Kerry Washington channeled her iconic “Scandal” hero Olivia Pope while sitting for Sunday’s upcoming MSNBC special, “Black Women in America: The Road to 2024,” calling on Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party at large to not rest on their laurels or take Black women’s vote for granted.
Interviewing with MSNBC’s “The Weekend” co-host Symone Sanders-Townsend and MSNBC legal analyst Melissa Murray, who have come together to host the news channel’s special, Washington related to Black women voters who feel unrepresented in the policies on the ballot and encouraged them to use their power to hold politicians “feet to the fire” for the things they need — but also to “not sit out at the moments that matter most.”
“I think it’s great that people are saying, ‘Don’t take my vote for granted.’ I think that’s fantastic, because I do think that these elected officials need to know that our opinions matter and that our values need to be represented in their offices. That they just can’t get up and do what they want to do,” Washington said, before nodding to “Scandal.”
“I get this feeling of ‘earn me.’ That’s a famous Olivia Pope line. Like, if you want me, earn me. If you’re going to say that, walk the walk.”
Watch the clip from the interview exclusively via TheWrap below:
“So yes, do the research on the policies, and yes, make sure the person you’re voting for agrees with your values and with your priorities, and cares about you and your community,” Washington continued.
At the time, the three were discussing some Black women’s apprehension to vote for the Democratic candidate Black women’s history of supporting the political party, and how some Black women feel Democrats assume that they’ve got the group’s ballot in the bag.
“We’ve been talking to Black women exclusively, and Black women historically have been the spine of the Democratic Party,” Murray said. “What we’re hearing from the younger women is that, this is a party that they don’t think takes them seriously. That they take their vote for granted. That the Democrats are sitting there like, ‘We’ve got Black women on lock. We don’t have to do anything. They’re going to show up for us. They’re ride or die.’ And what we’ve learned is that they’re not all ride.”
Chiming in, Sanders-Townsend said some of the Black women they’ve surveyed during the production of their special have blatantly stated they may not cast a vote if candidates don’t come correct with their policies.
“A group of young women that we spoke to literally said, ‘Well, I don’t know if I’m going to vote. I need to see the policy.’ And we were like, ‘Are you voting for Donald Trump?’ Because we want to know. And they said, ‘No, we’re not voting for Donald Trump, but we need to see the policies of all these Democrats.’ And I like that.”
Washington agreed, adding that it’s always important to do your own research while also warning on-the-fence voters to not miss out on their opportunity to choose the best leader of the country. (Washington memorably endorsed Harris for president and spoke alongside “Scandal” co-star Tony Goldwyn at the DNC last month.)
“I celebrate that. I salute that,” Washington said of Black women standing their ground.
“And then also, when they get in office, hold them accountable. Hold their feet to the fire. Make the phone calls. Show up at the school community board meetings,” Washington continued. “So yes, make them earn it. We deserve that as Black women. As Black women, we know our value, we’re stepping into our worth. We get it — that’s a beautiful thing. But also, let’s not sit out at the moments that matter most so that we wake up the morning after the election and we suddenly have an autocrat in office.”
“Black Women in America: The Road to 2024,” which airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC, follows MSNBC’s previous special “Black Men in
America: The Road to 2024.” It will also be streaming on Peacock.
The program zeroes in on Sanders-Townsend and Murray as they travel “across the country to speak with influential Black women and constituent groups, including Washington, political strategist Donna Brazile, Bishop and former Democratic National Committee Chief of Staff Leah Daughtry, 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee Chairwoman Minyon Moore, lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill and others.
Watch TheWrap’s exclusive preview clip of the special in the video above.
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