The Stephen A. Smith Show

Episode: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Arizona Congresswoman-Elect Adelita Grijalva
Air Date: October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

Stephen A. Smith departs from his sports roots to dissect the political chaos of the week, focusing primarily on the ongoing government shutdown (now at 22 days), hyper-partisanship in Congress, law enforcement in urban America, immigration policy, and the role of protest and representation in modern US politics. Key guests include Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Arizona Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva. The episode blends Stephen A.’s signature provocative questioning with civil (and at times fiery) exchanges, direct listener calls, and hard-hitting political analysis.

Key Segments, Discussion Points & Insights

1. Day 22 of the Government Shutdown: Polarization & Accountability

• [00:50–04:35]
  Stephen A. frames the episode around the government shutdown, emphasizing its historic length (“second longest funding lapse in modern history”) and bipartisan blame-shifting.
• Stephen A. expresses frustration with both parties and demands accountability for elected officials who continue to receive pay and benefits during shutdowns.
• Notable Quote:
  "Why the hell don't we have laws in place to make sure they don't get paid?... Why can't we make sure that our elected officials are every bit as compromised as they make us when they're not doing the job we sent them to Capitol Hill to do?" — Stephen A. Smith [17:25]

2. Representative Jasmine Crockett, Texas: Inspiration, Electorate, and Senate Run

• [02:42–04:22] (Clip)
  Rep. Jasmine Crockett explores her plans for possibly entering the Texas Senate race, focusing on expanding the electorate rather than traditional polling or just mobilizing frequent voters.

• Highlights the importance of inspiring new voters, referencing both Obama and Trump’s elections as products of unconventional coalitions.

• Quote:
  "The key to winning Texas isn’t about looking at the current electorate, it’s about expanding the electorate... I will strongly be considering hopping in the Senate race." — Rep. Jasmine Crockett [03:10]

3. Street Protest vs. Political Strategy

• [04:36–14:00]
  Stephen A. explores the value and limitations of protest.
  • Emphasizes the necessity of strategy, coalition-building, and concrete policy action beyond street protests: "It can't be just about protesting... you have to think calculatingly and you have to think with a plan and you have to strategize." — Stephen A. Smith [05:29]

4. Chicago Crime & Law Enforcement: Trump’s Attacks vs. Data

• [18:51–22:00]
  Stephen A. sets up the showdown between Trump and Gov. Pritzker, recapping Trump’s labeling of Chicago as the “murder capital” and the call to jail local officials for allegedly failing to protect ICE officers.

  • Stephen A. delivers recent Chicago crime stats:
    • Homicides down 32% (2025 YTD)
    • Robberies down 32%, carjackings down 49%, overall violent crime down 21.6% compared to 2024.
    • Contrasts this reality with Trump’s apocalyptic rhetoric:
      “Chicago is the worst, the most dangerous city in the world by far.” — Donald Trump [21:13]

5. Interview: Governor JB Pritzker (Illinois)

a) Constitutional Conflict & ICE Tactics

• [22:39–24:34]
  Pritzker rebukes Trump’s threats and details alarming ICE/CBP tactics, including alleged wrongful detentions of citizens in Chicago.

  • Quote:
    "The president of the United States threatening to jail elected officials improperly and with no cause is something I haven’t seen in my entire lifetime… He regularly breaches the Constitution." — Gov. Pritzker [23:11]

b) Federal Involvement: What Assistance Do Cities Need?

• [25:59–26:37]
  Pritzker clarifies he has not requested National Guard for Chicago. Instead, he seeks FBI, DEA, and ATF help (not military) to combat drugs and gangs.

c) Trump’s Motives & Election Fears

• [26:52–28:21]
  Pritzker’s theory: Trump’s focus on “chaos” in blue cities and military presence is to normalize troops in cities, setting a dangerous precedent to intimidate voters and potentially seize ballots if elections go against him.
  • Quote:
    "He is becoming more unpopular. He is likely to lose the 2026 elections. And he's sending troops into American cities... to put them on the ground, get us used to the idea of having military on the ground..." — Gov. Pritzker [27:06]

d) Judiciary Oversight & ICE Accountability

• [28:29–30:19]
  Discusses successful lawsuits against ICE’s “lawless” tactics in Illinois, emphasizing the judiciary’s role as a check and recounting court-imposed constraints on federal agents’ anonymity and conduct.

e) Crime Data, Police Funding, and Perceptions

• [31:30–33:18]
  • Pritzker details Illinois’ investment in state police and community violence intervention, links Trump-era policy changes with increased local crime/fewer resources.
  • Accuses Trump of "defunding the police in practice" by diverting resources to ICE.
    • Quote:
      "On one hand, he says he's a law and order Republican. On the other hand, he's defunding the police. Which is it?" — Gov. Pritzker [32:21]

f) Immigration, States’ Rights, and Constitutional Crisis

• [35:45–38:38]
  • Discusses contrasts between Obama and Trump deportation records and why Trump’s immigration approach is particularly dangerous.
    • “What’s happening now is the First Amendment is being breached. The Fourth and Fifth Amendments, these are due process probable cause, you know, are being breached. The Tenth Amendment… he’s trying to send troops into our states.” — Gov. Pritzker [36:25]

g) Democratic Messaging and 2026 Midterms

• [40:01–44:09]
  • Pritzker critiques his own party for failing to communicate core values on economic/class policy and police funding.
  • On running for president in 2028: Noncommittal, focused on Illinois, but admits national message is vital.

h) Closing

• Praises Democratic policy legacy and urges party to stand for working class/midwestern priorities to win future elections: “The only way you win elections if you’re a Democrat is to stand up for Democratic values.” [42:45]

6. Interview: Representative-Elect Adelita Grijalva (Arizona)

a) Blocked Swearing-In: Partisan Delay & Epstein Files

• [53:18–55:38]
  • Grijalva alleges Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to swear her in is linked to her intention to serve as the pivotal signatory to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, challenging official procedural explanations as cover.
  • Quote:
    “I believe it's because I'm going to be the 218 signer to the discharge petitions to release the Epstein files... This Chicana from Arizona, they keep changing the rules.” — Adelita Grijalva [53:34]

b) Immediate Priorities & Congressional Accessibility

• [55:53–56:46]
  • Pledges to focus on restoring local services, fighting executive overreach, and advancing environmental and labor protections.
  • Details frustration with procedural hypocrisy restricting her from representing 812,000 Arizonans, including suspension of local office operations during the shutdown.

c) ICE Raids' Real-World Impact

• [62:05–63:21]
  • Shares personal and community experiences with aggressive ICE tactics in southern Arizona, describing fear and over-policing in routine public spaces.

d) Immigration, Citizenship, and Public Perception

• [63:47–66:21]
  • Argues against conflating legal/illegal status and scapegoating immigrants, highlighting the economic and social contributions of undocumented residents.

e) Republican Messaging & Democratic Response

• [66:21–67:25]
  • Warns against partisan overreach and fearmongering, expressing concern over the militarization of immigration enforcement under Trump.

f) Polarization & Bipartisanship

• [67:45–69:11]
  • Calls on voters to elect officials willing to work across the aisle, blaming current polarization on Republican unwillingness to engage, and notes the impact this has on states losing federal program benefits.

g) Practicalities of Congressional Swearing-In

• [60:21–61:36]
  • Explains the technical and symbolic barriers she faces, including lack of security clearance and office access.

h) Final Thoughts

• Expresses uncertainty about when the blockade on her swearing-in will end but resolves to “just keep showing up” for her constituents.

7. Listener Calls: Frustrations, Critiques, & Raw Dialogue

• [72:07–99:55]
  Stephen A. fields a series of listener calls, blending political theory, practical policy concerns, and emotional critiques.
  • Hot topics: Democrat/Republican blame for the shutdown, ICE policy, balance of government spending vs. deficit, polarization, and leadership accountability.
  • Notable moments include a candid exchange with a self-described non-fan, “Reese,” who challenges Stephen’s consistency and approach:
    • “I am not a fan… You in my dog, my kids call it rage bait. You’ve been really dissing people of color… But now that I’ve talked to you, it’s not such raping…” — Reese [94:54–99:46]
    • Stephen, in response: "Just like I listened to you, rather than be annoyed by my position, how about hearing it…” [98:06]

8. Show Closing: Civility and the Need for Nuance

• [100:06–end]
  Stephen A. reflects on the value of open discourse—even sharp disagreement—as essential to an informed democracy:
  “This Straight Shooter, it ain’t just about what I give. It’s about what I can take.” [100:08]

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Stephen A. Smith:
  “It can't be just about protesting... you have to think calculatingly and you have to think with a plan and you have to strategize.” [05:29]
• Governor JB Pritzker:
  “I haven't seen [a president threaten to jail elected officials] in my entire lifetime. It doesn't happen except under this president.” [23:11]
  “He’s becoming more unpopular. He’s likely to lose the 2026 elections. And he’s sending troops into American cities... to get us used to the idea of having military on the ground…” [27:06]
  "On one hand, he says he's a law and order Republican. On the other hand, he's defunding the police. Which is it?" [32:21]
• Adelita Grijalva:
  “This Chicana from Arizona, they keep changing the rules... Three were sworn in under 24 hours. The only difference: they were Caucasian males." [53:34]
  "I was pumping gas with my son and two people jumped out of a nondescript vehicle... and were dragging a woman out of a car... you feel it in our community." [62:14]
  “If he doesn't want to issue me the, you know, swear me in, that's totally fine. I'm happy to get sworn in in district. I don't need the bells and whistles. I just need to get sworn in.” [60:54]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:50–17:14: Stephen A. monologue on government shutdown, political polarization, Jasmine Crockett callout and apology, value of protest, preview of guests
• 18:51–47:12: Segment and interview with Gov. JB Pritzker, including responses to Trump, ICE and crime policy, Democratic strategy
• 51:18–70:06: Segment/background and interview with Rep.-Elect Adelita Grijalva, Speaker Johnson’s excuses, ICE in Arizona, Grijalva’s agenda
• 72:07–99:55: Listener calls exploring shutdown blame, ICE policy, race/rage baiting accusations, and direct audience exchanges
• 100:06–end: Outro, Stephen A. reflects on the importance of discomfort and dialogue

Episode Tone & Style

• Signature Stephen A. blend: passionate, occasionally combative, but always insistent on nuance and dialogue (“I’m not here with all the answers”; “I’m a conduit for dialogue”).
• Guests matched host’s directness: both Pritzker and Grijalva were assertive, unapologetic, and focused on systemic challenges and political realities.
• Listener segment was unscripted, at times volatile but authentic.

In Summary

In this episode, Stephen A. brings his no-bull energy to a major week in American politics, hosting a pointed exchange with Gov. Pritzker about Chicago crime figures, ICE, and Trump’s intentions, then turning to Rep.-Elect Grijalva’s fight for congressional access and immigrant rights. The listener calls and Stephen A.’s responses highlight deep public frustration with political elites, systemic gridlock, and the balancing act between protest and pragmatic engagement. The episode closes with a call for compassion, open dialogue, and a commitment to questioning—never just accepting—the status quo.