Washington – They could all agree to support 12-year-old Preston Sharp and his project to plant flags on the graves of veterans. But it was a different story when President Donald Trump used that good deed to scold athletes, ahead of the Super Bowl, who kneel during the national anthem.
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Members of Congress, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court and assorted guests applauded Trump’s shout-out to Preston, who noticed that not every grave was decorated with a flag at the California veterans’ cemetery where his grandfather was buried. He started collecting donations and, two years later, had decorated 23,000 graves.
“Preston’s reverence for those who have served our nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance,” Trump said during his speech, drawing applause.
But the mood changed when the president added: “… and why we proudly stand for the national anthem.”
GOP lawmakers erupted in applause. Democrats were far more muted.
Trump was a leading critic of NFL players, predominantly African-American, during last fall’s protests. Vice President Mike Pence abruptly left an Indianapolis Colts game after almost two dozen members of the San Francisco 49ers knelt during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The president brought his A game tonight, no doubt about it. It was a very good speech.
Wow wow wow! I’ve never been more proud to be an American! Our president is by far the best this country has ever seen, and tonight’s speech stirred the heart and touched the soul. Anyone who can deny that he has made history and brought us back to our pride as a nation, (something that’s been missing for so long), is simply a dishonest fool or an outright hater of our country and everything good. Bravo, Mr. President, Bravo!