If Hockey Star Snubbed Bush, They Would’ve Earned ‘Unwavering Support in the Media for Taking Such a Courageous Stance’
Politically conservative Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas is being vilified for not joining his hockey teammates Monday afternoon at the White House for a ceremony honoring the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup championship, but Hockey News senior writer Ken Campbell suggested that if a few years ago some stars “had snubbed the White House in 2004 to protest the Bush-led U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, my guess is they...would have had all kinds of unwavering support in the media for taking such a courageous stance.”
It was “just rude not to go,” NBC’s Nancy Snyderman declared on Tuesday’s Today show where former CNBC host Donny Deutsch complained Thomas had “cheapened” the honor. The Boston Herald headline, “Tim Thomas told: ‘Stick to hockey’; Slammed for Obama snub.” A Boston Globe headline asserted: “Tim Thomas wrong to skip White House trip.” The Globe’s hockey writer denounced Thomas as “Shabby. Immature. Unprofessional. Self-centered.”
In his post on TheHockeyNews.com, “Admiring Thomas’ stance,” Campbell noted of not attending an event: “This is not Michael Moore saying ‘Shame on you, George Bush,’ at the Academy Awards or the Dixie Chicks calling Bush a moron....This was a very thoughtful, articulate and pensive athlete respectfully declining an invitation.”
He continued:
Now if Martin Brodeur or Scott Stevens had snubbed the White House in 2004 to protest the Bush-led U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, my guess is they both would have had all kinds of unwavering support in the media for taking such a courageous stance. To vilify Thomas for taking a similar stance just because he leans far to the right would be unfair.
The Washington Post relayed the explanation Thomas put on his Facebook page:
I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.
This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.
Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.
This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT”
Thomas, a native of Flint Michigan, is either the only American, or one of just two U.S.-born players, on the Stanley Cup-winning team. I’ve seen it reported both ways and haven’t had time to track it down. Even though many players from Massachusetts play on other NHL teams, the rest of the Bruins team is from Canada, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
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Comments
Make some room there, Tebow.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 1:59pm.
But seriously, NANCY SNYDERMAN?
Snubbed the honor?
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:06pm.
The Bruins won the Cup last spring. The current season is half over.
And NOW the White House invites the Bruins so Obama can get a happy snap with the victors?
It appears to me that Obama snubbed the whole sport by not having them at the WH within weeks of their championship. Why doees it come so late?
Thomas didn't want to be used by this Administration, and I applaud him for that.
Tim Thomas
Submitted by wingnut55 on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:07pm.
He better get ready to be Tebowed. Just look at what the media has done to Tim and that is what will be done to Thomas. I just saw an offer to get tickets to see President Obama in Ann Arbor, Michigan and I plan to snub that. So, I guess I am "Shabby, Immature. Unprofessional. Self-centered.” I can live with that and so can Thomas.
Hear, hear!!
Submitted by bobsmom on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 3:44pm.
We love our hockey players up here, the Pres, not so much.
Possibly I'm too late to the party
Submitted by BuffNBone on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:27pm.
Any bets on who will be the first to see his choice as having a racist component?
Maybe it has something to do with his first name or initials?
Hypocrites
Submitted by sergeant stogie on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:27pm.
Hooray for Tim Thomas. This was just a photo-op to benefit the white house. The community organizer most likely has no idea who any of the team was, and mispronounced several of their names. For the principled left, to whom dissent is allegedly so important, their ginned-up "outrage" clearly exposes their hypocrisy.
Thomas, a native of Flint Michigan, Cutting edge of Rome Redux
Submitted by upcountrywater on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:43pm.
No wonder he's pissed.
Rome Redux
Detroit and the emergence of the American dictator
Does Detroit’s fate foretell the end of American democracy? In becoming the first major American city to die before our eyes, Detroit is the prime case study of the destructiveness of the traditional liberal model of governance, public-sector-union rapacity, and the abandonment of any sense of civic responsibility by a governing elite that feasted like Roman senators while their city burned. And as in late republican Rome, a dictator may be appointed before long in Detroit; this has happened already in four bankrupt Michigan cities, including Flint (population: 102,000). The question is whether today’s dictators are a necessary means to save otherwise irredeemable places or whether they foreshadow an end to democracy in America’s dysfunctional states and cities (and perhaps in the country as a whole).
The modern American dictators are Michigan’s state-appointed emergency managers (EM), each of whom has been named to his position by the state legislature after it has identified a locality that has defaulted on its debts or is in danger of bankruptcy. In Michigan, the EMs have sweeping powers — among other things, to hire and fire local government employees; renegotiate, terminate, or modify labor contracts (with state-treasury approval); revise contract obligations; sell, lease, or privatize local assets (with state-treasury approval); and change local budgets without local legislative approval.
You Didn't Build That.
Wasn't there a Red Sox player
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:46pm.
that didn't want to meet Bush after they won the Series?
Theo Epstein, then GM of the
Submitted by Lauralee on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 4:42pm.
Theo Epstein, then GM of the Red Sox, and not a fan of GWB, did not go with the team to meet Pres. Bush. Epstein also campaigned for John Kerry when he ran for president. He wasn't too thrilled with (Red Sox pitcher) Curt Schilling for publicly supporting GWB.
Manny Ramirez was the Red Sox player
Submitted by povertypimpin on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:28pm.
Bush even made a comment about it.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Sports/2012/0124/Tim-Thomas-Six-other-athle...
Snyderman
Submitted by grammajane on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 3:13pm.
Thought she was some kind of a Dr?? Since when do doctors sit in judgement of others? Now that she works for the most failing and bias network does she claim to be a political authority of everything.
I don't follow hockey
Submitted by helomech on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 3:41pm.
but I definitely applaud this young man. This is nothing more than White House grandstanding for photo ops. This administration is in deep sh1t and it seems like it's doing all it can to take the heat of themselves.
What freaking honor?!?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 4:19pm.
"Donny Deutsch complained Thomas had “cheapened” the honor."
Exactly what honor is there in getting a visit half a season late to have a photo op for the benefit of the RBFSOB? This move is so transparent that it should not have even been covered by the press without having to declare their costs a campaign contribution.
I am now officially a Bruins fan! I am just glad to see that there is at least on person in Boston with a brain.
Obama not only doesn't know (or care) shiite about hockey, but He is a hockey puck!
Funny thing about this
Submitted by povertypimpin on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:23pm.
Obama is not the President for most of the players on the team.
17 Canadiens
3 Americans
1 Czech
1 German
1 Finnish
1 Slovak
Tim Thomas and the Bruins
Submitted by rightone on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 5:27pm.
No one is mentioning that the White House never invited the St. Louis Cardinals. Hmmm, why do you think that is? Albert Pujols accepted an award from Glenn Beck and I know LaRussa made some comments that were decidedly conservative. So, that disqualifies them from the "honor", but Obama will have his photo op with a bunch of Canadians (liberals), and Europeans (liberals that Obama wants to emulate). Big surprise! Good on Tim Thomas for making a statement.
Michael Jordan did it in 1991
Submitted by povertypimpin on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:29pm.
A few of the players criticized him, but there wasn't a major media backlash.
I remember refused to attend
Submitted by Smartypants on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 9:36am.
I remember refused to attend a similar function with either GW Bush or his father, and little was made of it at the time. Personally, I wouldn't have gone either. The whole thing is phony nonsense. Most of those players are not even American citizens.