Former Braves all-star Dale Murphy is a well-known Twitter fanatic, sharing his insights into the Braves, art and his favorite band, the alt-country outfit Wilco.
But Murphy lately has used the social media tool to share his thoughts on the Republican presidential primary. In a nutshell: Newt Gingrich bad, Mitt Romney good. Old No. 3 even told his 21,790 followers that Gingrich’s victory in South Carolina made him “nauseous.”
Murphy, now 55 and 19 years removed from his last big league season, lives in Utah. Like Romney he is Mormon -- their families have close ties through the church -- and he travels the country giving speeches about baseball, ethics and integrity. Last month, Murphy [Twitter handle: @dalemurphy3] let loose with a series of tweets that caught some followers off guard.
On Jan. 21, the night of the South Carolina primary, Murphy tapped out: “NewtGingrich won #SouthCarolina tonight?? Hmmm... feeling, well ... nauseous, yeah, that would be it.. nauseous”.
“That kind of got my Twitter feed going a little bit,” Murphy said with a laugh during a phone interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Later that night, Murphy opined that if Gingrich is nominated, “the Reps can safely say re the 2012 Presidential Election ‘We got em right where they want us.’ ”
Some followers wondered why Murphy, one of the most popular Braves of all time, and one with an unmatched reputation for character and kindness, would lower himself into the festering pit of presidential politics.
“The tone of your political tweets doesn’t become you, Dale,” a follower with the nickname @homersfantasy said.
The Gingrich campaign did not directly respond to Murphy’s comments but on Tuesday announced that the ex-Georgia congressmen also has a respected former Atlanta sports figure on the team. Former Falcons coach Dan Reeves endorsed Gingrich’s campaign, saying Gingrich is the most experienced candidate and “knows what needs to be done to get the country on the right track.”
“Newt’s tough and you have got to be tough for a job like that -- just like a football coach,” said Reeves, who guided the Falcons to the Super Bowl after the 1998 season. “You will get second guessed a lot, but you have to know what you are doing and do what’s best for the country.”
Murphy said he received a lot of feedback from his rare foray into the political sphere. Some followers agreed, he said, some were surprised by an apparent negativity from the relentlessly upbeat Murphy.
“You do get some instant feedback on Twitter, that’s for sure,” Murphy said.
Murphy, who once flirted briefly with a bid for governor of Utah, said some followers challenged him to explain why his support for Romney isn’t just based on their shared religion. Murphy said there are many Mormon elected officials he would not vote for -- including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.
He added that “voting [based on] religious affiliation only is not something that Mitt Romney would expect or encourage.”
But he also conceded that if he was not a Mormon he wouldn’t have met Romney and might not be supporting him today.
In the late 1990s, Murphy and his wife, Nancy, lived in Boston where they oversaw Mormon missionaries in the region. Romney and his family lived in the same neighborhood. Romney was what’s known as the “home teacher” for the Murphy family. In the Mormon church, home teachers visit their assigned families regularly to establish a relationship of trust. Families can call on home teachers in time of need.
“There was a friendship there, and a concern [for us],” Murphy, who contributed $2,000 to Romney’s campaign, said. “It was such a great gesture for us. I know him. I trust him. I have confidence in him.”
As for Gingrich, Murphy admits to not knowing the ins and outs of the former Georgia congressman’s positions. He added that Gingrich strikes him as “a little loose. A little out there. I guess it just doesn’t appeal to me.”
Orit Sklar, an Atlanta Republican who helps the Romney campaign’s social media efforts, said Murphy’s comments could definitely help Romney in Georgia.
“Any one support or endorsement only makes as much of an impact as their ability to have a following from that message to be heard,” Sklar said. “The fact Dale has over 20,000 followers is pretty significant.”
No matter what happens with presidential politics, Murphy also said he feels good about the Braves chances this year, with a healthy Jason Heyward, exciting young pitchers and the return of relievers Peter Moylan and Kris Medlen.
“I’m very optimistic,” Murphy said.
About the Author
