Republican politicians sent out fundraising emails yesterday using NFL player protests to "try and drive campaign contributions," according to William Cummings of USA TODAY. The Republican National Committee "sent out at least two emails from 'Team Trump' with a link reading 'Yes, I stand with President Trump.'" The first email reads, "When the national anthem plays, President Trump proudly stands and places his hand over his heart out of respect for our flag, our country, and our heroes." The other email reads, "President Trump is under fire from the media for saying he’s honored to stand for the national anthem." Virginia gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart "went a step further and called for supporters to sign an 'If they kneel, we boycott' petition" (USATODAY.com, 9/26).
DOUBLING DOWN: POLITICO's Johnson & Isenstadt report Trump last night "defended his view" that the NFL should "require athletes to stand for the national anthem" at a fundraiser for his reelection campaign in N.Y. Trump said, "They have a rule, you can’t dance in the end zone, you can’t wear pink socks, one guy’s mother had breast cancer and they wouldn’t let him, you can’t do anything! But you’re allowed to sit down for the national anthem." Johnson & Isenstadt note Trump addressed about 150 "of the Republican Party’s wealthiest donors" and "lambasted" NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Colin Kaepernick. Trump: "All Goodell had to do was say there’s rules and you can’t do it, suspend him for a couple games, you would never have had this. Now you have this whole thing going and it’s a very dangerous thing ‘cause we cannot let anyone disrespect our country like that" (POLITICO.com, 9/26). Trump yesterday said he has not been “preoccupied with the NFL” as Puerto Rico recovers from Hurricane Maria and the crisis with North Korea escalates. Trump during a press conference alongside Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he was “ashamed of what was taking place” during the national anthem at NFL games. Trump: “I don’t think you can disrespect our country, our flag, our national anthem. To me, the NFL situation is a very important situation. ... It’s called respect for our country.” He later called kneeling during the anthem “disgraceful” (CNBC, 9/26).
INSIDE TRUMP'S THOUGHT PROCESS: In N.Y., Thrush & Haberman reported Trump over the weekend asked several advisers "what they thought of his attack" on Kaepernick last Friday in Alabama. A source said that the response "was polite but decidedly lukewarm." Trump "responded by telling people that it was a huge hit with his base, making it clear that he did not mind alienating his critics if it meant solidifying his core support." Sources said that Trump "loved getting a rise from the players and owners who linked arms in solidarity before Sunday's slate of football games." His "satisfaction was blighted only by the disapproval expressed by his friend," Patriots Owner Robert Kraft. One official said that Trump's top staff "was not nearly as enthusiastic" about the approach by the president. Complaints came from some officials that Trump's tweets "created another public relations headache" amid the North Korea situation, the healthcare battle and tax reform. However, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly "dismissed such complaints, telling other aides he fully supported the president's move and that there was no good time for such a conversation" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/26).
READING BETWEEN THE LINES: Fox News' Shepard Smith said it is "very clear that, for his base, this is the red meat of all red meat. They're able to reframe this. They're able to say, 'They're attacking the national anthem, they're attacking the troops, they're attacking the flag.' None of which they're doing." He added, "Isn't this all a play to his base, and could it possibly be so that they don't notice there is no healthcare and North Korea is the biggest mess since the Cold War?" ("Shepard Smith Reporting," Fox News, 9/25). MSNBC's Katy Tur said Trump is "going to want to double-down on that and stick to his guns because it's something that rallies his base and distracts from all the other stuff" ("MSNBC Live," MSNBC, 9/26). SI.com's S.L. Price wrote, "Have other presidents used sports to appeal to their base, to advance agendas? Of course." However, the "fun-and-games have been used mostly to burnish these leaders’ everyman bona fides" (SI.com, 9/26).
CONGRESS MEMBER SPEAKS UP: U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) has drafted a letter he intends to send to Trump that states that the NFL is "'disrespecting' the American flag and the national anthem by kneeling during the song before games." Brooks called on Trump to withdraw federal tax money "supporting professional sports teams or leagues that disrespect America's flag or anthem." Brooks: "We see no reason why federal taxpayers should spend any money, directly or indirectly, supporting professional sports teams or leagues that disrespect America's flag or anthem." He said that the NFL is "violating federal law" by "using the national anthem as a vehicle for protest" (AL.com, 9/26).
