THE DEMOCRATS ARE COMING; COLIN ALLRED; TOM COTTON

Summary

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The Stephen A. Smith Show: “The Democrats Are Coming; Colin Allred; Tom Cotton”

Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith (SiriusXM POTUS)

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Episode Overview

This episode marks a multifaceted and politically charged edition of Stephen A. Smith’s Straight Shooter, as he dives beyond the realm of sports into the pulse of American politics. Stephen A. diagnoses the state of the Democratic Party, claims they’re “gaining traction” in key regions, and hosts major interviews with two prominent political figures: former congressman Colin Allred (Democrat, Texas) and Senator Tom Cotton (Republican, Arkansas, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair). The episode unpacks issues of economic affordability, the Affordable Care Act, party dynamics, and bipartisan gridlock—while fielding listener calls to gauge the national mood.

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Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Democratic Party Resurgence & Political Landscape

• Stephen A.’s Thesis:

  • The Democratic Party is “creeping” up on the national scene and finding renewed momentum, especially after notable wins in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Miami.
  • Recent Democratic victories suggest Republicans are losing ground, and voters are frustrated with economic issues and political pettiness on both sides.

  Quote:

  “Do you hear the footsteps of the Democratic Party creeping up on you?... The bottom line is this: You already won the mayoral seat in New York City… New Jersey… Virginia… Miami despite DeSantis and Trump endorsements. Republicans will have you believe that means nothing.”
  ([01:33])

• Economic Messaging & Strategy:

  • Smith criticizes past Democratic messaging, arguing that a shift to affordability and core economic issues is spurring the party’s come-back.
  • He calls out Kamala Harris’s campaign missteps and faults Dems for ignoring “real” pocketbook issues in past cycles.
  • Democrats are now centering issues like the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) subsidies, healthcare premiums, and affordability.

2. State of the Economy & Affordability

• Current Status:

  • Stock market growth is acknowledged (S&P 500 up 17.4%). However, Stephen A. points out consumer unease about actual costs—food, gas, housing—and doubts Republican claims that the crisis is a “hoax.”
  • Healthcare and SNAP program concerns, especially as ACA subsidies face a looming deadline.

  Quote:

  “Trump could call it a hoax all he wants... the American people out there, that’s going to the supermarket, they ain’t feel it. They don’t feel that way.”
  ([09:10])

• Analysis:

  • Smith explores the disconnect between positive financial reports and real-life affordability struggles, highlighting how both parties use the issue for political gain without decisive solutions.

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Major Interviews

Colin Allred (Texas Democrat, Former Congressman)

[27:01 – 50:30]

Key Topics

• Withdrawing from Senate Race:
  Allred explains stepping out of the Senate primary to run again for the House. He frames this as a commitment to unity and serving constituents more effectively.

  Quote:

  “This is not a normal election. The level of emotion that people are feeling about what's happening in our country is incredibly high. I think folks are scared...”
  ([30:03])

• Jasmine Crockett’s Senate Run:
  Allred discusses his relationship with Jasmine Crockett, her candidacy for Senate, and his belief that Texas is a steep climb for Democrats, but Crockett’s fundraising ability and campaign skills are notable.

• Democratic Party Strategic Direction:

  • Advocates for focusing on working people, centering economic and health concerns.
  • Calls on Democrats to be more fiscally responsible, more practical about public spending.
  • Champions smart investments in early childhood, home ownership, and pragmatic social programs.

• Affordable Care Act & Healthcare:

  • Defends ongoing subsidies, rejects GOP arguments about runaway costs.
  • Warns of catastrophic premium hikes if Congress fails to act.

  Quote:

  “What if you're a working-class person who has to shower after work instead of before it? ... Your pay has gone up a bit, but it's not kept up with overall inflation.”
  ([36:36])

• Bipartisanship & Political Divisiveness:

  • Draws from athletic/captaincy experience to advocate for teamwork.
  • Calls out media and social incentives that fuel divisiveness; calls for a shift toward problem-solving.

  Quote:

  “Elections are sort of like training camp… when we come out of it, we should be on the same team because we're all American. That's how I see it.”
  ([48:53])

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Senator Tom Cotton (Arkansas Republican, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair)

[55:17 – 86:56]

Key Topics

• National Security Briefings:

  • Affirms he receives thorough, timely briefings as Intelligence Chair.
  • Defends administration’s handling and communication with Congress, credits officials like Marco Rubio and John Ratcliffe.

• ‘Signal Gate’ & Pete Hegseth:

  • Backs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid controversy over the use of Signal app/texting during covert operations.
  • Distinguishes this from the Clinton email scandal, saying one was a secure, isolated event, the other a policy issue.

• Affordable Care Act & GOP Healthcare Plans:

  • Argues ACA (“Obamacare”) premiums have doubled, most Americans are still hurting.
  • GOP wants more personal choice, more control for families, not “one-size-fits-all.”
  • Smith pushes him to clarify: “Where’s the plan?” Cotton references forthcoming alternatives and incremental steps, but specifics remain elusive.

  Quote:

  “We want to give families more choice in their health care. We think that’ll help make it more affordable for everyone.”
  ([70:03])

• Democratic Party Momentum:

  • Recognizes recent Democratic wins but frames them as midterm pattern.
  • Argues GOP’s path to 2026 is through concrete governance and improving lives, not just campaigning.

• Trump, GOP Divisions & Criticism:

  • Smith presses Cotton on MAGA divisions and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s departure.
  • Cotton acknowledges past policy disagreements with Trump (e.g., on criminal justice reform), but argues the second Trump term has seen faster action and more like-minded appointees.

  Quote:

  “I haven't reviewed every in and out that Congresswoman Greene and President Trump have said… they may not be on each other’s Christmas card lists.”
  ([75:33])

• Bipartisan Legislative Work:

  • Cotton highlights recent bipartisan security bills with Senators Rosen and Gillibrand, emphasizing that beyond heated rhetoric, pragmatic cooperation often happens in Congress.

  Quote:

  “...Although we have deep philosophical divisions and that leads to heated arguments... we can do that in a civilized manner.”
  ([84:26])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen A., on Party Messaging Shifts:

  “We don’t have to talk about woke culture... We’re talking about issues of affordability.”
  ([08:52])

• On Texas Politics:

  “Texas is different down there, folks. The Republican stronghold on that state is very palpable... I'm just saying it's Texas. A little bit different.”
  ([17:18])

• On Real-Life Affordability:

  “There's no such thing as an economy that's A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus... When you say stuff like that, the Democrats are able to point to the fact that you're embellishing, at the very least, bloviating about something that's not true.”
  ([11:33])

• Tom Cotton, on internal party friction:

  “First, I haven’t reviewed every in and out that Congresswoman Greene and President Trump have said... from a distance, they may not be on each other's Christmas card list this year.”
  ([75:33])

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Listener Calls: Grassroots Frustration & Insight

[89:22 – End]

• Health Care and Affordability:

  • Callers express anger at politicians’ inability to deliver real healthcare reforms or explain costs.
  • Widespread skepticism about “free” public programs and proposals.

• Democratic Prospects in Texas:

  • Some callers believe Dems should divert resources from Texas Senate races, focusing elsewhere due to historic apathy and GOP dominance.

• Military Spending vs. Social Programs:

  • Frustrated callers point out inconsistency—no one questions endless defense funding, but healthcare gets scrutinized.

• Blame & Accountability:

  • Many challenge both parties’ records, citing long stretches of Democratic presidential administrations with unresolved affordability woes:

    “Democrats have been in office 75% of the last 16 years... they left 15 million people in this country on immigration, causing [rents and jobs] to go up. Why are they now saying we have an affordability problem?”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|---------------| | Stephen A. opening monologue | 01:06 | | Economic focus/ACA/Pocketbook issues | 06:41-14:24 | | Colin Allred interview start | 27:01 | | Allred on Dem divisions, Crockett’s run | 31:16-36:36 | | Allred on bipartisanship/divisiveness | 48:53 | | Tom Cotton interview start | 55:17 | | Cotton on ACA, GOP plans | 68:43-72:38 | | Cotton on Trump, party, and bipartisanship| 75:15-86:56 | | Listener call-ins (economy & ACA) | 89:22 – end |

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Final Thoughts / Episode Tone

Stephen A. Smith leads with a direct, candid, and sometimes combative style—inviting pointed debate from both guests and callers alike. The episode is rich with informed, passionate argument about today’s gravest political and economic challenges. Listeners gain a clear sense that national frustrations about affordability, health care, and partisan gridlock cross party lines, while the fate of both parties may yet depend on who can convincingly champion solutions for working Americans.

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Notable Soundbite:

“If they listen, if they hear me... they might have a chance. And Trump knows it, and so does his team... he’s hearing the footsteps. The Dems just might be coming.”
— Stephen A. Smith ([23:05])

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Transcript

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[Colin Allred]

Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly, the one and only Stephen A. Smith coming at you as I love to do every week, every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time over the airwaves of SiriusXM POTUS radio, channel 124.

The number to call up, as always, is 86696 POTUS. That's 86696 POTUS. 866-967-6887.

I can't wait to talk to y' all today. I was looking so forward to this show because I wanted to say to the American people, I wanted to say, do you hear the footsteps of the Democratic Party creeping up on you? Do you hear the footsteps? Because if you don't, you should, regardless of what the president would want you to say to four that you have a president of the United States of America who wants you to believe everything is beautiful, everything is marvelous, everything is just great.

Great.

We're wonderful. A plus plus plus plus plus when it comes to the economy, that dude, that's what he wants you to believe. And by the way, one could easily surmise if he was a bit, I.

Wouldn'T say the word loquacious, but if he was a bit more clear, you know, and cogent, to say the least, maybe that message would come across. But unfortunately, the pettiness that he engages.

In can serve to be somewhat of a distraction. And at this particular moment in time, I'm here to tell you that the Democratic Party.

Is gaining traction, no matter how they want to slice it, no matter how they want to slice it. The bottom line is this. You already won the mayoral seat in.

New York City with Zoran Mamdani.

You already won the gubernatorial seat in New Jersey. Okay. With Mickey. Cheryl, you already won the gubernatorial seat in Virginia with Abigail Spanberger. Okay? And just recently, yesterday, you had this wonderful woman named Higgins in Miami who won the mayor's seat despite the fact that her opponent was endorsed by Governor Ron DeSantis as well as President Donald Trump. Now, the Republican Party will have you believe that, you know, that that means absolutely nothing. And I'm looking forward to two guests to talk to today. One's on the left. On the left because he. His name would happen to be.

Colin Allred.

He's a former U.S. representative for Texas, 37th congressional district, made headlines this week when he announced he was dropping out of the Texas City Senate race to run for Congress. Instead, he will be on the show today. And after he's on the show, we'll have junior senator from Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Tom.

Cotton out of Arkansas.

He will be on the show as well. They'll both have sides to express. No doubt they will take the position that their side is winning.

I'm here to tell you the.

The Democratic Party is gaining traction.

That is a big deal to me.

It's a big deal to me because I think that the Democratic Party has been an absolute mess for the last several years. I think some of the things that transpired during the Biden Harris administration was a travesty. And some of the things that was going on was not sustainable. It was not the kind of thing that should be sustainable in a capitalist society, in a democratic society like the United States of America. And, and I thought it was reprehensible. Some things, not all things, not most things, but some things. And I thought that the manner in which they campaigned with 107 days left after Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris had 107 days left in order to win the election. I didn't think it was the most.

Perfectly run election, to say the least. I thought the ball was dropped on several occasions. And although most of the blame, in my opinion, didn't fall on her shoulders, she, she was certainly culpable in certain respects, particularly when she went on the View and they asked if there's anything she would do different than Joe Biden.

And she was like.

I really can't think of anything.

She lost the election right there. But that's neither here nor there, because right now it's Trump's turn. And the reality of the situation is as the President of the United States, when I saw him campaigning yesterday in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, I actually was proud. I said, oh, he remembers. America, after all, could have been all over the damn world, every place but here, campaigning, and one time after another after another, whether it was egg prices, gas prices, price of bread, price of mortgages, et cetera. A lot of noise was being made about what's going on in this country. And we even heard him allude to the affordability issue being a hoax being pushed forth by the Democratic Party. But you know what's gotten real? What's gotten real was the shutdown. What's gotten real was SNAP programs. What got real was the Affordable Care act and its subsidies that are set to expire Jan. 31, where premiums in our health care will rise exponentially if the Republicans and the Democrats don't come to an agreement in some capacity. And a vote is being set to be put forth by the GOP tomorrow, as in Thursday. That's not expected to pass. The Democrats, the their stuff is not expected to pass, which means no accord has been reached, which means that we inch ever so closer to premiums in our health care having an incredibly detrimental effect.

On citizens throughout this country. And something has to be done to address this matter.

The reality, however, is that both sides, in their own way, dare I say, came across on far too many occasions.

[Colin Allred]

Already.

[Stephen A. Smith]

By hinting that, you know something.

It could be to our advantage because the other side is going to be blamed. Of course, they don't say that directly, at least on camera, while people are watching, but we know that's what they're doing. You're a Democrat. What are you thinking? The vast majority. I'm talking about the chunk. Even though the Affordable Care act subsidies are available in every state in the union, the. The reality is, is that it's being primarily used in red states because there are a larger quantity and number of people in those states, whether it's Texas, it's Florida and Georgia and beyond. And guess what? A lot of those people need the Affordable Care act subsidies. They need their ACA subsidies to prevent, to order, deal with the price of healthcare. And so because that's their reality and they're in Republican states, even though the Republicans will be quick to blame the Democrats, your constituents ain't trying to hear that. What they want to hear is whether or not you're going to get it done or you going to figure out a way to resolve this matter. So we don't have these exorbitant bills coming down the pike where we go from paying 250amonth or something like that to over 2,000. They ain't trying to hear that something got to be done to resolve that. And that's why you're seeing and this is what I love about what I'm seeing right now. I love that I see even though I'm no socialist, I love that mom Donnie is making noise. I love that Spamberger and Cheryl are making noise. I love that Higgins just made noise in Miami. I love that Gavin Newsom is gaining some traction in the areas of popularity as it pertains to go him going after Trump and how his name is cash even though he's scheduled to leave office next year. It's a good thing because he's going to want to run for president. Because you know why? What it's going to do to me is tell the Democrats it's excuse me, this is working. We don't have to talk about woke culture, we don't have to talk about cancel culture. We don't have to talk about the things that don't really, really, really have anything to do with our pocketbook or our wallets. We're talking about issues right now of affordability. And Trump could call it a hoax all he wants to the American people out there that's going to the supermarket, they ain't feel it. They don't feel that way. They're like, what's up? What you gonna do about this?

In fairness to our president, regardless of how you may want to feel about is important to point out a couple of things. Number one, we are approaching three straight.

Years of growth in the equity market, in the stock market.

Now granted, three years. Trump only been back in office.

[Colin Allred]

For.

[Stephen A. Smith]

10 months, 11 months.

So guess what? Since you only been back in office for 11 months, you can't take away the two previous years that the stock market was up with Biden in office. Okay, he didn't have much to do with the interest rates, cuz that's the feds. But the bottom line is Biden had something to do with the stock market being up. But Trump certainly hasn't derailed the stock market in a negative way. So we got to give credit where credit is due to that consumer health.

Let's think about that here. Talking about inflation, you know, student loans.

Inflation, et cetera, et cetera, consumer health, according to my experts in the banking industry and on Wall street, they say it's pretty steady. Now we understand they're not the average consumer out there. So the average consumer is saying, wait a minute now, what's really going on here? But the bottom line is they're saying, hey, consumer health is pretty steady. Folks are still investing, folks are still employed. That obviously matters. And the s and P500, just in case you care, as of an hour ago, was up 17.4% as of an hour ago. And oh, by the way, when you think, consider consumer debt, because that's something a whole bunch of people pay attention to. Almost 70%, specifically 67 plus percent of the debt that consumers have in this.

Country is their residential mortgage.

Which means.

That you have a home, which means that it's gaining equity, which means that in a roundabout way, your value is elevated. Trump is able to live off of that and use that as an excuse to say, what affordability issue are you talking about? Here's the problem. No disrespect, but he ain't the most.

Articulate brother in the world.

And sometimes his rambling, the message gets lost. And because the message gets lost, the Democrats are able to focus on other issues. And when he says stuff like, because we know this is not true, there's no such thing as of an economy, that's a plus plus, plus, plus, plus. Which is what he said. It's what he said, ladies and gentlemen. There's no way around that. It's what he said. And when you say stuff like that, the Democrats are able to point to the fact that you're embellishing, at the very least, bloviating about something that's not true. And as a result, they're able to pounce on you because they're attaching your level of believability.

And you, and they were reminding folks that you, the billionaire.

Who obviously has got exponentially richer over the last 11 months, which is where we won't go today. It's one of those situations where you're looking at him and you're saying, does he really relate to the trials and tribulations of the average American citizen? One of the things that I pointed to the Democrats.

About with very, a very piercing point, by the way, because I was utterly disgusted with them, is that you allowed this man, this billionaire, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, born well off, okay, on third base, from the time he came out of the womb, you had this man looking more normal than you, which is as egregious as it gets for the Democratic Party. You were detached. You weren't focusing on the issues that affected the average, everyday American. You weren't listening when we were talking about affordability, you weren't listening when we were talking about an immigration crisis. And instead you were walking around denying it. You weren't listening to when we were talking about safety in the. You weren't listening to those things.

But you are now.

You are now. And I sit here today, and I gotta tell you, I'm more excited about the Democratic Party than I have been since Trump returned to office.

Because I want a real fight. I want a real fight over the issues. I don't want to see a slaughter. I don't want to see a romp like I saw in the 2024 election. I don't want to see the Democrats getting their ass kicked time and time and time again. I don't want to see you winning either if it's over issues that we don't really, really care about in a grand scheme of things, care about everybody. Nobody is detached. Everybody matters. But the bottom line is I want to see us caring about the issues that permeate the souls of most Americans in this country. And that's affordability, that's the economy, inflation. It's not as bad. It needs to improve and be better, but it's not awful. But you want those issues to be the kind of stuff that's talked about. You want to know that you could pay your mortgage. You want to know that you could go out and afford to buy a home. You want interest rates coming down. You want all of that.

And the Democrats, lo and behold, have been focusing on that.

So much so.

That Representative Jasmine Crockett has made news.

Guess who's running for the Senate seat in Texas?

Now, if you recall, I made noise and it was a whole brouhaha because I had the temerity and the unmitigated gall to ask a question.

If cussing the president out and calling.

Him a piece of shit publicly, is.

That gonna work for you?

Cause you got 766,000 constituents and he's petty enough to make them pay for how you come at him. Now, this is a woman that's highly accomplished and highly intelligent. She's a lawyer by profession, by trade. She's licensed to practice law in the state of Texas, in the state of Arkansas. And federally, I believe I'm the one that came on these airwaves and said, I, I want that woman running for Senate.

And sure enough.

Little old Stephen, a.

Straight shooter with Stephen A. Evidently is the provocateur or the prognosticator in chief, because now she gonna represent it.

Now, do I think she has a snowball's chance in winning. Now, a producer of mine didn't want me to say it.

That's the only reason I said it, because I don't like him trying to tell me what the hell to say. So I said it, okay? You understand? And next time I'll tell y' all.

His name and his address.

If he keeps agitating me, obviously, I love him, so I'm only playing. But that's my point when I say that I don't think she has much of a chance of winning in Texas. Texas. It's not because of Jasmine Crockett. It's because of Texas.

Texas is 13% black. It's 40% Hispanic. It's 40%.

White.

It's Texas, y'.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They ain't been a Democrat elected to the Senate over 30 years.

Now, that don't mean I'm right, because there wasn't anybody that was elected mayor in Miami that was a dim, you know, for the last 30 years or so.

And Higgins pulled that off. Elaine Higgins. Props to her. Maybe Jasmine Crockett can pull something like that off. That's 31 million people in Texas. I'm going to say it again. Texas.

Is different down there, folks.

It is. The Republican stronghold on that state is very palpable. It's very, very palpable, and we can't deny it.

But even if she doesn't win, it.

Doesn'T mean that it's not a great move. There's a reason Colin Allred decided to.

Back off, because her popularity speaks for herself.

Her ability to campaign and, you know.

To raise dollars is undeniable.

And if you're a Democrat and you're running in the state of Texas. Oh, you want it to be somebody like a Jasmine Crockett now who is unapologetic about the noise that she intends to make. Ain't no doubt about that. I'm just saying it's Texas A little bit different. A little bit different.

She has a district in Dallas, outside Dallas, and I got that part in Austin. Texas seems a bit liberal to me when I'm there. Every place else, when they say it's a Republican stronghold, I feel that Republican.

Stronghold every time I go to Texas.

It's a bit different. It's a bit different. And as a result of that, it's going to be an incredible challenge. But the beauty of Jasmine Crockett running for the Senate seat in Texas.

Is.

That it certainly won't quell her popular popularity or stymie it in any way. It'll only grow.

The camp. Her ability to raise dollars is also an incredible asset.

And as her cachet grows and her ability to raise money.

Exponentially grows.

She'Ll be that much more influential. And because she's that much more influential, and she'd be somebody to be reckoned with.

It'Ll be a plus for the Democratic party for the 2028 elections.

A few months ago.

I thought the Democratic Party was dead in the water.

I thought it was on a fast track to nowhere, devoid of any kind of leadership whatsoever, devoid of a national.

Voice talking about issues that the average.

American Citizen could give 2 cents about in the grand sea scheme of things, because they had their own problems.

Now, regardless of what the Republicans try to say and try to deny, I.

Feel something different percolating.

I feel like, yo, okay, all right, Gavin Newsom, I don't, like, afford your affordability. I mean, I think California, the only thing you falling back on is a weather tax, because, lord have mercy, it's expensive as hell to live here. But the weather's so beautiful, the cities are so beautiful. The state overall is beautiful, even with homelessness, even with crime, even with affordability issues. Who knows what kind of noise you can make? I still think it's a long shot with Gavin Newsom, but who knows? The man's articulate and looks the part. And if he moves to the center and is committed to that and stays.

There, who knows what he could do?

If Jasmine Crockett pulls off what I.

Believe would be a miracle in winning a Senate seat in Texas, who knows what that could lead to?

Who knows?

You got Hochul in New York as a governor. You got Cheryl and Spamberger coming in New Jersey and Virginia, respectively. Mom, Donnie's already been to the White House, and he ain't even in office yet. He's mayor elect of New York. He ain't even in office yet.

And we know what Trump did in.

Florida, in that area, in Miami during the election. They weren't supposed to lose. But even when DeSantis and Trump supporting.

Helene Higgins opponent, Mr. Gonzalez, it didn't work. She still won. 49. 59 rather than 40%.

Change is coming, y'.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Change is coming.

I'm not saying I'm completely sold on.

It by any stretch of the imagination, but the romp that I anticipated, that.

Was taking shape within the world of politics as it pertains to general elections and what have you, suddenly I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The Democrats seem to be sensing what this is all about. Stick to the issues of the Affordable Care act highlight how the Republicans don't have a plan. And you did stick to the issue of affordability. Stay away from that. Identity politics and woke culture and all of that.

Stay away from it. Stay away from it. Stay away from it. Don't even bother with it because it's.

Not a winnable item for you.

If they listen, if they hear me.

They might have a chance.

And Trump knows it and so does his team, which is why they were out campaigning in the Poconos yesterday.

He's feeling, he's hearing the footsteps.

The Dems just might be coming.

And obviously he can't help himself. So his rhetoric.

And his dispositions and his willingness to be chaotic, to be insulting to a lot of folks out there, particularly with what he has said about some of these women.

It's the kind of thing that makes folks say, we really don't need this. It ain't gonna make them vote for the Democrats in favor of his successors, the J.G. vance's of the Marco Rubio's of the world, or Even potentially Iran DeSantis.

But it's possible that he can turn them off enough, turn folks off enough to ensure that whether it's the Senate or the House or both, that Democrats regain power in 2026. And if that happens, all bets are off.

That's why he was in the Poconos yesterday.

That's why he was in Pennsylvania yesterday.

He's hearing it. And so are a whole bunch of Republicans worried about their own futures on Capitol Hill. I don't mind it at all. Not even a little bit.

866-967-6887 is the number to call up this 86696 POTUS. You are listening live to Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

Up next.

Colin Allred.

Looking to be a representative out of Texas in the House of Representatives for the United States. He's a Democrat. He's up next right here with Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Don't go away.

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[Colin Allred]

Foreign.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Minutes past hour Number one back here on Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith coming at you every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time over the airways of SiriusXM POTUS radio, channel 124.

It is my honor and privilege to have on my next guest. I was looking forward to this conversation for quite a long time. He's a civil rights attorney, former NFL linebacker for the Tennessee Titans. Like that. Former U.S. representative for Texas's 37th, 32nd congressional district. This week he made headlines when he announced he was dropping out of the Texas Senate race to run for Congress instead. Please welcome to the show, Mr. Colin Allred. How are you, man? How's everything going?

[Colin Allred]

Hey, Stephen. I'm good, brother. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Please, it's my pleasure. It's honored to have you. Honestly, I've been waiting to talk to you. Let me ask you this. I'm just looking at some of my notes here. Right. And I'm thinking about when you ran against for the Senate seat against Republican Ted Cruz. Obviously, you garnered about 45% of the vote. I'm reading here you received about 5.5 percentage points more support in the state of Texas than Kamala Harris did when she was running for election. I'm thinking about in excess of $160 million you both raised. You certainly was an incredible fundraiser as well. So why are you dropping out of the Senate race and electing to run for Congress again? Why is that?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, yeah. Well, listen, I, you know, I was proud that we were able to outrun the ticket, you know, by so much and that I think it was the most votes of Any Senate race in the country that we outperformed our ticket. You could also say that Ted Cruz underperformed his ticket, I guess. Okay, but, you know, and I know you've had him on, on the show as well, but, you know, listen, I, I always thought, I always try to think about this as public service and, and who am I trying to serve and how can I best serve those folks that I'm, I'm seeking to represent? And the way it was working out with the Senate race was that it was going to become, you know, a long, drawn out, brutal, not only primary, but in Texas, if you don't get 50% of the vote, you have to go to a runoff. That's two months later. And so I just thought that was not gonna serve the people who I'd met around the state, who I developed a trust with and a relationship with, who, when I would speak with them, they would open up to me about their lives, tell me all the things they're concerned about. And I was thinking about them and thinking, what's the best thing I can do for them? And I think it's to continue to serve, but in a different way and to make sure the party stayed united and had a chance to be successful in November. But that I could serve my hometown in Congress when we've lost congressional seats because of this gerrymandering, that would make my voice even more important. I think I have a strong voice, particularly one now where I don't feel like I owe anything to anybody and I'm ready to make sure that we take on what I consider to be an out of control president, but also to tell some hard truths to the Democratic Party about some of the things that I think we have to do better, particularly when it comes to talking to working people.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah. But I would ask the question that I would push back by saying this. Your popularity is pretty significant. And not only that a Senate seat is six years and a congressional seat is two years. And I mean, you got better things to do with your time. If it's two years, then you're campaigning after one.

Let's just call it what it is. That's how it works.

So every single year, every other year.

You'Re campaigning, for crying out loud. I imagine that that would be a.

Significant, significantly more of a headache than.

Being for six years in the Senate, one would argue. What do you say to that?

[Colin Allred]

Well, that's true. That's why I was running, part of why I was running in the first place. But, you know, I mean, just like in football, you know, conditions can sometimes change. Right. And. And I thought the conditions were not going to be right to be successful and not successful for me, but for the state. And I feel really strongly that this is not a normal election. And, Stephen A. I know you're a student of history, but this is not normal times. And people. In all of my time of being in public office, I've never had so many people start crying when they speak to me. The level of emotion that people are feeling about what's happening in our country is incredibly high. And I think folks are scared. I think they're scared, and I think they're wondering, does anybody see me? Does anybody actually care about me and what's going to happen next? Because every day it's like something new, you know, And. And I really felt like I had a chance to be a stabilizer and to be somebody who could put my ego to one side and say, how can I best represent my state, the folks that I grew up around in my hometown? And then also make sure that we don't have a party that just spends all this time tearing itself apart and then has no ability to effectively run a general election.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I got a couple of things to ask you about your Democratic Party, but before I do that, have you spoken to Representative Jasmine Crockett? And if so, what did you say to each other?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, no, she's a friend. Listen, I've known Jasmine since before we were in elected office because I was a voting rights lawyer before I came to Congress. And in that work, we came across each other. And listen, I respect her. We're different folks. We have different ways of representing and going about campaigning. But she's a friend of mine, and I wish her well. But basically, the way it was working out, as I said, was that when you have to have a runoff and all these things, I didn't think that was going to be in the best interest of the state. And I do really feel strongly that because we've lost congressional seats when it comes to Democrats, but also just for some of our big cities, like Dallas, where I'm from, that this district I'm running in is going to be basically the Dallas district, and we're going to need a strong voice there, and that's what I can be. And so that's kind of how it's been going.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, again, speaking to your popularity, do you give her a better chance of winning a Senate seat than you gave yourself?

[Colin Allred]

I don't know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm talking about.

I'm talking about comparing what you did against Ted Cruz. I don't mean right now. I understand. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to put you in that position, but I'm talking about based on what you did when you were going up against Ted Cruz, do you give her a better chance than you had at that particular moment in time is what I'm asking?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah. I mean, I think the year is very different, to be honest with you. You know, it's funny because I mean, conditions can mean so much, right? And we used to say that in football, you know, when we were. When I was at Baylor, and we weren't. Weren't that good. If it was raining hard, then that was a good day for us because I was leveling the playing field, you know, And I think in the last election, you know, a lot of the feeling in the country, there's. I think there's a lot of anger, you know, directed at the party and also towards, you know, President Biden. And then ultimately, I think that led to us having an election where down ballot. A lot of folks, you know, really struggled. This is now an election where, you know, President Trump is in office and they're doing all kinds of wild stuff. They're not doing what they said they were going to do in terms of tackling affordability. Corruption is through the roof, and people are seeing this. And, and so I think the conditions are going to be better, you know, in this election to see what we can get done, but we have to make that happen. And that's what I always tell people. You can have good conditions for an election, but then you got to go take advantage of it. And to me, the focus has to be on working people and what they're going through, because I was raised by a single mother who's a public school teacher, and we struggled growing up. And I know what folks are going through right now when they don't know if they can afford all their groceries for the week. And I think, Stephen, you've talked about some of that, too. And so we need to speak to that and how we're going to address what folks are going through because they're working hard, they're doing the right things, and they see other folks who are openly corrupt, who are getting ahead while they can't. And that feeling, the American dream is kind of upside down. That's what I think we have to speak to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

President Trump says he believes there's an affordability issue. I'm sorry? He said the affordability issue that the Democrats keep propping Up. He says it's a hoax, is really no truth to it whatsoever. What's your response to that?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, I mean, listen, what I wanted to do in this election was go directly to working people. And so, because I've always thought about how my mom could not go to a political rally in the evening because she was working. She worked two jobs and she had to watch me. And so what I wanted to do was go to working folks. And so I've been going to construction sites, to restaurants, to, you know, grocery stores, high school football games, wherever I can go to talk to folks directly. And let me tell you, folks know that they're bringing home less than they were. They know that they're working harder, in some cases than they ever have been. And they know that they feel like they can't get ahead, like they're stuck in place. Right. And that feeling, what you want to call it an affordability crisis, if you want to call it an opportunity issue, whatever it is, it's very real. But what they also know, and I think we have to say this too, is they see people who are openly, openly corrupt, who are just saying, I'm just going to give, you know, okay, I want to get influence with the president. I'm just going to contribute to the, to the ballroom. Right. You know, and they see that. And I know folks might think that working people aren't paying attention, but they are. And so they recognize that they're not getting ahead, but these folks are. And I think that's what we have to speak to, that this corruption is out of control, that it's making it harder for folks to get ahead, but that also that this has gone on for far too long, but that it's been made worse by some of these conditions that we're facing right now. And so now we have to have a real conversation of where are the areas where we can lower costs and increase opportunity. This guy doesn't get that because he's got a gold toilet. I mean, when has he ever worried about affordability? Right? I mean, you know, and so this is not an issue that he understands, but it is one that I do. And I can tell you there's a lot of folks I've heard from who believe and who know that it's an issue for them.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What about the argument that the Republicans will make that inflation, while it may still be an issue and something that needs to be addressed, it's still being. Is still being outpaced by salaries that are earned, like, for example, it's outpacing inflation to some degree. I've heard Republicans actually making that argument.

Yeah, we have to address that.

We have to make sure that that doesn't get out of control. But the dollars that we're bringing home still outpaces inflation. What do you say to that? That argument that they make?

[Colin Allred]

People don't feel that way. And I think the data supports that. They're right. Right. And it depends on the field, it depends on the area. Because what if you're talking about on average. Well, if you're working in AI and data centers and yeah, you're probably doing a lot better. But if you're a working class person who has to shower after work instead of before it, you're not. And your pay has gone up a bit, but it's not kept up with overall inflation. And I also think we have to talk about that. These are folks who, during the pandemic, they were the essential workers.

My mom would have been one of those essential workers who had to go into work. And then it came out of the pandemic and all these supply lines were snarled, costs went up because of that. The purchasing patterns had shifted. And I worked on some of these issues, but then we came out of it and costs never came back down. And in the last election, President Trump said he was going to make this go away and he was going to tackle inflation, he was going to do something about it. But then he gets in office and he puts in place tariffs. They're going to cost working class people $2,000 more a year on average. And he passes a bill that's going to take away from SNAP benefits, it's going to take away health care benefits, which is costs that are just adding up for working folks. You're going to take away their Medicaid, you're going to take away their benefits, you're going to make things more expensive and you're going to tell them, oh, but you're making a little bit more money. That doesn't make sense. Like they. The overall impact is that it's much harder for working folks. And I think to tell people that their lived experience is not real, is not good politics. It's also just not the way that anything works around here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What about the issue concerning the Affordable Care act and the subsidies that are set to expire on January 31st? Obviously, it's Obamacare. It's something that came in place in 2010, really went into effect around 2014 or what have you. And people on the right keep bringing up, you know, if you want to keep Your doctor, you can keep your doctor. It's going to be cheaper. But the Republicans pointed out how the Democrats came to the table wanting an additional $1.5 trillion. The cost of it was supposed to be at about $950 billion. It ended up costing over 1.3 trillion. And the numbers are going escalate, escalate, escalate. And all the Democrats want to do is continue to ask for more money. At some point in time, we got a $37.8 trillion deficit that we've got to address. And that's the argument that they're making. What do you, as a Democrat, say about your party, who obviously are the authors of the Obamacare act and what have you, and play a role in the state of affairs that exist as it pertains to those subsidy issues that are set to expire and ultimately will facilitate premium skyrocketing if a deal isn't reached by January 31st?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, I mean, let's. Let's break everything down a bit, because you said a lot there, and I think some of it is right. We do have an issue with the deficit and the debt. That's why it was really stupid to add another, you know, $3 trillion to it with this bill that they passed with their cutting tax.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Big beautiful bill.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Would you talk about the big beautiful. The big beautiful bill? Is that what you're talking about?

[Colin Allred]

Increase the deficit? Okay. Who's basically responsible when you say you're just going to add 3 trillion and just say it's no problem. But then let's talk about healthcare. Because what I often tell people is that folks are gonna need to get healthcare one way or the other. Okay. Like Stephen A. Like they're gonna get healthcare. They're either gonna get it though the right way, which is through having health insurance and being able to get preventative care along the way and then making sure that they're healthy so that the overall health outcomes are better or they're going to get it at the emergency room.

What happens in Texas, because we have the highest uninsured rate in the country, and in Dallas county, we have over 20% of the people in my county, where I live are uninsured. What happens is they're going to show up at the hospital with an ulcer that has burst that now requires a surgery when, if they had had health insurance, it would have been a pill a year earlier. Right. To get rid of that ulcer. And so this is an area where we have to talk about what. When we're. When we talk about what are we spending on healthcare. Yeah, there's a lot of money that we need to take out of healthcare, but it's mostly in the hands of Big Pharma, some of these middlemen who are making off like bandits. It's certainly not in the hands of working class folks who need to be access to good healthcare. And so these subsidies. And there are 4 million Texans who are on the Affordable Care act exchange. This is just to keep their health insurance premiums from being so high that they don't even have insurance. Right. And so we're trying to do is to reach these folks who are not covered and say you're going to get covered and it's going to be a plan that's affordable so that then your, you and your family will be more healthy and then you'll also be more productive in the workplace. And Stephen, you and I both know this. If, you know, my coaches say the best ability is availability. You know what I mean? So you need to be able to be there for folks. And so the overall, when we talk about what are we spending our money on, and I think I want to have that discussion because I think Democrats are, Democrats don't talk about it enough that we need to be more fiscally responsible, but it's not. By making health care more expensive for people, that's not, that's not going to work. All that will do is then increase costs on the back end.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You talked about fiscal responsibility on the part of the Democratic Party. Clearly you think there's an issue that's an issue that needs to be addressed within your own party.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How are you planning to pull that off if you indeed become a representative in the United States House, in the United States Congress? If you pull that off, how do you plan on addressing this issue with a Democratic Party that is widely perceived as being fragmented? You have centrists, you have moderates, and then you have folks on the extreme left. We ain't even getting to the right.

We just talking about your side of the aisle, how you plan on pulling that off.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, I mean, I was captain of the team at Baylor and I feel like when you have a common cause and common goal, then then you can work backwards from that. Right. We don't always have that common cause, that common goal. But I think what we do recognize and what I increasingly, you know, I'm talking to people about is that, listen, we're going to spend more money on servicing our debt, just paying off the interest on our debt than all the other money we're gonna spend on anything else. Right. So any program you want to be doing, like anything you want to do. Like I have a lot of plans for, for example, for first time homebuyers to make it easier for somebody to get a down payment assistance. Because my mom rented a house for 20 years and it wasn't until I was in the NFL that I could help her buy that house by helping her with a down payment. Right. And so I know that she could pay the mortgage. It was just the down payment was the issue. Right. And so I want to make sure we put in place legislation to make it easier for first time homebuyers so they can get into building equity, you know, building wealth. But all the programs we're talking about are going to be dwarfed by the cost and the dealing with the fact that we have these incredibly high interest rates and this enormous debt that we have. And so we have to be the ones who are talking about this. But I also think that what we've seen in Democratic presidency after Democratic presidency is that the Democrats are actually lowering the deficit and the debt. Then when the Republicans get in there, then they blow it open again.

Because it's almost like it's just, well, it's free money. We could just cut taxes and not cut spending. And listen, you know, I've played the NFL. I know, guys, you know, we don't want to pay higher taxes on a lot of things, right. But you can't just say we're going to bring in less and spend more. That's not how it works. And so I do think though, in the Democratic Party, we sometimes don't want to have this conversation about, okay, well, if there are areas where we know a program isn't working, then we should shift that. Right. And that we should say, and be able to say that not everything is going to be about throwing money at an issue, but sometimes it's going to be about building better stability so that then when we do put money into it, it's not wasted and it doesn't just go down a drain. Right. And so that's what I'm more interested in is how can we build up programs that when we do invest in them, that we know we get a good return on our dollar. And some of the ones that I'm biggest fans of are the things where I know I can have the biggest impact, which is on building strong people when they're kids and giving them a chance. You know, Frederick Douglass had that quote about it's easier to build, you know, Strong kids and to fix broken men. And, you know, so, for example, early childhood education, when we invest in pre k, we get $7 back for every dollar we put into that. That's a good investment of your tax dollars and my tax dollars. But when on the back end, when we're dealing with, you know, for example, you know, some of the programs that come along with folks who are really struggling, and sometimes if we had provided better opportunity on the front end, then that back end cost would have been less. Right. And so that's where I think we need to shift our priorities and make sure we have our most focus on is how can we make it easier for young people to have opportunity to get ahead and to chase their version of the American dream. And then we'll have less to spend on subsidizing their lives afterwards because they'll be more successful, they'll have a better opportunity. And that, to me, is a smarter deal for us to push for.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, so that's talking with your own party on your own side.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How are you going to pull us off on a bipartisan level? Because you're going to need the assistant, at least at this particular moment in time. Chances are you're going to need their assistance come 2028, at least. How do you plan on pulling that off on the bipartisan side? You've had to deal with folks on the right. You know how they roll.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How you gonna pull that off?

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, I mean, you know.

I've always been someone who works well across the aisle. I think it's probably because of my football background. Like, you know, I don't approach people all crazy, and I approach them with enough respect, so they know that if I'm asking them about it, that it's a. It's a real situation that we can actually work on. And, you know, I've actually had some. Some big wins when I was, you know, in Congress with the Trump administration, particularly for veterans and working on things like paid family leave. And so I recognize that there's going to be areas where we can agree. But what I have seen from this administration in particular is a complete, just kind of lack of regard for some of these baseline investments that make it easier for folks, like I said, to have those opportunities. They've closed down the Department of Education. Okay. You don't like what the Department of Education is doing. Change it. But you can't just say, I'm gonna get rid of it. Right. Because you know what that does. That's who administers the Head Start program, which does pre K. That's where we also train and retain our best teachers. That's also how we do the FAFSA program, which helps pay for affordability for people who can't afford to go to college. And so you can get your Pell Grant. Right. Like that's who administered those programs. Right. And so you're just going to get rid of it and now we're going to have worse special education for kids with disabilities. All these things are going to end up costing us more in the long run than whatever you thought you might have saved on the front end. And so that's the argument that I often find myself having with some of my Republican colleagues and some of them, you know, friends of mine. I'm saying, like this is shortsighted, man. It's short sighted. You want to cut here and think it's going to help you there, but you're going to cost you more in the end. And so obviously we have to have some of these fights. But I do think that coming at it from a percept perspective of saying let's talk about being fiscally responsible and what that actually looks like, that sometimes helps ease that path a little bit. Right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Couple more questions before I let you get on out of here. We're talking to Mr. Colin Allred himself, running for a representative seat in Texas, wishing him luck. Absolutely no doubt made some noise in that Senate race versus Ted Cruz as well. Can't forget that when we think about the climate of political divisiveness or whatever, how hopeful should any of us be? You seem like a hopeful person, you know, optimistic, what have you. But obviously we live in some very divisive times, very volatile times. And I don't think the president contributes to that in a positive way. I certainly don't think some folks on the extreme left contribute to that in a positive way as well. I know it may seem some way along the lines of the same question, relatively rhetorical or repetitive rather. But I'm just of the mindset I'm trying to figure out, how can you get both sides to at least pay attention to the importance of giving a perception that we are trying to work together to reach a resolution. Because I think that one of the things that contributed to the divisiveness in this country are the politicians themselves appearing to be so damn divisive. 100 your thought real answer to that question. I only got a couple of minutes left. Please.

[Colin Allred]

Okay. Yeah, no, absolutely. I think you're right and I think we got to fix the incentive structure and I think, you know, you and I both know that if, if you're going to get. If you go down a certain path and then you get. You get paid for it and you get more attention, you're going to keep going down that path. And I think what we've seen is that social media in particular, but also our politics as a whole, you know, cable news has encouraged some of the worst impulses in our elected officials. And if you do those crazy things, then you're going to get more attention, and then you get more attention, and then more attention. And all of a sudden you're sitting there thinking, hey, man, I must be doing something right. And the whole time you're just destroying the country. And I'm, I'm, you know, I'm. I'm sick about it because, you know, I, I always see it as kind of like elections are sort of like training camp where we're competing against each other, but then when we come out of it, we should be on the same team because we're all American. That's how I see it. And I'm probably. That's probably just the athlete in me. But ultimately, we're in a competition with China. We're in a competition with Russia. We're in a competition with interests around the world that don't want us to succeed. And we're sitting here having all. Always, you know, staring at ourselves instead of looking at what are our opportunities. And I think you're right to say that there are voices who are contributing negatively to it. But what we should do is in elections, we should vote for the ones who are. Solution.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I got you. Listen, man, I really appreciate your time. Happy to have had you on, you know, you're welcome back. Good luck. I wish you luck. I hope you win. You understand? Get back to the United States Congress. We need you up in there.

No doubt about it. I'm not a Republican, I'm not a.

Democrat, but damn it, I'll be damn if I ain't rooting room for some Democrats. And you're one of them.

Them.

So all the best to you. I wish you nothing but the best. And feel free to come back on the show anytime. You take care of yourself.

[Colin Allred]

Thanks, man.

[Stephen A. Smith]

One and only Colin. All right here with Stephen A. Straight shooter with Stephen A. Back with our number two in a minute.

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[Stephen A. Smith]

Warning.

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[Stephen A. Smith]

Our number two coming at you in just a couple of minutes.

And at that moment we will have junior senator from Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Tom Cotton will be on the show. Honored to have him as well. Looking forward to having that conversation. A lot of interesting questions to throw in his direction. I have no doubt he'll have a lot of interesting answers to provide. I can't wait. Thanks again to Colin already for coming onto the show.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really, really appreciate him and wishing him nothing but the best. Lots of stuff to get into. Democrats gaining traction. Republicans might have something different to say about that. We'll find out in just a minute. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Up next right here with Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

I love it when everything comes together. I love it when the senators, the governors, the representatives, I love it when they come on the show. I love it.

Can't wait.

Tom Cotton should be happy, too. You know what I'm saying? People usually ain't excited to talk to senators, but I am. Tom Cotton out of Arkansas, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He's up next. Don't go away. You'll want to hear this.

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[Colin Allred]

Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome to hour number two of Straight.

Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Over there with of SiriusXM POTUS radio channel 124. Straight shooter with Stephen A. Mr. Colin Allred was on the show with us, but right now it's time to get to someone else. He's a junior senator out of Arkansas. He also happens to be the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Please welcome for the first time the Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Senator Tom Cotton is on the show. How are you, sir? How's everything going? How. How you doing?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Hey, Stephen A. Doing very well. Thanks for having me on the show.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you for being on the show and. And. And say hello. I mean, I watch. I see you often on my man Sean Hannity's show. I mean, I'm not supposed to be friends with him, but we've been friends for over 23 years, so I know him quite well. He speaks very fondly of you, sir. Thank you for being on the show. Let's get right to it.

There was an audio by the president.

Today t touching on the subject of how the US had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela I want you to listen to this before, before I ask my question. Please listen to this.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Please.

[Stephen A. Smith]

As you probably know, we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large.

Largest one ever seized, actually, and other things are happening, so you'll be seeing that later, and you'll be talking about that later with some other people. Senator, first of all, I want to know what your thoughts were about what the. What the President had to say and how you feel about it.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Sir STEPHEN A. I support the seizure of this sanctioned vessel. I understand that it's been under international sanctions now for some time. That's very common with sanctions, as you sanction specific vessels, oftentimes the owners or operators of them try to reflag them into new countries, change their names, what have you. But our government is very effective at tracking these vessels. We've seen seizures like this elsewhere, typically in the Middle east, especially as it relates to Iran. But it's just a reminder that Venezuela, unlike any other Latin American country, poses a unique danger because it does work in league not just with drug cartels in its own country, but with Russia and China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and I think it's important that our government take these actions where we can to stop the illicit shipment of oil, which is so important to funding the operations of hostile nations like Iran, like Venezuela, like China, and so forth.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Do you feel you're getting full and timely briefings on these boat strikes and similar covert or clandestine operations by the President and his administration?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, I have. STEPHEN A. As you said, I'm the chairman of the Intelligence Committee. I'm part of what's known as the Gang of Eight, which is the senior Republican and Democrat on both the House and Senate Intelligence Committee and the Republican and Democratic leaders in both the House and the Senate. We just had another briefing yesterday with Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, John Ratcliffe, the Director of the CIA, and General Dan Kane, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Not just on the issue of these boat strikes against drug cartels operating mostly out of Venezuela, but on any issue of great importance to our national security. I'm also a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. Sometimes the briefings come through that committee because it's purely a military operation. But I do feel that I'm fully briefed and kept apprised, and that's one reason why I'm supportive of these operations, try to protect our country and most of the members of the Congress, too, even if they aren't proactively reaching out to them for these briefings. Have the opportunity to meet with administration officials, to question them, to review legal opinions and so forth.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, I'm interested. I'm so glad that you said all of that and you explained everything that you're doing, and I thank you for that. Because I'm not coming from a position like I know, because I don't. And I see a lot of people talking on the air as if they do know, particularly as it pertains to the administration and a lot of things that are going on. So I just want, for clarification purposes, I want to know, have there been situations where the committee was notified too late or not at all? Some of the things that we hear all over the airwaves, permeating the airwaves or what have you have, this administration is doing things and operating independent of our government. You know, in terms of the Senate, the House, et cetera. People bring this kind of stuff up when they're talking about Trump and his administration.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

And.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I want to know if there's any accuracy to some of the assertions that have been made in regards to those things.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

No, Stephen, I can't think of any. Over the last 11 months, I'm sure at some point in my now, you know, nearly 12 years in the Senate, I've been dissatisfied with this, that or the other quality of briefing from maybe the first Trump administration, maybe the Obama or Biden administrations. Nothing jumps right off the page to me. There are occasions when I think administrations are reluctant to share information beyond the smallest core of our elected members of Congress, like the Gang of Eight, because they're worried about leaks. Because when you share it with the members of Congress, you also share it with a certain number of their staff. And in the most sensitive and exquisitely.

Protected and compartmented programs, I think any administration has some concerns with that. I would add, though, that Marco Rubio, in his role as the National Security Advisor, and John Ratcliffe, in his role as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, both used to be members of Congress and they sat on the Intelligence Committees. Marco was the chair of the Intelligence Committee. So I think they both have a very good perspective around the president, advising him about what the thinking of a member of Congress is, and especially what the thinking of maybe a backbench or junior member of Congress may be. And I think they've been healthy voices inside the administration to try to find ways to make sure that it's not just the Gang of Eight that has this information, that the elected members of Congress can perform the duties that their constituents expect them to. Obviously, you can't share every sensitive piece of information with every member of Congress. But I do believe that Marco and John are doing a very good job of trying to lean forward and keep Congress informed beyond just the Gang of Eight or beyond just the Intelligence and Armed Services Committees.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now, you've served under multiple presidents, and I want to know, in your opinion, is Trump's approach to intelligence oversight different in any meaningful way from other presidents that you've served that, that, that you obviously worked under, or is it. Does it fall along the lines of the same in your mind?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

If I could quibble a little bit with the way you phrase that, STEPHEN A. I think it was Tip o' Neill when he said. When someone said Tip o' Neill had served under eight presidents, he made the point that he didn't serve under presidents he served with. That's right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Exactly.

I apologize, sir. That's why I said.

That's why I tried to couch it. But you're right.

Go ahead.

[Colin Allred]

Bad.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

I serve. I serve under and for the people of Arkansas. I serve with the president, with my colleagues in the Senate and the House. No, I think the president's approach to intelligence has fit his style in the way he wants to operate. Every president is different. Every president is going to take their intelligence briefings differently. Some want to read a document in advance. Some want to talk it through with their staffers. Some more appreciate visual aids, videos, images, charts, graphs, what have you. I think the president, every day, I know almost every day, is working with Marco Rubio, working with John Ratcliffe, Pete Hegseth. I think his approach to what our intelligence committee or community produces is perfectly appropriate. And I think he, like every other president, sometimes disagrees with them, and that's fine. You know, I've read thousands of intelligence assessments, and almost none of the assessments say this is 100% certainty. They speak in terms of confidence, whether we have low, moderate, or high confidence. And when you're talking about certain extremely sensitive subjects that our foreign adversaries want to keep from us, you can't do much better than that. I mean, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping don't just pick up the phone and speak on an open line about what their next moves are. So you can only speak with degrees of certainty. And it's certainly appropriate for any American president to exercise his own judgment and to say to the intelligence community, I understand where you're coming from. I'm not sure you're right about that one. I think it's appropriate for us in Congress to probe as well, to make sure. That there's actual underlying evidence that supports judgments that can be used for very high stakes decisions.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You support the president, I get that.

And obviously Pete Hegseth is under him. The secretary, you know, I mean, Defense Secretary of the United States of America. You want to meet the press this weekend and said you have 100% confidence in Secretary Hegseth after the signal gate report on the September 2nd double tap boat strike in Venezuelan waters that killed 11 people. Do you still stand by that? And if so, why?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

I do. I. I've known Pete for a very long time and I've worked closely with him over the last 10 months. And I know there's been controversy swirling around Pete. Obviously it was a controversial, unconventional nomination. But what I see in Pete is a secretary who's trying to drive badly needed change inside of the department. Some things that I've worked on in Congress for years I haven't been able to pass into law because we have opposition from the Democrats are sometimes Republicans. It's not always partisan in this space, sometimes just different opinions about the way programs or policies should work. You have Pete come in and take actions, for instance, to increase recruiting and retention. When we were suffering badly on the instrength of our military a year ago working to address our munitions crisis. We simply don't make enough weapons fast enough in this country. And I've seen him and his deputy, Steve Feinberg and the rest of the department take that very seriously, move very fast, work with places like the Pine Bluff Arsenal or the Defense Industrial park in South Arkansas to try to accelerate the munitions we're manufacturing. So I know there's a lot of attention grabbing headlines over the last 10 months. But from what I see on the day to day work, Pete is driving badly needed change inside the department. He's got a great team around him to do that as well.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I can appreciate your position, but I can also recall, you know, again, it was two different things, but so much was made about Hillary Rodham Clinton and email servant, 33,000 emails and stuff like that. And you know, people thought that that should have disqualified her. But here we are with the Defense Secretary of the United States of America and he's, you know, texting on his, you know, on, on, on his, on his equipment or whatever. And you support that? I mean, you're supportive. I'm not saying you support that, but you're supportive of him under those circumstances. I understand that it's two different people, it's two different things. But one would argue if it was good enough for people to condemn Hillary Rodham Clinton. Why is it not good enough to condemn Pete Hegseth for that?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, I suppose I draw a distinction between the two, because Signal is a more secure app with end to end encryption versus an unsecure server. I would also point out the facts and the circumstances. The communications between Secretary Hegseth, then national Security Advisor Mike Walt, Secretary Rubio, A lot of that communication in that group chat was happening nearly contemporaneous as they were notifying their foreign counterparts. So foreign foreign ministers, defense ministers, national security advisors, and friendly nations that this operation was underway. They were doing that on open telephone lines. So I think it's largely a mountain out of a molehill. I think probably the administration officials have taken lessons learned from that incident and probably changed their practices.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

But I would draw a distinction between the two, between an unsecure server that is used for routine business for months, if not years on time and this one chat on an end to end encrypted app that is happening contemporaneous to conversations with foreign counterparts over open telephone lines.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Last question on this issue. You called on the Washington Post to apologize to Pete Hegseth and Navy Admiral Frank Bradley for its reporting on it. Why did you do that, sir?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, I think the Washington Post story the day after Thanksgiving gave a totally false picture of what had happened and. And wasn't accurate at all. On the order that they said Pete gave, the Washington Post made it sound like there were helpless survivors in the water in a life jacket or floating on a wooden plank or something. Stephen A. And that Pete saw that clearly and he ordered Admiral Bradley to kill them, and Admiral Bradley did. That would be a clear violation of the laws of war and the law of the sea. That's not at all what happened. This strike was taken. There's a big cloud of smoke. Pete left. I'm sure he had lots of other things to do. He wanted to be there, present during the first operation because it's the first strike against any of these boats. Once the smoke cleared, once the cloud covered clear, it was obvious that there were two survivors on the capsized boat. They were not helpless. They were not stranded alone in the water. Admiral Bradley made the decision, I think, consistent with the execution order and also with customary military practice, to strike that boat again. That is a completely different picture than what the Washington Post portrayed, essentially accusing Pete Hagseth and especially Admiral Bradley of a war crime. Admiral Bradley is a highly decorated career Navy seal who's dedicated his life to this nation. And I think they are owed an apology. You can have a difference of opinion. Washington Post editorial page can say they don't support these strikes. They wish the President wasn't taking them. They think that needs more oversight or what have you. But I think accusing a man like Admiral Mitch Bradley of a war crimes a bridge too far and that he's owed an opinion. He's owed debt of gratitude by all Americans for what he's done for 30 years for our nation.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Understood. Let me move on to the Affordable Care act issue because that's something that's percolating right now. It's been percolating for a while actually. But Majority Leader John Thune announced that the Senate will vote on Thursday on a Republican led alternative to the Democrats three year extension of soon to expire enhanced Affordable Care act tax credits. What is the GOP's plan sir?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Well, we think it's ironic that Obamacare was called the Affordable Care act because unfortunately it's made health care largely unaffordable for a large number of Americans. Premiums have more than doubled since Obamacare went into effect. In many cases deductibles and out of pocket expenses have more than tripled. The Democrats tried to slap a bandaid on this problem in 2021 when they passed these Biden Covid bonuses that eliminated a lot of the fraud provisions that are in the law and notably increased those eligible for subsidies from 400% of the federal poverty level, which is over $125,000. Stephen A. And it goes all the way up to 700%. You're talking about households in my state in Arkansas that are making two to three and a half times the median household income with no protection for fraud. With all the money going to insurance companies, we don't think those should continue. What we want to do is try to address the affordability problems that all Americans have with their health insurance. To give you a sense of scale, about 165,000 people in Arkansas get their health insurance from Obamacare. About 10,000 of those make more than 400% of federal poverty. Make more than $125,000 1.4 million get their health insurance. On the job. They've seen increases in their health insurance 10, 15, 20%.

About 700,000 get it from Medicare. Increases in Medicare this year about 9 to 10% Medicaid. We have about 800,000 people on Medicaid. Not many Medicaid populations pay premiums. Some do. They've seen some increases as well. We want to address the affordability challenge for everyone. No matter how you get your health care by trying to restore more control and more choice to patients and to families, to pick the right kind of insurance for them, to eliminate some of the onerous regulations that Obamacare imposed, and to give people their money rather than giving money directly to insurance companies, sometimes for people that don't even know they've been enrolled on these programs. Give it to families. Let them put it in a health savings account. Let them use it as they see fit, whether it's to pay their premiums or to pay co pays, whether it's to buy glasses or braces for the kids or what have you. We want to give families more choice in their health care. We think that'll help make it more affordable for everyone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But Senecata, what about the argument that when, listen, Obama does. Obamacare came in effect 2010 when it actually went into effect, like 2014 passed in 2010. Trump comes into office in 2016. He stays there until 2020. All right, so you had a Democrat in the office. You had a Republican in the office. Then Biden comes in office. In other words, there's been ample time for the Republican side of the aisle to come up with a clear plan on how to fix this thing they call a problem, which is the Affordable Care act, which is Obamacare. So many times the Democrats have accused the Republicans of not having a plan at all. And a lot of American citizens are saying, what's your plan? What's your plan? Trump comes out and he says, you.

Hey, we want to put more money.

In American people's pocket.

Well, okay, that's fine. I appreciate it.

But where's the plan that's going to show that that can be executed to the advantage of the American people? What do you say to that as America as a member of the gop?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, well, I would invite them one to look at what we'll be voting on tomorrow in the Senate. But I think this is only one step in the administration and the Republican Congress trying to address the high price of health care in this country. I've taken other steps in the past. For instance, try to get down the price of prescription drugs, especially generic drugs. I think you'll see more steps rolled out. They're trying to spread some of the costs of Obamacare more evenly across the insured population or to allow more people to buy insurance that fits them. You know, you want different insurance when you're in your 20s and single versus your 30s and 40s and have kids versus say 50s and 60s and you're empty nesters again. We think Americans should be able to make those decisions for themselves, not have the one size fits all program that Obamacare so often imposes on Americans.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Senator Tom Cott, right here with Stephen A Straight shooter with Stephen Ay right here over SiriusXM POTUS radio channel 124. What would you consider to be the state of the Republican Party at this particular moment in time, particularly in light of Mamdani went in the mayoral seat in New York City. Cheryl went in the gubernatorial seat in New Jersey, Spamberger went in the gubernatorial seat in Virginia. We saw what happened with Higgins, the new mayor elect of Miami. A lot of people are looking at things right now and saying the Democrats are gaining some traction, the Republicans are losing it. Where do you stand on that?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Well, I'd say first off, I try not to look at it like that in terms of a horse race. I'm still trying to think about what we can do to make life better for Arkansans and for all Americans. There'll be a time for campaigning as we get closer to the election next year, but there's still a lot of work left to govern. And in the end, I think governing well is the best kind of political campaign you can have. But second, more directly to your point, Stephen A, there's a long pattern in American politics of the party in power. You know, having a tough time of it in the midterm. Sometimes that's been defied. But it's pretty common. You know, in 2018, we lost the House of Representatives. We won the Senate. We actually expanded our majority in the Senate. So there's no question that we could face headwinds next year in the election. Everyone's prepared for that. Donald Trump, John Thune, Mike Johnson, all Republicans in the House and the Senate. And we think the best way, again, to hold on to our majorities in both the House and the Senate, hopefully grow them, is to help make lives better for the people we represent, to put more money back in their pockets, make their streets safer, get drugs off their streets, give them better choices for their kids, education, make the country safer and stronger. That's the best way to succeed in the election next year. And that's what we've worked on so hard over the last 10 months and what we'll continue to work on over the next 11 months.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It's something listen, what you had somebody like Marjorie Taylor Greene that obviously, you know, just announced that she'll be leaving the House in January. And she's been outspoken against the president in recent memory after being an absolutely loyalist when it came to him, which shocked a lot of people. And they're talking about how the Republican Party doesn't seem to have its eye on the ball. Like she even challenged him. He was talking about America's first, but he's all over the place. But yesterday we saw him campaigning and you know, and I shouldn't say campaigning, but giving a speech in the Poconos or what have you. It seems to be that he's become increasingly aware that there are things that are changing. There's a vibe that's changing in this country. What level of culpability do you attach to? What do you think? Because I know that you're somebody that supports him very, very much.

But what do you think he could do better?

And do you believe he's playing a role in possibly hurting the party right.

Now, if for no other reason, because.

Of his behavior, how he might talk to people, how he might act towards people, I might turn people off. What do you think about all of that, Senator Kai?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

First, you know, I haven't reviewed every in and out that Congresswoman Greene and President Trump have said about each other in the last few weeks. It does seem to me, though from a distance they may not be on each other's Christmas card list this year.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

I do think some of the differences are with the president's foreign policy. And I for one think the president has done very well this year, not just protecting us from drugs coming out of Latin America, but helping protect us from the threat of a nuclear Iran, continuing to support Ukraine as it fights against an unprovoked war of aggression by Russia and trying to stand up to China. I don't always agree with the president. I've had my differences in the past with them first term and second term. I try to work through those collegially and professionally. Obviously we agree a lot more then we disagree. But I know that he's 100% committed not just to working for the American people, but politically to trying to hold on to his majorities in the Congress. Because the simple fact is with Republican majorities, we can continue to advance our agenda. I'm afraid if we lose and have Democratic majorities, you may see two years of nothing but investigations and maybe multiple impeachments. If the first term is any predictor of the second term.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I wanted to ask you this because I know you brought, you just brought this up. You said there are things that you disagreed with him about. Inquiring minds want to know. I want to know what you've disagreed with President Trump about. If you don't mind telling me, I'd like to know.

I think my audience would like to know that we don't hear too many.

Republicans saying we disagreed with Trump on something.

So when somebody says it, that's news to me.

I want to know what those things were, if you don't mind telling me.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Oh, sure. I mean, it's no secret that I opposed something called the First Step Act. Back in the first term, I thought it was a bill that was going to release criminals from prison who shouldn't be released, that they were a danger to our society, they might go on to commit future crimes. The president, I think, was maybe somewhat lukewarm on it, but there's a lot of people in his administration pushing hard. In the end, it got passed with large bipartisan majorities. Again, I think that was a misstep. The president's been, in my opinion, very strong on crime, cracking down on it in this term. But that's one example of something I disagreed with him on. I would contrast Stephen A. The first term to the second term. Okay, and how so? Well, when Donald Trump came into office, when he won in 2016, it was a singular event in the history of presidential politics. We've never had a man elected with no history of high public office. He had never been a senator, cabinet member, governor, Congressman general. And that meant that he had not had long time experience in public life with a large group of people, people around him who had been colleagues, co workers, aides and what have you. I mean, just think about, contrast it to George Bush, 43, who came in not just with all the people that knew him and worked with him in Texas, but his father's network as well. So I think in some ways, the first Trump term got off to a slower start than I would have liked. It took a little bit longer to make certain decisions that I would have liked to seen made early. Now, that's very different from January of 2025. President Trump by that point had been in public life for 10 years. He had built a large movement. He has a large group of former aides and advisors, elected officials who had supported him. So he was able to get much more like minded people in position early on who are ready to move right out of the gate. So, for instance, it only took about five months before we took decisive action against Iran nuclear program, whereas in the first term, it took about 16 months to impose new sanctions and withdraw from the disastrous nuclear deal. So I think in the second term, you've seen things moving a lot faster, moving in the, in the direction that I would support, much faster than we saw in the first term. I certainly was advocating in the first term, in the first year to move fast on a lot of these fronts. I just think the President had some people around him, advising him in the Congress who didn't quite get why he'd been elected, why the American people wanted to turn to Donald Trump as opposed to a more traditional politician. And I think that's one reason why he's off to such a faster start this term than he was in the first term.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, he's off to a faster start in the second term, but in the same breath, his approval ratings don't exemplify that. You've got a lot of people that are disapproving of some of the things that he's doing, what have you. How do you explain that at this particular moment in time?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Again, these are pretty common patterns in American politics. Once the President takes office, he normally has a burst of surge in his approval rating. Sometimes it declines over time. President Trump is still ahead of where George Bush 43 and where Barack Obama were in the same time time based off fluctuations, their approvals as well. I think the best way to approach that is not to think about approval rating or horse race numbers, but think about delivering for the American people, making our country safer, more prosperous and helping people live a better life. If you do that, elections tend to work out well.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Two questions left for you if you don't mind. One is about you, because this is about your Senate run. A sixth generation Democratic farmer named Hallie Schaffner has launched her Senate campaign to unseat you in 2026. I want to know what your response is to her saying that you turned your back on farmers by voting against the farm bill twice.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Well, the Democrats have their own primary. Stephen A. So I'll let them work out their differences in their primary and then we can have a general election campaign later next year. But I voted for the farm bill just a few months ago. Our big budget bill in the summer had a farm bill that my colleague John Boseman, as the chair of the Ag Committee drafted. And it has provides an important safety net for our farmers. It provides important reforms to the food stamp program to make sure that the people who need and deserve that nutritional assistance are getting it. But we don't have people who are getting it through fraud or because they're not working hard enough. The past farm bills, in my opinion, didn't have enough reforms to the Food stamp program. But I was very pleased this year to vote for John Bozeman's farm bill as part of our big budget bill. I think it's going to make a big difference for our farmers. Not just yet. It doesn't kick in until later next year, but I think it's going to help our farmers in Arkansas and all across the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, I'll let you get on out of here. Senator Cotton, obviously terrible news. Two National Guards people were shot, one was killed. We all know about this in the nation's capital a couple of weeks ago. You served in Afghanistan. I'd like to know your thoughts on how should we respond to the killing of a National Guard member by an Afghan refugee who previously served in an elite U.S. counterterrorism unit and was resettled under the U.S. refugee program this year. We saw what President Trump said, really, about just stopping folk Afghans from coming into the country. What do you think the appropriate response to that should have been?

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, well, first off, just let me say I think the best and the most immediate response anyone can do is pray, pray for Sarah Beckstrom's family. She passed away a couple weeks ago right after the shooting. Andrew Wolf is recovering. Let's pray for his continued quick recovery. I think we need to take a much closer and more careful look at all the Afghans who are rushed out of Afghanistan during the collapse in 2021. I think it's important for your listeners to know that when you talk about so called vetting, it's very hard to do that in Afghanistan. I mean, it barely has government institutions. What our intelligence officers, what our military considered vetting. To make someone saf safe to work at the gate on our bases or work as an interpreter is a very different and much lower standard than what you would expect for vetting. Someone to come to this country, to live in our communities, to go to our schools and ultimately become an American citizen. I think we need to take a much closer look at every person that we admitted to this country. And if they're not safe and we can't verify they're safe to be here, then they need to go. Now, I understand the argument that if they go back to Afghanistan, they're going to be killed by the Taliban. Well, we have fortunately a lot of partners and allies around the world who have been open to taking Afghans that were coming straight out of Afghanistan. I think that's something the Trump administration will probably want to open a dialogue about with other countries who are partners of the United States who depend on us in many ways, if these people can't live here in the United States and we can be 100% certain that we're going to be, that our communities are going to be safe, then we've got to take action.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I know it was going to be my last question, but I promise you this is going to be it. Because I have one more. Because I open my mouth constantly lamenting the fact that it doesn't appear as if folks are willing to work across the aisle. And one of the things that I'm big on is that when there's vitriol coming from both sides of the aisle, it scares the American people. Because if y' all can't come together or y' all appear to not be able to come together, then that frustrates us. Because the next thing you know, we're fighting in the streets crying out loud because our leaders, our politicians, you know, are doing that. However, with you, you're working on two bills with, with Senate Democrats, according to my research, the Defense act bill and the Counteract bill. One is with Senator Jackie Rosen out of north. Out of Nevada. The other was Senator Kristen Gillibrand out of New York. Wanted to know what you wanted to mention about those two bills and what it's like working across the aisle. Let people know if that's what y' all are doing, that's what they need to know.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Yeah, sure. Stephen A. And I think it's important that you. That everybody realize that although we have deep philosophical divisions and that leads to naturally heated arguments about policy and the direction of the country, we can do that in a civilized manner. We can have disagreements about being disagreeable. That's one thing I respect about your show and the guest you have on, the person who's your implacable opponent today in the Senate, maybe your, you know, indispensable ally tomorrow. And Jackie and Kirsten are two good examples of that. We vote opposite of each other a lot, but on these bills, we're coming together to try to keep our country safe. At most big sporting events, for instance, the airspace is restricted. So at Razorback Stadium, although, unfortunately, we're not gonna be playing football anytime soon in Razorback Stadium until next fall or. Or at Gillette Stadium with the Bills packers or Bills Patriots this weekend, that airspace is restricted. There's no one, though, to enforce those restrictions right now. Only federal agents can enforce. And there's just not enough federal agents to protect every football stadium on a Saturday or Sunday in America or baseball games or NASCAR races or big concerts or political rallies. What this legislation would do, in part is to essentially deputize state and local authorities trained by the FBI certified by them to enforce those restrictions, to use things like jamming or spoofing to make sure that fans who are going to go to, say, college football playoffs this weekend, if the law was already changed, will be protected from drones coming into the airspace. A second part of it is also going to protect our military bases. You remember a couple years ago, we had a lot of drones of unidentified origin flying around military installations on the East Coast. Our commanders have very little authority to protect their airspace. If a box truck is barreling towards the front gate, won't stop, the guards have the authority to use lethal force to take it out. We should use the exact same force to protect our military installations from threats from the sky that we would from the ground. Jackie and Kirsten have been great partners on this legislation. It just passed tonight in the House of Representatives as part of a larger defense package with more than 300 votes as it's very common on these national, these important national security bills. So like you say, it's an example of. Sometimes the rhetoric can be pretty heated on cable news or social media, but here behind the scenes, we often work together pretty well to try to advance common shared interest and visions for the, the future of the country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Senator Cotton, really appreciate you giving that explanation. Thank you for the education and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come on this show. I really, really appreciate it and thank you so much and always feel free to come back anytime you like. Really appreciate it.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Thanks. Stephen A. Appreciate you. Merry Christmas to you and all your listeners.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. Thank you, sir. Senator Tom Cotton right here with Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen. Stephen A. You heard him, now you'll hear me. Lines are open. Okay. 866-967-6-8877. That's 866-9676-8876-8878-6696. POTUS lines are open. You heard what he had to say. You heard what Colin Allred had to say as well. Now you'll hear from me and you as well. Stick around. This Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with more in A.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

But I do want to talk about.

[Brittany (Caller)]

The economy, sir, here at home.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

And I wonder what grade you would give.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A plus.

[Brittany (Caller)]

A plus.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

A plus plus plus plus plus.

[Kleenex/Greenlight Advertiser]

Gives.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

Himself an A plus plus plus plus. That's five pluses on the economy. What grade do you give him?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, Caitlin, if this is an A.

Plus plus, plus economy.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

God help us if we ever get.

[Stephen A. Smith]

To a B or, or a C.

Welcome back to Straight Shooting with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith over the airwaves of SiriusXM Polis Radio channel 124. Number to call up, as always is 866-967-6887. That's 86696, POTUS. That was President Trump giving himself an A plus plus plus plus plus five pluses. A plus plus plus plus on the economy. And of course, Bernie Sanders predictably responding in the way that he did. But Trump also gave a speech in the Poconos yesterday and of course, we heard we were going to hear from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer out of New York. He certainly had something to say about Trump's speech in the Poconos yesterday. Listen to what he had to say.

[Colin Allred]

He said kids at school should have fewer pencils.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And then he repeated his favorite, that.

[Colin Allred]

His favorite word was tariffs.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What kind of world does he live in? Does he understand that these tariffs are raising prices through the roof?

When he said his favorite word was tariffs, the crowd sure didn't like that.

[Colin Allred]

His own crowd didn't like that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

His own crowd of MAGA people. There you have it.

866-96-96 POTUS is the number to call up. 866-967-6887. I'm going to end the show going from here till the end, which is your phone calls. Let's go to Charlotte. I'm sorry, Tammy in Charlotte, North Carolina, you're live with Stephen A. Hello, Tammy, good evening. How are you?

Tammy, are you there? Tammy? Tammy is not. Tammy, are you there now? I hear you.

[Tammy (Caller)]

I am here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

There you go. How you doing?

[Tammy (Caller)]

Yes, I'm here. Hello.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How you doing?

[Tammy (Caller)]

How you doing?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome to the show.

Thank you for calling.

[Tammy (Caller)]

I'm fine. Thank you. We watch your show. We watch you all the time.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you so much.

[Tammy (Caller)]

I am so, I am so honored to speak with you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

[Tammy (Caller)]

I was. Yes, sir. I felt led to call. You were speaking on the problems with the Democrats and affordability.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay.

[Tammy (Caller)]

My son is running. My son is running for Congress and has solutions on how to fund free or universal health care and free college education and a number of other points, including real criminal justice reform, making the law fair with same crime, same time, regardless of race.

[Colin Allred]

Okay.

[Tammy (Caller)]

His formula on how to pay for health care and education is the answer to helping every American and free up money for everyone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay. Well, that's, I hear what you're saying, but freeing up money for everybody. I don't know about that. I don't know if that's possible in a capitalistic society. Society, Tammy, to be quite honest with you. And anytime I hear the word free, whether it's freeing or freeing up or free, I get a bit suspicious because that never happens.

[Tammy (Caller)]

Yes, sir. He had, he had to live. He has a formula, and I can't.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let him get the formula over the.

Air because I only, I'm limited in the time that I can give you.

But if you can shorten it up.

And just get to that point and let me know what he's offering, I'm happy to listen.

[Tammy (Caller)]

Okay. Can I give you his website? His website is Delta for the People. D E L T E R for.

[Stephen A. Smith]

D E L. D E L T.

E R for the People.

[Tammy (Caller)]

Delta for the people Dot com.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, thank you, Tammy. I appreciate the call. Thank you so much. Brittany in Indiana, you're live with Stephen A. How are you, Brittany? How's everything.

[Colin Allred]

Doing?

[Brittany (Caller)]

All right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for calling. What's going on?

[Brittany (Caller)]

Well, I was just listening to Senator Cotton and I couldn't help but call because this is the second radio show today where I've heard a Republican talking about the unaffordable Care Act. That's the talking point right now, is that it's an unaffordable care Act. And I just find it ironic and frustrating because I appreciated that you came back to him and said, hey, what have you guys done? But they have proposed nothing to replace it. And then they just keep saying they want to put money in the American people's pockets. Okay, if you give me money right now, like, I can't go just buy any health plan that I want. I don't have the choice that they're talking about. It's extremely frustrating to just hear these talking points spewed. But then I don't even think he gave you a replacement.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, what he said was, is that they're voting on it tomorrow and he has to read what they're proposing and what before he votes on it. That's what he was alluding to. And so we'll know more tomorrow in terms of what they're going to try to push through, but it's expected to fail because it needs 60 votes, which is not going to get. Which is not going to get. Just like the Democrats, and their plan needs 60 votes, and it's not going. And it's not what they're going to get. My suspicion is that they, they, they made sure to end the shutdown after 43 days, to get you through Thanksgiving, to get you through Christmas. They ain't thinking about working. They thinking about the holidays, to be quite honest with you. And then come the new year, they'll have about, you know, 28 days or so to do whatever it is that's necessary to reach a deal so the, the subsidies don't expire and premiums don't escalate exponentially. That's. That, to me, sounds like what their plan is. I don't think it's a great one, but, but it's the only one I can give you at this particular moment in time.

[Brittany (Caller)]

Well, we, I work in the health insurance industry and the Affordable Care act, those health insurers have to set prices for the next year, like, so they'll have to set 2027 prices in 2026. So the premiums and things that people are going to pay like that is in effect, like, I just don't know. It just seems so convenient anytime they're asked that question about what their plan is. The guy this morning, Buddy something, he was on another POTUS show. He was going to find out in the next hour what was going to happen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But here's the problem, Brittany. Let's say, for example, that's your issue with the Republicans, right?

If you ask the Democrats, they're going to come and they're going to tell you, here's our plan. But then both, but then the Republicans going to say, okay, that's a, that's an additional $1.5 trillion. And you know, we don't have that money. So why are you coming to us presenting this? Now the Democrats are going to turn around and they're going to say, but Trump, you just put forth a big beautiful bill which they call a big ugly bill that's going to cost us an excess of an additional $3 trillion. So how do you not have $1.5 trillion for health care subsidies? But in the same breath, you got $3 trillion for whatever it is you want to include in a big beautiful bill. It's all a mess, which speaks to your frustration, Brittany, and it makes it ticks all of us off. It ticks all of us off, no doubt.

[Brittany (Caller)]

Well, and I am for the military in our defense spending, but we have a crazy defense budget. So, you know, but we don't talk about that. We want to take health care. And you know, well, I would say.

[Stephen A. Smith]

This to you, I would say this to you now.

You want to have a priority.

I think health care should be a priority. But I also think our military should be a priority because if you're not protecting this country in the interest of this country, you're vulnerable to the global. For the global stratosphere out there with a bunch of evil people who hate America and want to do damage to us. I'm all about strong. A strong military. I got to be honest with you about that. I never complain about the investment that we make in our military. I'm not one to do that. I think it's about over $800 billion annually. But I got to tell you something. It's not something I complain about. We got money for something. We should have money for that. That's where I'm at with that, Brittany.

[Brittany (Caller)]

There's no accountability there with their. But they don't have to account for my. Like, there's a lot of waste, fraud and abuse that they're talking about with everything else.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's true.

[Brittany (Caller)]

It's just a frustration. I. I won't convince you here on air, but. Yeah, that's.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, do me a favor.

Do me a favor, Brittany. Don't be too frustrated until after Christmas. Don't let them ruin your holidays. Don't let them. To do your best not to let them do that. That's all I'm saying. I mean, because these problems aren't going away. They're not going away. The budget deficit, I kept saying 37.8 trillion. It's not up to 38.4 trillion. So the deficit just keeps climbing and climbing and climbing. It's unsustainable. I mean, it's ridiculous. Okay, don't get yourself too frustrated though, because they'll ruin everything for you. Don't do it. Thank you for calling. No, Brittany, I really appreciate your call. I got you. Let's go with a ram in Texas. You're live with Stephen A. Aram, how are you?

[Aram (Caller)]

I'm doing well, Stephen, thank you for calling. A couple of. You bet. Thank you for taking my call. Yeah, just. Couple of questions. 1. One is that if we can put a human being on the moon and bring them back safely, we can figure these issues with the economy and we can fund a reasonable health care system and so on.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, let me stop you right there.

Let me stop you right there for a second, Abraham. Let's not act like they don't have a solution to these problems.

They do.

It just calls for sacrifice that nobody wants to make.

Because if you're a Republican or you're.

A Democrat and you're talking about cuts as opposed to Spending because you want to trim that $38.4 trillion deficit that.

We have, somebody's going to be deprived.

Of resources or something along the way.

And both Republicans and Democrats believe it.

Will cost them seats.

And it's something that they don't want to do. Just like the whole immigration crisis. It wasn't a crisis.

It wasn't something that was, of course, crisis proportions because it was an actual crisis.

They allowed it to become one because they never address it, because each are trying to take credit for it and avoid blame for it because they think it will secure a voting base. And as a result, they don't want to come to a resolution or a conclusion about it. And it continues to be a problem that foments and permeates throughout our society because they've left it standing each and every single election year to use it as an election issue. So, again, it's not like we don't know what the problems are and even how to fix it. It's that nobody is brave enough to make the necessary sacrifices to against their own constituency, not just the opposite side of the aisle in order to fix the problem. That's where the problem truly, truly lies.

Aram.

[Aram (Caller)]

Okay, so let me not get to my point. You had already on, on your shirt.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, sir.

[Aram (Caller)]

I've been a, I've been an election judge here in Tarrant County, Texas, for like 14, 16 years. I moved on to other stuff. Our biggest problem in Texas is voter apathy. If we can get voters in, we can win these elections. Now, I have been a supporter of Allred when he was running for the US House in Dallas. Even though I don't live in Dallas, I've been supportive of him. When he ran against Rafael Edward Cruz, I did not support him this time because I think it's a mistake for the Democrats to get into the Senate race right now in Texas. We should be just standing back, let the Republicans tear each other and then.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So you're, so I need clarity. So you're, you're against representative, A representative.

Like Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat running for a Senate seat in Texas, you believe they should just step aside and let the Republicans have the Senate seats in Texas and let them butt heads and.

Mess up one another. That's your strategy, correct?

[Aram (Caller)]

Correct. And we have, we can invest that money elsewhere. We have no problem finding money.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead, Abram, go ahead.

[Aram (Caller)]

Sorry. Yes, I'm saying we have to invest our resources elsewhere. We have no problem finding money in Texas. Where did Camilla Harris have her rally In Houston? She didn't have it in Los Angeles, she didn't have it in New York. So we got money here already. Just told you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I got you, Abraham. Your signal is going in and out. And I gotta run anyway because I got bills to pay. 86696 POTUS. You're listening live to Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with more of your phone calls to close out the show in a minute.

Here we go.

Only got a few minutes left before we get on out of here from Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Potus radio, channel 124.

Let's go to Tim in California. What's up, Tim?

[Tammy (Caller)]

How you doing today?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm all right. Floor is yours.

[Tammy (Caller)]

Good. Hey, real fast. So my comment basically is I don't think Trump cares our country very much. Something changed. It's just he doesn't care about, he wants Obamacare to fail. He's always wanted it to. He doesn't care about affordability. He doesn't care anymore. It's like he want, he's done because he's a lame duck after 2028. So he doesn't care as much.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Here's the problem.

If you talk to folks on the right and you talk to folks on Wall street, they'll tell you the s and P500 is up 17.4%. They tell you that inflation is being outpaced by earnings by the American citizen. They'll tell you that the vast majority of debt is residential mortgages and stuff like that. This is what they will say to you. And the facts don't, don't deny them or call them liars. And so the state of the country is not in as bad of shape as people think that. But that message doesn't seem to be resonating with the American people. And I think one of the things they're paying attention to, obviously their real life issues, but also the vitriol that has been conveyed verbally between both sides of the aisle and how no resolution seems to be in sight. And obviously health care is the primary issue in everybody's mind right now because of the January 31st deadlines for the Affordable Care act subsidies. So you got all of that going on. And even though the state of our country seems to be in a relatively decent place, in part because of some things that Biden did right, that Trump is doing right now. Okay, the bottom line is the message.

Has to get across.

And it's not getting across.

Getting across.

[Tammy (Caller)]

But I live out here in California. Our home sales are falling apart.

[Stephen A. Smith]

California's a different animal. You Got somebody like Trump complaining about California all the time. You got to look at the governor, Gavin Newsom and others. I mean, I'm not trying to blame him, but you can't absolve him either. He's been in office for quite a while. And affordability is clearly an issue in the state of California because it's expensive as hell to be out here. There's no doubt about that.

Appreciate the call.

Thank you so much, Stephen. Florida, you're live with Stephen A. Hello, Steve, how are you? Thank you for calling.

[Aram (Caller)]

Good.

[Tammy (Caller)]

How are you?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm doing all right.

[Tammy (Caller)]

The point you're wrapping up the show.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, sir.

[Tammy (Caller)]

I hear Bernie Sanders saying, if this is an economy, why, I don't know what's going to be at C or whatever. I don't understand what we're talking about. Affordability. Right. You got Obama's health care that was supposed to lower premiums, et cetera, et cetera. My health care has gone up time and time again. We talk about affordability.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Tammy (Caller)]

Democrats have been in the office 75% of the last 16 years. We talk about affordability. We left 15 million people in this country on immigration, causing, taking our rents, causing them to go up, taking some of our jobs. Then everybody says, well, inflation with Trump, you know, he doesn't have a magic button. He can't just push a button and say inflation's going down. He inherited a wreck, inherited immigration wreck that he took care of. He's got a. He's got a health care problem that we do have to take care of. Affordability is an issue. But why all of a sudden are Bernie Sanders and all these Democrats that have been in control for a long time all of a sudden right now saying we have an affordability problem when they're the ones that put us in this position?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yo, Steve.

I can't knock. I can't knock you, my brother. I'm not about to sit here and do that. Clinton was in office for eight years. Even though he departed with a surplus. We got to give credit where credit is due. Although he was assisted by Newt Gingrich and that Congress in 1994, no doubt. But Obama had eight years. Biden had four years. So anybody that's going to look at you and say that you don't have a point with what you're saying, Steve, now you can tell them to kick rocks. You're making valid points. I can't deny that. I can't deny that, sir.

[Tammy (Caller)]

That's the way to be.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's all right, my man. Beautiful name, by the way. I mean, that's not a bad name you got right there. It's worse names to have than Steve or Steven A. I mean, I'm just letting you know he's a.

Listen, that's how a vast majority of centrist or folks on the right feel, y'.

[Senator Tom Cotton]

All.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The hard left is going to think differently.

Okay, but who's that next week?

I'm sorry? Oh, I'm sorry. Representative. Representative Clyburn from South Carolina is on next week. Oh, I'm looking forward to that. That'll be face to face in person in the nation's capital. See y' all in. Needless to say, any more than that.

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[Senator Tom Cotton]

It's on.

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