in our first exclusive interview since being named the first woman, the first african american to head and we talked about the heritage department miss james joins us in a few interview to talk about her new role. join us for this edition of the armstrong williams show. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

caoco james has served as the governor of virginia. she's worked as he have federal of state and now she is from the august federal administration. >> thank you so much for joining us miss james. >> how long have you served on the board of the heritage foundation. close to ten years and it has been an absolute delight to be on that board. it's been an esteemed group from some of the top conservatives. >> talk about the role that heritage plays around the

for freedom and liberty and democra democracy, you will probably find heritage and data to freedom fighters all over the world. in this country, the heritage country is the premier conservative think tank and we like to think of ourselves as those individuals who go beyond the policy. it's policy that you have built on and it can't be overstated. presidents, governors, all rely on the products that we produce here. >> the heritage foundation is not the thing that people think of. an

process work. we obviously in our research what we've done in six months, it was just unanimous. >> you know, i'm still shocked. it's like a cinderella story for me. i've loved the heritage foundation and appreciate the work that has done and always enjoyed working with the people that are there. the board wanted to be deliberative in its next phase. >> i look to seeing that te

apply to heritage, a work of art and a master of its art at the same time. it can't get any better than the policy that it produces and the think tank. but the process is to take that data and take that research and perhaps take it to demographics. i want to make sure that the good news that we have was to give them to minorities and give them to the youth culture in in our country. >> it's to help with a bernie sanders voters. i'm not just a conservative because i'm a nerdy policy that loves policy and a think tank. i believe that the values that you and i

will change their lives and uplift them and make their lives better. >> for that reason i think it's important that we sort of become sort of evangelical with a small e but we have to take message out and convince others that you're right. >> let's just go back because i want people to understand that you're the director of adults and the director of management and they're key rules in government. talk about those roles and how it's prepared you for the leadership in in the heritage foundation. >> well, that's a good question because i started a nonprofit. i served on the board on some o

nonprofits and the salvation army. >> i've had the business of serving on the leadership level. i have been into public policy and i've been the professor of government. i've written a book on domestic policy. so when i look back on my life it occurred to me at one point during this process, oh my word. i have been in preparation for this role my entire life. so the moment you learned that you were being considered did you ever think -- well, to be honest, did you always think it was possible? >> i wish i had that level of optimism that you do. i'm a very optimistic person by nature. we're looking at a lot of people and we have came rig

i did sort of make me look back. so you didn't even throw yourself in that role. >> no, no. i did not. >> you were part of the process of providing new leadership. >> i was chairman of the search committee. some people say it was like dick chaney. but the when they turned their attention to me i thought i should step down. when i relinquished my role -- >> -- so did you think you had a serious shot because it's always been all men and all women. obviously, it's a testimony to a lot of character and

and principles and bringing value which is what conservatism should be about. i want to give trustees to the board of heritage. and they were not interested in making symbolic person. can you imagine, they built that organization founded with the help of a lot of people who was by his side. they were not looking to turn over that precious jewel of the heritage foundation to just anyone. hold that thought.

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ahead of you. you said they're not interested in diversity or making a statement. they're looking for the best and brightest. they're looking for the best candidate to lead the heritage foundation to the future. >> but as a young girl grown up in richmond in the segregated side. >> they're looking every which way you can cut it. you have to be african american. and don't you ever forget it. >> how important is that for you and the country and the heritage foundation. >> it's important to me. am. >> i love my community. and one of the reasons why i'm a conservative and like i said earlier, it's not just because i'm a policy log, i genuinely believe to my

principles and the values that we have had in the conservative community. i despise anyone to say that they love the african american community more than i do or they don't like the commitment to our people. i know the strength that can come from empowerment. i know what can happen when we knock down things called schools. what a people can do with a quality education. the conservatives done want to push grandma off the click. but why destroy the premier healthcare service and we're doing them. but i am a

core because i genuinely care about and love people and i want to see them succeed and those are the value that is would help them. so why do you think america's conservatism is best for inner-city america. that's a part of my program. i come from welfare moms and alcoholic dads and i know the things that have helped me to succeed. armstrong, my definition of a black conservative is sand who has the audacity to believe what their grandma taught them: it's not weird and it's not complicated. the values that we share and the values that helped us to succeed are the values tha

so i'm not a conservative despite of the fact that my mom struggled from an absent dad. i'm a conservative because of those things. she was the first one to say that we might need to pull together and we enjoyed the benefits that the government could give us in a leg up. she was the one that taught me that royal freedom comes between the mind and i didn't need united negro college fund to tell me that a mind was a terrible thing to waste. my mom told me that as soon as i could understand. so the values that millions of americans do are the

get us to where we are today. that i want to reach back and encourage people to have better lives. i'm a conservative to empower all of those people. >> how do people convince many people in this country that conservatism in this country is not racism and bigotry? because one of the things where republicans don't have support is 97% of blacks voted for doug jones and that's the reason why they won. but how do you overcome conservatism and racism,

want you to pull yourselves by your boot straps but they don't have any boots. >> well, while i am a conservative in the classic sense of the world. what i mean by that is i am willing to join hands with anybody who wants to solve the problems that we're facing in our country today. if you genuinely want to improve the quality of education. and when i talk to young people, let's put all of the talking points aside and one of the things that i like is it is not political. if i can find democrats who want to provide quality fee access to education and take on anyone in order to do this, i'm excited about work well them to do that. >> if you want to fix the broken healthcare system

today and are willing to set politics aside and let's go for policy, let's go with the data and research where it takes us. if you truly are a solutionist we can to that. it's not a political organization: i want to reach across all aisles. i will stay true to conservative qualities and values. those are the ones that will succeed and i'll work with anyone to get there. in case you're just joining us, caoco james is the first african woman to head the heritage foundation, the premier think tank in america. i'm armstrong

and welcome back. i'm armstrong williams and

with the new heritage foundation's president, miss james. obviously, there's challenges ahead of you. but i did find that in sexual harassment where people are set up and being disrespected and feeling empowered. they find a way to fight back. and they just are not going to take it anymore. among all of the one constitutions that is leading the way is the heritage foundation. your election of the president of the heritage foundation is very significant for women and their progress. yes, i've never had that sort of -- my mother did not allow us to feel victims and victims as african americans. we're not victims, we're survivors. and i've never felt myself a victim as a woman. and part of it is

brothers. so i had to be scrappy from day one. many of the women who are in today's culture and society that are making these strides and executives who are serving in leadership capacities. as i share our stories they feel a responsibility and obligation to help the younger women that are coming along. i can honestly say i have never had a victim mentality: i can remember early on when i got my first promotion with the first corporation that i ever worked for and a white female muttered under my breath, to this day today, i guess you have to be a negro

company today. and i didn't even skip a beat. i said you just have to be good. >> and i have found that to be true. and i have found that to be true today. sometimes it's an extra plus and it's icing on the cake. but when you have a government constitution or an organization like the heritage foundation. those constitutions and organizations are so good, they're not going to turn it over to someone just because they're african american or just because they're a woman, they really want leadership and organizations that will take them to the next level. so those who are trying to break barriers, the first task that you have is to be excellent at

opportunities will come. explain how the tax bill sort of benefits just america by itself but middle class in america. you know it's interesting as this has unfollowdtion unfolded is the tax bill is going to benefit the wealthiest and that's not the case. >> everyone is going to see the benefits and i think as they're working through the conference and i have been out of the loop for a few days but they're working through the conference process, you're going to see benefits in there that help average working families. they're going to help the tax cut and they're going to see the benefit in their paycheck. and you're going to see it filter into the broader economy. it's amazing

has always called rich. and those individuals that they're trying to classify as rich is small business owners and small family farms and they need those tax breaks to maintain what they have in terms of business and some of the people that they employ employ*- employ. and in our first exclusive interview with the president of the

and welcome back with the new president of the heritage foundation. the honorable kay james. this is such a monumental selection. it really is because i understand history and i read a lot. what you have been blessed to become is nothing short of remarkable. >> you know i'm not unaware of that. i was yesterday standing at the base at the statue of liberty. with my husband we took my grandchildren there for a preholiday history lesson. ment i thought about the people that came to america

hope that it is. and i thought about how i have been blessed by god to lead this movement and it's just overwhelming. >> what would be your first order of business? when do you start? >> january one. >> and all eyes are on you. i do have some ambitious plans. i plan to solidify everything that is good and right about the heritage foundation with our message. i want to thank you for joining us for this edition of the armstrong williams show. what we try to do is celebrate character, celebrate integrity and celebrate the future. and come january 15th, our guests will take over the helm of the heritage foundation. thank you so much

this christmas morning on "world news now." dangerous travel for millions on the road today, with icy conditions in the northwest, heavy snow in the northeast and extreme cold across northern states. overnight, the president celebrating christmas with the first family and firing off tweets from florida, saying he's proud to lead the charge against the assault on the phrase "merry christmas." and also new this half hour, the frightening scene on the slopes. >> 200 skiers trapped in the air when the ski lift breaks down. how they eventually made it down. ♪ all i want for christmas is