Below is a transcript of the interview with Sen. Raphael Warnock, Democrat of Georgia, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” airing on October 20, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Weijia Jiang reports from Atlanta. We now turn to Democratic Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock of Georgia, good morning to you.
MON. RAPHAEL WARNOCK: Good morning. Margaret, love you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before we get to politics, Senator, I want to ask you about what happened overnight in your state. We’re aware of the tragic news outside of Savannah, where at least seven people died when a ferry dock collapsed on Georgia Island. The White House said it was ready to provide resources. Does Georgia need him?
MON. WARNOCK: Margaret, this is tragic news. The Gullah Geechee community is a community of rich traditions, and that’s where they celebrate, and when people come out of the alley to the pier collapses. We know we have lost at least seven people, but my prayers go out to the family. I promise all the resources from the office to get to the bottom, and we stand with the people of Sapelo Island, Georgia, not far from my hometown.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m sorry, sir. I want to go into politics. We are getting close to election day. You know, 33% of Georgia’s registered voters are black, more than any other swing state. Our CBS poll shows that black voters are still overwhelmingly voting for Democrats, as in the last election, supporting Harris at the same rate as they are supporting Biden in 2020, but we see that the likelihood of voters is not losing to white voters. What do you need to do to help enable people to be seen?
MON. WARNOCK: Oh, we’ve got to get on with the job. And the good news is, that’s what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz did. He doesn’t take anything for granted. You know, I’ve had some tough races in Georgia, and you just have to leave it all on the field. So he has been here many times. He will be here later today, worshiping at the Church of the New Birth, and we hope – and I know he will come again later, later this week, so we will continue to do the work, and we will get him. across the finish line in Georgia and across the country.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you know the last time you were with us, sir, back in March, you and I talked about whether Gaza was a resonant issue with black pastors and black voters. The latest poll shows 60% of black voters say the US should push Israel to reduce or end military action. Just this past week, the government sent a letter to Israel asking the government to allow aid to Gaza. It has fallen to the lowest level in a year, and warns that in 30 days, measures must be taken. Are you disappointed that the Biden Harris administration has not been able to persuade America’s allies to be more humanitarian?
MON. WARNOCK: Listen, I’m very concerned about what’s happening in the region, Palestinian civilians, Israeli civilians caught in the middle of this conflict. We must be the humanitarian center of the Palestinians and Israelis. I support efforts to ensure that our allies can defend themselves. It is in a difficult and difficult environment. I think we are at another turning point. We are at a critical moment. I’m glad to see vice president Harris lean this time after the killer – kill the leader of Hamas, to ask for peace, and this is what we need. We need peace, and we need to use all our resources to do this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But do you think this will hurt vice president Harris, with younger voters? He hasn’t asserted a different policy than President Biden?
MON. WARNOCK: Well, listen, I won’t explain. I am most concerned about what is happening to the people in the area, not the politics around this. As I said a few months ago, we have to make sure that our children are okay, the Palestinian children and the Israeli children. And this is the thing, here, here is the contrast. Donald Trump will not give full throttle support to a two-state solution. He, he has made it very clear with Project 2025 that he will end aid to Gaza and the West Bank. The contrast between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, she who is running, could not be clearer. And we must continue to try to bring this conflict to peace, bring the hostages home and provide a peace that, or a path that respects the humanity of the Palestinians and Israelis.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, we’ve seen incredible numbers at the polls in Georgia so far. However, on Friday, Vice President Harris spoke about the attack on the freedom to vote, and he specifically referred to the state of Georgia, as you know, the Department of Justice and the state have been fighting until 2021 about some state laws. that the Department of Justice said denied or abridged the right of black Georgians to vote on account of race or color. The Justice Department did not win the case. Do you think the Vice President’s constant comments could backfire here to discourage people from voting?
MON. WARNOCK: No, I think the purpose of voter suppression is to prevent people from voting. Look, we see the shenanigans of the Georgia State Board of Elections for what they are. This attempt literally changed the rules for when people vote, and the courts rightly rejected it. Remember that during my runoff, the last runoff, I had to sue the state of Georgia, state officials just so people could vote in the first weekend of the runoff. Fortunately, the court got it right during the election, and by the way, the margin of victory was close to the number of people who voted the first weekend who said ‘we can’t vote.’ The court was right in my case. They got it back this week, but I think the most important thing is for people to show up. The way to respond to this is to not allow, not to allow anyone to silence your voice. I am glad that we are seeing this incredible participation across our country. I was speaking for the vigilance of the people of Georgia, and I hope they will stay up all the way through the early voting, which ends on November 1. Then who will get another one on November 5th.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But your governor, Brian Kemp, said the truth is easy to vote and hard to lie in Georgia, and has criticized the Vice President and democratic officials, saying they lied about Georgia’s election laws to raise campaign cash and scare people. Isn’t this high turnout assuage some of what you call an attempt at voter suppression?
MON. WARNOCK: Listen, I’ve been through several elections in Georgia, and what we’re seeing is lines wrapped around buildings. We saw the efforts of state officials to prevent people from being elected in the first weekend of the runoff, and the people of Georgia stood up. Listen, the fact that voters turned out doesn’t mean there isn’t voter suppression. It just means that people don’t want to make noise or be silent. And the good news is that they will show up, and we will continue between now and November 1st, and then they will show up on Election Day on November 5th.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you believe that there was an attempt to suppress the election in Georgia?
MON. WARNOCK: Listen, we looked at what the state board of elections did last week-
(CROSSTALK STARTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: -But the court,
MON. WARNOCK: They’re literally trying to change the rules in the middle of an election—
MARGARET: -But they were killed,
(CROSSTALK ENDS)
MON. WARNOCK: -And the court, the court, should undo what he did. And what I say to Georgians is that the way to respond to this is to keep showing up, because when you show up, you win.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And finally, are you concerned about political violence in your country?
MON. WARNOCK: Listen, I think it’s very important that we all remember that in the United States, we have strong arguments about the direction of the country, about the size of government, about what government should do. And the arguments are strong and sometimes rambunctious to avoid violence. So I believe that cooler heads will prevail, and we will remember that at the end of the day, contrary to what Donald Trump suggests, our enemies are not within. We are Americans. We don’t always agree on everything, but the best part is that we can talk. It seems like a democracy, and now it is visible
MARGARET BRENNAN: Got it. Thank you for your time this morning.
MON. WARNOCK: Very pleased with you
MARGARET BRENNAN: “Face the Nation” will be back in a minute. Stay with us.
