AZ Govenor blasts Nike for pulling ‘Betsy Ross flag’ shoe, vows to pull incentives for Arizona plant

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday slammed Nike for canceling the release of a shoe featuring an early design of the American flag, saying it had “bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism.”

Calling Nike’s decision a “shameful retreat” on Twitter, the Republican leader vowed to withdraw financial incentives recently promised to the company in exchange for opening a manufacturing plant in Goodyear with some 500 full-time jobs.

Nike pulled the shoe, set to go on sale this week, after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick told the company he and others found the version of the flag depicted on the shoe offensive, according to a Monday report from The Wall Street Journal. Nike said it did not want to “unintentionally offend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday.”

The design — often called the “Betsy Ross” flag, though it’s not clear the 18th century upholsterer actually made it — has been appropriated by extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the “militia movement” in recent years.

“Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision,” Ducey wrote in a string of tweets strategically posted 5 a.m. Eastern, or 2 a.m. Arizona time. He said he was “embarrassed” for Nike.

“This country, our system of government and free enterprise have allowed (the company) to prosper and flourish,” he wrote. “Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy.”

Ducey said he’d ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentives for Nike “under their discretion,” which the Authority later said referred to an “up to $1 million grant” from its Arizona Competes Fund.

The group has no control over the incentives offered to Nike through the development deal approved by the Goodyear City Council on Monday, however. That agreement waives nearly $1 million in permit and plan review fees the city would typically charge and mentions reimbursing $1 million to the company for job creation.

“Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours,” Ducey wrote. “Arizona’s economy is doing just fine without Nike. We don’t need to suck up to companies that consciously denigrate our nation’s history.”

Nike said Tuesday afternoon that it was “proud of its American heritage and our continuing engagement supporting thousands of American athletes” and regularly decides to “withdraw initiatives, products and services” during the course of business.

“We…remain committed to creating jobs in the U.S., including a significant investment in an additional manufacturing center which will create 500 new jobs,” the company’s statement said.

Nike officials did not immediately clarify whether that commitment applied to Arizona.

Within hours, Ducey’s tweets had made headlines on CNBC, Fox News and other national outlets, and racked up thousands of likes and retweets on Twitter.

Praise came from prominent conservative voices inside and outside of Arizona.

“Good move by a great governor,” former Florida Gov. and presidential candidate Jeb Bush tweeted. “This will go down as one of the dumbest moves by a company in recent times. Worse, it is offensive to millions.”

Wyoming Congresswoman Elizabeth Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, thanked Ducey for his leadership and called Nike’s decision “ridiculous.”

“We should be celebrating Betsy Ross and our exceptional nation this July 4th week (and every week),” she wrote.

Talk show co-host Meghan McCain, daughter of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, tweeted that she “completely” supported Ducey’s call. U.S. Sen. Martha McSally said, “We must respect the flag and honor those who died defending it.”

Conservative talk-show host and commentator Sean Hannity included a post about Ducey’s response on his website, and Arizona Congresswoman Debbie Lesko thanked the governor for “standing up for #America.”

State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, gave Ducey a “thumbs up,” while former Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Lines thanked Ducey for his “resolute leadership.”

State Rep. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, called Ducey’s manuever a “nice move” and said he was sure Nike “will be replaced soon by an organization that supports AZ workers and the USA.”

Nancy Barto, a Republican state representative from Phoenix, said the state needs to “stand up for what’s right — putting our money where our values are — just as we do as individuals.”

State Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, used Nike’s tag line to mock the company: “Gov. Ducey just sent a strong message to Nike, when it comes to disrespecting our flag, just don’t ‘do it,'” he tweeted.

Not everyone was pleased with Ducey’s call, however.

Sen. Martín Quezada, D-Glendale, published an extensive thread on how appropriating symbols allows groups to “openly and proudly express their white nationalist and racist beliefs with immunity because of the symbols’/words’ double meaning.”

“As leaders we have 2 choices: We can either bury our heads in the sand and profess ignorance to these coded appeals, and further legitimize them in the process as Governor Ducey has done here,” Quezada wrote. “Or, (we can) challenge these issues head on, as difficult or controversial as they may be, because we are better than that.”

More than one person responded to the governor’s decision by criticizing him for getting more angry about Nike than the squalid conditions recently reported in detention centers for migrant children.

“Glad to see decisions can be made so quick regarding the nike announcement, but when it comes (to) real decisions like standing up for children dying at the border or inmates & correctional officers being beat to death b/c locks don’t work, you need time for due diligence,” state Rep. Reginald Bolding, D-Phoenix, wrote.

Others said Ducey was cutting off his nose to spite his face, punishing Arizonans who could’ve gotten jobs at the Goodyear plant just to make a point.

“A 2am twitter rant w/possible negative economic impact is just not a good way to govern,” state Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley, wrote.

Many also criticized the governor — a proponent of local control, free speech and minimal government regulation — for interfering in Goodyear’s affairs and penalizing Nike for exercising its right to make its own business decisions.

“Dude, stop trying to micromanage major corporations,” one wrote. “They decode their moves with their own shareholders and brand in mind. It’s none of your business (so to speak). A little communist if you ask me.”

Christina Sandefur, executive director at the Goldwater Institute, tweeted that the state shouldn’t have offered the incentives in the first place, saying that “what’s really patriotic is when the government doesn’t pick winners and losers at all.”

Meanwhile, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told reporters in her state that she’ll take Nike off Arizona’s hands.

“We want those jobs,” her spokesman said. “It’s wild that anyone would jeopardize viable employment for potentially hundreds of state residents because of some political virtue-signaling.”