Stephen A. Smith Goes on Hannity, Tears Trump Apart

Stephen A. Smith aimed his sharp critiques at former president Donald Trump on Thursday. During an appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity, the sports host railed against Trump’s character and increasingly outlandish, rambling speeches.

“We might not like something on the left. We might not like something on the right. These are the two candidates that we’ve got to work with,” Smith said. “And when you bring up issues in terms of character or in terms of being truthful, or whatever, let me tell you something right now: You can bring a whole bunch of Republicans, and I’ll be cool with it. You can’t bring up Trump to make a case against using those arguments. You can’t do that.”

When Hannity suggested that Smith was “privately” going to vote for Trump, the ESPN personality was quick to respond: “I told you I’m on the record. I’d have voted almost for any Republican but him. Nikki Haley. Chris Christie. But not him.”

Smith has criticized both political parties in the past, knocking Democrats for failing to replace President Joe Biden, 81, prior to Biden stepping aside and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. He has also defended the president against “disrespectful” comments from Republican commentators and has previously told Hannity in the past to “respect your elders.”

In September, Smith praised Harris’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. “She made the case for being the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States of America, reminding folks over her credentials in a way that basically, you know, shoved aside notions of her being some radical leftist,” Smith said. “She was absolutely sensational for the last 25 to 30 minutes, making her case to the American people on behalf of the Democratic Party.”

When speaking to Hannity on Thursday, Smith tore into Trump’s scattershot delivery while on stage during campaign rallies. “I know you’re not talking about somebody being lucid and cogent and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump,” Smith told Hannity. “We can’t be watching the same stuff if that’s what you’re doing.”

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From rambling on about late golfer Arnold Palmer being well-endowed to calling the Democratic presidential nominee “retarded” to repeatedly touting his admiration for dictators, Trump’s rhetoric has become more hateful and violent in the weeks leading up to the election. Earlier this month, while speaking on Fox News, Trump proposed using military forces against U.S. citizens who oppose him on Election Day, calling Americans who disagree with him the “enemy from within.”