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(Photo by David Bloom)
ESPN’s bombastic star commentator Stephen A. Smith isn’t running for president in 2028. But he’s also officially not not running, given leadership disarray on the left and “willy nilly” mayhem on the right from the Trump Administration’s tariffs and other initiatives, he said today at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas.
“I have no desire to be a politician. My life is pretty well" set up, Smith said as part of opening presentations at the sprawling media conference. “But I will no longer close the door.”
Smith, 57, recently signed a $100 million, five-year contract with ESPN, ahead of the sports giant’s launch later this year of a direct-to-consumer “flagship” streaming app carrying all its programming. He also has a radio program on I Heart among other ventures. By comparison, being a politician isn’t a particularly fun job.
“I have no desire to do it,” Smith told his moderator, long-time media consultant Mike McVay. “You just articulated my contract extension. I’m living pretty good. I personally perceive politicians being professional beggars. You always have your hand out and people need something in return.”
But, Smith said, as more people approached him about the idea, “over the last few weeks, I had to get a little more serious about it.”
Smith acknowledged that he’d need to “hunker down for a couple of months” to study the finer points of many political issues. But he truly seemed excited about at least one part of the 2028 campaign: on-stage debates.
“Imagine me on a debate stage with these people, these politicians,” Smith said. “This is what I do for a living. I am not a politician. I don’t have a political record for them to lean on. I can challenge what you literally say (as politicians). They would all know more than me at this particular time, but they have a record to address."
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