Sports anchor Stephen A. Smith and Fox News host Sean Hannity went toe-to-toe about Donald Trump‘s mental acuity and Kamala Harris’ speaking capabilities during a spot on Hannity’s show this week.
The public has widely discussed the topic of mental fitness among presidential candidates since President Joe Biden‘s first debate with Trump. Questions surrounding 81-year-old Biden’s mental and physical capacity to handle another four years in office surfaced after that debate performance.
Ultimately, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become his successor.
Many have also challenged 78-year-old Trump’s mental capabilities, given his verbal gaffes and faux paus at several of his rallies over the years.
On a segment of Fox News “Hannity” Thursday night, Hannity took aim at Harris’ speaking capabilities, leading Smith to launch into a sharp critique of Trump’s mental state.
“She’s like tied up in a pretzel because she can’t express what she has stated publicly,” the Fox host said. “She’s not gonna run on what she has stated in the past to decriminalize illegal immigration, free food, housing, health care, education, sex change operations and a path to citizenship or banning fracking, banning offshore drilling, so she has to, you know, give us word salads because she won’t tell us how she really feels, she’s hiding her true beliefs. Donald Trump doesn’t do that,” he added.
“I know you’re not talking about somebody being lucid and cogent and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump,” Smith challenged. “We can’t be watching the same stuff if that’s what you’re doing.”
“You ain’t gone do that today,” Smith said.
“Oh, I am,” Hannity countered.
“[Republican South Carolina] Sen. Lindsey Graham came on this show — that man can articulate himself very well,” Smith said. “Not Donald Trump.”
“I have sat with [Trump] for hour after hour, topic after topic, and he is so dialed in,” Hannity replied.
“Really?” Smith questioned. “And he canceling press conferences?”
In recent weeks, Trump has not only turned down a final debate with Harris, but he has backed out of multiple television appearances on programs like “60 Minutes” and networks such as CNBC, as well as an NBC affiliate in Philadelphia. He also canceled a virtual town hall sit-down with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and withdrew from an appearance on The Shade Room podcast.
Many X users sided with Smith’s assessment of Trump’s speaking capabilities.
“We’ve all seen Trump’s decline in front of our eyes,” one person commented. “You can say ‘what about Biden?’ Well Biden isn’t running and we aren’t replacing one old man with another.”
‘This is my exact response when I see Trump cultists comment about how bad Kamala’s communication is. HUH?” another person wrote.
Hannity capped off the segment by suggesting that Smith would be voting “privately” for Trump. Smith said he “would’ve voted for any Republican but him.”
As the nation inches closer to Election Day, recent polls show that Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck in voter favorability. Results from a survey by The New York Times and Siena College show both candidates are tied at 48 percent for the popular vote. A CNN poll revealed nearly similar findings showing voters are split at 47 percent for Harris and Trump.
