A couple of months ago, I floated the idea of Rudy Giuliani picking a running mate early. I suggested that running mate be former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.
The idea went over like a lead balloon. New York Sun columnist Liz Mair, who was a guest blogger for Andrew Sullivan, called it a
"monumentally stupid idea." Others were less generous than that.
One might think I ought to leave it at that. But no! I am at it again. Well, sort of.
Allow me to explain.
I have spent a good deal of this month on the phone with my father watching post-season baseball on television. I'm in Boston. He's in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It's the next best thing to actually watching the game together. Although for some reason his station is ahead of mine and he knows what's going to happen at Fenway Park before I do even though I live half a mile away from the Green Monster!
Apart from what is actually going on the field, a frequent subject of discussion has been the fate of Joe Torre. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner announced prior to Game 3 of the American League Division Series that if the Yankees were eliminated by the Cleveland Indians that Torre would not likely be brought back to manage the club in 2008. Of course, the Yankees were eliminated by the Tribe. After letting Torre hang on the precipice, Torre turned down a one-year, $5 million contract to manage the Yankees next season thus ending his 12-year run with the club. Before you ask what is wrong with $5 million, consider that Torre made $7.5 million this season. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. He would have received incentives of $1 million each had the Yankees made it to ALDS, ALCS and the World Series. But why would Torre need any incentive? Torre had guided the Yankees to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons, reached the World Series six times and won on four occasions, including three straight Fall Classics. No manager had accomplished that feat since Casey Stengel when he managed the Yankees to five consecutive World Series from 1949 to 1953. But the last World Series victory for Torre was in 2000 and the Yankee brass didn't think Torre had done much for them lately. In the world of now, the 2000 Yankees were as far removed as the 1950 Yankees.
I thought the Yankees had treated Torre rather shabbily. The graceful thing to have done would have been to make him an Executive Vice-President or a Special Advisor. Better still, they could have made him a goodwill ambassador for the Yankees and had him traveling the world promoting Yankees baseball.
I am sure 29 other major league teams would love to hire Joe Torre in some capacity. There is one managerial vacancy in Pittsburgh. Could Torre turn around the Pirates' 15-year shipwreck? But Torre might want a rest from managing. He could have a leisurely 2008 and occasionally broadcast as he once did with the California Angels in the mid-1980s. Torre's colleagues have followed similar paths. After managing the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1990 to 2005, Lou Piniella did some broadcasting for Fox Sports in 2006 before returning to the dugout this season with the Chicago Cubs. Ditto for Dusty Baker. After managing the San Francisco Giants and the aforementioned Cubs from 1993 to 2006, Baker did some work this season as an analyst for ESPN before agreeing to be the manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 2008. Torre might follow this path in 2008 before putting out on a baseball uniform in 2009.
Yet 2008 could prove to be a fateful year for Joe Torre. My father mentioned that when Rudy Giuliani had been asked about Torre's departure he had mentioned Torre would have been a good Vice Presidential running mate. Specifically, he said if Torre wasn't from New York he would have considered him for the ticket. The media took Rudy's remark as one of levity. But my father had the feeling that Rudy would be perfectly comfortable with Torre as his second in command. The more my father and I discussed this the more we thought this might not be a half bad idea even if it is a long shot.
Sure Joe Torre has never run nor held political office. What is his position on the War in Iraq? What about abortion? Tax cuts and energy policy? Quite apart from any political positions he holds, his whole life--warts and all--would be pried open to relentless scrutiny if he were to become Rudy's number two especially when you consider Giuliani's history with the likes of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik. Nevertheless, based on the discussions I've had with my father, I believe Torre possesses several qualities that would make him an ideal running mate for Giuliani.
Joe Torre is a thoroughly honest and decent man. Now some might argue that is an automatic disqualification from elected office. But chew on this for a moment. Boston Red Sox fans loathe all things associated with the New York Yankees. Yet even in Red Sox Nation few would question Torre's classy disposition. Torre projects an image of even temperedness. He has a firm hand but is fair with its use. His players, especially Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, look at Torre as a father figure always looking after their best interests and protecting them from the sometimes unflattering glare of the New York media.
Joe Torre knows how to deal with people. The sports media in New York is no less dogged in its pursuit of a story than the political media in Washington. Baseball is a year-round matter in New York as it is in Boston. There is just much scrutiny on the Yankees in December as there is in the middle of July. What better training for handling the Washington media, and for that matter the international media, than by handling the spears and arrows of the New York baseball writers? And let's not forget George Steinbrenner. It's true that Steinbrenner has mellowed with age and his sons for all intents and purposes have taken over the day-to-day operations of the Yankees. But as Torre himself said of Steinbrenner, "If you take his money you have to take his grief." Torre found a way to deal with Steinbrenner in a way that Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, Yogi Berra and countless others never could. If Joe Torre could handle George Steinbrenner and walk away with his dignity intact imagine what he could do with Harry Reid, Patrick Leahy and the rest of the Senate.
Even if Torre became Rudy's running mate on a Republican ticket he would still convey an image of non-partisanship. Moderates and independent voters who might be ambivalent about voting for Rudy, especially if he were to pick a social conservative as his running mate, would not feel so threatened by Torre. Social conservatives, while more comfortable with one of their own, could be won over with Torre's candid yet respectful manner.
Republicans generally do better with men than with women at the polls. In 2002, Torre and his wife, Alice, founded the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation ( [url=http://www.joetorre.org]http://www.joetorre.org[/url]). They did so after Torre went public with the physical and emotional abuse he and his family suffered at the hands of his father while growing up. The Foundation supports facilities known as Margaret House (named in honor of his mother) in schools in New York City, Westchester County and in New Jersey. Margaret House is a safe place where children can seek help if there is domestic violence in the home. Torre's commitment to this issue might help persuade female voters to support a Giuliani-Torre ticket. Hillary Rodham Clinton is considered a strong advocate of the rights of children. Torre's advocacy could neutralize the Democratic frontrunner's strength in this area. His cool and grace under pressure could also be effective in bringing together Republicans and Democrats. If Rudy becomes combative and confrontational with Congressional Democrats, Torre could come in to smooth things over.
Over the years, Rudy Giuliani has had occasion to sit in the Yankees dugout with Joe Torre almost as if he was serving as an honorary bench coach. The only thing that was missing was Rudy giving signs to the Yankee outfielders or coaching at third base. If Rudy were to pick Torre as his running mate, he would effectively be naming him as his bench coach. Yes, Rudy would be not only President and Commander in Chief but Manager of the United States of America. Torre, as Vice-President/Bench Coach, would be a trusted adviser to Rudy offering him patient and wise counsel. If Rudy found himself ejected, otherwise indisposed, or heaven forbid if something were to happen to him, the bench coach would be ready to step into the breach. Under those circumstances, I believe that America, like a baseball, would be in good hands.
Again, I realize this is a far fetched long shot. Rudy Giuliani is about as likely to pick Joe Torre to be his running mate as I am to play centerfield for the Boston Red Sox next season. But if grown men can play fantasy baseball why can't father and son play fantasy politics?
Aaron Goldstein was a card carrying member of the socialist New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP). Since 09/11, Aaron has reconsidered his ideological inclinations and has become a Republican. Aaron lives and works in Boston. 
