Stephen A. Smith Busts Hannity’s Chops for ‘Fawning’ Over Trump for ‘The First Half-Hour of This Show’

Superstar ESPN host Stephen A. Smith needled Fox News host Sean Hannity for interrupting him, quipping that he’d sat patiently “watching you and all your guests just fawning over” President Donald Trump.

The outspoken sports commentator is the host of First Take on ESPN and The Stephen A. Smith Show podcast, and also frequently wades into politics.

On Thursday night’s edition of Fox News Channel’s Hannity, the host pressed Smith on whether he would consider a run for president after a recent poll listed him among Democratic contenders.

Smith jabbed at Hannity for interrupting — but went on to leave the door open:

HANNITY: All right, because they know you, I have to go — I got to go deeper in the paint. I’ll use the sports analogy with you.

SMITH: Sure.

HANNITY: Okay, if asked, if drafted, if begged, the answer under all circumstances is a firm no, you’re not doing it? Yes or no?

SMITH: At this moment in time because I — at this moment in time because I want my pockets to get significantly deeper —

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: No qualifiers. No, no, no.

SMITH: No, no, I’m just — I’m answering the question. I’m answering the question.

Right now, right now, the answer would be no. Three years from now —

HANNITY: Right now, tomorrow might yes.

SMITH: — if my pockets are significantly deeper and the country is in a dire state of —

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: You sound like a politician.

SMITH: Three years from now, the country is in a dire state of affairs —

HANNITY: That’s a political answer.

SMITH: I’m not —

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: That’s a politician’s answer.

SMITH: Excuse me, listen, listen, I’ve — I spent the first — I spent the first half hour of this show watching you and all your guests just fawning over the president. Could you let me get in a word here?

I’m telling you, three years from now, as my pockets are deeper and I’m even more successful and my lifestyle is comfortable enough for me, if —

HANNITY: Oh, so the door is open.

SMITH: — the American people call —

HANNITY: The door is open.

SMITH: I would have to cons — I would have to consider it. I would have to consider it.

HANNITY: I have to consider it.

SMITH: Yes, I would have to consider it.

HANNITY: So the answer is you — you are leaving that — you’re swung it wide open, it’s wide as you can. You just kicked it open —

SMITH: No, it’s not true.

HANNITY: — knocked it down the same at this — yes, it is true. Well, three years from now, my pocket — you know, I have more money in my pocket —

SMITH: Listen, campaigning is a nightmare.

HANNITY: — I might be open to it.

SMITH: Campaigning — campaigning is a nightmare, hugging — you know, kissing babies, shaking hands with everybody —

HANNITY: Ooh.

SMITH: — currying favor with politicians, donors.

HANNITY: Hang on.

SMITH: I don’t want that stuff. Now, if you told me I can get on a presidential debate, I could get on the stage for a presidential debate, I would love it. I would absolutely positively love it.

HANNITY: I would love it, too.

SMITH: And I do believe —

HANNITY: I would love to debate you.

SMITH: I do believe that I would have to — well, listen the fact of the matter is most people in the Republican Party even can’t debate you, so don’t get me started with everybody else. There’s no shame in that.

I’m just telling you going up against them, I’d give them a run for their money.

HANNITY: All right. I — and I admire our friendship, et cetera, et cetera.

Watch above via Fox News Channel’s Hannity.