Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said this week that while he remains sharply critical of President Donald Trump’s behavior, he believes the tens of millions of Americans who voted for the president should not be condemned simply because of their political choice.
Smith made the remarks during a conversation with Barrett Media CEO and founder Jason Barrett at the Barrett Media Audio Summit in New York City, where he discussed his growing role in political commentary alongside his longtime career in sports media.
Barrett noted that Smith’s political commentary has drawn attention from Trump himself. The president has publicly suggested Smith should consider running for office while also dismissing him at other times as a “low IQ individual.”
Smith said he was unfazed by the insult.
“I’m in good company,” Smith said. “He’s called quite a few people low IQ.”
The ESPN personality added that criticism from within the African American community has been more difficult for him to deal with than Trump’s comments.
Criticizes Trump while defending his voters
Smith made clear that he strongly disapproves of Trump’s public conduct.
“I’m utterly disgusted with how he behaves,” he said.
At the same time, Smith argued that opposing Trump does not mean dismissing every person who voted for him. He noted that more than 77 million Americans cast ballots for Trump and said it is unfair to treat those voters with the same hostility directed toward the president.
According to Smith, many people vote based on policy priorities rather than personal loyalty to a candidate.
“I don’t have to like you to vote for you,” he said, explaining that elections often require voters to choose between imperfect options.
Smith also stressed that he does not oppose every Trump policy, despite his criticism of the president’s rhetoric.
Says voters consider a range of issues
Smith pointed to the economy, immigration, abortion, and border security as examples of issues that can drive voting decisions.
Someone may favor stricter immigration enforcement, support a pro-life position, or believe one candidate is better equipped to handle the economy without endorsing every statement or action that candidate makes, he said.
Smith argued that reducing millions of voters to a single label ignores the complexity of political decision-making.
He recalled an episode of his program, “The Straight Shooter,” when he abruptly ended a call after a caller claimed that everyone who voted for Trump was racist.
Smith said he refused to entertain such a sweeping accusation because it ignored the many reasons Americans cast their ballots.
Two-party system forces difficult choices
Smith also argued that America’s two-party system often leaves voters choosing between candidates they do not fully support.
Many Americans, he said, identify more closely with one party’s priorities than the other’s, even if they disagree with certain positions or aspects of the nominee’s personality.
For that reason, Smith said it is “incredibly unfair” to attack or stereotype millions of people based solely on the candidate they supported.
He maintained that political disagreements should not automatically become personal attacks and urged people to recognize that voters often weigh a variety of competing issues before making their decision at the ballot box.
This article originally appeared on Great America News Desk. It is republished with permission.
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