No, Stephen A. Smith has no plans to run for President of the United States. And he has a pretty good reason for not pursuing the most influential office in the world.
“People think I’m interested in being an elected official. I have no desire to be that,” Smith said on The Daily Show. “I’d have to give up a lot of money to do that, and I don’t want to do that.”
In recent months, there had been rumblings that the popular ESPN talking head might make a run at the presidency. Especially since he has veered away from sports topics into social and political issues on his YouTube channel. Plus, in an era where Donald Trump can go from businessman and reality TV star to President twice, anything is possible.
However, Smith recently signed a new five-year deal with the media giant that is reportedly worth $100 million. The process to run for the presidency would force him to break that deal and would also take a huge chunk out of his overall net worth.
Stephen A. Smith still wants to effect political change going forward
Smith clearly wants to use his notoriety and platform to speak truth to power, or he would not be so publicly talking about certain issues. So, if he is not running for an elected office, what does he want to do?
“I want to be a major player, in terms of a voice and a conduit for change,” he told John Stewart. “I want to make sure that people know that the BS has got to stop. You want to be a hell raiser. You want to make sure people are uncomfortable, and they are not going to get away with the BS that they have been getting away with.
“But I believe, society as a whole is a lot of great God-fearing individuals who can get along just fine. I think the politicians in the country have served to divide us and paint us against one another for their own selfish deeds,” he added. “… I don’t mind calling them out at all[ and] I don’t give a damn who it is. Whoever needs to go, needs to go, and I’m about that.”
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