Michelle Obama's Trump vote remarks continue to ignite a response, as Stephen A. Smith expresses his dissatisfaction, labeling the former First Lady as remaining "salty."
In a recent turn of events, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has expressed his displeasure with comments made by Michelle Obama during the campaign for Kamala Harris.
During her podcast, Michelle Obama likened watching ESPN to watching reality TV shows, specifically mentioning Stephen A. Smith. She stated that networks and hosts create the same kind of "drama." In response, Smith took "major offense" to this comparison, but was more upset by remarks she made during the 2024 campaign, specifically her comment that a vote for Trump was "against you" and against women. This rhetoric, according to Smith, left him feeling "pretty salty" and he didn't appreciate it being aimed at Black men.
Smith clarified that sports and reality TV are different. Sports are live entertainment and competition, while reality TV is scripted to provoke reactions. He also stated that he respectfully disagreed with Michelle Obama's comments about ESPN, feeling that she was "blackmailing us emotionally into trying to compel us to vote one way or another."
In response to the criticism, Smith reiterated that he voted for Kamala Harris and would not vote for Donald Trump. He also emphasised that many factors influence a person's vote, such as the economy, national security, immigration, and safety in the streets of America.
The incident has sparked speculation of another episode of the apparent Obama-Smith beef. However, Smith made it clear that he would never utter a negative word about Michelle Obama.
Michelle Obama found it fascinating that people in sports, including Stephen A. Smith, can't get along. She also stated that ESPN's shows are full of drama and people yelling at each other. In contrast, Smith disagreed with this comparison, stating that ESPN's shows are not like reality TV shows like "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."
References:
- Michelle Obama’s podcast remarks and the ESPN comparison
- Smith’s on-air rebuttal, his description of taking “major offense,” and his reference to Michelle Obama’s 2024 campaign comments about voting for Trump
- He framed his reaction as both personal (offended by the ESPN/“Real Housewives” comparison) and principled (objecting to what he viewed as admonishing language used by Michelle Obama toward Black male voters during the campaign)
- Smith stated that he respectfully disagreed with Michelle Obama's comments about ESPN and felt she "blackmail[ed] us emotionally into trying to compel us to vote one way or another"
- During the campaign, Michelle Obama said that a vote for Donald Trump was a vote against her and other women
- Stephen A. Smith, despite his disagreement with Michelle Obama's ESPN comparison, acknowledged that they have different views on the nature of sports and entertainment.
- Amid the 2024 campaign, Michelle Obama's comments criticizing a vote for Trump resonated with Smith, prompting him to express his dissatisfaction and feelings of being "pretty salty."
