Stephen A. Smith, no stranger to giving hot takes, is getting significant pushback for his latest comments on politics. On his podcast, Smith went after prominent Democrats, including Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, while going easy on President Donald Trump and urging Democrats to cooperate with him.
Smith criticizes Crockett for not working with Trump
Smith recently dived into politics on his podcast Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith, targeting Democrats.
“How a Jasmine Crockett chooses to express herself, I’m like, ‘Is that going to help your district in Texas?’ Aren’t you there to find a way to get stuff done as opposed to just being an impediment to what Trump wants?” Smith said about the outspoken Texas congresswoman.
He took issue with her opposition to Trump: “‘I’m just gon’ go off about Trump, cuss him out every chance I get, say the most derogatory, incendiary things imaginable — and that’s my day’s work.’ That ain’t work!” he said. “That’s the man in power, I know what his agenda is. I’m not exactly in a position to stop him since the Republicans have the Senate and the House. But maybe if I’m willing to work with this man, I might get something out of it for my constituency.”
Smith commented on his stance: “I don’t know, maybe that just sounds ignorant because it’s so simple.”
Ripping potential Democratic presidential candidates
Smith also criticized other Democrats, complaining about the party’s 2024 campaign.
“You have a Democratic Party that knew they were getting our vote, would engage in demagoguery, scare the living hell out of us about what existed on the right, and as a result, they’d get our vote.” He continued, “All they had to do to get it was give us lip service about negative stuff about the other side.”
He took shots at potential Democratic presidential candidates, saying, “AOC I believe can win the Senate seat in New York over Chuck Schumer! I don’t think she’ll win the presidency.”
Discussing Newsom’s expected presidential run, Smith argued that the California governor’s record would hurt him.
“You don’t think they have clips of how you embraced extreme leftist policies during the whole woke movement and cancel culture and everything else?”
He also criticized him for crime, homelessness and California’s high cost of living.
Smith called out for his ‘uninformed’ takes and opinions on Black women
In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Roland Martin defended Crockett and went after Smith.
“He is 100% WRONG about @RepJasmine @JasmineForUS,” Martin declared. “She represents the Texas 30th congressional district. I am a voter there. Her JOB is to represent 750,000 people. She IS doing her job.”
Martin added that Crockett speaks on many issues — “It’s not all Trump,” — and that Smith did not have his facts straight.
“This uninformed stuff may work in sports, but NOT in politics. FACTS MATTER.”
HBCU Pulse CEO Randall Barnes called out Smith for his comments as well as earlier criticisms of Kamala Harris, writing, “It’s pretty interesting that he chose these two black women to attack as he launches his political radio show. He’s employing the same tactics that he does in sports to elevate himself.”
Smith has often reveled in making controversial statements, and his current comments about Crockett, Democrats and Trump are the latest in a long history of hot takes. Even if his words are prompting significant blowback, they are also garnering attention, and this will likely not be the last time the outspoken sportscaster dives into politics.