Reporting from Washington and Honolulu — A standout season has done plenty to calm the controversy surrounding quarterback Michael Vick. But President Obama’s praise of the Philadelphia Eagles for giving the convicted dogfighter a second chance has brought new energy to an old firestorm.
“This is a nation of football lovers,” said Lisa Lange, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She also said Obama was underestimating the negative reaction his comments would provoke. “It is also a nation of dog lovers.”
The subject of Vick, whose signing by the National Football League team in August 2009 sparked protests from animal lovers across the U.S., came up in a recent phone call between Obama and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie as the president praised the team’s ambitious plans to power its stadium with alternative energy.
Full story: Obama’s comments on Vick draw fire – Los Angeles Times