Trump retreats from claim that NFL sent letter regarding debates

[TomCADem]

Source: NBC Sports

Presidential candidate Donald Trump doesn’t like the fact that two of the three scheduled debates conflict with NFL prime-time games. He claimed in an interview with ABC’s This Week that the NFL sent him a letter calling the move “ridiculous.” The league called him on it, saying no letter was sent. Apparently learning a lesson from the last time he took on the NFL (as owner of the USFL’s New Jersey Generals), Trump has backed down.

“Mr. Trump was made aware of the conflicting dates by a source close to the league,” Trump’s campaign said in a statement to This Week.

The difference between being “made aware” of the conflict by a “source close to the league” and having the NFL officially express disapproval of the schedule in a letter is significant, obviously. And it doesn’t take much for a “source close to the league” to make Trump “aware” of the conflict. The source could have been his friend Tom Brady. The source could have been three-time former NFL coach Mike Shanahan, who hosted a fundraiser for Trump in Colorado. The source could have been one of the various owners he knows. The source could have been Paul Hicks, former NFL P.R. chief and father of Trump’s current P.R. chief, Hope Hicks.

Regardless, someone provided Trump with open and obvious information about the scheduling of two debates on nights when the NFL typically plays games: Sunday and Monday. That’s a long way from an official effort to get the debates moved that was reduced to writing, printed on NFL letterhead, and signed by Roger Goodell or some other high-level league executive.

Read more: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/07/31/trump-retreats-from-claim-that-nfl-sent-letter-regarding-debates/

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Trump is so lazy and self-centered that I could see him wanting to move the debates so that he could just watch a game.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Compulsive liar

How is he allowed to get away with that?!!!

[moonscape]

15. And how incredibly ignorant to think that he can. I guess

he's so used to lying and getting away with it when not under national spotlight, he figures a lie here, a lie there, what the hell.

I'm seeing the media finally starting to call him on this stuff, and think they'll ramp it up now that the season is really under way. If nothing else, few in the media want this maniac to be their president either ...

[BlueStreak]

2. "Made aware by a source" WTF?

The schedules are published already.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Trump & his campaign are so amateurish they couldn't figure it out themselves. . . . nt

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. "Conflicting dates"?

What do the debates conflict with?

Trump doesn't play football, coach football, own football, or have any occupation that requires his participation at ANY football game.

What is the conflict? Is there no time in his teevee viewing schedule to make time to RUN FOR PRESIDENT? He does remember that he is running for President of the United States, doesn't he?

What a complete doof.

[Frank Cannon]

5. If only we had devices that could record TV programming.

Maybe Trump could have one of his people invent something like that.

[Moonwalk]

6. I'm totally on Trump's side here. I think he should skip the debates in protest and...

...watch the football games. I'm sure his base would totally understand that, support him, and agree that he's already said all he needs to say on every important subject regarding being President of the U.S.A.

They'd also agree that football is way more important, and that Hllary Clinton is clearly worshiping Lucifer if she doesn't think the same. Stay on the side of the angels, Donny! Watch football instead. You don't need to waste your Sunday and Monday nights on no stinkin' debates....

[Jopin Klobe]

7. Available quid pro quo real estate/lodgins/"etcetera" ...

... on both the left and right coasts ...

... and parts of whats left of the EU ...

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Since he lied about the letter, why should we believe him about the source close to the league

This is shit journalism. They're like, well, obviously a source close to the league could have told him that, since he knows so many. Why not simply assume that the whole thing is an outright lie, since his original claim was an outright lie?

[herding cats]

9. Because Trump may ban them from his media pool?

Once, not all that long ago, such would be a death sentence from the media. Not so today. Now, it's literally making them cow down and get in line. No hard questions, no rough disagreement and always give Trump the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it's not warranted.

[riversedge]

10. "Trump retreats from claim" is the politically correct way of saying Trump LIED

[C Moon]

11. I guess Russia is close to the league.

[RapSoDee]

12. ComradeTrump (R): "Yesterday's lie is no longer valid."

"Please get with the program, assume the position, and swallow today's new, improved lies." - ComradeTrump (R)

[yellowcanine]

13. "Stop talking. Don't say anything."

[TheBaculumKing]

14. Trump's New Campaign Slogan

"At this point in time, that statement is no longer operative."

[sarcasmo]

16. Lie and retreat, Trump Style.

[brooklynite]

17. If he was running a competent campaign, an intern could have looked up the dates on Google...

...but that would have fit his "us vs. them" approach to campaigning.