Stephen A. Smith

Yeah, I mean, I think we are trying to speak to a really informed audience that has to understand what's actually going on because they're encountering it in the world of business, economics, politics. I mean, actually, the business press often is more reliable than the political press because they are talking to people who have to trade stocks, have to make decisions based on reality.

Yeah, I mean, I think we are trying to speak to a really informed audience that has to understand what's actually going on because they're encountering it in the world of business, economics, politics. I mean, actually, the business press often is more reliable than the political press because they are talking to people who have to trade stocks, have to make decisions based on reality.

So we obviously see that as our responsibility. I do think it's a moment when you sort of have to bring some humility as a journalist, whether you like it or not, because we have less power than we did. And we definitely do try to do two specific things. And one is to try to say to readers, Because I do think people live in these deep information bubbles.

So we obviously see that as our responsibility. I do think it's a moment when you sort of have to bring some humility as a journalist, whether you like it or not, because we have less power than we did. And we definitely do try to do two specific things. And one is to try to say to readers, Because I do think people live in these deep information bubbles.

And it's not that you necessarily believe the things that are being said on Fox News. But it is important if you're a listener of POTS to probably know what they're talking about some of the time. Like literally what Republican legislators are walking into the House with no idea what the Democratic colleagues like read that morning. And the Democrats have no idea what the Republicans were reading.

And it's not that you necessarily believe the things that are being said on Fox News. But it is important if you're a listener of POTS to probably know what they're talking about some of the time. Like literally what Republican legislators are walking into the House with no idea what the Democratic colleagues like read that morning. And the Democrats have no idea what the Republicans were reading.

And so we have this very popular feature called Blindspot. It's literally like we're not trying to arbitrate the reality of this. Often these are true stories just with different emphasis, totally different emphasis. but the Republicans are talking about some crime committed by an illegal immigrant in Colorado. And the Democrats are talking about some just totally different story. Right.

And so we have this very popular feature called Blindspot. It's literally like we're not trying to arbitrate the reality of this. Often these are true stories just with different emphasis, totally different emphasis. but the Republicans are talking about some crime committed by an illegal immigrant in Colorado. And the Democrats are talking about some just totally different story. Right.

And I think some level of just trying to say like, this is giving a glimpse of the reality that the other side is living in is pretty useful. I mean, just act sort of actionably useful. And, um,

And I think some level of just trying to say like, this is giving a glimpse of the reality that the other side is living in is pretty useful. I mean, just act sort of actionably useful. And, um,

and sometimes i do think social media is a machine for taking the stupidest thing that your opponent said and elevate the stupidest version of the stupidest thing they think and constantly barraging you with it and there might there might be someone in there who's actually making a reasonable case you could argue with but it will be totally swept away in social media and i think we do try to sort of you know to elevate the stronger arguments and to try to like

and sometimes i do think social media is a machine for taking the stupidest thing that your opponent said and elevate the stupidest version of the stupidest thing they think and constantly barraging you with it and there might there might be someone in there who's actually making a reasonable case you could argue with but it will be totally swept away in social media and i think we do try to sort of you know to elevate the stronger arguments and to try to like

creates some space for reasonable disagreement. So I think there's a fair amount of that too. Although there is also, as you say, like eroding shared factual basis around this for sure.

creates some space for reasonable disagreement. So I think there's a fair amount of that too. Although there is also, as you say, like eroding shared factual basis around this for sure.

I think the blind spot thing is very interesting because in my career in politics, one of the things that was a fundamental shift in how government and politics worked was the moment Republicans and Democrats stopped reading the same media, which probably happened about midway through the Obama years.

I think the blind spot thing is very interesting because in my career in politics, one of the things that was a fundamental shift in how government and politics worked was the moment Republicans and Democrats stopped reading the same media, which probably happened about midway through the Obama years.

People would pretend like they were playing a part, particularly around 2010 when the Tea Party sort of took off. A lot of the Republicans were sort of – they were appealing to – the base. But they were still reading the New York Times. They were still reading Politico. They were seeing everything else.

People would pretend like they were playing a part, particularly around 2010 when the Tea Party sort of took off. A lot of the Republicans were sort of – they were appealing to – the base. But they were still reading the New York Times. They were still reading Politico. They were seeing everything else.

And so we were operating under the same set of reality, at least in a private negotiation you were having over legislation. We all sort of agreed on the same reality. Right about, I would say, midway through Obama's second term, kind of when Facebook became – Republicans radicalized a little bit after Obama's re-election. Fox News became sort of more powerful.

And so we were operating under the same set of reality, at least in a private negotiation you were having over legislation. We all sort of agreed on the same reality. Right about, I would say, midway through Obama's second term, kind of when Facebook became – Republicans radicalized a little bit after Obama's re-election. Fox News became sort of more powerful.