JOINING US ON THE SHOW IS A "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLING
AUTHOR, AN ENTREPRENEUR, AND POLITICAL POWERHOUSE.
WHAT AN HONOR TO HAVE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE NOMINEE, STACEY
ABRAMS ON THE SHOW TONIGHT!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) STACEY, HOW ARE YOU?
>> QUITE WELL, THANK YOU.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> James: I'M SO EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU.
SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE.
WHERE ARE YOU ZOOMING IN FROM NOW.
>> ATLANTA'S, GEORGIA.
MY HOME.
>> James: LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS PAST 12 MONTHS BECAUSE I
CANNOT THINK OF A PERSON WHO HAS WORKED HARDER FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY THAN YOU THIS PAST YEAR.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A BREAK?
BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU DESERVE ONE.
>> I ACTUALLY DID GET TO TAKE A WEEK'S VACATION A FEW WEEKS AGO
AND IT WAS MARVELOUS.
>> James: WHAT SORT OF STUFF DOES STACEY ABRAMS LIKE TO GET
UP TO WHEN SHE'S NOT SAVING AMERICA.
>> THIS IS NOT SUCKING UP, BUT ONE THING I DID IS START AT THE
REBOOT OF DR. WHO AND GOT TO ENJOY TWO OF MY FAVORITE
EPISODES WITH YOU, AND I READ SOME BOOKS.
>> James: LOOK AT THIS!
THAT'S AMAZING!
I'LL TELL MATT, HE'LL BE OVER THE MOON.
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS ABOUT YOU, STACEY, YOU GRADUATED SPELMAN
COLLEGE WITH A MINOR DEGREE IN THEATER, WHICH IS WHY I ALWAYS
KNEW WE WOULD GET ALONG.
WHAT SORT OF PLAYS AND MUSICALS WERE YOU DOING?
DID YOU EVER CONSIDER A CAREER AS AN ACTRESS IS THIS.
>> I WENT TO A PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL MY LAST TWO YEARS OF HIGH
SCHOOL AND DID LIGHTING DESIGN AND A LITTLE DIRECTING, THEN
STARRED IN A SPRING PLAY AT SPELLMAN AND MOREHOUSE, BUT I
DIDN'T GRADUATE WITH A MINOR BECAUSE I REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE
THE ATTENTION SPAN TO BE AN ACTOR ALONE AND I WANTED TO DO
OTHER THINGS.
I JUST APPRECIATE AMAZING ACTORS AND ACTRESSES AND LOVE
TELEVISION AND FILM BUT COULD NOT MAKE IT MY PROFESSION.
>> James: IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE NIGHT ON BROADWAY, WHAT SHOW
WOULD YOU DO?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO DO IS A SHOW THAT WE DID WHEN I WAS IN HIGH
SCHOOL.
I LOVE "THE BOYFRIEND."
I THINK IT'S ONE TO HAVE THE FUN MUSICALS ON AN AMAZING SET AND
MUSIC THAT FEW PEOPLE GET TO APPRECIATE.
>> James: I THINK WE COULD GET THAT ON FOR ONE NIGHT.
STACEY ABRAMS AND "THE BOYFRIEND ."
[ APPLAUSE ] STACEY, OBVIOUSLY, IN 2020,
EVERYONE WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO POLITICS, IT FELT VERY ZONED IN
ON THE ELECTION, AND I WAS REALLY ALARMED WHEN I READ THAT,
IN 2021, AND I WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN MORE
THAN 250 VOTER SUPPRESSION BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED BY
REPUBLICANS.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?
AND ARE YOU WORRIED THAT PEOPLE, SINCE BIDEN WON, ARE SORT OF,
LIKE, OH, IT'S DONE NOW, IT'S ALL OKAY?
BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME WHERE EVERYBODY HAS TO BE THE MOST
VIGILANT, RIGHT?
>> IT IS.
I MEAN, YES, I'M WORRIED, BECAUSE WHAT WE SAW HAPPEN ON
JANUARY 6, THE INSURRECTION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WAS A VIOLENT
VERSION OF WHAT WE'RE WATCHING HAPPEN IN STATE CAPITOLS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS UNDO THE ELECTION BY SILENCING
THOSE THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH AND THAT IS BY AND LARGE COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE THE POOR.
SO MY WORK IS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE
IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT DEMOCRACY
REMAINS UNDER THREAT AND THAT THE BEST SOLUTION, YOU KNOW,
BARRING A MASS AMNESIA OF THOSE WHO ARE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC AND
FORGET TO TRY TO STEAL THE VOTES IS WE HAVE ACTION BY CONGRESS.
THAT HR-1, FOR THE PEOPLE ACT, PASSED THE HOUSE THAT THE SENATE
VERSION PASSED BY AT LEAST SUSPENDING THE FILIBUSTER FOR
THE PROTECTION OF DEMOCRACY AND THAT WE PASS HR-4, THE JOHN
LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT TO PROTECT VOTING FROM HERE
ON.
>> James: THE VOTING SUPPRESSION BILLS THEY'RE TRYING
TO BRING IN, WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY'RE TRYING TO DO?
>> SO, IN GEORGIA, THEY ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE AUTOMATIC
VOTER REGISTRATION, WHICH WOULD PUSH SO MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, OUT OF VOTER REGISTRATION.
THEY'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE NO EXCUSES ABSENTEE BALLOTING, THAT
MEANS IF YOU NEEDED TO VOTE BY MAIL IN, LET'S SAY, A PANDEMIC,
THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN EXCUSE OF BEING ELDERLY, IN THE
MILITARY OR DISABLED IN ORDER TO USE ABSENTEE BALLOTING.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO END EARLY VOTING.
THAT WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE ABLE
TO VIOLATE SAFELY AND SECURELY AND IF THEY HAD TO GO IN PERSON,
EARLY VOTING MEANT PEOPLE WEREN'T CROWDING INTO THE SAME
PRECINCT ON THE SAME DAY IN NOVEMBER AND HAD A FEW WEEKS TO
GET IT DONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS REPUBLICAN ETHOS IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE
THE RIGHT TO VOTE EXCEPT ONE DAY AND LIMITS AND BARRIERS OF WHO
GETS TO BE THERE.
>> James: DO YOU EVER CROSS PATHS WITH SOME OF THE
REPUBLICANS WHO YOU KNOW ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO DO THIS IN
CORRIDORS OR BIG CEREMONIES OR MEETINGS?
WHAT ARE THOSE MOMENTS LIKE?
>> WELL, I DON'T GO OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW.
>> James: SURE.
BT DURING MY TIME IN THE LEGISLATURE, I FOUGHT MANY OF
THESE BILLS.
IN FACT, THE PRIMARY PROPONENT IN THE HOUSE'S NAME IS BARRY
FLEMING IS MOST WELL KNOWN IN THE VOTER SUPPRESSION CIRCLES
FOR HAVING DEPUTY SHERIFFS FOLLOW BLACK MEN HOME TO SCARE
THEM OUT OF VOTING.
HE WAS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND HE BASICALLY SAID THIS IS AN
OKAY THING TO DO.
HE HAS BEEN PROPOSING LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING FOR AS
LONG AS I'VE KNOWN HIM AND IT IS A HARD THING TO WORK WITH
SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT YOUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE
HEARD IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
>> James: SO HOW DO YOU STAY DIGNIFIED IN THOSE MOMENTS?
>> WELL, YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER
DAY.
I ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE FIGHT AND NOT THE PERSON.
I USE, YOU KNOW, PROFANE LANGUAGE IN MY HEAD BUT NOT OUT
LOUD.
( LAUGHTER ) BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, I
REMEMBER THAT THE POINT OF THIS IS NOT SO ANY ONE PERSON CAN WIN
AN ELECTION, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS EVERY
ELIGIBLE VOTER TO BE HEARD, AND THAT REQUIRES PATIENCE, IT
REQUIRES SOMETIMES COMPROMISE, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT BELIEVE THE
COMPROMISE IS NECESSARY IN THIS SPACE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING
NOW IS NOT JUST VOTER SUPPRESSION, IT'S A RETURN TO
THE JIM CROW ERA, WHEN THE LIMITS ON ACCESS TO VOTING WERE
INTENTIONALLY TARGETED AT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GEORGIA IS HAPPENING IN ARIZONA TO
LATINO AND NATIVE AMERICANS, IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO YOUNG VOTERS
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT'S ANTITHETICAL TO WHO WE SAY WE
ARE AS A NATION.
I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF ANGER.
I HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED AND DETERMINED ON FIXING THE
PROBLEMS.
>> James: THE BIG NEWS IN WASHINGTON De' IS ALL ABOUT
THE COVID RELIEF BILL WITH A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THE $15 MINIMUM
WAGE INCREASE.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?
I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE TO NOT INCLUDE IT.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR AMERICA IF WE COULD INCLUDE
IT, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF GETTING THIS PACKAGE
THROUGH WITH THE VOTES NECESSARY THAT THE THAT THE $1.9 TRILLION
IS SO ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAINING IN THIS MOMENT, I DON'T THINK WE
SHOULD GIVE UP ON THE $15 MINIMUM WAGE.
I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND DISGUST, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE
ARE PEOPLE IN MY STATE AND ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE SO
DESPERATE FOR RELIEF THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET DONE WHAT WE CAN NOW
BUT IF WE PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE WE CAN COME BACK AND GET
THE NEXT THING DONE.
>> James: TRUMP APPEARED AT THE THE C-PAC EVENT AND GAVE A
SPEECH ALLUDING TO A 2024 RUN FOR PRESIDENTY.
COULD THIS BE A REAL CONCERN FOR DEMOCRATS?
>> I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT MAN DOES.
THE FILM I PRODUCED "ALL IN THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY" IS HOW WE
CAN'T BE STYMIED BY ONE PERSON OR IDEA, THAT WE HAVE TO BE
FOCUSED ON OUR GOALS, AND OUR GOAL OF FULL INCLUSION IN
DEMOCRACY IS WE CAN'T GIVE THE ATTENTION THE FAILED PRESIDENT
WANTS.
THE EXTENT WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION OPEN HIM AND NOT THOSE
WHO NEED OUR HELP, WE GIVE HIM EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS.
NOW I'VE GIVEN HIM 308 SECONDS MORE ATTENTION THAN I WANTED TO.
>> James: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FYKE FOR DEMOCRACY.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS FILM TO YOU AND TELL US ABOUT IT.
>> THIS IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT I CO-PRODUCED STARTING IN 2019.
IT CAME OUT IN 2020 IN SEPTEMBER, AND IT WAS DESIGNED
TO DO THREE THINGS.
ONE IS TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT VOTER SUPPRESSION ISN'T NEW,
IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE START OF THIS NATION AND IT HAS BEEN A
PERMANENT STAIN ON OUR NOTIONS OF DEMOCRACY.
NUMBER TWO, I NEED FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO
ME IN GEORGIA, THE EGREGIOUS CAMPAIGN, IT PUT INTO SHARP
FOCUS WHAT HAPPENED.
I NEEDED PEOPLE TO KNOW IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN IN GEORGIA,
IT HAPPENED IN NORTH DAKOTA, IT HAPPENED IN TEXAS, IT HAPPENED
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND FLORIDA, BUT NUMBER THREE, WHEN YOU KNOW
WHAT THE ENEMY LOOKS LIKE, YOU CAN FIGHT BACK AND THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT PIECE.
ALL IN CAME OUT IN SEPTEMBER 2020 IN TIME FOR THE
2020 ELECTION, BUT WE WANT IT TO BE ON PEOPLE'S MINDS BECAUSE
WE'RE STILL IN THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FIGHTING AGAINST
VOTER SUPPRESSION, BUT UNTIL IT'S VANQUISHED, WE CAN'T GIVE
IN OR LET IT GO.
>> James: THE FILM WAS SHORT-LISTED FOR AN OSCAR.
YOU COME FROM A LARGE FAMILY.
IF THE ACADEMY AWARDS WERE HAPPENING UNDER ONE ROOF AND YOU
COULD BRING A FAMILY MEMBER, WHO WOULD YOU BRING?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO BRING MY MOM.
>> James: IT WOULD BE SO BEAUTIFUL.
I REALLY REALLY HOPE THAT THE FILM GETS THE OSCAR NOMINATION
THAT IT RICHLY DESERVES.
IT'S COMPLETELY BRILLIANT AS ARE YOU.