Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling may rank as the most prominent conservative in the sports world today.
In an e-mail interview with Newsmax, he scoffed at critics who complain that soon-to-be Republican presidential nominee John McCain isn’t sufficiently conservative.
“Complaints from ANYONE in Washington right now, to me anyway, are completely selfish and self serving,” he writes while recovering from a right shoulder injury. “I get the feeling the entire U.S. government is acting like mice on a sinking ship, trying to save themselves from the potentially massive changes that might be coming.”
Schilling enthusiastically backs McCain. “Senator McCain is the only person with the makeup to get this country out of the place it’s in right now,” he writes to Newsmax.
“Mistakes? Yep. Missteps? Yep. Passion? Check. Common Sense? Check. Integrity? Double check,” Schilling writes on his blog 38 Pitches.
“Ability to cross party lines to get things done? I believe he’s the ONLY one in this election capable of doing that, and beyond all things, that’s what I want from our next president. Someone with the ability to get things done regardless of personal agenda or party affiliation.”
He says he will campaign as actively for McCain as possible.
Schilling doesn’t think much of Hillary Clinton, “I do not trust Senator Clinton, nor do I believe she possesses the wherewithal to lead this country in a time of crisis, which we are in right now.”
But unlike many conservatives, Schilling has positive feelings toward Barack Obama and even envisions a fantasy ticket of McCain-Obama. “Obama is a man of great integrity and character,” Schilling writes to Newsmax.
“I would love to see McCain and Obama shake up the world and join together on a ticket. Regardless of their disagreements on many issues, I think both of these men care enough about our country to look out for us first, and their personal agendas second.”
A huge Civil War buff and son of a U.S. army paratrooper, Schilling strongly supports the U.S. presence in Iraq. He writes on his blog that anyone who runs for president calling for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq is either a liar just trying to get elected, or “horribly callous” to those serving in our armed forces.
Schilling tells Newsmax that his greatest foreign policy concern is “standing behind the men and women of the armed forces in every possible way when we send them abroad to put their lives on the line.”
Asked which issues concern him most, Schilling mentions education first. “The country should spare no expense to create the most intense, structured and well funded education system in the world,” he writes.
“States should be held ‘personally accountable’ for failure of their schools to reach agreed upon countrywide standards.”
Second on Schilling’s list is higher salaries for teachers, policemen and firemen. “These people need to be able to make enough money in their jobs to allow them to focus on what they do for a living.”
The three-time World Series winner also is upset with the explosion of medical malpractice lawsuits. “Is anyone else disgusted with the litany of lawsuits by every American on the planet against doctors?” he writes to Newsmax.
“I agree there needs to be ironclad laws and protection for patients, but frivolous and expensive unfounded lawsuits need to carry MASSIVE penalties for people [filing them] and law firms.”
Schilling counts himself a fervent supporter of Christianity, but he doesn’t want any set of religious beliefs to be forced on anyone else.
“While I am a Christian, and I hope every other person on the planet is or becomes one, it’s a personal choice,” he writes Newsmax. “I have no qualms discussing my beliefs, or anyone else’s, but at the end of the day it’s a personal choice.”
As for religion in the presidential campaign, “I don’t care one way or the other what the candidates’ religious beliefs are, as long as they don’t try to impose those beliefs on someone through their platform,” he says.
Schilling shuns labels for his political views. “I didn’t realize I was conservative,” he writes to Newsmax.
“I honestly can’t tell you what makes someone affiliated with any party or platform. I just believe what I believe. I never will vote for someone because I belong to any party. I vote for the person who in my opinion is the best person for the job.”
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