Scarborough unleashes on ‘woke Democrats’ after Nike cancels ‘Betsy Ross flag’ sneaker

MSNBC “Morning Joe” anchor Joe Scarborough on Tuesday denounced Nike over its decision to cancel the release of the “Betsy Ross flag” sneaker, claiming that political correctness was accelerating and that President Trump would benefit from Democrats’ “reflexive wokeness.” 

“The Betsy Ross flag is now a symbol of White Nationalism and slavery? Not defiance against a distant monarchy?” Scarborough, a former GOP congressman who is now a registered independent, asked on Twitter. “Really, Nike?” 

{mosads}Scarborough continued his criticism of what he described as a “woke nation” in series of tweets, denouncing Democrats for some of the policy ideas they have endorsed, such as universal health care for undocumented immigrants.  

“Do you also now support the banning of the Betsy Ross flag from public places?” he asked. 

“Let me disabuse Woke Democrats of the notion that I expect them to adjust their beliefs and strategies to suit former Republicans,” he added in a separate tweet. “I don’t. But I do want them to refrain from blowing themselves up politically and re-electing Trump.”

Scarborough urged the party to “stop setting yourself on fire. Just beat Trump.” He later acknowledged that he broke every rule he’s made for himself by posting a series of passionate tweets about his problems with the Democratic party. 

The Betsy Ross flag is now a symbol of White Nationalism and slavery? Not defiance against a distant monarchy?

Really, Nike?

PC madness is accelerating just in time for 2020.
Trump feeds on your reflexive Wokeness.
Great job, everybody. https://t.co/T1T05PSwSQ

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

Democratic candidates, you now support:

(1) universal health care for illegal immigrants,
(2) making illegally crossing America’s borders legal, and,
(3) a return to forced busing.

Do you also now support the banning of the Betsy Ross flag from public places? #WokeNation

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

Let me disabuse Woke Democrats of the notion that I expect them to adjust their beliefs and strategies to suit former Republicans. I don’t.
But I do want them to refrain from blowing themselves up politically and re-electing Trump.

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

But y’all be y’all and lose another election to Trump that you should have won. And start by continuing to fight those who want him beaten just as badly.

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

Stop setting yourself on fire.
Just beat Trump.

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

Enough venting. I have broken every rule I made for myself on Twitter. I’m now going to delete these tweets over the past hour and tell those who I’ve gone back and forth with that we all want to vote Trump out of office next year. Everything else is a distraction. #BeatTrump

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 2, 2019

The comments from Scarborough came as several GOP elected officials voiced outrage with Nike’s decision to cancel the release of a shoe featuring a Revolutionary War-era flag design. 

Nike had been planning to release the Air Max 1 USA featuring the Betsy Ross flag design this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. But the company called off those plans after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick reached out and voiced concerns with the design. 

Kaepernick, who is sponsored by Nike, said the early American flag was an offensive symbol connected to an era of slavery, the Journal reported. 

Nike asked retailers to return the sneakers in response. 

The decision was met with swift criticism from conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) vowed to never wear Nike products again in light of the move, suggesting he’d rather buy shoes from a company that’s “not so woke.”

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) said Nike’s move amounted to bowing “to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism.” He also announced that he would ask the state’s chamber of commerce to pull financial incentives for a Nike location in the state. 

Fox News host Laura Ingraham also said she would boycott Nike products. 

“We regularly make business decisions to withdraw initiatives, products and services. NIKE made the decision to halt distribution of the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July based on concerns that it could unintentionally offend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday,” Nike said in a statement to The Hill. 

Kaepernick in 2016 became the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. The former NFL quarterback was the face of a Nike “Just Do It” ad campaign that was released in September.