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Some of the things Williams talked about with Bush included how he got started in baseball, times that he has had with the Bush family over the years and why he though Joe Jackson should be admitted into the Hall of Fames.
The event that Williams and Bush were attending that evening was the 2000 New Hampshire Baseball Dinner. This event was just prior to the February New Hampshire Presidential Primary with the hopes that it would help George W. Bush win the primary over Senator John McCain. Ted Williams had flown from Florida for this event and for this show to publicly endorse Bush over McCain. I was unaware that day and somewhat surprised to later learn that Senator McCain, like the Bush's, was also a very close and lifetime friend of Ted Williams. McCain in his recent book also mentioned this event and that he was bewildered by Williams' endorsement of his opponent in that election. Although, I don't have an answer for McCain, I do know that I didn't hear Williams or anyone else in that room that day say anything about Senator McCain, either positive or negative. Therefore, for whatever the reason, I don't think Williams had any negative feelings towards McCain. I just think Williams believed Bush had a better chance of winning the presidency than did Senator McCain. In any case, McCain won the New Hampshire Primary in February over George W. Bush. Senator McCain, received 115,606 or 48.53 percent of the votes to Bush's 72,330 or 30.36 percent of the votes. In addition, Al Gore also received more votes in the Democratic Primary than did Bush. Gore received 76,897 votes to Bush's 72,330 in the Republican Primary. For lack of time and other reasons, this show and the New Hampshire Primary didn't get the results Ted Williams and the Bush Committee had hoped for. This television show was only shown once, or possibly twice, on New Hampshire cable television before the February primary. However, after the New Hampshire February Primary things started to improve for George Bush. Copies of this show were sent to several cable stations throughout New Hampshire and other New England states. As a result, this show was aired on various broadcast and cable stations throughout Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Likewise, the show was mentioned in various newspaper articles, television shows, and radio station programs throughout New England. It also gained national attention when it was mentioned in an article that appeared in "USA Today". In the November 2000 National Presidential Election, George W. Bush carried New Hampshire by only 2.17 percent with 273,559 votes or 49.07 percent to Albert Gore's 266,348 votes or 46.80 percent. With Bush winning the four electoral votes in New Hampshire he had five more votes than Al Gore. Therefore, Bush won the Presidential Election with 271 electoral votes to Al Gore's 266. If Gore had taken New Hampshire he would have gained New Hampshire's four electoral votes and beat Bush in the 2000 Presidential Election 270 votes to 262. How much of an effect did Ted Williams' endorsement of George W. Bush and this well televised interview have on the New Hampshire voters in the November, 2000 Presidential Election, we will never know! However, we do know that whatever effect Ted's endorsement had on the outcome of the 2000 National Presidential Election, it was certainly a favorable one for George W. Bush. Frank W. Wing
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