Former Rare Staff
Almost immediately after Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, the focus shifted to one question: Who won’t be going to the White House?
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RELATED: Philadelphia Eagles’ Malcolm Jenkins will skip White House visit
Wide receiver Torrey Smith, defensive end Chris Long and safety Malcolm Jenkins, we learned, will all not be visiting the White House.
We reported on Jenkins’ remarks and reasons, and now we can report on Smith’s because he joined CNN’s Don Lemon on Tuesday night for an interview.
While Jenkins’ said he won’t go because he “[doesn’t] have a message for the president” and that his “message has been clear all year,” Smith was even more direct, with a condemnation of President Donald Trump and praise of Colin Kaepernick.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver and Super Bowl champion @TorreySmithWR says he won't visit the White House: "I respect the office … It's not about choosing sides, it's about simply right and wrong" pic.twitter.com/K9eHKZNwY3
— Don Lemon Tonight (@DonLemonTonight) February 7, 2018
Smith said he wouldn’t go the White House for the very same reason he wouldn’t attend a party if he was invited by someone he perceives as “sexist,” “offensive […] towards many minority groups” or calls his “peers and friends SOBs.”
“For me, it’s not just about politics. If I told you that I was invited to a party by an individual I believe is sexist or has no respect for women or I told you that this individual has said offensive things towards many minority group,” he said. “This individual also called my peers and my friends SOB’s, you would understand why I wouldn’t want to go to that party. Why is it any different when the person has title of President of the United States?”
Later in the interview, Smith called Colin Kaepernick a “legend.”
Kaepernick began the protests during the national anthem that incited President Trump’s ire, culminating in the “get that son of a bitch off the field right now” comment during a speech in Alabama, which Smith referenced.
RELATED: Several Philadelphia Eagles say they won’t visit Trump’s White House
“I have a lot of respect for him. You know, Colin Kaepernick is a person that history is going to look back on like he’s a legend,” Smith said. “He’s a legend to me and I’ll have his back any day of the week.”
