Wayne Fritz
DeFoe Drums
Nottingham, MD

Awesome news in Mike Lowell coming back to the Sox. Looks like you guys are pretty well stacked for ’08. I’m not sure how I feel about any potential Santana deal, but let’s just hope the “Evil Empire” doesn’t land him.

I have one big issue with Senator McCain that would prevent him from receiving my vote, and that is the fact he basically agrees with everything that has been done regarding Iraq. He seems too much like the current administration, unwilling to admit mistakes or listen to anyone else. I could be dead wrong, but that is the impression I have based on a few interviews.

Thanks for another great year and WS Championship! Hope you have a healthy and great ’08! Cool to have you back for another season!

I would strongly disagree that Senator McCain ‘agrees’ with everything that’s been done overseas. I would argue that while he supports the conflict coming to a resolution that sees us NOT having to be over there in force again in the near future he also understands that anyone saying “I will pull the troops out as soon as I am elected” is working from a horribly unrealistic and potentially catastrophic platform. I know he feels very strongly that things could and should have been done different, but imo we’ve done what we’ve done, and there is no clear cut way to just ‘get it over with’. We need to see it through to completion and I believe he has as much insight into what that will and should mean as ANYONE running for the office.

I can understand why you support McCain. He’s a true American hero and I’ve admired him for a long time. He’s not my guy this time around, but I respect that he’s yours.

Now…what do we have to do to get you to run against Ted Kennedy and send him into retirement??

~WS~

I’ve been a longtime reader of your blog, but I have never had the opportunity to comment until today. I normally read your blog to find out about the Red Sox. Today though, I find myself comment on politics. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, there are two indelible passions that the state has left me with. They are an undying love for the Red Sox and a deep interest in politics. While my fandom in regards to the Red Sox has remain true. My politics, bear no resemblance to those of my Bay State peers. For I am, an unabashed conservative, common sense, Republican. After reading your endorsement of Sen. McCain and your musings about running for office I felt the need to comment.

I believe character is a very important when evaluating a political candidate. It is important, in my opinion, that the commander and chief be an honest individual. I firmly believe that Sen. McCain is an honest individual. Unfortunately, though he has taken some rather unredeemable political positions. Namely the campaign finance bill and his recent immigration bill efforts. Prior to using his power to limit free speech and attempt to grant amnesty to people that have entered this country illegally, I was a firm supporter of Sen. McCain. I believe though that the Senator has taken politically expedient stances that show a clear chink in his conservative/Reagan Republican /constitutional constructionist armor.

I believe you would make an excellent candidate for office. For exactly the same reasons I respect and have previously supported Sen. McCain, HONESTY. You claim that you don’t have the “restraint” to run for office. I argue that your lack of “restraint” is exactly what is needed from a politician, unabashed honesty! I’ve both listened and read many a sports columnist claim you have a big mouth and are opinionated. I have never seen it that way, when you speak your mind it belies an honesty which is uncommon from a person in your lexicon. To this day, I remember watching the morning news the day after the Sox won the series in 04 when you proclaimed, “And make sure you tell everybody to vote, and vote Bush next week”. Curt, you have been given a great gift, your skill on the baseball diamond commands the attention of millions. Don’t be ashamed or reluctant to run for office because you feel you’ll be unable to restrain yourself. The Country needs people that speak their mind and are passionate about their beliefs. While I wouldn’t want you to walk across a debate stage and strange someone, that passion is exactly what this country needs. The passion you speak of is exactly what makes a good leader. This country was founded upon vigorous debate, from the Federalist papers to the Hamilton/Burr duel. This country needs leaders who will not back down from a challenge and take principled honest debate to the people. I’ve worked on Capitol Hill and am currently in law school, I have been surrounded by people that do what they are told or think is politically correct. You my friend, if you will permit the indulgence, appear to be much like William F. Buckley, willing to stand up and scream STOP. Your courage and passion are exactly what this country needs.

After spending all that time praising you, I do need to take issue with your position on gun control. I believe the right to keep and bear arms is 100% constitutionally assure. I point to the recent overturn of the Washington D.C. gun ban. I recently heard on the radio that the Mayor of the District, thinks the ban should be upheld because the majority of murders in the District were shooting related. Handgun ownership in the District is illegal, yet for some reason there are more shooting related incidents in D.C. now than there were prior to the creation of the law. Yet, here is the Mayor of the District, citing the shooting incidents in the District, as the reason the ban should be upheld. How is that for logic? The Mayor himself, points to the reasons why the ban should be lifted! It doesn’t work, the numbers bear this out. “Guns were used in 63 percent of the city’s 188 slayings in 1976. Last year, out of 169 homicides, 81 percent were shootings”, Washington Post 11/18/07. Advocates of the ban claim that it has prevented an incalculable amount of weapons from entering the District. Yet the advocates of the ban give no heed to the fact that when citizens own handguns legally it reduces crime. According to the District’s attorney, “It’s a pretty common-sense idea that the more guns there are around, the more gun violence you’ll have”. I argue, that it is common-sense that criminals use guns for criminal purposes, law abiding citizens should not have their rights infringed based on what criminals do. There is very little room to waiver on the issue of gun control, you either believe that it is a constitutionally protected right or you believe that the Second Amendment applies only to the national guard, the so-called “militia”. Why someone wants to own an assault rifle is irrelevant. Rights in this country are meant to directly protect the minorities. If a citizen, wants an AK-47 and they are of sound mind and not a felon, than their rights are clear. Now that the Supreme Court is willing to hear the appeal in the D.C. handgun ban case, we will finally have a definite answer. This issue comes down to reading the constitution as originally intended. Gun control as public policy is nice and all, but it completely ignores the strictures of a common law system. There is undeniably a law concerning gun ownership which trumps all. If gun control advocates want to change the law, than the Amendment procedure is clear. As a disclaimer, like you I do not hunt or own an assault rifle, yet I respect the rights of those that do.

I apologize for the length of this comment.

Just wanted to say thanks to you too! I am sure Mike Lowell appreciates your “Thank Mike” campaign, and I did leave him a thank you there but I wanted to say a thanks to you as well. Thanks for 2004 and the bloody sock, thanks for your big hearted generosity, thanks for being outspoken and opinionated (unlike some these are traits I love in a person.) Thanks for every once in a while saying something that gets that Boston press all riled up! Manny probably thanks you for that as well because on those days they give him a rest!

Just thanks for being you!

Happy Holidays and will see you in March!

Eva Chatfield
Ormond Beach, Florida