← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
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- [00:01]
Stephen A. Smith
Lamine Yamal steps into McDonald's, looks left, sees Pulisic, looks right, sees Jimenez, gives a nod to Ronaldinho in the corner with a FIFA World cup meal. Ronaldinho sees son in the booth. Son finds Beckham going for extra Big Mac sauce. He's got Davies at the table just behind him. Davey's going for his collectible cup. A steal by Henry, who pulls his own collectible cup. Collect one of nine legendary cups with a FIFA World cup meal. Participating McDonald's for a limited time while supplies last. All rights reserved. 20:26 McDonald's at FIFA World Cup 20:26 Unreal. I'm pretty confident talking into a mic.
- [00:33]
Caller/Listener
Hey, I'm doing it right now.
- [00:34]
Stephen A. Smith
But home projects, I second guess everything. Is that noise normal? Is that water damage? Who do I even call? That's where thumbtack comes in. Just upload a photo or voice note and it uses AI powered search to match you with the right top rated local pro. So instead of guessing, you get clarity and can hire with confidence for your next home project. Try thumbtack. Hire the right pro today. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. What's up everybody? Welcome to this latest edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Coming at you as I love to do every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time over the airwaves of SiriusXM POTUS radio, channel 124. It's good to be back. I've been with you. I've been doing an opening monologue, but in the same breath. I couldn't stay for an entire show over the last two weeks because I was busy on the road covering the NBA Finals, watching my New York Knicks win the NBA championship. But I'm here from start to finish today, make no mistake about it. Over the next two hours, the number to call up, as always, is 866-967-688 POTUS 6887. I'm sorry, 866-967-6887. That's 86696 POTUS. Lines are open. Looking forward to talking to you in approximately a half hour. So I will have on former representative in Congress Marjorie Taylor Greene. She will be on the show talking to me for the very, very first time. I've never spoken to her before. I'm looking forward to that conversation. But the first order of business is the United States of America, courtesy of President Trump and some of the things that have happened pretty much over the last hour or so. The United States and Iran have remotely signed their Memorandum of Understanding Mou to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. So that's great news for a lot of people. Obviously, affordability has become an issue. Gas prices, oil prices, it's become an issue. Inflation, it's become an issue. And there's a lot of things that are going on. And obviously the primary objective is to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon. They're never able to build one. It remains to be seen in terms of specifics, whether or not that's the agreement that was reached. One would hope that considering how lengthy this war has been going on, some of the lives that have been lost, some of the economies that have been compromised, that somehow, some way, this wasn't for nothing. So we certainly have to look at it for that. But in the end, what it really, really comes down to is that assuming this indeed is over, the President has some work to do back home. Literally speaking, not to say that he was overseas, literally he was here, but clearly his attention seemed to be preoccupied with stuff that was abroad as opposed to it being at home. And one of the things that needed to be brought to, that needs to be brought to everybody's attention is right now how his approval ratings continues to nose dive. In 2024, 49% of men aged 18 to 29 voted for President Trump. Now only 28% approve of him. Finds a Harvard IOP poll. We know that's the situation. We know that's something that he has to deal with. 49%. That's the number that he once had. It's at 28 now, 28% approval rating among men 18 to 29. Why does this matter? Because of what transpired this past weekend. That's why. Sunday night in the nation's capital, the White House lawn, there was an event that took place. There's an event thrown by the UFC and its president, Dana White, president and CEO. And if you read it online, particularly on ESPN.com it says UFC president and CEO completed one of the more audacious events of his career, a fight card on the south lawn of the White House. That's what happened. Sunday Night's UFC Freedom 250 exceeded all of everybody's expectations for what Dana White, the president and UFC and CEO of ufc, called the biggest event in the history of his promotion and perhaps the biggest in the history of mixed martial arts. I, I can tell you right now, as a sports guy, that's my day job. That's where I've made my bread and butter over the last 30 years. That's what I'm still proud to be intimately associated with, I can tell you right now, the event was spectacular. And I wasn't even there. Just the ambiance, the look of it, the crowd that was outside on the South Lawn and beyond, the crowd watching in the mall. It was spectacular. Make no mistake about it. And a fight card, if you know anything about the ufc, was pretty damn impressive, whether it was something along the lines of Alex Pereira out of Brazil fighting Cyril Gane for the interim heavyweight championship, or it was for Ilya Topuria, a knockout artist and undefeated going into the ring against the Justin Gaethje in the main event, which was a spectacular fight. No way around it. Each fight was stopped. The bigger issue here, ladies and gentlemen, pertaining to a political show, is the agenda behind why this event took place to begin with on the South Lawn of the White House. Now, before anybody gets up in the tizzy thinking about how much it cost the American citizen, It was a $60 million production fully paid for by the UFC. Not to say that they didn't cause taxpayers a couple of million dollars security and stuff like that, but the $60 million production was picked up by the UFC, which is why its CEO and President, Dana White, said, he ain't doing it again. But why would Trump do something like this? It's very, very simple, ladies and gentlemen. He's trying to appeal to men once again, to young men, because the reality is that they are deserting him. Men 18 to 44 who identified as Republican has slipped from to 15%. 15%. Young men ain't feeling them anymore. They ain't caught up with the Okie doke. They ain't looking at him and his truculent and belligerent tendencies in terms of how he speaks to the media or how he speaks to officials on Capitol Hill, whether they're Representatives or Senate figures or anybody else on Capitol Hill, they're not falling for that and allowing that to define any longer whether or not this is somebody they should vote for. Months ago, we thought that the Republicans were going to coast to the midterms and they were going to capture a whole bunch of seats and they were going to ice out, no pun intended, going to ice out a whole bunch of Democrats. Maybe it was pun intended, but the reality is that it's not looking that way right now. It's not looking that way right now because certainly you're not expecting women to support them. Those who are elder and approaching senior citizen status, who spent years busting their tail, working hard, trying to make ends meet, and Save a little dough so they could ultimately fade into the twilight. But fully taken care of, that's not necessarily a guarantee any longer. It's not just his fault that we got a $39 trillion plus deficit. Nobody is saying that it is, but one could easily argue he certainly hasn't helped the situation. How much money has Trump and his administration? 2.0 that is spent already? 6 trillion, 7 trillion, 8 trillion. How much US national debt added daily since October? US national debt daily additive at $5 billion. $5 billion. $5 billion, ladies and gentlemen. Why don't you do the math? Three hundred and sixty five days a year, 5 billion a day. That's almost $2 trillion. That's what's been going on. And so as the midterms approach, as this man gets determined to define what his legacy is and should be, you got a whole bunch of people turning against them. Don't get us started with black people and how they feel about them. Because of some of the decisions that he's made in our minds to roll back progress that was being made in this country. Don't get me started with that. Don't get me started with how some immigrants here legally in this country may feel about him because of his tactics, tactics that were exercised in order to eradicate migrants from this country who may have arrived illegally. But inflation hasn't been addressed, not to a lot of people's liking. Affordability hasn't been addressed, not to people's liking. Gas prices, oil prices, rent, mortgages, et cetera. What's the deal? They just did a report in New York City just the other day that it costs $200,000 more today than it did just two years ago or so to buy the same damn house that you would have bought two years ago. This is the kind of stuff that people are talking about here right now. Meanwhile, you've got sound bites of him saying he ain't really thinking about, nor is he concerned about inflation, that he hasn't given it one single thought as he's been negotiating this deal with the Iranians. And meanwhile, you got people coming out of the woodwork suddenly bold. Suddenly bold. Kamala Harris was at the summit in Austria. She was being asked about what would it be like right now? Would there be a war with Iran? Iran. If she was the President of the United States. Let's hear what she had to say.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
First of all, this is a war
- [11:18]
Stephen A. Smith
the American people did not want.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
This is a war of choice. This is a president who has proven himself to be entirely self indulgent and we will see what happens in the coming hours and days in terms of the negotiation. And really, it's a concept of an agreement and where it ends up. But there is no question that there is a direct correlation between this war of choice and what has happened in terms of gas prices. It is estimated the average American has spent since the war started.
- [11:59]
Stephen A. Smith
May be true, but what do we know about what she would have done? Because the real question is, is diplomacy the way to go? We don't know the answer to that question, but we can't engage in condemnation when it comes to her about this specific issue, because the reality is, is that it was a very, very unpopular war to begin with. Why was that an unpopular war? Because when Donald Trump bombed Iran and their nuclear sites in June, in last June, they told us that was the end of it. And then thereafter, months later, all of a sudden, you bombing again. And you said we weren't at war, and then you admitted we were at war and you said we weren't going to be compromised economically, but our debt is elevated by $5 billion daily. One minute we're hearing you're collaborating with Israel. Another minute we're hearing that they're on opposite sides of the fence as you, if you're Donald Trump, and then you're also hearing that, excuse me, he's dismissing Israel because Israel didn't want to kill the leader of Iran and Trump went ahead and did it anyway. We're not speaking about this factually as we. As if we know definitively what's the truth and what isn't, but we know what storylines have been thrown out there. Either way you slice it, it's very unpopular. You've got some hawks that wanted him to stop playing around and just bomb the hell out of Iran and get it over with. But Trump obviously was hesitant to do that. But he bloviates and talk as if it's something that he's willing to do, which is what has only served to exacerbate the situation. And on time and time again, everybody's going back and forth, what's happening, what's happening, what's going on? Well, let me tell you something about young men. Contrary to popular belief, they don't like ambiguity, they don't like wondering what the hell is going on. They thought that Trump was finite and definitive and clear about what the hell he wanted, what the hell he wanted to do, why he wanted to do it, and this is where he was going. And it was going to be to the benefit of the American People, not himself, who's padded his wallets in excess of $5 billion since Trump 2.0 began in January of 2025. Young men don't like that. Trump's noticing young men got women to go home to. It could be their wife, it could be their girl, it could be their daughters, it could be their mamas, it could be their aunts, it could be their sisters. They don't like it. There's plenty of men, no matter how hardcore and stubborn we can be, that will find ourselves in a position where we will make decisions based on influence from. From loved ones who happen to be of a different gender, because we want to dismiss and minimize and dissipate and eradicate the noise. Trump forgot about that. And as a result of it, he's making a concerted effort right now to appeal to that male demographic, to that 18 to 29 or 18 to 49. Losing support among. Yeah, men. 18 to 29. It's a big deal, because older you get, all of a sudden you thought you was going to be paying taxes the way that you was paying taxes. His approval rating, 29%, 28%. That's not an accident. And I'm telling you right now, considering that as much as I hate to admit it, particularly on the eve of somebody like President Obama opening his presidential center in Chicago tomorrow, I gotta admit this not a bad move. Do I think it'll work? Hope not. I want something more substantive to work, like what you're doing is actually clearly in the best interest of the American people.
- [16:09]
Caller/Listener
But.
- [16:10]
Stephen A. Smith
But there is no denying that this move to have the UFC event at the White House, with all the pomp and circumstances surrounding, does need to be said. That is the kind of thing that would appeal to young men. That is the kind of thing that'll get your machismo stirring, per se. Get that testosterone adrenaline rush, get you saying, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's our kind of guy. We're just going to put pressure on the left to make sure that you have something to offset that kind of momentum. Because this is exactly the kind of thing that Donald Trump would try to do to appease. Exactly the kind of thing. A lot of pomp and circumstance. He's being fawned over and celebrated, spending some US Taxpayer dollars along the way, instead of his own leaning on somebody like Dana White in the ufc, whose popularity continues to proliferate,
- [17:17]
Caller/Listener
all the while
- [17:17]
Stephen A. Smith
giving the impression America is as strong as ever. As strong as ever, is as strong as ever, so he can get away with doing whatever the hell he wants to do for himself, his cronies, his family members and everybody else, y', all, in case y' all were living under a rock. I don't know if y' all knew this or not. You know, the President came at me last week. President attacked me because he didn't like the fact that I called out his willingness to come to New York city for Game 3 of the NBA Finals about nine days ago. This is what he said about me at that time when I said that he had no business here. It was selfish, it was narcissistic and compromising the New York Knicks because I'm a die hard New York Knicks fan and I want to win the championship. We hadn't won a championship since 1973 and I was pretty pissed off that the President had decided to come to crowded ass New York City, congested Madison Square Garden where the watch parties were killed. The watch party of Madison Square Garden specifically was canceled. Security was out the wazoo. It took people hours to get inside Madison Square Garden. It was an incredible convenience to local businesses in the area, et cetera, et cetera. I pointed out all of these things and I said, dammit, you don't mess with the mojo. If you know a team is thriving, you do nothing different. You ride that wave. Rising tide lifts all boats. What the hell are you doing coming to New York? This ain't Texas. This ain't one of them roomier spots where you got an arena with all the space in the world going on. You need something different. You don't need to come to a congested environment like Madison Square Garden. And because I had the temerity, the unmitigated gall to say that about the President. Here's what he wrote about me after questioning my iq, by the way. And he went on his truth social platform and posted this, ladies and gentlemen, at 6:35 in the morning, Stephen A. Smith is an arrogant fool, a low IQ individual. In other words, he's dumb as a rock and totally unqualified to ever think of running for high political office or even low political office for that matter. He get annihilated in a debate by the most incompetent of politicians. Joe Biden's now fabled performance will look great by comparison to anything that this loudmouth huckster has to offer, which isn't much. Within a few weeks they'd laugh him out of politics, end quote. Let me reiterate my response that I gave in the aftermath of that. What I said was, what you talking about other politicians for President Trump Why don't you come debate me, since you so sharp? Build a wall. Going to build a wall, a great big wall, and the Mexicans are going to pay for it. We're going to lower our taxes. There's not gonna be affordability issues. We don't want any new wars, all that. Why don't you go debate me and we'll see how low my IQ is? I'm sure I'm not qualified compared to a lot of seasoned politicians who know the issues backwards and forwards, but I sincerely doubt he's one of them. Why don't you come debate me? Not running for office, ladies and gentlemen. Not giving up my job. I like my life. And I was thoroughly informed that according to FCC rules and regulations, equal time rules, by virtue of what I do for my career, the second I announced that I was a participating, I was a participant in the debates, that I was indeed running for elected office, I would have to come off the air immediately. That is not happening. I like my life, but I will confess that the thought of sitting on a stage and debating this man would have me drooling. I'd love it. Nothing would please me more, I can tell you that. And having said all of that, in the end, what it comes down to is that although I'm a bit older, I am indicative and emblematic of the frustrations that a lot of the younger men of our generation are feeling. We see what's happening and what's not happening. We see where his attentions lied and where it's been diverted. We've wondered why, we've speculated why, we've expressed disappointment as to why that is. But we move forward, and no UFC event is going to shift our momentum of disgust. But it was still a nice try by the President, I'll give him that. It's a very nice try. UFC event was off the chain. It was big time, no doubt, and the White House did a. It looked great, period. But you're gonna need a hell of a lot more than that for the GOP to win the midterms and for you to coast through the remainder of your years in office, you need a hell of a lot more than the UFC event. Just thought I'd say that. Eight, six, six, nine, six, seven, six, eight, eight, seven. That's eight, six, six, nine, six, potus. You're listening live to Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith. Up next, the one and only Marjorie Taylor Greene. She's coming up right here with yours truly in a. 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- [24:19]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
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Stephen A. Smith
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
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- [24:40]
Stephen A. Smith
promo code sxm Outdoor deterrence requires a SimpliSafe Active Guard Outdoor Protection Plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit SimpliSafe.com licenses for alarm license information. Tennessee 2012. 30 minutes past hour number one back here. I'm a straight shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Smith coming at you every Wednesday night from 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time over there Airways with Sirius XM POTUS radio. I'm looking forward to having my next guest on the line. It's been a while. I've wanted her on for a long time and finally it's happening today. She served as the U.S. representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district from 2021 until her resignation in 2026. She's known by the initials MTG. Please welcome former representative in the House, the one and only Marjorie Taylor Greene. Good afternoon. Good evening, Marjorie. How are you? How's everything going?
- [25:36]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I'm doing great, Stephen. Thank you so much for having me on.
- [25:39]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you for being on. So let's get right to it. I mean, I think the first order of business is the Georgia Let me stay in your state for a quick second. The Georgia Senate race is one of the most closely watched of the midterms. GOP candidate Mike Collins, who's backed by Trump, advanced against college football coach Derek Dooley and will now face incumbent Democratic Senator John Ossoff. Thoughts on Collins? Thoughts on Ossoff.
- [26:02]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Oh, I like Mike Collins a lot. I served with him in Congress, so I know him very well. And also I'm congratulating him for winning that primary. However, I've been very forthcoming and honest and public about what a difficult general election it will be. John Ossoff, who's the current senator, he has a very stronghold in his seat, and polling has shown over and over again that he has the lead. So I'm always upfront and honest whether I support a candidate or not, but that's what I've seen in polling. Heading into November, you've transitioned from being
- [26:42]
Stephen A. Smith
a fierce advocate on behalf of President Trump to being a quite candid and fierce critic, one might say. How difficult is it for. For you at this moment in time to speak up for Republicans who are endorsed by Trump, even though they may share your ideology?
- [27:00]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, it's not difficult for me to say who I support, what I support, maybe who I don't support or what I don't support, because I've always been that way. You see, I never changed. It was President Trump that changed, and he fought me on the Epstein files. And I'll never apologize for standing up and fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were raped as teenagers. And I still have one of the most conservative voting records in the House of Representatives. So I'll always be honest about what I feel or what I support and always try to answer questions the best I can, whether it's agreeing with President Trump, disagreeing with him, or anyone else.
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Stephen A. Smith
Do you feel like the Republican Party has turned against you? Or specifically men who happen to be Republicans who have turned against you?
- [27:51]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, the Republican Party, who I supported with millions of my own dollars, definitely did not defend me and support me when the President turned on me and harshly attacked me, which was wrong. And you've got to remember, Stephen, pretty much every Republican, including the President himself, campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. The Democrats didn't seem to care about it. They had four years under Biden where they could have released everything, but they never even brought it up as an issue until we were bringing it up as an issue. But I'm thankful that they did, because without their support, we could have never got enough signatures on the discharge petition to release a resolution and get it passed in order to pass the Epstein files. But, yeah, it was the Republican Party that did not support me when they should have, even though I had supported the party, even paying all of my dues as a Member of Congress, every Congress, which many Republican Congress members don't. Don't always do.
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Stephen A. Smith
But serving on Capitol Hill for five years. Marjorie, first of all, let me be respectful. What would you like me to call Representative or Marjorie, what would you prefer? I just want to know.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
Stephen. You can call me Marjorie.
- [29:04]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, no problem. Marjorie, let me ask you this. You served on Capitol Hill for five years. You've seen a of lot. And you know how this goes. You know that a lot of people are more interested in keeping their job than doing their job. Okay. You know that. And so why be so put off by it when you knew that was an environment you voluntarily walked into campaign to enter? You're kind of, you know, you, you, you know this stuff. You know these folks. I mean, even before you got there, you're smart enough to know these folks. So why is it that it affected you to such a degree about who they were or who they may have shown themselves to be in terms of being quiet and not speaking up for you when you know how this president operates, he does not mind going after people he considers his enemies and primarily to get them out of the way so he can do what he does as Senator Cornyn. The senator and the representative in Indiana. Don't get me started with Massie and others. You've seen what he's done. Why does that affect you so much?
- [30:05]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I agree. Don't get me started on Massey, either. He was one of my best friends in Congress. Well, actually, Steven, you're giving me a lot of credit. I was pretty naive when I got there. I had never served in politics before, had never been elected before, and had actually never been to a Republican Party meeting before. I announced at one I was running for Congress. And so, you know, I got there and had to learn a lot. And I'm being honest, I had to learn a lot. And I did learn many lessons. But I never expected the President to turn on me and call me a traitor simply because I stood with women who were raped when they were teenagers, doing exactly what we both promised on the campaign trail. No, I didn't expect that. And so, yes, I was pretty shocked by it. But I also had signed the term limit pledge. It's a bill that gets introduced every year, but never seems to get a chance to get a vote, because members of Congress, like you said, they want to keep their jobs as long as possible. But I believed in term limits, which is three terms in the House. That's a total of six years. So it was no problem for me to resign from Congress, especially when I saw things so clearly and when I got death threats on my own son because President Trump was calling me a traitor. And they were very serious death threats. And I sent him the death threats. I texted them to him, and I told him that.
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Stephen A. Smith
To the President?
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
Yes.
- [31:28]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [31:28]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Yes, to the President. We were friends, Stephen. I traveled with him all over the country. I spoke at more Trump rallies than anyone any Republican. And so I sent him directly the death messages I was receiving on my son. And I said, no matter political disagreements, our children should never be threatened. That's absolutely unacceptable. And I told him his words and were causing that to happen. And. And his reply back to me was, it's your fault, and you deserve it. And that's what he texted me back. And I have those text messages. And so those were the kinds of things that I found completely unacceptable, along with serving in the House under a Speaker who took commands from the President and the White House and refused to bring our bill to the floor to release the Epstein files. And there's so much more really dirty things that happen. So I'm very. I'm very proud of standing up to the president who I had helped get elected on such an important issue, as well as other important issues like no more foreign wars, data centers, stopping state rights to make laws and regulation. Those were a couple of fights that I had had with them. But. But it was really important for me to maintain my integrity and the safety of my family.
- [32:51]
Stephen A. Smith
We're talking to Marjorie Taylor Greene, former representative in the House, right here with Stephen A. Straight shooter With Stephen A. Obviously, no more wars. That's something that's very important to you. America first. That's something that's very important to you. You've spoken about all of these things. Is it safe to say, however, that the reason that you. I know you talked about you signed a pledge and the term limits or what have you, but is it fair to say that if it were not for the Epstein file fiasco involving the administration, people like yourself who wanted all of those files released and exposed and what have you, is it fair to say that you possibly would still be in office if that were not an issue?
- [33:28]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, I'm certainly sure I would have at least finished this term. However, these death threats that came on myself and my own son, this was only very shortly after Charlie Kirk had been assassinated in front of the entire world on television. And so that's extremely serious. And I was friends with Charlie Kirk. And, you know, that kind of sets a different tone. It makes you really Understand how serious death threats can be, especially when the President of the United States is calling you a traitor for standing up for women who were raped. And he is still to this day, not allowed the full files, the Epstein files to be released.
- [34:15]
Stephen A. Smith
I was getting ready to ask you. I was getting ready to ask, do you believe Americans now have the full truth? Is that a simple way of saying the answer is no. You don't believe that the American citizens for. Have the full truth?
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
No, absolutely not. They do not have the full truth.
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Stephen A. Smith
Without mentioning names. Could you give us. Could you give us examples of what you believe the full truth to be that hasn't been revealed? You were on Capitol Hill. You have some inside information. I mean, again, I know you can't mention names or whatever, but can you give us an example of the kind of things that. That are in those files that you believe are in those files that have not been released?
- [34:46]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, I would really want to be careful there, But I can tell you the conversation that I had with the President just shortly before we held that historic vote. He called me from the White House, and I was in my office in Rayburn, and he was telling me to take my name off the discharge petition. We were under tremendous pressure. You would not believe the pressure that the four of us, it was Thomas Massie, myself, Nancy Mason, Lauren Boebert, were the pressure that was put on us to take our names off the discharge petition. But he told me on that phone call that his friends would get hurt by the information that would come out. And so I can share that with you. And I think he was being honest about it. I would also suspect that there's a lot of intelligence information there, as well as very disturbing information that would be on prominent people in our society.
- [35:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Do you have a reason to believe that one of those prominent people in our society that it would affect would be the President directly?
- [35:52]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Possibly. Of course, I can't say for sure, and I wouldn't say that. But given his behavior and how hard he's fought to stop the files, and the files still haven't been released, I think one could come to that conclusion or question it.
- [36:08]
Stephen A. Smith
We're talking to Marjorie Taylor Greene right here with Stephen A. Straight Shooter with Stephen A. You talked about yourself having some regrets. I would like to know whether it's, you know, you went on a View. I saw your appearance on A View, which was very good, by the way. Um, I saw you being asked questions about the. The. The. The verbal tussle that you had with Representative Jasmine Crockett. Um, as well. Can you speak to that? Any regrets over any of those things that. That took place? Any of the things that you said?
- [36:37]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
My regrets were engaging in what I call toxic politics. And unfortunately, I call it the political industrial complex. It's both sides, right? Democrats and Republicans. And today's environment is extremely toxic, and the language is very toxic. And I regret on my part being engaged in that. So that is something I would have changed if I could.
- [37:05]
Stephen A. Smith
As a woman, talking to another woman in front of those men that you've lamented about in terms of their abandonment of you and beyond, talking to another woman, such as Representative Jasmine Crockett, does that harbor some form of regret as well, getting into that kind of back and forth the way that you two did, in light of the fact that it was on the congressional floor and there was a whole bunch of men around that later proved not to be as supportive of you as you thought they would be?
- [37:34]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, Steven, I have to be honest with you. Those type of engagements happen frequently. Maybe you didn't see all of them.
- [37:40]
Stephen A. Smith
I did.
- [37:40]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
But it takes. It takes two to. Takes two to tango, right? So.
- [37:44]
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, trust me, I would ask her if she was here. I would ask if she was here. She's not here. You are. But trust me, I've tried to get her on, too. So thank you for coming on, but go ahead.
- [37:52]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Yeah, but I think, in all honesty, the issues that I care the most about, and one of them that I argued with our speaker, our Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, and was about health care and health insurance. And that was something I was trying very hard to get the Republican Party to do something on. Because to be honest with you, Steven, I didn't hear from my constituents about conversations that I had with people like Jasmine Crockett and others. What I did hear from them constantly was the fact that they can't afford health insurance and that health care costs too much in this country. I constantly got phone calls on that issue. That was one of the top phone calls behind. Believe it or not, the top phone call in my office was releasing the Epstein files. But I would say the cost of health care and health insurance was actually number two.
- [38:42]
Stephen A. Smith
What about folks that when we. You know, when folks. I'm a registered independent. I don't apologize for it. I don't. I don't operate. I'm fiscally conservative. I'm socially liberal, and I ain't apologizing for anybody, even though I'm not going. But so far, socially liberal, I can tell you that much. But let me say this we, when we talk about health care, so many, so often, we heard complaints about the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, and how horrible it was for the American people. Yet 20 to 24 million people originally were deemed to be individuals who benefited, mainly the poor and the desolate. We've heard about red states utilizing Obamacare to their advantage. We've heard Obama talking on television, former President Barack Obama talking on television about how 50 to 60 million people may have benefited. In light of what you just said, what are your feelings about Obamacare? I think it's an appropriate question to ask considering that the Obama presidential Senate is essential to open in Chicago tomorrow. I'd like to know what your thoughts are before and now about Obamacare, considering all that's happening on Capitol Hill to compromise, to compromise the cost of health care in this country.
- [39:52]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Well, to be honest with you, on Capitol Hill, they're not doing anything on healthcare. I hate to tell you, I begged them to do it, but they're not. How do I feel about the Affordable Health Care Act? It was passed in 2010. And so with a family of five back then I was working in our family construction business and our health insurance, a Blue Cross policy, was just over $800 a month. Very rapidly, once the Affordable Health Care act went into effect, our health insurance policy went to over $2,400 a month. That was more than our house payments. So that's been my personal experience as an American that was a consumer of health insurance. So it hurt us a lot. We had to drop that policy and look for something else. Also, this is documented that very quickly, within a matter of years, many health insurance companies went out of business or insurance companies pulled out of health insurance simply because of how the rules had changed. And what that did is it led to less competition in the marketplace and the premiums went up some more. So over time, those are the problems from Obamacare. Now, there are some things that I think were good. It was people with preexisting conditions that couldn't get health insurance. They were able to get health insurance, which they desperately needed, needed help with their healthcare bills. So I think there's a few good things we can pull from there. Here's my issue is the right and the left, Republicans and Democrats need to come together and do the hard work to make those changes. But so far, both sides are unwilling to do it. And I'll tell you why. Stephen, you brought up that you're a registered independent. I applaud you for that. I myself have decided to take off the team Jerseys. And I just want to go right in the middle with what is best for America. And so it is frustrating to me that with my own party, by the way, that the Republicans have campaigned over and over again on fixing Obamacare, but yet have done nothing to do it. And, and I'm telling you, it's a major issue. I was very vocal back in the summer and the fall of 2025 about the tax credits expiring. They expired in January, and that affected tens of millions of Americans. It actually affected over 200,000 of my constituents in my, in my district. And our districts are made up of approximately 780,000 people. So that was a significant chunk of people in my district. I didn't vote for the tax credits to be put in place. However, I knew the damage it was going to cause to them once they expired, but yet they expired. Nothing was done. And so this is a continuing problem. It's not one of the hot topics that might get the clicks, but I'm telling you, it is affecting people's wallets every single day.
- [42:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, listen, I mean, one could easily argue that the Obama. Obamacare has not worked as effectively as the left would try to portray or had hoped. One could also make the argument, what the hell have the Republicans done about it? And that's what I'm saying. And that's what you're saying. So what I'm saying is, you know, when I look at it and I'm saying which is worse, somebody that tried to do something about it, but it hasn't been as effective as one would like, or is it folks on the other side that haven't done anything, they've had ample opportunity on the right to come up with a plan that was better than Obamacare, and it doesn't seem to have reached fruition. Is that a fair thing to say?
- [43:21]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I understand what you're saying. Here's what I'm saying. I'm pointing fingers at everybody because I served in Congress. And I'm telling you, the left and the right and all the arguing, that's the part that by, by my fifth year in Congress, I was like, this is no Wonder we're nearly $40 trillion in debt. No wonder. Guess what, Steven? Just in a few years, in 2032, and this would be something I bet your listeners will really care about. Social Security is going to be bankrupt. I'm not kidding you. Bankrupt. So when we say which side is better and which side is worse, both sides have screwed up, and both sides are going to have to come together and Figure out how to fix it. I'm 52 years old, and at the rate we're going, I probably won't see a Social Security check. And I know my kids, three of them who are in their 20s, they're never going to see a Social Security check. And so in our elderly people, my goodness, these people are barely making it on their pitiful little Social Security checks they get right now. So we have really big problems, much bigger than the UFC fight at the White House.
- [44:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Absolutely.
- [44:25]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Which was impressive, but we need people that want to fix problems for Americans.
- [44:31]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, I brought it up because I'm doing sports as my day job, and I knew he was trying to appear, and I thought that was something. I said. He's trying to be slick because that's something that could possibly work, but I don't think it will because our problems are just too deep for that to gloss over it. Marjorie Taylor Greene. I will say this, though. I will ask this question. Are you done with politics in light of everything?
- [44:50]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I mean, are you done right now? I'm doing a lot of complaining about politics, and I'm trying to share information that I learned in my experience there. I don't. I don't really believe in professional politicians. From what I've seen, professional politicians have really caused a lot of problems. And I believe in the American people who are successful every single day. And I want to share as much information with them as I can to engage them in trying to put pressure and their ideas and their successes to get involved, to hopefully all come together and fix the problems that we have.
- [45:29]
Stephen A. Smith
If Trump retired tomorrow, left office, who carries the America first movement forward in your estimation, at this particular moment in time?
- [45:40]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Stephen, do you really think Trump is going to retire?
- [45:42]
Stephen A. Smith
No, of course not. Of course not. I mean, I mean, I'm like, Fast forward to 2028. Is there a name that comes up? I'm talking about when you look at the future of the party, who do you see?
- [45:52]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I don't know. He might try to stay in there for.
- [45:54]
Stephen A. Smith
Yes, I believe he will. I believe he's going to try, Marjorie. I believe he's going to try.
- [45:59]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
He would like.
- [45:59]
Stephen A. Smith
Why is he.
- [46:00]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Why else is he building that big, beautiful ballroom? Stephen, you know, he wants to use that thing, and it's going to take a while to get it built. No, hopefully not. Oh, God help us. And all joking aside, I don't really know right now who that next presidential candidate is going to be that's going to capture America and earn that very special privilege. I think it's still a little too early to say.
- [46:27]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me ask you this on a personal level. What issue, specific issue do you feel vindicated on and what would you do over if you had an opportunity to do it over again?
- [46:40]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
I passed a bill on my last day in Congress that I'm very proud of. And it was issue that 70% of Americans were in agreement with. And this was to protect children under the age of 18. And it's not about their sexuality or anyone's being gay or whatever, but it was about protecting them from taking hormones or mastectomies or castration simply because 70% of Americans need kids, think kids just need to grow up before they ever engage in those type of medical treatments or make that somehow decision that no one can make when they're a child, whether they're a boy or a girl. And I'm a Christian, I believe strongly in God's creation that there's only two sexes, male and female. But I'll tell you something really great, Stephen. That bill passed on my last day in Congress not because of the Republican majority. There were four Republicans that actually voted against this bill, but it only passed because there were three Democrats that voted for it. Which was the most I will tell you, it's the most impressive thing I saw in my time being there, a big controversial issue, one that that had also dominated the 2024 campaign. But it was three Democrats that helped get it across the line.
- [48:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Marjorie Taylor Greene, I really appreciate your time. I could have talked to you for the next hour. There's abundance of more questions that I have, but I know your time is steep and so is mine. So thank you so much for coming on the the first time. Please know that you're welcome back to have a conversation anytime. Thank you so much.
- [48:16]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Thank you, Stephen. I'd love to come back. Have a great day.
- [48:18]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you so much. One and only, Marjorie Taylor Greene, former representative, 14th congressional district in Georgia. You know what? I know a lot of people wanted me to get oh, she did this, she did this, she did that with arguments that she had on Capitol Hill. She's done all of that. She's discussed all of that. Now the other questions that needed to be asked need to be answered. You heard her perspective and that's what I gave you. 866-967-6887 is the number of the club is 86696 POTUS. You're listening live for Straight Shooting with Stephen A. Back with hour number two in a minute.
- [48:53]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
In the US there's a break in every 26 seconds. But when intruders step near Simply safe home security steps up.
- [49:00]
Stephen A. Smith
Stop. This is simply safe. Police are on the Using AI alerts
- [49:05]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
US based live agents help deter break ins. Simplisafe. No long term contracts. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at SimpliSafe.com sxm or with
- [49:14]
Stephen A. Smith
promo code sxm outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active guard Outdoor protection plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information.
- [49:22]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Tennessee 2012 let's check in on the Serta counting sheep.
- [49:26]
Stephen A. Smith
Why aren't we counting anymore? Well, the all new Certa Perfect sleeper has the Q4 support system that helps relieve aches and back pain. Will never get counted again. Nope. Serta. We make the world's best mattress. This is being financed privately. It's a donation.
- [49:45]
Caller/Listener
I will fund it.
- [49:46]
Stephen A. Smith
Will you bring.
- [49:47]
Caller/Listener
You will fund it? Yeah.
- [49:48]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm not going to ask the government for money.
- [49:50]
Caller/Listener
I'll fund it.
- [49:50]
Stephen A. Smith
And of course nothing. I'll spend the whole thing myself.
- [49:53]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
It will do.
- [49:53]
Stephen A. Smith
A big beautiful room. We didn't ask for any tax money. We have no taxes. Taxpayer free. We have no taxpayer putting up 10 cents. The latest damn lie told by the President of the United States. Cost for the ballroom may reach $600 million. Half of which are to be paid by taxpayers. We were told it wouldn't cost taxpayers anything. It's going to cost us $300,000,000. $300,000,000. Three hundred million dollars. Let me be specific here. Private sources provided 293 million raised from corporate and individual Patriot donors. But the U.S. secret Service that's 155 million. That's taxpayer funded. The White House military office, that's 149 million taxpayer funded executive residents. That's $3 million taxpayer funded, ladies and gentlemen. That comes up to $302 million. $302 million. $302 million. You see, this is the kind of stuff that pisses people off. Do I think we could use a ballroom? Sure. I was at the White House correspondence dinner when the alleged shooter. When the shooter tried to penetrated the security and almost got through. Remember that? I was one of those people in attendance ducking under the table at the instructions of the Secret Service. I absolutely support us needing a ballroom at the White House. That events involving the President of the United States shouldn't be at some damn hotel in the city of D.C. should be at the White House. But $300 million. All this money you generating For Trump Enterprises. Trump cronies, friends, loved ones, all this money you generate, y' all can't come with $300 million of your own. You got to dig into the taxpayer pocket while you still got billions more than you had when you got in office.
- [52:07]
Caller/Listener
Damn.
- [52:11]
Stephen A. Smith
Our number two up next, in the
- [52:13]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
US there's a break in every 26 seconds. But when intruders step near Simplisafe, home security steps up.
- [52:19]
Stephen A. Smith
Stop. This is Simplisafe. Police are on the way.
- [52:23]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Using AI alerts, US based live agents help deter break ins. SimpliSafe no long term contracts. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at SimpliSafe.com sxm or with
- [52:33]
Stephen A. Smith
promo code sxm Outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active Guard Outdoor Protection plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information. Tennessee 2012.
- [52:42]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
And now the next chapter of the Serta counting sheep. Hey, uncle number one, why aren't we counting anymore?
- [52:48]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me tell you a story. Long ago, SERTA invented the perfect sleeper mattress. Oh, no. Oh, yes. It says the all new Serta Perfect sleeper with a Q4 support system has 4 in 1 perfectly interlinked coils that help relieve aches and back pain for perfect sleep night after night.
- [53:07]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
We'll never get counted again.
- [53:09]
Stephen A. Smith
Nope. Serta, we make the world's best mattress. Straight shooter with Stephen A. Why not stick around for the signing ceremony with this Iran peace deal? I might.
- [53:24]
Caller/Listener
You might? Yeah, I might.
- [53:25]
Stephen A. Smith
But I'd rather. This is a memorandum of understanding.
- [53:29]
Caller/Listener
It's very important.
- [53:30]
Stephen A. Smith
But it might not be the kind of a document that I should be sending. There's some element to this where you send the Vice president if it works out. Great. You look like a genius for sending him. And if it doesn't work out, it's the Vice President. I like that idea. Sure. This way, if it works out, I'm going to take the credit. If it doesn't work out, I'm blaming JD. You better be careful, jd. He's going to turn his plane around and get the hell out of here. Yeah, I like that idea. I think it's a good idea. Thank you very much, everybody.
- [54:02]
Caller/Listener
Thank you.
- [54:03]
Stephen A. Smith
If it were anybody else opening their mouth and saying that, you could absolutely, positively believe it's a joke. But since that is President Donald Trump's default position to accept, accept credit when everything goes right, or anything goes right, but point the finger of blame when things go wrong, you got to take him at his Word. You damn right, Katie Vance. If this ain't a good deal, then it's your fault. But if it is a good deal, it's my fault. It's my fault. I deserve the credit. Well, ain't you supposed to know that before you agree to the damn deal? I mean, what the hell? What the hell? This straight shooter was Stephen A. You know, I really wish he would debate me. I mean, you can't make this up. You really, really can't. It wasn't a war. You bombed Iran in June. You said it was done. You obliterated them. Then you come back and you bomb them again because they were less than a month away or 10 days away from building a nuclear. From having a nuclear weapon. So which was the truth in June or months later when you bombed in the second time? No new wars. We've been in a war for approximately 110 days. We can't afford to give TSA workers $2 billion for a month. But we could spend $2 billion a day on a war. Oh, that's budgeted. That's in the. That's in the defense budget. Really?
- [55:49]
Caller/Listener
What
- [55:52]
Stephen A. Smith
now we got a war out here and they're saying this is supposed to be resolved? Well, it cost us over $60 billion. Hella money cost of over $100 billion. We got a ballroom that's being built that's Gonna cost taxpayers $300 million. $307 million, to be exact. Not 302, like I said earlier. $307 million. But you can't pay for it, even though you've pocketed billions. Do you see the inherent indecency of this approach? See, this is what pisses me off. And I'm not just blaming Trump. I'm blaming the administration. I'm blaming elected officials. See, I'm not one that bloviates racist Nazis. Stop the nonsense. Stop all of that name calling. All that does is give the 77 million people that voted for him fodder to say, see, y' all are just as bad as us, if not worse. Don't buy into that. Stick with the facts. Stick with the facts. Trump himself, reportedly, as a businessman, has made over 5 billion in the year and a half that he's been back in office. If you calculate that, ladies and gentlemen, this man is going to make about 13 to 15 billion by the time he leaves office in 2013, in 2028, you can't pay $300 million. Do you see? When we're talking about stuff that is inherently vile, you're a representative On Capitol Hill, from Mike Johnson, who's been a guest on this show, who I like talking to on down. It could be the Jim Jordans of the world. It could be the Tim Cotton's of the world. It could be the Ted Cruz's of the world in the Senate and others. None of y' all gonna stand up and say, damn, you couldn't pay that $300 million out of your pocket. You got 5 billion. We don't know as the American public specifically, but y' all do. You know the man pocketed billions. You can't pay that out of your pocket. All these MAGA folks supporting you, all these people believing in you like a cult like figure, treating you like a cult like figure, bound to your every wind, marching lockstep with you. There's nothing inside of you, President Trump, that says, yo, I did make a few billion dollars. I can afford to pay this 300 million myself. We know you're going to put it in your name anyway. You, the Kennedy said, ain't that got your name on it? I just drove past there a few weeks ago, saw your photo on there. You, you, you making billions. You can't afford to pay $300 million. When people's cost of living is elevated. Oil, gas, food, rent, mortgages, everything, you can't afford to pay it yourself. Your boys with the money. Elon Musk is a trillionaire. Him overseeing doge and cutting fraud and ingratiating himself with elected officials on Capitol Hill, beholden to you did not assist in him becoming a trillionaire in some way. Y' all can't pay $300 million. It's a freaking penny to y'. All. This is the evilness, this right here. Because let me tell you something. One thing Donald Trump knows how to do is make some money. Another thing he knows how to do is help folks that he like make some money. Big, beautiful bill. We ain't gonna even get started with how that's facilitated so much of this happening. We'll leave that alone for now. Here's the one thing that I would say, here's the inherent difference between one who is decent and one who is not. Let me put myself on Front street, ladies and gentlemen. If I had $6 billion and I wanted a ballroom, I wouldn't charge taxpayers. I'd pay for it myself. If I got 5, 6 billion, I can afford 300 million. And the fact that I'm in the presidency, in the White House, yet still allowed to conduct business in a fashion that funnels billions of dollars into my private Pocket. Even though I'm supposed to be a public servant, I would have the decency to say, I'll pay for it myself. I'll pay for it. My, This is the kind of stuff that pisses me off. He got the money, his family got the money. His enterprise has the money, his cronies have the money. But you come into the American citizen whose lives you're trying to make better by making sure they pay more of it. It's a damn shame I ain't getting the politics and policy. I'm talking about a 300 million dollar ballroom cost to the American taxpayer. How in God's name can that be justified? You can afford it, pay for it. Don't give me that crap about it's the people's house. You built it. You decided to build it. 8669-676887-86696. POTUS. Y' all some trifling ass people on Capitol Hill. Seriously. Supposed to stop this? Seriously. Joe in New York, the live of Stephen, a straight shooter. What's up?
- [62:41]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, Stephen, I'd like to congratulate you for being the latest black person to be called low IQ by President Trump. And it's a, it's a quite a long and distinguished list of people.
- [62:58]
Stephen A. Smith
Joe, Joe, Joe, I'll let you go on, but hold on. Just because he did that, I'm not going to let you do that. There's plenty of white people he called low IQ too. I'm not going to fall for that. I'm not saying you're trying to. You're not doing anything wrong, Joe, and you're not inaccurate. There are an abundance of black people he accused of having low iq, but he's also accused a lot of white people of having low IQ as well. Let's not use that as a, as a reason and cause to engage in the racial dynamics of a situation. I'm not taking it that way. Donald Trump. I don't think that Donald Trump does this to black people and not this to white people. I think Donald Trump does anything to anybody who is anti Trump. He don't give a damn what color, ethnicity, race or group you associate with. He could care less. If you are not pro Trump, you are his enemy and he treats you like it. That is what I believe. Go ahead.
- [63:59]
Caller/Listener
I get it. I get it. Okay. But speaking of, you know, low iq, I mean, a lot of people think Donald Trump is kind of low IQ and stupid. As a matter of fact, his former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called him an effing moron.
- [64:19]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm not gonna get caught up in that, because I've seen. First of all, I used to talk to him for years before he was ever running for president, for folks didn't call it stupid then when he was on Oprah Winfrey's show and he was friends with Whoopi Goldberg and others, people weren't calling him dumb then. A matter of fact, people was asking him if he would ever run for office because they thought he was smart and they thought he was bright, because in all likelihood, he probably was at the end of the day. He's older now. He's 80 years of age. He might have lost his fastball. He might have lost his step. We don't have to get into all of that. That feeds right into their hands, Joe. You don't have to do that, because they could easily debunk that, you know, with plausible deniabilities. We spend too much energy fighting futile fights. Let's focus on substantive stuff that we can definitively prove that will work to an advantage of anybody who is opposite him as opposed to engaging in such frivolous nonsense.
- [65:24]
Caller/Listener
Can I make one last point?
- [65:26]
Stephen A. Smith
Hurry up. Go ahead.
- [65:28]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, okay. Yeah. You think somebody who graduated from the Wharton School of Finance would know that you can't lower the price of something below 100%? I just want to say that maybe somebody should ask to see his college transcript.
- [65:42]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay? And I'm asking you this question. Tell me, sister. See, now you piss me off. I'll ask you this question, Joe. What the hell is that going to accomplish? He's the president. Could you think of something that's actually going to affect his presidency? What is that going to do? All that's going to do is make you feel good. It's almost like a child. You get to say, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. See, I got your transcript. What the fuck does that mean? It doesn't mean anything, Joe. Excuse my cursing. I apologize for that, but I'm pissed. It makes no sense. It's childish. It accomplishes nothing. Come to me with an idea that accomplishes something, and I'll listen. Have a nice evening. Frank in Rhode Island. Go ahead.
- [66:31]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Hello.
- [66:33]
Stephen A. Smith
How are you?
- [66:33]
Caller/Listener
I love your show. I just started listening to it.
- [66:36]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you.
- [66:38]
Caller/Listener
I. I took a lot of notes, but. Well, I'm just. I'm just gonna compare the car show in the front. I really love that one. But the MMA fight.
- [66:55]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, go ahead.
- [66:56]
Caller/Listener
That was like a Coliseum and seizure, you know, teaser.
- [67:02]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, all right, all right. You know the. The King, and he wanted to look like a king and. Okay, fine. And, yeah, he's thinking it's going to appeal. It's going to appeal to young voters and it might. Might not be enough, but it might.
- [67:20]
Caller/Listener
Absolutely. I agree with you.
- [67:23]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [67:25]
Caller/Listener
Appreciate. The army I served in doesn't exist anymore. Okay, thank you, Stephen.
- [67:32]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you so much. Scott, North Carolina, Go ahead.
- [67:37]
Caller/Listener
Hi. Thanks for taking my call, Stephen. Good. I just wanted to point out a few things. Not going to get into what, Margie Taylor Green's time in office and what she said and done. But I would, however, like to kind of squash this. Yeah. She might have been on the phone with Trump and he said it could hurt her friend or his friends. You know, it hurts. Out of the millions of pages of documents, it has hurt a lot of people that had nothing to do illegally, and it smears their name as to be associated with.
- [68:18]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, so are you a proponent of, Of. Of keeping the Epstein files under lock and key, not divulging all the Epstein files? Are you a proponent of that?
- [68:29]
Caller/Listener
No, I want it all divulged. However, I would like that to be. You know, you should be able to defend yourself and.
- [68:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, of course, I mean, I mean, once it's divulged, of course, you'll have to defend yourself.
- [68:46]
Caller/Listener
Right. And I just think that that was probably where he was going at the fact that, you know, just because you're named in it, you could have just been the name in his book or.
- [68:59]
Stephen A. Smith
You don't get to say that. You know why you don't get to say that, Scott? Because he campaigned on releasing the files. Had he not campaigned on releasing the files, but you were just a representative on Capitol Hill who insisted upon him releasing the files and you pushed for it, that would be different. But when you campaigned on it and you convinced your followers, your constituents that this is what you were going to do the second you got an opportunity to do it. And the head of the DOJ and Pam Bondi says, I've got the stuff on my desk, I'm about to release them. And then suddenly it didn't happen. Nah, bro, you don't get to make that argument, Scott. You ain't doing that on this show. That happened. You're not doing that. You better try something else. That's not happening.
- [69:45]
Caller/Listener
You're right. I, I just wanted to make one more point.
- [69:50]
Stephen A. Smith
Why should I?
- [69:50]
Caller/Listener
Let the UFC.
- [69:51]
Stephen A. Smith
Hurry up. Go ahead.
- [69:53]
Caller/Listener
The U.S. the UFC event, I, I feel was very popular and very good.
- [69:58]
Stephen A. Smith
It was.
- [69:59]
Caller/Listener
But the alternative, the alternative that, like Britain, Midler and And all them singing again, that just ruined the, you know. Okay, I feel like.
- [70:12]
Stephen A. Smith
All right, all right, Goodbye. Have a nice day. Scott, you're saying nothing. You're saying nothing. I mean, I mean, I don't even know what you're talking about, to be quite honest with you. It was a spectacular event. It was ruined by the one asshole who was fighting in the Octagon who called, who said that Michelle Obama was a man. And I keep forgetting his name. John. I keep forgetting his last name. I apologize. I got brain lock here for a second. But it was inexcusable. John Hockett. H O K I T. That was an incredibly disparaging remark about one of the greatest first ladies, if not the greatest first lady we have seen. It was a disgusting thing to say. It was inexcusable when he said it. Trump smiled. It was denounced, thank God, by Dana White, the president and CEO of the ufc. Let's hear what he had to say. I understand that the Obamas are public figures, but I'm completely against saying nasty and false things about people's families. Everyone knows my position on free speech, but I hate that kind of nonsense. Thank goodness he said that. And thank goodness other officials spoke out against the Senator of Warnock out of Georgia. He spoke out against it along with various others. This is some disgusting stuff. And this is associated with the right when stuff like this happens. And it's not to say that the left doesn't engage in its own incendiary rhetoric and stuff like that. That's not how I roll. But this should immediately been denounced by the President. But he doesn't do that enough. And that's the problem. He comes across as an individual that emboldens. I'm not accusing him of doing what John Hockett did, Josh Hockett did. I'm saying that you denounced that immediately. They should have escorted his ass out of there. And the President should have said, there's no excuse for that. And the president should have followed up with his own statement as opposed to leaving it to Dana White. It was on the White House grounds. It was on the South Lawn. But this is the same president that liked the photo of the Obamas depicted as apes months ago. And then you wonder why people associate the word racist with him. I'm not calling him that. I'm saying when you allow shit like that to happen, that's what ultimately stains you. Just like I've said repeatedly, the 77 million plus people voted for this man respected. He's the President of the United States. I would also tell you that Barack Obama is a contemporary. He served two terms as president of the United States of America, and he deserves better than that. And his wonderful, marvelous, brilliant, intelligent and, yes, attractive wife. Because I got news for a lot of y' all out there, she's attractive to a lot of us. We damn sure don't know she. We damn sure know she don't look like no man to us. This marvelous, intelligent, accomplished woman. And you talk about her like that, it's inexcusable. And the president should have spoke up and said so. But because he doesn't, it's stuff like this that people remember and hold on to, which diverts them away from focusing on his policies and whether they work or not because they're so disgusted by the vile behavior he either initiates, emboldens or cosigns. Simple and plain. 866-967-6887. That's 86696. POTUS mortis. Straight shooter with Stephen A. Coming your way in a minute. Don't go away. I guess one of the things that I try to do and I'm always, you know, all of us are always learning, you know, you said you were a lapsed Catholic. I'm a bad Catholic. I think all of us, that's why we need grace as Christians, is because we recognize that there are certain things we gotta work on. But here's what I'd say about that. So did that comment actually shed light on something and start a discussion, or did it just close people down? And when I make a comment that just closes people down instead of trying to appreciate the point that I make, that's a mistake.
- [74:43]
Caller/Listener
Right.
- [74:43]
Stephen A. Smith
And that's on me to do better. Can I ask, the point that I'd say on that, Joy, is I do think in a very subtle sometimes, sometimes in a more profound way, I think our country has become more anti family and more anti child. 29 minutes past hour number two back here on straight shooting with yours truly, Stephen A. 866-967-6887. That's 86696, POTUS. You're listening live to Steve Mace. STEPHEN A. On Straight shooter. Listen, that's J.D. vance on the View yesterday. Actually did a good job, no doubt about that. And I'm not going to critique the Iran deal because there may be some good points in it that, you know, realize as of yet. We got to be careful. And we don't want to judge unfairly. We just don't want to do that. That gets us nowhere. We Want to be as fair minded as we possibly can be, you know. But I don't like what I'm seeing. I don't like when affordability issues. Affordability is still an. And wars that weren't supposed to happen are happening. And it's costing us over $113 billion. And TSA workers can't get $2 billion over a month. But Trump cronies, families, enterprises, and all of that other stuff pocket in dollars. I'm real serious when I say you can pay $300 million. My taxpayers got to pay. About that. Just like with the slush fund that was supposed to be for $1.8 billion that he tried to get going. Why are you asking the taxpayers for those dollars? Why don't you pay it? You can afford it. You can afford it. Why don't you pay it? That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. Kyle in South Carolina, talk to me. What's South Carolina, what's up?
- [76:45]
Caller/Listener
Can you hear me, Stephen?
- [76:46]
Stephen A. Smith
Yes, I got you now. Go ahead.
- [76:48]
Caller/Listener
Congrats on the Knicks win this week.
- [76:50]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you so much, my man. It was special. Thank you.
- [76:54]
Caller/Listener
I hear you say, when you say you do not want to be on the debate stage in 28 because of your finances.
- [77:01]
Stephen A. Smith
I didn't say I don't want to be. I said I would love to be, but I can't. I would be pulled off immediately. That's right.
- [77:08]
Caller/Listener
Would you. Would you host a debate and make the candidates answer the damn questions the way that they're asked?
- [77:12]
Stephen A. Smith
I've asked. I will divulge a secret to you. I have asked. I've asked to be considered to host the presidential debates for 2028. Yes, I have. I'm not going to tell you who, but I've asked. Yes, I have. I've put in the request. It would be a challenge because folks are gonna filibuster, they're gonna equivocate, they're gonna do a lot of different things to avoid answering the questions as sharply as they possibly can. And then I'm gonna raise my voice. Cause I might scream on somebody, but I know I can't do that in that seat. I could do it in the debate on the debate stage. I can't do it in the moderator seat. That would be the problem, Kyle. But I would try.
- [77:54]
Caller/Listener
I understand.
- [77:55]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you, man. Appreciate it. Ken in California, you're live with Straight shooting with Stephen A. Good afternoon, Ken. How are you?
- [78:02]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Steve. Can you hear me, Steve? Yes, I can. I just got the one that I want to say, I want us to say that you just don't like Trump. I mean, because the things that you say is some of the things that pretty much got Charlie Kirk killed, the rhetoric, the untruthfulness of some of the things that you're spilling out.
- [78:23]
Stephen A. Smith
What is the intro? What is the untruthfulness?
- [78:26]
Caller/Listener
Okay, first of all, when you talk about the ballroom, the ballroom had to be voted on by the, by the, by the Congress.
- [78:33]
Stephen A. Smith
Did I say. Hold on. I didn't question whether it had to be voted on or not. What I said was taxpayers shouldn't have to pay $300 million. And I put it up on the big screen, if you could see it. And I read out what it would cost taxpayers, what was donated by private firms and what the taxpayer funded portion would be. I didn't lie about a damn thing. U.S. secret Service, White House military office executive residents, according to the researchers here at Sirius xm, according to public records and what have you, that's the number it comes to, which is $307 million that would be assigned to taxpayers. I didn't lie.
- [79:12]
Caller/Listener
Okay, but it has not, it has not been influential. It has not been.
- [79:17]
Stephen A. Smith
Time out, time out. I didn't say that it was. I, I said it shouldn't happen. I said it shouldn't even be presented. Why can't you pay it? That's what I said. See how you tried to twist that? I didn't say that. I said, why don't you pay it? Stop, stop right there. That's that bullshit. That's the stuff that people do in trolling on social media. When it sounds like, when it seems like, what did I say? I said taxpayers should not have to pay. You got the money, you pay it. That's all I said. I didn't say. What you trying, what you said. Well, it sounds like. Don't give me that shit. I didn't say that. Quote me, don't interpret it. I'm on a national airways, bruh. Ain't nobody backing up. I said what I said don't make it up. Don't make it up.
- [80:21]
Caller/Listener
And I know I'm not making it up.
- [80:24]
Stephen A. Smith
You said I said it.
- [80:25]
Caller/Listener
Nothing got voted on.
- [80:26]
Stephen A. Smith
That's not the point. That's not the point. I'm saying, I'm saying, wait a minute. If you present a plan to me that I believe you should be paying for instead of me and I'm going off about the plan that you're presenting for me to pay, so saying you should pay it that's my complaint. It's not saying it's official that the taxpayers are going to do this. I'm saying it should have never been presented.
- [80:53]
Caller/Listener
But, Stephen, it's just all talk. You talk like it is the truth. It's all out there.
- [80:58]
Stephen A. Smith
That it is.
- [80:58]
Caller/Listener
It's the truth.
- [80:59]
Stephen A. Smith
It's the truth. It's the truth. It's the truth that has been presented. Yes or no?
- [81:03]
Caller/Listener
It's not the truth.
- [81:05]
Stephen A. Smith
It has not been presented. So we made that up. We made that up. So, so, so, so in other words. So in other words, it's not. It hasn't represented. It has. It's not being present. It's not being promoted. All a. Shut up. I'm talking. It has not been presented that the American taxpayer is going to be on the hook for $307 million if this goes through. It hasn't been the Wall Street Journal. Get the hell out of here and don't call back. I won't miss your dumb ass because you ain't listening. SiriusXM executives, I'd love to apologize. I'm not apologizing. Fire me. I don't got time for assholes like him. I don't have time. It sounds like it seems like it's all over the news. They're reporting, this is what he wants done. That's what they're doing now. Whether he succeeds or not, it remains to be seen. Why are you presenting it? You got the money, you do it. That's my point. You just want to call up and be an ass because you support them. I don't like the behavior of the President. I don't like the grifting. I don't like none of that. But let me be fair minded. You know some news reports that he's going after Gavin Newsom in the state of California. Ladies and gentlemen, the investigation against Gavin Newsom was going on before Trump got to office. Now, could he possibly be behind the scene nudging the Justice Department, the Feds and whomever to press things against Gavin Newsom? Sure. But factually speaking, these issues that Gavin Newsom was dealing with in the state of California was being probed and investigated before Trump returned to office. See, I'm fair minded, but people like Ken, because he supports it, he can't listen to what I'm saying. Oh, what's the agenda behind it? And gonna compare me to Charlie Kirk? I'm saying stuff that Charlie Kirk said that is ridiculous. That's asinine. That's the dumbest stuff you could have possibly Said it's a different breed. Sirius XM is welcome to move in a different direction if they want to. From me. This is me. I will curse your ass out. I will hang up on you in a nanosecond. The second you try to come with, oh, it seems like. Or it sounded like. I can't stand that. Because that's. That's an argument that's impenetrable. You can't defend yourself against innuendo like that. But what you can do is hang up on somebody and say, that ain't gonna happen on my radio show. They are welcome to give it to somebody else if they don't like my style. I ain't changing Ken from California. I will remember his ass. You call back up here with that nonsense again, I'm gonna hang up on your ass again. And I'm not gonna give two. Two pieces about it. I could give a damn. Chris in Virginia, what's up?
- [84:30]
Caller/Listener
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
- [84:32]
Stephen A. Smith
What up, bro?
- [84:33]
Caller/Listener
Talk to me, man. You something. You something. You something else, brother.
- [84:37]
Stephen A. Smith
N. I don't like that, Chris. I don't like. Don't tell me what it sound like. That's just. It's the weakest argument in the world. Will it sound like. Will it seem like that's what they do on social media and YouTube when they trying to create clicks? Don't tell me what it sound like. Did I say it or not?
- [84:54]
Caller/Listener
No, you didn't look greasy saying that you don't like Trump, and otherwise they. They be like, you love Trump. You know what I'm saying?
- [85:01]
Stephen A. Smith
There you go. There you go.
- [85:05]
Caller/Listener
But look here, man, I had three things I wanted to just put out there. Go ahead with. First. First one being Kamala Harris. We pretty much know. Well, we can say pretty much that she would not have started the war because she told everybody during the debate with Trump what he was going to do and everything she said he's doing, including starting this war.
- [85:30]
Stephen A. Smith
But my issue with her, Chris, is that she's acting like we didn't know.
- [85:34]
Caller/Listener
We knew that well, well, at that time.
- [85:39]
Stephen A. Smith
Listen, Chris, me and you, right? Because I'm unapologetic about the fact that I didn't want him in office. What I'm saying to you, though, is this. We knew what he was saying, and it wasn't going to be consistent with what he did. But the point is, we were telling her, and she was too busy trying to be loyal to Biden instead of going at them. That's my point. That's what's disgusting.
- [86:11]
Caller/Listener
My Second thing is, that White House event, that White House event was a spectacle to me. It brought down the actual heritage and the actual. The White House itself, what the presidency is all about. It's not a sideshow, you know what I'm saying? It's none of that. And that's the problem with this, man.
- [86:30]
Stephen A. Smith
You're entitled to your feelings. It didn't bother me. It really didn't bother me. It really, really didn't. It was an event. It was a once in a lifetime event. We ain't seen the White House area looked like that. I thought the UFC did an incredible job with its production or whatever, and a lot of people came out there and was supportive of it. I didn't take it that way. Chris, in all honesty, I'm not knocking you forward, bro. You got your right to do so. It didn't bother me.
- [86:53]
Caller/Listener
To me, like I said, it did cost the taxpayers money. And we got so much other stuff going on right now. We don't need any extra money going anywhere.
- [87:03]
Stephen A. Smith
I agree with that.
- [87:04]
Caller/Listener
Just me.
- [87:05]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, the production cost of $60 million was completely picked up by the UFC. I think it cost because I think security. They said security and stuff like that came up to about 2.5 million, something like that.
- [87:17]
Caller/Listener
See what I'm saying now, as far as MTG now, I mean, Marcel Green, I guess she's doing what she's doing. I take my hat off to her because of what she said. I got two things with her situation is Affordable Health Care act did open up to contrary to what she said, or the open competition to allow for more insurers to come in and bring the prices down low. And just the opposite of what she said.
- [87:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, wait a minute. It might have been the opposite of what she said in other areas, but not her own. She was speaking about her own personal experience. That's the only caveat that I would throw there. I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just saying she may not have been wrong about what she experienced. That's all I'm saying.
- [88:01]
Caller/Listener
I'm looking at, say, a. A person of Michael Smerconage's, you know, level, which he said that was a good thing for him. So, okay, I'm thinking those pockets probably about close or. Or he probably even more so.
- [88:17]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you, Chris. I got you, Chris. I gotta go. But I get your point, man. I get your point. You gotta put a point there. No doubt about that. Josh in Michigan, you're live with Stephen A. What's up, Josh?
- [88:30]
Caller/Listener
Hey, my man, how are you doing? I loved, I loved your last take with the dude that would just not stop talking about how much he loved to just hug Trump. My man. So I appreciate you keeping it real.
- [88:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Appreciate it, man.
- [88:43]
Caller/Listener
I called, I called up about what, what Marjorie Taylor Greene said about not taking the jersey, I mean, taking the jersey off. And my, my main critique, I guess, of the Republican Party is that it seems like they don't take off the jerseys enough. Like, it seems like even some of the really extreme Democrats can sometimes take off the jerseys and try to work with the Republicans. But currently, the Republicans in office don't even want to work with the Democrats half the time. And when they do, they go back on their word.
- [89:14]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, first of all, both sides could be easily accused of doing so like that. It is a mess on Capitol Hill. That's number one. Number two, again, if the man holds dominion over the party and then he goes and he influences elections in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky. I forget where else. If he's doing it and he can get you up out of there and your job is to keep it going, what you gonna do? Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned primary Senator Cornyn in Texas, Massie in Kentucky, Secretary of State in Georgia, Raffensperger Cassidy in Louisiana, Nancy Mace in South Carolina. I mean, these people were primaried because of Trump. So what I'm saying to you is that if you got as wrong, as annoying as it may be to all of us, and I'm with you, if their attitude is to outlast a man so they could get back to some level of core decency once 2028 rolls around, that's what they're doing. And whether we like it or not, those are politicians. That happens.
- [90:32]
Caller/Listener
Mm.
- [90:33]
Stephen A. Smith
There's no way around it.
- [90:34]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. No, you're true. You're right.
- [90:37]
Stephen A. Smith
And so that's all. I mean, you got people interested in keeping their job than doing their job. That's what we got to deal with. So I appreciate the. I appreciate the call, man. Thanks a lot, Josh. 866-967-6887. That's 86696, POTUS. Back with your calls to close out the show A minute.
- [90:59]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Simone.
- [91:00]
Stephen A. Smith
Joy here, Maryland resident. I've spent nearly three decades inside America's nonprofits, and I literally wrote the book on it. Here's what most Americans don't know. Nonprofits are the third largest workforce in this country, nearly 13 million people. Bigot in manufacturing. We operate two thirds of America's hospitals. We provide much more of the food assistance, youth services, housing, support, and emergency relief communities depend on every day. But the people carrying America's charities, underpaid, burned out and largely invisible. This nation celebrates the mission, applauds the impact, and attends the gala. Then it forgets the workforce, making it all possible. The work is sacred. The system is not. It's time America saw the people carrying it. That's about right. That's right. Work is sacred. Workers are not laborers or not. Unfortunately, that's been the way of the world for quite a long time. No doubt about it. Voicemail left@siriusxm.com getserius that's siriusxm.com getserious thanks to that person that left the voicemail. Really, really appreciate it. Let's go back to the calls. Let's go to call in Connecticut. July. Stephen A. What's up?
- [92:14]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Stephen A. Thanks so much. Few shows I can listen to where I say, hey, I agree one second and two seconds later I say, what? What? You know, wtf?
- [92:26]
Stephen A. Smith
Really appreciate it. No problem.
- [92:29]
Caller/Listener
It's just a little, little like not in a position to like, really opine definitely on this, but you seem to like, back away in terms of calling Trump a racist. You're in a much better position to make that call than I am.
- [92:49]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't think it's something that we should be doing to most people. I think we should tell what they do and leave it at that. Because when you engage in name calling, you basically put somebody in a position where they have plausible deniability. It's not the same as me being a host, somebody getting on my damn nerves. And in the moment I'm going off, you know, when you sit up there and you look at somebody's body of work, just highlight their body of work. It speaks for itself.
- [93:15]
Caller/Listener
Right? And you know what? And thinking about it, I agree with you. He's not what he is is a bully. And he's going to, in his own head. He is going to pick on in his own head what he thinks is a weakness of people that he really admires. And that's the thing. He can't stand the fact. He can't stand like he went on the world stage today and said that the Iranians laughed at Obama and called him a stupid sob when at the end of all of this craziness we've gone through over the last couple of months, we're going to come out far, far less than what was negotiated under the Obama administration.
- [93:56]
Stephen A. Smith
It certainly appears that way. It certainly appears that way.
- [94:00]
Caller/Listener
And so I, you know, I just, my view is, I When I called it, I was going to react to that, but I think really he's just. What he reacts to is he can't. He cannot. He's, he's, he's got an inferior. He has an inferiority complex. I can't even get the word out of my neck, out of mouth. And he's just got to lash out and find whatever he thinks is got you something that he
- [94:33]
Stephen A. Smith
about right. Appreciate the cold call. Thank you so much. You're about right Ain't gonna deny Seems about right. George in Florida, you're live with Stephen A. What's up, George?
- [94:42]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Stephen, you're doing a very nice job on this political show. You know, I'm a former ESPN employee. I met you at one of the upfronts years ago. Okay. And the transition that you've made into what I'll call non sports programming has been quite astounding. I enjoyed the show a lot.
- [95:01]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Go ahead.
- [95:04]
Caller/Listener
I want to just make clear I don't think that J.D. vance has any credibility with me.
- [95:10]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [95:12]
Caller/Listener
I listened to the man. I think. I think he was brought on Trump's ticket to balance out the ticket. You had Trump, who's an ignorant grifter who's never read a book, and you've got J.D. vance, who wrote a phony book about his background.
- [95:31]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me stop you right there. I'm gonna let you go on after I finish. That's the kind of stuff I want to get away from. George, do you know why? It's definitely hyperbolic to say Trump has never read a book and you don't know whether J.D. van's book is phony or not. It's easy to deny in terms of the assertions you're making. That's what I'm trying to get away from. If somebody gifts wrap you 10 different damn facts, why would you go to two involving innuendo when the facts are right there in front of your face? You, you don't have to do that. You don't know whether or not Trump read a book before. You don't know.
- [96:20]
Caller/Listener
I respect your perspective, but the man has a limited vocabulary for someone who graduated Wharton.
- [96:29]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, that's more. That's more. That's more of a. Of a statement. See, you can sit up there because you can point to his vocabulary and you could say this. He has a limited vocabulary, blah, blah, blah. Okay, that's fine. But you don't know whether you read a book or not. That's all I'm trying to say. I'm trying to get people lock in and zero in on when you say something, make it count. That's all.
- [96:49]
Caller/Listener
Fair enough and I appreciate the opportunity and I'll land the plane for you. Many people who grew up with JD Vance refute his version that was portrayed in that fictional account.
- [97:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Thank you. That makes sense. That works for me. That's what I'm talking about. Thank you so much. Kendall in South Carolina, you're live with Stephen A. Go ahead.
- [97:14]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. If I remember right, I heard that for some reason on the ballroom, the federal government has to pay for the security part of it, which is the 300/whatever million dollars.
- [97:27]
Stephen A. Smith
Put that back up on the full screen so I can read it to the caller here. Kendall, so I can make sure that we know that. Again, Kendall, let me make sure we got that right. $155 million for the U.S. secret Service White House Military Office at 149 million. Executive residence is at 3 million. Those are the three categories. If, if this goes through, that would have to be paid for by the taxpayers.
- [97:53]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. For some reason the government is, has to pay for that. It can't be privately funded.
- [97:59]
Stephen A. Smith
Doesn't make sense to me.
- [98:03]
Caller/Listener
Lots of things don't make sense in the government.
- [98:06]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, there you go. This is, this is what it is. Appreciate it, Kendall. Thanks for the call. Ron in Ohio, you're live with Stephen A. What's up?
- [98:17]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Stephen, glad to hear from you.
- [98:21]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm hearing from you, but go ahead. Thank you for calling. What's up?
- [98:25]
Caller/Listener
Okay, I'm on to put politics and sports together.
- [98:29]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [98:30]
Caller/Listener
You know, you, you're about the ballroom. This and that. And I have the Haslams now moving to Brown Stadium and my taxpayer money is going to a sports that are billionaires. Why do I need to pay that?
- [98:47]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, I didn't say you did. That has to be voted on by city officials. That has to be voted on by city officials. But I guess their argument would be, whereas you're out there being a hard working American citizen, working and paying your taxes every day and you get nothing out of it. This is entertainment. And so when you go to a stadium or an arena to enjoy the experience of the world of sports, that's what comes with it. And in order to, to, you know, to have that experience, this is what it requires and you're willing to pay for it. It's almost like saying you walk into a stadium and guess what? I'm going to pay, you know, $500 for two seats to a football game. Well, you don't have to do it. But if you choose to do it, that's the price and you choose to pay it or you don't. Whereas with the government, whereas with the government, you don't get to choose. They take it.
- [99:47]
Caller/Listener
Well, they took my money out of Cuyahoga county automatically to give billionaires funding that they could pay for themselves. Fair. Why should I have to pay?
- [100:01]
Stephen A. Smith
I didn't say you did. I'm not disagreeing. I'm not disagreeing with you.
- [100:07]
Caller/Listener
Me.
- [100:08]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you, Ron. I hear your frustration loud and clear. Appreciate you. Carol in New Jersey, you're live with Stephen A. Go ahead, Carol.
- [100:16]
Caller/Listener
Hi, Stephen A. Hi there.
- [100:18]
Stephen A. Smith
We got, we only got 90 seconds, Carol. Go ahead.
- [100:21]
Caller/Listener
Okay, first of all, you're so even keeled, we really do need you to run for political office. Hopefully you will consider it.
- [100:28]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, I wasn't even killed a few minutes ago. He deserved it though. But I wasn't even killed a few minutes ago.
- [100:33]
Caller/Listener
But you're, you're very thoughtful in what you're saying and you're not wrong.
- [100:37]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
The second thing, which is very important to everybody. When are you back on General Hospital?
- [100:42]
Caller/Listener
Because you're amazing.
- [100:45]
Stephen A. Smith
I taped the scene.
- [100:45]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
You're like my favorite.
- [100:47]
Stephen A. Smith
I taped the scenes a couple of weeks ago and I'm going to be back on General Hospital in the second week of July to be exact. I'm going to be back in the second week of July. That's what I have been told. That's what a matter of fact, I have the dates right here for you, Carol. I'm going to be, I'm going to be back on General Hospital Friday, July 17, Monday, July 20 and Tuesday, July 21.
- [101:20]
Caller/Listener
Nice. I want you there all the time. I really wish you would be on more, but you got a lot of things going on. Yes, but I'm, I'm very pro brick, so keep up the great work on all your.
- [101:32]
Stephen A. Smith
I appreciate you. I appreciate you being pro brick. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Carol. You made my night. It's appropriate for me to end the show on that note rather than thinking about Ken in California and his trifling self got on my damn nerves. But he's a listener and I do appreciate his support of the show. But he deserved what I gave to no matter what anybody thinks. Anyway, that's it for this edition of Straight Shooter with yours truly, Stephen A. Look, we start off the show by talking about Trump's approval rating is dipped 18 to 29 with men to only 28% and it was once at 49%. I don't hate anybody, but I do hate to see some of the things that I've been seeing when I read about something where proposals are being put forth that ultimately could cost taxpayers over $307 million and you making billions. Why we gotta fit that? Why we gotta get that? Why that stuff gotta happen to us? A war that's cost $113 billion. I'm worried about that coming back to the taxpayer. What do you want me to say? That's it for this edition of Street Straight Shoot. I'll be back next Wednesday night, 6 to 8pm Eastern Standard Time. Until then, peace of love, everybody. STEPHEN A. Signing off.
- [102:55]
Marjorie Taylor Greene
In the US there's a break in every 26 seconds. But when intruders step near Simplisafe, home security steps up.
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Stephen A. Smith
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Marjorie Taylor Greene
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Stephen A. Smith
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