Caitlin Clark’s First Misstep

I was saddened to learn that All-Universe women’s basketball star and national sweetheart Caitlin Clark has, sort of, endorsed Kamala Harris for president. She did so by “liking” an Instagram post by pop icon Taylor Swift, whose every action, statement, and unformed thought continues to be a national obsession, much to the bewilderment of this Mustache Pete.

Clark backed away a bit in the face of the predictable tsunami of interest that followed her sort-of endorsement by issuing some boilerplate statement about encouraging people to educate themselves about the candidates and register to vote. But the damage was done.

Entertainers, including athletes, should really stay out of politics. Their endorsements don’t move the electoral needle and usually only serve to irritate half of their fan base. Though in the case of WNBA partisans, that base likely leans Democrat. Other WNBA players have rushed to endorse the California chameleon and cliché machine.

I’d have the same complaint and advice if our Caitlin had endorsed the Donald. Her game is her claim to our attention, not her opinion on politicians, or UFOs, or the purpose of the universe. I quote here from the distinguished professor of marketing, Michael Jordan, who instructed his fellow jocks that: “Republicans buy sneakers too.” For sneakers, substitute the long list of products that Caitlin is currently flogging.

This news is more dispiriting because Caitlin had hitherto not put a foot wrong, projecting the admirable image of a talented, diplomatic, and generous young woman who created interest in a sports league hardly anyone paid the slightest attention to until she came along. Pre-Caitlin, some lonely WNBA nights, the only person in attendance to watch the Washington Mystics hoop it up with the Connecticut Sun was the Maytag repairman.

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