President Donald Trump isn't picking sides in LSU football game against Alabama
President Donald Trump isn't shy about picking sides in Louisiana's governor's race, but he won't declare a favorite when he attends Saturday's football game between LSU and Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
"I think I better remain neutral in that one," Trump told radio show host Moon Griffon on Wednesday during an 11-minute interview on KPEL in Lafayette.
Griffon talked to Trump about his support for Republican Eddie Rispone in his race against Democratic incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards. Trump held a rally Wednesday in Monroe to support Rispone and he's scheduled to appear again next week in Shreveport for the GOP candidate.
But Griffon told Trump that he's had a number of people urging him to get the president to endorse LSU before Saturday's game.
"Mr. President, when you go to the LSU Alabama game, wear an LSU hat," Griffon said.
"That’s funny, that’s funny," Trump responded. "Well, you know what, I love football. I love those two states. Those two states, you know Alabama has been very good, I think I won it by 42 points, which is like unheard of. And you guys, I won it by tremendous also sort of like that. And it’s going to be great."
Trump won Alabama big, but not as big as he said. He received 62.9% of the vote, while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received 34.6%. In Louisiana, Trump received 58.1%, compared to Clinton's 38.4%.
When it came to endorsing a team, Trump said he'd rather not.
"Should I take a little bit of a neutral position? But we’re going to have a good game. Who’s favored to win that game?"
Griffon said Alabama is favored by 6 points, but "all the experts are picking LSU.”
Trump also asked about LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who he gave a shout out to during an October rally in Lake Charles for Rispone by declaring he's "not too bad."
“Is your quarterback as good as they say? They say he’s great," Trump said.
Griffon assured Trump that Burrow is as good as they say.
Trump also talked briefly about his support for Republican Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, who trailed after Tuesday's election by more than 5,000 votes Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear. Bevin's campaign asked for an official recanvassing Wednesday of the vote in the upset election that may cost him his office.
Trump rallied for Bevin the night before the election, urging Kentucky voters to support him.
“I just helped a lot, picked up 19, 20 points, a gentleman from Kentucky," Trump said of Bevin. "The problem is he was, you know, not a popular guy. But he was a great governor. He did a good job but he wasn’t popular. And I actually picked him up by 19 or 20 points. But now I guess it’s in dispute, the final race. It’s very interesting. It was sort of a longshot.”