Senator doesn't hold back: We're in the middle of an authoritarian takeover

Video Description

At age 67, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) is stepping away from the U.S. Senate — retiring after just one full term in office. Kara Swisher talks with Smith about why she’s leaving, the challenges facing the Democratic Party in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, and her warning that the U.S. is already in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. Smith discusses: - Why she believes Democrats shouldn’t cave to Republicans during the negotiations over a spending bill - Why more senators should consider retirement instead of clinging to power - How Democrats can win back voters and fight MAGA - Her personal reflections on the rise in political violence, including the assassination of her friend Melissa Hortman, and what it’s like to be on a gunman’s hit list With just over a year left in office, Sen. Smith doesn’t hold back on Trump, the failures of Congress, and the urgent choices Democrats must make to defend democracy. Recorded live at the MinnPost Festival 2025 in downtown Minneapolis. 00:00 Introduction 01:10 Trump’s DOJ and the Comey indictment 04:00 The dangers of a second Trump term 05:40 The exhaustion strategy and media distractions 08:30 Can Congress or courts stop Trump? 12:00 Civil action and protest as tools for democracy 14:45 Inside the potential government shutdown 18:50 Who takes the blame for a shutdown? 22:40 Political violence and personal threats against Sen. Tina Smith 27:48 Confronting Sen. Mike Lee on conspiracy posts 32:00 Disney, law firms, and universities bowing to Trump 35:00 Tech billionaires, corruption, and crypto influence 37:30 Why Senator Smith is retiring 39:45 Why others in Congress struggle to step aside 42:20 Why Tina Smith is against term and age limits in Congress 45:08 The “feckless Democrats” problem and should Joe Biden have run 47:00 What should Kamala Harris had done differently 48:00 Why didn't more Democrats speak up against Joe Biden 50:00 What Democrats must do to win voters back 56:20 2026 midterm election predictions and Trump’s lasting influence LISTEN Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/52706zHmoqnScfk8NOIuyA?si=a1e7fffeb5cd48d3 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sen-smith-on-the-shutdown-democrats-future-and/id1643307527?i=1000729049614 FOLLOW US: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onwithkaraswisher/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onwithkaraswisher?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-swisher-b7213 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@onwithkaraswisher Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/onwithkaraswisher.bsky.social Subscribe: https://goo.gl/FRleYo