Bill O’Reilly voiced his support for Stephen A. Smith after the latter faced criticism for his recent remarks about Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
The conservative commentator decided to give his two cents on the debate between Smith and attorney and politician Bakari Sellers, given he was name dropped in the back-and-forth — which has crossed multiple platforms, including the “Native Land” podcast, Smith’s SiriusXM show and social media.
“What the deuce? I’d like to know what Sellers does for the Black community,” he said, referencing the CNN commentator’s similar dig at Smith. “And yet CNN pays him money to go on and do this stuff.”
The host of “No Spin News” then defended Smith’s comments about Crockett, where Smith criticized the congresswoman for speaking out against President Donald Trump but not backing up her words with actions.
“He said that Congresswoman Crockett is a phony,” O’Reilly said. “And it’s true. She’s in it for self-aggrandizement, a lot like [Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez.”
O’Reilly said that he has since spoken with the sports and political commentator, suggesting to him that Sellers is “jealous because you have far more African Americans who respect you.”
The origins of this drama started when Sellers joined the “Native Land” podcast with Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross and Andrew Gillum. The group discussed Smith’s Crockett criticism, and Sellers called Smith a “charlatan.”
Sellers doubled down on his comment in an Instagram video Friday, saying that the sports and political commentator cares more about prominent political figures’ perspectives on his ideas than the Black community.
“While you’re appreciating the gaze of those individuals in the White House, the gaze of people like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, you’re quiet as a church mouse pissing on cotton when Donald Trump is out here trying to take away our voting rights, when he’s putting police and National Guard in our American cities, taking Black and Brown people out of their homes,” Sellers said in an Instagram video.
“What you hear in my voice is not resentment. It’s disappointment,” Sellers added. “I know you stand on the shoulders of strong Black men, and you are disappointing us every time you continue to chop down those people, who are doing that real work.”
O’Reilly, in his response, hit back at this notion, too. “Nobody’s trying to take away the voting rights of African Americans. That’s just BS,” he said. “There’s just no evidence of that…It’s just the usual progressive blather.”
Though, the TV personality did note that Sellers is welcome to come on his show any time and debate him if he so chooses, adding that he doubts he will take him up on it.
Watch O’Reilly’s full response above.
