43 | My President Is Black | It’s the Senate, and We in It
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Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Black History for Real early and ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Conscious, what do you think makes a good U.S. president?

It's a lot of things, you feel me? But without being like super duper long winded, I think that what it takes to be a good president is making sure that the most vulnerable Americans have a political, social, economic reality that is plentiful, where they're able to get resources and opportunities there.

And, you know, keeping the economy is one of them good parts. But, you know, shout out to Reagan that it's times that the economy can be good, but it don't mean much for the most vulnerable Americans. And, of course, some of my black folks in media, for instance. But that's what I would say. What about you, though? What's your take?

Yeah, the economy part is interesting, too, because you're essentially getting the economy that the last president left you. We're seeing it happen right now where one president is getting either the credit or the blame for something that they inherited. And unfortunately, that is the case with many things. Right. And I don't know, it's hard because.

My perspective is limited, right? Sometimes the policies that they're enacting, you don't actually feel the effects of till later. So I got to be honest, it's really hard for me to say, especially because when presidents are elected, unless they've been in office before, they've never done another job like it. Not to say that you can't hold them accountable, but do you really know what the job is?

Like a chunk of people are going to not like you no matter what you do. Yeah, especially when you put it in terms of a black person getting a job. It's like now you got to carry a lot of racial pathology in how people think you had a capacity to do your job. And you could be everybody's president and not just black people's president. Oh, yeah, that's absolutely the case. I mean, look, in that instance, you could be the most qualified person in the world and Americans would still say, but Kim.

And they do it. And hey, it's literally happening right now. I don't know if we're ready for a woman president. Oh, God. I mean, truly. And again, we can acknowledge that many things can be true, right? It's a job that is difficult. But when we're talking about somebody who's been to law school and has held elected office before,

Almost more than half of their life versus somebody who is a former reality star. I mean, we are talking about two very different levels of qualification and experience. But again, being black and being a woman are counted as strikes against her.

But, you know, to go back to that qualified thing, a number of U.S. presidents were senators at one point. And for black folks, that might be the key to the White House is going through the Senate.

It's November 2nd, 2010. Kamala Harris has been waiting on this day to come for months. She's running for Attorney General of California. It's been a long, long election night and it's still going. But she's in the back room with her staff in San Francisco, nervously checking results.

She wants to be the people's lawyer, and she's confident she's better than Republican Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles County District Attorney. But the odds are stacked against Kamala. She's a woman. She's Black and Indian. She's against the death penalty. And she's the DA of San Francisco, an oddball city that a lot of folks don't take seriously. And right now, Steve's leading it.

It don't look like the race gonna be decided anytime soon. Let's remember why we're in this race. We're pushing past the status quo. We're smart and we're tough. Kamala gives her chief strategist, Ace Smith, a sideways glance. He shakes his head and grabs her arm, pulling her away from the crowd. Bad news. She's losing. Kamala squints into the lights and cameras on stage. The lights are blinding and she can't see the crowd, but she starts a speech.

Folks is listening, excited at first, then something starts changing. It's getting somber, like a funeral. Kamala glances to her right. Her communications advisor, Debbie Maslow, is panicked. She quickly finishes her speech and rushes off the stage. Everybody looks like they know something she doesn't. Ace breaks the silence. The San Francisco Chronicle, they call it the race. They're saying Steve won. He gave his victory speech already.

Kamala rubs her temple. All those hours campaigning, and it's over. She's failed everyone who believed in her. So, that's it, huh? I just go out there and... Ace flashes a smile. Or, you could wait. I'm looking at the numbers, Kamala, and some of our strongholds haven't come in yet.

Which means... Which means it's too early to call this race. You campaigned to be the people's lawyer. Don't give up on them just yet. Kamala shakes her head. Leave it to Ace to remind her. She's got a chance to become California's first Black and first Asian American Attorney General. A victory here can open up her political future in ways she never dreamed. But right now, that future is in the hands of the people.

In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of scandals and deadly crashes that have dented its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX. The latest season of Business Wars explores how Boeing allowed things to turn deadly and what, if anything, can save the company's reputation. Make sure to listen to Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts.

♪ Heritage, black is royalty ♪ ♪ From head to toe, black is beautiful ♪ ♪ Black is beautiful ♪

From Wondery, this is Black History For Real, where we chronicle the stories of movers and shakers from Black history all over the world. The stories will inspire you, educate you, and more often than not, leave you shaking your damn head. I'm Consciously. And I'm Francesca Ramsey. Today, we're diving into the stories of Black senators whose rise in federal government continued beyond Congress. ♪

By the year 2000, we'd only had four black U.S. Senators. Four. In the more than 100 years. America really don't like having black folks in hot places. But something did get turned upside down in the 2000s. The number of black folks who got elected in the Senate skyrocketed. The first time ever, multiple black folks were Senators at once.

But two of those senators are exceptional. And they got a few things in common. They're mixed. They're the children of immigrants. And their rise didn't stop at the Senate. This is episode three. My president is black. It's black.

Barack Hussein Obama II is exceptional right out the window. He's born in 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii, but he also grows up in Indonesia and the United States. His mama, Ann Dunham, is a white American anthropologist. His daddy, Barack Obama Sr., is a black Kenyan economist. Barack may share his name with his daddy, but he don't know that man at all.

Barak Sr. and Anne divorced when Barak's just two years old. He's raised by his mom, his stepfather, and his grandparents. He doesn't look like the kids around him and doesn't want to stand out. Kids usually treat him normally, but when a kid calls him a coon in seventh grade, Barak punches him in the face.

Barack's a curious kid. He asks his mom's questions about his dad, about race, about class differences. But when he's a teenager, angst grabs hold of him. His grades slip. He parties a lot and only wants to play basketball. Barack's fleeing questions about his identity and the world. He starts reading a lot to mentally escape.

writers and poets like Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, and D.H. Lawrence. After high school, Barack goes to Occidental College in Los Angeles. His bookmarks give him the confidence to be more opinionated. He's inspired by labor organizers and young civil rights leaders and suffragists from the times past. By the late '70s, Barack's starting to see America clearly, how the nation glosses over its history of oppression and imperialism.

but he's a bit of an optimist. The visions of American equality and freedom shouted about in the Constitution and books, those can be real. Misfits and dreamers like him can have extraordinary lives in America. He transfers to Columbia University to get a degree in political science. And it turns out he's not the only mixed kid dreaming of politics.

Kamala Davie Harris is born in Oakland, California in 1964. Oakland's the center of the civil rights movement. Police are beating up residents and activists are fighting discrimination and power. A couple years after she's born, the Black Panther Party is founded in the city at Mary College.

Kamala's mom, Shamala Gopalan Harris, is a scientist from southern India. She raises Kamala and her sister Maya. Kamala's dad, Donald Harris, is an economist from Jamaica. He's not super present, but he's around. Kamala's mom and maternal grandparents shape her love for doing the right thing, even when she's punished for it.

Shamala pushes little Kamala around in the stroller at civil rights marches. Kamala don't understand what's going on, but she feels the spirit of the space. Shamala's invested in social justice and she's a cancer researcher. She's always challenging Kamala to think deeply and to use the scientific method to form her own opinions.

Kamala takes her mom's guidance to heart. She goes to Howard University for Political Science and Economics and pledges Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first sorority founded by Black women. After graduating in 1986, she enrolls at the University of California, Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. She becomes president of the Black Law Students Association at Hastings and uses her power in the BLSA to help Black students who struggle finding jobs.

This work lights a fire under her. She wants to fight for equal justice. In 1989, she takes a summer job at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Maybe she can save someone. But saving folks in the American criminal justice system ain't just saving folks. Apparently, it sometimes means killing folks or locking up innocent folks. Kamala's friends and family sighed.

Black folks get more severe sentences than white folks. They ain't even touching over incarceration. Except Kamala thinks she can game the system for good. Like criminal justice Robin Hood. She looks up to prosecutors who target racists and corrupt politicians by protecting everyday people. She trying to finesse the system from the inside.

It's tough because it is admirable to want to be the change that the world needs, but it's such an uphill battle when you're just one person. And when you did not create the system, right? It's so often you hear people say, the system's not broken. It's working exactly the way that it was designed to. And I definitely have respect for people who want to make things better,

And I try to not be a pessimist and believe that that work is not fruitful or not worthy. But

It's also really difficult when you're the only person striving towards one thing and everyone else is complacent and happy with how things are functioning because they don't suffer the consequences of it. So I can understand why Kamala's friends and family were maybe skeptical. My grandfather always said the pathway ahead was paved with good intentions. And that's what I think about when it comes to a lot of black politicians, that they have a lot of good intentions, but those good intentions usually don't outweigh some of the impacts they do.

And as somebody that has been very vigilant about, you know, international conflicts, I think about how, you know, getting in getting inside the system to fight from it within the system. You know, most of the time the system wins and you become a co-opted part of the system. That now as somebody that is very politically invested in what's going on in our society and as somebody that would consider themselves very politically aware of.

I have a lot of empathy and sympathy for the many of black folks who've gotten into politics and many black folks who will get into politics that, you know, think they can change the system for within. But I think something else that could be packaged, you know, in years to come is how these two people, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, have mixed background heritage and how in our society now there are certain people.

performances of Blackness and Black people that is just seen as just more palatable and consumable by mainstream America. And that's what we said in a WWE The Voice episode. They're mildly seasoned. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, I think it's something to be said about that, but I don't think it's right now, though. Kamala's trying to stay committed to equality by navigating the crooked system. It's the beginning of a delicate dance that might have her tripping over her own feet. Meanwhile...

Barack Obama is a couple of thousand miles away and getting ready to pound the page. Barack's finding where he fits in. In 1989, he makes a move that completely changes his future. He gets a summer internship in Chicago at the prestigious law firm Sidley & Austin. The job's great, and he gets a mentor who makes the work way better. Someone he hopes to impress by becoming the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review, Michelle Robinson.

It takes Michelle a little while to warm up to Barack. Folks at the firm are raving about him like he's some black Jesus. He gotta live up to the hype, though.

And the thing is, he does. He's charismatic and he's a community organizer in Chicago. He looks up to Harold Washington, the first black mayor of the city. Harold focuses on unifying people and he gave folks hope that things could turn around even when the circumstances are crap. That inspires Barack. He thinks he might want to be in politics one day. Barack's already figured out one thing, though.

He likes being the center of attention. The New York Times profiles him as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. That leads him to an agent and a book deal. He's getting a tiny taste of the celebrity life. Barack's still figuring out what he wants to do with all this potential. But now he knows standing out ain't so bad. And it might be the key to winning folks' hearts and minds.

In 1995, Barack takes the leap into politics. Alice Palmer, the state senator from Illinois' 13th district, runs for U.S. Congress. She taps him to work on her campaign. They make a deal. Alice will endorse Barack for her state senate seat, and she won't run against him if she loses the U.S. Congress race. In return, Barack will help her run for the U.S. House. Michelle's Barack's wife now.

And she ain't a big fan of politics. Too much of a soul-sucking blood sport. But she believes in him and says, yes, Barack don't waste no time.

On September 19, 1995, he announces his run in Hyde Park at a Ramada Inn. Only a couple hundred people show up. Lots of them are Michelle's family members. Clearly, a win's not guaranteed. Plus, Republicans have run the Illinois government for the last 20 years. But Barack's political vision is getting sharper. He gives a speech. I want to inspire a renewal of morality in politics.

I will work as hard as I can, as long as I can, on your behalf. Barack's got no credibility in politics. And morality and politics don't always go together. But Barack hasn't given up on his dreams of equality and freedom. He's going to need that optimism when he's battling the political machine.

Barack's about to learn real quick why Michelle was hesitant about politics. Alice loses her race for the U.S. House. Eventually, she second guesses her decision not to run for the state Senate. She needs Barack to think twice about his campaign, too.

Barack watches Illinois State Representative Lou Jones lean against the wall with her arms crossed. A bunch of Chicago elders stand next to her, crowding her small kitchen. Sun shines through an open window, casting odd shadows on everyone's face. Lou gestures towards the kitchen table. You can take a seat, Barack. Barack sits on the edge of his chair, just in case he needs to make a quick escape. It's starting to feel like they invited him here for an intervention.

or to get whacked. Mob style. Lou pours Barack a glass of water and slides it his way, but Barack don't pick it up. She steps away from the wall, her arms still tightly folded. I'm gonna make it plain and simple. We want you to step down from the state senate race. It belongs to Alice. Barack's eyes narrow. Belongs? You brought me into your home like this?

Alice promised me she wouldn't run even if she lost the Congress race. Promises don't mean much, Miss Business. You got potential, but you got to work your way up in this city. The fuuuu- Don't worry. We will have your back on another race down the road. Barack jumps up. Blood rushes to his head, but he's not going to lose his temper. Down the road. You know as well as I do, there might not be another race.

Barack heads towards the door. He hates he wasted his time. If she wanted to change plans, she should have come to me. I'm not going to stop my campaign. Barack storms out of the house. He thought he finally caught his stride, made a good, clean deal. Now Alice's supporters are trying to push him out. There's no way he's giving in. Alex joins the race for the state Senate. Barack's disappointed.

She betrayed him. Even though Alice don't see it that way, she collects petitions to be put on the ballot. But they full of bad signatures and addresses. Barack's team challenges her petitions and she drops out. Barack coasts the victory. Barack's Illinois state senate term starts in Springfield in 1997.

The Republican majority blocks a lot of the bills he supports, but his passionate speeches get the Democratic senators excited. Barack's elected to two more terms in the state Senate. Life at home is busy too. Barack and Michelle are now the parents of two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Barack gets more bills through when Democrats get the majority in 2003. One of the eventual bills expands healthcare coverage to more than 100,000 Illinois residents.

Things are looking up. He's going to go for the U.S. Senate. And if he can find himself in politics, maybe he can really find himself. Still ain't been but four, yes, four black U.S. senators ever. He might be humble, but Lady Luck smiles ever. The 2004 presidential race is heating up and Barack's about to be in the right place at the right time.

On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171 passengers. This heart-stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant Boeing. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of damning scandals and deadly crashes

that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX. The latest season of Business Wars explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering, descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees and what, if anything, can save the company's reputation.

Follow Business Wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge Business Wars, The Unraveling of Boeing, early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus. I'm Erlon Woods. I'm Nigel Poore. We're the hosts and creators of Ear Hustle from PRX's Radiotopia. When we met, I was doing time at San Quentin State Prison in California. And I was coming in as a volunteer. The stories we tell are probably not what people expect from a prison podcast.

Like cooking meals in a prison cell. Keeping little pets. Prison nicknames. And trying to be a parent from inside. Stories about life on the inside, shared by those who live it. Find Ear Hustle wherever you get your podcasts. Black is beautiful.

While Barack's knee-deep in politics in 2004, Kamala Harris is on the West Coast, stuck in law land. She's got to be known for something as a prosecutor, so she pitches herself as a progressive in love with law and order. It works. The San Francisco Police Officers Association endorses her when she runs for district attorney of San Francisco. In January 2004, she takes her post as the San Francisco D.A.,

Kamala says she ain't gonna pursue the death penalty as district attorney. Elected officials ain't known for keeping their word, but Kamala stands on her promise. A few months after she's sworn in, Isaac Espinoza, a San Francisco cop, is murdered during the traffic stop in April 2004. The Espinoza family, cops, politicians from both major parties, and many of her constituents demand Isaac's murderer be killed.

They're looking for speedy death penalty approval from Kamala, but she doesn't flip-flop. This time, she refuses. It's a problem for a lot of people, including a sitting senator close to home. Kamala slides into the pew at the front of the sanctuary in St. Mary's Cathedral. Senator Dianne Feinstein sits at the other end of the pew. They're here to honor the life of Officer Isaac Espinosa.

Diane supports the death penalty, but it's not the time or place to talk about that. San Francisco cops file in and take their seats. Isaac's family members speak. Kamala lowers her head. She's trying to be as respectful as possible. Everyone's being cordial, but she don't expect everyone here to like her. It sounds like the eulogies are over, but a cop motions for Diane to come up to the pulpit.

This is a tragedy. Officer Espinosa's killer deserves the death penalty.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association refuses to endorse Kamala's campaign. She writes an op-ed explaining her decision to skip the death penalty.

The district attorney is charged with seeking justice, not vengeance. From my career in law enforcement and the law, it is clear to me that the death penalty is deeply flawed. It takes guts to double down like that. Her actions make it seem like she's really focused on reform, but she ain't consistent and she definitely ain't always progressive. Maybe she's just moving how her mom taught her, thinking for herself and breaking down decisions pathologically.

Maybe she's learning her values, got to take a backseat sometimes if she wants to stay in politics. Either way, Kamala does show she really believes in the power of redemption. In 2005, she starts Back on Track. It's a program that helps people who committed nonviolent offenses stay out of jail. Back on Track does what it says it's going to do.

It targets folks who get nonviolent drug offenses for the first time, and it reduces their rate for getting charged again. The program spreads to other cities in the U.S. Kamala's on the map, but soon she'll be fighting for her own redemption.

Back in the Midwest, Barack's making the rounds in his campaign for the U.S. Senate. In early July 2004, Barack's driving from Springfield, Illinois to Chicago when his phone rings. Presidential nominee John Kerry wants Barack to give the keynote at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. The DNC is a huge deal, and it's just been a few weeks. He's barely read from a teleprompter before, and it takes just a few days to write.

On July 27, 2004, Barack Obama gets ready to address the nation in a speech that changes his life and the country. Barack desperately wants a cigarette to calm his nerves. He's given plenty of speeches, but never one like this. On a huge stage, in front of thousands of people in person and millions at home. All those years searching for his place in the world. Is it finally here?

Michelle straightens his tie and then smooths his lapels. Barack pulls her in for a hug. He don't know what to do without. You got this. Barack paces back and forth. His palms are slick with sweat. Any moment now, they're going to call him up. I've never done anything like this before. This feels bigger than me. You wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't.

Michelle gives him a light kiss. A voice comes from above. It's time. He's shaking already. Michelle squeezes his shoulders with a soft smile. Don't screw it up. The stage feels enormous. He waves and claps as he makes his way to the lecture. He pauses. Soaking everything in, the lights are bright. But he can see a lot of faces close to the stage. Folks of all colors.

Camera flashes look like twinkling stars in a sea of red, white, and blue. Barack thought he would be more nervous when he got on stage. But now that he sees everyone in the crowd, he feels energized. He gets to talk about his heritage and his belief in the country's greatness. He gets to bring a message of hope and unity to thousands of folks. A mixed kid with an African name and big dreams. Giving the keynote address for the Democratic presidential nominee.

If this is possible, what isn't? Barack's smile touches his eyes. From nerdy outcasts to a star of the Democratic Party, Barack ain't alone in the room. The whole country is watching. And the crowd in the room hangs on to every word. It is that fundamental belief, I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper, that makes this country work.

It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family. Barack's speech is a hit. He wins his U.S. Senate election against Republican Alan Keyes with 70 percent of the vote and starts his term in the U.S. Senate in January 2005. He's 99th in seniority. He goes to other senators for advice and he don't stir up drama policy wise.

He's against the Iraq war and he passes lobbying for it. But the big changes he's been hoping for, he don't push for them. He's reserved.

Just like other freshmen who try to stay in their places. But that doesn't matter to the public. Regular folks are dying for more Barack airtime. He's barely settled in Washington before reporters press him to consider his legacy. The attention's a little absurd. Some ask him to run for president, the first Black president of the United States, as if such a thing were even possible. Barack's only 45 years old.

He barely got a track record in national politics, and he's convinced he can heal sociopolitical divisions and get young people involved. Barack talks a good game about creating a new version of America. He even convinces Michelle, too. Deep down, though, he's scared this campaign will make racism worse. Barack announced this campaign on a chilly February morning in 2017.

Folks of all religions, races, and classes huddle in the crowd. They unite to make their dream of equality and freedom real and to elect him president.

Barack's strolling through cities across America, promising folks better jobs, better health care, and to end the Iraq War. He hypnotizes the masses with his animated speeches and hopeful grin. His visions of change sound revolutionary. He's got crowds chanting his name like he's a pop star. It's like Christmas. Hearts beating out of their chest, waiting to open the gift of a better America. They're screaming, fired up, ready to go.

A lot of folks ain't excited about the idea of a black man in the White House, though. Barack's got stiff competition with white Republican John McCain, a U.S. senator and Navy officer. And of course, the racist acting rabbit. They asked to see Barack's birth certificate, saying he's not even an American citizen. This time, he don't punch nobody in the face for talking mess. He's got to stay diplomatic.

But Barack runs an energetic campaign built on a foundation of hope and faith. He inspires more than a million volunteers to work on his race. Election Day in 2008 is tense, like hitting a winning shot on the final buzzer. It's a thin margin, 69 million to 59 million popular votes. But Barack does it. He becomes the first ever Black U.S. president. ♪

Barack moves into the White House with his family in January 2009. He serves two terms, just like he hoped. He's setting the stage for other folks who don't fit in to maybe one day sit in the Oval Office. They're hoping big changes in the race relations and American morality are on the horizon. But Barack ain't exactly radical.

Just like Kamala, he's learned how to finesse the political system to appease more folks. And sometimes that means supporting some sketchy, some would even say anti-Black policies. Maybe Barack's fitting into the establishment a little too well. Black is beautiful.

In 2010, Kamala Harris runs for attorney general in California. A month after the race ends, all the votes have been counted. Kamala gets about 74,000 more votes than Steve Cooley. She's leading by less than 1% of the vote, but it's enough. She becomes the first Black person and the first woman to be attorney general in the state. She's the state's top cop, and she's got a lot more eyes on her.

Now that she's attorney general, she flips the script. She argues against the release of innocent folks, and she releases fewer people from prison. That hard line she took on the death penalty? It's not so solid anymore. Californians have little hope when the case of death row inmate Ernest Dwayne Jones is up for review.

In 2014, a United States District Court judge overturns the death sentence that Ernest got in 1995. The judge says that the death penalty is unconstitutional. The decision could spell the end of the death penalty in California, but Kamala won't have that. She appeals the court's decision because it's not supported by law.

This Kamala doesn't seem like the Kamala who stood her ground on Isaac Espinosa's murder. If there's one thing Kamala will do, it's keep folks guessing. The guessing game brings consequences. People don't trust her. And when folks call for accountability in policing, she's quiet. Her silence might help her win folks who think she's choosing philosophy over facts. But she's losing folks who aren't falling for her progressive peacocking. Barack got opposition too.

He got to deal with a lot of partisan pushback. That's kind of what he wants. Folks are forced to come together and try to compromise. But the key word here is try.

because the back and forth can be hostile and unproductive. He passes the Affordable Care Act, which is a major shift for health care in the country, and Navy SEALs kill Osama bin Laden during this administration. Now, Barack can shift the counterterrorism strategy away from the so-called war on terror. But all that youthful enthusiasm and hope folks have at the beginning of his presidency fades. Barack's drowning in hundreds of years of tradition

Folks criticize his use of drone strikes, his policies on surveillance, and his Wall Street bailouts. No person escapes the presidency unscathed. Barack gets a little extra because he's Black, but he makes it out the White House in 2017. Barack's leaving the White House, but Kamala's getting closer. And in 2016, she's still got enough support to become a U.S. Senator.

She's upset Donald Trump wins the presidency over Hillary Clinton, but now she's got a bigger platform. Whether she'll stand on it 10 toes down, toss up. Kamala leaves the post as Attorney General and heads to Washington. She works on bail reform and anti-lynching bills in the Senate. She also supports police reform. In

In 2020, Kamala helps introduce the Justice in Policing Act, which tries to prevent racial profiling and limit cops' use of excessive force. It's blocked by Republicans. But Americans really warm up to Kamala through her Senate hearings. People are fascinated by her tough cross-examinations. She's fun to watch, and she keeps her boot on folks' necks. On June 13, 2017, Kamala goes viral. ♪♪

Kamala appears over her desk at Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He's in the hot seat. Dozens of camera lenses are pointed at him. The Senate Intelligence Committee has been questioning him about the Russian interference in the 2016 election for nearly two whole hours. He ain't answering nobody's question for me.

Kamala's ready for Hudson. Did you ever have communications with Russian officials that you haven't talked about here or in public? I don't recall, but I also can't tell you what I said at the Republican convention. Kamala nods. He's deflected. I'm asking about the knowledge that you have. Did you communicate with any Russian businessmen or nationals?

Sir, I have just a few minutes. Jeff interlaces his fingers and leans forward. I do want you to be honest.

Jeff raises his voice. And I'm not able to be rushed this fast. It makes me nervous. Kamala looks down at her notes and smiles. She hasn't gotten him to give her answers, but she has gotten him to crack. Sometimes no answer is an answer. Kamala's three minutes are up.

The clip of Jeff Buckland under Kamala's question makes waves on the Internet. It's the first of many times she'll go viral for tough cross-examinations. Kamala announces her bid for presidency in 2019, but she struggles in the 2020 campaign. It don't help that she's picturing herself as progressive while her actions as prosecutor say much different.

She drops out before the Democratic primary is over. She won't be America's top person, period. Not yet, at least.

But she's still inching closer to the White House. Joe Biden picks her as his running mate for the general election, and they win. She becomes the U.S. vice president in January 2021. She's the first woman vice president, the first Black vice president, and the first Asian American VP. She uses her platform to talk about voting rights, immigration, and abortion rights. And she gets hate for her race and gender.

But not all the criticism spoke so well of her as hatred. She got some stains on her record that we need to talk about. I can appreciate the desire to try to fix the system from the inside out. But ultimately, all politicians, even the ones that you like...

have to play the game. If they don't play the game, they can't stay in office. They have to. They can't play the game. They won't play the game. It really sucks. And every time I say this, it seems like people get frustrated when you acknowledge the reality of the situation. Like I didn't create the situation. I'm just saying this is what it is.

She is going to. I mean, I didn't say I want her to act this way, but like if she wants to stay in office, she has to weigh the pros and cons of what she can say or how she should say it or what policies she should support and get behind, you know, and this, that and the third. And it is.

It is a game. It's a game. And it's and ultimately it's a popularity contest. And in order to win the popularity contest, you have to make concessions. Doesn't mean that I agree with all of her concessions. And I think the thing that has been frustrating for me while she has been running for president in this most recent election is the criticisms levied at her are overwhelming.

are oftentimes fair, but oftentimes they are very unfair because they are holding her to a higher standard than Donald Trump. Oh, yeah. It's just racism and misogyny, plain and simple. And I just wish similarly with Barack.

There are definitely criticisms of him. But if your criticism is he's wearing a tan suit, he's not really from here, then I'm going to say you're full of it. You're full of it. Full of that shit that flushed down toilets. Right. But I think I think that we asked asking the question, how much of the criticism that Kamala Harris gets is racialized and gendered and how much of it is legitimate?

I would say that like 95, 90 percent of the criticisms that Kamala Harris gets right now in the status quo, I would say most of them are structured by gender and sexual, you know what I'm saying, pathology, because a lot of them ain't really coming at her record. And when they do try to come on her record, it's usually like lies. Like she locked up thousands of black people. Or they blame her for things that Biden did. And it's like she's the vice president. But she ain't got that much power as vice president. Goddamn right.

How many do Barack Obama's policies do you give credit to Joe Biden? Exactly. How many policies that Donald Trump passed do you give credit to Mike Pence? I think that there is a concerted effort to keep some of Americans dumb and not really conscious enough to the politics and how it works. So you get people that's making claims like, well, you in office now do it now. It's like, honey, she ran for president in 2020.

It's a reason why she had to drop out. Because whatever she was saying in 2020, it wasn't beating out the views that Joseph Biden was saying. No. So, like, she didn't get to be like, if you take me as vice president, you got to take my views, too. It's like, that's not how a vice president is. You know what I'm saying? The thing I will say is that there are legitimate criticisms against Kamala Harris.

whether it's about keeping prison labor in jail, whether it's about flip-flopping on, you know what I'm saying, this death penalty, whether it's about, you know... Israel-Palestine. Israel-Palestine. It's like, there are legitimate criticisms. The issue is that the opposition, they pissed on DEI too much, and now they lack literacy around gender, and they lack literacy around race, and they just suck at making good political arguments, so now they're making fun of her last. ♪

It's tricky to consider communist symbolism and a politics. But in July 2024,

Joe Biden drops out of the presidential race and endorses Kamala. She accepts the nomination for the presidency at the Democratic National Convention in August of 2024. She might be the first Black and Asian American woman in the Oval Office, not just as vice president, but also as the president. It seems like Kamala is still drawing on that same calm confidence she had when she was losing the attorney general race.

Her speech at the DNC shows just how much she's focused on optimism and faith. "I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless belief that built our nation and inspired the world. That here, in this country, anything is possible." She's following in Barack's footsteps, spreading hope and excitement.

But it's a lot of folks that got an eye or something or two for Kamala's policies on Israel and criminal justice. That hope ain't gone, though. Now, multiple black folks are in the U.S. Senate together. Tim Scott, Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, LaFonza Butler. Folks still holding on to the dream that change is possible. Kamala can win.

But in the late hours of November 5th, 2024, Donald J. Trump is announced the winner of the election, which leaves a lot of Americans questioning, what does this mean for me? And we'll be honest, it's a question that's difficult to answer right now. But regardless, we're going to be all right.

If you like Black History for Real, you can listen early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.

This is the finale of our three-part series, Black Senators. We use multiple sources when researching our stories, but the truths we hold, an American journey, a promised land, and the audacity of hope were extremely helpful. A note, our scenes contain reenactments and dramatized details for narrative cohesiveness. Black History for Real is hosted by me, Francesca Ramsey. And me, Constance Lee. Black History for Real is a production of Wondery.

This episode was written by Yves Jeffco. Sound design by Ken Nana. The theme song is by Terrace Martin. Lindsey Gomez is the development producer. The coordinating producer is Taylor Sniffen. Nick Ryan is our senior managing producer. Our associate producer is Sonya May. Matt Yank and Morgan Givens are the senior producers. The executive producers for Wondery are Marshall Lue, Aaron O'Flaherty, and Candace Mariquez-Reynalds.