The Incredible Electability of David Robinson
I’ve heard your cries. Many of you are not happy with the presidential candidates that you’ve been presented with but, alas, there is hope on this Super Tuesday. A write-in candidate, if you will. The Admiral, himself, David Robinson.
You might be thinking, “Lol, there is no way that a former NBA player could actually make a run for the presidency and win.” But in an election where the most notable figure is a New York real-estate mogul who we can’t be sure would denounce the KKK, anything can happen. David Robinson is my anything (and, for most of my youth as a Spurs fan, everything).
A military veteran. A three-time Olympian. A champion of education. A successful businessman. A two-time NBA champion. Let’s explore why he’d be a great candidate.
Military Experience
Former President George W. Bush, a first lieutenant in the Texas Air National Guard, is the most recent of 32 U.S. presidents with some form of military experience. A 2007 Gallup poll of characteristics people found most desirable in a president shows that, 58 percent of people would like someone who “personally served in the military.” David Robinson checks that box, and goes beyond.
Admitted to the Naval Academy on a special exception due to his height (he was, at 6 feet 8 inches, two inches taller than the Navy’s height limit), Robinson served two years as a civil engineering officer in the Naval Reserves. While he’s called “The Admiral” he achieved the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade).
Leadership
As the “leader of the free world” it is important that any presidential hopeful has the ability to, well, lead. One of the undisputed leaders of champions, the 1999 and 2003 San Antonio Spurs, David Robinson is the leader we all aspire to be. While “the media” may be “liars,” according to Donald Trump, you can’t deny that “David Robinson leads the Spurs over (insert whatever team took an L)” wasn’t an staple of newspapers from The Kerrville Times to the New York Times.
Religion
Almost all U.S. presidents have been Christian, David Robinson has — time and time again — professed and defended his faith. Box checked.
Education
Since his retirement from the NBA, education has been a central part of the Admiral’s platform. Robinson affirmed his commitment to education in 2009, saying, “A well-rounded education has always been an issue close to my heart,” and his work with the San Antonio-based Carver Academy is well noted. In 2012, the school — once a Christian school — became a public charter, to the chagrin of some parents.
“You can’t honestly hate David Robinson. If you hate The Admiral you hate everything good.”
In all honesty, whether you agree or disagree with charter schools, the fact that Robinson has taken action — on his own — to do something that helps kids in areas of a city that desperately need it, says a lot. I’m from San Antonio. I know kids who’ve come up through Carver Academy. It helps.
Business
How good is David for business? How is he going to get the bankers to vote for him? Glad you asked. David is actually the co-founder of the Admiral Capital Group, a private equity group that, in 2014, managed over $250 million in real estate assets. He hasn’t absorbed all the fruits of the venture, though. The group started a program for lower-income students in Houston called Admiral Hospitality Scholars. The program, which “has strong support from Hilton Worldwide,” is designed, “to create a pathway to a career in hospitality for lower income high school students in Houston,” according to this interview in Forbes.
Likeability
David was Stephen Curry before Stephen Curry. You can’t honestly hate David Robinson. If you hate The Admiral you hate everything good. Straight up.
The Admiral 2016
In all honesty, I could go on and on about the reasons why David Robinson should be our next President — from his positions on LGBT rights to education, but why bother? And, sure, we still need to know where he stands on mass incarceration and policing, but he’s an incredibly good option. If you’ve read this far, thank you. David Robinson is the write-in candidate — or major party candidate — we all deserve.
