Tucker Carlson and Chris Cuomo recently sat down for a conversation that aired on both Carlson’s digital network and NewsNation. Stephen A. Smith didn’t like what he heard.
The conversation between Carlson and Cuomo lasted for more than two hours, tackling a variety of subjects.
One of the topics the pair disagreed on was Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. That is what struck Stephen A. Smith when he joined the NewsNation show hosted by Chris Cuomo on Tuesday evening.
“I’m not gonna lie, Chris, it was a hard listen to,” said Smith when asked to react to the comments from Tucker Carlson. “I’m certainly not trying to cast any aspersions on Tucker Carlson, but just listening to some of the questions that he was asking you, I’m certainly not going to say that he’s detached from reality, but he clearly lives in his own reality that I’d be hard pressed to believe is inundated with an abundance of black perspectives.
“That’s where I took issue with what he is saying. He almost wanted to say that race doesn’t exist. He came across as someone who lamented some of the things that had gone on in society … He’s saying, ‘Hey, let’s be all about a meritocracy.’ What do you think black folks want? What do you think Hispanic folks want? Asian, etcetera. What do you think they want in this nation?”
Chris Cuomo said he believes Tucker Carlson views the issue as a “precept of what’s necessary” and that “he doesn’t seen the same need for corrective action” as others might. He continued by sharing his belief that there is no difference between races, but once you start to view the issue from that prism, people can be led to believe those things are relevant.
Stephen A. Smith went out of his way to say he wasn’t attempting to be disrespectful of Carlson. Instead, he just shared that he doesn’t share the former Fox News host’s worldview.
“I just said to myself, ‘Wow, he really, really seems a bit detached from reality.’ I’m not going to be overtly or extremely insulted by what he said,” Smith said. “I do appreciate the fact that he was honest and forthcoming with where he was coming from, and that he was talking to somebody like you on your level, who is this conscientious as you are, and willing to tackle those subjects. And I truly, truly appreciate what you did, from the bottom of my heart. It’s just unfortunate that he didn’t see that as he was talking to you … he didn’t take into consideration at all. He’s in his bubble. This is how he sees it.
“I listened to that and I found myself being very disheartened at listening to the words coming out of his mouth,” Smith later added. “It was unfortunate. I’m not judging him and painting him with a broad brush. I was not comfortable listening to him say the things that he says. And I don’t think he understands who he’s echoing by saying some of the things that he was saying, in the eyes of somebody who is not white.”
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