HERE, EVERYBODY.

IT IS SO NICE TO SEE YOU, SENATOR.

IT REALLY IS.

EVERY TIME I SEE YOU ON THE TV WHETHER IT IS HERE ON THE SHOW,

CNN OR ANYWHERE, YOU NEVER FAIL TO LIFT MY SPIRITS JUST WITH

YOUR PRESENCE.

>> I REALLY APPRECIATE IT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, MAN, DID YOU VOTE

FOR ME, THAT IS ALL I WANT TO KNOW.

>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN ANSWER THIS VERY, VERY HONESTLY,

I'M NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE HERE.

SO.

>> OH.

>> James: I'M ONLY ALLOWED TO PAY TAX HERE BUT THAT IS

SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.

BUT IF I COULD HAVE DONE, I WULD HAVE DONE, I PROMISE YOU

THAT.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BIG WIN LAST WEEK.

I MEAN IT FELT LIKE IT WAS NEVER IN DOUBT TO US.

WE ARE SO THRILLED FOR YOU.

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE SUCH A HISTORIC DAY?

>> WELL, I CELEBRATED MY OWN VICTORY BY EATING LOTS OF FOOD.

AND THEN A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN BIDEN AND HARRIS WERE ANNOUNCED,

I CELEBRATED IN A VERY ORIGINAL FASHION, I ATE LOTS OF FOOD.

>> James: YEAH.

>> AND SO I HAVE BEEN STRESS EATING.

I NO, IT WAS UNCREDIBLE.

ROSARIO AND I WERE PRETTY, LIKE THAT SCENE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU

SAW THE WIZ.

>> James: YEAH.

>> THE ADAPTATION WHEN THE WICKED WITCH IS FINALLY DEAD AND

THEY ALL START SINGING THE SONG, CAN YOU SEE A BRAND NEW DAY, SO

I WOULD SING IT AND SHE SINGS SO MUCH BETTER THAN I DO, BUT WE

HAD A GOOD TIME CELEBRATING.

>> James: YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE FOOD THING.

BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ON THIS DIET, YOU KNOW, AS I HAVE BEEN

FOR A DECADE.

AND I WAS LIKE WELL, THIS ELECTION IS TOO STLESFUL, I'M

JUST GOING TO EAT, AS SOON AS BIDEN GOT ANNOUNCED, IT WAS LUKE

WELL BIDEN'S BEEN ANNOUNCED SO I AM JUST GOING TO EAT.

NOW YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE

PRESIDENT-ELECT AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A GREAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE

VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT.

IN 2013 IT WAS ACTUALLY JOE BIDEN WHO SWORE YOU IN TO THE

SENATE.

AND AS I SAID YOU ARE VERY CLOSE WITH KAMALA.

AS A FRIEND OF BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOUT TO START

RUNNING THE COUNTRY, YOU TELL US FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW WHAT

KEUNLD OF PEOPLE HAVE WE JUST ELECTED TO OFFICE.

>> JOE IS INCREDIBLE.

I THINK THAT MOST OF US WHO RAN AGAINST HIM IN THE PRIMARY HAVE

BEEN EXPERIENCED-- BY THE END OF IT WE HAD MAN CRUSHESES ON HIM

BECAUSE HE WAS JUST ONE OF THE REALLY KIND PEOPLE BEHIND THE

SCENES, ENCOURAGING YOU, HE WOULD LIFT YOU UP.

HE WOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS WAS JUST, I WAS TRYING TO DO

SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT WHICH WAS MOVE ROSARIO WHILE RUNNING

FOR OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME.

THE FIRST TIME HE SAW HER KNOWING THAT I WAS WORKING ON

THIS RELATIONSHIP, HE GRABBED HER HAND, WALKED AWAY WITH HER.

THE TWO OF THEM TALKED SERIOUSLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS THEN HE WALKED

HER BACK TO ME, SERMONIOUSLY PUT HER HAND IN MINE AND JUST SAID

TAKE CARE.

WALKED OFF THE DEBATE, ROSS AR WHY LOOKED AT ME AND GOES WOW,

THAT GUY SAY GREAT WING MAN FOR YOU.

AND SO JOE IS JUST SUCH A GOOD AND DESCENT GUY.

HE LOVES PEOPLE.

AND I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE IN THE OLD

THING, YOU CAN'T LEAD THE PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T LOVE THE PEOPLE.

KAMALA IS LIKE A SISTER.

I WAS MAD AT HER RECENTLY BECAUSE SHE CALLED ME FOR MY

BIRTHDAY BACK IN APRIL AND WE WERE BOTH BUSY AS CRAZY BUT SHE

TOOK THE TIME AS A FRIEND WHO IS ALWAYS CHECKING, IN, SHE GOES

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, I GO I'M TRYING TO COOK.

WHAT ARE YOU MAWKING I TOLD HER I WAS TRYING TO MAKE LENTILS.

>> SHE SAID PUT IT ON FACETIME.

THE NEXT THUNKING YOU KNOW HER HAIR IS UP AM CURLERS SITTING

THERE TEACHING ME HOW TO COOK LENTILS BUT SHE WANTED ME TO CUT

AN ONION AND SHE HAD THIS MAGNIFICENT WAY TO CUT AN ONION

THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE, YOU DON'T CRY, BUT THE REASON

WHY I AM MAD AT HER IS WEEKS PASSED, I TRIED TO DO IT AGAIN

AND I CUT MAY SELF BADLY.

BUT SHE IS SUCH A REGULAR PERSON, SO KIND, SO FUNNY, AND I

AM JUST EXCITED TO SEE TWO PEOPLE WITH SUCH DEPTH OF

HUMANITY OCCUPY THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND.

AND REALLY BRING CHARACTER AND KINDNESS AND GRACE BACK TO THE

WHITE HOUSE WHICH I HOPE INSPIRES A REAL REVIVAL-- .

>> James: AS DO WE, VERY, VERY MUCH SO.

IT IS DIFFICULT NOT TO THINK-- I AM WORRIED, MANY PEOPLE ARE

WORRIED BECAUSE BETWEEN NOW AND THE INAUGURATION ON JANUARY

20th DONALD TRUMP IS STILL THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES AND MANY PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT WHAT SORT OF DAMAGE THAT

HE COULD DO IN THE TIME, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU WORRY ABOUT,

AND WHAT ACTUALLY, WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE CAN HE DO IN THIS MOMENT

BETWEEN YOU KNOW JOE BIDEN BEING SWORN?

AND HIM LEAVING OFFICE.

>> LOOK, WE ARE IN A TIME, IT IS THE FOURTH LARGEST MASS CASH ULT

EVENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND DEATH TOLL.

WE HAVE MANY AMERICANS WHOSE BUSINESSES WHOSE JOBS HAVE BEEN

LOST.

AND THEN COMPOUNDING ALL OF THAT, WE ARE IN A COMPLEX GLOBE

WITH A LOT OF CHALLENGES, SO FOR THIS PRESIDENT NOT TO BEGIN TO

SHARE CRITICAL INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION AND

MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT JOE BIDEN HAS FULL AWARENESS AS HE WALKS

INTO THAT OFFICE IS A DISSERVICE TO ALL OF US AS AMERICANS AND TO

OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY IN THE MIDST OF THIS HORRIBLE

PANDEMIC.

SO LOOK, I HAVE LOWERED MY EXPECTATIONS ABOUT PRESIDENT

TRUMP FROM THE BEGINNING AND A FRIEND OF MINE THAT, WITHOUTS

WITH KIDS WHETHER AS TEACHERS OR ANOTHER CAPACITY KNOW THAT HE

ALWAYS ENGAGES IN BEHAVIOR THAT WE TELL OUR YOUNG PEOPLE JUST

NOT TO DO.

AND HERE HE IS AT A MOMENT ON A PLAYGROUND WHERE HE LOST SOME

KIND OF CONTEST.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE HE WANTS TO THROW A TANTRUM.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, TRY TO TAKE HIS BALL OR HIS MARBLES OR

WHATEVER AND GO HOME.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO THAT TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH THAT THIS IS GOING TO RESOLVE ITSELF

BUT I DO WORRY THAT ON HIS WAY OUT HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO

DAMAGE TO THE CONSTITUTION INSTITUTIONS AND THE NORMS AND

REALLY THE SPIRIT AND SOUL OF OUR COUNTRY WHICH MAKES BIDEN

AND HARRIS HAVE EVEN MORE CHALLENGES TO TRY AND HEAL US.

>> ONE CHALLENGE FOR THEM IS OBVIOUSLY THE SENATE.

A LOT OF THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON GEORGIA WHERE THERE ARE TWO

SENATE RUNOFF RACES.

AND THAT WILL HAPPEN?

JANUARY.

LET'S JUST PRETEND FOR THE SAKE OF THIS INTERVIEW THAT I DON'T

COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS.

JUST AS A SORT OF ROLE PLAYING GAME.

>> OKAY.

>> James: EXPLAIN TO ME, BUT OBVIOUSLY MOSTLY FOR THE

VIEWERS, EXPLAIN TO ME IN THE SIMPLEEST TERMS WHY WHY IS IT SO

IMPORTANT THAT THE DEMOCRATS NEED THESE SEATS AND DO YOU

THINK IT WILL HAPPEN STH.

>> WELL, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PRISONER OF HOPE.

AND JUST BELIEVE AMERICAN HISTORY, IT IS A PERPETUAL

TESTIMONY FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF IMPOSSIBLE THINGS AND WE HAVE NO

RIGHT TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN IN PEOPLE THINK ARE LONG SHOTS OR

HARD.

AND THE GEORGIA RACE, THE TWO SENATE SEATS WILL DETERMINE WHO

IS IN CHARGE OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND AND WE KNOW

WHAT MITCH McCONNELL HAS GIVEN US.

THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE IN TERMS OF BILLS BEING PASSED, SENATE

LEADERS SEE JUST GRIDLOCK, WE SEE SOMETHING WHEN BARACK OBAMA

WAS THERE, THROTTLED HIS ABILITY TO DO LEGISLATION OR EVEN IN

MANY WAYS HE STONEWALLED OR STALLED A LOT OF HIS

APPOINTMENTS.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WITH WANT US TO FIND BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT.

YOU CAN EITHER HAVE MITCH McCONNELL WHO CALLS HIMSELF,

THIS IS NOT ME CALLING HIM A NAME, HE CALLS HUM SELF THE GRIM

REAPER.

WE COULD HAVE DEMOCRATS IN CHARGE WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO

BRING A LOT OF THOSE BILLS THAT AMERICANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE

AISLE WANT TO GET DONE WHETHER IT IS PANDEMIC RELIEF OR EVEN

JUST A BIG INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> ARE THERE ANY ISSUES WHERE YOU ABLE TO WORK WITH

REPUBLICANS LIKE WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOOK TO, LET'S

SAY ARE YOU TRYING TO PUT A BIPARTISAN COVID RELIEF BILL

WHICH IS KNEE DEEP-- WELL IT'S NEEDED IN MAY, YOU KNOW WHAT I

MEAN, AND NOW IT'S NOVEMBER.

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOOK TO IN THAT TO SAY WELL LET'S TRY

AND BUILD A RELATIONSHIP AND GET THIS THROUGH.

>> SO LET ME PULL BACK FOR A SECOND LOOK, IT IS SUCH AN URGE

ENT THING, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE, TO DE FINE

COMMON GROUNDMENT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T STAND OUR GROUND BUT

WILE WE ARE STANDING OUR GROUND, DO THE DIFFICULT WORK TO FEUN

THOSE COMMONALITIESMENT I THINK THAT SAY BIG TEST AM I FELL VERY

BLESSED, HI ONE FULL TERM AND FOUND LOTS OF PARTNERS, DONE ALL

TRUMP EVEN BUYING TWO BILLS THAT I HELPED TO WRITE THAT HE WENT

ON AND BRAGGED ABOUT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILLS ALL

THE WAY TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

AND I, YESTERDAY, FOR VETERAN'S DAY I WAS TEXTING WITH SOME OF

MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE WHO SERVE THIS COUNTRY WE ALL OF

US HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE 70 PLUS MILLION PEOPLE WHO DID

NOT VOTE LIKE WE DID.

THEY ARE NOT OUR ENEMY, IN FACT THEY ARE ABSOLUTE URGENT

NECESSITIES IN OUR LIVES.

IF WE ARE GOING TO BRING THIS COUNTRY TOGETHER AND DO THINGS

BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.

RUGGED INDIVIDUALS, LOVED DIDN'T GET US TO THE MOON, IT

DIDN'T-- WE DID THOSE THINGSING TOMENT SO I AM GOING TO DO

EVERYTHING I CAN TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO BE A PART OF THAT EFFORT

IN THE SENSE TO HEAL THINGS BUT I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW THE

GEORGIA RACE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS VERY HARD TO GET

THINGS DONE UNDER MITCH McDONELL.

THE OBJECTIVE LOOKING AT THIS OBJECTIVELY IT IS HARD TO PASS

LEGISLATION UNDER HIM.

I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL AND PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

LEGISLATION, ABOUT HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION, ABOUT IMMIGRATION

REFORM.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND LIVE IN GEORGIA, THEN VOTE.

AND IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN GEORGIA YOU CAN STILL LEND A HAND.

YOU CAN VOLUNTEER FOR THE CAMPAIGN, SEND $5, THIS IS

STILL, ELECTIONS MAY BE OVER BUT THIS RUNOFF ELECTION MEANS WE

STILL ISN'T SIT ON THE SIDELINES, WE HAVE TO GET

INVOLVED.

>> James: THOSE TWO SEATS WERE TO GO TO DEMOCRATS IT WOULD BE A

50/50 SPLIT AND AM I RIGHT, THINKING THAT KAMALA HARRIS

WOULD BE THE DECIDING VOTE, SEAT.

>> BECAUSE YOU I, PLANNED IT HORRIBLY, YOU KNOW IT FACT

ULTLY.

THE SENATE WOULD THEN BE A 50-50 TIE WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT KAMALA

HARRIS ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION WOULD COME IN AND

BREAK THE TIE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

>> James: RIGHTS.

>> AND THAT TIE WOULD GO MOST LIKELY TO US AS THE DEMOCRATS SO

WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE AGENDA OF THE FLOOR OF THE

UNITED STATES SENATE.

AND WHILE MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUE MITCH McCONNELL MAY

NOT WANT TO BE CLIMATE LEGISLATION OR HEALTH-CARE

REFORM, WE WOULD WANT TO PUT IF ON THE FLOOR.

BUT FOR IT TO PASS YOU WOULD HAVE TO FIND COMMONALITY, BRUNG

SOME REPUBLICANS WITH US.

>> James: IT IS HUGELY PORNTS.

AMONGST THE THEORY, I THINK EVERYBODY WHO WORKS ON THIS SHOW

AN EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO WORK REMOTELY ON ZOOM HAVE FELT SINCE

THE WEEKEND WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF JOE BIDEN AND

KAMALA HARRIS THAT YOU CANNOT DENY THAT COVID-19 CASES ARE

SURGING AROUND THE COUNTRY.

I FEEL INCREDIBLY WORRIED THAT IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE VERY

SOON, THAT REALLY IT COULD SPIRL INTO A PLACE WHERE IT BECOMES

MUCH MORE UNMANAGEABLE THAN IF EVER WAS IN MARCH, YOU KNOW,

WHEN THAT SORT OF FIRST PHASE OF LOCKDOWN HAPPENED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY SORT OF DON'T SEEM TO

ACCEPT THAT IT IS REAL.