New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio says that he can’t root for the New York Yankees in the MLB Playoffs and won’t attend a game.
Politicians are masters of talking out of both sides of their mouths. Except for NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio, who instead put his foot in his mouth on Tuesday.
“The truth is called for in editorial board meetings,” de Blasio told the editorial board of the New York Daily News, per the News‘ Erin Durkin. “I am a crazed, rabid baseball fan and Red Sox fan. It is constitutionally impossible to quote-unquote root for the New York Yankees.”
On one hand, you can appreciate DeBlasio’s loyalty to his team. The Massachusetts native grew up a Red Sox fan, pointing to the team’s 1967 season, when they lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, as the reason for his fandom.
“That season took a bunch of New Englanders who had given up on baseball because the Red Sox just sucked, always, and turned people into crazed, rabid fans.”
On the other hand, you have to question just how wise it was for a mayor—one who isn’t particularly popular, mind you—to essentially alienate half of the voters in New York City.
None of this means that the Yankees won’t get their parade in the Canyon of Heroes should they win it all, however.
“They’ll get the key [to the city], they’ll get the parade, they’ll get the confetti. I will bow before them,” he said. “If they win, it will be my honor as mayor and as a true baseball fan — because if they win, they will have 100% earned it.”
Just don’t expect him to show up at Yankee Stadium cheering the home team on.
“In good conscience,” he said, “it’s just too weird.”
He’d better hope that Yankees fans don’t vote with their conscience in the next mayoral election—for they may find it “too weird” to vote for a Red Sox fan, regardless of who he’s running against.