Franken, Elway, Schilling Ponder Politics

Feb. 6, 2007 — -- The NFL, Saturday Night Live and Major League Baseball might not seem like ideal breeding grounds for budding politicians, but come 2008 that could all change. With the likes of former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, comedian Al Franken and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling all being mentioned as possible candidates in next year's elections, viewers of C-Span might soon be wondering if they are watching "SportsCenter" or Comedy Central instead.

If Elway, Franken or Schilling do run for office, this would hardly be the first time that the political landscape has been invaded by contenders with resumes bereft of the traditional Washington experience.

In recent years, the most notable example is current California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who followed up his successes in bodybuilding and acting with more of the same in politics. Schwarzenegger's rise to power came after Independent Jesse Ventura, a former pro wrestler, served as governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.

No Joke in Funny Man Franken for Senate

Minnesota may be home to another unorthodox candidate's campaign this year. On Jan. 29, 2007, Franken told his radio audience that he would leave his self-titled show effective Feb. 14, paving the way for a possible challenge to Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.

Franken has long been a vocal figure in the political world. He has been the signature host of the liberal Air America radio network since its inception in 2004 and formed the Midwest Values Political Action Committee, on which Andy Barr serves as political director.

"[Franken] has made no secret of the fact that he's seriously considering getting into the race. He's been talking to everyone you can imagine, talking to people about their experiences, seeking advice from folks who have gone through the process," said Barr.

Barr sees Franken's background as a comedian and talk show host as both a challenge and a strength."He's got to show people that he's serious about serving the people of Minnesota, but people are used to turning to him as a leader in the progressive community. He brings a fresh perspective to the problems the country faces. There's a hunger for something different."

Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Policy and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute, sees both advantages and disadvantages to Franken's background.

"He has 100% name recognition -- that's a great advantage," Jacobs told ABC News. "But his background is a big disadvantage -- the 'take-me-seriously' issue is hard because people are trained to think of him as a comedian."

Republicans are already attacking Franken for past comments, which could be interpreted as a sign that his would-be campaign is being taken seriously. The chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Ron Carey, issued a statement expressing confidence that the state "will reject Franken's divisive, scorched earth attacks," later adding "with his anger and slash-and-burn partisanship, Al Franken fundamentally lacks the leadership qualities Minnesotans are looking for."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee recently released a collection of quotes that the comedian would probably rather forget, including a remark made to Time Magazine in a 2003 interview.

When asked whether he might ever run for elected office, Franken replied, "oh, no! First of all, if I took one vote away from a serious candidate, it would be a sin."

Elway Aims Beyond Mile-High Success

A surprising candidate could also emerge in the wide-open Colorado Senate race.

John Elway, still revered across Colorado for his storied leadership as quarterback of the Denver Broncos, has said that he is not interested in a bid to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., who is retiring. However, Elway, who would almost certainly run as a Republican, recently admitted to Denver's KOA radio station that he would not "completely leave it out" and that he finds a possible run "intriguing." In politics, Elway could fulfill his craving for competition and challenge, something that had been previously satiated in football. On his personal Web site www.johnelway.com, the two-time Super Bowl champ stated, "I didn't play football because I thought I could make a living doing it. I did it because I enjoyed competing, and I wanted to challenge myself to be the best I could be."

Schilling for Office

Another athlete who won the hearts of a state with success in sports could also be a political candidate in the not-too-distant future. Curt Schilling led the Red Sox to a World Series win in 2004 and it didn't take long before he used his status for political gain.

Within hours of crushing the long-feared "curse" and lifting the Sox to their first World Series title since 1918, Schilling made a pitch for President Bush's re-election. Schilling turned a celebratory appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America" into a campaign event, proclaiming, "make sure you tell everybody to vote, and vote Bush next week."

Schilling later appeared with the president at a rally in New Hampshire, an appearance that may just be the first of many for him on the campaign trail.

While he has said that he first intends to play a few more seasons before retiring, Schilling told Boston's WRKO radio station in January that he has thought about a second career in the political arena.

"We have really gotten to…a point in time in this country where I really do feel like people are pulling the lever for the candidate they dislike the least. And that's sad, it really is," he said.

"It's something my wife and I have talked about a couple of times. If this were something I would seriously consider in the future, it would be to make a difference in the world, not to do anything other than that."

For any politician, name recognition is half the battle. The fame of Elway, Franken, and Schilling makes them formidable candidates even though they lack strong political resumes.

In the current political environment, perhaps it should come as no surprise that voters might be eager to support a candidate with no ties to established Washington. If so, it appears athletes and comedians are ready to step into the political arena.