Mike Ditka vs. Barack Obama?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re familiar with Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama. He is the junior United States Senator from the State of Illinois, having been elected in 2004 for a six year term. At the time of his Senate election he was viewed as a rising political star. That hype has come true as he’s become a favorite to become the next President of the United States should current polls hold to form.
What you may not know, is that Mike Ditka might have changed all of that. Yes, that Mike Ditka, coach of the ‘85 Chicago Bears and former Tight End. The guy who once traded an entire draft for Ricky Williams. And the guy who was once a staple of Saturday Night Live sketches.
Back in 2004, Obama was supposed to run against Republican nominee Jack Ryan. Before the November election, Jack Ryan withdrew from the race amid controversy surrounding his divorce from actress Jeri Ryan (most famous for her role as Seven of Nine in Star Trek Voyager).
Searching for a new candidate, the Republicans met with Ditka in an effort to get him to fill the spot on the ticket. Ultimately, Ditka stayed out of the race and at his Steakhouse and cushy ESPN job. Obama went on to win the Senate seat, and the rest, as they say, is history. But in the ultimate what if, you might wonder how this all could have turned out had Ditka run. Depending on your political leanings, you can either blame or thank Ditka’s decision for Obama’s run to the White House.
I know of at least 4 guys who would have voted for Ditka.
How about a Ditka – Ryan ticket.Space n’Sports .Spicy!
God will keep it close, 97-3 Da Bears!
Any conjecture here is garbage. Chicago and most of the collar counties run very blue. The red parts of the states are southern and central Illinois, which tend to not be Bears or even Chicago sports fans. Ditka was entertained as an option by a disparate Republican party very late in the race. It was a gimmick only slightly more compelling than the man they got to agree to run , Alan Keyes. (similar to the Palin pick pandering to disenfranchised Hillary supporters, the GOP thought maybe Illinois voters would be just as happy with some other black guy, despite the fact that he was diametrically opposed to everything Obama stood for.) Ditka did not run because a) he was not qualified have never served in public office b) he would have got absolutely smashed. Illinois voters aren’t dumb. We don’t elect professional wrestlers and action stars to our highest political offices. Jack Ryan would have presented a serious threat had he been able to finish his campaign. He was young, reasonably centrist, handsome, and had populist appeal having left his position as a high paid attorney to work as teacher in inner city Chicago. it would have been a very tough race, which Obama acknowledges in the Audacity of Hope. Ditka as a candidate would have been laughable. Obama would have dispatched with that crazy old man in the same fashion he will dispatch with the crazy old man he is running against now.
illinois is reasonable??? you elected a guy to the senate who spent more time signing books than he did in the illinois house…you are a joke illinois