Stephen A. Smith

But I also think it's kind of poisonous for the media to think that about itself in a way. You know, and I get, you know, I mean, we're trying to cover the story. We're trying to understand what's happening, why things are happening, who's actually making these decisions, what their actual motives are, things that social media can often be shaky on.

But I also think it's kind of poisonous for the media to think that about itself in a way. You know, and I get, you know, I mean, we're trying to cover the story. We're trying to understand what's happening, why things are happening, who's actually making these decisions, what their actual motives are, things that social media can often be shaky on.

I mean, I think one of the big stories, one of the stories that struck me early, you know, is that is obviously you have this iconic image of Mark Zuckerberg and et al sort of in, you know, paying their, showing up to support Trump's inauguration and and to sort of pledge their loyalty to the administration.

I mean, I think one of the big stories, one of the stories that struck me early, you know, is that is obviously you have this iconic image of Mark Zuckerberg and et al sort of in, you know, paying their, showing up to support Trump's inauguration and and to sort of pledge their loyalty to the administration.

And it was really striking to me, a story we broke over the weekend, that when it comes to key appointments, like the general counsel for the FCC, they pick somebody who is the most anti-big tech possible lawyer in America. Like this bought them nothing. The Trump people think it's hilarious. They like it, but it isn't buying them. It's not buying them anything. And then conversely,

And it was really striking to me, a story we broke over the weekend, that when it comes to key appointments, like the general counsel for the FCC, they pick somebody who is the most anti-big tech possible lawyer in America. Like this bought them nothing. The Trump people think it's hilarious. They like it, but it isn't buying them. It's not buying them anything. And then conversely,

Who has actual influence in the White House? Which who in media has Trump's respect? Rupert Murdoch, whose publications have been very, very tough on Trump. And actually, if you read the Wall Street Journal editorial page, you'll get much tougher, clearer criticism of Trump than you get from... you know, the LA Times, which only writes about Los Angeles now because they feel scared.

Who has actual influence in the White House? Which who in media has Trump's respect? Rupert Murdoch, whose publications have been very, very tough on Trump. And actually, if you read the Wall Street Journal editorial page, you'll get much tougher, clearer criticism of Trump than you get from... you know, the LA Times, which only writes about Los Angeles now because they feel scared.

It's an interesting thing. I think you see there's these like demonstrations of weakness by a lot of kind of would-be media moguls, which they imagine are going to ingratiate themselves to the White House. And there's no evidence that it is.

It's an interesting thing. I think you see there's these like demonstrations of weakness by a lot of kind of would-be media moguls, which they imagine are going to ingratiate themselves to the White House. And there's no evidence that it is.

Yeah, I want to get into some of those tributes that some of the media and tech are paying to Trump in a minute. But I think – I'm not going to defend Steve Bannon often in the history of Pod Save America, but I think when he made those comments in 2018, 2019, whatever it was, he – the world, it was a different place, right?

Yeah, I want to get into some of those tributes that some of the media and tech are paying to Trump in a minute. But I think – I'm not going to defend Steve Bannon often in the history of Pod Save America, but I think when he made those comments in 2018, 2019, whatever it was, he – the world, it was a different place, right?

The media did play, the legacy media, if you will, just who he's really talking about, right? Like when we talk about media in this podcast, that is everything from Semaphore to the New York Times to Fox News, now to Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, everything. But what Ben is talking about here is he's talking about the White House press corps, right?

The media did play, the legacy media, if you will, just who he's really talking about, right? Like when we talk about media in this podcast, that is everything from Semaphore to the New York Times to Fox News, now to Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, everything. But what Ben is talking about here is he's talking about the White House press corps, right?

The establishment media, legacy media, regime media, as Republicans call it. And back then, it certainly played a larger role, I think at least, maybe you can, if you disagree, you should say it, in sort of mediating reality.

The establishment media, legacy media, regime media, as Republicans call it. And back then, it certainly played a larger role, I think at least, maybe you can, if you disagree, you should say it, in sort of mediating reality.

Yeah, they were reacting, of course, to a moment in which the Russia investigation had totally swamped the administration, driven by breathless media coverage, you know, and... And so I think in a way, and they had gotten onto the back foot in the first weeks of the administration and never really got onto the front foot. They were very rarely were they able to really drive that story.

Yeah, they were reacting, of course, to a moment in which the Russia investigation had totally swamped the administration, driven by breathless media coverage, you know, and... And so I think in a way, and they had gotten onto the back foot in the first weeks of the administration and never really got onto the front foot. They were very rarely were they able to really drive that story.

It was mostly they were the rabbit being pursued by the wolves. And so I think they were kind of honestly reasonably successful. figured we don't want that to happen again. And that strategy, I mean, Bannon puts it in really bombastic terms, but I don't know.

It was mostly they were the rabbit being pursued by the wolves. And so I think they were kind of honestly reasonably successful. figured we don't want that to happen again. And that strategy, I mean, Bannon puts it in really bombastic terms, but I don't know.