{"id":2229172,"date":"2024-04-24T13:47:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T17:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/keith-olbermann-issues-ultimatum-to-espn-silence-or-fire-stephen-a-smith-after-trump-comments\/"},"modified":"2024-04-24T13:50:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T17:50:34","slug":"keith-olbermann-issues-ultimatum-to-espn-silence-or-fire-stephen-a-smith-after-trump-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/keith-olbermann-issues-ultimatum-to-espn-silence-or-fire-stephen-a-smith-after-trump-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"Keith Olbermann demands ESPN to either silence or dismiss Stephen A. Smith over Trump remarks"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkeith-olbermann-issues-ultimatum-to-espn-silence-or-fire-stephen-a-smith-after-trump-comments%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2229172&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Keith\u200c Olbermann has given ESPN a choice: to silence Stephen A. \u200cSmith or to fire him. Smith criticized the left for using\u2062 Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-tight-lipped-on-trumps-14th-amendment-trial-in-colorado\/\" title=\"White House silent on Trump's 14th Amendment trial in Colorado.\">ongoing \u200ctrial<\/a> to hinder his re-election. Olbermann\u2063 insists on ESPN \u200btaking action against Smith for his political views, sparking a heated debate. Smith later apologized for his controversial statements in a video. Keith Olbermann has presented ESPN with a decision: to either silence Stephen \u2062A. Smith or dismiss him. Smith&#8217;s critique of the left&#8217;s \u200cmanipulation of Trump&#8217;s trial for electoral purposes prompted\u2062 Olbermann to advocate for action\u200b against Smith, leading to a contentious discussion. Subsequently, Smith issued an apology via video for his contentious remarks.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/commentary\/\">  Commentary <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/%20\"><span>Anthony Altomari<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   April 24, 2024 at 9:37am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Keith Olbermann has issued ESPN an ultimatum: silence Stephen A. Smith or fire him.<\/p>\n<p>In a recent interview with Fox News\u2019 Sean Hannity, Smith spoke negatively about how the left has tried to use former President Donald Trump\u2019s ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-speaks-morning-historic-criminal-trial-want-voice-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hush money trial in New York<\/a> to prevent him from running for re-election in November because, according to Smith, they can\u2019t beat Trump on the issues.<\/p>\n<p>These comments didn\u2019t sit well with Olbermann, who called on ESPN to fire or silence their longtime star.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy is ESPN letting Stephen A. Smith go on Fox News and campaign for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/powerful-anti-trump-media-figures-exposed-holding-secret-weekly-meetings-coordinate-legal-cases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a>,\u201d Olbermann asked in a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KeithOlbermann\/status\/1782796656137707981\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> posted to his X account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey either have to silence him, or they have to get rid of him,\u201d Olbermann said.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">ESPN MUST SILENCE OR FIRE <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith?\">@StephenASmith<\/a>. Times have changed; you can no longer mix sportscasts and pimping Trump<\/p>\n<p>AND TRUMP WANTS HIS MOBS ON THE STEPS OF COURTHOUSES. Judge\u2019s ruling on his 13 gag order violations looms<\/p>\n<p>GET TUESDAY\u2019S COUNTDOWN PODCAST: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oV7dWUqzuW\">https:\/\/t.co\/oV7dWUqzuW<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KmnT8Jvpdj\">pic.twitter.com\/KmnT8Jvpdj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KeithOlbermann\/status\/1782796656137707981?\">April 23, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Olbermann also said that the days of sports commentators crossing over into political commentary are over, and that Smith should focus on sports.<\/p>\n<p>Smith told Hannity that he was \u201cutterly disgusted\u201d by what he was seeing, a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UsaFeatures\/status\/1781364852075679997\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">clip<\/a> from the interview posted to the USA Features Media X account showed.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do you think Trump will win the 2024 election?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Addressing liberals, Smith said that \u201cyou don\u2019t seem to have the issues in your favor, you believe. So, because of that, you\u2019re going to manipulate the system as best as you possibly can to avoid him possibly running for re-election again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smith said that the left\u2019s strategy regarding Trump \u201cis not working\u201d and that he doesn\u2019t \u201cmind the fact that it\u2019s not working.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI might not be a supporter of Donald Trump, but I want him to lose the right way,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>But perhaps the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-votes-to-oust-rep-greene-from-two-committees\/\" title=\"House votes to oust Rep. Greene from two committees\">controversial statement<\/a> came when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-speaks-morning-historic-criminal-trial-want-voice-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Smith<\/a> said Trump wasn\u2019t wrong when he said that black voters are turning to support him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs much as people may have been abhorred by Donald Trump\u2019s statement weeks ago talking about how black folks, he\u2019s hearing that black folks find him <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/black-americans-turning-biden-home-state-donald-trump-want\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">relatable<\/a> because what he\u2019s going through is similar to what black Americans have gone through, he wasn\u2019t lying. He was telling the truth,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t just Olbermann who was upset by Smith\u2019s comments. The NACCP strongly disagreed with Smith\u2019s assessment that Trump was relatable to black Americans.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Relatable!?! Show of hands: Anyone in your Black family have 88 felony charges pending, filed for bankruptcy 6x, made an attempt to overthrow a presidential election and our democracy, and still have the ability to fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BLASPHEMOUS?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#BLASPHEMOUS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xtG40vpTQ2\">https:\/\/t.co\/xtG40vpTQ2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NAACP (@NAACP) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NAACP\/status\/1781471008727376197?\">April 19, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The backlash apparently got to Smith, as he issued an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JAhf7sdh6P4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">apology video<\/a> on his YouTube page on Tuesday in which he said he \u201csincerely apologized\u201d for his comments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo be clear, my words were misconstrued. I\u2019m stating right here for the record that my words were taken out of context,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>Smith said that his comments were in reference to articles from the outlets such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/11\/06\/us\/politics\/biden-trump-black-voters-poll-democrats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Times<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/nbcblk\/black-men-drifted-democrats-toward-trump-record-numbers-polls-show-n1246447\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC News<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/opinion\/campaign\/4610508-why-black-voters-are-turning-away-from-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Hill<\/a> that have shown black voters shifting toward Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m seeing a momentum shift, as we all have,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>Smith also responded to the NAACP directly on X.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">This is absolutely, positively, sad that you \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NAACP?\">@NAACP<\/a> \u2014 would misrepresent my comments like this. I was asked what Blacks WHO SUPPORT TRUMP are thinking as to why they support him. I answer THAT question. Sad! But you\u2019re entitled. Good luck. Maybe that will beat Trump, since\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bQXK5Ldfuz\">https:\/\/t.co\/bQXK5Ldfuz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith\/status\/1781486307132530733?\">April 20, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Unfortunately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/dwayne-rock-johnson-takes-swing-cancel-culture-woke-culture-really-bugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cancel culture<\/a> wins again.<\/p>\n<p>Olbermann and the NAACP became enraged because Smith was merely relaying facts about how Trump is gaining popularity among black voters.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s asinine that leftists can become so upset when you present them with a fact that doesn\u2019t match their narrative, they immediately call for you to be silenced or fired from your job.<\/p>\n<p>So much for free speech.<\/p>\n<p>In actuality, the left believes in free speech, they just have to agree with what\u2019s being said. As Bobby Burack from OutKick <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/culture\/olbermann-espn-stephen-smith-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pointed out<\/a>, Olbermann had no problem when Smith criticized Trump in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/culture\/olbermann-espn-stephen-smith-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interview<\/a> on NewNation last month.<\/p>\n<p>Smith is no fan of Trump; he said as much in his interview with Hannity. He simply said that he can understand why many black voters are likely to vote for Trump in November.<\/p>\n<p>And instead of taking Smith\u2019s advice and trying to beat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-throws-support-behind-speaker-mike-johnson-amid-marjorie-taylor-greenes-removal-efforts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump<\/a> based on superior policy, leftists have resorted to trying to literally throw him away in jail.<\/p>\n<p>These are the same people that cry that Trump is going to ruin democracy.<\/p>\n<p>The idiocy here cannot be overstated. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/left-wrong-trans-suicides-surge-following-gender-affirming-surgeries-study-shows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">left<\/a> is mad at a journalist for reporting facts.<\/p>\n<p>It just goes to show the true mentality of the left: They don\u2019t care about you; they just want you to go along with their plan.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019ll be interesting to see if this mentality will help them out at ballot boxes in November.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>An Important Message from Our Staff:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>In just a few months, the world is going to change forever. The 2024 election is the single most important election of our lifetime. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We here at The Western Journal are committed to covering it in a way the establishment media simply will not: We will tell the truth, and they will lie.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>But Big Tech and the elites don\u2019t want the truth out. That\u2019s why they have cut us off from 90% of advertisers. Imagine if someone cut your monthly income by 90%. That\u2019s what they\u2019ve done to people like us. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>As a staff, we are asking you to <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>join us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  to fight this once-in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/caitlin-clark-lands-historic-nike-shoe-deal-worth-millions-just-before-her-rookie-season-kicks-off\/\" title=\"Caitlin Clark Secures Multi-Million Dollar Nike Deal Ahead of Rookie Season Kickoff\">-a-lifetime fight<\/a>. Without you not only will The Western Journal fail, but America will fail also. As Benjamin Franklin said, \u201cWe must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Will you support The Western Journal today and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>become a member<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>A Western Journal <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Membership<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content \u2014 news, commentary, and premium articles. You\u2019ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America\u2019s soul in 2024.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>This is the time. America will live or die based on what happens this year. Please <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>join us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  to get the real truth out and to fight the elites, Big Tech, and the people who want America to fail. Together, we really can save the country.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Thank you for your support!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>P.S. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Please stand with us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-45807\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/aaltomari\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-45807\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-45807\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-45807\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-45807\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Anthony Altomari is a commentary writer for the Western Journal. He focuses his writing on culture and politics.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Anthony Altomari is a commentary writer for the Western Journal. He focuses his writing on culture and politics. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a recent interview with Fox News\u2019 Sean Hannity, Keith Olbermann firmly demands ESPN to take action: either silence or terminate Stephen A. Smith. Smith&#8217;s negative comments on the left&#8217;s utilization of ex-President Trump&#8217;s hush money trial prompt this ultimatum<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2570,"featured_media":2229173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Keith-Olbermann-v-Stephen-Smith.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2229172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Keith-Olbermann-v-Stephen-Smith.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2570"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2229172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2229173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2229172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2229172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2229172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}