Stephen A. Smith says Barack Obama called him privately before 2024 election
Podcast host Stephen A. Smith revealed that former President Barack Obama called him privately before the 2024 election to discuss his influence, but declined to appear on his show. Smith also criticized Democratic figures for avoiding his platform.
Podcast host Stephen A. Smith revealed that former President Barack Obama called him privately before the 2024 election to discuss his influence, but the former president declined to appear on his show. Smith made the disclosure while defending himself against criticism from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), which gave him a thumbs-down award at a recent Atlanta gala.
«What I never told y'all, and I never brought up, is that Barack Obama called me too. The content of that conversation will remain private because I will not violate trust,» Smith said on «The Culture Table» podcast. «He called before the election to discuss my impact, but he didn't come on the podcast either.»
Smith said the call came after he publicly stated that President Joe Biden should step aside because he «clearly looked done.» He argued that Democratic leaders are willing to speak with him privately but avoid public conversations on his platform. «Folks like to talk to me privately, but then when I ask them to come on camera and to have a fruitful discussion, now they go elsewhere,» he said.
The former president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Smith also named former first lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as Democratic figures who have declined to appear on his show.
«I think the Democrats fear my footsteps,» Smith said. «I think they know that they have a legitimate fear that I can influence the election potentially.» He noted that Harris previously reached out to meet with him for two hours but did not agree to appear on his program before the election. Harris' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Smith addressed the NABJ award during his own show, calling it «a personal hit job.» He questioned why the organization did not contact him directly about its concerns. «Disparaging Black women is a very incendiary thing to say. If you felt that adamant about it, [NABJ] President [Errin] Haines, how come I never got a call?» he asked. Smith said he reached out to Haines to discuss the matter, but the conversation went nowhere.
The NABJ previously said in a statement that Smith was one of five recipients of the award this year. The organization said its concerns «extend well beyond any one individual and include threats to editorial independence, the loss of newsroom diversity and reporting expertise, the treatment of Black journalists in the workplace, responsible use of influential media platforms, and decisions that affect the ability of journalists to fully and fairly cover Black communities and hold powerful institutions accountable.»
Media analyst Joe Concha said high-profile Democrats have generally avoided less traditional media platforms, unlike President Donald Trump, who appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast for a three-hour interview in 2024. Concha noted that Harris avoided holding a traditional press conference during her vice presidency and presidential campaigns, while potential 2028 contenders such as JD Vance and Marco Rubio have shown willingness to take questions from anyone at any time.
