NBC wasn’t the only network news outlet to spout liberal hyperbole about national anthem supporters and President Trump’s motives. During Sunday’s This Week, Washington Post national correspondent Wesley Lowery joined ABC’s “powerhouse” roundtable where he claimed as fact that Trump’s goal in harping on the NFL protestors was “silence” minorities who were protesting police brutality. Of course, the rest of the panel agreed and asserted people didn’t understand what was going on.
“I want to close here and talk about the NFL. With NFL teams now facing a fine if someone takes a knee, and Wesley, you have followed all of this closely. Did the teams really cave to the president on this,” wondered fill-in host Martha Raddatz.
Lowery began by saying that the NFL had capitulated to President Trump and the fans, and admitted it unpopular with many NFL fans. “That said, I don't think this conversation can happen in the absence of the big context, right,” as he smeared Trump with the assertion he was trying to push minorities aside.
“What we see here is the President of the United States, the leader of our government, using his bully pulpit, his platform to silence minority protesters who are demonstrating against violence by their government,” Lowery declared as fact. Of course, no condemnation of the President by a reporter is complete without equating him to a dictator:
This is the type of thing we like to tell ourselves doesn't happen in a country like the United States of America. This is a president putting his foot on the scale against people who would like to protest and demonstrate against their government and ask for what they say would be more be equitable and inequitable treatment.
These liberals couldn’t wrap their heads around the idea that people may have agreed and were also against police brutality but just didn’t like the way the players going about protesting. “Has that message been lost in a way? I mean, we keep reminding people that's what that protest is really about,” Raddatz bemoaned. “Has the message of the NFL players been lost in the controversy or is that the idea of it?” Similar questions could be asked to the media and their misrepresentation of the opposition.
“Well, I think that is part of the idea of it,” Lowery agreed with her. According to him, the idea of people caring about the flag and patriotism was a trick by the President and suggested people were confused. “Although, at this point, years into the conversation you would hope if you were paying attention, you would understand what these players are demonstrating about,” he chided the public’s intelligence.
The rest of the liberal panel were on board with Lowery’s depiction of the public’s intelligence. “In little towns all over America this weekend, there are stories in little papers about how to respect the flag. And I'm sorry, but I don't think people even know why those players were making a knee,” explained reporter Mary Jordan, also from The Washington Post.
And NPR morning host Steve Inskeep looked down his nose as felt the need to explain freedom to the plebs:
Standing for the flag is an act of devotion and an act of love of country, and you can say that you ought to do it, but we choose to do it. If the NFL makes it mandatory that you must do it, it just means less. It's less meaningful when you are forced to do that.
As I explained in the blog on NBC’s NFL ramblings, this demonstrated the liberal media contempt for those who support standing for the national anthem.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC
This Week
May 27, 2018
9:49:55 AM EasternMARTHA RADDATZ: I want to close here and talk about the NFL. With NFL teams now facing a fine if someone takes a knee, and Wesley, you have followed all of this closely. Did the teams really cave to the president on this?
WESLEY LOWERY: I think it's clear the teams caved to two pressure points, the president of the United States and their own fan bases. This was something the protests were remarkably unpopular with many football fans. That said, I don't think this conversation can happen in the absence of the big context, right? These were players who were protesting -- black players almost predominantly—predominantly black players protesting police violence.
Each day, three people are shot and killed by the police in the United States of America. Those people who are killed are disproportionately black men and black women. What we see here is the President of the United States, the leader of our government, using his bully pulpit, his platform to silence minority protesters who are demonstrating against violence by their government. This is the type of thing we like to tell ourselves doesn't happen in a country like the United States of America. This is a president putting his foot on the scale against people who would like to protest and demonstrate against their government and ask for what they say would be more be equitable and inequitable treatment.
RADDATZ: Has that message been lost in a way? I mean, we keep reminding people that's what that protest is really about. Has the message of the NFL players been lost in the controversy or is that the idea of it?
LOWERY: Well, I think that is part of the idea of it. To strip away this discussion around policing and make this about the flag, to make this about patriotism. You understand why many people might get that impression or might have that confusion. Although, at this point, years into the conversation you would hope if you were paying attention, you would understand what these players are demonstrating about.
In fact, Colin Kaepernick, the initial protester was initially sitting down, and after having a conversation with a veteran, changed it to kneeling to try to be more respectful to the troops. But that said, again, I think that beyond the President and the politics there, this is an interesting decision by the NFL.
RADDATZ: The country is divided.
LOWERY: Extremely.
MARY JORDAN: In little towns all over America this weekend, there are stories in little papers about how to respect the flag. And I'm sorry, but I don't think people even know why those players were making a knee.
RADDATZ: That's what I mean by losing the message.
JORDAN: It was a visual of disrespect, and it did not go down well.
(…)
STEVE INSKEEP: Standing for the flag is an act of devotion and an act of love of country, and you can say that you ought to do it, but we choose to do it. If the NFL makes it mandatory that you must do it, it just means less. It's less meaningful when you are forced to do that.
