Poll: NFL players' protests are appropriate; Trump's comments aren't
WASHINGTON â Most Americans say the protests by NFL players during the National Anthem are appropriate  a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll finds  and they say  by overwhelming margins  that  President Trump 's heated criticism of them are not.
Two-thirds in the poll of registered voters  by 68%-27%  say  Trump 's call for NFL owners to fire the players and fans to boycott their games is inappropriate. That includes a third of Republicans as well as nine of 10 Democrats.
The survey  taken Wednesday through Sunday by landline and cell phone  shows how much attention the silent protest has commanded in recent weeks. Just 8% of those surveyed didn't have an opinion about the players' protests. Even fewer  5%  were undecided about  Trump 's criticism of them.
On Sunday  NFL players across the nation took a knee or linking arms during the National Anthem to demonstrate against  Trump 's comment that team owners should fire any "son of a bitch" who "disrespects our flag." Some fans booed them.
Protests muted week after NFL responds to  Trump  criticism
 Trump  tweets it's 'very important' NFL players stand for anthem
 Trump  on anthem protests: NFL owners 'afraid' of  their  players
 The protests  have broadened in recent weeks since quarterback Colin Kaepernick began dropping to one knee during the anthem last year to highlight police brutality and racial discrimination.
Mike Conklin  49  of Mesa  Arizona  an automotive technician and  Trump  supporter  scoffs at the idea of highly paid professional athletes spotlighting the issue of police brutality.
"These guys are making millions of dollars  and to say there's inequality with the police department is an absolute joke " he says. " Trump  played the NFL like a fiddle and showed what true un-Americans these people are."
A third of those polled  33%  say  the protests  make them less likely to attend a game or watch it on TV. Seven percent say it makes them more likely to watch a game  but most  56%  say it wouldn't have any impact.
About eight in 10 Democrats saw the players' protests as appropriate; eight in 10 Republicans call them inappropriate. More than nine in 10 Democrats call  Trump 's comments inappropriate; a 57% majority of Republicans say they are appropriate.
Corinthia Morgan  21  a student and political independent from the Dallas suburb of Lancaster  says  Trump  should be worried about other issues.
"I think  he  needs to focus on the people who are dying in Puerto Rico and the Virgin island " she says. " His  priorities are messed up right now because  yes  you know   he  can feel how passionate  he  wants to feel about the flag â  he 's the president  whatever â but right now  he  needs to send aid to people who need help."
WASHINGTON â Most Americans say the protests by NFL players during the National Anthem are appropriate  a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll finds  and they say  by overwhelming margins  that   [TGT]  's heated criticism of them are not.
Two-thirds in the poll of registered voters  by 68%-27%  say   [TGT]  's call for NFL owners to fire the players and fans to boycott their games is inappropriate. That includes a third of Republicans as well as nine of 10 Democrats.
The survey  taken Wednesday through Sunday by landline and cell phone  shows how much attention the silent protest has commanded in recent weeks. Just 8% of those surveyed didn't have an opinion about the players' protests. Even fewer  5%  were undecided about   [TGT]  's criticism of them.
On Sunday  NFL players across the nation took a knee or linking arms during the National Anthem to demonstrate against   [TGT]  's comment that team owners should fire any "son of a bitch" who "disrespects our flag." Some fans booed them.
Protests muted week after NFL responds to  [TGT] criticism
  [TGT] tweets it's 'very important' NFL players stand for anthem
  [TGT] on anthem protests: NFL owners 'afraid' of  their  players
 The protests  have broadened in recent weeks since quarterback Colin Kaepernick began dropping to one knee during the anthem last year to highlight police brutality and racial discrimination.
Mike Conklin  49  of Mesa  Arizona  an automotive technician and   [TGT]   supporter  scoffs at the idea of highly paid professional athletes spotlighting the issue of police brutality.
"These guys are making millions of dollars  and to say there's inequality with the police department is an absolute joke "  [TGT]  says. "  [TGT] played the NFL like a fiddle and showed what true un-Americans these people are."
A third of those polled  33%  say  the protests  make them less likely to attend a game or watch it on TV. Seven percent say it makes them more likely to watch a game  but most  56%  say it wouldn't have any impact.
About eight in 10 Democrats saw the players' protests as appropriate; eight in 10 Republicans call them inappropriate. More than nine in 10 Democrats call   [TGT]  's comments inappropriate; a 57% majority of Republicans say they are appropriate.
Corinthia Morgan  21  a student and political independent from the Dallas suburb of Lancaster  says   [TGT] should be worried about other issues.
"I think   [TGT]   needs to focus on the people who are dying in Puerto Rico and the Virgin island " she says. "  [TGT]   priorities are messed up right now because  yes  you know    [TGT]   can feel how passionate   [TGT]   wants to feel about the flag â   [TGT]  's the president  whatever â but right now  he  needs to send aid to people who need help."