Gov. Terry McAuliffe did his best Robert Griffin III imitation in dodging the controversy over the Washington football team’s racist nickname.

“It is not up to a governor to tell a private business what to (name) their business,” the governor said Aug. 1 during his visit to the D.C. team training camp

Asked if he understands why some people are offended by the name, Gov. McAuliffe answered: “Sure.”

However, Gov. McAuliffe, describing himself as the state’s “chief jobs creation officer,” said he’s more interested in the thousands of fans who came out to the camp and the prospective economic benefits he expected the camp to generate for the city and state.

The state’s chief executive made similar remarks during a visit to the training camp last year in the midst of his campaign for the office.

Gov. McAuliffe has spoken against discrimination and issued executive actions to protect gay people and enhance social justice since taking office in January.

However, when given the opportunity to call out D.C. team owner Daniel Snyder and demand he change the racist nickname, he has failed to do so.

The governor joins Mayor Dwight C. Jones in failing to advocate for a change from the demeaning nickname. The mayor has called for a thoughtful discussion, but otherwise has left the decision to the team.

The D.C. team’s name has been the subject of a sustained campaign by those who consider it to be a racial slur.

The Free Press follows the policy of late Editor/Publisher Raymond H. Boone. He barred use of the discriminatory nickname in news stories and editorial columns. The Free Press was the first newspaper in the state to take that stand.