Donovan McNabb: Examining Governor Ed Rendell's Analysis of No. 5

Career politicians are all great at one thing:

Double talk.

They're good at backtracking statements and clearing up word-choices or so-called misunderstandings about all kinds of political footballs.

But Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has recently spent some time clarifying statements he made about, of all topics, football.

Pro football, that is, with no political strings attached.

Honestly, the author of this column could care less about Rendell's preferences and predictions for the 2010 NFL season, who certainly has every right to say what he believes. But the gov's recent words on the subject are fascinating to say the least.

The 66-year-old Rendell allegedly told Politco this past Wednesday that he believed Donovan McNabb would lead the Redskins to the postseason while the Eagles missed the playoffs in 2010, according to Politco’s Ben Smith and reported by NBC Philadelphia.com.

"Donovan's going to be great for the Redskins,” Rendell said. "I'm going to still root for the Eagles, but I'm going to root for the Redskins in the playoffs because they're going to be in it and we're not."

Governor Rendell has been a contributor on Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia’s Eagles Postgame Live for the past several years.

Thus, some have wondered if his statement compromised his allegiance to the Eagles as a fan, and his objectivity in evaluating the team going forward.

Rendell has since insisted that he is still a Bird-supporter.

“Of course I am an Eagles’ fan, first and forever,” Rendell told Fox29 Philadephia.

Rendell was the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 through 2000 and has long fashioned himself an avid sports fan. For instance, he was extremely critical of the Eagles’ decision to select Donovan McNabb with the second-overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft instead of taking Ricky Williams, the Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the University of Texas.

In short, Rendell was on the same side as the now nationally infamous group of Eagles fans, known as the “Dirty 30,” who booed McNabb at the draft scene.

Ironically, Rendell has been one of Donovan McNabb’s most steadfast supporters over the years and has used his position on Eagles Post Game Live as a platform to chide any Eagles fan who dares criticize McNabb.

Please, as if he's been a Donovan fan from day one...

Could it be that Rendell feels guilty for his initial position on DonnyMac over a decade ago, and has tried to make amends for it by bringing the pro-Donovan pompoms to every postgame show?

Maybe.

In regards to his opinion of McNabb, Ed Rendell has pulled a George W. Bush, a John McCain, or more flatteringly from Rendell’s perspective, a John Kerry.

He’s been a flip-flopper, a double-talker, on the issue.

Of course, with politicians, that comes with the territory.

Could Rendell’s most recent comments possibly mean that he’s gearing up for a move down to Washington to join Redskins Postgame Live once his term as Governor ends?

Given the gov’s affection for the greatest quarterback in Eagles history, it wouldn’t be too surprising.