O'Malley, as seen in Iowa. Photograph by Flickr user Gregory Hauenstein.
Add Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to the stack of politicians who think Washington’s NFL team should be called something other than a dictionary-defined racial slur.
In an interview that’s scheduled to air tonight on millennial-themed (sigh) television channel Fusion, O’Malley tells anchor Jorge Ramos that it’s time for the team to change its name.
“We hope that in every generation we become more understanding of each other, more inclusive of each other and more respectful of the dignity of every individual and every culture, so I think it probably is time for the Redskins to change their name,” O’Malley says in the interview, which was recorded Monday. The governor, a Baltimore Ravens fan whose jurisdiction includes the stadium where Washington plays its home games, repeated his statement Tuesday afternoon on Twitter.
I was asked earlier today and answered that I do believe it is probably time for the Washington Redskins to change their team name.
In denouncing the team’s name, O’Malley joins President Obama, half the US Senate, and fellow likely presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state, also speaking with Fusion’s Ramos, called the Washington team’s name “insensitive” last week. O’Malley might be catching up to the Democratic Party’s presumed 2016 front-runner, but he’s at least taking a bolder stance than Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, who’s said “it’s not up to a governor to tell a business what to do.” In this case, that business is an NFL franchise with its headquarters in Loudoun County and its training camp in Richmond.
But O’Malley shouldn’t count on his statement finding friendly ears in Landover. As we noted earlier today, Washington team owner Dan Snyder is digging in harder than ever in defense of his team’s name.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Martin O’Malley Says the Redskins Should Change Their Name
The Maryland governor and presidential hopeful is the latest politician on the name-change bandwagon.
Add Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to the stack of politicians who think Washington’s NFL team should be called something other than a dictionary-defined racial slur.
In an interview that’s scheduled to air tonight on millennial-themed (sigh) television channel Fusion, O’Malley tells anchor Jorge Ramos that it’s time for the team to change its name.
“We hope that in every generation we become more understanding of each other, more inclusive of each other and more respectful of the dignity of every individual and every culture, so I think it probably is time for the Redskins to change their name,” O’Malley says in the interview, which was recorded Monday. The governor, a Baltimore Ravens fan whose jurisdiction includes the stadium where Washington plays its home games, repeated his statement Tuesday afternoon on Twitter.
In denouncing the team’s name, O’Malley joins President Obama, half the US Senate, and fellow likely presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state, also speaking with Fusion’s Ramos, called the Washington team’s name “insensitive” last week. O’Malley might be catching up to the Democratic Party’s presumed 2016 front-runner, but he’s at least taking a bolder stance than Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, who’s said “it’s not up to a governor to tell a business what to do.” In this case, that business is an NFL franchise with its headquarters in Loudoun County and its training camp in Richmond.
But O’Malley shouldn’t count on his statement finding friendly ears in Landover. As we noted earlier today, Washington team owner Dan Snyder is digging in harder than ever in defense of his team’s name.
Find Benjamin Freed on Twitter at @brfreed.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
The Missing Men of Mount Pleasant
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
Your Story About How Pickleball Changed Your Life Could Get You a Game on the National Mall
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
More from News & Politics
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This July
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
FBI Building Now on Track to Leave DC After All, Whistleblower Leaks Texts Suggesting Justice Department Planned to Blow Off Federal Court Orders, and NPS Cuts Leave Assateague Island Without Lifeguards
Families of DC Air Disaster Victims Criticize Army’s Response, Trump Settles His Scores Via Tariff, and Police Dog Kicked at Dulles Returns to Work
This DC-Area Lawyer Wants More Americans Betting on Elections
Trump Threatens DC Takeover, Says He’d Run the City “So Good”; Supreme Court OKs Mass Federal Worker Layoffs; and You Should Go Pick Some Sunflowers
Trump Pledges Support for RFK Stadium Plan, Ben’s Chili Bowl Will Strand Us Half-Smokeless for Months, and Pediatricians Are Suing RFK Jr.
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor