Appearing on Monday night's edition of "Hardball," ESPN host and Philadelphia Inquirer sports reporter Stephen A. Smith declared himself not to be a fan of Rudy Giuliani. When asked by Chris Matthews about what he thought of the former New York mayor's chances to become President, Smith blurted: "It'd be a disaster!....Giuliani is a dictator as far as I'm concerned."
Video (1:26): Windows Media (2.66 MB) and MP3 audio (650 kB).
The following exchange occurred on the January 21, edition of "Hardball":
CHRIS MATTHEWS: I have a man here who's a real fan of Rudy Giuliani's, Stephen Smith.
STEPHEN A. SMITH, ESPN: Oh please, don't get me started.
MATTHEWS: What do you make of him in a general election?
SMITH: No, absolutely not! It'd be a disaster! If he became the next President of the United States that would be an absolute disaster. And I'm a say it why. It's because of who's in office now. Considering Bush, you're following him up with Giuliani? There would be no foreign relations whatsoever. I mean it would be an absolute, we'll be hated by the rest of the entire world! You cannot have Giuliani in office....Giuliani is a dictator as far as I'm concerned. That's his mentality.
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Great
January 21, 2008 - 19:28 ET by DEVILDOCMOMnow I have some sports guy telling me who to vote for...does it ever end?
He must have been one of
January 21, 2008 - 20:31 ET by kgHe must have been one of Olbermann's friends.
Hmmm. An out-of-office
January 21, 2008 - 19:31 ET by Chris NormanHmmm. An out-of-office dictator running for president. No hysterical hyperbole here...
That's what Stephen A. Smith
January 21, 2008 - 19:36 ET by balboaThat's what Stephen A. Smith does best. I can't listen to him...
Balboa, you're agreeing with
January 21, 2008 - 19:40 ET by Chris NormanBalboa, you're agreeing with me? Tell me, did you notice a large green pod next to your bed last night? I know, if there was, why would you tell me, now? :)
Pod...hm...now that you
January 21, 2008 - 19:45 ET by balboaPod...hm...now that you mention it, there WAS something in the basement.
"You're next! You're next!"
Too late. Too late.
January 21, 2008 - 19:48 ET by Chris NormanToo late. Too late.
For gawd sakes! DON'T go
January 21, 2008 - 20:49 ET by drillanwrFor gawd sakes! DON'T go in the basement, bal ... ; ^)
Must...go..in...basement...mu
January 21, 2008 - 21:49 ET by balboaMust...go..in...basement...must follow....horror movie...rules....
And, of course ...
January 21, 2008 - 22:31 ET by drillanwrYou must hold onto the railing and flash light as you descend the steps to the basement, so you lay your weapon down on the top step ...
Absolutely! And this is
January 21, 2008 - 22:32 ET by balboaAbsolutely! And this is after leaving a half-naked girlfriend in her bedroom, all by herself, where she's easy pickin's.
And as your flash light
January 21, 2008 - 22:49 ET by drillanwrAnd as your flash light beacon scans the basement walls (because, of course, the electricity just happened to go out as you were getting comfy with the half-nakie girlfriend in the upstairs bedroom you ain't cleaned in a year) you notice the empty spot on the basement wall where you usually keep your high school track and field team javelin ...
WOW!
January 21, 2008 - 19:32 ET by drillanwrWhodda thunk ESPN was the birthplace plethora of such astounding minds filled with pure wisdom? First Olberman, then Dana "f*** Jesus", and now this professor!
I am in awe ...
The liberal closet at ESPN
January 21, 2008 - 19:35 ET by Chris NormanThe liberal closet at ESPN just couldn't hold them any longer.
Quite frankly...you should
January 21, 2008 - 19:38 ET by taterQuite frankly...you should stick to sports Stephen A.
Do you realize how much it costs to run for office? More than any honest man could afford. -Montgomery Burns
Yes, and the Democrats
January 21, 2008 - 19:45 ET by wiwfYes, and the Democrats don't SCREAM totalitarianism.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
Smith
January 21, 2008 - 19:48 ET by iveseenitallSmith, Costas, Olberman, et.al. "Liberal" igoramuses are everywhere in the MSM. Sports reporters are sometimes the worst of them all. Scheeze!
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
SPORTS REPORTERS...
January 22, 2008 - 04:14 ET by danybhoyCostas is a lib, but at least he's a rational lib. I catch his 2 hour weekend radio gig("costas on the radio") & the few times where political subjects come up, he can discuss it in a smart manner, unlike BathTubBoy, or Stephen A.Smith. Costas is smart enough to consider the other side & see that there are reasons to disagree. This is not a quality that his Sunday night co-worker BathTubBoy has.
BathTubBoy always goes off at anybody who sees things politically, you are too stupid to understand that he is right, & if you don't agree you should be punished. Just like any good little fascist would want to do. Costas is open to the idea that smart people can disagree on things & NOT be evil or stupid.
I agree, Smith, Costas, & our hero BathTubBoy are libs, as are most in the MSM, but some are more open to the civil exchange of ideas. From what I've seen, Costas is open to opposing views without dismissing them as moronic.
"Some of us are wise, some of us are otherwise" Mark Levin
That's right stevie,
January 21, 2008 - 19:48 ET by RESTLESS 1That's right stevie, Guiliani would be dictator. Never mind that little Constitutional amendment that restricts presidencies to 2 four year terms.
"I mean it would be an
January 21, 2008 - 19:55 ET by RESTLESS 1"I mean it would be an absolute, we'll be hated by the rest of the entire world!"
And we were so loved before? The world only wants things from us (protection, our money). When they need us, they love us. When they don't...
Besides, if the rest of the world hates us, we must be doing something right.
Lastly, "... we'll be hated by the REST OF THE ENTIRE world"? Did this guy graduate high school? Do they even teach grammar anymore??
Peter Jennings
January 21, 2008 - 20:02 ET by iveseenitallPeter Jennings dropped out of high school and America listened to him for thirty years. Thank God for the internet.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Restless, speaking of poor
January 22, 2008 - 00:12 ET by CJK51Restless, speaking of poor grammar among sportscasters, I'd love to find out if Smith knows the past tense of sneak, unlike most of his bretheren. Hearing someone say, "He snuck into the endzone!" makes me absolutely mental.
CJK51
January 22, 2008 - 00:49 ET by RESTLESS 1Proper use of the language is one of my hang ups. I am certainly not perfect in this respect, but when someone mangles the language due to the ignorace of the most basic rules of English, it gets under my skin. One of the worst for me is when someone says someone "talked" to someone. The proper term would be "spoke to". Your example probably sounds right to some people, but that is because they hear it spoken that way.
I think I'll leave it at that before I go on a rant and throw this whole thread off topic. :)
Restless, I'm certain that
January 22, 2008 - 01:30 ET by CJK51Restless, I'm certain that between the two of us, we could start our own thread on poor grammar! :-)
→ colloquialisms
January 22, 2008 - 01:38 ET by Cool ArrowDizzy Dean regularly described plays as "He slood into second base"
We don't posta be grading grammar, are we.
Just though I'd axe.
I ♣ My Seal
C'mon cool, jess ventin'
January 22, 2008 - 13:08 ET by RESTLESS 1C'mon cool, jess ventin' aliddle. :)
Go back to Bristol
January 21, 2008 - 20:06 ET by steamboatI wish the sports guys would stick to sports.
“It is the State which
January 21, 2008 - 20:09 ET by rbosque“It is the State which educates its citizens in civic
virtue, gives them a consciousness of their mission and welds them into unity” --Benito Mussolini
This dictator sounds like a Democrat.
Terminally slow on the up-take
January 21, 2008 - 20:48 ET by drillanwrConsidering Bush, you're following him up with Giuliani? There would be no foreign relations whatsoever. I mean it would be an absolute, we'll be hated by the rest of the entire world!
We're in two wars ... I'd say there's a hell of a lot of foreign relating going on.
NOT to mention how Germany and France have come around to our side, of late.
Had he asked Smith about
January 21, 2008 - 20:52 ET by GregEHad he asked Smith about any of the other Repbublicans, he'd have given the same answer. He's liberal, and doesn't have any actual thoughts to backup what he said. That's how the good liberals roll. And like a good one, Chrissy didn't followup with a "what makes you say that"...did he?
Aside from that, Smith is a sports reporter. Maybe he could join Kirk Oblerdork on Countusout.
What was Matthews thinking?
January 21, 2008 - 21:07 ET by Gat New YorkGuess what the "A." stands for in his middle name.
What on earth was he doing on a show like this? Clearly he showed an incredible ignorance to go along with his terrible arrogance. I can never listen to this guy even when I agree with him.
What was Matthews thinking?
January 21, 2008 - 21:07 ET by Gat New YorkGuess what the "A." stands for in his middle name.
What on earth was he doing on a show like this? Clearly he showed an incredible ignorance to go along with his terrible arrogance. I can never listen to this guy even when I agree with him.
Gat -- think you could be
January 21, 2008 - 21:17 ET by Jack BauerGat -- think you could be right!
He was Hannity & Colmes last week for some reason.
I remember thinking, that guy really sets my teeth on edge, what's his problem.
He acted like he had a two by four shoved somewhere unpleasant.
And he remined me of the guy you just know is gonna get decked at a bar.
If Smith thinks the world hated us before,
January 21, 2008 - 21:16 ET by IamTinmanWait till the stock market opens tomorrow! The market sneezed Friday and the rest of the world got pneumonia today.
Chrissie must be having to dig pretty deep if all he can get on his show is some hack sportscaster.
"Quite Frankly", Stephen A.
January 22, 2008 - 02:33 ET by fitzfong"Quite Frankly", Stephen A. Smith is a giant douche. He's not really even a sports writer or sports personality...he only knows anything about one sport...basketball. He has about as much credibility as that famed sports personality on MSDNC...Keith Olbermann.
First Ben Affleck, now Stephen A. Smith. Geez, Chrissy, who's your next guest political "expert" going to be, Paula Abdul?
ESPN
January 22, 2008 - 02:40 ET by Cool ArrowESPN is one of those channels I pay for just in case the have an exclusive interesting Football game. It happens about 3 times a year.
Can't say I know this Steve Smith guy. Did he study under Jayson Blair?
I ♣ My Seal
Yeah, ESPN has become one
January 22, 2008 - 02:58 ET by fitzfongYeah, ESPN has become one of those basic tier cable channels I could do without...like MTV, MSNBC, CNN and Lifetime.
Stephen A. Smith is just a big mouth in a pressed suit. He's loud, he engages in a lot of phony facial contortions and he has nothing intelligent to say. But the Ted Baxters at ESPN all have to treat him with breathtakingly unearned deference. He's presented as some kind of inside expert with a unique take on all matters, but he's just a blustery gasbag. No more, no less.
Giuliani Dictator?
January 22, 2008 - 13:02 ET by fosstenAs a conservative Republican, I have to say...that Stephen A. Smith has a point.
Forget 911, I dial 10MM.
Stephen Smith vs. JJ Evans
January 22, 2008 - 16:46 ET by ShaftBigScoreStephen A. Smith is a modern day example of a Black Face Minstrel Show. As a black man, he bothers me. He is NOT an expert in basketball or anything else, he just talks REAL LOUD. I feel better watching old re-runs of "Good Times" with J.J. Evans saying "dynomite!"; compared to watching Steven A. Smith.
I favor the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it must be enforced at gunpoint if necessary. President Ronald Reagan
This is rather comical
January 23, 2008 - 01:03 ET by RbastidThis is rather comical coming from one of sports biggest race baiters. While on ESPN he found a way to turn half the topics into "so and so" held down african americans or how sports dislike african americans and so do all white fans. He needs to stick to talking sports, where he wasn't even a top 20 reporter.