A Political Scouting Report on Curt Schilling, Wannabe Senator
Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty
After a Hall of Fame-ish Major League Baseball career and a less glorious stint at ESPN, former Phillies/Diamondbacks/Red Sox ace and three-time World Series champion Curt Schilling announced Tuesday that he plans to challenge Elizabeth Warren, or whomever the Democrats nominate as her successor, for her senate seat in 2018. It can be tough to pin down athletes who run for political office (see: Ventura, Jesse), but Schilling has dropped one or two hints as to what his political views might be. Here’s what we know so far about this righty’s political leanings…consider this free oppo research for Team Warren.
The 2016 Presidential election
Schilling endorsed Donald Trump early on, in a rambling post on his blog. He defended Trump after a video surfaced of the candidate talking about one day dating a girl who was 10 at the time, tweeting, “If intimating a young lady will grow up to be stunningly beautiful = child molestation you’re liberal and voting for a scumbag.”
Transgender rights
The 2001 World Series MVP has been very clear on this matter: despite playing his entire career as a starter, relief – specifically, where people are allowed to relieve themselves – is at the top of his agenda. During the HB2 hysteria that gripped North Carolina last spring, he reposted an offensive meme on his Facebook page, adding, “I don’t care what they are, who they sleep with, the men’s room was designed for the penis, women’s not so much.”
His comments were enough to finally get him fired from ESPN, which fits perfectly with the whole “the media is rigged against me” thing you can count on his campaign trotting out.
Social security and healthcare
Perhaps the defining moment of Schilling’s career was when he won Game Six of the 2004 American League Championship Series despite an injury so severe that his sock was literally red with blood. It would, frankly, be shocking if he didn’t turn this iconic moment of perseverance and determination into some kind of metaphor for why government handouts are evil.
Term limits
Schilling has yet to take a position on Trump’s proposal for congressional term limits, but he supports occasionally giving longer-serving congresspeople an extra day of rest between starts.
Evolution