# Kamala Harris in All The Smoke | September 30, 2024 Auto-transcribed by https://aliceapp.ai on Wednesday, 23 Oct 2024. Synced media and text playback available on this page: https://aliceapp.ai/recordings/zq50SIBwAv8luHjeUFibgG4txM2ZmfcJ * Words : 8,856 * Duration : 00:47:35 * Recorded on : Unknown date * Uploaded on : 2024-10-23 01:26:57 UTC * At : Unknown location * Using : Uploaded to aliceapp.ai ## Speakers: * Matt Barnes - 20.42% * Stephen Jackson - 7.61% * Kamala Harris - 71.97% ---------------------------- Matt Barnes [00:00:00] Welcome back to all the smoke. Uh, we got a very special guest today. Uh, very excited to sit down and talk to our biggest guest. Um, yeah, I wouldn't lie about that. Stephen Jackson [00:00:09] Yeah, you sold it, so I'd do it over. Matt Barnes [00:00:11] No, you did it. So we need to do nothing over. Excuse me. Our biggest guest. I've been corrected. Miss. Madam vice President. Kamala Harris [00:00:19] Thank you. It is so good to be here. Matt Barnes [00:00:21] Thank you for sitting down with us. Thank you for having us in your home. We're excited to be here. Kamala Harris [00:00:25] Thank you both. I'm so happy to have you here. Thank you. You do me great honor to be here. Thank you. Matt Barnes [00:00:30] In 2013, a, uh, blind date with your now husband, Doug. If you think back to that date, and now we're here, did you ever imagine this was going to be the journey? Kamala Harris [00:00:40] No, I just have a really bossy best friend. Matt Barnes [00:00:44] It was a blind date. Right? Kamala Harris [00:00:45] It was a blind date. And she called me up. Cause she and her husband met him and got to know him. And then she just decided that this mic could work and said to me, just go out with him once. Don't google him. Just go out with him. Matt Barnes [00:01:00] Don't google them. Yeah. Right? Kamala Harris [00:01:04] And it turned out she was right. Matt Barnes [00:01:06] It was a good choice. Kamala Harris [00:01:07] Very happy marriage. I'm m very thankful. Matt Barnes [00:01:09] So where'd you guys go? Did you really eat, or did you just do a salad? Like, did you really, like, let your hair down and have fun? Kamala Harris [00:01:16] So he came to pick me up. Matt Barnes [00:01:17] Okay, what kind of car? Kamala Harris [00:01:19] A, uh, BMW. Uh. Matt Barnes [00:01:20] Oh, okay. Moving in style. Kamala Harris [00:01:23] Well, okay. But here's the thing that was actually really funny in retrospect. I gave him the car, and he says, I just need to tell you something. And I'm like, okay, what's this gonna be? And he said, I'm a really bad driver. Matt Barnes [00:01:34] Give you the heads up. Huh? Kamala Harris [00:01:37] So that's how it started. I guess he was just trying to create little expectations. And, um, we went to what turned out to be his one favorite restaurant, where everybody knows who he is, which. Matt Barnes [00:01:50] Is obviously, he was showing you off then. Kamala Harris [00:01:51] Oh, yeah. So he could walk in, and they were like, hey, Doug. Matt Barnes [00:01:55] I see you, Doug. Stephen Jackson [00:01:56] Uh. Kamala Harris [00:01:56] Uh-huh huh. Right. Matt Barnes [00:01:57] Exactly. Stephen Jackson [00:01:58] Bay area girl. Kamala Harris [00:01:59] Yep. Stephen Jackson [00:01:59] Born in Oakland. Um, you grew up around the TMC times, the Golden State warriors. We hear you a big fan. Kamala Harris [00:02:07] I am. Stephen Jackson [00:02:08] And there was a rumor that you were in the stands when we were there in the we believe era. Kamala Harris [00:02:13] I really. Stephen Jackson [00:02:14] Can we talk about that? Kamala Harris [00:02:15] Yes. Do you remember that? Yes, I do remember. I do remember. Okay, we want to say our warriors are always good, whichever erade. That was a very special time. I mean, it was electric, you guys remember it was electric. And everybody, we would take Bart to get there and just. And go. And it was just, you know, I mean, this is the thing I love about sports in general, but I'm gonna say my warriors, our warriors, is that it really was about bringing, like, all kinds of people from around the Bay Area. Kamala Harris [00:02:46] And, you know, the Bay Area is a melting ground, right. All coming in. And that team, I mean, you guys were the best of the best. Legendary, legendary. Matt Barnes [00:02:55] You know, it's funny not to cut you off, as I went back in 2017 with Steph and Katie and those guys, and we won a championship right before I retired. But they all wanted to know about that we believe team and the era and the energy around the city, and when I was there, the media was talking about it, the fans were talking about it. Matt Barnes [00:03:10] As amazing as that team was and won all the championships, they had a fascination in what we did. Kamala Harris [00:03:15] What was it like for you guys? Stephen Jackson [00:03:17] For me, it was big for me because I had had some trouble two years before, so I needed to come into a situation where I needed a change. And it was a blessing in disguise for me. You know, I landed with a whole bunch of guys I knew. I landed with a coach that didn't judge me, that let me be me. Stephen Jackson [00:03:32] Ah, we were able to make history, so it was a blessing for me. Matt Barnes [00:03:34] Yeah, I think, too. I mean, it was almost a melting pot of guys that my career could have been over before it started. That's where I really first got my chance with Don Nelson. Like he said, he was coming off trouble. One of our other brothers, Baron Davis, was very talented, but injuries and didn't really was going on, so it just kind of felt like the bay put their arms around us. Matt Barnes [00:03:53] Like we were out in the streets, hanging out from San Francisco to Oakland to Richmond, probably everywhere. Every club that was open, yeah, we were there. They called us the Fillmore five. Yes, we were out. We really just embraced in the community. But, I mean, one thing I'll say about the Bay Area fans is, like you said, you always want to say they were good, but there was times where they were terrible, but the support never wavered. Matt Barnes [00:04:16] You guys were so loyal to the fan. Kamala Harris [00:04:18] Yes, I just. I mean, first of all, loyalty is general matter in life, I think is one of the most important. Growing up, my mother used to say, you gotta have a code m, got. Matt Barnes [00:04:29] To gotta stand for something, and you. Kamala Harris [00:04:31] Figure out what your code is. But loyalty. And then loyalty to your team, right? I mean, nobody else is fancy. Yeah. Matt Barnes [00:04:38] They got the emblem on it and everything, huh? Kamala Harris [00:04:40] Uh, yes, I do. Matt Barnes [00:04:41] Look at this. Feel like some presidential water right here. As you were saying? Excuse me. Kamala Harris [00:04:48] You gotta be loyal to your team. Like, my husband and I have different teams. Matt Barnes [00:04:52] Is he from the bay, too? Kamala Harris [00:04:53] Well, he's originally from Jersey, but he moved to La when he was a teenager, so most of his fans are, uh, LA teams. Matt Barnes [00:05:00] Okay. Okay. Kamala Harris [00:05:01] And so, you know, depending on who's playing who and what time of the year, it's real. It's very, like, really real. Like, talking some serious. Matt Barnes [00:05:09] Got to smack. Stephen Jackson [00:05:11] What's your feelings on all three of the teams out of Oakland now? Kamala Harris [00:05:15] Oh, it breaks not having a sports team. It breaks my heart. Remember, we used to have all of the best. We used to have all of them, you know, and you just drive by that area, you know, when I go to Oakland, when I go to the barrier, it's sad. And, you know, if you, like, land at Oakland airport and just pass Coliseum, it is. Kamala Harris [00:05:34] It breaks my heart. And good, good teams. Matt Barnes [00:05:37] Yeah, yeah. Stephen Jackson [00:05:38] And for us, I think, as players, when our time, we more worried about the workers and the people that were there, because that's who made us feel better. Kamala Harris [00:05:45] That's exactly. Stephen Jackson [00:05:45] The workers. Every day we came in there, we saw those smiles. We got hugs by people, actually, from Oakland. And to see them lose them jobs to San Francisco. Yeah, that really didn't. Kamala Harris [00:05:54] Yeah. So. Right. It was part of the economic engine of Oakland. Stephen Jackson [00:05:57] Yeah, exactly. Kamala Harris [00:05:58] Exactly. And then the vendors, and it was, you know, and it was local folks, small businesses. Matt Barnes [00:06:03] Yeah, I'll definitely say. I mean, obviously, we understand what that era and that team kind of did. They took the team to a new level and the business side kicked in. Kamala Harris [00:06:11] Yeah. Really did. Matt Barnes [00:06:12] I love where they're at in San Francisco. Beautiful stadium. But they'll never be anything like Oracle. Stephen Jackson [00:06:16] Never. Kamala Harris [00:06:17] No. And I'm always gonna think, you know, I mean, golden State warriors is. Matt Barnes [00:06:21] That's what you think? That's what you think. I grew up italian mom, black dad, and was always very proud of my heritage until an incident I had in high school when I was 17, protecting, uh, my little sister. Someone called her some names. I did what the big brother did. I ended up getting trouble. Matt Barnes [00:06:37] And the KKK came and vandalized, nearly burned down my high school. And I knew at that point, although I was very proud to be italian and black, that the world looked at me as a black man. You've always been secure in your identity, who you are. But what do you feel or what do you think when you hear people kind of questioning just the fabric of who you are? Kamala Harris [00:06:55] Well, one, I don't listen to it. Okay. Um, I'm really clear about who I am, and if anybody else is not, they need to go through their own level of therapy. That's not my issue. Matt Barnes [00:07:06] That's their issues. Right. Kamala Harris [00:07:07] My mother was very clear. She was raising two black girls to be two proud black women. And that was never. It was never a question. You know, it's funny. Cause over the years, um, journalists, some, not most, will want to talk about it. And I say, okay, if you want to have this conversation, I'm prepared to have it. Kamala Harris [00:07:27] But sit down and get comfortable for a few hours. If you want to start talking about race in America, you want to talk about the one 8th rule, right? You want to talk about what it means in terms of who you are perceived to be and the impact that can have on the rest of your life, regardless of who you actually are, in terms of your God given capacity and the rights that you have and should have. Kamala Harris [00:07:53] So, you know, I don't mess with that. I think that's other people trying to figure some stuff out that. And they need. They need. Matt Barnes [00:07:59] They got some issues. Kamala Harris [00:08:00] They got to deal with it. Matt Barnes [00:08:02] Um, you've also been attacked for not having biologically with children, but you are a stepmom, and I'm a stepfather. Uh, I just had my 7th little boy two weeks ago, but I have three stepchildren that are mine. And being a dad was natural. Being a dad to my four sons was natural. But learning to navigate, not wanting to step on toes. Matt Barnes [00:08:24] How do you earn the love and the trust? How did you earn Ella and Cole's love and trust? And how did you get the name Mamala? Kamala Harris [00:08:30] I'll start with this. I am, um, a daughter of divorced parents. My parents were divorced when I was five. And just being very frank and candid with you, when Doug and I started dating, you know, his parents have been married over 60 years. I had to explain to him what it is like to be a child of divorced parents. Kamala Harris [00:08:53] And including that it was really important to me that I knew what he and my relationship would be before I formed a relationship with the kids, because that's just, from my perspective, not fair to the children. Cause, you know, children form attachments. So I was very intentional about waiting until I knew that, okay, this is a real relationship before I got to know the kids. Kamala Harris [00:09:22] And then we became, I mean, thick as thieves. And I love those children. They are my children. Matt Barnes [00:09:29] Absolutely. Kamala Harris [00:09:29] And, you know, we talk about we have a modern family, and maybe the blessing that I have, that not everyone has, although I think everyone should try and work on it, is I have a very close. Because it is a very respectful relationship with their mother. It's important, you know? And so that ain't easy. Stephen Jackson [00:09:48] That's rare. Kamala Harris [00:09:48] No, but it's not. But it's not. It is not. And you have to work at it. Matt Barnes [00:09:51] Give me a hot flash. Hold on. Kamala Harris [00:09:52] But you have to work at it. You'll be all right. Cause here's the thing. Here's the thing that we have to remember, and I know we do and we feel, but we have to be intentional about it. Cause the forces and the emotions will drag us from this point. The most important thing is that our kids grow up healthy. Kamala Harris [00:10:08] And, uh, you know, I think of the many things that we role model, probably the thing we role model, the most that we don't realize is how to form healthy relationships. You know, we teach our kids how to drive. We will sit down and do homework with them. But one of the things we are teaching them every day, uh, and we have to be intentional. Kamala Harris [00:10:28] We will not be perfect. We will fall short. But it's how to develop healthy emotional relationships. One of the ways, especially in that dynamic, when you're talking about, um, my husband's ex wife, is how to be respectful. And I was very intentional about, for example, knowing that the kids, as they got to know and form a relationship with me, would not want to feel like they were somehow being disloyal to their mother. Kamala Harris [00:10:53] And I knew that. And so I was very intentional about always making sure that I was clear with them that I would say things like, well, how does your mom do it? You know, I love to cook. How does your mom show me how you do? And just. And I think that's really important because, you know, this is the thing that I think has become clear, especially as I'm now running for president. Kamala Harris [00:11:15] And these kind of conversations are becoming more prevalent. Like, what does it mean to be a stepparent? The people who don't get it are interesting. Is there a whole lot more of these kinds of relationships than people realize? This is not the 1950s. Matt Barnes [00:11:26] Blended is the new norm. Kamala Harris [00:11:27] Right. Matt Barnes [00:11:28] Blended families are the new norm. Kamala Harris [00:11:29] It is. It is. And they're beautiful. Matt Barnes [00:11:31] Absolutely. Kamala Harris [00:11:32] And it's a beautiful way to live, to build and grow your family. You know, I talk about, even in my speech at the convention, I have, and I grew up with the family that is my family by blood and the family that is my family by love. Matt Barnes [00:11:47] And sometimes that's thicker. Kamala Harris [00:11:49] And that's exactly right. Matt Barnes [00:11:50] That's sticker. Kamala Harris [00:11:51] That's exactly right. Matt Barnes [00:11:52] Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:11:52] I think increasingly, people, especially younger people, understand that. Right. There's the family you're born into, and then there's the family you choose, and it's on you to make a decision about what you want and how you define your family. And you have the right to do that. Matt Barnes [00:12:07] You know, I tell Mike, I'm just an, uh, extra layer of. Of support and protection. I'm not there to replace your dad. I'm not there to, you know, I'm here to help in any way possible. Kamala Harris [00:12:18] Right. And so momla came m about cause of that. Cause it's kamala. And then they just got creative with it and it's momla. Matt Barnes [00:12:24] I love it. All right, shifting a little bit to policy talk. Um, and before we talk about policy, can you briefly explain? Cause I think sometimes there's misconceptions of the power of the president or the power of the vice president. Explain how a bill becomes a law. Kamala Harris [00:12:39] Okay. I believe that the best way the system works is when the power is with the people to then advocate for their needs and have their needs met. So that's the big macro stepping back. Right. One of the ways that the system works to do that, that the system should work to do that, is we have elected representation who represent the people in these state legislatures, which is where laws get passed, or in Congress, which is where the federal laws get passed. Kamala Harris [00:13:14] And for the system to work the right way, legislators, these members of the state legislature, let's say your state senator, your state assembly member, or your congressman, or your United States senator will meet with, and they'll have ways of receiving information from the people about what they want. I think it's really important always that we know our power to organize around what we need. Kamala Harris [00:13:37] And sometimes that'll take the form of writing letters, sometimes it will take the form of mass protests to make sure the voice of the people is heard by their representative leaders, who then have as their responsibility to write up some legislation that meets the needs of the people. And then when they write that up, they take a vote in their body. Kamala Harris [00:14:00] If it's a state house or I congress, and if the majority of the people there agree with it, it becomes a law. So that's how it's supposed to work. And, I mean, it does connect to what we were talking about earlier, which is then reminding folks they have a right and a right to expect that their leaders will hear them and take seriously their needs. Kamala Harris [00:14:25] You know, a lot of why I think it's important to talk about our accomplishments on things like, we finally let Medicare negotiate drug prices with the big pharmaceutical companies so that we could cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month. You know why that's important? Because forever, that never happened. And when we explain to people that they kept advocating and kept fighting for it to happen, and it did happen, it reminds people, don't give up. Kamala Harris [00:14:51] Keep fighting for the things you know are possible, even if it's never happened before. I think it's important for people to know, you know, when we. Like, for example, I helped write the George Floyd justice and policing act when I was in the United States Senate. People by the hundreds of thousands marched rightly out of pain, out of knowledge, out of commitment, that we need to take seriously what we got to do to deal with this system. Kamala Harris [00:15:16] And so we couldn't get enough votes to pass it. But we got it that far that we wrote it up, and we got it as far as. So that under our administration, the president was able to sign an executive order that put a lot of what we put in the George Floyd justice and policing act into an executive order. Kamala Harris [00:15:33] So, at least for federal law enforcement, we're now dealing with no knock warrants. We're now talking about a, uh, national database for police officers who have committed misconduct. Stephen Jackson [00:15:44] To the people who say, why are we still marching in 2024 when it's common sense what people need. What do you say to that? Kamala Harris [00:15:54] Look, my parents marched for civil rights back in the day. I do believe there is no significant progress that we've made in our country without the people often taking to the streets, going way back to the Civil Rights act, to the Voting Rights act, to, you know, I, um, mean, what's happening now in the streets on choice, to what happened around George Floyd's murder and moving forward in the agenda, that's about that. Kamala Harris [00:16:21] I mean, you could just go through just the different levels of progress that we've had. Often it has taken people taking to the streets, which is why, look, I support the right of people to peacefully protest my opponent in this race. You look up project 2025, nasty work. They're literally talking about what they would do to arrest people and deport them because they want to suppress. Matt Barnes [00:16:47] Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:16:47] Part of what really concerns me about this moment in time is we've also defined our progress over the years, and therefore our strength as being about the expansion of rights. And now we're seeing a full on intent to restrict rights going backwards. I strongly believe we have to always be vigilant, meaning whatever gains we've made, they will not be permanent unless we stay on it, continue to push. Kamala Harris [00:17:15] You gotta know you can't take any of our rights for granted. And that's why we have to stay active. And that's about voting. That's about being involved in community organizations. That's about having those conversations when everybody gets together, whether it be at the barbershop or around the kitchen table, to remind ourselves about, look what's happening and what do we need to do about it? Matt Barnes [00:17:35] And also think, too, I, um, mean, some of the stuff we stand and fight for or, you know, I do it as a parent in my lifetime, I may not see the benefits, but I have seven kids who are gonna have more kids that are coming down the pipeline that may 1 day. Matt Barnes [00:17:47] I'm sure when your parents fought, they're thinking, by the time my daughter's old enough, hopefully she won't be going through this. Kamala Harris [00:17:52] That's exactly right. But see, they also taught me this, don't fall asleep on this stuff. Don't fall asleep on it. Don't sit back and get comfortable. Like, oh, that's done. You know, there's this old saying, it's Coretta Scott King. She said, I, uh, paraphrase it all the time, the fight for civil rights, which she meant the fight for justice, the fight for equality, must be fought in one with each generation. Kamala Harris [00:18:20] And I think what she meant is, one, understand whatever gains we make will not be permanent. And two, therefore, you must be vigilant. You got to stay on top of it. By the way, don't complain about that. Matt Barnes [00:18:32] HBCUs are such a big thing now, and it's, uh, I feel like when things get trendy, they become, you know, everyone wants to talk about it and be a part of it. You were someone who went to an HBCU. Um, as an athlete, I'm just like, it's a great idea. And I wish it was more cooler when I was coming up, but at the same time, I don't think the facilities could have held us. Matt Barnes [00:18:51] You know what I mean? I was fortunate enough to go to UCLA, and it was like being a professional athlete. And we were speaking to, you know, some of the brightest minds come from these HBCUs, but the conditions aren't what some of these other schools are. Kamala Harris [00:19:03] So the history of our HBCUs is a phenomenal history, which, again, was born out of struggle and people sitting around saying, we're not going to wait for other people. Right? So there were a collection of people that were white and black and of, uh, many different backgrounds who understood that young, black, bright people were not having equal access to top levels of education. Kamala Harris [00:19:29] And so, in a nutshell, that's how our hbcus got formed. I attended Howard University, um, which is one of the oldest, and it built up over the years with its purpose and mission being to create national and international leaders. It had a reputation of doing that because it did that. But over the years, we also know that our students, HBCU students, don't necessarily, frankly, make the same kind of incomes that people who go to predominantly white institutions do. Kamala Harris [00:20:02] Um, don't start out on the same base. So even if they are, they're also taking care of their parents, they're also taking care of their younger siblings and don't necessarily have the extra to be able to build for the school. The endowment, which alumni give to that ends up funding things like a first class program, facilities, be it athletic or scientific. Kamala Harris [00:20:26] So a lot of my work, especially in the Senate and now as vice president, has been to increase federal funding to hbcus because, again, I know they are centers of academic excellence. They are centers of academic excellence, but don't necessarily have the same kind of resources. And so far, we've given, now, under our administration, as I've been vice president, 16 billion more dollars to our hbcus. Kamala Harris [00:20:48] When I was senator, I was responsible for helping to get billions into upgrading, literally the physical structure. Cause they're old. Matt Barnes [00:20:56] Yeah. Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:20:58] And I think increasingly, to your point, more people are understanding. It's like we maybe skipped an era, but we're getting back to a place of more people understanding what our hbcus do and giving more support financially to them. But we have to. I mean, it's an incredible experience to walk on campus and everybody looks like you. Matt Barnes [00:21:23] Right. Kamala Harris [00:21:24] And to go to class and to have a teacher who takes none of your excuses remind you of your mom. Matt Barnes [00:21:33] Would, just like your mom would. Kamala Harris [00:21:34] That's exactly right. It reminds you that, no, you just have to work harder. You just have to compete. You'll be the class president if you do that. And the other thing that's great about an HBCU, you could be the class president at the football star. Stephen Jackson [00:21:52] Mm hmm. Kamala Harris [00:21:53] Same. Uh, you could be in a sorority and be the head of the science club. Like it. Also, the beauty of HBCUs is every signal it sends you is telling you, do not confine yourself to somebody's idea of what it means for you to be a young black person in America. Stephen Jackson [00:22:09] I want to touch on mental health. Mental health is big in the black community, especially with black men. We have a lot of black men out here who starting grassroots organizations to help their communities. Uh, I'll give you an example. A guy named Zeke. He's, uh, building chapters called New Era in all over Detroit, the Bay area, Texas, everywhere. Stephen Jackson [00:22:29] And what they're doing is they're taking care of the communities, regardless of race. If somebody's been mistreated, if a store been mistreated, if somebody's been mistreated in that community, they're going to handle hands on 19 keys. And also, is it anything that you're thinking about that can help these people that's building these grassroots that actually get stuff done on the ground? Kamala Harris [00:22:49] Absolutely. I think, first of all, I think the mental health issue is probably one of the biggest public policy failures in our country. We have acted as though health care is. We've acted as though the body starts from the neck down, right? It's that understanding. We need healthcare also from the neck up. Kamala Harris [00:23:09] It has to be done in a way that gives people the dignity and the respect they deserve. The most effective mental health care is often because it is peer based, it is without judgment, and it understands people have to be understood for who they are culturally, who they are in terms of their life experience, if you're really going to be able to get into their needs. Kamala Harris [00:23:32] Uh, I worked with a brother here in DC, Kier, who actually has been doing a lot around modeling in particular. And I had him come in a couple years ago, actually. We've been talking about how we focus in particular on our black men and our young black men, because we also have to take the stigma away. Kamala Harris [00:23:50] And so part of that is about reminding people. It's just like, you know, if you break your arm or you got a toothache, this is about healthcare and helping people understand. It's a sign of strength to ask for help, not a sign of weakness, right? Because when we talk about mental health care, a lot of it, especially for people who have. Kamala Harris [00:24:11] Who have experienced trauma, we're talking about pain, and we understand physical pain. Take an aspirin, whatever. But we don't deal with mental and emotional pain, psychological, in the same way. And here's the thing. First of all, look, growing up in poverty, trauma inducing, major, growing up around, you know, any form of violence which crosses socioeconomic lines, by the way. Kamala Harris [00:24:38] So let's not act as though it's just right. Low income people everywhere. Everywhere. Trauma inducing. And the thing about it is, you know when we talk about post traumatic stress disorder, right. What happens when you've been repeatedly exposed to trauma? Somebody explained it to me years ago. It's oversimplified, but I'm gonna offer you this. Kamala Harris [00:24:58] So imagine you're walking across a busy street every day, and a Mack truck comes barreling down. You will produce, basically a response without even reflection. You'll jump back. If every day you're walking across the street, that thing, you overproduce the thing. So that one day you're walking across that street, that Mack truck has come barreling down. Kamala Harris [00:25:20] You see it, and you keep walking. Mm hmm. Matt Barnes [00:25:24] Mm. Kamala Harris [00:25:25] And then we start talking about our young people don't have emotions. Stephen Jackson [00:25:29] Numb to it. Kamala Harris [00:25:30] They're as though they've chosen. Stephen Jackson [00:25:32] Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:25:32] As though they have chosen to not have emotion. And we don't realize that a lot of it is physiological. Literally, it's how the body learns to protect itself. Matt Barnes [00:25:44] Yep. Kamala Harris [00:25:45] And for our youngest children, then, what does that mean? They start acting out in class. What happens? They get kicked out of class. They're the bad kid. They still start self identifying that way, and we know where that leads. A lot of the work I did years ago when I was actually Da of San Francisco, was focused on a project that it ended up developing itself into what we call the San Francisco Wellness center, which was focused on early detection of childhood trauma so that we could get the diagnosis going for the treatment. Kamala Harris [00:26:19] Right. Because if you don't diagnose it, you can't treat it. And I actually brought in mental health care professionals to talk with public school teachers about it. Like, this is what you're seeing in the classroom and help people put a label on it as the first step to diagnosing it and then getting treatment. Kamala Harris [00:26:37] And, uh, during the time I've been vice president, as part of the work we've done on gun violence, we've put now millions of extra dollars in public schools to put more mental health professionals in our public schools. But we need to do a lot more, because, again, it just needs to be diagnosed and treated. Kamala Harris [00:26:54] Right. And understanding this is not about some child who is bad, who wants to be this child who wants to act out. It's not. This is not a choice that child is making, and it's not a choice this child is making. They're actually in pain. Matt Barnes [00:27:12] Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:27:13] And it manifests itself in ways that are antisocial, potentially, but the child's in pain. Stephen Jackson [00:27:19] Don't know how to get it out. Matt Barnes [00:27:20] Defense mechanism. Yeah. I have a question, uh, along the mental health line. We spoke to Kobe and did his last interview. And I asked him, um, over his long career, was there any negativity or hatred or disrespect toward you that he hurt and hurt? And he said, I heard it all and he said it all hurt as, ah, someone who's been the first in a life of spaces you've been in a woman of color knocking on the door to possibly be the next president. Matt Barnes [00:27:48] How do you protect your mental health and your mental space? Kamala Harris [00:27:50] Well, number one rule, don't read the comments. Matt Barnes [00:27:54] They're nasty. They're nasty. Kamala Harris [00:27:57] I'm serious. Yeah, don't read the comments. Just, let's start there. I work out every morning. I work out every morning. Um, for me it's just mind, body and spirit. Mhm. I think it's really important for everybody. We all have our levels of stress. Everybody does. Right. Be intentional about who you have in your life to the extent you can. Kamala Harris [00:28:22] And in particular for our young, uh, people who may not know that they have a right to be intentional about. Do you have people in your life who applaud your success? Do you have people in your life who you trust? Do you have people in your life who, when you trip and fall, they laugh with you and then they pick you up and push you back out there? Kamala Harris [00:28:45] There are people that you know who will be those people if you choose to have them. I am blessed to have an incredible family and incredible friends. My best friend from kindergarten is still one of my best friends. That's crazy, right? Stacy Johnson. Matt Barnes [00:28:59] Yeah, that's dope. I love it. Kamala Harris [00:29:01] We used to go to the clubs and hurt father Seville. Um, and so I think that's part of it. Right? Because you do need the support to deal with it. And especially, I mean, people who are active on social media, it's hard out there. It's tough. And you have to find things like, I love to cook. Kamala Harris [00:29:25] I m love to cook. And it's a way for me to want. I think it's just, for me, it's a great gift I can give the people I love. But it's also, you know, it's like I start out, I know what I'm gonna make and then I'm done. And I can give it to people. Kamala Harris [00:29:38] And it just gives me something to do that is, um, a productive use of time, you know? And I think people, you know, choose hobbies, think about what it is that you like to do that takes your mind off away from it, the stresses that is also productive. Right. Matt Barnes [00:29:54] Economy, small business, black business. We actually just started our business in January. So we're, you know, we've grown from a show to a whole entire company. What is your kind of, your economic plan moving forward for people who are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling for groceries and rent and homeowners? Kamala Harris [00:30:11] So, look, I grew up, so my sister and I were raised by our mother. We lived for a long time in an apartment on top of a childcare center. That childcare center was actually owned by a woman who lived two doors down from us, misses M. Shelton, who was, by all of our accounts and feelings, our second mother, she helped raise us, and so she was a small business owner. Kamala Harris [00:30:39] So I'll start with the small business, and congratulations. I want you guys to thank you. I, from a child, knew who our small business owners are. Right? I mean, you're business leaders, but you're also civic leaders. You take seriously your voice in how you can mentor, how you can grow. Right. Communities and the sense of communities. Kamala Harris [00:30:58] I love our small businesses. And so a lot of my work in terms of building and growing the economy has focused on small businesses. Um, and my vision overall is we need to build an opportunity economy in which we increase opportunity for all, including small business owners. So a lot of my work, even in the Senate, was about increasing access to capital through our small businesses and in particular through our community banks. Kamala Harris [00:31:22] So I've been responsible for billions of dollars more now going into our community banks, because they're in the community, and then they know who's in the community and where the talent is and who's doing good in the community, what the community wants. Uh, and so part of my plan as president is to give small businesses, startups a tax deduction of $50,000 to startups. Kamala Harris [00:31:48] Cause right now the tax deduction is $5,000. Matt Barnes [00:31:50] Can't do nothing with that. Kamala Harris [00:31:51] That's exactly right. Matt Barnes [00:31:52] Mm mm. Kamala Harris [00:31:53] And see, the thing we know is that most of our small business, our entrepreneurs who want to start a small business got a great idea, have incredible work ethic. But, you know, they weren't handed a bunch of money on a silver tray, right. And they just need to get their foot in the door. Kamala Harris [00:32:07] So there is that. There is what I need to do and what we need to do around making housing and rent more affordable. Part of the problem there is we have a housing supply shortage. My plan includes giving tax incentives for home builders to build 3 million more homes by the end of my first term to increase supply, to bring down cost, and to increase home ownership. Kamala Harris [00:32:32] A, ah, $25,000 down payment assistance to first time homebuyers. Cause again, people just need to get their foot in the door. Matt Barnes [00:32:41] They'll grind after that, right? Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:32:43] That's exactly right. Matt Barnes [00:32:44] They'll grind after that. Kamala Harris [00:32:44] That's exactly right. And we know home ownership, especially for the community, that's the fastest, most effective, and most sure ways to build intergenerational wealth. It's then when your child says, I want to go to an HBCU or some other college, and you say, well, honey, you don't have to take out, ah, a student loan. Kamala Harris [00:33:04] I'm going to take some equity out of the house. Or your child says, I want to start up a small business and you can say, let me take some equity and help you. 1st. Matt Barnes [00:33:12] 1St what is that business? Let me make sure it's not no place. Well, but you know what I'm saying. You have something to pull from productive, right? Kamala Harris [00:33:18] You have something where it's about intergenerational wealth. Because see, here's how I feel about the economy. And the economy I want to grow. We have, over the last four years, reduced black unemployment to the lowest it has been in decades. Okay? That is an accomplishment. However, we, I believe, need to measure m our success. Kamala Harris [00:33:41] Not just only about everybody's working, but can you build wealth? Stephen Jackson [00:33:46] Mm hmm. Matt Barnes [00:33:47] Can you start saving? Kamala Harris [00:33:48] Can you start saving? Can you buy a home? Can you start saving to take your family on vacation from time to time? Can you save enough so that Christmas time for you and your children is stressful, but something enjoyable. Right. And so it's about, yes, we gotta make sure that we, that we have high employment, but also that we create opportunities for people to build wealth, get ahead. Kamala Harris [00:34:16] Part of my plan is also to, uh, expand the child tax credit. $6,000 in the first year of your child's life. Matt Barnes [00:34:24] Man, I could have used that one. Kamala Harris [00:34:25] Because you know what that means, first year, that's such a critical stage of a child's development. And it's expensive. A, uh, family's gotta buy a car seat, a crib, the clothes, the things that, the necessities. Because I start from the perspective that the vast majority of parents want to raise their children well, they love their children, but don't necessarily have the resources they need. Kamala Harris [00:34:50] And if we understand that the children of a community are, uh, the children of the community, we'll understand that, that an investment in something like the first year of a child's life benefits all of us. But these are things about building what I call an opportunity economy, which is about helping people not just to get by, but to get ahead, because most people. Kamala Harris [00:35:12] Look, maybe you've gathered this already. Here's where I come from. Most people have ambition. They have aspirations, they have dreams of, and they are willing to work hard. And if we give people the opportunity to actually meet those goals, they jump for it every time. But not everybody starts out from the same place in terms of having the opportunity to just get in there. Kamala Harris [00:35:40] And so my plans, whether it be $25,000 down payment assistance, whether it be a $6,000 child tax credit, or helping people in terms of what they need to do to. To be able to start a small business with a bigger tax deduction. The reason I'm saying all that is because when those folks are successful, we are all successful. Kamala Harris [00:36:01] Community feels it, and we actually strengthen the economy overall. Absolutely. When middle class is strong in America, America's economy is strong. Matt Barnes [00:36:07] It's a better country. Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:36:09] And it's a better country for all of us. Matt Barnes [00:36:10] Absolutely. All right, so we're running short on time. We're gonna finish up with quick hitters. First thing to come to mind, let us know. Oh, cannabis. Kamala Harris [00:36:20] I just feel strongly people should not be going to jail for smoking weed. And we know historically what that has meant and who has gone to jail. Matt Barnes [00:36:27] Mm hmm. Kamala Harris [00:36:28] Second, I just think we have come to a point where we have to understand that we need to legalize it and stop criminalizing this behavior. And so. And I've actually. This is not a new position for me. I have felt for a long time we need to legalize it. So that's where I am on that. Matt Barnes [00:36:47] I love it. Stephen Jackson [00:36:48] Okay. She said weed, not cannabis. Pay attention, y'all. Matt Barnes [00:36:52] Yeah, that's old school, right? Stephen Jackson [00:36:53] Yeah, that's old school. Matt Barnes [00:36:53] I like it. I like it. All right. Kamala Harris [00:36:55] I loved it. Matt Barnes [00:36:56] Favorite holiday to cook. And what's your signature dish? Kamala Harris [00:36:59] Well, Sundays are my favorite day. Matt Barnes [00:37:01] Sunday dinner. Kamala Harris [00:37:02] Sunday family dinner. I mean, these days, it's more difficult for me than ever, but Sunday family dinner. Matt Barnes [00:37:08] Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:37:08] Get everybody out my happy place. And whoever is around, bring your friends. Matt Barnes [00:37:11] Oh, party. I'm leaving my number. I want to get invited to one of these Sunday dinners. I'll be back. Kamala Harris [00:37:16] Okay. You guys are welcome. Matt Barnes [00:37:17] Yes. Stephen Jackson [00:37:18] Best, um, musical artist in Bay area history. Matt Barnes [00:37:21] Ooh, put her on the spot. Kamala Harris [00:37:23] Oh. Ever. Now my mind is going through lots, and, I mean, I'll just. I could go with too short, but I'm you can't go wrong with too short. Yeah. Matt Barnes [00:37:32] Raphael Sadit. Kamala Harris [00:37:33] Tell me Raphael is Mac Dre. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, Tupac had his. Matt Barnes [00:37:39] Yeah. Uh, his 40. Kamala Harris [00:37:43] Yeah. Matt Barnes [00:37:43] Five dinner guests, dead or alive. Kamala Harris [00:37:45] I'm gonna get emotional when I say this. My mother and my husband never met. Matt Barnes [00:37:48] Oh, okay. Kamala Harris [00:37:49] My mother passed away before we got married, so if I could put him at the table with my mother. Shirley Chisholm. First black woman to run for president. Stephen Jackson [00:37:59] That's big. Kamala Harris [00:38:00] Oh. First time hearing that one. Matt Barnes [00:38:03] Sit with her, pick her brain. Kamala Harris [00:38:04] I would so love to sit with her. I mean, I feel that I know her because I have studied her life. Stephen Jackson [00:38:10] You're walking in her footsteps. Kamala Harris [00:38:12] Uh, and. Yes. A path that she created. Stephen Jackson [00:38:15] Mm hmm. Kamala Harris [00:38:16] Right. Stephen Jackson [00:38:17] It's a beautiful thing. Kamala Harris [00:38:18] One of my heroes is Thurgood Marshall. Matt Barnes [00:38:21] Mm mhm. Hmm. Kamala Harris [00:38:22] You know, and you talk about like, him being active in the streets and what he did in terms of representation, and then went to the court and carried that over big. Matt Barnes [00:38:33] Who's that last seat going to? Kamala Harris [00:38:34] You know, who I saw recently, who I just love, but it's. He's one of the. To the Justins from, um, Tennessee. They were, they refused to be silenced. They were both in the state, um, Capitol. Matt Barnes [00:38:48] Okay. Kamala Harris [00:38:49] And they were speaking up about gun violence. Matt Barnes [00:38:51] Okay. Kamala Harris [00:38:51] And then the other legislators tried to shut them down. And Justin Jones is actually from Oakland and born where? I was born at Kaiser hospital, Oakland, California. Matt Barnes [00:39:00] Yeah. Okay. Kamala Harris [00:39:00] Yeah, yeah. That would be kind of a good mix because then that's kind of different. Generations of leaders. Stephen Jackson [00:39:06] First thing you do in the morning, last thing you do before you go to sleep. Kamala Harris [00:39:09] First thing I do in the morning is work out. There is a prayer that comes in after that. Stephen Jackson [00:39:14] Yes, of course. Kamala Harris [00:39:16] Every day. And, um, last thing, usually to tell my husband I love him. Matt Barnes [00:39:22] Mm, I like that. Stephen Jackson [00:39:24] Beautiful. Matt Barnes [00:39:24] Mhm. Stephen Jackson [00:39:24] What's your guilty pleasure? Do you have any? Kamala Harris [00:39:26] Yes, um, one of my guilty pleasures, especially when I'm on the road, are my doritos. Matt Barnes [00:39:32] What flavor? Kamala Harris [00:39:33] Nacho. Matt Barnes [00:39:34] Nacho? Kamala Harris [00:39:34] Old school. Original. Come on, come on. Red bag. That's exactly right. Gotta have a napkin nearby. Matt Barnes [00:39:42] Yeah. I love it. What was your process? Because it was fast. What was your process and what did you do when you were deciding who to pick for your vice president? Kamala Harris [00:39:50] You know, ultimately what it came down to was, um, Tim walls. If you look at Tim walls and you look at me and I, you have a sense of who we are and where we came from. You think we have nothing in common but his, you know, he comes from and grew up in the same kind of, you know, different part of the country. Kamala Harris [00:40:15] You know, folks were a different color from a different culture, but same people, hardworking people, straight talking people, people, uh, who have values. And I just found that so familiar to me. And I guess that the process was ultimately, I made a decision about my gut around, like, do you. And, uh, not that any of the other candidates didn't, but just, do you have a connection to the people and a life experience that is about just seeing people? Kamala Harris [00:40:52] And, um. But it was a whole thing. I mean, but I heard you did some cooking. Matt Barnes [00:40:56] You were trying to watch a movie and couldn't focus. Like, is that your nervous? That's what I want to hear. Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:41:02] Okay, so you better know that part. Look, from the time that the president called me and told me he wasn't running, I mean, it just like, everything was in speedy, speedy motion, and I was not sleeping so well. And that one morning, I just. I, uh, mean, I had, I don't know, a few hours sleep, and I, you know, I like to sleep. Kamala Harris [00:41:22] I just got up. I was like. And so I just went out and got a pork roast and started marinating. Matt Barnes [00:41:27] Time to work. Get to your happy place. Kamala Harris [00:41:28] And my family happened to be in town, so they were very happy about the whole situation. But I just got up and started. Everybody asleep? I just got up and started cooking. Matt Barnes [00:41:35] Mm hmm. Set your mind to use. Kamala Harris [00:41:37] Uh huh. Matt Barnes [00:41:38] Last question. As someone who's broke a ton of barriers throughout your journey, and your journey is continuing to elevate, what does it mean to you to be the first woman president, but the first black woman as president? Kamala Harris [00:41:50] Well, not there yet. Knockwood. My, um, mother had many sayings, and one of them is, she would say to me calmly, you may be the first to do many things, make sure you're not the last. And I take that so very seriously. I've had the good fortune to mentor a lot of people along the way, including to this day. Kamala Harris [00:42:13] For me, it's about one understanding the shoulders I stand on. We talk about a Shirley Chisholm and then so many people who are alive who have mentored me and held me up. And I just. I feel so strongly that, you know, each one, pull one, you gotta leave that door open more than it was when you walked in. Kamala Harris [00:42:36] And that's what it means to me. I feel a great sense of responsibility. I mean, you talk about your daughter and what she's doing at school. I look at our sons. I look at. I mean, I feel a sense of responsibility to hopefully remind them that you should never hear no, you should never hear nobody like, you has done this before, or it's not your time, or they're not ready. Kamala Harris [00:43:07] Like, don't hear that. Don't hear that. I eat no for breakfast. Matt Barnes [00:43:11] Mhm. Kamala Harris [00:43:13] That's my saying, I eat no for breakfast. Matt Barnes [00:43:15] You gotta see it to believe it. We talked about that growing up in the community. You gotta see it, uh, to believe it. We've seen Obama do what he does, and now we have an opportunity to possibly see you. And to me, you know, five, six daughters and, you know, I have a daughter. Matt Barnes [00:43:28] Just to be able to see it means so much. Kamala Harris [00:43:30] Right. Well, because there's so many, sadly, but there's so much good in the world. So let's start with that. And there's so many positive messages and there are some that are not positive and that would suggest to our kids, to our young people that they're alone, that they don't have champions, that they, um, don't belong, that they're not entitled to, that they don't have rights, including the right to be a leader. Stephen Jackson [00:44:02] Right. Kamala Harris [00:44:04] And I hope that in my career and in my work, to the extent I am able to, um, help people reject that, that I can do that. Matt Barnes [00:44:13] I love it. Before we get out of here, we would like to give you our first ever coffee. Oh, you're kidding. Ever have a coffee table book? Simon and Schuster. We did a partnership with them, so we want to sign this. Kamala Harris [00:44:23] Please do for you. Oh, my goodness. That's wonderful. See, this is a lot of new stuff happening for you guys, huh? Matt Barnes [00:44:30] Making our way. Kamala Harris [00:44:31] What is the name of the company? Matt Barnes [00:44:33] All, uh, the smoke productions. Kamala Harris [00:44:34] Okay, so productions. Adding that. Uh huh. Matt Barnes [00:44:36] I just added it to the end. Kamala Harris [00:44:37] Oh, that's wonderful. Thank you. Matt Barnes [00:44:40] All the stories, some of our favorite guests and their thinking, everything from mental health to family to business to basketball to. Kamala Harris [00:44:47] I'm so glad you guys are. I mean, on everything. But on the mental health piece, yes. I think it's huge, especially coming from the two of you and the folks that you'll bring on. We just need to remind people that it's actually, like, this is about self help. Matt Barnes [00:45:03] Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:45:03] Right. Uh, like, stop suffering. Matt Barnes [00:45:06] Yeah. Kamala Harris [00:45:06] And I think too, we're living with so much suffering. Matt Barnes [00:45:09] We all came, we came from as low as you can be and made it out. So to inspire and to let people know it is okay to ask for help is important. Kamala Harris [00:45:18] But here's the other thing, if I can just add to that, I think we have a system that fails people. If only the exceptional can get out. Matt Barnes [00:45:28] Great point. Kamala Harris [00:45:29] Right. That's a failure of a system. Because, you know, then people say, oh, but this person and that person. No, if you're pointing to the exceptional, and that's the only success story you've got. Forgetting about the majority, that's a failure of a system. Matt Barnes [00:45:43] Good point. Stephen Jackson [00:45:44] Keyword is opportunity, you said. Kamala Harris [00:45:46] Yeah. Stephen Jackson [00:45:46] You know, people always ask me, what's the difference between you and George Floyd? We grew up in the same area, did the same things. But I had an opportunity to go play basketball. Kamala Harris [00:45:53] That's right. Stephen Jackson [00:45:54] He didn't have opportunity to get out the ghetto. So that was the. That's the only difference in our areas, is opportunity. Everybody don't have the same opportunity. Kamala Harris [00:46:01] That's exactly right. Stephen Jackson [00:46:02] And that's what we gotta give back to. Kamala Harris [00:46:04] That's exactly right. Matt Barnes [00:46:05] Agree. Kamala Harris [00:46:06] Cause, uh, if you didn't have that skill, but you had other skills, I. Stephen Jackson [00:46:09] Would have been right there with him. Kamala Harris [00:46:10] Right. Exactly right. Exactly right. How's this daughter doing? Stephen Jackson [00:46:14] She's doing great. She's doing great. Kamala Harris [00:46:16] She is. Stephen Jackson [00:46:16] Gianna's doing real good. Yeah. You know, she has her days. She's in school. But, you know, sometimes she'll hear something that'll bring her back to that place. Kamala Harris [00:46:24] She got counseling. Stephen Jackson [00:46:25] Yep. And she has a great support system. She has a great support system. Kamala Harris [00:46:28] So she's doing great. Stephen Jackson [00:46:29] And everybody has done things for her. She's definitely reaping the benefits of it, so it's been a blessing for her. Kamala Harris [00:46:34] Tell her I asked about her. Stephen Jackson [00:46:35] I definitely will. You know I will. I will. Kamala Harris [00:46:37] Yeah. We should have her come back, too, when she's on break. Yeah. She's a sweet child. She really is. And handled all that attention. Matt Barnes [00:46:46] That's true everywhere. Kamala Harris [00:46:47] Cause that was a lot in every direction. From even people who wanted to give her love and support. But that was a lot for a child. Stephen Jackson [00:46:54] There was no blueprint. And she picked me up a lot of days. A lot of days where I didn't know what I was doing. Just hearing her call, uh, me uncle and, you know, just tell me she loved me those days. Picked me up a lot. So she is definitely a special child. Matt Barnes [00:47:05] Gave her hope. Stephen Jackson [00:47:06] Yeah, she's a special child. Kamala Harris [00:47:07] We are all a work in progress. Stephen Jackson [00:47:08] Yes, yes. Matt Barnes [00:47:09] Yes. Kamala Harris [00:47:09] We really are. Stephen Jackson [00:47:11] Ain't no blueprint to it. Kamala Harris [00:47:12] Not at all. We are making it up as we go along. Matt Barnes [00:47:15] We're still breaking the glass ceilings. Still breaking the glass ceiling. Well, that's a wrap. Thank you for having us in your home. We appreciate you. And, you know, you're very busy, but sitting down and talking to us and talking to the people. And, uh, we wish you the very best moving forward. Kamala Harris [00:47:27] I thank you both. I thank you. I look forward to talking again. Matt Barnes [00:47:29] Thank you. Kamala Harris [00:47:30] Thank you. Matt Barnes [00:47:30] That's a wrap. You can catch this on all the smoke YouTube. We'll see you guys next week.