Staff Reports
Stephen A. Smith, known for his loud and often boisterous presence on ESPN, has thrown a rhetorical bucket of cold water on the fevered adoration surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris. With an air of unexpected contrarianism, Smith has illuminated a glaring issue: while the Democratic machine is busy puffing up Harris’ profile, she remains conspicuously absent from the tough questions that would any rational candidate might embrace.
It’s a peculiar but predictable twist in the world of sports commentary overlapping with political analysis, particularly for someone like Smith, who usually engages in discussions about athletes rather than politicians. Still, one has to acknowledge the irony of a self-proclaimed sports expert throwing shade with a clarity many political commentators seem to lack. Amid Harris’ rising visibility, as the Democrats pull out all the stops to showcase her strengths—including her seemingly favorable polling numbers and large crowds—Smith points out that the VP has hardly been held to account by the media, which is telling.
In a recent segment on his show, he laid out the evidence of her media evasion. Smith bluntly highlighted the absurdity of Harris’s recent political posture, noting that with her towering absence from challenging press questions, her public persona resembles more of a pep rally performer than that of a serious presidential candidate. Despite the millions flowing into her campaign coffers, he questions whether her political calculus will hold up when the heat turns up and voters rightfully demand answers.
Smith’s commentary is particularly striking given that even mainstream allies like CNN are getting restless regarding Harris’s too-frequent invisibility cloaking. There is a sense of accountability that Smith insists is necessary for all politicians, a view that bucks the trend of media protectiveness that often surrounds Democratic figures. The crux of his criticism lies in his belief that Harris isn’t putting her policies or herself out there for legitimate scrutiny, raising eyebrows across the political spectrum.
His observations echo the broader concern about the reluctance among Democratic leadership to engage on substantive issues. To Smith, and perhaps to many on the right, this is not merely a failure on Harris’s part; it’s a glaring oversight in the context of a candidacy that seeks to lead the nation. For someone purportedly running to be the leader of the free world, one would think she might want to practice her public speaking skills beyond propping up a crowd. After all, the same scrutiny expected of conservative candidates should apply equally to all politicians, regardless of party affiliation.
As the countdown to potential debates and press conferences ticks away, the question remains: will the vice president finally step up and take the heat? Or will she continue to hide behind the very stage her party has built around her? Smith’s challenge sets the stage for a potentially dramatic showdown between obligation and evasion in the democratic arena. The American public, especially the conservatives fed up with double standards, are waiting for an answer.
