Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Patriot Games for Brady and Trump


New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who previously said “it would be great” if Donald Trump were elected president, reaffirmed his friendship with the Republican candidate on Tuesday.

“Can I just stay out of this debate?” Brady told WEEI-FM with a laugh. “Donald is a good friend of mine. I have known him for a long time. I support all my friends. That is what I have to say. He’s a good friend of mine. He’s always been so supportive of me – for the last 15 years, since I judged a beauty pageant for him, which was one of the very first things that I did that thought was really cool. That came along with winning the Super Bowl. He’s always invited me to play golf. I’ve always enjoyed his company.

“I support all my friends in everything they do. I think it’s pretty remarkable what he’s achieved in his life. You’re going from business, kind of an incredible business man and then a TV star, and then getting into politics. It’s a pretty different career path. I think that is pretty remarkable.”

Trump has not been bashful about his association with the four-time Super Bowl champion. In an interview with the Washington Post last Wednesday, the commanding Republican frontrunner attributed his popularity in New England to his friendship with Brady.

“In Massachusetts, I’€™m at 48%. You know why? Tom Brady said Trump’€™s the greatest,” Trump said. “He says it to anyone who asks him. You know, it’€™s hard for a guy like him to say that. When you’€™re a football player, you don’€™t want to be taking sides in campaigns and having the Hillary [Clinton] people now say you’€™re not as good as Bart Starr. You understand. So Tom Brady is great.”

In April, Brady notably skipped the Patriots’ visit with President Obama to commemorate the team’s Super Bowl XLIX victory, prompting speculation about political leanings that he’d once described as “independent” in a 2005 interview on 60 Minutes.

Trump will trade verbal blows with eight challengers on Wednesday night in the fifth US presidential primary debate at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Wolf Blitzer will moderate the event for host network CNN.


No comments: