Stephen A. Smith Regrets Voting For Harris

In a candid appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith delivered a blistering critique of Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, admitting that he felt “like a fool” for supporting her in the 2024 election. Smith’s remarks came as part of a broader discussion on the shortcomings of the Democratic Party, which he believes led to a difficult and divisive political landscape, particularly as it pertains to Harris’s “nomination” in 2024, though many referred to it as more of a coronation.

“I voted for her, a lot of people voted for her, but in the end, we end up feeling like damn fools, because we supported it,” Smith told Maher’s live audience, adding that if the Democratic Party had held a legitimate primary, Harris would likely not have emerged as the nominee.

Readers should note that leading up to the 2024 race, she had abysmal approval ratings and there were quiet discussions in Washington about replacing her as the vice presidential candidate.

Smith’s frustration stemmed from what he described as a lack of a fair and open democratic process for Harris’s nomination. He pointed out that Harris had struggled to gain traction during the 2020 Democratic primaries, dropping out before the Iowa caucus, failing to secure a single primary vote. Despite her lackluster campaign, Harris was ultimately “anointed” the 2020 vice presidential nominee and as a result, the 2024 presidential nominee. Smith and many of his ideological peers saw this as a backdoor entry rather than a reflection of popular support from the Democratic base.

“Kamala Harris, who didn’t resonate during the primaries in 2020 — couldn’t even get to Iowa — suddenly is the Democratic nominee,” Smith said. “Then you roll up to the convention in Chicago, and everybody’s like ‘She’s a rockstar!’ So it’s like, ‘How’d that happen?’”

He continued, comparing her campaign to that of Barack Obama’s. “Let’s be honest here: first of all, one could argue that Obama resonated more because the people chose him to be the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States of America as opposed to somebody backdooring their way into the position,” Smith said, drawing applause from the audience. His words painted a sharp contrast between the two campaigns, underscoring his belief that Obama’s success had been rooted in genuine grassroots support, while Harris’s rise lacked that same organic connection.

He also addressed the broader political climate, particularly the public’s view of President Donald Trump.

“Here’s the deal: the man was impeached twice, he was convicted on 34 felony counts, and the American people still said, ‘He’s closer to normal than what we’re seeing on the left,’” Smith said.

For Smith, the Democratic Party’s failure to address the concerns of everyday Americans was a key reason for Trump’s appeal. Despite his controversies, Trump’s messaging on issues like the economy, immigration, and national security resonated with a significant portion of the electorate, leading to his continued popularity among voters in 2024.

Smith lamented the party’s focus on issues like transgender rights and identity politics, which he believes alienated many voters. “It’s such a strong tilt to the progressive left where we are talking about transgender issues and culture wars and identity politics and all of this stuff. We are sick of all of that,” he said, adding that Americans were more concerned with traditional issues like jobs and economic security.

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