ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith caused a stir recently by wading into political territory on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” during a New Year’s Eve episode.
While usually found dissecting sports highlights, Smith didn’t hold back when addressing the debates within the Republican Party over H-1B visas, calling such discussions “good for the country.”
Meanwhile, he slammed Democrats, accusing them of suppressing these kinds of policy disputes.
“At least in the Trump administration, there appears to be a debate allowed,” said Smith.
He claimed the Democratic Party has a history of stifling dissent, citing “cancel culture” as the hammer they wield against those who challenge their views.
Smith added that disagreements in the party often lead to ostracism and fearmongering.
“There was no room for debate, and enough voices weren’t being heard,” he passionately stated.
Smith also highlighted what he perceived as a disconnect between the Democrats’ celebration of diverse identities and the lack of openness to differing opinions within the party.
“You’re Black, you’re white, you’re gay, you’re lesbian, you’re heterosexual, you’re transgender—it don’t matter. You still have to have one form of thinking if you fell under their umbrella; otherwise, you were pushed out,” Smith theorized during the segment.
Touching upon the controversial topic of immigration and work permits, Smith showed support for Elon Musk’s position on the matter.
Musk has argued that America should prioritize attracting “the top ~0.1% of engineering talent” to stay competitive.
However, Smith stressed that even those who disagree with Musk’s approach deserve space for a robust and open conversation, something he claims Democrats do not allow.
According to him, this lack of debate has placed the Democrats at a significant disadvantage.
Smith didn’t stop there. He criticized the Democratic Party for deciding against a primary election ahead of the 2024 presidential race.
He claimed that this move sends a worrying message about the party’s trajectory. “The Democrats stopped letting people decide,” he continued calling the party’s approach “censorship” and “cancel culture.”
He added, “One could easily argue their mentality seems to be, you must obey the party line, or you’re out on your a**.”
Regarding Trump’s resurgence in the political arena, Smith voiced his belief that the Democrats’ internal issues have paved the way for Trump’s return to the White House.
He argued that the absence of open debate among Democrats has weakened their position.
“That’s why they’re home and Donald Trump is on his way back to the White House,” he concluded.
Smith noted the value of discussing notions like “America first” and prioritizing native-born citizens in public policies.
He argued that such debates benefit the strength and clarity of the party’s vision in the long run.
“I just think these kind of discussions are good for the country, and wish I saw more of it on the left,” he reflected, lamenting the absence of similar conversations within the Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip” spiraled into a heated exchange when attorney Arthur Aidala raised the issue of Democrats railroading Donald Trump and his family during the former president’s term.
The conversation began when a clip surfaced of Trump in an NBC News interview.
Trump provocatively suggested that his attorneys may need to consider whether legal actions should be taken against Republican turncoat, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), which prompted strong reactions from the panel.
Former Rep. Joe Walsh (D-IL) quickly responded, criticizing Trump’s comments as unnerving and authoritarian.
“You can laugh at that. And you can say he’s an idiot. That’s the president-elect making another direct threat. This is unprecedented. It’s wrong. We should all agree it’s wrong that he says something like that,” Walsh declared.
He suggested that Joe Biden should proactively pardon as many people as possible, adding, “Protect [them] from a guy who said, ‘I want to be an authoritarian.’”
Shockingly, Aidala defended Trump by shifting the focus toward the legal challenges the President-elect and his family faced during his last term.
“The Democratic administration just went after Trump and his whole family. His whole family,” he argued.
This immediately triggered loud reactions from the rest of the table, with panelists collectively exclaiming, “Whoa, whoa.”
Host Abby Phillip pushed back, asking for clarity. “Hang on. What do you mean, the Democratic administration? What are you talking about?” Phillip challenged, adding pointedly that many of Aidala’s claims required more substantiated examples.
Aidala attempted to clarify, referencing actions taken by Joe Biden’s administration, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Democrats at state and federal levels.
He listed the Manhattan District Attorney, the New York Attorney General, and the Department of Justice under Merrick Garland as examples of entities pursuing Trump in legal proceedings during and after his presidency.
Aidala also pointed out that members of Trump’s family had been compelled to testify during various lawsuits and congressional hearings.
Nevertheless, Phillip and other panelists contended that policy-led investigations into Trump were separate from Aidala’s description of them as being orchestrated entirely for political gain.
For their part, they dismissed Aidala’s initial portrayal of events as exaggerated. One panelist even remarked that, if anything, the Democratic administration had not taken full advantage of opportunities to hold Trump accountable.
Watch the CNN panel lose their minds at Aidala’s argument HERE: