Full Show: Stephen A. isn’t holding back! House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Super Bowl Champs and White House visit? Superstar WR drama on social media.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show – Detailed Summary

Release Date: February 24, 2025

NBA Insights: Lakers, Warriors, and Knicks

Stephen A. Smith kicks off the episode with an in-depth analysis of recent NBA developments, focusing on the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks.

Lakers’ Resurgence and LeBron James’ Impact The Lakers snapped a nine-game losing streak by defeating the Denver Nuggets 123-100, marking their first win in Denver since April 2022. Luka Doncic had a standout performance, scoring 32 points, signaling his significant contribution to the team's offense. Stephen praises LeBron James, highlighting his exceptional performance at age 40 during his 22nd NBA season.

“Michael Jordan is my goat, but I will openly confess, with the kind of stuff that you're seeing from LeBron James... he is phenomenal.” [02:06]

Smith emphasizes that the Lakers are becoming a formidable contender in the championship race, especially with their improved defensive strategies and the effective partnership between Doncic and James.

Warriors’ Strategic Acquisition of Jimmy Butler Transitioning to the Golden State Warriors, Smith discusses their acquisition of Jimmy Butler before the trading deadline. Since joining, Butler has helped the Warriors achieve a 5-1 record, including a decisive 126-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Butler’s ability to draw free throws provides crucial breaks for Stephen Curry, allowing him to maintain his high level of play without excessive fatigue.

“Jimmy Butler's in a situation where he's getting his looks as the secondary offensive option... because he's getting to the free throw line... that's the kind of break that Steph Curry needs.” [12:36]

Smith asserts that this strategic move makes the Warriors a serious championship contender, bolstering their offensive depth and maintaining Curry’s endurance throughout the season.

Knicks’ Struggles and Playoff Prospects In contrast, Smith expresses skepticism about the New York Knicks' chances in the playoffs despite being the third-best team in the Eastern Conference. The recent loss to the Boston Celtics, with a final score of 118-105, underscores the team's defensive shortcomings and inconsistent performance.

“The New York Knicks are the third best team in the Eastern Conference and they don't have a chance of making a deep run in the playoffs.” [29:49]

Smith criticizes Karl-Anthony Towns’ shooting mechanics and the overall defensive strategy under coach Tibby Smith, suggesting that without significant improvements, the Knicks are unlikely to advance far in the postseason.

Political Discourse: Interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

A substantial portion of the episode features an engaging interview with Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The conversation delves into the current political climate, focusing on the challenges faced by the Democratic Party amidst ongoing tensions with the Trump administration.

Critique of Trump’s Administration Jeffries criticizes President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders, labeling them as "unlawful or unconstitutional" and describing Trump's approach as a "chaos agent" intent on disrupting the nation’s stability.

“We've seen more than 40 or so different executive orders that have been issued as it relates to things that are clearly either unlawful or unconstitutional, designed to be disruptive.” [27:24]

He highlights the detrimental impact of these actions on federal employees and national security, particularly pointing out Trump's unfavorable stance towards allies like Ukraine and Russia.

Democratic Party’s Response and Bipartisanship Jeffries outlines the Democratic Party’s initiatives to address the high cost of living, including efforts to lower housing, childcare, and utility costs. He underscores the party's commitment to bipartisan legislation, citing achievements like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Chips and Science Act.

“We have to convince the American people that we're all in on improving their lives.” [37:36]

Despite acknowledging the mixed polling results, Jeffries remains optimistic about the Democratic Party’s ability to resonate with voters by focusing on practical solutions to everyday problems.

Challenges Within the Democratic Party Smith probes into internal challenges, questioning how the Democratic Party plans to unify and present a coherent front against Trump’s influence. Jeffries discusses the necessity of maintaining a broad coalition and emphasizes the importance of leadership in navigating these turbulent times.

“We're a coalition. We're a big tent party that, of course, has its challenges because you got a lot of voices, a lot of enthusiasms within the Democratic tent... represents the gorgeous mosaic of America.” [56:40]

Social Issues and Controversies: Steve Smith Sr. Affair and Eagles’ White House Visit

Steve Smith Sr. Affair Accusation Stephen addresses recent allegations against former NFL player Steve Smith Sr., who was accused of having an affair with a member of the Baltimore Ravens marching band. Smith condemns the public confrontation and highlights the importance of respecting personal privacy.

“My comment is about the husband. What the hell you calling him for?... It's none of anybody's business, sir, respectfully.” [59:06]

He cautions against the negative impact of airing personal disputes on social media, advocating for handling such matters privately and respectfully.

Philadelphia Eagles Declining White House Visit The discussion shifts to the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to decline a White House visit following their Super Bowl victory. Smith references Megyn Kelly’s critical reaction on social media, questioning the Eagles' motives and the lack of an official invitation from the White House.

“If any team was justified in saying, nah, we'll pass on the White House to see Trump, it would be the Philadelphia Eagles.” [60:04]

Smith speculates that the Eagles' decision may stem from tensions with former President Trump, highlighting the unusual nature of their snub since it deviates from the typical tradition of celebrating Super Bowl champions at the White House.

Closing Thoughts: Leadership and Future Prospects

In his concluding remarks, Stephen reflects on the interview with Hakeem Jeffries, praising his insights while expressing concerns about the Democratic Party’s leadership and unity. He urges the party to focus on substantive issues rather than partisan rhetoric to effectively connect with voters.

“The Democratic Party looks a bit discombobulated. Yes. You want to get On Trump, you want to point out Elon Musk and what he's doing with Doge... What you're going to have to do is show is illustrate in very, very conspicuous fashion the flaws in his plans for America.” [65:01]

Smith also touches on cultural topics, such as the launch of a new black-led soap opera, celebrating diversity in mainstream media and highlighting his connections within the entertainment industry.

Notable Quotes:

• LeBron James’ Impact:

  “Michael Jordan is my goat, but I will openly confess, with the kind of stuff that you're seeing from LeBron James... he is phenomenal.” [02:06]

• Warriors’ Strategy with Jimmy Butler:

  “Jimmy Butler's in a situation where he's getting his looks as the secondary offensive option... because he's getting to the free throw line... that's the kind of break that Steph Curry needs.” [12:36]

• Knicks’ Playoff Chances:

  “The New York Knicks are the third best team in the Eastern Conference and they don't have a chance of making a deep run in the playoffs.” [29:49]

• Jeffries on Executive Orders:

  “We've seen more than 40 or so different executive orders that have been issued as it relates to things that are clearly either unlawful or unconstitutional, designed to be disruptive.” [27:24]

• Democratic Party’s Commitment:

  “We have to convince the American people that we're all in on improving their lives.” [37:36]

• Eagles’ White House Decline:

  “If any team was justified in saying, nah, we'll pass on the White House to see Trump, it would be the Philadelphia Eagles.” [60:04]

Conclusion

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show masterfully blends comprehensive sports analysis with significant political discourse, offering listeners a well-rounded perspective on current events. Smith’s engaging conversation with Hakeem Jeffries provides valuable insights into the Democratic Party’s strategies and challenges, while his candid sports commentary keeps fans informed and entertained. Additionally, Smith’s commentary on social controversies and cultural topics demonstrates his versatility as a host, making this episode both informative and dynamic for a diverse audience.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What's up everybody? Stephen A. Smith here. Recently we made news because the great Bill O'Reilly announced a tour that's coming nearest you in the very, very near future. Get your tickets now for this. It's called Three Americans Live March 30th at Live Nation's Flagstar at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Don't miss the very first show as myself, Chris Cuomo and yes, that man Bill O'Reilly, take our different ideas, our different backgrounds, our different beliefs across the country to demonstrate that respectful, meaningful and even fun conversation. Those are the things that make America as great as it should be. The show will be spirited, unscripted, and all three of us will let it fly as we discuss the topics everyone is thinking about these days. There will also be questions from the audience. We're not running. Tickets are officially on sale now with Pre sale code [e-mail] VIP packages are available with the opportunity to meet and take photos with myself and both those fellas. That's three Americans live March 30th at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Additional dates and cities to be announced. Don't miss it. Trust me, you'll get a kick out of it. There was some big time basketball this weekend. It's a big time basketball this weekend. I'm getting excited. You know why? Because I'm sensing I might not end up in some boring ass city for the NBA Finals. Not but what I saw this weekend. Not but what I saw. That's one of the things I got to get into. Plus I'm gonna get into a little politics because I got the House Minority Leader in the House coming on the show. Obviously the Eagles are another matter. They didn't even want to go to the White House. But that ain't nearly as crazy as the stuff that I got to tell you about wives cheating on their husbands and what the potential fallout can be. Wait until you see what I'm talking about. This is the Stephen A. Smith show in the house where anything's possible. What's up everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you over to Digital Airways of YouTube and of course iHeartRadio, as I love to do it the very least three times a week. Thanks again to all my subscribers and followers. We've now eclipsed about 1.1 million. Can't thank y'all for the love and support. Enough. Keep it coming because you know I'm going to keep on coming. And of course, the millions of downloads we received over the last few months, courtesy of iheartradio. Gotta show love to my partners. That's what it's all about. To continue to like and follow the Stephen A. Smith show, just click the bell for all of our newest content and you too shall consider yourself the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And while you're doing that, please make sure to pick up a copy of my New York Times best selling book, Straight Shooter, A memoir of second chances and first takes, now in paperback. Just just go to straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Once again, that's straightshooter book.com to get yourself a copy. I got a lot of stuff to get into today, as I alluded to in the cold open, so let's get right to it. We're going to get started with the National Basketball association or as they say, the association where I want to talk about a few teams that made moves before the trading deadline and their chances of making a deep run in the playoffs. We'll start with the Lakers, who snapped a nine game losing streak to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, beating them 123 to 100. Luka Doncic dropped 32 points on the Nuggets home floor, putting up his best game by far as a Laker. And on top of that, Los Angeles never trailed winning in Denver for the first time Since April of 2022, case you forgot, the Lakers had lost 13 of their previous 14 games against the Nuggets. So let's not forget that. There's two things that I'm noticing. Number one, LeBron James. Listen, Michael Jordan is my goat, but I will openly confess, with the kind of stuff that you're seeing from LeBron James at age 40, his 22nd season in the National Basketball association, the brother's just phenomenal, okay? You got to give it up where it's due. And considering how he looks, his physical prowess, the speed, the athleticism, the agility and everything that comes with it, there's no denying his greatness and what he brings to the table. And that's the reason why I can say what I'm about to say, and that is that the Lakers are not a team to ignore in this championship equation. Because now that they got Luka Doncic, we assumed that they were going to be potent offensively. We assumed that ultimately Luka would get loose. We assumed that with those things going on, that the Lakers would win more than they lost because of what they're doing offensively. Here's what we didn't assume. We didn't assume that they would elevate defensively. We thought they were undersized with their front line. And you see whether it's Hachimura, whether it's Austin Reaves, whether it's Dorian, Finney, Smith or anybody else, they've got size on the wing, so they got enough big bodies to front opposing big bodies, okay? Or to at least create some kind of impediment, along with the speed and athleticism and agility to get out, to defend against perimeter and three point shooters as quickly as possible. It's made them one of the top defenses in the game over the last 10 games. And that's the team that showed up against Denver on Saturday night. If that team shows up for the rest of this regular season into the playoffs, the Lakers are going to be a top four seed in the West. They're going to have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They're going to have a shot to advance to the conference finals. Dare I say, ladies and gentlemen, we got to pay attention to Los Angeles Lakers because with the ball being in Lucas hands, as it was Saturday night in Denver, LeBron James was freeing the Rome free him to cut free, to cut free, to roam free, to do a lot of different things that his athleticism and his superior talents would allow. He can be off the ball and do major, major damage. And Luka is better with the ball in his hands because we know he ain't cutting to the basket. We know he's not going to have a lot of moving without the basketball. So if they found that formula, and that's something that LeBron James is willing to embrace like he did Saturday night, ladies and gentlemen, the Lakers are officially a problem. A problem. Which brings me to the other team that I didn't think was going to be a problem at all. And you know who that is? That's the Golden State Warriors. What the hell am I talking about? You'll find out after this word from our sponsors. Okay, folks, I need you all to stop what you're doing and listen up. You know I love this time of year, right? The NBA season is in full swing. And with all this action going on, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all. That's why we've partnered with prize picks. The best place to win cash was while watching sports. The app is easy to use. Just pick more or less on a few player stats and you could win up to a thousand times your cash on a single lineup. Best of all, prize picks will give you $50 when you play your first $5 lineup. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks for playing. Use promo code SAS to download the app now. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup prospects. Yo, run your game today. I'll give you my picks for tonight's matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Sacramento Kings. So let's get right to it. First up, will the Charlotte Hornets Lamelo ball score more or less than 24 and a half points? The brother's got the ball in his hands. He's a point guard that's looking to shoot. He's got free reign. The Charlotte Hornets ain't winning much. He's the only entertainment they got. Even though Bridges can ball and all of this other stuff, I'm going to go with more on this because we're talking about lamelo ball. Next up with the Charlotte Hornets, Miles Bridges score more or less than 23 and a half points. This brother can play. He's not a scrub. Okay. You kind of wonder when they gonna get things going in the right direction. I mean, they lose three times more than they win. We get that part. But they got brothers that can put the ball in the hole. Specifically two of them. This is the other brother, Miles Bridges right there. I'm gonna go with more on this one as well. Next up, we well, the Sacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan scored more or less than 2111 half points. He's Mr. Mid Range himself. We keep forgetting that this brother is an all star caliber player. He's a professional scorer, not a big time three point shooter, but he gets to the hole, gets to the free throw line, can put the ball on the court, can create his own shot, can play with his back to the basket, play facing the basket. He could score 21 and a half points against anybody, especially the Charlotte Hornets. We're going with more on this one as well. Finally, will Sacramento Kings the Montes Sabonis score more or less than 18 and a half? I'm going to go with more as well, primarily because he's playing against the Hornets. It's really that simple. There's no intrigue here. It's the Kings versus the Hornets. By the way, there's urgency. The Kings are trying to make the postseason. We'll see what they do. They got to win games like this, okay? They can't be like the Lakers the other day, losing to the Hornets even though they came back and beat the knuckles. But that's a different story for another day. That's what you got when you're talking about prospects. You see it LaMelo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Miles Bridges, Demonte Sabonis. More, more, more, more. We like that on prospects because when we're talking about more, we mean more money in your pocket.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one Mission. Save our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jamie Petras]

September 1979. Virginia's top prison band, Edge of Daybreak, is about to record their debut album Behind Bars in just five hours.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, we're rolling. One, two, three, four.

[Jamie Petras]

I'm Jamie Petras, music and culture writer for the past five years, I've been talking to the band's three surviving members. They're out of prison now and in their 70s, their past behind them. But they also have some unfinished business.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The end of Daybreak, Eyes of Love was supposed to have been followed up by another album.

[Jamie Petras]

It's a story about the liberating power of music, the American justice system, and ultimately, second chances. Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome back. Now let's get to the Golden State warriors, who acquired Jimmy Butler before the trading deadline. The warriors beat the Dallas mavericks last night 126 to 102, and are now 5 and 1 since. Traded for Jimmy Butler. By the way, Butler made his home debut in that game, scoring 18 points. He continues to make a difference for the warriors with his ability to get to the free throw line. Butler was 8 for 8 from the line and has attempted 55 foul shots through his first six games with the Golden State Warriors. See, that's a key element right there. Because listen, y'all, think about this. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter God ever created. He can dance on you and create his own shot off the dribble and launch from 30, 40ft with ease. This is who we're talking about, the great Steph Curry. Having said all of that, it's very, very important to point this out. One of the greatest attributes he has is his conditioning. You've had people that have had to go to the hospital after games just to get some oxygen because of having to defend, defend against this brother because he's got them running around all day, every day. Here's the difference. He is approaching 37 years of age. He's not the youngest spring chicken anymore. And so when you take that into consideration, you have to understand that you need to give him a break any chance you get. Well, guess what? Sometimes that means going out and getting another body and getting the other body that could sub for him so you could bring him on a bench and give him some rest. Well, guess what? The Golden State warriors did they one up that because by getting somebody like Jimmy Butler and making him the second most used offensive player, his usage rate is at 23% compared to Steph Curry's usage rate, which is at 29%. Because it's like that. Jimmy Butler's in a situation where he's getting his looks as the secondary offensive option, but he gets to the free throw line. And so you talk about 60 to 90 seconds, it may take you to finish your free throws if you're Jimmy Butler. And when that happens, that's exactly the kind of break that Steph Curry needs to stay in a game without coming out of the game, which means that the warriors are able to utilize him even more so as a threat. That's what Jimmy Butler does for them. That's one of the reasons they're 5 and 1. That's one of the reasons you have to look at them with the other teams in the Western Conference. Maybe not okc, maybe not Denver because of Jokic, but you got la. Yeah. You got the Clippers. Yeah. You got Dallas. When Dallas comes back with Anthony Davis healthy and Daniel Gafford healthy, look out for Dallas. Let's not forget them. But if you're Memphis, if you're Houston, if you're Phoenix, Sacramento, stuff like that, it can get interesting. It can get interesting. It's going to be real interesting to see what Golden State is going to do. Especially since Draymond Green said we are going to win the NBA championship. Everybody's gonna hold him to that. At the very least, all he has to do is make it interesting. Make sure they don't get bounced out in the play in or the first round. Golden State Worth a look Somebody I thought was worth a look may not necessarily be so. It might not even get as far as they got last year. Take a guess who the hell I'm talking about. I'll tell you who that is after another word from our sponsors. All right everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of it all. That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks. The best place to win cash while watching sports. The app is really easy to use to make a lineup. All you have to do is pick more or less on a few player stats. Choose from any of your favorite players. Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler and Zach Lavine all in the same entry. Then sit back and watch. The list is absolutely endless. You can play Prize picks in over 40 states, including California and Texas. Best of all, Prize Picks will give you $50 when you play your first five dollar lineup. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks. Just use promo code SAS and download Prize Picks right now. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks run your game. Welcome back. Unfortunately, I gotta talk about my New York Knicks who lost yesterday to the Boston Celtics. Final score was 118 to 105. Look, y'all, this team doesn't have a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs. Yes. The New York Knicks are the third best team in the Eastern Conference and they don't have a chance of, or should I say they're not gonna be Boston or Cleveland. Okay, I'm gonna admit it. They're just not gonna do it. Cleveland kicked their ass Friday night. It's pretty damn bad. I mean, they bust their living ass. Just romped them. And that was without. I mean, I'm just looking at them. Donovan Mitchell just doing what he wants to do. And they picked up DeAndre Hunter and they still got Mobley. And Mobley and Allen are so formidable defensively. And then you could take Hunter and put him out on the wing. They still got Max Struse. They're going to have Darius Garland, who was out over the weekend. I'm just saying. Here's the interesting thing to say about the New York Knicks. The New York Knicks, from a talent perspective, is better than what they were last year. They don't have the same grit, they don't have the same dog in them. They don't have that. Karl Anthony Towns is the best shooter shooting big man in basketball without question. I hate seeing the brother put the ball on the floor because his knees are high and every time he jumps, he comes down and it's awkward. And then all of a sudden you see those knees hurting. I just don't trust it. He needs to be in the post with his back to the basket or away from the basket, catching and shooting. He does not need to be putting the ball on the floor because he's 6 11, he's putting the ball on the floor. All of those legs being exposed and he's gonna get. They're gonna low bridge him, they're gonna cut up under him. He's gonna get hurt. And we don't need that problem. Somebody, I don't know if he wants me to tell y'all this. He's a superstar. He's a very famous person in America, in Hollywood. And I won't tell you who he is, but I want to say he hurt my feelings. And when I tell you what he said, he knows who he is. When I repeat it because he knows what the hell he said to me this morning, it really hurt my feelings. It really made me want to question our friendship, considering the fact that he knows how much of a die hard Knicks fan I am. And he would say something like this to me because it really hurt me. It hurt my heart. You know what he said when a New York Knicks traded Julius Randle and Dante DiVincenzo, even though they ain't doing so great with that trade either, My friend said to me, the New York Knicks traded two dogs for a cat. That shit hurt. Because Karl Anthony Towns is a bad brother. He can play and I'm happy to have him as a New York Knick. But when I see the personality transplant, the grit that was there last year, that there's no longer there. See the New York Knicks last year don't get blown out like they did this weekend. Them brothers were scrappy. Knicks are talented. And you know how you know that's true? When did we ever think we would see a Tom Thibodeau team have one of the worst defenses in basketball and the absolute worst against the three point shot? When did we ever believe we would see that? I'm just asking a legitimate question. There's no way around it. We have to. We have to pay attention to that. Okay? We just do. Coming up, he's a native New Yorker, a Knicks fan, and he happens to be the housemate Minority Leader of the United States of America. So what is the Democratic agenda going forward as Donald Trump tries to shrink the size of the federal government? I'm talking to the one and only Hakeem Jeffries. He's here next with George Truman. Back with more in a minute. This message is brought to you by Cologuard, a non invasive colon cancer screening test. So I want to talk about colon cancer screening for a second here. I know you might hear that and instantly feel a bunch of dread. You're thinking stuff like drinking all of that prep liquid, having an invasive procedure, missing work, no thanks. But hold on a second because there's another option that allows you to skip all that drama. The Cologuard test. It's a one of a kind way to feel more in control of your colon cancer screening through a prescription based test test with none of the prep that's required of a colonoscopy. The Cologuard test is the only FDA approved non invasive option that looks for both altered DNA and blood in your stool which can indicate the presence of abnormal cells. This test offers convenience and ease of use and it's delivered right to your door. It's also affordable. Most Insured patients pay $0 at this point. Come on, don't let your health take a backseat. You're out of excuses. So if you're 45 or older and at average risk Ask your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with the Cologuard test. You can also request the Cologuard prescription [e-mail] podcast. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer. Do not use a Cologuard test if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes or personal offensive family history of colorectal cancer. The Cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopies in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur. Cologuard is available by prescription only.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tamika Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One Podcast, One Mission Save Our Girls Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jamie Petras]

September 1979 Virginia's top prison band, Edge of Daybre, is about to record their debut album Behind Bars in just five hours.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, we're rolling. One, two, three, four.

[Jamie Petras]

I'm Jamie Petras, music and culture writer. For the past five years, I've been talking to the band's three surviving members. They're out of prison now and in their 70s, their past behind them. But they also have some unfinished business.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The End of Daybreak Eyes of Love was supposed to have been followed up by another album.

[Jamie Petras]

It's a story about the liberating power of music, the American justice system, and ultimately, second chances. Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. My guest represents the 8th congressional district of the great state of New York and is serving his seventh term in the United States Congress. I'm honored he's taken time out of his very busy schedule to come on this show. Please welcome Democratic House minority leader, the one and only Hakeem Jeffries. Good afternoon, sir. How are you? How's everything?

[Nate Thompson]

Good afternoon. Great to be with you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen, first of all, I'm in a bad mood. I'll tell you why. We'll get to it later. My Knicks, I had to watch them this weekend. I'm very upset about that. The Yankees, they're having press conferences over facial hair. I'm very upset about that. There's a lot about New York sports that's getting on my nerves right now. We'll get to all of that stuff later because I know that's something that you want to talk about as well, and I'm looking forward to talking to you about it. But the first question for me, obviously, with, you know, with so much going on in the nation's capital right now, how do you feel about where things are spread, specifically, overall and just as important with the Democratic Party at this moment in time?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, this is a tough moment for the country. What we've seen over the last several weeks is a flood of extremism unleashed on the country coming out of the White House and from the Trump administration. In many ways, the parade of horribles is really designed to try to disorient and discourage and depress people. And we're going to have to show a level of resilience to get the country through this very tough moment. That's exactly what we, as House Democrats partnering with Senate Democrats, partnering with governors and attorney generals all across the country, need to do. The American people want us to solve problems on their behalf, particularly the core challenge of unaffordability in the United States of America. The cost of living is too high. The American people clearly in November indicated that they want us to do something about it. We're prepared as House Democrats to address that issue to lower housing costs, lower childcare costs, lower grocery costs, lower insurance costs, and lower utility costs. Unfortunately, President Trump has been more of a chaos agent over the last few weeks and not shown any interest whatsoever in dealing with the unaffordability that many everyday Americans are confronting all across the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

When you call him a chaos agent, be specific about what you think he is doing that's creating chaos. I want to know from one of the leading voices in the Democratic Party, when you utter the word chaos, be specific about exactly what you believe he's doing to cause chaos.

[Nate Thompson]

Well, we've seen more than 40 or so different executive orders that have been issued as it relates to things that are clearly either unlawful or unconstitutional, designed to be disruptive. You have hardworking federal employees who are being targeted in ways that is creating a lot of trauma for them, their children, and for their families. We've seen statements made by President Trump related to President Zelensky, who's not a dictator. He's actually a champion for democracy, for freedom, and for truth. And instead, you see the Trump administration playing footsie with Vladimir Putin and Russia. They're sworn enemies of the United States of America. That is actually not helpful to our national security. It's chaotic. And what we've seen in connection with all of these unlawful and unconstitutional executive orders is lawsuit after lawsuit filed, actually more than 75 at this particular point in time, against these unlawful and unconstitutional executive orders. And the courts are siding with America and the Constitution over and over and over again, not the Trump administration. So instead of advancing legislation designed to actually solve problems, I think it's fair to say what we've seen is chaos being unleashed on the American people.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What about those out there who would say the Democrats have contributed to the chaos? Because you had President Joe Biden in office over the previous four years with Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, as his vp. Obviously, there were things that were going on over the last four years. When we talk about inflation, when we talk about the borders and how open borders obviously was something that was. Was problematic for this nation. So many of those things contributed to the demise, or dare I say, the chaos that you're alluding to now. People would look in the face of the Democratic Party and say, what about you guys? You guys had everything to do with this. How do you answer that?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, certainly, I think Joe Biden and his administration was anything but chaotic. They dealt with a lot of different challenges that he had to confront upon taking office. In fact, if you look back on it, In January of 2021, President Biden inherited both a public health crisis around COVID 19, an economic crisis connected to the shutdown of the economy, a democracy crisis related to the violent attack on the Capitol that had occurred on January 6, and then shortly thereafter, an international crisis related to Russia's unprecedented, brutal attack on the people of Ukraine. So he was trying to manage a lot, doing the best job that he could over that particular period of time. Now, it is certainly the case that there are issues that the American people are asking us to decisively tackle that we need to figure out a way to do common ground, where possible, around driving down the high cost of living. And as you mentioned, Stephen, a as it relates to the border. Look, we have to secure the border, period, full stop. We have a broken immigration system, and it needs to be fixed. And we should do it in a bipartisan, in a comprehensive way, so there's some permanence to the resolution. But at the same period of time, we have to protect dreamers, protect farm workers and protect families, people who are contributing to the American way of life in community after community after community. And lastly, I'd say that we can all agree that we have to keep our communities safe. And certainly some of the actions that we've seen. You referenced my concern with the chaos. It's chaotic. To pardon more than 1500 violent criminals, many of whom attacked police officers on January 6 and brutally beat them and then unleashed those folks into the community to go back home and at least threaten some with harm. That's problematic. That doesn't make America safer. It actually undermines public safety.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So many Republicans, and I'm sure you've seen me on a political circuit talking a little bit, let me state right here with you on the record, I am no politician. I have no desire to be a politician. I'm not on the level of Hakeem Jeffries. I'm not on the level of Josh Shapiro, who I've interviewed. I'm not on the level of a Westmore. It'll be a snowball's chance in hell that I ever get to that point, for crying out loud. I've actually called it pathetic that I'm a candidate in people's eyes for the presidency because I'm not qualified. But I feel the frustration of the American people when they're talking about the state of affairs that exist in this country and the role both parties have played in it. So I would ask you right now, speaking specifically about the Democratic Party, how do you feel about where the Democratic Party is right now in the eyes of the American people? Particularly when the latest polls, I think, as Quinnipiac poll, showed that congressional favor in terms of representatives in Congress from the Democratic Party, it's like a 20% if I remember correctly. The Republicans are at 40%, for crying out loud. You guys are at 20%. How concerned are you about the Democratic Party? How are you feeling about where the Democratic Party is right now in the eyes of the American people?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, first of all, when it comes to the presidential aspirations that are being ascribed to you, certainly you do want to Ight in the polls, and that's a testament to how you keep it real and connect with the American people. That said, in terms of where the congressional Democrats are at. Listen, polls are all over the place. You're correct in what you just mentioned as it relates to one particular poll. There was a Washington Post poll that just came out earlier today and it asked the American people, who would you prefer is in charge in the next Congress? House Democrats to serve as a check and balance on Donald Trump or House Republicans who you know are going to continue to just go along to get along. And by 13 points, the American people said House Democrats, I think it was 54 to 41. We clearly have work to do. But I also think that the American people are increasingly starting to recognize that in this country that we have, you need common sense public servants who are willing to try to solve problems to make life better for hard working American families. And that's our commitment. And we're gonna have to do a better job of convincing the American people that that is what drives us to make life better for every American in every single community in every corner of the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, what's the impediment to the Democratic Party doing a better job? Let's speak specifically about that because you're the House Minority Leader, you're one of the top two Democrats in the country. And I'm looking at the party and I'm seeing these protests for DEI and other things. And I got to tell you something right now. I didn't have an issue with the protests. I had an issue with the behavior that I saw during the protest. People screaming, screaming expletives at the president, at Republican officials, et cetera. I'm saying they sound like they're on a campaign, sir. They're sounding like the same way they sounded during the campaign. And clearly the election showed that's not going to work. Why are they continuously doing it? It's not only getting in the way of the party itself. I think it's getting in the way of somebody like you doing the best job that you could possibly do, having to deal with this nonsense. How do you feel about that and what do you say about it?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, I think if we can take a step back as it relates to what the fundamental challenge is in America for people all across the country, people whether you're on the left, in the center or on the right, all points in between. The system is broken. For far too long we've seen everyday Americans unable to get ahead and many can barely get by. This was exacerbated, of course, by inflation and the high cost of living. But that's not a phenomenon. Just from the last year or two. That's been the case for decades. We've seen our jobs go in the wrong direction. We've seen the ability for people to provide a comfortable living for themselves and for their families be eroded. What we've seen, of course, are Americans who no longer believe, in many instances, that their children or grandchildren will be able to do better than them. When you and I were coming up, that was basically a core principle of the American dream. We had to struggle, had to work hard, but there was that sense that that opportunity would be available for all of us, and that's gone in many instances. And so as a result, you see frustration, you see concern, you see anger from people all across the land. That's one of the reasons why. STEPHEN A. I think, that the political pendulum continues to swing. You go from George H.W. bush to Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, George W. Bush to Barack Obama, Barack Obama to Trump, Trump to Biden, Biden back to Trump. And the likelihood is it may swing again in 2028. Why? Because there's an underlying frustration with Washington's core inability to make life better for everyday Americans, to bring the American dream to life. And that is real. That's something that we have to tackle. We have to convince the American people that we're all in on improving their lives.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Representative JEFFREY I just have to ask, how could you possibly pull that off if both sides of the aisle refuse to get things done, to compromise to some degree? I've said this often. You could go on a campaign trail. That's where the real work is. I don't, certainly don't mean to diminish what you're doing. Please don't take, don't get it wrong. I'm saying literally, if I'm a Democrat, once I'm elected, well, what did the other side do? I'm gonna do the opposite. I'm a Republican. Well, what did the other side do? I'm gonna do the opposite. That's the impression that the American people have received over the last decade, plus, if not considerably longer. And the way folks talk about one another, it's clearly a diminished level of interest in possibly working together. So when you say what you just said, how could anybody possibly believe that is possible to happen, that people are going to work together to get what's done in the best interest of the American people?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, listen, I certainly get that the impression that comes out of Washington that the clear perception is that everybody's fighting all day, every day, and no one's actually trying to get anything done for the American people. If you take a step back and look at President Biden's track record, certainly during his first couple of years in office, before we got into, you know, a more polarizing campaign season, he got a lot done. And many of that that he accomplished was actually bipartisan, right? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, creating millions of good paying jobs for people all across the country, in blue states and red states and in purple states. That. That was actually bipartisan. We were able to get the Chips and Science act done to bring our domestic manufacturing jobs back home to the country. Stand up semiconductor industry so that America is more competitive, so that we can actually make things once again in the United States of America. That was bipartisan. We passed gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years that was bipartisan. And we actually stood up for our veterans who were dealing with painful exposure to toxic substances, Burn pits, Agent Orange. And that was bipartisan as well. Strongly led by Democrats in each and every instance. So there's actually bipartisan work that can be done. In the first term of Donald Trump's presidency, I was both an impeachment manager and the lead Democratic sponsor of the First Step act, the most sweeping criminal justice reform legislation that the Congress has passed in a generation. And it was supported by Democrats, Republicans, the House, the Senate, the left, the right, the NAACP and the Koch brothers, and ultimately signed into law by Donald Trump.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So is that your way of saying, since we've got so much stuff done across the aisle, Donald Trump's presidency poses a different problem because you're apprehensive that folks on the right will be as willing to work with the Democrats on the other side because Donald Trump is back in office. Is that your way of saying that?

[Nate Thompson]

No, no. What I'm saying is that this particular presidency does threaten to upend that, because.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That'S what I'm saying.

[Nate Thompson]

There's so much outrageous stuff, so much extremism, and a lack of willingness to actually try to solve core problems for the American people. Listen, Donald Trump's biggest strength on the first Tuesday of November last year was the American people thought that he would be able to deal with the economy and to actually make life more affordable for everyday Americans. What do the polls say right now? It's his biggest weakness. His poll numbers aren't going up, they're going down. Why? Because the American people can see he's actually not focused on driving down the high cost of living.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me ask you this. What if Trump defies these federal orders? That is possible. What if he does that what is your what's the what recourse do you have available to you?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, actually, so one of the things is a very important question, and actually we've launched a rapid response task force and litigation working group in part for this very reason. And so I've asked the best lawyers in the House Democratic Caucus, led by Congressman Jonah Goose, who's from Colorado, great young brother does this thing. Brilliant lawyer. And Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, who's helping to lead this effort, along with Jerry Connolly and others, to actually continue to map out the litigation strategy. And that has been important. We're pushing back against all of these unlawful and unconstitutional executive orders. But to understand this is the early part of the process, there'll be appeals, ultimately we'll get to the Supreme Court, and then ultimately we have to figure out how do we ensure compliance with the rule of law. That's what the American people want to see, right? Right. But we've got to have a strategy, and the litigation working group is working that out right now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I think one of the best ways to pull that off is to have a voice attached to it, a very loud, loquacious, vociferous voice that's just combative as hell and ready to fight, which is why I was surprised that Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, aoc, as she's affectionately called, is not leading one of these committees. I didn't disagree with the decision because I happen to think as bright as she is, as accomplished as she is, as feisty as she is, and as conscientious as she is, sometimes I don't think that's needed. Her style is needed, necessarily. But based on what you described, why isn't a voice like that more prominent on these committees as far as Democrats are concerned? How do you answer that question?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, she has a big role to play, no doubt about it. Alex has. She's smart, she's thoughtful, she's got a great capacity to connect with everyday Americans, and she'll continue to be prominently featured in a wide variety of ways. You know, she was just put on one of the most powerful committees in the Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over one of the core issues that we're going to be battling about over the next few days and next few weeks, Medicaid. You have a situation, for instance, and Alex will be a big part of this. The committee is led by Frank Pallone on our side. You have a budget that we're going to take up tomorrow where Republicans want to authorize $4.5 trillion worth of cuts in taxes for their billionaire donors and wealthy and well connected corporations. And at the same period of time, stick everyday Americans with the bill by slashing and burning things like Medicaid. Actually, the bill authorizes about $880 billion in possible cuts to Medicaid that will be devastating for people all across the country. Close rural hospitals, shut down nursing homes, hurt children, hurt families, hurt people with disabilities. The American people don't support it. Republicans are trying to jam that down the throats of the American people. And we'll have a variety of members across the ideological spectrum, across the Democratic caucus being able to push back.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I get with that. American people might not necessarily want Medicaid and Medicare compromised in any way. I get that. Don't get me started with Social Security. I understand that part. I guess what I'm wondering about is that I know there's no way in hell that the American people are against identifying waste and excessive spending. So when DOGE exists, Department of Government Efficiency, and we know that whole story with Elon Musk, in theory, I haven't met any Americans that have a problem with that idea. In theory, they might have a problem with him overseeing it, but they don't have a problem with that in theory. Where do you fall? Where does the Democratic Party fall as it pertains to the existence of Doge and how Elon Musk has behaved since Trump arrived in office on January 20th.

[Nate Thompson]

You know, it's not a serious effort, it's an erratic effort. And what you see is the targeting of hard working federal employees who help make this country run. And he's not just targeting them, he's targeting their children and targeting their families. Now, with respect to waste, fraud and abuse, you can find it in any organization in the country. And so we're all in generally as it relates to a thoughtful, responsible, reasonable effort to try to identify waste, fraud and abuse so we can save taxpayer money and make sure that it's spent effectively, efficiently and equitably. We're all in on that effort. That's not what this has turned into right now. In fact, when you go after, for instance, waste, fraud and abuse, here's the thing. The average person on Social Security receives $65 a day in benefits. The average person, grandma, grandpa, $65 a day. Elon Musk right now has $8 million a day in federal contracts. But ain't nobody looking into that in terms of the DOGE effort. And so how are we to take this particular thing seriously? And see it as an effort to actually meaningfully root out waste, fraud and abuse.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's a fair point. Let me move on from there because your time is valuable and I thank you for the time that you've given me already. Sir, let me ask you this. I want to know two things from the Democratic Party. Number one, when are we going to let go of January 6th? We going to let that go because the man was impeached twice, convicted on 34 felony counts and still reelected. I mean, at some point in time, somebody like Senator Durbin and others who was asking Pam Bondi about, you know, you willing to admit he lost the election? It's like, enough of that. Because the American people clearly have spoken. At least 77 plus million of them have spoken. He won the Electoral College vote, he won the popular vote, he won the swing states, et cetera. They've said what they've had to say. When are y'all gonna let that go? And number two, how are you going to go about not coming across as being at the mercy of the progressive left? And I'm asking you that question specifically because in a lot of American people's eyes, you're seen as somebody who's center left, more of a centrist, more reasonable than some of the folks that have been the most outspoken for the Democratic Party.

[Nate Thompson]

Well, I think in terms of January 6th, look, it's not something that the American people should ever forget because it was an extraordinary event. I was there when we were debating, as Congress does, the certification of the election, and we were told that a mob has breached the Capitol. They're on the second floor. There are a few steps outside of the House chamber and hit the ground. And be prepared to secure the gas masks that are underneath your seats, because there were people who were trying to stop the peaceful transfer of power.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay?

[Nate Thompson]

And this is the greatest democracy in the history of the world. So we can't forget January 6th. I'm not suggesting that it's a core issue moving forward in terms of how we are making our case to the American people. But we also can't ignore the fact that in one of his first acts, President Trump chose to pardon violent felons who brutally assaulted and beat police officers. Are they the party of law and order? That's actually lawlessness and disorder. We can't ignore it. I know they want us to. And actually, the American people, as I travel the country, all across America, are appalled that that actually could happen. Why? Because they know it doesn't make them safer when you are pardoning people and sending a signal that that kind of violence is alright. But you are correct that the core issues that we have to connect with the American people on relate to making their life better. Listen, I think that the American people simply want to live in a country where when you work hard and play by the rules, you can live a comfortable life. You can provide a comfortable life for yourself, for your family, educate your children, purchase a home, go on vacation every now and then, have access to health care that's affordable, and one day retire with grace and dignity, which means protecting Social Security and Medicare. That's not too much to ask. And I think there is a lot of frustration in America because for far too many people, they're struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, can't get by, can barely provide for that lifestyle that's consistent with the American dream. Now, in terms of center, the left, the right, I think what the American people want type of leader that I'm trying to be is a common sense leader. Solve problems, get things done, make life better for the American people and defend the Constitution, defend democracy, defend the American way of life at the same time, which does mean aggressively pushing back against the far right extremism that's coming from the administration, in the Congress, in the courts and in the community.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What about aggressively pushing back for the far left because they lost you the election? See, I'm thinking about winning, Representative Jeffrey. I'm thinking about winning. I'm like, okay, how do. I mean, the midterm is incredibly important. We got musk that some people think is running the damn country. And I'll get back to him in a second with some of the stuff that he's doing that you've alluded to earlier. Right. But I'm also thinking about what lost you the election. I'm going to repeat, 77 million votes. He beat Kamala Harris by over two and a half million votes. He won the Electoral College vote, the popular vote, all the swing states. I mean, he gave a run for money in New York, they gained ground in California. Anybody worth their salt will tell you the extreme left had a lot to do with pulling y'all back from the momentum one would argue you had, obviously, in 2020. What about pushing back against your own party?

[Nate Thompson]

Well, listen, extreme left protest me more than they protest Donald Trump. I mean, literally wherever I go. So I think in part because I've declined, I've refused. I've chosen not to bend the knee to either people on the far left and certainly not to Donald Trump and the Far right. We all have a responsibility to serve the people we were elected to represent and the country and the Constitution. And I certainly have not been bashful and will not be bashful in disagreeing with people who are trying to take this country in a direction that doesn't lift everybody up, whether that comes from the right or whether that comes from the far left.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Who's the face of the Democratic Party? Does it need a face? I look at Westmore, I look at Josh Shapiro, I look at you, I can ask you the same question about yourself, but it's really all I see. Because with the cult like following Donald Trump has, I mean, if the Democrats don't do something about it, you're gonna lose in the midterms, potentially. And Lord help us, if you're gonna win, you're gonna lose again in four years. What's the plan? Who's the voice? Who's the face of the Democratic Party?

[Nate Thompson]

Listen, we're going to win in the midterms. You're going to win, we're going to win. And we have no choice but to be successful in the midterms. But we've got to get through the first 100 days, then the first year, and then, of course, get to the midterm elections. And we've got to stop bad things from happening governmentally, like the reckless Republican budget that we'll be debating on the floor this week. Slash and burn. Medicaid, that's what they want to do. Slash and burn, you know, nutritional assistance for children and families. Slash and burn. Veterans benefits. Do nothing to actually address the affordability crisis in America. We got to stop bad things from happening and then articulate our affirmative vision, of course, for making life better for the American people, which is what we'll continue to do, particularly as we get through these first 100 days or so and the flood of extremism that is directed at the American people. What I would say about the Democratic Party is that it's all hands on deck. That's what the moment requires, because you got a Republican president, a Republican House and a Republican Senate. And so it's going to take all of us that's Democrats in the House. It's my honor to be the House Democratic leader and a critical voice in Washington and hopefully across America as it relates to what we are all about, what we're trying to do and what we're pushing back against. Working with my colleagues in the Senate and then, of course, working with Democratic governors all across the country. And as you mentioned, there are many people who are doing their thing in state after state. I was just communicating with West Moore a little earlier today. We got Democratic governors, of course, in battleground states throughout the Midwest. We got Democratic governors in red states like an Arizona, for instance, or a Kansas, a Kentucky. We got a Democratic governor that's new in North Carolina. Our governor in New York, Kathy Hochul, is fighting hard for the people of New York. And we got a Democratic attorney general, Tis James, shout out to Brooklyn. She's doing her thing in defense of democracy. We got a lot of folks on the battlefield right now. Now, we do have to make sure we're all coordinated, right? That we're huddled up, we come out of that huddle and we're executing plays seamlessly and together on behalf of the American people. And I look forward to continuing to play a leading role in helping to orchestrate that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And my last question to that would be. Because I'm thinking about the Republican Party, and they've got a quarterback. His name is Donald Trump. In 2015, he came strolling down the escalators, and the next thing you know, he's dominated the Republican Party for the last decade. They don't even want to see anybody else unless it's Donald Trump. So much so that you have representatives all over the Capitol Hill that capitulate to his every whim because they're scared their careers are going to be over if. If they don't. The Democrats don't seem to have anyone that has that kind of impact that can affect the party and make sure everyone falls in line. I'm trying to figure out how you're going to alleviate that concern.

[Nate Thompson]

Yeah, listen, I mean, you pointed out correctly that Donald Trump has engineered a hostile takeover of the Republican Party. These people on the other side of the aisle, they're running scared. They're not actually upholding their constitutional oath, in many instances, serve as a check and balance or independent voice as it relates to the people that they represent. They just take orders from Donald Trump and now Donald Trump and Elon Musk now on our side of the aisle. Listen, we're a coalition. We're a big tent party that, of course, has its challenges because you got a lot of voices, a lot of enthusiasms within the Democratic tent, but it also represents the gorgeous mosaic of America. And what is clear is that we, of course, have to make sure that we're connecting with voters of every race, of every religion, of every gender, of different sexual orientation right across the spectrum in a way that people feel comfortable that we're fighting to Address their core issues, their core challenges.

[Stephen A. Smith]

May I suggest the way to go about doing that, because I'm certainly not rooting against y'all, is to get folks to stop complaining about 2020, stop complaining about Trump in the past, and their policies are predated with anti Trump stuff all the time. The American people, in their eyes, have already spoken and they're ready to move on. So let him try to do what he's going to do and expose every little thing he's going to do along the way, and perhaps you will win the midterm. That's just where I'm coming from. But what do I know? First of all, thank you for your time of. Before I let you go, I gotta switch the sports while I've got the minority leader of the house here with me, a New York native, right here. My Knicks got their butts whipped not once but twice this week, and it hurt my feelings to watch what they happened to them against Cleveland on Friday night, Boston yesterday. And even though they're the third best team in the East, I look at them as having no chance of getting to the NBA Finals. It depresses me. How about you?

[Nate Thompson]

Yeah, it was a rough weekend in terms of the Knicks and seeing what happened with Cleveland and Boston, although I will say that it looked like they were out of it. And then they made a little run.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Nate Thompson]

In the third quarter.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Nate Thompson]

Right. I think they closed it to four. Showed a little heart.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Seven. Seven. Yeah.

[Nate Thompson]

Close to seven. Was it seven?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yep, it was seven.

[Nate Thompson]

But the big challenge, I think, is the lack of defensive prowess, which is strange because Tibbs is known for being a great defensive coach. And the hope, of course, as you've pointed out, Stephen A. Is that when Robinson comes back, if he could stay on the court, that that will actually enhance the ability. OG Is back, you know. Now, of course, Bridges is known as a defensive stop or three and D person, so I, you know, I ride with the Knicks. Look, the city. The city is in a better mood when the Knicks are good. And it certainly hasn't been, you know, a. A great run over the last 20 or 25 years, but it's been a pretty good run over the last four or five, and I'm still riding with them. I look forward to the playoffs and hopefully we'll see, you know, a better capacity to deal with teams like Boston and Cleveland, which are the ones that are in front of them. The other thing I will say, though, is that St. John's is doing its thing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I was going there. The Knicks, I Said April and May might not be fun, but March might. With the way rick Patino's got, St. John's looking at 24 and 3, 4 this year. They're doing their thing. I'm quite surprised. I didn't expect that from them, but they're doing well.

[Nate Thompson]

They're doing real well. Patino's a bad boy in terms of his coaching capacity. And, you know, to watch that game against Yukon. Yeah, I was able to catch the second half. Kadari Richmond again, shout out. Brooklyn actually started out at Midwood High School, High school that I graduated from. He's doing his thing in Zubi and rj. It's a fun team to watch, and I'm excited for what's to come in terms of the Big east tournament and March Madness. You know, these are things that everybody's got to lean into, whether it's sports or other forms of entertainment. Family, of course, church, as we navigate what are challenging times here in Washington, D.C. across the country and throughout the world. And so I appreciate what you do in that regard because, you know, it's an important part of just living everyday life every week, every month, getting through the year. It's got to be more than politics.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen, man, I appreciate it. I'm not going to get into the Yankees because I'm pretty ticked off that, you know, ownership had a press conference to discuss facial hair. I mean, we ain't won a World series since 2009. And that's what he's having a press conference, conference floor. Even though they got a pretty good team coming in this year and maybe they could get back to the World Series. I'm going to put you on the spot before I let you get on out of here. You're usually on the spot for politics. Let me put you on the spot for basketball right now. I'm going to test your knowledge here. Top five point guards in the history of New York City. Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, the floor is yours. I'm testing you right now. Top five point guards in the history of New York City. Give them to me.

[Nate Thompson]

All right, so I'm gonna go Mark Jackson.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay.

[Nate Thompson]

Because, you know, rocking with St. John.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, that's right. That's right.

[Nate Thompson]

He went to Bishop Lachlan.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Nate Thompson]

Assist guy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay. That's my brother. I got it. Okay, Go ahead.

[Nate Thompson]

I'm gonna go Kenny the Jet Smith. Kenny Jet Smith.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right.

[Nate Thompson]

I'm gonna go Rod Strickland from the Boogie Down Bronco.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oh, God. Keep going. Oh. Oh. This is a Good list. Oh, I might challenge you, but go ahead. Go ahead. Give me two more.

[Nate Thompson]

Give me two more. I think I got. I got to represent CI And Stephon Marbury.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, okay, okay. And one more.

[Nate Thompson]

You know, one more. And in terms of top five, you know, that fifth. That fifth guard, you know, I'm tempted to throw in a.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Get a house minority leader. I mean, the hesitation. I need more. Come on. Cause there's two names that you're missing. I can't believe you ever mentioned them yet. I'm just giving you a chance. Go ahead.

[Nate Thompson]

Yeah. Tiny Archibald.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oh, see, you went way back. I can't. I. I get you. I get you. I got Nate. Tiny Archibald. You got to throw him in there. Let me throw two other names for you that you left out.

[Nate Thompson]

All right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Kenny Anderson. Did you forget about him? Same spot as Kenny Smith. Archbishop Malloy. That brother was something special. Most people will put him on a list ahead of Kenny the Jet Smith.

[Nate Thompson]

I was. Listen, I was thinking about it. He's the lefty, right? Georgia Tech.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Nate Thompson]

He did his thing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Nate Thompson]

Played for the Nets. Yes, but you know, Kenny. And Kenny Smith did win two championships. So listen, at the end of the day with Houston, and at the end of the day, NBA championships, we're told.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, you're talking about the overall resume. I was talking about the greatness. Stephon, believe it or not. Stephon Marbury, to me, probably number one, considering how phenomenal he was. The other name is the greatest show in the history of college basketball.

[Nate Thompson]

Pearl, Washington.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wayne Pearl, Washington, boys and girls. See, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. All right, So, I mean, I might have to move Rod Strickland out. I know. There, then. And then the Paul and all of that. Kenny the Jet, Ross Strickland right there. But Dwayne Pearl, Washington. Kenny Anderson, Stephon Marbury. Nate Tiny Archibald. I get what you saying. Not bad. Not, not.

[Nate Thompson]

Not. Not. Now, here. Here's what. Here's what you said. Now, if you would have said best high school point guards, I think Pearl, Washington, Boom. Right at the top of the list. Even I give you best college point guards. He was killing it in Syracuse.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's true.

[Nate Thompson]

But you're right. I'm going to get grief when I get back home to Bedford Stuyvesant, that I left the Wayne, Pearl, Washington.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right. And I'm leaving that in. I'm not cutting it out. I'm not cutting. I'm leaving that in so everybody can see that you missed that one Minardi House leader, the one and only Akeem Jeffries. Honored and privileged to have you, sir. Thank you and feel free to come back anytime. You always got a voice on this show. Thank you so much.

[Nate Thompson]

Thank you, man.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right. Coming up, I'll share my thoughts on the conversation you just heard. Plus, the Eagles will reportedly decline a trip to the White House and people have an opinion on it. Trust me, they do. Including me. Next, right here on Stephen A. Smith show. Don't go. What's up, everybody? Stephen A. Smith here. Recently we made news because the great Bill O'Reilly announced a tour that's coming nearest you in the very, very near future. Get your tickets now for this. It's called Three Americans Live March 30th at Live Nation's Flagstar at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Don't miss the very first show as myself, Chris Cuomo and yes, that man, Bill O'Reilly. Take our different ideas, our different backgrounds, our different beliefs across the country to demonstrate that respectful, meaningful and even fun conversation. Those are the things that make America as great as it should be. The show will be spirited, unscripted, and all three of us will let it fly. As we discuss the topics everyone is thinking about these days. There will also be questions from the audience. We're not running. Tickets are officially on sale now with Pre sale code [e-mail] VIP packages are available with the opportunity to meet and take photos with myself and both those fellas. That's three Americans live March 30th at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Additional dates and cities to be announced. Don't miss it. Trust me, you'll get a kick out of it. Welcome back to Stephen A. Smith show. Before we get to a few other headlines, I want to give you my thoughts on the conversation I just had with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. First of all, impressive man. Obviously knows what the hell he's talking about. He's been around for quite a while. An individual that was endorsed by Nancy Pelosi. If you're somebody on the left, you're perfectly comfortable with that. If you're somebody that center left, okay, you'll tolerate it. Let's see how it goes. But in the aftermath of what transpired with this election, I just think that even though I was impressed with him and there's a lot that he had to say, it's important to point out that the Democratic Party looks a bit discombobulated. Yes. You want to get On Trump, you want to point out Elon Musk and what he's doing with Doge. You want to point out Trump and how erratic he appears at times. You saw Leader Jeffries bringing up everything from the economy and inflation and the cost of living to Trump's relationship with Putin to Trump taking the position that he's taken against Zelensky, et cetera. You've seen and heard all of this stuff. You heard his concerns about Medicare and Medicaid along with a bevy of other things. If you are the Democrats, stick to those issues and stick to attacking Trump on the issues as opposed to bringing up the 2020 election, as opposed to bringing up, you know, comments about, you know, being a king and all of this other stuff that you're trying to use. It falls in line with the same old stuff you were bloviating about during the campaign. It's not going to work. What you're going to have to do is show is illustrate in very, very conspicuous fashion the flaws in his plans for America, how it works against your interest and how what your proposing will work for your interest. It's not enough anymore to engage in demagoguery about the other side. What are you going to do and how are you going to convince us to believe you? You first got to find somebody that's worth believing. And I'm not denigrating Leader Jeffries in any way, but when you think about a national voice for the party, who is that person? It's non existent right now, Mr. Carville. I said it again, it's non existent right now. Not the talent. You might have talent, but who's going to resonate? You better find somebody. You better find somebody soon. Now I want to transition and I'm talking way, way, way left to touch on a delicate subject that's blowing up on the Internet. That's the only reason I'm talking about it. Former All Pro wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. Was accused of having an affair with an unnamed woman who's a member of the Marching Ravens. The Baltimore Ravens marching Band, that is. The accusation came from a social media user with the handle Tony Martinez, who posted and then deleted the accusations on X. The post also included screenshots of alleged text between Smith and the woman. Again, this is blowing up all over social media. It's the only reason we're touching it. Martinez also posted a video which showed him confronting a man believed to be Smith over the phone. The individual recording the video accused the man of of having sex with his wife and asked, what do you have to say for yourself, the man on the phone replied, quote, sorry, end quote. Now, I know y'all expect me to comment. Steve Smith, cool brother, does work for the NFL Network. Got a chance to be a Hall in the hall of Fame as a wide receiver with his year starring for the Carolina Panthers before he went to the Baltimore Ravens. Let me be very, very clear. I have no comment about his situation. Alleged situation with whomever. My comment is about the husband. What the hell you calling him for? Whether that was really Steve Smith Senior or somebody else, what the hell are you calling him for? He ain't your wife. He ain't the one married to you. He ain't the one that allegedly did something that violated his vows to you. What you calling him for? See, once again, I'm touching on something from a generic and general perspective, and I want everybody to be clear about where I'm going with this. This, because it was not similar in actual incidents, but along the lines of what I was trying to do when I was joking around about Serena Williams dancing on stage and I was saying about the husband, not even about him, about any man. How do you feel if your wife is showing energy towards the ex, even if it's negative energy, you'd be like, yo, what's that about? Forget him. You with me now. That's all I was trying to say. But we were joking about that because there's no crime and that is no big deal. We're not joking about this, fellas. Ladies, if you have a spouse that's cheating on you, it's kind of weak to show more energy towards the person they were doing it with that didn't espouse marital vows to you. You handle home first. Handle home, period. Because in the end, she's the one, or he's the one. Meaning if you're a woman and your man's did it, in this case, it's a man and his wife did it. That's y'all business. And one last thing. Why everything gotta be put on social media? Why? It's none of anybody's business, sir, respectfully. And I won't get into the things that were said on that phone via text or voice. I won't get into the text you read and how graphic that was. But based on that, she don't really want you. You feel me? Just think about that. That's all I want to say. Now let me get to. The Philadelphia Eagles, the reigning super bowl champs are apparently going to skip a trip to the White House. Donald Trump was the first President to attend the game where he supported the Chiefs to win. However, Kansas City was blown out 40 to 22 by the Philadelphia Eagles. Now I missed the speculation of the Eagles Eagles not going to dc. A White House spokesperson says an invitation was never extended to the team. Meanwhile, Megyn Kelly took to X to express her dissatisfaction with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Fox host reacted to a post from a user that cited a report about their snub that read, quote, wish I had known this before the Super Bowl. I wouldn't have wasted my time rooting for them Eagles fans. Your team sucks. End quote. As for Kelly, she wrote, quote, saying, go eff yourselves, Eagles, end quote. I like Megyn Kelly. I think she's an outstanding journalist. I think she's very capable people. She's got a show on SiriusXM every weekday from 12 to 2pm Re airs on YouTube is another platform. I've been a guest on her show. I'm scheduled to be a guest. Samatra, I don't even know when's my next guest appearance. I mean, she asked me to be a guest next week because we had a scheduling conflict coming back from the Super Bowl. I am a fan of Megyn Kelly's. Was that necessary though? I mean, really, you know, they ain't feeling trump. So what? 74 million plus people wasn't feeling Trump. F them too? Come on, Megan, you don't need to do that. You don't need to do that. You know, I mean, it's just not necessary. Eagles ain't feeling them. And by the way, if there is any team that's justified not to go to the White House to see Trump, even though his team said the White House said they didn't extend an invitation, that's a different story. Why wouldn't you extend an invitation? That's what usually is supposed to happen when you win the Super Bowl. The White House to send you an invitation. Why would you not extend the invitation? White House, what's that about? But in the case of the Philadelphia Eagles, Megy Kelly and all you folks on the right that want to be up in arms about this. Excuse me, if any team was justified and not wanting to show up to the White House, it would be the Philadelphia Eagles. Do you know why? Because when has a president openly rooted against the team for the super bowl, he was openly rooting against the Eagles and he uninvited them last time they won. I mean, damn, if any team was justified in saying, nah, we'll pass on the White House, it would be them and Megyn Kelly, if it's gonna be f the Eagles, could it come from someone other than you? I mean, you're great. I'm not gonna lie. I learned some things from watching Megyn Kelly. I mean, she knows us love, and she's very compelling and very interesting. I enjoy talking to her. I enjoy listening to her. I enjoy watching her. But was that necessary? Don't let people bring you down to their level. I mean, I have gone to that level before. We not confront. I'm not going to be hypocritical here, but dammit, they deserved it. The Eagles. Come on. Come on, Megan. They didn't deserve that. They didn't deserve that. They got uninvited before and he was rooting against them. Now, he wasn't ruling for Taylor Swift, but he was rooting for the Chiefs all day, every day. That's why he came to the super bowl, to watch them win and for the Eagles to lose. Usually presidents are quiet about that unless it's their home team. Trump ain't from Kansas City. So I'm just saying, respectfully, in a very, very nice way, because I am a fan. Megyn Kelly, be nice. Be nice and see you soon on your show. By the way, you owe me a visit on mine, too. You forgot about that. You forgot about that. But you do owe me. Before I get on out of here, I wanted to take a moment to bring up a new soap opera that's coming out courtesy of cbs. It is called beyond the Gates. Now, why would I bring this up? For several reasons. Number one, as you know, I'm a soap opera guy, some would say a soap opera star, but not me. I would never say that about myself. Briggs, General Hospital. That's what. That's who I am, you know. But again, no stardom attached. I'll leave that to others to judge. That would be number one, because I love my soap operas. Number two, one of my dearest friends is the star for Young and the Restless, Mr. Eric Braeden. So that's another reason I'm connected to the soap opera world. Of course. Maurice Bernard plays Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital. Steve Burton plays Jason Morgan. That's my dog right there. Laura Wright plays Carly. I love these people. General Hospital. I love Eric Braden on Young and the Restless. That'll be another reason. Another reason beyond the Gates is being mentioned is because it's a black led soap opera. Now, I'm quite sure there will be others that are on the soap opera, but to see a soap opera with black folks in prominent leading roles on network television. Let's just say that's a damn aberration. So it's gonna be real interesting to see how this goes, and that's a special thing. But last but not least, person who played the role in its creation, who's a producer on the show, she's a wonderful lady by the name of Sheila Ducksworth. She happens to be a very dear personal friend of mine, a phenomenal producer, incredibly talented young lady who's been around for quite a while doing big things. And this is just the latest. Just want to say congratulations that I love you dearly and that I'm wishing you all the best. Girl, do your thing. Do your thing and I will see you soon. That's it for this edition of Stephen A. Smith show. I'll holl at y'all in a couple of days. Until then, peace and love, everybody. God bless.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up, everyone? Julie swings here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.