Former Bears Coach Mike Ditka put his endorsement behind mayoral candidate Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) even though he admits the two are politically polar opposites.
When asked what he thought about Fioretti’s work with the City Council’s progressive caucus, Ditka appeared taken aback by the word “progressive.”
“It means inclusive, it means inclusive,” Fioretti interjected, smiling.
“I’m to the far right of Attila the Hun,” Ditka told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m not politically aligned. I’m really conservative in my thinking.”
“I go back a long way with both Mayor Daleys. Great men,” Ditka said. “I think we can bring it back, that’s all.”
Ditka danced around the question when asked to pinpoint what specifically Fioretti offered that Mayor Rahm Emanuel didn’t.
“The business climate will be better,” he said later, without elaborating.
Ditka insisted the endorsement wasn’t a dig against Emanuel.
“I have no beef with anybody. What was my beef with the ’82 Bears? They weren’t good enough to win the Super Bowl. The ’85 Bears were,” he said. “It’s not about a beef with anybody. It’s not about disliking anybody.”
He later added: “I’ve got nothing against anybody. What’s life about? Choices. You make choices. You hope you make the right ones. Yeah, I supported [Bruce] Rauner, I think he’s a great guy.”
Asked if he has sat down with Emanuel in the past, he said: ”I’ve never been asked to. I’ve never been asked to sit down with the pope either.”
