"Cult Following" - Stephen A. Smith May Vote For Trump?

Valuetainment
28 Mar 202429:10

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

  • πŸ€” 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.
  • πŸ“ˆ The transcript mentions a shift in support for Trump among various demographic groups, such as Hispanics and African Americans, which contradicts some common narratives.
  • πŸš€ 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.
  • πŸŒͺ️ 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.
  • πŸ”₯ 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.
  • πŸ›οΈ 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.
  • πŸŽ™οΈ 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.
  • πŸ† The transcript includes a comparison between political campaigns and sports, highlighting the need for strategic planning and understanding the audience's desires.
  • πŸ’‘ 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

00:00

πŸ€” 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.

05:02

πŸ’­ 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.

10:04

πŸ” 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.

15:05

πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 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.

20:06

πŸ—³οΈ 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.

25:08

πŸŽ™οΈ 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

πŸ’‘Political positioning

The term 'political positioning' refers to the strategic placement of a political figure or party in relation to their opponents, based on their policies, values, and target audience. In the context of the video, it is used to discuss the tactics and strategies employed by Democrats in their interactions with former President Trump and their approach to the upcoming elections. The speaker questions whether the Democrats' current strategy is effective or if they are convinced it will yield results in the future.

πŸ’‘Cult following

A 'cult following' description is missing here due to the original JSON being cut off.

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

00:00

going back to going back to your mom

00:02

when you're talking about on the

00:03

conservative side do do your recent

00:06

positioning with Trump has been has got

00:08

has gotten a lot of people little bit uh

00:11

uh asking questions okay so hey you know

00:16

the Democrats what you're doing you know

00:19

trying to undermine everything this

00:22

man's doing it's not working you know

00:23

you're kind of going through the whole

00:24

process and he kind of Biden all this

00:26

stuff what do you think you know the

00:29

strategy that they're doing right now do

00:31

you do you think they don't know that

00:32

it's not working or do you think they're

00:34

convinced it's going to end up working

00:36

come November 5th with the day we vote I

00:39

think they're convinced it's going to

00:40

work and I think that they're leaning on

00:42

the 2022 midterms to buffer their point

00:46

um you had certain Democrats who were

00:49

supporting uh Trump surrogates I'm sorry

00:52

they were they were supporting these

00:54

folks uh and favoring yeah Trump

00:56

surrogates during the

00:58

2022 um Mid terms and people were

01:01

anticipating a red wave that never

01:03

arrived you see what I'm saying and so

01:06

that's what they're thinking about the

01:07

more we put Trump out there the more we

01:09

put Trump out there the more we buffer

01:12

support and and augment support for

01:14

these folks who support him ultimately

01:17

it will lead to our Victory that's how

01:19

they're thinking and I'm saying no not

01:23

what I'm seeing I think that he has damn

01:26

near a cult following I'm not calling

01:28

folks cult as anything like that I'm

01:29

just talking I'm just speaking

01:31

metaphorically about how these folks are

01:33

in terms of their love their devotion

01:35

their belief in him and they're not

01:38

going anywhere and then you got

01:40

Hispanics who are supporting him now

01:43

according to the polls you've got more

01:45

black folks who are supporting him now

01:47

according to the polls and even though

01:50

they're swearing that the overturning of

01:52

roie Wade along with some of the charges

01:54

that have been executed against them

01:56

that that's going to turn off white

01:58

women well we ain't seeing that evidence

02:01

and so I'm looking at it from that

02:02

standpoint and I'm like well wait a

02:03

minute now are y'all not paying

02:05

attention because let me tell you

02:08

something shalag the God said it best

02:11

when he said Joe Biden is not inspiring

02:13

at all um you almost get the impression

02:18

that the Democrats who are pushing for

02:21

Joe Biden to get four more years because

02:24

that's what they were chanting at the

02:25

State of the Union to just four more

02:26

years four more years the man's going to

02:27

be 82 in November and you you chant for

02:30

more years but you've got Progressive

02:31

leftists on this side chanting for more

02:34

years I don't know if they know how

02:35

embarrassing that is okay okay but

02:37

that's neither here nor there the point

02:39

is is that when you're doing that I'm

02:43

looking at them and I'm saying to myself

02:45

come on now this is utterly

02:48

ridiculous you think this is going to

02:52

get it done but I tell you what I'm

02:53

starting to

02:55

suspect they don't know if Joe's going

02:58

to last four more years

03:00

and all they care about is that he gets

03:02

through election day in the

03:05

inauguration and then after that who's

03:08

the next line in line it's SCA Harris

03:11

and I think that's how folks are

03:14

thinking but my problem with it is again

03:18

we're capitalist we like competition

03:21

what happened to competing with him and

03:23

winning what's all the laware about one

03:26

charge after another you got Leticia

03:28

James and the New York attorney general

03:30

in in in in in New York you've got you

03:32

you you got the folks in Georgia with

03:34

Fanny Willis and others you've got you

03:36

know maralago situation you got a I mean

03:39

we're really really really going to have

03:41

a trial about hush money to a former

03:44

point star that's what we're doing

03:45

that's what we doing now I'm like are

03:47

you kidding me now don't get me wrong

03:49

I'm not advocating that anybody should

03:51

be above the law at any time what I am

03:54

saying is he's the president of the

03:56

United States the former president of

03:58

the United States you talk to about

04:00

Russian collusion you talked to us about

04:02

a bevy of things over the years man

04:05

still running four four indictments 91

04:09

counts and the man gets more campaign

04:11

dollars climbing in the polls okay and

04:14

last time I checked he still ain't been

04:16

in cuffs he still ain't been put behind

04:18

bars and he's the presumptive GOP

04:20

nominee you can't stop him you cannot

04:23

stop them and so for me I find myself

04:27

ashamed of the Democratic Party for

04:29

their lack of a competitive fervor you

04:32

had since 2016 to come up with somebody

04:35

else and you still can't do it that is

04:38

pathetic it is pathetic and there is no

04:41

excuse for it whatsoever it is

04:43

2024 in eight years you should have been

04:47

able to find somebody that can compete

04:49

with this man

04:51

other than a soon to be 82y old

04:55

incumbent well let me ask you this

04:57

though yes do you want Democrats to

05:01

win that's a tough question that's the

05:04

question yeah it is it's but it's

05:06

totally fair bro I'm not going to that

05:08

question it's totally fair

05:11

um I have to confess what most folks who

05:14

sit before guys like yourself

05:17

don't it's hard to figure out like for

05:22

example supposedly we got a good economy

05:25

unemployment is relatively decent around

05:27

4% you know black unemploy a little

05:30

under 6% about 5.6% if I remember

05:33

correctly

05:35

um but then you listen to the wri and

05:37

it's like what about

05:38

inflation and then you're driving in

05:40

California and you paying an arm and a

05:42

leg for gas you're going to the

05:44

supermarket you buying some milk you

05:46

buying some bread or whatever because

05:47

see contrary to what folks believe I

05:49

actually do go to the supermarket okay I

05:51

do buy my own stuff you know all of this

05:53

other St I'm like you're watching and

05:54

you're seeing all of this stuff and it's

05:57

like who's telling the truth do we have

05:59

a good economy or not is it really a

06:02

crisis at the border or not I believe it

06:04

is yeah do you you know is inflation a

06:07

real thing is it

06:09

imaginary you're looking at all of these

06:11

different things you're talking about

06:12

National Security the war in Ukraine

06:14

should we support them should we give

06:16

them more money than we've already given

06:17

them you're looking at the you know

06:19

Israeli you know Hamas conflict I call

06:21

it the Israeli Hamas conflict as opposed

06:22

to Israeli Palestinian conflict you know

06:24

but I don't touch that cuz I don't know

06:26

enough and that's not my Lane but I also

06:29

find myself okay well we we we got folks

06:32

here saying stop this stop this stop the

06:35

bombing stop all of this and then you

06:37

have other folks like hell with thatas

06:39

has to be eliminated because look at

06:41

what they've done October 7th and the

06:42

kidnapping and 13 you're hearing all of

06:45

this and you read the different

06:48

Publications I'll read The Washington

06:49

Post one minute I'll read the New York

06:51

Times the next I read Wall Street

06:52

Journal the next I'm watching the

06:54

channels Fox News MSNBC CNN I'm going

06:56

back and forth and literally we've

07:00

changed as a

07:02

society we can take the same information

07:05

and put a completely different Twist on

07:07

it to make it look like who's right

07:10

who's wrong somebody as knowledgeable as

07:13

you guys have proven to be with no more

07:17

than me at this moment in time I'm

07:19

studying more and more and more of it

07:21

every day because I'm fixated on it just

07:23

like I am with sports but I'm saying if

07:26

you tell me what is definitively true

07:30

that's undeniable I can tell you how I

07:34

feel my problem is is that I literally

07:38

could be

07:39

sitting in front of one person on the

07:42

left with the same exact information

07:45

that I'm sitting in front of somebody 15

07:47

minutes later with on the right and they

07:49

have two completely different versions

07:52

and I think that's why America is so

07:54

lost because folks are confused they

07:56

don't have the time when you're out

07:57

there hustling and bustling and trying

07:58

to take care your family pay mortgages

08:01

maintain or elevate your quality of life

08:03

you don't have time to study everything

08:05

that needs to be studied you've got

08:07

Congressional incentive figures telling

08:09

you they signed bills they didn't even

08:10

read literally I've seen them on tape

08:13

doing this and so when you have that

08:15

going on it's really really difficult to

08:19

say oh I know this but if you tell me

08:24

these are the facts Stephen beyond the

08:25

shadow of a doubt I don't give a damn

08:27

what it is I can tell you how I feel

08:28

about it I can do that yeah you know

08:31

it's it's interesting you say that and

08:33

and thank you for being you know

08:34

straight up with it that's the one thing

08:36

about you that why I relate and I like

08:38

watching you cuz you you're straight up

08:40

I watching you'll say yeah I'll see

08:42

you're defending Magic Johnson one time

08:44

like this guy's my friend I'm like okay

08:45

he's sometimes easier to Magic than he

08:47

is to somebody else to all this stuff

08:48

but I love the fact that you're raw and

08:50

you come out and give you feedback

08:51

here's what it makes me think about when

08:53

when asking about who you want to vote

08:54

and who do I believe do I go with the

08:56

guy on the left or the guy on the right

08:58

you ever had a guy the NBA or sports

09:00

that we all criticized MH and the media

09:04

went after him so everybody's what a

09:06

freaking guy you know piece of this

09:09

and seven years later dude that guy was

09:12

mistreated by everybody right what was

09:14

that all about right you're like dude no

09:16

no no no I'm listen I'm not with you man

09:17

I'm over here I'm on this guy's side I

09:19

don't like what you did you know the

09:21

truth is this right so we can we can

09:23

look at a couple things with you know

09:26

2024 in a few different ways what we

09:29

have right not Stephen A that I think is

09:30

easy to do is two things M you actually

09:33

have for once we haven't had this you

09:36

got two people we get to vote for that

09:38

we got four years to choose from each

09:41

it's not a what if right it's not a well

09:45

if he do you want somebody like Hillary

09:46

Clinton do you want a man like this to

09:49

have access to the nuclear button I

09:52

don't know if I do well guess what you

09:54

know he had it for four years what

09:55

happened and you know this guy had it

09:57

for four years what happened so it's

09:59

actually very easy systematically to sit

10:01

there with data and say they went after

10:04

this guy I was convinced he was tied to

10:06

Russia right $ 35 million Hillary

10:08

Clinton that was a lie and everybody in

10:09

the mainstream media was behind it

10:10

everybody CNN

10:12

MSNBC guys that's kind of shitty and

10:14

then you try to defame character then

10:16

you went after the girls then egene

10:18

Carroll $83 million Anderson Cooper asks

10:21

was he did he rape you well I think rape

10:23

is more of a fantasy what are you

10:25

talking about we got to go to break

10:27

right answer the question

11:30

and the confusing part for me is like

11:33

I'm a I you know my mom's side all

11:35

Democrats they were Communists my dad

11:37

said they were imperialist so there was

11:39

a debate between the two where rich

11:40

people are greedy and poor people are

11:42

lazy so I have to kind of figure it out

11:43

on my own to see where right the reality

11:45

was today four years versus four years

11:49

we got three Afghanistan screw up you

11:52

know Ukraine and and and you know Russia

11:55

looks like we're going to have to give

11:56

these guys another Afghanistan of a

11:57

couple trillion dollars of taxpayers

11:59

money that we keep sending money oh

12:00

great right Israel Hamas okay all right

12:03

whether we know everything about the

12:05

history of or not how come this didn't

12:06

happen four years ago how come there was

12:08

nothing going on four years ago so when

12:09

you look at it that way what is

12:11

happening a lot that I talk to guys who

12:14

are celebrities influencers Hollywood TV

12:18

somebody that you watch there's a couple

12:20

different camps there's the one camp

12:22

that is like like man I'm still going to

12:24

vote left there's the other camp that

12:27

says dude I'm not going to tell you who

12:29

I'm voting for which is kind of like the

12:31

middle like if you had that one

12:32

interview with Denzel who did you vote

12:34

for it's none of your business I don't

12:36

know if you remember that interview

12:37

toally I totally remember I don't blame

12:38

him for that either because Hollywood's

12:39

different exactly Hollywood's different

12:41

and they would to hold him accountable

12:42

in a ways in ways most others can't nor

12:45

would but but here's the feeling I'm

12:47

getting with you bro the feeling I'm

12:49

getting with you which is why I'm kind

12:50

of like enamored with like the journey

12:52

you're going through I'm just kind of

12:53

following it

12:55

right um I think you gotta fight and and

12:59

I think you know moms left certain

13:03

values of Pride and Dad and it's like

13:05

hey dude you got a job to protect this

13:08

country that gave you this life and

13:10

right I feel like there is something

13:12

going on with you that's kind of like

13:15

you know you want to talk but you know

13:17

it's kind of like am I really going to

13:19

say this can I really say this it's not

13:20

that it's not it's just that I want to

13:22

be as sure as you are that's what I'm

13:24

saying I owe it to the audience I owe it

13:27

to the people to make sure that if I'm

13:29

going to come out with fire and

13:30

brimstone I know what the hell I'm

13:32

talking about and sometimes when it

13:34

comes to these issues I don't so I'm

13:36

just being honest about what would

13:37

happen if you came out and you said

13:39

let's just say in the month of October

13:40

Stephen A came out let's be real here

13:43

you came out on your podcast obviously

13:45

not at the network you would put on your

13:47

podcast you said guys I'm going to say

13:49

something right now you guys are going

13:50

to be very upset at me what happen if

13:52

you in the month of October said I'm

13:53

voting for Trump would happen I'd be

13:55

called a sellout and a by my own

13:57

community that would be automatic that's

13:58

EX EXA what they would say but what I

14:00

would tell you is to know something

14:02

about me I wouldn't give a damn I'm not

14:05

scared I'll say what I feel let me tell

14:08

you let me address the point that you

14:10

made

14:11

earlier my belief is I'm going to vote

14:13

for Biden

14:15

now you have to

14:18

remember it's how you're looking at the

14:20

presidential election might be a little

14:22

bit different than me for example I'm

14:26

the kind of person that might vote for

14:27

the president being and a Democrat and

14:30

every other position

14:32

Republican every Senator every

14:35

Congressional figure every local in

14:37

other words because I view the

14:40

presidency I understand it's the

14:42

commanderin-chief I get it but I view

14:45

and and listen I will preface it by

14:47

saying I'm open to correction I truly am

14:49

I view the presidency as more of a

14:51

statesmanship position I would if if I

14:55

interviewed Trump I would look him in

14:57

his face and tell him why I would never

14:59

I'm not calling you a racist I'm not

15:01

saying that all of your policies were

15:02

wrong hell the economy was thriving

15:04

before Co I remember but you don't know

15:07

how to act you just I said you don't

15:10

care what you say you don't care about

15:13

how divisive you come across you don't

15:15

have any sensitivity whatsoever to how

15:18

you Scar the living hell out of people

15:22

with your rhetoric and with your your

15:26

aloof I don't know if the word is

15:27

aloofness or just a

15:30

disregard for the importance of unity I

15:33

believe you believe in America I believe

15:34

in America let me tell you what I

15:36

believe in about America I believe that

15:38

when we're together nothing can stop us

15:41

nothing I don't care if it's a bad

15:43

president I don't care if it's bad

15:44

people on Capitol Hill I don't care if

15:46

Corporate America is garbage I don't

15:48

care if wall Street's messing up we will

15:53

overcome anything when we're together

15:56

and I remember how I felt this way and

15:58

this is only time I'm 56 years old and

16:00

it's the only time in my life I ever

16:02

felt this way 9/11

16:06

happens and that first plane goes into

16:09

the first Tower and I'm laying in my bed

16:12

I'm at an apartment in South Jersey at

16:14

the time of where he New Jersey I'm

16:15

laying in my bed and I'm on the phone

16:17

with one of my friends and I'm like see

16:20

this damn probably probably's probably