TOMS RIVER -- Republican nominee for New Jersey governor Kim Guadagno told a group of military veterans Saturday morning that while the U.S. constitution gives people the right to kneel in protest during the National Anthem, that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
"As governor, I would have to set an example," Guadagno, the state's current lieutenant governor, said during a campaign stop at a Toms River American Legion. "And as governor, I will never say out loud that it's acceptable as example to our children to take a knee while that flag is flying and someone is singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
Guadagno's comments came amid a national debate over athletes -- especially in the NFL -- who have been kneeling during the anthem in protest in recent months. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has chastised them for doing so, saying they're dishonoring their country and military veterans.
Guadagno made the appearance on Day 3 of a bus tour she's taking across the Garden State in the final days before facing Democrat Phil Murphy in Tuesday's election to succeed Gov. Chris Christie.
Guadagno told the veterans that her eldest son, Kevin Guadagno, is an Air Force pilot.
"He flew solo in his first F16 three days ago," Guadagno said. "He's living the dream. He's living the life. And you know what that life is."
She noted that he son is fighting to protect freedom of speech as guaranteed under the First Amendment.
"I often say my son is fighting so everyone can criticize me," she said.
But, she asked, while the amendment allows people burn the American flag and take a knee during the anthem, "is it the right thing to do?"
Guadagno, who is trailing Murphy by double-digits in all polls, told NJ Advance Media after the event that "as a military mom," she finds the kneeling "disrespectful."
Murphy, Guadagno's top opponent in the race, said during an event in Newark in September that he supports the players who are kneeling.
"I take my hat off to the players who stood tall, and exercised their First Amendment rights," the former U.S. ambassador to Germany said.
"You can both be a patriot and also say, 'You know what? I have a right to speak my own mind.' So I give them a lot of credit," Murphy added. "It looked to me like ownership, players and coaches all got a little bit closer together as a result of this, so maybe good things can happen from that."
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