*By Michael Teich*
Nike debuted its [controversial new ad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq2CvmgoO7I) featuring Colin Kaepernick Wednesday, part of its "Just Do It" 30th anniversary ad campaign.
The roll out came after some public backlash and a tweet from President Trump criticizing the company's decision to sign on the former NFL player, who set off a string of player protests the last two seasons.
While Nike's campaign has proven to be a polarizing initiative, leaving some consumers to pledging to boycott the brand, military veteran and Sports Illustrated writer and producer Scooby Axson sees the move as a net positive for Nike.
"At the end of the day I don't think it's going to hurt their bottom line," Axson told Cheddar in an interview Wednesday.
Axson, who served 16 years in the U.S. Army, thinks those unhappy about NFL players kneeling for the anthem are demonstrating false outrage and that their anger is misplaced.
"If you want to say somebody is disrespecting the flag or the anthem, the NFL does this every single Sunday when they drape that flag across 100 yards, and that's per the flag code. The federal flag code says you shouldn't do that," said Axson.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nike-doubles-down-on-kaepernick-with-thursday-night-football-ad).
States and Native American tribes will have greater authority to block energy projects such as natural gas pipelines that could pollute rivers and streams under a final rule issued Thursday by the Biden administration.
A federal judge has declared the DACA immigration program illegal but will allow the policy to continue for existing recipients.
A judge in former President Donald Trump's Georgia election case rejected the prosecution's request to try all of the co-defendants together.
Florida Gov. and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said he does not support criminal penalties for women who get abortions.
Hunter Biden has sued a former Trump White House aide over his alleged role in publishing emails and personal photos online.
A federal judge has declared the DACA immigration program illegal but will allow the policy to continue for existing recipients.
A federal judge has declared illegal a revised version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola’s husband has died in an airplane crash, her office said in a statement Wednesday.
A request by Mark Meadows for an emergency stay on a ruling that sent his Georgia election interference case back to state court has been denied.
Top tech leaders are meeting with Senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday about artificial intelligence.
