A Schilling Short? Democratic Senate Candidate Defames Red Sox Pitcher

We recently saw how a single interview is viewed as ending the New York Senate run of Harold Ford Jr. just as it was beginning. Now, an interview with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is being cited as a possible fatal mistake in the close race to replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy against Republican Scott Brown. While she did not discuss pedicures and limo rides like Ford, she may have committed a greater political sin in Boston: she called the Red Sox Icon Curt Schilling a Yankee fan.

In Boston, referring to the venerable former Red Sox pitcher, as a Yankee fan is akin to declaring yourself a Polytheist with a hankering for the sacrilegious. Here is what Coakley said [WARNING: The following quote contains disturbing and even vulgar language for Red Sox fans]:

After Coakley raised baseball with WBZ News Radio, she noted that Rudolph W. Giuliani had appeared in Boston to support Brown, a Yankee fan. The reporter, Dan Rea, the noted “Yeah, but now Scott Brown has Curt Schilling, OK?’’

Coakley replied, “And another Yankee fan.’’

“Schilling?’’ Mr. Rea pressed.

“Yes,’’ she said.

Rea collected himself and again asked “Curt Schilling a Yankee fan?’’

Coakley then picked up something was amiss: “No, all right, I’m wrong on my, I’m wrong.’’

It is not clear if that recovery was enough given the sacrilegious Schilling comments for Boston voters. I am just happy that we are finally moving away from those distractions of health care, Haitian relief, and prosecuting torture.

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