Dan Le Batard spoke out on Thursday against Donald Trump’s “send her back” attacks, simultaneously criticizing ESPN’s no politics policy.
Le Batard made his comments on his “Dan Le Batard Show”, which is broadcast on 790 The Ticket in Miami, syndicated on ESPN Radio, and simulcast on ESPNEWS. He explained what was so problematic and troubling about Trump’s comments, and why it is so important to speak out.
Stop what you're doing and watch this.@LeBatardShow responds to the racist "Send her back" and "Go back to your country" attacks against Ilhan Omar and other congresswomen.
"If you're not calling it abhorrent, obviously racist, dangerous rhetoric, you're complicit." pic.twitter.com/ntOC2Seg3b
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) July 18, 2019
As Le Batard referenced, ESPN’s new president Jimmy Pitaro has made it clear that employees must avoid all political talk. Under previous president John Skipper, former ESPN host Jemele Hill received a suspension for anti-Trump comments she made on Twitter — ones that drew attention from the White House. There was a national perception among some viewers that ESPN had taken a left-leaning political stance, which left a faction of viewers alienated. That’s why Pitaro instituted the policy.
Le Batard decided that the comments made by the president were so bad that he had to step up and say something, regardless of the punishment he might face. He’s right — there is no place in the country for such rhetoric.
The remarks coming from the man holding the most powerful and respected leadership position in the country makes them especially problematic and unacceptable. Such remarks create division in the country instead of unity and encourage others to follow his lead. Don’t believe us? We received a comment on one of our stories Thursday telling Manny Machado to “go play in [his] native country.” Where did that word choice and line of thinking come from if not from Trump? And just to show you how awful that line of thinking is, Machado is American and from Florida.
