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Hogan, Reversing Previous Stance, Says Washington NFL Team's Name Is A Slur

Rachel Baye/WYPR

Gov. Larry Hogan hasn’t ruled out a 2024 presidential run, the Republican said on NBC’s The Today Show Wednesday morning.

The governor, whose public pushback of President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic garnered significant attention from the national press, appeared on the program to discuss his upcoming political memoir, a telltale sign of presidential ambition.

“I've still got a day job that I'm focused on until January of 2023,” Hogan said. “I'm not making any moves towards 2024. A lot of people have talked about that speculation, and I didn't rule it out. But it's a long way off and far too early to talk about.”

Hogan’s book, Still Standing: Surviving Cancer, Riots, a Global Pandemic and the Toxic Politics that Divide America, will be released on July 28. The 64-year-old will embark on a virtual book tour to promote the book and raise his profile, according to The New York Times.  

Hogan briefly flirted with a primary challenge against President Trump last year. Since then, he has led the National Governors Association and acted as a liaison between frustrated governors and the Trump administration throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

During his appearance on the program, Hogan delivered his most forceful comments yet about the Washington Redskins’ name, which he has previously defended as an issue of free speech.

Hogan, who grew up a fan of the team, said Wednesday it’s a “hurtful name,” one that should “absolutely” be considered a slur.  

The governor joined a growing list of prominent local politicians who have called on the football team to change its name, including Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. 

Team owner Daniel Snyder, under the new wave of criticism, announced last week the team would undergo a “thorough review” of its name.

 

Emily Sullivan is a city hall reporter at WYPR, where she covers all things Baltimore politics. She joined WYPR after reporting for NPR’s national airwaves. There, she was a reporter for NPR’s news desk, business desk and presidential conflicts of interest team. Sullivan won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for an investigation into a Trump golf course's finances alongside members of the Embedded team. She has also won awards from the Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her use of sound and feature stories. She has provided news analysis on 1A, The Takeaway, Here & Now and All Things Considered.