Stephen A. Smith is flirting with a presidential run.

Best known for his hot takes on sports, the 57-year-old New Yorker previously dismissed word of whether he had presidential ambitions, but on Tuesday he changed his tune. He said people on Capitol Hill have urged him to reconsider, and the country is such an “absolute mess” that he has to give it some thought.

“I’ve been approached by people who are elected officials in office, whether it’s governors or mayors or what have you,” Mr. Smith said, according to Barrett Media. “People have legitimately, seriously, asked me about it.”

Mr. Smith reiterated that he did not want to be a politician, but that when he looks in the mirror, he sees a political force.

“I’ve decided that I’m no longer going to close that door,” he said. “I’m gonna keep my options open.”

Mr. Smith is no wallflower and most recently found himself in a public feud with basketball star LeBron James.

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.