← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Interview Only: Presidential election recap with Fox News Host Sean Hannity.
00:53:48
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- [00:00]
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- [00:34]
Sean Hannity
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- [01:04]
Stephen A. Smith
My next guest is one of the most prominent and influential conservative voices in the United States of America. He's the host on Hannity that can be seen Monday through Friday on Fox News, 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time. By the way, please welcome the one and only Sean Hannity, here to rub it in. Before we even start, let me say this.
- [01:27]
Sean Hannity
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop right there. No way. I'm not here to rub anything in. I'm not spiking the football. Ask me how I feel about the election. I will tell you I am grateful. I am relieved. It was an overwhelming win when you made your prediction to me. I happen to be around people that you love. When you made it and you told me you were like so certain which way I was going, I said, not so fast. But you know, I love the fact that we can have a dialogue and a discussion and there's no spike in the football here. I feel this is for the bet. This is for the betterment of the country. I want you to succeed. I want every American to succeed. I want everybody to be happy. Success will be good for all of us.
- [02:15]
Stephen A. Smith
See, this is the problem. This is the problem. This is my platform. You've already started by saying, hold up, hold up. Then let me get my first question out because the first thing that I was going to get on was telling my audience we had to wait a while for you because your head hair wasn't right, the background wasn't right, and you had to look just so pristine for the camera. So I was gonna tease you so.
- [02:35]
Sean Hannity
Bad you couldn't see me. So I don't, I don't do, I don't Have a computer. This is my brother in law's computer. He had to come over here and set it up. I don't own a computer. I don't have an email account. I have no access to my social media. I have to go through a staff to put something up on social media. But when you're on my show, I give you all the room and then I get, then I get attacked. Stephen A school. Sean Hannity. So my turn today.
- [03:01]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah. You ask about five minute questions before you let me answer. Oh, my lord. You need to stop. You need to. But listen, let's get serious here for a second. You were telling me. Credit to you. You were telling me for so long you thought Trump would win this election, you thought the Democrats would lose it. Sean. I have to admit, I thought that when he got, when the first attempted assassination against him took place and he went to the ground and then ultimately got up with blood dripping down the right side of his face and he raised his fist to the crowd, fight, fight, fight, with Secret Service covering him and the American flag was over him. I said, this is a wrap. He's going to win the election. Then he started talking and getting in his own way and I said, I've never seen anybody blow it in such a situation in my life. But you never wavered. Why? What made you so confident this outcome was gonna be this outcome?
- [03:58]
Sean Hannity
Look, there was a lot of things going on that I was confident on. The issues that transcend all demographics. I'm so sick of demographics. We're all Americans. You know, at the end of the day, one great thing Trump did say was, was success, you know, will unite us and success will benefit everybody. And under his first term, the people, the narrative of the left is, well, he gave tax cuts for the rich people that had the greatest wealth creation, greatest job creation. By the numbers. I've gone over the best numbers. For the first three years, putting aside pandemic year were African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, women in the workplace, African American youth, unemployment. I don't like demographics. I want every American to succeed. But when you look at the disaster that was the border and 12 and a half million unvetted Harris Biden, illegal immigrants, and for three years they lied and they said, no, the border secure, the border's closed. And we with our own eyes see that it's anything but secure or closed. You had people coming from 180 countries, including Iran, Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Venezuela, tens and tens of thousands from China and Russia. I don't think those people are all coming Here because they want a better life for themselves and their family. And they lied about it. They denied it. And then something else happened. And maybe the Democrats just thought they could ignore it. But we had dozens of Americans and I would scroll their names on my TV show that were murdered. The allegation is Harris Biden illegals did it and that we had their names. We knew when they came here. They came here because they opened up the border. And Harris pledging to get rid of that medieval vanity project as she called the wall. Dozens of Americans dead. You know, some of their names. I scrolled all their names. Rachel moran, mother of five, Lake and Riley. Jocelyn Nungary, little 12 year old girl in Houston and so many others. Dozens and dozens of Americans were raped, including children. STEPHEN A. And hundreds and hundreds of Americans were victims of violent crime. That's issue one. Now we can talk about the economy. They lied and said inflation was transitory. They told us the economy's great. But then it became on day one, I'm going to fix, I'm going to fix the economy. But you were telling us for over three years that the economy is in great shape. You know what it, what is it? And she didn't get called out a lot on it. And. But people felt it. Every store. Let me backtrack, okay. There were points of my life where I had to struggle to pay my rent. I couldn't buy the food that I wanted to buy. I did. I couldn't even afford McDonald's. And I worked for 10 years of my life in construction. 10 years of my life I worked in restaurants. And thank God because it defined me as a human being, that my belief in God, I think have really kept me somewhat sane. You'll argue that part, but people are suffering. Two thirds of the country were saying in polls that they are gulping water financially. Last year alone, 25% of Americans said they had to forego meals. Okay, those are real pocketbook issues. They transcend every demographic. Then you go to the issue every time you gas up your car. Depending at what point we were in during the Harris Biden administration, you're paying anywhere from two and a half to, to a dollar to a dollar and a half more per gallon of gasoline. Donald Trump, when he left office, it was $2.48 a gallon. The national average never went higher than $3 a gallon, never got to $3 a gallon. For the first time in 75 years, he made this country energy independent. And now he wants in his second term to make U.S. energy dominant. I don't know about you, but I have the money to fill up my car. It's not a problem for me financially, but I'd rather pay $2 a gallon than 350 a gallon. And I think most Americans, they feel it, it is hurting their businesses. Then you get to the madness of defund, dismantle, no bail laws, et cetera, et cetera. Back to immigration, we have known terrorists in the country. We have cartels in the country. We have gang members in this country that they allowed in. And by the way, they need to be sent out and sent home. And we can get into the details of that. So between all of that and a campaign that evolved into if you're a conservative, you're a racist, you're a Nazi and you're a fascist, and you like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, not exactly the best campaign.
- [09:01]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, let me ask you this, Sean.
- [09:04]
Sean Hannity
Yeah.
- [09:05]
Stephen A. Smith
If they, if we had a stronger economy and they make the argument that the economy had improved, inflation obviously was inherited from Trump to Biden at 1.5%, it ballooned to about 9.1%, if I remember correctly, before it ultimately dipped down. I know they make the argument, the left made the argument that the economy had improved. Reports said that as well. You begged to differ. But here's my question. If, for the sake of argument, the economy was good, but the border crisis had not taken place, you know, would it have been a different outcome, in your estimation, if Biden had never opened the border? Essentially what I'm asking, if they would.
- [09:46]
Sean Hannity
Have done their job. In other words, would they have had a better chance of winning?
- [09:50]
Stephen A. Smith
Would they have never opened a border? Would they have if they had never opened a border?
- [09:55]
Sean Hannity
If they never opened the border? Well, first of all, this is now going to be the biggest national security threat in our lifetime. I have been warning for the longest time, and I mean this with all my heart, because I was there on 9 11. You were there on 9 11. Nobody's going to forget where they were on 9 11. And we lost 2,977 of our fellow Americans that day. The worst terror attack in history. And we have known terrorists in this country right now. We have Iranian assassination squads in this country right now. And their goal is to take out Donald Trump after two would be assassins during this campaign. So if you're asking me, we were told there are 13,000 known murderers that they let into this country. They allowed a known terrorist, but we don't know where they are in the country. So I would assume that they're plotting, planning and scheming their next attack. And I said on the air many times they have blood on their hands for the people murdered, the people raped and, and the people victims of violent crime. And I think it's sadly a matter of when and not if this country is going to get hit with a terror attack and they will have more blood on their hands. Now I say that and I always follow it up with I pray to God, our Father, that I am wrong, that I am dead wrong. I don't think I am. STEPHEN A. They allowed too many of them in. And for whatever reason, I don't know, I think the plan ultimately. Oh, Kamala said what the plan was. Decriminalize illegal immigrants, offer them free food, housing, health care, education, along with a running mate, legal driver's licenses, free sex change, surgeries if you want one taxpayer funded and then earned path to citizenship, which is really called amnesty. That was her plan. And that the American people, they're not going to buy that. And the mainstream I call the legacy media is dead in America as of right now because dead. They're done.
- [12:08]
Stephen A. Smith
Because.
- [12:09]
Sean Hannity
Because it's over. Because look at what they have done to this man. No man has ever been persecuted to this level. Whether you like him or don't like him, you like his policies, you don't like his style, I don't care. The Russia hoax was three years of a never ending lie. They took out FISA warrants to spy on a candidate, Donald Trump, a President Elect Donald Trump and then a President Donald Trump. And they lied to a FISA court. Every one of the people that signed those FISA warrants eventually had to go before Lindsey Graham in the US Senate and asked the question, well, knowing what you know now, would you have signed the warrants? And every one of them said no. And they signed it based on a dirty Russian bought and paid for disinformation dossier of Hillary Clinton. That happened in our country, Stephen. It can't happen again. We've got to clean up these agencies. We can't weaponize the DOJ to go after political opponents. We can't use what was formerly the greatest law enforcement agency in the world, the FBI, and politicize it. We can't take the greatest intelligence agencies in the world and politicize it. 51 former intel officials that knew nothing about a laptop. That laptop was very real. And they did that in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election. Fair enough. There's deep corruption there.
- [13:38]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me chime in here. And the reason why I'm going To chime in here is, number one, a lot of what you're saying is correct. The left absolutely, categorically did not. There's not a lot.
- [13:47]
Sean Hannity
There's nothing wrong with what.
- [13:48]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me get to my bigger point. My bigger point is, first of all, I always had a problem with the whole lawfare issue, only from the standpoint that to me, the Democrats were making it clear. And I think we now see they really didn't believe they could beat them. I think one could easily make the argument against them with that. But when somebody looks at Sean Hannity and they listen to you talk about Trump, they say to themselves, and I've seen liberals say this, so he's just going to ignore 34 felony convictions. He's just going to ignore two impeachments. He's just going to ignore those kind of things and act like Donald Trump is the paragon of virtue. What do you say to people who say that about Sean Hannity when it comes to him talking about Donald Trump?
- [14:33]
Sean Hannity
I say I don't really give a damn what people say or think of Sean Hannity. I really don't care. I will say this, that I'm more informed than they are. I guarantee you, let me take it away from you, okay? Every major business in New York, and I guarantee you the prosecutor's office in New York have signed legal NDAs, non disclosure agreements that were put together by lawyers that were, that were billed as a legal expense, taxes paid as appropriately, and nothing would have happened. So if you're asking me if I think this was the weaponization of a legal system against Donald Trump, my straight up answer is, tell me where I'm wrong. Because I bet you that prosecutor's office, if we got to their internal memos, they probably have signed NDAs too. There's probably not a company you've worked for in your career that has not signed them. It is a very common practice. There are probably people you interview, sports legends, the people you talk to every day, they probably have them, too. If you want to date Player X, you got to sign an NDA before you even go on a date with them. You know, and I know that's true.
- [15:53]
Stephen A. Smith
Sean, when you bring up the issue of immigration and you talk about the immigrants that entered this country, you talked about 13,000 of them you guys were told were criminals. Now, obviously, we looked at the border and I think the number has said, it's said to have eclipsed 11.6 million that entered this country, if not more. They've talked about that as well. What do you say to folks from the Latino, from the Hispanic communities throughout this country that say when Trump speaks he might not highlight its 13,000. He speaks as if it's most if not all of them. And that creates such a negative stereotype about immigrants entering this country.
- [16:36]
Sean Hannity
What do you say about that? I would gently disagree with you and say that when he spoke, he talked about the fact that we didn't vet people. We have a legal process to come into this country. Look, I am the, my grandparents all came from Ireland at, at the turn of the last century and they would came here dirt poor. They faced their level of discrimination. Irish Catholic need not apply. They had no money at all whatsoever. And you know, it was terrible for them. But I know that I stand on their shoulders. I don't care where you come from. Stephen A. I, I just want to vet you. I want to make sure you don't have radical associations. I want to make sure post pandemic that we have a health check. I want to make sure that you're not going to be a financial burden on the American people. And if you do it legally and we ought to expedite the process, process, it ought not be that difficult then I don't care what part of the world you come from. Welcome to our country. We can't take in the world's population but we can be selective about who we take into the country and we certainly must have a background check. There are evil people in this world and we cannot let them into this country. We've got to protect our family here first. And if we do that, if you come in legally, welcome to America. God bless you and I wish you the best of success. May God bless you and your family and Donald Trump. You know, look at the numbers. Stephen A. They don't lie. I mean he had the largest increase in vote with minorities, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, young people, women. I mean all across the board people know and the reason is, is for the reasons I discussed earlier, everybody wants lower gas prices. I would do my own grocery shopping. You know what, what the average family, $13,000 more a year. They're paying what they were buying in 2020. People are putting bare necessities on credit cards. You know it's the economy, stupid. Its law and order. And this madness of defund, dismantle, no bail laws, reimagining the police, it's wide open borders, it's sex change operations, it's wokeism. We could talk about that all day if you want. And it's all. And what frustrated Me in the campaign is Kamala flat out lied to the American people repeatedly. She tried to scare seniors in this country and say, Donald Trump is going to take your Social Security and your Medicare. No, he's not. Social Security. Medicare benefits went up in his first term and he has pledged never to do that. Well, he supports Project 2025. He doesn't even know what it is. I've asked him myself numerous times. Kamala said that he's going to sign a national abortion ban. He promised he wouldn't. She said he would limit your access to contraception. He never said that he would limit IVF treatments. He never said that either. And I don't like, for one, I don't like being lied to. We're both parents. If your kid does something wrong, okay, it's probably not as bad as the things you lie to us is worse. And the things I did, you lie.
- [19:52]
Stephen A. Smith
To us, it's worse, that's fine.
- [19:53]
Sean Hannity
But if they lie to you about it, you're going to be in much more trouble in my world.
- [19:57]
Stephen A. Smith
My world as well. Two points I want to address that you brought up. Yes. Trump didn't talk about a national abortion ban. The flip side to it, however, is that justices who would condone that, who seem as if they would support that, are people obviously he elevated to the Supreme Court. One would argue, when you talk about it no longer being a federal issue, it's now states rights. Some people say, yeah, Donald Trump, but you had everything to do with that. So I look at it from that perspective. There's no question about that.
- [20:27]
Sean Hannity
Yep. And here's. But, Stephen, A. For years, those of us that looked at Roe v. Wade, if you believe in federalism and you believe in states, you know, having the ability to make these decisions and putting it into the hands of the people directly through their duly elected representatives or through a referendum process or proposition process like they have out in California. Let's take a red state, Ohio. Okay. Roe v. Wade is overturned. They have referendum vote on abortion and they vote for one of the most liberal abortion laws in the country. Abortion is not going to be outlawed in America in our lifetime, period. End of sentence. It is. They're demagoguing it. They'll flat out lying and they're trying to scare women and they know what they're doing. That's the worst part of it. Now, I happen to have views. I'm very pro life. I'm a Christian and my faith means everything to me. You and I have talked about our faith with each other.
- [21:33]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
- [21:34]
Sean Hannity
And however, I understand where the country is. And the country to me is probably first trimester or Dobbs 15 weeks. And by the way, that's where even the most liberal European countries are. I mean, they don't go beyond that. Kamala Harris and Tim Walls, absolutely no restrictions on abortion in months seven, eight and nine. Okay? That's called infanticide because that child can live independently outside the womb. That is morally repugnant to me. The other thing that, you know, we want to stay a little bit on some of the social issues. You know, why would California and Minnesota offer gender affirming care to minors?
- [22:23]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't approve of that.
- [22:25]
Sean Hannity
I'm libertarian like you. You're an adult. Live your life. It's none of Sean Hannity's business. None of my business at all. No criticism from me. But if it's somebody's children, I believe in parents rights. I know you believe in parents rights. Why do you think as a bureaucrat or a government that you could offer medical care that could be life altering to children and not consult with the parents?
- [22:51]
Stephen A. Smith
Listen, we don't have to belabor that point because I think that the left went a bit too far with the progressive left. I think they were held hostage by the progressive left. I think that's why Biden opened the border from day one. But let me get back to something about Trump.
- [23:06]
Sean Hannity
I think the Democratic Party party is the progressive left. Well, I don't think if they had a primary tomorrow, they would pick somebody like Kamala Harris. They wouldn't pick. They wouldn't pick Stephen A. Smith.
- [23:17]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, I don't. I think you're wrong.
- [23:18]
Sean Hannity
Reasonable.
- [23:19]
Stephen A. Smith
I think. I think you're wrong. Especially after the results of this election. I think you're absolutely wrong about that. I think they've learned their lesson. Make no mistake about it, right?
- [23:27]
Sean Hannity
About the election after this, don't underestimate me.
- [23:29]
Stephen A. Smith
After this butt whipping, I mean, there's no question they should rethink things. No question about. But I'm gonna get back to Trump before I get into it with you, with some things that do need to change, particularly when it comes to the Democratic Party. I want the world to hear.
- [23:41]
Sean Hannity
I gotta get lectured now by you. I come on your podcast to get lectured. Really?
- [23:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Excuse me?
- [23:45]
Sean Hannity
You gotta lecture me after you spent.
- [23:47]
Stephen A. Smith
Two years lecturing me about Tim Tebow? You gonna complain with me about this? You better stop right now. You better stop right now. But let me ask you this, Sean.
- [23:54]
Sean Hannity
The best is my son, who's your biggest fan, right? And he had an opportunity to hang with us. And oh, man, I made every time. I'm sorry about Dax. I made his day, you know, I mean that. But, man, you talk about his cowboys and it's like, lights out, dad, dad, it's a rap. Stephen A's at it again.
- [24:18]
Stephen A. Smith
Exactly. And they got stomped yesterday. But let me get back to Trump. You talk about money, you talk about the economy. You also talk about our national deficit and the exorbitant spending that the Democrats have done over the years. When Trump was in office, he did increase the national deficit by about $8.4 trillion. Sean, I didn't hear you. I don't hear you bring that up too often. What's up with that?
- [24:39]
Sean Hannity
Okay, well, there were extenuating circumstances in the last year of the Trump administration, in the first year of the Biden administration, and that would be the worst pandemic at 100 years. So I think we have to extrapolate from both sides to be fair. Those years out, and he had to spend a lot of money on all that. And that's a big part of where it came from. However, post Covid years, Kamala and Joe have been putting another $2 trillion to the bottom line. Republicans, in my view, paid very close attention. They are not paying enough attention to our national debt. It is projected to soon be $50 trillion. Now, the good, the best part of Trump's agenda that people are not going to be paying attention to is you've heard the term all throughout your life. Oil rich countries, energy rich countries. Well, we are the richest of all those countries combined. We have more oil, natural gas, coal than all of them. Now, the first step was energy independence. That was hard to achieve. Trump got it done the first time in 75 years. And in interviews that I have had with him and private conversations that I've had with him. If America wants to get wealthy, for example, I got kicked out of New York. I had two governors say, get the hell out of here, get the hell out of here. We don't want you.
- [26:01]
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, you didn't get kicked out. You wanted to leave. Stop that. You wanted to leave. Every show you complained about taxes, every.
- [26:08]
Sean Hannity
Show, Cuomo, I'll call it, I'll quote him for you and then we'll get back to energy. If you are one of those conservatives that is pro life and pro assault weapon and anti gay, you are not a New Yorker and there's no place for you in Europe. First of all, I'm not anti gay anything. Not at all. Friends, relatives, people in my life Love them. They're family to me. Not an issue in Sean Hannity's world. But the fact that he said that and Kathy Hochul says. Lee Zelda, all you Trump guys get on a bus, go down to Florida, get the hell out of here. Get the hell out of here. So I got the hell out and I barely go back. You know, it's so they did do it. But back to energy. If America and one way to save New York would be fracking. It's the dumbest decision ever. You could lower taxes in California and New York immediately if you just happen to the energy rich, the energy resources both states are. If America, if Donald Trump is able to succeed and providing all of Western Europe with their energy needs, we will be an energy rich country. What does that mean? We can pay off that debt, we can lower our taxes. The American people can benefit even from the resources, the shared resources we have. I'll give you an example. If you are a, if you are a resident citizen of Alaska and they sell, you don't pay the income taxes, they give you a check every year because you share in the energy resources of that state. Most people don't know that. One other thing I would do and the President is going to allow Elon Musk to come in.
- [27:55]
Stephen A. Smith
That's where I was going.
- [27:57]
Sean Hannity
He's looking to get rid of $2 trillion in spending. Now we tried this once before in the Reagan years, it was called the Grace Commission. And they look for ways to get rid of waste, fraud and abuse and the best, brightest business minds in America. And they came up with all these ideas. How many? Stephen, a quick pop quiz. Of the hundreds of ideas they came up with, how many do you think Congress adopted?
- [28:25]
Stephen A. Smith
Maybe 2,00.
- [28:32]
Sean Hannity
They're addicted to spending. They get their power through spending. And there's another idea that I would implement and I talked to Trump in his first term about it. I've not talked to him recently about it. It was put together by a Florida congressman at the time, Connie Mack. It was called the Penny Plan. And every year, what they have, what's called baseline budgeting. And every year in government, every single department, they build in an increase 7% a year, every year for seven years, et cetera. Eliminate baseline budgeting, don't impact Social Security and Medicare. As a matter of fact, you need to replenish the lockbox that they raided and stole from because they're headed towards insolvency. Once they do that, except for defense, everything else has got to stay, remain constant for six or seven years. You cut one or two cents out of every dollar that you're spending now, and you'll meet a balanced budget. The last time we balanced the budget, it was Newt Gingrich when he was speaker and Bill Clinton as president four years in a row.
- [29:39]
Stephen A. Smith
They did it in 1994. Let me get to you personally on a couple of things. Check this out. I often joke about this. I often joke about this. You've heard me joke about this. But you're not offended by it. I wouldn't do that to you. I've said to people, and obviously I'm being very facetious here. If a Republican shot somebody in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue in New York City, the first words out of your mouth would be the Democrats did it first. Everything that. Anything that you come up with that the conservatives do, the Democrats are bigger culprits. When did this. When did this addiction. Am I lying?
- [30:19]
Sean Hannity
This is Stephen A. Trying to be provocative.
- [30:22]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm just asking.
- [30:23]
Sean Hannity
I'm just not playing your game. Let me tell you when Republicans are wrong. I have a history of calling them out when they spend too much money, when they go for stopgap measures and continuing.
- [30:37]
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, that's true.
- [30:38]
Sean Hannity
When they don't fight for the things they say they're going to fight for.
- [30:41]
Stephen A. Smith
That's not what I'm saying. Sean.
- [30:42]
Sean Hannity
You're not even watching that day. Sean.
- [30:44]
Stephen A. Smith
Sean, that's not what I'm saying.
- [30:45]
Sean Hannity
Loud and outspoken and I mean.
- [30:47]
Stephen A. Smith
No, no, no, no, no. That's not what I'm saying. I'm not questioning that. It's absolutely true. I've seen you attack many of Republicans when you think they're wrong. I'm only talking about them in comparison to Democrats, particularly when they're running for office, because I know on a Republican's worst day, you will pick them ahead of any Democrat on the planet that I know about you. I'm lying.
- [31:09]
Sean Hannity
Well, admit. Listen, I'll tell you one thing. I'm a little. I'm not. I'm not going to say. I don't like the word proud. I say I'm. I'm proud that I did this. I'm grateful that I have a microphone and a camera every day in front of me. And I feel. I thank my audience. I thank your audience, and I am humbled and grateful for it. However, I am. I am appreciative that we did coverage in this election that nobody else did. Nobody. I played Kamala Harris in her own words, supporting the radical $93 trillion renewed deal and her and her own voice saying that she would eliminate the filibuster to pass it. She co sponsored that bill with Bernie Sanders. Nobody else covered that. I covered. She co sponsored with Bernie Sanders again, Medicare for all. And she's on tape saying she would eliminate the choice of private health care. She talked about many times. And I played those tapes of mandatory gun buybacks. That's called compensation.
- [32:08]
Stephen A. Smith
And you never bought her change positions. You never bought a change.
- [32:11]
Sean Hannity
I played her position on every single major issue in her own words. And I put together, and I put it on my website, Kamala in her own words, the Kamala Files. And guess what? I deputized everybody in my audience. We're on 750 radio stations, Sirius, XM. I do a podcast, as you know, and I'm on Fox every night. And I put it together and people shared it with their friends, their neighbors, their coworkers, strangers, the social media. And guess what? I take credit for people knowing about that radicalism. Stephen A. Is there one person you know that wants taxpayer funded sex change surgeries?
- [32:51]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't know of one person.
- [32:52]
Sean Hannity
Convicted felons or illegal immigrants. Is there one, one person in your life?
- [32:57]
Stephen A. Smith
No, but you also, but you also.
- [33:00]
Sean Hannity
Wouldn'T know it except for people like me, but you're welcome.
- [33:03]
Stephen A. Smith
But you're very big on character as well. And we all know that there are question marks about Trump's character in a lot of people's eyes. I'm being kind here.
- [33:14]
Sean Hannity
You want to talk about Kamala's husband? Okay.
- [33:17]
Stephen A. Smith
See, he's not running. He didn't run for president, Sean. He didn't run for president. It was, it was Kamala Harris versus Donald Trump.
- [33:23]
Sean Hannity
You see how you're doing talking about Doug?
- [33:26]
Stephen A. Smith
That's all I'm saying.
- [33:27]
Sean Hannity
By the way, did I talk, did I talk a lot about Doug on my show?
- [33:30]
Stephen A. Smith
No, you did not.
- [33:32]
Sean Hannity
No, I did not.
- [33:33]
Stephen A. Smith
No, you did not.
- [33:33]
Sean Hannity
You know, look, I don't know what's true or not true. I, as a Christian, I do believe we've all sinned included. Starting right here. Look in the. Look, look closely my eye. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If we're looking for perfection in a leader, you're never going to find it. And what I've learned about the smartest, brightest, most creative, most talented people in the world, and I actually put you in that category, except not in this category, is their blessing, is their curse. A lot of times what makes them great can also be, could also hurt them sometimes. And I Accept that, that brilliance, that gift. You know, look at the imperfect people in the Bible. You know, here's. Here's King David, right? And I'm not comparing. I'm not talking about Trump anymore. But that's. That's off the table. I'm not talking about Kamala or her husband. But, you know, God picked certain people at certain times, and he picks the most interesting figures in the world, doesn't He? I mean, he blessed both of us. You know, we have very similar backgrounds, and to have an opportunity to talk to large audiences every day, that is such a blessing. And neither one of us deserve it, to be very honest. Especially you.
- [34:55]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, I'll take that. Especially me. I'll take. I'll take it, Sean. But listen, I'll say this to you in all honesty. I've been dying to ask you this one question, no matter what election there is, because I've been listening to you for 20 years. We've been friends for 20 years. You've always been there for me, and I've always appreciated that. That's why we've been such good friends, because you've always had.
- [35:17]
Sean Hannity
I always will be.
- [35:18]
Stephen A. Smith
You've always had my back. I gotta ask you. I've gotta ask you. You've talked on numerous occasions through numerous elections of how fearful you were of the state of our country if the left had won an election. Barack Obama won ultimately in 2008, of course, and obviously Clinton had won in 92. We get all of that. But I ask you, honestly, going into this election, was I wrong in surmising that you were genuinely more fearful of the state of our country for this past election that just happened last week. Week. More so than any other election you can recall in your adult life, by far.
- [36:03]
Sean Hannity
And I said it. I said it often. To me, this was an inflection point. If we would have kept the borders open the way we have, the risk is already so high of really bad things happening in this country that I pray to God that it doesn't happen on that issue. The new Green deal that she co sponsored, her bill, she never got asked that question by the legacy media. That's why legacy media is dead. You know, with everything they threw at Trump. Abc, NBC, cbs, you know, Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today, all these liberal cable channels, all these celebrities, all these endorsements of what the American people. They don't care what they say, think or say anymore. They. They now have. They have found talk radio, they have found podcasting, they have found Fox News. They now have alternatives that they didn't have years and years when I started in this business. And so yeah, and I'll tell you why, because the new Green deal would have destroyed capitalism. I don't want to live in a country where we have government run health care. What is, tell me what government runs. Well now look at, look at most of the schools. They're horrible. They can't keep towns and cities safe and secure so people can pursue happiness. You know, tell me, how is it you we're going to give more power and authority to the people that raided the lockbox for Social Security and Medicare that are now headed towards insolvency? The same people that won't control our borders and follow the laws that exist in this country, but they take it a step further, they aid in a bet in the law breaking. Why do people have confidence in a government that promised, you know, you're going to keep your doctor, keep your plan and the average family is going to save, you know, on average $2,500 a year and millions lose their doctors, millions lose their plans. 40 some odd percent of the country has one Obamacare exchange option and everybody's paying 250 to 300% more. Why do people put their faith in the government? I believe in the individual. I believe in the cause of freedom.
- [38:13]
Stephen A. Smith
May I answer that?
- [38:14]
Sean Hannity
With freedom comes responsibility. I have since the time I am 8 years old, worked in my life. I don't, you know, these people that work eight hour days, I don't know, there's nobody involved. My world that I know that's successful, that works eight hours a day, I don't stop working. I work because it's my passion, it is my job, it is what I do and I work hard. And the rest of the time I'm a bit of a hermit, as you know, and I hang out with my family and friends.
- [38:46]
Stephen A. Smith
And when you and I have had these conversations and you've always thrown these questions back to me, I've openly confessed. I remember you were shocked when I told you. I said, listen, my mother and father voted Democrat every day of the week. But I don't know what the hell that was for because we lived in a very conservative household all my life. I've never recalled it being liberal. It was conservative. So you had me there. But I also talked about splitting the baby down the middle and I meant that this way. The points that you just articulated, fine, but let's go the federal route for a second. As a black man, I'm thinking about the Civil Rights act of 1964. I'm thinking about the Voter Rights act of 1965. There is a place for federal intervention. There is a place. Place for federal oversight. I said, maybe not with everything, but with some things. And I. And I brought that up to you.
- [39:35]
Sean Hannity
Question. Who was it that filibustered the 64 Civil Rights act and the 65 Voting Rights Act? You know the guy's name? It was a guy by the name Robert, the former Klansman. KKK Byrd, I call him.
- [39:49]
Stephen A. Smith
Yes, Robert Byrd from West Virginia.
- [39:51]
Sean Hannity
You know that? Robert Byrd and Joe Biden. Very few people seem to know this. I pointed it out during the 2020 election and many times since that they partnered. And the only one to call him out on the Democratic side during the primary in 2020 was Kamala. Interestingly, that Joe partnered with somebody he referred to as his mentor and his friend, former Kransman and the guy that filibustered the Civil Rights act. And he partnered with him to stop the integration of public schools. Joe Biden's words. He didn't want public school schools and busing at the time. He didn't want them to become racial jungles. Did you know that Joe Biden said that, or am I teaching you something new today?
- [40:36]
Stephen A. Smith
No, I'm aware. I'm aware. No question about it. I brought it up. Kamala brought it up. So we can't escape that. Sean, I'm going to let you get out of here, but I got one more question. Question for you.
- [40:45]
Sean Hannity
Wait a minute. I wanted to talk about one last thing.
- [40:48]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [40:49]
Sean Hannity
You. You. You asked. You came on my show after the election. I watched you. You went on another show, and then I watched you. You came on my show.
- [40:57]
Stephen A. Smith
Yep.
- [40:58]
Sean Hannity
And there's very few people that were as gracious as you. And I know how. You wanted the vote to go. I've been on the air many times after an election going away. I didn't want it to go. And I try to show the same respect. And I don't sit there and cry. You got women now shaving their heads, pledging to divorce their husbands and pledging to never have sex with men again, which is their choice. I'm not going to get involved in their private life. But it's crazy. You asked a very. You just brought up, how does America, if you and I can be friends, we don't agree on all these issues. We don't agree on every sports issue. We don't agree on every political issue. How do we reconcile the idea that there's half the country that wants open Borders and half the country that wants secure borders? How do you reconcile those that want EV mandates and refrigerator mandates and dishwasher mandates and washer dryer mandates and those that believe in freedom? How do we reconcile those that want energy independence and those that want to ban fracking and offshore drilling? How do we reconcile those that believe in law and order so we can be safe and secure to pursue happiness versus defund, dismantle Nobel.
- [42:16]
Stephen A. Smith
Here's what I think.
- [42:16]
Sean Hannity
How do we reconcile green New Deal, radical Marxist socialism with capitalism? Now that's a deep and profound question. Right now, the way we are dealing with it is one side wins and one side loses. Is there middle ground? Tell me.
- [42:36]
Stephen A. Smith
I'll answer that question as a lead into my very last question. Question to you, there's a happy medium as long as there's common ground on people wanting America to be as great as it's supposed to be. Considering the fact that we're the richest country in the world. See, I think the part that some people miss, and I'm not accusing you of this, there are some people whose definition or whose vision of America in terms of the vision that they want. They want to see America burnt to the ground. They want to see America crumble. See, people like that, you can't talk to because, I mean, like Kamala Harris.
- [43:17]
Sean Hannity
That said, I'm not going to say rioters and the.
- [43:20]
Stephen A. Smith
See how you did. See how you do. No, I'm not going to say that. I'm not going to say it. What I'm saying to you is that you might have a different vision of America in terms of what it will take to make America what it's supposed to be, then I. But if we both want America to be great, it's just about our vision. You gotta make sure to take those in a bowl and separate them from those who really want America to burn to the ground. That's what I'm saying.
- [43:44]
Sean Hannity
How do you reconcile open borders, closed borders, energy independence and dominance and no drilling or fracking. How do you reconcile, Defund, dismantle the police? No bail laws versus law and order. How do you reconcile any of these issues? I don't see middle ground, to be honest.
- [44:05]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [44:05]
Sean Hannity
I really don't see it. Okay, well, we'll defund half the police departments, we'll dismantle half of them and then we'll fund the other half. It's not going to work that way. We'll open half the border, but not the other half of the border. We'll, we'll, we'll Drill.
- [44:19]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me say this to you.
- [44:20]
Sean Hannity
But we won't be entering.
- [44:21]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me say this to you. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what. And this, and this again, this leads to my last question. I think if you have an economy where the vast majority of Americans are flourishing, I think if you have safe streets in America, I think the combination of those two things and we're moving in a forward direction where people are able to look at and say, I don't have everything I want, but I can't deny that this country is in a good place. I think you'll find folks saying, okay, that's where we're what we're addicted to. We're fine. My question to you, last question is this. Donald Trump with a deficit in the trillions, okay. When you consider the plight, when you consider that economist came out and said the money that he's going to have to spend, it's just going to, it's going to elevate the deficit even more, which will put us in even worse times. All of those things being considered, Sean Hannity, how do you think he is going to end up doing and what do we get to do to define whether or not Donald Trump has a successful presidency over the upcoming four years?
- [45:33]
Sean Hannity
Well, you're asking two separate questions.
- [45:36]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [45:37]
Sean Hannity
Okay. So for him to succeed now, we have to rebuild our military. Our military. We have, we're almost back to where we were when Reagan took office, a huge gap of vulnerability. China and Russia have hypersonic technology. We don't. STEPHEN A. We got to spend a lot of money on that. We're going to have to spend a lot of money to secure our border. We're going to have to spend a lot of money to shore up Social Security and Medicare. We're going to have to spend a lot of money to make sure the border secure and that towns and cities are safe and secure. And let's be honest, Democratic run cities have the worst schools. They suck. And we, we are, we are robbing our children of the ladder to success and the talent that God gave them so that all costs money. But I gave you the answer earlier. There's only two ways to deal with that. One, energy will make this country the richest country on earth. Two, you got to cut back on spending. I like the penny plan that I mentioned. I like Elon Musk getting rid of waste, fraud and abuse. That would be very helpful. Is there a magic, is there, is this something that will be accomplished by year two? No, it will not. It's Going to take the full four years. Let's see where we are. There will be deficit spending because there are things he has to do. We've got to be able to battle the worst, the worst geopolitical foes one could imagine in China, Russia, Iran and maybe North Korea. Especially the Iranians. The Iranians are very dangerous right now because they have this radical convert or die madness. They're funding four proxy wars against Israel. They have pledged death to America. Death to Israel is extraordinarily dangerous. So we got to rebuild our military. With that said, his legacy will be this. If Donald Trump keeps the promise to secure the border, if he keeps the promise to get our cities more safe and secure, if he keeps the promise to get the economy back on track for everyday Americans, the people that really do make this country great, in every small town, in every big city, if he keeps the promise to make US Energy dominant, if he restores America's place in the world where our adversaries and top geopolitical foes respect us again and are fearful in a good way, healthy way of, of this president. I think this is going to. Not only was this the greatest political comeback in the modern era, it might go down as one of the greatest. May go down as the greatest political comeback ever. Only happened one other time in this country. And knowing him privately, publicly, I know that's what where his gut is. And he's going to hit the ground running so freaking hard on day one. Don't be surprised. It's going to be hyperbole. He's throwing out all these people that didn't respect our laws, our borders, our sovereignty. Oh, he's a racist. These are this, he's a that. He's a monster. Internment camps, all that rhetoric is going to happen. But we got to get the country safe and secure and people come in legally and you're welcome. And be a part of our family. Just do it legally, please. So that's my prediction. But I think his legacy, he is primed to have a legacy that'll be second to none if he does it right.
- [49:05]
Stephen A. Smith
You've been on message. You do not change. You feel what you feel. You've always said it. You've done it repeatedly. I've told this to people many occasions. You've got seven over. You're on 750 radio stations across the United States of America, plus Sirius XM Radio. You got three hours a day on radio, then another hour every weeknight on Fox News channel, okay? At 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Every single conversation, every Single interview, every single monologue, every single show, you say the same damn thing. I keep trying. I get tired of people telling me, stephen, a. Get him. You gotta say, I mean, what. Bring this up, bring that. I said, you just don't understand. The message will not change. You don't understand. He says the same damn thing. Thing every day. And he's been doing it.
- [49:45]
Sean Hannity
But I do. But I say it 30 years. You. You. You're asking me questions why I believe what I believe. Can I tell you why?
- [49:52]
Stephen A. Smith
Go ahead.
- [49:53]
Sean Hannity
Because I believe in the. In the principles of conservatism. Because conservatism works. I wrote a chapter in my last book. I swore I was never going to write another book, and I wrote it in 2020. It went to number one. Thank you. Thank God. And it was called Live Free or Die American. The World on the Brink. And I had a chapter about socialism in there, and it's called Socialism. It's History of Failure. I don't care what name you slap on it, what manifestation it takes on. The New Green Deal, to me, represented socialism, Marxism, whatever word you want to, Whatever label you want to place on. And every single time it has been tried, it always ends the same way. Unfulfilled promises more poverty and a loss of freedom. How much freedom did you give up in the name of false security for Obamacare? Or why is. Why is Social Security and Medicare going towards insolvency? And why can't our government have better schools, keep our borders secure, and make sure our towns and cities are safe? Man, to me, it's about people. America. We need to aspire to be great again, to be the greatest. The Washington Post had an article, well, the next generation, they're going to have to start worrying about not affording a house, so they need to settle for a townhouse. I'm like, no, they don't. Why would we settle? That's like Jimmy Carter telling us to wear a sweater and turn down the thermostat. No, we're better than that. Aspire to higher than that. You know, Elon Musk is about to send a rocket ship to rescue astronauts in space. He's planning to go to Mars. That's the America. The America that took Stephen A. Smith, that who started out. And I won't get into your life story because I don't know how much you want me to reveal who started out where. People did not believe in him at the highest level. And it inspired you and motivated you. And you are ESPN Sports. There is no espn as far as I'M concerned. My opinion without Stephen A. Smith. And then you expand out into politics, which I'm. I got a lot of work to do. And then you expand out into a podcast and. And then you come on my shows, and then that's when I let you talk, by the way. You let.
- [52:21]
Stephen A. Smith
You never let me talk like this. I tell you that much. But look, man, go to work. I got to go. I really appreciate you taking time out of your business.
- [52:29]
Sean Hannity
I want to tell you something.
- [52:30]
Stephen A. Smith
What's up, bro? What's going on?
- [52:32]
Sean Hannity
I love you. You're a dear friend.
- [52:34]
Stephen A. Smith
I appreciate the same. Right. Right back at you. Like I told, you've always been there for me, man. Always. I will never, I will never apologize for being your friend. Any damn body. I don't agree with you. Damn it. You understand? I wish Kamala had won. You understand? But I hope that Trump is everything you say and you believe he is, is. And I do say this as a country. It was a fair election, and he won by a rock. Swept all the swing states. And what have you eradicated the blue wall. The American people have popular vote. The American won a popular vote and the electoral college vote. The American people have spoken. There's nowhere for. There's nothing for us to say. We got to accept it, eat it. And now let's see if he lives up to what Sean Hannity believes. I'm getting ready to go, but go ahead, Sean.
- [53:23]
Sean Hannity
You know, all these people, I wonder if they're gonna. Rachel Maddow, the ladies of the View.
- [53:28]
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, my God.
- [53:29]
Sean Hannity
You know they're gonna take us off the air and arrest us. Do you know who stuck up for Bill Maher? Probably doesn't remember it.
- [53:36]
Stephen A. Smith
He does.
- [53:36]
Sean Hannity
Stuck up for Bill Maher.
- [53:38]
Stephen A. Smith
He does remember.
- [53:38]
Sean Hannity
Bill Maher was about to be taken off the air.
- [53:40]
Stephen A. Smith
I spoke to him about that. He does remember me.
- [53:43]
Sean Hannity
He does Rush Limbaugh and he. He hates me now. Joy Reed over at MSDNC was on the verge of getting fired. I know. Because months later I went on the air and said, give her an opportunity to apologize and give her another chance. And an NBC executive, True story. Told me your comments allowed me us to save her career. She wrote me the nicest note. She. She probably doesn't remember, but I do. And you know, I don't support cancel culture. I don't support boycotts. I never have, never will. I believe in freedom of speech. That's why you're so good at what you do.
- [54:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Don't say that. Free dumb and then say, but that's why you're so great. I know how you sluck in and snuck in that comment. Be nice. Be nice.
- [54:31]
Sean Hannity
That was being. I'm not taking a shot.
- [54:33]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you.
- [54:34]
Sean Hannity
No shot there, right?
- [54:35]
Stephen A. Smith
Right back at you. I'll be watching Hannity tonight. My man.
- [54:37]
Sean Hannity
All right, man.
- [54:38]
Stephen A. Smith
Thanks so much. Love you, man. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. All the love, man. Take care.
- [54:48]
Sean Hannity
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- [54:58]
Stephen A. Smith
What's happening?
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- [55:19]
Greg Rosenthal
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, we'll 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.