Television commentator Stephen A. Smith stormed off the stage during a NewsNation town hall Wednesday night after an emotional exchange with a frustrated voter who said he was working two jobs to afford his child’s tuition amid the ongoing government shutdown.
The event, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., brought together an unusually mixed panel that included conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly, NewsNation host Chris Cuomo, and lawmakers from both parties, including Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
But the evening’s most memorable moment came when Smith — known for his fiery commentary — directed his anger at what he called Washington’s indifference to working Americans.
“I don’t think Washington understands how ticked off we truly are,” Smith said, his voice rising. “A young man walked up to the microphone and said that he had to leave here to go and work on DoorDash to help pay for his daughter’s tuition. Meanwhile, everybody up here getting paid, but he ain’t.”
Smith’s remarks drew applause from the audience as he continued, turning his frustration toward the broader political establishment. “It’s this kind of stuff right here. That’s how you know. And I’m not accusing any of you, directly or personally, of feeling this way. I’m just talking about the apparatus that is Washington, the nation’s capital,” he said. “This is why you have so many Americans, excuse my language, so pissed off at Washington.”
The voter who sparked the exchange identified himself as an air traffic controller from Dallas. He told the panel that during the shutdown he had resorted to driving for DoorDash to help pay for his child’s education — even as federal lawmakers continued receiving their paychecks.
The man said he had lived through previous shutdowns under both Presidents Obama and Trump, but this one had taken a particular toll on his family.
Smith, visibly angered, seized on the moment to highlight what he described as a deep disconnect between politicians and the public. “A government shutdown is going on right now. A man has to work on DoorDash when he’s really an air traffic controller that we applauded, and we’re up here talking about how much some money is going to cost, and the only person that don’t have a check coming is him,” he said. “You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to take a break.”
The ESPN personality then stood up and walked off the stage, returning a few minutes later to rejoin the discussion.
His brief departure underscored the tensions that have grown as the shutdown enters its third week, leaving thousands of federal workers without pay while Congress remains deadlocked over spending.
Hosted by Cuomo, the NewsNation special featured a range of current and former political figures, including Trump administration border official Tom Homan. But it was Smith — a sports commentator turned cultural voice — who gave voice to a sentiment often heard far beyond Washington: that America’s political class is insulated from the pain felt by ordinary citizens.
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