As I also highlighted, Vice President Kamala Harris' tweet communicated the opposite, by claiming "It’s clear, there’s still a lot more work to do."

Sears' appearance also got a lot of attention because of her quick correction to Bash about Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in schools. 

Bash's backtrack involved claiming "I didn't say that. I just said it's not in the curriculum, just to be clear," which one could take as an admittance that it is taught in school. Sears corrected her further by saying "it is part of the curriculum," as it's "weaved in and out of the curriculum."

And, people took. notice that the lieutenant governor-elect declined to disclose her vaccine status. "The minute that I start telling you about my vaccine status, we're going to be down the bottom of the mountain trying to figure out how we got there, because now you want to know what's in my DNA. You're going to want to know this, that and the other," she said as part of her answer.

Meet Winsome Sears: The First Black Woman To Be Virginia's Lieutenant Governor Elect

Winsome Sears is the first black woman to be elected to serve as Virginia's Lieutenant Governor. She'll serve along Glenn Youngkin and Jason Miyares. In her acceptance speech, Sears blasted wokeness, and gave a passionate defense of the American dream.

thenewstalkers

BASH: And she made history on election night, the first woman and woman of color elected to lieutenant governor in Virginia. Republican Winsome Sears is next.

Plus: Democrats are bracing for a difficult election cycle, so why does new gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke think Texas could swing his way?

I will ask him ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:16:21]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WINSOME SEARS (R), VIRGINIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR-ELECT: We can live where we want. We can eat where we want. We own the water fountains. We have had a black president elected not once, but twice.

And here I am, living proof.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Welcome back to the STATE OF THE UNION.

That was lieutenant governor-elect Republican Winsome Sears celebrating her history-making victory in Virginia earlier this month. She's breaking barriers as the first woman ever, not to mention the first woman of color, to serve in that role.

And that's just the latest for the conservative Republican and former Marine, who has a lifetime of firsts.

Lieutenant governor-elect Winsome Sears joins me now.

Thank you so much for joining me. Congratulations on your victory.

So, as I have said, you are now the first woman, first woman of color to be elected statewide in Virginia. You said that you didn't run to make history, but you did. So what does it mean to you?

(LAUGHTER)

SEARS: Well, it means that, when children look at me, they can say, well, Winsome is there. If she can do it, I can do it, because, as I have said to them in their little enclaves when they get together or in their celebrations when they're graduating, I have said, I didn't do anything special. All I did was stay in school and study. And you can do it too, because I am an example of what you can be, if you put your mind to it.

BASH: I want to talk about some issues that you will be dealing with in Virginia.

President Biden signed his bipartisan infrastructure bill. He signed it into law this week. Virginia alone will receive more than $10 billion towards improving your roads, your bridges, airports, water systems. So is that good for Virginians?

SEARS: Well, it depends on what else comes with it.

We have to look at the whole bill. And, my God, did you see the bill was this big? Who has read that whole massive thing? Do we know what's really in it? And do we have to pass it before we can know what's in it? I think that's true.

I look at some of the other parts of the bill. For example, when you talk about broadband, now, broadband is very important to me, because our Southwestern Virginia has been suffering from not having that.

In fact, 20 years ago, when I was first elected for the House of Delegates, we were crying for broadband for the Southwest. Twenty years, I'm back later still crying. And I have got the feeling it's because nobody really cares.

But, as lieutenant governor, I sit on something called the Center For Rural Advancement. So it's very important to me that we get broadband there.

So, coming back to that bill, we know now that there's money in there for rural advancement. But here's the kicker, only if you have an immigrant population that is absolutely growing and at a certain point. So, once again, our folks in the Southwest are going to be left out because we don't have that there.

And so that's what I'm saying. We're using the budget, the money to try to make things happen that are not happening. And it's not right. It's not right. So we want to know what are in these bills before they're passed, not afterwards.

We want to know, what are our representatives signing on to? And that's going to be one of my bills when I'm sworn in.

BASH: So, this one is now law, of course. Thirteen House Republicans voted yes.

SEARS: It is.

BASH: Were they right?

SEARS: That's going to be left up ultimately to the voters to decide that. And they will figure it out sooner or later.

[09:20:00]

BASH: Let's talk about some of your priorities as lieutenant governor.

You said in your victory speech that you want to fully fund historically black colleges and universities in Virginia. Do you feel confident that Republicans, who will control the executive branch and the House of Delegates in Virginia, will get that done, and, if so, how quickly?

SEARS: Absolutely.

We have the Democrats who control currently our House, our Senate, lieutenant governor, governor and attorney general. That's the whole shebang that they control. And when that money came down from the feds, that there was money there to fully fund historically black colleges and universities. And they did not.

In fact, a Republican brought that bill. I think it was delegate Glenn Davis. And they said no. They didn't have time. They didn't have the money for it, when the money was fully there. But then we hear that Democrats love historically black colleges and universities more than anybody else.

Well, I don't know what kind of love that is, because it doesn't show up. So we're going to do that. In fact, governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has promised that he is going to make that happen. He will have a Republican House to do that. I'm sure the Senate will see the tea leaves and read them, and they will go along with it. If not, I will be the vote, hopefully, that will break the tie that will pass it.

And Governor Glenn Youngkin will sign it.

BASH: Let's talk about education more broadly. You oppose Critical Race Theory being taught in schools, which I should say is not part of Virginia's curriculum.

You did say, though, that the good and the bad of American history should be taught, and that -- we should also tell viewers you're the former vice president of the Virginia Board of Education.

So, explain how you think race should be taught in Virginia public schools?

SEARS: Well, let me back up. I beg to differ that CRT is not taught.

BASH: I didn't say that. I just said it's not in the curriculum, just to be clear.

(CROSSTALK)

SEARS: It -- no, no, no, no, it is part of the curriculum. It's weaved in and out of the curriculum.

In fact, in 2015, former Governor, who was just defeated, McAuliffe, his state Board of Education had information how to teach it, so it's weaved in. So, it's semantics. But it's weaved in.

What we want to say and what governor-elect Youngkin has said is that all of history must be taught, the good, the bad, and the ugly, because what we learn from history, Dana, is that we don't learn from history and we continue to repeat the same mistakes. But while we're talking about history, how about we talk about how

people from the 1890s, black people from the 1890s to about 1950-1960, according to the U.S. census, had been marrying in a percentage that had far surpassed anything that whites had ever done?

When we talk about the Tulsa race riots, let's ask ourselves, how did the black people amass so much wealth right after the Civil War, so that it could even be destroyed? How did they do that? They were coming from nothing, from zero. Some of them never even got the 40 acres and a mule.

Let's try to emulate that. The one thing that the slaves wanted -- well, three top things, their freedom, certainly. Then the next thing was they wanted to find their families. And the third thing was, they wanted an education. And, my God, when did education become a bad word among black people?

No, we are going to have a good education system. It's going to -- it's going to represent all people. And I'm going to help see that through, because education lifted my father out of poverty when he came to America with only $1.75. Education lifted me, because I have to find my own way in this world. And education will lift all of us.

BASH: I want to talk about -- keeping on schools, but about vaccines in schools.

Virginia public schools are required -- children are required there to get vaccinated for a lot, a lot of things, including polio and measles and chicken pox. So, why is it OK to mandate childhood vaccines in Virginia for so many diseases, but not COVID?

SEARS: Well, let's ask ourselves. And I'm not saying yea or nay. Let's ask ourselves, if the purpose of the COVID vaccine is to prevent us from getting COVID, then why is it that those who have had COVID must get the vaccine?

The one doesn't follow the other. And so there are people who, when they get COVID, they also get the monoclonal antibody therapy. And it's working. It's working very well in Florida, if you notice what's happening there. And so why -- one size doesn't fit all.

Now, I have said, get the vaccine, and that, if you're not going to get the vaccine, then do what's necessary to keep yourself safe, keep other people safe.

But let me ask you this question. If you have the mask on, then why does somebody else have to wear the mask? You have got the mask. You have got the vaccine. My God, you're fully protected. You're armored.

[09:25:07]

I think, ultimately, we have to remember that we're America. We love our freedom. We love our liberty. People are dying to get into this country so that they can do well for themselves and their families. Let's not make it like some other countries. Let's let liberty shine. BASH: So, we -- just a couple of things that you said there. You said

that people who have had COVID have the antibodies. That is true, but scientists don't think that lasts forever, and, eventually they WARNER:, just like the antibodies you get from your vaccine wanes, which is why people are getting boosters.

But my question from the beginning was about the fact that you talk about liberty, but there are already mandates for vaccines for a host of other diseases. So, is COVID just becoming too political, especially as, you even said, you want people to get vaccinated?

SEARS: I'm not going to force anybody to do that.

Now, you talk about it's become politicized, this COVID-19 vaccine, and it has. In fact, our president, President Biden, and Vice President Harris themselves both said they would not trust any vaccine that was developed by the Trump administration. That was before their election.

After their election, they were singing a different song. And now everybody has to be vaccinated. In fact, President Biden, when he was candidate Biden, said that he would not force vaccines on us. And here we are.

I mean, what are we really believing? Then we say we're going to go along with whatever the health and the sciences say. Well, then his very own FDA 16-2 voted against booster shots. Then what happens? He comes out. His CDC director says they're going to have booster shots. What science are we following?

Then we hear that, at the border, people are coming in, COVID, no mask, no anything, and they're being let into the general population. But then the rest of us who are here have to mask up. What is the science? Can somebody tell us what to finally believe?

BASH: Yes.

SEARS: This is the problem. It is all politicized.

BASH: Yes. Well, in fairness, the science, it's a novel virus, and the science is changing. And scientists are learning better.

And I just have to say that you said that candidate Biden said that he wouldn't trust the Trump vaccine. What they said was that they would only trust it if the scientists determined it, not the politicians.

But just before I let you go on this topic, during the campaign, you were -- as I said, you're encouraging people to get vaccinated, but you're not saying whether you are vaccinated. Do you want to say now?

SEARS: As I said, America, if it's nothing else, it's about liberty. It's about being able to live your life free from the government telling you what to do.

And so we understand this thing about slippery slopes. The minute that I start telling you about my vaccine status, we're going to be down the bottom of the mountain trying to figure out how we got there, because now you want to know what's in my DNA. You're going to want to know this, that and the other.

In New York, you see, we have people, waiters, waiters, asking people their vaccination status. And, by the way, do you know what else they require? A photo I.D. to determine if this vaccine card you're presenting is really you.

Who are we fooling? Come on. Let's say you get the vaccine. Go ahead and get the vaccine. If that's what you want to do, get the vaccine. Don't force it on anybody else. We know -- and, by the way, media, they're not telling us that people are suffering as a result of getting the vaccine, that they have all kinds of problems.

I understand it might be the minuscule. But when you're the one out of 30,000 that gets it, it's important to you. So we need to tell the good, the bad and the ugly about the vaccine.

BASH: Before I let you go. I want to ask about what happened in Wisconsin this past week.

A jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges. And it accepted his argument that he acted in self-defense when he killed two people in Kenosha last year and he wounded another. A number of Republican elected officials and other voices on the right are celebrating Rittenhouse as a hero.

Do you think his actions should be lionized?

SEARS: You know what I think? I think we ought to let the American justice system speak for itself.

And I'm going to quote our current president, President Biden, and he said, it's time to move on. And so let's heal. There's one verse I have used throughout my campaign written by a Jewish politician, King David, Psalm 133. How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in peace and harmony?

Can we allow this scab to finally heal? Can we stop picking up the wounds? Can -- we need a president who comes out and says, let's just get together. Let's figure it out. Let's not label people, that we see that the world is turned upside down. The right is wrong. The wrong is right.

[09:30:12]

When do we have that where we say, let's just all get along, like Rodney King said? And, by the way, can we have a media that tries to find the good among us, instead of dividing us? Because the media are complicit in this.

BASH: Winsome Sears, thank you so much for joining me this morning. Congratulations again on your win. And I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving.

SEARS: Happy Thanksgiving to you and your viewers. And please don't forget the missionaries who are kidnapped in Haiti.

We haven't been talking about them.

BASH: OK. Well, we will have you on again, I'm sure, and we can talk about a lot more. Thank you again…. read more: transcripts.cnn

There likely will be no healing when it is conservatives including conservative African Americans calling for it.  

So true.  I saw part of this interview and Bash couldn't get the stick out of her ass.  Sears is a remarkable woman regardless of one's political views.

To people like Bash she is a clear and present danger to their established order of things and must be fought at all costs.  The GOP now has two southern African American Lt. Governors and two southern state AG’s of color.  Still waiting for Joy Reid to take up Sears challenge to have her appear on her show.  

Talk about stilts in asses. . . . The imagery in this thread is . . . speaking volumes.

I actually saw that interview on a repeat showing of the show. There is nothing wrong with Ms. "LG-elect" having her points of view, but Dana Bash is a Washington reporter who has her bonafides and subject matter experiences too!

You can have people of color in leadership in the Republican Party, however, "we the people" reserve the right to judge them by their character and conduct in office and the statements they make and we will determine if we agree, disagree, or it does not matter.

It is interesting to see Ms. "LG-elect" tap dance around not offending her republican constituents while trying to respond to questions about matters of truth and blackness. Her lapse into CRT and how her dad worked hard and her education "matters" is all good and fine. .  even great. However, that is not the be all that ends all. We still have juries in this country that are right this very moment - deciding the fate of blacks and people of color with disproportionate lack of diversity.

But she wants to focus on the single success story that is her life! That 's is good. Unfortunately, she is not representative of the whole - especially in the Republican Party. Just ask Michael Steele, former Chair of the Republican Party, and those conservatives who have left the party since 2016!

She is much better than he ever will be.