Shot In The Dark: The Senate Shuffle

July 14, 2004

The Senate Shuffle

As the rumors of Mike Ditka running for Senate gain substance, it's clear that time has not mellowed Ditka, known to all rational football fans as the greatest coach the game of football has ever known.

From the Washington Dispatch:

In a snapshot of what may be to come if he decides to run for the US Senate, Mike Ditka is already upset with the media. The Illinois Leader is reporting that Mike Ditka was angry once he arrived at what was to be a secret meeting with Illinois GOP leaders...This is not a surprise, as Ditka loves to be in charge and complete control of the situations he is involved with. And while that won’t play well in Washington DC, it will play very well in America’s heartland. It’s impossible to call at this point, but his candidacy seems to be getting closer to fruition. If he does run--expect daily fireworks.

If Ditka runs, I'll send money. If I'm in Chicago between now and the election (and I may well be), I'll pound pavement for him.

By the way, keep your comparisons with Jesse Ventura to yourself. Ventura was an oaf with no qualifications for office other than his instinctive sense of self-promotion.

Ditka has that - plus some experience actually getting things done. More importantly, he is running for Senate, where someone can get by on personality; Ventura was governor, a position that requires the ability to delegate, to negotiate, to do things.

This blog officially supports Mike Ditka for the US Senate.

Posted by Mitch at July 14, 2004 11:58 AM | TrackBack

Comments

I will not keep my Ventura comments to myself. When he ran for Governor, Jesse Ventura had been mayor of a large-ish suburb. When running for Senator, Mike Ditka has--um--won Super Bowl XX.

He also pulled off the second-worst trade in NFL history.

And he's...um...run a restaurant.

Aren't you the guy claiming Edwards is incapable of being Vice President after serving in the Senate for six years? Yet Ditka is ready to serve after pitching Levitra?

I'm not saying he can't run, nor that he can't win. But claiming Ditka has more experience than Ventura did is out-and-out false, and you're better than that.

Posted by: Jeff Fecke at July 14, 2004 12:34 PM

Speaking of Jesse Ventura, today's his birthday.

Posted by: PJZ at July 14, 2004 12:59 PM

Jesse Ventura had been mayor of a large-ish suburb

By the end of his term as mayor he was no longer even living in that city, and declined to run again.

That said, I believe that Jesse Ventura could run for senate and be every bit as effective as Mark Dayton.

Posted by: Rick at July 14, 2004 01:18 PM

Rick says:

"That said, I believe that Jesse Ventura could run for senate and be every bit as effective as Mark Dayton."

Hey, don't blame me. I voted for Dancin' Jim Gibson.

Posted by: Jeff Fecke at July 14, 2004 04:35 PM

Dancing Jim Gibson - the *one* candidate the RPM/IP ever fielded that was worth wasting a vote on.

Posted by: myatch at July 14, 2004 05:35 PM

The Senate consists mainly of self-important blowhards who love to hear themselves talk. I believe Lileks coined the term 'Senatitis'. Senators have no responsibility to actually make anything happen, whereas a governor actuallly has to get things done.

Ditka would be an excellent Senator, since his Senate speeches will be short, blunt, and to the point.

Don't like the Senate as it is now? Repeal the 17th ammendment! With the state government selecting the Senators, there is no way that a Dayton or Wellstone would ever have been in the Senate.

Posted by: Steve Meyer at July 15, 2004 01:39 AM