At Our Table with Jaime Harrison

We sit down with Dr. Annie Andrews, the pediatrician and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina, a year after she first joined us at this table. We discuss her race against interim Senator Darline Graham, the affordability crisis, rural healthcare gaps, data centers, and RFK Jr., while confronting a hard truth: too many South Carolinians have been left behind. Her challenge is clear: this Senate seat belongs to the people of South Carolina, not one family, party, or president.

(0:00) Welcome: Jaime on running this same race six years ago

(4:00) A new race after Lindsey Graham's death

(7:00 ) Taking on interim Sen. Darlene Graham

(10:00) The Gas, Grits & Groceries Affordability Tour

(11:00) 15 counties without an OB-GYN and "two South Carolinas"

(13:00) Why the Senate needs its first pediatrician

(17:00) RFK Jr., vaccine disinformation, and measles outbreaks

(20:00) Her "why": moments from the campaign trail

(24:00) Data centers in Aiken and a two-year moratorium

(26:00) Independent voice vs. rubber stamp

(28:00) "What is so radical?"

(32:00) What a senator can do about gas and grocery prices

(36:00) Rapid fire: Sumter, Tim Scott, and "there's an end date"

(41:00) Sit Your Ass Down: this week's honoree

(43:00) Closing: "I wouldn't be in this race without you"

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We sit down with former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, who prosecuted the 16th Street Baptist Church bombers and won a stunning 2017 Senate victory in Alabama, to talk about his run for Governor in a rematch with Tommy Tuberville. We discuss the votes that defined his Senate career, his fight to rebuild a full Democratic ticket in Alabama, and his closing message to voters in both parties, while confronting a hard truth: Doug says Alabama has become "a non-voting state." His challenge is clear: stop talking about negotiating with the other side, and start negotiating for the people.

(0:00) Introduction: Doug Jones returns to At Our Table

(4:24) The people who shaped Doug Jones

(9:02) Prosecuting the 16th Street Baptist Church bombers

(11:40) The Voting Rights Act under threat

(14:59) Winning Alabama's historic 2017 Senate race

(18:08) Defining Senate votes: the widows tax, Kavanaugh, impeachment

(21:33) Missing out on Attorney General

(24:59) Helping confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

(26:14) Why governor, and why now

(28:23) Rebuilding Alabama's full Democratic ticket

(29:41) Building the coalition — and contrasting with Tuberville

(34:56) Could Alabama finally expand Medicaid?

(36:27) Moderate vs. progressive — and his closing argument

(40:49) Rapid fire: Is Alabama a "non-voting state"?

(46:22) Sit Your Ass Down: Tommy Tuberville

(49:18) Closing thoughts, the campaign theme, and how to help

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We sit down with Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore to talk about three decades of Navy service and her decision to keep serving in a new way. A three-star admiral and former Chief of Navy Reserve, she brings a commander's eye to questions of leadership, family sacrifice, and the state of the military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. We discuss her path from Holy Cross ROTC to the Pentagon's highest ranks and her run for South Carolina's First District, while confronting a hard truth: hard-earned careers are being pushed aside by politics. Her challenge is clear: leadership means delivering results, not noise.

(0:00) Introduction: meet Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore

(2:00) Who is Nancy when she's not "Admiral"

(5:00) College life at Holy Cross and ROTC

(6:00) Hobbies: running, piano, and a hidden love of sewing

(12:00) Becoming a three-star admiral

(14:00) Juggling two military careers and 29 years on active duty

(15:00) Deploying to Afghanistan and Djibouti

(17:00) The end of her Navy command

(20:00) How her family took the news

(22:00) Is Pete Hegseth qualified to run the Pentagon?

(23:00) Purging admirals and politicizing promotions

(26:00) What she'd ask Hegseth in a hearing

(28:00) State of the military, NATO, and threats to democracy

(30:00) Supporting military families, not just military contractors

(32:00) Why she's running for Congress now

(33:00) Nancy Lacore vs. opponent Jenny Hunnicutt

(36:00) Her pitch to skeptical Republican voters

(37:00) "Show horses" vs. "work horses"

(39:00) Top committee picks: Appropriations and Armed Services

(40:00) Rapid fire: tea, mountains, and Taylor Swift

(44:00) Sit Your Ass Down: this week's honoree

(46:00) Closing message to South Carolina's First District

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Representative Justin J. Pearson joins At Our Table for a conversation about power, principle, and what meaningful political leadership looks like when trust in American institutions is breaking down.

Pearson reflects on growing up in Memphis, finding his voice as an organizer at 15, fighting an oil pipeline through South Memphis, and moving from activism into elected office. He talks about his expulsion from the Tennessee House following protests for gun reform, why he believes elected officials must show people they are willing to fight, and how Democrats should find common ground without compromising their values.

(00:00) Common Ground Without Compromise

(01:00) Meet Representative Justin J. Pearson

(03:00) Growing Up in Memphis

(09:00) Finding His Voice at 15

(12:00) From Activism to Elected Office

(16:00) Can Outsiders Actually Govern?

(17:00) Common Ground Without Compromising Values

(22:00) Fighting the “Path of Least Resistance”

(25:00) Expelled From the Tennessee House

(29:00) The Fight Against Data Centers

(33:00) Running in a Trump +21 District

(36:00) Answering the “Too Radical” Attacks

(38:00) Walking Back Into the Tennessee House

(41:00) Power, Democracy and What Gives Him Hope

(45:00) The Sit Your Ass Down Award

(46:00) Memphis, Music and Rapid Fire

(49:00) A Message to the Next Generation

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We sit down with Dr. Jermaine Johnson to talk about his campaign for governor and his argument for a new South Carolina. Johnson reflects on a childhood shaped by homelessness, instability, and loss, and the path from basketball to public service that shaped how he approaches leadership. We discuss his primary victory, the young and working-class voters he believes are being overlooked, healthcare and rural communities, and his case for moving beyond party labels. His challenge is simple: judge South Carolina’s success by whether the lives of its people are getting better. 

(00:00) Welcome to At Our Table
(02:16) The Story Behind Jermaine Johnson
(10:10) From Basketball to a New Life
(16:55) Why He’s Running for Governor
(18:59) The Conversation With His Wife
(20:54) Being Underestimated in the Primary
(23:38) His Path to Victory in South Carolina
(28:16) The Choice Facing South Carolina Voters
(31:06) Keeping the Race Focused on South Carolina
(33:00) Healthcare and Medicinal Cannabis
(35:11) Cost of Living and Insurance
(37:10) Healthcare in Rural Communities
(40:41) The Personal Cost of Running
(44:39) What Success as Governor Would Mean
(45:58) The Sit Your Ass Down Award
(47:57) A Message to Voters Who Have Given Up
(52:16) What Unites South Carolinians

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Pete Buttigieg talks with us about fatherhood, public life, and what Democrats must understand about a country frustrated with the political status quo. Nearly a decade after he and Jaime Harrison competed for DNC chair, the former mayor and cabinet secretary reflects on how becoming a husband and father changed the stakes of his political work and the personal cost of staying in the fight. We discuss the 2026 midterms, voter anger, political reform, and why Democrats cannot simply offer a return to the past. Pete also reflects on South Carolina, earning trust through listening, and the questions surrounding 2028. 

(00:00) Jaime welcomes Pete to Season 2
(02:00) From DNC rivals to friends
(06:00) What Pete learned about the Democratic Party
(08:00) Trump and why Democrats can’t go back
(11:00) How fatherhood changed Pete
(18:00) When politics targets your family
(21:00) Has Pete ever wanted to leave politics?
(22:00) How Pete and Chasten handle political attacks
(26:00) Why Americans are angry
(27:00) What Democrats misunderstand about voter anger
(29:00) Economic and political reform
(32:00) Pete’s vision for the 2026 midterms
(35:00) State races and money in politics
(36:00) Pete’s potential midterm surprises
(37:00) Does Pete want to be president?
(39:00) Jaime presses Pete on 2028
(40:00) What Pete learned from South Carolina
(46:00) The Sit Your Ass Down Award
(48:00) What Pete hopes his children remember

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We sit down with Roger Wolfson to talk about storytelling, leadership, and why facts alone rarely change minds. A former Senate staffer, speechwriter, and Emmy-winning Hollywood writer, Roger brings a unique perspective shaped by careers in both politics and entertainment. We discuss what leaders can learn from great storytellers, why Democrats often struggle to connect with voters, and how authentic personal stories can inspire action in ways statistics never will. The conversation also explores misinformation, social media, artificial intelligence, and the growing challenge of helping people feel connected in an increasingly fragmented world. Roger's message is ultimately about hope: if leaders learn to communicate from the heart, they can rebuild trust, strengthen communities, and inspire a new generation to engage in public life.

(00:00) Introduction & Why Stories Matter

(02:00) Roger Wolfson's Political Origin Story

(06:00) Working for Joe Lieberman, John Kerry & Ted Kennedy

(08:00) Lessons from the Senate & Lindsey Graham

(10:00) Paul Wellstone's Influence & Life-Changing Loss

(11:00) Leaving Politics & Sailing Around the World

(12:00) From Washington to Hollywood

(15:00) The Work Ethic That Built a Screenwriting Career

(18:00) Why Stories Move People More Than Facts

(21:00) Great Storytellers in Politics

(24:00) Cory Booker, John Lewis & Joe Biden

(29:00) Storytelling as a Leadership Skill

(32:00) The First Rule of Great Storytelling

(36:00) What Is Blue Heartbeat?

(40:00) Fighting Disinformation Through Storytelling

(43:00) Building Connection in a Divided America

(46:00) Jaime Harrison on Hope, Cynicism & Leadership

(52:00) Rapid Fire Questions

(55:00) The Sit Your Ass Down Award: Elon Musk

(57:00) Who Are the Main Characters in American Politics?

(59:00) AI, Social Media & The Future of Democracy

(1:01:00) Final Thoughts & Blue Heartbeat Mission

(1:02:00) Closing Remarks
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We’re joined by Kelley Robinson to talk about LGBTQ+ rights and the fight to decide who belongs in America. As the first Black queer woman to lead the Human Rights Campaign, she brings an organizer’s view of power rooted in community and story. We discuss anti-trans attacks, the fragility of Bostock and marriage equality, and HRC’s midterm investment, while confronting a hard truth: rights many people thought were settled remain vulnerable. Her challenge is forward-looking: equality will depend on candidates, voters, and allies refusing to leave anyone behind.

(00:00) Introduction & Welcome

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Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York talks with us about the fight over representation and whether American democracy can withstand a coordinated effort to weaken voting rights. The chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and daughter of Jamaican immigrants reflects on an upbringing shaped by activism and argues that democracy is endangered both by those who undermine it and by those who lose faith in it. We discuss the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court’s Callais decision, and the CBC’s push for corporations to publicly defend political representation. Her warning is that silence carries consequences.

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We sit down with Skye Perryman to talk about what happens when democratic institutions are tested and ordinary citizens are forced to defend them. A lawyer who left corporate practice to help build Democracy Forward, she explains how her organization has challenged government actions in court while uncovering allegations involving DOGE, Social Security data, and election-related activities. We discuss voting rights and why legal victories alone are not enough. She says the future of American democracy will depend on whether people demand change rather than waiting for institutions to save them.

(00:00) Introduction: Who Is Skye Perryman & Democracy Forward

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