PBD Podcast Episode 711 Summary
Stephen A. Smith: Mamdani's Inauguration, Minnesota Fraud + Iran Protests RAGE
January 3, 2026

Episode Overview

The first PBD Podcast of 2026 opens with a spirited, wide-ranging conversation led by Patrick Bet-David (PBD) and a panel featuring Adam Sosnick, Rob Garguilo, Tom Ellsworth, Vinnie Oshana, Danny Kanell, and special guest Stephen A. Smith. The episode dives into the most pressing political and cultural stories, including Mamdani's historic New York inauguration, the Minnesota Somali daycare fraud scandal, explosive protests in Iran, California's billionaire tax debate, and more—blending humorous banter, sharp analysis, and fiery personal testimony.

The main theme threads together the questions: Who truly represents American interests? How do corruption, leadership, and media spin undermine public trust? And what is the future path for politics, both domestically and globally?

Key Discussion Points

1. Presidential Rumors: Stephen A. Smith 2028? [09:06–13:58]

• Rumors & Kalshee Betting Markets: Stephen A. is being mentioned as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, bolstered by speculation on betting markets.

  “If somebody came to me and said that you've got a legitimate shot to win or whatever, I would definitely consider it... I think our country's in trouble. I think there's too many people that are thinking about themselves and they're not thinking about the American citizens." – Stephen A. Smith [09:20]

• Motivations & Centrist Platform: Smith emphasizes he would only run to bring real accountability, prioritize affordability and safety, and challenge divisive culture war politics.

  “I dare them to be on a stage with me and explain how you could justify prioritizing those things ahead of affordability, ahead of safety in the streets, ahead of safety with our borders." – Stephen A. Smith [10:18]

• His Take on Other Democratic Hopefuls: Smith claims he’d be a formidable opponent to much of the Democratic field, except perhaps Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro.

2. The California Exodus & Billionaire Tax [15:29–27:13]

• Chamath’s Viral Tweet: Chamath Palihapitiya’s tweet claims $500B of net worth fled California over a proposed billionaire asset seizure tax.

  “People I know with a collective net worth of $500 billion scrambled and left California for good yesterday... Without these people, the California budget deficit will only get bigger.” – PBD, quoting Chamath [17:00]

• Unions Driving the Tax Push: Tom Ellsworth reveals that the tax is a ballot initiative via mega-unions, possibly masking true political motives. Language allows future expansion to millionaires.

  “It allows them to go to millionaires, it allows them to go to other places. This could be a precedent-setting thing…” – Tom Ellsworth [18:34]

• Firsthand Tax Experience: Stephen A. Smith details the pain of NY and CA tax rates and recounts how an estate planner advised him to physically leave California on weekends to avoid daily tax assessment based on phone location.

  “They said, well, if you stay in California... IRS, they ping your phone... And sure enough, when I saw my tax returns, it was absolutely correct." – Stephen A. Smith [23:53]

• Demographic & Ideological Implications: Discussion touches on the migration of capital and whether blue-state political mentalities follow migrants into red states.

3. Mamdani Inauguration: Rugged Individualism vs. Collectivism [43:59–55:14]

• Historic Inauguration: Zohran Mamdani, sworn in as New York City mayor on the Quran, pledges a new era replacing "rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism" [45:39–45:49], sparking strong reactions from the panel.

• Religious Symbolism & American Identity: Vinnie vents that swearing on the Quran is "a spit in the face," insisting America is a Christian nation, while Stephen A. fiercely defends religious liberty and pluralism as core American values [55:14–55:31].

  “It's perfectly within his right, even in a Christian country, to use the Holy Quran to swear in. He's a Muslim... They voted for him anyway. And for him to be sworn in based off of his religious beliefs, it comes back to the tenets our country lives on. That’s what makes us who we are.” – Stephen A. Smith [55:14]

• Younger Generations & Free Stuff: Lively debate about youth support for collectivist policies. Stephen A. points out: "Kids are kids. They don’t know any better... with age comes wisdom." [53:50]

4. The Minnesota Somali Daycare Fraud Scandal [79:36–94:09]

• Massive Fraud Uncovered: Panel reacts with outrage to $250 million+ of government funds allegedly stolen via fraudulent daycares run by Somali immigrants in Minnesota; $35 million flowed to political contributions.

• Reactions & Accountability: Most express skepticism that anyone will be prosecuted, reflecting deep distrust in government and justice system.

  “If nothing happens, the American people are no longer going to trust the justice system that we have." – Tom Ellsworth [83:25]

• Wider Implications: Vinnie and Adam argue both parties are corrupt, but recent Democratic-led fraud and open-border policies have caused widespread, bipartisan anger and calls for action or even civil disobedience.

5. Iran Protests on the Brink of Revolution [125:35–140:50]

• Iran in Crisis: Massive new protests erupt nationwide; central bank orders banks to enter "full emergency mode." Economic collapse, lost government control, and the absence of Ayatollah Khamenei foreshadow potential regime change.

• US Response: Trump posts a warning pledging US support for Iranian protesters, marking unprecedented backing.

• PBD’s Challenge to Exiled Royalty: Patrick publicly challenges Reza Pahlavi (Shah of Iran’s son) to act decisively, meet with US leadership, and step up as a unifying figure—otherwise, change will happen organically.

  “This is the closest we've ever come to this. Pick up the phone and call him. Go meet with him. If you truly are committed to doing this, you're one of the handful of people I know…” – PBD to Reza Pahlavi [134:36–140:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They are really, really lucky that I'm just building my coffers now... Because if that were the case and I had that much money in my coffers, oh, yeah, I would run because I believe I would beat them.” – Stephen A. Smith [10:59]
• “If I told you in the 90s, New York in 2026, there's going to be a guy named Mamdani putting his hands on a Quran to become the mayor... would you have said, ‘Pat, it'll fully happen,’ or would you have said, ‘You're crazy, it'll never take place?’” – PBD [43:53]
• “Fake accounts officially are more than human beings. So you and I can be looking at something... it's a freaking bot. And we fall for it. Then we hate each other... This is not accidental.” – PBD on the rise of bots in online discourse [65:21]
• “Is it possible that when we have a debt that's now at over $38 trillion... border issues... isn't there an abundance of evidence that has shown that the frustration of the younger generation is completely justified because of the world that has been handed to them?” – Stephen A. Smith [57:50]
• “The standard is the standard... you have to pay a price for doing that... Professionals, much, much harder to excuse.” – Stephen A. Smith on DK Metcalf’s suspension [151:34–155:52]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 09:06 Presidential rumors/Stephen A. Smith as candidate discussion
• 15:29 California’s billionaire tax, Chamath’s tweet, union politics
• 23:53 Stephen A. Smith on NY and CA taxes
• 43:59 Mamdani’s inauguration, collectivism vs. individualism
• 55:14 Swearing in on the Quran—debate on American pluralism
• 79:36 Minnesota Somali daycare fraud & explosive panel reaction
• 125:35 Iran in crisis: analysis, diaspora politics, PBD’s challenge
• 142:30 DK Metcalf controversy (NFL player vs. fan), suspension debate
• 151:34 Stephen A.'s reflection on Tomlin, Steelers, coaching standards

Notable Panel Dynamics

• Sharp Humor & Tough Love: Panel teases and prods each other, particularly around policy hypocrisy, but maintain candor—PBD: “We get along. We sit down, we talk. But I'm hoping the 12% [reasonable Americans] gets bigger. And we recruit the 12%, we get it to 13, 14, 15. I'm trying to get the 12 to 25.” [68:33]
• Stephen A. the Centrist: "I'm a centrist. I'm a common sense guy."—Smith defends his pragmatic approach to politics and says both sides must be held accountable [106:56]
• Faith, Redemption, and Cultural Disintegration: Extended group debate (111:02–125:31) about a viral story of a woman who set a “sleeping-with-1100-men-in-one-day” record, then converted to Christianity. Used as a prism for broader commentary on the state of social and moral values.

Contextualizing the Stories

• The episode blends criticisms of both major parties, deeply skeptical of establishment politics, and places unique weight on the need for centrist, reform-minded leadership rooted in common sense, not tribe or ideology.
• Mamdani’s collectivist rhetoric, Minnesota immigrant fraud, and the Iran protests are used as flashpoints illustrating what the hosts frame as a crisis of American identity—a society at a crossroads over freedom, faith, accountability, and truth in the age of bots and “manufactured chaos."
• Throughout, Stephen A. Smith’s voice stands out for gravitas and measured conviction, alternately accepting criticism and engaging in philosophical asides about faith, resilience, and the nature of public service.

Bottom Line

For listeners and newcomers, this episode is a crash course in the raw, combative, but ultimately constructive analysis that defines the PBD Podcast. From quasi-presidential candidacy to international revolution plots, every issue is set against a backdrop of what the hosts repeatedly call for: transparency, accountability, faith (in both senses of the word), and unapologetic American candor.

For further exploration, here are the most pivotal clips (approximate):

• [09:06]–[13:58] Stephen A. on running in 2028 and the Democratic field
• [23:53]–[25:54] The pain of high state taxes—NY v. CA experiences
• [45:39]–[45:49] Mamdani: “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism…”
• [79:36]–[94:09] Minnesota fraud explainer, rage, panel testimony
• [125:35]–[140:50] Iran protests: historic context, possible regime change
• [151:34]–[155:52] DK Metcalf incident—professional responsibility in sports

This summary omits ads, intros/outros, and focuses solely on the substantial commentary and exchanges.