Rantz: Will Gov. Inslee take a knee during the national anthem at debate?

Will Governor Jay Inslee take a knee during the national anthem at the upcoming Democratic debate on CNN? It’s a question his opponents are asking after his campaign was the only one to ask CNN if the anthem will be performed at the upcoming debate.

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New York Times reporter Reid Epstein revealed on Twitter that the Inslee campaign asked on a CNN logistics call “if the national anthem will be sung.” It will be.

Why would they ask? His many political opponents, including the Washington State GOP, wonder if this means Inslee will take a knee, as a way to earn some woke progressive points from the fringe base of the Democratic party.

While the speculation is just that — speculation — it comes just after Inslee made a bigger joke of his campaign, announcing he’d ask soccer star Megan Rapinoe to take on the position of Secretary of State. Beyond her soccer skills, Rapinoe is known for her activism, which manifested itself by taking a knee during the national anthem.

It would be a stupid stunt, but one that could earn him some attention. Inslee’s campaign is barely clinging to life (his Real Clear average is at just .04 percent) and he’s going to share the debate stage with front runners Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris. Also on the stage: Senator Cory ‘Spartacus’ Booker and Secretary Julian Castro.

Last time, Inslee managed to win the only contest he can: the candidate who spoke the least (which, arguably, could be a winning strategy when you candidate is Inslee). On this stage? Inslee stands little chance of getting much speaking time.

How do you get attention when you know you’ll few chances to speak? You pull a stunt that will guarantee you become a talking point for the week and clearly identify you as a progressive. If he’s the only candidate, it could get lunatic, early-primary voters to get behind him and earn him a couple points in the poll. He’s doing so poorly now that literally any bump — if even to get to 1 percent — would be a win for him.

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We already know he supports this kind of protest.

“People have the right to free speech in this country,” Inslee said when asked about the national anthem protests around the NFL. He even seemed to compare Rosa Parks to NFL players taking a knee.

Is this something he’d consider? Well, he can’t do any worse in the polls.

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