Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with reisent Choice Media. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.

Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with reisent Choice Media. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.

Hey, fam You're about to hear a replay of one of our interviews from our live stream at the Democratic National Convention. If you want to listen to or watch the full stream, check out the links in the episode description. You can also find a full list of all the guests we interviewed. Welcome home, y'all. Haqim Jeffries has been family from i'd say day zero, I'm Iri Andrew, you're not on mute. In the middle of my intro, thank you. Hakim Jeffries came in to see us when he was coming into Congress, and one of my favorite moments was as a staff person, him just being like, Okay, what do I need to do?

Hey, fam You're about to hear a replay of one of our interviews from our live stream at the Democratic National Convention. If you want to listen to or watch the full stream, check out the links in the episode description. You can also find a full list of all the guests we interviewed. Welcome home, y'all. Haqim Jeffries has been family from i'd say day zero, I'm Iri Andrew, you're not on mute. In the middle of my intro, thank you. Hakim Jeffries came in to see us when he was coming into Congress, and one of my favorite moments was as a staff person, him just being like, Okay, what do I need to do?

Who do I need to know?

Who do I need to know?

And because of his genuine intellectual curiosity, I knew. I was like, this dude is going to be speaker, and we are on the eve of that dream and it's really knowing that that will come to pass. I want to know in the middle of your history making journey now as Democratic leader in the House, and where we are today.

And because of his genuine intellectual curiosity, I knew. I was like, this dude is going to be speaker, and we are on the eve of that dream and it's really knowing that that will come to pass. I want to know in the middle of your history making journey now as Democratic leader in the House, and where we are today.

How does it feel, welly Azela, it is great to be with you, I could say here in Chicago, of course, this amazing team. You know here in Chicago, it's joyful, it's aspirational, it's unifying, it's electrifying. But we also know that there's a mission ahead of us over the next few months, and the other.

How does it feel, welly Azela, it is great to be with you, I could say here in Chicago, of course, this amazing team. You know here in Chicago, it's joyful, it's aspirational, it's unifying, it's electrifying. But we also know that there's a mission ahead of us over the next few months, and the other.

Side can be diabolical.

Side can be diabolical.

Yeah, and so we you know, we're here to thank President Biden, of course for his work he's passed the torch, to celebrate and elevate Kamala Harris and Tim Walls, but then to make sure that we're doing the work necessary so that they're successful in November, that we do take back the gavels in the United States House, and that we do what's necessary to hold the Senate.

Yeah, and so we you know, we're here to thank President Biden, of course for his work he's passed the torch, to celebrate and elevate Kamala Harris and Tim Walls, but then to make sure that we're doing the work necessary so that they're successful in November, that we do take back the gavels in the United States House, and that we do what's necessary to hold the Senate.

Yes, it's so important.

Yes, it's so important.

It's going to be a lot of people who will lose their minds, Congressman, and we have when we have a black woman president, a black House speaker, black governors elected, more black mayors elected, and it really speaks to our ancestors built this country for free. That's the phrase I came up with myself. Originally, she saw that for me to see Angelus is all the time and to finally see our work, the fruits of our labor come together at this moment. A lot of people, I don't think necessarily understands the role of the Speaker of the House, because that is a title that you are about to assume. Because we speak things into existence on this podcast. What is the role of the House Speaker?

It's going to be a lot of people who will lose their minds, Congressman, and we have when we have a black woman president, a black House speaker, black governors elected, more black mayors elected, and it really speaks to our ancestors built this country for free. That's the phrase I came up with myself. Originally, she saw that for me to see Angelus is all the time and to finally see our work, the fruits of our labor come together at this moment. A lot of people, I don't think necessarily understands the role of the Speaker of the House, because that is a title that you are about to assume. Because we speak things into existence on this podcast. What is the role of the House Speaker?

Well, you know, I'll say that it's been an honor to stand on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi, Senny Hory and Jim Cliveburn, you know who were legendary leaders. Of course, Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, she'll go down in history, we believe is the greatest speaker of all time, along with you know Stenny who did his thing, and of course the great legendary Jim Clyburn, and they all collectively actually made the decision to pass the torch to the next generation of Democrats in the House last year, and as a result, Petere Aguilar, Catherine Clark, and myself now is House Democratic leader. The role of Speaker of course done incredibly well, you know by Nancy Pelosi really is a constitutional officer in the House of Representatives who presides over the House, determines the agenda, make sure that legislation moves through the House actually can get out of the House and hopefully make it through the Senate and become law. And also, depending on which party the Speaker is a member of at that given point in time, is also responsible for making sure politically, you know, things go right and that you're interacting with the other branches of government, you know, particularly the President, the Vice President, as well as the Senate.

Well, you know, I'll say that it's been an honor to stand on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi, Senny Hory and Jim Cliveburn, you know who were legendary leaders. Of course, Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, she'll go down in history, we believe is the greatest speaker of all time, along with you know Stenny who did his thing, and of course the great legendary Jim Clyburn, and they all collectively actually made the decision to pass the torch to the next generation of Democrats in the House last year, and as a result, Petere Aguilar, Catherine Clark, and myself now is House Democratic leader. The role of Speaker of course done incredibly well, you know by Nancy Pelosi really is a constitutional officer in the House of Representatives who presides over the House, determines the agenda, make sure that legislation moves through the House actually can get out of the House and hopefully make it through the Senate and become law. And also, depending on which party the Speaker is a member of at that given point in time, is also responsible for making sure politically, you know, things go right and that you're interacting with the other branches of government, you know, particularly the President, the Vice President, as well as the Senate.

I just want to give a quick shout out before I toss it to Andrew. I know your wonderful, amazing intellectual brother, Hassan Jeffries, doctor Hassan Jeffries. I met Hassan, and when I met Hassan over in the nineties, over twenty years ago, you were running for office then, so you have been a public servant your whole life. This is like a family affairs, yes, but I want to give a shout out to the men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated as well, because we were just talking about the importance of the fraternities in this work and you are a member along with your brother.

I just want to give a quick shout out before I toss it to Andrew. I know your wonderful, amazing intellectual brother, Hassan Jeffries, doctor Hassan Jeffries. I met Hassan, and when I met Hassan over in the nineties, over twenty years ago, you were running for office then, so you have been a public servant your whole life. This is like a family affairs, yes, but I want to give a shout out to the men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated as well, because we were just talking about the importance of the fraternities in this work and you are a member along with your brother.

Thank you, mister Speaker to be I have marveled from Afar down in Florida at the way you have been able to manage and keep a very vast ideologically ranged caucus together. I mean the fact that you all have held on some of the votes that have come been put to the floor, that you have in many ways performed as the Speaker of the House and delivering very key legislation that could have otherwise been off the table or otherwise undermined.

Thank you, mister Speaker to be I have marveled from Afar down in Florida at the way you have been able to manage and keep a very vast ideologically ranged caucus together. I mean the fact that you all have held on some of the votes that have come been put to the floor, that you have in many ways performed as the Speaker of the House and delivering very key legislation that could have otherwise been off the table or otherwise undermined.

More effective than the active more effective.

More effective than the active more effective.

Because he delivers.

Because he delivers.

I just got to ask a lot of folks around the country are nervous around the kinds of tactics that may be taken to either uncertify, not certify, put spoke, you know, obstructions in the wheel in order to delay the Congress's ability to do what is your ceremonial but also constitutional responsibility to count the votes, the Electoral College votes, so on and so forth, and certify the presidency. Please tell us that there are scenario planning, there is there are stop gaps in the way fell safes that can ensure that if we are out here encouraging people to go vote, they do their job, that when it comes to you all that we can rely on some protection that this election will not be stolen, will not be undermined by the other side, but that people can have some relative reliability on our democracy.

I just got to ask a lot of folks around the country are nervous around the kinds of tactics that may be taken to either uncertify, not certify, put spoke, you know, obstructions in the wheel in order to delay the Congress's ability to do what is your ceremonial but also constitutional responsibility to count the votes, the Electoral College votes, so on and so forth, and certify the presidency. Please tell us that there are scenario planning, there is there are stop gaps in the way fell safes that can ensure that if we are out here encouraging people to go vote, they do their job, that when it comes to you all that we can rely on some protection that this election will not be stolen, will not be undermined by the other side, but that people can have some relative reliability on our democracy.

Well, Andrew, great to see you, Thank you for your public service. It is a very important question. I think the good news is, first of all, we got to make sure all the reasons that you articulated all of the uncertainty, because whoever holds the gavels, whoever is in the majority on January sixth, which is the date set forth in the Constitution to certify the election.

Well, Andrew, great to see you, Thank you for your public service. It is a very important question. I think the good news is, first of all, we got to make sure all the reasons that you articulated all of the uncertainty, because whoever holds the gavels, whoever is in the majority on January sixth, which is the date set forth in the Constitution to certify the election.

The new Congress is sworn in.

The new Congress is sworn in.

On January third, meaning whoever is in the majority as a result of the November election will have the ability to decide whether to certify or not. And there's an open question if the Republicans continue to hold the majority because so many of their members are election deniers and have chosen simply to bend the need to Donald Trump, who has already trying to lay the groundwork to claim falsely if he loses or when he loses, that the election was stolen.

On January third, meaning whoever is in the majority as a result of the November election will have the ability to decide whether to certify or not. And there's an open question if the Republicans continue to hold the majority because so many of their members are election deniers and have chosen simply to bend the need to Donald Trump, who has already trying to lay the groundwork to claim falsely if he loses or when he loses, that the election was stolen.

So we got to take back the House. That's important.

So we got to take back the House. That's important.

But we actually did act legislatively and passed a bill called the Electoral Reform count Act in two thousand and twenty two. That did two important things. One, it made clear that the vice president's role is only ceremonial important. Now, the good news is, in this particular situation, of course, the vice president is Kamala Harris. But for future elections, we've made it clear that no one can do what Donald Trump tried to do in bullying Mike Pence to unilaterally declare the election invalid and toss the electoral votes over to him. But perhaps the second, yet most important part of that legislation is it used to be the case that it only took one member out of all four hundred and thirty five to object to the election in the House and one member out of one hundred to object in the Senate.

But we actually did act legislatively and passed a bill called the Electoral Reform count Act in two thousand and twenty two. That did two important things. One, it made clear that the vice president's role is only ceremonial important. Now, the good news is, in this particular situation, of course, the vice president is Kamala Harris. But for future elections, we've made it clear that no one can do what Donald Trump tried to do in bullying Mike Pence to unilaterally declare the election invalid and toss the electoral votes over to him. But perhaps the second, yet most important part of that legislation is it used to be the case that it only took one member out of all four hundred and thirty five to object to the election in the House and one member out of one hundred to object in the Senate.

That's all that was required.

That's all that was required.

And then you can create this whole scenario where shenanigans and games can be played. And that's what was set in motion on January sixth of twenty twenty one. We changed that so now it requires at least twenty percent of the House and twenty percent of the Senate, so that means at least a little over eighty members.

And then you can create this whole scenario where shenanigans and games can be played. And that's what was set in motion on January sixth of twenty twenty one. We changed that so now it requires at least twenty percent of the House and twenty percent of the Senate, so that means at least a little over eighty members.

Have to object.

Have to object.

Now, you know, on the other side of the out you might be able to get to that number in the House, but we don't think you can get to that number in the Senate because there still are enough traditional Republicans, but we don't believe will go along with Donald Trump's shenanigans to try to undermine the results. And so this is an example of legislation actually being advanced in response to a crisis that puts us in a much stronger position.

Now, you know, on the other side of the out you might be able to get to that number in the House, but we don't think you can get to that number in the Senate because there still are enough traditional Republicans, but we don't believe will go along with Donald Trump's shenanigans to try to undermine the results. And so this is an example of legislation actually being advanced in response to a crisis that puts us in a much stronger position.

Well, the best feel safe, y'all if you didn't catch it at the beginning of the answer is to put Democrats can chargemcial.

Well, the best feel safe, y'all if you didn't catch it at the beginning of the answer is to put Democrats can chargemcial.

You know the other thing that I think is really important about the role of the speaker. You talk about the Democratic Party being a big tent party all the time, so your job is not going to be very easy. You have people across the ideological spectrum. You know that and have experienced that as the Democratic leader as well. Talk about some of the things that you will have to do to get people on the same page and some of the big picture ideas you have in that role. I'm gonna use as a personal example. He is my leader too, and I texted him when I.

You know the other thing that I think is really important about the role of the speaker. You talk about the Democratic Party being a big tent party all the time, so your job is not going to be very easy. You have people across the ideological spectrum. You know that and have experienced that as the Democratic leader as well. Talk about some of the things that you will have to do to get people on the same page and some of the big picture ideas you have in that role. I'm gonna use as a personal example. He is my leader too, and I texted him when I.

Was like, what did everybody got it?

Was like, what did everybody got it?

Indors come he knows it and he was like, let me be leader for a day. I was like, bye, I was spouting I was, it.

Indors come he knows it and he was like, let me be leader for a day. I was like, bye, I was spouting I was, it.

Was but I but I.

Was but I but I.

Think that it's important because you're going to deal with people who are throwing tantrums.

Think that it's important because you're going to deal with people who are throwing tantrums.

I'm one of them sometimes, and you're.

I'm one of them sometimes, and you're.

Gonna be dealing with folks who are like, I know the best way, How can follow me? How do you bring everybody together?

Gonna be dealing with folks who are like, I know the best way, How can follow me? How do you bring everybody together?

Yeah? No, it's a great question.

Yeah? No, it's a great question.

And you know, I think one we've adopted a philosophy and approach and this is something that I learned from Jim Clyburn that unity is different than unanimity.

And you know, I think one we've adopted a philosophy and approach and this is something that I learned from Jim Clyburn that unity is different than unanimity.

Wow.

Wow.

And the House Democratic Caucus represents the gorgeous mosaic of the American people with the closest institution to the American people by design. And on the House Democratic Caucus side, we have, you know, incredible diversity across every possible measure. But that means with people who have different life experiences, different perspectives, different constituencies, they may take a different view on a given issue or two. But we're not expecting unanimity. We are, however, expecting unity, which means that we're united around these principles of fighting for justice, fighting for freedom, putting people over politics, and we can have our family discussions, which we often do. Sometimes they're exuberant. We prefer them to be private, not public. But once we get through those family discussions, we find the highest common denominator. And this is what we've done throughout the entire Congress in order to get to the best possible result for the American people. Now, there will always be some folks who will say, well, you didn't go far enough. And our general view, learning from our civil rights legends right who went through a similar process as they were working through the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act, that sometimes you just have to live to fight another day. But we're all united in terms of where we want to go.

And the House Democratic Caucus represents the gorgeous mosaic of the American people with the closest institution to the American people by design. And on the House Democratic Caucus side, we have, you know, incredible diversity across every possible measure. But that means with people who have different life experiences, different perspectives, different constituencies, they may take a different view on a given issue or two. But we're not expecting unanimity. We are, however, expecting unity, which means that we're united around these principles of fighting for justice, fighting for freedom, putting people over politics, and we can have our family discussions, which we often do. Sometimes they're exuberant. We prefer them to be private, not public. But once we get through those family discussions, we find the highest common denominator. And this is what we've done throughout the entire Congress in order to get to the best possible result for the American people. Now, there will always be some folks who will say, well, you didn't go far enough. And our general view, learning from our civil rights legends right who went through a similar process as they were working through the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act, that sometimes you just have to live to fight another day. But we're all united in terms of where we want to go.

Not make the perfect the enemy of the good, which often times too often happens the speaker to be. We know that your time is extremely valuable. I just got to throw you some crazy love over his oratory. Yes, I mean I've been moved on occasion where this stuff should be for process. Yes, and I keep getting Uh. The Congressman gets up and begins to speak, and he evokes history, and he evokes emotion, and he connects and weaves together such an incredibly diverse set of experiences of the American people to bring all of us into investment and whatever it is that they're attempting to do, it's it is. It is a power, yes, but more than anything, it is a blessing. And I'm so glad that you've been imbued with it because I think it's an essential part of what allows you to be the kind of successful speaker that I think you've already shown yourself to be by.

Not make the perfect the enemy of the good, which often times too often happens the speaker to be. We know that your time is extremely valuable. I just got to throw you some crazy love over his oratory. Yes, I mean I've been moved on occasion where this stuff should be for process. Yes, and I keep getting Uh. The Congressman gets up and begins to speak, and he evokes history, and he evokes emotion, and he connects and weaves together such an incredibly diverse set of experiences of the American people to bring all of us into investment and whatever it is that they're attempting to do, it's it is. It is a power, yes, but more than anything, it is a blessing. And I'm so glad that you've been imbued with it because I think it's an essential part of what allows you to be the kind of successful speaker that I think you've already shown yourself to be by.

Here a little hip hop every now.

Here a little hip hop every now.

That's why My quick favorite quote from the Congressman is during the impeachment hearings and a Republican member said, I just don't know why we're here, and the Congressman stood up and answered him and listed innumerable reasons why we were here and laid out beautifully are you case And at the end he said, so if you don't know, Brooklyn is always in the house. And we love it.

That's why My quick favorite quote from the Congressman is during the impeachment hearings and a Republican member said, I just don't know why we're here, and the Congressman stood up and answered him and listed innumerable reasons why we were here and laid out beautifully are you case And at the end he said, so if you don't know, Brooklyn is always in the house. And we love it.

Literally, I love you on this podcast.

Literally, I love you on this podcast.

We are champion gratulations.

We are champion gratulations.

This is amazing podcast. Gratulations on all the success. And you know, Angela and Tiffany Andrew appreciate you'all family close.

This is amazing podcast. Gratulations on all the success. And you know, Angela and Tiffany Andrew appreciate you'all family close.

You'll let you be leader for a day. But tomorrow. You got to be mister speaking.

You'll let you be leader for a day. But tomorrow. You got to be mister speaking.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

I love it.

I love it.

It's fantastic.

It's fantastic.

I love it, love it, love it. Man.

I love it, love it, love it. Man.

I'm so proud of of I mean, yes, I heard him first in Florida when he came down and did some some organizing work throughout the race and so on and so forth. But his leadership is incredible. Thank you, and we're now saying goodbye. If you want.

I'm so proud of of I mean, yes, I heard him first in Florida when he came down and did some some organizing work throughout the race and so on and so forth. But his leadership is incredible. Thank you, and we're now saying goodbye. If you want.

Ling on, do that. Native Land Pod is the production of iHeart Radio and partnership with Recent Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Ling on, do that. Native Land Pod is the production of iHeart Radio and partnership with Recent Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.