The more support Stephen A. Smith receives from Donald Trump and the Republican Party, the more Mike Francesa becomes skeptical about his political future.
Smith has teased running for president as a Democratic candidate in 2028 since the 2024 election. And on the latest episode of The Mike Francesa Podcast, the former WFAN host discussed whether Smith has a chance of winning.
“I’ve known Stephen A. Smith a long time, I go back with him probably 30 years,” Francesa said. “I have no idea about what his real thoughts are. He’s got a broadcasting career that’s doing well right now. He polled at 2% in that poll. That’s no dreadful, it’s not good. I know Trump’s guy Bannon was the one who mentioned this. So when the other side is promoting you to be the candidate, I’d be careful about that.”
Steve Bannon and Frank Luntz have supported the idea of Smith running for president. Even Donald Trump recently encouraged Smith to make a run at the White House in 2028. Smith has wavered on whether he wants to run, but has confidently stated he could win. But let’s face it, Republicans aren’t going to hype a Democratic candidate because they want them to win. They’re going to hype a Democratic candidate they can beat.
“For anybody who is outside the political arena, to think they are going to duplicate what Donald Trump has done, to come from outside the political world, to not have held public office and think you are going to run for the biggest prize in the world, the presidency…the odds on that are about the same as pulling a straight flush in a poker game,” Francesa continued. “I know it will probably lead to other people thinking they can duplicate what Donald Trump has done.
“What Donald Trump has done from that standpoint, coming from where he did as a TV personality – and if there had never been The Apprentice he never would have been the president, that goes without saying – but he was always very good at branding…he did that times a hundred to become what he has become, which is right now, the most powerful man in the world…I don’t think it will be duplicated.”
Despite ridiculous claims of Trump running for a third term, his political reign is coming to an end in a few years. And as polarizing and controversial as the current president is, both parties are desperate for the next version of Trump because it creates a more entertaining news cycle than having some lifelong politicians battle for the White House.
Smith is a talented TV personality and is very good at branding. But his fame is not what Trump’s is or has been at any point in the last 40 years. Smith has only recently started to transcend sports, where Trump had global fame for decades before he ran for president. Maybe Smith can still find a platform to run on that cuts through. But for now, Smith remains much more focused on milking the attention that comes with being thought of as a candidate for president, than he is actually running for president.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com