WAVING THE BLOODY SOCK:

Schilling officially endorses McCain (Margot Sanger-Katz, December 06. 2007, Concord Monitor)

Bill Tauro, the publisher of the Somerville News in Massachusetts, drove about an hour last night for a John McCain campaign event. And while McCain was part of the draw, he had to admit that he was really in Manchester to see the Arizona senator's guest last night, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

"I've seen Schilling last year with George Bush, and I'm seeing him with McCain. He knows how to pick them," Tauro said. "You know like the divining stick for water. Schilling is like the divining rod."

At a wide-ranging conversation at The Derryfield School last night, Schilling drew as much applause, and nearly as many questions, as the Republican presidential candidate he came to endorse. He also drew a crowd. The 300-seat auditorium was filled last night, as were the school's parking lots, where police officers were directing drivers off the property before the event began.

"Curt, between us, what planet is Manny really from?" asked one attendee, who also called the pitcher "Sen. Schilling."

"I don't know," Schilling responded. "The planet World Series champions come from?"