Former Vice President Kamala Harris repeatedly emphasized the "power" of collective action during a podcast conversation with Kurt "Big Boy" Alexander, invoking the word eight times in roughly one minute while discussing affordability and the midterm elections. The discussion included an anecdote about a Jackson, Mississippi, mother on a $150 weekly budget and concerns about rising gas and living costs. Harris argued that feeling powerful — and exercising power through voting and speaking out — affects civic engagement. The episode also referenced recent ICE-related shootings and incidents in Texas, Maine, Austin and Grand Rapids.
Kamala Harris Repeats 'Power' Eight Times in Podcast Exchange on Cost-of-Living and Civic Action
Kamala Harris Dishes Out Word Salad on ‘Power,’ Mentions It 8 Times in 1 Minute
Former Vice President Kamala Harris repeatedly invoked the word "power" during a wide-ranging conversation about affordability, civic engagement and the stakes of the midterm elections on the podcast Off Air With Big Boy hosted by Kurt "Big Boy" Alexander. The exchange drew attention for Harris' emphasis on collective agency and voting as tools to address economic pressures facing many families.
Alexander opened the discussion by describing everyday economic struggles. He referenced a conversation Harris had in Jackson, Mississippi, where she met a mother of four managing on a weekly budget of $150.
"I was just in Jackson, Mississippi, with a mother of four whose weekly budget for the four of them was $150," Harris said.
Alexander noted that the squeeze is widespread: high gas prices and rising living costs are pressuring households across the country, including in Los Angeles, where pump prices often start with a five, six or seven.
"And the average person cannot even afford to live where they work. So they're in the car for long stretches of time just to get to the job that pays for the gas that's so expensive," Harris said.
When Alexander asked how to keep hope alive amid those pressures, Harris centered the concept of collective agency and repeatedly returned to the notion of "power." She framed civic participation — voting and speaking out — as practical ways to reclaim influence over policy and community outcomes.
"I believe in the power of the people," Harris said. "Part of our hope comes from our ability to fight for what we know is right and then to see the progress and the potential for progress, and let that give us hope. I believe very strongly if you feel powerless, you are powerless. If you feel powerful, you are powerful. But knowing that is what makes it happen. And so if we're feeling hopeless, we are less likely to feel powerful. I believe you should never let anybody take your power from you. No circumstance, no individual."
Alexander urged listeners to pay attention to local and national events and to participate in civic life. Harris echoed that call, reminding people that voting and using one's voice are central to influencing the policies that affect daily life.
Recent ICE-Related Incidents Referenced
The interview also referenced recent incidents involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The reporting noted that two men were reportedly shot and killed in separate ICE-related incidents in July — one in Texas and one in Maine. Additional incidents this fall included an ICE officer who shot and injured Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 20, and a separate case in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Mario David Coronado Juarez reportedly fled an attempted ICE traffic stop and later died in a car crash the same day.
Reporting note: The ICE incidents were described in the original coverage and reflect reported developments cited in the podcast discussion and follow-up reporting.
Jason Cohen contributed reporting to the piece.
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