Stephen A. Smith

And if you want to put a little pressure on Zelensky to say, hey, let's come to the table and have that conversation. So the charitable view is that that is what Trump is trying to do. The problem with that view is it only works if you also put pressure on Putin. And this is the argument that I had. last year when we were arguing over passing the supplemental to help Ukraine.

And a lot of Republicans who claim to support Ukraine were like, yeah, but we got to get to peace and we're not doing this right. We're not doing that right. I said, okay, great. But if we cut off Ukraine, they're dead. So I'm happy to have that conversation. But there's a threshold question here. Are we going to support Ukraine and put them in a position to defend themselves?

And a lot of Republicans who claim to support Ukraine were like, yeah, but we got to get to peace and we're not doing this right. We're not doing that right. I said, okay, great. But if we cut off Ukraine, they're dead. So I'm happy to have that conversation. But there's a threshold question here. Are we going to support Ukraine and put them in a position to defend themselves?

So when Trump comes in and cuts off intel sharing- and cuts off aid and cuts off the military assistance. He's just throwing the door wide open for Putin. You got to put pressure on Putin to force him to the table. He's the one who started the war.

So when Trump comes in and cuts off intel sharing- and cuts off aid and cuts off the military assistance. He's just throwing the door wide open for Putin. You got to put pressure on Putin to force him to the table. He's the one who started the war.

And the only pressure is you have to give security guarantees to Ukraine and cutting off their assistance is the exact opposite of giving security guarantees to Ukraine. So the charitable way of looking at this is that Trump's a little incompetent in terms of how he negotiates.

And the only pressure is you have to give security guarantees to Ukraine and cutting off their assistance is the exact opposite of giving security guarantees to Ukraine. So the charitable way of looking at this is that Trump's a little incompetent in terms of how he negotiates.

There is a darker vision and that is personified by Marjorie Taylor Greene and a variety of other white Christian nationalists who populate the Republican Party. What was Cheney lovingly referred to as the Putin wing of the Republican Party that views Vladimir Putin in Russia as an ally. Because he is anti-woke. He is a white Christian nationalist. And which side of that is calling the shots?

There is a darker vision and that is personified by Marjorie Taylor Greene and a variety of other white Christian nationalists who populate the Republican Party. What was Cheney lovingly referred to as the Putin wing of the Republican Party that views Vladimir Putin in Russia as an ally. Because he is anti-woke. He is a white Christian nationalist. And which side of that is calling the shots?

I wish I had more confidence that it was the side that just wants peace and they're going at it awkwardly. I'm deeply worried that. Trump is aligning us with Putin and Russia's vision for the world, which is a dark and terrible vision.

I wish I had more confidence that it was the side that just wants peace and they're going at it awkwardly. I'm deeply worried that. Trump is aligning us with Putin and Russia's vision for the world, which is a dark and terrible vision.

Right, exactly. It's a fascist clinging to whatever unites the people. Any good fascist has to have, like, you know, that sort of following. Exactly.

Right, exactly. It's a fascist clinging to whatever unites the people. Any good fascist has to have, like, you know, that sort of following. Exactly.

All of which is why it is so important that the Democratic coalition gets its shit together. And fights that. And again, the whole center left thing, I get dragged into that world a lot. But I am frustrated.

All of which is why it is so important that the Democratic coalition gets its shit together. And fights that. And again, the whole center left thing, I get dragged into that world a lot. But I am frustrated.

With the left's unwillingness to make changes in policy so that we can build more housing, so that our streets can be safer, so that we can have more competent – and I understand where a lot of this comes from. Power has been abused and in our country, power has primarily been held by straight white men. So they wanted to go after the power structure. That's fine.

With the left's unwillingness to make changes in policy so that we can build more housing, so that our streets can be safer, so that we can have more competent – and I understand where a lot of this comes from. Power has been abused and in our country, power has primarily been held by straight white men. So they wanted to go after the power structure. That's fine.

But you have to have rules and standards and hierarchies in order to actually accomplish things for the people that we progressives want to help. Chaos only benefits the people who already have enough money that they don't have to worry about it. So could we update that ever so slightly so that we actually have – if the power system is abused, fix it. Yeah. Get the right people in place.

But you have to have rules and standards and hierarchies in order to actually accomplish things for the people that we progressives want to help. Chaos only benefits the people who already have enough money that they don't have to worry about it. So could we update that ever so slightly so that we actually have – if the power system is abused, fix it. Yeah. Get the right people in place.

Hold the people accountable who are abusing it. But then you have to have rules. You have to have standards, accountability, personal responsibility so you can build a better, safer society so that we can go to the public and say, you know, not just don't go with the fascist, which I would love. I would have hoped that that would have been enough. One would think. I will be honest with you.