Mike Ditka: I Should’ve Run For Senate Against Obama

Former Chicago Bears Head Coach Mike Dikta regrets not getting into the 2004 Senate race against Barack Obama:

The former Chicago Bears football coach, a Republican, says that if he had run for the U.S. Senate from Illinois in 2004, he would have beaten Obama and ended his political career then and there.

“Biggest mistake I’ve ever made,” Ditka said during a public appearance in North Dakota. “Not that I would have won, but I probably would have and he wouldn’t be in the White House.”

Ditka, now an ESPN football commentator, publicly flirted with a Senate run in 2004, but decided against it.

Obama aides past and present scoff at Ditka’s presumption.

“Mike Ditka only pretended to run for Senate so he could publicize his restaurant,” tweeted former presidential aide Tommy Vietor. “And Obama would’ve smoked him.”

Well, at the very least Ditka would’ve been entertaining, and far saner than Alan Keyes.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. rudderpedals says:

    Looking at it from Mr. Ditka’s perspective, things worked out great. He can look forward to a lucrative future peddling prostate remedies and reverse mortgage schemes.

  2. Woody says:

    Saner: Unquestionably true, but oh my what a low bar
    More Entertaining: Much more of a contest, if I recall Keyes’ campaign accurately.

  3. Rob in CT says:

    “Mike Ditka only pretended to run for Senate so he could publicize his restaurant,” tweeted former presidential aide Tommy Vietor. “And Obama would’ve smoked him.”

    Sounds so familiar. So many of these guys are grifters. In it for the book deal or the Fox gig or whatever.

    But whatever. Coulda, shoulda, woulda but didn’t. Cry in your beer, Mike.

  4. anjin-san says:

    Living proof that talk is cheap.

  5. grumpy realist says:

    But if he had, we wouldn’t have a benchmark on the Crazifiction Factor.

  6. mantis says:

    As a longtime Chicagoan, Bears fan, and Ditka fan, I must say this:

    “Mike Ditka only pretended to run for Senate so he could publicize his restaurant,” tweeted former presidential aide Tommy Vietor. “And Obama would’ve smoked him.”

    is completely true. People knew he wasn’t serious, and he would have lost miserably–but not as bad as Keyes–if he had been. Ditka was a good coach, but would be a terrible politician.

  7. PJ says:

    “Not that I would have won, but I probably would have and he wouldn’t be in the White House.”

    Was there any mention in “League of Denial” that concussions leads to delusions?

  8. Todd Malone says:

    But what if Ditka was only 14 inches tall? Who would win them? Obama or mini Ditka?

  9. Franklin says:

    Sort of makes you wonder if any possible future presidents were snuffed out of politics early by losing to somebody on name recognition alone.

    But yeah, I can see how terrible it is that we have Obama instead of John “I’d have us in five different wars right now” McCain or Mitt “I’ll bet you $10,000” Romney.

  10. anjin-san says:

    Brainy, low key Bill Walsh was a far more successful coach than Ditka. I suspect brainy, low key Obama would have had little problem defeating the blustering Ditka.

  11. C. Clavin says:

    Ditka’s biggest mistake was not giving the ball to Walter Payton instead of William Perry.
    Despicable man.
    He should have gone to jail for that.

  12. al-Ameda says:

    “Biggest mistake I’ve ever made,” Ditka said during a public appearance in North Dakota. “Not that I would have won, but I probably would have and he wouldn’t be in the White House.”

    Wow, Mike Ditka is a bloviating bozo? Who knew?

  13. sam says:

    Hmmm. In 2003, Mike made an ad for Levitra (Football hero Ditka hired in impotence ad battle). Let’s write some opposition ads…

  14. Moosebreath says:

    @sam:

    He’d certainly suffer electile dysfunction because of it. If it got too hard for him, he’d probably have to pull out.

  15. Midwestern Dad says:

    Great tight end. Pretty good coach. At times (like this) a pompous jerk who would have been handed his head; if he ran for senator against Obama. If I could have up voted mini Ditka ten times; I would have done so!!!

  16. Rusty Shackleford says:

    What about Obama vs. a tornado… but the tornado is named Ditka?

  17. josh says:

    Wut Mantis said. Adding, there’s a clip of Ditka talking politics when he was weighing getting into the race. He sounded no less stoopid or insane than Keyes. And I say this as as devout Lefty and lover of COOOAACHHH!

  18. Midwestern Dad says:

    Obama beat Keyes 70 to 27% in 2004. Ditka may have done better but would have gone off on someone several times and still lost big.