President Joe Biden made a point of praising USWNT soccer player and anthem kneeler Megan Rapinoe during a White House celebration for her fiancée Sue Bird and the WNBA champion Seattle Storm, saying the couple “represent the best of what America stands for.”
When considering the “best of what America stands for,” it’s interesting that Biden would celebrate only Rapinoe, whose USWNT shocked the world by bringing home bronze, and not mention all-American wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who gushed over America after taking home the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
President Biden Praises USWNT Megan Rapinoe And WNBA Sue Bird
After welcoming the WNBA champion Seattle Storm to the White House and praising the players involved in the US Women’s team taking hold the 7th straight Olympic gold in Women’s Basketball, Biden turned his attention to Bird and Rapinoe.
After struggling with Rapinoe’s name, the President made sure to highlight Bird’s soccer-playing partner and how special the pair is.
“Between the two of them they share Olympic medals, World Cup titles, the WNBA championship, and above all, they define integrity and character,” Biden said of the two women. “As president, as an American, I’m proud of how they represented us and they represent the best of what America stands for.”
You can watch Biden turn attention from the WNBA champion team to the accomplishments of Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe starting around 5:10 in the video below.
Related: Megan Rapinoe Pressured Other Players To Kneel During Anthem Says USWNT Goalie Hope Solo
Biden Lists Out Megan Rapinoe And Sue Bird’s ‘Accomplishments’
“What makes this team remarkable is they don’t just win games, they change lives,” he continued, before listing what he sees as their “accomplishments,” which include “encouraging people to get vaccinated so we can beat this pandemic; speaking out and standing up for racial justice and voting rights; supporting education and [mentorship] programs for young people; and fighting to protect trans youth from an epidemic of violence and discrimination.”
“That’s what winners do,” Biden continued. “They shine the light, they lift people up, they’re a force for change. That’s the Seattle Storm, that’s the WNBA, that’s what they do.”
As representatives America, Bird and Rapinoe have spent years not only kneeling during the national anthem but also blasting their home country as racist, sexist, and more.
Rapinoe has even been accused of ‘bullying’ her fellow soccer players to to her political activism by USWNT goalie Hope Solo.
Related: Megan Rapinoe And Team Suffer Humiliating Loss To Canada, Gold Medal Out Of Reach
Women’s Olympic Gold Medalist: ‘I Love Representing The U.S.’
US Olympic athletes like Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore and wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock stand in stark contrast to Rapinoe’s example – both in the fact they took home Gold for their country and praised it after the fact.
Mensah-Stock took the opportunity to gush over the love she has for this country as she draped herself in the American flag after winning Gold last month.
“It feels amazing,” she exclaimed at the time. “I love representing the U.S., I freaking love living there. I love it and I’m so happy I get to represent USA. Love it.”
Wow 🇺🇸🔥❤️
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 3, 2021
It’s sad that we live in a time when the president of the United States celebrates women who kneel during the national anthem as the ‘best of’ America while ignoring gold medalists who love this country and aren’t afraid to show it.
We, as Americans, should show our love and support for Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Carissa Moore. These fierce female athletes deserve it.
In our eyes, you ladies “represent the best of what America stands for” not those who kneel.