Lt. Governor Tahesha Way On Kamala Harris’s Qualifications, Trump Era, Early Voting, + More
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Its way up with Angela Yee and I am here
with Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, Tahisha Way.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Welcome, Well thanks for having me Angela.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Two way up. We were having a conversation.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I was like, hold on, save it because we both
were English majors in college. Yes, you went to Brown University,
which is where my brother went, and I went to Wesleyan.
And you said, what did your parents tell you about
your major English?
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yeah, the first thing they said is, Tahisha, what you're
going to do with that h So you know I
had to say, well, you know, mom and dad, there's
plenty you can do with an English degree. And here
I am.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So you know, I thought I was going to be
a teacher for a little while, and you know that's
important if you want to teach, and I did this
whole urban education semester. But I will say that English
is important being able to write and to be able
to read and comprehend things quickly. That major helped me
a lot when it comes to that, because I think
the skill of being able to effectively write something, whether
(01:00):
it's a proposal or you know, a marketing deck, whatever
it is that you need that is definitely something that
a lot of people I think are not up to pyron.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
No one hundred percent, I tell you. For me similarly, so,
I was actually conflicted my junior year of college because
I too was thinking education, perhaps becoming like a college
English professor. And then my dean at Brown, Dean Perry Ashley,
(01:31):
still out there hello, He said to me, well, you know,
with an English degree to you can do so much.
You've analyzed things, you've researched, you write all the time.
So I've even seeing you on campus advocating for various meeds.
So why don't you think about law school? Yeah? Yeah,
(01:52):
So it all crystallize. And you know I at that
time too, during that summer, I had just finished pledge
in Alpha Kappa Alpha. So I want to shout out
to my fellow swords and of course the entire divine None.
But afterwards, I want to say, several months afterwards, I
suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, Angela, And with that, that's when
(02:15):
it really crystallized for me as to what I wanted
to do when law was on top of mind.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I saw that you had that hemorrhage, and I want
to talk about that because health is important, right, And
how did you Is that something that anybody could ever predict?
Is there a way that could have been prevented? Or
is that something that happens and there is just out
of the blue.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, And I'm thankful that you're we're lifting up this
conversation because I had what they call an AVM. We
always hear about aneurysms, but not in AVM. So for me,
I was genetically born with an abnormal vessel in the
back of my deck. And no, you know, there isn't
any mechanism right now in funding for folk to actually
(03:01):
you know, get screened because I'd never had any migrains
growing up, no headaches, any you know, visual distortion or
anything like that, mobility issues. But all of a sudden,
I was at On Jones speech in New York and
at one of the Greek Picnics July fourth, and all
(03:23):
of a sudden felt like someone had struck me hard
in the head. And that's when it occurred. And then
several days later I woke up and that's when I
saw my mom and dad surrounded around me in the hospital.
And when you witness your dad with tears, I was
saying to myself, Oh my goodness, this is it right,
(03:46):
But that's when a stranger who became my newer surgeon,
doctor de los Reas. I will always remember him. He said,
in a polite way, we're going to help you out.
Thankfully you're able to survive here, but you have suffered
that AVM cerebral hemorrhage and it's around your visual cortex.
(04:10):
So right now, what we're going to try to do
is save your vision.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Right well, listen, a blessing that you're here and been
able to serve the way that you have, and it
feels like a service to the community is something that
has always been your path when it comes to everything
you've done. I know your parents both work for New
York City Transites. That's where my mom works, and that
we're very aligned because you're actually from the Bronx and
(04:37):
then moved to New Jersey. Now what brought you to
New Jersey with your family, Well.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It was my husband at the time he and I
met Virginia. He got drafted by the New York Football Giants,
so go Blue, and that's why it became full circle
with us heading back to because he's from Philly, so
it was central New Jersey between New York and Philly.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Okay, and so then you so let's talk about you.
You get out of college and then you're told, you know,
you said your dean was like law school kind of
put that idea in your heads.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So what did you think was gonna happen after that?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, you know at that time and again it's when
the cerebral hemorrhage happened after that conversation in that season
of my life. Getting back to your point, and you
said it so well, Angela, I came to an awareness
of you know what, I am not a science girl.
I'm not a math girl, so I don't want to
get into, you know, practicingy medicine. But what I can
(05:38):
do and hope to have an impact to others is
to go to law school, right and focus on advocating
right and making other people's lives whole. And you know,
for me, once my husband Charles, he got drafted, we
were in the area, I started getting involved in some
(06:00):
nonprof you know, on work and just trying to uplift
especially women's causes. And I guess you know, word got around.
Oh she's really engaged out the end of the streets, right,
and that's when you know it evolved for me because
to become, you know, a governmental official because I never
(06:20):
saw reblic I never did.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I want to ask you about that too. But you
know a couple of things here. I have a couple
of other types of questions. First of all, were you
cool with like other wives when your husband was playing
in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yes, I was. And you know something, two of them,
two of them are still my BFFs.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That's dope, that that whole network and you're AKA, so
you definitely I can see already how much you want
to uplift other women, because I think that is important.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And then second thing that I want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I saw that Arnold Schwarzenegger today decided that he's going
to endures Kamala Harris for president. But in this long
letter that he wrote, cause this is his first time
stepping out of his Republican camp to endure a Democrat
for president, he's never done that before, right, and he's
a Republican, he said a lot of things about how
he thinks that politics is, you know, awful, politicians are
(07:15):
liars and it's corrupt and all of that. What were
your thoughts about politics before you decided to become essentially
a politician.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Well, you know, I again, I was approached through my
local county Democratic Association, and I really had to self reflect, right,
because I never pursue opportunities if I really don't have
he a heart for it. And at the time I
pursued it, I have three little girls, right, and my
(07:47):
husband he wasn't playing for the Giants, but he nonetheless
was working for the Giants in their front management office,
so he was still traveling and around the country with
the team fully engaged. So our time priority has al
raised my kids. So I start with that, and I
wanted to make sure that I would have the bandwidth
to do this. I was serving or working as a
(08:09):
civil litigator too at the time, which you know requires
a goodness, I'm out of focus and then out of
the courtroom, you know, making sure your clients needs are met.
But you know, I self reflected on this and I said,
you know what, this opportunity, it would not come my way,
and it's another way for me to make an impact.
(08:34):
And I was you know, and and I'm going to
keep it real for you. You know, I was saying
to myself, I'm a female and I'm a minority female
and the one thing that I appreciate is when I
go into spaces right and I see folks who look
like me. We love everybody, but you just want to
seek that same comfort. I often tell folks, you know,
(08:55):
as growing up in the Bronx as a little girl,
I was hurt when I would just go to a
local toy store, right and I never saw a doll
that looked at me during that time. And you know,
my parents did their best. They would always try to
bring me back and bring me back to the toy store.
(09:18):
My dad went above and beyond not only to get
me one cabbage patch doll, but he cabbage patch. Yeah,
he actually was able to find an African American.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Cabbage so easy to come back.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I still have her in clothes. She's not even open.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And you know her name that she had the papers,
you know they adoption papers.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
I don't yep those adoption I don't eat. That thing
is not even open. I don't even know what she's
up in my ass.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Dedocracy love it.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
She came in, I know, and they smelled so good, right,
So so you know I think that for me, I said, Okay,
I'm gonna do this because you know, if you look
at our history and the challenges that we have had voting,
you know, being in positions right, I think that it
(10:12):
was my time and that's why I decided to you know,
throw my hand into rank and actually be a county
commissioner as they called.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
That's great because I do feel like it's important for
people to rally up and support people who they think
would be good enoughice because sometimes you may not think
that that's something you even fathom doing. But when people
are like, you would be great for this, and because
I think not often enough, we feel like we can
get very turned off by politics and by politicians. There's
(10:43):
been a lot happening in Jersey politics in these past
couple of years too, that is different than it's ever been.
Like I see a lot of the headlines. My parents
live in New Jersey. Oh so in South Orange. Oh nice, Yeah,
so I always am looking at what's happening in New Jersey.
Of course what's happening in New York, because I live
in New York. But I always tell people, if you
don't like what's going on, you should figure out if
(11:05):
you want to run or if you know somebody who
you think would be good to run because you do
want people to represent you. Someone's going to do it,
so why not let it be somebody that actually cares
and has your best interests, you know, in mind. So
that's why seeing you doing what you're doing, and even
watching Kamala Harris run for president. I know this is
more of a personal conversation.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
This doesn't have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
To do with politics, but I've heard people say such
awful things about, you know, a woman running for president,
a black woman running for president. I've heard people say
I'm not voting for no Indian lady, or a woman
can't run this. I've heard women say I don't want
a woman to be president and she'll be emotional and
like all kinds of crazy things. And so for you,
(11:48):
because when she became vice president, I did get emotional,
and I didn't anticipate that happening when it did. When
she did become vice president. What are your thoughts now
seeing how the country and how people are acting to
the potential of having a black woman be president.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, well, I'm going to take off my secretary of
State hat right because I have to, you know, operate
on a different lane with that one. But I can
just say it brings such pride. You know. I've been
honored and blessed to serve as one of her campaign
surrogates and the battlegrounds, just making sure everyone understands who
(12:29):
she is and what she can bring to the table.
And I think that we're at a time in which
we should not even be looking at the party, right,
or even if this is a male, a person of color,
a female, we should just be looking at who is
the most qualified to lead, who can set a standard Angela,
(12:55):
you know, for our kids. I mentioned at that time
when I was practicing, I was a county commissioner. I
had three girls at that time. Now I have folk,
you know, and one is ten years old. And you
say to her, you say to all of our kids, right,
this is the highest position in the land. A standard
(13:19):
should be set for our kids as to not only
what can they become, but what you are supposed to
do and what you're not supposed to do, how you
are supposed to be treated others. And again I look
at her qualifications, right, sound qualifications, having been a district attorney,
(13:42):
state attorney general, fighting the fight just for the common
people that everyday people, regardless of where you come from
or who you are. I look at the standard of her,
you know that actually assaulted in it, you know, and
not not being a predator right, and not tearing folk apart.
(14:05):
And the thing about it is that if voters really
look at her economic platform, it's for everyone right to
make sure everybody can get ahead. So you know, I
have two daughters who are older, who have graduated and
(14:26):
have gone on, and you know, you look at them,
and you know sometimes they have to think about, Okay,
I have to find a roommate nowadays, right in.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Terms eighty two three.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
There you go, there you go, And this is what
our college graduates are facing. But you know, one of
her policies is to make rental right, making that more affordable,
right for the millennials Gen Z whatever generation we're talking about,
and banging home exactly. You know that that initial investment
(14:56):
of the twenty you know, twenty twenty five dollars, making
sure that thousands of dollars can be you know, in right.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
For student loan debt eggs. Dare you gots a big
one right there? You know, Brown's not cheap. Oh no,
oh no, now there's Wesleyan. I remember my last payment
from my student loan and how excited I was to
get that. And I remember deferring my loans though several
times and still having to have those accruent, having an
even bigger payment when they kick back in.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Correct, Because of course there's a value to education, but
once you graduate, that's like another mortgage, right that you
have to assume. And so when you really think about
all of her policy so that everyone can get ahead
and just have the simple, the simple of an idea
(15:55):
of being valued is you know what what she you know?
And it speaks from the heart.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
You know. I've heard people say that Donald Trump the
economy was better under Donald Trump and they have more
money in their pockets and gas was cheaper, groceries were cheaper.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
What do you say when people say that?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Because there's a lot of misinformation out there, and there's
a lot of times even Trump himself will have to
get fact checked on things that he says, but it's
still out there, and I think that in his mind,
and I know he said this before, if you say
something enough times, people will think it's true even if
it's not. You know, he has a marketing background, So
for people who aren't going to be digging in and
(16:36):
doing the research. Maybe they're like, I'm not an economists,
but I do feel like I have more money at
that time.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
What would you say to those people?
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You know, I just think that people should not fall
for misinformation out there, and I think that people really
have to remember right the times under his is his tenure,
and if you really think about it, economically, I don't
(17:07):
think that we were better off, right you see, you know,
people say, oh, well, we received the checks, but everyone
has to understand Congress was the one with Donald Trump
just slapping his name and I didn't want that to happen.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
In Congress passed that exactly those and had those checks out.
He actually delayed those checks that he could put his
name on them exactly.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
And that's and that's for real. And you know, I
look at how three hundred thousand Black Americans were taken
off of the healthcare roles, if you will, under his
administration the first two years, that unemployment for African Americans
(17:50):
was higher. And these are the things that again, we
must continue to get that message out because these are
the facts.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
What are some things that you personally have faced when
it comes to being in the position that you're in
being the Secretary of State, being the lieutenant governor appointed
by Governor Murphy. What are some of the challenges that
you think you face just simply for existing? Have you
do you get a lot of like people saying because
I always feel like in politics anytime we've done interviews
(18:22):
with certain people or like I remember being on Fox News,
you know, years ago, and I was like, oh, I
don't know if I could handle this because the amount
of vitriol and the crazy things that people say to you,
you know, because of the opinion that you have where
things that you may state or how you feel about
stuff is absolutely like ridiculously hateful. It actually could feel
(18:42):
dangerous at times.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah. Well, you know, first, I just want to say
I'm very grateful to be in Governor Murphy's administration. Han't
been since twenty eighteen, you know, as secretary of State.
And the reason why I say this is because you're
surrounded right by an administration that is truly inclusive, that
(19:07):
is authentic. So you walk into the space with your colleagues,
your cabinet colleagues of different genders and races, and it's
embraced because that's what our policies of the administration has
been following the stronger and fairer that Governor Murphy says.
(19:28):
I think that, and I tell young girls this all
the time that in any position, government, politics, whatever, you're
going to still nonetheless be challenged. But that is why, unfortunately,
as much as we don't like to say, but it's
the truth. We like to speak truth. You have to
(19:50):
make sure that you are the most educated person in
the room in what you do, right. I've told my
daughters this. You know, when our second daughter, she was
a competitive figure skater, right, and we know that minority
women really are not in that sport, and so I
(20:12):
would always say, Farah, you know you're going to have
to work ten times harder. And that's why we also
have to make sure our ey's are dotted and our
t's are crossed too. I still remember, before I became
Secretary of State, I served as a state administrative law judge,
and you know, at times there would be challenges because
(20:36):
I was a younger judge too. So I don't know
for certain whether or not it was female, whether it
was my age or my gender, but I would get challenged.
And that's why I took great pride in knowing that
none of my written decisions ever went up to the
appellate division because.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I did the work.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
You do the work, so you know, you look at
all of those things and it is what it is.
But I think that each of us were made for
such a time, for an assignment and to do.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
And along those lines, let's talk about this mental health
build that you passed, because I feel like this all
does tie together because mental health is so important, especially
no matter what it is, like you said that you do,
you'll be challenged and you have to, you know, dot
your eyes, crush your teas, make sure that you really
know the work and do the work. But at the
same time, how do you take care of yourself when
(21:31):
things are happening that are outside of your control at
times and how you react to things.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So you did sign this mental health buil. Can we
talk about that?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, that was pride and enjoy having signed that because
it's kind of personal for me given I have, you know,
the daughters who have gone through college and one is
actually a senior now and it's a lot of pressure
that goes on with that. So with that legislature, they
(21:58):
lived through COVID exactly they did. They lived through COVID
and you know college is very competitive too, so you know,
the legislation was just speaking to the heart of all
of this, making sure our college students right will not
have a stigma if they needed help, making sure that
(22:19):
there's annual training on campuses so that the staff, so
that the ras can have a better awareness and education
on you know, mental health and being proactive instead of reactive,
and what we also did on myself alongside the Higher
(22:40):
Education Secretary. I want to say, during the spring of
this year, we made the announcement of the twenty four
to seven telehealth services because you know, sometimes you want
your privacy if you will just to discuss you don't
want to head to student services because you never know
who and who's going to see you or so you
(23:02):
have that other layer of comfort the college students. Because
we're always saying our students are our future, which they
are there are present in my eyes too well. We
want to make sure that their whole and that their
needs are met.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
I wish we would have had these services when I
was coming up. I feel like it's a you know,
it's an evolution though, I feel like as people are
learning more about it and it's getting a lot more acceptable.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
There used to be this stigma around that.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Lastly, I saw you early voting right on the day
that early voting opened up. So we want to make
sure that everybody knows to go out and vote.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
You can vote early.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
So vote early.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Yeah, vote early if you can.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Are you nervous about like seeing stories about ballot boxes
set on fire?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
And I thought about it.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I'm like, what happens to those ballots that get destroyed
after that? Because I've we've seen a couple of different
instances now where that's happened, and that because I feel
like that can make people feel concer like, well, I
voted early and my vote got you know, my ballot
got destroyed.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Now what happens?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Yeah. I can't, you know, speak about how every other
state conducts their safety protocols or security protocols. I just
know I'm loving the early vote records that we're setting
in New Jersey. I think this past weekend we surpassed
our total early voting throughout the years because we started
(24:27):
in twenty twenty one with the in person early voting.
I also, you know, I reassure voters and from day
one ever since you know, I took office. I've sat
down and this is not partisan. It's with all of
the governmental law enforcement and safety folk, from the FBI
to Homeland Security, both federal, both state, both Attorney General's offices,
(24:54):
and also usps IT folk just making sure that we
shore up integrity of our infrastructure and just making sure
that you know our ballot boxes. We always tell voters
they're twenty four to seven surveyed right, and that they
can track their ballots, and to have like that open
(25:16):
line of communication because I think that that's what voters want.
They want you to meet them where you know they
are right and explaining and educating them what should we do.
And I just think overall everyone is very focused upon
(25:37):
the security and the integrity of this election. This is
a very consequential election, if not the most consequential election
ever in our history. But at the same time, I
still want to encourage New Jersey voters to vote for
or in for the school board right elections, want them
(26:00):
to vote for the fire district elections, all of the
local races too.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I tell people, before you go, look at who's on
your ballot, and that way when you go, you know
who's running, you know who you want to vote and
look it up ahead of time so that when you
go there do you're not just like guessing or just
picking something and the column you know who your candidates
are and who you're going to.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Vote for exactly. But again, I thank all of those
who have voters New Jersey voters. I was online, you
know for a while the lines were the lines were
wrapped around. I visited the polling location, and you know,
I credit the voters because everybody was content. Nobody was angry.
(26:41):
Was this line so long? And what are they doing wrong?
And everyone was actually you know, saying wow and socializing.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
I loved seeing that they were having, you know, as
they're satisfying you know, the civic duty and responsibility.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Well, thank you so much, Secretary of State of News Jersey,
Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, and maybe one day Governor.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I focus on what I do right. That's what I
do right. Focused, seriously. I know you're aad no, no,
you know what, Angela, Angela, As I mentioned before, As
I mentioned before, I focus on the task at hand.
Being Governor Murphy's partner, and it's been you know, it's
(27:25):
been a blessing, right working alongside him and the administration
for the great nine point three million New Jerseys.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I'm sure he would definitely put his support behind you,
though when that day comes.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Well, I don't, I don't.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
I don't speak.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I don't speak for anything like that. I just know
I know what I do, and I do it on
behalf of his administration.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
All right, Well, thank you so much for joining us today.
One day we have to touch the child to see
what it was like with him in the house before
it went for girls, and his wife and a dog.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And we have a dog, a male dog. Yeah, to
comfort with that.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
All right, Well, thank you so much again. You guys,
make sure you get out and vote. Let's not play
any games, y'all. It's way up, way up.
What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Its way up with Angela Yee and I am here
with Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, Tahisha Way.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Welcome, Well thanks for having me Angela.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Two way up. We were having a conversation.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I was like, hold on, save it because we both
were English majors in college. Yes, you went to Brown University,
which is where my brother went, and I went to Wesleyan.
And you said, what did your parents tell you about
your major English?
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yeah, the first thing they said is, Tahisha, what you're
going to do with that h So you know I
had to say, well, you know, mom and dad, there's
plenty you can do with an English degree. And here
I am.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So you know, I thought I was going to be
a teacher for a little while, and you know that's
important if you want to teach, and I did this
whole urban education semester. But I will say that English
is important being able to write and to be able
to read and comprehend things quickly. That major helped me
a lot when it comes to that, because I think
the skill of being able to effectively write something, whether
(01:00):
it's a proposal or you know, a marketing deck, whatever
it is that you need that is definitely something that
a lot of people I think are not up to pyron.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
No one hundred percent, I tell you. For me similarly, so,
I was actually conflicted my junior year of college because
I too was thinking education, perhaps becoming like a college
English professor. And then my dean at Brown, Dean Perry Ashley,
(01:31):
still out there hello, He said to me, well, you know,
with an English degree to you can do so much.
You've analyzed things, you've researched, you write all the time.
So I've even seeing you on campus advocating for various meeds.
So why don't you think about law school? Yeah? Yeah,
(01:52):
So it all crystallize. And you know I at that
time too, during that summer, I had just finished pledge
in Alpha Kappa Alpha. So I want to shout out
to my fellow swords and of course the entire divine None.
But afterwards, I want to say, several months afterwards, I
suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, Angela, And with that, that's when
(02:15):
it really crystallized for me as to what I wanted
to do when law was on top of mind.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I saw that you had that hemorrhage, and I want
to talk about that because health is important, right, And
how did you Is that something that anybody could ever predict?
Is there a way that could have been prevented? Or
is that something that happens and there is just out
of the blue.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, And I'm thankful that you're we're lifting up this
conversation because I had what they call an AVM. We
always hear about aneurysms, but not in AVM. So for me,
I was genetically born with an abnormal vessel in the
back of my deck. And no, you know, there isn't
any mechanism right now in funding for folk to actually
(03:01):
you know, get screened because I'd never had any migrains
growing up, no headaches, any you know, visual distortion or
anything like that, mobility issues. But all of a sudden,
I was at On Jones speech in New York and
at one of the Greek Picnics July fourth, and all
(03:23):
of a sudden felt like someone had struck me hard
in the head. And that's when it occurred. And then
several days later I woke up and that's when I
saw my mom and dad surrounded around me in the hospital.
And when you witness your dad with tears, I was
saying to myself, Oh my goodness, this is it right,
(03:46):
But that's when a stranger who became my newer surgeon,
doctor de los Reas. I will always remember him. He said,
in a polite way, we're going to help you out.
Thankfully you're able to survive here, but you have suffered
that AVM cerebral hemorrhage and it's around your visual cortex.
(04:10):
So right now, what we're going to try to do
is save your vision.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Right well, listen, a blessing that you're here and been
able to serve the way that you have, and it
feels like a service to the community is something that
has always been your path when it comes to everything
you've done. I know your parents both work for New
York City Transites. That's where my mom works, and that
we're very aligned because you're actually from the Bronx and
(04:37):
then moved to New Jersey. Now what brought you to
New Jersey with your family, Well.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
It was my husband at the time he and I
met Virginia. He got drafted by the New York Football Giants,
so go Blue, and that's why it became full circle
with us heading back to because he's from Philly, so
it was central New Jersey between New York and Philly.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Okay, and so then you so let's talk about you.
You get out of college and then you're told, you know,
you said your dean was like law school kind of
put that idea in your heads.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So what did you think was gonna happen after that?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, you know at that time and again it's when
the cerebral hemorrhage happened after that conversation in that season
of my life. Getting back to your point, and you
said it so well, Angela, I came to an awareness
of you know what, I am not a science girl.
I'm not a math girl, so I don't want to
get into, you know, practicingy medicine. But what I can
(05:38):
do and hope to have an impact to others is
to go to law school, right and focus on advocating
right and making other people's lives whole. And you know,
for me, once my husband Charles, he got drafted, we
were in the area, I started getting involved in some
(06:00):
nonprof you know, on work and just trying to uplift
especially women's causes. And I guess you know, word got around.
Oh she's really engaged out the end of the streets, right,
and that's when you know it evolved for me because
to become, you know, a governmental official because I never
(06:20):
saw reblic I never did.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I want to ask you about that too. But you
know a couple of things here. I have a couple
of other types of questions. First of all, were you
cool with like other wives when your husband was playing
in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yes, I was. And you know something, two of them,
two of them are still my BFFs.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That's dope, that that whole network and you're AKA, so
you definitely I can see already how much you want
to uplift other women, because I think that is important.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And then second thing that I want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I saw that Arnold Schwarzenegger today decided that he's going
to endures Kamala Harris for president. But in this long
letter that he wrote, cause this is his first time
stepping out of his Republican camp to endure a Democrat
for president, he's never done that before, right, and he's
a Republican, he said a lot of things about how
he thinks that politics is, you know, awful, politicians are
(07:15):
liars and it's corrupt and all of that. What were
your thoughts about politics before you decided to become essentially
a politician.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Well, you know, I again, I was approached through my
local county Democratic Association, and I really had to self reflect, right,
because I never pursue opportunities if I really don't have
he a heart for it. And at the time I
pursued it, I have three little girls, right, and my
(07:47):
husband he wasn't playing for the Giants, but he nonetheless
was working for the Giants in their front management office,
so he was still traveling and around the country with
the team fully engaged. So our time priority has al
raised my kids. So I start with that, and I
wanted to make sure that I would have the bandwidth
to do this. I was serving or working as a
(08:09):
civil litigator too at the time, which you know requires
a goodness, I'm out of focus and then out of
the courtroom, you know, making sure your clients needs are met.
But you know, I self reflected on this and I said,
you know what, this opportunity, it would not come my way,
and it's another way for me to make an impact.
(08:34):
And I was you know, and and I'm going to
keep it real for you. You know, I was saying
to myself, I'm a female and I'm a minority female
and the one thing that I appreciate is when I
go into spaces right and I see folks who look
like me. We love everybody, but you just want to
seek that same comfort. I often tell folks, you know,
(08:55):
as growing up in the Bronx as a little girl,
I was hurt when I would just go to a
local toy store, right and I never saw a doll
that looked at me during that time. And you know,
my parents did their best. They would always try to
bring me back and bring me back to the toy store.
(09:18):
My dad went above and beyond not only to get
me one cabbage patch doll, but he cabbage patch. Yeah,
he actually was able to find an African American.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Cabbage so easy to come back.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I still have her in clothes. She's not even open.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And you know her name that she had the papers,
you know they adoption papers.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
I don't yep those adoption I don't eat. That thing
is not even open. I don't even know what she's
up in my ass.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Dedocracy love it.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
She came in, I know, and they smelled so good, right,
So so you know I think that for me, I said, Okay,
I'm gonna do this because you know, if you look
at our history and the challenges that we have had voting,
you know, being in positions right, I think that it
(10:12):
was my time and that's why I decided to you know,
throw my hand into rank and actually be a county
commissioner as they called.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
That's great because I do feel like it's important for
people to rally up and support people who they think
would be good enoughice because sometimes you may not think
that that's something you even fathom doing. But when people
are like, you would be great for this, and because
I think not often enough, we feel like we can
get very turned off by politics and by politicians. There's
(10:43):
been a lot happening in Jersey politics in these past
couple of years too, that is different than it's ever been.
Like I see a lot of the headlines. My parents
live in New Jersey. Oh so in South Orange. Oh nice, Yeah,
so I always am looking at what's happening in New Jersey.
Of course what's happening in New York, because I live
in New York. But I always tell people, if you
don't like what's going on, you should figure out if
(11:05):
you want to run or if you know somebody who
you think would be good to run because you do
want people to represent you. Someone's going to do it,
so why not let it be somebody that actually cares
and has your best interests, you know, in mind. So
that's why seeing you doing what you're doing, and even
watching Kamala Harris run for president. I know this is
more of a personal conversation.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
This doesn't have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
To do with politics, but I've heard people say such
awful things about, you know, a woman running for president,
a black woman running for president. I've heard people say
I'm not voting for no Indian lady, or a woman
can't run this. I've heard women say I don't want
a woman to be president and she'll be emotional and
like all kinds of crazy things. And so for you,
(11:48):
because when she became vice president, I did get emotional,
and I didn't anticipate that happening when it did. When
she did become vice president. What are your thoughts now
seeing how the country and how people are acting to
the potential of having a black woman be president.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, well, I'm going to take off my secretary of
State hat right because I have to, you know, operate
on a different lane with that one. But I can
just say it brings such pride. You know. I've been
honored and blessed to serve as one of her campaign
surrogates and the battlegrounds, just making sure everyone understands who
(12:29):
she is and what she can bring to the table.
And I think that we're at a time in which
we should not even be looking at the party, right,
or even if this is a male, a person of color,
a female, we should just be looking at who is
the most qualified to lead, who can set a standard Angela,
(12:55):
you know, for our kids. I mentioned at that time
when I was practicing, I was a county commissioner. I
had three girls at that time. Now I have folk,
you know, and one is ten years old. And you
say to her, you say to all of our kids, right,
this is the highest position in the land. A standard
(13:19):
should be set for our kids as to not only
what can they become, but what you are supposed to
do and what you're not supposed to do, how you
are supposed to be treated others. And again I look
at her qualifications, right, sound qualifications, having been a district attorney,
(13:42):
state attorney general, fighting the fight just for the common
people that everyday people, regardless of where you come from
or who you are. I look at the standard of her,
you know that actually assaulted in it, you know, and
not not being a predator right, and not tearing folk apart.
(14:05):
And the thing about it is that if voters really
look at her economic platform, it's for everyone right to
make sure everybody can get ahead. So you know, I
have two daughters who are older, who have graduated and
(14:26):
have gone on, and you know, you look at them,
and you know sometimes they have to think about, Okay,
I have to find a roommate nowadays, right in.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Terms eighty two three.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
There you go, there you go, And this is what
our college graduates are facing. But you know, one of
her policies is to make rental right, making that more affordable,
right for the millennials Gen Z whatever generation we're talking about,
and banging home exactly. You know that that initial investment
(14:56):
of the twenty you know, twenty twenty five dollars, making
sure that thousands of dollars can be you know, in right.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
For student loan debt eggs. Dare you gots a big
one right there? You know, Brown's not cheap. Oh no,
oh no, now there's Wesleyan. I remember my last payment
from my student loan and how excited I was to
get that. And I remember deferring my loans though several
times and still having to have those accruent, having an
even bigger payment when they kick back in.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Correct, Because of course there's a value to education, but
once you graduate, that's like another mortgage, right that you
have to assume. And so when you really think about
all of her policy so that everyone can get ahead
and just have the simple, the simple of an idea
(15:55):
of being valued is you know what what she you know?
And it speaks from the heart.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
You know. I've heard people say that Donald Trump the
economy was better under Donald Trump and they have more
money in their pockets and gas was cheaper, groceries were cheaper.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
What do you say when people say that?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Because there's a lot of misinformation out there, and there's
a lot of times even Trump himself will have to
get fact checked on things that he says, but it's
still out there, and I think that in his mind,
and I know he said this before, if you say
something enough times, people will think it's true even if
it's not. You know, he has a marketing background, So
for people who aren't going to be digging in and
(16:36):
doing the research. Maybe they're like, I'm not an economists,
but I do feel like I have more money at
that time.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
What would you say to those people?
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You know, I just think that people should not fall
for misinformation out there, and I think that people really
have to remember right the times under his is his tenure,
and if you really think about it, economically, I don't
(17:07):
think that we were better off, right you see, you know,
people say, oh, well, we received the checks, but everyone
has to understand Congress was the one with Donald Trump
just slapping his name and I didn't want that to happen.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
In Congress passed that exactly those and had those checks out.
He actually delayed those checks that he could put his
name on them exactly.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
And that's and that's for real. And you know, I
look at how three hundred thousand Black Americans were taken
off of the healthcare roles, if you will, under his
administration the first two years, that unemployment for African Americans
(17:50):
was higher. And these are the things that again, we
must continue to get that message out because these are
the facts.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
What are some things that you personally have faced when
it comes to being in the position that you're in
being the Secretary of State, being the lieutenant governor appointed
by Governor Murphy. What are some of the challenges that
you think you face just simply for existing? Have you
do you get a lot of like people saying because
I always feel like in politics anytime we've done interviews
(18:22):
with certain people or like I remember being on Fox News,
you know, years ago, and I was like, oh, I
don't know if I could handle this because the amount
of vitriol and the crazy things that people say to you,
you know, because of the opinion that you have where
things that you may state or how you feel about
stuff is absolutely like ridiculously hateful. It actually could feel
(18:42):
dangerous at times.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah. Well, you know, first, I just want to say
I'm very grateful to be in Governor Murphy's administration. Han't
been since twenty eighteen, you know, as secretary of State.
And the reason why I say this is because you're
surrounded right by an administration that is truly inclusive, that
(19:07):
is authentic. So you walk into the space with your colleagues,
your cabinet colleagues of different genders and races, and it's
embraced because that's what our policies of the administration has
been following the stronger and fairer that Governor Murphy says.
(19:28):
I think that, and I tell young girls this all
the time that in any position, government, politics, whatever, you're
going to still nonetheless be challenged. But that is why, unfortunately,
as much as we don't like to say, but it's
the truth. We like to speak truth. You have to
(19:50):
make sure that you are the most educated person in
the room in what you do, right. I've told my
daughters this. You know, when our second daughter, she was
a competitive figure skater, right, and we know that minority
women really are not in that sport, and so I
(20:12):
would always say, Farah, you know you're going to have
to work ten times harder. And that's why we also
have to make sure our ey's are dotted and our
t's are crossed too. I still remember, before I became
Secretary of State, I served as a state administrative law judge,
and you know, at times there would be challenges because
(20:36):
I was a younger judge too. So I don't know
for certain whether or not it was female, whether it
was my age or my gender, but I would get challenged.
And that's why I took great pride in knowing that
none of my written decisions ever went up to the
appellate division because.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I did the work.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
You do the work, so you know, you look at
all of those things and it is what it is.
But I think that each of us were made for
such a time, for an assignment and to do.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
And along those lines, let's talk about this mental health
build that you passed, because I feel like this all
does tie together because mental health is so important, especially
no matter what it is, like you said that you do,
you'll be challenged and you have to, you know, dot
your eyes, crush your teas, make sure that you really
know the work and do the work. But at the
same time, how do you take care of yourself when
(21:31):
things are happening that are outside of your control at
times and how you react to things.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So you did sign this mental health buil. Can we
talk about that?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, that was pride and enjoy having signed that because
it's kind of personal for me given I have, you know,
the daughters who have gone through college and one is
actually a senior now and it's a lot of pressure
that goes on with that. So with that legislature, they
(21:58):
lived through COVID exactly they did. They lived through COVID
and you know college is very competitive too, so you know,
the legislation was just speaking to the heart of all
of this, making sure our college students right will not
have a stigma if they needed help, making sure that
(22:19):
there's annual training on campuses so that the staff, so
that the ras can have a better awareness and education
on you know, mental health and being proactive instead of reactive,
and what we also did on myself alongside the Higher
(22:40):
Education Secretary. I want to say, during the spring of
this year, we made the announcement of the twenty four
to seven telehealth services because you know, sometimes you want
your privacy if you will just to discuss you don't
want to head to student services because you never know
who and who's going to see you or so you
(23:02):
have that other layer of comfort the college students. Because
we're always saying our students are our future, which they
are there are present in my eyes too well. We
want to make sure that their whole and that their
needs are met.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
I wish we would have had these services when I
was coming up. I feel like it's a you know,
it's an evolution though, I feel like as people are
learning more about it and it's getting a lot more acceptable.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
There used to be this stigma around that.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Lastly, I saw you early voting right on the day
that early voting opened up. So we want to make
sure that everybody knows to go out and vote.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
You can vote early.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
So vote early.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Yeah, vote early if you can.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Are you nervous about like seeing stories about ballot boxes
set on fire?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
And I thought about it.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I'm like, what happens to those ballots that get destroyed
after that? Because I've we've seen a couple of different
instances now where that's happened, and that because I feel
like that can make people feel concer like, well, I
voted early and my vote got you know, my ballot
got destroyed.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Now what happens?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Yeah. I can't, you know, speak about how every other
state conducts their safety protocols or security protocols. I just
know I'm loving the early vote records that we're setting
in New Jersey. I think this past weekend we surpassed
our total early voting throughout the years because we started
(24:27):
in twenty twenty one with the in person early voting.
I also, you know, I reassure voters and from day
one ever since you know, I took office. I've sat
down and this is not partisan. It's with all of
the governmental law enforcement and safety folk, from the FBI
to Homeland Security, both federal, both state, both Attorney General's offices,
(24:54):
and also usps IT folk just making sure that we
shore up integrity of our infrastructure and just making sure
that you know our ballot boxes. We always tell voters
they're twenty four to seven surveyed right, and that they
can track their ballots, and to have like that open
(25:16):
line of communication because I think that that's what voters want.
They want you to meet them where you know they
are right and explaining and educating them what should we do.
And I just think overall everyone is very focused upon
(25:37):
the security and the integrity of this election. This is
a very consequential election, if not the most consequential election
ever in our history. But at the same time, I
still want to encourage New Jersey voters to vote for
or in for the school board right elections, want them
(26:00):
to vote for the fire district elections, all of the
local races too.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I tell people, before you go, look at who's on
your ballot, and that way when you go, you know
who's running, you know who you want to vote and
look it up ahead of time so that when you
go there do you're not just like guessing or just
picking something and the column you know who your candidates
are and who you're going to.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Vote for exactly. But again, I thank all of those
who have voters New Jersey voters. I was online, you
know for a while the lines were the lines were
wrapped around. I visited the polling location, and you know,
I credit the voters because everybody was content. Nobody was angry.
(26:41):
Was this line so long? And what are they doing wrong?
And everyone was actually you know, saying wow and socializing.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
I loved seeing that they were having, you know, as
they're satisfying you know, the civic duty and responsibility.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Well, thank you so much, Secretary of State of News Jersey,
Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, and maybe one day Governor.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I focus on what I do right. That's what I
do right. Focused, seriously. I know you're aad no, no,
you know what, Angela, Angela, As I mentioned before, As
I mentioned before, I focus on the task at hand.
Being Governor Murphy's partner, and it's been you know, it's
(27:25):
been a blessing, right working alongside him and the administration
for the great nine point three million New Jerseys.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I'm sure he would definitely put his support behind you,
though when that day comes.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Well, I don't, I don't.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
I don't speak.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I don't speak for anything like that. I just know
I know what I do, and I do it on
behalf of his administration.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
All right, Well, thank you so much for joining us today.
One day we have to touch the child to see
what it was like with him in the house before
it went for girls, and his wife and a dog.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And we have a dog, a male dog. Yeah, to
comfort with that.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
All right, Well, thank you so much again. You guys,
make sure you get out and vote. Let's not play
any games, y'all. It's way up, way up.
Host
Angela Yee
Show Links
WebsitePopular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
Today’s Latest News In 4 Minutes. Updated Hourly.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.