LeBron James continues to use his platform and influence to highlight the things he cares about. On Thursday morning, that included a video circulating the internet of U.S. representative and U.S. senate candidate Beto O’Rourke defending the rights of NFL players to kneel during the national anthem. A Must Watch!!! 🙏🏾💪🏾💯‼️ Salute @BetoORourke for the candid thoughtful words! https://t.co/E1YrbqGciZ — LeBron James (@KingJames) August 23, 2018 O’Rourke’s defense came from a town hall-type of meeting after he fielded a question about whether kneeling during the anthem was “disrespectful.” He said that it is the right of players to protest the killing of black men by law enforcement as it is the right of the person asking the question to believe it is disrespectful. James has been vocal in his support of Colin Kaepernick and it’s no surprise that he supported O’Rourke’s remarks. O’Rourke is running for the U.S. Senate against incumbent senator Ted Cruz.<doc-sep>Answering, “No,” but noting that “reasonable people can disagree on this issue, and it makes them no less American to come down on a different conclusion on this issue,” O’Rourke cited the sacrifices made by members of the civil rights movement. “The freedoms that we have were purchased not just by those in uniform, and they definitely were, but also by those who took their lives into their hands, riding those Greyhound buses, the Freedom Riders in the Deep South in the 1960s,” he said.<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>
Future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James took to Twitter on Thursday to praise and promote the remarks of Texas Democratic Senatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, whose comments in support of NFL anthem protesters recently went viral. While speaking at a town hall in Houston, O’Rourke was asked whether he thought the anthem protests were disrespectful members of law enforcement and the military. Not only did O’Rourke say that he didn’t believe the protests were disrespectful, he said that he could think of “nothing more American,” than protesting the national anthem: ‘I can think of nothing more American.’ — Beto O'Rourke — the man taking on Ted Cruz — brilliantly explains why NFL players kneeling during the anthem is not disrespectful pic.twitter.com/bEqOAYpxEL — NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 21, 2018 On Thursday, James tweeted O’Rourke’s speech and praise for the Senate hopeful’s remarks: “A Must Watch!!! 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 O’Rourke’s rival in the Texas Senate race, Senator Ted Cruz, blasted O’Rourke for saying that he could think of “nothing more American” than protesting during the anthem. “When Beto O’Rourke says he can’t think of anything more American (than players taking a knee), well I got to tell you, I can,” Cruz said in reply to O’Rourke’s approval of the protests. President Trump has been a frequent critic of the anthem protests, most recently at a speech in West Virginia. Where he paid tribute to the patriotism of the crowd, while contrasting that with the lack of patriotism showed by NFL anthem protesters: “You are proud of our history. And unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish our great American flag,” President Trump tells WV supporters at rally https://t.co/s3fdGxVJQv pic.twitter.com/smLLkuCrsu — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 21, 2018 It’s not surprising that James would weigh-in on the anthem debate. The newly minted Laker has frequently clashed with President Trump. Most notably in late July, when James accused Trump of using sports to “try and divide us.” Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn