Gowdy, Scott wrote a book to bring us together — before the Russians pull us apart

COLUMBIA — South Carolina's two closest congressional colleagues are touring the state to promote a new book on how to reach out across the country's divide — not only to help improve the country, but to better protect it.

Speaking to CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Sen. Tim Scott said divisions in the country have become so bad, they allow bad actors — such as Russian agents seeking to manipulate elections — to play on Americans' mutual distrust.

"It's perhaps one of the greatest national security issues we have in this country," Scott said. "If we allow the polarization to continue in this country, those outside of this country that want to bring harm ... will feast on the division in this country and create more polarization."

At 7 p.m. Friday, Scott and his congressional pal Rep. Trey Gowdy will appear at Columbia's First Baptist Church to talk about their new book, "Unified: How Our Unlikely Friendship Gives Us Hope for a Divided Country," which goes on sale Tuesday.

The book tells the story of how a black man from North Charleston and a white man from Spartanburg forged a working friendship after both men were elected to Congress in 2010.

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In the aftermath of the 2015 mass shooting in a Charleston church, when a white supremacist killed nine black worshipers, the two men began speaking publicly about their own conversations about race and reconciliation.

"The truth is that after the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church shooting, I found myself turning to a white guy in the aftermath," Scott said. "It became clear to me that there is a chance to bridge real gaps in this country. ... Are there lessons within this friendship that can help our nation that seems to be so polarized?"

Those talks — and the relationship forged over nightly dinners in Washington — led to a book the authors say will "encourage unity across all the lines that so often divide ... socio-economic, racial, regional, and even political."

A former prosecutor, Gowdy told CBS his conversations with Scott and "other people of color in my life" have helped him realize his own self-declared "bias" when it comes to law enforcement.

"I've never been stopped by Capitol Police, and I don't wear a member pin. He's been stopped wearing a member pin," Gowdy said. "I have no idea what he sees when he sees blue lights."

In a more lighthearted part of the interview, when he was asked a question about President Donald Trump's re-election campaign, Gowdy pivoted to an endorsement of his friend.

"I would love Tim Scott to run for president, whether it's 2024 — whenever it fits his heart," he said.

Sen. Scott responded, "I'm not even running for my homeowner association's presidency.

"So, at this point, I thank God that I've had the privilege of serving the great people of South Carolina and this great nation."