Seahawks duo blitzed by Bush backlash

Seattle PI ^ | 9-6-07 | Jim Moore

[NavyCanDo]

KIRKLAND -- Are you still fans of Matt Hasselbeck and Mack Strong after they visited President Bush last week in Bellevue? Or have their political leanings turned you against them?

The Seahawks quarterback and fullback gave the 43rd president a No. 43 jersey with his name on it at a $1,000-a-plate fundraiser for Rep. Dave Reichert at the Hyatt.

At the time, Hasselbeck called it a thrill and said it was a win-win, this opportunity to meet the president and get out of a team meeting.

But as soon as he saw the picture of the two players with Bush, Gary Wright, the team's vice president of administration, said he was concerned about negative reaction.

Maybe in really red Republican states, it would not have been a big deal. But Washington is a blue state, and deep, deep Democratic blue in King County. So objections were raised, and Hasselbeck heard them and read them. He got nasty voice mails, e-mails and text messages.

"I had no idea," Hasselbeck said.

One guy told him: "I hate you, I'll never wear your jersey, I'll never like the Seahawks again."

"Huh?" Hasselbeck thought. "Seriously?"

"Politics can be very mean and dirty," he said. "The things politicians say about each other, and what activists say, I had a brief glimpse of that for a couple of days.

"If I ever had any questions about whether I wanted to run for office, I now know the answer -- I don't."

As a quarterback, he's used to getting booed. "But this was a whole new level," he said. "I was very surprised how mean (they were)."

[NavyCanDo]

Unbelievable. Shows you how deep seated the hatred is for George Bush is. Seahawk Quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck is a stand-up guy and a remarkable athlete, much in the way that Steve Largent was. Even fans of Seahawk opponents would not argue with that.

[lonestar67]

This is more than politics.

The scapegoating and hatred of President Bush has become nationally normative.

Anyone who dares cross the threshold is a heretic worthy of public contempt.

[bray]

Like these Stalinists watch FB, who cares. Most the people inside the stadiums are Repubs, even in Oregon.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Sybeck1]

Pics of his sister in law please.....

[enough_idiocy]

I find this hard to believe considering his wife is Elisabeth from the View. Has he totally ignored her plight these past few years?

[piytar]

Leftists ARE brownshirts. “Mean” doesn’t come close.

[Uncle Miltie]

Is he going to jail?

It is illegal to be Republican in Seattle.

In my experience.

[N. Theknow]

Well, this explains why Rachel Corrie wasn't wearing a Seahawks jersey.

What did she know and when did she know it?

[Phantom Lord]

One guy told him: "I hate you, I'll never wear your jersey, I'll never like the Seahawks again."

Shortly after sending this message, he quickly called his friends to let them know about his party on Sunday to celebrate the season opener and invited them all over to watch the Seahawks.

[reagan_fanatic]

Not too surprised by the reaction he got. I've gotten the same reaction from normally friendly people when I voice anything that even comes close to being positive about Bush.

The left's hatred is as irrational as it is all-encompassing. They are literally consumed by it.

[lesser_satan]

Hasselbeck voted twice for Bush but said he's not necessarily a staunch Republican, and Strong admitted to "definitely leaning on the side of conservative views on a lot of things."

[PurpleMan]

I’m sure there are Michael Vick jerseys available to wear.

[anoldafvet]

"One guy told him: "I hate you, I'll never wear your jersey, I'll never like the Seahawks again."

Well, isn't that just SPECIAL.

[Kuksool]

So much for tolerance and diversity.

[Obadiah]

Oh those tolerant, compassionate Liberals. /s

[Alberta's Child]

I don't have a problem with this. When you are a high-profile person and you go out in public and take a political stand, you're bound to catch a ton of sh!t from about 50% of your potential customers.

See "Dixie Chicks" as Exhibit A on this one.

[Not A Snowbird]

I’m asking my husband for a Seahawks jersey for my birthday... I think now I’ll get Hasselbeck’s number on it.

Good man.

[300magnum]

[tideh20bushie]

liz is his sister in law

[Landru]

"I find this hard to believe considering his wife is Elisabeth from the View. Has he totally ignored her plight these past few years?"

Hardly.
OTOH what a splendid finger-in-the-eye to Liberal-Sociliasts.

...everywhere.