It wasn't widely known until now, but Megan Rapinoe has been leading America off the soccer field. That amazing role now includes supporting the presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Rapinoe, the soccer star and outrageous social justice warrior, tweeted her support Friday for Sen. Warren and made it official in a phone call between the two and a guest appearance on CNN Tonight.
Rapinoe's tweet read:
I truly believe the best things in life are a result of being bold and being real. I’m proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren today, for being bold, for being real, for listening to ALL of us, and for being prepared to navigate the unique challenges we face today as a country @ewarren
Embedded in the Tweet was video of a phone conversation between Warren and Rapinoe, including this partial transcript:
WARREN: And I just wanted to call and say, thank you, we need you in this battle.
RAPINOE: Oh, my gosh, of course. I mean, obviously, I've been following very closely, what, I mean, is happening in general, but certainly what your campaign is doing. And I just think that it's amazing. It’s big. It’s bold. I just don’t think we can get to a better place by walking this moderate line, so I appreciate you being out front and being big and bold with that. ...
WARREN: And you have shown such great leadership this year. I mean, it's just -- what a remarkable year and what a remarkable week for you. You've just been named "Sportsperson of the Year" [by Sports Illustrated]. It's crazy. It's fabulous and well-deserved, because you get out there and you both lead your team on the field, but you also help lead America off the field, and that's really important.
RAPINOE: Thank you, and that is very sweet. I'd love to endorse you and be on your team and help in any way that I can so consider me Team Warren.
WARREN: I think we got this, Megan.
RAPINOE: Well, we have a little saying on the National Team that we like to say. I don't know if you can cuss on here, it's LFG [Let's f---ing go]. So, let's do this.
WARREN: (laughs) Let's do this. All right, Megan, you and me, LFG.
RAPINOE: LFG. Good luck in the debate.
CNN writers Kate Sullivan and Caroline Kelly said Rapinoe "is no longer representing just Team USA -- she's joining Team Warren," and she believes President Donald Trump should be impeached.
Rapinoe told CNN's Lemon that Warren's progressive platform and policy positions offer "a different vision of America than what we have right now." Also, what's more important than beating Trump is the "need to show people that there's a better way forward" on issues such as health care, child care and opioid treatment. I just feel like I trust her," Rapinoe said of Warren.
Rapinoe told Lemon that Trump "obviously" should be impeached, but she wasn't sure "if we'll get there." She praised Democrats for having "done a really amazing job of trying to stick to the story and really give the truth to the American people."
Ken Schultz, who writes for SB Nation's Outsports blog, said whether Rapinoe is challenging men's soccer stars Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to join her fight to end racism or calling Donald Trump “a fucking joke,” she "never walks a moderate line for fear of offending anyone. So when she found a candidate who she believed matched that quality, she stepped up and made an endorsement."
