Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast cover art

Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast

Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast

Written by: Kevin Harris & Richard McDaniel
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About this listen

Hosted by veteran campaign operatives and HBCU alums Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel, The Southern Comfort Podcast delivers unfiltered political analysis with a Southern perspective, drawing from over 40 years of combined experience shaping campaigns from City Hall to the White House. Each week, they break down complex policies, share insider stories, and explore the intersection of politics and culture, offering listeners a front-row seat to the strategies and wisdom that drive American politics.

© 2026 Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast
Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Episode 46 | The Ballot is the New Border
    Feb 17 2026

    Kevin and Rich are back with barbershop energy and Black History Month pride, but this episode quickly moves from nostalgia to power. From the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen to voter suppression schemes and youth intervention programs in the South, the hosts break down how representation shapes policy and why Democrats must stop reacting and start leading. It is a conversation about memory, momentum, and who actually controls the board in American politics.

    📍 00:00 – Tuskegee Airmen and the Power of Black History
    A hoodie sparks a powerful reflection on growing up learning real Black history in the South, the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, and a personal inauguration moment that underscores why representation matters.

    📍 20:07 – Minneapolis, ICE, and Manufactured Chaos
    Rich and Kevin recap the ICE surge in Minneapolis, the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretty, and why the withdrawal feels less like strategy and more like political damage control.

    📍 27:53 – The SAVE America Act and the Real Voter Suppression Play
    The hosts dissect the SAVE America Act, breaking down how proof of citizenship requirements would disproportionately impact millions of eligible voters and why the fight is about narrative as much as policy.

    📍 41:20 – Alabama’s Power Grab: Who Controls Your Power Bill
    A deep dive into Alabama Republicans’ push to change Public Service Commission seats from elected to appointed, and what that means for accountability, affordability, and democratic participation.

    📍 48:44 – Randall Woodfin’s Black Male Initiative and Governing with Conviction
    Mayor Randall Woodfin’s new Black Male Initiative becomes the blueprint for proactive leadership. From barbershop partnerships to youth intervention, the conversation highlights what happens when representation meets action.

    🐍 Mamba Mentality Awards

    🐍 Mayor Randall Woodfin – For turning conviction into concrete policy with Birmingham’s Black Male Initiative and showing how executive leadership can directly impact outcomes for young Black men.

    🐍 The Wives of Maroon Bison – For holding it down behind the scenes, especially during Valentine’s weekend, and being the steady force that makes all this possible.

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Episode 45 | Epstein, Data Centers, and Other Inconvenient Truths
    Feb 10 2026

    A wide ranging conversation finds Big Rich and Kevin unpacking political theater, economic anxiety, and narrative warfare in Washington. From Florida weirdness and Super Bowl culture to AI driven job loss, data centers, ICE reform, and the Epstein files, the episode centers on one core question: who is actually controlling the story, and who is paying the price when politics becomes performance instead of progress.

    📍 00:00 – Florida Weirdness and Warming Up the Room
    Rich and Kevin open with classic Southern Comfort banter, Florida cold snaps, frozen iguanas, and settling back into the rhythm of the show as they welcome new listeners.

    📍 08:56 – AI, Amazon Layoffs, and Who Gets Left Behind
    The conversation shifts to artificial intelligence, mass layoffs, and how technological change is disproportionately impacting workers of color while policymakers lag behind reality.

    📍 11:45 – Data Centers, Rural America, and the New Prison Economy
    Kevin draws a sharp parallel between data centers and prisons as economic lifelines for rural communities, raising concerns about long term environmental costs, labor exploitation, and political incentives.

    📍 19:46 – Political Theater, Epstein Files, and Narrative Control
    Rich and Kevin dissect the fight between the Clintons and House Republicans, arguing the battle is less about truth and more about optics, distraction, and media spectacle.

    📍 35:07 – ICE Reform, Shutdown Politics, and a Democratic Trap
    A deep dive into ICE oversight, government shutdown risks, and Democratic infighting, questioning whether reform efforts are strategic or walking straight into a Republican messaging trap.

    🐍 Mamba Mentality Awards

    Barack Obama, for reminding the country what competent leadership looked like during Black History Month.

    Hillary Clinton, for standing ten toes down, demanding transparency, and refusing to be bullied by political theater.

    Ruby McDaniel, Big Rich’s mother, for resilience, toughness, and fighting through a difficult health battle with strength and grace.

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    55 mins
  • Episode 44 | On Thin ICE
    Feb 3 2026

    A new season kicks off with Big Rich and Kevin diving headfirst into 2026’s chaos—from ICE raids and voter data seizures to internal Democratic battles and bold gubernatorial moves. With political theater turning to dramedy, they explore the dangerous erosion of democracy, the resurgence of protest, and the rising stakes in this year’s elections. Minnesota, Georgia, California, and Virginia all take center stage as battlegrounds for power, accountability, and economic justice.

    📍 00:00 – Welcome to Season 2
    Rich and Kevin return from break to set the stage for a year packed with political tension, Black History Month reflections, and civil unrest across the country.

    📍 06:02 – Minnesota Meltdown: ICE, Injustice, and Intimidation
    The hosts unpack the ICE executions in Minneapolis, the attack on Somali communities, and how federal overreach is becoming a partisan weapon.

    📍 13:10 – Fulton County Under Siege
    Trump loyalists weaponize the FBI to seize 2020 ballots in Georgia, triggering fears of voter suppression, election manipulation, and a deeper power grab.

    📍 23:33 – Faith, Frustration, and the Fight Ahead
    A passionate discussion on Black institutions—from churches to fraternities—and why collective action, political participation, and voter turnout must become non-negotiables.

    📍 29:38 – The ICE Divide: Dems Can’t Afford a Messaging Mistake
    Rich and Kevin break down the Democratic Party’s split over ICE: abolish it, reform it, or dodge it altogether—and why accountability, not gimmicks, should drive the conversation.

    🐍 Mamba Mentality Award
    🐍 Rep. Ilhan Omar – For staying ten toes down and confronting cowardice head-on, even mid-event.
    🐍 Mayor Jacob Frey – For his raw, unapologetic defiance as Minneapolis faces an ICE crisis.
    🐍 The People of Minnesota – Especially the families of Keith Porter Jr., Renée Good, and Alex Pretti—for reminding the world that protest is not just a right, but a duty.
    🐍 Local Georgia Leaders – Rep. Stacey Evans, Rep. Tanya Miller, Sarah Draper, Rob Pitts, Marvin Arrington, Mo Ivory, and Sen. Josh McLaurin—for being on the front lines in Fulton County’s darkest hour.

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    46 mins
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