Stephen A. Smith, a commentator for ESPN, recently voiced his criticism toward notable backers of Vice President Kamala Harris, including Oprah Winfrey and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Smith suggested that their campaign strategies may have distanced voters during the 2024 presidential election.

New York City-born Smith is not just known for his sports analysis, but also for his fervent and often divisive commentary. After his basketball career at Winston-Salem State University ended prematurely due to an injury, he earned a degree in mass communication. He then started his career in sports journalism, joining ESPN in 2003 and becoming a regular on programs such as “First Take” and “NBA Countdown.”

Smith has not been a stranger to controversy, sparking debates on social media for his comments on issues like domestic violence, athletes’ use of recreational drugs, and his candid evaluations of certain sports figures.

He posited that the efforts of affluent celebrities to sway voters through moral sermonizing and guilt might have backfired, contributing to Harris’s loss against Donald Trump in the election.

“They’re worth hundreds of millions if not billions,” said Smith, speaking of the high-profile supporters. “They’re incredibly detached from [voters’] way of life and their quality of life.”

Smith specifically called out comments by Obama implying that voting for Trump was against women’s interests. He argued that such messaging tactics were particularly ineffective with male voters. He also critiqued Winfrey’s caution about future voting rights under Trump’s administration.

“If we don’t agree with you, we’re against you – that kind of rhetoric doesn’t work,” Smith remarked in his political commentary.

Smith interpreted the election results as a “referendum on the Democratic Party” and a significant loss for Harris against Trump, emphasizing voter concerns about the economy, border policies, and transgender rights in sports. He suggested that these issues, along with celebrity messaging, played a role in the Democrats’ electoral defeat.

Smith’s growing involvement in political commentary coincides with his ongoing contract negotiations with ESPN, where he is reportedly seeking a nine-figure deal. His guest appearances on conservative host Sean Hannity’s show have covered a range of topics, from Trump’s age and mental sharpness to broader political matters.

While Smith has criticized both major political parties, he recently revealed that he might consider running for president if he believed he had a real chance of winning. However, he emphasized a different approach to key issues like immigration policy. He stated that he would oppose the denial of citizenship to children born in the United States to immigrant parents, a less extreme position than Trump’s.