Mandel’s Musings/Politics: A List of Media Figures in the Sports World Who Contributed Their Hard-Earned Money Towards Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. Very Interesting.

By Scott Mandel

Three of the four sports Commissioners align themselves with the Democratic party, at least when it comes to political donations, according to NewsMeat. David Stern, Gary Bettman and Bud Selig give more than 90 percent of their political donations to the Democratic party. Roger Goodell of the NFL donates 23 percent to Democrats and 77 percent to the GOP.

Other sports media notables:

From the left

• Chris Berman, ESPN: 100 percent of his donations go to Democrats.
• Lee Corso, ESPN: 100 percent to Democrats (which surprised me for some reason).
• Dick Ebersol, NBC: 75 percent to Democrats.
• Bob Griese, ESPN: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Tom Hammond, NBC: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Michael Jordan: 72 percent to Democrats.
• Armen Keteyian, CBS: 100 percent to Democrats (remember that when you see him on CBS News).
• Jim Lampley, HBO: 71 percent to Democrats (he also writes for the liberal-friendly Huffington Post).
• John McEnroe, NBC, CBS: 80 percent to Democrats.
• Jon Miller, ESPN: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Dikembe Mutombo: despite sitting next to Laura Bush at the State of the Union, he only gives 33 percent to the GOP.
• Digger Phelps, ESPN: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Joe Theissman, ESPN: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Isiah Thomas: 100 percent to Democrats.
• Brian Urlacher: toughest Democrat ever? 100 percent to Democrats.

In the middle

• George Bodenheimer, ESPN: 61 percent goes to special interests; 20 and 19 percent go to Democrats and Republicans, respectively.
• Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner: 72 percent to special interests; 14 percent to Democrats and Republicans, respectively.
• George Steinbrenner, N.Y. Yankees: 51 percent to Democrats, 27 percent to the GOP.
• Paul Tagliabue: 41 percent to the GOP, 34 percent to Democrats.

From the right

• Jack Buck (D): donated 100 percent of his donations to the GOP.
• Cris Collinsworth, NBC: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Don Criqui, CBS: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Dan Dierdorf, CBS: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Mike Ditka, ESPN: 98 percent to the GOP.
• Brian France, NASCAR: 83 percent to the GOP.
• Mike Francesca, YES: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Curt Gowdy (D): 78 percent to the GOP.
• Keith Hernandez: 92 percent to the GOP.
• Hootie Johnson: amazingly, 33 percent to the Democrats (60 percent to the GOP).
• Mario Lemieux: 100 percent to the GOP?
• Peyton Manning: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Tim McCarver, FOX: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Al Michaels, NBC: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Jim Nantz, CBS: apparent golfing buddy of Bush 41; donates 60 percent to the GOP.
• Vin Scully, L.A. Dodgers: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Pat Summerall, FOX: 100 percent to the GOP.
• Lynn Swann: despite running for Governor of Pennsylvania as a Republican last year, he donates 19 percent to the Democrats.
• Steve Young, ESPN: 100 percent to the GOP.

* (D) stands for deceased.