Greene: Could Mike Ditka have altered U.S. history?

cnn.com ^ | Oct. 18, 2008 | Bob Greene

[alloysteel]

HAGERSTOWN, Maryland (CNN)– With barely over two weeks left until Election Day, and Barack Obama ahead in the polls, a sudden thought occurred as we were rolling through Pennsylvania and Maryland:

Could Mike Ditka, the former head coach of the Chicago Bears, have changed the course of U.S. history?

It’s not that farfetched a question. Briefly, in the summer of 2004, Ditka was being pursued by Illinois and national Republican leaders to step in and run for the United States Senate against a newcomer to the political big leagues: Barack Obama, an Illinois state senator.

Jack Ryan, who was expected to be the Republican nominee on the November ballot in the Illinois race that year, had dropped out, and his party was scrambling for a replacement. They approached Ditka; he gave it serious consideration, and then, citing family and business obligations, said no

[alloysteel]

Bob Greene has resurfaced?

Cut and paste this for "the sad saga of Bob Greene"

http://www.chicagomag.com/core/pagetools.php?pageid=5456&url=%2FChicago-Magazine%2FMarch-2003%2FThe-Sad-Saga-of-Bob-Greene%2F&mode=print

Chicago remembers....

[BlessedBeGod]

I get “Page not found” when I copy and paste the link...

[Perdogg]

Instead would have Clinton-Richardson with a 15 point lead against McCain-Romney.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Could Jack Ryan have kept his pants zipped?

[Enchante]

Coach Ditka’s fault! :^)

He could have stopped Obambi in 04......

Looking back, don’t we wish we’d had a national “Draft Ditka” campaign and raised a record amount for his short campaign to the US Senate?

Who knew?

[BlessedBeGod]

The Sad Saga of Bob Greene

[Antoninus]

Ditka didn't run for a reason. There were rumors swirling around at the time that he had skeletons in his closet.

Any doubt that Barry O would have used them?

No doubt in my mind.

[x]

Maybe, but Jack and Jeri Ryan probably had more to do with Obama's getting to Washington.

She'll have her pick of jobs if Obama wins: Ambassadress to Malindi VII, Consul on Malona VI, Governor of Runara IV ...

[ScottinVA]

Since we’re on the subject of “what if,” I’ve often wondered how the narrative of this presidential race would be if, in 2006, VA Sen. George Allen hadn’t uttered the single word that destroyed his political career — “macaca.” Allen was seen as an outstanding prospect for 2008. What a shame.

[rvoitier]

I thought Bob Greene was dead for about a decade now.

Huh.

[PureSolace]

Here’s the dealyo...

Without Obama, We’d probably be facing Hillary.

Without Obama and Biden, Maybe we never would have got Palin in the national spotlight.

Without Palin in the Spotlight, we might not save the nation and revitalize the Republican party.

(Since this article was allowed to play the alternate universe mambo, I felt I could do the same.)

Much Love!

[Psycho_Bunny]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who cares?

[PureSolace]

Since we’re on the subject of “what if,” I’ve often wondered how the narrative of this presidential race would be if, in 2006, VA Sen. George Allen hadn’t uttered the single word that destroyed his political career — “macaca.” Allen was seen as an outstanding prospect for 2008. What a shame.

What a difference a day makes.

More reason to Trust in God.

[nickcarraway]

What did he do that Tim Mahoney didn’t?

[Perdogg]

see #3

[Enchante]

Oh, yes, the vicious Demagogues and Mediascum knew exactly what they were doing when they took out George Allen in such a malicious way over nothing. WaPo had about 200 (sarc.) front page storeis about Macaca-gate. Webb came from far behind to win b/c the media took out Allen like a pack of wolves.

That is a big “what if”..... of course, with the media and electoral environment of 2008 it might be that George Allen would be in worse shape than McCain — there would be no restraint at all in attacking everything about Allen b/c there would be none of the pretended respect that war hero McCain still enjoys. The Mediascum would have just turned Allen into a good ol’ boy and smeared him endlessly.

I can’t say I know enough about Allen (I’m out west and well removed from Virginia politics), but before Macaca-gate I was thinking that George Allen could well be my own favored candidate in 2008. He could have pulled the party together and sailed through the primaries.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

That was pretty careless for someone who might otherwise have been an “outstanding prospect”.

[DemforBush]

IMHO, if this had come to pass (Ditka running and beating 0bama), McCain would in be in a far worse position right now.

I say that because no one beside “The One” likely would have taken the nomination away from Hillary Clinton. And I also believe Hillary would have stomped McCain and just about any other GOP ticket this election year.

[oprahstheantichrist]

"...don’t we wish we’d had a national “Draft Ditka” campaign..."

There was in fact a HUGE "Draft Ditka" campaign. Bottom line, Diana (wife) wanted no part of it.

[valkyry1]

Yes, I wish he had run for Senate against Obama