Describing Donald Trump’s electoral victory over Kamala Harris as a “thorough a** kicking,” ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith did not hold back in his scathing assessment of the Democrats’ performance in the 2024 election.
“Ain’t no way around it, Bill,” Smith said to comedian and talk show host Bill Maher during the latest episode of Maher’s podcast, Club Random. “You know more about politics than me, but a blind man can see the Democrats got their a** kicked.”
Trump’s victory was decisive, as the Republican candidate won 312 of the 538 total electoral votes and also captured the popular vote, receiving 49.988 percent of all ballots cast, according to The New York Times’ latest figures. For Smith, the Republican Party’s more effective nomination process played a major role in the outcome.
Unlike the clear path Donald Trump had to the Republican nomination, the Democratic side was marked by confusion. President Joe Biden initially announced his bid for re-election at 81 years old, a decision that, according to Smith, was doomed from the start. Biden’s eventual reversal and the party’s pivot to Vice President Kamala Harris did little to inspire confidence among voters.
“Trump’s been the Republican nominee since 2016,” Smith explained. “It’s clear that he is who conservatives want in the White House. That’s who they supported, regardless of anything else. They didn’t give a damn about the 34 indictments. They didn’t give a damn about two impeachments. They didn’t give a damn about all the legal issues and all the lawfare that the Democrats engaged in. They said: ‘That’s our guy.'”
Smith criticized the Democrats for “greasing the skids” when settling on Kamala Harris as their candidate, likening it to what happened in 2016, when Hillary Clinton secured the nomination over Bernie Sanders amid widespread infighting within the party.
According to Smith, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) seemed to orchestrate Clinton’s path to the nomination because it was perceived to be her “turn.”
The controversy surrounding Clinton’s 2016 nomination was fueled by leaked emails from the DNC, published by WikiLeaks, which appeared to show the party’s preference for Clinton over Sanders. To this day, debates continue over whether that preference gave Clinton an unfair advantage, but Smith argued that the very perception of meddling is damaging to the party.
“That’s for the voters to decide,” Smith said. “And a lot of times, the Democratic Party seems like they’ve got their claws in the mix.”
However, Smith reserved his harshest criticism for Biden’s decision to run for re-election. After initially positioning himself as a transitional figure meant to pave the way for the next generation of Democratic leaders, Biden’s choice to seek another term left many voters—including Smith—feeling frustrated.
“Your a** was gonna be 82 years old in the White House,” Smith said, pointing out Biden’s age as a major concern. “Oh, so you’re looking forward with a guy who’s gonna be 82 and would leave office when he’s 86? Really, y’all? I’m sitting there like, ‘You got to be s***ting me.'”
Smith went on to express his own frustrations about the lack of viable options during the election. “I knew I wasn’t voting for Trump. I knew that wasn’t gonna happen,” Smith said. “But I was saying to myself: ‘What are you thinking, Democrats? What are you thinking?'”
The result, as Smith vividly put it, was an electoral “a** kicking.” He even compared the Democrats’ defeat to a boxing match. “Similar to Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr.,” Smith said, referencing Crawford’s dominant knockout victory over Spence in 2023. “Yup, that works. It was that kind of a** kicking.”
Stephen A. Smith’s increasingly political commentary comes at a time when he is also in contract negotiations with ESPN. The New York Post previously reported that Smith earns $12 million annually with the network, but rumors suggest he is seeking a nine-figure deal.
“[Dallas Cowboys quarterback] Dak Prescott just signed a contract for $240 million,” Smith said during an appearance on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace in September. “He’s making $60 million a year. Has won two playoff games in eight years. I’ve been number one for 12 years. I’m sorry; in our respective industries, I win, and I’m fully aware of what I’m worth, and I will never apologize for that to anybody.”
Despite his criticism of the Democrats and their “weak bullpen” of candidates, Smith did offer some praise for Maryland Governor Wes Moore, indicating his support for the rising political figure. Moore, a charismatic leader and the state’s first Black governor, has gained attention for his progressive policies and leadership style—qualities that have earned him the admiration of figures like Smith.
Smith’s willingness to speak openly about his political views has made him a polarizing figure, but it also reflects his broader ambition to be more than just a sports commentator.
Whether he’s discussing the NBA, the NFL, or the state of American politics, Stephen A. Smith continues to make headlines with his bold, unfiltered opinions.
