← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Interview Only: Charismatic Maryland Governor wows Stephen A and he stands firm behind Harris.
00:29:52
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- [00:00]
Wes Moore
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- [01:03]
Stephen A. Smith
There's somebody that I'm about to bring on that's far more cogent, far more lucid, far more clear and edified and involved than I could ever hope to be. He is my next guest. Okay. And he has been called the future of the Democratic Party. He is the second youngest governor in the country and only the third black person ever elected to the office. An army veteran, a Rhodes scholar, a New York Times bestselling author. You know who he is? Just in case you didn't, I'll tell you right now. He is the governor of the state of Maryland, the one and only Wes Moore. What's going on, Governor?
- [01:40]
Wes Moore
Man Hearing the one and only. Call me the one that only feels good.
- [01:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Listen, listen. You should be feeling good. You should be feeling good. You're not facing the level of scrutiny that your Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris is facing right now. How are you feeling? How are you feeling right now about her chances in this election?
- [02:01]
Wes Moore
You know, honestly, Stephen A. I'm feeling good because I'm on the ground. You know, I, you know, just over these past weeks, we've been to Michigan and Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and North Carolina and Georgia. I mean, we're literally hitting all the various battleground states and speaking with everything from military veterans to younger voters on college campuses to African Americans in barbershops. And the thing I continue to hear is consistent is as people continue to learn more about the policies, continue to learn more about, about what she's pushing for, about how we're focusing on economic growth and making sure that you can have an economy that works for everybody, that you can do Things like increasing home ownership and giving support for first time home buyers. When we're talking about things like how do you have a country that's respected on the global stage? You know, people like what they are hearing. And so I think she's, she's, she's not only continuing to show that she's going to be the president that can bring us together because this country needs some serious healing right now. But I think there's a measure of excitement on the ground that I think is going to show itself on election day.
- [03:07]
Stephen A. Smith
I hear you and I hear various surrogates saying that message and articulating it very, very well. What a lot of people are questioning is whether or not she's doing that actually and is she doing it effectively? So I guess the question would be why would they have that level of fodder to lean on? Why is it that you see people questioning what her intent is? What is she going to do policy wise? She doesn't seem in their eyes to be answering the questions as fluidly as say, somebody like you just did. How do you explain that?
- [03:41]
Wes Moore
Well, I think that one we have to remember, this is, this, this is presidential elections. And you know, this country is still very divided. And I think that a lot of information is out there, but there's two things to know about that. One is people, once you're going and searching for the information, making sure you're finding accurate information because there's a lot of misinformation that's also being processed. And at the same time, when you're thinking about the issues that matter to you most, it's important that people know that it's not just about the policies, it's about the values. Because one thing I tell you, Stephen A. I mean, and one thing I've learned about this job where many, many of the most important decisions that I will make as the governor don't happen during normal working hours. Right. And they're not decisions that you lean to. The decisions that come to you, and many of them are not, are happening when it's just a small group of people around you who are helping to advise you and helping to work through those issues. And so the thing I think about is who do I want at the table making those decisions that I think is genuinely thinking about me and my family and my future, who, when those decisions are being made with a small group of people around them who's actually thinking about ways of bringing the country together and unifying us. And so I think that people, when they look at These issues. And they look at these two candidates, they are, they're looking at the policies. And I can go on for 30 straight minutes about why her economic plan, why her tax plan is one that's actually going to focus on growing the American economy, being able to actually curb inflation and make things more affordable for people. If people want to have a conversation about housing, I can tell you why her policy is actually the only one that's detailed about creating increased inventory and creating more support for first time home buyers and actually turning people from renters into homeowners. So I can go through all the policy details with everybody as she does. But the thing I do want people to remember is this, this is also just about values. And who is the one who's making the decisions that you think is not just thinking about themselves, but it's actually thinking about all of us and the hopes and the dreams and the aspirations that we have for ourselves and our families.
- [05:49]
Stephen A. Smith
But Governor Westmore, let me push back on that just a touch. When we talk about values, people look at you. Certainly we're not going to question your values. I mean, you're big time. And a lot of people are looking forward to your future in politics, your breath of fresh air, to be quite honest with you. Uh, but Donald Trump won in 2016, didn't win the popular vote, lost that by 2.868 million, if I remember correctly. Lost a. Lost, you know, but still won the election because of the electoral College vote. Lost the election in 2020. And when people look at him, you don't hear a whole bunch of people extolling his values. What they talk about is his governing, what happened with this country when he was in office prior to Covid coming about. And they compare that to a former state attorney general who became a senator, who's now the vice president, whose record attached to the Biden administration obviously is something they would challenge. How do Democrats need to answer that level of skepticism?
- [06:51]
Wes Moore
Well, I think one is we have to be honest that it's real and it's there. I don't think you're gonna win elections by telling people that their fears are unfounded or that their frustrations are not real, or that for many people who have decided to opt out of a system, that their skepticism is unjustified. I think there's a reason that people feel skeptical, and not necessarily about Vice President Harris, not about the Biden Harris administration and not even about a political party, but just about the pace of progress in this country. I think that is real and I Think it's something that needs to be respected and honored. The same way that I hold skepticism in my heart still, because, you know, I don't come from a political background, a political family, but I know the skepticism can be my companion and not my captor. The thing I would also ask people to remember, though, is this, what are you hoping for in the future? So when you're talking about things like if you're saying, okay, listen, affordability is an issue for me, where I'm looking at the challenges we have with affordability, who's putting together the best plan to make sure that things can be more affordable? So in the vice president, I'm hearing things like being able to increase wages and making sure that we can get rid of the days when people are working jobs, in some cases multiple jobs, and still living at or below a poverty line. From the vice president, I'm hearing things like increasing funding for apprenticeship programs and trade programs and knowing that people, whether they have a four year college degree or not, should still have a pathway to have sustainable economic growth and a way to take care of themselves and their family and pass something off to their children besides debt. If you're saying that housing is an issue, well, the vice president is actually the only one who's actually put together a policy about increasing inventory and focusing on creating more homeownership opportunities for people. Because the number one driver of wealth in our society is not income, it's ownership. And a huge part of that is home ownership. For people who are talking about, I want to make sure we can turn the temperature down and actually have a civilized conversation about politics in our future, the answer is, I agree. And that's exactly what the vice president is talking about doing and introducing into our national dialogue. And so for people who are frustrated with the system and that it's not a new frustration, but it's a frustration that for many people is lifelong and long standing. My answer is I feel you and I get it. So what I'm trying to do is I'm going to support the person who I know has the best path for being able to address the issues that I care most about. And when I think about those issues, for me, my support of Kamala Harris is not political or because of political party. My support of Kamala Harris is because she's answered that question in the best way. And that's why I believe she needs to be the next president of the United States.
- [09:33]
Stephen A. Smith
Maryland governor Wes Moore, right here with Stephen A. On the Stephen A. Smith Show. You know, you Talk about what you're feeling and what you're enthused about. Let me tell you what something I wasn't feeling and I was not enthused about. I am somebody that not only respects, but I revere the former president of the United States, Barack Obama. However, I did not like nor appreciate when he was addressing some folks. I believe it was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a couple of weeks ago, and he talked about black males not stepping out to avoid Kamala Harris. Enough. I'm on the record. I voted early. I voted for her, no question about it, because I don't want him in office. And I'm unapologetic about it. But in the same breath, to lean towards black men, to talk about how there may be some misogyny, that was not his word. In fairness to him, he did not use that word. But he basically challenged black men to step up and support Kamala Harris and highlighted the reluctance to support her based on the fact that she's a woman. I really was bothered by that because I happen to believe that black men are highly supportive of women and don't get enough credit for the support we accord to our black sisters nearly as much as we deserve. What was your feelings about what he said? Did you think it was wise for him to say it? Did you think there was any validity to what the former president of the United States said in that regard?
- [10:52]
Wes Moore
Yeah. No. And I feel you, Stephen. A. And I feel you with an understanding that I think that there are two things that can exist simultaneously. Do we still have a challenge of sexism within this country? Absolutely. And I don't think anyone can argue that or deny that. Yet at the same time, the frustration for so many black men is not that. Right. I mean, I think about people in my own family, right? I mean, I remember when I ran for governor, I had to convince people in my family to vote for me. Right. And it's not that my family and I aren't cool. I mean, we're very cool. It's I, for many of them, I had to convince them to vote. Right. It's that there is a frustration for a lot of people about the system as it's laid out. There is a frustration for people who feel that I'm doing everything that I've been asked to do, and I'm still not able to get ahead that that I, I, I, I do everything that that people tell me is the right thing to do. And I'm still not able to be a homeowner because I can't afford to Buy a home, or I have a business idea, but I still am not able to get the capital that's necessary to turn my idea into something that can be a growing and a thriving business, or I still find myself in a situation where I own, where I owe more than I own. So that frustration is real. But I think that we have to understand that the ability for us to be able to have African American to come out and support is not because of what a person looks like. Are you speaking to them and addressing not just the frustrations that many feel about the pace of progress in America, but also providing a pathway for future growth? It was one of the reasons that I was so encouraged when I saw the Vice President put out her opportunity agenda for black men. That's the first time in our nation's history that we've had a major presidential candidate put out an action plan for what she would do to help black men. And I think part of the frustration that a lot of people felt was we've seen that for so many other groups in our society, but she's the first one that's ever done that for black men. And it talks about things like being able to address procurement policies. It talks about things like being able to give people down payments for first time homebuyers. It talks about things like being able to have a recreational cannabis market and ensure that we can actually have a participatory recreational cannabis market. That's also addressing the historical harm that the war on cannabis has had to communities, particularly black communities. She talks in details about that, and that's what I think people were waiting for. And people needed to see that. It wasn't about sexism. It was about, are you speaking to us and do you see us and understand what needs to be done to be able to address the frustrations? And I think she's. And I think she continues to answer that every day.
- [13:49]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, she has a progressive agenda. No doubt about it. She's a Democrat. But what folks on the other side would say is that it's too progressive. When you think about the LGBTQ community, when you think about transgender issues, when you think about folks bringing up boys that are transitioning to being females and them being allowed to participate in sports against females and stuff like that, people bring those kind of things up. Here's how I look at it, though, Governor. I'm of the mindset as a black man. Yeah. When New York was struggling the way that it was struggling, and you had migrants coming into the city, and Mayor Adams at the time was talking about $53 million in prepaid credit cards and what? I don't have a problem with helping immigrants at all. I was just saying that blacks have been starving for a long time. You know, I think you know what that's about. I know, I know what that's about. I mean, wait a minute here. I'm seeing perks, I'm seeing opportunities, I'm seeing a level of assistance that's being prioritized and helped and given or at least proposed in favor of different communities. But it's something that the black community has been salivating for for quite a long time. And so my attitude is it's not being anti anything. It's saying, wait a minute, we've been here, American citizens, we're struggling, et cetera, et cetera. And we keep hearing the same old same old from a Democratic Party. And then folks engage in demagoguery about the other side as opposed to doing what you just did and what you've continuously done whenever I've seen you, which is talk about and promote what the Democratic Party really is willing to offer to citizens of the United States of America. Is that a fair assessment in crystallizing some of the problems that exist within the Democratic Party?
- [15:32]
Wes Moore
Well, and honestly, I think it's not even just a problem with the Democratic Party. I think it's been a problem we've seen with politics, period. I mean, the party politics system has not oftentimes led to measurements of real results that we were hoping for and where people and I and listen, you know, I'm a person. I'm the Democratic governor for the state of Maryland. But I'm also very clear. Anybody who just swallows a party playbook full bore without putting real thought into but does that make sense? Is not doing justice to the society that they're hoping to, hoping to benefit. I'm proud of the fact that if you look at everything that we've done in the state of Maryland, we've introduced 26 pieces of legislation since I've been governor. We've gone 26 or 26 bipartisan with Democrat and Republican support on that. So I think it's about how are we going back to common sense ideas. And. But for example, one of the reasons I think about Vice President Kamala Harris when she talks about things like being able to address a racial wealth gap and people can say that's really progressive, that's really progressive. But I want to be clear. We have in this country close to a 10 to 1 racial wealth gap. Right? Here's why that matters, and not just to people of color. It's because the racial wealth gap has cost this country $16 trillion in GDP over the past two decades. Right. Those aren't my numbers. Those are Citigroup's numbers. Right. One of the largest financial institutions in the world. Talking about the challenges that we see when it comes to racial wealth gaps, because what it means in terms of both lost opportunities, but also what it means in terms of having people who are not participating in the larger economic growth and larger economic and larger economic process. So when we're talking about things like how can you erase a racial wealth gap, that's not saying, oh, that's a zero sum argument, because you're only talking about helping one group. Actually, what we wouldn't do for $16 trillion in GDP right now, what you could actually accomplish if we were able to address that, and if we're actually able to close the wealth gap, what it can mean in terms of increasing revenue and increasing growth within our society. Because a booming economy is participatory economy. It's one where more people are actually engaged in buying into it. And so I do think that, that as we're talking about these various issues and think about the policy agenda that the Vice President's pushed forward, you know, people can say, well, you know, saying you're going to address the wealth gap is a progressive issue. Actually, it's one of the smartest things we can do to get our economy moving and getting more people engaged inside of America's economic growth.
- [18:12]
Stephen A. Smith
Governor, one of the things I was dying to ask you was when I watched, you know, once she became the Democratic nominee, I'd be remiss in neglecting to bring this up because I think that you're one of the few people that would give us a honest and clear answer on this particular subject. The other side has accused the left, you know, or rather the left has accused Donald Trump and being a threat to democracy. A threat to democracy. Well, the right has turned around and said, wait a minute, there was no primary for Joe Biden. He shows up on June 27. He clearly doesn't seem to be himself, seems to have lost the step. Ultimately, he elects to step away a little more than three weeks later and immediately endorses her for the Democratic nomination. She ultimately gets it, rightfully so. It's the Biden Harris administration, the vice president, shit slide right into that slot. But nevertheless, she didn't experience a primary either. And people harken back to 2020 when she couldn't even make it to Iowa. And they said this time she got the bypass competition before being elevated to the Democratic nominee. And that's not the way that our system should go. And if anything, that's a threat to democracy as well to our democratic process. What does Governor Westmore say to explain to people how right or wrong they may be on such an assertion?
- [19:38]
Wes Moore
No, I would say that the reason that I came out and support supported Kamala Harris early was not because she's the vice president and was not because she was next up or definitely wasn't because some, some, some party boss told me to do it. The reason that I came out and supported her was because I've seen her work. You know, I, I, I, I say Stephen A I mean, you know, I'm, I, I'm new to politics, but my background is I'm army guy. No, I led, I led soldiers in combat with the 82nd Airborne. And I always say I never learned anything about anybody in times of ease. If I ever want to learn anything about anybody. Watch them when it was hard. Watch what they did when the heat got turned up and did they rise to the occasion or do they wither? And I remember on March 26th when a ship the size of three football fields slammed into one of the most iconic bridges in my state and took it down instantaneously, close to a two mile long bridge where we lost six Marylanders, where we had thousands of workers who are now instantaneously unemployed, where we now had, where we now had around 13% of my state's economy now shut down. And I remember as we were marshaling all resources, put the state on a state of emergency, had state police divers in the water saving lives, had aerial assets in the air as we were trying to make sense out of complete chaos, that one of the early calls that I got started with three words and those words were, gov, it's Kamala. And I know you spoke to the president and I want to let you know that we will be with you every step of the way. And she has been. The reason that I am all in for Kamala Harris is not because someone told me to and it's not because she was next in line. It's because I've seen her when it was hard. And this is a very serious time for our country. This is a serious time and we need serious people who are sitting in these seats. She is a serious person. She's thoughtful, she knows how to build the right kind of coalitions. She knows how to bring us together. That's exactly the kind of leader that we need in this moment. And that's the reason that I'm supporting her to be the next president of the United States.
- [21:55]
Stephen A. Smith
By the way, the Francis Scott Key bridge that collapsed that you alluded to, you got that reopened in 11 weeks. Congratulations. Major props to you. I didn't forget that. I mean, my Lord, what, what, what tremendous work on your part. Before I let you go, just a few more questions. Number one. Number one, when you look at Donald Trump, there's a lot and a lot if you're not a supporter of his, there's a lot for people to be fear of. There's a whole bunch of fears that they come up with. And folks try to encapsulate it by saying threat to democracy, democracy, et cetera. What's your primary fear of a Donald Trump presidency?
- [22:33]
Wes Moore
Well, you know, one thing I've realized is to try to go over the individual instances where Donald Trump has said something offensive or divisive. It's not a useful exercise because there's so many and because it happens so frequently that there's, there's almost this, there's a numbing to it. It's the numbing that's dangerous. Right. It's the idea that we cannot continue to excuse this. And it is the measure of chaos that it does bring. You know, I, we, I think we've forgotten what it's like to wake up and to hear something else that was said that just either makes absolutely no sense or just has completely offended somebody. We can do this, this country, and you're watching this pendulum swing that this country is having, and these are becoming violent pendulum swings from one side to the other. They're one of the first jobs of the next president of the United States has got to be to help heal this country. And I just think Donald Trump is uniquely incapable of doing that. And I don't think he has an, I don't think he has any inclination to do that or any interest in doing that. And so if I believe that that has got to be one of the things that must happen in this next phase, that we've got to be able to heal this country. And if I believe that one of the people who's running for president is uniquely incapable of doing that, that says a lot to me about what direction that I should be leaning in. I want us to focus on the future. And I'm not sure. I don't think he can do that.
- [24:07]
Stephen A. Smith
I get you. And the way you articulate it, if he were to win, you could work with Anybody. But when you listen to the rhetoric from both sides, how incendiary it is, it almost begs the question, how can anything get done? How could you talk about each other like that? And then one person wins, and then, all right, let's work together. Let's do what's been the best interest of the country. And nobody's trying to hear that. You know, I don't understand that, Governor, how it's. I'm looking at. I'm looking at folks on Capitol Hill, and I'm like, how do you think you're going to turn around and be able to work with one another when you talk about one another like that? Don't you ever find yourself asking those questions?
- [24:53]
Wes Moore
I do. And the thing that I would just say to everybody who falls into that category is don't forget who you're supposed to be fighting for. Don't forget who put you there in the first place. It was the people, right? The people elected you. That I had. I had six and a half million people in my state who I represent every single day. My job is to make sure that they are always protected in all circumstances. And there is nothing that I will not do to make sure that the people of my state are okay. Right? That's not just. It's not just my job description. It's my moral obligation. And so I know that everything I do must be in the best interest of the people of the state of Maryland. And the thing that I would ask to everybody who's sitting in any of these individual seats is, is, you know, don't do this for bluster. Don't do this because it gets you likes. Don't do this because it can help you go viral. Never forget who you're supposed to be fighting for, because if you never get. Forget who you're supposed to be fighting for, you won't stop fighting and you won't stop doing what is required and necessary to make sure that the people of your jurisdiction is protected. And I just believe deeply that when I think about our state, you know, the state where literally is one of the birthplaces, is the birthplace in our country of the successful and peaceful transition of power was Annapolis, Maryland, that when I think about the uniqueness of our state, that we need to make sure that we are going to build not just a state, but frankly have a country infrastructure around us that is going to heal and support each other. And so I do believe that's a unique prerequisite for the next leader of our country, a unique prerequisite of the president of the United States in this time. And it's one of the reasons why, when I think about the difference between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on that, the answer of who can, who can help to bring us back together after this significant rupturing, it's not even close to me about who is really best pressure tested to be able to do that and who sees that as part of their obligation.
- [26:55]
Stephen A. Smith
What does the Democratic Party, what does Kamala Harris, specifically, what do you and others within the Democratic Party have to do in order for you to win this election next week?
- [27:04]
Wes Moore
You got to work, period, full stop. I mean, like, listen, I. People always ask, they say, you know, and this is not just with this race, other races say, who's going to win this race and what do you think is going to happen in that campaign? My answer kind of always comes back to the same. Who's working hardest? I mean, like, I don't think this is that much more complicated than that. I don't pay attention to polls. I remember when, you know, my, when I ran for governor, I was not leading in a public poll the entire time. The first poll that I ever led in was when I won the election. So I don't spend much time debating that. And I also don't do hand wringing. And I'm hearing a lot of hand wringing from people about, oh, you know, what if. And I think this, and I think that, what should we do? My answer is always simple. Put in the work. And so if you don't want to have the feeling of November 6th waking up and saying what just happened, then make sure you're working on November 1st and November 2nd and November 3rd, because the people who will do the work will maintain and will be victorious inside of this race.
- [28:09]
Stephen A. Smith
Got a powerful personality, got a powerful optimistic outlook. If Donald Trump loses this election, it's a safe bet he's not going to admit it. He's going to refute it. He's going to say it's rigged. What kind of damage are you concerned that will do to the country moving forward?
- [28:36]
Wes Moore
Yeah, it's something that we've been, you know, we've been preparing and scenario planning for months on this race. Because, you know, I, I do believe that no matter what the result is on November 5, that period between November 5 and Inauguration Day has the potential to be a rocky one for this country and a complicated one for this country. And so the thing that I would, the thing that I would urge and hope is that people be responsible with their language, know their language. Has consequences that you know that that part of the beauty of this country is our democratic system. It's unique for the world. It's unique that you have a country that is built on a fundamental peaceful transition of power. It's the thing we escaped from England to be able to help preserve and protect and that this has been going on now for hundreds of years. So the thing that I would urge is that for people to both be careful with their language. The second thing I would tell people is I know in our state that we've been preparing for this moment for months, as other governors have been preparing for in their own states, that we will make sure we're honoring whatever the results are that the American people have pushed forward. But it's also really important that we allow the peaceful, the transparent and the successful election process take place and allow people to know that that in our state, you are going to have peaceful, successful and smooth election processes. And we will honor the results of the people and then immediately after those results are known and established, that it's important for our country to heal moving forward.
- [30:19]
Stephen A. Smith
My thanks to the one and only Governor Wes Moore. Election Day 2024 is this Tuesday. Ladies and gentlemen, whether you vote early or on election Day, please make sure your voice is heard. I always tell you the number one provocation for change is going to the polls and voting. If you don't vote, shut up. You don't have anything to say if you can't even find it within yourself to vote. Remember I said that. 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, 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. What's up, everyone?
- [31:24]
Wes Moore
Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson. We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go. The Name Energy Line with Nate and jsb. Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?
- [31:39]
Stephen A. Smith
Exactly.
- [31:40]
Wes Moore
And you'll never know who will drop by to join us. Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe. Listen to Energy line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.