With plenty of New England Patriots choosing to skip Wednesday’s visit to the White House, Jarrod Saltalamacchia gave his two cents on the situation while his former Boston Red Sox were in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays catcher missed Boston’s White House trip after the club won the 2013 World Series due to the fact that the Miami Marlins, for whom he was playing at the time, had a game on the day of the ceremony. But Saltalamacchia said he considered skipping the trip regardless of his commitments.
“Everyone has got their own opinion,” Saltalamacchia told WEEI’s Rob Bradford on Wednesday. “I’ll be honest with you, I probably wouldn’t have went because (Barack) Obama was in. I didn’t agree with a lot of his political beliefs and the way he ran the country. I honestly probably wouldn’t have went.”
The 31-year-old backstop clearly had a tough time making the decision, as he changed his mind a couple times while talking to Bradford, saying he wouldn’t have gone before ultimately saying he would have. But Saltalamacchia did say athletes had the right to make either decision.
“It would have been tough just because of my thoughts on Obama and his belief system,” Saltalamacchia said. “I feel like he did a lot of things completely opposite of what this country believes in. … I just think he didn’t do a lot for our veterans. That’s my beliefs. I’m sure those Patriots players aren’t doing what their beliefs are. I understand it, and that’s what is so great about our country, the freedom to make that choice.”
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
