Stephen A. Smith is not letting Michelle Obama’s recent comments slide. The ESPN star clapped back after the former first lady took a jab at his credentials as a political commentator.
On his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith addressed her directly. “Michelle Obama, I wanna take this opportunity to remind you that while you are revered by me personally, and I truly, truly mean that with the greatest sincerity, I’m still a bit salty at you,” he said.
His response came after Obama compared watching ESPN to watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta, saying it was “the same drama” with “yelling” and hosts who “don’t get along.” She also described Smith as “just like every other talk show host” during this week’s episode of her podcast, IMO, with her brother, Craig Robinson.
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Smith said he “respectfully disagreed” with her take on ESPN and then accused her of “sort of blackmailing us emotionally into trying to compel us to vote one way or another” ahead of the November 2024 presidential election.
He also brought up her campaign rhetoric from the previous year. “‘When you were campaigning on behalf of the former Vice President Kamala Harris, you said a vote for Trump was a vote against you and a vote against y’all as women,” Smith recalled. “I want to say for the record — I took major offense to that”, reported the Daily Mail.
Despite his frustration, Smith was quick to add that he still believes Michelle Obama would have beaten Donald Trump if she had run in 2024 and that she could win against any Republican if she chose to enter politics. But he cautioned that voters are motivated by more than just women’s rights.
“For some people, it’s all about the economy. For others, it’s all about national security. For some people, it’s immigration,” he said. “For some people, it’s safety in the streets of America, long before they think about pro-choice or pro-life.”
The exchange comes at a time when Democrats are still struggling to settle on a new leader after last year’s devastating loss. Surprisingly, Smith has been floated as an unconventional potential candidate for the future. A recent survey even suggested he might have more support in a 2028 race than several current Democratic hopefuls.
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Smith has hinted that he’s open to the idea. While not making a firm commitment, he’s said he “has no choice” but to consider running given the apparent public enthusiasm — and the fact that elected officials, wealthy donors, and even his pastor have encouraged him to think about it.
Whether this back-and-forth with Michelle Obama is just a momentary clash or a preview of Smith’s future in politics remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — he’s not shying away from mixing sports talk with political takes, even when it means sparring with one of the most admired public figures in the country.