Ted Cruz 'Disappointed' In Obama For Supporting Colin Kaepernick

"The president should be standing up for America."
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has attacked President Barack Obama for supporting Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who refuses to stand during the national anthem at NFL games in protest of how black people are treated in America.

When asked about Kaepernick, Cruz told TMZ on Tuesday that “it’s sad when you see rich, spoiled athletes that don’t recognize what an incredible blessing this country is.”

“I gotta say, I was disappointed to see President Obama stand with Kaepernick and say, ‘that’s right, disrespect the flag,’” Cruz said. “That’s not the job of the president. The president should be standing up for America. The president should be encouraging every American to honor the flag that so many have bled and died for and to honor the freedom that it stands for.”

Colin Kaepernick refuses to stand for the playing of the national anthem.
Colin Kaepernick refuses to stand for the playing of the national anthem.
Christian Petersen via Getty Images

Kaepernick has said he’s “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

Obama backed Kaepernick’s protest on Saturday, saying the football player “cares about some real legitimate issues.”

“If nothing else, what he’s done is he’s generated more conversation around some topics that need to be talked about,” the president said.

Other athletes, including soccer star Megan Rapinoe and 49ers safety Eric Reid, Kaepernick’s teammate, have also recently taken a knee during the anthem.

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