Tuesday, ESPN2 “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith weighed in on LeBron James and several of his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates refusing to stay at Trump Soho in lower Manhattan this week when the team travels to play the New York Knicks.
Smith criticized James for engaging in one the “psuedo-protests that amount to nothing” rather than speaking out on the black voters who stayed home instead of voting because they “ensured” Trump’s presidency, the ESPN personality said.
“The black vote had everything to do with Trump being our new president-elect, did it not?” Smith asked. “Sure, white men and women showed up and voted for Trump, as did 28 percent of the Latino population. The funny thing is, however, actually not so funny, is that they did so while too many of Hillary’s supporters were so busy lamenting the possibility of a Trump presidency that they actually ensured his presidency by not showing up at the polls, where it counted. 2 million fewer African-Americans who came out and voted for President Obama in 2012 showed up to vote for Hillary this past election. More than 100 million eligible voters didn’t bother to vote at all.
“Essentially, had black folks showed up to vote this time as they did for Obama, another Clinton would be en route to the White House, period,” he later added.
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
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