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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.
Stephen A. Smith
My next guest is a conservative political commentator, actually Mr. Independent. That's what I call him. He's a phenomenal media personality and a best selling author. He also happens to be a friend of the program. The man, the one I call the father of cable television himself, the one and only Bill O'Reilly, is on the show right now. What's going on? Big time. How are you, sir? How's everything? It's good to see you.
Bill O'Reilly
Yeah, I be the grandfather of cable. I think I'm getting old and dog ears here.
Stephen A. Smith
All right, that's your words, not mine.
Bill O'Reilly
Now, I sent you Confronting the President's my number one New York Times bestseller. I know. You did one or two things. You either read it or you sold it on ebay because I signed it. Which one was it?
Stephen A. Smith
Neither. I haven't read it yet, but I have it by my bedside and I'm getting ready to read it. Bill O'Reilly, I keep telling you that I'm just a very busy man.
Bill O'Reilly
Work up to it. I understand that.
Stephen A. Smith
Hey, listen, let's get right to it.
Bill O'Reilly
I'll read a chapter on Grover Cleveland because that's who Donald Trump is. He's Grover now.
Stephen A. Smith
Well, listen, I'm going to do that. Let me just get right to it because I know you're a busy man. I really appreciate you making time out of your busy schedule. Okay. The results are what they are. I am shocked that it was a romp. I expected Trump to win even though I voted for Kamala Harris. I'm on the record saying that, but it was a romp. He won decisively the popular vote as well as the Electoral College. Why did that happen, Bill?
Bill O'Reilly
Because people are suffering economically. The working people, the non ideologues. See, the problem is that in America, we in the media think that everybody believes the way we do and they don't. Most people aren't engaged in politics. They lean in once in a while, take a look, but they're not living it 24 hours a day. They'll do sports and you know that I mean, or they'll have golf with their hobbies or whatever it may be. And I believe, and I think it'll bear out on the exit polling that most Americans who voted against Kamala Harris really voted against President Biden. Because under Biden, who's the second worst president on our country's history, purchasing power for workers declined dramatically, almost 9% in three and a half years. So people are looking around going, I don't have any money. I got humongous insurance, fuel and food bills. And four years ago I wasn't in the circumstance. So I'm going to go back to Trump no matter what they say about him. And that's what I think happened.
Stephen A. Smith
I get where you're coming from with that, but we just saw articles at least as recently as a week ago where they were saying the economy is in good shape, inflation is down. What you've been hearing is not necessarily the truth. I mean, was that all smoke and mirrors? Is that a smoke screen?
Bill O'Reilly
No, but it doesn't matter. The damage is still in play. When inflation comes down, it doesn't mean prices come down. It means that inflation doesn't grow as much. So the American worker, the average guy and gal, is paying 20% more for the essentials alive. And that has not moved. And Trump promised to move it down by taking out the regulations the Biden administration put on the fossil fuel industry, thereby driving costs for transportation, gas and oil down. And that resonated among workers. Trump had a plan. What was Kamala Harris's economic plan? Zero. Because she didn't have a plan for anything. And she was not a good candidate.
Stephen A. Smith
And when you say she wasn't a good candidate, what I look at, Bill, is this. The economy obviously was one issue. Immigration had to be another. Crime in the streets of America definitely had to be another. I think woke and cancel culture played a role as well. But possibly the other thing that may come to mind, Bill, is that she didn't have to you know, she didn't go through a primary. Obviously, Joe Biden escaped the primary. He ultimately bowed out after his poorest performance on June 27, she was elevated to being a Democratic nominee with, without competition. Those are the kind of things that I was hearing leading up to the election. What say you to all of that? What role did that play in her demise?
Bill O'Reilly
Butters didn't care about that one bit. They didn't care about it. So Kamala Harris made one enormous mistake. She didn't answer any questions. So she goes on Fox News and Bret baier asks her 10 questions and she doesn't answer one of them. Just goes wandering into the middle class home and all this other business. Now you're a sportscaster and you interview people every day of your life and so do I. If I ask a direct question in the no spin zone and somebody doesn't answer, the interview halts. I stop the interview and go, did you not understand the question? Should I pose it again? And if you don't want to answer, can you tell me why Barrett didn't do that, but he should have. But anybody watching Kamala Harris on the trail knows she wasn't going to answer any questions because she was a rehearsed candidate, she was a machine candidate. She didn't have enough confidence in her own abilities to articulate problem solving, fell back on memorization. Now, the woman is excellent in front of the camera. I predict she's going to wind up on the View or she'll be in showbiz in some capacity while she waits for the next political opening. But she absolutely insulted, I think people watching those interviews by failing to answer the questions. Enormous mistake.
Stephen A. Smith
Was it her or is it the Democratic Party believing that that was the route she needed to take? And obviously she was following suit because she was in no position. She was in no position to shove aside what they wanted though, right?
Bill O'Reilly
They believe that she could win doing what Biden did in 20, which basically staying in house, not going out. Warren Harding in 1920. As you will learn when you reconfirring, the presidents did the same thing and he won and Biden won. So the party said, yeah, we don't really have to answer these stinking questions. We can just evade. But when you are a candidate that is new to people, they don't know you. You've got to define yourself. And Kamala Harris certainly did not do that. There was no emotional attachment to the vice president.
Stephen A. Smith
We saw Oprah Winfrey speak. We saw Jennifer Lopez speak. We saw Michelle Obama give her speech particularly In Kalamazoo, Michigan, a little over a week ago, about 10 days ago or so, we saw a plethora of well known figures speaking out on behalf of Kamala Harris. And some alluded to her not receiving the level of support that she deserves, including former President Barack Obama. They said it must be some form of misogyny. They didn't come out and say that word, but they certainly alluded to that. What role, if any, do you believe that played in the lack of support she received in this election?
Bill O'Reilly
Zero.
Stephen A. Smith
Zero.
Bill O'Reilly
Yeah. I mean, it's the same old stuff. You know, she didn't win because she's a woman or she was a South Asian or an African American. It's a bunch of bull. If the American public believed that Kamala Harris could improve their economic circumstance, she certainly would have won by a big margin because Donald Trump's a very controversial person. And if there was another alternative that people felt comfortable with, I think they would have gone there. She was a very hard worker, Kamala Harris, and she gave it a shot. But again, I fall back on the fact that if I'm sitting here, Stephen A. And she's sitting across from me for an hour interview, you think she survives that interview?
Stephen A. Smith
No, not, not. Not the one that I saw. Not the one that I saw on the campaign trail. No. Based on the interviews that she gave. Not, not, not, not enough. Not at a nanosecond. I don't believe that.
Bill O'Reilly
You have to ask yourself, if she can't stand up to the tough questions, why should be. Why should she be awarded the position of the most powerful person in the world? Because Putin's a pretty tough guy. Xi and the Muellers, they're ruthless, evil people. You gotta have somebody in there. And like Trump or not, he's proven that he can stand up to these people. So it was all about economy. And you were right. Immigration played a big part. Biden and Harris have never, ever explained why they opened that border. For what reason did you do that? But here's the crusher. There's always a crusher in sports and politics. You want the crusher?
Stephen A. Smith
Please.
Bill O'Reilly
Here's the crusher. So ABC News is in the tank for Kamala Harris, and their primary weekday show is the View. Two million viewers a day, 100% liberal. No conservative women watch that program. Kamala Harris consents to go into there because it's a friendly venue. She sits there, they yuck it up. They tell her how great she is, smooch, smooch, smooch. And then an aside comes out if you had to do it all over again, do you think there's something that you would have done differently than President Biden?
Stephen A. Smith
She said nothing.
Bill O'Reilly
Kamala Harris says, not that I can think of. Over. It was over when she said it. So the folks at home going, wait a minute, I'm paying 20% more than I did three and a half years ago. Afghanistan was an enormous embarrassment of historical proportions. The open border has injected 14 million foreign nationals into this country largely unsupervised. And there's nothing you would have done differently over right then.
Stephen A. Smith
And I'll tell you this just an aside before I ask my next question. You know, one of the things that I think works against the argument of misogyny is that Hillary Clinton in 2016 won a popular vote by about 2.686 million, more so than Donald Trump, even though she lost the Electoral College vote. And obviously she is a woman and she was considered very, very tough as well. If anything, people thought that she was a bit tougher. Sure. Please go ahead.
Bill O'Reilly
Well, I'll give you a better argument than Hillary. If Michelle Obama had wanted the nomination, she'd had it, the Democratic Party would have given it to her.
Stephen A. Smith
That's right.
Bill O'Reilly
And she would have won.
Stephen A. Smith
And she would have. So you're saying Michelle Obama would have beaten Trump?
Bill O'Reilly
Yes.
Stephen A. Smith
Why?
Bill O'Reilly
Enormously popular. Mrs. Obama. Enormously popular. And the Democratic Party looks fondly at the eight years of Barack Obama. It was nostalgia. Let's go back to the promised land, and I think Michelle would have won.
Stephen A. Smith
How long do you go back your relationship with Donald Trump? How long has it been? How long have you known each other?
Bill O'Reilly
About 35 years.
Stephen A. Smith
What do you think about the Donald Trump that you've seen as a politician compared to the Donald Trump you knew before?
Bill O'Reilly
He was a politician, the same guy. I mean, he's not really a politician. He's a dealmaker. That's how he ran a country in his first term. And if Covid had not hit us, he would have been easily reelected just on the economic success alone that he experienced in the first 18 months. I remember when he left office, inflation was 1.4%. So he's not an ideologue. Trump, he doesn't care about. I mean, if I were quizzing Trump on the Republican Party and the history of it, he couldn't answer any of the questions. He doesn't know who, what Calvin Coolidge did or John Adams, Thomas Jefferson. He didn't know any of that. He's a deal maker and he's very astute at Sizing up what he needs to get done to be successful. You don't amass billions of dollars. I wrote a book, the United States of Trump, best book you'll ever read on a man. And the man Donald Trump amassed a fortune by making good deals. And the final part of the equation is he is the hardest working politician in US History. There has never been another president or candidate that works as hard as that man works.
Stephen A. Smith
Right?
Bill O'Reilly
And the contrast to Joe Napping Biden was stunning, Absolutely stunning.
Stephen A. Smith
But what about somebody, what about somebody that would look at Bill O'Reilly knowing what you know, because you are very big on your facts, you know what the hell you're talking about. And there's somebody that's been on TV with you and had the pleasure of sitting next to you and seeing how you operate. I have to acknowledge I just sat there scratching my head. I said, this is why this man has been doing this for so long. This man knows what he's doing. But when you say he's a deal maker, okay, he's a businessman, a lot of folks on the left, the first thing that'll come to my mind, come to their mind is a smirk and they'll dismiss it and they'll say, the man's filed for bankruptcy six different times. This is what they'll point to. They'll point to those kind of things and say, what on earth is Bill O'Reilly talking about? How do you argue against that?
Bill O'Reilly
I don't. He runs his business the way he wants. And if he has to file for bankruptcy, he does. I don't condone what Donald Trump's deals have been. Not my job. My job is to look for the overall welfare of the American people, all of them. And when you have a four year record in office, that's what I'm looking at. I'm not looking at Trump University or Trump Golf Course in Uruguay. I don't care. All right? The man is fabulously wealthy. If you get out of Mar a Lago and you look around, you go, and this is like Louis XIV down here, right? Okay? So all of that is superfluous. And so are his statements that sometimes are crazy because he, he always does that. My hypothesis is he's a rich guy and rich guys say what they want. Elon Musk says what he wants, okay? Mark Zuckerberg says what he wants.
Stephen A. Smith
Rich guy Mark Cuban, let's not forget him. He says what he wants.
Bill O'Reilly
Mark Cuban, right now, guys like you and me, working guys, I mean, we have worked our way up. And I Say what I want, but I wasn't always that way. I was damn cautious.
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
Bill O'Reilly
Because I didn't have daddy's money to fall back on or any of this other stuff. All right? I had to carve it out. But rich people are different.
Stephen A. Smith
Yes, they are.
Bill O'Reilly
And Trump is in that zone. If I want to say it, I'm going to say it. I don't care who likes it. And that's what he does.
Stephen A. Smith
I've always known billionaires to be that way. I know you got to get on out of here. Two quick questions. Latinos increased their vote for Trump by 13%, according to what I read. African Americans by 5%. Why do you think that happened for Donald Trump?
Bill O'Reilly
It's economics, pure and simple.
Stephen A. Smith
Pure and simple?
Bill O'Reilly
Look, when you have a president that under his administration, real wages, that's take home pay rise more than 7%, and then you have another president comes in right after and real wages fall, okay, into the negative territory, they've come back a little to about 1.8%. It doesn't matter what color you are, what ethnicity you are. You're working hard for a living. You want to support your family, okay? You want to move on up like the Jeffersons. And when you can't, you're teed off. It's not about color. It's not about any of that right now. There are some ideologues who play that game. I don't play the game. But that's why you got more. Ask me one sports question. Ask me why the New York jets can never get out of their way.
Stephen A. Smith
I will not ask you that question because we all know their football purgatory. My last question to you is going to be this. How is this Trump going to be better than the Trump that was in office from 2016 to 2020?
Bill O'Reilly
I have no idea whether he's going to be better, whether he's going to be worse. I have no idea at all. What I want for the country is for Donald Trump to succeed. Not for Donald Trump, not for Bill O'Reilly, the analyst on BillORilly.com, it's going to help my business that he got reelected. But we have lots of liberals and independents watching us. And they do so because I'm not imprisoned in an ideological cage. But I want what's best for the country. And I sent out a message today on Billorilly.com, i write a daily message and everybody should go. It's free. You can read it. Donald Trump better be cautious. Second, terms are harder than first terms. Grover Cleveland, the only other guy who did this non consecutive terms, had a horrendous second term. And Trump, the hubris, all of that needed to tamp that down, laser lock into cleaning up the border, raising the economy as quickly as possible, getting social disorder under control, and being very straight with the American public. That's what I hope he does.
Stephen A. Smith
Bill O'Reilly, I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to join me today. I can't wait to have you back where I just sit here and talk to you about you and all you have accomplished in your career, particularly with all these daggone bestsellers you keep writing. So I'm looking forward to talking to you in the near future. We're going to be on Cuomo Nation, Cuomo tonight on News Nation. I'm looking forward forward to that as well. Always appreciate you, my man. Thank you so much for joining me. Really appreciate it.
Bill O'Reilly
Thank you, Steven. I really enjoyed the conversation.
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you. See you soon.
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 Swearingen
What's up everyone? Julie swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
Bill O'Reilly
We're doing a new podcast together.
Julie Swearingen
Here we go, the name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
Bill O'Reilly
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?
Julie Swearingen
Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.
Bill O'Reilly
Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
Julie Swearingen
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
Summary of The Stephen A. Smith Show: Presidential Election Recap with Bill O’Reilly
Release Date: November 30, 2024
In this insightful episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith sits down with former Fox News host and renowned media personality Bill O’Reilly to dissect the outcomes of the recent presidential election. The discussion delves deep into the reasons behind the Democrats' defeat, analyzing economic factors, candidate performances, and demographic shifts that influenced voter behavior.
Stephen A. Smith opens the conversation by expressing his surprise at the election results, despite having publicly supported Kamala Harris. He states:
“[02:02] Stephen A. Smith: The results are what they are. I am shocked that it was a romp. I expected Trump to win even though I voted for Kamala Harris. I'm on the record saying that, but it was a romp.”
Bill O’Reilly concurs, highlighting the widespread voter dissatisfaction with the current administration.
A significant portion of the discussion centers around the economic struggles faced by the American populace. O’Reilly attributes Trump's victory to the economic hardships experienced under President Biden:
“[02:26] Bill O’Reilly: Because people are suffering economically. The working people, the non ideologues... purchasing power for workers declined dramatically, almost 9% in three and a half years.”
He emphasizes that while inflation metrics may show improvement, the real-world impact on everyday Americans remains severe:
“[04:00] Bill O’Reilly: When inflation comes down, it doesn't mean prices come down. It means that inflation doesn't grow as much. So the American worker, the average guy and gal, is paying 20% more for the essentials alive.”
O’Reilly criticizes the Biden administration's handling of the economy, particularly the regulations on the fossil fuel industry, which he believes have kept essential costs high. In contrast, he praises Trump's deregulation efforts, suggesting they resonated strongly with voters aiming to alleviate financial pressures.
O’Reilly offers a scathing critique of Kamala Harris's campaign, focusing on her lack of a concrete economic plan and poor performance during interviews:
“[05:33] Bill O’Reilly: Kamala Harris made one enormous mistake. She didn't answer any questions... she didn't have enough confidence in her own abilities to articulate problem solving, fell back on memorization.”
Stephen A. Smith expands on this by pointing out Harris's unchallenged rise to the nomination:
“[05:33] Stephen A. Smith: She didn't have to you know, she didn't go through a primary... those are the kind of things that I was hearing leading up to the election. What say you to all of that?”
O’Reilly responds by emphasizing Harris's rehearsed and insubstantial responses:
“[07:12] Bill O’Reilly: She didn’t have an emotional attachment to the vice president... there was no emotional attachment to the vice president.”
He argues that Harris failed to establish a strong personal connection with voters, further weakening her campaign.
The conversation shifts to the role of sexism and party support in Harris's loss. Stephen A. Smith references endorsements from prominent female figures and hints at misogyny possibly affecting the outcome:
“[08:04] Stephen A. Smith: We saw Oprah Winfrey speak... What role, if any, do you believe that played in the lack of support she received in this election?”
O’Reilly dismisses these notions outright:
“[08:46] Bill O’Reilly: Zero... It's a bunch of bull. If the American public believed that Kamala Harris could improve their economic circumstance, she certainly would have won by a big margin.”
He insists that economic factors, rather than gender or race, were the decisive elements in the election.
Exploring alternative scenarios, O’Reilly speculates on how different candidates might have fared. He posits that Michelle Obama, given her immense popularity, could have secured a victory for the Democrats:
“[12:15] Bill O’Reilly: If Michelle Obama had wanted the nomination, she'd had it... I think Michelle would have won.”
Stephen A. Smith queries the feasibility of such a candidacy:
“[12:25] Stephen A. Smith: That's right.”
O’Reilly reinforces the idea, suggesting that Michelle Obama's widespread acclaim would have galvanized voter support, potentially overcoming the economic grievances that hampered Harris's campaign.
The discussion returns to Trump, with O’Reilly highlighting his effectiveness as a leader and dealmaker. He contrasts Trump's hands-on approach with Biden's perceived indifference:
“[13:10] Bill O’Reilly: He was a politician, the same guy... he doesn't care about... he's a deal maker and he's very astute at sizing up what he needs to get done to be successful.”
O’Reilly lauds Trump’s work ethic, positioning him as one of the hardest-working politicians in U.S. history:
“[14:31] Bill O’Reilly: He is the hardest working politician in US History. There has never been another president or candidate that works as hard as that man works.”
He attributes Trump's strong performance in the early months of his presidency to these qualities, noting:
“[13:00] Bill O’Reilly: If Covid had not hit us, he would have been easily reelected just on the economic success alone that he experienced in the first 18 months.”
Stephen A. Smith highlights the notable increase in support for Trump among Latino (13%) and African American (5%) voters:
“[16:51] Stephen A. Smith: Latinos increased their vote for Trump by 13%, according to what I read. African Americans by 5%. Why do you think that happened for Donald Trump?”
O’Reilly attributes this shift to economic factors rather than racial or cultural motivations:
“[17:11] Bill O’Reilly: It's economics, pure and simple... real wages... they're working hard for a living. They want to support their family... When you can't, you're teed off. It's not about color...”
He emphasizes that financial wellbeing transcends demographic lines, driving support based on economic performance.
As the conversation nears its conclusion, Stephen A. Smith probes into how a potential second term might differ from Trump's first:
“[18:07] Stephen A. Smith: How is this Trump going to be better than the Trump that was in office from 2016 to 2020?”
O’Reilly expresses uncertainty but underscores the challenges of maintaining and improving upon a prior administration's achievements:
“[18:20] Bill O’Reilly: I have no idea whether he's going to be better, whether he's going to be worse. What I want for the country is for Donald Trump to succeed... he needs to tamp that down, laser lock into cleaning up the border, raising the economy as quickly as possible, getting social disorder under control, and being very straight with the American public.”
He references historical precedents, such as Grover Cleveland's non-consecutive terms, to caution about the complexities of a second term.
Stephen A. Smith wraps up the interview by acknowledging O’Reilly's extensive career and contributions to media:
“[19:34] Stephen A. Smith: Bill O’Reilly, I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to join me today... Always appreciate you, my man. Thank you so much for joining me. Really appreciate it.”
O’Reilly reciprocates the sentiment, emphasizing the value of their conversation:
“[19:56] Bill O’Reilly: Thank you, Steven. I really enjoyed the conversation.”
Economic Hardships:
“[02:26] Bill O’Reilly: Because people are suffering economically. The working people, the non ideologues... purchasing power for workers declined dramatically, almost 9% in three and a half years.”
Inflation Insights:
“[04:00] Bill O’Reilly: When inflation comes down, it doesn't mean prices come down. It means that inflation doesn't grow as much...”
Critique of Harris’s Campaign:
“[05:33] Bill O’Reilly: Kamala Harris made one enormous mistake. She didn't answer any questions...”
Dismissal of Misogyny Claims:
“[08:46] Bill O’Reilly: Zero... It's a bunch of bull. If the American public believed that Kamala Harris could improve their economic circumstance, she certainly would have won by a big margin.”
Trump’s Work Ethic:
“[14:31] Bill O’Reilly: He is the hardest working politician in US History. There has never been another president or candidate that works as hard as that man works.”
Demographic Shifts Explained:
“[17:11] Bill O’Reilly: It's economics, pure and simple... real wages... they're working hard for a living. They want to support their family... When you can't, you're teed off. It's not about color...”
This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a critical examination of the 2024 presidential election through the lens of Bill O’Reilly. The conversation underscores the pivotal role of economic factors in shaping voter behavior, critiques the Democratic candidate's campaign strategies, and highlights the complexities surrounding demographic voting patterns. O’Reilly's insights provide a comprehensive understanding of the election dynamics, emphasizing the intersection of economic performance and political strategy in determining electoral outcomes.