It certainly feels like the United States of America could have back-to-back presidents that have backgrounds in television.
Current President Donald Trump spent 11 years as the host of “The Apprentice” on NBC. A businessman by trade, Trump’s show was a mainstay on television for 14 seasons. NBC cut ties with Trump in 2015 following his announcement to run for president.
After Trump’s second term, it sounds like popular sports commentator Stephen A. Smith is seriously considering replacing the 47th president. Smith has a background in sports journalism and has spent the last several decades as a debate personality on ESPN.
Smith’s public interest in politics has certainly increased over the years. At one point, it was a funny thought to imagine one of the world’s best sports debaters on a presidential debate stage arguing politics. A few short years later, it feels like a real possibility that Smith views himself as a legitimate political figure in 2028.
On Kalshi’s prediction market, Smith has less than a one percent chance of winning the 2028 presidential election. But the fact that he’s even listed as a nominee feels insane.
In an interview with CBS, Smith admitted that he’d likely run as a democrat, as he couldn’t see himself running as a member of the GOP. He claims to have “no desire” in running for president, but also states that he’s not ruling it out.
“I’m a fiscal conservative,” Smith said. “I can’t stand high taxes. But I’m a social liberal in the same breath because I believe in living and let live.”
Kalshi has democratic candidates including Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, Andy Beshar, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Jon Ossoff, Josh Shapiro, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gavin Newsom as the individuals with better odds at becoming president than Smith. However, current VP J.D. Vance is the current favorite to win the election.
Smith was asked directly about running against legitimate candidates including Newsome, the governor of California.
“I respect all of them in terms of their intellect, in terms of where their heart lies, in terms of the service that they want to provide to this country,” Smith told CBS. “But ultimately, your actions speak louder than anything.”
He noted that Newsom is a qualified candidate that might be able to separate himself, but the lack of affordability in California, homelessness and crime will be questions that the governor will need to answer.
Smith’s idea of running for office doesn’t seem overly farfetched because of his ability to debate on the spot. America has turned into a country that runs on the backbone of social media clips. It’s what helped Smith rise to prominence in his professional career as a broadcaster. But could it carry him all the way to the White House?
