THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, FORMER SENATOR JOE MANCHIN, LISTENER CALLS

Summary

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The Stephen A. Smith Show – Episode Summary

Episode Title: THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, FORMER SENATOR JOE MANCHIN, LISTENER CALLS
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Special Guests: Joe Manchin, Megyn Kelly
Main Theme:
This episode goes well beyond sports, diving deeply into the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, exploring the political dynamics in both parties, and amplifying listener perspectives through live calls. The centerpiece is a wide-ranging interview with former Senator Joe Manchin, focusing on compromise, party extremism, and the erosion of bipartisan governance, all delivered in Stephen A. Smith’s sharp, no-nonsense style.

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Episode Overview

Stephen A. Smith kicks off with a candid and passionate reflection on the state of American politics, the divisiveness between the two parties, and the acute frustration over the latest government shutdown as of October 1, 2025. Rejecting simple "left vs. right," he frames himself as an independent who wants both parties to compete for all Americans' votes, pressing for real solutions instead of blame games.

The episode weaves together his incisive commentary, a live call-in segment, and interviews with guests, notably ex-Senator Joe Manchin, centering on Medicaid, immigration, identity politics, and the failures of political leadership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stephen A.’s Take on the Government Shutdown

• Frustration with Both Sides: Stephen A. bluntly critiques Democrats and Republicans for contributing to the shutdown, emphasizing neither side is blameless.
• On Party Competition:

  “You can't just engage in demagoguery and vilify the other side… What are your ideas for this country? That's me. That's where I stand.” – Stephen A. Smith (00:42)

• Medicaid as a Flashpoint: He highlights Medicaid being central to the budget impasse and the struggle to balance government support with fiscal discipline:

  “The poor, the desolate, the disenfranchised… are going to be in danger of not getting it… And the Democrats are telling you, ‘Hey, ain’t our fault.’ Hell yeah, some of it is.” – Stephen A. Smith (05:03)

2. Political Strategy and Party Division

• Democratic Fault Lines: Smith dissects Democratic infighting, calling out the left for inflexibility and the failure to craft messages that resonate with ordinary Americans.
• Immigration Data: He provides up-to-date stats, linking them to white Americans' fears about demographic shifts and how GOP exploits this in messaging.

  “We have people… still white America to some degree… who are fearful that their way of life is drifting away… GOP… use to their advantage to scare the living hell out of people. And the Democrats play right into their hands…” (08:11)

3. Communicating to Average Americans

• Missed Opportunities: Smith notes Democrats’ strategic failures—like not framing economic arguments in relatable ways (“Why aren’t you bringing up the price of coffee?”)—as causes for electoral losses.

  “If you're the Democrats, why aren't you making an argument like that?... I'm simply pointing out… from a strategic standpoint, you got to bring up stuff that brings it home…” (12:20)

• Impact of Elite Donors: Raises concerns about the Democrats' overreliance on big donors and loss of grassroots connection.

4. Guest Segment: Megyn Kelly (17:45–20:19)

• Tone: Friendly and mutual professional respect.
• Key exchange:
  • Megyn Kelly: “We go through this dance every time… very hard for me to get worked up over it… this time it’s kind of outrageous what the Dems are doing… they already had this fight.”
  • Stephen A. Smith: “To me, both sides is the same old pomp and circumstance, and then the American citizen gets screwed…”

5. Main Interview: Joe Manchin (22:01–47:26)

A. Manchin’s Critique of Shutdowns (23:14)

• No Excuses: “What you’re saying is I can’t do my job, so I’m going to make 300 million people suffer. That’s basically what you have said. And I’ve never done that.”
• The Blame Game Problem: “And there’s no excuse for shutting it down and then playing the blame game. That doesn’t work.”

B. On Healthcare and the Affordable Care Act (25:50–29:54)

• Historical Context: Manchin details how the ACA started, why it helped rural hospitals, and how COVID-era expansions went “off the rails”—increasing dependency and straining budgets.

  “I’ve always said government should be your partner, not your provider. But during COVID no one could work… Looking hindsight, we did absolutely the wrong thing putting that much in [stimulus].” – Joe Manchin (27:55)

C. Negotiation and Bipartisanship (30:29)

• Finding Middle Ground: Advocates for gradual withdrawal from COVID-level spending, suggesting a multi-year phase-out.

  “Just sit down and talk… You can’t just take it all away at one time… Let's do it over three years.” – Joe Manchin (29:55)

D. Manchin on Party Loyalty and Independence (33:02–41:27)

• ‘Dead Center’ Book Insights: Manchin explains the motivation behind his memoir on centrism and common sense, sharing anecdotes of rejecting party line pressure.

  “Harry, on my best day, I can’t sell this crap in West Virginia… I don’t work for you.” – Joe Manchin (35:17)

• Party Disaffection: Breaks down the rise in independents and inherent problems in closed primary systems.

E. Criticism of Leaders in His Own Party (41:54–44:39)

• Candidly slams both Obama and Schumer for undermining institutional guardrails for party gain, disenfranchising working class voters in states like West Virginia.

  “What happened to the West Virginia Democrats?… You spend more on able-bodied, capable people that don’t work… than those who do.” – Joe Manchin

F. Work Ethic and Social Spending (43:44)

• Questions unconditional welfare, child credits without work requirements.

G. On Strategizing for Constituent Benefit (46:42–47:03)

• “You want me to vote for something I can’t explain, I can’t go home. That’s the people I work for.”

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6. Call-In Segment Highlights (61:26+)

Range of Issues & Memorable Interactions:

• Military Payments During Shutdown: Matt from Wyoming asks who’s affected—Stephen A. notes the fluidity and panic such uncertainty causes. (61:26–63:31)
• Partisan Truth & The Media: D from Texas yearns for a “truth commission” with independent voices. Stephen A. responds philosophically:

  “You could place the truth in somebody’s face. It doesn’t define their interpretation… It’s not coming to an agreement. It’s understanding there’s different paths…” (68:19)

• Government Jobs and Private Sector: Max from Baltimore wonders if the shutdown could, paradoxically, bolster fiscal conservatism by pushing workers to private sector. Stephen A. counters:

  “When you dismantle and disrupt folks' way of life, when’s there gonna be peace? It’s not gonna happen.” (75:57)

• Citizens United and Money in Politics: Max asks about the impact; Stephen A. indicts both parties:

  “The Democratic Party ... for the working man … became a party for elitists... because they were bought off just like everybody else.” (77:33)

• Racial Group Political Strategy: Michael in North Carolina advocates for Stephen A. to run as a Republican to organize Black men; Stephen A. delivers a passionate critique of Black voters being taken for granted by Democrats:

  “We don’t force… the Democratic Party to flatter us nearly as much as we should… We disenfranchised ourselves.” (82:54)

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “Nobody is absolved from criticism here. Nobody is absolved from the arrows of cynicism being pointed in their direction.”
  — Stephen A. Smith (05:16)

• “It ain't that simple. It ain't that simple.”
  — Stephen A. Smith (11:25)

• “Both sides are looking at this as something that's beneficial to them.”
  — Stephen A. Smith (05:16)

• “We’re living in a time where the American citizen is the pawn.”
  — Stephen A. Smith (Throughout episode, especially 84:59–85:11 on immigration politics)

• “Show me someone that'll put their country before their party and I will be for them. I don't care if they're Democrat, Republican, or Independent. I'm going to support them.”
  — Joe Manchin (32:43)

• “You have to do what you have to do. I listen. The man [Trump] is a deal maker. Inch him closer to what he wants, and he doesn’t mind giving you what you want. His history shows that.”
  — Stephen A. Smith (90:46)

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Additional Listener Calls (96:39+)

• Respectful Debate & Openness: Smith closes emphasizing curiosity and civility:

  “When you show … openness to truly hear and inhale what other people are saying, even if you disagree... it just makes people more inviting.” (95:25)

• Dysfunctional Theory in Politics: Mike from Illinois introduces the concept of structural disadvantage and how “dysfunctional theory” operates in city schools and politics (96:39–97:57).

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Overall Tone & Takeaway

Stephen A. Smith’s tone is energetic, confrontational yet fair, and candidly exasperated. He promotes nuanced thinking, strategic pragmatism, and human decency over performative partisanship. The episode's essential argument: America’s political gridlock isn’t just about policy differences, but about a systemic failure to compromise, communicate, and prioritize the citizenry over party or power. Multiple voices—whether Joe Manchin’s centrist wisdom or callers’ local insights—converge around the plea for honesty, accountability, and an end to political theatrics.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |---------|---------------------------------------------| | 00:42 | Opening framing on shutdown & party divide | | 17:45 | Megyn Kelly call-in | | 22:01 | Joe Manchin interview begins | | 33:02 | Dead Center & party independence discussion | | 41:54 | Manchin's critique of Obama/Schumer | | 61:26 | Listener call-in segment (military, etc.) | | 75:57 | Max in Baltimore (conservatism and shutdown)| | 95:25 | Closing on media responsibility & civility |

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In Stephen A.’s own words:

“We need somebody to bring us together to be an adult in the room… We just can’t continue to have this.” (58:07)

Summary Prepared For:
Listeners seeking a trenchant understanding of the 2025 shutdown, party polarization, policy tangles, and what real political dialogue—beyond the usual hype—sounds like in America today.

Transcript

[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Show Announcer]

Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm trying to help. That's all I'm trying to do. I'm trying to prevent the Democratic Party from drifting into oblivion, never to return. Welcome to the latest edition of the Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Coming at you as I love to do every Wednesday evening from 6:00pm to 9 to 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time over the airwaves of Sirius XM. POTUS radio, channel 124. Number to call up, as always is 866-967-6887. That's 866-967-6787. It's simplified for you. It's 86696 POTUS. I'm trying to help. I'm trying to help because if you don't know me by now, listen to me and allow me to remind you who I am. I'm a registered independent. I'm not fond of either side. There are some things that I'm conservative about. There are some things I'm liberal about. I'm primarily fiscal about my money, taxes. I can't stand states like New York, New Jersey and California to take all your damn money in taxes. But I'm relatively liberal. Live and let live, that is me. And in my ideal world, what I want to do is to make sure that everybody can come together, compromise, understanding. We can't all have everything we want. You got to compromise. You got to work together. And I want both parties to be competitive. So guess what? When they're going out there and whether it's the black community, it's the Hispanic community, it's the Jewish community, it's the white community, you gotta sell us on your ideas. You can't just engage in demagoguery and vilify on the other side and get votes for yourself because you scare the living hell out of everybody else. When it pertains to your competition, what are your ideas for this country? That's me. That's where I stand. And why is that relevant? Because on this particular day, right now, as we Stand here, okay, living in the world that we're living in. October 1, 2025.

[Stephen A. Smith]

There's a government shutdown.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

There's a government shutdown. And the regular blather that you always hear, you're hearing yet again. The Democrats are telling you that Trump is sitting around and doesn't care about the American citizen, doesn't care that 750, 50,000 federal employees can end up losing their jobs or a vast majority of them, whether being furloughed or fired. And the GOP and the Republicans and Mike Johnson speak of the House and Trump and th and everybody in between are telling you, yo, the Democrats are trying to get more money for illegal immigrants. And it's just. It just contributes to more division that drives us crazy. See, if you're an aficionado, which I am not, you can sift through to the terrain. And although it's very frustrating for you, it's par for the course. And there's a level of normalcy that kicked in. But if you're the average American citizen, you're pissed off because how the hell does it come to this? How does it come to this when just months ago there was a. There was something, there was an agreement, there was a cr. For those of you who don't understand what that is, that's a continuing resolution that Chuck Schumer and several Senate Democrats supported in March of 2025. And it was a six month stopgap measure. What did it say? It kept the government open through September 30, which was yesterday, which is the end of the federal fiscal year. The continuing resolution temporarily extended funding at current levels, but punted on all major fights. What fights were those? Border security, Medicaid, the Affordable Care act, funding tariffs, et cetera. Kick that back to the fall, and the fall has arrived. And here we are. The issue is Medicaid. That's what the issue is. It's Medicaid. The poor, the desolate, the disenfranchised, those who are less fortunate than most of us, those who need government funding, those who need government assistance are going to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Be in danger of not getting it. And the Democrats are telling you, hey, ain't our fault. Ain't our fault. Hell yeah, some of it is.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Nobody is absolved from criticism here. Nobody is absolved from the arrows of cynicism being pointed in their direction. Because we got to understand. And we gonna call it like. We gonna call it like we see it. And on Urban View Radio, the late, great Joe Madison, the Black Eagle, God rest his soul, used to Say it best. Let's put it where the goats can get it. Both sides are looking at this as something that's beneficial to them. If you, Trump and the Republicans, all the Democrats have gotten on my last damn nerves already. Already. Cause you know what they saying? Oh, my goodness. I mean, they just, they. They want to cover. They wanna cut government employees. Duh. What do. Tell me what conservative, what Republican, what member of the GOP has not preached about less government for decades? Who is that person? You know who it is. You knew they were coming. And what is Trump saying? Whether it's subliminally, indirectly, or directly, what is he telling you? He's saying, yo, I want less government. Anyway, I tried to gut Department of Education. I don't believe there needs to be that many IRS employees. I might want them at the doj, I might want them in the FBI, but I'm not sure I want them in the Department of Education, which basically doesn't exist in his eyes. I'm not sure I want them. I might not want them for the cdc, who knows, cdc, irs, whomever. But the fact that the government has shut down puts federal employees at my specific exposure to do as I please at my discretion. That's how he's viewing this. That's what he's saying. And if you're the Democrats, what's the real problem here? The real problem here is that you're a house divided because you've got folks on the extreme left that were pissed off that you didn't have a shutdown in the spring. Remember how they turned against Chuck Schumer? Remember how that noise started percolating as to whether or not AOC Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, representative out of New York, how she should replace him in the Senate? Remember all that noise started percolating. And then you got a guy like Zoran Mamdani, the guy running for mayor in New York City, who I just met this morning, by the way, and you got him being endorsed by aoc, and you got folks on the extreme left trying to pull the party more and more and more to the left, which is giving the Republicans father to say, excuse me, there are immigrants in this country, there are migrants in this country. And that is who the Democrats are focused on taking care of. Why are they doing that? Because it was a winning formula during the election. Duh. You can't see this. You can't see this. It's plain as day. No disrespect to the blind, but Stevie Wonder can see it. How difficult can this Be and the Democrats are playing right into their hands. And for me to call a spade a spade, to call it like I see it, it's going to be problematic because I'm trying to help you win back some seats, not be at a six seat majority in the House, not be at an eight seat majority in the Senate. Oh, by the way, in order for this bill to pass, you need 60 votes. You need 60. Okay. And neither side could get to the 60. The Republicans made their proposal, it got rejected by the Senate. The Democrats made their proposal, it got rejected by the Senate. It was 55, 45 when the Republicans did it. It was a 53 to 47 against the Democrats when they presented it to the Senate. You see how that goes. Either way you slice it, you're coming up vote short. Somehow, some way a resolution has to take place. We've got three Democratic figures, or actually two independents and a Democrat that are all four going along with this because they didn't want the government shut down. But how's that going to work out? Because I'm looking at it right now and I really for the lightning, I don't understand how it's going to go down. You got Angus King, Independent out of Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, you got Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat out of Nevada, and of course John Fetterman who's no longer suffering from his stroke out of Pennsylvania. That's what we're talking about here. It still doesn't equate to 60. And then you're going to sit up there and listen to these folks and they're going to point to the Democrats trying to support illegal immigration. They're going to point to this. And I got the numbers right here. Under the Biden administration, as documented by Customs and Border Patrol, encounters and gotaways exceed 7.8 million plus 1.5 million. That comes up to 9.3 million. 9.3 million. That's what we're talking about here when we talk about undocumented immigrants in this country. 10 to 11 million is the latest number. 35 to 40 million lawful immigrants in this country, including green card holders, naturalized citizens and legal visa holders combined. That's 46 million foreign born residents in the United States of America. So what? Why am I bringing that up? Because we have people. Because this is still white America to some degree. Now don't, don't get it twisted. You got folks, even though it once represented 90% and then 80% and then 70% and then 60% and now it's at 57 and dipping. There's still a vast majority of Americans in this country who are white, who are fearful that their way of life is drifting away before their very eyes, that this is going to become an Hispanic country. Why are they fear? Why is that something that's relevant? Because that's what members of the gop, whether they want to admit it or not, use to their advantage to scare the living hell out of people. And the Democrats play right into their hands because they keep fighting that same old fight instead of coming up with basic stuff that makes sense to every American citizen. That should make you say, yo.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It ain't that simple. It ain't that simple.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You know what? I had my researchers look up I had my researchers look up.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The price of coffee. Why would I do that, ladies and gentlemen?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Why would I look up, why would.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I look up something like that? I'm going to tell you why. Starbucks that have closed down in the year 2025. Overall U.S. and Canada store count is expected to drop by about 1% in fiscal year 2025. In one quarter alone, Starbucks is reported to have closed 434 stores in North America. Best estimate, Starbucks has closed several hundred stores in 2025, likely in a ballpark of 300 to 500 plus, especially during the final quarter.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

What was the price of coffee in January before Trump arrived?

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was $7.02 per pound. It's now is $8.87 per pound pounds.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

If you're the Democrats, why aren't you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Making an argument like that? Why aren't you bringing it home?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Why aren't you bringing up agriculture and.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Questioning whether or not the tariff was are effective?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Why are you not bringing up something as basic as the price of coffee? Why are you not doing stuff like that? I'm not saying whether it's accurate or inaccurate. I'm simply pointing out the fact that from a strategic standpoint, you got to bring up stuff that brings it home to the average American consumer. But instead they're singing the same old fight that they were fighting before the election. And by the way, speaking of the election, when are we going to open our eyes and somebody going to stand up and say, yo, we got to look at where we are right now? Because where we are right now is not in a good place. We look leaderless. We don't look like we got our stuff together. And oh, by the way, we don't even have the same kind of money coming in because Kamala Harris done lost Silicon Valley. They made sure to pad about 1.5 billion in her pockets for the campaign. And where did that get them? And so, because that didn't get the Democrats anywhere, because you lost the popular vote, you lost the electoral college vote, you lost the young black vote, you lost the young Hispanic vote, you lost young votes, period. You lost every swing state. Every swing state. That strategy one was the mars didn't work. We might need to do something different. But have they done that? Oh, no, they haven't done that. Instead, they're making the same old argument, same old argument all the damn time. And now this is where we are. A government shutdown. You're a Democratic donor. You got to start thinking like this. You got to start thinking about the midterm. You got to start thinking about 2028. You got to look at guys, I'm looking at Democratic donors here. George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Reed Hoffman. It's about all you got. You're the Democrats. What you gonna do? And now, as we sit here with a government shutdown in full effect, even though they're discussing a deal potentially, we got to wonder where all of this.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Is going to go. Where's this going to lead us? Where's this going to take us?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You're Chuck Schumer.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Who can deny the likelihood that he's at the center of all of this, as the minority voice in the Senate? Who can deny that Chuck Schumer derailed the shutdown last time the Demps turned against him? Momentum stirred that AOC was going to challenge for his Senate seat. His political relevancy and his career is on the line. So now here he is putting a front face on matters like he's putting.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Up the good fight. And maybe he's sincere, maybe he isn't. I don't know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What I do know is this. The bill essentially was the same bill that they agreed to in March. And they've had all of that time to reach some kind of a resolution by now, and they haven't. And then they leave us listening to stuff like these words from Hakeem Jeffries. Take it away. At midnight, Donald Trump and Republicans shut the federal government down because they don't want to provide health care to working class Americans.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Leader Schumer and myself met with President.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Trump and legislative leaders on Monday. We had a conversation that was designed to avoid a painful government shutdown and address the Republican health care crisis.

[Show Announcer]

Subsequent to that meeting, we heard nothing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

From any of the legislative leaders on the Republican side. And the President has been engaging in irresponsible and Unserious behavior, demonstrating that all along Republicans wanted to shut the government down. I think he's a good man. I think he's smart. I just think he needs to do a better job of restaurant resonating with the American people, because that didn't even catch a. That didn't even catch a glimpse. If I didn't play it, I don't know who else would have. But Chuck Schumer did speak, and he spoke to the pressure from the American people and how he thinks that's going to force the GOP to do something. Listen to what he had to say real quick.

[Caller]

What's your strategy for getting Republicans to negotiate at this point given that they haven't so far?

[Show Announcer]

The strategy is the American people are demanding it. I'm going to demand it more and more on October 1st, October 2nd. They're going to keep demanding that we do something about this. And Republicans are feeling the heat. You have a good number of Senate Republicans and House Republicans, as was mentioned when they talk to us privately, they say this is untenable. When I even sat with the president yesterday and explained to him about this, he said, well, that's bad. That'll hurt me. So the bottom line is the American people are making their voices known to the Republicans, and that's what. That's what we know is going to happen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Good Lord. They know it's gonna happen, huh? They know it's gonna happen. Then why the hell didn't you do something to stop it? Over these last six months, I'm told I got a special guest on the line, so I'll calm down for a few moments to find out who this guest is and to say hello. I'll calm my nerves in the meantime.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Who is this? Go on. What's up? How you doing? Who's this?

[Megyn Kelly]

Stephen A. It's Megyn Kelly, your neighbor on SiriusXM.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm so happy. How you doing, Megan? How you doing, Megan? How's everything going? Thank you for calling in. How's everything?

[Megyn Kelly]

I'm so happy that you're here. I love having you over as a neighbor. I'm gonna bring you a cup of sugar and a butter.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, thanks so much.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm just trying to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm just trying to be as good as you, girl.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm just trying to be as good as you. I'm trying. I'm trying to get where you at. That's what I'm trying to do, Megan. That's what I'm trying to do.

[Megyn Kelly]

I'm telling you, you are far beyond me. You got this one. I love that they saw your talent and thought you belonged to Serious and that you took the opportunity because there's no one like you. Stephen A. You're brilliant. You're fearless. You're so funny. You're no bs. And you could be the future of maybe the Democratic Party. I don't know. You maybe as an independent, I don't know. But I don't think I can get enough votes.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I don't think I get enough. I'm not about the bs and I ain't trying to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I ain't trying to campaign for money.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

So I don't know how I would do it, Megan. I really, really don't. But while I got you here real quick because I know and I really appreciate your time, I just want to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Ask you this question for a minute. And thank you so much for calling. It really means a lot to me. Thank you so much. Megan, how do you feel about this shutdown right now?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

To me, both sides is the same old pomp and circumstance, and then the American citizen gets screwed over because of the same old politics. It really. It's really ticking me off.

[Megyn Kelly]

I mean, we go through this dance every time. It's very hard for me to get.

[Caller]

Worked up over it.

[Megyn Kelly]

Very hard. They do this every time. I'm sure this won't go on for too long. It never does because there's just too much negativity associated with it. I mean, I will say this time it's kind of outrageous what the Dems are doing because they're trying to get the Republicans to give up part of what they passed in the big, beautiful bill.

[Caller]

I mean, the working families tax cut bill.

[Megyn Kelly]

Like, it's a ridiculous renaming of these bills. Oh, wait, that does. That sounds better. Let's call it that. They're trying to get them to undo part of a law that is just fought for and passed and signed into law to President Trump. Why would they do that? They already had this fight. So the Republicans are like, we're not going to have that fight again. You already lost this one.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Megyn Kelly]

Anyway, the whole thing is so annoying, and I think I have so little hope in Congress, so little trust in them. I just feel like, is there any way where we can get in all of our lives to run without these people? That should really be the goal.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know what? That's exactly what I was thinking. Megan, I thank you so much for calling. I really appreciate it. And by the way, I owe you a visit to your show and I am coming. So make no mistake about it. I love being on the show with you. Thank you so much calling, and I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.

[Megyn Kelly]

Go get him, Stephen.

[Caller]

A.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All righty. The one and only Megan Kelly. She's the truth. I don't care what anybody say. You know, I. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not some Republican or whatever, but I love Visa. Megyn Kelly, she's thorough as hell, always has been.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Don't mess with that woman. You better know what you're talking about and you're gonna come at her. You better buckle up because she gonna.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Be ready for you. I love Megyn Kelly.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Love her because she's great, period. So a lot of people out there might be offended by that. Get over it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't give a damn. I'm telling you, I feel she's that. She's that one right there. She's legit. Make no mistake about it.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Eight, eight, eight.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm sorry. Eight, six, six, nine, six, seven. Six, eight, eight, seven. That's 866-967. Six, eight, eight, Seven. Simply put. Eight six, six, nine, six. POTUS, you're listening live. The Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with your calls and Joe Manchin in a minute. Don't go away. This episode is supported by FX's the Lowdown, starring Ethan Hawke. Allow us to introduce you to Lee Raybon, a quirky journalist, rare bookstore owner slash unofficial truth seeker who is always on the tail of his latest conspiracy. This time, his most recent expose puts him head to head with a powerful family that rules Tulsa, meaning only one thing. He must be onto something big. FX is the Lowdown. All new Tuesdays on FX stream on Hulu.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

27 minutes past hour.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Number one, back here on Trade Shooter with Stephen, A number to call up, as always. It's 866-967. 6, 8, 8, 7. That's 866-9-6, 6, POTUS. You know, I've been anxiously awaiting talking to this gentleman because, believe it or not, I am a fan. He served as the United States Senator from West Virginia from 2010 to 2025. He is out with a new memoir called Dead Center. In Defense of Common Sense. I love that title. I'm talking about the one and only Joe Manchin right here with yours truly. How are you, sir? Good evening. How's everything going?

[Joe Manchin]

Everything's great, Stephen. How are you doing?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm doing all right. It's great to talk to you. Thank you so much for taking time to be on this show.

[Joe Manchin]

I think you just had my friend on Megan Kelly. I mean, she's wonderful.

[Stephen A. Smith]

She's. She's the best. She's the. She's the real deal. I'm a huge fan of Megyn Kelly.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

No doubt about it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me ask you this, sir. How do you feel it's day one of the government shutdown. I couldn't. I had to start that off by asking you about it. I'm frustrated. I know this par for the course. It's happened before, happened three a few years ago. I'm just disgusted that we're here. Maybe I'm new to this and that's the reason why your thoughts about the state of affairs right now.

[Joe Manchin]

Well, I would never vote for a shutdown. Because what you're saying, when you vote to let it, you either let it shut down or you vote for a shutdown. What you're saying is I can't do my job, so I'm going to make 300 million people suffering. That's basically what you have said. And I've never done that. I will say this. The ruling party, whoever's in control, if the Democrats, when Joe Biden was there and they had the House and Senate, their responsibility is to run the government. The Republicans responsibility is to run the government. And that means you give and take a little bit, but your responsibility is to run it. And there's no excuse for shutting it down and then playing the blame game. That doesn't work. You know, I always. What happens, Stephen, is when you have the leaders, two leaders in the Senate, whoever the majority leader and whoever's the minority leader. So right now it's. And it's Chuck Schumer. There might be some bad blood there. They maybe they don't have the closest of relationships. I would always get three or four Democrats, three or four Republicans. And we just go marching into their office and say, listen, this has got to stop. We've got to get together. We can make a deal here. And what they're trying to do is saying on the Affordable Care act, going back to pre Covid and then all the expenditures and how we raise the limits and took care of people that were making higher incomes. Covid supplemental funds were intended for what we call the working people who are struggling at the lower end of the work scale. Okay, making the 30, 40, 50, 60 under 100. Okay, okay. They needed. Let me tell you, in poverty, Steven, how it works. Before we had the Affordable Care act, what would happen is somebody was working for 35,000 a year. They couldn't afford to pay the co pay at their employers. They said, we have, we're offering you insurance, but you have to pay 150amonth. They just, it was just too tight. They couldn't do it. You know what they would do if they got sick? They would go to work and claim workers comps that would pay. They'd go to the emergency room because that's all they had to offer. And that was the highest in delivery. So the Affordable Care act helped a lot of the working people who are in the lower end of the scale when they expanded with, with, when they expanded it because of COVID we were expanding because nobody was working then. Up to people who made 400%. We were at 100 to 150% before. That's what's got to change. Just some common sense. Let's go back and do what's right. Don't just wipe it out completely.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Joe Manchin, educate me about something and excuse my ignorance, but I was under the impression that when the Affordable Care act came into play, when that was something that was a mission of Obama and the Democrats, that it was supposed to save us money, it was supposed to save health care to some degree and obviously get billions of more affordable health care. Yet the Democrats going to the table and they're looking to add an extra $1.5 trillion apparently, according to what I've read, looking for some numbers in that range or whatever is. Am I missing something here? Is the Affordable Care act not working nearly as effectively as once pronounced?

[Joe Manchin]

Well, Affordable Care Act. I was never a big fan of it and I thought we can make it better. I was a governor at the time and they passed it in 209. But I remember Max Vacus and I was head of the Democrat Governors Association. We had about nine governors on. He was trying to sell us. And that bill really divided the country, started dividing the country. Republicans were going to their corner. They wanted Democrats to go to, to their court corner. And I was asking Max Baucus that night on the telephone, I says, max, let me make sure I understand this. You're going to force everybody to buy this insurance and there's no, there's no options. You're not, they can't shop anything. You buy this and if you don't buy what you're offering, you're going to find them. And I said, max, that might work in Montana, doesn't work in West Virginia. So I knew there had to be some adjustments. But I can tell you how it did help small rural hospitals who didn't have the income because they were treating so many people that were uninsured, Stephen. So we were able now to keep hospitals in operation, helping rural areas where the poor mostly had lived. So it did that. But what happened in 2020 when we had the COVID that's when things flew off the handle. Buddy went off the, off the rail.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And it flew off the rails because.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why specifically explain that to our audience. Why did it flow off the rails?

[Joe Manchin]

Well, the thing. Everything fell off the rail. We just, we're not the same country we were before COVID because people became more dependent on government. I've always said government should be your provider, your, Your partner, not your provider. But during COVID no one could work. We were basically, you know, putting everybody in and holding him hostage in their own homes.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Joe Manchin]

You know, and so they, everybody kept saying, I'll never forget this, David. They said, you know what? When we had this shutdown, the, the 208, 209 banking crisis, Barack Obama and the Democrats should have put more money into the system quicker to recover. And, and in 2020, it was bipartisan. Trump was president. We put $3.2 trillion additional into the market. Now you. We run the country on about five and a half trillion. We put 3.2 trillion in. Okay. And trying to keep things going. That was everybody said had to be done. Looking hindsight being 20 20, we did absolutely the wrong thing putting that much in. And there's no work requirements. So now we got people getting checks, people not working. Inflation comes. Inflation came because we had a vaccine that worked, but no one was going back to work.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Joe Manchin]

So anything you wanted, you were paying higher because there's no distribution. You know, the distribution system had failed. Everything had fallen off and everything became much higher and the prices never gone down. They start subsidizing an awful lot more than they should. Everything that we do from government should be based around the work. People that are working and trying hard to get ahead and need some assistance, that's fine. People that don't want to go to work at all, that's not fine. And that's what the problem is right now. But this would be very helpful if they could get back to pre. Pre Covid and they can make a deal there. That's not hard to make a deal say, okay, pre Covid. Now they want to put. We put an extra trillion trillion dollars.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay.

[Joe Manchin]

Said since then, can we ratchet that back? Here's the thing with government, Stephen. No matter what you think you did wrong, it's harder to take it back. So they should have sat down in the room, and I hope they're doing that tonight. They should be, and saying, okay, guys, we can't go back all at once. You can't just take it all away at one time. We've got people conditioned. It's in the system now. Let's do it over three years. We'll take a third back this year, a third back next year, and a third back the year after. We'll wipe it out completely. We'll get back to Pre Covid or 50, 52 years. There's a deal to be made. Just sit down and talk.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, and that's the problem. They don't sit down and talk. They just go on tv, engage in performative behavior, trying to get one up with the audience out there.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

It's ridiculous.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It really is. It just gets on my last damn nerves.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Last question about this subject before I get into your book, because I got.

[Stephen A. Smith]

To get into your book here, Americans. That's right. That's right.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Don't worry about it, because I got a lot to ask you about that book. But Americans must now brace for what.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Could be a prolonged federal shut. What point, What. What political points, if any, if any at all, are gathered courtesy of a shutdown?

[Joe Manchin]

None. Nobody wins in a shutdown. But I can tell you, at the end of the day, the ruling party, the Republicans, have the trifecta in Washington. They've got the executive branch and the legislative branch, okay? And they have also the House and the Senate. So you have the House, the Senate and the presidency. That's a trifecta. And they're going to be held more accountable and responsible. They can blame all they want to, but your responsibility as a leader in this free country of ours with a representative form of democracy is to make it work. What you're saying is we can't. Rep. We can't have a representative form of government because we can't find representatives that basically are representing we the people. I always said, show me someone that'll put their country before their party and I will be for them. I don't care if they're Democrat, Republican, or Independent. I'm going to support them. But I can tell the people that go there for fortune and fame and put the party loyalty before their country. And the oath of office means nothing. We all take the oath of office, Stephen, to protect and defend the Constitution. And as a senator for 15 years, I never worked for a president. I never worked for Harry Reid or Chuck Schumer or Mitch McConnell. I kept my oath to office to protect and defend the Constitution. And I had to go home and explain it. You want to, you want me to vote for something I can't explain, I can't go home. That's the people I work for.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Joe Manchin]

I'm representing them and that's the government. If you can't do that, then we're not going to be able to have this representative form of democracy which has been great for 240 years. Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Joe Manchin, former senator of out of West Virginia, right here with Stephen A. Straight shooter with Stephen A. Let's get to your book right now, sir. Dead center in Defense of Common Sense.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

First of all, I applaud the title.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I applaud you for writing it. I want you to tell our audience number one, why you wrote, why you're writing this now.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

How come we didn't see this book.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A couple of years ago?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And number two, what do you think.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Will be gained by writing this now?

[Joe Manchin]

Well, I wrote your book. You know, it's just been, we wrote it a while ago. It just came out. Takes a while to get it back in circulation. So we were writing it back my last year that I was in the Senate and I thought coming through Those, those unbelievable two years and 2021 through 2023, when it was a 50, 50 Senate and everything came down to my vote. One vote.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yep.

[Joe Manchin]

And I, I've told them all, I said, listen, all, every senator has the same power. It's one vote. You vote up or you vote down. That's all you do. Stephen, I'm for it, I'm against it. Not that hard. But what happened is most of them had already gone to their respective corners and I'd always been very independent. If the Republicans had a good idea, I would vote for them. I never campaigned against a sitting colleague when a Republican was running for reelection. I would never campaign against him. I would never give any money to anybody running against someone I was working with. I could not do that. I thought was hypocritical and I never would do that. So I was always that go to in between person. They come, hey Joe, we need something bipartisan. Can you work with us? And I was able to negotiate a little bit and hopefully smooth things out a little bit. And that's all I did. But I come from a state that expected that I never knew. And I'll give you one quick story, please. Harry Reid comes to me 2011. He said, Joe, we're going to have a party line vote. Stephen, I've been involved in politics since 1982 in West Virginia, I've been Secretary of state. I've been a state senator. I was a House of Delegate member. I was governor for two terms. I never heard the term. I said, harry, what's that mean? He said, joe, all the Democrats got to vote for this. I said, is there a law or a rule that I don't know about? He said, no, we're just going to hold together, all of us going to stick together. I said, I'll read. Let me read the bill and I'll get back to you. Tapped him on the shoulder. I said, harry, on my best day, I can't sell this crap in West Virginia. Wow, he got all huffy, puffy. I said, well, I don't work for you, Harry. You didn't hire me. You can't fire me. I don't work for you, I don't work for the President. I can't explain this in West Virginia. Those are people I work for. I'm not voting for it. And that's how, that's how I started my career in the Senate.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

So knowing that, writing this book, surmising.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That you believe that most Americans share your level of thinking, why did you depart from the Senate.

[Joe Manchin]

42 years? I'm 78 years old. I. I'm.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You look good, you sound good. And we've had other elected officials, dare I say, a bit older than you, sir. I mean, that's not an excuse.

[Joe Manchin]

Well, for 42 years, I just said I got a little bit of life left into me. I've got grandchildren. I just want to enjoy life a little bit. And it was just driving me crazy to do that. Let me just tell you where, where this country is the Democrat registered Democrats, you know, in America that participate in, in the national elections, about 23 to 24% are registered Democrats, about 26 to 28% registered Republicans. The majority, close to 50% are registered like I am. No party affiliation with. We call independence and think about the last election, Stephen. In 2024, you only heard about seven battleground states. The other 43 were predetermined. All the money, everybody was. All the eyes were on seven battleground states. Whether you win or you lose. Now, guess what that means. There's very independent people there. They vote their conscience what they think is right or wrong. They only had two choices because of the primary process takes all that away. This book gets into the problems we have how you can fix those problems. And I have a 504, 501C4 with my daughter Heather called Americans Together. Get on that broadcast. I mean get on that email address on our website.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

The email address again, please give the email address american.

[Joe Manchin]

Americanstogether.org americanstogether.org Americanstogether.org It'll tell you, it'll show you things you've never seen. It'll tell you exactly where you live, what kind of government you have, what you can expect, whether you have a closed primary. Open primary. What I was getting to is you have 160 million people voted in the last election. There was only a two primaries, a Democrat Republican primary to speak of and together that's only about 20 million voters. So 20 million people and two parties which I call duopoly businesses, the Democrat corporation and Republican corporation, they have locked it down. You can't get in their primary process. An independent like me or we trying to have a third party makes it almost impossible. And that's not a representative form of government because I can't vote in my own state. If I saw a good Republican I wanted to vote for in West Virginia, they say, oh Joe, you're, you're an independent, registered, you're not registered Republican. You can't vote in our primary. The primary should be open for everybody to vote in.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I totally agree with that.

[Joe Manchin]

Everybody can vote in any primary you want. That would take all this stereotype away.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Not only that, it will give us real candidates instead of people feigning like they really justified to be there. I think back to Kamala Harris, how basically we all waited for Joe Biden to step away, then he steps away in July, there's no room for a primary and conveniently Kamala Harris ends up at this Democratic nominee.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Go ahead.

[Joe Manchin]

I begged for a 30 day primary. I said have a mini primary because what happened, the Democrats were always saddled with everything they didn't like about President Biden. A primary could have cleansed a lot of that. Even if it was only 30 days. People could have talked about the issues and wouldn't have been looking like what we're all cohesing around and defending what they didn't like. You know, that was just unbelievable. It really was.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

It really was.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me ask you this question. Because you changed your party affiliation from Democrat to independent in 2024 but felt you should have switched parties in 2016 when Trump was elected. You said that. Explain why.

[Joe Manchin]

Well, my state has changed completely. But you see, Stephen, I never did think the identity of your political affiliation changed you as a person. You're going to be Stephen A. No matter what, whether you're Democrat, Republican, Independent. And today you are stereotyped. They identify you by are you got a D by your name, an R by your name, an I by your name. They're trying to identify who you are. And I said, I never thought that way. I grew up in a Democratic household, probably because my grandfather started out when the Great Depression and FDR saved him. And that loyalty factor. West Virginia was all Democrat until 2014. Now it's all Republican. So, yes, if I was looking for my own political salvation, I should have changed to be a Republican. Okay? I didn't. I told my Republican friends, I said, you all won't like me anymore and Democrats like me. I'm not going to do everything you want. I'm not going to vote for everything just because you all put it up. I would try to change things, make it better, and I would work with the other side as a Democrat. Stephen, I have never met a Republican I didn't like. I've never met a Republican. That was always wrong. That's what they tried to say. And I've never had a Democrat had all the answers, but I work together with both. So this whole thing, we've got to break it somehow because people have to understand. The most unusual part of our whole democracy is we believe that we can govern ourselves. Our founding fathers said, you all can do it. You'll pick the right person that represents you and where you want to live your life. And I told the Democratic Party in West Virginia, they said, what happened to the West Virginia Democrats? I said, nothing. They want to know what happened to the Washington Democrats. Washington Democrats. My West Virginia people believe that you spend more effort, resources and time and money on able bodied, capable people that don't work or won't work than you do on those who do. And you treat basically West Virginia people in West Virginia who are coal miners and factory workers like a returning Vietnam veteran. They have done everything they can. Everything was asked them. They did the heavy lifting, the dangerous jobs, helped build this country. They mined the coal, made the steel, built the guns and ships. They did everything. Now they're not good enough, green enough, clean enough, or smart enough. You threw them by the wayside. So you left them behind. They didn't fall, leave you, you left them behind.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, it's interesting that you bring that up too. And I'll tell you this, you know, talk about again, you're an Independent and you were once a Democrat. And so many times we hear people talking today, they're critical of the President who I believe deserves it. By the way, but it's not like the Democratic Party should be absolved. And I hearken back to what you mentioned in your book. And by the way, we're talking to Joe Manchin, the author of Dead center in Defense of Common Sense, right here with Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You're critical of President Trump, but your.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Most biting criticisms are directed at leaders of your own party, including former President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. You wrote this. I don't say this lightly, but under the leadership of President Barack Obama and Majority Leader Harry Reid, and later President Biden and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrats have systematically tried to weaken the very guardrails that have protected our democracy for generations, all in the name of advancing their agenda. I want you to elaborate on that, sir. But because a lot of people obviously.

[Joe Manchin]

Don'T gravitate to that, let me just say this. Barack Obama is a very good person. I knew him when he was a state senator and when he was a US Senator and I worked with him because he came and represented a coal state like Illinois. They had a big coal area in southern Illinois and a lot of West Virginia workers work there. So we had a lot in common work together. He becomes the nominee for the president in 2008. And then all of a sudden, Cole was a nemesis for the whole co country. I says, my goodness, at least if you're going to change and go to renewables and you're going to get away from fossil altogether, make sure you don't leave them behind. Give them something, bring something back. We can have a job. These people, their whole lives are generations in the culture. And so if that wrote us off and they started putting benchmarks for us to meet with technology that hasn't been, hadn't been done. We had no technology to meet the benchmarks we're supposed to. And I said, if it's not, if it's not feasible, it's not reasonable. So that was that. How are you leaving these workers behind without any opportunity for them to continue in the areas where they have made their living and produce for this country? So that was it. And then the other thing was, is that they took the work ethic away. Now I'll give you a couple of great examples.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm looking for them. Bring them.

[Joe Manchin]

Okay. Don't you think that if we're going to give child credits and child support, that people should be working? If people aren't working, setting home, should we be sending them checks to watch their children?

[Stephen A. Smith]

No.

[Joe Manchin]

Okay. I said same and they went crazy on me. I said, you people nuts. I said, and also from welfare, when I was governor, I went to Mike Levitt at that time under George Bush, and I said, give me a waiver. You're making me, under welfare, take care of a healthy poor person the way I have a moral obligation to take care of a very sick poor person. I can't do both. They gave me a waiver, and I was able to put in mountain choices. I was helping people get skill sets, teaching them how to take care of themselves and go back out into the workforce. Guess what happened the first day Barack got elected and took office? They called me and took it away.

[Stephen A. Smith]

From me the first day in office.

[Joe Manchin]

So I spoke, huh.

[Stephen A. Smith]

His first day in office.

[Joe Manchin]

I was called by Kathleen Sebelius within the first day or two, took it out, it was gone. So my waiver away. Maybe they took. I don't know if anybody else had a waiver or not, but I know I did. And I was. I thought we were doing pretty good with it, but I just told him, I said, guys, and then, then on top of that, I said, the Constitution, Stephen says, you have the pursuit of happiness. I take an oath to make sure you're able to pursue happiness in your life. Don't care. Race, don't care. Sexual preferences. Don't care. Anything. That's your. You have that right, and I'm going to protect it. Just don't make me believe I'm out of. Out of whack if I don't agree with you. And make me take it home or put in my schools or put it in my church. That's all.

[Stephen A. Smith]

My last. My last question to you, sir, would be this. As we stand here today and this book is coming out. This book is out. Okay.

[Joe Manchin]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Who do you believe is going to embrace what you're saying in the book more? Who's going to reject it more, the Democrats or the Republicans?

[Joe Manchin]

I think both of them. These are both of my friends. I've worked with my friends on both sides of the aisle. I'm talking to them. In the last two or three days, I've been calling and talking to an awful lot of them, begging them. You've got to find a pathway forward. You can't make the country suffer for your lack of ability to do your job. That's exactly what it's about. And my Republican friends, I've told all of them, I said, guys, you're in the majority right now. You have the responsibility of running this government. You got to find a way to keep it open. So it's on everybody to work together because you're both going to look very bad and you really haven't done your job. That makes you think, do I have the right representative? So you got a 2026 election coming up. I think this book will tell you how do you come from a town of 400 people, a little mining community, and find yourself sitting at the seat of power in the White House and have to tell the President, Mr. President, I am so sorry. I cannot support what you're asking me to support. It doesn't make sense back home and the people I represent do not support that. You have to do that with a little. An awful lot of respect for the office. And I've always said this. If you can say something if I got to tell you no or tell you something you don't want to hear with the tear in my eye, you've got to know it hurts me as much as your friend to tell. Can't do what you want. Is this for you to receive the information today they want to tell you with glee they're gleaming. This is wonderful. Yeah, screw you. I'm not going to do that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow.

[Joe Manchin]

That's not where you operate. That's not leadership.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Anyway, you're right about that. Joe Manchin, former Senate out of West Virginia, the new author, the author of the new memoir called Dead Center In Defense of Common Sense. It's an honor and a privilege to have you on the show. Feel free to call us your home. We welcome back anytime, sir. Thank you very, very much for coming on.

[Joe Manchin]

It's always good to be with you and I enjoy your show very much. Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you so much. One and only Joe Manchin right here with Stephen A. Dead Center. That's the name of the book. In Defense of Common Sense.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Go get it. Go get it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

8, 8, 8. I'm sorry, 8, 6 6, 96 7. 6, 8, 8, 7. That's 8, 6, 6, 9, 6 plus POTUS.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

That is the number.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Back with calls and more in a minute.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Ladies and gentlemen out there. Thanks again to former West Virginia senator from 2010 to 2025, the one and only Joe Manchin right here on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. His new memoir is called Dead Center.

[Stephen A. Smith]

In Defense of Common Sense. And I want you to understand the importance of what he was saying and the information that he was providing because.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

This is very important. Whether you agree or disagree is irrelevant. What he was saying to you is that if as an independent, first of all, you're not going to come to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Me like Harry Reid did, former speaker of the House, and say all the.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Democrats are voting this way. No, you're not going to tell me how I'm going to vote. I represent the people of West Virginia. I don't answer to you, I don't answer to the Senate, I don't answer to the President.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I answer to my constituency in West Virginia.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

That was what Joe Manchin was saying.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That was point number one.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Point number two, why is that so important? Because what it speaks to, ladies and gentlemen, is that most politicians who want to remain in office don't want to jeopardize their cachet, their positioning within the political realm. They're going to have to think alike. They're going to have to be like minded in that regard. They're going to have to vote in favor of what their constituency, the people that put them in office, tell them to do. Because if you don't, you're going to have your ass up out of there. Why is that relevant? Because when the Democratic Party came along in the last election and embracing woke culture and beyond identity politics, pushing immigration or whatever, there are vast segments of the population in the country spread out, that wasn't going for that. They got no problems with the federal government saying, okay, we got federal mandates and this is what is lawful, this is what is unlawful. That's entirely different than you trying to literally impose your will on other people's way of life. When you do that, you get in trouble. Because I know plenty of people that will sit up there. I know plenty of people that voted. You could be a member of the LGBTQ community, no problem. Gay rights, transgender rights, etc. Listen, they ain't my flavor. It ain't what I want to do, it ain't what I want to be around. But I don't mind you having the same liberties as I have. When the Democrats came along in the last election, that wasn't enough. You had to love everybody, too. You have to embrace everybody, too. You have to damn well come across like you want to live that life. That's different.

[Stephen A. Smith]

People ain't going for that. That's America. That's the challenge. Our number two. Up next.

[Show Announcer]

Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Welcome to album number two of Straight.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Shooting with Stephen A. The third installment of Straight Shooter with Stephen A Started two weeks ago. First guest Sean Hannity called, then surprised the living hell out of me. And then after that, I had on Josh Shapiro as my first guest, Governor of Pennsylvania. Then after that, it was Senator Lindsey Graham out of South Carolina. And then after that it was Republican Governor Spencer Cox out of Utah. This was in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination. Last week I had the pleasure of having on Bill O'Reilly and Bill Maher, and tonight I had Joe Manchin. And unlike the previous two shows, I've got the next hour for nothing but phone calls, which is what I've been waiting for. Number to call in is 866-967-6887. That's 866-9676, the simplified 86696 POTUS. Before I get to the calls, I want to play two sounds, one from each side, that should alarm everybody. The first sound that I want to play is from Chuck Schumer, minority speaker, Senate minority voice in the Senate for the Dems. This was Chuck Schumer in the year 1996 speaking about government shutdowns. Take a listen to this, please.

[Show Announcer]

This is an anti fraud amendment. All over where we go, people say, well, why can't you stop illegal immigrants or others from coming here? And the number one answer we give our constituents is when they come here, they can get jobs, get benefits against the law because of fraud. And here the gentleman from Florida has put together the most effective anti fraud measure we can find without it changing the actions of the government one bit, and we find all this opposition. Ladies and gentlemen of this chamber, what I worry about is that this bill, which started out with good intentions, whether you agree with it or disagree with it, is going to end up being the same kind of thing that the public gets angry with us on. We say we're doing something and we do nothing. Because every time someone makes a rational and small proposal to get something done, people say, well, what about this hypothetical? That hypothetical, it's I urge support of this amendment. If you believe you want to stop fraud in immigration, you have no choice but to support this amendment.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And now you're fighting for more immigration. Hmm. That was on Chuck Schumer's side because there's clearly some inconsistencies, although in fairness to him, that was nearly 30 years ago. Things have indeed changed. Make no mistake about that. But one thing that hasn't changed is the behavior of our president, which, to be honest with you, is why I didn't vote for him. You see, my politics are my business, just like your politics are your business. But when it comes to a core decency, that matters to me, and I believe the presidency to be a statesman's position, can't do anything until they bring it to Your desk. So it's up to the House and the Senate to have a spine, to make sure that they uphold their constitutional duties, their sworn oath, oaths to office, to make sure they conduct themselves in a fashion that looks out for the betterment of America, not this, not just themselves. And Donald Trump, I'm not here to castigate him and to denigrate him like some people would do because it's counterproductive.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Some policies he's put forth.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't know if the tariff wars are going to work or not. I know it was worth a shot. Immigration, I support my immigrant brother, my Hispanic brothers and sisters, my immigrant brothers and sisters, because they're not all Hispanics.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I just don't think any country should.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Have open borders like we did.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

But if you go through the process.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm all for immigrants coming into this country.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

If you're here illegally, I'm not for.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Snatching children and separating them from their parents and sending them back.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm not down for that in my perfect world. Although people might disagree with me. I'm of the mindset, those who have been here, if you're not criminal, if you're law abiding citizens and you're working and somehow, some way you're paying your taxes and stuff like that, leave them alone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Just don't let nobody else in. Because it's overcrowded going on now. It's overcrowdedness going on right now.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And when we talk about Medicaid being an issue, because you got states like in California, I mean, you know, we know what that's about. We know the reason why your billions in debt is because of the money that you were utilizing towards helping migrants at the expense of citizens in California. Now, Gavin Newsom may deny that, or knowing him as fluid and as smooth as he is, he'll have a perfectly logical explanation for it. But people ain't trying to hear that. They're just not. And when I get to our president, what I'm saying to you, this is why I didn't vote for him. Something that I've said publicly on many occasions.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't like how he acts.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I don't like the name calling.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't like the belligerence. I don't like the vindictiveness.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm not talking policy. Because the fact of the matter is the prism of history tells us whether a policy is beneficial or not.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Do I like him scaling black, a connection to black history, the Smithsonian Museum and other things with executive orders?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

No, I do not. But I'M not sure I disagree with.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The terrorists just yet.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I certainly don't agree with disagree with.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What he's done with immigration because I thought it was necessary because of what Biden did.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Last time I checked, the economy hasn't collapsed. Inflation may be imminent, if not already here, but we haven't felt the profound effects of that yet. Maybe it's coming, maybe it won't. And I'm not worried about people being in jail and being let out the same day like I was under the previous administration. I ain't apologizing for that. But the reason that I didn't vote for this president, a man that I knew before he went into office, he had events all the time, sporting events, boxing events and other things. We were always there. That's why you've never heard me calling them racist and comparing them to Nazis. He was cool with us.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What I don't like is the belligerence because it serves to polarize, not galvanize. And then it leaves the American citizen living in chaos because we've been convinced.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

By leaders on Capitol Hill that nothing could get done because everything is vitriolic.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I don't have time for that.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

We need somebody to bring us together to be an adult in the room. And every time you hold out hope that Donald Trump is is going to do that, he does something like this. Play this video, please.

[Show Announcer]

Look, guys, there's no way to sugarcoat it. Nobody likes Democrats anymore. We have no voters left because of all of our woke trans. Not even black people want to vote for us anymore. Even Latinos hate us. So we need new voters. And if we give all these illegal aliens free health care, we might be able to get them on our side side so they can vote for us. They can't even speak English, so they won't realize we're just a bunch of woke pieces of, you know, at least for a while until they. They learn English and they realize they hate us, too.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is an AI generated video of Chuck Schumer standing next to Hakeem Jeffries. With Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero Donald Trump posted on his social media page, Truth Social, Ladies and gentlemen, how is Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer supposed to be incentivized to then turn around and work with this man? How are we to believe that Donald Trump is interested in working with them when he so unapologetically trolls and memes them at every turn? This is Akeem Jeffries, minority speak in the House, talking about say it to his Face. Listen to this.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

The next time you have something to say about me, don't cop out through a racist and fake AI video when I'm back in the Oval Office. Say it to my face. Say it to my face.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And we have leaders posting AI generated videos, fake videos, showing us the future, by the way, of what they're willing to do to send a message. And we have one of the biggest members of our government as a minority whip in the House, saying, say it to my face. Remember when Senator Mark Wayne. I forgot his last name from Oklahoma and Bernie Sanders had to slam down the gavel because he was willing to get up and go fight a union worker that said something about him on the floor. The U.S. capitol. What the hell has this world come to? Have y' all no decency? No decorum whatsoever? My God. 866-967-6887 is the number of calls. 86696, POTUS. I'm on the phones with y' all for the rest of the show. Let's get to it. Let's go to Matt in West Virginia. You're live with Stephen, a straight shooter. What's going on? Matt, how are you?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Matt, are you there?

[Caller]

Stephen? I am. Are you there?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm right here.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Go ahead, buddy.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Matt from Wyoming.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay. Matt from Wyoming. How are you, man? Go ahead.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Yeah.

[Caller]

Hey, I'm doing all right.

[Megyn Kelly]

Thank you.

[Caller]

Hey, I just wanted to bring up. So I was active duty military during the first shutdown and never missed a check, and I'm retired military now, and I get pension and VA disability. You know, check my account this morning. Money's all there. My question is, is who in the country right now is looking in their bank accounts and not getting the money that's, I guess, due to them or owed? Is it the elderly? Is it. You know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We don't know the answer to that. We'll figure it out because it seems to maneuver and move as it goes along.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

That's a fluid situation.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I mean, you know, with this president, I mean, it's not about every time.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

There'S a rule in place, he wants.

[Stephen A. Smith]

To circumvent it, you understand? And then, you know, the opposing party.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Has to take him to court. Some cases are won, some cases are lost, some cases are delayed until later down the line.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So we don't really know the answer.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

To that question, which creates a feeling.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Of panic, per se.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Because when you're able to. To circumvent rules and regulations, when you're able to circumvent decorum, when Dare I say you're able to circumvent laws, even if it's for a period of time. The fear that it instills influences human beings and American citizens in this country because it implements panic, because you don't know what the hell is going to happen next. All of a sudden, instead of putting your money in a bank account, we might get to a point where we don't want to do that. We want to hide it under our damn beds. At least we know it's there, assuming our homes don't get robbed. So this is the kind of stuff that we're, this is the kind of times we're living in. And that's what we've got to help and assist one another in eradicating because we can't continue to have this. We just can't. Appreciate the call. Matt, thank you so much. Steve in Chicago, you're live with Stephen A. What's up, Steve? How are you? Beautiful name, by the way.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What's up?

[Caller]

Oh, thank you, sir.

[Megyn Kelly]

Stephen A.

[Caller]

This government is fading faster than my Mets did. Both parties are trash, total trash. I know, like a lot of hard working Americans out there, myself included, I know that you don't like the taxes, you don't love the taxes because we earn our money. We also like seeing Americans employed, though. So we elected President Trump, who promised to put Americans first. He was bragging about the tariffs in front of all the generals yesterday. And I don't know if you saw any of that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I did not, I did not see that yesterday, but go ahead.

[Caller]

It was kind of funny because he encouraged the generals to let loose and laugh at his Biden jokes and laugh at Democrats. And that's not the way loyalty works in the military. It just doesn't. And it was kind of, it was a comedy hour, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was uncomfortable because that's not what.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

They'Re not made of, that ilk.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're disciplined. I mean, we're talking about military men, women men and women, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

These are, I mean, you talk about.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Our most cherished citizens. We owe everything to the veterans who represent our nation.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And they live on discipline. They live on honoring their commitment, their.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Vow and their sworn oath to this nation.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And when you have people that are trying to get them to deviate from.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Them, but by deviate from all that.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Stuff, by joking around or by pledging allegiance to him as opposed to the Constitution and to the American red, white and blue, we got a problem. We got a problem. He may not meet it Maliciously. But the point is, that ain't supposed to happen. That ain't supposed to happen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Just want to make sure I'm clear about that, Steve.

[Caller]

Oh, oh, I'm with you 100%. And his tariffs have brought billions of dollars into the U.S. stop right there.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Stop right there. We hope. Well, I should say the trillions in some cases. You could make the argument that the billions are already here. But 15 trillion in pledges. Those are pledges. That's not reality. Until it happens, let's make sure we remind ourselves of that. I pledge to you, Steve, that. You know what? I'm going to put you on as my first caller every week. Well, damn it, I could pledge all I want to. You call next week. You might be the fifth caller. I don't know. You could pledge all day. Pledge is not a guarantee. So when I hear other people talking, like my buddy Sean Hannity and others, it pledges $15 trillion pledges in manufacturing and semiconductor businesses and stuff like that. Where the money. I hate talking with money. Where the money.

[Caller]

Not reality yet. But if the money does come true.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

And it's not, then we would applaud it. We will applaud it. We gonna be fair? Straight Shooter with Stephen A. We gonna be fair, Steve. If the man does something great, I'm gonna compliment him. If he does something wrong, I'm gonna call him on it. I'm not out to get President Trump. I'm out for this nation to win. I want America to win. That's what I want. That's who I am. I appreciate the call, Steve. Thank you so much. D in Texas, you're live with Stephen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A. T D. How are you?

[Caller]

Hey, Straight shooter, what's happening?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

What's up, my brother? How you doing?

[Caller]

I'm doing great. Hey, look, I've been trying to get all of the POTUS talking heads, and now I'm going to ask you to do the same thing. You remember back about, oh, I would say the 1992 presidential election when you.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Talk about George the HW against Clinton.

[Caller]

No, no, no, no. When Ross Crow used to go on Larry King, okay, with his charts and graphs and all that?

[Stephen A. Smith]

That was hilarious.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

That was funny, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Yes, it was.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was Larry King.

[Caller]

All right, so what I want you to do, and I want you to get some of your POTUS toast to help you get this done. Get somebody, you know, maybe two or three from this list. Joe Manchin, John Fetterman, Mark Halperin, Brett Baer, Bill Maher, Julie Mason, you and y' all get together and get on every freaking network in this country and tell us the truth. Because we're not getting the truth from our politicians. We're getting the Republican version, getting the Democratic version. And you and I both know there's only one version of the truth, and that's the truth all underlined in both.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Hold on.

[Stephen A. Smith]

D. Hold on. D I respect where you come from. D May I ask, how old are you?

[Caller]

72.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, let me explain something to you. Thank you so much, and I appreciate the question. D here's what I want to say to you in response. I feel your frustration through your voice. It makes perfect sense. But, you know, I gotta be real with you that what you requested could never happen. And the reason why it can never happen is because you could place the truth in somebody's face. It doesn't define their interpretation of those truths. You could sit up here right now and say, unemployment is at 3% to somebody that is exceptional. To somebody else, damn it, it ain't that good.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Here's why.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's the amoeba like atmosphere that exists with politics and policy and beliefs. You are D in Texas. I'm Stephen A. In New York City. My belief system is probably different than yours. So there's some things that you feel that are important to you. Where there are other things that I feel that are important to me, that's different than where you're coming from. Where we have common ground, sir, is in our core decency, where hope resides. It's us being able to say, man, I see where you coming from? I'm not feeling that, but I understand where you coming from. And that way we could shake hands and we could get along and depart ways disagreeing, but not being disagreeable because we respect one another. It's not the need to have concrete proof, knowing that there's an interpretation that comes with everything. And most times they differ. It's about accepting the fact that those differences exist and not treating one another like pariahs just because we're not 100% equally yoked on the same path. That's America. It's not coming to an agreement. It's understanding that there's different paths to the American dream and the American way, and it's not just one tunnel to it, and it's okay. That's America. You understand what I'm saying, D.

[Caller]

Yeah, but can I say something else?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Please? I'll give you the last word.

[Caller]

Okay, again. Years ago, there was a commercial for the United States army, and it was a guy jumping out of the back of an airplane paratrooper. And as he jumped out, he was saluting. I'm sure a lot of people my age probably remember that commercial. And it said, we have one mission. When?

[Stephen A. Smith]

When?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Okay, I got it. All right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, again, that's what I'm saying.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

The mission is to win. It's not just one way to win. The mission is to win.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But there's more than one way to do it. Gotta figure that out. Gotta figure that out. 25 minutes past hour number two. Back here on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. 866-967. 6887 is the number to call up this 86696, POTUS. You're listening live to Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Back with more of your calls in a minute.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Don't go away.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

28 minutes past hour number two.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Back here on the Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Coming at you yours truly, every Wednesday evening from 6 to 8pm Love doing this show. Can't tell y' all enough how much I love doing this show. I'm not a political aficionado. I'm a conscientious observer. I read the news. I pay attention. I know a little bit about what's going on. I know how to interview folks and talk to them, and I know how to touch on the subject matters that you all want to hear about. So I thank y' all for the support. The show's blowing up. Can't thank the folks at Sirius XM enough. You guys are fantastic. This is the A team that I have working with me. My crew is big time, but Sirius XM is next level. It's just special. And so the combination of all of that support makes me look far better than what I truly, truly am. But I am thoroughly enjoying doing this show, thanks to my brother Jeff, my man, Jeff Brown, one of my best friends on the planet. Living in California, a man's been trying to teach me about politics for years, trying to get me involved in politics for years because, you know, very few people know more politics than him. But he's driving in his car listening to me. Love you, bro. Appreciate you. Number to call up is 866-967-6887. That's 86696, POTUS. Let's get back to the phones because a lot of people want to talk to me, and I'm here for it. Let's go to Max in Baltimore. You're live with Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen A.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

What's up, Max?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Good evening.

[Caller]

How you doing, Stephen A. It's good to talk to you. I'm a big fan of your new show. Thank you for having me on.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you for having me.

[Caller]

Real quick. Yeah, absolutely. Two things. Real quick. First off, I know the government shutdown, obviously it's very, a very big deal when the government shut down. People are working, people aren't getting paid. I think it's, it could be very tumultuous. But I do think it could be very good for official conservatism in the country. And then my second question right there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why do you think the shutdown could be good for fiscal conservatism?

[Caller]

Well, I think the less money that the government is giving out to people is more money that people could be making in the private sector as opposed to in government jobs. I think a smaller government is better for official conservatism.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, can I throw this at you before you move on, Max?

[Caller]

Yes, sir.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So I've been covering sports for 30 years, and God rest his soul, a former commissioner of the NBA. His name was David Stern. And there were times when David Stern had a boatload of leverage available to him and he could have really, really brought the hammer down on the players, because it's a lot easier to keep 30 billionaires aligned with one another than 450 plus players. You feel me, Max?

[Caller]

Yes, sir. I definitely understand where you're getting at.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And the commissioner would look at the owners and others of his legal team and he'd say, you have to live with them, you have to work with them. How can you do it if you treat their heads like it's the top of a nail that your hammer is coming down upon?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Well, always.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He says you always. Yes, you get most of what you want. That's always a given. Anybody should try to do that. But you can't have everything. And if you look at America, Max, and I get where you're coming from, because from a conservative standpoint, if the government shuts down and ultimately Trump gains control and he's able to diminish the size of the government, whether it's through the irs, whether it's law enforcement agencies, whether it's the CDC or anything, Department of Education, all of this other stuff, and he's able to fragment that, tear that down, minimize that to the umph degree, and compromise the lives of 750,000 federal employees. Right. You call yourself saving money. And, and that definitely is understandable considering the fact that we in debt for over $37 trillion. But the flip side to it is when you dismantle and disrupt folks way of life. When's there going to be peace? It's not going to happen. And you got to take that into consideration as well. Max.

[Caller]

Well, I don't disagree with you on that one, Stephen A. It's a very nuanced take and I appreciate it. My second question to you is, and somebody else who also identifies in the center, there's so many millions of Americans who see, you know, these two political parties are very upset. I think something that really props them up is Citizens United, which I believe was implemented in 2011. And I'm a very, very, very against Citizens United. I wanted your opinion on that. And thank you again for taking my call.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I appreciate it, man. Thank you so much. I gotta tell you something right now. When you look at Citizens United, I got that's the, what, the 2010 Supreme Court decision. And just reading from an article here, further tilted political influence toward wealthy donors and corporations. I definitely think that's the case. But here's the flip side. Normally you would think that it's the Republicans because less government, free market capitalism, national security, controlling our borders. Those are mantras they live on, you understand? And because of that, you would think, especially since they're about free market capitalism and less regulations and all of this stuff, that businesses will flock to them and they'd always have more money. But Kamala Harris had more money during her campaign than Trump did. The George Soros of the world, the Michael Bloomberg's of the world and others. Oh yes, they funneled some. They funneled somebody. I know, George Soros. I don't know how much Michael Bloomberg gave or whatever. She had money coming in from Silicon Valley. She was the one with over a billion and a half dollars.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

See, we got to stop acting like.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The Democratic Party is the party for the working man and women, when in.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Fact Trump won because the working men.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And women felt that the Democrats were no longer for the working class, they.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Were for the elitist on the left. Now, how accurate in pinpointing those things? That's a subject for another day, but clearly that's a perception that exists, existed and still exists. How did that happen? How did that happen when you got the vast majority of American citizens, this country, the vast majority of your folks are small business folks, small business owners. You got people working in the federal government, people working for small businesses, et cetera, et cetera. That's the vast majority of Americans. Most people ain't on the fringes. Most people are in that cocoon. They're in that clique, rather. So how the hell did The Democrats become a party for elitists with billionaires and no sweets and everything. You know why? They were bought off just like everybody else. That's what the hell happened. That's why I was a supporter of Bloomberg. Now, he was awful during the debates.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And it was a damn shame that he couldn't gain any traction, but I.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Really wanted Michael Bloomberg, honestly speaking, the former mayor of New York, to be in office because what you gon buy him? He's worth 104 billion. You go buy him. He needs your money. He could buy something. Couldn't buy an election, but. And he was about business, and he was a centrist, and that's what I am. So I was all for that. Max, I appreciate the call, man. Thank you so much. Let's go to Michael in Concord, North Carolina. You're live with Stephen A. Michael, good evening. How are you, sir? Straight shooter with Stephen A. What's up?

[Caller]

I'm wonderful, sir. How are you?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I'm all right. Thank you for calling. What's up?

[Caller]

Stephen A. Listen, man, I really feel like you need to run for office as a Republican. And the primary reason why the. The number of black men who voted for the Republican president this time was. Was unparalleled.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay?

[Caller]

It was a phenomenon that no person was prepared for. And right now, what that group of individuals needs is an organizer, somebody who can say this side of the aisle is welcome for you to be here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Stop right there. Start right there. Start right there. Because I got a question to ask you. Why? First of all, the Republicans are. First of all, they're the ones in office. And secondly, they have a distinct advantage because, say what you will about Trump, but he's the leader of the Republican Party.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

They're not devoid of leadership.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're not looking for a new leader. They believe they have one. It's the Democrats that are all over the damn place, fragmented.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

So why would you say to me.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Stephen, you need to run for office as a Republican instead of a Democrat?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Why would you say.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why would you say the Republican over the Democrat for me?

[Caller]

For you, sir? Again, because of the black male base, Stephen A. That's the group of individuals that I'm saying needs a leader with in the Republican Party.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

But let me say what I'm saying to you is that the black vote.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And this is another discussion, the black vote ain't needed as much as it once was. See, this is why I'm so pissed off, because.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Michael, let me break this down to you, man. My boy Jeff is listening. He knows where I'M going to go with this because I'm not going to hold this. I'm not going to hold this in no more. Ladies and gentlemen, I voted for Democrat most of my life.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I've only voted for one Republican in my life, that's Chris Christie.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

If Marco Rubio was running, I'd vote for him. If Nikki Haley had won the Republican.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Nomination, I would have voted for her over Kamala Harris.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I have always been. When I would give speeches, ladies and gentlemen, throughout this country, you know what I would say as for pure shock value? I would say racism doesn't exist. Then I would pause to shock the audience and then I'd say, obviously I'm lying because to some degree in certain parts it exists. It's not the vast majority of American citizens like that. I don't look at you as racist because you're white. There's plenty of God fearing white people that I see that I got respect and love for that I think are God fearing human beings. Don't get me started with my Hispanic brothers and sisters.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's what I consider them.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I got number love for them, okay? And black folks could be just as trifling as we are decent. So I go by the individual, I'm not going by anything else. But systemically racism has existed and stuff like that. We can't deny it. But I would use that line to say, let's focus. You can't legislate people's hearts. You can be as decent as you possibly can be. You can speak your truth. You can be respectful while doing so and understand there's always bad apples everywhere in every race and every walk of life. But one of the things that I have lamented about us as black people on many occasions is that we don't force. We haven't forced the Democratic Party to.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Flatter us nearly as much as we should.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

When Lyndon B. Johnson signed civil rights legislation in the law in 1964, Voting Rights Act, 1965, at that time he said, we passed these laws, we'll have the Negroes vote for us for the next 200 years, damn it. He don't seem wrong because for the past 60 plus years that's exactly been the case. And so because of that, you have a Democratic Party that knew they were getting our vote, would engage in demagoguery, scare the living hell out of us about what existed on the right and as a result they'd get our vote. And all they had to do to get it was to give us lip service about negative stuff about the other side, the other side knew we weren't getting their vote. The Democrats knew they were getting our vote. And at the end of the day, we weren't represented. We disenfranchised ourselves. That is what has happened to us. And now here come the Hispanics. You want me to tell you what I think is absolutely, positively brilliant about the Hispanics throughout this country? Let me tell you what I think is brilliant about them. How do Cubans vote? What about the Dominicans? What about the Mexicans? What about the Puerto Ricans? What about Guatemalans, Venezuelans, et cetera? How do they vote? You know why that matters? Because you can guess, you can surmise, you can look at data and it might tell you something, but you really don't know. And because of that is why immigration has been such a big time issue. Because whoever locks up the immigration issue in a favorable fashion for their party more than likely will get the vote. And since they're going to be the dominant majority, minority rather, which they already are, because they're hovering around 17, 18%, the US Census Bureau report speculates that by 2030, they're going to make up about 30% of the population.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why you think these politicians make that a big time issue? On the left, we get that on lockdown, we'll be back in power. On the right, courtesy of Trump, if.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

We do what we can to ward that off, we'll be able to hold on to power. This is the game and the American citizens upon.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But nobody is worse off than blacks. As I religiously stated throughout the years, when white folks catch a cold, black folks catch pneumonia, it's always worse for us.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Pick any historical data you want to point to. It is always worse for us. And I believe the biggest reason in this day and age ain't even about racism to the degree it once was. What it's really about is us not strategizing, playing checkers instead of chess, letting our emotions instead of facts lead the way and letting that guide us to express ourselves in ways that serve to alienate the very people who can help us. You aoc you Jasmine Crockett, or somebody like that? Ladies, I respect intelligent women, no doubt, but how Jasmine Crockett chooses to express herself, I'm like, is that going to help your district in Texas? Aren't you there to find a way to get stuff done as opposed to just being an impediment to what, to what Trump wants? How much work goes into that? I'm just going to go off about Trump, cuss him out every chance I get. Say the most derogatory, incendiary things imaginable, and that's my day's work. That ain't work. Work is saying that's the man in power.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I know what his agenda is. I'm not exactly in a position to stop him since the Republicans have the Senate and the House. But maybe if I'm willing to work with this man, I might get something out of it for my constituency. Because like Joe Manchin said, he's there to represent, or was there for 15 years to represent the people of West Virginia.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

She's supposed to be there to represent the people of Texas.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't know, maybe that just sounds ignorant because it's so simple, but it ain't that damn complicated. We make it complicated. Damn, it's frustrating. It really can be. Bill, in Atlanta, you're live with Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Go ahead, Bill.

[Caller]

Stephen, Amen. I love the fact that you're doing this program, man. Keep it up, man. I just love listening to you when on this. On these topics. It's amazing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you, man.

[Caller]

Go ahead. The one point I want to make is you talked about trust. I'm a Democrat, I'm a Senate Democrat. I've actually been for the shutdown because what's happened since the last CR is Trump's been invoking the Rescission act where he basically goes and says, you know what? I changed my mind. I'm not going to spend that money. And the Supreme Court just basically let him do it for now. So the problem is any deal I do with him, he can just void it. The next day passed.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That makes perfect sense. But what I'm trying to. You said you're a Senate Democrat. Is that what you said?

[Caller]

I said a center Democrat. So I'm a Democrat. That's more toward the center.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What I'm saying to you. So am I. So am I. If I had to pinpoint what I am, I would, I would tell you that what I'm trying to say to you is that's frustrating. I get it. But that's the plight that you embrace. You ain't gonna just roll up on Capitol Hill and call him everything but the child of God. How productive is that gonna be?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

My point is, okay, you're the Democrats.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Could you figure out how to win the midterms?

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Because if you get.

[Stephen A. Smith]

If you regain control of the House, imagine how much power that gives you because you controlling the purse. If you regain control of the Senate, imagine how much that power that gives you when you're talking about judges, federal.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Supreme Court justices, all of that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You play a significant role in make yourself relevant.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Yo, Bill, have you liked every boss you work worked for? No.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Neither have I. We gotta find a way to work around it. We want that check, don't we?

[Caller]

That's right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's all I'm saying.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

See how simple that is? I'm not saying the work is simple. I'm saying the strategy is. The point that I'm trying to make to you is you got to do what you got to do. I listen. The man is a deal maker. Do you really think when you see somebody like people point to white nationalism and all of these other. Do you really, really think that's Trump? Trump cares about Trump. Trump cares about his family name, his.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Name, et cetera, et cetera, his money.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

In my estimation, everybody know that Stephen Miller is flexing, that he's behind a lot of stuff that we're seeing. Who don't know that, Bill, you gotta.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Adapt and strategize and react accordingly. He knows you on the opposite side. But what Trump's history has shown us is that he's out for what he wants. Inch him closer to what he wants, and he doesn't mind giving you what you want. His history shows that.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

So you got to figure out what.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You want and what you need and to make sure you get it for your peeps while you can while this person. Person is in office. Hasn't that been the political game for decades, Bill.

[Caller]

I believe Trump, you just never. But just with Trump, you just don't.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You never knew what any of them. How about hw Read my lips? No new taxes. What'd he do? What he do? I mean, how about Clinton when he got into office and he was one way until Newt Gingrich came into the House. And then all of a sudden they changed, didn't they?

[Caller]

Yep.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

You see people talking about Obama, how he said one thing and in certain cases he did another. You just heard my interview with Joe Manchin talking about how with coal and what have you and the minors, how Obama switched his position once he got into office. We heard that, right. Every single politician could point to somebody being inconsistent and doing what's politically expedient. It didn't stop them from working with one another before. What the hell has happened to us as a society? Suddenly we don't know how to work with people just because we can't get our way. Oh, my Lord, they deceived us. Oh, my Lord, they lied to us. Duh. They're politicians. On Capitol Hill, you expected the truth, the whole truth to nothing but the truth, so help you God. They put that Bible and put people hand under the Bible and raise other people hand, not their own. They only do it when they take the oath of office. When the hell you see them? When stuff really counts. I've seen politicians get censored for their behavior. No criminal charges. Didn't have to worry about going in jail or anything. And they stood up there and cried like babies because they were embarrassed that they had to fess up to being dishonest about something. That's who they are. That's who they are. Let me go to break, man 8669-6768-8786-6967-6887 is the number to call up.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's 86696. POTUS.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Your calls.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Close out the show in a minute. It's Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. In the house. Back with your calls. Close out.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

52 minutes past hour number.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Two back here on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Let's get right to the phone calls because we only got about six minutes left. I'm gonna keep your calls real quick. You ain't gonna talk long because I got to get to a few callers before I get on out of here. Let's go to Sean in Buffalo, Missouri. You're live with Stephen A. What's going on, Sean, how are you?

[Caller]

Hey, Stephen A. I want to preface, I'm a really big fan. I know I could ask you a question about my chiefs, but I was curious mostly on the topic topic of this government shutdown. Most of these politicians are very perseverant and at least the ones who voted for the government shut. Yeah. And so what is one character trait that helped you propel yourself throughout your sports career and now political career? And how are you able to agree to disagree with someone in a friendly manner rather than resorting to political violence such as egregious Utah college?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Passion, passion propels me because I'm passionate about what I do. So it's not a job to me. It's an adventure. It truly is something that I love to do. I love being on the air. I love, I love talking sports, I love talking social commentary, politics, et cetera. I love that stuff. I never get tired of it. If it matters to the people, it matters to me. And so I love that and the fact that I love that I'm constantly energized. I don't feel tired and drawn and fatigued because I'm interested and compelled and intrigued by what I'm doing. So that goes a long way. But with that comes a healthy curiosity. So rather than lament what somebody else is feeling, I take what they say, I inhale it, I research it, I think about it, I educate and edify myself about it. So I walk away smarter because even if I don't agree with them, I understand what they were saying and why. And that makes me smarter because it enlightens me about a perspective different than my own. And that's what does it for me. Appreciate the call though, Sean. Thank you so much. Anthony in Montreal, you're live with Stephen A. Go ahead, Anthony. How are you?

[Caller]

What's up? STEPHEN A. First of all, I just want to say, man, I've been watching and listening to you for years now and you know, I got the utmost respect for what you've been able to accomplish so far. And I mean, I think you're the greatest to do it in your profession. So it's a pleasure to talk to you and I hope you continue to do great things in the future.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Thank you.

[Caller]

My question to you, sir, is previously like the gentleman before, it was kind of very similar question. But you know, you're a major voice in sports media. So I was just curious to know how do you think media outlets should handle covering sports and politics without making the political situation even more toxic? And how do you approach those sensitive topics that can affect different people in different ways?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Easily. Be fair, give both perspectives, don't shun anybody. I'll talk to Republicans and Democrats as much as they want me to. I'll talk to independents as much as they want me to. I'll talk to somebody who's apolitical. I'll talk to religious leaders, I'll talk to atheists. I'll talk to white, black, Hispanic, Jews, Catholics, Palestinians, it doesn't matter, I don't care because I'm curious to hear what their thoughts are. And when you show a willingness to be open minded enough to truly hear and inhale what what other people are saying, even if you disagree, but you're being respectful in listening to them and hearing where they're coming from, it just makes people more inviting and they feel more invited and as a result they're more inclined to talk to you and to expose a little bit of themselves to you because they don't mind talking to you. And that's how it goes. I appreciate the call though, Anthony. Thank you so much. Let's go to Mike in Illinois. You're live with Stephen A. What's up, man?

[Caller]

Hey, thanks for taking my call. I really appreciate the topics today. Also, I'd like to just point out some of my credentials. I was a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University studying political science. So I talk from a. Somewhat of an authoritarian, but I don't like to say that, you know, but.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All right, well, whatever you're going to.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Do, you got to do quick because.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We about to go off the air. So go ahead.

[Caller]

Yep. This is what I want you to think about is, is next time we talk, I hope. Tell me more about dysfunctional theory and how it's being used in American politics.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Dysfunctional theory?

[Caller]

Yes, sir.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Dysfunctional theory and how it's being. And how it's being used in American politics.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

Go ahead. If you can give me an example.

[Stephen A. Smith]

In 30 seconds, I'll let you do it. Go ahead.

[Megyn Kelly]

Sure.

[Caller]

Well, sure will. So our educational systems have really poor education thing, but yet to be an attorney in America, you have to have graduated high school, you got to go to college, you got to go to, you know, law college and get your degree and then pass a bar. But if you start out at the starting line, 50ft back, you're never going to win the race.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's fair.

[Caller]

We have a dysfunctional theory of keeping city, you know, cities, schools at a poor level.

[Stephen A. Smith (Host Commentary)]

I got it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I got it. Makes perfect sense. It makes perfect sense. You understand? You want people that's 50 yards back to try to start off like they're in an even position and they're not. I get it. I understand. It is dysfunctional. You're right, Tom, in California. You're the last caller. Go ahead. Real quick, Tom.

[Caller]

Hey, Stephen, thanks for taking my call. Yeah, I just want, I'm a centrist Democrat, I think, like you crowns yourself. And you know, I just wanted to comment on the shutdown and one of your callers that called in before.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You got 30 seconds, Tom, just go ahead, make your point. You got 30 seconds. Go ahead.

[Caller]

Federal employees know they can make more in the private sector. They do it because they're passionate. They do because they love serving people. They do it because they love their job. They know they can make twice as much in the federal sector. So that bullshit about it's good for federal workers to be furloughed or fired so they get a better paying private job is a bunch of crap.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Is that what the caller said?

[Caller]

That's what he said. It was good for the federal government shut down so these people can go and get jobs in private sector because.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They have more money I appreciate the call, Tom. I want you to call back next week. Let's talk more about that when you have a little more time. Thank you so much. Thanks again to Joe Manchin, former senator from West Virginia, for coming on the show to promote his new book, dead Center In Defense of Common Sense. Really appreciated him coming on the show. Really appreciated all of y' all calling. I really enjoyed the show. Hope you enjoyed it as well. Be back next week. Same bad time and channel until then. Peace of love, everybody. Trey Shooters signing off.