Stephen A. Smith has built a career on having the loudest voice in the room, but his next debate stage might not be on ESPN; it might be for the presidency of the United States.
In a conversation with CBS News reporter Robert Costa, the First Take host revealed that he is seriously weighing a run for the highest office in the land.
“I will confess to you, I’m giving strong consideration to being on that debate stage for 2027,” Smith told Costa. He added that he isn’t jumping in blindly, noting, “I’ve got this year coming up 2026, to think about it, to study, to know the issues”.
While Smith certainly has the charisma and the debating chops to handle a campaign, his potential candidacy reignites a massive question we need to ask ourselves as a polarized electorate: Should the presidency be someone’s first public office?
For most of American history, the road to the White House was paved with lower-level public service or military command. You ran for city council, then mayor, then governor or senator. You learned how to pass a budget, negotiate with a legislature, and understand the grinding gears of government.
However, that ceiling has been shattered. Donald Trump proved that the traditional resume isn’t a requirement for the modern voter. When he ascended to the presidency, he became the first person to assume the office without having served in the military or held any prior elected public office.
His victory signaled a shift where celebrity, brand domination, and media savvy became viewed as viable substitutes for governing experience.
Smith seems to be looking at that same blueprint, but his admission that he plans to take 2026 to “study” and “know the issues” highlights the risks of this trend. The presidency requires a mastery of foreign policy, economic theory, and constitutional law. Is a one-year crash course enough to catch up to career public servants?
If a surgeon told you they were going to skip medical school and just “study up” for a year before performing your heart transplant, you’d run out of the hospital. Yet, following the precedent set by Trump, we seem increasingly comfortable with the idea of handing the nuclear codes to figures whose primary experience lies in entertainment or business rather than civic administration.
Stephen A. Smith is undeniable talent. He is smart, quick on his feet, and understands how to control a news cycle. But the presidency isn’t just a debate show where you have to win the argument; it’s a job where you have to run the country.
As we look toward 2028, we have to decide if we want leaders who have learned the job by doing the work, or if the White House has officially become the ultimate entry-level position for the rich and famous.
