Posted on 07/08/2004 4:56:19 PM PDT by RWR8189
Could "da coach" pursue a new title as "da senator?" A group of grassroots GOP loyalists are trying to recruit former Bears coach Mike Ditka to run for U.S. Senate or Illinois Republican Party chairman in December.
But are they serious?
"Dead serious," said Tom Pence of Oswego, a Kendall County GOP committeeman who co-founded the Web site www.draftditka.com.
The goal of his group is to gather 10,000 signatures to convince Ditka to lead the Republican Party after Chairwoman Judy Baar Topinka ends her term.
"I think Judy has done a great job bringing new people to the party," Pence said. "There are some young Republicans interested in rebuilding the party, and who better to lead than the coach of the only Super Bowl Chicago Bears team?"
A separate group, sparked by "draft Ditka" supporters, took the movement a step further and commissioned a poll to test Ditka's viability as a U.S. Senate candidate. The 504 likely Republican voters polled in an unscientific Internet survey picked Ditka overwhelmingly from a list of possible contenders to replace GOP nominee Jack Ryan. Ryan announced last month he would withdraw.
The poll got the attention of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington, D.C., which has been involved in the vetting process for a Ryan replacement.
In fact, the chairman of the national committee, U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Virginia), has a personal connection: His father, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach George Allen, coached Ditka.
"We're aware of (Ditka's name) being out there, but ultimately we know the people making the decision will be the State Central Committee," said Dan Allen, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
A spokesman for Ditka did not return phone calls.
Ditka has been involved in Illinois GOP politics for the past decade.
Two years ago, he hosted a fundraiser at his downtown Chicago restaurant for Republican attorney general candidate Joe Birkett, and later introduced President Bush at a DuPage County Republican rally.
"It would certainly elevate the national stature of our race, and he could be an Arnold Schwarzenegger-type of candidate," said state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, a member of the State Central Committee, which will chose Ryan's replacement on the ballot.
"If Mike Ditka's professional schedule would allow him to campaign, I'd love to talk to the coach," Dillard said.
The Ditka poll was conducted by 21st Century Campaigns, a consulting group that deals in Internet-based campaigning. The poll was funded by Allan Hug, a suburban businessman and supporter of Jim Oberweis. Oberweis came in second behind Ryan in the March U.S. Senate primary election.
In the poll, Ditka took 58 percent of the vote compared with the runner-up, Oberweis, at 16 percent.
Ryan announced last month he would withdraw from the race after allegations from his divorce file became public. His ex-wife alleged during a custody dispute he took her to sex clubs and wanted to have sex with her in front of other people.
The State Central Committee — a group of elected representatives, one from each of Illinois' 19 congressional districts — is interviewing potential replacements. To avoid another setback, the committee is conducting background and credit checks on all applicants.
That "character test" could be a problem for Ditka, who is well-known for losing his temper. He apologized and was fined for flipping his middle finger at New Orleans Saints fans and grabbing his crotch as he left the field in a 1999 game. He also was banned from a casino after police said he threw a cigar at an employee at a craps table.
But fans of Ditka like his no-nonsense approach. After the middle-finger incident, he apologized and said he was "dead wrong" for doing it.
"There are no excuses for what I did, and I don't make one," he later told ESPN.com. "I didn't control myself."
Dillard — who met Ditka through GOP events and has a picture of the coach on his office wall — said Ditka is sharp and well-read.
"From finances to workforce issues, he's very well-informed. You don't make it as a spokesperson on TV at the level that Mike Ditka is at without being intelligent," he said.
Full-size Ditka or midget Ditka?
Good thing there aren't many New Orleans Saints fans in Illinois.
After his meltdown in New Orleans, I would lump anyone who votes for this football head in a new category of insane. Just becasue you stick an R next to your name doesn't infer some kind of right to my vote.
Anything would be better than Osama.
Good, he might be useful in the dealing with the Senate libs as a stand-in for Cheney.
Has Ditka moved back to Illinois? After the Saints fired him, I thought he still lived in Louisana, and he liked hanging out in a casino in Bay St. Louis. In fact, I thought he was a casino host for high-rollers.
Is that a Levitra joke?
(Ditka is a spokesman for the drug, if you didn't know.)
This is encouraging news. I think that Ditka has the celebrity to get the campaigning off to a running start. I have great respect for Steven Rauchenberger, but fear he doesn't have the fundraising or time to establish the needed momentum.
"The Bears team bus enters the Indy 500. Who wins?"
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Yeah, Ditka's driving."
"DA BEARS!"
I honestly can't say its stupid to vote for him. First, its important to know what his beliefs are. If he's a short tempered guy who has weird views, its bad, if he's a conservative who has straightened out, then maybe.
Either way, if he did nothing but curse and yell at democrats, he'd still be a better alternative to Obama. Obama is a dangerious rising star in the democratic party, and needs to be slowed down or stopped.
I would though rather the GOP go with a "we can do better" type thinking with canidates as opposed to the liberals who think "we could do worse then this guy".
Why are strangers trying to kill me?
How pathetic. I'm going to nominate Allouette, or anybody. If I had $100,000 to burn, I'd run myself.
Ditka lives in the suburbs of Chicago, I believe.
Ditka 250%
Obama 1%
These folks need to decide whether they want a senator
or a party chairman. A guy like Ditka can't be a party
chairman; it won't work. He probably wouldn't be much
of a senator, either. But he could be a great candidate,
and that's what matters.
Thanks for the info.
Ditka can win -
We know he's a believer in a strong defense.
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