An e-mail from Illinois:
Mike Ditka said yesterday on a local sports talk radio that his wife’s comments were just a joke. She was kidding about the divorce comment. She even said today she thought Ditka would do an excellent job if he did decide to run for the Senate. He and his wife are very close and there’s no way she would divorce him. Ditka said his wife would support him which ever way he chooses. It’s just the media taking a joking remark and turning it into something that it’s not. However, his family might be the last hurdle. I think he really wants to run but he has to check with family and the Republican committee first.
The local radio talk shows here in Chicago were abuzz with Ditka talk today. I’d say there’s about a 60% chance he’ll run as I’m following this story very closely myself. He said he’ll make the decision by the end of the week.
Some Ditka polls.
Could Mike Ditka beat Barack Obama for the U.S. Senate seat?
Yes 63%
No 18%
…
Source WLS radio website
If the election were today, who would elect to the US Senate?
Mike Ditka (75%)
Barack Obama (24%)
source: www.670thescore.com (sports talk radio in chicago)
ME: Okay, so those are sports-fan web polls, but if 75 % of Chicago sports fans voted for Ditka just because, that would be some start…
ANOTHER E-MAIL:
The local DJ’s were already
speculating about the Ditka legislative agenda (repeal of in-door
smoking laws, Illinois highway lines to be orange and navy, free
hip-replacements for all, etc.). Can’t imagine a more ludicrous
candidate, but I’ll guarantee you if he decides to run, it’ll be
incredibly entertaining, and will make Obama actually have to work for
the job (which he hasn’t as yet).