Tuesday’s election wasn’t just a ‘referendum on the Democratic Party,’ according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. It was an ‘annihilation’ of Vice President Kamala Harris by President-elect Donald Trump.
Speaking with Fox News‘ Sean Hannity, Smith first congratulated the conservative host on Trump’s win.
‘You called it, you said it was going to happen, I can’t refute it,’ Smith said. ‘I can’t refute the fact that the president of the United States, the rather president-elect, is well-deserving of it. It was a romp. It was an annihilation.’
And to Smith, Trump’s electoral victory means it’s time for the Democrats to reassess the party’s direction, its support for trans rights in women’s sports, as well as President Joe Biden‘s economic and border policies.
‘[Trump] won and he won in absolutely convincing fashion, so much so that I think that in light of those results, we have to look at this election as a referendum on the Democratic Party, and America’s saying, ‘We’re not feeling where you are. We’re not feeling where you tried to go. We want no part of it. We’re not having it,’ and they made their choice and we have to accept it.
‘And you look at the culture wars, the identity politics, you know, some of the transgender issues that people were bringing up in terms of individuals transferring– transitioning from male to female and wanting to participate in female sports and stuff like that, or sharing the same bathrooms [with] females, and all this other stuff,’ he continued.
‘America said, ‘Hey, we’re not down for that, we’re not going for it, and no matter what you try to throw in our direction, that’s not what we’re concerned about. We’re primarily concerned about the economy, we’re primarily concerned about our borders.’
Not generally considered a conservative or a liberal, Smith has become increasingly political this year as Trump and Harris campaigned for the Oval Office.
He’s even made a habit of appearing on Hannity, with the conservative host referring to the sports pundit as a ‘friend.’
It was on Hannity’s program last week that Smith went viral for slamming the 78-year-old Trump’s perceived mental decline.
‘I know you’re not talking about someone being lucid and cogent, and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump,’ Smith said. ‘We can’t be watching the same stuff if that’s what you’re doing.
But while he remains unimpressed by Trump’s ability as a speaker, Smith saw Harris’ campaign events as far more problematic.
As the post-election finger pointing continued this week, Smith blamed Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey for alienating voters. In particular, Smith was upset that the former First Lady told an audience that ‘a vote for [Trump] is a vote against us.’
‘If we don’t agree with you, we’re against you?’ Smith asked on his podcast ‘How do you think the men felt about that? So we have to do what you tell us to do; otherwise, we’re anti-you? You thought that worked? Do y’all know anything about most men? You think that’s going to work?’
As Smith sees it, the Harris campaign used ‘guilty’ to manipulate ‘everyday people’ ‘into voting for Harris,’ he said on his podcast .
To bolster his point, Smith played a clip of Winfrey hinting at an anti-democratic takeover of the United States in the event of a Trump victory.
Smith’s political turn has coincided with his ongoing contract negotiations with ESPN. Previously the New York Post reported Smith earns $12 million annually with the Worldwide Leader, but he’s rumored to be in the market for a nine-figure deal.
‘[Dallas Cowboys quarterback] Dak Prescott just signed a contract for $240 million,’ Smith told the Who’s Talking To Chris Wallace show in September. ‘He’s making $60 million a year. Has won two playoff games in eight years.
‘I’ve been number one for 12 years. I’m sorry; in our respective industries I win, and I’m fully aware of what I’m worth, and I will never apologize to that for anybody.’
