Stephen A. Smith spoke very harshly against politicians' requests to tone down the heat of political conversations, saying they are responsible for instigating the current environment.
The sports commentator's heavy criticism comes after former President Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt during a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. Smith expressed gratitude that Trump was not seriously injured. Since then, President Joe Biden and many other politicians have asked people to “lower the temperature in politics” and create a less divisive environment.
“I don't disagree with that sentiment at all, but I'll be damned if I don't disagree, or I don’t at least have a problem, rather, with the politicians and the pundits who have the audacity, the unmitigated gall, to stick their big faces in front of a camera and think they get to lecture us when they're the ones who instigate all of this!” Smith said on his show. “It's them! It's them! All of this rhetoric we're talking about!”
Smith clarified that he does not believe any specific politician is responsible for the actions of Trump rally gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, saying that “clearly, something was wrong with him.” However, he reiterated that he did not "want to be lectured" to turn down the political temperature by the same people he argued are responsible for creating it.
The talk show host proceeded to read statements from politicians on both sides of the aisle, including a statement from Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) that said the shooter was “a madman inspired by the rhetoric of the radical left.” Smith then read a statement from Rep. Vincente Gonzales (D-TX), who said he views “Latinos for Trump” in a similar manner to “Jews for Hitler.”
Regarding the shooting itself, Smith suggested that the shooter “just handed” Trump the 2024 election , backing up his argument that “you can’t buy a better photo” than the one taken at the Pennsylvania rally. The now-iconic photo shows Trump raising his fist after getting back on his feet while surrounded by Secret Service members as the flag of the United States flies in the background.
“Look at the video of him raising his fist,” Smith said. “Look at the crowd going crazy behind him. Look at them saying, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah!’ And then, listen to the pundits on TV talking about how strong, how vibrant, how courageous — and they were using these words! And not coincidentally, it was the antithesis of what they’ve been saying about President Biden.”
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Smith is no stranger to talking about the 2024 political landscape, as he previously criticized the Democratic Party for its push to prosecute Trump legally instead of combating him on the political issues facing the country. He contended that many voters have seen the extent to which “the other side” is willing to go to keep Trump out of the White House and that “we’ll never have peace in this country” because of it.
In the wake of Biden’s request to lower the political temperature, the president said he regrets making a statement calling for Trump to be placed in the “bullseye,” noting in an interview that “it was a mistake to use the word.” However, Biden declined to say he had done “soul-searching” following the assassination attempt, arguing that it was instead Trump who had used violent rhetoric.
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