Moulton doesn’t like NFL players kneeling for the national anthem

[Mr. Morden]

Moulton’s on his way to Iowa this weekend where he will hold some private meetings that may lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign.  But before going, he stopped off on the “Morning Joe” set, and weighed in on the NFL protests:

https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2017/09/29/seth-moulton-on-nfl-players-kneeling-it-doesnt-make-me-feel-good-to-see-people-disrespecting-the-flag

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The other 2020ers have largely avoided talking about the protests, though one exception is Cory Booker.  Last year, Booker said that he agreed with Kaepernick’s sentiments but disagreed with his methods:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cory-booker-kaepernick-protest_us_57db3f81e4b04a1497b382f2

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This week, when asked about it, Booker sidestepped the “something…I would never do” talk, and focused on how protest is patriotic:

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/352574-dem-presidential-hopefuls-tread-carefully-on-trump-nfl-and-anthem

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[DrScholl]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

[Blair]

Should really quote this whenever people rant about the democrats all being raging SJWs

[Friend]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is he wrong though? The players method protest has alienated more people than it has brought to their cause. Whether that hate they have gotten for it is justified or not, the fact is the protests haven't done anything to end police brutality. As Moulton said, now all the attention is on disrespecting the flag. As a congressman and veteran I think he has every right to "stick his nose" in this issue.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Good man!

[MAINEiac4434]

I'm not sure if the Beltway media has overrated anyone more than Moulton in the last few years.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

I'm not sure if the Beltway media has overrated anyone more than Moulton in the last few years.

Kamala Harris. At least Moulton is a genuine hero.

[TheSaint250]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is this sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong? This is a political issue. He’s a politician.

[DrScholl]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is he wrong though? The players method protest has alienated more people than it has brought to their cause. Whether that hate they have gotten for it is justified or not, the fact is the protests haven't done anything to end police brutality. As Moulton said, now all the attention is on disrespecting the flag. As a congressman and veteran I think he has every right to "stick his nose" in this issue.

He's trying to get the votes of people who aren't going to vote for him. Agreeing with Trump (albeit indirectly) isn't going to do him any good.

[DrScholl]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is this sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong? This is a political issue. He’s a politician.

It's not really a political issue since politicians can't regulate said issue. Trump made it a political issue, but it really isn't.

[TheSaint250]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is this sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong? This is a political issue. He’s a politician.

It's not really a political issue since politicians can't regulate said issue. Trump made it a political issue, but it really isn't.

But he still can’t speak out against it?

[DrScholl]

Instead of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, he needs to get his mediocre career in order. First he tries to start a feud with Pelosi, then he tries to run for President. He needs to have several seats.

How is this sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong? This is a political issue. He’s a politician.

It's not really a political issue since politicians can't regulate said issue. Trump made it a political issue, but it really isn't.

But he still can’t speak out against it?

He has a right to say whatever he wants, but it's not a political issue at all and it would be better if politicians stayed out of it.

[Figueira]

This isn't necessarily a horrible position to hold but politically, if he's really interested in higher office, he shouldn't have said anything.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

NFL protest seems perfectly fine to me. People have the right to protest. I will always disavow violent protests, but why would we disavow a peaceful protest? Love the people who complain about violent protests and then go on to complain about a peaceful protest -- just what should protesters do then? Just because you don't like the protest material doesn't mean you should be insulated from it.

Moulton doesn't get the point of these protests and he will get wrecked by the democrat base if he ever becomes a serious candidate.

[Mr. Morden]

Moulton doesn't get the point of these protests and he will get wrecked by the democrat base if he ever becomes a serious candidate.

That may be true, but I'm not sure there's really a good position on this for the 2020ers.  I mean, I think all the Dem. candidates would agree that 1) the players have a right to protest, and 2) Trump shouldn't have called for them to be fired.  Beyond that, 3) as long as the kneeling or locking arms is actually being treated as just an act of defiance against Trump specifically, they're cool with it.

But beyond that....?  Would any of the 2020 Dem. presidential candidates personally refuse to stand for the national anthem?  I think Booker's comment from last year (“It’s something that, to me, I would never do”) is probably where most of them would end up.

[NewYorkExpress]

Forget about Moulton ever seeking higher office in Massachusetts, let alone winning the Democratic nomination for President.

He might even get a primary challenge for re-election if Stephen Lynch's race means anything.

[McGovernForPrez]

Forget about Moulton ever seeking higher office in Massachusetts, let alone winning the Democratic nomination for President.

He might even get a primary challenge for re-election if Stephen Lynch's race means anything.

Stephen Lynch's race is a joke. I don't even like Lynch that much but he'll still crush Brianna Wu.

I hope Moulton gets a taste of his own medicine and loses a primary.

[NHI]

He's not wrong.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

I'm pretty ambivalent about this. He's not dismissing the validity of their protests, he's saying that they're doing it in an inefficient way by giving critics ammunition to muddy the waters and make this into a debate about something else. He also says that they have the right to protest in that way if they choose.

I saw the thread title and article headline and expected something much worse.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

I'm not sure if the Beltway media has overrated anyone more than Moulton in the last few years.

Kamala Harris. At least Moulton is a genuine hero.

Harris is pretty useless but has a real base of support and could conceivably win a Presidential primary. Moulton, on the other, is a totally indistinguishable centrist backbencher who Politico losers decided to anoint as a rising star for some reason.

Well said.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Wait, why is he running for president? What states does he think will get him to 50%+1 delegate in the primary?

[Mr. Morden]

Wait, why is he running for president? What states does he think will get him to 50%+1 delegate in the primary?

I don't know.  Why is John Delaney running for president?  Why did Jim Gilmore run for president?  Why did George Pataki run for president?  Why did Lincoln Chafee run for president?

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Wait, why is he running for president? What states does he think will get him to 50%+1 delegate in the primary?

I don't know.  Why is John Delaney running for president?  Why did Jim Gilmore run for president?  Why did George Pataki run for president?  Why did Lincoln Chafee run for president?

The last three probably wanted 15 minutes of fame. With Delaney, I have no idea.

[Mr. Morden]

Wait, why is he running for president? What states does he think will get him to 50%+1 delegate in the primary?

I don't know.  Why is John Delaney running for president?  Why did Jim Gilmore run for president?  Why did George Pataki run for president?  Why did Lincoln Chafee run for president?

The last three probably wanted 15 minutes of fame. With Delaney, I have no idea.

Well, I'm assuming there will be more "15 minutes of fame" type candidates in 2020.  Maybe Moulton will be one of them.

And while I don't think he's going to win the nomination, and presumably isn't going to win any primaries, I would not rule out him doing better than some of the more nominally qualified, but still currently unknown, candidates.  He might very well qualify for some of the main debates, ahead of folks like, say, Chris Murphy.  He's an Iraq War vet, and something of a rheotorical bomb thrower, so that could end up getting him more national media attention than someone like Murphy can get.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Wrong answer if he wants to win the 2020 primary. Not that I think that this will be a defining issue, but if he wants to appeal to the base, he should have said something vaguely ambivalent.