Stephen A. Smith has unapologetically talked politics during the 2024 presidential election cycle and even before it. But with more frequent appearances on NewsNation, Fox News, and CNN, his voice in the space holds some weight, like it or not.
Smith has suggested — and even predicted — that Vice President Kamala Harris will win the election and be named the 47th President of the United States. He did tell Sean Hannity that he would’ve voted for other Republicans not named Donald Trump, whether that be Nikki Haley or Chris Christie.
But Trump is on the ticket, and the First Take star has made no qualms about his feelings about the former president. He’s also made no qualms about his feelings regarding celebrity presidential endorsements and praised pop sensation Taylor Swift for supporting Harris.
But don’t get Smith started when it comes to those who have thrown their support behind Trump.
“Brett Favre, really? He’s endorsing someone right now?” Smith said of the ex-Green Bay Packers quarterback who’s been at a smattering of Trump rallies in the past few months. “Who told him folks care about that kind of subject from him? What they care about are other issues, dare I say are a bit challenging for him these days; I won’t get into that.”
We will.
Smith, of course, is referring to allegations that Favre misused Mississippi welfare funds to build a volleyball stadium at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, and invest in a drug company, Prevacus, which was developing a concussion medication.
The founder of Prevacus, the company Favre used state funds to invest in, pleaded guilty to wire fraud earlier this year in connection with the Mississippi welfare scandal. Favre was named in a 2022 civil suit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, where he was accused of improperly receiving about $8 million in funds from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. It’s the largest public embezzlement scandal in state history.
Favre maintains he did not know the money he received from the state was intended as welfare funds.
In the wake of the allegations against Favre, the former quarterback filed and lost defamation lawsuits against Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe. The Hall of Fame quarterback also lost an appeal in his defamation suit against Sharpe.
Favre has not been charged with a crime in connection to the Mississippi welfare scandal.
“That’s one thing,” Smith said of Favre, “and Roseanne Barr, the National Anthem, when she was singing that, I mean, it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense on that one.”
Smith then turned the attention to notable celebrity endorsements of Harris, which include but aren’t limited to Swift, LeBron James, George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Beyonce and Mark Cuban,
“Speaking of LeBron James, let me say this: can we do me a favor, please? Can I ask a personal favor to folks? Especially athletes,” Smith said. “If you want to come out and support a presidential candidate, could it be, could you please articulate your issues? I mean, it’s real easy to say, ‘How is there a choice? I want to think about my kids, my grandkids, my family…’ Could you elaborate more extensively, please?
“Other than the fact that he’s hated by some, can we talk about her issues? I’m talking about her policies and what she’s promoting. See, I get upset when I know there are brilliant brothers and sisters out there, who are well read, have a clue about the issues, but then don’t say a damn thing about it when they’re encouraging people who to vote for. If you’re gonna do that, tell them why! Tell them why!
“Now, I’ve been on the record; he scares me, and I’m interested in somebody in the White House who’s a statesman and who’s going to work across the aisle on both sides and strive to get things done. I’m a centrist. I’m not for woke culture, but I’m for liberal policies. I believe in thinking about the little man. I believe in thinking about the desolate and disenfranchised. I believe in thinking about the elderly. I don’t want Social Security to become insolvent. I want Medicare and Medicaid. I’m a proponent of the Affordable Care Act.
“See, I can give you those issues. I can give that to you. Could you, LeBron James, or anyone else for that matter?”
That means Brett Favre, too.
“If you’re going to support somebody, could you tell us why?” asked Smith. “Other than ‘He’s gonna subvert the constitution; democracy is at stake.’ You know why I don’t want to hear that? Because the left has been saying that for ages. You said it about Ronald (Reagan). You said it about (George) H.W. Bush. You said it about (George) W. Bush. You said it about Trump.
“Maybe, just maybe, if you didn’t say it every single time an election came around, we would’ve taken it more seriously when you said it in 2016 when he was going up against Hillary (Clinton). Maybe.”
