September 28, 2017

Sarah Huckabee Sanders faced some questions from the podium about the NFL controversy Trump has intentionally created to drive a wedge between people while scratching his racist itches.

As usual, she wrongly framed the NFL players' actions as "the country coming together to support the flag, support the national anthem."

These protests have nothing to do with the flag or the national anthem. That's just the poll-tested framing used to make sure it's a handy wedge issue to drive his approval ratings up a couple of points because Mom, apple pie, and the flag, after all.

African-American reporter April Ryan drilled down on it, refusing to allow Sanders to cling to her tired talking point, which of course she did.

Pressing further, Ryan explained, "To the NFL players, it's not about not having pride, they are saying they are patriots, they love this country. But they are challenging the system. and they are looking at history like the challenge of the system when it came to women's rights issues as well as civil rights."

"What does the presidents say when you look at history and see how people love this country but want to challenge the system to make it better?

And once again, Sanders batted the actual question away with a bunch of jingoistic nonsense about Americans giving their lives to protect the flag and the anthem, as if they weren't symbols of the actual freedoms guaranteed, which happen to include the freedom to protest.

Nevertheless, Ryan persisted, jumping in for clarification.

"I don't think there is much to clarify," Sarah snapped. "It's pretty black and white."

Yes, indeed. It certainly is pretty black and white. Nice of you to give up the rah-rah flag nonsense long enough to admit that, Sarah.

By the way, this issue has been poll-tested, as Sarah admits right up front in this clip, when she reminds Ryan that "most Americans" support Trump's position over the players in the NFL.

Trump sees this as a culture war winner for him. As long as he has Sarah Huckabee Sanders to flack for the flag and the Star-Spangled Banner as distractions from the true issue at hand --inequality for people of color -- he will continue to flog it until people recognize the sleight-of-hand.

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