Could Jeremey Lin be a potential future Bill Bradley? [View all]
Bill Bradley was a professional NBA player who went on to be an amazing Democratic Senator.
I started wondering after seeing shots of Hillary Clinton and Jeremy Lin at the Times 100 Most Influential People shindig. Does anyone know if Jeremy Lin is a democrat or a republican?
Jeremy Lin was born and raised in California, educated in Harvard in Massachusetts, and lives and plays in NYC. So it seems possible that his worldview is shaped in a liberal-oriented environment growing up. And playing in a the NBA means he's interacting with lots of players who grew up in an underprivileged urban minority community, so likely means he can relate to and understand that part of society.
He's got cross-over appeal with his religiosity, though I've seen no indication that necessarily means he's a social conservative (Rev. Al Sharpton certainly isn't). Smarts from his Harvard degree in economics. Popularity and global sensation from Linsanity that can mean donors and fundraising. And he'll likely have a fat bank personal bank account from his playing career and commercial endorsements to fund a run. He's got an inspiring underdog success story that can be packaged well to the electorate. And he's got a crazy work ethic and perseverance and dealing with grueling schedules that would serve him well on the campaign trail. He seems humble and genuinely likeable, as well as has a sense of humor from his youtube vids.
Both Obama and Palin have praised and like him. So he seems to get appeal from both ends of the spectrum. And he would also be one of the few Asian-Americans in Politics, helping the Democratic Party continue it's tradition of breaking barriers and advancing the cause of minorities and progressive politics.
Has anyone at any level of the Democratic party approached him to feel him out? He's certainly not entering politics right now while he's playing in the NBA. But it would be nice to get a better handle on his political perspective. Is there any article out there that sheds light on where his is on the political spectrum?
Thoughts? A future Bill Bradley? Another awesome Democratic senator who used to be an NBA player?
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