Photo : Chip Somodevilla ( Getty

Hey, remember when the oven-baked ham in chief called NFL players who protest institutional racism and police brutality during pregame national anthem ceremonies sons of bitches, and said they should be fired? Remember how he’s humped that issue relentlessly, using it to lather up the worst dregs of his, uhh, economically anxious base? Here’s the same man, on Nike’s decision to feature blacklisted quarterback Colin Kaepernick in an ad campaign (emphasis added):

“I think it’s a terrible message that they’re sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it, but I think as far as sending a message, I think it’s a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent. There’s no reason for it.” “As much as I disagree with the Colin Kaepernick endorsement, in another way—I mean, I wouldn’t have done it. In another way, it is what this country is all about, that you have certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn’t do, but I personally am on a different side of it.”


Huh. That’s an awfully moderated tone for a guy who wanted Roger Goodell to “get tough” with players, and said Marshawn Lynch should be suspended for the season for not standing during the anthem, and thanked Jerry Jones for promising to bench players who don’t participate in pregame anthem ceremonies. Suddenly you—well, corporations, at least— have “certain freedoms,” and that—not humping the flag, not performing respect for The Troops— is “what this country is all about.” You wonder what could be inspiring the lard-brained narcissist to suddenly soften the aggressive stance he’s taken toward prominent black athletes, when discussing a hideous billion-dollar multinational corporation.



“Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent.”

It will surprise exactly no one to learn that the asshole might have his facts wrong. The NikeTown location he seems to be referring to has closed.