ICYMI: The White House Wasn’t Always So Supportive of Colin Kaepernick

The Obama administration went from objecting to Colin Kaepernick's protest of the national anthem to defending it in the span of one week.

President Obama was taking questions Monday at the G-20 summit in China when journalists asked for his position on the NFL quarterback's decision to protest the "Star-Spangled Banner" by not standing for it when it's played during football games. In a move the surprised some, Obama defended Kaepernick's "constitutional right" to protest the anthem.

"When it comes to the flag and the national anthem and the meaning that holds for our men and women in uniform and those who fought for us — that is a tough thing for them to get past," the president said. "But I don’t doubt his sincerity. I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about. If nothing else, he’s generated more conversation about issues that have to be talked about."

“I’d rather have young people who are engaged in the argument and trying to think through how they can be part of our democratic process than people who are just sitting on the sidelines not paying attention at all,” Obama added.

The comments were something of a pivot for the White House which made a point to critique Kaepernick's protest a week prior, even calling the athlete's protest “objectionable."

“In general, what I can say is that I certainly don’t share the views that Mr. Kaepernick expressed after the game in explaining his reasoning for his actions,” press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters last Monday. “But we surely all acknowledge and even defend his right to express those views in the settings that he chooses. Even as objectionable as we find his perspective, he certainly is entitled to express them.”

Perhaps the Obama administration noticed the surge of support Kaepernick has received and decided to dial back its criticism -- sales of the Quarterback's jersey are, after all, skyrocketing. Or it could be, asNew York magazine's Jonathan Chait points out, that President Obama remembers his own experience with the nation's demand for patriotic symbols when he failed to wear a flag pin on his suit lapel or forgot to put his hand over his heart during that national anthem.