CBS Sports Rejects Ad Featuring Child Reciting Pledge Of Allegiance As ‘Too Political’

The national cable sports network rejected a 30-second television advertisement from Windermere Real Estate that shows company owner Dave Retter's adorable granddaughter delivering the pledge with her hand over her heart.

CBS Sports said the ad was "too political" to air during the network's upcoming broadcast of the Wrangler Champions Challenge rodeo.

“If you find that offensive, you are totally out of touch with the rest of the country,” Tucker Carlson said on Fox and Friends Weekend today.

“You would have to be an out-of-touch network executive to believe that is political. Political on behalf of what? What is she advocating?”

The Tri-City Herald reported:

The event is part of a commitment to increase the popularity of rodeo. The made-for-TV series began in 2013, featuring 10 top competitors nationwide in each of the seven events and the sport's best livestock.

"We just thought it's around Sept. 11, Patriot Day, and rodeo is as patriotic a sport as it comes," Retter told the Herald. "We've had so many positive responses, we felt it would be fun to run something positive."

Jordan Bradley, a contact between local officials and the network, emailed fair director Lori Lancaster on Thursday, saying CBS Sports rejected the ad because of its "political nature."

This was the first time Dave Praino, co-owner of PS Media, has had an issue like this with one of his client's ads.

"It's amazing," he said. "I'm still trying to scratch my head to figure out what's political about the Pledge of Allegiance."

Praino tried to get answers from CBS Sports, but has not heard back. "We can't even get a return phone call," he said.

CBS Sports representatives also did not return messages left by the Herald Thursday afternoon.

Retter wanted to run the commercial, called "Our Future," during the rodeo instead of promoting his company. It is one of two local businesses to sponsor the broadcast, along with the fair.

"Who cares about buying a home in Kennewick on national TV?" he explained.

The commercial, which has been aired during patriotic holidays for about a year-and-a-half, would be a great way to let the national audience get a look at the Tri-Cities, Praino said.