Suburban man launches bid to draft Ditka

[Lunar]

The subheadline was a lot more appropriate for the thread's title than the actual story headline.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk_ditka_governordec23,0,941003.story

Embarrassed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich's fumbling performance, a Burr Ridge man has begun an Internet campaign aimed at yanking the governor from office and replacing him with former Bears coach Mike Ditka.

And, no, the aforementioned man's name is not Bill Swerski. But he's most definitely a superfan.

Shaun Radecki, 27, launched dagovernor.com to persuade Iron Mike to lead Illinois. The site, which sells T-shirts, mugs and various tchotchkes urging Ditka to run, lays out its platform in language that only a Bears fan can appreciate.

"We da people of Illinois are sick and tired of scumbag politicians who think dat it's their job to lie, cheat and steal," it reads. "We deserve somebody in charge who we can trust. Somebody who we can depend on. Somebody who we know understands the difference between right and wrong and won't be afraid to kick corruption in the [bleep] harder than da '85 Bears beat down da Patriots in da Super Bowl!"

Radecki said the idea came to him while discussing Blagojevich's arrest with a friend during a Bears game. Ditka seemed liked the obvious choice, given his tenacity, motivational skills and hero status in Illinois.

No word from the tough-talking Ditka about the governor's office. Though he campaigned for Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin in the presidential election, Da Coach balked at the opportunity to run against Barack Obama in the 2004 Senate race because he didn't want to go through the rigors of a campaign or abandon his lucrative businesses.

Radecki, however, still holds out hope that Ditka can deliver Illinois from this dark political hour.

"I'd love to see Ditka take [his leadership] from Soldier Field to Springfield," he said.

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[Keystone Phil]

Eh, I'd prefer "Senator Ditka" but I am a huge fan so I'd back him for whatever office.

[Lunar]

Governorship makes a lot more sense for such people (including Arnold, Reagan, Val Kilmer, etc) since they can claim some sort of executive experience.


Also, there is only one Republican who can be Senator of Illinois at the present time and his name rhymes with Bark Clerk.

[Keystone Phil]

Governorship makes a lot more sense for such people (including Arnold, Reagan, Val Kilmer, etc) since they can claim some sort of executive experience.


Also, there is only one Republican who can be Senator of Illinois at the present time and his name rhymes with Bark Clerk.

Yeah, I know, I know.

[ill ind]

As an Illinois resident:

Yawn!!!

We've been here before.

Ill Ind

[Keystone Phil]

By the way, this just made for an excellent Christmas gift.

[Хahar 🤔]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

[Keystone Phil]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

Mike Ditka is a bigger deal than Swann.

[Хahar 🤔]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

Mike Ditka is a bigger deal than Swann.

But the question is, are the Bears a bigger deal than the Steelers? More importantly, are Illinois voters going to vote on sports the way western Pennsylvania voters did?

[Keystone Phil]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

Mike Ditka is a bigger deal than Swann.

But the question is, are the Bears a bigger deal than the Steelers? More importantly, are Illinois voters going to vote on sports the way western Pennsylvania voters did?

Yes, I believe the Bears are a bigger deal to Chicago area voters than the Steelers are to Pittsburgh area voters.

[Хahar 🤔]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

Mike Ditka is a bigger deal than Swann.

But the question is, are the Bears a bigger deal than the Steelers? More importantly, are Illinois voters going to vote on sports the way western Pennsylvania voters did?

Yes, I believe the Bears are a bigger deal to Chicago area voters than the Steelers are to Pittsburgh area voters.

Are the Bears a bigger deal to downstate voters than the Steelers are to rural western Pennsylvania voters?

[Barack Hussian YO MAMA!!!!]

Eh, I'd prefer "Senator Ditka" but I am a huge fan so I'd back him for whatever office.

How is dee coach mike ditka any more qualified to be Governor of Illinois then Caroline Kennedy is too be senator of new york?  seeing how you have been very critical of the idea of  Caroline Kennedy getting apointed senator. honestly I wouldn't mind if either one of them go appointed senator or became Governor.  some of the people we select for our political leaders couldn't be more of a joke.

[Lunar]

Eh, I'd prefer "Senator Ditka" but I am a huge fan so I'd back him for whatever office.

How is dee coach mike ditka any more qualified to be Governor of Illinois then Caroline Kennedy is too be senator of new york?  seeing how you have been very critical of the idea of  Caroline Kennedy getting apointed senator. honestly I wouldn't mind if either one of them go appointed senator or became Governor.  some of the people we select for our political leaders couldn't be more of a joke.

I think his complaint, like mine, is not that unqualified people use their name recognition to win (although I'm sure that's his complaint with Casey), it's that APPOINTING unqualified people is insane.  Obviously Franken is hilariously unqualified, but so was Bill Bradley in New Jersey but he ended up instituting one of the most major tax reforms of his century.  It's the campaign that matters for people who have never been in public life before.

If Ditka wins anything it'll because he ran a campaign that proved he was relatively competent and could appeal/talk to/listen to Illinois voters/actually presented his opinions on the issues/could handle talking to the media.

Let's not drag Caroline into this, I don't get why people still don't understand the difference between using celebrity status to win elections (been done thousands of times) and using it to win appointments (never been done in recent memory).

[Keystone Phil]

If he were to run, he wouldn't benefit from a Bears effect the way Lynn Swann did with the Steelers, I assume?

Mike Ditka is a bigger deal than Swann.

But the question is, are the Bears a bigger deal than the Steelers? More importantly, are Illinois voters going to vote on sports the way western Pennsylvania voters did?

Yes, I believe the Bears are a bigger deal to Chicago area voters than the Steelers are to Pittsburgh area voters.

Are the Bears a bigger deal to downstate voters than the Steelers are to rural western Pennsylvania voters?

Those people are with Ditka based on ideology anyway.

Eh, I'd prefer "Senator Ditka" but I am a huge fan so I'd back him for whatever office.

How is dee coach mike ditka any more qualified to be Governor of Illinois then Caroline Kennedy is too be senator of new york?  seeing how you have been very critical of the idea of  Caroline Kennedy getting apointed senator. honestly I wouldn't mind if either one of them go appointed senator or became Governor.  some of the people we select for our political leaders couldn't be more of a joke.

We would at least know where he stands on the issues and wouldn't just rely on his name to be crowned the victor.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I hope Ditka burns in hell and I would never support him to any office.  This man had the power to spare us President Obama and he refused

Massive, massive, massive, probably most HP ever

[Lunar]

I hope Ditka burns in hell and I would never support him to any office.  This man had the power to spare us President Obama and he refused

Massive, massive, massive, probably most HP ever

A.  No he didn't after Obama gave the keynote speech at the DNC.
B.  Clinton would be that much better for y'all?

[DownWithTheLeft]

I hope Ditka burns in hell and I would never support him to any office.  This man had the power to spare us President Obama and he refused

Massive, massive, massive, probably most HP ever

A.  No he didn't after Obama gave the keynote speech at the DNC.
B.  Clinton would be that much better for y'all?

Clinton would have been much better as she doesn't come with Obama's biggest problem, staunch liberals having a false sense of entitlement

[Lunar]

Clinton didn't have an aura of entitlement around her?

That's the first time I've heard that argument.

[Beet]

One of the worst legacies of the 2008 election will be the word "entitlement" getting thrown around like a folksy quip from Sarah Palin. Entitlement means "to give (a person or thing) a title, right, or claim to something; furnish with grounds for laying claim." Obama claims his mandate from the people who elected him. It makes sense that, collectively, the people who voted for and worked for his election and ultimately allowed him to win have a "grounds for laying claim" to his ear. This does not mean that he is forced to do what his supporters want him to do, but nor does it mean they are not allowed to express their displeasure if he disappoints. The latter does not involve a "false sense of entitlement."

As for Clinton, if she had already felt "grounds for laying claim" to the Democratic nomination before getting it, then why did she campaign? Her vigorous stumping across Iowa and participation in the campaign, including a final whirlwind trip across Iowa's counties in December, was evidence that she felt that she had to work and fight to win the nomination, that it did not belong to her inherently. It was in part because she was a worker and a fighter and campaigner, because she did not lie back and rely on some sense of entitlement, that so many of us supported her. So the claim that she had an "aura of entitlement" is just baffling and false.

[Brittain33]

Isn't the "sense of entitlement" here being attributed to the candidate's supporters, and not the candidate shimself?

[Lunar]

Isn't the "sense of entitlement" here being attributed to the candidate's supporters, and not the candidate shimself?

indeed

I know I was running with an asymmetrical snarky quip

[Keystone Phil]

I hope Ditka burns in hell and I would never support him to any office.  This man had the power to spare us President Obama and he refused

Massive, massive, massive, probably most HP ever

It was his militant wife's fault.