Kamala Harris continues her campaign trail through an in-depth conversation with two NBA champions.
The Democratic nominee invited the All the Smoke Podcast to her home in Washington, D.C., for an exclusive interview. Hosted by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, the conversation ranged from civil rights, the economy, and professional sports leaving Oakland.
The episode, released on Sept. 30, revealed more of Harris’ insights on HBCUs, social justice, and interpersonal relationships. On the progress of civil rights, Harris shared her belief that everyone should be involved. She urged voters not to take “any of our rights for granted.”
“I strongly believe we have to always be vigilant, meaning, whatever gains we’ve made will not be permanent unless we stay on it,” she explained in the podcast. “You can’t take any of our rights for granted, and that’s about voting, being involved in community organizations, about having those conversations when everybody gets together… Don’t sit back and get comfortable, like, ‘Oh, that’s done.’ … And don’t complain about it. If you have a house, you have to keep it up… [It’s about] maintenance.”
Barnes and Jackson started All The Smoke in 2019. The podcast goes beyond sports. With no topics off limits, the duo engages in critical conversations with high-profile public figures, with one of its most prominent ones officially joining its guest roster.
The politician then ventured into policy. Harris detailed her economic plan, focusing on rebuilding the middle class and supporting small businesses.
“My vision overall is we need to build an opportunity economy,” she stated. “A lot of my work, even in the Senate, was about increasing access to capital through our small businesses and, in particular, through our community banks. So, I’ve been responsible for billions of dollars more now going into our community banks…”
She continued, “My plan is to give small businesses, startups, a tax deduction of $50,000. Right now, the tax deduction is $5,000… We have to make sure that we have high employment, but also that we create opportunities for people to build wealth.”
The former District Attorney for San Francisco also touched on local politics in the Bay Area. On the topic of major sports teams leaving Oakland, Harris shared that it “breaks [her] heart.”
“Oh, it breaks my heart,” expressed the ex-California senator. “We used to have all of them…. And you just drive by that area when I go to Oakland, and if you land at Oakland Airport and pass the Coliseum, it breaks my heart…. It was part of the economic engine of Oakland, the vendors, local folks, small businesses.”
The almost 50-minute conversation picks Harris’ brain on various topics, offering its listeners a deeper take on her thoughts for the future of America.
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