Politically Foul
You know it's been a bruising political season when a candidate would rather have an endorsement of a fake president than a real one.
The cast of "The West Wing" reunited in a video to endorse Michigan Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack. Of course, it's only by complete coincidence that McCormick is the sister of actress Mary McCormack, who played the role of national security adviser Kate Harper on "The West Wing."
The endorsement video reminds Michigan voters to fill out the nonpartisan portion of their ballots that includes Supreme Court candidates.
Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan isn't afraid to field tough questions on Medicare and Social Security, but he found himself stuck between a rock and a swing state on the subject of football this week. Ryan's a well-known University of Wisconsin fan, but when asked who he thinks will win in an upcoming football match-up between the Badgers and the Ohio State Buckeyes, Ryan shied away from endorsing his favorite team.
"It really depends on who has the better record," Ryan told NBC's Matt Lauer, who then pressed Ryan for an answer, but he dodged the follow-up.
"It always depends on who has the better record," Ryan said. "If we're doing better, they will beat us and if they have a better record they will beat them. That's how it always goes between the Badgers and the Buckeyes."
Ryan may have avoided upsetting Ohio voters in his answer, but Lauer was not too pleased. "That's a terrible answer," Lauer said after Ryan answered.
But Ryan doubled down on his Ohio suck-up when he visited the Cleveland Browns at their training center along with former Secretary of State and wanna-be NFL commissioner Condoleezza Rice.
"You were really fun to watch at OSU," Ryan said to former OSU player Brandon Weeden as he talked to the team.
The only problem was, Ryan wasn't talking to Weeden. Instead, he was looking directly at Colt McCoy. Condi corrected Ryan by pointing out the real Weeden. The team broke out in laughter as Ryan tried to patch up his mistake, "Oh yeah there you are, sorry, you always had a helmet on."
When you're running for president, you have to have a solid ground game, but you can't forget about your air game. Mitt Romney was reminded to keep an eye on the skies this week in Virginia when a helicopter flew overhead during a speech. As Romney was discussing the serious struggles of a single mom, he stopped mid-sentence to remark on the passing chopper.
"It's the sound of freedom like a helicopter going by," Romney said. "That's probably not a military helicopter, but I appreciate them when I hear them. Smile you guys we're on TV. I'm just kidding; I have no idea whose helicopter that is."
Check out this week's Political Foul to see all of the week's top political bruises.