MSNBC talking head Ron Klain insisted that President Donald Trump takes such pleasure in dividing our country, that he was “happy” when white members of the Boston Red Sox visited the White House and “the players of color” did not.
Klain, a former chief of staff to former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden, was quick to attack Trump over the Red Sox visiting, telling MSNBC anchor Nicole Wallace on Thursday that the president is so interested in fostering division that he loved it when minority players boycotted the Sox’ visit to D.C.
“Among the many, many sad chapters of Donald Trump is that he relishes in dividing us as a country. I bet he was happy today that he was able to say that the white players were here and the players of color weren’t,” Klain said to a receptive and grave Wallace.
“It’s the kind of division he fosters deliberately. It’s the exact opposite of presidents – Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative – around these kinds of events,” Klain continued.
Several minority members of the World Series-winning Sox refused the invitation to visit the White House, including Manager Alex Cora. But not all the players who did attend the meeting with the president were white.
“Each Red Sox player is a shining example of excellence living out an American sporting tradition that goes back many generations,” Trump said during Thursday’s visit. “Through every pitch, inning, game, and series, the 2018 Red Sox never gave up and never backed down, always played like champions.”
The Sox have noted that the White House visit was always optional and, contrary to Klain’s screed, the team also says there are no divisions between those players who went and those who did not.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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