RUSH TRANSCRIPT Joining me ░░░░░░░░ Cornell William brooks former ░░░░░░░░ of NAACP And Ben ░░░░░░░░ and Michael singleton Good ░░░░░░░░ see you Dante you ░░░░░░░░ Do you see this ░░░░░░░░ potentially promising would you ░░░░░░░░ players players union reps ░░░░░░░░ NFL coming together this ░░░░░░░░ to talk about what ░░░░░░░░ do next how to ░░░░░░░░ critics at the same ░░░░░░░░ how to answer players ░░░░░░░░ their concerns Yeah I ░░░░░░░░ it s important You ░░░░░░░░ call it the Donald ░░░░░░░░ effect where the NFL ░░░░░░░░ players are in agreement ░░░░░░░░ it doesn t happen ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump makes these ░░░░░░░░ Not to jump subjects ░░░░░░░░ you look what the ░░░░░░░░ going on with the ░░░░░░░░ deals Allies aligned with ░░░░░░░░ keeping the deal in ░░░░░░░░ That s also the ░░░░░░░░ Trump effect It is ░░░░░░░░ unfortunate situation but helps ░░░░░░░░ move forward with promoting ░░░░░░░░ personal causes that they ░░░░░░░░ are important to them ░░░░░░░░ think they want to ░░░░░░░░ the NFL know they ░░░░░░░░ to be able to ░░░░░░░░ the views however they ░░░░░░░░ and the NFL is ░░░░░░░░ of finding ways to ░░░░░░░░ with them to allow ░░░░░░░░ do this during the ░░░░░░░░ and on off season ░░░░░░░░ of what they did ░░░░░░░░ season with my cleats ░░░░░░░░ cause The NFL allowed ░░░░░░░░ to printout things on ░░░░░░░░ cleats to promote their ░░░░░░░░ And the NFL as ░░░░░░░░ people know has a ░░░░░░░░ strict dress code They ░░░░░░░░ guys all time if ░░░░░░░░ socks aren t up ░░░░░░░░ them to allow them ░░░░░░░░ do that last year ░░░░░░░░ then progressing to this ░░░░░░░░ players have been speaking ░░░░░░░░ the league officials and ░░░░░░░░ There is progress a ░░░░░░░░ of people don t ░░░░░░░░ that There is this ░░░░░░░░ that players are disrespecting ░░░░░░░░ flag and military But ░░░░░░░░ people on the inside ░░░░░░░░ there s been a ░░░░░░░░ of work behind the ░░░░░░░░ and culmination of that ░░░░░░░░ again where you have ░░░░░░░░ NFL and nflpa working ░░░░░░░░ and with the players ░░░░░░░░ never happenes When President ░░░░░░░░ challenged owners to fire ░░░░░░░░ when kneel we saw ░░░░░░░░ networks airing the national ░░░░░░░░ Watching the beheavory of ░░░░░░░░ players coaches et cetera ░░░░░░░░ however today we see ░░░░░░░░ networks made a decision ░░░░░░░░ not showing the players ░░░░░░░░ the anthem Does this ░░░░░░░░ send a message it ░░░░░░░░ What is happening here ░░░░░░░░ think a combination of ░░░░░░░░ two I don t ░░░░░░░░ the president today necessarily ░░░░░░░░ involved in this If ░░░░░░░░ recall the president made ░░░░░░░░ comment in Alabama during ░░░░░░░░ week health care was ░░░░░░░░ The president endorsed a ░░░░░░░░ candidate that everyone in ░░░░░░░░ wouldn t win It ░░░░░░░░ a distraction brilliantly done ░░░░░░░░ the president so we ░░░░░░░░ t focussing on heat ░░░░░░░░ care or a candidate ░░░░░░░░ president endorsed who everyone ░░░░░░░░ wouldn t win the ░░░░░░░░ The consumer will dictate ░░░░░░░░ this ultimately goes If ░░░░░░░░ start watching the NFL ░░░░░░░░ will see viewership down ░░░░░░░░ they stop going to ░░░░░░░░ you will see a ░░░░░░░░ in the amount of ░░░░░░░░ filling stadiums But I ░░░░░░░░ hesitant to be optimistic ░░░░░░░░ this fall meeting 70 ░░░░░░░░ the players are African ░░░░░░░░ 70 of the guys ░░░░░░░░ portion come from areas ░░░░░░░░ communities where these issues ░░░░░░░░ real A lot of ░░░░░░░░ relatives face these issues ░░░░░░░░ Some guys have their ░░░░░░░░ personal stories themselves Then ░░░░░░░░ not promise for the ░░░░░░░░ time they are at ░░░░░░░░ table and able to ░░░░░░░░ their concerns messages and ░░░░░░░░ that owners might better ░░░░░░░░ what it is they ░░░░░░░░ have to say by ░░░░░░░░ being at the table ░░░░░░░░ don t understand why ░░░░░░░░ have to be at ░░░░░░░░ table for the owners ░░░░░░░░ understand or appreciate the ░░░░░░░░ of the concerns that ░░░░░░░░ players are raising P ░░░░░░░░ don t agree with ░░░░░░░░ form of protest I ░░░░░░░░ you should stand for ░░░░░░░░ flag That does not ░░░░░░░░ way from they legitimacy ░░░░░░░░ the concern of the ░░░░░░░░ of our country If ░░░░░░░░ want to know how ░░░░░░░░ company sees a situation ░░░░░░░░ the dollars If the ░░░░░░░░ is concerned about the ░░░░░░░░ they will invest money ░░░░░░░░ the cities where the ░░░░░░░░ come from The jury ░░░░░░░░ still out on if ░░░░░░░░ will Okay So everyone ░░░░░░░░ remember September 24 we ░░░░░░░░ you pictures of solidarity ░░░░░░░░ coachers owners kneeling locked ░░░░░░░░ arms Following day Monday ░░░░░░░░ cowboys owner Jerry Jones ░░░░░░░░ the field locking arms ░░░░░░░░ isn t quite the ░░░░░░░░ I was talking about ░░░░░░░░ saw on the field ░░░░░░░░ Then there the next ░░░░░░░░ Monday night football Jerry ░░░░░░░░ locked in arms and ░░░░░░░░ now we have Jerry ░░░░░░░░ statement saying this we ░░░░░░░░ a chance of damaging ░░░░░░░░ just the game but ░░░░░░░░ this particular case cowboys ░░░░░░░░ Let s come up ░░░░░░░░ ways we can give ░░░░░░░░ message about police brutality ░░░░░░░░ we can give a ░░░░░░░░ about disparity We can ░░░░░░░░ messages but won t ░░░░░░░░ able to give it ░░░░░░░░ by are not as ░░░░░░░░ as we are and ░░░░░░░░ flag issue is taking ░░░░░░░░ from how substantive we ░░░░░░░░ So shermichael what is ░░░░░░░░ interpretation of that statement ░░░░░░░░ Jerry Jones I think ░░░░░░░░ Jones wants his cake ░░░░░░░░ to eat it too ░░░░░░░░ if every NFL player ░░░░░░░░ least African American ones ░░░░░░░░ not to play They ░░░░░░░░ if you don t ░░░░░░░░ into consideration we will ░░░░░░░░ stay home There will ░░░░░░░░ no games Again if ░░░░░░░░ NFL is serious they ░░░░░░░░ to listen to the ░░░░░░░░ of their players These ░░░░░░░░ legitimate concerns I understand ░░░░░░░░ want it respect the ░░░░░░░░ There are a respective ░░░░░░░░ of viewers and supporters ░░░░░░░░ the NFL who do ░░░░░░░░ like this form of ░░░░░░░░ I get the dollar ░░░░░░░░ cents side of things ░░░░░░░░ consider your employees If ░░░░░░░░ guys stay home there ░░░░░░░░ no game If there ░░░░░░░░ no game no one ░░░░░░░░ making money Is that ░░░░░░░░ happy medium And I ░░░░░░░░ by design protest is ░░░░░░░░ affect change It may ░░░░░░░░ to get change If ░░░░░░░░ is no change and ░░░░░░░░ means changing rules about ░░░░░░░░ you protest is there ░░░░░░░░ happy medium in what ░░░░░░░░ Jones had to say ░░░░░░░░ yes Ben I heard ░░░░░░░░ I m not sure ░░░░░░░░ there is a happy ░░░░░░░░ in what Mr Jones ░░░░░░░░ to say I think ░░░░░░░░ the NFL commissioner statement ░░░░░░░░ are possibility of some ░░░░░░░░ of compromise I think ░░░░░░░░ is important that NFL ░░░░░░░░ try to micro manage ░░░░░░░░ expression and protest even ░░░░░░░░ it tries to retain ░░░░░░░░ fan base Keep the ░░░░░░░░ fill the seats in ░░░░░░░░ stadiums and coliseums but ░░░░░░░░ clear Fans come from ░░░░░░░░ where there is police ░░░░░░░░ conduct They come from ░░░░░░░░ where you have the ░░░░░░░░ on one side and ░░░░░░░░ on the other With ░░░░░░░░ racism is the order ░░░░░░░░ the day The NFL ░░░░░░░░ the opportunity to promote ░░░░░░░░ Debate Conversation Even as ░░░░░░░░ recognizes protests But the ░░░░░░░░ to be avoided here ░░░░░░░░ for the sake of ░░░░░░░░ suppressing protests and having ░░░░░░░░ zero tolerance policy if ░░░░░░░░ will with regard to ░░░░░░░░ expression This is very ░░░░░░░░ important And I believe ░░░░░░░░ NFL has the opportunity ░░░░░░░░ to really advance the ░░░░░░░░ These athletes are really ░░░░░░░░ what should be done ░░░░░░░░ the president and attorney ░░░░░░░░ They are engaging the ░░░░░░░░ doing so in a ░░░░░░░░ way Not in any ░░░░░░░░ disrespected the flag In ░░░░░░░░ Do you believe the ░░░░░░░░ bears a responsible to ░░░░░░░░ convey the message of ░░░░░░░░ is the intent behind ░░░░░░░░ This is what the ░░░░░░░░ meant Not as a ░░░░░░░░ of disrespect to the ░░░░░░░░ but to call attention ░░░░░░░░ social and racial injustices ░░░░░░░░ the NFL help make ░░░░░░░░ declarative message Yes When ░░░░░░░░ stand for the national ░░░░░░░░ and they recognize the ░░░░░░░░ they are recognizing the ░░░░░░░░ as we say in ░░░░░░░░ pledge in the Republican ░░░░░░░░ which it stands If ░░░░░░░░ stand for the values ░░░░░░░░ the flag or kneel ░░░░░░░░ values of the flag ░░░░░░░░ must convey the values ░░░░░░░░ the flag and constitution ░░░░░░░░ so the NFL can ░░░░░░░░ an important role here ░░░░░░░░ is important that it ░░░░░░░░ that Not merely because ░░░░░░░░ athletes protesting but because ░░░░░░░░ bring the country together ░░░░░░░░ NFL commissioner recognizes that ░░░░░░░░ players do This is ░░░░░░░░ particularly good moment to ░░░░░░░░ that Ben Have you ░░░░░░░░ huge the NFL has ░░░░░░░░ huge problem Huge messaging ░░░░░░░░ They have an identity ░░░░░░░░ as a league This ░░░░░░░░ used to be filled ░░░░░░░░ roles where if you ░░░░░░░░ cleats that were honoring ░░░░░░░░ that died on 9 ░░░░░░░░ fwo two players were ░░░░░░░░ 6 000 for wearing ░░░░░░░░ during warm up Players ░░░░░░░░ fined for not having ░░░░░░░░ socks pulled up There ░░░░░░░░ a lot of messages ░░░░░░░░ biggest day of protest ░░░░░░░░ the NFL is the ░░░░░░░░ after Donald Trump talked ░░░░░░░░ this Majority of those ░░░░░░░░ did not come out ░░░░░░░░ the last year and ░░░░░░░░ by Colin Kaepernick or ░░░░░░░░ with Black Lives Matter ░░░░░░░░ stand against police brutality ░░░░░░░░ came out against Donald ░░░░░░░░ so it became a ░░░░░░░░ statement Was it done ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump was misconstruing ░░░░░░░░ message the intent behind ░░░░░░░░ protest if kneeling we ░░░░░░░░ with Colin Kaepernick and ░░░░░░░░ a collective body NFL ░░░░░░░░ decided solidarity for the ░░░░░░░░ behind that that s ░░░░░░░░ we are doing this ░░░░░░░░ you are a player ░░░░░░░░ you aren t willing ░░░░░░░░ stand up for police ░░░░░░░░ the last year on ░░░░░░░░ weekend there was a ░░░░░░░░ game every Sunday Thursday ░░░░░░░░ Monday night game and ░░░░░░░░ were never part of ░░░░░░░░ then all of a ░░░░░░░░ you go out there ░░░░░░░░ opticsover whelmingly say that ░░░░░░░░ are now mad at ░░░░░░░░ president and Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ you are protesting Here ░░░░░░░░ another question Another follow ░░░░░░░░ question Is it that ░░░░░░░░ did not do that ░░░░░░░░ they saw the consequence ░░░░░░░░ he s not playing ░░░░░░░░ is not on a ░░░░░░░░ I don t think ░░░░░░░░ There were plenty of ░░░░░░░░ still involved Colin Kaepernick ░░░░░░░░ think is a separate ░░░░░░░░ Here is a point ░░░░░░░░ to the NFL The ░░░░░░░░ totally overplayed their hand ░░░░░░░░ and did not real ░░░░░░░░ how many Americans one ░░░░░░░░ to watch sports on ░░░░░░░░ and don t want ░░░░░░░░ be lectured on politics ░░░░░░░░ and circumstance The second ░░░░░░░░ is the NFL they ░░░░░░░░ a large amount of ░░░░░░░░ fan base and the ░░░░░░░░ overwhelmingly show that the ░░░░░░░░ in America are in ░░░░░░░░ of protests They are ░░░░░░░░ in favor of protesting ░░░░░░░░ the American flag the ░░░░░░░░ anthem star spangled banner ░░░░░░░░ anything that deals with ░░░░░░░░ That goes back to ░░░░░░░░ whole messaging issue Yeah ░░░░░░░░ they have a problem ░░░░░░░░ that moment to get ░░░░░░░░ to the cause is ░░░░░░░░ during the anthem The ░░░░░░░░ is a protest against ░░░░░░░░ flag But people take ░░░░░░░░ as a protest and ░░░░░░░░ So that brings us ░░░░░░░░ this week and whether ░░░░░░░░ is the responsibility of ░░░░░░░░ NFL to help convey ░░░░░░░░ message of what is ░░░░░░░░ intent here So Dante ░░░░░░░░ were you about to ░░░░░░░░ Ben saying the players ░░░░░░░░ it political after the ░░░░░░░░ decided to weigh in ░░░░░░░░ what he called players ░░░░░░░░ in Huntsville Alabama The ░░░░░░░░ made it political dude ░░░░░░░░ making a statement rally ░░░░░░░░ agree with you The ░░░░░░░░ made it political Not ░░░░░░░░ Players are standing up ░░░░░░░░ their First Amendment rights ░░░░░░░░ can t squash or ░░░░░░░░ the quest descent Dante ░░░░░░░░ s be clear players ░░░░░░░░ the right same way ░░░░░░░░ you as an employee ░░░░░░░░ CNN or any other ░░░░░░░░ you have to make ░░░░░░░░ decision on protest or ░░░░░░░░ thing It doesn t ░░░░░░░░ there s not consequences ░░░░░░░░ your actions But you ░░░░░░░░ the players made it ░░░░░░░░ when the president They ░░░░░░░░ Ben you said players ░░░░░░░░ it political The president ░░░░░░░░ that statement against the ░░░░░░░░ at rally That is ░░░░░░░░ political statement Hold it ░░░░░░░░ there Cornel Yes Mr ░░░░░░░░ we need to be ░░░░░░░░ about this blaming players ░░░░░░░░ terms of their response ░░░░░░░░ the president s tweet ░░░░░░░░ they somehow lack the ░░░░░░░░ to respond to the ░░░░░░░░ of policing ignores who ░░░░░░░░ players have done and ░░░░░░░░ ignores the price that ░░░░░░░░ Kaepernick paid This is ░░░░░░░░ playing protesters in Salma ░░░░░░░░ the last March for ░░░░░░░░ many who crossed the ░░░░░░░░ We he have to ░░░░░░░░ clear about this This ░░░░░░░░ a moral moment Players ░░░░░░░░ paying a price they ░░░░░░░░ what they are are ░░░░░░░░ and they are stepping ░░░░░░░░ on a limb Sh ░░░░░░░░ person engaging in poll ░░░░░░░░ is President Trump These ░░░░░░░░ are demonstrating courage The ░░░░░░░░ is displaying cowardess consistently ░░░░░░░░ did not show courage ░░░░░░░░ standing up against police ░░░░░░░░ and the majority it ░░░░░░░░ a fact okay that ░░░░░░░░ biggest protest day you ░░░░░░░░ in the NFL was ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump spoke Many ░░░░░░░░ the players did not ░░░░░░░░ the courage or it ░░░░░░░░ didn t matter as ░░░░░░░░ to them it wasn ░░░░░░░░ an issue to them ░░░░░░░░ police brutality so they ░░░░░░░░ not come out You ░░░░░░░░ t rewrite history No ░░░░░░░░ is trying to stop ░░░░░░░░ from speaking out until ░░░░░░░░ Last word You once ░░░░░░░░ under the Trump Administration ░░░░░░░░ How do you see ░░░░░░░░ Think the president has ░░░░░░░░ of right as previous ░░░░░░░░ has to get involved ░░░░░░░░ these times I don ░░░░░░░░ agree with it This ░░░░░░░░ back many things that ░░░░░░░░ think were a step ░░░░░░░░ the forward in the ░░░░░░░░ direction Progress with policing ░░░░░░░░ There are senators and ░░░░░░░░ that stepped in the ░░░░░░░░ direction Koch foundation invested ░░░░░░░░ to improve the issues ░░░░░░░░ far as I m ░░░░░░░░ I do not expect ░░░░░░░░ Trump to heal the ░░░░░░░░ race relations in this ░░░░░░░░ nor do I expect ░░░░░░░░ Sessions to By and ░░░░░░░░ they have shown an ░░░░░░░░ to do so It ░░░░░░░░ upon the rest of ░░░░░░░░ and Republicans and both ░░░░░░░░ of Congress to do ░░░░░░░░ job the president is ░░░░░░░░ of doing Thank you ░░░░░░░░ We ll be right ░░░░░░░░