Following Harrison Butker’s commencement address at Benedictine College exploding online and causing much controversy and uproar, particularly on the left. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre was asked whether Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, would still be invited to the White House alongside the other Chiefs players after their Super Bowl win.
As background, during the speech, Butker encouraged the women present to see the importance of being a homemaker, saying, “For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?”
He added, on that same topic, “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
Butker also criticized President Biden, saying, “And I just think it’s a great atrocity that’s occurring in this country with massacring the unborn. I felt like there’s no better place to send this message than to the masses and to represent the unborn at a place like the White House where, unfortunately, their voice is not heard.” He added, “Our own nation is led by a man who proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but at the same time is delusional enough to make the Sign of The Cross during a pro-abortion rally.” He continued, “He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”
KJP was then asked whether the Chiefs would still be arriving at the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory after Butker’s controversial, anti-Biden comments. The reporter asked KJP, “Thanks, Karine. Can we still assume that the Kansas City Chiefs will be visiting the White House this year in celebration of their Super Bowl victory?”
KJP said, “So, what I can say is all — the team, per usual, when there is a — a champion — a championship team, gets invited. I don’t have anything to add on their attendance or how that looks. But the team is always invited. All — everyone on the team is invited. I just don’t have anything beyond that.”
The reporter then asked about Butker more specifically, asking, “So, can you confirm — you said everyone on the team is obviously invited. Is the Chiefs’ kicker, Harrison Butker, welcome at this White House?” KJP said, “What I can say — you would have to, obviously — what I can say is we invite the entire team, and we do that always. I don’t have anything beyond that.”
The reporter then more directly asked if Butker would be welcome despite his comments, asking, “Given his recent comments, is he specifically welcome at this White — White House?” She said that the whole team had been invited, saying, “We invite the team. We invite the team. It’s an invat- — invitation that goes to the team. And so, it’s up to the team who comes and who doesn’t come. That’s the way it usually works.”
Watch them here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
"*" indicates required fields