MOSELEY BRAUN MADE HISTORY IN 1993 WHEN SHE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE OVER THE YEARS SHE'S WON A LOT OF POLITICAL HACKS, INCLUDING CONGRESSWOMAN IN COOK COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEDS.

AND OF COURSE, AMBASSADOR, SHE'S TAKING ON A NEW ROLE NOW AS THE CHAIR OF THE UNITED STATES AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.

AND JOINING US NOW IS CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN.

AMBASSADOR, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

SO AS WE MENTIONED, YOU BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE.

THAT WAS IN AND YOU'RE ONE OF ONLY 3 BLACK WOMEN TO HAVE EVER HOLD THE TITLE.

WE'VE ALL HEARD OF THE SECOND ONE WHO IS NOW VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS OF THE 3RD IS BUTLER, WHY HAVEN'T THERE BEEN MORE?

WELL, IT IS CULTURAL AND MOSTLY HAS TO THE FACT THAT WOMEN HAVE NOT BEEN GETTING ELECTED TO THE SENATE.

IT'S HIGHEST LEGISLATIVE BODY WE HAVE IN COUNTRY.

AND THERE'S BEEN A KIND OF CULTURAL BY 06:00AM.

WOMEN MAKING THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS?

SO I WAS GLAD TO BE PART.

I WAS HONORED CART OF THE LARGEST CLASS OF WOMEN EVER ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

AND THEY WERE 8 OF OUT OF 100.

WHAT PROGRESS DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN MADE IN THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE?

I THINK A LOT, I AND TO CHANGE.

PEOPLE ARE NOW A CUSTOM MORE CUSTOM TO WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKING ROLES OR CUSTOM TO FACT THAT WOMEN OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE AND OF COURSE, VICE PRESIDENT IS VERY IS IMPORTANT HAVE PART OF THAT BECAUSE SHE'S TAKING SUCH AN AGGRESSIVE ROLE IN TERMS ACTUAL POLICY THINGS MAKE IMPACT WITH HIS LIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS MAKE THE THAT RACE SHOULDN'T MATTER.

CANDIDATES IDEOLOGY, CANDIDATES FITNESS FOR THE IS WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

NOT YOU KNOW, HAVING A AMOUNT OF OF CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.

WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, 2 THINGS CAN BE RIGHT CAN BE TRUE.

THAT SOUNDS CONTRADICTORY.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACE WAITING, WHICH TRUE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THE BEST QUALITY CANDIDATES, PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THE JOB.

AND WE HAVE REAL SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM.

IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT AND WHO ARE PREPARED AND ABLE TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR CONSTITUENCY.

THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

THIS AND THAT DOES RACE IT MATTERS A LOT.

BUT THAT ABILITY FUNDRAISE AS YOU THE ABILITY TO GET FOLKS OUT AND TO OVERCOME BIASES THAT ARE IMPLICIT THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF CLOSE TO WE'LL CALL IT AND YOU YOUR LIPSTICK, OF THING.

YOU KNOW, MOST THINGS AND AMONG WOMEN, BUT THEN DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THAT POINT, THOUGH, YOU THERE'S BEEN NO BLACK WOMAN TO EVER BE ELECTED AS A GOVERNOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE SENATE.

THERE'S ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, OBVIOUSLY MAKING HISTORY BEING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME DO YOU FEEL LIKE BLACK WOMEN AS CANDIDATES?

ARE THEY GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM THE WHICHEVER PARTY THEY MAY CHOOSE AND AND DONORS WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING ONE OF THOSE HIGHER OFFICE IS, WELL, IT'S IT'S A PROCESS AND GETTING A FUNDRAISING OPERATION, YOU HAVE PEOPLE TO ATTRACT THE TOWN OF PEOPLE WHO CAN DO IT.

AND FRANKLY, A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS IN THIS INDUSTRY I'M JUST WON'T TAKE ON BLACK FEMALE CANDIDATES.

THEY THINK THAT THEY HAVE LESS A CHANCE TO HAVE THE HEADLINES.

IT AND THE RAYS KIND OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE QUIET BECAUSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT CAN TEND SEE A PENNY OF THAT.

IT ALL GOES TO THE CONSULTANTS TO PEOPLE WHO TELEVISION THEY FEEL OPERATION THAT GOES TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DO DIFFERENT PARTS OF CAMPAIGN AND AND THAT'S MULTI-MILLION BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD FOCUS ON.

THE FACT THAT IS MULTI BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY AND MINORITIES ARE NOT GETTING A FAIR SHARE OF IT IN SPITE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTIONS AND THE FACT THAT VOTING BEHAVIOR.

BUT EITHER WAY I WAS SOME HISPANIC EXPERTS ON THE RADIO TODAY.

AND AND AND AND THEY COMPLAIN HIM THINK PLATES BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE SAME ATTENTION EITHER THE ABILITY RAISE THE MONEY, THE KIND OF SUPPORT THE ASSUMPTIONS AND GO INTO IT.

IT'S ALL CULTURAL AT THE END AND THE END OF THE DAY.

AND SO UNTIL WE GET THE CULTURAL ISSUES SOLVED, WHICH WE'RE ALL WORKING ON.

AND THAT'S WHY YOUR SHOW IS SO OFFICIALLY WE'RE ALL WORKING ON GETTING THE CULTURAL ISSUES ADDRESS AND SOLVE THEM.

WHEN YOU SAY CULTURAL, YOU MEAN SORT OF THE RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE OF OF SOMEONE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CULTURE HAVING A CHANCE, HAVING A SHOT AT OFFICER AND EVEN GENDER.

I MEAN, GENDER PLAYS STRONG ROLE AS CULTURE.

I WAS JUST IN THE OTHER I'M WORKING ON A BOOK AND ONE THINGS ONE OF THE PARTS THAT I DID NOT PUT IT IN.

PUT IN THE BOOK FOR MYSELF.

BUT WRITTEN PREVIOUSLY WAS THAT ABIGAIL ADAMS, ONE OF OUR FOUNDING MOTHERS.

BUT HAD WRITTEN TO HAS BEEN SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO BE NICE TO 2 LADIES.

AND IT GOES BACK TO HASN'T CHANGED.

CHANGED AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, SO HE'S SHE WAS COMPLAINING TO THE WOMEN WERE GETTING MATT GUTMAN, SAME KIND SUPPORT THAT OTHER AMERICANS THIS ADAM DAY, ABIGAIL ADAMS IN THE 1700'S.

SO WE KNOW WE'VE COME A WAYS, BUT IT'S GOING TO FIGHT ALL ALONG THE WAY AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE POINT OF CONTENTION FRANKLY, A CHALLENGE.

BUT AND A LOT OF WOMEN, TOO.

I CHALLENGE BY IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, ON THE SUBJECT OF VOTING BEHAVIORS, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AS WE KNOW, STEADILY APPROACHING THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SAYS THAT HALF OF BLACK VOTERS THAT THEY POLLED SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE BOTH CANDIDATES.

BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CANDIDATES, OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT'S IN A PERFECT NOT PERFECT WORLD BUT PERFECT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SURVEYED.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

BUT CAN PRESIDENT BIDEN RELY ON BLACK VOTERS IN THIS YOU NEVER DO THAT.

THE I WOULDN'T ADVISE HIM FOR HIM OR ANY OF THE CAN.

YOU DON'T RELY ON ANYTHING WHEN I RAN FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE.

MY VIEW WAS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE BASE.

IT WAS YOU GO AFTER THE VOTE.

YOU DON'T HAVE.

AND THEN THE FOLKS PEOPLE FROM WOLF, BOTH YOU WILL FALL IN PLACE IF THEY THINK YOU CAN WIN.

AND SO I WOULD GIVE THIS PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE SAME RECOMMENDATION IS COUNT THE BLACK VOTE DON'T COUNT IT OUT, BUT COUNT ON IT TO COME IN AND BE THE SAME.

DID SAY THE DAY YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN TALK OF BLOGS FOR A WHILE IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A BLACK VOTERS LEAVING THE DEMOCRATIC IN FAVOR OF THE REPUBLICANS OR ANY OTHER.

MAYBE 3RD PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE RISE OF SOME FIGURES LIKE CANDACE OWENS.

HOW CAN BIDEN AND OTHER DEMOCRATS ENERGIZED THE BLACK VOTE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO GO AFTER?

LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WHAT THE VOTE MEANS, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO DON'T THINK THEIR VOTE MATTERS.

AND SO YOU START THERE, THE BASICS THAT IT DOES MATTER.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT YOU GET ENGAGED WITH THIS PROCESS AND THAT YOU VOTE I THINK'S GOING BACK TO BASICS, CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT HE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE DONE AS OPPOSED JUST WORDS.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS IT'S ALL FASHION, BASIC POLITICS.

BUT IF YOU TALK VOTERS ABOUT WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT, THEN THEY'LL COME TO YOUR RESCUE.

O, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE.

YOU WERE APPOINTED TO SERVE AS CHAIR AS WE MENTION OF THE UNITED STATES AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION BACK IN APRIL.

BIG TASK TO TAKE ON.

IT'S A BIG CONTINENTS.

NOT EVERYBODY KNOW A LOT ABOUT AFRICA, RIGHT OF 54.

VERY DIFFERENT AND DIVERSE COUNTRIES ON THE ENTIRE CONTINENT.

DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND ISSUES AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FIRST PRIORITIES?

MY FIRST PRIORITY IS TO IS TO ENGAGE WITH AGENCY AND AND MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE.

THE COMMON AND EXPLAIN TO AMERICANS WHAT TO AMERICANS, WHAT IT DOES AND WHY IT'S WELL, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE SAGES BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1960'S STARTING WITH THE KENNEDYS.

OTHER CANDIDATES RIGHT?

AND SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?

AND I'VE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND THEN AMBASSADOR, I DIDN'T EVEN I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS AGENCY.

AND SO IF I DID KNOW ABOUT IT, WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF SOMEBODY YOU KNOW, JUST GOING TO PICK THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL WOULD KNOW ABOUT CLOSE TO SO I THINK FAMILIAR RISING OF VOTERS WITH THE AGENCY, WHAT IT DOES, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE RUSSIANS AND THE CHINESE ARE IN THEIR BIG TIME TRYING TO CURRY FAVOR WITH DIFFERENT AFRICAN NATIONS AND THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.

54 COUNTRIES USES A COKE AT IT THE MORE DIVERSE AND MISSISSIPPI AND FELT WELL.

ALSO, THERE'S LOTS OF LOTS OF CHALLENGES ON THE COMMENT, BUT I THINK WE STAND FOR OUR VALUES OF SUCH AND SO IMPORTANT THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE ENGAGE CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT VALUES OF DEMOCRACY, OF FAIRNESS OF MAKE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO NOT JUST FOR US.

AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU'VE HAD A VERY LONG AND IMPRESSIVE CAREER SPANNING 3 DECADES.

6 PRESIDENTS, OF COURSE, YOU'RE STILL AT IT.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF WHAT DO YOU FEEL THERE IS REMAINING WELL, I'M DOING IT NOW.

ACTUALLY.

I'M MOST PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS, 72, THE SENATE.

I MEAN, I I BROKE THROUGH A VERY THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND BECAUSE OF PEOPLE ILLINOIS.

AND SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT AND GRATEFUL FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, I I KIND OF CAREER IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN.

I TRIED TO MAKE IT FUN.

AND THEN SOMETIMES IT WOULD MATTER THING TO LOT OF TRYING TO MAKE MAKE IT FUN AND CERTAINLY HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT OF LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THE WORLD.

THAT WE'RE AT A TIME ENJOYED HAVING YOU HERE.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND I I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH