Fox News Panelists Blast Nike’s ‘Scummy’ Ad Campaign Featuring Colin Kaepernick

On Monday night, a Fox News panel tackled Nike’s recent announcement that Colin Kaepernick will be the face of their “Just Do It” 30th anniversary campaign.

Townhall.com senior columnist Kurt Schlichter began by sharing how he wore the American flag on his uniform during his 27 years in the army and how he saw the flag covering the coffins of fallen soldiers.

“This disingenuous idea this is just ‘Oh, Colin Kaepernick is just trying to make a statement’… baloney!” Schlichter exclaimed. “He is targeting us. He knows what this means to us. He knows how insulting it is. He knows how disrespectful it is and Nike is empowering it. I don’t buy it. This is scummy, this is lousy, this is rotten, and I’m never buying another Nike product again and I think millions of Americans are going to agree.”

Democratic strategist Dave Brown defended Kaepernick, arguing that he is using a “vivid and powerful” way to protest, which he noted is protected by the First Amendment.

Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell acknowledged that racial injustice and institutional racism “absolutely exists” in this country and although he respects Kaepernick’s right to kneel during the national anthem, he opposed protesting the American flag.

“If he is really, really serious about it, and I’ve said this about other NFL players as well, take it beyond a protest,” Caldwell told Fox News host Ed Henry. “Go meet with members on Capitol Hill. These are very rich and influential people who can actually make a change in this country and bring about some real reforms. So I find it very difficult when it comes to this issue to see what they are really looking to do beyond protest because you’re not taking a real action outside of what I feel to be a dividing of the country by disrespecting the flag.”

Watch the clip above, via Fox News.