Sunday, September 24, 2017

North Korean Rocket Man Welcomes NBA player; USA Tweetin' Prez Condemns NBA player ....


No, not a headline from the Onion. But here are the stories:

A) "Dennis Rodman flies into North Korea again," cbsnews.com (Last Updated Jun 13, 2017 7:20 PM EDT)

image from
Excerpt:
BEIJING -- Former NBA player Dennis Rodman arrived on Tuesday in North Korea on his first visit since President Donald Trump took office.

He told reporters before departing Beijing airport on Tuesday that he was "just trying to open a door" with North Korea.

Rodman has received the red-carpet treatment on four past trips since 2013. He also has been roundly criticized for visiting during times of high tensions between the U.S. and North Korea over its weapons programs.

Diplomats at the U.N. on Tuesday expressed dismay that Rodman arrived in North Korea at a delicate and dangerous time for the countries threatened by the government in Pyongyang, since his past trips have produced nothing more than positive publicity for the repressive government of Kim Jong Un, CBS News' Pamela Falk reports.

Asked if he had spoken to Mr. Trump about his trip, he said, "Well, I'm pretty sure he's pretty much happy with the fact that I'm over here trying to accomplish something that we both need."

His entourage included Joseph Terwilliger, a professor who has accompanied Rodman on previous trips to North Korea.

Rodman said the issue of several Americans currently detained by North Korea was "not my purpose right now."

In Tokyo, a visiting senior U.S. official said Rodman's trip is as a private citizen.

"We are aware of his visit. We wish him well, but we have issued travel warnings to Americans suggested they not travel to North Korea for their own safety," U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon told reporters after discussing the North Korean missile threat and other issues with Japanese counterparts. ...
***

B) "With 'son of a bitch' comments, Trump tried to divide NFL and its players," money.cnn.com (September 23, 2017: 2:32 PM ET)

image from

Excerpt:
Brian Stelter, "Trump waded into controversy with another league on Saturday morning. On Twitter he criticized Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, who intends to skip the traditional NBA champs celebration at the White House.

"Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!" Trump wrote twenty minutes after "Fox & Friends" mentioned the issue.

NBA great LeBron James responded by calling the president a "bum" who misled his followers.

LeBron James ✔ @KingJames
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
11:17 AM - Sep 23, 2017
37,364 37,364 Replies 516,103 516,103 Retweets 1,043,895 1,043,895 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy

"U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite," James tweeted. "Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!"

Trump's remarks renewed the accusation made by ESPN anchor Jemele Hill a week ago -- that Trump "is a white supremacist."

CNN's Jake Tapper wryly tweeted on Saturday that Trump is "focusing like a laser on the major problems of the American people: black professional athletes with opinions."

The anthem protests, which began when Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem last fall, seemed to come up randomly while Trump was rallying an Alabama crowd to support Luther Strange in a primary election.

Trump said NFL owners should get rid of players like that.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired,'" Trump said. "You know, some owner is going to do that. He's going to say, 'That guy that disrespects our flag, he's fired.' And that owner, they don't know it [but] they'll be the most popular person in this country."

The president followed up on Twitter Saturday afternoon.

"If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect. ... our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!" ...

No comments: