As Bill Maher would say, New Rule: Politicians can no longer mention the Boston Red Sox. When they do, it goes badly. Take Lincoln Chafee, who is running for Rhode Island governor, and already carries the burden of being the only major candidate openly advocating raising taxes. According to the Boston Globe, Chafee idiotically suggested in a radio interview that Red Sox hero Curt Schilling, who dramatically brought the team its first World Series win since the dawn of time, faked his infamous bloody sock. Yes, Lincoln, this will win you plenty of votes--in New York!

Chafee joins Mitt Romney and Martha Coakley in the pantheon Hall of Shame for New England politicians who shoot themselves in the foot by saying dumb things about the Red Sox. Chafee, though, gets some sort of special designation because he actually managed to offend the fans of two local baseball franchises, the Red Sox, and their AAA affiliate, the Paw Sox, who play in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.