Obama Attacked Again For Talking To Trump
Sports media personality Stephen A. Smith recently weighed in on the highly publicized exchange between former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. Smith noted that while the interaction itself might not have been inherently controversial, the optics were problematic, particularly in light of the harsh rhetoric used against Trump during the campaign.
On his show, The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith explained, “It wasn’t a good look, but it wasn’t a bad look because of Trump.” He emphasized that the awkwardness stemmed from the rhetoric surrounding Trump during the campaign. “All the talk about Trump being a fascist, a threat to democracy, the comparisons to Nazis—there’s a lot of vitriol that’s been thrown his way,” Smith continued. Given the intensity of that language, he suggested, it felt strange to see the two men engaging in friendly conversation at such a solemn event.
The moment was particularly striking given the contentious history between Obama and Trump. For years, Trump had promoted the “birther” conspiracy, falsely claiming Obama wasn’t born in the United States. Additionally, Obama had been a vocal critic of Trump, especially during the 2016 election, where he labeled Trump a danger to the country. Despite these bitter conflicts, the two men were seen laughing and exchanging pleasantries at Carter’s funeral.
However, Smith did acknowledge that in the context of a funeral, especially one for a former U.S. president, “class and decorum” should take precedence. He argued that such events should not be places for political sparring or insults. In this case, he said, both men showed respect for the occasion by keeping their exchange civil.
The event also drew attention to the political divisions surrounding the inauguration. While Barack Obama planned to attend the inauguration of President Trump, his wife, Michelle Obama, and other prominent Democrats like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose to skip it. Neither provided a public explanation for their decision, but it highlighted the ongoing polarization in American politics.
