Yahoo Lifestyle Stephen A. Smith Says He'd Run For President Under 1 Condition
Stephen A. Smith revealed that he isn’t ruling out a presidential bid, despite his reservations, in a Thursday appearance on “The View.”
“I have no desire to be a congressional figure or a senator, but if you came to me and you told me I had a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States of America, I would definitely consider it,” the ESPN personality said.
Smith has discussed the subject before. In 2022, he told radio host and fellow ESPN personality Paul Finebaum he would give it a shot if he thought he could win, despite having “no desire to ever be a politician.”
In an episode of ESPN’s “First Take” a week later, Smith said, “If the American people wanted me to run for the presidency of the United States of America, I would strongly consider it. And damn it, I mean it.”
“I mean, listen, it ain’t that big of a standard; I mean, let’s call it what it is. I think I got a shot,” he added.
He then spilled on his radio show last year that the only public office he’d be interested in seeking is the presidency, adding that he doesn’t think he’d campaign well.
“But I know I’d make decisions, and I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d tell you this much: There’d be law and order, and I ain’t talking about Trump-style,” Smith said.
He emphasized that he wouldn’t go “as far as Trump” with his immigration policies, and he wouldn’t deny people citizenship if they were born to immigrant parents on U.S. soil.
Smith — who’s beenanoccasionalguest on Fox News over the years and sparred with Sean Hannity over Donald Trump last month — told “The View” host Sunny Hostin “hell no” when asked if he thinks he’s “qualified” to run for president.
“I like my life. I’m living a pretty good life, but I must confess, I do — I wish I could debate some of these guys. I’d love to be on a debate stage going up against these guys with the presidency on the line,” Smith said Thursday.
He noted that he’d be an independent who wouldn’t be “bought and paid for” should he seek the White House.
Smith later told “View” host Whoopi Goldberg that lobbying would be the “biggest” thing he’d want to not see in politics.
“Look at the Democratic and the Republican National Conventions, look at the suites, who are in the suites? The billionaires, they’re all running the show, we all know this,” said Smith in comments mirroring ones from NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo at this year’s DNC.
“And so, as a result, not to be disrespectful to our elected politicians, but to some degree they are puppets. You have to succumb to the pockets of the people. They influence things. They’re not giving you this money for nothing. And I don’t want to do that,” Smith added.
