It seemed like an innocent enough comment by President-elect Donald Trump. But as he is fast discovering, every word he utters comes under scrutiny.
While attending Saturday's Army-Navy college football game in Baltimore, Trump took a mild jab at the quality of play between the Cadets and Midshipmen, who were meeting for the 117th time. The future commander-in-chief, who was loudly cheered by the military personnel in the stands when he arrived during the first quarter, was being interviewed by CBS Sports' Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson.
Lundquist, who is retiring from broadcasting after 50 years, was in the booth for his ninth Army-Navy game. When Trump visited the announcers, Lundquist asked the one-time owner of the USFL’s New Jersey Generals, “Could you give us some idea, why did you decide to attend this particular game?”
“I just love the armed forces, love the folks. The spirit is so incredible,” Trump said. “I mean, I don’t know if it’s necessarily the best football, but it’s very good.
“But boy do they have spirit. More than anybody, it’s beautiful.”
Not exactly Cosellian in nature, and the trio joked about Trump appointing Lundquist to the ambassadorship of Sweden. But when Donald speaks, the internet reacts. And Twitter was abuzz. Here are two comments, pro and con:
“Trump just said the Army/Navy game isn't ‘the best football.’ Oh you silly little man how you've missed the point,” Josh Carter tweeted.
“Losers upset Trump said Army Navy ‘isn't the best football’ ... have you watched this game? Turnovers and triple option,” tweeted Jacob Crowell.
According to ESPN, Trump spent the first half of the game in the box of David Urban, a West Point graduate and one of his Republican advisers in battleground Pennsylvania, and the second half in the box of retired Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, a graduate of Annapolis.
The game ended on a high note for Army (7-5) which ended a 14-year drought against its biggest military service academy rival. The Cadets earned a 21-17 victory against Navy (9-4).
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