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Stephen A. Smith — a voice many on the left still listen to — didn’t mince words after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, calling out Democratic lawmakers for childish theatrics that handed the president a political win. On his Straight Shooter program, Smith argued the Democrats’ choice to skip or stage protests during the address made them look vindictive and unserious to everyday Americans.
The optics were obvious: when the president asked members of Congress to stand for priorities that put American citizens first, many Democrats remained seated or staged a boycott, and the moment played straight into Trump’s narrative. That calculated reaction, not policy debate, dominated headlines and gave independents another reason to tune out the left’s moralizing.
Conservatives should welcome independent critics who call out bad strategy, and Smith’s rebuke was exactly that — a wake-up call to Democrats from someone who isn’t reflexively on our side. When even prominent media figures say your party looks “petulant” and “juvenile,” it’s proof that grandstanding is losing you the argument with voters who care about safety, jobs, and common sense.
Let’s be blunt: Americans don’t respect tantrums from grown-up politicians. Smith warned that falling for Trump’s bait is self-inflicted political malpractice, and he’s right — the spectacle distracts from the real issues and reinforces the idea that Democrats prioritize theatrics over governance. Those are not my words alone; observers across the media spectrum noted Democrats “fell right into” a trap set by the president.
What should matter to hard-working families — border security, rising crime in blue cities, inflation and housing costs — was lost in the noise because Democrats chose confrontation over competence. Smith urged a return to substance, telling his audience that if Democrats want to reclaim independents they must stop playing to a permanent grievance tour and start offering real solutions that resonate with voters.
The bottom line is simple: the voters see through the theatrics. Conservatives will keep holding Democrats accountable while offering practical answers to the problems Americans face every day, and anyone who cares about the country — from the right, the left, and the independent center — should demand the same from their leaders.
