Tribal leaders thank Barack Obama
Native American leaders used a meeting at the White House on Tuesday to thank President Barack Obama for wading into the controversy over the Washington Redskins team name and voicing his concern that the nickname was offensive.
Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation, which has led efforts to get the National Football League team to change the team's name, thanked the president for speaking out. Other tribal leaders responded with applause during the meeting in the Roosevelt Room.
Obama's meeting with tribal leaders was closed to reporters. The developments were described by a tribal representative familiar with the meeting. The person was not authorized to discuss the private talks by name and insisted on anonymity.
In an October interview with The Associated Press, Obama said that if he owned the Redskins he would consider changing the name. He said that while fans get attached to nicknames, nostalgia isn't a good enough reason to keep a name that offends ''a sizable group of people.''
''I don't know whether our attachment to a particular name should override the real legitimate concerns that people have about these things,'' Obama said in the interview.
The president's comments sparked increased debate over the controversy and won him praise from Native American groups.
Halbritter brought with him to the White House a gift for the president: an athletic jersey bearing Obama's name from a high school in Cooperstown, N.Y. The school board voted earlier this year to change its sports nickname from Redskins to Hawkeyes after students complained that the old name was offensive.
The Oneida Nation helped the Upstate New York school pay for the new jerseys.
-
Texans WR Tank Dell reportedly shot in Florida, suspect arrested
2025 NFL Draft odds: Shedeur Sanders favored to go No. 1
2025 Super Bowl LIX odds: Chicago's odds shorten after drafting Caleb Williams
-
2024 NFL Draft Trade Tracker: Recap of every deal from every round
The Raiders added arguably the most interesting player in the 2024 NFL Draft
2024 NFL Schedule Release: Date, when does the season start?
-
2024 NFL Draft grades: Bears land pair of A's for first-round top-10 picks
Chicago Bears are thinking big after drafting QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze
Chiefs owner says leaving Arrowhead Stadium is an option after sales tax funding was rejected
-
Texans WR Tank Dell reportedly shot in Florida, suspect arrested
2025 NFL Draft odds: Shedeur Sanders favored to go No. 1
2025 Super Bowl LIX odds: Chicago's odds shorten after drafting Caleb Williams
-
2024 NFL Draft Trade Tracker: Recap of every deal from every round
The Raiders added arguably the most interesting player in the 2024 NFL Draft
2024 NFL Schedule Release: Date, when does the season start?
-
2024 NFL Draft grades: Bears land pair of A's for first-round top-10 picks
Chicago Bears are thinking big after drafting QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze
Chiefs owner says leaving Arrowhead Stadium is an option after sales tax funding was rejected