Stephen A Smith reveals Barack Obama privately called him after Biden criticism ahead of 2024 election

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Podcast host and sports personality Stephen A. Smith told "The Culture Table" podcast that Barack Obama called him ahead of the 2024 election to discuss his impact, but didn't want to appear on his podcast. Podcast host Stephen A. Smith revealed on Friday that former President Barack Obama called him before the 2024 election to discuss his influence, noting that Obama wanted to speak privately rather than appear on his podcast. "What I never told y'all, and I never brought up, is that Barack Obama called me too. The content of that conversation will remain private because I will not violate trust," Smith said. "He called before the election to discuss my impact, but he didn't come on the podcast either." Smith spoke to "The Culture Table," hosted by Tori Cooper, Sumatra Abernathy and Ashley Christopher, about receiving a "thumbs-down" award from the