PHOENIX — Kerry Washington is best known for her role as Olivia Pope, the political “fixer" on the show Scandal.
But now, just days before the presidential election, she’s in Phoenix for the Biden campaign, encouraging people to vote in real life.
“I’m here because I want people to use their own voices,” says Washington.
Team 12’s Niala Charles asked her, “What do you say to critics who say celebrities have no place in politics ?”
She responded, “For me, I don’t speak out because I’m a celebrity, I speak out because I’m an American.” For Washington, the words in the constitution, “We The People,” have a lot of meaning.
“Women are included in the we, young people are included in the we, black people are included in the we,” says Washington.
She says “we” means that we should all help each other, even when it comes to taxes. Under the proposed Biden tax plan, taxes would increase for people making more than $400,000 a year.
“I don’t mind paying more taxes. I want to live in a country where we take care of each other,” says Washington.
Alternatively, Rapper 50 Cent made headlines when he announced he will vote for President Trump because Biden’s tax rate is too high.
But Washington says for things to really “get handled”, as her character says on Scandal, everyone needs to vote.
“Democracy is not easy. It requires all of our voices,” says Washington.
Watch an extended interview with Kerry Washington below.
