>>> HERE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY IN A ROSE
GARDEN PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN.
>> THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR OUR FLAG.
THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND FOR PEOPLE TO DISRESPECT THAT BY KNEELING DURING THE
PLAYING OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM I THINK IS DISGRACEFUL.
>> OF COURSE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS NEVER GONE TO WAR
OVER THE FLAG OR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
THIS COUNTRY DID NOT EVEN HAVE A NATIONAL ANTHEM UNTIL LONG AFTER
WORLD WAR I. WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
A PRESIDENT TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS WITH THE FLAG
INSTEAD OF THE QUALITY OF HIS GOVERNANCE.
A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT. AFTER THE SUPREME COURT RULED
THAT FLAG BURNING WAS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT,
PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH LED WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS IN AN
ATTEMPT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO PROTECT THE
FLAG, THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT THE FLAG WAS JUST TOO SACRED TO
BE EXPOSED TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
REPUBLICANS KNEW THAT THE AMENDMENT COULD NOT WIN THE
NECESSARY 2/3 VOTE IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, BUT WASHINGTON
REPUBLICANS WERE HOPING TO DRAW ENOUGH DEMOCRATS INTO WHAT THEY
WOULD THEN CHARACTERIZE AS THE DEFENSE OF FLAG BURNING.
NEBRASKA DEMOCRAT BOB KERREY ROSE IN OPPOSITION TO THAT
AMENDMENT IN THE SENATE WHEN HE SPOKE, EVERYONE KNEW THAT THEY
WERE LISTENING TO A FORMER NAVY S.E.A.L. WHO LAST LOST HALF OF
HIS RIGHT LEG IN VIETNAM, AND HAD BEEN GIVEN THE MEDAL OF
HONOR BY REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON DURING THE WAR.
>> TAKE THE AMERICAN FLAG AND USE IT, NOT JUST TO PERHAPS WIN
THE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE. NOT JUST PERHAPS TO WIN A FEW
ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER. THAT'S THE LEAST OF WHAT THEY'LL
ACCOMPLISH. THE GREATEST VICTORY, THE
GREATEST VICTORY, IF YOU CAN CALL IT A VICTORY, IS THE
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, THE LEADER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AT A TIME WHEN WE'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS MOMENT
IN HISTORY, WHEN PEACE IS BREAKING OUT ALL OVER, HE WILL
DIVIDE THE NATION AGAIN. THAT'S WHAT HE IS DOING.
NOT RALLYING AMERICANS TO RESPECT THE FLAG.
NOT RALLYING AMERICANS TO RESPECT FREEDOM, BUT BY USING IT
AS A POLITICAL ISSUE TO DIVIDE AMERICA IN WHICH HE GAINS A
MARGINAL POLITICAL ADVANTAGE AND LOSES A GREAT DEAL AS WELL.
>> WE'RE JOINED NOW BY RICHARD ALLEN SMITH, CONTRIBUTOR FOR
ESQUIRE WHO IS ALSO AN AFGHANISTAN WAR VETERAN.
BACK WITH US JASON JOHNSON. AND RICHARD, THE WORDS BOB
KERREY WAS USING ABOUT THIS KIND OF USE OF THE FLAG FOR
DIVISIVENESS, POLITICAL DIVISIVENESS, YOU COULD TAKE
SOME OF THOSE LINES AND THEY SOUND PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE TO
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING TODAY. >> THEY ABSOLUTELY DO.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO.
THIS PLAYERS PROTEST IS NOT ABOUT THE FLAG.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE AN THEM. IT'S ABOUT ANTHONY LAMAR SMITH
WHO WAS KILLED BY A ST. LOUIS POLICE OFFICER WHO SAID WE'RE
GOING TO KILL THIS GUY BEFORE HE THEN KILLED THIS GUY.
AND JUST THIS MONTH WAS ACQUITTED IN HIS TRIAL.
IT'S ABOUT TAMIR RICE. IT'S ABOUT MIKE BROWN.
IT'S THE REPEATED INCIDENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE BEING MURDERED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT IN AMERICA WITH IMPUNITY.
AND I'M GLAD THEY'RE DOING IT. >> RICHARD, AS AN AFGHANISTAN
VETERAN, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS WHEN
HE SAYS THEY FOUGHT FOR OUR FLAG.
THEY FOUGHT FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.
>> I DIDN'T FIGHT FOR ANY FLAG OR ANTHEM.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO DID FIGHT FOR A FLAG OR ANTHEM.
THE GUYS I WENT TO WAR, THEY FOUGHT FOR THE GUYS TO THEIR
LEFT AND RIGHT. NOT FOR ANY PIECE OF CLOTH.
THAT'S WHAT TRUMP SAID. HE SAID HE IS ASHAMED TODAY.
THIS IS A MAN WHO HAS NO CAPACITY FOR SHAME.
HE A SERIAL SEXUAL PREDATOR AND A BIGOT.
HE HAS MADE HIS CAREER DEVALUING LIVES OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE
GOING BACK TO CENTRAL PARK FIVE. THIS HAS NO IMPACT ON ANYBODY
THAT HAS EVER SERVED THAT I KNOW.
I'M JUST ASHAMED THIS IS OUR PRESIDENT AND THIS IS THE KIND
OF THING HE SPENDS HIS TIME TALKING ABOUT.
>> JASON, THERE HE IS IN THE ROSE GARDEN WITH FOREIGN LEADER.
AND HE CAN'T GET HIMSELF AWAY FROM THE FLAG AND THE NATIONAL
ANTHEM. >> FIRST AND FOREMOST, HE DIDN'T
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PRESIDENT AND A PRIME MINISTER.
HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE NAME RIGHT.
IT JUST SHOWS THE FOCUS OF THIS PRESIDENCY, RIGHT?
YOU DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON PUERTO RICO.
YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT UP ON.
AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BIG ISSUE HERE IS.
DONALD TRUMP THINKS HEY, I CAN GET A VICTORY.
I CAN TALK ABOUT ENTITLED BLACK
ATHLETES WHO MAKE TOO MUCH THERE IS AN EXTENT TO WHICH YOU CAN
RUN OUTRAGE AND THEN IT RUNS OUT.
THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP WATCHING FOOTBALL.
THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP WATCHING CAM NEWTON.
THIS IS A LOSING PROPOSITION FOR HIM.
HE CAN KEEP BEATING THAT SAME RACIST DRUM.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE REALITY OF HIS PRESIDENCY.
>> IN THE 1990 VERSION OF THIS WITH THE REPUBLICANS IN
WASHINGTON, IT WAS AN EXTREMELY CALCULATED PLAY.
THEY WERE DOING THIS VERY PARTICULARLY FOR CALCULATED
POLITICAL ADVANTAGE. THEIR POLLSTER BOB TEETER
CALCULATED HOW IT WOULD WORK FOR THEM.
IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS SUCH A REAL POLITICAL
CALCULATION BY DONALD TRUMP. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
BUT WE NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT CAME OFF THE
TOP OF HIS HEAD OR WHETHER IF THERE WAS ANY CALCULATION BEHIND
HIM. >> I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY
CALCULATED. THIS IS WHAT THIS MAN DOES.
HE TRIES TO SET UP DEBATES ABOUT EITHER YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF HIM
AND AMERICA OR YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF BLACK PEOPLE, BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T SEE BOTH, OR BROWN PEOPLE.
I JUST ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUE WHO IS ON HERE WITH ME, THE NEXT
TIME HE STARTS NAMING OFF QUARTERBACKS, REMEMBER TREVOR
SIEMIAN OUT HERE IN DENVER. >> AND JASON, THIS REVERENCE FOR
THE FLAG FOR DONALD TRUMP APPARENTLY EXTENDS TO THE
CONFEDERATE FLAG THAT SO MANY OF HIS FOLLOWERS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW
MANY FOLLOWERS, BUT PLENTY OF DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTERS WAVE THE
CONFEDERATE FLAG SOMETIMES MORE THAN THE AMERICAN FLAG.
>> YEAH, AT NASCAR, IN CHARLOTTESVILLE AND TONS OF
DIFFERENT PLACES. THE DEGREE TO WHICH SOMEBODY IS
OFFEND BY THE FLAG IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR
MOTIVATIONS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAPPENS TO HAVE.
HERE IS THE OTHER THING. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE
NOTIONS OF RESPECT, HE DOESN'T HAVE CREDIBILITY TO TALK ABOUT
RESPECT. AND NO ONE IN HIS
ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING HIS SPOKESPERSON, THE PRESS
SECRETARY, NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CORE ISSUE.
WHAT ARE YOU AND JEFF SESSIONS ACTUALLY GOING TO DO ABOUT
UNARMED BLACK PEOPLE BEING MURDERED?
THAT'S AN ISSUE. THAT'S A CONCERN.
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT POLICY WISE.
BUT INSTEAD YOU WOULD RATHER SAY THIS IS ABOUT THE BLACK.
THIS IS ABOUT UNGRATEFUL BLACK PEOPLE.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE MISSING. ALSO WHAT IT EXPOSES, AND THAT
IS A LARGER ISSUE ON WHY HE DOESN'T REALIZE SO MANY ANGERS
ARE ANGRY, IT MAKES FOOTBALL UNHAPPY FOR EVERYBODY.
NOBODY WANTS THEIR ENTERTAINMENT TO BECOME A LITMUS TEST FOR
WHERE YOUR POLITICS ARE. PEOPLE JUST WANT TO WATCH THE
GAMES. AND HE HAS RUINED THAT FOR
CONSERVATIVES AND LIBERALS. >> AND RICHARD, WE HAVE BEEN BE
REPORTING RECENTLY ABOUT HOW THE NFL WAS ACTUALLY PAID BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BASICALLY HAVE THESE PATRIOTIC
DEMONSTRATIONS AT FOOTBALL GAMES THAT THEY DIDN'T USED TO HAVE.
THE TEAMS USED TO BE IN THE LOCKER ROOM WHEN THE ANTHEM WAS
PLAYED, COME OUT AFTERWARDS. BUT THEY STARTED PAYING THEM IN
THE HOPE THIS MIGHT STIMULATE RECRUITMENT.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO THAT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO JOIN THE MILITARY, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND
OVER SOME GUYS THAT YOU SAW ON A FOOTBALL GAME.
I DON'T KNOW. GOOD FOR YOU I GUESS.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO JOINED FOR THAT REASON.
>> SO WHEN YOU WERE IN THE ARMY, YOU NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY
WELL, IT WAS WATCHING THOSE NFL PLAYERS DURING THE NATIONAL
ANTHEM THAT MADE ME WANT TO DO THAT?
>> NO, I NEVER HEARD THAT. WHAT I DID HEAR PEOPLE SAY IS
THEY WANTED TO DEFEND FREEDOM, SUCH AS THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH,
THE FREEDOM TO NOT HAVE THE PRESIDENT COME AFTER YOUR JOB ON
LIVE TELEVISION WITH A PRIVATE EMPLOYER BECAUSE YOU SPOKE UP
FOR SOMETHING HE DOESN'T AGREE WITH.
NOT THAT SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, OF COURSE.
BUT THAT'S THE SENTIMENT I THINK THAT MOST OF OUR TROOPS AND OUR
VETERANS SERVED FOR, RIGHT? WE SIGN UPPED TO DEFEND WITH OUR
LIVES IF NECESSARY THE VERY RIGHTS THAT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION ARE TRAMPLING ON. AND I WOULD ADD TO MY COLLEAGUE
THERE, IT'S NOT JUST THE TRUMP ISN'T TALKING ABOUT THESE
THINGS. HIS ADMINISTRATION IS ACTIVELY
DOING THINGS THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND BROWN
PEOPLE IN AMERICA TO STAY ALIVE, WHICH WE JUST SAW IN THE SPEECH
FROM JEFF SESSIONS. >> YEAH.
>> EARLI