CLEVELAND _ Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called President Donald Trump a bully among other names and drew a line between respecting the office of the presidency and respecting the man holding office in more blistering comments Saturday prior to San Antonio's game against the Cavs.
"We've got (to) a point where you really can't believe anything that comes out of (Trump's) mouth. You really can't," Popovich said in response to a question about nationwide protests Saturday _ Trump's first day in office. "There's a majority of people out there, since Hillary (Clinton) won the popular vote, that don't buy his act."
Popovich, who previously blasted Trump after November's election, was disheartened that Trump's speech in CIA headquarters Saturday _ in front of a memorial wall honoring 117 officers who have died in the line of duty _ focused on the size of the crowd at his inauguration.
"That's worrisome. I'd just feel better if somebody was in that position that showed the maturity and psychological and emotional level of somebody that was his age," Popovich said. "It's dangerous and it doesn't do us any good.
"I hope he does a great job, but there's a difference between respecting the office of the presidency and who occupies it. And that respect has to be earned. But it's hard to be respectful of someone when we all have kids and we're watching him be misogynistic and xenophobic and racist and make fun of handicapped people."
Popovich criticized White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Kellyanne Conway and Reince Priebus for defending Trump.
"It just really makes you wonder how far would someone go to actually cover for somebody that much," Popovich said. "And all the things that he said during (the campaign), if our children would've said it we'd have grounded them for six months. Without a doubt. But we ignore all that because, because why? That says something about all of us and that's what's dangerous, or that's what scares the hell out of me to this day. It makes me uneasy."
Popovich praised Saturday's protests defending women's rights while denouncing Trump.
"It does boggle the mind how somebody can be so thin-skinned," Popovich said. "It's all obvious, it's about him. If anything affects him, if it's Saturday Night Live or Hamilton, or she got three more million votes than you. 'They're illegal.' It doesn't matter what it is, there's a pattern there. And that's dangerous.
" ... I hope he does some good things. There was a young lady on (television) who said she just wished he had gone up there and said something like, 'I know I said certain things, or you know I would really like to bring the people who don't feel, or I know some of you are scared.' But he can't do that because bullies don't do that. That's why."
