San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick admitted that he did not take place in the election process for President of the United States on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The football player, who has been in the headlines for choosing to kneel during the National Anthem during NFL games, told reporters in San Francisco that he did not vote. ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith heard about the decision, and he had a few words to say about the NFL star while on air during “First Take.”
Reporter: Have you voted?
Colin Kaepernick: “No.”
Reporter: Are you going to vote?
Kaepernick: “No.”#49ers— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) November 8, 2016
“He absolutely betrayed his cause,” he said with fervor. “As far as I’m concerned Colin Kaepernick is absolutely irrelevant. I don’t want to hear a damn word about anything that he has to say about our nation, the issues that we have, racial injustices, needing change, et cetera, et cetera. He comes across as a flaming hypocrite.”
Then, he began to get a little loud, understandably.
“…after all this noise that you’ve made…and pointing out about how you wanted to bring attention to racial injustices and beyond that’s in this country…to turn around and not to even take your behind to the polls to vote for a particular candidate–it is shameful. Absolutely shameful,” he said.
“Him of all people, because of the position he took, because of the attention he brought to the issues, the fact that he doesn’t have the decency to go to the polls and activate yourself in this election -is a damn shame,” he continued. “I don’t want to hear another word from Colin Kaepernick. It’s a waste of time. Matter of fact, I would personally make a request to the media in this nation: Wherever he is, if he ain’t on that football field trying to throw another damn incomplete pass, do me a favor and make sure of one thing- take the camera away from him. It means nothing. Because for him not to vote, as far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. I don’t want to hear another damn word from him. Nothing.”
Kaepernick has said in the past that he did not support either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, stating that he thought Clinton being able to run despite her e-mail scandal was wrong, and suggested that we try to ‘make America great for the first time,’ in response to Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again.”
Who do you side with? Sound off in the comments, and watch the clip below.
“For him not to vote…as far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing!”
– @stephenasmith on Colin Kaepernick pic.twitter.com/gShvVfVoAt
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 9, 2016