Raphael Warnock

Asked how a pastor would discern a call to run for president, Warnock said clarity comes from working in the fight, without ruling out a run.

“I think through the process of doing, we get the clarity about what we ought to do next”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:32

Warnock said Trump and Bernie Sanders voters shared a desire to upend a system they felt was not working.

“Here's what the Trump voters and Bernie Sanders voters had in common. They're looking for somebody to tear the thing up”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 38:48

Warnock argued that claims of large numbers of Black men voting for Trump were overstated, partly a campaign bandwagon tactic.

“one is too many, but there weren't any overwhelming numbers of Black men voting for Donald Trump”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 38:20

Warnock criticized Trump for blaming the left after assassination attempts instead of uniting the country.

“this is not a difference between right and left. It's the difference between right and wrong”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 59:46

Warnock said he condemned Charlie Kirk's killing on the Senate floor because political violence is incompatible with democracy.

“You cannot have a democracy and political violence. Political violence is the opposite of democracy”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 59:25

Warnock said he rejects theocracy and brings his values, not his creeds, to his Senate work.

“I don't want to live in anybody's theocracy. So I bring my values and not my creeds to my work as a senator”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 54:40

Warnock argued that Trump's policies, such as SNAP and health care cuts, are more blasphemous than his image depicting himself as Jesus.

“it's not enough just to condemn the picture and say nothing about his policies, because his policies are far more blasphemous than the picture”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 50:00

Warnock argued that the civil rights movement combined moral suasion with economic leverage, as in Birmingham, and that politics requires power.

“right. So politics requires leverage. And it is an exercise in power. And we've got to use all of those tools”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:04:09

Warnock called JD Vance one of the most craven politicians in America, citing his past comparison of Trump to Hitler.

“in my view, J.D. Vance is one of the most craven politicians on the American landscape”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 45:51

Warnock cited the need to legislate Medicare drug price negotiation as evidence of how rigged the system is.

“What kind of capitalism is that where the buyer gets, where the seller gets to tell you the price of something and you don't get to discuss it?”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 40:05

Warnock warned that detention infrastructure built for immigrants will likely later be used against Black and brown young men.

“When you build that kind of infrastructure, you're going to use it. And so it's immigrant communities today that I'm worried that it will probably be black and brown folks tomorrow”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 32:00

Warnock described plans for a 10,000-bed detention center in a warehouse in Social Circle, Georgia, a town of 5,000.

“they bought a warehouse, they want to put a 10,000 bed detention center in a 5,000 citizen town”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 30:47

Warnock suggested that, beyond the bipartisan housing bill, the government may need to build or buy homes and sell them to people.

“maybe the government ought to get into buying or building houses and then selling it to the people”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 10:59

Warnock argued the money spent bombing Iran could have funded nationwide pre-K for four-year-olds.

“so far with the money we've spent bombing Iran, we could have paid for pre-K for four-year-olds all across the country”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 6:29

Warnock argued that Chief Justice John Roberts has greatly tarnished his legacy through the voting rights decisions.

“And John Roberts, who has appeared to be, you know, the umpire, you know, who's just sort of calling balls and strikes. I think he has tarnished his legacy”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 15:19

Warnock said the racial turnout gap has widened since 2013, twice as fast in states formerly under preclearance.

“it has widened twice as fast in the states that used to be under preclearance”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 16:31

Warnock called the Voting Rights Act the crown jewel of the civil rights movement and said he would not be a senator without it.

“the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is the crown jewel achievement of the civil rights movement without which I Literally would not be sitting here with you right now”

Pod Save America: Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call? (May 10, 2026) · Listen from 14:25