A Sports Analyst Turns Political Truth-Teller

Stephen A. Smith is best known for his booming voice, fiery takes, and no-holds-barred style on ESPN’s First Take. But this week, he made headlines not for a sports rant, but for a political one.

In a viral segment, Smith torched Vice President Kamala Harris’s new book, arguing that it effectively marks the end of her political career. His critique wasn’t subtle. It was brutal.

“I think you’ve seen the last of her with this book, politically. This was the last straw. When I look at the excerpts from this book, it’s too little, too late!”

The words reverberated across social media, drawing praise from some corners and outrage from others. But whether you agree with Smith or not, one thing was clear: the Vice President’s book launch just got overshadowed by a takedown from an unlikely critic.

“Don’t Tell Me About 107 Days”

Smith wasn’t content to stop at generalities. He dove straight into Harris’s record and the choices she made after Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election.

“Don’t tell me about 107 days,” Smith fumed. “You had the chance to take over the campaign and do it your way instead of bowing to Biden’s people. You didn’t do it. And now you drop this book? Nobody wants to hear it.”

It was a classic Smith performance: passionate, repetitive, hammering the same point from multiple angles until no doubt remained about where he stood.

The core of his argument? Harris had her moment. She had an opportunity to seize the political spotlight, differentiate herself from the Biden administration, and present a new vision. Instead, she played it safe, deferred to party insiders, and waited too long to tell her story.

Now, Smith argued, voters aren’t interested.

Cringe on The View

Smith also referenced Harris’s widely panned appearance on The View, where she was asked what she would do differently from President Biden. Her answer: nothing.

“Nobody wants to hear that when the country was in the state it was in,” Smith said.

The reaction online was harsh even before Smith’s comments. Critics said Harris came across as robotic and overly cautious, missing a chance to separate herself from an unpopular president. Smith only amplified those critiques, packaging them into a message that resonated beyond political junkies.

Throwing Shade After the Fact

Another part of Smith’s takedown involved Harris’s treatment of fellow Democrats. In the book, Harris reportedly offers subtle digs at rivals like Pete Buttigieg, Ben Shapiro, and Gavin Newsom.

Smith’s take? Too little, too late.

“The whole thing — from dodging responsibility to throwing shade at Buttigieg, Shapiro, and Newsom after the fact — proves she’s finished,” Smith declared.

In his view, Harris’s decision to criticize rivals only after leaving the stage comes across as bitterness, not strength.

Why Smith’s Words Hit Hard

Part of why Smith’s remarks landed with such force is that he is not a partisan pundit. He’s not a MAGA firebrand or a conservative commentator. In fact, Smith has often leaned left on social issues and has expressed sympathy for Democratic positions in the past.

That makes his verdict on Harris especially damaging. If even someone like Smith — a figure outside the traditional political echo chamber — believes her career is done, it suggests her appeal has collapsed beyond the usual partisan divides.

As one viral tweet put it: “When Stephen A. Smith is burying you on politics, it’s really over.”

The Book That Backfired

Harris’s new book was supposed to relaunch her image, reintroduce her to the American people, and perhaps even set the stage for future campaigns. Instead, the rollout has been a disaster.

Early excerpts have been mocked as defensive and uninspired. Rather than offering a bold new vision, Harris’s words read like excuses: explanations for why she didn’t seize control of the campaign, justifications for decisions that left Democrats scrambling.

The timing hasn’t helped. With the Biden administration facing low approval ratings and Democrats divided about the party’s future, many voters are in no mood for memoirs. They want answers, not reflections.

Harris’s Shrinking Base

Smith’s critique taps into a broader problem: Harris’s lack of a solid base of support.

Progressives have never fully trusted her, citing her record as a prosecutor.

Moderates see her as untested and overly cautious.

Independents barely know what she stands for.

As a result, Harris has struggled to define herself. Her book was a chance to fix that. Instead, according to Smith, it cemented her irrelevance.

The Social Media Firestorm

After Smith’s comments aired, clips spread like wildfire. TikTok edits paired his booming voice with footage of Harris’s most awkward moments. Memes flooded X with captions like “Stephen A. just ended Kamala’s career in 60 seconds.”

Conservatives gleefully shared the clips as proof that even non-political figures see Harris as doomed. Some progressives dismissed Smith as uninformed, but others admitted the optics were bad.

One left-leaning commentator wrote: “When you lose The View audience and Stephen A. Smith in the same week, you’ve got a problem.”

The Bigger Picture

Smith’s rant isn’t just about Harris. It reflects a broader disillusionment with political leaders who play it safe, dodge responsibility, and offer excuses instead of vision.

For years, Harris has been dogged by criticisms that she avoids tough questions, leans on canned talking points, and fails to inspire confidence. Smith’s critique distilled those frustrations into plain language that resonated with ordinary viewers.

“Nobody wants to hear it,” he repeated.

That refrain captured what many Americans feel: exhaustion with political doublespeak.

A Career in Crisis

Can Harris recover? Theoretically, yes. Politics is unpredictable, and comebacks are possible. But Smith’s comments highlight the steep uphill climb she faces.

If voters view her book as a last gasp rather than a fresh start, her future campaigns will be haunted by the perception that she missed her moment. Worse, she may never shake the image of being Biden’s understudy — unwilling or unable to step out of his shadow.

Smith may not be a political scientist, but he knows how to read momentum. And in his eyes, Harris has none left.

Conclusion: Kamala’s Career DOA

Stephen A. Smith ended his rant with the same force he began it. Harris’s book, he argued, isn’t a comeback but a coffin nail.

“This was the last straw. Too little, too late.”

For Harris, the sting is that Smith is not her usual critic. He’s an outsider, a cultural commentator who speaks to millions who might otherwise ignore Washington drama. His verdict may not be scholarly, but it carries cultural weight.

And if even Stephen A. Smith is saying her career is over, you know it’s bad.

Kamala Harris may still hold office. She may still have supporters. But in the court of public opinion, the verdict is in — and the sentence, at least for now, is political irrelevance.