Why Donald Trump’s cozy conversation with Barack Obama was bad for everyone

Stephen A. Smith believes Barack Obama’s recent friendly conversation with Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral proves that voters cannot trust any politician.

The two fierce political rivals were captured on camera engaging in what appeared to be a very warm discussion, with Trump later saying he thinks Obama likes him.

But First Take host Smith was unimpressed by Obama appearing so friendly in Washington after so much angry opposition to him during last year’s campaign.

“Look, was it a good look for Barack Obama? No,” Smith said on his YouTube show. ‘Politeness is the order of the day. One is a former president, the other is the newly elected president. So, to some extent, there is a relationship that everyone should have. We get that, we understand that.

“Here’s my thing: It didn’t look good, but it didn’t look good because of Trump.

“It didn’t look good because of all the things that were said about Trump during the campaign, while you (Obama) were trying to convince tens of millions of people to vote for Kamala Harris.”

Smith raised his voice and quoted Obama and the Democratic party’s allegations and continued: “‘Fascist,’ ‘threat to democracy,’ you know, people bringing up Nazis and all that stuff when they talked about Trump.” So if you (Obama) hadn’t said all these things, maybe people wouldn’t be so riled up.

“Look, for me, I look at it completely differently. In politics, anything goes, we understand that.

“But ultimately it just shows how selfish we have to be in thinking in terms of ourselves and what’s in the best interest of the country, rather than listening to what the hell these politicians are saying.

‘We just can’t trust them. We just can’t trust them. Chances are Obama didn’t mean half of what he alluded to or outright said about Trump. Maybe Hillary Clinton did. Maybe Michelle Obama did. But Barack Obama himself? Probably not.

‘They have at least a little bit in common when it comes to illegal immigrants: Obama sent back more than Trump! He just didn’t advertise it. But he certainly did it. It was the antithesis of what Joe Biden did.”

Returning to the view of Obama and Trump talking, Smith added, “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

“I think class and decorum are the order of the day, especially at a funeral — let alone a funeral of one of the former presidents of the United States.”

“I don’t think this is the time for vitriol. I don’t think this is the time for insults. That’s not the place. Obama has always been seen as the personification of class. So it’s not that big of a deal.

Obama and Trump chatted at Jimmy Carter’s funeral in Washington last week

Trump said afterward that he didn’t realize how friendly he and Obama appeared at the funeral

‘I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, I just think that in light of everything that’s been said about him in the run-up to the election, I’d go so far as to say it didn’t look good . ‘

After the images went viral on social media, Trump seemed quite happy to address speculation that he and Obama are actually on good terms.

“I didn’t realize how friendly it looked,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Boy, they look like two people who like each other.’ And we probably will.

“We have a little different philosophies, right? But probably yes. Don’t know. We just got along.

“But I got along with pretty much everyone.”

Speaking in December, Smith said he voted for Kamala Harris in the election but regretted his decision just weeks later.