(DCNF)—Stephen A. Smith fired back at the NAACP Friday for its decision to snub President Donald Trump from its convention, breaking a 116-year tradition of inviting sitting presidents to speak.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson announced Monday that the sitting president is not invited to the NAACP National Convention, breaking a long-standing tradition of welcoming presidents from both parties. In a Friday episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Smith questioned the logic behind the decision and called it counterproductive to its stated mission of advocating for the disenfranchised, particularly in urban communities.
“He has been the most powerful, the most influential member of the GOP since 2015,” Smith said. “How do you refusing to invite him, ostracizing him, not wanting to hear what he has to say to you all — how does that help you? How?”
Smith was quick to say he wasn’t advocating for any kind of endorsement or camaraderie with Trump.
“I’m not saying agree with him. I’m not saying side with him. I’m not saying befriend him. I’m not saying any of those things. But ignoring him ain’t going to get it done,” Smith added. “None of you truly want to be about the business of helping folks — particularly the desolate and disenfranchised in our country, the urban communities throughout America. Not that that’s all the NAACP does, ’cause I’m certainly not implying that. All I’m saying is that clearly is who you’re interested in helping.”
Smith said the NAACP has broad initiatives. He challenged the organization with a series of questions.
“Ignoring him and not even inviting him to come and speak at your convention — what’s that going to accomplish? For the first time in a 116-year history, you’re not inviting a president? Are you trying to tell me that there’s no president that has been as offensive to the NAACP as Donald Trump in 116 years?” Smith asked.
Smith pressed further.
“Are you really making that argument? That no matter what you think about Donald Trump, that’s the only person, that’s the only president of the United States that you’ve been able to say that about in a 116-year history of the NAACP?” Smith asked. “Doing the math, that goes back to 1909. Since 1909, there’s no president that has ever been more offensive to the NAACP than Donald Trump? Is that your argument?”
The NAACP has historically invited sitting U.S. presidents to its national conventions, regardless of political affiliation, to foster dialogue on civil rights. This tradition began in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman addressed the convention. Subsequent presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama participated.
This year, however, the NAACP decided not to invite Trump.
“Right now, it’s clear — Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights. He believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution,” Johnson said. “This playbook is radical and un-American. The president has signed unconstitutional executive orders to oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections; he has illegally turned the military on our communities, and he continually undermines every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to personally benefit from the U.S. government,” Johnson said in a statement.
The NAACP did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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