No, a Democrat Candidate Didn’t Protest the National Anthem

When the ten Democrats took the stage for the most recent CNN debate, the network chose to begin the festivities with the national anthem.  Good for them for doing this, in spite of the fact that Democrats are frequently a-okay with all the national anthem protests led by people such as the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. (Kaepernick’s other claim to fame is to get Nike to halt production on a pair of American flag shoes inspired by the Betsy Ross flag. Not exactly Martin Luther King, Jr. is he?)  

When the anthem began playing before the debate, people joked that it would be amazing if one of them “took a knee” to protest.  I don’t think anyone was really expecting a candidate to actually protest.

Yet, it appeared that Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) did just that.  As the music played, he did not place his hand over his heart.  Was he was mounting yet another protest?

Turns out, Ryan simply got lost in the moment.

“Congressman Ryan wasn’t protesting and didn’t mean to make any statement last night in Detroit,” the Ohio lawmaker’s team explained today. They went on to explain that it was simply a “moment of absentmindedness while on a debate stage that won’t happen again.” They even pointed out that he was “in fact, singing along with the choir to honor our country.”   

Though it’s a shame that the Democrat Party is so extreme that this was even a possibility, you have to admit that’s a pretty funny misunderstanding.

“Congressman Ryan loves our country and will continue to honor the flag during the anthem in future events, as he has in countless events in the past,” the campaign said. 

Image Credit: Tim Evanson