Newsmax Host: ‘I Took Pleasure’ in Rooting Against Team USA
Newsmax host Grant Stinchfield said on Monday night that he was “happy” to root against multiple U.S. Olympic teams because they don’t share his personal politics, declaring that he “took pleasure” in both the men’s basketball team’s surprising loss to France and Sweden’s defeat of the women’s soccer squad.
In recent weeks, some right-wing media figures and politicians have loudly criticized American athletes who have engaged in social justice protests, such as calling for hammer thrower Gwen Berry to be kicked off the Olympic team for her national anthem demonstration during trials. At the same time, they’ve also suggested this year’s soft Olympic TV ratings are due to “woke” politics.
Following the U.S. women’s soccer team’s stunning 3-0 loss against Sweden in its opening match, however, many so-called patriotic conservatives went so far as to actively celebrate Americans losing. Former President Donald Trump, for instance, urged a rally crowd to cheer the squad’s defeat while calling them “demented” for taking a knee—along with several other national teams—to protest racial injustice. (The USWNT bounced back with a 6-1 win over New Zealand.)
Apparently inspired by the disgraced ex-president, the ardently pro-Trump Stinchfield took the anti-Team USA sentiment to another level on Monday night during his primetime Newsmax program.
“Well folks, it’s not often that I’m happy a U.S. team loses and the Olympics,” he exclaimed. “It makes me sad to say it, but I found myself rooting against not just Megan Rapinoe and her merry band of America-hating female soccer players... But I took pleasure in the men’s basketball Team USA’s first team loss since 2004.”
Stinchfield continued: “Yes, Team USA suffering an embarrassing loss to France, 83-76. The collection of whiny overpaid social justice warriors are very hard to root for. The team is filled with anthem-kneelers, and I find it ironic they are willing to put USA across their chests but in the not-so-distant past, they would kneel for the anthem.”
After the former NRA-TV host called for “somebody to go up to them and rip USA off their chests,” he then welcomed on a flack for conservative youth organization Turning Point USA to weigh in. And that’s when things got even more cartoonish.
“We were absolutely humiliated by France and, honestly, I don’t care!” TPUSA spokesperson Alex Clark said. “Olympic ratings are at a record low and that’s because the American people don’t want to root for anyone who doesn’t even love America!”
Clark added that she’s not sure the athletes share her values in loving “God and country” before offering up her personal theory on why France beat the American team.
“Now I’m really gonna throw you guys for a loop with this one and get ready for this, OK? So remember how the Woke Left canceled Pepe Le Pew a few months ago,” she declared. “I think this was the revenge of Pepe Le Pew!”
Clark was referencing one of the many so-called “cancel culture” moments that conservatives have flown into a rage over in recent months. In this instance, right-wing media was extremely outraged early this year when it was revealed that the grope-prone cartoon skunk would be cut from the latest Space Jam sequel.
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