Don't turn down WH invitation: Former Nats manager on Powerhouse Politics podcast
Former Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson has a message to athletes.
Former Washington Nationals Manager Davey Johnson has a message to professional athletes invited to the White House: Don't turn down an invitation from the president.
“You are an American first,” he tells ABC News “Powerhouse Politics” podcast hosts Jonathan Karl and Rick Klein, “It shouldn’t be political.”
Several high-profile athletes, including Steph Curry – who said he wanted nothing to do with President Trump – and Tom Brady, who blamed "family matters" – have turned down invitations to join their championship-winning teams at the White House. It's a phenomenon that's not new to the Trump era: Michael Jordan skipped a team trip to the George H. W. Bush White House (he cited a busy schedule) and Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas boycotted a visit in 2012 because he disagreed with President Barack Obama's policies.
Johnson, who takes pride in having played golf with President Bill Clinton and attending a White House dinner with President George W. Bush, says a White House invitation is an honor that should not be taken lightly.
“Baseball is not about politics, it’s just about going out and enjoying the game,” Johnson says of his experience managing a team in the nation’s capital in comparison with managing teams elsewhere, such as the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Editor's note: Anna Karl is the daughter of Jonathan Karl and, like her father, is a dedicated Nats fan.
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