1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: When this episode of news World, you're going to get 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: to meet somebody who I have found to be one 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: of the most fascinating and interesting personalities that we've ever 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: had on the podcast. I'm confident that as you get 5 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: to know her, that you're going to have the same 6 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: reaction I did, which is that she's just a remarkable original, 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: totally her own person and a great contribution to the 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: diversity and the energy and the ideas that make up America. 9 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: She is Virginia Lieutenant Governor elect Winsome Sears, and I 10 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: must say when I recently saw her speak at the 11 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: American Legislative Exchange Council, you could have heard a pin drop. 12 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: Every single person in that room was paying total attention 13 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: to her, and she was earning it because she's so fascinating. 14 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: So thank you for joining me today when I'm very grateful, 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: and I think the achievement of the Virginia Republicans winning 16 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: back the Governor's mansion is one of the most exciting 17 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: races we've seen in a long time, and we'll talk 18 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: about it. At first, I think we had to talk 19 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: about you because I think you are, in your own 20 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: right a phenomenon. Now as I understand that you were 21 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: born in Kingston, Jamaica in March of nineteen sixty four, 22 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: and you immigrated to the the US when you were six 23 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: years old in nineteen seventy and from then on it 24 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: became an American success story. But can you tell us 25 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: a little bit about your dad and coming to the 26 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: US at that early age. Yes, Miss so speaker, thank 27 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,199 Speaker 1: you for having me on. It's great to be with you. 28 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: And I tell you you never can plan your life 29 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: because I never a million years that I would be 30 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: before you now speaking. So it really is truly an honor. 31 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: So my father came to America in nineteen sixty three 32 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: August eleventh, seventeen days before March, and Luther King Junior 33 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: gave his eye have a Dream speech. And so I 34 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: said to my father, why would you come then, because 35 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: you know, it was a very hard time for us 36 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: and for those who don't know yet, I'm black and 37 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: my father's a black too. And he said, because this 38 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: is where the opportunities were. I said, yeah, but you 39 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: came at the height of the civil rights movement and 40 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: he said, this is still where the jobs were. And 41 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: so you know, he came one a dollar seventy five. 42 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: And in fact, I'll tell you he couldn't remember if 43 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: he came one a dollar fifty or a dollar seventy five, 44 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: So I'm spotting him a court or anyway. He came 45 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: and took any job he could find. He moved in 46 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: with his sister when he came and got roommates, moved 47 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: out six months afterwards, and put himself through school with 48 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: the money that he made, and started his American dream, 49 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: you know, bought his house, etc. Etc. And now he's 50 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: comfortably retired. And you know, I say all that to 51 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,959 Speaker 1: say that, remember when my father came at the height 52 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: of the civil rights movement. You want to talk about 53 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: dog whistles. Okay, there was that, the fire hoses, there 54 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: was that. But you know what he didn't do, mister speaker. 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: He did not go back home. No he did not. 56 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: He said, this is where the opportunities were and he 57 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: was going to take advantage of them. And we did. 58 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: Because you see, racism is everywhere, is it not? Racism 59 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: is in every country. If it's not racism, it's colorism. 60 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: And where the black community can tell you about that 61 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: all day long. There wasn't so long ago when if 62 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: you were not light skinned that you could not join 63 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: certain black organizations. So we need to get off that 64 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: high horse that we have. And if it's not colorism, 65 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: it's tribalism. If it's not tribalism, it's classism. It is 66 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: whatever it is, because we're human beings and we divide ourselves. 67 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: He'll be saying in church, iman not be what I'm 68 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: supposed to be, but I ain't what I used to be. 69 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: And that's America. She may not be what she's supposed 70 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: to be, but surely she ain't what she used to be. 71 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: Look at me. I am here and I was not 72 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: even born here. I came off the plane. I am 73 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: still the immigrant. My children are first generation Americans. So 74 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: you can say, and I've heard people say, you know 75 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: that you can come here and then in one generation 76 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: you can be, you know, president of the United States. Well, 77 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 1: I am the same generation that got off the plane, 78 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: and in my same getting off the plane, I am 79 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: a second and command in Virginia. I am going to 80 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: be the lieutenant governor. And that's the greatness of America. 81 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: So I want to go back. Now, here's the six 82 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: year old girl getting off the plane as you put her. 83 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: Where were you all living we lived in the Bronx, 84 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: and I can tell you it was a bit traumatic 85 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: for me because remember I came from sun all day long, 86 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: no matter the scenes, that it was always sunny. You know, 87 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 1: in Jamaican you don't ever ask how's the weather. The 88 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: weather is always hot and sunny. And then you know, 89 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: I'm used to walking barefoot in the grass and fruit 90 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: trees and season all the time, and I come to 91 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: another country. They're snow on ground, and the culture is different, 92 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: the smells are different, everything is different, and it was 93 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: very traumatic for me, very traumatic. But here I am. 94 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: I got used to it. Apparently I just have to 95 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: ask us because of my own background. So did you 96 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: go to the Bronx Zoo since you lived in the Bronx. Yes, 97 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: And we did everything that was American because you want 98 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: to be an American, you want to adapt, and this 99 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: is America. And we didn't come here to be separate. 100 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 1: We came here to succeed. That was the whole purpose. 101 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: The opportunities are here despite the other issues, and so 102 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 1: when we talk about racism, you know, it's just one 103 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: more hurdle and we'll get over it. So your dad 104 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: took any job he could and put himself through school. 105 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: And you went through school, yes, and then you decide 106 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: at the age of nineteen to join the US Marine Corps. 107 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: Now why did you decide to become a marine? Well, 108 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: I tell you. Had it not been for my grandmother, 109 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: I would not have joined the Marine Corps because I 110 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: had graduated from New York High School early, and my 111 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: classes were set and I was supposed to start college 112 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: that August. I was all set to go, had my 113 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: books ready, had everything ready. But then my grandmother died 114 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: that July. That same year July, and I looked at 115 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: her in kanasket, I went back to Jamaica for her funeral, 116 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: and I looked at her and I thought, what is 117 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: the purpose of my life? She died when I was eighteen. 118 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: I thought, if you're just going to die, then I'm 119 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,679 Speaker 1: just gonna die myself. And I remembered that the Marines 120 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: really could help me. And in fact, there was a 121 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: jet magazine in Jamaica on my mother's coffee table, and 122 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: then I picked it up and it fell to the few, 123 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: the proud, the Marines, and I said, well, if anybody 124 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: can give me a reason to live, it's going to 125 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: be the Marine Corps. And I'm joined because I needed 126 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: the discipline, and because America had been so good to me. 127 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: You've served both as an electrician and as a diesel mechanic, 128 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: which had to be a range of learning you hadn't 129 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: quite expected when you saw that picture. Well, I tell you, 130 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: I became an electrician, and you know, we always have 131 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: to repair the floodlights and the generators, and so you 132 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: had to also become a diesel mechanic too. And I 133 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: did that because I'd heard my grandfather say to the 134 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: older grandkids that a powers degree is wonderful, but get 135 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: a trade, because then they can't take that from you. 136 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: And that's because he grew up in the depression, and 137 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: you know, laws had work if he had a trade. 138 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: So although I have my master degree, now I do 139 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: have the ability from time to time, you know, to 140 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: diagnose a few things. How did it feel being in 141 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: the Marine Corps? Oh, it was wonderful because I just 142 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: gravitate to discipline. I suppose I gravitate to authority. I 143 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: gravitate to leaders, and that's what the Marine Corps did 144 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: for me. Gave me the discipline in the authority. I'm 145 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: not a big old woman, as we might say, I'm 146 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: quite petite, but when you have rank, you have authority. 147 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: And I got to tell these great, big, hulking guys 148 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: once I started picking up rank, we've got to do this, this, 149 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: and this, and then they respected the rank. And that 150 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 1: taught me something else as well, that once you're given leadership, 151 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: then you don't abuse it, and in fact, you tried 152 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: to make more leaders It lightens your burden certainly, and 153 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 1: it develops others in their natural talents because you can't 154 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: do it by yourself. And I saw leadership model for 155 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: me when I saw, for example, we had an inspector 156 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: general's inspection, and most people who have been in the 157 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: military mole that you don't want to families. And so 158 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: we were working very hard, very hard, and one night 159 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: the morn officer came out and gave us a pep talk. 160 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: But I tell me what he did after that. He 161 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,319 Speaker 1: took off his wonderful uniform and put on his candies 162 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: and his utilities and was out there moving equipment and 163 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: working on equipment with the rest of us. And he 164 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: got more out of us that night than he had 165 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: all the days previous. And I said to myself, okay, 166 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: understand about that too. You have to model leadership, and 167 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: you have to be willing to do a grunt work 168 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: so that you can get the respect. And in the Marines, 169 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: you know, as a woman, men have natural tendencies who 170 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: want to protect women, and so they would want to 171 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: help me dig the ditch or dig it for me. 172 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: But I understood if I let them do that, I 173 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: would not earn their respect, and so I had to 174 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: dig my own ditch. I think Interro has it right 175 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: where they require of every citizen that they serve their 176 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: country for two years, and I think that's probably what's 177 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: missing in our everyday lives in America. We always think 178 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: now that the country owes us something when we are 179 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 1: the ones who will keep the country the great country 180 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: that she should be, whether it's peace corps or whether 181 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: you join the military, I think we ought to require 182 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: of our citizens at least two years to make your 183 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: country great. When you think back to all this, if 184 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 1: you had not gone in the Marine Corps, do you 185 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: think you'd be a dramatically different person today. I think 186 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: I would simpler because I love the Lord and he's 187 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: a great part of my life, and I understand, according 188 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: to the Bible that my steps are ordered by him. 189 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: So I think whatever path I would have taken, I 190 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 1: think I would have ended up here no matter what. 191 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: But he used the Marines. So when you get out 192 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: of the core, you really invested in education. I want 193 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: to Tidewater Community College, and you graduated from Old Dominion 194 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: and then you had an m A. And organizational leadership 195 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: at Region University, so you spent a lot of time learning. 196 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: Ever since I was a little kid, I loved arguing. 197 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: I thought I was making points. But my parents and 198 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: everybody said, well, you were arguing all the time. You 199 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: always wanted to know why you had to do something, 200 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: and I was preparing. I'd tell my mother now. But 201 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: I always wanted to be a lawyer. And when I 202 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: left the Morning Corps, I thought about that again, and 203 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: I didn't want to be forty mister speaker, and wonder 204 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: what if? And so I went back to school. But 205 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: you see, by that time, I already had three children. 206 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: They were under five, and I figured I was so always. 207 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: I was maybe twenty six when I went back to 208 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: get my college degree so that I could move on 209 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: to becoming a lawyer that I thought I wanted to be. 210 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,559 Speaker 1: And no one can tell me you know that I 211 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: had it easy again, three children under five, my husband 212 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: and I. My husband took a lower paying job so 213 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: that he could be home more with the children, so 214 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: that I could go to school. We sold one of 215 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: our vehicles so that we could reduce the cost of 216 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: living for us, because you know, I wasn't working and 217 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: it was a hard time for us. I put one 218 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 1: of my girls, the last one, on the back of 219 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: our bicycle in the carrier people who are using one vehicle, 220 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: and took her to daycare that other kids went to school. So, 221 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, I came up the hard way. By knew 222 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to get somewhere. In order to get there, 223 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: I was going to need the knowledge to get there. 224 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: And eventually I was accepted to law school. But something changed. 225 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,439 Speaker 1: What happened. I ran the homeless shelter and I just 226 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: saw for them that maybe I didn't want to really 227 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: be the attorney. I wanted to be the person who 228 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: was arguing things. Arguing that's what I like to do. 229 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 1: I like to make points in research and all that. 230 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: And so the very next year, after I was accepted 231 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: to law school and I decided not to go, I 232 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: was elected. So what I was going to do as 233 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: an attorney. I was going to work within a system 234 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: that I was given, but then I ended up creating 235 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: the system. So it was very interesting. Well, I don't 236 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: think i'd ever heard that story. Were you shocked when 237 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: I won? Well, I saw that things weren't being down 238 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: the way that I thought that could be. Example, my 239 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: representative didn't seem to care what we thought. Nobody ever 240 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: knocked on my door and asked me for my opinion 241 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: on the issues, and I didn't see it happen anywhere else. 242 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: And I was asked to run, and I thought, you know, 243 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,959 Speaker 1: after I played about it, yes I'm going to run. 244 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: And remember now, I ran in a fifty eight percent 245 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: black district, sixty two percent Democrat overall, and I ran 246 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: against an incumbent who had been there for twenty years. 247 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: His father had the seat before him eleven years, so 248 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: thirty three year dynasty in the family. And only had 249 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: three months to run, and I had no money, But 250 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: you know, we did it. I couldn't have done it 251 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: by myself. I had a lot of volunteers and we 252 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: did it. It's a little bit like the story of 253 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: ed Dore Junior, who beat the state Senate president in 254 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: New Jersey. I believe Republicans should ignore blue district etc. 255 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: And say, if I can find the right candidate with 256 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: the right heart and to work hard enough, anybody is 257 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: potentially vulnerable. And it must have been a huge shock 258 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: to both the Democrats and the Republicans when you won, 259 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: because the Democrats didn't think they could lose and the 260 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: Republicans didn't think they could win. I mean, did that 261 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: automatically draw attention for you when you got to Richmond 262 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: because you sort of stood out as a remarkable candidate. Again, 263 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: I didn't seek anything, and I wasn't thinking about making 264 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: history when I ran. I just knew that somebody had 265 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: to challenge him and that somebody should be mean. Why 266 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: not mean? Nobody else was stepping up, and so I did, 267 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: and when I wanted, certain things happened. I became the 268 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: first black Republican woman ever elected to the General Assembly. 269 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: I was also the first female immigrant, you know, Republican Democrat. 270 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: It didn't matter. I also was the first female veteran 271 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: you know, Marine Corps. What was more important, I think 272 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: than anything else, is that I was the first Republican 273 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: to represent a majority minority district since eighteen sixty five. Though. 274 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: It let people know that we can have Republicans represent 275 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: Black districts, Asian districts, you know, majority whatever, Latino, that 276 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: we should never ever not go and talk with everybody. 277 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: We should never concede people to Democrats. We have the 278 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: better ideas, and if you never go and talk to 279 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: the population, then it's a self fulfilling prophecy and we'll 280 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: ever vote for you. You've got to come and make 281 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: the case. I think Republican Party ought to start thinking 282 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: about itself as a business. A business needs customers. You 283 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: don't care where your customers are coming from. You go 284 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: find your customers. And if your customers are listening to 285 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: a certain leadio program, go pay for time there. If 286 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: they're reading certain newspapers, go every time there before in 287 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: certain restaurants, go find them there. Go and find your 288 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: customers so that your business will survive. You know, it's 289 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: fascinating to me because you did have this great upset 290 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: victory and you were representing a district very effectively, but 291 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: then you decided to tackle Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott and 292 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: you got thirty one percent of the vote. How did 293 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: you reconcile the ability on the one hand to win 294 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 1: the state House seat, but on the other hand being 295 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: in a match with a system which is very, very 296 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: hard to break through. It was a bigger district. It 297 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: was a much bigger district. I was not as known 298 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: up in the Richmond Union. In fact, there are people 299 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: after the election they never knew me. I never received 300 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 1: the money that I couldn't have to make a bigger dent. 301 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: And I saw that as I was making the rounds 302 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: and trying to tell people about his terrible record, where 303 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: in fact, he had voted that you could have computer 304 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:23,120 Speaker 1: simulated chop pornography because it was a First Amendment right, 305 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 1: And when I tried to tell people about that, they 306 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: didn't believe me, and I didn't have the money to 307 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: get that message through. He also voted that it would 308 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: be all life for someone to take your underage daughter 309 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: out of the state for an abortion and just bring 310 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,679 Speaker 1: them back as if nothing happened, you know, and I 311 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: couldn't get the message out because I didn't have the money. 312 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: It was really the same thing happening that happened in 313 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,360 Speaker 1: my delegate race that I want, where I couldn't get 314 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: the money because nobody believed that I could do it. 315 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 1: But when you have a more contiguous district a smaller district, 316 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 1: you can make a bigger impact, I think. But when 317 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: your district stretches from one end of it to the other, 318 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: it's very hard. And people just didn't believe that he 319 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: had such a bad record, and he had so many 320 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: other things. I just couldn't get it done. Well, that happened. 321 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: You went on to start a plumbing, electrical and appliance 322 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: for repair business, sort of taking advantage of what you 323 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: learned to the Marine Corps. You became the owner of 324 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: a small business. What was that experience like? As you 325 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 1: think about it and you think about other people who 326 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: want to go out and start a small business, what's 327 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 1: your advice. Well, life is not easy. If there's something 328 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: you want to do, I say, go for it. Go 329 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: for it. Don't get to be eighty years old and 330 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:47,479 Speaker 1: wonder what if that goes with anything? Just do it. 331 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: America is the lean of possibilities. And as my grandmother 332 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: always used to sign, there's nothing that meets a try 333 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: but a failure. And if you fail, what did you 334 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: mean except that you try and not that that it's 335 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: something else. Thomas Edison said he had what a thousand ways. 336 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: He figured out a lot to do something, Just go 337 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 1: ahead and try. So that's what I did. There's nothing 338 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: in my life that has ever been easy. And as 339 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: I said, this is just one more obstacle. This is 340 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: what I want to do, this is what I'm going 341 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: to do. I started with a phone number and the name, 342 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: more employees, no nothing. In fact, I really didn't know 343 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: very much about the business because it was mostly appliance 344 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: repair and plumbing. I don't know anything about those things. 345 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: But I found the people and I knocked on doors 346 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: to introduce my business. I joined Lead Exchanges to build 347 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: the business. And by the way, I started my business 348 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: in the Great Recession. In the Great Recession, I started 349 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: it and we grew to be just about half a 350 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: million dollar company in an industry I knew nothing about. 351 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: So I used to tackling the difficult things. But I'm 352 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: not sial. We all have difficulties in our lives. As 353 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: I've said before, there are times when you're the pigeon 354 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: and other times you're the statue. It's just the way 355 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: life is. You've got to keep going. But America is 356 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 1: the place to try new things. And you also had 357 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: a strong civic sense because while you're running the small business, 358 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: you're also director of a homeless shelter of the Salvation Army, 359 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: and then you've led a men's prison ministry. You seem 360 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: to have a desire to be a good citizen and 361 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 1: to contribute to the community in ways that are very, 362 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: very important and very human. Well, I think that comes 363 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: from what I saw my grandmothers, who are very giving people, 364 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: and I remember being jealous that we didn't have their 365 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: attention all the time as children are want to do, 366 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: and then I would never be like them and go 367 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: and behold, I'm just like them, learning to give of yourself, 368 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: and as a Christian, it's required of us. And I 369 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,439 Speaker 1: think at a certain point your heart takes and you 370 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: want to help. But I think in that we have 371 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: to be very careful because you come to realize that 372 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: although you want to help people, you can be an 373 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: enabler instead of someone who helps. And you have to 374 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: understand the difference when you see that people are maybe 375 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 1: abusing your help, or you understand that they're not even 376 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: trying themselves. It's like a drowning man. You have to 377 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: wait until he's tired, then you can help him. Otherwise 378 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: he'll bring you down with him. Same thing you learn 379 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: that you can bring a horse to water, but you 380 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 1: can't make him drink, And you've got to sometimes cut 381 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: times because obviously they haven't hit bottom yet. So there's 382 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: this thing about being a good person, a comming person, 383 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 1: but also try not to be an enabler. Don't help 384 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: somebody be a failure. I talk to people, for example, 385 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,640 Speaker 1: from California, where the scale of the homeless encampments now 386 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: it is just breathtaking. If you could wave a magic one, 387 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 1: what would you do about the homeless to enable them 388 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: to get out of these camps and get back to life? 389 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: You know. I remember one day I was in Richmond 390 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: here in Virginia, and there was snow on the ground 391 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: about a foot and I drove by a man who 392 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: was in the snow. He was in the bus shelter 393 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: and you could tell he was homeless. So I drove 394 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: back around the block, came back around and stopped and 395 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,880 Speaker 1: I said to him, you don't have to be out 396 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: here in the cold. You can go to the Salvation 397 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: hilln shelter. It's just down the street. And he said 398 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: to me, stop me right away. He said, I don't 399 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: want to go there. They have too many rules, and 400 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: I drove off because I understood I couldn't help him. 401 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: I gave him an opportunity. He didn't want to take 402 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: it because he said there are too many rules. And 403 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: you see, it's because he's a rule breaker why he 404 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: is where he is. Another day, I was in Washington, 405 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: DC and I saw a man standing there begging. So 406 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: I went over to him and I said, I won't 407 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: give you the money, but I'll buying food for you. 408 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: So I said to him, follow me across the street 409 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 1: to the McDonald's and I'll go ahead and buy you 410 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: whatever you want. You know what he said to me, 411 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 1: mister speaker, He said, I'm not even eating over there today. 412 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: I'm eating here today. Do you know what? Here was 413 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: a ten dollars sandwich place. That's where he was eating. 414 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: So he wanted me to leave him alone and bund 415 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: my own business. Meantime, I was eating at the McDonald's. 416 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: I was at the dollar menu. You see what I'm saying. 417 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: But I'm not the homeless one. And so I think 418 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: we know that the homeless population, they are mostly addicts 419 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: or they have mental health issues. So we have to 420 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 1: figure out how to help the addicts separate from the 421 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 1: ones who have mental health issues. And then there are 422 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 1: quite a few veterans, by the way, who are homeless. 423 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: So we have to go and talk with the people 424 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: and find out what's going on. But they cannot be 425 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: on the side of the street pfocating. We are a 426 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: civilized society, so something has to be done, and better 427 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: minds than mine will have to come up with a strategy. 428 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: But we also have to remember that the people are adults. 429 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: And you know, Jesus said, the poor you will have 430 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: with you always, and until somebody hits rock bottom, you 431 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: cannot help them. I've just given you two very good examples. 432 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: So you continued in this passion for public service. You 433 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: actually were vice president of the Virginia State Board of Education. 434 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: As you look back on that experience, I mean, what's 435 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: your sense of what we have to do to fix 436 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: our school systems? Well, I'd tell you that no matter 437 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: what position I've held, I've always asked myself what would 438 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: somebody want to know and want to accomplish? Who has 439 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:10,959 Speaker 1: my current position? So I would say to myself, what 440 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: would a parent ask the superintendent standing in front of them? 441 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: What would a parent ask the principle, the school board 442 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: member standing in front of them. My questions were always 443 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: really straight into the point, why is the school of failing? 444 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: Why are the children not learning? Tell me about your 445 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 1: curriculum and what needs to improve. Your school has been 446 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: failing for five years? What have you done to change things? 447 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: My questions were always very straight, very to the point. 448 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: I think that what we need to do when it 449 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: comes to education is we have to have competition, plain 450 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,880 Speaker 1: and simple. In my business, I would have loved it, 451 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: loved it if when you move into my zip code, 452 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: you could only use my business and my business only. 453 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: Oh boy, that would have been wonderful. But that's not 454 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: the way the real world works. But why is that okay? 455 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: When it comes to K through twelve education, The minute 456 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: that I move into a certain zip code, my children 457 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:21,199 Speaker 1: can only attend this elementary school, this middle school, and 458 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: this high school. I have no choice, and everybody knows 459 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: I have no choice. The only choice I ever have 460 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 1: when it comes to education is if I can move 461 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: my children out of district, pay for them, or if 462 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: I can send them to a private school or whatever. 463 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: That's no competition then, and the people who advocate that 464 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: it's public school and public school only they live in 465 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: neighborhoods where the school system is great, or they live 466 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: where they can have choice by paying for private school. 467 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: So I say we need competition and educate patient. Now 468 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: you will hear people say, while you shouldn't have public 469 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: moneys spent towards private schools. But let's wait a minute. 470 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: Let's think about this. Don't we have public moneys going 471 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 1: to private businesses? Of course we do Section eight rental vouchers. 472 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 1: The government gives public money to landlords, private landlords. Right 473 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: when it comes to snap benefits, food benefits, the government 474 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: gives public money so that the person can take it 475 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: to a private grocery store and buy food. When it 476 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: comes to medicating a medicare, the government gives public moneys 477 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: to any doctor, hospital, etc. And think about this financial aid. 478 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: We don't tell a child that you must go to 479 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: the college or university that's closest to yours that God. 480 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: Now we tell them go anywhere. Even out of state 481 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: money is going towards private institutions less summer state, yes, 482 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: summer government. But why is it in the K through 483 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: twelve area that we're limited? And this is the foundational 484 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: years makes no sense to me. So we need competition 485 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 1: and need it now. I'm curious what led you to 486 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: decide to be the national chairperson for Black Americans to 487 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: reelect President Trump. Well, as a lot of people have said, 488 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: you put life the policy. The personality is an other things. 489 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,479 Speaker 1: But we are seeing results. And it's the same reason 490 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: why twenty four of black men voted for President Trump, 491 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: because they saw results. And there are other peopho woted 492 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: for him, Latinos saw results. You know, there are a 493 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: lot of things he said that I thought, Oh God, 494 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: I wish he hadn't said that, or a tweet, Oh 495 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: I wish he hadn't said that. But when he saw 496 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:16,479 Speaker 1: that Black entrepreneurship increased to a point that we had 497 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: never seen historically, four hundred percent increase because of his policies, 498 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: When we saw that he was giving money to historically 499 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: black colleges and universities, that he restored, in fact, the 500 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 1: moneys that President Obama had taken away, and then he 501 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: provided a permanent funding stream so that the HBCUs wouldn't 502 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: have to keep coming back to the federal government every year. 503 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: Had in hand mean losing all the things he did. 504 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 1: And then let's talk about prison reform. You know, the 505 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: black population is inordinately represented in the prison population. We 506 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: had gained so much and changed so much, and so 507 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: it is no wonder that he got so many black 508 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: votes that you have to go all the way that 509 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: the president mixing can see that kind of result. So 510 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, well we can work on the 511 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: personality or something, and then you have hope for America. 512 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: Wanted Marca to be great, and so many immigrants gravitated 513 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: to that because America has to be great, because who 514 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: else is there, missus speaker, Well else is there? You 515 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: see what's happening in England, and you know, I don't 516 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: over the Canada. China is scheduled to be the number 517 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: one superpower, as the economists tell us, by the year 518 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: twenty thirty, and we can't allow that to happen. And 519 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,719 Speaker 1: so I went and I tried to raise money so 520 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: that we could get him elected. So, coming off that though, 521 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: you then made the decision that you'd run for lieutenant governor. 522 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: And I realized that there's courage all through your life, 523 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: But that's still a pretty big decision to make. What 524 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 1: led you to decide that this was the right year? 525 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: And that you were just going to put your name 526 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: out there. Well, you know, I actually never wanted to 527 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 1: be lieutenant governor. When I left politics, I was done. 528 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: I figured it's time for somebody else to be on 529 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: the stage, and it's time for somebody else to come 530 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: up with all the answers of how we can achieve 531 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: world peace. I just want to relax and enjoy my 532 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 1: life and do what I wanted to do for a change. 533 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: But there comes a point where you see things that 534 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: are not right and you say, well, you can either 535 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,719 Speaker 1: light a candle or you can curse the darkness. And 536 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 1: to curse the darkness is to be a victim. But 537 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: to light a candle is to find a solution. And 538 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 1: I always believe there's a solution out there, and apparently 539 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 1: I was the solution. So I stepped forward because as 540 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: I looked at the educational scores, I saw that the 541 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: kids were not learning, and I looked at my oppontments 542 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: and I thought, we're going to lose again, and we 543 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: can't afford to lose as Republicans anymore. We had made 544 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: great strides into the immigrant community, Latino community, the black community, 545 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: and it's keep that we can't keep winning the same 546 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 1: people over and over again. And as I said, education 547 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: was it for me, and so I came back into politics. 548 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: I've been gone for twenty years, and this time it 549 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: was time for me to get back in and offer 550 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: my services and see if the people would hire me again. 551 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: It was fascinating. I watched that campaign very closely, and 552 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 1: particularly stayed in a close touch with Jeff row who 553 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 1: was running Junkin's campaign, and I watched you guys, and 554 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 1: it just seemed to me that between you and Jason 555 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 1: Mallary is running for the attorney general slot, in a sense, 556 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: you totally broke up the left normal attack on Junkin, 557 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: which would have been, of course, that he was somehow 558 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: a white racist, etc. That became so absurd that I 559 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: think it was a significant part of how the breakthrough 560 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: occurred and why you all were able to win. And 561 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: I thought it was a very very good campaign where 562 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: all three of you did a superb job of presenting 563 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: yourselves but also representing a ticket more than often happens 564 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: in Virginia politics. And on election night, when you were 565 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 1: sending in front of your sharing supporters at a victory party, 566 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: you said, I'm quoting you what you are looking at 567 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: is the American dream? Now? That must have been a 568 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 1: moment of just extraordinary excitement for you and your family. Yes, 569 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: it was, because all I wanted to do is serve 570 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 1: I wasn't trying to make history. In fact, I wasn't 571 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,719 Speaker 1: even thinking about that. You know how it is when 572 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: you run for office, you've got to have that fire 573 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 1: in the belly. If you don't have it, you are 574 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: just not going to make it. And every insult that 575 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: you get as you run is going to mess with 576 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: your mind. So you have to make up in your 577 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: mind that this is what you want to do, that 578 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: you have the better ideas, and come, you know, as 579 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: they say, hell are high water, you're gonna get to 580 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: the finish line. What we did, we thought that we 581 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: had the better ideas, that we could bring some change 582 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: where the children would be able to learn, where we 583 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: could have safe neighborhood, safe communities, where we could get 584 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 1: our economy back on track. You know, you probably saw 585 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: where a CNBC had said that Virginia was number one 586 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:14,359 Speaker 1: when it comes to business, and that's because they threw 587 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: in a lot of social justice stuff in there. That 588 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 1: doesn't make a dime for anybody, but it makes certain 589 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 1: people feel good, but it doesn't put any money in 590 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: anybody's pocket. And that's what we're talking about, people being 591 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: able to make choices for themselves. And then another thing 592 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: that my wing did, those of us who are black 593 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 1: or Asian or whatever we are, we got to say 594 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 1: that we can be Republicans. We can be anything we 595 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:45,319 Speaker 1: want to be. By the way, we're not asking anybody's permission. 596 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: Because this is America. People look at me and they 597 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 1: immediately think, oh, Democrat, Now what kind of power do 598 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 1: I have? Not so I ran also tell people, listen, 599 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: it's okay to believe anything you want to believe in. 600 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: First of all, you're kind of a human force. You 601 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: remind me of a handful of people I've known, like 602 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: Jack Kemp, where you just you fill the space, and 603 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 1: in a way it seems to me that you're virtually fearless. 604 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: I don't know about that. There's a lot of fear involved, 605 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: but you've got to push it to the side. Well, 606 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: then you're very courageous. I don't know about that either. 607 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: I think if I'm on the side of right, if 608 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,280 Speaker 1: I have gout in my life, then I'll be just fine. 609 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 1: Or I wouldn't or lose. I wouldn't anyway, even if 610 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:30,479 Speaker 1: they tell me I've lost. Look, I hope that after 611 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: you've had a little while in office and you have 612 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,759 Speaker 1: begun to get the things done you believe in, that 613 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,359 Speaker 1: you'll come back and join us again. I think you're 614 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,400 Speaker 1: going to become an important national figure. I think that 615 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 1: you have both in your personal life and your personality, 616 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: in your commitment and your willingness to work really hard, 617 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 1: you have just a lot of characteristics of real leadership. 618 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: And I'm really looking forward to seeing you and Glenn 619 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: Yungcan leading the Commonwealth of Virginia. And I know that 620 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,799 Speaker 1: be very exciting things ahead for the state, and that 621 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: you're going to be part of that excitement. Well, I 622 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,359 Speaker 1: hope to and have. The voter has been thankful that 623 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: they voted for me, because I'm thankful to them that 624 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:15,760 Speaker 1: they're giving me a chance to show them how true 625 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: servant leadership can be, because I've seen it modeled, and 626 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 1: I've seen what's not good about politicians who don't care 627 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 1: for the people, who forget that we elected the politician, 628 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,839 Speaker 1: and the politicians supposed to come back and be accountable 629 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:33,120 Speaker 1: to us, and not the way around, and we need 630 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: to stop worshiping our political leaders. This is America and 631 00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: don't do that. I think you've got it exactly right, 632 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: and I really appreciate knowing all the different things you've 633 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,920 Speaker 1: got to get done between now and your inauguration. I 634 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 1: really appreciate your taking the time. And I think that 635 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:51,720 Speaker 1: this podcast is going to be listened to very carefully 636 00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 1: by a lot of folks, and I'm going to make 637 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 1: sure that a number of Republicans around the country get 638 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: it because they need to learn the lesson that if 639 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: you've got courage and you go out there, you know, 640 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,400 Speaker 1: don't worry in advance about what kind of district it is. 641 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 1: Worry about reaching out to the people and your living proof, 642 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,440 Speaker 1: both in your state legislative race and then again asent 643 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 1: a governor that if you got the courage to go 644 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 1: out and do it, if you willing to work hard, 645 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:15,520 Speaker 1: that's amazing what you can get done. And go and 646 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,880 Speaker 1: find your voters, go and find your customers, and don't 647 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:21,799 Speaker 1: go for the vote, go for the heart. Then don't 648 00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:24,439 Speaker 1: care how much you know until they know how much 649 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: you care. And if you make a mistake, that's fine, 650 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:31,800 Speaker 1: but go and find your customers. This is a business. 651 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:35,239 Speaker 1: Go and introduce your ideas. You're going to find that 652 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 1: there are more people who believe in the American dream, 653 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 1: who believe that there are certain ways to be that 654 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,359 Speaker 1: you don't throw good money after bad, that you can 655 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:47,399 Speaker 1: help people who don't want to help themselves. That if 656 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 1: you find somebody who really needs to help, vote them, 657 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:54,439 Speaker 1: don't say, well, that segment of the population will never 658 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 1: vote with us. How do you know, don't become a 659 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,719 Speaker 1: self fulfilling prophecy. And if at first you don't succeed, 660 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:05,120 Speaker 1: try try again. See the old ways are still the 661 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 1: better way. That's right. And I ran twice in the 662 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,520 Speaker 1: loss before I won, and I tried to elect a 663 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 1: majority every two years from nineteen eighty until we finally 664 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 1: did it in ninety four. So I'm living proof that 665 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,359 Speaker 1: if you just keep pounding away, sometimes you break through. 666 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 1: And that's maybe part of why I'm so attracted to 667 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 1: you is that you have that same spirit, and I 668 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 1: think you're going to prove to be a great leader. 669 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 1: And I just want to know I'm very gratefully with 670 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:30,920 Speaker 1: us today and I am going to call on you 671 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,719 Speaker 1: after you've had about a year of this experience and 672 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:34,799 Speaker 1: say would you come back and chat with me and 673 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 1: help people understand what you're learning, because I think you're 674 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: going to learn a lot and you're going to achieve 675 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,799 Speaker 1: a lot. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with 676 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: your family. Thank you and they make Christmas to you. 677 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:51,240 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guests. Lieutenant Governor elect wins some sears. 678 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 1: You can learn more about sears in the Virginia election 679 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,120 Speaker 1: on our show page at newtsworld dot com. Newts World 680 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: is produced by Yinglish Street sixty iHeartMedia. Our executive producer 681 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 1: is Debbie Myers, our producer is Garnsey Sloan, and our 682 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,400 Speaker 1: researcher is Rachel Peterson. R. Work for the show was 683 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:13,880 Speaker 1: created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the team at 684 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: Gingridge three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope 685 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 1: you'll go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with 686 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 1: five stars and give us a review so others can 687 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,760 Speaker 1: learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners of newts 688 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 1: World can sign up for my three free weekly columns 689 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:35,399 Speaker 1: at Gingwish three sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm newt Gingridge. 690 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 1: This is news World