Raphael Warnock recounts his rise to the U.S. Senate in a new memoir

Judy Woodruff:

Georgia's U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock gained national attention in January 2021 when he won his high-profile Senate race.

But, before that, he was best known as the senior pastor at Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. Senator Warnock is up for reelection this year. And with a few months to go before voters cast their ballots, he's out with a new memo or that describes his journey to the pulpit and then to the halls of Congress.

It is titled "A Way Out of No Way."

And I spoke with him moments ago.

Senator Warnock, thank you very much for joining us. This is part of your telling your story, the 11 of — 11th of 12 children in your family, grew up in public housing project in Savannah, Georgia, first in your family to go to college.

I want to ask what you meant when in the title it says "A Way Out of No Way" and "The New American Story." What did you mean by that?

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA):

Thank you so very much. It's wonderful to be here with you.

So, the title of the memoir, "A Way Out of No Way," comes straight from the Black church. And let me hasten to say that, when we say the Black church, we have never meant anything racially exclusive by that. I'm talking about the anti-slavery church, the church that slaves built, and out of which Martin Luther King Jr. and so many others emerge, calling America to its best self.

And you're not in a Black church for long before you hear someone in the pulpit or maybe even in the pew say, our God makes a way out of no way. It is a phrase and an expression born of suffering, quite frankly, and of oppression, but of keeping the faith over, against long odds, hoping against hope, putting one foot in front of the other, and never giving into despair, to know that, as we push our way, we may not know exactly how things will move from day to day, but, ultimately, we're going to be all right.

Judy Woodruff:

So many stories in the book about your growing up and about your time as you made your way through life.

You became a minister after theological school. You have clearly had your trials and tribulations. What was it, 25 years ago, your older brother, Keith, who is a police officer, arrested, sentenced to life in prison for being involved in a drug ring.

What did you learn from that experience?

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Well, indeed, it was one of the darkest and most difficult moments in my family's life, one that we continue to wrestle through. He was released after 22 years of a life sentence, ironically, because of COVID and the pandemic and the overcrowding of prisons in a country where we are 6 percent of the world's population, we Americans, but we warehouse 25 percent of the world's prisoners.

And so it gave me a lens into the things that need to be corrected in our criminal justice system, the so-called war on drugs that literally hollowed out entire communities, particularly Black and brown communities. We're seeing it play out now in rural communities with the opioid epidemic.

It gave me a kind of compassion and tender heart as a pastor as I dealt with others who were going through the same thing, and it informs my work as a legislator.

Judy Woodruff:

And you do bring your background as a pastor to the United States Senate. You have served now for a year-and-a-half at a time of historic gridlock in Washington, in the Senate.

Having seen it up close, do you have a formula for how to break through that gridlock?

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

These are difficult days, but I think you get up every morning, you do your work, and you try to build coalitions, and sometimes unlikely alliances with people who may not agree with you on everything, all for the sake of building what Dr. King called the beloved community.

That's our calling in a moment like this.

Judy Woodruff:

Well, one of the unlikely coming together, if you will, is just — we have seen it just in the last day or so over gun legislation, gun control.

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Yes.

Judy Woodruff:

It looks as if there could be an agreement in the Senate.

It's clearly not what you and many other Democrats wanted. But is it something you could support?

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Well, what I want — well, what I want us is to see us break the gridlock.

I mean, Columbine happened about three decades ago. Think about that. We have adults in America who, for them and their children, they don't remember a world, as I do, when you didn't have to teach kindergartners what to do in the case of an active shooter.

This has been our experience now, for generation-and-a-half. Here's what the Senate cannot afford to do, to wash our hands of the issue and say we can't do anything. So I have gotten a good look at this bill. I have been working, and with my colleagues, and encouraging those who've been at the center of this work.

And this is a good moment. We're going to save lives when we pass this legislation and I think lay the foundation for figuring out what else we can do for the American people together.

Judy Woodruff:

Another issue before the country right now, Senator, is the high cost of gasoline.

As you know, President Biden today announced a three-month suspension of the federal gas tax. You had been asking for a suspension through the end of the year. Is this something you can support?

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Well, in fact, I introduced the Gas Tax Relief Act back in February.

So I have been pushing for this for the better part of the year. I'm now happy to see the president is fully on board with this. And I can tell you that, for consumers in Georgia, hardworking families trying to work it out, this can't come soon enough. And I hope we can get this done sooner than later.

Judy Woodruff:

Your race for reelection, Senator, you're up against a Georgia football legend in Herschel Walker as the Republican nominee.

It's been reported just in the past few days that he has fathered three more children than he had previously acknowledged. He's getting a lot of attention over that. His campaign, in turn, has turned around and accused you of being involved in a nasty custody fight with your former wife.

This has gotten down and dirty quickly, hasn't it?

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Well, I think it's going to be a long campaign.

And the people of Georgia have a stark choice to make about who they think is ready to represent them in the United States Senate. I'm the most junior member of the U.S. Senate. Out of 100, I'm number 100. And yet I punch way above my weight.

We passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill. I have worked with Republicans to get things that I think are good for the people of Georgia. I have worked with my colleague in Alabama to help Georgia farmers get their goods to market. I'm pushing now for this gas tax relief, something I have been arguing for since February.

And I'm trying to cap the cost of insulin. I'm going to keep my eye on the ball, if you will, and on the people of Georgia.

Judy Woodruff:

Senator Raphael Warnock, candidate for reelection to the Senate and the author of the new book "A Way Out of No Way."

Senator, thank you very much.

Sen. Raphael Warnock:

Great to be with you. Thanks.