Per CBS news, Ditka decides not to run for senator.

[bermudat]

On the evening news, John Roberts says that CBS sources state Ditka decides not to run. Hopefully their source is better than the source for the NY Post story saying Gephardt is Kerry's pick.

[kainah]

1. he couldn't take the heat

It's actually too bad, perhaps. He has a notoriously short temper -- and his decision to withdraw appears to have been brought about by media presence this morning at a GOP strategy meeting. Had he run, he almost certainly would have exploded at some point and that probably would have garnered national headlines that might have wounded *.

Of course, no guarantees so glad he's out.

[yorgatron]

2. geez,if he can't handle THAT small amount of scrutiny

just imagine if he'd run a campaign...

[supernova]

3. Good news

Being mad about the presence of the media indicates Ditka doesn't have the temprement for elective office. Better to know that now than later.

[Jade Fox]

4. So glad. The possibility of American celebrity obsession getting another

jerk into office was scaring me.

And it makes the Republicans look dumb.

[4_Legs_Good]

13. They'll find another...

The only way to beat Obama, I think, is to find some wacky celebrity to run against him.

Who else they got?

david

[Jade Fox]

16. Yeah, I was thinking maybe Ditka would have been a good choice....

cause he's such a nut he would have lost. But Jesse Ventura? Who
could have believed that!

Can't think of any other Rightwing celebs who live in Chicago.

[Bandit]

40. How about Dennis Miller

They were floating his name about earlier this year as a future candidate. They may just decide to jump it up a few years.

[4_Legs_Good]

41. Oh Boy...

Yeah, I could buy that. Oh geesh.

He's annoying, though. Is he from Illinois, though? I thought he was one of us Californians...

david

[stevedeshazer]

5. Another inept Republican failure

I love the smell.

[Journeyman]

6. Aah, but our political lore will be the poorer for it. . .

Nothing like a hot-headed moron to add a raft of anecdotes to the mix. Ah, well. Guess we'll have to hope Smirk blows a gasket during the campaign (he's got the moron part down pat).

[marlakay]

7. I'm glad

I was afraid it would be like here in CA where the famous get chosen without any experience.

[mom cat]

9. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Zech Marquis]

8. GOOD!

I can't wait to rib this in the faces of ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike--those 2 bozos have ben leading a fucking campaign drive for the Meathead Ditka for 2 days straight :argh: Now we can email those idiots to tell them to just shut the fuck up and stay with sports :evilgrin:

[fishnfla]

10. For his own sake, I'm glad

he woulda made a fool of himself, and had another heart attack. Stick to football and restaurants, Mike

[Chicago Democrat]

12. me too... plus I dont want to think of him in political terms...

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

38. Yup.

[John_H]

11. Damn! And I just started my Ditka Flash!!!!!

Fade in Text: "Senator Ditka?"

Cut to Clip of Ditka drunk on a Chicago sports talk show

Cut to Ditka scratching his nuts on the sidelines of a game

Cut to Ditka Ranting at reporters during a post game press conference with every other word bleeped.

Zoom to ditka's enraged, spitting, and sweaty face.

Fade in Text: "Senator Ditka?"

Sound of sitcom crowd laughing hysterically.


I was also going to do one similar alternating between the ditka cuts to pictures of Oama with his accomplishments superimposed---magna cum laude Harvard Law School, etc.

Damn. Ditka would have been fun.

[rawstory]

14. LINK?

been trolling google news, but nothing yet...

[rawstory]

15. DRUDGE killed him!

you know, the funny thing about this is, if you think about it -- he probably bowed out because of the scrunity...and if drudge hadn't leaked that 930 am press conference thing -- who knows, he might have still been in the race!!

thank god for that moron, drudge. ;)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

17. Moron? Probably not...

My bet he was saving his party from the inevitable embaressment. He may be an asshole, and he may otherwise be a moron, but I'm not willing to write THIS ONE off to sheer stupidity.

[John_H]

22. As usual, Drudge just transcribed what the RNC told him to do

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

23. Ding ding ding ding ding!

We have a winner!!!

[Melsky]

18. good

though I think he probably would have lost, there's no guarantee.

[KamaAina]

19. It's official. Ditka's out. R's will continue scraping the barrel.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_el_se/illinois_senate

At this rate, Ryan will end up getting back in, just like Perot did.

[Elginoid]

28. Ryan's not out yet-

he has to file the actual paper work by the end of august(?) and he hasn't done so yet.

[Beetwasher]

20. Darn! There Goes Some Really Good Amusement!

That would have been fun to watch! There could have been a countdown clock to his next heart attack!

[sendero]

21. Well...

.... this proved Dickhead is not as stupid as we thought. He wouldn't have lasted more than a month dealing with the kind of stuff he was in for.

Good Call Mike :)

[Zynx]

24. Are they going to run anybody?

[Hailtothechimp]

37. Get ready for this name......

Ted Nugent.

One of the local stations, perhaps the local NBC affiliate, speculated that since Nugent grew up and went to high school in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, he might consider running. Of course, they didn't suggest that he had mentioned this, or that he even knew anything about it.

I sure hope this happens. It would expose the republicans even more than they already are.

[Imalittleteapot]

25. Choice between wife divorcing him and a marriage

made in heaven to the Washington GOP slimeballs. Good decision Ditka!!!!

[bushwakker]

26. I'm breathing a big sigh of relief

Ditka would have been a strong candidate.

[GaryL]

29. Nonsense!

Illinois is not Texas or California for that matter. I've lived in all three states and Illinois stands head and shoulders above the other two with regard to a population with some degree of common sense. Most people there know what an ass Ditka is. Dumb and dumber should be the co-mantra of Californians and Texans.

[bushwakker]

32. We'll agree to disagree

Ditka would have started with virtually 100% name recognition, been well funded and enjoyed a honeymoon with the media. You can'y honestly tell me you'd rather run against a local hero than say some totally unknown State Senator?

I'm glad we'll never find out what would have happened.

[leesa]

35. Please don't perpetuate that nonsense here.

He is an idiot who had NO PLACE running for Senate. He would have been a terrible candidate.

[bushwakker]

39. Since when is being an idiot a disqualifier?

You need to take a closer look at your fellow citizens. Unfortunately the idea of a man like Ditka being elected to the US Senate is not nonsense.

[T Bone]

27. Good Thing

he would end up being a real Ditka on the campaign trail, anyway.

[mountainvue]

30. Thank God.

Wonder what's in his closet? Or could he just not pass up all of the lucrative gigs he had "already scheduled for the next five years."?

[BiggJawn]

31. Well! So he's thinking with his HARD head for a change!

Actually, That's too bad. I'm sure Barak could have used the laughs.

[AlFrankenFan]

33. YAY! Link...

http://orangecounty.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D83QUH7O0

[Guaranteed]

34. Yahoo link:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_el_se/illinois_senate_22

Ditka Says He Won't Run for U.S. Senate

1 hour, 39 minutes ago


By MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO - Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka said Wednesday he would not run for the Senate, leaving Illinois Republicans still without a replacement candidate less than four months before the election.

<more>
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Says he didn't know "how he'd do" if he had a confrontation on the Senate floor.

[monobrau]

36. Brave sir Ditka ran away!

I can almost taste the sweet tears of sorrow streaming down the face of the meathead contingent tonight.
Don't worry folks, there's a large pool of hypocritical shitheels to choose from; I'm sure you'll scrape up something out of the gutter.