT'S VALUABLE TO THE LARGER PARTY.

WHAT CAN THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEARN FROM SOUTHERN BLACK DEMOCRATS THAT YOU WOULD SAY IS THIS ONE THING I COULD INJECT THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO UNDERSTAND ON A NATIONAL LEVEL?

WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

- WELL, I'M PROUD OF MY STATE OF GEORGIA.

I THINK THE WHOLE STATE HAS STOOD UP IN AN AMAZING WAY AT A TIME WHEN SO MUCH OF THE COUNTRY HAD, YOU KNOW, BEEN, YOU KNOW, DRAWN IN TO THE POLITICS OF DIVISION.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- RIGHT?

I MEAN, GEORGIA DID AN AMAZING THING IN ONE FELL SWOOP SENT ITS FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN SENATOR AND ITS FIRST JEWISH SENATOR - BOTH.

- TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

- I WORKED ON THAT, THAT WAS EXCITING.

- AND TO THINK ABOUT THAT, I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT DR. KING AND OTHERS, BUT RABBI BY ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESHEL, WHO MARCHED ALONGSIDE DR. KING.

I THINK ABOUT THAT OFTEN WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE HIGH HONOR OF ME GOING TO THE SENATE ALONGSIDE MY BROTHER JOHN OSSEL.

WHO IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE MAKING.

BUT WE, WE CREATED A MULTIRACIAL COALITION OF CONSCIENCE IN THIS STATE.

AND, AND I WENT ON THE WAVE OF THAT,, OF THE STRENGTH OF THAT COALITION.

AND SO I THINK GOING FORWARD, WE'VE GOTTA CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO BRING US TOGETHER.

- YES.

- AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN THIS MOMENT IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE LITERALLY FORCES AT WORK TRYING TO DIVIDE.

- [HOST] ABSOLUTELY.

- THE COUNTRY.

AND IN THAT REGARD, WE GOTTA REACH ACROSS THE AISLE AS WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EASY TO DO.

BUT WE'VE GOTTA DO IT.

AND I THINK I'VE DEMONSTRATED IN MY CAREER THAT I KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I'M LISTED AS THE 18TH MOST BIPARTISAN SENATOR IN THE SENATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE WORKED WITH TED CRUZ TO GET, GET THINGS DONE.

I'VE WORKED WITH THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM ALABAMA.

WE'VE GOTTA BUILD BROAD COALITIONS.

BUT VERY OFTEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK DIVIDE US, IF WE LOOK DEEPLY ENOUGH, THERE IS A MORAL CONTINUITY THAT CONNECTS US.

AND WE MIGHT BE SURPRISED IN THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WORK TOGETHER.

I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.

- [HOST] YES SIR.

- I'M A PRO-CHOICE PASTOR.

- YES.

I BELIEVE IN A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE, MY OPPONENT HERSCHEL WALKER DOES NOT.

IN FACT, HE SAID THAT THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOT A NATIONWIDE BAN ON ABORTION DOESN'T, HE SAID THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THOSE WERE HIS WORDS.

AND SO HE WANTS A NATIONWIDE BAN, NO EXCEPTIONS, THAT WOULD INCLUDE RAPE, INCEST, THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.

I'M PRO-CHOICE.

I THINK THAT A PATIENT'S ROOM IS TOO NARROW SPACE FOR A WOMAN, HER DOCTOR AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

BUT I HAVE A PROFOUND REVERENCE.

I HAVE A PROFOUND REVERENCE FOR LIFE.

I HAVE A DEEP RESPECT FOR CHOICE.

I'VE SAID TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ANTI-CHOICE THAT WE DON'T AGREE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE ISSUE.

BUT IF THE ISSUE IS LIFE, AND I CERTAINLY REVERENCE LIFE, LET'S FIND SOME WAYS TO SAVE LIVES.

- YEAH.

- RIGHT?

SO IT SEEMS TO ME YOU OUGHT TO BE INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE 600,000 GEORGIANS IN THE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE GAP.

GEORGIANS ARE DYING FOR LACK OF HEALTHCARE.

AND I REACHED OUT TO MARCO RUBIO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE AND SAID, LOOK, THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN OUR COUNTRY IS EXCEEDINGLY HIGH WHEN COMPARED TO ITS WESTERN COUNTERPARTS.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LEADS ALL OF THE OTHER RICH COUNTRIES IN THE HIGH RATES OF MATERNAL MORTALITY.

WOMEN LITERALLY DYING AT TOO HIGH A RATE FOR AS WEALTHY AS WE ARE.

TRYING TO HAVE A BABY.

AND FOR BLACK WOMEN, THREE TO FOUR TIMES THE RATE OF WHITE WOMEN.

- YES I KNOW.

SO I DID A MATERNAL MORTALITY BILL WITH MARCO RUBIO.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- WITH WHOM I DISAGREE ON CHOICE.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- TO HELP TO, TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

- YOU ARE FROM THE HOUSING PROJECTS.

MY WIFE IS FROM SAVANNAH, SHE'S FROM YAMACRAW HOUSING PROJECTS.

I COULD NOT IMAGINE GROWING UP IN A HOUSING PROJECTS AND REMAINING HOPE FILLED, BOTH OF YOU GUYS HAVE DONE THAT.

AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE BECAUSE YOU GREW UP QUITE DIFFERENTLY IN THAT YOU GREW UP IN A TWO-PARENT HOUSEHOLD.

- I DID.

- AND IT'S MY BELIEF THAT IF POLITICALLY WE COULD ENCOURAGE MORE TWO-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS IN HOUSING PROJECTS OR HUD HOMES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT MAY PUT MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A BLACK COMMUNITY ON A PATHWAY TO SAFETY, ON A PATHWAY TO BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN BEING TOGETHER FOR THE LONG RUN LIKE OUR PARENTS AND MY GRANDPARENTS.

IS THERE ANY TYPE OF LEGISLATION THAT YOU COULD SEE, IF I COULD SAY PASS THIS WITH A WAND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO, TO ENCOURAGE OR TO FIX OR TO HELP POOR AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.

AND NOT ONLY IN HOUSING PROJECTS, BUT IN RURAL AREAS.

- WELL, AS YOU POINT OUT, MY FAMILY WAS SHORT ON MONEY, BUT LONG ON LOVE AND LONG ON FAITH.

AND WE HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR.

I THINK THOSE THINGS TOGETHER LOVE, FAITH AND A SENSE OF HUMOR - WILL GO A LONG WAY.

- [HOST] OKAY.

- YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WITH A BIG FAMILY, SO IF YOU HAD THIN SKIN YOU WOULD FIT RIGHT IN.

- YEAH.

- IT WAS 10 KIDS IN MY HOUSE.

- ROCKERS, AND A LOT OF JOKES GOING AROUND.

BUT LOOK, MY EXPERIENCE THERE INFORMS MY WORK AS A LEGISLATOR.

WHICH IS WHY ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE WAS I PASSED SOMETHING CALLED THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT.

IT WAS PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT IS THE SINGLE LARGEST TAX CUT FOR MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

PRIOR TO PASSING THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE TOO POOR TO GET IT.

- YEAH.

- SO WE FIXED THAT CLOSED IN THAT HOLE AND LITERALLY IT CUTS CHILD POVERTY 40 TO 50%.

YOU SAY, WELL I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.

WELL WE ONLY DID IT FOR SIX MONTHS.

- YEAH.

- WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO GET MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THIS FOR SIX MONTHS, IF I'M SENT BACK TO THE SENATE.

IF THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA WILL GIVE ME THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING THEM FOR SIX MORE YEARS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GONNA BE FIGHTING FOR IS, IS EXTENDING THE CHILD TAX CREDIT AGAIN.

IT WOULD CUT CHILD POVERTY 40 TO 50%.

I THINK THAT THAT WILL HELP ALL KINDS OF FAMILIES.

- I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU HAD BEEN SO ACTIVE IN TERMS OF WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE AND IN TERMS OF ERADICATING CHILD POVERTY.

AND THIS IS JUST IN TWO YEARS.

- YEAH.

IN LESS THEN TWO YEARS.

SO YEAH, I PUSHED FORWARD THE EXPANSION OF, OR THE EXTENSION OF THE, THE, THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, WHICH I'D LIKE TO SEE US EXTEND.

I'M A PRODUCT OF HEAD START.

I'D LIKE TO SEE US STRENGTHEN THOSE PROGRAMS.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- AND THEN WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS A PART OF THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM, WHICH PUT A POOR KID, ANOTHER PROGRAM ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS - YES.

- HELPED ME TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

- YEP.

- AND THEN I WENT TO MOREHOUSE, THANKS TO PELL GRANTS AND LOW INTEREST STUDENT LOANS.

WHICH IS WHY WHEN I FOUND MYSELF SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE LOOKING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE EYE, I WASN'T SO ENAMORED WITH THE TRAPPINGS OF THE OFFICE THAT I FORGOT WHY I WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I REMEMBERED THAT KID WHO WANTED SO BADLY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

MY FOLKS COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR PELL GRANTS LOW INTEREST STUDENT LOANS, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.

WHICH IS WHY I PUSHED THE PRESIDENT TO DO MEANINGFUL STUDENT DEBT RELIEF.

AND I PUSHED HIM TO DO MORE THAN HE SAID HE WOULD.

HE, I, I SAID, WE, WE NEED YOU TO DO THIS MR. PRESIDENT.

AND BY THE WAY, 10,000 IS NOT ENOUGH.

- NOT ENOUGH.

- AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM TO DO 20,000 FOR FOLKS WHO ARE PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS, I'VE SECURED A TOTAL OF $6 BILLION FOR HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

THESE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PUNCHING WAY ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT.

- YEAH.

A LONG TIME.

- FOR A LONG TIME.

DOING SO MUCH FOR SO MANY FOR SO LONG WITH SO VERY LITTLE, I THINK PEOPLE JUST EXPECT THEM TO PERFORM MIRACLES.

AND I'M GLAD THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THESE HBCUS AND THAT'S AN INVESTMENT.

NOT, NOT JUST IN BLACK PEOPLE.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- THAT'S INVESTMENT IN OUR ECONOMY.

THAT MAKES ALL OF US BETTER.

- THIRD MARSHALL PRODUCT OF BLACK UNIVERSITY, MARTIN KING.

SO MANY PEOPLE.

- WHERE WOULD WE BE?

- WHERE WOULD WE BE?

- WITHOUT HSBCS?

- I'M GLAD YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES WE, IN THIS, IN THE POLARIZATION OF THIS COUNTRY, WE TEND TO THINK OF THINGS THAT ARE, WHAT DO THEY CALL IT?

WHITE INSTITUTIONS OR HSBC.

AND THERE'S ALL THE SEPARATION.

BUT IF YOU CREATE STRONG CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF RACE OF COLOR, IT CREATES A STRONGER COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE FOR MY AUDIENCE THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY, THAT ARE NOT BLACK TO UNDERSTAND THAT HBCUS AREN'T AGAINST ANYTHING.

THEY'RE FOR A SEGMENT OF YOUR COUNTRY TO PRODUCE GREATER PRODUCTS OF THIS COUNTRY THAT HELP THE COUNTRY ULTIMATELY.

- NOW THESE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PUNCHING WAY ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT.

- YEAH.

- AND LOOK, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK.

THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE - YOU WORKED WITH TIM SCOTT.

- I WORKED WITH TIM SCOTT.

I WORKED WITH SENATOR WICKER.

- [HOST] YEAH.

- AND OTHERS TO, TO STRENGTHEN HBCUS.

- YEAH.

AND THE REASON I HIGHLIGHT TIM SCOTTS, A LOT OF US DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE WAR KNOCKS UNLESS SOMEONE FROM THE OTHER SIDE IS TRYING TO SAY, WELL, THE DEMOCRATS AREN'T DOING THAT.

THEN A LOT OF US DON'T HEAR ABOUT TIM SKYLIN, THE REPUBLICANS NOT DOING THAT.

BUT YOU AND TIM FIGURED OUT A WAY AS BLACK MEN - WE DID.

- TO SAY, WE NEED TO HELP THESE CHILDREN SO WE CAN PRODUCE.

A GREATER AMERICAN CITIZENS TO HELP THIS COUNTRY.

AND I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU BOTH ON THAT.

- THANK YOU.

- CHARLEMAGNE THE GOD'S A FRIEND OF MINE AND WE TALK A LOT.

AND HE SAYS, MAN, YOU KNOW, I, I TALK TO SENATOR WARNOCK, I TALK TO TIM SCOTT, HE TALKS TO, HE'S ONE OF THE ONLY BLACK MEN I KNOW WHO DOESN'T CHOOSE A SIDE BEFORE HE'S INFORMED BY EVERYONE.

AND HE MAKES THIS DECISION, MAKES HIS DECISIONS.

I REALLY RESPECT HIM FOR THAT CUZ HE'S THE ONE THAT REALLY, THAT GOT ME INTO NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY SUPPORTING FROM GROUND LEVEL PEOPLE I KNEW, BUT INVESTIGATING PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW.

AND TRYING TO FIND A COMMONALITY.

YOU WERE THE MAIN SPONSOR OF A FARMER'S DEBT RELIEF BILL.

- YEAH.

- AND YOU KNOW, IT ALMOST GOT YOU SUED BECAUSE AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY THOUGHT, WELL THEY'RE JUST FAVORING BLACK FARMERS.

WELL.

- I'M, BUT YEAH, I'M, I'M ON THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE.

- GOTCHA.

- AND I ADVOCATED TO GET ON THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE IS STILL GEORGIA'S BIGGEST EXPORT.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- IT IS A HUGE PART OF THE GEORGIA ECONOMY.

AND SO WHAT I'VE DEMONSTRATED IS MY COMMITMENT TO FARMERS ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

AND SO WE PASS IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, A FARMER'S DEBT RELIEF PACKAGE.

AND IT HELPS FARMERS ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

- SO BLACK FARMERS.

- ABOUT 5 BILLION DOLLARS.

- BLACK FARMERS IN PARTICULAR HAVE HAD IT ROUGH SINCE - THAT'S TRUE.

- THEY HAD LAND CONFISCATED.

THEY WERE NOT PRIVY TO LAND GRANT.

DR. KING TALKED ABOUT IT IN HIS LAST TWO, THREE YEARS.

HE TALKED WITH THE BREAD BASKET INITIATIVES.

AND WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT US NEEDING ESSENTIALLY TO GET MONIES WHERE IN CAPITAL WHERE THEY DESERVE TO BE, THESE FARMERS HAVE BEEN IGNORED FOR OVER 60, 70 YEARS.

HOW DOES THIS HELP THEM?

BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT WOULD.

- NO, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

LOOK, AND AS YOU POINT OUT, LOOK, ALL FARMERS OR FARMERS ACROSS THE BOARD ARE STRUGGLING.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- RIGHT.

- BUT BLACK FARMERS HAVE HAD A PARTICULAR STORY.

AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

I THINK WE WERE LIKE, BLACK FARMERS WERE LIKE 14% OF THE FARMS AND NOW THEY'RE LESS THAN 2%.

- AND THAT'S CRAZY CUZ 14%.

- ACTUALLY LOST, LOST A LOT OF LAND OVER THE YEARS.

AND SO ON TOP OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT CHALLENGE FARMERS IN GENERAL, THE LONG LEGACY OF RACE LOOMS LARGE IN THAT SECTOR.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE FOCUSED ON AND TRIED TO, TO REMEDY.

TRIED TO REMEDY IT IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

BUT WE HAVE, WE PASSED IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, A FARMERS DEBT RELIEF PACKAGE.

IT HELPS AFRICAN AMERICAN FARMERS, IT HELPS WHITE FARMERS.

IT HELPS FARMERS.

- ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID TOGETHER, WELL NOT ONE OF THE FIRST, BECAUSE ALEX JOHN HAD PUT US TOGETHER AROUND SOME ORGANIZING TO REDUCE VIOLENCE IN ATLANTA YEARS AGO.

BUT ONE OF THE FIRST AND MEMORABLE THINGS THAT I COULD, HONESTLY, I FELT TRULY IN LEAGUE WITH YOU, WAS DOING THE TROY DAVIS RALLIES.

TROY DAVIS WAS A YOUNG MAN IN SAVANNAH THAT MANY SAY WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF AND CONVICTED OF A MURDER.

THERE WAS A BIG CAMPAIGN HERE TO STOP HIS EXECUTION TO GET SOME TYPE OF CLEMENCY.

WE SAT OUT THERE IN THAT CHURCH AND WE, WE PROTESTED ALL DAY AND NIGHT.

AND THEY SENT US AWAY UNTIL THE NIGHT ASSURED US SOMETHING GOOD WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

AND HE WAS EXECUTED.

AND I FELT DEFEATED.

I FELT, I FELT LIKE WHAT'S THE PURPOSE?

BUT I DIDN'T GIVE UP.

I USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE DEATH PENALTY, I AIN'T REALLY INTO IT, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO SHOULD.

AND THEN I'VE GROWN, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE LIKE DICK GREGORY I'VE TALKED TO AND I'VE TALKED TO OTHERS.

I'M NOT A SUPPORTIVE OF THE DEATH PENALTY ANYMORE.

AND I KNOW YOU ARE NOT.

COULD YOU, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY, BEYOND BEING A CHRISTIAN MINISTER, WHAT DOES THE DEATH PENALTY IN THIS COUNTRY SAY ABOUT US?

THAT WE STILL USE IT AS A MEANS OF PUNISHMENT?

AND WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE TO SEE IN THE NEXT 10, 15 OR 20 YEARS IN REGARDS TO IT.

- DR. KING USED TO SAY THAT THAT A SOCIETY THAT'S BUILT ON THE NOTION OF AN EYE FOR AN EYE LEAVES EVERYBODY BLIND.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A HIGHER AND BETTER WAY.

AND I'M A BIG ADVOCATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND SAFETY.

WE CAN, IN FACT, WE MUST HAVE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE LAND OF THE FREE IS THE MASS INCARCERATION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

WE ARE 4% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION.

WE WAREHOUSE 25% OF THE WORLD'S PRISONERS.

25%.

SO OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS, YOU AND I HAVE SEEN DURING, DURING THE SPAN OF OUR LIFETIME, THE WAY IN WHICH THE WAR ON DRUGS HAS OFTEN BEEN A WAR ON BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES IS LITERALLY HOLLOWED OUT OUR COMMUNITIES.

BLACK MEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES WAREHOUSED.

AND THE IMPACT OF THAT OVER THE LAST FOUR DECADES IS, IS DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE.

I'M HOPEFUL THAT IN THIS MOMENT IN WHICH WE'RE SEEING OTHER FAMILIES TRAUMATIZED AND DEVASTATED BY THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES, THAT WE MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THAT FINALLY WE HAVE GOTTA BUILD A MULTIRACIAL COALITION THAT DEALS WITH ADDICTION AS A SICKNESS.

- [HOST] YES.

- THAT IS FOCUSED ON SAFETY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME FOCUSED ON OPPORTUNITY AND GIVING PEOPLE A PATH TO BE WHOLE.

AND SO THAT OUR COMMUNITIES CAN BE WHOLE.

- WORKING CLASS MEN IN THE SOUTH, BLACK, WHITE, AND OTHER ARE AFRAID THAT THERE'S AN IMMIGRANT POPULATION COMING IN, GONNA TAKE THEIR JOBS CAUSE THEY WORK FOR CHEAPER.

THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU'RE PUSHING FOR WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

- ALL COUNTRIES NEED A BORDER.

- [HOST] GOTCHA.

- AND SO I SUPPORT STRONG BORDERS.

I ALSO SUPPORT A REASONABLE PATH TO DIGNIFIED CITIZENSHIP.

WE GOT 11 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SHADOWS AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THEM A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.

- TO MY MORE CONSERVATIVE COUNTERPARTS OUT THERE THAT ARE MORE BLACK AND WHITE.

YOU DID SOMETHING INCREDIBLE.

JOHNNY ISAACSON WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CONSERVATIVES FROM HERE.

YOU EITHER LOVED OR HATED HIM, AT HIS FUNERAL AND YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON HIM AND SPEAK OF HIM.

AND YOU DID SO IN A WAY THAT WAS RESPECTABLE AND THAT WAS NOBLE.

AND THAT SHOWED PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THE FENCE YOU'RE ON, GEORGIANS, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT VERY QUICKLY?

AND AND THEN I'LL LET YOU GET OUTTA HERE.

WHICH I WANT TO KNOW, WE'VE GIVEN YOU TWO YEARS.

THERE'S SIX MORE TO GO.

WHAT AT THE END OF THE EIGHT YEARS, BECAUSE, I DO FEEL YOU'RE GONNA BE OUR SENATOR FOR SIX MORE YEARS.

AT THE END OF THAT EIGHT YEARS, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?

CAUSE YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH TOO.

SO JOHNNY ISAACS AND, AND AT THE END OF YOUR EIGHT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA SEE.

- YEAH, YEAH.

LOOK, HE WAS A REPUBLICAN.

I'M A DEMOCRAT.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME POLITICS, BUT WE HAD A DEEP AND REAL APPRECIATION.

AND I'D EVEN SAY AFFECTION.

- WELL, JOHNNY ISAACS.

- I DID.

- DID YOU TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM?

THEY GOT MAD AT ME TO TAKE A PICTURE.

- I'VE GOT PLENTY OF PICTURES.

- [HOST] OKAY.

HERE'S THE THING I RESPECTED ABOUT JOHNNY ISAACSON.

YOU NEVER DOUBTED THE DEPTH OF HIS COMMITMENT TO GEORGIA.

- [HOST] I AGREE.

- I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HIS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING HE DID POLITICALLY.

BUT HE WOULD COME TO MY CHURCH.

IN FACT, WHEN HE RETIRED, HE CAME BY MY CHURCH JUST TO SAY FAREWELL TO EVERYBODY.

- WOW.

- THE FIRST TIME I STOOD ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE, I CAME AS CHAPLAIN OF THE DAY AS JOHNNY ISAACSON'S GUEST.

AND SO I HOPE THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF JOHN, OF JOHNNY ISAACSON AND JOHN LEWIS.

BOTH REPRESENTATIVES THAT I RESPECTED GREATLY.

ONE A DEMOCRAT, ONE A REPUBLICAN, ONE IN THE HOUSE, ONE IN THE SENATE.

THAT'S HOW I WOULD LIKE TO MOLD MY CAREER.

- YES SIR.

- OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS, AS SOMEONE WHO'S STANDING UP FOR GEORGIA TIME AND TIME AGAIN TRYING TO HELP OUR FAMILIES.

TRYING TO HELP ALL OF US KEEP THE PROMISES THAT WE MAKE TO OUR CHILDREN.

- I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.

I APPRECIATE YOUR STORY.

I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON BEHALF OF GEORGIA.

I APPRECIATE YOU FOR LEADING TRULY A CHRIST-LIKE LIFE.

- THANK YOU BROTHER, GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

- THANKS FOR COMING TO LOVE AND RESPECT, ABSOLUTELY.

- LOVE AND RESPECT WITH KILLER MIKE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE RESSLER GERTZ FAMILY FOUNDATION.

TOGETHER WE ARE PROUD TO BRING MO RE LOVE AND RESPECT INTO OUR COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION.

♪ ♪