A video of Beto O’Rourke, who is currently a U.S. Representative for Texas’ 16th District but is trying to unseat Senator Ted Cruz, has gone viral since it was posted by NowThis on social media on Tuesday night. In it, O’Rourke, speaking at a recent town hall event to speak with voters, is asked about the peaceful protests by NFL players and other athletes during the playing of the anthem. The questioner said he finds it “incredibly frustrating” that people are ok with the kneeling. ‘I can think of nothing more American’ After acknowledging American service members who are still in places like Afghanistan and thanking those in attendance who had served or are still serving, O’Rourke gave something of a masterclass in how to deal with a tough issue. He didn’t speak down to the questioner, he wasn’t critical of those who disagree; he simply laid out the facts and history as they pertain to peaceful protest in pursuit of human rights. Beto O’Rourke drew praise from sports figures for his measured thoughts on protesting NFL players. (AP) “My short answer is no; I don’t think it’s disrespectful,” O’Rourke said, drawing applause and cheers of appreciation. “Here’s my longer answer but I’m gonna try to make sure that I get this right because I think it’s a really important question. And reasonable people can disagree on this issue. Let’s begin there. And it makes them no less American to come down on a different conclusion on this issue, right?,” O’Rourke said. “You can feel as the young man does, you can feel as I do, you’re every bit as American.” He references “Parting the Waters,” a three-volume history of America during the Civil Rights Movement written by Taylor Branch; the murders of four young black girls in a 1963 Birmingham church bombing; those who were brutally beaten trying to cross the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Ala. and other horrible events of that era endured by black citizens and those working with them to try to secure better rights. “Peaceful, non-violent protests, including taking a knee at a football game to point out that black men, unarmed, black teenagers, unarmed and black children, unarmed, are being killed at a frightening level right now, including by members of law enforcement, without accountability, and without justice,” O’Rourke said. “And this problem – as grave as it is – is not gonna fix itself and they’re frustrated, frankly, with people like me, and those in positions of public trust and power, who have been unable to resolve this or bring justice for what has been done and to stop it from continuing to happen in this country. Story continues “And so non-violently, peacefully, while the eyes of this country are watching these games, they take a knee to bring our attention and our focus to this problem to ensure that we fix it. That is why they are doing it. And I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up, or take a knee, for your rights, any time, anywhere, in any place.” The video has gotten 6.1 million views as of this writing. Sporting world responds Many people in the sports world have responded to O’Rourke’s message. Teresa Kaepernick and Nessa Diab, Colin Kaepernick’s mother and girlfriend, respectively, retweeted the video, as did Eric Reid, Kaepernick’s friend and former teammate with the San Francisco 49ers who was the first to kneel alongside him in 2016. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr tweeted, “Please watch this and be reminded of what thoughtful leadership looks and sounds like. Thank you @BetoORourke for giving us a glimpse of our future. Things will get better!” Please watch this and be reminded of what thoughtful leadership looks and sounds like. Thank you @BetoORourke for giving us a glimpse of our future. Things will get better! https://t.co/0ndoPbQEN8 — Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) August 22, 2018 Newly-minted Hall of Famer Terrell Owens posted, “To ALL NFL Teams!! Who U Wit?! #IMWITHKAP” Owens wasn’t the only prominent NFL great to bring attention to O’Rourke’s message: Shannon Sharpe tweeted simply, “THIS” with an emoji pointing to the video, and Kurt Warner asked that “every past & present fan of NFL” listen to the words. Every past & present fan of NFL – please listen – I believe he hit the nail on the head & he did so not by dividing the 2 sides but by joining them together in realizing the freedoms of our country have been forged by soldiers but also by many others who have fought in diff ways! https://t.co/zDxYgMAmAz — Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) August 22, 2018 Two-time Olympic gold medal winning soccer player Abby Wambach wrote, “No matter where you land on this issue, because I understand it’s complicated, please watch this. @BetoORourke is smart, and compassionate, and respectful of all people here.” No matter where you land on this issue, because I understand it’s complicated, please watch this. @BetoORourke is smart, and compassionate, and respectful of all people here. This is what leadership looks like. https://t.co/fQ0aTVtZPQ — Abby Wambach (@AbbyWambach) August 22, 2018 Of course, many players who have protested, whether by kneeling or raising a fist, have expressed many of the same ideas, but it’s always good to have allies. Meanwhile, in West Virginia… As O’Rourke was earning plaudits on Tuesday night for his measured response, President Trump was holding a campaign rally in West Virginia. It had been a terrible day for Trump politically – his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was found guilty on eight of 18 charges of financial fraud and his longtime “fixer,” lawyer Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to eight charges in federal court and admitted to making illegal campaign contributions in coordination with Trump. And Trump, predictably, returned to his old standbys, setting his sights on ESPN and protesting NFL players. “You’re proud of our country, you’re proud of our history, and unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish our great American flag,” Trump said. “It was just announced by ESPN that rather than defending our anthem, our beautiful, beautiful national anthem and defending our flag, they’ve decided that they just won’t broadcast when they play the national anthem. We don’t like that.” ESPN officials said recently they won’t air the anthem during Monday Night Football unless events warrant; other league partners have said the same, in a return to regular practices.<doc-sep>(CNN) — A viral video of Democratic Texas Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke discussing protests over racial injustice during the national anthem in the NFL has drawn a wave of praise and commentary from some high-profile athletes, including LeBron James. James tweeted about the video of O’Rourke from “Now This” news, which credits the footage to Nivien Saleh. As of Thursday morning, the video had more than 12.8 million views and more than 160,000 retweets. “A Must Watch!! !,” James wrote to his 41 million followers. “Salute @BetoORourke for the candid thoughtful words!” A Must Watch!!! 🙏🏾💪🏾💯‼️ Salute @BetoORourke for the candid thoughtful words! https://t.co/E1YrbqGciZ — LeBron James (@KingJames) August 23, 2018 In the four-minute video, O’Rourke fields a question at a Texas town hall about the national anthem protests that have roiled the NFL over the past year. The El Paso Democrat – who is challenging incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in November – explains why he supports the protests, meant to draw attention to racial injustice, and remarking on the similarities between the sacrifices of soldiers and veterans and those of civil rights activists, and saying “I can think of nothing more American” than peaceful protests. Cruz responded to the O’Rourke video on Thursday, tweeting: “Most Texans stand for the flag, but Hollywood liberals are so excited that Beto is siding with NFL players protesting the national anthem that Kevin Bacon just retweeted it. That means all of us us can now win Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon!” Most Texans stand for the flag, but Hollywood liberals are so excited that Beto is siding with NFL players protesting the national anthem that Kevin Bacon just retweeted it. That means all of us us can now win Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon! https://t.co/8oWpL1AuyF — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 23, 2018 In addition to LeBron James, a series of other star athletes and pro coaches shared and commented on the video of O’Rourke. NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner tweeted, “Every past & present fan of NFL - please listen - I believe he hit the nail on the head & he did so not by dividing the 2 sides but by joining them together in realizing the freedoms of our country have been forged by soldiers but also by many others who have fought in diff ways!” Every past & present fan of NFL - please listen - I believe he hit the nail on the head & he did so not by dividing the 2 sides but by joining them together in realizing the freedoms of our country have been forged by soldiers but also by many others who have fought in diff ways! https://t.co/zDxYgMAmAz — Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) August 22, 2018 And NFL Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy also weighed in. “If you want some insight into the National Anthem kneeling controversy, watch this. If you’ve already made up your mind that kneeling is disrespectful and facts and history won’t change your mind there’s no need to watch.” If you want some insight into the National Anthem kneeling controversy, watch this. If you’ve already made up your mind that kneeling is disrespectful and facts and history won’t change your mind there’s no need to watch. https://t.co/2iUxKBTam0 — Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) August 22, 2018 Pro athletes from other sports also shared the video. Abby Wambach – a former star of the US Women’s National Soccer team, who won both Olympic Gold and a World Cup – wrote, “No matter where you land on this issue, because I understand it’s complicated, please watch this. @BetoORourke is smart, and compassionate, and respectful of all people here. This is what leadership looks like.” No matter where you land on this issue, because I understand it’s complicated, please watch this. @BetoORourke is smart, and compassionate, and respectful of all people here. This is what leadership looks like. https://t.co/fQ0aTVtZPQ — Abby Wambach (@AbbyWambach) August 22, 2018 Steve Kerr, head coach of the NBA-champion Golden State Warriors, who has a reputation for being outspoken on politics, shared the video as well. “Please watch this and be reminded of what thoughtful leadership looks and sounds like. Thank you @BetoORourke for giving us a glimpse of our future. Things will get better!” Please watch this and be reminded of what thoughtful leadership looks and sounds like. Thank you @BetoORourke for giving us a glimpse of our future. Things will get better! https://t.co/0ndoPbQEN8 — Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) August 22, 2018 The protests during the anthem – begun by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 – have happened with varying participation since 2016, pulling the NFL into a public debate that has seen President Donald Trump call on team owners to stem them. James has also escalated his political engagement over the last couple of years and has been particularly vocal in his criticism of President Trump. Ahead of the NBA Finals in June – which raised the prospect of a White House visit for the winning team – James preemptively declared that “no one wants to” visit the Trump White House, and that neither team would attend such a ceremony. Discussing the same topic the previous September, James referred to Trump as “u bum” in a tweet, writing, “Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”<doc-sep>During Wednesday's show, Ellen referred to Beto O'Rourke's viral kneeling protest comments as "beautiful," "brilliant" and "eloquent." TEXAS — Democratic Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke appeared on the Ellen Show Wednesday after she invited him via twitter Aug. 22. Ellen DeGeneres first tweeted at O'Rourke after watching the viral Now This video of his comments on NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, saying "I would like to meet you." RELATED: During Wednesday's show, DeGeneres referred to his viral comments as "beautiful," "brilliant" and "eloquent." PHOTOS: Beto O'Rourke goes on the Ellen Show 1/6 2/6 3/6 4/6 5/6 6/6 1 / 6 O'Rourke said when he was first asked the question about kneeling at NFL games to call attention to the deaths of unarmed black men, he gave the answer that was on his mind. "I tried to be honest and that’s what came out. And, I hope, if nothing else, we’re able to give the people of Texas our honesty and have the courage of our convictions on the issues that matter most." DeGeneres also asked O'Rourke tough questions regarding his take on Trump's support for Sen. Ted Cruz and O'Rourke's past DUI. In response to Tump's tweet supporting Cruz, O'Rourke said he welcomes Trump to Texas and that he's glad that he's coming. "Texas is the most diverse state in the country. It’s the defining immigrant story and experience. We should, Republicans and Democrats together, be able to lead the way. Not only to stop taking kids from parents, not only to free dreamers from the fear of deportation and make them U.S. citizens on that same day, but to lead in a bold, ambitious way that makes the most out of all of us including those that choose to be here." After DeGeneres gave O'Rourke an opportunity to talk about his DUI, he referred to it as a "terrible mistake," but said that he did not let it define him. O'Rourke said, "I was able to go on and do these things. But I know to some degree, that’s a function of the fact that I’m a white man in this country. I know that if I were African American, if I had been arrested with marijuana, it might be very hard for me to then get a job." He added, " I want to make sure that everyone has a second chance." In case you missed the episode, DeGeneres also tweeted, "I think you'll be hearing a lot more from Beto O'Rourke" with a clip from the show. I think you’ll be hearing a lot more from @BetoORourke. pic.twitter.com/Z0VPbOwvOq — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 5, 2018 O'Rourke is set to face Cruz in the November election. Early voting begins Oct. 22 and ends Nov. 2. Election day is Nov. 6.<doc-sep>
Texas congressman and Senate hopeful Beto O’Rourke visited Ellen for Wednesday’s episode, with the former punk rock bassist discussing his Election Day battle against Ted Cruz, his stance on the NFL players’ anthem protests and Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to Texas, where the president will voice his support for his frequent punching bag Cruz. “First of all, we welcome the president to Texas and we are glad that he’s coming,” O’Rourke told Ellen DeGeneres. “Texas is the most diverse state in the country. It’s the defining immigrant story and experience. We should, Republicans and Democrats together, be able to lead the way. Not only to stop taking kids from parents, not only to free dreamers from the fear of deportation and make them U.S. citizens on that same day, but to lead in a bold, ambitious way that makes the most out of all of us including those that choose to be here.” DeGeneres told O’Rourke that she became aware of the Democrat and his Senate hopes following his response to a question regarding NFL players kneeling during the national anthem; the corresponding video went viral with over 44 million views and prompted Ellen to immediately invite O’Rourke on the program. DeGeneres said of O’Rourke’s response, “Just to answer that and then to go on and say everything you said was just beautiful.” “We visited every single one of the 254 counties of Texas and then this question comes up about kneeling at these NFL games to call attention to the deaths and the shootings of unarmed black men in this country,” O’Rourke said. “And so, I just gave the answer that was on my mind. Had never been asked the question before. Tried to be honest and that’s what came out. And, I hope, if nothing else, we’re able to give the people of Texas our honesty and have the courage of our convictions on the issues that matter most.” O’Rourke also used the Ellen visit to confront his DUI over 20 years ago, a charge that Cruz has leaned on frequently in the lead-up to Election Day. “Twenty years ago I drove drunk… a terrible mistake. There’s no explanation or justifying that. Since then, I have gone on with friends to start a business, with Amy to raise a family, serving my community in the United States congress. And, in many ways, that mistake did not define me. I was able to go on and do these things,” O’Rourke said. “But I know to some degree, that’s a function of the fact that I’m a white man in this country. I know that if I were African American, if I had been arrested with marijuana, it might be very hard for me to then get a job. I’d have to check a box on an application form; I couldn’t finance my student loans. That might very well narrow my choices and options in life. As it does for so many in a country that has the largest prison population on the face of the planet. One that is disproportionately brown and black. I want to make sure that everyone has a second chance. That’s a lesson that I take in this and something I want to use as motivation to make things better for others who may have made mistakes in their lives.” O’Rourke also recently spoke to Rolling Stone about his old band Foss with future Mars Volta rocker Cedric Bixler-Zavala.