ANDREW CUOMO AND ZOHRAN MAMDANI ON THE NYC MAYOR’S RACE, AND DELAWARE GOVERNOR MATT MEYER ON THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show — Episode Summary

Date: October 30, 2025
Episode: ANDREW CUOMO AND ZOHRAN MAMDANI ON THE NYC MAYOR’S RACE, AND DELAWARE GOVERNOR MATT MEYER ON THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Host: Stephen A. Smith (SiriusXM POTUS channel 124)

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Overview of the Episode

This episode of "Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith" dives into two of the nation’s most hot-button political issues: the upcoming New York City mayoral race — featuring interviews with candidates Andrew Cuomo and Zoran Mamdani — and the ongoing federal government shutdown, explored in conversation with Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. Stephen A. provides a platform for pointed debate, challenges conventional party lines, and underscores his personal concerns about the state of American politics, affordability, and governance.

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NYC Mayoral Race: Andrew Cuomo vs. Zoran Mamdani

Setting the Stage (00:45–06:21)

• Stephen A. frames the mayoral race as a referendum on the direction of the Democratic Party and the future ideology of New York City.
• Key Figures:
  • Andrew Cuomo: Former NY Governor, running as an Independent with moderate Democratic values.
  • Zoran Mamdani: Democratic Socialist nominee, leading in the polls.
  • Curtis Sliwa: Republican candidate, polling at around 9%, described as a spoiler.
  • Eric Adams: Outgoing NYC Mayor, endorsing Cuomo.
• Smith repeatedly invites Mamdani to appear for equal airtime, noting he’s been unresponsive until now.

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Interview with Andrew Cuomo

Segment: 06:21–46:25

Key Discussion Points

• Polls & Electability

  • Cuomo claims the race is closer than polls suggest, asserting New Yorkers are turning against Mamdani’s policies.
  • “I think it is much, much closer than the polls say. I feel it on the street.” (Andrew Cuomo, 07:03)

• Critique of Mamdani

  • Portrays Mamdani as unqualified, out of touch, and radical: “He is not a New Yorker. He is not qualified to be mayor. He doesn’t stand for what they stand for: decriminalize prostitution, defund the police.” (07:23)
  • Argues Mamdani’s campaign relies on social media “slogans” and style over substance.
  • Doubts feasibility of Mamdani’s policies: freezing rent, free buses, universal childcare — calling them “all garbage,” “not under control of the mayor,” or “not doable.” (11:28; 33:30)

• Public Safety & Police Funding

  • Cuomo pledges to “raise the police department by 5,000” officers, denounces calls to defund or dismantle the NYPD.

• Cuomo’s Reflection on His Primary Loss

  • Admits he underestimated Mamdani’s appeal on social media and didn’t attack him hard enough in the primary: “I didn’t take him seriously. My bad. He wins. All right. Now we’re in the general and now I’m taking it to him.” (11:28)

• Past Allegations and Electability

  • Cuomo addresses sexual harassment allegations: claims full exoneration; case dismissed by multiple prosecutors.
  • “No there, there. Which is exactly what I said four years before.” (Andrew Cuomo, 14:13)

• State of the Democratic Party

  • Frames internal strife as a “civil war” between the far left and moderates. Equates the Democratic Socialist wing to “the death of the Democratic Party.” (16:48)
  • Criticizes prominent Democrats (Hochul, Jeffries, Schumer) for backing Mamdani out of political expediency and fear of the far left.

• Republican Spoiler Effect

  • Calls out Curtis Sliwa for playing spoiler, preventing a clear two-person race. “You vote for Sliwa, you throw your vote away… I am a moderate Democrat, right?” (20:41)

• On Trump’s Role

  • Refutes Mamdani’s claim that Cuomo is a Trump “puppet”: “Trump and I had many battle royales… But if you’re going to take it to the city or you’re adverse to New York, then we’re going toe to toe.” (18:24)
  • Warns that a Mamdani victory would give Trump an excuse to “take over New York City” by deploying federal power. “He will… He has said that he will effectively take over New York City to protect the good people of New York.” (23:31)
  • “I would never give him that opening.” (40:37)

• Antisemitism and Community Relations

  • Cuomo touts his pro-Israel stance, accuses Mamdani of fanning “the flames of antisemitism,” refusing to distance from extremist statements and personalities. (26:49)

• Affordability and Business Climate

  • Believes Mamdani’s agenda would “raise taxes on corporations… you’d see more wealth leave,” potentially “kill New York City.” (33:30; 37:08)
  • Raises his own minimum wage accomplishments, warns against “unrealistic” promises like a $30 minimum wage. (39:17)

• Party Identity

  • Asserts, “Make no mistake, he [Mamdani] is a socialist. And make no mistake, I am the real deal Democrat.” (36:20)

• Stephen A. Smith’s Reflections

  • Smith expresses skepticism about socialism’s viability in the U.S., sympathizes with Cuomo’s critiques, and voices concern about the Democratic Party’s current direction. (47:09–50:45)

Notable Quotes:

• Stephen A. Smith: “I am very, very reluctant and hesitant to imagine that socialism in the United States of America is something that is going to work.” (01:40)
• Andrew Cuomo: “A mayor is a real job… There’s no on-the-job training when you’re a mayor and mayor should not be your first job.” (12:26)
• Andrew Cuomo: “I'm afraid for New York City. I believe Mamdani can kill New York City, can kill New York City.” (37:08)
• Andrew Cuomo (on his father’s advice): "It’s not about you. You have to win this for the city. You have to win this for the Democratic Party. Punch until the bell sounds." (45:22)

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Interview with Delaware Governor Matt Meyer: The Government Shutdown

Segment: 51:39–68:04

Key Discussion Points

• Delaware SNAP Emergency

  • Delaware declares a state of emergency as federal SNAP (food stamp) benefits are set to expire.
  • “$21.6 million a month in Delaware alone… we're going to make sure 120,000 Delawareans who rely on this program have food to eat.” (Governor Meyer, 52:34)

• Federal Government Dysfunction

  • Meyer emphasizes that for struggling residents, blame is secondary to real needs: “It doesn’t matter whose fault you think it is. If you’re looking to eat this weekend… what, who cares?” (53:40)

• Crisis and Political Standoff

  • Frames the shutdown as Republicans pushing to double healthcare premiums for working Americans; Democrats refusing to support such measures.
  • “Democrats are standing up and saying we’re not going to support any budget that does that, which I think is the right position.” (Governor Meyer, 54:54)

• Broad Message

  • Americans want solutions and bipartisanship, not self-serving political games. “A lot of people… they're not Democrats or Republicans. They just want this country to work. They just want food on the table.” (57:19)

• Legal and Structural Analysis

  • Lawsuits by multiple states are challenging the legality of withholding $5 billion in funds for SNAP distribution. (58:27)

• Reflections on National Politics

  • Meyer highlights frustration and cynicism towards Congress: “How are you getting paid when federal workers literally are not getting paid, but they have to show up to work?” (Stephen A. Smith, 89:56)

Notable Quotes:

• Governor Meyer: "There's an America greater than our party… We need policies that bring them [rural communities] into the fold, not just policies that appeal to our base." (66:40)
• Stephen A. Smith: “We're the richest country in the world having over 42 million people on food stamps and how they're not going to be able to feed themselves? Is that a look that this country wants associated with it?” (88:16)

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Zoran Mamdani Calls In: Responds to Cuomo and Outline of His Platform

Segment: 91:01–99:43

Key Discussion Points

• Platform Priorities

  • "I am running with a clear plan to tackle the issue that New Yorkers are most concerned about — cost of living. A plan that will freeze the rent for more than 2 million rent-stabilized tenants, make the slowest buses in the country fast and free, and deliver universal childcare." (91:31)
  • Explains mechanisms for rent freeze (via Rent Guidelines Board), free buses (using legislative and mayoral influence), and universal childcare (via partnership with Albany).

• On Qualifications

  • Rejects Cuomo’s claim of inexperience: “What we heard from Andrew Cuomo was not leadership, it was him spending 20 minutes talking about me because he has no vision left to actually offer New Yorkers.” (91:31)
  • Counters accusations of being a “socialist running as a Democrat”: “If he wanted to be the Democratic nominee for mayor, he should have won the Democratic primary. Instead… he is the candidate for Trump backing billionaires who are trying to dictate to both parties.” (93:11)

• Public Safety

  • Argues NYPD has "the right amount" of officers; resources should be better allocated, especially toward addressing mental health and homelessness.
  • Advocates for a new Department of Community Safety to “allow officers to focus on serious crimes” and deploy mental health workers for crisis response. (95:50)

• Community and Social Cohesion

  • Emphasizes his intent to govern for all, especially the Jewish community: “My job is not just to protect Jewish New Yorkers, it's not just to root out antisemitism… it's also to actually celebrate and cherish those New Yorkers.” (98:13)
  • Accuses Cuomo of a divisive closing message: “What they're finding is a closing message from Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Lewa is that of division.” (99:16)

• Media and Representation

  • Commits to a future in-person appearance, stressing the importance of a public debate on ideas.

Notable Quotes:

• Zoran Mamdani: "Safety is the prerequisite for an affordability agenda." (95:50)
• Zoran Mamdani: “If you want to actually build something, you have to stop just telling people it can't be done, and you have to fight to deliver it for working people.” (paraphrased from recurring themes through 93:01–95:17)

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Call-In and Listener Segment Highlights

Segments: 68:25–91:01; 85:46–99:43

• Public Frustration: Callers echo Stephen A.’s concerns about reliance on government programs, corporate exploitation (e.g., Walmart’s business model and SNAP), and the government shutdown’s immediate impact.
• Smith’s Commentary: He lambasts both parties for putting politics above people, particularly as politicians get paid while the public suffers (notably federal workers and SNAP recipients).

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Memorable Moments & Tone

• Cuomo and Mamdani Exchange Barbs: Both candidates take direct shots at each other in absentia, with sharp character assessments and philosophical disagreements.
• Smith’s Independence and Outrage: Throughout, Stephen A. oscillates between passionate critique, direct challenge to guests, and empathetic understanding of America’s working class.
  • "Somebody gotta say it… Y’all done pissed me off and fired me up. I’m not going anywhere for a long time to come. This is the kind of stuff that I’m here for." (50:33)
• Notable Humor and Humanity: Mamdani apologizes for coming on late, jokes about seeing Smith at The View, mixes earnestness with candor.
  • “Whenever you need a fact check like we just did, just give me a call.” (99:39)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• NYC Mayoral Race Overview: 00:45–06:21
• Andrew Cuomo Interview: 06:21–46:25
• Stephen A., reaction & commentary: 47:09–51:39
• Governor Matt Meyer on Shutdown/SNAP: 51:39–68:04
• Listener call-ins/discussion: 68:25–91:01; 85:46–99:43
• Zoran Mamdani Calls In: 91:01–99:43

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Conclusion: Episode Takeaways

• The NYC mayoral race crystalizes a broader Democratic Party identity crisis, with Cuomo and Mamdani representing clashing political futures.
• Governor Meyer’s pragmatic, nonpartisan approach to the SNAP crisis stands in sharp contrast to Washington’s gridlock.
• Stephen A. delivers energetic, no-holds-barred commentary, centers affordability and safety as the core political issues of 2025, and demands accountability — from both politicians and listeners.
• Both Cuomo and Mamdani present deeply different visions, with the city’s future, and perhaps the nation’s, hanging in the balance.

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Notable Quotes Index

• Andrew Cuomo (on party’s direction): "This socialist wing wins, the Democratic party dies, in my opinion." (16:48)
• Zoran Mamdani (on Cuomo’s campaign): "If he wanted to be the Democratic nominee for mayor, he should have won the Democratic primary." (93:11)
• Governor Meyer (on food assistance): "We are in a wealthy country. There’s no reason for anyone to starve." (56:19)
• Stephen A. Smith (on bipartisanship): “All I want is a fair exchange of competing ideas from the left and the right with the American citizens in a position to say, this is what works for us and this is what doesn’t.” (78:23)

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This episode provides an essential, multifaceted look at the stakes of 2025’s politics — for New Yorkers, but also for the national conversation on governance, affordability, and party identity.

Transcript

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Approval Straight Shoot with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

What's up everybody?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Welcome to the latest edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith coming at you as I love to do every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm over the airwaves of SiriusXM POTUS radio channel 124. It is an honor and a privilege to be with you this week, and especially this week, rather especially on a night like tonight. In just a few minutes I will have a candidate for the Mayor of New York City, the one and only Mr. Andrew Cuomo, a three term governor from the State of New York who obviously departed from office in 2021 and is now aiming to become the new Mayor of New York City. He is down in the polls, except it wasn't, it isn't rather by more than 20 plus percent as has been the case for the last few months, he has now closed to within 10% of Zoram Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for the Mayor's position of New York City. Mamdani is a socialist, a Democratic socialist of America. He is a member of that organization, loud and proud with it, no doubt about that. So this, this, this race is a test to see where the State of New York is, where parts of this country are veering too. One would easily surmise that Cuomo has gained in the poll since Mayor Eric Adams of New York decided to step out of the way of the race and now has thrown his support behind Andrew Cuomo. A lot of people believe that Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee for the Mayor's position, the mayoral position of New York City, he should step down since he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. And by stepping down, that's additional support that would presumably come Andrew Cuomo's way, making the race for the Mayor's position a dead heat. But that has not happened yet and I can't wait to talk to Andrew Cuomo about that. For me personally, I'm very, very interested in it. I'm a native New Yorker, I was born in the Bronx, raised in the streets of Hollis, Queens, New York City. And anything that pertains to New York City is something that's very, very relevant, pertinent and sincere in my heart. And I want to know what the hell is going on. And I'm unapologetic about the fact that I'm a proud capitalist. I ain't apologizing for that to a damn soul. I am very, very reluctant and hesitant to imagine that socialism in the United States of America is something that is going to work. But being the fair minded individual that I am, I, I want everybody out there to understand that. Zuran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City Mayor, has been invited on this show on numerous occasions. He has not answered the call. I ran into him in a Disney.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Building weeks ago, invited him then, still.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Haven'T heard from him.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

And I made sure that my producers gave him the number to call in directly following this interview with Andrew Cuomo. Just so we're being fair to all parties involved, this race is coming down.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

To Mom, Donnie versus Cuomo. Okay, we know where Curtis Leewa stands. We also know that he's not resonating that much in the polls because most Republicans usually don't in the city of New York.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Who knows what's going to happen with.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

This particular race, but we're about to find out.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Nevertheless, when I reached out to Andrew Cuomo and asked him to come on.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

He did not hesitate. He will be here next. I've already sat down and I taped this interview with him a few hours ago. And I can't wait for you all to hear, asking him the questions that I think that a lot of people wanted to know from him, to hear from him about himself, what he brings to the city of New York, what his opponent Mamdani offers, at least in his eyes. And again, I just want to reiterate, Zoran Mamdani has been reached out to. I'm not going to beg you to come. I'm going to ask and I'm going to ask repeatedly, you know, but if.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You don't want to come, that is your prerogative.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And to be quite honest with you, he might be of the belief. Why should I come? Because I'm winning in the polls and I've been winning in the polls and I already beat Andrew Cuomo and in the primaries when he ran as an Independent, while I was running as a.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Democrat, I've already beaten him. Okay, so what do I need to.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Go up against him now for. Even though actually that wasn't the case. They just ran up against each other and then obviously Andrew Cuomo decided to be. He's a Democrat running as an Independent because he believes that Mamdani is a Democrat, but he's really a socialist running as a Democrat. So go figure.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Either way you slice it, it's time to hear from somebody that wants to.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Be the mayor of New York City. And Andrew Cuomo accepted the invitation. He is up next with George Trulley. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Don't go away, Andrew McCormo. Got a lot for you to hear. Be right.

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[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Welcome back. Sirius XM Pulis radio channel 124. Straight shooter with yours truly. Let's get right to it. My guest served as the 56th governor of the great state of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. He is now running for New York City mayor in a hotly contested race. Please welcome back to the show, one and only Andrew Comer. How are you, sir? It's good to see you.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Good to be here. Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Let's get right to it. Recent polls have shown that you have climbed within 10 point. Mrs. Oran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, the Democratic socialist nominee for the mayoral seat of New York City. How are you feeling about where you are now?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Oh, I'm feeling Very good. First 10 points. You know, these polls have been wrong all through the election. Okay. Because they are trying to determine the turnout, Right? They're all based on the turnout. They were wrong in the primary and I think they're going to be wrong here in the general. I think it is much, much closer than the polls say. I feel it on the street. I think New Yorkers have now really gotten to look at this Mamdani. And early on, you know, he did social media. He looked slick, had a nice smile, great slogans. But now they've watched them, they've learned about him, a lot of information has come out and he is just Not a New Yorker. He is not qualified to be mayor. He doesn't stand for what they stand for. Decriminalize prostitution, defund the police. And New York is not a socialist city. STEPHEN A.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So when you say that New Yorkers are learning so much about him, essentially that's your way of saying, New York, again, this is not a socialist town. What he's offering is not going to work. Why wouldn't it work in New York City, sir?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Well, first, public safety. Some areas of crime are down, but New Yorkers do not feel safe. We still have work to do on crime. We have the lowest level of police force that we've had in modern political history because we responded to this far left movement. We, New York City responded to this far left movement. Defund the police. Defund the police. They defunded the police. Lowest level in modern history. I want to raise the police department by 5,000. He wants to defund, dismantle the police. He wants to abolish jails, decriminalize prostitution. That's not where New Yorkers are. They want more police, more affordable housing because the rent is too damn high. And you want jobs and companies coming here. You don't want to be chasing jobs and company and wealth from New York. And that's what he represents with that socialist philosophy.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What happened months ago when you lost in the primary to this man? What transpired in your estimation? What was missing then that you believe is no longer missing now?

[Andrew Cuomo]

They didn't really know him. I didn't call him out on his game. In truth, during the primary, he got away with his. And he was very good on social media. Was right, is right with these great videos. His mother's a film director, he's an actor, and he's great for the first 20 seconds. Right. And slogans that sound great, that are all BS but sound. Freeze the rent free buses. Yeah. Except none of it is true. None of it is under control of the mayor. None of it can be done. But it sounded great and he got away with it. Now he wins the primary and people say, well, let me really take a look now. It's serious right now. We're getting close to the election now. It's serious. And let me take a look at this fellow and his positions and what he has said and what he has said. And his own tweets, his own videos have come out and they are frightening to New Yorkers.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I have to ask you this because I watched you and I watched the debate recently, and personally speaking, I thought that you did A magnificent job of pointing out the differences, the clear delineation between you and him and what you thought your experience and what you have done was compared to this individual that you essentially called him a novice. He doesn't know what he's doing. You basically let New Yorkers know that I was looking for that Andrew Cuomo during the primaries and I didn't see that. Now we all know why you departed from office in 2021 with the allegations and what have you. How much did that play a role in your hesitancy, or dare I say passiveness, when it came to really, really going after him and showing what his record was at a time where you could have potentially neutralized the momentum he was building. But you didn't do it.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah, I don't think that was it. I think it was. I didn't appreciate the impact he was having on social media and TikTok. And part of me, Stephen A. I didn't take him seriously because I knew too much. You know, I knew what he was saying was all garbage, but he was selling the garbage and people were buying the garbage. So I didn't take it to him because I didn't take him seriously. My bad. He wins. All right. Now we're in the general and now I'm taking it to him and we're on the debate stage. And I think it was very clear that there was no there, there. There's no plan and he has no qualifications to implement any plan if he had one. There is no such thing as freeze the rent. There is no free bus, there is no flying bus. None of that. That's all garbage. And he has no qualification whatsoever to actually be the mayor. He's never had a job. He was a son of millionaires. He didn't have to work, so he didn't work. He was a part time rapper. He's been in an assemblyman up in Albany for 20 minutes. He passed three bills, which is one of the lowest levels in Albany. Missed 80% of the votes. So he has just zero experience. A mayor is a real job. You know, you handle anything that pops up any morning. Can be a hurricane, can be a building collapse, God forbid, could be a terrorist attack. There's no on the job training when you're a mayor and mayor should not be your first job.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

When I look at you and I think about this race right now, I don't even know what to call you because I always see you as the governor. I mean, you were a three term en route to become the fourth term governor. For crying out loud. That's how I view you. And you're now, you know, on the verge. You got this race for the mayor of New York City. I see two parts. I see an Andrew Cuomo that's telling the world, rather, the city of New York. Don't trust this guy Zoran Mamdani, okay? He's not qualified. He's not ready for the task at hand. Don't trust him. Don't believe the smoke and mirrors he's throwing in your direction. But you have cynics that point to what transpired with you with the sexual harassment allegations that led to you departing from office in 2021. And they'll say, are you telling us why we should trust you? Are you telling us enough about that? How do you answer that question to somebody that would throw that at you?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Here's the problem. You have that answer. I said there were allegations made. I said when the allegations were made in that report, it was political. There was no there, there, and people would find out. That report then went to five district attorneys, four years lawyers. Everybody came and gave me that position. I was dropped from the cases. No, there, there. Which is exactly what I said four years before. So that's the answer. We know the facts and we know it came. Nothing came of it because there was nothing there. Which is what I said from day one.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What about your thoughts about Governor Kathy Hochul endorsing him, supporting him? It's one thing for Bernie Sanders to do it. He's, you know, he's a progressive leftist and doesn't mind socialism at all. It's one thing for AOC Alexandria Ocasio Cortez doing the same thing. It's another thing entirely for your former, you know, your former lieutenant governor to be willing to do that. What should that say to New Yorkers in your eyes? How do you answer that?

[Andrew Cuomo]

They are. Look, you have a civil war going on in the Democratic Party, okay? You have this far left, extreme left, socialist. They are socialists. They call themselves Democratic socialists. Forget Democratic. It's just a modifier for socialists. They're socialists. Bernie Sanders, aoc, et cetera. That far left is having a war with the moderate mainstream Democrats. I'm now a moderate. All my life I was a crazy liberal son of a crazy liberal. But the world shifted so fast that now I'm a moderate. Okay? So it's the far left versus the moderate. A lot of the mainstream Democrats are afraid of the left. So they think they're going to make peace by endorsing Zoran and they're going to buy peace with the far left. I have news for them. The far left is never going to declare peace. They're going to come for power and they're going to come to kill them. But you have moderate Democrats who are just trying to make nice because they're afraid the far left is going to come after them.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Does the same in your mind apply to House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yes.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Does the same apply to Chuck Schumer at this particular point in time, considering we're living in a government shutdown right now? It's six months ago. He was for the, you know, he obviously was for the CR and he voted not to shut down the government. But six months later, he's obviously elected to side with the progressive left. The does the same apply to him?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Look, it applies to all of them. STEPHEN A. It applies to all of them.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So where does that leave Andrew Cuomo?

[Andrew Cuomo]

I am saying I am not going there. That is not my father's Democratic Party. It's not my Democratic Party. It's not Bill Clinton's Democratic Party. It's not Barack Obama's Democratic Party. This is a socialist party. It would be the death. It would be the death of the Democratic Party. The Republicans are licking their lips hoping this kid, mom, Donnie wins because they can pick him up and carry them around the country and say, here's The Democratic Party, 34 year old, never had a job, wants to decriminalize prostitution, doesn't like the police, defund the police, abolish jails, and literally a socialist, anti business, anti corporate government should control the means of production. That's what they their first motto. That's Marxism. So this socialist wing wins, the Democratic Party dies, in my opinion.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What about when Mamdani was on the stage and he called you a puppet for the Trump administration? The Trump administration wants you to win. And the fact that you have the support of the Trump administration should be all we need to know as a New Yorker to not trust Andrew Cuomo as the city's next mayor. How do you respond to that?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah, he just makes it up, right? Remember, you're dealing with an actor. He just makes it up. Now, New Yorkers know better because I was governor, Trump was president. They saw me on TV fighting with them every day. You know, they know that Trump and I had many battle royales when we could work together. We also work together. And that's same thing I would do as mayor. If we can have the federal government working with the city to help the city. God bless. I'M all in. But if you're going to take it to the city or you're adverse to New York, then we're going toe to toe. So people understand that. No. Trump, I believe, would love to have Mamdani, as I said before, because the Republicans, he's the poster boy of why you shouldn't elect the Democrats. Mike Johnson in Washington said when Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Mamdani, he said, it's the death of the Democratic Party as we know it. That's how polarizing this Mamdani is. But President Trump did make a good point when he said the Republican Curtis Sliwa is not ready for prime time. And that's true. There's a Republican in the race, Sliwa, who's really just a spoiler. He's not a viable candidate.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm not. Even when I think about Curtis Sleever, let me say this, I respect what he's done, has worked with the Guardian Angels all of these years and we know he's been a fixture in New York City for quite some time. I think the thing that I should say disturbs me is that this is clearly a two horse race. Eric Adams stepping away, I think that was the obvious choice to make. Curtis Sleewa should step away. I think that's the obvious choice to make. And the fact that he's willing to stay in the race at this point when so much is clearly at stake, that's my, it's just that simple. To me, I'm not even getting into anything else. When you're hovering around 9, 9% of the vote, you're not a part of this anymore. You're really, really just playing spoiler. But in the same breath, some would argue that's not foreign. We see that all the time. Is that true?

[Andrew Cuomo]

We don't see this all the time.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

We don't see that all the time.

[Andrew Cuomo]

We don't see this all the time. Look, President Trump says that Mamdani is an existential threat. And he says that Republicans, if a vote for Sliwa is really a vote for Mamdani, and President Trump basically says, I don't like Cuomo, but I hate Communists, is basically what President Trump is saying. And what I'm saying to Republicans is, look, it is a two horse race and you vote for Sliwa, you throw your vote away or you may as well vote for Mondami. And between me and Mamdani, I am a moderate Democrat, right? I am a public safety. I support the NYPD, 5,000 more cops, affordable housing Grow business, grow jobs, cut taxes. That is also appealing to the Republicans. So I'm reaching out to them in this race. But you're right. Sliwa is a spoiler.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

How do you work around the negative impact? And I totally understand. Just for the record, let me put myself out on fresh. I completely agree with where you're coming from. Me personally, that's how I think it should be done. That's the man in the White House. That's the administration running the country. The Republicans got the House, obviously, Senate and all that stuff.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I got it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And you got to work with them. The flip side to it is that coming across, verbalizing, the willingness to work with them is something that the progressives have been able to use to their advantage to negate or ward off whatever momentum you may have. How do you work around that as the election closes in to make sure that that doesn't end up having a catastrophic effect against you?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Look, I'm not gonna get the irrational people. I don't want the irrational people. Well, you should fight Trump all the time. No, that's not responsible. If Trump says, I want to help you rebuild the subway system, I want to help you build a new bridge, I want to help you build a tunnel, which, by the way, we're getting a lot of federal aid right now. Of course. Of course. When I was governor, we went toe to toe. Trump investigated me with the Department of Justice for two years on a purely political investigation because we were fighting. You know, we went toe to toe. But even then, if we could get funding to help the state, that is my job. Now they want to say, we hate Trump. Never talk to Trump. First of all, it's not an option. And if Mamdani wins, you're going to see Trump come in here and take over New York City. You mark my words.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What do you mean by that?

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

What does that mean?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

That Trump is going to take over New York City.

[OnDeck Announcer]

How?

[Andrew Cuomo]

How can he do that? Forget sending the national first, they'll send the National Guard. But the federal government controls everything. They can close your airports, they control your health money, your housing money. You're basically bankrupt if the federal government turns off the faucet.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And are you talking period or New York City?

[Andrew Cuomo]

New York City.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Got it. Go ahead.

[Andrew Cuomo]

And he will. He has said that he will effectively take over New York City to protect the good people of New York. You know, President Trump needs an excuse to act, right? He doesn't just send the National Guard, he sends the National Guard as a power play. He's making A statement. These Democrats don't know how to run a city. They're dangerous, these Democrats. I have to send in the National Guard to take care of the people in Portland and take care of the people in la because the Democrats don't know what they're doing. He needs that, that hook to do it. Mandani gives him that hook on steroids. He'll send the National Guard, he'll send ice. He'll say that he personally has to have his administration oversee the city because you have an incompetent 34 year old socialist.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So if that's the case, then why is it remotely a good thing that Trump is perceived by as supporting you as the man who should be running New York City in light of what you just said?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Oh, look, Trump, if Trump were really supporting me, there would be no Curtis Sliwa in the race. Stephen A. He's the head of the Republican Party. Curtis Sliwa was not elected by anybody. He was placed on the ballot by the Republican chairman in New York.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

But why haven't they gotten him the hell off that?

[Andrew Cuomo]

My point is, if Trump. Well, they don't want to get him off. They're with Sliwa. But if President Trump wanted to help me, he would call those chairmen. One phone call. Hello, this is President Trump. You are the Republican chairman of Manhattan and the Bronx and Brooklyn, Greece. I want Sliwa off. Click. Right. It's over with.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

That being said, one of the other things that I've been paying attention to as we're sitting here right now taping this interview, Israel has dropped a couple of bombs in Gaza. Apparently they thought that there was a violation of the truce agreement that they had reached. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acted, consulted with the White House before. He did, according to reports, but nevertheless has acted. You have been speaking adamantly, very strongly about your relationship with the Jewish community in New York City and comparing that to that of Zoran Mamdani and his lack of a relationship, in your estimation, with the Jewish community. Could you explain that at all? Where you think the community would stand? The Jewish community would stand in ZORAN Mamdani, New York City, especially considering the concerns involving anti Semitism and beyond that's been permeating throughout this city over the last few months.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah, look, Stephen, he politically used the Middle east issue and there were a lot of New Yorkers, a lot of Americans who were upset about the Middle east issue in general and upset at Israel for being overly aggressive vis a vis Palestine. Okay? That was a legitimate feeling. I think so. And he played to that every chance he got. Now, what does the Middle east have to do with running for mayor of New York? Last time I checked, the mayor doesn't work in the un doesn't have any peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. He just used it politically. My point is, whatever your feelings on the Middle east, and I am pro Israel, nothing justifies anti Semitism here in New York City against Jewish people. And we've had more anti Semitic incidents in New York City than any city in the United States of America. And that is not okay. And fanning the flames of antisemitism is not okay. Because if you fan the flames of anti Semitism, then you're going to fan the flames of anti Latino and anti Asian and anti Muslim. And that is cancerous for New York City. Right? Because what makes this place is the diversity. But the diversity is a balance. And you have to work very hard to keep people together and find those commonalities. When you have a divisive personality like Zoran who runs around starting fires wherever he can, trying to separate people. NYPD is racist. I won't denounce globalized Intifada. I won't denounce the person who said America deserved 9 11. America deserved 9 11. Think about that.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

He said that.

[Andrew Cuomo]

His friend said that. Hassan Piker. He won't denounce Hasan Piker and then invites him to his rally the other day. You offend all New Yorkers with that. Not just 911 victims. 3,000 people died. 150,000 have 911 related illness. Every New Yorker was traumatized by 9 11. Every American he will not denounce. America deserved 9 11. This is a divisive personality, which is toxic in this city.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Usually somebody like that wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the mayor's seat in New York City. Yet Andrew Cuomo, here you are in the race, 10 points down. Not 20, not 30, just 10. But nevertheless, still trailing him. How do you explain that at this particular juncture with the things that you've been able to say and show about things that he has said, where he stands. I watched the debate where he, you know, listen, I've invited. Let me let my audience know right now. He's been invited on this show for the last three months. I've been trying to get him on the show. Okay? It ain't my fault that he ain't here. I can't make him come. All right? He hasn't showed up.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You have.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Okay? The point is, is that he's had an opportunity to be on here. He hasn't shown up. He didn't answer a lot of questions during the debate, which both you and Curtis Lee were pointed out. How do you explain that at this late in the game, he's still 10 points up?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah, well, look, we have a week to go. That's like the fourth quarter. We're just coming into the fourth quarter because, look, New Yorkers, people are living their life right, focusing on this campaign. They focus when they have to vote. Early voting started. They have to vote now, next week. Now they're going to focus. And I'm telling you, when they focus on this kid and what he has said and what he represents, he is not New York. He just is not New York.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm reading from an article in the New York Post, came out today, and it's saying Mayor, front runners or Ramdani once made a vile pronouncement tying the NYPD with the Israeli military in a shocking video that resurfaced Tuesday. Quote, we have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it's been laced by the idf, the Israeli Defense Force. Your response to that once you saw that story?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah. Poison. Poison. First of all, I don't even know what connection you're trying to make. The boot of the NYPD is somehow laced by idf. I don't even know what sick connection he's trying to make. But this is his poison. This is what he sells, right? Fear, polarization, anger, anger at the nypd. NYPD is racist. NYPD is wicked. They're corrupt. They're anti queer. His words. Barack Obama, evil, a liar. He didn't support Kamala Harris. He is a divisive personality. And yes, during this election, anti Israel. Anti Israel. Why? Because many of his voters, many of the younger socialists who've been watching this on TikTok for two years, that resonated with them. And he was just blowing on the flames.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

You know, the police should support you based on the things that you have said. 5,000 additional police officers. He's talking about having mental health experts in the subway system. As somebody that grew up in Queens, took the E and F train all the time, I just never heard.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I just never heard some of these things. I just never heard some of these.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Things in my life.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I just can't believe it. Okay, but that's what the man is saying.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

This is why I want to talk to him. Because I'm a native New Yorker and I can't believe some of the stuff that he's saying. But to be fair to him, having said that, some people are buying this. How plausible is this in a momdani administration? Andrew Cuomo, if this happens, we're talking about, you know, less police officers or the same amount of police officers, because he's not going to deplete the police officers. He's just not going to increase them. He's going to have mental health experts, free grocery stores, free bus rides. Okay, at least one free grocery store at each borough. That kind of thing. And we've already talked about this other stuff. Is this stuff plausible in your estimation? According to my research, it's far more implausible, involves far more extensive changes that are likely not going to happen. But nevertheless, that's what he's saying.

[Andrew Cuomo]

He's running for class president in high school. Free pizza, no class on Friday. Yeah. None of it happens. There's no free bus. Mayor isn't in charge of that. Doesn't make any sense. Anyway, they tried it. They wind up being homeless shelters because the homeless get on the bus and they never get off. But the mayor's not even in charge of buses. That's estate operation. The mentally ill being homeless, being helped on the subways makes absolutely no sense. I worked on helping the homeless all my life. I did it here in New York. I did it on the federal side. It makes no sense whatsoever. None of it makes sense. None of it would happen. None of it is doable. It just sounds good. So it would have no effect except the negative, which is he would raise taxes on corporations to the point where you see them leave. He would raise personal income taxes as a socialist to equalize income, and you'd see more wealth leave. And if you lose more businesses and more wealth, you're going to see the tax base come down.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And.

[Andrew Cuomo]

And now you're in a downward spiral. You will see fewer police. Maybe he won't defund this ban the way he said he would, but his current position pushed is I'm going to freeze the budget. If you freeze the budget, that means every year the costs go up. You have to reduce the number of police, which is what he genuinely believes to the extent he genuinely believes.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So what are you going to do? Are you going to raise taxes? Are you going to raise capital gains tax? Are you going to raise income tax?

[Andrew Cuomo]

What are you going to do? We're losing too many businesses. We're losing too many people. We have to go the other way. You have people heading to Florida, South Carolina, Texas saying this state is too Expensive. Same thing they're doing coming out of la. You have to reach out to business and say, I hear you. Slow down. I want you here. I want you developing jobs. That's opportunity.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What?

[Andrew Cuomo]

That's what makes the whole train go.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What about members of the Democratic Party who would look at you and say, you're not a Democrat, you're an independent. Now he's the Democrat. Because he's got the Democrat brand behind him. With the AOCs and the Bernie Sanders of the world and others, they're saying he's the Democrat, you're the one that's Independent. Now, I know that's gotta be an insulting question considering who your daddy is. The great Mario Cuomo, who my mother loved to death, God rest her soul. And I know that's got to be hard for you to hear considering your success as a governor of the state of New York. But nevertheless, there are people that are saying that you are running as an Independent. He's the one running as a Democrat.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yes.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What do you say to that?

[Andrew Cuomo]

That is the Kabuki of this moment. He is a socialist who won the Democratic primary. I'm the Democrat on an independent line. But make no mistake, he is a socialist. And make no mistake, I am the real deal Democrat.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And you say you're the real deal Democrat and you're 67 years of age. They were getting on you about your energy. I see the energy. I see the path. That's what I was looking for in the primary, sir.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

That was what I was looking for in the primary. I got it now, okay?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And I'm happy with what I'm seeing. Andrew Cuomo, how badly do you believe the city needs you to be its next mayor, considering the race that you're in?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Stephen A. Hand to God, I'm afraid for New York City. I'm afraid. I was HUD secretary for eight years under Bill Clinton. I worked in cities all across the country. You can lose a city and they can be a tipping point. We're like at a tipping point. You have post Covid, post, zoom, remote work. People don't have to be here. They can be anywhere. And they are leaving. If they don't feel that the quality of life is going up, if they don't feel that government is working with them, if they don't feel safer, you're going to see the city deteriorate. I believe Mamdani can kill New York City, can kill New York City.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

How are we supposed to feel if Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of this state, is saying such Things. But we got elected officials on Capitol Hill endorsing this person that you're describing, Zoram abdomeni to be. How are we supposed to feel as.

[Andrew Cuomo]

A nation considering that, look, the Democratic Party is lost. Let's be honest. The Democratic Party is lost right now. They have no strategy vis a vis Trump. It's all about. They're just hoping Trump makes a mistake. That's their game plan right now. But the Democratic Party is lost. And yes, we're having this civil war, which is part of the fact that the Democratic Party has lost its identity, the people it represented, the working families that were the base of the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party has become disconnected and alienated. And the Democratic Party used to deliver, used to do something, make a difference in somebody's life. Raise my minimum wage, build my kid a new school, build a new airport, build a bridge, give me a business loan.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

But he's talking about doing those things. He's talking about $30 minimum wage.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

He's talking about.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

He's talking about those things.

[Andrew Cuomo]

You can't do a $30 million.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I know.

[Andrew Cuomo]

$30 minimum wage. You'd lose more jobs and you'd put more people. I raised the minimum wage to the highest level in the United States, $15. People said I was crazy. I said, no, 15 is the right number. Businesses can do it. You know what? The economy went up at 15. I now want to go to 20. I believe 20. The economy will go up. 30 doubles the payroll of a company. Doubles the payroll. You know what that means, Stephen? A. You're out of a job. Can't afford you.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

You also brought up National Guard. Before I let you get on out of here. Just a couple more questions and thank you so much for your time and thank you so much for coming to the studio. I really appreciate it. You talked about Trump would take over this city if Mamdani was the mayor. How do you say to New Yorkers that wouldn't happen on your watch? Considering how polarizing President Donald Trump can be, how, you know, how he can get, how moody he can get, how petty he can get at times. How does New Yorkers know that Andrew Cuomo would keep them safe from Trump doing such things under his watch?

[Andrew Cuomo]

Because I did. Because I did. 20 cities, right? I'm governor, he's president. Trump won 20 cities. He sends the National Guard. What city never saw the National Guard? New York. Because it's what I said before. He needs a hook. He needs a hook. He needs you to make a mistake so he can say, that's Stephen A can't run a city. I have to send in my National Guard, which he loves to do, because it gets him saying that the Democrats are messing up. I would never give him that opening. He could never say, oh, that Cuomo, he doesn't know how to run anything. I have to send the National Guard. Didn't happen last time, wouldn't happen this time. Ice, they did send in upstate New York at one time and didn't tell us. And. And there was almost a very dangerous encounter between the state police and ice. And I talked to him directly about that, and I said, you know, next time somebody could get killed, don't send ICE in here without telling me first, because we have to coordinate. And he respected that. So, look, Trump knows me, and he knows. He puts his finger in my chest. I put my finger in his chest. And he doesn't want to fight with New York. He doesn't want to fight with me if he doesn't have to. And he knows that, and he knows that. Yeah, we can go toe to toe. We have gone toe to toe. But it's bloody last.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Two questions. Is it a legitimate question to say that it's quite possible that Andrew Cuomo may be needed more as the mayor of New York now than he may have been needed as the governor of New York State back in the day? I'm talking about considering the times that we're living in and how shaky things appear to be. Do you think. Do you find yourself at any point thinking like that because of how concerned you are about the state of this city at this moment? That's what I'm asking.

[Andrew Cuomo]

That's a hell of a question. I think this is the most important election of my lifetime. And I do believe New York City is a pivotal moment, and I do believe Mamdani would be the death of New York City. But I also believe it's a moment where New York City could actually pivot and do well. And I think I have the experience and the skill set to do that. You know, it sounds arrogant. I don't do a lot of things well in life. You don't want to hear me sing. You don't want to see me dance. You don't want to see me swing a golf club. Okay. I know how to make government work. I've been doing it since I was 18 years old with my father. And if there was ever a time when New York City needed someone who could make the government work, clean up the place, stand up to Trump, deal with the state and the federal Government. This is the moment. This is the moment. I think as governor, I did a lot of things I'm proud of. New LaGuardia Airport, new Kennedy Airport, Mario Cuomo Bridge, Kosciusko Bridge, Second Avenue Subway, Moynihan train Hall. A lot that I'm proud of. Marriage equality led the nation. But I think this is probably the pivotal moment for New York City. And yes, I can make a real difference here, maybe more than I made as governor.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Mario Cuomo is universally recognized as maybe the greatest governor in the history of the state of York, New New York, and one of the greatest governors we've ever seen in American history. That was your dad, your idol. I ask you respectfully, knowing what's coming down the pike, knowing what's at stake, knowing there's a 10 point deficit at the moment that we're sitting here right now with you in the polls, you're climbing. The momentum is shifting. What would your dad say to you about what's necessary to get the job done? Meaning finish this race and win it? What would he say to you? What advice would he be giving to you in these closing days of the election?

[Andrew Cuomo]

He would say, it's not about you. You have to win this for the city. You have to win this for the Democratic Party. Punch until the bell sounds. You can do this. You have to do this. It is everything he stood for, everything he believed in. It is the heart and soul of the Democratic Party that is at stake here. Stephen A. We are not socialists. We are not people who think an unqualified person should be mayor of New York or governor of New York. We respect government service. It's my whole life, my father's whole life. And now you say that anyone with no qualification can do the job, Be in charge of eight and a half million lives? No, he would say, hit as hard as you can, as long as you can.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And that's exactly what you intend to do.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Damn right.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Good to see you, sir.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Good to see you.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

One and only Andrew Cuomo. My thanks to the New York city mayoral candidate, Mr. Andrew Cuomo himself. Back with more Straight Shooter with Stephen A. In a minute.

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[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Wow. 54 minutes past our number one, back here on straight shooting with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith. I was riveted by what the governor had to say because there's obviously an elevated level of concern he's coming at it with, and I'm not going to lie to you, I share those sentiments. I've got nothing against Zoram Hamdani personally. I think he's very likable. I think he's very smart, he's quick witted, he's fast on his feet, he's no joke. I'm just saying that I look at things from a posse. Growing up in New York City, when you talking about free buses, you're talking about a free supermarket in each borough. I'm like, government run supermarket. What?

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

What?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I, I, I, I just worry about that. You talk about putting mental health experts in the subway. I grew up taking the subway. And I assure you, you want a police officer nearby, you don't want some social worker, some mental health social worker, all right, helping you if some cat.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Gets out of hand, you want the police. So it's stuff like that that I'm seeing.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And then when you look at things.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

From a Democratic side, the Democratic Party, I'm glad that Andrew Cuomo said it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Absolute damn mess, absolute mess.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Because you don't know what the party is. Six months ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, yo, I'm not going to contribute to a government shutdown. I'm not voting with y'.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

But once he took the heat, six months later arrived, he's worried about a challenge from aoc, so he's not capitulating. So that's about your political expediency as opposed to what's in the best interest of the state of New York if not our federal government. One could argue you Akeem Jeffries. Wow. I appreciate the endorsement for Mom. Donnie, why the hell it just arrived Friday? Early voting started Saturday. What the hell did it just arrive Friday for? Where you been? Could it be that you worried too? You worried about a challenge coming from the extreme left? And if that's what you're capitulating to, isn't that the kind of stuff that we found ourselves concerned about before the last election woke culture, identity politics, and all that other stuff. Instead of us focusing on affordability, the economy, safety in the streets of America, we found ourselves literally going to work every day wondering Whether or not we were going to give our jobs if we mispronounced the wrong pronoun. That stuff comes from the left. They ain't coming from the right. It ain't coming from the center. It's coming from the left. I'm talking about the extreme left. There's a simple way for the Democratic Party to return the relevancy, and you know what that is. Focus on the issues that matter to the vast majority of Americans instead of.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Working on the fringes.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

To the vast majority of Americans. It's about the economy, it's about safety in the streets, it's about affordability.

[Andrew Cuomo]

And.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

It'S about fairness and equity, or as close to it as you can get. So we don't have over a million federal employees being furloughed or fired. Let me. Excuse my language, but this shit is crazy.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Somebody gotta say it. You know what? I'm just getting started and not just tonight. Y' all done pissed me off and fired me up. I'm not going anywhere for a long time to come. This is the kind of stuff that I'm here for.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

This is ridiculous. Hour number two.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Up next, the governor of Delaware is in the house. Just can't wait you'd hear from him. Straight shooter in the house.

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[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Welcome to our number two, the straight.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith coming at you live from the College of Business. Courtesy of Delaware State University here in Dover, Delaware. Delaware obviously. Over The Airways with SiriusXM POTUS Radio Channel 124 as I do every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm it is my honor and privilege to have my next guest with me. He is the 76th governor of the great state of Delaware and I'm very, very excited to talk to him. Governor Matt Mayer himself. How are you, sir? How's everybody?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Good to see you.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Stephen.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

A. Thanks for welcoming me on. Appreciate it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Governor. Listen, you've made news today because just reading from the article, just so my audience knows, you've declared the State of emergency in the state of Delaware to address the SNAP benefits set to end November 1st. For those of you, you should know what SNAP is, but in case you don't, supplemental Nutrition Assistance program benefits, food stamps. That's it.

[Andrew Cuomo]

There you go.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Food stamps.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Talk to our audience about that and explain its importance and how it's regressed to this.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

So, first of all, Stephen, honored to be here at the Delaware State University. I'm actually, I think, the only governor in the history of America to be sworn in, sworn in at a historically black college and university. I was sworn in on this campus because it's an amazing school. I like to say, if you want to fly, come to Del State. Best aviation program, any HBCU in the world. On that day, when I was on this campus just eight months ago, I stood and looked Delaware in the eye and I said, there's chaos coming on the federal level. Chaos. You can blame it on the right, you can blame it on the left. Whoever you're blaming it on. And my job is to protect you, whoever you are, whatever community you're in, we're going to protect you. And we've done that in a number of ways. And today we did it by saying, hey, they're saying that, you know, we got a president who's paying more attention to Cold Ballroom than your dining room. And we're going to protect you. We're going to make sure you can eat. Starting this weekend, we're taking, what's a federal responsibility, $21.6 million a month in Delaware alone. You know, billions of dollars across the country, $21.6 million in Delaware. And we're going to make sure 120,000 Delawareans who rely on this program have food to eat.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Why is it about Trump as opposed to both sides of the aisle, for the Republican and the Democratic Party continuing? Considering the fact that if there was a deal in place in the CR to continue a resolution had been signed, obviously there wouldn't be a need for this move.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Yeah, I mean, it gets really confusing when you have everybody throwing saying it's their fault, it's their fault. Right. My belief, first of all, it doesn't matter whose fault you think it is. If you're looking to eat this weekend, if you're looking to eat next week, what, who cares? Right? That's my perspective as someone leading our state over a million residents. We got to make sure we protect people. But it's pretty clear to me, and I've been pretty open that what this is about is not food. But actually health care that Republicans took action over the summer to more than double the health insurance premiums. What family? Working family. Working American families pay for health care every month. Democrats are standing up and saying we're not going to support any budget or anything that does that, which I think is the right position. I got, I think 15, 16 of my, of my fellow governors to write a letter to the president to say, just adjust this health care and we can move forward as a country. President's decided not to do that. He's very focused on this gold ballroom.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Of his majority Majority Whip, John Thune. Senator John Thune from South Dakota was on the floor today speaking about, you know, a lot of these issues. And he was pointing out how with the cr, you had Democrats when Biden was in office, you know, sign it 13 different times he said that it was no problem. It was an understanding that whatever needs to be negotiated is negotiated, but you don't shut down the government. And it wasn't shut down. Whereas now we sit here today and there can't be a deal that's getting done because they refuse to go along with the CR until modification.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

That's because. That's because. That's because the Democrats, Democrats, at no time under Biden, at no time in history have tried to double the health care costs of working American families. If, if on my watch, if anyone tries to do that, I don't care if they're Republican, Democrat, I'll do anything I can a lie across the road to make sure that health care costs for Delaware families do not explode. So I think the Democrats have the right position. I think they're in the right. I think polls show that Americans know that the Democrats are in the right. I mean, let's, let's be serious, Stephen A. The Republicans right now, they control the presidency. They control the House, the Senate, and basically the Supreme Court as well. So don't go looking at Democrats saying this is our fault that people can't eat. Don't go looking at us saying it's our fault that health insurance premiums are doubling.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So with that being said, what do you hope this is all going to accomplish for you? What are you sure that this is going to accomplish? This move you make, declaring the state of emergency in the state of emergency.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

That'S just short term to say, first and foremost, I need to make sure no one in our community starves because the federal government is dysfunctional right now. Whoever side you're on, however, you're pointing fingers right now, that's secondary to Families who literally are not sure what food they're going to eat this weekend. So I want to assure them we have resources. Where I spent time in Iraq. I was a diplomat in Iraq. I've seen hard places. I know you have seen hard places. We are in a wealthy country. There's no reason for anyone to starve. So we're going to make sure that in the short term while we get this figured out as a country, we hope it's sooner rather than later. Delawareans are still going to have food on the table.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

How many Delaware families will be affected and how will you support them?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

There are 60,000 Delawareans with SNAP cards. We estimate about 120,000 Delawareans rely on this monthly assistance to get food.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

What have they told you? What kind of feedback have you gotten from your constituency as to where they are, whether their feelings lie and what they're going to do, particularly with Thanksgiving approach. And we keep forgetting that.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Yeah, one, one, one lady said to me the other day, I don't snap assistance since October 31st. I'm not going to eat my kids leftover Halloween candy and survive off that. I think there's a sense that a lot of people, they're not Democrats or Republicans, they just want this country to work. They just want food on the table. I think, to be honest, when you say 120,000 Delawareans rely on food assistance, regardless of what's going on with snap, that's a failure. Right? That's a failure. If our private market is working properly, if we as America are leading the world in creating the jobs we're creating, if we're taking the AI world that we're in, the innovative world and truly taking advantage of it to benefit people, there aren't 120,000 people who need public assistance. Let's be honest.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

You know, when you allude to this, it's been termed an illegal suspension of these benefits. Is it illegal? Is it illegal? When you read the articles and you hear people talking about this right now, that's the question that came to my mind as I read about this. Is this a preference that the Republicans shouldn't have, that the GOP shouldn't have, or is this indeed an illegal suspension that needs to be addressed legally?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

There's over $5 billion today as we sit there, over $5 billion suspension sitting in the US Department of Agriculture, that it is believed different lawyers give different opinions. There's a lawsuit that was filed yesterday by, I think, 23 different states, including Delaware, saying there's an obligation to use that $5 billion to. Instead of just sitting in the bank when people are hungry, you need to use it to feed people. There is a belief, an argument that I've been told, I don't know if it's true, that it's Republican strategy to sort of let people go hungry and then that will trigger a resolution of the shutdown.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

As petty as this question is, and I will openly admit that it is, I wonder that if the vitriolic language going back and forth between both parties that has been taking place for so long now didn't exist and better relationships were cultivated with one another, then somehow, some way, the level of acrimony that exists wouldn't be existing, and people would be more inclined to think about others rather than their own vitriol towards one another.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I agree completely. Last week, the National Governors association had a trip to Switzerland.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Right.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

To work with the Swiss. It's not a Democratic interest, not as Americans. Let's all the governors go. 50 governors were invited. Two governors went.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Two.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

The governor of Oklahoma, who's a Republican. Right. That's a state that I think Trump won by 30%. And the governor of Delaware and the governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, is a good friend of mine. And we talk and we talk about how do we make our country better, how do we reimagine the American dream for everyone? And I think when it comes down to it, a lot of us, I just want this country to work. Listen, when President Trump does certain things, when he speaks out against diversity and inclusion, I'm offended. That's not the direction I want this country to go in. When they play political games with people's food and health care, I can't stand that. When they talk about tearing down the east wing of the White House to build a Gold Ballroom, I think that's bad for the country. But we got to be above that. We got to understand. You and I may disagree on that. There might be people. We are in this together as Americans. You go spend the time I spent in Iraq, you'll see we're in this together. We got to put our heads down. We got to find a way, as Democrats and Republicans, to move beyond this and move our country forward in a highly competitive world.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

How the hell are we to expect. Expect that when you just told US we got 50 governors in the United States of America? All of them been invited. Switzerland. Only two showed up.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Well, two out of 50, in fairness, they might be busy, Stephen.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

They didn't say so.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Maybe. Maybe they're on your show. I just heard CUOMO maybe they're on yours. Maybe they wanted to stay back on your show.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

They haven't been. But I mean, I'm just saying that's a real bad look, because first of all, it's a trip to Switzerland, okay? There are worse places to go in the world, number one.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Number two, we were doing work.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Steven, you could go there, which, of course, I'm saying that, but you could go there with your contemporaries. You can, you can mingle with one another, talk with one another, exchange ideas with one another. Who knows what could get accomplished? And 2 out of 50 show up. How is that supposed to make folks feel about, in terms of having faith that things could be worked out with folks who are on opposite sides of the aisle?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I didn't think it was so bad. There are a lot of Swiss companies that want to do business with Delaware right now.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Okay, so we got to talk about.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I'm good.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You're good.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I'm good. We'll use it. We'll use it to benefit some other Americans, do some other things.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm just worried about that. Look, the Democratic Party, a party that you're a part of, how are you feeling about the state of affairs? You heard Andrew Cuomo a little while ago. You heard some of the things that he had to say about the state of the Democratic Party. Your thoughts, sir?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Listen, I'm optimistic. I think right now, Trump is not where our country is. I think there's an increasingly small group of people that really support what this guy is doing. There's an increasingly small group of people that really support his divisive rhetoric and his divisive policies as long as we as Democratic leaders. And I'm particularly biased towards Democratic governors. And you look at Democratic governors across the country, just look at my neighboring governors. You got Phil Murphy in New Jersey, Josh Shapiro In Pennsylvania, who I95, collapsed. He rebuilt it in 11 days. Good union labor. 11 days. He rebuilt that bridge. If you look at Westmore, who's reconstructing the key bridge in record time, there are Democratic leaders out there doing good, and I know there might be Stephen a. Too in 2028. We'll see what comes.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I won't go that far. I wouldn't go that far. But I would say, I would say this to you, the state of affairs that exist. I'm incredibly alarmed by where we're going, and I think that the mayor's race in New York is going to tell us a lot in terms of what we're capable of on a national scale. Because if Mamdani wins the election, I think it sends a message as to where people will perceive the party leaning towards, at least in a state like New York, a state like California, to a lesser degree, you look at states like that and you say extreme leftists in a seat like that, I think that the Republicans will paint that as the new Democratic Party and they'll market that and promote that. That's who you would be voting for if you vote against us. And I think that's a challenge that the Democratic Party is going to have to absorb. What do you say to that?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I think I can tell you right now where people are wondering who's going to win the New York City mayor's race, who's going to win the governor of New Jersey, governor of Virginia. Next week, I think is November 4th. I'm going to tell you right now, right here, right now, what's going to happen when people Wake Up Wednesday, November 5, Americans, and especially New Yorkers are going to come out and vote for affordability. They're going to vote for affordability. Right now I'm hearing it across Delaware. People can't afford how Delaware. My family moved here when I was a baby because this is an affordable place. Delaware, right. Low tax state. It's affordable. Quality schools, good parks, great. Delaware State University. Right? Great. University of Delaware. There are fantastic institutions here. And all I hear when I travel the state, rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, people are stressed about the cost of living. And at a time when there's so much plenty today, Nvidia. Nvidia. First company in history hit $5 trillion. $5 trillion. When you see this incredible wealth, a lot of people are asking, what's in it for me? Where's my share of the American dream? So whichever candidate, whichever party can truly convince people, they're gonna deliver on that, that's who wins. And in Delaware, we're doing it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

But shouldn't you be concerned about which. Which member of your party is perceived as an individual that convinces the public? Now listen to you speak. You sound like a Democrat that I've grown up supporting. You understand when you listen to some of these other folks that classify themselves as Democrats, but they lean more towards socialistic views, that's a different animal and a different challenge. Aren't you concerned about the challenge that might pose?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I think right now, when you look at what the President's doing, we're not looking at the politics of today in traditional left right terms. We're looking at people who truly believe in the institutions of our country, believe in Bringing people together. When someone uses language that's saying, like, if you supported Biden, you're terrible. If you supported these people, I don't want that person.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I don't care.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

I'd rather vote for George Bush than that person. Right. I like Mitt Romney more than that person. And so I think divisive language, whether on the far right or far left, is really harmful to me fulfilling my obligation to my kids and you fulfilling your obligation to your kids and your grandkids to deliver an America that's better than the generation.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Do you say this to the party? Do you say this to your own party? And if so, what do they say back to you? Yeah, I'm waiting.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Yeah. I mean, I don't get. I don't get. I'm running a state for all people. Right. And so I don't get that involved in the left right politics. I try to run a state that.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I don't mean that way. I'm not asking about left Right. I'm talking about the principle that you just articulated makes sense to most Americans and the manner in which you do it. You're a voice that people should be listening to and people should be hearing more. Now, most people listening to you, I think, would deduce that some people within the quote, unquote, Democratic Party might challenge because they may say, hey, we feel that because we're dealing with him, we need to be as truculent, as acerbic, as disrespectful. We don't give a damn, and they're not gonna listen. And I'm wondering whether or not you're somebody that perceives that. That could be a problem for me and anybody like me who cares about those values. But understand that's a game you don't need to be playing because you can.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

End up losing for all of us.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm wondering, do you convey that message to contemporaries within your own party?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Absolutely. There's an America greater than our party. Absolutely. And there are policies. It's not just through language. I have an opportunity as a governor with a $7.5 billion budget to do it through our policies as well, to say, hey, these are policies.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Yeah.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

They might go out and support farmers, for example, in rural areas of the state who, let's be honest, Democrats lost years and years and years ago, not just in Delaware, but across the country. We need policies that bring them into the fold, not just policies that appeal to our base.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Getting back to snaps, where do you go from here? You've already done what you've Done. What's the next step?

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Well, there's a problem that is $21.6 million a month. We don't have $21.6 million a month of spare cash lying around. So we're looking at funding it for the next few weeks and then we're going to check in and see. We already have a plan with food banks. If we get shortage of money, we have to go to a lower rung. We'll start making sure food banks have money, distribute money through schools, through K12 schools and schools like Delaware State University. There are quite a few students here I might call in to get out there and help people to make sure nobody starves in our community.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Wow.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So we're sitting here in the year 2025, and you're fearful that, you know what, you've got to have folks to go out there, knock on doors and to help out just to ensure that people aren't starving in Delaware.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

That's, that's the America people voted for last year. That's where we are.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Wow. Appreciate it.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Thank you. Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

It's great.

[Governor Matt Meyer]

Look forward to your campaign, my friend.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Oh, my goodness. I mean, I don't, I don't know how I'll sound with some of these people, this kind of nonsense that they're doing. You're listening live to Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with your calls and more in a minute. Don't go away.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

23 minutes fast hour number two back.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Here on Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. The number to call in, as always is 866-967-6887. That's 8669-676887-86696. POTUS to simplify it. Let's go to the phones. Let's go to Zadie in Michigan. You're live with Stephen A. Hi, Zadie, how are you?

[Caller]

Yeah, hey, this. I'm good. Hey, this is Grandpa.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Zadie.

[Caller]

You played my song last week. I'm Stephen A. If you remember.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Yes, I did. You did a good job. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. What's going on?

[Caller]

Thank you. Hey, so this is about Argentina. I just was wondering, $20 billion to Argentina when there are people who aren't going to have money for food in the United States? And my question to you, has anyone done any reporting about how much money in the Trump family or the Trump administration is at risk in Argentina? And does that have anything to do with that $20 billion?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm not sure. I'm not sure about the answer to that question. As it pertains to the money that Trump has given Argentina or anything like that. Here's what I would say to you, okay, I am an independent. I'm not trying to blame either side, but it's pretty hard not to blame Trump specifically. Now we can sit up there and we can listen to Senate Majority Whip John Thune excoriate the Democrats today and talk about a CR continual resolution that was signed on 13 different occasions during the Biden administration and how it's universally understood and pretty much recognized that negotiations take place after the continued resolution is signed to put the government back into action to make sure there are no shutdowns and then you negotiate from there on. Okay, so when he's talking about a level of inconsistency that has pervaded the proceedings as it pertains to that, I understand where he's coming from. He's like, why are we doing business now? When y' all were in power and y' all were in office, we didn't shut down the government. Last time the government was shut down was when Trump was in office back in 2018, 2019. And that was a 35 day window, the longest in history. So it didn't happen when the Democrats were in power. That's fair. Okay, so he said the Democrats were in power. We signed the cr, we moved forward, we negotiated what we needed to negotiate. Now, we all know this about health care. This is about Affordable Care act and the subsidies associated with it because the premiums have been raised and the Democrats of the position that they're fighting for affordable health care for 24 plus million American citizens. We get that part. We get that part. But the problem is, is that when you've got folks that purportedly are on Capitol Hill on the Democratic side saying, hey, we want voters to have voters remorse because you never should have put this man in office to begin with. So guess what? Maybe you should suffer your comeuppance so next time you'll know better. That's problematic when you've got Trump and here we are talking about a CR you're gonna hold. You're gonna hold folks feet to the fire. And you don't seem to give less than a about how the American people are suffering when you flying over to Korea or you're flying to Israel or you're throwing $20 billion at Argentina or you're committing billions of dollars to rebuilding the East Wing, remodeling the East Wing, you saw, in other words, somehow, some way you got money for this, but you don't have Money to pay air traffic controllers. You don't have money to avoid furloughing federal workers. You don't have money, okay?

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

For the military, which stopped being paid on Friday, you've got military men and women in our armed services that are not getting paid. And the flip side to that, the most trifling part of it is that you force the folks to go to work. So it's bad enough they're not getting paid. You're telling them they still have to go to work. You have to go to work and not be compensated for your efforts, because it's against federal law to just sit up there and not show up to work. So they got to show up to work. They can't even utilize the time to figure out to go out there and make some damn money because you're saying they got to show up to work, but you haven't prioritized paying them. And if you're president, if you're the president, Trump. Yo, check this out. Which one are you, bro? Are you the commander in chief or not? Are you the one running the Republican Party or not? Are you the one running our government or not? Are you the deal maker, the audit a deal, or not? You the one with all the power, which means that you have the power to resolve this issue. We could blame the Democrats all day, every day. And I'm not saying they ought to be absolved. Hell to the no, I know better. And there's a level of hypocrisy that comes with the Democratic Party. I appreciate what Governor Myers had to say, and I appreciate his position about Trump and what the GOP is doing. I got it. But that's why I'm not just looking at the gop. I understand where they're coming from.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Continue resolution.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

The cr, The Democrats, we signed it when they were in office. They can sign it while we're in office and we can negotiate thereafter. We're not going to hold our feet to the fire, because we don't. We were never for Obamacare. We were never for the Affordable, Affordable Care Act. One needs to remind them, however, that you got a lot of people in red states that are using the aca, whose health care plans are being subsidized by the aca. It ain't just people in blue states. It's people in red states, too. But that's neither here nor there. The real issue for me is, yo, Trump, I thought you were the man. I thought you were the guy in power. You're almighty, powerful. You got the house, you got the Senate. You got the White House. You got the Supreme Court. You supposed to be that dude. How the hell is there a federal shutdown? Is there a government shutdown? How the hell are our military not being paid? How the hell are over 300,000 women being furloughed? How's over a million people not receiving a check? I thought you were that dude. That's what I thought you were. President Trump. What's up? If anybody could resolve it, it's you, right? It's supposed to be you. But we hand about 20 billion to Argentina, we hand about renovations to the East Wing, and then you got the audacity to unmitigated goal and look at us and tell us, hey, you know what the Constitution says? That I can't circumvent the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution. That calls for, you know, that says I'm prohibited from having a third term. So there won't be a third term. Well, then what the hell you remodeling the East Wing for? Ain't you leaving in a couple of years? Who remodeled something and didn't leave in.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

A couple of years?

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

We were born at night, not last night. So these are the kind of things that I'm thinking about right now as it pertains to this president. I'm so pissed off because this is the kind of nonsense that can happen. This is food stamps, ladies and gentlemen. Food stamps. Over 42 million people in this country are on food stamps and they are about to starve, as you heard Governor Meyer point out. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Christmas is after that. And they could tell you that they're going to give you back pay, but really, are you really going to give the back pay? And if so, when the back pay arriving? When's it arriving? See, this is the kind of stuff that folks got to hold on to. And here's what has me so irate over Donald Trump, more so than the Republican Party. Yes, I know they need to get.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

A spine, and I know they need.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

To push back on him and not capitulate and acquiesce to everything that he wants. Absolutely true. But where I really get irate is with him and the reason why it's with him. You can't brag about the power that you wield and then don't wield it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

With something like this.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

If you got the power and you willing to exercise it, why we exercising it with the National Guard in cities that may not need it? Why are we exercising it with the military in cities that we might not need it why we exercising it with ICE in cities that we might not need it, but with something like this, suddenly, you know what? You can't do anything because the Democrats.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Won'T agree with you.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

If somebody ticks you off, you can get at them. You've already said that if Mamdani wins the mayoral seat in New York City, you're gonna take over New York to protect the citizens of New York from the socialists. So you can do all of that.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

But you can't figure out how to resolve the continual resolution issue to make sure that impoverished individuals in our country, amounting to more than 42 million plus people can eat a meal. You can't make sure that our armed services men and women are receiving a check.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You can't make sure that women.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Because I love women. I love women and they love me. And this is how it is.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You can't make sure that they.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Are not furloughed or unemployed.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

You can do all of these things, but you can't do that stuff.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

And the reason why I'm furious is because the Independent and Stephen A. Smith. All I want is a fair exchange of competing ideas from the left and the right with the American citizens in a position to say, this is what works for us and this is what doesn't. But when you do something like this.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

One or two things are going to happen.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

We either going to vote for somebody.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

We'Re convinced doesn't give a damn about.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Us.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Because we hate the other side.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

So much and what they're bringing to.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

The table, or we're going to vote for the other side, knowing it's ideologically tilted against everything we stand for. That is what is driving me crazy. I want to be able to look at an administration and I want to say, yeah, you know what?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Maybe the tariffs work, maybe they don't. I don't know.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

All right, we closed the borders, but that's because they were wide open. Affordability is being addressed. Safety in the streets of America, Police officers, et cetera.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Cool. No problem.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Nothing extreme. Okay? That makes sense to us as American citizens. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Christian, doesn't matter. It makes sense to us.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

As opposed to, yeah, I want to vote for the left, but, you know, I don't want to revisit 2021, 2022, 2023, where if I mispronounce the wrong pronoun, I could lose my job. If I sit up there, I got to be all in and supported, whether it's the LGBTQ+ community or anybody else. And every living agenda that they may have.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I gotta stand with everything everybody wants. I gotta sit up there and look at a Liam Thomas at the University of Pennsylvania who is a young man ranked 400 plus in the world, but then he decides to transition to being a woman. And he number one. And I can't say anything about it on behalf of the young ladies out there who are at a disadvantage going up against a person who was born a male, because that might not be politically correct. I don't want to live in that world. I don't want to live in that.

[Andrew Cuomo]

World.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

But I might have to vote for it rather than vote for a man who will sit by and let 42 million plus people starve just to make sure he gets his way. No wonder Zoram Hamdani is ahead of the polls in New York City.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I don't necessarily agree.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

With a socialist in our government in the United States, but he is impressive.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

He is smart, he does care, and.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

On top of it all.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

His number one message is affordability. And you just heard Governor Myers say that's gonna be what gets you elected. Affordability.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

That's what we're talking about here. I hope Mom Donnie calls in. And to be quite honest with you, at this point, the number one reason why I want him to call in is because I had Cuomo on. And I want to be fair. I don't want to be unfair to Mamdani Cuomo or anybody. I want a fair exchange of ideas. And I want people to decide who the elected officials are as opposed to a bunch of snakes on both sides of the aisle where I don't trust any of them. Back to the phones we go. Jamie, you're live with Stephen, A straight shooter. Go ahead, Jamie.

[Caller]

Stephen, two quick points. Number one, you are the man. You are nobody's whatever. You are the man. Number two, I don't think the United States people should be dependent on the government. And we should question why so many people are dependent the way they are. Because we are Americans and we will find a way. Sometimes we will find the opportunities in front of us, and sometimes we will take the government money and stick with it. And that's the problem. We gotta find ways to break up with the government.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Got you probably right. You're probably right. But the Republicans that swear up and down, they want us to do that. So somehow always got their hooks and their claws into us and forced us to capitulate and depend on them even when they swear that's not what they want. So we got to pay attention to that. Too. I appreciate the call. Just a nugget information to have for everybody right now. According to a particular article, I think it was Axios, President Trump's budget team raided three different financial accounts to make sure US Troops were paid Friday as the government shutdown continues. This was, according to Axios, the reason it matters. As long as military personnel are paid, Trump isn't planning to budge on a nearly month old shutdown, even with as many as 42 million people set to lose food stamps benefits this past Saturday. Early in the week, it was unclear whether the White House Office of Management and Budget could find roughly $5.3 billion to make the military's payroll by Friday. But two White House officials had told Axios the money was found at the last minute. So there you have it. Supposedly, purportedly the military was paid. And because the military, they found the money for the military. That's going to harden Trump's stance in making sure the shutdown continues because he knows the one thing that he couldn't fight. You couldn't be somebody on the GOP side, the conservative side, allowing military men and women not to get paid and swear you were for the military. That was the one, no, no, they couldn't stomach. And that's why they ultimately found the money. Assuming those reports are correct, by the way, 1.4 billion from a Defense Department procurement account for building U.S. navy ships, largely to fund the Navy Marines. That was one account. 1.4 billion from the Research, Development, Test and evaluation fund, which largely will cover U.S. army and Air Force payroll. That was another account. An additional 2.5 billion from a military house funding specified in Trump's big beautiful bill to continue paying housing allowances for military personnel. Those were the three accounts to go to AAA. I'm sorry. 866-967-6887 is the number to call up this 86696, POTUS. Back with your calls, some audience members as well. Assuming Zoran Mamdani doesn't call. If he does call, all bets are off. But if he doesn't call, we'll get back to the calls and questions from the audience. I'm coming at you live from the College of Business right here on the campus of Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware. You're listening live to Straight Shooting with Stephen A. Holla at your boy. One more minute.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Straight Shooter Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Smith, back at you right here, 44 minutes past the hour. We're hopeful that Democratic nominee for the mayoral seat of New York City, Zoran Mamdani, is going to be on the phone any minute. We're hopeful. I know he's trying to call in. I've been trying to get him for a long time, so I respect his time and I'm quite sure if we can't get him today, we'll get him another day. Hopefully. Anyway. Can't say definitively, but hopefully anyway. In the meantime, let's go to the phones real quick and I'm going to hold the phones to quick calls because he may be calling in. Let's go to Tracy in Colorado. You're live with Stephen A. Tracy, go ahead.

[Caller]

Hi, Stephen, thank you for everything you're doing, first of all. So here's what's irking me and this dove sales with your last taller about people being reliant on government. What about corporations like, for example, Walmart, who literally, the CFO has said this publicly. They target their pay to workers low enough so that they will qualify for snap and they'll take their Snap and they'll shop at Walmart and then they distribute shareholder profits.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I don't know. I mean, listen, listen. When you hear that a state like Delaware doesn't have $21.6 million and that, you know people are going to run out of money for food within the next few weeks, they're basically telling you people are going to be starving on Thanksgiving. Do you understand that? That's what they're telling you.

[Caller]

I 100% understand that I had SNAP benefits over the summer because I work in education. But it just irks me that literally Walmart underpays people so that they will qualify for snap.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I got you. I got you. I appreciate the call. You sound a bit muffled. I apologize. That's our fault, technically more so than yours. But I appreciate it. I hear where you're coming from. When I have more time, I'll gladly take the call and we'll discuss that further. Okay. Let's go to Sean in Missouri. You're live with Stephen A. Go ahead, Sean.

[Caller]

Hey, Steven A. First of all, thank you for what you're doing on interviewing both sides of the political side. Even though I don't necessarily support Mandani. My question is, is restricting SNAP benefits like Trump proposed a slam dunk for saving taxpayers money or a foul on the poor?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm not sure I understand your question, but what I will tell you is this. When you look at Trump and what he's doing right now, you know, optics doesn't matter to him. But in certain situations, it should matter. It certainly mattered enough for the government to do what it could to make sure that the military was compensated as of last Friday, according to the reports. So that gives you an idea that they're paying some attention to what may be politically expedient or detrimental, and they were acting accordingly. When you take that into account, yes, Governor Meyer is a Democratic governor out of the state of Delaware. But as he said, are we really, really talking about party lines when we're talking about the richest country in the world having over 42 million people on food stamps and how they're not going to be able to feed themselves? Is that a look that this country wants associated with it? What you're doing is that you're essentially saying that I'm betting money that their party is going to suffer more than my party, and as a result, they'll look bad and they'll suffer the consequences because we got a midterm election coming up next year. And my point is, all of y' all could go to hell. Because as politicians, why would you think like that? See, the most egregious part of all of this is that the politicians are on Capitol Hill still getting paid. How are you getting paid when federal workers literally are not getting paid, but they have to show up to work? You're not showing up to work. You don't have to. And you're getting paid, but they have to show up to work, and they're not getting paid. See, I am not an advocate of violence.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

I don't believe in it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I don't condone it. I don't support it.

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

But it's moments like this where you understand where it comes from. Who wouldn't want to do something to a politician right now, considering what's going on? Who would want to see a politician.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Walking around with a smile on their face?

[Stephen A. Smith - Co-host/Commentator]

Who would want to see a politician laughing? Who would want to see a politician pretending like they're going about their everyday business when you got federal employees that not only are not getting paid, they. It's mandated. They have to show up to work. You have to show up to work to not get paid, or you will get fired. But I'm an elected official that the people sent to office.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Come on. Ladies and gentlemen, the Democratic nominee for the mayoral seat of New York City, Mrs. Zoran Mamdani, is on the line with me right now. Good evening, sir. How are you?

[Zoran Mamdani]

I'm doing well. I'm doing well. How are you?

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

I'm doing all right. I'm glad you are finally on. I wanted to know. I just had Andrew Cuomo on this show.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Your.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Your competitor in this race for the mayor's seat for New York City. Um, I wanted to.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I'm sorry for that.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Okay, you're sorry for that. I know you've heard a lot about what he's had to say. What's your response to him saying that you're a novice, you haven't had a job, you're not qualified to be the mayor of New York City. How do you respond to that, sir?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Well, Stephen, before I respond to it, I first just want to say that I'm looking forward to actually coming to see you in person. And that's a commitment I want to make here on this show, because that's something I intend to honor. But I had to call in tonight in advance of actually making that happen, because what we heard from Andrew Cuomo was not leadership, it was him spending 20 minutes talking about me because he has no vision left to actually offer New Yorkers. I am running with a clear plan to tackle the issue that New Yorkers are most concerned about. Cost of living. A plan that will freeze the rent for more than 2 million rent, stabilize tenants, make the slowest buses in the country fast and free, and deliver universal childcare. And when I go and I knock on New Yorkers doors, when I speak to them on their street corners or as they're about to get on the subway, I hear them talk again and again and again that the thing that they are most worried about is being able to afford the most expensive city in the United States of America. And all we just heard on your show was as if all these New Yorkers are concerned about me. They're concerned about themselves, their ability to stay here. They deserve a mayor who actually cares about that.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Well, one of the things that, you know, the former governor now running for the mayor's seat of New York City, he's saying that he's the real Democrat, Obviously, you're a socialist running as a Democrat. And he basically is talking about there are things that you're swearing will get done that the mayor doesn't have the power to do. So, Zoram Dani, what would you have the power to do if you were the mayor of New York City? Just so we're clear about that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

So, Stephen, the first thing I'll have the power to do is to defeat Andrew Cuomo in six days to be the next mayor of this city? And I want to first go through this stuff about being a Democrat, and then I'm going to get to the question of the agenda.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Yes, sir.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know Andrew Cuomo more and More sounds like Donald Trump now. If he wanted to be the Republican nominee for mayor, he should have run in the Republican primary. If he wanted to be the Democratic nominee for mayor, he should have won the Democratic primary. Instead, he did neither. And now he is the candidate for Trump backing billionaires who are trying to dictate to both parties what politics should be in this city. The things that I have spoken about. Let's go through the top three. The first is to freeze the rent. About two and a half million New Yorkers live in a city of eight and a half million people. They live in rent stabilized housing. The mayor has a board called the Rent Guidelines Board. The mayor appoints all nine members of the board and that board either decides to raise the rent or freeze the rent. The previous mayor, they froze the rent three times. This mayor, they raised it more than 12%. I've said I would use that board to actually provide the relief to New Yorkers that the statistics show they deserve. That would mean freezing the rent for four years for more than 2 million people. The second piece, I've talked about making buses fast and free. My track record is as an assembly member, I represent more than 100,000 people in Western Queens and I won the first free buses in New York City history. We made one bus route free in every single borough. I've seen how it can be done. And it would be so much easier to do if you actually had a mayor of New York City who made it their job to get it actually happening in Albany. That would be a heart of my Albany agenda. And then universal child care. This is something that would be done in partnership with Albany to deliver that for New Yorkers. And Governor Cuomo might say, oh, you can't get that kind of stuff done in Albany. And that's because when he was in Albany, this is exactly the kind of stuff that he didn't get done. It was the mayor of New York City who at the time, Bill de Blasio, who said campaigned on a promise of universal pre k which is today a reality. And he made it happen because he built the political coalition necessary to raise the funding to be able to actually implement this. That's the example of what we have of everything that I'm speaking about. The problem is for Andrew Cuomo to deliver these kinds of things for working people would mean to take on his billionaire donors. He would rather have you believe that it's impossible to deliver than actually question why he doesn't want to take those very people on.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

We're talking to Zoram Mamdani, Democratic mayoral candidate for New York City. Right here with Stephen A. On Straight Shooter With Stephen A. What about safety in the streets? I want to know what kind of priority that is for you. And. And I want you to address the notion that whereas Andrew Cuomo is talking about 5,000 additional cops on the streets of New York and in our subways, you're talking about, you know, mental health experts or mental health workers in the subways as well. I want you to clarify your position on that and talk about why New York would be safer under your stewardship.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I really appreciate the opportunity because safety is the prerequisite for an affordability agenda. We have to ensure that New York is safe across the five boroughs. And what I've said is that I believe we have the right amount of police officers. I believe we need to actually make it easier for them to be doing police work today. The NYPD receives 200,000 911 calls a year that have to do with the mental health crisis. In 2020, they had a response time of less than 11 minutes. Today, that response time is closer to 16 minutes. Part of that is because of everything else that they have to do now, dealing with the mental health crisis, dealing with the homelessness crisis. So what I've said is that we would actually have a new vision of how to deliver this public safety to allow officers to focus on serious crimes and to develop a Department of Community Safety that would have mental health outreach workers who would be deployed to the hundred subway stations with the highest levels of the mental health crisis workers who would actually be tasked with responding to homeless New Yorkers, connecting them with services. Because this is the thing, Steven, we have a lot of different issues in our politics. A lot of times it comes down to money that you want to spend or don't want to spend. But sometimes it also comes down to a question of if you actually want to achieve something. We've got about 4,200, 4,300 New Yorkers who are homeless sleeping between our subway platforms, our parks, our streets. We have almost the same number of vacant supportive housing units in New York City that were built for the purpose of housing individuals just like these. And the government can't get its act together to actually match the people with the services that are supposed to be delivered to them. That's exactly the kind of work that I would get after. And you know, Governor Cuomo, I was there on the debate stage with him. He said that the city has been getting screwed by the state. And I looked at him I said, you got to be kidding me. You were running the state. Who do you think was doing the screwing? It was you. This is a guy who cut funding for homelessness when he had the power to keep it the same. How would he be the one to deliver us? And that's. I think the issue here is that. Oh, please, please. I don't want to. I don't want to cut off your question.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Don't worry. Don't worry about it. We're just running out of time. And I know you got to go. And I appreciate you calling in. The show's about to end. But I'd be remiss in neglecting to ask the this one question because I only got about a minute left in the end. In the city of New York, it usually helps that you have the support of the Jewish community. Obviously, in the case of Andrew Cuomo, he believes he has that because of his associate and his support of Israel. Some would say that is not the case with you. How do you answer that? Real quickly, and please know that you'll be invited to come back on anytime you want. Just know that. But go ahead.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Let me tell you, I cannot wait for that moment to actually come back. And I have to say that, you know, seeing you right before the view almost threw me off my game. But I'm excited to even have the chance of speaking in person and speaking on the phone right now. Look, I am looking forward to being the mayor for all New Yorkers. To being the mayor for Jewish New Yorkers across the five boroughs. I'm proud of the support that we have from so many Jewish New Yorkers. And I'm also looking to represent every single person that calls this city home. And I've made it very clear that my job is not just to protect Jewish New Yorkers. It's not just to root out anti Semitism across the five boroughs. It's also to actually celebrate and cherish those New Yorkers. And what I found is in a moment when so many across the city are looking for a vision of how we could all belong together in the same place, what they're finding is a closing message from Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Lewa is that of division. This is a man who went on a radio show and as the host said that I would cheer another 9 11, Andrew Cuomo laughed and agreed. This is a man who made an AI video of black men in keffiyeh shoplifting as if they were my supporters. This is who that governor is.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Mr. Mundani, we've got to get ready to run because the show is about to end. You called in just a few minutes ago. I want you to know you're invited back on for a lengthier interview to touch on any issues that you would like. Obviously, New Yorkers and beyond would love to hear from you. I thank you for calling into the show at this late notice and taking time out of your busy schedule. I really appreciate it. And I look forward to meeting you and talking to you again and having you on the show. You take care of yourself, all right?

[Zoran Mamdani]

I really appreciate that. And whenever you need a fact check like we just did, just give me a call.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Thank you so much. The one and only Zoran. Mom, Donnie. The Democratic nominee for the mayoral seat of New York City, right here with Straight Shooter with Stephen A. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith. Wanted to thank. Want to thank Mamdani for calling in at the last minute. Want to thank Andrew Cuomo for getting us time out of his busy schedule. Want to thank Mayor Governor Meyer for the state of Delaware for coming on the show as well to talk about the whole SNAP program thing going on. There's a lot of stuff to get into. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be back in a few days. Lots to get into. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Appreciate y' all time. Appreciate your time. Appreciate y' all giving me y' all time. And we got a lot to get into. This is just the beginning, y'.

[Andrew Cuomo]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith - Host]

Things about to heat up. And you know I like heat. I like heat. Until next time, everybody. Peace of love.