Katie Miller appeared to establish the co-ownership of the Dallas Cowboys Charlotte Jones so she could badmouth Bad Bunny and the NFL’s social justice initiatives — but Jones wasn’t having it. (Watch the video below.)
Miller’s husband, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, is the head cheerleader for President Donald Trump’s deportation program, and she is a former spokesperson for the Trump administration.
Miller brought up MAGA hot button issues several times in the podcast interview she shared on Tuesday, and Jones subtly pushed back.
“What do you think of Bad Bunny’s performance at this year’s Super Bowl?” Molenaar asked. The Puerto Rican rapper, who will perform in Spanish, was chosen despite his criticism of Trump and his admission that he has not performed US concerts because he fears ICE agents will round up his fans.
“I love it,” Jones replied. “And I think our Latina fan base is amazing. When you think about the Super Bowl, you want the No. 1 artist in the world to be there. We’re on a global stage and we can’t ever forget that. Our game goes to everyone around the world. And to get the best entertainer to want to be a part of our game is amazing to me.”
“We have a mixed culture,” she added. “I mean, our entire society is based on immigrants who came here and founded our country. And I think we can celebrate that.”
Miller responded to a blatantly leading question. “You don’t think that at a time when his comments have been divisive when it comes to President Trump, and everyone is just looking for this political unification, that you wouldn’t want someone who maybe had nothing to do with politics to be on that stage?” Molenaar asked.
Jones didn’t fall for that either. “Yes, I don’t think our game is about politics. I don’t think people tune into politics. We do everything we can to avoid politics. And I think at that point people will watch the game. They will celebrate music and no one will think about… comments on the left, what comments on the right, that this is about bringing people together.”
Miller again tried to MAGA-physicize the slant, asking, “In recent years, the N.F.L has taken steps to become more socially conscious. Do you think this is where football should be, or do you think it should just be back to what you just said, which is about the game and leaving politics at the door?”
Jones — whose father, Jerry Jones, is the franchise’s owner and general manager — seemed to actively avoid framing social consciousness as a divisive issue. “The Cowboys always felt strongly that politics should never enter our game,” she said. “If we did that, we would be dividing half of this stadium.”
Miller followed with a question about what the branding of “The American teammeans for the Cowboys. “We certainly took on that mantle and felt like we had to represent every voice that’s here in this country,” Jones responded,
Jones’ responses shouldn’t be considered too surprising since she represents the NFL, but perhaps she deserves credit for intercepting someone trying to score right-wing political points.
