"Cult Following" - Stephen A. Smith May Vote For Trump?
Summary
TLDRThe transcript presents a dynamic conversation discussing the political landscape, focusing on the strategies and perceived effectiveness of both Democrats and Republicans. It touches on the divisive nature of Trump's presidency, the Biden administration's challenges, and the evolving support for Trump among various demographics. The discussion also highlights the impact of media portrayal on public perception and the importance of unity in America. The speaker grapples with his personal political beliefs, reflecting on the need for a more competitive and unifying approach from both parties.
Takeaways
- 🤔 The speaker expresses confusion and skepticism about the Democratic Party's strategy, questioning whether they believe their approach will be successful in the future elections.
- 📈 The transcript mentions a shift in support for Trump among various demographic groups, such as Hispanics and African Americans, which contradicts some common narratives.
- 🚀 The speaker criticizes the Democratic Party for lacking a competitive fervor and for not presenting a strong alternative to the incumbent president, despite having had time to prepare since 2016.
- 🌪️ The conversation highlights the divisive nature of political rhetoric and its impact on public perception, with the speaker emphasizing the importance of unity in America.
- 🔥 The speaker discusses the challenges of discerning truth in a media landscape where the same information can be presented with different spins by different outlets.
- 🏛️ The transcript touches on the issue of economic policies and the impact of political decisions on the general public, including the handling of unemployment and inflation.
- 🌎 The conversation includes a discussion on international relations and national security, with references to the situations in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
- 🎙️ The speaker shares personal reflections on the responsibility of public figures and the media in shaping public opinion and the importance of being informed and critical consumers of news.
- 🏆 The transcript includes a comparison between political campaigns and sports, highlighting the need for strategic planning and understanding the audience's desires.
- 💡 The speaker emphasizes the value of free speech and the dangers of propaganda, advocating for vigilance and critical thinking in the face of potential manipulation.
- 🤝 The conversation concludes with a call for unity and understanding, recognizing the diversity of opinions and the need for constructive dialogue in politics.
Q & A
What is the main concern expressed by the speaker about the Democratic Party's strategy?
-The speaker is concerned that the Democratic Party is too focused on undermining the actions of the former president, Trump, and is not considering the effectiveness of this strategy. They believe the Democrats are convinced their approach will work in future elections but questions whether they have fully thought through the long-term consequences.
What does the speaker suggest about the support for Trump?
-The speaker suggests that Trump has a strong, almost cult-like following, and this devotion is not going away. They also point out that Trump's support is diversifying, with more Hispanics and Black people supporting him according to polls, despite various controversies and legal issues.
What is the speaker's view on Joe Biden's presidency?
-The speaker questions the enthusiasm of the Democrats for Joe Biden's presidency, especially considering his age and the chant for 'four more years' at the State of the Union. They express doubt about whether Biden will last the full term and suggest that some Democrats might be more focused on getting through the election and inauguration rather than long-term success.
What is the speaker's opinion on the Democratic Party's lack of competition?
-The speaker criticizes the Democratic Party for their lack of competitive fervor, stating that they have had since 2016 to come up with a candidate who can compete with Trump but have failed to do so, which they find pathetic.
How does the speaker feel about the current state of politics and media?
-The speaker feels that society has changed in a way that allows the same information to be twisted and presented differently by different media outlets, leading to confusion among the public. They express frustration with politicians who sign bills without reading them and with the media's role in shaping narratives.
What does the speaker suggest about the impact of fear on politics?
-The speaker suggests that fear is the easiest emotion to manipulate people with in politics. They give an example of how fear was used to sell the idea of Trump as a threat, contributing to his loss in the election.
What is the speaker's stance on the economy and unemployment?
-The speaker acknowledges that the economy and unemployment figures may look good on paper, but they question the reality of these numbers, citing personal experiences with high gas prices and grocery costs. They express doubt about the true state of the economy and the credibility of those in power.
What does the speaker say about the Democratic Party's handling of crises?
-The speaker criticizes the Democratic Party for not uniting against external threats like China during the COVID-19 pandemic but instead focusing on blaming Trump. They suggest that this strategy was effective in demonizing Trump but question the long-term effects of such an approach.
How does the speaker view the role of the president?
-The speaker views the presidency as more of a statesmanship position, where the president should act as a unifying figure for all citizens, regardless of their political affiliations. They believe in the importance of unity and the ability of America to overcome challenges when it is united.
What is the speaker's perspective on the media's role in politics?
-The speaker believes that the media plays a significant role in shaping political narratives and influencing public opinion. They point out the collective effort of various media outlets to present a unified message against Trump and question the fairness and objectivity of such practices.
What does the speaker suggest about the future of the Democratic Party?
-The speaker suggests that the Democratic Party needs to reassess its strategy and approach, especially considering the changing demographics and political leanings of the American public. They express concern that the party's current tactics may not be sustainable in the long run.
Outlines
🤔 Political Strategy and Party Dynamics
The paragraph discusses the strategic positioning of the Democratic Party in relation to Trump and the conservative side's questioning of their approach. It highlights the Democrats' belief in their strategy to undermine Trump's actions and how they are relying on the 2022 midterms to support their stance. The speaker critiques this strategy, citing examples of Democrats supporting Trump surrogates during the midterms and the anticipated red wave that did not materialize. The speaker also mentions the unwavering support Trump has among his followers, suggesting that the Democrats' current approach may not be effective in the long run.
💭 Economic and Social Realities
This paragraph delves into the complexities of the current economic situation, including the apparent contradiction between reported low unemployment rates and the high inflation and cost of living. The speaker shares personal experiences to illustrate these points and questions the truthfulness of different narratives presented by various media outlets. The paragraph also touches on national security issues, the war in Ukraine, and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, highlighting the speaker's confusion and frustration with the conflicting information and opinions in the public sphere.
🔍 Media Influence and Public Perception
The speaker criticizes the mainstream media for their role in promoting a particular narrative against Trump, despite the lack of evidence for claims such as Russian collusion. The paragraph discusses the impact of media on public perception and the difficulty in discerning the truth when faced with constant and conflicting information. The speaker also reflects on their own responsibility to their audience to ensure that their statements are well-informed and accurate.
🇺🇸 Unity and the Importance of Leadership
In this paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of unity in America, recounting the shared experience of 9/11 and the sense of collective response it generated. The speaker expresses concern over the divisive rhetoric used by political figures and the potential negative impact on the nation's unity. The paragraph also touches on the speaker's belief in the potential of America when it is united, and the responsibility of leaders to foster this unity rather than contributing to division.
🗳️ Voting Behavior and the 2024 Election
The paragraph explores the speaker's thoughts on the upcoming 2024 election, questioning the motivations behind voting for particular candidates and the potential outcomes of those choices. The speaker discusses the influence of fear in shaping public opinion and the role of media in manipulating emotions. The paragraph also reflects on the speaker's personal political journey and the factors that might influence their voting decision in the future.
🎙️ Media Bias and the Role of the Press
The speaker critiques the media's role in shaping political narratives, particularly focusing on the portrayal of Trump and the perceived bias in news coverage. The paragraph discusses the impact of media strategies on public perception and the importance of recognizing and challenging propaganda. The speaker also shares personal experiences with the media and expresses a desire for a more balanced and honest approach to reporting.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Political positioning
💡Cult following
Highlights
Discussion on the Democratic Party's strategy and its effectiveness.
Mention of the 2022 midterms and the anticipation of a 'red wave' that did not materialize.
Observation that some Democrats supported Trump surrogates during the 2022 midterms.
Metaphorical reference to Trump's following as a 'cult-like' devotion.
Polling data suggesting increased support for Trump among Hispanics and African Americans.
Concerns about Biden's age and the potential implications for his presidency.
Speculation on the Democratic Party's focus on Vice President Harris as a future leader.
Critique of the Democratic Party's lack of competitive fervor against Trump.
Reflection on the difficulty of determining 'undeniable facts' in the current political climate.
Discussion on the economy, inflation, and the cost of living.
Mention of the crisis at the border and differing views on how to handle it.
Debate on the support for Ukraine in the context of the war and national security.
Personal accountability and the responsibility of public figures to understand their audience.
The impact of media portrayal on public perception of political figures.
The importance of unity and coming together as a nation regardless of political differences.
The role of fear in politics and how it can be used to manipulate public sentiment.
The influence of Trump's rhetoric and actions on his popularity and the political landscape.
The significance of the 9/11 attacks in fostering a sense of national unity.
The challenge of balancing loyalty to one's constituency with the broader responsibilities of office.
Transcripts
going back to going back to your mom
when you're talking about on the
conservative side do do your recent
positioning with Trump has been has got
has gotten a lot of people little bit uh
uh asking questions okay so hey you know
the Democrats what you're doing you know
trying to undermine everything this
man's doing it's not working you know
you're kind of going through the whole
process and he kind of Biden all this
stuff what do you think you know the
strategy that they're doing right now do
you do you think they don't know that
it's not working or do you think they're
convinced it's going to end up working
come November 5th with the day we vote I
think they're convinced it's going to
work and I think that they're leaning on
the 2022 midterms to buffer their point
um you had certain Democrats who were
supporting uh Trump surrogates I'm sorry
they were they were supporting these
folks uh and favoring yeah Trump
surrogates during the
2022 um Mid terms and people were
anticipating a red wave that never
arrived you see what I'm saying and so
that's what they're thinking about the
more we put Trump out there the more we
put Trump out there the more we buffer
support and and augment support for
these folks who support him ultimately
it will lead to our Victory that's how
they're thinking and I'm saying no not
what I'm seeing I think that he has damn
near a cult following I'm not calling
folks cult as anything like that I'm
just talking I'm just speaking
metaphorically about how these folks are
in terms of their love their devotion
their belief in him and they're not
going anywhere and then you got
Hispanics who are supporting him now
according to the polls you've got more
black folks who are supporting him now
according to the polls and even though
they're swearing that the overturning of
roie Wade along with some of the charges
that have been executed against them
that that's going to turn off white
women well we ain't seeing that evidence
and so I'm looking at it from that
standpoint and I'm like well wait a
minute now are y'all not paying
attention because let me tell you
something shalag the God said it best
when he said Joe Biden is not inspiring
at all um you almost get the impression
that the Democrats who are pushing for
Joe Biden to get four more years because
that's what they were chanting at the
State of the Union to just four more
years four more years the man's going to
be 82 in November and you you chant for
more years but you've got Progressive
leftists on this side chanting for more
years I don't know if they know how
embarrassing that is okay okay but
that's neither here nor there the point
is is that when you're doing that I'm
looking at them and I'm saying to myself
come on now this is utterly
ridiculous you think this is going to
get it done but I tell you what I'm
starting to
suspect they don't know if Joe's going
to last four more years
and all they care about is that he gets
through election day in the
inauguration and then after that who's
the next line in line it's SCA Harris
and I think that's how folks are
thinking but my problem with it is again
we're capitalist we like competition
what happened to competing with him and
winning what's all the laware about one
charge after another you got Leticia
James and the New York attorney general
in in in in in New York you've got you
you you got the folks in Georgia with
Fanny Willis and others you've got you
know maralago situation you got a I mean
we're really really really going to have
a trial about hush money to a former
point star that's what we're doing
that's what we doing now I'm like are
you kidding me now don't get me wrong
I'm not advocating that anybody should
be above the law at any time what I am
saying is he's the president of the
United States the former president of
the United States you talk to about
Russian collusion you talked to us about
a bevy of things over the years man
still running four four indictments 91
counts and the man gets more campaign
dollars climbing in the polls okay and
last time I checked he still ain't been
in cuffs he still ain't been put behind
bars and he's the presumptive GOP
nominee you can't stop him you cannot
stop them and so for me I find myself
ashamed of the Democratic Party for
their lack of a competitive fervor you
had since 2016 to come up with somebody
else and you still can't do it that is
pathetic it is pathetic and there is no
excuse for it whatsoever it is
2024 in eight years you should have been
able to find somebody that can compete
with this man
other than a soon to be 82y old
incumbent well let me ask you this
though yes do you want Democrats to
win that's a tough question that's the
question yeah it is it's but it's
totally fair bro I'm not going to that
question it's totally fair
um I have to confess what most folks who
sit before guys like yourself
don't it's hard to figure out like for
example supposedly we got a good economy
unemployment is relatively decent around
4% you know black unemploy a little
under 6% about 5.6% if I remember
correctly
um but then you listen to the wri and
it's like what about
inflation and then you're driving in
California and you paying an arm and a
leg for gas you're going to the
supermarket you buying some milk you
buying some bread or whatever because
see contrary to what folks believe I
actually do go to the supermarket okay I
do buy my own stuff you know all of this
other St I'm like you're watching and
you're seeing all of this stuff and it's
like who's telling the truth do we have
a good economy or not is it really a
crisis at the border or not I believe it
is yeah do you you know is inflation a
real thing is it
imaginary you're looking at all of these
different things you're talking about
National Security the war in Ukraine
should we support them should we give
them more money than we've already given
them you're looking at the you know
Israeli you know Hamas conflict I call
it the Israeli Hamas conflict as opposed
to Israeli Palestinian conflict you know
but I don't touch that cuz I don't know
enough and that's not my Lane but I also
find myself okay well we we we got folks
here saying stop this stop this stop the
bombing stop all of this and then you
have other folks like hell with thatas
has to be eliminated because look at
what they've done October 7th and the
kidnapping and 13 you're hearing all of
this and you read the different
Publications I'll read The Washington
Post one minute I'll read the New York
Times the next I read Wall Street
Journal the next I'm watching the
channels Fox News MSNBC CNN I'm going
back and forth and literally we've
changed as a
society we can take the same information
and put a completely different Twist on
it to make it look like who's right
who's wrong somebody as knowledgeable as
you guys have proven to be with no more
than me at this moment in time I'm
studying more and more and more of it
every day because I'm fixated on it just
like I am with sports but I'm saying if
you tell me what is definitively true
that's undeniable I can tell you how I
feel my problem is is that I literally
could be
sitting in front of one person on the
left with the same exact information
that I'm sitting in front of somebody 15
minutes later with on the right and they
have two completely different versions
and I think that's why America is so
lost because folks are confused they
don't have the time when you're out
there hustling and bustling and trying
to take care your family pay mortgages
maintain or elevate your quality of life
you don't have time to study everything
that needs to be studied you've got
Congressional incentive figures telling
you they signed bills they didn't even
read literally I've seen them on tape
doing this and so when you have that
going on it's really really difficult to
say oh I know this but if you tell me
these are the facts Stephen beyond the
shadow of a doubt I don't give a damn
what it is I can tell you how I feel
about it I can do that yeah you know
it's it's interesting you say that and
and thank you for being you know
straight up with it that's the one thing
about you that why I relate and I like
watching you cuz you you're straight up
I watching you'll say yeah I'll see
you're defending Magic Johnson one time
like this guy's my friend I'm like okay
he's sometimes easier to Magic than he
is to somebody else to all this stuff
but I love the fact that you're raw and
you come out and give you feedback
here's what it makes me think about when
when asking about who you want to vote
and who do I believe do I go with the
guy on the left or the guy on the right
you ever had a guy the NBA or sports
that we all criticized MH and the media
went after him so everybody's what a
freaking guy you know piece of this
and seven years later dude that guy was
mistreated by everybody right what was
that all about right you're like dude no
no no no I'm listen I'm not with you man
I'm over here I'm on this guy's side I
don't like what you did you know the
truth is this right so we can we can
look at a couple things with you know
2024 in a few different ways what we
have right not Stephen A that I think is
easy to do is two things M you actually
have for once we haven't had this you
got two people we get to vote for that
we got four years to choose from each
it's not a what if right it's not a well
if he do you want somebody like Hillary
Clinton do you want a man like this to
have access to the nuclear button I
don't know if I do well guess what you
know he had it for four years what
happened and you know this guy had it
for four years what happened so it's
actually very easy systematically to sit
there with data and say they went after
this guy I was convinced he was tied to
Russia right $ 35 million Hillary
Clinton that was a lie and everybody in
the mainstream media was behind it
everybody CNN
MSNBC guys that's kind of shitty and
then you try to defame character then
you went after the girls then egene
Carroll $83 million Anderson Cooper asks
was he did he rape you well I think rape
is more of a fantasy what are you
talking about we got to go to break
right answer the question
and the confusing part for me is like
I'm a I you know my mom's side all
Democrats they were Communists my dad
said they were imperialist so there was
a debate between the two where rich
people are greedy and poor people are
lazy so I have to kind of figure it out
on my own to see where right the reality
was today four years versus four years
we got three Afghanistan screw up you
know Ukraine and and and you know Russia
looks like we're going to have to give
these guys another Afghanistan of a
couple trillion dollars of taxpayers
money that we keep sending money oh
great right Israel Hamas okay all right
whether we know everything about the
history of or not how come this didn't
happen four years ago how come there was
nothing going on four years ago so when
you look at it that way what is
happening a lot that I talk to guys who
are celebrities influencers Hollywood TV
somebody that you watch there's a couple
different camps there's the one camp
that is like like man I'm still going to
vote left there's the other camp that
says dude I'm not going to tell you who
I'm voting for which is kind of like the
middle like if you had that one
interview with Denzel who did you vote
for it's none of your business I don't
know if you remember that interview
toally I totally remember I don't blame
him for that either because Hollywood's
different exactly Hollywood's different
and they would to hold him accountable
in a ways in ways most others can't nor
would but but here's the feeling I'm
getting with you bro the feeling I'm
getting with you which is why I'm kind
of like enamored with like the journey
you're going through I'm just kind of
following it
right um I think you gotta fight and and
I think you know moms left certain
values of Pride and Dad and it's like
hey dude you got a job to protect this
country that gave you this life and
right I feel like there is something
going on with you that's kind of like
you know you want to talk but you know
it's kind of like am I really going to
say this can I really say this it's not
that it's not it's just that I want to
be as sure as you are that's what I'm
saying I owe it to the audience I owe it
to the people to make sure that if I'm
going to come out with fire and
brimstone I know what the hell I'm
talking about and sometimes when it
comes to these issues I don't so I'm
just being honest about what would
happen if you came out and you said
let's just say in the month of October
Stephen A came out let's be real here
you came out on your podcast obviously
not at the network you would put on your
podcast you said guys I'm going to say
something right now you guys are going
to be very upset at me what happen if
you in the month of October said I'm
voting for Trump would happen I'd be
called a sellout and a by my own
community that would be automatic that's
EX EXA what they would say but what I
would tell you is to know something
about me I wouldn't give a damn I'm not
scared I'll say what I feel let me tell
you let me address the point that you
made
earlier my belief is I'm going to vote
for Biden
now you have to
remember it's how you're looking at the
presidential election might be a little
bit different than me for example I'm
the kind of person that might vote for
the president being and a Democrat and
every other position
Republican every Senator every
Congressional figure every local in
other words because I view the
presidency I understand it's the
commanderin-chief I get it but I view
and and listen I will preface it by
saying I'm open to correction I truly am
I view the presidency as more of a
statesmanship position I would if if I
interviewed Trump I would look him in
his face and tell him why I would never
I'm not calling you a racist I'm not
saying that all of your policies were
wrong hell the economy was thriving
before Co I remember but you don't know
how to act you just I said you don't
care what you say you don't care about
how divisive you come across you don't
have any sensitivity whatsoever to how
you Scar the living hell out of people
with your rhetoric and with your your
aloof I don't know if the word is
aloofness or just a
disregard for the importance of unity I
believe you believe in America I believe
in America let me tell you what I
believe in about America I believe that
when we're together nothing can stop us
nothing I don't care if it's a bad
president I don't care if it's bad
people on Capitol Hill I don't care if
Corporate America is garbage I don't
care if wall Street's messing up we will
overcome anything when we're together
and I remember how I felt this way and
this is only time I'm 56 years old and
it's the only time in my life I ever
felt this way 9/11
happens and that first plane goes into
the first Tower and I'm laying in my bed
I'm at an apartment in South Jersey at
the time of where he New Jersey I'm
laying in my bed and I'm on the phone
with one of my friends and I'm like see
this damn probably probably's probably